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"End of the Road" is an episode of Thunderbirds, a British Supermarionation television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and filmed by their production company AP Films (later Century 21 Productions) for ITC Entertainment. Written by Dennis Spooner and directed by David Lane, it was first broadcast on 25 November 1965 on ATV Midlands as the ninth episode of Series One. It is the 14th episode in the official running order.

Set in the 2060s, Thunderbirds follows the missions of International Rescue, a secret organisation which uses technologicallyadvanced rescue vehicles to save human life. The lead characters are exastronaut Jeff Tracy, founder of International Rescue, and his five adult sons, who pilot the organisation's primary vehicles: the Thunderbird machines. In "End of the Road", Tracy Island goes into security lockdown when it receives an unexpected visit from businessman Eddie Houseman, an old boyfriend of International Rescue member Tin-Tin Kyranoto the annoyance of Tin-Tin's admirer Alan Tracy. Eddie leaves the island none the wiser as to the Tracys' double lives, but when his desperate attempt to save his construction company's road-building project leaves his truck teetering on the edge of a cliff, the family are forced to risk security by going to the aid of someone who knows their public identity.

In 1966, Century 21 released an audio adaptation of "End of the Road" on vinyl EP record (Thunderbird 2, catalogue number MA 109) with narration from voice actor David Graham as regular character Brains. The episode had its first UKwide network broadcast on 10 January 1992 on BBC2.

Plot
Construction company Gray & Houseman is on course to complete its latest project: a mountain road in Southeast Asia. While co-founder Eddie Houseman captains an explosives truck blasting a way through the rock, his business partner Bob Gray heads the company's multi-storey Road Construction Vehicle, which tarmacs the path Eddie has cut.

Taking a holiday, Eddie pilots a light aircraft to Tracy Island to drop in on an old girlfriend: Tin-Tin Kyrano (voiced by Christine Finn). This unexpected visit forces Jeff (voiced by Peter Dyneley) to initiate the "Operation Cover-Up" security protocols to hide all trace of International Rescue. Tin-Tin is delighted to see Eddie and the couple spend the evening together. Alan (voiced by Matt Zimmerman), Tin-Tin's admirer, is teased by Virgil and Gordon (David Holliday and David Graham) for being left out.

At the road, the rock cutting is weakened by seismic activity and unseasonably early monsoon rains, bringing work to a halt. Hearing the news, Eddie flies home without saying goodbye to Tin-Tin, leaving her heartbroken. Eager to revive his own relationship with Tin-Tin, Alan is tactless in his attempt to console her, creating a rift between them. Grandma (voiced by Christine Finn) promises to help Alan get back into favour.

Aboard the Construction Vehicle, Eddie and Bob argue over solutions to the crisis. Eddie proposes blasting away the crumbling rock walls using nutomic explosives, but Bob, the senior partner, refuses to let Eddie risk his life and insists on postponing the project until the springeven though this will probably cost them the road contract and may even bankrupt the company. Undeterred, Eddie quietly sets off in the explosives truck and plants charges along the cutting. The seismograph on the Construction Vehicle alerts Bob and the others to a possible landslide. Discovering that Eddie is missing, Bob frantically radios the truck to warn him, but this only encourages Eddie to detonate early, without putting a safe distance between the truck and the explosions. Although the loose rock is dispersed, saving the road, the truck is hit by debris and left dangling over a cliff edge. Trapped inside, Eddie is unable to move without upsetting the truck's balance. Worse still, there are leftover charges on board: if the truck falls, it will explode on impact with the ground.

Bob radios International Rescue for help. Although going to Eddie's aid presents a security risk, Jeff refuses to abandon the organisation's humanitarian principles and immediately dispatches Scott (voiced by Shane Rimmer), Virgil and Alan in Thunderbirds 1 and 2. Grandma tells Tin-Tin that Alan is determined to take part in the rescue despite being ill.

Arriving in Thunderbird 1, Scott fires a series of metal spears into the wall behind the truck to shield it from rockfalls. Virgil and Alan lower Thunderbird 2s magnetic grabs and move in to pick up the truck, but are forced to back away when the craft's thrusters begin tipping it over. Scott uses Thunderbird 1s nose cone to prop up the truck, bearing the load while Virgil and Alan complete the lift. Proving too heavy for the grabs, the truck slips loose, falls to the ground and explodesbut not before Eddie jumps to safety. The Tracys depart without landing, preventing Eddie from identifying them. Tin-Tin calls Alan to express concern for his health, and to Grandma's delight, the pair agree to talk as soon as Alan gets home.

Production
As originally scripted, the episode did not feature a love triangle between Alan Tracy, Tin-Tin Kyrano and Eddie Houseman; the subplot about Eddie and Tin-Tin's relationship, and Alan's rivalry with Eddie, was added later to help fill out the 50-minute running time. Marcus Hearn notes that the invented term "nutomic" was frequently used in the Andersons' earlier series Fireball XL5.

Eddie's explosives truck was designed by special effects assistant Mike Trim. The filming model was built using parts of the International Rescue transmitter truck from "Sun Probe". The puppet-scale set representing the truck's interior featured controls and seats previously seen in "Trapped in the Sky", "The Uninvited" and "Martian Invasion". A shot of Eddie landing on the ground after jumping clear of the truck used a puppet of Scott Tracy instead of the Eddie guest character. The incidental music was recorded on 7 May 1965 with a 24-member ensemble.

Scenes from "End of the Road" appear as a flashback in the clip show episode "Security Hazard", which features a modified version of Eddie's truck as an International Rescue fire-fighting vehicle.

Reception
Marcus Hearn acknowledges the episode's "relatively sophisticated emotional dilemmas", noting especially the "element of domestic tension" provided by the romantic rivalry between Alan, Tin-Tin and Eddie. He adds that Alan and Tin-Tin's reconciliationas well as International Rescue's commitment to saving Eddie, despite the risk to its securityshows that there is "no place for moral ambiguity or unhappy endings" in the series. He suggests that Eddie and Bob Gray's "boardroom drama-style" confrontation was influenced by The Plane Makers, a drama series about power struggles among the staff of an aircraft factory. (Hearn points out that this series was a favourite of Gerry Anderson.)

Mark Braxton praises the romantic storyline for its realism, particularly during the scene in which Virgil and Gordon make fun of Alan. In contrast, Tom Fox of Starburst magazine calls the subplot "lightweight", also describing Tin-Tin's falling out with Alan as "stereotypical petulance". He rates the episode three out of five, judging it "semi-suspenseful".

For Braxton, "End of the Road" is one of a number of episodes – also including "Pit of Peril" and "Path of Destruction" – which incorporate themes of "mechanisation despoiling the natural world". He considers the focus on road-building highly topical for 1960s Britain, pointing out that this decade saw the construction of many motorways as well as changes in road speed limits. Braxton also notes the episode's portrayal of the "destructive potential of workplace pressures", viewing this as a forerunner of the interpersonal conflicts depicted in the Andersons' live-action series UFO. He argues that Eddie and Gray's disagreements over company direction characterise them as "two sides of the corporate coin". Summing up, Braxton concludes that although the plot is heavily dependent on coincidence, its "richly satisfying mix" of themes keeps the audience entertained.

References

Works cited

External links

1965 British television episodes
Television episodes set in Asia
Thunderbirds (TV series) episodes


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Eclipse (Chapter 22. FIRE AND ICE)
Chapter 22. FIRE AND ICE
Chapter 1. ULTIMATUM
Chapter 2. EVASION
Chapter 3. MOTIVES
Chapter 4. NATURE
Chapter 5. IMPRINT
Chapter 6. SWITZERLAND
Chapter 7. REPETITION
Chapter 8. TEMPER
Chapter 9. TARGET
Chapter 10. SCENT
Chapter 11. LEGENDS
Chapter 12. TIME
Chapter 13. NEWBORN
Chapter 14. DECLARATION
Chapter 15. WAGER
Chapter 16. EPOCH
Chapter 17. ALLIANCE
Chapter 18. INSTRUCTION
Chapter 19. SELFISH
Chapter 20. COMPROMISE
Chapter 21. TRAILS
Chapter 23. MONSTER
Chapter 24. SNAP DECISION
Chapter 25. MIRROR
Chapter 26. ETHICS
Chapter 27. NEEDS
EPILOGUE – CHOICE
THE WIND SHOOK THE TENT AGAIN, AND I SHOOK WITH IT.
The temperature was dropping. I could feel it through the down bag, through my jacket. I was fully dressed, my hiking boots still laced into place. It didn't make any difference. How could it be so cold? How could it keep getting colder? It had to bottom out sometime, didn't it?
"W-w-w-w-w-what t-t-t-t-time is it?" I forced the words through my rattling teeth.
"Two," Edward answered.
Edward sat as far from me as possible in the cramped space, afraid to even breathe on me when I was already so cold. It was too dark to see his face, but his voice was wild with worry, indecision, and frustration.
"Maybe . . ."
"No, I'm f-f-f-f-f-fine, r-r-r-really. I don't w-w-w-want to g-go outside."
He'd tried to talk me into making a run for it a dozen times already, but I was terrified of leaving my shelter. If it was this cold in here, protected from the raging wind, I could imagine how bad it would be if we were running through it.
And it would waste all our efforts this afternoon. Would we have enough time to reset ourselves when the storm was over? What if it didn't end? It made no sense to move now. I could shiver my way through one night.
I was worried that the trail I had laid would be lost, but he promised that it would still be plain to the coming monsters.
"What can I do?" he almost begged.
I just shook my head.
Out in the snow, Jacob whined unhappily.
"G-g-g-get out of h-h-h-ere," I ordered, again.
"He's just worried about you," Edward translated. "He's fine. His body is equipped to deal with this."
"H-h-h-h-h-h." I wanted to say that he should still leave, but I couldn't get it past my teeth. I nearly bit my tongue off trying. At least Jacob did seem to be well equipped for the snow, better even than the others in his pack with his thicker, longer, shaggy russet fur. I wondered why that was.
Jacob whimpered, a high-pitched, grating sound of complaint.
"What do you want me to do?" Edward growled, too anxious to bother with politeness anymore. "Carry her through that? I don't see you making yourself useful. Why don't you go fetch a space heater or something?"
"I'm ok-k-k-k-k-k-kay," I protested. Judging from Edward's groan and the muted growl outside the tent, I hadn't convinced anyone. The wind rocked the tent roughly, and I shuddered in harmony with it.
A sudden howl ripped through the roar of the wind, and I covered my ears against the noise. Edward scowled.
"That was hardly necessary," he muttered. "And that's the worst idea I've ever heard," he called more loudly.
"Better than anything you've come up with," Jacob answered, his human voice startling me. "Go fetch a space heater," he grumbled. "I'm not a St. Bernard."
I heard the sound of the zipper around the tent door pulling swiftly down.
Jacob slid through the smallest opening he could manage, while the arctic air flowed in around him, a few flecks of snow falling to the floor of the tent. I shivered so hard it was a convulsion.
"I don't like this," Edward hissed as Jake zipped the tent door shut. "Just give her the coat and get out."
My eyes were adjusted enough to see shapes – Jacob was carrying the parka that had been hanging on a tree next to the tent.
I tried to ask what they were talking about, but all that came out of my mouth was, "W-w-w-w-w-w," as the shivering made me stutter uncontrollably.
"The parka's for tomorrow – she's too cold to warm it up by herself. It's frozen." He dropped it by the door. "You said she needed a space heater, and here I am." Jacob held his arms as wide as the tent allowed. As usual, when he'd been running around as a wolf, he'd only thrown on the bare essentials – just a pair of sweats, no shirt, no shoes.
"J-J-J-J-Jake, you'll f-f-f-freez-z-z-ze," I tried to complain.
"Not me," he said cheerfully. "I run at a toasty one-oh-eight point nine these days. I'll have you sweating in no time."
Edward snarled, but Jacob didn't even look at him. Instead, he crawled to my side and started unzipping my sleeping bag.
Edward's hand was suddenly hard on his shoulder, restraining, snow white against the dark skin. Jacob's jaw clenched, his nostrils flaring, his body recoiling from the cold touch. The long muscles in his arms flexed automatically.
"Get your hand off of me," he growled through his teeth.
"Keep your hands off of her," Edward answered blackly.
"D-d-d-don't f-f-f-f-fight," I pleaded. Another tremor rocked through me. It felt like my teeth were going to shatter, they were slamming together so hard.
"I'm sure she'll thank you for this when her toes turn black and drop off," Jacob snapped.
Edward hesitated, then his hand fell away and he slid back to his position in the corner.
His voice was flat and frightening. "Watch yourself."
Jacob chuckled.
"Scoot over, Bella," he said, zipping the sleeping bag open farther.
I stared at him in outrage. No wonder Edward was reacting this way.
"N-n-n-n-n," I tried to protest.
"Don't be stupid," he said, exasperated. "Don't you like having ten toes?"
He crammed his body into the nonexistent space, forcing the zipper up behind himself.
And then I couldn't object – I didn't want to anymore. He was so warm. His arms constricted around me, holding me snugly against his bare chest. The heat was irresistible, like air after being underwater for too long. He cringed when I pressed my icy fingers eagerly against his skin.
"Jeez, you're freezing, Bella," he complained.
"S-s-s-s-sorry," I stuttered.
"Try to relax," he suggested as another shiver rippled through me violently. "You'll be warm in a minute. Of course, you'd warm up faster if you took your clothes off."
Edward growled sharply.
"That's just a simple fact," Jacob defended himself. "Survival one-oh-one."
"C-c-cut it out, Jake," I said angrily, though my body refused to even try to pull away from him. "N-n-n- nobody really n-n-n-n-needs all ten t-t-t-toes."
"Don't worry about the bloodsucker," Jacob suggested, and his tone was smug. "He's just jealous."
"Of course I am." Edward's voice was velvet again, under control, a musical murmur in the darkness. "You don't have the faintest idea how much I wish I could do what you're doing for her, mongrel."
"Those are the breaks," Jacob said lightly, but then his tone soured. "At least you know she wishes it was you."
"True," Edward agreed.
The shuddering slowed, became bearable while they wrangled.
"There," Jacob said, pleased. "Feeling better?"
I was finally able to speak clearly. "Yes."
"Your lips are still blue," he mused. "Want me to warm those up for you, too? You only have to ask."
Edward sighed heavily.
"Behave yourself," I muttered, pressing my face against his shoulder. He flinched again when my cold skin touched his, and I smiled with slightly vindictive satisfaction.
It was already warm and snug inside the sleeping bag. Jacob's body heat seemed to radiate from every side – maybe because there was so much of him. I kicked my boots off, and pushed my toes against his legs. He jumped slightly, and then leaned his head down to press his hot cheek against my numb ear.
I noticed that Jacob's skin had a woodsy, musky scent – it fit the setting, here in the middle of the forest. It was nice. I wondered if the Cullens and the Quileutes weren't just playing up that whole odor issue because of their prejudices. Everyone smelled fine to me.
The storm howled like an animal attacking the tent, but it didn't worry me now. Jacob was out of the cold, and so was I. Plus, I was simply too exhausted to worry about anything – tired from just staying awake so late, and aching from the muscle spasms. My body relaxed slowly as I thawed, piece by frozen piece, and then turned limp.
"Jake?" I mumbled sleepily. "Can I ask you something? I'm not trying to be a jerk or anything, I'm honestly curious." They were the same words he'd used in my kitchen . . . how long ago was it now?
"Sure," he chuckled, remembering.
"Why are you so much furrier than your friends? You don't have to answer if I'm being rude." I didn't know the rules for etiquette as they applied to werewolf culture.
"Because my hair is longer," he said, amused – my question hadn't offended him, at least. He shook his head so that his unkempt hair – grown out to his chin now – tickled my cheek.
"Oh." I was surprised, but it made sense. So that was why they'd all cropped their hair in the beginning, when they joined the pack. "Then why don't you cut it? Do you like to be shaggy?"
He didn't answer right away this time, and Edward laughed under his breath.
"Sorry," I said, pausing to yawn. "I didn't mean to pry. You don't have to tell me."
Jacob made an annoyed sound. "Oh, he'll tell you anyway, so I might as well. . . . I was growing my hair out because . . . it seemed like you liked it better long."
"Oh." I felt awkward. "I, er, like it both ways, Jake. You don't need to be . . . inconvenienced."
He shrugged. "Turns out it was very convenient tonight, so don't worry about it."
I didn't have anything else to say. As the silence lengthened, my eyelids drooped and shut, and my breathing grew slower, more even.
"That's right, honey, go to sleep," Jacob whispered.
I sighed, content, already half-unconscious.
"Seth is here," Edward muttered to Jacob, and I suddenly understood the point of the howling.
"Perfect. Now you can keep an eye on everything else, while I take care of your girlfriend for you."
Edward didn't answer, but I groaned groggily. "Stop it," I muttered.
It was quiet then, inside at least. Outside, the wind shrieked insanely through the trees. The shimmying of the tent made it hard to sleep. The poles would suddenly jerk and quiver, pulling me back from the edge of unconsciousness each time I was close to slipping under. I felt so bad for the wolf, the boy that was stuck outside in the snow.
My mind wandered as I waited for sleep to find me. This warm little space made me think of the early days with Jacob, and I remembered how it used to be when he was my replacement sun, the warmth that made my empty life livable. It had been a while since I'd thought of Jake that way, but here he was, warming me again.
"Please!" Edward hissed. "Do you mind!"
"What?" Jacob whispered back, his tone surprised.
"Do you think you could attempt to control your thoughts?" Edward's low whisper was furious.
"No one said you had to listen," Jacob muttered, defiant, yet still embarrassed. "Get out of my head."
"I wish I could. You have no idea how loud your little fantasies are. It's like you're shouting them at me."
"I'll try to keep it down," Jacob whispered sarcastically.
There was a brief moment of silence.
"Yes," Edward answered an unspoken thought in a murmur so low I barely made it out. "I'm jealous of that, too."
"I figured it was like that," Jacob whispered smugly. "Sort of evens the playing field up a little, doesn't it?"
Edward chuckled. "In your dreams."
"You know, she could still change her mind," Jacob taunted him. "Considering all the things I could do with her that you can't. At least, not without killing her, that is."
"Go to sleep, Jacob," Edward murmured. "You're starting to get on my nerves."
"I think I will. I'm really very comfortable."
Edward didn't answer.
I was too far gone to ask them to stop talking about me like I wasn't there. The conversation had taken on a dreamlike quality to me, and I wasn't sure I was really awake.
"Maybe I would," Edward said after a moment, answering a question I hadn't heard.
"But would you be honest?"
"You can always ask and see." Edward's tone made me wonder if I was missing out on a joke.
"Well, you see inside my head – let me see inside yours tonight, it's only fair," Jacob said.
"Your head is full of questions. Which one do you want me to answer?"
"The jealousy . . . it has to be eating at you. You can't be as sure of yourself as you seem. Unless you have no emotions at all."
"Of course it is," Edward agreed, no longer amused. "Right now it's so bad that I can barely control my voice. Of course, it's even worse when she's away from me, with you, and I can't see her."
"Do you think about it all the time?" Jacob whispered. "Does it make it hard to concentrate when she's not with you?"
"Yes and no," Edward said; he seemed determined to answer honestly. "My mind doesn't work quite the same as yours. I can think of many more things at one time. Of course, that means that I'm always able to think of you, always able to wonder if that's where her mind is, when she's quiet and thoughtful."
They were both still for a minute.
"Yes, I would guess that she thinks about you often," Edward murmured in response to Jacob's thoughts. "More often than I like. She worries that you're unhappy. Not that you don't know that. Not that you don't use that."
"I have to use whatever I can," Jacob muttered. "I'm not working with your advantages – advantages like her knowing she's in love with you."
"That helps," Edward agreed in a mild tone.
Jacob was defiant. "She's in love with me, too, you know."
Jacob sighed. "But she doesn't know it."
"I can't tell you if you're right."
"Does that bother you? Do you wish you could see what she's thinking, too?"
"Yes . . . and no, again. She likes it better this way, and, though it sometimes drives me insane, I'd rather she was happy."
The wind ripped around the tent, shaking it like an earthquake. Jacob's arms tightened around me protectively.
"Thank you," Edward whispered. "Odd as this might sound, I suppose I'm glad you're here, Jacob."
"You mean, 'as much as I'd love to kill you, I'm glad she's warm,' right?"
"It's an uncomfortable truce, isn't it?"
Jacob's whisper was suddenly smug. "I knew you were just as crazy jealous as I am."
"I'm not such a fool as to wear it on my sleeve like you do. It doesn't help your case, you know."
"You have more patience than I do."
"I should. I've had a hundred years to gain it. A hundred years of waiting for her."
"So . . . at what point did you decide to play the very patient good guy?"
"When I saw how much it was hurting her to make her choose. It's not usually this difficult to control. I can smother the . . . less civilized feelings I may have for you fairly easily most of the time. Sometimes I think she sees through me, but I can't be sure."
"I think you were just worried that if you really forced her to choose, she might not choose you."
Edward didn't answer right away. "That was a part of it," he finally admitted. "But only a small part. We all have our moments of doubt. Mostly I was worried that she'd hurt herself trying to sneak away to see you. After I'd accepted that she was more or less safe with you – as safe as Bella ever is – it seemed best to stop driving her to extremes."
Jacob sighed. "I'd tell her all of this, but she'd never believe me."
"I know." It sounded like Edward was smiling.
"You think you know everything," Jacob muttered.
"I don't know the future," Edward said, his voice suddenly unsure.
"What would you do if she changed her mind?" Jacob asked.
"I don't know that either."
Jacob chuckled quietly. "Would you try to kill me?" Sarcastic again, as if doubting Edward's ability to do it.
"Why not?" Jacob's tone was still jeering.
"Do you really think I would hurt her that way?"
Jacob hesitated for a second, and then sighed. "Yeah, you're right. I know that's right. But sometimes . . ."
"Sometimes it's an intriguing idea."
Jacob pressed his face into the sleeping bag to muffle his laugher. "Exactly," he eventually agreed.
What a strange dream this was. I wondered if it was the relentless wind that made me imagine all the whispering. Only the wind was screaming rather than whispering . . .
"What is it like? Losing her?" Jacob asked after a quiet moment, and there was no hint of humor in his suddenly hoarse voice. "When you thought that you'd lost her forever? How did you . . . cope?"
"That's very difficult for me to talk about."
Jacob waited.
"There were two different times that I thought that." Edward spoke each word just a little slower than normal. "The first time, when I thought I could leave her . . . that was . . . almost bearable. Because I thought she would forget me and it would be like I hadn't touched her life. For over six months I was able to stay away, to keep my promise that I wouldn't interfere again. It was getting close – I was fighting but I knew I wasn't going to win; I would have come back . . . just to check on her. That's what I would have told myself, anyway. And if I'd found her reasonably happy . . . I like to think that I could have gone away again.
"But she wasn't happy. And I would have stayed. That's how she convinced me to stay with her tomorrow, of course. You were wondering about that before, what could possibly motivate me . . . what she was feeling so needlessly guilty about. She reminded me of what it did to her when I left – what it still does to her when I leave. She feels horrible about bringing that up, but she's right. I'll never be able to make up for that, but I'll never stop trying anyway."
Jacob didn't respond for a moment, listening to the storm or digesting what he'd heard, I didn't know which.
"And the other time – when you thought she was dead?" Jacob whispered roughly.
"Yes." Edward answered a different question. "It will probably feel like that to you, won't it? The way you perceive us, you might not be able to see her as Bella anymore. But that's who she'll be."
"That's not what I asked."
Edward's voice came back fast and hard. "I can't tell you how it felt. There aren't words."
Jacob's arms flexed around me.
"But you left because you didn't want to make her a bloodsucker. You want her to be human."
Edward spoke slowly. "Jacob, from the second that I realized that I loved her, I knew there were only four possibilities. The first alternative, the best one for Bella, would be if she didn't feel as strongly for me – if she got over me and moved on. I would accept that, though it would never change the way I felt. You think of me as a . . . living stone – hard and cold. That's true. We are set the way we are, and it is very rare for us to experience a real change. When that happens, as when Bella entered my life, it is a permanent change. There's no going back. . . .
"The second alternative, the one I'd originally chosen, was to stay with her throughout her human life. It wasn't a good option for her, to waste her life with someone who couldn't be human with her, but it was the alternative I could most easily face. Knowing all along that, when she died, I would find a way to die, too. Sixty years, seventy years – it would seem like a very, very short time to me. . . . But then it proved much too dangerous for her to live in such close proximity with my world. It seemed like everything that could go wrong did. Or hung over us . . . waiting to go wrong. I was terrified that I wouldn't get those sixty years if I stayed near her while she was human.
"So I chose option three. Which turned out to be the worst mistake of my very long life, as you know. I chose to take myself out of her world, hoping to force her into the first alternative. It didn't work, and it very nearly killed us both.
"What do I have left but the fourth option? It's what she wants – at least, she thinks she does. I've been trying to delay her, to give her time to find a reason to change her mind, but she's very . . . stubborn. You know that. I'll be lucky to stretch this out a few more months. She has a horror of getting older, and her birthday is in September. . . ."
"I like option one," Jacob muttered.
Edward didn't respond.
"You know exactly how much I hate to accept this," Jacob whispered slowly, "but I can see that you do love her . . . in your way. I can't argue with that anymore.
"Given that, I don't think you should give up on the first alternative, not yet. I think there's a very good chance that she would be okay. After time. You know, if she hadn't jumped off a cliff in March . . . and if you'd waited another six months to check on her. . . . Well, you might have found her reasonably happy. I had a game plan."
Edward chuckled. "Maybe it would have worked. It was a well thought-out plan."
"Yeah." Jake sighed. "But . . . ," suddenly he was whispering so fast the words got tangled, "give me a year, bl – Edward. I really think I could make her happy. She's stubborn, no one knows that better than I do, but she's capable of healing. She would have healed before. And she could be human, with Charlie and Ren��e, and she could grow up, and have kids and . . . be Bella.
"You love her enough that you have to see the advantages of that plan. She thinks you're very unselfish . . . are you really? Can you consider the idea that I might be better for her than you are?"
"I have considered it," Edward answered quietly. "In some ways, you would be better suited for her than another human. Bella takes some looking after, and you're strong enough that you could protect her from herself, and from everything that conspires against her. You have done that already, and I'll owe you for that for as long as I live – forever – whichever comes first. . . .
"I even asked Alice if she could see that – see if Bella would be better off with you. She couldn't, of course. She can't see you, and then Bella's sure of her course, for now.
"But I'm not stupid enough to make the same mistake I made before, Jacob. I won't try to force her into that first option again. As long as she wants me, I'm here."
"And if she were to decide that she wanted me?" Jacob challenged. "Okay, it's a long shot, I'll give you that."
"I would let her go."
"Just like that?"
"In the sense that I'd never show her how hard it was for me, yes. But I would keep watch. You see, Jacob, you might leave her someday. Like Sam and Emily, you wouldn't have a choice. I would always be waiting in the wings, hoping for that to happen."
Jacob snorted quietly. "Well, you've been much more honest than I had any right to expect . . . Edward. Thanks for letting me in your head."
"As I said, I'm feeling oddly grateful for your presence in her life tonight. It was the least I could do. . . . You know, Jacob, if it weren't for the fact that we're natural enemies and that you're also trying to steal away the reason for my existence, I might actually like you."
"Maybe . . . if you weren't a disgusting vampire who was planning to suck out the life of the girl I love . . . well, no, not even then."
Edward chuckled.
"Can I ask you something?" Edward said after a moment.
"Why would you have to ask?"
"I can only hear if you think of it. It's just a story that Bella seemed reluctant to tell me about the other day. Something about a third wife . . . ?"
"What about it?"
Edward didn't answer, listening to the story in Jacob's head. I heard his low hiss in the darkness.
"What?" Jacob demanded again.
"Of course," Edward seethed. "Of course! I rather wish your elders had kept that story to themselves, Jacob."
"You don't like the leeches being painted as the bad guys?" Jacob mocked. "You know, they are. Then and now."
"I really couldn't care less about that part. Can't you guess which character Bella would identify with?"
It took Jacob a minute. "Oh. Ugh. The third wife. Okay, I see your point."
"She wants to be there in the clearing. To do what little she can, as she puts it." He sighed. "That was the secondary reason for my staying with her tomorrow. She's quite inventive when she wants something."
"You know, your military brother gave her the idea just as much as the story did."
"Neither side meant any harm," Edward whispered, peace-making now.
"And when does this little truce end?" Jacob asked. "First light? Or do we wait until after the fight?"
There was a pause as they both considered.
"First light," they whispered together, and then laughed quietly.
"Sleep well, Jacob," Edward murmured. "Enjoy the moment."
It was quiet again, and the tent held still for a few minutes. The wind seemed to have decided that it wasn't going to flatten us after all, and was giving up the fight.
Edward groaned softly. "I didn't mean that quite so literally."
"Sorry," Jacob whispered. "You could leave, you know – give us a little privacy."
"Would you like me to help you sleep, Jacob?" Edward offered.
"You could try," Jacob said, unconcerned. "It would be interesting to see who walked away, wouldn't it?"
"Don't tempt me too far, wolf. My patience isn't that perfect."
Jacob whispered a laugh. "I'd rather not move just now, if you don't mind."
Edward started humming to himself, louder than usual – trying to drown out Jacob's thoughts, I assumed. But it was my lullaby he hummed, and, despite my growing discomfort with this whispered dream, I sank deeper into unconsciousness . . . into other dreams that made better sense. . . .


Chris Wada, director of marketing and export at Wada Farms in Eastern Idaho, shows a brochure featuring a bag his company plans to use soon made partially with potato starch.
PINGREE, Idaho — An Eastern Idaho fresh potato packing facility will soon start shipping produce in a unique plastic sack made with up to 25 percent potato starch.
Wada Farms will be the exclusive marketer of Tater Made sacks for BiologiQ — a locally based company that developed a process to more economically make plastic from plant starch. The grower-shipper plans to start using the sack for its 5-pound Russet bags later this month.
Chris Wada, the produce company's director of marketing and export, also intends to offer Tater Made sacks to Wada customers and retailers interested in demonstrating their commitment to sustainability.
"We've had strong interest from major grocery retailers in the country," Wada said.
About half of potato waste water from processing factories in Idaho, Oregon and Washington is processed into starch, which has traditionally been used in products such as cardboard boxes, book bindings and glue.
BiologiQ will use that starch to make Eco Starch Resin pellets, which plastic product makers can blend with traditional petroleum-based pellets. The plant-derived pellets — which may also be made with some corn and cassava starch — also support microbes that break down plastics. Initial testing indicates that the Tater Made bag will biodegrade within one to three years in a landfill setting.
"Anybody making bags can use our pellets with existing equipment," said BiologiQ President Brad LaPray.
Other companies have fermented carbohydrates in plant starch to make sugars, which they convert into plastic polymers — a process that can cost up to four times as much as making plastic from petroleum. BiologiQ has discovered a way to make plastic from starch directly, without fermentation. The company's process yields plastic containing plant starch for roughly the same cost as conventional plastic production.
"I think it's good news for farmers," LaPray said.
LaPray hopes Tater Made bags will eventually contain up to 60 percent plant starch. LaPray sees great potential for the sacks, especially in California where Gov. Jerry Brown recently signed a ban on single-use plastic sacks to protect aquatic ecosystems.
LaPray said he's also developing plastic agricultural mulch film containing potato starch. The product would decompose safely into the soil and allow producers to till it in rather than going to the trouble of removing it.
"It costs just as much to collect and dispose of film as to buy it," LaPray said.
LaPray said his company is "just beginning the process of going to the commercial market" for the film, which breaks down too rapidly for field use in its current formulation.
BiologiQ has a plant in Blackfoot, along with an office in the former Wada Farms shipping facility, and another office in Idaho Falls. The small technology business also has staff in Japan, Thailand and Indonesia seeking to develop products in those countries. His company currently employs a staff of 15, including eight Idaho workers, but LaPray's target is to employ up to 100 workers in his first plant. He also hopes to open a second plant in the Idaho Falls area.


text:
US Adds Pakistan to Blacklist for Religious Freedom Violations
The United States said Tuesday it has added Pakistan to its blacklist of countries that violate religious freedom, ramping up pressure over its treatment of minorities. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he had designated Pakistan among "countries of particular concern" in a congressionally mandated annual report, meaning the U.S. government is obliged to exert pressure to end freedom violations. Pompeo a year earlier had placed Pakistan on a special watch list - a step...
© Voice of America - Tuesday, December 11, 2018


text:
Chelidonia was a Benedictine hermitess. She was born in Ciculum, Italy, and became a recluse in the mountains near Subiaco, choosing a home, as a hermitess, in a cave now called Marra Ferogna. Chelidonia later received her habit from Cardinal Cuno of Frascati.

Notes

Italian Roman Catholic saints
12th-century Christian saints
1152 deaths
Benedictine nuns
Year of birth unknown

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Key Terms To Know When Buying a Home [INFOGRAPHIC]
By zebrastripes123 | January 13, 2023
Is It Time To Sell Your Second Home?
During the pandemic, second homes became popular because of the rise in work-from-home flexibility. That's because owning a second home, especially in the luxury market, allowed those homeowners to spend more time in their favorite places or with different home features. Keep in mind, a luxury home isn't only defined by price. In a recent article, Investopedia shares additional factors that push a home into this category: location, such as a home on the water or in a desirable city, and features, the things that make the home itself feel luxurious.
Today's Housing Market Is Nothing Like 15 Years Ago
There's no doubt today's housing market is very different than the frenzied one from the past couple of years. In the second half of 2022, there was a dramatic shift in real estate, and it caused many people to make comparisons to the 2008 housing crisis. While there may be a few similarities, when looking at key variables now compared to the last housing cycle, there are significant differences.
The Truth About Negative Home Equity Headlines
Home equity has been a hot topic in real estate news lately. And if you've been following along, you may have heard there's a growing number of homeowners with negative equity. But don't let those headlines scare you.
By zebrastripes123 | January 9, 2023
If you're thinking about buying or selling a home soon, you probably want to know what you can expect from the housing market this year. In 2022, the market underwent a major shift as economic uncertainty and higher mortgage rates reduced buyer demand, slowed the pace of home sales, and moderated home prices. But what about 2023?
[:en]Your Market Knowledge Will Determine Your Success in 2023 [LIVE WEBINAR][:]
[:en][:]
Tips To Reach Your Homebuying Goals in 2023 [INFOGRAPHIC]
If you're planning to buy a home in 2023, here are a few things to focus on.
Work on your credit and save for a down payment. If saving feels like a challenge, there's help available. Then, get pre-approved, create a list of d…
A new year brings with it the opportunity for new experiences.
If you're a renter, you likely face an important decision every year: renew your current lease, start a new one, or buy a home. This year is no different. But before you dive too deeply into your options, it helps to understand the true costs of renting moving forward.
If you're getting ready to buy your first home, you're likely focused on saving up for everything that purchase involves. One cost that's likely top of mind is your down payment. But don't let a common misconception about how much you need to save make the process harder than it could be. Understand 20% Isn't […]


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15 Actors Who Play the Same Role in Every Movie
Part of an actor's job is finding connections between himself and his character. Very few Hollywood actors can completely transform themselves; that's why Meryl Streep wins all those Oscars. But even without Streep's legendary range, many actors have innately likable personalities, or fit snugly into specific types of characters perfectly. There's an authenticity to playing a role that's close to your personality, so we don't fault them. However, some actors seem to be phone it in, playing the same character in every movie, TV show, and even interview they do. There are a few big name stars who really need to step out of their comfort zones…
Bruce Willis - The Tough, Older Badass
20th Century Fox via Everett Collection
Movies like The Sixth Sense make us want to say that Bruce doesn't always play the same character, and yet there are just too many movies on his list where he plays this role. He's always got one line that exhibits what a total uncaring badass he is and proves no one should ever cross him.
Movie Examples: The entire Die Hard franchise, Armageddon, Red, Looper
Samuel L. Jackson - The Man Who LOVES To Curse
New Line Cinema via Everett Collection
Samuel L. Jackson tends to play a guy that seems tough as shit, but the most common trait in all of his characters is the fact that the man loves to curse. He probably came out of the wound calling the doctor a motherfucker.
Movie Examples: Snakes on a Plane, Pulp Fiction, Django Unchained
Vin Diesel - The Unemotional Tough Guy
Universal Pictures via Everett Collection
Vin talks about family a lot in the Fast and the Furious, yet he never seems to show any of his emotions. We're not sure if he's just incapable of emotions or movie producers love to use him as the man too torn up to express his feelings.
Movie Examples: The Fast and the Furious franchise, xXx, The Chronicles of Riddick
Katherine Heigl - The High-strung Rom Com Girl
She once was best known for playing Izzie on Grey's Anatomy, but after she left that show in a bit of bad business, she's done a string of rom-coms where she always plays the uptight chick who is put off by all the men around her. She gives them all a hard time, but eventually sees them for the good guys they are and gives them a chance.
Movie Examples: 27 Dresses, The Ugly Truth, Life As We Know It, Killers
Zooey Deschanel - The Quirky Girl
Fox Searchlight via Everett Collection
Whether it's in film or on her TV show New Girl, Zooey has pretty much trademarked being the quirky girl. She does things like drive a moped or play the ukulele and the audience loves her for it. We're never sure what quirky thing she'll do next, but we can always count on it being something totally random.
Movie Examples: Elf, 500 Days of Summer, Yes Man
Danny Trejo - The Mean Son of a Bitch
To say Danny Trejo mainly plays a Mexican badass would be an understatement. If the Machete films are anything to go by, he's one tough motherfucker.
Movie Examples: Machete, Bad Ass, From Dusk Til Dawn
Jason Statham - The British Badass
Lionsgate via Everett Collection
As if there weren't enough tough guys in Hollywood already, we decided to accept Jason Statham as the tough guy with the accent. He's so tough, we've yet to see a movie where his character dies. We think he may have it written in every film contract that his character can't die and he has to kick everyone's asses.
Movie Examples: The Transporter, Crank, Snatch, The Mechanic
Michael Cera - The Awkward Teenager
Columbia Pictures via Everett Collection
Michael Cera was just born to play awkward. It's something about his whole demeanor that suggests he is an awkward turtle that doesn't mean to be so awkward, he just is. While most of the people on this list seem to just play these overdone characters, we really think he may just be awkward IRL.
Movie Examples: Juno, Superbad, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Zach Galifianakis - The Weirdo
Warner Bros. via Everett Collection
Since the first Hangover film released, Zach cemented himself as the weirdo oddball. It's kind of hard for him to not play characters like that after playing Alan in three Hangover movies, where his weirdness just seemed to amplify with each film.
Movie Examples: The Hangover, Due Date, The Campaign
Nicolas Cage - Bland Man Surrounded by Interesting People
The characters may change, the story lines may differ drastically, but Nicholas Cage is always just a boring man who is surrounded by more interesting people. How is he still acting? Shouldn't the supporting cast just get the lead roles here?
Movie Examples: National Treasure, Knowing, Ghost Rider
Seth Rogen - The Stoner
If someone's going to play a stoner in 20 different movies, we are okay with it being Seth Rogen. He's got this perfect laugh that we think epitomizes stoner films and really, we don't need to see him try to be serious like he attempted with 50/50.
Movie Examples: Pineapple Express, The Night Before, This Is The End, Superbad
Adam Sandler - The Man Child
We feel like we've yet to see a movie where Adam Sandler played a normal, fully functional adult. Every film (especially as of late) is an example of how much of a man child he truly is.
Movie Examples: Big Daddy, Mr. Deeds, Grown Ups, Billy Madison
Vince Vaughn - The Guy Who Needs to Get His Shit Together
Vince Vaughn perpetually plays the guy that is told he's immature and needs to get his life together. His characters are too busy making outrageous plans or schemes, he always winds up down on his luck, but then somehow he pulls through and impresses his girl and everyone around him.
Movie Examples: The Internship, Couples Retreat, The Break-Up, Wedding Crashers
Liam Neeson - A Dad Not to Fuck With
Before he was in Taken, Liam Neeson wasn't just some guy who made threats to strangers on the phone. Since then, he's basically just become the movie dad that has a very special set of skills, who will find you and kill you.
Movie Examples: All three Taken films, Non-Stop, Run All Night
Michelle Rodriguez - The Tough Girl
For every tough guy on this list, there's only a small portion of tough girls to go with them and that tends to be Michelle Rodgriuez. She always plays a chick who seems like she's eatS nails for breakfast and punch you in the throat if you looked at her funny.
Movie Examples: The Fast and the Furious franchise, Battle: Los Angeles, Machete Kills
20 Best Musical Biopics of All Time
15 Inspirational Movies for When You Need a Change
25 Biopics Everyone Should See
22 Must Watch Movies To Watch For Black History Month
#ArnoldSchwarzenegger
#BruceWillis
#IMDB
#JaimieTrueblood
#JohnMcClane
#KatherineHeigl
#MerylStreep
#OnefortheMoney
#ParamountPictures
#SylvesterStallone
#ZooeyDeschanel
by Ana Luisa Suarez
Daniel Day-Lewis Crowned Most Bankable Brit at U.S. Box Office
'How The Grinch Stole Christmas!' tops Essential Holiday Classics Film List


text:
# rollup-plugin-string [![Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/TrySound/rollup-plugin-string.svg)](https://travis-ci.org/TrySound/rollup-plugin-string)

Converts text files to modules:

```js
import tpl from "./tpl.html";
console.log(`Template for render: ${tpl}`);
```

## Installation

```sh
npm i rollup-plugin-string -D
```

## Usage

```js
import { rollup } from "rollup";
import { string } from "rollup-plugin-string";

rollup({
  entry: "main.js",
  plugins: [
    string({
      // Required to be specified
      include: "**/*.html",

      // Undefined by default
      exclude: ["**/index.html"]
    })
  ]
});
```

# License

MIT © [Bogdan Chadkin](mailto:trysound@yandex.ru)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Lagerfeld Confidential
A 長編映画 by Rodolphe Marconi
Produced by Realitism Films
Fascinated by the "person hidden by the sunglasses," Rodolphe Marconi has been transfixed by the idea of making a documentary about Karl Lagerfeld for ten years. During this feature-length documentary surely destined to be a benchmark, Marconi proposes to penetrate "the Karl Lagerfeld mystery." The director hence becomes the guardian of Lagerfeld's daily life, and the latter totally commits himself to the project. For the first time, Karl Lagerfeld accepts to share his day to day life and to open up to a director.
To this day, no biography has been authorized and Lagerfeld's memoirs remain absolutely secret. Rodolphe Marconi started work immediately after their first encounter. He then joined forces with Grégory Bernar and Realitism Films to finance this project in an original fashion, exclusively thanks to private investors.
After three years and more than three hundred hours of footage, Marconi unveils, with a filmmaker's gaze, Karl Lagerfeld's daily life, and the intimacy of a personality who has maintained a deep silence. The spectator participates in a philosophical promenade up close with its subject: the preparation of a garment, interviews, photo sessions, his collection of books about art, Chanel, Fendi, Lagerfeld Gallery (Karl Lagerfeld's label today), the most beautiful women in the world, actresses, and personalities from around the world.
Rodolphe Marconi's camera gets up close and personal with a hyperactive life; and, between the lines, we discover discreetly hidden moments of solitude, pain, quiet reading, deep feeling.
The director discovers an insomniac intellectual, passionate about literature, film, painting, crazy about Art Deco and contemporary art, esthetics pushed to the limit, chic, luxury, and beautiful objects. Karl Lagerfeld's character is revealed to us: affectionate and authoritarian, full of humor, with this desire to play jokes and amuse, to surprise and always be there where he's least expected. Marconi also discovers the shattering moments of a life, the lonely man deeply upset by the death of the person with whom he'd shared his life for many years, a man who nevertheless will not tolerate nostalgia: "If it truly was better before, we may as well kill ourselves right away."
With this feature film, selected for the 2007 Berlin Film Festival, Rodolphe Marconi manages to put the two facets of Karl Lagerfeld alongside each other: the image of a fashion and communication genius, and that less known of a man passionate about reading alone, culture and having time to reflect. This film is, however, intimist and gets to the core of a man "whose day to day life and flair for living are a disappearing in today's world."
Realitism Films
Associate producer :
Backup Films
International releases (19)
Grégory Bernard
Matthieu Warter
Rodolphe Marconi
Myriam Bruguière
Sound editor :
Cécile Chagnaud
Grader :
Carinne Suquet
Liova Jedlicki
Laure Mercier
Sarah Bréville
Sound mixer :
Nathalie Vidal
Post-production supervisor :
Guillaume Parent
ドルビーSRD
Basket et maths (2009), Lagerfeld Confidential (2007), The Last Day (2004)
Unifrance takes French films around the world
第57回ベルリン国際映画祭公式選出作品発表
映画祭でのセレクション (8)
香港国際フェスティバル (香港, 2008)
メルボルン - フレンチフィルムツアー (オーストラリア, 2008)
Stockholm International Film Festival (スウェーデン, 2007)
Copenhagen - International Film Festival (デンマーク, 2007)
リオデジャネイロ 国際映画祭 (ブラジル, 2007)
Montreal World Film Festival (カナダ, 2007)
Documentaries of the World
Melbourne International Film Festival (オーストラリア, 2007)
French films selected
Berlin International Film Festival (ドイツ, 2007)
代表団
監督 : Rodolphe Marconi
プレスキット (2)
lagerfeld-confidential-プレスキット-フランス語.pdf
lagerfeld-confidential-プレスキット-英語.pdf
www.lagerfeldconfidentiel.com
Yves (2007)
Moudjahidate (2007)
Gustave Courbet, the Origin of His World (2007)
Une boîte en or (2007)
Françoise Lebrun, les voies singulières (2007)
Le Carré de la fortune (2007)
Hôtel des longues peines (2007)
Si une hirondelle ne fait pas le printemps, laquelle ? (2007)
La Filière espagnole (2007)
Fengming (2007)
Himalaya, la terre des femmes (2007)
Here and There (2007)
Mafrouza (2007)
De son appartement (2007)
Before You Forget Me (2007)


Sign up for a 30-day risk-free trial now!
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Gold nanorods are being studied within biological systems for applications such as drug delivery, imaging, Molecular imaging probes play a pivotal role in detecting and staging cancer, and enable physicians to effectively plan treatments for cancer patients. Most molecular imaging probesused in clinical oncology are visualized with positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computer tomography (SPECT), and the PET probe 18F-FDG is the current gold standard for cancer imaging. However, novel molecular imaging probes are necessary in order to overcome several limitations of 18F-FDG, including an inability to detect slow growing tumors and non-specific targeting.
Conventional synthesis methods for molecular imaging probes typically involve many tedious steps including protection/de-protection of functional groups to prevent unwanted side reactions. The advent of "click chemistry" has reduced the need for such steps due to the orthogonal nature of the reactions, where only the desired complementary functional groups form covalent bonds. However, the development of new molecular imaging probes via click chemistry is still plagued by the limitations of conventional, manual procedures, such as consumption of large amounts of expensive reagents, inefficient handling of small volumes, need for expensive, lengthy purification procedures, and long reaction times. These limitations can be addressed using microfluidic technologies that enable efficient handling of small volumes, reduce reagent use, and shorten reaction times due to reduced heat and mass transport limitations. Microfluidics combined with "click chemistry" has the potential to overcome issues associated with traditional probe production and provide novel opportunities inmolecular imaging agent synthesis.
Joseph Whittenberg (2014), "[Illinois] Microreactors and Click Chemistry for Synthesis of Molecular Imaging Probes," http://nanohub.org/resources/20202.
This resource belongs to the BioNanotechnology Seminars group.


Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will install a supplemental jumper harness to the airbag control module, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during January 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753.


Occupying the 10th position, the rooster – the only bird included in the Chinese Zodiac – is known to be observant, hardworking, resourceful, and punctual. That's why, we're celebrating the Year of the Rooster (and chicks, and pullets, and hens)!
For many of us, the holidays are a time of joy, stirring up memories of celebrating with dear friends and family while sipping hot drinks and eating delicious food. Unfortunately, this is not the case for everyone and in this contentious time, many may be feeling extra alone. In this season focused on gratitude and love, it is worth taking the extra step to bring joy into someone's life, especially if they are struggling.


The City of Oak Forest is a hidden gem in southwest Cook County. With 28,000 residents and 450 businesses calling it home, Oak Forest's unique location, set in forest preserves just 20 miles from the heart of the Chicago Loop, provides residents with a range of conveniences that enhance their overall quality of life. From nature enthusiasts going wild for the trails, paths and wooded areas, to the urban explorer easily accessing everything Chicagoland has to offer in under 30 minutes, people are living the lives they imagined in Oak Forest.
Affordability brings many residents back "home" to Oak Forest – it's not uncommon to find families who were raised in the city and decide to return to buy their home and raise their family. People often say they get more home for the money in Oak Forest, especially when considering the easy access back to the heart of Chicago.
Residents of Oak Forest also appreciate the diverse backgrounds of the citizens which can be experienced and celebrated at annual events and a wide array of restaurants and shops. The Irish Festival at Chicago Gaelic Park has been an Oak Forest tradition for many years.
Lovers of everything outdoors are among the first to say that Oak Forest is one of the best places to live near Chicago. The city is home to:20 top-notch parks and, with the help of the Oak Forest Park District, offers incredible recreational programs for people of all ages. Nearly 640 acres of green space surround the city, largely connected by 20+ miles of looped trails for incredible hiking, biking and exploring nature.
Golfers rejoice with the close proximity of George W. Dunne National Golf Club – one the region's most renowned golf course – it's literally just minutes away from residents' doorsteps.
Families tend to flock to Oak Forest, not only because of the picturesque community and wide ranging activities, but also because of the six school districts serving the area (four within the city's boundaries). Three private schools, including the nationally recognized Saint Damian Catholic School, are rooted in Oak Forest.
While it's easy to see what draws so many people to Oak Forest, most residents also need to get back to the "real world" on a daily basis. Both business commuters and shoppers value the 24/7 access to downtown Chicago via the frequent Metra trains departing from the newly constructed state-of-the-art commuter station at 159th Street and Cicero Avenue. The Pace bus system also shuttles commuters to and from the station with convenient morning, afternoon and evening routes.
Drivers appreciate the convenience of several nearby interstates, including I-57, I-80 and I-294. Oak Forest is also served by U.S. Route 6 and State Routes 43 (Harlem Avenue) and 50 (Cicero Avenue).
City leaders know residents have many options when choosing a community and have put convenience and community at the forefront of the Oak Forest experience. Oak Forest offers complimentary door-to-door bus transportation for seniors (60 years or older) and disabled individuals (18 years or older) who live in the city, a full-service health and fitness center, a wide-range of leisure and educational programs and the family-friendly Gingerwood Pool during the summer months.
The city's Green Steps Commission encourages everyone to be more eco-conscious with a wide-ranging scope of programs and offerings. With environmental stewardship as a priority, Oak Forest residents can participate in curbside recycling, Rain Barrel/water conservation efforts and multiple energy efficiency initiatives.
Additionally, the Oak Forest Fire Department provides 24-hour fire protection, paramedic service and emergency response while the Oak Forest Police Department proudly protects and serves the residents and businesses of Oak Forest.
If you're looking for big city amenities with small city charm, look no further. the City of Oak Forest offers its residents top-notch government services, cutting-edge technology, world-class recreational activities, exceptional schools, unbeatable family environment, all within a well-established community. It can't be missed as one of the best places to live in Chicago.


Home CAN BUS Hate the VIN, Wanna Change It?
Good news you can. Well sort of. The VIN stored in controllers is writable (well maybe). But in some cases its difficult and some impossible. So I am hear to give you some tips to make life a little easier.
ARBID = 7E0 DATA = 02 09 02 00 00 00 00 00.
ARBID = 7E8 DATA = 10 13 49 02 31 39 48 31.
You could send a Flow Control Message (7E0 30 00 00 00 00 00 00 00) to get the remainder of the data bytes but our goal is only to see if this controller stores the VIN. If we get a negative response (7E8 03 7F 02 12) then we know it does not and we and thus we cannot change something that isn't there.
So now we know the controller supports VIN, this is where things get OEM specific. So in the interest of brevity I will give an example of setting VIN on a GM CAN BUS vehicle (GMLAN).
GM employs the GMLAN diagnostic protocol for enhanced diagnostics. So you may want to do some reading of the GMW 3110 spec (downloadable from IHS). So we know how to read the VIN, but how do you write it. The VIN is stored in the controller as a Data Identifier (DID). Service 3B is used to write DIDs. However as VIN is considered a protected DID, you will need to "unlock" the controller using Security access first. But of course you don't have the security access algorithm do you? I didn't think so. So we must use a Brute Force technique to guess the correct Key to unlock the controller.
To brute force the Key you must send a Seed request to the controller (7E0 02 27 01 00 00 00 00). This request must be done first before you send a key. On GM the Seed is static, it doesn't change each time that it is requested. So this means we must increment the Key one at a time until the controller responds back with a positive response (7E0 01 67). So let's get cracking.
First send the Seed Request then send a Key (7E0 04 27 02 00 01; where 00 01 is the two byte key). Most likely the first key you choose will not be the correct key for the seed. So you will see a negative response from the controller indicating that we have an incorrect key (7E8 03 7F 27 35). This will mean we must try again. But we know we have the wrong key so add 1 to the previous Key (00 01 + 1 = 00 02). So send the seed request and another Key request. Now we might get another negative response with saying wrong key, but we might get a message stating that we have exceed the number of attempts (7E8 03 7F 27 36). This would indicate that we cannot send any more seed or key request until we have reset the power on the controller. So manually or automatically, reset the power on the controller. Now we can try again. Send a seed request, but this time check for a negative response from the request (7E8 03 7F 27 37). This means that the required time delay has not passed. Keep sending the seed once or twice a second until the error goes away. This delay is an internal timer that acts as a security method for brute forces the key. There is no simple way around it, so we must endure it. When we get a positive response, then we send the key (7E0 03 27 02 00 02).
That's it, we just loop through this until we get a positive response from the controller after a key request.
Please not that in the worst case this could take up to 9 days! So you need to be a bit patient. But once you have the Key it will work for this controller every time. Unfortunately just this controller.
The 31's are The VIN digits 1-17, the 90 is the VIN DID (On GM controllers) the 3B is the service, the 013 is the length of the data in hexadecimal, and the 1, 21, and 22 are the ISO 15765 Diagnostic Layers.


Charissa Leung, twenty-year-old violinist from San Jose, California, made her solo debut with the Prometheus Symphony as the winner of the 2015 Khuner Young Artist Competition. She has been a prizewinner of many other regional and statewide competitions and attended the Aspen Music Festival and School from 2013 to 2016. Ms. Leung began her violin studies at age three and is currently a junior at the McDuffie Center for Strings studying with Amy Schwartz Moretti and David Kim.


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VIPs, DIPs and PIPs in Microsoft Azure
A virtual machine (VM) deployed into Microsoft Azure is associated with several types of IP address. These are:
VIP – virtual IP address
DIP – dynamic IP address
PIP – instance-level public IP address
The DIPs are private to the VNET or cloud service in which the VM is hosted, while the VIP and the PIP are exposed on the internet. A VM may have endpoints configured on it describing how traffic should be load balanced before being routed to the VM.
Azure supports two types of load balancer: the Azure Load Balancer associating a VIP/port combination with a DIP/port combination on the VM; and the Internal Load Balancer associating a DIP/port combination on the load balancer with the DIP port/combination on a VM.
Azure supports Network Security Groups which can be used to allow and deny traffic flowing in or out of a VNET, between subnets, and in or out of a VM. It also supports Endpoint Access Control Lists to restrict traffic arriving at the VIP.
This post describes the features provided by VIPs, DIPS and VIPs.
A VIP is the public IP address associated with a VM. Every Azure VM has a VIP, with all the VMs in a cloud service having the same VIP. The VIP is allocated at random from a pool of IP addresses managed by Microsoft. However, it is possible to reserve an IP address from the Microsoft pool and allocate that reserved IP address as a VIP. There is a limit of 5 reserved IPs for a subscription. Unless a reserved IP address is used, the VIP is given up and returned to the Microsoft pool once the last VM with that VIP is deallocated or deleted. Internet-bound traffic coming from the VM is SNATted to have the VIP be its source address.
A DIP is an internal IP address associated with a VM. This IP address is associated automatically with the VM when it is created and remains associated with it while it is deployed. The DIP survives system reboots as well as service healing migration of the VM. If the VM is deleted or changed into a stopped/deallocated state it loses its DIP, which may then be allocated to another VM.
DHCP is used to provide the DIP to the VM on a near-infinite lease. The address comes either from the range configured for the subnet the VM is deployed into or from a private range provided by Microsoft.
Alternatively, the DIP can be a static IP address allocated to the VM on creation. This address comes from the range configured for the subnet the VM is deployed into. It is a good practice to use a distinct subnet for statically-allocated DIPs to avoid the possibility of collision between a dynamically and statically allocated DIP.
Azure supports the ability for a VM to have multiple virtual NICs, with each NIC being allocated a distinct DIP. This multi-NIC feature is useful for virtual appliances exposing DIPs in distinct subnets or for providing distinct backplanes for traffic into a VM (such as for management). A VM always has a default NIC but may have zero or more secondary NICs depending on its instance type, as described in the following table:
Number of Virtual NICs
instance Type (Standard SKU) Maximum Number of Virtual NICs
A3, A6 2
D4, D13 4
All others 1
Note that A8 and A9 instances also have a 32 Gbps InfiniBand network, but this requires the use of special HPC APIs.
A PIP is a public instance-level IP address associated with the VM in addition to the VIP. Traffic to the PIP goes directly to the VM and is not routed through the Azure Load Balancer. Internet-bound traffic from a VM with a configured PIP is also sent over the PIP rather than going through the VIP. Consequently, there is no need to configure an endpoint when using a PIP. The PIP must be appropriately firewalled to restrict traffic to only that desired. A PIP is useful for workloads such as passive FTP that require a large number of ports to be opened, which is impractical when using the VIP which supports only a limited number of endpoints.
An endpoint associates a DIP/port combination on a VM with a port on either the Azure Load Balancer for public-facing traffic or the Internal Load Balancer for traffic inside a VNET (or cloud service). Distinct endpoints are configured for the TCP and UDP protocols. Azure supports two types of endpoint: port-forwarded and load-balanced.
A port-forwarded endpoint provides a unique association between a port on the load balancer and the default DIP/port combination for a VM.
A load-balanced endpoint uses a hash-based algorithm to distribute traffic destined for a specific port on the load balancer to a specific default DIP/port combination on any of the VMs configured to share this endpoint. Azure supports three distribution algorithms for a load-balanced endpoint:
default – routes traffic based on source IP, source port, destination IP, destination port and protocol
sourceIP – routes traffic based on source IP and destination IP
sourceIPProtocol – routes traffic based on source IP, destination IP and protocol
sourceIP and sourceIPProtocol are supported only on the Azure Load Balancer. They are intended to support legacy applications requiring "session affinity" where traffic from a particular source should always be routed to the same VM. The default algorithm is a more suitable choice in a horizontally-scaled environment.
When a load-balanced endpoint is configured it is advisable to also configure a load-balancer probe which sends periodic probes to a configured http URL or TCP port on each VM in the load-balanced set. If the probe fails to get an appropriate response in a configured time interval then the VM is taken out of load-balancer rotation – i.e., no traffic is distributed to it.
All inbound traffic to the VIP is routed through the Azure Load Balancer which firewalls and distributes it. The Azure Load Balancer only allows inbound traffic to reach a VM if there is a configured endpoint which maps some port on the VIP to a port on the DIP. The Azure Load Balancer supports only the TCP and UDP protocols, all other internet protocols are denied.
The Azure Load Balancer supports all three methods of distributing load-balanced traffic: default, sourceIP and sourceIPProtocol.
Internal Load Balancer
An Internal Load Balancer can be configured to port-forward or load-balance traffic inside a VNET or cloud service. The Internal Load Balancer supports only the TCP and UDP protocols, all other internet protocols are denied.
The Internal Load Balancer only supports the default mechanism for distributing load-balanced traffic – i.e., source IP, source port, destination IP, destination port and protocol.
Network Security Groups
A Network Security Group (NSG) is created in a specified region for an Azure subscription. It comprises a set of allow/deny rules regulating the flow of traffic between a specified source and destination. The source comprises a specific IP range, port range and protocol. The destination similarly comprises a specific IP range, port range and protocol. The IP range can be expresses as a CIDR value or one of a set of special values indicating the INTERNET, VIRTUAL_NETWORK, or AZURE_LOADBALANCER (to allow load-balancer probes).
Once created a Network Security Group can be associated with subnets or VMs in the subscription and provide the ability to control the flow of traffic:
through the Azure Load Balancer to and from a VNET
between two subnets in a VNET
in and out of the default NIC of a VM
Only one NSG may be associated with a subnet or VM. However, these can be different so traffic to a VM could be filtered through an NSG on the subnet and an NSG on it. Note that an NSG only affects the default NIC on a VM.
The use of Network Security Groups therefore allows the sophisticated control of traffic flowing through a VNET. Specifically, it can be used to prevent any traffic leaving a VNET.
Endpoint Access Control List
An Endpoint Access Control List (ACL) can be configured for an endpoint associated with either the Azure Load Balancer or the Internal Load Balancer. This list comprises a set of allow/deny rules declaring that specific IP ranges are allowed or denied access to the endpoint. An ACL only affects traffic inbound to the endpoint and has no impact on traffic going out through the load balancer.
Note that Endpoint ACLs and NSGs are orthogonal features and cannot be applied simultaneously to the same VM.


Four Hundred So Ocean Blvd Condo in Palm Beach is really a wonderful location. The Palm Beach location is amazing. But, if this isn't the community for you, you might like one of the other local communities like Royal Park or Everglades Plaza or La Bonne Vie that are located here as well.


int N = 10000; // long N is much slower!
When the professor changed the type of N from int to long, the loop ran much slower. He measured this by running the test method a million times and measuring the total execution time.
His results showed that when N had type long, the loop ran many orders of magnitude slower. That seemed very odd: N is constant during the loop, and he ran the program on a 64-bit machine so it should not cost that much to compare two 64-bit integers.
When I ran the version where N has type int, using Java 8 (1.8.0_112) on a 64-bit Intel machine with Linux, it took 5-7 milliseconds. When I ran the version where N has type long, it took 10 seconds! At this point it was pretty obvious what is going on. You may have already noticed that test does not return the sum that the loop computes. This means that the loop is dead: it could be deleted from the program without affecting the observable output of the program.
This gave a lot of output. First it prints the C1 optimized version of the method twice. That's lightly optimized bytecode according to the HotSpot glossary. Then it prints the C2 optimized version twice. When a method is run enough times, the JVM will try to optimize it using the more powerful (and slower to compile) C2 compiler. I don't know why the disassembly is printed twice for the C1 and C2 versions.
The first two instructions are just setting up the stack frame, and then the next two instructions pop the stack frame. I don't know what the purpose of the test instruction is here, but it just compares a register to some value at some specific memory address.
You can already see that this version is doing a lot more stuff. Notice the cmp and jl instructions near the end: those are for testing the loop condition and running another iteration. This confirms that the loop has not been eliminated in the long N case.
Why is the loop not eliminated? There could be several reasons. One case where it would not be safe to delete the loop is if N was a parameter of the test method, and the loop variable had type int. In that case, the loop variable could in some cases never be larger or equal to N. It might be that the optimizer is conservatively treating all cases with a long upper bound as this potential special case. The C2 compiler does not have a lot of time to do its work, so it is possible that it's overly conservative in this case to save time in other similar cases.
In 2016 I built an automatic watering system, to keep my plants alive for a couple of months. I used an oversized water tank because I was unsure how much water would be needed for two months when nobody would be in the apartment. It turned out that the water tank would have lasted for over a year, based on how much water was used during the summer.
Arduino Uno to generate the pump control signal and measure soil moisture.
Breadboard to connect moisture sensors to the Arduino.
Prototype board for pump power switching.
Raspberry Pi 2B powering the Arduino, and providing remote login shell.
Two power plugs to power the Raspberry Pi and the water pump.
The moisture sensors were fun to play with but in practice they were not that useful, so I removed them. That removed the need for analog signal input which meant I could remove the Arduino and just use the Raspberry Pi to generate the pump control signal.
I bought a cheap buck converter so I could power the Raspberry Pi with the same power source as the water pump. Now I only need a single 12V supply to power the system. I redesigned the pump control board to integrate the converter to the same board, and the 5V output for the Raspberry Pi is connected using a scrap Micro USB connector.
With the new electronics design I could fit everything into a small plastic box. The water pump is hot glued to the same box, and power is connected by an XT60 connector so that I can easily disconnect and thread the power cable through obstacles if needed.
The control software is a very simple C program that controls a GPIO pin on the Raspberry Pi.
I have had a few sets of Nixie tubes lying around for a while, waiting for a use. I bought them on ebay with the plan of eventually building a clock out of them. I had entertained the idea of designing my own Nixie clock PCB, but I finally decided to buy a kit instead. I purchased the Nixie Clock QTC IN-14 kit from PV Electronics. It was fun to solder the kit and the finished clock is beautiful. I love the look of Nixie tubes – they have a very nice warm glow.
I drew the clock case in FreeCAD. The sides of the case were cut from acrylic sheets and the corner brackets were printed on my 3D printer.
In The Mythical Man-Month, Fred Brooks describes his vision of an ideal software engineering team, called The Surgical Team. In this team, there is a dedicated toolmaker to help the lead programmer/system architect. The Surgical Team model hardly exists in practice nowadays. Instead, a software engineer is expected to fill multiple roles, including toolmaking. In my opinion, toolmaking is an essential skill for any productive programmer.
In my experience, it feels very fulfilling to building a tool to improve my workflow or solve a specific problem or need. I love programming because I love to solve problems, and building small tools is like an easier kind of programming with faster feedback. You also avoid a lot of the bureaucracy that comes with building a full application: writing tests, issue tracking, writing documentation, building releases, and so on. These things can be added later if the tool will be shared with others. However, I often make tools just for myself, and that simplifies the development process and makes it much more fast and fun.
When I think about programmer tools, I group them into three categories: simple one-off scripts, complex command-line applications, and GUI tools.
The most common type of tool that programmers build are small single-purpose scripts to perform a simple but repetitive task. Typically these small scripts are used to perform file-oriented tasks like batch renaming of files, uploading files to a server, or parsing data from a file and converting it into some other format.
Terminal emulators have simple scripting functions built-in so that you can compose scripts in a single command line. These are known as one-liners, and they often appear in Stack Overflow answers and tweets. There is even a website dedicated to Bash one-liners.
Simple scripts are great for automation. By using cron, you can make certain things happen at regular intervals. For example, I use cron scripts to regularly update websites when I commit to certain repositories. I also use cron to water my plants.
The natural evolution from a one-off script is to make a more complicated command-line utility. One of the main distinguishing factors is that command-line tools usually take input arguments, whereas a script usually does not.
A command-line tool may be a more reusable version of a script, that fits a more general purpose. In other cases, a command-line tool is used to solve more complex tasks that require much more code.
Interpreted languages like Python are popular for making command-line tools because they enable fast prototyping. With Python, you can test your tool without first compiling it. Python also has a REPL that allows testing small pieces of code quickly.
Converting Markdown to HTML with additional template expansions.
Automated benchmarking for various applications.
Command-line tools can be very useful, but they are not ideal for data entry. Data can be provided to a tool via data files in a readable format, like JSON. However, for a tool that requires lots of user input it is often better to build a GUI for the tool. This enables modifying the input without restarting the tool.
It is not easy to build a GUI, especially if you are not familiar with a GUI toolkit. It may pay off in the long run to learn a GUI toolkit just to be able to build interactive tools for yourself. Simple web applications can work as a great platform to make tools with GUIs.
I often use JavaFx to build tools that require editable input. It is not the easiest toolkit to learn, but I use JavaFx in Chunky so I didn't learn it specifically to make tools for myself. It works well for me because I prefer to use Java for most of my projects. Building tools in the same language makes it easy to integrate with the rest of the project.
This tool collects execution traces from a network socket. The data is displayed in interactive graphs, so that I can zoom in on interesting regions. The tracing data comes from applications that I want to profile. The tool helps me identify which parts of the applications take most time. The graphs give a great overview of the runtime behavior of an application.
The first, probably obvious, problem of using this format is figuring out which coordinates to plug in to the code. The second, and less obvious, problem is that I often have to restart Chunky to see what effect a change has. This takes a long time and is especially annoying when making tiny changes. It's easy to get something wrong and have to tweak it multiple times, causing multiple restarts, to fix a problem.
To improve rapid prototyping I made a render testing tool that makes it easier to construct these 3D models in Java. The tool was written so that it could efficiently use hot code reloading in IntelliJ to reload code changes in a running instance of the tool. This helps a lot in building new models, but it was still very tedious to define 3D models manually in Java code. I usually resorted to drawing models on paper first to figure out the coordinates I needed.
The model editor is a great help in building new models, because I can immediately see the spacial relation between blocks and it takes away much of the tedium of manually defining quadrilaterals. The geometry in the editor is block-based, so the six individual faces of each block are automatically generated based on the parameters of one single block. Texturing the faces is also significantly easier using the tool, since I can directly see if any texture coordinate is incorrect.
I recently read the free book Software Foundations by Benjamin Pierce. The book starts by introducing basic proof theory and logic. In later chapters programming language topics like Hoare logic and type systems are taught. The Coq Proof Assistant is used in all examples and exercises in the book. In fact, the whole book consists entirely of Coq scripts written in a literate programming style.
Part of my motivation for reading the book was to learn how to use Coq. By solving all the examples I now feel pretty confident in using Coq to construct proofs for simple theorems.
Since this was the first time I have used a proof assistant, I thought I would share my thoughts about learning Coq.
It took me a long time to learn how to use Coq efficiently. The exercises in Software Foundations do a great job of introducing one small concept at a time and then practicing it in many different ways. The exercises do take a long time to solve, but I thought it was very fun to solve them. Each exercise consists of proving a theorem. It feels extremely rewarding to finally complete a difficult proof that took a long time to solve.
I got addicted to solving Coq exercises. Some exercises took me more than a week to solve. Some exercises kept me up late at night, because I could not stop thinking about them. To me it seemed like solving Coq exercises was very similar to solving puzzles in The Witness. The kick I got out of solving an exercise was very similar to the kick I got out of solving puzzles in The Witness, or other puzzle games.
The term "Proof Assistant" is deceptive. You get no assistance in figuring out how to prove properties by using Coq, however the tool assists you in checking that the proof is correct. This can be a huge help because you can be sure that you have not made a mistake, that the proof really proves what the theorem states. When I write an informal proof I always worry that I might have made a simple mistake that is not apparent to myself on inspection. This worry is erased almost entirely when using Coq. Instead, you only really have to check the theorem to see that the property being proven is actually the one you wanted to prove.
When I got deep into working on a proof, I sometimes lost track of what I was trying to prove, and how the particular subproof I was working on related to the overall theorem. It was very useful to sometimes take a break and try to think through everything from the high-level theorem again. Sometimes it was very useful to illustrate small examples on paper.
One of the exercises in Software Foundations that I found most difficult was the exercise to prove the pigeonhole principle. I was very happy with my proof when I finally completed it, so I tidied it up and published the proof on GitHub. My solution does not use the principle of the excluded middle, which is much more difficult than the version you have to prove in the original exercise.
Part of learning Coq is to learn the programming language used to write proofs. The language, Gallina, is a very advanced dependently typed functional programming language. Most concepts are familiar if you have already programmed in a functional language, which I had. The part I had most difficulty with was the way inductively defined types are declared and used in induction and case analysis.
Some aspects of functional programming can be very difficult to work with if you are mainly used to imperative programming languages. The exercises on church numerals were the most difficult for me.
I was not confident in my ability to write mathematical proofs before reading Software Foundations. I am now much more confident that I can prove simple theorems. I think this is mainly due to working through the exercises in the first six chapters of the book. These chapters introduce general techniques used to construct proofs.
The most important concepts in mathematical proofs are direct proof, case analysis, and induction. I had learned a bit about these concepts from my undergraduate studies, but I developed a much more systematic way of using them by working through the exercises in the intro chapters of Software Foundations.
The later parts of the book become very advanced, but it was easier to work through the exercises after becoming familiar with Coq.
After the introduction to proof theory, logic, and functional programming, Software Foundations continues on to Hoare logic and type systems. Some of the exercises are about proving that simple programs work according to some specification. A system for constructing such proofs in a systematic manner is introduced in the Hoare logic chapters. The chapters on type systems are all about proving that a well-typed program always makes progress (does not crash).
This was the first time I have read about type systems and Hoare logic. The book seemed to give a good introduction to these topics. I really enjoyed the exercises that were about constructing correctness proofs for simple programs.
The best thing about the book is that all the exercises can be run in interactive mode in the Coq IDE, to see how everything works. This made it fun to read the chapters about type systems.
I was browsing the GitHub repository rapid7/metasploit-framework and noticed that the README displayed a "code climate" badge. The badge displayed a number of unknown significance: 2.7.
Yikes! 3694 seems like a pretty large issue count. It leads me to believe that the developers either don't care about their Code Climate score (but then why would they display the badge in the README?), or that they don't find the Code Climate issues useful.
I looked at the issues Code Climate reported for the repository in question, and it seems Code Climate is reporting mostly non-actionable issues regarding code complexity. The other type of issues are duplicated code. I looked at several of the reported duplicated code fragments, and they were all pretty simple code blocks with no more than five lines, and most had only two occurrences. The duplicated code issues seemed nitpicky.
Code complexity metrics (including line counts) are not useful for fixing real problems in code. If you try to enforce some maximum complexity you will end up with pointless rewrites just to try to fix the complexity score. This in itself can lead to needless bugs being introduced from trying to "fix" your complexity issues.
Another issue is that the complexity score in itself is entirely arbitrary. What does it mean that a method has a complexity of 300? Is that too much? Where do you draw the line? If you make the computation of the complexity score more sophisticated, it just gets more difficult to figure out what part to change to minimize the score.
In my opinion the above refactoring is not useful. The more general method will run slower than the original method due to the new conditional branch, unless it is inlined by the compiler. The more general method is also harder to read and has introduced a boolean trap.


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Recipes/ Food
Living with Food Allergies
Rotten: The Peanut Problem
March 1, 2018 by Ashlyn
Last week, I reviewed the new Spoking app for you guys. While exploring the app, I saw comments about a new Netflix documentary about peanut allergies. So, of course this piqued my interest.
The documentary is called Rotten. It's a series documentary about food in North America. There's five different episodes focussing on different aspects and areas in the food industry.
The episode in question is The Peanut Problem. Here's a quick description of the episode via IMDB "As food allergies skyrocket, scientists race to understand what's changed in our bodies, while farmers and chefs contend with new challenges."
I think i'll break this review into the same persceptive categories of the episode: farmer, chef, researcher.
It starts off with talking to an American peanut farmer and their outlook about the 'growing epidemic' of peanut allergies in North America. This was really interesting. Obviously, I've never heard the perspective of someone who is affected by an allergy on the production side of things. However, as someone with an allergy, I found some of the things the farmers were saying to be insensitive and dramatic…
The Cox family produces more than 1 million pounds of peanuts each year. They talked about how the damaging the growing peanut allergy epidemic has and can be on their businesses. The daughter talks about how she's worried she will never be able to take over her fathers farm because some people can't eat her product and demonize it. This was a bit too far for me…
She also talks about the research funding they provide to different organizations who are trying to find a cure for allergies. They said it's in everyones best interests if allergies are eradicated. This I could get on board with.
Throughout the episode, Netflix takes us behind the scenes of different trendy and popular restaurants. The restaurants are all known for accommodating allergies, and a large portion of their clientele is repeat businesses from families who know and now trust the brand because of their diligence.
One restaurant owner in Boston, MA, Ming Tsai said he would feel personally responsible for someone having an allergy attack from his food. He has a child with an allergy, and makes sure his restaurant makes accommodations for anyone who says they have an allergy. However, at one point he brings up the difference between having an allergy and having an intolerance and how this concept has effected his business. He walks us through his restaurant's process of creating a meal for someone with an allergy. Everything is cleaned, prepped separately, and handled with care. He says it takes time, which makes sense, and therefor if people are saying they "have an allergy" when really they just don't like a certain ingredient or have an intolerance, it can slow down the whole night. I think this concept is very interesting and I think I'll share my thoughts on this in another post.
The main researcher in this episode was Dr. Ruchi Gupta, M.D, M.P.H from the Lurie Children's Hospital and Northwestern University in Chicago. Her main role in the segments were to explain how an ana. reaction works and what happens in the body. She also has a child with an allergy, so she spoke on behalf of a concerned mom. The part I questioned in these segments was the research they were doing. They support the theory of exposure. If you haven't heard of this theory, it's the belief that the more you expose the person with an allergy to the allergen, their allergy will go away. For me, that would mean eating a small amount of peanut butter in the hospital, having a reaction, and coming back the next week to do it again. They believe eventually, your body will stop seeing the allergen as an intruder, your body will stop attacking it, and therefore you will no longer have an allergy. I can't quite get on board with this… but if it works for some then who am I to argue.
Overall, I think the episode was informative and gave some pretty interesting insights into the allergy world. I enjoyed seeing the behind the scenes of restaurants and how they accommodate allergies, and seeing that there are some restaurants that take special precautions. As my final note, I asked my mom to watch the documentary and about 10 minutes into it, I got a text from her saying "are you trying to make me puke"… so beware. They share a few stories about children having allergy attacks from restaurants that told them they were safe but actually weren't. My mom didn't like that very much.
allergy free dining dinner Food Netflix Netflix review peanut allergy peanut problem restaurants review Rotten
No Bake Chocolate Drops
I made Gluten-free mac and cheese
The Best Allergy-Friendly Breakfast
Newest finds at the grocery store
Turmeric Latte
A birthday tradition