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While a certain pandemic surely played havoc on the some games' release schedule, the game industry was by and large unaffected by the Coronavirus. If fact, the industry boomed with some massive releases selling very well. The breadth of choice was such that I haven't played some of the years biggest hits - Ghosts of Tsushima and The Last of Us II will have to wait for another year while Animal Crossing was never really my thing to begin with. All three are undoubdedly worthy of any Top 10 list, some even in mine, but I'm sticking to the ones I've played. And if you want to know what those are, check out my rundown after the jump...
Despite a plethora of excellent games, for me, the year was eclipsed by a game that wasn't even entirely digital - Dungeons & Dragons. I took up the game DM'ing with a group of friends in 2019, playing the starter set's Lost Mine of Phandelver but with the necessary switch to online sessions and the start of a full-scale campaign it quickly became one of my favourite things to do.
The second most played game would also require some friends getting together online - Jackbox Party Pack. The seventh in the series released this year, but almost every week we managed to flip between the series each week, playing whatever took our fancy at the time. It was a great way to keep in touch when we couldn't physically get together and more often than not, we had a whale of a time.
Another social endeavour has been Tabletop Simulator. A good friend of mine is in the middle of creating his own board game and has been using Tabletop Simulator to test and fine tune it. Called Hall of Sentient Mirrors, you can check out the progress he's making on the road to Kickstarter on his Facebook page (which I've been constantly promoting on the sidebars to the right). It's a heavily themed tactical board game of three parts, with deep combat, tile-based exploration and a neat memory mechanic to verballly cast spells. The digital version used for testing is great - and you can try it out on Tabletop Simulator here - but I can't wait to try the physical game.
In the Triple-A space, the year was dogged with controversy. UbiSoft had an under-reported rape problem, while CD Project RED had an over-reported glitch problem. Still, add Naughty Dog to the list and all three share a crunch culture problem that the industry as a whole needs to solve. As someone who has a lot of nerdy time-consuming hobbies (can you tell?), I'm a firm believer in a healthy work / life ethic and crunch culture doesn't sit well with that. At all. Unless it is addressed, I can see that the extra-increasing complexity of game development will reach a point where the best talent will jump ship to smaller fare - as evidenced by the success of Hades in both the final product and the anti-crunch ethics Supergiant placed behind the scenes too.
Despite that last little bit of praise, I should explain why Hades isn't on my best-of list - like many others, I didn't play it. The promise of a randomised rogue-like structure put me off. It's a design ethos that I can never get to grips with as I prefer exploring a defined and curated world where area, object and enemy placement have all been carefully thought out. In a procedurally generated level, the three don't always mesh together, despite an algorithm's best intentions, so despite the overall quality and improvements in AI and programming over the years, I tend to skip them. The hype the game has recently been getting has piqued my interest, though.
Anyway, let's move beyond this and begin my own, personal Top 10 games of 2020, starting with...
Beneath a Steel Sky was one of the top-tier point-and-click adventures from the mid 90s that cemented my love for the genre. Developed by Revolution Software, it was overlooked somewhat by the success of Broken Sword. It gives me great joy that a very belated sequal came into fruition in July.
Beyond a Steel Sky is not perfect, though. The graphics and presentation hail from the tired TellTale school of game design giving it a lack of polish that would otherwise place it higher on this list. It has some pacing issues and more than its fair share of bugs when it was first released. I suspect this all harks back to it having the mobile market in the forefront of its mind, releasing first on Apple and Android devices before finding its true home on PCand Mac. As such, the computer versions are little more than ports and you can see where certain areas were cut in order to accomodate the touch screen.
That being said, the game itself could have been a lot worse. It could've been a massive disappointment pushing it far off this list, but in the end the story, characters and scope of its design make up for its shortcomings.
The story begins a little slow, despite the urgency of a kidnapped child. You again play as Robert Foster as he wanders the wasteland known as the Gap and this child abduction sets the story in motion. Except you first have to trundle a desert for days on end before stumbling upon the most annoying of roadblocks on your way to Union City - red tape. This grinds the opening to a halt, but the convoluted puzzles required to proceed prove to any player that this is without a doubt a true adventure game. And in this regard, Beyond a Steel Sky absolutely succeeds.
Over the years, as my free time gets eaten up by a variety of different projects, creative games have been set to the wayside. I could easily spent an entire day crafting a single bespoke building in Planet Coaster, fine tune enemy placement in Mario Maker or tinker with tinkles in Music Creation for the PlayStation (remember that?!). I do try to limit myself with such games but I couldn't help myself with Dreams, Media Molecule's inventive game creation system that trumps anything Little Big Planet could do.
In all honesty, anything I make is absolute shite compared to the user-created content, which spills with inventiveness. Often short, janky experiences they reminded me a lot of Double Fine's Amnesia Fortnight prototypes or the burst of creativity that comes out of Game Jam. I spent hours just trying out random projects.
If there's anything negative to say, it's in the out-of-the-box single player content created by the designers using the very same tools you'll be using. Arts Dream is an abstract series of playstyles with a meta-philosophical storyline that's truly memorable. It's also incredibly short and easy, a departure from Little Big Planet's lengthy and challenging campaign. That being said, this isn't the draw. It's the game creation tools that are simply set up and hard to master, but with some extensive and highly entertaining tutorials, this is a must for any budding game designer out there.
Unlike in the States, this side story cost us full price in the UK, and the 'new normal' full price at that. It had an RRP of £59.99 (just over $80 US), with most online outlets selling it for £51.99 (around $70). When you think that the US sells it for $50 (£36.90) then you know we were ripped off this side of the pond. By comparison, the big budget games over the previous Christmas period averaged at around £44.99 ($60) and the similarly produced stand alone addon that was Uncharted: Lost Legacy cost a more reasonable £24.99 ($33.86).
I caved with Spider-Man: Miles Morales when the price dropped to £47.99 - still the cheapest I've seen it - and I feel a little dirty about. That's way too much for what is ultimately an addon that re-uses most of the the same assets, mechanics and level structure of a fully-featured game. Hell, I'd argue that's too much for a fully-featured game too but we all know inflation and greedy corporations are a bitch.
What's worse is that I really enjoyed it too. The snowy skin of New York gave me a warm Christmassy feeling that was really needed this year, and the overall structure of the game is still incredibly enjoyable. I played it on the PS4 which I plan to keep as my go-to gaming console for the forseeable future so it wasn't the best way to play it - I did encounter a fair few graphical glitches which surprised me quite a bit - but it's still a great accompanyment to the full game from 2018. Just don't spend more than it's worth on it.
As you may or may not know, I love horror. I also love games with a heavy focus on story, so Supermassive Games' new horror franchise ticks all of the boxes for me. Last year, The Man of Medan set on a ghost ship breached my Top 10 and this year a jaunt through a town haunted by witches makes the cut.
In fact, I might actually prefer this most recent Dark Picture. It tells a more emotional and allegorical story as a group of college students and their professor make a fateful diversion through a small town known as Little Hope. Their bus crashes and they soon find themselves trapped in the ghost town by an ever imposing mist.
The goal, it there is such a thing, is to keep everyone alive. This was true to The Man of Medan and their pre-anthology classic Until Dawn, but each death appears to have more meaning here. That was one of my biggest complaints about last years effort - death seemed random and dismissive. Here there is a point, even if you won't understand it completely until the end, and what an ending it is. I have only completed it once, but I suspect there won't be much of a variation depending on who's alive and what's accomplished during yout playthrough, but if that's the case, I'm OK with that.
I got a bit VR crazy when I first bought my PlayStation VR last year, buying a number of new short experiences and old long ones. I found myself going back to the bite-sized games such as Beat Saber and Pinball FX quite a bit, leaving the lengthier likes of Skyrim or Doom barely touched. While not a massive RPG by any means, Room VR: A Dark Matter is one of the meatier titles to grip me.
The previous entries found on mobile devices saw you solving a number intricate puzzle boxes like a cultist summoning forth Pinhead and friends. The environments were a little more abstract with a lot of blank space, so the rooms in Room VR had to be a bit more tangible. And they are.
There are four main locations - a 19th century police station, a museum's warehouse, a gothic church and a witch's cottage - and each one inspires its own sense of wonder. You explore them by jumpin to select nodes, picking up and manipulating contraptions using the PlayStation Move wands (though a controller option is available). It's a little easier than other games in the series but the immersive experience is one that make VR absolutely worth it.
I know there was a lot of backlash towards Resident Evil 3 and some of them are warranted. It is a little too short and the big bad Nemesis is a little predictable and scripted compared to Mr.X and the previous game. Then again, the third Resi game always felt like something of a black sheep. For me at least, that makes it no less enjoyable.
Unlike the previous two or Code Veronica, I haven't returned to it since it first came out back in 1999 and I really enjoyed coming back to it, surprised by how many scenes and locations I could recognise from 20-year-old 32-bit memories.
Ultimately, the main gripes the gaming community had didn't bother me that much. The short length was still fulfilling, with little fluff in there. And when a scripted scene is played for plot, I sometimes appreciate that over fallibly programmed AI. A great game. Not played the multiplayer though.
I was sure this was going to be my number one game of the year. The tumultuous release put a pin in that, but there's no denying there's a stunning experience behind all of the annoying bugs and glitches. I've played it for about 3 hours on the PlayStation 4, but I will dilligently wait for more patches until I enevitably pick it up again.
That being said, the glitches haven't entirely ruined the game for me. I got one crash before the first update and a couple of floating pedestrians after that, but no worse. During actual missions in tower blocks or night clubs, I began to wonder how others managed to break it badly enough to garner millions of YouTube hits. The PS4 was supposed to be the worst version after all, but then again I'm only three hours in and I'm cautious to play more.
Criticism was very much warranted over its release, a delayed game is eventually good, but a rushed game is bad forever. After the year we've all had, gamers would've understood (I hope). A year from now, it might rise up on my list but as of now, I feel the 4th spot is deserved.
If Cyberpunk 2077 wasn't the cyperpunk game we deserved, then VirtuaVerse should more than fit the bill. An indie point-and-click adventure that ticks all of the boxes for any fan of the genre. The pixelated art style has been created to evoke the look and feel of a Commodore 64 or a DOS PC with EGA graphics - except ramped up to the nines. It's what you saw in your mind's eye while still keeping that neon retro-futurist asthetic that's oh-so 80s.
In a distopian future, you wake up in your apartment to find your girlfriend gone. Nathan, for that is your name, then decides to go hunt for her, but not before accidentally stepping on your AVR headset, breaking it. This device is a major aspect of this futuristic cityscape. Everyone has one, and most have one implanted in their brains making our boy Nathan a bit of an anomaly. Essentially this does everything a phone can do and more, including governmental control.
Being from a small developer, there is no voice work, which I feel would be an improvement. The script - translated from its original Italian and German - is very well written and on the casual side so you can almost hear what such a feature would sound like. The folks at Theta Division Games - which consists of just three core people from what I can tell - have an eye for quality and I look forward to what they do next.
The more I think about the Final Fantasy VII Remake, the more I feel it is a work of genius. The original was the first JRPG I played, after pouring over the likes of Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger in the SNES magazines only for them to never get released. I've replayed it many times, so I was a little anxious to play it. Square-Enix have missed the mark a little in their last few entires, but they've updated everything from the all-time-classic without trashing it.
The combat is smooth and frenetic, offering the tactical choices of turn-based combat with the visceral thrill of real-time action. The characters sound and behave as you would imagine and the areas - while they strangely feel a little smaller in scope - are eminently explorable and feel suitably lived-in.
My most contentious aspect was the changes to the story. The dementor-like whispers add a meta element, showng up in numbers whenever a major departure in the story occurs. In this respect, the remake isn't actually a remake, but an altered re-telling from another timeline. I'm still a little concerned as to how future parts will incorporate this. It threatens an almost Kingdom Hearts level of convolution but in this instalment it never crosses that line. I wait in baited breath of what's to come.
No matter how you slice it, it's been a strange year. So, I'm going to throw out all of the rules and choose a stange game for my number one pick. It's not a video game. It wasn't even released in 2020 - at least the module I'm playing. That doesn't stop Dungeons and Dragons from being the most played and enjoyable game I've encountered this year.
I began playing the Starter Set with a small group of friends in 2019, and I was chosen to be the Dungeon Master. It took us until March to complete the included Lost Mines of Phandelver so not long after that a meatier campaign was chosen - Storm King's Thunder. Naturally I dived head first in developing the campaign, my knowledge and my improv skills and enjoyed every moment in Faerun. What was more enjoyable was seeing my friends once a week over Zoom and Roll 20 which kinda kept me sane in an insane year.
So far, we've had an Eladrin Rogue fail to assassinate the newly appointed Lady of a fortified town, encountered a generous cloud giant who acts like an excited 8-year-old, a Tiefling Bard slaughtered a tavern full of drunkards and a Rock Gnome Wizard sneakily used magic to alter the outcome of a bare-knuckle boxing match. And none of that is found in the book! Can't wait to see what's in store for this motley group of adventurers.
Blind Prophet
Another great indie point-and-click adventure, this time centring around a modern gothic story of vampires and creatures that go bump in the night. It's gory as all heck and not at all suitable for children, but I found the art style and control mechanics was a little too hit and miss for me to place it in my Top 10. The hand-drawn art looks beautiful, but the occasionally janky animation removes any tension the great story is going for. It also behaves as if it was designed for a smartphone, with only the large and obvious hit points interactable. This knocks a few points off it in my book, but it's otherwise well worth your time.
Creaks
The unmistakeable Amanita Design aesthetics are in full force with Creaks. This time the Machinarium developers created a puzzle platformer. Our hero descends into an underground cavern, landing on the roof of a giant, delapidated, skyscraper of a building. This maze of ladders, floorboards and - I would assume - termites is home to a number of fantastical creatures that turn into inanimate objects under the glow of a lightbulb. Though entertaining, the trial-and-error obstacles do grow thin on occasion, but keep with it and a new puzzle type gets introduced to shake things up a bit. A great time, but still not sure what it's all supposed to mean.
More of the same First-Person Shooter-ing as the 2016 reboot. Just like the first one, I should've known I'd be rubbish at it before I bought it, but I just couldn't resist. I didn't get very far before I rage-quit, but I'm still glad it's in my PS4 collection. I can tell it's a quality game.
Genesis Alpha One
The closest to an out-and-out bad game that I came with one of those Humble Bundles. The concept is pretty grand; No Man's Sky meets a sci-fi Dungeon Keeper but with less procedural generation and a space station instead of a torture chamber. It's a neat concept, and it's always fun to slap on a new module to the ship and explore it. They each have their own uses, too, affecting your time on a planet's surface where you gather resources to build more or defend yourself from alien aggressors.Sadly, it's ultimately a little undercooked. The small developers at Radiation Blue couldn't build a truly cohesive game out of it, and it didn't sell well enough or have the financial backing for the developers to keep at it like Hello Games. At least it's ambitious.
Golf with Your Friends
That same bundle also had Golf with Your Friends. Being a mini-golf game, you can't expect a triple-A development budget, but the overall package is a lot of fun. The themed worlds contain all of the holes on a single map, each one occasionally interacting with the others. Some are better than others, with a few uninspired holes letting it down a little, but I had a lot of fun with this one.
Jackbox Party Pack 7
Speaking of fun, the Jackbox games sure brought a lot of it during lockdown. It was a bit of a mission to set up with internet play. We used a combination of Zoom, Skype and the Internet in the end so we could see each other while we played. That's three deviced for some groups! Other than the classic third iteration of Quiplash, our go-to game in this latest Party Pack was Champ'd Up. Here, you draw something from a desciption and then you draw another based on someone else's picture without seeing the original text. The two then go head-to-dead to see which one best fits and everyone else vote on it. Naturally, the most phallic image would win regardless.
Lancelot's Hangover: The Quest for the Holy Booze
The one-man team of Jean-Baptiste de Clerfayt created this Monty Python inspired point-and-click adventure. You play as Lancelot, the sexiest of knights, who has been ordained by God to find the Holy Grail, fill it with booze and have a merry old piss up. The biggest party England's ever known no less. The visual style takes inspiration from medieval art, animated like a Terry Gilliam short from the Flying Circus. It's filled with nudity and vulgarity and is insanely funny as a result. If you've not heard of this one, go check it out.
Mario 3D Allstars
Nintendo spent as much effort on Mario's 35th Anniversary collection as they did for his 25th. Although slapping a Super Nintendo ROM on a Wii disc ten years ago was probably worse, but at least they weren't charging £50 for it. I got suckered in by their unscrupulous sales tactic of it only being available for a limited time. I don't wholly regret it - Super Mario 64, Sunshine and Galaxy are almost perfect games after all - but it's not worth it for the money. Stick to emulated versions on PC. They've been running these games better for years.
An excellent first-person platformer that sees you transformed into a tiny bug. Based on the Franz Kafka novella, it diverts the dream-like narrative from a man named Gregor and his unloving family to a man named Gregor and his jaunt at his friend Josef's house. The platforming over books and spoons is smooth enough to escape the curse of such a game with such a viewpoint, but it does feel a little precarious on narrow pathways such as pencils and wires. It's a bit of a whimsical hidden gem that comes highly recommended.
Neightbours from Hell: Back from Hell
A free upgrade from my original GOG purchase, the upgraded remake does little beyond the basic quality of life improvements. However, this is not a gaming mainstay like Mario that deserves better, this is Neighbours From Hell. The humorous puzzle game about pranking a gruff neighbour and his family for a television show is still a lot of fun. Except now the art is crisper and you can play in widescreen. Yay!
Another tough-as-nails action game I deluded myself into buying. Believe it or not, there was a time when I had the time and patience to learn the ins and outs of such a game and complete it. I did so with Ninja Gaiden on the XBox and the original Demon Souls on my trusty PS3, but the thought of constantly replaying parts of a game to learn patterns and get good doesn't enamour me so much any more. Much like the Souls games, Nioh requires this style of play and is in full force from the outset with little motive to keep at it. At least for me. This is a calculated design feature that caters to a significant number of gamers, but the older I get the more it feels like work. If you're into such things, you're gonna really love it. I just have to remind myself of this when an enticing Nioh 3 comes around.
Panzer Dragoon: Remake
The last twelve months have been remake and re-release heavy continuing te welcome trend of previous years. We are now seeing some of the lesser-known gems getting the treatment from the Mafia series to SpongeBob SquarePants' surprisingly good outing. But in my view Panzer Dragoon Remake is one of the better ones. This series was the reason why I picked up a Saturn on the cheap in the early 2000s. To this day, they're the only reason I dust the system off on occasion. The updated graphics and framerate do onders to what was already a graphical showcase of the time, and the gameplay still holds up. Definitely one to pick up no matter what system your have.
Pumpkin Jack
Pumpkin Jack was a major surprise. It looked like another one of those lower-budget cash grabs banking on nostalgia for Sony's MediEvil. To be fair, it kinda is that, but this is no mere cash grab. The controls are tight, the graphics suitably cartooney and the level and enemy design is a lot of fun. Had this had been a third MediEvil game, I don't think many would have complained. Great fun.
If you have ever played a Shantae game, you know that they of an incredible high quality. I picked this up digitally on my Switch and enjoyed every minute of it. It is very difficult at times, but for some reason this series keeps me coming back to it. If you fancy a bright and cheery 2D metroidvania, then this is it.
I'm sure there are many other future classics I missed in this crazy year, so don't blame me if your fave was missed. That's what the comments are for! Before we get back to the forgotten retro games there's my Top 10 Movies of 2020, so stay tuned for that. Until then, goodbye!
Posted by Biffman 101 at 19:37
Labels: Top 10
angelus_04 15 January 2021 at 07:38
I'm glad someone pointed me to this site there are a lot of games that I wanted to play again but couldn't due to my computer not being able to run them anymore. The problem with my new PC is I have the cds but my new PC has no cdrom drive so this site is a godsend. Thank you for all of the hard work you do maintaining this awesome site.
Biffman 101 15 January 2021 at 15:29
Thanks! I'll keep doing my best.
Desperados 3 was the game for me. It could actually be played at any speed. That is, a novice or a expert. Had a lot of fun with that one. Still do once in a while.
Thanks for the suggestion. I might look into it when it goes on sale. Keeping an eye on Wasteland 3 too which looks pretty sweet.
Vinnie 15 January 2021 at 10:15
I have to agree with all your picks!! Fantastic choices.. However .. I would have added Ghost Of Tsushima to that list.. If you haven't had the fortune to play it yet, I suggest you give it a try.. A fantastic bit of storytelling in a truly jaw-droppingly beautiful environment.
It's on my to-play list, there's so many I didn't get round to for one reason or another. Currently going through Immortals Fenyx Rising, and that is far better than any modern UbiSoft game has any right to be.


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NASA witnesses Atlantic's Tropical Storm Gaston coming together
by Rob Gutro, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
On Aug. 22 at 11:30 a.m. EDT (1530 UTC) NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite saw Tropical Storm Gaston developing in the eastern Atlantic Ocean. Credit: NASA/NOAA
Tropical Storm Gaston was forming in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean as NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite passed overhead and captured a visible image of the storm.
On Aug. 22 at 11:30 a.m. EDT (1530 UTC) the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite captured an image of System 90L as it was strengthening and organizing. The image showed the system was developing a well-defined circulation and still consolidating. The image also revealed a large band of thunderstorms wrapping into the low-level center from the north of the center.
By 5 p.m. EDT (2100 UTC) that tropical low pressure area organized into a depression west-southwest of the Cape Verde Islands. It was the seventh tropical depression of the Atlantic Ocean Hurricane season. Six hours later the depression reached tropical storm status and was named Gaston.
At 5 a.m. (0900 UTC) on Aug. 23 the center of Tropical Storm Gaston was located near 13.2 degrees north latitude and 32.4 degrees west longitude. Gaston is about 54 miles (880 km) west of the southernmost Cape Verde Islands so there are no watches and warnings in effect.
Gaston was moving toward the west-northwest near 20 mph (31 kph) and the National Hurricane Center said this general motion with a slight decrease in forward speed is expected during the next couple of days. Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 50 mph (85 kph) with higher gusts.
Additional strengthening is forecast, and Gaston is expected to become a hurricane by Wednesday.
For updates on Gaston, visit the NHC website: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov.
NASA sees formation of Atlantic Ocean's Tropical Storm Fiona
Provided by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Citation: NASA witnesses Atlantic's Tropical Storm Gaston coming together (2016, August 23) retrieved 16 July 2019 from https://phys.org/news/2016-08-nasa-witnesses-atlantic-tropical-storm.html
NASA sees Tropical Storm Fiona weakening from wind shear
NASA spots Tropical Storm Javier at southern tip of Baja California
NASA sees Tropical Storm Earl over Mexico
Satellite spots new Tropical Storm Ivette far from Baja California
NASA sees Tropical Depression 4E form

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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HomeGadget Bridge AceFacebook to add new features to WhatsApp: Instagram Reels, disappearing images and...
Facebook to add new features to WhatsApp: Instagram Reels, disappearing images and more
WhatsApp new features will offer convenience to users and integration with other services. Here is the list.
Facebook's owned cross-platform centralised messaging and voice-over-IP service, Whatsapp is reportedly working on new features that may be rolled out soon. WhatsApp has been one of the most preferred messaging platforms worldwide. It constantly upgrades to the requirements of users for convenient and reliable communication.
The following are some of the features that may arrive soon on WhatsApp.
1) Instagram Reels
2) Read Later feature
3) Multi-device support
4) WhatsApp audio messages
5) WhatsApp disappearing images
6) WhatsApp join missed group call
7) Last seen option for select friends
Facebook has been constantly working to integrate its different services for a cohesive user experience. As a result, the company reportedly wants to integrate Instagram Reels with WhatsApp. The new feature will enable users to watch Reels within WhatsApp.
This feature will be an extension to the Archived Chats feature of WhatsApp. When the Read later feature is added to a chat, the messages received from the chat will not send notifications. There will be a 'vacation mode' that will offer features of archived chats to the read later chats.
This feature will enable users to log into their account on different devices simultaneously. Currently, WhatsApp logs you out of the first device as soon as you log into your account on a second device except when you use the Desktop app. Thus, the new feature will extend the app's multi-platform support facility.
The audio message feature enables users to send voice mails if they don't type. However, there is no feature to change the speed of the audio play. The new feature shall enable the users to listen to the audio files at 1.5x or 2x speeds.
This feature will function like the disappearing messages feature of WhatsApp. The disappearing messages feature enables users to send a piece of text that automatically gets deleted after a specific period. The new feature will ensure that image files sent on the platform get deleted after a certain time.
The Disappearing Images feature will work like the Disappearing Messages feature.
WhatsApp group call feature enables users to connect in a group voice or video call. However, a user can't join a missed invitation to the call unless he/she receives a new invitation. The new feature will enable the user to connect to an ongoing group call even if the invitation is missed.
The Last Seen feature enables a user to share the last seen states with other users. The app offers the following three choices to show the last seen status to:
User's contacts
The new feature will allow the user to maintain a list of selected friends to whom he/she wishes to show the last seen status.
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The critically-acclaimed trails of Cold steel series gets an HD remaster Featuring 4K/60 FPS support, Turbo mode to streamline gameplay, and for the first time on Console, the option to play with the original Japanese voices along with approximately 50% added lines of English voice-overs. Taking place on the same continent as the Fan favorite trails in the sky offshoot of nihon falcom's storied the Legend of heroes franchise, trails of Cold steel offers a standalone story that also delivers into the expansive lore that has become synonymous with the series as players enjoy school life, take advantage of speedy, tactical turn-based combat, and uncover dramatic events that Stand to change everything the two opposing social classes Stand for. The day 1 'decisive Edition' Includes a soundtrack CD containing 21 songs and a 50 mira replica Collector's coin, packaged with a steelbook case with a separate outer package design.


Houston officials said Tuesday they have received disturbing reports of people impersonating Homeland Security special agents and telling residents to evacuate in order to steal from their empty homes.
The city of Houston said people should ask anyone knocking on their doors for official badges and credentials with their name and organization. The city's statement also notes that during Harvey relief efforts, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement is not conducting immigration enforcement operations in the area.
HSI officials also said in their statement that their officers and special agents would be conducting hurricane relief operations with other local law enforcement agencies.
The city of Houston also said in a tweet in both English and Spanish that it is not checking the immigration status of anyone coming into shelters.


35 pages with diagrams. Square small octavo (7 3/4" x 8 1/4") issued in wrappers. First edition.
Meindert Niemeijer (1902-1987) was a Dutch lawyer, banker, managing director of an insurance company, chess historian and International Master for Chess Composition. He collected over 7,000 chess books for the Royal Hague Library for over 40 years. The chess collection is now known as the Van der Linde-Niemeijer Chess Collection at The Hague. He published 30 books on chess problems and authored over 600 chess problems. He started the Netherlands Problems Archives in 1925, which has over 50,000 problems today.
Previous owner's name in pencil on title, edge wear, corners bumped else a very good copy.


Infiniti is a division of Nissan producing luxury vehicles. It is not the most popular brand but Infiniti has brought about several well-built models to the market. Their main focus is up market buyers rivaling other higher end brands such as BMW or Mercedes-Benz. Irrespective of what your preference is, Infiniti has a number of models that cater to all types of users. Their models include hybrids, SUVs, sedans, hatchbacks and convertibles as well.
At Brooklyn Car Leasing, we have all the models from Infiniti available on lease at an affordable price. Some specific models include the Q40 Sedan, Q70 Hybrid and QX70 SUV. Owning a luxury vehicle is not so much unaffordable as the maintenance part. A small dent or fault in an engine of a BMW can cost you a fortune to repair. With Infiniti however, you get a luxury vehicle without the expensive maintenance costs.
Infiniti also brings models such Q30 Hatchback, Q50 Hybrid, Q50 Sedan, Q60 Convertible., Q60 Coupe, Q70 Sedan, QX30 SUV, QX50 SUV, QX60 Hybrid, QX60 SUV and QX80 SUV.
If you are in the market for an Infiniti, you are not constrained by any means. There are plenty of brands you can consider for the price point of an Infiniti. While choosing an Infiniti maybe due to your attachment to the brand, it doesn't hurt to look at other options. While Infiniti is Nissan's luxury vehicle Segment, other Japanese manufacturers such as Toyota and Honda have their luxury divisions namely Lexus and Acura. There is a good chance that if you like an Infiniti, you should be able to find an option by Lexus or Acura.
Our sales professionals at Brooklyn Car Leasing have in-depth knowledge across all brands and will be happy to compare and contrast the various features so you know what to expect. Additionally, we will be happy to arrange test drives for other cars you have short listed so you have an accurate idea of what to expect and can make your decision accordingly on your auto lease.
When you work with Brooklyn Car Leasing, your experience will be a lot different than working with a car dealership. Our employees act as consultants offering to assist you with problems you have. Our service does not end as soon as a deal is closed. To extend our thanks for signing your new lease with us, we take the responsibility of delivering your new car to you without any additional cost. At Brooklyn Car Leasing, you get a consultant, not just an ordinary salesman. Call us on 718-393-5553 and see for yourself.
If you are looking to get yourself a new car on lease, there may be several aspects you might not have looked into or overseen. By contacting us on our hotline, we will be happy to walk you through the steps and ensure that you are moving forward on the right track. Whether it's choosing the right model or assistance with financing, our sales representatives are always available to provide our advice. Contact us on 718-393-5553 and get started.


MedWire News: The SYNTAX score independently predicts 1-year clinical outcomes in patients with non-ST segment elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTE ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), research indicates.
Gregg Stone (Columbia University Medical Center, New York, USA) and colleagues conducted a substudy of the Acute Catheterization and Urgent Intervention Triage StrategY (ACUITY) trial. They found that in patients with moderate- and high-risk NSTE ACS undergoing PCI, the SYNTAX score was an independent predictor of 1-year cardiac mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), and target vessel revascularization (TVR).
The SYNTAX (Synergy Between PCI with Taxus and Cardiac Surgery) score (SS) is an angiographic scoring system which effectively risk-stratifies patients with left main and triple-vessel coronary disease, they explain.
"As such, the SS may be a useful tool for risk stratification in this [NSTE ACS] patient population," they write in the Journal of American Cardiology.
In the ACUITY trial, NSTE ACS patients were randomly assigned to receive heparin plus a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor (GPI), or bivalirudin monotherapy with bailout GPI use. After angiography, patients underwent PCI, CABG or medical therapy, depending on their coronary anatomy.
In the present substudy, Stone et al calculated SS for 2627 ACUITY patients using the SYNTAX algorithm. They then stratified patients according to SS tertiles of <7 (n=854), ≥7 and <13 (n=825), and ≥13 (n=948).
The findings showed that patients in the highest tertile were older, and more likely to have diabetes, renal dysfunction, baseline troponin elevation, ST-segment deviation, higher Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) risk score, and lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) than those in the lower two tertiles.
At 1-year follow-up, 2.4% of patients in the overall cohort had suffered all-cause death, 1.3% suffered cardiac death, 9.3% had MI, and 8.1% had TVR. The team found that after stratifying by SS, these outcomes were significantly more common in the highest (third) tertile than in the first (p=0.001, p<0.0001 for cardiac death and MI, respectively) and second tertiles (p=0.003, p=0.005, p=0.002, respectively).
After multivariable adjustment, SS was an independent predictor of all-cause death (p=0.005), cardiac death (p=0.0002), MI (p<0.0001), and TVR (p<0.0001).
In patients with a higher SS (≥13), the risks for all-cause death, cardiac death, and MI were increased at both 30 days (hazard ratio [HR]=3.11, 3.80, 2.00, respectively) and 1 year (HR=2.43, 7.16, 1.42, respectively) relative to patients with lower SS (<13), but the association between MI at 1 year and SS was nonsignificant. TVR was also increased, 2.55 fold, in this group within the first 30 days.
Further analysis showed that the predictive value of increased SS was consistent among the elderly, as well as patients with diabetes, renal dysfunction, and low LVEF.
"The present study thus demonstrates that in addition to clinical variables, angiographic factors [such as SS] also are important for risk-stratifying NSTE ACS patients undergoing PCI," conclude Stone et al.


text:
Ithaca-based undocumented immigrant charged for allegedly having fraudulent Alien Registration Card
by Jolene Almendarez May 11, 2017
By U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Department of Homeland Security), via Wikimedia Commons
Note: Per information from court records and confirmation from an ICE official, The Ithaca Voice originally reported that the undocumented immigrant's name was Jose Lopez Guzman. A news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office that has just been release, however, clarifies that the man's name is Jose Guzman-Lopez. We apologize for the previous error.
ITHACA, N.Y. — An Ithaca-based undocumented immigrant has been charged after allegedly being found with a fraudulent Alien Registration Card, officials said in a news release.
Jose Guzman-Lopez, 32, was taken into custody around 11:30 a.m. May 2 by multiple U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials while he was walking on the sidewalk on Cascadilla Street.
Khaalid Walls, regional director of communications for the northeast region of ICE, initially said Guzman-Lopez was specifically sought out due to "a routine targeted enforcement action" and that his arrest was not random.
"That just means he is here unlawfully," Walls said. "It's not uncommon. Officers are out there every day."
Guzman-Lopez in now charged with possession of a forged and counterfeit alien registration card, which carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and up to three years of supervised release.
Related: Explaining how, why an undocumented immigrant was arrested by ICE in Ithaca
According to the news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, "The defendant may also face deportation or other immigration law consequences if he is found guilty. A defendant's sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors."
Guzman-Lopez, has appeared in front of a U.S. Magistrate Judge in Syracuse and is being detained by the U.S. Marshal Service pending further court proceedings.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Miroslav Lovric.
Hundreds of people turned out at a rally last week in support of Guzman-Lopez in the Ithaca Commons.
"We can only conclude that ICE is targeting sanctuary cities," Mayor Svante Myrick said at the rally. "This is an attempt to bully us. There's no question they want us to stop being a sanctuary city."
Several people have since offered to pay Guzman-Lopez's bail and a fundraiser for him was at $7,500 as of Thursday morning.
Related: Ithaca rally: 'Let's get ICE out of Ithaca and Tompkins County'
Previously, former President Barack Obama issued initiatives to ensure that Homeland Security — which ICE falls under — prioritized the arrest and deportation of gang members, felons and those who posed security threats to the country.
Under President Donald Trump's administration, however, officials are being permitted to detain and deport more people.
The New York Times recently reported, "Under the new directives, the government "no longer will exempt classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement." Immigration agents can now focus on picking up and removing anyone charged with or convicted of any criminal offense, even minor ones, as well as anyone already ordered deported, regardless of whether they have a criminal record."
In Guzman-Lopez's case, it's unclear whether a criminal charge dating back to 2013 played a role in his arrest Tuesday.
According to court records, Guzman-Lopez was charged with second-degree assault after an incident that allegedly occurred Oct. 31, 2013.
The records state that an argument ensued at an Ithaca home and a man was stabbed. Guzman-Lopez was implicated in the stabbing, but witnesses did not indicate that they saw him commit the crime. Guzman-Lopez was released on $7,500 bail and the case was held for grand jury on Nov. 6, 2013.
No further action was ever taken in the case, and Guzman-Lopez was never indicted or further prosecuted for the crime. On Jan. 26, 2017, bail money was returned and his status was changed to being released on his own recognizance.
District Attorney Matt Van Houten said there are no plans to re-investigate the four-year-old incident, which is technically still considered an open case.
The attorney for Guzman-Lopez in the 2013 case, Jeffrey Walker said he was aware of his client's detainment and has been unable to get in touch with him, despite multiple attempts.
"I will not yet speculate on the reasons for this," he said.
Van Houten and Acting Ithaca Police Chief Pete Tyler have said they were not involved in the ICE investigation and did not contact ICE.
Per a Sanctuary City ordinance unanimously passed earlier this year, police officers and city officials are not permitted to ask a person about their immigration status unless they are committing a crime related to their immigration status.
The legal ordinance means that local law enforcement will not enforce federal immigration laws.
The ordinance was passed, officials said, based not only on ethical and moral grounds but because data shows that Sanctuary Cities — in comparison to non-Sanctuary Cities — have less crime, higher median rates of income, lower rates of unemployment and lower rates of poverty.
Related — Unanimous vote: Ithaca now a Sanctuary City with some teeth
Tompkins County followed suit a few weeks later and became a Sanctuary County.
The Ithaca Voice is working to obtain more information about Guzman-Lopez's case. If you or someone you know wants to report an incident involving ICE in Tompkins County, contact Jolene Almendarez at jalmendarez@ithacavoice.com.
Featured image by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Department of Homeland Security), via Wikimedia Commons.
Tagged: ithaca, public safety


9 Afan Vale Chocolates Chocolate, Sweetstuffs etc All our chocolates are hand made sourcing local ingredients where possible.
11 Motty's Thai food Food Thai food take away , dishes cooked would be green / red curry , chicken / vet spring rally.
13 Trecastle Eggs Ltd Food Free Range Hen Eggs, Organic Hen Eggs & Duck Eggs, Welsh Salted Block Butter and Welsh Cheese.
18 So Cocoa Chocolate, Sweetstuffs etc We would like to sell our chocolates alongside other Welsh chocolates, our raw chocolate, gower cottage brownies, and our delicious macarons.
25 Cafe Piccolo Swansea Food Specialty coffee and tea both to take away and to brew at home.
29 Palm Free Crafts Beautiful handmade soaps made in Swansea and 100% palm oil free.
33 Blaencamel Farm Fresh/Farm Organically grown salads, vegetables, herbs and farm produced preserves from our produce. Sometimes flowers.
39 Ruby Anne Ceramic Jewellery Jewellery Ruby makes porcelain and ceramic jewellery. With vibrant colours and clean lines, each piece is a beautifully detailed contemporary design.
41 Goggi's Cuisine Food Authentic Pakistani food.
48 Pibydd Products Fresh/Farm Beautiful fresh fruit and veg and free range eggs.
49 Nia Rist Arts Print Designer. Contemporary handprinted products for the interior market.
52 Mr Croquewich Food Artisan grilled cheese style sandwiches and croquettes with a variety of innovative homemade fillings and dips.
54 Caws Cenarth Cheese Fresh/Farm Organic Artisan Cheese. We sell Caerffili, smoked Caerffili (when available) Mature Cheddars, and flavoured matures , Perl Wen, Perl Las and Golden.
58 Sam's Meat Roasts Food Mouth wateringly good freshly cooked burgers.
61 AChc art Crafts We produce collectables in cold ceramics. Hand-made creations.
62 Plant more plants Plants/Flowers Plants from season to season and topiary and more.
65 Popty Pizza Food Wood Fired Pizzas. Authentic Neapolitan Style thin crust pizzas. hand stretched from fresh dough.


text:
Q: Does it matter what the app icon shape is? In creation of an app icon, there is an option to customize the app icon shape to be either square, circle etc. Does it matter what the icon shape is, and is there any guide on when to use a particular shape? I have just noticed that most of the media applications on my phone have a circular shaped icon.

A: I believe the app icon shape will be dependent on the theme or system icon settings.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Die Schlacht bei Cremona (auch Handstreich von Cremona) war eine Schlacht des Spanischen Erbfolgekrieges, die am 1. Februar 1702 zwischen Frankreich und kaiserlichen Truppen stattfand.

Fünf Monate nachdem Prinz Eugen von Savoyen die französischen Truppen in der Schlacht bei Chiari in der Lombardei zurückschlagen konnte, stieß er in einer Offensive westwärts mit dem Heer des römisch-deutschen Kaisers Leopold I. nach Cremona am Fluss Po vor.

Eugen plante einen Handstreich auf Cremona mit Hilfe eines ortsansässigen Priesters, der 400 Kaiserliche durch einen Kanal in die Stadt lassen sollte. Diese sollten dann das Stadttor am Po für weitere Truppen unter Charles Thomas de Lorraine-Vaudémont öffnen.

Am 1. Februar 1702 überraschte Prinz Eugen durch seinen nächtlichen Angriff die französische Besatzung Cremonas unter Marschall François de Neufville, duc de Villeroy. Die Stadt konnte vom Prinzen erobert und der Herzog von Villeroy gefangen genommen werden. Die kaiserlichen Truppen nahmen eine große Zahl von Franzosen gefangen, auch hochrangige Offiziere. 1000 Soldaten wurden bei dem Angriff getötet, viele von ihnen im Schlaf.

Doch der Plan verlief nicht ganz so erfolgreich, denn die Truppen unter Vaudemont wurden durch schwieriges Terrain aufgehalten und erreichten Cremona später als geplant. Die Zitadelle von Cremona konnte gehalten werden, weil eine wichtige Brücke durch die Verteidiger gesprengt wurde und auch dank der hartnäckigen Verteidigung des Po-Tors durch die französische Irische Brigade. Da sich eine französische Entlastungsarmee Cremona näherte, war Eugen gezwungen sich zurückzuziehen.

Cremona
Cremona
Konflikt 1702
Eugen von Savoyen
Schlacht Cremona 1702
Militärgeschichte (Lombardei)
Cremona
Italienische Geschichte (18. Jahrhundert)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Welcome to the Master of Science in Nursing Program (MSN).
As stated in the nursing department philosophy, our faculty believe in education-based differentiated practice. Your knowledge and skills at the Associate and Bachelor level are built upon and expanded in the Master's Program. This career ladder approach is one form of lifelong learning.
The required information contained in this online orientation should help provide information that, along with the catalog and website, will help you negotiate the MSN Program.


An attempt to take one's own life with the intentional assistance of another person.
A form of organizational structure for a defined group of individuals, for a religious, scientific, social, literary, educational, recreational or benevolent or commercial purpose.
The practise by an individual given asylum by one state as a refugee, to then use that status to attempt to migrate to another country.
Formally, the Athens Convention relating to the Carriage of Passengers and their Luggage by Sea (PAL), 1974, an international treaty which establishes a regime of liability for damage suffered by passengers carried on a seagoing vessel.
A proposed chronic psychological or cognitive condition which inhibits a subject individual from his/her ability to focus.
A private person who examine, inspects or verifies the accounts of another.
An act done by a person who is not conscious of what he is doing.
The post-mortem dissection and examination of an individual to determine the cause of death.
Pleadings; official allegations of fact made by a party to a lawsuit.
The removal of land from one real property and its deposit on the property of another, by the sudden action of nature (eg. water or volcano).
The decision of an arbitrator.


text:
Home Service Rates
Payment / Delinquency Policies
All water bills are due and payable upon receipt; a bill will become delinquent if not paid within 15 days from the date of which the bill was mailed. A 10% late penalty charge will be assessed and billed on current month's outstanding balances that are attributed to user charges. The 10% late penalty will not be assessed and billed to that portion of the outstanding balance that is attributed to previously assessed late penalty charges. Payments will be applied to the late penalty charges first and remaining funds will be applied to the user charges.
"Other bills" for goods and services provided by the District shall be delinquent if not paid within 30 days from the date of which the bill was mailed. A one and one half percent (1.5%) late charge will be added to all delinquent amounts. In the event a bill has been delinquent for a period of more than 180 days, the outstanding amount shall be included in the "water bill" and will be subject to the same terms and condition of a water bill.
In the event that a "water bill" is delinquent by 6 months or greater, the District shall send a United States Postal Service certified / return receipt letter to the individual listed on the service application (applicant) and require payment in full or enter into a repayment agreement with the term to include full payment within 12 months with a 1.5% late charge on the unpaid balance. In the event, that the applicant does not respond within 30 days of receipt of the certified letter, the District shall consider the service connection as abandoned, the parcel may forfeit its rights of service from that connection, and the District shall effectuate a perpetual lien against the property served. Under certain conditions, the District may remove the service connection.
For any bill delinquent for a period of 180 days or greater, the customer may request a repayment plan. The repayment plan shall be for a period of not greater than 12 months and shall have a late penalty of 1.5% per month for the unpaid balance. If the customer fails to comply with the terms and conditions of the repayment plan, the unpaid balance will be included in the next water bill and will be subject to the same terms and conditions as a standard "water bill".
Meter Installation Policy
A standard service connection includes the installation of a meter assembly at property line within a dedicated right-of-way; a service line with hose bib will be stubbed out no further than 20 feet onto customers property.
Commercial and Industrial services shall include the installation of a District approved backflow prevention assembly commensurate to the degree of hazard as determined by the water district. The assembly will be located at or near the property line but in all cases, before the first branch of the service, (within a dedicated easement). All other service connection installation criteria applies.
In the event the District cannot easily acquire easements and right-of-ways needed for lines crossing public or private property, it will be the responsibility of the applicant to provide the easement or right-of-way.
The acquisition of any meter connection shall comply with the following criteria;
(a) The purchase of any service connection must be tied to a piece of property within the District boundaries.
(b) The service connection must be installed at the time of purchase of the meter connection.
(c) If the parcel of land is presently being serviced, the parcel has the appropriate current zoning and is of sufficient size to allow for a second residence (i.e. 4 acre parcel that is zoned R-U has the appropriate zoning for two residential units), a second service connection may be purchased, at the prevailing fee schedule, including but not limited to all appurtenant connection fees, capacity fees, water rights fees and treatment cost fees.
(d) If infrastructure improvements are required to serve a parcel of land, those improvements must be paid for, installed and accepted by the District before a service connection can be purchased.
(e) The transferring of an installed service connection from one piece of property to another requires a current title report of the parcel the service connection is currently assigned to, provided by the seller and performed by a licensed Nevada title company to verify clear title of ownership with no liens or other encumbrances before being considered by the General manager or the Assistant General Manager, provided all requirements of the District's Water Rights Dedication Ordinance have been met.
(f) All service connections which are shut off and locked will be charged the prevailing monthly service rate.
Fire Hydrant Usage
The primary functions of a fire hydrant are to provide temporary water for dust control and emergency fire fighting purposes.
Water used from a fire hydrant, other than the use of fire fighting or fire training purposes must be metered.
Arrangements must be made in advance for any hydrant use other than emergency fire fighting purposes.
Any individual needing the use of a hydrant shall complete a permit application. The Moapa Valley Water District reserves the right to approve permits based upon impacts on the water system.
The permit will be issued for a specific parcel, the duration of the permit will be for a maximum of six months and the permit fee will be $30.00 per issuance of a meter plus a Monthly base rate of $64.36 and will be subject to all future rate increases approved by the Board of Directors.
The permit fee defers the cost of installation and removal of the hydrant meter and the inspection of the backflow device of the water conveyance system.
All hydrant meters need to be installed by Moapa Valley Water District staff.
Water used shall be charged at the prevailing commercial rate for Block 3 per thousand gallons.
In the case of loss, destruction, or abuse (beyond reasonable wear and tear, as determined by the Moapa Valley Water District staff) to the hydrant meter assembly, the permitted party will be liable for the repair or replacement costs of said service connection.
Any unauthorized hydrant usage will result in the following fines:
1st offense $ 1,000.00
2nd offense $ 2,000.00
3rd offense $ 4,000.00
4th offense $6,000.00
Rate Schedules
Moapa Valley Water District billing rates are updated regularly. Contact the District Office for detailed or special rate information.
2023 Service Connection Rates
2023 Water Rates
Request Document Copies
There will be a 50¢ charge per page for copies of District Documents.


Sometimes our pets eat objects, table scraps, or food that they are not supposed to. When an animal eats its normal sized and appropriate food, it first goes to the stomach and then is further digested along the intestines. A foreign body obstruction can occur when an animal eats something and it gets lodged in part of its gastrointestinal tract. When this happens, the digestive tract is unable to propel the food and it gets stuck along the way.
A foreign body in the stomach or intestines is considered a true medical emergency and can be life-threatening if not treated in a timely manner. It is important that if you witness your animal ingest a foreign object and/or they show the symptoms mentioned above, that you take your pet into a veterinarian immediately. If your animal isn't seen by a veterinarian it is possible perforation can occur (where the foreign body creates a hole in the stomach or intestines).
Your veterinarian will do a thorough physical exam and get a detailed history first to determine what needs to be done. Radiographs (x-rays) and blood work are usually done in order to help make a diagnosis. Sometimes the foreign body can be passed on its own, but surgery may be required to remove the object(s).
If your animal shows any signs mentioned in this article, they should be seen by your veterinarian.


The pancake metaphor is far from ideal. The last thing most CIOs should is simply plop technology on top of technology, cover it with a syrupy-sweet interface and hand it to users on a plate. And yet, perhaps thanks to the prevalence of stock art, a pile of pancakes is a common way many people have depicted the notion of IT that runs the entire "stack" of tools and features that run the modern enterprise.
Now, according to Chris Messina, it's also a way we can think about the kind of business users CIOs need to support.
Being full stack is an exercise in shifting between opposite poles. While there's often less support for individual work and a greater expectation of self-sufficiency (i.e. setting their own hours, using their own devices for work, etc), they're also expected to collaborate and work in groups effectively. Previously, you'd have an IT manager select the technology for a large team, but with the increasing reliance on self-provided mobile devices, individuals are left to figure out how to communicate across and connect over different platforms.
It's worth pointing out that Messina has also worked at Google, which has been on a campaign lately to try to encourage, rather than prohibit shadow IT at work. Even if you don't accept some of his conclusions (that e-mail is dead, for example), the more dynamic, flexible and responsive employee he writes about are without question going to have higher expectations of CIOs, assuming they even bother to talk to them.
Messina never bothers referring to IT leaders but suggests managers in general should walk a few miles in the full-stack employee's shoes by visiting coworking facilities and realizing what it's like to spend your time shifting quickly between networks, apps and myriad communication tools. I doubt many CEOs in more traditional industries will bother, but CIOs who want to show they're capable of more than merely maintaining and purchasing IT infrastructure could gain an advantage by showing they have plans in place to help full-stack employees succeed.
In fact, there are some CIOs who might even want to use Messina's concept to self-evaluate their ability to integrate "full stack" skills. Otherwise their efforts to contribute to the future or work — and IT in general — are at risk of falling flat. As in, flat as a pancake.


text:
module Agris
  module Api
    module Messages
      class QueryChangedDeliveryTickets < ChangedQueryBase
        def message_number
          80_600
        end

        protected

        def xml_hash
          xml_base_hash
            .merge(
              lineitemdetail: true,
              componentdetail: true,
              remarkdetail: true,
              lineremarkdetail: true,
              trancodedetail: true,
              specificationdetail: true
            )
        end
      end
    end
  end
end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


15 Providers are now Live!
WA DOH Web Services option is progressing. WA Tech to begin technical work needed for Web Services option. Timeline is still to be determined.
No providers required additional DQAs during February.
Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories may be interested in establishing an HIE connection if they can receive financial assistance to cover the expenses of the first year. Linda Pursley will continue to follow any developments for this provider.
A web services connection option is being planned for upcoming implementation. This option will allow providers with numerous EHR types to now onboard. These providers were previously unable to onboard through the HIE due to the AS2 connection requirement.
Providers who are slow to respond to next-step requests are being contacted by phone and e-mail.


text:
The 5 Best Apps to Use for the Total Solar Eclipse
Live stream while it happens.
Unsplash / Ben White
Grace Lisa Scott
During Monday's total solar eclipse, there will be a lot of different ways to watch the eclipse. For anyone who wants extra eclipse info, or even data on how much of the eclipse they are experiencing as the moon overtakes the Sun, there are several apps available for Android or iPhone. Here are a few of the best, in no particular order.
5. Smithsonian Eclipse 2017
The Smithsonian Eclipse 2017 app, which will give you a live stream of NASA coverage. The app can also calculate your own view from where you are and provide you with a virtual eclipse simulator. It also gives you access to additional eclipse info via the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Free
4. Eclipse Soundscapes
This app is engineered as a way for those who are blind or visually impaired to experience the eclipse. A collaboration between the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, NASA's Heliophysics Education Consortium, the National Center for Accessible Media and the National Park Service, this app provides an interactive "Rumble map"; which, according to the app description, works like so:
Our technology translates images of key eclipse features into a series of unique frequency modulated tones that map out variations in light and dark as the user explores the image with their fingertips. These tones are specially designed to make the user's mobile device shake, or rumble, in response to the changes.
The app also includes audio descriptions of key features of the eclipse, and a live narration of the eclipse while it's going down in the user's area. Free
3. NASA
The NASA app is an obvious choice for eclipse info and viewing. They are planning an eclipse-viewing bonanza and it can all be live-streamed from your phone. "Eclipse Across America: Through the Eyes of NASA" will be a four-hour show starting with a preview at 12 p.m. Eastern, before the solar eclipse commences after 1 p.m. Featuring live reports from across the country, it will include views from research aircraft, high-altitude balloons, satellites, and specially modified telescopes. Free
2. Total Solar Eclipse By Exploratorium
The Exploratorium, a museum in San Francisco will have telescopes pointed at the eclipse Oregon and Wyoming, and will be livestreaming the event via this app. There will also be live coverage in English and Spanish by Exploratorium educators and NASA scientists. This app also includes an interactive map that let's you see the level of total eclipse experienced from your location. Free
1. Solar Eclipse by Redshift
Another good choice is Solar Eclipse by Redshift, which gives you four different eclipse simulations: a view from your current location, the best location, from orbit, and from the Sun. It also comes loaded with illustrated facts about the eclipse and informative videos. $1.99
These 5 futuristic tech ideas could help us explore distant worlds
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By Matt Williams and Universe Today
Here's exactly how long it takes to beat Square Enix's Forspoken


text:
Home Celebrity Net Worth
Paula Poundstone Net Worth 2022
7 October , 2022
in Celebrity Net Worth
Paula Poundstone is an American author, stand-up comedian, actor and media personality who was born on December 29, 1959 in Huntsville, Alabama, United States.
She is the daughter of Vera Poundstone and Jack Poundstone. Her father works as an engineer and her mother is a housewife.
She started her career in early 1979, where she performed comedy in open-mic nights. She travelled across the states in the 1980's and performed in as many events as possible.
She started gaining popularity and rose to stardom. Acting, TV hosting, and interviews were not part of her career until she became famous.
In the 1990's, she started working as a foster parent and had fostered eight kids. Later, she adopted three children, a son and two daughters.
Paula Poundstone's Net Worth: 2022
Paula Poundstone is an American author, stand-up comedian, actor, and media personality who has an estimated net worth of $2 million. She was born in Huntsville, Alabama, the United States.
Tags: Paula Poundstone
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Breaking: Dr. M. Bawumia Home Attacked by Alleged Group Of Mamprusi Men Over arrest of their Kings Men (Video)


Join Psychedelic Sangha for a Gathering at Judson Memorial Church.
For decades, The Judson has served as a home for experimental, boundary-pushing art, social justice and spirituality. We are excited to have them host the Psychedelic Sangha community for a series of educational gatherings.
Save the date! Speakers, schedule and ticketing information coming soon.


text:
Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor; The Nutcracker (excerpts)
COMPOSERS: Tchaikovsky
LABELS: RCA Victor Living
WORKS: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor; The Nutcracker (excerpts)
PERFORMER: Emil Gilels (piano)Chicago SO/Fritz Reiner
CATALOGUE NO: 09026 68530 2 ADD 1955/59
Of his six recordings of the Tchaikovsky B flat minor, Gilels's first stereo version, taped in Chicago's Orchestra Hall at the end of his politically charged 1955 US debut tour, was the most sensational. Dazzling in stratospheric Russian pianism, it's an untrammelled powerhouse performance of visceral theatre, leonine attack and flying fingers, Gilels plunging deep into the keyboard, Reiner (as in his filmic, larger-than-life Nutcracker) alchemising an iron-willed orchestral chemistry of blood-coursing passion. Forget the crude analogue edits and the page turns, here's a chance to eavesdrop on 33 minutes of history. Ates Orga


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Melville House Books
Is Alec Baldwin unhappy with his publisher?
by Kait Howard
Via HarperCollins.
It seems that actor, comedian, and now author Alec Baldwin isn't completely happy with his editors at HarperCollins.
At least that's what Publishers Lunch reported yesterday, linking to the inaugural post on a Facebook page for Baldwin's new memoir, Nevertheless, which was published on Tuesday. In the post, Baldwin criticizes "the editors at Harper Collins" who "were… too busy to do a proper forensic edit of the material." He promises to post corrections as well as "supplemental material that did not make it into the original edition of my memoir."
It's not completely clear whether the Facebook page is real. As of yesterday, the page only had a meager forty-nine likes and sixty-one followers, though that could be because it's so new. Assuming it is real, the post isn't the most surprising thing to come from a guy who, according to Washington Post book reviewer Dan Zak, writes in the first pages of Nevertheless that he's "not actually writing the book to discuss my work, my opinions, or my life. I'm writing it because I was paid to write it." A screenshot of the post had been retweeted on Baldwin's verified Twitter account, meaning Baldwin is only going so far to air his complaints via the larger platform… or he loves the parody.
In any case, the big joke is that the post criticizes HarperCollins for overlooking "SEVERAL typos and errors," citing an example of a passage in which Baldwin (or his imposter) clarifies that when he writes he's "in love" with actresses Megan Mullally, Kate McKinnon, and Tina Fey, when what he means is he's "in love with their talent." Which isn't really a typo so much as a oversight on the author's part.
Judging from Zak's description of Nevertheless, the book sounds like a strange, not-all-that-funny exercise in ego-fueled self-deprecation, and an odd project for an actor seeing a resurgence in popularity. I recently overheard a drugstore employee telling her coworker how her seven-year-old son loved Baldwin's ongoing Trump impressions on SNL, to which he responded that, as a Trump supporter, he still found the skits hilarious.
With a game show on ABC, a WNYC podcast, and a new box office hit, it's hard to believe Baldwin really needs the money.
Kait Howard was a publicist at Melville House.
Publishers sue Audible over possible copyright infringement
New biopic to present a new Emily Dickinson
Benjamin Dreyer of Random House would really very much rather that you write more good
How to share your writing with others
alec baldwincelebrity bookscopy editorseditingHarperCollinsMegan MullallyproofreadersSaturday Night LiveSNL
Brooklyn Library names Mary Mattingly as 2020's Artist in Residence
To Kill a Mockingbird will be performed at Madison Square Garden
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University discover a lost copy of an early essay on gay rights
18th century toilets for the true book lover
This week in newspeak: Donald Trump, The Environmentalist
When love turns sour: Romance awards cancelled amidst ongoing race row
Bob Woodward has interviewed Trump for his follow-up to Fear
It's time! Audible settles lawsuit over audiobook Captions
Petersfield Bookshop gets online boost after "tumbleweed" tweet
Charles Sprawson, cult author of 'Haunts of the Black Masseur', has died
Please Step Back Ben Greenman
I Await the Devil's Coming Mary MacLane
BookBar launches program to connect readers to book clubs
Hybrid Books


text:
Q: SQL query (Change csv id's to csv name's) I have a query like this.
select pid,deptid from table1;
in which deptid is varchar and value like (1,3,4)
Now I have another table as department(deptid(int,PK), DeptName)
I want instead of get deptid from select I can get deptNames in csv.like
pid | deptname

1   | dept1,dept4,dept7

2   | dept4,dept9

What should be approach for this.

A: Assuming below is your table structure
Departments

deptid  DeptName
------------
1       HR
2       Accts
3       IT

Employee

pid  deptid
-----------
1    2,1
2    1
3    1,3
4    2,3,1

Try this
SELECT pid, Depts = STUFF((SELECT ',' + d.DeptName
    FROM @Departments AS d
    INNER JOIN @Employees AS ei
    ON ',' + ei.deptid + ',' LIKE '%,' + CONVERT(VARCHAR(12), d.deptid) + ',%'
    WHERE ei.pid = e.pid
    ORDER BY DeptName
    FOR XML PATH, TYPE).value('.[1]', 'nvarchar(max)'), 1, 1, '')
FROM @Employees AS e
ORDER BY pid;

SQL FIDDLE DEMO
Output
pid Depts
-----------------
1   Accts,HR
2   HR
3   HR,IT
4   Accts,HR,IT

A: select t1.pid, t2.DeptName
from table1 t1
join table2 t2 on t1.deptid like concat('%', t2.deptid, '%')

Although one should point out, it is not good practice to store multiple values in a single column like this.  If you have control over the table design, you should change it so each column contains just one value.  It causes lots of problems, difficulty in joining to another table is just the first problem.


Join the Office of Research and Economic Development at Mississippi State for a "Can One Lab Accident Change the World?" seminar on Thursday [Feb. 12] from 2:30-4 p.m. in the Bost Extension Center theater.
This lively and entertaining presentation will focus on the repercussions associated with several high-profile lab accidents that have taken place around the country over the past few years, and the lessons that can be learned from them to avoid similar incidents in the future.
The session will be led by MSU biosafety officer Patricia Cox and chemical hygiene officer Erin Kiess.
Please register for this free session at www.research.msstate.edu/workshops or contact Lynn Taylor at ltaylor@research.msstate.edu or 662-325-3168 with questions.


The boondoggle, which was covered widely in the Palmetto State press but got little attention nationally, sheds light on just how much money is genuinely available for an industrial-level energy transformation, if only the political will were there.
in that panel. They earned their day's pay. = ) I think I saw the one women smile as she saw the nets closing in.
Thanks, first time I got a 'better feeling' for her.
that this quizzing of the panel was not planned; that it was a spur of the moment thing. I do not know if that is a fact, but either way, it looks like the New York voters are going to get something of worth out of their elected official. I don't think many of us can say that.
If you leave a redwood splinter in your finger, it grows a new tree. hah That's an "old wive's tale" from when I was growing up among redwoods. There used to be redwoods all along the Redwood Highway but they cut them down and trimmed them up, so no homeless could congregate in those naturally sheltered areas. D-Values of course.
The Tennessee Valley Authority is a corporate agency of the United States that provides electricity for business customers and local power companies serving 10 million people in parts of seven southeastern states. TVA receives no taxpayer funding, deriving virtually all of its revenues from sales of electricity. In addition to operating and investing its revenues in its electric system, TVA provides flood control, navigation and land management for the Tennessee River system and assists local power companies and state and local governments with economic development and job creation.
For years I had this little cardboard signage that said "We're San Geronimo Valley We Do Our Part", from the National Recovery Act times. I grew up on a hill in that valley. Edit: fixed a word, self-censored the rest.
National Recovery Administration (NRA), U.S. government agency established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to stimulate business recovery through fair-practice codes during the Great Depression. The NRA was an essential element in the National Industrial Recovery Act (June 1933), which authorized the president to institute industry-wide codes intended to eliminate unfair trade practices, reduce unemployment, establish minimum wages and maximum hours, and guarantee the right of labour to bargain collectively.
lol that's what I thought but that was so long ago I thought maybe there we something new I had missed out on. but your info here is new and good to know. think tank funded to 10K per month by 5$ donations. very cool. thanks eyo..
The NRA was an essential element in the National Industrial Recovery Act (June 1933), which authorized the president to institute industry-wide codes intended to eliminate unfair trade practices, reduce unemployment, establish minimum wages and maximum hours, and guarantee the right of labour to bargain collectively.
With Clinton putting the final nails in the coffin.
have a tree hanging off your hand, not to mention inconvenient.
In a culture where "reality tv" is mistaken for real life are you truly surprised that someone has to resort to teaching through fifth grade tactics?
Hope needs to be backed up by action. Citizens...you, me, the person over there...need to let elected officials know how we feel about this, not just expect one person to carry the torch. AOC put it out there; the people are the only ones who can make changes happen.
Do you remember 2015? The season began with five candidates. It took one debate to lose two of the Dem candidates and the third dropped after the second debate. The Reps dragged on and on with their 17 candidates which only dwindled slowly. Many of the Dem candidates now will drop pretty quickly, I think. Hopefully enough so there can be decent debates about policies rather than a pageant.
I don't watch TYT any more so have not seen the video that you mentioned. I think when AOC uses the TVA, it is an example of how the government can work for the people.
AOC takes crap from 'The Left' no matter what she does.
But, here's the thing... she's out there flapping her gums. Which is ten times more than Fancy Nancy or any of the other Dims are doing. And, if that's All AOC accomplishes she alread has done more in 'Getting the Word Out' to what's going on out there in the real world than any of the other 200 Dims. Combined.
Will it amount to anything?? I guess that's most of The Left's objection to "fake progressive" AOC. "yeah, but she's all talk... " Well I would argue "all talk" is better than no talk. If nothing else she's got Fox viewers undies in a bunch about the "new Socialist on the block."
She's getting the word out. Fifth grade lingo or not. She's getting the word out. When's the last time anybody on The Left got the word out?? And my bet is she gets a lot more done than that before she's done. Some reps on "the left" might want to order some Negan $h!ttin' Pants™, becuz she ain't playing. They'll be looking at "being Primaried." Nancy, I'm looking at you.
kabuki theatre, but at least it is being verbalized in public. I had watched the video the day before, but yesterday, I was out to breakfast with girlfriends and one of them whipped her phone out and played the interview for the group. Only her and I had seen the vid, the two others were delighted by aoc's performance, as was I when I watched it. I was happy she shared it. This is how word gets out.
Like her or not, she's 29 and putting herself out there. She's going to stumble and fall, it's inevitable as we are all fallible human beings, but I'm going to cheer her on as long as her actions work on behalf of the people. Time will tell whether she allows herself to be corrupted by the corrupt system in which she now operates. I'm willing to give her that time, as I am willing to keep an open mind and give anyone that time who is willing to put themselves on the line for the people. I've done it, myself. I'm in "we'll see" mode.
I heard that civics is not being taught in schools any more. It was required for graduation when I grew up.
Wouldn't it be nice if this video beat the number of shares that the brown egg got?
All heroes have feet of clay (found somewhere in the bible). That does not mean that whatever good they have done should be dismissed or that they cannot continue to do good. What it means is that they are human.
Some interviewer will ask her questions about Russia soon. It is bound to happen becasue the media has seen that progressives and Democrats come unglued when politicians, especially ones they have respected, respond to the questions. The media knows how to drive a wedge.
@WindDancer13 thanks, because you said you heard "civics is not being taught in schools any more", I wondered what happened since I had to pass at least one Government class to get the certificate, that was where I learned Checks and Balances and all that technical blah blah blah. The Constitution, blah blah blah etc.. The Bill of Rights, these are things all citizens should have the working knowledge. Eh?
"sonoma county required classes high school graduation" was what I searched for, and a wall of charter schools, and online schools, and every kind of school except a public school was on the first page. But then I spotted Elsie Allen from Sebastopol. Sh don't say there's a sister city in Russia or I'll think Putin did it. lol Srsly, Elsie Allen is a famous Pomo basket weaver, she is in all our history books.
Are you frustrated with failed change efforts at your school or district? Are you tired of the same old, timeworn programs - built upon and within an obsolete paradigm of education? We have the solutions! Choose from several new programs/communities created by 21st Century Schools! Become a member of a global community of like-minded educators. Receive workshops, coaching, support, resources galore, and more!
Up to 10 P.E. credits can be earned through participation in an Elsie Allen Team Sport.
The U.S Census Bureau estimates that the American economy has more than 21 million "non-employer" businesses, and they constitute the majority of businesses in the United States.
30 percent of American workers now work on their own, and by 2015 the number of nontraditional workers worldwide will reach 1.3 billion.
Entrepreneurs will become a majority of the American workforce by 2020.
The Elsie Allen blurb sounds like it was written by an ad agency. "Community of like-minded educators" is very dangerous idea. Whatever happened to the diversity of ideas? Or even a balance of ideas?
Note: About half way through, an ad for the full course is thrown across the video, just click to the side of the page and it will continue.
In the current school year, 21 states require a state-designed social studies test — a significant decrease from 2001, when 34 states conducted regular assessments on social studies subjects. Only nine states require students to pass a social studies test to graduate from high school: Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. Georgia's will be phased out, but Maryland and Florida are slated to add high-stakes tests.
Although 39 states require at least one course in American government or civics, only eight states administer statewide, standardized tests specifically in civics/American government: California, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia. Of those, Ohio and Virginia are the only ones that require students to pass said test in order to graduate from high school.
According to a poll conducted from June 22-July 2, 2012 by CIRCLE for the Youth Education Fund, 80 percent of the young voters surveyed were either unable to answer or were incorrect about their state's early registration rules — suggesting a lack of emphasis given to current events and voting in state civics requirements.
The study comes on the heels of a Roper survey that indicated many college graduates are lacking in American History literacy. Two viral videos from earlier this year also suggested current students do not possess a basic understanding of current events and political figures.
#4.1 thanks, because you said you heard "civics is not being taught in schools any more", I wondered what happened since I had to pass at least one Government class to get the certificate, that was where I learned Checks and Balances and all that technical blah blah blah. The Constitution, blah blah blah etc.. The Bill of Rights, these are things all citizens should have the working knowledge. Eh?
has been cut from public education. We, the people, might learn how to overthrow our gummit or sumthin'.
learn that the government is supposed to work FOR the people.
I find it interesting that recently, Pelosi has taken to reminding the citizenry that Congress is an equal entity with the presidency (something, I think, even Congress had forgotten), not subordinate to him/her. This would have been something that a civics class would have addressed. If states are not going to teach civics, maybe they can substitute that class with a How to Wield a Pitchfork class.
but I read the NY Dems are going to eliminate her district. Can you say Kuchinich?
I think they can redraw a district, not eliminate. Boils down to about the same thing though in most cases. However, that does not mean that the voters won't surprise the ones who do dastardly deeds like this.


text:
Private transfer Playa Flamenca - Valencia Airport VLC
From Valencia Airport we offer you your own tailor made private airport transfer to the beautiful costal resort of Playa Flamenca.
Playa Flamenca is a small beach resort just south of Punta Prima and north of La Zenia on the southern Orihuela Costa Blanca.
Playa Flamenca was created in 1972 by a group of Flemish investors which turned a deserted coastline and beaches into the popular, thriving holiday destination that it is today.
Once you arrive in Playa Flamenca by private airport transfer you will find that Playa Flamenca is a quiet residential area, non-commercialised, but near to all the required holiday facilities, i.e. blue-flag beaches, championship golf, tennis, water sports, aqua parks, and go-carting. Ten minutes walk from a large shopping complex, seven restaurants and five bars serving international cuisine. There are also a few sports bars and karaoke bars where you enjoy live acts.
Playa Flamenca is every golfers Mediterranean dream, with 3 beautiful championship courses of international prestige, within a 10 minutes from Playa Flamenca.
At Valencia Airport for your private airport transfer you will be met in the arrivals hall , where your uniformed driver will take you to your chosen destination in Playa Flamenca
Pastini
I used this service after researching reviews on the internet and have to admit the service was first class. I flew into Alicante late at night and Beniconnect was there as promised. On the website there are numerous options you can choose from. I chose the cheapest for my family and I. The mode of transport was a small 15 seater bus with air con and WiFi. Beniconnect were a lot cheaper than paying for transfers via the flight company or the holiday company I booked with. I booked online and when the confirmation email came, attached was a booking reference number with clear instructions on how to find their desk. On arrival, an helpful lady was waiting at the desk and allocated us our bus. We waited for about 10 minuets, the driver loaded the bags in the back and then we were on our way, taken straight to our hotel, which luckily for us was one of the scheduled drop off points. The return to the airport couldn't have been simpler. Again, I was on a late flight. I received an email 24 hours before giving me instructions on when the bus was arriving and that I should be at the pick up point 10 minutes before the scheduled time. Beniconnect even sent an email to the hotel who pinned it up on their departure board. On the return, I literally fell out of the hotel and on to the bus. Again, air con and WiFi to keeps the kids occupied. One hour later we arrived at the airport right in front of the departure lounge. If you're going to Benidorm, I can't stress enough how professional these guys are in getting to the town.
Nicola H
Used the Beniconnnect to travel from Alicante airport to Javea. The service was quick and efficient. The bus was very clean and the driver friendly. Was easy to book on line. Highly recommend.
Booked an accessible vehicle to take us to and from our hotel, as my wife uses an electric wheelchair. The drivers we had were both really nice and helpful. Made sure the lady was safe and comfortable. They also put English music on the radio via a USB stick. Would definitely recommend.


Valdivia lies among rivers, brooks, and the greenness of its trees; it is the oldest southern city of the world, known by its endless rivers and channels that go through it. This is the capital of the Los Ríos Region, famous for its wide tourist offer, its biodiversity, emblematic architecture, and fascinating cultural expressions. This is a city where history, nature, gastronomy, and nightlife coexist perfectly. This is why whoever arrives in Valdivia understands immediately why this place is called "The Pearl of the South".
The rain is part of everyday life in Valdivia; however, the biggest tourist attractions are the outdoor activities. Among the must-do things in Valdivia are the catamaran rides along its most iconic rivers, such as the Calle Calle, the Cau-Cau, or the Cruces. The sea lions will welcome you to Valdivia's fish market called Feria Fluvial, declared National Monument, where you can enjoy the freshest fish, seafood, and produce and, at the same time, find fine local crafts. Teja Island can be reached from Valdivia by crossing the Pedro de Valdivia Bridge. There you can find the main campus of the Universidad Austral de Chile university and its 10-hectare botanical garden known by its 950 species of plants. If you are an ecotourism lover, you can visit the city's surroundings to visit the Valdivian Coastal Reserve, the Alerce Costero National Park, and the Oncol Park.
If you are looking to grasp a deeper knowledge of Valdivia, you can visit some of the museums located in Teja Island or take the tours around the Castles at the End of the World Heritage Route, located a few kilometers from the city. The General Pedro Lagos Street will send you back in time with its old wooden houses, the emblematic Church of San Francisco, or the Torreón Los Canelos historical monument.
Each year different events are held to support the artistic expressions of this region. For example, if you decide to visit Valdivia in February you may coincide with the Valdivian Week, the city's oldest festival, featuring boat trips along the Valdivia River and fireworks. However, if you prefer to travel in October, you'll have the chance to enjoy Valdivia's International Film Festival.
The German heritage is shown in the main dishes available in this city, such as the famous Crudos (steak tartars), wild boar meat, chocolate, and a wide range of beers. Seafood and fish are ubiquitous in the city's many restaurants. A good choice is to try them at the Municipal Market. Valdivia also boasts a very lively nightlife, where bohemians gather in different pubs, bars, or nightclubs, most of them located in Esmeralda Street.
Buy your ticket to Valdivia at the best price!