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Home > Archives > Vol 15, No 1 (2020) > Novel algorithm for screening, treating, and monitoring uveitis in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis
Novel algorithm for screening, treating, and monitoring uveitis in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis
Authors: Denisova E.V.1, Nikishina I.P.2, Khrabrova M.A.1
Helmholtz National Medical Research Center of Eye Diseases
V.A. Nasonova Research Institute of Rheumatology
Section: Clinical recomendations
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17816/rpo2020-15-1-36-44
Uveitis is the most common extraarticular manifestation of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA); if not diagnosed and treated in time, it can lead to severe complications and loss of vision. This report describes a novel algorithm for screening, treating, and monitoring uveitis in children with JIA. Ophthalmic screening of children with JIA is based on individual risk factors for uveitis. Treatment strategies include use of local glucocorticoids at the initial stage, followed by non-biological and then biological immunosuppressive drugs in severe or refractory cases. Therapy initiation and discontinuation schemes are detailed, and the need for further research is emphasized.
uveitis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, children, screening, monitoring, glucocorticoids, methotrexate, adalimumab, golimumab, infliximab
Ekaterina V. Denisova
Email: deale_2006@inbox.ru
Irina P. Nikishina
Russian Federation, 34A, Kashirskoe Shosse, Moscow, 115522
Maria A. Khrabrova
Nikishina IP. Juvenile arthritis. In: Rheumatology: National guidelines. [Revmatologiya: Natsional'noe rukovodstvo]. Moscow: GEOTAR-Media; 2010. (in Russian)
Cassidy J, Kivlin J, Lindsley C, Nocton J; Section on Rheumatology, Section on Ophthalmology. Ophthalmologic examinations in children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Pediatrics. 2006;117(5):1843-5. doi: 10.1542/peds.2006-0421.
Heiligenhaus A, Niewerth M, Ganser G, et al. Prevalence and complications of uveitis in juvenile idiopathic arthritis in a population-based nation-wide study in Germany: suggested modification of the current screening guidelines. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2007;46(6):1015-9. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/kem053.
Heiligenhaus A, Michels H, Schumacher C, et al. Evidence-based, interdisciplinary guidelines for anti-inflammatory treatment of uveitis associated with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Rheumatol. Int. 2012;32(5):1121-33. doi: 10.1007/s00296-011-2126-1.
Bou R, Adán A, Borrás F, et al. Clinical management algorithm of uveitis associated with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: interdisciplinary panel consensus. Rheumatol. Int. 2015;35(5):777-85. doi: 10.1007/s00296-015-3231-3.
Katargina LA, Brzheskiy VV, Guseva MR, et al. The federal clinical guidelines on "The diagnostics and treatment of uveitis associated with juvenile idiopathic arthritis". Rossiiskaya pediatricheskaya oftal'mologiya. 2016;11(2):102-11. (in Russian) doi: 10.18821/1993-1859-2016-11-2-102-111.
Constantin T, Foeldvari I, Anton J, et al. Consensus-based recommendations for the management of uveitis associated with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: the SHARE initiative. Ann. Rheum. Dis. 2018;77(8):1107-17. doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2018-213131.
Heiligenhaus A, Minden K, Tappeiner C, et al. Update of the evidence based, interdisciplinary guideline for anti-inflammatory treatment of uveitis associated with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Semin. Arthritis Rheum. 2019;49(1):43-55. doi: 10.1016/j.semarthrit.2018.11.004.
Angeles-Han ST, Ringold S, Beukelman T, et al. 2019 American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Foundation Guideline for the screening, monitoring, and treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated uveitis. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2019; 71(6):864-77. doi: 10.1002/art.40885.
Angeles-Han ST, McCracken C, Yeh S, et al. HLA associations in a cohort of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis with and without uveitis. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2015; 56(10):6043-8. doi: 10.1167/iovs.15-17168.
Haas JP, Truckenbrodt H, Paul C, et al. Subtypes of HLA-DRB1*03, *08, *11, *12, *13 and *14 in early onset pauciarticular juvenile chronic arthritis (EOPA) with and without iridocyclitis. Clin. Exp. Rheumatol. 1994;12(Suppl 10):S7-14.
Zeggini E, Packham J, Donn R, et al. Association of HLA-DRB1*13 with susceptibility to uveitis in juvenile idiopathic arthritis in two independent data sets. Rheumatology. 2006;45:972-4. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/kel049.
Jabs DA, Nussenblatt RB, Rosenbaum JT.; Standardization of Uveitis Nomenclature (SUN) Working Group. Standardization of uveitis nomenclature for reporting clinical data. Results of the First International Workshop. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 2005;140(3):509-16. doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2005.03.057.
Nussenblatt RB, Palestine AG, Chan CC, Roberge F. Standardization of vitreal inflammatory activity in intermediate and posterior uveitis. Ophthalmology. 1985;92(4):467-71. doi: 10.1016/s0161-6420(85)34001-0.
Foeldvari I, Klotsche J, Simonini G, et al. Proposal for a definition for response to treatment, inactive disease and damage for JIA associated uveitis based on the validation of a uveitis related JIA outcome measures from the Multinational Interdisciplinary Working Group for Uveitis in Childhood (MIWGUC). Pediatr. Rheumatol. Online J. 2019;17(1):66. doi: 10.1186/s12969-019-0345-2.
Thorne JE, Woreta FA, Dunn JP, Jabs DA. Risk of cataract development among children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis-related uveitis treated with topical corticosteroids. Ophthalmology. 2010;117(7):1436-41. doi: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2009.12.003.
Paroli MP, Speranza S, Marino M, et al. Prognosis of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis associated uveitis. Eur. J. Ophthalmol. 2003;13(7):616-21. doi: 10.1177/112067210301300704.
Yu EN, Meniconi ME, Tufail F, et al. Outcomes of treatment with immunomodulatory therapy in patients with corticosteroid-resistant juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated chronic iridocyclitis. Ocul. Immunol. Inflamm. 2005;13(5):353-60. doi: 10.1080/09273940590951061.
Sijssens KM, Rothova A, Van De Vijver DA, et al. Risk factors for the development of cataract requiring surgery in uveitis associated with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 2007;144(4):574-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2007.06.030.
Saboo US, Metzinger JL, Radwan A, et al. Risk factors associated with the relapse of uveitis in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a preliminary report. J. AAPOS. 2013;17(5):460-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jaapos.2013.06.004.
Kotaniemi K, Sihto-Kauppi K, Salomaa P, et al. The frequency and outcome of uveitis in patients with newly diagnosed juvenile idiopathic arthritis in two 4-year cohorts from 1990-1993 and 2000-2003. Clin. Exp. Rheumatol. 2014;32(1):143-7.
Tappeiner C, Klotsche J, Schenck S, et al. Temporal change in prevalence and complications of uveitis associated with juvenile idiopathic arthritis:data from a cross-sectional analysis of a prospective nationwide study. Clin. Exp. Rheumatol. 2015;33(6):936-44.
Kostik MM, Gaidar EV, Hynnes AY, et al. Methotrexate treatment may prevent uveitis onset in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: experiences and subgroup analysis in a cohort with frequent methotrexate use. Clin. Exp. Rheumatol. 2016;34(4):714-8.
Tappeiner C, Schenck S, Niewerth M, et al. Impact of antiinflammatory treatment on the onset of uveitis in juvenile idiopathic arthritis: longitudinal analysis from a nationwide pediatric rheumatology database. Arthritis Care Res. 2016;68(1):46-54. doi: 10.1002/acr.22649.
Ramanan AV, Dick AD, Jones AP, et al. Adalimumab plus methotrexate for uveitis in juvenile idiopathic arthritis. N. Engl. J. Med. 2017;376(17):1637-46. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1614160.
Quartier P, Baptiste A, Despert V, et al. ADJUVITE Study Group. ADJUVITE: a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial of adalimumab in early onset, chronic, juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated anterior uveitis. Ann. Rheum. Dis. 2018;77(7):1003-11. doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2017-212089.
Correll CK, Bullock DR, Cafferty RM, Vehe RK. Safety of weekly adalimumab in the treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis and pediatric chronic uveitis. Clin. Rheumatol. 2018; 37(2):549-53. doi: 10.1007/s10067-017-3890-4.
Kahn P, Weiss M, Imundo LF, Levy DM. Favorable response to high-dose infliximab for refractory childhood uveitis. Ophthalmology. 2006;113(5):860-4. doi: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2006.01.005.
Kalinina Ayuso V, van de Winkel EL, Rothova A, de Boer JH. Relapse rate of uveitis post-methotrexate treatment in juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Am. J. Ophthalmol 2011;151(2):217-22. doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2010.08.021.
Shakoor A, Esterberg E, Acharya NR. Recurrence of uveitis after discontinuation of infliximab. Ocul. Immunol. Inflamm 2014;22(2):96-101. doi: 10.3109/09273948.2013.812222.


text:
 /***************************************************************************
 *  FILE: pmms.c
 *  AUTHOR: Connor Beardsmore - 15504319
 *  UNIT: OS200 Assignment S1 - 2016
 *  PURPOSE: Matrix multiplication using multithreading and POSIX locks
 *  LAST MOD: 07/05/16
 *  REQUIRES: pmms.h
 ***************************************************************************/

#include "pmms.h"

//---------------------------------------------------------------------------

int main(int argc, char* argv[])
{
    // ENSURE ONLY 6 COMMAND LINE ARGUMENTS ENTERED
    if ( argc != 6 )
    {
        printf( "Usage: ./pmms[Matrix A File] [Matrix B File] [M] [N] [K]\n" );
        printf( "Please see README for detailed steps on how to run!\n" );
        return -1;
    }

    // RENAME COMMAND LINE ARGUMENTS FOR CODE READABILITY
    char* fileA = argv[1];
    char* fileB = argv[2];
    M = atoi( argv[3] );
    N = atoi( argv[4] );
    K = atoi( argv[5] );
    status = 0;

    // VALIDATE THAT M,N,K ARE ALL POSITIVE VALUES
    if ( ( M < 1 ) || ( N < 1 ) ||  ( K < 1 ) )
    {
        printf( "ERROR - Matrix dimensions must be positive value\n" );
        return -1;
    }

    // MAP MATRICES ARRAYS TO ADDRESS SPACE, ASSIGN TO POINTERS
    first = (int*)malloc( M * N * sizeof(int) );
    second = (int*)malloc( N * K * sizeof(int) );
    product = (int*)malloc( M * K * sizeof(int) );

    // READ DATA FROM FILE INTO MATRIX SHARED MEMORY
    // ERROR CHECK TO CONFIRM THAT BOTH WORKED AS EXPECTED
    status = readFile( fileA, first, M, N );
    if ( status != 0 )
    {
        freeMatrices( first, second, product );
        return -1;
    }
    status = readFile( fileB, second, N, K );
    if ( status != 0 )
    {
        freeMatrices( first, second, product );
        return -1;
    }

    // INITIAL SUBTOTAL FIELDS TO "EMPTY"
    subtotal.value = SUBTOTAL_EMPTY;
    subtotal.threadID = SUBTOTAL_EMPTY;
    subtotal.rowNumber = SUBTOTAL_EMPTY;

    // CREATE M THREADS IN A MALLOC'D ARRAY
    pthread_t* producers = (pthread_t*)malloc( sizeof(pthread_t) * M );

    // INITIALISE THE SEMAPHORES
    status = createLocks(locks);
    if ( status != 0 )
    {
        fprintf( stderr, "ERROR - creating POSIX mutex + conditions\n");
        freeMatrices( first, second, product );
        free( producers );
        return -1;
    }

    // THE M CREATED THREADS EXECUTE PRODUCER FUNCTION
    // NO THREAD SPECIFIC DATA IS REQUIRED
    for ( int ii = 0; ii < M; ii++ )
    {
        pthread_create( &producers[ii], NULL, producer, NULL );
        // AUTOMATICALLY RELEASE SYSTEM RESOURCES UPON THREAD EXITING
        pthread_detach( producers[ii] );
    }

    // PARENT THREAD EXECUTES CONSUMER FUNCTION
    consumer();

    // PARENT DESTORYS ALL SEMAPHORES
    status = destroyLocks(locks);
    if ( status != 0 )
    {
        fprintf( stderr, "ERROR - destroying POSIX mutex + conditions\n");
        freeMatrices( first, second, product );
        free( producers );
        return -1;
    }

    // OUTPUT FINAL TOTAL
    printf( "Total: %d\n", grandTotal );

    // FREE ALL MALLOC'D MEMORY
    freeMatrices( first, second, product );
    free( producers );

    return 0;
}
//---------------------------------------------------------------------------
// FUNCTION: producer
// PURPOSE: Parent process consumes the subtotal + childPID create by children.

void* producer()
{
    int rowNumber = 0;
    int total = 0;
    int value;

    // THREAD DETERMINES WHICH ROW TO CALCULATE
    // MUTEX REQUIRED TO ACCESS rowNumber, ENSURES THREAD HAS DISTINCT VALUE
    pthread_mutex_lock( &locks.mutex );

        rowNumber = subtotal.rowNumber;
        subtotal.rowNumber = subtotal.rowNumber + 1;

    pthread_mutex_unlock( &locks.mutex );

    // CALCULATE OFFSETS TO CONVERT 1D ARRAYS TO VIRTUAL 2D
    int offsetA = rowNumber * N;
    int offsetC = rowNumber * K;

    // ACTUAL MULTIPLICATION CALCULATIONS
    // SEE README FOR HOW THIS IS PERFORMED
    for ( int ii = 0; ii < K; ii++ )
    {
        value = 0;

        // CALCULATE ROW DATA
        for ( int jj = 0; jj < N; jj++ )
            value += first[offsetA + jj] * second[jj * K + ii];

        product[offsetC + ii] = value;
    }

    // CALCULATE TOTAL OF ALL ELEMENTS IN ROW
    for ( int kk = 0; kk < K; kk++ )
        total += product[offsetC + kk];

    // WAIT FOR LOCK BEFORE ACCESSING SHARED DATA
    pthread_mutex_lock( &locks.mutex );
    while ( subtotal.value != 0 )
        // GIVE UP MUTEX LOCK WHILE WAITING FOR CONDITION
        pthread_cond_wait( &locks.empty, &locks.mutex );

        subtotal.value = total;
        subtotal.threadID = pthread_self();

    pthread_cond_signal( &locks.full );
    pthread_mutex_unlock( &locks.mutex );

    // THREAD FINISHES ONCE ROW CALCULATED
    pthread_exit(0);
}

//---------------------------------------------------------------------------
// FUNCTION: consumer
// PURPOSE: Parent process consumes the subtotal + threadID created by thread.

void* consumer()
{
    grandTotal = 0;

    // LOOP M TIMES FOR EACH ROW OF PRODUCT MATRIX
    for ( int ii = 0; ii < M; ii++ )
    {
        // WAIT FOR LOCK BEFORE ACCESSING SHARED DATA
        pthread_mutex_lock( &locks.mutex );
        while ( subtotal.value == 0 )
            // GIVE UP MUTEX LOCK WHILE WAITING FOR CONDITION
            pthread_cond_wait( &locks.full, &locks.mutex );

            // OUTPUT ROW TOTAL AND RESET SUBTOTAL VALUES
            printf( "Subtotal produced by thread with ID " );
            printf( "%ld: %d\n", subtotal.threadID, subtotal.value );
            grandTotal += subtotal.value;
            subtotal.value = SUBTOTAL_EMPTY;
            subtotal.threadID = SUBTOTAL_EMPTY;

            pthread_cond_signal( &locks.empty );
        pthread_mutex_unlock( &locks.mutex );
    }

    return NULL;
}

//---------------------------------------------------------------------------
// FUNCTION: createLocks
// EXPORT: status (int)
// PURPOSE: Initialise the Mutex and Conditions used for locks

int createLocks()
{
    // IF ANY METHOD FAILS, STATUS WILL BE NON-ZERO
    int status = 0;
    status += pthread_mutex_init( &locks.mutex, NULL );
    status += pthread_cond_init( &locks.full, NULL );
    status += pthread_cond_init( &locks.empty, NULL );
    return status;
}

//---------------------------------------------------------------------------
// FUNCTION: destroyLocks
// EXPORT: status (int)
// PURPOSE: Destroy the Mutex and Conditions used for locks

int destroyLocks()
{
    // IF ANY METHOD FAILS, STATUS WILL BE NON-ZERO
    int status = 0;
    status += pthread_mutex_destroy( &locks.mutex );
    status += pthread_cond_destroy( &locks.full );
    status += pthread_cond_destroy( &locks.empty );
    return status;
}

//---------------------------------------------------------------------------
// FUNCTION freeMatrices
// IMPORT: first (int*), second (int*), third (int*)
// PURPOSE: Free's the malloc'd arrays associated with the matrices imported

void freeMatrices(int* first, int* second, int* product)
{
    free(first);
    free(second);
    free(product);
}

//---------------------------------------------------------------------------
// FUNCTION: printMatrix()
// IMPORT: matrix (int*), rows (int), cols (int)
// PURPOSE: Print matrix contents to stdout for debugging purposes

void printMatrix(int* matrix, int rows, int cols)
{
    // OFFSET TO CALCULATE "ROWS" OF THE 1D ELEMENT ARRAY
    int offset = 0;

    // ITERATE OVER ENTIRE MATRIX AND PRINT EACH ELEMENT
    for ( int ii = 0; ii < rows; ii++ )
    {
        offset = ii * cols;
        for ( int jj = 0; jj < cols; jj++ )
        {
            printf("%d ", matrix[ offset + jj ] );
        }
        printf("\n");
    }
}

//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
// FUNCTION: printMatrices
// IMPORT: first (int*), second (int*), product (int*), M,N,K (int)
// PURPOSE: Prints the contents of three different Matrices to stdout

void printMatrices(int* first, int* second, int* third, int M, int N, int K)
{
        printMatrix(first, M, N);
        printMatrix(second, N, K);
        printMatrix(third, M, K);
}

//--------------------------------------------------------------------------

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


I've got a super cute layout up, over on the Polly! Scraps blog today, why not hop on over and check it out?!
Using the latest MAY kit Palm Tree--which is quite possibly, the nicest kit I've ever seen!!--I've managed to create the illusion of many many layers of patterned paper, when really, most of what I used is little strips and scraps!


text:
When Great Inventors Encourage Future Innovators
On December 1, 2014 December 1, 2014 By Patrick RossIn Committed: A Memoir, Creativity, Innovation, Inspiration, Memoir, MFA, RoadTrip
I knew when attending the White House ceremony for the latest class of National Medal of Technology and Innovation (NMTI) winners a week before Thanksgiving that I would have to blog on the experience. A logical narrative line to craft would have been the dramatic overlap in creative approaches pursued by NMTI awardees and the varied artists featured in my new book Committed: A Memoir of the Artist's Road.
And I had a natural avenue to tell that story. At the black-tie dinner honoring the winners that night, I learned in a video biography that one of that day's NMTI winners, physicist Cherry Murray, had a particular connection to the arts. Dr. Cherry, a pioneer in the field of light scattering, might have examined the color palette in a different capacity. From Harvard Magazine:
In an interview with the American Physical Society—she served as its president in 2009—Murray said that she had been raised by a family of artists and expected to become one herself. Then two things happened: her high-school chemistry teacher awoke her interest in science, and her older brother told her she would never succeed in physics—and certainly not at MIT—which spurred her to do just that.
My non-professional photo of Edith Flanigen receiving the National Medal of Technology and Innovation from President Barack Obama.
But I have written about the nexus between creatives in the arts and sciences before. Instead I found myself drawn to the story of another new NMTI laureate, molecular chemist Edith Flanigen. Edith's legacy is long, legendary, and very much continuing. She is the inventor of a molecular sieve that converts crude oil into gasoline, an accomplishment that led to her induction in the National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF) in 2002. Her technology now is in use cleaning contaminated water at Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant.
Flanigen was accompanied at the White House and later dinner by more than thirty friends and family. But she had arrived in Washington, D.C., nearly a week earlier. Four days before the White House ceremony in the National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum I welcomed her to Alexandria, Virginia, along with the other judges for this year's Collegiate Inventors Competition (CIC). Flanigen was joined by nearly a dozen other NIHF winners, including a colleague who would also be receiving an NMTI medal at the White House later that week, Dr. Thomas Fogarty, whose balloon catheter has saved countless lives through the removal of blood clots.
2014 Collegiate Inventors Competition finalists (photo courtesy USPTO, Amando Carigo)
These NIHF and NMTI winners had all committed several days of their time to judge inventions by the next generation of innovators, undergraduate and graduate students also looking to change the world. Not only did they spend time examining each invention as judges, they dedicated a part of their third day in Alexandria meeting individually with each finalist team, to provide guidance that might lead those inventors to someday to be inducted in NIHF or be honored with an NMTI medal.
In my work with these great inventors I continually see selfless acts such as this. Consider another CIC judge this year, Steve Sasson, inventor of the digital camera and star of a recent Mazda commercial celebrating his inventiveness. Like Flanigen and Fogarty, he is both a NIHF inductee and an NMTI medalist. I saw Sasson earlier this year in Alexandria visiting with grade-school aspiring inventors at a Camp Invention. He spent the day with several dozen students, answering questions about the creative process and examining their inventor logs, explaining how he too had sketched out ideas in a journal that eventually led to his groundbreaking invention.
Steve Sasson, inventor of the digital camera, talks with future inventors at a Camp Invention in Alexandria, Virginia (photo courtesy of Camp Invention's Facebook feed).
Many of the artistic creatives I interviewed on my 2010 cross-country road trip, captured in Committed, similarly found ways to give back. Sioux Falls, South Dakota, oil painter Andrew Barney, for example, mentors art students at a local high school.
Committed wouldn't exist without the guidance of accomplished memoirists who choose to teach in the Vermont College of Fine Arts low-residency program while simultaneously pursuing other creative and educational obligations. They often analyzed my writing submissions over weekends or late at night. It was clear to me they took on this added obligation not for the modest amount of additional income VCFA provided but instead for the opportunity to assist aspiring creative writers. I will be forever grateful for their dedication to that prospect.
So it is with a personal passion that I salute Edith Flanigen, Thomas Fogarty, Steve Sasson and other creative geniuses who seek to inspire and mentor other creative thinkers.
Feel free to attend the White House ceremony yourself by watching this video:
Andrew BarneyCamp InventionCherry MurrayCollegiate Inventors CompetitionCommitted: A Memoir of the Artist's RoadEdith FlanigenNational Inventors Hall of FameNational Inventors Hall of Fame MuseumNational Medal of Technology and InnovationSteve SassonThomas FogartyVermont College of Fine ArtsWhite House
Guest Post: Reliving Trauma through the Creative Process
Writing Nonfiction to Read Like Fiction
2 thoughts on "When Great Inventors Encourage Future Innovators"
Creative, inventive people should be honored in this way (and others), I think. Some acknowledgement to their contributions. Looks like a great day was had!
It was dizzying!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Promotional products leave consumers with a lasting impression – this is a known fact.
They also have the ability to effect their emotions and loyalty towards a brand. Therefore promotional products and giveaways are an extremely successful marketing tactic when it comes to trade shows and events.
At Superior we truly enjoy all of our clients and meeting all of their promotional needs.
We also enjoy giving back to the community, which is why we always make it a point to work with nonprofits.
Do customers really "know" your brand?
Being in the promotional product industry it's crucial that we pay close attention to enhancing our brand.
Seasons play a major role in the sales of promotional products.
Considering there are four of them, there's a sense of seasonality that comes with the consumer and with what they need.
Does anyone still use print?
Superior offers a lot of different marketing collateral options for our clients. One of the more exciting offers is our large format printing capabilities.
Are promo items relevant anymore?
In 2018 more and more businesses are heading towards digital marketing as a way to promote themselves and increase brand awareness.
Superior Promotions was recently recognized in Advantages Magazine, the #1 national publication to the promotional advertising industry.


The track, co-written and produced by Pharrell Williams, is called "Saw Lightning," and features a "Loser"-esque slide guitar riff. It's available now for digital download.
"Saw Lightning" is the first single from a new Beck album titled Hyperspace, the follow-up to his 2017 Grammy-winning effort Colors.
As for when we'll get to hear all of Hyperspace, a press release promises it'll arrive "at an as-yet-undetermined point in the space-time continuum," which isn't really helpful. But still, new Beck album!
In between jamming "Saw Lightning" and waiting for Hyperspace, you can hear Beck on the Cage the Elephant song "Night Running," a new tune off the Kentucky band's upcoming album Social Cues, due out this Friday.


The Simpsons, an American Institution of comedy, is network TV's unparalleled success due to originality, parodic references, and staying relevant.
I've been itching to write about The Simpsons for quite some time and figured this as good a time as ever to do that.
So where does one start with the show that has literally done it all?
An American Institution, The Simpsons (1989 – Present) have been on as long as I've been around — I'm 28. I feel as though I've grown up with Homer and Marge, Bart, Lisa and baby Maggie.
The longest-running American sitcom, animated or otherwise, The Simpsons have covered everything imaginable during its run. Featuring your typical American family, the premise of the show underscores the ridiculousness that occurs to Homer, Marge, their 2.5 kids.
All of Springfield's cast of characters have provided copious amounts of laughs through the years.
So where am I going with this Simpson's dissertation?
I'm going to review each season by season, highlighting the best episodes, funniest scenes, cast of characters and much more.
How long this endeavor ultimately takes is beyond me, but as I write this, what I'll consider the pilot of this series, it has long been an entertaining idea.
The show's creator, Matt Groening and his contingent of writers — which even included Conan O'Brien for a time — poke fun at anything and everything, even its longtime FOX Network home, with impeccable gags, one-liners, and cultural relevance.
The bread and butter of the series.
One such example occurs in Much Apu About Nothing, 1996, featuring the politicized aspect of legal immigration — Apu as an illegal immigrant — which the episode brings as a secondary plot to literally shift the focus of Mayor Joe Quimby's buffoonery with regard to a loose bear rummaging Springfield.
Viewers are sure to notice every reference, hidden and obvious, classic parody and cultural trend. Anyone who's lived life, is a sports fan, an art lover, world traveler, or foodie, The Simpsons have you covered.
What an amazing run of 28 years — and counting — so let us take a look back.


text:
Farhan Akhtar Excited For The Irishman, Starring Robert DeNiro And Al Pacino
Starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci bring alive the story of long-lost union boss Jimmy Hoffa in the gripping new trailer for Martin Scorsese's long-awaited crime drama The Irishman and Indian Filmmaker and actor Farhan Akhtar...
Designer Ralph Lauren marks 50th anniversary with Central Park fashion gala
NTV Houston Newsroom - September 8, 2018
The American fashion house hosted the fashion show and dinner attended by a veritable who's who of names from the worlds of entertainment, media and fashion. Hollywood stars Robert De Niro, Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain rubbed elbows under the...


Screen allows you to run scripts or commands in their own virtual window within the terminal, essentially allowing you to have a terminal multi-tasking environment where you can switch between your windows or another users at will. This howto will give you the basics of screen plus some other useful features that may help you in your daily administration tasks. This howto is intended to get you up and running with basic screen functionality within just a few minutes. Please read the manpage for a far more in-depth description of features and options.
These are requirements for successfully completing this document.
Root or appropriate sudo access to the system.
Install screen if it's not already installed.
Setup screen for multi-user mode.
Multi-user mode is helpful for sharing a terminal and showing something in real-time because multi-user mode allows 1 or more people observe another performing commands or other system maintenance, or it could allow more than one user access to the status of scripts or custom commands running in separate screens.
Further reading on Screen multi-user mode and available commands.
List a particular users screen sessions.
List your own active screen sessions.
Re-attach to a specific users screen and session.
Start a screen session and give it a unique name.
Detach from a running screen session leaving it running in the background.
Re-attach to a specific screen you've named.
Power detach a screen that you are logged into from another location.
This is helpful if you've been accidentally disconnected from ssh while in a remote screen session and it's still attached.
Explanation troubleshooting basics and expectations.
Can't find screen or it can't be found via Yum?
Make sure you're running authentic Centos and not using a custom 3rd party VPS container, Cpanel, or other shared hosting discount server.


A variety of technologies–exciting, troubling, controversial–are emerging for the purposes of extending or augmenting the biological capabilities of human beings. These technologies include (among others) sensory augmentation devices, brain-machine interfaces, robotic exoskeletons or prostheses, and genetic therapies; in every case, the intent of the technology is to allow people to perform activities beyond the traditional boundaries of body, mind, and genome.
In some cases, the pioneers of these technologies have been (usually young) makers and hobbyists. The explorations of these young people augur new and difficult questions for the education community. What body- and mind-changing artifacts could, or should, be available to children and teenagers? To what extent – whether for educational or social purposes – will, or should, democratized "making" apply to the physical and cognitive limitations of the maker? This talk will explore some plausible future pathways for the "educational maker movement" in the light of this imminent development in technology.
Mike Eisenberg is a professor in the Department of Computer Science and Institute of Cognitive Science at the University of Colorado, Boulder. He and his wife Ann Eisenberg together direct the Craft Technology Lab at CU Boulder; the lab's research focuses on blending the most fruitful traditions of children's crafts with the affordances of new technologies. He co-edited (with Yasmin Kafai, Leah Buechley, and Kylie Peppler) the book Textile Messages, and has authored both a programming textbook (Programming in Scheme) and a published play (Hackers). He is a member of the President's Teaching Scholars at CU, and has been the recipient of several teaching awards from the university.
When arts are privileged in the making process, new understandings, tools and artifacts emerge at this disruptive nexus that transcend both arts- and STEM-based learning. The infusion of the arts into making that we've traditionally considered STEM is resulting in the emergence of tools and communities that not only engender new content understandings but also invite participation from populations historically underrepresented in robotics and computing. Drawing on over a decade of research at the intersection of the arts, creativity, and new technologies from the Creativity Labs at Indiana University, this presentation theorizes the learning that takes place at effective couplings of STEAM to assist today's educators in realizing the potential for transformative experiences for learners of all levels. This talk theorizes two compelling cases of STEAM-based tools, materials, and activities, and conceptually outlines an approach to "gathering STEAM" in making environments.
Dr. Kylie Peppler is an Associate Professor of Learning Sciences and the Director of the Creativity Labs at Indiana University. An artist by training, Dr. Peppler engages in research that focuses on the intersection of arts, computational technologies and interest-driven learning. Dr. Peppler is also the Chief Learning Officer at Collective Shift/LRNG, the lead of the MacArthur Foundation's Make-to-Learn initiative, an advisor to the Connected Learning Research Network, and a member of the 2016 and 2017 National Educational Technology Plan Committee. Dr. Peppler is the recipient of several recent awards, including 2016 Mira Tech Educator of the Year and an NSF Early CAREER recipient, as well as grants from the Spencer Foundation, Moore Foundation, and MacArthur Foundation, among others. Recent publications include the Routledge Makeology series as well as the Sage Encyclopedia of Out-of-School Learning.


Good afternoon Chairman Burr, Vice Chairman Feinstein, and members of the committee. Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today to discuss the widespread reach of terrorists' influence, which transcends geographic boundaries like never before. As technology advances so, too, does terrorists' use of technology to communicate—both to inspire and recruit. The widespread use of technology propagates the persistent terrorist message to attack U.S. interests whether in the homeland or abroad. As the threat to harm Western interests evolves, we must adapt and confront the challenges, relying heavily on the strength of our federal, state, local, and international partnerships.
We continue to identify individuals who seek to join the ranks of foreign fighters traveling in support of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, commonly known as ISIL, and also homegrown violent extremists who may aspire to attack the United States from within. These threats remain among the highest priorities for the FBI and the Intelligence Community as a whole.
Conflicts in Syria and Iraq continue to serve as the most attractive overseas theaters for Western-based extremists who want to engage in violence. We estimate upwards of 200 Americans have traveled or attempted to travel to Syria to participate in the conflict. While this number is lower in comparison to many of our international partners, we closely analyze and assess the influence groups like ISIL have on individuals located in the United States who are inspired to commit acts of violence. Whether or not the individuals are affiliated with a foreign terrorist organization and are willing to travel abroad to fight or are inspired by the call to arms to act in their communities, they potentially pose a significant threat to the safety of the United States and U.S. persons.
ISIL has proven relentless in its violent campaign to rule and has aggressively promoted its hateful message, attracting like-minded extremists to include Westerners. To an even greater degree than al Qaeda or other foreign terrorist organizations, ISIL has persistently used the Internet to communicate. From a homeland perspective, it is ISIL's widespread reach through the Internet and social media which is most concerning as ISIL has aggressively employed this technology for its nefarious strategy. ISIL blends traditional media platforms, glossy photos, in-depth articles, and social media campaigns that can go viral in a matter of seconds. No matter the format, the message of radicalization spreads faster than we imagined just a few years ago.
Unlike other groups, ISIL has constructed a narrative that touches on all facets of life—from career opportunities to family life to a sense of community. The message isn't tailored solely to those who are overtly expressing symptoms of radicalization. It is seen by many who click through the Internet every day, receive social media push notifications, and participate in social networks. Ultimately, many of these individuals are seeking a sense of belonging.
As a communication medium, social media is a critical tool for terror groups to exploit. One recent example occurred when an individual was arrested for providing material support to ISIL by facilitating an associate's travel to Syria to join ISIL. The arrested individual had multiple connections, via a social media networking site, with other like-minded individuals.
There is no set profile for the susceptible consumer of this propaganda. However, one trend continues to rise—the inspired youth. We've seen certain children and young adults drawing deeper into the ISIL narrative. These individuals are often comfortable with virtual communication platforms, specifically social media networks.
ISIL continues to disseminate their terrorist message to all social media users—regardless of age. Following other groups, ISIL has advocated for lone offender attacks. In recent months ISIL released a video, via social media, reiterating the group's encouragement of lone offender attacks in Western countries, specifically advocating for attacks against soldiers and law enforcement, intelligence community members, and government personnel. Several incidents have occurred in the United States and Europe over the last few months that indicate this "call to arms" has resonated among ISIL supporters and sympathizers.
In one case, a Kansas-based male was arrested in April after he systematically carried out steps to attack a U.S. military institution and a local police station. The individual, who was inspired by ISIL propaganda, expressed his support for ISIL online and took steps to carry out acts encouraged in the ISIL call to arms.
The targeting of U.S. military personnel is also evident with the release of hundreds of names of individuals serving in the U.S. military by ISIL supporters. The names were posted to the Internet and quickly spread through social media, depicting ISIL's capability to produce viral messaging. Threats to U.S. military and coalition forces continue today.
Social media has allowed groups, such as ISIL, to use the Internet to spot and assess potential recruits. With the widespread horizontal distribution of social media, terrorists can identify vulnerable individuals of all ages in the United States—spot, assess, recruit, and radicalize— either to travel or to conduct a homeland attack. The foreign terrorist now has direct access into the United States like never before.
In recent arrests, a group of individuals was contacted by a known ISIL supporter who had already successfully traveled to Syria and encouraged them to do the same.
Some of these conversations occur in publicly accessed social networking sites, but others take place via private messaging platforms. As a result, it is imperative the FBI and all law enforcement organizations understand the latest communication tools and are positioned to identify and prevent terror attacks in the homeland. We live in a technologically driven society and just as private industry has adapted to modern forms of communication so too have the terrorists. Unfortunately, changing forms of Internet communication are quickly outpacing laws and technology designed to allow for the lawful intercept of communication content. This real and growing gap the FBI refers to as Going Dark is the source of continuing focus for the FBI, it must be urgently addressed as the risks associated with Going Dark are grave both in traditional criminal matters as well as in national security matters. We are striving to ensure appropriate, lawful collection remains available. Whereas traditional voice telephone companies are required by CALEA to develop and maintain capabilities to intercept communications when law enforcement has lawful authority, that requirement does not extend to most Internet communications services. As a result, such services can be developed and deployed without any ability for law enforcement to collect information critical to criminal and national security investigations and prosecutions.
The FBI is utilizing all lawful investigative techniques and methods to combat the threat these individuals may pose to the United States. In conjunction with our domestic and foreign partners, we are rigorously collecting and analyzing intelligence information as it pertains to the ongoing threat posed by foreign terrorist organizations and homegrown violent extremists. In partnership with our many federal, state, and local agencies assigned to Joint Terrorism Task Forces around the country, we remain vigilant to ensure the safety of the American public. Be assured, the FBI continues to pursue increased efficiencies and information sharing processes as well as pursue technological and other methods to help stay ahead of threats to the homeland.
Chairman Burr, Vice Chairman Feinstein, and committee members, I thank you for the opportunity to testify concerning terrorists' use of the Internet and social media as a platform for spreading ISIL propaganda and inspiring individuals to target the homeland, and the impact of the Going Dark problem on mitigating their efforts. I am happy to answer any questions you might have.


Halle St-Pierre is located in Paris. Make Halle St-Pierre a centerpiece of your Paris vacation itinerary, and find what else is worth visiting using our Paris trip maker website .
Nice and friendly place with in General beautiful exhibits. The weak point remains the friendliness at the ticketing that does not improve, pity.
An amazing Place, where you will see super interesting things. Around, there are countless stores of fabrics and accessories where you find very cheap special fabrics.
A great place to see naïve art and art brut If you like art but can't stand B***t, this is the place to visit. Not too big space, not too crowded, friendly staff.


My Sig About : ???
Size : Your choice .
Size : Default ( 500 x 200 ) or My Choice .
Animated : Yes or No .
Why is "My Character" listed twice?
Animated : Rain dancing i.e. animated omastar poke?
Only KO Team Chaos ? not write your name ?
Animated both ? or only Omastar ?
if you can't is okay.
Take your time have fun .
LOL , did you edit your request ?
I prefer when you are making themes. But why not.
My Character : Otoya Ittoki.
My Text : Otoya from the Phoenix Alliance.
Im tired today . maybe tomorrow any request will be completed .
Animated : Yes the background if possible ^^.


The deadline for the May Newsletter is Sunday, April 21st. Please contact Pat at pat.barley49@gmail.com.
Liturgy of the Word for Children ages 3 through 1st grade.
The children will leave after the Opening prayer at Mass and return while the collection is being taken up.
There WILL be St. Vincent Religious Education classes on Wednesday, April 24th.
Rosary on April 24th has been canceled.
Please plan to attend the exploratory mass 6:00PM at St Joseph .
Mark your calendar and save the date. You know that Spring is just around the corner when signs for the Tea begin to appear. The 16th Annual St. Vincent Charity Tea is scheduled for Saturday, April 27th at 1:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall. Make plans to attend. The charity selected for this year is Pantry Pals. This Shelby County organization supports all of the food pantries in Shelby Co.
Remember to put your filled Rice Bowl in the large Rice bowl up by the tabernacle in St. Vincent Church.
Save the Dates: May 9th – 12th. Mark your calendar! The 2019 St. Joseph Spring Festi-val is only a few months away. You won't want to miss all the exciting and fun festivities. Watch the bulletin for more information!.
served at least 47 clients.
The Society of St. Vincent De Paul of Shelby Co. meets every 2nd and 4th Monday of the month, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. at St. Vincent Parish Hall. The primary purpose of the society is spiritual growth of its members and to serve those in need in our community to help bring them closer to God. Please contact Jim Carrier for more info: jimcarrier1@gmail.com. If you cannot attend a meeting, we are always accepting volunteers and/or donations.
Please contact Kristin Schoettmer, Do you know of anyone in Shelby County who could use a helping hand? Have them call the hotline: 317-395-7027.


text:
<?php

require_once BASE_PATH.'/modules/api/library/APIEnabledNotification.php';

/** Notification manager for the sizequota module */
class Sizequota_Notification extends ApiEnabled_Notification
{
    /** @var string */
    public $moduleName = 'sizequota';

    /** @var array */
    public $_moduleComponents = array('Api');

    /** @var array */
    public $_models = array('Assetstore', 'Folder');

    /** Init notification process. */
    public function init()
    {
        $this->addCallBack('CALLBACK_CORE_GET_COMMUNITY_MANAGE_TABS', 'getCommunityTab');
        $this->addCallBack('CALLBACK_CORE_GET_USER_TABS', 'getUserTab');
        $this->addCallBack('CALLBACK_CORE_GET_FOOTER_LAYOUT', 'getScript');
        $this->addCallBack('CALLBACK_CORE_GET_SIMPLEUPLOAD_EXTRA_HTML', 'getExtraHtmlSimple');
        $this->addCallBack('CALLBACK_CORE_GET_JAVAUPLOAD_EXTRA_HTML', 'getExtraHtmlSimple');
        $this->addCallBack('CALLBACK_CORE_GET_REVISIONUPLOAD_EXTRA_HTML', 'getExtraHtmlRevision');
        $this->addCallBack('CALLBACK_CORE_GET_JAVAREVISIONUPLOAD_EXTRA_HTML', 'getExtraHtmlRevision');
        $this->addCallBack('CALLBACK_CORE_VALIDATE_UPLOAD', 'validateUpload');
        $this->addCallBack('CALLBACK_CORE_VALIDATE_UPLOAD_REVISION', 'validateUploadRevision');

        $this->enableWebAPI($this->moduleName);
    }

    /**
     * Add a tab to the manage community page for size quota.
     *
     * @param array $args parameters
     * @return array
     */
    public function getCommunityTab($args)
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        $community = $args['community'];
        $fc = Zend_Controller_Front::getInstance();
        $moduleWebroot = $fc->getBaseUrl().'/'.$this->moduleName;

        return array(
            $this->t('Storage Quota') => $moduleWebroot.'/folder/index?folderId='.$community->getFolderId(),
        );
    }

    /**
     * Add a tab to the user's main page for size quota.
     *
     * @param array $args parameters
     * @return array
     * @throws Zend_Exception
     */
    public function getUserTab($args)
    {
        $user = $args['user'];
        if ($this->Folder->policyCheck($user->getFolder(), $this->userSession->Dao, MIDAS_POLICY_READ)
        ) {
            $fc = Zend_Controller_Front::getInstance();
            $moduleWebroot = $fc->getBaseUrl().'/'.$this->moduleName;

            return array(
                $this->t('Storage Quota') => $moduleWebroot.'/folder/index?folderId='.$user->getFolderId(),
            );
        } else {
            return array();
        }
    }

    /**
     * Add our JavaScript callback script.
     *
     * @return string
     */
    public function getScript()
    {
        $fc = Zend_Controller_Front::getInstance();
        $modulePublicWebroot = $fc->getBaseUrl().'/modules/'.$this->moduleName;

        return '';
    }

    /**
     * Add free space information to the DOM on the simple upload and Java upload pages.
     *
     * @param array $args parameters, including "folder", the folder DAO that you are uploading into
     * @return string
     * @throws Zend_Exception
     */
    public function getExtraHtmlSimple($args)
    {
        /** @var FolderModel $folderModel */
        $folderModel = MidasLoader::loadModel('Folder');

        /** @var Sizequota_FolderQuotaModel $folderQuotaModel */
        $folderQuotaModel = MidasLoader::loadModel('FolderQuota', $this->moduleName);

        $folder = $args['folder'];
        if (!$folder) {
            return '
0
'.'
--
';
        }
        $rootFolder = $folderModel->getRoot($folder);
        $quota = $folderQuotaModel->getFolderQuota($rootFolder);
        $assetstoreFree = UtilityComponent::diskFreeSpace($this->Assetstore->getDefault()->getPath());
        if ($quota == '') {
            $free = $assetstoreFree;
        } else {
            $used = $folderModel->getSize($rootFolder);
            $free = min($assetstoreFree, $quota - $used);
        }

        $free = number_format($free, 0, '.', '');
        $hFree = UtilityComponent::formatSize($free);

        return '
'.htmlspecialchars($free, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8').'
'.'
'.htmlspecialchars($hFree, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8').'
';
    }

    /**
     * Add free space information to the DOM on the revision uploader page.
     *
     * @param array $args parameters, including "item", the item DAO that you are uploading a new revision into
     * @return string
     * @throws Zend_Exception
     */
    public function getExtraHtmlRevision($args)
    {
        /** @var FolderModel $folderModel */
        $folderModel = MidasLoader::loadModel('Folder');

        /** @var Sizequota_FolderQuotaModel $folderQuotaModel */
        $folderQuotaModel = MidasLoader::loadModel('FolderQuota', $this->moduleName);

        $item = $args['item'];
        if (!$item) {
            return '
0
'.'
--
';
        }
        $folders = $item->getFolders();
        if (count($folders) == 0) {
            // don't allow any more uploading into an orphaned item
            return '
0
'.'
--
';
        } else {
            $rootFolder = $folderModel->getRoot($folders[0]);
            $quota = $folderQuotaModel->getFolderQuota($rootFolder);
            $assetstoreFree = UtilityComponent::diskFreeSpace($this->Assetstore->getDefault()->getPath());
            if ($quota == '') {
                $free = $assetstoreFree;
            } else {
                $used = $folderModel->getSize($rootFolder);
                $free = min($assetstoreFree, $quota - $used);
            }

            $free = number_format($free, 0, '.', '');
            $hFree = UtilityComponent::formatSize($free);

            return '
'.htmlspecialchars($free, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8').'
'.'
'.htmlspecialchars($hFree, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8').'
';
        }
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    /**
     * Return whether or not the upload is allowed.  If uploading the file
     * will cause the size to surpass the quota, it will be rejected.
     *
     * @param array $args parameters, including "size", the size of the uploaded file,
     *                    and "folderId", the id of the folder being uploaded into
     * @return array array('status' => boolean, 'message' => 'error message if status is false')
     */
    public function validateUpload($args)
    {
        /** @var FolderModel $folderModel */
        $folderModel = MidasLoader::loadModel('Folder');

        /** @var Sizequota_FolderQuotaModel $folderQuotaModel */
        $folderQuotaModel = MidasLoader::loadModel('FolderQuota', $this->moduleName);

        $folder = $folderModel->load($args['folderId']);
        if (!$folder) {
            return array('status' => false, 'message' => 'Invalid folder id');
        }
        $rootFolder = $folderModel->getRoot($folder);
        $quota = $folderQuotaModel->getFolderQuota($rootFolder);
        if ($quota == '') {
            return array('status' => true);
        }

        $freeSpace = $quota - $folderModel->getSize($rootFolder);
        $uploadSize = $args['size'];
        if ($uploadSize > $freeSpace) {
            return array(
                'status' => false,
                'message' => 'Upload quota exceeded. Free space: '.$freeSpace.'. Attempted upload size: '.$uploadSize.' into folder '.$args['folderId'],
            );
        }

        return array('status' => true);
    }

    /**
     * Return whether or not the upload is allowed.  If uploading the revision
     * will cause the size to surpass the quota, it will be rejected.
     *
     * @param array $args parameters, including "size", size of the uploaded file,
     *                    and "itemId", the id of the item being uploaded into
     * @return array array('status' => boolean, 'message' => 'error message if status is false')
     */
    public function validateUploadRevision($args)
    {
        /** @var FolderModel $folderModel */
        $folderModel = MidasLoader::loadModel('Folder');

        /** @var ItemModel $itemModel */
        $itemModel = MidasLoader::loadModel('Item');

        /** @var Sizequota_FolderQuotaModel $folderQuotaModel */
        $folderQuotaModel = MidasLoader::loadModel('FolderQuota', $this->moduleName);

        $item = $itemModel->load($args['itemId']);
        if (!$item) {
            return array('status' => false, 'message' => 'Invalid item id');
        }
        $folders = $item->getFolders();
        if (count($folders) == 0) {
            return array('status' => false, 'message' => 'Cannot upload into an orphaned item');
        }
        $rootFolder = $folderModel->getRoot($folders[0]);
        $quota = $folderQuotaModel->getFolderQuota($rootFolder);
        if ($quota == '') {
            return array('status' => true);
        }

        $freeSpace = $quota - $folderModel->getSize($rootFolder);
        $uploadSize = $args['size'];
        if ($uploadSize > $freeSpace) {
            return array(
                'status' => false,
                'message' => 'Upload quota exceeded. Free space: '.$freeSpace.'. Attempted upload size: '.$uploadSize.' into item '.$args['itemId'],
            );
        }

        return array('status' => true);
    }
}


First Street will be right at the heart of the action for the Manchester International Festival 2017 (MIF).
Manchester's newest neighbourhood will play host to Ceremony by Phil Collins, the Festival's closing event, on Sunday 16 July, which also sees the arrival of a statue for the city to commemorate the life of the remarkable Friedrich Engels, the German political theorist and Manchester resident.
The statue will be erected at Tony Wilson Place and will be a focal point at First Street for years to come. Ceremony is co-commissioned by MIF, 14-18 NOW (The UK's arts programme for the First World War centenary), and HOME at First Street.
The First Street Estate is owned and developed by leading real estate investment manager PATRIZIA, which is a corporate sponsor of this year's festival.
Commenting on First Street and PATRIZIA'S involvement, Rob Brook, Head of Portfolio Management at PATRIZIA UK, said: "As the world's leading festival of new work created by international artists, MIF has forged a global reputation and is testament to Manchester's status as a key cultural hub in the UK.
Turner-prize nominated artist, Phil Collins, will bring MIF to a close with a live film event, Ceremony, mixing footage of the statue's journey from Russia across Europe with live coverage of its inauguration and performances in and around First Street's Tony Wilson Place.
HOME at First Street is also hosting the world premiere of Returning to Reims, a theatrical production by Thomas Ostermeier for MIF, and commissioned by the Schaubuhne, MIF and HOME.
First Street launched in May 2015, and since then a host of new independent bars and restaurants have opened, including The Gasworks Brewbar, The Laundrette, The Liquor Store and Indian Tiffin Room, drawing a huge following from culture lovers and people looking for a great night out.
Last week, a new website, www.firststreetmanchester.com, was also launched for First Street, allowing visitors to find out more about the wide range of events and activities that will be taking place across the estate this summer.


text:
Social Media's Increasing Role in the Content Experience
Jonathan Band · August 25, 2014
competitionmedia
A DisCo post last week described how Taylor Swift was using social media to promote her latest album, 1989. And previous DisCo posts have discussed the phenomenon of innovative artists embracing Internet platforms to reach new markets. Social media, however, has become far more than an alternative means for promoting and distributing entertainment content; often it is integral to the content itself.
Social media is a central theme of this summer's sleeper hit, Chef. Chef Carl Casper, played by Jon Favreau, finds his career in trouble after engaging in a public dispute via Twitter with a food blogger, which he didn't realize was public because he didn't understand how Twitter operated. (His young son established the Twitter account for him.) Twitter also plays a critical role in the resurrection of his career, as his son tweets about his new food truck as they drive across the country. Further, Twitter helps reconnect the chef with his son. (Favreau insists that Twitter didn't pay for the product placement.) Twitter is to Chef what AOL was to the Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan 1998 rom-com You've Got Mail.
Social media can also be more than a plot device; it can serve a central role in the entertainment experience. For the past two years, social media has been part the judging of the Tyra Banks vehicle America's Next Top Model, one of the top shows on the CW network. During the judging session, a fashion blogger, Bryanboy, articulated the views expressed by fans on the show's website. Moreover, a social media score reflecting fans' votes on the show's website was weighed along with the judges' scores to determine which contestant was eliminated. Additionally, social media scores determined which eliminated contestant could return at a later stage of the competition.
In the current season, social media plays an even greater role. In last week's episode, the models were evaluated on the basis of their ability to use social media. They had to take a "selfie" which they then manipulated using the mobile app Line.
Social media obviously is a disruptive technology that empowers new entrants. But like any disruptive technology, it can be successfully adopted by incumbents willing to take risks and experiment. Taylor Swift, Jon Favreau, and Tyra Banks are all well-established performers. By adopting social media, whether as a means of promoting a new product, of advancing a plot, or of interacting with an audience, these performers have managed to remain current and thereby to advance their careers.
New technologies are constantly emerging that promise to change our lives for the better. These disruptive technologies give us an increase in choice, make technologies more accessible, make things more affordable, and give consumers a voice. And the pace of innovation has only quickened in recent years, as the Internet has enabled a wave of new, inter-connected devices that have benefited consumers around the world, seemingly in all aspects of their lives. Preserving an innovation-friendly market is, therefore, tantamount not only to businesses but society at large.


text:
Matt Damon's Speech to Teachers' Rally
Matt Damon's Speech
I flew overnight from Vancouver to be with you today. I landed in New York a few hours ago and caught a flight down here because I needed to tell you all in person that I think you're awesome.
I was raised by a teacher. My mother is a professor of early childhood education. And from the time I went to kindergarten through my senior year in high school, I went to public schools. I wouldn't trade that education and experience for anything.
I had incredible teachers. As I look at my life today, the things I value most about myself - my imagination, my love of acting, my passion for writing, my love of learning, my curiosity - all come from how I was parented and taught.
And none of those qualities that I just mentioned - none of these qualities that I prize so deeply, that have brought me so much joy, that have brought me so much professional success - none of these qualities that make me who I am ... can be tested.
Why Jonathan Kozol will be Marching to Save Our Schools
Reasons for marching
The inequities are greater now than in '92. Some states have equalized per-pupil spending but they set the "equal level" very low, so that wealthy districts simply raise extra money privately. And, even within a single urban district, parents in rich neighborhoods cluster together at a single school, then hold fund-raisers for that school, using celebrities to pull out a wealthy crowd, and raise as much as half-a-million dollars in a single night. No one forces them to share this money with the schools for poor kids that might be just three blocks away. The system is more savage now than ever.
What We Saw at the Save Our Schools Rally in Washington D.C.
Teachers March on Washington
There are many reasons thousands of teachers traveled across the country to protest in front of the White House on Saturday - including to oppose charter schools, to fight for equal funding for poor schools, and to have more say in public education policies.
But at a noisy rally starting at noon under soaring temperatures, their message boiled down to one point, which was summed up by the sound check before the first speaker took the stage:
Tap. Tap. "No testing, no testing, 1-2-3."
Jon Stewart's Teacher Tribute For the Save Our Schools Rally
Damon: "There are millions of us behind you"
Matt Damon and His History Teacher
Diane Ravitch at Save Our School March
Save Our Schools (four minutes )
"I believe our teachers are warriors for justice." - Johnathan Kozol


text:
Bonus Episode: Sweet Election Victories From The 1990s
From: New Politics
Politics, #auspol, #auspol2019, #australia-politics, #ausvotes2019, #politics-podcast
The 2019 election is on, but to look forward, we always need to look back, and we go far back into the archives to look at the events of elections from 1992 and 1993. But that's over 25 years ago: are age-old events from history still relevant today?
Of course! The similarities between UK Labour leader Neil Kinnock in 1992 and Bill Shorten in 2019 are striking. Like Shorten, Kinnock had been ahead in the polls for almost three years and everyone was backing Labour to win. And he also ... See More faced attacks from the Murdoch-backed media, culminating in the infamous and grammatically-challenged newspaper headline: "It's The Sun Wot Won It".
The election systems are slightly different in the two countries: Australia has two-party preferred and compulsory voting; the UK has first-past-the-post and voluntary voting. Shorten is still favoured to win here, but we think he'd be looking at the 1992 UK election campaign for all the things to avoid; the biggest issue would be hubris and assuming victory just falls into the leader's lap.
Scott Morrison will be trying to emulate Paul Keating's feat in 1993 of winning the unwinnable election. Yes, in a two-horse race, anything is possible, but Morrison is not Paul Keating, he leads a very damaged Coalition, and is papering over all forms of corruption (alleged). So we still think it's very very unlikely.
But don't forget the big clichés: the only poll that matters is on election day, and it's not over until it's over.
New Politics Australia 14 followers Follow Following


text:
Will Taylor Swift's 'Lover' Head Up the Top Videos of the Week?
Taste of Country Staff
Taylor Swift has just released a colorful video for her new song, "Lover." Will her fans vote it into the top country music videos of the week?
"Lover" is the title song of Swift's newly released seventh studio album, and it finds the superstar throwing it back to some old-school musical influences for a slow, gorgeous ballad. The new video is whimsical and romantic.
She's facing competition from Maren Morris, whose new video for "The Bones" shares footage from her private life with husband Ryan Hurd. Newcomer Trea Landon also shared a new video this week for his debut single, "Loved by a Country Boy," that's looking for votes. Who's got your support this week?
The countdown of the top country videos of the week has mostly remained stable this week, with familiar videos from Home Free, Carolin Jones, Chris Young and more still hanging in the Top 10. Morgan Evans debuts at No. 10 this week with his new video for "Day Drunk."
Are you seeing your favorite country music videos in this week's countdown? Taste of Country lets our most loyal readers decide, so if you want to see your favorites win next week, you've got to vote and keep on voting! And encourage your country music-loving friends and family to vote for the top videos of the week, too.
Note: Fans can vote for one video, once every hour until the poll closes next Friday at 12PM ET. The weekly Top 10 will be revealed immediately after the poll closes. Videos are retired after six months, or when fans lose interest or when an artist releases a new video for a current single.
"Day Drunk"
"Don't Let the Old Man In"
"Die From a Broken Heart"
"Interstate Gospel"
"God's Country"
"Somethin' to Say"
Tucker Beathard
"Shallow"
Danielle Bradbery and Parker McCollum
"Raised on Country"
"Chasin' Me"
"Take Me Home, Country Roads"
Make a Case for Your Favorite Music Videos!
If you don't see your favorite video in this week's Top 10, or think one should be voted higher, tell everyone why in the comments section below. The Taste of Country Top 10 Video Countdown is 100 percent decided by fan vote, so if you want a video to hit No. 1, you'll need to fight for it.
Next: Top Country Songs of 2019
Filed Under: Taylor Swift
Categories: Country Music News, Readers Poll, Top 10 Video Countdown
You Pick the Videos
Pick your favorite country music videos below! Each hour, you can place your vote for one video to make our weekly Taste of Country Top 10 Video Countdown. Voting closes each Friday at noon, and the week's countdown is revealed shortly thereafter.
Vote for Your Favorite


Yes, I was a little thrown by the leap through the window, but was thinking about this over the weekend. Things are hopefully going to be a little less frantic over the next week, so I'm hoping to post shortly.
Fixed, sorry. It fills so fast!
Hey, PG, your PM box is full.
Ah, crap, my PMs were fritzing up on me earlier, sorry for the bombardment.
Thought it might be "relevant to your interests," as the saying goes.
Hey, are you still interested in Shadows Over *mumble mumble*? Just doing a quick headcount of the original posters.
I just noticed on the Jack Vance thread that you've finished with that Master's thesis you were working on. Congratulations! Are you going after your doctorate next, or taking a break for a while?


JOHANNESBURG – "I was born to stand out," Rose Moyo, the Zimbabwean-born technology executive, aptly said of herself.
This self-appraisal rings true of the 49-year-old who is among the most prominent and few executives and experts in a lucrative industry that is male-dominated.
Ever one to stand out, it is no wonder after high school, she joined the military Air Force of Zimbabwe, yet another field that is largely seen as a preserve for males.
"Growing up, I was more aligned to my brothers," she said in an interview in Johannesburg.
Being a middle child in a family of eight children, she attributes her upbringing for grounding her into a formidable woman she is today.
"Growing up as the middle child, there was no pressure for me to prove anything from a social context as everything had been laid down for me," Moyo said.
Moyo has always dreamt big such that despite her home country being landlocked, she aspired to be a deep sea diver.
"I was not afraid to dream. Yet, even today I still cannot swim. I don't know where that dream went," she chuckled.
With that dream down the drain, followed by stint at the air force, it is in the technology field where she has made the biggest impression.
This can be traced to some "opportunities, fate and circumstances" influencing her to leave the air force and pursue a BSc Honours in Electronics at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) in the second city of Bulawayo and later joining the University of Zimbabwe in the capital Harare as a technical assistant in the laboratory.
Later, she enrolled at the prestigious University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in neighbouring South Africa, where she studied a Masters in Engineering, with a focus on telecommunications.
After completion, she returned to Zimbabwe where she joined the country's Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (POTRZA).
There, she pioneered the regulatory framework in terms of ICT, with her in charge of networks and coordination of regional and international platforms.
It was at the time of upheaval in the country mobile sector with the government maintaining a monopoly on the industry through NetOne.
This would later change with the licensing of Econet and Telecel.
"It was an interesting journey as it gave me exposure in both regional and international organisations like the International Telecommunications Union (ITU)," Moyo reflected.
In 2006 she joined ZTE (formerly Zhongxing New Telecommunications Equipment) Corporation South Africa as technical manager in charge of wireless technology.
"I am one of the few people that have been fortunate to work in all the wireless technologies that have been in existence, especially 3G," she beamed.
From the first generation networks (1G) to the upcoming 5G, she has been involved.
In 2011, Moyo joined the fast-growing Chinese giant Huawei as Solutions Manager.
"I was going through chartered waters. Nothing was defined," she said.
She prides herself as being arguably the first female executive to work in enterprise in South Africa, the continent's most advanced economy.
Later, she was promoted to the Director Enterprise Wireless Solutions for the East and Southern African regions.
Moyo has thrived in her current position, which she assumed in 2015. Her strengths in communication and patience make her a formidable leader and mentor within the company.
At Huawei, she has received multiple honors, including the Individual Gold Medal Award, Team Gold Medal Award, Expert Contribution Award and Future Star.
Teased of her height be fellow students, standing a towering more than 1,85m, she is a giant in the industry, in every sense of the word. She lights up every conference room she enters with her passion for wireless.
She is committed to the building of a safer Africa, hopeful this can be achieved by adopting the right technologies.
"Despite Africa having fewer natural disasters, the consequences and fatalities are higher," she lamented.
With the new dispensation in place in Zimbabwe, Moyo was coy when asked her about the call by the government on its citizens in the diaspora to return and develop the country.
"I think on that perspective, if the leadership can harness from the diverse experience in the diaspora, then the country can move forward," she said.
The one-time aspiring diver preferred to delve deeper into the subject she has the biggest passion for- technology.
Whereas in the past, narrowband technologies, both analogue and digital, have been the communications technologies of choice, a desire for the capacity to accommodate high bandwidth data is pushing a transition to broadband communications, she said expertly.
"With suppliers now offering more Long Term Evolution (LTE) solutions, countries building national networks and law enforcements' changing expectations surrounding their technology usage, it is evident broadband is the future of critical communications," Moyo concluded.


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Hawaiian honors: Bulls post top stats in Midland Bull Test
Columbus, Mont. – Four Red Angus bulls made the journey from Kukuipahu Ranch, LLC in Hawi, Hawaii – over 3,150 miles – to the Midland Bull Test last August, and lot 796, KPHU 1007, proved to be the high average daily gain Red Angus bull in the test this year.
"It's good to know how the cattle are doing," says Kukuipahu Ranch LLC's manager Lee Beerman, mentioning that this year marks the ranch's second year sending bulls to Montana for the Midland Bull Test.
Getting bulls to Midland
Beerman says the ranch chose to send four bulls this year – one more than last year.
"This year we will have three bulls in the sale. Last year all three bulls were in the sale," says Beerman. "We've bought bulls at Midland since about 2006."
To get the bulls to Montana, he says they fly the cattle to Texas, noting that it is essential to have interstate health certificates in order.
"It's just like ranchers have to do up there to go between states," he says.
"We have a neighbor who was shipping some market cattle to Kansas this year, and he let us ship our bulls with his," says Beerman. "They went by air to Midland, Texas, and from Texas, they were trucked to Decatur, Kan."
The bulls stayed in Kansas until they were hauled to the Midland Bull Test.
"Steve and Lindsey Williams helped us get them hauled from Kansas to Midland," notes Beerman, adding that the team at Midland takes care of the animals very well.
"They have done an excellent job at Midland in taking care of them," says Beerman.
The bulls transition to winter without special treatment, and Beerman says, "If anything, the weather is actually hotter than they are used to when they get to Texas in August, but we don't get the extreme temperatures like up there."
This year, he adds that one bull in particular did very well in the test.
Yellow tag division winner
Kukuipahu Ranch, LLC's bull KPHU 1007 topped the Red Angus yellow tag division with an ADG ratio of 147, topping the second place bull by eight points. The bull is a son of LJC Mission Statement P27 and was calved Dec. 16, 2010, with EPDs of BW 0.0 WW 45 M 13 YW 85.
"When we have the bulls on test and see how they do, it helps us get a better price down here because they performed well," says Beerman of the reasons for shipping bulls to Montana for the test. "If they need to improve in areas, we learn that from the test as well, and we are able to work on it."
He adds that prices for young bulls are higher at the Midland Bull Test sale than local prices, which helps the operation.
The Kukuipahu Ranch, LLC
Kukuipahu Ranch runs commercial Red Angus and Black Angus herds, as well as registered herds from both breeds.
"One of our primary objectives is to produce a high quality grass-finished animals here in Hawaii," says Beerman. "We also have the registered cattle, but we try to produce a high quality grass-finished commercial product."
He notes that the registered aspect of the operation only began recently.
"We purchased our first registered cattle in 2006. They were yearlings and we had just a few to start with," comments Beerman. "We have made additional purchases, so we have built a small herd of Red Angus and a small herd of Black Angus."
The ranch is continually expanding the herd and utilizes the genetics from the registered cattle to improve their commercial herds.
"We raise the young bulls that we hold back for ourselves on grass, and we supplement them with alfalfa cubes," says Beerman. "They aren't on a feed ration, per se. The cubes are just a small percentage of their diet, and it does help and give them a boost over plain grass."
The bulls that aren't held back are sold as weaned calves, and a number of commercial ranches have purchased their calves for the last five years.
"It costs a lot more to feed an animal here than it does up there," says Beerman, comparing to Wyoming and Montana feeding costs.
By periodically buying new bulls to improve their program, Beerman adds that the genetics in Hawaii also improve.
"We buy bulls to improve our own program, but we try to improve our bloodlines," he explains, "and we share the genetics from their offspring with other ranchers who are interested."
He says they may buy additional heifers in the future, as well.
While the ranch has only sent Red Angus to the Midland Bull Test in the last two years, Beerman says they will begin sending Black Angus in the future to continue to build and develop the cattle program at Kukuipahu Ranch, LLC.
For more results from this year's Midland Bull Test, check out the special edition in this week's Roundup, or visit midlandbulltest.com. Saige Albert is editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup and can be reached at saige@wylr.net.
A look at the Hawaiian cattle industry
According to the USDA's National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) report issued in February 2012, Hawaii's ranches are home to an estimated 140,000 head of cattle and calves, approximately 56 percent of which are beef cows.
Cattle numbers dropped by 1,000 head from last year, according to the report, which could be accounted for with the prolonged drought. Hawaii's drought has led to reduced forage and pasture availability, as well as increased operating costs, as was seen across other drought-stricken areas of the country.
In 2011, Hawaii exported 38,000 head of cattle, with calves constituting 98.7 percent of that number.
Hawaii's Cattlemen's Council, Inc. boasts, "Ranchers are the stewards of over 1 million acres of land in Hawaii, or 25 percent of the state's total land mass."
Posted in Livestock, Genetics, Seedstock, Wool
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Working Dog Centre
Home > Learning > Colleges > College of Sciences > Explore sciences research > Veterinary science research > Working Dog Centre > Research Colloquium > Speakers
BackResearch Colloquium
WDC Newsletter
Associate Professor Cynthia M. Otto
School of Veterinary Medicine,
University of Pennsylvania.
Dr Cynthia Otto is an Associate Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, and is in NZ at the invitation of the MU Working Dog Centre.
Cindy is board-certified in both veterinary emergency and critical care and veterinary sports medicine. She has been involved in disaster medicine as a member of the Pennsylvania Urban Search and Rescue Task Force and Veterinary Medical Assistance Team.Her work monitoring the health and behaviour of Urban Search and Rescue dogs used at the World Trade Centre following the 9/11 disaster inspired her to establish the Penn Vet Working Dog Centre. Established in 2007, the Penn Vet WDC serves as a national research and development centre for detection dogs.
Dr Otto was the recipient of the
2018 Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award
and this lecture was presented in recognition of the award.
DR NAOMI COGGER
EpiCentre,
Naomi is currently the Chair of Massey University Working Dog Centre and a researcher at the EpiCentre . She began her research career investigating injuries in racehorses at the Faculty of the Veterinary Science University of Sydney.
In 2003 Naomi moved to New Zealand and extended her studies to improving our understanding of health and performance in working farm dogs. Naomi also has a very personal interest in working dogs as she lives on working beef farm and owns working dogs.
Associate Professor Andrew Worth
School of Veterinary Science,
Andrew graduated from Massey University in 1990 and has worked in both Australia, the UK and NZ as a small animal veterinarian. After completing a residency in small animal surgery at the Massey University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, he became a Fellow of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in 2006.
In 2015 he completed his PhD on hip dysplasia and lumbosacral disease in Police Dogs.He is currently an Associate Professor and Registered Specialist in Small Animal Surgery at the Massey University Veterinary Teaching Hospital. His current research interests include working dog orthopaedic disease, lumbosacral degeneration and biomaterials for surgery.
Dr Janelle Wierenga
Janelle is a Senior Lecturer in Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care. This role includes research, teaching and clinical aspects and clinical teaching. Dr. Wierenga graduated from Michigan State University with a DVM in 2003.
She then completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the University of Illinois followed by a residency in small animal emergency and critical care at UC Davis, California, USA. She became board-certified as a Diplomate/specialist in small animal emergency and critical care by the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care in 2008.
Dr. Wierenga worked for 4 years at a private speciality and referral practice in Seattle, Washington, USA before completing an MPH at the University of Washington in 2014. Her main research interests are Veterinary epidemiology and public health, zoonotic infectious diseases, diseases at the human-animal interface and One Health in which she is pursuing further graduate studies. She is a member of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care and the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society.
Associate Professor Nick Cave
Nick Cave graduated from Massey University (NZ) in 1990 with a BVSc, and worked in general practice for 6 years until 1997, when he returned to Massey for a residency in small animal internal medicine, and attained membership in the Australasian College of Veterinary Scientists by examination.
He graduated with a Masters in Veterinary Science in 2000, entitled "The nutritional management of food hypersensitivity in dogs and cats: an assessment of a protein hydrolysate". In 2004 he moved to the University of California, Davis, where he attained a PhD in nutrition and immunology, with his thesis entitled "The role of estrogen in controlling food intake, and the efficacy and immunological effects of genistein as a surrogate estrogen, in cats following gonadectomy." At the same time, he completed a residency in small animal clinical nutrition, and became a diplomate in the American College of Veterinary Nutrition by examination in 2004.
In late 2005, he returned to Massey University as senior lecturer in small animal medicine and nutrition. He has authored more than 30 peer-reviewed publications, is on the editorial board for the Veterinary Quarterly and Veterinary Education International, and has authored chapters in several international veterinary textbooks. He is a founding member of the WSAVA Nutritional Guidelines Committee.
Lori Linney
Vetlife Alexandra
Lori has a background in mixed practice with more years' experience than she would like to admit. She now works as a small animal vet in a mixed practice at Vetlife Alexandra in Central Otago.
She has a keen interest in orthopaedic injury and rehabilitation, and especially with NZ working dogs. Three years ago the TeamMate project was initiated and she has taken on the lead for the project.
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR Wendy Baltzer
Last updated on Thursday 22 November 2018


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Q: Azure Automation unable to unlink a schedule "The schedule couldn't be unlinked from the runbook" I am unable to unlink a schedule from a runbook.
I have a run book that is attached to an existing schedule(the schedule already had another runbook). And when I try to unlink it gives error. This is happening in one environment(ACC). But in PRD and DEV the notebook in the situation unlinked successfully. How to fix this ?

A: This was because of the Delete lock on resource group. A proper error message would have helped. If we try to delete a schedule then it gives the correct error message that it is locked.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Console Games News PS4
10 Key Details About GreedFall, Hitting PS4 September 10
No Comments on 10 Key Details About GreedFall, Hitting PS4 September 10
Hi PlayStation.Blog readers! Our latest RPG, GreedFall, launches soon, and we're humbled by the tremendous response we've received already. We hope you're looking forward to adventuring on the island of Teer Fradee. For those planning to make the voyage, we've put together 10 things you need to know about GreedFall.
GreedFall is a Completely New World
In a time heavy with sequels, it's always refreshing to see new IPs with original settings appear. The world of GreedFall is inspired by 17th century history, and the sense of wonder and exploration that permeated society due to new discoveries in countless fields. The game has echoes of colonial themes, yet it doesn't mirror history in this respect — what happens is up to you.
The world of GreedFall is full of different people and factions, quests and creatures, and everything has a history and a reason for being there. Whether you delve into these mysteries or not is your choice.
Teer Fradee is an Island Full of Promises
In GreedFall, you embark from the old continent to the Island of Teer Fradee – the new world – full of wilderness and new environments to explore. Forests, mountains, swamps, and cities will draw you in, but keep a wary eye out for the many strange creatures that prowl there.
De Sardet is Your Hero
You are De Sardet, a noble on a journey to find a cure for The Malichor, a deadly disease ravaging the continent. To do this, you travel to the Island of Teer Fradee as a diplomat for the Merchant Congregation. A deep character creator exists to make De Sardet your own hero. Pick your gender, origin, look, and clothing, as well as your starting talents and skills.
Companions Are Important
In GreedFall, there are five companions which you can take on your journey, two of which you can have in your party at once. Each with their own archetypal style, they will help you out in combat and on diplomatic missions. They all have their own opinions and faction they are linked to, so it would be wise to consider their personality and loyalties before you act. Develop your relationship further and perhaps your friendship will blossom to romance!
Explore a land trapped in conflict and fragile peace
A long history of domination has ruled the Old Continent and now endanger Teer Fradee. Conflicts between factions are not unusual, and these also threaten native clans who used to live in harmony. Some factions have been at war for ages, while peace between others hangs by a thread. Faith, economy, and culture all affect the diplomatic game, and it's up to you how you tip the scales in any particular direction.
There Are Multiple Endings
Choice is one of the main pillars of GreedFall. Approach quests in various ways depending on what talents you choose, and consider the possible results of your actions, since they can affect the world around you and people's perception of you, and ultimately, which of the multiple endings you experience.
So Many Skills
Customize your abilities from a large skill tree of over 80 skills, choosing between crushing your enemies with giant weapons, luring them into traps, crippling them with poisoned blades, blasting them with magic, or a mix that suits your playstyle.
Your talents allow you to engage with and explore the world around you, be it through lockpicking, diplomacy, or athletics. If you prefer to focus on your equipment, you can also decide to put points into crafting, or your ability to find special items in the wild. GreedFall is all about choice.
Magic!
The world of GreedFall is steeped in magic. Some people (including you) channel it through the use of special rings, of which there are many kinds, giving access to various spells. Some spells don't require the rings however, such as Stasis, which briefly locks foes in time. Although you are familiar with magic, the Island of Teer Fradee is ripe with strange power unheard of in your homeland.
Magic varies depending on where you are from. On the old continent magic is centered around light and shadow, whereas Teer Fradee's magic is rooted in nature, and holds a mysterious connection to some of the strange creatures that prowl the island.
Difficulty Changes Everything
GreedFall encourages you to play your own way. There are four game difficulties that significantly alter the kind of experience you can expect. On one end you have the more story-driven experience, focusing on the characters and diplomacy over combat, and on the other you have a more combat-focused mode for stat-heads and RPG experts.
Crafting!
Put points into crafting and you will be able to customize and enhance several aspects of each piece of equipment, from blade, to hilt, to pommel, changing both the way the item looks and its stats.
Using materials found in the wild and in cities, you can also use science to craft potions, traps, and poisons for an assortment of no doubt devious purposes.
We hope this information helps on your expedition into the brave new world of GreedFall. Your journey begins when the game sets sail on PS4 September 10.
Tags focus home, greedfall, playstation games, ps4
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News / August 1, 2021 August 20, 2021
New workspace standards being implemented in 2023 have the potential to threaten a large proportion of London's commercial properties.
According to one of the UK's leading property agents, one tenth of London offices could become unusable in the next two years if standards are not met.
Environmental Standards
As the world strives to be more environmentally conscious, the commercial property market is no difference, with strict efficiency standards coming into force across England and Wales in 2023.
With that, landlords need to invest heavily in order to meet the new minimum energy and efficiency standards for london offices. Under these new standards, it will also be an offence to rent an office with a subpar energy performance certificate.
20m Square Feet of London
According to data from Colliers, there is around 20m square feet of London workspace deemed unusable in line with these new standards. Buildings must have an energy performance certificate with a rating of E or above; although, currently, roughly 10% of the market is made up of F and G rated buildings.
Around two-thirds of London's existing commercial property market is rated D to G and due to be upgraded in the following years. Currently, the government is in discussions about legislation which legitimises just A and B rated commercial buildings by 2030.
Landlords Loss
Landlords are set to face serious financial implications if they fail to upgrade their buildings. In an uncertain time following the pandemic, landlords now have to decide whether they want to invest thousands of pounds into their office buildings, or leave the buildings abandoned as valuleless assets.
According to expert analyst Mike Prew, refurbishment costs will be at their highest for F and G rated offices. Decarbonising these high-gas-consumption buildings will affect even the country's wealthiest developers.
Using Landsec and British Land as an example, Prew predicts that each will need to pay around 4% of their net asset values in order for their property portfolios to meet the discussed 2030 standards (that is around £250 million).
Making a building more energy efficient and upgrading the rating takes a lot of work. Not only does it rely on a huge amount of financial investment, it also requires experience and the desire to actually undertake such a big project. This will deter many developers from undergoing the refurbishment.
With more developers unwilling or unable to transform their buildings, much of London's existing workspace could be rendered obsolete after the new standards are introduced. As offices become less relevant for more companies, this could propel the working world even further into hybrid working or fully remote workforces.