It must be nice to be a celebrity. You get everything you want. You get fame and fortune. It's the dream of millions and the reality of a select few.
As a celebrity people will just do things for you. They will bring you food, they will give you the finest clothes and drinks the world has to offer, and they will do nearly anything you want. However, as with most things in life, these come with a monetary price. But no matter, a famous celebrity will have the money to pay for and do almost anything their heart desires. Imagine; being able to jet off whenever you would like it, being able to get the top brands of clothing for next to nothing (remember, you're famous and endorsing their product). Amazing food prepared by equally famous chefs. It would be incredible.
However, as with most things in the world, there is another price which must be paid in order to be famous. And this is the degradation in quality of life. While you may be thinking that quality of life can only increase with tons and tons of money and fame, it turns out it is a double edged sword. What you gain in money and material possessions you lose in personal privacy and family time. People such as the paparazzi and the tabloids make their livings off of trying to get the newest scoop on which celeb is dating who, and even try to find things like celeb's kids' grades in school!
Many celebrities just can not seem to take it anymore. While they may love their careers, many of these people wish they were not so famous so that they could have some semblance of privacy and not have to look over their shoulders any time they go and get a cup of coffee. Here are 30 celebrities who wish they were just slightly less famous.
Megan Fox used to be one of the hottest actresses there was. It seemed like she was in a ton of movies, from The Dictator to The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and of course, Bad Boys 2. However, if there is one thing that she has been trying to do as of late it is lie low. Ever since she had children she decided to stay out of the spotlight. She also does not like the constant online bullying and harassment which comes with being famous.
Shia LaBeouf has such a low view of fame that he even said that celebrities are enslaved. He said "The craft of acting for film is terribly exclusive and comes with the baggage of celebrity, which robs you of your individuality and separates you… The requirements to being a star/celebrity are namely, you must become an enslaved body. Just flesh — a commodity, and renounce all autonomous qualities in order to identify with the general law of obedience to the course of things." That sounds dark.
George Clooney is one of the most recognizable stars in Hollywood and a fox if we ever saw one. However, it does not appear as if he is happy being famous. In recent interviews he has been quoted as saying that he wishes that he did not have people following his every move both on social media and when he goes out to buy groceries. In fact, Clooney has tried to stay as far away from social media as he possibly can.
Daniel Radcliffe is known for doing movies such as Jungle, Now You See Me 2, and of course, all of the Harry Potter movies. However, this young British man is not a fan of the paparazzi, and he has made quite a name for himself in how far he is willing to go to mess with the hordes' pictures. In fact, he bought multiple copies of the same outfit and wore it for several months just so that the paparazzi couldn't take pictures of him.
Kristen Stewart was the star of the hit movie Twilight where she reprised the role of Bella Swan. She has been in several other films after becoming a vampire, but through it all, she has constantly expressed how much she hates being famous. She says that she misses her privacy, and that anything she does – including some tiny, random indy film – all of a sudden garners international attention. She does not enjoy feeling like she is under a microscope.
Chris Evans is world famous for his role as Captain America. However, it seems as if he is getting a little bit of anxiety because of the fame. As he said in 2013, "I like doing normal things. I like… going to ball games, I like going to Disney World, or a big field on the Fourth of July and having picnics with friends. The problem is, you're either worried you're going to be recognized or you're thankful you're not. It's always there. I miss that not being in my head." Maybe his self admitted social anxiety also has something to do with it.
Believe it or not, one of the best actors in Hollywood (in our humble opinions at least), Johnny Depp, is not the happiest with the amount of worldwide fame he has. He loves his job as an actor, just not all of the things which come with it. He says that he feels like a fugitive, with people looking for him all of the time so that they could get a quick picture with him. He also wishes he could have a somewhat normal life.
Did you hear what Avril Lavigne just did? Well, neither did we. This is because Avril really hates being out in the public eye, and tries to shirk the spotlight whenever she can. She has said in interviews before that she does not particularly enjoy the lifestyle of the rich and famous, and simply wants to have a career where she can continue to create and do what she enjoys.
Jennifer Aniston is perhaps best known for reprising the role of Rachel on the hit 90's sitcom Friends. She has also acted in a huge number of movies, from Horrible Bosses to He's Just Not That Into You amongst many more. However, she is not the biggest fan of having the spotlight shone upon her all the time. In fact, she specifically does not like the fact that she can not have a love life without it being scrutinized under a microscope.
Lauren Jauregui earned her fame by being a part of the girl singing group Fifth Harmony. She was thrown into the spotlight at the relatively young age of 16, and it changed her worldview forever. She said to Billboard that she had no idea how difficult being famous would make life. She was working so hard at such a young age that she felt that she had no control over her life, especially when the rest of her friends were out having fun.
Kylie Jenner, the youngest of the Kardashian/Jenner clan, is world famous for her social media accounts as well as for her line of makeup. However, it turns out she is not really into the family business of being famous and that she feels a bit empty inside. She said "I just want to run away [from the fame]… I don't know who I'm doing it for." It sounds like poor Kylie just wants to be one of us. We wonder if she could take it.
Zach Galifianakis is known for his roles in The Hangover movies as well as The Candidate and Birdman. However, though he absolutely loves acting, he really is not a fan of everything else that comes with it. He says being a celebrity is overrated and he has no interest in people knowing every aspect of his personal life. He also says that after finishing a shoot he would rather go back home and watch Lifetime then be on gossip websites.
Idris Elba made his name in the United States while reprising the role of commandante in the film Beasts of No Nation, as well as reprising roles in Prometheus and Zootopia. However, he says that being a celebrity has caused him to lose himself, saying that he never knows what is real and what is fake. He has trouble in relationships because he never knows who is a gold digger and who actually likes him.
Dave Chappelle is as famous for being a comedian as he is for dropping out of fame. Chappelle was offered $50 million to stay on with Chappelle's Show, but he turned it down, feeling that fame was corrupting him. He had something of a breakdown and went to Africa for a while, and then decided to buy a farm in rural Ohio, staying out of the spotlight and spending time with his family. However, now he has time to do what he loves – stand up.
The most recent person to play James Bond, Daniel Craig, actually is not as stoked about fame as we would be. As it turns out, Craig really just wants to be a normal person, and he said that the success of the James Bond films only added to the pressure put upon him. Craig has gone on record as saying that both pressures of fame as well as the lack of privacy in his private life have gotten to be quite a lot to handle.
After winning an Oscar for her role in the film Les Miserables, Anne Hathaway decided to take some time off of acting and collect herself. After some quiet introspection, she realized that fame was turning her into a person who she did not want to be. She says that she is not very good at handling her fame, and that people can be inordinately harsh towards her. Perhaps this is because she used to be known as one of the least humble people in Hollywood.
Model Gigi Hadid has said that fame has changed her social life and that it helped her find out who her true friends are. "A lot of interesting things in friends come out," she said in an interview in Harper's Bazaar. "I've lost a lot of friends because I'll get busy for a short period of time, and they're not reaching out, but if I don't reach out, then it's like I've changed. I'm good with [the friends] I've got," she continued.


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High school sports: Thursday's varsity scores and schedule
Debbie Schechter
Thursday's events
North Salem 11, Haldane 1 (5 inn.)
Pawling 6, Croton-Harmon 5
Dover at Ellenville, 4:15 p.m.
Rondout Valley at New Paltz, 4:15 p.m.
Millbrook at Onteora, 4:15 p.m.
Spackenkill 13, Webutuck 0
Rhinebeck 5, Pine Plains 3
Red Hook at Wallkill, 4:15 p.m.
Franklin D. Roosevelt 6, Highland 5
Marlboro at Saugerties, 5:30 p.m.
Ketcham 3, Suffern 0
Dover vs. Ellenville at Berme Road Field, 4:15 p.m.
Pine Plains 5, Rhinebeck 2
Pawling 20, Putnam Valley 5 (5 inn.)
Wallkill 12, Red Hook 0
Franklin D. Roosevelt 16, Highland 3 (6 inn.)
Beacon at Washingtonville, 5:15 p.m.
Marlboro vs. Saugerties at Cantine Field, 5:30 p.m.
Wappingers 10, Carmel 7
Yorktown 18, Arlington 5
Minisink Valley at Franklin D. Roosevelt, 6 p.m.
North Salem 12, Arlington 9
Putnam Valley 16, Beacon 3
Goshen at Red Hook, 5 p.m.
Arlington 5, Beacon 2
Marlboro at Onteora, 4:15 p.m.
Wallkill at Highland, 4:15 p.m.
Spackenkill 199, Rhinebeck 214
Rondout Valley vs. Red Hook at Red Hook Golf Club, 4 p.m.
New Paltz vs. Onteora at Woodstock Golf Club, 4 p.m.
Friday's events
Millbrook at Spackenkill, 4:15 p.m.
Wallkill at Beacon, 4 p.m.
New Paltz at Red Hook, 4:30 p.m.
Franklin D. Roosevelt at Goshen, 5:30 p.m.
Highland at Wallkill, 7:30 p.m.
New Paltz at Highland, 4:30 p.m.
Franklin D. Roosevelt at Saugerties, 5:15 p.m.
New Paltz at Marlboro, 4:15 p.m.
Ellenville at Spackenkill, 4:15 p.m.
Franklin D. Roosevelt at Rhinebeck, 5 p.m.
Highland vs. Wallkill, 4 p.m.
New Paltz vs. Saugerties at Rip Van Winkle Country Club, 4 p.m.
Red Hook vs. Rondout Valley at Wiltwyck Golf Club, 4 p.m.
Monroe-Woodbury vs. Highland at Apple Green Golf Course, 4 p.m.
Newburgh Free Academy vs. Red Hook at Red Hook Golf Club, 4 p.m.
Millbrook, Pine Plains, Webutuck at Dover, 4:30 p.m.
Highland, Onteora at Ellenville, 5:30 p.m.
Red Hook, Rhinebeck, Spackenkill at Franklin D. Roosevelt, 5:30 p.m.
Marlboro, Rondout Valley at New Paltz, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday's events
Marlboro at Rondout Valley, 11 a.m.
Marlboro at Franklin D. Roosevelt, 10 a.m.
Taconic Hills at Pine Plains, 10 a.m.
Haldane at O'Neill, 6:30 p.m.
Arlington at Kingston, 11 a.m.
Warwick at Franklin D. Roosevelt, 11 a.m.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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World Health Assembly declares polio eradication a public health emergency
By Stéphanie Tobler, RI Senior Media Relations Specialist Europe/Africa
Health ministers at the World Health Assembly in Geneva adopted a resolution on 25 May that declared "the completion of polio eradication to be a programmatic emergency for global public health."
As a staff member in charge of public relations for Europe and Africa, I had the pleasure and honor of attending the briefing on the launch of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative's emergency action plan at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, on 24 May. Rotary was represented by Past RI President Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar.
After the briefing, a panel of experts answered journalists questions, posed for pictures, and quickly went back to their working groups. It was an exciting experience to be part of the briefing and to see how many people are fully committed to End Polio Now.
Read a statement of support by Dr. Robert Scott, chair of Rotary's International PolioPlus Committee, for the World Health Assembly's adoption of the resolution declaring polio eradication a global emergency for public health.
See an infographic illustrating how close the world is to eradicating polio and what's needed to finish the job.
This entry was posted in Eradicating polio and tagged Switzerland by Rotary International. Bookmark the permalink.
1 thought on "World Health Assembly declares polio eradication a public health emergency"
DJALMA P. BENTES on May 26, 2012 at 07:33 said:
Congratulations. Djalma P. Bentes. Rotary Club de Belém-Norte. Amazônia Brasileira. Distrito 4720.


The founder of Papa John's, John Schnatter, on Thursday announced plans to step down as CEO.
Last month, Schnatter sparked controversy by slamming NFL leadership for its handling of players' protests during the national anthem.
The founder has previously spoken out against Obamacare and donated $US1,000 to Donald Trump's presidential campaign.
The controversial founder and CEO of Papa John's, John Schnatter, is stepping down, the company announced Thursday.
The company said its current president, Steve Ritchie, would replace him.
Schnatter sparked controversy in November when he slammed NFL leadership over players' kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial injustice and police brutality.
"Leadership starts at the top, and this is an example of poor leadership," Schnatter said in a call with investors.
The CEO's statements quickly inspired backlash on the left and support on the right. The Daily Stormer, a white-supremacist website, even posted an article asking whether Papa John's was the "official pizza of the alt-right" – the chain responded that it did not want "hate groups" buying its pizza.
This is not the first time Schnatter has stepped down as CEO – he did so in 2005, after a period of declining sales at the company, then returned three years later.
Schnatter has a history of making political statements that spark controversy.
He came under fire in 2012 for saying the Affordable Care Act, the healthcare law better known as Obamacare, would be a "lose-lose" for Papa John's franchisees and employees. Schnatter argued that it would cost Papa John's $US5 million to $US8 million annually and ultimately drive up the price of its pizza.
The backlash was swift, with many promising to boycott Papa John's. The company's shares slumped about 4.2% at the time,Forbes reported.
PAPA: The Story of Papa John's PizzaA young Schnatter.
Schnatter has also spoken out extensively against what he says is over-regulation.
In his 2017 book, "Papa: The Story of Papa John's Pizza," Schnatter argued that regulations were steering the US away from a system of free enterprise he believes crucial to the nation's success.
"America in 2016 is on the path to becoming what Germany was in 1867," Schnatter wrote.
Schnatter's great-grandfather immigrated to the US from Germany in 1867 as a young craftsman seeking work. The US was a land of opportunity where people were free to become successful without fear of attack or government interference, Schnatter said.
Speaking with Business Insider in January, Schnatter emphasised that he thought regulation in the US needed to be dialed back to help businesses thrive.
"You've got to have free markets with limited government, with the proper amount of regulation where you don't jam entrepreneurship," Schnatter said.
Schnatter donated $US1,000 to Donald Trump's presidential campaign, though he did not publicly voice support for him.


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STEM Action Center Executive Director Tamara Goetz, Ph.D., left, "Science Evangelist" Ainissa Ramirez, Ph.D., and KUTV News Morning Anchor Holly Menino were among several featured speakers during the 4th annual STEM Best Practices conference at the Davis Conference Center in Layton, Utah, on June 20.
"One of the greatest problems we have in our country is developing an education system aligned with industry needs," said Lt. Governor Spencer Cox, left, seated beside Eric Pope.
From left to right: Utah Lieutenant Governor Spencer J. Cox, left, moderated a panel that included US Synthetic V.P. of Operations Eric Pope, USBE member Kathleen Riebe, Davis School District Superintendent Reid P. Newey, former state senator and current Women's Leadership Center CEO Patricia Jones, and former President and CEO of Futura Industries Susan Johnson.
SALT LAKE CITY (June 20, 2018)—Close to 800 educators, leaders, and industry representatives convened today to hear 'Science Evangelist' Dr. Ainissa Ramirez, Lt. Gov. Spencer J. Cox, and a panel of community leaders speak on the impact STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education has on society and economic growth—and the importance of adding excitement to the STEM learning equation—as part of the 4th annual STEM Best Practices Conference hosted by the Utah STEM Action Center.
The Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED) charter is based on Gov. Gary R. Herbert's commitment to statewide economic development. The state's economic vision is that Utah will lead the nation as the best performing economy and be recognized as a premier global business environment and tourist destination. GOED provides extensive resources and support for business creation, growth and recruitment statewide, as well as programs to increase tourism and film production for the benefit of Utah residents. All administered programs are based upon strategic industry clusters to develop a diverse, sustainable economy. GOED accomplishes its mission through unprecedented partnerships. For more information, please contact: Aimee Edwards, (801) 538-8811 or edwards@utah.gov.
The STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Action Center works to develop Utah's future workforce by prioritizing STEM education. The program drives research and implementation of STEM education best practices statewide by coordinating STEM-related activities, creating and coordinating proven STEM education best practices, facilitating educator access to those tools, and engaging public awareness of the impact of STEM education on society and sustainable industry growth across all sectors. For more information, please contact: Katherine Kireiev, (801)538-8747 or kkireiev@utah.gov.
Ainissa Ramirez, Ph.D., thrives on highlighting the fun in the everyday functionality of science. Co-author of Newton's Football: The Science Behind America's Game (Random House) and author of Save Our Science: How to Inspire a New Generation of Scientists (TED Books), Dr. Ainissa Ramirez received her Ph.D. in materials science and engineering from Stanford University and was an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science at Yale University. Named one of the world's 100 Top Young Innovators for her contributions to transforming technology by MIT's Technology Review, Dr. Ramirez has been featured in The New York Times, Fortune Magazine, CBS News, Fox News, CNN, NPR, ESPN, and Time Magazine.


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Home » Boardgames » Sekigahara – Boardgame Review
Posted on Jan 4, 2012 in Boardgames
Sekigahara – Boardgame Review
By Rick Martin
Sekigahara: The Unification of Japan. Boardgame Review. Publisher: GMT Games. Designer: Matt Calkins. $55
Passed Inspection: Beautiful mounted map and high quality, real-wood blocks and markers. Succinct rules with great examples. Author's proceeds benefit charity!
Failed Basic: Box could be a little deeper for storage. A few rule questions not answered in the book. Low solitaire playability.
In the year 1600, Japan was a country torn between two dueling factions. Decades before, Japan's Sengoku Jidai (Fueding States Period) had ended with Oda Nobunaga becoming Shogun over all of Japan. He began unifying the feudal lords (Daimyos) who for centuries had battled each other for control of provinces. When Nobunaga was assassinated, his loyal general, the lowborn Toyotomi Hideyoshi, rose to the level of Taisho. Had he been a nobleman, he would also have become Shogun but that office was off limits to the common men.
When Hideyoshi died, the kingdom was left in the hands of his young son, but the power of the state was contested between two of Hideyoshi's associates, Ishida Mitsunari (tea master and general) and Tokugawa Ieyasu (master tactician and "loyal" general of Hideyoshi). These two men would pit their armies in battle, supported (and in some cases betrayed) by other "loyal" daimyo and their armies, in a climactic battle which would decide who would control Japan until the young son of Hideyoshi was old enough to claim power. While skirmishes took place all over the main island of Japan, the climactic battle took place on Oct. 21st on the plains and hills of Sekigahara. When the dust cleared, Tokugawa was the victor and Ishida was hunted down and executed. Fifteen years later, Hideyoshi's son would be executed by Tokugawa for "disloyalty" and Japan would know a peaceful period unlike it had ever known in the past. This peace would last under the Tokugawa Shogunate for 268 years until Tokugawa forces were again engaged in a civil war and lost to the Meiji army.
The game's components.
Sekigahara: The Unification of Japan is a block-based, strategic-level war game. Each turn represents one week of the seven-week conflict. Each unit represents roughly 5,000 foot soldiers, cavalry or arquebuse (musket) troops. Additional units represent leaders and their staff. The units are not represented on traditional counters but on black or gold wooden blocks marked with the crest (mons) of the daimyo's army. Blocks are also provided for markers and representations of noted individuals such as Sanada Masayuki.
The blocks have their markings on only one side. With the Tokugawa player on one side of the map and the Ishida player on the other, each player can only see the composition of his own units until a battle takes place. This is a wonderful way of representing the all important "fog of war" and greatly adds to the tension in the game.
The rules are a succinct 12 pages with an additional six pages being given to a well researched background on the conflict and some very insightful designer's notes.
The game itself uses no dice! The battles are decided by randomly drawn cards which are used to bring a particular unit into battle. The number of mons on a given unit correspond to its relative strength in battle, with cavalry and gunners providing bonuses to attack. Every seven points of strength in battle cause one casualty to the opposing player's forces. The all-important loyalty of the troops can be influenced by "loyalty challenge" cards which, if luck and tactics pay off, turn an enemy unit in to a friendly unit for the battle. This saved me in a recent game when one of my armies was attacked by a superior force. I played two loyalty challenge cards and my opponent couldn't challenge these cards. Suddenly an upcoming defeat became a victory in that battle as two large groups of warriors changed to my side.
The map of Honshu, the main island of Japan, is beautiful. This sturdy mounted map should last for years. Since the main island of Japan is mostly hills and mountains, the terrain that has the greatest effect on movement are major and minor roads. Leaders and the ability to force march your units also can extend the movement range of your armies.
Major castles are marked on the map and can be used in a defensive manner to save some units from immediate destruction. Rules are provided to cover siege warfare and, although highly abstracted, work very well to capture the feel of Japanese sieges as seen in movies such as Ran and Kagemusha. The capturing of supply points also factor into the game – providing victory points for strategic victories.
The game comes with wooden blocks, cubes and disks as well as two very nice bags to use for the blind drawing of blocks as re-enforcements and very helpful reference cards.
The rules even cover the Japanese philosophy of "victory in defeat." A defeated force can actually gain more loyalty and a greater control over troops as they see how committed a given faction is to give its warriors' lives in the name of the cause of uniting Japan.
I had only a few minor concerns with the game, namely that the box could have been a little deeper to accommodate the components. A few questions I had which have not been addressed in the fan forums are: can one loyalty card be used to cancel another player's loyalty card? Do the Ishida or Tokugawa command blocks give a command bonus to subservient units as daimyo-specific command blocks do? If the attacker destroys one of his own units which has turned to the other side through a loyalty challenge, which side gets the card draw from the casualty?
The game is ill suited for solitaire play but shines as a two-player game. A full game can be played in two to three hours, and each game is so different from the last that replay is very high. A great value for the price.
All author's proceeds from this game are being donated to the Japanese tsunami and earthquake relief fund! A wonderful philanthropic gift on the part of Matt Calkins of which I greatly applaud.
In summation, Sekigahara: The Unification of Japan is an amazing accomplishment and a very addictive game with high replay value. It is an instant classic!
Armchair General Rating: 95 %
Solitaire Rating (1 – 5): 1 (Poor choice for Solitaire Play)
A college film instructor and small business owner, Richard Martin has also worked in the legal and real estate professions, is involved in video production, film criticism, sports shooting and is an avid World War I and II gamer who can remember war games which came in plastic bags and cost $2.99 (he's really that old)!
Mr. Mark 1/6/2012
I'm glad there are still companies like GMT putting out wargames like this one. It seems that if Avalon Hill could have held on just a little longer as an independent company they would weathered the storm of computer gaming. Today, most computer gaming is aimed at the FPS genre of buyers looking for twitch-based, high-end graphics experiences, but without the problem-solving challenges or historical themes of traditional wargames. Board-based wargaming fills that niche well, and also has a social aspect lacking in computer gaming.
Rick Martin 1/7/2012
Great points Mr. Mark. I agree completely.
RJ 1/12/2012
Oda Nobunaga never became shogun.
Rick Martin 1/12/2012
Technically you are right RJ but I didn't really want the article to get into the exact nature of his position which was, in fact, Shogun in all but name based upon his conquest of much of Japan at that time. The focus was a review of the game and not an exploration of the nuances of Japanese history. Thank you for pointing that out though.
OINC 1/27/2016
Try Maria if you have three players, just get the current rules and the PDF only expansion, just rules.
http://www.histogame.de/maria/e_START.html
Game over view.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9-4n3bXvhIE
This game isn't out of print, publisher has lots of copies, no one seems to import it, I did find a $48 copy in stock in the US.
Holiday Shopping Guide 2012 » Armchair General - [...] Sekigahara: The Unification of Japan (GMT Games) Beautiful mounted map and high quality, real-wood blocks and markers. Succinct rules…


text:
Population of United States of America (USA)
Population of Guthrie
Guthrie Population 2023
The population of Guthrie, United States of America (USA) is 10 977 for 2023. Guthrie ranks 1 478 in terms of population in United States of America (USA) from 1561 cities. Chislennost.com uses information from reliable sources. Find out the population of a country, city, district at Chislennost.com.
10 977 people Flag of United States of America (USA) Data for 2023
Cities starting with letter G
Cities starting with letter G 7 letters in the name
Cities in United States of America (USA) starting with letter G
A population count in Guthrie was carried out in 2023.
⚡ What place does Guthrie have in terms of population in United States of America (USA)?
Guthrie is ranked 1 478 in the city population ranking in United States of America (USA).
⚡ What place does Guthrie have in terms of population in the world?
Guthrie is ranked 10290 in the city population ranking in the world.
List of cities in United States of America (USA)
Population of Jerome
Population of Picayune
Population of Camp Verde
Population of Muskegon Heights
Population of Chino Valley
Численность населения Гатри


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World of Valucre
The Snow's Song
By Swansong, February 28, 2019 in Alterion
Swansong 2
Location: Sleepytime Junction
In the hushed chill of morning, the sun is hidden away by a thick expanse of clouds and snow. A breeze blows heavy flakes into the air, swirling them violently before they make their descent onto the frozen ground, adding another fine coating of snow onto the treacherous ground. There's a soft almost undiscerning sound of footsteps over the blizzard that make their way along the icy paths and out into the unstable grounds. Steady and soft, they crunch along the snow continuing a purposeful trek through the isolated mountains of ice. They slowly pick up their pace throughout the expansive loneliness of the open area, a billowing of their cloak harshly whipping with the winter wind. Eventually, their steps halt as they meet the edge of the landscape. The snow and ice seems to disappear and in its wake, a gigantic cliff in its place. The stranger tsks, waiting a moment before simply stepping off the cliff.
The snowstorm never seems to stop these days, making it hard to track the nights from the days without an internal time keeper. As the days pass, the weather has only seemed to have worsened over time. Luckily for the sole inhabitants of The Bestiary, they are plenty used to making a living in the harsh climates of any weather. Unexpectedly however, this day, come three knocks upon the building's door, signaling not simply a howling winter wind, but rather a visitor. The area is heavily isolated, which means whomever is waiting for them must have purposefully come to seek out their services.
When the door is eventually opened, it is a marvel who awaits them. A boy, perhaps a teen seems to be on the other side. Locks of curly hair as white as the snow surrounding them, and eyes as light and brilliant as the ice crystals of the wild. His skin is pale as the winter's hold on this place, with an expression to match. They almost look like the very spirit of winter that plagues these wilds, and it's hard to discern if they are a boy or girl. White eyelashes blink once, seemingly unfazed at the feeble black cloak that's billowing around his form and tied with a silver ribbon at his neck. He is wearing an absolutely unacceptable ensemble that wouldn't shelter him from the weather in the slightest. A black and silver checkered sweater vest with a white blouse underneath it. Along with this are formal black shorts with black socks that reach just the bottom of his knees accompanied by black dress shoes and a black tie.
What was a child doing out in such a place?
"Charmed, I'm sure." the stranger murmurs politely but with a blank face and a brilliant posh accent. He looks at her with sharp and intelligent eyes, holding his hands formally behind his back. "Might I speak with your employer madam?"
What a morning indeed.
@Djinn&Juice
Djinn&Juice 1,339
Location: Intergalactic House of Pancakes
The mountains near Itzal were like icy fingers jutting from the earth and bringing nothing but freezing winds and crippling maelstroms of snow. The Bestiary had once brought hopeful monster hunters in search of training and desperate villagers seeking relief trudging through the knee high snow, but now it was all but isolated. Most didn;t come up here anymore and even fewer believed that The Bestiary was still there. The people of Itzal believed that it's owner had either died, moved away, or retired. Fain wasn't so easily swayed in his quest to hunt Archen down; having only met the monster hunter once before on A previous investigation. There paths only crossing once before, but it was all that the young detective needed to remember the faces of all the people he encountered. Archen a scentless hybrid impossible to track due to his training and unnatural gifts, but Fain's deduction skills were A league of their own. His search for Archen taking him across the vast forests of Terrenus, and the harrowing Orisian kingdoms before eventually catching wind of Archen in Arkadia. There was talk of 'The Bestiary' and a hunter who has vanished for A year. It had to be what he was looking for...and so he had made his way up through the shivering mountains and happened upon a snowed in building underneath a vast precipice of ice. A single dimly lit lamp marking the entrance.
His knock was immediately answered; the door swinging open and causing steam to cascade across the threshold. Fain feeling the warmth of the interior cascade across his face. That heat however, paled in comparison to the warmth of the smile that greeted him now. A woman in earthy brown and green robes bowing to him in greeting; Two thick braided chords of black hair brushing the ground before she rose "Nameste. I am always charmed when we get new visitors! It has been a month since Master Belmont has had any clients! He will be so pleased; Come in quick! You must be freezing" Her caramel hands immediately pulling him in and closing the door behind them; her smile bright against her dark skin, brown eyes meeting his warmly as she immediately sat him in front of the fireplace. "Stay here and warm up please. I will fetch you my master and something to warm you up" She said kindly before leaving him to his devices for the time being.
How do I tell you my plight?
If only I could give you my sight
A year has passed us by with nothing for me to show
I feel as though im just floating idly as the wind blows
I failed my father over arrogance and pride
A phrase he always told me was never good enough...I tried
I want to believe that your the one worth fighting for
but I don't even have the courage to send these letters to your door
Archen looked over his letter and sighed through his nose, taking another swig from the tall dark bottle on his desk. He sealed it up and marked it with his signature before lifting himself up and shoveling it into a chest with several more of these similar envelopes. He still felt that gnawing, every damn day, that gnawing. How could he ever face her if he wasn't even A whole Archen anymore? Sinclair giving a knock at the door and with his behest, entered. Her eyes always possessed a worried melancholy everytime they looked upon him. There was a part of him that was agitated and felt as though it were pity...yet pity was not something she felt towards anything in pain...no this was...sorrow. Archen tipping backwards a bit before catching himself with a solid foot. Sinclair giving a hopeful smile against the crippling darkness Archen kept himself in "Sir, we have a potential client! He is waiting in the den to meet you" she said, watching him sigh with exasperation and nodding...looking at his clawed hands with distance. She hated seeing him like this, but she could only hope that with time...he would see past these dark times.
Archen remained quiet as he moved out into the hall, catching himself a few times as he stumbled into the Den. Fain could easily smell the booze off of him as he collapsed into the chair next to Fain, leaning his head back as he looked up at the ceiling. "Been...some time Fain. What do you want?" He asked, his voice sluggish and terse. Fain seeing that he was adorned in a A simple black tunic with gray breeches. His discerning eye catching a new tattoo on his adam's apple. A jagged key of some sort. It wasn't hard for an inquisitive creature of Fain's capability to know that this was the aftermath of the terrible deal Archen had made.
It looked as though it costed him more than just pieces of his soul.
He says nothing else as he's led inside of the cramped building. The warmth of the fire is pleasant, Fain idly reaching out a hand to to feel more of its comforts as he waits. It was strange to go so far out of his way to track someone down. Fain isn't certain such a trip will be worth it at all if Archen doesn't actually agree. Though he has plenty of coin to spare, this matter is of a different nature altogether. Heavy thuds alert him of Archen's presence stumbling into the room. His nose wrinkles immediately, agitation flaring as the drunk fool collapses onto the other wooden chair beside him.
The casual empty greeting he is given after all this time says more than anything else does.
"I didn't come here to be greeted with such casual frivolity Mr. Belmont." he snaps with a grimace of distaste. "Some time indeed, it seems you have made a right mess of yourself." he mutters casually, eying the other man's form up and down with a calculated disinterest. "I do hope isolation has treated you well, for it was quite a trifle to track you down. I would not have come if it did not pertain to your interests."
Clicking his tongue in dismissal, Fain gets up from his chair and regretfully turns away from the warmth. Moving over to the window, he glances outside, pale eyes narrowed in contemplation.
"Though whether you're interested in anything these days, it would be difficult to tell with how the way you've stumbled in here as it were. Am I to offer you your money first and you shall accept on any condition? Or perhaps you're actually interested in the nature of what I am about to tell you?" he wonders, goading more than just a tired apathy from the other man.
He turns, hands behind his back as he stares at the other man with dull eyes.
"One would think a hunter such as yourself would have noticed...but allow me to articulate Mr. Belmont. Have you seen a change of weather these days? Perhaps the snowstorm outside that never seems to change nor dissipate, the sun being blocked out by the density of the snow? This of course is not entirely unnatural from the weather conditions of this area certainly, but I must ask: how long has it been like this?" He questions, furrowing his brows as he turns back to the window. "Five days ago started reports of people walking directly into the mountains. It's been reported by friends or family that they were acting normally one moment, and the next they simply stopped any previous action and left. They did not stop walking regardless of their gear, clothing, or time of day, and disappeared into the storm."
There's a pause as he stares outside into the snowy mountainsides, lips tightening in pensive thought.
"There is something out there, and it has taken root in these mountains Mr. Belmont." he mutters, his breath showing in the air as he exhales, even in the warmth of the house. "Tell me. What do you know about awakened soul shards?"
There wasn't much reaction from the slumped figure; his stark blue gaze once piercing with endless potential had dulled into a blue grey that watched the crackling fire with indignation. There was a part of him that wanted to respond to Fain, to greet him far kinder...but it had been swallowed up. Everything had been swallowed up these days. "There isn't much work for me these days" He said with hollow remorse. The world had become saturated with heroes and glory seekers. The supernatural horrors and forces that had once caused droves of people to claw at his door were now being handled by a vast surge of might and magic. Archen leaning down and pulling a small flask from his tunic as their eyes met. Fain's dull gaze of potency matched with eyes he had once seen as intense and willful...could no longer meet his gaze now."I have had other things on my mind...The weathers as bad as it's always been... The Spook knocking back his flask "Sinclair said it was worsening a few days ago, but...I haven't noticed." He said. Fain catching a quirk in his feathered ears at the mention of disappearances. Sinclair bringing Fain a rustic teacup with a fragrant smell of morning dew wafting off it's dull green surface
"It was made with Jee-Rai. A flower that grows here in the cold. May it bring you stability in these unstable times" She said with another bow
The priestess taking a few logs and adding to the fire, lifting Archen's feet up and making sure he was comfortable; his eyes lost in the embers of the fireplace. "Is there anything I can do for you?" She asked, hoping to see any change in his mood...his eyes turning to hers for a moment before shaking his head and nursing his flask "No" was all he muttered. Sinclair giving a melancholy nod before returning to her chores. Archen actually standing up at the mention of awakened soul shards "What are you talking about? How do these soul shards have anything to do with this storm and the missing citizens? Am...Am I the cause?" He asked; how could he not connect this to the very soul 'pieces' he gave away for power? What else could these soul shards be?
He gives Sinclair a nod of thanks as she presents him a warm cup of tea. Fain wastes no time in taking a sip, allowing the warmth to wash down his body and help warm him up from the cold. Pale eyes observe the rather pitiful attempts the woman tries in regards to soothing the emptiness that resides inside of her boss, but unfortunately for her, nothing would be able to fill that void without a price. Simple platitudes and nice gestures are only a reminder of Archen lacks and even worse, Sinclair seems to be enabling this sulking pensive behavior by treating Archen with such sympathetic behavior.
At some point, Archen will need to realize that he must walk on his own two feet and find a purpose even without slivers of his soul. Fain fears that such a time may never come if Sinclair simply goes about her days serving the man at any simple back and call. Hopefully, this little meeting might be able to help the man in more ways than one.
"You are not the cause. I asked you about awakened soul shards, not how you were fairing with the loss of your own." he mutters dully, eyes sharply taking in Archen's disheveled form as he takes another sip with quiet contemplation. "That answer is quite obvious in its own regard." he says with an unimpressed frown.
Still, such an outburst from the man is promising. It shows there's a spark in there somewhere.
Somewhere...
"There was an incident at The Black Cathedral." Fain starts pensively, flicking his eyes up to examine Archen's reaction. "Several soul shards escaped confinement after a fire engulfed the building. It's the first time in centuries such a thing has occurred. By the time the fire was put out, several had already escaped and wandered." Fain explains, tapping on the teacup in light agitation.
Fain licks his lips, straightening up and moving towards Archen with a sharp gaze. He places the teacup down silently, his hands moving to claps together behind his back as he stares down at the man with silent evaluation.
"I want you to listen very carefully to me, Archen." he mutters solemnly, the use of the man's first name bizarre in itself. "I've made an arrangement with Velvet. If you are to help hunt down and recapture the lost awakened soul shards, he has agreed to return to you one of your own pieces. Do you understand the magnitude of such a deal?" Fain questions softly, his gaze growing lidded with apathetic judgment. "Is this a task you can manage to handle? I shall not waste my time if you are not up to par for such a quest and should you say no, then I will leave you to your frivolous nothings and cold nights."
A war had been raging in Archen ever-since he had nearly been killed by The Waltz'. The incorruptible duty of his station...and the irrefutable blow this mistake had made on his very soul. His guilt and misery eventually crushing him into the mountain hermit Fain was interacting with now...but Fain could see that his words were weaving a spell of some sort of career necromancy as his expression hardened at the mention of The Black Cathedral; listening to the details with a growing fire that licked at his bones. Fain's perceptive capacity catching the slow creak of a distant door in the hallway, A curious Sinclair listening in. Archen maintaining the frigid gaze Fain always adorned; It was an exceptional tool to see through all who dared to hide themselves from his pertinent interests. Archen couldn't help but think he would have made an excellent Spook. The moment Velvet's name came up Fain could see surprise splashing across his face like freezing water. Was he being serious? If he had been anyone else he would thrown them out for heinous lies...but Fain was not one to lie. Archen couldn't believe it.
Fain's ending statements swirling with a icy wind that willed Archen to stand, swiftly and without sway. His eyes locked upon the weapon that acted as the badge of his station. His Axe hanging above the mantle like a grim reminder of A past long lost. His eyes never leaving the axe as he spoke with a lucid terseness "If this is A deal that will claim me what I forfeited, even a fraction of what I foolishly gave away...then I accept...The cold nights compare not to the coldness my mistakes have left within" He said, moving forward and taking the Axe from it's hooks and immediately feeling that gnaw fade to experience he had shared with his weapon
"Zillawog and I have faced much in the past, but I have not heard of a soul 'fragment' animating itself. Do we know the fragment's soul origin? Who did they belong to? Name's hold power over the realms of demons and the dead. If the dissapearances are connected to these fragments that means they have some capacity of corporeal control over the enthronements around it. Do you know what they look like? Were they ethereal when they escaped or are they capable of possession as a wraith does?" He asked, immediately beginning to rifle through several chests and drawers, taking tonics, potions, and other strange materials that Fain figured was specific to dealing with the undead. A trigger being released as he felt the ravenous fires of the hunt mingle with the drive to reunite with his soul piece.
"Allow me to briefly explain the importance of a soul shard. These are raw pieces of soul, as you know, therefore they cannot be underestimated. Shards are similar to that of a lost soul, but due to their fragmented status, they will latch onto their environment, emotions, and surroundings. They can draw in power from such things, and take the forms of whatever the strongest emotion or part that soul contains. It seems this soul shard has latched onto this dreadful environment in some sort of way, as it is tampering with the weather to an even worse degree." Fain explains diligently, gesturing outside to the howling blizzard.
"You were chosen for a specific reason. It is not simply the fact that your particular set of skills are to be admired, no." Fain tells him with a pale gaze. "It is because if lost shards are free, they seek to become whole. To fill the void with anything they can. People who have given up parts of their soul are able to feel lost shards call to them. Consider it a strange sort of magnetism. Though it is very faint, the call will only grow louder the closer you get. This is why you will be the perfect person for this task. But you must take caution Mr. Belmont, for you cannot give into the temptation of becoming whole with a soul shard that is not your own. The consequences will be disastrous and you will destroy yourself from the inside out, if you accept a lost shard in your desperation to feel whole once more. Do you understand?" He asks softly, his pale eyes staring at the other man with a grave sincerity.
Fain reaches behind him, lifting off a necklace that he'd been wearing underneath his cloak. It's a golden locket with a vivid orange gem centered in the middle of it. It glows with an ethereal energy even at a distance.
"This is what you will use to capture the soul. It will keep it locked away until we can come collect it for you. You may use any tactic you need to get it to surrender. Whether that is fighting, or simply speaking and convincing it, I will leave that up to you. The shards though magical, hold a physical property that you can hold. It will not hurt you to touch it. This is what you will put inside of the locket." he nods, holding out the accessory to the man with an elegant pale hand.
The topic of souls shards was an already raw subject for the forlorn hunter, but these details were too important to shy away from. These fragments sounding like compartmentalized emotions and memories of their owners; That would make diplomacy difficult if it was incapable of understanding reason. The mention of the weather once more stirring the hazed memories of the past few days. Sinclair complaining of her perilous trips toward the town, and how the snowfall seeming 'angrier'. He silently cursed himself for missing the signs of an abnormal storm; he had trained his senses painstakingly to notice even the smallest changes in his environment, but he had been too drunk to notice. Archen furrowing his brow as Fain warned him of the dangers that came with merging his soul with a foreign shard. Was it truly that dangerous? He had slain succubi, and sirens without falling prey to their seductions...but he didn't know how long he could suffer this emptiness that gnawed eternally. His distant gaze flicking toward Fain's movement and eyeing the parapet that Fain presented. A phylactery designed for soul capture; he hadn't seen one so well made before
Archen taking the enchanted jewelry from fain and tucking it into his cloak safely "Ill follow it's call and ensure it's capture. Stay here as long as you need; Sinclair will care for your needs. The worse this storm gets, the harder it'll be to track so I best be going" He said with an affirmative nod, and retracted his Axe to a handheld size, strapping it to his hip. Fain seeing a fire that had all but been extinguished broil and burn within him once more. He wanted to believe that it was to be whole again, or at least more than he was now...but he realized that he was thrilled to hunt again. It had been quite some time since he had fought anything strong enough that would decorate his cabin. His eyes panning toward the skull of a particularly dangerous werewolf named JagMaw. What...had happened to this once feared and respected Spook? He had lost that fire he held so viciously long ago
It seemed only apathy and guilt remained
Archen calling Sinclair who immediately sprang forth from the hall and attempted a hopeful smile "Yes, Master Archen? Are you going out? Has Mister Fain provided A contract??" She asked hopefully. She knew his work was dangerous, and that worried her...but him being here in his current state was even more dangerous that terrified her. Archen looking at her with an inscrutable expression "You are correct. It seems that the torrential weather isn't just bad luck. I will return as soon as I can, Stay indoors until I return." Their eyes locking for several moments and he could easily see the entirety of her being laid out in apprehension and worry, even after putting her through his melodrama...she still brightened the room more than any candle. it would have been endearing...if it wasn't so sad. Archen unable to keep her gaze and instead shifting toward the door, pulling it open and stepping through the frigid threshold.
"Take care, then." Fain murmurs to the man. "Do take heed of its call Mr. Belmont. You wouldn't want to become...lost, yourself." he calls as Archen pushes open the door.
Fain turns to give Sinclair a neutral gaze, moving over to the table to set a necklace on top of it. It looks similar to the one he had just given Archen, but the gem inside is a beautiful indigo colour, and the clasp is silver.
"If you need to contact Mr. Belmont for any reason Madam, you may by speaking into the necklace with intent. However, I must advise you to not use this simply due to misguided worry." Fain tells her with a bored tone, his words still strict in their droning quality. "He may also contact us this way. If he so chooses."
Fain scans the house with attentive eyes, moving back to take a sip of his tea as he glances out the window. "I shall stay an evening, if it is not a terrible trouble for you." Fain asks her politely.
Little did she know it was more for her sake than his own. The woman clearly wasn't used to being alone. The worry would likely eat her alive while Archen was out on his mission, something he hadn't done in such a long time and certainly not to such a difficult extent. This level of mission was certainly much above a fellow haunting or spook hunt, as it had as much to do with Archen and it did with whatever lost soul he is hunting.
The icy air howls and sends a chilling wave of frost inside the hut as Archen trudges out. With a heavy shove, he manages to shut the door, facing the blizzard with a newfound purpose. The jewel inside of the man's cloak hums a small power, slightly warm within the fabric. The logical sense the hunter has is to not avoid the storm, but to go into it. Fain alluded previously that the cause for the ever worsening weather of the mountains might have to do with a lost soul shard residing in the snow, and the people missing must be connecting to that in some way as well.
As the hunter trudges through the never ending snow and treacherous terrain, he finds it more difficult to see anything but grey and snow lining his vision. It's dangerous, no one in their right mind would travel through his terrible weather. His boot nudges something firm. Crouching near it reveals a body. Their body is covered in snow and ice, having frozen to death in nothing but their pajamas. The dead man isn't even wearing any shoes, the limbs blackened from frostbite. Strangely enough, even through the terrible snow and torrential blizzard, Archen can see the man's face is smiling. It's a calm smile, eyes glazed over with an expression of blank fondness, and their lips softly tilted up in adoration. There's nothing else to indicate what happened, only that the fool trudged out this far into the wilds in nothing but his silky pajamas and bare feet, and froze to death.
And then he hears it. Faintly. Barely heard over the roaring winter wind.
It's calling.
Winter's lonely, cold, and bleak...
Misunderstood and alone.
Come to me so we can sleep,
In the cold that we'll call home...
It's like a siren song of lore, and Archen knows this is what he's here to find, and capture.
Djinn&Juice reacted to this
The blizzard continued to rattle the window panes of the bestiary; Sinclair looking into the infinite white and praying for Archen's safe return. Her gaze shifting toward the locket and then to Fain as he gave her an air of caution that came with his generous gift. The monk nodding with understanding as she took hold of the enchanted jewelry "I will use it wisely; I know when he is working...he mustn't have any distractions." She said, understanding how dangerous his work was. Her worried expression melting away into a nebulous brightness across her dark skinned face "Of course you can stay here sire! The Bestiary acts as a sanctuary against those who would seek us harm, and unfortunately only those in grave danger come seeking my Master's help...It is why I am here. I make sure all our clients and guests are safe and warm" She said, guiding him to a chair next to the fire and attempting to heat his icy cheeks "I shall make us some more tea, and to pass the time perhaps you can tell me where you are from! I do love hearing stories of cities I have never been to" Sinclair could never cease the worry she had for Archen, but it did no good to dwell on it and instead wanted to get to know this mysterious man who seemed to have known her master before. There were few of his old friends that didn't want him dead.
Extreme climates were some of the hardest training regimes he had ever experienced when the master before him tempered him with bouts of flame, ice, and crushing earth. Those that surpassed the capacity most mortals had found lairs and domiciles in extreme climate; It was an obstacle he had been trained to endure. The Hunter managing through the endless slow with a careful pace that kept from collapsing into any unseen dangers; Archen shutting his nostrils closed as he amplified his vision, piercing through the maelstrom with intensity. He knew he wouldn't be to smell any scent based dangers, but sight was far more important in this torrential weather. His boot colliding with an unknown form; shoveling some snow out of the way revealing it to be...a corpse. Archen kneeling next to it and scanning it over four or five times, drinking in every detail he could. The smile indicating he did not fear an impending doom...focused on something more.
An ethereal voice seeming to bring the snow alive as it sung to Archen, leaving him motionless through it's duration. It was an enchanting voice...one that would be neigh impossible to deny. This man must have followed this song to his death, entranced by it and unabashed by the frigid horror consuming him. Archen was beginning to feel this was a truly hostile entity despite it's enrapturing song, but...it had to be captured if he were to see one of his pieces again. Archen marching forward once more as he climbed higher. His skin being pelted and stung though his cloak, but he grit his teeth and pushed through. That fire that had been snuffed out for so long beginning to roar through him like a hungry furnace. He forgot how much he actually enjoyed it.
He found another corpse frozen to the mountain; stuck in a climb he would never finish. He remembered the wrath he once felt for the countless lives lost to deceit, villainy, and vile instinct...he remembered how consuming that wrath was. He hated them all...every creature that dared threaten mortal lives. That hatred had brought him to ruin, and he would not drink in it's self destruction again. All he felt now was determination; he would save those he could, and avenge those he could not...whether that was through elimination or capture it only mattered that the danger was secure. Archen digging his claws into the ice caked walls of the mountain and climbed upwards, ascending at a slow and careful pace. The storm was getting worse still; It was close. What was his plan going to be? If this mirrored a siren's method of luring souls into it's trap then that potentially means it is defenseless against a trained melee fighter, but if it has wraith qualities...melee is severely dangerous. Could he even try diplomacy? If that was really it's voice then that must mean it has some form of conscience somewhere...even fragmented. What did those lyrics mean? Does freezing to death here imply it is giving those it lures a 'home'? There must be a chance they could be freed then. Dozens of questions and planning routes manifesting in his mind as he ascended the perilous mountain, wind crashing him into the walls and causing him to nearly lose his grip several times before having to stop in a small alcove carved into the side.
He needed a breather; it had been some time since he had done anything this strenuous.


He is put off by the idea of his Zhuge Liang going into that mouth.
Let's take a brief ad break to advertise upcoming series "The Adventures of Mercury". Run, Mer-kun, run!
The Adventures of Mercury, coming this spring to a channel near you.
Meanwhile, Randel is indulging in some HARD GAY.
Remember, always carry protection with you.
Lord Ian explains how he gained the Rifles from a mysterious HARD GAY trafficker.


text:
Q: Point of batch_size in keras Let's say that I have 1000 grayscale images of size 25x25 that I would like to train on, and my batch_size is set to 20. From what I understand, this means that the algorithm will take the first 20 samples, and train the network. Then, it will take the next 20, and train the network. It will keep doing this until all 1000 images have been fed through the network. That is ONE epoch. This is repeated for however many epochs I want.
My question is as follows:
Why does the batch_size make a difference? The way I see it, the network can only train one example at a time. The input layer consists of 625 = 25x25 neurons, so what do people mean when they say that the batch_size allows the network to train 20 data points at once?
Whether the batch_size is 5, 10, or 100, the network has to process each image one-by-one, so I don't really see the advantage?

A: The batch size has two purposes (that I know of, there could be more):

*

*It facilitates vectorized operations, and thus speeds up training. Processing single examples would take too much time and processing the whole training data at once brings memory problems. Therefore, you train batch_size examples at a time.

*Since the objective/loss function is calculated on multiple examples at once, and the errors are backpropagated, the parameters are updated with regards to the errors for many examples and the loss curve does not fluctuate as much as it would with single examples each time. Thus, you would reach the global optimum faster and the curve would be smooth.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


We are still a day away from the official beginning of CES, at least for media, but that won't ever stop the internet from digging up whatever it can find and sharing it. Detailed by Evan Blass (@evleaks) on Twitter, ASUS will introduce the ZenFone AR smartphone this week, which will be the second Google Tango device available on the market.
In the tweet, no specs for the unannounced device were provided, but we do get a very clean look at the front and back of the ZenFone AR. Provided the phone is built to run Google's Tango AR platform, the backside features what looks like dual cameras, plus an assortment of sensors.
In a reply sent to the original tweet, another user (@FGevas) shows off a screen capture of a not-yet-public press release from Qualcomm that talks a bit about the processor inside of the device (cached version for anyone interested). According to this screenshot, the ZenFone AR will come equipped with a Snapdragon 821 processor, making it the first Snapdragon 821-powered AR machine. The only other Tango device on the market is the Lenovo-made PHAB2 Pro, which comes with a Snapdragon 652.
On top of that information, the press release also states quite clearly that the ZenFone AR is also Google Daydream ready, making it quite the AR and VR machine.
Once ASUS makes this news official, we will be sure to share any and all details.
Are you interested in the potential uses of Google Tango or do you see it as gimmicky?
CES 2017: What's In Our Bags?


text:
Evidence-Based Pediatrics
Resource corner
Jim Buttery, MBBS,
Bob Phillips, MA, BM, BCh, MRCPCH
John Radcliffe Hospital Oxford, UK
http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/ebm.6.2.39
To evaluate the relative merits of these 2 recent compendia of evidence-based information (Evidence-Based Paediatrics and Child Health [EBPCH] and Evidence-Based Pediatrics [EBP], we selected common cases from some of our recent days "on call." Through the long, wet days and chilly nights, children with a range of conditions presented to the assessment unit. We saw a young mother and her infant concerned about breast feeding, a barking toddler with croup, stressed parents with their post-ictal son, a worryingly breathless lad whose asthma was worsening, and a febrile, well looking, grumpy 9 month old infant with no obvious focus of infection. Many questions arose from each of these cases, but we limited ourselves to 1 per child. We were interested in determining how these books would address the benefits and difficulties of breast feeding, the diagnosis of croup, the prognosis of febrile convulsions, the evidence for the use of aminophylline in asthma, and the benefit of blood tests in determining the risk of invasive bacterial infection in the infant.
Feldman W. Evidence-Based Pediatrics. Hamilton, Canada: BC Decker, 1999. Moyer V. Evidence-Based Paediatrics and Child Health. London, UK: BMJ Books, 2000.
The goal of EBPCH is to provide a method for practising evidence-based child health care. The book aims to address common questions for practising paediatricians, and to review the processes of identifying and appraising the evidence involved. To assist with this goal, the first section of the book provides a series of educational, explanatory chapters addressing the tenets of critical appraisal and the principles of evidence-based medicine. These chapters are informative and well written, but may be used infrequently as a reference source by the busy paediatrician.
EBP aims to provide physicians who provide primary care for children with "the best available evidence regarding the benefit/risk ratios underlying their interventions" for common clinical problems and well child care. It focuses on discrete clinical problems and avoids the theoretical introductory chapters to EBCH (saving 100 pages in the process!).
Addressing our question about breast feeding, EBPCH tangentially refers to it during discussions of asthma and reflux, whereas EBP contains a brief review of the benefits of breast feeding in its first chapter. However, while relevant references are provided in EBP, there are no descriptions of the searches performed in selecting the evidence, of the level of evidence, or of the grade of recommendation that the authors provide.
The diagnosis of croup is directly addressed in a chapter in EBPCH. Each of the clinical chapters in this textbook provides a detailed clinical scenario, a list of clinical questions relevant to the case, and a review of all the available, relevant evidence. A good description of the literature search, critical appraisal, and interpretation of the evidence is given in the text and we were able to find an answer to our question. EBP also has a chapter on croup, but only the literature search and critical appraisal of the therapeutic interventions are described whereas diagnostic issues are outlined in a traditional review format without referring to the appraisal of evidence.
The use of aminophylline in acute asthma and prognostic questions commonly asked by the parents of children with a febrile convulsion are covered in both books. Again, EBP lacks a description of the search strategies and provides an appraisal of the evidence only for the asthma question whereas EBPCH describes the searches, the evidence, and the appraisal in substantial detail. EBPCH addresses the clinical scenario of a febrile infant with a good description of the search and critical appraisal of the evidence and in fact includes the specific question posed by us. EPB discusses the debate about the utility of blood tests but does not describe the literature search or the specific evidence.
Both textbooks provide electronic support: EBP includes a simple electronic representation of the book in PDF format on an accompanying CD and EBPCH has a linked website "with updates" (http://www.evidbasedpediatrics.com), although at the time of this review no updates were available.
We found that both books succeeded in addressing common questions, and provided references to the answers they gave. However, it was EBPCH that described the methods of systematically searching the literature, critically appraising and summarising the evidence, and offered some proof that it was more than a well written chapter in a traditional textbook.
Methods/Quality of information: EBPCH: ★★★★☆EBP: ★☆☆☆☆
Clinical usefulness: EBPCH: ★★★★☆EBP: ★★★☆☆
Competing Interests: Bob Phillips is the author of the forthcoming book, "Evidence-based On Call."
Evidence-Based Paediatrics and Child Health can be purchased online at http://www.bmjbookshop.com. The contents and sample chapters can also be viewed on this site.
Evidence-Based Pediatrics can be purchased online at http://www.bcdecker.com. The contents and a sample chapter can also be viewed on this site.


At Refil 3D we believe that quality matters the most when selecting your equipment and supplies in order to get the best results. We test every product before it is listed on the store to ensure that you always purchase high quality products.
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The two halves of the grain trailer are on opposite sides of the highway.
A pickup truck ran through and split in half the grain trailer on a semi this morning sending two people to the hospital.
The accident happened at the intersection of Dancer Avenue and 270th street south of Rockford just after 9 this morning. The pickup truck rested in the middle of the roadway while part of the trailer was on one side and the tractor hooked to the rest of the trailer was on the other side.
The driver of the semi appeared to be okay, but the condition of the pickup driver is not available. Investigators are still trying to sort out what happened and not charges have been filed.
The pickup which went through the grain trailer.


text:
Q: How hard is it to compute these prime factor related problems? We know that computing number of prime factors implies efficient factoring algorithm (How hard is it to compute the number of prime factors of a given integer?).
Let $\omega(n)$ be number of distinct prime factors of $n$. Knowledge of below three do not seem to give a factoring algorithm.

*

*Square-freeness (already have efficient square-freeness tests for univariate polynomials).

*Number of bits (MSB) and parity (LSB) of $\omega(n)$. MSB gives number of bits and LSB gives parity (eg: if number of prime factors is $124$ then since $124=(1111100)_2$ number of bits is $7$ and parity of $124$ is $0$). These cannot be $\#P$ complete or $\oplus P$ complete unless polynomial hierarchy has randomized subexponential algorithms and in $\mathsf{BQP}$.

These problems may be computable in randomized polynomial time since MSB and LSB on $0/1$ permanent is in $BPP$ and in $P$ respectively and $0/1$ permanent is $\#P$ complete.

*Number of bits in each factor if the number is a semiprime (there is no good algorithm to find degree of factors even for univariate polynomials).

Can there be efficient algorithms for these?

From 1. and 2. we can at best say if the number is a semiprime ($pq$) form or a triprime ($pqr$) form.
If a semiprime then 3. tells whether it is balanced (equal bits in $p$ and $q$).

A:
We know that computing number of prime factors implies efficient factoring algorithm (How hard is it to compute the number of prime factors of a given integer?).

We don't know that. Terrence Tao's answer is a plausibility argument. Since you are interested in complexity classes it isn't relevant.
I have comments about two of your questions:

*

*Square-freeness (already have efficient square-freeness tests for univariate polynomials).

No algorithm exists faster than factoring $n$.
If $n$ has a special form then there might be a better way to factor it than applying GNFS. For example there is the following paper for $n = pq^r$ for large $r$:
https://crypto.stanford.edu/~dabo/abstracts/prq.html

*parity of $\omega(n)$

If $n$ is an odd squarefree number that's a product of primes congruent to $3 \pmod{4}$ this can be done. Let $\omega_3(n)$ be the number of distinct prime factors congruent to $3 \pmod{4}$.
$\omega_3(n)$ can be computed from $n \pmod 4.$


text:
FLORENCIA LALOR
LA VOZ DEL HIJO
My name is Minnie. My twin sister's name is Lola. We were born in the city of Buenos Aires, in a hot February in 1968. It seems that of the two of us, I was the most fragile one and that's why I had to be hospitalized for a while. I arrived home a few days later than Lola, in the arms of our grandmother Chicha who picked me up at the Rivadavia Hospital.
Everyone knows the revolution that arouses in a home with the arrival of twins. Ours was no exception. When the two of us were finally together at home, we were four months old and very underweight.
We grew up listening to stories about the lack of sleep, the rush to get two cribs, the thousands formula cans we consumed, the daily visits of Dr. Bonano to control our weight. Throughout our lives we heard stories about how our grandmothers knitted booties and onesies, and about how our mother had to wash a million diapers.
Eventually, our parents taught us "how babies are born". They explained this to us as a totally separate issue from parenthood. Maybe this is why I never had a problem with the fact of being an adoptee.
In fact, when I was six or seven years old, I walked through the halls of my school explaining that our adoption trial was over because the judge had ruled in favor of our adoption. I also said that my parents had already started a new legal procedure to adopt my brother Juani.
I always wondered why grown-ups told me: "You can't deny that you're your mother's daughter", or "you have your family's eyes", or "it's in your blood", because clearly there was no biological reason for my resemblances with my adoptive family.
How hard adults try to find resemblances between grandparents, parents and children! Is this the reason why I was always so curious to see the face that I -really- should look after?
Or is it due to that horrible comment that a neighbor once said to my Mom? "Watch out, be careful with these kids, because blood pulls, and who knows where they come from".
The fact is that confronting the fears, the malicious comments and who knows how many other things, our parents -who are no longer in this world- spent years and years giving us information, pretending it was casual talking.
Then, I knew my previous name. Yes! Before being Minnie, I was called Lidia Ethel, and I also had another surname, hers. Another fact: there was no "him".
As in many cases "she" had been abandoned.
My parents told me that her name was Justina and that she was from Mendoza, but she lived in Buenos Aires. They also told me that a couple of years after our birth, she had had another baby and had also given him up for adoption.
Moreover, they told me that there was a state office that had my file and that when I wanted to, I could go see it.
More than once, they told us that they had spent ten years trying to be parents, until they discovered that it was Dad who couldn't have children.
Like most couples – and I realized this when I grew up – they chose adoption when Plan A and Plan B failed.
There was one story that I loved to hear. When my parents got the phone call from the family court house, and they told them that there were two four-month-old, underweight twins looking for a family. Mom told us she had a hard time trying to convince Dad, because he was so afraid of suddenly having two babies at once. Dad contradicted her. He claimed that we were fattened with milk and love.
I believe in the child's right to grow up in a family.
This is why I think of adoption as a plan that grandparents, uncles, and friends should commit to. Just as there is no unique way to become a father, there is no unique way to become a grandfather or uncle. Adoption is everyone's business.
So, being strong for having grown up in a loving and honest to the core family, one day I decided to go look for the face of the woman who gave birth to me.
It was an adventure that lasted years, in which my husband and a great friend accompanied me. At one point we did a feverish search with her, almost like in a movie, doing espionage, because my anxiety did not fit with the Children and Adolescents Council's deadlines and procedures.
When I was about to give up, I got a message that said, 'YOU WERE LOOKING FOR ME, YOU FOUND ME'.
I knew right away that it was my brother, the other baby Justina had given up for adoption.
Ernesto had started his own search rather wounded, because he had learned he was an adoptee when he was much older than ourselves. However, when he found out that he had twin sisters, he didn't stop until he found us.
We gathered all the data that we had both collected separately and we found some of Justina's daughters. After the twins and Ernesto, she had four more children.
We believe Justina has some kind of mental illness that prevented her from being empathetic with our quest.
We suppose that her past must have been very difficult, since she never told her current husband and four children about her previous pregnancies and relinquishments.
Nor did she tell us that little piece of history that we believe belongs to us. Neither did she want to tell us who "he" is.
This made me angry for a long time. But as time went by I understood that her story is not mine and that it doesn't have to affect me.
I didn't see her again, and I'm already forgetting her face, which looks nothing like mine. Increasingly, I'm starting to take after my mother.
Minnie is a lawyer and mediator. She has two
sons, she likes to run and feels happy to be
who she is.
*La Voz del Hijo Facebook is a private group, exclusive for adoptees. Join us!
© 2020 - La voz del hijo - Todos los Derechos Reservados - All Rights Reserved.


text:
Killam Buys 152-Unit Rental Property in Ottawa
Killam Properties has acquired the 152-unit Kanata Lakes Apartments II, a newly-constructed luxury rental building in Kanata, Ontario, in the outskirts of Ottawa.
Balazs Szekely
As the listing agent, ROCK Advisors Inc. Brokerage represented the seller, Lepine Corp. Based in Burlington, Ontario, ROCK is a leading commercial real estate firm focused exclusively on apartment brokerage services and on student housing. ROCK serves primary clients representing builders, owners and corporations of residential multi-family dwellings.
President & CEO Derek Lobo said the need for upscale rental real estate is on the rise, parallel with the population's growth. "Kanata is ideal for young professionals who work in the surrounding high-tech sector, as well as for couples who want to downsize," he added.
Halifax, Nova Scotia-based residential landlord Killam Properties picked up the asset for $47.6 million or $313,362 per unit deal. The company owns, operates and develops multi-family apartments and manufactured home communities. This property is currently owned through a joint venture between Killam and affiliates KingSett Capital and Alberta Investment Management Corp. AIMCo.
"Having Derek and the ROCK team onboard as the listing brokerage helped us to close the deal with Lepine and acquire a 50 percent interest in this Kanata Lakes building," said Philip Fraser, president & CEO of Killam.
Located at 1025 Canadian Shield Ave., Kanata Lakes Apartments II is the second of five buildings and its 152 open-concept luxury suites average 950 square feet. The units have high ceilings with glazed finish, built-in European designed closets and panoramic windows with partial bay in most units, condo-style high-end kitchens, baths, hardwood floors throughout living and dining areas, plush carpet in bedrooms. Common space amenities include a fully-equipped clubhouse that boasts an indoor salt water pool, a state-of-the-art fitness center and leisure facilities such as spa-inspired lounge areas for tenants.
Units at Kanata Lakes Apartments rent for an average of $1785 and more than 90 percent are now occupied.
Derek Lobo
Kanata Lakes Apartments II
Killam Properties
Lepine Corporation
Philip Fraser
Rock Advisors Inc.
Avison Young Adds Global Director of Research
Chinese Coworking Giant Seeks US IPO
EDF's Bluemex Power 1 Begins Commercial Operation


Wil Key's new album gets on first round of Grammy's voting!
From Wil Key: So excited to announce that my album, "Globetrotter: Side A" is on the official GRAMMY ballot for the first round of voting! The album took over four years to make and was recorded in 11 different countries. It includes an amazing line-up of talented artists and my very best music to date.