text:
Segway Made from Lego Robot Kit Works Without a Gyro (video)
The NXT Lego Segway uses a light sensor to balance.
Lego robots are putting traditional automatons to shame. NXT Programs has created a design for a robot Segway using only those pieces included with the Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0 kit. What's really cool is that, unlike a traditional Segway, the NXT Segway doesn't use any gyros to hold itself upright. Instead, the machine keeps its balance using a light sensor (included in the kit) to measure its relative distance from the ground. If you want to build a NXT Segway of your very own you can find all the necessary instructions on the NXT Programs site for free. With a second NXT brick (not included in the kit) you can remotely control the tilt of the robot rider using Bluetooth and get the Segway to move back and forth. Check out the NXT Segway as it's put through its paces in the video below and don't miss the RC demonstration (3:00).
I'm officially upgrading Lego Mindstorms from amateur to semi-professional status. The complexity of robots that you can make from this system are simply too astounding: Rubik's cube solvers, Flexpickers, even ATMs. I'm also very pleased with NXT Programs (run by Dave Parker) for creating a library of kickass designs that you can build with just the NXT 2.0 kit. Along with the community forums on the Mindstorms site, NXT Programs is helping create a network of shared ideas that further interest in amateur semi-professional robotics. That's a really good thing. Lego Mindstorm designs reside somewhere on the same continuum as open source robotics from world-class developers like Willow Garage. Intense interest generated at one end of that continuum may help build the momentum to further research on the other end. In other words, I think sharing Lego robot designs is helping (in some small way) to get "real" robots the attention and research they deserve. That, and Lego robots just look awesome. I can't wait until someone uses Legos to make a full fledged personal humanoid automaton…hehe, more on that later. *wink*
[image and video credits: NXTPrograms and Dave Parker]
New Deep Learning Method Helps Robots Become Jacks-of-all-Trades
Is the Pandemic Spurring a Robot Revolution?


text:
Q: SpringBoot health Endpoints overriden I am trying to write an extension for the acutator health endpoint.
Following the documentation  as per https://github.com/spring-projects/spring-boot/wiki/Migrating-a-custom-Actuator-endpoint-to-Spring-Boot-2
However I don't see the my extension being invoked.
I do see this message Overriding bean definition for bean 'healthEndpointWebExtension' with a different definition:
So the extension I created is being overriden with the default version provided by Spring

A: Just tested with 2.1.1.RELEASE: Provide your own @WebEndpoint like
@Component
@WebEndpoint(id = "acmehealth")
public class AcmeHealthEndpoint {

    @ReadOperation
    public String hello() {
      return "hello health";
    }
}

and

*

*include it

*map the original /health to, say, /internal/health

*map your custom endpoint to /health
via application.properties:
management.endpoints.web.exposure.include=acmehealth
management.endpoints.web.path-mapping.health=internal/health
management.endpoints.web.path-mapping.acmehealth=/health

The important part here is to map the original endpoint to somewhere else. In doing so you prevent the collision.

A: Use this code and keep in mind that name of your class MUST be exactly HealthEndpointWebExtension
@Component
@EndpointWebExtension(endpoint = HealthEndpoint.class)
public class HealthEndpointWebExtension {

@Autowired
private HealthEndpoint delegate;

@ReadOperation
public WebEndpointResponse<Health> getHealth() {
    Health health = this.delegate.health();
    Integer status = getStatus(health);
    return new WebEndpointResponse<>(health, status);
}
}

A: Akkave is correct. However,as a supplementary, you need to set the package same with spring one: package org.springframework.boot.actuate.health; to ensure it overide the spring's bean!

A: You can not actually write EndpointWebExtension for predefine acutator URL. But what you can do is you can overwrite the existing definition for EndpointWebExtension like below. You can write custom logic as per requirement.
@Component

@EndpointWebExtension(endpoint = HealthEndpoint.class)

public class CustomeEndpointWebExtension extends HealthEndpointWebExtension {

    private static final String[] NO_PATH = {};
    public HealthWebEndpointWebExtension(HealthContributorRegistry registry, HealthEndpointGroups groups) {
        super(registry, groups);

    }

//To write custom logic for /acuator/health
    @ReadOperation
    public WebEndpointResponse<HealthComponent> health(ApiVersion apiVersion, SecurityContext securityContext) {
        System.out.println("#@Start");
        WebEndpointResponse<HealthComponent> health = health(apiVersion, securityContext, false, NO_PATH);
        //Can write customer logic here as per requirment
        System.out.println("#@End"+health.getBody().getStatus());
        return health;
    }

//To write custom logic for /acuator/health/db
    @ReadOperation
    public WebEndpointResponse<HealthComponent> health(ApiVersion apiVersion, SecurityContext securityContext,
            @Selector(match = Match.ALL_REMAINING) String... path) {
        WebEndpointResponse<HealthComponent> health = health(apiVersion, securityContext, false, path);
        System.out.println("#Status"+health.getBody().getStatus());
        return health;
    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


These lovely sterling-silver earrings would make a really special gift: Comprised of scallop shells, and real citrine and pearl gemstones, this really is a piece of jewellery with meaning.
The shell shape is symbolic of El Camino de Santiago (the 1,000-year-old journey along the Way of St. James to Santiago de Compostela, in northern Spain). And Citrine is know as the "joy and success stone" because it is said to impart light-heartedness and happiness to the wearer, and inspire creativity. Pearls are symbolic of dignity, along with love and success.
Wish your friends well by sending them these lovely earrings: They would make an ideal gift for many special events or occasions - like a wedding or engagement, for example, with someone setting off on a new adventure; Or perhaps as a little Christening present: Or as a gift of encouragement for someone starting something new - like a new job or going to University.
Dimensions: The earrings measure approx 56mm in length including the sterling silver wires. They consist of real citrine and pearl gemstones, silver-coated washers and sterling silver scallop shells and earwires.
The 1,000-year-old Way of St. James (El Camino de Santiago - in Spanish), criss-crosses Western Europe, arriving at Santiago de Compostela in Northern Spain on the Atlantic coast. At least 200,000 people travel to the city each year from all over the world: Some people walk, others travel by bike. Many travellers choose to do the Camino for personal, rather than any spiritual or religious reasons - taking time out from their busy, modern lives and perhaps finding inspiration along the way, whilst reflecting on their lives in a supportive environment. Many carry with them a Scallop Shell. Everyone experiences the journey in a different way.
But, whatever somebody's journey - whether on El Camino itself, on holiday, a business trip, a gap year, trekking, etc, many friends and loved-ones like to pass on a special gift to wish the recipient well on their travels - and safekeeping along the way. You can remind them that you are thinking of them and wish them good luck, with this special "Camino" gift.
Gift these delightful scallop, citrine and pearl earrings to inspire your friends . . whatever their journey. They come gift-wrapped, like all our presents - and we can print a personal message on your behalf.


What is Drug Innovation Ventures at Emory?
Georgia Bio has honored Abel De La Rosa, PhD, chief scientific officer of Drug Innovation Ventures at Emory (DRIVE) and the Emory Institute for Drug Development (EIDD) with a 2017 Community Award.
David Perryman of Drug Innovation Ventures at Emory (DRIVE) and the Emory Institute for Drug Development discusses the institute and how it ranks nationwide.
DRIVE CEO George Painter hiking in Death Valley, California- pictured in Spring, 2016 furthering DRIVE's mission by bridging the Valley of Death.
More than 20 scientists with two drug development groups at Emory University are working to develop a treatment for the Zika virus.
Drug Innovation Ventures at Emory (DRIVE) and the Emory Institute for Drug Development (EIDD) have launched an effort to identify and develop antivirals to treat the infection caused by Zika virus.
Emory University announces the award of a Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) contract to develop drugs to treat infections caused by emerging and man-made viral threats.


text:
Megyn Kelly Claims Trans Activists Do "Conversion Therapy" on Gay Men
[archiveorg megyn-kelly-claims-trans-activists-do-conversion-therapy-on-gay-men width=560 height=384 frameborder=0 webkitallowfullscreen=true mozallowfullscreen=true]
The Humanist Report
Gay Rights, LGBTQ, Megyn Kelly, Steven Crowder, Transgender
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


I promised after last week, that I would venture across the street. And I did just that.
Goody's Pizza in the Clarendon neighborhood of Arlington has a strange, eerie, and yet familiar feeling about it. And when I say eerie, I only mean it in a good way. There's just something going on here that reminds me of another place, another time, and maybe a past life.
This past life could be in this life, but it feels so homey, so approachable, and so inviting that it reminds me of places I used to go to in my childhood and I swear something beyond my existence on this planet. I may be going on a limb but it felt like another dimension.
And once again, I say this all with love and the most sincerest of feelings.
And for all the times I've hung out in the neighborhood, I never ate here. I've walked by how many number of times after a night or day out, and never set walked in. Why? I don't know. A place that looks so cozy from the outside is exactly what I want in my life. I want more establishments, not just pizzerias, this genuine in my life. They still exist.
I'm glad in this instance I didn't have to look so hard. Like I've said before, my first time was meant to be this time. If not just for this blog, but for something I want to explain, but I can't. Maybe it will make sense later.
What does make sense is how tremendous these slices are. I'm serious. I've had New York Style in that said city, and even though we're in Virginia, this is close to that. I almost think they used the water from New York to make these pies. It's that great. No these are not the best slices I've ever had nor did I expect them to be. But just something hit me in a special place.
The interior is so quaint that I just wanted to sit there and appreciate the moment. I did for a little bit. And I did the same outside.
My decision on what to order was made simple. The slices on display were cheese and pepperoni. I got one of each and was more than excited to try them.
The amount of cheese on each may look like a lot to some, but it was just perfect. It was chewy, gooey, and everything else that makes a cheese slice magnificent and breathtaking. Yes I said breathtaking. The pepperoni's made me feel like a kid again. Whether they were the freshest or most hearty pepperoni's I don't care. Both slices made me so happy.
But what made these pizzas so endearing was the dough. It's the epitome of comfort food. And I got comfortable, full, and full of happiness. That word artisanal gets thrown around too much to where it means nothing. This to me is what you would call that overblown word I said two sentences ago. If you had to call it something then you could also call it awesome. The dough was soft in spots, crunch in others, and it made me so happy.
This is my kind of style of pizza. And sometimes it doesn't need a city or a label to describe that style. It's just marvelous eating day or night.
I say day or night because they're open for the late night crowd on the weekends as well. But I would put this pizza up against any of the greats in the area for a great daytime slice or pie. I mean that.
It was so affordable too. And for this area, affordable is always welcome. I think I barely spent $6 on both.
Most important of all, the owners behind the counter could not have been nicer. It wasn't just what they said but it was how they carried themselves and how they said things. They just seemed so sincere, so genuine, and so happy to be running a great business that looks like is doing well and is a bright spot in a sea of chain restaurants and bars that all start to look the same after a while.
Local business is what it's always about and I'm honored to have supported this one.
If you're in the area I cannot talk about how great this place is. Here is their menu, here is more on the pizzeria itself, and contact information.
Everything about this was beautiful. I can't wait to see where the pizza journey takes me next.
I like a big, foldable slice, just like this!


PrinterBees.com caters to the Real Estate community to provide top quality printed products at affordable prices. Stop By PrinterBees.com for real estate marketing from a company that specializes it.
PrinterBees is an online printing and marketing company which caters to the real estate industry and real estate marketing. When working with PrinterBees, you're working with a print marketing company that specialies in Real Estate Marketing. Its a completely different experience than working with a company like Vista Print, where there is no specialty to what YOU do, real estate.
PrinterBees also provides the E-Magazine publication Real Estate Marketing Magazine, the magazine dedicated to helping Realtors® get great at marketing and sustaining a long-term business.
PrinterBees is active in forums like Active Rain, so we always know where the market is headed and how we can make sure we add value for our clients. The other print marketing companies don't offer this sort of hand holding or expertise to Realtors®.
PrinterBees offers top quality printing and very, very affordable prices. Your marketing deserves personal attention to detail, it's a reflection of you and your business. All typesetting and design is done by a graphics design professional/person, who has created literally thousands of real estate marketing pieces. Our designers know what does and doesnt work. Design is not done by a computer program with limited editing, you have complete and total flexibility with your design, so it mirrors YOU and YOUR brand of real estate. PrinterBees has a great reputation within the communities we serve because along with quality, affordability, we offer great customer service.
Real Estate marketing - Business Cards, postcards, letterhead, envelopes, fliers, door hangers, magnets and anything else you can think of that you need printed for your business. Design Services - We have affordable graphics design services and help our clients with branding, creating listing fliers, marketing postcards, web pages, etc. Blogging - On our sister website NadineBlogs.com, we teach our clients how to build their own blog sites with basic step by step instruction. In this market, people have more time than money and thanks to having great site sponsors, we can give away the information for free to help you learn everything you need to know. Real Estate Marketing Education - Blogging For Buyers, the free-book to help our freinds in real estate everything they need to know about blogging and how to do it themselves. You have supported our business and we want to support yours in return. Times are tough, budgets are small...we want to help with what we know what works.


text:
Out New Hampshire Chairman Ray Buckley Drops Out of DNC Race
| February 19, 2017
New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman Ray Buckley on Saturday dropped out of the race to head the Democratic National Committee (DNC).
In announcing the move, Buckley, one of two openly gay candidates vying for the post, threw his support behind Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison, whom he said would reform the DNC.
"Now, many candidates have spoken about these issues, but Keith's commitment to the states and a transparent and accountable DNC has stood out," Buckley said. "He knows elections are not won and lost in the beltway, but on the ground across the country. His plan, in fact, shared many of the same ideas and principles as my own. We both believe in investing in all 50 states, Democrats abroad, and the territories, providing support and resources to help state parties succeed, and organizing in every county across this great country."
"While it was a tremendous honor to run for DNC chair over the past few months, I am proud to throw my support behind Keith so we can ensure that the next chair of the DNC is dedicated to investing in and strengthening state parties and ensuring that the DNC is an accountable organization," Buckley added. "As I've talked to the DNC membership, it's clear Keith has widespread support, and I know as our next DNC Chair Keith will successfully unite and grow our party."
A second openly gay candidate, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, remains in the race.
Ellison and former Labor Secretary Tom Perez are considered the front-runners to win Saturday's election.


text:
Community Care/ Public Health
Lancette VanGuilder, RDH, BS
Lancette VanGuilder, RDH, BS graduated with her dental hygiene degree
from the University of South Dakota in 1995 and has been actively involved
in dental hygiene education, leadership and advocacy on the local, state and
national level over the last 25 years. Lancette works as a clinician in private
practice, in the corporate world as a professional educator, in public health and
is an internationally recognized continuing education speaker.
She is a past president of the Nevada Dental Hygienists Association
and served on the board of directors for the American Dental Hygienists
Association as the District 12 Trustee, representing 6 states on the west/pacific
coast. Lancette has received many awards during her career, including the
Nevada Dental Hygienist of the Year. Most recently, she was recognized with
the Innovative Career Vision Award for her work in all 7 professional roles of
the dental hygienist and received the 2018 Irene Newman Professional Achievement National Award from the American Dental Hygienists Association- recognizing her for her contributions to the advancement of the art and science of the dental hygiene profession over the last 15 years.
Lancette is passionate about ensuring that all communities have access to dental care, the power of prevention and the utilization of the dental hygienist.
© 2023 by Beauty & Co. Proudly created with Wix.com


text:
Steelers beat Ravens with mix of youth and veterans
The Pittsburgh Steelers are AFC North champions again in 2016. The team relied heavily on their three superstars to pull out a victory over bitter division rivals the Baltimore Ravens. Le'veon Bell, Antonio Brown, and Ben Roethlisberger took over the game, particularly on the games final two drives. Brown made a play that will be among the greatest highlights in Steeler history by stretching that ball over the goal line on the final play of the game winning drive. Running back Le'Veon Bell continued his MVP type season by rushing for 122 yards and 1 touchdown. Finally, Ben Roethlisberger overcame two costly interceptions to lead the team on two straight touchdown drives in the fourth quarter. The "Big 3" certainly did their part to help the team to victory.
Taking all that into account, Pittsburgh does not win without key contributions from it's many rookies who played in this game. On offense, wide receiver Eli Rogers had one of his best games of the year. Rogers had 4 catches for 84 yards, and none more spectacular then his last on the games most crucial drive.
He seems to enjoy playing against the Ravens, seeing how last time the teams met Rogers had 6 catches for 103 yards. Xavier Grimble caught the games first touchdown, filling in for the injured Ladarius Green. Many people counted the rookie tight end out once Green returned from the IR, but he may yet play a big role with this team going forward. The long wait for 6th round pick Demarcus Ayers ended on Sunday. Ayers made his presence felt on the next to last drive of the game. During that drive, he would draw a pass interference call that would place Pittsburgh in the redzone. He also made a key block on the cornerback to help spring Bell for a touchdown to finish off that drive. On the games final drive, Ayers would get his first career catch in the NFL.
On defense it was more of the same we've seen for the past eight weeks or so. The first three draft picks all contributing in a big way to Pittsburgh's dramatic revival on defense. The defensive line has been decimated by injuries, but first year players Javon Hargrave, Johnny Maxey, and second year man L. T. Walton all held there own against the very good Ravens offensive line. First round pick Artie Burns continued to hold down his starters role by playing a solid game against some dangerous receivers. My vote for defensive rookie of the year goes to safety Sean Davis, and he made an even better case in this game. He's become a constant threat at the line of scrimmage, either blitzing the quarterback or making plays in the backfield against opposing running backs. Davis made the biggest play of the game, breaking up a third down pass in the end zone in the fourth quarter.
 Roethlisberger had just thrown his second interception which gave the Ravens the ball deep in Steeler territory. Baltimore was already up 7, and were threatening to take a two touchdown lead in the fourth quarter. Davis got his hands in between the intended receiver and broke up a sure touchdown pass on third down, forcing the Ravens to kick a field goal. It was a huge play, and may well have saved Pittsburgh's season.
This blend of young players and veterans may well get the Steelers far into the playoffs this year. It's also fun to also imagine this team's future. Next season Pittsburgh will get back missing stars like Cam Heyward, and Martavis Bryant. Add to that the maturation of all the sensational rookies they have now, and throw in a new crop of draft picks. The future is very bright in Pittsburgh, both this season, and many for many to come.
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Bikes 4 Life is a organisation we started during our first visit to Northern Uganda, and was our response to helping victims of war.
Bikes 4 Life donates bicycles, tools, bike education and training to remote and marginalised communities who are in dire need of sustainable transport.
We have grown since our first Uganda project in 2012 and our projects now support communities all over the world, with particular focus on Africa and some regions in Asia.
Although we have many international projects, we ensure that we execute an annual project in Uganda, where Bikes 4 Life was born.


Voice and broadband data communications for the lightweight mobile office... EXPLORER 300 is among the smallest and most compact BGAN terminals in the EXPLORER Family. It has never been easier to stay connected from anywhere in the world.
The Hughes 9250 Vehicular Terminal is a Class 2 bgan Mobile Broadband Satellite IP Terminal and WLAN Access Point with tracking capabilities.
Terminal allows you to send and receive IP packet data via Ethernet and WLAN interfaces over the Inmarsat BGAN satellite network in a land-vehicular application.


SACRAMENTO – In response to Gov. Jerry Brown's release of the proposed 2018-2019 California State Budget, Sen. Jeff Stone, R-Riverside County, issued the following statement, Jan. 10.
"As usual, the governor gave a good speech this morning. He talked about fiscal restraint, paying down debt and returning money to local schools," Stone said. "But as has been the case far too often, the initial budget is the floor, and I'm sure the Democrat leadership in Sacramento will now begin the spending spree we all know is coming.
"According to the governor, the state of California has a massive surplus of state tax dollars due to improved capital gains tax receipts and lower unemployment. Instead of spending the surplus on new government entitlement programs, I am hopeful the final budget will reflect responsible spending priorities such as paying down pension debt, repaying school districts and local governments the money that was taken from them in prior budgets, providing meaningful tax relief to working Californians and putting in adequate resources to the state's rainy day fund.
"California faces a nearly $250 billion unfunded pension liability, and the amount is anticipated to grow in future years due to lavish benefit increases to public employees granted by the Democrat-controlled Legislature. We should at least make an attempt to make public pensions more secure by making the decision to use a big portion of any surplus to deal with a looming crisis as well as adopting real pension reform that involves moving the state away from exclusively providing defined benefit plans.
"In recent budgets that have required cuts due to the state being in a deficit situation, the Democrats in the Legislature have borrowed billions of dollars from local school districts and local governments to cover the shortfalls. It's time to pay back our local school districts, our counties and our cities that the Legislature stole from in order to keep paying for more big government social programs, and this is the year that we should repay the debt.
Sen. Jeff Stone represents California's 28th Senate District. The district, which is entirely in Riverside County, stretches from the vineyards of the Temecula Valley to the Colorado River and includes the cities of Blythe, Canyon Lake, Cathedral City, Coachella, Desert Hot Springs, Indian Wells, Indio, Lake Elsinore, La Quinta, Murrieta, Temecula, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage and Wildomar.


A beautifully presented one bedroom apartment, set in the popular Felixstowe Court in the heart of Gallions Reach. This second floor modern property is presented in good condition. Boasting a large reception room, fitted kitchen, large master bedroom and a three piece bathroom. Further benefits include double glazing, central heating and residents parking. Viewing highly recommended.
*1 minute from the DLR* Constructed in 2017, this modern one bedroom apartment, offers a generous 621 sq ft of living space. Featuring an open plan lounge / kitchen, with access leading out to a large wrap around balcony, fitted wardrobes to the bedroom, and a 24 hour conciergeOur lines are open 24/7, so call us now to book your viewing.
Stunning two bed flat on the 19th floor. The property has unrivalled views of the City and Canary Wharf from it's full length balcony. London City Island boasts a fantastic gym and outdoor swimming pool.London City Island is a modern development within walking distance of the shops, bars and restaurants of Canning Town and Canary Wharf.
A two bedroom, two bathroom modern apartment located in the Trade Winds development. Features to include gated allocated parking, 800 Sq Ft of ample living space and private balcony.Trade Winds is 0.5 mile from Pontoon Dock DLR Station which provides good links to the City and Canary Wharf.


Our instinctive response to a stressful situation may not always be the best one. The High res app will help guide you through.
High Res can assist serving and ex-serving Australian Defence Force personnel and their families to manage the daily stresses of military life, deployment, transition to civilian life and life post-service.
Test your physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioural reactions to stress and adjust your response in real time by using the stress management tools in the app.
Optimise your performance and build your psychological resilience and mental fitness with regular resilience training.
Interactive, easy-to-use tools that you can access on the go such as Controlled Breathing, Progressive Muscle Relaxation and Thought Stopping.
A scheduler that allows you to set goals to practice the tools regularly.
A resilience self-assessment that can help you keep track of your progress over time.


Zaza Saralidze, father of Davit Saralidze, the teenager killed in Khorava Street murder case that claimed lives of two juveniles on December 1, 2017 and Malkhaz Machalikashvili, father of Temirlan Machalikashvili, 19-year-old youth killed during the special operation in Duisi village, Pankisi Gorge are holding a protest rally at Rustaveli Avenue.
According to Zaza Saralidze, their main demand is the resignation of the government, establishment of interim government and call for early parliamentary elections.
According to Zaza Saralidze, he goes on hunger strike from today.
According to Saralidze, this decision is caused by the fact that offenders are still free.
"Nine months after happening, my son's murderers are still not punished. The authorities have decided that all those officials who have falsified this case should maintain their positions. We demand the restoration of the Justice", – Saralidze said.
Zaza Saralidze: Only question I have - where is my son's murderer?


text:
Platinum Equity Acquires Orbit Irrigation and Hydro-Rain
Latest Acquisition Highlights Platinum Equity's Commitment to Investing in the Lower Middle Market
LOS ANGELES and SALT LAKE CITY, Feb. 06, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Platinum Equity announced today the acquisition of Pro-Mark, the parent company of Orbit Irrigation and Hydro-Rain, from affiliates of the company's founders. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Orbit is a leading provider of irrigation systems and related products for the residential home improvement markets. Hydro-Rain serves the professional market with a line of contractor-grade irrigation and lighting products.
Pro-Mark was founded by Max Ericksen in 1971 and over more than 40 years his family built Orbit into a global distribution network with products available in 40 countries and all 50 U.S. states.
"Orbit has created a successful business through a combination of product innovation, quality and entrepreneurial spirit," said Platinum Equity Partner Jacob Kotzubei. "With the addition of our financial, operational and M&A resources to support the company's growth, Orbit is poised to take yet another significant step forward. There are opportunities to deploy operational best practices throughout the organization and leverage the company's brand to drive additional growth in both core and adjacent markets."
Orbit's product line includes hose-end devices, controllers, timers, underground irrigation systems and other accessories sold primarily through retail and e-commerce channels. Orbit is a leader in "smart watering" technology and the company's popular B-Hyve suite of products help customers reduce water usage and save money.
Orbit CEO Stuart Eyring will remain in his current position following the transition to new ownership.
"This is exciting news for our company and our customers," said Mr. Eyring. "With Platinum Equity's support, we'll be able to make additional investments in growth and new technology. We are very excited about the opportunities ahead of us."
Former Pro-Mark Chairman David Beck said Platinum Equity and Orbit are a great fit.
"We sought a partner with the financial resources and operational know-how to take a family-owned, entrepreneurial business to the next level," said Mr. Beck. "It was clear Platinum Equity values the culture we created over the past 40 years and has great depth of experience helping businesses like Orbit maximize their potential."
Former Orbit CEO K.C. Ericksen, representing brothers Greg, Mike and Steven, who also served in senior leadership roles at the company, said the business is well positioned for continued growth.
"We are proud of everything Orbit has accomplished and know the company has a bright future ahead," said Mr. Ericksen.
Mr. Kotzubei said the Orbit acquisition also reflects Platinum Equity's commitment to investing in the lower middle market as the firm continues to grow.
"We are very active in the lower middle market and Orbit represents another exciting opportunity for Platinum to create value in that space," said Mr. Kotzubei.
Wilkie Farr & Gallagher served as Platinum Equity's legal counsel on the acquisition of Pro-Mark. PNC Bank, N.A., served as administrative agent for the transaction. Steel City Capital Funding, a division of PNC Bank, N.A., provided a portion of the financing.
Bennett Tueller Johnson & Deere, LLC served as legal counsel to Pro-Mark. Lincoln International served as exclusive investment banking representative to Pro-Mark on the transaction.
About Platinum Equity
Founded in 1995 by Tom Gores, Platinum Equity is a global investment firm with approximately $13 billion of assets under management and a portfolio of approximately 40 operating companies that serve customers around the world. The firm is currently investing from Platinum Equity Capital Partners IV, a $6.5 billion global buyout fund, and Platinum Equity Small Cap Fund, a $1.5 billion buyout fund focused on investment opportunities in the lower middle market. Platinum Equity specializes in mergers, acquisitions and operations – a trademarked strategy it calls M&A&O® – acquiring and operating companies in a broad range of business markets, including manufacturing, distribution, transportation and logistics, equipment rental, metals services, media and entertainment, technology, telecommunications and other industries. Over the past 23 years, Platinum Equity has completed more than 250 acquisitions.
About Orbit
Orbit's mission is to bring smart technology to homeowners, landscape professionals and farmers across the globe. The company serves markets spanning six continents and 40 countries, and for decades has been a worldwide leader in designing and building innovative water optimization products. For more information, visit www.orbitonline.com.
Dan Whelan, Platinum Equity
dwhelan@platinumequity.com


text:
require 'honor_codes/core'

class License
  OPEN_CHORUS = 'openchorus'
  VENDOR_ALPINE = 'alpine'
  VENDOR_PIVOTAL = 'pivotal'
  LEVEL_EXPLORER = 'explorer'
  LEVEL_BASECAMP = 'basecamp'
  LEVEL_SUMMIT = 'summit'

  def initialize(lic=nil)
    unless lic
      path = (File.exists?(license_path) ? license_path : default_license_path)
      lic = HonorCodes.interpret(path)[:license].symbolize_keys
    end
    @license = lic
  end

  def self.instance
    @instance ||= License.new
  end

  def [](key)
    @license[key]
  end

  def workflow_enabled?
    alpine_or_pivotal?
  end

  def branding
    self[:vendor] == VENDOR_PIVOTAL ? VENDOR_PIVOTAL : VENDOR_ALPINE
  end

  def branding_title
    %(#{self.branding.titlecase} Chorus)
  end

  def limit_search?
    explorer?
  end

  def advisor_now_enabled?
    alpine_or_pivotal?
  end

  def limit_workspace_membership?
    explorer?
  end

  def limit_user_count?
    alpine_or_pivotal?
  end

  def limit_data_source_types?
    explorer? || basecamp?
  end

  def limit_milestones?
    explorer? || basecamp?
  end

  def limit_jobs?
    explorer? || basecamp?
  end

  def home_page
    explorer? ? 'WorkspaceIndex' : nil
  end

  def limit_sandboxes?
    explorer?
  end

  def expires?
    alpine_or_pivotal?
  end

  def expired?(date=Date.current)
    expires? && self[:expires] < date
  end

  private

  attr_reader :license

  def explorer?
    self[:vendor] == VENDOR_ALPINE && self[:level] == LEVEL_EXPLORER
  end

  def basecamp?
    self[:vendor] == VENDOR_ALPINE && self[:level] == LEVEL_BASECAMP
  end

  def alpine_or_pivotal?
    [VENDOR_ALPINE, VENDOR_PIVOTAL].include? self[:vendor]
  end

  def license_path
    Rails.root.join 'config', 'chorus.license'
  end

  def default_license_path
    Rails.root.join 'config', 'chorus.license.default'
  end
end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Hi all! Just going to share some photos taken during the blog awards this year at the flyer!
Theme this year was super heroes. And spot little super hero baby!! Kawaii max!
How can I miss out taking a shot with one of the Super Blogger of the year! Yong Wei!! Haha! This guy is now in Tekong! I wish him all the best and maybe muscle up a bit in there.
After the awards, we all get to go up the flyer for free! Yay!! Haha! And it's really awesome to have the whole capsule to ourselves! We spent the first half of the ride taking photos! The lighting was just nice for photo spam!
The above collage is done using photos taken by Conan's RangeFinder film camera. Mad love the effects! Especially the middle photo with Angie, colors so nice!
Here's a look of the day set. I did not know how to dress up like a super hero so I went ahead and dress up normal but in the colors of green lantern girl. Haha! I even drew a diamond on my face but it's covered by my hair. 😛 I think I look pretty fab that day though. Hehe.
SBA X Mary Chia X FJF Pastel Dreams Spa Party Happenings!
Hello all! This is the post on the actual happenings of FJFPastelDreamsParty! My guests are all more efficient then me! Haha! Two of them already blogged about the party and I love their posts! Thanks Jocelyn and Zoe for the great posts! <3!
Yummy Green Tea cupcake for the guests. Earl Grey and Red Velvet available too!
All of them enjoying the munchies! XD I'm happy to see them enjoying the food I've ordered. One thing off my chest. Phew. I was super stressed but I wanted my guests to enjoy every single moment.
So I started the party proper by doing a demonstration of the Blanc Perfecto products used in their Blanc Perfecto Facial. I've tried the effects of the facial and decided to share with my guests about it. The Blanc Perfecto Facial helps brighten up the skin tone and makes dull skin radiant. For my demo, using the Blanc Perfecto Hydra pH Cleansing Gel mixing with the Blanc Perfecto DermaRedefine Enzymes, I showed how these two products can instantly brighten up the skin. I've also added in a personal beauty tip during this demo which is a very simple beauty tool, the foaming net to create fine foam using any cleanser of the user's choice. Foam can cleanse the skin deep into the pores easier as it's finer and able to reach deep in the pores. It's also easily washed/splash off due to its fineness.
My second segment is sharing tips on how to exfoliate the lips to get the soft effect and showing how I applied gloss to achieve the 3D plumping effect. I made used of the Lip Plumper and Lip Tint given with love from Vanity Trove for this demo.
The trick is simple, apply the gloss from the outer corners inwards. First layer should be evenly and light. Second layer would be focusing in the center of the lips in the form of a heart shape, using the cupid's bow of our lips as the tips of the heart. XD By doing this, the lips will appear to have a natural pout.
My third segment was beauty tip sharing! I got all my guests to write down all their own beauty tips and I read it all out one by one. Then I got them to vote for the best beauty tip which turns out to be "Sleeping"! Which is true as no matter how much skincare we apply, how many facials we do, if we do not have ample sleep or sleep when our body needs to repair itself, nothing will work.
I also choose my personal favorite tip which is "Inner Beauty". Regardless of size, height, looks, if you have the confidence and believe in yourself, you will be beautiful.
I used to have really low self esteem when I was suffering from acne. I don't seem to mind on the outside but deep down and when I look at the mirror I will think why am I so ugly. Thinking that way does not help at all. Slowly, I embraced the fact that the acne is going to be stuck with me for quite some time and I lived with it. As I know that one day, they will be gone and I will have clear skin. When I've accepted the fact and not bothered by it, I've got good comments regardless the bad skin. And of course, it's all better now that my skin have cleared up so much.
– Foundation will not oxidize so never get a shade lighter then your original shade.
– Using paper towels to wipe our faces is better as a way to prevent germs and bacteria.
– Exercise will give you that natural healthy glow.
Xinyi is the winner for the most popular beauty tip. I picked her as the winner as she's the only one who put "Sleeping" as her only beauty tip whereas the rest added it as one of the tips.
Lastly, it's photo spamming time while the guests helped themselves to more cupcakes and macaroons! Thanks to all the lovely ladies and 1 guy who took the time to attend my party! Love you guys!
With Fenny! I really love her a lot, she's talented and super lovable!
I would also like to thank my wonderful goodie bag sponsors, Vanity Trove, L'Oreal Paris Singapore, Skin79(Starasia) and MyFatPocket!
And not forgetting my lovely guests and friends who have supported me so much during this period of time! Of course, my dear readers out there who spares some of your time on this dear little space of mine!
Hi all! So I'm here to blog about the setting up of my spa party on the day itself! I will be doing another 2 post, one on the actual happenings of the party and also FJFPastelDreamsParty Goodie Bag Revealed!
So on to the setting up process!
I've got 2 helpers from my guests who came to my place to help me bring the goodie bags and deco stuff to the Mary Chia Outlet at NEX! So I got them to help me paste the super elementary wall mural I did. I also folded 100 origami hearts with the help of the Mum and got them to paste them all around the place!
Then we have lovely Faith from The Yellow Teacup who came and deliver plus setup the awesome cupcakes!
With Faith, the lovely girl behind the yummy cupcakes! She spent two years on the recipe before actually setting up the business! And I assure you that the cupcakes are really nice! Moist and yummy and not too sweet!
Customizes FJF cupcakes for my Pastel Dreams Party! The flowers and letterings are made from fondant and they taste awesome, like marshmallow candies! Some fondants out there have a heavy flour taste but this one is love! I love them!
I ordered Red Velvet, Green Tea and Earl Grey cupcakes! Red Velvet was the first to go! Haha! But I really like all 3 flavors and super glad that my guests love them too!
Cupcakes are so pretty that my guests who arrived early can't help but to take photos with! I'm really super glad that I've got my cupcakes from The Yellow TeaCup! Mad love the outcome and taste!
So while the cupcakes are being set up, I was busy packing in more goodies into my goodie bags! Here's the extra goodies sponsored with love from MFP! And also at the same time packing in the complimentary vouchers from Mary Chia to let my guests redeem their 30 minutes treatments!
I also gotten Macaroons from Bakerzin which I set up just before the guests arrive as they can't be out for too long.
So after checking that all the decos are in place and food all set up. I went around taking some photos before all my guests arrive. 😛 Here's with the cupcakes!
Here's some of the early birds who's relaxing at the comfortable sofa seats meant for manicure at Mary Chia while waiting for the party to start.
So as a finalist of SBA 2012, we are to answer a set of questions as a mini interview. So that OMY.SG can introduce us proper with our very own inputs.
This is actually my second time being selected as one of the finalist for the Best Beauty Blog Category. Am definitely very happy and honored to be selected once again as it meant that my blog and my works are being recognized. This means a lot to me.
I started blogging since my secondary school days. The more intellectual posts started during 2008. Before it was just an online journal for me to write my rants and about my daily life. I began beauty blogging in 2009 as I was always interested in beauty related stuff. Was following several beauty blogs and then I thought why don't I start blogging about beauty too? And I started with the intention of sharing and discussing beauty related content with other fellow beauty bloggers and those who love makeup and all.
I was suffering from bad acne at a point of my life. And I wanted to share with my readers how I overcame my acne both mentally and physically through my blog. So I could say that acne is one of my inspiration for my content.
I've known several finalists from last year and also some through events and of course there are some new faces too. To be honest, I don't feel that this is a competition at all and I believed the other finalists to have to same sentiments. It's more like a gathering for us beauty lovers, getting to know more about each other.
Each of us have our own unique style of writing and presenting so I believe all of us are actually on the same starting line. It does not matter who wins in the end as long as all ten of us have fun! One thing I do know is that we are all excited to organize our own spa party!!
And that's all! If you like my blog or love Baskin Robbins Ice Cream like me, vote for me or continue reading.


What does it mean? Third kind of human being?
I first heard this expression when I was about 18, when social networks just came into my life. I didn't know what it meant so I googled it. According to a webpage similar to Yahoo answers, there are three kinds of human being in the world: men, women and women who have doctoral degrees or pursuing them. At the time, I even found it a bit entertaining because I had no idea one day, I need to rethink about this.
In summer 2013, I got accepted to a PhD programme. I was really happy and went back to China for one last summer vacation before I start one last degree in my life. Also it had been a while since I went back home so I made many arrangements to see as many friends as I could. I was still quite excited about that I am going to do a research that could be designed entirely by myself so I told everybody I met. However, people's responses are, quite frankly speaking, shocking.
After an entire summer of awkward conversations about my choice of pursing a doctoral degree, I was so happy to come back to England. Apart from realising there are more people of my age in Masters degree than in my PhD group, nothing really makes me feel too different.
Xiaozhe (Sherry) Cai (@5herrycxz) is a PhD student at Centre for Applied linguistics. She is learning in the wonderful world of intercultural communication and researching mixed-culture groupwork in Higher Education. Love traveling and music. Wish to see the world, haven't achieved much but working on it! And most importantly, 100% foodie!
I will definitely try to say thanks for such a good information share with us.


text:
Yzeux is een gemeente in het Franse departement Somme (regio Hauts-de-France) en telt 251 inwoners (2005). De plaats maakt deel uit van het arrondissement Amiens.

Geografie
De oppervlakte van Yzeux bedraagt 5,0 km², de bevolkingsdichtheid is 50,2 inwoners per km².

Demografie
Onderstaande figuur toont het verloop van het inwonertal (bron: INSEE-tellingen).

Externe links

Gemeente in Somme

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Q: check file exists and return list of files in java? My task is I am having a inputFileLocation and list of some config files and need to check those files exists at that location.

*

*Example: inputfileLocation = C:/input

*list of config files: sample_a.conf, refund_a.conf, sample_b.conf, refund_b.conf
Need to check whether the file exists and then return the list of sample.conf files and list of refund.conf files.
How to achieve this in java ?

A: Use java.io.File class. It has methods:

*

*exists()

Tests whether the file or directory denoted by this abstract pathname exists.

*list(FilenameFilter)

Returns an array of strings naming the files and directories in the directory denoted by this abstract pathname that satisfy the specified filter.

A: This is how I would do it:

*

*Check that the file exists using the exists() method;

*Check that the file is a directory using the isDirectory()
method;

*Obtain the files using Apache Commons iterateFiles() method.

A: Pretty simple:
import java.io.File;
import java.util.LinkedList;
import java.util.List;

public class FileFinder
{
    private String mInputFileLocation;
    private List<String> mSampleList;
    private List<String> mRefundList;

    public FileFinder(String inputFileLocation)
    {
        mInputFileLocation = inputFileLocation;
        mSampleList = new LinkedList<String>();
        mRefundList = new LinkedList<String>();
    }

    public void processList(List<String> filenameList)
    {
        for (String filename : filenameList)
        {
            File f = new File(mInputFileLocation, filename);
            if (f.exists())
            {
                if (filename.startsWith("sample_"))
                {
                    mSampleList.add(filename);
                }
                else if (filename.startsWith("refund_"))
                {
                    mRefundList.add(filename);
                }
            }
        }
    }

    public List<String> getSampleList()
    {
        return mSampleList;
    }

    public List<String> getRefundList()
    {
        return mRefundList;
    }
}

A:         File path = new File("C:/input");

        // Get the list of files in the directory
        File [] files = path.listFiles();

        for (int i = 0; i < files.length; i++){
            // Check whether files[i] is a file. If it is a file, it will print it.
            if (files[i].isFile()){
                System.out.println(files[i]);
            }
        }


text:
Review - 31313 Mindstorms EV3 - EV3RSTORM (part 3)
technic 23 mindstorms 6 ev3 6 2013 15 Review 95
Review - 31313 Mindstorms EV3 - R3PTAR (part 2)
LEGO Review - 31313 Mindstorms EV3
Review - 31313 Mindstorms EV3 - WACK3M
Review - 10243 Parisian Restaurant
Review - LEGO 70814 Emmet's Constructo-Mech
Review - 70802 Bad Cop's Pursuit
Review - 70815 Super Secret Police Dropship
Review - 70811 The Flying Flusher
So I couldn't wait any longer and decided to build the primary model next - Ev3rstorm. This is the main model shown on the box images and I guess you could call it the "mascot" for the EV3 set.
This is part three of an unknown number of reviews of the LEGO 31313 Mindstorms EV3 robotics set.
Part 1 - Mindstorms EV3 + Track3r
Part 2 - R3ptar
The Ev3rstorm is a bad-ass looking robot, despite the chicken head. Of the five main robots it's the biggest and uses the most parts. The build used all the sensors and all the motors, and yet there was a surprising number of technic elements left over. I'm not sure how this compares with the previous Mindstorms generations, but it seems that LEGO have thrown in a good mixture of parts with this set.
While all the sensors are used in this model, the touch and color sensors are not used to their full potential. They are mounted one on each arm pointing up and are used in the missions simply as on/off switches for various functionality. Still, it at least demonstrates how to use them for your own robots.
Unfortunately, the gears in the arms are not connected to any motors. The worm gear can be manually rotated to move the arms up and down, but they're there mainly for show. Similarly with the right hand claw, it only opens/closes manually. The addition of one more medium motor to fill up the fourth output port would have been awesome and could then be used to drive the arms. But I assume that would have increased this already expensive set too much :(
There are six missions for Ev3rstorm:
Mission 1 - Driving and Turning. This is basically just a test mission to make sure you have built the main body and legs correctly.
Mission 2 - Activate. A simple mission that introduces you to using the touch sensor to toggle the state of the robot from awake to asleep.
Mission 3 - Stay Out of the Dark. This mission sees the robot in a continuous loop as it moves around. It uses the color sensor to detect when the robot has entered somewhere too dark and then it turns around.
Mission 4 - Attack on Sight. The main robot is fully built by now, and this mission uses the IR sensor in the head to detect close objects. It uses the Spinning TriBlade on its arm to attack then moves away.
Mission 5 - Command and Blast. Using another accessory weapon (Blasting Bazooka), you remote control the movements of the robot and manually use the touch/color sensors to shoot the weapon. An obvious improvement you can make here is to use the remote control to shoot.
Mission 6 - Search and Destroy. A mini-robot is built from the IR remote control/beacon, and Ev3rstorm searches for it. When it thinks the beacon is the right distance and direction it will fire the bazooka. Sounds great, but I found it very slow to "lock-on" to the target and then it would usually miss anyway! I put that down to the bad lighting conditions I've been using.
The missions that use the Color sensor's ambient light setting are highly sensitive to the lighting conditions you use it in (obviously, really). I found that the settings used in the suggested code were not suitable for me. The ambient light mode provides a value as a % of light falling on the sensor, so valid values are 0 to 100. The programmable brick has a great on-screen feature that lets you examine the real-time value from any of the input sensors, or even the positions of the servo motors. Using this I could determine the appropriate threshold value to use in the code.
There are three separate LEDs in the color sensor. A specific colored light is used when each of the different modes are activated.
Ambient = Blue. For measuring the ambient light, there's no need for it to display the blue light but I guess it's just there as an indicator to help you know what mode it's in.
Reflected = Red. The amount of red light reflected back into the sensor tells it what value to return. This is similar to using the IR receiver in proximity mode, except this uses red visible light instead of infra-red so it is more reliable outside where the heat from the Sun can interfere with things. Assuming you don't live in the UK of course.
Color Detection = Red + Green + Blue. Different colored materials absorb different colored light more than others. So the relative amounts from each light reflected back into the sensor tells it what color the reflecting object is.
I haven't mentioned it before, but the Mindstorms software comes with some good help documentation. Hitting F1 will bring up a locally run website with easy to navigate pages. The help guides give you all the specifications you need to understand the range of possible input/output values from each sensor/motor, and even provide small sample programs for using the different modes.
The final program has some neat logic to search for the beacon. It's encapsulated in a custom block called "IR Target". It uses some simple maths to calculate how much power to give each leg motor, based on how far away it is from the beacon and in which direction it needs to turn. I was half expecting to see some nasty control systems engineering maths in there, but simple works just fine in this case (take that Prof Vlacic!).
However, the diagrams get a bit hard to follow at times with all the logic paths drawn overlapping each other. It would be nice if you could click on a link and have all it's connections highlighted. Also, the step-by-step instructions tell you to add the custom block, but I think it would have been better to instruct you in creating the block yourself. It's easy enough to figure out, but the instructions are there to guide beginners through it.
In summary, the Ev3rstorm model gives you a good feel for all the different sensors and most of the programming methods. However, because it tries to include a bit of everything, it's not really an awe-inspiring robot. The other ones tend to focus on a specific feature and do that well. So, on to the next one I go :)
You can buy this set (and help support Rebrickable) at eBay, LEGO or Amazon. Alternatively, for your country specific links please see the links on the EV3 set details page.
See all photos at Bricksafe.
Click here for the full list of Mindstorms EV3 reviews
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5 years, 9 months ago theskirrid (83748) MOC Designer ADMIN
I'm pretty surprised at the shooting accuracy. The old NXT was usually twitchy but this is great.
5 years, 9 months ago Nathan (64674) Site Admin ADMIN
Ha! you didn't see all the failed attempts before we got this one :)


Virgo the Virgin: August 23 - September 22; Mutable Earth, ruled by Mercury.
If you were born between August 23 and September 22, Virgo is your sign. You have a calm, inquiring, and orderly mind. You could succeed as a lawyer, office manager, accountant, chemist, or janitor. Your love of honesty causes friends to have great confidence and trust in you, and you expect their respect and trust in return.
You can adapt yourself to almost any kind of environment and gain financial success by careful attention to details. Overcome worries and you will rise much faster in your chosen field. Most of your health problems can be solved by carefully regulating your diet and hygiene. Find partners at work or in love in the signs Taurus and Capricorn. Your most fortunate day is Wednesday.
Birthday -- August 23 - September 22.
Keywords -- Modest, precise, accurate, and analytical.
Anatomy -- The intestines and the spleen.
Order Virgo Oil from the Lucky Mojo Curio Co.
Order Virgo Incense from the Lucky Mojo Curio Co.
Order Virgo Bath Crystals from the Lucky Mojo Curio Co.
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text:
Q: Cloud Firestore: Enforcing Unique User Names The Problem
I have seen this question several times (also in the context of the Firebase Real-Time Database), but I haven't seen a convincing answer to it. The problem statement is fairly simple:

How can (authenticated) users choose a username that hasn't been taken yet?

First of all, the why: After a user authenticates, they have a unique user ID. Many web-apps, however, let the user choose a "display name" (how the user wants to appear on the website), in order to protect the users personal data (like real name).
The Users Collection
Given a data structure like the following it is possible to store a username along with other data for each user:
/users  (collection)
    /{uid}  (document)
        - name: "<the username>"
        - foo: "<other data>"

However, nothing prevents another user (with a different {uid}) to store the same name in their record. As far as I know, there is no "security rule" that allows us to check if the name has already been by another user.
Note: A client side check is possible, but unsafe as a malicious client could omit the check.
The Reverse Mapping
Popular solutions are creating a collection with a reverse mapping:
/usernames  (collection)
    /{name}  (document)
       - uid: "<the auth {uid} field>"

Given this reverse mapping, it is possible to write a security rule to enforce that a username is not already taken:
match /users/{userId} {
  allow read: if true;
  allow create, update: if
      request.auth.uid == userId &&
      request.resource.data.name is string &&
      request.resource.data.name.size() >= 3 &&
      get(/PATH/usernames/$(request.resource.data.name)).data.uid == userId;
}

and to force a user to create a usernames document first:
match /usernames/{name} {
  allow read: if true;
  allow create: if
      request.resource.data.size() == 1 &&
      request.resource.data.uid is string &&
      request.resource.data.uid == request.auth.uid;
}

I believe the solution is half-way there. However, there are still a few unsolved issues.
Remaining Issues / Questions
This implementation is quite involved already but it doesn't even solve the problem of users that want to change their user name (requires record deletion or update rules, etc.)
Another issue is, nothing prevents a user from adding multiple records in the usernames collection, effectively snatching all good usernames to sabotage the system.
So to the questions:

*

*Is there a simpler solution to enforce unique usernames?

*How can spamming the usernames collection be prevented?

*How can the username checks be made case-insensitive?

I tried also enforcing existence of the users, with another exists() rule for the /usernames collection and then committing a batch write operation, however, this doesn't seem to work ("Missing or insufficient permissions" error).
Another note: I have seen solutions with client-side checks. BUT THESE ARE UNSAFE. Any malicious client can modify the code, and omit checks.

A: Create a series of cloud functions that are triggered whenever a document is added, updated, or deleted in the users table.  The cloud functions will maintain a separate lookup table named usernames, with document ids set to the usernames.  Your front-end app can then query the usernames collection to see if a username is available.
Here is TypeScript code for the cloud functions:
/* Whenever a user document is added, if it contains a username, add that
   to the usernames collection. */
export const userCreated = functions.firestore
  .document('users/{userId}')
  .onCreate((event) => {

    const data = event.data();
    const username = data.username.toLowerCase().trim();

    if (username !== '') {
      const db = admin.firestore();
      /* just create an empty doc. We don't need any data - just the presence
         or absence of the document is all we need */
      return db.doc(`/usernames/${username}`).set({});
    } else {
      return true;
    }

  });

  /* Whenever a user document is deleted, if it contained a username, delete
     that from the usernames collection. */
  export const userDeleted = functions.firestore
    .document('users/{userId}')
    .onDelete((event) => {

      const data = event.data();
      const username = data.username.toLowerCase().trim();

      if (username !== '') {
        const db = admin.firestore();
        return db.doc(`/usernames/${username}`).delete();
      }
      return true;
    });

/* Whenever a user document is modified, if the username changed, set and
   delete documents to change it in the usernames collection.  */
export const userUpdated = functions.firestore
  .document('users/{userId}')
  .onUpdate((event, context) => {

    const oldData = event.before.data();
    const newData = event.after.data();

    if ( oldData.username === newData.username ) {
      // if the username didn't change, we don't need to do anything
      return true;
    }

    const oldUsername = oldData.username.toLowerCase().trim();
    const newUsername = newData.username.toLowerCase().trim();

    const db = admin.firestore();
    const batch = db.batch();

    if ( oldUsername !== '' ) {
      const oldRef = db.collection("usernames").doc(oldUsername);
      batch.delete(oldRef);
    }

    if ( newUsername !== '' ) {
      const newRef = db.collection("usernames").doc(newUsername);
      batch.set(newRef,{});
    }

    return batch.commit();
  });

A: @asciimike on twitter is a firebase security rules developer.
He says there is currently no way to enforce uniqueness on a key on a document. https://twitter.com/asciimike/status/937032291511025664
Since firestore is based on Google Cloud datastore it inherits this issue. It's been a long standing request since 2008.
https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/35875869#c14
However, you can achieve your goal by using firebase functions and some strict security rules.
You can view my entire proposed solution on medium.
https://medium.com/@jqualls/firebase-firestore-unique-constraints-d0673b7a4952

A: Created another, pretty simple solution for me.
I have usernames collection to storing unique values. username is available if the document doesn't exist, so it is easy to check on front-end.
Also, I added the pattern ^([a-z0-9_.]){5,30}$ to valide a key value.
Checking everything with Firestore rules:
function isValidUserName(username){
  return username.matches('^([a-z0-9_.]){5,30}$');
}

function isUserNameAvailable(username){
  return isValidUserName(username) && !exists(/databases/$(database)/documents/usernames/$(username));
}

match /users/{userID} {
  allow update: if request.auth.uid == userID
      && (request.resource.data.username == resource.data.username
        || isUserNameAvailable(request.resource.data.username)
      );
}

match /usernames/{username} {
  allow get: if isValidUserName(username);
}

Firestore rules will not allow updating user's document in case if the username already exists or have an invalid value.
So, Cloud Functions will be handling only in case if the username has a valid value and doesn't exist yet. So, your server will have much less work.
Everything you need with cloud functions is to update usernames collection:
const functions = require("firebase-functions");
const admin = require("firebase-admin");

admin.initializeApp(functions.config().firebase);

exports.onUserUpdate = functions.firestore
  .document("users/{userID}")
  .onUpdate((change, context) => {
    const { before, after } = change;
    const { userID } = context.params;

    const db = admin.firestore();

    if (before.get("username") !== after.get('username')) {
      const batch = db.batch()

      // delete the old username document from the `usernames` collection
      if (before.get('username')) {
        // new users may not have a username value
        batch.delete(db.collection('usernames')
          .doc(before.get('username')));
      }

      // add a new username document
      batch.set(db.collection('usernames')
        .doc(after.get('username')), { userID });

      return batch.commit();
    }
    return true;
  });

A: This works for me efficiently whereby username must be unique. I am able to add and edit usernames without duplicates.
NOTE: username must be in lowercase always, this eliminates duplicates caused by case sensitivity.
Create users collection:

/users (collection)

/{uid} (document)
      - name "the username"

Create usernames collection:

/usernames (collection)

/{name} (document)
       - uid "the auth {uid} field"

Then in firestore use the following rules:
match /databases/{database}/documents {

match /usernames/{name} {
  allow read,create: if request.auth != null;
  allow update: if
        request.auth.uid == resource.data.uid;
}

match /users/{userId}{
    allow read: if true;
    allow create, update: if
      request.auth.uid == userId &&
      request.resource.data.name is string &&
      request.resource.data.name.size() >=3 &&
      get(/databases/$(database)/documents/usernames/$(request.resource.data.name)).data.uid == userId;
    }

  }

A: I store the usernames in the same collection where each username occupies a unique document ID. That way the username which already exists will not be created in the database.

A: One possible solution is to store all usernames in a single document's usernames field and then permit only additions to that document using sets in Rules:
match /users/allUsernames {
  function validateNewUsername() {
    // Variables in functions are allowed.
    let existingUsernames = resource.data.usernames;
    let newUsernames = request.resource.data.usernames;
    let usernameToAdd = newUsernames[newUsernames.size() - 1];
    // Sets are a thing too.
    let noRemovals = existingUsernames.toSet().difference(newUsernames.toSet()).size() == 0;
    let usernameDoesntExistYet = !(usernameToAdd in existingUsernames.toSet());
    let exactlyOneAddition = newUsernames.size() == existingUsernames.size() + 1;
    return noRemovals && usernameDoesntExistYet && exactlyOneAddition;
  }
  allow update: if request.resource.data.keys().hasOnly(['usernames']) && validateNewUsername();
}

If you wanted to make a mapping from username -> uid (for validating other parts of the ruleset) this is possible in a single document too. You can just take the keyset of the document and do the same set operations as above.

A: This answer addresses your second concern about adding multiple records in the usernames collection. I'm not sure if this is the best method, but I believe a possible approach to prevent a given user from creating multiple username documents is writing an onCreate cloud function which checks if the user has an existing username document when a new username document is created. If the user does, then the cloud function can delete this document to prevent any malicious username parking.

A: Store the max integer user id used in the database in another collection. Query that collection everytime to find the max user id. You can even store other max ids in this collection. It can look something like this:
MaxIDCollection:
   maxStudentIDDocument={ maxID: 55 } //lets say the max user id in db is 55
   maxCourseIDDocument={ maxID: 77 }

Make sure to update the maxIDs everytime you add a new Student or Course.
If in future you add a new Student then by querying this collection you can know "if 55 is max then the new Student should get 56 as id."


Did you know that April 10-April 16, is National Library Week? The theme for 2016 National Library Week is "Libraries Transform"and Gene Luen Yang will serve as Honorary Chair.
Gene Luen Yang is an award-winning graphic novelist and the 2016-2017 National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. His 2006 book, American Born Chinese, was the first graphic novel to be a finalist for a National Book Award and the first to win the American Library Association's Printz Award.


I was recently pulled over for a DUI after cops saw me weaving. What is your take on this?
One of the most common pre-arrest signs police officers cite in DUI cases is "the suspect was weaving." There are two types of weaving, weaving between the lane markers and weaving across multiple lanes.
Weaving within one's own lane is not illegal. It is not a sign of impaired driving. In the majority of cases, judges will rule that an officer observing a driver weaving within their own lane is not probable cause to execute a DUI stop.
In the case of weaving across multiple lanes, this is not specific to impaired driving and there are many ways to prove this. Weaving can occur from drowsiness, distractions, obstacles in the roadway and even some mechanical faults such as alignment. If it is proven that the officer stopped your vehicle without probable cause, the evidence after that will normally be suppressed which forces the prosecutor to withdraw their charges.
This is why it is important to have a knowledgeable PA DUI attorney who is willing to fight your case. Please call 1-866-MCSHANE for a free detailed consultation about your DUI case.
I notice you mention weaving "between the lane markers" and "weaving across multiple lines" in this post. If a police reported that individual touched the center line and/or fog line but made never stated the individual crossed that line, which category of the two does that fall under or is it a separate case?


Drowning and swimming accidents can tragically impact families. Pintas & Mullins Law Firm can provide you with tenacious representation. Contact our Chicago personal injury lawyers today - we're available 24/7 and serve clients across the U.S.
According to the CDC, about 10 people die from unintentional drowning a day. As the second leading cause of death in children ages 1 to 4, drowning is a serious issue and can impact individuals of any age. Even the strongest swimmers can be susceptible to a pool drowning if negligence is involved. Swimming pools pose a great risk for drowning accidents, especially when there is a lack of supervision, improper safety guards, and even poor maintenance.
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Water-related accidents are unpredictable. Children can be seriously harmed from inadequate supervision, or even small puddles and water buckets. Anyone, even the best swimmers surrounded by people, can be overwhelmed by currents, riptides, or fatigue.
These and other factors may greatly reduce the safety of water activities.
Drowning and other water-related lawsuits involve irresponsible behavior by lifeguards or anyone in charge of supervising those near open water, defective swimming products, or premises liability. Poor maintenance of community spas, swimming pools, parks, and other public utilities can lead to a negligence claim due to federal and state laws regulating public operating standards.
Pool and Spa Owners: Numerous factors determine owner liability. Generally, if an owner was aware or should have been aware of dangerous factors on his property, he is considered liable for resulting accidents. A private pool owner is responsible to maintain the pool, watch over swimmers, and prevent access to the pool when they can't supervise.
Pool Equipment Companies: If pool equipment is dangerous or defective, the designer, manufacturer, or advertising company may be legally responsible for its products.
Public Pools: A city pool or other public pool is mandated to have properly functioning external defibrillators and first-aid kits.
A wrongful death lawsuit may be pursued if the victim was swimming while under the supervision of another. The lawsuit enables the victim's loved ones to fight for justice and compensation.
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The Russian Diamond fund is situated in the Armory. It was found in 1922 as a Diamond fund of USSR, where there is an exhibition of tsar's collection of jewels. The Russian Diamond Fund Exhibition was opened for visitors in 1967. Here on display is part of the Russian Union's diamond treasury. The exhibits include the great imperial crown of gold, silver, diamonds and pearls made for the coronation of Empress Catherine II, a scepter and orb covered with diamonds, the world's largest Ceylon sapphire (258.8 carats), the legendary giant diamonds Orlov (189.6 carats) and Shah (88.7 carats), and the largest gold nugget to have been preserved in the world, weighing 36 kg. The pieces of 18th-19th century jewelry which are to be seen here are truly inimitable.


text:
Carolyn Girard, The Catholic Register
Kahnawake embraces Kateri's spirit
KAHNAWAKE, QUE. - The small Catholic community of St. Francis Xavier Church, with the St. Lawrence River and sprawling Montreal as its backdrop, has enthusiastically prepared for the canonization of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha.
Located in Mohawk territory in Kahnawake, the church enshrines the remains of Blessed Kateri, a native woman who found refuge and spiritual renewal in the region where she spent her final days as a Catholic. Her remains lay beneath a marble tomb in the church, entombed primarily to ensure their safety and respect, as someone had previously attempted to steal them many years ago.
Pilgrims can kneel and pray or light a votive candle with Blessed Kateri's likeness on it. The image is based on an oil-on-canvas painting, housed in a room beyond the gift shop, painted by Jesuit Father Claude Chauchetiere, the pastor of St. Francis Xavier Mission from 1677 to 1688, and a witness at Blessed Kateri's death.
In a gift shop adjacent to the church, Kahnawake native Ann-Marie Sky talks about the importance of Blessed Kateri's example not only for herself, but for the survival of the parish.
"For me, it's her spirituality and her perseverance during the time and after she became Catholic. She was ostracized for that, so her faith really carried her through," Sky said. Similarly, the parish has had to learn to persevere just to keep the church doors open.
"The church almost had to close a year and a half ago due to finances," Sky explained. "We were just working our way back up and we got the news that she will be canonized, so now we're really trying to keep the church afloat."
For a parish that only sees about 60 regular Mass-goers on Sunday mornings, the annual $25,000 price tag for utilities to heat and use the church has been a challenge. But with great faith and ambitious fundraisers, it has managed to pay the bills. And since the announcement that Kateri would be canonized on Oct. 21, making her the first North American aboriginal saint, the parish has seen nearly three times the number of pilgrims it normally sees. The demand for Kateri merchandise has risen and Sky is trying to stock enough merchandise before Oct. 21, when the mission expects busloads of visitors to join parishioners for a re-broadcast of the canonization in Rome.
The Pope's Feb. 18 announcement of Kateri's canonization came as a surprise.
"I couldn't believe it, because after Brother André was canonized, I didn't think there would be anybody else from Quebec canonized for another 20 years," Sky said.
And not only in Quebec, but from the same area, she added. From the church in Kahnawake, the dome of St. Joseph's Oratory on Mount Royal — the legacy of St. Brother André — is easy to spot across the river on a clear day.
Like Sky, Kahnawake resident Beverly Delormier has been working diligently to prepare for the big day, although Delormier will be spending it in Rome.
"I was there in 1980 with my daughters when she was beatified and never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would go there again for the canonization," marvelled Delormier. "The day of the beatification everybody had their native dress on, so it was really something spectacular to see."
For Delormier, Blessed Kateri is an important intercessor.
"It's all little things, but I believe in the power of prayer."
Deacon Ron Boyer, Canadian vice-postulator for the canonization of Kateri, says her canonization is long overdue. But more importantly, the canonization brings to light God's desire to reach the aboriginal people.
"Her first miracle happened about 15 minutes after she died," Boyer said, referring to the historical accounts of Kateri's transformation. Kateri had contracted smallpox as a child and was left partially blind and covered with facial scars. Minutes after her death, any trace of her scars vanished and her appearance was described as beautiful.
"Why would God glorify a dead body? Why? Nobody has been able to answer that for me, but I believe He did it to show us that there is a God," Boyer concludes.
Boyer adds Kateri is also significant for her impact on Christians and non-Christians alike.
"Many non-Catholic aboriginal people are going to Rome to pay homage to Kateri. She was special, a lady of many qualities," Boyer said. "She is also the empress of ecology and a symbol for the youth."
As the diocese of Saint-Jean- Longueuil is not immune to the shortage of priests in Canada, St. Francis Xavier has a pastor, Fr. Raymond Esprit, who is present only three days per week. Boyer hopes the canonization and increased traffic might mean a permanent priest in the future.
In the meantime, the canonization has already served to strengthen ties within the Kahnawake community. A committee from the parish has been working with the diocese to prepare for the big day, as well as a thanksgiving Mass to be held at St. Joseph's Oratory on Nov. 4.
Saint-Jean-Longueuil diocese is sending 200 pilgrims to Rome.
"For the native communities and for the larger community in North America, the canonization is extremely important because of her status as the first native woman of our continent to be recognized as a saint," said Auxiliary Bishop Louis Dicaire. "We have been surprised by the interest from the general population of our diocese, often among young people 25 to 30 years old. Kateri is providing a source of inspiration."
Although children do not receive formal Catholic education through the Quebec school system, volunteers at the Shrine say visits from area schools are on the rise and children learn about the woman whose name graces the local hospital, school and nearby island.
(Girard is a freelance writer in Ottawa.)
Published in St. Kateri Tekakwitha
First NET team established in Quebec
OTTAWA - After 18 years of evangelizing youth across Canada, National Evangelization Teams (NET) Ministries has finally taken hold in Quebec.
Seven youth aged 18-20 will devote the next eight months of their lives to missionary work at Saint-Louis-de-France parish in Terrebonne, Que. There, they hope to bond with parishioners, who will billet them in their own homes, and lay the foundations for an active youth ministry while sharing the Good News and drawing people into a personal relationship with Christ.
"It is an amazing opportunity to be in Quebec and it is certainly missionary territory," said Joe Vogel, executive director for NET.
NET Ministries already has several English-speaking youth missionary teams across Canada. Vogel explained that "Les equipes NET," the French-speaking branch of NET, began several years ago as a travelling team which spent one to two weeks in various francophone communities. He likens the visits to planting a "seed" of faith, but in Terrebonne that seed will now be watered and given ample sunshine. The parish team will spend almost a year getting to know the community and its social reality, forming friendships, identifying the needs and wants of the faithful. It aims to organize a youth group, retreats, prayer events, anything to be effective in reaching people's hearts for Christ. Essentially, the team is there to serve, responding wholeheartedly to the call for new evangelization, after a summer of training.
"We're praying that it works and we are going to do the best that we can," said Vogel. "Success would be witnessing the Gospel to young people and seeing lives changed."
The community at Saint-Louisde-France was eagerly anticipating the NET team's arrival this month. Micheline Chartrand, a lifetime parishioner, made the trip from Terrebonne to Ottawa on Sept. 29 for the NET Ministries' Commissioning Mass, where Ottawa Archbishop Terrence Prendergast gave his blessing to all the young missionaries who will scatter across Canada this year.
"My hope is that by the end, we will have a group of youth who will be equipped to train other youth (to evangelize) and that they will experience peace and serenity in their hearts," said Chartrand, adding that the French travelling team helped revive her faith during its visit more than a year ago.
None of the team members come from Quebec, but all are eager to explore the new mission territory and brush up on language skills at the same time.
"It's a little intimidating, and humbling, but very exciting," admits Kaylene McQuaid, originally from North Battleford, Sask. "I took French from Kindergarten until Grade 12, but I kind of took it for granted, and now I see there was definitely a reason why I took French. But being immersed in the culture will help as well."
Charles Turner, a team member from Alberta, is honoured to live out the new evangelization in uncharted territory.
"We're really coming out of our comfort zone," he said.
In addition to Quebeckers, the NET missionaries will also be working directly with five missionary priests from France, members of the Community of Saint John, which was founded in 1975. The religious community of brothers began sending its priests to Quebec 16 years ago.
Fr. Marie Elie joined his brethren in Canada five years ago, with the task of finding the means to breathe life into the faith lives of the youth. Little by little, the priests have been creating opportunities for the youth of their parish to grow in faith and are preparing to send a group to the next World Youth Day. But NET seemed like the answer to their prayers, to give their ministry a boost.
"It is a beautiful opportunity to have young people who are equipped to encounter and engage young Quebeckers. The culture is a difficult one to penetrate, and a difficult one to connect with, and so we know that to succeed in the task we need help to show young Quebeckers that faith is not dead and the Gospel can be a beautiful part of their lives," said Fr. Marie Elie.
NET missionary Pio Hartnett joins the Quebec team directly from Ireland. This year's stay in Terrebonne will offer many challenges, but he still feels confident.
"The situation in Quebec reminds me of the situation in Ireland," said Hartnett. "When I signed up for NET, I thought it would be amazing to be a part of this team... and so I am very excited."
Finding Jesus in the swing
MONTREAL - Alisha Ruiss knows very well that the performing arts community needs Jesus.
But while Catholics need to realize that God is calling out for people to evangelize the arts community, Ruiss believes He is also calling just as loudly for Christians to discover His presence in the arts.
Published in Features
Archdiocese of Toronto Office for Refugees after 15 short months
TORONTO - Helping refugees is a prime example of what it means to "go in peace to love and serve the Lord," says Toronto Archbishop Thomas Collins, and through the archdiocese's Office for Refugees (ORAT) Catholics have been able to follow Christ's example in caring for others.
"It is a tremendous blessing to have the Office for Refugees working in our archdiocese," Archbishop Thomas Collins said in a written statement. "We have seen countless examples of our parishes embracing strangers from foreign lands and journeying with them as they begin life in a new country and community."
Published in Iraqi Exodus
Little miracles make up Martin Mark's ministry of hope
TORONTO - Martin Mark knows from experience how hard it is to start a new life in an adopted homeland. That's why the director for the Office for Refugees of the Archdiocese of Toronto (ORAT) is passionate about helping refugees successfully settle in Canada.
Ten years ago Mark was a refugee. He was welcomed into Canada after fleeing his native Hungary, where he had become a target of factions who resented his work on behalf of victims of racism.
.xxx domain won't stem porn web sites
A new Internet domain exclusively for pornography was approved by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers in June.
Although some proponents of the domain say this will make it easier for people to block pornographic content, critics say that unless regulations make the .xxx domain a requirement, explicit content online will grow since people won't be required to shut down porn sites on other domains.
Mi'kmaq keep the faith for 400 years
On June 24, 1610 Mi'kmaq Grand Chief Henri Membertou, hoping to solidify relations with Nova Scotia French settlers, became the first native Canadian baptized into the Catholic Church. He was joined that day by 20 family members and within 50 years the entire Mi'kmaq nation had become Christians.
The 400th anniversary of that historic baptism was celebrated in a public showcase June 24-28 that paid homage to Mi'kmaq culture and the important contribution made by Membertou and the Mi'kmaq nation to the spread of Catholicism in Canada. To this day, virtually every Mi'kmaq is a baptized Christian.
Marriage prep about the vision
TORONTO - Couples planning to marry shouldn't look at marriage preparation courses as a place to "grease their wheels" but rather a time to discern if they're actually ready, experts say.
Clint Tyler, director of the marriage preparation and family life office at the archdiocese of Toronto, said its multi-week course is much more than a "happy weekend where couples can feel good," but a real chance to discuss important issues that many couples don't address on their own.
"It's about having them explore if they are ready to commit to a Catholic vision of marriage," Tyler said. "It's our job to present that vision of Catholic marriage."
About 20 per cent of couples who take the archdiocesan marriage prep course decide not to go ahead with a wedding, Tyler said, adding it's better that they realize ahead of time if they have the same vision for their marriage and understand that it's not just a commitment but a covenant.
Christian media face challenging times
TORONTO - Christian media in Canada are feeling the heat to modernize their news delivery and increase subscriptions if they want to keep their publications alive.
The Canadian Church Press (CCP), which in conjunction with the Association of Roman Catholic Communicators of Canada (ARCCC) held its annual conference here May 13-15, has seen its members suffer a two-per-cent decrease in subscriptions across the board in the past year. The theme of the conference? "We're all in the same boat."
Abortion a public concern
{mosimage}TORONTO - Lining the sidewalk across from a crisis pregnancy centre and its abortion clinic neighbour in downtown Toronto April 18, 24 people held signs up to passing traffic with messages related to abortion.


Add Jif peanut butter to the brands in the J.M. Smucker Co. grocery cart. In an all-stock transaction, the Proctor & Gamble Co. has agreed to merge the Jif peanut butter and Crisco cooking oil businesses into the Orville, Ohio-based J.M. Smucker Co. Smucker already produces a wide range of fruit spreads, ice-cream toppings, natural-foods beverages, and natural peanut butter. Prior to completion of the deal, the Jif and Crisco brands and associated assets will be spun off from Proctor & Gamble, Cincinnati, and then immediately merged with Smucker. Proctor & Gamble shareholders will receive one share of new J.M. Smucker stock for every 50 shares they hold in Proctor & Gamble. Based on Smucker's closing price of $25.89 on Oct. 9, this represents a pre-tax equivalent cash price of $1 billion. The transaction is expected to close during the second quarter of 2002.


Click on each picture, or link provided under the picture, to go to the specific article.
Headed to a Nevada ghost town.
Exploring the burro-filled town of Oatman, AZ.
Lakeside RV Park, in Pahrump, Nevada.
Mike, posing in front of Lake Tahoe.
Why You Should Spend Time Downtown, Las Vegas.
A pier on the North Carolina Coast.
Tara, left, and Kristin, right, in Australia, 1999.
Drinking a "Nutty Irishman" inside the Mt. Charleston Lodge.
Mike, at the Lake Las Vegas resort.
Having Fun in Las Vegas. Here's Some Tips.
Why we're considering selling our house and moving downtown.
Read All About our Road Trip to Zion.
The city of Las Vegas, from the Stratosphere.
Hanging out in charming Boulder City, NV.
Kristin on a solo hike.
A staycation in Downtown Las Vegas–A local's story and insider's tips.
Our private campsite at LMCH.
Kim and Daniel in their van.
Life is Too Short to Only Dream.
90 Days to Your Novel – or if you're Kristin, more like 90 weeks.
Kristin's Top Ten Goals for 2015.
Hiking the beautiful trail at Spring Mountain Ranch State Park.
I'm Happier When I'm Hiking. Here's Why.
Sunshine streaming through the window, but I miss the rain.
The open road – perfect for a road trip in a travel trailer.
Our Camping Trip Goes Awry. Here's the Story.
Decorative, cute pillow in our Casita Trailer.
Camping with the Casita at Big Bear Lake.
Quotes that will inspire and delight.
Highway to Hoeftland Receives Cute Blog Award.