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Mason Dixon Line
The boundary between Maryland and Pennsylvania. A symbolic dividing line between the North and the South before the Civil War. The two surveyors who mapped the line, Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon, are the namesake for the imaginary border.
Once you've crossed the Mason Dixon line headed North, you're not likley to find a Waffle House.
by ebradfor November 12, 2005
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The "mason dixon line" is a common metaphor used to describe a separation, usually directional (north or south). It can also be used to describe other separations such as above and below the waist.
Geographically speaking, one could say: "The mason dixon line separates the yanks (people who stereotype everyone and think the nation should have voted for Kerry or Frankenstein, which ever you prefer) from those who are more refined and choose not to cry about such trivialities as who is the president (he is more symbolic than political anyways).
by someone from the south April 18, 2006
The line that defines the North from the South. South of the Mason-Dixon line is a horrible, racist and unintegrated part of the US that is known to vote for Republicans who cheat to win. The Mason Dixon line separates real people from rednecks and hicks. In the South, they tend to have a devotion to God and anyone who also claims to be acting with him, (ie George Bush).
I'm glad I don't live below the Mason Dixon Line, or else I would have learned to read in 8th grade!
Nobody above the Mason Dixon Line carries around Confederate Flags anymore, because we can read history books and know they stand for slavery and racism!
by Krista Burns January 11, 2006
Mason-Dixon Line
Doing a line of cocaine in the area between a girls Asshole and her vagina. The line represents the seperation of the pussys of the North and the Assholes of the South during the Civil war.
Ex. "Dude last night you totally did a Mason-Dixon Line of that hooker!"
by Megatron81 July 6, 2014
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Anywhere that defines a specific boundary, especially regarding someone's body or personal space.
"Keep your hands above the Mason-Dixon line, thanks."
by TheMocker December 30, 2014
A latitude line in the United States which divides Idiots and Assholes
Goddamnit Johnathan! How can I get away from all these Assholes? Easy Thomas' ... Simply drive your beamer across the Mason-Dixon Line till you start running into Idiots!
by StuPedasso February 25, 2012
The mason Dixon line
The imaginary line between your girls vagina and ass that she won't let you cross during sex.
"I was trying to put it in her butt, but she wouldn't let me cross the mason Dixon line. "
by Ye Olde wordsmith October 11, 2015
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
package org.apache.lucene.mockfile;

import java.nio.file.FileSystem;
import java.nio.file.Path;
import java.util.Iterator;
import java.util.Map;
import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap;

/**
 * FileSystem that tracks open handles.
 * <p>
 * When {@link FileSystem#close()} is called, this class will throw
 * an exception if any file handles are still open.
 */
public class LeakFS extends HandleTrackingFS {
  // we explicitly use reference hashcode/equality in our keys
  private final Map<Object,Exception> openHandles = new ConcurrentHashMap<>();

  /**
   * Create a new instance, tracking file handle leaks for the
   * specified delegate filesystem.
   * @param delegate delegate filesystem to wrap.
   */
  public LeakFS(FileSystem delegate) {
    super("leakfs://", delegate);
  }

  @Override
  protected void onOpen(Path path, Object stream) {
    openHandles.put(stream, new Exception());
  }

  @Override
  protected void onClose(Path path, Object stream) {
    openHandles.remove(stream);
  }

  @Override
  public synchronized void onClose() {
    if (!openHandles.isEmpty()) {
      // print the first one as it's very verbose otherwise
      Exception cause = null;
      Iterator<Exception> stacktraces = openHandles.values().iterator();
      if (stacktraces.hasNext()) {
        cause = stacktraces.next();
      }
      throw new RuntimeException("file handle leaks: " + openHandles.keySet(), cause);
    }
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There
Cory Doctorow 6:33 am Tue Oct 2, 2012
The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There is the long-awaited sequel to Cat Valente's debut novel The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, and it delivers on all the promise of that book, which is one of the strongest fantasy novels for young readers I've had the pleasure of getting lost in.
September, the young heroine of Circumnavigated, is back in the mundane world when she chases a green wind across the Nebraska prairie and returns to her beloved Fairyland. But it's not Fairyland as she remembered it: her shadow — lost on a previous adventure — has become the Hollow Queen of the Underworld, and is using her minion, the terrible Alleyman, to steal all of Fairyland's shadows and with them, Fairyland's magic. Equipped with a magic ration-book and a few scant adventurer's supplies, September runs to the Underworld for a series of Adventures, in an attempt to foil her shadow's evil and restore the natural order to Fairyland above.
But this is a Valente novel, so nothing is at seems. There's as much Phantom Tollbooth here as there is Narnia, a disorienting but familiar sense of story-ness as September travels slantwise through the underworld, shot through with menace and heroism. You never know what's coming next in Fell Beneath, and the most roundabout and whimsical turns always come back around to the main story and its payoff.
As masterful as the first novel, and with a reprise of Ana Juan's illustrations, this is a most worthy sequel. I'm also excited to note that there's an unabridged, DRM-free MP3CD audiobook edition, because this is one of those fairytales, like Gaiman's Stardust, that you want to have read aloud to you.
If your fancy is tickled by this, don't miss Deathless, Valente's fantasy for adults about the Siege of Leningrad.
happy mutants
That time that David Lynch stuffed a pair of fan's panties in his mouth
Only David Lynch. This video resurfaced recently of an incident that happened in 2003(?). It shows David Lynch eating a pair of warm panties just removed by "Cinema Lover," a member of the DavidLynch.com chatroom. He stuffs the panties in his mouth and then attempts to pronounce the handle of another chatroom member, WMMVRRVRRMM. Paging… READ THE REST
Interview with Boing Boing contributor Annie Rauwerda, of "Depths of Wikipedia" fame
Wikimedia's Chris Koerner interviews Annie Rauwerda, whose encyclopedic knowledge of the encyclopedia means she finds (and shares) the most wild, offbeat and fascinating articles. (See also her work here at BB) From the interview: What's a common misconception you find people have about Wikipedia? I'm often surprised by how many people forget that they can… READ THE REST
Satanic Puppeteer Orchestra's dropping a "financial record"
I really get a kick out of Satanic Puppeteer Orchestra, a conceptual band out of San Diego with a robot lead singer. So when the band's human, Professor B. Miller, asked me to write the liner notes for their latest laser-etched LP, Balance a Checkbook, I couldn't say no! It's a "financial record," so I've… READ THE REST
These two best-selling drones will change your photography game, and they're over half-off
We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. Life is full of extraordinary moments, from weddings and graduations to the everyday beauty of fresh snowfall. And while your phone may have some top-notch picture-taking abilities, capturing these snapshots from a new… READ THE REST
Enhance your vision at night with these low-light HD glasses for 40% off
We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. If you wear glasses or contacts, there's a good chance your prescriptions lenses don't do everything you need them to do to protect your eyes, especially at night. You probably still… READ THE REST
Impress anyone who comes over with a futuristic lamp like this on your desk
We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. Whether it's your bedroom, kitchen, or guest bathroom, getting your hands on the right decor to give off the vibe you want can be tricky, not to mention expensive. But instead of… READ THE REST


In a full cone spray the droplets are distributed into a volume which is limited by a cone, having its origin point at the nozzle orifice. Such spray pattern is commonly used in a large variety of industrial processes, since it is the one which allows to distribute in an even way the water flow onto a surface: the full cone spray pattern is therefore useful, as a typical example, to evenly spray cooling liquid on a still surface. Another typical use is to distribute liquid droplets within a certain volume, like for example evenly distributing water droplets in he inside volume of a cooling tower.
Because of the wide number of processes performed by means of full cone nozzles the original shape has evolved into a range of specialised types, where the full cone spray pattern, or a pattern similar to a full cone one, is obtained by different techniques.
These nozzles use a specially shaped vane placed at the nozzle inlet, to give a rotational speed to the fluid flowing through the nozzle.
Because of the rotational speed of the fluid, water exiting the nozzle orifice is subjected to centrifugal force and opens up in the shape of a full cone.
The extent of the angle of the cone is a function of both exit speed (created from the inlet ressure) and the internal design of the nozzle. It can vary in practice from 15° to 120°.
These nozzles can be also produced as square full cone nozzles, where the square shape of the pyramidal spray is obtained by a special design of the outlet orifice.
the square section of the spray rotates within the distance from the nozzle orifice to the target area.
This is not properly a full cone, but rather a continuous liquid curtain evolving with the shape of a spiral inside a conical volume. The disadvantage of a scarcely even distribution is compensated by an exceptionally good resistance to plugging, which makes this nozzle the best choice in those applications where safety or system reliability are the prime concern, e.g. fire fighting systems.
When a wide spray angle is to be reached with nozzles which inherently can only produce a narrow one, or in such cases where small size droplets and rather high capacities are required. Therefore several nozzles are grouped in a cluster with different spray directions: the resulting spray pattern occurs from the additional group of single nozzle sprays and the droplet size of the spray remains the same as one of single nozzle. It must be noted that a smaller nozzle will normally make smaller drops as compared to a larger size nozzle of the same type operating under the same conditions.
When it is necessary to obtain a wide angle jet using nozzles which inherently deliver a limited angle spray. In the case of a wide angle air atomizer, for example, the droplet distribution is obviously not homogeneous and the result is rather a number of small angle sprays with different directions, but still the liquid is atomized towards all the parts of the volume to be treated.


The Slovenian Green Corridors project enabled the development of electromobility in Slovenia, which took place within the framework of the European project Central European Green Corridors (CEGC). The main objective of this project is to establish a dense network of fast charging stations for electric vehicles on the motorway cross of the Republic of Slovenia.
In cooperation with SODO, sistemski operater distribucijskega omrežja z električno energijo, d.o.o., the Ministry of Infrastructure of the Republic of Slovenia implemented the project for setting up fast charging stations for electric vehicles on the motorway cross of the Republic of Slovenia. In accordance with the Energy Act, SODO is responsible for developing the basic public infrastructure for fast charging stations for electric vehicles on the motorway cross of the Republic of Slovenia. The preliminary assessment of the project value was EUR 2 million for setting up 26 fast charging stations for electric vehicles, and have been set up by the end of 2015.
The CEGC project was an important step towards coordination and synchronisation of different European projects in the field of electromobility. Thus, the use of a network of fast charging stations for electric vehicles across Europe is no longer just a vision – it has become a reality. Studies have emphasised the increased integration of the energy system and drivers' needs, as well as the need for integration with information systems of vehicle producers, which will contribute to further improvement in accepting electromobility.
The CEGC was a joint project for establishing cross-border infrastructure for fast charging stations for electric vehicles, which connect Slovenia, Croatia, Austria, Slovakia and Germany. The CEGC Consortium was established following the TEN-T call for tenders in 2013. The project was funded by the European Union in the field of Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). The partners in charge of the realisation of this project in 2015 included: VERBUND AG (as project coordinator), Bayern Innovativ, BMW, the City of Zagreb, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia and SODO d.o.o., GreenWay, Nissan, OMV, Schrack Technik, SMATRICS, Renault-Nissan, Volkswagen and ZSE.
Vienna, January 2015. Electric mobility takes a giant leap ahead. In terms of the goals set for the project "Central European Green Corridors (CEGC)", a dense network of rapid charging stations will be established in Austria, Slovakia and Slovenia with connections to Bavaria and Zagreb until the end of 2015.
More than 10 strong partners, among them leading car manufacturers (BMW, Nissan, Renault and VW), OMV location partners, the Slovak energy supply company ZSE and the Slovenian Government will fast track the tightening of the fast charging station network in order to make daily use of electric cars more comfortable. With the assistance of the six respective Ministries in Austria, France, Germany, Slovenia, Slovakia and Croatia, the CEGC project was awarded for funding by the European Commission, in line with the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) programme call.
The partners will set up 115 high power recharging points, using the multi-standard technology at each charging location with AC/Type 2, DC/Combo 2 as well as DC/CHAdeMO interfaces, thus being compatible with most electric vehicles on the market. All recharging points will form one interoperable network. Once deployed, the regional fast charging network in Austria, Slovakia and Slovenia as well as additional charging locations in Croatia and Germany will enable drivers and owners of electric cars to seamlessly travel beyond borders.
The CEGC project is an important step taken towards coordinating and synchronizing different European projects. E-mobility thus brings Europe even closer together. Using an e-mobility charging network across Europe is no longer just a vision – it has become reality. Studies highlighting the increased integration with the energy system and drivers' needs as well as the integration with car manufacturers' IT systems will further enhance the acceptance of electric mobility.
"Electric power is the fuel of the future. We spare no effort in accelerating the ecology of the transport sector. That is why we have been pushing forward electric mobility in national and international projects for quite some time now. To this end, we are actively engaged in promising energy efficient and clean mobility solutions. E-mobility needs strong stimuli and partners. We are therefore very proud that this new cooperation makes fast charging possible across all sectors and borders", emphasises Wolfgang Anzengruber, Chairman of VERBUND's Management Board, Austria's largest energy company and coordinator of the CEGC project.
CEGC was submitted under the TEN-T call for proposals 2013 and will be implemented with support from the EU financial aid in the field of the Trans-European Transport Network. The following partners pooled their strengths to implement the project in 2015: VERBUND AG (coordinator), Bayern Innovativ, BMW, City of Zagreb, Government of Slovenia, GreenWay, Nissan, OMV, Schrack, Smatrics, Renault, Volkswagen, ZSE.


text:
journalism, sports
What's a journalist? (Sports-related)
Posted on December 8, 2018 December 8, 2018 by Beau Dure in journalism, sports
The funny thing I found about MMA journalism — most of the sport's coverage up until the very late 2000s was in the hands of independent journalists who started sites with funny names (Sherdog, Bloody Elbow, MMA Junkie) who are more professional than the organization they've covered.
They toss aside the Playboy issues with an Octagon Girl that the UFC is trying to hand out. They hold the UFC accountable to the point of having their access revoked. Josh Gross and Loretta Hunt were both tossed out for asking questions that made Dana White and company uncomfortable. So was Ariel Helwani, however briefly.
And a lot of them have moved into major news organizations. USA TODAY bought MMA Junkie, basically outsourcing its MMA coverage. (That also meant the end of my freelance work for USA TODAY, which had continued after I left the full-time staff, but what really bothered me was that USAT's new and inexperienced — and short-tenured — sports leadership tossed out a terrific full-time staff reporter.) Bloody Elbow has grown with its parent organization, SB Nation. Luke Thomas has a terrific show at SiriusXM.
I'm glad — because these folks are damn good.
A few soccer folks have done well independently or in the SB Nation fold. But the MMA folks took it to another level. Bloody Elbow has always had brilliant technical analysis along with history and some legal analysis, and it has gone into strong investigative work as well. Most MMA blogs with an audience are rarely, if ever, the province of the fanboy.
With the UFC strong-arming journalists, those journalists have done some careful thinking about the price of access. The UFC tossed Helwani out of the building along with a photographer and videographer who just happened to work for the same site. Dana White backed down on that, despite insisting he wouldn't, but he has never relented on bringing back Josh Gross and Loretta Hunt, who did nothing more than raise questions that were uncomfortable for White and company.
So a few people in the MMA media have done what we've tried to do in soccer with varying success. They formed a journalists' association. This week, that association spoke up after some mixed messages about whether journalists would be allowed to ask about, say, Greg Hardy and domestic violence. (Here's the background.)
Luke Thomas offered up a thoughtful take about the association and journalism in general. He didn't join the former because he thinks he doesn't do the latter.
I think Luke is setting a very high bar for what's considered journalism. He does analysis. I'd argue that's journalism, probably more than I did in a ton of my stories at USA TODAY. We weren't exactly FRONTLINE in my day. We did aggravate the UFC when my big cover-story splash about the sport led with Kimbo Slice, who was fighting for another organization at the time and leading the way into prime time, but I didn't uncover a deep, dark secret with the help of anonymous sources. (Post-Jack Kelley, USA TODAY wasn't big on anonymous sources.) I did original interviews, as he does. I pulled information from those interviews and other readily accessible things to put together stories that were unique, but so does he.
So, Luke, I for one think you're a journalist.
And yet I understand the reluctance in joining an association, having been in two. I was president of one, and I'm probably at least partially responsible for it falling apart, mostly because I never really figured out what we were supposed to do. Exactly once in my tenure did I have a situation in which I needed to hash things out with an MLS team, and it was ridiculously minor. As Luke says here, a reporter's editor should be the one doing that.
And yet I have full respect for Josh Gross being an officer of the MMA association. His presence sends a nice message that the members of the group are going to do their jobs whether the UFC likes it or not.
It's also good to see some unity there. When I was in MMA journalism, I always sensed that many MMA fans figured those of us on the "inside" were compromised. I made every effort to demonstrate that I wasn't, to the point of taking a gift the UFC had sent me all the way to Vegas to return it in person at UFC 100. The people working the desk surely still think I'm crazy.
(Yeah, they say credentialed reporters are compromised in soccer, too, but that's because soccer attracts a lot of professional whiners. As I posted to a mailing list this week: "A lot of reporters are accused of not challenging MLS, and the people who raise such accusations won't be happy until they see a lede like, 'In a game that doesn't matter because MLS doesn't have promotion/relegation and once received a marketing boost from Chuck Blazer, Atlanta United beat the Portland Timbers 4-3 in an MLS Cup final featuring hat tricks by Josef Martinez and Diego Valeri, neither of whom would score that many goals in La Liga.'")
So just having a variety of names attached is a good thing. I often wished I could show some solidarity with those on the "outside," and a group like this helps.
Maybe they could do some things to raise their visibility. The UFC rankings (no offense to the one former co-worker and longtime friend of mine who takes his vote very seriously) aren't particularly credible. What if the MMAJA did their own? The only glue that held together the soccer associations was voting on weekly awards.
Still, what matters more is that the media understand what they're doing and the ramifications of all of it. Press conferences are often just for show, in MMA especially but sometimes in soccer as well.
And it's important to pick one's battles. One time I diverged from my soccer colleagues was when MLS decided to give us some information before MLS Cup but asked us to withhold it until halftime. I had no issue with it, and it gave us time to prepare what we were going to do with it. Others immediately tweeted it out. So what happened? MLS never did that again, so now you get the same info at halftime, and you have to scramble to respond to it while you're trying to cover a game. Was that "scoop" worth it?
The MMA media have more difficult fights. If I'm being asked not to ask certain questions at a press conference, I'd be inclined not to go, and then I'll ask the questions elsewhere. We'd have to see if my editors backed that up.
They grasp these issues. They have intelligent discussions on them. It's impressive. And a lot of us could learn from it.
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You might know of or at least heard of the cocktail called "The Manhattan" (whiskey, sweet vermouth and bitters) but did you know that there are four more cocktails that represent the boroughs of New York?
The Queens is made with gin, dry and sweet vermouth and pineapple juice.
The Brooklyn is made with rye, dry vermouth, maraschino liqueur (cherry) and Amer Picon. I had to ask at a few liquor stores to even find out what Amer Picon is. Turns out it is an bitter orange-y tasting liqueur. It was suggested that I use Montenegro Amaro or Nonino Amaro for a substitute.
The Bronx is made with gin, equal parts sweet and dry vermouth and orange juice. This tasted similar to a Lillet Blanc and Orange juice. A cocktail that is better in warmer weather.
The Staten Island Ferry is made with equal parts coconut rum (like Malibu) and pineapple juice. I have had a few of those before, just never knew that it had a name.
All of these New York City Cocktails, got me thinking about what would a Hudson Valley cocktail consist of? Hard cider and bourbon? What do you think should be the cocktail of the Hudson Valley? Let us know.


AP Human Geography provides many opportunities for authentic learning using applied concepts. The challenge is to take advantage of the site and situation of the community in which you teach.
Thanks to the internet, you can take students on virtual field trips without having to worry about whether they have their passports. While exploring the course's cultural unit, students learn about the cultural landscape from many different perspectives. In a given lesson, students can view mosques in Somalia, gothic cathedrals in France, yurts (gers) in Mongolia, or Hindus purifying themselves in the Ganges River. It is much easier today than in the past to bring the world to students. Yet if a global perspective is our only emphasis in this unit, students fail to see the intricate patterns of life within their own communities.
I use a cultural landscape field study to examine local community patterns. Once students learn about the cultural landscape in communities around the world, I unleash them on communities closer to home. Students conduct their own studies, looking for evidence of material culture with the same tools they have brought to bear on their studies of other world communities.
One student chose a town with only one Catholic church but 12 Protestant churches. The student reflected on the lack of ornateness of the Catholic church and concluded that it might be due to a cultural dominance of Protestant faiths in the area.
Students sometimes counted the numbers of stores with or without signs. They also looked at how the local governments portrayed religion during December. Was this period Christian-focused, or did it include other faiths?
The placement of religious symbols can have larger meanings about the role of religion in a secular, capitalist society. Students sometimes remarked on the cross being used as a symbol for a particular suburb.
One student reflected on the movie theater in one suburb and the number of independent films that it showed. Examining this type of programming in conjunction with census data, she concluded that residents were well-educated, affluent, and were looking to distinguish themselves from the average Hollywood movie audience.
Students used place names and other signs to understand the background of a particular area. One student researching the suburb of Lake Zurich found that although the landscape in the business district reflected a Swiss town, only a few people of Swiss heritage lived in the town. After talking with village officials, she found that the town was named as a marketing ploy to attract business to the suburb.
After studying the last names found in local cemeteries, students made conclusions about the national origin of the European settlers in their areas. One student reflected on the number of German names in a cemetery in Schaumburg. Another student presented the last names of "Swift" and "Armour" in a Lake Forest cemetery as evidence of the historic wealth in the community.
One student observed both Mexican and U.S. flags in the front of one resident's house. Another found a Polish community center.
Ensuring student safety and responsibility on this trip is important, and parents must give their approval for this project, but the extra effort is well worth it. Students return excited about their discoveries.
A study of local communities presents one more opportunity for AP teachers to open students' eyes to the world around them. The links on this page to Student Assignment: Cultural Landscape Field Study includes the directions for the project as carried out in suburban Illinois.


We are pleased to announce the official launch of the RoC Community Centers. Spurred by the natural healing witnessed by parents, RoC felt compelled to offer more for its clients. With many families receiving benefits from a variety of complementary and alternative therapies, we wanted to make sure anyone who was interested was able to access these alternatives. Thus began the RoC Community Centers! The center offers a variety of options and therapies; please check websites for specific practitioners, times, and dates. Scheduling and billing is NOT handled by RoC staff so please be sure to contact the practitioner(s) directly.
Mentally-STRONG™ a national brand promoting Choice Mapping©, a practical self-help formula empowering anyone to confidently say I am mentally strong. While simultaneously encouraging a healthy relationship with God.


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Tag Archives: green door labs
Puzzling in the Past with the Fantastic Club Drosselmeyer Radio Show!
Posted on December 15, 2020 by gmdirect
Over the previous four years, the organizers of Club Drosselmeyer have hosted an event in Boston set in a nightclub during World War II. The events have featured era-appropriate costumes, music, puzzle solving, dancing, and even a swing-time version of the Nutcracker Suite!
But given the current global circumstances, this year they redesigned their magical December event, and for the first time, folks outside the Boston area took part in a virtual Club Drosselmeyer puzzle experience presented as a radio show from the same era.
The first event was this Saturday, and your friendly neighborhood puzzle blogger was in attendance. And I just have to say… I was absolutely blown away by the show.
I've done a lot of puzzle-from-home things, from crossword tournaments to escape rooms, but none of them had the same style, ambiance, and energy as the Club Drosselmeyer Radio Show.
Allow me to explain a bit more.
Participants could either order a box of physical material to be delivered to the house (your Drosselbox) or download and print the necessary materials. But either way, you had puzzles and helpful items in front of you during the show.
[Some of the contents of your Drosselbox.
Puzzle materials excluded to avoid spoilers.]
Then you log into your account online, which gives the Club Drosselmeyer team your phone number and sets up your unique radio show page, which you have running online.
Every participant — or group, since you could play with up to five people (or more if people wanted to share roles) — had a scheduled two-hour window for the full solving experience. The radio show itself serves as musical performance, ambiance, and a built-in two-hour timer for your solve!
Plus you would periodically call into the Drosselmeyer Industries Switchboard with your phone to interact with prerecorded performances with the characters. A push-button system allowed you to answer questions and input puzzle solutions, which is already really cool. But, during the scheduled performance times, at points, you would be kicked over to the ACTUAL PERFORMER who voiced the prerecording you had just interacted with!
I must confess, I was startled virtually every time a voice said "Hello?" and then called me by name.
The interactions were so cool, and really immersed you in this fun roleplay aspect of the game as you gave them your solutions and were directed what to do next. The performers weren't just professional, they were charming and helpful and it was an absolute treat to have these unique interactions with them.
Plus, your phone interactions would affect your individual radio show as you listened. You could trigger plot-specific updates and one of SEVEN different conclusions based on your contributions to the night's events!
Oh, and what were the night's events? Well…
In this scenario, puzzlers take on the role of an air raid warden and a civilian defense unit during World War II. It's supposed to be a quiet night in Massachusetts while you listen to your favorite radio show. But suddenly, an air raid siren blares into the night, and you're called into action!
I won't go into the puzzles themselves, since solvers can still interact with the automated system, but I do want to highlight the radio show itself.
The music and sound design were absolutely top-notch, really adding to the whole experience. The music varied from soft lilting pieces to absolute big-band bangers, and it all felt so perfect for the time period. (I actually had to go back to listen to some of the song performances afterward, because I was so in-the-zone with my puzzle solving that I barely registered them.)
There was a post-show videochat so that players and performers could show off their period-specific costumes and interact, and I had the pleasure of speaking to several of the performers. They were incredibly welcoming and interested in the players' solving experiences, and the mellow after-show aspect was a delight.
[Just some of the characters you interact with through prerecorded messages AND live chats during the actual show!]
I inquired whether they'd be doing another Club Drosselmeyer Radio Show in the future, but the performers seemed quite anxious to get back to their usual live show format. I can appreciate that, but I sincerely hope they do this again. Eschewing videochats for a pure radio show-style feel was so engaging and felt so fresh and vibrant, and the phone interaction system (both automated and live) was truly impressive.
I simply cannot say enough good things about this experience. The puzzles were cleverly designed and varied in challenge (to allow for easier solving paths for less-experienced players or puzzle-light listening experiences), and the performances were outstanding. The entire team, from puzzlers to technicians to performers to musicians, should be very proud.
The Club Drosselmeyer Radio Show was an absolute blast. I loved every minute of it. (Yes, even the minutes wasted making dumb mistakes on a puzzle. *laughs*)
[Please check out their website here for all things Club Drosselmeyer.]
Posted in PuzzleNation, Puzzles | Tagged 1943, club drosselmeyer, club drosselmeyer radio show, drosselmeyer, green door labs, interactive, interactive puzzling, interactive storytelling, live show, product review, puzzle event, puzzle from home, PuzzleNation, Puzzles in Pop Culture, Puzzlin' fool, world war 2, world war ii | 2 Replies


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Press Releases>Finance>Investment>Seismic Warning Systems>
Seismic Warning Systems
Earthquake Early Warning System Works Flawlessly in Los Angeles 5.4 Quake
QuakeGuard™ Systems deployed in Southern California Instantly Register Tuesday Quake as Low Risk.
Los Angeles, CA, July 31, 2008 --(PR.com)-- Earthquake early warning systems deployed and operating in Southern California locations east of Los Angeles monitored Tuesday's 11:42a.m. magnitude 5.4 quake near Chino Hills, California before the shaking began at their locations by detecting the quake's primary shockwave (P-wave) and instantly calculating the forthcoming shaking to pose no significant threat. Determining little risk to local people or property, QuakeGuard™ systems east and south of the quake detected the event prior to major shaking at their locations and chose not to activate their automated response safety mechanisms. QuakeGuard™ installations throughout the State continue a perfect performance record with no false activations for non-hazardous local seismic events and 100% success at detecting potentially hazardous local events as they have over the last 9 years in past events such as the quakes near Palm Springs, Paso Robles, and most recently in San Jose on October 30th, 2007. Deputy Cal Fire Chief Ignacio Otero reports "…none of the systems we have in the Coachella Valley activated during this event [since the shaking intensity at our sites was below the triggering threshold], as they did during the Anza earthquake which was much closer. We continue to be very pleased with the system's performance"
Designed by Seismic Warning Systems, Inc., QuakeGuard™ is protecting fire stations throughout California. QuakeGuard™ detects a quake's nearly imperceptible P-wave that comes before the dangerous secondary shaking waves arrive, similar to how we see lightning before we hear thunder during a storm, except that with quakes it is the secondary waves that can be destructive. If the device's patented technology calculates from the P-wave that the quake is potentially dangerous, it immediately sounds alarms and triggers the safety response system for that installation. The system has automated responses and stand alone back-up battery for aftershocks. At fire stations, for example, the system automatically opens fire station bay doors, turns on lights, and sounds a siren and/or broadcasts a voice warning message, giving firefighters valuable seconds to prepare for the shaking and get fire trucks out of the station before the doors can jam. "If these doors can at least get 3/4 open, we can get most of the apparatus out of the engine bay," said Palm Springs Fire Chief Blake Goetz. "We have to get the valuable equipment and emergency response personal out to the community. Stuck in the fire house, it will do us no good."
QuakeGuard™ currently provides about one second of warning time for every five miles between the system's location and an earthquake's epicenter. According to Seismic Warning Systems Chief Seismologist Gilead Wurman, "If we had an instrument in every school and firehouse in the LA basin as we would like to, we could have provided significant warning time during this event or larger ones to come. As an example, the Staples Center in downtown LA, which experienced a shaking intensity on the order of 4 to 5, is 29 miles away. We calculate conservatively that 5-10 seconds of advance warning utilizing our QuakeGuard™ system is perfectly feasible at the Staples Center for this earthquake". In the devastating May 12th quake that occurred in Sichuan, China, news reports indicated that office buildings 'swayed with the tremor' hundreds of miles away in Beijing and Shanghai where well over 100 and possibly about 200 seconds of early warning would have been possible if QuakeGuard™ technology had been installed there.
There is a 99 percent chance of California experiencing a quake of magnitude 6.7 or larger within the next 30 years, according to the Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast, sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey, the California Geological Survey and the Southern California Earthquake Center and published in Science in April. Regarding geological pressures built up along Calfornia's known faults, Caltech experts stated on CNN that yesterday's 5.4 quake, "is a sample, a small sample,"
Fortunately, no significant damage resulted from the recent 5.4 temblor, but communities where QuakeGuard™ is installed can be confident that this high tech warning system is ready to help protect their emergency service teams for the next big earthquake. "We only wish that awareness was greater across the state that this type of protection is available," says Seismic Warning Systems, Inc. CEO George E. Dickson III. "We would really love to see every school, fire station, hospital, business and other facility protected for the upcoming major quake that experts across the state say is a 99% likelihood in the next 3 decades or less."
For more information on this topic, or to schedule an interview with Seismic Warning Systems CEO George Dickson, please contact Scott Nebenzahl at 831-440-1122 / 707-732-7274, snebenzahl@seismicwarning.com
About Seismic Warning Systems, Inc. (SWSI)
Seismic Warning Systems, Inc. (www.seismicwarning.com) has developed a patented technology that, for the first time, provides a very reliable warning of an impending earthquake to alert people of imminent danger and trigger key control systems for buildings, equipment and other infrastructure to prevent damage and/or ensure continuance of service. Furthermore, we are extending our technology leadership into the arena of intelligent sensor networks and real time analytics beyond earthquake applications to include structural monitoring. As such, Seismic Warning has developed a robust suite of distributed sensor network technology for real-time response to natural and man-made disasters. Automated outputs generate alerts, alarms and sirens, and instantaneously distribute information to a wide range of systems including factory and building automation, IT, emergency response, and life/safety. The systems are designed to integrate well with wireless technologies, both for collecting sensor data and disseminating alarms and control signals.
Presently their systems are installed in a variety of facilities throughout California in Fire Stations, Schools, Hospitals and corporate campuses. Applications run from basic siren and voice alert to elevator re-call and apparatus door activation. They collaborate with each end-user to define which applications of the early warning signal are best to implement. The technology continues to have un-paralleled success. Units operating at Cisco Systems, and Milpitas Christian School activated during the recent Alum Rock quake near San Jose where some structural damage occurred to buildings. SWSI is also pleased to announce the recent test and acceptance of their first Water Tank Valve application at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab.
Scott Nebenzahl
seismicwarning.com


Check this saxophone exhibition out at the Met if you lucky enough to be in New York City-Adolphe Sax and his creations!!?
From Baker Street to Respect; legendary saxophonist performs classic tunes with breathtaking skill.
How did Snake Davis get his name? It was coined while watching him perform on stage. It perfectly describes the way he moves; glides with and around the music he creates. He becomes one with his instruments, his enthusiasm is inspiring and infectious. Snake Davis's performance moves people, it's passionate, emotional soulful.
Starting out busking and in student bars in Leeds, he quickly became known as the saxophonist with "Zoot and the Roots" and the much loved "Snake Davis and his Alligator Shoes".
After briefly setting up home in Brooklyn getting tuition from hot players he started his long career as a solo artist and session musician. To date, Snake Davis has recorded on more than 400 tracks for over 60 artists and the list keeps growing. His tours include Lisa Stansfield, M-People, Eurythmics, Swing Out Sister, B-Witched and (the Japanese rock idol) Ekichi Yazawa.
Last year Snake had success with two of his students in the finals of BBC Young Musician of the Year. He was the featured artist on three European chart hits with the dance groups Klingande and Faul & Ad Wad as well as touring in the UK, France and Japan.
The New Classic Sax Solos tour see's Snake Davis step into a 5 piece band (keys, drums, bass and Cutting Crew's Gareth Moulton on guitar and vocals.
So many people love the sound of a great saxophone solo and for good reason. In the right hands sax is so emotional, so passionate; it sings, screams, whispers. An instrumental solo can break hearts, lift spirits, even change lives.
Snake performs a myriad of classics, including Baker Street, Careless Whisper, Still Crazy after all these Years, Respect, Yakety Yak, and his own solos from Million Love Songs, Moving on Up, Search for the Hero, and Lisa Stansfields "Change". What's more, he also tells you a bit more about them, fascinating facts and insights into the music we already love.
Rosy after a little persuading played saxophone alongside a guitarist the wonderful Louis Armstrong song 'All The Time In The World' at her musician son's James wedding reception.Well done her!!
Blur have a sax player Mike Smith -what tracks does he play on and who is he??
and heres a photof playing sax and the songs getting my mum to sing and engage in her 90th year and me dad to grin too.


This classically designed mug features an iconic Hinchcliffe & Barber Cockerel print. Created using Matisse s technique of scissor paper cut outs and delicate blue tones. These vibrant yet graceful mugs are a wonderful way of introducing a splash of colour into your everyday living. Manufactured: England, Construction Material: Earthenware, Dimensions: 8cm x 9cm x 7.5cm, 0.284kg. Cleaning/Care: Dishwasher and Microwave safe. Works perfectly on it s own or team up with our other Repetto mugs.


To get the scoop on cheat meal strategies, we turned to six fitness gurus on how they treat themselves.
One day (or one meal) of the week, you can nosh on the foods you've axed from your healthy meal plan—without feeling guilty or packing on pounds. While either may sound like a godsend to dieters far and wide, cheating on your diet—especially for a whole day, not just one meal—probably has as many proponents as opponents. To get the scoop on this slim-down strategy (and whether having a cheat meal trumps having a cheat day), we turned to six fitness gurus. Here, how—and if—they embrace the treat-yourself mentality.
What are your thoughts on cheat days or meals?
What are the benefits of cheating on your diet?
What do you typically eat on those days?
How do you work out after your cheats?
What are your thoughts on cheat days or meals? What are their benefits?
What are your thoughts on a cheat day or meals? What are the benefits?
What are your thoughts on a cheat day or meals?
Get inspired by these fun and indulgent meals.
It might just make or break your diet!
Be a rebel. Break some rules!


Longford Slashers is based in Farneyhoogan on the outskirts of Longford Town. The complex and playing fields are on a site of 16 acres which were purchased in two phases.
In 1978, 12 acres (49,000 m2) were purchased and following extensive development work, the first two pitches were opened on 8th. June 1980 – the first competitive game was a Leader Cup match V Ardagh. The Club grounds, Clubhouse and other facilities were officially opened by the then President of Cumann Luthchleas Gael, Padraic McFlynn, on the 12th. October 1980. On April 25th 2005 another milestone was reached when a new floodlit all-weather playing pitch was opened on an additional 6 acres (24,000 m2) of land that the club purchased.
The club has 3 pitches at present, two full size senior pitches and a juvenile pitch. After major work which began in 2011 and was completed in 2013 all pitches were upgraded to all-weather standard. We can now claim to have the best pitch complex in Co. Longford. Pitches may be accessed in all weather conditions as the entire complex is serviced by concrete footpaths. Each pitch has a covered stand for the safety and comfort of patrons and the stand on our main pitch has wheelchair access. Two of the pitches are floodlit.
Backstage Theatre (visit website) and Gaelscoil Longfoirt (visit website) are also based on our grounds.
The club also provides extensive parking facilities.


where there is a lawyer or legal expertise.
COHRED is proud to announce that the Rockefeller Foundation has awarded the Fair Research Contracting initiative with a fully funded "Bellagio Center Conference." The Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center's mission is to promote innovation and identify impact-oriented solutions to critical global problems. Bellagio conferences are small, focused, interactive gatherings designed to push creative and innovative thinking to address global challenges.
Meeting Report: Click here to download the report to the meeting.


Just before Charles turned 3 I saw a great idea a non-blogging friend posted on Facebook which I really liked. The idea was simple, take a recent photo of your child and add text to it listing things they love. I thought this would make a great blog project and had a few other bloggers with similar aged children join in too.
I ummed and ahhed about doing it this year, as since we went on holiday last year I had major doubts about what a share about the boys online. But I really enjoy making it and think it's a great project to continue and look back on, so I just chose his 'loves' carefully and haven't shared too much.


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AAAA Records - find out more information about them and when will you need to use one.
Each device that is connected to the Internet has a special identifier called IP (Internet Protocol) address. This includes PCs, web servers, smartphones, switches, etc. The pool of IP addresses, that was introduced originally, has already been distributed, so the so-called IPv4 IP addresses are slowly getting replaced with IPv6 addresses. Every domain name which opens a site comes with an IP record, which is the address of the server where it's hosted. Using the IPv4 system, the record is called A and it is comprised of four sets of numbers from 1 to 255 divided with a dot, while within the IPv6 system it's called AAAA and it is made up of 8 groups of hexadecimal numbers i.e. this kind of records use numbers from 0 to 9 and letters from A to F. An illustration of an AAAA record is 2010:0c48:43d3:2142:1012:8c3a:2475:2435 and this format is designed for a significantly greater amount of IPs in comparison with the IPv4 format.
AAAA Records in Shared Website Hosting
If you are using a service with a third-party service provider and you need to set up an AAAA record to point a domain address or a subdomain to their system, you're going to be able to do that with only a couple of clicks within the Hepsia CP, supplied with all of our shared website hosting plans. Once you log in, you will need to go to the DNS Records section where you are going to find all the records for every domain or subdomain hosted in the account. Setting up a new record is as easy as clicking on a button, selecting the type from a drop-down options menu, that is to be AAAA in this case, and then inserting the value, or the actual IPv6 address, in a text box. As an extra option you can edit the TTL value (Time To Live), that outlines how long the record will be live after you modify it or remove it in the future. The new AAAA record will be live in just an hour and will propagate globally a few hours later, so the hostname for which you have created it will start redirecting to the new hosting server.


"There's nothing better than our very own old, basic and way too classic Pineapple Vanilla Cake. We care that not everyone is a chocolate lover and so, we bake this yummilicious Pineapple Vanilla Cake in our own loved oven for all the non-chocoholics. A classic-all time favourite cake made with a delicious combination of basic vanilla and our very favourite Pineapple. With a perfect balance of sweet and tart, this is a cake made up of vanilla sponge layered with fresh whipped cream and real pineapples picked up from the farm. We do not use any butter cream because our belief lies in delivering the fresh and best products.
This Pineapple Vanilla cake is ideal for any occasion- be it your loved one's birthday, anniversary or just as an indulgence. Everybody is a fan of moist and juicy cake with perfectly sweetened smooth frosting. There will always be a kid in all of us who is waiting to lick the fresh cream frosting off the cake. This pineapple cake will bring all your childhood memories and desires back because this cake is a simple yet rustic in itself. Pineapple Vanilla cake from our shelves is the most easy and simple to bake. Certainly no elaborate steps. A vanilla sponge cake, some whipped cream, fresh juicy pineapple chunks along with pure pineapple crush and cherries on the top to bring out the best in you. It is a perfect fruit cake for all your sinful cravings. It will give you happy sugar rush and certainly bring a smile on your face.
This cake has exceptionally juicy innards and beautiful decoration on the top. Amazingly soft, this sponge cake with vanilla and pineapple is as perfect as you. It is available in both egg based or oil-based eggless type. You can get it baked in 0.5 kg to 5 kgs according to your need. This cake is attractive, mouth-watering and delicious and has smooth and perfect texture. Moist sponge cake on the inside, wonderful flavour, sweetened whipped cream and chunks of pineapple on the outside- What do we need more? Deliciousness in each bite! Order now and get a delivery within 3 hours at your doorstep. Trust us, Take a bite and you won't ever order another pineapple cake from offline cake shops. Fresh and yummy cake is just few clicks away!"
I simply love delicious cake, and CakeZone is my fav site where I can order and get hassle free delivery. I love the way they prepare their cake with extra care. Very recently I ordered a pineapple vanilla cake for my family just to enjoy holidays. My children and wife loved the taste of vanilla with fresh pineapple slices on the top. It was attractive, and the mouth watering taste is utterly unforgettable. Their quick delivery is praiseworthy. I will order more in future.
This is my first visit to India and I badly wanted to have a piece of cake at one fine night. As all the streets were unknown to me I decided to get it online and there I came across CakeZone. I am a big fan of pineapple and so ordered the pineapple vanilla cake. The fine texture of the cake is really amazing. It is really great to have such a quality cake shop.


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Recycled Toyota 4Runner Could Prevent Millions of Newborn Deaths
Sustainability made stylish
Kenny Luna
With approximately 3.9 million infants dying within a month of birth each year throughout the developing world, and 25 percent of those deaths due to complications of being born prematurely like heat and water loss, a group of innovative engineers at Design that Matters are finding a way to recycle cars into infant incubators and hoping to ensure that millions of kids live to see their first birthday as a result of their efforts.
According to Dr. Jonathan Rosen, a former director at the Center for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology (CIMIT) which is now promoting the program, he learned from doctors working in developing countries that no matter how remote the community there always seemed to be a working Toyota 4Runner that around. So the challenge became to "start with a 4Runner and take away all the parts that weren't an incubator."
And they're doing just that, as in the Design that Matters incubator where the heat for the unit comes from a pair of headlights, an automobile air filter and fan provide the climate control, and a car door alarm signals emergencies
Now with $150,000 in initial financing from CIMIT, the project's next step is to find funding to develop a working prototype, and then gain endorsement from organizations like the World Health Organization and the United Nations Population Fund to speed the adoption of the technology.
There's no doubt it will be fascinating to see if this idea can survive and flourish, as there are no shortage of used vehicles, and plenty of newborns who could use the help.
Via: EcoChild'sPlay
Image Via: Eco Child's Play
More on Recycled Cars
Nine Stories Makes Furniture From Car Panels
The KI Daylight Chair, Made From Recycled Car Parts
Recycled Consumer Goods
With approximately 3.9 million infants dying within a month of birth each year throughout the developing world, and 25 percent of those deaths due to complications of being born prematurely like heat and water loss, a group of innovative engineers at
Why you should avoid "fast furniture"
Nothing New 2020: I'm embarking on a year of secondhand purchases
Reusable cup program comes to Victoria, British Columbia
Bon Appétit's Test Kitchen promises to be more sustainable in 2020


As a matter of fact, I have very few spare times these days. My studies are so important to me that I have given up all my other activities. I used to love playing tennis, but now I simply do not have the time.
Well, these days, surfing on the Internet has been my only interest in leisure time. I have just bought my first computer, and love to look for exciting web sites that I have not known before. Moreover, by means of web cameras I am able to watch what wild animals are doing in many parts of the world. I particularly like to watch the polar bears playing with their cubs. Surfing on the Internet is of course very time consuming, so I don't really have time for anything else.
Yes, I often watch TV. My favorite program is called 'Discovery'. It is not a science fiction but a documentary on real life events and happenings. For example, it had a program on the latest eclipse of the sun that occurred at the end of the year. The program also talks about nature. Last week it explained how some birds have adapted themselves to survive in a desert.
No, I don't think so. We can learn a lot from watching TV and it is a good way to relax. Soap operas help me to relax, while the documentaries are informative. Lastly, I believe that TV has becomethe best source of information these days. For example, it is a fast and convenient way to find out about the latest news from all over the world.


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Southern Africa - Floods Fact Sheet #9, Fiscal Year (FY) 2000
The rain associated with the remnants of Tropical Depression Gloria is currently over the Mozambique Channel. With accumulation of up to 2.5 inches, rain is predicted to reach the southern areas of Mozambique late on March 7 and continue throughout the of the week. Current precipitation in Tete (north of Beire) is causing some concern over possible water levels on the Zambezi River.
The number of affected people in the region is more than 1 million, and the press reports at least 400 deaths as a result of the flooding. However, the disaster relief community agrees that the death toll in Mozambique alone will probably climb into the thousands once the floodwaters recede sufficiently for assessments.
Mozambique was the first country to declare a disaster on February 7, with Botswana following on February 16 and South Africa on February 17. The U.S. Embassy in Zimbabwe declared a disaster on February 29.
Floodwaters: As the floodwaters of most of the rivers in Mozambique continue to recede, more human remains are being discovered. Aerial assessments indicate that the towns of Novo Mombane and Machanga along the mouth of the Save River are still flooded.
Health Issues: The INGC reports that they are sending teams to various locations to properly handle the increasing number of human remains being discovered.
The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that the accommodation centers, established for the displaced, require monitoring of medicines and supply inventory, initiation of health awareness campaigns and preventive measures against malaria and cholera, and development of an epidemiological surveillance system.
Food: The U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) is the lead agency for emergency food distribution. WFP has requested support from NGOs to augment its food monitoring staff. The NGOs currently working with USAID in flood-affected areas are Food for the Hungry International (FHI) in Sofala Province, and Save the Children Fund (SCF) and World Vision in Gaza Province. World Vision is already working with WFP. In a report issued on March 3, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimated that at least 150,000 hectares of food crops have been destroyed and approximately 30% of cattle lost in the floods.
Water/Sanitation: UNICEF is the lead agency addressing water/sanitation issues. UNICEF's current strategy for water distribution is to use water bladders and water purification units producing 40 cubic meters per hour for large populations and bladders with chlorine treatment in places with smaller populations.
Infrastructure: According to WFP, the Governor of Maputo has indicated that the Xai-Xai/Palmeira road should be passable within the next ten days, which will open transportation between Maputo and Macia.
Rescue/Relief Operations: The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is working with the U.N. Emergency Relief Coordinator to assist in the registration of the Mozambicans displaced by the floods. The registration database that they are developing will be used at the end of the emergency phase for the return and resettlement of the displaced populations.
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Response
The GO Team from Miami-Dade Fire and Rescue began reconnaissance operations with its 3 rigid hull inflatable boats in the northern city of Beira today, March 7. Each boat has the capacity to transport 3,100 lbs.
USAID/BHR/OFDA is currently funding 13 aircraft (9 fixed-wing and 4 helicopters) through its grant to an NGO, AIRSERVE. The fixed-wing aircraft are performing assessment missions, and transporting emergency supplies and personnel in various locations. Three of the helicopters are conducting similar operations, primarily from Maputo or in other areas as needed. The fourth helicopter is dedicated to spotting boats performing relief operations, coordinating with the South African Defense Force on rescue operations, assisting with the location of isolated populations, and transporting operational supplies for other helicopters. Airserv is currently providing logistical support, such as fuel, to approximately 50 boats operated by local volunteer and commercial boaters that are conducting rescue operations. AIRSERVE is similarly supporting the Mozambican Navy and boats being operated by NGOs.
On February 7, the U.S. Ambassador to Mozambique declared a disaster and USAID provided an immediate $25,000 through USAID/Maputo to Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) for emergency relief activities.
U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) Response:
In response to a request by the U.S. Embassy, DOD deployed a Humanitarian Assistance Survey Team (HAST) on February 17 to Mozambique and South Africa.
The United States European Command (EUCOM) deployed a Joint Task Force (JTF) to assist in search and rescue and humanitarian relief operations. The JTF arrived on March 5 and is operating out of its staging base established in Hoedspruit, South Africa. Major General Joseph Wehrle, Commander of the JTF, met with the U.S. Ambassador and conducted a news conference with national and international media. He intends to commence emergency relief operations today, March 7.
Local Response:
On February 23, U.N. agencies and the GRM jointly issued a consolidated appeal for $13.6 million for emergency relief and rehabilitation activities for a six-month period. The appeal included funding requirements for activities in the areas of food, shelter, health, water/sanitation, agriculture, education, and communication. Also included in the second appeal was a request by the GRM for assistance with rehabilitation and reconstruction costs, which are estimated at more than $50 million.
International Response:
Information on donor activities and international response to date is available at www.reliefweb.int.
The number of affected people in Botswana is estimated at 73,000.
The U.S. Embassy in Botswana declared a disaster on February 16. In response, USAID/BHR/OFDA provided $25,000 through USAID/Gaborone for the procurement of emergency sanitation systems.
Due to extensive flooding in the northeastern parts of South Africa and the resulting displacement of several small but isolated populations, U.S. Ambassador Lewis declared a disaster in these flood-affected areas on February 17. In response, USAID/BHR/OFDA provided an initial $25,000 through USAID/South Africa to the South African Red Cross for the supply of blankets, food, and other relief items to 3,000 displaced persons in the Northern and Mpumalanga Provinces.
Cyclone Leon-Eline hit the southeastern areas of Zimbabwe on February 22. The heavy rains continued through March 1. The Government of Zimbabwe (GOZ) declared a disaster in the southeastern provinces of Manicaland, Masvingo, and Matebeleland South on February 24. Midlands Province was also adversely affected. Damages to roads, bridges, dams, and public buildings such as schools and health facilities were recorded in all four provinces.
On March 4, the GOZ issued an appeal for approximately $21 million for emergency assistance in the areas of food, shelter, water, clothing, and medical commodities. The appeal states that the number of affected people in the country is 500,000, of which 25,000 are said to be in urgent need of assistance. A specific list of needs is included in the appeal.
U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe Tom McDonald issued a disaster declaration on February 29. In response, USAID/BHR/OFDA provided an initial $25,000 on March 1 through the U.S. Mission to support relief activities.
Madagascar:
The USAID mission reports that the Madagascar National Disaster Unit (CNS), in collaboration with the National Response Steering Committee (CRIC), completed initial damage assessments in five districts in the east, two districts in the west, and all districts of the Antananarivo Province. The preliminary assessments estimate a total of 61,355 people affected, 64 dead, 1 injured, and 10,000 displaced. More than 1,500 flood victims are in temporary shelters and the estimated damage to public building totals approximately $300,000.
The CNS provided 30 metric tons of rice, roofing materials, medicines, blankets and three Zodiac boats. Helicopters and other logistical support were deployed to access remote areas.
USAID is in contact with the USAID Mission and continues to monitor the situation.
Total USG Assistance in the Region (to date)
USG Agency
Activities funded
USAID/OFDA
Medecins Sans Frontieres for emergency relief activities
Grant to WFP for the provision of relief commodities and logistical support.
Grant to Save the Children/U.S. for emergency health initiatives in Gaza Province, for approximately 55,000 beneficiaries.
200 rolls of plastic sheeting, 6,000 water jugs, and 6,000 wool blankets from stockpiles via a DOD-funded aircraft to shelter 2,000 families.
Grant to Airserv for support to rescue operations and air transport.
Additional support for search and rescue and emergency relief operations
Local procurement of emergency food aid
Procurement and shipping of WHO emergency health kits
USAID/FFP
Emergency food relief
Procurement of emergency sanitation systems
Grant to South African Red Cross for emergency supplies
Grant to Zimbabwe Red Cross for emergency supplies
Total USAID/OFDA
Total USAID/FFP
*Total DOD
* Current DOD funding figure does not include costs of JTF deployment, which are not yet available.
Regional Background
Higher than average rainfall coupled with 4 days of torrential rains from February 4-7 caused severe flooding in several countries in the southern African region. Reports indicate that this is the worst flooding in the region in several decades.
Cyclone Leon-Eline passed through the region over the week of February 20-26, bringing additional heavy rains and wind to areas already flooded.
Damage from the floods is extensive, isolating many areas and displacing populations in Mozambique, Botswana, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
Public Donation Information
In the interest of effective coordination of public response, we encourage concerned citizens to provide monetary donations to appropriate organizations. To find out about contributions, USAID encourages the public to access its web site at www.info.usaid.gov or to contact its Humanitarian Hotline at 1-800-USAID-Relief between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The public can also directly contact those private voluntary organizations (PVOs) currently working in the region to provide monetary donations. Additionally, the public can contact InterAction, a coalition of voluntary humanitarian and development organizations that work overseas, via their web site (www.interaction.org). Those interested in providing specific technical services or commodities should contact Volunteers in Technical Assistance's (VITA) Disaster Information
US Agency for International Development
Botswana: Floods - Feb 2000
Madagascar: Cyclone Eline and Gloria - Feb 2000
Mozambique: Floods - Jan 2000
Zimbabwe: Floods - Mar 2000
Disaster types
Mozambique + 3 more
InterAction Members Respond to the Victims of the Floods in Southern Africa 20 Mar 2000
General Assembly President expresses deepest sympathy for massive tragedy in southern Africa, urges prompt international response
UN GA
Assessment of Seed Requirements In Southern African Countries Ravaged By Floods And Drought 1999/2000 Season
Botswana + 3 more
Mozambique floods: Summary of assistance provided by the UK Department for International Development


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Q: Integer array to string in Python I have an array of integer, and I need to transform it into string.
[1,2,3,4] => '\x01\x02\x03\x04'

What function can I use for it? I tried with str(), but it returns '1234'.
string = ""
for val in [1,2,3,4]:
    string += str(val) # '1234'

A: ''.join([chr(x) for x in [1, 2, 3, 4]])

A: You can convert a list of small numbers directly to a bytearray:

If it is an iterable, it must be an iterable of integers in the range 0 <= x < 256, which are used as the initial contents of the array.

And you can convert a bytearray directly to a str (2.x) or bytes (3.x, or 2.6+).
In fact, in 3.x, you can even convert the list straight to bytes without going through bytearray:

constructor arguments are interpreted as for bytearray().

So:
str(bytearray([1,2,3,4])) # 2.6-2.7 only
bytes(bytearray([1,2,3,4])) # 2.6-2.7, 3.0+
bytes([1,2,3,4]) # 3.0+ only

If you really want a string in 3.x, as opposed to a byte string, you need to decode it:
bytes(bytearray([1,2,3,4])).decode('ascii')

See Binary Sequence Types in the docs for more details.

A: Simple solution
digits = [1,2,3,4]
print(''.join(map(str,digits)))

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Here's where you might recognise the cast of 'The Haunting of Hill House' from
Ni'Kesia Pannell
Nov 1, 2018, 5:53 PM
NetflixYou might recognise some of the cast of 'The Haunting of Hill House.'
Netflix's chilling new thriller "The Haunting of Hill House" may only be one season in, but that hasn't kept it from taking the nation by storm. Filled with supernatural encounters as well as heart-wrenching moments of grief, the show has already been categorized as TV's first great horror show and for good reasoning.
In addition to the great writing, directing, and producing that Mike Flanagan delivered, each actor in the series found a way to resonate with everyone at least once throughout their appearance. During those times when you were trying to follow the storyline or keep track of all of the hidden ghosts wandering about the mansion, it may have been easy to miss the fact that you've probably seen all of the characters from the show in other roles, too.
Here's where you might recognise the cast of "Hill House" from.
Carla Gugino played Olivia Craine.
Alberto E. Rodriguez /GettyImagesYou might know her from 'Spy Kids 3: Game Over.'
Carla Gugino's role as Olivia Crain may have haunted you in your sleep, but that wasn't the first time you'd seen her on your TV screens.
The actress has been making a name for herself since the late '80s where she made small appearances in shows like "ALF," "Who's the Boss?," and "Good Morning, Miss Bliss" – the show that started "Saved by the Bell."
Over the years, she's been seen in "The Jimmy Show," "Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams," "Spy Kids 3: Game Over," "Sin City," "Night at the Museum," "American Gangster," "Entourage," "Californication," and "Gerald's Game."
Timothy Hutton played Hugh Crain.
Frederick M. Brown /GettyHe was in 'American Crime.'
Timothy Hutton's role as the father that the children loved to hate was incredible given the surrounding facts, but that should be expected considering his resume.
The actor, who has been seen in season five of "How to Get Away with Murder," has also appeared in "American Crime," "Leverage," "Kidnapped," "The Good Shepherd," "French Kiss," "The Killing Room," "The Alphabet Killer," and much more.
Henry Thomas played the young Hugh Crain.
Timothy Hiatt/Stringer/GettyMost famously, he starred in 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.'
The younger version of the Crain patriarch – Henry Thomas – did his best to keep the family together, but things got a little weird throughout the 10-episode thriller.
Though it may not have been easy to notice, Henry Thomas – who played the role – has actually been a star for a very long time.
Most noticeably, Thomas starred in the hit 1982 sci-fi film "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" as the character Elliott. He also starred in the film "Cloak & Dagger," "Legends of the Fall," "Fever," "Gangs of New York," "Ouija: Origin of Evil," and "Gerald's Game."
Michiel Huisman played Steven Crain.
Jeremy Chan/Getty ImagesHe played Blake Lively's love interest in 'The Age of Adaline.'
Playing the role of eldest Crain sibling, when you first saw Michiel Huisman on screen, you may have had a bit of trouble placing your finger on what other shows you've seen him in. And, if you love film and television, you'll notice that there's plenty to choose from.
The actor has appeared in movies like "World War Z," "The Invitation," "The Age of Adaline," and "Irreplaceable You." He's also known for his roles in shows like "Game of Thrones," "Orphan Black," and "Nashville."
Paxton Singleton played the young Steven Crain.
Alberto E. Rodriguez /GettyImagesYou might see more of him in the future.
He may have nailed the role of eldest Crain sibling, but starring in "Hill House" was the biggest role that Paxton Singleton had to date.
Additionally, though, he's appeared in a "Three Musketeers" short and has had a role in the series "The Rookie." You can also catch him in the upcoming movies "Alice Fades Away" and "Breed."
Elizabeth Reaser played Shirley Crain-Harris.
Alberto E. Rodriguez /GettyImagesShe played Alex Karev's love interest on 'Grey's Anatomy.'
She may have been the want-to-be perfect older sister in "Haunting of Hill House," but Elizabeth Reaser didn't always play the pushy character.
Most notably, the actress can be remembered for playing the role of Esme Cullen in "The Twilight Saga." Additionally, she's been seen in "Ouija: Origin of Evil," "Mad Men," "The Good Wife," "Grey's Anatomy" and "Saved."
Lulu Wilson played the young Shirley Crain.
Alberto E. Rodriguez /GettyImagesShe starred in 'Ouija: Origin of Evil.'
Doing the role of young Shirley justice, Lulu Wilson's talent has been shining through even before she nailed this part.
And, this isn't the first time you've seen her in something this haunting. Wilson has starred in "Annabelle: Creation," "Deliver Us from Evil," and "Ouija: Origin of Evil."
Kate Siegel played Theodora Crain.
John Phillips /GettyImagesShe also appeared in 'Ouija: Origin of Evil.'
Theo Crain has possibly become the favourite sibling for many watching, but this isn't Kate Siegel's first time impressing viewers with her acting chops.
The actress, who frequently collaborates on projects with her husband Mike Flanagan, has been seen in "Gerald's Game," "Oculus," "Ouija: Origin of Evil," and "Hush."
McKenna Grace played the young Theodora Crain.
Matt Winkelmeyer /GettyImagesShe was in 'I, Tonya.'
Just like the older version of Theo, McKenna Grace's role as young Theo has quickly made the character a fan favourite. If you couldn't tell by her acting on screen, this wasn't her first go at a role.
Grace has appeared in "Amityville: The Awakening," "I, Tonya," "The Young and the Restless," "Fuller House," "Designated Survivor," "Gifted," has voiced many Disney Channel show characters and more.
Victoria Pedretti played Eleanor "Nell" Crain.
Alberto E. Rodriguez /GettyImagesShe'll be in a Tarantino film.
Though the role as Nell has been Victoria Pedretti's biggest role to date, she's been in two short films titled "Sole" and "Uncovering Eden."
Fans of the new star can look out for her in the upcoming Quentin Tarantino film, "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood."
Violet McGraw played the young Nell Crain.
NetflixShe will appear in an upcoming film.
Before Violet McGraw was running from her own fate in "Hill House," she was appearing in another Netflix Original, "Love." She also has an uncredited role in the film "Ready Player One" and will appear in the upcoming film "Motocross."
Oliver Jackson-Cohen played Luke Crain.
Danny E. Martindale /GettyImagesHe starred in 'The Healer.'
Luke may have been the most troubled of the Crain clan, but one thing we can all agree on is how well Oliver Jackson-Cohen played the part.
Prior to nailing the role though, Jackson-Cohen was seen in shows like "Emerald City" and "Dracula." He also starred in 2017's "The Healer" and 2012's "The Raven."
Julian Hilliard played the young Luke Crain.
Rachel Murray /GettyImagesHe will be in 2019's 'Greener Grass.'
Young Luke Crain was played by Julian Hilliard. And although Hilliard did an amazing job at portraying that on screen, it's the only big role we've seen him play to date.
In early 2018, however, he was seen in the movie "Never Goin' Back," and will be starring in 2019's "Greener Grass."
Annabeth Gish played Mrs. Dudley.
Emma McIntyre /GettyImagesGish was seen in 'The X-Files.'
She may have appeared in only six episodes, but Annabeth Gish's role as Mrs. Dudley surely made an impression. Though you may not have been sure where you've seen her while watching, she's actually a quite familiar face.
Prior to her role in "Hill House," Gish was seen in "The X-Files," "A Father's NIghtmare" on Lifetime, "Halt and Catch Fire," "Scandal," "Pretty Little Liars," "Sons of Anarchy," "The West Wing," "Rizzoli & Isles," and more.
Anthony Ruivivar played Kevin Harris.
Rachel Murray/GettyImagesHe was in 'American Horror Story.'
Watching the "Haunting of Hill House" may have been the first time that thought you witnessed Anthony Ruivivar in action on the screen, but you've actually seen him plenty of times before.
The actor has appeared in shows such as "Frequency," "Scream" The TV Series," "American Horror Story," "Avengers Assemble," "Hawaii Five-O," "Beware the Batman," "Southland," and "Third Watch."
Samantha Sloyan played Leigh Crain.
Presley Ann /GettyImagesShe was in 'Grey's Anatomy.'
Though her role as Leigh Crain may have been small, Samantha Sloyan made her mark long before appearing in "Hill House."
The actress has been seen in "Grey's Anatomy," "Scandal," and even "Hush" – alongside "Hill House" co-star Kate Siegel.
James Lafferty played Ryan, Shirley's one-time affair.
Pascal Le Segretain /GettyImagesYou might know him from 'One Tree Hill.'
James Martin Lafferty's role as Ryan in "Hill House" was small in part, but definitely packed a big punch. The actor may have been remembered for his roles in "One Tree Hill," "Crisis," "Oculus," and "Underground."
Catherine Parker played Poppy Hill.
AXNShe appeared in 'Absentia.'
Poppy Hill got the Crain clan into plenty of trouble during their time living in the Hill House, but Catherine Parker has been impressing casting directors for over a decade now.
The actress has appeared in shows such as "Masters of Sex," "Rizzoli & Isle," "Oculus," and "Absentia."
Robert Longstreet played Mr. Dudley.
Jason Kempin /GettyImagesHe appeared in 'Take Shelter.'
Just like Mrs. Dudley,Robert Longstreet's character Mr. Dudley only appeared in six episodes, but he surely left his mark.
Before his appearance in "Hill House," Longstreet acted in "Take Shelter," "The Old Man & the Gun," "Sorry to Bother You," "Matlock" and more.
Levy Tran played Trish Park.
ShowtimeShe was in 'Shameless.'
Falling in love with Theo Crain, Levy Tran's character Trish proved the persistence in the area of love can get you what you really want. Before she landed the role as Trish though, you probably remember seeing her in a few other roles in productions like "Shameless," "The First Purge," and "Chosen Kin Origins."
Anna Enger played Luke's love-interest, Joey.
John Sciulli /GettyImagesShe was in 'The Vampire Diaries.'
Anna Enger's portrayal of the troubled Joey was enough to convince anyone that she was a seasoned actress. If you couldn't quite pinpoint where you'd seen her, there are plenty of roles to choose from.
She was in "Chicago Med," 'Life Sentence," "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues," "The Internship," "The Vampire Diaries," or "The Bold and the Beautiful."
Jordane Christie played Nell's husband Arthur.
FXHe appeared in 'Atlanta.'
If you were one of the people who wanted to see Jordane Christie really shine in his role as Nell's sweet and caring husband, you were probably caught off guard when he tragically died too soon.
Lucky for you, there are a few other shows that you can catch up on where he did a stellar job acting. "Atlanta," "Underground," "Containment," and "Chicago P.D." are just a few to start.
entertainment evergreen story features-us freelancer insider netflix the haunting of hill house the-haunting-of-hill-house-cast


Given that Air India's management was asking for a R30,000-40,000 crore bailout, it was always obvious the R800 crore or the R1,200 crore doses of equity infusion the government was doling out were neither here nor there. Once Air India had ordered, or was asked to order, $11 bn worth of airplanes, it was clear its R145 crore equity was completely inadequate to service the debt—even if a Singapore Airlines was running it, a $11bn debt on a R145 crore equity is unserviceable. It was equally obvious that, with 27,000 staffers, no one could turn the airline around.
To that extent, the Cabinet has done the right thing by clearing a big package dealing with several of these aspects at the same time. So, Air India's long-pending demand to allow it to set up two subsidiaries—one for engineering and the other for ground handling—and to transfer 19,000 staffers to them has been cleared. The two will be profit centres and Air India will then have a staffers-to-aircraft ratio that won't be as adverse as it looks today. R21,000 crore of debt is to be restructured, allowing Air India to save around R1,000 crore in interest payments each year. All told, by 2020, the government has committed R30,000 crore of funds to Air India.
Whether this will work is now the question. Air India's unions have already come out against the plan and, it is obvious, unless their salaries and operations are appropriately restructured while moving to the new subsidiaries, just putting them in a separate structure is really evading the issue. While it is critical that Air India's management be given the freedom to run the airline, the hounding out of the airline's transformation team headed by a professional COO tells its own story. More important, keep in mind the report of Deloitte, which was asked to evaluate the turnaround plan. Deloitte said it was 'ambitious', 'conceivable in principle' and requiring 'massive reorientation efforts'—not surprising, since the plan projects Air India's market share rising with its revenue growing at over double the speed of competitors that are beating the pants of its today. If this wasn't enough, Deloitte put in another proviso, of there being no relaxation in the 'competitive scenario'—that is, don't go around adding to the competition by giving out more bilaterals. Since it's not at all certain the government is going to stop giving out bilaterals to protect Air India's turf, the plan seems pretty much kaput from day one. While it is understandable that the political class wouldn't want to pay attention to this, considering that the R30,000 crore has to be juxtaposed with the interests of 27,000 staffers, surely the finance ministry should have paid some attention? For the record, performance riders have been put in place for on-time performance and load factors, but if these are not met, will the equity be taken back, the bank loans reversed to the old rates? The only way to retrieve what could be the costliest mistake in a long time is to now use the likely change in FDI policy to find a buyer for the airline.


text:
The Return Of Swamp Thing (1989)
Posted on October 3, 2019 by Raggedyman
Here's a trivia question for you: which three DC properties got made into movies in the 80s? If your answer is "Superman", "Supergirl", and "Batman" then you're almost right, but also definitely wrong as Supergirl doesn't count, having had its rights sold off as part of the Superman package. The correct answer is "Superman", "Batman", and "Swamp Thing"; a character so iconic that at the time Wes Craven released his film version of it 1982 the character hadn't had his own comics for six years. And so successful was that film that the comic launched to cash in on it was given to beardy weirdy brit Alan Moore to write and its sequel didn't happen until 1989! And it's the sequel we're interested in this time, because whilst the original was merely mediocre, The Return Of Swamp Thing was joyfully awful!
Although the producers, director, and (alleged) writing team were all different from the original, it managed to keep it's two main stars. Duck Durock appears again as Swamp Thing, probably because it was the biggest role he could get, and Louis Jourdan appears once more as Doctor Arcane, presumably after losing another bet. Both put in as good a performance as they can, given the b-movie circumstances, with Duck clearly trying his hardest to emote under 100 pounds of green latex and Louis being an absolute trooper for not yelling "I've got two stars on Hollywood Boulevard!" every five minutes. Joining them is Heather Locklear, absolutely determined to play the right-on West Coast hippie love interest to Swamp Thing, Abby Arcane, to the absolute max in every scene, and Sarah Douglas as the evil sidekick/romantic interest for Doctor Arcane (gee, guess how that ends). The only other real characters in it are Darryl the head goon and Gunn the deputy goon in a tight corset and revealing t-shirt. Everyone else is garnish, as is the plot.
The bulk of the film is badly made and predictable. The storyline makes no sense, character motivations keep changing on random whims, plot points just appear and, on occasion, disappear, and the whole thing ends up feeling like an excuse to have Swamp Thing lay The Smack down on a near endless sea of braindead orange jumpsuit-wearing goons and the odd mutant monster. Which he does, with amazing regularity, and with the kind of moves that you would expect to see in a bayou wrestling match. Bullets can't harm him, so it's a case of waltzing around and throwing armbars and karate chops at anything that gets in his way. And somehow, due to a strange alchemy of being so badly done with such overwhelming conviction, it becomes majestic. At first you will scoff, and then you will parody, but finally you will be cheering along with him for no earthly reason.
The enthusiasm developed is probably helped by everything exploding whenever it gets the chance. Cars hit by lampposts, cars not hit by lampposts, people on fire jumping into water, bits of freshly mown garden, science equipment, failed lab experiments thrown into the most pointless incinerator ever, guards on balconies; if it maybe could explode then it will. Huzzah! There is also the mansion that explodes the first chance it gets, because someone decided that if the window on the incinerator gets broken, the whole place has to go within 3 minutes. Why? Don't ask questions; just sit back and watch the explosion!
Adding to those are the most vital part of great bad movies: The Moments. Little bits of cinema that are almost genius and that will stick with you for an age. The highlight Moment has to be the sex scene between Swamp Thing (a vegetable) and Abby (not a vegetable): how do you have the inevitably consummation of her position as love interest without it seeming weird? You have Swamp Thing grow a shroom off his body that gets Abby hallucinating that he's a hunk of a human guy. Obvious now you think of it! Other moments include Swamp Thing being blown up but getting better by turning into a 50 pound ball of shower-drain clag, the head goon and the deputy swapping stories of how they got scars as a prelude to making out (I'm pretty sure that that sequence was directly copied by Loaded Weapon 1), searching for Swamp Thing by using ten different types of transport in a two minute montage, and everything involving the delicate science of putting two sets of genes in a coffee blender and seeing what the results are when you inject them into someone. All of them ridiculous, all of them somehow sublime. Most of them ending with a person in a very badly made rubber monster suit doing some random terrorising for a bit before being bravely punched in the head by Swamp Thing.
As I hope you have gathered, this is not a smart film. It is, arguably, a very dumb film. It also tries to be a very sexy film, but that falls flat on its face by having three attractive ladies going around in not much and the very attractive gentlemen being a six foot tall vegetable (then again, maybe that's your thing. I don't judge, I watch bad films for a hobby). Louis Jourdan could have played Arcane to be sexy, but, bless him, he makes the character far too self-obsessed to be anything but a prick. But then again, the female characters all have some kind of self-driven agency, Swamp Thing is a master of decorum and polite manners, and there are two kids of different racial background reading porn mags together in hormone fuelled unity so it's not without its progressive moments.
But mostly it's just kind of fun. You get the sense that, given the time and maybe a million dollars, you too could make a film that could make a quarter of a million dollars at the box office. But they did it, and you'll respect them for that whilst you wait for the next thing to randomly blow up.
The Raggedyman
This entry was posted in film and tagged action, b-movies, comic books, horror, monster movies, romance, science fiction, sexy plants, Treasure by Raggedyman. Bookmark the permalink.


Cornet leads the head to head 2-0 winning both matches in three sets, both players have been in ok form wining matches and losing with nothing spectacular noted. Win loss records on hard courts are Cornet 15-11 Baroni 11-12. Baroni's all out attacking style can beat anyone on any given day but she can also lose to anyone. I think if she can hit form for at least two sets then simply she wins this as she will too much power for Cornet but she needs to keep her unforced errors lower than in previous meetings.
Wozniacki has been in poor form for most of the season and since losing first round at Wimbledon she has lost to Stosur, Kvitova and Ostapenko in her last 3 tournaments, in fact she has only reached one SF this season and one QF. Townsend has been in great form on the lesser ITF tour, she prefers the clay as that surface does not expose her poor movement, but equally Wozniacki does not have the weight of shot to expose her movement. With Wozniacki's poor form I have to take a chance on Townsend.
Osaka 27-16 win loss record on hard court over last 12 months, Vanderweghe 14-13. Vanderweghe can be over rated and here she is playing a very competent opponent with a return game that is likely to put pressure on Vanderweghe's serve which is her main weapon.
Petkovic has a 14-15 win loss record on hard courts over the last 12 months compared to Kuckova's 21-13. Kuckova has been in excellent form reaching the SF at Montreal and has come through three matches here to qualify for the main draw. Petkovic has not reached a QF final since February and has looked short of confidence lately.


text:
Home North Africa Oscar winner Rami Malek accused of 'corrupting Egyptians' by official
Oscar winner Rami Malek accused of 'corrupting Egyptians' by official
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Rob Latour/REX/Shutterstock (10112915hv) Rami Malek - Actor in a Leading Role - 'Bohemian Rhapsody' 91st Annual Academy Awards, Show, Los Angeles, USA - 24 Feb 2019
The 37-year-old Hollywood star shot to fame playing a lead role in the wildly popular television series "Mr. Robot", racking up several prestigious awards, namely a Golden Globe, Primetime Emmy, and some more.
The 2019 Oscar winner for Best Actor, Egyptian-born Rami Malek, has been vehemently accused of ruining the moral values of the Arab country.
"I was surprised by the Egyptian media's celebration of Rami Malek, because the role played by Rami Malek in the film is far from his real character. He is trying to [spread] homosexuality among the youth", Egyptian MP Mohamed Ismail, secretary of the Housing Committee in the House of Representatives, told the Al-Hadath Al-Youm satellite channel in a phone comment, adding that he was surprised by the Egyptian media heaping praises on the award-winning actor.
According to Ismail, the much-coveted acting prize is not a reason to "celebrate him", "because the main objective behind obtaining the prize is spreading something rejected by all religions – homosexuality", the parliamentarian argued.
He lashed out at the Oscars themselves, saying that the Dolby Theatre event's specific goal is to "corrupt morality in the Arab world", adding that Malek "is a bad example". "If he was in Egypt, he would have been hanged", Ismail added, as cited by Egypt Independent.
Egyptian-American actor Rami Malek, whose family moved to the US in 1978, won an Oscar for Best Actor at the 91st Academy Awards for his impressive portrayal of Freddie Mercury, the legendary frontman of the British rock band Queen, in the biopic film "Bohemian Rhapsody", which has been recognized as the highest-earning biopic in history.
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Apart from the Oscar, he received several other awards for his biggest role to date, including a Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild Award, BAFTA, and others.
Malek is also much loved by cinema fans for his role of cybersecurity engineer Elliot Alderson in the USA Network television series "Mr. Robot", which first went on screens in 2015 and shortly thereafter won a Golden Globe and a number of other prizes.
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Shahira Amin
Really ??? What about the actor Khaled El Sawy and Bassem Samra ( The yacoubian building ( movie ) ????????????? Both actors played Homosexual roles !!! One of them was a poor guard who was paid money to have s*x with the Khaled el sawy character who was famous journalist in the movie !!!!!!! Should they both be hanged????? Bravo Rami ! For at least portraying a Legend !! That we all still love and no his songs by heart !! Rami is the example of Egyptians who were able to succeed outside of Egypt, since the bigotry here is… Read more »
Aldo E Ortiz B
succeeed..so according to you SUCCEDED IN EUROPE OR AMERICA..OR ISRAEL…succeed being or imitating DEGENERATED PEOPLE..is something great TO YOU FLY BRAIN…of course the heavens given or offereing to you by depraveted beings ..by the WEASTERN CULTURE is a climax ..according to you…and is marvelous..becai¡use ..WHAT KINF OF TEACHINGS COULD GIVE HOMOSEXUALS OR LESBIANS DEGENERATED BEINGS THAT BETRAYED THEIR OWN NATURE…WHAT KIND OF KNWLEDEGE..COUL THEY GIVE TO ANYONE…according tou your worn brain ..IT DOESNT MATTER MEANWHILE …YOU CAN MAKE MONEY ..THE HUMAN VALUES …THAT ACCORDING TO YOUR MENTALITY AND VALUES ..HAS NO VALUES IS NOTHING but let me tellyou..THAT HERE IN… Read more »
Lol ! Please use a dictionary next time you decide to answer in a language you clearly have no knowledge of. I have tried and tried to decipher what you tried writing. And some of what I gathered my Dear Sir is that you are a homophobe !!!!! Yes. Success stories. Rami's story is a success ! What are " Muslings" ??? Do you mean " Muslims" ????? Btw, I am an Egyptian " Musling" and when it comes to envy, i can assure you we have lots of it! Especially when one of "ours" succeeds elsewhere!! You wrote some… Read more »
Oh mama mia, mama mia let me go…
Aldo E Ortiz B : in case you wouldn't know, ALL mammal species have homosexuality cases.
And according to you, Leonardo da Vinci was a degenerate… Come back when you'll achieve as much as he did…
well, next time you will need a nurse, think about 'degenerate' Florence Nightingale…
The more there are gaÿ males, the more there are women available for me 🙂 Pure lesbïan women are rare, thus, 35% of women once did things with other women…
1 chance on 3 your mum or sister is also a degenerate…
Mohamed Ismail must be a frustrated gaÿ
Aldo : 1 chance on 3 your mum or sister is also a degenerate…
Aldo :
Long Live Syria
Irony of life, Moslems from so many Islamic countries want to escape out of their h**l hole and head to West US, Europe, UK, Germany, France, Australia which are considered as countries which do not follow Islam.
Uhmmmmm? Hello ! He's not Muslim !!!!
Hopefully for him!
MP Mohamed Ismail must be a frustrated 🏳🌈 or he wouldn't care🤣
LLS : Majma al-Zawa'id, Ali ibn Abu Bakr al-Haythami, 299/9 😉
Muhammad = 🏳🌈
Mohamed Ismail must be a frustrated gaÿ : real heteros consider the more there are gaÿ males, the more available women for them 🤣