This country cottage makes an exquisite romantic retreat complete with a hot tub, set within the grounds of a beautiful and historic estate in Wensleydale. This gorgeous Grade II listed building has been transformed into a luxury bijou country retreat straight from the pages of a Jane Austen novel.
This property has an incredibly romantic history. It's said that the former Earl of the estate had four Palladian-style model farms built at all four points of the compass from his castle, so that his Italian wife would feel at home. This cottage forms part of one of these stunning Georgian farms and affords its own wonderful views of the castle, estate and Wensleydale beyond.
The superb renovation of this luxury cottage has taken great care to retain the elegant character of the building as well as introducing green technology. A biomass boiler and solar panels on a building nearby combine to provide clean heat and hot water to this listed building. The renovation has also made fantastic use of the space. Downstairs you'll find a cosy living area complete with a compact kitchen and breakfast bar dining area. The beautiful kitchen boasts warming colours and traditional farmhouse furniture. The cute breakfast bar is perfectly proportioned for two. Pull up a stool and enjoy some freshly laid eggs from the resident hens for breakfast.
Downstairs is you'll also find a luxurious wet room designed for two. Floor-to-ceiling tiling, underfloor heating and a monsoon shower head all combine to create a sense of indulgence and comfort.
Make your way up the stairs to the dreamy bedroom. Take in the specular views of the nearby castle through the round window and, from the Juliet balcony, a view of the formal parterre gardens in the grounds. Throw open the curtains each morning and breathe in these romantic Yorkshire vistas.
The bedroom has a double bed and there's another TV up here if you want to kick back and enjoy a movie from the comfort of your bed. With Wi-Fi included, you can stream movies direct to your TV to enjoy.
Set within the grounds of a larger estate, this property has much to enjoy outside as well as in - not least the indulgent wood-fired hot tub. Take in a walled garden boasting mature trees and elegant Georgian architecture. Grab a blanket and strike out to find your favourite picnic spot. For those long lazy lunches over a bottle or two, there's a sheltered private dining area complete with top quality outdoor furniture. Uninterrupted views in all directions, sunsets and romantic evening lighting combine to create something really quite magical in this little corner of Yorkshire.
Please note: This cottage is styled as a luxury hotel room with a kitchen/breakfast bar area and no lounge. Think of it like a boutique hotel room but with a lot more space and a much smaller price tag!
Information on the hot tub: The owner will provide complimentary wood to heat the hot tub for your first session. Thereafter, if you wish to use the hot tub again, there will be a £12.50 charge for each subsequent session, to cover the cost of the wood used. You can also take advantage of the option 'Drop and Dip' service (£39.50), where the owner will have the hot tub nice and warm on your arrival.
Please note there is a refundable £60 security deposit for this property payable closer to the start of your holiday.
Information on the Hot-Tub: The owner will provide complimentary wood to heat the hot tub for your first session. Thereafter, if you wish to use the hot tub again, there will be a £12.50 charge for each subsequent session to cover the cost of the wood used. You can also take advantage of the option 'Drop and Dip' service (£39.50), where the owner will have the hot tub nice and warm on your arrival with a bottle of Prosecco chilling in the fridge.
This quaint property is set within a larger estate in a pretty village in Wensleydale. The local area is full of old stone cottages typical of the Yorkshire Dales, a babbling beck with wild trout and a traditional village pub.
Beyond the village the attractive town of Bedale (5 miles) is worth a visit. Stop for a coffee before making your way around the town's antique shops. In the opposite direction you'll find the charming market town of Leyburn (9 miles), an archetypical slice of Dales country life. You'll find traditional shops, pubs and cafes all gathered around the handsome town square which hosts a busy market every Friday. Leyburn is also home to the biggest auction centre outside of London if you fancy picking up a bargain. The nearby historic town of Richmond (10 miles) is similar in many ways and is sat in a lovely location along the River Swale.
There are lots of other pretty villages and stunning natural sights all within close range of this luxury holiday home. Aysgarth Falls and Bolton Castle are both within 16 miles and the gorgeous villages of West Burton and Askrigg are a 21 miles drive, so lots of choice for things to do if you want to get out and about. If rambling is your thing, the Yorkshire Dales are something of a walker's paradise with many beautiful routes from your doorstep. There are plenty of options for cycling too in Tour De France country. When you need to refuel, stop at one of the areas many excellent gastropubs.
Amazing little cottage, perfect for 2 people wanting a romantic get away.
Lovely cottage in peaceful quiet location. Very relaxing in the hot tub with views across the fields and a castle in the distance. Perfect for a weekend getaway!
Great location for a base camp to explore North Yorkshire.The cottage was ideal for us, had everything we wanted and more. The hot tub was a bonus and we used it at night and in the morning. Karl was very helpful.
lovely cottage very clean, owners very helpful.


Is Key Man Insurance Going to Help Your Business?
Key man insurance (nowadays often referred to as key person or combined to keyman insurance) is a popular type of coverage in business. These policies have no legal definition, but is best described as a plan which covers businesses, should important persons within that business suddenly die, become ill or incapacitated. The business would then be compensated for losses that arose from this situation.
The business would be covered for the period during which the specified person(s) were of use to the business and no longer and serves only to provide continuity to a business in a time of crisis not by granting indemnity, but by paying a fixed amount of compensation as agreed on the policy. The same underwriting processes apply with key man insurance as with other insurance applications, for instance policies for smokers may be at a higher premium as compared to those that don't smoke.
Who all are insured in the policy?
This type of plan is not just reserved for company owners, directors and CEO's but is applicable to any person(s) who have significant value to a business and upon whom the company may rely financially, or whose knowledge or contributions are central to the running of the business. The idea is to compensate for the extra costs involved in hiring new staff, extra training, etc, and to cover losses such as decreased output and loss of transactions when the central man (or woman) is taken out of the equation.
Those related to a period of extended leave, whereby it is necessary to employ replacement staff on a temporary basis, and then train them to a workable standard.
Protection of profits. Compensating for lost sales, incomplete projects, cancellations, delayed expansion and a loss of accrued specialist skills and knowhow.
Insurance to protect affiliated individuals and institutions such as stockholders and partners. This is usually designed to allow these affiliates to purchase partnership interests.
To insure as a guarantee against company loans or other banking facilities. The amount of cover will normally be equal to the value of the loan.
Provided the individual has a direct involvement as an associate of the company and will create a financial burden upon the company in the event of their loss, then they will qualify as case for key man insurance. This person may well be the company director, one of the partners, head of company sales, or anybody whose skills are of high importance to the running and progress of that business.


With features such as Made in England and 154cm x 65cm x 130cm, the CHA5D is produced by Hutch company. The The Chartwell 5 Double T G Rabbitguinea Pig Hutch 5 X 4 X 2 Legs is now offered for you to order at the Rabbit Hutch shop at this excellent price.
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At the centre of the Ryerson-WSE collaboration is Dr. Pawel Pralat, an Associate Professor at the Department of Mathematics in Ryerson's Faculty of Science who is also Director of the Computational Methods in Industrial Mathematics Lab at the new Fields Centre for Quantitative Analysis and Modelling (Fields-CQAM).
The lead Polish researchers from WSE are Drs. Bogumil Kaminski and Przemyslaw Szufel. Kaminski is an Associate Professor and Head of the Decision Analysis and Support unit and also an adjunct professor appointed to Ryerson's Data Science Laboratory. Szufel is an Assistant Professor and a member of the Decision Analysis and Support unit. Both researchers are also core team members of the Fields-CQAM lab that Pralat directs.
One research focus is hypergraphs, a new frontier in data analysis that uses advanced mathematics to power intuitive methods for extracting insights from huge collections of data. Ryerson-WSE work in this area has attracted significant interest from multinational companies such as Google and Facebook and government agencies such as the National Sercurity Agency (NSA) in the United States and Canada's Tutte Institute for Mathematics and Computing in Ottawa. Recently, the Ryerson-WSE team began a two-year hypergraphs project co-sponsored by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange and in collaboration with researchers from the University of Salerno in Fisciano, Italy.
Currently, the team has developed a range of cutting-edge industry applications, such as a tool that assesses personality by analyzing speech and techniques for online detection of users' anomalous activities on confidential file sharing platforms. In the latest project, they have teamed up with Dr. Atefeh Mashatan of Ryerson's Ted Rogers School of Management's Cybersecurity Research Lab to work on enhancing the security and efficiency of smart connected cars.


Pinehouse, Saskatchewan is a small Métis community, located about 5 hours north-west of Saskatoon. Uranium development in northern Saskatchewan has led to a secretive collaboration agreement between the uranium industry (as represented by Cameco and Areva) and the Pinehouse leadership (as represented by the Village council and Kineepik Metis Local Inc.) The corporate special interest consortium, Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO), has also put pressure on Pinehouse to host nuclear radioactive waste disposal sites, for depleted uranium from nuclear reactors in eastern Canada.
Pinehouse.info has been created because of the extreme difficulties that the citizens of the Northern Village of Pinehouse have had in recent years getting access to basic information about the administration of their municipality.
Receipts for single meals submitted for 2014-16 often amounted to hundreds of dollars. He even claimed for one meal in Banff, Alberta, at $142 with tip on Valentine's Day, 2016, but no indication that he was transacting any Village business there at the time.
Village CAO Smith did not exercise any vigilance over the mayor's expense claims. She is the mayor's step-daughter, so the lack of scrutiny could be explained by that fact.
Why does the Saskatchewan Government seem so indifferent to the many infractions at Pinehouse. It looks as though the Saskatchewan Party-friendly leadership in Pinehouse believes they are virtually immune from consequences.


Knowingly or unknowingly we do things that gradually become habits. As you know habits are hard to let go. For whatever reason you formed them, you need to let them go.
Doing something nice for your loved ones, we agree it's acceptable. My worry is, forming a habit of pleasing everyone, at the expense of your beliefs and self value. You struggle so hard to please people that don't even notice you exist. You sacrifice alot, just to make them smile, but what for? You need to stop that. Do what you genuinely feel comfortable with and what will make you feel good. It's not your job to make people smile, leave that to comedians, afterall, they get paid to put smiles on people's faces.
READ ALSO: Obesity crisis: Is this the food that is making us all fat?
Change! Such a small word, scares the hell out of people but necessary. You are unhappy, uncomfortable and yet you won't change. Just the idea of letting go of certain things or habits in your life for a change freaks you out. Yes, change freaks me out too but change is necessary. You've changed alot over the years, why not try something new for a change now, Huh? Trust me you, you won't regret it.
"You know, it happened to me in the past and I didn't like the results", "I will never do what I did before again", "Don't do that, I did the same in the past, it didn't go well." The past. It can take hold of you like strong chains that are unbreakable. It will instill fear in you, doubt in yourself and worse make you think you can't get better results this time. Am not saying, take an overdose of pills, then expect to end up in Obama's hands instead of hospital or even dead. All am saying is, don't hold on to your past, do not let it stop you from doing things and living a happy life. You deserve to enjoy this day and the days to come.
As humans, we all doubt ourselves at times. Always thinking your not enough, or you don't deserve it or doubting your abilities is not okay at all. You are you, unique, you are someone's role model believe it or not. Someone secretly wants to be you. Feeling good in your own skin and seeing the best in you is an amazing thing. You get the courage to do things and explore the world. Words of affirmation can reaffirm your self confidence.
Just stop over thinking. Just take a minute at a time. A relationship failing does not mean it's your fault. If someone hasn't said anything, why try to think what they are thinking? Am quite sure every time you do that you end up hurting yourself. Take things as they are. Don't ever overthink.
Being unhappy is caused by these little habits that we acquire. Letting them go takes time, determination, commitment and above all, every day practice. You deserve to happy remember, so let go of those silent assassins of happiness.


I try to think about interesting things as often as I can, so I don't pay much attention to American politics. Except when I need a good laugh. Our Imperial Leader gave us one the other day by flying off to Osawatomie, Kansas, to beat up on the Wall Street guys and gals who are coughing up large for his reelection campaign. My colleague Paul Moreno pointed out in the WSJ a few weeks ago that Mr. Obama's election strategy is just like the second Roosevelt's in 1936, that is, "anti-business demagoguery." That insight is both obvious and profound, and seems to play well in Osawatomie every hundred years or so.
President Obama will probably give a title to his presidency. All progressives do. We had the Square Deal, the New Freedom, the New Deal, the Fair Deal, the New Frontier, and the Great Society. Mr. Carter was probably too modest, and not progressive enough; Mr. Clinton, well, his imagination ran to lower things. What name will President Obama lodge in our history books? He used the word "fair" about a zillion times the other day, but that one is taken, by Harry Truman, who was from about an hour up the road from Osawatomie.
There is not one idea in the mind of the Obamanation that is not a rehearsal of the New Deal. In fact, there has not been an idea in the mind of any powerful politician since 1953 (the death of Robert Taft) that is not a rehearsal of the New Deal. Yes, that includes General Ike, who gave us Health, Education, and Welfare, the hated Nixon, who reminded us that we are all Wilsonians and Keynesians, and Mr. Reagan, who was a progressive through and through, one who got mugged harder even than Mr. Kristol and other neocons. The only original American political idea is Limited Government—everything else from equality to social democracy to communism is European—and since Taft there has been no serious American political figure who has truly believed in it.
The New Deal is a powerful deal. It is built on promises. "The Government promises…" you fill in the blank, depending on what group is seeking the promise. The "Dominant Dogma of the Age," Walter Lippmann called it in 1938; whatever name one gives it (progressivism, liberalism, socialism, communism) it is all the same. Government can make us happy.
Mr. Obama was trying to be a metaphor in Osawatomie, for a Republican who has been widely adopted by a certain kind of self-proclaimed "conservative." I wonder if he knew, before the trip, that Osawatomie hosts the historic site dedicated to one of the early true progressives, the gentle John Brown, who supervised the hacking to death of several Kansans who stood on the wrong side of progress?
The Raw Deal and the Skewed or Screwed Society may not get past the White House PR flaks. I'll have to work on this, but you are surely right. He's exhausted what Sarah Palin called "that hopey-changey thing," so he'll need a slogan.
How does the progressive four point agenda differ from the Straussian-Neo Con approach? I think that this is a very fair question given their approach to the D.O.I and Lincoln.
"Think about it. TR (this is another thing progressives like to do—make acronyms of themselves)"
It's hard to imagine President Obama taking on "B.O." as a nickname. Awfully hard to put a positive spin on that one.


December 3, 2018 Marc Rittersporn/marc@integritt.com Sometimes the best, most rigorously developed financial advice is so obvious, it's become cliché. And yet, investors often end up abandoning this same advice when market turbulence is on the rise. Why the disconnect? Let's take a look at five of the most familiar financial adages, and why they're often much easier said than done.
An Investment Policy Statement (IPS) – To bring order to your investment universe. Your IPS is both your plan and your pledge to yourself on how your investments will be structured to best align with your greater goals. It describes your preferred asset allocations (such as your percentage of stocks vs. bonds), and is further shaped by your willingness, ability, and need to tolerate market risks in pursuit of desired returns.
This commentary on this website reflects the personal opinions, viewpoints and analyses of the Integritt Wealth Management, LLC employees providing such comments, and should not be regarded as a description of advisory services provided by Integritt Wealth Management, LLC or performance returns of any Integritt Wealth Management, LLC Investments client. Some blogs and reports or a portion of them were prepared by a third party and not Integritt Wealth Management, LLC.The views reflected in the commentary are subject to change at any time without notice. Nothing on this website constitutes investment advice, performance data or any recommendation that any particular security, portfolio of securities, transaction or investment strategy is suitable for any specific person. Any mention of a particular security and related performance data is not a recommendation to buy or sell that security. Integritt Wealth Management, LLC manages its clients' accounts using a variety of investment techniques and strategies, which are not necessarily discussed in the commentary. Investments in securities involve the risk of loss. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.


Product A/B testing is one of the most important aspects for a company. Conducted across the complete product life cycle – introduction, growth, maturity and decline, these tests should be able to provide businesses with actionable insights that help them optimize for faster growth.
Now surveys can get you an insight into how the consumers feel about your overall product or service. While the rating from 1 to 10 can give you an idea of how they feel, it doesn't let you understand which aspect of it do they want you to improve – unless you ask a question, even then you end up with vague & biased inputs.
That's where we used Affect Lab to arrive at actionable consumer insights for the brand. It enables you to conduct an analysis of a user's reaction to products by mapping their brainwaves, measuring behavioral parameters like ATTENTION, APPRECIATION, CONCENTRATION, cognitive parameters like HAPPINESS, BOREDOM & FAMILIARITY.
To understand the competitive edge in the aggressive and fast growing market with product quality as the only parameter to gain traction.
To calibrate the relation between the cigarette variants and consumer behavioural parameters associated with them.
Identifying the emotional factor driving cigarette consumption and testing the effect of branding on an average consumer.
Happiness: All cigarettes except V10, showed an increase in happiness levels during the test duration. V6, followed by V4 were the least appreciated products. The highest appreciation was received for V2 (delta of 50%), followed by V3 and V8.
Relaxation: All cigarettes except V9 and V10, led to a decrease in the alertness and the pleasantness levels; i.e. a marked increase in the relaxation of the consumer's mind.
Boredom: All cigarettes consistently showed an overall decrease in boredom, making it one of the biggest reasons for high cigarette consumption.
To achieve the above stated aim, Affect Labs followed a methodical approach to arrive at actionable consumer insights. The Affect Lab Sensor placed on the headset, touching the test user's forehead, is able to map these brainwaves.
Sampling technique: Pre-decided by the client. The group consisted of a sample of their loyalist demographic target audience and Brand approved qualified panel of 12 testers as participants.
Pre test: 20 seconds of data observation before start of every trial.
Test duration: The average time it takes for a cigarette to burn completely.
Develop a behavioral positioning map for the brand in a target market.
Optimize products and branding according to consumer emotions for higher acceptance rate in the market.
Achieve a competitive edge in the market, understanding consumer psychology.


RODRIGUES, C R M D; BERNARDO, P; PAIVA, João Batista de; TAKENAKA, I. Comparison among fluoride-containing mouthrinses solutions on the bacterial plaque formation. Journal of Dental Research[S.l: s.n.], 1995.
Rodrigues, C. R. M. D., Bernardo, P., Paiva, J. B. de, & Takenaka, I. (1995). Comparison among fluoride-containing mouthrinses solutions on the bacterial plaque formation. Journal of Dental Research.
Rodrigues CRMD, Bernardo P, Paiva JB de, Takenaka I. Comparison among fluoride-containing mouthrinses solutions on the bacterial plaque formation. Journal of Dental Research. 1995 ; 74( 3): 776.


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Search Query: 'First' AND 'Secretary' : 44 Clips
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KHRUSHCHEV ADDRESSES THE SUPREME SOVIET - HD
Nikita Khrushchev addresses the Supreme Soviet in 1964.
Date: August, 1964 - BLACK/WHITE
Similar: world, leader, leaders, politician, politicians, Nikita, Khrushchev, President, Presidents, USSR, Union, Soviet, Socialist, Republics
MCNAMARA SHOWS RECONNAISSANCE :PHOTOS - HD
Defense Secretary Robert McNamara holds a Pentagon briefing after the U.S. bombs installations in Hanoi and Haiphong for the first time during the Vietnam War. He shows aerial photos to illustrate the U.S. choice of targets.
Date: June 29, 1966 - BLACK/WHITE
Similar: Vietnam war, North Vietnam, bombing, Hanoi, Haiphong, escalation, Robert McNamara, Defense Secretary, Defense Secretaries, Pentagon, briefing, briefings, press conference, press conferences, news conference
UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY HONORS DAG HAMMARSKJOLD - 1
The sixteenth General Assembly of the UN opens its first session by honoring the memory of former Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold who died in a plane crash. They elect a new Assembly President, Mongi Slim of Tunisia.
Date: September 21, 1961 - BLACK/WHITE
Similar: United Nations, Dag Hammarskjold, election, elections, diplomat, diplomats, vintage, historical, newsreel, newsreels
The sixteenth General Assembly of the UN opens its first session by honoring the memory of former Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold who died in a plane crash. The Swedish nation also mourns the passing of the respected diplomat. The American ambassador to the UN, Adlai Stevenson gives a moving speech about Hammarskjold.
Similar: United Nations, Dag Hammarskjold, Adlai Stevenson, election, elections, diplomat, diplomats, vintage, historical, newsreel, newsreels
NIXON LANDS IN HAWAII - HD
En route to China for his breakthrough visit, Pres. Nixon and entourage land at Honolulu to a Hawaiian welcome. Nixon, First Lady and Henry Kissinger sport leis. Shot shows Air Force One, then dubbed, The Spirit on 76. Airport crowds greet president. A military band plays. Secretary of State William P. Rogers is visible in some shots. Motorcade leaves for guest house.
Date: February 17, 1972 - COLOR
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KHRUSHCHEV HEADS FARMING CONFERENCE
Nikita Khrushchev is warmly welcomed in Kazakhstan, where he heads a conference about the Soviet Union's lagging agricultural output. Farmers present him with a sheep and towering stalks of corn.
Date: 1961 - BLACK/WHITE
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FIRST ASSEMBLY OF THE UNITED NATIONS
Representatives from around the world gather at Central Hall Westminster in London to open the First Assembly of the United Nations Organization. Among the distinguished members are King George VI, human rights champion Eleanor Roosevelt and U.S. Secretary of State James Byrnes.
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JFK MEETS NIKITA KHRUSHCHEV IN VIENNA
John F. Kennedy meets with Russian leader, Nikita Khrushchev, in Vienna. The focus of the meeting is disarmament, Germany, Laos and nuclear testing.
Date: June 3, 1961 - BLACK/WHITE
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NIKITA KHRUSHCHEV & DEAN RUSK
Upon Khrushchev's announcement that the Soviets will detonate a 50 megaton bomb, Secretary of State Dean Rusk says: "We hope that if the Soviet Union, if it has made a firm decision to conduct such an explosion, will think again about it."
Date: October 19, 1961 - BLACK/WHITE
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CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS - 3
Photographers capture Soviet First Deputy Foreign Minister Vasili Kuznetzov entering the United Nations building, where he is called for an emergency meeting of the Security Council over the missile crisis in Cuba. Secretary-General U Thant meets with delegates.
Similar: American, Amerians, United States, New York City, Cuban Missile Crisis, Cold War, Soviet, Soviets, Russian, Russians, USSR, Communist

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


This is the first of a two-part post on K-means clustering.
I've talked about unsupervised learning before when dealing with Self-Organising Maps, but just to recap. Unsupervised learning is when you have a dataset of features with no pre-defined outcomes. You give it to an algorithm to learn patterns in the data without knowing in advance what associations you want it to learn.
So you're not trying to teach it to tell the difference between images of cats and dogs; instead, you're trying to make it learn something about the structure of the images, so it can find similar images without explicitly knowing about cats and dogs.
K-means is a type of unsupervised learning method, specifically a type of clustering.
Clustering deals with finding groups of similar data points.
Intra-cluster similarity. That is, all the data points within a cluster should be similar to each other (we'll deal with what 'similar' means a bit later).
Inter-cluster dissimilarity. That is, data points in one cluster should be sufficiently different from data points in another cluster.
This is also what we're trying to achieve with k-means. It is only one of the many types of clustering algorithm, but I've chosen it as it's popular as well as being easy to understand and implement.
What are some uses of clustering? Finding similarities in your data that you couldn't do by inspection has a lot of uses. The classic example is "segmenting your customer base", that is identifying customers with similar buying behaviours for better targeted advertising. Another form of clustering, hierarchical clustering, is used in astronomy. You can even use it to find similar boroughs in London based on house-buying behaviour.
Before you start training your data to learn the clusters, you need to choose a value for . That is, you have to decide beforehand how many groups there are going to be. This sounds like it defeats the purpose of being unsupervised, and it is indeed something that you have to set manually.
Due to the random nature of the initialisation of the algorithm, and the uncertainty in the correct value for , it is advisable to re-run the algorithm multiple times and decide on which configuration to use.
As with unsupervised algorithms in general, evaluating the outcome is partly subjective. There are objective measures with which we can compare different runs, but the final evaluation will be based on which one feels best.
Sometimes you can look at the characteristics of the clusters to see which one makes most sense. For example, if segmenting your customers into clusters results in two clusters that both contain mostly customers over 60, you might choose another run that better separates your customers based on age. Of course, the clusters will be created based on your data, so if there really are two distinct groups of over-60 customers then no amount of runs will change that!
Clusters have two properties: a centroid and a set of your data points that are assigned to the cluster.
The centroid is simply a point which is the mean of the data points that belong to it (hence, "k-means").
Mathematically, the centroids are a point in n-dimensional space, where n is the number of features your data has.
Start with a chosen value of .
Choose of your data points at random to be your starting centroids.
For each data point, assign it to a cluster based on which of the centroids it is closest to. Closest can mean any distance measure. The Euclidean distance is often used.
Now you have groups of data points assigned to a cluster. Re-calculate the position of each cluster centroid by taking the mean of the new points that are now associated with that cluster.
Repeat steps 3 and 4 until convergence. You are typically done when no points have changed clusters since the last iteration.
It's better to see this happen visually – here's a good example.
Let's go through the steps again with code. Let's use the iris dataset.
First we've defined a function that calculates the distance between a data point and each of the cluster centroids. We can use the implementation trick where we don't need the actual Euclidean distance (to avoid the expensive square root operation). We then assign the data point to that cluster.
Then we iteratively assign points to the clusters and re-position the cluster centroids. With the new centroid positions, we assign points again, then re-calculate the centroids again and so on.
In this example I've forced it to run just 20 times, so there might still be room for improvement, but typically you'd run this until no points have changed cluster since the last iteration.
Once we've done that we can plot two of the data's dimensions and colour each point by its assigned cluster (and mark the cluster centroids).
There is still some overlap between the black and blue clusters, but just 20 iterations have quite effectively grouped our data into 3 clusters.
Here is the associated Jupyter notebook.
In Part 2, I'll talk about another practical application of the k-means algorithm (using scikit-learn this time) as well as some implementation details such as how to pick the value of .
Footnote: This is the 19th entry in my 30 day blog challenge.


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New owners of Bethel Beach Inn cap off busy summer season
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The Bethel Beach Inn, which was changed slightly to Foster's Bethel Beach Inn upon coming under new ownership, has been operated by Carol Manglos-Foster and her husband David Foster since July. Currently the house features one suite that can be booked for vacations or long weekends; however, the couple may add to the facility in the future.
Carol Manglo-Foster, left, and her husband David Foster have been operating Foster's Bethel Beach Inn since July. Carol works as a pastoral counselor and whole-health expert and David recently retired from a career as an electrician. The pair makes use of these skills to provide breakfasts of locally-sourced ingredients and tackle maintenance and groundskeeping duties, respectively.
This past July saw new owners take over the Bethel Beach Inn at Onemo and the change in seasons has given Carol Manglos-Foster and David Foster time to reflect on their new venture.
The property sits on 11 acres between the Bethel Beach Nature Preserve and Onemo Post Office. The house itself boasts new furnishings added just before the July acquisition and is split between the owners' living space upstairs, a guest suite downstairs, and a common living room, kitchen, and dining room.
As it stands, guests can rent the "Pineapple Suite," so called for its warm color scheme and namesake fruit appearing on pillow shams and wall art. The suite has a bedroom, master bath, mudroom area, and private egress to a deck and backyard firepit.
"We had people staying with us almost every weekend," said Manglos-Foster of her and her husband's inaugural summer as bed and breakfast operators.
Manglos-Foster works as a pastoral counselor and whole health expert and her husband recently retired as an electrician. The pair split their management duties, with Manglos-Foster handling the cooking and meal prep while her husband tackles grounds-
keeping and upkeep duties to make use of his past work experience. They, of course, come together to agree on booking, marketing and larger business decisions.
The two manage their booking entirely through sites like Airbnb and Booking.com, as well as making use of the Mathews Visitor Center and Virginia tourism websites to get their name out to potential guests.
So far, Foster reports that guests have traveled from as far away as Connecticut, England and New Zealand to stay at the inn and take in all that Mathews has to offer.
The couple also mentioned an "all positive" response from the community.
"We were drawn here initially because it's a one-day drive to our family in North Carolina, Pennsylvania and New York, plus the warm weather and low taxes," Manglos-Foster added.
The couple said they fell for the "extremely friendly and extremely welcoming" people of Mathews, as well as for the undisturbed natural sites like the nature preserve and the "privacy and strong sense of community."
The pair said they believe Mathews is a "natural fit" for them and will continue to look for opportunities to grow their new venture.
They plan to add a kayak launch to the property in the next year and within five years hope to add either a tiny house or a single-family dwelling at the back portion of their 11 acres to further capitalize on the lodging location.
The owners are hopeful that more visitors and locals alike will, as the Inn's motto states, "come and stay and relax by the bay."
{snp_social}
More Business News:
Four local residents among winners of BayPort sweepstakes
Administrator named at Walter Reed Convalescent
Magazines recognize Gloucester, Mathews businesses
Local marinas are members of Clean Marina Program


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Avatar Is Getting The Marvel Future Revolution Treatment And I Couldn't Be More Disappointed
By Eric Switzer Published 6 days ago
Avatar: Reckoning is the next mobile-exclusive MMORPG, and if its anything like Marvel Future Revolution, it's going to be a nightmare.
When Avatar came out in 2009, the video game industry was quite a bit different than it is today. Loot boxes hadn't yet made their way into Western games, and microtransactions hadn't really caught on. We didn't use the terms "liveservice" or "games as a service" because they would have only applied to MMOs. There was no metaverse, no blockchain, no NFTs. Pay-to-win hadn't even been coined yet as a term. Even mobile developers hadn't yet discovered the innumerable ways to extort money from players. It was a simpler time - maybe even a better time in some ways. The only thing gamers had to worry about back then was a lazy, cash-grab movie tie-in game like James Cameron's Avatar: The Game on PS4 and Xbox 360 which, frankly, wasn't even that bad.
But 2009 was 13 years ago, and as we all know, things have changed a lot. Loot boxes, battle passes, xp boosters, challenge swaps, time savers, and pay-to-win mechanics have infested almost every corner of the industry, but no more so than mobile. With the first sequel hitting theaters this December, it's finally time for Avatar to re-enter the video game landscape. While my hopes are pinned on Ubisoft's open-world Frontiers of Pandora, I'm less enthusiastic for the recently announced Avatar: Reckoning - a mobile-exclusive MMORPG that's already showing all the signs of being yet another Marvel Future Revolution-style stain on the entire industry.
Related: Marvel Future Revolution's Auto-Play Is Bad News For People Like Me
There are many studios working hard to repair the reputation of mobile. The microtransaction-free Apple Arcade games, high quality ports like Alien: Isolation, and modestly monetized games like League of Legends: Wild Rift are all worthwhile experiences that don't rely on predatory design practices and high-pressure microtransactions. Unfortunately, there are still plenty of developers using every dirty trick in the book to exploit players. Studios like Netmarble, developer of Marvel Future Revolution, make apps that can only be considered games using the loosest definition. They are digital storefronts with self-playing "games" designed to get vulnerable people to spend as much money as possible. Netmarble's games are a blight on the industry and should be categorically avoided. And while we haven't seen exactly what Avatar: Reckoning is, there's already enough indication to suggest it's going to be more of the same.
Avatar: Reckoning is not being developed by Netmarble, but the studio behind it, Archosaur Games, is clearly the same kind of studio. Its mobile games Dragon Raja and World of Kings use all of the same aggressive microtransactions mechanics as Marvel Future Revolution. Dragon Raja reviews on Android suggest that it's "100% pay to win" and littered with so many ads for in-game purchases that it's nearly impossible to play the game without accidentally clicking on them. World of Kings uses autoplay - a tell-tale sign that a game isn't actually designed to be played for fun - as well as absurd grinds that can be circumvented by, you guessed it, paying money.
We don't know much about Avatar: Reckoning right now, but when I see a licensed mobile-exclusive MMORPG, all of my red flags go up. It's disappointing to see Disney farm Avatar out to dispassionate studios that churn out soulless, money-grubbing apps like Marvel Future Revolution, but it isn't surprising. Not to put too fine a point on it, but the villainous megacorp in Avatar would absolutely have a game dev branch that mass produces low effort, highly profitable mobile MMO games. If Avatar: Reckoning uses Unobtanium as a premium currency, I am going to become the Joker.
Next: Pokemon Unite's Match Making Is Such A Disaster That A Scrub Like Me Can Get To Master
Eric Switzer (1369 Articles Published)
Eric Switzer is the Livestream News Editor for TheGamer as well as the lead for VR and Tech. He has written about comics and film for Bloody Disgusting and VFXwire. He is a graduate of University of Missouri - Columbia and Vancouver Film School. Eric loves board games, fan conventions, new technology, and his sweet sweet kitties Bruce and Babs. Favorite games include Destiny 2, Kingdom Hearts, Super Metroid, and Prey...but mostly Prey. His favorite Pokémon is Umbreon.
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Home \ Features \ Obituaries \ Dorik Mechau Dies at 87; Was Active in Sitka Arts
Dorik Mechau Dies at 87; Was Active in Sitka Arts
Created on Friday, 23 April 2021 15:29
Dorik Mechau
After a stoic five-month struggle with cancer, former Sitkan Dorik Mechau, 87, passed away in mid-February at his home in Palisade, Colorado.
Dorik and his wife Carolyn Servid moved from Sitka to his home state of Colorado in August 2017 to be near his family.
Dorik was born in Denver in 1933 to celebrated artist/painter Frank Mechau and his wife Paula. In 1938, the family moved to the abandoned coal-mining town of Redstone, Colorado, tucked in the beautiful Crystal River Valley. At the time, the Mechaus were among only two or three families living in Redstone. Eight years later, Frank Mechau's tragic death of a heart attack at 42 forced the family to make temporary moves for Paula to find work, but they continued to return to Redstone, and the family home there has remained a foundational cornerstone for more than 70 years and a place Dorik deeply loved.
He graduated from high school in the nearby town of Carbondale and earned a B.A. in liberal arts in 1956 from St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland. St. John's Socratic exploration of the Great Books was influential throughout Dorik's life—a life filled with a wide range of interesting work. After college, he married Margaret Beston of Maine, started a family, and began work for the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Massachusetts, shortly after the Russian launch of the Sputnik satellite triggered a significant ramping up of the U.S. space program. He held several positions during his ten years with the Smithsonian, including running the Satellite Tracking Station in Maui, Hawaii, and establishing, in partnership with a university in Athens, Greece, an experimental observatory to conduct geodetic research on continental drift.
In 1968, when his tenure with the Smithsonian ended, Dorik moved with his family to Alaska to take the job of associate director of development at Alaska Methodist University in Anchorage. Additional positions and responsibilities during his six years at AMU triggered his interest in a number of Alaskan issues, including significant changes occurring in the state after the discovery of oil on the North Slope.
When AMU closed its doors in 1975, Dorik and his family moved to a small farm in the rural community of Haines, Oregon, where he tried his hand at raising hay and doing minimal farming. He returned repeatedly, however, to Alaska for intermittent consulting and contract work for organizations and institutions as varied as the Department of Community and Regional Affairs, the Alaska Native Education Board, the Alaska Growth Policy Council, and the University of Alaska. The common threads in this work were education (especially Native and bilingual education), the arts and humanities, and public policy issues.
After he and his wife Margaret divorced, Dorik returned to Alaska from 1983-85 to work for the Alaska Native Review Commission which undertook the important work of evaluating the consequences, especially in village Alaska, of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act passed by Congress in 1971. The project concluded with the publication of Village Journey by Thomas Berger who led the Commission.
During a subsequent five-year hiatus from Alaska, Dorik had the chance to do other things he loved—working with his hands or putting in a good day of physical labor. On two different occasions, he used his considerable talents in architectural design and construction to help Colorado family members build beautiful additions to their homes—one a spacious light-filled living room and the other a handsome study to accommodate a noteworthy collection of books that was, ingeniously, measured in linear feet to determine the shelf space required.
Dorik returned to Alaska in 1989 for two years as interim executive director of the Alaska Humanities Forum. On a visit to Sitka to meet with Forum grantees, he met Carolyn Servid, co-founder and director of The Island Institute. That auspicious meeting prompted him to choose to move to Sitka in 1991, and their subsequent marriage grew into an exceptional partnership of devotion to each other and to expanding the work of the Island Institute. Dorik became co-director and brought in his interests in community sustainability to complement the organization's existing literary programs focused on the nexus of story, place, and community.
Sitkans soon came to know Dorik as Island Institute community forums became regular events. Topics ranged from community conflict to the purpose of education to the future of tourism. Over time, the Institute developed an Initiative for Civic Collaboration, led by Dorik, which resulted in two significant community endeavors: the first created a Municipal Solid Waste Plan implemented by the City and Borough; the second produced a carefully detailed Tourism Plan that ultimately was simplified to gain broad community support. Dorik was also involved in the creation of two Sitka Community Indicators reports produced jointly by Turning Point Toward Health and the Island Institute. These efforts, along with many others, allowed him to collaborate with Sitkans from widely different backgrounds and perspectives, something he particularly enjoyed.
Beyond his work with the Island Institute, Dorik also volunteered in the community, serving six years on the board of directors of both the Sitka Conservation Society and Raven Radio. Many KCAW listeners knew his voice from the Sunday Raven Anthology program where he and Carolyn Servid read short stories. He also loved to sing, especially the repertoire of folk songs from early years when he and his mother and three siblings sang as the Mechau Balladeers at private parties and public concerts. His martinis were legendary among his Sitka friends, as was his hospitality, acuity, and dry wit that went with them. He was known, too, for his love of carefully honed questions and meaningful conversation. His life and work established an admiring circle of friends and colleagues that spans the continent.
Dorik is survived by his wife Carolyn Servid; his siblings Vanni Lowdenslager, Duna Stephens (Jack) and Mike Mechau (Blakely); his children Clarissa Whitehead (Johnny), Mark Mechau (Fionnuala), and Mally Strong; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Those wanting to honor Dorik with a contribution might donate to Doctors Without Borders, Amnesty International, or Food and Water Watch.


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Exploring the Usefulness of Chartjunk at STLUX'11
At the end of February I co-presented at STLUX'11 with Dave Gray. Our presentation was called Exploring the Usefulness of Chartjunk. The collaboration behind the presentation started as an exchange between the two of us on Twitter regarding whether the whole concept of Chartjunk is a myth. Over a series of conversations about recent research on the relative importance of visual embellishment in how people remember and understand data, I suggested to Dave that we develop a presentation around the topic. Dave agreed and suggested that we also build the presentation in a manner that engaged the audience to share their thinking about the issues involved.
Dave and I designed the presentation as a simulated debate between the pre-eminent critic of Chartjunk (actually the design theorist who formulated the concept) Edward Tufte and Nigel Holmes, an illustrator and the former Graphics Director at Time Magazine. Homes is well known for his use of visual embellishment in designing graphics that tell stories about data relationships. We designed the presentation around four graphic displays, two by Tufte and two by Holmes. We discussed the graphics and then asked members of the audience to consider each graphic on four dimensions.
ease of understanding what it is about
ease of understanding the categories and values displayed
ease of seeing the basic trend
ease of determining whether it conveys a message
I designed a simple survey that allowed us to gather data on those four dimensions using an implicit five point scale, eliciting participation and dialogue with the audience at the same time. The graphic below provides a view of the survey's instructions. The participants seemed overall to enjoy the approach and the evaluations confirmed the impression.
We drew the four dimensions from research done in 2010 by members of the Interaction Lab at the University of Saskatchewan. The Interaction Lab researchers designed an experimental study to test two basic questions: "first, whether visual embellishments do in fact cause comprehension problems; and second, whether the embellishments may provide additional information that is valuable for the reader." I'm not going to detail the methodology used, however the researchers asked four questions to participants in the research as they reviewed graphics by Holmes with a great deal of visual embellishment or the same graphics after applying the data-ink ratio used by Tufte.
Q1–Subject: 'What is the chart is about?' 'Tell me about the basic subject of the chart.'
Q2–Values: 'What are the displayed categories and values?' 'Tell me how the chart is organized and any relevant values.'
Q3–Trend: 'What is the basic trend of the graph?' 'Tell me whether the chart shows any changes and describe these changes.' (Note that this question was not relevant for pie charts.)
Q4–Value Message: 'Is the author trying to communicate some message through the chart?' 'Is the author trying to get across a specific point or is he or she merely presenting objective information?'
We reported on the major findings of the research team to the audience as follows:
There was no significant difference between plain and image charts for interactive interpretation accuracy (i.e., when the charts were visible).
There was also no significant difference in recall accuracy after a five-minute gap.
After a long-term gap (2-3 weeks), recall of both the chart topic and the details (categories and trend) was significantly better for Holmes charts.
Participants saw value messages in the Holmes charts significantly more often than in the plain charts.
Participants found the Holmes charts more attractive, most enjoyed them, and found that they were easiest and fastest to remember.
At the end of the presentation, after we covered the research study findings, we then asked the participants to list as many of the graphics from the four discussed earlier and to rate each along the four dimensions. As we broke up the session a few participants asked if we could share the findings from the participative survey.
I agreed to post the results and I am now getting around to it.
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Published 12:00 am Friday, October 3, 2014
"I don't know of any other place in the U.S. where you have eight other universities and industry working all together. I think that this whole concept has nowhere to go but up."
— David Nieman,
director of Appalachian State's Human Performance Lab, on N.C. Research Campus
"The most courageous thing our students do is walk through our doors and say, 'I need help.' "
— Phyllis Martin,
retiring director, Rowan Literacy Council
"Sometimes, breaking bread with folks is a good way to start out and to get to know them on a personal level — who they are and what they do."
— Aaron Church,
new Rowan County manager, on taking key employees to lunch
"Wherever it goes Jim, the board of commissioners is going to have a decision to make and it's going to cost a lot of money."
— Arnold Chamberlain,
to county commission Chairman Jim Sides on Social Services' space needs
"Now that I know where I came from, it's a bunch of weight off my shoulder. My days became more sunny."
— Bobby Krebs,
on meeting his biological mother, Theresa Pitner, at the age of 29
Mitch Kokai: Key questions for the new Leandro judge
Editorial: Candidates skip quickly past pleasantries
Editorial: Make candidates run where they live
Editorial: Avoid partisanship, embrace common solutions around Ukraine invasion


The Antidote brings a double feature as we meet with two uber talented bands. The Upside are new, they're punk, and they speak with us about the message in music. Faith Head have been featured in the documentary "Metal Missionaries". We'll find out what motivates them and their music on this episode.


READING, Pa. (Sept. 11) -- The championship dreams of Pro Stock pilot Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Top Alcohol Dragster driver Troy Coughlin Jr. begin in earnest this weekend with the 34th annual Dodge NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway.
"I've literally grown up with Maple Grove a part of my life, reading about it, racing here and even winning here," Jeg Jr. said. "We've certainly had great success at this track and I can't wait to try and add to it this weekend. I'm like a big kid waiting for Santa. I can't wait for Friday.
"The over-the-hood goal for this race is to be prepared for each pass. Rick and Rickie Jones (crew chiefs) work hand-in-hand in tuning my car and Erica's (Enders, teammate) car and we're both set to make runs at this year's title. That's a very realistic goal for us and we plan to do everything we can to get it done."
Having won two of the last three events he's entered, Troy Jr. arrives at Maple Grove anxious to earn another Wally in the "backyard" of his Phoenixville, Pa.-based McPhillips Racing Top Alcohol Dragster team. The group is laser-focused on the national championship having already wrapped up the North Central Region crown.
"We're in sixth place nationally and everyone ahead of us deserves to be where they are," Troy Jr. said. "Our game plan isn't any different than it's been and that's to go out there and take it one pass at a time, do the best we can and see what happens. We can't control the outcome of others, just what we do.
"This is a big weekend for everyone at McPhillips Racing because they live and work 30 miles down the road. They've had a lot of success at this track over the years and I have a lot of confidence in Rich (McPhillips), Rich Jr., and the rest of the team. I've never won here but I remember my dad winning his first Pro Stock race here in 2001. I was just a little kid but I was so proud of him. I never wanted to let go of that trophy."


So, as you'll be able to see by our non-slick, unflowery, blog- net design isn't my thing. I took a piece of vine from my parents house and planted it within the retaining wall backyard in entrance of my entrance door. Normally, although, Sundays have been spent at Mandie's home, which was always open house. It appears to be those 2 opposite corners to the home that the scent is trapped, and there is actually no circulation. Simply take consolation within the perception, irrespective of how slim, that it's most likely the wind or the home settling. Now CrowdTap I am as energetic as possible and have gotten to textual content 2 products and earned $25 in Amazon playing cards as well. Walter Gropius believed that the relationship of a house to its panorama was of peak importance.
Then last year, my buddy Ronni Lundy wrote me, asking if I'd create a sweet potato sonker utilizing sorghum, both for her upcoming e book, and a spring social gathering at Massive Switch Farm in Egypt, Kentucky. Should I just let it go back?My neighbors home simply foreclosed and bought for 90k less then I owe on mine. As it stands our we owe $311,000 on our home and it's worth roughly $230,000. Mirrors in a haunted home are normally a gateway that enables something disagreeable to commerce their equally unpleasant world for yours. Still the home remained, so the road builders did what might have appeared logical on the time – they only constructed the road round the house as the elderly couple defiantly stood their floor! I stroll into the house and he or she would not say two words to me, then proceeds to cover upstairs.
If you're keen to do a cash supply, you are absolutely an attractive candidate for the suitable gross sales person.. Some realtors have huge personal and professional networks that can discover you a home by writing directly to some home homeowners in that area. Letting youngsters go into our personal gadgets, had nothing to do with the home, so afraid of the shopper and never talking up for us. This happened often and there's no excuse for it. If it is a dresser it isn't staying with the home. Not solely do sulcatas grow very large, they develop very quickly — as much as two and a half toes lengthy and eighty-a hundred and ten kilos or extra in 5 to 10 years. Nonetheless, if you have a cat within the apartment, it might be value paying the rent to get some extra rewards from the cat. Not like row home developments of the previous, nook houses no longer featured business space for a retailer or bar.
This was on a Sunday and we had a pleasing afternoon on the christening after which going to the pub, where we sat exterior and relaxed within the sun. Things will cool down again next 12 months when big son begins his IB Senior School in the same suburb as infant's school subsequent yr (he bought in!… passed the 5 hour examination and the interview… the stress of it all…it was an extended wait to find out)….then we'll move house to be nearer to the schools. If your own home is outdated, with no damp proof course (DPC), it might not look, scent, or seem damp, but I bet it's in there! Make your own noises or buy a CD. Combine and match to get just the correct sound for your party or haunted house. Specialist damp proofing firms must be referred to as which is able to provide the therapy for rising damp. Putting all the pets into the automobile and leaving the home for God only knows how long.
It's normally higher to attend till after foreclosure to file for bankruptcy because in most states, you'll be able to keep in the house for several months whereas the foreclosures is in course of and use that time to save cash to help you begin over once more some place else. Virtually all of the furnishings in the house was handmade within the Bauhaus workshops in Dessau earlier than the family left Germany. It's Indiana law that will apply because the house is in Indiana, so you want a lawyer who's familiar with those legal guidelines. This fascination with haunted home tales is understandable because these yarns exemplify humankind's attraction to death. At this time, many of Baltimore's historic row home neighborhoods have turn into enclaves of young professionals. Just buying a three bed room terraced home in Bromsgrove (between Worcester and Birmingham). Keep in mind: Actual property is cyclical and we're at least 7 years into a rising market.


Belle Vue head to Mildenhall's West Row Stadium on Saturday determined to cause upset for the league leaders after slipping to a narrow defeat at the National Speedway Stadium on Wednesday.
The Cool Running Colts remain second in the league ahead of the return fixture, trailing the Fen Tigers by 4 points, and are targeting a big performance as they look to return the compliment.
Skipper Jack Smith is back in action for the reigning champions after missing the home leg due to prior commitments with Swindon, meaning both sides will be at full-strength for this top-two clash.
Club No.5 Tom Perry said: "I think we surprised a lot of people on Wednesday, but more than that we proved to ourselves that we are able to hold our own against a team as strong as Mildenhall.
"I've no doubt it'll be completely different kettle of fish at West Row. The Fen Tigers are strong at home, they've had a good few solid meetings recently and will want to put on a show for their fans.
The Rentruck Aces welcome British Champion Robert Lambert and returning GP star Niels-Kristian Iversen on Monday, August 6 when the King's Lynn Stars journey to the National Speedway Stadium.
Tickets for this mouth-watering clash are now available online at www.bellevueaces.co and at the stadium box office on race night.


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Looking to travel in 2021? Travel Corner International gives us some great advice for a perfect getaway
Lawmakers respond to President Trump's post-impeachment speeches
by: Kellie Meyer
WASHINGTON (Nexstar) – President Donald Trump highlighted his impeachment trial acquittal on Thursday with what he called a "celebration" at the White House.
"This is what the end result is," the president said, holding up a newspaper with the story of his acquittal on the front page.
Republicans like South Carolina Congressman William Timmons said they're happy the months-long impeachment battle is over.
"It's just a waste of time so I'm hoping we can get back to work," Timmons said.
Former pastor and Georgia Congressman Jody Hice (R-GA) praised the president's prayer breakfast address just hours before his White House victory lap.
"It was powerful, his commitment to religious liberties and the understanding of the role of prayer and that we are a country that embraces God," Hice said.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) was not impressed.
"He's talking about things that he knows little about. Faith and prayer," Pelosi said.
With sometimes colorful language, the president used his White House speech to thank supporters and call out those who are not on his side.
Kellie Meyer asked members of Congress if they were bothered by speech which, at one point, used a curse word to describe the impeachment process.
"No because that's how he is," Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) said.
"Not always my style but that's his style and I think that's unique to him," Rep. Ted Budd (R-NC) added.
While the impeachment process is over, lawmakers said they are prepared for ongoing investigations.
"I would not be surprised if Jerry Nadler and Adam Schiff just tried to go after something else," Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL) said.
In fact, House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler has said he plans to call former National Security Adviser John Bolton to testify before his committee.
LATEST FROM NEXSTAR DC BUREAU:
More Washington Bureau Stories
President Trump becomes first president to be impeached twice
by Basil John / Jan 13, 2021
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) -- President Donald Trump is now the first president to be impeached twice.
Nexstar Washington correspondent Basil John reports on where lawmakers stand on the issue.
Rise in unemployment claims could be attributed to multiple causes
Knox County launches online vaccination appointment system


I'm currently working on my 2011 brand and communication prediction. While I'm working on that I drew up one of the best models I know when it comes to predicting future trends. Enjoy!
Det där var ju -tills nu- en väl bevarad affärshemlighet Johan. Hur skall vi nu kunna försörja oss i framtiden?
Hopppas du kommer trivas på Brahegatan. I know I did.
I found the secret to figuring out trends is knowing the cycles of things and the circles of things. The real key of course, is knowing where to look. Sometimes it's people. Sometimes it's institutions. Then the way to make the most of trends is to play out multiple views ("The Art of the Long View", style) and to have enough agility that you can respond versus react. Anticipation and agility are two sides of the survival coin.
I shared my approach, my sources, and meta-patterns for making the most of trends in my post Trends for 2011.
This is interesting. ive been thinking of this since christmas. How can I predict the trends of 2011??
How can we look far into the future and have the right prediction??
This dude knows how to change!


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Fault Tolerance
Fault Tolerance pp 205-241 | Cite as
Software Fault Tolerance
Peter Alan Lee
Part of the Dependable Computing and Fault-Tolerant Systems book series (DEPENDABLECOMP, volume 3)
Fault tolerance techniques for coping with the occurrence and effects of anticipated hardware component failures are now well established and form a vital part of any reliable computing system. However, it is more unusual to find that strategies for fault tolerance have been included in a system for coping with design faults, although such strategies are becoming increasingly common in systems with high reliability requirements. For instance, applications in railway systems, nuclear reactor control and aircraft control are reported by Voges.1 Design faults may not have been a problem in hardware systems (or at least not recognized as such) but are of major concern in software systems.
Primary Module Alternate Module Acceptance Test Design Fault Software Fault
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© Springer-Verlag/Wien 1990
1.Computing LaboratoryUniversity of Newcastle upon TyneUK
Lee P.A., Anderson T. (1990) Software Fault Tolerance. In: Fault Tolerance. Dependable Computing and Fault-Tolerant Systems, vol 3. Springer, Vienna
DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-8990-0_9
Publisher Name Springer, Vienna


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Home News Planners Reject Historic Inn Makeover
Planners Reject Historic Inn Makeover
The Laguna Beach Planning Commission voted unanimously against a proposed $10 million renovation of the historic Coast Inn and the adjacent Coast Liquor store after a lengthy public hearing Wednesday, Oct. 4, where testimony weighed against the project by three to one.
In an interview the following day, owner Chris Dornin expressed surprise and disappointment at the decision, which is only an advisory recommendation. The plan will receive a final hearing before the City Council at an undetermined later date because the '30s era hotel is considered an "E" rated historic structure.
Poles indicate a proposed cupola on the Coast Inn at Mountain Street and coast Highway.
In the meantime, Dornin said he applied this week for a city business license to reopen the legendary Boom Boom Room nightclub with live entertainment and drag shows and is seeking a permanent liquor license. "The reality is we can open the business tomorrow," said Dornin, and operate without any of the 54 stipulations proposed for granting a conditional use permit for the makeover.
The regulations would close bars and restaurants before 2 a.m., restrict hours of trash pick-up, cap occupancy and forgive typically required parking under credits for historical preservation. Planner Martina Caron recommended approval of the project with conditions, which she said was consistent with other historical projects in town.
"We were willing to accept them," Dornin said. "It's 10 times worse to not approve the project." Currently, Dornin said the fire department set occupancy at the 24-room hotel and nightclub at 597, while occupancy of the proposed renovation, with guests, a lobby bar, rooftop bar and deck and ocean-front restaurant, was capped at 329 seats.
Dornin contended that this week's decision effectively nearly doubles the neighborhood impact compared to the proposed project. "If we're not going to get the benefit, we're better off the way it is. We're going to open up as is."
Nevertheless, Dornin isn't ready to drop the makeover and will pursue a different outcome before the City Council. He is hopeful elected officials will give greater weight to the 2015 findings of the city Heritage Committee, which upgraded the Coast Inn's historical rating, thus allowing for intensifying the land use.
Those findings received a skeptical rebuke from Planning Commission members this week.
"This is a mash-up, a cut and paste approach to historical preservation," said commission chair Susan McLintock Whitin at the conclusion of two hours of public testimony.
The ocean side of the Coast Inn.
"Today, there has not been a rigorous historical comparison as to what's being preserved," she said, pointing out contradictions in architectural details on the proposed Coast Inn plans compared to the Mediterranean Revival style on a 1935 postcard illustration of the hotel.
Whitin also criticized city policies that allow "grandfathered" parking exemptions as a trade off to developers for restoring historic structures. She called the practice a "misuse of the historic credit system."
Archival images of the Coast Inn.
Commission member Ken Sadler raised a different question. Because of rooftop improvements that would require internal structural reinforcing throughout the building, Sadler could not see how the project can escape the status of a major remodel, which would trigger meeting new building-code construction standards.
"That in my opinion is the stake through the heart of this project," said Sadler. "I don't buy it."
That point also troubled commission member Roger McErlane. He was equally troubled by the proposed rooftop bar, both because it lacked historical authenticity and due to conflicts with federal Secretary of the Interior historical preservation standards.
Commission member Anne Johnson said she regretted not pushing for an environmental impact report to assess the project when it was initially heard last December. By Johnson's count, with the hearing testimony of 38 people and letters from another 45, the project set a new record for controversy.
Among the contrarians supporting the renovation was Mike Boone, a member of the city's Heritage Committee, who spoke on his own behalf. He urged commission members to not lose sight of what historical preservation tradeoffs have already achieved. "It's bordering on miraculous," Boone said. "So many legacy buildings are still here. It's because Laguna chose to preserve its DNA," he said. "Help those trying to preserve historic projects," he urged.
His opinion on preservation reflected the views of most commentators, who welcomed restoration of a long neglected structure. But renovation did not trump gripes, which ranged from a lack of facilities for the handicapped to a rooftop cupola that would violate the town's height limits.
Prior to the hearing, Leah Sklar and Terry Meurer, two neighbors in close proximity to the hotel on one-way Gaviota Street, went further by independently hiring noise and traffic consultants and a lawyer. A report by traffic engineer Sandipan Bhattacharjee, a principal of Transolutions in Tustin, described the Coast Inn traffic analysis as having "unrealistic assumptions" and "errors" and relying on "incorrect methodologies."
"It's not a real flattering review," commission member McErlane pointed out.
Time will tell if Dornin receives one more to his liking.
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The former author was the editor of the Laguna Beach Independent. Prior to taking the job in 2005, she worked previously as a reporter at five daily newspapers, including the Daily Pilot in Costa Mesa, the Daily News of Los Angeles and the New York Times.
Sharin McMillion Hanson October 6, 2017 At 12:04 pm
I remember how STRICT the City was on the inew Owner's of Billy Harper's Grandmother's house (oldest house in Laguna in Pearl Street & Ocean Avenue) when they were renovating their Historical Property. The Cicy needs to adhere to policy and procedures in maintaining actual historical significance-— otherwise, what's the point?
Sharon Hanson October 6, 2017 At 1:02 pm
I remember how STRICT the City was on the new Owner's of Billy Harper's Grandmother's pink and white house (oldest house in Laguna on Pearl Street & Ocean Avenue) when they were renovating that Historical Property. Likewise, the City needs to adhere to policies and procedures in granting Historical Status of such properties. A myriad of tax incentives exist for "responsible" Owners from the City and State —and even more exist (20% tax credit) for income-producing buildings, from the Federal Government. Clearly, this renovation plan neither adheres to, nor complies with the scope and intention of being a "Historical" Landmark.
David Solo October 6, 2017 At 1:43 pm
Apparently the LBPC would rather see a vacant, run down "historic structure" that a restored business which would bring new tax revenue and jobs to our town! Of course, we cannot even reach agreement about beautifying the entrance to town from Laguna Canyon Road. Typical of the "petty bureaucrats" who run things around here!
Lisa Aslanian October 8, 2017 At 11:57 am
I will need to reread this because I cannot understand opposition to bringing back the Boom Boom room, even if just as a parody of itself.
Laguna Beach Local News Guest column - Laguna Beach Local News November 2, 2017 At 2:47 pm
[…] was reported in the Indy on Oct. 6, the Laguna Beach Planning Commission unanimously rejected the latest plan for renovating the historic Coast Inn and the adjacent Coast Liquor properties. The […]
C Albers November 8, 2017 At 11:14 am
A lifetime Laguna Beach resident wants to restore this dilapidated eyesore to its former glory, while beautifying his town, adding to the tax base and spending massive amounts of his time/money/energy/risk in doing so. The city's Heritage Committee gives it a thumbs up and says it's "bordering on miraculous" in terms of historical preservation trade-offs. The "petty bureaucrats" shut it down repeatedly. Unbelievable.
Laguna Beach Local News A Family's History Reveals Laguna's Own - Laguna Beach Local News January 10, 2018 At 10:00 pm
[…] historic structure is scheduled to be heard by the City Council on Jan. 23. The Planning Commission turned it down last […]
Laguna Beach Local News Coast Inn Renovation Plans On Hold - Laguna Beach Local News January 26, 2018 At 1:22 am
[…] of rooms, a convenience store, deli and added retail. In October, the Planning Commission recommended denial of the renovations over concerns about compounding the hotel's use with new proposed amenities […]


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Remembrances of Prof. M.A. Adelman
As Peter noted, M.A. "Morry" Adelman—a great economist, mentor, and friend—passed away last month at the age of 96. The first paragraph of The New York Times obituary (June 8, 2014) had this to say of Professor Adelman's passing.
Morris A. Adelman, an energy economist who marshaled free-market principles and hard data in arguing that the world's oil supply was not running out, died May 8 at his home in Newton, Mass. He was 96. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he taught and researched for 65 years, announced the death on May 15.
I first had the pleasure of meeting Morry in June of 1967, shortly after I had joined the faculty at the Colorado School of Mines. The Rocky Mountain Petroleum Economics Institute had convened a meeting at Mines; Morry was one of the speakers on a star-studded program. I had been invited to edit a book, Essays in Petroleum Economics, of the conference papers.
As a rookie facing what was, at the time, an array of the most notable petroleum economists in the world (Adelman, Richard Gonzalez, Minor Jameson, John Lichtblau, Milton Lipton, Wallace Lovejoy, Stephen McDonald, James McKie, and Frank Young), I was, to put it mildly, anxious. But, thanks to the likes of Adelman, that problem was quickly put to rest.
Morry knew how to mentor young rookies. He also knew more about the oil industry–even the institutional details–than most of the conference representatives from the industry. He was not only a master of applied economics and detailed, sharp pencil work, but was an economist with a personality–a very sharp wit, very sharp indeed. This wit and his personality come through loud and clear in his writings. So, Morry remains with us, fortunately.
As I reread "Trends in Cost of Finding and Developing Oil and Gas in the U.S.", which was Adelman's chapter in Essays in Petroleum Economics, I am struck by just how careful he was to protect his text–a master of rhetoric, too. He paid the most careful and anxious attention to stressing that he was not making predictions, but only presenting short-term projections. As for intermediate projections, beyond 1980, Adelman thought (in 1967) they "only were of minor interest." And "projections past the year 2000 are funny because it is better to laugh than to weep in the vain presumption of thinking we can see that far ahead."
That said, Adelman's chapter does suggest that he had what turned out to be very clear ideas about the possible long-run scenarios:
Nobody can tell what will happen either to energy demand or supply. All we need mention are a decisive breakthrough on: shale oil extraction, or direct finding of conventional crude oil, or coal conversion to liquids, or nuclear power, particularly the fast breeder reactor, or the fuel cell and other methods of energy conversion, not to mention the electric automobile. A major change in any one of these would put altogether new perspectives on developments in oil supply and cost.
December 4, 2012 12:28PM
Democracy Versus Autocracy in Kuwait: Where Is Real Liberty?
KUWAIT CITY, KUWAIT—This small Gulf nation was largely unknown in America before Saddam Hussein's Iraq invaded more than 20 years ago. The United States intervened to drive Iraqi forces out. Kuwaitis remain grateful to Americans and emphasize their friendship with the United States.
Although a monarchy, Kuwait has an elected parliament and a generally free media. It regularly invites foreign analysts and journalists to observe its elections. I am making my second trip this year.


Sara Herrin is a Program Specialist at the GLOBE Implementation Office. Ms. Herrin leads the communications initiatives for the GLOBE Mosquito Project and also provides communications support to the UCAR Center for Science Education. Ms. Herrin is the Program Coordinator at Climate Voices and is a member of NCAR's Rising Voices: Collaborative Science with Indigenous Knowledge for Climate Solutions community. Ms. Herrin holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies with a Specialization in Sustainable Development and a Minor in Political Science from the University of Colorado at Boulder.


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Vs > Rapid City (airport), Sd
Funchal vs Rapid City (airport), Sd Climate & Distance Between
Funchal vs Rimini, Emilia Romagna, Italy
Funchal vs Parnaiba, Brazil
Funchal vs Roberval, Qc, Canada
Funchal vs Yining, China
Rapid City (airport), Sd vs Ohotsk, Russia
Rapid City (airport), Sd vs Haparanda, Sweden
Rapid City (airport), Sd vs Kuwait City, Kuwait
Rapid City (airport), Sd vs Khamti, Myanmar
Chippewa Lake, Oh vs Canavieiras
Madrid vs Linhares
Kujbysev/ Bezencuk vs Dargaville
Isla De Pascua-Mataveri vs Cheyenne, Wyoming
The distance between Funchal, Madeira and Rapid City (airport), Sd, Usa is approximately 7,287 km or 4,529 mi.
To reach Funchal in this distance one would set out from Rapid City (airport), Sd bearing 67.4° or ENE and follow the great circles arc to approach Funchal bearing 128° or SE .
Funchal has a Mediterranean hot climate (Csa) whereas Rapid City (airport), Sd has a mid-latitude cool steppe climate (BSk).
Total annual precipitation averages 219.5 mm (8.6 in) more which is equivalent to 219.5 l/m² (5.39 US gal/ft²) or 2,195,000 l/ha (234,660 US gal/ac) more. About 1 1/2 as much.
The altitude of the sun at midday is overall 11.5° higher in Funchal than in Rapid City (airport), Sd.
The table shows values for Funchal relative to Rapid City (airport), Sd. You can also view this comparison the other way around from the perspective of Rapid City (airport), Sd vs Funchal.
Average Max Temperature °C ( °F) +18 (+33) +16 (+28) +12 (+21) +5 (+9) +1 (+1) +-3 (-6) -6 (-10) +-4 (-7) +2 (+4) +7 (+13) +14 (+25) +18 (+32) +7 (+12)
Average Temperature °C ( °F) +22 (+39) +19 (+34) +15 (+27) +9 (+17) +5 (+9) +1 (+2) -1 (-2) +1 (+2) +7 (+12) +12 (+21) +17 (+31) +21 (+38) +11 (+19)
Average Min Temperature °C ( °F) +25 (+45) +22 (+40) +18 (+33) +13 (+24) +9 (+16) +6 (+10) +3 (+6) +6 (+10) +11 (+21) +16 (+29) +21 (+37) +25 (+44) +15 (+26)
Average Precipitation mm (in) +93 (+4) +74 (+3) +38 (+1) -9 (0) -49 (-2) -66 (-3) -50 (-2) -39 (-2) +6 (+0) +47 (+2) +87 (+3) +88 (+3) +220 (+9)
http://www.madeira.climatemps.com/vs/rapid-city-aero.php
Funchal vs Alexandroupolis, Greece
Funchal vs Oujoa, Morocco
Funchal vs Vegreville, Ab, Canada
Funchal vs Turin, Piedmont, Italy
Rapid City (airport), Sd vs Larned, Ks, Usa
Rapid City (airport), Sd vs Chimbote, Peru
Rapid City (airport), Sd vs Takayama, Japan
Rapid City (airport), Sd vs Asmara, Eritrea
Gainesville Lock, Al vs Kawerau
Marion, Nc vs Raleigh/ Raleigh-Durham, Nc
Longreach Post Office vs Plymouth, England
Turiacu vs Chillan
Funchal vs Rapid City (airport), Sd Discussion
Climate Guides for Locations near Rapid City (airport), Sd
Miles City, Montana, Usa - 335.9 kms (208.7 miles) NW
Ekalaka, Mt, Usa - 228.9 kms (142.2 miles) NNW
Sheridan, Wy, Usa - 309.1 kms (192.1 miles) WNW
Rapid City, South Dakota, Usa - 2.9 kms (1.8 miles) WNW
Casper, Wy, Usa - 292.9 kms (182 miles) WSW
Lusk, Wy, Usa - 176.8 kms (109.9 miles) SW
Chugwater, Wy, Usa - 272.4 kms (169.3 miles) SSW
Scottsbluff, Ne, Usa - 246.8 kms (153.4 miles) S
Kimball, Ne, Usa - 347.2 kms (215.8 miles) S
Eureka, Sd, Usa - 330.8 kms (205.5 miles) NE
Faulkton, Sd, Usa - 340.4 kms (211.5 miles) ENE
Mellette, Sd, Usa - 348.7 kms (216.7 miles) ENE
Highmorew, Sd, Usa - 348.7 kms (216.7 miles) ENE
Pierre Faa Ap, Sd, Usa - 229.5 kms (142.6 miles) E
Hay Springs, Ne, Usa - 119.7 kms (74.4 miles) S
Hot Springs, Sd, Usa - 119.7 kms (74.4 miles) S
Valentine, Ne, Usa - 252.1 kms (156.6 miles) ESE
Alliance, Ne, Usa - 226.6 kms (140.8 miles) S
Lodgepole, Ne, Usa - 341.4 kms (212.1 miles) S


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https://apnews.com/article/18d617039c9f435a91c46ea0722b77c2
South Sudan sexual violence on 'massive scale,' report says
By SAM MEDNICKJuly 23, 2017 GMT
In this photo taken Saturday, May 13, 2017, thirteen-year-old boy Batista, who five months ago was drugged and raped in the middle of the night, stands in the doorway of a psychosocial support clinic in a camp for the internally-displaced in Wau, South Sudan. Four years into South Sudan's devastating civil war, the world's youngest nation is reeling from sexual violence on a "massive scale," a new Amnesty International report says Monday, July 24, 2017. (AP Photo/Bruno Bierrenbach Feder)
WAU, South Sudan (AP) — It's been five months since the shy, frail 13-year-old was snatched from his bed, drugged and raped in the middle of the night. The boy hasn't been able to say much since.
"I don't remember a lot," Batista says, darting his eyes toward the dirt floor as he sits in a makeshift clinic in one of South Sudan's displaced people's camps in the town of Wau. The Associated Press is using only the boy's first name to protect his identity.
Four years into South Sudan's devastating civil war, the world's youngest nation is reeling from sexual violence on a "massive scale," a new Amnesty International report says. Thousands of women, children and some men are suffering in silence, grappling with mental distress. Some now have HIV. Others were rendered impotent.
The report is based on interviews with 168 victims of sexual violence in South Sudan and in refugee camps in neighboring Uganda, home to the world's fastest-growing refugee crisis.
Some of the sexual assaults occur not during the fighting but among the millions of people sheltering from the conflict.
Batista says he was raped in December by a 45-year-old man he'd seen around the United Nations-run camp. Yet the boy didn't seek psychosocial support until May. Community members say he has kept to himself and is in dire need of help.
The U.N. last year reported a 60 percent increase in gender-based violence in South Sudan, with 70 percent of women in U.N. camps in the capital, Juba, having been raped since the start of the civil war in December 2013.
"This is premeditated sexual violence. Women have been gang-raped, sexually assaulted with sticks and mutilated with knives," says Muthoni Wanyeki, Amnesty's regional director for East Africa. Victims are left with "debilitating and life-changing consequences," and many have been shunned by their families.
The new report interviewed 16 male victims, some who said they had been castrated or had their testicles pierced with needles.
"Some of the attacks appear designed to terrorize, degrade and shame the victims, and in some cases to stop men from rival political groups from procreating," Wanyeki says.
The U.N. Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan and others say both government and opposition forces use rape as a weapon of war — a strategy made worse because of the country's culture of stigma.
"If a survivor is left unsupported or untreated, he or she may develop more serious mental health problems," says Aladin Borja, coordinator for the national mental health and psychosocial support group for the International Organization for Migration.
Survivors are discouraged from speaking openly about rape, Borja says, meaning attacks could continue with impunity.
Amnesty International says many victims are targeted because of their ethnicity.
"They hide in the bush and jump out at you and rape you on the road," says Bakhit Mario, who also shelters in the U.N. camp in Wau. The 22-year-old is part of the Fertit people, a name for several minority ethnic groups from the north.
She says friends and family have been raped by men who are Dinka, one of South Sudan's largest ethnic groups and the one of President Salva Kiir.
"I see aborted babies in the camp's bathrooms," Mario says. She believes many are a result of unwanted pregnancies due to rape.
South Sudan's government has condemned sexual assaults, promising that "the government is moving swiftly to protect civilians from such behavior by educating all armed forces and holding perpetrators accountable," acting government spokesman Choul Laam told the AP.
But victims who have reported their attackers to authorities say they've seen little justice.
After Batista was raped he told local police, who arrested the perpetrator — only to set the man free a few days later.