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NanoPundit -Where Society, Science and the Law get really, really small.
Monopoly Factory?
INSTAPUNDIT is all atwitter about reforming the patent office with links to KAUS who links to The Washington Monthly article by Zachary Roth's article "The Monopoly Factory."
Most patent folks can quote Abraham Lincoln "The patent system added the fuel of interest to the fire of genius." Fewer can quote old Abe's "That some should be rich, shows that others may become rich, and, hence, is just encouragement to industry and enterprise." Kaus states "unjustified patent proliferation forces researchers and innovators to either challenge the patents in court or abandon their work." Yes, but so does justified patent proliferation. The trick is to fuel the fires of genius and make legitimate inventors rich without flooding the system with improperly granted patents.
Faulty Patents?
I agree with Roth when he recognizes that there are costs to issuing faulty patents:
No one knows how many mistaken patents the office issues each year. But the results of one patent office experiment suggest that, in some areas, as many as half of those issued may be faulty. Faulty patents may be doing immense damage to the economy. They not only allow patent-holding firms to gouge consumers with exorbitant prices, but they also inhibit innovation and research, put a drag on economic growth, and may even create an investment bubble.
However, it is simplistic to say that "raise the bar" and that will solve all issues. What everyone fails to recognize is that there are costs with raising the bar on the standards of patentability, new, useful and non-obvious. Raising the bar will increase costs and diminish the reward. Small time inventors and even fortune 500 companies are limited in what they can spend on patent expenses.
A few days ago INSTAPUNDIT posted Robert A. Heinlein comment "Advances which permit this norm to be exceeded- here and there, now and then- are the work of an extremely small minority. . . Whenever this tiny minority is kept from creating, or (as sometimes happens) is driven out of a society, the people then slip back into abject poverty. This is known as 'bad luck.' " Inventors fall into this tiny minority and if they fail to see the benefits they move on to other endeavors and it is indeed our 'bad luck.'
Smart inventors treat patents as assets and perform a cost benefit analysis before filing. Considerations include: what are the chances of obtaining a patent, how broad a technology will the patent cover, what will competitors learn that they can implement without infringing the patent, what was the cost of developing the technology. Patent office costs are a very small part of this equation. The probability of obtaining a patent is a very large factor, make it more difficult and fewer technologies will be revealed to the public in patent filings.
Roth discusses the patent offices problems with business methods and biotechnology patents.
[T]he office created a new set of rules for reviewing "business method" patents—a relatively new category of patentable material, covering non-technical innovations, such as Amazon.com's "one-click" ordering system (the patent protects the idea, not the technology necessary to carry it out). The complexities of these patents were causing problems for many examiners, so the office instituted a "second-set-of-eyes" system, which simply required an additional examiner to review each application. Under the new system, the allowance rate for business method patents was quickly halved. That suggests patents in other complex fields, such as bio-technology, given without a "second set of eyes," may have similarly higher error rates.
I think he misses a big issue. Problems arise more because business methods and biotechnology were new technologies and the patent office had no frame of reference for examining these technologies. The patent examiner looks at collections of prior art, mainly in the form of previously issued patents, to determine patentabilty. When a new technology hits the office, there is no collection of prior art to use to reject patent applications on the new technology. I expect that this is happening in the nanotechnology area now.
As a new technology develops it is initially classified with the closest existing technology, I think that biotechnology was initially examined by examiners who specialized in organic chemistry. As more applications and prior art are received examiners specialize in the new technology and a digest is created for the prior art. The Patent Office has just created a single digest for nanotechnology, look here for more. Within a few years of a new technology's introduction the Patent Office is up to speed with well trained examiners and useful systems for determining patentability.
Roth discusses George Selden's 1879 patent application on a rudimentary car powered by an internal combustion engine. This was a new technology at the time and the patent system did not have the infrastructure in place to rigorously examine Selden's patent. The Patent Office currently has a number of examiners that specializes in automobiles and all of its components. These folks really know their stuff and have an amazing ability to find relevant prior art. When I was a young examiner I asked my primary examiner if he had seen a specific optical waveguide configuration. He had; he knew what drawer the reference was in; and he knew about how far down in the drawer the reference could be found.
Patsy, Who You Callin' a Patsy?
Roth call the Office "not something to be feared but a patsy." I work with examiners all the time and few of them could be called patsies. Roth supposes that the examiners as driven by 'counts.'
While the weight of the workload gives examiners a passive incentive to rubber-stamp patents, the office's worker evaluation system gives them an active one. The size of an examiner's bonus is determined in part by the number of "counts" he amasses. Examiners gain one or more counts each time they open and close a new case. But when examiners reject patent requests, applicants typically adjust the claim and file a "continuation," denying the examiner a count. So, an examiner concerned about his bonus has a strong incentive to approve the application. "There's a gaming of the system," says Harold Wegner, a former examiner who now works as a patent attorney with the law firm Foley and Lardner. "You can get a stack of applications and just allow patents and get your [counts] that way."
I took a course from Hal Wegner while in law school. He knows a lot about patents, and probably as much about the Japanese patent system as anyone in America. But he doesn't know how to game the system as a patent examiner at the United States Patent Office. The well accepted method of bumping up your counts is not to allow a patent application; one count for one application is for pikers. Allowed applications are also randomly reviewed by quality control so there may be some repercussions to allowing applications. Rejections and new applications are the way to go. No one up the chain will dun you for issuing a rejection.
The trick is to issue a restriction requirement, essentially say the application includes more than one patentable invention and force the inventor to elect a single invention. That leads to new applications being filed on the non-elected inventions and these typically come to the same examiner. Then you beat them about the head and neck with prior art and issue a final rejection on the second action. At this point the inventor has the choice of appealing the rejection (which is expensive and very time consuming) or filing a Continuation.
The fact of the matter is that it is about s much work to follow this route as it is to just do the work. Patent examiners also have pride in their work. The name of the examiner goes on the face of the patent. Examiners are also protective of what gets issued in their technology area. In my years in and out of the patent office I have come up against more cold hearted SOB's than patsies.
The Biggest Problem
The biggest problem with the U.S. patent system is not the examiners or any incentive to issue patents, it is the god-like status that issued patents have. Under U.S. law a patent is presumed valid and "[T]he burden of establishing invalidity of a patent or any claim thereof shall rest on the party asserting such invalidity."
This is a heavy burden indeed. A typical patent lawsuit costs in excess of one million dollars but an unrecognized cost is that you cannot bring an invalidity or noninfringement action unless there is a "case or controversy." There must be both (1) an explicit threat or other action by the patentee, which creates a reasonable apprehension on the part of the declaratory judgment plaintiff that it will face an infringement suit, and (2) present activity which could constitute infringement or concrete steps taken with the intent to conduct such activity." This is legalese for "your fat has to be in the fire before you have the right to spend a million bucks attempting to prove invalidity or noninfringement."
Another issue that one faces in proving invalidity or noninfringement is that the case can be tried to a jury and typically before a court that sees one or two patent suits a year (the Southern District of New York and Eastern District of Virginia are two exceptions). So you have a judge that sees few patent cases and a jury that has seen none. Neither understand the technology and, therefore; they often defer to the decision made by the examiner in a few hours, possibly without the best prior art or the best arguments for invalidity available.
Look to European Law
Patent litigation is one area where the Europeans have us beat, hands down. In Germany, a nullity action to determine the validity of a patent is heard in the German Patent Office, with an appeal to the Federal Patent Court in Munich (the location of the German Patent Office) and the first non-patent specific court that considers validity is the German Supreme Court (and they do hear patent validity cases).
U.S. law has recently stated to allow the Patent Office to hear inter partes patent reexaminations. The procedure is rarely used because unsuccessful reexamination makes it almost impossible to invalidate the patent in later litigation because estoppel prevents the rehearing of the same issue. No one I know uses the current inter partes reexamination and I cannot think of a situation in which I would be interested in using this. Using the European nullity action as a model would be a huge improvement.
First, identify new technologies early on and develop the infrastructure to rigorously examine patent applications in those areas.
Second, establish meaningful inter partes opposition in the Patent Office that allows the party challenging validity to be fully heard and does not precluding further argument in district court.
Third, establish a unique district court with jurisdiction over patent cases.
And don't even get me started on juries for patent cases, I don't thnk it should be an option but that pesky Constitution keeps getiing in the way. I would guess D.A.'s have similar issues.
posted by SWBarns at 9:54 PM
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By Goodman441, at 5:58 PM
Name: SWBarns
Location: Granville, Ohio, United States
Steve Barns is a patent lawyer with a B.S. in Ceramic Engineering (Ohio State University) and a J.D. (American University). Prior to founding Miller & Barns, Steve worked as Senior Intellectual Property Counsel for a Fortune 500 materials company, prior to this he was an associate in a boutique patent firm and a patent examiner in the field of electrical and optical devices at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. You can read the whole story at www.millerbarns.com.
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The Making of Ian Flemming's
Based on the 1968 hit film made from Ian Fleming's classic story, 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' the stage musical received its world premiere at the historic London Palladium on 16th April 2002. Narrated by Sally Ann Howes (the original Truly Scrumptious) 'The Making of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang the Musical' gives you exclusive access to behind the scenes of the most spectacular show the West End has seen for years!
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Me Ol' Bamboo
The Bombie Samba
Doll on a Music Box / Truly Scrumptious
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Finale

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Bored Putin strikes fear among his advisers
The Russian security council's televised session exposed the president's paralysing effect on his underlings.
Nataliya Vasilyeva
Updated Feb 22, 2022 – 2.36pm, first published at 11.34am
They convened in the Tsarist splendour of St Catherine's Hall in the Kremlin, a polished marble chamber of vaulted ceilings and grand chandeliers.
For President Vladimir Putin and his top lieutenants, Monday's special session of the Russian security council was designed to show both strength and resolve.
Yet as the cameras rolled, this rare, televised glimpse into the Kremlin's normally secretive proceedings made one thing very clear: Just like many previous rulers of Russia, Putin's underlings are clearly scared of him. And just like anyone who is nervous of their boss, they can fluff their lines during important meetings.
Lost for words
In an exchange that exposed the genuine anxiety within the elite about its threat to invade Ukraine, Putin's feared foreign intelligence chief, Sergei Naryshkin, seemed lost for words when asked whether Russia should recognise the separatist governments in Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Doing so is likely to lead to Russian troops being dispatched to both regions, a move the West would regard as a de facto invasion.
Initially, Naryshkin said he felt that Russia should give Ukraine "one last chance to seek peace".
That apparently did not please Putin, who, with a smirk, then asked him: "Do you want to recognise their sovereignty, or do you want to launch talks?" When Naryshkin began stuttering, Putin barked: "Speak up!"
After his spy chief took the hint and said he backed the annexation of the separatist regions, Putin laughed and shook his head: "We're not talking about it, we're not debating it." A visibly shaken Naryshkin nodded: "Yes."
The sight of one of Russia's most powerful spies being dressed down like a schoolboy was one of several unscripted dramas in the meeting, which some said revealed a lack of chemistry between Putin and his aides.
King Lear moment
Mark Galeotti, a Russia expert and associate fellow with the Council on Geostrategy, a non-profit, likened it to watching a Shakespearean drama.
"I was really struck not just by the toxic atmosphere, but also the King Lear vibe as courtiers were expected to vie with each other in playing the lunacy of the day," he said.
Naryshkin, whose spy agency has been accused by Western intelligence of mounting massive cyberattacks on Ukraine, was among two dozen senior officials who presented reports to Putin during the meeting. It lasted for 90 minutes and was broadcast on all major Russian TV channels.
One by one, the attendees took to a white lectern to deliver their assessment of whether Russia should recognise Ukraine's breakaway republics. Several of the speakers, though, were struck with stage fright or confused about what was expected of them.
They were most likely not helped by Putin himself, who drummed his fingers, fiddled with a pencil and generally looked tired and impatient.
Dmitry Kozak, Russia's lead negotiator with Kyiv, listed Moscow's grievances and was about to give his opinion on annexing the separatist regions before he was cut short by Putin: "Let's stop your speech here," he said.
Elsewhere, there was little sign of Putin stepping away from his view that the crisis was anything but the fault of Ukraine and NATO.
"I would like to point out that Russia has done all it could from the start to resolve all the disagreements," he said at the start of the meeting, accusing Ukraine of having carried out "punitive" military operations against the separatist regions.
Most of the contributions from his minions, meanwhile, talked about the idea of an all-out conflict.
Russia's Defence Minister, Sergei Shoigu, said that Ukraine, which gave up its nuclear weapons in 1994 in return for territorial guarantees from Russia, could easily reinstate them.
"It is in a position better than that of Iran's or North Korea's," he said. Shoigu also claimed that separatist-held territories were shelled more than 40 times on Sunday night, describing it as a "pre-planned attack".
Doubts over timeframe
What purported to be a live televised account showed signs of having been carefully choreographed and recorded in advance.
A close-up of the wristwatch of Dmitry Medvedev, the security council's deputy chairman, showed the time to be just before 1pm, some five hours ahead of when Russian viewers were watching.
Putin also revealed details of a conversation he had had with French President Emmanuel Macron, who tried to convince him on Sunday that Washington was ready to make compromise. He saw no such sign of that, he told his colleagues.
In comments that will not have pleased European leaders, Nikolai Patrushev, the security council's chairman, said that Moscow should only focus on talks with Washington. "The only party we need to speak to is the United States. Others will do as the US tells them to."
Putin also said that US President Joe Biden had told him that the West might be willing to agree a moratorium on Ukraine joining NATO. That, he said, was not a sufficient concession in Moscow's eyes.
The meeting appeared calculated to portray a leader carefully arriving at an important decision after weighing all the evidence from his subordinates. In reality, it seemed his mind was probably already made up.
— The Telegraph London
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


We talk a lot about how networking is really important. And it is. Many collaborations, jobs, and other professional (and personal) opportunities arise out of connections made with others, often at conferences or local happy hours or any other number of meet-ups.
We often talk about the emotional/psychological challenges networking can hold for some of us. It can be exhausting for the introvert, uncomfortable for the shy, near panic-inducing for the socially anxious, overwhelming for the one with imposter syndrome.
Yet we don't often talk about the financial aspect of networking. And this is also an important consideration.
Sometimes events at conferences or organized by local groups are sponsored and free, which cuts down on the financial concern.
But a lot of informal networking happens locally or at meetings. "Let's meet for happy hour." "Why don't we continue this conversation over lunch?" "Hey, who's in town for conference? Let's get together for dinner!" There are (good) reasons for this. Our time is limited, especially when we're traveling for work. Plus these can be more comfortable* settings that occurs over meals or drinks.
But cost—and uncertainty about what to expect—can make these outings stressful. Conferences are often in expensive cities (and often in expensive parts of those cities). There are caps on how much institutions will reimburse for each meal, and most (if not all) don't reimburse the cost of alcohol. Academic institutions are notoriously slow in processing reimbursements. If the outing spins out of a local group or networking event, then there's likely no financial cover for an informal gathering; it's simply coming out of one's own pocket. Many in attendance—especially early career folks—may have stretched finances.
If you're out with 1 or 2 students or postdocs, it's nice to pick up the tab (if you can afford it). It alleviates the financial pressure. I do this these days. Many of us have had professors or other established professionals pay for our coffee or dinner or drinks over the years, and paying it forward is one way to return the favor.
In a large, loosely associate group (e.g., people connecting for the first time), though, picking up the tab becomes less feasible. Singling out 1 or 2 people to cover may not be fair or comfortable, for you or them. So if you're organizing a meetup, please be mindful of cost—especially if you don't know everyone (or their financial position) well & especially if early career folks are invited. Everyone may not be as comfortable with a big bill as you may be.
Sure, if someone's not comfortable with the prices, they can choose not to go or bail out at the door. But that means they're missing out on an opportunity. Again, we tell everyone that networking is crucial. So are we really just OK with excluding someone who can't afford it?
Alternatively a person may choose to go, but then be very stressed about accounting. They might try to be careful about what they order. The bill arrives and someone says, "Oh, let's just make it easy and split it evenly." The person who's not comfortable with that arrangement may be too embarrassed to speak up. Now this chance to hang out with some interesting people, to talk, to network, and maybe to have some fun has turned into a source of anxiety. Beyond this one time, it might influence their stress level or willingness to join in the next opportunity that comes along.
This isn't just some hypothetical scenario. It's not just an exercise in empathy. I know how this feels because I've been this person. I've made the mental calculations over the course of the evening. I've discretely (or at least, I hoped it was discretely) double checked my account balance or made a transfer under the table. I haven't had this experience for a few years. Yet just thinking about this—much less writing about it publicly—still induces that tight feeling in my chest. I can still feel that stress keenly. And it can even trigger a feeling of shame, a worry that even today people will think less of me because I was in such a financially precarious position.
So on behalf of past-me & others who have financial worries, please consider the cost of the informal events you plan and how it might stress or exclude those who've been invited.
And to all those who picked up my bill over the years, thank you for that kindness.
* Certain settings can be challenging for individuals for a variety of reasons. Some bars and restaurants present obstacles to those with mobility issues. Loud restaurants present a challenge if someone has a hearing impairment. Being surrounded by alcohol and those consuming it can be uncomfortable for many different reasons (from those who don't drink for health or religious reasons to those who've been in unpleasant or even dangerous situations where drinking was involved). When organizing outings, try to be mindful that your comfortable setting might be uncomfortable for someone else.
This post is edited and expanded from a Twitter thread I posted 9 July 2017. I used Spooler, an app created by Darius Kazemi, to pull together the tweets from that thread for subsequent editing and expansion. If you're a Twitter threader, check Spooler out.


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NGC 655 is a lenticular galaxy located 400 million light-years away in the constellation Cetus. It was discovered in a sky-survey by Ormond Stone on December 12, 1885.

On July 23, 2010, supernova SN 2010gp in NGC 655 was announced, reaching magnitude 15.5 on July 22. It was offset by 22″ west and 47″ south of the nucleus. Earlier, in 2000, the type II supernova SN 2000bg had also appeared in this galaxy.

See also
 List of NGC objects (1–1000)

References

Lenticular galaxies
Cetus (constellation)
655
Astronomical objects discovered in 1885
006262

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Basements are usually one of those unused elements in our homes and that is why most homeowners don't really care about the cracking walls, leaking or fungi in these places. Nevertheless, it is not a problem you should overlook. The things that can happen in those areas can have an enormous impact on your family. I've talked for some of the best experts in basement waterproofing Toronto has to offer to tell me more about the importance of "dry" basements. This is what I have found out!
If you live in an area that's wet with moist soil, your home is very likely prone to water seepage. They are usually found in the joints and edges where the walls and the floor meet. In most cases it takes a lot of time until you actually notice this issue, but if you ignore it, you might be facing even bigger damages such as bowed walls and cracked foundation. Therefore, it's better to waterproof your basement before these damages occur.
If you live in an area characterized by heavy rainfall and hurricanes, basement waterproofing shouldn't be neglected. The reason is simple; hurricane prone areas are incredibly vulnerable when it comes to flooding and, the excess water can simply seep from the ground in through the basement. If there are cracks in walls, rainwater can easily enter your basement and cause seepage.
People who use the basement to store furniture, books, wine or they use it as a garage, should by all means waterproof these places. In case this isn't done, the water can seep and ruin those belongings, especially items that are made out of wood.
The mold growth in the basement and around it is not something you should neglect. So, if you find it, do your best to waterproof the basement. A damp area is a perfect medium for microorganisms and various contaminants. One of the most dangerous contaminants is surely the black mold which can even cause death. In case you cannot overcome this issue by yourself, don't hesitate to hire professionals who can waterproof and decontaminate your basement and the surrounding areas.


detached house, 10 - 11 people, 7 room/s, 5 bedroom/s, 3 bathroom/s, approx. 150 m², 2 floor/s. Feature: former farm house. Furnishing: simple, homely, parquet floor. Equipment: satellite TV; internet access Wi-Fi (included); electric heating. Room layout: Living room(ground floor): sofa, tiled stove (only for decoration). Living room 2(floor 1): sofa. Dining area: (corner bench) for 11 persons, in the living room, (ground floor). Dining area 2: (corner bench) for 4 persons, in the living room, (floor 1). Kitchen: separate (ground floor). Kitchen/ cooking equipment: 4 electric plates, oven, dish-washer, refrigerator, coffee machine, water boiler, toaster. Little kitchen 2: separate (floor 1). Kitchen/ cooking equipment: 4 electric plates, oven, dish-washer, refrigerator. Bedroom 1(ground floor, carpet): double bed. Additional information: wash basin in the bedroom. Bedroom 2(ground floor, carpet): double bed, single bed. Additional information: wash basin in the bedroom. Bedroom 3(floor 1, carpet): 2 x single bed. Bedroom 4(floor 1, carpet): double bed. Bedroom 5(floor 1): double bed. Sanitary 1(ground floor): shower, WC. Sanitary 2(floor 1): shower, WC. Sanitary 3(floor 1): shower, WC. Important information: When booking at the price for an occupancy of 7 persons not available: two of the bedrooms.
€ 2 per person and day (depending on occupancy) plus Holiday resort tax. Linen/towels available. Deposit € 250 (in cash). Cot/High chair free of charge (on order). Pet 2 animals allowed, € 30 per pet and week (please advise prior to arrival).
Situation: panoramic view. Access/parking: parking on the estate. Estate: open plot, meadow, willows. Outdoor facilities(private use): reserved open space, furnishing provided (garden table, chairs), 6 deck chairs, sunshade, barbecue. Sports facilities/ leisure time: private use (free of charge): children's playground. Infrastructure: bakery service. Sale of own produce. ● Distances: Center Werfenweng in approx. 1.5 km. Bischofshofen in approx. 13 km. Salzburg in approx. 40 km. Next shopping possibility in approx. 1.5 km. Lake (bathing possibility) in approx. 1 km.


Even the best leather car seats will eventually show signs of wear and cracking. It starts with small lines or faded areas and over years you can have major cracks and eventually holes appear and the leather can break down completely.
When car seats start to crack it can really spoil the appearance of the interior and make a car start to feel old. Replacing the seat can be prohibitively expensive as is reupholstering a full car seat but a leather car seat repair can deliver incredible results.
With the proper tools, training and experience cracked and worn leather can be cleaned, sealed and coloured to match the original leather leaving the original damage much harder to see and sometimes completely invisible.
All leather damage is different and this affects the kind of repair that is possible. The kind of leather and where the damage is located will affect how perfect the final appearance will be and how long the repair is likely to last before it starts to fade or crack again. We are absolutely honest with customers and will never attempt a repair where there's a high chance that it will not last for at least at year. Where leather takes the weight of a person, major cracked leather repairs are often inadvisable, our repairs are strong but nothing beats the strength of leather in great condition.
The best remedy is of course preventing the damage ever occurring. The best way to achieve that is to ensure your leather seats are cleaned and nourished at least every year, this can extend the life of leather enormously. Check out our Car interior restoration page for details.
© 2019 Auto Interior Medic.


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Pre-order Signing: Forever With You by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Link to order signed book
Forever With You by Jennifer L. Armentrout
On Sale: 9/29/2015 | ISBN 13: 9780062362766
The next in an irresistibly sexy series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout, two free spirits find their lives changed by a one-night stand…
Some things you just believe in, even if you've never experienced them. For Stephanie, that list includes love. It's out there. Somewhere. Eventually. Meanwhile she's got her job at the mixed martial arts training center and hot flings with gorgeous, temporary guys like Nick. Then a secret brings them closer, opening Steph's eyes to a future she never knew she wanted-until tragedy rips it away.
Nick's self-assured surface shields a past no one needs to know about. His mind-blowing connection with Steph changes all that. As fast as he's knocking down the walls that have kept him commitment-free, she's building them up again, determined to keep the hurt-and Nick-out. But he can't walk away. Not when she's the only one who's ever made him wish for forever…
# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you've heard about her state aren't true. When she's not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russel Loki.
Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes Young Adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen.
She also writes Adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.
Jennifer L Armentrout sale
The Many Faces of Romance September 3, 2015 at 2:10 AM
This sounds different.
Ann: Romancing the Readers September 3, 2015 at 2:16 AM
It does. It's also nice to get a signed copy.


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BATMAN (SPC)
Publisher: Ocean.
Developer: Bernie Drummond, Jon Ritman.
Released: 1986. Genre: Isometric Platformer.
Other versions: CPC; MSX.
Posted 30th September 2013.
By Tom Clare © 2013
Batman has certainly enjoyed a favourable rub of the green in gaming circles down the years. The Caped Crusader has appeared on so many formats, encompassed so many genres and been interpreted by so many different development houses, that picking a definitive favourite, particularly in the context of its own release, is always going to be a tricky ask. Few would dispute though that Ocean's original Batman, the Gotham crime fighter's first ever video game outing, made a major impact. A brilliant slice of platform design, it was a class apart from other Spectrum titles of the time.
Ocean's 1986 Batman sees the superhero needing to locate, retrieve and reassemble parts of the Batmobile, as well as some of his powers of agility, in order to rescue Robin. And in doing so, you'll discover a game of outstanding ambition and quality, labyrinth design and scope, and one the best 48k games in existence.
It's an isometric platformer, a more extravagant version of the earlier Knight Lore if you will. Bats may be largely defenceless and lack for high tech equipment, but he's blessed with something far more potent; the full freedom that's granted by multi-directional movement. And with it comes a convincing sensation of three dimensional space, where you can make use of blocks, lifts and ledges to reach the higher echelons of the screen when called for. Although gauging perspective can prove tricky at first (you'll kill yourself as much by walking into hazardous scenery as you will foes), but the amount of freedom Batman allows is a revelation. And not merely in the sense of its dimensions either, there are countless junctures throughout your quest where you'll have a choice between two or three different doors. It's cunning but eminently rewarding; sometimes you'll encounter dead ends, red herrings or downright evil, instant-kill trap rooms, but equally, a bit of exploring yields new and exciting challenges, as well as smoother routes to your goal.
This goon would deny Bats his boots! Some aggressive following is required
Basic block stacking logic ftw!
It looks absolutely stonking. There's an absolute abundance of quality about every facet of the visual design. Each of the one hundred and fifty-odd rooms and corridors is unique, with its own intricate detailing that evolves as you progress. Interactive objects such as boxes, blocks, conveyor belts and switches all look sharp, whilst the enemy design is big, bold and wonderfully quirky. The icing on the cake is the Batman sprite itself; he looks tops, moving, gliding and jumping in smooth, graceful animations, whilst he even has time to look impatient and start tapping his foot should he be left to stand stationary too long. Whilst tunes are used sparingly, there's some great Batman jingles whenever you collect a Batmobile piece or lose a life, whilst the pitter-patter SFX of Batman walking are hypnotically pleasant.
Whilst the need for some pixel-perfect, feet-three-quarters-off-the-ledge jumping can be a touch painful, the comparatively generous seven lives the player starts with coupled with an innovative checkpoint system not only offers respite from the litany of ways the game likes to kill you, but gives players a sporting chance at moving toward the business end of what is a ultimately a very expansive environment. Completing it is super-tough, due to the requirement of pin-sharp timing and a fair bit of good fortune, whilst the number of sneaky disappearing blocks, treacherous conveyor belts and perilous one-chance jumps mean the lives will be a necessity to all but the very most gifted of gamers.
Microscopic precision or a power-up is required to pass through here
This is a sadistic room, you'll get used to them by the end though
Chocked full of great rooms, Batman constantly finds ways to keep the player thinking. In between the platform barrage, there are some fantastic block puzzles. These utilise Batman's ability to collect and walk around with one item at a time, you'll find they're not only a necessity for reaching higher spots, but can also be stood on to deflect enemy collisions, and stacked on top of one another to go higher still. You'll be faced with death-defying leaps from moving platforms, edging within a pixel's breadth of a patrolling enemy as you make a desperate break for the door, and are tasked with keeping a cool head when picking safe routes through dangerous and unpredictable trap rooms. Small margins dictate success and failure, but it offers pure adventuring in spades.
The downsides tend to manifest almost as by-products of the good bits. Having so much scope to pick your route is extremely gratifying, but it also makes completing the game that much harder as there's lot of backtracking and a considerable reliance on trial and error. Likewise, whilst the power-ups (which include super-speed, large jumps and temporary invulnerability) are cool, they're also extremely short-term, and can only be made use of once. Some of them are near-imperative to progressing through the trickier rooms, yet if you see one in the middle of a room with several exits, it can be hit and miss as to whether you opt for the right one or not.
Still, it's heartening to know that, even back at the very beginning of his virtual journey, Batman's games rocked. Challenging, clever, lengthy, fun, attractive and addictive, Bernie Drummond's and Jon Ritman's platformer is a true Spectrum classic, offering a level of complexity (both in terms of 3D architecture and puzzle design) that would dwarf the vast majority of platformers that would follow on higher-spec formats in the years that followed. These days, it stands as a model example of why quality gameplay and intelligent design, above all else, grant games the most favourable passage into old age.
Vid by RZX Archive


When combined with chocolate, hazelnuts are downright indulgent. Give these hazelnut recipes a try for when you feel like stirring up an elegant, rich dessert.
Ruth Sayles of Pendleton, Oregon reveals, "I often make ice cream sandwiches using these yummy cookies."
As an appropriate dessert for a beach picnic, our home economists came up with these cookies, which bake in a shell-shaped Madeleine pan.
These nutty, nicely spiced cutouts dusted with sugar are a German tradition. Serve them with cups of tea or coffee for dunking.


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Q: Proof that $|\cos(x+y)|\geq |\cos(x)|-|\sin(y)|$ I am working on a problem, and one of the keys to the solution for it is to prove the following inequality:
$$|\cos(x+y)|\geq |\cos(x)|-|\sin(y)|$$ for $x,y\in \mathbb{R}.$
I have verified that this is true numerically, and I tried various things to show this, but none seem to work.
First, I tried to expand the LHS, $$|\cos(x+y)|=|\cos(x)\cos(y)-\sin(x)\sin(y)|\geq |\cos(x)\cos(y)|-|\sin(x)\sin(y)|,$$ but here I run into a problem, since $$|\cos(x)\cos(y)|-|\sin(x)\sin(y)|\not\geq |\cos(x)|-|\sin(y)|.$$
Next, I rearranged the terms in the initial inequality, so $$|\sin(y)|\geq |\cos(x+y)|-|\cos(x)|.$$ Then, I worked with the RHS,
$$|\cos(x+y)|-|\cos(x)|\leq |\cos(x+y)-\cos(x)|$$ with the intention of using sum to product formulas to prove this. However, again, we run into the problem that $$|\cos(x+y)-\cos(x)|\not\leq |\sin(y)|$$ everywhere.
I think it is possible to use the same ideas and prove by casework, but if possible, I would like something simpler than that.
A friend suggested that the inequality looked similar to the triangle inequality with some Law of Sines involved in this way:
$$\cos(x+y)=\sin\left(\frac{\pi}{2}-x-y\right)$$
$$\cos(x)=\sin\left(\frac{\pi}{2}+x\right)$$ and the angles add up to $\pi.$ Perhaps this provides some motivation for the solution, but I'm not able to see it yet.
Any help appreciated.

A: $\cos x=\cos ((x+y)-y)=\cos (x+y) \cos y +\sin (x+y) \sin y$ so $|\cos x|\leq |\cos (x+y)| +|\sin y|$. Take $|\sin y|$ to  the left side.

A: Alt. hint: with $x=\pi/2-a, y=-b$ the inequality is $\,|\sin(a+b)| \ge |\sin(a)|-|\sin(b)|\,$. When $\,a,b,a+b \in (0, \pi)\,$ that's the triangle inequality for the triangle with sides $\,\sin(a)\,$, $\,\sin(b)\,$, $\,\sin(a+b)\,$ which by the law of sines is the triangle with angles $\,a, b, \pi-a-b\,$ inscribed in a circle of diameter $\,1\,$.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Enrique Iglesias and Anna Kournikova Celebrate Twins' 3rd Birthday With Rare Pics
Three cheers for Lucy and Nicholas! Enrique Iglesias and Anna Kournikova celebrated their twins' 3rd birthday on Wednesday, December 16.
Parents of 3! Enrique Iglesias and Anna Kournikova's Family Album
"3!" the former professional tennis player, 39, captioned Instagram photos of the little ones. Her son rocked a white polo and a backwards cap in one social media upload, while his sister smiled in a floral blue outfit in another.
The "Hero" singer, 45, who also shares daughter Mary, 10 months, with the athlete, commented on the posts with red heart emojis.
Nicholas Courtesy of Anna Kournikova/Instagram
Celebrity Parents Who Have Twins
While the couple are notoriously private about their family life, Kournikova posted a video of Nicholas and Lucy looking all grown up in January. "#happynewyear," she captioned a drone video of her eldest children running side by side.
The children became big siblings that same month when the Russia native gave birth to Mary. "My Sunshine 01.30.2020," Iglesias wrote alongside hospital photos of the newborn in February. The following month, Us Weekly confirmed the infant's name.
In September, the pair dressed Mary up like her mom in a white tennis outfit. "Wimbledon, here I come," Kournikova joked via Instagram.
Lucy Courtesy of Anna Kournikova/Instagram
The Grammy winner's sisters Victoria Iglesias and Christina Iglesias commented, "Angel," and, "Your twin," respectively.
Enrique and the Biggest Loser alum have been dating since 2011, and the Spain native told The Sun in October 2017 that they were "happy" without a marriage certificate.
Surprise! Celebrities Who Secretly Welcomed Children
"There comes a point when you've been with someone for a certain amount of time and I believe that you are like, married," he explained at the time. "I guess the only difference is that we haven't walked down the aisle."
Anna Kournikova and Enrique Iglesias INFphoto.com
The following year, the University of Miami alum told the outlet that he and his partner were "having more sex" than ever since becoming parents.
Enrique added that retiring from his music career "could become a reality in the near future," saying he planned on "a few albums," then "never doing anything again other than being a dad." The songwriter went on to say, "There are days when I'd be lying if I said that stopping [my singing career] didn't cross my mind."


2. Novel. The Marino Mission by Karen B. Chapman (Wiley, $12.99) follows Alexa, 16, on a summer adventure.
(Dr. Fischgrund reveals the results of the first comprehensive survey of students who have achieved perfect 800s on both the verbal and math portions of the SAT, the nation's gold standard for college applications. The Perfect Score Study is the first of its kind to look at the highest academic achievers in the United States).
Secret 1. They are self-confident, self-effacing, and self-motivated.
Secret 2. They are intellectually curious, and excited about learning new and different things.
Secret 3. They read quickly and voraciously, following their interests wherever they lead.
Secret 4. They develop a core group of passions, pursue them eagerly, and excel within them.
Secret 5. They're proactive; they create their own luck.
Secret 6. They develop a social network of friends and family that gives them critical support.
Secret 7. Their real goal isn't to ace the SAT, but to succeed in life.
Take good classes and do well in high school.
Study early (one year before the exam).
Read everything you can, and write alot.
Do crossword puzzles and brain teasers.
Recognize that hard work pays off.
Believe, as Homer Simpson (once) said, that "it's cool to be smart."
Develop passions and pursue them.