text:
function EnsureModule($ModuleName, [System.Version]$Version) {
    $module = Get-Module $ModuleName
    if (-not $module) {
        Import-Module $ModuleName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
        $module = Get-Module $ModuleName
    }
    if ($module.Version -lt $Version) {
        if ($module) {
            Write-Host "Attempting to update ${ModuleName}..."
            Remove-Module $ModuleName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
            Update-Module $ModuleName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
            Import-Module $ModuleName -Force
            $module = Get-Module $ModuleName
        }
    }
    if ($module.Version -lt $Version) {
        Write-Host "Attempting to install ${ModuleName}..."
        Remove-Module $ModuleName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
        Install-Module $ModuleName -Scope CurrentUser -Force -SkipPublisherCheck -ErrorAction Stop
        Import-Module $ModuleName
        $module = Get-Module $ModuleName
    }
    if ($module.Version -lt $Version) {
        throw "Cannot import module $ModuleName ($Version)"
    }
}

function EnsureNuGet {
    [CmdletBinding()]
    param(
        [string]$Name,

        [Parameter(Mandatory = $False)]
        [string]$Destination
    )

    if (-not $PSBoundParameters.ContainsKey('Destination')) {
        $Destination = $Artifacts
    }

    $tools = Join-Path $PSScriptRoot 'tools'
    $nuget = Join-Path $tools 'nuget.exe'
    if (-not (Test-Path $nuget)) {
        Write-Host "Installing NuGet.exe..."
        try {
            [void](New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $tools -Force)
            (New-Object System.Net.WebClient).DownloadFile("https://dist.nuget.org/win-x86-commandline/latest/nuget.exe", $nuget)
        } catch {
            Throw "Could not download NuGet.exe."
        }
    }

    $nuget = Resolve-Path $nuget
    Write-Verbose "Using '$nuget'."

    Write-Host "Installing $Name..."
    & "$nuget" install $Name -Prerelease -ExcludeVersion -OutputDirectory $Destination
}


text:
Over 90 per cent of Choice Hotels domestic properties still open
13 Apr 2020 by Mark Caswell
Choice Hotels International continues to operate over 90 per cent of its US properties, and said that it is "confident in our ability to weather this storm".
The group – which comprises brands including Quality Inn, Comfort, Sleep Inn and Cambria Hotels – is one of the world's largest hotel chains, with over 7,000 franchised properties.
Choice said that the majority of its domestic hotels "are in small towns, suburban and interstate locations and have experienced less severe occupancy declines related to COVID-19 than hotels in urban centres or resorts".
"Choice Hotels' brands have been performing ahead of the upper-midscale, midscale and economy chain scales, and the company's hotels have experienced relatively stronger same-store RevPAR share gains versus their local competition for the past five weeks," the group continued.
Domestic occupancy levels were below 50 per cent for the month of March, "and softened in the last ten days of the month to trend in a range between 26 per cent and 33 per cent daily occupancy", a trend which has continued into early April.
The group said it was "seeking to drive business to the franchised hotels in its system across a wide variety of industries and government and emergency-management agencies", adding that many of the company's franchisees had committed room inventory at discounted rates, or on a complimentary basis to support community efforts, including "opening their hotels for hospital overflows and providing temporary housing for first responders, the National Guard, healthcare workers, critical infrastructure workers and others in dire need".
Guest cancellation policies have been revised to provider travellers with greater flexibility, and members of the company's Choice Privileges loyalty programme can donate points to the American Red Cross' COVID-19 relief efforts, or the International Franchise Association's Franchising Gives Back Programme, which provides support to small businesses and local non-profits across the US.
Choice said that it has $489 million in cash and available borrowing capacity, with additional options if needed, and said that "The company continues to benefit from its primarily franchise-only business model, which has historically provided a relatively stable earnings stream and low capital expenditure requirements".
Commenting on the situation Patrick Pacious, president and chief executive officer, Choice Hotels, said:
"Given the broad-based uncertainty of the current environment, we have taken decisive actions over the past several weeks to position the company for changing market dynamics and enhanced our financial flexibility to sustain the long-term health of the business.
"We are confident in our ability to weather this storm, while supporting our franchisees as they navigate uncharted waters. Choice Hotels has been through challenging times before and, each time, the company has always emerged stronger given its long-term focus, proven brands, high-calibre associates and broad franchisee base."
choicehotels.com
U.S Hotel owners plead for further Covid-19 relief
Tags: Choice Hotels
Etihad adds new passenger flights including London and Brussels
Philippine Airlines plans to resume some flights in May
IHG chief: "Demand for hotels is currently at the lowest levels we've ever seen"
Hilton and American Express donate one million US rooms to medical staff
Guide to hotel loyalty programme changes
Hotels and apartments open to medical staff

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Home News Bonnaroo announces Virtual ROO-ALITY; free three-day online festival September 24-26
Bonnaroo announces Virtual ROO-ALITY; free three-day online festival September 24-26
Bonnaroo has unveiled full details for Virtual ROO-ALITY, a free three-night live broadcast airing exclusively via YouTube. The livestreaming event will celebrate the beloved annual festival with a remarkable range of programming, spanning brand new live performances, unique original content, and incredible archival sets captured at Bonnaroo's home at Great Stage Park in Manchester, TN. Virtual ROO-ALITY will stream live on September 24-26 beginning at 4:30pm CT each day exclusively at the official Bonnaroo YouTube channel HERE. A complete schedule will be announced soon.
Virtual ROO-ALITY will deliver a spectacular lineup of headliners, which like Bonnaroo itself, showcases the greatest artists from a breathtakingly diverse range of musical genres. Topping the bill are 13 legendary live performances from Bonnaroo's spectacular archive, including Dave Matthews and Friends, Metallica, The White Stripes, James Brown, My Morning Jacket, Alabama Shakes, and more. Among the undeniable highlights will be the full-length streaming premiere of the Beastie Boys' historic final concert performance, held at Bonnaroo on June 12, 2009.
In addition, Virtual ROO-ALITY will offer thrilling new performances from more than 35 legendary artists, rising stars, and once-in-a-lifetime collaborations, including Nathaniel Rateliff, Chromeo, Big Gigantic, Bruce Hornsby Feat. James Mercer, Rob Moose & Polo G, Old Crow Medicine Show's Bonnarootenanny, Denzel Curry, Lennon Stella, Billy Strings, Action Bronson, CloZee, Moon Taxi, Live from Tipitina's featuring Galactic and Tank and The Bangas, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Goose, Live from Graduate Nashville curated by Music City tastemaker Whiskey Jam featuring Ashley McBryde, Ingrid Andress, Devin Dawson and ERNEST, and many more.
Of course, Bonnaroo has always been about more than just music. Just like the festival does onsite every year, Virtual ROO-ALITY will present viewers with a wide array of original programming, additional activities and exclusive experiences throughout the three-day event. Bonnaroovians will be able to twerk their way through the kitchen as Big Freedia shares her recipe for Booty Poppin' Potatoes, rule the mic at "Bonnaroke with Allen Stone," gain some knowledge during "Food Conversations with Action Bronson Live From Greenpoint," and rock the official "Robe Rage" satin robe during Bonnaroo's "Robe Rage" late night dance parties. Not-to-be-missed segments also include the virtual Sanctuary of Self Love, the Dog Dance Party, Bonnaroo Campfire Tales and Cheers to Live.
As part of the virtual Sanctuary of Self Love curated by Hayley Williams and brought to you by Toyota, Bonnaroovians can experience engaging conversations about important topics including the digital space and mental health, diversity in wellness, and the origins of gender with panelists ranging from Charli XCX, Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, Laura Jane Grace, Blair Imani, Maryam Ajai, and more. In addition, Sanctuary of Self Love will also present a remarkable "Conversation on Meditation, Creativity, and Consciousness" with visionary filmmaker David Lynch and meditation leader Bob Roth, as well as a special endorphin boost via "Sweatfest" with 2x GRAMMY® Award-nominated dancer/choreographer Ryan Heffington. To help continue the work and journey of these esteemed panelists, Toyota will donate $30,000 in grants to Therapy For Black Girls, Dive In Well, Creative Futures Collective, The Orenda Tribe and The Okra Project. Additionally, Bonnaroo will make a donation to the David Lynch Foundation.
Bonnaroo has teamed with Tito's Handmade Vodka and the brand's Vodka for Dog People program to create the Virtual ROO-ALITY Dog Dance Party, featuring a special guest appearance from DJ Mel. The daily event will offer viewers and their furry plus-ones a chance to stretch their legs and get their groove on, all while showing support for Manchester, TN's Coffee County Humane Society.
Everyone who has been to Bonnaroo has a unique story to tell. Bonnaroo Campfire Tales, presented by TWIX® Cookies & Crème, will see a variety of top artists and familiar faces gather around a virtual campfire to share their most amazing tales from the Farm.
Bonnaroo has partnered with BACARDÍ for Cheers to Live, a series showcasing the impact of the live arts from stages of historic theaters that ripple through the entire community and its culture. In each segment, a local bartender will be on hand to share a tutorial on mixing a drink, and Bonnaroovians will learn about a variety of non-profit venues in Knoxville, Chattanooga, Nashville, and Memphis, what their existence means to their community, and how they can show support.
Virtual ROO-ALITY and the Bonnaroo Works Fund are proud to support and raise awareness for the ACLU Foundation, which engages in a broad range of work to protect civil rights and liberties and utilizes donations to help fund litigation and public education efforts, and Headcount, a non-partisan organization that uses the power of music to register voters and promote participation in democracy, reaching young people and music fans where they already are – at concerts and online – to inform and empower. Donations collected during the virtual weekend for these and additional organizations will be made by the Bonnaroo Works Fund, whose core values are community, creativity, and positive influence. Thanks to your contributions, the Bonnaroo Works Fund supports nonprofits benefiting the arts, education, sustainability, and social impact.
Brand new, limited edition "Bonnaroo From Home" merchandise is available now, exclusively via the official Bonnaroo online store. The collection includes such items as a "Virtual ROO-ALITY 2020" poster, a "Robe Rage" satin robe, a "Farm Fresh" 8 oz. candle, a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle, a tie-dye mask, and more. In addition, a special tee – provided by GILDAN – will exclusively support the Bonnaroo Works Fun's mission of changing the world through social impact, human development, and community engagement. To view the full collection, please visit the official Bonnaroo online store HERE.
Bonnaroo's Virtual ROO-ALITY is generously sponsored by BACARDí, Tito's Handmade Vodka, Red Bull, Toyota and Twix.
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text:
You could see the Northern Lights over Gloucestershire tonight
Look out for the stunning Aurora Borealis
Conor GogartySenior Digital Reporter
Stargazers in Gloucestershire might be able to see one of the most magnificent natural phenomenons tonight just by looking at the sky.
Aurora Borealis, also known as the Northern Lights, should be visible in skies above the UK tonight.
Daniel Billett, a member of the AuroraWatch UK team, told Sky News: "Today and tomorrow has been forecast for a G1 minor geomagnetic storm by the North Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)."
There's another new name coming to the Quays and it is a big one
And the experts say the colourful spectre could be visible as far south as Gloucestershire.
Alistair McLean, managing director of The Aurora Zone, said: "This time of year does coincide with the equinox, which is often associated with higher levels of solar activity.
"The Space Weather Prediction Centre is suggesting that we might see a KP5 tonight.
"The KP index is the scale used to measure geomagnetic storms and it ranges from 0 (very little activity) to 9 (lots of activity) and the larger the number, the further south the lights can be seen."
A natural wonder, the Northern Lights - otherwise known as aurora borealis - is usually only seen in northern areas of the United Kingdom.
What colour are the lights and why does it change?
The colours of the aurora depend on which gas molecules the solar winds hit.
Northern Lights appear green when the charged particles in the solar winds hit oxygen at about 60 miles above the Earth's surface and are red at 100-200 miles above the surface.
And the lights appear blue when the solar winds collide with nitrogen in lower atmosphere and appear to glow purple in a higher atmosphere
Severe weather warnings as heavy rain expected in Gloucestershire
Where am I most likely to see them?
The short answer is no one knows for certain.
But, we can monitor geomagnetic activity to make informed predictions about when they are most likely to occur.
Websites like Aurora Watch UK allow you to track the activity and you can also sign up to get alerts for when the geomagnetic activity is high, leading to a better chance of the Northern Lights appearing.
The Met Office also regularly keeps an eye on this activity and does release updates when the aurora is likely to happen.
Gloucester Quays
Bishop's CleeveFive-year-old from Gloucestershire appears alongside David Tennant in Deadwater FellLilac Jackson suffers from spastic diplegic cerebral palsy


text:
from __future__ import unicode_literals

from django.conf import settings
from django.db import migrations, models
import django.db.models.deletion

class Migration(migrations.Migration):

    dependencies = [
        ('explorer', '0001_initial'),
    ]

    operations = [
        migrations.AlterField(
            model_name='polity',
            name='creator',
            field=models.ForeignKey(blank=True, null=True, on_delete=django.db.models.deletion.SET_NULL, related_name='polities', to=settings.AUTH_USER_MODEL),
        ),
    ]

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Spin A Yarn
A conduit for my thoughts and imagination.
A Rat's Life
Only The Lands Knows
Trip of Discovery
The Long Thin Line
Leela's Story
The Terminus
Always with you
Never Too Late
The Red and Blue Ribbon
Murder I Wrote
Social Observations 1
The Self Conscious Selfie
Writer's Routine
Noise Noise Go Away
Three Months of Being a Blogger
The 3rd Day of Chinese New Year Musings
The Day the Power Left Us
The Science of Superstition
Best Little coffee Shop in Sandakan
Pollute or Not to Pollute
The Nectar Of The Gods
Death In The Morning
The Not So Super Supermarket
When The Wheels Start Falling Off
The Holiday at Home
Whether the Weather is Important
The Joys of Cattle Class
A Tale of Two Malaysian Cities
Behind These Eyes
The 12 Hour Wedding
The Lost Art of Reading
Food or Selfie Which one will it be
The Day The Internet Died
A Moment In Time
Is This Right
The Last Swim
The Can Lead A Horse, But...
Wiring Sandakan Style
Photo Insights
Photos 1 Flinder's Ranges
Photos 2 Birds of Adelaide
Photos 3 Mt. Gambier
Photos 4 Sink Holes
Photos 5 Lake McIntyre
The Twin Otter and Me
Trek To Fraser's Hill
Canunda National Park
Mid Flight Blues
A Few Days in Mallaca
First Impressions of KLIA 2
On A Wing And A Prayer
Kudat, Two Hotels And The Tip Of Borneo
Kevin leaned heavily against the bus window as he watched the passing country mould into a kaleidoscope of pastel colours as the sunset approached. Although his hair was thinning and grey, he was still fit and alert for a man approaching old age, but on that day his mind was a thousand miles away thinking about the reasons he was on this trip of discovery. A rye grin crossed his face when he used those words - "Trip Of Discovery". "Very melodramatic," he thought, but at the same time the most apt way to describe it .
This of course had started a long time ago, not in a physical sense, but in the mind. His earliest memories, the occasional spasmodic flash back: a warm caring face, a soft hand, the sounds of a lullaby, still played with his inner soul. None of it coherent, just there, always there in the back ground, occasionally resurfacing only to re-submerge into the deep recesses of the mind, nothing more, nothing less.
Kevin was born in a place he had not set foot in since his adoption over 60 years ago. A small town called Lightning Ridge. He had recently received the letter from the government department giving the details he had wanted for most of his adult life but had been too afraid to find out. He didn't build up the courage to find out the truth until retirement . After 40 years working first for a publishing company, then owning one, he felt less than satisfied with his life. In all those years he never married, never even got close. In fact he found it hard to form any sort of relationship with the opposite sex. Women scared him or perhaps more accurately the idea of spending his live together with one did. He visited his adoptive parents frequently especially in their later years; more through a sense of duty than love. Even with them there was no deep feeling of human closeness; they did their best and he appreciated that.
The dense thick forests of eucalyptus started to thin out and were gradually replaced with sparse Mallee as the bus motored on towards the semi arid desert town.
The morning sunlight reflected back off the seat in front of Kevin as he tried to focus his eyes. Stiff and tired he sat upright and looked outside . The bus slowed as it entered the outback township of Lightning Ridge.
The small town of Lightning Ridge is famous for its Black Opal. It is mined in the surrounding country by digging deep shafts down to the soft limestone and extracting the milky potash that contain the sort after brightly multi-coloured gem stone. Good opal comes alive when the sunlight strikes it at the right angle and there was some of the best in the world to found here. Not that you could tell by looking at this old dusty decrepit outback town. The place had an air of unkept chaos and the main street was in poor repair with large irregular pot holes everywhere some filled with bull dust. The overall feeling was of a ramshackle collection of ill-constructed buildings in disarray. Miners or those who catered for them seemed to go about their business completely oblivious to the state of their environment. This was a working town, no leeway given to aesthetics.
Kevin looked around in dismay as depression set in "How could this be?" His imagination had convinced him he would feel like he was returning home; the place of his birth. Nothing could be further from the truth. It was completely alien to him from his city life. A tight knot gripped his stomach; deflated, he stooped down and sat on the bench across from the bus station, his head in his hands trying not to think.
The morning passed slowly. There wasn't much activity in town, this being a Sunday. He sat there listless until reluctantly he dragged himself off to find a place to stay.
"The Final Rest Hotel seems quite appropriate," he thought to himself.
The room was old but adequate for his needs. Kevin flopped down onto the bed and closed his eyes. "What am I doing here?" He shouted out aloud. Tears slid off his ashen cheeks and rolled silently onto the well-worn sheets.
The death certificate for both his parents were issued on the same day some 60 years before. The details were scant - cause of death unnatural . "What does that mean?" He had asked himself a thousand times. There was so many unanswered questions. Why did Molly and John, his parents, came here in the first place? What were they doing here? How was it they died on the same day in the same way? Kevin's mind was a whirlpool of activity until eventually that evening he fell into a restless sleep, tossing and turning, continuing to look for answers.
Black Opal ( Geology.com)
The next morning he awoke with a start. The sunlight streamed through the dirty window, just like the day before in the bus, but this time without air conditioning. It was much more stifling and he lay in a pool of sweat. The previous night's depression had vanished with the promise of what the new day might bring though as he lifted his head to get up, it felt like the morning after a heavy night's drinking, cloudy and sluggish. A long cold shower did not help a lot, but the thought of finding out what he needed to know from the local library and after, getting on a bus to anywhere far away from this god forsaken town brightened his mood somewhat.
Storm approaching Lightning Ridge
After breakfast, a typical country bacon, eggs and sausage affair, he chose to go for a short walk through to the other side of town while he waited for the Public Library to open.
His first impressions of Lightning Ridge had not dissipated. He could not imagine parents of his ever living here.
After 20 minutes, he came upon a small open area close to a prominent limestone outcrop. The place was obviously used by the locals a lot as it was littered with assorted rubbish: plastic bags, KFC boxes, coke cans etc. He sat down on an old wooden bench as he heard the far off rumble of thunder. Staring into space he did not notice at first the young oddly dressed man sitting down next to him. When his presence finally reached his consciousness, he was not startled but more intrigued or maybe puzzled by his appearance. This man wore clothing that did not seem appropriate even for this place. A pair of denim jeans hang loosely over his legs showing no cut nor form. His shirt had no collar but was buttoned a third of the way down the front. He wore an old fashion grey vest that only provided a small pocket for a fob watch. The hair on his head was short back and sides in the old style and he displayed an unkept jet black beard. By his looks he would have been much older than 30 years old but for a light complexion.
The rumble continued in the distance as the man spoke. "Hope you don't mind if I sit here next to you. I don't get the opportunity to speak to many people these days."
"Of course not," replied Kevin. "I'm only killing time until the library opens.
"Your'e not from these parts are you?" quizzed the man.
"No I'm not. Only here for a few days." Kevin's mood lifted a little. "In fact I am looking for some information." Kevin almost felt compelled to tell this stranger the reason for being there.
"People around here call me Jack."
"Pleased to meet you, Jack. My name is Kevin. Come from around these parts, Jack?" enquired Kevin.
Jack looked at the distant thunder storm for a moment or two before he spoke. "I was born in Sydney but have been here a long long time. I was a miner but... not now. I kind of do a little bit of this and a little bit of that to get by."
A sudden roll of thunder announced the storm was getting closer. Jack appeared lost in thought as Kevin looked on. The sky lit up and Jack's eyes reflected the brilliant flash of light that permeated the increasingly darkening sky. Kevin took a deep breath.
"I suppose you haven't heard about a couple who died here around 60 years ago in unusual circumstances," Kevin immediately felt foolish asking.
Jack didn't reply at first but continued to look into the distance towards the impending deluge. "Yes, I know the story. Everyone does." He paused for what seemed like an eternity. Kevin sat there transfixed on Jacks lips. "The couple lived not far from here in a small wooden shack on the out skirts of town. They had both come up from Sydney like a lot those days looking for a better life. From what I heard the man had been a lot keener on the idea than his wife. Even in the early days she struggled with the place and its people. You see she was from a well-to-do family and had gone to university, a rare thing for a woman to do those days. Strictly brought up she was not overly endowed with natural beauty, but had a pleasant enough face and a kind, caring disposition. She had met her husband in a department store, David Jones, where he had been working as a shop assistant since leaving school at the age of 15. First impressions was of a striking figure of a man, tall and athletic, brash, charming, not too articulate, but possessed the gift of the gab. "Could sell ice cream to the Eskimos," his work colleagues would often be heard saying as they watched the way he wooed his customers.
An outsider observing the two together for the first time would conclude they had little in common, but love is a funny thing. He made her laugh with his carefree don't-give-a-hoot- what-others-thought attitude. She paid him attention, when others thought him too much of a show off. He loved that in her.
One thing led to another and she fell pregnant. Parents upset, embarrassed, but the scandal was quickly contained by a simple ceremony in the local Methodist church.
John had come up with the idea of going to Lightning Ridge just before his young son was born after talking to a customer who had made a fortune mining in Lightning Ridge. Over the next few weeks, he needed all his selling skills to convince Molly to give it a go. Finally after much soul searching, she reluctantly agreed as long as if he struck it rich they would return to the city.
Miners in Lightning Ridge 1910
Photo LR Historical Society
The baby arrived at the local Lightning Ridge General hospital in mid summer on one of the hottest years on record, making the place even more dusty and depressing as usual. Of course this didn't deter John one little bit; his optimism rose almost as fast as Mollie's hope for the future evaporated. John was different, he immediately felt free from the constraints of the city and his old job and looked forward to this great exciting adventure. Mollie's immediate reaction - a prisoner facing many years in jail, release so far away it was pointless even thinking about it. She often looked into the baby's eyes and shed a tear.
"So, that is how it started," Jack sighed and looked up at the threatening sky that refused to arrive.
John built a small but serviceable shack for his family before he staked his claim on an area just outside the main diggings. It took Molly the best part of the first year to feel more agreeable with her situation, however she never really accepted it completely. She kept herself busy looking after the baby and performing the domestic duties as they were.
In the first year, they really struggled to make ends meet. Finding quality black opal was elusive with only occasional low quality fragments that paid for some of the bills. The second year wasn't much better. Molly became more depressed and started to fantasize a lot about her previous life back in the comfort of her parent's Sydney home; the lush green garden with its eclectic array of coloured flowers greeted her every morning as she flung open the French doors of her bedroom that led onto the wide open verandah. There on the elegant cast iron table lay her breakfast, beautifully prepared by her mother ready to be consumed in this seemingly blissful scene. Only a dream to help disguise the reality.
John on the other hand never gave a thought to his previous life. He lived on Opal fever; still he was aware his wife was approaching the end of her tether. Day after day he toiled down his shaft, breaking his back looking for that elusive breakthrough, always the next day, the next day he told himself. He so wanted her to be proud of him and not regret being married.
One early December morning, close to Christmas after starting a new horizontal cut, he was breaking away some loose rock with his hand pick when all of a sudden an irregular clump of material broke away from the rock wall into his outstretched fingers. At first he could not quite grasp the significance of the moment; the eyes couldn't convey - nay comprehend the message being sent to his brain. In the palm of his hand lay a piece of indescribable sparkling brilliance the earth had just given up after many millions of years. Black opal. The size and quality would mean they would not have to worry about money for many a year. Tears swelled up in his eyes and flowed down his cheeks as if the taps of life had opened up to wash away all the pain and suffering endured since their arrival.
He could barely contain himself as he bolted back to the shack to share the excitement of the discovery. Molly was in shock and cried with happiness at the prospect of finally going home. To celebrate, John, Molly and the baby held in their arms danced a little jig around their one and only room. As they swirled and twirled John whispered into her ear, "Oh my dear, I told you I could do it."
" Yes, you were true to your word. I love you dearly," she stated through the sparkle in her eyes.
Late that afternoon John decided to look for the Opal buyer who came to town 3 days a week. He knew he could find him in one of the many local pubs where miners could be found spending most if not all of their hard-earned pay. Drinking was a massive problem here, for lack of other entertainment it was the favourite pastime and you frequently came across men inebriated, lying or staggering in the streets.
John found what he was looking for in the Diggers Rest, Marty was sitting at a table surrounded by an army of miners playing Black Jack. He was a supremely confident man who didn't suffer fools gladly, a tough negotiator but fair. His eyes broke away from the game for a second and noticed John standing next to the door. "Oh Johnny boy, long time no see, come and join us," he barked out.
John without thinking obey the order and sat down. "Just a quick game and a drink, then I must be getting back."
The storm had changed direction again and was now closing in. Jack sat there, eyes transfixed on the sky and said, "Well as you probable have guessed, the one drink turned into two, two into three into four and with it the judgment of when to give up."
The card game turned into his worst nightmare. The loses started to pile up. At first he thought he could manage it by continuing to play until his luck changed. After all, he had found the black opal that day; surely the gods were on his side. The alcohol dulled the reality until it was too late. Midnight and time to pay up. The only thing of value he had of course was the stone.
Defeated he staggered unevenly home, stopping every so often trying to gather his thoughts. In between the mist of intoxication and clarity, lay the sickening feeling of despair. His muddled thinking tried to explain away the lose as just one of those things. He would find another stone, he said to himself, there must be more awaiting him deep in the bowels of his pit.
As he approached the shack he could make out the silhouette of his wife, sitting silently on the porch. She instinctively knew something was wrong, one look at his eyes had told the whole story.
A wail pierced the quiet of the night, she was beside herself, head bend low between her knees. "How could you do such a thing. This meant everything to us," she screamed at him. "Ohhhh my life is a mess. I can't stand it, and you."
"Oh, pleeese my dearessst... I'll do my best to make amends," he slurred.
He flopped onto the ground, dejected. A distant rumble signified a thunderstorm developing.
Molly's rage did not subside, she paced erratically around the room, picking up her son who was now crying. Her eyes glowing with resentment. John stood up and hobbled inside, opening his arms in a feeble attempt to comfort her.
"Don't you dare come near me," she screamed as she dodged his advances. "Keep away I say, never ever come near me again."
John made another clumsy effort to make peace.
Molly was having nothing of it. She pushed him away violently. He lurched back and collapsed into a chair. Tears streamed down her face as she made it to the door running off with the baby clutched tightly in her arms.
John got up unsteadily and went after her. "Molly, my dear, don't be silly. I'll do anything to make up for it. Come back, come back," he pleaded.
Molly didn't know where she was going and didn't care. She would not spend another moment with that man in that shack. Rain started to beat down and soon covered her tears. She started to climb a ridge as the baby continued to cry softly. Placing his head close to her bosom to keep him warm, she whispered into his tiny ear, "You're the only one I have left in my life."
The storm intensified, the rain now lashing down in sheets. She became more and more confused and disorientated. John stumbled on into the gloom looking for her. He had no idea where she had gone when all of a sudden a tremendous bolt of lightning lit up the countryside like a Roman candle and there near the top of a ridge, he caught sight of her scrambling over some rocks. With renewed energy, he darted up the adjoining rock face to cut her off. Turning around an outcrop he saw her outline, she was no more than 30 metres away. Then.......................
Jack wiped away a tear of his own as the first few spots of rain brushed against his well weathered face.
"You ok?" asked Kevin.
"Yes of course, just a speck of dust in my eye," Jack replied curtly.
She turned around, their eyes met for the last time. Long last cry of anguish. A moment forever frozen in time as a lightening bolt brought her life to an abrupt end. Stunned and shocked, he lay flat on his back having been thrown off his feet by the blast. He gathered his wits and raced towards that unimaginable scene. "Oh my lord, what have I done?"
Mine shafts Lightning Ridge
"But you see," Jack stammering with now watering eyes. "A miracle occurred. The baby some how survived unharmed."
John was numb. He collected his son from the charred arms of his wife who was still protecting him even in death and started walking back slowly unable to think clearly. The storm had cleared and with it the full moon and its companion stars filled the sky with an eerie translucent light to show the way.
The two men on the park bench had not noticed the passing of the storm. It had been threatening all morning but just as it seemed the heavens would open up, it dissipated.
Kevin, with tears now flooding down his face looked at Jack and murmured, "What happened to John?"
The first light of the new day was breaking when John delivered his son to a local neighbour asking them to look after him for a few hours while as he had to attend to an accident his wife had had. By mid afternoon, the neighbour had became concerned when he did not return and contacted the police. They were aware of Molly's death as she had been found by some kids on their way to school, however they had no knowledge of the whereabouts of John.
A search that afternoon unearthed nothing. It wasn't until the end of the second day that John's body was discovered down the bottom of his own miner's shaft with a broken neck. No one knew for sure whether it was an accident or suicide. In the end it didn't matter. Both of the parents were dead.
"You know the rest of the story, Kevin."
Kevin's jaw dropped. "How did you know it was me?"
" I just knew, call it intuition."
There was a long pause as both men were lost in deep thought. Jack pulled out his fob watch and looked at the time. "The Library is open now. I must be getting on. Pleased to have met you. Your'e a good man, Kevin and I hope you find what you have been looking for."
Maybe it was the tears in Kevin's eyes that obscured his vision, but as he looked up Jack was no longer there.
Kevin walked towards the library with mixed emotions. The story had laid out a chapter of his life he had always wanted to know, nevertheless a deep sadness remained. The Pandoras box was open. What would his life have been like if it was Molly and John who had brought him up? Would he be the same person? He felt for both of his parents even though they seemed to be very different people. He didn't blame his father for what he had done, loosing the gemstone the way he did. All men have weakness and he was convinced that in similar circumstances he might have met the same fate. He was also sure that his mother deep down had loved his father or else she wouldn't have followed him to Lightning Ridge. The sheer disappointment of not being able to return to Sydney had exasperated her reaction to the news and had driven her over the edge. It was a greek tragedy in the full sense; two needless deaths and a small boy who never got to know his parents.
The library was one of the better buildings in town, built at the beginning of the nineteenth century out of white sandstone imported from elsewhere in the state. It stood out amongst the others in the street by its relative grander, exhibiting fake roman pillars either side of an arched doorway. The relationship to ancient Rome didn't extend to the interior of the building though; drab and disorganised in keeping with the rest of the town. The librarian was helpful and assisted Kevin in finding the newspaper article that appeared the week after his parent's death. And there in front of his eyes were Molly and John. He first scanned the photo of his mother; a wave of anxiety encapsulated his body as he fought to control the emotions exploding within.
Then the father... Kevin froze, the colour drained from his face.
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Introduced in 1997, the Epiphone Dot emerged at a time when countless thousands of people were looking for the perfect instrument on which to belt out Oasis riffs. With Noel Gallagher using several Epiphone instruments, including the Sheraton and Riviera, there was a big market for a more affordable semi-hollow body instrument. Even if you weren't a big Noel follower and preferred the sound of a player such as Larry Carlton, Gibson's ES-335 was several times more expensive than guitars such as the Sheraton and remained just a dream for many players.
The first Dot sold for (just!) under £400 in '97, but today's Dots sell for under £300 thanks in part to Epiphone's new manufacturing facility. There have been a few changes to the specifications over the years. Until 2008, the Dot featured a maple neck, whereas newer models use mahogany. Early models featured a 'Gibson' inscription on the truss rod cover, with the newer models inscribed with 'Dot'.
I bought my first Dot -in cherry red- in 1997, played some memorable gigs with it, and regret the day I sold it in 2005. The step up in quality from the entry-level instruments I had played before was immense and, I'll admit to being a bit shallow here, but it just looked good. Not that that is unimportant though, seeing it sitting on its stand just made me want to pick it up and play it, which made me a better guitarist.
Given how versatile this instrument is -you'll be sorted from jazz and blues to indie and rock- this is always one of the first instruments on my recommendation list, and now that it's available as part of a bundle with the just-as-versatile Vox VT20 amplifier and all the accessories you need, it's even easier to recommend.
And your journey to semi-hollow perfection needn't stop there. There is nothing to stop you upgrading those pickups to vintage PAF humbucker reissues and getting the instrument sounding and playing so close to a Gibson ES-335 that many folks won't be able to tell the difference, and having saved enough over the Gibbie to buy a (very) decent valve amp and some pedals!


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Researchers discover new molecular pathway for targeting cancer, disease
A UCLA study has identified a way to turn off a key signaling pathway involved in physiological processes that can also stimulate the development of cancer and other diseases. The findings may lead to new treatments and targeted drugs using this approach.
In the study, which is currently available in the online edition of the journal Molecular Endocrinology, scientists found that by activating a receptor in cells called the liver X receptor (LXR), they were able to inhibit the hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway, which is involved in the maintenance of tissue integrity and stem cell generation. When stimulated in an unregulated manner, however, the Hh pathway can also cause cancers of the brain, lung, blood, prostate, skin and other tissues.
Blocking such unregulated stimulation of the Hh pathway had previously been shown in animal studies to prevent cancers, according to the researchers. How LXR was able to inhibit tumor cell growth by impeding the Hh pathway was previously unknown.
"Our finding shows that activation of LXR signaling is a novel strategy for inhibiting Hh pathway activity and for targeting various cell types, including cancer cells, which may provide important clues as to how we might be able to intervene with tumor formation," said Farhad Parhami, a professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the study's principal investigator.
During the study, researchers performed various tests activating LXR receptors in cells and found that specific gene expression induced by the Hh pathway could be inhibited. This finding was also confirmed in mice.
"Since Hh signaling plays a major role in other physiological and pathological processes, we may be able to impact other diseases as well," Parhami said.
Dr. William Matsui of Johns Hopkins Medical Institute, an expert on Hh signaling in cancer development, noted the importance of the UCLA study and its significance for the next stages of research — finding a pharmaceutical drug or substance molecule to act as an agonist, which would stimulate LXR activity to inhibit aberrant Hh signaling.
"The hedgehog Hh signaling pathway is an important regulator of tumor formation, and these findings suggest that LXR agonists may be novel treatments for a wide variety of human cancers," Matsui said.
According to researchers, utilizing this new treatment pathway could have broad applications in the cancer field.
"This discovery identifies an entirely new and unexpected mechanism of hedgehog pathway modulation," said study author Dr. James A. Waschek, an expert on Hh signaling in brain tumor development and a professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. "This has great potential in offering other options, because current hedgehog pathway inhibitors have severe side effects which preclude their use in many cancer patients, especially children."
Waschek also noted that this discovery may reveal new details on how Hh signals within the cell, which is currently poorly understood.
The next stage of the research will focus on activating the LXR pathway using various pharmacological molecules to inhibit tumor formation. Matsui will be a collaborator in this follow-up research.
In addition, the team has started a medicinal chemistry program to design and test small molecules that activate the LXR pathway while avoiding the adverse effects that may be caused when LXR is activated in tissues such as the liver.
The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association.
Other authors include Woo-Kyun Kim and Vicente Meliton from the UCLA Department of Medicine; Peter Tontonoz from the UCLA Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute; Kye Won Park from the department of food science and biotechnology at Korea's Sungkyunkwan University; Cynthia Hong from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA; Pawel Niewiadomski from the UCLA Department of Psychiatry; and Sotirios Tetradis from the UCLA School of Dentistry.
For more news, visit the UCLA Newsroom.
Rachel Champeau


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Home Reports Daily Monitor
Consultant tells Georgetown not to manage its own utility department
The Texas Monitor Staff
Story date 5-15-17; posted 6-6-17
The City of Georgetown shouldn't rely on its own utility department to manage its energy, a consultant told city leaders on Tuesday.
Steve Moffitt, a partner with Schneider Engineering, said a third-party firm could better react quickly to changing market conditions, the Austin American-Statesman reported.
Georgetown came under fire for losing money on solar and wind contracts due to the lower prices of oil and natural gas, the newspaper reported. Because the prices for fossil fuels decreased in 2018, the city had to sell off its surplus renewable power for less than anticipated. Georgetown found itself $8.6 million in the hole and residents have felt the energy woes in their pocketbooks, with the average residential bill increasing by $12.82 on Feb. 1.
The rate increase is expected to generate $6 million for the city from February through September.
Moffitt said the city can't dedicate enough staff to the management of energy contracts. He noted that some city officials are pulling double duty. Jim Briggs is both assistant city manager and general manager of utilities, for example.
The consultant recommended that Georgetown start a rate-stabilization fund. Money from that fund would help mitigate the impact of increased energy costs for power customers. Instead of big spikes in power rates, customers would see more gradual increases as money is pulled from the rate stabilization fund.
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Questioning the wisdom of free-wheeling tax incentives
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Green energy puts Georgetown utility in the red, sends city to the courthouse
Court: Natural gas company can't trespass on land – Oil Market Analysis News June 8, 2019 at 1:50 am
[…] Georgetown, Texas, fully powered by renewables, should let an outside firm manage its utility department to react to changing market conditions, a consultant says. (Texas […]


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Category: Use of Force Reviews
Officer-Involved Shooting (Fatal) San Bernardino: J. Pulido
News Releases | Use of Force Reviews
The San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office has completed its review of the officer-involved shooting which occurred on August 28, 2020 . This incident happened in San Bernardino and involved San Bernardino Police Department. The shooting was investigated by the San Bernardino Police Department. The Officer-Involved Shooting Review Team The…
Officer-Involved Shooting (Fatal) San Bernardino: M. Bender
The San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office has completed its review of the officer-involved shooting which occurred on October 22, 2020 . This incident happened in San Bernardino and involved San Bernardino Police Department. The shooting was investigated by the San Bernardino Police Department. The Officer-Involved Shooting Review Team The…
Officer-Involved Shooting (Non-Fatal) Fontana: S. Otuafi
The San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office has completed its review of the officer-involved shooting which occurred on September 27, 2009 . This incident happened in Fontana and involved Rialto Police Department. The shooting was investigated by the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department. The Officer-Involved Shooting Review Team The District…
Officer Involved Shooting (Fatal) : Rancho Cucamonga – M. Dawson
The San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office has completed its review of the officer-involved shooting which occurred on Aug 25th 2020. This incident happened in Rancho Cucamonga and involved San Bernardino County Sheriff's Dept. The shooting was investigated by the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department. The Officer-Involved Shooting Review Team…
Officer-Involved Shooting (Fatal) Victorville: D. Messmer
The San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office has completed its review of the officer-involved shooting which occurred on February 23, 2019 . This incident happened in Victorville and involved San Bernardino County Sheriff's Dept. The shooting was investigated by the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department. The Officer-Involved Shooting Review Team…
Officer-Involved Shooting (Non-Fatal) Fontana: Bermudez J.
The San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office has completed its review of the officer-involved shooting which occurred on March 20, 2019 . This incident happened in Fontana and involved San Bernardino County Sheriff's Dept. The shooting was investigated by the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department. The Officer-Involved Shooting Review Team…
Officer-Involved Shooting (Fatal) – Rialto: Viveros D.
Case Filings | Case Updates | Crimes Against Peace Officers | News Releases | Use of Force Reviews
The San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office has completed its review of the officer-involved shooting which occurred on November 6, 2020 . This incident happened in Rialto and involved Rialto Police Dept. The shooting was investigated by the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department. The Officer-Involved Shooting Review Team The District…
Officer-Involved Shooting (Fatal) – CHP: Sammy Hernandez
News Releases | Uncategorized | Use of Force Reviews
The San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office has completed its review of the officer-involved shooting which occurred on August 30, 2019 . This incident happened on Westbound State Route 60 to Grove Ave off-ramp and involved California Highway Patrol. The shooting was investigated by the California Highway Patrol Rancho Cucamonga…
Officer-Involved Shooting (Non-Fatal) – Hesperia: Oligario P.
Uncategorized | Use of Force Reviews
The San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office has completed its review of the officer-involved shooting which occurred on December 4, 2018. This incident happened in Hesperia and involved the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. The shooting was investigated by the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. OIS-Puente-Public-Release-FINALDownload
Officer-Involved Shooting (Fatal) – Chino Hills: Jose G.
The San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office has completed its review of the officer-involved shooting which occurred on July 16, 2019. This incident happened in Chino Hills and involved the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. The shooting was investigated by the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. Public-Release-Memo-Gonzalez-JoseDownload


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Q: Interrupt Vector calculation in PowerPC based controllers I am working with Freescale MPC5534 based on PowerPC arch. I am not able to understand how the address of a particular ISR is calculated during runtime. There are three registers involved, INTC_IACKR, INTC_IVPR, INTC_IVOR, and the final value of the interrupt vector corresponding to a particular ISR is based on the values loaded to these registers at runtime i.e, some base_address + prefix + offset from the three registers, respectively.
I am just not able to understand the connection these three values and how the vector is calculated from collective value of all these registers.
People who have worked on any PowerPC based controllers might be able to help.

A: Never worked with PowerPC, but from MPC5534 Microcontroller Reference Manual, INTC_IACKR contains the vector table base address and the vector that caused the interrupt request to the processor. I did not find any info regarding INTC_IVPR or INTC_IVOR.
The interrupt request to be sent to processor is determined by a "Priority Arbitrator" using the INTC_PSR (priority select) and INTC_CPR (current priority) registers. You'd want to refer to Chapter 10 for more info on it.

A: Never worked with PowerPC, but from e200z3 Power Architecture™
Core Reference Manual, you should be able to get a better understanding.
Capter 10 in the MPC5534 Microcontroller Reference Manual mentions this manual: Interrupts implemented by the MCU are defined in the e200z3 PowerPC tm Core Reference Manual.
IVPR
The Core Reference Manual section 2.8.1.6 has this to say about the IVPR:

The IVPR, shown in Figure 2-16, is used during interrupt processing to determine the starting address for the software interrupt handler. The value contained in the vector offset field of the IVOR selected for a particular interrupt type is concatenated with the value in the IVPR to form an instruction address from which execution is to begin.

It the lists the bit fields of that register, of which there is only one: The Vector Base:

Defines the base location of the vector table, aligned to a 64-Kbyte boundary. Provides the high-order 16 bits of the location of all interrupt handlers. IVPR || IVORn values are concatenated to form the address of the handler in memory.

IVORn

IVORs, shown in Figure 2-17, hold the quad-word index from the base address provided by the IVPR for each interrupt type.

Additionally, section 4.5 says:

The value in the vector offset field of the IVOR assigned to the interrupt type is concatenated with the value in IVPR to form an instruction address at which execution is to begin.

Conclusion
After the interrupt priority logic has decided on which interrupt vector to activate, the program counter will jump to the address IVPR || IVORn.
Note that each interrupt only has space for four instructions, so if you want to do some heavy lifting you have to branch. Setting a quick flag or toggling an I/O pin should be possible without any branches.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Fall is finally here, and with it comes a lot of fun holidays, traditions and events. One of our favorite activities is decorating for all of these exciting times. Wreaths are some of the most welcoming and fun pieces that you can add to your holiday decor. They're also pretty easy to make!
We love this Halloween Wreath DIY tutorial by Stephanie of Naturally Crafty DIY. It's cute, simple and adds a pop of excitement for your soon to be trick-or-treaters!
In honor of this bewitching season I have created a door wreath to greet trick or treaters. I think it came out pretty well so I would like to share this Halloween door wreath DIY with you.
Hop over to Naturally Crafty DIY for detailed instructions and the finished wreath!
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Wedding is a special occasion to celebrate with family and friends. Our specially prepared wine or vodka wedding labels will definitely give a special character to your ceremony. Thanks to the possibility of adding your own text, the label will be unique and personal.
Today we are celebrating love and sharing with you this wonderful moment.
Photo is required. Please click "Add photo".


The Bonavista Downs Newsletter is a bi-monthly publication reaching 368 homes. It is produced and delivered by volunteers within our community.
If you have information that you wish to submit for inclusion in the newsletter or have any questions or suggestions, please visit our 'Contact Us' page and complete the form.
We are very fortunate to have strategic partnerships that help us grow, develop and improve our community. We believe that by working with these partners, it assists in building a strong vibrant community for all who live in Bonavista Downs.
We would also like to recognize those businesses and individuals whom graciously donate prizes for our events.
Membership in the BDCA is free and you can't beat that! Membership entitles you to discounts at the Trico Centre For Family Wellness. It also gives you the privilege of voting on community matters.
Some of the services that we offer members and residents are a free newsletter, well-maintained community hall for your functions, and community events.
Be Active and Participate in your Community.
Want to try your hand at gardening? Our Gathering Garden is located next to the tennis courts. It is made up of individual plots that members can lease for the growing season.
If you would like to grow your own fruits or veggies, you don't need to have a green thumb; no experience is necessary. You will learn various tips and tricks from other gardeners in our community.
For over 40 years, the Bonavista Downs Community Association, a volunteer organization, has been dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in our community by providing programs and services that meet the needs of our members, of all ages.
We are always looking for volunteers to join our Board of Directors or help out at community events. Throughout the year, we have a variety of events that depend on the support of our community members. Helping out for a few hours at the Easter Egg Hunt, Family Fun Day or joining the Recreational Team to ensure the ice is in great condition are all a part of helping to enrich our great community.
Visit the 'Contact Us' page and send us a message to let us know that you would like to become a volunteer.
Along with our website, we use Facebook to stay connected with members of our community. This social media tool allows you to discover what's going on in the community, as well as, provides a forum to share your ideas with us.
Visit our Facebook page and 'Like' us to have our updates show up in your daily Newsfeed.
Check out the archived photos of our Community Association's past events. You will find photos of events such as the: Easter Egg Hunt, Family Fun Day, Turkey Bingo, Playground Build and much, much more!
As you will see, there is fun for all ages!


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Pete's Perspectives: Welcoming Say Yes Syracuse to the Community Foundation
Posted on December 1, 2020 by cnycommunityfoundation	Leave a comment
Back in the summer of 2008, literally a month after I arrived in Syracuse to join the Community Foundation, I met with leaders of Say Yes to Education and the Syracuse City School District (SCSD). They presented the outlines of an emerging partnership to expand college access for SCSD students in collaboration with local partners, including the City of Syracuse, Onondaga County, Syracuse University (SU), the Syracuse Teachers Association, Onondaga Community College and others. Ultimately, the Community Foundation became a partner in this effort, providing $2 million in scholarship and program support and becoming the financial 'backbone' of the program. Much has changed over the last twelve years and it is worth looking back as we move forward.
The partnership created in 2008 has been resilient. Over the last twelve years, there have been a host of leadership changes among key partners – three mayors, three SCSD superintendents, two SU chancellors and two county executives. Nevertheless, the Say Yes Syracuse program and the commitment of its partners have endured. Say Yes continues to support SCSD kids, with hundreds receiving scholarship support each year from a locally managed and dedicated endowment at the Community Foundation that leverages significant additional financial aid for college-bound students.
Social and emotional supports have been a key component. Say Yes is broadly understood as a scholarship promise but much of the work of the partners has focused on social and emotional supports for kids and families that impact academic achievement. Supportive services for the mental and emotional health of SCSD students were reimagined and amplified by Onondaga County, creating a successful template for work with other districts. A focus on families facing eviction and other legal challenges resulted in early Say Yes financial support to expand the Volunteer Lawyers Project – which today is a thriving local nonprofit facilitating pro bono legal services for those in need.
Local partners have been resourceful. SRC, Inc., in what is likely one of the largest (if not the largest) philanthropic gifts ever made by a local company, made a $5 million matching gift to the Say Yes Scholarship Endowment at the Community Foundation in 2011, which was key to securing a total of $10 million in local private funding from donors. Based on this demonstration of local support, New York State stepped up through the Upstate Revitalization Initiative to provide a $20 million grant to complete the endowment. Today, a $30 million endowment sustains the scholarship promise for SCSD students by providing $1.2 million in scholarship grants each year.
As we move into 2021, Say Yes Syracuse also moves into a new phase. The national office of Say Yes to Education has concluded its work and devolved responsibility to local chapters in Syracuse, Buffalo and Cleveland. The Community Foundation stepped in to take on the role of managing the local office and employing its staff. We're pleased to welcome Ahmeed Turner, executive director of Say Yes Syracuse, and Dana Lyons, manager of scholarship access and completion, to the Community Foundation staff. Ahmeed will also become a member of the Community Foundation's management team. The Say Yes Syracuse office will move to a second-floor office in the Philanthropy Center in January.
For students and families, the day-to-day operations of Say Yes Syracuse will look and feel the same. We will continue to offer a fully endowed last-dollar tuition guarantee scholarship to all eligible SCSD students and all wrap-around supports, including family support specialists, mental health clinics and legal services will continue unchanged.
With permanent support for local students in place, and continuing engagement among the partners, we're looking forward to the next chapter for Say Yes Syracuse.
tagged with Central New York, Central New York Community Foundation, CNY, Community Foundation, say yes syracuse, say yes to education, Syracuse
Pete's Perspectives


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Bocula undilineata is a moth of the family Erebidae first described by Warren in 1912. It is found in the Himalayas.

References

Rivulinae

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Reelection of Thaksin casts dark cloud over press
2005/02/08 2013/09/12 seapa 0 Comments Media Freedom, Politics and Media
Source: Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA)
The overwhelming victory of Thailand's populist leader Thaksin Shinawatra and his Thai Rak Thai Party (TRT) in the 6 February general election is raising concerns about the future direction of democracy in the country.
In particular, political and media observers are concerned that the Prime Minister's overbearing influence over the Thai media, coupled with a historic mandate that threatens to evolve into a de-facto one-party system in Thailand, could weaken the country's democratic institutions and put tremendous pressure on the national press to surrender its hard-won rights and freedoms.
Thaksin and the TRT are on pace to corner at least two-thirds of the seats in the Southeast Asian kingdom's 500-member House of Representatives.
Political analysts say that the ruling coalition has so much power that its future policies will be virtually immune from censure. Thailand's checks-and-balances have been weakened, starting with an opposition whose representation in parliament can be all but ignored by the majority.
Thaksin's victory statements have so far been magnanimous. He assured the Thai media that he is intent on "listening" to his critics, and to working with the opposition.
The real indicator of his respect for democratic institutions and checks-and-balances, however, lies outside of parliament. A review of his handling of the media is more telling.
On a personal level, Thaksin's intolerance of criticism is notorious. He portrays critics and opponents as enemies of the state, and has often suggested that the Thai press should be less critical of his programs, and more sympathetic to the nation-building efforts of government.
In the meantime, however, over the last four years, Thaksin has managed to tighten his control over the press and media.
In 2003, Shin Corp., the media and telecommunications giant owned by Thaksin's family, took over Thailand's only independent television channel, iTV. All the other five television stations in the country remain under state and military ownership.
In 2004, Shin Corp. sued a media advocate for $10 million, after she questioned a sudden spike in Shin Corp's profits coinciding with Mr. Thaksin's rise to power.
Since, 2002, critics of Thaksin in the Thai Post and Naew Na have been treated to a series of criminal libel suits.
Meanwhile, Thaksin and his friends in the business community are widely perceived in Thailand to be exerting influence on the print media, either by applying an advertising squeeze on newspapers or by directly influencing management and editorial decisions via the papers' respective boards.
Thailand's two leading English-language dailies—The Nation and the Bangkok Post—have been pressured to tone down their anti-Thakin tone. Revamps in the executive boards of both companies were believed to have been to engineered to soften their critical views of government.
With Thaksin's reelection, the Thai media is bracing for yet more assaults on their independence.
In 2003, the Securities Exchange of Thailand reported that over 10 percent of the Nation group's shares were already held by the family of Thaksin's close aid, then Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit, making them the third largest shareholder after the publishing group's original founders. Insiders say Suriya's shares could have multiplied by now, and with it, Thaksin's potential influence over the Nation Group.
In all, media practitioners and free press advocates in Thailand say they are bracing for a continuation of a government campaign against the press. The difference now, they say, is that the assaults will come from an even more powerful government.
It remains to be seen how much of the fears will come to pass, and how well the reinvigorated Thaksin government can respect the role of the media in Thai democracy.
← Newspaper Publisher Harassed by Politician
Managing editor killed in Had Yai →
ASEAN challenge to Vietnam
Supreme Court reduces sentence of editor in lèse majesté case
Tabloid Columnist Wounded in Batangas Shooting
Suspect in journalist's killing escapes from police camp
Cebu broadcaster survives assassination attempt
[Indonesia] Women journalists tell their stories in new book
2019/02/10 Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) No Comments
Is no news good news?
[Cambodia] Civil Society Rejects Government Attack on Freedom of Expression


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Greece: Why This Luxury Resort With Its Own Music Festival Is Worth Travelling For
Rooksana Hossenally Contributor
Escape the heatwave with a stint to Sani Resort during its international music festival on the heavenly peninsula of Halkidiki in northern Greece. Often overlooked by tourists who make a dash for the country's islands instead, Halkidiki, also known as Aristotle's place of birth, is a wild paradise lined by warm, retina-pulling turquoise waters less than an hour's drive from the thriving cultural city of Thessaloniki.
Bousoulas Beach on the Halkidiki Peninsula of northern Greece
Sani Resorts
Halkidiki, the Aegean's forgotten paradise
"Halkidiki is basically a peninsula with three fingers," chuckles our taxi driver as we pull onto the local highway, olive groves and vineyards stretching for as far as the eye can see on both sides. "The nearest one, Kassandra, is where you go with your family, the middle one is Sithonia, where you go with your girlfriend, and the one that's furthest away is Mount Athos, where you go alone."
Despite being two friends who aren't regular resort-goers and travelling child-free, we were headed to the family-focused Kassandra, the first prong. Adorned with a tangle of forests teeming with indigenous plants and animals, it is blessed with picture-perfect beaches, and aside from a handful of hotels and villas, it still ticks to the local rhythm, especially closest to its southern tip. The second, more remote Sithonia, has long been a magnet for Greek holidaymakers looking for a more authentic setting. And the third, Mount Athos, is slightly more enigmatic. An enclave reserved for men only, it has a sprinkling of monasteries, and visiting requires a permit.
Sani Club: not your stereotypical resort
Unsure of what to expect, we had heard of Sani Resort and its annual music festival. A resort that encompasses five hotels and that sprawls a thousand acres along the coast, it even has its own marina.
Expecting to find a resort overrun with guests hunkering down to some serious boozing in the sun to the sounds of loud chart music and screeching kids racing around the pool unsupervised, we were in for a surprise because Sani Resort eschews most holiday resort clichés.
Our doubts vanished upon seeing the dazzling blues of the crystal clear lagoon of our hotel, and much to our relief, residents of families were outstandingly civilized. There were no rowdy children running riot, no lobster-red adults swelling in the sun as they downed their third pint before lunchtime, and there certainly was no pumping music playing around the pool, games of water volleyball or strenuous aerobics lead by an overenthusiastic teacher.
The infinity pool with Sani Hill in the background, at Sani Club, Greece.
We stayed at Sani Club, and, thanks to its location at the southern extremity of the clusters of hotels, it is the more secluded of the five properties. Rooms come in small detached villas set up like a village of mini holiday homes staggered on a cliff interspersed with swaying pine trees and looking out over the sea.
Each of the resort's five hotels has its own distinct atmosphere and décor, as well as a handful of restaurants, a large main pool and a private beach - and most importantly, each is quiet and surprisingly, never feels cramped, even when running at full capacity despite the overall size of the resort.
Sani's dreamy coastline
Sani sits in a prime location along the coast surrounded by thick forests of fragrant pine trees. Every resort has its own beach within a five-minute stroll, but the winning spot is Bousoulas Beach located northwards behind Sani Beach, the 70s style high rise property. From Sani Club, the beach is a short shuttle ride away but is truly worth the trip. A holiday maker's dream, the long stretch of fine golden sand lined by a still pool of warm turquoise water runs as far as the eye can see on one side, and a sunbaked pine forest lies on the other.
Rooms with idyllic sea vistas
The villas, tastefully decorated in fresh sea greens or sky blues, are airy, and come with king size beds and a plethora of cozy pillows, as well as a freestanding bath you'll want to spend hours in. Make sure to ask for a room with a balcony that runs the length of the room with sea vistas as some rooms come with garden views.
The rooms with sea views at Sani Club, one of five hotels that make up Sani Resort in Greece.
The food: top marks all round
As pleasant as the rooms are, you'll want to explore what the rest of the resort has to offer, like the food. Sani has over 20 restaurants to choose from, ranging from Italian cuisine to Japanese and international buffet outlets. It even has Michelin style restaurants like Water, located at the boutique Sani Asterias, with a menu by French chef Jacques Chibois, from the Bastide Saint Antoine in Grasse, South of France and the Japanese sashimi restaurant Katsu, inspired by Matsuhisa restaurants.
Our go-to place however, was Ouzerie. Modeled on a traditional Greek tavern, the succulent dishes using locally sourced produce like haloumi and fresh fish are served grilled and doused in virgin olive oil. And it gets better because the excellent cuisine comes with views to match - perched up above the sea, the luminous blue waters stretch all the way to the horizon.
Ouzerie restaurant, a Greek tavern serving traditional local food with killer sea views.
The Sani Festival
The resort is punctuated by a small hill pinned with Stavronikita Tower, which actually dates back to 1543. It's here on 'Sani hill', with the tower as the backdrop, that the annual Sani Festival takes place.
Famed German contemporary jazz artist Till Brönner opens the 2018 edition of the Sani Festival in... [+] Greece.
Now in its 26th edition, this year's festival has an all-star international line-up bringing the peninsula to life throughout July and August. Kicking off the festivities was the German trumpeter Till Brönner, whose music is heavily influenced by bebop and pop music and has worked with artists like Jeff Hamilton, Nathalie Cole, as well as singers like Annie Lennox and Melodie Gardot.
Angélique Kidjo, the Grammy Award-winning artist performs at the Sani Festival 2018
Headlining the festival is Grammy award-winning Angélique Kidjo, a Beninese artist and activist that Time Magazine called "Africa's premier diva" and which the BBC has included in the continent's 50 most iconic figures.
Other performers to look forward to include American jazz vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant, Vivaldianno's City of Mirros show, the Brazilian multi-talented musician, composer and singer Katerina Polemi, Greek composer and conductor Stavros Xarchakos and Greek vocalist Alkistis Protopsalti, with a finale by the Thessaloniki Symphony Orchestra.
The stellar staff: setting Sani a cut above other resorts
While Sani offers a great many draws, what really sets Sani apart from the rest is the exceptional service. From the cleaning staff to the gardeners, the restaurant staff at Pine Trees and Ouzerie and managers like Giorgos at Cabanas, the receptionists and drivers funneling guests from one resort to the other, as well as the beach staff like Lawrence and Irini the yoga teacher, everyone was friendly, switched on, and always ready to go the extra mile. Staff this good are hard to come by, especially within an operation of this size.
Often described as a family resort, it's true that Sani's clientele comprises little else. With its committed embrace of laziness, from golf carts shuttling guests from restaurants to rooms, kids' clubs, and a seamless service, it means that guests in need of rest really can relax here without having anything else to worry about. However, with its tranquil atmosphere, and with so much on offer, from beaches to live music, forest hikes to boat rides, an Anne Semonin spa to yoga and fitness, it's a treat even if you don't have a family to bring along.
Rooksana Hossenally
A travel and culture writer from London but based in Paris, I have contributed to Forbes, The New York Times, The Guardian, BBC Travel, Condé Nast Traveller Magazine, W


Welcome home! This property has a beautiful front yard and an open courtyard. This spacious layout has 4 bedrooms, 2 fireplaces, and 1.75 baths. The remodeled kitchen has granite countertops, beautiful cabinets and an open concept into the living room, which is perfect for family gatherings and entertaining. The master bedroom offers natural light and has excellent closet space. The remodeled bathrooms have granite countertops, tiled showers and heated flooring. The other bedrooms are spacious with mirrored closet doors and windows for natural light. The backyard is a perfect place for a Sunday BBQ. This home allows for easy access to the freeways, major event centers, and historic Old Town Orange.


Teeny tiny baby squirrel om-nomming something tasty!
Aww, the little squirrel! He's so precious!
Hey, do you take cute-n-tiny requests? I have a soft spot for bats–I even have a dog that looks like one. Is there any way a bat could have a spot on Cute-n-Tiny?


The opening day of practice for high school athletic teams brought about an unusual situation at Benson High Monday afternoon. Anthony Stoudamire, the school's new football coach, caught some of his players sneaking a water break, and he set about letting the team know that wouldn't be tolerated.
First, they did extra running. Then, he hit them with the lowdown on sneaking water.
"When one of us drinks, we all drink," Stoudamire told his team firmly. "The coaches know how important water is to keep you hydrated, and we give you plenty of water breaks, so you don't need to be sneaking water. That's part of becoming a better player, playing through being thirsty.
"What are you going to do when we're driving, when we're at the three-yard-line and you get thirsty? Are you going to come out and let someone else play, or keep playing?"
Stoudamire closed practice with a sweat-soaked group of two dozen players thirsting for success - the kind he experienced at Jefferson while the Techmen struggled to win sometimes one game during a season.
"I'm hoping for more than two wins," said junior Taylor Anderson. "We had one win two years ago and two last year. It would be great to get three wins, but we're shooting (to win) the PIL."
Stoudamire led Jefferson to the Portland Interscholastic League title at the Class 5A level four times in the past six years and won at least one playoff game in five of those seasons. In 2009, he guided the Democrats to the state title game before a loss to Hillsboro. In spring, Stoudamire was fired by Jefferson, but returned to coaching at a rival school and took most of his assistant coaches with him.
Jefferson then hired former University of Oregon standout Aaron Gipson, who will be a head coach for the first time.
"I'm having a good time here," Stoudamire said. "There's good support, we've got a nice field to practice on and the kids have been great.
"There's a lot of things we can do with the orange and blue that I couldn't do with blue and gold."
Benson's program has stalled since the departure of coach Bill Dressel in 1997. Stoudamire is the program's fifth coach since Dressel retired. Even under Dressel, the program was on the way to struggling to keep up with larger, better-funded programs. Benson hasn't won a playoff game since 1990, two years after it won the state title - the last time a PIL school won such an honor in football.
Of the league's seven Class 5A schools, only Jefferson has won a playoff game in the past decade.
Playoff success isn't the only place the PIL is struggling. Last season, the league's six 5A teams won just two non-league games - both against Parkrose. In the OSAA rankings that lead to playoff seeding, PIL teams took up the bottom five spots within the 37 Class 5A schools. Only Jefferson, which lost its three non-league games, was in the top 21 because its losses were to quality opponents: No. 5 Bend, No. 7 Corvallis and No. 13 Crescent Valley.
This season, of the seven PIL schools, only Franklin has a non-league game scheduled against a team ranked higher than No. 15 from last season - Sept. 21, at Bend.
Benson begins its season Aug. 31 at Dallas (No. 26 from 2011), then plays at The Dalles-Wahtonka (No. 31), and plays host to Banks, a Class 4A school, in its home opener, Sept. 14.
"We know it takes time to build a winner," Stoudamire said. "But, the kids don't want to hear that. They want to hear about how we can win this year, that's why we push them like we do."


Work from a different office chair every day!
The company is renowned for its contemporary quality designs sourced from around the world and showcased in a beautiful environment where natural light and space enhance the inspirational merchandise.
Now, Weylandts is looking for passionate, motivated and ambitious individuals to join their ever-expanding and vibrant team.
This person will work closely with Chris Weylandt! This person will be responsible for the planning and selecting of a range of furniture products to sell in Weylandts Retail branches working on guidelines from the company directors and within budgets. This person will need to fully understand customer needs, the buyers are able to maximise profits and provide a commercially viable range of merchandise at competitive prices. Keeping up to date with market trends and reacting to changes in demand are key elements of the role.


Its officially award season and Courtney Barnett is receiving a ton of praise for her 2018 album 'Tell Me How You Really Feel.' Courtney Barnett and 'Tell Me How You Really Feel' have been nominated for 8 ARIA Awards including Album of the Year, Best Female Artist, Best Rock Album, Best Independent Release, Best Video, and Best Live Act. Courtney Was also nominated for Best Contemporary Album for her collaborative album with Kurt Vile, 'Lotta Sea Lice.' This years ARIA nominations matches the number of that Courtney received for her debut album Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit.
During Courtney's two night headlining stay at the famous Sydney Opera House, Courtney took the time to record a stunning version of "Sunday Roast" in the Bennelong Restaurant. Check out the full video below!
Courtney Barnett has also kicked off her headline US and Canada tour with Waxahatchee. Catch her in your city. Purchase your tickets below!


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Sacroiliac joint instability during pregnancy is a condition that tends to worsen. It is vital to reduce straining the pelvis as much as possible even if you are not feeling pain at the time. The majority of women have no pain after 3 months post delivery and have a very significant decrease in the pain in the days following birth. For more information of the symptoms and causes of sacroiliac joint instability in pregnancy, please click!
Hands on treatment with practitioners such an osteopath, physiotherapist, myotherapist, chiropractor or acupuncturist can assist in improving and managing your symptoms. Discuss your symptoms with your GP, midwife or obstetrician. Get an exercise program to strengthen pelvic musculature with a specialised personal trainer, physiotherapist or pilates instructor. Be wary of stretching too much as this can reduce some of the much needed muscular support of the SIJ's. Exercise should be focused on strengthening not stretching. Pelvic floor and core strengthening can assist greatly especially learning to brace these muscles when you need to lift or bend. Speak to your health practitioner about these. Some women experience feelings of depression, guilt, grief or anger associated with the condition. Speaking to a psychologist, councillor or a support group can assist. A natural health practitioner such as a homeopath or Chinese medicine therapist may help.
If you have a severe case and have trouble walking, consider hiring a wheel chair or electric scooter if you need to go to a shopping centre or supermarket for a long period, many centers hire these out for free. Listen to your body, pain is there for a reason. If it hurts, you are best to stop and avoid that activity. Commonly such tasks as shopping, vacuuming and sweeping can be a problem. Ask for help with everything! The less you strain your pelvis, the better you will be. Tasks you may need to reduce are shopping, cleaning, childcare, work and lifting. Consider a nanny or babysitter to give yourself a break and help get you through. Avoid heavy lifting. Get older children to climb onto a stool or chair before lifting them up. Reduce straining everyday activities as much as possible. Things to consider are buying groceries online, getting groceries delivered, getting a clothes and nappy washing service, getting a cleaner, getting meals delivered. Set yourself up for what you will need for the day such as a big bottle of water, thermos of coffee/tea, snacks, phone, remote etc so that you don't need to get up all the time. Get a stool to sit on when doing tasks such as ironing, washing dishes and cooking that require longer periods of standing. Play with children when seated where possible. A claw can be of great assistance to help you pick things up off the floor.
Always sleep with something in between your knees such as a body pillow or leg spacer to help with pelvic alignment. Try sleeping with silk or satin PJ's as you can slide rather than pick yourself up to turn over. You may find it easier to turn over in bed by going up on all 4s. Consider hiring an electric recliner if your sleep is severely affected. When turning over, keep your knees together where possible and contract your pelvic floor and core abdominal muscles to give you more support.
Reduce the strain on the pelvic joints when walking by taking shorter steps. Don't put asymmetrical strain through your pelvis: avoid stairs where possible. You may find it less painful to walk up the stairs sidewards. If one side is less painful than the other, always step up with that leg first. swing both of your legs onto the ground before getting out of the car. You need to rest and avoid irritating the joints however you still need to remain active to avoid losing muscular strength. This is a delicate balancing act. Towards the end of the pregnancy or earlier on if you have a severe case, you may need crutches, a walking stick or even a wheelchair to get around. This is vital if you are starting to experience pain with all movement and especially if you feel your back or legs are going to give way under you. Keep your legs together as much as possible such as getting out of bed or your car and turning over in bed.
Ice packs over the SIJ's can be beneficial in reducing the pain and inflammation. Gently stretching your gluteal, hamstrings and quadriceps muscles can help to reduce pain but avoid over stretching as this will take away some of the remaining support of the pelvis. Learning relaxation techniques such as meditation can help with pain tolerance and improving sleep. Sitting or lying on tennis balls may help decrease tension and pain in your gluteal muscles. Getting your partner to gently put pressure on the gluteal muscles when you are lying on your side may also give you some relief. Be careful not to slip, your pelvis is very vulnerable.
Start training or do some rehabilitation with a physiotherapist, pilates instructor or personal trainer prior to getting pregnant to ensure your core and pelvic musculature is strong and functioning as best as possible. Get treatment from a 'hands on' therapist such as a chiropractor, osteopath, myotherapist, acupuncturist or physiotherapist to ensure your pelvis and low back are in good working order before trying to get pregnant. Act as soon as you start to experience symptoms as they tend to worsen as the pregnancy progresses. It has been suggested having a 2 year gap between pregnancies enables the body to recover and decreases the chance of re occurrence.
Products that help your pregnancy related sacroiliac joint instability treatment?
The sacroiliac brace applies compression through the pelvic joints that may increase the stability, help reduce inflammation, increase speed of healing and decrease muscular spasm. The end result being a decrease in pain and an increase in your ability to function. It is especially beneficial to wear the belt in your more physically demanding times such as at work, doing housework or going shopping. A study showed that a belt decreased posterior pelvic pain in 82% of the women involved.
A pregnancy belly pillow supports and lifts your growing bump when sleeping to take pressure off the joints and muscles of the pelvis by improving alignment and reducing drag.
The Leg spacer decreases tightness of your hip and pelvic muscles when lying on your side by slightly elevating your top leg. It also improves pelvic and spinal alignment to keep you in the optimal side lying position.
The couple it underwear release system enables you to put your underwear on sitting down removing the need to stand on one leg.


A native of New Orleans, his love of film grew out of a love hate of zombie movies as a child. He is an alum of Tulane University where he earned a Communication/Digital Media Production degree with concentration in Film Studies. While at Tulane he formed a creative collective- GumboMonster (#wanderoutloud)-along with like minded artists who were interested in producing their own high quality film, written media, and music.
Since 2008, he is a featured On-Air Personality for WTUL New Orleans 91.5 show "Bassmentality," which is the longest running hip-hop show in NOLA. From 2012 to 2014, Mike taught film production to youth in New Orleans through Young Audiences of America.
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There are people who still come to meetings and bring paper. I say, "Please, please either email them to me or bring them on a thumb drive." I don't have a laptop, just my Surface Pro 4 tablet. I take Word files people give me and write directly on them with the Surface Pro and the OneNote app. I am paperless. I have one piece of paper in my briefcase, along with a letter somebody sent me at home that I had to bring to work.
We're kind of in love with the Amazon Echo in our kitchen. It's far more valuable than I ever thought it would be. I like the fact that you can ask it trivia. That's something you usually look up on your phone, but it turns out Alexa can handle a lot of that.
Since the Echo became an unexpected success for Amazon, smart speakers have quickly become one of the most interesting tech products on the market today, and Microsoft is watching this space very closely. Last week, we learned that the company may be currently working on its own set of digitally-assistant speakers that work with Cortana.
As for the rest of the interview, Ballmer revealed that he's a big Twitter user but doesn't tweet as much as before. "I'm primarily a reader on Twitter. I used to tweet about the Clippers a lot, but I wasn't saying enough interesting things, so I stopped tweeting as regularly," he explained. The former Microsoft CEO also has a passion for hi-tech golf clubs, Ford cars and of course, the NBA.
Overall, it seems that even if Ballmer no longer works at Microsoft, he remains a true technology enthusiast and early adopter. It's especially interesting to see how the Surface Pro 4 has become his main computer and allowed him to become completely paperless. Can you relate with Ballmer's personal experience, and does using paper bother you in 2017? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Did the Surface Pro 4 also help you to go paperless?