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Songs That Defined the Decade: Skrillex's 'Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites'
Billboard is celebrating the 2010s with essays on the 100 songs that we feel most define the decade that was -- the songs that both shaped and reflected the music and culture of the period -- with…
By Katie Bain
Katie Bain
More Stories by Katie
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Skrillex poses backstage during day 4 of the 2011 Sasquatch Music Festival at the Gorge Amphitheater on May 30, 2011 in George, Washington. C Flanigan/FilmMagic
Billboard is celebrating the 2010s with essays on the 100 songs that we feel most define the decade that was — the songs that both shaped and reflected the music and culture of the period — with help telling their stories from some of the artists, behind-the-scenes collaborators and industry insiders involved.
It may sound hyperbolic to say that Skrillex expanded the limits of recorded sound, but when the producer opened his laptop during a late '00s meeting with the CEO of Atlantic Records Craig Kallman, the executive had certainly never heard anything like the sonic juggernauts that came blasting through the speakers.
"The production, innovation, imagination and creativity going into these tracks was so extraordinary," says Kallman, who founded Atlantic's electronic subsidiary Big Beat Records in 1987. "[He] was a must-sign."
It was soon thereafter that the Los Angeles-based producer born Sonny Moore released his 2010 breakout EP Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites, which would broaden the electronic music genre, help kickstart the EDM era in the United States and turn Skrillex into one of the most popular, and for a time controversial, electronic music producers in the mainstream.
Released via Big Beat and deadmau5's mau5trap label and named in homage to David Bowie's 1980 new wave LP Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps), the EP's title track and lead single was an aural sleight of hand, beginning with a pitched-up, serpentine melody and pleasantly fragmented vocal samples. But at the 40 second mark, the song does a whiplash-inducing about-face via a scream of "YES OH MY GOD" (sampled from a video of a girl rapidly stacking plastic cups) and a load of bass bombs sounding like alien invasion.
In fact it kind of was, with the song and the genre it ushered in feeling like a hostile takeover to many dance scene veterans. While the track became a massive hit in the burgeoning EDM scene, many old school scenesters did not take kindly to a sound many considered crass, simple and grossly populist. While Skrillex's thrill-ride of a sound was widely defined as dubstep, critics argued that his music was vastly different from the U.K.-born genre, with many instead calling his sound "brostep" as a snide homage to the army of young men (and women) showing up en masse to thrash in the pit during shows.
The track's 14-week ride on the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at No. 69, and prominent use in the 2012 film Spring Breakers only confirmed suspicions that dance music was going mainstream, to disastrous results. Resident Advisor's 2010 review noted the EP's "one-dimensional aggression and appeal to the lowest common denominator" and its title track's "headache-inducing layers of abrasive muck."
Skrillex's 'Scary Monsters & Nice Sprites' EP Turns 8, Exemplifies the Peak of a Moment
"To me, those were haters," Kallman says of these critics, "because they weren't appreciating the incredible imagination, creativity and skill going into what he was doing."
What Skrillex was doing, in fact, was changing the DNA of electronic music itself by forging a fresh sound with a rock mentality siphoned from Moore's previous work as the lead singer of emo band From First to Last. And the scene needed it, as by the late 00's dance music in the U.S. was in a fallow period, with pop, hip-hop and alternative ruling the charts, the underground rave scene of the '90s long waned and international dance acts like Daft Punk getting the most love Stateside. Then along came a pale, emo looking kid with horn-rimmed glasses and a thrillride sound to push things forward with his relentless bass wobbles.
"Skrillex pioneered a new genre and a new sound for the first time in a very long time in electronic music," Kallman says. "He was one of those human beings in music creating their own sound and doing something no one had ever heard of before. That's very rare."
Skrillex Discusses 'Recess,' Learning From Kanye West & 'Vibing Out'
The industry took notice, giving Skrillex its stamp of approval when the Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites EP and title track won the 2012 Grammys for Best Dance/Electronica Album and Best Dance Recording, as Skrillex scored another trophy for his now-classic remix of Benny Benassi's "Cinema."
These were the first three of Skrillex's eight Grammy wins to date, with the artist going on to become one of the most prolific producers both in and out of dance music, via his work with artists from Incubus to Ty Dolla $ign, and his infiltration of the pop realm via his work with Diplo on the collab project Jack Ü and their 2015 hits with Justin Bieber. Meanwhile, the countless producers he inspired — RL Grime, Baauer and Porter Robinson among them — were working their way up lineups of the era's exploding electronic music festivals, adding their own weird, wild flourishes to the genre.
"There are very few producers that you could say revolutionized the sound of dance music," says Kallman. "Skrillex certainly did."
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Songs That Defined a Decade
Jack Antonoff's Bleachers Have a Blast Performing 'How Dare You Want More' & 'Chinatown' During 'SNL' Debut: Watch


Fire officials said the exact cause of the fire had not been determined, but they believe the blowtorch is to blame.
He accidentally started a house fire after using a blowtorch to kill the spiders Tuesday night.
He was house-sitting for his parents at the time.
More than two dozen firefighters responded and put out the fire which damaged the second-story and the attic.
Copyright 2018 KFSN via CNN. All rights reserved.


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David Satcher
Health Care Administrator
David Satcher is the founding director and senior advisor of the Satcher Health Leadership Institute at the Morehouse School of Medicine. He served as the sixteenth surgeon general of the United States from 1998 to 2002, and as assistant secretary for health from 1998 to January 2001, the second person in history to serve in both capacities simultaneously. During his tenure, he released major reports on overweight and obesity, mental health, suicide prevention, oral health, smoking, and youth violence. He also championed efforts to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in health. From 1993 to 1998, Dr. Satcher was director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and administrator for the Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
From 1982 to 1993, he was president of Meharry Medical College in Nashville.
Dr. Satcher is the recipient of distinguished awards from the Morehouse School of Medicine, Indiana University, Tuskegee University, and the University of California, Berkeley. The American Public Health Association honored him with the Sedgwick Memorial Medal for Distinguished Service in Public Health, and 100 Black Men of America, Inc., recognized his contributions with the Chairman's Award for Leadership in Health and Wellness.
He is a graduate of Morehouse College and received his M.D. and Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University.
Links to Additional Information
Biography from the New Georgia Encyclopedia

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Ubisoft Forums > Assassin's Creed > Assassin's Creed - General Discussions > Who would like AC to have a demo?
View Full Version : Who would like AC to have a demo?
I remember when I first saw that trailers for destiny. I wasn't sure I would like that. Then, at some point, I saw that the ps store was giving a demo of destiny. I tried it and that's how I fell in love with the game.
Going further back in time, my first ac game ever was ac 3. Thing is before I got it, I never saw anything from ac, not even a trailer. Everything I discovered from my discovery of ac iii to ac 4 (which include ac 3, then 2, then 1, then ac b and finaly, ac re) was new to me. I got and heard of ac 3, because my ps3 was being selled with it. When I think about it, the ac games having no demo, being playable, if I would have choose another ps3 or if that last ps3 coming with ac 3 would been bought before I would have come for it, I would maybe never have played an ac game, even now.
After all there as never been an ac demo, obtainable from the ps store. I think it's too bad. Many games have had demo, so why not ac too. Think about it, for second. If ac unity would have had a demo, would have all the copies been that much bugged? I doubt it. A demo of ac unity could have solved the problem before the release date would even have arrived.
Another good reason would be the hype. When I play a demo of a game I don't have, I won't to know what happen next, in the story. Of course I know that not all demo shows stoy content. Sometimes they have a story of their own and are mostly there for the player to learn about the new mechanics. Look at this video of a demo, for exemple.
From what I understand you'll get items and that greninja in the real game if you do the demo. Now if imagine it in the form of an ac demo, it could give weapons or a special set of armor that would be unique to the demo.
I think if one wants to get an impression what a game is like, the best way nowadays is to just look for "let's play" or "gameplay" videos on youtube for those games. I keep it normally to the intro sequence only, because I do not want to spoil my first time game experience later. Normally the intro sequence gives a good impression, what the game is like. And I am reading or watching reviews - from actual gamers or streamers, I am not fond of the mainstream reviews like from IGN and so - actual gamers give a more honest perspective.
The problem with demos is that they also take quite a bit of time and resources to actually make. I think with a franchise as large as Assassin's Creed (and with how cheap many of the older games are now), a demo would be pointless. This is also just a small part of a massive problem in AAA game development where franchises try to appeal to too wide of an audience instead of their core niche. From what I've seen and heard from Ubisoft, they seem to be scaling back a little bit and win back the old fans of the games first, then worry about expanding their base.
Thanks for the feedback on potential demos :) I'll pass it along!
Honestly, after the technical mess of Unity, it would be a gesture of good faith to release a fully playable demo straight from the campaign for the next game.
The thing with Unity is that it had already been delayed before its release. The developers surely knew about the bugs- they just chose to ignore them. Or, perhaps more accurately, the pressures of the current and terrible model of announcing a game/movie's release date far before production has concluded forced their hand.


Early morning game drive before the breakfast as early as 0600am, head for the morning game drive for 2-3 hours and there after return to the Lodge or Camp for main breakfast, after the breakfast depart Amboseli to Lake Nakuru with lunchon the way, stop at Great Rift Valley viewing sceneries en route and there after proceed to Lake Nakuru arriving to the Pink Lake often referred so due to it's Great masses of Flamingos. Lake Nakuru's claim to fame is anchored on its flamingo's and the over 400 species of birds found here. The lake itself is a soda lake on the floor of the rift valley. The sight of the at times millions of flamingos is quite spectacular. From a distance the lake appears ringed in pink. The Lake has also earned a reputation as an important haven for endangered species- particularly the Rothschild Giraffe and the black and white rhino. Lions, waterbuck, buffalo and baboons are all residents here. Arrival is in the early evening and proceed for game drive. Dinner and overnight at Lake Nakuru guest house or Lake Nakuru Lodge.
Wake up call 0600am, proceed for early morning game drive for about 2-3 hours, this morning game drive gives you an opportunity to capture early morning kills and hunt from the cats, you will be able to spot Rhinos as well as Leopards along the path or on top of the trees, Watch and photograph Birds and return to the Lodge or Guest house for main breakfast and then depart for Masai Mara with hot lunch in Narok town. After lunch proceed on for about 2.5hours to get to the famous Kenyan Park Masai Mara in early afternoon. On arrival check in the Lodge or Camp for refreshment and then go for late afternoon game drive for about 2 hours where you will encounter the famous African Documented Lion beofre the sun set. Return to the Lodge or Camp for main Dinner and overnight as you wait for the following morning full day game drive.
The whole day explore the parks amazingly high concentration of game. This game reserve is Kenya's finest wildlife sanctuary. Including migrants, well over 450 species of animals have been recorded here. Mara plains are filled with migrating wildebeest and zebra, there is also resident wildlife year round.The Mara's gentle fertile climate bounded by The Rift, offers perhaps the richest stocked reserve set within some 1672 sq km - an unlimited spectacle of wildlife. Located 268 km west of Nairobi, the emphasis here is on game. Herds of immense Elephants, browse among Lion, Buffalo, Thompson Gazelle, Zebra and Topi. You may occasionally sight a Rhino or Leopard but you have to be very keen since Rhinos in Masai Mara are very elusive and its not easy to spot them unlike the leopard. On this day you will explore the Masai Mara and you will have your lunch at the Mara River, this is one of the desire of many travelers as this is the point where the great Migration of the Wildebeest takes place,the annual migration of a million Wildebeest follows the rains north at this point you will also be able to spot in the Mara River Hippos play and Cross bask on the banks.After exploring the park return to the lodge or camp for dinner and overnight.
Wake up call at 0600am, have a cup of hot coffee or African tea, proceed for early morning game drive, the early morning Game safari offers you golden opportunity for early morning big 5 kills, African Jungle Male Lions are spotted along the trails as well as other Kenya big 5 including the documented the Big Cat Documentary, Lion, Leopard & Black Rhinos if lucky. The Kenya Trails Game viewing takes about 2-3 hours then return to the Camp or Lodge for full breakfast. After the breakfast check out and for those who will be willing to visit the famous Masai Village our driver will organize for you. You will be entertained with Masai Moran dance as well as the visit of the Manyatta. Inside the Manyatta take as many photos as you can as a memory of Africa Cultural visit. There after proceed back to Nairobi with a stop over in Narok Town for Hot Lunch as you leave for Nairobi arriving early afternoon where you will be dropped either back to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) or back to the Nairobi Hotel of your choice where the 3 days Kenya Semi Luxury tented Camp Adventure Africa Safari end.


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Medical debt is a 'uniquely American problem' caused by a 'very broken' system, expert explains
The cost of health care in the U.S. has grown worse in recent years as Americans continue taking on unprecedented levels of medical debt.
The issue has gotten so bad that one New York-based 501 charity, RIP Medical Health, uses donations to buy up people's medical debt. The organization recently announced a purchase of $278 million in medical debt owed by roughly 82,000 patients in the Tennessee and Virginia regions.
"Medical debt is the no. 1 cause of bankruptcy in the United States, which is something that's obviously a uniquely American problem," Allison Sesso, executive director of RIP Medical Debt, said on Yahoo Finance Live (video above). "So we're out there trying to give people relief from this economic burden. We've got donors that are excited across the country to do more of this debt relief. That number — 278 million — we're very proud of that, but we have a lot more debt relief ahead of us."
RIP Medical Debt's recent purchase involved buying people's medical bills directly from the Ballad Health hospital system, which has previously been criticized for using lawsuits to collect on medical debt. Sesso noted that most of the patients affected by RIP Medical Debt's latest move are considered low-income.
"You don't actually have to spend all that much money to buy a whole lot of debt for people that the hospitals know can't pay those bills," she explained. "That's exactly how it works. It's a great return on investment. But also, importantly, it's a huge indicator that our health care financing system is very broken."
Dan Maccoux, his wife Cathy Maccoux, and daughter Olivia Maccoux look at medicla debt papers on January 16, 2020 in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. (Photo by KEREM YUCEL/AFP via Getty Images)
Roughly 21 million Americans holding $46 billion of medical debt as of April 2021 face collections — meaning that a third-party debt collector is trying to obtain the money owed — according to Credit Karma data previously provided to Yahoo Finance.
"What we do is we're able to buy debt for pennies on the dollar because of the way that the debt market unfortunately works," Sesso said of RIP Medical Debt's model. "It's a way that they know that people can't pay. The value of those debts, if they were to be sold to a for-profit debt buyer, are very little. $1 can buy $100 worth of debt that somebody owes."
Story continues'We're letting people have insurance plans they can't afford'
The U.S. spends significantly more money per capita on health care — $10,586 — while the next three countries of Germany, the Netherlands, and Australia trail far behind.
"What I think has to happen is we really need to look at our health care system writ large and think about the financing part of it," Sesso said. "Are people really insured in a way that they need to be? Why are we allowing people to have health insurance plans that they can't afford, meaning that the deductibles are clearly higher than what their income is and what their means are?"
Almost everything costs more in the U.S. (Chart: Health Care Cost Institute)
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the average single deductible in 2019 was $1,931 while the average family deductible was $3,655. (Another major problem is surprise billing.)
Americans are paying the price: Quality health care is unaffordable for an estimated 46 million Americans, according to a recent Gallup survey, and a LendingTree survey of 1,550 people in March found that a majority of Americans (60%) have been in medical debt at costs averaging between $5,000 to $9,999.
LendingTree found that emergency room visits (39%), visits with doctors and specialists (28%), childbirth and related care (22%), and dental care (20%) were the leading causes.
ER visits are the leading cause of medical debt. (Chart: LendingTree)
Sesso likened the overall situation with medical debt to that of the subprime mortgage crisis back in 2008.
"We're letting people have insurance plans they can't afford and that don't meet their income level," she said. "So I think we need to take a hard look at that and build on the ACA to ensure that people walking into the hospital are truly covered and make sure that people across the board do have coverage to begin with."
Adriana Belmonte is a reporter and editor covering politics and health care policy for Yahoo Finance. You can follow her on Twitter @adrianambells. If you would like to share your story of dealing with medical bills and other health care costs, you can reach her at adriana@yahoofinance.com.
Health care in America 'is completely out of whack' as millions face medical debt collections
Medical debt in America continues to grow, led by emergency room visits and surprise bills
Millions of Americans are vulnerable to surprise medical billing
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Tag Archives: Hud Hud Travels
So – Oman, eh?
Our final day was spent entirely at leisure, giving us ample time to wander the grounds of the hotel taking photos – it really is very nicely arranged.
Then, with a cry of "Ready, Chedi, Go" ((c) the distaff side) it was time to pack, take a final contemplative gin and ponder on the last few days. At this point, let me remind you about that Times article about the country and its Sultan.
I think the keys to what we saw in our ten days in Oman, and particularly our time under canvas, are: Planning; Preparation; and Persistence.
Despite my carping about camping, the team at Hud Hud Travels did a simply outstanding job of making it appear easy to offer top service whilst operating under difficult situations, such as having a kitchen up a mountain or in the desert, for God's sake!
Above: Lakshan in his desert kitchen.
Above: Chanaka and Patrick in the service area of their desert tent.
Patrick and Devon managed the camps superbly and I still find it awesome that all that stuff was set up and run specifically and only for the two of us – planning and preparation of the highest quality.
Add to this the enthusiasm, energy and expertise of Rashid, and the result was that Jane and I were able to experience aspects of Oman that were simply not available any other way. The luxurious comfort of our stay at the Chedi was hugely relaxing and enjoyable, but also felt starkly at odds with the realities of life we'd seen in the previous days.
I still have strong reservations about camping, but I also admit that my experience would have been less trying with better planning and preparation on my part. Remembering to take my walking boots would have helped, for example, as would a more suitable choice of night attire and other footwear.
But the award for most admirable planning, preparation and particularly persistence has to go to the people of Oman who live in the desert and the mountains. For them, there is no electricity; water quite possibly arrives only once a week on the back of a 4×4 truck; food may well be shared between those who have and those who have not. Theirs is a tough, tough life, unimaginable to a soft westerner such as myself, perched precariously on a higher level of the Maslow pyramid; and yet they live it with patience and determination and they live it well. It was remarkable to see the effusiveness, humour and mutual respect in their interactions as we experienced the different environments. For these people, planning and preparation is not just for comfort, it's a matter of life and death; and their persistence in making it work is at once admirable and bemusing.
I now return to a life with all mod cons and creature comforts, and I do so gladly, for I have been habituated to such a life and can't easily cope with any other. But at least I do so with my eyes opened wider and my horizons broadened further, thanks to the efforts of all of the people who have made the last ten days truly memorable.
This entry was posted in Uncategorised and tagged 2019, camping, Culture, February, holiday, Hud Hud Travels, Oman, Tourism on 3rd March 2019 by Steve Walker.
Oman Day 9 – and we thought the mountain roads were rough!
Friday March 1. A large chunk of the day was to be spent at the Daymaniyat Islands, a nature reserve off the coast by Seeb, near Muscat. Rashid had talked about a dhow being our transport, but in the event we travelled in a smallish motor boat just big enough to house the three of us, the skipper and his mate and two 300-horsepower outboard engines. We boarded at Al Mouj, a very posh community residential and business area which featured (luckily for us) a marina, and pottered out of the harbour before the skipper opened up the throttles and we headed out at 30mph.
The Daymaniyat Islands are just basically lumps of rock a short distance off the coast of Oman, but access is restricted – it is necessary to apply for a pass to go there, and such things as fishing are prohibited. There are a couple of beaches and snorkelling is a very popular activity, and that was what we were here for. We moored off one rock which the skipper called Turtle Island.
I don't think that's it's real name, it's just he thought we had the best chance of seeing turtles there.
My ambition was simply to try to get some decent underwater photos, as my record so far is dismal. I tried in the Galapagos, which was pretty much my first (and not really very enjoyable) experience of snorkelling (the lack of enjoyment was due to my own lack of experience and swiimming expertise); the photographic results were awful. There was not one single underwater picture worth sharing on that trip, sadly.
So, in we plunged and I was about to set off in the hope of finding some nice pictures when I tested my nice brand-new snorkelling tube to find that it let the water in, which was a bit on the disappointing side. Fortunately, the skipper could provide a substitute, so off I went. I got lots of very poor photos of fish and some reasonable pictures of the coral there
and a fairly sizeable sea urchin
but no turtles by the time I got out of the boat for a rest. Jane had found one and so we got back in and headed over to where she had seen it – and there it was; a green sea turtle! The only problem was that my mask had completely misted up so I could barely make the thing out, far less see what my (Olympus TG-5 Tough) camera was doing. Nonetheless, I managed a couple of decent snaps
by sheer freakish good fortune, and also – hallelujah! – some video!
We pottered over to another, different location
and had another dip. This time, athough my mask was clear, the photos and videos were still disappointing. Note to self – don't try to zoom in too much, even if the camera has the function, as the results are unlikely to be worthwhile. So I've learnt something photographically worthwhile on this trip, eh?
Then, although it was still earlyish (about 1130) we took lunch as it looked like the weather would change. Rashid said that perhaps some rain was expected. Indeed, the wind was beginning to get up and actually before we'd had time to finish our picnic lunch, the skipper was looking anxious and so we told him to take us home.
Fuck me, what a journey!
The wind had got up to at least a force 6. If you read the official blurb to describe this, it calls it "strong breeze" and says that it features "large waves with foam crests and some spray".
What it doesn't tell you is that, in a small boat when trying to make way basically into the teeth of it, it involves you being thrown out of your seat unless you're clutching on to something substantial whilst having bucketfuls of the contents of the Sea of Oman chucked over you at regular intervals of, say, every five seconds or so.
The skipper did his best to minimise the discomfort, but it was still a hideously uncomfortable journey made worse by my (a) worrying that sea water would find its way into my lovely new Nikon Z6 and all my lenses and (b) really, really, really needing a pee but understanding that trying to do that would almost certainly involve suffering serious injury. I used Endomondo to track our progress on the boat, which is how I know we were averaging about 30mph on the way out. Coming back, the best we could do was between 5 and 9 mph until we got very close to the coast and could speed up a bit. So it was a long, wet and very uncomfortable journey for us all. Under the circumstances, I hope you'll forgive me for not having taken any photos on this return leg. Poor old Rashid looked a picture of misery even as he insisted he was OK standing and holding on to a stanchion and really didn't need us to shift up so he could sit down. The sea water got to his phone, and it was dead by the time we made land, poor chap.
Thanks to the skills of the skipper, we made it back safely to the marina and I made it safely to the loo; then we hastily packed up our stuff so that Rashid could take us back to the hotel. We said our goodbyes to him at that point, but the situation made it a hastier and more muted farewell than perhaps it might have been in other circumstances. Rashid had done a fantastic job of looking after us for nine days, sharing his passion for Oman, his knowledge of the area and his love of guiding to make our time with him so interesting and enjoyable and we're both hugely grateful to him for his energy, expertise and thoughtfulness.
The shower back at the hotel was a thing of joy. So was the large G&T immediately afterwards.
The rest of the day was spent recovering and relaxing and, in my case, writing the blog, for today would be the last day of Being A Tourist; the only thing the morrow had to offer was a day of relaxing, maybe a bit of photography around the hotel and packing to travel home, as we have a very early start on Sunday.
So, that's it, really – it's been a remarkable few days, with new experiences of a (for us) new country and its landscape, culture and people. We've been royally looked after by the fantastic team at Hud Hud Travels and the staff at the Chedi Muscat. We shall miss this place.
I might cobble together some final thoughts on the holiday and what we've learned, in which case, it will be in the next instalment of this blog, in case you're interested to keep up. 'Bye for now.
This entry was posted in Uncategorised and tagged 2019, coral, Daymaniyat Islands, February, holiday, Hud Hud Travels, Muscat, Oman, snorkelling, Turtles, Underwater photography on 2nd March 2019 by Steve Walker.
Oman Day 8 – Muscat Ramble
Thursday 28 Feb. We spent the morning with Rashid, who took us to see some of the highlights of Muscat before lunch. We certainly packed it in – Grand Mosque, Opera House, Souq, Sultan's Palace, National Museum. I took loads of photos, but really feel that I need to get to a PC to tweak them to do the sights justice. Here are a few, and I will come back and update them with improved versions once I can get my hands on decent RAW processing software.
The first item on the itinerary was the Grand Mosque, a gift to the people of Oman from Sultan Qaboos, with the intention of spreading a clear message of inclusive and peaceful Islam. It's an impressive building, certainly on a par with the Sheikh Zayeed Mosque in Abu Dhabi, Through a knowledgeable and impassioned exposition of information about the mosque, Rashid also showed that he has a serious and thoughtful approach to his Ibadi Islam religion. (Ibadism, a school of Islam pre-dating Sunni and Shia denominations, is dominant in Oman and is noted for its realism, tolerance and preference for solving differences through dignity and reason, rather than confrontation).
I could drown you with photos and information, but I'll try to include just the bare essentials and will set up a full Flickr page on the mosque in due course.
Right from the first approach, you get the sense that the building is intended to inspire awe and devotion. It combines places of worship (white marble) with places of enquiry, scholarship and administration (pink marble).
As you approach the central hall, there are many impressive views of the buildings.
Before entering the main hall, Rashid showed us that this is also a place of learning and scholarship. An impressive door leads into a library
where people may read, study and learn. There are also imams on the site who will give guidance to anyone who asks for help.
Then we entered the main hall of prayer, which is hugely impressive. It really is difficult to convey this in photos. Here's an overall impression
and here are some other highlights as you walk around: A vast carpet, hand stitched in Iran by (I think) 43 women over four years, and valued at around 10 million pounds
(interestingly, it has no lines in it to instruct worshippers how to line up – the Abu Dhabi mosque does – but apparently they line up OK anyway. See later for more lines). The detailing all around is very intricate and beautifully done
and there are detailed carvings and mosaics all around the walls. Some are functional – this contains copies of the Quran
some are decorative
Here's a set of individual Quran chapters laid out in a niche.
and here's a view of the central dome and massive (Austrian crystal) chandelier.
Outside the main hall of worship are several courtyards where worshippers can find a place when the main hall is full.
In the above photo you can also see carved script running around the walls; the entire Quran is written in the fabric of the buildings – albeit in a highly caligraphic style which is difficult to read, apparently.
The lines you see in these courtyards are lines along which (male only) worshippers stand and kneel to pray. The number of courtyards with these lines in really underlines that the mosque can accommodate a huge number of worshippers, the vast majority of whom will be male.
Females are by no means excluded, oh, no, absolutely not. Here is the hall where women can worship.
As you can see it's much smaller than the spaces reserved for male worshippers. This is because it is apparently OK for women to pray at home, but men have a duty to attend a mosque to pray if they can. Women pray separately from men in order that the men don't lose focus on the act of worship by catching sight of a fetching female, albeit one wrapped up in a scarf.
For a fan of architectural photography such as myself, there are many opportunities for striking photos.
We left the mosque with one final view
before heading to our next stop – the Opera House. This is a pretty monumental slab of architecture – modern because recently built (at the behest of the Sultan, who was educated in England and acquired a taste for opera there, poor sap).
Inside is, as you'd expect, very nicely done, with a posh ticket hall leading to the auditorium.
(on the extreme left you can see the security scanner whch prompted the nice guard chappie there to relieve me of my Swiss army knife for the duration of our visit, just in case I had considered running amok with it). The auditorium itself is large but not huge – a capacity of 1,100 poor unfortunates – and with a very large royal box (not a surprise, given whose idea the building was).
It's all very comfortable, with screens in the back of each seat showing the translations which are so critical when trying to make some kind of sense of the ludicrous plots that are unfolding before you.
You may have guessed that I don't like opera, and you'd be right. It's the singing that I hate, mainly. In fairness the auditorium is also used for ballet, orchestral, local and international song and theatre productions…
Anyhoo – our next stop was the Souq – Muscat Souq is in an area of the town called Mutrah. Jane was looking for some of the kind of glass receptacles that were used on our camp majlis tables:
and we thought, of course, "Souq and ye shall find". So we souqht, among the many colourful boutiques:
and were offered many, many opportunities to buy all sorts of things, but mainly Kashmiri cloth and incense; but the requisite glassware was not around, although there were some other nice scenes.
Most places were selling tourist tat, and so our occidental appearance was very much grist to the mill of the local importunate selling technique. We just said "shukran" (meaning literally "thank you" but in this context "no, thank you" and eventually escaped so that we could visit our next stop, the fortifications and Sultan's palace on the outskirts of Muscat.
The Royal Palace is stylistically a bit off the mainstream in my humble opinion – it looks more like something that Gaudi might have dreamt up.
Overlooking it is Al Mirani Fort, one of a pair of ancient forts guarding Muscat from those marauding Riffs from Nizwa (the other is called Al Jalali and is across the harbour from Al Mirani).
As you look away from the Royal Palace, you see a monumental street with monumental buildings and, at the end of it, the National Museum.
I'm not normally a great one for museums and my back and feet were aching for some respite – lunch, say; but in we went. The museum is not vast but the scope of its exhibits is, covering Oman's prehistory and history, renaissance, relationships with the world, Islam, heritage, maritime history and the land and the people. There's an airy central atrium
with lots of exhibition halls going off it. Some things were very striking, such as the relief map of an irrigation system from mother well, through habitations and finally to the plantations
which, if you look closely, is beautifully done in layered wood to show the contours.
Another such relief map illustrates clearly how Muscat nestles among mountains.
We also found an exhibit hall dedicated to the "beehive tombs"
and a selection of very imposing gates such as this one
which was made in 1126 and guarded the entrance to ash-Shibak fort. If you look closely, you can see the UK Royal Coat of Arms among the other calligraphic, floral and animal motifs. It reflects the close ties between Oman and the British East India Company in the time of the Mughals.
After such a sprint round the tourist boxes-to-be-ticked, we were ready for a break, and Rashid took us to the Turkish House for a seafood meal – wonderfully grilled prawns and some sort of snapper, accompanied by calamari, hummus, a spinach salad and some wonderful flatbread – a nice way to round off the day's touristing.
By the time we'd finished lunch (around 2.30pm) the traffic had really built up, as this was a Thursday and therefore people were heading out for the weekend. So it was a bit of a grind to get back to the hotel, but we made it in time for (complimentary) afternoon tea followed by (complimentary) G&T and an opportunity for me to update the blog. We have one more day in Muscat and you'll simply have to read the next instalment to find out how that went.
This entry was posted in Uncategorised and tagged 2019, Architecture, City Tour, February, Fort, Grand Mosque, holiday, Hud Hud Travels, Landscapes, Muscat, museum, Oman, Opera, Palace, Scenery, Souq on 1st March 2019 by Steve Walker.


He lifted her long, dark hair over her shoulders and tucked strands behind her ear. For a moment in time, it was just them.
She could give him everything except the one thing he wanted—A child. Get the book one reader called, "an emotional story about a marriage on the brink of falling apart."
THE FRIESSENS: A NEW BEGINNING: The return of The Friessen men and the women they love in this emotionally charged big family romance which follows THE OUTSIDER SERIES.


A project fresh out of Mozilla Labs should let website owners add customisable Skype-like real-time voice and chat capabilities.
Mozilla has taken the wraps off an early version of TowTruck, a Mozilla Labs project that aims to bring Skype-like collaboration to websites using new real-time capabilities shipping with Firefox and Chrome.
Sites with TowTruck enabled would feature a TowTruck icon, which users can click to bring up their user profile. A unique link generated by TowTruck can then be shared with another person to initiate a text or voice dialogue. It currently supports text-based collaboration, but also has options such as a calling icon and a microphone for WebRTC-based Audio Chat in the pipeline.
TowTruck however does not yet support voice calls, or Live Audio chat features, an "experimental feature" that is the product of the WebRTC (Web Real Time Communications) standard, whose participants include Mozilla, Google and Opera.
Mozilla notes however that Live Audio is supported in its Firefox Nightly build (for developers) and it believes the latest release of Chrome too.
"Sometime in 2013 support for this should be available in new (non-experimental) versions of Firefox, Chrome, and both Firefox and Chrome for Android," Mozilla notes on its Github Live Chat page.
The TowTruck project is working towards broader collaboration capabilities, according to its roadmap, including three-user chat, colours for different participants, the ability to create archives of TowTruck sessions, adding 'sticky' notes to collaboration documents and an excerpt tool.
The features could, for example, be used by a company's customer support team, or parties collaborating on a project. However, some features will be left to website owners to configure: enabling calls to directly be routed to a customer support team would be a matter for website owners to sort out, for example.
Google and Mozilla showed off WebRTC video conferencing capabilities in Firefox and Chrome earlier this year, which aim to provide real-time collaboration capabilities within web apps without the need for plugins.


Allure Exclusive! Tom Ford Dishes on Erykah Badu.
Tom Ford can take his pick of gorgeous, glistening models for his fragrance ads, but for his upcoming launch, White Patchouli, he chose Erykah Badu.
"I have known Erykah for a long time and I have always considered her a true beauty," says Tom. "I thought of her immediately for this ad campaign...she just fits."
Erykah's always had a really feminine, bohemian vibe to her, so yeah, I can see completely why a pretty hippie scent like White Patchouli feels right. Look out for the ads starting in September.


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Mahomes and Chiefs inflict fresh misery on Raiders, dismal Sunday for Jackson and Newton
The Kansas City Chiefs are making statement after statement as they power towards the postseason, with a 48-9 trouncing of the Las Vegas Raiders just the latest.
Andy Reid's Chiefs were somewhere near their ruthless best in the NFL on Sunday, winning a sixth straight game to improve to 9-4, Patrick Mahomes completing 20 of 24 passes for 258 yards and two touchdowns in the rout.
It moved him third all-time in the most yards thrown by a Chiefs quarterback, above Alex Smith, with a total of 17,794 yards.
Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushed for 37 yards and two touchdowns as the Chiefs looked formidable in defense and offense at Arrowhead Stadium.
A fumble on the first play from Josh Jacobs was clinically punished by Mike Hughes as the Chiefs had a dream start, and by half-time they led 35-3.
Curiously, they won and limited their opponents to exactly nine points for a third successive game, after previous successes against the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos.
Tyreek Hill went through 1,000 yards receiving for the season as he took four catches for 76 yards to reach 1,030, for his fourth 1,000-yard season in the NFL.
Mahomes was masterful though, the quarterback ending a two-game run without a TD pass by posting a season-best pass completion rate of 83.3 per cent. He stretched his record run to 20 consecutive regular season wins in QB starts in November or later.
For the Raiders, it was more of the same against the Chiefs, having become accustomed to losses in this game. They have won just three of 18 games in the rivalry since Reid was appointed head coach of the Chiefs in 2013.
JACKSON DOWN, BROWNS BOOSTED
Star quarterback Lamar Jackson was carted out of the Ravens' clash with the Cleveland Browns, and it was a day to forget for Baltimore.
A 24-22 loss means they slipped to 8-5 for the season, while the Browns improved to 7-6, bolstering their Wild Card hopes.
Jackson, doubtful pre-game with an ankle sprain, managed only four of four passes for 17 yards before taking a hit and making way for Tyler Huntley (27 of 38 for 270 yards and one TD).
The Ravens, frontrunners in the AFC North, almost pulled off a stunning comeback against their divisional rivals, having trailed 24-6 at half-time, but it proved just beyond them.
Baker Mayfield went 22-of-32 for 190 yards and two touchdowns for the Browns.
NEWTON WOES PERSIST
Cam Newton has now lost 11 straight games as a Carolina Panthers starter and held himself largely culpable for the latest in that long line.
He also became the first quarterback in NFL history with a rushing touchdown in each of his first four games of a season, but Carolina's 29-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons was a sickener for the former MVP.
He had 15 completions from 23 passes for 178 yards, splitting QB duties with PJ Walker, as turnovers and failed drives blighted the day for the Panthers.
Newton said: "Pretty much everything they did, we knew was coming. I've got to do a better job of protecting the football. I hold myself to a high standard to do those things and when it doesn't happen it's just inexcusable.
"We had such a great momentum for those drives and they were just drive killers, game killers in essence
"We were driving on both of those turnovers I had. To be optimistic, you see what we're capable of, but we've got to do it for ourselves."
Panthers QB Newton accepts part of blame for Brady's sacking
Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton has accepted some of the blame for the franchise's decision to fire offensive coordinator Joe Brady.
Brady was dismissed by Panthers head coach Matt Rhule earlier this week in the wake of their 33-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins.
The Panthers have lost three of their past four games and are 5-7 across the season, sitting second in the NFC South behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-3).
Newton, who returned to the Panthers last month for a second stint, has completed 29 of 52 attempts for 289 yards for three touchdowns in his three games for Carolina this season.
The quarterback failed to land any touchdowns with a 23.8 percent completion rate with two interceptions in the defeat to the Dolphins prior to their bye, making five of 21 attempts for 92 yards
"Do I think I had something to do with it?" Newton told reporters on Thursday when asked about Brady's dismissal. "The competitor in me, absolutely, yes. Because the truth of the matter is you don't lose your job because of success.
"Where I'm at now is doing what I can control to make sure that I have a job, too. Let's just be honest."
The Panthers' struggles on offense have been present before Newton's return to Carolina, having gone three straight games without a touchdown with Sam Darnold at QB.
Jeff Nixon has been handed the role as the Panthers' new offensive coordinator.
"I'm not going to lie, I'm proud to be in the position I'm in," Nixon said. "I'm extremely happy Coach Rhule gave me this opportunity. I'm going to try to make the most of it.
"I know in the past there really hasn't been a lot of people who look like me in this position, so I don't take that lightly. I'm going to do my best and try to represent others like me and do the best job I can."
Newton added: "I'm here to win. When we win, everyone else gets promotions. When we don't, people get cut along the way."
Cam Newton to remain Panthers starter despite benching against Dolphins
Cam Newton was benched after producing a poor display against the Miami Dolphins but the Carolina Panthers do not expect to change their starting quarterback.
A miserable Sunday for the Panthers saw them go down to a 33-10 loss in Miami, their third defeat in four games.
It was a rough outing for former MVP Newton, who recently returned to the team with whom he made his name as a free agent signing.
He completed only five of his 21 passes for 92 yards and two interceptions, adding one touchdown on the ground.
Newton was replaced by P.J. Walker with the Panthers (5-7) down 20 in the closing stages, head coach Matt Rhule later explaining the backup had a better grasp of the two-minute offense.
Ex-New England Patriots QB Newton hopes to use the Panthers' bye week to get more familiar with the system before a Week 14 divisional game at home to the Atlanta Falcons.
And Rhule, who cited poor pass protection in explaining Newton's struggles, is not planning to make a move at a position where Sam Darnold and Walker have previously started for the team this season.
"I'm not making any changes right now," Rhule said after the game. "At the end of the day, we weren't protecting the quarterback at all.
"It wouldn't be fair to keep Cam in there and keep getting him hit.''
NFL Research said Newton's completion percentage of just 23.8 was the lowest by a QB with 20-plus attempts in a game since 2004.
Newton, who had looked much better in the narrow loss at Washington last week, had no complaints about Rhule's decision to take him out of the Dolphins game.
"I was fine with that,'' said Newton. "At the end of the day, it's still about being a professional.
"At that particular point, I had more than enough opportunities to keep the game in the balance. There's no need to put up a fight with that.
"It really got exposed because of the situation, not having a full grasp [of the offense]. Nobody to blame, more so the situation I came into.
"Having this week to kind of self-scout and dive into what the root of this offense is all about, that's what I plan on doing."
Newton added: "This is the NFL. Nothing's promised.
"Just because Cam Newton's on your roster doesn't mean you're just gonna win. Just because it's a feel-good story doesn't mean you're gonna win. I'm well aware of that."
It was a much better day for the Dolphins, who have now won four straight games to rally from a woeful 1-7 start to a 5-7 record.
Tua Tagovailoa was on the money with 27 completions from just 31 pass attempts for 230 yards and a touchdown.
He became only the fourth player in NFL history to record a completion percentage of 80 or more in consecutive games (minimum 30 pass attempts).
The only two QBs to have achieved the feat before this season are Peyton Manning and Drew Brees, while Kyler Murray also did so for the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2 and 3 of this year.
There were other landmarks for the Dolphins too. Cornerback Xavien Howard claimed one of the interceptions on Newton to reach 25 for his career.
The pick meant he surpassed Marcus Peters to become the fastest player to reach 25 interceptions since 1990, doing so in just 67 games.
And rookie wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, who had nine catches for a career-high 137 yards, now has 77 receptions through his first 12 career games.
That is the second-best tally in NFL history behind only Odell Beckham Jr (91), who made an explosive start to his career with the New York Giants in 2014.
Can Cam Newton rescue the Panthers' season?
Sequels rarely live up to the standard of the original. While Cam Newton's return to the Carolina Panthers stands as one of the most sentimentally fulfilling stories of the 2021 NFL season, the odds of him living up to his achievements during his spectacular first spell with the team are slim.
Yet through two appearances and one start, Newton's second act in Charlotte appears to be one worthy of the price of admission, if not one that will yield the honours that came during their initial nine-season association.
The Panthers lost in Week 11 with Newton starting at quarterback, a 27-21 defeat to the Washington Football Team and former Carolina coach Ron Rivera dealing a significant blow to hopes of securing a Wild Card berth in the NFC.
But the Panthers are a long way from being dead in the water and, while Newton is not the player he was when he won the MVP in 2015, his performance against Washington at least suggested his encouraging play in preseason for the New England Patriots was not a mirage.
At 5-6, Carolina can ill-afford too many more slip-ups if the Panthers are to return to the playoffs, raising the question: can Cam Newton save their season?
An upgrade over Darnold
It's a very small sample size, but the early evidence indicates Newton, the man head coach Matt Rhule and the Panthers let go after the 2019 season, represents an upgrade of his most recent batch of successors.
In the defeat to Washington, Newton delivered an accurate, well-thrown ball on 81.5 per cent of his passes, according to Stats Perform data, and did not throw a single interceptable pass.
Newton was brought back to replace the injured Sam Darnold, whom the Panthers traded for in the offseason. Darnold's well-thrown percentage of 80 for the season is still above the league average of 78.5, but his pickable pass rate of 4.21 per cent is inferior to the league-wide average of 3.62, Carolina's hopes of turning around his career after a dismal start with the New York Jets quickly fading.
The threat posed by Newton's athletic upside was also apparent last week. He averaged 5.86 yards per carry on designed runs, including a 24-yard rushing touchdown on a perfectly executed zone-read.
Prior to that score, Newton threw the Panthers' first touchdown of the game by faking a quarterback draw up the middle to draw up the two safeties and a middle linebacker guarding the endzone, giving him a much simpler throw to D.J. Moore on the slant route.
Darnold can himself make an impact with his legs, however, the combination of Newton's accuracy throwing the ball and his more pronounced threat on the ground led to an exciting albeit losing effort that gives optimism the Panthers' offense can be more potent as he digests Joe Brady's playbook.
Yet one element of his supporting cast may limit the ceiling of a Newton-led attack.
Protection issues a pressing concern
Newton is not short of elite talent around him. Christian McCaffrey delivered a reminder of his status as one of the game's top all-round running backs last Sunday. He demonstrated his burst by averaging 3.7 yards before contact per attempt and his ability to evade defenders in the backfield with an average of 5.5 yards per carry on rush attempts where there was a rush disruption.
Additionally, McCaffrey hauled in a 27-yard touchdown pass from Newton, one on which the quarterback showcased exquisite touch and placement to loft the ball over the outstretched arm of a linebacker and into the running back's grasp.
Top receiver Moore is producing a burn, which is when a receiver wins his matchup with a defender when he is targeted, 68 per cent of the time, with his burn yards per route average of 3.3 putting him tied for 11th among wideouts with at least 10 targets.
Newton and McCaffrey being on the field at the same time can put defenses in a significant bind when faced with the zone-read, as Newton's rushing score against Washington proved, with both substantial threats to gain major yardage on the ground.
Moore's continued ascension gives Newton a bonafide number one receiver, yet the impact of having two top-tier skill-position weapons will be mitigated if the Panthers cannot improve on the offensive line.
Indeed, the Panthers entered Week 12 ranked 30th in pass protection win percentage while only the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets have allowed more quarterback pressures than Carolina's 204.
Even in his 11th season, Newton boasts a skill set ideally suited to the modern game and has the weapons to succeed, yet his ability to do so will be restricted if he is under duress as much as Panthers signal-callers have been in 2021.
Home stretch filled with obstacles
The hope for Carolina this month comes in the form of that Dolphins offensive line, which a Panthers defense allowing the second-fewest yards per play (4.91) in the NFL faces in Week 12.
Yet beyond this week and games with the Atlanta Falcons and a seemingly crumbling New Orleans Saints team, the schedule offers little for the Panthers to get excited about.
They face defending Super Bowl champions the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and quarterback Tom Brady, unlikely to be daunted by the Carolina defense, twice before the end of the regular season, while a Buffalo Bills team whose defense is well-positioned to take advantage of poor pass protection and whose offense is tied for the league lead with 37 touchdowns host the Panthers in Week 15.
Carolina's remaining schedule is the eighth toughest in the NFL by winning percentage and, in a race for the Wild Card spots with three surging teams in the Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles, the chances of the Panthers overcoming such a hurdle look small, particularly given the potentially fatal flaw they have up front.
Still, the combination of Newton, McCaffrey, Moore and one of the most efficient defenses in the league at least offers reason for hope. Can Newton save Carolina's season? Probably not, but he gives them a better shot than any other quarterback they have started this season.
Cam Newton to start for Panthers in Week 11
The Carolina Panthers will start Cam Newton at quarterback against the Washington Football Team on Sunday.
Head coach Matt Rhule said earlier in the week that the Panthers were "trending" towards starting Newton.
And he confirmed on Friday that the franchise's first overall pick in 2011, who returned for a second spell last week, would get the start under center in Week 11.
Newton will come up against a Washington team led by Ron Rivera, previously his coach in Carolina.
"He's really done a nice job learning the game plan for this week,'' Rhule said of the QB. "He's worked really hard. He's really a smart player. Really a smart quarterback.''
"The energy is awesome. I don't mean to ever diminish it. I just love the fact that he's on the practice field, he throws his last ball each period, turns and runs a lap and runs back. It's way more to me about the example being set.
"We all understand Cam is a force of nature almost in terms of the things he brings. But I don't want it to be all that people realise. What I see is a true professional that wants to win and puts the time in.''.
Newton made his second debut against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday and had an instant impact, producing two moments that will live long in the memory.
His first touch saw him find the endzone on a two-yard run to give the Panthers the lead, and on his second he connected with Robby Anderson on a two-yard touchdown pass as Carolina cruised to a 34-10 win.
P.J. Walker was the starter at Arizona, and Rhule suggested he will still get some snaps in relief of Newton against Washington as the Panthers look to boost their playoff hopes and move to 6-5.
"We'll have both guys ready," he added. "Game plan wise, we could see a myriad of different things happen.''
Cowboys take top-scoring offense to Arrowhead, Newton reunited with Rivera
Will the NFL return to some form of normality this week? Maybe... or maybe not.
Even in this season of shock results without any clear Super Bowl favourite, Week 10 stood out for its sheer number of upsets.
The defending champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers were stunned by the Washington Football Team, the Miami Dolphins overturned the Baltimore Ravens and the short-handed league-leading Arizona Cardinals lost to the Carolina Panthers.
When the San Francisco 49ers then beat NFC West rivals the Los Angeles Rams in Monday Night Football, it became the first week in NFL history in which four teams had won by double-digits having entered the week at least four wins behind their opponents.
Week 11 looks no easier to call, and there are plenty of intriguing matchups before even considering the potential for further setbacks for some favourites.
Dallas Cowboys (7-2) @ Kansas City Chiefs (6-4)
With Patrick Mahomes back on form, two of the best teams in the NFL should be set for a titanic tussle at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday.
Mahomes, setting aside his shaky displays to that point, threw for 406 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions against the Las Vegas Raiders last week, becoming the first quarterback in the Super Bowl era to have two games of 400-plus passing yards, five-plus TD passes and no picks in his career.
The 41-14 win represented the league-leading 10th time the Chiefs have scored 40 points in a game since the start of the 2018 season, yet they were topped by the Cowboys, whose 43-3 defeat of the Atlanta Falcons was their biggest since a 48-7 victory over Arizona in 2000.
The Cowboys have gone 5-2-1 all-time previously in games following a win of at least 40 points (including playoffs), but this was an unprecedented success. The team's 29 points in the second quarter in Week 10 were their most in a single quarter of any game in their history.
Indianapolis Colts (5-5) @ Buffalo Bills (6-3)
Neither the Chiefs nor the Cowboys can match the Bills' average winning margin of 26.3 points this year. That is the highest mark in the NFL, having been boosted by last week's 45-17 victory over the New York Jets, their NFL-leading sixth win by 15 or more points.
The Cowboys are ahead of the Bills in points per game, but Buffalo have given up the fewest points per game. The last team to lead on both offense and defense in this regard were the 2005 Colts.
The achievements of this year's Colts team have been rather more modest. Their five wins have come against teams with a combined record of 13-34 (.261).
Still, Jonathan Taylor has excelled, scoring a rushing touchdown in seven straight games – the last NFL player to reach eight was DeAngelo Williams in 2008. In fact, there is rushing talent on both sides of the ball, with the Bills last week having four different players score rushing TDs for the first time in team history.
Arizona Cardinals (8-2) @ Seattle Seahawks (3-6)
Another week, another big NFC West game. The Cardinals' form has tailed away a little since Kyler Murray's injury, but they are still unbeaten on the road and looking to start 6-0 away from home for only the second time in franchise history.
Meanwhile, the Seahawks have their starting QB back, but Russell Wilson did little to help their offense against the Green Bay Packers. He was shut out for the first time in his NFL career in his 166th start (including playoffs).
Seattle's problems on that side of the ball did not end there, though. They were held to under 100 rushing yards for a third consecutive game for the first time since the end of the 2016 season, while only twice in the 21st century have they seen such a streak extended to four games.
Whether or not the Seahawks recover this week, history suggests they are likely to be able to stick with the Cardinals. Six of the past 10 meetings between the teams have been decided by three points or fewer.
Elsewhere...
Cam Newton's Panthers face Ron Rivera's Washington, their first meeting since both left Carolina (Newton returned last week). This is the third time since 2010 a former MVP QB has faced the coach he won his award with, following Peyton Manning versus Jim Caldwell in 2015 and Tom Brady against Bill Belichick earlier this season.
The 49ers are now 4-1 when Jimmy Garoppolo's passer rating is above 100.0 this year (141.7 vs. the Rams) and 0-3 when it is not. He was helped last week by a season-high 156 rushing yards, keeping San Francisco's offense on the ball for just over 39 minutes. They should expect more of the same against the Jacksonville Jaguars, who have failed to force a turnover in six games this season.
The Cincinnati Bengals need both of their former LSU stars to rediscover some form at the Raiders. Joe Burrow has thrown an interception in five straight games, the longest active streak in the NFL, while Ja'Marr Chase – surely not helped by his QB's struggles – has fallen short of 50 receiving yards in consecutive games after making that mark in his first seven appearances.
The Detroit Lions will hope to learn from next opponents the Cleveland Browns, who have returned to contention since in 2018 becoming the first team in the Super Bowl era to end a losing streak of 10-plus games with a tie. Last week, against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Lions became the second.
Panthers 'trending' toward starting Newton, says Rhule
The Carolina Panthers are "trending" toward starting Cam Newton at quarterback for their Week 11 clash with the Washington Football Team.
Carolina last week brought their 2011 first overall pick and 2015 MVP Newton back on a one-year deal having parted company with him after the 2019 campaign.
Newton, who was released by the New England Patriots before the start of this season, made his second debut against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday and had an instant impact.
P.J. Walker got the start in the absence of the injured Sam Darnold but it was Newton who produced the moments that will live long in the memory.
His first touch saw him find the endzone on a two-yard run to give the Panthers the lead, with his second seeing him connect with Robby Anderson on a two-yard touchdown pass as Carolina cruised to a 34-10 win.
Both Walker and Newton are in a position physically to start, but head coach Matt Rhule indicated it is the latter who will likely do so as the Panthers aim to boost their playoff hopes by moving to 6-5.
"You know, I think we're probably trending that way to be quite honest with you. I'm not gonna probably pull that trigger 'til later," Rhule said of Newton starting.
"But I think, and I was pretty transparent the other day, in terms of wanting to push him into that role I think it's good for our team.
"But we're getting P.J. ready as well. As I said, gameplan-wise, I think we could see a myriad of different things happen."
Panthers aglow as Cam Newton's sensational return sparks rout of Cardinals
The Carolina Panthers had been listless through the middle of the NFL season, losing five of their last six games entering Sunday's contest and lacking an identity on offence under quarterback Sam Darnold.
Carolina's move to bring back franchise icon Cam Newton on Thursday electrified the fan base, with children all over Charlotte pulling old Newton jerseys out of their closets to wear to school on Friday.
Once Newton stepped on the field against a one-loss Arizona Cardinals team, the feel-good story got even better, as he generated touchdowns on his first two snaps of the game and inspired the Panthers to a 34-10 rout.
After running the ball in from two yards out for a score on his first play of the season, Newton ripped his helmet off and screamed "I'm back!" at the television cameras.
The Panthers could not have been happier, as they got back to .500 at 5-5 and steadied themselves in the NFC playoff picture, where they currently sit seventh.
"The energy was crazy today," said Panthers linebacker – and former Cardinal – Haason Reddick. "It was on a different level."
Newton was at the center of it, but the former MVP tried in his inimitable way to deflect credit after the game.
"I'll put it like this: This time last week, I was eating a bowl of cereal. You feel me?" Newton told reporters.
"So, that just puts things into perspective. After going to church, being with my children and really not even watching football; it was just about maximising the person I need to be and so for that it was just all a rush of emotions.
"But yet I know a lot of people in the media, the titles of the newspapers, the blogs, they want to make it about me and it's not about me and I keep saying this. This was an impeccable team win."
Panthers head coach Matt Rhule echoed the latter sentiment, praising quarterback P.J. Walker for his performance but declining to commit to giving him another start next week.
"That was fun today," Rhule said. "Let's let it be fun."
Considering the Panthers return home next week to host the Washington Football Team, led by long-time Panthers coach Ron Rivera, Bank of America Stadium would be at a fever pitch if Newton did indeed get the start after a full week of practice.
The 32-year-old Newton played only eight snaps in Arizona but was the center of attention before, during and after the game.
Asked how much of the Panthers' playbook he had a chance to learn in the handful of days since he signed, Newton replied, "Two touchdowns' worth."
Rodgers leads Packers to shutout of Wilson's Seahawks in return, Newton dazzles as Panthers crush Cardinals
It took Aaron Rodgers a while to find his rhythm as he returned on Sunday, but the Green Bay Packers' defence eased the way for him in a 17-0 victory over the Seattle Seahawks.
Rodgers missed the Packers' Week 9 loss at the Kansas City Chiefs after testing positive for COVID-19 and sat out practice all this week before being cleared to play on Saturday.
That rust was evident in his comeback as the Packers (8-2) could not find the end zone until AJ Dillon rushed for the first of his two fourth-quarter touchdowns with 10:37 to play in the game.
Rodgers ended up completing 23 of 37 passes for 292 yards with an interception, but the good news for Green Bay was that Seahawks star Russell Wilson was even less effective in his own return.
Seattle (3-6) were shut out for the first time ever with Wilson at quarterback after he went just 20-of-40 passing for 161 yards with a pair of interceptions and was sacked three times.
Wilson's 39.7 passer rating was the fourth-worst of his 166 career regular-season and playoff games following his comeback from finger surgery.
Panthers pound Cardinals in Newton's return
Just three days after signing with his former team, Cam Newton made an immediate impact for the Carolina Panthers as they handed the Arizona Cardinals just their second loss of the season with a 34-10 defeat.
Carolina drove deep into Arizona territory on their first two possessions of the game and sent Newton in to replace starter P.J. Walker at quarterback, with the Panthers favourite running for and passing for touchdowns on his first two snaps.
Those scores put Carolina (5-5) on the path to a 23-0 half-time lead and Arizona (8-2) could not find a way back with Kyler Murray still absent due to an ankle injury. While his backup Colt McCoy played well in a Week 9 victory, he completed just 11 of 20 passes for 107 yards with no touchdowns and an interception against Carolina.
Walker was 22-of-29 passing for 167 yards with an interception for Carolina, while Christian McCaffrey led all players with 95 rushing yards and 66 receiving yards.
Former MVP Newton 'still floating' about Panthers return
Cam Newton said he is "still floating" following his return to the Carolina Panthers.
Newton was released by the New England Patriots in August but earned a chance with the Panthers after a shoulder injury to starting quarterback Sam Darnold.
Veteran QB Newton spent nine years with the Panthers from 2011 to 2019, winning the 2015 NFL MVP and earning three Pro-Bowl selections.
"Honestly, I'm still floating," Newton told reporters on Friday, after signing a one-year deal worth up to $10million.
He added: "This ain't for no ploy. This ain't for no ticket sales. This ain't for no Cinderella story. It's to win football games. That's pretty much what's on my heart, and that's how I'm going about it."
The Panthers released Newton in 2019 after giving him permission to seek a trade, eventually joining the Patriots as a free agent. Newton insisted there were no hard feelings from that.
"Were there disconnects in the past? It's irrelevant," Newton said. "The fact that we're able to make what may seem a lot of wrongs or some wrongs right, that's the most exciting thing about it.
"To hell with feelings. It would be the biggest right and wrong by just winning football games."
The Panthers, who are 4-5, placed Darnold on injured reserve on Friday with his shoulder injury expected to take four to six weeks to heal.
P.J. Walker will start at quarterback for Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals, although Newton is expected to come into starting calculations for the following week's game against the Washington Football Team.
Cam Newton returns to Panthers after Sam Darnold injury
The Carolina Panthers have re-signed former number one overall pick Cam Newton after first-choice quarterback Sam Darnold suffered a shoulder injury.
Darnold was placed on injured reserve on Wednesday, leaving the 4-5 Panthers short under center with P.J. Walker set for his second NFL start against the Arizona Cardinals.
However, the Panthers moved quickly on Thursday to agree a deal for a free agent they know well.
Newton was released by the New England Patriots in training camp this year as Bill Belichick instead went with rookie QB Mac Jones in Foxborough.
The dual-threat QB had also been released by Carolina following the 2019 season, moving on under new coach Matt Rhule following an injury-hit year.
Newton played only two games in 2019 due to a Lisfranc fracture in Week 2, having only returned from a shoulder issue at the start of the season.
Having been the league MVP in 2015 with the Panthers, throwing 35 touchdown passes and rushing for a further 10 scores, Newton's performances with New England were rather more ordinary.
Still retaining that same athleticism, the 32-year-old had 12 rushing TDs in 2020, his most in any season since his rookie year.
But Newton was poor through the air, tossing eight TDs to 10 interceptions and moving the ball just 7.07 air yards per attempt as the Pats ranked 23rd for yards per passing play (6.06).
That might still represent an upgrade on Darnold, though, who has the Panthers 30th by the same metric this year with 5.42 yards per play.
Like Newton, Darnold has provided a threat with his legs, scoring five rushing TDs, but he has thrown only seven scores to 11 picks.
Carolina exercised Darnold's fifth-year option following his trade from the New York Jets but will now be paying former favourite Newton up to $10million to potentially fill his boots this year, according to reports. That includes $4.5m guaranteed and a $1.5m roster bonus.
Rookie Jones not surprised to be named Patriots' starting QB
The New England Patriots drafted Mac Jones to be their quarterback of the future, but the rookie is not surprised that future will start in Week 1 of the NFL season.
Jones beat out incumbent starter Cam Newton, who was released last week, and will be under center in Sunday's season opener against the Miami Dolphins.
In an interview Tuesday with Boston radio station WEEI, Jones said he was "not really" caught off-guard when he learned in a team meeting that he had won the job.
"I mean, like I always say, I prepare to be the starter and every day you come in and I got the chance to get a lot of reps, so nothing really changes," Jones said. "Just trying to be a good teammate.
"Trying to learn the plays every day and fix what I messed up on, listen to [offensive coordinator] Josh [McDaniels] and all the guys in the quarterbacks room, you just take their advice like I always have since I have been here.
"Like I said, nothing really changes. It's exciting."
Jones, who turned 23 on Sunday, led Alabama to the College Football Playoff national championship last season. He completed a record 77.4 per cent of his passes while throwing for 4,500 yards with 41 touchdowns and just four interceptions.
While his resume was as impressive as any rookie's, the jump to the NFL can be daunting. Jones said Newton was a mentor to him throughout the off-season and training camp and was helpful throughout even though they were competing for a job.
"Obviously Cam is a great guy, a great player, and hopefully he lands somewhere," Jones said. "I definitely learned a lot from him and I'm excited to keep learning from Brian [Hoyer] and everyone in the quarterback room."
Jones has been impressive throughout the pre-season, completing 36 of 52 passes (69.2 per cent) for 389 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions as the Patriots won all three of their games.
Beginning Sunday, the stakes will be much higher, and Jones knows he will have to perform to maintain his role. That would be true anywhere in the NFL, but the pressure figures to be turned up given New England's championship pedigree.
"It is a great opportunity and it's something I have always wanted to do - be a NFL starting quarterback," Jones said. "But like I said, it doesn't really mean much. The label is the label, but you've got to go out and produce and that's just what it comes down to."
Patriots cut Cam Newton, set to start Mac Jones
Cam Newton has been cut by the New England Patriots, according to widespread reports, leaving Mac Jones as the new starting quarterback.
Newton and Jones had appeared in a battle for the starting spot ahead of the 2021 season.
On Sunday, after the Pats' final preseason game against the New York Giants, coach Bill Belichick refused to declare his starter, saying: "We still have decisions to make."
But Newton played just 39 snaps in preseason, also missing five days due to a "misunderstanding" relating to COVID-19 tests. He has now been released.
The decision clears a path for Jones, a first-round pick who led Alabama to the College Football Playoff National Championship this year.
Belichick will hope the 22-year-old can be a long-term replacement for Tom Brady, who left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before last season and went on to win the Super Bowl.
Newton was signed as a free agent to fill the void but completed just 65.8 per cent of his passes for 2,657 yards, eight touchdowns and 10 interceptions across 15 regular season games.
Although the 32-year-old did rush for 12 touchdowns – the most since 14 in his rookie year with Carolina Panthers in 2011 – even his underlying numbers through the air were poor.
Newton delivered a well-thrown, accurate ball on 76.1 per cent of his passes while averaging 7.07 air yards, below the 2020 league averages for quarterbacks with at least 100 attempts in both metrics (78.0 per cent and 8.16).
The departing three-time Pro Bowler was still handed a one-year contract ahead of Jones' arrival, but New England have clearly seen enough from the rookie in preseason.
At Alabama, Jones showed himself to be far more effective through the air than the man he will be replacing as starter. His 83.21 well-thrown percentage ranked third in the Power 5 in 2020.
Newton out until Thursday for Patriots due to COVID protocols
Cam Newton will be away from the New England Patriots' facility until Thursday due to coronavirus protocols following a "misunderstanding" about daily testing.
Newton is seen as the frontrunner in his competition with rookie first-round pick Mac Jones to be the Patriots' starting quarterback.
However, he will now miss time as the Patriots take part in joint practices with the New York Giants ahead of their preseason finale on Sunday.
Explaining Newton's absence, a Patriots statement read: "On Saturday, Cam Newton travelled to a club-approved medical appointment that required him to leave the New England area. He received daily COVID tests, which were all negative.
"Due to a misunderstanding about tests conducted away from NFL facilities, and as required by the NFL-NFLPA protocols, Cam will be subject to the five-day entry cadence process before returning to the facility.
"Cam will continue participating virtually in team activities and return to the club facility on Thursday, August 26."
Only players who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 are subject to the five-day re-entry process.
Newton and Jones have each impressed in preseason for the Patriots and had little difficulty moving the ball against second and third-stringers in their 35-0 rout of the Philadelphia Eagles last time out.
Former MVP Newton went eight of nine for 103 yards and a touchdown while Jones completed 13 of his 19 pass attempts for 146 yards.
Newton missed one game last season after testing positive for COVID-19. Across 15 games, he completed 65.8 per cent of his passes for 2,657 yards, eight touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
While his numbers through the air were disappointing, he did rush for 12 touchdowns, Newton's most since his rookie year with the Carolina Panthers in 2011 (14).
The 2020 season saw Newton, according to Stats Perform data, perform below the average in well-thrown percentage and air yards per attempt. He delivered a well-thrown, accurate ball on 76.1 per cent of his passes while averaging 7.07 air yards. The league averages for quarterbacks with at least 100 attempts in those metrics in 2020 was 78.0 per cent well-thrown and 8.16 air yards.
Jones, who was third in the Power 5 with a well-thrown percentage of 83.21 in his final season at Alabama last year, now has a chance to further his claim to the starting job with extra practice reps as Newton sits out.
Cam Newton still doesn't know if he will get Pats starting job
Bill Belichick is keeping everyone in the dark about who will start under center for the New England Patriots this season – including the quarterbacks themselves.
Cam Newton revealed on Monday he does not know whether he will be preferred to Mac Jones for the Week 1 game against the Miami Dolphins on September 12.
"No, [Belichick] hasn't said that," he said on Monday. "It is what it is.
"Every single day, I'm coming out here with the anticipation to just get better, and that's the only thing that I can do, so I can control that."
Newton is returning in 2021 after a difficult first year with the Patriots following Tom Brady's departure for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The former Carolina Panthers QB, who was the MVP in 2015, threw for 2,657 yards and eight touchdowns – his lowest career marks across a full season – as well as 10 interceptions.
Starting 15 games after seeing his final campaign in Carolina disrupted by injury, Newton's arm appeared to be impacted as he threw for just 7.07 air yards on average.
His 103 carries excluding scrambles led the NFL at his position, but his 4.06 yards per carry were comfortably below average.
Newton now has competition from Jones, who was selected with the 15th overall pick after leading Alabama to the College Football Playoff National Championship title.
Jones put up 4,500 yards, 41 TDs and only four picks, ranking first among Power 5 QBs in completion percentage (79.1) and third in well-thrown percentage (83.2).
The 22-year-old was also below par in air yards (8.52) and yards per carry (2.09), however.
Newton is widely expected to start ahead of Jones for now, but the three-time Pro Bowler understands the reasons for such questions.
"I don't take it personal," Newton said. "I just want you guys to understand everything you know I know. There's no hidden motives or things like that.
"I do know those things like that I can't worry about, because each and every day I don't necessarily care about who's starting.
"I mostly care about making sure I put the best product out there for me. I know Mac is feeling the same, and I know Brian [Hoyer] is feeling the same way, and everyone else, going down each and every position.
"As far as Week 1, we have so much to worry about prior to Week 1; that's where my focus is right now."
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text:
Charges against mentally disabled man accused…
Charges against mentally disabled man accused of molesting child are dismissed
By Jessica Fender | The Denver Post
April 4, 2012 at 10:23 a.m.
CASTLE ROCK — Tyler Sanchez bashfully raised a pant leg, exposing to a flock of family members gathered at the Douglas County District courthouse today the bare ankle that for years had been ringed by a GPS monitor.
There were cheers and an assembly line of hugs.
Nearly three years after the developmentally disabled Sanchez, 21, was accused of breaking into the second-story bedroom of a Parker girl and molesting her, a district court judge dismissed the charges against him.
Troubled from the start, the case finally collapsed under the weight of a lengthy psychological evaluation showed Sanchez' overwhelming shyness and anxiety issues — not guilt — caused him to pen the confession that was the prosecution's last remaining evidence against him.
His defense attorney Iris Eytan said Sanchez' case underscores the need for training among law enforcement in how to deal with suspects who have disabilities.
His family is just relieved that the lengthy potential prison sentence — up to a lifetime — is no longer hanging over Sanchez' head, though it doesn't quite seem real yet.
"We're just kind of numb," said Cindy Sanchez, Tyler's mom. "This has been the normal way of life for the last three years."
The ordeal began the early morning hours of July 17, 2009, a week after the break in at the 8-year-old victim's home.
Parker Police spotted Sanchez driving home from work in his black McDonald's uniform shortly after a homeowner reported a dark-clad intruder in his backyard.
Sanchez was sweating and nervous when officers questioned him, so they brought him in for questioning.
During interrogations over the span of 17 hours , Sanchez confessed to the backyard trespass and a number of other break-ins in the area, including the July 10, 2009 sexual assault on the girl.
As the case proceeded in court, the pieces of evidence used to charge Sanchez with Class 3 felony sexual assault on a child soon began to fall apart.
Sanchez didn't match the victim's description of the assailant; male DNA found on her underwear wasn't his; and the litany of other break-ins he confessed to were eventually pinned on other perpetrators.
After conflicting mental health reports from two different doctors, the court ordered a third, more thorough exam that noted in early March that Sanchez' hearing impairment, anxiety disorder and borderline intellectual functioning left him likely to tell police what they wanted to hear and unable to competently waive his Miranda rights.
"Once we got the report, we were persuaded that we can no longer go forward with our case," 18th Judicial District Chief Deputy District Attorney John Topolnicki told the court.
Topolnicki further comment until a related case is resolved. While the sex assault case was dropped, Sanchez still faces a misdemeanor trespassing charge related the the July 17, 2009 backyard incident.
In a prepared statement released late Wednesday, the 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office noted that Topolnicki was their most experienced prosecutor and defended how detectives investigated the case.
"The police did not use coercive interrogation techniques and there has never been a court finding that improper techniques were used," Topolnicki said in the statement. "Law enforcement understandably believed the defendant was being evasive."
Defense attorney Eytan pointed out the case dismissal means whoever truly broke into the girl's bedroom could still be out there. The victim's family did not immediately return a call for comment.
"On it's face this case should not have stood this long in this courthouse in the state of Colorado," Eytan said. "This has been a travesty."
Sanchez — a man of few words — said he'll continue to work his two fast-food jobs and that he's grateful to family and friends who supported him. As for the justice system, "I could say a bad word, but…" he trailed off.
His more exuberant long-term girlfriend Michelle Hamilton has her own post-dismissal designs.
"Now we can get married!" she said.
Jessica Fender: 303-954-1244 or jfender@denverpost.com
Jessica Fender
Interstate 70 westbound reopened in Aurora after multi-vehicle crash
Colorado's historic hotels are great base camps for winter fun
Denver 8th-most expensive metro to buy a house, just $4k below New York City on Zillow Home Price Index
Beer |
Denver brewery reborn after 18-month closure


text:
package mil.nga.geopackage.extension.coverage;

/**
 * Tile Gridded Coverage Data Algorithm interpolation enumeration types
 *
 * @author osbornb
 * @since 2.0.1
 */
public enum CoverageDataAlgorithm {

	/**
	 * Selects the value of the nearest point and does not consider the values
	 * of neighboring points at all
	 */
	NEAREST_NEIGHBOR,

	/**
	 * Performs linear interpolation first in one direction, and then again in
	 * the other direction
	 */
	BILINEAR,

	/**
	 * Considers 16 pixels to interpolate each value
	 */
	BICUBIC;

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Stockholm Centraal (Stockholm C) is het hoofdstation van Stockholm en tevens het drukste van heel Zweden. Het station ligt op Norrmalm en werd op 18 juli 1871 geopend. Met gemiddeld 220.000 bezoekers per dag is het zelfs het grootste station van heel Scandinavië. Vanaf dit station vertrekken treinen in alle richtingen vanaf 18 sporen. Het ondergrondse metrostation T-Centralen ligt naast het treinstation.

Indeling
Het station bestaat uit drie spoorgebieden.

Noordelijke hal - spoor 1-7
 Spoor 1 en 2 zijn in gebruik door de luchthavenpendel Arlanda Express. Door een afwijkende perronhoogte kunnen geen andere treinen hier stoppen.
 Spoor 3 en 5 zijn in gebruik door verschillende SJ-treinen, o.a. de regionale trek-duwtrein van/naar Uppsala. De sporen 4 en 5 worden ook gebruikt voor slaaptreinen naar Narvik.
 Spoor 6 en 7 werden gebruikt door intercitytreinen, meest dubbeldekstreinstellen

Spoor 8 en 10 tot 19 - hoofdgebied
 Spoor 8 werd bediend door sommige X2000-treinen.
 De sporen 10 tot 13 worden gebruikt door de nachttreindienst tussen Luleå en Göteborg, de regionale dienst tussen Gävle en Linköping,
 Spoor 14 tot 16 werd gebruikt door de stadsgewestelijke treinen van Stockholmståg/SL, nu worden ze voor de overige treinen gebruikt.
 Spoor 15 tot 19 is in gebruik voor alle treinen in zuidelijke richting en is het eindpunt van de Hoofdlijn Zuid.

Stockholm City
Op 10 juli 2017 is het station Stockholm City aan de Citylijn-spoortunnel geopend voor de pendeltåg (stadsgewestelijke trein). Hierdoor stoppen de stadsgewestelijke treinen niet meer op de sporen 14-16, is station Karlberg vervallen en is er ruimte vrij voor de overige treinen. Dit station ligt diep onder grond, ongeveer 40-45 meter. De reden hiervoor is dat het treinstation onder het metrostation T-Centralen ligt, dat al vrij diep onder de grond ligt.

Stockholm-Centraal
Verkeer en vervoer in Stockholm
Bouwwerk in Stockholm

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
IRAQI PRESIDENCY
President Receives a Phone Call from US Secretary of State
The President, Receiving Jordan's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Asserts that Wars and Armed Conflicts need to be Averted in the Region
President Checks on Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani's Condition after his Recent Health Problem.
The President Hosts Presidencies' Meeting at al-Salam Palace
President Meets with Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister
The President Sends Cable of Congratulations to Oman's new Sultan
President Mourns Passing of Oman's Sultan Qaboos
The President, On the Anniversary Celebrating of Founding Iraqi Police, Appreciates Sacrifices Made by Iraq's Police to Protect Citizens
The President, Meeting with Turkey's Foreign Minister, Discusses the Recent Events Unfolding in the Region
The President Welcomes Ambassadors of Britain, France, Germany to Baghdad
The President Receives UK Ambassador
President Meets with Ambassador Huth
The President, in a Phone Call with UN's Antonio Guterres, Discusses Regional and Global Developments
The President, Meeting SRSG Hennis-Plasschaert, Stresses Iraq Must not be Turned into a Battleground for Settling Regional and International Disputes
The President Congratulates Iraqi Army on 99th Anniversary of Founding
The President Talks with his Iranian Counterpart by Telephone
Barham Salih in his First Tour Visits al-Mutanabi Street and Meet with its Goers
The President of the Republic Receives a Delegation from the National Dialogue Front
The President Receives a Letter of Congratulations from the Greek President
The President of the Republic Receives a Letter of Congratulation from the German President
The President of the Republic Receives a Letter of Congratulation From His Chinese Counterpart
President Barham Salih Received a Letter of Congratulations from the British Prime Minister


text:
__author__ = 'Toshihiro Kamiya <kamiya@mbj.nifty.com>'
__status__ = 'experimental'

from bisect import bisect_right
import re
import os
import sys

import asm_manip as am
import clonefile_manip as cm

def scan_linumber_table(text):
    lineseq, indexseq = [], []
    pat = re.compile(r'^\s+line\s+(\d+):\s+(\d+)$')
    for L in text:
        m = pat.match(L)
        assert m
        lineseq.append(int(m.group(1)))
        indexseq.append(int(m.group(2)))
    return lineseq, indexseq

def sig_to_source_file(sig):
    p = sig.index('.')
    q = sig.find('$')
    if q >= 0 and q < p:
        p = q
    possible_source_file = sig[:p] + '.java'
    reference = sig[p+1:]
    return possible_source_file, reference

def convert_location_from_index_to_linenum(L, sig2filename_linenumber_table):
    is_call_thru = False
    if L.startswith("* "):
        L = L[2:]
        is_call_thru = True
    p = L.rindex(' >')
    depth = int(L[p+2:])
    L = L[:p]
    p = L.rindex(',')
    sig, index = L[:p], int(L[p+1:])
    source_file, ls_is = sig2filename_linenumber_table.get(sig)
    assert ls_is != None
    lineseq, indexseq = ls_is
    i = bisect_right(indexseq, index) - 1
    assert i >= 0
    linenum = lineseq[i]
    _, reference = sig_to_source_file(sig)
    return (source_file, linenum, depth, reference, is_call_thru)

def format_clone_iter(clone_index_file, sig2filename_linenumber_table):
    def conv(L):
        return convert_location_from_index_to_linenum(L, sig2filename_linenumber_table)

    def opeseq_i(opeseq):
        yield 'ope:'
        for ope in opeseq:
            yield '  %s' % ope

    for tag, data in cm.read_clone_file_iter(clone_index_file):
        if tag == cm.OPTIONS:
            args = data
            for name, value in args.option_iter():
                if name == 'ngram-size' and int(value) < 0:
                    args.delete('ngram-size')
            buf = args.format()
            for L in buf:
                yield L
            yield ''
        elif tag == cm.OPESEQ_LOCS:
            opeseq, locs = data
            for L in opeseq_i(opeseq): yield L
            locs = map(conv, locs)
            yield 'loc:'
            for source_file, linenum, depth, reference, _ in sorted(locs):
                yield '  %s: %d >%d // %s' % (source_file, linenum, depth, reference)
            yield ''
        elif tag == cm.OPESEQ_TRACES:
            opeseq, traces = data
            for L in opeseq_i(opeseq): yield L
            traces = [map(conv, lst) for lst in traces]
            for trace in traces:
                yield "trace:"
                for source_file, linenum, depth, reference, is_call_thru in trace:
                    yield '  %s%s: %d >%d // %s' % (('* ' if is_call_thru else ''),
                            source_file, linenum, depth, reference)
            yield ''
        elif tag == cm.METRIC_VALUES:
            for name, value in data:
                yield "%s=%s" % (name, value)
        elif tag == cm.OPESEQ_SINGLE:
            opeseq, _ = data
            for L in opeseq_i(opeseq): yield L
            yield ''
        else:
            assert False

def gen_argpsr():
    from argparse import ArgumentParser
    from _version_data import VERSION
    psr = ArgumentParser(description='(Re)format clone positions in line numbers.')
    psr.add_argument('-a', '--asm-directory', action='store', required=True)
    psr.add_argument('clone_file', action='store',
            help="clone-index file (generated by det_clone.py) or clone-trace file (generated by exp_clone.py). specify '-' to read from stdin")
    psr.add_argument('--version', action='version', version='%(prog)s ' + VERSION)
    return psr

def to_pseudo_source_file_name(claz):
    p = claz.find('$')
    if p >= 0:
        claz = claz[:p]
    return claz + ".java"

def main(argv):
    psr = gen_argpsr()
    args = psr.parse_args(argv[1:])

    if not os.path.isdir(args.asm_directory):
        sys.exit("error: fail to access asmdir: %s" % args.asm_directory)

    sig2filename_linenumber_table = {}
    for typ, values in am.get_asm_info_iter(args.asm_directory):
        if typ == am.METHOD_CODE:
            claz_sig, code, etbl, ltbl = values
            sig2filename_linenumber_table["%s.%s" % claz_sig] = (to_pseudo_source_file_name(claz_sig[0]), scan_linumber_table(ltbl))

    for L in format_clone_iter(args.clone_file, sig2filename_linenumber_table):
        sys.stdout.write(('%s\n' % L).encode('utf-8'))

if __name__ == '__main__':
    main(sys.argv)


Discussion in 'Lounge' started by superbad, Jul 27, 2009.
Let's do some WOW OT tradition to the TA forums. And yes, sort of like my comeback to the forums for being gone in a while.
Basically, these daily threads should be your first destination here on TA. I'll post new threads everyday and the most random post wins e-points!!!!!
OK off topic. I saw Kobe Bryant last week in gaiety cinema, sligo, Ireland!
The daily thread we're copying has been burried but check it every morning. It's pretty funny.
superbadmclovin69 just outed himself as a World of Warcraft player.
Get a laser Pico. They're awesome!