Long before the Scopes' Monkey Trial signaled the escalation of the ongoing debate over evolution, Socrates, Galileo, Copernicus and others had felt the scorn of state or church.
How Go the Culture Wars?
The tension between science and authority, political or religious, is as old as science itself. It is inevitable in the course of scientific discovery that some popular ideas and legends will be proven erroneous or even fabricated. Long before the Scopes' Monkey Trial signaled the escalation of the ongoing debate over evolution, Socrates, Galileo, Copernicus and others had felt the scorn of state or church.
It is gratifying to know that science has persisted and even thrived despite periodic surges of public skepticism. However, one cannot help but wonder if the Internet age has so magnified the reach and influence of today's creationists as to render it possible that the scientific community may experience real pushback. The political power of religious fundamentalists can be seen in the attempts by elected school boards to mandate placing stickers on textbooks proclaiming that evolution is "just a theory," to teach creation (aka "creation science" or "intelligent design") in K-12 science classes, or— more recently— to dictate the content of science texts purchased by the state of Texas. Although the courts have thus far recognized and upheld the line between science and religious belief, the steady accumulation of culturally conservative judges may, sooner or later, allow the semantic legerdemain of the Intelligent Design Network and the Discovery Institute to win a place for intelligent design in science classrooms and textbooks.
To get creationism, however artfully labeled, into textbooks and classrooms, the scientific method itself must, inevitably, be devalued or distorted if this fallacy is to be maintained. Thus, the need for engaging the public is more acute than ever. Is the purpose of this article to reveal the secret for proving that evolution is right and intelligent design lacks scientific credibility? Unfortunately, no. Instead, my purpose is to raise awareness of some of the more counterproductive approaches we sometimes take in parrying the attacks of creationist culture warriors and to suggest some alternatives for your consideration.
If the scientific community is to rebuild and enlarge the bridges connecting it with the general public, those bridges cannot be one-way. This means rejecting the seductive metaphor of soldiers in a culture war, for the ways of war are not the ways of reason or respect but those of absolutism and polarization. Yet, many of our choices with regard to both goals and tactics betray the adversarial "us-or-them" mindset of a combat general.
Instead of working toward enhancing mutual understanding, all too often, our op-ed pieces and letters to the editor seek to somehow "win" the debate by exposing the fallacies of creationism and/or discrediting its adherents. All too often, we cast the debate in absolutist terms, seemingly designed to alienate rather than persuade. And, all too often, we portray the adherents of creationism and its derivatives as ignorant, intolerant and irrational.
Perhaps our most frequent error comes when we ascribe differences in viewpoint to differences in education and training: "If only you had the benefit of our advanced degrees and extensive scientific training, you, too, would realize the strength of the evidence on behalf of evolution." By suggesting that evolution and other scientific concepts lie beyond the understanding of "ordinary" people, we strip away everything about science that makes it stimulating, dynamic and rigorous— in other words, everything that might induce someone to examine it more closely or give it a second look. Instead of an exciting and challenging process of exploration, frequently we portray science as a static, dogmatic collection of facts, laws and theories generated and interpreted by qualified experts. Instead of highlighting the many ways in which ordinary people apply scientific tools and principles in their daily lives— quantitative measurement, logical deduction and experimental testing— we portray it as something distant and alien to persons lacking a doctoral degree.
If our objective is to convince the general public that evolution is "right" and creation science is "wrong," we have set a nearly impossible task. Having grown up in a city with two major league baseball teams, I can tell you that, despite years of vigorous debate, I have yet to see a Cubs fan convinced to become a White Sox fan, and vice versa. Point out that the White Sox won the World Series in 2005, whereas the Cubs have known nothing but frustration since 1908. So what? Point out that Wrigley Field is a thing of beauty, a landmark whose history and ambiance far outshine the modern sterility of U.S. Cellular Field. So what? It is difficult to change long-held beliefs through logical debate. The more we press the issue, the more likely we are to slip into the kind of dogmatic language that alienates rather than illuminates.
So what should our goals be? To get students, friends, parents and teachers excited about science. To do so, we must show people that science is, at its core, a fundamentally human endeavor; that the scientific method was devised by people trying to satisfy our universal craving to know and understand. We need to illuminate for them the impact that science has on their daily lives. We must show how they use scientific methods and principles every day. And, we must demonstrate our respect for their choice of belief system. Not only must we cease denigrating Genesis, we must be careful to dispel the notion that we seek to silence their views altogether.
I expect few people to respond by either recanting their faith or rejecting the biblical story of creation. However, I do expect that people possessed of a basic appreciation and understanding of science will understand why, to be included in the biology curriculum, intelligent design must first be subject to scientific investigation. Note that I did not say that they would understand why intelligent design does not belong in the science text or classroom, because it is the nature of the evidence and not the nature of the subject that qualifies something as being scientific.


text:
Home > Phoenix (Black City #2)
Phoenix (Black City #2)
Author: Elizabeth Richards
BLACK CITY BURNING
PURIAN ROSE STEPPED OUT onto the balcony of the Golden Citadel, adjusting the white cotton glove on his right hand. The sun had just started to set over the city, making the giltstone buildings shimmer gold. He was greeted by the melody of a million voices calling out to him across the metropolis, united in their evening prayer. Normally this would bring a smile to his thin lips. Centrum was his creation, his perfect vision of the world: purity, faith and power combined.
But not tonight.
How could he be happy when everything he had worked so hard for was in jeopardy? It had taken fifteen years of bloodshed, bribery and sheer determination to build his utopia, but that half-breed and his race-traitor girlfriend had threatened to unravel it all. Rose flexed his right hand, irritated that the glove wasn't fitting correctly. Everything had to be flawless; too much was at stake to allow for even the slightest imperfection.
In the city square below him, a team of workmen were preparing the stage for the televised referendum in a couple of days, when the whole country would vote for his segregation laws. The ballot was meant to have taken place two months ago, but after everything that had happened in Black City—the riot between his Sentry guards and the Darklings, which resulted in a teenage boy being killed; Emissary Buchanan's imprisonment for poisoning its citizens with a drug known as Golden Haze; and the attempted execution of the half-blood boy they were now calling Phoenix—well, it hadn't seemed like the right time. Public opinion of his government had never been so low.
But that was a few weeks ago, and people's memories were short. He was a patient man, able to bide his time until it was the right moment to strike, even though he was itching to punish the citizens of Black City for defying him. No fear, no power! they had chanted. It had enraged him at first, but he had found a way to turn the situation in his favor. He was, if anything, resourceful.
His eyes caught on two black ants crawling along the golden balustrade that ran around the edge of the balcony, and a flicker of annoyance crossed his gray eyes. Despite all his power, he still couldn't prevent His Mighty's smallest creatures from invading his carefully crafted world. Just like the rebels in Black City.
The sound of footsteps made him turn. By the doorway stood his servant—a young man named Forsyth, who was dressed in long white robes with a red rose emblem on his chest. It was the uniform of the Pilgrims—the devoted followers of the Purity faith, the religion that Rose had founded. The servant bowed.
"Your Transporter is ready, Your Excellency," Forsyth said.
Rose simply nodded, dismissing the man, and turned his attention back to the ants. He watched the insects for a moment longer before crushing them under the thumb of his white-gloved hand.
He had waited long enough. The moment had come to put his plan into action. It was time he reminded Ash Fisher and Natalie Buchanan why they should fear him.
A STEAM-POWERED STREETCAR rattles along the tracks beside me, spewing clouds of soot into the gray skies shrouding Black City. I take a cigarette from my packet of Sentry-regulation smokes and slip it between my lips, but don't bother to spark up. Nicotine doesn't give me the same buzz that it used to; nothing gets me as high as the heart beating inside my chest. I only carry the smokes to give me something to do with my hands when I'm nervous. My fingers find the small parcel inside my jacket pocket, and my stomach flips.
I stroll through the Rise, the poorest district in the city, and turn down Cinder Street—a narrow alleyway wedged between rows of tightly packed Cinderstone buildings. Three boys are playing in the street, blocking my path. Two of them brandish toy wooden swords, pretending to be Sentry guards. They're chasing the third boy, who is dressed in black clothes, the sleeves decorated with orange ribbons that look like flames when he runs. It takes me a moment to realize the boy is pretending to be me. My chest tightens as I watch him play, thinking about the real fire that blazed up my arms, burning the flesh off my bones . . .
The boy looks up at me with wide brown eyes.
"Phoenix!" he cries out.
The children run over to me.
"I saw you on the news the other day," Little Phoenix says. "Did you really hijack those Sentry trucks?"
"Yeah," I say, putting my unlit cigarette back in the packet.
"And steal all those medical supplies from Sentry headquarters?" he asks.
"Yup," I say.
"Wow," all the boys say in unison.
Since the uprising two months ago, the Sentry government has been finding ways to lash out at us, such as withholding medical supplies from our hospitals or stopping Synth-O-Blood shipments into the Darkling ghetto, known as the Legion. I've been working with Humans for Unity—the rebel group campaigning to unify our species—to protect the people of this city. The front door of the house behind them opens, and a pretty middle-aged woman with sandy blond hair appears, wiping her hands on an old dishcloth. I've seen her at a few of the rebel meetings, although we've never spoken. I think her name's Sally.
"Boys, get inside this minute and leave that young man alone," she says.
"Aww, Mom," Little Phoenix whines.
"Don't 'aww Mom' me," she says, ushering them inside.
She gives me a shy smile once they're in the house.
"I really admire what you've been doing," she says in a quiet voice. "I think you're very brave to stand up to Purian Rose. It's given so many others in this country the courage to finally do the same."
"Thanks," I say, rubbing the back of my neck.
She blushes slightly. "Well, good luck at the ballot tomorrow. I'll be voting against Rose's Law," she says. "The war's over; it's time we all forgave each other and moved on."
"I appreciate your support," I reply. "See you tomorrow."
I head toward the small house at the end of the lane and dart around the back of the one-story building. As I'd hoped, the bedroom window is open. I climb through, being careful not to make a sound as I land on the other side.
The tiny room is crammed with old furniture: a desk, two beds, two dressers and a wardrobe. Day's side of the room is immaculate, while Natalie's is strewn with magazines, shoes and laundry. Her nightstand is covered in makeup, plus a small container of heart medication that I stole from the Sentry when we raided their medical supplies. I carefully navigate the mess and lean over her bed. Only Natalie's face peeps out from behind the handmade quilt, her golden curls spilling across the pillow.
"Happy birthday, blondie," I whisper.
Sunlight catches on her blond lashes as they sleepily flutter open.
"I was just dreaming about you," she says.
"All good things, I hope?" I say, shrugging off my jacket.
She grabs my belt and pulls me onto the bed with her, making the wooden frame creak under our weight. I worry that Sumrina—Natalie and her sister Polly's guardian—might hear us, but that thought is quickly pushed aside when Natalie presses her lips against mine. Everything melts away, and it's just the two of us, our hearts beating in unison. My hand glides down her body, skimming over the soft cotton nightdress until I find the silken smoothness of her legs. My fingers brush over a small mark on her calf muscle where a Darkling bit her a few months ago. Natalie suddenly stops kissing me and bolts upright, cheeks flushed, to look toward Day's bed. She lets out a long sigh when she realizes it's empty.
"That could have been embarrassing," she says.
I chuckle. "I would've restrained myself if she'd been here."
Natalie raises a brow at me.
"Okay, maybe not."
"Well, since we're alone . . ." She playfully runs her fingers down my shirt, undoing the buttons.
"Natalie, don't," I say, holding her wrists.
A small frown crosses her lips. "I just thought, since it's my birthday—"
"You know I can't."
"The doctor said your burns were healing nicely. Couldn't we at least try? It's been so long since we . . ." She doesn't need to finish the sentence. It's been over two months since we were last physical with each other. "I love you, Ash. I don't care what you look like."
"Then I guess it's lucky I'm such a stud," I tease.
She attempts a smile, but the disappointment is evident in her eyes.
"I do want you," I say, gently running my thumb over her cheek.
"Really?" she whispers.
"Of course. It's pretty much all I think about, trust me."
"Then why can't we . . . ?"
My body tenses up. Because I'm a freak?
"I'm sorry, Ash. I didn't mean to push things," she says, sensing my discomfort. "I can wait, it doesn't matter. Forgive me?"
I kiss her again. This time it's urgent, hungry, showing her how much she means to me. I do want her—boy, do I want her; that was never the issue. She sighs as my fangs gently nip on her bottom lip.
Fragg it.
I shrug off my shirt, tossing it on the floor. I lie down, pulling Natalie on top of me, my heart racing. This is the first time she's seen my scars since I was taken to the hospital after my failed execution. Her fingers inquisitively explore my skin, her touch feather-light as she skims over the patchwork of burnt flesh on my upper body. I flinch slightly; the scars are still tender.
The burns on my back, neck and hands have almost gone, and in a few more months, the ones on my shoulders and arms will look less alarming. I wish they'd heal entirely; I hate being reminded of that day. But that will never happen. So instead I'm wrenched awake every night, thrashing and screaming, convinced I'm on fire.
"What were you so worried about, silly?" Natalie finally whispers. "Did you honestly think I'd be put off by a few scars?"
"I'm not exactly the guy you fell in love with," I say.
"That's true," she says, placing a hand over my racing heart. "You're better. You sacrificed yourself to save me, Ash. Trust me, that earned you a few extra boyfriend points."
I grin. "Maybe I can stick to buying you flowers in the future."
She laughs.
I gently cup her face with my hands, and she stops laughing, the mood shifting. My eyes drink her in, admiring the cute dimple in her cheek, the cornflower blue of her eyes, the gentle curve of her rose-pink lips.
My stomach clenches as I get this sudden, panicked feeling in my gut that I'm going to lose her. It's the same sensation I've been getting since my crucifixion. So far Purian Rose has left us alone, but how long will this last? I kiss her, forcing those dark thoughts aside.
"What would you like to do today, birthday girl?" I murmur against her lips.
"This," she replies.
"Sounds good to me."
Our plans are immediately dashed when there's a brisk knock on the door. We barely have time to pull the covers over us as Sumrina, my dad and Beetle enter the room. Beetle smirks when he sees me, the pink flesh of his scarred cheek puckering—a nasty remnant of the bombing that took down part of the Boundary Wall. Sumrina can't hide her shock at the sight of my burns, muttering "mercy" under her breath, while Dad just gives me a weary look, the lines on his forehead furrowing. His hair has turned as gray as his minister's tunic, making him look decades older than he is. The stress of losing Mom, followed by my murder trial and crucifixion, has taken its toll on him.
"I thought you might be here." He passes my shirt to me.
"Natalie and I were just talking," I say in a rush, shrugging on my top as Natalie sinks farther under the sheets.
Beetle laughs, then quickly tries to disguise it as a cough when I glower at him.
"I'm guessing this isn't a social visit?" I say to him.
"Sorry, bro. You're needed at the Legion. There's been an incident," Beetle replies, adding quickly: "No one's dead. But it's probably best if Roach fills you in on the details."
I frown. It must be pretty serious if he's leaving it up to his aunt Roach—the head of Humans for Unity—to tell me what happened.
"Am I needed too?" Natalie asks.
Beetle glances at the ground. "No, just Ash."
"Oh," she says, deflated.
I rub the back of my neck, flicking a look at Natalie.
"It's okay, Ash," she says. "You should go; it sounds important. See you tonight?"
I give her a chaste peck on the cheek, not wanting to give my dad any more reasons to have a hernia.
"Catch you later, birthday girl," I say, slinging on my jacket. "I'll give you my gift tonight."
I slip my hand into my pocket to check that the parcel is still there, and my stomach fills with nerves, both excited and anxious about this evening. I'm throwing her a surprise birthday party, which I've been planning for weeks, but that's not all. Tonight, I'm going to ask Natalie to marry me.
WE PUSH OUR WAY down Bleak Street, which is heaving with bleary-eyed commuters heading to work. Some of them nod at me as we pass by. Plastered across shop windows, walls and lampposts are hundreds of Humans for Unity flyers, with slogans like NO FEAR, NO POWER! and ONE COUNTRY UNITED and VOTE NO TO ROSE'S LAW! On all of the posters is an image of me staring moodily off into the distance with smoke billowing behind me—a phoenix rising from the ashes. Roach shortened my name from Black Phoenix to Phoenix, thinking it would sound snappier in the promos.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: How to turn off multilingual typing without deleting dictionaries or keyboards in iOS 10? This wasn't a problem in iOS 9 or earlier. However, now iOS 10 has added a new feature such that one doesn't have to switch keyboards to type in another language, which causes trouble: now I have both English and French dictionaries and both keyboards, and for example, when I type "critique" in the English keyboard, a word existing in both dictionaries, iOS will then prompt the French suggestions (de, le, la etc.), even though I never mean to switch to French -- I just want to normally type "critique" as an English word, but of course iOS can't detect my intention.
Anyway, now I want things to go back to what they were in iOS 9 or earlier. And I have to keep both the dictionaries and the keyboards. Is it possible?

A: Leave feedback with Apple or they will never fix this. All they need is a way to turn it on and off.
One good way is to use the Apple Support iOS app and check if you've missed an easy step. If not and this is truly by design, they should get you a feedback link where you can request this change in functionality.

*

*Apple Support by Apple

A: So far the only workaround seems to be using another keyboard, for example, google's gboard or microsoft's swiftkey — both are heavy on data-collection but if you do not enable Allow full access in settings they are still fairly usable.
For gboard make sure you disable Multilingual typing in settings. To quickly access gboard settings long-tap the cogwheel ⚙ icon. Normal single tap on ⚙ can be used to switch between installed languages.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


First spotted by Kim at AdWords Help Experts Blog, a Google AdWords Help thread has reports that Google is now enforcing the 35 character display URL limit set on AdWords ads.
Initially for URLs exceeding character limit we used to give exception on a case-by-case basis. However, please note we've revised our guideline on short display URL exception and sorry to inform you that we no longer provide exceptions to the display URL policy for domains that exceed the character space, which is limited to 35 characters for text ads and 20 characters for mobile ads.
There also use to be a way to use dynamic keyword inserting techniques to trick Google into giving you a longer title, but that no longer seems to work for the keywords I have tested. Yes, display URL and ad title are different, I just noticed this as well, when looking back at the history on this topic.


text:
#include <sedml/SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction.h>
#include <sbml/xml/XMLInputStream.h>

using namespace std;

LIBSEDML_CPP_NAMESPACE_BEGIN

#ifdef __cplusplus

/*
 * Creates a new SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction using the given SED-ML Level
 * and @ p version values.
 */
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction::SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction(
                                                                 unsigned int
                                                                   level,
                                                                 unsigned int
                                                                   version)
  : SedObjective(level, version)
{
  setSedNamespacesAndOwn(new SedNamespaces(level, version));
}

/*
 * Creates a new SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction using the given SedNamespaces
 * object @p sedmlns.
 */
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction::SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction(SedNamespaces
  *sedmlns)
  : SedObjective(sedmlns)
{
  setElementNamespace(sedmlns->getURI());
}

/*
 * Copy constructor for SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction.
 */
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction::SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction(const
  SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction& orig)
  : SedObjective( orig )
{
}

/*
 * Assignment operator for SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction.
 */
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction&
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction::operator=(const
  SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction& rhs)
{
  if (&rhs != this)
  {
    SedObjective::operator=(rhs);
  }

  return *this;
}

/*
 * Creates and returns a deep copy of this SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction
 * object.
 */
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction*
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction::clone() const
{
  return new SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction(*this);
}

/*
 * Destructor for SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction.
 */
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction::~SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction()
{
}

/*
 * Returns the XML element name of this SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction object.
 */
const std::string&
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction::getElementName() const
{
  static const string name = "leastSquareObjectiveFunction";
  return name;
}

/*
 * Returns the libSEDML type code for this SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction
 * object.
 */
int
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction::getTypeCode() const
{
  return SEDML_LEAST_SQUARE_OBJECTIVE;
}

/*
 * Predicate returning @c true if all the required attributes for this
 * SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction object have been set.
 */
bool
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction::hasRequiredAttributes() const
{
  bool allPresent = SedObjective::hasRequiredAttributes();

  return allPresent;
}

/** @cond doxygenLibSEDMLInternal */

/*
 * Write any contained elements
 */
void
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction::writeElements(LIBSBML_CPP_NAMESPACE_QUALIFIER
  XMLOutputStream& stream) const
{
  SedObjective::writeElements(stream);
}

/** @endcond */

/** @cond doxygenLibSEDMLInternal */

/*
 * Accepts the given SedVisitor
 */
bool
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction::accept(SedVisitor& v) const
{
  return false;
}

/** @endcond */

/** @cond doxygenLibSEDMLInternal */

/*
 * Sets the parent SedDocument
 */
void
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction::setSedDocument(SedDocument* d)
{
  SedObjective::setSedDocument(d);
}

/** @endcond */

/** @cond doxygenLibSEDMLInternal */

/*
 * Gets the value of the "attributeName" attribute of this
 * SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction.
 */
int
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction::getAttribute(const std::string& attributeName,
                                              bool& value) const
{
  int return_value = SedObjective::getAttribute(attributeName, value);

  return return_value;
}

/** @endcond */

/** @cond doxygenLibSEDMLInternal */

/*
 * Gets the value of the "attributeName" attribute of this
 * SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction.
 */
int
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction::getAttribute(const std::string& attributeName,
                                              int& value) const
{
  int return_value = SedObjective::getAttribute(attributeName, value);

  return return_value;
}

/** @endcond */

/** @cond doxygenLibSEDMLInternal */

/*
 * Gets the value of the "attributeName" attribute of this
 * SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction.
 */
int
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction::getAttribute(const std::string& attributeName,
                                              double& value) const
{
  int return_value = SedObjective::getAttribute(attributeName, value);

  return return_value;
}

/** @endcond */

/** @cond doxygenLibSEDMLInternal */

/*
 * Gets the value of the "attributeName" attribute of this
 * SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction.
 */
int
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction::getAttribute(const std::string& attributeName,
                                              unsigned int& value) const
{
  int return_value = SedObjective::getAttribute(attributeName, value);

  return return_value;
}

/** @endcond */

/** @cond doxygenLibSEDMLInternal */

/*
 * Gets the value of the "attributeName" attribute of this
 * SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction.
 */
int
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction::getAttribute(const std::string& attributeName,
                                              std::string& value) const
{
  int return_value = SedObjective::getAttribute(attributeName, value);

  return return_value;
}

/** @endcond */

/** @cond doxygenLibSEDMLInternal */

/*
 * Predicate returning @c true if this SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction's
 * attribute "attributeName" is set.
 */
bool
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction::isSetAttribute(const std::string&
  attributeName) const
{
  bool value = SedObjective::isSetAttribute(attributeName);

  return value;
}

/** @endcond */

/** @cond doxygenLibSEDMLInternal */

/*
 * Sets the value of the "attributeName" attribute of this
 * SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction.
 */
int
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction::setAttribute(const std::string& attributeName,
                                              bool value)
{
  int return_value = SedObjective::setAttribute(attributeName, value);

  return return_value;
}

/** @endcond */

/** @cond doxygenLibSEDMLInternal */

/*
 * Sets the value of the "attributeName" attribute of this
 * SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction.
 */
int
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction::setAttribute(const std::string& attributeName,
                                              int value)
{
  int return_value = SedObjective::setAttribute(attributeName, value);

  return return_value;
}

/** @endcond */

/** @cond doxygenLibSEDMLInternal */

/*
 * Sets the value of the "attributeName" attribute of this
 * SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction.
 */
int
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction::setAttribute(const std::string& attributeName,
                                              double value)
{
  int return_value = SedObjective::setAttribute(attributeName, value);

  return return_value;
}

/** @endcond */

/** @cond doxygenLibSEDMLInternal */

/*
 * Sets the value of the "attributeName" attribute of this
 * SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction.
 */
int
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction::setAttribute(const std::string& attributeName,
                                              unsigned int value)
{
  int return_value = SedObjective::setAttribute(attributeName, value);

  return return_value;
}

/** @endcond */

/** @cond doxygenLibSEDMLInternal */

/*
 * Sets the value of the "attributeName" attribute of this
 * SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction.
 */
int
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction::setAttribute(const std::string& attributeName,
                                              const std::string& value)
{
  int return_value = SedObjective::setAttribute(attributeName, value);

  return return_value;
}

/** @endcond */

/** @cond doxygenLibSEDMLInternal */

/*
 * Unsets the value of the "attributeName" attribute of this
 * SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction.
 */
int
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction::unsetAttribute(const std::string&
  attributeName)
{
  int value = SedObjective::unsetAttribute(attributeName);

  return value;
}

/** @endcond */

/** @cond doxygenLibSEDMLInternal */

/*
 * Creates a new object from the next XMLToken on the XMLInputStream
 */
SedBase*
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction::createObject(LIBSBML_CPP_NAMESPACE_QUALIFIER
  XMLInputStream& stream)
{
  SedBase* obj = SedObjective::createObject(stream);

  connectToChild();

  return obj;
}

/** @endcond */

/** @cond doxygenLibSEDMLInternal */

/*
 * Adds the expected attributes for this element
 */
void
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction::addExpectedAttributes(LIBSBML_CPP_NAMESPACE_QUALIFIER
  ExpectedAttributes& attributes)
{
  SedObjective::addExpectedAttributes(attributes);
}

/** @endcond */

/** @cond doxygenLibSEDMLInternal */

/*
 * Reads the expected attributes into the member data variables
 */
void
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction::readAttributes(
                                                const
                                                  LIBSBML_CPP_NAMESPACE_QUALIFIER
                                                    XMLAttributes& attributes,
                                                const
                                                  LIBSBML_CPP_NAMESPACE_QUALIFIER
                                                    ExpectedAttributes&
                                                      expectedAttributes)
{
  unsigned int level = getLevel();
  unsigned int version = getVersion();
  unsigned int numErrs;
  bool assigned = false;
  SedErrorLog* log = getErrorLog();

  SedObjective::readAttributes(attributes, expectedAttributes);

  if (log)
  {
    numErrs = log->getNumErrors();

    for (int n = numErrs-1; n >= 0; n--)
    {
      if (log->getError(n)->getErrorId() == SedUnknownCoreAttribute)
      {
        const std::string details = log->getError(n)->getMessage();
        log->remove(SedUnknownCoreAttribute);
        log->logError(SedUnknown, level, version, details, getLine(),
          getColumn());
      }
    }
  }
}

/** @endcond */

/** @cond doxygenLibSEDMLInternal */

/*
 * Writes the attributes to the stream
 */
void
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction::writeAttributes(LIBSBML_CPP_NAMESPACE_QUALIFIER
  XMLOutputStream& stream) const
{
  SedObjective::writeAttributes(stream);
}

/** @endcond */

#endif /* __cplusplus */

/*
 * Creates a new SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction_t using the given SED-ML Level
 * and @ p version values.
 */
LIBSEDML_EXTERN
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction_t *
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction_create(unsigned int level,
                                       unsigned int version)
{
  return new SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction(level, version);
}

/*
 * Creates and returns a deep copy of this SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction_t
 * object.
 */
LIBSEDML_EXTERN
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction_t*
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction_clone(const SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction_t*
  slsof)
{
  if (slsof != NULL)
  {
    return static_cast<SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction_t*>(slsof->clone());
  }
  else
  {
    return NULL;
  }
}

/*
 * Frees this SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction_t object.
 */
LIBSEDML_EXTERN
void
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction_free(SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction_t* slsof)
{
  if (slsof != NULL)
  {
    delete slsof;
  }
}

/*
 * Predicate returning @c 1 (true) if all the required attributes for this
 * SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction_t object have been set.
 */
LIBSEDML_EXTERN
int
SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction_hasRequiredAttributes(const
  SedLeastSquareObjectiveFunction_t * slsof)
{
  return (slsof != NULL) ? static_cast<int>(slsof->hasRequiredAttributes()) :
    0;
}

LIBSEDML_CPP_NAMESPACE_END

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Home How we work Our stories Supporting talent through Shared Lives scheme
Supporting talent through Shared Lives scheme
Writing songs has been a passion of Matt's for over twelve years, and through the support of our Shared Lives West Midlands scheme, he has now released his first music video.
The song, written and produced by Matt with the help of Music Support Worker Anthony, is called 'Epic of Gilgamesh.'
'My music is progressing. It's brilliant, I see the video as a huge stepping stone, as it is the first music video I have done' said Matt.
Matt was inspired to write and produce music from an early age, by his father and brother who formed the band Aswad in the 80's, and who had a 1988 number one hit 'Don't Turn Around'.
This interest and passion for music led to Matt joining Coneygre Art Centre, where he developed his singing, song writing and music production skills.
'The centre has a diverse range of people attending the groups and I have made friends there. It has been a great experience being there, and its where I met Anthony, who helped me record and put together the music video' said Matt.
Making the music video
Matt's Shared Lives carer, Martin set up a music studio in his house for Matt, in support of his music.
'Due to the lockdown at Stourbridge, Martin built Matt a studio in his bedroom, which has allowed Matt to keep working on his music and record songs' said Matt's mom Caron.
Matt said 'Making the music video was hard, but Anthony really helped to give me the vision and was the brains behind it.'
'I wrote the song and did the editing myself, but the hardest part of the video was having to do the lip sync for the song, I found that really hard to do, but I think I got there in the end, and I am happy with the result.'
Cathy Dale, Area Co-ordinator for Shared Lives West Midlands said 'The Shared Lives model is person centred, creative and flexible. This arrangement was unique in its circumstance and was created around the people already involved in Matt's life. Getting things right for Matt has been multi layered, Shared Lives along with Caron, being the foundation.'
'We've had a really difficult couple of years' said Caron. 'Matt has been unwell, and I lost my mom.'
'Shared Lives has been really good, and the transition has been brilliant really. Everyone's saying that they see a massive difference in Matt, he's maturing, been more independent and has got back into music. He lost his motivation for a while, but he has got back into it now. Anthony has been fantastic with the music and Martin has just been brilliant, he is such a good carer. It's been a life saver really, because we were in a difficult place a few years ago, and now everything is picking up for us.'
About Shared Lives
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text:
BIFFY CLYRO ANNOUNCE THE US RELEASE OF 'ONLY REVOLUTIONS' EXCLUSIVELY ON iTUNES MARCH 09, 2010
Burbank, CA – Warner Bros Records has announced the release of breakthrough UK band biffy clyro's new album Only Revolutions. The follow up to 2007's Puzzle, Only Revolutions will be available exclusively on iTunes beginning March 9, 2010.
Produced by Garth Richardson (Rage Against the Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers) and mixed by Andy Wallace (Coldplay, Nirvana, Faith No More), the fifth release from the Scottish trio also features the orchestration of multi Grammy-winning composer David Campbell. Only Revolutions came out in the UK November 9, 2009 to chart success and critical acclaim. It is already certified gold in the UK, and the Sunday Times, Kerrang and Q each gave it four stars, with The Guardian declaring, " their songs pack a punch, but are full of light, shade and sophistication." The first UK single off the album, "Mountains" is a top 5 radio hit that has sold over 100,000 copies, and their current UK single, "Many of Horror" is rapidly climbing the charts: it is #6 on the national airplay chart. "Mountains" will impact at US radio on February 9, 2010.
To support the release, biffy clyro will head out with Manchester Orchestra on a nationwide US tour. The month-long string of dates kicks off March 6th in Tempe, AZ and runs through April 9th in Columbia, SC. The tour comes on the heels of a successful UK headlining tour, including a sold out performance at London's Brixton Academy.
biffy clyro formed in 1995 and quickly began honing their unique sound, a mind-boggling mix of off-kilter tempos, itchy, unpredictable guitars, soulful choruses and feral screams. Years of relentless touring built a dedicated army of followers and turned biffy clyro into one of the most celebrated live bands in the UK: they've shared the stage with Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Linkin Park, opened a colossal Wembley Stadium show with Muse and became the first band ever to play in the Houses of Parliament. They've begun to win over US fans as well, on recent tours with Queens of the Stone Age, Editors and Say Anything.
biffy clyro US tour dates with Manchester Orchestra are below. To see and hear more please visit www.biffyclyro.com.
3/06 – The Marquee – Tempe, AZ
3/07 – House of Blues – San Diego, CA
3/09 – Troubadour – West Hollywood, CA
3/11 – Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA
3/12 – Hawthorne Theater – Portland, OR
3/13 – The Showbox – Seattle, WA
3/15 – Knitting Factory – Boise, ID
3/19 – Beaumont Club – Kansas City, MO
3/20 – The Slowdown – Omaha, NE
3/21 – Varsity Theater – Minneapolis, MN
3/23 – Metro – Chicago, IL
3/24 – St. Andrews Hall – Detroit, MI
3/25 – Mr. Small's Theatre – Pittsburgh, PA
3/26 – Water Street Music Hall – Rochester, NY
3/27 – The Mod Club Theatre – Toronto, ON
3/29 – Northern Lights – Clifton Park, NY
3/30 – Paradise Rock Club – Boston, MA
3/31 – Chameleon – Lancaster, PA
4/01 – Toad's Place – New Haven, CT
4/02 – The Fillmore – New York, NY
4/03 – The Trocadero – Philadelphia, PA
4/05 – The Recher Theatre – Towson, MD
4/06 – The NorVa – Norfolk, VA
4/07 – Cat's Cradle – Carrboro, NC
4/08 – The Music Farm – Charleston, SC
4/09 – Jillian's – Columbia, SC
Broken Social Scene announce tour and album release date
Bleeding Through tour and new album announced


SDSMF works with local high schools to provide student-athletes with proper medical care by supporting & placing full time Athletic Trainers on campus.
Her dedication to the profession of Athletic Training and to the student-athletes was clear and her passion for promoting females in the field of athletic training was beautifully articulated.
Dr. David Chao accepts this year's Ermest H Wright Humanitarian award by giving credit to SDSMF's Medical Board and their dedication to San Diego's youth!
Since August SDSMF has seen 16 injured student-athletes, provided over half with free x-rays, and 3 of them with FREE surgery and physical therapy.
We believe all kids deserve the opportunity to participate in life and we are dedicated to providing a medical safety net to injured youth who have no access to care.
70 students, representing 7 schools, are getting ready to face off in the first ever @SD_SMF @helixcharter Sports Medicine Competition. Can't wait to see the passion and knowledge from these future medical professionals.
Getting ready to host a student sports medicine competition on April 13th. Should be a great time teaching aspiring medical professionals.


I think the best biathlon results will be on the IBU datacenter. No idea if the race data will be streamed lived or just results.
I'm guessing FIS will have something for their sports as well. That already saves some time on the awful official website.
Diede van Oorschot was not tall enough?
Pretty good article about the hope of the games.


got this bird but I get no landing lights in 2d cockpit view. Not in FSX and not in P3d v2.4. Is it only me? Did I miss something?
I did check the config-file under SimObjects and found that some lines where inactive (//) in the "lights"-section. Try to fix this.


Camping Cheque has announced its 48 award-winning locations for 2011, as voted for by those who stayed on the sites.
All of the campsites gained an average score of at least nine out of 10, when marked on welcome, cleanliness, services, pitches and general overview.
The full Camping Cheque network consists of 622 sites across 29 European countries: all allow two people to stay overnight in a motorhome with electric for just €15 per pitch during the low season. You can buy Cheques before you go, or while on the road: for more details, visit the Camping Cheques website.


To play Snake VS Blocks – Very Addictive Game Swipe your finger to move left or right on screen to move your ball snake.
Addictive Game is an adventures snake and block arcade game. The snake is made up of balls. Eat as many as balls from your way to get longer. Bite the blocks as many as possible to get high score in Snake VS Blocks.
Very easy to start and breaks bricks blocks.
Hope you will have fun time with the Endless joyful The Snake VS Block – Addictive Game.


Many large enterprises and small businesses have the need to print documents from one central location, such as the main headquarters, to another remote office location that isn't on the same network or even in the same country. Some need to have bar codes or shipping labels created in their ERP systems sent to a printer and released at one of these remote locations. PrinterOn solves these problems effectively as it can provide remote printing solutions for any organization that needs to print documents across disparate networks, to another corporate office, supplier or manufacturer.
SAP Printing Solution: Allows users to print documents, labels, and barcodes from SAP to any printer, at any location that is Printer-On enabled inside or outside the corporate network.
Oracle Printing Solution: Allows users to print documents such as labels, pick lists or barcodes from Oracle to any printer that is PrinterOn-enabled inside or outside the corporate network.
Print Queue Management System Solution: Designed to allow organizations to link traditional print infrastructures (Windows Print Queues) to the PrinterOn Enterprise mobile printing platform with the ability to distribute print jobs globally with little or no configuration.


Electric borehole pump is inefficient on power to satisfy Bowood golf course's water requirement.
Zero energy pump delivers surface water long distances using no electricity or fuel.
Zero energy pump running costs – £20 a year.
Bowood's savings – electricity saving of £1200 a year.
Plus substantial savings on mains water during dry periods.
The pump that uses no fuel!
A money saving solution for golf courses.
The zero energy pump system means we can turn off our 1.1kw electric borehole supply for most of the year, saving energy, cutting carbon and sustainability using excess surface water.
Water was needed to top up the lake in front of the club house and a storage lagoon used for irrigation. The golf course had previously pumped from a borehole using 1.1KW electric pump, but at times this had to be run for 20 hours a day.
The water was also used for irrigating the golf course from the storage lagoon but in dry periods it was insufficient so mains water had to be used.
By installing two zero energy pumps they solved the water delivery problem and saved time on maintenance and saved considerable electricity costs.
The zero energy pumps deliver free water, helping top up the storage lagoon and reducing the need to use mains water with the added benefit of substantial saving on mains water costs, especially in dry periods.
Agrismart offer free site surveys for your golf course to assess the best water management solution for your golf course.
Provide a tailored system that provides a Return on Investment in under 36 months.
By being able to provide complete tailored water solutions incorporating, zero energy and low energy pumping, rain water harvesting, storage and water treatment, we are able to design solutions based on individual requirements to allow us to deliver our goals.
Contact us no to book your no obligation site survey!


text:
Q: Compare values between vectors of unequal size to find values within a certain distance of each other (without loops?) I have two vectors of unequal length full of numbers in R. I want to find all instances of vector 1 where the value is within 0.0015 of any value in vector 2, and then delete those instances out of vector 1. Is there a good way to do this without doing nested for loops? It's inefficient and is slowing my program down.
Currently I am iterating through the first vector and comparing each instance to every value from the second vector and I'm looking for an alternate approach. See below:
I have a vector called tracker, which by default is true, but will turn false if there is a value in the second vector that is closer than 0.0015 to the value of interest in the first vector. This tracker vector is my desired output, because as you can see at the bottom, I use it to filter a different vector.
tracker <- rep(TRUE,length = length(filteredMZunrounded))
for(i in 1:length(filteredMZunrounded)){
  for(j in 1:length(bg.unrounded)){
   if(abs(filteredMZunrounded[i]-bg.unrounded[j]) < 0.0015){
           tracker[i] <- FALSE
      }
  }
}

filteredMZ <- filteredMZ[tracker]

A: You can remove the inner loop :
tracker <- rep(TRUE,length = length(filteredMZunrounded))

for(i in 1:length(filteredMZunrounded)){
    if(any(abs(filteredMZunrounded[i]-bg.unrounded) < 0.0015)) {
      tracker[i] <- FALSE
    }
  }
}

filteredMZ <- filteredMZ[tracker]


I wore an outfit that would normally not be my choice only because of natural sartorial inclinations, no particular reason and I quite loved it. Paired with sneakers ofcourse – comfort comes first.
With Naina, Samiya & Natasha. Beautiful company for the night!


text:
Home This Day In Country Music December 6 – This Day in Country Music
December 6 – This Day in Country Music
Born on this day in Monroe City, Missouri, was Helen Cornelius, country singer-songwriter and actress, best remembered for a series of hit duets with Jim Ed Brown, many of which reached the US country singles top ten during the late 1970s and early '80s, including the 1976 #1 hit "I Don't Want to Have to Marry You".
"Wings of a Dove" by Ferlin Husky was at #1 on the Country charts, his third and final chart topper. Written by Bob Ferguson, in 1987, Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI) awarded Ferguson with the "million air" plays for the "Wings of a Dove."
Willie Nelson was at #1 with The Troublemaker. The gospel album was recorded in 1973, but Nelson's label Atlantic Records refused to release the record at the time. After Nelson signed a contract with Columbia Records, that gave him total creative control, the album was released in Sept 1976.
The Supergroup of Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson recorded the Jimmy Webb song "Highwayman" at Nashville's Moman Studios.
George Strait was at #1 on the Billboard country chart with "It Ain't Cool To Be Crazy About You." Kenny Chesney later recorded a version of the song as a B-side for his "Never Wanted Nothing More" in 2007.
Recording sessions began for The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's Will The Circle Be Unbroken, Volume 2 with Johnny Cash, John Denver, Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Earl Scruggs, Steve Wariner, Ricky Skaggs, Marty Stuart, Chris Hillman and others.
"These Days" by Rascal Flatts was at #1 on the US Country charts. The track which was lifted from their album Melt became the group's first #1 hit.
Songwriter Don Chapel died. During his career he wrote hits for George Jones, Conway Twitty, his ex-wife Tammy Wynette, and others.
Previous articleCOVID-19 Statistics thru December 5 / Active cases at 69,543 (record high for 61st consecutive day) / 925 Hospitalizations / 1925 New cases
Next articleCOVID-19 Statistics thru December 6 / Active cases at 69,298 (first decrease in 77 days) / 919 Hospitalizations (dropped for 3rd day in a row) / 1,250 New cases


text:
const path = require('path');

module.exports = {
    logo: path.resolve('./src/favicon.svg'),
    favicons: {
        appName: 'Proton Drive',
        appDescription:
            'Proton Drive allows you to securely store and share your sensitive documents and access them anywhere.',
    },
    url: 'https://drive.proton.me/',
    locales: Object.keys(require('./locales/config/locales.json')),
};


Sunday morning breakfast dates are my favourites. And living in Melbourne means there is always a new spot to check out; yesterday, it was Jethro Canteen in Richmond. It's still relatively new, but is already pretty popular with the locals given the amount of people streaming in and out for coffees.
The space was beautiful; yes, it was a little bit Melbourne-hipster-cafe-by-numbers, but that exposed brick + bright tile and tea on shelves + bakery style pastry display had me from the get go. Big windows meant we were drenched in summer sun, and it instantly felt like the perfect place to bunk down with a pot of tea and a good book for the morning. Or coffee – husband said it was fantastic.
Unfortunately, the people didn't feel quite as warm and comfortable as the physical space to start off with. The staff all seemed a little preoccupied and sour, until someome stopped by with a cute dog. The little fluffball seemed to put a smile on everyone's dials and made them all much more pleasant. The menu, like the cafe, was exciting straight away – husband struggled to decide between the chili dog and the Louisiana plate, but the jalapeño popper won out in the end. Also on the plate was thick cut bacon steak, poached eggs on corn remoulade smothered toast, chili prawns and guacamole. Other than a slightly overdone egg, no complaints, and his plate was mopped clean. The jalapeño popper was definite highlight, though.
I struggled to pick between the waffles with cereal milk pannacotta, the white chocolate & almond crumble porridge or the chia pudding, but the latter won out. Coconut and almond milk soaked chia, topped with elderflower jelly, berries, mango puree, vanilla bean cashew cream and granola. I was really disappointed that the granola was pretty much non-existent, because the tiny bit that was on there was amazing! The chia was perfect, the berries were fresh, and the cashew cream was the perfect surprise addition – thick, creamy, strong vanilla flavour – loved it.
Despite a few bumps, we both absolutely loved Jethro – the beautiful space and the creative menu (so nice to see something other than smashed avo toast and chili scrambled eggs!) make it the perfect addition to our brunch scene; we will be back!
Ohh no way! We'll have to organise to be at the same place at the same time eventually! And I'm not speedy- just taking advantage of a quiet Sunday arvo 🙂 yay!


My books are historicals. They're set in the India of 4,000 years ago…My books are based on a premise that Lord Shiva was a real historical man, who lived 4,000 years ago, and his grand adventures gave rise to the myth of the god. So I've written on a Hindu god. But I was an atheist, eight or nine years ago. Today, I'm a very devoted Shiva worshipper. But eight or nine years ago, I was a committed atheist. I was one of those guys who refused to enter temples. It's been a really long and strange journey.
On Wednesday, the London Book Fair's opening conference — called Publishing for Digital Minds (#PDMC15) — held an advance event. Conference Director Orna O'Brien and her staff in London, supported by Midas PR's Chris McCrudden, staged an eight-hour series of events, a "Virtual Stream" that included events via Google Hangout, Twitter, LinkedIn, and more. Here's the full list of events. The day started at 5 a.m. Eastern and was finished by 1 p.m.
I was asked to handle the 90-minute India segment on Twitter. We started with a 45-minute interview with Hachette India's Managing Director Thomas Abraham and with Penguin Random House India's Children's Publisher Hemali Sodhi. These were terrific interviewees, beautifully prepared, firing off tantalizing details of one of the most vast and complex books markets on Earth.
I would interview Sodhi and Abraham again in a heartbeat. They were efficient, personable, fascinating, and they were all that in what is actually a difficult format, the live Twitter interview with two simultaneous guests and a host.
But it was yet another of those nearly-one-billion Indian phone subscribers whose chat with me was even more compelling. And for a very different reason. At its heart — maybe in his heart — lies my provocation for you today.
The second 45-minute segment of my India section was a Twitter interview with an Indian author named Amish Tripathi. If you're Indian, you know him simply as Amish. On Twitter, he is @AuthorAmish with more than 90,000 followers and not even 5,000 tweets on record. I probably made him tweet more than he's ever done in 45 minutes.
I want to bullet out for you the technical facts of this man's writerly success quickly, so you have the context.
Amish Tripathi is 40, based in Mumbai, married and a father.
He has three books to his name: The Immortals of Meluha, The Secret of the Nagas, The Oath of the Vayuputras.
These three books form his Shiva Trilogy. The first book in his new Ram Chandra series is to be out later this year, The Scion of Ikshvaku.
The Shiva Trilogy has sold more than 2.2 million copies, bringing in more than US$9.4 million to date.
Film projects are in the works on The Shiva Trilogy both in India and in Hollywood.
Tripathi and his agent self-published his first book, The Immortals of Meluha. Reports say it was rejected as many as 40 times by publishers. "I stopped counting after 20," he tells me in our interview. With a lot of inventive presentational marketing — high-end physical publication of a sample chapter given away free in bookstores, etc. — Tripathi and his agent leveraged the 5,000 self-published copies enough to draw the eye of the publisher Westland, which now has bragging rights on a very smart move.


text:
For Eric the Rexman (Talk | block log | logs)
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text:
Comment Interview: Jason Haigh on life, death and ISIS
Interview: Jason Haigh on life, death and ISIS
There's nothing nice about it, there's nothing glorified about it – essentially, you're taking another person's life." This is how Jason Haigh describes his experience of combat. Formerly a soldier in the British Army, he is now an independent contractor, part of the ever-burgeoning private sector, and has just returned from an assignment in Syria where he fought with the Kurdish YPG against ISIS. As one of the few Westerners with first-hand experience, he is more than qualified to give an account of the current military situation there, and also of the current state of the defence industry given the increased impact of private security firms on it. I met Haigh after the talk he gave to Oxford International Relations Society (IRSOC).
Immediately, Haigh wanted to discuss the realities of war and particularly of fighting ISIS. He described in detail their 'barbarity', having regularly witnessed their suicide missions and use of hidden explosives on roads, such as IEDs, even in people's homes. Worse still, they would regularly use civilians as shields to stop enemy forces from attacking them. Perhaps the most shocking aspect of their brutality was their practice of forcing locals to fight for ISIS after having "gone into their village, killed their family and said, 'ISIS or die'." This evidence informs Haigh's view that in 90 per cent of cases, "ISIS is being imposed" on the local population with very few of its subjects actually supporting it. Given these examples, it is not hard for us to see why.
Haigh explains how the savagery of ISIS is made possible by its military strength. He stresses that they are far better equipped than the Kurds, whose biggest issues were a lack of heavy weapons and basic supplies such as water. Haigh sometimes went without drinking anything for over 24 hours. However, the reason why ISIS are able to better equip themselves militarily than the Kurds is obvious; according to Haigh, they are "making around $1 million worth of illegal oil sales a day through Turkey." This provides them with the funds to purchase superior weapons on top of those they had already captured after routing the Iraqi army. But why would moderate, democratic Turkey help ISIS? Haigh says it is simply due to their antipathy towards the Kurds. Given that ISIS are fighting the Kurds, their enemy's enemy is their friend.
Yet despite the power and savagery of ISIS, as a trained frontline medic Haigh still would be willing to treat an ISIS fighter. Whilst his Kurdish hosts this time prevented him from doing so, he knows that "if they'd asked me to I would have done: as a medic you treat them as a patient." He is conscious, however, that ISIS would not have afforded him the same privilege, accepting that if he was captured, injured or otherwise, they would not only have killed him, but first tortured him and then used him for propaganda. Given this reality, Haigh is keen to point out that if he came across an injured ISIS fighter and decided to "put a bullet in his head, that would make me as bad as him." He is eager to emphasise that "the difference between us and the terrorists is that we've got an ethos, a code – the Geneva Convention." So despite having to face such an enemy, Jason has still been able to maintain his own moral compass. He attributes this almost entirely to his training. It permits him to not have to stop and think on the battlefield as he instinctively knows what to do. Stopping to think requires a second or two, but "in a conflict situation, a second or two is death." As far as Jason is concerned, "You don't think, you just do," as your actions in battle "are literally just a muscle memory" from the intense, repetitive training which ensure that you always do the right thing, both from a tactical and a moral point of view. The Kurdish simply "don't have that training". It is for this reason, combined with their lack of heavy weapons, that Jason believes, "If they were to advance on Raqqah, they would all be killed."
It seems that the current stalemate, in Jason's eyes, is unlikely to change very soon. One of the only things he suggests which could achieve that change would be to put boots on the ground. He admits he would be "not too sure" of the political impact both here and in Syria if the West did this, but he argues that in terms of ISIS, "We would clear them out straight away – ISIS would be gone."
Given, though, that putting the British Army on the ground would be impossible in the current political climate, governments have to find a way of placing some troops into Syria without conventional forces. This is exactly where Jason and the companies he works for come into play – a subject about which he is slightly more coy.
He does describe himself a mercenary and even admits that he does not think it necessary to believe in the cause which he is fighting for. Rather, as we saw earlier, his primary concern is the way in which he fights and the professionalism he displays when going about it.
Nonetheless, Jason does admit that there is a line; he would never fight for ISIS. So while he does not have to agree entirely with the cause he is fighting for, equally he could not fight for something with which he fundamentally disagreed. This principle is the basis upon which Jason works and he always considers it when deciding which firm he should work for. Each "have their own agenda," although most are "geared towards protection, and against terrorism". Governments use those companies which share their objectives as a way of putting troops, like Jason, on the ground without the political fallout of deploying their own armies. Whether or not this would help Syria in the long term is a different question, but if the aim is still to "degrade and destroy" ISIS – in Obama's words – then boots on the ground, by whatever means, will be the most effective method as militants "are adapting to the air strikes." Still, the point that Jason makes most clearly is the simple fact that "war is hell."
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Our good friends at iCarbons sent us over a couple of new skins for the 15" Retina MacBook Pro as well as for the iPad Pro Smart Cover and as always, they look super cool on both products. I've shared a bunch of photos for you to appreciate the awesomeness, and get ready to participate in our iCarbons skins giveaway. Look out for details after the jump!
Follow @iCarbonsdotcom and @iPhoneInCanada on Twitter so we can contact you via a Direct Message if you win. Otherwise we will have no way to contact you directly.
NOTE: If you also leave a comment below, it will increase your chances of winning (Don't forget to leave your Twitter ID with it).
We have 3 iCarbon skins to give away. Each winner will be randomly picked who will have an option to pick any 3M skin of his choice from iCarbons.com.


I have some of my 'Henley Series' artwork (prints and cards) in Tiny Gallery, Henley-on-Thames.
Thrilled to find out two of my paintings have been selected by the CARISCC competition for a touring exhibition which will be in London, Birmingham, Glasgow and Leeds. Here are the two selected portraits: 'Koko' and 'Lineage'.
Today is the last day of The Art of Caring exhibition which has been on display at St George's, Tooting, London. Here are my pieces that have been exhibited there, all are connected with the theme of caring. Great concept for an exhibition and big thanks to the organisers.
Here is my new painting: 'Mothers', a self portrait (60 cm x 76 cm paint on canvas with photographs).
I love the genre of self portraiture and the freedom of expression it brings. I painted the self portrait 'Mothers' because I wanted to explore the concept of heritage (physical, cultural, emotional, spiritual) and womanhood. I have Native American heritage and am connected to Kenyan culture hence the hair style, choker style necklace and wrapped material. The necklace depicts my female family tree, showing the eyes of my mother, mother-in-law, grandmothers, great grandmothers…etc. I focused on the females in my family tree because of the emphasis on womanhood and the influence mothers have. The pose is unusual; I chose to look at the viewer as if I were looking down to give the impression of strength and power. I wanted to convey that my heritage and the women/mothers that are part of that heritage, empower me.


Brand from South Korea: Mamonde. Daily essence lotion with refreshing texture Formulated with RECHARGING BOOSTER (Dandelion Taurine + Caffeine + Vitamin E) to retain skin moisture for whole day long and restore soft skin texture with radiance How to use: After toner, pump out a proper amount and apply to face along skin texture. Gently dap for absorption.


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Q: Need to get encrypt some sections in a web config file I need to encrypt the settings section in a web config file. How can I do this?
This is my config file and it has a different name than web.config.
--configuration--

--settings--

--add key="conn-string" value="Dsn=XXXXXX;uid=sa;pwd=XXXXX--

--add key="provider" value="System.Data.Odbc"--

--add key="Timeout" value="300"--

--settings--

--configuration--

A: Maybe this may help you:
Encrypt sections of Web.Config or App.Config
Regards


A "Hotshot." In most conversations it's a backhanded compliment. In Only the Brave, there is no greater honor. Joseph Kosinski directs a true story about The Granite Mountain Hotshots, an elite team of firefighters who battled forest fires across the country. The film is in the same vein as other recent true life stories, such as Patriot's Day, Lone Survivor, or any other Mark Walhberg film. It highlights the camaraderie shared among those brave enough to put themselves in harm's way.
The film mostly centers on Eric Marsh or "Supe" (Josh Brolin) and Brendan McDonough or "Donut" (Miles Teller), two characters who are searching for redemption. Marsh, a recovering alcoholic, wants to turn a group of 19 young men into "Hotshots." The Granite Mountain Hotshots were the first municipal Hotshots in the country. It's a distinction that required four years for them to make. Only the Brave does a great job of taking us through the team's ups-and-downs as they try to accomplish the feat. Brolin is equally as laudatory in this performance. The role of Marsh fits him perfectly, and is fairly close to his performance in No Country for Old Men.
McDonough is the other redemptive character, however, much younger than Marsh. He's a recovering drug addict with a criminal record and a newly born daughter. Miles Teller really is an underrated actor, mostly known for his lack of anger management in roles, such as Whiplash. I don't think Teller is really aware of what kinds of roles he wants, but he does hit here. McDonough is a person that allows Teller to show greater restraint and age.
The film ultimately culminates at the Yarnell Hill Fire. A relative speck of a blaze that turns into an uncontrollable beast. It is probably the most "exciting" portion of the film as it quite literally put me at the edge of my seat. Having not known of the Yarnell Hill Fire, I had thought that one of the weaker portions of the film was the relative safety the crew experienced. Yes, forest fires are never safe (And the CGI used for the forest fires was amazing). Nevertheless, through the entirety of the film, it never felt like the crew was ever in any significant danger. That changed with the Yarnell Hill Fire. Kosinski does a fantastic job of lulling the audience into safety, and building the film to an intense end. The Yarnell Hill Fire was the deadliest incident for firefighters since 9/11.
Honestly, typically I'm not a fan of movies like Patriots Day, Deepwater Horizon, or Lone Survivor (Before anyone reports me, that doesn't mean I don't like Mark Walhberg). All of the above are good workman like films. Only the Brave nearly fell into the category of "workman like." However, the more I thought about the film, the more I saw that I missed the point.
Only the Brave isn't just a memorial to these men. It's a celebration of their young lives, their friendships, and the work they put in to becoming Hotshots, or the best of the best. Because while being a "Hotshot" is backhanded to some, it's a helping hand to others.


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Money Heist Season 5 Volume 2 Alvaro Morte Reveals People Won't Be Able to Go to Bed
What extremes would you go for some good – old dough? Some folks may take on a second job or sell outdated items on the internet. Others, on the other hand, would rather risk their lives stealing the world's most guarded banks. Netflix's "Money Heist," also referred to as "La Casa de Papel," stars non-affluent antiheroes." fell into the latter type, and they aren't done yet, despite being on the show for over five years and five seasons.
Although the fifth and contemporary season of "Money Heist" was supposed to be the final one, Netflix opted to break it into two parts. Season 5 Volume 1 was launched in September 2021, and Volume 2 will be released in a month or two on the streaming site. There are some benefits and drawbacks to this position. On the one hand, Volume 2 will have fewer episodes than a complete season. We do, however, understand more about its release date, actors, and narrative than we would if it were a brand-new season. With that in consideration, here's all we understand about "Money Heist" Season 5, Volume 2.
Release Date For Money Heist Season 5 Volume 2
Regardless of the fact that the last episode of "Money Heist" is only the second half of a single season, Netflix has already announced the release date for Volume 2. According to Variety, Season 5 Volume 2 of "Money Heist" will launch on December 3, 2021, approximately three months after the release of Volume 1. This is fantastic news for longstanding fans of the series as it means they don't have to wait long to witness the series' end, but it's also heartbreaking because this will be the series' final season'.
Netflix is broadcasting the Spanish-language program in dubbed English, French, Italian, and German around the globe. English, French, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese are among the series' subtitled versions. When the last five episodes of Season 5 of "Money Heist" are launched in December.
Cast Of Money Heist Season 5 Volume 2
Few elements in "Money Heist" are as significant as the criminals themselves as a heist series. As likable antiheroes who stick it to the man while making big cash, this brilliant squad of ne'er-do-wells has captivated the hearts and minds of viewers.
After all, even without the series' mysterious stars, Silene "Tokyo" Oliveira (Ursula Corberó) and The Professor (Alvaro Morte), the team would be nothing. The former purports to be the story's translator, while the former appears to be the mastermind behind the crew's heists. But it isn't simply up to these two to get the money and flee. Andrés "Berlin" de Fonollosa (Pedro Alonso), Benjamin (Ramón Agirre), Raquel "Lisbon" Murillo (Itziar Ituo), Daniel "Denver" Ramos (Jaime Lorente), Mónica "Stockholm" Gaztambide (Esther Acebo), and others are among the cast members.
Inspector Alicia Sierra (Najwa Nimri), César Gandia (José Manuel Poga), and the Spanish military and police who attempted to stop them from plundering the Bank of Spain have already been portrayed as comparably intriguing villains in Season 5. These enemies are pushing The Professor's gang to the limit for what may be their ultimate robbery after being locked in the bank for days.
Plot Of Money Heist Season 5 Volume 2
At the end of Season 5, Volume 1 of "Money Heist," things could not really get much worse for The Professor and his squad. With Spanish forces closing in on them within the Bank of Spain, Tokyo makes the ultimate sacrifice to allow the others to flee. She is fatally injured in a dramatic fight and confesses to the troops that she has removed together with all pins on her grenade belt. Gandia and the troops are killed in the explosion, which also shakes the bank as well as the team's sentiments.
Their work isn't done, though. The crew must still flee the bank and elude the cops for long enough to avoid being apprehended. But with two members of their crew deceased, it won't be easy. Concurrently, Sierra is stuck with The Professor and a few other individuals. They currently overwhelm the inspector, who has lately given birth, but they are still in a bind since the disgraced officer is aware of their presence. We'll find out if the squad pulls this off unhurt and escapes cops arrest when Volume 2 of "Money Heist" Season 5 is released on Netflix on December 3, 2021.
Official Trailer: https://youtu.be/bsLP_tFMDxo
Previous Jobs market rebound has led to UK wage inflation and worker shortages, says Hays
Next Parasyte Season 2- Confirmed? Release date cast everything should you need to know


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Thailand's Protests and the Global Economy
As the economies of Southeast Asia integrate, Thailand's social divide is as stark as ever.
By Layne Hartsell, February 4, 2014 .
As Thailand moves to integrate its economy with those of its Southeast Asian neighbors, the protests roiling the country pit workers from different sectors of the economy against each other. (Photo: Uwe Schwarzbach / Flickr)
The countries of Southeast Asia are planning to integrate their region in 2015. Meanwhile, in the dynamic city of Bangkok, the government of Thailand seems to be heading in the opposite direction, as recent protests have entered a "shut down" phase.
This was the political atmosphere when I recently visited Bangkok to attend a conference on the ethics of food. At that time, street demonstrations were forming after weeks of smaller actions around ministries in this leading Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) city of 10 million citizens. Reports began to come across my tablet, as I sat pondering the role of agriculture in Thailand and ASEAN during the conference
At first I did not connect the protests with the topic of the conference. The protestors seemed to be engaged in a struggle with the government over how the Thai people operate their political system. But Thailand is a major food exporter, and agriculture is a mainstay of the economy. As such, Thai farmers play a key role in the country's governance. Moreover, both agriculture and governance are central features of the regional integration of ASEAN.
Currently, Thai people on various sides of the issue of governance are fighting over political control and budget priorities, which have been a subject of conflict for a decade. They are also operating in a larger context where power is shifting around in the local, the national, and the regional arenas. "The capital has been the center of political power, where the upper and middle classes claim political power over the country, including the rural areas," observes Thai scholar and former diplomat Pavin Chachavalpongpun of Kyoto University. "This has caused much tension."
Red vs. Yellow
Since 2006, Thailand has experienced a number of changes in government due to a conflict between two powerful groups, generally called the yellow shirts and the red shirts. In 2006, a military coup removed the democratically elected Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is generally supported by the red shirts, while he was out of the country on official business in England.
The red shirts believe that proper governing structures should be legitimized through electoral democracy by and for the interests of the people. The yellow shirts, on the other hand, generally support what they see as traditional, authority-based ruling structures. They favor a ruling council appointed on the basis of morality. The media generally represents the yellow side as a Bangkok elite that includes the middle class, and the red side as a popular movement of farmers, fisherfolk, students, and others. The categorizations are by no means absolute.
After the forced removal of Thaksin – Thai politicians are often referred to by their first name – martial law eventually gave way to a civilian government. Later, Thaksin was found guilty in absentia. The charge was corruption. According to the verdict of the nine-judge panel, "Thaksin violated the article of the constitution on conflict of interest [in land and business dealings], as he was then prime minister and head of a government and was supposed to work for the benefit of the public." Thaksin immediately countered that the charges were politically motivated.
The current government came to power in 2011 in a landslide led by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, the sister of Thaksin. One of the main actions of her administration has been to seek an amnesty law related to past political struggles, which could possibly include an amnesty for Thaksin.
"The current protests link back to the petty crimes and larger crimes of the past, especially in the 2010 protests," explains Arthit Suriyawongkul of Thai Netizens Network. "Many on one side, the yellow shirts, are concerned that past Prime Minister Thaksin will benefit from any amnesty laws put into place. The Constitutional Court issued the Amnesty Bill and many agreed with this proclamation. Groups from every part of society came into the streets."
The initial protest in November brought 100,000 people into the streets of Bangkok. The protests were non-violent. But similar protests in 2010 had left more than 90 people dead, as the then generally yellow-shirt-aligned government resorted to force against protestors in the streets. To defuse tensions, the current Thai government dropped the new amnesty bill. But the yellow-shirt opposition continued protesting on the grounds that the government could reintroduce the bill at any time, and therefore a change of government structure was needed.
The actions of the yellow side, including driving a tractor up to the police barricade in an effort to seize the police headquarters, provoked a response by the red shirts. "On the other side of the city, at Ramkhamhaeng University, a crowd of 100,000 met, red shirts in this case, and their message was that they wanted to show that they are still there to support the democratically elected government," Arthit Suriyawongkul continued. "Apparently they were concerned that the military might become involved. Finally, worried about further confrontation, they decided to remain inside the stadium."
The casualties at that point were six dead and 40 injured. A major issue for all sides were unidentified snipers positioned in various areas outside of police control. According to local sources the snipers came from extremist groups who wanted to cause further disruption; no one knows who they are. The TV news showed the military escorting the students off the campus under sniper fire.
The struggle over the political future of the country has lasted for over two months. It has been bitter and left several protestors dead. The opposition has called for Prime Minister Yingluck to resign, but she has refused. Although the government declared a state of emergency on January 22 and announced new elections as a way to quell potential violence, the protests have continued. Demanding a complete change in government, the yellow shirts boycotted the February 2 elections and physically prevented others from casting their votes, disrupting voting in dozens of districts. They have vowed to continue protesting after the election.
Food Sovereignty, Technology, and the Economy
The current battle on the streets of Bangkok seems to focus on political governance, but the deeper cause of the unrest is a conflict over the Thai economy and the further integration of agriculture and manufacturing. In addition to feeding its own population, and as a major exporter of food, the country has a strong industrial base near Bangkok which is generally controlled, or supported by, elements of the yellow side. The red shirts, meanwhile, generally favor changes that would lead to closing the gap in wealth and power between the farmers of the north and upper classes in and around Bangkok. Moreover, the coming 2015 ASEAN Convergence overarches the drama in the capital and in some other areas of the country.
Thailand is the second largest economy in Southeast Asia after Indonesia. It already has good infrastructure, a solid and growing manufacturing sector, and major medical facilities. For 2014, Thai rice exports alone are expected to be at around 6.5 million tons, and the nation is among the three largest exporters in the world, sometimes claiming the top spot.
But Thailand also faces significant challenges. Workers from surrounding countries, attracted by the prospect of better wages, are flowing into Bangkok, and there is a serious housing crisis. The influx of cheap labor, as economist Ha Joon Chang of Cambridge University told me in 2011, also threatens to drive down the wages of Thai people. Chang pointed out as well the Bangkok Skytrain and the new transit system to the airport can accommodate the existing level of flow of commuters, but not a sudden and large arrival of people. The current protests offer different visions of how to address these challenges – from the incomes of rice farmers to the housing for city workers.
Increasingly Thailand must balance growth and economic justice within the larger regional framework. Southeast Asia, from Myanmar to Indonesia and out to the Philippines, boasts tremendous concentrations of natural resources, port locations, a growing, educated workforce, and an increasing number of English and Chinese speakers. The use of modern technologies – computers, robotics, nanotechnology – can help the region leap across the development gap, though there is also considerable market competition, regionally and globally.
Much of this high technology is already in Thailand, a hub for automotive and electronics production. As Alain Ruche, senior policy advisor at the External Service for the European Union, writes, "Thailand will be engaged politically through economic complexity." This economic complexity, he continues, is expressed in the composition of a country's "productive output and reflects the structures that emerge to hold and combine knowledge." The Economic Complexity Index (ECI) expresses the richness of the product space of a given country and thus its potential for turning knowledge into the production of goods and services. Thailand ranks well in this respect, falling between the two regional powers of China and India. Thailand had a "remarkable increase in economic complexity between 1970 and 1985," Ruche points out. "The economic complexity of that period led to better conditions for the nation."
But will these technological changes benefit only a small number of workers and a narrow slice of the upper classes, or can the country spread the economic gains to the entire population? This is a question being worked out on the streets of Bangkok and in the conference halls of ASEAN as it prepares for the 2015 Convergence.
A Better Life for Thais
The ASEAN Convergence could indeed, and quite quickly, provide better conditions for interaction, trade, and advancement in the lives of all Thais. Better access to technologies and manufacturing through partnerships with foreign companies, along with better access to education for its citizens, would be undeniable benefits for Thailand.
At the same time, there are potential liabilities. First, there is the critical risk of loss of food sovereignty when world prices increase dramatically and various kinds of foodstuffs are exported, rather than retained for the populace at home. Currently, there is a crisis over the local price of mangosteens, which are shipped to Japan and the world market. Other inherent risks lie in transnational agreements that can force Thailand away from the provision of essential goods and services for its people in healthcare, public utilities, and local resources like water and minerals.
In a positive direction, even with the major political conflicts over the past decade, Thailand has done well economically, and could move further in this direction within ASEAN as long as Thai citizens can have an open debate over the risks. The red shirts attribute this current trend to Thaksin's policies. His administration established universal healthcare and provided significant village-level investment that helped to create the conditions for better productivity and improve Thai competitiveness in global food markets.
But the internal political turmoil and the external pressures of the 2015 Convergence could create instability and hinder Thailand from moving forward. Thailand faces a political choice between mere procedural democracy and a true democracy that takes into account the actual interests of all the people.
The political structure is a matter for the Thai people to decide. To advance, Thailand must find a way to combine appropriate rural technologies, a manufacturing sector, and a service sector, along with tourism, into the emerging knowledge economy to create a nation that can both feed itself and the world, while also growing its ability to develop advanced technologies.
The yellow shirts are currently shutting down parts of Bangkok and the process of government itself. It will take a full debate from both colors to keep Thailand moving forward.
Layne Hartsell is a fellow at the P2P Foundation (Amsterdam) in the philosophy of technology and global justice. He is also a fellow at The Asia Institute (Seoul) in the Technology Convergence and 3E Program (Energy, Economy, and Environment) with Tsukuba University, Japan. He acts as an advisor to Living Bridges Planet (Stockholm) and works on the education of girls and women in science. He is a contributor to Foreign Policy In Focus.
Issues: Democracy & Governance, Food & Farm, Labor, Trade, & Finance
Regions: Asia & Pacific, Thailand
Tags: agriculture, ASEAN, ASEAN Convergence, Bangkok, red shirts, regional integration, Technology, Thailand, Thailand protests, Thaksin Shinawatra, yellow shirts, Yingluck Shinwatra
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Anita Page (August 4, 1910 – September 6, 2008) was an American film actress who reached stardom in the last years of the silent film era. Page became a highly popular young star, reportedly receiving the most fan mail of anyone on the MGM lot. She was referred to as "a blond, blue-eyed Latin" and "the girl with the most beautiful face in Hollywood" in the 1920s. She retired from acting in 1936. Page married her second husband the following year with whom she had two children. Page returned to acting sixty years later in 1996, and appeared in four films in the 2000s. She died in September 2008 at the age of 98.
Anita Page dies at 98. usatoday.com (September 7, 2008). Retrieved on May 10, 2012. ^ Berkvist, Robert (September 8, 2008). "Anita Page, Silent-Film Siren, Dies at 98". The New York Times. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Anita Page.


Goldgroup Responds to News Release | Goldgroup Mining Inc.
Vancouver, British Columbia (June 24, 2013) - Goldgroup Mining Inc. ("Goldgroup" or the "Company") (TSX:GGA, OTC:GGAZF, BMV SIX:GGAN.MX) has read the news release (the "Release") disseminated by DynaResource, Inc. ("Dyna") dated June 21, 2013. The Release references an Exploitation Amendment agreement between Dyna's 100%-owned subsidiary, Mineras de DynaResource S.A. de C.V. ("Mineras") and DynaResource de Mexico, S.A. de C.V. ("DynaMexico"). Goldgroup has not consented to this agreement and believes this represents a conflict of interest, among other things, because it is a contract between related parties, without the knowledge or consent to such an agreement by all of the DynaMexico shareholders, of which Goldgroup is a 50% holder and was not approved by the disinterested of the directors of DynaMexico.
Goldgroup will be taking action to defend its interests from the items outlined in the Release and intends pursue all of its legal rights and remedies.


Medora Apartments is centrally located in Seattle, WA on Roosevelt Way, just a block from the I-5 Expressway and all the convenient shopping, dining, and entertainment opportunities that go along with residing in one of Seattle's most coveted neighborhoods.
The University of Washington, Roosevelt Square, Green Lake Village and Ravenna Park are all within minutes of our stellar community. Residents will enjoy our quaint tree-lined streets and stunning surrounding views of the Cascades and Olympic mountains. For the outdoor enthusiasts, Cowen Park and Green Lake Park are also nearby and offer miles of trails to hike, bike and enjoy all that nature has to offer.
Seattle is nothing if not eclectic and boasts an exciting nightlife and music scene, with a wide array of venues attracting both local, national, and world-renowned artists. Dimitriou's Jazz Alley, The Showbox, The Crocodile and The Neptune have all contributed to Seattle's reputation for being one of the best cities to hear live music.
Whether you are a single professional who seeks a spacious apartment for rent near downtown Seattle, or a family who seeks a traditional two-bedroom townhome, Medora Apartments has the ideal floor plan for you. Contact us to learn more about how you can enjoy our family of residents in Seattle, WA.


Two Christmas's ago, I was lovingly gifted a gluten-free cookbook by BabyCakes (thank you Natalie). I feel in love immediately. BabyCakes is a gluten-free bakery in Manhattan. They specialize in desserts, with an emphasis in cupcakes, that offer all-natural, organic alternatives free from the common allergens: wheat, gluten, dairy, casein and eggs. Their book is wonderfully written with beautiful pictures and amazing recipes.
I totally forgot how excited you were about that pict.
And yes, their chocolate chip cookies rocked.
love this! and please save me some of that chocolate frosting :) looks so delish!!!
Sign up to get the new Laura Friendly recipe of the week!
What does Laura Friendly mean? Food that's gluten & dairy-free… but definitely not flavor-free!


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Home Front Page News No April Fools! Indoor Slide for Aquatic Center Hits Pay Dirt
Rick Langenberg
No April Fools! Indoor Slide for Aquatic Center Hits Pay Dirt
Mountain Jackpot
~ by Rick Langenberg ~
The pursuit for an elaborate $240,000-plus slide for the new Woodland Park Aquatic Center may have finally hit pay dirt.
Although it's not necessarily a done deal, the financial path appears to be set for the slide to become part of the nearly $15 million aquatic center facility, when it opens for business next October.
That's according to social media posts, compiled by the Woodland Aquatic Project group, informing residents and potential donors that the gap has been closed to only a little more than $30,000. In the last few weeks, the amount of donations has been unprecedented for any recreational venture ever attempted in Woodland Park. "Because of your outpouring of support, and though we did not meet our $240,000 goal, we were close enough that the city of Woodland Park has agreed to order the parts and start construction on the slide this summer," said the group in an announcement on Facebook on March 30. "The city would like to continue to ask for donations."
Altogether, private funding for the slide has exceeded $200,000, with the vast amount of money pouring in during the last few weeks.
In fact, Woodland Park city officials say that if donations exceed the estimated funding goal, then the extra money could be used for other center amenities. These include such extra perks as a hot tub, the warm water therapy project, swimming classes for adults and children, lifeguard training, scuba training, water polo, water volleyball and more.
In addition, residents who wish to contribute $100 or more can have their name displayed on a donation wall.
Some concerns have been raised over too many classes dominating the pool activity. But City Manager David Buttery made the assurance, in a Facebook post last week, that this wouldn't occur with plenty of free swimming time expected for the forthcoming aquatic center for a variety of age groups.
With the latest fund-raising push, it appears that the slide will become a definite fixture, when the center opens for business.
In a recent council meeting, Buttery indicated that the private fund-raising and donations collectively had reached such a successful level that he planned to inform the project contractor to proceed with ordering the parts and pieces for the slide.
He stopped short, though, of saying that the slide would get assembled in time for the grand opening. However, Councilman Paul Saunier made a huge pitch for getting this done in time for the opening of the aquatic facility. "Do not let the pieces sit there," said Saunier.
He didn't get any arguments from his fellow council peers, who favor signaling the green light for the slide construction.
The new facility, located next to the Woodland Park High School, appears to be meeting project deadlines and is proceeding on schedule. Despite concerns about the total price tag, the city has received a good credit rating from the Standard & Poor's Financial Services due to its fiscal policies, the city's limited liability and the strength of the local economy.
But any big delays in the opening of the facility may put more pressure on the city in addressing next year's budget. The city has operated with a low reserve fund for 2017 and couldn't give out very much in community investment dollars.
An official update on the aquatic center will occur on April 6 during the next Woodland Park Council meeting.
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