text:
Forget 5G. Trump Demands 6G for the US
By Money Morning Editorial
'This is a day I've been looking forward to for two and a half years. Every once in a while, a revolutionary product comes along that changes everything.
'…Today, we're introducing three revolutionarily products…an iPod, a phone and an internet communicator. An iPod, a phone…are you getting it?'
This is what Steve jobs told a cheering crowd in January 2007.
He was introducing maybe the most revolutionary product Apple Inc [NASDAQ:AAPL] has ever made.
The iPhone.
We know it was revolutionary because EVERYONE would end up copying Apple's design and product.
The smartphone industry, how it looks today, is thanks to Apple. Although I'm sure someone else might have figured it out sooner or later.
From the beginning of 2007, the stock was up 15% 10 days in. By July, Apple was up 74%. And by the end of December, the stock had doubled and then some for the year.
Of course, a rising bull market helps.
A lot of the 'pile in' investors were so gung-ho on the iPhone, they didn't think Apple could lose.
Fast forward more than 10 years and Apple is losing.
They're not the world's most popular smartphone.
They're not even number two.
Apple is now behind Samsung and Huawei based on global shipments. They're also just starting to find the top price range for their 'revolutionary' devices.
You'd think people would have learnt from Apple's experience.
That doesn't seem to be the case.
Samsung is about to release their Galaxy Fold. And everyone is saying it will be the next big thing…
Free Guide: How to Invest in the Massive Infrastructure Boom. Download now.
Everything is a toaster in the long run
Reported by the Australian Financial Review (AFR):
'In San Francisco, the world's largest consumer electronics company didn't just announce the 10th version of its flagship line of smartphones, the Galaxy S10 and all its variants (which now number more than ever).
'It also announced the phone it thinks may one day replace the smartphone: the Galaxy Fold, a phone with a 4.6-inch display on the front, that opens up like a book to reveal a foldable, 7.3-inch display on the inside, that's due to go on sale in Australia within months.'
Source: AFR
[Click to open in a new window]
Samsung said they've been working on the device since 2011.
It took that much time for them to develop a screen that was flexible, durable and felt like glass when you used it.
They're pricing the foldable phone at a whopping $2,770, clearly because people have too much money these days.
Their new traditional phone, the Galaxy S10 is also being touted as a smartphone breakthrough. Again, from the AFR:
'It's taken Samsung 10 years, but the Korean phone maker has finally nailed the smartphone, just as it's about to move on.
'The Galaxy S10, S10+ and S10e it just announced in San Francisco are, with the possible exception of battery life, spot on.
'Things that we hated in the past few models, like the iris scanning system that rarely worked, have been dumped in favour of things that do work.
'…Indeed, I daresay that the Galaxy S10+ with the white ceramic back and the hint of rose gold in the metal trim is the most stylish phone Samsung has ever done.'
But like Apple, I don't see this going anywhere long-term.
If the Galaxy Fold is a hit, why wouldn't all the other major phone makers just copy it? It's what they did with the original iPhone.
There just doesn't seem to be a sticky quality in the realm of smartphones.
Sure, you might use and like Apple's iPhone, but everything is a toaster in the long run.
By that I mean without a strong competitive advantage, there's nothing to keep people from remaining loyal to any one smartphone maker.
There was one bonus that comes with the Samsung phone that I thought was cool, though.
Free 5G upgrades.
Bring on 6G, Trump says
At the same San Francisco launch, Telstra Corporation Ltd [ASX:TLS] offered free upgrades to 5G versions of the Galaxy 10S.
The telco has already installed more than 200 5G base stations. The roll out is still in progress.
Telstra's consumer segment executive, Kevin Teoh said 5G coverage should 'absolutely [be available] in metro areas, it's fairly safe to assume.'
In my opinion, you'd be far better off focusing on this 5G opportunity than trying to pick the next short-term consumer electronics winner.
The industry for building out 5G capabilities involves large, long-running contracts. Those businesses that own the infrastructure can then monetise those networks with far less competition.
It's just a more certain place to be. Better than betting on how consumer preferences might change anyway.
Over in the US, Trump has made this a big topic.
He's pushing US telecommunication firms to roll out 5G as soon as possible. Trump is even talking about 6G already.
Here's a recent tweet from the US President:
Nothing wrong with a bit of healthy competition, right?
Harje Ronngard,
Editor, Money Morning
FREE report: Why 'Nano Metal' could soon be Australia's most valuable export. Find out more here.
Money Morning Editorial
Money Morning is Australia's most outspoken financial news service. Your Money Morning editorial team are not afraid to tell it like it is. From calling out politicians to taking on the housing industry, our aim is to cut through the hype and BS to help you make sense of the stories that make a difference to your wealth. Whether you agree with us or not, you'll find our common-sense, thought provoking arguments well worth a read.
Money Morning Australia is published by Fat Tail Investment Research, an independent financial publisher based in Melbourne, Australia. As an Australian financial services license holder we are subject to the regulations and laws of Corporations Act and Financial Services Act.
Trader's Corner — Batten Down the Hatches
Editor : Murray Dawes - 15/01/2022


Professor Jeff Peakall is a process sedimentologist working on both natural processes (submarine fans, rivers, lakes, and cohesive mud erosion) and industrial systems (nuclear waste ponds, design of new nuclear storage facilities). He is Director of the Sorby Environmental Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, a NERC Recognised Facility that seeks to act as a key National research facility for environmental fluids research in the UK. His main research interest has been in understanding the giant channels that traverse the world's sea-floors, and he has worked extensively on submarine channel evolution, sedimentation, and the flow dynamics of currents that traverse these channel systems. As part of this Jeff has been measuring flows through active submarine channels in the Black Sea and in a reservoir on the Yellow River in China.


William McPhee from Boston Harbor Angels is a member of FundingPost online!
To list your Company on our website and make your profile available to William and 7,500+ other VCs and Angel Investors, Click Here.
Boston Harbor Angels is a group of proven business leaders interested in investing a portion of our assets in high-growth, early-stage companies. Since 2004 we have made investments in companies in medical devices, IT, consumer products, business products, specialty materials, Internet, aviation, etc. We believe we contribute more than money to the companies we fund and welcome the opportunity to work with entrepreneurs who are open to taking advice, yet have the smarts and determination to make their company successful.
Our focus is on early-stage companies, usually looking to raise $250K to $1.5M, where we can fund a portion of the round and syndicate the deal with other angel groups or early-stage venture funds. The company should be close to the commercialization stage and have a clear and defensible competitive advantage. We are looking for capital-efficient businesses that can reach profitability with less than $5M of equity investment and provide at least a tenfold return on the investment within five years.
BHA does not invest as a fund�each of our members makes his or her individual investment decision�but we collaborate in due diligence. We are open to any opportunities that can make a strong business case and can take the position of a lead investor if one of us has strong expertise within our group.
BHA receives 20-30 business summaries each month, out of which we select eight companies to make a personal presentation to our screening committee. The screening committee consists of volunteers from the group. The presentations are 10 minutes long, followed by 30-minute interactive discussion on the business opportunity. We provide our feedback on the strategy, tactics, presentation style, etc. on the spot. Four of the companies are invited to present to the whole group, so as to get members interested. After that, we decide to undertake due diligence concerning the companies before making an investment.
Boston Harbor Angels was founded by Mic Williams (president) in February 2004. Day-to-day operations are managed by Boris Batchvarov (managing director).
William D. McPhee (Bill) is the Founder and Managing Director of Praxis Advisors LLC, a partnership of senior executives that helps early stage medtech businesses develop and execute the strategies and tactics needed to reach commercialization and exit. Mr. McPhee has 30 years of experience in strategy and operations consulting, fund raising, transactions and venture capital. He has worked with the senior management teams of a wide range of organizations in the healthcare, consumer products, information services, manufacturing and retail sectors.
Prior to starting Praxis, Mr. McPhee created the Outsourced Business Development practice at Health Advances, a 65-person life science strategy consulting boutique. Before that he founded Mi3 Venture Partners, an early stage life science fund. Mi3 evolved from Mr. McPhee's realization that there was an extraordinary opportunity to exploit the shifts in the strategic/operating paradigm for the imaging-related sector. In 1991 Mr. McPhee founded the international strategy consulting business, Lucas, McPhee & Co., focused on building shareholder value for institutions as diverse as the Indiana University School of Medicine, Warner-Lambert, Health and Hospital Corp. (Indianapolis), Wishard Hospital, Indiana Healthcare (primary care organization), Thomson Consumer Electronics, Hawker-Siddeley (U.K.) and some of the LBO portfolio companies of Clayton, Dubilier & Rice and Kohlberg and Company. Early in his career Mr. McPhee served as a senior manager in several small companies and as a consultant with the international strategy-consulting firm of Bain and Company. Over a 4-year period with PepsiCo, Inc., Mr. McPhee served initially as Legal Counsel for Canadian subsidiaries and later was responsible for the franchised growth of Taco Bell and Pizza Hut in Canada. Mr. McPhee received a LL.B. (law degree) from McGill University (Montreal) where he was a Wainwright Scholar. He also obtained a B.Sc. (Honors - pre-Med) from McGill and received McConnell and University Scholarships. Mr. McPhee is a non-practicing member of the Ontario Bar.
Mr. McPhee is a member of Boston Harbor Angels and Mass Medical Angels, and serves as an Advisor to The Capital Network. He has held Board seats on Imcor Pharmaceuticals, VueSonix Sensors, Quick Study Radiology, FlowMedica and superDimension and has been a speaker and panelist for many organizations, including MassMedic, the Institute of Medicine and the Foley & Lardner Technology Conference. Mr. McPhee has published articles in Imaging and the peer reviewed journal Radiology.
Aras Corp provides a suite of enterprise software solutions to coordinate the complicated business processes in engineering and production resulting in faster, more profitable product launches.
Wadsworth Medical Technologies Developed DermaLOC�, an innovative and disruptive wound closure device.
Oculis Labs Inc. has a pioneering software solution to display security - more effective, more efficient, and lower cost than current solutions.
Julianna Rae Using the highest quality eco-friendly fabrics including the finest silks, high threadcount cottons and modern micromodal, Julianna Rae makes clothes and intimate apparel to meet the fit and fashion needs of today's woman and today's eco-conscious buyer.


text:
News18» News»Auto»This Aftermarket Matte-Finished PU Paint Makes Mahindra Thar 'Scratchproof', Check Here
This Aftermarket Matte-Finished PU Paint Makes Mahindra Thar 'Scratchproof', Check Here
Customized Mahindra Thar. (Image: YouTube Screengrab)
The new Mahindra Thar is available in AX and LX trims. The LX version comes with a company fitted hardtop and is available in petrol and diesel engine options.
Mahindra's Thar has been a long-discussed topic among automotive markets and news circuits for the last couple of months. The company launched its most awaited iteration of the Thar couple of months ago and has exceeded expectations as the buyer's response has been overwhelming. Its demand had surged so much that Mahindra had to issue a statement on increasing its production, as the Thar is currently sold out till May 2021.
There has been a new rise in the aftermarket accessories for the new Thar, as they have started to arrive in the market. There have been sightings of a couple of modified models too. Among one such modified offering, a brand new 2020 Mahindra Thar sporting a unique PU bullet liner paint job is doing rounds online.
According to a CarToq report, a recent video shared by vlogger Vinay Kapoor on the popular video sharing site shows the new Thar getting a PU bullet liner paint job. The YouTube video shared on his channel shows the unique paint treatment giving the SUV an entirely new look than other cars. The new PU coating leaves a matte finish on the vehicle, which closely resembles a paint work or wrap.
The new PU bullet liner treatment may look like a usual paint work, but it is touted as much more than that. It basically is a chemical spray on the vehicle, however, its USP is that it saves the vehicle's body from scratches and dents. Kapoor's video also shows a small clip which explains how strong this new matte treatment in reality is. It shows a person hitting the bonnet of the vehicle with a hammer multiple times and voila, there are neither dents on the body, nor the paint chips away.
Kapoor claims that the PU coat bullet liner is more durable than any regular paint and its warranty depends on the thickness of the coat it gets while sprayed upon. He also claims that his unique treatment will last for at least four to five years. In the video, he also explained about its maintenance is quite low when compared to regular paint as it doesn't need a wax or polish on the surface at regular intervals.
He also mentioned that its cost is quite less than regular paint work and it can be made available in different shades. Maintenance wise, it can be cleaned using a water jet spray as every panel of the car was removed and individually painted to give it an even finish. However, in the video, the Mahindra Thar with the matte PU paint looks like an armoured car and definitely added to the SUV's looks.
The new Mahindra Thar is available in AX and LX trims. The LX version comes with a company fitted hardtop and is available in petrol and diesel engine options. There is a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol unit that generates 150 Bhp and 320 Nm of torque, while the 2.2-litre turbo diesel unit generates 130 Bhp and 320 Nm of torque. Both the engines are offered with manual and automatic gearbox options along with a 4x4 transfer case.
Tags: mahindramahindra tharMahindra Thar customizedModified Mahindra TharPU PaintScratchproofThar
Mahindra Thar Prices Increased by Upto Rs 40,000; Waiting Period Now Exceeds 10 Months
2020 Mahindra Thar SUV Receives 6,500 Bookings in December, Wait Time of 10 Months
This Customized Mahindra Thar SUV With All-White Paint Makes us Wish it Was Stock
All-new Mahindra Thar Spotted Testing with a New Silver Colour Option, Launch Soon?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


storm waterbio-retention, LED lighting, day lighting and natural ventilation andthe use of rapidly renewable and recycled materials.
The Entry and Art Exhibition Grounds Improvements for Laguna's Festival of Arts renews and reimagines historic and cultural relationships to the Canyon and Downtown Core. The entry design creates an attractive linear landscape frontage, buffering art show patrons and promenade users from the heavy traffic of Laguna Canyon Road. A carefully selected palette of sustainable hardscape and planting materials provide visitors with a characteristic yet unique welcome. Functional enhancements to the site include a pedestrian and bicycle promenade with enhanced paving; ADA compliant access to the grounds and ticketing; and, a vehicular drop off zone. The Art Exhibition Grounds consist of new Art Exhibit Terraces and a new public park and Performance Green. The Art Exhibition areas are located in new tensile roof pavilions covering six exhibition terraces. The new Performance Green provides park and performance space for music events, covered by a seasonal shade structure.


text:
Joseph LoDuca Scoring Netflix's 'Mr. Iglesias'
Posted: June 21, 2019 by filmmusicreporter in Film Scoring Assignments
Tags: Joseph LoDuca, Mr. Iglesias, Netflix
Joseph LoDuca (The Evil Dead, Xena: Warrior Princess, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Ash vs Evil Dead) is the composer of the new Netflix original series Mr. Iglesias. The show is created by Kevin Hench (Last Man Standing) and stars Gabriel Iglesias, Sherri Shepherd, Jacob Vargas, Oscar Nuñez, Maggie Geha, Cree Cicchino, Richard Gant and Coy Stewart. The comedy centers on a high school teacher who tries to make a difference in the lives of some smart but underperforming students at his alma mater. Hench and Iglesias are also producing the project with Ron De Blasio, Joe Meloche and Andy Ackerman (The New Adventures of Old Christine). Mr. Iglesias is premiering today exclusively on Netflix.
LoDuca has also recently scored the Lisa Brenner- & Nick Blood-starring indie comedy Say My Name, which just opened in select theaters and on VOD earlier this month.


text:
Photo of Richard Nixon by AP Images
Pepsi's photographer got numerous shots of Khrushchev drinking Pepsi-Cola. Obviously, the Soviet leader preferred the one with Russian water—and touted its superiority over the American version—calling it "quite refreshing."
It may not have had the same cultural impact of Joanie Sommers singing "It's Pepsi, for Those Who Think Young," but it was no less effective. After all, in a totalitarian state like the Soviet Union, if the leader drank something, then everyone drank it. As such, Kendall was able to negotiate a 15-year exclusive deal with the USSR shortly after the expo ended—a deal that, effectively, shut Coke out of the Communist stronghold.
Kendall was grateful to Nixon for his role in making it happen. "We got front-page publicity all over the world: 'Khrushchev learns to be sociable,' " he recalled. "The publicity was unbelievable. It saved my job."
So when Nixon started job hunting in 1962, Kendall paid him back by giving him a very important chit to play with potential employers. He made it known that whichever firm hired Nixon would also get Pepsi, with its annual legal billings in excess of $3 million, as a client.
Pepsi wasn't the only client Nixon brought with him. Several from a previous stint at Adams, Duque & Hazeltine in California after the 1960 election followed him to the Big Apple, including Jessop Steel, Dreyfus Corp., Richfield Oil, Precision Valve Corp. and Virginia Industries. Nixon also proved adept at signing up new clients, including shipping magnate Daniel Ludwig, one of the richest men in the world, and banknote manufacturers Thomas De La Rue Inc. The latter also gave him a seat on its board, and chairman Francis Sorg recalled that Nixon "did no legal work at all. … With us, he was not going to be a lawyer; he was going to be a salesman."
AP Images.
On several politically sensitive matters that his firm was involved with, including a potential representation of controversial Vietnamese political figure Tran Le Xuân, better known as Madame Nhu, Nixon was content to keep a low profile. On one matter, however, he was more than happy to be out in front, even if his actual involvement was somewhat limited.
On May 30, 1961, longtime Dominican Republic strongman Rafael Trujillo's car was ambushed by several gunmen while the "First Teacher, First Doctor, First Journalist of the Republic" was executed gangland style as he was being chauffeured home. The assassins wielded American-style M1 carbines, leading to the conclusion that the CIA had Trujillo killed.
That theory didn't hold much water—especially coming on the heels of the Bay of Pigs debacle. The last thing the Kennedy administration wanted was to take out an anti-Communist leader like Trujillo and leave a power vacuum for a Dominican Fidel Castro to fill. Indeed, declassified CIA documents indicate the agency wasn't directly involved but almost certainly had foreknowledge of it and had provided the guns used by the assassins.
With most long-term dictators, the safe assumption is that they have a fortune squirreled away in a country with secretive banking laws. Trujillo was no different, as he was rumored to have a personal wealth of nearly $500 million, with over $180 million stashed in a Swiss bank account. The sheer enormity of such a fortune guaranteed that it would serve as a battleground for the various Trujillo heirs, who all wanted a piece of the late strongman's estate.
What made this battle even more complicated came down to the other dictatorial cliché that Trujillo had more than lived up to. "Lover of Dominican Women" had not been one of his extravagant titles, but it probably could have been. Trujillo had many, many mistresses and girlfriends, and as a result, he had many, many illegitimate children. (It's never been definitely proven how many he had.) Given the reputed size of his fortune, it was inevitable that Trujillo's death would trigger a veritable battle royale for his riches
In July 1964, the Los Angeles Times reported that a group of six illegitimate children had hired Nixon and his firm to represent them as they tried to collect their portion of the estate. Nixon's clients were based in Miami and had named the Miami Beach First National Bank as their trustee.
Nixon got the publicity, but how much work he actually did on the case is in dispute. Raymond Steckel, an associate in the Paris office of Nixon Mudge, recalled that the case belonged to Nixon's partner Randolph Guthrie, who had a relationship with the chairman of the Miami bank
"I have no recollection of Nixon working on the case," said Steckel. In fact, a December 1965 message from Nixon secretary Rose Mary Woods to Nixon seemed to confirm this, as Woods relayed a message from John Davis Lodge, former ambassador to Spain, urgently requesting briefing materials for an expert Lodge wanted to weigh in on the matter.
"I explained that this was not your case—that this material would have to come from Mr. Guthrie since this was his case—NOT YOURS," Woods wrote to Nixon.
The firm, on behalf of the Miami-based children, filed a criminal complaint in Geneva accusing Trujillo's son Radames of misappropriating his late father's millions. Radames, who was living in exile in France, was accused of stealing $150 million from his dad's coffers and was extradited to Switzerland in November 1964 to face the charges. The Miami heirs claimed that, because of Radames' theft, there was less than $6 million left in the account. Ultimately, Nixon Mudge reached a settlement with Radames (the terms were not disclosed), and he was released from Swiss custody.
However, there were other fish for the Miami heirs to fry. At one point the lawyers looked at whether or not to file a case in Santo Domingo, and Steckel recalled flying into the Dominican Republic's capital to explore that possibility. The post-Trujillo years were highly unstable, with multiple revolutions and coups d'état taking place before the United States forcibly intervened in 1965. It was during one of these revolutionary periods when Steckel flew down to the country. "I could still hear guns going off in the background," he recalled. "It was exciting but also scary." He met with the newly appointed minister of justice and asked to copy some files relevant to the Trujillo matter.
"I show up, me in my little lawyer suit, and here's this rather burly fellow in his early 40s wearing a short-sleeve white shirt," Steckel said. "He asked me to sit down and then started explaining why I couldn't actually copy the files. Before I could say anything, he pulled open his right desk drawer and pulled out a .45 and put it on his desk. He didn't say another word."
Ultimately, Steckel said, he was allowed to look at the files and copy what he could by hand. "So, when the Miami bank suggested filing an action in Santo Domingo, I told them that, based on what little I knew about civil law in the Dominican Republic, pursuing this claim in the middle of a revolution didn't strike me as a very useful thing!"


The 5-week ADVANCED INTENSIVE is for passionate and serious-minded 8th-12th graders who will commit to investing time both in and outside of class to develop their acting, vocal and performance technique. Students will be required to memorize a scene prior to the start of the session. These scenes will be used as tools to more deeply explore the many different layers of character development and performance. Participants will also work individually with a vocal instructor and accompanist on a different piece/style of music each week. Vocal instruction will emphasize technique as well as performance.
Give your child a taste of Broadway with our 5-week Musical Theater Intensive! This Glee-style class will keep kids on their feet as they learn 2-part harmonies and high-energy choreography to blockbuster hits from Broadway musicals. Open to 4th-8th grade musical theater lovers, this is an amazing opportunity to further develop stage presence, vocal performance, and movement.


text:
Epic Games yanks Fortnite ads from YouTube over child-predator controversy
YouTube says it is working to eliminate predators' accounts
By Cal Jeffrey on February 20, 2019, 14:22
A hot potato: Following a child predator controversy on YouTube, Epic has decided to pull its Fortnite pre-roll ads it was showing. Pre-roll ads are the short commercials (often skippable) that play before videos. Epic became aware that some of the content is being used by child predators to exploit children.
On Tuesday, it was learned that some YouTube content was being used by pedophiles in an exploitative manner. The videos themselves are not necessarily against the terms of service, but predators are using them to organize with once another and share links to child pornography.
Epic is one of several companies to take action against the content. On Wednesday, it announced it was halting Fortnite ads on the platform until YouTube addresses the problem.
"We have paused all pre-roll advertising," a spokesperson for Epic told The Verge. "Through our advertising agency, we have reached out to Google/YouTube to determine actions they'll take to eliminate this type of content from their service."
The controversy stems from the discovery that certain videos on YouTube that target or feature children have been subjected to predatory comments. Former YouTube content creator Matt Watson exposed the problem. He calls it a "wormhole into a soft-core pedophilia ring on YouTube."
Watson explained that a search for something like "bikini haul," which is where female YouTubers show various bikinis they have purchased, can lead to related "exploitative" videos of children. While the videos are not pornographic, they may feature children dressed in swimwear in displaying suggestive poses. In the comments, you can find where predators have left timestamps to parts of the videos that "sexualize" the children.
"YouTube's recommended algorithm is facilitating pedophiles' ability to connect with each-other, trade contact info, and link to actual child pornography in the comments," said Watson. "I can consistently get access to it from vanilla, never-before-used YouTube accounts via innocuous videos in less than ten minutes, in sometimes less than five clicks."
Epic is not the only advertiser that has pulled ads. Several other companies have halted marketing efforts on YouTube over the mess. Wired notes that stationary bike maker Peloton "was working with its media buying agency to investigate why its adverts were being displayed against such videos."
It is also not the first time such an ad boycott has occurred. Similar movements happened when media outlets exposed terrorism and hate-filled content posted on the site. Another uproar resulted after PewDiePie posted a video that contained some anti-Semitic imagery. YouTuber's humorously refer to these advertising bans as " adpocalypse."
As far as what YouTube plans to do about the situation, a spokesperson had this to say:
"We took immediate action by deleting accounts and channels, reporting illegal activity to authorities and disabling violative comments. Any content — including comments — that endangers minors is abhorrent, and we have clear policies prohibiting this on YouTube. There's more to be done, and we continue to work to improve and catch abuse more quickly."
It is unclear if these actions and assurances are enough to get Epic and others to begin running ads again.
Kids today would rather be YouTubers than astronauts
Epic Games allegedly sent a player's personal GDPR data to a 'random person'
The official YouTube app has finally returned to Amazon Fire TV devices
Epic continues to plunder exclusives from Steam


text:
Interview: Butte County District Attorney on prosecuting PG&E for another wildfire
North State Public Radio | By Michael Hagerty,
Published January 9, 2022 at 11:51 PM PST
Andrew Nixon
The Dixie Fire, visible from Highway 70, along the Feather River on Wednesday, July 20, 2021.
This week, Cal Fire released the results of its investigation into the Dixie Fire, which burned more than 900,000 acres in five counties and destroyed 1,600 buildings.
The investigation found that the second-largest wildfire in recorded California history began when an electrical wire owned by PG&E came in contact with a tree west of Cresta Dam in Butte County.
The report's been forwarded to the district attorney of Butte County, Michael Ramsey, who prosecuted PG&E for the 2018 Camp Fire. The utility pleaded guilty to 84 counts of felony manslaughter in that case.
Ramsey joined CapRadio's Mike Haggerty to discuss how to file charges in regards to fires.
This fire burned in four counties besides Butte. Is the California state Attorney General's Office involved at all?
Not at this juncture. They are a kind of a backstop as where they were in the Camp Fire and a lot of very good minds there that can help.
I know that in a criminal case, priors are an issue when we're talking about a human being. Does that work the same way with utilities?
Absolutely. Basically, if … we establish a pattern of negligence, then such a pattern can eventually make itself into gross negligence. So that certainly is something that we discuss.
I have to ask, given that the Camp Fire was in November of 2018, here we are in early 2022. I know you are a prosecutor. I know you have a process to go through. I know that nothing is a given in this. But are you frustrated that you're here again with the same company, the same issue of fire when PG&E has been making promises to improve in the interim?
Well, the sardonic part of a prosecutor says that we heard statements certainly starting with San Bruno [pipeline explosion in 2011], that they were on probation for these last five years, of saying, OK, we heard from them saying, no, we're going to do better, we're going to do better, we're going to do better.
I have to kind of note that in the gas portion of PG&E's operation, they really did make vast improvements from what we saw in just our investigation in the Camp Fire. Not so much on the electrical side. But then we get to the Camp Fire, the CEO at that time stood in front of the judge and answered 84 times, guilty, your honor, as a picture of the person that they killed was shown on a screen. The organization has made a turn, there is no doubt. But it is a bit like trying to move the Titanic away from that iceberg.
NewsDixie FireButte County
To provide a trusted and indispensable source of information, music, and entertainment while strengthening the civic and cultural life of the communities we serve.
See stories by CapRadio


Grab a bite and network with colleagues before you roll up your sleeves for your Master Class Workshop.
Get a firsthand view of the Rickenbacker area including 70M square feet of industrial development, 10M of which has been constructed in the last few years. Key transportation facilities including Rickenbacker International Airport and the Rickenbacker Intermodal Facility are part of the tour. We'll visit both the airport and intermodal yard for an up-close view of cargo in motion.
Merchants are seeing their profits squeezed due to increasing shipping costs. Your customers are demanding free shipping, while the major carriers (UPS, FedEx, USPS) keep raising rates. Imagine the impact of a 5%-25% reduction in shipping costs to improve your profit outlook. Impossible you say? Attend this interactive workshop to find out how. You'll get a crash course on the tips, tricks and tactics of professional parcel negotiators.
Giving customers a consistently excellent experience across channels is the mantra for retailers today. How much quality and consistency you provide at every touchpoint can make or break both your retention rate and profitability.
To help you get there, this workshop will cover several key aspects of the customer experience. We'll look at how to eliminate friction points, establish a mobile-first mentality in client engagement strategies and create a journey map aligned to those strategies.
A panel of leading merchants will share their insights and best practices for aligning people, processes and technology to consistently delight customers, win loyalty and drive sales.
Any company selling items online and through any other channel is by definition an "omni" merchant. Today's consumers expect a convenient, consistent, seamless experience across channels. It's up to you to figure out the complex processes and enabling technology to meet these mounting expectations, without breaking the bank in the process.
Many omnichannel retailers are still struggling with execution, including: integrating disparate systems; determining strategies for profitable ship-from-store programs; and managing evolving processes, training and organizational structures. Inventory management/visibility and order sourcing continue to be challenging, affecting the mix and allocation of store and DC fulfillment.
This workshop will bring together industry experts and retail professionals successfully tackling key aspects of the omnichannel operating model, as well as operations that are less mature. Come prepared to be engaged and to take notes during this interactive, deep-dive learning experience with solid takeaways for your action plans.
•	Tactical best practices and profitability strategies for: ship from/to store, BOPIS, ROPIS, etc.
•	External partnership excellence: brands, providers, carriers, etc.
Whether you're someone who's just starting out in direct-to-customer operations or you've been at it a while, this half-day workshop will go over the basics while also providing a review for experienced total operations management. Strategies and tactics in DTC and omnichannel operations will be covered in depth, giving you practical tools to help you deliver superior call center and fulfillment services as a competitive advantage. This workshop will place an emphasis on real-world examples as well as interaction and engagement with attendees.
The bottom line: You'll come away with actionable ideas to maximize performance and operational efficiency throughout your front-end and back-end operations. This workshop is a must for anyone responsible for executing DTC or omnichannel fulfillment, from supervisors to executives.
Tim Holody, COO, Seta Corp.
Come walk the sidelines of a true Ohio treasure with fellow Summit attendees. See where Woody once roamed, Archie made history and where the Buckeyes have battled since 1922. Experience the Yassenoff Recruit Center, filled with pictures of current and former Buckeye greats. Travel up to one of the nation's largest collegiate press boxes, where over 400 media personnel and staff are seated for games. See the Huntington Club level and view the field from one of the 81 suites. Visit the $1.5 million Steinbrenner Band Center, home to the "Best Damn Band in the Land." Explore other areas of "the Horseshoe" for a unique Buckeye experience. History, sports, media, and the Ecommerce Operations Summit will converge on this one-of-a-kind excursion. Be a part of it!
Note: Pre-registration is required at an additional $35 fee. Includes roundtrip transport from the convention center. Sign up during your registration. Already registered? No problem! You can add this excursion on by clicking here.
Come see A&F's one million-sq.-ft. dedicated ecommerce fulfillment center. The building was redesigned in 2015 specifically to meet the needs of the growing DTC business across the A&F and Hollister brands. Along the tour you'll see their three-level pick tower, multi-shuttle tote buffer, cross-belt sorter and 36 putwalls. In addition, you'll experience their latest investment in Lucas System's Voice picking platform.
Note: Pre-registration is required at an additional $85 fee. Includes roundtrip transport from the Hyatt plus tastings. Sign up during your registration. Already registered? No problem! You can add this excursion on by clicking here.
The movement toward greater gender equality and diversity has become a corporate imperative, as companies strive to create pay parity and more leadership and promotion opportunities. So, what does this look like in the context of customer care and customer experience management? How are companies doing in this industry? We will look at what forward-looking organizations are doing to proactively promote a more equitable culture in this specialized area of retail and ecommerce.
Heightened consumer interest in the environment dovetails nicely with economic imperatives to reduce costs by shrinking packaging and shipping less air. The concept of "disruptive sustainability" has also entered the ecommerce packaging conversation, tapping into emerging technologies and innovation. This is leading many retailers to rethink their approach, including customizing elements such as protective packaging and box sizing. This session will look at the trends, drivers and solutions that tick the critical boxes of protection, branding and customer experience, sustainability and profitability.
Shipping capacity continues to be severely challenged across parcel, LTL and TL, even bleeding over into intermodal and rail. Volume keeps growing and the driver shortage isn't ending anytime soon, but your shipments still need to get where they're going every day. So how do you ensure you have adequate capacity to meet demand now and into the future, especially at peak? This panel will explore the current outlook, discuss creative solutions and the way forward.
How you engage with and work with customers is so critical to your success as a brand that the decision to outsource or not – and what parts – needs to be considered carefully. Will a third party be able to meet your service level requirements as well as customer expectations? How will they represent your brand to your audience? We'll discuss the strengths and weaknesses of both approaches from the merchant perspective, as well as factors and decision criteria you need to weigh.
Many ecommerce companies started with Fulfillment By Amazon because it was easy, integrated with Amazon's marketplace and offered great shipping rates and speed. But with the cost of FBA rising and restrictions tightening, some are searching for better service, greater freedom and a more cost-effective solution. We will examine arguments for and against FBA, the costs involved with leaving and the benefits of alternative solutions such as a 3PL.
Going global can be a complex and expensive initiative. When venturing into cross-border ecommerce you may need to rethink current practices. The same approach that led to success domestically won't be flexible enough for the complexities of selling around the world. Thinking beyond just product availability, we will explore a scalable framework for global expansion, considering the complexities of operations, logistics, compliance and most importantly, delivering on customer expectations.
Your customer's experience with your brand doesn't end at checkout. In fact, in today's hyper-competitive marketplace — where consumers can switch brands in seconds — providing the post-purchase experience they demand is more critical than ever.
Rising expectations around fulfillment, delivery and returns make that increasingly difficult. For example, the push for faster delivery is heaping pressure across the industry, free shipping is now the #1 factor driving where to shop decisions, and most want returns credited within four days. How can you exceed those expectations while overcoming operational challenges – and containing costs? Industry experts and retail veterans share their winning strategies in this informative session.
No matter what type of system you're implementing in your ecommerce operations, there are five basic principles you need to follow to assure it becomes a useful asset that will streamline operations, yield actionable data and provide maximum ROI. We will explore how to best apply these five principles to assure the long-term success of the new system in your organization.
Carriers continue to add new surcharges and increase existing ones, and there aren't caps on these added costs. Accessorial costs can now add up to 20% or more to shipping expenditures. In this session, see examples of how shippers mitigate these increases and what strategies are used to hold off spiraling accessorial costs.


When you want to gamble at land casinos, all you have to do is arrive with a pocket full of cash or make use of a nearby ATM, and you're ready to go. However, it's a little more difficult if you want to gamble online on sites such as Novibet, because you first have to deposit funds into your online casino account before you can play.
And here is where online casino banking comes into the picture. Once you have registered your own real money account, you must choose the best and most efficient way for you to transfer playing funds into your account. And there are many options.
However, it's important that you understand that not all online casino banking methods are accepted by all online casinos, and that not all deposit methods can be used by all online gamblers. In other words, some banking methods can only be used by players that live in certain countries or use certain currencies.
New rules governing betting and gambling in the UK, aimed at protecting consumers and ensuring fair play for all, have resulted in a raft of fines being dished out by the regulator. It's certainly the case that casino operators have been working hard to improve their standards and the services they offer, but it's clear that there's more work to be done.
The latest operator hit by sanctions is Swedish online casino and sports betting firm LeoVegas, which is having to hand over a hefty £600,000 to the UK Gambling Commission for breaches of advertising and marketing standards. Altogether, around a dozen companies with betting and gambling operations in the UK have been fined for not complying with the newly introduced regulations. Total fines to date are around £19.8 million.
Gambling addiction is a serious thing. It can actually destroy people's lives. You have probably heard by now of people who have bet their houses, their savings, and even some other precious things just to gamble a little bit more.
So, what causes this addiction? Wanting more. When gamblers lose their deposited money, they are tempted into investing more in order to chase a win. The same thing happens when gamblers win money – they want to double the amount, which eventually leads to a huge loss.
Luckily, the awareness is huge and many organizations have been created with the sole aim of stopping the gambling addiction. Each casino operator offers a self-exclusion option for casino players that cannot control their urge for gambling more. If you're having the same problem visit https://casino.netbet.ie/ and see how you can exclude yourself from online gambling sites.
What Is a Self-Exclusion Process?
Is Horse Racing Still Famous?
Horse racing is one of the oldest hobbies, it started in the 4500BC. Can you imagine that? The tribesman were nomadic people and during the time of travelling, they had to move at a faster pace than usual. And for people who travelling even with the plane, you also need some sort of entertainment. And that is just how it all started.
We all want to make that perfect poached egg. If not handled well things can really get messy if you ask me. Soak the egg before you break it in white vinegar for several minutes. After that is done you can go on and make that magic for your loved ones.
There is now just one year left to make your PPI claim. Are you sick of hearing Arnold Schwarzenegger's robotic head yelling at you to 'do it now?' Thankfully, you don't have to endure it for too much longer.
His face can be seen on TVs and billboards across the UK, encouraging consumers to make their claims before the cut-off date, set for 29th August 2019. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) reported that, so far, nearly £32 billion has been paid to consumers. The latter half of 2017 and early 2018 saw an increase in payments being made to customers, indicating that the advertising campaign caused people to take action.
But, with 64 million PPI policies sold, there is still potential for thousands more claims to be made before the deadline next year. If you haven't yet made a claim or believe that PPI isn't relevant to you, we explain why it's worthwhile checking and how you can make a PPI claim.
Why Bother Checking for PPI?
PC games have been available for ages now. And almost everyone loves them, though in most cases they tend to be fancied more by males than by females. Why this is, we are not too sure. But for the male gamers out there that would love to spend a few hours gaming with their girlfriend, here are a few PC games that we are sure she would love.
Most people would say that being fired by a CEO you had hired yourself was pretty unlucky. But for Steve Jobs, it turned out to be the moment of liberation he needed to go on and create some of the greatest technological devices of all time.
Visit financialhelper.co.uk for financial related articles.
Bits of traveling tips and guides.
Great travel advice for those looking to visit new places.
Find holiday tips for your next destination.
Useful health tips and guides.


text:
Can i play minecraft on ps4 with someone on pc
Yep, Minecraft is Cross-Platform compatible for PS4 to PC!
The addition is only recent via the Minecraft Bedrock Edition, which enables the feature across all versions of the game. So, if you're on PS4, you can play with users on PC, and vice-versa.Aug 17, 2021
Can PS4 Minecraft join with PC Minecraft?
PS4 players *can* join if it's a local server, but not if it's an internet server. However, PS4 players can install this software on a computer (or RPI?) to trick the ps4 into thinking the server is local
Can switch players play Minecraft with PC?
Yes, 'Minecraft' is cross-platform – here's how to play with your friends on any system. If you're playing "Minecraft: Bedrock Edition," you can play with Windows, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and smartphone players. If you're playing "Minecraft: Java Edition," you can play with Windows, Mac, and Linux players.
Can PC and mobile play together Minecraft?
No, you cannot. The mobile version of minecraft is called bedrock edition, a different edition where you cannot connect to PC servers, or vice versa. The PC version of minecraft is called Java Version, where only PC players connect to each other. 988 views.
How to play Minecraft cross platform PC and PS4?
There are many benefits of Minecraft being cross-platform:
You can play with your friends or other players from all devices.
You're able to bring the core Minecraft experience across many different platforms.
It is easier to connect with new people and make new connections.
You can enjoy playing Minecraft on your own terms.
The game is being updated and tweaked across all platforms, with the same updates.
Elden Ring Update 1.02 Rolls Out For PS4, PS5 With Stability Improvements
The Elden Ring update 1.02 patch notes have been announced by FromSoftware.
Cyberpunk RPG The Ascent Hitting PS4, PS5 On March 24
It's official! The Ascent is heading to the PS5 and PS4 in March 2022, Neon Giant has announced.
Call Of Duty Publisher Responds To Reports That The Series Will Skip 2023
Activision has issued a response in wake of claims that there won't be a new Call of Duty game in 2023.
Is there crossplay on Fortnite?
Despite plenty of cross-play development on titles ranging from Fortnite to Rocket League, cross-play is still not a guarantee , and PS4 has typically been the last platform to adopt the feature.
Can you play Minecraft with friends on PS4?
You can finally play Minecraft with your friends on PS4. Minecraft cross-play has finally come to PlayStation 4. The last holdout on the block-builder's platform-agnostic ambitions, Sony has finally agreed to whatever terms it needed to.
Can you play Minecraft on PC with Java?
PC's Java Edition of Minecraft is still a separate version that can only connect with other Java Edition players across Windows, MacOS, and Linux . If you want to play with your console pals, you'll still need Bedrock Edition, which is currently only available on Windows 10 via the Microsoft Store.
How to invite friends to Minecraft?
To invite friends, open the start menu in-game. A sidebar will prompt you to invite friends. Once you select "invite," you can add people from your friends list to join your game. Keep in mind which player permissions you have active in your session (visible in settings).
Can you play Minecraft with friends?
Image: Mojang/Microsoft Studios. Minecraft is a great game to play with friends, and you can cross-play with them no matter the platform, as long as you have the same version. This means that if you own the Java Edition of Minecraft, you can only play with folks who also have the Java Edition. The same goes for the Bedrock Edition.
Can you play Minecraft Bedrock Edition on Xbox One?
All of the platforms that run Minecraft Bedrock Edition can play together. This includes the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows PC, and mobile devices. You will need a Microsoft account in order to do this. Your Xbox account, if you have one, will work fine. Otherwise you can make one for free right here.
Can you play Bedrock on PC?
Yes. Yes, if the person on PC is playing Windows 10 Edition, and not Java Edition. Unfortunately if you are on Java edition then no, but on bedrock edition, yes absolutely! Cross-platform is 100% between Xbox and PC but you might be able to play with PS4 if you sign in with your Microsoft account.
Can you cross play Minecraft Java Edition?
No, but you can cross play with Switch or Xbox. Sony is hoping to bring cross platform play within an update coming to Better Together soon. With Minecraft Java Edition, no. With Minecraft Bedrock (On switch, Windows 10, Xbox One), Not yet, but maybe it will happen in a future update 🙂
Simply put, no. Minecraft is unfortunately not cross-platform, even though it's something we've all wanted for quite some time. Or at least, that's what I've experienced.
Can you cross platform Minecraft on PS4?
Nope, I have Minecraft on ps4, and you can't do cross platform play, I know this may seem ironic but it's because if they added cross platform play Sony is scared that even more differences between PlayStation and Xbox will be blurred. If you mean play on Pc using a console, it won't work. There is a thing that you can use to play pc …
Can you use Java with Minecraft Bedrock?
With Minecraft Bedrock (On switch, Windows 10, Xbox One), Not yet, but maybe it will happen in a future update 🙂 With java, you can use a program called GeyserMC to connect some bedrock clients to java. Not sure if it works for PS4 though.
How to get Minecraft for free on PS4?
For the PS4: Open Minecraft on your console, and select the 'Sign in for free' option that you see. Sign in with the Xbox account that you created. Once signed in, Minecraft will redirect you to this page and it will display a code on the console. Enter the code on the page and click Let's Play.
What is the Minecraft Better Together update?
Minecraft Better Together Update. The Minecraft Better Together Update is a patch that was added to the game. To get it, you need to be running the latest version of Minecraft. This update was announced in 2017 so if you're running the latest version of the game on your console/computer/phone, you already have it.
What does it mean to cross play a game?
Cross-play in gaming. Cross-play means that the platform you play a game on is mostly irrelevant when you want to play with other players. If a game supports cross-play, it will allow users that play on a PC to play with other users who may be on an Xbox or a PlayStation. Cross-play requires proper support. Just because a game is available on …
Do you need Xbox Live to play Minecraft?
You don't need Xbox Live unless you play on an Xbox. You now need to link the Xbox account to the Minecraft account that you will be playing with. This needs to be done on the device that you're playing on. For the PS4: Open Minecraft on your console, and select the 'Sign in for free' option that you see.
It is available on; For each of the above platforms, Minecraft supports cross-play but for Windows 10, cross-play is only available for the UWP/Bedrock version.
Minecraft – A Quick Introduction
Minecraft is a game where players can build anything they want. You start with nothing but your bare hands, and you must gather resources to create weapons in order to protect yourself from the dangerous creatures that come out at night.
Is Minecraft Cross-Platform in 2022?
Yes, Minecraft is cross-platform. Minecraft can be played on a variety of platforms, and players from any platform can join servers that include other gamers across different devices.
Is Minecraft Cross-Platform Xbox One and PS4?
Yes, Minecraft is cross-platform between Xbox One and PS4 consoles. This means that if you own a PS4 or PS5, you can play Minecraft with your friends on an Xbox One console. The same goes for players who have an Xbox One and want to join up in games with their friends playing from the PlayStation side of things.
Is Minecraft Cross-Platform Xbox One and PC?
Yes, Minecraft is cross-platform between Xbox One and PC. This means that you can purchase the game on one platform and then be able to use it on another. So, if you buy it for Xbox One, you can compete against people playing on PC. The same goes with the other way around.
Is Minecraft Cross-Platform PS4 and PC?
The answer is yes; Minecraft is cross-platform between PS4 and PC. This means players can play with one another, regardless of whether they are on PlayStation or the PC. This way, everyone can play with their friends.
Is Minecraft Cross-Platform PC and Nintendo Switch?
Yes, Minecraft is cross-platform between PC and Nintendo Switch. This means players of either version can play together. There is no need to buy both versions of the game.
Is Minecraft Cross-Platform PS4 and PS5?
This question has been on many people's minds lately, and the answer is yes. Minecraft is cross-platform between the PS4 and PS5. So, if your buy the latest console version of Minecraft, you will be able to play with people on other consoles.
Can i play minecraft on ps4
Can i play minecraft on ps4 with someone on xbox


Lal Karsanbhai will succeed Michael Train to become executive president of Emerson Automation Solutions, effective October 1. As previously announced, Train will take over as Emerson's president and will also serve as chairman of Automation Solutions.
Karsanbhai, who has served as group president of Emerson's Rosemount Measurement & Analytical business since 2016, has more than 23 years of experience with Emerson in a career that spans the globe. He served as president of Emerson's former Network Power business in Europe, Middle East and Africa from 2014 and has held leadership roles throughout Emerson, including vice president of corporate planning, president of Emerson's Fisher regulator technologies, and vice president and general manager of its natural gas unit.


text:
The M&R Companies Appoints Cassy Scheffer as Vice President of Business Process Improvement
Roselle, IL, USA – The M&R Companies welcomes Cassy Scheffer on April 22nd, 2019 as Vice President of Business Process Improvement, a new position within the Senior Executive Team at The M&R Companies.
Scheffer brings a storied skill set to M&R, centered in the screen printing industry, after working at Nazdar for 21 years. Prior to employment at Nazdar, she was a Quality Manager at adhesive manufacturer Avery Dennison for 10 years. Scheffer joined Nazdar in January of 1998 as a Quality Assurance Manager, and became the Director of Quality in September of 2000. She was responsible for overseeing Quality Control, Color Match and the implementation of Nazdar's ISO Quality Management systems. Three years later, she accepted the position as Director of Organizational Excellence, where she led company training and development initiatives.
In January of 2010, Scheffer was promoted to Vice-President of Service and Quality at Nazdar's SourceOne Distribution Division, where she was responsible for the Customer Service team and the SourceOne Quality program. During her tenure, she developed and implemented strategies to deliver world-class customer service to SourceOne customers.
For over ten years, Scheffer has been a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, which she earned in May of 2008. In addition, Scheffer obtained her Advanced Lean Certification in March of 2011.
"Much of my experience and success has been centered around establishing, monitoring and optimizing processes. An increased focus on processes will enable M&R to strengthen its competitive edge while sharpening efficiencies and decreasing costs; a journey which provides growth opportunities for everyone. Put simply, I will help the team solve problems and improve," Scheffer said.
We welcome Scheffer to M&R, and look forward to celebrating her future growth with the company.
M&R is the world's largest manufacturer of screen printing equipment, with production facilities in Roselle, Illinois, USA, and in Wojnicz, Poland. With distributors and skilled technicians in over 40 countries on six continents, we're able to provide the finest service and support in the industry.
Phone (Outside USA) +1-847-967-4461
Fax (Outside USA) +1-630-858-6134
Outside Normal Hours 630-462-4715
The M&R Companies CEO releases an important update concerning COVID-19
The M&R Companies Announces the Promotions of Team Members to Vice Presidential Positions
The M&R Companies Announces the Promotions of Sales Team Members
The M&R Companies Announces Multiple Promotions of Team Members
i-Image ST is the biggest improvement to prepress we've ever seen.
Our new i-Image ST is the biggest improvement to prepress we've ever seen. It's eliminated our need for film, and unlike film, digital images are easy to store and retrieve, making blown-screen replacement a snap.
i-Image ST has improved our screen quality, increased screen-generation speed, and reduced cost. Screen production is way up because we've cut exposure times by 75%. And i-Image has virtually eliminated post-processing screen touch-ups. We could never produce screens of this quality—or at this speed—the conventional way. Our CTS screens are unmatched.
Multi-screen jobs come out perfectly registered, and since i-Image ST pre-registers screens for Tri-Loc, our entire prepress process, from screen prep to registration, has been cut dramatically.
Our i-Image ST will probably end up being one of the fastest returns on investment we've ever had.
- John & Dan Smithline
Guerilla Graffix - USA
M&R makes the most high quality screen printing equipment in the world.
M&R makes the most high quality screen printing equipment in the world. Even with that said, parts get old and can wear out. Usually, at the worst possible time. It's times like those that we're glad we chose M&R as our equipment manufacturer. Even years after the sale, we can count on M&R 24/7. They are part of the fabric that is Ink Brigade. An instrumental partner in our success.
A frantic call in the middle of the night is always met on the other end of the line by an experienced member of their service staff who expertly diagnoses my issue, and starts the process of solving our problem.
No matter the age, or oddball part, the parts department makes sure I'll have what I need the next morning. My printing crew hardly misses a beat and we don't miss the deadline. That makes for happy customers and makes me appreciate M&R more and more every year. We rest easy knowing people like Dan Goldberg and the rest of the service and parts departments are working hard for us behind the scenes every day.
- Jamie McParland, Co-Owner
Ink Brigade Screen Printing - USA
The Diamondback R Series is our first auto press, and it is the best thing we have ever done here at Showdown Merch.
The Diamondback R Series is our first auto press, and it is the best thing we have ever done here at Showdown Merch. Matched up with the Mini Sprint 2000 and the Red Chili's, we are able to triple our workload easily. This press is the easiest press to set up and do a large order with, and take down is a breeze.
Amazing service on such a great product.
Any shops out there can feel free to give us a call at (403) 887-3388 if you need any other reviews on this product.
- Bryce Thurston
Showdown Merch - CANADA
The Gauntlet III is a beast and is built to run 24/7/365.
We have had our Gauntlet III in production for nearly 3 months and have been thrilled with the machine. We have already put over 120,000 impressions on the machine and it is still going strong. We have found that the individual off-contact for each printhead helps with various printing techniques. It is also a plus to be able to adjust in 1/16" increments when needed. Our first job was a 9-color on dark apparel with a 17" print stroke and one flash. We were able to run the machine comfortably at 920 pieces per hour. The addition of the laser for print placements has saved us valuable time where we used to mark our pallets with a T-Square. The touchscreen interface is very user friendly and easy to make adjustments when needed.
Having a built-in maintenance schedule [M&R's Maintenance Minder™] for the machine is another perk and allows management to easily assure that the presses are being properly maintained. We have not had any problems to date with the machine but are at ease knowing that all parts that we could ever need are able to be overnighted to us.
Overall, we have seen an increase in our production numbers due to the efficiencies gained with the newest technology on the market. We are able to run as fast as we can clear a screen and dry our underbase.
Simply put, the Gauntlet III is a beast and is built to run 24/7/365.
- Steve Rhodes, Owner
Impressionz Printing - USA
The Sprint 3000 Is Superb
The Sprint 3000 is superb and we are really, really happy with it. We've got the recipes dialed in for our inks now and it's running great. We have noticed improvements in the finish on our plastisols, too. They seem to be coming through much softer. Assuming it's because we are much more efficiently curing than with the electric curers!
- Michael Dixon, Production Manager
Awesome Merchandise - UNITED KINGDOM


text:
This is a list of the busiest railway stations in North America. The figures are collected by the operating agencies of each railway station, and are estimates based on ticket usage data, crowd sizes and other extrapolations.

The ranking is based on annual passengers traveling by passenger rail or commuter rail; other visitors are not included. For example, Grand Central Terminal, a major attraction in New York City, sees nearly 500,000 people daily to shop, dine, conduct business, meet family and friends, or admire the station. As well, nearly 45 million passengers use the nearby subway station each year. Because these people are not using passenger or commuter rail services, they are not included in Grand Central's passenger count.

List
As of 2018, stations that see at least 10 million annual passengers include:

See also
List of busiest Amtrak stations
List of busiest railway stations in Europe
List of busiest railway stations in Great Britain

Notes

References

Rail transport-related lists of superlatives
Transport in North America

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Just because it is winter, doesn't mean you can stop working out! Combat those extra holiday pounds with some new fitness equipment from one of our three upcoming fitness equipment online auctions.
If cardio is your thing, we have PLENTY of great stuff to get you into sweating and into shape! We have even included a quick workout idea to go with each featured item!
If you are a beginner runner, be sure to take it slow at first and try a workout like this interval training workout that is only 30 minutes long!
Next, lets check out the Concept II Rowing Machine perfect for a short warm up 500m row to get your heart rate up, or a full on workout!
This machine engages your whole body and will have you sweating in no time! It is often used in CrossFit workouts as well. Here are four killer rowing machine workouts from Men's Health.
More into lifting and plate weighted equipment, don't worry we've got you covered for that too! We have machines to work out your legs (never skip leg day!) like this Reebok leg extension machine.
And for classic weight lifting, there is always dumbbells. This auction lot is a set of 20 dumbbells ranging from 50 to 5lbs. Perfect your form at home or outfit your gym with a whole rack of new weights!


text:
early childhood educationvital 5
Welcome to my family
By aditya30 August 2017April 23rd, 2021No Comments
"The compliment that touched my heart was being told I was a great mum, and being a great person," says Marlena, a mother, and a teacher.
"I have had some really sad experiences in my life," says Marlena. "But having the wonderful friends from Lifewise's Vital 5 has been the best thing that has ever happened to me." Marlena's children started attending Vital 5 (Lifewise's early childhood education centres) in 2014. She describes this time as overwhelming.
"I had so many emotions all at once," she says. "I didn't trust a lot of people with my children. And I was putting my trust in people I hardly knew." The teachers at Vital 5 were very understanding. "They welcomed my family and myself with warm hearts and a great sense of humour," she says. "It was a great start to the first day of kindy."
Three years on, Marlena's children are confident about expressing themselves. They also love school! "I didn't expect myself to succeed as well," says Marlena, who is now the chairperson of the parent committee. "I have more confidence," says Marlena. "My self-esteem is building, I was able to do courses this year that helped me better myself." She feels being chairperson is an awesome way of showing her appreciation. "Thank you Andrea, Sharon, and Cherise for all your love and support," she says. "God bless you all."
Previous PostKia ora, from Moira
Next PostHave you met the Splice team?


text:
The Śūraṅgama Sūtra (Sanskrit, , Sūtra of the Heroic March) (Taisho no. 945) is a Mahayana Buddhist sutra that has been especially influential on Korean Buddhism (where it remains a major subject of study in Sŏn monasteries) and Chinese Buddhism (where it was a regular part of daily liturgy during the Song). It was particularly important for Zen/Chan Buddhism. The doctrinal outlook of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra is that of Buddha-nature, Yogacara thought, and esoteric Buddhism.

The Śūraṅgama Sūtra was widely accepted as a sutra in East Asian Buddhism, where it has traditionally been included as part of Chinese-language Tripitakas. In the modern Taisho Tripitaka, it is placed in the Esoteric Sutra category (密教部). The sutra's Śūraṅgama Mantra is widely recited in China, Korea, Japan and Vietnam as part of temple liturgies.

Most modern academic scholars (including Mochizuki Shinko, Paul Demieville, Kim Chin-yol, Lü Cheng 呂澂, Charles Muller and Kogen Mizuno), argue that the sutra is a Chinese apocryphal text that was composed in literary Chinese and reveals uniquely Chinese philosophical concerns. However, some scholars such as Ron Epstein argue that the text is a compilation of Indic materials with extensive editing in China.

The sutra was translated into Tibetan during the late eighth to early ninth century and other complete translations exist in Tibetan, Mongolian and Manchu languages (see Translations).

Title
Śūraṅgama means "heroic valour", "heroic progress", or "heroic march". The Śūraṅgama Sūtra is not to be confused with the similarly titled Śūraṅgama Samadhi Sutra (T. 642 首楞嚴三昧經; Shǒuléngyán Sānmèi Jīng) which was translated by Kumārajīva (344-413).

The complete title preserved in , meaning:

An alternate translation of the title reads:

The title in different languages
A common translation of the sutra's name in English is the "Heroic March sutra" (as used e.g. by Matthew Kapstein, Norman Waddell, and Andy Ferguson), or the "scripture of the Heroic Progress" (as used e.g. by Thomas Cleary).

The full title of the sutra also appears as: .

It is also known by abbreviated versions of the title such as  or simply and more commonly .

Authorship
An original Sanskrit version of Śūraṅgama Sūtra is not known to be extant and the Indic provenance of the text is in question - it is likely to be apocryphal. A Sanskrit language palm leaf manuscript consisting of 226 leaves with 6 leaves missing which according to the introduction "contains the Śūraṅgama Sūtra" was discovered in a temple in China and now resides at Peng Xuefeng Memorial Museum. But scholars have not yet verified if this is the same text or some other sutra (like the Śūraṅgama Samadhi Sūtra).

The first catalogue that recorded the Śūraṅgama Sūtra was Zhisheng (), a monk in Tang China. Zhisheng said this book was brought back from Guangxi to Luoyang during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong. He gave two different accounts in two different books, both of which were published in 730 CE.

 According to the first account found in The Kaiyuan Era Catalog of the Buddhist Tripitaka () the  was translated in 713 CE by a Ven. Master Huai Di () and an unnamed Indian monk.
 According to the second account, in his later book Continuation to the History of the Translation of Buddhist Sutras Mural Record (續古今譯經圖記), the  was translated in May 705 CE by Śramaṇa Pāramiti from central India, who came to China and brought the text to the province of Guangzhou. The text was then polished and edited by Empress Wu Zetian's former minister, court regulator, and state censor Fang Yong () of Qingho. The translation was reviewed by Śramaṇa Meghaśikha from Oḍḍiyāna, and certified by Śramaṇa Huai-di () of Nanlou Monastery (南樓寺) on Mount Luofu (羅浮山).

Traditional views
Traditionally there have been questions regarding the translation of this sutra as it was not sponsored by the Imperial Chinese Court and as such the records regarding its translation in the early eighth century were not carefully preserved. However, it has never been classified as apocrypha in any Chinese-language Tripitakas including the Taisho Tripitaka where it is placed in the Esoteric Sutra category (密教部).

Dispute about this text arose in 8th century in Japan, so Emperor Kōnin sent Master Tokusei () and a group of monks to China, asking whether this book was a forgery or not. A Chinese upasaka or layperson told the head monk of the Japanese monastic delegation, Master Tokusei that this was forged by Fang Yong. Zhu Xi, a 12th-century Neo-confucian who was opposed to Buddhism, believed that it was created during the Tang Dynasty in China, and did not come from India.

The Qianlong Emperor and the Third Changkya Khutukhtu, the traditional head tulku of the Gelug lineage of Tibetan Buddhism in Inner Mongolia, believed in the authenticity of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra. They later translated the Śūraṅgama Sūtra into the Manchu language, Mongolian and Tibetan. (see translations)

In favor of full Chinese composition
Hurvitz claims that the Śūraṅgama Sūtra is "a Chinese forgery". Faure similarly claims that it is "apocryphal."

In China during the early modern era, the reformist Liang Qichao claimed that the sutra is apocryphal, writing, "The real Buddhist scriptures would not say things like Surangama Sutra, so we know the Surangama Sutra is apocryphal. In the same era, Lü Cheng () wrote an essay to claim that the book is apocryphal, named "One hundred reasons about why Shurangama Sutra is apocryphal" ().

According to James Benn, the Japanese scholar Mochizuki Shinko's (1869-1948) Bukkyo kyoten seiritsu shiron "showed how many of the text's doctrinal elements may be traced to sources that already existed in China at the beginning of the eighth century, and he also described he early controversy surrounding the text in Japan."

Charles Muller and Kogen Mizuno also hold that this sutra is apocryphal (and is similar to other apocryphal Chinese sutras). According to Muller, "even a brief glance" through these apocryphal works "by someone familiar with both indigenous sinitic philosophy and the Indian Mahāyāna textual corpus yields the recognition of themes, terms and concepts from indigenous traditions playing a dominant role in the text, to an extent which makes it obvious that they must have been written in East Asia." He also notes that apocryphal works like the Śūraṅgama contain terms that were only used in East Asia:...such as innate enlightenment (本覺 pen-chüeh) and actualized enlightenment (始覺 chih-chüeh) and other terms connected with the discourse of the tathāgatagarbha-ālayavijñāna problematik (the debate as to whether the human mind is, at its most fundamental level, pure or impure) appear in such number that the difference from the bona fide translations from Indic languages is obvious. Furthermore, the entire discourse of innate/actualized enlightenment and tathāgatagarbha-ālayavijñāna opposition can be seen as strongly reflecting a Chinese philosophical obsession dating back to at least the time of Mencius, when Mencius entered into debate with Kao-tzu on the original purity of the mind. The indigenous provenance of such texts is also indicated by their clear influence and borrowing from other current popular East Asian works, whether or not these other works were Indian or East Asian composition.  Muller also writes that the Śūraṅgama shows evidence of being influenced by the metaphysical framework of the Ch'i-hsin lun (Awakening of Faith), another apocryphal treatise composed in China.

James A. Benn notes that the Śūraṅgama also "shares some notable similarities with another scripture composed in China and dating to the same period", that is, the Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment. Indeed, Benn states that "One might regard the Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment, which has only one fascicle, as opposed to the Śūraṅgama's ten, as a precis of the essential points of the Śūraṅgama." Benn points out several passages which present uniquely Chinese understandings of animal life and natural phenomena that are without Indic precedent (such as the "Jelly fish with shrimp for eyes" and the "wasps, which take the larvae of other insects as their own") but that are found in earlier Chinese literature.

James A. Benn also notes how the Śūraṅgama even borrows ideas that are mostly found in Taoist sources (such as the Baopuzi), such as the idea that there are ten types of "immortals" (仙 xiān) in a realm located between the deva realm and the human realm. The qualities of these immortals include common ideas found in Taoism, such as their "ingestion of metals and minerals" and the practice of "movement and stillness"(dongzhi, which is related to daoyin). Benn argues that the Śūraṅgama's "taxonomy" of immortals was "clearly derived" from Taoist literature. In a similar fashion, the Śūraṅgama's "ten types of demons" (鬼 gui), are also influenced by Taoist and Confucian sources.

In favor of the sutra being based on Indian originals
Ron Epstein gives an overview of the arguments for Indian or Chinese origin, and concludes:

A number of scholars have associated the Śūraṅgama Sūtra with the Buddhist tradition at Nālandā.

Epstein thinks that certain passages in the sutra do show Chinese influence, such as the section on the Taoist immortals, but he thinks that this "could easily represent an adaptive Chinese translation of Buddhist tantric ideas. The whole area of the doctrinal relationship between the Taoist nei-tan, or so-called "inner alchemy", and early Buddhist tantra is a murky one, and until we know more about both, the issue probably cannot be resolved adequately." Epstein further writes regarding uniquely Chinese influences found in the text: "As to things Chinese, there are various short references to them scattered throughout the text, but, just as well as indicating the work's Chinese origin, they also could be an indication of a translation style of substitution of parallel items, which would fit right in with the highly literary Chinese phraseology."

In arguing for an Indic origin, Epstein gives three main reasons:

 He argues many Sanskrit terms which appear in the text, "including some not often found in other Chinese translations. Moreover, the transliteration system does not seem to follow that of other works."
 Epstein also notes that the general doctrinal position of the sūtra (tantric tathagatagarbha teachings) does indeed correspond to what is known about the Buddhist teachings at Nālandā during this period.
 Large sections "definitely seem to contain Indic materials. Some passages could conceivably have been constructed from texts already translated into Chinese, although given the bulk and complexity of the material, to account for much of the text in that way would mean that the task of authorship would have had to have been an enormous one. About other portions of the work, such as the bodhimanda and mantra, there can be no doubt about their direct Indic origin."
Similarly, Rounds argues for an Indic source by pointing out "two indisputably Indian elements" in the sutra: the text's reliance on the Buddhist science of reasoning (hetuvidya) and the Śūraṅgama mantra.

Non-Chinese Translations
The Śūraṅgama Sūtra was translated into Tibetan probably during the late eighth to early ninth century.  However possibly because of the persecution of Buddhism during King Langdarma's reign (ca. 840-841), only a portion of Scroll 9 and Scroll 10 of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra are preserved in the surviving two ancient texts. Buton Rinchen Drub Rinpoche mentioned that one of the two texts was probably translated from Chinese; thereby suggesting the second text may have possibly been translated from another language.

The entire Śūraṅgama Sūtra was translated in 1763 from Chinese into the Manchu language, Mongolian and Tibetan languages and compiled into a four language set at the command of the Qianlong Emperor. The third Changkya Khutukhtu Rölpé Dorjé or 若必多吉 or Lalitavajra (1716–1786) convinced the Qianlong Emperor to engage in the translation. The third Changkya Khutukhtu supervised (and verified) with the help of Fu Nai the translation of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra. The complete translation of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra into Tibetan is found in a supplement to the Narthang Kangyur.

English translations
There are a few English translations:
 The Surangama Sutra, published in A Buddhist Bible, translated by Dwight Goddard and Bhikshu Wai-tao.
 Charles Luk, 1967, Shurangama Sutra
 The Shurangama Sutra with commentary by Master Hsuan Hua. Volumes 1 to 8.  Buddhist Translation Society, 2nd edition (October 2003).
 Buddhist Text Translation Society (2009). The Śūraṅgama Sūtra, With Excerpts from the Commentary by the Venerable Master Hsüan Hua, A New Translation, p. 267. Dharma Realm Buddhist Association, 4951 Bodhi Way, Ukiah, California 95482 (707) 462-0939, bttsonline.org.

Teachings

Doctrinal orientation
The Śūraṅgama Sūtra contains teachings from Yogācāra, Buddha-nature, and Vajrayana. It makes use of Buddhist logic with its methods of syllogism and the catuṣkoṭi "fourfold negation" first popularized by Nāgārjuna.

Main themes
One of the main themes of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra is how knowledge of the Buddha's teaching (Dharma) is worthless unless it is coupled with the power of samādhi (meditative absorption), as well as the importance of moral precepts as a foundation for the Buddhist practice. Also stressed is the theme of how one effectively combats delusions and demonic influences that may arise during meditation.

According to Ron Epstein, a key theme of the sutra is the "two types of mind", furthermore, "also contained in the work are a discussion of meditational methodology in terms of the importance of picking the proper faculty (indriya) as a vehicle for meditation, instructions for the construction of a tantric bodhimanda, a long mantra, a description of fifty-seven Bodhisattva stages, a description of the karmic relationship among the destinies (gati), or paths of rebirth, and an enumeration of fifty demonic states encountered on the path."

Ron Epstein and David Rounds have suggested that the major themes of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra reflect the strains upon Indian Buddhism during the time of its creation. They cite the resurgence of non-Buddhist religions, and the crumbling social supports for monastic Buddhist institutions. This era also saw the emergence of Hindu tantrism and the beginnings of Esoteric Buddhism and the siddha traditions. They propose that moral challenges and general confusion about Buddhism are said to have then given rise to the themes of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, such as clear understanding of principles, moral discipline, essential Buddhist cosmology, development of samādhi, and how to avoid falling into various delusions in meditation.

Two types of mind
A key theme found in the Śūraṅgama Sūtra is the distinction between the true mind and the discriminating mind. The discriminating worldly mind is the ordinary quotidian mind that becomes entangled in rebirth, thinking, change and illusion. But, according to the Śūraṅgama, there is also "an everlasting true mind, which is our real nature, and which is the state of the Buddha." According to the Śūraṅgama, the worldly mind "is the mind that is the basis of death and rebirth and that has continued for the entirety of time...dependent upon perceived objects."

This worldly mind is mistaken by sentient beings as being their true nature. Meanwhile, the "pure enlightened mind" is the underlying nature of all dharmas (phenomena). It is the ultimate reality which is also enlightenment, which has no beginning. It is the original and pure essence of nirvana. The true awakened mind is an unchanging awareness that remains still and independent of all sense objects, even while the discriminating mind changes. The pure mind then is the essential nature of awareness, not the ordinary awareness which is distorted and diseased.

This theme of the everlasting true mind which is contrasted with the samsaric mind is also a common theme of the Mahayana Awakening of Faith treatise.

Buddha-nature

The "everlasting true mind" is associated with the Mahayana teaching of tathāgatagarbha or buddha-nature. Rounds and Epstein explain the Śūraṅgama's conception of the tathāgatagarbha, the "Matrix of the Thus Come One", as follows:

Thus, according to the Śūraṅgama Sūtra the "buddha-womb" or "buddha-essence" is source of mind and world. This buddha nature is originally pure enlightenment, however, due to the deluded development of a subject-object separation, the whole world of birth and death arises.

Meditation practices
The Śūraṅgama Sūtra teaches about the Śūraṅgama Samādhi (the "meditative absorption of the heroic march"), which is associated with complete enlightenment and Buddhahood. This samādhi is also featured extensively in the Śūraṅgama Samādhi Sūtra. It is equally praised in the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, where it is explained by the Buddha that this samādhi is the essence of the nature of the Buddha and is indeed the "mother of all Buddhas." The Buddha also comments that the Śūraṅgama Samādhi additionally goes under several other names, specifically Prajñāpāramitā ("Perfection of Wisdom"), the Vajra Samādhi, the Siṃhanāda Samādhi ("Lion's Roar Samādhi"), and the Buddha-svabhāva.

The Śūraṅgama Sūtra contains various explanations of specific meditation practices which help one cultivate samadhi, including a famous passage in which twenty five sages discuss twenty five methods of practice. The main intent of these various methods is to detach one's awareness of all sense objects and to direct awareness inward, to the fundamental true nature. This leads to the experience of the disappearance of everything and finally to illumination.

The most well known part of this passage is the meditation taught by bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, the last of these sages to teach. Avalokiteshvara describes their method as follows:I began with a practice based on the enlightened nature of hearing. First I redirected my hearing inward in order to enter the current of the sages. Then external sounds disappeared. With the direction of my hearing reversed and with sounds stilled, both sounds and silence ceased to arise. So it was that, as I gradually progressed, what I heard and my awareness of what I heard came to an end. Even when that state of mind in which everything had come to an end disappeared, I did not rest. My awareness and the objects of my awareness were emptied, and when that process of emptying my awareness was wholly complete, then even that emptying and what had been emptied vanished. Coming into being and ceasing to be themselves ceased to be. Then the ultimate stillness was revealed. All of a sudden I transcended the worlds of ordinary beings, and I also transcended the worlds of beings who have transcended the ordinary worlds. Everything in the ten directions was fully illuminated, and I gained two remarkable powers. First, my mind ascended to unite with the fundamental, wondrous, enlightened mind of all Buddhas in all ten directions, and my power of compassion became the same as theirs. Second, my mind descended to unite with all beings of the six destinies in all ten directions such that I felt their sorrows and their prayerful yearnings as my own. World-Honored One, because I had made offerings to the Thus-Come One Who Hears the Cries of the World, I received from that Thus-Come One a hidden transmission of a vajra-like samādhi such that my power of compassion became the same as the Buddhas'. I was then able to go to all lands and appear in thirty-two forms that respond to what beings require

Ethics and traditional practices
The Śūraṅgama Sūtra also focuses on the necessity of keeping traditional ethical precepts, especially the five precepts and the monastic vinaya. These precepts are said to be the basis to samadhi which in turn leads to wisdom. The Buddha describes the precepts as clear and unalterable instruction on purity which transverse time and place. If one breaks them (by killing, stealing, lying etc.) one will never reach enlightenment, no matter how much one meditates.

Indeed, according to the Śūraṅgama:No matter how much you may practice samādhi in order to transcend the stress of entanglement with perceived objects, you will never transcend that stress until you have freed yourself from thoughts of killing. Even very intelligent people who can enter samādhi while practicing meditation in stillness are certain to fall into the realm of ghosts and spirits upon their rebirth if they have not renounced all killing.Similarly, the sutra also claims that unless one frees oneself from sensual desire, sexual activity, meat eating (which it associated with killing), stealing or lying, one will not reach enlightenment. According to the Śūraṅgama, even though one may have some wisdom and meditative absorption, one is certain to enter bad rebirths, even the hells, if one does not cease lust, killing, stealing and making false claims.

The Śūraṅgama also warns against heterodox teachers who practice meditation without being properly prepared and then fall under the influence of demons. These teachers then begin to spout heterodoxies, such as the idea that practitioners should stop revering stupas and temples, wishing to destroy sutras and Buddha statues and engaging in sex while saying that "the male and female organs are the true abodes of bodhi and nirvana". James A. Benn notes that the first teaching may be a reference to certain radical Chan masters of the time, while the second one may refer to certain esoteric Buddhist practices which made use of ritual sex.

Diet, lifestyle and ascetic practice
The Śūraṅgama Sūtra argues for strict dietary rules, including vegetarianism and the avoidance of the five pungent roots (radish, leek, onion, garlic, asafoetida). The sutra argues that these dietary choices "drive away bodhisattvas, gods, and xian [immortals], who protect the practitioner in this life, and attracts instead hungry ghosts." The sutra also states that eating meat can have dire consequences:You should know that those who eat meat, although their minds maybe opened and realize a semblance of samadhi, will become great raksasas (demons). When that retribution is over, they will sink back into the bitter ocean of samsara and will not be able to be disciples of the Buddha.  The Śūraṅgama goes even further with its ascetic injunctions, recommending the avoidance of animal products such as silk, leather, furs, milk, cream, and butter and arguing that this abstention can be a cause of enlightenment: Bodhisattvas and pure monks walking on country paths will not even tread on living grasses, much less uproot them. How then can it be compassionate to gorge on other beings' blood and flesh? Monks who will not wear silks from the East, whether coarse or fine; who will not wear shoes or boots of leather, nor furs, nor birds' down from our own country; and who will not consume milk, curds, or ghee, have truly freed themselves from the world. When they have paid their debts from previous lives, they will roam no longer through the three realms. "Why? To wear parts of a being's body is to involve one's karma with that being, just as people have become bound to this earth by eating vegetables and grains. I can affirm that a person who neither eats the flesh of other beings nor wears any part of the bodies of other beings, nor even thinks of eating or wearing these things, is a person who will gain liberation.The sutra also teaches the practice of the burning of the body as an offering to the Buddhas.

The White Parasol Crown Dhāraṇī

In addition to the sūtra's doctrinal content, it also contains a long dhāraṇī (chant, incantation) which is known in Chinese as the Léngyán Zhòu (楞嚴咒), or Śūraṅgama Mantra. It is well-known and popularly chanted in East Asian Buddhism. In Sanskrit, the dhāraṇī is known as the Sitātapatra Uṣṇīṣa Dhāraṇī (Ch. 大白傘蓋陀羅尼). This is sometimes simplified in English to White Canopy Dhāraṇī or White Parasol Dhāraṇī. In Tibetan traditions, the English is instead sometimes rendered as the "White Umbrella Mantra." The dhāraṇī is extant in three other translations found in the Chinese Buddhist canon, and is also preserved in Sanskrit and Tibetan.

This dhāraṇī is often seen as having magical apotropaic powers, as it is associated with the deity Sitātapatra, a protector against supernatural dangers and evil beings. The Śūraṅgama Sūtra also states that the dhāraṇī can be used as an expedient means to enter into the Śūraṅgama samadhi. According to Rounds, the sutra also "gives precise instructions on the construction and consecration of a sacred space in which a practicioner can properly focus on recitation of the mantra."

The Śūraṅgama Mantra is widely recited in China, Korea and Vietnam by Mahayana monastics on a daily basis and by some laypersons as part of the Morning Recitation Liturgy. The mantra is also recited by some Japanese Buddhist sects.

Realms of rebirth, bodhisattva stages and Demons

The Śūraṅgama Sūtra also contains various explanations of Buddhist cosmology and soteriology. The sutra outlines various levels of enlightenment, the fifty five bodhisattva stages. It also contains explanations of the horrible sufferings that are experienced in the hells (narakas) as well as explanations of the other realms of rebirth.

Another theme found in the Śūraṅgama Sūtra is that of various Māras (demonic beings) which are manifestations of the five skandhas (aggregates). In its section on the fifty skandha-māras, each of the five skandhas has ten skandha-māras associated with it, and each skandha-māra is described in detail as a deviation from correct samādhi. These skandha-māras are also known as the "fifty skandha demons" in some English-language publications. Epstein introduces the fifty skandha-māras section as follows:

Influence

James A. Benn, while arguing that the text is a Chinese composition, also writes that, "no crude fake, the Śūraṅgama is elegantly constructed and beautifully written, a text that we might easily rank among the masterpieces of medieval Chinese literature. It today remains a widely read text, much appreciated,and seriously studied by Chinese Buddhists. Its insights continue to inform the lives and practices of both monastics and laypeople. That it is not a translation of an Indian original by no means discredits its spiritual value. Buddhism from its origins was adaptable to local circumstances, and the Śūraṅgama is but another example of that missionary spirit."

Mainland East Asia
The Śūraṅgama Sūtra has been widely studied and commented on in China. Ron Epstein has "found reference to 127 Chinese commentaries on the Sutra, quite a few for such a lengthy work, including 59 in the Ming dynasty alone, when it was especially popular".

The Śūraṅgama Sūtra is one of the seminal texts of Chán Buddhism. It is held to have been first transmitted by Yuquan Shenxiu, the original sixth patriarch and the seminal figure of the Northern school. The Śūraṅgama was particularly influential during the Song Dynasty, where it was used in a ritual called the Śūraṅgama assembly which "was held semi-annually during monastic retreats, and there the participants chanted the long magical spell (dharani) contained in the sutra. The dharani was also recited at memorial services for Chan abbots and patriarchs." The sūtra is cited in various Chan Buddhist texts, like the Blue Cliff Record (case 94). The Śūraṅgama Sūtra also influenced the work of several Song intellectuals, like Su Shi (1037-1101) and Su Zhe (1039-1112).

The Śūraṅgama Sūtra was also a required text for Korea's monastic examination system during the Joseon period. The Śūraṅgama remains one of the most influential sources in the advanced curriculum of Korean Sŏn monasteries, along with the Awakening of Faith and the Vajrasamadhi sutra.

The Śūraṅgama was also said to have been "connected with the enlightenment" of Changshui Zixuan from the Song dynasty and Hanshan Deqing (憨山德清) from the Ming.

The contemporary Chán-master Venerable Hsu Yun wrote a commentary on the Śūraṅgama Sūtra. Venerable Hsuan Hua was a major modern proponent of and commentator on the Śūraṅgama Sūtra. According to Hsuan Hua:

Japan
The Japanese Zen Buddhist Dōgen held that the sutra was not an authentic Indian text. But he also drew on the text, commenting on the Śūraṅgama verse "when someone gives rise to Truth by returning to the Source, the whole of space in all ten quarters falls away and vanishes" as follows:

Notes
Note: Several notes are Chinese, due to the international character of Wikipedia. Help in translation is welcome.

Chinese texts

References

Sources

  The Śūraṅgama Sūtra Translation Committee of the Buddhist Text Translation Society. (2009). The Śūraṅgama Sūtra: With Excerpts from the Commentary by the Venerable Master Hsüan Hua: A New Translation. Ukiah, CA, USA:  Buddhist Text Translation Society..

  Charles Luk, Buddha Dharma Education Association Inc.

External links

 The Śūraṅgama Sūtra: With Excerpts from the Commentary by the Venerable Master Hsüan Hua: A New Translation (2012). Ukiah, CA, USA:  Buddhist Text Translation Society.
 The  in Indonesian translated by Karma Samten
 The  in English with commentaries from Master Han Shan translated by Charles Luk
 The  text with commentaries from Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua
 : Text, Commentaries, and Articles
 Sanskrit and Chinese versions of the Shurangama mantra

Mahayana sutras
Zen texts


Anisotropic Diagrams: Labelle Shewchuk approach revisited - Download this document for free, or read online. Document in PDF available to download.
Abstract : F. Labelle and J. Shewchuk have proposed a discrete definition of anisotropic Voronoi diagrams. These diagrams are parametrized by a metric field. Under mild hypotheses on the metric field, such Voronoi diagrams can be refined so that their dual is a triangulation, with elements shaped according to the specified anisotropic metric field. We propose an alternative view of the construction of these diagrams and a variant of Labelle and Shewchuk-s meshing algorithm. This variant computes the Voronoi vertices using a higher dimensional power diagram and refines the diagram as long as dual triangles overlap. We see this variant as a first step toward a 3-dimensional anisotropic meshing algorithm.