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Q&A With Lilliam Rivera, We Light Up the Sky
October 5, 2021 by Alaina Lavoie
By Steve Dunk
Today we're pleased to welcome Lilliam Rivera to the WNDB blog to discuss We Light Up the Sky, out October 26, 2021!
Let's start off with an easy one, where did the inspiration for We Light Up the Sky come from?
Well, I grew up reading things like Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles and watching science fiction shows like Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Twilight Zone, anything sci-fi basically. And I've always wanted tackle those mediums with the question, "What would a person of color do in those situations, and how would we react if someone landed here on Earth?" I started thinking about how would I react? How would my brothers react if something like that happened? I've always wanted to write that kind of a story.
I've been living in Los Angeles for 20 years now, moving here from the Bronx, New York, and LA to me is very dystopian, I don't know why, but it is, and that's one of the reasons why I like living here. And so I live right by Fairfax High School and I always have high school kids running around near my house. And a couple of years ago, three years ago I think, Elon Musk had some sort of satellite that was kind of like flying around Fairfax, or around this neighborhood. And I remember reading about it and was like, "Oh it's outside, let me go look!" and I stepped outside of my house and there was nothing up in the sky, I had missed it. But then these Latino kids, Latinx kids, are in front of my house and they were about to take off on rental scooters after it, and they heard me say that I missed it, and one of the kids was like "Oh no, we got it!" And so they all showed me their phones, and you could see these like alien spacecraft on their phones, you know, over Fairfax. And it was just such a surreal moment because we were all so giddy about it.
And I could just imagine these kids chasing after this craft, and what that might look like for a city that's very much a city of privilege, especially where I live. So it's this idea of all these kids who have to take the bus, and spending a lot of their time here in the city, and what that looks like to them. So, I loved this idea of tackling that first contact story through the eyes of these three young brown kids, high school kids.
Yeah, you know, let's say we ever encountered something like that, a first contact type of situation, in many ways it would really be the great equalizer, wouldn't it? Money and privilege wouldn't matter as much.
Oh yeah, you're right. I mean in a lot of ways it's just who gets to be saved, or who gets to be looked at, and I'm always thinking about that.
I was going to ask this question a bit later, but you mentioned your hometown of Los Angeles, and it does play a significant role in this story, it's almost another character. Was the idea to always have it set in LA? It kind of sounds like it was.
Yeah it was. You know, all my previous books for the most part have been set in the Bronx, but I really wanted to set this particular story in my second home.
Right, I'm 45 years old and like you, grew up watching a ton of science fiction, and just thinking about it you could list a whole bunch of books and movies that are set in LA, it seems to be a very popular spot for science fiction.
One of the things I liked about We Light Up the Sky is that it works as both a genre piece and a character driven story. I'm curious about which came first, and which do you most see it as if you had to pick one?
All my stories start out as character driven stories, then I incorporate the genre elements into it. We Light Up the Sky is told through the eyes of these young kids and whatever emotions they're going through at the time.
And I knew I wanted to do an alien invasion kind of story, but I was also inspired by another very LA movie, Rebel Without a Cause with James Dean and Natalie Wood. It was one of those movies that I watched in high school and loved right away. And I was like, oh, this is the emotion that I want. I want a brown version of those outcast kids coupled with an alien invasion, you know, these kinds of estranged kids who are not friends on the outset and then force them into this situation.
Since we're talking about aliens here, in your book, the aliens who presumably come from another planet are treated as the invasive species and are thwarted by a group of Latinx teenagers. Unfortunately in the United States right now, it's the Latinx communities who are treated like the invasive species. Talk about how important representation is right now for the Latin Americans who are feeling not only left out of the American dream but beaten down too, physically in many cases.
Yeah, I mean for the most part, most of the books that I write have always come from the point of view of a Latinx, you know. And I just really wanted the focus of this book to be about the choices that are made, how brown and Black kids are looked upon as the enemy right off the bat, and there's no other way of thinking about it. And then when a catastrophe happens, you just know who gets saved and who doesn't, time after time.
But I just know in my heart of hearts that whenever a catastrophe does happen, I know that these kids, these brown and Black kids, are going to be the survivors. Because we've already had to survive, we've already survived all of these other catastrophes and traumas that have been placed upon us for centuries.
One of the other big issues that you look at in the book is poverty and homelessness. In this case, specifically in the Latinx community, which is a good chunk of it, especially in Los Angeles. Rafa's family, when we meet them anyways, relies on generosity and kindness from the community and the church to get by. But still, the father in particular remains a proud person. Maintaining their dignity is really important to them, to this family, as I would think it is to most homeless people.
I don't know if you have any experience, but do you think the government, or enough of the country will ever care enough about the homeless population to finally solve it? Or is it just a never-ending cycle?
I grew up in a housing project, so I grew up in kind of like an experiment, right? Because of this, because I grew up in that situation, I have really strong opinions about them and this idea of affordable housing. Walking through Manhattan, seeing and knowing that most of those affordable places are empty because they can be, they can afford to stay empty, it's insane, right? And we know there are many people who can't afford anything at all, and they are living on the street, and here are these buildings that are completely empty, it's disturbing.
I know of kids who are just trying to maintain, just trying to get by, so the idea of "Rafa" comes from a very specific kind of person. His family specifically, they're living in a tent; they get to shower through the church, the church is helping them in other ways as well, but everything is very temporary. And I know kids who have to do that and who also might not even have that much. But you know, whether you're living in a tent or something like that, it's just as homeless, you know?
So I thought of Rafa, and I thought of a lot of these kids in these similar situations who are still going to school despite everything. Who are dealing with these things, still managing, still maintaining.
Yeah, that's a really important part of the book too, how Rafa and his sister Monica kept going to school the entire time, or as much as they could anyways. And that's a really big deal because high school is hard enough as it is, and imagine being at a disadvantage, in that way especially. They strike me as incredibly tough kids.
It's not an easy subject to talk about, but I really thought you wrote it with such care, such sensitivity, certainly the humanity, and the dignity of it.
Thank you. I really love Rafa because he's constantly thinking about his family even though there's so much going on, in spite of almost everything he's like, "I gotta take care of my family." So I connected to that more so because I'm similar, forget about everybody else, I need to go see about my family.
That's right, especially since he hadn't developed a deep relationship with Luna and Pedro at that point. They weren't strangers necessarily, but at the same time, they're not close friends either. And if you're forced to choose them over your family, it's a no brainer really. But that's also part of his arc, learning to be more trusting and open to other people, this found family.
Right, and I love that because in many ways that's the core of the whole story, of the way we are just in society. Like, you have to learn and force yourself to connect with everyone, because if not, we're all screwed.
In the book there's a line that says, "…this is the only language acceptable to them", and you're referring to the police who are not having a good day in this book, actually they're having a pretty horrible day. And because of the events of the last year and a half, and even much longer, many people are now beginning to understand the state sponsored violence perpetrated by the police against the Black community.
As you know, the Latinx community is no better off, but it's filtered through a lens of immigration policy, with Latinx people getting brutalized and criminalized under this false guise of immigration enforcement. This is something that comes up in your book, maybe not outright, but characters like Pedro express their complete mistrust of the police and authorities in general. But I think you get the message across that the Latinx community and the police are not in good standing.
Yeah, I mean this is something that I grew up with, I've had family members who were cops, and then I have family members who have been taken into custody just because they were outside at a certain time of day. And so I've seen both sides, I've witnessed both of those things. And movements like Black Lives Matter were inspiring because so many of them were young Black and brown kids who were at the forefront of fighting against that, and to me, that is historical. It mirrors in many ways what happened in the 1970s, with groups like the Black Panthers. It's like history repeating itself in the sense that the young people are the ones who are leading, who are at the forefront, who are forcing change, and you can just imagine all the anxiety. My husband is a guidance counselor for a high school here in East LA, and we're always talking about those kinds of horrible situations, with who are essentially kids having to deal with so much.
And so I wanted to write about that the violence being perpetrated by the police is unnatural. The Visitor kind of just brings up, you know, uses those weapons against the cops, uses it against the system, and it's very violent, like nature is very violent.
Oh yeah, for sure, and there's instances where any outside observer or visitor from another planet should be able to look at the situation and see that these scales are not balanced right? The scales of justice are not balanced; in fact they're tipping way, way in the wrong direction. And I think you know this Visitor; he's providing that perspective.
I think he (and his race) are looking at us from this entirely separate point of view and just saying like yeah, no, you guys have it all wrong. You had your chance, and this is way you chose to deal with your own people, you screwed it up. It's an important allegory Lilliam and I really appreciated not what you were trying to say, but what you did say.
Speaking of, one of the cool things I like about the aliens in We Light Up the Sky is how they use ecology against us, like the natural world is sort of fighting back. You know plants, animals, and just about everything in between. We're so used to these Hollywood movies where the aliens arrive with giant laser beams, laser cannons, and spaceships, but here, they're using our own planet against us, which I thought was very clever.
Are these harbingers of a cleansing of sorts? You use the word "renewal" in the book, but is this an environmental cautionary tale? Should we be taking better care of the planet? Better stewards of the earth? I mean, I think we both agree that we should.
Yeah, it was just an interesting thing to think about when I was working on this this novel. Obviously, it was during the pandemic, and everyone was like, "Oh, we're going to be plant moms," me included! And this is coming from someone who's a very city oriented person, a city girl.
It was just a very unnatural thing for me and I just kept thinking about this idea of nature taking back over, with trees, with birds. You know, how we've been on lockdown and all these animals came out, it was amazing. And it reminded me, we don't own this; we don't own any of this. It's not our land, it's not our planet.
There was even some things slowly starting to return back to their natural state, right? Like the air got cleaner over certain cities and different things like this; it was pretty interesting to see.
On a much more serious note, I'm sure this is one of the first books I've read that deals with COVID-19, in particular the death of a character because of it. And I remember talking to authors last year about when we were going to start seeing stories birthed from last year, and would they be optimistic, cynical, or both? Or how would people deal with it?
It's a contemporary story we're talking about here and we're still very much in a pandemic, we all wish we weren't, but we are. In fact, things as of right now don't even look like they're even going to get any better. Talk to me about how you approached this clearly very current and very sensitive topic. I mean, you couldn't have known it at the time that we'd still be in it, but was there any hesitancy at all to broach the subject?
Yeah, I mean I was deep in the anxiety of the pandemic and still grieving the loss of people who have passed away because of COVID-19, and because of complications related to it. So the book in itself felt very dark, and it almost felt like a blur because you know, I was talking to someone recently about how we haven't had a moment to grieve. We haven't given ourselves the time to mourn all that we've lost collectively, just even this chance to hit pause, and really think about what we've lost, what we're still losing.
You know, in my head this book is placed after COVID-19 but here we are, still. It's scary, but it shows again, and it's not meant to traumatize kids at all, but it shows how everything has to be, how we have to take it on with our own hands. You know, like this idea of our own survival, we can't rely anyone else; we have to rely on ourselves, that's the only way we could survive something like what's happening in the book.
But obviously, I didn't want the focus to be on the pandemic, the focus had to be about the grief. You know this idea of how grief doesn't have an expiration date, and how Luna will always be grieving the death of her cousin no matter what, and sometimes having to make decisions anyways. And they won't always be good ones.
I mean, it's going to come up right? The pandemic is going to be in books and movies, I'm sure they're making a movie in Hollywood right now about it. We're going to have to look at it, and deal with it, and face it. But it's how we look at it, it's how we deal with, it's how we handle it, that is what's important. I think it is now and will rightfully remain a very sensitive topic, and I think you handled it with a tremendous amount of grace.
Okay, once we're visited by aliens and assuming they're intelligent, it's a safe assumption since they would've figured out interstellar space travel, what do you think their impression of the human race would be at this point? In the book you have Luna refer to us as "savages."
When it comes to intelligent species and their view of us, it always just feels like this idea of Zeus and the other gods looking down and playing with us, you know, like a game or something? And not even chess, like checkers, you know?
So in the book, it's really just this concept of things that we as Americans are continuously doing to ourselves. Like, in spite of everything that tells us climate change is happening, with this heat, this humidity, these things that are happening right now, these things that are not avoidable, we still carry on like normal. Capitalism continues. So yeah, that's usually what I'm thinking about.
I really loved the part where Pedro goes on a rant about space exploration only being for rich white men. It's particularly enjoyable because of course, it's statistically still true. Even last year when they had the first all-woman spacewalk, but they had to postpone it because they didn't bring enough suits for the two women. Apparently, it's slowly getting better and the latest class of astronauts at NASA is half women, I don't know if that's true or not, I read that somewhere.
Oh my God, I know. I mean the timing of the book is funny because then you just had those two billionaires going off into space, and I'm like, Pedro told us already!
Right, and like Pedro said, it's just going to be a colonization of space as long as rich white people are in charge. They're already talking about different ways to mine asteroids and moons, and it's incredible to me. I just wondered because you sound like you grew up around the same time I did, during the space boom in the 1980s, it was a huge thing. And you sound like you're sort of a stargazer, so I just wondered what your thoughts were on that.
Yeah, I mean, like I had mentioned before, the first books that I read were Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles and if you read those kind of interlinked stories, then you know Bradbury is just so brilliant when it came to writing about those kinds of big ideas of exploration, which all goes right back to colonization. It all goes back to who gets to colonize, and brown and Black people have been the target of this right? You know, as Puerto Rican, I'm a product of that, of the Spaniards first and then the Americans colonizing this small island.
What was really coming to mind a lot was when I got to visit one of the observatories in Puerto Rico, which is one of the major observatories there, and during the pandemic it collapsed because of war and hurricanes and all this stuff. And it just broke my heart because here's this one special place where anyone gets to see the stars. I felt like a child when I went to visit it as an adult and now it's no longer there. And I don't know, for young people this idea of being able to go somewhere else, or finding hope somewhere else, I really wanted that hope to be with these three kids in the story.
One of the questions I was going to ask you was which sci-fi authors influenced you growing up and obviously Ray Bradbury is one of them for sure. Are there any other sort of classic ones, and are there any contemporaries that you like reading?
Yeah, I love Ted Chiang, he's such a brilliant author. He had written one that was set in Puerto Rico, The Great Silence, and it was about parrots, these endangered parrots in Puerto Rico and I literally just cried. I mean, I've read it so many times and I'm just like how he is able to distill this longing and this sadness? I just love his work so much.
And of course I love Octavia E. Butler and Tananarive Due who's also a brilliant author. And those are the kind of people who I was reading, besides, you know, the old classics like Carl Sagan and Ray Bradbury.
Do you have any recommendations for readers who enjoyed this book, what else would they enjoy? Anything out there that specifically inspired you to write this story?
Of course, I read Ursula K. Le Guin who's like the queen besides Octavia E. Butler, and then also these Caribbean authors, who I love very much, Joss, he's goes by one name only, he's Cuban. He has a collection of short stories called The Planet for Rent.
But I also read this very strange little book called The Mount by Carol Emshwiller, and it is very much like, the aliens have taken over the world and humans are almost like their pets. It's very disturbing, but I kind of loved it!
Lilliam Rivera is an award-winning author of the young adult novels Never Look Back, a Pura Belpré Honor winner, Dealing In Dreams, The Education of Margot Sanchez, as well as the Goldie Vance series for middle grade readers, and the stand-alone middle grade novel Barely Floating. Her forthcoming works include a young adult science fiction novel, We Light Up the Sky, for Bloomsbury (Oct 5, 2021) and a graphic novel for DC Comics, Unearthed: A Jessica Cruz Story (September 14, 2021). Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, the New York Times, and Elle, to name a few. Lilliam lives in Los Angeles.
Steve Dunk was born on Vancouver Island, British Columbia and now lives near a lake just outside of Toronto, spending his days obsessing over most things in geek culture, but mostly just trying to drink coffee and read in peace. He's been blogging for various sites for as long as he can remember, focusing on the big three, movies, books, and music. His reading tastes stick pretty close to Young Adult but occasionally ventures outside enjoying middle grade, new adult, and adult as well. Fantasy, sci-fi, speculative, romance, contemporary…he loves it all. He reviews books and interviews authors on his podcast, Everything is Canon, over at Cinelinx.com with a focus on BIPOC/LGBTQIA+ authors and allyship. He doesn't like sports, has lots of Star Wars books, and has two dogs. You can find him on Twitter and Instagram.
Tagged: Latinx author, Latinx protagonist, Lilliam Rivera, speculative fiction, We Light Up the Sky, YA, young-adult
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Why's pesticide input efficiency so important?
Being more efficient with pesticide inputs has three main benefits for growers - it helps reduce farm costs (through a reduction in poorly targeted chemical and unnecessary spray applications); reduces environmental risks (by demonstrating the industry's adoption of pesticide management practices); and critically, limits the evolution of resistance in target insect pest and weed populations.
Pesticide input efficiency means delivering the correct dose of the most appropriate pesticide to the target, while meeting all legal requirements and not adversely impacting people, property or the environment.
Start with product selection: the aim is the best result with the least impact on non-target species, including beneficials.
Accurately deliver the correct dose to the target: this includes correct rate, choice of band percentage, choice of application volume, mixing procedures, timing of the application (pest's life cycle) and spray quality (droplet size and spray coverage).
Utilise the appropriate equipment and techniques: consider nozzle selection, operating pressure, nozzle height about the target, operating speeds, choice of adjuvants and managing water quality.
Manage the spray operation according to meteorological and environmental parameters. Are the conditions right for spraying? Sometimes the best deicison is to delay until conditions are suitable.
Make deciions about the use of each pesticide to minimise or prevent potential impacts to people, property or the local environment.
Spray drift: what it is?
Spray drift can occur as droplets and particles or as vapours.
Droplet and particle drift is a common cause of off-target damage from pesticides. Water in the spray droplets evaporates resulting in finer droplets and particles of herbicide. Smaller droplets remain airborne longer and are susceptible to further evaporation, often drifting kilometres away from the intended target. Under good spraying conditions, droplets tend to be carried downwards, towards the ground by air turbulence and gravity to collect on the intended plant surfaces.
Vapour drift is the movement of volatile components of herbicides in air currents during or after application. Volatility refers to the likelihood that the herbicide will turn into a gas. Vapours may arise directly from spray or from the target surface for several hours, or even days, after application. The risk of vapour drift can be avoided by choosing active ingredients with low volatility. The amine and salt forms of herbicides have a lower volatility than the low volatile ester forms, although even products with low volatility are still susceptible to droplet and particle drift.
Spray release height: The amount of spray chemical left in the air may increase by up to 8-10 times as nozzle height increases from 50cm to 1metre above the target. It is important to set the height of the boom at the minimum practical height to achieve the correct spray pattern for the nozzles. Vertical movement (boom bounce) of the spray boom should be minimised.
Travel speed: Speeds above 15 km/h have been shown to increase the risk of drift by boom spraying, and speeds above 10 km/h increase the risk from shielded sprayers.
Nozzle pressure: Nozzles should never be operated outside of the pressure range recommended by the manufacturer. Higher or lower than recommended pressures change the droplet spectrum and the spray pattern, affecting both the risk of drift and the efficacy of the spray application.
Water volume and quality: Typically in-crop applications to cotton will require application volumes of 100 L/sprayed hectare or more. Meanwhile, for fallow spraying in low stubble situations with tranlslocated herbicides (such as glyphosate and the phenoxys) equivalent efficacy has been shown for medium, coarse and even extremely coarse spray qualities at 50 L/ha and above.
Maintenance and hygiene: The output of each nozzle should be checked pre-season and regularly during the season. Nozzles that vary more than 10 percent from manufacturer's specifications should be replaced. Application equipment that has been used to apply herbicides should be thoroughly decontaminated before being used to apply any product to a susceptible crop.
Aerial applications: Higher airspeeds can cause air shear, where droplets shatter into smaller sizes. Some faster, larger turbine aircraft have difficulty in producing a coarse spray quality due to their fast airspeed. Reducing air speed (through slower aircraft) and/or reducing nozzle angle or deflection is an efficient way to reduce air shear.
CottonMap is an industry initiative designed to highlight the location of cotton fields. The service is provided free of charge with the purpose of minimising off-target damage from downwind pesticide application, particularly during fallow spraying.
Farmers, farm managers, resellers, consultants, agronomists, applicators and contractors are encouraged to input their cotton fields. Users can also access the Cotton Map to check the location of the paddocks they may be planning to spray to assess the proximity of the nearest cotton crop.
The map is a joint collaboration between CottonInfo partners Cotton Australia and CRDC, along with GRDC and Nufarm Australia.
What impact does the weather have?
Weather conditions are not only a primary determinant of efficacy, they determine whether the spraying operation should proceed, be delayed or aborted. Weather conditions need to be checked regularly during spray applications and recorded as per label requirements. Growers can subscribe to websites (such as Nufarm's spray wise decisions or Syngenta's weather website) that provide forecasts of conditions for spraying up to 10 days in advance.
Temperature and humidity: Higher ambient air temperatures and lower relative humidity conditions increase evaporation rates. Drift tends to increase when evaporation levels are higher.
Surface temperature inversion: DO NOT SPRAY when a surface temperature inversion exists. During a surface temperature inversion, distinct, isolated layers of air form close to the ground, and the potential for spray drift is very high. The greater the difference between daily maximum and minimum temperatures, the stronger the surface temperature inversion is likely to be.
Wind: It is best to apply pesticides when the wind is blowing away from sensitive areas and crops. Wind speed must be steady between 3 km/hr and 15 km/hr (during daylight hours, and above 11 km/h at night). Avoid calm, variable or gusty wind.
Banded sprays enable the recommended rate of the product to be placed on to an area smaller than the whole field (thereby reducing the total volume of chemical over the whole field, but still applying the equivalent rate/ha to the actual target area).
The Ispray Banded Spray Calculator for cotton determines suitable nozzle size, flow rate and rate controller settings for banded applications. The calculator can adjust speed and application volume to adjust the setup to determine optimum settings for an application.
Establish communication processes to manage safety and reduce risks.
Give careful consideration to the selection and application of pesticides.
Use the correct application equipment and techniques.
Ensure chemicals are transported, handled and stored appropriately.
Dispose of unwanted chemicals and chemical containers appropriately.
Always follow label instructions when handling and applying chemicals, including specifications regarding spray quality, spray conditions including mandatory wind speed range, and no-spray zones/buffers.
Ensure all staff responsible for handling and applying pesticides are qualified according to relevant state and federal requirements.
Maintain a manifest and Safety Data Sheets for chemicals deemed to be hazardous.
Map your cotton fields on CottonMap.
For more information on pesticide input efficiency visit the myBMP pesticide management module.
CottonMap: an industry initiative designed to highlight the location of cotton fields.
Nufarm's spray wise decisions: provides forecasts of conditions for spraying up to 10 days in advance.
Syngenta's weather website: provides forecasts of conditions for spraying up to 10 days in advance.
Ispray Banded Spray Calculator: determines suitable nozzle size, flow rate and rate controller settings for banded applications.
drumMUSTER: Recyling program for agricultural chemical containers.


In the five years it has been on the air, The Walking Dead has broken all sorts of television-watching records—and its spinoff, Fear the Walking Dead, hit an all-time cable premiere high in August. While the zombie-filled drama was the most tweeted-about series in 2015, it wasn't able to scare up a large enough audience to become the most watched show of the year. That honor, according to Nielsen's year-end number-crunchers, belongs to the brains over at The Big Bang Theory. Here are the most watched television series of 2015 (football games not included).
It's only appropriate that CBS's hit series about a bunch of geniuses would manage to devise a way to hold on to the top spot for a second year in a row.
CBS continues its reign atop the Nielsen ratings with NCIS. Though the series is in the midst of its 13th season, viewers don't seem to be tiring of Mark Harmon or his crime-solving skills.
In addition to being the most tweeted about show of the year, the graphic novel-turned-graphic zombie show is the only cable series to make it into Nielsen's final tally of most-watched series.
Though its ratings took a tumble in its second season, Lee Daniels and Danny Strong's King Lear-like series came out of nowhere in January to give Fox one of its biggest premieres, and has gone on to break a number of other television records.
Though it only debuted in the fall of 2014, the advantage of a built-in audience has led NCIS's Big Easy spinoff to ratings victory.
Now in its sixth season, CBS's Tom Selleck-fronted police drama is one of the few returning series with a regularly growing audience.
It says something (positive) about our television-watching habits that ABC's hit dance show is the only reality series on this list.


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California Fully Recovers All Jobs Lost to the Pandemic-Induced Recession, Creates More Than 20% of the Nation's New Jobs in October
56,700 jobs created in October – one in five of the nation's new jobs – as California continues sending direct relief to millions of families across the state
SACRAMENTO – In October, California fully recovered all jobs lost during the pandemic-induced recession. Adding more than 56,000 jobs last month, the state is now 30,800 jobs above the pre-pandemic total of February 2020. California marked the 13th consecutive month of job growth in October and accounted for more than 20% of the nation's new jobs.
"California has now fully recovered all jobs that were lost to the pandemic-induced recession, but we know this isn't the finish line," said Governor Gavin Newsom. "We are making historic investments to combat rising costs in the state and bring money directly into your pockets to help with everyday costs. Millions of Californians are currently receiving the largest tax refund in history and we're making unprecedented investments in our small businesses to help create thousands of jobs and opportunities for Californians throughout the state."
As of October 2022, California has recovered 101.1% of the 2,758,900 jobs lost during the recession – the state is now 30,800 jobs above the pre-pandemic level total of February 2020.
California added 56,700 jobs last month, marking the 13th consecutive month of job growth.
The unemployment rate rose by 0.2% to 4.0%, after September's unemployment rate was revised downwards by 0.1% to 3.8%, which established a new record-low rate in California.
The state outpaced the nation in year-over job growth.
Eight out of 11 job sectors added jobs – education and health services had the largest gain, followed by professional and business services, and leisure and hospitality.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


One of my favourite parts of JUNOs weekend is the Producer/Engineer panel that happens each year. It is an amazing opportunity to not only hear stories from the studio but also celebrate the talented producers and engineers that work tirelessly to create the many hits we hear on the radio and stream daily. All the artists who are nominated appreciate their teams, but one mention at the Gala awards was quite aligned with what was discussed at the Stories From the Studio Panel. After winning Rock album of the Year, the Arkells spoke in the media room about Eric Ratz, their producer who won Jack Richardson Producer of the Year. They mentioned how he and all producers are "musical translators" or "social workers" who gather ideas from the room and are able to put it all together in a magical way.
Always try to be the hardest working guy/girl in the room and try not to be defeated when you take a loss and not get too high when the wins come. Put your head down and do great work, it doesn't matter who you are working with, do the best you can every time.
It's all about the artist, when you work with a compelling artist that can perform well, and who is going to connect with people, a part of your job is to realize who you want to work with and once you find an artist like that, to understand when to get out of the way and help elevate what they are trying to create. Sometimes it takes 10, 20, 30 bad songs before you get one good song.
Every presence in the studio counts: Feeling comfortable with even the smallest employee running around in the studio is very important for the overall experience and work flow. Flexibility is key/find your flow: remember every artist you work with will have a different work flow.
Must chase the most authentic and most compelling talent you can find to work with : not just the person in front of the mic but also the songwriters and producers and the engineers.
Create a team. Don't worry about trying to work with the biggest act out there. As you grow as a team, people will reach out to you.
Watching the JUNOs Gala Dinner and Broadcast as well as sitting in the media room on both nights, we heard a few messages repeated by the talented Canadian artists who were a part of the JUNOs. Many artists spoke of realizing what an impact being real and true to themselves had on their careers. This is a topic that comes up regularly in interviews with artists we have the pleasure of chatting with at EDM CANADA, and over the weekend, it quickly became very apparent that it was prevalent in all areas of the music industry. Many of the artists touched on this, including Milk & Bone and Jeremy Dutcher, so, I wanted to highlight the topic just as they did, as a reminder for any artists who are maybe starting out or who are trying to find their place in the industry, that it seems to be one of the biggest challenges artists face. It also is one of the biggest pieces of advice that will not only set you apart but also keep you happy and fulfilled as an artist: really be true to what feels best to you and create what you like. Another topic that was also touched on a few times was the notion of working towards something beyond yourself and your music. Again, a great example was Jeremy Dutcher talking about reconciliation. Also Jesse Reyez, who won her second JUNO award for RnB Soul Recording of the year, spoke in the media room about how crazy it feels to be representing the Latin community and also that her driving force behind why she is in music is philanthropy, passing on what she has learned from the legends that she has had the opportunity to work with and giving back to the music community.
Loud luxury started things off right with a grand opening to the 2019 JUNOs. For anyone who missed the live broadcast, the duo from London took great pride in not only bringing Brando out to perform their hit track 'Body', but also brought out the Western Marching band and Cheerleaders. The stage was full and the performance was lively. A perfect way to start the night. The duo also took to the side stage after the JUNO awards alongside Ryan Shepherd to throw a great dance party. Although there were many wonderful performances throughout the evening, the one performance that personally stood out for me was Jeremy Dutcher's performance of 'Sakomawit' The performance that also featured violinist Blake Pouliot was special in that it not only was extremely captivating but really demonstrated Jeremy Dutcher's passion and talent. He won the Indigenous Music Album of the Year for Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa at the 2019 Juno Gala Dinner & Awards the night before the JUNOs broadcast.


text:
Q: Python OpenCV throws cv::OutOfMemoryError I am currently trying to use some pattern matching using python and opencv. I have copied the example code from the opencv website and tried to run it on my image. However when doing so I get an out of memory error due to the system not being able to allocate about 700mb, however I have more than enough free ram (32gb) and everything is running in 64-bit. I have looked at various posts with similar issues but could not find a solution that works for me.
Python code
import cv2
import numpy as np
from matplotlib import pyplot as plt

img = cv2.imread('***.jpg',0)
img2 = img.copy()
template = cv2.imread('***.png',0)
w, h = template.shape[::-1]

# All the 6 methods for comparison in a list
img = img2.copy()
method = eval('cv2.TM_CCOEFF')

# Apply template Matching
res = cv2.matchTemplate(img,template,method)
min_val, max_val, min_loc, max_loc = cv2.minMaxLoc(res)

# If the method is TM_SQDIFF or TM_SQDIFF_NORMED, take minimum
if method in [cv2.TM_SQDIFF, cv2.TM_SQDIFF_NORMED]:
    top_left = min_loc
else:
    top_left = max_loc
bottom_right = (top_left[0] + w, top_left[1] + h)
cv2.rectangle(img,top_left, bottom_right, 255, 2)

plt.subplot(121),plt.imshow(res,cmap = 'gray')
plt.title('Matching Result'), plt.xticks([]), plt.yticks([])
plt.subplot(122),plt.imshow(img,cmap = 'gray')
plt.title('Detected Point'), plt.xticks([]), plt.yticks([])
plt.suptitle(meth)

plt.show()

Before anyone mentions it, yes there are valid filenames where the *s are.
Image im trying to use as a base has a size of about 11mb

A: I recently had a similar issue. Computers use some amount of ROM to store huge size variables which are out of range of RAM size or capability.
Check the link below to increase your ROM memory size which can be used as a RAM memory to store huge size variables.
https://stackoverflow.com/a/58686879/13460812

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


To get admission into the PG course in Physics, aspirants will require to pass in the admission test conducted by the concerned university. Details about the entrance exams offered in M.Sc physics is given below.
The Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University has released the notification for IPU CET 2018 Application Form.
Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU) will release the IPU CET 2018 Admit card for the candidates seven days before the entrance exam.
The IPU CET will declare the results in the end of the month May 2018. The IPU CET 2018 results will publish on different dates for different courses.


text:
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Description: In this funny TV commercial, a man has a bad airline flight. Looks like cruise ships would be a better mode of transportation.
The Kegger Two parents come home to find their house trashed after their toddler threw a raging kegger. A tribute to The Landlord. See more at www.amazingcosbars.com !
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Wat(s) and their Significances
By Christina Kim - Friday, September 14, 2018
In the last post, I compiled a list of Wat(s) to visit in the ancient city of Ayutthaya (read it here). They are the remnants of the past, engraved in the bricks and stones scattered across the cities, holding the last of their former glory and dignity on the very ground they stand.
I have used the word temple, ruins and of course, Wat, to refer to these sites, but what does Wat really mean?
What is really in a Wat, and what is there to expect when one hears the word 'Wat'?
Is it a temple, a brick, the grounds/land or is it a ceremonial place?
What is a Wat, what is there in a Wat and what does a Wat symbolises?
According to the context of Buddhism, a Wat refers to a place for holy worship, a religious Buddhist site. The word is of Sanskrit origins, vata, which translates to mean "enclosure" (Source: Wikipedia).
The basic layout of a Wat consists of a main temple for worship, a vihara (a monastery with the monks residing in it), an altar/building to house an image of Buddha, and a complex for religious teachings to be conducted. Also by definition, there should be at least three resident bhikkus, or ordained monks for a religious place to be considered a Wat.
In Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, the term Wat denotes a religious Buddhist and a Hindu temple, and also sites of ruins (of former temples of course). The word Wat in Thailand refers to all types of religious places except for mosque or a synagogue. Christian churches are also known as wat farang in the country.
Specifically, Thailand also segregates their Buddhist temples into two main categories, where a Wat is a temple that has been recognised by the government and is granted wisungkhammasima (bordering stones to mark the area of the temple's coverage). These Wat(s) are further distinguished between the temples reserved for the royals, the Royal temples and those for the general public, Public temples, which are established by citizens (private) for the society. The other category of the Buddhist temple is the Samnak Song, which are without the government endorsement nor a wisungkhammasima.
The composition of a Buddhist Wat includes a few structures, making it recognisable as a basic Buddhist place of worship.
1. A Bell Tower
2. Bot
This is the main worship hall/altar which is also the most sacred zone within the temple. It is also known as the "ordination hall", and is similar to a vihara, where the term is interchangeable in some contexts, though the main difference lies in the more elaborate decoration of a Bot and the inclusion of eight cornerstones found in the Bot which is intended to fend off the evil spirits. This is considered the most important part of the temple and is also where the monks would pledge their allegiances/vows.
3. Chedi or Stupas
These are usually in bell or conical shapes and are constructed for the housing of the relics of Buddha, though the remains of the dead can be stored within them as well, in the form of ashes contained in urns. They are the memorial structures, and in Cambodia, they resemble regular shrines.
Most of the Wat(s) in the previous post contain these chedis/stupas, with some of them in smaller forms and isolated from the main temple which are used to house the remains of the royal family members, other than the king. The bigger chedis hold the relics of Buddha and also the remains of the monarchs.
4. Drum Tower
5. Kod
The monks' residences which is isolated from the main temple.
6. Ho Trai
Library or archive where the religious texts are stored.
7. Mondop
An open square area with four arches and a roof for the worship ceremonies.
8. Sala
A recreational platform, or a pavilion for relaxation. This can sometimes be built outside the temple ground.
9. Vihara/Vihear
Meeting and prayer space/room.
10. Pond
Though not mandatory, a pond filled with floating lotus flowers (symbolic of Buddhism) with fishes (sometimes) and religious statues. The pond is usually rectangular in shape.
* Most of the Wat(s) also contain a gallery where statues/images of Buddha are placed, in usually connecting walkways to the worship chambers.
With an overview of the Wat, it is also important to understand the constitution of a Wat and what it really stands for, especially in relation to the Ayutthaya kingdom and the reason for its construction by the monarchs.
Most of the Wat(s) are ordered for construction by the ruling king, and though there are some converted from its former status as a palace, they are mostly established to be places of worship from the start.
So, what is a Wat to the people then, especially to the ruler, and why is it so important to have them in their kingdom?
Traditionally, a Wat, as a sacred place of worship is of course, to venerate the great sage Buddha himself and his teachings. Buddhism places importance on merit, or generally the good deeds a person performs in their lives which would grant them blessings in their life, mainly their path toward enlightenment and also a promising next life.
It is in fact the foundation of Buddhism, and devotees are encouraged to accumulate these merits, which are symbolic of purity and goodness in their lifetime to ensure that they would enjoy a good return (for everything is cyclic and one reaps what they sow). Their merits would ensure the goodness in their own lives, or the blessing of good karma (return) and toward reaching nirvana (enlightenment).
Therefore, Wat (s) are significant in the sense that they are a form of merit, for the honouring of the religion, Buddha and also in contributing to the society, as the common people can pay homage in a sacred location.
In building places of worship, this merit would be of a great value and high in rank for one.
Similarly, for those who construct these temples, they would also be deemed in high regards for their virtues and viewed as good Buddhists.
Thus, being the head of the country, the kings would want to be seen as exemplary models of Buddhism to their people while similarly accumulating merits for their own selves.
However, while these acts are commendable, the teachings of Buddhism do focus on one's sincerity and intent when performing them, a point which sadly, most of the followers fail to keep in their minds. Simply said, it should be of one's true desire to do good, without focusing on the return, a pure will to do something for others' good which is more important in this concept of merit.
While we cannot judge the true intentions of the monarchs, historians and scholars state some of these temples are more politically driven than of sincerity.
In the same context, these Wat(s) also serve as the link to the past and as acts of filial piety and respect toward the ancestors of the kingdom. It is also to honour the people who have passed, the former rulers and the kings' own parents (former king and queen) along with the other family members where their remains are kept within the chedis/stupas.
It is an elaborate process to construct the Wat(s), which involve vast resources and manpower and often, they are decked in grandeur, emblematic of the kingdom's wealth and power along with the devotion to the religion and their ancestors.
Connectors between the past and the present, these sites stand as reminiscence of once upon a time, telling the stories through their dilapidated states (while in restoration at the same time). Despite the damages through time and acts of destruction through battles, they are still the last of the past glory of what we could only imagine today, down to every brick and stone. We may not see the gold or silver which the statues or the place were once decorated with, nor can we see the dazzling colours of the chambers, but the true treasure lies in the heart of these sites, these very ruins where the stories unfold, as they stand there, in silence, whispering their tales to the keen, willing away their moments in time, regardless of the real reasons they were made to exist in the very first place.
All that matters is the past remains and will never leave, even when they no longer look the same.
Wat(s) Worth Seeing in Ayutthaya
By Christina Kim - Thursday, September 13, 2018
If there is another thing that Ayutthaya has in abundance besides her long, complex and rich cultural history, it is the temples and ruins scattered all over her grounds.
They are, in fact, the standing testimonials of her past, the times which have receded into the background in the forms of the fragments lying on the earth, muted of the roaring magnificence they once had.
There is no doubt that the ancient city is filled with her own share of stories to tell, evident through the continuous frames of washed red bricks and greyish-white stones greeting the visitor's view throughout the quaint neighbourhood.
History aficionados will find themselves enthralled by the number of sites to choose from, and even non-history enthusiasts will be compelled to revisit the past during their visit.
While it is an exhaustive list to conquer, many may not have the luxury of time to visit each and every temple during their stay (unless you spend only a few minutes per site, which may not do justice to the place nor your travel objective).
Therefore, I have compiled a short but comprehensive list of my personal recommendations based on the ones I have visited to offer an insight (and help) on shortlisting and prioritising the ones you might want to consider if you ever find yourself in this beautiful city.
1. Wat Phra Ram
Marked by its striking prang (tall tower/spire), the former monastery is restored from ruins to its Khmer-style architecture as it stands beside a large swamp, Bueng Phra Ram, in the Historical Park of Ayutthaya in the Pratu-Chai sub-district. While its exact timeline of original construction is unclear due to the various historical resources, the Luang Prasoet, the oldest version of the chronicles of Ayutthaya, written in the late Ayutthaya era speculates it to be built around the year 1369, during the demise of the King Ramathibodi I (ruled from 1351-1369), where the temple is believed to be built upon the cremation site of the former monarch as well.
Most scholars believed that the temple is ordered to build by the king's eldest son, King Ramesun, who reigned from 1369-1370 in the year he ascended the throne and despite his abdication in the following year, his successor, King Borommaracha I (1370-1388) continued with his work to see the temple to its completion.
The Khmer-style architecture is not just unique to Wat Phra Ram as will be seen in the other temples around Ayutthaya, though the reasons for its inspiration remain unknown.
The standard trademarks of the Khmer design are displayed through the burg which is it built within, usually that of a main/central tower in the middle, surrounded by four other smaller towers to form a quincunx, with a courtyard area and also a gallery.
The site has seen through various restoration over the years since its first completion, but its historical essence remains within its compound.
Take some time to walk through the main prang (it is hard to miss), and the chedis in the area, ingrained with religious influences and its early civilisation, found in the remnants of the images and statues of Buddha around the site.
Chedis in Wat Phra Ram
One of the remnants of Buddha's image in Wat Phra Ram
A former gallery area
Landscape view of Wat Phra Ram
2. Wat (Phra) Mahathat
Most famous for the iconic Buddha head statue entwined in the tree roots, this is another not to be missed landmark in Ayutthaya. Besides the photographic image of the statue, Wat Mahathat is also hailed as one of the most important temples in the city, as well as being one of the oldest. Its name translates to Monastery of the Great Relic.
There is also an interesting trivia associated with the beginnings of this landmark, involving again the two kings mentioned earlier, who were connected to the establishment of Wat Phra Ram and the historical context of the city of Ayutthaya; King Ramasuen and King Borommaracha I. Earlier with Wat Phra Ram, it was King Ramasuen who ordered for its construction on his late father's cremation grounds where the completion of the works were seen through by his successor King Borommaracha I following his (Ramasuen's) abdication.
Here with Wat Mahathat, it is the inverse, where King Borommaracha I erected the temple which was then followed through by his nephew, King Ramasuen (whom he forced his abdication) upon his second ascension to the throne following his uncle's death.
Wat Phra Mahathat is symbolic to Ayutthaya and much of its significance is attributed to its status as the royal monastery due to its proximity to the Grand Palace. It also houses a number of important religious relics (Buddha) and some sacred artefacts which were believed to be taken from Angkor during King Borommaracha II's attack on the kingdom in 1431. These include images of oxen and lion, among other mythical creatures which were then placed in this temple.
This established the temple's importance in the kingdom of Ayutthaya which is further denoted by the temple's priests being regarded as the highest authority among all the temples in the entire kingdom.
The temple's resources had attracted its fair share of gravediggers interested in making a fortune for themselves, though the complexity of the architecture had also trapped these fortune hunters to their own demise within its realm, which some associate with the mythical powers of the temple's own guardians.
The statue of the Buddha head embedded within the tree may be the touristy highlight, but the true charm of the temple is beyond the single statue which is surrounded by photography enthusiasts. I recommend to spend more time examining the architecture and the culturally-infused design of the site which adheres to the ancient mathematical and astronomical calculations in conjunction with concepts deeply rooted in Hinduism.
3. Wat Phuttaisawan
(Monastery of Buddhist Kingship - Source: History of Ayutthaya)
Another famous temple located adjacent to the Grand Palace, constructed in 1353, this is also constructed in the Khmer-styled architecture, which was largely due to the Ayutthaya's victory over the Khmers by king of Suphan then.
The temple is ordered by his younger brother, the then King Ramathibodhi I where most of the workers involved in the construction were believed to be the Khmers forcibly relocated from the Angkor kingdom to Ayutthaya.
It is also a sacred site for the religious relics and is again, one of the oldest establishments in Ayutthaya.
The site is famous for the reclining Buddha which was undergoing major renovation during my visit.
It is also believed that the spirit of King Ramathibodhi I still lingers in this monastery, based on the local superstitions.
4. Wat Lokaya Sutharam
Located directly west of the Grand Palace, this temple, famous for its giant reclining Buddha statue greeting visitors in the open land is a massive complex of ruins.
The statue was also under heavy restoration during my visit though many devotees were still flocking to pay homage on the site, where an altar has been set up for the offerings.
The reclining statue is approximately 42 meters in length and 8 meters in height, and is known as the Phra Buddha Sai Yat. Formerly enclosed, the statue is now exposed since the fall of most of the temple's establishment to its foundation level and is the main highlight of the site. It is often found with a bright orange coloured cloth wrapped around its body and many have attempted to cover the structure with gold leaves in preservation of the religious image. Interesting things to note about the statue include the vertical hand which holds up the head of the statue which differs from the conventional folded style usually seen in Early Ayutthayan and the U-Thong periods, and also the equal lengths of the toes on the statues.
While there are remains of a small chedi which is slightly hidden by the surrounding vegetation, most of the site is found in ruins but it is still worth a visit to revel in the tranquility and solemnity of the worship and in the forgotten past of what once stood on these grounds.
5. Wat Ratchanaburana
(Monastery of the Royal Repairs - Source: History of Ayutthaya)
One of my personal favourite is the mystical Wat Ratchanaburana, located right across the Wat Mahathat.
It is a rather quiet spot compared to its crowd-infested neighbour, and it may be due to its lacklustre appearance which pales in comparison to the familiar tones of the red in the usual Khmer architectures in the vicinity.
However, this is marked as one of the finest prangs in Ayutthaya and the temple is known as the "Temple of the Royal Restoration".
The temple, constructed in the year 1424, is intended as a memorial for two princes, who were contenders to the throne and are brothers of King Borommaracha II (ruled from 1424-1448), who was earlier known as Chao Sam Phraya or Prince Sam Phraya.
He was the youngest son of King Intharacha (1409-1424), whose death led to his two elder sons, Chao Ai Phraya, ruler of Suphan and Chao Yi Phraya, ruler of San Buri, who engaged in a battle for the throne and ended up tragically killing each other.
This led to the youngest prince, Chao Sam Phraya, ruler of Chainat which was on the northern part of Ayutthaya to be called upon, or rather, invited to ascend the throne as King Borommaracha II where he then erected this temple in memory of his deceased brothers.
There are also mysticism surrounding this temple, which has been linked to ominous beliefs that most kings do not visit this temple as there was a prophecy where the first king who steps in would end up in death. The historical chronicles of Ayutthaya also records the ominous arrival of a crow which perched on the finial of the main prang and is linked to the defeat of the kingdom to Burma thereafter.
6. Wat Phra Si Sanphet
(Temple of the Holy, Splendid Omniscient - Source: Wikipedia)
This was the most important temple in the ancient Ayutthaya kingdom, the Temple of the Buddha Si Sanphet. It is located on the royal palace grounds and is the royal monastery where only the royals, or the kings visit and the temple is not inhabited by the clergy.
Its importance is similar to Wat Mahathat, which is believed to be due to the housing of the sacred items from the conquest of Angkor by King Borommaracha II in both temples.
The temple is believed to be established in the year 1350 by Prince U-Thong, who ordered for the construction of a new royal palace and upon its completion the following year, in 1351, he ascended the throne as the first ruler of Ayutthaya, King Ramathibodhi I and named Ayutthaya as the kingdom's capital. It was King Borom Trailokanat, the eighth king of Ayutthaya, who, upon ordering for a new palace north of the site, converted the former palace to a religious site in 1448.
The monastery is famous for its three bell-shaped chedis which are its trademarks, with two of the chedis constructed by King Ramathibodhi II in honour of his late father and elder brother, King Borom Trailokanat (1448-1488) and King Borommaracha III (1488-1491), his first priority upon his ascension to the throne in 1491. The king also erected a gigantic image of Buddha on this site which was recorded as one of the largest and finest standing image of Buddha ever in existence, and it was named as the Phra Sri Sanphetdayan. It is also the main highlight as the object of worship in the main chapel. The temple is said to have gotten its name from this statue though the sources are unclear on whether it is the statue which got its name from the temple or the other way round.
Sadly, the temple suffered massive destruction during the Burmese invasion in 1767, where only the three chedis remain of its original establishment.
The third chedi was built by King Borommaracha IV (1529-1533), for King Ramathibodhi II's remains.
Being the royal monastery, Wat Phra Si Sanphet is an exclusive location for the kings of Ayutthaya and it was also in the historical records of The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya that the site housed the remains and bone relics of the kingdom's rulers, namely King Suthammaracha (1656), King Narai (1656-1688), King Phetracha (1688-1703), King Borommakor (1733-1758), which are in the Royal Wihan of the monastery. Besides the kings, the site also holds the remains (ashes) of the royal families in a small chedi on the grounds.
This is a majestic site which is quite enthralling to visit, with its history and also the standing stupas which remained unfazed by the passing of time.
The holy temple is also the inspiration for the famous Temple of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok, also known as Wat Phra Kaeo.
7. Wat Chaiwattharanam
(Monastery of the Temple for the Advancement of Victory - Source: History of Ayutthaya)
This site is just like an ancient kingdom conjured from the past before my eyes, with its spectacular ruins spread across the vast land. It makes me feel as though I have taken a trip back to the past, standing among its magnificence and it is no wonder this is also dubbed as the most majestic site in Ayutthaya, decked in its grandeur.
The temple is definitely one of Ayutthaya's finest, if not the best, and its resplendence is a toiling effort which spanned for two decades in construction. Its establishment is in honour of King Prasat Thong's (1629-1656) late foster mother, though it was also to exemplify the king's Buddhist merits, with historical sources speculating it as being politically driven at the same time. Similar to Wat Phra Si Sanphet, this is also a royal sanctuary since King Prasat Thong's reign where most of the royal families and kings of Ayutthaya would visit for official events, royal funerals and also holy pilgrimages. The site also holds the remains of the royal families.
The temple is also seen as the guarding fort against the Burmese attacks from 1764-1767, the last Burmese war against Ayutthaya, evident in the remains of the cannons and also signs of restructured walls which are indications of the kingdom's defence against their invaders. It is also symbolic of the influence of Buddhism on Ayutthaya kingdom and its splendour is often compared to Angkor Wat, though it is still minuscule in comparison to the famous heritage site in Cambodia.
Most of the temples are located within the vicinity of the Ayutthaya Historical Park, which is located on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, with the exception of Wat Putthaisawan, and they have all been registered as national heritage sites.
There are many more Wat(s) in Ayutthaya which are worth visiting but if time is a concern, these are the ones to consider as they are also the main highlights and easily accessible once one is in the enclosed area of the ancient capital's historical park.
I definitely look forward to another trip to explore most, if not all of the Wat(s) in this beautiful city.
History of Ayutthaya - a comprehensive site to read about the history of these temples and of Ayutthaya in general.
Tips and more information:
Recommended time to visit all the Wat(s) above: 2-3 days
Allocate approximately 30 minutes to an hour per site, but 2-3 hours for the larger sites such as Wat Phra Si Sanphet and Wat Chaiwattharanam.
Rushing through the sites would be hectic and you may not get to enjoy the historic value of the sites.
Admission fees: It may vary but generally are at 50 Baht (at time of post), though please check before visiting.
Transportation: Accessible via taxis or tuk-tuks (prices vary, so it depends on your negotiation skills).
If you plan to cover more Wat(s), you may want to consider hiring a guide or booking a driver for the day.
Opening Hours: Most of the temples are open from 8am until 5pm, but do check again before visiting.
*Wear good/comfortable walking shoes, light and loose clothing, with an extra shirt if you tend to sweat a lot, an umbrella, bottled water and camera.
*You can also bring a portable fan to cool yourself.
The weather in Thailand can be rather hot and humid, therefore please be prepared especially when visiting these sites.
It has no form
But you can see it
It has no name
But you know it
It has no scent
But you can sense it
We think it silently kills
Brings misery as it wills
Casting its shadows over lonely fields
Hiding its voice in 'em mighty hills
Its presence makes all stand in stills
And that feeling, oh how it chills!
But it is not evil
For all it does is make you feel
That sense of sudden ill
Yet it never does conceal
Nor hide even a lil'
Its presence is ever revealed
Yet missing smiles we blame it steals
Accusing it robs our every zeal
The truth we kept in shadows and veils
Is our very own fear to whom we yield
A truth we will never admit is real
A truth we always defend and shield
The truth be told
We are just unbold
We want a story that will hold
A story that will never e'er get old
It does not come as a surprise
As old, familiar as it is wise
It exists whether the sun sets or rise
It is always there waiting its reprise
It sees when we cannot see
It hears our silent prayers
It toys with our every sensory
Its presence ever a mystery
But disappears it never does
It stays when light is cast
It hides itself in plain sight
Waiting silently in shades of light
But light's shadow it is not
They're more like two peas in a pod
For without one there is no other
Like old lovers they go together
For one brings out the best in the other
And illuminates their beauty none can asunder
For it is only in dark that light shines even brighter
And in light that dark seems less sinister
The light's nemesis it is not
But it is what we have always thought
For without its life
There would be no light
For how could you tell the lightness of the light
When you have not seen the darkness of the night?
Author: Christina Kim


text:
This Weightlifter Suffered the Most F*cked Up Injury of the Olympics So Far
Warning: Only watch this if you have the stomach for it.
Which Olympic sport is the most dangerous? Certainly, competing at this high of a level, pushing their bodies to the physical limit, athletes are putting themselves in danger. Many of these are contact sports, like judo, boxing, or rugby. Injuries are inevitable. But even the solo events can be dangerous.
Last night, as Armenian weightlifter Andranik Karapetyan attempted to lift 195kg (430 pounds) for the bronze medal in the men's 77kg competition, his arm snapped at the elbow. Screaming in agony, his coaching team helped Karapetyan off the stage in tears. He was loaded into an ambulance on a saline drip.
It's horrifying, but even men and women lifting hundreds of pounds above their heads isn't the most dangerous Summer Olympics sport.
With the horse weighing about 1,000 pounds, equestrian sports are considered the most dangerous in the Summer Olympics.
Matt Miller Culture Editor Matt is the Culture Editor at Esquire where he covers music, movies, books, and TV—with an emphasis on all things Star Wars, Marvel, and Game of Thrones.
Rio Is So F*cked
Every Sh*tshow in the Rio Olympic Village So Far
The Funniest Things That Happened At the Olympics
Remember the Rio Olympics? Here's Rio Now.
Here's Why Rio's Olympic Diving Pool Turned Green
Another Day, Another Reason Rio Is So F*cked


Does your horse need an electrolyte supplement during these hot summer months?
• Avoid giving him electrolytes if he's refusing food, water, or is showing signs of colic (or any of the problems listed above). He needs veterinary attention.
• Consult your vet first if your horse has Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis (HYPP). Electrolytes could make his potassium imbalance worse.


Are East/West Trade Routes Recovering?
SHIPPING LINES HAVE SUCCEEDED IN INCREASING THE SPOT RATE MARKET AT THE START OF MAY FOR THE ASIA-TO-NORTH EUROPE ROUTE: "There is a clear intent on behalf of the carriers to push further forward with the rate recovery program in June," according to a Drewry report.
Carriers in the Asia-to-North Europe route had full ships in the past few weeks.
Carriers are hoping this is the start of a sustained recovery for Asia-to-North Europe demand and rates.
The apparent bottoming out of the Russian economy is improving the trade outlook for this year.
That, according to a recent report from Drewry, the London-based maritime consultancy, followed a period between mid-February and mid-April when headhaul volumes in that trade were perceived to have been quite soft.
Among counterarguments to the recovery theory is that the latest figures represent restocking after the post-Chinese New Year slack season. Another is that some retailers are calling forward some of their peak season shipments, which would normally move between July and September, thanks to the carriers' slow-steaming policy. Low interest rates have taken the pressure off retailers to keep tight inventory levels; moving goods during the summer reduces the risk of delay during the usual peak holiday shipping season.
"Some British importers," Drewry reported, "have brought in stock early fearing that a vote to leave the EU in the June referendum would immediately weaken the pound, making imports more expensive." In the first quarter of 2016, UK imports grew by 4.6 percent, four times the trade average. Some retailers on the European continent have also fast-tracked imports in anticipation that Brexit could also put downward pressure on the euro.
On the other hand, an apparent bottoming out of the Russian economy is improving the trade outlook for this year. In 2015, imports into Russia dropped by 25 percent. In the first three months of this year volumes were the same as last year.
Capacity on the westbound leg of the Asia-North Europe trade fell by 8.2 percent in April as compared last year. The capacity of 867,000 TEU was 100,000 less than in July of last year.


Brad finished what he was doing and then came over to talk to us.
I knew what they did to Audrey.
I don't think Rafik is at fault.
Gail is pompous and arrogant.
If you had one word to describe Turkeer, how would you describe him?
Lucius asked for Dalton's permission to leave early.
Hohn didn't get on the bus.
At least Gilles was funny.
Naren took out his passport.
I don't know what kind of car Christopher has.
I haven't seen Caleb in 2 months.
I think you've been hanging out with Francis too much.
Kevin always gets up at six-thirty.
Raphael hasn't seen Rodney for months.
William sat in the car with a policeman on either side of him.
I've never known Juri to be wrong.
Tommy asked if I wanted to go to a party and I said yes.
Susumu was dressed in lycra.
Sid listened to the sound of the waves crashing on the beach.
Kristi has been studying hard, hasn't he?
This is Ron speaking. I'd like to speak to Ann.
Rolfe and Gary had a child and called him Gideon Junior.
We might be able to help Orville.
Tanya was wearing a black T-shirt and designer jeans.
Jon seemed surprised when I told him what Sylvan had done.
I have no clue what Lex is talking about.
I saw Laurence hide something.
Is that a picture of Liza on your desk?


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text:
Grover Norquist Grover Norquist
It's All Politics
Boehner Downplays Norquist's Sway On Congress' Republicans
November 3, 2011 • journalists couldn't help but notice how House Speaker John Boehner appeared Thursday after a reporter asked him about Grover Norquist's influence, to diminish the anti-tax activist's impact on congressional Republicans. The speaker downright seemed turned one of Washington's most influential issue advocates into a member of the 99 percent.
GOP Congressman Wolf Takes On Grover Norquist
October 4, 2011 • It's rare to see a Washington Republican go after Grover Norquist, the president of Americans for Tax Reform, who enforces ideological conformity with his anti-tax pledge. But that happened Tuesday when Rep. Frank Wolf, a Virginia Republican, said his conscience led him to warn his colleagues that Norquist shouldn't be dictating the nation's fiscal policy because of Norquist's background.
Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist speaks on Capitol Hill in April. Lauren Victoria Burke/AP hide caption
Lauren Victoria Burke/AP
Grover Norquist Contradicts Grover Norquist
July 21, 2011 • Grover Norquist, Washington's most feared anti-tax advocate, backtracked from remarks he made to the Washington Post editorial board in which he suggested that a lawmaker who voted to allow the Bush-era tax cuts to expire wouldn't be guilty of violating the anti-tax pledge he has gotten so many to sign.
INVITE MORE CONSERVATIVES TO NPR?
March 5, 2008 • When Sen. John McCain won the Virginia Republican presidential primary on Feb. 12, some conservatives thought he was sending a subliminal message. It wasn't his victory speech. It was >
More from Grover Norquist


text:
Phyllanthus rotundifolius är en emblikaväxtart som beskrevs av Jacob Theodor Klein och Carl Ludwig von Willdenow. Phyllanthus rotundifolius ingår i släktet Phyllanthus och familjen emblikaväxter. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Emblikaväxter
rotundifolius

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
MIKE FEDER STEPS DOWN AS SUGAR SKULLS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Super User	 27 June 2019
Mike Feder, the Tucson Sugar Skulls' executive director since the formation of the franchise last year, is stepping down from his position to focus on his family and the sports ventures he founded prior to joining the organization.
Feder, 67, has spent nearly 40 years in executive positions with a number of sports franchises, including 15 years as the general manager of Tucson's Triple-A baseball teams, other indoor football teams, and as executive director of the local Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl.
He co-founded and operates the annual Mexican Baseball Fiesta played each fall in several Arizona cities, including Tucson, and with journalist and radio personality Steve Rivera owns and operates the Lute Olson Fantasy Basketball Camp which takes place each August.
"I want to thank Kevin and Cathy Guy for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this great organization," Feder said. "I'm glad I had a chance to play a role in the inaugural season. It's just time for me to slow down a little and get ready to be a grandpa for the first time, help organize the Lute Olson Fantasy Basketball Camp, and continue being the president of the Mexican Baseball Fiesta for the ninth year.
"I know this franchise has a great future. I plan on being one of the biggest Sugar Skulls fans in Tucson."
Feder was announced as the Sugar Skulls' first executive director when the formation of the team was announced last August. He leaves the position on June 30.
"We genuinely appreciate Mike's commitment to helping the Sugar Skulls get off the ground and set the stage for future success," said Sugar Skulls Owner Cathy Guy. "It was important for us to establish ourselves as Tucson's team with management firmly rooted in the community. Mike's knowledge of Tucson and the business community helped us have a successful season from a business standpoint. We wish him all the best as he leaves our organization.
"Our goals remain the same which are to run a successful franchise from a competitive and business perspective, and to be an integral part of the community. We had an exciting and successful first season and we expect to continue that into our second year."


text:
The 5 greenest tech companies in 2019
by Jonathan Greig in Innovation on April 17, 2019, 11:14 PM PST
Some major tech companies are taking steps to be more environmentally responsible. The ecofriendly measures focus on renewable energy, carbon footprints, zero deforestation, and more.
Image: Romolo Tavani, Getty Images/iStockphoto
Earth Day 2019, which falls on April 22, has gotten less fanfare compared to last year, when most major tech companies released a sort of statement or sustainability plan concerning their efforts to go green. Many tech companies seem to be resting on their laurels, but activists say we are still in a dire situation.
The rise in accessibility of smartphones has increased power demands for many companies, forcing some, like Amazon, to go back on environmental pledges in an effort to power data centers that store the millions of photos, chats, and videos we send every day.
SEE: Green tech initiatives: Best practices and breakthroughs (free PDF) (TechRepublic)
This year, Greenpeace said IT centers now account for more than 7% of the world's electricity usage and that number continues to rise by the day.
"That's why we need data centers and other digital infrastructure to become 100% renewably powered," Greenpeace writes on its website. "By doing so, our increasing reliance on the internet can actually accelerate our transition to a renewably powered economy."
Amazon was recently taken to task by Greenpeace in a report on its data centers in Virginia. Greenpeace found that Amazon had reneged on its pledge to power its data centers with 100% renewable energy. In Virginia, Amazon Web Services is one of the largest electricity customers in the state, according to Greenpeace, and only 12% of that comes from renewable energy.
Apple and other tech companies have gone to great lengths to project an awareness of the environmental impact of their business models. Unfortunately, most of these companies are still reliant on a business model that requires consumers to buy new gadgets every year, creating tons of ecowaste.
Some companies have been at the forefront of addressing this issue, while others have lagged behind. Here are the five greenest tech giants, as ranked by Greenpeace, other environmental advocacy groups, and news outlets.
Apple largely held firm on its pledges to power its data centers with 100% renewable energy and clean up its supply chain, which has historically been rife with sustainability issues as well as human rights concerns. Apple announced last week that it had doubled the number of suppliers the company has convinced to use 100% clean energy to 44.
In its 13th annual Supplier Responsibility Report released in March 2019, Apple touted its efforts to reduce waste with its Zero Waste to Landfill initiative. Apple says all of its final assembly sites for its devices--including iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple Watches, AirPods, and HomePods--are now certified Zero Waste to Landfill, which the company says conserves billions of gallons of water and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
"Apple's clean water program expanded to 116 suppliers, resulting in 7.6 billion gallons of water saved in 2018--one gallon for every person on the planet," the company says in the report. "The company also worked with suppliers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 466,000 annualized metric tons, which is equivalent to taking 100,000 cars off the road for one year."
SEE: IT Data Center Green Energy Policy (Tech Pro Research)
2. Alphabet (Google)
Alphabet, the parent company of Google, received its number 1 ranking in As You Sow's 2019 Q1 Carbon Clean 200 list. The environmental nonprofit ranks publicly-traded companies "that are leading the way with solutions for the transition to a clean energy future."
As You Sow notes that Google's association with fossil fuel companies is a concern, but say that in comparison to other companies, Alphabet has spent billions of dollars to achieve its renewable energy target.
"From a carbon emissions perspective, Google's decision to go 100 percent renewable as compared to a business-as-usual scenario, removes five million tonnes of carbon emissions from the atmosphere every year," they wrote in their ranking.
"That is no small beans. It is equivalent to taking one million cars off the road or shutting down a quarter of Suncor's operations, one of the largest oil sands companies in the world.
3. HP
HP boasted an impressive list of accomplishments this past year, including beating some of its own goals way ahead of time. In March 2019, the company said it had reached "100 percent zero deforestation with HP-branded paper two years ahead of schedule" and added that it was set to achieve "zero deforestation of paper-based packaging by 2020." HP is one of the first companies to have its GHG emissions reduction targets approved by the Science Based Targets initiative and was one of only seven companies to earn a spot on the latest CDP Climate A List, Water A List, and Supplier Engagement leader board last year.
HP reduced its carbon footprint and energy consumption by 33%, and worked to ensure that 30% of the plastic used in its printers is closed-loop and post-consumer plastic, meaning one third of the plastic the company used has been repurposed from something else. For the future, HP has vowed to make sure "every page printed with HP will support a forest-positive future, carbon neutrality, and materials designed to reduce the impact to the planet."
"We are redefining the power of print to create a positive, lasting change for the planet, its people, and our communities," Enrique Lores, President of HP Inc.'s Imaging & Printing business, said in March 2019. "HP's commitment to sustainability guides how we do business and drives the way our printers are designed, made, and used."
HP has got a ton of other ambitious goals. HP admitted in its 2018 report that the company's acquisition of Samsung's printer business will increase its carbon footprint, but HP is taking steps to mitigate the damage.
4. Microsoft
Microsoft's latest initiatives have caught the attention of those watching the sustainability of tech companies. Microsoft announced last week that it is in the process of building a number of new facilities, and the company has already committed to using 100% carbon-free electricity in those buildings.
Microsoft's biggest achievement is what the company has done with its data centers. By the end of the year, 60% of Microsoft's data centers will run on renewable energy, and the company wants to reach 70% by 2023. It has also done a lot of work with environmentally-focused companies, helping them streamline their initiatives using Microsoft technology.
SEE: Photos: The 20 greenest data centers in the world (TechRepublic)
Environmental activists were somewhat underwhelmed by Microsoft's goals for reducing its carbon footprint by 75% before 2030.
Microsoft has an internal "carbon fee" that the company uses to force its financial departments to be more eco-conscious, charging $15 per metric ton on all carbon emissions. According to the UN, Microsoft uses the money from these fees to invest in other environmentally-friendly companies." Each quarter, Microsoft tracks and analyzes its energy use from data centers, offices, labs and manufacturing, as well as emissions associated with business air travel. Those kilowatt-hours and miles and class of air travel are then converted into tonnes of carbon," the UN wrote on its Climate Change website. "Microsoft offsets those emissions by investing in projects that reduce carbon emissions, recycle e-waste, generate green power, make buildings more efficient, and offset emissions through community projects around the world. Each business unit contributes a proportional amount to the carbon fund based on their emissions and this year's carbon price."
Dell has been well-known for going against the grain with its products, attempting to make them last longer, despite the financial incentives inherent in creating devices that die quickly and need to be replaced.
In Dell's 2018 Sustainability report, the company provided a detailed list of its goals and how far along it is in achieving them. Dell aims to reduce its global absolute greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 40% and are about three-quarters of the way there. Dell hopes to reach a point where 50% of the energy the company uses comes from renewable sources, but it has only been able to make it halfway there.
Dell managed to fully reach its goal of ensuring that 90% of its waste is diverted from landfills and are close to succeeding in its plan to use sustainably sourced or recyclable material in its packaging.
Innovation Newsletter
Be in the know about smart cities, AI, Internet of Things, VR, AR, robotics, drones, autonomous driving, and more of the coolest tech innovations. Delivered Wednesdays and Fridays
How AI could save the environment (TechRepublic)
17 ways to recycle or sell your smartphone (TechRepublic)
Photos: 13 ways to go green with tech (TechRepublic)
Enzyme which devours our plastic waste created by accident (ZDNet)
How ecoATM Gazelle turns more than 4 million recycled smartphones into quick cash every year (TechRepublic)
Earth Day reminder: Your phone, tablet and printer are recyclable (CNET)
Earth Day: Green Tech Tips & Tricks (TechRepublic on Flipboard)
Comment and share: The 5 greenest tech companies in 2019
By Jonathan Greig
Jonathan Greig is a freelance journalist based in New York City. He recently returned to the United States after reporting from South Africa, Jordan, and Cambodia since 2013.
| See all of Jonathan's content
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