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'This Is Lunacy. It Is Lawless': Cruz Blasts Biden After Reports He Will End Title 42 Border Expulsions
On Wednesday, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), who is introducing the SHIELD Act, which promises to codify Title 42, which required U.S. border officials to promptly remove illegal immigrants to prevent the spread of COVID-19, blasted President Biden after reports had surfaced that Biden wanted to end Title 42. "This is lunacy," said Cruz. "It is lawless and the only reason Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are doing it is because they are captive to the extreme radical left of their party."
"You know the leading paper in Washington (The Washington Post) has as its slogan 'Democracy Dies in Darkness,'" Cruz began. "Joe and Kamala want darkness on the disaster that they have created. And not only that, they're proposing to make it worse. Joe Biden is now talking about ending Title 42.""Title 42 is the tool that has allowed us to prevent people with COVID from being released into this country," Cruz explained. "We're in a pandemic; Joe Biden likes to talk about what a priority he puts on the pandemic. Understand this: if the Biden administration ends Title 42, they will be releasing illegal immigrants in your community who are COVID-positive."
"We're seeing COVID positivity rates rise in South Texas; we're seeing COVID positivity rising in Laredo; we're seeing COVID positivity rising in San Antonio," Cruz noted. "Just yesterday I spoke with the mayor of Uvalde, Texas, who said as a result of the illegal immigrants being released in Uvalde, they're seeing COVID positivity spiking up and Biden want to release even more COVID positive illegal immigrants."
"This is lunacy," he snapped. "This week I introduced legislation, the SHIELD Act, with a number of senators up here to codify Title 42 to stop Joe Biden and Kamala Harris from releasing illegal immigrants in our communities who are positive for COVID. If you don't want to see this pandemic come back with the Delta variant — most these illegal immigrants coming in haven't been vaccinated. They're being put in cages with other people who are COVID positive, they're spreading COVID and then releasing COVID in our communities."'This is lunacy," he reiterated. "It is lawless and the only reason Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are doing it is because they are captive to the extreme radical left of their party. Everyone else who believes in common sense ought to say, enough is enough and let's not make the pandemic worse by making this crisis at the border even worse than it already is."
Introducing the SHIELD Act to preserve Title 42 expulsions of illegal immigrants, Cruz said:
We're hearing concerning reports that the Biden administration intends to end enforcement under Title 42. That's the legal authority that allows you with illegal immigrants when they come to expel them quickly because of the pandemic, and the Biden administration is making noise; they want to end that. I have introduced legislation this week to maintain the protections of title 42. There is still a global pandemic. Many Americans have gotten vaccinated. I've gotten vaccinated-a lot of people coming here illegally haven't.
As we see new variants of the disease – we have seen the disaster of Joe Biden's open border policy putting a huge cost on my home state of Texas, and now these guys want to make it worse and release essentially everybody who comes. Title 42 has been having an effect with regards to single young men who may be COVID-positive, and if the Biden administration releases them as well, it would be putting politics ahead of public safety and public health. I think it would be a serious mistake.
In late June, U.S. Reps. Yvette Herrell (R-NM) and Brian Babin (R-TX) wrote in a letter to the CDC and the Department of Homeland Security, "As the situation at the border continues to worsen, Title 42 has been the only thing preventing your border crisis from turning into a complete and uncontrollable catastrophe. If Title 42 is lifted, a surge of illegal immigration will hit our border, dwarfing what is happening today."

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Posted on June 13, 2019 by brian-kulak
Antic Disposition
Negotiating Our Professional and Personal Lives
Say what you want about my man Hamlet, but he was one talented actor.
The title character in what is widely regarded as Billy Shakespeare's finest play, Hamlet is all in knots over a complex vengeance-love-incest-legacy-mortality-honor-also-a-ghost plotline that involves him sorting it all out.
Unsure who he is and who he is supposed to be, Hamlet pledges "to put an antic disposition on," so no one is really sure if he is, in fact, bonkers. Like all good method actors, Hammie convinces both the audience and the characters that he is, like, really mad. Picture Christian Bale stopping at Starbucks for a Green Tea Frap before he heads home to catch up on laundry all while dressed and acting like Batman.
That's Hamlet. All. The. Time.
Eventually, Hamlet's madness, vengeance, and grief get the best of him, and really everyone in the play, and he dies after avenging his father's death at the hands of his slimy uncle. But the true mark of his brilliance is that we never know where the man ends and the actor begins.
As educators, we're all Hamlet, at least a little bit, minus all the soliloquies and Oedipal Complex. Every day we are faced with negotiating who we are when we are with our students with who we are the rest of the time. It's a complex and confusing dance not covered in any undergrad pre-service teaching text.
Nor should it be.
Though many of us may have dabbled as "Octopus #2" in The Little Mermaid Jr. or even shined as Sandy in Grease, we aren't actors. We're real people with real lives outside of our schools who have committed to a field in which we're on a proverbial stage every day.
Aye, there's the rub!
The most talented and transcendent teachers in our collective past and present aren't those to whom we couldn't connect because we couldn't figure out who they were. Instead, we recall and reminisce about those teachers who were as authentic Monday morning during first period as they were when we bumped into them at the neighborhood Farmer's Market. They shared who they were with us, they admitted their flaws, they told hilarious tales of self-effacing woe, they connected with us so we could connect with what they taught.
The same is true of leaders. While less on stage than those they mean to lead, Edu-leaders still have to commit to the part. On a delicate fulcrum, we have to commit to leading with authenticity the same way we taught with such an approach. Too formal and distant and we run the risk of alienating our staff as we sit aloft in our towers. Too fun-loving and accommodating and we run the risk of alienating ourselves as our staff runs its own show.
We are all who we are for myriad reasons, and while it's highly unlikely that one of those reasons is our father was murdered by our uncle causing us to descend into madness, faux or genuine, the students and staff with whom we work deserve our authentic selves.
It's up to us to be or not to be.
CategoriesLeadership, Leveling Up, Reflection, Students, Teaching and Learning
One Reply to "Antic Disposition"
Kristi Daws says:
Love this! Be a Hammie 😉
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I have just realized that CBS and Xfinity On Demand are charging to watch current episodes of Survivor. The first two episodes of the season are still free On Demand, but the 3rd episode which just aired 2 days ago is only available to BUY for $1.99 or to stream on-line - which is totally inconvient. This is so wrong! I realize that Xfinity only provides the service and the network makes the decision to charge - but shame on you both. We are paying for this service, why should we pay more. CBS if you think this will get us to subscribe to CBS All Access - you are wrong. I will DVR Survivor from now on, although it means I can't watch it in any room in the house, since only one of our t.v.s has the DVR box. Xfinity, you should advocate for your subscribers, who are paying A LOT (and just got an increase in rate) for your services, to obtain On Demand shows that have previously been free or are requested by viewers.
If anyone can tell me how to get Survivor episodes for free On Demand, please respond.
I agree with Library-Lady. Considering what I am charged for my Xfinity service, there is no way I'm paying extra for a show. This seems like a great time to cut the cord. Way to go CBS and Comcast.
I was hoping it was just late, but I suspect this is CBS trying to push Survivor fans into their new "All Access" service just like they're doing with the new Star Trek?
Hello Library-lady. We're sorry you feel that way. We provide content for free On Demand when networks provide it to us to provide for free. Other programs, we charge per view based on the agreements with the network. Unfortunately, there would be no way to use our service to watch this program for free, at the moment. Please let us know if you need any further assistance.
For what it is worth, the episode of Survivor I was trying to watch eventually did show up free a week later and listed in the alphabetical listing but not the By Network listing. That said, now Designated Survivor from last week (Oct. 11) and Scandal (10/12) aren't available past the the first week. I the past there was an intial viewing deadline for a show, usually 5 - 7 days, then the show would have a deadline for a month or more. C BS seems to be waiting a week before offering a show for On Demand viewing this year, and now I'm wondering if ABC is also doing the same thing. I just think I'll start DVRing the shows that seem to be iffy On-Deman.
It seems that when anyone has a complaint about your services you always blame the networks. That's what you did to me when I complained about not being able to FF through commercials. How convienient. You are the ones that make the contract with the networks. If you can't negociate better deals for your paying customers, then maybe you should get someone in your company that can. Or, reduce our cable rates.
I truly do apologize for our current limitations in delivering this service. We are constantly looking to new opportunities in providing the best service for our customers, and will maintain consideration of yours and other customer suggestions as we develop. Please feel free to provide us feedback here. Again I apologize for this current limitation.
Nice to know someone IS listening. I've discovered that some of the programs that I can't find do show up maybe a week later is I wait long enough - however it is advertised that On Demand will be available the next day.


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Der Vierpunkt-Marienkäfer oder Kopf-Vierpunkt-Marienkäfer (Harmonia quadripunctata) ist ein Käfer aus der Familie der Marienkäfer (Coccinellidae).

Merkmale
Die Käfer werden 5,5 bis sechs Millimeter lang. Sie sind gelblich oder hellrot gefärbt und haben je acht schwarze oder helle Punkte mit weiteren schwarzen, oft nur undeutlich zu erkennenden kleineren Punkten auf den Deckflügeln (Elytren). Zusätzlich sind helle Striche zwischen den Punkten verteilt. Ihren Namen haben die Käfer von den auf dem hellen Halsschild sichtbaren vier großen schwarzen Punkten, die manchmal zu Linien zusammenwachsen. Daneben finden sich weitere kleine schwarze Punkte. Die Punktierung der Flügeldecken ist variabel, die Punkte können miteinander verschmelzen oder völlig fehlen. Die maximale Anzahl der Punkte beträgt acht pro Elytre.

Vorkommen
Die Tiere kommen in Kiefernwäldern (von der Tiefebene bis ins Hügelland) vom südlichen Nordeuropa bis Südeuropa vor. Auf den Britischen Inseln ist der Vierpunkt-Marienkäfer nur vereinzelt anzutreffen. In Kleinasien ist die Art ebenfalls beheimatet.

Lebensweise
Der Vierpunkt-Marienkäfer jagt verschiedene Arten von Blattläusen wie z. B. Pineus pini und Cinara pilicornis. Die Käfer sind oft an künstlichen Lichtquellen zu finden. Sie sitzen vor allem auf Kiefern und überwintern in Gesellschaften unter der Rinde von verschiedenen Laub- und Nadelbäumen wie Kiefern und Pappeln.

Literatur
Bernhard Klausnitzer, Hertha Klausnitzer: Marienkäfer (Coccinellidae), Westarp Wissenschaften 1997, ISBN 3-894-32812-6
Volker Nötzold: Marienkäfer, Bestimmungsschlüssel, Deutscher Jugendbund für Naturbeobachtungen 1997, ISBN 3-923-37620-0
Jiři Zahradník, Irmgard Jung, Dieter Jung et al.: Käfer Mittel- und Nordwesteuropas, Parey Berlin 1985, ISBN 3-490-27118-1

Weblinks

www.insektenbox.de

Marienkäfer

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


County Executive Bob Culver has sent a fiscal 2020 budget to the County Council that leaves property taxes untouched, fully funds the school board's operational needs and awards county employees a 2 percent pay hike.
Even more so than in most budget years, the spending proposal that would take effect on July 1 was drafted in the face of a host of serious variables that could affect county revenues and just-over-the horizon expenses.
The county must address the state's minimum wage hike (which will force changes to county salaries, wait for the spending fallout that will come from a state commission charged with improving local education (which will likely increase education spending requirements) and calculate possible revenue (which would come if a forecasted fall 2020 recession occurs).
Culver's plan calls for $148.54 million in operational spending and $3.52 million in "pay-go" funding for capital projects already planned.
Last year's budget totaled $150 million, after the County Council reduced Culver's $151.39 million spending submission. The council has the power to cut the budget and adjust spending in certain areas, but has now power to increase spending.
Culver shared the budget with the council on Friday afternoon. The legislative body could react publicly to the spending plan at its regular work session on Tuesday.
Culver has proposed awarding $57.08 million to the Board of Education, which is about $1.87 million more than the county contributed last year. That amount would be about 38 percent of total county spending.
The second-largest recipients of county revenues are departments which oversee Public Safety and Health, which claim 26 percent of the budget.
Revenue derived from property taxes totals $66.86 million, which reflects a 3.76 percent increase in property base. Revenues from income taxes — so-called piggyback taxes added to the state's collections — are $52.20 million. Those totals and other various revenue sources put total available receipts at $145.02 million.
In his attached budget message, the County Executive said his spending plan addresses the county's core needs: public safety and health, education and county infrastructure.
"Recognizing that our citizens' household and business finances are still under pressure, my proposed budget calls for no increase in either real or personal property tax rates," Culver said.
This is the first budget offered by Culver in his second term and the fifth he has presented since his election in 2014.
Under the parameters of the county's revenue cap on receipts from property taxes, the county's property tax would actually decline by a miniscule amount, going from 0.9426 cents to 0.9346 cents. Every penny on the tax rate accounts for about $623,000 in revenue.
The big capital spending items remain consistent with previous plans: Money for a new Beaver Run Elementary on Old Ocean City Road, a new headquarters for the Sheriff's Office and seed money for runway and hangar improvements at Salisbury-Wicomico Regional Airport.
Regarded as an untapped economic engine, Culver would hike spending at the airport, which would see and additional $50,000 in operational funding and a total of $220,000 in capital funds. The county is expecting state and federal contributions to eventually bring down that spending commitment total.


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Patients with lower-back pain are faced with four options: live with the pain, take opioids to relieve it, try alternative therapies, or undergo surgery. Many choose drugs, which address the pain but not the problem—and they can lead to addiction. Meanwhile, spinal surgeons are making surgery more and more appealing, perfecting techniques to permanently fix herniated discs. Hear one patient's story—and see photos of her care—through the eyes of a Bryn Mawr Hospital surgeon. Read more from Main Line Today.


text:
A Vietnamese word segmentation tool

[![npm version](https://img.shields.io/npm/v/dongdu.svg?style=flat)](https://www.npmjs.com/package/dongdu)
[![Travis](https://travis-ci.org/vntk/dongdu.svg?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.org/vntk/dongdu)
[![Appveyor](https://ci.appveyor.com/api/projects/status/6migx3pv0n9wajbm/branch/master?svg=true)](https://ci.appveyor.com/project/Vunb/dongdu-5uwp6/branch/master)

# Installation In A Nutshell

1. Install [Node.js](http://nodejs.org/)
2. Run: `$ npm install dongdu --save`

# API Usage

Todo: Need to update

Please check homepage: https://github.com/vntk/dongdu

Build from source: `npm install --build-from-source`

Publish a new version:

* `git commit --allow-empty -m "[publish binary]"`
* `git commit --allow-empty -m "[travis publish binary]"`

LICENSE
========

MIT.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Hcw Payroll Calendar Oregon – Hcw Payroll Calendar Oregon Small business owners and managers have few options in terms of handling payroll. They could employ an accountants to assist, automate certain needs with payroll computer software or an online payroll solution, or possibly a DIY method using a mix of resources and templates. Payroll templates offer easy solutions for monitoring employee information, organizing schedules, determining payroll expenses, and offering detail by detail earnings statements. These pages delivers a wide variety of no-cost payroll templates being completely easy to customize along with to use. Select from excel spreadsheets and types for Microsoft Excel along with keyword, PDF, and Bing Sheets.
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Home News Community Artist Heather Marie Scholl On 'Sometimes It's Hard To Be A Woman,'...
Artist Heather Marie Scholl On 'Sometimes It's Hard To Be A Woman,' Her Feminist Tammy Wynette-Inspired Embroidery Installation
Margaret Eby
"Stand By Your Man," Tammy Wynette's country ballad about fidelity, might seem like an unlikely candidate as inspiration for a feminist art show. It was, in fact, a song universally derided by the feminist movement, a stance cemented by Hillary Clinton's remark in a 1990s interview about Gennifer Flowers that she "wasn't some little woman 'standing by my man' like Tammy Wynette." But embroidery artist Heather Marie Scholl was working on her first installation, a collection of embroidery art that explores themes of domestic violence, when "Stand By Your Man" came on the radio, and she found something else in Wynette's lyrics. The song perfectly expresses, Scholl told me, "the subtle resignation and gendered expectations that can influence romance… It articulated many of the feelings I was trying for, of searching for affection and companionship but finding people behaving in incomprehensible and hurtful ways."
Scholl's installation, which opens this Friday in Greenpoint, is an expression of those themes. It even borrows its title from one of the lyrics of Wynette's song, Sometimes It's Hard To Be A Woman. One of the samplers on display in the installation is another, more heartbreaking excerpt from the song: "You'll have bad times, and he'll have good times / Doin' things that you don't understand." Scholl, who was trained in fashion design, uses beading and embroidery work prominently in her pieces, the delicate thread filigrees that have long been associated with femininity. "I began thinking about that beautiful outward shell we create and how much women are expected to create it," Scholl explains. "In the past embroidery was a key element of that. The months and years devoted to garments, and home items, represented the family and man's social status. Although that expectation has shifted, it's still there, that women help create the status, the beauty, the comfort for men and the world. It's not necessarily a bad thing to be the creators of beauty and comfort, but one of the gendered expectations that gets distorted to a painful degree."
Scholl's work, she says, comes from a personal and a political place. "Feminism is a part of me, so it becomes part of my work," she explains. Sometimes It's Hard To Be A Woman is aiming to help open up the conversation on the issues she touches on. "What I do hope is that it's understood as trying to begin talking about the harmful ways men and women learn to interact with each other," Scholl says. That way, "we can move beyond the initial conversation around domestic violence and sexual assault as the beatings or the strangers and add to the discussion the subtle ways our agency and humanity can be stripped from us when in sexual situations that don't include communication, care and respect."
Sometimes It's Hard To Be A Woman opens on Friday at Freeman Space in Greenpoint.
[All photos via Heather Marie Scholl]
Heather Marie Scholl
Sometimes It's Hard to Be A Woman
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Listen to the Newest Episode of Emergent Agenda!
Emily and Clay chat with Max Sather - one of the newest pals to join the August team! Max walks us through his experience of our hiring process, what led him to find August (light stalking), and how he turned one of his favorite board games (Pandemic!) into an interactive way to learn agile practices. Listen here!
Managers can help destigmatize 'mental time off' by taking it themselves.
Forty ideas for team building games.
A cartoon presentation explaining why organizations have to change.
How to effectively use icebreakers and games for every type of situation.
The International Committee of the Red Cross created its first ever 'unconference'. A conference where the attendees played an active role - even presenting- during the conference. The goal was to create a shared digital culture, ask tough questions, and provide a unique learning experience.
Reframe: Change The Way You Work, Innovate & Think by Mona Patel.
As always, you're welcome to join us in person at our Brooklyn office, or remotely via Zoom. Full details will be sent closer to the 3rd.
In this webinar, The Motley Fool's innovative HR executives Lee Burbage, CHRO and Kara Chambers, VP of People Insights will be sharing best practices and anecdotes on how to collect, understand and act on employee feedback. Join from anywhere in the world. Sign up here.
At this workshop you will gain an understanding of why microaggressions occur at work, and why addressing them is crucial to inclusive cultures. Learn more and sign up here.
Lesbians Who Tech is back for their 4th summit in New York City to bring together over 2,000 lesbians, queer women, and allies across all areas of technology. Get your ticket today! Learn more here.
The 2nd Annual Responsive Conference will take place in NYC on September 18th & 19th 2017! Responsive Conference brings together Future of Work thought leaders and will focus on the "Emergent Organization."
Note: All of the links and recommendations contained in this newsletter are selected by the August team strictly based on our opinion of what would be most useful and inspiring to our subscribers. We do not accept any payment or other compensation in return for inclusion.
Copyright © 2017 August Public Inc., All rights reserved.


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"Black Orpheus" - Marcel Camus (1959)
Black Orpheus (Orfeu Negro, 1959) is a wondrous film with a rich range of thematic features – romance, tragedy, music, dancing, life in Brazilian pardo favelas (poor, mixed-race neighbourhoods), and the evocation of a Greek mythological legend. Each of these layers of Black Orpheus adds further richness to what is ultimately a spectacle of sensuality and passion. And it is for this reason that Black Orpheus seems to be relatively beyond routine comparison with other films.
The film was directed and co-scripted (with Jacques Viot) by Frenchman Marcel Camus, but it was shot in Brazil with an almost exclusively Brazilian cast of nonprofessional actors and released in Brazilian Portuguese. It was based on Vinicius de Moraes's Brazilian stage play Orfeu da Conceição (1956), which, itself, was a modernization of the ancient Greek legend of Orpheus and Eurydice.
In that legend, Orpheus, the son of the god Apollo and an irresistible lyre player, falls madly in love with and marries the beautiful nymph Eurydice. However, shortly after their marriage, Eurydice is bitten by a poisonous snake (an incarnated symbol of death) and dies. Orpheus is inconsolable and decides to try and descend to Hades, the underworld, to see his beloved. With his magical lyre-playing, Orpheus secures permission from the gods to escort Eurydice back to the world of the living, but with one condition: while walking out from the dark underworld, Eurydice must follow behind Orpheus, and he must not look at her before they come out into the light. In the event, however, Orpheus cannot resist the temptation to turn and look at her, and he loses her forever.
In this modernization of that Greek legend, the setting is Rio de Janeiro during their famous Carnaval festival, which is held just before the Lent period prior to Easter and which features massive displays of singing and dancing. The Brazilian Carnaval very much forms the colorful backdrop to this story, and the film's excellent production values reflect and reinforce the festive mood summoned by this festival. In particular, both the cinematography by Jean Bourgoin and the film editing by Andrée Feix are very effective in this regard. But even more special attention should be directed to the music by Luiz Bonfá and Antônio Carlos Jobim. I especially liked two songs composed by Luiz Bonfá, "Manhã de Carnaval" [1] and "Samba de Orfeu", that were so good that their presence could even have been accentuated in the film. They still ring in my memory.
The story of Black Orpheus has three main sections to it.
1. Orpheus and Eurydice meet
In the beginning of the film, Eurydice (played by Marpessa Dawn) arrives in Rio de Janeiro looking for the home of her cousin Serafina (Léa Garcia). She takes the trolley north to the end of the line, where the tram driver Orfeu ("Orpheus", Breno Mello) notices his tram's lone occupant and introduces her to station master Hermes (Alexandro Constantino), who gives her directions to Serafina's home area up in a favela in the surrounding hills.
After she departs, Orfeu is then shown with his possessive fiancé, Mira (Lourdes de Oliveira). Mira is glamorous but very jealous about any women with whom Orfeu associates, especially since Orfeu can be clearly seen to be something of a playboy. Then Orfeu goes back alone to his own hut that is in the same favela and next door to where Serafina happens to live. There he is greeted by two neighbour boys, Benedito (Jorge Dos Santos) and Zeca (Aurino Cassiano), who love Orfeu's guitar playing and who believe Orfeu's story that his entrancing guitar music makes the sun rise every morning. Orfeu then plays and sings for them the beautiful song "Manhã de Carnaval".
Meanwhile Eurydice has found Serafina's hut and has been explaining to why she has come to Rio. It is not for the Carnaval, but to escape and hide from a mysterious stalker who she thinks is trying to kill her. Afterwards, both Eurydice and Orfeu are delighted to discover that they are next door neighbors.
2. Carnaval Dancing
It turns out that Orfeu, Mira, and Serafina are all skilled samba dancers and will have prominent roles in the Carnaval street dancing coming up. Eurydice is a good dancer, too. At a rehearsal coordinated by Orfeu, the many participants all dance madly to the rhythmic music, and this is beautifully shown by the coordinated cinematography of so many dancing feet, including one breathtaking shot lasting 50 seconds. However, during these festivities Eurydice's silent pursuer, dressed in a skeleton costume, shows up and threatens Eurydice. Orfeu comes and chases away this stranger (Adhemar da Silva), whom we shall call "Death", and Orfeu protectively allows her to stay at his place for the night. In the process, Orfeu and Eurydice fall in love.
Later at the Carnaval festivities, Serafina gives her own dance costume and mask to Eurydice so that the girl can dance with Orfeu without Mira knowing. But Mira manages to discover this chicanery and rips off Eurydice's mask and attacks her. Eurydice runs away both from the uncontrollably vengeful Mira and also Death, who had been looking for her. Eventually Eurydice, hoping to find refuge with Hermes, makes it to the now dark and deserted end-of-the-line tram station, with Death in hot pursuit. Orfeu has been following the two of them, and when he shows up, he tries to find the hiding Eurydice by going to the switchboard and throwing on the master power switch. But Eurydice has been holding onto a live wire, and she is instantly electrocuted. Death then confronts Orfeu and tells him, "she's mine now," before knocking him out cold.
3. Looking for Eurydice
When Orfeu comes to, he is informed that Eurydice is dead, but he can't accept it. He rushes off to the hospital and then to the Bureau of Missing Persons, but to no avail. A sympathetic janitor at the latter office takes Orfeu to his Macumba cult religion ritual, where a symbolic, song-filled rite is conducted. During the ritual, Orfeu is urged to sing out, and when he does so, he hears from behind him Eurydice's voice clearly calling to him. She warns him not to turn around or he will lose her forever. But unable to suppress his desire to see his beloved, Orfeu turns anyway and looks to see the voice calling him is coming from an old woman sitting behind him. Eurydice is gone.
Still grieving, Orfeu goes to the city morgue and retrieves Eurydice's body, which he carries away in his arms back toward his home in the cliff-lined hills. When he nears his home, he sees that it has been set on fire, and an enraged Mira is running toward him. A rock she throws at him strikes him in the head and knocks him over the cliff to his death. Although Mira was Orfeu's legitimate fiancé, by this point she had become the film's symbol of vengeance and oppression.
In the final scene the next morning, Benedito retrieves Orfeu's guitar and urges Zeca to play it like Orfeu in order to make the sun rise. Zeca plays, and the sun rises as the children dance around joyfully.
These closing images reinforce the theme that reverberates all through the film – that the ephemeral raptures of love and life are best experienced by immersing ourselves in the songs and dances that embody those joys. These songs and dances give us the opportunity to rapturously express ourselves in ways that words can never accommodate. This is what the revelrous dancing of Carnaval is intended to evoke. So the delirious dancing sequences shown in Black Orpheus are not only bewitching; they are also an intrinsic part of its story in visual and musical form.
However, despite the many thematic dimensions of Black Orpheus, there have been some critics who have wanted the film to take on additional, more socially oriented, aspects. These have included
The nature and ongoing causes of poverty of favelas in Rio de Janeiro
The extent of racial discrimination in Rio de Janeiro and in Brazil overall
The lasting effects of European colonization and exploitation on Brazilian life
The degree to which there is exact adherence to the original Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice (concerning which there are in fact several different versions [2]).
The more vehement of the film's naysayers went further and complained about the film's "simplified and sanitized portrayal of happy-go-lucky dark-skinned people just dancing and making merry, oblivious to the systemic corruption and injustice that keeps them living in squalid run-down shacks" [3]. But I don't go along with such judgements.
While all of the above issues may be of interest in the appropriate context, it is not necessary that every film that is set in a Rio favela or touches on a Greek myth must specifically address those issues. Black Orpheus can stand on its own merits. And in my view, those merits are clearly evident for all to see. Moreover, the overwhelming majority of critics and viewers over the years have felt the same way (e.g. [4,5,6,7,8 ]). More formally and industry-wide, Black Orpheus was awarded the Palme d'Or at the 1959 Cannes Film Festival, the 1960 U. S. Academy Award (Oscar) for Best Foreign Language Film, and the 1960 Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Film.
So I recommend you just enjoy the film's samba-driven narrative that is driven by the vivid rhythmic theatrics of its four iconic figures – Orfeu, Eurydice, Mira, and Death.
"Manhã de Carnaval", Wikipedia, (14 July 2021).
"Orpheus and Eurydice", Wikipedia, (30 July 2021).
David Blakeslee, "Black Orpheus (1959) - #48", Criterion Reflections, (10 May 2011).
Bosley Crowther, "Screen: Legend Retold; 'Black Orpheus' Bows at the Plaza", The New York Times, (22 December 1959).
David Ehrenstein, "Black Orpheus", "The Criterion Collection", (7 June 1999).
James Bowman, "The Great Illusion of Carnaval", The New York Sun, (24 February 2006).
Michael Atkinson, "Black Orpheus: Dancing in the Streets", The Criterion Collection, (18 August 2010).
Glenn Heath Jr., "DVD Review: Marcel Camus's Black Orpheus on the Criterion Collection", Slant Magazine, (18 August 2010).
Labels: ****, Expressionist, Marcel Camus
Marcel Camus
Films of Marcel Camus:
Labels: Marcel Camus
"Eat Drink Man Woman" - Ang Lee (1994)
Taiwan-born Ang Lee (pinyin: Li An) has been a highly successful film director whose versatility over the years has been demonstrated with productions undertaken across several different continents and with themes spanning multiple different genres and social contexts – for example: The Wedding Banquet (1993), Sense and Sensibility (1997), Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), Brokeback Mountain (2005), Lust, Caution (2007), and Life of Pi (2012). But I think Lee's greatest film was one of his earliest, Eat Drink Man Woman (1994). This is a compelling work that, despite its Taiwanese/Chinese cultural context, is concerned generally with how romantic concerns can interact with family values, and so it can be appreciated by just about everyone [1,2,3,4,5,6].
The film's story about a master chef in Taipei and his three grownup daughters was scripted by Ang Lee, James Schamus, and Hui-Ling Wang. And the film's overall production values, including the acting, were excellent, but extra special praise should be singled out for the cinematography by Jong Lin and the film editing by Ang Lee and Tim Squyres. In some respects it is the cinematography and film editing that help elevate this film to a truly high status.
The film opens with a detailed presentation of Lao ("Old", an honorific in Chinese) Chu preparing an elaborate dinner for his three grownup daughters. The daughters are unmarried and so live at Chu's home, but they are often out attending to their own personal affairs. However, Lao Chu expects, indeed demands, that they all unfailingly attend the Sunday dinner that he prepares for them every week, as a ritual and as a precious instrument for family bonding. Chu has been a widower for the past sixteen years and has largely raised his three daughters during that time on his own. And like many parents, he is concerned that his daughters, who are all exposed to modernist influences of contemporary Taiwanese society, will start drifting away. So for Chu, the weekly Sunday dinner is crucial; but for the three daughters, the dinner is boring and almost a form of torture.
For the rest of the film, the viewer is treated to four parallel and interlaced narratives that trace the mostly separate and interpersonal concerns of Chu and his three daughters. We soon discover the following basic information about them.
Lao Chu (played by Sihung Lung) is an aging but famous chef in Taipai and is the master chef at a huge and important hotel in Taipei. In fact it is widely said that Chu is Taipei's finest chef, and he is generally used to being in command of those around him. However Chu is now losing what is critical for a chef, his sense of taste. So he has to rely on his old friend and fellow master chef Lao Wen (Jui Wang) to sample all his food concoctions to make sure they have been seasoned properly.
Jia-Jen (Kuei-Mei Yang), Lao Chu's oldest daughter, is about 29-years old and works as a high school chemistry teacher. She is sensitive and reserved and, compared to the other sisters, an upholder of traditional values. In addition, she has recently become a devout conservative Christian. Jia-Jen has a close woman friend, Liang Jin-Rong (Sylvia Chang), who was a former school classmate and with whom she often gets together to share concerns, such as Jin-Rong's drawn-out divorce process. Jia-Jen's other friends, worried that she is getting old to find a marriage partner, try to help her in this area, but Jia-Jen shows no interest in dating anybody. She still hasn't gotten over a failed love interest when she was in college nine years ago.
Jia-Chien (Chien-Lien Wu) is the second-oldest daughter and quite different from Jia-Jen. Unlike her attractive but quiet and modestly dressing older sister, Jia-Chen is glamorous and outgoing. She is an energetic, rising executive for an airline company, and she is accustomed to expressing her opinions when she feels like it. She is also the least tolerant of their father's Sunday dinners and intends to move out of the home as soon as the new apartment she has purchased is ready. On the romantic front, she is confidant and bold, e.g. she has a purely sexual relationship with a male friend, Raymond (Chit-Man Chan), that involves no commitments from either party. She treasures her independence.
Jia-Ning (Yu-Wen Wang), the youngest sister, is 20-years-old and works at a Wendy's fast-food restaurant while attending college classes. She is generally upbeat and usually deferent to her more opinionated older sisters.
So all four members of the Chu family, though different, are relatively well-balanced; and in accordance with family traditions, they are expected to share with each other what is happening in their respective lines when they get together on Sunday for dinner. But over the course of this film, we see that all four develop romantic relationships concerning which they feel guarded about sharing with each other on Sundays. And the presented subtlety of those guarded feelings is part of what makes this a great film.
In this connection there is an early scene in which a Chu family Sunday dinner is interrupted by an emergency at Lao Chu's posh hotel. We learn that a big feast for an important gathering at the hotel is in preparation but due to some cooking hitches is evidently headed for disaster. Lao Chu is summoned to rescue this desperate situation, and in a highly professional way he does indeed save the day – and, in the process, demonstrate his impressive culinary prowess. Afterwards, Lao Chu and Lao Wen become somewhat inebriated and reflect on what they have learned over the courses of their long lives. In a reflective moment of gloom, Lao Chu asks his friend,
"Eat drink man woman. Food sex . . . Is that all there is?"
The rest of the film offers an answer to that question.
As the interlaced narratives of the four Chu family members unfold, the viewer learns about the evolving romantic relationships that develop for them.
Jia-Jen is not looking to date anyone, but she has an accidental encounter with her school's new volleyball coach, Ming-Dao (Chin-Cheng Lu), and further encounters stir an interest on Ming-Dao's part, Ming-Dao is naturally outgoing, and his interest shown is gradually reciprocated by the shy Jia-Jen.
Jia-Chien finds herself attracted to Li Kai (Winston Chao) a handsome and suave new manager at her airline company. It looks like they are certain to become lovers, but at the last minute she learns that Li Kai was the man who broke Jia-Jen's heart nine years ago. So Jia-Chen has to call things off with Li Kai. About this time Jia-Chen also learns that Raymond has chosen to break off his relationship with Jia-Chen and get married to another woman. So now for the time being at least, Jia-Chen is bereft of lovers and "alone".
Jia-Ning's close friend and coworker at Wendy's, Rachel (Yu Chen), appears to be in the process of dumping her heartbroken boyfriend Guo Lun (Chao-jung Chen), and kn owing that Guo Lun will always be waiting for her outside of Wendy's after work, she asks Jia-Ning to shoo the lovesick boy away. But Jia-Ning's sympathetic encounters with Guo Lun soon lead to a mutual attraction between the two. It turns out later that Rachel was only toying with her boyfriend and didn't want to lose him, but her turnaround is too late.
Lao Chu does not appear to be looking for any romantic liaisons, but his three daughters worry that he must do so or he will wind up lonely once the daughters eventually all leave home and attend to their private lives. Lao Chu's isolation is only worsened when his longtime friend and confidante, Lao Wen, suddenly dies of a heart attack. But when the daughters learn that their friend Liang Jin-Rong's widowed mother, Madame Liang (Ah-Lei Gua), has just returned to Taipei from overseas and is now sometimes socializing with Lao Chu, they optimistically assume that, even though the woman appears to be pushy and overbearing, she would be a suitable marriage partner for their father. However, Lao Chu devotes most of his attention to affectionately spoiling Liang Jin-Rong's young six-year-old daughter, Shan-Shan (Yu-Chien Tang), by secretly making the girl tasty lunches to take to school every day. For Shan-Shan, Lao Chu is like a substitute daddy.
Finally, mostly at Sunday dinner confessions, the viewer learns how these relationships have turned out. Jia-Ning announces that she is leaving home to marry her secret lover, Guo Lun, by whom she is already pregnant. Jia-Jen marries Ming-Dao and even gets him to convert to Christianity.
But most shocking of all is what happens with Lao Chu. At a family dinner to which the Liang family (Madame Liang, Liang Jin-Rong, and Shan-Shan) have been invited, Lao Chu makes a marriage proposal not to the one everyone expects – Madame Liang, but to Jin-Rong, with whom Lao Chu has been having a secret affair. This explains why Lao Chu has been showering Shan-Shan with paternal affection for awhile. And it also means that the daughters will not be abandoning their father to loneliness.
So romantic love appears to have conquered all, and, in particular, to have overshadowed traditional family mores. Is that the film's final message? Not entirely [6]. Jia-Chen, the most glamorous and attractive of the three sisters, was always the one who was least affected by traditional values. She always found her father and his Sunday dinners insufferable, and she was the first daughter to announce her plans to move out of the family home. But by the end of the film, she has changed. She abandons her affair with Li Kai out of concerns for her older sister's feelings. And she declines a promotion from her airline company to be an overseas vice president, because she wants to stay closer to her family. In the final scene she is shown cooking a meal for her father at the old home and showing hitherto unseen warmth for him. So traditional family values now apparently have meaning for her.
Consequently we can say that what we have here is not just a battle between Modernism and Tradition or between East and West. Overall, what makes this a great film is the display of subtle and complex interacting feelings presented by the main character actors. My favorite performance was that of Kuei-Mei Yang as Jia-Jen, but they are all compelling, and you may have another favorite.
Also outstanding is the cinematography. There are many emotive closeups that help convey the feelings in this story. I would also like to call your attention to three extended tracking shots that I thought were very effective. One is a two-minute shot showing an early conversation between Jia-Ning and Guo Lun. A second is s 90-second shot of a conversation between Jia-Jen and Liang Jin Rong. And a third sequence that lingers in my memory is a two-minute shot of Jia-Jen and Li Kai conversing while walking through a store.
So getting back to Lao Chu's question that he asked early on in the film,
We can say that the film's response is,
"No, there is much more. And it all comes from love in all its various guises and modes."
Love can be manifest in both traditional and modern circumstances. The key thing is that, no matter what the situation, love represents the most sincere and authentic aspects of who we are. And this is what Ang Lee's Eat Drink Man Woman puts on display for us.
Hal Hinson, "'Eat Drink Man Woman'", Washington Post (19 August 1994).
Desson Howe, "'Eat Drink Man Woman'", Washington Post, (19 October 1994).
Marjorie Baumgarten, "Eat Drink Man Woman", Austin Chronicle, (19 August 1994).
Janet Maslin, "FILM REVIEW; Avoiding Basic Human Desires, or Trying To", "The New York Times", (3 August 1994).
Norman N. Holland, "Ang Lee, 'Eat Drink Man Woman' (1994)", A Sharper Focus, (n.d.).
David Sorfa, "Eat Drink Man Woman: Summary & Analysis", Jotted Lines, (23 February 2020).
Labels: ****, Ang Lee, Asian, soul and society


Warnings of The Seven Last Plagues.
Why does God send The Seven Last Plagues?
A terrible sore on the forehead of those with the mark of the beast.
The sea turns to blood & all sea life dies.
The rivers & fountains of water become blood.
Rome, the throne of the beast, is shrouded in darkness.
The River Euphrates dries up.
Many signs & the Battle of Armageddon begins.
"The plagues upon Egypt when God was about to deliver Israel were similar in character to those more terrible and extensive judgments which are to fall upon the world just before the final deliverance of God's people."
"Many of the wicked were greatly enraged as they suffered the effects of the plagues. It was a scene of fearful agony. Parents were bitterly reproaching their children, and children their parents, brothers their sisters, and sisters their brothers. Loud, wailing cries were heard in every direction, 'It was you who kept me from receiving the truth which would have saved me from this awful hour.'"
"These plagues are not universal, or the inhabitants of the earth would be wholly cut off. Yet they will be the most awful scourges that have ever been known to mortals. All the judgments upon men, prior to the close of probation, have been mingled with mercy. The pleading blood of Christ has shielded the sinner from receiving the full measure of his guilt; but in the final judgment, wrath is poured out unmixed with mercy."
"The plagues were falling upon the inhabitants of the earth. Some were denouncing God and cursing Him. Others rushed to the people of God and begged to be taught how they might escape His judgments. But the saints had nothing for them. The last tear for sinners had been shed, the last agonizing prayer offered, the last burden borne, the last warning given. The sweet voice of mercy was no more to invite them."
"The people turned upon their ministers with bitter hate and reproached them, saying, "You have not warned us. You told us that all the world was to be converted, and cried, Peace, peace, to quiet every fear that was aroused. You have not told us of this hour; and those who warned us of it you declared to be fanatics and evil men, who would ruin us." But I saw that the ministers did not escape the wrath of God. Their suffering was tenfold greater than that of their people."
"The people see that they have been deluded. They accuse one another of having led them to destruction; but all unite in heaping their bitterest condemnation upon the ministers. Unfaithful pastors have prophesied smooth things; they have led their hearers to make void the law of God and to persecute those who would keep it holy. Now, in their despair, these teachers confess before the world their work of deception.
"The multitudes are filled with fury. "We are lost!" they cry, "and you are the cause of our ruin;" and they turn upon the false shepherds. The very ones that once admired them most will pronounce the most dreadful curses upon them. The very hands that once crowned them with laurels will be raised for their destruction. The swords which were to slay God's people are now employed to destroy their enemies. Everywhere there is strife and bloodshed."
When Do the Plagues Begin?
"It was impossible for the plagues to be poured out while Jesus officiated in the sanctuary; but as His work there is finished, and His intercession closes, there is nothing to stay the wrath of God, and it breaks with fury upon the shelterless head of the guilty sinner, who has slighted salvation and hated reproof."
God Will Protect His People?
"While the wicked are dying from hunger and pestilence, angels will shield the righteous and supply their wants."


What if we purposefully tap the horse's ability to make us better humans? Ulrike Dietmann offers a heartwarming, empowering program for doing just that. In this book, she uses the model of the hero's journey, developed by the late author and mythologist Joseph Campbell, helping us consciously, and thereby much more efficiently, access what horses have been silently teaching riders, heroes, pioneers, leaders, and artists for millennia. Her graceful, intelligent writing is also clear and easy to understand as she makes some normally complex personal development principles surprisingly accessible.
Horses are incredible teachers, but they need good translators to bring their wisdom to a wider human audience. Ulrike is a great translator of horse wisdom. Read this book, follow the activities, and answer the poignant, perceptive questions she asks, and I promise you, your life will change. You will become the hero of your own unique story, and you will realize once and for all, that, even when you wander off the main trail and get lost in the woods, you're never alone in this world.


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Umori v Jazbečevem Dolu je detektivski roman izpod peresa Caroline Graham. Prvič je izšel v Veliki Britaniji leta 1986, v slovenščino ga je prevedel Jože Stabej. V slovenščini je knjiga izšla leta 2006, gre za trenutno edino delo Caroline Graham, prevedeno v slovenščino.

Gre za prvi roman, v katerem nastopa glavni inšpektor Tom Barnaby.  Leta 1997 so roman priredili za televizijsko serijo detektivskih filmov Umori na podeželju televizijske hiše ITV. Film je bil naslovljen Umori na podeželju: Umori na Jazbečevem zametu. Knjigo so uvrstili na Seznam 100 najboljših kriminalnih romanov vseh časov.

Zgodba
V tihi britanski vasici Jazbečev Dol v 80. letu starosti umre Emily Simpson. Njena prijateljica gospodična Bellringer vztraja, da ni umrla od srčnega napada, kot je ugotovil vaški zdravnik Trevor Lessiter. Obdukcija potrdi, da Simpsonova res ni umrla zaradi srčnega napada, ampak zaradi zastrupitve s trobeliko. Barnaby po obdukciji začne preverjati vaščane in kmalu pride do ugotovitve, da je Simpsonova umrla, ker je videla nek par v gozdu, ko je nabirala orhideje.

Kmalu umre gospa Iris Rainbird, njeno truplo pa prvi najde sin Dennis Rainbird, lokalni pogrebnik. Barnaby med preiskavo vse bolj ugotavlja, da sta umora povezana s smrtjo Belle Trace, ki je umrla nekaj let prej med lovom. Barnaby na koncu ob pomoči narednika Gavina Troyja razreši primer, a krivec pred prijetjem stori samomor.

Razlike s televizijsko upodobitvijo
V filmu je bila smrt Emily Simpson nasilnejša. Namesto zastrupitve s trobeliko je v filmu smrt Simpsonove posledica zloma vratu s kljukcem.

V romanu je ga. Rainbird ubita pred sinom Dennisom, ki je odkril njeno truplo in od šoka padel v katatonijo. V filmu umreta oba in skupaj.

Ocene
Grahamova napravi like človeško verjetne v svojem šaljivem in tragičnem romanu, resnična zmagovalka. - Publishers Weekly

Izdaje
Združeno kraljestvo: 1987, Century, London, trda vezava, 264 strani, ISBN 0712617442.
ZDA: 1988, Adler & Adler, Bethesda, Maryland, trda vezava, 264 strani, ISBN 0917561414.
ponatis:  2005, Felony & Mayhem Press, ZDA, mehka vezava, xiv, 272 strani, ISBN 978-1-933397-04-7
Slovenija: 2006, Prešernova družba, Ljubljana, trda vezava, 294 strani, ISBN 961-6512-63-3

Viri

Detektivski romani
Angleški romani
Knjige leta 1987


Democrat Phil Murphy, a former Goldman Sachs executive, is the next Governor of New Jersey. He beat out Chris Christie's Lieutenant Governor, Kim Guadagno. Christie's rock bottom approval ratings (15% as of July) certainly didn't help in what proved a comfortable win for the Democrats.


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Q: What are the typical uses for a soft-processor such as MicroBlaze? I know that the FPGA-DSP combination is typically used for high-end power electronics/ultrasound/MRI/etc.  Is it possible for the soft-processor to fully replace the DSP even on lower-end FPGAs such as Spartan 3/6?
Added: What would be the reason for having multiple softcore processors in one FPGA?

A: As Tom mentioned, the MicroBlaze is not so much a matter of replacing a DSP, but replacing a traditional microcontroller that may otherwise be on the board.
This is because the MicroBlaze soft processor core is not a particularly good substitute for a DSP since it lacks special DSP features such as a MAC (multiply and accumulate) instruction, circular buffers, bit reversed addressing and saturating logic.
So a separate DSP soft core, such as the one described in this paper for the Xilinx Virtex-4, would be a better choice.
Many DSP designs would benefit from having both soft cores, since many if not most digital designs that include an FPGA also need a general microcontroller of some sort.  As long as there are enough resources available in the FPGA (see below), soft processors such as the MicroBlaze not only eliminate a part in the BOM (and of course its associated cost), but also free up pins on the FPGA since there is no need to interconnect between the FPGA and a microcontroller.  The space required for traces between the two parts is freed up as well.
The MicroBlaze can run at 210 MHz on a Virtex-5.  Versions with an MMU can run Linux.  A minimum MicroBlaze needs around 600 LUTs, and can grow up to 4000 if an FPU, MMU, cache, and other goodies are added.   The DSP soft processor mentioned above used 1700 LUTs.
Since a Virtext-5 FPGA can have anywhere from 30,000 to over 200,000 LUTs, even including both of these soft cores represents only a fraction of the chip.  Incorporating both allows for both conventional and DSP operations to take place in parallel, if desired, at the cost of some added complexity for synchronization between the two.
The IP for the MicroBlaze is free as long as you use it on a Xilinx FPGA and have licensed the ISE Design Suite Embedded Edition (or equivalent).

A: Feel free to skim read, or skip to the end. I realise I did go on a bit!

Generally you wouldn't use a soft processor to replace DSP stuff. Dedicated hardware can generally handle higher volumes of data faster because you would design it to do a specific task very well, rather than being a general purpose CPU.
Where soft processors come into their element is control and coordination.
If you were to design a system which needed to process a large volume of data, lets say high frame rate image acquisition, it would not be possible to use a soft-core processor to handle all the data, there would simply be too much overhead in the CPU. What you would do is design dedicated firmware to do the specific acquisition task needed (e.g. filter the data, store to memory, etc.).
However you still need some way of instructing it when to do things - when do you want to be capturing, has the device been instructed to offload the data, etc. These things are not very easy to do in dedicated hardware, not if there are sequences of events with user input, basically tasks which do not do the same thing over and over again. In this case you would use a soft-core processor as it is far easier to write procedural code for some tasks.
Another (real) example, I have been working on a ultrasound acquisition system which streams data via PCIe. The tasks it does are communicated from the user and various parts of the system need configuring. The coordination of the system does not require large volumes of data, but instead needs flexibility, so it is well suited to a soft-core CPU programmed with in this case C. To do the same thing in physical hardware would require vast amounts of resources most of which would be used infrequently so would see no benefit compared to a CPU.
It's worth noting that some tasks may vary depending on user input, but are still better in dedicated hardware. In fact one part of the code (programming DMA controllers to store data on trigger) was originally done in the CPU in about 15 lines of code, but because that bit needs to be done the moment a trigger occurs, using a CPU which may be busy with other stuff is not ideal. The task is instead programmed into a Verilog module, but in the process becomes a massive 500 line state machine with about 15 states and a whole heap load of supporting logic - no really. But even though it uses up far more resources, it is time critical, so is a necessity.
Similarly I need clock cycle accurate trigger generation, so a module for performing that task is part of the system rather than doing it in a CPU. Both this core and the one above are examples of how you can use a CPU to do some tasks, but for other critical ones you can develop hardware to complement the CPU - in the same way you have timers, etc. in a microcontroller.

So to summarise:
FPGAs are great flexible tools, but most designs need a combination of soft-core CPUs, configurable modules (e.g. timers), and dedicated single-task hardware.
CPUs are great for user interaction, controlling the order of events, configuring controllers. They are like the coordinator, the brain.
Some designs may need to do some fairly repetitive tasks which can be configured to suit different inputs - timer modules, character displays, button debouncing, etc. These could easily be done with a CPU, but if you want to do several of them accurately at once it becomes more tricky - they are sharing the same CPU resources. So what you can do is move them into dedicated hardware which is closely connected to the CPU - give the CPU chance to do other tasks. These help the CPU do its job and interact with its surroundings, like its senses.
Dedicated DSP, data transfer (DMA) - basically any task which will do the same thing over and over again at high speeds - can really benefit from dedicated logic in terms of speed, and also possibly power. These are like the muscles of the device, the do all the heavy lifting.
You'll have to excuse the rambling on a bit, but I do like this field of EE. Hopefully the above is understandable and gives you some extra insight to the wonderful world of FPGAs.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


It's all in the air, it covers everything, now it's coming down, now it's on the brink… it turns the trees to diamond things, but it weighs too much, breaks everything… we could both be naked now and innocent. It breaks everything. Everything breaks under all it's weight, and it's covered us. We could strip it off. We could both be naked now and innocent. It breaks everything.


Paprika Villa offers stately elegance on the Turks and Caicos beachfront. With five spacious bedrooms, a dining room for ten, and snorkeling right outside your door, you may never want to leave. Paprika offers the most upscale vacation amenities you could want, including a private swimming pool, beach decks, six flatscreen Smart TVs, and unforgettable sunset views. Have a sunset party on the top floor balcony each night for breathtaking views.
Paprika Villa is located on the western, residential end of Grace Bay Beach in Turtle Cove. This luxurious, family-friendly beachfront home has spacious arrangements and five-star amenities.
Grace Bay is frequently voted the best beach in the Caribbean, with sugary white sands and pristine turquoise waters home to dolphins and sea rays. Smith's Reef, one of the most popular snorkeling reefs in the Caribbean, is steps offshore directly in front of the villa. A narrow strip of rocks creates a barrier between shore and the reef, so water shoes are recommended. Paprika has its own beach decks on Grace Bay with umbrellas and loungers. The decks connect to the villa and various meditation spaces via wooden boardwalks, so guests can retreat back to the private pool if the beach gets too busy. There are loungers and palm trees all around the pool for shade and comfort, and there's a dining veranda with arches framing the view. There's also a shallow kiddie pool for young children. An outdoor shower, BBQ grill, and snorkeling equipment are also included in the outdoor amenities. To top it all off, the property has stunning sunset views, and three levels of outdoor space to enjoy them from.
Paprika's spacious living room has a flatscreen Smart TV, tons of spots to sit and relax, and access to most of the villa's spaces. The indoor dining table seats 10, and the fully-equipped gourmet kitchen has a breakfast bar, full range of cookware, and stainless steel appliances. There's a laundry room on all three floors, and a sound system and WiFi that runs throughout the villa's interior and exterior. All five spacious bedrooms are equal in size, with private balconies, lounging areas, a king bed, and an ensuite bathroom. Two bedrooms each have two king beds. There's one suite on the first floor, three bedrooms on the second floor, and one bedroom on the third floor. The third level bedroom also has a children's play area, so a family could share the suite's two king beds.
Villa Paprika balances grand spaces with secluded suites to help guests connect and relax on vacation. Adventure seekers can find ocean excursions close by in Turtle Cove Marina, and foodies can walk less than a mile to several different restaurants. Take a 3-mile trip into town for upscale shopping, gift boutiques, art galleries, and more dining options.
Guests are given a $400 allowance for their AC/Pool Heating for a week stay during the months of November, December, January, February, March and April. During the months of May, June, July, August, September and October they are given a $200 allowance for a week stay. The allowance will be prorated for stays less than a week. This allowance can be split between the AC and Pool heating usage.
Any AC/ Pool Heating overage will be charged to guests at market rate. Car rental, private chef, butler, server, daily maid service, grocery and beverage shopping (pre-arrival and during your stay), liquor and wine delivery, nanny service, baby equipment, spa services, yoga and personal training, photography, and private airport transfer/car service can be arranged for an additional fee.
OMG… what an amazing house with amazing amenities. There was nothing better than watching my 4 girls and my wife snorkeling together right off the house laughing, splashing, and excited to see fish right at their feet in Turks's crystal clear water.
We're already talking about booking the same house next year, because it had everything you need to fully enjoy time with friends and family.
Thank you Andrew for the recommendation. Our second time back to the island was even better than the first.
Andrew was great and so easy to work with. His recommendations made it so easy to navigate house selections and all the needed logistics in getting around the island. AWESOME!!!
We loved Paprika. The villa was a great fit for our family.
Our experience working with WhereToStay was great.
Paprika Villa was perfect for our family and three small grandchildren. The spacious bedrooms were fabulous and having the crib, pack & play, and high chair there was an added bonus. The pool/beach combo made it very easy for everyone to enjoy being outside. The outdoor dining table worked out wonderful for our chef-catered dinners. Also, it was a great place to play cards and other games. Having three separate decks was great, and the view was spectacular. All around, it is probably the best house we have ever rented for a family vacation, and one of the most memorable. I would highly recommend it. Thank you Andrew, Faye, and all the staff.
Our service from WhereToStay was excellent! Andrew was very responsive to our emails and needs, as was Faye and the other staff members.
Paprika Villa was an amazing home with every possible necessity available. The villa is spacious, well-appointed, and the location is the best on Providenciales. The grand babies played in the pool outside the living room door all day, and the beach where they found sea shells brought many hours of delight. We felt like we were on a private beach. Snorkeling at Smith's Reef right in front of the villa was a bonus, plus the home came equipped with snorkeling gear, beach toys, life vests and pool toys! The house comes with a security system, which brought us a real sense of safety at night with little children who could be prone to wander. We can't say enough good things about the management company, who worked hard to fix anything that needed fixing. They were very pleasant and helpful!
Andrew was a delight to work with, and gave us so many tips on where to go, what to see and where to eat. Andrew was very helpful and full of information about the island that we made good use of. He also made sure we had the equipment we needed for the babies. The Thursday night Fish Fry was awesome! Andrew also recommended Latika of Taste of the Islands to cook a fabulous 5-course meal for us one night. It was a gourmet delight and I highly recommend Latika! If you go to Providenciales, Villa Paprika is definitely where you want to stay!
This house and the trip was amazing- Villa Paprika exceeded our expectations. When you stay at this home, you feel like you are at a Ritz Carlton. From the management company, to the accommodations, they have thought of everything to fulfill the experience of a lifetime. I will definitely return to this home and to this island.
I have already referred this home and Andrew to 3 of my friends, and they are so excited to book their experience!
Andrew was wonderful, knowledgeable, and extremely accurate on all of his commentary.
The villa was absolutely wonderful and gorgeous. The flowers took our breath away! With the exception of a few problems with the refrigerator/freezer and the fans, it was top of the line. We wouldn't hesitate in the least to recommend and stay again in this fabulous home. All of the workers and personnel couldn't have been friendlier or offer to help. Everyone went above and beyond. Thanks again for allowing my family to use this beautiful property.
Absolutely beautiful villa in a great location. We have been booking with Andrew for about 15 years and ever villa has been great and this is only the second time that we return to the same island. All have been great stays and great villas but we have been looking for paradise and this might be a close as you can get. Paprika villa and Providenciales ranks #1. The accommodations were incredible and superior to even the pictures shown. Clean, large with plenty of places for everyone to escape to and within walking distance to a couple of nice restaurants. Great swimming and snorkeling right at the beach and within walking distance to the "must go to" Fish Fry Carnival on Thursday night. One of the easiest islands to drive which makes the location even more attractive. Drive to any of the great beaches in minutes. Walk to Turtle cove and rent a boat or visit the Casino. The new beach decks (3) will have you outdoors most of your stay and not wanting to leave. The beds are amazingly comfortable and the balconies overlooking the ocean are gorgeous. Overall an exceptional villa and the best that we have stayed at in the Caribbean.. Truly exceed our expectations which were high and why we use WheretoStay and we can't wait to come back. Truly a 5+ star villa. PS. Skip some of the higher rated restaurants, save money and visit the smaller locals places like Cactus Bar and Grill (Best fish Tacos). Food at the Fish Fry was as good as or superior to some of the high end restaurants. Be an islander instead of a tourist!
Beautiful, luxurious, amazing home. We loved this place for its beauty, it's roominess, it's convenience and its location. The house has everything you need to live there while it's close enough to restaurants and shopping to make going out easy. And the beach…snorkel right outside the gate. Long walks on the beach? Awesome. We loved everything about this place and would highly recommend it.
Andrew at WhereToStay.com was outstanding. Great ideas. Very resourceful and accommodating.
We had an amazing time at Paprika Villa. The villa was in great condition. We had a party of 10 people and everyone loved their bedroom. The highlight of the villa is the three decks on the dunes leading up to the beach- folks spent most evenings there drinking cocktails and watching the moon rising. We will definitely be back!
Sharon was amazing. Sharon responded to all of our questions in a timely manner. In addition, Sharon was even able to coordinate a birthday cake to be delivered to the villa on my mom's birthday.


text:
Q: VSFTPD - FTP over TLS - Upload stops after exactly 82k? I installed a VSFTP daemon on a CentOS server, using a RSA certificate for logging in using explicit TLS. Now, I cannot upload more than 82k.
With files under that limit, there is no problem. The FTP works like a charm. But as soon as a file reaches 82k with FileZilla (81,952 bytes to be exact), the transfer will stop, and the FTP client hangs until time out is reached.
FTP client console:
15:10:21    Command:    STOR jquery-1.7.2.min.js
15:10:21    Response:   150 Ok to send data.
15:11:21    Error:  Connection timed out
15:11:21    Error:  File transfer failed after transferring 82 KB in 60 seconds

/var/log/vsftpd.log
FTP command:  Client "x.x.x.x", "STOR jquery-1.7.2.min.js"
FTP response: Client "x.x.x.x", "150 Ok to send data."
OK UPLOAD:    Client "x.x.x.x", "jquery-1.7.2.min.js", 81952 bytes, 1.32Kbyte/sec
FTP response: Client "x.x.x.x", "226 File receive OK." // NOT okay, file is bigger
// No mention of error here

I cannot find relevant info about this problem, apart from a possible problem with trans_chunk_size (not mentioned in default config), but I tried different sizes and it has no impact on the problem.
trans_chunk_size=4096
trans_chunk_size=8192
trans_chunk_size=9999
Ofcourse, after every configuration change, I restarted the server:
/etc/init.d/vsftpd restart
What else can cause this?
It's not the latest version, but it's the latest update within the repositories that has been deemed fit for enterprise usage:
Package info:
$ yum info vsftpd
Loaded plugins: fastestmirror
Installed Packages
Name       : vsftpd
Arch       : x86_64
Version    : 2.0.5
Release    : 24.el5_8.1
Size       : 286 k
Repo       : installed
Summary    : vsftpd - Very Secure Ftp Daemon
URL        : http://vsftpd.beasts.org/
License    : GPL
Description: vsftpd is a Very Secure FTP daemon. It was written completely from scratch.

A: It sounds like the problem is at the client side. Have you tried another client program: lftp, TLSWrap, ...?

*

*http://trac.filezilla-project.org/ticket/7837

*https://savannah.gnu.org/support/?107660

A: I don't use FTP on my server anymore, too much hassle.
But if I remember correctly, the problem was indeed (partially) client-side and a workaround was to compile the latest version of FileZilla. Not the (forever outdated) version in the Ubuntu repositories.
This is what the guys at FileZilla pointed out themselves, but I cannot find the resource back at this moment.


Model for the spectrum of density pulsations in a stratified layer of fluid is proposed. It assumes presence of the mechanism vertical turbulent exchange resulting from breaking of the internal waves and formation of the turbulent patches. The mechanism is considered to be quite widespread in many regions of the World Ocean. Modeling implies consideration of two sources of fluctuations: internal waves existing in the whole layer and turbulence concentrated within a certain number of patches distributed within the layer under consideration. The scale ranges of the internal waves and turbulence are partially overlapped; at that the maximum scale of turbulent pulsations is limited by a patch size. Basing on the theory of locally isotropic turbulence and assuming that the oscillations inside a patch are described by harmonic functions, it is shown that their local frequency and local amplitude are connected by the analytical relationship. In the model functions, both the amplitude and the phase of oscillations are randomized, white noise is added to them. The major features of influence of various specified characteristics of the patches and internal waves upon the spectrum shape are determined. The experimental data have being analyzed by means of the proposed model permit to evaluate the scales and amount of the patches, as well as their turbulence energy level. The model also exhibits validity of the earlier developed energy approach for defining the scales of turbulent patches.
stratified layer, vertical exchange, internal waves, microstructure, spectral model, turbulent patch.


The ancient Egyptian Artist had to study for more than 20 years in the Temple Schools of ancient Egypt. These studies included anatomy, geometry, mathematics, philosophy and astronomy. Not until he had thoroughly mastered these and many more subjects was he permitted to draw, paint and sculpt the sacred images of the Gods and Goddesses of Egypt. Such studies may be compared to several of our university courses rolled into one, and even after all that, the Master-artist as he then was, could only exclaim: "No limit may be set to art, neither is there any craftsman that is fully master of his craft", as we may read in the maxims of the Egyptian Sage, Ptahhotep. How different is this modesty to the vanity and conceit of so many of our modern artists! But then, the ancient Egyptian Artist was not concerned with 'social realism', 'personal style', 'utility' and all the other definitions of 'art' that we are familiar with today, but with the depiction of the Divine Truths of Life. As John Ruskin said: "All great art is the expression of man's delight in God's work, not his own." A sentiment with which the ancient Egyptian Artist would have been in full agreement.
This original painting of an ancient Egyptian Drawing Master and his student has been lovingly hand-painted in gouache and watercolour. If you look carefully at the table in front of the artist you will see some little blue 'steps.' These were a mechanism that lowered and raised the table; just like our modern drawing boards! Such details also have a symbolic meaning as we have mentioned above.
Size 210mm x 210mm. Print shown 38% actual size. Printed on acid-free semi-gloss paper using non-fading printing inks.
£12.00 INCLUSIVE OF FREE DELIVERY in the UK (£16.00 if you live outside the UK but within the EU; £18.00 for the rest of the world).
This painting is the copyright of the Artist. Whilst we cannot prevent you from downloading it for your own personal enjoyment or educational use, we would hope that you will not do so for financial gain or to pass it off as your own work.


We're always on the lookout for real stories and accounts of international dating (both good and bad). Do you have a story you'd like to share? Contact us with the form below!
Are you in a successful international relationship? We'd also be interested to hear from you!


It can be easy to end your project-based learning experiences with students in a big heap of exhaustion and miss the opportunity to reflect on the experience. There is so much to learn and gain from gathering your (and your students') reflections.
But how do you do that? Let's look at some ways.
These can be done individually or in a team. But the general pattern of these reflections is: what did I think / hope / plan would happen, and what can I learn from how things actually went? And look at all the stakeholders featured in these questions! You + your students + their families / community members = a full circle of feedback. Never doubt the amount which your larger school or town community wants to weigh in on your students' projects.
This can probe developing thinking in terms of project based learning, instructional practices, and personalization. Look at how the perspective has changed: this exercise is all about you. You as a teacher, leader and learner with regards to project-based learning. But what a powerful exercise for you to do with your team!
Ponder this image on Authentic Audience. How can you move up the pyramid? What are the ways you can increase engagement and authenticity from having a more relevant audience? A different format, perhaps? Many teachers rely on a science fair presentation model. Student standing at a table and presenting their work. Is that getting a bit stale? Would a film festival, a series of student TEDTalks, or a focused community group presentation work better?
How can you move students up the continuum of voice?
What was your favorite thing about the project?
Is there anything you think could have been better?
What do you think I should change about the experience?
What would make this project more engaging and fulfilling for you?
Decide what you want to change for next year. Write it down somewhere you will find it! Start gathering resources for how to do it and then… go put your feet up with some lemonade and pat yourself on the back. You've done amazing things with your students this year.
How did it go? What did you notice that already has you plotting PBL for next year?


While the recent sharp decline in the Rand is expected to introduce significant local economic shockwaves, the reality is that the currency has been depreciating steadily over a long period of time. What are the implications for your resource efficiency strategy and how should you respond? In simple language: "with extreme urgency".
Rand weakness is a function of structural deficiencies in the South African economy, the vagaries of the commodity cycle and perceived risks for investors. Manufacturing in South Africa is in long-term decline, with all sectors coming under relentless pressure from cheaper imports and some (such as textiles, and more recently, steel) having to undergo fundamental restructuring just to remain viable . Our inability to compete (for various reasons, not simply the high cost of labour, as many would purport) reduces demand for our products, leading to reduced exports and increased imports. China's voracious appetite for our resources has slowed, albeit some feel only temporarily. As an economy with a long history of low beneficiation levels, this hurts the currency. Local and international investors are concerned about our ability to competently exercise fiscal restraint and take appropriate action in the face of growing demands for funding by poorly performing SOE's, and there are also broader concerns regarding national governance. This leads to portfolio outflows as positions in our capital markets are closed and are taken up in more stable and attractive environments. These and other factors are combining to drop the value of our local currency.
The economic implications of a falling rand are dire at the macro level, and have some direct impacts on the urgency with which you should approach resource efficiency projects as well as the context within which these projects will now be implemented. In broad economic terms, a weaker rand translates into increased levels of inflation, since South Africa is a net importer of goods and services. Interest rates tend to increase in response, both to support the currency as well as to contain inflation. With the exception of exporters, demand levels tend to fall, and in most manufacturing plants, this naturally translates into increased resource intensity.
A falling Rand can also feed into increased local resource prices, particularly given that the resource sector tends to be capital intensive and that much capital equipment is still imported. The enormous capital investment programme currently underway in the power sector will become more expensive, requiring higher electricity prices in order for these investments to be recouped. This "low product demand / high input cost" scenario is the stuff of nightmares for manufacturers.
Resource efficiency offers organisations what I personally believe to be the most powerful way to reduce costs. Unlike fixed cost reduction, increased levels of resource efficiency have a multiplier effect, with benefits increasing as levels of production increase. Resource efficiency can be achieved by changing operating procedures, optimisation of existing facilities, small plant and process modifications and through capital investments.
"Low-cost/no-cost" opportunities are the holy grail of resource efficiency. As a simple example, earlier this year we were able to save one of our clients an estimated R360,000/annum in energy and demand charges by simply making changes to pressure settings on a compressor. More often than not, we make significant gains in boiler efficiency by optimising excess air levels, which is often achievable by simply changing the position of a damper valve. If I put it to you that finding and fixing air, steam, water and product leaks is important, your response would be that this is self-evident. These types of opportunities make sense in any economic environment, but even more so in the current one. Finding such "low hanging fruit" should be your top priority right now.
Investment projects in the area of resource efficiency become more expensive to implement against the backdrop of a falling Rand, given that equipment prices and financing costs both tend to increase with currency weakness. Increased resource prices will however help to make these investments more financially viable. The paybacks for well-conceived resource efficiency projects are in my experience very good, particularly where materials, waste management and energy are concerned. My personal views are that one should take a portfolio approach, bundling optimisation and capital projects, in which case it is not uncommon to arrive at overall paybacks of 1 – 2 years for a typical industrial site.
In summary, a weaker Rand is expected to dampen demand, reducing the capacity of manufacturers to pass price increases onto consumers. Cost reduction is absolutely imperative in this economic environment, particularly so-called "low-cost/no-cost" initiatives. Where capital investment is needed to realise resource savings, this is expected to cost more as the Rand weakens, but the cost of doing nothing will be even higher as margins are squeezed due to rising input costs. All avenues of achieving increased levels of resource efficiency should therefore be explored as a matter of urgency, including those perceived to be capital-intensive.
Manufacturers that do not develop and implement a cogent plant of action with regards to resource efficiency in the current economic climate are unlikely to remain competitive. Start working on this like your life depends on it.
This entry was posted in Continuous Improvement, Cost Reduction, Manufacturing Cost Reduction Programme, Resource Efficiency and tagged economy, energy efficiency, material use, resource efficiency, water use efficiency. Bookmark the permalink.


text:
Winter holidays for Brits could be ruined after French unions vote to close lifts
The winter skiing holiday in February for hundreds of thousands of Britons could be ruined after French unions voted to close lifts during the school holidays.
The two major seasonal and elevator workers' unions announced an "unlimited" strike action from January 31, as a dispute over pension reforms continues.
Strikes during the half term would hit alpine resorts at their busiest and could close dozens of ski stations, The Times reported.
Eric Becker, head of the lift operators division of the Force Ouvriere trade union, said: "We have decided to call a strike during the February holidays because demands are more listened to during this period."
Pictured: Courchevel 1850m (file photo). The two major seasonal produce and elevator unions announced an 'unlimited' strike action from January 31
Pictured: An elevator running over Courchevel 1850 m (file photo). The French trade unions voted to close lifts during the school holidays in February
Pictured: People gather to demonstrate against pension reforms in Paris, France on January 19, 2023
The spring break in the UK is split over two weeks, from 11 to 25 February. In France, it spans four weeks, from February 4 to March 4.
Confédération Générale du Travail, the other major union, has filed an indefinite strike.
It called for "particularly strong action" at the Ski World Cup in Courchevel and Méribel, which takes place from March 16 to 20.
It is unlikely that Britons with bookings at French ski resorts will be able to get their money back during the planned strike, as travel companies are technically listing the holiday as sold.
The insurance rarely covers skiing days missed due to a strike.
The start of the extended action will coincide with the next day of mass protests and strikes against President Emmanuel Macron's project to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64.
Rolling interruptions, mainly in the Alps and Pyrenees, are expected in all resorts rather than all lifts closing at once.
Pascal de Thiersant, director of the lift company Société des 3 Vallées, said: 'After French strikes target ski lifts almost two years from Covid than the energy problem, the unions want to pile it up again. They really shoot themselves in the foot with that.'
Hundreds of thousands of Britons visit France during the spring half term in February.
Sources told The Times the strikes could spell "disaster" for the UK ski sector, which is recovering from the coronavirus pandemic.
"This is exactly what we didn't need after so many years of disruption," a source told the paper. 'Sales are going very well… but what if everyone goes on strike? That's another story.'
Macron's government continues to press the pension reform, which will reach parliament at the end of March, despite widespread public disapproval.
More than a million people marched in France on January 19 as part of the national workforce protest against Macron's proposed pension reforms that would raise the official retirement age from 62 to 64. This disrupted public transport, the school and much of the country's civil service.
Some strikers clashed with police, with the worst of the trouble taking place in Paris around Bastille Square. Protesters threw bottles, bins and smoke grenades at police, who responded with tear gas and had to disperse the troublemakers.
President Macron said he welcomed "democratic protest" but said any riots would be met with "the full force of the law."
The far-left CGT union said more than two million people had attended protests across France, and 400,000 in Paris alone.
More than 65 percent of the public is against the change in the pension system.
Retirement at 64 is the lowest age in Europe.
The trade unions and the main opposition parties, which are the far left and the far right, say it amounts to 'cruelty' and brutality'.
During the Christmas season, the major ski resorts in Europe suffered from a lack of snow.
Rising energy costs have also affected resorts this season.
I had NO idea I was pregnant at 18 until I went into labor
Tarotplane's soft psychedelia can quietly drive you crazy