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Healthy Teens: Hooking Up, Losing Out?
-Camping Magazine
Stephen Gray Wallace, MS Ed
Reports of a fourteen-year-old middle school girl performing oral sex on a sixteen-year-old high school boy differed only slightly from scores of similar tales making headlines across the country. The setting (a school bus) and the audience (classmates) made it especially unappealing, but really not that surprising. After all, it was not long before that news broke of a senior class scavenger hunt proffering points for proof (videos and such) of masturbation and public intercourse, and not long after that a widely publicized episode of group oral sex rocked a storied New England prep school.
Such incidents in a diverse set of institutions and communities nationwide raise important questions about early intimacy among teens and the physical, social, emotional, and legal toll it can take on young lives.
Just as important, it points to a "reality gap" between increasingly normative sexual behavior among youth and commonly held perceptions of adults. Perhaps the public nature of heretofore private tales may at last awaken the sleeping giant of awareness and communication needed to keep teens safe.
During adolescence, psychology (eagerness for independence, control, and acceptance) joins with biology (hormones) in a fuse that may lead quickly to intimacy. Still-developing adolescent brains wrestling with judgment can then provide the spark. Understandably, many teens lack the foresight, and probably the cognitive makeup, to accurately anticipate all of the possible, even predictable, results of sexual behavior. This developmental disconnect accounts for all types of destructive decisions, from driving drunk to having unprotected sex.
But all of that can explain the motivation behind teen sexual behavior for generations, so why the dramatic shift in adolescent attitudes lately? At least part of the answer rests with the social "norming" of teen sex and adult indifference or inattention.
Social Norming
While each of us is influenced by what we view as common and acceptable behavior, this is especially true during adolescence, when an almost innate drive to "go along to get along" can weight decision-making. After all, who doesn't want to be "normal?" Fifteen-year-old Kevin had oral sex with a girl he hardly knew because, "I thought everyone else had done it." And fourteen-year-old Jake rates feeling pressured to have sex as the single biggest source of stress in his life.
That pressure affects both sexes but seems particularly common among boys, leading to early sexual activity less because they want it and more because they believe it's time they did. Blair says, "I must be the only eighteen-year-old on the planet who hasn't had sex." Thirteen year-old Bryan says, "I just want to do it all at once and get it over with." And sixteen-year-old Connor, after exchanging genital touches with a girl following a dance, expresses relief: "I finally did it."
Media images that portray sex as casual and unimportant don't help, but only create a false sense of acceptability and urgency in the minds of those already predisposed to test limits and take risks. As one high school teen put it, "If you watch TV, you just assume everyone is having sex." Fourteen-year-old Bridget concurs, saying that the media plays a big role in teen decision-making about sex, sending the message that "Sex is good." Fifteen-year-old Scott adds, "Television, movies, and music add to the pressure of wanting to have sex. They portray how men should be masculine and hook up with women." And Robert, a college senior, recalls his race to have intercourse at age eighteen: "I didn't want to go into college being a virgin, because movies like American Pie made it clear you lost your virginity in high school."
In short, content equals consequence. And, sadly, there's no shortage of content. A study conducted at the University of California, Santa Barbara, found that (Kunkel 2003):
Two thirds of all television shows (64 percent) have some sexual content, including one in three (32 percent) with sexual behaviors;
One in seven shows (14 percent) now includes sexual intercourse; and
In the top twenty shows among teen viewers, eight in ten episodes included some sexual content (83 percent), including one in five (20 percent) with sexual intercourse.
Reality Gap
Many adults are simply unaware of the pressures and choices young people face every day when it comes to sexual behavior. For example, compared to what their parents say about them, high school teens are twice as likely to say they have had sex. Unfortunately, not knowing about the incredibly sexualized world in which teens live impairs adults' ability to help them navigate the maze of information, influence, and decision-making.
What does that world look like? According to Teens Today research from SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions), almost one in four sixth-graders and one in three seventh-graders have engaged in sexual behavior. More than three in four twelfth-graders report the same.
Hidden behind those numbers is an increasingly pervasive attitude that, at least short of intercourse, sex—if you even call it that—just doesn't matter. Seventeen- year-old Taylor says he started having genital sex with girls during freshman year before moving on to oral sex with several partners. "They were hook-up buddies. You know, just hooking up for friends. We'd meet up at parties, never strictly for sex, but both of us would know it was going to happen."
Sex with a friend, sex with a stranger, sex in private, sex in public; it all boils down to just having fun. It's no big deal.
With sexual activity being reported by one quarter of middle school students and almost two thirds of high school students, related diseases and illnesses are catastrophic. Of the 12 million cases of STDs (or STIs) diagnosed annually in the United States, about 8 million are among people under the age of twenty-five.
Others argue that the psychological outfall isn't far behind. Tellingly, many girls and boys who have been sexually active say they wish they had waited. Fifteen-year-old Stephanie explained that she began to have a physical relationship with her boyfriend, Craig, during her freshman year of high school, even though "it felt weird." But Stephanie went along anyway, and by the beginning of sophomore year she'd agreed to have intercourse. "I had always told myself I would wait until I was in love, comfortable. But Craig kept asking. Afterwards I thought, 'What did I just do? Am I out of my mind?'"
Steve, an eighteen-year-old senior, expressed sadness and disappointment at having been tricked into having sexual intercourse in the backseat of a car with a girl he had known for only two weeks. "I regret the whole experience with her. It wasn't real. Something in me knew she didn't care about me, but I tried not to listen to that, and I felt bad when I realized she was just in it for sex. In the future, I'll have to know a lot about the person, love the person. Now I know what can happen."
Seventeen-year-old Stacy figured she didn't want to take the chance. "My boyfriend wanted to but I said 'no.' I didn't want to regret the decision."
Teens Today research may tell us why many young people do regret their decisions to become sexually active. The results indicate that adolescents who engage in early sexual behavior experience higher levels of stress and depression than their nonsexually-active peers do.
Of course, it's hard to know which is the chicken and which is the egg. Young people (and adults) sometimes use sexual behavior as a form of self-medication to feel better about their lives.
The incidences of, rationale for, and potential consequences related to teen sex form a backdrop against which a continuing debate about the appropriateness of such behavior continues to rage.
In her book, The Sex Lives of Teenagers: Revealing the Secret World of Adolescent Boys and Girls, psychiatrist Lynn Ponton makes the case that sex is a fact of life for all young adults, even if only in fantasy. Further down that path went Judith Levine in Harmful to Minors: The Perils of Protecting Children from Sex, essentially arguing that sex is not inherently a bad thing for teens, more so the stigmatizing of it.
Although some more conservative groups issue cautionary tales, the Federal Centers for Disease Control, the National Campaign Against Teen Pregnancy, and books such as physician Meg Meeker's Epidemic: How Teen Sex is Killing Our Kids focus on the public health issues posed by early and risky sexual behavior among adolescents.
Ideology and science aside, there is no question that teens live in a world different from the one most adults experienced just a generation ago.
Recreational vs. Relational Sex
Sure, sexual behavior among adolescents is nothing new. But what is new is the startling casualness and regularity with which the "hooking up" takes place. The metamorphosis from relationship-based (relational) sex to recreational sex has many experts wondering if some young people are jeopardizing their future ability to form significant emotional attachments and construct healthy adult relationships.
According to Teens Today, more than half of young people say their primary motivation to have intercourse or to engage in other sexual activity is to have fun (56 percent and 55 percent, respectively), while almost as many report engaging in those behaviors to feel closer to a boyfriend or girlfriend (65 percent and 61 percent, respectively).
Other changes are in the offing as well.
Gender Stereotypes
Adolescent sexual behavior has long been linked to gender stereotypes, such as ones that suggest boys want, and should seek, all the sex they can get and that girls are simply targets of turbocharged testosterone. Both of these stereotypes hurt teens—boys because they feel pressure to be sexually active and girls because they often cannot "safely" discuss or explore their sexuality.
But the shifting culture of teen sex may soon reshape those views, although not necessarily for the better. Justin, a fourteen-year-old eighth-grader, says, "Teachers think it's the boys trying to get sex, but now it's the girls." Seventeen-year-old Neil agrees. "They're like guys now, pointing out who they had sex with: 'I did him, I did him, I did him.'" The "hunter-gatherer" subtext common in such analysis does little to adequately frame the complicated nature of sexual decision-making, by boys or girls.
Fortunately, decisions about sex are not made in a vacuum. Teens weigh all kinds of factors when making choices about personal behavior, including information and expectations communicated by the caring adults in their lives.
Unfortunately, that dialogue appears to be more the exception than the rule. A new Teens Todaystudy reveals just how rare it is for adults and teens to discuss this most basic—and important—facet of growing up: just over half of middle and high school students (51 percent) say they can talk to their parents about sex and significantly fewer cite other adults with whom they can discuss the issue (34 percent).
Talking With Teens About Sex
Regardless of where one stands on the questions of if and when, why and how, it seems that indiscriminate, sometimes indiscreet, and often exploitive sexual behavior by school children, some not yet even old enough to drive, warrants discussion about what constitutes healthy human development.
In truth, young people are starting puberty sooner, are exposed to sexual stimuli more frequently, and are engaging in intimate behavior earlier than ever before. And that means that the significant adults in their lives have an important role to play in helping them navigate the murky waters between puberty and full-fledged sexual intimacy. That is a role many teens say they would welcome.
No doubt talking with teens about sex, especially someone else's teen, poses legitimate questions about both consent and content. Nevertheless, young people want and need forums for open, honest discussion about emerging sexuality and sexual decision-making. Within an educational framework, and with parent notification and consent, trained facilitators can guide meaningful, respectful dialogue about changes and choices. Let's face it: teens at summer camp are talking about sex anyway, so we might as well try to steer dialogue toward constructive outcomes.
Here are some simple steps to get started if you wish to offer guided teen discussion groups at your camp:
Notify parents about the opportunity—and require consent—for teens to participate in discussion groups about such adolescent issues as underage drinking, other drug use, sexuality, and sexual decision-making.
Identify a senior staff member or outside consultant trained in education, counseling, or health to serve as a facilitator.
Agree on a "curriculum" and message points appropriate for your community and your teen campers.
Find a time and a place in which such group discussions can occur away from the sensitive ears of younger campers.
Invite teens to voluntarily participate.
Establish ground rules, such as group confidentiality, that encourage dialogue and prohibit continuing the discussions back in the cabin or elsewhere in camp.
It is also important to educate all of your employees about the discussion groups so that they feel empowered to refer teens, who are engaging in provocative dialogue outside of a structured, supervised venue. Indeed, providing such forums will go a long way toward helping your staff deflect common questions from campers about personal behavior, preventing inappropriate conversations between counselors and campers.
With effort, patience, and no small amount of courage, camp professionals can help young adults to better understand risks and rewards of sexual activity, the responsibilities that come with mutually caring and respectful relationships, and still commonly held standards for acceptable behavior, both in and out of camp.
And that's good news because, after all, hooking up may mean losing out. Editorial Note: While all accounts in this article are factually correct, privacy considerations dictated changing the names of the nonprofessionals referenced. Any perceived identification of a subject of discussion by readers, particularly their parents, is most surely mistaken.
Getting the Ball Rolling
Here are ten talking points for facilitators that may help get the ball rolling in discussing sex with teens:
There are a lot of changes going on right now, socially, emotionally, and physically. What are some of those changes?
For many teens, sexuality and sexual decision-making are big issues. Are they for you?
Sometimes young people can feel pressured to engage in sexual behavior they may not really want. Does anyone know someone who has had to deal with this?
You're in charge of your body and what you choose to do with it!
There can be a lot at stake when it comes to sex—one decision can have lasting consequences. What do you think some of those consequences are, good or bad?
There is usually an emotional element attached to sexual activity that doesn't disappear just because we may want it to.
Many young people (and probably older people as well) confuse sexuality with sex. Sexuality is an important part of identity formation and helps us learn "who we are." Learning about our sexuality doesn't mean having to have sex.
It is important to think through the "whens" and "whys" before engaging in sexual behavior. What do you think that means?
Young people receive a lot of messages, including through music, television, and movies, that sexual behavior is the norm and expected. Can anybody give some examples?
You (and your families) can best judge when you feel you are old enough and mature enough to become sexually active. What choices do you think are right for you?
Stephen G. Wallace, M.S. Ed., has broad experience as a school psychologist and adolescent counselor. He serves as chairman and CEO of SADD, director of counseling and counselor training at the Cape Cod Sea Camps, and adjunct professor of psychology at Mount Ida College. For more information about SADD or the Teens Today research, visit www.sadd.org. To access Stephen Wallace's other articles, visit www.teenproject.net and www.CampParents.org.
© Summit Communications Management Corporation
Ponton, L. (2001). The Sex Lives of Teenagers: Revealing the Secret World of Adolescent Boys and Girls. New York: Plume.
Kunkel, D. (2003). Sex on TV 3. A Biennial Report of the Kaiser Family Foundation. University of California, Santa Barbara.
Levine, J. (2003). Harmful to Minors: The Perils of Protecting Children from Sex. New York: Thunder's Mouth Press.
Meeker, M. (2002). Epidemic: How Teen Sex Is Killing Our Kids. Washington, D.C.: Lifeline Press.
Originally published in the 2007 March/April issue of Camping Magazine.
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The American Camp Association is a community of camp professionals who, for over 100 years, have joined together to share our knowledge and experience and to ensure the quality of camp programs. Because of our diverse 12,000 plus membership and our exceptional programs, children and adults have the opportunity to learn powerful lessons in community, character-building, skill development, and healthy living — lessons that can be learned nowhere else.


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Celtic Midfielder Arrives On Loan
First team manager Chris Kiwomya has managed to secure the services of highly rated Celtic midfielder Callum McGregor.
McGregor has signed a loan deal that will keep him at Meadow Lane until January and he will be available for selection for Wednesday night's Capital One Cup encounter with Fleetwood Town.
A creative attacking player with an eye for goal, the 20-year-old has spent the last four years performing at youth team level, where he has played a key part in helping Celtic to claim an impressive four doubles on the spin.
McGregor has recently been on the fringes of the Scottish champions' first team and netted the winning goal in their 2-1 triumph over Brentford during pre-season.
The Bhoys' development squad player is now looking to gain first team experience with the Magpies and prove to his parent club that he is capable of staking at claim for a start when he returns to Celtic Park.
He told Magpie Player: "It's a great feeling, I'm really excited to come and play here.
"I want to go and show that I can play at a good standard, League 1 is a great league and hopefully the manager will be watching back home.
"I hope that I can impress and get my name known down here as well."
He added: "I'm really confident because I played against Brentford and done well and scored.
"They're a good side in League 1 and probably should have been promoted last year, so I'm confident that I can come here and make an impact."
McGregor has been with Celtic since under-11 level and made his senior breakthrough against Real Madrid in a friendly match in Philadelphia last summer.
He was also named on the bench for their UEFA Europa League tie against Rennes in France.
McGregor will wear the number eight jersey during his Meadow Lane stay.
You can sponsor the Magpies' latest arrival by calling 0115 9557 241. For further information, click here.
The full interview with McGregor can now be viewed on Magpie Player.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


A senior United States official on Tuesday urged the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Greece to seize the moment to resolve a decades-long dispute over the Balkan country's name that has prevented it from joining NATO.
Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Wess Mitchell visited FYROM's capital, Skopje, as part of a Balkan tour. He told media «there is a tremendous opportunity» for Skopje and Athens to reach a deal over the long-running spat.
FYROM and Greece have been at odds for a quarter-century over the name Macedonia, but have pledged to resolve the dispute by the summer. Greece argues the country's name harbors territorial claims on its own northern province of Macedonia.
The two countries have intensified talks recently in hopes of finding a compromise to end the dispute.
The left-led governments in both countries have been holding talks with a United Nations negotiator, Matthew Nimetz.
Greece wants FYROM to add a modifier such as «north» or «upper» to the name Macedonia, and Zaev has said he is open to some options.
But the proposals have triggered protests in both countries.
Mitchell visited Kosovo before arriving in FYROM, and was scheduled to head from Skopje to Serbia.


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Alaska Air Group reports Third Quarter 2017 results
SEATTLE, Oct. 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --
Reported net income for the third quarter under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP") of $266 million or $2.14 per diluted share, compared to net income of $256 million, or $2.07 per diluted share in 2016. As the acquisition of Virgin America Inc. ("Virgin America") closed on Dec. 14, 2016, third quarter 2017 information reflects the results of Virgin America, including the impacts associated with purchase accounting. Third quarter 2016 results do not include Virgin America.
Reported third quarter net income, excluding merger-related costs and mark-to-market fuel hedging adjustments, of $278 million, compared to $272 million in the third quarter of 2016. Adjusted diluted earnings per share were $2.24, compared to $2.20 in the third quarter of 2016.
Virgin America results were accretive to EPS in the three and nine months ending Sept. 30, 2017.
Paid $0.30 per-share quarterly cash dividend in the third quarter, a 9% increase over the dividend paid in the third quarter of 2016.
Repurchased approximately 0.6 million shares of common stock for $50 million in the first nine months of 2017.
Generated approximately $1.4 billion of operating cash flow and used approximately $840 million for capital expenditures, resulting in approximately $520 million of free cash flow in the first nine months of 2017.
Held $1.7 billion in unrestricted cash and marketable securities as of Sept. 30, 2017.
Reduced debt-to-capitalization ratio to 53% as of Sept. 30, 2017, compared to 59% as of Dec. 31, 2016.
Launched twenty new routes during the quarter, continuing the most significant network expansion in Alaska Air Group's 85-year history, bringing the total new markets since the merger to 37.
Overall, the integration of Virgin America is going well and a number of significant milestones are expected to be achieved in the next seven months.
Announced a seven-year partnership to be the official airline of the San Francisco Giants which includes, among other things, exclusive naming rights to the AT&T Park Club Level which will now be called the "Alaska Airlines Club Level."
Signed an exclusive multi-year partnership with Golden State Warriors star, Kevin Durant, and named him our "Advisor to the CEO."
Added Singapore Airlines as a global Mileage Plan partner.
Selected Gogo to provide next-generation satellite-based Wi-Fi across the entire Boeing and Airbus fleets, providing guests a faster and more-reliable internet connection.
Dropped fees for bikes, golf clubs, skis, surfboards, and other sporting equipment that exceed Alaska's normal checked baggage weight and dimensions to $25.
Took delivery of four Embraer 175 jets, bringing the total operated by Horizon to ten as of Sept. 30, 2017.
Placed the world's first Boeing 737-700 converted from a passenger plane to a freighter into service.
Recognition and Awards:
Ranked as the top U.S. airline in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI), receiving perfect scores for "efficiency" and "reliability".
Mileage Plan ranked first in the U.S. News & World Report's list of Best Airline Rewards Programs for the third consecutive year.
Virgin America named "Best U.S. Airline" by Condé Nast Traveler in their 2017 Reader's Choice Awards for the 10th year in a row.
Ranked Best Airline in Customer Service in the 2017 worldwide SimpliFlying Awards for Excellence in Social Media.
Named Favorite Airline in North America for the second consecutive year by Trazee Travel.
Mileage Plan ranked Best Airline Elite Status Program in the U.S. by The Points Guy.
Recognized by the Puget Sound Business Journal as the 2017 Board Diversity Champion, for diversifying Air Group's board composition over the last five years.
Named one of the overall five-star major regional airlines at the Passenger Choice Awards during the APEX EXPO. Virgin America received a five-star rating for low-cost carrier, and received a top honor with a Passenger Choice Award for "Best Seat Comfort."
Alaska Air Group, Inc., (NYSE: ALK) today reported third quarter 2017 GAAP net income of $266 million, or $2.14 per diluted share, compared to $256 million, or $2.07 per diluted share in the third quarter of 2016. Excluding the impact of merger-related costs and mark-to-market fuel hedge adjustments, the company reported adjusted net income of $278 million, or $2.24 per diluted share, compared to $272 million, or $2.20 per diluted share, in 2016.
"Our people delivered very strong results again this quarter," said CEO Brad Tilden. "At roughly the halfway point in our integration with Virgin America, and despite some unrelated challenges in our regional operation, our business is performing well, and we are very happy with the response we've seen in California and throughout the West to our expanding network, our focus on hospitality, and to our industry-leading mileage plan. I want to thank our talented people for their commitment and dedication."
The following table reconciles the company's reported GAAP net income and earnings per diluted share ("diluted EPS") for the three and nine months ended Sept. 30, 2017, and 2016 to adjusted amounts:
(in millions, except per-share amounts)
Reported GAAP net income and diluted EPS
Mark-to-market fuel hedge adjustments
Special items—merger-related costs
Income tax effect on special items and fuel hedge adjustments
Non-GAAP adjusted net income and diluted EPS
Statistical data, as well as a reconciliation of the reported non-GAAP financial measures, can be found in the accompanying tables. A glossary of financial terms can be found on the last page of this release.
A conference call regarding the third quarter results will be simulcast online at 8:30 a.m. Pacific time on October 25, 2017. It can be accessed through the company's website at www.alaskaair.com/investors. For those unable to listen to the live broadcast, a replay will be available after the conclusion of the call.
References in this news release to "Air Group," "company," "we," "us" and "our" refer to Alaska Air Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries, unless otherwise specified. Alaska Airlines, Inc., Horizon Air Industries, Inc., and Virgin America Inc. are referred to as "Alaska," "Horizon," and "Virgin America" respectively, and together as our "airlines."
This news release may contain forward-looking statements subject to the safe harbor protection provided by Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements relate to future events and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual outcomes to be materially different from those indicated by any forward-looking statements. For a comprehensive discussion of potential risk factors, see Item 1A of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2016, as well as in other documents filed by the Company with the SEC after the date thereof. Some of these risks include general economic conditions, increases in operating costs including fuel, competition, labor costs and relations, our indebtedness, inability to meet cost reduction goals, seasonal fluctuations in our financial results, an aircraft accident, changes in laws and regulations and risks inherent in the achievement of anticipated synergies and the timing thereof in connection with the acquisition of Virgin America. All of the forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by reference to the risk factors discussed therein. We operate in a continually changing business environment, and new risk factors emerge from time to time. Management cannot predict such new risk factors, nor can it assess the impact, if any, of such new risk factors on our business or events described in any forward-looking statements. We expressly disclaim any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements after the date of this report to conform them to actual results. Over time, our actual results, performance or achievements will likely differ from the anticipated results, performance, or achievements that are expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements, and such differences might be significant and materially adverse.
Alaska Airlines, together with Virgin America and its regional partners, flies 40 million guests a year to 118 destinations with an average of 1,200 daily flights across the United States and to Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica and Cuba. With Alaska and Alaska Global Partners, guests can earn and redeem miles on flights to more than 900 destinations worldwide. Alaska Airlines ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Carriers in North America" in the J.D. Power North America Satisfaction Study for 10 consecutive years from 2008 to 2017. Learn more about Alaska's award-winning service at newsroom.alaskaair.com and blog.alaskaair.com. Alaska Airlines, Virgin America and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK).
Alaska Air Group, Inc.
As the acquisition closed on December 14, 2016, amounts presented below include Virgin America results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 but not for the prior periods.
Change(a)
Operating Revenues:
Total passenger revenue
Freight and mail
Other—net
Total Operating Revenues
Variable incentive pay
Aircraft fuel, including hedging gains and losses
Aircraft rent
Landing fees and other rentals
Selling expenses
(6)%
Food and beverage service
Third-party regional carrier expense
Nonoperating Income (Expense):
Interest capitalized
Total Nonoperating Income (Expense)
Income Before Income Tax
Basic Earnings Per Share:
Diluted Earnings Per Share:
Shares Used for Computation:
Cash dividend declared per share:
See Combined Comparative information in the accompanying pages for year-over-year comparisons including Virgin America.
Cash and marketable securities
Property and equipment—net
Air traffic liability
Other liabilities and credits
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity
Debt-to-capitalization ratio, adjusted for operating leases(a)
Number of common shares outstanding
Calculated using the present value of remaining aircraft lease payments.
OPERATING STATISTICS SUMMARY (unaudited)
As the acquisition closed on December 14, 2016, Consolidated and Mainline amounts presented below include Virgin America results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 but not for the prior periods.
Change(d)
Consolidated Operating Statistics:(a)
Revenue passengers (000)
RPMs (000,000) "traffic"
ASMs (000,000) "capacity"
(0.2) pts
0.4 pts
13.21¢
(4.1)%
PRASM
RASM
CASMex(b)
7.98¢
Economic fuel cost per gallon(b)
Fuel gallons (000,000)
ASM's per gallon
Average number of full-time equivalent employees (FTE)
Mainline Operating Statistics:
Average number of FTE's
Aircraft utilization
Average aircraft stage length
Operating fleet
64 a/c
Regional Operating Statistics:(c)
Except for FTEs, data includes information related to third-party regional capacity purchase flying arrangements.
See a reconciliation of this non-GAAP measure and Note A for a discussion of potential importance of this measure to investors in the accompanying pages.
Data presented includes information related to flights operated by Horizon and third-party carriers.
SUPPLEMENTARY COMBINED COMPARATIVE FINANCIAL AND OPERATING INFORMATION (unaudited)
We believe that analysis of specific financial and operational results on a combined basis provides more meaningful year-over-year comparisons. The table below provides "Combined Comparative" results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016, determined as the sum of the historical consolidated results of Air Group and of Virgin America. Virgin America's financial information has been conformed to reflect Air Group's historical financial statement presentation for each period presented. This information does not purport to reflect what our financial and operational results would have been had the acquisition been consummated at the beginning of the periods presented.
(in millions, except operating statistics)
As Reported
Combined Comparative Operating Results
Passenger revenue
Non-fuel operating expense
Fuel expense
(10)%
Nonoperating income (expense)
(267)%
Adjusted Income Before Tax
Combined Comparative Operating Statistics
RPMs (000,000)
ASMs (000,000)
CASMex
2016 Combined Comparative Operating Results and Statistics
Refer to our Investor Update issued on April 12, 2017 on Form 8-K for combined comparative operating results and statistics for each of the quarters, including the the calculation of the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 combined data, and full year 2016.
OPERATING SEGMENTS (unaudited)
Three Months Ended September 30, 2017
Consolidating
& Other
Air Group
Adjusted(a)
Items(b)
Operating revenues
Total passenger revenues
CPA revenues
Operating expenses, excluding fuel
Economic fuel
Income (loss) before income tax
The Air Group Adjusted column represents the financial information that is reviewed by management to assess performance of operations and determine capital allocation and does not include certain charges. See Note A in the accompanying pages for further information.
Includes merger-related costs and mark-to-market fuel hedge accounting adjustments.
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2017
GAAP TO NON-GAAP RECONCILIATIONS (unaudited)
As the acquisition closed on December 14, 2016, amounts presented below include Virgin America results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 but not for the prior period.
CASM Excluding Fuel and Special Items Reconciliation
Consolidated:
CASM
Less the following components:
CASM excluding fuel and special items
Mainline:
Fuel Reconciliation
(in millions, except for per-gallon amounts)
Cost/Gallon
Raw or "into-plane" fuel cost
Losses on settled hedges
Consolidated economic fuel expense
Mark-to-market fuel hedge adjustment
GAAP fuel expense
Fuel gallons
(in millions, except for per gallon amounts)


Mobelli Outdoor and Patio Furniture - Mobelli outdoor furniture is a company specialising in outdoor living. Aside from supplying the traditional all weather engineered wicker furniture suitable for gardens, patios, verandas and pools, we also supply shade parasols, gas and electric heaters, illuminated planters and various accessories that make outdoor patio living a pleasant experience. Mobelli imports products from all regions in the world including Europe, Asia and Australia. We are proud to support locally produced merchandise and buy and make many of our products in South Africa. Mobelli Outdoor Furniture has showrooms across Southern Africa which are dedicated to garden and patio furniture. We can be found in Sea Point, Paarden Eiland and the Strand in the Cape. We have a brilliant showrooms in Illovo and Fourways, Sandton and we operate in Umhlanga Ridge in KZN. We even have a showroom in Harare, Zimbabwe.


The Tennessee Wage Regulation Act and Child Labor Act is a general labor law poster poster by the Tennessee Department Of Labor and Workforce Development. This is a mandatory posting for all employers in Tennessee, and businesses who fail to comply may be subject to fines or sanctions.
This poster must be posted in a conspicuous place by all employers so that all employees can see it. This poster describes regulations for wages as well as regulations and restrictions on the labor of minors.
TN All-In-One Labor Poster: Instead of printing out dozens of posters, employers can also purchase an all-in-one poster that covers both Tennessee and Federal poster requirements by clicking here .
It appears you don't have a PDF plugin for this browser. Please see the link below to download tennessee-wage-poster.pdf.
abilities. Callers with hearing impairments may use TTY/TDD 711.
Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce 	Development; Authorization #337477; 1,000 copies; August 2017. This public 	document was promulgated at a cost of $0.09 per copy.
health, safety and welfare of minors.
6.  More than 40 hours a week during non-school weeks.
be scheduled during or before the first hour of scheduled work activity.
d. Any records qualifying a minor for exemption under T.C.A. §50-5-107 (8)-(13).
REGULAR PAYDAY POSTED AS FOLLOWS: _______________________________________(T.C.A. §50-2-103).
le opportunity to rest or take an appropriate break.
Such break shall not be scheduled during or before the first hour of scheduled work activity (T.C.A. §50-2-103).
which are performed under similar working conditions (T.C.A. §50-2-202).
There are an additional ten optional and mandatory Tennessee labor law posters that may be relevant to your business. Be sure to also print all relevant state labor law posters, as well as all mandatory federal labor law posters.
Instead of printing out pages of mandatory Tennessee and Federal labor law posters, you can purchase a professional, laminated all-in-one labor law poster that guarantees compliance with all Tennessee and federal posting requirements. Fully updated for 2019!
While we do our best to keep our list of Tennessee labor law posters up to date and complete, we cannot be held liable for errors or omissions. Is the poster on this page out-of-date or not working? Please let us know and we will fix it ASAP.
LaborPosters.org will email you a printable PDF of this Tennessee labor law poster, 100% FREE. You'll also get notified when new posters are available.
Your Tennessee poster has been downloaded and emailed!
This poster download is provided as-is, with no warranty or guarantees. Please verify with Federal and Tennessee authorities to confirm that you are posting all of the correct (and updated) posters required for your type of business.
Instead of printing out pages of mandatory Tennessee and Federal labor law posters, you can purchase a professional, laminated all-in-one labor poster.


text:
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PERSON OF THE DAY: Author Kristi Ling's 3-Step Plan To Being Happy
April 21, 2016 6:00 pm Posted by Pamela Burke Leave a Comment
By Stacey Gualandi/April 21, 2016
Photos: Wally Hawkins
TWITTER: @kristiling
When I sat down to read Operation Happiness: The 3-Step Plan to Creating a Life of Lasting Joy, Abundant Energy, and Radical Bliss, it made me happy. And it was not because it promotes the "11 Habits of Happy People," or that it comes with a "happiness tool kit."
This part memoir/part self-help book made me happy because my friend Kristi Ling wrote it. I've known Kristi for many years. She was always a bubbly, positive, glass half-full kind of gal, but I never realized during that time, she was also on a mission: to help others find true happiness that had eluded her for years.
"I never gave up. When you're on a path to giving and sharing whatever it is you have to share with the world, the doors will open." Kristi Ling
Over the past decade, Kristi endured a devastating divorce, a soul-sucking corporate position and, most frightening of all, a rare illness that left her unable to use her left shoulder, arm or hand for over a year. But instead of wallowing in self-pity, she got to work.
Kristi poured over happiness research, scientific brain studies and other books on "how to be happy" full-time. Four years ago, she was "heartbroken and thought her life was over." She says now of those difficult and painful years, "It was a means to get to where I am today along with everything else I've been through in my life."
Kristi's Book Trailer
This is her first book and after its release last month, she was overwhelmed by the positive response from "old and new friends and many, many, many people she never met before." She says she invested countless hours into getting her message out. [Read more…]
Filed Under: Person of the Day Tagged With: Author, Book, Kristi Ling, Operation Happiness, Stacey Gualandi, TEDx, The Writer's Block, TWE Person of the Day, Wally Hawkins
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What is TTL or Time to Live?
TTL, or Time-to-Live, is the length of time for when a zone file is set to expire. This is usually expressed in number of seconds.
If you ask your local DNS server (usually provided by your ISP) for an Internet address, the server will figure out where to find an authoritative answer. Once provided the answer, it will keep the answer in a local cache so that if you, or someone else, ask for the same address again it will not need to make the request again.
When domain administrators configure their DNS records, they decide how long the records should remain in remote caches. Typically, a remote server will only cache those records for the length of time specified by the TTL. After that, the remote server will remove the zone file from its local cache and ask again for an authoritative answer. Due to this, shorter TTLs can cause heavier loads on an authoritative nameserver.
What is the default TTL value?
The default TTL is 42300, or 12 hours.
What will be the new length of time if I lower my TTL value in the AccountCenter?
If you lower the TTL it will set to 300, or 5 minutes.
How long do I have to wait for the lowered TTL to take affect across the internet?
When you lower the TTL to 300, or 5 minutes, it will take effect on thepacific.net servers immediately. But for the TTL to propagate across the internet you will need to wait from 12 to 48 hours. It is best to lower your TTL 2 days before you plan on changing your DNS so the change will propagate across the internet in the fastest possible way.
What if I require a custom TTL value?
If you require a custom TTL value, please submit a support request along with the requested TTL value, and why it is required.
When would Lowering my TTL Value be useful?
The following are a few examples of when lowering the TTL would be useful.


text:
package com.google.gcs.sdrs.controller.validation;

import java.util.Collection;
import java.util.HashSet;

/** Exposes static methods for validation shared between controllers. */
public class FieldValidations {

  /**
   * Runs a validation check on an arbitrary field that conforms to bucket naming conventions
   *
   * @param fieldName the JSON field name
   * @param fieldValue the input value for the field being validated
   * @return A validation result containing a list of validation error messages
   */
  public static ValidationResult validateFieldFollowsBucketNamingStructure(
      String fieldName, String fieldValue) {

    Collection<String> validationMessages = new HashSet<>();
    if (fieldValue == null) {
      validationMessages.add(String.format("%s must be provided", fieldName));
    } else {
      // Field value should match gs://<bucket_name>/<dataset_name>
      if (!fieldValue.startsWith(ValidationConstants.STORAGE_PREFIX)) {
        validationMessages.add(
            String.format(
                "%s must start with '%s'", fieldName, ValidationConstants.STORAGE_PREFIX));
      } else {
        String bucketAndDataset = fieldValue.substring(ValidationConstants.STORAGE_PREFIX.length());
        String[] pathSegments = bucketAndDataset.split(ValidationConstants.STORAGE_SEPARATOR);

        if (pathSegments[0].length() == 0) {
          validationMessages.add(String.format("%s must include a bucket name", fieldName));
        }
      }
    }
    return new ValidationResult(validationMessages);
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
#include <base_local_planner/trajectory_planner_ros.h>

#include <sys/time.h>
#include <boost/tokenizer.hpp>

#include <Eigen/Core>
#include <cmath>

#include <ros/console.h>

#include <pluginlib/class_list_macros.h>

#include <base_local_planner/goal_functions.h>
#include <nav_msgs/Path.h>

//register this planner as a BaseLocalPlanner plugin
PLUGINLIB_EXPORT_CLASS(base_local_planner::TrajectoryPlannerROS, nav_core::BaseLocalPlanner)

namespace base_local_planner {

  void TrajectoryPlannerROS::reconfigureCB(BaseLocalPlannerConfig &config, uint32_t level) {
      if (setup_ && config.restore_defaults) {
        config = default_config_;
        //Avoid looping
        config.restore_defaults = false;
      }
      if ( ! setup_) {
        default_config_ = config;
        setup_ = true;
      }
      tc_->reconfigure(config);
      reached_goal_ = false;
  }

  TrajectoryPlannerROS::TrajectoryPlannerROS() :
      world_model_(NULL), tc_(NULL), costmap_ros_(NULL), tf_(NULL), setup_(false), initialized_(false), odom_helper_("odom") {}

  TrajectoryPlannerROS::TrajectoryPlannerROS(std::string name, tf::TransformListener* tf, costmap_2d::Costmap2DROS* costmap_ros) :
      world_model_(NULL), tc_(NULL), costmap_ros_(NULL), tf_(NULL), setup_(false), initialized_(false), odom_helper_("odom") {

      //initialize the planner
      initialize(name, tf, costmap_ros);
  }

  void TrajectoryPlannerROS::initialize(
      std::string name,
      tf::TransformListener* tf,
      costmap_2d::Costmap2DROS* costmap_ros){
    if (! isInitialized()) {

      ros::NodeHandle private_nh("~/" + name);
      g_plan_pub_ = private_nh.advertise<nav_msgs::Path>("global_plan", 1);
      l_plan_pub_ = private_nh.advertise<nav_msgs::Path>("local_plan", 1);

      tf_ = tf;
      costmap_ros_ = costmap_ros;
      rot_stopped_velocity_ = 1e-2;
      trans_stopped_velocity_ = 1e-2;
      double sim_time, sim_granularity, angular_sim_granularity;
      int vx_samples, vtheta_samples;
      double pdist_scale, gdist_scale, occdist_scale, heading_lookahead, oscillation_reset_dist, escape_reset_dist, escape_reset_theta;
      bool holonomic_robot, dwa, simple_attractor, heading_scoring;
      double heading_scoring_timestep;
      double max_vel_x, min_vel_x;
      double backup_vel;
      double stop_time_buffer;
      std::string world_model_type;
      rotating_to_goal_ = false;

      //initialize the copy of the costmap the controller will use
      costmap_ = costmap_ros_->getCostmap();

      global_frame_ = costmap_ros_->getGlobalFrameID();
      robot_base_frame_ = costmap_ros_->getBaseFrameID();
      private_nh.param("prune_plan", prune_plan_, true);

      private_nh.param("yaw_goal_tolerance", yaw_goal_tolerance_, 0.05);
      private_nh.param("xy_goal_tolerance", xy_goal_tolerance_, 0.10);
      private_nh.param("acc_lim_x", acc_lim_x_, 2.5);
      private_nh.param("acc_lim_y", acc_lim_y_, 2.5);
      //this was improperly set as acc_lim_th -- TODO: remove this when we get to J turtle
      acc_lim_theta_ = 3.2;
      if (private_nh.hasParam("acc_lim_th"))
      {
        ROS_WARN("%s/acc_lim_th should be acc_lim_theta, this param will be removed in J-turtle", private_nh.getNamespace().c_str());
        private_nh.param("acc_lim_th", acc_lim_theta_, 3.2);
      }
      private_nh.param("acc_lim_theta", acc_lim_theta_, acc_lim_theta_);

      private_nh.param("stop_time_buffer", stop_time_buffer, 0.2);

      private_nh.param("latch_xy_goal_tolerance", latch_xy_goal_tolerance_, false);

      //Since I screwed up nicely in my documentation, I'm going to add errors
      //informing the user if they've set one of the wrong parameters
      if(private_nh.hasParam("acc_limit_x"))
        ROS_ERROR("You are using acc_limit_x where you should be using acc_lim_x. Please change your configuration files appropriately. The documentation used to be wrong on this, sorry for any confusion.");

      if(private_nh.hasParam("acc_limit_y"))
        ROS_ERROR("You are using acc_limit_y where you should be using acc_lim_y. Please change your configuration files appropriately. The documentation used to be wrong on this, sorry for any confusion.");

      if(private_nh.hasParam("acc_limit_th"))
        ROS_ERROR("You are using acc_limit_th where you should be using acc_lim_th. Please change your configuration files appropriately. The documentation used to be wrong on this, sorry for any confusion.");

      //Assuming this planner is being run within the navigation stack, we can
      //just do an upward search for the frequency at which its being run. This
      //also allows the frequency to be overwritten locally.
      std::string controller_frequency_param_name;
      if(!private_nh.searchParam("controller_frequency", controller_frequency_param_name))
        sim_period_ = 0.05;
      else
      {
        double controller_frequency = 0;
        private_nh.param(controller_frequency_param_name, controller_frequency, 20.0);
        if(controller_frequency > 0)
          sim_period_ = 1.0 / controller_frequency;
        else
        {
          ROS_WARN("A controller_frequency less than 0 has been set. Ignoring the parameter, assuming a rate of 20Hz");
          sim_period_ = 0.05;
        }
      }
      ROS_INFO("Sim period is set to %.2f", sim_period_);

      private_nh.param("sim_time", sim_time, 1.0);
      private_nh.param("sim_granularity", sim_granularity, 0.025);
      private_nh.param("angular_sim_granularity", angular_sim_granularity, sim_granularity);
      private_nh.param("vx_samples", vx_samples, 3);
      private_nh.param("vtheta_samples", vtheta_samples, 20);

      private_nh.param("path_distance_bias", pdist_scale, 0.6);
      private_nh.param("goal_distance_bias", gdist_scale, 0.8);
      private_nh.param("occdist_scale", occdist_scale, 0.01);

      bool meter_scoring;
      if ( ! private_nh.hasParam("meter_scoring")) {
        ROS_WARN("Trajectory Rollout planner initialized with param meter_scoring not set. Set it to true to make your settins robust against changes of costmap resolution.");
      } else {
        private_nh.param("meter_scoring", meter_scoring, false);

        if(meter_scoring) {
          //if we use meter scoring, then we want to multiply the biases by the resolution of the costmap
          double resolution = costmap_->getResolution();
          gdist_scale *= resolution;
          pdist_scale *= resolution;
          occdist_scale *= resolution;
        } else {
          ROS_WARN("Trajectory Rollout planner initialized with param meter_scoring set to false. Set it to true to make your settins robust against changes of costmap resolution.");
        }
      }

      private_nh.param("heading_lookahead", heading_lookahead, 0.325);
      private_nh.param("oscillation_reset_dist", oscillation_reset_dist, 0.05);
      private_nh.param("escape_reset_dist", escape_reset_dist, 0.10);
      private_nh.param("escape_reset_theta", escape_reset_theta, M_PI_4);
      private_nh.param("holonomic_robot", holonomic_robot, true);
      private_nh.param("max_vel_x", max_vel_x, 0.5);
      private_nh.param("min_vel_x", min_vel_x, 0.1);

      double max_rotational_vel;
      private_nh.param("max_rotational_vel", max_rotational_vel, 1.0);
      max_vel_th_ = max_rotational_vel;
      min_vel_th_ = -1.0 * max_rotational_vel;
      private_nh.param("min_in_place_rotational_vel", min_in_place_vel_th_, 0.4);
      reached_goal_ = false;
      backup_vel = -0.1;
      if(private_nh.getParam("backup_vel", backup_vel))
        ROS_WARN("The backup_vel parameter has been deprecated in favor of the escape_vel parameter. To switch, just change the parameter name in your configuration files.");

      //if both backup_vel and escape_vel are set... we'll use escape_vel
      private_nh.getParam("escape_vel", backup_vel);

      if(backup_vel >= 0.0)
        ROS_WARN("You've specified a positive escape velocity. This is probably not what you want and will cause the robot to move forward instead of backward. You should probably change your escape_vel parameter to be negative");

      private_nh.param("world_model", world_model_type, std::string("costmap"));
      private_nh.param("dwa", dwa, true);
      private_nh.param("heading_scoring", heading_scoring, false);
      private_nh.param("heading_scoring_timestep", heading_scoring_timestep, 0.8);

      simple_attractor = false;

      //parameters for using the freespace controller
      double min_pt_separation, max_obstacle_height, grid_resolution;
      private_nh.param("point_grid/max_sensor_range", max_sensor_range_, 2.0);
      private_nh.param("point_grid/min_pt_separation", min_pt_separation, 0.01);
      private_nh.param("point_grid/max_obstacle_height", max_obstacle_height, 2.0);
      private_nh.param("point_grid/grid_resolution", grid_resolution, 0.2);

      ROS_ASSERT_MSG(world_model_type == "costmap", "At this time, only costmap world models are supported by this controller");
      world_model_ = new CostmapModel(*costmap_);
      std::vector<double> y_vels = loadYVels(private_nh);

      footprint_spec_ = costmap_ros_->getRobotFootprint();

      tc_ = new TrajectoryPlanner(*world_model_, *costmap_, footprint_spec_,
          acc_lim_x_, acc_lim_y_, acc_lim_theta_, sim_time, sim_granularity, vx_samples, vtheta_samples, pdist_scale,
          gdist_scale, occdist_scale, heading_lookahead, oscillation_reset_dist, escape_reset_dist, escape_reset_theta, holonomic_robot,
          max_vel_x, min_vel_x, max_vel_th_, min_vel_th_, min_in_place_vel_th_, backup_vel,
          dwa, heading_scoring, heading_scoring_timestep, meter_scoring, simple_attractor, y_vels, stop_time_buffer, sim_period_, angular_sim_granularity);

      map_viz_.initialize(name, global_frame_, boost::bind(&TrajectoryPlanner::getCellCosts, tc_, _1, _2, _3, _4, _5, _6));
      initialized_ = true;

      dsrv_ = new dynamic_reconfigure::Server<BaseLocalPlannerConfig>(private_nh);
      dynamic_reconfigure::Server<BaseLocalPlannerConfig>::CallbackType cb = boost::bind(&TrajectoryPlannerROS::reconfigureCB, this, _1, _2);
      dsrv_->setCallback(cb);

    } else {
      ROS_WARN("This planner has already been initialized, doing nothing");
    }
  }

  std::vector<double> TrajectoryPlannerROS::loadYVels(ros::NodeHandle node){
    std::vector<double> y_vels;

    std::string y_vel_list;
    if(node.getParam("y_vels", y_vel_list)){
      typedef boost::tokenizer<boost::char_separator<char> > tokenizer;
      boost::char_separator<char> sep("[], ");
      tokenizer tokens(y_vel_list, sep);

      for(tokenizer::iterator i = tokens.begin(); i != tokens.end(); i++){
        y_vels.push_back(atof((*i).c_str()));
      }
    }
    else{
      //if no values are passed in, we'll provide defaults
      y_vels.push_back(-0.3);
      y_vels.push_back(-0.1);
      y_vels.push_back(0.1);
      y_vels.push_back(0.3);
    }

    return y_vels;
  }

  TrajectoryPlannerROS::~TrajectoryPlannerROS() {
    //make sure to clean things up
    delete dsrv_;

    if(tc_ != NULL)
      delete tc_;

    if(world_model_ != NULL)
      delete world_model_;
  }

  bool TrajectoryPlannerROS::stopWithAccLimits(const tf::Stamped<tf::Pose>& global_pose, const tf::Stamped<tf::Pose>& robot_vel, geometry_msgs::Twist& cmd_vel){
    //slow down with the maximum possible acceleration... we should really use the frequency that we're running at to determine what is feasible
    //but we'll use a tenth of a second to be consistent with the implementation of the local planner.
    double vx = sign(robot_vel.getOrigin().x()) * std::max(0.0, (fabs(robot_vel.getOrigin().x()) - acc_lim_x_ * sim_period_));
    double vy = sign(robot_vel.getOrigin().y()) * std::max(0.0, (fabs(robot_vel.getOrigin().y()) - acc_lim_y_ * sim_period_));

    double vel_yaw = tf::getYaw(robot_vel.getRotation());
    double vth = sign(vel_yaw) * std::max(0.0, (fabs(vel_yaw) - acc_lim_theta_ * sim_period_));

    //we do want to check whether or not the command is valid
    double yaw = tf::getYaw(global_pose.getRotation());
    bool valid_cmd = tc_->checkTrajectory(global_pose.getOrigin().getX(), global_pose.getOrigin().getY(), yaw,
        robot_vel.getOrigin().getX(), robot_vel.getOrigin().getY(), vel_yaw, vx, vy, vth);

    //if we have a valid command, we'll pass it on, otherwise we'll command all zeros
    if(valid_cmd){
      ROS_DEBUG("Slowing down... using vx, vy, vth: %.2f, %.2f, %.2f", vx, vy, vth);
      cmd_vel.linear.x = vx;
      cmd_vel.linear.y = vy;
      cmd_vel.angular.z = vth;
      return true;
    }

    cmd_vel.linear.x = 0.0;
    cmd_vel.linear.y = 0.0;
    cmd_vel.angular.z = 0.0;
    return false;
  }

  bool TrajectoryPlannerROS::rotateToGoal(const tf::Stamped<tf::Pose>& global_pose, const tf::Stamped<tf::Pose>& robot_vel, double goal_th, geometry_msgs::Twist& cmd_vel){
    double yaw = tf::getYaw(global_pose.getRotation());
    double vel_yaw = tf::getYaw(robot_vel.getRotation());
    cmd_vel.linear.x = 0;
    cmd_vel.linear.y = 0;
    double ang_diff = angles::shortest_angular_distance(yaw, goal_th);

    double v_theta_samp = ang_diff > 0.0 ? std::min(max_vel_th_,
        std::max(min_in_place_vel_th_, ang_diff)) : std::max(min_vel_th_,
        std::min(-1.0 * min_in_place_vel_th_, ang_diff));

    //take the acceleration limits of the robot into account
    double max_acc_vel = fabs(vel_yaw) + acc_lim_theta_ * sim_period_;
    double min_acc_vel = fabs(vel_yaw) - acc_lim_theta_ * sim_period_;

    v_theta_samp = sign(v_theta_samp) * std::min(std::max(fabs(v_theta_samp), min_acc_vel), max_acc_vel);

    //we also want to make sure to send a velocity that allows us to stop when we reach the goal given our acceleration limits
    double max_speed_to_stop = sqrt(2 * acc_lim_theta_ * fabs(ang_diff));

    v_theta_samp = sign(v_theta_samp) * std::min(max_speed_to_stop, fabs(v_theta_samp));

    // Re-enforce min_in_place_vel_th_.  It is more important than the acceleration limits.
    v_theta_samp = v_theta_samp > 0.0
      ? std::min( max_vel_th_, std::max( min_in_place_vel_th_, v_theta_samp ))
      : std::max( min_vel_th_, std::min( -1.0 * min_in_place_vel_th_, v_theta_samp ));

    //we still want to lay down the footprint of the robot and check if the action is legal
    bool valid_cmd = tc_->checkTrajectory(global_pose.getOrigin().getX(), global_pose.getOrigin().getY(), yaw,
        robot_vel.getOrigin().getX(), robot_vel.getOrigin().getY(), vel_yaw, 0.0, 0.0, v_theta_samp);

    ROS_DEBUG("Moving to desired goal orientation, th cmd: %.2f, valid_cmd: %d", v_theta_samp, valid_cmd);

    if(valid_cmd){
      cmd_vel.angular.z = v_theta_samp;
      return true;
    }

    cmd_vel.angular.z = 0.0;
    return false;

  }

  bool TrajectoryPlannerROS::setPlan(const std::vector<geometry_msgs::PoseStamped>& orig_global_plan){
    if (! isInitialized()) {
      ROS_ERROR("This planner has not been initialized, please call initialize() before using this planner");
      return false;
    }

    //reset the global plan
    global_plan_.clear();
    global_plan_ = orig_global_plan;

    //when we get a new plan, we also want to clear any latch we may have on goal tolerances
    xy_tolerance_latch_ = false;
    //reset the at goal flag
    reached_goal_ = false;
    return true;
  }

  bool TrajectoryPlannerROS::computeVelocityCommands(geometry_msgs::Twist& cmd_vel){
    if (! isInitialized()) {
      ROS_ERROR("This planner has not been initialized, please call initialize() before using this planner");
      return false;
    }

    std::vector<geometry_msgs::PoseStamped> local_plan;
    tf::Stamped<tf::Pose> global_pose;
    if (!costmap_ros_->getRobotPose(global_pose)) {
      return false;
    }

    std::vector<geometry_msgs::PoseStamped> transformed_plan;
    //get the global plan in our frame
    if (!transformGlobalPlan(*tf_, global_plan_, global_pose, *costmap_, global_frame_, transformed_plan)) {
      ROS_WARN("Could not transform the global plan to the frame of the controller");
      return false;
    }

    //now we'll prune the plan based on the position of the robot
    if(prune_plan_)
      prunePlan(global_pose, transformed_plan, global_plan_);

    tf::Stamped<tf::Pose> drive_cmds;
    drive_cmds.frame_id_ = robot_base_frame_;

    tf::Stamped<tf::Pose> robot_vel;
    odom_helper_.getRobotVel(robot_vel);

    /* For timing uncomment
    struct timeval start, end;
    double start_t, end_t, t_diff;
    gettimeofday(&start, NULL);
    */

    //if the global plan passed in is empty... we won't do anything
    if(transformed_plan.empty())
      return false;

    tf::Stamped<tf::Pose> goal_point;
    tf::poseStampedMsgToTF(transformed_plan.back(), goal_point);
    //we assume the global goal is the last point in the global plan
    double goal_x = goal_point.getOrigin().getX();
    double goal_y = goal_point.getOrigin().getY();

    double yaw = tf::getYaw(goal_point.getRotation());

    double goal_th = yaw;

    //check to see if we've reached the goal position
    if (xy_tolerance_latch_ || (getGoalPositionDistance(global_pose, goal_x, goal_y) <= xy_goal_tolerance_)) {

      //if the user wants to latch goal tolerance, if we ever reach the goal location, we'll
      //just rotate in place
      if (latch_xy_goal_tolerance_) {
        xy_tolerance_latch_ = true;
      }

      double angle = getGoalOrientationAngleDifference(global_pose, goal_th);
      //check to see if the goal orientation has been reached
      if (fabs(angle) <= yaw_goal_tolerance_) {
        //set the velocity command to zero
        cmd_vel.linear.x = 0.0;
        cmd_vel.linear.y = 0.0;
        cmd_vel.angular.z = 0.0;
        rotating_to_goal_ = false;
        xy_tolerance_latch_ = false;
        reached_goal_ = true;
      } else {
        //we need to call the next two lines to make sure that the trajectory
        //planner updates its path distance and goal distance grids
        tc_->updatePlan(transformed_plan);
        Trajectory path = tc_->findBestPath(global_pose, robot_vel, drive_cmds);
        map_viz_.publishCostCloud(costmap_);

        //copy over the odometry information
        nav_msgs::Odometry base_odom;
        odom_helper_.getOdom(base_odom);

        //if we're not stopped yet... we want to stop... taking into account the acceleration limits of the robot
        if ( ! rotating_to_goal_ && !base_local_planner::stopped(base_odom, rot_stopped_velocity_, trans_stopped_velocity_)) {
          if ( ! stopWithAccLimits(global_pose, robot_vel, cmd_vel)) {
            return false;
          }
        }
        //if we're stopped... then we want to rotate to goal
        else{
          //set this so that we know its OK to be moving
          rotating_to_goal_ = true;
          if(!rotateToGoal(global_pose, robot_vel, goal_th, cmd_vel)) {
            return false;
          }
        }
      }

      //publish an empty plan because we've reached our goal position
      publishPlan(transformed_plan, g_plan_pub_);
      publishPlan(local_plan, l_plan_pub_);

      //we don't actually want to run the controller when we're just rotating to goal
      return true;
    }

    tc_->updatePlan(transformed_plan);

    //compute what trajectory to drive along
    Trajectory path = tc_->findBestPath(global_pose, robot_vel, drive_cmds);

    map_viz_.publishCostCloud(costmap_);
    /* For timing uncomment
    gettimeofday(&end, NULL);
    start_t = start.tv_sec + double(start.tv_usec) / 1e6;
    end_t = end.tv_sec + double(end.tv_usec) / 1e6;
    t_diff = end_t - start_t;
    ROS_INFO("Cycle time: %.9f", t_diff);
    */

    //pass along drive commands
    cmd_vel.linear.x = drive_cmds.getOrigin().getX();
    cmd_vel.linear.y = drive_cmds.getOrigin().getY();
    cmd_vel.angular.z = tf::getYaw(drive_cmds.getRotation());

    //if we cannot move... tell someone
    if (path.cost_ < 0) {
      ROS_DEBUG_NAMED("trajectory_planner_ros",
          "The rollout planner failed to find a valid plan. This means that the footprint of the robot was in collision for all simulated trajectories.");
      local_plan.clear();
      publishPlan(transformed_plan, g_plan_pub_);
      publishPlan(local_plan, l_plan_pub_);
      return false;
    }

    ROS_DEBUG_NAMED("trajectory_planner_ros", "A valid velocity command of (%.2f, %.2f, %.2f) was found for this cycle.",
        cmd_vel.linear.x, cmd_vel.linear.y, cmd_vel.angular.z);

    // Fill out the local plan
    for (unsigned int i = 0; i < path.getPointsSize(); ++i) {
      double p_x, p_y, p_th;
      path.getPoint(i, p_x, p_y, p_th);
      tf::Stamped<tf::Pose> p =
          tf::Stamped<tf::Pose>(tf::Pose(
              tf::createQuaternionFromYaw(p_th),
              tf::Point(p_x, p_y, 0.0)),
              ros::Time::now(),
              global_frame_);
      geometry_msgs::PoseStamped pose;
      tf::poseStampedTFToMsg(p, pose);
      local_plan.push_back(pose);
    }

    //publish information to the visualizer
    publishPlan(transformed_plan, g_plan_pub_);
    publishPlan(local_plan, l_plan_pub_);
    return true;
  }

  bool TrajectoryPlannerROS::checkTrajectory(double vx_samp, double vy_samp, double vtheta_samp, bool update_map){
    tf::Stamped<tf::Pose> global_pose;
    if(costmap_ros_->getRobotPose(global_pose)){
      if(update_map){
        //we need to give the planne some sort of global plan, since we're only checking for legality
        //we'll just give the robots current position
        std::vector<geometry_msgs::PoseStamped> plan;
        geometry_msgs::PoseStamped pose_msg;
        tf::poseStampedTFToMsg(global_pose, pose_msg);
        plan.push_back(pose_msg);
        tc_->updatePlan(plan, true);
      }

      //copy over the odometry information
      nav_msgs::Odometry base_odom;
      {
        boost::recursive_mutex::scoped_lock lock(odom_lock_);
        base_odom = base_odom_;
      }

      return tc_->checkTrajectory(global_pose.getOrigin().x(), global_pose.getOrigin().y(), tf::getYaw(global_pose.getRotation()),
          base_odom.twist.twist.linear.x,
          base_odom.twist.twist.linear.y,
          base_odom.twist.twist.angular.z, vx_samp, vy_samp, vtheta_samp);

    }
    ROS_WARN("Failed to get the pose of the robot. No trajectories will pass as legal in this case.");
    return false;
  }

  double TrajectoryPlannerROS::scoreTrajectory(double vx_samp, double vy_samp, double vtheta_samp, bool update_map){
    // Copy of checkTrajectory that returns a score instead of True / False
    tf::Stamped<tf::Pose> global_pose;
    if(costmap_ros_->getRobotPose(global_pose)){
      if(update_map){
        //we need to give the planne some sort of global plan, since we're only checking for legality
        //we'll just give the robots current position
        std::vector<geometry_msgs::PoseStamped> plan;
        geometry_msgs::PoseStamped pose_msg;
        tf::poseStampedTFToMsg(global_pose, pose_msg);
        plan.push_back(pose_msg);
        tc_->updatePlan(plan, true);
      }

      //copy over the odometry information
      nav_msgs::Odometry base_odom;
      {
        boost::recursive_mutex::scoped_lock lock(odom_lock_);
        base_odom = base_odom_;
      }

      return tc_->scoreTrajectory(global_pose.getOrigin().x(), global_pose.getOrigin().y(), tf::getYaw(global_pose.getRotation()),
          base_odom.twist.twist.linear.x,
          base_odom.twist.twist.linear.y,
          base_odom.twist.twist.angular.z, vx_samp, vy_samp, vtheta_samp);

    }
    ROS_WARN("Failed to get the pose of the robot. No trajectories will pass as legal in this case.");
    return -1.0;
  }

  bool TrajectoryPlannerROS::isGoalReached() {
    if (! isInitialized()) {
      ROS_ERROR("This planner has not been initialized, please call initialize() before using this planner");
      return false;
    }
    //return flag set in controller
    return reached_goal_;
  }
};


text:
Providing Compassionate Service since 1863 - Before, During & After.
501 West McCreight Ave. Springfield, OH 45504
Ferncliff Cemetery Funeral Home, Crematory and Arboretum
Official Page
Cemetery Property
Monuments and Markers
Time of Loss
Time of Loss Checklist
Why Choose Ferncliff?
Search Burials
Famous People of Ferncliff
Project C.A.R.E.
Ana Maria Mejia
Age 94 of Springfield, Ohio passed peacefully Friday, July 12, 2019 at her residence surrounded by family. Born March 5, 1925 in Cojutepegue, El Salvador. Ana was the daughter of the late Jose and Conseccion (nee Carpio) Mejia and was a loving mother, aunt, grandmother & great-grandmother. Ana enjoyed cooking and gardening but most of all spending time with her family. Preceded in death by her parents, daughter, Margot Mejia; brother Pedro and sisters Felicita, Rosa and Nela. Ana leaves behind her loving daughter Rosa (Pedro) Castro of Springfield, Ohio; grandchildren Johanna, Misael, Roy, Ana & Masiel; 36 great-grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews and other family members and friends. The family will receive friends Wednesday, July 17, 2019 from 12:00PM-1:00PM at Ferncliff Cemetery Chapel 501 W. McCreight Avenue, Springfield, Ohio 45504 with funeral service to follow at 1:00PM. Burial to follow in Ferncliff Cemetery. Arrangements in care of Ferncliff Funeral Home & Crematory. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.FerncliffCemetery.org.
Need to Order Flowers?
Nett's Floral Company and Greenhouse
1017 Pine St
Springfield, Ohio 45504
Schneider's Florist
633 N Limestone Springfield, OH 45503
FlowerCraft
1156 Bechtle Avenue
Springfield, OH 45504
Chamber of Commerce's Annual Dennis Sheehan Golf Outing
https://www.ferncliffcemetery.org/event/chamber-of-commerces-annual-dennis-sheehan-golf-outing/
Ferncliff will have an information table at the annual Chamber Golf Outing to be held at the Elks Club on Villa Rd. on Monday, Aug. 20, from 12-7.
Gammon House Historical Presentation
https://www.ferncliffcemetery.org/event/gammon-house-historical-presentation/
Gammon House – Tues. August 28 at 5:30 pm
Also buried here at Ferncliff are George (1803 – 1904) and Sarah (1808 – 1902) Gammon, leaders in the Springfield Underground Railroad movement. The Gammon House is one of only three Ohio "stops" on the Underground Railroad owned by a free person of color. Mr. Dale Henry, President of Gammon House, Inc. will be presenting stories of George and Sarah and the movement itself. Following the presentation in the Ferncliff Chapel, we will visit George and Sarah's graves located in Section F.
Subscribe to Our Obituaries
501 W McCreight Ave, Springfield, OH 45504
Gate hours: Winter 7:30am – 5:00pm. – Summer 7:30am – 6:00pm
Cemetery Office hours: M – F 8:00am – 4:30pm. – Sat & Sun: Closed
Funeral Home hours: M – F 9:00am – 5:00pm – Sat & Sun: Closed
Ferncliff Cemetery Official Facebook Page
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As I end the day my hands show traces of shellac and oil varnish. This makes me happy. The subtle fragrance of a relatively non-toxic finish drying on a cherry dulcimer fills the air.
Like many who appreciate and practice historic methods of work I read historic books on the subject.
"Wood Finishing, Comprising Staining, Varnishing, and Polishing, with Engravings and Diagrams" is the kind of book from which I always learn a few useful tricks.
Another gem brought to you by The Internet Archive.


GMOs – How do you feel about them?
In CA, we will be voting on Prop 37 regarding the required labeling for products containing GMOs. GMOs are banned by most other industrialized nations, including India. In China, the largest grower of GM crops, many companies are pulling GMO products off the shelves. These engineer crops produce hardier, faster growing, and plentiful crops – – but at what price? I suggested in a previous post that they may be the culprit in the rise of gluten allergies despite all those jumping on the low carb diet bandwagon. I'm curious to hear specifically those people who ARE in favor of GMOs. I welcome your comments.


text:
The Station Concourse
Carnforth station
steamage
I am visiting the North West area at the beginning of September and my query to anybody out there who may be able to help me is. Is it possible to photograph the services on the West Coast main line from any of the platforms at Carnforth station. I understand there is a Carnforth north jct. but does it run near the platforms. Photos may help me with my modelling. Any help appreciated.
#2 · Aug 17, 2005 (Edited by Moderator)
I don't know if this link helps but it seems that currently, Carnforth only has two platforms. Platform 1, Southbound trains from Barrow in Furness (and also Skipton, Hellifield and Leeds towards London,) and Platform 2, Northbound trains to Barrow in Furness (or Skipton, Hellifield and Leeds).
http://www.carnforth-station.co.uk/
There does appear to be a road bridge over the West Coast mainline at the north end of the station but the mainline platforms shown in the old station plan below may no longer be there.
Happy modelling
John Webb
The West Coast main-line platforms were partly dismantled to give greater clearance for fast-moving trains. But there is still sufficient there to stand on and take pictures of the main-line trains - use a fast shutter-speed, however. There is also a fence between the usable platform and the main-line which may get in the way.
I understand that there are plans afoot to have trains on the main-line stopping again by rebuilding the platforms. I also understand that the station has undergone a considerable face-lift in recent years.
(See the web-site for Carnforth in the previous reply.)
Hello Gary and John
Many thanks for your information. Will certainly be of use to me
steamage Aug 23, 2005
Model Railway Forum
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What happened to the Mist League after its second season? This was its website, but alas is now only an edited historical record of the site.
For more nostalgic look backs at the 2013 Mist League go to: www.mmorpg.com/guild-wars-2/news/mist-league-week-3-the-endeavor-1000027955 with 2013 post by William Murphy.
Content is mostly from the site's 2013 archived pages as well as other outside sources.
ML SEASON 1 FINISHES AND MLS1C AHEAD!
Last week was the 10th and final week of the first Mist League Season. It has been a long journey for us and the teams who stuck with the league. We've seen the league change and evolve, we've seen it shrink and grow, and now we see the first season come to an end.
We want to thank every team who participated, every twitch viewer, every ML mod, mmorpg.com and Anet for supporting what we all want to see grow and flourish – GW2 PvP.
For some ML teams, this is just the beginning! Soon the finalized ladder will be updated, and we'll find out which teams ended up in the top 5 spots of each region! This is important, because these 10 teams will be invited to compete in the Mist League Season 1 Championship(MLS1C)!
Once it is clear which teams made the cut, we'll work with them to find a suitable date for the big event(no less than 3 weeks from now). This will be an event which will reward the top teams with a title as well as cash. ML is hard at work gathering funds to fulfill its $10,000 goal, of which a good part of is already secured through ads, donations, and sponsors throughout the season. We want to hit our $10,000 mark, so we continue to search for additional sponsors.
The event will begin by splitting the North American and European teams into two round-robin groups. Each match in these groups will be played in a first to 500 format where every team will get a chance to play every other team in their group. Once the matches within the groups are complete, the top two teams from each region will compete in a bo5(best of 5 games) playoff. When the contenders from NA and EU emerge, they will face off in a grand final in a bo5 for the ultimate prize – becoming the first ML Champion, and forever encoding their guild's name in GW2 history.
Map to be used are as follow: Forest of Niflhel will be used for the Round-Robin. Battle of Kyhlo will be used for the playoff matches, and Legacy of the Foefire will be used for the Grand Final. We plan on continuing the tradition we've started, which is to use the same map for the duration of the whole match.
Also as per tradition, we reserve the right to change any of the information presented to you today. Hopefully that is one tradition we can break out of in the future, but as we grow and learn, we want to make sure we are flexible in order to deliver the best experience we can for everyone involved in this endeavor.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me in game at Ruler.1832 or through skype at slav.elenkov where I'm more accessible.
At the end of each Mist League Season the top 5 teams will be invited to participate in the Mist League Season Championship. The tournament will consist of 2 groups of 5 teams each. The teams will compete against each other in a round-robin format within these 2 groups. Each match will be played in a first to 500 format.
The two teams out of each group with the highest point total (up to 500 for each game) will move on to the Group Playoffs. Playoffs will be played in a best of 5 games format ( bo5, or first to win 3 games). Once a victorious team has emerged from each Group Playoff, they will then move on to the Final Round.
B. A Captain can only lead one team per season (but may participate in other teams in case of a team breakup).
2) Prize Money will be sent to the captain of each Championship Team upon completion of the tournament. They can then appropriate the winnings.
3) Captain can change the makeup of the team up until the start of each match or round.
4) Each player can only represent one team per week, and per Championship. Team members representing a team in the Championship must have played for that team for at least 2 weeks during the season.
5) Scoring during NA/EU finals and World final will be best of 5 games (or first to win 3).
6) League Points will be awarded based on performance and participation during the Season, and will be the sole determent of which team qualifies for the Championship. In case a team is not able to participate, the next team on the Season Ladder will be called and asked to take their spot.
7) In case of failure to assemble a team within 20 minutes of start time, a team will start with a 0-1 deficit, and within 30 minutes a default, which will allow the opposing team to move on in the Championship Playoffs. In case of a failure to assemble a team within 20 minutes of a Championship group match, a team will be defaulted and 500 points will be given to the opposing team.
8) We reserve the right to change our Terms & Conditions at anytime.
We're proud to announce the very first Guild Wars 2 Invitational Tournament on August 31, 2013 at PAX Prime! We're teaming up with our partner MMORPG.com to host an exciting PvP tournament where the top North American and European teams will face off in a best-three-games-out-of-five match with a cash prize pool of $10,000 on the line. To determine which teams from each territory will qualify for the Guild Wars 2 Invitational Tournament, teams of five players from Europe and North America will compete in regional qualifying tournaments hosted by MMORPG.com and Mist League.
We're very excited to be working with both MMORPG.com and the Mist League on this tournament, and we can't wait to see the incredible competition at the regional qualifying tournaments and to host the Guild Wars 2 Invitational Tournament during PAX Prime 2013.
MIST LEAGUE FINAL LADDER UPDATE!
Sorry but this is only the first page.
Mist league Team. Will be looking for subs shortly. Roster is : Wasted, Batman, Trill, Wiz, Vuhdoo. Contact me [ Wasted Rolls You] if interested in being a sub.
We're an EU PvP team looking for experienced, talented players to join. Whisper me if you're interested to join the team.
La Garde de Nuit est une guilde composée d'un groupe d'amis qui c'est rencontré sur Guild wars 1. Notre but est de prendre du plaisir sous tous les aspect du jeu.
Competitive tPvP guild pushing for top 100.
Newly formed PVP guild that is learning from eachother and working harder and harder to be the best. We are also looking for other serious skilled pvp players that are willing to join us in our compeititive journey.
PvP Guild recently made; participated in Pax Tourney.
we're a group of five friends who've been playing together since early after GW2 launched. We all work so our play schedule is somewhat limited but we go all out and are very confident about our team.
With our season coming to an end, I'm happy to announce the final standings of our ladder. Thank you so much to everyone who participated and supported the league throughout the season. Keep an eye out for updates about our season-ending event – the Mist League Season 1 Championship! Here is a quick article about that:…..
(tldr: thanks everyone, scroll down for MLC details) Last week was the 10th and final week of the first Mist League Season. It has been a long journey for us and the teams who stuck with the league. We've seen the league change and evolve, we've seen it shrink and grow, and now we see…..
FRIDAY'S COUPLE OF MATCH RESULTS!
The last few matches of the season are making their way in. We are accepting late entries into next week before we update the ladders and announce the teams which will be invited to the MLC! Here are Friday's Match Results: Vampire Katana[VK] won vs. Brick Squad Monopoly[BS] DropBear Death Squad[DDS] won vs. Lords…..
Unlike our 14 matches on Tuesday – Thursday clocked in 5. We are nearing the end of the week, and the standings are starting to finalize. Exciting times ahead for the top teams representing each continent! Here are Thursday's Match Results: Vampire Katana[VK] won vs. Select Few[sF] Team USA[USA] won vs. Spoons and Sporks[Soup]…..
WEDNESDAY'S NO ADJECTIVE MATCH RESULTS!
As time goes on, creativity proves to be nothing but a well with an eventual bottom. This however is not the case for the persistent teams battling(or collecting screenshots) in hopes to make a name for themselves and attend the much awaited MLS1 Championship! Here are Wednesday's Match Results: No Life[NoLF] won vs. Icefyre[IF]…..
Tuesday's Shocking Match Results! What "shocks" you is current pushed by voltage. Although it isn't safe to play with electricity, here is some cool info in case your life depends on it: "With a Tesla coil, it is possible to touch the very high voltage secondary without being electrocuted because of the skin effect. The…..
ML SCHEDULE FOR WEEK 10 IS HERE!
The schedule for Mist League's final week of the season is out! This week's map: Legacy of the Foefire If you want to check out who is playing who this week, the matches are posted here: http://www.mistleague.com/upcoming-matches/?i=7 If you are a participant in the league, you can check the black bar at the top…..
The last of the matches from Week 9 are in. Next week will be the final week of Season 1. Much is at stake in these last round of matches. Here are Friday's Match Results: Vampire Katana[VK] won vs. Aspiring Brotherhood[PACT] Last Resort won vs. Spoons and Sporks[Soup] vVv Gaming[vVv] won vs. Last Resort[LR]…..
Mist league will set up 2 games per week for you to play each week. And here is a simple step by step guide on how it will happen.
Make sure your team is fully registered on the site.
Use the black navigation bar at the top of the page and view your opponents, room name, password and times in PDT and GMT. Any sharing of this password to anyone besides the participating team members is prohibited.
Turn up to game at these times if unable to make it read below.
Team leader will need to screenshot after each game of the best of 3 games. You must still submit even if you lose.
After the game has finished, go too www.mistleague.comto fill out the Match Results form. The points will count on the time of submit.
Points will be updated once a week on Saturday or Sunday.
UNABLE TO MAKE THE SCHEDULED GAME?
It is your responsibility to attend the assigned matches for the week. If you know you have issues attending that match, inform your oppenent and try to schedule another time with them. If the oppenent agrees to assist you and change times they will recieve bonus points for the round. If you don't attend the scheduled time, you will receive 0 points for the match, and with ~3 no-shows without communication your team will be removed from the ladder.
You must still submit your form in with evidence of trying to communicate and/or if team did not show up without notification; with a screen shot of the game in windows mode, and the clock on our home page.
Admin will review claim and give you a win if it is legit.
Top and Bottom teams fight 2 closest teams.
Times are Scheduled for Prime time Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday relative to each region.
Teams that can't make it to the assigned time slot can reschedule. Example: If team 'x' are happy to change slot because team 'z' couldn't attend. Team 'x' receives bonus points for that round regardless of win or loss.
WHY PLAY IN MIST LEAGUE?
At the end of each Mist League Season, the top 5 teams will be invited to participate in the Mist League Season Championship. The tournament will consist of 2 groups of 5 teams each. The teams will compete against each other in a round-robin format within these 2 groups. Each match will be played in a first to 500 format.
The Final Round will also be played in a best of 5 games format and will ultimately crown the winner of Mist League Season 1. The top 3 teams in the Championship will receive the bulk of the prize money in a progressive manner. Currently the target is $10,000 total prize money.
A team must consist of minimum five (5) players; these will be the main members, a team is additionally allowed to have 2 back up players.
A sub may only play once for a team every week.
If changes are made to the weeks roster please update your guild roster.
In the event of a team, with no registered back up players, is a man short, said team can register a sub prior to the match start.
If a team has not disbanded or has not turned up to both games during that week without communication, they will be removed from the league.
If a team has been disbanded, the team is able to continue as long as there are 3 or more of the core members still playing.
You MUST keep your teams roster and team name up to date every week. If we are not up to date we can not do our jobs correctly.
Authorized tournament staff may be present during the match but such will be announced prior.
If a player disconnects from the game, the default rule is there is no restart. It is up to all teams to accept a restart. But as it stands, a DC = No restart.
Spectators are not allowed in any mist league game, if you see a opposing team members using a spectator please screenshot and post with results.
No streaming while the mist league channel is live, you may stream your own games but you may not have commentators from your guild stream live. Youtube videos etc. are allowed.
The use of any third-party software or tool that alters or in any way changes the original interface / Screenshots will result in disqualification.
Any teams who are scheduled for the stream must follow above rules as well as additional below.
Any changes to the roster must be reported to the to admins/ email at least 48 hours before the official event start.
The team captain of each team will be responsible for all of the communication between the staff and the team.
All members of participating teams must check in 30-60 minutes prior to tournament start. If a full team is not checked in at the 30 minute mark, the team may be disqualified and replaced with a back up team.
All participating teams must be at their computer and ready 15 minutes prior to match start in the game room. In the situation of a team delaying the tournament more than 10 minutes, the delaying team will be disqualified and the victory will be awarded to opposing team.
All participants and representatives from Mist League must at all times act in a most respectful manner. This includes no trash talking or abusive language. Spamming/Excessive use of in-game chat may, by admin judgment, result in a disqualification.
A team captain of each team must be available, through text or Skype during and 15 minutes prior to the match for easy communication with the Administration team.
If a player disconnect it will be up to the individual referee, through evaluation and communication with opposed team, to decide if the disconnect was done for strategic reasons or if the match must be reset. But as default a disconnect is classified as no restart.
1-5x For exploiting known bugs or cheating, Point loss decided at Mist League Admins Discretion.
1x Not Attending an Assigned Stream Match without giving 72 hours notice.
Important Note – If you don't receive any Penalty Points for Two (2) weeks, your Penalty Points are reset to 0.
We reserve the right to modify the rules at any given time without notice. Additionally, we also reserve the right for official tournament admins to override any of the rules to maintain best possible competition.
Legal proceedings may not be taken against any of the Staff.
The Mist League tournament is a private tournament that you choose to participate in. Upon participation you accept all of the stated rules with no exception.


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Plastic bag charge: Shoppers in England have to pay 5p
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-34438030
Media captionWill plastic bags go out of fashion?
Shoppers in England are now being charged 5p for every plastic bag given out at supermarkets and large stores.
It is hoped the levy will cut the 7.6bn bags given to shoppers at major supermarkets every year, and retailers are expected to spend the money raised from the charge on good causes.
Campaigners have welcomed the move, but called for the law to include all retailers and all types of bags.
England is the last part of the UK to start charging for plastic bags.
The number of plastic bags given out by seven major supermarkets in England rose by 200 million in 2014 to exceed 7.6 billion - the equivalent of 140 per person and amounting to 61,000 tonnes in total.
What do people think?
Media captionThese shoppers were divided on the scheme
Brenda Chapman said: "I can see the logic in charging for supermarket bags but if I buy a book or clothes I expect a bag to transport it home in."
Raymond in Bedford said: "Very happy about the charge for plastic bags, they should never have been introduced in the first place. What an environmental disaster they have proven to be."
Katharine in Poole, Dorset, said: "In the 1970s, Safeways used to provide paper sacks for free but charge for plastic carriers. Why doesn't the government revert to something like this?"
Plastic bag charge: Five of the most English reactions
The government hopes the English scheme will cut use of plastic carrier bags by up to 80% in supermarkets, and by 50% on the High Street. It also expects to save £60m in litter clean-up costs as well as generating £730m for good causes over the next decade.
The price hike affects only retailers with 250 or more employees, and unlike schemes in other parts of the UK, paper bags are exempt from a charge.
Smaller shops are exempt from the rule change but may choose to charge shoppers for bags as well.
Free bags will still be provided for consumers buying uncooked meat, poultry or fish, prescription medicine, certain fresh produce such as flowers or potatoes, and unwrapped ready-to-eat food such as chips.
The exemptions mean the move may not be as successful as schemes introduced elsewhere in the UK, campaigners have argued
But Alice Ellison, of the British Retail Consortium, said the charge sent out a "confusing, complex message" to customers, adding England should have adopted the same policy as the rest of the UK, where all shops charge for all types of disposable bag.
What is being done elsewhere?
Image copyright PA
In 2011, Wales started charging 5p per bag and use by customers has dropped 71%
Scotland and Northern Ireland introduced their charges in 2014 and 2013 respectively and have also seen significant drops in usage
In 2002, Bangladesh became the first country in the world to ban thinner plastic bags altogether, after they were found to have choked local drainage systems during floods
All you need to know about the 5p charge
A poll for the Break the Bag Habit coalition of litter charities found 62% of shoppers in England - six percentage points higher than in 2012 - thought it was "reasonable" to charge 5p for carrier bags.
Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Asda all said customers were reacting positively to the charge, and it was "business as usual" in their stores.
Image copyright Wrap
Image caption *The UK figure contains a small number of bags allocated to the Isle of Man, and therefore may not equate to nation totals. Source: Wrap (waste reduction charity)
Friends of the Earth said the charge would significantly reduce the number of plastic bags being used by shoppers, but also called for it to apply to smaller shops.
Environment minister Rory Stewart said it could make a huge difference, "meaning we can all enjoy a cleaner, healthier country".
Regular plastic bags are not biodegradable and can remain in landfill for hundreds of years, Professor Tony Ryan, at the University of Sheffield's faculty of science added.
The 5p plastic bag charge: All you need to know
How can plastic bag addiction be cured?
Plastic bag use at supermarkets rises for fifth year