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The blackness of American television
Fri Jul 24th 2009 by abagond
American television for the most part is the world according to white men. Because most of the writers and producers are white men. That is why black characters on television are few and are mostly flat or stereotyped.
Some general patterns in American prime time network television:
When a network is new it will come out with plenty of black shows, like "Martin" and "Roc" on FOX or "Girlfriends" and "Moesha" on UPN. They do this to get their numbers up quickly in certain key cities. It works because blacks are underserved by the older networks. But they are just using blacks as a stepping stone. Once they get a foothold, white shows drive out black shows.
Half of black characters appear on comedies while less than a third of white characters do. That was as true in the 1970s as it was in the early 2000s.
Black dramas are rare, particularly middle-class ones. When they do come out they tend to be safe, boring and not given much of a chance to catch on. That means that most dramatic roles for blacks are on white shows where they mostly play safe, boring supporting characters.
Many shows have no regular black characters at all, supporting or otherwise. Like "Cheers", "thirtysomething", "Seinfeld", "Friends", "Sex in the City" and so on. In fact, it seems like most shows are either almost all white or all black.
These are just general patterns. There are, for example, some white shows with good black characters – who get their own storylines, who have love lives, who are more than just cardboard cut-outs. "ER" is a good example.
But most shows are not like that. If they have black characters at all they turn out to be sidekicks, best friends, judges, doctors, secretaries, police officers, etc. They are there only to serve white characters. Like the doctor on "The Simpsons" or Uhura on "Star Trek".
The great thing about "The Cosby Show" is that it did not show blacks in a flat or stereotyped way. And it also showed the black middle-class, something you barely ever see on television.
In 1999 the Screen Actors Guild counted the number of black characters on prime time network television. America is 13% black but its prime time characters were 16% black. But half of those were on comedies on UPN and the WB. Those shows are gone.
To get a rough idea what the number is now, I counted all the black people in the latest issue of TV Guide (July 27th 2009). Not counting the ads, it comes to just 6%.
Cable television is worse: blacks are seen mainly in reruns of old network shows and in rap videos and reality shows that push the worst ghetto stereotypes imaginable. In the 1990s BET, the main black cable channel, was kind of good but now it seems to hate black people. That leaves TV One. Is it any good?
And for news how come Michel Martin does not have her own show on MSNBC? Her and Pat Buchanan would be priceless.
The black middle-class in America
If blacks ran Hollywood like whites do
black actresses
white gaze
Posted in 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, America, race, television | 46 Comments
on Sun Jul 26th 2009 at 18:36:10 mynameismyname
Just to play the "devil's advocate", I can be like the Uncle Miltons of the world and argue that since blacks are a minority in the U.S., why would American network television dedicate significant airtime to them?
This is an arguement that many industry types make in defense of the dearth of East Asians and non-black minorities on US television.
on Sun Jul 26th 2009 at 19:36:58 Nicole
How many whites are on east Asian TV? Asians make up %5 of us population. Blks 13 percent. Black people are over represented on TV.
on Sun Jul 26th 2009 at 21:17:44 abagond
I would not say that blacks are overrepresented, but it is true that Asian Americans are even less well represented than blacks, especially as lead characters. Hispanics, however, are even worse off and worst of all are Native Americans.
mynameismyname said:
The advertising money is clearly there for more black shows, particularly good ones. And we both know the acting talent is there.
From what I can tell black screenwriters seem to be the bottleneck: either there are not enough good ones or, more likely, they are not given enough creative freedom by whites higher up in the chain of command.
But the broader argument for why more blacks should be on television is that whites, particularly white children whose ideas of race are just forming, get much of what they know about blacks from television. Frightening but true.
The black voices you hear on cable news are also not terribly balanced either. It would help everyone, especially in the age of Obama, if, say, Michel Martin had a show on MSNBC. I think she would have dealt with the Sotomayor and Gates affairs much better than most white people who have a cable news show. And it would be much better than rolling out Al Sharpton or Juan Williams for a sound bite or two.
on Sun Jul 26th 2009 at 21:46:28 puma06
I do agree with what mynameismyname said #1. I am in the industry and although I am black, I have to think about what appeals to the "mainstream". I remember awhile ago, I created this script about an upper middle class Hispanic family and I was told "No one's going to go and see that." (because unfortunately, there's the stereotype that if Hispanics have money they must have gotten it through illegal means,i.e. drugs)I think it's all about what sells, even if it means relying on stereotypes, unfortunately. There was an episode in "Sex in the City" that had a Japanese businessman say something to Carrie while she was waiting for Mr. Big. My friend from Japan said that she found the actions of this Japanese character a bit "strange" and was a bit bothered. She also noticed that when Asians are depicted in western television, that they are viewed as "strange." Take the show "The Sopranos." One of my friends who is Italian-American, her mother was extremely opposed to the show saying it depicted Italians in a negative light.
I guess my question is, if the US so happily claims diversity, why does tv and film not reflect this?
I dated a white French guy and when I told him that I loved the film Amelie, he kind of snorted and said that "Amelie" does not portray how Paris really is–for example, he said that in Paris there are blacks, Asians, etc–but you wouldn't know it.
@Abagond
But most shows are not like that. If they have black characters at all they turn out to be sidekicks, best friends, judges, doctors, secretaries, police officers, etc. They are there only to serve white characters.
Shows like Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice come to mind. What I find interesting about those two shows, although created by an African-American, the blacks in those shows seem to be just "support".
on Sun Jul 26th 2009 at 21:54:17 Kat
It seems to me that they just needs to be more folks behind the screen like minority screen writers, producers, and distributors in order to properly reflect minorities in three dimensional roles.
Waiting for TV execs to change things…well, we'll be waiting a long time. It has to start at the grass roots.
on Sun Jul 26th 2009 at 21:54:22 Uncle Milton
To Mynameismyname:
I can be like the Uncle Miltons of the world and argue that since blacks are a minority in the U.S., why would American network television dedicate significant airtime to them?
Actually I don't have that opinion.. and FWIW I am inclined to agree with this latest blog entry. My contention before was that I didn't think the majority of portrayals of blacks in TV shows and Movies was negative. I admit that I rarely watch cops shows, rap videos, or reality TV so those may indeed be a major source of negative stereotypes.
To Nicole:
How many whites are on east Asian TV? Asians make up %5 of us population.
It sounds like you have never lived in East Asian.. relative to the percentage of whites who watch East Asian TV they are easily over represented, especially in advertising. I was actually solicited for a spot on a show in one country I was visiting because I spoke a smattering of the language and I was considered a little unusual looking. If you are white, fluent in the local language, and fairly young, the chances of you getting a spot on the local TV shows are much higher than the average citizen of that country. Also mixed race (Asian/White) people are dramatically over represented relative to their population in Filipino, Thai, and Indonesia TV and Movies. (A little less so for Japan, Korea, and China but it is common to see mixed raced models in those countries..)
Regarding your previous comments here's one example (and I know there are others…) as a rebuttal to your notions about East Asian movies and TV:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_DeWoskin
"DeWoskin was raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA, where she attended the alternative Community High School. The daughter of a Sinology professor at the University of Michigan, she majored in English and studied Chinese at Columbia University in New York City. She went to Beijing in 1994 to work as a public-relations consultant and later starred in a Chinese nighttime soap opera, the hugely successful Foreign Babes in Beijing, which was watched by approximately 600 million viewers. DeWoskin played the character of Jiexi. As the Reuters news agency noted, the show was a "sort of Chinese counterpart to Sex and the City revolving around Chinese-Western culture clashes." At the time, she was one of the few foreign actresses working in mainland China and was considered a sex symbol."
on Mon Jul 27th 2009 at 04:06:10 alwaysright101
one thing i am happy about…the first real successful sitcom on disney channel was that's so raven.
what i mean is, it was not the first blacks how on there, as jett jackson has that title…but thats so raven was the first show to hit 100 episodes (it was because of the success of this show they decided to do away with the 65 episode rule).
but yeah, you are right, they do not show alot of blacks.
and i did notice, that native americans are the most underrepresented of all….and it seems when they show them, its also in a stereotypical manner….
i have watched tv one a couple of times….its not that bad….i dont like all the shows on there though, but its pretty interesting.
tv land does play black shows, they are all 70s and 80s, but lets face it, most shows these days suck, most of the good shows were 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, regardless of the color.
the problem i hate is the token black. im glad they show the token black in less stereotypes, ive been a token black myself in situations…but i do wish they would have 2 minorities on the show…it would just see more interesting in my opinion.
i hate BET…although i might watch it occasionally for smart guy….but most music channels suck nowadays anyways….
but i do wish they would stop with the gangsta rap stuff and the stereotypes (not just on BET but on any channel).
but like i said…the entertainment industry sucks. music today sucks, movies suck, and tv is starting to suck.
can you blame anyone for migrating to the internet?
on Mon Jul 27th 2009 at 11:47:28 mynameismyname
I rarely watch television myself. The last three TV shows that I was engrossed in were "The Wire", "The Shield" and "Weeds". And I discovered all of these cable series on DVD.
However, when I do turn on the TV on ocassion, it is clearly from a white perspective. Although quite a few black faces do pop up. Can't say the same about non-black minorities. Some of that may have to do with the fact that the racial system in the U.S. is binary ("black"/"white") so other ethnicities just slip through the cracks and get ignored.
on Mon Jul 27th 2009 at 17:02:44 Not a hater
The only tv shows that I watch are reality television, shows and yes their are plenty of black peple on reality tv, but they are showcased in stereotypical "roles".
Even in non reality tv black people play stereotypes. In Greys Anatomy chandra wilson plays a loud fat black woman, in The View their is a loud fat black woman, even Hannah Montana their is a loud fat black woman. This has got to stop!
And why do Black families have to be funny like Meet the Browns and House of Payne? Why can't we have a black version of 7th Heaven?
The only good black television drama we had in the last decade was The Wire, but even that was about "the hood."
Now as for the non-black minorities that are on television, they aren't represented enough. I would love to watch a television show about an asian family 🙂
Plus the hispanics they show on tv, are mexican and look white, watching hispanics on tv you wouldn't know that latino people come in all colors.
on Mon Jul 27th 2009 at 17:26:09 Nubiah
I was a huge fan of the Shield( love the seasons with Forest Whitaker).
Julien's storyline was interested.(played by the AA Micheal Jace).
like Not a hater , I would love to watch the life an American Asian family too but without the stereotypical drama and conflict between the first and second generation of immigrant.
And abagond look at this offensive commercial
http://necolebitchie.com/2009/07/26/is-this-commercial-offensive-to-black-women#comments
Im suprised you haven't wrote about yet because its been all the internet and local television.
And I thought things couldn't get worse.
I loved The Shield. I actually missed on the final two seasons. I have to catch up. I also thought that Jace's turn as Julien was really intriguing. Very interesting angle.
See, Not A Hater, that's the thing: many blacks complain about their representation on TV but when positive, intelligent, serious vehicles do emerge with a black cast, nobody watches. Can I hear ya say "21 Hope Street", "City of Angels", "Frank's Place", etc.?
Oh, talking is great but folks need to start putting their money where the mouth is.
on Mon Jul 27th 2009 at 21:22:09 abagond
Not a hater:
I found out about that video yesterday. Thanks. Not sure yet whether I will do a post on it, though.
about the link,
The 2 things I can say about the video,
first, the cast should have been multiethnic.
I mean not only black women wear fake hair 95% of women in the industry( and some men) wear fake hair, JLO, Eva Longoria, Gisele B, Bee, Jessica simpson, Miley Cirus, Vivica, Victoria Beckham, Rihanna, Halle Berry ect… they just call that extention!!!
in the real life I know plenty of women with different background ethnic(from asian to black) who wears fake air too.
I also found the video in term of production and realisation very bad.
I think what was great about Jace's character, it was the fact that I rarely see a black man( dark skinned?!) showed as a gay( and cop), they generally show them as we say in french tres homme.
I was also a huge fan of Rescue me(Denis leary was so great on this show).
on Mon Jul 27th 2009 at 23:23:00 canalpublishing
No shows about Italians other than Mafia shows.
No shows at all about Jewish people.
No shows about Arabs.
No shows about Indians.
I think the word should be ARIAN or WASP, as other folks are not represented as well. Myself, being a half Jew Half Italian, see the stereotypes all the time.
on Tue Jul 28th 2009 at 15:39:05 mynameismyname
Nubiah,
Yeah, Jace was great. As was the entire cast. Although 'dark skinned' black men are plentiful on television (much more so than their lighter-skinned brethen) as are black actors as law enforcements, his character brought a whole new dimension of a black male character and a public offical.
on Tue Jul 28th 2009 at 17:57:12 Uncle Milton
Disagree, the shows Friends, the West Wing, and Seinfeld definitely had Jewish characters (as well as actors, producers, creators, and screenwriters..) One Jewish character that comes to mind on a current show is Ari Gold of Entourage and also Charlie and Marcy Runkle on the show Californication. I am sure I could find more characters on current shows if I looked. Given the relatively high percentage of Jews involved at multiple levels of the TV/Movie industry I wouldn't say that they (or we, my father is Jewish..) are powerless over how they are represented.
on Tue Jul 28th 2009 at 18:05:44 laromana
Although, it seems as if some ethnic groups other than Blacks (eg. Asians, East Indians, Italians, Jews, Native American etc.) are not being represented in HW, the truth is that there are many actors/actresses (some are of mixed white ancestry) who belong to these ethnic groups but don't APPEAR to who are definitely getting a variety of POSITIVE, NON-STEREOTYPICAL roles in HW.
Also, no other ethnic group but Blacks continue to be limited to mostly one-dimensional, stereotypical roles that NEGATIVELY influence the way BP are viewed in American society.
on Tue Jul 28th 2009 at 19:17:46 canalpublishing
Friends, Seinfeld and the West Wing have not been on the air for 10 years.
As for ARI GOLD, talk about a stereotype – A money hungry cash loving cut throat agent. Jesus! Wait, he was a jew – Jesus that is.
Fact is that entertainment always plays to the lowest common denominator which is why we should not place so much importance on it.
on Tue Jul 28th 2009 at 20:50:46 Nubiah
Myname,
Yep, it's true light skinned men are rare on TV.
Generally the media potray them( only?) as pretty or player or pimp!LOL
…Or, "manipulative mulattoes" and villians. A la Mel Jackson's turn in Soul Food or many of Terrence Howard's characters.
Since he's perceived as "obviously part white", he's similar to "the man". LOL. It's so ridiculous!
on Wed Jul 29th 2009 at 01:14:23 Uncle Milton
To canalpublishing:
West Wing was on till 2006 and Friends till 2004… I choose them along with Seinfeld (for 10 years till 98..) because they were widely popular and well known and of course Abagond referenced Friends for this blog entry.
As for ARI GOLD, talk about a stereotype..
Granted I have only seen Entourage about 4 or 5 times but I like the character Ari Gold.. let's face it.. being a Hollywood agent is cutthroat.. supposedly the person it's based upon Ari Emanuel, also likes the character.
There's also the characters Lisa Cuddy and James Wilson on the current TV series, House. And for a real life person, Jon Stewart.
Personally, I just don't think Jews are poorly or under represented in Hollywood.
For the most part I can agree with you….. I almost always find something lacking or problematic in almost every production. And then there are productions that take the cake for new lows… the one reality TV show I did allow myself to watch a few times when I was sick, Tila Tequila's "A shot at love" was absolutely abysmal.
on Wed Jul 29th 2009 at 03:53:32 canalpublishing
West Wing was on until 2006? Wow! I stopped watching once I got married. Loved that show.
I guess when people stop watching mainstream media and start selecting the shows available to them on the internet, or, you know, go outside and see what is going on away from the saturated world of the networks, they will find that there are many many many many many shows and entertainment out there.
Books would be a great place to start, which is why I have dedicated my life to producing them.
This is another interesting discussion on a blog that always provokes them, which is why I enjoy my visits. Nice to be back.
on Wed Jul 29th 2009 at 22:18:47 Nubiah
First off,
Terrence is not light skinned to me!
He is the masculine version of Halle Berry ( of course is much more talented than her), I mean since he brought up his mixed heritage White do find him different in certain way.
( strangely I always thought his parents were black or mixed).
I am not a big fan of him,his choices of characters and movies leaves me often perplexed.
I don't find him charismatic.
I didn't watch Soul Food the movie but I do know Mel jackson as a singer!LOL!.
I was thinking about Grey's Anatomy even I don't like it.
I was very suprised to know that the show is created by a black woman because in
Grey's Anatomy, Chandra Wilson's character is the stereotypical strong and angry black woman.
on Wed Jul 29th 2009 at 23:04:48 abagond
I was surprised too.
on Thu Jul 30th 2009 at 00:40:23 Uncle Milton
To Nubiah:
Re: Terrence Howard
I mean since he brought up his mixed heritage White do find him different in certain way.
He's not biracial, (according to Wikipedia) both of his parents are (or consider themselves..) black although apparently his father has a fairly light complexion. Personally I never regarded Terrence Howard in a different way than say Jennifer Beals, who I didn't know was biracial until years after I saw her in Flashdance. When I saw her again in the show "Lie to Me" playing the wife of Tim Roth's character I thought she was white until I read up on the actors on IMDB. In my eyes someone like Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums or Jeremiah Wright appear quite light skinned to me but Terrence Howard less so. I, of course can only speak for myself and not other white people.
on Thu Jul 30th 2009 at 02:43:28 mynameismyname
See, skin color is super-subjective. I don't consider Howard to be light skinned either. But he has described himself in that way to the press.
Of course, Howard, like the vast majority of black Americans is "biracial" or more accurately, "multiracial". It's just that he's not the product of an interracial union. Like damn near any other black American, he is predom. African with some European blood. Or Native American lineage.
Howard's grandmother is the legendary black actress, Minnie Gentry.
I've never watched Grey's Anatomy. It always seemed like a weekly chick-flick to me. LOL. I think Chandra Wilson does some good deeds though. Originally, the entire cast was to be white but she insisted that it would be multienthic. And that black actors would be cast in exalted positions. "Grey's Anatomy" has also given work to many out-of-work black actors. So, I have to give Chandra her due. I'm proud of her.
on Thu Jul 30th 2009 at 22:19:42 Nubiah
Even I am proud of her too( I should add most of black or colored person who makes a move in Hollywood!).
I think when Rhimes says the entire cast was supposed to be white but she "insisted" to have a multiracial cast so the parts went to the best.
but to me she's not really honest, I mean Grey's Anatomy look mainly the white viewers, do you really think if the character of ellen pompeo was black or another lead character, do you think the same viewers would watch it?
Both in her shows( Private pratice and Grey's Anatomy) the black are the same status(and stereotypes) like the others shows produce by white folks.
Why in hers shows none have an attractive black woman( I would love to see someone like Miss Union on it or Miss London, anyway a sexy and hot black chick!)
Why no BW/BM couple.(I have nothing against IR but a loving black couple would be great too )!
the show is based on a white doctor flirting with other white women.
She has the power to change the black woman image but she just does like the others?
She could make the character of Dr.bailey more interesting and not invisible!
Why DR Bailey doesn't have a love life?
For example Angela Basset in ER has a better and complex character!
I almost forgot why Terrence describe himself as a light skinned?
why journalist describe him as the product of an IR?
I have read this in Ebony about 2 or 3 months ago when he made the cover.
See, I never really watched Grey's Anatomy so I didn't know of the depth of the non-white characters on there or how they were protrayed. Wow. No black couples? LOL.
No attractive black actresses? LOL. That's cold! LOL. I think Chandra Wilson is a decent looking woman. She's no "babe" a la Miss Union but she's not ugly in the least.
Howard described himself as light skinned in either Ebony or Vibe. He said that he faced lots of hostility (from other blacks) because of his physical appearance while growing up in 1970s Ohio. I was just as dumbfounded as you when he said that. Perhaps, it was all relative. He was the lighest black guy there so he became "light skinned" in comparsion to others?
on Fri Jul 31st 2009 at 16:02:08 canalpublishing
Did you know that Terrence Howard played Jermaine Jackson in the Jackson's Movie? It was on the other day and I saw.
on Sat Aug 1st 2009 at 00:44:05 Nubiah
I didn't mean Chandra was ugly.LOL!
I just think "they" generally don't put a hot black woman because they would have to explore her sexuality.
If someone like Vanessa A Williams( who I find beautiful and talented) played Dr Bailey, that would have been different to me.
I am still confused with Howard if he was that different what happen to those who are more ( racially) ambiguous looking than him.(Wentworth Miller, Cassie…)
Maybye as you said it's all relative because I don't see what makes him think that, I do remember him in the movie the Best Man, to me he was a regular AA.
Does anyone know K-Ville ( I know it isn't a recent serie)?
Also if anyone knows about the show Girlfriend?
on Sat May 8th 2010 at 00:04:52 Steve
I don't know what TV programs you are watching but the ones I watch on Dish all have the people with authority Black.
Fringe, 24 Hours, Flash Forward, Grays Anatomy to name a few. Not sure why or who is behind the casting but it sure seems like they are trying to put Blacks in control of the Whites.
on Sun Dec 11th 2011 at 10:27:02 abagond
@ Herneith
Thanks for the spam alert.
on Tue May 7th 2013 at 14:51:46 Dave Myers
Remember that scene from Beverly Hills Cop where Eddie has the two white detective's accompany him to the strip club ? (and where "else" would a black man want to go , besides to satisfy his base desires?? but , I digress .) Anyway , this post has been around for a few years , it's just the first time that I've read it … after Eddie Murphy instructs the bartender to pour club soda's for his two cop buddies (because they were still on-duty) , he said to give him a "rum and coke" , or he would throw-up … was / is the feeling that I get from the idea of watching these shows … "Friends" , "Seinfeld" … those two generate an emmediate gag response … and to think that these thoughts could come from a man who grew-up watching Batman and Robin , and Happy Days , and MASH … good lord … the epitome of cognitive dissonance .
on Mon Jan 6th 2014 at 22:00:45 The Beat Man
Reblogged this on Life in Anglo-America.
on Thu May 15th 2014 at 01:04:10 mark
who cares. they have had quite a few black ppl oriented shows but they're very tyler perry like where they stereotype black ppl. you see one black show then they're all alike. loud, baptist like preaching, in your face… etc. i don't know any middle class black ppl and really what percent of society are middle class blacks? all the stereotype stories are done and old news and they became stereotypes for a reason. who cares??? things aren't going to change anytime soon. we have a black guy in the white house and nothing has changed. That change bs that obama was spouting was nothing but a fairy tale that everyone wished would happen quick but change might be seen in 50 years. Until then who cares about representation in tv? ratings are ratings and stereotypes exist for a reason.
on Thu May 15th 2014 at 04:54:31 jefe
i don't know any middle class black ppl and really what percent of society are middle class blacks?
I guess you don't know many "ghetto" blacks or wealthy blacks either.
I grew up in metro DC., which has over 1.3 million blacks, only about 200,000 actually live in poor black neighborhoods. 1 million are in middle class neighborhoods and maybe 100,000 are upper middle class to wealthy. Since white and most Asians avoid the poor black neighborhoods like the plague, they really never get to encounter poor blacks directly, except on television. They do have opportunities to meet black middle class (eg, government workers).
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text:
from django.conf.urls.defaults import patterns, url

from .views import (IndexView, CreateView, EditAttachmentsView, DetailView,
                    CreateSnapshotView)

urlpatterns = patterns('openstack_dashboard.dashboards.project.volumes.views',
    url(r'^$', IndexView.as_view(), name='index'),
    url(r'^create/$', CreateView.as_view(), name='create'),
    url(r'^(?P<volume_id>[^/]+)/attach/$',
        EditAttachmentsView.as_view(),
        name='attach'),
    url(r'^(?P<volume_id>[^/]+)/create_snapshot/$',
        CreateSnapshotView.as_view(),
        name='create_snapshot'),
    url(r'^(?P<volume_id>[^/]+)/$',
        DetailView.as_view(),
        name='detail'),
)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: How can I load PNGs into a PictureControl? What can I use to load PNGs into a Picture Control, in a way that uses double-buffering?
I've been using this code, which handles the double-buffering for BMPs, as to avoid the flicker of constant repainting. Now I need to switch to PNGs to reduce the app size.
I found CxImage, but the whole library is too big and it would defeat the purpose of switching to PNGs.
Any thoughts?

A: Just stay with your BMP code. To bring it to the screen you need the bitmap (or use GDI+ as mentioned in a comment).
Load the PNG file with CImage. Use CIamge::Detach and you have your PNG as a bitmap. Than use your current code.
Loading the PNG into a CImage can be done from disk or from a memory buffer (resource) with a stream. In both cases use CImage::Load.
Afaik there is a simple CPngImage class in the MFC that derives from CBitmap, that provides all functions you need.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
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"He worked well. I was pleased with his work," Hennig said. "He went off aggressively, finished strong, galloped out strong. Pretty much what we were looking for."
Bourbon War Workout Video (May 9)
Under exercise rider Jose Mejia, Bourbon War worked in company with stablemate Carlino and completed his assignment in 1:01.67, the third fastest of 16 recorded at the distance.
Bourbon War finished fourth in the Florida Derby (G1) on March 30 at Gulfstream Park. The three horses that finished ahead of him in the Florida Derby all went on to the Kentucky Derby (G1). Florida Derby winner Maximum Security finished first in the Kentucky Derby but was disqualified and placed 17th. Code of Honor, third in the Florida Derby, three-quarters of a length in front of Bourbon War, finished third in the Kentucky Derby and was moved to second by the DQ. Bourbon War, who was second to Code of Honor in the Fountain of Youth (G2), fell short of qualifying points for the Derby.
"We felt like we would have been a worthy participant in the Derby," Hennig said. "When we didn't get in, we felt like the thing to do was watch the Derby and see how things shook out after the Derby. Certainly there was nothing from the result of the Derby to give us any less confidence going forward."
The Preakness has been the target for Bourbon War, Hennig said, and the strong performances by horses that competed in South Florida this winter further encouraged the connections of the son of Tapit.
"Had the Florida horses not run well," Hennig said, "or if Omaha Beach had been in the race and won by 10 or someone else did, then you might be like, 'Maybe we need to take a more conservative approach.' With the result the way it was and the confidence we have in our own horse, we just thought it was silly not to give him the opportunity to be in a Triple Crown race."
Eclipse Award winning jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., who has been aboard for Bourbon War's last four races, will ride in the Preakness.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Convert NLTK "clean" tree to NLTK Chunker structure I'm new to python and struggle with data types concept and their conversions.
I have sentences in NLTK Tree format (obtained from Stanford parser and converted to an NLTK tree). I need to apply functions written for NLTK Chunker. However, NLTK tree format is different from NLTK Chunker format. Both formats are NLTK trees, but elements structure seems to be different (see below).
Could you please help me to convert an NLTK tree to an NLTK Chunker output format?
Thanks  in advance!
Here is an NLTK Chunker output:
(S
  (NP Pierre/NNP Vinken/NNP)
  ,/,
  (NP 61/CD years/NNS old/JJ)
  ,/,
  will/MD
  join/VB
  (NP the/DT board/NN)
  as/IN
  (NP a/DT nonexecutive/JJ director/NN Nov./NNP 29/CD)
  ./.)

Now printed by element and each element type:
class 'nltk.tree.Tree' (NP Pierre/NNP Vinken/NNP)
type 'tuple' (',', ',')
class 'nltk.tree.Tree' (NP 61/CD years/NNS old/JJ)
type 'tuple' (',', ',')
type 'tuple' ('will', 'MD')
type 'tuple' ('join', 'VB')
class 'nltk.tree.Tree' (NP the/DT board/NN)
type 'tuple' ('as', 'IN')
class 'nltk.tree.Tree' (NP a/DT nonexecutive/JJ director/NN Nov./NNP 29/CD)
type 'tuple' ('.', '.')

Here is an NLTK "pure" Tree output (exactly as in NLTK doc):
(S
  (NP
    (NP (NNP Pierre) (NNP Vinken))
    (, ,)
    (ADJP (NP (CD 61) (NNS years)) (JJ old))
    (, ,))
  (VP
    (MD will)
    (VP
      (VB join)
      (NP (DT the) (NN board))
      (PP (IN as) (NP (DT a) (JJ nonexecutive) (NN director) (NNP Nov.) (CD 29)))
      ))
  (. .))

Now printed by element and each element type:
class 'nltk.tree.Tree' (NP
  (NP (NNP Pierre) (NNP Vinken))
  (, ,)
  (ADJP (NP (CD 61) (NNS years)) (JJ old))
  (, ,))
class 'nltk.tree.Tree' (NP (NNP Pierre) (NNP Vinken))
class 'nltk.tree.Tree' (NNP Pierre)
type 'str' Pierre
class 'nltk.tree.Tree' (NNP Vinken)
type 'str' Vinken
class 'nltk.tree.Tree' (, ,)
type 'str' ,
class 'nltk.tree.Tree' (ADJP (NP (CD 61) (NNS years)) (JJ old))
class 'nltk.tree.Tree' (NP (CD 61) (NNS years))
class 'nltk.tree.Tree' (CD 61)
type 'str' 61
class 'nltk.tree.Tree' (NNS years)
type 'str' years
class 'nltk.tree.Tree' (JJ old)
type 'str' old
class 'nltk.tree.Tree' (, ,)
type 'str' ,
class 'nltk.tree.Tree' (VP
  (MD will)
  (VP
    (VB join)
    (NP (DT the) (NN board))
    (PP (IN as) (NP (DT a) (JJ nonexecutive) (NN director)))
    (NP (NNP Nov.) (CD 29))))
class 'nltk.tree.Tree' (MD will)
type 'str' will
class 'nltk.tree.Tree' (VP
  (VB join)
  (NP (DT the) (NN board))
  (PP (IN as) (NP (DT a) (JJ nonexecutive) (NN director)))
  (NP (NNP Nov.) (CD 29)))
class 'nltk.tree.Tree' (VB join)
type 'str' join
class 'nltk.tree.Tree' (NP (DT the) (NN board))
class 'nltk.tree.Tree' (DT the)
type 'str' the
class 'nltk.tree.Tree' (NN board)
type 'str' board
class 'nltk.tree.Tree' (PP (IN as) (NP (DT a) (JJ nonexecutive) (NN director)))
class 'nltk.tree.Tree' (IN as)
type 'str' as
class 'nltk.tree.Tree' (NP (DT a) (JJ nonexecutive) (NN director))
class 'nltk.tree.Tree' (DT a)
type 'str' a
class 'nltk.tree.Tree' (JJ nonexecutive)
type 'str' nonexecutive
class 'nltk.tree.Tree' (NN director)
type 'str' director
class 'nltk.tree.Tree' (NP (NNP Nov.) (CD 29))
class 'nltk.tree.Tree' (NNP Nov.)
type 'str' Nov.
class 'nltk.tree.Tree' (CD 29)
type 'str' 29
class 'nltk.tree.Tree' (. .)
type 'str' .

A: Partial answer (i.e., no code):
The NLTK represents chunked data using the Tree class, which is really designed for arbitrary syntactic trees. A chunked sentence is a tree with just one level of grouping, so to go from a full parse to a chunked structure you need to discard all but one kind of non-recursive groups. Which groups? That depends on your application, since there are different kinds of "chunks" (e.g., named entities).
Your example shows NP chunks, so you could walk the tree and omit all structure except for the top level of NP (or the lowest level, if you want to break up complex NP chunks into small ones).


text:
@implementation WSKSoapFault

@synthesize faultCode;
@synthesize faultString;

- (id)init
{
	if ((self = [super init])) {

	}

	return self;
}

- (void)dealloc
{
	[faultCode release];
	[faultString release];

	[super dealloc];
}

@end


A 200-foot-high, moss covered rock on the Klickitat Prairie provided a natural name for Mossyrock. During the summer, visitors flock to the small town on their way to campgrounds on Riffe Lake. In the spring, tulip fields brighten the landscape.


text:
WFNM Website
The Onion Dip
Digital TCR
Posted on February 23, 2020 by TCR
Dr.Yusef Salam spoke about criminal justice system, major impact on his life
Photo Courtesy of fandm.edu
By Nina Kegelman || Staff Writer
"Yusef Salaam, do you have anything to say before we sentence you?"
Dr. Yusef Salaam, one of the "Exonerated Five," a group of teenagers wrongfully convicted for the 1998 rape and assault of Trisha Meili in Central Park, opened this week's Common Hour with that question.
The roaring crowd before him quickly quieted. Salaam's arrival was eagerly anticipated, but as he took the stage, the excitement surrounding his visit fell away, replaced with a more somber recognition of his far from glamorous journey here.
Salaam's talk, titled "The Criminal (In)Justice System: Guilty Until Proven Innocent," explored the effects of his false incarceration on his life and the ways he has coped with and overcome the experience. At first, Salaam spoke slowly, deliberately. He'd done seven years for a crime he didn't commit. One of his best friends did thirteen. Hanging on his words, the Common Hour crowd sat with a sort of uncertainty and impatience perhaps reminiscent of Salaam's own feelings throughout his ordeal.
But Salaam said at the time of the verdict, he was still hopeful. He still believed that truth would prevail- that it was the criminal justice system. He dove into a poem he'd delivered when he was asked that very first question. "I stand accused," he repeated rhythmically amidst an articulate rant about the injustice of his accusation. It wasn't until he finished that it became completely clear that those were the same words written in the court records that the then fifteen-year-old Salaam responded to the judge on the day of his sentencing, along with some words of one of his heroes, Malcolm X.
His "She-ro," though, as Salaam put it, was his mom. She taught him about resistance: "the struggle." As he stood stylishly dressed in a suit, scarf, and sunglasses, appearing triumphant over his trials, the messages she instilled in him were evident. Salaam seemed matured by his time in prison. As he put it, he did the time; he didn't let the time do him.
The talk proved reflective, as Salaam recounted his career successes and spiritual revelations after the devastating conviction. An avid reader, both in prison and out, Salaam found solace in the stories of Joseph written in the Bible and the Quran- a figure who, too, was falsely accused of rape but prevailed free in the end. Eventually, his passion for knowledge led him to his gainful careers in technology, rather than in the painful cycle of recidivism. God has a plan for everyone, he asserted.
Faith predominated Salaam's talk. In fact, it was the faith and atoning of Matias Reyes, Salaam said, that moved Reyes to confess to the crime in Central Park- ending the thirteen-year sentence of one of the five now exonerated. Salaam did explicitly denounce the racism inherently related to poverty and the prison industrial complex. But he went on to state rather matter-of-factly how the case of the Exonerated Five is about more than what most may think. Instead, he called it "a love story between God and His people." Becoming free and the truth prevailing were emblematic of how a people could be brought low "only to rise." Salaam encouraged gratitude to God for "the lessons and the blessings." Falling down constantly is inevitable; getting back up one more time is essential. Drawing on the wisdom of "the great philosopher, Cardi B," Salaam pronounced: Fall down 9 times, get up 10… Period.
Salaam, as perhaps many were surprised to find, maintains an optimistic, almost transcendent, perspective on institutions of oppression like racism and the criminal justice system. His advice for the college students before him? Live a full life, pursuing your dreams and ambitions. Underlying Salaam's story was his defiant defence of the worth of his own life, of poor lives, black lives, or immigrant lives. He stressed the importance of refusing to submit to the toxic messages of systemic racism, affirming value where systems of injustice deny it.
Salaam's activism flowed easily throughout his inspirational Common Hour talk, resonating among those closest to him in the audience. "Being born here in American doesn't make you American," he said, receiving a wave of snaps signaling support and agreement. He spoke out against the PTSD-inflicting family separation at the U.S.-Mexico Border, and he scrutinized the integrity of the 13th Amendment itself, which permits slavery even today. At the same time, Salaam maintained his humor, joking about his daughters, false advertising, and the President of the United States, a figure notoriously implicated in Salaam's own condemnation.
Nearing the end of Common Hour, he had time to answer just one, but significant, question: How are institutions such as F&M complicit in the oppression of black and brown bodies?
He immediately reframed. "Think of it this way," he started. While not appearing to want to understate the ways in which predominantly white institutions can alienate students of color, Salaam stayed committed to the bigger picture. "They want us in prison cells," he said sternly. "Not college dormitories." Placing the emphasis on doing well in school and encouraging other minoritized students to complete their college education, Salaam shifted the focus of the struggle from one of racial oppression to one of personal fulfillment. At the same time, voting, speaking out, and uniting for the interests of the oppressed are all invaluable for progress. What Salaam's story ultimately demonstrated, though, as he finished referencing Gil Scott-Heron's "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised," is the intimate relationship between the personal and the political, the individual empowerment and the uplifting of a people.
"I know," he admitted. "I am the revolution."
Junior Nina Kegelman is a Staff Writer. Her email is nkegelman@fandm.edu.
Tagged Common Hour, Criminal Justice, Dr. Yusef Salaam, Nina Kegelman
Op-Ed: The Insatiability of Whiteness
The Day Our Democracy was Threatened: Previous Co- President of BSU & College Democrats Rachel St Louis, Remarks on the Events of January 6th
Ken Mehlman '88: What I Learned From Stan Michalak
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© The College Reporter


So, let's check the definitions of "atheism" and of "worldview" and see if one might be a species of the other.
I have compared atheism to a-unicornism: disbelief in the existence of unicorns. How is a-unicornism a "worldview"? It's not. Atheism and a-unicornism are each a single belief about one thing. Neither of these positions tell you anything else about the person who holds them: their morals values, their political views, their driving purpose, their explanations for life or the universe, their beliefs about magic or ghosts or elves, their rationality or their intelligence.
Neither an atheist nor an a-unicornist must believe in eternal matter, a multiverse, or moral relativism. And in fact, I'd bet millions of them don't.
The difference between atheism and [a-unicornism] is that unicorns provide no answers to why the world exists, why we exist, whether morality is objective or subjective, what happens after you die, etc. If unicorns don't exist… that changes nothing. If unicorns do exist that changes nothing. God's existence or non-existence on the other hand changes everything.
I have never seen a definition of "worldview" that uses Adiel's criteria for something being a worldview. Both bare atheism and bare theism have no answers to why the world exists, why the world exists, whether morality is objective or subjective, or what happens after you die. For you to start answering those questions you have to adopt a worldview, like a particular brand of worldview naturalism or Christianity or extropianism.
Yes, even "theism" – in the bare sense that is the opposite of atheism – is not a worldview. Like atheism, theism is a single belief about one thing: the existence of a god or gods.
Cole – Do Christians Have a Worldview?
Heylighen – What is a Worldview?
I agree, atheism is not a worldview. But I would argue that in general, atheists will hold a worldview. Proving that atheism is not a worldview does not really mean anything.
Luke, naturally, if you define atheism or theism narrow enough–if you define anything narrow enough–it's going to refer to only one belief. But how many people actually do that?
I think I understand where you're going, but how's it useful?
I don't think it is possible not to have a worldview. He is just showing it isn't atheism.
Uh, theism DOES refer to only one belief. However, while "pure" atheists are common, pure theists are rare- most add on a particular religion and attending worldview to their theism.
The problem is that "worldview" is a fairly generic term, and is defined in different ways. If we take it at face value, that your worldview is your set of foundational assumptions about the world that provides the framework for how you interpret your life, then it would appear that a worldview is actually a composite of both known and often unknown factors. Atheism or Theism certainly impacts our worldview, but it is not the whole of it. For example, a Theist in the US is almost certainly also going to be a modernist (even if they think they are post-modern), whereas a Christian from the East probably won't be; in this way, Eastern Christians and Eastern Muslims could share more of a worldview then Eastern Christians and their Western counterparts do.
We in the west think we are rationalists because we are inherently rational creatures. However, this is not really true; what we often assume as "normal" is perhaps our worldview showing. Many of these "rationalist" assumptions are simply Cartesian presumptions that we have grown up with.
So, no one thing, in my opinion, encompasses a worldview.
I wonder if, when it comes to discussing religion, atheists wouldn't be better off being more specific about our actual views – defining ourselves positively (as naturalists, humanists, etc.) rather than negatively.
I think the negative position against the existence of gods can be important, like a negative stance against the existence of psychic powers or astrological forces, or against the validity of pseudoscience. But yes, it can also be important to take a positive stance on some issues – but then, atheists cannot agree on those things. We can all agree only on the non-existence of gods.
lukeprog: As an example, I take a negative position against humanism, while many other atheists take a positive position behind it.
What do you mean when you say humanism (many people seem to have different ideas about what humanism is, and I want to understand what you are saying that you reject)?
But surely the negative stance has to be based on something – you can't just reject things like religion and pseudoscience for no reason. (Well… you can… obviously). When you insist on certain standards (rational, empirical, etc.) being met you're expressing a particular worldview. You might as well be up front about it.
The thing that all varieties of humanism agree on – it's in the name and everything – is speciesism, and that's what I reject. Depending on the variety of humanism, I may reject other things as well.
Matt M: But surely the negative stance has to be based on something – you can't just reject things like religion and pseudoscience for no reason.
Oh, certainly! I reject religion and pseudoscience because I think reason and evidence are the best tests of truth, and religion and pseudoscience faith these tests. Reason and evidence are certainly things I advocate, but this is not true of all (most?) atheists.
lukeprog: Reason and evidence are certainly things I advocate, but this is not true of all (most?) atheists.
Leaving aside the extreme edges… I'd agree.
However, theists are just as capable of advocating them (although we may disagree on what they show) as atheists rejecting them. So I still think "atheist" is an imperfect label for such an outlook.
If I describe myself as a (methodological) naturalist, or whatever, then other people know exactly what my worldview is. They're then, if they want to convince me of something, able to either provide arguments based upon it or challenge its validity.
I think it also puts me on a more equal footing – I'm not just rejecting their worldview, I'm offering one of my own as an alternative.
Matt M: However, theists are just as capable of advocating [reason and evidence] as atheists rejecting them. So I still think "atheist" is an imperfect label for such an outlook.
Matt M: I think it also puts me on a more equal footing – I'm not just rejecting their worldview, I'm offering one of my own as an alternative.
Unfortunately, I don't think there's a name for my worldview. But I suppose most people feel that way.
lukeprog: Unfortunately, I don't think there's a name for my worldview. But I suppose most people feel that way.
Perhaps it's just a matter of personal taste, but I just feel that describing myself in purely negative terms means I'm going into a discussion at a disadvantage. I'd rather try to put a more positive spin on things – even if no label can ever be 100% accurate.
lukeprog: The thing that all varieties of humanism agree on – it's in the name and everything – is speciesism, and that's what I reject. Depending on the variety of humanism, I may reject other things as well.
Does that mean that you don't think that we should treat other humans differently than we treat other species, or just that you reject the idea that humans are intrinsically "better" (whatever that means) than other species?
Homo sapiens does not have more intrinsic value than other species. All species have the same intrinsic value: none. Currently, the most plausible theory of morality I have found (desire utilitarianism) would say that moral value is derived from the only reasons for action that exist: desires. Many forms of life have desires, and many do not. Desire also come in degrees of strength. But even if desire utilitarianism was disproven, it would remain true that humans do not have more intrinsic value than members of other species.
lukeprog: All species have the same intrinsic value: none.
I agree. Just to be clear, though–desire utilitarianism suggests that we should treat other humans differently than we treat nonhuman animals (depending, I guess, on their capacity to form desires)?
The implications of desire utilitarianism for how we treat humans and animals are very complex, and mostly still unknown. Much research is required.
I agree that atheism is not a world view, but it can certainly be part of one.
Where did life / man come from?
Is there a God? What is God's nature?
What is good, meaningful, and true?
This Cybernetic Model (?) view is interesting, even has a diagram at bottom. See also Why Worldview Matters.
Ha! That Fat Tony link is hilarious.
Atheism is certainly a part of my worldview, but not the only part. I often run into other atheists who are flabbergasted at the fact that I'm not a Liberal (just another part of my worldview), and mildly surprised to learn that I'm not interested in converting anybody.
What kind of worldview is "darwinism"?
lukeprog: The implications of desire utilitarianism for how we treat humans and animals are very complex, and mostly still unknown. Much research is required.
I noticed when asked theses sorts of questions you are very reluctant to take a best "guess". Why is that?
Chuck: I noticed when asked theses sorts of questions you are very reluctant to take a best "guess". Why is that?
Sometimes "I don't know" is the best answer.
I'm curious how you research desire utilitarianism. What kind of experiment could falsify or vindicate an ethical theory like this?
Lorkas: What kind of worldview is "darwinism"?
I think it is sometimes difficult to tease out what these labels include simply because a) so many of them are overlapping to a degree, and b) they often can include connotations that wouldn't be true in the strict definition of the word.
When people say that atheism is a "worldview", they generally aren't referring to the strict definition of not believing in a God. Atheists may not all agree on everything else, but there are common characteristics that can be said for many of them. Off the top of my head, atheists may be seen as typically naturalists, more liberal, or more educated. (I'm not wanting to debate the truth of these claims…I'm merely pointing out that they are possible perceptions of atheists.) Thus the connotation of the word "atheism" entails more than just a simple disbelief in God. It might not be true of all atheists, but think about the term "Christian" for a second – do all Christians agree on everything? Of course not. It's a loose term used to describe characteristics that are commonly shared amongst those that use the label. Most are trinitarian, most believe that Jesus was raised from the dead, etc.
So I agree and disagree that atheism is a worldview. In the strict sense of the term, no, it's not. But atheism can be used as an umbrella term encompassing many more things. I would rather say that naturalism is a worldview, but to most people, atheism = naturalism. Just like to most people, Christianity = trinitarianism. In this sense, atheism would be seen as a worldview, because it provides a way of…viewing…the world.
Lorkas: I'm curious how you research desire utilitarianism. What kind of experiment could falsify or vindicate an ethical theory like this?
Falsifying or vindicating the theory itself is a different matter from falsifying or vindicating its implications. The first is done by seeing if the theory (1) makes true claims about things that exist, and (2) fits generally with how we use moral language. The second is done by testing and researching which desires ACTUALLY tend to fulfill more and greater desires than they thwart. For example, does a desire for capital punishment tend to thwart or fulfill desires? Does a desire for scientific knowledge tend to thwart of fulfill desires? These are empirical questions that can be answered by research, plain and simple.
If Desire Utilitarianism isn't in the literature, who will do this research? I just don't see it getting done in our lifetimes.
Pfft. Well, if we can't derive useful results, what good is it to us?
Yet you presumably have a moral stance on the treatment of animals. Don't you think it's wrong to torture puppies? If so, where does this belief come from?
Richard: Don't you think it's wrong to torture puppies? If so, where does this belief come from?
The morality of torture is much easier to work out than our moral responsibility toward animals. Torture is wrong because it its creator, the desire to torture, is fundamentally desire-thwarting. The desire to torture is a malleable desire, and we can "turn it down" to 0, which means that nobody has their desires badly thwarted by being tortured, and nobody has desires to torture that are thwarted. But notice that "torture" has "desire thwarting to the extreme" built into the definition of the word, so it would be very surprising if torture was moral under desire utilitarianism.
Does it matter? Atheists hold worldviews, but the word simply means that they don't believe in God/Gods. So I agree with you about that. It can be argued that two people with the same religion can have very different world views. So can you argue that Religions are worldviews? To be honest I don't see how the definition fits religions either.
I may be partially repeating someone else's point, but I wrote about atheism a while ago, and I call it a belief system (though 'worldview' might actually be more appropriate, now I think of it). Although it simply means a lack of one particular belief, it's not something that seems to exist in isolation. It does have implications about what else is going on in my head – they may not be able to say much about my morality, but it implies that I'm unconvinced by every argument in favour of God's existence that I'm yet to hear. I've read the Bible (well, skimmed it), and heard Christians proselytising, and thought through the various philosophical arguments, and where I've ended up is not believing in any god - but there's a lot of context there, which seems like it needs to be included in what it means when I say I'm an atheist.
No one is neutral free. Everyone does hold a view of what life and the universe is. Athiests don't just not believe in anything.. they believe in something.. just not God… It may be scientific theories and beliefs about how societies should be.. these are all worldviews that the athiest adopts. Athiesm is a worldview based on the fact thats its a perspective of how to see life.
To promote skepticism/critical thinking I wrote some questions for the Christian believer. Are you able to put the link to these questions at your blog.
Piet – Rotterdam – Netherlands.


text:
Eating oysters in South Africa
Marco has long been engaged in a variety of independent activities, as freedom overtook money and career in his list of priorities.
In 2015 he became a sommelier and now writes about wines for the Associazione Italiana Sommelier (AIS). He represents the Association in Brussels and organizes events with the local Brussels Wine Club.
In 2005, with some friends, he founded Pagine del Mondo, a non-profit association on the culture of travel he has been running since. Tour leader, promoter and organizer of worldwide adventure travel tours. Tries to mix business and pleasure by making public presentations on his travels in Italian, English and French. Available for private presentations and slideshows. You can see some of his pictures here.
From 1994 to 2001 he was an international civil servant at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. Wore a jacket and a tie every day, and smoked his pipe in the office until NATO became a smoke-free working environment. He dealt with political affairs, and specifically NATO's relations with newly independent countries from Central and Eastern Europe. In charge of multilateral civil-military programs and defense reform. Did extensive communication work (public speaking, drafting communiques, media relations, briefings to civilian and military audiences) and led several information and communication teams around Europe and beyond (once as far as Argentina, causing widespread and protracted jealousy and envy among his colleagues).
From 1989 to 1994 he filled up a couple of A4 pages of his list of publications when he was a senior fellow and Head of Eastern European studies program at the Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI), Rome – Italy. He coordinated complex research projects and multinational research teams. Conceived and directed fund-raising, publications, training programs, conferences and field trips. Contributed to Italian and American TV and radio news programs.
He was also an advisor and lecturer to the School of Higher Defense Studies of the Italian Ministry of Defense, and a consultant to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During the same period he served as editor and contributed numerous entries to the Italian Encyclopaedia "G. Treccani" in the field of international security. This was before the era of blogs and Wikipedia, when it took several years for a post (or entry as it was called) to be published, by which time it was often obsolete and needed rewriting.
In 1990 he was Lecturer of a Summer course on "Human Rights and International Relations" at the European Forum, Alpbach, Austria.
In 1986, while still in graduate school, he designed and taught a new undergraduate course on nuclear nonproliferation at M.I.T. that both started and ended his university teaching career.
Tasting Ingera in Ethiopia
When he was 18 he had already decided that Italy was too small and went to the States. He received his B.S. cum laude from the School of Foreign Service of Georgetown University in 1981. He then went on to study and work for his Ph.D. in international affairs, defense and arms control at the Center for International Studies of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) He earned his degree in February 1989, just as the Cold War came to a close, making much of it all instantly out of date.
He also studied Marxism-Leninism and planned economics in Poland (Central School of Planning and Statistics, as it was called then) in 1980, getting out of the country just weeks before the Communist system fell apart during the Summer. The story of that time is told in his book: Beyond the Wall: Adventures of a Volkswagen beetle Beyond the Iron Curtain, available on Amazon.
Unrepentant, he went to study the German language at a Summer course in Communist East Berlin (Humboldt University) in 1981, and was able to take many now rare pictures of barbed wire and armed guards from the East side of the Wall.
Italian (mother tongue)
English (mother tongue level)
French (professional level, sort of)
Chinese (studying with much motivation, making good progress)
German (enough to fumble thru websites and explain he does not really speak it)
Russian (enough to order ice-cream and break the ice on Facebook)
Published widely in English and Italian on a range of subjects related to international affairs and defense issues. List of publications available here. He then wrote hundreds of pages of notes during his travels, and he is publishing much of that material, which is much more fun both to write and to read, in this blog.
His book on the many trips that took him to the Maldives, where he met his wife, is Viaggio alle Maldive: Una non guida per svelare le isole (2nd edition 2015) published in Italian and English as Journeys through the Maldives.
Marco at work on his book in the Maldives
When he does not travel for work he usually travels for fun, and never leaves home without his trusted Nikons. Avid SCUBA-diver, has become addicted to underwater photography as well. He used to fly gliders but that is hard to do in a country with little sun and no mountains.
Loves listening to Beethoven, especially since he found out that: a) they share the same birthday and b) they are neighbors, since the preposition "van" is owed to the fact the composer's Flemish family came from Mechelen, just a few kilometers from his Brussels home. Also enjoys cool jazz and folk music from around world. For a while he studied the piano but here at least he stopped early enough, before it was too late.
PS: a volte i maestri di scuola sono quelli che ci conoscevano meglio. Ecco cosa scrisse di me il mio maestro elementare di 5 anni Felice Galluccio alla mia licenza nel 1970:
Piuttosto introverso, pone la sua intelligenza al servizio della fantasia. Impegnandosi ottiene ottimi risultati in aritmetica, storia, geografia e scienze, mentre è piuttosto telegrafico nella composizione scritta in genere e di scarse attitudini per l'arte in particolare. Buona preparazione.
Ed ecco cosa scrisse il mio prof di italiano e storia Dante Alberti alla mia licenza media, nel 1973:
Costante, caparbio, metodico, con forte desiderio di riuscire. Intelligenza analitica, spirito critico. Volontà ferrea. Vivo senso di responsabilità. Ottimo il suo profitto scolastico. Molto impegnato nello studio e vivo senso del dovere. Senso di autocontrollo innato.
Deve sviluppare di più il suo senso sociale ed essere meno critico verso gli altri. Non si è inserito simpaticamente nella comunità. Può svolgere qualsiasi indirizzo di studi superiori.
Da allora non sono cambiato molto.
Telefonata al Comune di Roma


text:
Young, Bender: Secure Mississippi Coast's future
Brad Young and Steve Bender
This summer, the Justice Department, the five Gulf Coast states and BP announced an $18.7 billion agreement in principle to settle all of the remaining state and federal claims against BP. For wildlife in the Gulf, this is welcome news.
Though the legal wrangling now appears to be over, impacts from the nation's worst environmental disaster continue. For example, dolphins are still dying at twice normal rates in Mississippi waters.
Common sense would suggest that dumping millions of gallons of oil and dispersants into one of the world's most productive ecosystems would have serious consequences. A recent National Wildlife Federation report catalogued studies showing that exposure to oil can cause abnormal development in many species of fish caught off the Mississippi Coast, such as mahi mahi, killifish and yellowfin tuna. Speckled trout spawned less frequently in 2011 in Mississippi than in previous years. Both 2010 and 2011 had the lowest numbers of juvenile red snapper seen in the eastern Gulf fishery since 1994.
It is clear from previous oil spills like the infamous Exxon Valdez disaster in 1989 that a full recovery could take decades or longer.
The BP settlement is perhaps less than some along the Gulf Coast were hoping to see. It is true the company was facing as much as $13.7 billion in the Clean Water Act penalties alone. But the settlement provides needed certainty and will have real benefits for wildlife and Gulf Coast residents.
The deal allows federal, state and local leaders to build on early restoration projects and efforts already underway to restore the Gulf to its full health. The money will arrive in several different formulations over the next 17 years, with different rules for spending it, depending on the source.
The bipartisan RESTORE Act of 2012 will send a total of $4.4 billion dollars from the Clean Water Act part of the settlement back to the Gulf Coast. Mississippi will see $582 million from this funding stream alone.
But the RESTORE Act dollars do not guarantee the future health of the Mississippi Coast. While nearly all of the public debate around the RESTORE Act focused on improving the health of the Gulf, the final bill only mandated 30 percent be spent solely on comprehensive ecosystem restoration—projects that restore Gulf waters, marshes, barrier islands and fisheries.
Nonetheless, there are reasons to be hopeful that Gov. Bryant and the state Department of Environmental Quality will choose to make smart, targeted investments in restoring Mississippi Sound and the Gulf Coast with the remaining RESTORE dollars. The state has already demonstrated a commitment to restoration by initiating a coastwide planning process through a separate pot of oil spill dollars. This process—which thoughtfully engaged local citizens, scientists and business interests—identified water quality, habitat conservation, and fisheries as top priorities. We hope that this effort provides direction for RESTORE Act monies as well.
Furthermore, the settlement will also send $182 million dollars in Natural Resources Damage Assessment fines back to the state. This money — a penalty under the Oil Pollution Act — will be under tighter controls but also bears public scrutiny.
The Mississippi Coast remains an ecological haven for wildlife and one of America's richest fisheries. Commercial and recreational fishing bring in over $700 million in sales annually. Wildlife tourism—hunting, fishing and birdwatching—support 26,000 coastal jobs.
But the Coast is facing many challenges—lingering impacts from the oil disaster, a long history of water quality and erosion problems, as well as the need to prepare for future hurricanes.
Mississippi's leaders should use this unique windfall to begin a new chapter for the Mississippi Coast by investing in projects that improve water quality, help buffer coastal communities from storms, rebuild oyster reefs and support our fisheries.
Future generations of Mississippians will thank us for making wise decisions with this money today.
Brad Young is the executive director of the Mississippi Wildlife Federation. Steve Bender is the director of Vanishing Paradise, a sportsmen outreach campaign of the National Wildlife Federation.


Earlier this month we ran our own in-house competition to select a design to submit to BowWow Haus London, an event launched by The Blue Cross and Outdoor Arts Foundation aiming to create uniquely designed dog kennels which will be auctioned off for charity. The winner of this competition will showcase their design in locations across London in early 2018.
Our Architectural Assistant Ursula Tomczak won for her adaptable 'Indoor/Outdoor' design. The stylish doggy house is made of concrete with a removable quilted lining for use outside. When brought inside it's transformed into a modern furniture piece which doubles as a small table.
Read more on the AJ publicised competition here.


text:
"Fraud is buried, no one wants to admit it's going on, and because no one's
really taken hold of it, it's grown to a point where it's out of control."
- Westminster Fraud Czar
Contact me through the benefit fraud website
Showing posts with label slow administration. Show all posts
Primary school teacher avoids jail after £37k benefits con
A primary school teacher who fraudulently claimed almost £40,000 while failing to notify the authorities her husband was living with her has avoided jail. (h/t Dave)
Olamide Ononeme went on family holidays to Egypt, America and Turkey and built up a bank account balance of £21,500 while carrying out the fraud.
The 42-year-old claimed tax credit payments on the basis she was a single mother of three over three years, despite her husband living at the home in Gough Drive in Tipton.
In total, she claimed £37,859 from November in 2011 to October in 2014.
Wolverhampton Crown Court heard how she was caught out when investigators found a Facebook picture of Olamide and her husband Aruoriwo celebrating their 13th wedding anniversary.
Recorder Anupama Thompson gave mother-of-three Olamide a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 24 months, and ordered she do 150 hours unpaid work.
Olamide had pleaded guilty to one count of fraud at an earlier hearing.
Her husband, 47, who siphoned thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money while working as benefits officer for Sandwell and Walsall Council, was jailed for 30 months last month.
Sentencing Olamide, Mrs Thompson said: "You made a claim for tax credit when your husband left in 2011. It seems he returned after and rather than telephoning the authority as you knew you had a duty to do, you continued to claim tax credits. It went on for a period of almost three years."
Caroline Harris, prosecuting, said Olamide had opportunities to notify the authorities when calling up to alert a change in her income in 2013 and 2014.
She said her bank balance went up from £2,500 in 2012 to £21,500 in 2014.
The family also went on holidays to Egypt, America and Turkey, she said.
Tariq Shakoor, defending, said Olamide, who works at a school in Wolverhampton, was not living a living a lavish lifestyle on the proceeds.
He added: "She let herself down because she is a lady of strong Christian values. She is remorseful." (Ridiculous)
The Facebook picture which revealed the fraud showed the couple and came with a caption written by Aruoriwo saying 'To God be the glory for 13 glorious, fruitful and happy years of marriage today'.
The joyous words were entered on his Facebook page for all to see on October 9 2012 - 11 months after Olamide had started claiming tax credit on the basis that she was a single mother.
Years later the post helped to prove his wife pocketed tens of thousands of pounds by lying about the state of their marriage when DWP investigators launched an inquiry on behalf of HMRC following a tip off.
The defendant phoned tax credit officials in December 2013 and December 2014 to discuss changes in her personal circumstances without admitting she and her husband were living together in Gough Drive, Tipton. She also failed to tell the truth when filling in annual declaration forms.
Her husband used the address as his own for financial matters such as a mortgage application on March 20 2014 and Walsall Council confirmed he gave the house in Gough Road as his home while working for them.
To make it worse for the corrupt couple he used his position as a finance officer to defraud both Walsall and Sandwell councils out of more than £15,000.
Aruoriwo was employed by both at different times through an agency between 2007 and 2011, before getting a job as a benefits appeal officer with Walsall Council.
He used his knowledge of the system to create fake characters - one of whom was supposed to be Wolverhampton University student and the other supposedly lived at the buy-to-let flat he owned in St Michael's Street, Walsall - to make bogus claims in their names for single person council tax exemption and housing benefit.
He pleaded guilty to two counts of abusing his position by fraudulently claiming housing benefit, two charges of creating false documents, two offences of failing to disclose he was living as a married, rather than a single, man and one count of falsely claiming he was leaving the UK to live in the United Arab Emirates.
The Crown Prosecution Service will now decide if they want to pursue the money claimed by Olamide. Why wouldn't they?
Source with pictures
Her husband was jailed for defrauding us of £15k. Presumably unemployment beckons for his wife after her light sentence.
Labels: Jailing benefit thief mothers, light benefit fraud sentence, single parent fraud, slow administration, tax credit fraud
Some favourite blogs
Not a lot of people know that
BBC's Climate Check
benefit fraud in the UK
fake charities


The Atosa two door upright bottom mount commercial merchandiser refrigerator/freezer boasts 21 cu ft. of storage. It comes with an industry leading 2 year parts and labor as well as a 5 year compressor warranty. I can ship this to any business in the continental United States for free!


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GIRLS ON KEY POETRY
Review: One Thousand Promises (Melbourne Spoken Word)
Anna Forsyth
The iconic band room at the back of the Worker's Club in Fitzroy is usually a noisy place, filled with the ghosts of audience members who have passed through over the years. It's an eclectic venue, attracting bands from punk and hardcore, through to local alt. country artists beguiling the plaid shirted locals sipping their craft beers. But the atmosphere for the One Thousand Promises show put on by Melbourne Spoken Word was one of quiet anticipation. The room, with its exposed beams and raised stage transformed into a theatre, with an attentive and far-less intoxicated crowd.
As a warm up to the main international act, we are treated to a revolving door of local poets and spoken word artists, hosted by the towering glamazon Lady Longdrop. She leads the crowd in a resounding 'Om' until we are centered and ready to receive the words on offer. Each poet has their own charm, not dissimilar to a monologue night, with a line up of characters. Brendan Bonsack tells us stories in poem form, with his hypnotic storytelling voice and deadpan subtle humour. Many would relate to his poet-works-in-an-office Dilbert-style recollections that illicit a knowing laugh from the crowd.
Charlotte Raymond brought passion in pint-sized form. Her three-part performance was inspiring, with her use of sign language a nod to the physical interpretation of words to come.
Carmen Main was the antidote to the saccharine, 'inspirational' life stories that seem to be in vogue in spoken word. She has cynicism down to a perfect art, with her sharp and witty observations. Her topics range from the humble avocado to street fighter and navigating break ups ("If all the water on the earth is a closed system, does that mean I have no tears left to cry?") It is poetry that pulls no punches; a refreshing and humorous style. It is work that is stripped back, without the airs and graces of stuffy formalism. She is a crossover with the band room's usual punters, in her checked shirt, slouching on stage, clutching her beer.
As the main act draws closer, we have our first taste of the genre-meld of dance and poetry, in the form of Anton Charles. He chronicles the relationship ordeals of a gay twenty-something through dance poetry. In an unexpected twist, he removes most of his clothes and dances his way through an erotic encounter and its aftermath. It's affecting and effective. He works the stage like a professional and has mastered the art of projecting his spoken word, while utilising the whole stage. He's a talented dancer and the work is emotive and engaging. Audiences should expect to see more from him as he emerges on the scene.
Finishing off the first half is the Australian National Slam champion, Arielle Cottingham in blue lipstick and afro hair displayed in all its glory. Arielle is also the perfect lead in to the features, with her unique blend of dance and spoken word. "My blood is made of C4 and fireworks". It is a fiery and heartfelt performance, recounting a journey punctuated by music: "Music can fight that blue streak better than any therapy…I let my body detonate to Valerie [Amy Winehouse]," she intones as her body jerks and twists to the imagined rhythm.
When it came time for the features, there was a crackle of anticipation in the air. The duo Maddy Parker and Francesca Willow presented their show, One Thousand Promises and it didn't disappoint. Any collaboration between art forms is intriguing. In this case, the pair developed a shared vocabulary; their rapport obvious and almost seamless.
With a focus on mental health, the pair move together at times; at other times one dances to echo the sentiments of the spoken word. In Personify My Depression, there is a stuttering syntax to the movements and words that offers a shifting meaning and a truthful insight into the physicality and experience of depression. The pair utilise all levels of the physical space, creating a dynamism that keeps us engaged and means we are never bored as they move between the pieces.
The soundtrack to the work is often a melancholic finger-picked guitar or piano riff, reminiscent of artists like Bon Iver. It is affecting and emotive, adding a depth to the presentation, that doesn't stray into sentimentality.
During "How to be an introvert", their work touches a nerve with some in the audience, with one woman needing an arm around the shoulder from a friend. It is an emotional journey that plucks the heartstrings with its relatability. Some of the poems touch on gender politics and feminism with humour and a topical exploration of the hoops women artists must often leap through to be successful.
Overall, the pairing is fresh and dynamic, but also emotionally affecting. The limited palette of movements helped to enhance the message of female empowerment and solidarity. At times the dance was a reflection of not only the shadow side of life (mimicry and puppetry), but also the way the arts liberates us to dance our way through the trials and difficulties of life, until we find our individual footing. It's a heart-warming message that is a testament to the healing, unifying power of the arts.
Melbourne Spoken Word
Photos (c) Girls on Key Poetry by Brendan Bonsack


Electronic communication can become a distraction.
Emails and texts are typically prioritised when beginning work each day.
A browsing experience can often begin with a slow perusal of new emails.
Time can become compromised as we caught by a rising tide of 'urgent' requests for our attention.
Focus instead on achieving a concrete work goal that sets the tone for a productive workday.
- Save time by restricting your email viewing to set times each day. Break the habit of constant checking.
- Reframe the nagging desire to be on top of everything at once. Use your time to order activities to suit yourself. Assert control and reap the rewards of greater productivity and achievement.
Electronic Communication should be viewed as a tool that requires both discipline and practice if it is to be a sword wielded wisely in our daily life.


The Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) has welcomed the passing of motion calling on the National University of Galway (NUIG) Students' Union to actively participate in the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign against Israel until it ends the occupation of Palestine and complies with its obligations under international law.
The motion, which reads in full "That NUI Galway Students' Union actively supports the campaign of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against the State of Israel." was passed by an almost 2 to 1 margin (1,954 to 1,054 votes) during a student referendum held on March 6th. NUIG Students' Union becomes the first student's union in Ireland to adopt such a motion in support of Palestinian rights, and joins campuses all over the world in rejecting Israeli Apartheid.
"Particular credit is due to the NUIG Palestine Solidarity Society whose hard work lay behind the tabling and passing of the motion. We hope other universities and ITs in Ireland will now follow suit in establishing such Palestine solidarity societies and seeking to table similar motions. We cannot think of a better way to round off this year's Israeli Apartheid Week in Ireland," Mr O'Quigley said.
"NUIG Students decided that, in the footsteps of the successful international boycott campaign against South Africa's apartheid regime in the past, we will not be silent towards international racism and colonialism in our own time. Alongside promoting awareness of the BDS movement more broadly, NUI Galway SU will now stand unambiguously against instances of institutional collusion between NUI Galway and Israeli oppression, such as NUI Galway's use of G4S, the international security company notorious for its provision of security and incarceration 'services' to Israel's inhumane prison regime," Ms Nic Roibeaird said.
The BDS call is endorsed by over 200 Palestinian political parties, civil society and church groups, trade unions and movements. The signatories represent the refugees, Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territories, and Palestinian citizens of Israel.
This vote follows on from the Teachers Union of Ireland's 2013 endorsement of an academic boycott of Israel, and the recent launch of a pledge by Academics for Palestine signed by over 150 academics who will not "engage in any professional association with Israeli academic, research and state institutions and with those representing these institutions, until such time as Israel complies with international law and universal principles of human rights".


ACEC/NC is the sole organization in North Carolina that represents the business interests of the engineering industry in our state. ACEC/NC also provides legislative advocacy for member companies and strives to build relationships between the private and public sectors of the engineering industry.
ACEC/NC's council members – over 200 firms throughout the state – are engaged in a wide range of engineering projects that propel the economy and enhance and safeguard our state's quality of life. These projects allow our citizens to drink clean water, enjoy a healthy life, take advantage of new technologies, and travel safely and efficiently.
Calling all ACEC/NC Members...this is your time to Make Your Mark on Washington! Join us May 7-8 in Washington, DC for the 2019 Consulting Congress Days (CCD). This is your chance to make an impact on the decisions that directly affect your business. You can reap the rewards of a more business-friendly Congress but we need your help to get results!


Do your kids love mythical fantasy games? They can step right into an immersive, role-playing fantasy world at an interactive family attraction called MagiQuest. The "games and puzzles" are appropriate for all ages, especially teens and tweens who love the magic of Harry Potter. Younger children may find some of the puzzles difficult without the assistance of a parent.
MagiQuest was launched by Creative Kingdoms in 2005. The first MagiQuest opened in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the same year. In 2008, Great Wolf Resorts began installing the game in its chain of indoor water park resorts and it became a hugely popular dry activity for kids and families to enjoy outside the water parks. MagiQuest is now wholly owned by Great Wolf Resorts and is a featured attraction at all Great Wolf Lodge indoor water park resorts.
The facilities are separate from the lodge and usually consist of four floors of activity space linked with stairs and netted walkways.
MagiQuest is a role-playing scavenger hunt-style game. Players (called Magi) embark on quests and adventures in an enchanted world and use a real magic wand to unlock clues and earn rewards in order to solve the mysteries of the game.
When you arrive, if you are new to MagiQuest, you'll be sold a wand (necessary for play) and you purchase play time.
The wands use infrared emitters to interact with objects in the game. By waving or pointing the wand, a player can activate the object and cause a reaction. For example, a player might point his wand at a door to open it, point his wand at a painting and see the image change, or point his wand at a treasure chest to cause the chest to open and a sum of gold to be added to player's account. Keep in mind that the object you seek might be on the wall, the ceiling, or in a prop such as a painting, tree, or treasure chest.
The objective of MagiQuest is to build and gain power by obtaining magic runes, which are rewards for completing tasks. You can get guidance from the Book of Wisdom and gain magic powers to befriend pixies and battle a dragon. When you accept a challenge, be sure to press the "accept" button so that the game will connect to your wand and your tasks will be recorded.
Warrior clan members have the power of dueling and wield the power of lightning in their wand.
Woodsy clan members have a connection with nature and can summon naturalistic elements and enchanted creatures to help in their quest.
Trickster clan members have the gift of magic and often use jokes, magic, or music to distract their opponents.
Shadow clan members' strength is the power of deceit. They have the ability to disappear from a place on cue and easily distract their opponents.
Majestic clan members have healing powers for themselves and others.
You can play MagiQuest for 30 minutes or up to five hours at a time. You can stop a game for a break and return to your quest at a later time.
Your magic wand is more than just a souvenir. It connects with an online database which remembers your character, how you play your game, and your past achievements. You can reuse your wand at another MagiQuest location and it will remember your last adventure. If you lose your wand, you can purchase another one and since your data has been stored, the new wand can be configured to connect with your information.
You can also customize your game by using special wand toppers to help give you hints or let you fast-forward through adventures. The interchangeable wand toppers easily attach to any MagiQuest wand. Toppers are decorative and incorporate imagery such as unicorns, globes, gems, crowns, dragons, and other mystical symbols.


text:
Q: Argparse in iPython notebook: unrecognized arguments: -f I am trying to pass a .py file to ipython notebook environment.
I have never had to deal directly with argparse before. How do I rewrite the main() function?
I tried to delete the line of def main(): and keep the rest of the code.
But args = parser.parse_args()" returned an error:

ipykernel_launcher.py: error: unrecognized arguments: -f.

And when I run . %tb:
showing this
def main():
parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
parser.add_argument('--data_dir', type=str, default='data/tinyshakespeare',
                   help='data directory containing input.txt')
parser.add_argument('--input_encoding', type=str, default=None,
                   help='character encoding of input.txt, from https://docs.python.org/3/library/codecs.html#standard-encodings')
parser.add_argument('--log_dir', type=str, default='logs',
                   help='directory containing tensorboard logs')
parser.add_argument('--save_dir', type=str, default='save',
                   help='directory to store checkpointed models')
parser.add_argument('--rnn_size', type=int, default=256,
                   help='size of RNN hidden state')
parser.add_argument('--num_layers', type=int, default=2,
                   help='number of layers in the RNN')
parser.add_argument('--model', type=str, default='lstm',
                   help='rnn, gru, or lstm')
parser.add_argument('--batch_size', type=int, default=50,
                   help='minibatch size')
parser.add_argument('--seq_length', type=int, default=25,
                   help='RNN sequence length')
parser.add_argument('--num_epochs', type=int, default=50,
                   help='number of epochs')
parser.add_argument('--save_every', type=int, default=1000,
                   help='save frequency')
parser.add_argument('--grad_clip', type=float, default=5.,
                   help='clip gradients at this value')
parser.add_argument('--learning_rate', type=float, default=0.002,
                   help='learning rate')
parser.add_argument('--decay_rate', type=float, default=0.97,
                   help='decay rate for rmsprop')
parser.add_argument('--gpu_mem', type=float, default=0.666,
                   help='%% of gpu memory to be allocated to this process. Default is 66.6%%')
parser.add_argument('--init_from', type=str, default=None,
                   help="""continue training from saved model at this path. Path must contain files saved by previous training process:
                        'config.pkl'        : configuration;
                        'words_vocab.pkl'   : vocabulary definitions;
                        'checkpoint'        : paths to model file(s) (created by tf).
                                              Note: this file contains absolute paths, be careful when moving files around;
                        'model.ckpt-*'      : file(s) with model definition (created by tf)
                    """)
args = parser.parse_args()
train(args)

A: It's better to use @nbro 's answer for Jupyter execution.
args = parser.parse_args(args=[])

If you want to manage parameters as class format, you can try this.
class Args:
  data = './data/penn'
  model = 'LSTM'
  emsize = 200
  nhid = 200

args=Args()

A: As @nbro suggested, the following command should work:
args = parser.parse_args(args=[])

In addition, if you have required arguments in your parser, set them inside the list:
args = parser.parse_args(args=['--req_1', '10', '--req_2', '10'])

Where you previously used:
import argparse
parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Dummy parser")
parser.add_argument("--req_1", type=int, required=True, help="required int 1")
parser.add_argument("--req_2", type=int, required=True, help="required int 2")

You can also see from the notebook all params:
print("see all args:", args)
print("use one arg:", args.req_1)

You can find more information in the docs: Parsing arguments

A: You can try args = parser.parse_args(args=[]).

A: An example is:
import argparse
parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
parser.add_argument('echo')
args = parser.parse_args(['aa']) # actually you don't have to write (args=['aa'])
print(args.echo)

the output should be
>>> aa


Disabling cells, rows, or columns?
Hi! Our team would like to use Flexmonster to edit a data set where only some columns and some rows are editable, and the rest are disabled. We can use the datachanged event to revert changes the user makes if he/she does it for a "disabled" cell, but we are not able to disable the textinput that appears altogether. While we can use coloring schemes to message the users that they should not edit the cells in question, having the textinput pop-up is counter-intuitive. Would it be possible to get support for proper disabling of rows and columns?
Thank you for posting a question.
For now, the component does not allow enabling the editing only for some columns. If the editing feature is enabled it is applied to all rows and columns. That's why we suggest using the coloring approach you described.
Thanks Tanya. This would be a nice feature to be added in a future release.