Envato is considered one of the world's leading creative communities. They are the most reliable marketplace for all kinds of superior creative elements, including graphic items, web elements and design, stock images, 3D files, audio files, and scripts. This great community is rising very fast – I'm sure you can attest to that.
What interests me most is that the Envato Inspection Team is very serious and careful when it comes to file approval. They only consider high quality and highly needed files. They don't want to clutter the Envato marketplace – they want to make sure that any item purchased from Envato will serve the buyer well.
If you are an author who submitted a carefully created file and all of a sudden it was rejected, you shouldn't feel bad. There may not be anything wrong with your file, but Envato Support's intention for the denial is to help you improve your skill and creativity. A good number of professional authors have experienced such a turn-out, including me.
What that makes you a serious-minded designer is if you are able to reach your peak despite how many times you have failed. Those who have achieved a successful portfolio understand Envato's principles. Do you? To achieve a successful portfolio there are certain techniques you must apply.
Bear in mind that you may have a portfolio with hundreds of files, but they may not be successful. Someone with only 20 files can make more money than someone who has over 100 items. The reviewer will approve your item once it is up to standard and the complexity is high, but there may be few people in the world that are desperately in need of such an item, resulting in few sales.
But if your item is what I will like to call 'A Popular Demand File', you will make more sales than you could ever imagine. How is that possible? I will show you.
Go to 'Popular Items' and take a good look at the best-selling files in the Envato marketplaces. See their complexity, study them and come up with a superior approach. It is also advisable to purchase popular items. They will help you to see what the author did in order to achieve such professional artwork.
Bear in mind that you most not in anyway violate Envato marketplace license by reselling the file without purchasing the full license which is different from the regular license. See this page for more details.
There are good items in the Envato marketplaces that you can deeply advance or improve on in a way that will make more sales than its precursor. Let your creativity flow, and believe me – you will enrich your portfolio with a good number of high quality and popular items.
Before you turn your ideas into items, seek opinions from critics and friends. Ask whether such an item would be acceptable to Envato, and if accepted whether it would make huge sales. Don't do this in the forums, but it might be appropriate to ask Envato Support.
It is not just about having your items accepted – it is about making sales and enjoying the fruit of your labor. What good is it to have an item in an Envato marketplace that has not made any sales for several months? It is better for it to be rejected and improved than for it to get stocked for a year before the annual marketplace thorough review. Heed this advice – it will help you a lot.
After you have gathered opinions from several angles, sit down and conceptualize how you will make that item outstanding in order to become an irresistible file that any buyer would surely desire to purchase. This is where the hard labor begins.
There is something very crucial you must know. Selling items on the Envato marketplaces doesn't require your advertizing, unlike most online marketplaces. You don't need to pay any ActiveDen space company to advertise your username. You don't need to try to convince buyers to purchase your item.
You can be on vacation and your items will still be making you rich without your presence being needed. You can still be busy with your main job while earning extra from your sales in Envato. Isn't that great folks? But you need to do your part and create a highly needed item in order to start making more money.
Once you start with construction, make sure that you follow all the instructions given to you by Envato Support. If your item has been denied before, use the 'denial reason' as an advantage to advance your new items.
Also know that you shouldn't be discouraged if your item is denied. Trust me, what won't kill you can only make you stronger. If only you can understand that item denial can only help you to improve, you will know that you can become one of the top authors in Envato.
Once you have reached that goal, you will be making nothing less than 500 sales a month. Now, multiply that with your commission agreement with Envato and know how many thousands of dollars you will have made.
Be mindful of the fonts you use and keep record of the names if possible the site where the buyer can get hold of it.
Most importantly, avoid license infringement.
Make sure that your item is highly useful to the buyer.
Remember to add 'Help' when necessary.
Be creative when writing your item description.
Give a decent title that will help buyers easily locate your file.
The last but not the least, beware of bugs/viruses when compressing your file.
It is very important for you to know that if the buyer is happy with the item he/she purchased, they will follow your marketplace and will always come back for more appealing items. There is no greater joy than to see your items among the 'popular files', and can only be there depending how many sales your item has procured.
After you have followed the steps above and you are ready to begin upload, read the 'upload instructions' to make sure that your item will not only be accepted but will also make a lot of sales. Creating a successful portfolio is all about having a good number of files that will procure huge sales.
Once you are done reading the instructions, go ahead and upload your item, and make sure that you place it in the right category. A good number of people often make a mistake and place their items in the wrong category. Their items will end up rejected although the reviewer will specify the right category for the file. Avoid this.
You can ask Envato Support to help you determine the right category for your file or you can simply search for similar files in the Envato marketplaces and see which categories they are in.
Finally, wait for a reply from the Envato Inspection Team / Reviewer, and once it is approved wait for the huge sales.
I hope this vital post will help you to achieve a successful portfolio. If you have any further question concerning this topic, please kindly ask Envato Support. They are willing to help you clear the smoke. God bless and good luck!
How do you grow a company without losing a positive culture?


" This work was really great.
Creation of a site has changed the work which was begun earlier by the author on preparation of the collection of documents and materials, a special course and the monography on the territory in Russia. Therefore within two years students of four high schools of Samara took part in preparation of the materials. They are Samara State University of Economics (SSEU) , Samara state university (SSU), the Samara branch of the Russian University of Academy of Education (URAO) and the Samara Municipal Institute of Management (SMIM).
Third-year students of SMIM of faculty " State and municipal management" have brought a really contribution at a final stage of work. They were the first who started to study a new rate " the Territorial organization of the population ", on which there are no textbooks and methodical manuals. So this site has become very useful for them.
Surnames of students are specified in the top headline of many of the documents prepared on a site. Though this is not only recognition of their work - but also their responsibility.
The Head of the Department professor Voronin Victor Vladimirovich has rendered the long-term help to the author with the literature on economic geography of Russia.
The author is grateful for the help and attention to employees of library SMIM and to the head of the library Mavrina Marina Konstantinovna.
The materials preparing for the site, had assisted students with term papers, examinations and reports even before official inauguration. The system of training has turned out in spontanius - the literature for written works and reports appears accessible to all students. It considerably facilitates performance of similar tasks to their fellow students and the following generation of students. At the same time it allows to make great demands for students on selection and using the new literature.
Ability and basic opportunity for the further development of a site has come to light. All-Russian orientation on the territory arrangement of separate regions in Russia compel to allocate materials on differenteconomic regions on separate pages.
The separate manager will be able to conduct each of pages of a site. This role would be more logical for carrying out to colleagues of the author - both to separate teachers of high schools, and collectives of faculties led by the Head of the faculty. But it would not be desirable to become isolated on one subject and to be limited to information space of one region. Therefore it is desirable to involve in cooperation of colleagues from other high schools and regions.
· new sources both on paper carriers and in an e-version.
More clear opportunities of cooperation will come after acquaintance with principles and conditions of materials placed on a site in the supplementary sheet Information.
One and a half year has passed after the inauguration of this page. It is the time to add the new names here.
For this period the amount information has considerably risen. The second basic section has appeared. It is the directory of administrative-territorial division "All Russia". "All Russia" has developed the catalogue of territorial sites into an independent database and it is the most attended part of the site.
Except for merits of the author, web-master and numerous participants from among of students it is necessary to note the contribution of our partners in the development of our directory-catalogue. First of all, it is Leonid Losin from St. Petersburg, the author of a site « maps of cities and regions of Russia », where now the greatest number of visitors of our site comes from. George Fedosov from Moscow, the author of a site « the Note about travel on Russia » shows the greatest activity in updating the catalogue of references - or nearly so third from available about 1700 territorial sites . Another Moscower Nikolay Kolpakov helps in updating by new sites of territories.
The amount of works with the directory - catalogue « All Russia » has demanded allocation for it an independent manager. It is Roman Fomin who has become an independent manager.
Time runs fast... Three years has passed from the last record on this page. Roman Fomin, the student of the Samara State University of Economics and a final-year student of the Samara Municipal Institute of Management Irina Stetsjuk have left our project. They both are among the authors of the directory « the Territory arrangement in Russia » in January 1,2004.
The second web-master, the student of SMIM Alexey Pichugin has appeared in the project since January, 2005. The English version, the falling menu, accommodation of new tables on the countries of the world and many other things is his merit.
Eugeny Pavlenko, a student of SSEU has been preparing all tables on the countries of the world for four years.
Other student of SSEU Alexey Sorokin has become the manager of a database "Directory-Catalogue" "All Russia" since December, 2006. He has qualitatively made better the database. He has made possible transition from the information on administrative-territorial division to all social and economic indices on regions, cities and the areas which are taken into account by the state statistics. The number of parameters has redoubleed: from several tens up to more thousand. The software of a database of "Directory - catalogue" All Russia "", developed by Michael Kormushinym, has improved.
In May, 2007 Vladimir Viktorovich Artjuhov from Moscow, the author of one of the oldest sites of Russian Internet www.sci.aha.ru, was included in structure of participants of the project. Vladimir has already been taking part in our project for more than two years. His program under the cartographical image of the digital information on regions (subjects of Federation), cities and areas has been adapted for a database « "Directory - catalogue" "All Russia" by Michael Kormushin.
Today is the beginning of the new academic year and we are renewing page "Contacts with authors": one of the author of this site Aleksey Sorokin is not a student anymore and longlasting participator of project Eugene Pavlenko, who nevertheless is staing with us. Plus, Aleksey Pichugin, who's leaving us. We wish him all the best and will be always happy to see him again.
Our new purchase- two sophomore students from Samara State Economic University, major "application informatics", Olga Polunina and Alina Serova, who already took a part in our project.


Have you been fighting the urge to grab a new, modern laptop? Maybe one of those touch screen 2-in-1 devices? Well, now might be the time to go for an HP x360.
We've spent a lot of time raving about the Chromebook, and why wouldn't we? Chromebooks are great alternatives to Windows or Apple laptops. They're powerful, affordable, and reliable. The HP x360 is no exception. It's a 14″ 2-in-1 touchscreen Chromebook with 8GB of RAM, 64GB of flash storage, and an Intel i3 Processor. That's more power than many people need in a Windows laptop, and it works really well in a Chromebook.
Since the HP x360 is a 2-in-1 laptop, you can easily use it in place of a tablet for commutes, games, and Netflix. Or, you could grab a couple of accessories to turn the x360 into powerhouse workstation. And since Chromebooks work really well with all of Google's products and platforms, you won't have any trouble controlling your Chromecast or accessing your Google Docs.
Of course, even when you fall in love with a laptop, it can be hard to drop a couple hundred dollars on the fly. That is unless it's heavily discounted. Right now, the HP x360 is only $450 on Best Buy — that's a $150 discount. Not bad. But like anything good in this world, Best Buy's hefty discount won't last forever. Grab it now while you still can.


Rubin, Michael D, Dariush K Arasteh, Eleanor S Lee, and Deborah Hopkins. Spectrally Selective Glazings for Residential Retrofits. 1992. LBL-33774.
Rubin, Michael D, and Stephen E Selkowitz. "Thermal Performance of Windows Having High Solar Transmittance." 6th International Passive and Solar Conference. 1981. 141-145. LBL-12288.
Rubin, Michael D, Ian G Brown, E. Yin, and David A Wruck. "Ion Implantation of Sputtered Y-Ba-Cu-O Films." Journal of Applied Physics 66 (1989) 3940-3942. LBL-26858.
Rubin, Michael D. "Solar Optical Properties of Windows." International Journal of Energy Research 6 (1982) 123-133. LBL-12246.
Rubin, Michael D. "Optical Constants and Bulk Optical Properties of Soda Lime Silica Glasses for Windows." Solar Energy Materials 12 (1985) 275-288. LBL-13572.
Rubin, Michael D. "Calculating Heat Transfer Through Windows." (1981). LBL-31724.
Rubin, Michael D. "Ion Assisted Sputtering of Tungsten Oxide Solar-Control Films." Journal of Vacuum Science Technology A 10 (1992) 1905-1907. LBL-32085.
Rubin, Michael D, C. Bradford Hopper, Nam-Hee Cho, and Bharat Bhushan. "Optical and Mechanical Properties of DC Sputtered Carbon Films." Journal of Materials Research 5.11 (1990) 2538-2542. LBL-28826.
Rubin, Michael D. Progress Report: Optical Properties of Thermochromic VO2 Coatings for Windows. 1987. LBL-22707.
Rubin, Michael D, and Carl M Lampert. "Transparent Silica Aerogels for Window Insulation." Solar Energy Materials 7 (1983) 393-400. LBL-14462.
Rubin, Michael D. "Calculating Heat Transfer Through Windows." Int. J. Energy res. 6 (1981) 341-349. LBL-12486.
Rubin, Michael D. Progress Report FY 1987: Development of TiN Low-E Coatings. 1987. LBL-24448.
Rubin, Michael D, Richard Creswick, and Stephen E Selkowitz. "Transparent Heat Mirrors for Windows: Thermal Performance." 5th National Passive Solar Conference. 1980. 990-994. LBL-11408.
Rubin, Michael D, Dariush K Arasteh, and John Hartmann. "A Correlation Between Normal and Hemispherical Emissivity of Low-Emittance Coatings on Glass." International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer 14 (1987) 561-565. LBL-23384.


We started back on Tuesday. Actually, that was only yesterday, although it feels a lot longer ago. There have been meetings, discussion groups, seventeen versions (and still counting!) of set lists, half a bazillion emails, and we've still not got any pupils!
Lessons start tomorrow morning – I've already counted out textbooks, file dividers, copies of The Oracle (the student handbook), and wrestled with the timetable to work out who is teaching which classes when. I've still not had chance to re-arrange my classroom, but I've a free lesson before I start teaching so hopefully I'll survive.
In good news, though, the arrival of the pre-released materials for both BUSS4 (for our Y13) and A293 (for Y11) has cheered me greatly: once the dust has settled from the start of term, I'm looking forward to getting my teeth into those. I've also received a couple of Tutor2u resources for the new Business spec, so they've been uploaded to the shared folder on the network. I love it when a plan comes together!
We all had the morning off-timetable today for departmental inset, focused predominantly on the new linear course. We've done this in previous years, although not for some time; the last time was probably when the syllabus last changed! The first part of the morning was spent discussing the scheme of work with some good suggestions of tweaks to improve it. This led naturally into discussion about how we're actually going to teach, how to use the text book, and other broad questions. It was very productive, and feels like we're all singing from the same hymnsheet.
After break, we looked at assessment styles, and divided up the topics for next term so that we can all write multiple choice questions and share them. Department lunch (in the pub, naturally!) was followed by a session doing development planning with the new Head of Economics. Lots of discussion ensued.
As an inset session I thought it was excellent. It worked for us because Y11 and Y13 are on study leave, and the Y12 timetable has been collapsed to allow for a few days of enrichment. All we had to do was chat to the bloke who organises invigilation to keep us off the rota for today. There was no cost to school (we even bought our own lunch!) but massive benefits in terms of quality of discussion and range of outcomes. I suspect that it will become an annual event.
We have received inspection copies of three different textbooks for (the first year of) the new A-level Business course. It's been interesting comparing them side-by-side, and there was no immediate front-runner. I think, though, that we're close to making a decision. Well, actually, I'm close to reaching a decision. I'm interested in seeing what the others in the department think when we all get a chance to discuss it next Wednesday at our department planning day, and what teachers from other schools think too.
clarity of explanation, particularly for the new theoretical concepts that are being introduced in the course. This is particularly important for our pupils with specific learning difficulties, who find it hard to identify the key information in our current textbook: the explanations are good but long, and they find it hard to sift concepts from illustrative example.
suitable language. I spend the first month of each academic year banning the word "you" (in the context of "if you cut prices, revenue may increase if you have elastic demand"): it immediately moves speech and work from an academic register into colloquial explanation (more about academic register here: lots of thought-provoking ideas for building literacy).
activities that reflect the assessment models used in the course. While I have no intention of encouraging teaching to the test, at the same time I'd like pupils to see topics covered in a range of different styles of questions. This is particularly important for the new linear course, where any topic could be assessed in any way. It's also a better way of assessing understanding – not just about regurgitating a learned answer but having the flexibility of thought to use the information in a variety of ways.
We don't have a consistent way of using textbooks in the department: some teachers use it simply for setting preparatory reading, consolidation notes and homework activities; others use the activities within lessons. I suspect that some of our Y13 have hardly used their textbooks at all. I'd like to use the textbooks more effectively, but this is something that we need to discuss further at department level; maybe a topic for consider for department day next week.
At first glance, there are quite a few differences between the three inspection copies we've received. At least one uses "you" in some of its explanations. One has completely the wrong graphs for correlation. At least one has an excellent set of explanations of a break-even chart. Only one has activities covering the full gamut of question styles found on the A-level paper. One includes lots of detail and extra theories that will help to stretch our most able pupils, but could cause no end of extraneous baggage for those who struggle. It's not going to be an easy decision!


[SMAPI] These mods could not be added to your game.
[SMAPI] – Immersive Farm 2 Update 2.0.2-unofficial.1-jessebot because it requires mods which aren't installed (Content Patcher: https://www.nexusmods.com/stardewvalley/mods/1915).
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Novaptech is a biotech company focused on aptamers, also known as synthetic antibodies. Taking advantage of its highly innovative technologies, Novaptech offers R&D services for the identification of custom aptamers and runs its own R&D programs for the development of biosensor devices for rapid tests / point-of-care analysis for pharma, animal health, environment and food safety. Biosensors are real time, quantitative, simple, portative and multiplex devices to skip lengthy lab analysis.
With more than 25 years expertise in oligonucleotide aptamers, Novaptech is a key player in the domain. Jean-Jacques Toulmé, worldwide KOL, is his Chief Scientific Officer. Novaptech developed active partnership with R&D departments of pharma, agro-food and water companies.
Novaptech has state of the art laboratory space for molecular biology. Selection is carried out on in house built automated platforms. Characterization of aptamers is performed by spectrometry. Aptamers are sorted from proprietary libraries of oligonucleotides.


BLUE HERON - Expansive Ocean Views & Seaside Living at it's Best. Has history as a B & B and is move in ready for family or retirement use. Enjoy panoramic views of Trincomali channel from Wallace Island to nearby Fernwood dock. Completely fenced private, parklike grounds backing onto 300 acres of farmland. Whether you prefer sun or shade there is a choice of patios to accommodate you here. Just a three minute walk to the bus stop and a character cafe at Fernwood dock. Delightful English country gardens resplendent with many perennials. Wake up to ocean views from the stunning main bedroom with private deck - enjoy a luxurious bath while overlooking the gardens and ocean. Charming separate studio, with it's own private parking and sitting area, enjoys outdoor shower and bathtub for two. Separate work shop & Wood shed / storage. Don't miss the pathway down to the beach opposite the residence. Swim or launch your kayak and paddle to Wallace Island. Call for E-BROCHURE.


Organic Perfume Recipes: Create Your Own Signature Scent in no time!
Basically, it is the correct combination of ingredients that even gets better with time. Oud When Agarwood gets infected due to mould, as a response to this, it emits an aromatics resin called Oud. Learn how to make your own perfume to make people remember you with that special smell. Step 1: Making The Base The first step to make a homemade perfume is to pick a neutral base. Because this what we all are: Unique! This website is available with pay and free online books. You can smell incredible and be chemical free all at the same time.
Summary Stand Out With Your Own Signature Scent Looking for simple, organic fragrance recipes? Do you like mixing your own signature scent so you are immediately recognizable even at a distance? Our fragrance compass helps you. You can apply it on your wrists, behind the ear, and on the neck. There are so many people have been read this book. Maybe some perfumes tend to remind you of your grandmom or a soap smell could bring back memories from your childhood. Top Note This first impression of the perfume is the light fragrance that comes out as soon as it is applied, light. Mix spirit on the perfume and you have done all.
As a beginner or professional, you can learn perfume making skills or enhance your existing skills with the wide range of easy recipes in this book. Pick your favorite scent — the one you would like to smell all day long. Load a pot with scentless oil You should use a tight fitting lid or seal above the pot. As a result, it may take up to five years to extract the oil. Ability to prepare perfumes for half the price of commercial scents. Master the art of perfume making and dazzle the people around you with your choices. Cut the stems of all the flower Quickly keep them in the pot where the oil is there.
Fifty recipes of easy, homemade and organic perfume recipes. We have set ourselves the goal of bringing the world of fragrances closer to our customers. Simple and effective However, making your own perfume at home is easier and all you have to do is a pick a few ingredients from the nearby store. Cedarwood, ginger, myrrh, sandalwood and frankincense are a few examples. Do you love experimenting with different scents? Click on the cover image above to read some pages of this book! For further information and more complex questions please use our website contact form or help us to improve through your reviews and feedback.
Base Note The Base note is the deep and rich fragrance. They work to detect the modern market trends and new opportunities. You may pick some flowers from your garden or you may buy some flowers from the market. Another reason to make the switch to natural perfume is to support healthy looking skin. Spend some time in the natural products section of your grocery store, or even the bulk department! Bottled in elegant designer flacons these special fragrances spread their unique magic. Just pick an you enjoy and play around with the amounts until you find one you like. It makes the readers feel enjoy and still positive thinking.
Store in a cool place for 48 hours or up to six weeks the longer it sits the stronger the scent will be. Popular and basic perfume ingredients that you need to get started. This book gives the readers many references and knowledge that bring positive influence in the future. Some scents contain the essence or petals of rarely found trees or flowers respectively. Is that this reserve effect the traffic result? If you started with a more solid base such as coconut oil, a cute tin or glass container will work best. Some handmade creations are also available as our bestseller.
How To Make Your Own Perfume To Create Your Signature Fragrance!
Try to drop all the flowers at the same time and close the jar. Now is the time to have fun creating blends of different essential oils together with other natural ingredients to form beautiful aromatic fragrances that will stand you out. Middle Note This fragrance comes out only a few minutes after the top note. We are happy to support business clients who are interested to learn how to start your own perfume line. The fragrance of perfumes can be categorized into three specific notes. Ability to prepare perfumes for half the price of commercial scents.
Directions: Combine ingredients in a small container and lightly mix by tipping the bottle back and forth. This applies to the essential oils that are made use of, as well. You should always consult with a qualified health care professional before starting any exercise, diet or supplement regimen. All olfactory ingredients are developed to perfect harmony. As we become more aware of the chemicals and potentially harmful ingredients in our favorite products, more and more women are making the transition to natural fragrances.


ADD UPDATE, 30 July 2018: One of our key supporters – an expert angler – has produced a great video showing the threat to the River Itchen from sediment run-off. The area he visited is a development of 60 houses in Bishopstoke, the Chase, and his video gives a very clear idea of what might happen if plans for 1,000 extra houses adjacent to the Chase, and 4,300 other houses north of Fair Oak (Eastleigh council's so-called 'options B and C' of its Local Plan), were allowed to go ahead.
The potential irreparable damage to 'probably the most iconic chalk stream in the world', as it was described in a World Wildlife fund report, must not be allowed to happen – and we continue to do everything we can to stop it.


But it is very nice to be able to discuss an item on such a knowledgeable forum.
Thanks for the positive feedback; I was worried it would be more in the line of: "that's a known repro" or something similar.
I will of course post pictures and black-light result once I have the Krätzchen in my possession.
Feldgrau Krätzchen - Unissued or Just Brand New?
I think most items were still marked with maker and year in Oct 1914, later in the war they were less strict. I don't think it's a repro, it looks like the genuine article.
Very interesting post as always, curious how the helmet will turn out.
Topic: What does the marking stand for?
Re: What does the marking stand for?
Very nice project! What did you use to clean the Wappen? I wouldn't add a liner as the liner isn't required to display the helmet; I would only add the absolute minimum of repro parts required to make the helmet look complete from the outside.
Sorry to say but in my opinion this is an OR Schirmmütze (peaked cap) without its peak. The Feldmütze has a different shape and construction. If you can get your money back I would. Look at some Feldmütze on Tony's website for comparison and you will see.
Topic: Just a few Family Photos..
Re: Just a few Family Photos..
Thanks for posting, very interesting.
Very nice looking Tschako. Is X. A.K. the correct Armee-Korps to have supplied this helmet?
Nice find, but I think it is a French "Boutheon", or "gamelle collective".
Nice Mütze, but when I see the missing sweatband at the front it looks more like a Schirmmütze to me, with the Schirm missing.
The Dutch magazine "De Prins" had a lot of pictures from the war zone in 1914, and in their Aug 29 1914 issue also a picture pertaining to be the blown up bridge at Visé. Not the best quality, but if Edwin doesn't have a good one I can make a scan.
I couldn't find anything in the Verlustlisten (Casualty Lists; http://des.genealogy.net/eingabe-verlus ... arch/index), which also shows wounded men. Were they born in Göppingen or living in Göppingen at the time?


Brian joined Youth Outdoors in 2003. His interests include hiking, cycling, fly fishing, photography and kayaking. He enjoys leading programs that help youth develop outdoor skills and gain an appreciation of the natural world.


text:
Q: Zombie outbreak on a $k$-regular graph Suppose we have a zombie outbreak on a connected $k$-regular graph of order $n$.  There are $n_0$ initially infected zombie nodes, and each turn, each zombie infects its neighbors with probability $p$.  Let $z(t)$ denote the number of infected nodes on turn $t$.

*

*What is the expected number of turns until zombies have taken over the world?  (that is, until $z(t)=n$?)

*Is it true that $z(t)\approx \dfrac{n}{1+(n-n_0)e^{-rt}}$?  If so, what is $r$?

A: Once $k>2$ the answer to #1 depends on the graph;
even in the limiting determinstic case of $p=1$, and taking $n_0=1$,
the expected time till full zombification can range from about $C \log n$
(for an expander graph) to at least $n/k$ (when $k$ is even, the node set is
${\bf Z}/n{\bf Z}$, and each node is joined to its $k$ nearest neighbors).
As to #2: for large $t$, the probability that there is still an
uninfected node $-$ which is essentially the difference between $n$
and the expected value of $z(t)$ $-$ decays exponentially with $t$.
The base of the exponent is $(1-p)^{b_{\min}}$, where $b_{\min}$
is the minimum number $b(S)$ of edges connecting $S$ and its complement,
and $S$ ranges over all nonempty sets of nodes that are initially uninfected
and might become the set of yet-uninfected nodes at some point.
(This assumes of course that $n_0<n$: if $n_0=n$ then $z(t)=n$
for all $n$.)  Usually $b=k$, realized by singleton sets;
but $b$ can be smaller if the graph has a bottleneck,
e.g. for this cubic graph

(source: harvard.edu)
the base is $1-p$ as long as the zombies were initially on
just one side of the graph.
To obtain the $(1-p)^{b_{\min}}$ formula,
regard the outbreak as a dynamical system on the
subsets $S$ of the set $S_0$ of initially uninfected nodes.
At each $t$ the system's state is the set of nodes
not yet infected by time $t$.
The probability that $S$ goes to itself is $(1-p)^{b(S)}$,
and otherwise $S$ goes to a proper subset.  Thus the
dynamical system is triangular (with respect to the
partial order of set inclusion), with eigenvalues equal to
the diagonal entries $(1-p)^{b(S)}$.
The dominant eigenvalue of $1$ occurs only for $S=\emptyset$
because the graph is connected.  The next eigenvalue is
$(1-p)^{b_{\min}}$, and occurs for all nonempty $S$ minimizing $b(S)$;
these are usually but not always the singletons in $S_0$.
(Sometimes not every $S \subset S_0$ can be reached from $S_0$, but clearly
at one singleton is reachable unless $n_0=n$.)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Attention investers & 1st time buyers: comer unit with balcony in worry free Anchor Point II. Concrete building offers common roof deck w/ views of English Bay. Rentals allowed. Completely updated: newer kitchen (w/ a window) features granite counters, granite tiles & mirrored closet doors. Ideal location: walk to sea wall, aqua bus, Yaletown, Eastend & all downtown has to offer.


text:
On the evening of Thursday, 3 May 2007, shortly before her fourth birthday, a British child, Madeleine McCann, went missing from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in the Algarve in Portugal, in which she was staying with her parents.

The Portuguese police investigation into her disappearance closed in July 2008. Scotland Yard in May 2011 began a review of the case, Operation Grange, and in April 2012 announced their belief that Madeleine might still be alive.

In the weeks following her disappearance, Madeleine's parents implemented a successful publicity campaign that kept her in the public eye. This resulted in a wide-reaching international response, both in the media and by the public, which led to some criticism that the media attention was excessive. There was also comment that the UK media had unfairly criticised the Portuguese police.

Publicity

By the family

An official website for the search was set up, and the McCann family broadcast two early video appeals. The first was a photograph and video montage set to Simple Minds' song "Don't You (Forget About Me)" and included an animation of the word LOOK in uppercase with a reproduction of her coloboma as a radial line inside the first letter O, which blinks. The second featured a montage of images with a voice-over by actress Zoë Wanamaker mentioning her coloboma, seeking information about her whereabouts, and asking people to download and display a poster of her from the official site.

The family said that part of the money raised from Madeleine's Fund would go towards hiring professional campaigners, with a view to achieving the same saturation level of publicity across Europe as had been attained in the UK and the Algarve. The family based themselves in the same holiday resort from the time of the disappearance and stated then that they would not leave until Madeleine was located. Though as the campaign progressed, they ended up visiting the Vatican City, Spain, Germany, and Morocco for it, and on 5 June, they made an appeal on the British TV programme Crimewatch. However, shortly after being named as arguidos, the McCanns returned to the UK on 9 September.

Madeleine's father had already made a brief trip to the UK, on 20 May 2007, to help finalise the campaign for the search for his daughter. Gerry McCann visited the United States between 22 and 25 July when he met US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and experts from the National and International Centres for Missing and Exploited Children. During interviews on network television programmes Gerry was forced to defend leaving the children alone.

The family announced on 15 September 2007 that, beginning in a fortnight, they would be spending up to £80,000, from Madeleine's Fund, on a new publicity drive, involving newspaper, television, and poster advertising to further publicise Madeleine's disappearance. This will include posters in rural parts of Portugal and Spain and television advertisements, in Arabic, in Morocco. In late October the McCanns set up a hotline + 34 902 300213, operated by private detectives, for people in the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa to phone with information.

Over Christmas 2007 the family made a television appeal. This had produced, by 27 December 347 phone calls with information with more subsequently. A further video appeal was made, by the parents, at Christmas 2008. This included footage of Madeleine taken in December 2006.

The parents launched a fresh appeal for information, in March 2009, tightly focused on the area where Madeleine went missing. 10,000 leaflets in Portuguese were distributed in Praia da Luz, Lagos, and Burgau together with billboard advertising. However, many posters were promptly torn down with Correio da Manhã reporting that the local people wanted closure. The McCanns released an image, on 1 May 2009, of the projected appearance of a 6-year-old Madeleine.

By others

Several unofficial webpages were created following the disappearance, notably on social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace, offering support to the McCanns. An unofficial one minute's silence was held for Madeleine on 21 May 2007, but since it was organised by an anonymous viral email, it was not thought to be widely observed.

Robert Murat, a suspect in the investigation, has tried to generate his own publicity by selling his story. However, publicist Max Clifford indicated that he would only represent Murat if he was cleared of suspicion of kidnapping. Within the virtual world Second Life, a virtual Madeleine's Garden has been created. In early July, Bryan Adams dedicated his concert on Malta to Madeleine.

J. K. Rowling arranged with her publishers for a poster bearing the face of the missing child to be made available to booksellers when Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was launched on 21 July. Rowling said that she hoped that the posters would be displayed prominently in shops all over the world.

Political reaction
The Portuguese Ambassador in London, António Santana Carlos said on 8 May 2007 that the case was of "great concern" to Portugal and asked people to trust the police, amidst growing criticism of their handling of the case. President Aníbal Cavaco Silva announced on 9 May that he was following the case "with great concern", adding that the police were "doing everything to find the child alive."

On 9 May, Tony Blair's spokesperson said that the then Prime Minister was following the case closely and that "we are helping in whatever way we can". On 16 May, coinciding with the launch of the fighting fund, the then Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown delivered a similar message to relatives of Madeleine. The then Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott also commented on the case, saying at Prime Minister's Question Time "I'm sure that the thoughts of the whole House will be with them at this terrible time."

On 26 May, a spokesman for the McCann family confirmed that Gordon Brown had telephoned the McCanns. Although the spokesman stated that the details of the conversations would remain private, he did confirm that "During them, Mr Brown offered both Gerry and Kate his full support in their efforts to find Madeleine." In late September Foreign Secretary David Miliband telephoned Gerry.

The German Justice Minister, Brigitte Zypries, said at a meeting of G8 justice ministers in Munich on 3 June, that it should be assumed that Madeleine had been abducted by a gang that passes on children to be abused. But the Portuguese prime minister, José Sócrates, praised investigators in September 2007, following criticism in the British media of the police handling of the case. Sócrates said that he had total confidence in the work carried out by the Portuguese police.

Theories by experts
The disappearance provoked differing analyses by experts. Shortly after Madeleine went missing two former Scotland Yard commanders expressed the view that she had been abducted. Roy Ramm considered that it was a carefully planned kidnapping by someone who had been watching the child. John O'Connor was of the view that Madeleine had wandered out of the apartment on her own and was subsequently abducted. O'Connor opined that she was likely to be nearby and recommended a thorough search of surrounding occupied premises. This hypothesis was also supported by criminologist Mark Williams-Thomas who said, in May 2008, that he believed what happened was that Madeleine woke up, walked around the apartment, found the back patio door was insecure and wandered out. It was at this point that she was most likely abducted by an opportunistic predatory paedophile.

However Paulo Sargento, a criminal psychologist at Lusófona University in Lisbon, had produced in October 2007 a 3D reconstruction of events at the Ocean Club on the evening Madeleine disappeared, and his view was that kidnapping would be inconsistent with the evidence. The case was also reviewed by the notable forensic investigator Professor David Barclay of Robert Gordon University. His opinion was that the police were right to consider the McCanns as suspects and that the child is probably dead.

Comparison and possible relations with the murder of Joana Cipriano

Joana Cipriano, a then 8-year-old girl, disappeared on 12 September 2004 from the village of Figueira, only seven miles from Praia da Luz, where Madeleine McCann disappeared on 3 May 2007. In both cases, the mothers launched campaigns to find their daughters and, in both cases, the local Polícia Judiciária investigated the possibility that the mothers had killed their daughters.

A child protection specialist, Mark Williams-Thomas, who believes that Joana's and Madeleine's disappearances are related, said that the disappearance of two children unknown to each other, within a period of four years in a seven-mile radius, would be a huge coincidence, especially considering that Portugal is a small country with few abductions. Before Joana's disappearance, the previous first-degree murder of a child in the Algarve region was in November 1990 and involved a British girl, nine-year-old Rachel Charles, who was abducted and murdered in Albufeira. Her body was found three days later; a British mechanic, Michael Cook, a friend of the family, was arrested and convicted. Leandro Silva, the common-law husband of Leonor Cipriano, said in 2007 that "the only difference between the McCanns and us is that we don't have money."

Several similarities between the cases—both girls vanished without trace within  and less than three years of each other, in both cases officers failed to secure the crime scene, both mothers mounted campaigns to find their daughters and both women were accused of involvement—prompted Joana's family to appeal in 2008 for police to investigate whether there was a link between the disappearances.

Fundraising

Madeleine's Fund
A fundraising company, known as Madeleine's Fund: Leaving No Stone Unturned, was launched in Leicester on 16 May 2007. The Fund is a limited company, not a registered charity, because its objectives are not wide enough to satisfy Charity Commission criteria for UK charities. The objectives include helping the extended family with their expenses (to prevent abuse, payments can only be authorised by the independent members of the board who are not family members) and continuing the investigation independently should that prove necessary. Any excess funds would be used to help search for other abducted children. The Fund's website reportedly received 58 million hits and 16,000 messages of support by 18 May, only two days after its launch. Over £1,095,000 had been raised by 30 October 2007. Two £2,000 monthly re-payments on the McCanns' mortgage were made from the Fund in July and August.

Legal costs funding
The trustees of Madeleine's Fund announced in September that the fund would not be used to pay the McCanns' legal costs. Initially, the McCanns considered setting up a separate appeal fund for legal expenses. However, Richard Branson created a fund for the McCann's legal expenses, including those of their current advisor, Michael Caplan QC, a solicitor and partner in the London firm of Kingsley Napley. Stephen Winyard came out in December as having contributed £100,000 to the McCanns' defence fund, which paid for DNA tests carried out on the Renault Scénic hire car used by the McCanns. He also revealed Brian Kennedy as another donor.

Potential frauds
Many unofficial websites were registered which had domain names that contained slight misspellings of Madeleine's name (a practice known as typosquatting), plus keywords likely to be used in searches. These websites contained material unrelated to Madeleine.

There have also been people collecting money on the false premise that they were representing Madeleine's Fund, one of whom, Debbie Clifton, was jailed for 90 days.

On 28 June 2007 police arrested an Italian man and a Portuguese woman at a villa in Sotogrande, Cádiz over allegations that they had tried to defraud the McCanns by claiming a reward for information about their daughter. However, police said that there was no direct link with Madeleine's kidnap. Then on 6 July police in the Netherlands arrested a man who allegedly demanded two million euros from the McCanns for information about their missing daughter.

British barrister Michael Shrimpton presented himself as the "unofficial representative" for parents Kate and Gerry McCann, and claimed responsibility for setting up a meeting between them and Pope Benedict XVI. According to Shrimpton, Madeleine was being held in or near Morocco after being smuggled there on a drug-running vessel. Authorities rejected these claims as false and issued a strict warning to Shrimpton not to interfere with the case. Shrimpton was later charged, convicted, and imprisoned for an unrelated hoax.

Libel actions
The McCanns announced on 31 August that they were suing the Portuguese tabloid Tal & Qual for libel. The newspaper reported that the "police believe" that the McCanns killed Madeleine, suggesting she may have died in an accident or from a drugs overdose. The McCanns' lawyer, Carlos Pinto de Abreu, said the couple's image had been "dragged through the dirt" by "character-assassinating, tabloid-style" news reports, adding that the press "has engaged in a horrific exercise in scandal-mongering, replete with rumours and lurid commentaries...to sell more TV time and newspaper space to advertisers". The police stressed that the McCanns were not suspects.

Tal & Qual stood by the story. The paper ceased publication after 28 September 2007, because of a drop in circulation.

The ASFIC's (Associação Sindical dos Funcionários de Investigação Criminal da Polícia Judiciária) General Secretary, Carlos Garcia, declared on 10 August 2007 that the union representing the PJ intended to take legal action against those British journalists who had accused Portuguese police officers of forging evidence. He stated that, at the beginning of the investigation, a joint working group had been created with the British police, and that they had been working in close cooperation. Thus when the Portuguese police is criticised, so too is the British police. He claimed that the number of abductions resulting in murder was a decisive factor that determined the different methods of investigation adopted by the two forces.

In March 2008, the McCanns launched a libel suit against the Daily Express and its sister newspaper, the Daily Star, as well as their Sunday equivalents, following the newspapers' coverage of the case. The action concerned more than 100 stories across the four newspapers, which accused the McCanns of causing Madeleine's death and then covering it up. One immediate consequence of the action was that Express Newspapers pulled all references to Madeleine from its websites. In a settlement reached at the High Court of Justice, the newspapers agreed to run a front-page apology to the McCanns on 19 March 2008, publish another apology on the front pages of the Sunday editions of 23 March and make a statement of apology at the High Court.  Guardian media commentator Roy Greenslade said it was "unprecedented" for four major newspapers to offer front-page apologies, but also said that it was more than warranted given that the papers had committed "a substantial libel" that shamed the entire British press.

In its apology, the Express stated that "a number of articles in the newspaper have suggested that the couple caused the death of their missing daughter Madeleine and then covered it up. We acknowledge that there is no evidence whatsoever to support this theory and that Kate and Gerry are completely innocent of any involvement in their daughter's disappearance." The McCanns also accepted £550,000 ($1.1 million) damages and costs. They promised to pay the damages into Madeleine's Fund.

Robert Murat instigated defamation proceedings against Sky News and 11 British newspapers, in April 2008. He used London solicitors Simons Muirhead & Burton on a conditional fee agreement. The first paper to settle was The Scotsman who published an apology on 15 May but paid no damages. The newspaper groups Associated Newspapers, Express Newspapers, MGN Limited and News Group Newspapers settled with Murat, on 17 July, for a £600,000 payout. They also issued a public apology in the High Court. BSkyB also paid him damages in a separate libel case. Sergey Malinka, and Murat's girlfriend, Michaela Walczuch, accepted more than £100,000 each.

The friends of the McCanns, known as the Tapas Seven, were awarded around £375,000 in damages and secured printed apologies from Express Newspapers. The friends have donated the settlement monies to the Fund. The apologies, printed in both the Daily Express and Daily Star, said "In articles ... we suggested that the holiday companions of Kate and Gerry McCann might have covered up the true facts concerning Madeleine McCann's disappearance and/or misled the authorities investigating her disappearance. We also reported speculation that ... Dr Russell O'Brien, was suspected of involvement with Madeleine's abduction. We now accept that these suggestions should never have been made and were completely untrue. ..."

The McCanns applied for an injunction, on 8 December 2009, prohibiting the sale of the book, written by Gonçalo Amaral, Maddie, a Verdade da Mentira (Maddie, the Truth of the Lie), and launched a libel suit against Amaral.

Books
 Maddie 129, , that covers the 129 days between Madeleine's disappearance and the McCanns' return to Rothley. The book claims to identify contradictions and unanswered questions in the accounts of the McCanns and their friends. It was published in early November 2007, in English by Prime Books, and written by two Portuguese journalists Hernâni Carvalho and Luís Maia.
 A Culpa dos McCann (The Guilt of the McCanns), , was published in Portugal in December 2007. Written by Portuguese daily newspaper Correio da Manhã editor-in-chief Manuel Catarino, it was published by Guerra & Paz.
 Madeleine: A Heartbreaking and Extraordinary Disappearance, , was published in December 2007 by Express Newspapers and written by Robert Downing.
 A Estrela de Madeleine (The Star of Madeleine), , written by Paulo Pereira Cristóvão, was published by Editorial Presença.
 O Enigma da Praia da Luz (The Enigma of Praia da Luz), , was written by Francisco Duarte de Carvalho and was published by Editora Guerra & Paz.
 Maddie, a Verdade da Mentira (Maddie, the Truth of the Lie), , written by Gonçalo Amaral, who had originally headed the police investigation, was published by Guerra & Paz on 24 July 2008. In the book, Amaral detailed his belief that Madeleine died in the family's holiday apartment.
What really happened to Madeleine McCann? subtitled '60 reasons which suggest that she was not abducted', , was written by Tony Bennett and was published on 31 October 2008 by The Madeleine Foundation.
Madeleine, , was written by Kate McCann and was published by Bantam Press on 12 May 2011.

Film and television

BBC Panorama
The BBC Panorama current affairs programme screened an edition called 'The Mystery of Madeleine McCann' on 19 November 2007. It attracted 5.3 million viewers.
The programme reviewed the evidence that was currently publicly available but did not come to a conclusion on what happened to Madeleine.
The original producer of the programme walked out, claiming that criticism of the media and the Portuguese police had been toned down for the broadcast version.

Proposed documentaries
The McCanns have given permission for talks to open about the possibility of the disappearance being made into a documentary film. Spokesman Clarence Mitchell confirmed that a meeting, with talent agency and production company IMG to discuss a possible film, was held in December 2007, but the proposal was abandoned.

Mitchell also confirmed, in March 2008, that discussions were taking place with ITV and other companies over the possibility of the McCanns appearing in a documentary, which would focus on missing children in general and the different initiatives used to help look for them. The programme, Madeleine, One Year On: Campaign For Change, was broadcast on ITV1 on 30 April 2008. The programme's producers said the McCanns had no editorial control and were not paid, although £10,000 was donated to the Find Madeleine Fund.

TVI documentary
A television documentary, Maddie, a Verdade da Mentira (Maddie, the Truth of the Lie), based on the book, by Gonçalo Amaral, of the same name, was produced by TVI. It was broadcast on 13 April 2009. The documentary pulled in an audience of over 2 million.

Implications for television programmes and films
On 9 May 2007, ITV announced it would be rewriting a planned child kidnap plot, despite having already filmed some scenes, from their popular soap Coronation Street. Similarly, on 23 May, the BBC also announced that it was scrapping a storyline from rival soap EastEnders, that had already been filmed, which also was to feature the kidnapping of a child. In both cases these plot lines were removed or altered due to the parallel with the Madeleine case, and because the channels did not want to cause further distress to the McCann family.

ITV was criticised, in September 2007, over the showing of Torn, a three-part original drama series. The plot involved the disappearance of a four-year-old girl and the family's search for her. ITV responded to the criticism by stating that Torn had been written two years earlier and filmed two months before Madeleine disappeared. Also in September 2007, actor and director Ben Affleck postponed the UK release of his film Gone Baby Gone, which had been scheduled for release on 28 December,
to 18 April 2008. Its plot centres on the abduction of a four-year-old girl who is left at home alone by her mother. The actress who plays the girl, Madeline O'Brien, reportedly resembles Madeleine. According to Affleck, the release of the film in Britain was delayed because those involved with the film didn't want to "touch a nerve or inflame anybody's sensitivities."

Tributes

Church services were held in Portugal and the UK on 3 May 2008, to mark the first anniversary of Madeleine's disappearance.

Appeals
There were many appeals for Madeleine's safe return, including from her family, celebrities, church leaders, and the police.

From the family
Her father, Gerry McCann, said, "Words cannot describe the anguish and despair that we are feeling. Please, if you have Madeleine, let her come home to her Mummy, Daddy, brother and sister." He went on to say that the family would leave "no stone unturned" in the search for Madeleine and that he and his wife "remained positive."

Madeleine's aunt, Philomena McCann, drew up a poster to circulate in a chain email to help find the child. She also commented during a live phone interview that there was little coverage of the case in other countries apart from the UK and Portugal.

From the police
On 21 May 2007, the British Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) reported that British police are calling on visitors to the Ocean Club Resort, Praia da Luz, or the surrounding areas in the two weeks leading up to Madeleine's disappearance on Thursday 3 May to provide copies of any relevant photographs taken during their stay, in an attempt to identify an abductor using a biometric facial recognition application, through which the features of bystanders in those photographs could be compared to those of international sex offenders and other criminals. By 1 June, over one thousand photographs had been uploaded.

From religious leaders
On 11 May 2007 Roman Catholic Archbishop Mario Conti of Glasgow said that his prayers would continue for the safe return of Madeleine Then on 30 May, Pope Benedict XVI, at an audience in the Vatican with the McCanns, promised to pray for the girl's safe return.

From sport

From football
Manchester United footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, who is Portuguese, made a televised appeal on MUTV for her safe return saying "I was very upset to hear of the abduction of Madeleine McCann and I appeal to anyone with information to come forward - please come forward." Chelsea and England footballer John Terry and his Portuguese teammate Paulo Ferreira said that they were "devastated to hear that young Maddy was abducted. Our thoughts and feelings go out to her parents, her family and we are urging anyone out there with any information at all, please, please, please come forward." On 11 May 2007, David Beckham also made a public appeal. "If you have seen this little girl please could you go to your local authorities or police and give any information that you have," said Beckham, holding up a poster with a photograph of Madeleine.

After a picture was released of Madeleine in an Everton shirt, Everton's Portuguese footballers Nuno Valente and Manuel Fernandes appealed for any news on her whereabouts and Phil Neville issued the following statement on behalf of the club. "Everton has fans all over the world and I know that they, along with everyone connected with the football club, are hoping and praying for Madeleine's safe return. Our thoughts are very much with the family at this extremely distressing time." Manager David Moyes added "Everybody here is desperately wanting to hear good news and my thoughts and prayers are with the family. If anybody out there knows anything, please come forward". Celtic footballer Neil Lennon made an appeal for Madeleine's safety, and yellow armbands were worn on 12 May 2007 against Aberdeen to mark her fourth birthday.

A video appealing for help with the search for Madeleine was broadcast to Spanish football fans visiting the city of Glasgow for the 2007 UEFA Cup Final on 16 May. Another film was aired at half-time during the English FA Cup Final on 19 May. Before their departure for the 2007 UEFA Champions League Final on Monday 21 May, Liverpool's squad were photographed with a banner appealing for any information on Madeleine's whereabouts.

From cricket
The England cricket team wore yellow ribbons during the Lords' Test match against the West Indies, in May 2007, to show their support for Madeleine. A picture of Madeleine was also shown on the big screen at the match.

From education
To further publicise Madeleine's disappearance, the pupils of Bishop Ellis Catholic Primary School, the school that she would have attended from September 2007, lined up in the school's playground on 18 June to spell out Find Madeleine. This was easily readable from the air. In August the school announced that they had saved a desk, coat peg and locker for the child.

Criticism

Of the public and political reaction
The scale of the public reaction provoked negative comment from a number of media commentators. On 16 May 2007 on BBC Radio 4, Matthew Parris said that politicians' displays of concern were "hollow". He also claimed that politicians "read the common newspapers and they decide this is what the common people feel, and they get all caught up with it. But it's all to do with trying to associate themselves with the common herd and they're not part of it. They're politicians." He went on to say, in his column on 17 May, that MPs wearing yellow ribbons was mawkish and an attempt to "tap in to the emotions of the mob". Then on 19 May, The Guardian described the public reaction as hysteria and drew a parallel with the response to the News of the World's anti-paedophile campaign.

Writing in The Times on 16 September, India Knight criticised the on-line community for its censorious attitude and its willingness to rush to judgement whilst pointing out that the McCanns had contributed to the public's obsession with the case by their extensive and well-orchestrated media campaign. A debate on the disappearance was held at the London School of Economics on 30 January 2008. Although the debate was inconclusive, the stridently critical attitude of the on-line community towards the McCanns, noted by Knight, also manifested itself in the audience reaction.

Of the media coverage

Importance of the coverage
Some have suggested that the high level of media coverage could be attributable to Madeleine's race, nationality, or socio-economic status. The Independent, in an editorial on 15 May 2007, described the media coverage as showing a warped sense of priorities and condemned the criticism of the Portuguese authorities as jingoism. In his 17 May column in Portugal's Público newspaper, the former head of Portugal's bar association, José Miguel Júdice, said the enormous mobilisation was because the little girl "is English, white, and the daughter of doctors."

On 18 May, Inter Press Service drew attention to the fact that some observers point out that Madeleine comes from a well-heeled British family (both of her parents are doctors), unlike so many Portuguese or immigrant children whose disappearance has drawn scant attention from the press. There has also been criticism of the weight put on this case in the light of many other, unpublicised, children's disappearances.

Also on 18 May, The Scotsman commented that "... there was evidence that public opinion, while strongly supportive of the child's distraught parents Kate and Gerry McCann, was growing alarmed at what it viewed as relentless, almost prurient coverage." Channel 4 News presenter Alex Thomson has said the Madeleine McCann story did not deserve its news ranking. "I've been sickened by the way the media have allowed themselves to be taken for a full-scale ride by the McCanns." He added that the parents' conduct, "a contributory factor in the abduction, was largely downplayed or ignored altogether by sycophantic, gullible blanket coverage."

Raymond Snoddy wrote in Marketing: "To what extent has all this coverage been kept afloat for so long because the child is white and photogenic, and has articulate, resourceful parents? Of course, the news value of the story was also enhanced by context - everyone's worst nightmare, a child snatched from an apparently secure apartment in an upmarket holiday resort. But the sad truth is that if a black child had been snatched from a sink estate in Liverpool or Glasgow, the chances are you would not know their name."

Gerry, who had encouraged media coverage, criticised De Telegraaf on 14 June for publishing a letter claiming to know the location of Madeleine's body, calling it "an irresponsible piece of journalism" and "insensitive and cruel". Portuguese police searched the site but found no trace of Madeleine. At the Edinburgh International Television Festival on 25 August, Gerry complained about the amount of media attention, on the disappearance, that he claimed was 10 times what he had expected. He also criticised wild speculation being erroneously reported as fact.

There was criticism by the Daily Express of the stories run in the Portuguese media. In an article on 28 August that summarised the speculation, the Daily Express accused the local media of "a vile whispering campaign, which has led to them [the McCanns] suffering a daily torrent of smears" and described the stories suggesting that the McCanns had involvement in their daughter's disappearance as "lies".

Journalist Martin Bell accused the BBC of wasting hundreds of thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money in its coverage of the disappearance. In January 2008 Bell said "I'm calling it the death of news. It is the stupidification of the news agenda. It is pretty obvious television news has lost its way not just with the McCann case but that has been extreme."

A comparison was drawn, in early March 2008, between the publicity given to Madeleine with the much lower key publicity for the disappearance of Shannon Matthews. The Guardian explained this by stating that "Overarching everything is social class" but they added that Shannon going missing in the UK made a difference. The Independent took the same line saying "Kate and Gerry McCann had a lot: they were a couple of nice middle-class doctors on holiday in an upmarket resort" "Karen Matthews is not as elegant, nor as eloquent".

In his book Spoilt Rotten Theodore Dalrymple analyses critically the media attention and reaction to the disappearance, and specifically how certain elements in the media interpreted the lack of emotion displayed by the girl's parents as evidence of guilt.

Objectivity of the coverage
In an interview published on 1 July Martin Brunt, a Sky News journalist who had covered the case extensively, conceded that the media's handling of the Madeleine McCann disappearance had been flawed. "It's the view of a few of us that when we look back over the first two or three weeks of the coverage we were in some ways over-sympathetic. We kind of adopted the tone and the language that the family did. I think we perhaps lost our objectivity a bit, we became a bit too subjective about the story."

The British media has been criticised for being heavily critical of the Portuguese police and legal system. The Guardian noted that the British media compared the Portuguese procedures with British procedures unfavourably and unfairly.
Likewise, The Times published an editorial titled "Exactly how guilty are the Portuguese police?" and stated that there had been a rush to judge the Portuguese authorities.

Matthew Parris, writing for The Times in August, chastised the British and Portuguese media for what he described as "assassination-by-innuendo" of suspect Robert Murat, who those involved closely in the case believed was innocent. "For the rest of the world, however, glancing in passing at headlines and skimming news reports over its coffee, the name Murat is now synonymous with 'creepy oddball and obvious suspect'," Parris wrote. He concluded, "The whole disgusting business, the whole media-driven infatuation with this little girl and her parents, the whole sick, morbid, sentimental campaign of news generation and news manipulation, has been a disgrace to the British media."

Peter Horrocks, the head of BBC TV News, denied claims in September 2007 that the BBC was biased in favour of the McCanns. Some viewers had suggested that the McCanns had been treated in an overly positive light because they were white, middle class doctors. Then Horrocks criticised rival broadcasters, saying "I know that many other TV and radio networks have been absolutely extraordinary, always talking about it in terms of sympathy and their [McCanns] feelings." Writing in The Guardian, also in September, Marcel Berlins said that the investigation had generated a wave of negative comments in the UK media towards Portuguese society, and the authorities investigating the case, as the result of ignorance of the Portuguese legal system. Berlins called it "a touch of arrogant xenophobia".

Of the publicity
In early July 2007, parents criticised a cinema advertisement about the disappearance of Madeleine which showed a still picture of the girl with the statement that she had been "snatched" from her room. The advertisement was being screened across Britain before the children's film Shrek the Third, and parents were complaining to the Advertising Standards Authority that it might scare young children and that it detracted from parents' ability to decide how much to tell their children. Following the protests, the advertisements were quickly withdrawn. Subsequently, however, the advertisement, which had received a British Board of Film Classification to be aired in U-certificate films, was cleared by the Advertising Standards Authority.

A plan to include bookmarks bearing Madeleine's image in copies of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was shelved. After reflection, the publishers decided it would not be responsible to expose younger readers to the story of Madeleine's disappearance.

Whilst the public response has largely been in support of the Find Maddie campaign, there have been instances where it has been criticised for drawing attention away from other missing children. Mark Lawson, writing in The Guardian on 26 October, criticised the McCanns for employing their own spin doctor, describing their use of what he termed "political methods" as a "terrible error".

Carlos Anjos, president of the Association of Criminal Investigation Staff, criticised the McCanns, on 6 November, for creating a "monster of information" that hindered the investigation. He also stated that they should not have publicised the coloboma in her right eye which he claimed put the life of the girl at risk. This was echoed by Fernando José Pinto Monteiro, the Attorney General, who said that, if she had been abducted, the worldwide campaign would have turned Madeleine into a liability and that it was likely that her abductor had already killed her.

Rewards
Rewards offered totalled over £2.6 million including:
 £1,500,000 (€2,200,000) including £250,000 by the News of the World, £250,000 by Sir Philip Green, £50,000 by Simon Cowell and £25,000 by Coleen McLoughlin. Other contributors include Sir Richard Branson, JK Rowling, and Bill Kenwright.
 £1,000,000 (€1,470,000) by British businessman Stephen Winyard.
 £100,000 (€147,000) by a colleague of Kate McCann.
 €15,000 (£10,250) by Portuguese newspaper Record.

References

Disappearance of Madeleine McCann
McCann, Madeleine

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Vikings are not only masters of the axe. Even when someone disarms them and forces them to a direct duel, it is far from being won. They can fight very well without the blade, because suddenly their fingertips begin to flow with the forces of magic. And because no one would expect these thunderstorms from them, it's their secret weapon.
Similarly, they were also hidden to guys in Lucky Duck Games, when they released basic box of Vikings Gone Wild. Certainly, from our basebox review, you remember commenting on the limited replayability of this otherwise very interesting deckbuilding design by Julien Vergonjeanne. Mateusz Komada and Matijos Gebreselassie also took care of illustrations for the new boxes.
There are three boxes, that we're going to take on this review today. The largest one is called Masters of Elements, it has a large square dimension and is a low profile. The other two smaller elongated boxes have the same size in height, but they are exactly half the size. Together, these boxes bring a lot of new cards, but before we look at what exactly and how they enrich in the basic game, we'll briefly recall how Vikings Gone Wild are actually played.
Players in the game each rule one Viking clan. And while there is a range of cards presenting buildings and different effects of divine intervention on a joint game board, individual players build their own villages in front of them. Just like in any other deckbuilding, they start with a starting set, from which they draw five cards every each round and can buy additional equipment by using them. They can also perform various missions. The main element of the game is attacking opponent. Besides, what would it be for Vikings, if they did not want to fight? For their efforts, players get points, that eventually lead to victory.
Let's start with the bigger box. In its bowels, new cards are hidden for all the decks you know so well in the basic game. This means, that players have a much greater variability in missions, Odin cards, but even bonuses and, of course, units.
That's all a great news in itself, but the troops are not just ordinary. They are all linked to the new and title mechanics of element masters. These are available in three incrementally upgrading levels and can gradually unlock artefacts. Players get them at the beginning of the game, gradually choose them with the help of the draft (player takes one card, other three are passed on until everyone has choosen four) and breaks them in front of them on the so-called artifact board.
And what are these artifacts? At each stage of production, element masters can produce tokens, that players can place on their buildings (each can be linked to one element). In each round, these tokens can be activated and artefacts skill with them. Its available level determines strength of the element master. With this new feature, there are also inherently new card units, that bring new tactical possibilities.
But it does not end with element masters. On the contrary, they are here only to get you acquainted with the new gaming element, because true power is brought to players by cards of the gods. There are eight gods in the box (each has four cards according to levels), and they also have some special skills in addition to their ability to produce elemental chips. They can also be upgraded after the upgrade price is paid.
This expansion adds exactly what was missing in the basic box. This is a clear reason to get it right away and at the same time removes any excuse why you will not try Vikings Gone Wild at all. Now it's really a great game.
Small expansions, of course, do not bring such significant changes. But even their boxes are quite large and there are plenty of new elements. The first in a row is the box called Guild Wars, which brings a blocking element to the game. Players can fortify their rooms with a new wall. This creates an obstacle, that an attacker must overcome at the start of his raid on the player's village or on particular fortified building. But such a wall can easily be overcome without the need to attack, just use a new flying unit!
The player also has a forge and a tower, that produces weapons and shields temporarily increasing the attacking and defensive force of the units. And it is clear from the bi-directionality of the elements that everything remains very tactical. Players have still under control most of the game's development and here Vikings Gone Wild remains an excellent, but very conflicting game.
But it still does not explain, why the little box is called Guild Wars. The new rules bring a team variant in, which players co-operate in pairs. This brings a whole new experience, which offers new variability and makes the game even more fun.
The last box is magical and bears the name It's and King of Magic. The new 110 cards are also accompanied by curses and blessings. Players can place them on opponent's buildings. The most important thing is a curse, that reduces the building's defenses. The blessing, however, does not surprisingly increase it back this time, instead it only serves to eliminate the curse.
But there are real spells. There is also the first chance to discard the card from your built deck. So far, you've only added them and that's always a problem with deckbuilding. Alchemy cards now give gamers a chance to destroy selected cards from their hand. However, players must be careful, when playing them, as others may use the counter and completely cancel the desired effect.
In both smaller boxes you will find enriching cards for all decks. This will give you to numbers, that are more interesting. The matches are variable, interesting and you will want to repeat them with joy. Graphics remain cartoony and funny.
All three Vikings Gone Wild expansions are really welcome. It offers the much-needed expansion of individual decks, making even better entertainment from this game. But they add some new features to it without complicating the whole gameplay. Vikings Gone Wild remain a very tactical and fun battle with light graphics and emphasis on direct attacks on the opponent, but its even better now.
Vikings Gone Wild retains all the features we praised at the base box after mixing in all the stuff from expansions. But it also adds interesting new ideas, tactical chances, and even a team variant. Now you do not have to worry about the cards repeat, because there is finally enough of them. You should get this already in the basic box, but you are still getting something extra on top. Vikings Gone Wild have finally become the great game, we've hoped it to be before.