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[ January 5, 2021 ] Tawazun Becomes Principal Partner of IDEX & NAVDEX	Events
[ December 10, 2020 ] Rheinmetall Takes Over Maintenance of German Air Force's CH-53G Transport Helicopter	Air Force
[ December 4, 2020 ] Iran Missile Upgrades Complicate GCC Defense Efforts	Analysis
[ November 20, 2020 ] Safran selected by French Space Command, confirming its pivotal position in space surveillance	Technology
[ November 16, 2020 ] Air Defense FREMM Lorraine Floated Out Despite Health Crisis	Naval
BAE Systems Outlines Support Proposal to Japan's F-X Fighter Programme
BAE Systems has responded to a Request for Information (RFI) from the Japanese Ministry of Defence (JMOD), proposing a package of integration support to Japan's F-X next generation fighter development programme. The response to the […]
Gathering Storm: BAE Systems selects Collins Aerospace to provide next-gen actuation for UK Tempest technology demonstration program
Collins Aerospace Systems, a unit of Raytheon Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), today announced it has been awarded a contract by BAE Systems to provide advanced actuation capabilities including for the U.K.'s Tempest next generation combat […]
BAE Systems succeeds in first tactical configuration ground-launched test of APKWS® laser-guided rockets
BAE Systems successfully completed test shots of its APKWS® laser-guided rockets from a tactical configuration ground-based weapon system for the first time. The proof-of-concept testing demonstrated the flexibility of APKWS rockets to deliver standoff precision […]
APKWS® Laser-Guided Rockets: More Bang for the Buck
To support the national defense strategy, BAE Systems continues to focus on delivering the most effective and cost-efficient precision munitions. APKWS® laser-guided rockets are important for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and its allies […]
Rheinmetall and BAE Systems launch UK based military vehicle Joint Venture – Rheinmetall and BAE Systems Land
Rheinmetall and BAE Systems have today launched a new, independent UK-based joint venture for military vehicle design, manufacture and support – known as Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL). Headquartered in Telford in the West Midlands, […]
BAE Systems to Provide Flight Controls for Next-generation F-16s in UAE
BAE Systems has been selected by Lockheed Martin to provide flight controls to upgrade next-generation F-16 aircraft for the United Arab Emirates. The company will provide the F-16s with its advanced Digital Flight Control Computer, […]
A huge military buildup is underway in Qatar. But who will man the systems?
By: Chirine Mouchantaf BEIRUT – Qatar's launch of a huge air power buildup has raised a series of questions about the country's ability to incorporate systems into its military amid a crisis faced with the Gulf […]
BAE exec: We'll have a hand in a next-gen fighter 'one way or another'
FAIRFORD, England — BAE Systems wants a stake in any new European fighter program, says the executive running the British company's combat air activities. "I can't say what it will be, and I can't say when. … […]
BAE Systems in deal with Turkish Aerospace Industries to develop TF-X Programme
BAE Systems and Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) signed on 29 January 2017 a Heads of Agreement to collaborate on the first development phase of an indigenous fifth-generation fighter jet for the Turkish Air Force – […]
$245 Million Contract for UK Type 26 Gun System
BAE Systems has received a $245 million contract from the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) to provide the gun system, known as the Maritime Indirect Fires System (MIFS), for the Type 26 Global Combat Ship. […]
Tawazun Becomes Principal Partner of IDEX & NAVDEX
Rheinmetall Takes Over Maintenance of German Air Force's CH-53G Transport Helicopter
Iran Missile Upgrades Complicate GCC Defense Efforts
Safran selected by French Space Command, confirming its pivotal position in space surveillance
Air Defense FREMM Lorraine Floated Out Despite Health Crisis
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<?php

class FileDBHandler {

  /**
   * @param $filepath
   * @return mixed
   * @throws Exception
   */
  public static function readFile($filepath) {
    $content = &self::_static(__FUNCTION__ . '_' . $filepath);

    if (!isset($content)) {
      if (!self::fileExists($filepath)) {
        throw new \Exception(sprintf('Cannot read from file "%s". It doesn\'t exists.', $filepath));
      }

      $settings = FileDB::getSettings();

      switch ($settings['compression']['type']) {
        case 'gzip':
          ob_start();
          readgzfile($filepath);
          $data = ob_get_clean();
          break;

        default:
          $data = file_get_contents($filepath);
      }

      $content = unserialize($data);
    }

    return $content;
  }

  /**
   * @param $filepath
   * @return mixed
   */
  public static function fileExists($filepath) {
    $files = & self::_static(__FUNCTION__);

    if (!isset($files[$filepath])) {
      $files[$filepath] = file_exists($filepath);
    }

    return $files[$filepath];
  }

  /**
   * @param $filename
   * @param $data
   * @param bool $ignoreExists
   * @return int The number of bytes written to the file, or FALSE on failure.
   * @throws Exception
   */
  public static function writeFile($filename, $data, $ignoreExists = FALSE) {
    if (!$ignoreExists && !self::fileExists($filename)) {
      throw new \Exception(sprintf('Cannot write into file "%s". It doesn\'t exists.', $filename));
    }

    $settings = FileDB::getSettings();
    $data = serialize($data);

    if ($settings['compression']['type'] == 'gzip') {
      $data = gzencode($data, $settings['compression']['level']);
    }

    return file_put_contents($filename, $data, LOCK_EX);
  }

  /**
   * @param string $dir
   * @param string $mask
   * @param string $nomask
   * @return array
   */
  public static function scanDir($dir, $mask = '/\.php$/', $nomask = '/(\.\.?|CVS)$/') {
    $files = array();

    if (is_dir($dir) && $handle = opendir($dir)) {
      while (FALSE !== ($filename = readdir($handle))) {
        if (!preg_match($nomask, $filename) && $filename[0] != '.' && preg_match($mask, $filename)) {
          $files[] = $filename;
        }
      }

      closedir($handle);
    }

    natsort($files);

    return $files;
  }

  /**
   * @global array $settings
   * @return string
   */
  public static function getDBFolder() {
    $folder = & self::_static(__FUNCTION__);

    if (empty($folder)) {
      $settings = FileDB::getSettings();
      $folder = $settings['db']['folder'];
    }

    return $folder;
  }

  /**
   * @param string $tableName
   * @return string
   */
  public static function getTableFile($tableName) {
    return self::getDBFolder() . '/' . $tableName . '.' . FileDBTable::EXTENSION;
  }

  public static function &_static($name, $default_value = NULL, $reset = FALSE) {
    static $data = array(), $default = array();

    if (isset($data[$name])) {
      if ($reset) {
        $data[$name] = $default_value;
      }

      return $data[$name];
    }

    if ($reset) {
      return $data;
    }

    $default[$name] = $data[$name] = $default_value;

    return $data[$name];
  }

  public static function _static_reset($name) {
    //error_log(print_r('RESET STATIC ' . $name, true));
    self::_static($name, NULL, TRUE);
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The Disabled Soldier Support System is an Army program that provides personal support, advocacy, and follow-up. This program reflects The Army's commitment to our Severely Disabled Soldiers, their families, and their communities.
The Army will provide severely Disabled Soldiers and their families with a focused system that recognizes their unique sacrifices in support of national defense as well as their individual requirements as they transition from active military service to contributing members of their civilian communities.
- Provide a system of advocacy and follow-up to severely injured and ill Soldiers and their Families with personal support during their rehabilitation and transition back to military service or into the civilian community.
- Assist Soldiers and their families in accessing critical resources.
- Facilitate Soldiers' and families' contact and coordination with external supporting agencies (VA, Labor, Veteran Service Organizations, etc.).
- Ensure Soldiers' and family member's access to non-medical support services throughout the rehabilitation, return to duty or separation / retirement process, and for 5 years following retirement.
- Ensure access to a network of information and resources wherever needed.
The DS3 can facilitate assistance with and provide information about family travel to VSI/SI Soldier's bedside (Invitational Travel Orders - ITO's), pay issues, options for Continuation on Active Duty (COAD), The Medical Evaluation Board (MEB) and Physical Evaluation Board (PEB) process, federal government and private sector employment opportunities upon retirement and many other topics as well.
A championship weekend for the Army! Not only did Tony Schumacher clinch his second straight World Championship, he won the Budweiser Shootout, and also won the race in Las Vegas! A perfect weekend for him in which he won the largest amount of prize money ever in a single weekend in the history of drag racing. Teammate, Angelle Sampey, made it to the pro stock bike finals but lost to Chip Ellis. Joe Nemechek finished 23rd in Martinsville after a pit road penalty that resulted in him being penalized one lap. The PBR World Finals begin next weekend in Vegas, although Mike Lee, James White, and Jaron Nunnemaker all competed in the Challenger Tour event this weekend in D.C. with both Mike and Jaron making the Short Round. Watch for Mike in Vegas these next 2 weekends!


Since Hydromagic version 6.0, the software has built in support for motion sensors.
Motion sensors can be used to correct your soundings for heave, pitch and roll.
Hydromagic uses the motion sensor measurements to calculate, together with the beam width settings, the corrected depth and the transducer and GPS antenna displacements. To calculate the displacements a valid heading is required as well.
In Hydromagic, motion sensors are configured using hardware plugins supplied with the software.
Supported devices include Teledyne TSS, SBG Systems, IMU and compatible hardware.
A motion sensor can be calibrated in the "Motion Calibration" section of the preferences window.
To open this tab, select "Preferences..." from the options menu, and select the "Calibration" tab.
Heave is used to correct the vertical motion of the vessel, caused by for instance, waves.
It is important to disable heave compensation by a motion sensor when heave is corrected within the hydrographic echosounder.
For this, select the "Echosounder outputs heave corrected depths" check box. The heave offset box will be disabled.
To use offsets for your motion sensor, enable the offsets by checking the "use motion sensor offsets" check box.
Use the motion sensor offset fields to correct the roll (x), pitch (y) and heave (z) offsets outputted by a motion sensor.
Enter the heave offset in the vertical units used by your project (usually meters), the pitch and roll offsets are always in degrees.
When done, just click "OK" to apply the values. In the data view the heave, pitch and roll values should now contain valid values.
When calculating the corrected depth and depth position when a motion sensor is used, the software needs to know the beam width(s) of the transducer.
These values can be found in the documentation of your echosounder or transducer. When no motion sensor is used in the software, these values will be ignored.


The Parental Lock is normally accessed via your device's MENU or SET-UP function, which can be accessed using your remote control. It may also be found under SETTINGS or OPTIONS.
While most digital TVs, set-top-boxes and digital recorders have a Parental Lock function, some older models may not have this feature.
You should check you product manual or user guide, or contact the manufacturer if you are having difficulty finding this feature on your particular device.
I don't know my PIN.
When accessing the Parental Lock for the first time, the PIN will be a default PIN set by your manufacturer. In most instances this will be 0000 or 1234. Once the default PIN is entered, you can then nominate your own PIN.
If you can't remember or have lost your PIN, consult your product manual or user guide or contact the manufacturer. You may be required to reset your device to the default factory settings. Please note that this will erase all settings and may require you to rescan for channels.
When I activate the feature, the program or channel that I have blocked can still be viewed.
In some cases, you will need to either change channels or turn your TV or device off and then back on again for the lock to be activated.
Check that you haven't accidently selected the block off or lock off feature.
In some cases, to block a particular classification and above, you will need to select that classification and each other classification, individually.
Some sport content, such as news and current affairs programs are not subject to classification and therefore will be able to viewed, unless you have chosen to block a whole channel.
You should also be aware that, in most cases, the Parental Lock feature does not work on recorded programs this includes content that has been paused even for a moment.
In some cases, you may be able to apply the Parental Lock feature for various inputs into your device. Check that you have activated the device for the channel or input that you are viewing the content.
I can't turn off the Parental Lock.
Check your settings to ensure that the block all or lock system option has not been selected.
My screen has gone to black.
A black screen often means the Parental Lock has been activated for that particular program or channel. Check your Lock feature to ensure only the content you want to block (classifications or channels) has been selected.
Try unlocking all and reselecting the options you desire.
Try turning your TV off and then back on again, and accessing your Lock feature again to ensure you have only selected the content you wish to block.
When accessing the Parental Lock for the first time, the PIN will be a default PIN set by your manufacturer. In most instances this will be 0000 or 1234.
If you can't remember or have lost your PIN, consult your product manual or user guide. In some cases, the manual contains instructions on how to over-ride the PIN, otherwise you will need contact the manufacturer directly. You may be required to reset your device to the default factory settings. Please note that this will erase all settings and may require you to rescan for channels.
You should consult your product manual or user guide for instructions on how to use the Parental Lock feature on your particular device. You may also need to contact your manufacturer for further assistance. Click here to view a list of manufacturer website links.


Now that we're building on last week's 5 Hilarious Wrestling GIFs, we have a new set that are bound to to leave you cracking up at the blunders in sports entertainment. As we can see by these pictures, these pro-wrestlers put themselves on the line in order to put on a show. Due to the physical, and sometimes unpredictable, nature of these matches, some botches can happen, followed by absolute hilarity.
Be on the lookout for John Cena doing a Superman leap, the big boss botch, a flying monkey and a stinging chair. Sound the bell because these matches are done, it's time for 5 Hilarious Wrestling GIFs Part 2!


Based on many years of experience of test fixture design and fabrication - not the least for RF applications - Columbia has developed a series of test fixtures for the Bluetooth module market. The special design provides a totally shielded environment for the unit under test making it possible to perform all necessary tests under RFI-free conditions.
A semi-automatic, pneumatically operated fixture with a sliding pressure top providing a very short mechanical cycle-time. The unit is prepared for full, multi-station automatic operation using a centrally placed robot arm for UUT load/unload.
This small device is a manually operated fixture for accessing a single Bluetooth module. Featuring the same RFI-shielding properties as Columbia's larger fixtures, it is ideal for initial testing during product development.


Audio stories, image, flash programming. Collaboration with writer Fredrik Lloyd.
Memo was an online work, a network of audio pathways that poetically combine hearsay with imagined narratives. 'The Hill' was generated collaboratively with the community of Symondsbury and Bridport (Dorset), around Colmer's Hill, a subject of local myth and rumour.
We began the project during a Labculture Residency at PVA in 2001 and its development was supported through PVA and Lighthouse, Brighton. It was premiered at the Hospital Festival in Brighton and shown at the Bridport Museum.


Practice managers, physicians, supervisors and industry experts will gather to share best practices, debate issues and participate in discussions about today's industry.
Look forward to an event full of helpful tools for operating a successful medical practice!
Our 2019 keynote speaker will provide ideas and motivation to help "Shift Your Perspective" while addressing the topic of implicit bias in healthcare. This presentation will benefit you both personally and professionally as you learn about the ways in which these implicit associations impact decision making (despite our good intentions), and what actions can be taken to prevent and respond to this bias.
Get a reduced room rate & helpful info.
Physicians have a duty to stay informed. Attend both 2C and 3C to earn CME that qualifies for the State of Ohio's Certificate to Recommend CME requirement.
We'll explore topics to help you—and your patients—be happier and healthier with valuable techniques for managing stress, fatigue, and balance.


text:
Q: Set DNS manually on KDE The Network Manager on KDE gets DNS configuration from DHCP and sets it automatically, but I would like to use the Google Public DNS. If I overwrite  /etc/resolv.conf with nameserver 8.8.8.8 it still resolves names with the old DNS (probably cached in memory) and, of course, even if it worked, it would be annoying having to do that every time I connect to a network.
I've noticed the Network Manager lets you specify a fixed DNS with the rest being taken from DHCP, but that's on a per network basis, and I would like to set it once for whichever network I connect to (if you're on the go with a laptop that becomes an issue).

A: This entry explains static DNS setup which is done on per-interface basis.
Shortly: open or create the configuration file /etc/dhclient-IFACE.conf (IFACE would be eth0 for wired and wlan0 for wireless connection) and append an prepend domain-name-servers NAME.SERVER.IP.ADDR; line for each of Google nameservers.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Having a long term vision of the challenges one needs to face to realize one's ambition what we need to learn rather than what we want to do and then having the spirit students thesis face that challenge. Without the proper behavioral principles and values, TPS can be totally misapplied and fail to deliver results. The effort to achieve JIT exposes many quality problems that are hidden by buffer stocks; by forcing smooth flow of only value-adding steps, these problems become visible and must be dealt with explicitly. The tools are just different ways to work around certain types of problems but they do not solve them for you or always highlight the underlying cause of many types of problems. This may simply be asking a greater level of performance from a process than it can handle without taking shortcuts and informally modifying decision criteria.
In Factory PhysicsHopp and Spearman describe this as romantic JIT, where the belief in the methods is more important than the actual understanding and results. Determines company's current competitive position and growth potentials in selected markets both old and new. The tools are just different ways to work around certain types of problems but they do not solve them for you or always highlight the underlying cause of many types of problems.
To link these three concepts is simple in TPS and thus lean manufacturing master thesis. Other additional wastes added were for example "space". Womack and Daniel Jones pointed out in "Lean Thinking", what Ford accomplished represented the "special case" rather than a robust lean solution. For a complete listing of the "old" and "new" wastes see Bicheno and Holweg  The identification of non-value-adding work, as distinct from wasted work, is critical to identifying the assumptions behind the current work process and to challenging them in due course.
The accumulation of waste and energy within the work environment was noticed by motion efficiency expert Frank Gilbrethwho witnessed the inefficient practices of masons who often bend over to gather bricks from the ground. Ford's singapore airlines case study solution has startled the country, almost the world, financially, industrially, mechanically.
Like any other problem, it has been working on trying a series of countermeasures to solve this particular concern. This may simply be asking a greater level of performance from a process than it can handle without taking shortcuts and informally modifying decision criteria. No one tool can do all of that. Management technique rather than change agents has been a principle in Toyota from the early s when they started emphasizing the development of the production manager's and supervisors' skills set in guiding natural work teams thesis compare and contrast essay did not rely upon staff-level change agents to drive improvements.
Kiichiro Toyodafounder of Toyota Motor Corporation, directed the engine casting work and discovered many problems in their manufacturing.
In non-manufacturing processes is still huge potential for optimization and efficiency increase. To this end, the course covers the following topics: Here is one approach to strategic planning: These wastes were not originally a part of the seven deadly wastes defined by Taiichi Ohno in TPS, but were found to be useful additions in practice.
Decades later, the renowned Japanese quality guru, Genichi Taguchidemonstrated that this "goal post" method of measuring was inadequate. To maintain this condition, to strengthen our control of home markets, and, above all, to broaden our opportunities in foreign markets where we must compete with the products of other industrial nations, we should welcome and encourage every influence tending to increase the efficiency of our productive processes.
In Principles of Scientific Management, Taylor said: Set time, cost, and quality improvement objectives for improving efficiencies of those company processes that relate to providing total customer satisfaction. Others have compared it to cargo cult science. Good enough never is, no process singapore airlines case study solution ever be thought perfect, so operations must be improved continuously, striving for innovation and evolution.
Lean Operations Management Students will examine the philosophy and key principles of Operational Excellence, learn how to map value streams in order to identify and eliminate waste within organizational processes, and become familiarised with the creation of a continuous improvement culture.
This stretch and improvisation leads to muri-style waste, which leads to downtime, mistakes and back flows, and waiting, thus the muda of waiting, correction and movement. He built on the already existing internal schools of thought and spread their breadth and use into what has now become the Toyota Production System TPS. Reduce total costs: However, the emergence of the "value curve analysis" promises to directly tie lean improvements to bottom-line performance measurements.
Poor Richard's Almanack says of wasted time, "He that idly loses 5 s. Acquire new customers. He decided he must stop the repairing of poor quality by intense study of each stage of the process. Advice for a Master thesis topic Topic Tools Note: Statistics This course will allow students to review the fundamentals of statistics applied to management and prepare them to better understand the Lean Six Sigma approach.
Select essential survival goals such as correcting company weaknesses or countering threats. Firstly, muri focuses on the preparation and planning of the process, or what work can be avoided proactively by design. Develop new products to meet existing and new customer expectations.
And with these appears, as at once cause and effect, an absolutely incredible enlargement of output reaching something like one hundredfold in less than ten years, and an enormous profit to the manufacturer. Muda is then discovered after the process is in place and is dealt with reactively. Sell more existing and more enhanced products to current customers.
Understand customers' needs, wants, desires, demands, requirements and expectations. One of the dislocative effects of lean is in the area of key performance indicators KPI. Taking responsibility for other people reaching their objectives. Lean services Lean principles have been successfully applied to various sectors and services, such as call centers and healthcare.
Edwards Deming 's quality movement of the s, later helping to develop improved understanding of key areas of focus such as cycle time variation in improving manufacturing quality and efficiencies in aerospace and other industries. To illustrate the state of this thinking Shigeo Shingo observed that only the last turn of a bolt tightens it—the rest is just movement.
When bombarded with questions from our group on what inspired his thinking, he just laughed and said he learned it all from Henry Ford's book. Set specific objectives for improving the company's products in terms of features, performance, lower costs, improved quality, etc. Without the proper behavioral principles and values, TPS can be totally misapplied and fail to deliver results.
Based on various examples, this course places special emphasis on transformations that are caused by advanced digital technologies. For surfacing these issues other tools are much more widely and effectively used.
While Ford is renowned for his production line, it is often lean manufacturing master thesis recognized how much effort he put into removing the fitters' work to make the production line possible.
To minimize cost, a company must produce only to customer demand. Having a long sample research proposal abstract vision of the challenges one needs to face to realize one's ambition what we need to learn rather than what we want to do and then having the spirit to face that challenge.
Having filled in the back-story, Otero proudly points out the many anti-muda features of this unit. Using this method, Virginia Mason VM identifies and eliminates waste and inefficiency in the many processes that are part of the health care experience, making it possible for VM staff to deliver the highest quality and safest patient care.
Eliminate waste: Genchi Genbutsu: First, perform a yearly business analysis: Views expressed in these forums do not necessarily represent the views of the Lean Enterprise Institute. He will carry water for years instead of putting in a few lengths of pipe.
The elimination of waste is the goal of lean, and Toyota defined three broad types of waste: It is seen through variation in output. To stay competitive in today's marketplace, a company must understand its customers' wants and needs and design processes to meet their expectations and requirements.
Emphasize agility and flexibility in company operations, especially manufacturing. An innovative pedagogical method A truly international environment An excellent employability rate for our M. Unreasonable work is almost always a cause of multiple variations.
A pin a-day is a groat a-year. These core management principles are articulated around the essay writing about oxygen pillars thesis compare and contrast essay Continuous Improvement relentless elimination of waste and Respect for People engagement in long term relationships based on continuous improvement and lean manufacturing master thesis trust. Determine which improvements in company processes should be made to improve process efficiencies, such as in manufacturing.
You expect they will be sold cheap, and, perhaps, they may [be bought] for less than they cost; but, if you have no occasion for them, they must be dear to you. This formalization stems from problem solving. Types of waste[ edit ] Although the elimination of waste may seem like a simple and clear subject, it is noticeable that waste is often very conservatively identified.
Reducing the time it takes to finish an activity from start to finish is one of the most effective ways to eliminate waste and lower costs. And whenever the new method is found to be markedly superior to the old, it should be adopted as the standard for the whole establishment.
It exhibits in higher degree than most persons would have thought possible the seemingly contradictory lean manufacturing master thesis of true efficiency, which are: So, for example, Value Stream Mapping focuses upon material and information flow problems a title built into the Toyota title for this activity but is frases para iniciar un essay strong on Metrics, Man or Method.
The introduction of a non-stooping scaffold, which delivered the bricks at waist level, allowed masons to work about three times as quickly, and with problem solving in division for grade 6 least amount of effort. Third, assuming growth is the main company goal, decide what must be done to grow.
This became the seed of autonomation and Jidoka. Save and have. His whole idea, when there is extra work to do, is to hire extra men. June Learn how and when to remove this template message The role of the leaders within the organization is the frases para iniciar un essay element of sustaining the progress of lean thinking.
The muda and mura inconsistencies must be fed lean manufacturing master thesis to the muri, or planning, stage for the next project.
"As a therapist" - essay for physical therapy acceptance at postgrad level.


Oh, my god, this book was AMAZINGGGGGGGG !!!!!
Maya is one tough lioness, and oh she isn't just a lioness, but I can't tell you what she is.
Of course with brothers like Grey and Talon, she has to be tough right? Well, Maya made a deal to become the mate of an Alpha of a pride. And now she finds herself with one big problem.
August: Yep the snow leopard whose family works at the club.
Alpha through and through. And he will show you exactly what he is made of.
By far so the best in this series.
I likely have said that about many of them haha. I just love this authors stories.


The Amazon is the world's largest rainforest and one of the most bio-diverse areas on our planet. Yet if current rates of deforestation continue, the Amazon rainforest will be completely destroyed by 2260.
InfoAmazonia is an online platform for the collating and sharing of important data and news items relating to the Amazon rainforest, with a view to protecting the fragile forest ecosystem from the scourge of illegal deforestation. Launched in 2012 by journalist Gustavo Faleiras, the project began as a partnership between the Brazilian environmental news agency O Eco and Internews, with support from the Climate and Development Knowledge Network. The maps and publishing system were designed by US company Development Seed.
A network of journalists, news organisations and NGOs from the nine Amazon countries deliver updates on the region, and use the platform to share information and stories about the rainforest. The platform gives them access to a wealth of open data, as well as satellite images, maps and graphics to help them better inform the public on the health of the forest. The public are invited to submit web links to stories about the Amazon, which are pinned on maps and given context with information on such issues as deforestation and forest fires.
Faleiras' vision is that as InfoAmazonia adds more data and visualisation tools, it will become the chief hub of reliable, local and regional information about the rainforest. With better information, the public will be better placed to hold authorities to task and put pressure on them to make responsible decisions when it comes to the fate of the region. The aim is a noble one that is easy to get behind: to stop and reverse environmental damage to one of the most remarkable rainforests in the world.
InfoAmazonia encourages citizen participation and is inviting visitors to submit their own stories about the Amazon rainforest via the website: http://infoamazonia.org.


We've been carrying out Wirral House Removals for years and have based our success on offering a combination of first class service coupled with unbeatable prices. We can offer a moving package to suit every budget whether you're moving from a one bedroom flat or a six bedroom house we have the knowledge and expertise to ensure your Wirral removal goes smoothly and doesn't cost the earth.
Our Wirral man and van option is an excellent choice if you want the quality and level of service that you would expect from a large removal company but with prices equivalent to a local man and van operation.
We have carried out Man and van work in Wirral, across the North West and the rest of the country. Why not read what some of our customers tell us on our testimonials page?
The name Wirral occurs in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle as Wirheal, literally "myrtle-corner", from the Old English wir, a myrtle tree, and heal, an angle, corner or slope. It is supposed that the land was once overgrown with bog myrtle, a plant no longer found in the area but plentiful around Formby, to which Wirral would once have provided a similar habitat. The name was given to the Hundred of Wirral around the 8th century. In the Domesday Book and shortly afterwards, the name of the hundred changed to the Hundred of Wilaveston, which later became Willaston.
The first steam ferry service across the Mersey started in 1817, and steam-powered ships soon opened up Wirral's Mersey coast for industrialisation. The 1820s saw the birth of the area's renowned shipbuilding tradition when John Laird opened his shipyard in Birkenhead, later expanded by his son William. The Lairds were largely responsible for the early growth of Birkenhead, commissioning the architect James Gillespie Graham to lay it out as a new town modelled on Edinburgh. In 1847, Birkenhead's first docks and its municipal park, the first in Britain and the inspiration for New York's Central Park, were opened, and the town expanded rapidly. Birkenhead's population of less than one thousand in 1801 rose to over 33,000 by 1851, and to 157,000 by 1901. The town became a borough in 1877, incorporating within it Oxton and Tranmere.


I used to think that interviewing protocol was common knowledge. I've seen too many disasters of late, and am now forced to reconsider. Obviously, job interviews vary from company to company but if you follow these rules you'll have a better chance of setting yourself apart.
1. The first rule happens pre-interview in writing your resume. Your resume must have correct spelling and sentence structure. If it doesn't, you will not be asked to start the interview process. Have a few people proofread your resume and make changes as needed. Also, don't have gaps in your work history or be prepared to explain why they exist.
2. Be 10 minutes early to your interview. Make whatever allowances you must; because being late for your first impression is an automatic disqualifier.
3. Dress at least one level above the dress code of the company you are interviewing for. You don't need a tuxedo for a lifeguard interview but in most instances: a suit or professional attire will be appreciated, and you'll be deemed more interested in the role by dressing well. Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you wear jeans, t-shirts, flip-flops or casual wear to an interview! If you are the best software developer in the world you may get away with wearing your pajamas to an interview (maybe) and still get hired… for the rest of us: dress like you want the job.
4. While we are talking about your attire personal hygiene is just as, if not more important, than attire. Body odor, unkept hair, and dirt on your clothes or person are an instant deal breaker.
5. When you meet the interviewer look them in the eye and shake hands firmly. There is no substitute for confidence.
6. Bring an additional copy of your resume to the interview. Yes, I know you already emailed them a copy, but bring another one. Often interviewers make notes on your resume during the interview and even if they don't you'll look prepared and gain credibility.
7. If you have a current business card, bring it to the interview. I realize this is becoming a nostalgic practice, but it shows professionalism and is another reminder of who you are and that you should be taken seriously.
8. Many companies utilize Behavioral Job Questions. You can find examples of commonly asked questions online. Spend a little time in the days leading up to your interview and review them. Don't just think about how you'd answer them but verbalize your response. When you hear yourself talking you'll have a better idea of whether your answer sounds credible. There will likely be a question about how you handle challenges or overcome mistakes you've made. You should have an answer prepared beforehand for this. Use a real example of how you've resolved the issue they present you with.
9. Before you interview with a company get online and do research on them. Having some background on their history, company culture, products or specialties will set you apart from other interviewees.
10. Have a few questions prepared to ask the interviewer. You can relate a question to something you saw on their website or ask them what they like best about their job. But, always have a few questions in your back packet to position yourself in a positive light.
11. Finally, thank the interviewer for their time once the meeting is complete. Ask at that point about the timeframe and next possible steps. This shows interest in the role and eagerness to move forward in the process.
Older PostWhy Use a PEO?


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Calloway v. AT&T Corp.
United States District Court, N.D. Illinois, Eastern Division
DIANE CALLOWAY, et al., Plaintiffs,
AT&T CORP., et al., Defendants.
HONORABLE EDMOND E. CHANG UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE.
Telephone-call center employees brought this collective action against five AT&T entities, alleging that the employees were deprived of overtime wages in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), 29 U.S.C. § 216(b). R. 1, Collective Action Compl.[1] The Defendants responded with a motion to dismiss, arguing (among other things) that this Court lacked personal jurisdiction over the various AT&T companies. R. 24, Defs.' Mot. Dismiss. The employees contend that they cannot respond to the Defendants' motion without at least some limited discovery on personal jurisdiction. So the Plaintiffs have filed a motion to stay briefing and to take limited jurisdictional discovery. R. 28, Pls.' Mot. Stay.
For right now, the Court accepts as true the complaint's allegations relevant to personal jurisdiction and draws all reasonable inferences in the employees' favor. Central States, Se. & Sw. Area Pension Fund v. Phencorp Reinsurance Co., Inc., 440 F.3d 870, 878 (7th Cir. 2006).
The Plaintiffs have worked at telephone-call centers in several Midwest states, including Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio, since at least October 2015.[2] Collective Action Compl. ¶ 136. During the proposed collective-action period, these call centers were operated by four AT&T entities: AT&T Corp., AT&T, Inc., AT&T Teleholdings, Inc., and AT&T Services, Inc.[3] Not surprisingly for call-center employees, the Plaintiffs' main job duty was talking on the phone with customers about their AT&T services. Id. ¶ 141. The employees were usually scheduled to work at least 40 hours per week, and they had to take a daily 30-minute unpaid lunch break. Id. ¶ 142.
The employees' typical work day looks like this: they arrive before their scheduled shift and review any promotional or operational materials related to current customer offers, bonus structures, and system requirements. Collective Action Compl. ¶ 143. Then, the Plaintiffs log onto various computer programs that they need to use throughout the day, including two known as IEX and CTI. Id. ¶ 144. IEX generates the Plaintiffs' work shifts, and CTI logs the time that call-center employees are on customer calls. Id. ¶¶ 124, 151. These tasks can take several minutes to do. Id. ¶ 144. And Plaintiffs must complete them all before they clock in at the start of their scheduled shift, at which point they are expected to be ready and available to take customer calls. Id. ¶ 145.
When it is time for their lunch break, call-center workers are required to log out of every computer program and system, and then log back in when they return. Collective Action Compl. ¶ 148. At the end of their shift, the Plaintiffs must make sure to log out within one minute of their scheduled shift, unless they are in the middle of a customer call, as is often the case. Id. ¶¶ 149, 155. When logged out, whether it be during their lunch break or after the end of their shift, the employees often times continue to perform work related duties, including discussing work matters with managers and supervisors, reviewing call notes, and performing follow up work from prior call sessions. Id. ¶¶ 157-58.
Despite all that extra work, however, call-center representatives' payroll reflects only their scheduled shift hours, not the actual hours worked. Collective Action Compl. ¶¶ 163-69. This happens for two reasons. First, to be compensated for any time worked in addition to their scheduled shift hours, the Plaintiffs must send a request for overtime to a management group called the "Force Team." Id. ¶¶ 159-162. Without this request, workers are not compensated for their overtime. Id. But supervisors often instruct employees to not submit overtime requests that are eight minutes or less. Id. ¶ 170. Second, when it comes time to process payroll, the IEX system does not automatically adjust a call-center representative's IEX schedule to reflect the actual time logged into CTI. Id. ¶ 153. The way payroll processing works is that the IEX schedules are converted into payroll data using software called (using yet another acronym) TVI. Id. ¶ 28-29. And TVI uses a "rounding" function in the conversion process that rounds down the hours worked. Id. ¶ 30. In the end, the Plaintiffs miss out on getting paid for most of the overtime hours they work pre-shift, during their lunch break, and post-shift. Id. ¶ 175.
On the whole, the Plaintiffs work less than eight minutes in overtime on a given day. Collective Action Compl. ¶ 166. But those eight minutes can add up. One of the plaintiffs, Doretta Wagner, for example, estimates that she worked about two or more hours of overtime per week. Id. ¶ 174. So the Plaintiffs brought this collective action, alleging that these pay practices violate the FLSA. The Defendants moved to dismiss the Complaint, arguing (among other things) that the Court lacks personal jurisdiction over all five defendants. Defs.' Mot. Dismiss. The employees then filed motion to stay, arguing that they are unable to respond to the jurisdictional arguments without some discovery. Pls.' Mot. Stay.
II. Legal Standard
A complaint need not allege personal jurisdiction, but once a defendant moves to dismiss on that ground, the plaintiff bears the burden of establishing that jurisdiction is proper. Purdue Research Found. v. Sanofi-Synthelabo, S.A., 338 F.3d 773, 782 (7th Cir. 2003). Sometimes discovery limited to the personal-jurisdiction dispute is warranted: "it is within the discretion of the district court to allow a plaintiff to conduct limited discovery in order to establish that jurisdiction exists." Sanderson v. Spectrum Labs, Inc., 248 F.3d 1159, 2000 WL 1909678, at *3 (7th Cir. 2000). At the same time, however, the "plaintiff must establish a colorable or prima facie showing of personal jurisdiction before discovery should be permitted." Central States, 230 F.3d at 946. In other words, a plaintiff seeking jurisdictional discovery must advance "proof to a reasonable probability" of the facts necessary to establish federal jurisdiction. Anthony v. Sec. Pac. Fin. Servs., Inc., 75 F.3d 311, 316 (7th Cir. 1996); see also Indag GmbH & Co. v. IMA S.P.A, 150 F.Supp. 3d 946, 971 (N.D. Ill. 2015).
Generally, courts grant jurisdictional discovery if the plaintiff can show that the factual record is at least ambiguous or unclear on the jurisdiction issue. See e.g., Wells v. Hospital Group of Illinois, Inc., No. 02 C 6111, 2003 WL 21704416, at *3 (N.D.Ill. July 23, 2003); Ticketreserve, Inc. v. viagogo, Inc., 656 F.Supp.2d 775, 782– 83 (N.D. Ill. 2009). The standard is not particularly onerous, but a plaintiff's request will be denied if it is based only upon unsupported assertions of personal jurisdiction. See Central States, 230 F.3d at 946 (citing Andersen v. Sportmart, Inc., 179 F.R.D. 236, 242 (N.D.Ind.1998)).
III. Analysis
         There are two types of personal jurisdiction: general and specific. uBID, Inc. v. GoDaddy Grp., Inc., 623 F.3d 421, 425 (7th Cir. 2010). The Plaintiffs do not explicitly say on which type of jurisdiction applies here, whereas the defense ...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Check Your Parameters: Make certain the person installing the flowmeter understands the installation parameters and have him check with the vendor regarding specific piping, power, and classification requirements.
Be Nice: Consider your maintenance folks when you select and position the flowmeter. For example, it's a good idea to pay the extra money for the option of wall-mounted remote electronics when the equipment is, say, 20 feet in the air.
Mind Your Manuals: Make sure the installer doesn't throw away the installation and operating literature after the initial installation is complete. You can be sure you'll need this information again, especially if you don't have it.
Tags:	Below I've highlighted key pieces of advice in the areas of flowmeter installationmaintenance and specification in the hope that this information can help you avoid some of the most common pitfalls that confront flowmeter users in real-world application environments.


We can alter any of our in-stock neckties to a narrower point, shorter length or even convert to a bow tie. You can even buy two of the same tie and we can combine them to make a longer tie, if needed. Simply add this service to any tie purchase and include the final tie width or alteration you'd like made in the comments section of your order.


Executive Order D-195-11 Paxton Products, Inc.
Executive order D-195-11 was approved by the California Air Resource Board on March 10, 1993 for emissions compliance and installation on vehicles in New York and California. This executive order approved parts marts manufactured by Paxton Products, Inc. /.
This Executive Order approved the specified parts on on March 10, 1993.


With the warmer weather, people are more willing to show off their skin—even on their feet. Sandal season is officially here. For most people, you may not need to think twice about slipping on your Chacos or other open-toed footwear. If you have psoriasis, though, showing off your lower limbs may be embarrassing. Worse, myths about psoriasis that too many people believe can make others around you uncomfortable when they see your feet.
It's caused by poor hygiene: Psoriasis is an autoimmune skin disease. It's something that you have a genetic tendency for, though outside factors like stress and injuries can make it worse.
It's contagious: The condition is not caused by an infection, so you can't "catch" it from another person.
It isn't treatable: There are plenty of treatments that can reduce symptoms and outbreaks. While the issue can never be completely cured, it can be managed with intentional care.
It only affects the skin: This is a systematic disease. While it normally manifests in the skin, it can lead to arthritis as well.
Psoriasis can be very uncomfortable and look unsightly, but it doesn't have to control your life. With a little care and investment in your health, you can manage the condition and deal with outbreaks quickly and effectively. If you have raised, red and scaly patches of skin on your lower limbs, contact us at Absolute Foot Care Specialists for an appointment or more information about treating the problem and relieving the pain. You can reach our Las Vegas offices by calling (702) 839-2010 or using our website contact form.


In order to accurately record any scene, whether it's a person's face, a piece of jewelry, or a landscape, you have to measure the amount of light that exists in a scene. There are two basic methods for measuring light: You can either take a reflected reading by measuring the light reflecting off of your subject, or you can take an incident reading by measuring the light as it falls on the subject. Both types of metering can produce precise exposures if you know how to interpret the data that your meter supplies. Many Sekonic meters give you both metering options—along with some sophisticated features not found in even the most advanced cameras with built-in meters.
The use of the neutral gray standard allows a reflected light meter to render correct readings for "average" subjects in "average" lighting situations. Light meters, however, can't see subjects and interpret them the way you can—they measure only one thing: the intensity of light. That's fine if you're photographing a medium gray man in a medium gray suit on an average day, but not entirely accurate in other situations.
Handheld reflected light meters (including built-in camera meters) read the intensity of light reflecting off the subject. Because they measure the light after it hits the subject, however, they are affected by the reflectance of the subject's surfaces. And because most reflected readings are taken from the camera position, they generally take in a wide area that can include many different reflective surfaces or colors that can bias the meter reading. If you're photographing a person walking on a sandy beach on a bright day, for instance, the light reflecting off of the sand will overwhelm the reading and result in an underexposed image of the person.
A reflected meter will provide different readings for, say, a white cat and a black cat—but it will provide an exposure that records both as the same middle gray. Similarly, a pristine fresh-fallen snow and a black coal field will be recorded as the same color: medium gray. A reflected meter will also record a red apple and a green apple as the same tone—even though in reality they reflect vastly different amounts of light. You can improve the accuracy of your reflected readings by placing an 18% neutral gray test card in front of the important subject areas, but that's not always practical.
A better alternative to reading the light in many scenes is to use an "incident" meter. Handheld incident meters read the intensity of light falling on the subject and are usually taken from the subject position. Because they are not affected by variances in subject color or reflectance, incident meters accurately record the amount of light falling on the subject. In the majority of situations, an incident reading is extremely accurate and records tones, colors, and values correctly.
Some reflected meters, known as "spot" meters, have the ability to take reflected readings of tiny areas of a subject from the camera position. Spot metering is an ideal solution in a lot of special situations where incident readings are impossible and normal reflected readings are unreliable. These include scenes with distant subjects, backlight, an extreme brightness range, highly reflective surfaces, or a main subject in motion.
Spot metering an 18% gray midtone area allows you to make an exposure that will record detail, tonality, and color accurately. Once you get accustomed to "reading" scenes, you'll be able to tell which subject areas have an "average" reflectance, and even in the most contrasty situations, you'll be able to take spot readings from critical areas. For example, by taking a spot reading of a tall, green saguaro cactus (a medium-toned subject) in the middle of a bright, sandy desert, you'll get an accurate reading of the important subject area. Spot meters also allow you to average readings from several brightness areas within a scene.
Although a number of advanced SLRs offer spot-metering capability, the metering angle is directly related to the focal length of the camera lens in use. Every time the lens is changed, the effective spot-meter angle changes. With a normal lens in use, the spot-metering angle may be 15 degrees or more. A handheld 1-degree spot meter, on the other hand, allows the most selective measurement of distant subjects and small areas in complex scenes.


Randy is one of the filmmakers and founding members of AC. He has the dream job of getting to travel all over the world to film the work of our nonprofit clients and then come back to the beautiful city of Chicago to edit them into compelling short stories.
He started making movies as a young kid, starting with his grandparents' old Super8mm film camera, experimenting with Lego stop-motion. When home video camcorders came out, he shot dozens of tapes, making homemade music videos, comedy sketches and shows with friends. Before helping to start Advocate Creative in 2012, he worked as a full time filmmaker with Nuru International, alongside AC's creative director, Doug Scott. He is passionate about collaboration and working as a team to craft a story.
Because of some of the limitations of filming in the developing world, Randy has become a bit of a production ninja. He has been continuing to develop his craft, shooting and editing a wide variety of videos for nonprofits for the past 18 years.


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Doctor Who: Terror of the Vervoids (1986) [DVD]
Posted on April 27, 2015 Updated on May 31, 2015
1986 was a dark time for the Rebel Alliance. I'm sorry, I mean a dark time for Doctor Who fandom. The series was under searing attack from the higher echelons of the BBC who had recently put it on hiatus for 18 months and only grudgingly brought it back for season 23 because of fan pressure, warning that the show was very much on probation and taking up space in the last chance saloon. Added to that, long time series contributor Robert Holmes died suddenly while writing a key part of the season's interconnected overarching storyline, other writers pulled out and story ideas fell through. On top of all that, producer John Nathan-Turner had a spectacular falling out with script editor Eric Saward who stormed out and gave a excoriating interview to a magazine which was particularly scathing about Nathan-Turner, the show's star Colin Baker and pretty much the entire production team and show – which was pretty rich considering he'd been at the heart of it for four years, and Nathan-Turner had even put his own job on the line to keep Saward when the BBC hierarchy wanted his head over some perceived infraction or other.
With the show battling for survival, I'm afraid I was missing in action. I was having a far more interesting time at university and had put away such 'childish things' as I saw them back then. Besides, I'd never taken to the Sixth Doctor – even to this day, when asked what my favourite story from Colin Baker's tenure in the Tardis is, I can't actually offer an answer because none of them come up to an acceptable quality threshold in my eyes. And I feel bad about saying that because Baker himself is a lovely person and, as I later discovered, a rather wonderful actor. I saw him on stage a couple of years after he left Doctor Who, performing the central role of Sidney Bruhl in Ira Levin's play Deathtrap at the York Theatre Royal opposite Anita Harris, and he was really outstanding. It's clearly not Baker I have a problem with in Doctor Who but rather the way he was required to portray the part and the stories he was given. And of course that spectacularly God-awful costume.
Similarly I have to say I also had a rather long-standing massive aversion to Bonnie Langford having grown up during the time when she starred as the (intentionally) loathsome Violet Elizabeth Bott in a 1970s adaptation of Richmal Crompton's Just William stories. It was hard for me then to separate child actor from fictional role, and apparently the Doctor Who production office had much the same problem when they cast Langford as the Doctor's latest companion since they continually seem to envisage Melanie as little more than a grown-up Violet, equally grating as she harangues the Doctor into a get-fit exercise routine and vegetarian diet which is oh-so 1980s. Anyway, having seen more of her work over the intervening years together with interviews which show her to be a talented, creative, hard-working and intelligent performer all I can say is that I'm very sorry to have been so nasty, critical and dismissive of Ms Langford back then. But equally, I still can't stand the roles she was playing at the time – she simply does 'annoying' and 'irritating' far too convincingly for her own good!
Not that to be honest I was watching Doctor Who at the time. I honestly can't remember if I saw "Terror of the Vervoids" when it originally aired but I'm pretty sure I have never seen it since on UK Gold or any other satellite/cable channel, let alone viewed the DVD until now. Watching it this week is effectively a first viewing as far as I am concerned, and was sparked by a Twitter post from a writer of Doctor Who books and audio plays and books which asked, "Only 4 per cent of top Doctor Who fans can answer this question: who poisoned the Mogarians on the Hyperion III?" I had to confess I wasn't one of the four per cent; indeed, I didn't even have a clue as to what story it related to let alone what the actual answer was! That gap in my knowledge irked me, and so I felt that I had to delve further into the matter starting with identifying the classic-era serial in question.
"Terror of the Vervoids" is a story of murder and plant infestation on a commercial spaceliner in 2986AD. In point of fact that's not a title that ever appears on screen; instead it's the unofficial name given to episodes nine through 12 of "The Trial of a Time Lord" which is the proper form of address for the whole of the composite season 23 after Nathan-Turner and Saward rather wittily decided that they might as well make the fact the series was on trial in real life explicit on the screen. It's a rather clever metatextual touch and the show has some other touches of Steven Moffat-esque timey-wimeyness going on, such as the character of Melanie making her first appearance as a seasoned companion even though her introduction had never been shown. If Colin Baker had stayed with the show longer then no doubt that would have been allowed to play out with an proper 'introduction' story down the line, but even though that never happened it's rather nice to find that the show was capable of such out-of-the-box thinking like that long before the 21st century reboot came to pass.
The pleasant surprises continue into the first episode of "Terror of the Vervoids" (or episode nine of "The Trial of a Time Lord" if you prefer; oh, hang it, I'm sticking to the "Vervoids" designation for the rest of this blog post.) I always make the mistake of thinking that 1980s Doctor Who was full of overlit bland and flimsy sets with no atmosphere, but that's not the case here – well, not entirely the case by any means. There's a terrific multi-level set used for the cargo hold of the Hyperion III where much of the action takes place that looks impressively robust and industrial, and the lighting is really very well worked out daring to be quite dark and moody in places to allow the suspense to build. The director Chris Clough is also working hard to put in some nice stylistic touches which aren't perhaps strictly necessary but nonetheless add immeasurably to the whole thing, with little moves and pans and crane shots making the whole thing just that bit higher quality.
Unfortunately it doesn't last. Other sets get lit by arc light, such as the passenger lounge strewn with sub-B&Q garden furniture. Time and money soon starts to run out forcing Clough to focus on just getting the thing on tape without the trimmings; there's one scene where he gathers the actors around a murder victim and the static tableau looks like something you'd get in an infant school nativity scene when everyone has to pose around the manger of the baby Jesus. The FX are also not a strong point – if anything, the BBC's capacity for model work seems to have gone backward from its 1970s heyday despite the gradual introduction of increasingly sophisticated electronic tools, used here to create an odd but reasonably effective black hole for the episode 3 cliffhanger. But where things really fall down is in the creature design and execution. Thank goodness the Vervoids show up late because they're painfully ineffective when they do: depending on the angle they're shot from, the headpieces look alternately like a phallus or a vagina, while the rest of the creature's body is literally an actor wearing a black tracksuit on which lots of leaves have been glued.
Still, the show has got away with worse plenty of times in the past, so long as it had a good script. Which is where we arrive at a discussion of Pip and Jane Baker, the husband-and-wife writing team behind this and three other instalments of the show. I have no wish to be nasty about the Bakers since they seem like really nice, pleasant people on the chatty if scattershot audio commentary that accompanies this DVD release. They're the type of couple you would love to have as your next door neighbours since they would always be happy to greet you with big smiles on their faces and the offer a helping hand if you needed one. And as writers you have to credit them with showing up and delivering a story for the show when it really needed one and when apparently no one else in the UK was willing or able to do likewise. Neither is it a particularly bad piece of work – there's a lot of interesting ideas and perfectly sound, professional craftsmanship on display in their scripts.
It's just that … Oh dear, I can't put it off any longer. Judging from this outing, Pip and Jane seem to have two big problems when it comes to producing scripts: one is character, and the other is structure – and these I think you'll agree are pretty big problem areas for anyone writing drama. Underlying the former is a rather spectacular tin ear for naturalistic dialogue, with no one in "Vervoids" speaking like a human being or distinguishing themselves from anyone else in the guest cast. Pip 'n' Jane also delight in ransacking their thesaurus for every conceivable arcane multi-syllabic word that no one has ever in the history of the universe actually used in normal conversation with another human being, which only adds to the growing sense of artificiality. As for structure, there's no sense of flow or development in this story. Scenes happen almost at random, so much so that one character is forced to flit from laboratory to passenger lounge to gymnasium every ten minutes with each scene in which she appears; she pays half a dozen visits to the gym in the course of a few hours suggesting that she has a serious addiction issue when it comes to exercise.
That character is Professor Lasky, played by The Avengers and Goldfinger star Honor Blackman, and the rest of the cast is similarly impressive with Michael Craig, Malcolm Tierney and Denys Hawthorne also involved in the "Vervoids" story while the separate "Trial" sequences feature the wonderful Lynda Bellingham and Michael Jayston as judge and prosecutor respectively. Unfortunately the dialogue they're given by Pip 'n' Jane sounds like the sort of thing you'd get from the pen of a precocious seven-year-old protégé, and so the performers generally take their lead accordingly and work to that demographic resulting in some universally poor acting. It's probably the worst performance I've seen from undoubted national treasure Honor Blackman, although such is her innate talent that she's still by far the best thing about the "Vervoids" sequences. (Jayston continues to steal the show overall as the Valeyard.)
The worst thing about the script is that it's trying to be a space-age "Murder on the Orient Express" style whodunnit; but whodunnits take a lot of discipline to write as they require precise attention to structure in order to set out the crime and lay out all the clues in a way that's guessable but not too obvious. Unfortunately, Pip 'n' Jane are entirely the wrong people for that sort of project as they don't really have the level of attention needed to pull it off successfully. Their idea of a whodunnit is to set up virtually everyone as being involved in some sort of dangerous deception, spray a load of suspicious events, murder and red herrings into the air and then choose a culprit seemingly out of a hat in the last five minutes for the Doctor to expose just before he and Mel head back to the Tardis so that they can leave before anyone asks him to explain.
There's really no point to going into detail about all the plot holes, loose ends and glaring oversights, omissions and errors in the whodunnit plot. Better people than I have tried, and I dare say they all died of old age before the work could be completed because there's just so much to unravel. Suffice to say that not only are there no actual clues pointing toward the character the Doctor accuses, but that it makes no sense for the character to have done what s/he supposedly did or when. Two very specific clues actively point to another person who isn't even considered as a suspect by the writers but is the only person with the opportunity to poison an undercover investigator in episode two. or kill two Mogarian hijackers in episode four by throwing a glass of water over them (yes, really.)
(NOTICE: Skip the next paragraph if you're avoiding spoilers.)
That has brought me full circle to the tweet that encouraged me to dig out the DVD of this story: "Who poisoned the Mogarians on the Hyperion III?" Apparently according to the script as written it's all down to Lasky's scientist colleague Doland (Tierney) who receives the blanket blame for all the deaths that aren't down to the titular vegetative monsters of the week. But the fact that the Mogarians greet their killer with the bizarre line "We did not request refreshment" only makes even the slightest sense if it's directed at the Hyperion III's stewardess Janet (Yolande Palfrey) who coincidentally had earlier been seen in back of shot tampering with the drinks before they were handed to the soon-to-be-deceased undercover investigator. But apparently she's still not the killer – unless the Doctor got it completely wrong. I'm guessing that the four per cent of Doctor Who fans credited with being able to answer the question posed in that tweet will say it was indeed Janet, although it comes to something when the audience needs to work this hard to dig the script writers out of a deep hole of their own confused making.
(Spoilers concluded.)
Actually the Doctor could very well have got it wrong, since Pip 'n' Jane are further encumbered by the unnecessarily convoluted and pace-killing extra layer of the overarching "Trial" framing sequences, in which it is specifically established that the testimony being viewed – the footage of the "Vervoids" story in other words – has been falsified and distorted so we can't trust what we see. Any of it. There's one sequence explicitly showing the Doctor destroying vital communications equipment, which he vehemently denies doing – but in yet another example of the black holes littering the script, no one else is ever revealed as having done it. Oh wait, is it supposed to be the same person the Doctor fingers as the overall guilty party at the end of the serial? Well yes, if he had any reason, motive or opportunity to do so then it just might …
Urgh. Enough is enough. You get the picture. And in fact, "Terror of the Vervoids" isn't really all that bad or even actively terrible, it stands up perfectly well enough while you're watching it. It's only when you stop to think about the plot for longer than one second that the whole thing turns into a pile of dust on the floor. In other words, like so much of Doctor Who of the mid-80s, the show is an exercise in filling four 25 minute spots on the TV schedule and nothing more (and there really is a lot of padding in episode three in particular)
Small wonder that Nathan-Turner wanted out. The BBC top brass agreed he could finally leave the show, on condition that he was the one who delivered the news to Colin Baker that he was being fired as the Doctor. Nathan-Turner agreed and did the dirty work – at which point the management reneged on the deal and told Nathan-Turner he was going nowhere unless he quit the BBC. So there he stayed for another three years until Doctor Who finally came to a halt after season 26 at the end of 1989. Not wanting another fan backlash, the BBC never actually cancelled the show; they just never formally renewed it, not for another 16 years.
The irony is that by the time it was 'not formally renewed' the show was back on its feet and very much on an upward swing. There are some fantastic stories in those last three years including "Remembrance of the Daleks", "Ghost Light" and "The Curse of Fenric" which ensured the show went out on a creative high. The renaissance started with Nathan-Turner's appointment of Andrew Cartmel as Saward's successor as script editor. Cartmel brought in fresh new talent that was well-suited to writing science fiction including Ben Aaronovitch, Marc Platt and Ian Briggs who were all strongly motivated to making Doctor Who burn brightly again.
As is very ably demonstrated by "Vervoids", that's exactly what was missing in the Sixth Doctor's time – writers who understood the show. Saward himself never did. He famously despised the goodie-two-shoes character of the Doctor as portrayed by Peter Davison and wanted someone harder-edged, only to then loathe the Sixth Doctor who was supposed to deliver exactly that. Similarly, Pip 'n' Jane – lovely people, to be sure, and doubtless first to volunteer for the local church fete – also seemed to be under the misapprehension that they were writing a soap like Triangle rather than science fiction. But they tried, Gawd bless 'em, and you have to give them some modest credit and at least a small thank you and appreciative round of applause for helping to keep the programme afloat until more robust hands arrived to take up the strain.
Indeed, everyone who worked on "Terror of the Vervoids" surely deserves that same kindness and consideration for all the effort they put in. It's just unfortunate that the end result of their labours is best left tucked out of sight and not thought about too much, other than as a warning to the future for what happens when great shows fall on hard times Let's hope that it never again happens to Doctor Who and that we never have to endure any more such trials of a Time Lord.
"Terror of the Vervoids" is only available on DVD as part of "The Trial of a Time Lord" boxset, which was released in September 2008.
This entry was posted in Television and tagged Bonnie Langford, Chris Clough, Colin Baker, doctor who, Honor Blackman, Lynda Bellingham, Michael Craig, Michael Jayston, Pip and Jane Baker, Terror of the Vervoids, The Trial of a Time Lord.
Whodunnit? The Complete Series 1 (1972-3) [DVD]
Empire S1 E1 (E4)
2 thoughts on "Doctor Who: Terror of the Vervoids (1986) [DVD]"
John Hood said:
An apt quote from The Empire Strikes Back! 😉
andrewlewin responded:
I originally opened just with "1985 was a dark time for Doctor Who fans" and then realised the cross-franchise mash-up. It was just impossible not to lead with once I saw it!


European womenswear designer Ramune Piekautaite is one of the best-known fashion names in her native Lithuania, with her romantic RTW womenswear line, bespoke couture orders (Lithuanian brides love her) and a newly released perfume her fashion house has it all.
Quite obviously, she is not just a talented designer and a successful businesswoman, she is also a stunning beauty who, at 46, is a perfect model for her own name perfume. No surprise she used to work as a professional model in the 80s.
Well, we think it looks flawless, with silky smooth atmosphere and soft music by the composer Marius Narbutis. What do you say?
Find out more about the designer on Fashion Bloc.
Get your own Eau de Parfum by Ramune Piekautaite on her online store.


// Runs the closure, and then quits the |run_loop|.
// Returns callback which runs the given |callback| and then quits |run_loop|.
// true if the prefix is removed.
// testing, running at the specified port number.
// |base_url| must be set to the server's base url.
// architecture and return the results via callbacks.
// Following code implements a callback to copy such results.
// // Prepare result storage.
// // the async task.
// // Hereafter, we can write expectation with results.
// Note: The max arity of the supported function is 4 based on the usage.
// Following helper templates are to support Chrome's move semantics.
// Declare if the type is movable or not. Currently limited to scoped_ptr only.
// We can add more types upon the usage.
// InType is const T& if |UseConstRef| is true, otherwise |T|.
// instead of rvalue reference.
// Helper to handle Chrome's move semantics correctly.
// types and movable types in the callback declaration.
// |InType| is const T&.
// 2) Otherwise, |T| as is.
// Copies the |in|'s value to |out|.
// Copies the |in1|'s value to |out1|, and |in2|'s to |out2|.
// Copies the |in1|'s value to |out1|, |in2|'s to |out2|, and |in3|'s to |out3|.
// the arity limitation of Callback.
// Helper utility for recording the results via ProgressCallback.
// Helper utility for recording the content via GetContentCallback.


text:
Battle in Seattle & The Port Huron Project, Dir: Stuwart Townsend/ Mark Tribe, Now Playing
There is a new wave in agitprop, but it's familiar to the old timers. Referencing, conjuring, sentimentalizing, and recreating the passion of the New Left and eco-warriors, performance artists and marquis actors are engaged in a frenzied effort to get viewers to aim higher. Defining the end points of the continuum of fine art/popular culture, performance artist Mark Tribe's Port Huron Project and actor cum Charlize Theron paramour cum director Stuart Townsend's Battle in Seattle highlight every (should be) obvious parallel between today's wars and corporate oligarchies and those of yesterday.
Battle in Seattle—Townsend's directorial debut —presents a loosely historical, fictionalized account of the protest against the World Trade Organization that shut down that city in December 1999. The protests introduced most people to the WTO, A vastly powerful, deeply corporate, and often anti-democratic global economic institution. In The Port Huron Project, Mark Tribe offers a series of re-enactments of civil rights and anti-war speeches from the 1960s and '70s.
Both films are characterized by an intense nostalgia for revolution, and both strain for a cultural moment that hasn't quite arrived. They both made me cry. I cry a lot these days, and most people think that's fair, what with the financial collapse and global warming and the way governments keep starting wars they'll never finish like I keep picking up Finnegan's Wake.
All throughout Battle in Seattle I broke down into these big shaky cries that seemed to disturb the people sitting in front of me. People who kept looking back at me but never asked if I was okay. These people made me suspect that even though Battle is ably conceived, well paced, easy to watch, and offered a perspective which almost never gets aired in America, it must fail on some level.
Transfixed by the love song to activism they were watching, clapping at the triumphant moments on screen, my fellow audience members couldn't muster the energy to speak to someone right next to them who was obviously near breakdown. I can't blame them for it. Today's problems explode on the scene quickly, and as we learn be outraged in a kind of shorthand, we abbreviate our compassionate responses, too. Corporate greed is heartbreaking.
It's nice to see the impish utopia of Battle in Seattle's world of solidarity lived out among a group of social justice, environmental, and animal rights activists. The film strives to be conventional in its plot, casting, and pacing. But Townsend delivers fresh, accurate portrayals of how people did manage to block major intersections using only carabineers, steel piping, and their own bodies. And he provides a concise overview of the WTO and resonant moments of the zeitgeist of a pre-Patriot act America.
Andre Benjamin is forced to comply.
Battle in Seattle is being sold on star power and stunt casting. An actor with name of face recognition appears in almost every big role. Andre Benjamin (Outkast), Joshua Jackson (Dawson's Creek), Ray Liotta, Charlize Theron, Woody Harrelson...No matter what your taste, there's someone in Battle in Seattle who, when they appear on screen, you will say, "Oh, I like them." It's a testament to what an ostensibly dilettante director can produce. Townsend brought all those actors together, and he got them to perform with a lot of heart.
Townsend pulls much of the form of his film from Medium Cool—the revolutionary 1969 merging of drama, documentary, politics, and media theory —that utilized the events of the 1968 Democratic National Convention to indict a complacent America and amoral media in the depressing march of history. Battle's a categorically weaker film than its predecessor, capturing an incredible historical/cultural instant with dignity and power but stretching the credible at every other turn, but it still merits the comparison. Watching the two films might indeed prove Marx's adage that history repeats itself, the first time as tragedy the second as farce.
The Port Huron Project, too, conjures Medium Cool. Using speeches that could be mistaken for words of today, Tribe asks, as Cool's director Haskell Wexler did, whether neutral disinterest is a moral choice. "What in fact has the war done for freedom in America?" A dreamy-eyed actor asks, quoting a 1967 speech by Students for a Democratic Society president Paul Potter: "It has led to even more vigorous governmental efforts to control information, manipulate the press, and pressure and persuade the public." Point taken: dreamy eyes make everything sound more convincing, and not much has changed since Potter urged us to name the system that controls us.
Both The Port Huron Project and Battle in Seattle offer guilt trips of the highest order, and we should learn a thing or two hundred from the anti-war icons of the Vietnam era, and the thousands of protesters who stopped 1999's World Trade Organization. But if politically engaged filmmakers keep focusing on how little ground has been won, will we lose sight of how much ground has been lost?
Environmental, human, and animal rights organizations proliferate the FBI's list of "domestic terrorist organizations" and preemptive police repression resulted in nearly one arrest for every 12 protesters at the recent Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota. It's these examples that call up the best lesson from Medium Cool: we owe the world a film about today.
Sarahjane Blum
The opinions expressed by Walter Matthau are his own and do not represent the views of the editors of the Brooklyn Rail or Sarahjane Blum.
Kate McQuillen: Wave Amnesia
By Robert R. Shane
JUNE 2021 | ArtSeen
The feeling of having a word on the tip of your tongue—a state between knowing and not-knowing, remembering and forgetting—takes visual form in the paintings that make up Kate McQuillen's exhibition Wave Amnesia.
INCONVERSATION
Richard Jackson with Jeffrey Grunthaner
DEC 22–JAN 23 | Art
Richard Jackson often gets referred to as a performance painter; and while there's some truth to this, I think it's more interesting that he works in and around the gestural properties of painting—often liberating paint and pigment from the direction of the artist's hand entirely. It would be inaccurate to classify him as a "digital" artist, yet his work uses technology to extend (and often complicate) the limits of what viewers might understand as an organized and balanced composition.
India's Second COVID-19 Wave
By Anandi Mishra
JUNE 2021 | Field Notes
In the last three weeks, as I have tried to write this essay on different days, it has continued to elude me. First, I was crumbling physically and mentally in the throes of the virus. My frail body had gone weaker than ever before. I kept underestimating it, treating it like a seasonal flu, as my parents in the hinterland, 400 kilometers away from Delhi, thought about their cases.
Technical Expertise and Communist Production
By Nick Chavez
DEC 22–JAN 23 | Field Notes
In 1976, the shop stewards at the British Lucas Aerospace Corporation published a document that would come to be known as "The Lucas Plan." The company was planning to lay off a significant number of workers as part of a restructuring effort. Faced with the prospect of losing their livelihood, many of these workers banded together to propose an alternative: that the British government should intervene to prevent layoffs so that the workers could redeploy the productive assets of the company towards socially useful ends rather than military contracting.


GWI's Hegg Hoffet Fund assists graduate women (and in special cases tertiary women students) who have been displaced as a result of war, political upheaval or other serious emergencies. The Hegg Hoffet Fund provides short-term grants for refresher courses for re-entry into the candidates' professional field (or if that is not possible, training courses leading to some other employment), and for language training and other courses to assist with integration into their new countries.
The Fund was established in 1936 as the IFUW Emergency Fund (later called the Relief Fund) to help women at the graduate level and above who had been deprived of the right to work, and in many cases, the right to live in their native countries. Arriving in a new country, most face complex challenges to integration, among them language difficulties, unemployment, rejection of foreign qualifications and the need for retraining.
GWI's Hegg Hoffet Fund provides short-term grants for refresher courses for re-entry into the candidates' professional field (or if that is not possible, training courses leading to some other employment), and for language training and other courses to assist with integration into their new countries. In addition to financial assistance, GWI's national and local groups also provide the graduate refugees with moral support to help them to adjust to life in a different country.
By providing these women with financial support through the Hegg Hoffet Fund, donors will be giving them the opportunity for a better future. Displaced women will be able to integrate into their new communities and pursue educational opportunities necessary for completing their post-graduate degrees (and above), obtaining new certifications and entering a new, competitive job market.
May apply towards language class.
May apply towards professional license renewal.
May apply towards professional recertification.


PARENT RECOMMENDATION: Tony and I want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the tremendous effort and knowledge in planning our daughters memorable big day. We will confidently recommend you to whomever is planning their big day. In fact, we are very happy with everything and you can gladly use this letter to encourage other parents to use your expertise in preparation for their big day.


text:
<?php

namespace Bob\BuildConfig;

use Symfony\Component\Process\Process;
use Bob\TaskRegistry;
use Bob\TaskLibraryInterface;
use CHH\FileUtils\Path;

class BuildFailedException extends \Exception
{}

function cd($path, $callback = null)
{
    return Path::chdir($path, $callback);
}

# Public: Lets the build fail with an Exception.
#
# msg - The Exception message as String.
#
# Returns nothing.
function fail($msg)
{
    throw new BuildFailedException((string) $msg);
}

# Public: Prints a formatted message and then fails the build.
#
# msg  - Formatted message. See sprintf() for format specifiers.
# args - Array of arguments passed to the format specifiers.
#
# Returns Nothing.
function failf($msg, $args = array())
{
    throw new BuildFailedException(vsprintf($msg, (array) $args));
}

# Returns a logger.
function logger()
{
    return \Bob::$application['log'];
}

function info($msg)
{
    logger()->info($msg);
}

function register(TaskLibraryInterface $taskLib, array $parameters = array())
{
    return \Bob::$application->register($taskLib, $parameters);
}

# Public: Defines the callback as a task with the given name.
#
# name          - Task Name.
# prerequisites - List of Dependency names.
# callback      - The task's action, can be any callback.
#
# Examples
#
#     task('hello', function() {
#         echo "Hello World\n";
#     });
#
# Returns nothing.
function task($name, $prerequisites = null, $callback = null)
{
    return \Bob::$application->task($name, $prerequisites, $callback);
}

# Public: Config file function for creating a task which is only run
# when the target file does not exist, or the prerequisites were modified.
#
# target        - Filename of the resulting file, this is set as task name. Use
#                 paths relative to the CWD (the CWD is always set to the root
#                 of your project for you).
# prerequisites - List of files which are needed to generate the target. The callback
#                 which generates the target is only run when one of this files is newer
#                 than the target file. You can access this list from within the task via
#                 the task's `prerequisites` property.
# callback      - Place your logic needed to generate the target here. It's only run when
#                 the prerequisites were modified or the target does not exist.
#
# Returns a Task instance.
function fileTask($target, $prerequisites = array(), $callback)
{
    return \Bob::$application->fileTask($target, $prerequisites, $callback);
}

# Copies the file only when it doesn't exists or was updated.
#
# source - Source file. This file is watched for changes.
# dest   - Destination.
#
# Returns a Task instance.
function copyTask($from, $to)
{
    return fileTask($to, array($from), function($task) {
        logger()->info("copyTask('{$task->prerequisites[0]}' => '{$task->name}')");

        if (false === copy($task->prerequisites[0], $task->name)) {
            fail("Failed copying '{$task->prerequisites[0]}' => '{$task->name}'");
        }
    });
}

function directoryTask($directory, $mode = 0777)
{
    return task($directory, function($task) use ($directory, $mode) {
        if (!is_dir($directory)) {
            mkdir($directory, $mode, true);
        }
    });
}

# Public: Defines the description of the subsequent task.
#
# desc - Description text, should explain in plain sentences
#        what the task does.
#
# Examples
#
#     desc('Says Hello World to NAME');
#     task('greet', function($task) {
#         $operands = Bob::$application->opts->getOperands();
#         $name = $operands[1];
#
#         echo "Hello World $name!\n";
#     });
#
# Returns nothing.
function desc($desc)
{
    TaskRegistry::$lastDescription = $desc;
}

# Public: Appends an End-Of-Line character to the given
# text and writes it to a stream.
#
# line   - Text to write.
# stream - Resource to write the text to (optional). By
#          default the text is printed to STDOUT via `echo`
#
# Examples
#
#   # Print something to STDERR (uses fwrite)
#   println('Error', STDERR);
#
# Returns Nothing.
function println($line, $stream = null)
{
    $line .= PHP_EOL;

    if (is_resource($stream)) {
        fwrite($stream, $line);
    } else {
        echo "$line";
    }
}

# Public: Renders a PHP template.
#
# file - Template file, this must be a valid PHP file.
#
# Examples
#
#   # template.phtml
#   Hello <?= $name ? >
#
#   # test.php
#   $t = template('template.phtml');
#   echo $t(array('name' => 'Christoph'));
#   # => Hello Christoph
#
# Returns an anonymous function of the variables, which returns
# the rendered String.
function template($file)
{
    if (!file_exists($file)) {
        throw \InvalidArgumentException(sprintf(
            'File %s does not exist.', $file
        ));
    }

    $__file = $file;

    $template = function($__vars) use ($__file) {
        extract($__vars);
        unset($__vars);

        ob_start();
        include($__file);
        return ob_get_clean();
    };

    return $template;
}

# Public: Runs a system command. Let's the build fail when the command did exit with a
# status indicating an error.
#
# cmd      - Command with arguments as String or List. Lists get joined by a single space.
# callback - A callback which receives the success as Boolean
#            and the Process instance as second argument (optional).
# options  - Array of options:
#            timeout     - Timeout in seconds.
#            failOnError - Should the build fail when the command failed with a non-zero
#                          exit status? (default: false)
#
# Examples
#
#   # The command's output is displayed on STDOUT and the build fails when the exit code
#   # was greater than zero.
#   sh('ls -l');
#
#   # When a callback is passed as second argument, then the callback
#   # receives the success status ($ok) as Boolean and a process instance
#   # as second argument.
#   sh('ls -A', function($ok, $process) {
#       $ok or fwrite($process->getErrorOutput(), STDERR);
#   });
#
# Returns nothing.
function sh($cmd, $callback = null, $options = array())
{
    $cmd = join(' ', (array) $cmd);
    $showCmd = strlen($cmd) > 42 ? "..." . substr($cmd, -42) : $cmd;

    logger()->info("sh($showCmd)");

    if (func_num_args() == 2 and is_array($callback) and !is_callable($callback)) {
        $options = $callback;
        $callback = null;
    }

    $timeout     = @$options["timeout"];
    $failOnError = @$options["failOnError"] ?: @$options['fail_on_error'];

    $process = new Process($cmd);
    $process->setTimeout($timeout);

    $process->run(function($type, $output) {
        $type == 'err' ? fwrite(STDERR, $output) : print($output);
    });

    if (!$process->isSuccessful() and $failOnError) {
        failf("Command failed with status (%d) [%s]", array($process->getExitCode(), $showCmd));
    }

    if ($callback !== null) {
        call_user_func($callback, $process->isSuccessful(), $process);
    }
}

# Public: Run a PHP Process with the given arguments.
#
# argv     - The argv either as Array or String. Arrays get joined by a single space.
# callback - See sh().
# options  - See sh().
#
# Examples
#
#   # Runs a PHP dev server on `localhost:4000` with the document root
#   # `public/` and the router script `public/index.php` (requires PHP >= 5.4).
#   php(array('-S', 'localhost:4000', '-t', 'public/', 'public/index.php'));
#
# Returns nothing.
function php($argv, $callback = null, $options = array())
{
    $execFinder = new \Symfony\Component\Process\PhpExecutableFinder;
    $php = $execFinder->find();

    $argv = (array) $argv;
    array_unshift($argv, $php);

    return sh($argv, $callback, $options);
}

# Public: Creates a new finder from the list of patterns.
#
# patterns - List of shell file patterns.
#
# Returns a new Finder.
function fileList($patterns)
{
    $patterns = (array) $patterns;

    $finder = new \Symfony\Component\Finder\Finder;
    $finder->files();

    foreach ($patterns as $p) {
        $finder->name($p);
    }

    return $finder;
}


Yet another of my jewelry prototypes. I'm really fond of this design. Its just….elegant. The process of carving, sanding and finishing this design is extremely time consuming. With 2 different iterations breaking in the carving process, I'm going to have to rework it to strengthen the sides and thicken certain portions of the wood.
But this design has legs.
I'll need to pick a different colored glass. As much as I love the rippled green stained glass, it doesn't read. When held up to light, the green glass just glows with rich viridian hues. But they aren't going to be worn in front of a window, but snug against the skin. Without a bright lighting source behind them they read as black or dark, dark green. I'm probably going to need to switch to an opaque color.
……maybe a rich red or orange?
The tools necessary for the intricate work of carving jewelry is very different from those I use on larger scale pieces. I have to put together custom vises, micro chisels and use the most delicate drills on my Dremel to put these pieces together.
It all has a very 'Geppetto' like feel!
Months and months of concept design work, carving, cutting, sanding and grinding have finally produced my first (albeit imperfect) prototype pendant necklace! Roughly 3 inches in length and an inch and half wide and carved from walnut, this design is a simplification of the Rose Window design.
As a proof of concept….it works. Its made of 3 layers of laser cut thin stock hardwood: a front, a spacer, and a backing layer. The front (seen in the photo above) is hand carved with chisels, files and carving knives and sanded until it has the proper depth and flow. The spacer holds a custom ground medallion of stained glass. The backing holds the glass medallion in place.
So far, so good! More pictures to come. I'm just thrilled that this idea I've been working on for so long actually works. You never actually know until you can touch it with your own hands!


text:
AM-Pharma Increases Funding to €163m for Phase-III Trial of recAP in SA-AKI
€23m (US$25.5m) equity provided mainly by US-based Cowen…
/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/AM_Pharma_logo-300x35.png 0 0 Info /wp-content/uploads/2019/06/AM_Pharma_logo-300x35.png Info2020-03-31 08:00:482021-04-28 14:28:53AM-Pharma Increases Funding to €163m for Phase-III Trial of recAP in SA-AKI
AM-Pharma Expands its Senior Team in Preparation for a Pivotal Phase III Trial of recAP in Acute Kidney Injury
Juliane Bernholz has joined as Chief Operating Officer …
/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/AM_Pharma_logo-300x35.png 0 0 Janine Versteeg /wp-content/uploads/2019/06/AM_Pharma_logo-300x35.png Janine Versteeg2019-10-01 10:25:572019-10-01 10:46:42AM-Pharma Expands its Senior Team in Preparation for a Pivotal Phase III Trial of recAP in Acute Kidney Injury
AM-Pharma Raises €116m [$133m] to Conduct Pivotal Phase III Trial of recAP in Acute Kidney Injury
Financing co-led by new investors LSP and Andera Partners, with…
/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/AM_Pharma_logo-300x35.png 0 0 Info /wp-content/uploads/2019/06/AM_Pharma_logo-300x35.png Info2019-07-16 07:45:452021-04-28 14:32:29AM-Pharma Raises €116m [$133m] to Conduct Pivotal Phase III Trial of recAP in Acute Kidney Injury
JAMA publishes Phase II recAP data for sepsis-associated Acute Kidney Injury
JAMA paper to be presented at ESICM conference in Paris New…
/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/AM_Pharma_logo-300x35.png 0 0 Info /wp-content/uploads/2019/06/AM_Pharma_logo-300x35.png Info2018-10-24 14:20:582019-06-24 14:30:27JAMA publishes Phase II recAP data for sepsis-associated Acute Kidney Injury
AM-Pharma announces Phase II study results of recAP in sepsis-associated Acute Kidney Injury
Study shows use of recAP results in greater than 40% relative…
/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/AM_Pharma_logo-300x35.png 0 0 Info /wp-content/uploads/2019/06/AM_Pharma_logo-300x35.png Info2018-03-09 10:50:282019-07-10 17:12:37AM-Pharma announces Phase II study results of recAP in sepsis-associated Acute Kidney Injury
Alkaline phosphatase in sepsis-induced AKI
/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/AM_Pharma_logo-300x35.png 0 0 Info /wp-content/uploads/2019/06/AM_Pharma_logo-300x35.png Info2012-02-14 16:48:322021-01-07 12:22:38Alkaline phosphatase in sepsis-induced AKI
Alkaline phosphatase for treatment of sepsisinduced acute kidney injury: a prospective randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial
/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/AM_Pharma_logo-300x35.png 0 0 Info /wp-content/uploads/2019/06/AM_Pharma_logo-300x35.png Info2012-01-23 17:00:352021-01-07 12:22:43Alkaline phosphatase for treatment of sepsisinduced acute kidney injury: a prospective randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial
Alkaline phosphatase for treatment of sepsis-induced acute kidney injury: a prospective randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial
/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/AM_Pharma_logo-300x35.png 0 0 Info /wp-content/uploads/2019/06/AM_Pharma_logo-300x35.png Info2012-01-23 15:48:112021-01-07 12:22:47Alkaline phosphatase for treatment of sepsis-induced acute kidney injury: a prospective randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial
The Protective Role of Intestinal Alkaline Phosphatase in Necrotizing Enterocolitis
/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/AM_Pharma_logo-300x35.png 0 0 Info /wp-content/uploads/2019/06/AM_Pharma_logo-300x35.png Info2010-05-21 17:08:562021-01-07 12:22:54The Protective Role of Intestinal Alkaline Phosphatase in Necrotizing Enterocolitis
Exogenous Alkaline Phosphatase for the Treatment of Patients with Moderate to Severe Ulcerative Colitis
/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/AM_Pharma_logo-300x35.png 0 0 Info /wp-content/uploads/2019/06/AM_Pharma_logo-300x35.png Info2009-11-02 15:47:492021-01-07 12:23:00Exogenous Alkaline Phosphatase for the Treatment of Patients with Moderate to Severe Ulcerative Colitis
Alkaline phosphatase treatment improves renal function in severe sepsis or septic shock patients
/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/AM_Pharma_logo-300x35.png 0 0 Info /wp-content/uploads/2019/06/AM_Pharma_logo-300x35.png Info2009-02-01 16:32:072021-01-07 12:23:06Alkaline phosphatase treatment improves renal function in severe sepsis or septic shock patients