text:
Q: What's the best way to upload an image or file using Volley library now that apache's MultipartEntityBuilder is deprecated? I used to have a combination of a child of the Request object that uses a MultipartEnityBuilder and HttpEntity to upload images and files. Now that it is deprecated, and now that I have migrated to Android Studio, I am looking for a more updated way to do the above task but using the currently best way to do it that is compatible from API 15 onwards.
I tried searching but Google still returns the guides and questions here on SO that references MultipartEntityBuilder and HttpEntity, so I figured I could ask

A: You are right, MultipartEntity is deprecated, but you can now use MultipartEntityBuilder. Here is an example:
private void uploadVideo(String videoPath) {
    try
    {
        HttpClient client = new DefaultHttpClient();
        File file = new File(videoPath);
        HttpPost post = new HttpPost(server +"/api/docfile/");

        MultipartEntityBuilder entityBuilder = MultipartEntityBuilder.create();
        entityBuilder.setMode(HttpMultipartMode.BROWSER_COMPATIBLE);
        entityBuilder.addBinaryBody("uploadfile", file);
        // add more key/value pairs here as needed

        HttpEntity entity = entityBuilder.build();
        post.setEntity(entity);

        HttpResponse response = client.execute(post);
        HttpEntity httpEntity = response.getEntity();

        Log.v("result", EntityUtils.toString(httpEntity));
    }
    catch(Exception e)
    {
        e.printStackTrace();
    }
}

A: You could have made it clear in your post, if thats the case yes it is,it was deprecated in API 22, you can now use URLconnection, here is a sample":
private StringBuffer request(String urlString) {
// TODO Auto-generated method stub

StringBuffer chaine = new StringBuffer("");
try{
    URL url = new URL(urlString);
    HttpURLConnection connection = (HttpURLConnection)url.openConnection();
    connection.setRequestProperty("User-Agent", "");
    connection.setRequestMethod("POST");
    connection.setDoInput(true);
    connection.connect();

    InputStream inputStream = connection.getInputStream();

    BufferedReader rd = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(inputStream));
    String line = "";
    while ((line = rd.readLine()) != null) {
        chaine.append(line);
    }

} catch (IOException e) {
    // writing exception to log
    e.printStackTrace();
}

return chaine;

}

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Home / Entertainment / Dhaka Lit Fest draws huge crowds on holiday
Dhaka Lit Fest draws huge crowds on holiday
Posted by: sub Editor November 10, 2018	in Entertainment
In a spontaneous outpouring of huge crowds the Dhaka Lit Fest yesterday turned into a glittering festival paving the way for multiple practices of knowledge alongside promoting literary appeal of different languages."This is obviously an excellent and encouraging event where people of various cultures and languages are sharing their views…… I am delighted and highly impressed because of its wonderful flavor in the landscape of literature," Sarah Jane, an Australian citizen, who has been visiting the literarily festival for last three years.
The extravaganza made ways for assimilating new more ideas on literature and culture setting an example for those absorbed in literary thoughts as renowned litterateurs, cultural personalities, artists and journalists with different languages and cultures assembled to share diverse and critical notions beneficial to people.
The gathering of acclaimed figures with envious contributions in literature, culture and media from all continents across the world fostered literature practices and exchanged literary and cultural ideas on the premises of Bangla Academy.
Enthusiasm, exhilaration and confidence pervaded the three-day fest, organized by the Cultural Affairs Ministry and the DLF committee. The event, which was not glazed by boredom but prompted thought-provoking ideas, will conclude tomorrow.
Rejuvenation of songs and dance echoed in the entire areas of the fest, fittingly graced by Pulitzer Prize winner novelist Adam Johnson, Indian Bengali author Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay, Pakistani writer Mohammed Hanif, Bollywood actresses Manisha Koirala and Nandita Das, Oscar winning British actress Tilda Swinton and Ondaatje prize winning writer Philip Hensher.
About 40 internationally reputed writers, discussants and researchers from 15 countries and about 200 from Bangladesh are joining the DLF, organisers said.
Programmes schedule of the DLF includes discussions on film literature, culture, politics, women and Rohingya issues. The cover of three books of Bangla literature will be unveiled at the festival, they said.
There will be 90 sessions at the festival, which will remain open for all from 9 am to 9 pm every day.
Directors of Dhaka Lit fest Kazi Anis Ahmed, Sadaf Saz and Ahsan Akbar, among others, attended the function.
Sadaf Saz said, "The Dhaka Lit Fest is being held for the eighth time and this reflects continuous success of all us. We are taking huge response from writers, visitors and publishing houses from both home and abroad."
Organizers of the DLF told BSS that Dhaka Lit Fest has been regarded as the largest literary festival in South Asia. They said DLF would not remain restricted in the literary field, rather it will create a wonderful scope for discussion on different disciplines of knowledge.
While talking to visitors at the Dhaka Lit Fest, they described this literary festival as an excellent platform for both literature-loving people, authors and other stakeholders, which eventually will diversify literature practices. Kazi Anis Ahmed, director of Dhaka Lit Fest, said this international literary festival is being held in Bangladesh for the eighth time under the new name, "Dhaka Lit Fest". Previously, it was held with the name of Hay Festival, he added.
"Our main objective is to project our literature, culture and tradition at international level through this festival. Bangladeshi writers so far have been popularized through this festival," he added.
The organizers said the seventh edition of DLF will host over 200 speakers, performers, thinkers making it the largest and the most diverse gathering so far.
Dhaka Lit Fest huge crowds	2018-11-10
sub Editor
Tagged with: Dhaka Lit Fest huge crowds
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Shimla to star in Govinda produced film
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For Want of a Pyramid Scheme
The Memphis Pyramid is quite possibly the biggest municipal white elephant in the U.S. today. Built in 1991 for $68 million, the huge arena was never ...
by Zach Patton | October 28, 2008 AT 3:00 AM
The Memphis Pyramid is quite possibly the biggest municipal white elephant in the U.S. today. Built in 1991 for $68 million, the huge arena was never really finished (a planned top-floor observation deck, for instance, was never built).
Now it stands empty -- 150,000 square feet of hulking, unused space downtown that the city can't seem to find a use for. (When Memphis landed an NBA team in 2001, the new team insisted on a new arena. The Pyramid hasn't had a full-time tenant in over 3 years.)
The only idea on the table involves converting the Pyramid into a giant Bass Pro Shop. (Which, first of all, what?) But even that has stalled for the past two years.
The New York Times just took a visit to the Pyramid and found, well, not a whole lot.
I was just talking about this with Governing Managing Editor Chris Swope, and he made a really great point. If you as a city want to create an iconic symbol for yourself -- which is certainly what Memphis did -- it shouldn't also be conceived as a money-making commercial enterprise. Retail (and basketball teams) will come and go, but if you try to tie those fortunes to your symbolic icon, you're in for trouble.
Nobody looks at the St. Louis Gateway Arch and thinks, "Isn't it sad that it's empty inside?"
Zach Patton | Executive Editor | zpatton@governing.com
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At the same time states are looking to beef up corporate tax collections, they are also cutting corporate taxes.


Residents, businesses and motorists are advised that customers in the Uptown Area, French Quarter and Warehouse District will experience low water pressure tonight through 5 a.m. tomorrow morning. Also, motorists are advised that no left turn will be possible onto Earhart Boulevard from S. Claiborne Avenue. See attached.


text:
My Parents Divorced at the Same Time as Brad and Jen—and Yes, There Was an Angelina
My Millennial Divorce
'In my mind, my mother became Jennifer Aniston: the scorned girl next door. And my father's new girlfriend, with her belly button piercing, skimpy clothing, and wild mane, became a stand-in for Angelina.' As part of Glamour.com's weeklong series on modern divorce, Samantha Leach explains how she processed the end of her parents' marriage through the lens of what's arguably the most famous celebrity split—and why that was a mistake.
By Samantha Leach
They were an impossibly good-looking couple, forever rocking micro-shades, twinning with their similarly bronzed skin and early-aughts cool. Their divorce—and the woman who was rumored to have caused it—rocked the community. I'm not referring to Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt. I'm talking about my parents and their scandalous separation.
My mother and father first split when I was 10 years old, in 2003. They told me it was amicable, that it wasn't my fault, that they'd always be my parents. But their split was messy. For the first two years, they still lived in the same house. They dabbled in couples therapy, slept in separate rooms, and took turns having nights out with their single friends (dad's night out was always Thursday, mom got the Tuesday shift). It wasn't until 2005 that my father moved out and I realized what we were dealing with was more than just a new sleeping arrangement—that their breakup was the real deal.
Then, as luck would have it, a certain celebrity, one that could be classified as the most famous in the world at the time, announced her own divorce, right as my parents began proceedings on theirs, forever tethering two conscious uncouplings in my mind.
I'd always loved Aniston and considered myself a for-real fan. I was also nine years old and alarmingly invested in her marriage to Pitt. Exhibit A: The letter I wrote to Aniston in 2002, saying, "Please tell your husband that I thought he did a very good job in Ocean's Eleven and that it was one of my favorite movies." I loved that, in her wedding vows, she promised to always make Brad's favorite banana milkshake, that he made a cameo on Friends as the president of the "I Hate Rachel Green Club," that they always showed up to red carpets looking like the all-American golden couple they were.
So when they broke up, I was stunned. But when I found out why they broke up, I was really stunned. The Jennifer Aniston, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie alleged love triangle was my first glimpse of infidelity. And as the tabloids chronicled every single facet of the relationship's demise (with vile headlines that often alluded to rumors about Aniston's unwillingness or inability to have children), I started to piece together the rumblings I'd been hearing in my own household, the whispers from all of the adults in my life. It was the inescapable and addictive news coverage of Jen, Brad, and Angelina that made me realize the glaringly obvious fact that my parents' marriage had ended in a similar fashion.
374530 04: FILE PHOTO: Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston arrive at the "51st Annual primetime EMMY Awards" in Los Angeles, California September 12, 1999. On July 27, 2000, it has been reported that Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston will be married over the weekend. (Photo by Dan Callister/Online USA)Dan Callister
It didn't take long for the media's obsession with the end of the golden couple to turn into a full-on Jen-versus-Angie feeding frenzy. Every tabloid pitted them against each other, and retailers like early-2000s celebrity-favorite Kitson sold "Team Aniston" and "Team Jolie" shirts—most famously worn by Paris and Nicky Hilton on L.A.'s Robertson Boulevard.
It was this narrative—these two women as eternal mortal enemies—that both the press and I clung to. In my mind, my mother became Jennifer Aniston: the scorned girl next door. And my father's new girlfriend, with her belly button piercing, skimpy clothing, and wild mane, became a stand-in for Angelina. So I swore loyalty to my mother and Team Aniston, opted out of seeing Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and cursed Jolie's name when the W spread of Brangelina playing house hit newsstands.
And it stayed that way for years. I saw The Breakup opening weekend. Every time someone praised Jolie's philanthropic work, I retorted that she was a homewrecker. Obviously, I knew nothing of the situation other than what the rags were reporting, yet I stood by Aniston despite a few questionable romantic choices (John Mayer—really?). In my real life, I grew older and even closer to my mother as I continued to keep my distance from my Angie and held tight to the vision of my parents' divorce I'd stolen from the headlines years prior.
CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 20: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt attends the 'Inglourious Basterds' Premiere at the Grand Theatre Lumiere during the 62nd Annual Cannes Film Festival on May 20, 2009 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Jean Baptiste Lacroix/FilmMagic)Jean Baptiste Lacroix
Then something funny happened. In 2016 Brangelina parted ways. At first, I was thrilled. Remember that New York Post cover that came out with Aniston laughing about their separation announcement? That was my reaction, except I was laughing even harder. But then it didn't take long for the rumors to emerge that their split was prompted by Pitt's on-set affair with French actress Marion Cotillard while filming another sexy spy flick, Allied. Though it seemingly proved to be nothing other than gossip, it struck an emerging-feminist nerve: During all my years of anger, there were two people I was never mad at: Brad and my father.
https://twitter.com/nypost/status/778554946300026880/photo/1
As a young girl who loved (and still absolutely loves) her dad, the tale of Brangelina provided me with the perfect way to avoid assigning my father any blame. It made the women in my father's life the center of the drama, absolving him of any misdoing. Much like how, in the media, we were all so obsessed with the Jen and Angie feud, that Brad got out of it nearly unscathed. In all the T-shirt making, where was the "Team Fuck Brad" top?
But with the demise of Brangelina, I no longer felt vindicated. I just felt sad. This was a real marriage that ended, and all the press could do was start circulating "Will they or won't they" articles about a Brad and Jen reconciliation. I no longer found comfort in the narrative the media had created; instead I was outraged that these women's pain was made into the story of the ages. And I was angry at myself, for deriving so much pleasure from it.
https://twitter.com/Ummhowaboutno_/status/964350450047664134?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E964350450047664134&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.glamour.com%2Fstory%2Fpeople-are-shipping-jennifer-aniston-and-brad-pitt
While the media hasn't retired the lonely-ex-versus-the-hot-replacement-girlfriend storyline, as women in Hollywood come together to say Time's Up, they're also calling bullshit on this narrative. Take Olivia Munn and Anna Faris, who didn't let themselves become Jen and Angie Take Two after Faris' divorce from Chris Pratt. When rumors swirled Munn and Pratt were having an affair, she posted an Instagram text exchange with Faris and captioned it, "Not every woman is scorned and upset after a breakup," Munn wrote. "Not every woman is 'furious' at another woman for dating her ex…. So even if I was dating [Chris], some tabloids got me and [Anna] all wrong...women respect and love each other a lot more than some people like to think." But it's not the women's responsibility to dispel the rumors; it's society's obligation to wake up and realize that pitting women against women is a bad look—plain and simple.
So I'm sorry, Angelina, and Jen too, for perpetuating a story you never chose to be a part of, and were never given the opportunity to excuse yourselves from. I'm on both your teams.
Topicsjennifer anistonbrad pittdivorce
70 Women Ages 5-75 Answer: What Change Would You Like To See?


The latest safety news in the Tampa Bay area.
Which Neighborhoods In The Tampa Bay Area Are Safest?
Whether you're new to Tampa or have lived in the area your entire life, you've likely noticed that our city is rapidly evolving and changing. In the next few years, we'll see even more growth thanks to several high-profile development projects slated for downtown. But with growth comes uncertainty, and it can be hard to know which areas of our community are safest. Thankfully, ranking site Niche analyzed data from the U.S. Census, FBI, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor & Statistics to determine the best neighborhoods in the Tampa Bay area.


in the middle of my failure.
whom I did not want. Another seven for Rachel.
his sons' cheats, their animosity.
comes against me with four hundred men.
And he has good reason.
I have provoked his anger with my trickery.
On what grounds then, can I ask you to protect me?
None, really, save your goodness.
How I have wrestled for blessing with Esau, with Laban.
But one cannot trick for blessing, exploit, extort, or manipulate.
I will not let you go, unless you bless me.


Are you looking for an Executive Coach?
Ioan has an over 10 years coaching expertise. He works with individuals, groups, and teams. He's got national and international leadership expertise.
His clients say that they get present and focused. They can take those specific actions that help them meet their objectives.
They connect to their best resources to be outstanding in their goals and outcomes.
He coaches with integrity, ethics while being intuitive and pragmatic. His clients get support and encouragement in their challenges. This supports their transformation.
Ioan has an innate ability to connect with others. He creates a safe space, where anything can be named and that generates transformation.
Ioan has worked over 25 years in/with corporations.
After the university Ioan worked as an engineer and project manager in the port of Constanta.
After that, he held tech and leadership roles in the telecom industry (now Vodafone).
His last position before coaching was of a Services Executive at Microsoft Romania.
At Microsoft, he held management positions. He worked with other business departments and international clients. He led the Premier team delivering services all over the world.
He works with leaders who have strong technical or business skills. They want to develop their leadership skills, be in integrity. And have an impact.
Ioan holds Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation workshops.
He spends over 15 days yearly on professional development. He has held the position of VP and promotes the International Coaching Federation. He is an international assessor. He assesses colleagues who want to get certified with their coaching abilities.
invests in a yearly 1:1 coaching mentoring program.
invests in a yearly 1:1 coaching program.
has weekly 1:1 psychoanalytical therapy sessions.
I had the pleasure to work with Ioan Nicut as a coach starting the end of 2011 and most of 2012; he helped with facilitating my transition to a more expanded role as part of the Adobe Romania office.
On top of this, I think our interactions helped me had a better understanding of my own motivations and triggers.
I really appreciate the fact that he measured my progress using a 360 tool.
Ioan is one of the most open and inspiring persons I've met. Hardly had I met him when I felt like I'd known him for years!
Ioan helped me rediscover how important is it for me to be in integrity with my very Self! Thank you!
He helped me most in understanding and accepting the feedback that I got from my 360 surveys. He did that striking a good balance between sensitivity and openness.
In the entire coaching process, I felt that the program was about me, helping me to understand and make choices that transformed me into a better person both at work and at home.
I got a very positive feedback at the end of the program from my colleagues and a lot of acknowledgments of the progress that I have made.
Thank you, Ioan, for being such a kind and honest person and hope we'll have the opportunity to work again in the near future.
Ioan is a gifted coach and trainer. His calming personality makes you feel comfortable and he is always encouraging and positive.
I met Ioan at one of his training, "Manager as a Coach". The training was very inspirational, bringing lots of ideas and solutions for day to day professional issues. Interesting case studies, learning from experience and being fully practice-oriented.
How to provide feedback about my feelings, emotions, situations without making others feel bad. Now they will be able to understand my position in front of their facts, reactions.
I could say I am close to being complete now as a person in relationship with the others and became also a better coach.
I would recommend the workshop 'Business Relationships and Conflict Management` to everyone that want to learn how to provide a real feedback according to their feelings, emotions without making the person who receives it feel bad but to really understand the situation from both perspectives.
I thank you again for this opportunity and I am looking forward to working and collaborate with you in the future.
Coaching cu Ioan este cel mai frumos cadou în dezvoltarea mea profesionala (și personală).
Ioan deține puterea cuvintelor și a întrebărilor puse cu dibăcie și habar nu aveam cat de profund pot ajunge acestea în sufletul și mintea mea, ori cat de revelatoare sunt momentele de reflecție și tăcere, astfel încât sa provoace atâtea stări, schimbări, perspective noi și sentimente puternice.
Am ieșit din relația de coaching știind ca sunt un om mai bun în toate rolurile din viata mea, cu multa încredere și entuziasm, dar și cu un prieten minunat!
Ioan este un profesionist desăvârșit, care stăpânește arta de a construi spațiul de dialog, chiar și atunci când participanții sunt la prima experienta de coaching de echipa.
Este un fin cunoscător al psihologiei oamenilor de vânzări și știe sa pătrundă și cele mai puternice blocaje anti productivitate.
Antrenamentele cu Ioan duc aduc rezultate la care de cele mai multe ori n-ai curaj sa te gândești.
Mulțumesc pentru sprijinul acordat. Sănătate și voie buna!
Ioan is an excellent professional that gets close to people's objectives and makes them more aware of their inner capabilities.
I had the privilege to be in coaching with Ioan last year, and I must say that this program and the coach helped me very much as a manager and also in my private life.
I am recommending Ioan as the coach to anyone who wants to make more of himself/herself in this life.
Ioan can open any locked door within your soul. He can prepare you for a flight with own wings over deep valleys or wide plains, up to high mountains in your life geography. You just need to listen and fight for your cause.
Try it and enjoy the journey.


About half of Swedish forestland is privately owned, about one-fourth company-owned, and about one-fourth publicly owned. Forest work used to be complementary winter employment for small farmers using their horses; today forestry is carried on year-round by a small workforce and large, modern machinery.
Swedish business culture is characterised by business communication, business etiquette, business meeting etiquette, internship and student placements, cost of living, work-life-balance and social media guide.


text:
Q: How to see closed bugs in Microsoft test manager I could not see the closed bugs in Microsoft test manager.
It showing only active bugs.In the filter also other state of bug is not listing to select .
So is there any option to manage filter in verify bugs tab,

A: You can edit the default filters to reflect your desire:
1- Open Microsoft Test Manager -> Test -> Verify Bugs
2- Select the view -> Filter -> Edit (filter name)
3- Change the clauses to add "Closed Bugs"


text:
Misleading casting announcement highlights TV's lack of diverse romance
A new CBS romantic comedy became a focus of discussion after a confusing tweet.
By Alexis Nedd on March 31, 2019
Susan Wokoma and Ronny Chieng have supporting roles in 'Super Simple Love Story.' Credit: Dave Benett/Paras Griffin/Getty Images
When a tweet from Deadline(Opens in a new window) announced that actors Susan Wokoma and Ronny Chieng were cast in Super Simple Love Story, a new romantic comedy pilot on CBS, it raised hopes that the network was making strides in representing interracial romance on TV.
SEE ALSO: How Hulu's 'Shrill' revolutionizes body diversity on screen
But the actors featured in the tweet were not cast as the romantic leads of the show and instead have supporting roles as friends of the series' actual romantic leads -- played by actors Elizabeth Alderfer and David Walton.
On Twitter, many people expressed upset that they were led to believe a network show would feature a romance between a black woman and a Chinese-Malaysian man. Many pointed out that casting people of color as supporting, non-romantic leads is a common formula for shows that tend to focus on romances between white characters.
When they realized the reality of the casting, some Twitter users said they lost interest in Super Simple Love Story.
Others called out Deadline for pushing a tweet they felt was deliberately confusing.
Wokoma, a British Nigerian actor, is an award-winning comedic actor whose roles in Crazyhead and Chewing Gum are best known to American audiences. Chieng is a Chinese-Malaysian comedian and actor who appeared in Crazy Rich Asians and is a correspondent on The Daily Show.
It's extremely rare for romantic comedy shows to focus on interracial couples. ABC's Selfie had John Cho and Karen Gillian as romantic leads, but was pulled after one season. The Mindy Project also had diverse casting, but is no more.
People are using streaming services more than cable


A current account will enable your business to make and receive payments.
BBVA can handle your outgoing payments and transfers both in the UK and overseas with our quick and efficient payment services.
Do you need foreign currency for business purposes? At BBVA we offer a comprehensive foreign currency service from our UK branches.
BBVA provides Corporate debit and Credit cards for use worldwide.


text:
Harley-Davidson dealers 'unexcited' for new models as sales slump, analyst says
Dealer Pulse, OEMs, Products, Sales & Marketing
Dealerships are "relatively unexcited" for Harley-Davidson's 2020 model year lineup as U.S. sales declined in July and August, according to a report Wedbush Securities provided to Powersports Finance.
Retail unit sales were down high-single digits in July and down mid-single digits in August year over year, according to conversations Wedbush had with Harley-Davidson dealers. The decline is "generally in line" with the 8% sales drop Harley reported in its second-quarter earnings call, James Hardiman, managing director and leisure analyst at Wedbush, said in the report.
Harley unveiled its 2020 model year lineup last month, which included three new bikes and updates to technology services like H-D Connect. Additionally, pricing was flat on a weighted average basis, which was a "step in the right direction, as average prices were up significantly during each of the past two years," Hardiman added.
However, dealers were unconvinced that the new models would make waves with consumers because they deemed the updates as "relatively small," according to the report.
"While some of the price cuts were appreciated, a handful of dealers indicated this might make it harder in the short-term to unload some leftover model year 2019s," Hardiman said. "Some of our contacts were also upset that Harley has seemingly pared back its lineup for this year, noting that more variety is better when it comes to winning over customers."
For More Read: Harley-Davidson dealers await incentives to push older inventory
Additionally, shipments of the high-profile Livewire are arriving later than expected. Dealers expect to receive their first shipment by mid-to-late September, as opposed to the original late-August shipment date, according to the report. However, dealers carrying the Livewire still expect the bike to "sell well," Hardiman noted.
While dealers remained skeptical on 2020 models, there was "highly positive" feedback on Harley's 2021 lineup, which includes a new 975cc Streetfighter bike and the OEM's first adventure touring bike, the Pan America, the report said. "Most dealers reported that there is already strong customer interest in the Pan America and Streetfighter, and many dealers felt confident the new round of bikes will help bring in new clientele," Hardiman stated.
Join us for Powersports Finance Summit 2019, October 23-24 at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront. At the Summit, lenders and dealers will have the opportunity to learn new information that will help their business grow, discuss the latest industry data and trends, and network to form new relationships with fellow attendees and vendors. Register now at www.powersportsfinance.net.
TagsdealersfinanceHarley-DavidsonLiveWiremotorcyclespowersportssales


text:
Omer Counting in the Digital Age
By Rabbi Jason Miller	April 20, 2012, 3:48 pm Edit
Today is the 13th day of the Omer, the period of forty-nine days between the Jewish holidays of Passover and Shavuot. The Jewish people are commanded to count these forty-nine days which commemorate the day on which an omer (unit of measurement) of barley was offered in the Temple until the day before an offering of wheat was brought to the Temple on the festival Shavuot. We begin this counting on the second day of Passover and each night announce what day of the Omer it is. Omer counting devices and special Omer calendars have long been relied upon to help individuals remember the correct count, but in the Digital Age there are websites and apps and text message reminders to help keep the counting correct.
There are also some fun tools to help us count the Omer. For the past 13 years the Homer Calendar has been a fun destination on the Web for Jewish Omer counters who are also fans of The Simpsons. The website, which has had about 225,000 visits, cites Howard Cooper with the idea of an Omer calendar that pays homage to The Simpsons and Homer Simpson, the patriarchal head of the cartoon family. In addition to providing an easy-to-use omer calendar, the site is also a resource for Simpsons fans who want to learn more about the many Jewish references on the show. An introduction to the website explains that it is now in its 13th year, which it calls its "Bart Mitzvah". The site also mentions that, "When we started, we got a 'cease and desist' order from Fox, claiming a copyright violation. Interestingly, the letter was dated on Shavuot. We wrote back, claiming a 'fair use,' and haven't heard anything since."
Seth and Isaac Galena over at Bangitout.com have come up with two fun ways to count the Omer. With a nod to pop culture, the brothers have created the Movie Lover's Omer Counter and the Sports Lover's Omer Counter. The movie counter uses movies with numbers in their titles to remind users which day of the count it is, while the sports counter relies on athlete's uniform numbers. Perhaps next year they'll create an omer counter for NASCAR fans with car digits.
There are several mobile apps that help remind users to count the Omer and provide the correct day of the counting. Rusty Brick first released its Counting the Omer app (Free) back in 2009 and it is still an industry leader. The app provides an Omer calendar and includes the blessings and spiritual information pertaining to each day of the period. The free version of the app does not provide a daily reminder to count, but a 99-cent version does. Moshe Berman's Ultimate Omer 2 ($2.99) not only reminds you to count the Omer, but it also lets you keep track of the days you remembered to count. The app plays the phone's default alarm sound to remind you to count.
Mosaica Press released a new app ($4.99) that is based on Rabbi Yaakov Haber's Spiritual Grow book. The app, which is available in iPhone and iPad formats, helps count the Omer and also provides daily insights with a Kabbalistic flavor. An example of the Jewish spiritual wisdom the app provides is: "Day 10: Make sure that today you not only give people the benefit of the doubt, but even when it seems that they are definitely in the wrong, try to find some way of justifying their actions. Try to see their point of view…Find two things in your life that conflict and make them harmonize." Some of the app's features include the proper blessing to recite before counting each night, automatic adjustment for time zone and location, and social network integration to share on Facebook and Twitter.
In addition to the mobile apps, there are other ways that technology is playing a part in the Counting of the Omer. Josh Fleet, one of the editors of the Huffington Post's religion vertical, came up with the idea of offering a liveblog on the HuffPost Religion site during the Omer period this year. The Omer Liveblog features blogs, prayers, art and reflections for all 49 days of spiritual reflection during the Omer.
Rabbi Heather Altman turned to Google Docs to help assemble other rabbis who would contribute their wisdom to a Counting the Omer project she conceived of to raise money for the Global Seva Challenge. Rabbi Altman launched the seven week email subscription series called Countdown to Freedom which offers a different spiritual insight each day via a subscription-based Constant Contact newsletter. Subscription costs of the daily Omer reflection newsletter raises funds in the fight against human trafficking. Her 49-day project also raises awareness of the global problem of human trafficking, which is now a $32 billion business. A generation ago, Jewish people simply counted up the days of the Omer until Shavuot arrived. The more spiritually inclined might have delved into the mystical traditions of the counting period. However, no one could have imagined that technology would create so many new aspects to this seven week observance. New technology has certainly opened the door to new ritual.
http://blog.rabbijason.comCross-posted to Blog.RabbiJason.com. Follow Rabbi Jason on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.
Jewish Techs
Rabbi Jason Miller
Counting the Omer


text:
class AliReducedTrackInfo : public AliReducedBaseTrack {

  friend class AliAnalysisTaskReducedTreeMaker;  // friend analysis task which fills the object

 public:
  AliReducedTrackInfo();
  AliReducedTrackInfo(const AliReducedTrackInfo &c);
  virtual ~AliReducedTrackInfo();

  // getters
  ULong_t  Status()                      const {return fStatus;}
  Bool_t   CheckTrackStatus(UInt_t flag) const {return (flag<8*sizeof(ULong_t) ? (fStatus&(1<<flag)) : kFALSE);}
  Float_t  PxTPC()                       const {return fTPCPt*TMath::Cos(fTPCPhi);}
  Float_t  PyTPC()                       const {return fTPCPt*TMath::Sin(fTPCPhi);}
  Float_t  PzTPC()                       const {return fTPCPt*TMath::SinH(fTPCEta);}
  Float_t  PTPC()                        const {return fTPCPt*TMath::CosH(fTPCEta);};
  Float_t  PhiTPC()                      const {return fTPCPhi;}
  Float_t  PtTPC()                       const {return fTPCPt;}
  Float_t  EtaTPC()                      const {return fTPCEta;}
  Float_t  ThetaTPC()                    const {return TMath::ACos(TMath::TanH(fTPCEta));}
  Float_t  DCAxyTPC()                    const {return fTPCDCA[0];}
  Float_t  DCAzTPC()                     const {return fTPCDCA[1];}
  Float_t  Pin()                         const {return fMomentumInner;}
  Float_t  DCAxy()                       const {return fDCA[0];}
  Float_t  DCAz()                        const {return fDCA[1];}
  Float_t  TrackLength()                 const {return fTrackLength;}
  Float_t  MassForTracking()        const {return fMassForTracking;}
  Float_t  Chi2TPCConstrainedVsGlobal()  const {return fChi2TPCConstrainedVsGlobal;}
  Float_t  HelixX()                      const {return fHelixCenter[0];}
  Float_t  HelixY()                      const {return fHelixCenter[1];}
  Float_t  HelixR()                      const {return fHelixRadius;}

  UShort_t ITSncls()                const;
  UChar_t  ITSclusterMap()          const {return fITSclusterMap;}
  UChar_t  ITSSharedClusterMap()   const {return fITSSharedClusterMap;}
  Bool_t   ITSLayerHit(Int_t layer) const {return (layer>=0 && layer<6 ? (fITSclusterMap&(1<<layer)) : kFALSE);};
  Bool_t   ITSClusterIsShared(Int_t layer) const {return (layer>=0 && layer<6 ? (fITSSharedClusterMap&(1<<layer)) : kFALSE);};
  UShort_t     ITSnSharedCls() const;
  Float_t  ITSsignal()              const {return fITSsignal;}
  Float_t  ITSnSig(Int_t specie)    const {return (specie>=0 && specie<=3 ? fITSnSig[specie] : -999.);}
  Float_t  ITSchi2()                const {return fITSchi2;}

  UChar_t TPCncls()                        const {return fTPCNcls;}
  UChar_t TPCFindableNcls()                const {return fTPCNclsF;}
  UChar_t TPCCrossedRows()                 const {return fTPCCrossedRows;}
  UChar_t TPCnclsShared()                  const {return fTPCNclsShared;}
  UChar_t TPCClusterMap()                  const {return fTPCClusterMap;}
  Int_t   TPCClusterMapBitsFired()         const;
  Bool_t  TPCClusterMapBitFired(Int_t bit) const {return (bit>=0 && bit<8 ? (fTPCClusterMap&(1<<bit)) : kFALSE);};
  Float_t TPCsignal()                      const {return fTPCsignal;}
  UChar_t TPCsignalN()                     const {return fTPCsignalN;}
  Float_t TPCnSig(Int_t specie)            const {return (specie>=0 && specie<=3 ? fTPCnSig[specie] : -999.);}
  Float_t TPCchi2()                        const {return fTPCchi2;}
  Float_t TPCActiveLength()         const {return fTPCActiveLength;}
  Float_t TPCGeomLength()       const {return fTPCGeomLength;}

  Float_t  TOFbeta()             const {return fTOFbeta;}
  Float_t  TOFtime()             const {return fTOFtime;}
  Float_t  TOFdx()               const {return fTOFdx;}
  Float_t  TOFdz()               const {return fTOFdz;}
  Float_t  TOFmismatchProbab()   const {return fTOFmismatchProbab;}
  Float_t  TOFchi2()             const {return fTOFchi2;}
  Float_t  TOFnSig(Int_t specie) const {return (specie>=0 && specie<=3 ? fTOFnSig[specie] : -999.);}
  Short_t  TOFdeltaBC()          const {return fTOFdeltaBC;}

  Int_t    TRDntracklets(Int_t type)  const {return (type==0 || type==1 ? fTRDntracklets[type] : -1);}
  Float_t  TRDpid(Int_t specie)       const {return (specie>=0 && specie<=1 ? fTRDpid[specie] : -999.);}
  Float_t  TRDpidLQ1D(Int_t specie)   const {return (specie>=0 && specie<=1 ? fTRDpid[specie] : -999.);}
  Float_t  TRDpidLQ2D(Int_t specie)   const {return (specie>=0 && specie<=1 ? fTRDpidLQ2D[specie] : -999.);}

  // TRD online tracks
  UChar_t   TRDGTUtracklets()      const {return fTRDGTUtracklets;}
  UChar_t   TRDGTUlayermask()      const {return fTRDGTUlayermask;}
  Float_t   TRDGTUpt()             const {return fTRDGTUpt;}
  Float_t   TRDGTUsagitta()        const {return fTRDGTUsagitta;}
  UChar_t   TRDGTUPID()            const {return fTRDGTUPID;}

  Int_t    CaloClusterId() const {return fCaloClusterId;}

  Float_t TrackParam(Int_t iPar = 0) {return (iPar>=0 && iPar<6 ? fTrackParam[iPar] : 0.0);}
  Float_t CovMatrix(Int_t iCov = 0) {return (iCov>=0 && iCov<21 ? fCovMatrix[iCov] : 0.0);}

  Float_t MCmom(Int_t dim);
  Float_t PtMC() {return (fIsMCTruth ? Pt() : TMath::Sqrt(fMCMom[0]*fMCMom[0]+fMCMom[1]*fMCMom[1]));}
  Float_t PMC()   const {return (fIsMCTruth ? P() : TMath::Sqrt(fMCMom[0]*fMCMom[0]+fMCMom[1]*fMCMom[1]+fMCMom[2]*fMCMom[2]));}
  Float_t PhiMC() const;
  Float_t EtaMC() const;
  Float_t RapidityMC(Float_t massAssumption) const;
  Float_t ThetaMC() const;
  Float_t EnergyMC(Float_t massAssumption) const {return TMath::Sqrt(massAssumption*massAssumption+PMC()*PMC());}
  Float_t MCFreezeout(Int_t dim) {return (dim>=0 && dim<3 ? fMCFreezeout[dim] : 0.0);}
  Int_t MCLabel(Int_t history=0) {return (history>=0 && history<4 ? fMCLabels[history] : -9999);}
  Int_t MCPdg(Int_t history=0) {return (history>=0 && history<4 ? fMCPdg[history] : -9999);}
  Int_t HFProc() const {return fHFProc;}
  Short_t MCGeneratorIndex() {return fMCGeneratorIndex;}

 protected:
  ULong_t fStatus;              // tracking status
  Float_t fTPCPhi;              // inner param phi
  Float_t fTPCPt;               // inner param pt
  Float_t fTPCEta;              // inner param eta
  Float_t fMomentumInner;       // inner param momentum (only the magnitude)
  Float_t fDCA[2];              // DCA xy,z
  Float_t fTPCDCA[2];           // TPConly DCA xy,z
  Float_t fTrackLength;         // track length
  Float_t fMassForTracking;    // mass hypothesis used for tracking
  Float_t fChi2TPCConstrainedVsGlobal;   // AliESDtrack::GetChi2TPCConstrainedVsGlobal()
  Float_t fHelixCenter[2];      // Helix Center x,y
  Float_t fHelixRadius;         // Radius of the Helix

  // ITS
  UChar_t  fITSclusterMap;      // ITS cluster map
  UChar_t  fITSSharedClusterMap;  // ITS shared cluster map
  Float_t  fITSsignal;          // ITS signal
  Float_t  fITSnSig[4];         // 0-electron; 1-pion; 2-kaon; 3-proton
  Float_t  fITSchi2;            // ITS chi2 / cls

  // TPC
  UChar_t fTPCNcls;            // TPC ncls
  UChar_t fTPCCrossedRows;     // TPC crossed rows
  UChar_t fTPCNclsF;           // TPC findable ncls
  UChar_t fTPCNclsShared;      // TPC number of shared clusters
  UChar_t fTPCClusterMap;      // TPC cluster distribution map
  Float_t fTPCsignal;          // TPC de/dx
  UChar_t fTPCsignalN;         // TPC no clusters de/dx
  Float_t fTPCnSig[4];         // 0-electron; 1-pion; 2-kaon; 3-proton
  Float_t fTPCchi2;            // TPC chi2 / cls
  Float_t fTPCActiveLength;   // track length in active parts of the TPC
  Float_t fTPCGeomLength;   // geometrical track length in the TPC

  // TOF
  Float_t fTOFbeta;             // TOF pid info
  Float_t fTOFtime;             // TOF flight time
  Float_t fTOFdx;               // TOF matching dx
  Float_t fTOFdz;               // TOF matching dz
  Float_t fTOFmismatchProbab;   // TOF mismatch probability
  Float_t fTOFchi2;             // TOF chi2
  Float_t fTOFnSig[4];          // TOF n-sigma deviation from expected signal
  Short_t fTOFdeltaBC;          // BC(event) - BC(track) estimated by TOF

  // TRD
  UChar_t fTRDntracklets[2];       // 0 - AliESDtrack::GetTRDntracklets(); 1 - AliESDtrack::GetTRDntrackletsPID()   TODO: use only 1 char
  Float_t fTRDpid[2];              // TRD pid 1D likelihoods, [0]-electron , [1]- pion
  Float_t fTRDpidLQ2D[2];          // TRD pid 2D likelihoods, [0]-electron , [1]- pion

  // TRD online tracks
  UChar_t  fTRDGTUtracklets;    // TRD online track #tracklets
  UChar_t  fTRDGTUlayermask;    // TRD online track hit in layer0 yes/no
  Float_t  fTRDGTUpt;           // TRD online track pT
  Float_t  fTRDGTUsagitta;      // TRD online track sagitta
  UChar_t  fTRDGTUPID;          // TRD online track pid

  // EMCAL/PHOS
  Int_t  fCaloClusterId;          // ID for the calorimeter cluster (if any)

  // Track parameters stored at the primary vertex
  Float_t fTrackParam[6];     // parameters: x, y, z, px, py, pz
  Float_t fCovMatrix[21];     // covariance matrix for the track parameter

  // Monte-Carlo truth information
  Float_t fMCMom[3];             // MC truth 3-momentum information in cartezian coordinates
  Float_t fMCFreezeout[3];    // MC truth 3-position information in cartezian coordinates
  Int_t    fMCLabels[4];           // MC label for: [0] - the current track, [1] - mother, [2] - grand mother, [3] - grand grand mother
  Int_t    fMCPdg[4];                // MC PDG code for: [0] - the current track, [1] - mother, [2] - grand mother, [3] - grand grand mother
  Int_t    fHFProc;             // Heavy Flavour Process number in the event for the particle
  Short_t fMCGeneratorIndex;    // generator index (used for cocktail generators ?)

  AliReducedTrackInfo& operator= (const AliReducedTrackInfo &c);

  ClassDef(AliReducedTrackInfo, 6);
};

//_______________________________________________________________________________
inline Float_t AliReducedTrackInfo::MCmom(Int_t dim) {  // {}
   //
   // return momentum component
   //
   if(dim<0 || dim>2) return 0.0;
   if(fIsMCTruth) {     // pure MC track -> use the fP vector
      if(dim==0) return Px();
      if(dim==1) return Py();
      if(dim==2) return Pz();
   }
   else
      return fMCMom[dim];

   return 0.0;
}

//_______________________________________________________________________________
inline Float_t AliReducedTrackInfo::PhiMC() const {
   //
   // Return the azimuthal angle of this particle
   //
   if(fIsMCTruth) return Phi();

   Float_t phi=TMath::ATan2(fMCMom[1],fMCMom[0]);
   if(phi>=0.0)
      return phi;
   else
      return (TMath::TwoPi()+phi);
}

//_______________________________________________________________________________
inline Float_t AliReducedTrackInfo::ThetaMC() const {
   //
   // Return the polar angle for this particle
   //
   if(fIsMCTruth) return Theta();

   Float_t p=PMC();
   if(p>=1.0e-6)
      return TMath::ACos(fMCMom[2]/p);
   else
      return 0.0;
}

//_______________________________________________________________________________
inline Float_t AliReducedTrackInfo::EtaMC() const {
   //
   // Return the pseudorapidity of this particle
   //
   if(fIsMCTruth) return Eta();

   Float_t eta = TMath::Tan(0.5*ThetaMC());
   if(eta>1.0e-6)
      return -1.0*TMath::Log(eta);
   else
      return 0.0;
}

//_______________________________________________________________________________
inline Float_t AliReducedTrackInfo::RapidityMC(Float_t massAssumption) const {
   //
   // Return the rapidity of this particle using a massAssumption
   //
   if(fIsMCTruth) return Rapidity(massAssumption);

   Float_t e = EnergyMC(massAssumption);
   Float_t factor = e-fMCMom[2];
   if(TMath::Abs(factor)<1.0e-6) return 0.0;
   factor = (e+fMCMom[2])/factor;
   if(factor<1.0e-6) return 0.0;
   return 0.5*TMath::Log(factor);
}

//_______________________________________________________________________________
inline UShort_t AliReducedTrackInfo::ITSncls() const
{
  //
  // ITS number of clusters from the cluster map
  //
  UShort_t ncls=0;
  for(Int_t i=0; i<6; ++i) ncls += (ITSLayerHit(i) ? 1 : 0);
  return ncls;
}

//_______________________________________________________________________________
inline UShort_t AliReducedTrackInfo::ITSnSharedCls() const
{
   //
   // ITS number of shared clusters from the shared cluster map
   //
   UShort_t ncls=0;
   for(Int_t i=0; i<6; ++i) ncls += (ITSClusterIsShared(i) ? 1 : 0);
   return ncls;
}

//_______________________________________________________________________________
inline Int_t AliReducedTrackInfo::TPCClusterMapBitsFired()  const
{
  //
  // Count the number of bits fired in the TPC cluster map
  //
  Int_t nbits=0;
  for(Int_t i=0; i<8; ++i) nbits += (TPCClusterMapBitFired(i) ? 1 : 0);
  return nbits;
}

#endif

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


This week the Conservation Services Department was joined by our first ever HBCU Library Alliance Summer intern, Phebe Pankey! Duke is one of five library conservation labs participating in this program to host an eight-week internship in preservation and conservation this summer.
Phebe is a junior at Winston Salem State University and has been involved in libraries most of her life through volunteering and community activities. She is excited to learn more about conservation and this internship is a way to continue developing and expanding her library skills.
Phebe has jumped right into the lab workflows, learning to construct some of the quicker enclosures like CoLibri sleeves and 4-flap boxes. She has also been gaining experience with basic paper treatments, like humidification and flattening.
Phebe works with Conservation Specialist Rachel Penniman on humidification of paper.
At the conclusion of the eight weeks, interns are expected to take some of the skills they have learned back to their home institution to implement a library preservation project, building on the success of their summer experiences with an opportunity to perform meaningful work preserving significant HBCU library collections at their institution.
These internships would not have been possible without the help of the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, the University of Delaware College of Arts and Science, the Department of Art Conservation at the University of Delaware, and the Winterthur Museum, Garden, and Library (DE). Thanks also to Debbie Hess Norris and Melissa Tedone at the University of Delaware. We also wish to thank the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation for supporting this internship.
We will continue sharing more about this internship as it progresses, but for now: Welcome to Duke, Phebe!
Duke Today has a new story out about the collaborative work that staff from Conservation, the Rubenstein Library History of Medicine Collection, and the Shared Materials Instrumentation Lab are doing to house, scan, and eventually 3-D print our ivory manikins. Check out the story here. And watch this very cool video of the process.
Loyal readers will remember that back in the spring Henry organized a workshop designed to meet the Girl Scouts Cadet Book Artist Badge. We presented another workshop last week with Henry as instructor and Beth helping out. Henry demonstrated three bindings: Pamphlet stitch, 4-hole stabbed binding, and a flag book. He also presented a brief overview of the library and of conservation.
Henry introducing what we do in Conservation.
We had a lot of creative young women in this class. When one of them brought out their own glue-gun, we knew we were going to see some wonderful things. We weren't disappointed. We want to thank troop leader Astria Wilson from Duke Hematologic Malignancies & Cell Therapy for the opportunity to spend the day sharing our love of bookbinding.
Everyone did an amazing job!
An upcoming exhibit at the North Carolina Museum of Art, titled The Glory of Venice: Renaissance Painting 1470-1520, will include some really beautiful examples of early printed books from The Rubenstein Library here at Duke and Wilson Library at UNC Chapel Hill. Earlier this week, our conservator colleagues at UNC and I traveled to Raleigh to install the volumes.
The installation was very similar to our workflow here at Duke. We had already constructed custom book supports for each volume using a clear, inert plastic resin called PETG. After unpacking everything, I was able to simply position each volume on its cradle and secure the pages at the opening with clear polyester strapping.
Once the books and labels were all correctly placed inside, museum staff stepped in to install the vitrines.
The curators and museum staff at NCMA were so great to work with and I really enjoyed being part of a collaborative effort between cultural institutions from around The Triangle. I haven't shared any images of the paintings that will also be on display, but I was able to get a peek at many of them. They are absolutely incredible! The show will be on display from March 4th – June 18th and I would encourage you to go visit if you are in the area.
Got Something Big To Move? Grab the U-boat!
We realized we needed some sort of large cart to better move folders from the stacks to the reading room when we expanded our flat file storage to include super-oversized file drawers. After some investigation we settled on the "U-boat." This custom cart was first introduced to me by Michele Hamill, Paper and Photograph Conservator in the Digitization and Conservation Services Department at Cornell University Library.
The cool thing about its design is the three-tiered storage system. The base is tall enough for a standard archival records box, the middle has a concave section to transport large folders, and the top is a large flat space to place oversize flat boxes. The best part? The top is removable! Once I saw it, I wanted it.
Today was the first opportunity for Conservation to really put the U-boat to use in moving oversize materials. We had to move three super-oversized folders from the lab to the third floor stacks. These folders are about 75 inches long and 50 inches wide, so we brought down the U-boat to transport them.
The U-boat ready to roll.
Once the folders were on the cart, we placed a large tube in the middle to stabilize the contents and keep the folders from slipping or folding over. Three of us escorted the cart upstairs to the stacks. Two people steered while one cleared the way and opened doors.
The collections in their new super-sized home.
The U-boat with its top shelf back in place.
The U-boat was custom made for us by G.S. Manufacturing . It arrived fully assembled and ready to go. While this is the first time I've used the U-boat, I often see it in use in the stacks for oversized flat boxes. Is it wrong to fall in love with a cart? Because I believe I have.
Recently we contracted with object conservator Susanne Grieve Rawson to work on some objects from the History of Medicine Collection. These are being prepared for exhibit in the renovated Rubenstein Library.
Rather than sending her the objects as you normally do when you contract conservation services, Susanne came to the Verne and Tanya Roberts Conservation Lab to do the work.
Susanne started the first day evaluating the condition of the objects with Rachel Ingold, History of Medicine Collection curator, and Meg Brown, Exhibits Coordinator. Her examination included looking at a few of the objects under UV light.
Susanne examines item under UV light.
She also met with Rachel and Andrew Armacost, Head of Collection Development in the Rubenstein Library, to discuss the condition of the items and potential treatment options.
(L to R) Andrew Armacost, Rachel Ingold, and Sussane Grieve Rawson.
Susanne working on a Civil War era bone saw.
Susanne brought an amazing kit of tools with her. We geeked out a little, asking her questions about the special tools and supplies she had. It was a fun and educational to have an outside contractor working in the lab. We learned a lot from each other. I hope we have this opportunity again.
This post is only slightly off topic, but it is preservation related of a kind. Our University Archivist and myself went over to Duke Hospital to take part in a compression-only CPR class today. This session focused on what to do if an adult or teenager collapses due to cardiac arrest.
Resusci Annie has been replaced by a half-manikin androgynous bot. It has a dial in the back that must adjust the resistance, it says "adult" and "child." Was I the only one that flipped it over to look at the back?
If you need help keeping the 100 beats-per-minute rhythm, the American Heart Association has put together a Spotify list of music with the perfect beat to do CPR compressions. We also learned how to use an Automated External Defibrillator or AED, which led me to wonder if the library has one. I've sent an email to our building security manager to find out.
There is a very brief video by the American Heart Association that demonstrates the compression-only CPR technique.* You do not need to be certified to do this method of CPR, and it does not involve checking for a heart beat, sweeping the mouth, or providing breaths.
My new sticker for my office window.
At the beginning of the class we were asked to share this information with eight people, and ask them to share as well. Consider yourself part of my eight people. Now go and share!
*A Facebook reader sent us this link to the British Heart Association's compression-only CPR video with Vinnie Jones. Very funny.


text:
Ruthie Mann, infection control officer at Wallowa Memorial Hospital, Enterprise, holds a case of the Moderna vaccine Monday, Dec. 21, 2020. The county has received 500 doses of the vaccine as of Friday, Jan. 8, 2021.
Brooke Pace/Wallowa Memorial Hospital
More vaccine arriving in Wallowa County, but not yet available to general public
By RONALD BOND Wallowa County Chieftain
ENTERPRISE — More and more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine are arriving in Wallowa County. But the opportunity to get inoculated is not available to the general public yet.
That was a point of emphasis for Wallowa Memorial Hospital Communications Director Brooke Pace in an interview with the Chieftain Friday, Jan. 8, noting she received numerous calls from residents on when they will be able to get vaccinated.
"We just want to stress that this isn't open to the general public yet," Pace said.
The Oregon Health Authority dictates the rollout of the vaccine — in particular, who is eligible to get it. The state is in the first part of Phase 1A of vaccination, meaning health care workers, residents and staff at long-term care facilities and first responders receive the vaccine first.
"This is a state rule. This is not a county rule," Pace said. "We are just following the rules. We have a lot of people who are upset they don't qualify yet. We're not just cherry picking, we're following the state guidelines. We'll continue to do so as we receive more doses."
The simple answer for why the general public cannot yet get the vaccine is supply and demand.
"The No. 1 reason for that is because demand far outweighs supply at this point in time," Pace said. "Every state has a vaccine sequencing plan in effect to address those who are the highest risk and the most vulnerable to make sure those people are the first to receive the supply. Not everyone agrees with that assessment, but that is what has been put forth by the Oregon Health Authority."
Health care workers are at the top of the list because of their likelihood to be in proximity to someone with COVID-19, followed then by those living and working in a long-term care facility.
As of Friday morning, Pace said there have been 160 doses of the vaccine administered in Wallowa County to those in Phase 1A. The county just received another shipment of 100 doses, raising the total dose count distributed to the county to 500.
Until this week, part of what Wallowa County had was to be held to use as second doses — given 28 days later — to complete the inoculation process. Pace said, though, the county has received guidance it could now use those as first doses, opening the door for further movement through Phase 1A.
"That number (of vaccinations given) will go up significantly beginning next week now that we have clearance to be able to vaccinate people who fall into group 3 and 4 in the Phase 1A," Pace said.
That, Pace said, led to rush to schedule shots for those on the lower tier of Phase 1A. She added the hope is for all Phase 1A initial vaccinations to be given within the next two weeks.
Second-dose administration is set to begin Jan. 19. The county does have some autonomy on when it can move from one phase to the next, but who is in the next phase is not yet set by the state. OHA in a press release Thursday said the state's Vaccine Advisory Committee will "co-create a vaccine sequencing plan focused on health equity to ensure the state's vaccine distribution plan meets the needs of populations who are most at-risk and hardest hit by the pandemic."
OHA said the next group to be made eligible for vaccination will be educators in pre-K through 12th grade.
How many doses are on-hand also plays a role in how the county moves through phases. As for when vaccines possibly could be available to the general public?
"We have absolutely no idea or indication at this time, because it relies on a multitude of factors," Pace said. "It relies on the federal supply that is allocated to the state and then the supply that is allocated to Wallowa County. We haven't seen manufacturing projections to even forecast what might be coming down the pipeline and in what time frame."
Wallowa County had its highest one-day total of new COVID-19 cases in more than two months on Sunday, Jan. 10, when the Oregon Health Authority reported four new cases of the disease in the county. That brings the overall total since the start of the pandemic to 92.
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Schmidt Mortgage Company
finding your way home
Apartment Size Shrinks While Rent Soars
Apartments are getting smaller, yet renters are paying more. This troubling trend could become a growing problem for younger and lower-income individuals, especially those who wish to save up for a down payment on a house.
According to a recent report from CNBC, the average size of newly built apartments in 2018 is 941 square feet, which is 5 percent smaller than it was a decade ago. Studio apartments saw an even more significant decrease; they are now 10 percent smaller than they were 10 years ago. However, the cost of rent has increased 28 percent over the same time period. This information comes from RENTCafe, a nationwide apartment search website.
"Changes in renters' in renters living habits are literally redrawing floor plans," wrote Nadia Balint, senior marketing writer for RENTCafe. "The largest share of apartment dwellers, millennials, prefer living in locations close to restaurants and entertainment, rather than having a large kitchen or living room to cook or entertain at home."
It wasn't clear where RENTCafe got this data, but another likely explanation for smaller units could have to do more with the potential for higher revenue for builders, rather than floorpan preferences for millennials. As the demand for rental housing rises, developers could be seeing the potential to make more money by volume by constructing more units in each building.
For renters, it's likely more a question of affordability. Smaller units, although they are higher priced than they were a decade ago, remain cheaper than larger units available in today's market. So are builders really making units smaller because they think that's what millennials want? Or are they making units smaller because they know that's all millennials can afford?
Micro-units are becoming more popular, following the tiny house trend, as the millennial generation is more environmentally-conscious and more embracing of minimalistic lifestyles. Additionally, apartment complexes seem to be trying to compensate for smaller units by increasing their common space, in which renters can work or entertain.
"Across our 72,000-unit portfolio we have seen an increasing demand for relatively smaller units," said Toby Bozzuto, CEO of apartment developer the Bozzuto Group in the CNBC article. "We attribute this to a lifestyle shift that is based on our residents' desire to be less encumbered by things. Our residents value flexibility and convenience, and appreciate a thoughtful approach to unit design."
While this is all well and good, the affordability issue remains a problem. Despite an apartment construction boom over the last several years, demand remains high and rent gains haven't slowed. What's more troubling, rents are rising fastest for those who can least afford it. Rents for low-end properties, defined as those with rents less than 75 percent of the regional median, are rising at a faster rate than luxury rentals, according to data from CoreLogic.
"We've seen a slight uptick in rent prices over the past few months as strong employment growth continues," said Molly Boesel, principal economist at CoreLogic. "The strength stems from the low-to-middle price tier, which has seen monthly average growth of 3.2 percent since January 2018."
Apartment sizes varied by region and by individual market. According to CNBC, Seattle had the smallest apartments of all large cities, with an average size of 711 square feet. Manhattan and Chicago had the second- and third-smallest apartments. Tallahassee, Florida had the largest units on average at 1,038 square feet. Marietta, Georgia and Columbia, South Carolina had the second- and third-largest units.
Although all floorpan types are shrinking, new studio apartments are decreasing in size the most, at an average of merely 514 square feet this year. Perhaps not surprisingly, studio apartments represent a shrinking share of the rental market, at just 5 percent of all units nationwide. One-bedroom apartments are most prominent at 43 percent of the market, but their size has reduced 4 percent over the last 10 years. Two-bedroom apartments have also shrunk, though not significantly, at just 0.5 percent smaller on average.
For renters who dream of one day owing their own home, this trend could present a challenge. As rents continue to soar and wages remain stagnant throughout the nation, it could be difficult for many lower- to moderate-income renters to save money for a down payment. Fortunately there are some mortgage options for lower- and moderate-income home buyers, many of which require low or zero money down; however, potential borrowers could also face the challenge of rising interest rates and home prices. Still, it's not all bad news. Homeownership remains a serious goal for many Americans, and while the current real estate climate tends to favor sellers, that's not to say buyers are doomed. The market could balance out soon, as more inventory appears.
By Mid America Mortgage on December 5, 2018 / Real Estate
Tags: housing news, micro housing
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« Ancient Roman vacationers consumed gobs of olive oil and fish, volcano victims reveal
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Study shows evidence of beer drinking 9,000 years ago in Southern China
September 3, 2021 by Ancientfoods
Pottery vessels which had contained beer, found with human remains in platform moundPeer-Reviewed Publication
original article: eurekalert.org
Alcoholic beverages have long been known to serve an important socio-cultural function in ancient societies, including at ritual feasts. A new study finds evidence of beer drinking 9,000 years ago in southern China, which was likely part of a ritual to honor the dead. The findings are based on an analysis of ancient pots found at a burial site at Qiaotou, making the site among the oldest in the world for early beer drinking. The results are reported in PLOS ONE.
The ancient pots were discovered in a platform mound (80 m x 50 m wide, with an elevation of 3 m above ground level), which was surrounded by a human-made ditch (10-15 m wide and 1.5-2 m deep), based on ongoing excavations at Qiaotou. No residential structures were found at the site. The mound contained two human skeletons and multiple pottery pits with high-quality pottery vessels, many of which were complete vessels. The pottery was painted with white slip and some of the vessels were decorated with abstract designs. As the study reports, these artifacts are probably some of "the earliest known painted pottery in the world." No pottery of this kind has been found at any other sites dating to this time period.
The research team analyzed different types of pottery found at Qiaotou, which were of varying sizes. Some of the pottery vessels were relatively small and similar in size to drinking vessels used today, and to those found in other parts of the world. Each of the pots could basically be held in one hand like a cup unlike storage vessels, which are much larger in size. Seven of the 20 vessels, which were part of their analysis, appeared to be long-necked Hu pots, which were used to drink alcohol in the later historical periods.
To confirm that the vessels were used for drinking alcohol, the research team analyzed microfossil residues— starch, phytolith (fossilized plant residue), and fungi, extracted from the interior surfaces of the pots. The residues were compared with control samples obtained from soil surrounding the vessels.
The team identified microbotanical (starch granules and phytoliths) and microbial (mold and yeast) residues in the pots that were consistent with residues from beer fermentation and are not found naturally in soil or in other artifacts unless they had contained alcohol.
"Through a residue analysis of pots from Qiaotou, our results revealed that the pottery vessels were used to hold beer, in its most general sense— a fermented beverage made of rice (Oryza sp.), a grain called Job's tears (Coix lacryma-jobi), and unidentified tubers," says co-author Jiajing Wang, an assistant professor of anthropology at Dartmouth. "This ancient beer though would not have been like the IPA that we have today. Instead, it was likely a slightly fermented and sweet beverage, which was probably cloudy in color."
The results also showed that phytoliths of rice husks and other plants were also present in the residue from the pots. They may have been added to the beer as a fermentation agent.
Although the Yangtze River Valley of southern China is known today as the country's rice heartland, the domestication of rice occurred gradually between 10,000 and 6,000 years ago, so 9,000 years ago, rice was still in the early stage of domestication. At that time, most communities were hunter-gatherers who relied primarily on foraging. As the researchers explain in the study, given that rice harvesting and processing was labor intensive, the beer at Qiaotou was probably a ritually significant drink/beverage.
The residue analysis of the pots also showed traces of mold, which was used in the beermaking process. The mold found in the pots at Qiaotou was very similar to the mold present in koji, which is used to make sake and other fermented rice beverages in East Asia. The results predate earlier research, which found that mold had been used in fermentation processes 8,000 years ago in China.
Beer is technically any fermented beverage made from crops through a two-stage transformation process. In the first phase, enzymes transform starch into sugar (saccharification). In the second phase, the yeasts convert the sugar into alcohol and other states like carbon dioxide (fermentation). As the researchers explain in the study, mold acts kind of like an agent for both processes, by serving as a saccharification-fermentation starter.
"We don't know how people made the mold 9,000 years ago, as fermentation can happen naturally," says Wang. "If people had some leftover rice and the grains became moldy, they may have noticed that the grains became sweeter and alcoholic with age. While people may not have known the biochemistry associated with grains that became moldy, they probably observed the fermentation process and leveraged it through trial and error."
Given that the pottery at Qiaotou was found near the burials in a non-residential area, the researchers conclude that the pots of beer were likely used in ritualistic ceremonies relating to the burial of the dead. They speculate that ritualized drinking may have been integral to forging social relationships and cooperation, which served as a precursor to complex rice farming societies that emerged 4,000 years later.
Jiajing Wang is available for comment at: jiajing.wang@dartmouth.edu. Leping Jiang and Hanlong Sun at Zhejian Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology in China, also served as co-authors of the study.
Posted in Asia, Uncategorized | Tagged archaeology, beer, grain, rice, Wine | Leave a Comment


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Here's some stupid for lunch.
Sometimes, here at the Café, people overindulge. We understand. The cuisine here is usually so rich and delightful that people can't help themselves. When this happens, we generally take them to a comfy room in the back, amply supplied with buckets and mops, and we leave them there until they are feeling up to going home again. Sometimes, though, they consume so much that they have to stay overnight.
"The [Supreme Serpent] is an American who has misgivings about unlimited illegal immigration and the costs associated with it," Carlson explained. "And that, according to the comic book, is evil."
"The whole theme is the same," Carlson added later, "which is that out there in the middle of the country between Malibu and Georgetown everyone is an ignorant, snake-handling bigot and they need to be held in place or else they'll turn this country into Nazi Germany. It's like, the people who run this country, a lot of them actually believe that. I live near them. They really think that."
At this point, it has become grimly fascinating to watch Tucker Carlson take the scraps of what once was a promising career and feed them to the feral dogs who howl in his head.
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Home » Government » City Hall » Making room for pedestrians on Spring Garden Road
Making room for pedestrians on Spring Garden Road
by Erica Butler January 10, 2019 October 20, 2022
Starting in 2020, the city will be rebuilding Spring Garden Road between Queen Street and South Park Street. And sometime this winter, city council will decide what the new street will look like.
Staff have proposed three options on which to gather feedback as part of the functional design phase. You can check them out and weigh in online here, and there's another chance to hear from project planners in person today, Thursday, January 10 from 10am to noon in the lobby of the Central Library.
In case you are wondering whether or not it's worth taking the time to weigh in on another project that might not get built, you can stop wondering. The Spring Garden Road streetscape redesign is already funded. Council approved the funding along with the Argyle Street redesign back in 2016, which means there's $10 million set aside to make something happen on Spring Garden Road. After planning staff process the feedback and report their recommended options, it will be up to council to decide what that something is.
All three presented options include the burying of overhead wires, which is a big part of the reason the project price tag is so high. From there the options start to diverge.
Functional plan Option 1 is the least dramatic, closest to status quo. As with the other options, sidewalks get widened and bump outs added at intersections, but this first option sees sidewalks (including bus stops) gain one to five metres less territory than the other options, mostly to leave room for on-street dedicated loading zones. The street, though reduced to two narrower, more defined travel lanes, remains a thoroughfare for vehicles, meaning drivers can use it to get from Queen through to South Park (though why anyone would choose this as a through route remains a mystery). This option also includes a single turn restriction, preventing drivers from turning left onto Queen Street northbound and delaying buses headed straight across to the stop at the Central Library.
Cross section of proposed Option 1, just east of South Park, near the Fickle Frog.
Option 2 is labeled "turn-restricted transit priority," and effectively creates two transit-only stretches through the use of turn restrictions (no lefts) and through-traffic restrictions (right turns only) at peak hours. On-street dedicated loading zones are maintained in front of Park Lane and Lawton's, so although sidewalks are widened by between two and five metres, the widening is still less ambitious than Option 3.
Option 3 takes traffic restrictions one step further and makes the westbound Spring Garden lane (heading toward South Park) transit-only during the day, and the two blocks between Dresden Row and Queen become transit-only in both directions at peak hours. This option sees the most sidewalk widening, with over five metres of widening along the whole corridor, and all loading moved off Spring Garden onto side streets.
Although the public input to date on Spring Garden Road has been very focussed on improving the pedestrian experience, there will still be controversy coming out of these three options. I predict two main areas of focus. First, there's the pedestrian space versus on-street loading space issue.
It's reasonable to expect that businesses on the street will lobby hard to keep dedicated loading zones (Options 1 and 2), but here's hoping they throw their energies into solving the logistical challenges of doing business on the city's busiest pedestrian street, instead of fighting to take space away from pedestrians to make room for enormous trucks to park at midday and shred paper.
Of course loading is necessary in any commercial district. But a remake of Spring Garden Road with widened pedestrian zones has been in the making for over a decade. There's been ample time for landlords to come up with solutions to make sure tenants get access to deliveries, be it through smaller scale transportation options from side streets or alternative access within buildings.
As a sort of add-on to the proposed options, city planners have also proposed creating a one-way couplet of side streets Birmingham and Dresden Row, which would increase the capacity for both parking and loading on those streets.
People walking or rolling have far outnumbered people in private vehicles on Spring Garden for years. We may have reached the day when even the merchants of Spring Garden realize that their street is too darn busy with potential customers to continue to serve as a loading zone.
Snapshot of modal share on Spring Garden Road, based on person trips. Images from Halifax planning display panels available at Shape Your City.
The other controversial feature of these options is the proposed restrictions on vehicle access to make way for bus-only lanes. This might actually be less controversial than the recently installed transit lane on Gottingen Street, which displaces loading and parking at peak hours. The Spring Garden Road transit lanes do not displace loading or parked vehicles (sidewalk widening does that), but rather redirects moving vehicle traffic, at least the private kind, at peak hours or throughout the day. [Update: The definition of Spring Garden's peak hours has yet to get precisely nailed down, but planner Elora Wilkinson told me that staff are working with the idea of 7am to 7pm for the proposed restrictions.]
I get that it seems radical, but Spring Garden is the perfect candidate to go transit- and pedestrian-only, at least in this section. The massive amounts of pedestrian traffic along Spring Garden Road already make it very difficult to get on and off the street in a vehicle, so you could argue that funneling drivers over to parallel east-west streets might ultimately save them some time. And with 80 per cent of people traveling by sustainable modes like active transportation or transit during the week, it makes sense to double down on making sure those modes are efficient, safe, and comfortable.
Then there are the 15 bus routes using the street, including the highest frequency and most popular route we have, the 1 Spring Garden. Although there are no numbers outlined in the presented options showing the potential time savings for the thousands of folks using those routes, it's fair to say that Options 2 and 3 would make a positive impact on Halifax Transit's on-time performance, and have benefits across the entire city.
The functional plans presented also include options for Spring Garden Road west of South Park Street and east of Queen Street, but since those sections do not have approved funding waiting in the wings, it's less clear how likely the changes are to happen.
West of South Park Street, heading towards Summer Street and up to Robie Street, the main proposals are to create a boulevard median in order to tighten up traffic lanes, or else to use the space to widen sidewalks and add bump outs.
East of Queen Street, the proposals include an east-bound transit only lane stretching just past Brunswick Street, and either widening sidewalks or permit parking in front of the courthouse.
You can read more about the project and answer a survey expressing your opinion here. [Quick tip for viewing the city's pdfs, which are designed to be printed on large panels and displayed side to side: view them through a pdf viewer in 2-page mode, and scroll sideways as you read.]
Once council approves a functional plan option sometime this winter, planning contractor Ekistics will begin working on detailed design options, and planning staff will be back consulting with the public, this time with street level detailed design drawings.
Tagged: Ekistics Planning and Design, Spring Garden Road redesign
Parker Donham says:
Thanks, Erica, for a very helpful explanation.
Serious question: One striking aspect of your charts is the minuscule portion of bicycle users: 1% in what must be the most cycling-intense area of the city. If we're going to ban or severely restrict cars and trucks in the name of making it more pedestrian-friendly, shouldn't we also ban bicycles? We don't allow bicycles on sidewalks for very good reasons (although cycling scofflaws constantly disregard this rule). Let's get them off a pedestrian-friendly SGR.
Erica Butler says:Article author
Bikes are actually permitted in other bus-only lanes, so I'd imagine it would be the same here.
pgzmr says:
Parker, Erica
The pie-chart graphic is not at all clear about what was counted: heads, or vehicles? Are these trips whose human ended up in some establishment on that portion of SGR? or are they persons passing an observer somewhere on the street, riding on a bus (perhaps 10-40 per bus), car (usually with 1 or 2 inside), or bike (almost always just 1)?
SGR is a (the) major commuter route between downtown and the rest of Halifax, and I'd really not count the bus through passengers and driver as SGR-users in any meaningful sense. And the cars may be cruising around and around looking for an open parking meter and be counted more than once. And both cars and buses make life uncomfortable co-uses for SGR cyclists (I'm one who is frequently at SGR locations (library, bank, Pete's, Park Lane) but I try to not actually cycle along SGR.
There are Lies; Damned Lies; and Statistics, especially those decorated with a frosting of Fancy Graphics… User caution is recommended.
FWIW, I'm voting for option #3, as a good start towards a motor vehicle free SGR (Deliveries, service vehicles allowed 11 PM to 8 AM)
Colin May says:
The data does not tell us the amount of spending by age group and mode of transport. There is no information as to how businesses will be affected during and after any expenditure.
The sushi restauarant is a visual mess and detracts from the streetscape, Ditto for the fast food outlets. Nor do we know how HRM expects to receive any significant financial benefits from proposed changes.
I suggest commenters look at a 1983 city directory to ascertain the names of the many locally owned businesses on SGR from Doyle to Public Gardens.
I'll admit to once having a few beers in the Don Cherry Sportsbar, not that I regret the demise of the place.
When we lived in Park Victoria in 1974 we were adjacent to the best shopping district in Nova Scotia.
Today the Spring Garden Road area has lost many of the reasons to shop there and higher end retailers have moved or located to Halifax Shopping Centre. From 1979 to 1983 I had an office overlooking SGR and Doyle and office supplies were available in a store that is now Duggers. Over the years we bought kids shoes in a local business, were regulars at Atlantic Photo, our dentist was on SGR and my wife obtained her first credit card from Mills, we were regular patrons at the Fireside and Le Bistro all whilst living in Dartmouth.
SGR is now a haven for panhandlers, a second rate shopping area with more than enough coffee shops and home to a slum property at 5517 SGR. The streetscape is much less atractive than several decades ago and dominated by chains. Yes, retailing has changed significantly especially now that we have a generation of younger people who use Amazon the challenges faced by all high street retailers are much greater than underground wires and banning cars. The new library and Public Gardens are the only reasons we visit the area.
The latest version of Google streetview shows a nice bright sunny day with very few pedestrians.
neilerskine@eastlink.ca says:
On why some people would want to drive the length of Spring Garden road given the typically glacial pace of traffic. There is a cadre that likes to drive the street, and the slow pace is for them a feature. This allows their Harley's modified pipes to be demonstrated repeatedly, their universally admired taste in music exhibited at enormous volume, the beauty of that waxed, lime green 2002 Echo with the two foot tall spoiler and supercharger throat shown to all, etc. The slower the progression down the street, and the larger the audience of pedestrians, the better for this. Also, apart from this cadre, there are people who just like to drive the street and remember when they were a part of it, and regret that the street no longer offers anything whatsoever of interest to them – and that is a sad comment on the street itself.
Well written and presented Ms. Butler, as always. I agree with the previous commenter that this is way better than the city presentation (setting the advocacy aspects aside). Keep up the good work, and tell the old codger running this publication to raise your rate.
gordohfx says:
This column does SO much more to explain the proposals than the horrid HRM website. Thank you. Option 3 without hesitation.
Quick tip for viewing the city's pdfs, which are designed to be printed on large panels and displayed side to side: view them through a pdf viewer in 2-page mode, and scroll sideways as you read.