Back by popular demand, Telarc and Heads Up have issued two new SACD samplers! The classical SACD sampler features music from several of Telarc's popular SACD releases from 2007 and 2008, plus includes a sneak peek of music scheduled for release in 2009. Highlights include an excerpt from Ralph Vaughan Williams: "Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis," Michael Gandolfi's "The Willowtwist" from The Garden of Cosmic Speculation, an excerpt from Bruckner's No. 5 from Benjamin Zander and the Philharmonia, Jeanne Demessieux's Octaves, from Six Etudes, Op. 5 from organist Cameron Carpenter's "Revolutionary," and much more! The Heads Up jazz and popular music sampler features music from releases of the past several years. The sampler kicks off with the big band sound as Randy Brecker is joined by his late brother Michael on the "Some Skunk Funk." Other offerings include soul legend Ray Charles singing the classic "Oh What a Beautiful Morning," and hot new bassist Esperanza Spalding with Fourplay on "Prelude for Lovers," plus much more.
In honor of Al's passion for music and audio technology, the 2009 Rocky Mountain Audio Fest will go on as scheduled under the direction of Al's wife, Marjorie Baumert, with guidance from an advisory board, the Colorado Audio Society, and friends. To ensure the stability of this popular and growing event, the hotel, shipper and staff remain the same as in past years.
We understand that Al and Marjorie have touched many lives, but request that expressions of sympathy exclude telephone calls. Office operations will resume in mid-February. For those many friends in the Colorado area, a memorial open house will be held at the family home from 2-4pm on Saturday, January 31st. There will be no service, but rather this gathering will be a celebration of Al's life.
Audio Desk Systeme's new Vinyl Cleaner ($3495) is the first and only LP cleaning machine that incorporates an ultrasonic cleaning cycle in addition to a more conventional mechanical cleaning via bi-directionally rotating microfiber cleaning drums. The Vinyl Cleaner is completely automatic, as users will simply insert an LP into the machine's opening vertically from above and press a red button. The gentle cleaning process operates automatically during which time the yellow LED lights up. After about five minutes the green LED lights up and the cleaned disc can be removed. When in operation the machine filters the cleaning fluid. Two extremely high-performance motors guarantee effective yet quiet drying of the LP. Audio Desk Systeme's Vinyl Cleaner comes with a proprietary cleaning fluid ($14.95) developed specifically for this machine. A container of the fluid concentrate plus 4 liters of distilled water (just over a gallon) cleans 200 new LP's, or 100 used LP's.
Pacific Valve's Transcendere S5 ($619) is the Swiss Army Knife of audio, with features that includes a two-source stereo input preamplifier, preamplification outputs, a built-in 6 wpc stereo amplifier for headphones and loudspeakers plus a USB DAC. The 6 watt amplifier is driven by a pair of EL84 output tubes, a pair of 6Z4 / 6X4s for rectification and an 0B2 tube for AC to DC conversion. For preamplification, the 5670 tubes are put to good use. For USB DAC, a Burr Brown PCM 2702 decodes and upconverts the signal. A PCM 2702 supports 12Mbps data transfer and is USB 1.0 compliant plus is in Adaptive Mode for isochronous transfer. Overall, the unit has a frequency response from 20 Hz to 20 kHz (-1dB), THD of <0.5 percent and SNR of >90dB.
ATC has re-launched their CA2 ($2500) stereo preamplifier with new electronic series fascia and new features. Hand built in the UK with ultra low noise discrete circuits, the CA2 features a precision machined 12mm thick brushed aluminum front plate, with IGUS ultra smooth bush bearings for both rotary controls. In addition, the CA2 preamplifier now has an on-board RIAA cartridge matching phonostage board, gain controlled stereo sub out plus tape and headphone outputs. The improved printed circuit board layout and production engineering have resulted in a further reduction in the low noise levels as compared to the previous version. Circuitry has been designed specifically to avoid phase distorting ICs in the signal path, making full use of discrete component gain blocks. With separate power supplies for each channel, the CA2 delivers a wide bandwidth and low distortion. With an all function remote, the CA2 provides six stereo line level unbalanced RCA inputs, with main outputs featuring XLR unbalanced and unbalanced via RCA plugs. Frequency response	is from DC to 200 kHz with a THD of >110dB.
Maybe the music industry is finally going to find their best stance as the Isle of Man may soon be offering all the music you care to download for a small monthly fee. The proposal is for broadband subscribers to pay around $1.50 per month to their Internet service providers for a blanket licensing fee for unlimited music, which will be distributed to the music copyright holders. Since this small island has virtually 100 percent penetration for broadband use, the small additional fee would neatly avoid illegal P2P music sharing problems. Sadly, the music industry is still not fully convinced that this new scheme is the way to go about thwarting piracy problems. Ron Berry, who is the director of inward investment for the Isle of Man, said "A lot of people in the business are concerned with how much money they are losing, but not with how much money they could make." Thankfully the major recording labels, including EMI, Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group may eventually warm up to this new technique as it may increase their revenue while avoiding costly investigative and legal bills to prosecute illegal music sharing.
Enjoy the Music.com has posted Part 2 of photojournalist Rick Becker's CES / THE Show 2009 report. This update spans two pages and features many new products with photos and in-depth descriptions. You can see Rick Becker's Part 2 of his CES / THE Show 2009 report by clicking here.
Artisan Silver Cables starting at £129 each on up) manufacturer interconnects of pure solid silver because, according to the company, "We believe it is the best material to make them out of." The company offers a single model and make it as best as possible using what they feel are the best materials. The Litz weave configuration offers a natural way of reducing noise, plus it's simplicity of construction "leads to the money being spent where it matters most: on the pure silver conductors" says Artisan Silver Cables. Conductors are of 4N (99.99 percent) high-purity solid silver, arranged in double-balanced four conductor Litz braid. The conductors are sheathed in Teflon insulation, which is a deliberate loose-fit, thus the conductors are surrounded by a mainly air-dielectric. The silver conductors are 24AWG to balance "skin effect" for best overall sound.
The new Spendor ST (Statement, $8,995 per pair) is a distinctive high performance loudspeaker styled with a gently curved shimmering piano black lacquer cabinet. For the Spendor ST, the company developed a new 7-inch Kevlar composite cone bass driver and a new Spendor 180 mm polymer cone bass-mid driver. For the uppermost frequencies, a new wide-surround 29 mm tweeter with bi-elliptical acoustic front plate and damped rear acoustic chambers was designed. Spendor's ST is a 2.5-way system with a meticulously refined crossover network that uses high-end electrical components with parts including linear 630V capacitors and WBT Next-Gen terminals. The slim cabinet is 45 liter in size while bass loading is a development of the proven Spendor S series linear-flow system. The base of each ST cabinet holds a set of four machined steel stabilizer discs, which are rigidly attached deep into the core structure of the cabinet to ensure the widest possible footprint for good stability. Frequency response is from 58 Hz to 20 kHz (± 3dB), sensitivity is 87dB/W/m and the ST presents an 8-Ohm load. Enjoy the Music.com has reviewed many products from Spendor including their SP 1/2 (click here), SP2/3E (click here), the Sub 3 subwoofer (click here), S3/5 monitor (click here) and SR5 (click here).
B&W's new XT 8 ($3500 per pair) slim aluminum tower loudspeaker supersedes the company's model XT 4. B&W's Nautilus tweeter "pod" appears at the top of the aluminum cabinet for wide sound dispersion as is found within the company's top-line products. Enhancements to the XT 4 include re-engineered midrange driver using proprietary FST (fixed-suspension transducer) technology to deliver demonstrably (and measurably) greater mid-frequency accuracy. The crossover network has been realigned to optimize the FST mid's abilities that is claimed to achieve "clearly audible gains in transparency, imaging precision and depth, and articulation of subtle sonic details." The XT 8 retains the Nautilus tweeter of it predecessor with metal-dome yet has a newly refined low-order crossover to take full advantage of the XT 8's improved FST midrange. Also retained from the XT 4 are the new model's twin 5-inch woofers. These utilize B&W's trademark paper/Kevlar composite cones to produce frequencies down to 34 Hz. Enjoy the Music.com has reviewed the B&W DM602 Series 2 (click here), Nautilus 800 (click here) and newer 800D reference loudspeakers (click here).
As high-end audio company Verity Audio approaches their 15th year in business, they have released two new loudspeakers to celebrate this festive occasion. Verity Audio's Finn (pictured) is the direct replacement for the Tamino-series of floor-standing loudspeakers introduced in 2001. The Verity design team went back to the drawing board to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the previous designs, and the resulting Finn is slightly larger than the company's Tamino. The Finn three-way uses new custom drive units plus new crossover topology and an elegant cabinet design. The loudspeaker is a stable 8-Ohm load and is a good 2dB to 3dB more sensitive (91dB/W/m) than the previous Tamino, making it even more adaptable to various amplifier topologies.
Verity Audio's other new model is the Leonore, which is a direct replacement for the long-running Fidelio and Fidelio Encore loudspeakers. It retains the signature Verity Audio midrange driver from the Fidelio and Parsifal, however the design team worked diligently to greatly improve its sensitivity and to incorporate a newly-developed tweeter and a pair of custom woofers. The resulting loudspeaker is a very stable 8-ohm load with 93dB/W/m sensitivity, substantially expanding options for partnering amplifiers.
Canadian audio manufacturer Anthem now caters to audiophiles and video enthusiasts with their Audio/Video Master 50v (AVM 50v, $5499). This is the company's state-of-the-art music preamplifier/home theater processor with a built in tuner and independent source selection for recording. Featuring the latest Sigma Designs* VXP broadcast-quality digital video processing, this ensures deep color while offering improved noise reduction through block artifact and mosquito noise reduction. Two new dual-core audio Digital Signal Processing (DSP) engines, designed in-house by Anthem, offer a total of 800 million instructions per second (MIPS) of processing power to allow decoding of high-resolution stereo, Dolby and DTS HD audio standards. Anthem has upgraded its pulse-code modulation (PCM) input to support 7.1 channels at 24-bit/192kHz. Anthem's Room Correction System (ARC-1) comes standard with the AVM 50v, which equalized the frequency response in a room to achieve a true audiophile solution.
Many new products are now offered from JAS-Audio including the Jas Music CD player, JAS H-1 hybrid integrated stereo amplifier and JAS GD-120 solid-state integrated amplifier. The JAS Musik Tube CD player employs one 6Z4 as tube rectifier and one 12AX7 (Sovtek) as tube buffer for the output stage. For digital duties, a 24-bit Burr Brown PCM1732 (24/96 upsampling, with HDCD decoder) is put to good use. This unit is available in either silver or black finish. The Bravo H-1 Hybrid ($1795) tube stereo integrated amplifier operates in Class A, uses four EL34 output tubes and produces 70 wpc. Bravo H-1 is a transistor-driving tubes output amplifier which integrates a Class A Direct Current Coupling Dual-differential Circuit in its circuitry design. In addition to the use of an imported quality circular ferrite core input transformer, a pair of oversized EI output transformers of 500W in capacity is employed in order to ensure availability of power allowance and lower internal resistance for meeting vigorous demand in high current output. Bravo H-1 is supplied with a remote control. JAS GP-120 integrated solid-state stereo amplifier ($1389) produces 90 wpc and includes wireless remote control. Four stereo inputs are provided for plus a pre-in and pre-out, all via RCA jacks.
Quest For Sound now offers the SQ84-V2 integrated stereo tube amplifier and PH-1t MC/MM phonostage preamplifier ($1249 and $1595 respectively). The SQ84-V2 produces 15wpc, has two stereo inputs and includes a built-in headphone amplifier. The SQ-84-V2 operates in push-pull triode mode Class AB, has very little global feedback, employs four 6V6 output tubes and 6F2 / 6U8 as input stage and driver stage. Quest For Sound's SQ PH-1t MC/MM phonostage preamplifier has variable gain, can be used to drive mono or stereo power amplifiers directly and is adjustable to work with virtually any cartridge. Variable gain is either 40dB (MM) or 66dB (MC), with the vacuum tube compliment being a pair each of the 12AX7, 12AT7 and 6G2/6AV6/EBC91. Enjoy the Music.com has reviewed the Sound Quest SQ-84, which can be seen by clicking here.
Audience announced the release of their model A3, 3-inch full range loudspeaker driver ($170). The Audience A3 is claimed to be a breakthrough full range loudspeaker driver design comprised of a patented motor structure, patent-pending suspension and patent pending basket. The A3 has an exceptionally flat response from 40 Hz to 22 kHz with very high power handling and dynamic range. The A3 is built like a high power sub woofer driver using a large neodymium motor structure, big voice coil and suspension venting. It's ultra responsive at a mere 2.5 grams total moving mass, thus providing high resolution and dynamic range with 12mm of usable excursion. The A3 is currently available in 16 Ohm and soon to be available in 4 Ohm and 8 Ohms design.
Canadian based Acousticbuoy offers their stereo DAC 2488 V.3 and Scorpio dual-mono preamplifier to audiophiles worldwide ($4600 and $4900 respectively). The DAC 2488 V.3 has 24-bit/352.8kHz or 24-bit/384kHz auto-select upsampling for the best sound quality plus employs a unique active jitter reduction receiver that provides ultra low jitter performance (<50ps RMS). It also has a specially designed Precise Voltage Reference to maximize the exactness signal amplitude of the CD playback. Digital inputs include S/PDIF (RCA) and AES-EBU (XLR), with an option for AT&T if desired. Stereo analog output is via RCA or XLR. Acousticbuoy's Scorpio dual-mono stereo preamplifier includes an excellent sounding shunt resistor ladder volume control in a completely dual-mono valve design. The distinctive circuit utilities zero negative feedback with a pair each 12AU7 and 6C4 valves to provide the purist sound possible. Frequency response if from 20 Hs to 20 kHz with a low 0.035 percent THD and channel separation of 78.6dB. There are three stereo inputs via RCA and a pair of stereo outputs.
The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), an organization that promotes the international recording industry worldwide with membership including over 1400 companies in more than 70 countries, has released global digital music sales figures for 2008. Music companies' digital revenues internationally grew by an estimated 25 per cent in 2008 to $3.7 billion, as the digital platform now account for around 20 per cent of recorded music sales. This is up from 15 percent in 2007. The continued growth in digital sales has helped slow down the rate of decline in the overall market for recorded music. Single track downloads, up 24 percent in 2008 to 1.4 billion units globally, continues to drive the online market. Digital album sales are also growing healthily and are up a staggering 37 percent. The United States is the world leader in digital music sales, accounting for some 50 percent of the global digital music market value. Single track downloads crossed the one billion mark for the first time in 2008, totaling 1.1 billion and is up 27 percent versus 2007. Digital album sales totaled 66 million, an increase of 32 percent according to Nielsen SoundScan. Digital albums now account for 15 percent of total album sales, compared to 10 percent in 2007. The United Kingdom saw the biggest increase in digital sales in the first half of 2008 among the top markets, with sales up by 45 percent with 110 million single tracks were downloaded in 2008. France is also seeing strong digital growth, with sales up 49 percent in 2008. Digital music sales in Germany are showing steady growth and totaled 37.4 million in 2008, which is a 22 percent increase.
Klang Manufaktur, a small cable manufacturer from Germany, now presents their new cable series with the name of RIO, RII and RIIsym (pricing begins at 1230€ per pair for two meter RIO loudspeaker cable, 490€ per pair for 0.6 meter RII interconnects and $890 per pair for 0.6 meter RIIsym XLR interconnects). These cables are designed and manufactured in small batch under the most demanding and perfectionist craftsmanship for music lovers. Features of the cables include the use of pure silver 4N foil or 4N solid core as conducting material, which Klang Manufaktur typically treats afterwards. The dielectric is from high-technology plastic (Polytetrafluoroethylene) and air, while the special ivory-colored outer netting is braided out of 6000 or 12,000 single threads depending on the model of the cable.
Esoteric, a division of TEAC America, now offers many new high-end audio products to audiophiles worldwide. First up is their new CD/SACD disc player model X-05 ($5999) that employs the company's latest VRDS-Neo VMK-5 disc transport mechanism. This new VRDS transport expands the VRDS family and is optimized for the high speed rotational requirements of Super Audio CD and CD. The X-05 incorporates a newly developed, high precision aluminum and polycarbonate turntable and a new drive mechanism for disc loading. Disc tray opening, clamping and closing is managed by a newly developed proprietary process know as 'differential gearing'. This system (patent pending) enables exceptionally smooth disc loading through the seamless engagement of the tray and disc clamp gears during the load sequence. This reduces the number of parts required and adds to system longevity. The short spindle shaft design implemented in the X-05 contributes to very stable turntable rotation, reducing vibrations and random movements associated with long shaft designs. The X-05 uses Cirrus Logic's 24-bit/192kHz processing DACs model number CS-4398. The analog audio output circuits are engineered in a dual mono configuration helping to produce superior channel separation.
Esoteric also has a new wired and wireless transmission system ($1200) for sending uncompressed linear PCM audio to a digital to analog converter that is as an option for the company's D-05 ($7500) digital to analog converter. Transmit data with sampling rates of up to 16-bit/48kHz can be handled both wired or wirelessly, while the D-05 up-converts PCM audio to 176.4 kHz. This Esoteric add on kit includes one USB input board to enable wired and wireless connections. The system handles mp3, AAC, etc and uncompressed FLAC, AIFF, wav, etc.
Esoteric's new Master Sound Works Class A stereo power amplifier, model A-03 ($12,000) produces 50 wpc and includes an advanced power supply with dedicated L/R dual mono architecture. By using the A-03 as a monaural power amplifier in bridged (BTL) mode, a minimum output of 200 watts at 8 Ohms can be achieved. The A-03 features a highly rigid body construction. The amplifier's mass of about 84 pounds presages excellent musical purity protected by thick steel. The internal circuit components are separated into dedicated inner compartments for each circuit, partitioned by 2 mm thick steel walls. Combined with a 5 mm steel bottom chassis, interference between circuits is prevented and the adverse effects of resonance caused by internal and external vibrations are minimized. For connection terminals, the amplifier uses balanced (XLR) inputs along with Esoteric's original RCA inputs. In addition, the WBT nextgen WBT-0710Cu speaker terminals are used and have conductor cores of pure copper with gold plating to achieve ultra high conductivity and low resistance.
For vinyl enthusiasts, Esoteric now offers their Master Sound Works phono stage preamplifier model E-03 ($5500). The unique feature set of the E-03 includes dual phono inputs with a dual mono analog circuit configuration. A single line stage output is provided and either of two turntables can be selected from a front panel selector. Input 1 is exclusive for moving coil cartridges and Input 2 can handle moving coil and moving magnet. Moving coil load impedance and moving magnet load capacitance are selectable over a wide range of options. A built-in demagnetization setting can also be selected from each phono stage input controller.
Enjoy the Music.com's Review Magazine midmonth update includes an update to our Sound Practices section plus the first of many CES / THE Show 2009 reports! Within the Sound Practices section a new article concerning the Altec Lansing Corporation horns by Greg Boynton, where he says, "Finding a good horn is the key to building a great system. Unfortunately, the good horns are few. Some horns require "throats" or adaptors to mate with your driver. Try to get these when you get your horn if you need them. They can be expensive or hard to find as spare parts. A crossover no lower than 500 cycles is recommended with these nominally 300 cycle horns. Here are a few horns that worked for me...." See our January Review Magazine midmonth update with the complete article by clicking here.
Enjoy the Music.com has posted our first of many CES / THE Show 2009 reports. Photojournalist Rick Becker chimes in with Part 1 of his report, which spans two pages and features many new products with photos and in-depth descriptions. You can see Rick Becker's CES / THE Show 2009 report by clicking here.
Cisco System's new Linksys homewide Wireless Home Audio distribution system is now available. Utilizing Wireless-N technology, this system delivers music to any room within one's home at up to 24-bit/48kHz. The Wireless Home Audio solution can be controlled by by ARC or IR RCU, while audio formats it can stream include PCM, mp3, or FLAC lossless, AIFF, wav, PCM, mp3, AAC, AAC+, Ogg Vorbis, mp2, Real and WMA. Their system is DLNA 1.5 and UpNP Compliant and Certified. Internet services it can handle include, but is not limited to, Podcasts, Rhapsody, AudioLounge, and RadioTime. An optional iPod docking station is available, wie the unit may be controlled by either Cisco's basic or color screen touchpad-enabled remotes. Specific products within this new system include the all-in-one Conductor DMC350 system with built-in color screen, the Director DCM250 player with 50 wpc amplifier, the Player wireless Music Extender, and the basic DMRIR500 basic IR remote or the Controller DMRW1000 touchscreen unit. Cisco's iPod Docking Station MCCI40 allows iPod integration. Audio quality was taken into account, as precise synchronization of the music throughout your home is ensured, including that for lossless audio formats. Prices are below, though various combination/package deals are going to be available.
HDtracks.com continues to offer high-resolution uncompressed music to music lovers worldwide, and now has added music from recording label Rounder Records to their offerings. In 1970, with only their passionate enthusiasm for American roots music lighting the way, three Cambridge, Massachusetts college students cast their lot into the perilous music industry to form Rounder. "Before founding Rounder, we were basically music fans," says Rounder Records co-founder Ken Irwin. Bill Nowlin and Marian Leighton-Levy were also part of the trio who launched this now legendary recording label. As America's premier independent, their catalog of well over 3000 titles runs the gamut from folk to world, soul to socas, jazz to juju, Cajun to Celtic, and beyond. Rounder recording artists garnered multiple awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) at the October 2008 awards show held at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN. Newcomers Dailey & Vincent swept seven categories including Entertainer of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year and Emerging Artist of the Year. In addition, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss have been honored with Grammy nominations in five categories for the T Bone Burnett produced, Rounder release Raising Sand.
Stefan AudioArt has announced the availability of their Equinox VOICE headphone cable for the Sennheiser HD650 and HD800 headphone, which is available balanced or unbalanced in either Noir Version finished in black with custom wood/Rhodium connectors or a Classic Version finished in all white with custom wood/Rhodium connectors ($1400 for ten foot length). This is the new state-of-the-art ultra high-end headphone cable from Stefan AudioArt and conceptualist lead designer Kristof Rodzon's efforts, with many years of experience of manufacturing cables for the Sennheiser headphones. As a result of two year's work, the Equinox VOICE internal and external architecture ensures the purist electrical signal reaches the headphones. The conductive surface consists of a new proprietary copper material which is surrounded by a proprietary silk based material with close to zero dielectric absorption. A new approach of using a specialized form of virgin cotton/ultra fine nylon and maple wood as external materials is also a major factor in keeping the signal resistance extremely low. With these parameters in place, the signal translated to each driver in the Sennheiser headphones is translated to a much higher level. Each cables comes with a lifetime warranty. Enjoy the Music.com has reviewed the Stephan AudioArt Sennheiser HD600 And Stefan AudioArt Equinox Cable by Steven R. Rochlin HD600 with Stefan AudioArt Equinox Cable (click here).
Chario's Academy Sovran loudspeaker ($16,000 per pair) is the company's new entry in Chario's flagship Academy line of products. The Academy Sovran is a handsome floorstanding three-way system that integrates bass, mid-bass and mid-range output to deliver accurate soundstaging and tonal accuracy with excellent detail. The Sovran was designed by Mario Marcello Murace, Chario's head of research and development, using advanced acoustic studies of binaural hearing in small rooms. With a two-part cabinet, the gorgeous cabinet is exquisitely constructed using thick, solid Walnut or Cherry, with a front baffle of high-density fiberboard (HDF). While the upper cabinet houses a 1.2-inch soft-dome Silversoft tweeter and 6.7-inch midrange/woofer, the lower unit holds a pair of 8-inch subwoofers. Sensitivity is 90dB/W/m at 4 Ohms, overall dimensions are 47.6 x 9.4 x 17.2 (HxWxD in inches) and each unit weighs over 100 lbs.
More than 2,700 global companies, including 300 new exhibitors, unveiled an estimated 20,000 new technology products across 1.7 million net square feet of exhibit space this week at the CES 2009. "Despite a subdued economy, excitement exuded from the International CES show floor, with the sheer volume of innovative products, the quantity of senior level executives from the consumer technology and related industries, the international participation from companies and government officials and the partnerships and deals at the show," said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, CEA. "More consumer technology business deals start at the International CES than any other event on earth. The success of the 2009 International CES gives us optimism that innovation will restart the world's economic engine." The 2009 CES was a celebrity-filled event which featured entertainment and sports figures including Tom Hanks, Alex Trebek, Jimmy Fallon, Stevie Wonder, Counting Crows' Adam Duritz, Usher, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Reggie Jackson, Dr. Oz and Ludacris. CEA conducts an independent audit of International CES attendance in order to ensure the accuracy of data regarding the show. Preliminary estimates suggest attendance at the 2009 International CES will be more than 110,000, with the final verified number to be released in about 90 days. At the close of the 2008 CES, a verified audited attendance of 141,150 was released in the spring of 2008. See Enjoy the Music.com's CES 2009 show coverage by clicking here.
Apple iTunes Plus is the new standard on iTunes, as they have finally eliminated their proprietary digital rights management (DRM) from their products. Users may choose from millions of iTunes Plus songs from all four major music labels and thousands of independents at a low 256kbps AAC encoding. Of note is that Amazon.com offers 320kbs songs in mp3 format for 99 cents. Both Amazon.com and Apple iTunes songs are free of burn limits and digital rights management (DRM). Therefore iTunes Plus and Amazon.com's mp3 music will play on iPod, Apple TV and many other digital music players. Of note is that Apple is charging their customers an insulting 30 cents additional per song, which they have already paid for, to 'upgrade' to DRM-free for this new 'privilege'.
Eleven Engineering Inc. today announced their wireless transmitters for the iPod/iPhone. The Cecille dongle offers high-fidelity by processing audio at a sampling rate of 48 kHz and it has the ability to transmit to multiple loudspeakers simultaneously. Their product leverages the popularity of the iPhone/iPod user interface while avoiding the TDMA noise issues, which the company claims is the crutch to current iPhone/iPod docking stations. Physical dimensions are 28 x 15 x 6.5 (WxDxH in mm).
House Ear Institute has received a $100,000 grant from the S. Mark Taper Foundation toward the national expansion of its Sound Partners teen hearing conservation initiative - It's How You Listen that Counts. Recognizing teenagers are at increasingly high risk for hearing damage from noise, the Institute is rounding up support among foundations and corporations to educate teens about noise induced hearing loss. The message is focused on prevention. Teenagers are known to be a challenging audience to reach concerning health issues. The institute was the first organization to make inroads with teens in the area of hearing conservation. "With hearing loss on the rise, the House Ear Institute is committed to a leadership role in reaching teens and young adults nationwide about the issue and how they can protect their own hearing from needless damage over the long term," says Marilee Potthoff, director of marketing, House Ear Institute. "The S. Mark Taper Foundation's support significantly helps us in our abilities to achieve our goal."
First Impression Music (FIM) K-2 format is alive and well, with an ongoing expansion of high-resolution music titles to show for it. These 24-bit/192kHz digital discs are the highest consumers can purchase, with FIM's recordings being in the running for winning a 2009 Grammy for best instrumental soloist performance! New titles include A Rose For Me by The Soundscapers, Autumn Yearning Fantasia with David Oistrakh on violin with the London Symphony Orchestra as conducted by Harp Jascha Horenstein, and Discovered Again! Plus with Dave Grusin.
Enjoy the Music.com now offers an Internet world premiere of the table of contents to Volume 13 Issue 2 of The Audiophile Voice. This issue features an exclusive interview with B.B. King plus reviews of the Acoustic Research AWD210 wireless headphones, C. Crane's FM transmitter, a roundtable review of CAIG DeoxlT and Axe Wipes, the Zoom H2 digital recorder plus Stax's SRS-005 II and SR-001 Mk2 earspeakers. See this edition of The Audiophile Voice by clicking here.
DALI has introduced their LEKTOR LCR (299€) that can fill a satellite subwoofer system or for surround sound systems. The loudspeaker is intended for on-wall mounting, though can be placed in a bookshelf or on stands and has an integrated wall brackets for either horizontal or vertical positioning. The pair of 5-inch midrange/woofers incorporate wood fiber cones, low-loss suspensions and powerful magnet systems. For the uppermost frequencies, the 1.1-inch soft dome tweeter is based on the same technology platform developed for the company's IKON Series. The tweeter has a powerful neodymium magnet system and a geometrical design optimized for wide dispersion. Crossover components are of the audio-grade variety and optimized for short signal path. The gold-plated binding posts accept bare cable ends and 4 mm banana plugs. Frequency response is from 52 Hz to 27kHz, has a sensitivity of 87.5dB/W/m and presents an 8 Ohm load. Dimensions are 23.6 x 6.8 x 6.9 (HxWxD in inches) and the LCR is available in either black ash or light walnut veneer.
Enjoy the Music.com now offers a world premiere of the February 2009 edition of The Absolute Sound (Issue 190) featuring the complete table of contents and complete editorial! This edition features a report on the 2008 Rocky Mountain Audio Fest plus equipment reviews that include the Paradigm Mini Monitor, Denon's DRA-CX3 integrated amplifier and DCD-CX3 CD/SACD player, the Harbeth 40.1 loudspeaker, Esoteric's X-05 CD/SACD player, the all-new MartinLogan CLX electrostatic loudspeaker plus many others. Within this issue's editorial titled A High-End Audio Taxonomy Robert Harley says "We often talk about the "high-end-audio industry" as though it were a monolithic entity whose component companies share the same motives, perspectives, values, and business models. In fact, the companies making up the industry are wildly divergent. Nonetheless, we can broadly group them in several categories...." You can see the table of contents and read the complete editorial by clicking here.
Enjoy the Music.com has once again updated our Consumer Electronics Show & THE Show 2009 preview report! Every few days we have been busy updating our pre-show coverage, which will continue up to the day of the event. To see the Enjoy the Music.com CES & THE Show 2009 preview click here.
Durob Audio's Herman van den Dungen, already responsible for the production and distribution of well-known brands PrimaLuna and Mystère, has purchased Bow Technologies and Thule Audio. This agreement was finalized only days ago, and now marks two new known companies from Denmark now in the folds of Durob Audio. The intention is to restart production of existing models as an improved version. In the near future, new models will be added to both company's product lines. For those residing within the United States, Upscale Audio is Durob Audio's partner.
Neeper Acoustics' Perfection One loudspeaker ($20,000 per pair) will now be available for the first time in the United States thanks to Nawrocka Distribution. The cabinets are hand crafted in Demark by the world-renowned cabinet manufacturer Hornslet using their patented Hornflex technology. Each Perfection One incorporates a total of 60 specially made aluminum parts including a full-machined aluminum front, which the drivers are connected to. This two and a half way design uses the top of the line ScanSpeak 1.5-inch Ring radiator tweeter and two proprietary custom designed ScanSpeak 5.5-inch midrange/woofer drivers. Frequency response is from 30 Hz to 50 kHz with a sensitivity of 87dB/W/m and the unit presents a 4 Ohm load. The Perfection One weighs in at over 66 lbs and includes a ten year warranty.
TACET now offers two new audiophile-quality recordings, the Auryn Series Volume XVII and Louis Spohr (pictured). The Auryn is a two CD set with Opus 33. Matthias Lingenfelder (first violin) explains that during the recording why the parts for the first violin of Haydn's string quartets are all so much trickier than the other parts. The reason was that Haydn was having an affair with the wife of the first violinist of the quartet which performed his works, and in order to keep him busy for longer, so that he had less opportunity to check up on his wife, Haydn built extra challenges into his part. While many are not sure to believe Matthias or not, but in any case, he has no problem at all with his violin part, as this new release will clearly demonstrate. The second new release, Louis Spohr, includes the String Sextet in C Major Op. 140 and Nonet in F Major Op. 31. There is a shortage of literature for some larger chamber music ensembles, so that it can sometimes seem hardly worth the trouble to found a special ensemble. This is why the existing works for large chamber music ensemble are performed less frequently, and often by musicians who have met up briefly just for the purpose. The camerata freden concentrates on such pieces, which is what makes this ensemble of the Freden Music Festival so interesting for TACET. After making recordings of Beethoven's Septet and Octet, they followed with Schubert's and Mendelssohn's Octets, Tchaikovsky's Sextet, and works by living composers (C. Jost, B. Günes and H. Huyssen).
Enjoy the Music.com has reported on this show for the past nine consecutive years. See our report of each year's show: 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, and 2000.
Shuguang, the premier Chinese vacuum tube manufacturer with 50 years of history in designing, manufacturing and distributing high fidelity audio tubes, has just released their '50-Year-Anniversary Treasure Series' of vacuum tubes. Grant Fidelity, as Shuguang's North American distributor, is the first one and so far the only one to bring these "Treasure Series" tubes into North America. According to Shuguang, the "Treasure Series" has adopted quite a few new technologies in the design - such as "High Polymer Compound Carbon (HPCC)" coating inside the glass enclosure to reduce the tube's internally generated noises and stabilize electron current. In addition, "Super Alloy" has been for the first time used on audio vacuum tubes construction to improve electron emission - before such type of material has only been used in aerospace industry and military application. Shuguang Treasure Series vacuum tubes production includes over 100 processes, which are nearly 60 more processes than those for manufacturing the Shuguang clear glass generic series. All parts go through 30+ screening and matching procedures to insure quality, accuracy and consistency. Production is done only by technicians with 30+ years of experience. The newly released Shuguang Treasure Series of vacuum tubes include the following model at the time being: 300B-Z, KT88-Z, KT66-Z, 6CA7-Z (interchangeable with EL34) and CV181-Z (interchangeable with 6SN7GT, 6N8P).
SEAS of Norway launches their new DESIGN Series 10-inch subwoofer. The company's L26ROY subwoofer driver is designed to combine large excursion with low distortion and wide frequency range. Accomplishing this task required technologies not found in the company's standard subwoofer designs. The powerful magnet system uses a copper cap over the pole piece to reduce non-linear distortion and flux modulation. The stiff aluminum cone is matched to a proprietary design natural rubber surround. The spider employs lead-out wires that are woven into the material to eliminate noise and improve reliability. A 2-layer voice coil, resulting in low inductance and reduced mass. In combination, this all results in low distortion of the sound this driver produces. Mr. Håvard Sollien, R&D Engineer at SEAS, says "Having worked extensively in the development of this driver, I am very pleased with the result and I am confident the customers will feel the same. The unique features of this driver make it a versatile choice for powered subwoofers – or even passive 3 way designs."
Enjoy the Music.com's January 2009 edition of the Review Magazine plus our CES / THE Show 2009 Preview are now available! Within this month's Review Magazine we feature three world premiere not to be missed!
More World Premiere Reviews In 2009!
Speeding along to bring you a first look at audiophile products.
Impressive anti-vibration devices for your high-end audio system.
A hand-built tube preamplifier with some unique functions.
Getting to the heart and soul of the performance.
Lackluster user interface and minimal niceties yet delivers good sound.
A beautiful combination that achieves outstanding realism.
American composer Elliott Carter's complete piano music, by leading interpreters.
Sir Colin Davis and the LSO offer concert performances of familiar Elgar.
See the January 2009 Review Magazine by clicking here.


Lunch and snack will be provided. Please notify Jennifer Burke (jennifer@opscode.com) of any dietary restrictions.
If Chef is not already installed, use Opscode's Full Stack Chef installer. This will also be covered during the introductory portion of the workshop.
As we're providing a VM image, the exercises will all assume Ubuntu 12.04 as the platform, with a base server installation that includes OpenSSH running.
Other virtual machine images or cloud provider instances may work, but you're on your own to get that set up ahead of time.


text:
Cloud & Computing
Pittsburgh Teams Dominating Global AI Competition
The international IBM AI XPRIZE contest looks for new uses of artificial intelligence.
by Aaron Aupperlee, The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review / December 15, 2017
(TNS) — Pittsburgh isn't just a hotbed for artificial intelligence research and development.
The city is also tops in the nation for coming up with ways to use the new technology.
Pittsburgh had more teams than any other city in the country move to the next round of the $5 million IBM Watson AI XPRIZE.
San Diego to Cover Half the City with Intelligent StreetlightsWill Artificial Intelligence Become Conscious?Las Vegas to Pilot WayCare's Accident Prediction Artificial Intelligence Software
"AI can be applied to so many different fields," Amir Banifatemi, prize lead for competition, told the Tribune-Review. "The goal of the prize is to really showcase the hard problems that can be solved with artificial intelligence and can be achieved with collaboration between man and machine."
Unlike other XPRIZE competitions that have a narrow focus and strict set of rules, the AI XPRIZE is wide open, allowing teams to choose the problem they want to solve.
Pittsburgh had seven teams advance to the next round, more than Asia and Australia combined and second only to Montreal. The teams are using artificial intelligence to fight addiction to opioids, help patients suffering from Alzheimer's and memory loss, improve eduction, increase recycling and combat sex trafficking.
"It's across the entire spectrum of things," said Kenny Chen, the AI XPRIZE ambassador in Pittsburgh and the program director at Ascender, the startup incubator and accelerator hub. "But it is all still reflective of this Pittsburgh ethos of not just driving cutting technological innovation but also tying it back to more important societal missions."
The seven Pittsburgh teams are Behaivior, BlipIQ, Choitek, CleanRobotics, Expii, Marinus Analytics and SCAD AI.
The AI XPRIZE whittled down the original 147 teams to just 59 this month. The remaining teams represent 14 different countries. A Pittsburgh team was also named one of the top 10 teams remaining in the competition.
Behaivior uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to alert someone recovering from opioid addition when they are most vulnerable to relapsing so they can seek help. The company uses a wearable — "like a fancy Fitbit," said co-founder Ellie Gordon — to monitor heart rate, motion and other biological markers that could indicate someone is craving heroin or another drug. Jeremy Guttman, another founder, said things like smoking more cigarettes than usual, tracked by motion, or an elevated heart rate, could indicate a craving or vulnerable situation. Behaivior's technology would then alert that person's support network, like a narcotics anonymous sponsor, and send them a photo and message to motivate that person to stay strong. Guttman said the photo could be the picture of a son or daughter and the message could come from them.
"One of the greatest things about artificial intelligence is that it can find patterns that humans cannot see themselves," Guttman said.
The Behaivior team. From left: Jeremy Guttman, Ellie Gordon, Ryan O'Shea
Gordon said the company hears from people every day whose friends and family are struggling with opioids.
"It's really frustrating to hear from people who are suffering," Gordon said. "They just don't have the tools that they need."
Banifatemi said Behaivior picked a critical challenge to work on.
"It is going to touch more than one city," Banifatemi said. "It is going to touch cities everywhere."
Pittsburgh's dominance in the AI XPRIZE is part of the city's overall success in the competitions. Astrobotic, a Strip District company aiming to start a delivery service to the Moon in 2020, was considered a front-runner to win the Google Lunar XPRIZE , a race to land a rover on the moon, until it dropped out of the competition.
RoboTutor, a Carnegie Mellon University spin-off company developing an app that uses facial analysis and machine learning to help teach math and reading, is one of five finalists in the $15 million Global Learning XPRIZE .
And Hera Global Tech is one of 21 semifinalists competing in the Anu & Naveen Jain Women's Safety XPRIZE. The competition challenges teams to tackle violence and harassment against women by developing a device that autonomously and inconspicuously sends information to a network of support and community responders when a woman is in trouble. The device cannot cost more than $40.
Hera Global Tech uses sensors placed on the body to monitor body motion, heart rate and other information. It uses machine learning to determine when that information signals that the wearer is in trouble and automatically alerts a support and response network, Chen said. The company is based in Pittsburgh with at least one employee working out of India.
©2017 The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Greensburg, Pa.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Tweets by IBM Cloud

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
//
//  InitializeSolver.cpp
//  RosterDesNurses
//
//  Created by Jeremy Omer on January 21, 2016
//  Copyright (c) 2016 Jeremy Omer. All rights reserved.
//

#include "solvers/InitializeSolver.h"
#include "tools/ReadWrite.h"
//#include "solvers/Greedy.h"
#include "solvers/mp/RotationMP.h"
#include "tools/MyTools.h"

// some include files to go through the files of an input directory
#include <dirent.h>
#include <unistd.h>
#include <sys/stat.h>
#include <sys/types.h>

//initialize the counter of objects
unsigned int MyObject::s_count = 0;
unsigned int Rotation::s_count = 0;

using std::string;
using std::vector;
using std::map;
using std::pair;

/******************************************************************************
* Read the arguments in non compact format
******************************************************************************/

InputPaths* readNonCompactArguments(int argc, char** argv) {
	InputPaths* pInputPaths = nullptr;

	// Read the arguments and store them in inputPaths
	//
	int narg = 1;
	while (narg < argc) {
		std::cout << "arg = " << argv[narg] << " " << argv[narg+1] << std::endl;
		// Attention usine a gaz: problem with the java simulator that add quote
		// marks in the arguments, which messes with the open file methods
		// the code below is here to remove these quote marks
		//
		string str(argv[narg+1]);
		std::size_t found = str.find("\"");
		while (found!=std::string::npos) {
			str.erase(found,1);
			found = str.find("\"");
		}

		if (!strcmp(argv[narg],"--sce")) {
			pInputPaths->scenario(str);
			narg += 2;
		}
		else if (!strcmp(argv[narg],"--his")) {
			pInputPaths->history(str);
			narg += 2;
		}
		else if (!strcmp(argv[narg],"--week")) {
			pInputPaths->addWeek(str);
			narg += 2;
		}
		else if (!strcmp(argv[narg],"--sol")) {
			pInputPaths->solutionPath(str);
			narg += 2;
		}
		else if (!strcmp(argv[narg],"--param")) {
			pInputPaths->paramFile(str);
			narg += 2;
		}
		else if (!strcmp(argv[narg],"--timeout")) {
			pInputPaths->timeOut(std::stod(str));
			narg += 2;
		}
		else if (!strcmp(argv[narg],"--rand")) {
			pInputPaths->randSeed(std::stoi(str));
			narg += 2;
		}
		else if (!strcmp(argv[narg],"--short-sp")) {
		    pInputPaths->shortSP(std::stoi(str));
			narg += 2;
		}
		else {
			Tools::throwError("main: the argument does not match the expected list!");
		}
	}
	// Throw an error if a necessary input file is missing
	if ( pInputPaths->scenario().empty() || pInputPaths->history().empty()
			|| pInputPaths->weeks().empty() ) {
		throw Tools::myException("readNonCompactArguments: A necessary file name is missing!",__LINE__);
	}

	// Non compact format is only for release versions, so no log file is required
	pInputPaths->logPath("");

	return pInputPaths;
}

/******************************************************************************
* Read the arguments in compact format
******************************************************************************/

InputPaths* readCompactArguments(int argc, char** argv) {

	// Default arguments are set to enable simple call to the function without argument
	//
	std::string dataDir = "",instanceName = "",solutionPath="",logPath="",paramFile="";
	int historyIndex = 0, randSeed=0;
	bool shortSP = true;
	std::vector<int> weekIndices;
	double timeOut = LARGE_TIME;

	// Read the arguments and store them in inputPaths
	//
	int narg = 1;
	while (narg < argc) {
		const char* arg = argv[narg];
		std::cout << "arg = " << arg << " " << argv[narg+1] << std::endl;
		// Attention usine a gaz: problem with the java simulator that add quote
		// marks in the arguments, which messes with the open file methods
		// the code below is here to remove these quote marks
		//
		string str(argv[narg+1]);
		std::size_t found = str.find("\"");
		while (found!=std::string::npos) {
			str.erase(found,1);
			found = str.find("\"");
		}

		if (!strcmp(arg,"--dir")) {
			dataDir = str;
			narg += 2;
		}
		else if (!strcmp(arg,"--instance")) {
			instanceName = str;
			narg += 2;
		}
		else if (!strcmp(arg,"--his")) {
			historyIndex = std::stoi(str);
			narg += 2;
		}
		else if (!strcmp(arg,"--weeks")) {
			weekIndices = Tools::parseList(str,'-');
			narg += 2;
		}
		else if (!strcmp(arg,"--sol")) {
			solutionPath = str;
			narg += 2;
		}
		else if (!strcmp(arg,"--log")) {
			logPath = str;
			narg+= 2;
		}
		else if (!strcmp(arg,"--param")) {
			paramFile = str;
			narg += 2;
		}
		else if (!strcmp(arg,"--timeout")) {
			timeOut = std::stod(str);
			narg += 2;
		}
		else if (!strcmp(arg,"--rand")) {
			randSeed = std::stoi(str);
			narg += 2;
		}
		else if (!strcmp(arg,"--short-sp")) {
      shortSP = std::stoi(str);
			narg += 2;
		}
		else {
			std::stringstream err_buff;
			err_buff << "main: the argument (" << arg << ") does not match the expected list!";
			Tools::throwError(err_buff.str());
		}
	}

	// Initialize the input paths
	//
	InputPaths* pInputPaths =
	  new InputPaths(dataDir, instanceName, historyIndex,weekIndices,solutionPath,logPath,paramFile,timeOut,randSeed,shortSP);

	return pInputPaths;
}

/************************************************************************
* Initialize the week scenario by reading the input files
*************************************************************************/

PScenario initializeScenario(string scenPath, string demandPath, string historyPath, string logPath) {

	// Initialize demand and preferences
	PDemand pDemand(nullptr);
	PPreferences pPref(nullptr);

	// Read the scenario
	PScenario pScen = ReadWrite::readScenario(scenPath);

	// Read the demand and preferences and link them with the scenario
	ReadWrite::readWeek(demandPath, pScen,&pDemand,&pPref);
	pScen->linkWithDemand(pDemand);
	pScen->linkWithPreferences(pPref);

	// Read the history
	ReadWrite::readHistory(historyPath, pScen);

	// Check that the scenario was read properly if logfile specified in input
	if (!logPath.empty()) {
		Tools::LogOutput logStream(logPath);
		logStream << pScen->toString() << std::endl;
		logStream << pScen->pWeekDemand()->toString(true) << std::endl;
	}

	return pScen;
}

PScenario initializeScenario(const InputPaths & inputPaths, string logPath) {

	// Initialize demand and preferences
	PDemand pDemand(nullptr);
	PPreferences pPref(nullptr);

	// Read the scenario
	PScenario pScen = ReadWrite::readScenario(inputPaths.scenario());

	// Read the demand and preferences and link them with the scenario
	ReadWrite::readWeek(inputPaths.week(0), pScen,&pDemand,&pPref);
	pScen->linkWithDemand(pDemand);
	pScen->linkWithPreferences(pPref);

	// Read the history
	ReadWrite::readHistory(inputPaths.history(), pScen);

	// Check that the scenario was read properly if logfile specified in input
	if (!logPath.empty()) {
		Tools::LogOutput logStream(logPath);
		logStream << pScen->toString() << std::endl;
		logStream << pScen->pWeekDemand()->toString(true) << std::endl;
	}

	return pScen;
}

/*****************************************************************************
* Initialize the scenario for multiple weeks
* When calling this function, the intent is to solve all the weeks at once
******************************************************************************/

PScenario initializeMultipleWeeks(string dataDir, string instanceName,
	int historyIndex, vector<int> weekIndices, string logPath) {

	// build the paths of the input files
	InputPaths inputPaths(dataDir, instanceName,historyIndex,weekIndices);

	// Read the scenario
	PScenario pScen = ReadWrite::readScenario(inputPaths.scenario());

	// Read the demand and preferences and link them with the scenario
	ReadWrite::readWeeks(inputPaths.weeks(), pScen);

	// Read the history
	ReadWrite::readHistory(inputPaths.history(), pScen);

	// Check that the scenario was read properly if logfile specified in input
	if (!logPath.empty()) {
		Tools::LogOutput logStream(logPath);
		logStream << pScen->toString() << std::endl;
		logStream << pScen->pWeekDemand()->toString(true) << std::endl;
	}

	return pScen;
}

PScenario initializeMultipleWeeks(const InputPaths & inputPaths, string logPath) {

	// Read the scenario
	PScenario pScen = ReadWrite::readScenario(inputPaths.scenario());

	// Read the demand and preferences and link them with the scenario
	ReadWrite::readWeeks(inputPaths.weeks(), pScen);

	// Read the history
	ReadWrite::readHistory(inputPaths.history(), pScen);

	// Check that the scenario was read properly if logfile specified in input
	if (!logPath.empty()) {
		Tools::LogOutput logStream(logPath);
		logStream << pScen->toString() << std::endl;
		logStream << pScen->pWeekDemand()->toString(true) << std::endl;
	}

	return pScen;
}

/*****************************************************************************
* Separate the scenario into multiple scenarios that only focus on the nurses
* whose positions are in the same connex component of positions
******************************************************************************/

vector<PScenario> divideScenarioIntoConnexPositions(PScenario pScenario) {

	vector<PScenario> scenariosPerComponent;

	// First, identify the connex components of the rcspp of positions
	pScenario->computeConnexPositions();

	for (int c = 0; c < pScenario->nbOfConnexComponentsOfPositions(); c++) {
		const vector<PPosition>& positionsInTheComponent = pScenario->componentOfConnexPositions(c);
		const vector<PNurse>& nursesInTheComponent = pScenario->nursesInConnexComponentOfPositions(c);

		// retrieve a vector containing the indices of the skills contained in the component (decreasing order)
		// use a set first, because it manages duplicate skills automatically
		std::set<int> skillsInTheComponent;
		for (PPosition pPosition: positionsInTheComponent)
			for (int skill: pPosition->skills())
				skillsInTheComponent.insert(skill);

		vector<int> skillsVector(skillsInTheComponent.begin(), skillsInTheComponent.end());
		std::stable_sort(skillsVector.begin(),skillsVector.end(), Tools::compareDecreasing);

		// build a vector containing the skills that need to be removed from the scenario
		vector<int> skillsToRemove;
		for (int skill=0; skill < pScenario->nbSkills_; skill++) {
			skillsToRemove.push_back(skill);
		}
		for (int skill:skillsVector) {
			skillsToRemove.erase(skillsToRemove.begin()+skill);
		}
		std::stable_sort(skillsToRemove.begin(),skillsToRemove.end(), Tools::compareDecreasing);

		// shorten the vectors intToSkill and skillToInt to match the list of skills
		vector<string> intToSkill(pScenario->intToSkill_);
		map<string,int> skillToInt(pScenario->skillToInt_);

		for (int skill:skillsToRemove) {
			skillToInt.erase(pScenario->intToSkill_[skill]);
			intToSkill.erase(intToSkill.begin()+skill);
		}

		// create the demand that relates only to input skills
		//
		PDemand pDemand = pScenario->pWeekDemand();

		// erase the skills to remove from the minimum and optimal demands
		vector3D<int> minDemand = pDemand->minDemand_;
		vector3D<int> optDemand = pDemand->optDemand_;
		for (int day = 0; day < pDemand->nbDays_; day++) {
    		for (int shift = 0; shift < pDemand->nbShifts_; shift++) {
				for (int skill:skillsToRemove) {
					minDemand[day][shift][skill] = 0;
					optDemand[day][shift][skill] = 0;
				}
			}
		}
		PDemand pDemandInTheComponent = std::make_shared<Demand>(pDemand->nbDays_, pDemand->firstDay_, pDemand->nbShifts_,
		 pDemand->nbSkills_, pDemand->name_, minDemand, optDemand);

		// create the preferences that relate only to the nurses of the connex component
		//
		PPreferences pPreferencesInTheComponent =
		    std::make_shared<Preferences>(nursesInTheComponent,pDemand->nbDays_,pScenario->nbShifts_);
		PPreferences pPreferences = pScenario->pWeekPreferences();

		// only keep the demand of the nurses in the component
		for (PNurse pNurse: nursesInTheComponent)
		  for (const auto& itDay: pPreferences->nurseWishesOff(pNurse->id_))
				for (const auto& itShift: itDay.second)
				  pPreferencesInTheComponent->addShiftOff(pNurse->id_, itDay.first, itShift.shift, itShift.level);

		// only keep the demand of the nurses in the component
    for (PNurse pNurse: nursesInTheComponent)
      for (const auto& itDay: pPreferences->nurseWishesOn(pNurse->id_))
        for (const auto& itShift: itDay.second)
          pPreferencesInTheComponent->addShiftOn(pNurse->id_, itDay.first, itShift.shift, itShift.level);

		// Create the new scenario
		//
		PScenario pScenarioInTheConnexComponent = std::make_shared<Scenario>(
		    pScenario,nursesInTheComponent,pDemandInTheComponent,pPreferencesInTheComponent);

		// create the initial states that relate only to the nurses of the connex component
		//
		vector<State> intialStatesInTheComponent;
		vector<State>* pInitialState = pScenario->pInitialState();

		for (PNurse pNurse: nursesInTheComponent) {
			intialStatesInTheComponent.push_back(pInitialState->at(pNurse->id_));
		}
		pScenarioInTheConnexComponent->setInitialState(intialStatesInTheComponent);

		// Push back in the vector of scenarios
		//
		scenariosPerComponent.push_back(pScenarioInTheConnexComponent);
	}

	return scenariosPerComponent;
}

/*****************************************************************************
* Create a solver of the class specified by the input algorithm type
******************************************************************************/

Solver* setSolverWithInputAlgorithm(PScenario pScen, Algorithm algorithm) {

	Solver* pSolver = nullptr;
	switch(algorithm){
	// case GREEDY:
	// 	pSolver = new Greedy(pScen, pScen->pWeekDemand(), pScen->pWeekPreferences(), pScen->pInitialState());
	// 	break;
	case GENCOL:
		// DBG: ICI, ON CHOISIT SI ON UTILISE CLP OU GUROBI, A TERME IL CHOISIR EN FONCTION D'UNE OPTION...
//	   		pSolver = new MasterProblem(pScen, pScen->pWeekDemand(), pScen->pWeekPreferences(), pScen->pInitialState(), S_Gurobi);
		pSolver = new RotationMP(pScen, pScen->pWeekDemand(), pScen->pWeekPreferences(), pScen->pInitialState(), S_CLP);
		break;
	default:
		Tools::throwError("The algorithm is not handled yet");
		break;
	}
	return pSolver;
}

/******************************************************************************
* When a solution of multiple consecutive weeks is available, load it in a
* solver for all the weeks and  display the results
******************************************************************************/
void displaySolutionMultipleWeeks(string dataDir, string instanceName,
	int historyIndex, vector<int> weekIndices, vector<Roster> &solution, Status status, string outDir) {

	if (outDir.empty()) return;

  // initialize the log stream
  // first, concatenate the week numbers
  int nbWeeks = weekIndices.size();
  string catWeeks;
  for (int w=0; w< nbWeeks; w++) catWeeks += std::to_string(weekIndices[w]);
  string logPath = outDir+"Log-"+catWeeks+".txt";
  Tools::LogOutput outStream(logPath);

  // treat the case where the solver was unable to find a feasible solution
  if (status == INFEASIBLE) {
    outStream << "The solver was not able to find a solution\n";
    return;
  }

	// load the solution in a new solver
	PScenario pScen = initializeMultipleWeeks(dataDir, instanceName, historyIndex, weekIndices);
	Solver* pSolver = new Solver(pScen, pScen->pWeekDemand(), pScen->pWeekPreferences(), pScen->pInitialState());
	pSolver->loadSolution(solution);

	// write the log file for all the weeks
	outStream << pSolver->solutionToLogString();

	// write separately the solutions of each week in the required output format
	vector<string> solutions = pSolver->solutionToString(nbWeeks);
	for(int w=0; w < nbWeeks; ++w){
		string solutionFile = outDir+"Sol-"+instanceName+"-"+catWeeks+"-"+std::to_string(weekIndices[w])+"-"+std::to_string(w)+".txt";
		Tools::LogOutput solutionStream(solutionFile);
 		solutionStream << solutions[w];
	}
	delete pSolver;
}

void displaySolutionMultipleWeeks(InputPaths inputPaths, vector<Roster> &solution, Status status, string outDir) {

	if (outDir.empty()) return;

	// initialize the log stream
	// first, concatenate the week numbers
	int nbWeeks = inputPaths.nbWeeks();
	string catWeeks;
	for (int w=0; w< nbWeeks; w++) catWeeks += inputPaths.week(w);
	string logPath = outDir+"Log-"+catWeeks+".txt";
	Tools::LogOutput outStream(logPath);

	// treat the case where the solver was unable to find a feasible solution
	if (status == INFEASIBLE) {
		outStream << "The solver was not able to find a solution\n";
		return;
	}

	// load the solution in a new solver
	PScenario pScen = initializeMultipleWeeks(inputPaths);
	Solver* pSolver = new Solver(pScen, pScen->pWeekDemand(), pScen->pWeekPreferences(), pScen->pInitialState());
	pSolver->loadSolution(solution);

	// write the log file for all the weeks
	outStream << pSolver->solutionToLogString();

	// write separately the solutions of each week in the required output format
	vector<string> solutions = pSolver->solutionToString(nbWeeks);
	for(int w=0; w < nbWeeks; ++w){
		string solutionFile = outDir+"Sol-"+inputPaths.instance()+"-"+catWeeks+"-"+inputPaths.week(w)+"-"+std::to_string(w)+".txt";
		Tools::LogOutput solutionStream(solutionFile);
		solutionStream << solutions[w];
	}

	delete pSolver;
}

/******************************************************************************
* Compute and record stats on all the demand files of all the instances in the
* input directory
******************************************************************************/

void computeStatsOnTheDemandsOfAllInstances(string inputDir) {
	struct dirent *dirp;

	// Open the input directory
	DIR* dp = opendir( inputDir.c_str() );
	if (dp == NULL) {
		Tools::throwError("Error while opening ");
	}
	else{
		std::cout << "Reading from directory " << inputDir << std::endl;
	}
	while ((dirp = readdir( dp )))
	{
		std::string filename(dirp->d_name);

		// The instance names start with "WD"
		if (filename[0] != 'n') continue;
		ReadWrite::compareDemands((string) (inputDir+filename),(string) ("outfiles/statDemands/"+filename+".txt"));
	}

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


MN…You grew up here all your life?
SG…Yes, I had a short stint in Chicago, but yes, all my life.
MN…Did you always love Disney?
SG…I did, ever since I was a little boy. My mom often took myself and my much older brothers to Disneyland. At the time, Walt made sure middle class families could afford to go. If you just paid the general admission charge and didn't go on any of the rides or eat, it was very reasonable. Being younger, I stayed with my mom and my brothers ran on their own. We rode the free rides, and yeah, we went fairly often as a kid.
MN…Did you have any favorite Disney Characters, like Mickey or Pluto?
SG…Not really, I did like Piglet as a kid, but I loved the Place, Disneyland, more than the movies or the characters.
MN…Were your parents supportive of your love for Disney?
SG…Yes, my Mom was. In fact she is tickled that she is a protagonist in the book! They actually encouraged us to go to Disneyland.
MN…Could you give a background on your education?
SG…I have a BA in liberal arts with a concentration in Urban Planning from DePaul University in Chicago. I have worked in the field ever since as an Urban planner.
MN…What is an "Urban Planner"?
SG…My focus is in long range policy planning. I vision what the future community is going to be, and drafting the appropriate laws that would induce that type of development. I'm like a vision statement kind of guy.
MN…Have you met any Disney Luminaries?
SG… I have, especially since the book came out. I met Bob Gurr, Marty Sklar, prior to that, mouseketeer Bobby Burgess, Ward Kimball, artist Sam McKim, model maker Fred Joerger and landscape architect Bill Evens. Most importantly, Harrison "Buzz Price. He was the guy who literary found the locations of Disneyland and Walt Disney World. He was instrumental in helping me write the book in the first place.
MN…What person stood out most in your mind?
SG…It was a thrill to meet all of them, but it was Harrison "Buzz" Price and Imagineer Marvin Davis. Marvin was the land use planner who designed the hub and spoke design at Disneyland. He also did the primary land use patterns for Walt Disney World. So as a land use planner, I have always been a fan of Marvin Davis. Buzz Price has also been special to me, for all the time he spend helping me with the research for the book. Buzz never worked for the Disney Company, but as a consultant to Walt Disney. He worked on more than 150 projects for the brothers.
MN…How does your job relate to the book?
SG…It's very directly related. The book looks at Walt Disney's fascination with three dimensional environments. The book explains from an urban design point of view, this fascination. It was like a feasibility study, I looked at the concept of EPCOT, the Progress city model, looked backward to see if it was financially practical to be built. It was the first time anyone has applied the concept of urban design towards the Theme parks.
MN…Walt was an animator and storyteller, with no background in urban planning. How did he envision Progress City on such a grand scale?
MN…How did you decide to write the book? Was it for informational purposed or personal fascination with Walt Disney?
SG…It's both. The idea of writing a book was always on my mind. It was an incredible experience.
MN…Was researching the book difficult?
SG…In some cases. But in reality most historians and people who do what I do know where to look. My biggest disadvantage was not having access to the Disney archives. In addition to Buzz Price, I had access to Victor Gruens' files, which was influential to what Walt wanted in his Progress city.
MN…Was the Disney Company supportive in your book and research?
SG…I don't think the Company knew I even existed! But since the book, I have been invited to speak at several Disney Company functions lately.
MN…What are the major differences in design of Disneyland compared to Walt Disney World?
SG…They are many different things. Disneyland is a very urban park, surrounded by cities. It's very tiny compared to WDW. All of the property controlled by the Disneyland Resort could fit into Animal Kingdom. Because of the scale, Disneyland is much more layered, more stuff on top of stuff, it feels more intimate.
MN…Was there anyone in particular a big help on the book?
SG…Harrison "Buzz" Price. Without him I would not been able to gather the "inside" information. I also had support from Werner Weiss of Yesterland.com, and Len Testa of Touringplans.com. And technical friend Marsha Rood, FAICP who is an urban planning legend here in Southern California. She was my urban planning guru throughout the book to make sure I got the concepts correct.
MN…Is the book part history of Imagineering or Walt's ideas on Progress City or both?
SG…There is no separation. Walt and WED were one in the same. That was his playground, to get away from the pressures of the studio. The book goes into the development process, the how's and why's they did what they did, especially creating the physical places themselves.
MN…If EPCOT was built the way Walt envisioned it, do you think it would be as popular with guests as a Theme park, Attraction or curiosity?
SG…Walt didn't think of it as a Theme park. It was to be a showcase of American technology and American Corporations to show how their technology could solve many of the World's problems. It was Buzz Price' expectation of Walt's EPCOT that it would have been more popular than Walt Disney World. It would be like having the whole of EPCOT in one air-conditioned building.
MN…Do you think all the Disney Parks Worldwide are laid out the same?
SG…No. In the Florida parks, EPCOT, Animal Kingdom and the Magic Kingdom are. EPCOT is two Theme parks shoved together, all with strong hub and spoke designs. California Adventure is just a mess. Disney claims the Studios is hub and spoke, but it's pretty much broke up, it's just a front half and a back half. The rest of the worldwide parks are hub and spoke.
MN…What park if any is more radical designed than most?
SG…Of the four Florida Parks, Animal Kingdom. It's consistent in its core message that we celebrate animals of the past, present and of our fantasy. All the lands represent life and balance, the struggle of mankind and nature. Each of the land does reflect different gradients on that. It fulfilled Walt's dream of people being able to see live animals.
MN…If Walt had more property in Anaheim, do you think Disneyland's design would have been different than the hub and spoke?
SG…I think that if he had enough land in Anaheim, he could have controlled what was happening around the borders, and may have not build Walt Disney World. The biggest reason he build WDW was that he hated what was happening around his Theme Park. They worked very diligently on the hub and spoke, the little building blocks, building the park behind a berm. The railroad is a 12 to 14 foot mountain of dirt that hides the park from the city and blocks out the noises. They went through about 139 different versions till settling on the version we are comfortable with today. He wanted to protect the edges against what he called in 1965 a "Second rate Las Vegas that was building around Disneyland" That was the major factor in buying all the land in Florida, he did not want the rest of the world encroaching in on him.
MN…When California Adventure first opened, many people were against it, why?
SG…I was there on its grand opening day. It wasn't very well designed initially. It was like the "anti-Disney" park. It wanted to be hip, everything Disneyland was not. It was different than any of the other Theme Parks. It did not have what Imagineer John Hench called…"Architectural Reassurance" When you enter any of the Disney Parks, you feel comfortable and at home, because of the architecture and urban design.
MN…Were the design of the attractions figured in the design of the parks?
SG…Oh yes. They all go together. The idea of rides and attractions, then the show is to add capacity. You can only fit so many people on the sidewalks. To sell more tickets, you have to people someplace. So you want people on the rides, shows and even in lines to absorb people and that adds capacity. There is lots of mathematics that go along with this. That is what Buzz Price did, he created that whole economics for Theme Parks.
MN…Now for the important question; where can we buy your book?
SG…You can purchase it on Amazon.com, both in paperback and Kindle.
SG…I hope so! This project was a lot of fun. I have some ideas in mind, so one of these days I'll have another book.
MN…Where can fans contact you?
MN…Last question, what is your favorite park and why?
SG…Its Disneyland and quite simply it's the park that Walt walked through!
MN…I thank you for your time Sam, we will be looking forward to your next book!
This entry was posted in General and tagged disnyland, iadoniasi, imagineering, interview, sam gennawey, walt and the promise of progress city.


text:
'Radical Chic' Turns 50
By John Loftus
About John Loftus
Follow John Loftus on Twitter
On June 8, 1970, Tom Wolfe's prescient cover story, "Radical Chic: That Party at Lenny's," was published in New York magazine. The piece dissected, among other absurdities, Leonard Bernstein's Park Avenue shindig for the Black Panthers in classic Wolfe fashion.
Much has changed in fifty years. If Tom Wolfe wrote something like it today, the mob would cancel him, undoubtedly. An embedded Millennial Maoist brigade at New York would mutiny and nix the essay — along with Wolfe's career. He and William F. Buckley Jr. would be chased off Firing Line for speaking too thoughtfully, too aristocratically. Never mind the substance.
Then again, some things haven't changed at all. Imagine our own woke celebrities and elites throwing a lavish party to honor themselves, themselves, themselves (and the Black Lives Matter activists and Antifa). John Legend and Chrissy Teigen host in their mansion, perhaps? Guests include: Sophie Turner, Barbara Streisand, Jane Fonda, Lin Manuel-Miranda, Patton Oswalt, Alec Baldwin, Leonardo DiCaprio, RuPaul, Chris Cuomo, Rachel Maddow, Don Lemon, Chris Hayes, Mia and Morning Joe and third wheel Willie, the DeBlasio family, the Clintons, the Obamas, Nancy Pelosi, the Squad, and Prince Harry and Princess Meghan. I'm swooning.
But can you imagine?
Chrissy was trying to coax the Black Lives Matter peeps into the living room. They were rather uncomfortable, because the white guests were on their knees, kente clothes draped over their shoulders. Cuomo was over in the corner, washing Lemon's feet. "Has it been 9 minutes?" he whispered to Lemon.
"Johnny!" Chrissy said. "Tell the fascists to come on in!" Johnny was still in the back of the living room, defending his wife on Twitter from @realDonaldTrump. "Fascists!" said Johnny. "Come on in!" Then the Antifa members entered, offering vintage Molotov cocktails.
Never show up empty-handed . . .
return-icon Return to The Corner
John Loftus is the College Fix fellow at National Review. @JohnCFLoftus1
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Who will carry out your wishes once you are gone? – Your executor.
Additional Steps in Your Planning (see link below) includes dealing with your automobile, your bank accounts, your Advance Health Care Directive, and your Durable Power of Attorney.
Listed below are links to some of the basic information you will need to do your will. This information includes facts about wills, the brochure A Guide to Planning Your Will, bequest language to use and how to assign IRA and Life Insurance beneficiaries.
Having this information will allow you to complete your planning more easily.
Please let us know if you have questions. We would be happy to hear from you.


Celebrate life, togetherness, love, joy, peace and family this festive season by gifting a gift of love. This set is a �have to have� for any collector or music lover. Be the sunshine through the rain and smooth the troubled waters with soft, beautiful melodies. Fits comfortably in any hand and is easy to use.


I wanted to start this blog off with telling you the How and the Why I'm building this Jeep, but it's Sunday night, I'm a slow writer and I want to go to bed soon so I'm just going to tell you the What I'm working on now.
So about a month ago I was browsing through the local Pull-A-Part. I'm taking a shortcut through the imports and that's when I see a ninety something Isuzu Rodeo with a tireless tire carrier and I get a mental picture of various Jeep catalogs with the prices of after market tire carriers floating in my head. So I pulled my tape out and started measuring and then found out the carrier would fit, but not perfectly. First the tire would be around an inch shy from being centered when on the carrier... I can live with that. Second the Rodeo's body has a convex shape and the Jeep is flat so I would have to modify the mounting points... I can weld and grind. Third when finished, I figure the body would have around 300 lbs attached to it so I would have to reinforce the heck out of it... Yey more welding and grinding! The big advantage, well a tire carrier for about 25 bucks and one that would keep my frame/ bumper free for other things. Lucky for me I included some Torx wrenches in my tool box.
So right now I'm a little over three quarters the way done. I plan to includes pics and some instructions in the next blog; but I wouldn't follow too closely, because I have a tendency to eyeball too much and grind to correct.


text:
Q: Usage case of locking nontrivial object in C# In C#, before invoke lock(), one often first create a dedicated object, which serves solely for the purpose of being locked. Let's call such a usage case as locking a trivial object.
But the language nevertheless allows locking nontrivial objects, although it is often deemed bad practice and suggested to be avoided.
The language is designed in such a way that you can write code such as
lock(this);
lock(typeof(MyType);
lock("something");

and then carry the above mentioned tip everywhere for the sake of best practices. Why doesn't prohibit such usage by introducing a lockable class/interface in the first place (in that case, you can only apply lock() to lockable objects)?
The only reasonable explanation I can think of is that, in some cases (rare but important), locking a nontrivial object actually makes difficult things easier. If so, could somebody give an example?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


"Father Ansgar Wucherpfennig, S.J. has recently been re-instated by the Vatican as the rector of the Jesuit graduate school in Frankfurt, Germany, in spite of his statements in favor of blessings for homosexual partners and female ordination.
As he now says in a new interview: 'I did not recant anything.' Wucherpfennig also adds that it was Jesuit Superior General Father Arturo Sosa who handled his case and now even asks him to publish essays on these two controversial topics.
LifeSiteNews has reported that the Vatican – after an initial demurral to give a Nihil obstat ('nothing stands in the way') to his re-election as the rector of the Jesuit school – has now accepted Wucherpfennig's simple statement that, while teaching Catholic doctrine, he will always present the statements of the Magisterium, but at the same time he will continue to question certain aspects of it.
'No, I did not recant,' he said.


Cue the "Theme From Jaws." He's back. And if the water's safe, meetings of the St. Louis Board of Education most assuredly are not, at least if you hold an opinion that differs from the Schoemehlmeister's. Don't agree with Schoemehl? Well, you're a Nazi. He and fellow new board members, anointed by Mayor Francis Slay and Civic Progress, are reforming the city's schools for your own good, so get used to it. Even after three terms as mayor (during which time he was burned in effigy by airport-expansion opponents), Schoemehl hasn't figured out that this is a democracy, at least on paper. Hiring fancy-suited consultants, closing schools in north-side neighborhoods and slashing jobs was bound to bring a little criticism. Why not let people vent a little? After all, it's their right. Instead, Schoemehl likened his critics to "brownshirts" and suggested using "police powers" to control school board meetings. It barely matters that he formally apologized (even going so far as voting to censure himself) for his rantings. The die was cast: He won this award fair and square.


text:
How the 'rape-revenge movie' became a feminist weapon for the #MeToo generation
By abandoning realism in favour of fantasy, superhuman powers and humour, films such as Revenge are redefining the tropes of the genre
Anne Billson
Fri 11 May 2018 05.00 EDT Last modified on Tue 31 Jul 2018 07.20 EDT
The female gaze … Matilda Lutz as Jen in Revenge
Coralie Fargeat's Revenge contains a scene in which a character takes a shower before being chased naked through the house. So far, so deja vu; but the twist here is that the full-frontal display does not belong to the usual hapless female quarry but to Richard, a sociopathic alpha male who has been cornered in his luxury villa in the desert by Jennifer, the cute girlfriend he pushed off a cliff after one of his buddies raped her. However, she has miraculously been reborn as an avenging angel, and now she's gunning for him with an assault weapon nearly as big as she is.
In the light of the #MeToo movement encouraging women to take a stand against sexual abuse, not to mention the inauguration of the Staunch book prize for the best crime novel in which "no woman is beaten, stalked, sexually exploited, raped or murdered", there are few sub-genres more problematic and paradoxical than the rape-revenge thriller. Traditionally associated with grindhouse misogyny and BBFC-vexing video nasties, it's a format that by its very nature hinges on sexual violence.
On the one hand, what could be more empowering than watching a woman wreaking violent vengeance on her abusers? I'm not aware of this being something that happens in real life, but what's wrong with a little fantasy wish fulfilment? Unlike #MeToo accusers, who have to go through the courts (yet another ordeal) or make do with naming and shaming, the rape-revenge protagonist can let rip with Old Testament vengeance. Of course, personal revenge and violent vigilantism are only a hair trigger away from the lynch mob, but there's still a primal satisfaction in seeing Raquel Welch exacting wild west justice on her rapists in Hannie Caulder, or Margaux Hemingway, resplendent in a red-sequinned gown, aiming a shotgun at her rapist in Lipstick, or Thana blasting away at random creeps after having been raped twice in one day in Ms 45.
Paul Verhoeven's Elle is one of the few rape-revenge films to take a more nuanced approach, digging into Isabelle Huppert's inscrutable and sometimes even comical reactions in the aftermath of her brutal assault by a masked home invader. The subsequent relationship she forms with her rapist foreshadows some of the questions asked of #MeToo accusers. Why didn't she go to the police? Why did she go on to have consensual sex with her attacker? And how "consensual" was it anyway? Huppert ultimately gets her revenge, but the extent to which she herself engineers it is left ambiguous.
But the rape-revenge movie is a game of two unequal halves. The thrill of vicarious empowerment is backloaded into the latter part of the movie while the earlier instigating sexual violence is often teased out in harrowing detail, unbearably gruelling to watch or, worse, filmed salaciously. It's probably no coincidence that the heroine of Revenge shares a name with the protagonist of I Spit on Your Grave (1978), but whereas that film's gang rape lasts an excruciating 30 minutes, Fargeat gets her Jennifer's sexual assault out of the way in mercifully brisk fashion. Far from belittling the trauma, it's the most realistic part of the movie, especially as it's preceded by one banal but increasingly unsettling dialogue exchange that will give many women chills of recognition.
But from the point at which Richard and his hunting chums show their true misogynistic colours, realism is no longer on Revenge's menu. There have been more "realistic" rape-revenge movies, of which two of the most prominent were directed by women. The heroines of Virginie Despentes and Coralie Trinh Thi's Baise-Moi embark on a hardcore sex and murder spree, though not before the reality of their everyday lives has been depicted in all its misogynistic sleaze. And in Patty Jenkins's Monster, Aileen Wuornos's serial-killing is, in part, a traumatised reaction to being raped. Both films have grungily plausible elements, but in no way can the experience of watching them be described as "fun".
Fargeat, by contrast, serves up a full-blooded slice of new French extremism, but adds a sly feminist twist and a sense of humour, gleefully pastiching the male gaze in provocative shots of Jennifer sucking a lollipop or flaunting her nethers in a micro-miniskirt, and showing us pristine white furniture that you just know will end up splattered with gore. Amid an abundance of gruesome practical effects and exploding heads, characters sustain debilitating injuries or shed unfeasible amounts of blood without fainting, or even stopping long enough to say "ouch".
While never underplaying the misogyny that triggers Jennifer's ordeal, Fargeat abandons realism in favour of mythic fantasy, archetype and superhuman endurance. The effect may be emotionally distancing, but by concentrating less on the rape and more on the revenge, and by dialling the exploitation elements up to 11, the film-maker delivers that rarest of birds – a rape-revenge movie that is actually fun to watch.
Revenge recycles the rape-revenge format established by male directors, yet at the same time subverts it with a cinematic bait-and-switch. We view Jennifer through the eyes of the leering male onlookers until, suddenly, we find ourselves sharing her point of view, as she tries politely to fend off their unwanted attentions. The vengeful rape victims of male directors remain objects of the male gaze even while they're getting medieval on their rapists' asses. Revenge, by asking us to look at Jennifer's ordeal through her own eyes, replaces the male gaze with the female one.
Rape and sexual assault
#MeToo movement


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text:
Home Tags Fraud
Tag: fraud
President and Vice President of the Lakeland Highlands Babe Ruth Baseball League arrested
The President and Vice President of the Lakeland Highlands Babe Ruth Baseball League arrested were arrested and both charged with Scheming to Defraud over $20,000 and Grand Theft over $20,000. "This is one of the highest thefts from a sports...
Rick Scott files lawsuit, cites fraud at Broward County supervisor of elections
Ocala Post - November 9, 2018
Governor Rick Scott has filed a lawsuit against the Broward County elections supervisor, citing massive fraud. (View lawsuit documents) Scott is demanding that...READ MORE
Owner of Xtreme Diesel Performance arrested, victims urged to come forward
Ocala, Florida -- The State Attorney's Office is still looking other victims who might have been scammed by a local shop owner. 36-year-old Michael Thomas was arrested on an outstanding warrant issued by the SAO, on July 11, 2017. He...
Victims warn about mechanic who scammed thousands from them
Several victims have been scammed out of money by a Marion Oaks man who claims to be a mobile master mechanic. Joseph Rosario, 34, who goes by the name Joey, has scammed thousands of dollars from his victims. The Marion County...
20-year-old charged with organized fraud
Ocala, Florida -- A 20-year-old Ocala man was arrested after he used stolen credit card numbers to purchase merchandise online from Lowes.com. Lowes Loss Prevention Officer, Rocky Eppolito, told Ocala police that an order had been placed online for a...
WARNING: Bank account alert, U Travel Guide deducting hundreds from accounts
Ocala, Florida -- An Ocala man awoke Thursday morning to find his bank account had been targeted by thieves. He said he knew right away he had been scammed by a fraudulent company. The company, listed as U Travel Guide/Global...
FTC cracks down on colleges, DeVry University to pay more than $49 million
As part of its settlement with DeVry University, starting on July 5, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will mail 173,000 refund checks worth more than $49 million to some students who attended the school between 2008 and 2015. Checks...
Two cleaning service maids arrested
Ocala, Florida -- Ocala Police Department police officers say they arrested two maids after a victim was notified by her bank about several suspicious transactions. The victim told police that she had hired two women from Merry Maids cleaning service...
Actions of alert OPD Sgt. lead to capture of two fraudsters
Jose Yosvani Hernandez-Trujillo, 41, and Orlis Martinez-Cruz, 21, both from Miami, remained behind bars Friday after they were arrested on May 16, and charged 42 counts each of Forgery of a Credit Card, 42 counts each Trafficking in Counterfeit...
Man faces 22 charges for chop shop operation
Ocala, Florida -- Smallwood Auto Salvage, located at 601 Southwest 27th Avenue, was determined to be a chop shop following a Florida Department of Motor Vehicle and multiple law enforcement agency inspection. On Wednesday, following a thorough investigation, the Ocala...
Hay Meat Market EBT fraud investigation, second person arrested
Ocala Post - April 17, 2017
A second woman was arrested after a March 4, federal search warrant was served on the Hay Meat Market, by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Agents say Liteasha Marquee Johnson, 36, enter the Hay Meat Market on January 6, and...
Ocala Dental Lab robbed of gold, suspect arrested
Ocala Post - March 21, 2017
Ocala, Florida -- An Ocala man was arrested after Ocala Dental Lab reported that approximately $5,000 in gold had been stolen from the business. The business owner, Robert Markham, stated that the lab uses the gold for various types of...
Ocala woman charged with welfare fraud
Ocala, Florida -- The State Attorney's Office issued a warrant for a woman's arrest after they determined she had committed welfare fraud. According to the arrest warrant, Tamora Tequia Alston, 30, knowingly, by means of false statement or other misrepresentation,...
Man blamed his crimes on a male escort
Silver Springs - A credit card thief got caught after he left a receipt from items he had purchased in a stolen car. Deputies say and elderly woman notified authorities when she awoke and discovered her car parked in front...
MCSO: Woman, 21, dated widower, 69, then stole from him
Ocala Post - January 30, 2015
Ocala, Florida -- A 21-year-old Ocala woman has been charged with multiple felonies after she stole from a local business man she was having a relationship with. The victim, 69, hired Miranda Brantley to clean his home and business following...
Statement released: Dr. Asad Qamar, of the Institute for Cardiovascular Excellence PLLC (ICE), speaks out
Ocala Post - January 9, 2015
// Ocala, Florida -- Florida cardiologist, Dr. Asad Qamar, of the Institute for Cardiovascular Excellence PLLC (ICE), has released a video statement defending himself, and ICE, against two whistleblower lawsuits that have been filed. In the video,...
DOJ investigation: Dr. Asad Qamar, Institute for Cardiovascular Excellence PLLC (ICE) and Dr. Humeraa Qamar
// Ocala, Florida -- Department of Justice Official Press Release -- The government has intervened in two lawsuits against a Florida cardiologist, Dr. Asad Qamar, and his physician group, the Institute for Cardiovascular Excellence PLLC (ICE),...
Ocala man threatened to kill his grandmother
// Ocala, Florida -- An ongoing fraud investigation by the Marion County Sheriff's Office lead to the arrest of the victim's own grandson yesterday. It all started when the 77-year-old grandmother reported her Sam's Discover Card showing...
Wells Fargo Bank employee arrested; second suspect on the run
// Ocala, Florida -- Wells Fargo Bank teller, Alicia Mario Thompson, 21, was arrested Monday, July 14, 2014, after investigators with the Ocala Police Department said they found evidence that she helped steal $15,000 from a...
Medical office manager wanted and on the run
// DeBary, Florida -- When a DeBary doctor recently tried to use his business' credit card and it was declined, he knew something was wrong. He just didn't know how wrong -- until an investigation by...


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