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Home » Who will receive the 2022 Acting Awards by broadcasting companies?
Who will receive the 2022 Acting Awards by broadcasting companies?
admin1December 25, 2022Last Updated: December 25, 2022
Lee Jong Suk, Namgoong Min, Park Eun Bin and more actors have had a good performance this year.
The year-end acting awards season, which encourages the hard work of actors and production crews who made viewers laugh and cry at home theaters throughout the year, is just around the corner. Even in 2022, many works provided fun and excitement to viewers, and we predicted in advance who would win the acting grand prize by broadcaster this year.
MBC: Big Mouth – Lee Jong Suk
'Big Mouth' received the most love among MBC dramas this year. It garnered a lot of attention as the first drama comeback after Lee Jong-suk's dismissal, and Lee Jong-suk, who played 'Park Chang-ho', had an impressive performance that is expected to win this year's acting grand prize.
Yoona's sweet chemistry with Lee Jong Suk, who acted as a couple in the drama, was also loved, so netizens think the best couple award will come to them. However, despite the actors' good performances, viewers complained about the sudden ending.
SBS: 1,000 Won Lawyer – Namgoong Min
Namgoong Min, who has put on a variety of ever-changing performances in one work, from his smart looks to his charismatic and cool acting as 'Cheon Ji Hoon', is a strong candidate for the SBS Awards.
In particular, Namgoong Min won the SBS Drama Award (Stove League) once in 2020. On October 7, when 1000 Won Lawyer was being broadcast, he got married to his longtime lover Jin Ah Reum. Will 2022 be a happy year for him?
KBS: The King of Tears, Lee Bang Won – Joo Sang Wook
Broadcasting station KBS used to be called a weekend drama powerhouse. Unfortunately, there aren't many outstanding works this year, so it's hard to guess which actor will win the grand prize. Until now, Joo Sang Wook, who played the male lead Lee Bang Won in "The King of Tears, Lee Bang Won" is considered a top candidate.
"The King of Tears, Lee Bang Won" is a historical drama which started with a stable viewership rating of around 8%, which rose to more than 10% eventually. However, the drama's ratings later fluctuated due to several controversies, and was only salvaged thanks to the admirable portrayals of its experienced cast members.
Unfortunately, other than the 3 broadcasting stations MBC, KBS, and SBS, no other broadcasting stations hold year-end awards ceremonies. Nevertheless, below are actors and actresses who show the best performance this year in cable TV K-dramas.
tvN: Our Blues – Kim Hye Ja/Go Doo Shim
tvN's "Our Blues" is considered one of the best dramas of all broadcasting companies in the first half of 2022. Though the series boasts a star-studded cast, Kim Hye Ja and Go Doo Shim, who are representative actresses of Korea and considered "the nation's mother", managed to stand out with their indisputable acting skills.
If combined, the acting career of these two senior actresses would span over 100 years. Nevertheless, they never fail to impress viewers with phenomenal acting performances that rouse admiration. To junior actors, working with Kim Hye Ja and Go Doo Shim can be considered a huge honor.
ENA: Extraordinary Attorney Woo – Park Eun Bin
"Extraordinary Attorney Woo" started with less than 1% of rating as the second drama of ENA, a new channel, but soon caused a syndrome across the country as words spread. Thanks to this, the drama became an opportunity to raise awareness about the autism spectrum, captivating viewers with warm development and great acting by the actors.
It is no exaggeration to say that Park Eun Bin's meticulous performance as the main character "Woo Young Woo" led to the drama's success. It is said that Park Eun Bin eventually decided to join the cast after one year of persuasion from the production team. It turned out to be a win-win situation
JTBC: Reborn Rich – Lee Sung Min
"Reborn Rich" is heating up the end of 2022. Although the show drew most of the attention from Song Joong Ki's main character at first, the one in the center of attention after the drama went on air is "Jin Yang Chul" Lee Sung Min, the founder of Sun Yang Group. Many even believed that the industry should create a new acting award just for Lee.
In particular, Lee Sung Min's delirium performance in the second half was evaluated as a "godly performance," which pushed the viewer rating up to nearly 25%. If Lee Sung Min fails to win the grand prize at next year's Baeksang Arts Awards, Baeksang may face great resistance (?!) from viewers.
Big Mouth Extraordinary Attorney Woo Go Doo Shim Joo Sang-wook kim hye-ja Lee Jong Suk Lee sung min nam goong min One Dollar Lawyer our blues Park Eun-bin Reborn Rich The king of tears lee bang won
This "Reborn Rich" actress stuns with her unrealistically slender figure in new mirror selfies
"Reborn Rich" Kim Shin Rok revealed the creepy thing she heard when she played the role of a shaman
"Reborn Rich" Lee Sung Min shared his love story: "My wife approached me first, I couldn't afford to marry her then"
"Park XXX senior"… BTS Jimin listens to songs of this Korean female singer the most these days


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A rare and fine pair of sea charts, presented together on a single sheet, of Chennai & Pulicat and the Cuddalore area (Tamil Nadu), from the 'Secret Atlas' of the Dutch East India Company (VOC), issued in Amsterdam by Johannes van Keulen II.
Author: Johannes van KEULEN II (1704 - 1755).
Place and Year: Amsterdam, 1753.
Technique: Copper engraving (Excellent Condition), sheet: 54 x 31 cm (21 x 12 inches).
This lovely and very rare pair of charts on a single sheet features two important areas along India's Coromandel Coast, in what is today Tamil Nadu, and is from the 'Secret Atlas' of the Dutch East India Company (VOC), issued by Johannes van Keulen II in Amsterdam in 1753.
The upper chart covers the Madras (Chennai) and Pulicat region, from a westward-orientated perspective. Features along the shore are expressed pictographically, while hydrographic information dots the seas. The position labeled ''t Engles Fort,' surmounted by the English flag, refers to Madras (Chennai), and Fort St. George in particular, while further to the left, is St. Mary's Church. Founded in 1744, Madras (Chennai) was the capital of the Three Presidencies of the British East India Company (EIC), and the most important European-ruled settlement in Southern India. Just seven years before this map was issued, Madras was taken by the French during the Siege of Madras (1746), Britain's worst-ever defeat on the Indian Subcontinent, although the city would be retuned to the EIC in 1748.
Further to the north (right) is 'Palleacatte' (Pulicat), marked with a Dutch tricolour, as it was then an important VOC base. It was established by the Portuguese in 1502 and conquered by the Dutch in 1609. From that time until 1690, Pulicat served as the capital of the Dutch Coromandel (replaced that year by Negapatnam), although it remained an important Dutch post until 1825, when it was ceded to Britain. The prominent Pulicat sandbar, which juts far out into the Bay of Bengal is marked.
The fine chart that occupies the lower part of the sheet features the area just to the north of Cuddalore (Tamil Nadu). 'Tengepatnam' (not to be confused with the other Tengapatnam, Tamil Nadu, properly known as Thengapattanam, located the northwest of Cape Comorin) refers to a Dutch base built in 1647 to the north of Cuddalore, since abandoned.
To the left (south) is ''t Moorse Fort' (the Moorish Fort) which inaccurately named what became Fort St. David. The fort was originally built by the Nayaks of Gingee in 1608, and was taken by the Marathas in 1677. In 1690, the EIC took over the fort, whereupon it became a major British base, stalking Pondicherry, the capital of French India, located a short distance to the north. The town of Cuddalore developed to the south of Fort St. David.
A Hindu temple in the interior, labeled as 'de Pagood Tierepopeliere,' is employed as a navigational aid.
The Secret Atlas of the VOC & the Charts of India
The present charts are part of the 'Secret Atlas' of the VOC, issued in Amsterdam by Johannes van Keulen II, which featured printed charts based on the manuscript charts that were privileged for the use of the Company's sea captains. They lend a unique insight into the knowledge of coastal India possessed by the VOC, one of the key players in India during the 17th and 18th Centuries. Exquisitely engraved, the charts reflect the best practices of Dutch maritime cartography.
The VOC established a dedicated and highly organized hydrographic office that went to great efforts to obtain the best information on the navigation of the waters around South and Southeast Asia. The Company developed master charts of various regions that were continuously updated by intelligence supplied by ships' captains returning to the Netherlands. For some generations, these charts generally remained in manuscript form so that their dissemination could be carefully controlled, so that their valuable intelligence would not fall into the hands of rival powers, such as the British East
India Company (EIC) and the French East India Company. While certain details were occasionally leaked to commercial map printers, much of the most valuable information remained under wraps.
However, by the mid-18th Century it became economically prohibitive and technically impractical to create sufficient manuscript copies of charts for use on VOC vessels. Moreover, the manuscript-making process was especially vulnerable to compounded human error. It was decided that the Company's master charts would be printed by a trusted mapmaker in limited quantities, with their dissemination strictly controlled. Enter Johannes van Keulen II (1704-1755), the man who was entrusted to publish the "Secret Atlas" and the scion of what would become one of Europe's longest-lived map publishing dynasties. The family firm was founded in Amsterdam in 1678 by Johannes' grandfather, Johannes van Keulen I (1654-1715) and would operate until 1885. Johannes I gained great acclaim for his sea atlas entitled Nieuwe Lichtende Zee-Faakel (translates as the 'New Shining Sea Torch'), the first volume of which appeared in 1681. Johannes
II took over the family enterprise in 1726, while only in his early twenties; however, he proved to be highly industrious and brought the firm to the apogee of its success. In 1743, Johannes II was appointed as the official hydrographer to the VOC.
By the time that Johannes II was authorized to print the VOC's secret charts, five volumes of the Zee-Fakkel had been issued. In 1753 Van Keulen published the "Secret Atlas" as the sixth volume of the series, although few examples were ever issued. The atlas included 73 sheets of charts, of which 9 focused on parts of India.
References: Koeman, Atlantes Neerlandici, vol. IV, and Keu 135B, map nos. 36 & 37 (pp. 366).

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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The Indian-American environmental super heroes
Updated : August 31, 2018 03:36 PM IST
Back in 2009 when they were both students at UC Berkeley, they were headed toward careers in investment banking when they decided to become trash collectors instead!
Through its CSR activities, Wipro has focused on public education utilizing the volunteerism of its employees. Gender diversity is also on the company's mind and through the Million Women Mentors (MWM) Initiative; employees participate in mentoring young women and encourage them to pursue STEM careers.
New York is a city where people do re-invent themselves – and for Aria Das this reinvention has resulted in rediscovery of her inner self.
Lavina Melwani
@lavinamelwani
You've heard of superheroes that save the world from evil-doers but Nikhil Arora and his partner Alejandro Velez have made saving the environment their life's mantra. Back in 2009 when they were both students at UC Berkeley, they were headed toward careers in investment banking when they decided to become trash collectors instead! Imagine growing millions of gourmet oyster mushrooms from discarded coffee grounds which would have ended up in landfills. Their business Back to Roots was born.
Gourmet mushrooms normally are grown in expensive oak chips, sawdust or hardwoods but using discarded coffee grounds work as well, and they picked these up free from the cafes."Why cut down on your national resources when millions of pounds of waste work biologically as well?" asks Arora whose family hails from the Punjab.
"In growing mushrooms, the biggest energy use is actually sterilization of the soil. But coffee is brewed in boiling hot water so that's already sterilized and we can piggyback on the cafe's energy use. This combination saves energy, resources and creates local and urban jobs in the city. The coolest thing about this is that the left over mushroom roots with the coffee grounds make for really rich organic fertilizer. Waste of waste still has value – so it's a zero waste product!"
The creative thinking continues through Mushroom Kits where families can grow their own mushrooms and Ready to Grow indoor Gardening Kits, once again using waste to grow new products. The two have received countless awards from Forbes '30 Under 30' to Champions of Change by President Obama to the recent NEXTY Gold Award from New Hope Network. Their latest creation is an organic cereal for children without sugar which is being offered in New York public schools to 1.1 million children. A licensing deal just signed with Nature's Path Organic Foods will put the Back to Roots cereal in all American schools.
Wipro's American Interactions
Indian companies in America add value not only by creating jobs for Americans but by their work in R & D, digitization and by their commitment to corporate social responsibility. Wipro is a case in point, with its US headquarters located in East Brunswick, NJ. According to Amrish Parwal, Head of Operations for America, Wipro has invested more than $ 1 billion in the US over the last 24 months and $ 2 billion over the past decade, and almost 60 percent of the workforce is localized.
"Through Wipro Ventures, Wipro has invested in US based startups and provided capital and expertise to exciting new ventures in California and elsewhere," says Parwal. "We have also made several strategic acquisitions of young companies where their technologies could help further enable our US clients to grow and succeed."
Wipro's connection with local communities is what creates impact and gives the corporation a human face. It gives back with the Wipro Science Education Fellowship (SEF) which facilitates improvements in science and math by providing fellowships to teachers who serve disadvantaged communities to develop stronger leadership and instructional skills. The program is in 20 school districts and supports more than 400 teachers in Boston, New York, New Jersey, Chicago and Dallas. The program has expanded to the University of South Florida, University of Missouri and Stanford's Graduate School of Education. Parwal says there are plans to invest $10 million in the program over 8 years. Another initiative is the donation of 270,000 books to communities in need.
Aria's Definition of Success
While most people would define success as financial wealth, name and fame – Aria Das, a New Yorker, is on quite a different track. Like most young people she searched for success in the bright lights of the city and became a model and stylist in one of Manhattan's elegant upscale fashion emporiums. Then having it all, she started searching for a different version of success, a happiness which cannot be defined in dollars. She now has interpreted it as sheer happiness in losing everything, of finding meaning in the impermanence of life. She has shaved off her beautiful hair and has taken the vows of a Buddhist nun at the Kagyu Thubten Choling Monastery in upstate NY. It was a journey of many small steps, leading to a full renunciation and embracing monkhood after the traditional Tibetan Buddhist 3 and ½ year retreat.
Her extensive wardrobe been renunciated, and all her belongings now fit into one bag. Her collection of over 100 designer heels has been replaced with just 3 pairs of shoes and she is supremely happy in her new life as Lama Aria Drolma imparting the wisdom of Vajrayana. New York is a city where people do re-invent themselves – and for Aria Das this reinvention has resulted in rediscovery of her inner self. She says, "I learnt the most meaningful lesson of impermanence – all things which are valuable to us one has to leave behind when one dies. And only spiritual accomplishments may be of value, worth achieving."
She now shares her new-found wealth with others: "It's very simple - if you want peace and happiness, start to look inward, everything is within you. When one looks outward for happiness it's never permanent because the nature of everything is Impermanence."
Lavina Melwani is a New York journalist who blogs at Lassi with Lavina
Tags Back to Roots CSR economy Gender diversity India in America Information Technology IT New York Views Wipro


Material type: BookSeries: JSTOR eBooks.Theory and interpretation of narrative series: Publisher: Columbus : Ohio State University Press, ©2010Description: 1 online resource (vii, 323 pages :) : illustrations.Content type: text Media type: computer Carrier type: online resourceISBN: 9780814270981; 0814270980.Subject(s): Narration (Rhetoric)Additional physical formats: Print version:: Postclassical narratology.DDC classification: 808 Other classification: 17.80 Online resources: Click here to view this ebook.
Person, level, voice : a rhetorical reconsideration / Richard Walsh -- Mise en cadre : a neglected counterpart to mise en abyme. A frame-theoretical and intermedial complement to classical narratology / Werner Wolf -- Large intermental units in Middlemarch / Alan Palmer -- Mediacy, mediation, and focalization : the squaring of terminological circles / Monika Fludernik -- Directions in cognitive narratology : triangulating stories, media, and the mind / David Herman -- Hypothetical intentionalism : cinematic narration reconsidered / Jan Alber -- Sapphic dialogics : historical narratology and the sexuality of form / Susan S. Lanser -- Narrators, narratees, and mimetic desire / Amit Marcus -- Narratology and the social sciences / Jarmila Mildorf -- Postclassical narratology and the theory of autobiography / Martin Löschnigg -- Natural authors, unnatural narration / Henrik Skov Nielsen.


text:
// CLASS HEADER
#include "rolling-animated-image-cache.h"

// INTERNAL HEADERS
#include <dali-toolkit/devel-api/image-loader/texture-manager.h>
#include <dali-toolkit/internal/visuals/image-atlas-manager.h> // For ImageAtlasManagerPtr
#include <dali/integration-api/debug.h>

namespace
{
#if defined(DEBUG_ENABLED)
Debug::Filter* gAnimImgLogFilter = Debug::Filter::New(Debug::NoLogging, false, "LOG_ANIMATED_IMAGE");

#define LOG_CACHE                                                                                \
  if(gAnimImgLogFilter->IsEnabledFor(Debug::Concise))                                                                   \
  {                                                                                \
    std::ostringstream oss;                                                                                \
    oss << "Size:" << mQueue.Count() << " [ ";                                                                          \
    for(std::size_t _i = 0; _i < mQueue.Count(); ++_i)                                                                  \
    {                                                                                \
      oss << _i << "={ frm#: " << mQueue[_i].mFrameNumber << " tex: " << mTextureIds[mQueue[_i].mFrameNumber] << "}, "; \
    }                                                                                \
    oss << " ]" << std::endl;                                                                                \
    DALI_LOG_INFO(gAnimImgLogFilter, Debug::Concise, "%s", oss.str().c_str());                                          \
  }

#else
#define LOG_CACHE
#endif

static constexpr bool ENABLE_ORIENTATION_CORRECTION(true);

} // namespace

namespace Dali
{
namespace Toolkit
{
namespace Internal
{
namespace
{
static constexpr uint32_t SINGLE_IMAGE_COUNT = 1u;
static constexpr uint32_t FIRST_FRAME_INDEX  = 0u;
} // namespace

RollingAnimatedImageCache::RollingAnimatedImageCache(TextureManager&                     textureManager,
                                                     AnimatedImageLoading&               animatedImageLoading,
                                                     TextureManager::MaskingDataPointer& maskingData,
                                                     ImageCache::FrameReadyObserver&     observer,
                                                     uint16_t                            cacheSize,
                                                     uint16_t                            batchSize,
                                                     const Dali::WrapMode::Type&         wrapModeU,
                                                     const Dali::WrapMode::Type&         wrapModeV,
                                                     bool                                isSynchronousLoading,
                                                     bool                                preMultiplyOnLoad)
: ImageCache(textureManager, maskingData, observer, batchSize, 0u),
  mImageUrl(animatedImageLoading.GetUrl()),
  mAnimatedImageLoading(animatedImageLoading),
  mFrameCount(SINGLE_IMAGE_COUNT),
  mFrameIndex(FIRST_FRAME_INDEX),
  mCacheSize(cacheSize),
  mQueue(cacheSize),
  mWrapModeU(wrapModeU),
  mWrapModeV(wrapModeV),
  mIsSynchronousLoading(isSynchronousLoading),
  mPreMultiplyOnLoad(preMultiplyOnLoad)
{
  mTextureIds.resize(mFrameCount);
  mIntervals.assign(mFrameCount, 0);
}

RollingAnimatedImageCache::~RollingAnimatedImageCache()
{
  ClearCache();
  mAnimatedImageLoading.Reset();
}

TextureSet RollingAnimatedImageCache::Frame(uint32_t frameIndex)
{
  bool popExist = false;
  while(!mQueue.IsEmpty() && mQueue.Front().mFrameNumber != frameIndex)
  {
    PopFrontCache();
    popExist = true;
  }

  TextureSet textureSet;
  uint32_t   batchFrameIndex = frameIndex;
  // If we need to load new frame that are not stored in queue.
  // Load the frame synchronously.
  bool synchronouslyLoaded = false;
  if(mIsSynchronousLoading && mQueue.IsEmpty())
  {
    textureSet        = RequestFrameLoading(frameIndex, true);
    batchFrameIndex   = (frameIndex + 1) % mFrameCount;
    uint32_t interval = 0u;
    if(textureSet)
    {
      synchronouslyLoaded = true;
      interval            = mAnimatedImageLoading.GetFrameInterval(mQueue.Back().mFrameNumber);
    }
    MakeFrameReady(synchronouslyLoaded, textureSet, interval);
  }

  if(popExist || mQueue.IsEmpty() || synchronouslyLoaded)
  {
    // If the frame of frameIndex was already loaded, load batch from the last frame of queue
    if(!mQueue.IsEmpty())
    {
      if(!mLoadWaitingQueue.empty())
      {
        batchFrameIndex = (mLoadWaitingQueue.back() + 1) % mFrameCount;
      }
      else
      {
        batchFrameIndex = (mQueue.Back().mFrameNumber + 1) % mFrameCount;
      }
    }
    else
    {
      // If the request is for the first frame or a jumped frame(JUMP_TO) remove current waiting queue.
      mLoadWaitingQueue.clear();
      // If the queue is empty, and the frame of frameIndex is not loaded synchronously. load batch from the frame of frameIndex
      if(!textureSet)
      {
        batchFrameIndex = frameIndex;
      }
    }
    LoadBatch(batchFrameIndex);
  }

  if(!textureSet && mLoadState != TextureManager::LoadState::LOAD_FAILED && IsFrontReady() == true)
  {
    textureSet = GetFrontTextureSet();
  }

  return textureSet;
}

TextureSet RollingAnimatedImageCache::FirstFrame()
{
  TextureSet textureSet = Frame(FIRST_FRAME_INDEX);
  return textureSet;
}

uint32_t RollingAnimatedImageCache::GetFrameInterval(uint32_t frameIndex) const
{
  if(frameIndex >= mIntervals.size())
  {
    return 0u;
  }
  return mIntervals[frameIndex];
}

int32_t RollingAnimatedImageCache::GetCurrentFrameIndex() const
{
  if(mQueue.IsEmpty())
  {
    return -1;
  }
  return mQueue.Front().mFrameNumber;
}

int32_t RollingAnimatedImageCache::GetTotalFrameCount() const
{
  return mFrameCount;
}

bool RollingAnimatedImageCache::IsFrontReady() const
{
  return (!mQueue.IsEmpty() && mQueue.Front().mReady);
}

TextureSet RollingAnimatedImageCache::RequestFrameLoading(uint32_t frameIndex, bool synchronousLoading)
{
  ImageFrame imageFrame;
  imageFrame.mFrameNumber = frameIndex;
  imageFrame.mReady       = false;

  mQueue.PushBack(imageFrame);

  mLoadState = TextureManager::LoadState::LOADING;

  auto preMultiplyOnLoading = mPreMultiplyOnLoad ? TextureManager::MultiplyOnLoad::MULTIPLY_ON_LOAD
                                                 : TextureManager::MultiplyOnLoad::LOAD_WITHOUT_MULTIPLY;

  TextureManager::TextureId loadTextureId = TextureManager::INVALID_TEXTURE_ID;
  TextureSet                textureSet    = mTextureManager.LoadAnimatedImageTexture(mImageUrl,
                                                                   mAnimatedImageLoading,
                                                                   frameIndex,
                                                                   loadTextureId,
                                                                   mMaskingData,
                                                                   SamplingMode::BOX_THEN_LINEAR,
                                                                   synchronousLoading,
                                                                   this,
                                                                   preMultiplyOnLoading);
  if(textureSet)
  {
    Sampler sampler = Sampler::New();
    sampler.SetWrapMode(mWrapModeU, mWrapModeV);
    textureSet.SetSampler(0u, sampler);
  }

  mTextureIds[frameIndex] = loadTextureId;

  return textureSet;
}

void RollingAnimatedImageCache::LoadBatch(uint32_t frameIndex)
{
  // Try and load up to mBatchSize images, until the cache is filled.
  // Once the cache is filled, as frames progress, the old frame is
  // removed, and another frame is loaded
  uint32_t minimumSize = std::min(mCacheSize, mFrameCount);
  for(uint32_t i = 0; i < mBatchSize && (mQueue.Count() + mLoadWaitingQueue.size()) < minimumSize; ++i)
  {
    if(mLoadState != TextureManager::LoadState::LOADING)
    {
      RequestFrameLoading(frameIndex, false);
    }
    else
    {
      mLoadWaitingQueue.push_back(frameIndex);
    }

    frameIndex++;
    frameIndex %= mFrameCount;
  }

  LOG_CACHE;
}

void RollingAnimatedImageCache::SetImageFrameReady(TextureManager::TextureId textureId)
{
  for(std::size_t i = 0; i < mQueue.Count(); ++i)
  {
    if(GetCachedTextureId(i) == textureId)
    {
      mQueue[i].mReady = true;
      break;
    }
  }
}

TextureSet RollingAnimatedImageCache::GetFrontTextureSet() const
{
  DALI_LOG_INFO(gAnimImgLogFilter, Debug::Concise, "RollingAnimatedImageCache::GetFrontTextureSet() FrameNumber:%d\n", mQueue[0].mFrameNumber);

  TextureManager::TextureId textureId = GetCachedTextureId(0);
  TextureSet textureSet = mTextureManager.GetTextureSet(textureId);
  if(textureSet)
  {
    Sampler sampler = Sampler::New();
    sampler.SetWrapMode(mWrapModeU, mWrapModeV);
    textureSet.SetSampler(0u, sampler);
  }
  return textureSet;
}

TextureManager::TextureId RollingAnimatedImageCache::GetCachedTextureId(int index) const
{
  return mTextureIds[mQueue[index].mFrameNumber];
}

void RollingAnimatedImageCache::PopFrontCache()
{
  ImageFrame imageFrame = mQueue.PopFront();
  mTextureManager.Remove(mTextureIds[imageFrame.mFrameNumber], this);
  mTextureIds[imageFrame.mFrameNumber] = TextureManager::INVALID_TEXTURE_ID;

  if(mMaskingData && mMaskingData->mAlphaMaskId != TextureManager::INVALID_TEXTURE_ID)
  {
    if(mQueue.IsEmpty())
    {
      mMaskingData->mAlphaMaskId = TextureManager::INVALID_TEXTURE_ID;
    }
  }
}

void RollingAnimatedImageCache::ClearCache()
{
  while(mTextureManagerAlive && !mQueue.IsEmpty())
  {
    PopFrontCache();
  }
  mLoadWaitingQueue.clear();
  mLoadState = TextureManager::LoadState::NOT_STARTED;
}

void RollingAnimatedImageCache::MakeFrameReady(bool loadSuccess, TextureSet textureSet, uint32_t interval)
{
  if(!loadSuccess)
  {
    mLoadState = TextureManager::LoadState::LOAD_FAILED;
    mObserver.FrameReady(TextureSet(), 0);
  }
  else
  {
    mLoadState = TextureManager::LoadState::LOAD_FINISHED;

    // Reset size of Queue according to the real frame count.
    if(mFrameCount != mAnimatedImageLoading.GetImageCount())
    {
      mFrameCount = mAnimatedImageLoading.GetImageCount();
      mTextureIds.resize(mFrameCount);
      mIntervals.assign(mFrameCount, 0u);
    }

    bool frontFrameReady = IsFrontReady();
    // Because only one frame is on loading and the others are in mLoadWaitingQueue,
    // mQueue.Back() is always the frame currently loaded.
    mQueue.Back().mReady                   = true;
    mIntervals[mQueue.Back().mFrameNumber] = interval;
    // Check whether currently loaded frame is front of queue or not.
    // If it is, notify frame ready to observer.
    if(frontFrameReady == false && IsFrontReady())
    {
      mObserver.FrameReady(textureSet, interval);
    }
  }
}

void RollingAnimatedImageCache::LoadComplete(bool loadSuccess, TextureInformation textureInformation)
{
  DALI_LOG_INFO(gAnimImgLogFilter, Debug::Concise, "AnimatedImageVisual::LoadComplete(textureId:%d) start\n", textureInformation.textureId);
  LOG_CACHE;

  if(textureInformation.textureSet)
  {
    Sampler sampler = Sampler::New();
    sampler.SetWrapMode(mWrapModeU, mWrapModeV);
    textureInformation.textureSet.SetSampler(0u, sampler);
  }

  MakeFrameReady(loadSuccess, textureInformation.textureSet, textureInformation.interval);

  if(loadSuccess)
  {
    // The frames of a single animated image can not be loaded parallelly.
    // Therefore, a frame is now loading, other orders are waiting.
    // And, after the frame is loaded, requests load of next order.
    if(!mLoadWaitingQueue.empty())
    {
      uint32_t loadingIndex = mLoadWaitingQueue.front();
      mLoadWaitingQueue.erase(mLoadWaitingQueue.begin());
      RequestFrameLoading(loadingIndex, false);
    }
    else if(mQueue.Count() == 1u && textureInformation.frameCount > SINGLE_IMAGE_COUNT)
    {
      // There is only an image in queue and no waiting queue.
      // Request to load batch once again.
      uint32_t batchFrameIndex = 0u;
      if(!mLoadWaitingQueue.empty())
      {
        batchFrameIndex = (mLoadWaitingQueue.back() + 1) % mFrameCount;
      }
      else
      {
        batchFrameIndex = (mQueue.Back().mFrameNumber + 1) % mFrameCount;
      }
      LoadBatch(batchFrameIndex);
    }
  }

  LOG_CACHE;
}

} //namespace Internal
} //namespace Toolkit
} //namespace Dali

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


All the fakes lies and deceits we pass through in our lives build us as those who we are now. Then how much are we the owners of our now.
During this second part of the saga and living now in our own skins, let's see how much we own our thoughts and most importantly which are our actions towards getting our goals in our lives.
‹Having got to this point, is there something else we can do to re-direct our lives to those places we would really want to be. Do we dare to be ourselves.


SECAUCUS, N.J., March 20, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Children's Place, Inc.(Nasdaq:PLCE), the largest pure-play children's specialty apparel retailer in North America, today announced it intends to enter into an Accelerated Share Repurchase ("ASR") program with Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC (Goldman) to repurchase an aggregate of $125 million of the company's common stock under its current authorization using cash repatriated from its foreign subsidiaries. The Company also announced that its Board of Directors has approved a new $250 million share repurchase program and has increased the Company's quarterly dividend to $0.50 per share from $0.40 per share.
This ASR program is part of the Company's existing share repurchase program previously authorized by the Board of Directors. Under the terms of the ASR program, the Company will repurchase an aggregate of $125 million of its common stock with an initial delivery of approximately 80% of the shares expected to be repurchased (calculated on then current market prices). The Company intends to retire these initial shares as soon as practical after receipt. The final number of shares to be repurchased under the ASR will be based on a discount to the volume-weighted average stock price and will be determined at the completion of the ASR program. Purchases under the ASR are expected to be completed no later than June 2018, although the completion date may be accelerated at Goldman's option.
The new share repurchase authorization announced today is in addition to the ASR program and permits the Company to repurchase shares in the open market at current market prices at the time of purchase, in privately negotiated transactions, or otherwise. The timing and actual number of shares repurchased under the new authorization will depend on a variety of factors including price, corporate and regulatory requirements, and other market and business conditions, and the Company may suspend or discontinue the new authorization at any time, and may thereafter reinstitute purchases, all without prior announcement.
The Board declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.50 per share to be paid April 27, 2018 to shareholders of record at the close of business on April 16, 2018. Future declarations of quarterly dividends and the establishment of future record and payment dates are subject to approval by the Company's Board of Directors based on a number of factors, including business and market conditions, the Company's future financial performance and other investment priorities.


The Posts EVERYONE Loved in 2015!
You are here: Home / The Posts EVERYONE Loved in 2015!
I have a confession. I always forget to write the right year on the baby's bands for the first few shifts of the new year. I dread it, because I have the pull them out and fix it. Anyway. I dread that which will come.
But I LOVE year in review shows and today is no different. Time for 2015 in review!
This post was part of my 31 days of Systems series from last January. I can see why it's so popular. Having a good filing system makes it SO easy to save the papers that you need!
Turns out I'm much happier when I'm not the driven machine I thought I was. I'm happier when I'm light and random. Read that post to find out more — especially if you're feeling overwhelmed.
I had NO idea this post would be this popular when I wrote it. However, the truths that are within this post will change you when you're having a hard time. Check it out!
This is DANG good advice. I even have a printable to put in your medicine cabinet for when your child is puking and you have NO idea what to do!
Here I was after 30 days of Dressing My Truth. Plus, there's like 9 million horrible selfies. Who doesn't enjoy a horrible selfie? Not me, that's for sure!
Holy Guacamole, Pinterest is lighting this post on fire lately. With just the few months since it posted it's done so well. I love this post. I wish I had read it a long time ago — but then, I didn't know it — so how could I have written it. Either way, if you're struggling with sleep and a newborn — check this out!
I put this off for such a long time. I didn't think this post would be very popular. but low, and behold. It obviously is. And yes — there are pros and cons fore each baby spacing, and it's worthwhile to think about what will work for you?
When my mom shared this with me I had a nice laugh. With further research I started to find it's a REAL thing. If you, or someone you know suffers from restless leg — check it out!
I actually submitted this for a sponsored post. They rejected it. Big mistake on their end. Either way, this post has TONS of great info! If you're pregnant, or know someone who is — see it or share it!
Love my cleaning schedule. I couldn't get half of what I get done without it. It makes it so easy to just do what's on the list and then move on. To TV and bon-bon's. Check it out — and get the free printable!
Whether it's baby 1 or baby 12 you're likely to be nervous before you go off to have that little one. Here's a few things that are VERY normal to be nervous about. Maybe some information will combat your fear!
And there it is. Math doesn't lie. Some of them went CRAZY viral on Pinterest. So grateful for each and every visitor, and I'm excited for the things I'll share with you in 2016! If you liked these posts, be sure to sign up for my Newsletter!
Want to see more poular posts- – check out my 2014 year in review!


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Teardown May Test Design Guidelines
blog | November 27, 2019 - 4:51pm
A proposal to tear down this Eichler and replace it with a larger home would be the first such teardown to come before Palo Alto planners since passage of guidelines whose purpose is to ensure neighborhood compatibility. Contemporary photos by Dave Weinstein
A proposal to rip down an Eichler home in the historic Fairmeadow subdivision may be the first test to determine how well Eichler Design Guidelines adopted last year by Palo Alto work.
Utopia Design and Construction seeks "demolition of an existing one-story, 1,410-square-foot home and construction of a two-story approximately 2,568-square-foot-home with an attached garage."
Bahar Masarati, architect and co-owner of Utopia, says the homeowner needs a larger home.
"The conditions of the existing home cannot provide for what they want to do," she says. "We had no choice but replace it with a new home and try to go with the look of an Eichler house. What we're trying to accomplish here is [produce a home] that if someone passes by, it does not look like something different."
She says she worked with the Design Guidelines and found them helpful, as she worked with the city's architect on the plans. Windows were arranged to privacy for neighbors, she says, and the second story was set back to make it less visible from the street.
"If an Eichler in good condition comes to us, if we are asked to restore it, we would love that. But the house has to have the potential," Masarati says. "This house does not have that. The condition is not good. Financially it doesn't make sense for the current owner to preserve it."
Fairmeadow, known as the 'Circles' for the series of interlocking circles that make up its street plan, is historically important because of this street plan, which was deemed so remarkable that Fortune magazine ran an image of it on its cover in 1955. The tract was built starting in 1951.
Although quite some of the 284 homes in Fairmeadow have gotten second-story additions or been torn down and replaced, including one home earlier this year, many more homes remain intact as seen from the street.
Importantly, the area where the new demolition is proposed remains intact, with no second-story homes visible. (The curvature of the street blocks views of several two-story homes a block or so away.)
A modern two-story home, similar in design to this rendering furnished by Utopia Design, would replace the existing Eichler. Courtesy of Bahar Masarati
If you visit Fairmeadow, you may notice that two-story and large replacement homes tend to cluster together, suggesting that a domino effect can take place after one demolition sets the tone.
The demolition from earlier in this year, also on Redwood Circle, was not affected by the new Design Guidelines because the permit process started before they were adopted.
This new proposal, which like all such home changes must go through 'individual review' by the planning department, may benefit from the new guidelines.
Although the guidelines are voluntary, and do not impose design standards or ban second stories or large replacement homes, they do seem to be working, says Amy French, Palo Alto's planning chief.
The guidelines, according to the city, "include compatibility criteria for remodels, additions, and new construction within the City's Eichler neighborhoods. The illustrated Guidelines provide advice and direction for undertaking work in ways that retain the architectural character of these neighborhoods."
The lazy curves that make up the Fairmeadow streetscape add to the neighborhood's appeal.
It is notable that since the Eichler Neighborhood Design Guidelines were adopted in April 2018, things went quiet on the teardown front. For a time up to that point, it seemed, Eichlers throughout the city were being demolished or getting large ungainly additions, as land values soared.
"We have not had a lot of Eichler homes come in for [individual planning] review," French says. "A handful at most."
French says no owners have asked for permission to take down an Eichler or add a story – until Utopia arrived.
Still, threats remain, says Monique Lombardelli, a broker who focuses on Eichlers. "The Eichlers that are threatened are on larger lots. Obviously the developer is looking at them for square footage to build."
Over the years several neighborhoods have sought, and most received, special planning protection in the form of overlay zones that banned two-story homes. Since adoption of the guidelines, no tracts have sought such zoning.
French says she does not know why, adding, "Perhaps just the adoption of the guidelines worked, because they are helpful."
This house is going up just around the bend from the proposed demolition. It replaces what had been a single-story Eichler.
Also notably, although the guidelines allow for neighborhoods to seek added protection by making the rules mandatory within their neighborhood, no one has come forward to seek that, French says.
French says the guidelines are being used by consulting architects who work for the planning department when they meet with owners to determine what they can or cannot do with their homes.
"The rules are voluntary, but when people meet with a planner for individual review, [the planner] can refer to the guidelines," French says. "They can use them to coax people to do what is right."
Lombardelli agrees that the guidelines are "really helping." The guidelines "give people a path about how to care for their Eichlers," she says. "I think it's been very good for the residents who want it. And I think it has been very good education. I think the more beautiful and the more consistent the communities are, the better they will last and thrive."
Speaking of Fairmeadow Circles, French notes that the city did work to ensure the replacement home that was approved earlier this year will not invade neighbors' privacy. "That happened just as approval for Eichler guidelines was finishing up," she says.
Eichler tracts in this city of Palo Alto map that have strike-throughs are protected from two-story homes by overlay zones. Fairmeadow, number 10, is not.
More than a decade ago, some residents in Fairmeadow had sought single-story overlay protection. Had that been achieved in this portion of the Circles, the current threat at 3776 Redwood would not be an issue.
French says there had been talk more recently in the Circles about such a move. But she has not been contacted from anyone in the tract recently. An overlay zone can cover a section of a tract, not the whole thing, if desired.
About the value of the Design Guidelines, she says, "I think it's true, when a city adopts something, just the act of adopting these guidelines made a difference. At first, the idea was, they would be made mandatory and you need to use them every time you review a home."
Still even though the guidelines are advisory only, French says, they can still work. "They're more subtle. They're not a hammer. But they are making a difference."
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Coronavirus Living
A second wave of coronavirus? Scientists say the world is still deep in the first.
Socially distanced seating outside Hong Kong Polytechnic University on July 29. (Roy Liu/Bloomberg)
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July 31, 2020 at 3:20 p.m. UTC
Australia. Belgium. Hong Kong. Israel. Spain. Vietnam.
Places around the world that fought back novel coronavirus outbreaks in the spring are reporting record surges in new cases. In the United States, Arizona, Florida and Texas, along with other states, have become epicenters, whereas New York City bore the brunt in March and April.
Many countries have celebrated contractions in case numbers, only to see new spikes. According to some public officials, a second swell is around the corner. "I'm afraid you are starting to see in some places the signs of a second wave," British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said earlier this week.
Not so fast or simple, many researchers warn.
Coronavirus makes a comeback around the world
"We are still in the first wave," said Loren Lipworth, an epidemiologist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. "As we ease up on restrictions, there is always going to be a resurgence in cases. It's not that it's a new wave of the virus."
What counts as a second wave?
A "second wave," in the context of a viral pandemic, does not have a formal scientific definition. It is most often understood to describe two scenarios: when an outbreak recedes almost entirely before returning, or when it ebbs and flows on a seasonal basis. Mutations in the virus may occur along the way, sparking new infections.
David Weber, an epidemiologist and medical director at the University of North Carolina Medical Center in Chapel Hill, said the term has been used to describe trends during past outbreaks, including the 1918 influenza and 2003 SARS outbreak in Toronto.
In those instances, unlike most countries' coronavirus outbreaks, "they essentially got down to zero" new infections before a second surge, he said.
"If you got down to no cases it would count potentially as a new wave," he said.
But few places have banished the virus only to see it return, while many have seen infection levels drop amid lockdowns and rise as economies restart.
"This is going to wax and wane," he said. "It's worldwide now. It's not going away."
The coronavirus is not following a flu-season-like trajectory either. "The patterns are not based on seasons," said Lipworth. "There's still so much that we don't know."
Earlier in the pandemic, a popular theory held that the virus might decline during hot summer months. Instead, confirmed infections soared in the United States, as in some countries with hot climates year-round, and cases have climbed across much of Asia and Europe.
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What term works best?
The idea of a second wave is flawed and could be misleading, because it obscures the continuous threat the virus poses, along with the need to keep stringent measures in place, WHO spokesperson Margaret Harris said during a news briefing Tuesday.
The WHO proposed a different turn of phrase: "One big wave."
The severity of the ongoing wave is modulated by the adoption of and adherence to policies meant to slow the spread, experts said.
"What is affecting the transmission of this virus is mass gatherings, it is people coming together and people not social distancing, not taking the precautions to ensure they are not in close contact," Harris said at the briefing.
Lipworth and Weber shared the WHO's assessment.
"The first wave was always there but we were able to flatten it down," Lipworth said. The "question is how long can we stay there."
Nobody should be surprised, she said, that cities or countries that rescinded restrictions swiftly without adopting strong, ongoing infection control measures have seen new spikes in cases.
"As we ease up on restrictions, there are always going to be a resurgence in cases," she said.
Weber said he prefers to picture covid-19 as a wave that grows and shrinks — with two or perhaps many peaks.
"It's going to go up and down a bit," Harris said. "The best thing is to flatten it and turn it into just something lapping at your feet."
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Colonialism isn't cool. But when conquerors take over, the resulting blend of cuisines can be a delicious legacy. Maybe it's Pollyannaish to say so, but if France hadn't occupied Vietnam for nearly 100 years, there would be no banh mi.
What is a banh mi, you ask? The perfect marriage of Gallic and Indochinese tastes, starting with a baguette. It's a sandwich that looks like European street food but doesn't taste like it.
Sometimes the bread is made with wheat flour; other times, the Eastern influence seeps in with rice. The French kiss continues with a spread of butter, pâté, mayonnaise or a combination thereof.
The resemblance to a continental country sandwich ends there. One of the hallmarks of a banh mi is the bracing mix of pickled daikon and carrots. Cucumbers are another common filling, along with jalapeños or bird's-eye chilis for spice. The protein, which can range from pork roll to tofu, comes with a sprinkling of fish sauce.
Given Greater Burlington's proliferation of Vietnamese restaurants — there are currently eight — it's no surprise we're seeing more of these wonderfully balanced sandwiches. But the banh mi craze is national. The subs got extra attention in recent months when Nom Nom Truck, a Los Angeles-based purveyor of banh mi and "Vietnamese tacos," was a finalist on the Food Network show "The Great Food Truck Race." A Google search reveals that the New York Times has devoted no less than a half-dozen articles to the subject of banh mi.
It was only a matter of time before the succulent sandwiches attained cult status here in Vermont, too. But, while only three Burlington-area restaurants currently offer banh mi, the range of choices and fillings can be daunting. To help you navigate them, Seven Days food writer Alice Levitt and circulation manager Steve Hadeka tasted two sandwiches from each of the local purveyors.
We also tried a couple of the wackiest drinks from each place, in search of the perfect pairing. Bon appétit and chúc ngon miêng!
Brothers Tom, Khoi and Alex Nguyen oversee a mini food empire, which also includes My H2O, a bubble-tea stop in the Burlington Town Center, and an American-style sandwich shop in Colchester, Café Window. M-Saigon, their most formal restaurant, remains their base of operations. It's there that Khoi bakes bacon-and-cheese rolls and pork buns for My H20 and crisp baguettes for M-Saigon's newly minted banh mi counter.
According to our designated sandwich courier, Steve Hadeka, "These banh mi were the most expensive and sluggishly prepared." English was a challenge for the sandwich maker, making special orders difficult. Are the $3.50 sandwiches worth it?
Alice Levitt: The brown paper bag in which these sandwiches were packed was almost translucent by the time it arrived at the Seven Days office. I love lube as much as the next gal, but it prevented me from pretending these veggie-filled sandwiches are healthy.
I assumed that "barbecue pork" would mean grilled slices of loin or shoulder. What we got was Vietnamese bologna. Served hot, it was a dead ringer for a hot dog. Since the sandwich was drenched in mayo that squeezed out of it with each bite like toothpaste from a tube, it was hard to notice the thick-cut pickled carrots and daikon. There was cilantro, too, but not nearly enough to cut the greasy proceedings.
Steve Hadeka: Though devoid of barbecue sauce, this pork was my favorite meat of the bunch. More like a "honey ham," it worked especially well against the pickled ingredients. It also just seemed like a higher-quality pork product than the others.
AL: The lighter application of mayo allowed me to taste the sweet-and-sour veggies more clearly. Nice, but the carrots were more like sticks than the fine julienne I expect. The chicken was grilled to order, but, lacking in lemongrass, it disappeared in both flavor and texture. It was enveloped in the wonderfully chewy but overwhelmingly thick bread.
SH: I barely got any lemongrass from this, or chicken, for that matter. I would still eat this almost any day.
AL: Papaya bubble tea is pretty much what one would imagine — milky papaya flavor. I was surprised that its maker threw in the unconventional "popping bubbles" rather than typical tapioca. It was a nice touch, like eating bath beads, something I've wanted to do since I was a toddler. The soursop drink was a lovely, aromatic surprise — like drinking deodorant without the whole death-from-dehydration aspect.
In September, owner Niem Duong's delicacy-packed market added tables and flat-screen TVs that play Vietnamese variety shows. At least once a week, Duong heads to Boston for Vietnam's best produce, baked goods and meats. Along one wall, huge drink cases hold a mix of American sodas and exotic Asian treasures.
Because the market sells crispy duck and fish by the pound, it's easy to ask for those on your sub, but we stuck with the standard beef and pork. Steve found the gentleman who prepared our order welcoming and accommodating. The cilantro, from the store's produce aisle, looked "stout and proud." At $3 each, would the sandwiches be as good?
AL: This was easily the best balanced of the bunch. A nest of raw onions dominated at first. Once I removed them, cilantro, carrot, daikon, thin slices of bird's-eye chili, a slick of mayo and a splash of soy sauce cohabited easily with the toothsome slices of grilled, marinated beef. The bun came from a bag, but it was toasted to order and tasted fresh. A shower of sugared fish sauce could have been lighter; the bread was soaked and sickly sweet in places.
SH: As a former prep cook, I appreciate a well-julienned vegetable as much as anyone. Case in point: the pickled carrot and daikon in 99's banh mis. This pickling was not as sweet as the others, but the sweetened fish sauce that graced this sandwich balanced the taste. The beef was just chewy enough and lightly marinated, which I think was a good call.
AL: Pork-roll banh mis are a triple sensation with bologna-like pork roll, pâte and headcheese, but this one struck a particularly harmonious chord. Love the pâté! Cinnamon and anise lent delightful complexity to the meaty spread, which amped up the taste of the other two pork products. The ample cilantro cut through the fatty, creamy flavors, but I would have appreciated it if the veggies had been pickled just a little longer, for more acid.
SH: This is a serious sandwich, but not in the way that an Audi A8 is a serious car. This sammy could make a young boy grow a goatee. This thing is a force to be reckoned with. I would rather not reckon. I skip right through the usual steps of denial, anger, bargaining and reckoning and go straight to acceptance, into my belly.
AL: I ordered Steve to get me this specifically. I love this stuff. It's like natural bubble tea, with pulpy little seeds floating in a lightly-basil-scented juice. Remember Orbitz? Now that it's gone, this is all I have left.
SH: There's a reason you've never heard of this stuff. Picture juvenile tadpoles suspended in some sort of slimy, flowery lube, with a squeeze of Dial soap.
AL: Imagine mint tea that sat in a cup until it grew musty. That's the taste. The texture? What it sounds like, kind of like sucking on the Creature From the Black Lagoon. Would I drink it again? Sure.
SH: OK, I admit, I was going for the exotic here. I was asking for it; guilty as charged. This stuff is like a mixture of coffee and tea and soy sauce with these strange gelatinous cubes.
Nonetheless, Steve says he was happy with Thai Phat's customer service. "The cashier was cheery and helpful and 'got' that I was new to this whole banh mi thing," he says.
In clear English, she led him through the drink selections. She even recommended a can of chilled lotus, bean and congee to end the meal. Alice describes it as "a caveman dessert," but we give Thai Phat an A for effort.
AL: The layer of char on the beef transported me to Saigon, where an old man cooked the meat just for me on his tiny, dirty grill. I liked the pickling best on these thinly sliced veggies, and the thick spears of cucumber had the best taste. The chilis were also strongest on this sandwich. The downside: It all came on something that resembled soggy Wonder Bread.
SH: Nice chewy beef, with a good marinade. My first bite included an orange bird's-eye chili. This chili hit me with a nice wave of heat, though, oddly enough, subsequent bites were devoid of any heat at all. I found myself wishing the chili had been either part of the sauce, or chopped finer to be in each bite.
AL: I love a good headcheese, but this stuff was like cartilaginous cardboard, so stiff it flew out of the sandwich when I bit down. I could barely stand to give the pork roll and pâte a chance. Nightmarish.
SH: Most Americans, even those raised on things like hot dogs and Spam, like me, would find headcheese a pretty exotic meat experience. This deeply marbled, variegated meat product contains all kinds of connective tissue, fat and generally cheap meat. Slightly smoky, it has a toothy texture more notable than its flavor. However, when you put it next to fresh, cold pickled carrots and daikon, and especially cilantro, it totally works.
The bread at Thai Phat will not be making it into this week's letter home to Mom. But who cares — this is street food! We're not looking for Gérard's or Red Hen here; we want spongy French bread. I take it down with glee!
AL: Sealed with a marble, the bottle takes experience to open, but I have it. I grew up on the brand-name version of this Japanese soda, a lemon-lime concoction named for lemonade; unfortunately, this knockoff version tasted sort of ... wrong.
SH: This electric-blue concoction was not nearly as sickly sweet as expected. The coolest part of these drinks is definitely the complicated glass-marble/plastic sealing mechanism.
AL: Love the taste of the pool at the Y? This deep green juice tasted like black tea with heavy notes of chlorine. I don't object.
SH: I don't know why anyone would drink this over, say, Nantucket Nectars' lemon tea. It's like tea with sugar and soy sauce. I mean, seriously, it's just weird.


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Home / W&J News / Family Heritage Becomes Unexpected Focus of Magellan Travel
Family Heritage Becomes Unexpected Focus of Magellan Travel
Created: March 10, 2016
Tagged: Magellan Project
WASHINGTON, PA (March 10, 2016) – A strong sense of curiosity about her family history and a desire to learn about Catholicism in a foreign country led Washington & Jefferson College (W&J) student Megan DeMartino '16 to embark on a Magellan Project in which she spent three weeks traveling across Puerto Rico.
DeMartino, a cellular and molecular biology major on the pre-health track, had always been curious about her heritage.
"It was my paternal grandmother that emigrated from Puerto Rico to the United States when she was thirteen," she said. "My father began contacting relatives he hasn't heard from in years to begin piecing together her story."
DeMartino, President of the Newman Club from her freshman year until her graduation in December of 2015, also had an interest in comparing traditions found in Catholicism in Puerto Rico to the practice of Catholicism in the United States. Her initial decision to travel to Old San Juan was based on the religious element of her Magellan.
"I chose to go to Old San Juan because, according to the map, I could find the most churches within walking distance. I then branched out to other parts of the island when my great-aunt and great-uncle could drive me around to see where our family originated."
Because of unexpected complications, DeMartino had to think quickly and make changes to her plan just days into her trip. "Once I arrived, I found out quickly that the churches listed on the map and on Catholic websites were under construction or closed," she said. "I had to regroup and decide what the best path was to take to get the most out of the project."
The change didn't derail the original focus of her project. "It was the second week that we made it to Cabo Rojo, a town that my family founded, and Boqueron, a tower where my ancestor was memorialized," she said.
While her Magellan had a strong impact on the way she viewed her family's history, DeMartino had no idea her trip would become important to her family as well. "I finally got everyone on my father's side of the family to take an interest in learning the history of our roots," she said. "To be able to share the stories of what I saw of my grandmother's childhood brought smiles back that had been lost."
DeMartino believes her trip brought her valuable communications skills that will last her a lifetime, and helped her to stand out in a pool of 100 applicants for Optometry school. "Each of my interviewers brought up the trip and asked countless questions about my Magellan."
She encourages other students to take a risk and apply for a Magellan. "Being able to open up and meet new people can uncover unimaginable opportunities," she said.
Read more about Megan's project in her Magellan blog.
About the Magellan Project
Established in 2008, Washington & Jefferson College's unique Magellan Project extends liberal arts learning outside the classroom by providing scholarship funding for students to spend the summer pursuing independent projects and internships in the United States and abroad. Learn more about the Magellan Project on the W&J website.
Washington & Jefferson College, located in Washington, Pa., is a selective liberal arts college founded in 1781. Committed to providing each of its students with the highest-quality undergraduate education available, W&J offers a traditional arts and sciences curriculum emphasizing interdisciplinary study and independent study work. For more information about W&J, visit www.washjeff.edu, or call 888-W-AND-JAY.
Rhiannon Wineland '20 Boosts Social Media Presence for Appalachian Botanical Co.


Seems appropriate to watch portions of the Miss America pageant while putting the finishing touches on this podcast episode.
I'm not a pageant fanatic, mind you.
But as a little girl, a friend and I used to watch VHS pageant replays and try to learn the opening dance routine. We'd practice our runway walks and humble acceptance speeches. We dreamed about being "picked" and donning that crown.
There is something in each of us longing for royalty. To be recognized, favored and made significant. . . a maybe even wear a tiara.
Today's podcast guest, acclaimed author & speaker, Liz Curtis Higgs, shares what she learned while researching the famous Queen of Sheba.
You may be surprised to learn there is more to the Queen Sheba than her wealth and power. In studying her trip to visit King Solomon (1 Kings), we see how a queen can be humbled and learn to praise God as Lord.
For those of us who struggle with strong personalities (and even big mouths), Liz gives some wonderful advice on being Biblically bold.
ANNNDD! Since we want to be generous like Sheba, Liz's publisher is giving away a copy of the book.
To enter the giveaway, leave a comment below and let me know if you did any of the following: 1) Followed Liz on Twitter or Facebook 2) Left a review on iTunes for this podcast 3) Plan to gather gals & do this Bible study. Winner announced Monday, Sept 21, 2015.
The sacrifice and support necessary to live the life of a speaker.
What qualities and character we can learn from the Queen of Sheba.
Liz shares interesting details about the Queen's travel to visit Solomon.
Why Sheba went to talk with Solomon.
Difference between Biblical boldness and arrogance.
Being bold to say the hard things when we make emotional messes in our families.
What we learn from the humbling of Queen Sheba.
Loved doing her Bad Girls bible study at church! Thanks for the chance to win her new book!
Left a review on iTunes! thanks for the encouraging podcast and the opportunity to win Liz's book.
I left a review on iTunes! This book sounds great! I'm going to look more into Liz and all of her books. Thank you!
What a fun podcast! I listen every week 🙂 I would love to read all of her books! I follow Liz on Facebook. Thank you!
I left a review on iTunes! I was very giddy when I got the s/o this week. Cracks me up hearing an old screen name Definitely going to look into Liz's stuff!
Following on Twitter. Wonderful podcast!
listen every time you do a new podcast. What a blessing. I find myself laughing out loud regularly. Very encouraging. Liked Liz Curtis Higgs on FB today.
Would love this book for our next Bible study at church. Mom of two young babies – just started listening and I already love it!
Enjoyed the podcast today while tinkering in the kitchen. Following Liz on Pinterest and going over to her web site now. Thank You.
Following Liz on FB! Love the podcast!


Morristown, NJ – January 4, 2017: Collabera, a global leader in IT and professional staffing services, recently received the TAPFIN 2016 Top 5 Elite Partner Award in recognition of being an overall top performing supplier. The award recognizes the five best performers who achieved an outstanding overall performance, who also received superior feedback and maintain strategic partnerships with TAPFIN.
Collabera and TAPFIN have been strategic partners for over 10 years and as a managed services provider; TAPFIN has worked with Collabera on a number of client initiatives.
The suppliers were evaluated by key components including meeting a threshold of overall U.S. spend and achieving outstanding overall performance, based on submittal and fill ratio, as well as feedback on the overall partnership and performance provided by MVP and Program Operations.


We have had a sensational first week of Mrs Tink's Bigger than Big Christmas Giveaway.
So who are our lucky winners ?
Congratulations winners to claim your prize please email pr@mrstinkblog.com you have 48 hours to do so before redraw. Head over to see more fab giveaways in weeks two's line up.
Yay!! Thank you so much!! Woo Hoo…..!! Watch out wine glasses!!


LocumsMart is all about increasing efficiency in the locums process, so anyone using our platform is already ahead of the curve. But even if you've been using LocumsMart for a while, there may be additional ways the software can streamline your workflow that you aren't using yet.
One useful trick is setting up default contacts in your workflow settings. Whether you're a Vendor or an HCO, you have the opportunity to set up default workflow settings, including default contacts for the different types of tasks that must be completed during the lifecycle of a typical locum tenens assignment.
Let's say you are a User at a hospital, and you are frustrated because you keep receiving calls from Vendors with questions about things you know nothing about. That means you have to forward them along to other members of your team to get answers. To avoid this hassle, you can set up default workflow contacts in your organization's Administration>Workflow Settings page. Default workflow contacts are displayed on each Assignment Request (AR) that you submit to Vendors, so the Vendors know exactly who to contact to get their questions answered, and there is no more need for you to play middleman. You can designate default contacts for different workflow roles such as Accounting, Credentialing, and Scheduling.
Healthcare Organizations (HCOs) can configure their LocumsMart Workflow Settings on a hierarchical basis, depending on how they are organized internally. Options include enforcing Workflow Settings at the top level (HCO level), at the Facility Group level, or at a Facility level. LocumsMart also allows Admin Users to indicate which of the Workflow Settings should be allowed to be overridden at the point of sale (and at what level), and which should be enforced 100% of the time.
Vendors can configure their Workflow Settings for their entire organization, or on a per-Master-Contract basis. This means that Vendors can have HCO client-specific workflows. As with HCOs, LocumsMart gives Vendors the option to enforce their default Workflow Settings 100% of the time or to allow their defaults to be overridden at the point of sale.
Setting up default workflow contacts in your organization's Administration>Workflow Settings page in LocumsMart only sets the default value to be displayed each time an AR or Bid is created. You can always change the contacts on a particular workflow record (AR or Bid) by navigating to that record and choosing a different user from the contact dropdown menu. So if Suzy is normally the person responsible for credentialing, but you know she's on vacation this week, you can just go to the AR and choose her designated backup, Joe, in the credentialing contact drop-down menu. Then, Vendor Users will know to direct their questions to Joe, and they won't contact you when they can't get a response from Suzy. When Suzy comes back from vacation, you can switch the credentialing contact on the AR back to Suzy.
Configuring default workflow contacts is a simple way to save time and be more efficient. Want to see how your default contacts are setup? Go to Administration>Workflow and scroll down to the contacts section of the page.
To learn even more about the additional Workflow Settings LocumsMart provides to help you maximize the efficiency of your recruitment process, watch the short training video below on the Administration Screen. To have someone to walk you through the setup, just start a Live Chat with LocumsMart Support. We'll be happy to help!


Once a Norman fortress, The Castle at Taunton has been welcoming travellers since the 12th century.
In 1685, the Duke of Monmouth's officers were heard "roystering at the Castle Inn" before their defeat by the forces of King James II at Sedgemoor. Shortly after, Judge Jeffreys held his Bloody Assize in the Great Hall of the Castle. Today the Castle lives at peace with its turbulent past but preserves the atmosphere of its ancient tradition.
Over the past 60 years, the Castle has been owned and run as a luxury hotel by the Chapman Family. During this time, it has acquired a worldwide reputation for the warmth of its hospitality. The current owner, Kit Chapman, is the author of several books including 'An Innkeeper's Diary', a witty account of a year in the life of the hotel, full of humorous stories about clients and staff. The book also contains details on running a fine establishment and the role of the hotelier. Kit Chapman's book was also the inspiration behind the popular TV series, 'Diary of an Innkeeper' filmed at the Hotel.
He is also the author of two gastronomical works, 'Great British Chefs' volumes 1 and 2. His series of twelve TV programmes entitled 'Simply the Best', a celebration of British Food, was broadcast on the ITV network and Channel 4 in the early 1990s.
In Kit's latest book, My Archipelago, he shares a very candid view of his family's turbulent history and his life, including the story behind becoming proprietor of The Castle Hotel.
The Castle is famous for recruiting young, talented chefs, giving them free rein to achieve their full potential. Celebrity chefs who began their rise to stardom at The Castle include Gary Rhodes and Phil Vickery. Today, Liam Finnegan heads the Castle's kitchen.
More information about The Castle at Taunton can be seen on our Wikipedia page.


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Public Release: 11-Aug-2014
Novel study maps infant brain growth in first 3 months of life using MRI technology
Results may be key in identifying and treating earliest signs of neurodevelopmental disorders
University of California - San Diego
A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and the University of Hawaii demonstrates a new approach to measuring early brain development of infants, resulting in more accurate whole brain growth charts and providing the first estimates for growth trajectories of subcortical areas during the first three months after birth. Assessing the size, asymmetry and rate of growth of different brain regions could be key in detecting and treating the earliest signs of neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism or perinatal brain injury.
The study will be published in JAMA Neurology on August 11.
For the first time, researchers used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the newborn brain to calculate the volume of multiple brain regions and to map out regional growth trajectories during the infant's first 90 days of life. The study followed the brain growth of full term and premature babies with no neurological or major health issues.
"A better understanding of when and how neurodevelopmental disorders arise in the postnatal period may help assist in therapeutic development, while being able to quantify related changes in structure size would likely facilitate monitoring response to therapeutic intervention. Early intervention during a period of high neuroplasticity could mitigate the severity of the disorders in later years," said Dominic Holland, PhD, first author of the study and researcher in the Department of Neurosciences at UC San Diego School of Medicine.
For more than two centuries, clinicians have tracked brain growth by measuring the outside of the infant's head with a measuring tape. The results are then plotted on a percentile chart to indicate if normal growth patterns exist. While the measurement is helpful for observing growth, it does not reveal if the individual structures within the brain are developing normally.
On average, researchers found the newborn brain grows one percent each day immediately following birth but slows to 0.4 percent per day by three months. In general for both sexes, the cerebellum, which is involved in motor control, grew at the highest rate, more than doubling volume in 90 days. The hippocampus grew at the slowest rate, increasing in volume by only 47 percent in 90 days, suggesting that the development of episodic memory is not as important at this stage of life.
"We found that being born a week premature, for example, resulted in a brain four to five percent smaller than expected for a full term baby. The brains of premature babies actually grow faster than those of term-born babies, but that's because they're effectively younger - and younger means faster growth," said Holland. "At 90 days post-delivery, however, premature brains were still two percent smaller. The brain's rapid growth rates near birth suggest that inducing early labor, if not clinically warranted, may have a negative effect on the infant's neurodevelopment."
The study also found that many asymmetries in the brain are already established in the early postnatal period, including the right hippocampus being larger than the left, which historically, has been suggested to occur in the early adolescent years. Cerebral asymmetry is associated with functions such as dexterity and language abilities.
Next steps involve continuing to make advances in the application of different MRI modalities to examine the newborn brain. MRI provides high quality images of different types of tissue and does not involve radiation, like computed tomography (CT). Future research will investigate how brain structure sizes at birth and subsequent growth rates are altered as a result of alcohol and drug consumption during pregnancy.
"Our findings give us a deeper understanding of the relationship between brain structure and function when both are developing rapidly during the most dynamic postnatal growth phase for the human brain," said Holland.
Co-authors were Linda Chang, MD, Thomas M. Ernst, PhD, Steven D. Buchthal, PhD, Daniel Alicata, MD, Jon Skranes, MD, Heather Johansen, Antonette Hernadndez and Robyn Yamakawa, Department of Medicine, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu; Megan Curran, Joshua M. Kuperman, PhD and Anders M. Dale, PhD, Multimodal Imaging Laboratory, UCSD.
This research was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (U54 NS056883), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (2K24-DA16170 and RC2-DA029475) and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (G12-MD007601-26).
Michelle Brubaker
mmbrubaker@ucsd.edu
@UCSanDiego
http://www.ucsd.edu
JAMA Neurology
NIH/National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH/National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH/National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities


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"Dan Rather Reports" To Go Live From Washington D.C. on Election Night
Joined by a respected panel of political experts, Rather will break down the Election results as only he can – Tuesday, November 6 at 6:00 p.m. ET
DALLAS (October 25, 2012) As Americans head to the polls to select the next President of the United States, Dan Rather will continue his storied tradition of LIVE coverage on Election Night. Beginning at 6:00 p.m. ET on November 6, "Dan Rather Reports" will broadcast live from the Newseum in Washington, D.C., bringing viewers live, up-to-the-minute results and unique insights from respected political insiders.
Rather will be joined by a team of political experts from both parties to break down the numbers, providing a deeper analysis into the different campaign strategies, tactics…and results. Guests include political analyst Mike Murphy, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, Democratic strategist Kiki McLean, Republican strategist Todd Harris, Slate's Senior Editor Dahlia Lithwick and Editor of the National Journal Daily, Matt Cooper. Additional data and context analysis will be provided by research-based strategists, pollster Dr. David Hill and policy expert Alan Philp.
Also, special guest Bill Maher (host of of HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher") joins the program LIVE from Los Angeles.
Rather and his guests will also be taking viewer questions via Twitter (@DanRatherReport) and Facebook (facebook.com/DanRatherReports) over the course of the broadcast.
This special, extended coverage begins at 6:00 p.m. ET and will continue until the race is decided.
"Dan Rather Reports: LIVE Election Night Coverage" airs Tuesday, November 6 at 6:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. PT only on AXS TV.
About AXS TV
Launched in July 2012 under the vision and stewardship of entrepreneur Mark Cuban, AXS TV is the premier destination for live events, breaking news, and as-they-are-happening trends in the worlds of pop culture, music, fashion, and entertainment.
AXS TV Concerts is the premier source on television for 100% live music. From multi-day festivals to stadium tours to club acts, AXS TV delivers an unparalleled shared experience for fans of all genres. Leveraging the network's vast landscape, artists expand their reach to live behind-the-scenes moments, live fan Q&As, social media engagement and more unique opportunities specifically for the AXS TV audience. With multiple live concerts weekly, AXS TV is the number one destination for artists and their fans to experience and share a pure live event in the world of music and pop culture. Live LIVE!
The largest independently owned and operated network, AXS TV was developed by entrepreneur Mark Cuban and General Manager Philip Garvin. The network partners include Mark Cuban, AEG, Ryan Seacrest Media and Creative Artists Agency (CAA). AXS TV is available in the U.S. via AT&T U-verse, Charter, Comcast/Xfinity, DIRECTV, DISH Network, Insight, Suddenlink, Verizon FiOS, and other TV providers.
AXS TV can be found online at www.axs.tv, on Facebook at facebook.com/axstv and on Twitter at axstv. AXS TV Concerts can be found online at www.axs.tv, on Facebook at facebook.com/axstvconcerts and on Twitter at axstvconcerts.
AXS TV's 'A Year In Music' Returns for Season 2 on Jan. 23 at 8:30pE as Experts Explore the Iconic Artists & Historic Happenings That Defined Music's Most Important Eras
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The Central Bank of Nigeria has developed "The Regulatory Framework for the Use of Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) in the Nigerian Financial System" to improve the security of their electronic payments system. The framework will be in effect starting 1ST June 2018.
Mobile phones are being increasingly used to further financial inclusion. The providers of mobile financial services use varying technologies to provide transaction services, one of which is USSD. This framework includes information on the eligibility of providers to use USSD shortcodes, data protection and security requirements for financial institutions providing use of USSD, sufficient dispute resolution mechanisms and mandatory service level agreements. If participants however fail to comply with the framework, they will face sanctions.


Automatic shrink wrapping line TURBOPACK 266 is designed for rectangular blocks forming out of the bags with noodle products, grits, bulk products with their subsequent shrink wrapping to make distribution packaging. Block forming, its wrapping with heat shrinkable polyethylene film and its delivery to heat shrinking tunnel are carried out automatically. The advantages of multiple packaging are: transportability, product safety, rigidity, costeffectiveness.
Pillow bags, flat bottom bags, briquette bags.


Have a tassel color that you love and know you want lots of?! Introducing the Tassel Ten Packs: pre-sorted packs of 10 art silk tassels in the color of your choice. Everything in life is better with tassels!
This listing is for 10 Lavender 2" Tassels with Silver Binding.
These silk tassels come from Rajasthan, India, where lots of semi-precious beads come from. Many gemstone strands have a lovely little tassel on the end. So I scoured the streets and alleyways to find the maker of the tassels, so that I could bring these lovelies to you!


"It can be anything you want it to be," Lawrence Kasdan, screenwriter of "Empire Strikes Back," "Return of the Jedi," and the forthcoming "The Force Awakens," said about "Star Wars" in a recent interview with "Wired." In its nearly 40 years, "Star Wars" has been made into everything from breakfast cereals to bed sheets, discussed as evolving into an official religion and inspired the name for a species of acorn worms. In video games, "Star Wars" has been mostly militarized, part of a psychological terraforming that has transformed its celestial landscapes into killing grounds. "Star Wars Battlefront" is an awkward summation of this tradition, an ungainly and joyless multiplayer shooter that feels eerily at odds with its source material.
Developed by DICE, the Swedish studio behind the "Battlefield" games, "Battlefront" is a revival of a series of third-person shooting games from the mid-2000s made popular by the now defunct Pandemic Studios. The game overflows with sharply detailed "Star Wars" iconography that has been detached from its narrative framing and turned into centerpieces of ceaseless war. With five tutorial missions, nine multiplayer game types and two single player modes, spread across 12 maps, "Battlefront" feels massive yet most of its modes wind up feeling like chores.
The centerpiece is "Supremacy" a 40-player pell-mell in which teams compete to sequentially capture one of five control points spread across the map. Only four of the 13 maps are big enough to accommodate this mode, which often feels like trying to play tug of war as a group of ants. "Walker Assault" is a more interesting 40-player mode that has one side escorting a giant AT-AT toward a rebel base on the far end of the map. Along the way there are rebel relay stations transmitting the AT-AT's coordinates to circling Y-wing bombers.
If the rebels defend the stations long enough to complete the transmission, the Y-wings will begin a bombing run that makes the AT-ATs temporarily vulnerable to damage. If the Imperials can capture the stations and disrupt the transmission, the AT-AT will continue its march unharmed. The presence of multiple active stations helps to keep players from clustering and encourages more tactical improvisation.
There's another mode dedicated to aerial combat called "Flight Squadron." Every map is set high above a planet's surface and offers little topography to play with. Playing feels like spiraling through a gigantic fishbowl while shooting at gnats. There are also a couple of modes built around the six playable hero characters DICE has culled from the movies—Luke, Han, Leia; and Darth Vader, Emperor Palpatine, and Boba Fett. Each has his or her own unique attacks and can all absorb enormous amounts of damage before dying. These modes sound interesting, but the emphasis on lightsaber attacks, lightning blasts, and shoulder charges feel loose and weightless –more like placeholder ideas — that never quite mesh with gunplay.
And in lieu of a single player story mode, DICE has repurposed a number of multiplayer maps into skirmishes against AI bots in the form of "Battles" and "Survival." In "Battles" you'll try to beat a team of bots to 100 by collecting gold tokens that drop when you kill an enemy. "Survival" leaves you stranded in a large map and asks you to hold out through 15 waves of increasingly difficult enemies and vehicles. Both modes are exhaustingly monotonous in their own way, too easy on lower difficulties, and too punitive on higher ones, highlighting big flaws in map sightlines, cover placement, jetpack recharge times, and the frequently nonsensical AI.
Connecting all of these incongruent modes is an upgrade economy that creates the impression of progress. In multiplayer you earn experience points for kills, capturing strategic objectives, and completing challenges (e.g. have 25 kills with a heavy blaster, destroy 10 AT-ATs). Each new level unlocks new weapons and secondary items that can be bought with credits earned from either single-player or multiplayer. The economy is haphazard, with jet packs and grenades available from the outset in "Survival" and "Battle" modes but locked away in standard multiplayer, adding to the uneven sense of play.
As with a number of other economy-driven shooters, "Battlefront" is a deeply unpleasant game that would be difficult to return to without the economic progress narrative to chase. It's more stressful than playful to sprint 150 meters through gullies and gunfire trying to capture some strategic point, wondering where my teammates are, then sprint back to the opposite end of the map after a previously secured area falls into enemy hands. The upgrade economy can provide a simulation of significance to these moments of stress and strain. In good moments, it feels like you're heading somewhere promising, halfway to getting a gun you really want. In bad moments, getting what you want is a pleasureless anti-climax, that leaves you even further away from the next upgrade milestone.
For Kasdan, "Star Wars" was appealing because its malleability was always oriented toward the promise of self-discovery. "Even when you get to be my age, you're still trying to figure that out," he told Wired. "It's amazing but it's true. What am I, what am I about, have I fulfilled my potential, and, if not, is there still time?" "Battlefront" inverts this idea, using the fantasy of military heroics to lure players into an escapist pyramid scheme, a grunt-eye view of someone else's happy ending.
Michael Thomsen is a writer in New York. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Slate, The New Republic, The Daily Beast, The New Inquiry, Kill Screen, Edge, and Gamasutra. Follow him on Twitter @mike_thomsen.
'Fallout 4' is a game that can swallow you whole. Just give it time.