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Tag: Hero's Journey
From Ingenue to Badass: A Heroine's Journey
On March 18, 2013 By jccasselsIn Black Wing Chronicles, Writing, Writing 1015 Comments
I caught some flak from a handful of SOVRAN'S PAWN readers about my heroine being too weak. I had the unenviable task of deconstructing her from the kick-ass warrior woman of BARRON'S LAST STAND into the ingénue she was when her story started. Those readers may not realize that THE BLACK WING CHRONICLES is as much about Bo's evolution from naïve, sheltered young princess to bitter, disillusioned warrior queen as it is about clearing her name.
Good fiction is about change and the growth of the main character. Bo had to start out young and uncertain in order to make her growth into "The Scourge of the Seventh Sector" that much more poignant. THE BLACK WING CHRONICLES is a character driven story, and in character-driven stories, your main character must go through profound changes to find the truth of who he or she really is. When you're talking a story arc over several books, the changes may not occur quickly enough to suit some readers, but they need to unfold organically or the story will fall flat.
In SOVRAN'S PAWN, Bo is barely twenty years-old. I was inspired by ROMAN HOLIDAY with Audrey Hepburn. It's a similar principle. Here is a young, privileged woman who finds herself outside her comfort zone and away from the trappings of her title. Despite her training, she's been insulated from interacting with ordinary people and is at a loss for how to deal with them. For the first time in her life, she is making her own decisions and responsible for no one but herself. In the process, she is learning who she is and what she has to contribute to her society, and she makes mistakes.
Unlike the Hepburn character, people are trying to kill Bo, and she has military training. However, her military training is entirely theoretical, not practical. Her jaded guides on this journey are highly trained special operatives with considerable field experience who, for reasons of their own, are driven to protect her, keeping her out of trouble whenever possible. In their own way, both her Uncle Royce and Blade Devon take it on themselves to fill in the gaps in her training. By the end of SOVRAN'S PAWN, Bo is taking the first real steps towards independence, with her own ship and a romantic interest in Blade, who is a wholly unsuitable partner for her politically.
Roughly two years pass between the end of SOVRAN'S PAWN and the beginning of HERO'S END. In that intervening time, Bo has settled into a routine with a public role as Blade's Joy Babe Companion and a private role exploring her more larcenous endeavors. In her early twenties, Bo has learned how to be light-hearted and how to have fun. As any young woman her age, she is aware of her responsibilities, but not overly burdened by them, doing the bare minimum to meet them. She prefers to party with her friends and spend time with her boyfriend, the exciting and dangerous Blade Devon, much to the disapproving censure of her uncle. Bo still has some growing up to do. She isn't always likeable. She isn't always sympathetic.
HERO'S END is different from SOVRAN'S PAWN in that the plot is exceedingly more complex with more point of view characters and more plot threads woven through it. Where the theme of SOVRAN'S PAWN had more to do with false identities, HERO'S END is about the nature of faith, and not necessarily the religious kind. It's about optimism and trust versus cynicism and doubt.
Still somewhat of an ingénue from being sheltered and protected by Blade, her uncle, and her brother, Bo has a naïveté about her relationships with the people around her. Over the course of HERO'S END, both Bo's and Blade's faith are tested. Bo loses her innocent faith while Blade gains a new faith. Bo embarks on the hero's journey, gaining the streetwise confidence she'll need. Blade, on the other hand, must resolve the dichotomy between the lying, ruthless, borderline sociopathic behavior he's been guilty of, and the paladin hero he plays in holofeatures.
By the time BARRON'S LAST STAND begins, seven years has elapsed from the date of Bo's trial and escape. She has seen too much and done too much. Her innocence is long gone. Her only faith lies in her own abilities. Tough, dangerous, and street-wise, Bo is no longer the weak ingénue waiting for rescue. She will rescue herself, thank-you-very-much.
Blade, on the other hand, has spent the intervening years doing penance, trying to redeem himself as the real-life version of the hero he played in holofeatures. Their roles reverse and he is the one who ends up being rescued by her more than once.
By the climax of BARRON'S LAST STAND, Bo Barron will be a heroine of epic proportions. She will have been tested and tempered by fire and hardship. THE BLACK WING CHRONICLES are the story of how a young, naïve princess, accused of treason, earns the right to command the precision combat wing whose loyalty and service can tip the balance of power in the Commonwealth from one house to another.
How Old Is Too Old For An Idea?
On July 29, 2012 By jccasselsIn Writing9 Comments
If you follow me, you know I'm devoted to participating in Science Fiction/Fantasy Saturday. This past weekend, I included a snippet from a book I started writing twenty-five years ago. One of the authors who commented on the snippet pointed out that he wouldn't develop an idea that was twenty-five years-old. I have to say the comment got in my head and won't leave me alone.
I have many completed novels that for one reason or another never got published. I think cyberpunk was all the rage at the time. One is a romantic thriller, contemporary in the early 90's, and very reliant on the prevalent technology of the time: pay phones, floppy disks, slow modems, fax machines, 35mm photography negatives, and that's just off the top of my head. Drawn from my experiences writing for the Tampa Tribune newspaper at the time, the story itself is pretty good. It's paced well. The characters are well developed. I could publish today… except for the fact that the dated technology is integral to the plot. Perhaps I'll publish it at some point as a period piece.
My point is, that it's an idea I wouldn't make a priority out of developing due to its dated content. But the science fiction romance I posted on Saturday is another story entirely. Drawing inspiration from Terminator, Flash Gordon, and Total Recall, it was an idea I'd toyed with, off and on, since 1987 before it got archived with The Black Wing Chronicles in 2002. For that matter, I first conceived of The Black Wing Chronicles in 1980. Sovran's Pawn only published this year. That's a thirty-two year-old concept that got developed.
If a story is compelling and interesting to the writer, shouldn't it see the light of day? A good premise is timeless and resonates. Sure, Star Wars was exactly what sf fans everywhere needed at the time. Most sf of the period had become painfully socially conscious, with accusatory messages of total annihilation and the inherent evil of humankind. Star Wars was a breath of fresh air — a lighthearted adventure. It was the Hero's Journey. Would it be successful if released for the first time today? If you take into account how very groundbreaking it was in special effects technology, I believe it would be. No one had seen anything quite like it. Star Wars made science fiction fun again, taking it out of the hands of the ivory tower bunch and putting back into the hands of adventurers, pirates, cowboys and damsels in distress. Would it be a blockbuster? I don't know, but if the cult success of Joss Whedon's Firefly can be used as a measure, Star Wars would find a devoted audience.
I suppose that for every writer, that's a personal decision. For myself, I believe that good ideas are timeless. As far as The Lost Domina is concerned, I'll let YOU decide. Here is the blurb. Tell me what you think.
Riding high on the sale of her first novel, science fiction author Analise Trujold tries to rescue her failing marriage with a trip to the countryside with her husband to watch a meteor shower. A close encounter with an alien hit squad who murders her husband, and the sudden appearance of Admiral Faran Hagon, the hero in her novel, ensnare Analise in a hotbed of interstellar intrigue. Characters from her book are more real than she ever could have believed and her mundane life on Earth has been nothing more than implanted memories to keep her safe during her exile.
The Universal Congolmeration of Systems is under attack from within. As the Lost Domina, Ana is the only one who can hold it together. But with her memories suspect, she's not sure who she can trust. Even though she's drawn to Faran, she can't help but wonder if he isn't somehow angling to rule in her stead. If she hopes to survive, Ana must rely on her wits and creativity to uncover the truth behind the fiction.


Well I knew it was going to happen eventually, being here for a year. I've avoided it for 2 months now, but no longer!! Je suis malade en Paris!! I'm sick in Paris! It started after a crazy weekend where all of a sudden my throat started hurting Sunday evening. The next morning, I was dying. Pulled out the handy small flashlight my mom got for me and… AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!
Frantic texts to several friends, and lots of internet searches later and I was absolutely convinced that I had tonsillitis. There was some Google image search compared with my throat going on. ughh. According to the internet, I wouldn't be better for 7-10 days?!?!
I needed a confirmation from a doctor but being new in Paris I had no clue where to go. It wasn't serious enough to go to the hospital, and I didn't want to wait hours at a clinic. A friend suggested sos medecin and SAMU – two services for non-life threatening illnesses where they come visit you at your house. The next text was to my French friend just as a doublecheck, who pulled a list of general practioners near me. yess!! A couple hours later and a friend helped me call a couple and I had an appointment for the next day- check!
The next morning my throat was worse…. aghhhhhhhhhh.. I made the decision to skip class. I just wasn't in the mood for making a pear cake at 8:30 in the morning. Slept till noon. Then my friend met me to go with me to the doctor's office.
Doctor's offices are actually in apartments here. You wouldn't even notice the little plaque on the wall announcing their name walking down the street. Hence why I had such problems finding them! Followed the signs up a flight of stairs, and all of a sudden we were in an apartment converted into a doctor's office. Apparently there's no waiting at the front desk (which we learned after a couple of minutes). Just a quick walk through to the waiting room to sit until the doctor comes by to call your name.
The Doctor was incredibly nice!!! In his very spacious used to be a bedroom or living room. haha I had my one French phrase down pat- "J'ai mal a la gorge!" My throat hurts! Said with a big smile. uh oh. Lots of French questions from the doc – a glance at my friend. 😀 Translating! The doctor actually knew some English so it was a funny mix of him talking to Jenni in French or me in English.
Super quick exam because well it was obvious what I had. There might have been a gasp from the Doctor when he saw my throat. hahaha Yup- a serious cause of Tonsillitis. Recovery time… 2 days. To which I might have thrown my arms in the air and said yay!!!!!! Three prescriptions!! Two for very strong antibiotics, the other an Advil throat spray. c'est cool!!!
The total for the visit 45 euros, paid in his office! Not bad, not bad. Grand total on my meds… 31 euros. Adds up but I'm just happy to be better in 2 days! I'll be running it past the expat health insurance I have here through HCCMIS.
Final verdict– awesome! Super easy, very friendly doctor, not very expensive, and on time! Paris, why do I get so lucky with things while I'm here? There just haven't been any major headaches! hmm I wonder if that means there's something brutal planned for later? hahaha I guess I'll just be content being loopy on antibiotics and eating soup with a baguette until then or at least till I'm better.


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To Coal or Not To Coal - That is the Question for Pakistan
Coal remains the largest and one of the cheapest energy sources in the world today. It fulfills 40% of the world's energy requirement, generating 2 million MW of electricity. It is the majory energy provider for most of the industrial nations of the world, with the US generating 30% (232,772 MW) of its electricity through coal, China 68% (1,046,893 MW) and India 73.5% (233,077 MW).
Zoya Imran's 15th Birthday Party
On June, 1st 2007, Engr. Iqbal Ahmed Khan (VP-Saudi Aramco Ex-Employees Association)-SAEEA by the grace of Allah (S.W.A.T.) was blessed with a granddaughter, Zoya Imran. Throughout the years, Zoya has matured into one fine and competent young lady. She is a student in Generation's school; in the future, she plans to study business and is currently working hard to achieve that goal.
Rehmat Ul Alameen Welfare Organization 2022 - First Half
Rehmat Ul Alameen Welfare Organization (RAWO) was established in April 2013 in a small house in Korangi, under the supervision of Col (R) Javed Majid, assisted by Qari Saifullah. The aim of RAWO is to uplift the poor people economically: raise education standards, support them financially, increase their earning capacity and provide a platform to excel further.
SAEEA Progress Meeting Minutes - June 04, 2022
The progress meeting of the Saudi Aramco Ex-Employees Association (SAEEA) was held on June 04, 2022 at Faran Club, Karachi, Pakistan. It has been decided to increase the SAEEA annual subscription, effective July 1, 2022, from Rs.3000 to Rs.4000.
Eid Milan: Mini Reunion at Mirajuddin Khan's Residence
Man is a social creature by nature. Therefore it is not uncommon for us to gather in groups to celebrate the special occasions in our lives. Sometimes we don't even need a reason; just a desire to meet with our friends and relatives to share our feelings, happenings and old memories, or partake in family discussions.
Engr. Syed Naushad Nominated as Focal Person for "Sustainable Growth of IT Industry in Pakistan"
BY Aramco ExPats / / 14 April 2022
Engr. Syed Naushad, youngest son of the late Syed Yousaf Shah (ARAMCO Badge #71533), was nominated as a focal person for "Sustainable Growth of IT Industry in Pakistan." A memorandum of understanding between the Virtual University of Pakistan and the Pakistan software export board was signed at the Lahore Expo Center here in Lahore, Pakistan in March 2022.
NED69ers Mini Reunion – March 21, 2022
NED69ers gathered once again for a mini-reunion on March 21, 2022. Abdul Majid Adam hosted a dinner at Services Mess, Karachi, in honour of all NED69ers who were available in Karachi as well as a few other friends.
Ata and Kiran's 19th Wedding Anniversary and Dr. Ata Ur Rehman's Birthday
The family celebrated the wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Dr. Ata Ur Rehman. The small gathering, as tradition, dined out in a sophisticated manner with the only guest being Engr. Iqbal Ahmed Khan, the father of Dr. Kiran Ata Ur Rehman and Vice President of Saudi Aramco Ex-Employees Association (SAEEA).
The Adventures of Samia and Taha in Turkey
Amidst two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, PCR testing, isolation, face-mask-wearing and social distancing have now become the new way of traveling in 2022. Just like that, we went on our first backpacking trip this year to Turkey for 10 days. Our life's goal is to witness, experience and explore the world, in which case this was the first of our "Adventures of Samia and Taha" that we would like to share.
SAEEA 23rd Reunion
Saudi Aramco Ex-Employees Association (SAEEA) celebrated its 23rd Reunion on January 16, 2022 at Lasania Restaurant, Karachi. A total of 84 persons attended the function (55 male, 22 female and 7 children). This reunion was held after an interval of two years mainly due to the current epidemic.
Kamran and Bushra - Honeymoon Trip to the Northern Areas of Pakistan
Kamran Ahmed Khan and Bushra Khan went on their honeymoon trip to the Northern Areas of Pakistan on the 18th of October 2021. Kamran had planned it beforehand and it was a surprise to Bushra three days before going.
Habib and Obaid Explore Moola Chotuk - The Paradise Hidden in Baluchistan
BY Habib Ur Rehman / / 17 November 2021
The trip to Moola Chotuk was a spontaneous decision I made to get away from the pollution and noise of the city. The calmness of nature was the perfect way to recharge and relax, especially as I was in the middle of my exams and the pressure was taking a toll on my mental health. Having a large gap in between my exams was the perfect opportunity.
Happy 2nd Birthday of Baby Ayra
BY Zara Imran / / 9 November 2021
Time flies, right? Can you believe this baby just turned two? Ayra Khan, daughter of Engr. Bilal Ahmed Khan turned two years old on the 12th of October, 2021. Ayra has already begun to recognize letters and numbers and has started forming sentences. Ayra learns something new every day!
Collective Birthday Celebrations
BY Zoya Imran / / 2 November 2021
On the 19th of September, after the span of 4 years, Anum Aftab, my Khala, visited Pakistan with her husband, Taimur Barlas. Although she had come to Karachi from the USA, for a very short period of 2 days, as her in-laws resided in Lahore, everyone had a blast together.
A Family Trip to Keenjhar Lake
BY Zoya Imran / / 28 September 2021
As the saying goes, "Sudden and unexpected trips are the best ones." And I completely agree. My family and I decided to go to Keenjhar Lake on the 5th of September 2021 with two of my cousins and my Mamu and Mami.
Exploring the Hidden Natural Beauty of Baluchistan
"No matter how many plans you make or how much in control you are, life is always winging it." These are words of wisdom spoken by my father and, even now in retirement, I find them always to be true. Recently, I called one of my nephews who runs a remote tour business under the name Rovers Pakistan and inquired about any trips he offered to explore the hidden beauty of Baluchistan.
Zara Imran Celebrates Her 12th Happy Birthday
BY Zara Imran / / 14 September 2021
The following report was written by Zara Imran, granddaughter of SAEEA (Saudi Aramco Ex-Employee Association) member Engr. Iqbal Ahmed Khan of Karachi, Pakistan.
Happy Birthday Engr. Syed Naushad Shah
Engr. Syed Naushad Yousaf Shah, born September 3rd, celebrated his birthday with his family. He is the son of Syed Yousaf Shah, Badge # 71533, who worked for Aramco for more than two decades in the Department of Administration. He died in active employment in 1978.
2021 Eid-Ul-Adha Celebration
BY Zoya Imran / / 24 August 2021
There are two main festivals in Islam: Eid-ul-Fitr, which signifies the completion of the Holy Month of Ramadan and Eid-ul-Adha, the greater Eid, which follows the completion of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, at the time of Qurbani (sacrifice).
Shafiq A. Khan Celebrated His 74th Birthday
Shafiq Ahmed Khan, Saudi Aramco Ex-employee badge number 73789, celebrated his 74th Happy Birthday in Karachi along with his granddaughter baby Armeen Khan who also celebrated her 10th Happy Birthday along with her grandfather.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: wp_cache_get returning blank data I am using wp_cache_get function from init hook.
$this->loader->add_action('set_current_user', $fgb_2fa, 'restrict_user', 0, 0);
$this->loader->add_action('init', $fgb_2fa, 'restrict_user', 0, 0);

Function definition
private static function generate_pin($user_id, $from_api = false)
{
    $pin = substr(str_shuffle('1234567890'), 0, FGB_PIN_LENGTH);

    $data = array(
        'pin'      => $pin,
        'expires'  => time() + FGB_PIN_EXPIRES * 60,
    );

    //set data into cache
    FGB_Cache::set("DFGB2fa_data" . $user_id, $data, FGB_PIN_EXPIRES * 60);
}

public function restrict_user()
{
    static $done;

    global $current_user;
    self::$user = $current_user;
    $user_id = $current_user->ID;
    if (!$user_id) {
        self::$user = wp_get_current_user();
        $user_id = self::$user->ID;
    }

    if ($done || !$user_id) {
        return;
    }

    $done = true;

    self::restrict_and_verify();

    if ((!defined('DOING_AJAX') || !DOING_AJAX)
        && is_admin()
        && !is_super_admin()
    ) {
        if (cerber_get_user_policy('nodashboard', $user_id) && !wp_is_json_request()) {
            wp_redirect(home_url());
            exit;
        }
    }
}

public function restrict_and_verify()
{
    static $done = false;
    if ($done) {
        return;
    }
    $done = true;

    $user_id = get_current_user_id();

    $twofactor = self::get_2fa_data($user_id);

    if (empty( $twofactor['pin'] ) ) {
        return;
    }
    // exit;
}

    static function get_2fa_data($user_id = null)
{
    if (!$user_id) {
        $user_id = get_current_user_id();
    }

    $key = "DFGB2fa_data" . $user_id;
    $cache = FGB_Cache::get($key);
    error_log("GET cache");
    error_log($key);
    error_log($cache);
    return isset($cache['2fa']) ? $cache['2fa'] : array();
}

Here is my cache class. Whenever I set data using set function access cache from same function then it is working, but when I get data from get function of my cache class then it is returning blank data.
<?php

namespace FGB_API\Inc\Common;

final class FGB_Cache {
    private static $cache = array();
    private static $wp_cache_group = '';

    static function set( $key, $value, $expire = 0 ) {
        $exp = 0;

        if ( $expire > 0 ) {
            $exp = time() + (int) $expire;
            if ( $exp < time() ) {
                return false;
            }
        }

        $element = array( $value, $exp );
        self::$cache[ $key ] = $element;
        error_log("CACHE set from here");
        error_log("Value sent => ".json_encode($value));
        wp_cache_set( $key, json_encode($value), self::$wp_cache_group, $exp);

        //here it is working fine
        error_log("After set =>".wp_cache_get( $key, self::$wp_cache_group ));
        return true;
    }

    static function get( $key, $default = null ) {
        //here it is not working
        $element = wp_cache_get( $key, self::$wp_cache_group, true );
        error_log("stored data");
        error_log($key);
        error_log($element);
        return $element;
    }

    static function delete( $key ) {
        error_log("Cache delete request");
        if ( isset( self::$cache[ $key ] ) ) {
            unset( self::$cache[ $key ] );
        }
        wp_cache_delete( $key, self::$wp_cache_group );
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Invincibility, unlimited weapons, and no damage codes.
Enter the activation code on controller two at the options screen. A sound will confirm correct code entry. Pause game play and press C, A, B. The screen will fill with green dots. Press Start to jump to the next level.
Get a high score and enter your name as CHEAT to get extra ammo.
Pause the game and press Left, Right, Up, Down, Left, Right, A, B, A, B to advance to the next stage. Note that the game may crash if you try skipping the last boss!
Begin a 2 player game. Play until both player 1 and player 2 have achieved high scores. Then have player 1 lose all of his/her lives. On the high score list, enter your name as ALIEN. When you continue, player 1 should have infinite lives. Having player 2 lose all of his/her lives will have the same effect.
Start a 2-player game and die immediately. Switch back to 1-player mode and voila.
Go to the Options screen and select "Hard" and "6 Credits". Press Space + N during gameplay and move up a level.


text:
Lucapa kan syfta på följande platser:

Angola

 Município Lucapa, kommun, Lunda Norte,
 Lucapa (provinshuvudstad i Angola), Lunda Norte,

Robotskapade Angolaförgreningar

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
A geospatial approach to evaluating potential solar sites
High-resolution data let the study group drill down to individual parcels in order to figure out how much land is available for solar in both optimal and preferred sites.
April 15, 2021 David Wagman
Image: Sunfolding
A team used geospatial analysis to identify optimal sites for solar in a Maryland county. The approach could help other communities as they consider where to site new solar capacity.
Chesapeake Conservancy's Conservation Innovation Center (CIC) presented its report to the St. Mary's County Solar Task Force. The county sits due south of Washington, D.C., on a peninsula bounded on one side by the Potomac River and on the other by the Chesapeake Bay.
The analysis results showed that the county offers multiple opportunities for solar in locations that would minimally impact the natural landscape or prime agricultural land. Sites included rooftops of commercial and residential buildings, above parking lots as solar canopies, on capped landfills, around a wastewater treatment facility, and on county-owned properties.
High-resolution land cover data allowed the study group to do a detailed analysis down to individual parcels in order to determine how much area is available in optimal and preferred sites. The team also calculated the energy generation potential from these locations.
The study set out to identify all potential solar sites, including those that met legal (zoning) and technical criteria. It ranked county parcels on a range of environmental, equity, and efficiency criteria. It also identified a second tier of locations–preferred ground-mounted sites–that would avoid land-use tradeoffs and conflicts with agriculture or environmentally valuable lands.
These sites met the following criteria: they had less than 50% total tree canopy in the parcel, had more than 5 acres of "Solar Opportunity Area" (defined as a sum of low vegetation, barren, and herbaceous high-resolution land cover classes), had less than 50% prime agricultural soil, had less than 75% soil of statewide importance, and were not in a designated no-go zone (defined as protected, or legally restricted, areas) or within a designated Intensely Developed Area of the critical area.
Sites that were within a mile of an existing transmission line were defined as "preferred;" sites that met the criteria but were farther away were tagged as "other opportunities."
Based on the analysis, St. Mary's County has the potential to generate 4,097 GWh/yr of electricity from solar energy from 4,431 acres of optimal sites such as degraded lands and landfills, rooftops, parking lot canopies, and publicly owned lands. Another 4,026 GWh/yr of potential was available from 2,614 acres of preferred ground-mounted sites less than one mile from transmission lines. The report said these numbers "well exceed" the 331 GWh/yr estimate for St. Mary's share of solar compared to the rest of the state.
Maryland is one of 30 states with a Renewable Portfolio Standard. Maryland's mandate requires 50% of electricity sold by utilities to come from renewable sources, with 14.5% from solar. The Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) that serves St. Mary's County is excluded from the 14.5% carve-out, and instead is required to reach a solar carve-out of 2.5% of retail sales. Even so, the report said that land in the county still could be used for solar installations to meet statewide goals.
The results are displayed in a web app that is open to the public. The full report is available here.
David Wagman
David Wagman is a senior editor at pv magazine USA. David is a seasoned energy journalist and editor.
More articles from David Wagman


text:
Wyoming vs. Boise State Football Prediction and Preview
By J.P. Scott, 11/8/19, 12:15 PM EST
The Broncos host the Cowboys on the blue turf in a key Mountain West battle
The Wyoming Cowboys and Boise State Broncos are both having solid seasons in 2019. At 3-1 in Mountain West play, Wyoming (6-2 overall) is still very much in the hunt for a Mountain Division title and a trip to the conference championship game. Boise State (7-1, 4-0) currently leads the division and the Broncos are also alive in the race for the Group of 5's New Year's Six Bowl bid. Boise State checked in at No. 22 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings.
These two high-quality Group of 5 programs will meet up once again Saturday night in Boise in what has become one of the better rivalries in the Mountain West Conference.
Wyoming at Boise State
Kickoff: Saturday, Nov. 9 at 10:15 p.m. ET
Spread: Boise State -12.5
When Wyoming Has the Ball
The Cowboys want to make this a slow, physical game and pound the ball at the Broncos. Wyoming averages 239.4 yards per game on the ground, good for 14th in the country. Running back Xazavian Valladay paces that rushing attack. He has 631 yards on the season and is averaging 5.3 yards per carry. He has turned into quite the workhorse as of late, logging 59 carries in his last two games.
Freshmen dual-threat quarterback Sean Chambers has made things happen with his feet this season, but the Cowboys suffered a blow when Chambers was lost for the season following knee surgery. He'll be replaced by Tyler Vander Waal, who is more of a traditional pocket passer.
Boise State will need to play sound, assignment football on defense in order to get stops and prevent Wyoming from putting together long, clock-killing drives.
When Boise State Has the Ball
The Bronco offense goes as freshman quarterback Hank Bachmeier goes. Bachmeier has developed into an efficient game manager as the season has progressed. He doesn't get rattled, and he does a great job of getting the ball to the Boise State playmakers in key moments. Boise State's only loss — a 28-25 setback against BYU — came while Bachmeier was out with an injury. His replacement, Chase Cord, tossed two interceptions in that game. Bachmeier has thrown a total of four all season.
With Bachmeier at the helm, the Broncos are a balanced offensive unit that can control the pace with a sound rushing attack or strike quickly through the air with a talented stable of receivers. The most dangerous of those receivers is John Hightower, who averages 18.8 yards per reception.
Ideally, Wyoming will want to focus on defending the Boise State passing attack in order to force the Broncos to run the ball and shorten the game.
Wyoming head coach Craig Bohl is going to come into the game with a game plan that he feels confident in. The issue, however, is going to be whether or not he has the athletes to execute that plan against Boise State, especially with a quarterback change. The matchup of the Bronco receivers against the Wyoming defensive backs leans heavily in favor of Boise State. The Cowboys give up 288.8 yards per game through the air, making them one of the worst teams in the country in that category. It could be a long night for the back end of the Wyoming defense.
Prediction: Boise State 38, Wyoming 20
— Written by J.P. Scott, who is part of the Athlon Contributor Network. His work has appeared on SI.com, FoxSports.com, Yahoo!, SBNation, USA Today and Bleacher Report. He is a three-time FWAA writing contest award winner. Follow him on Twitter @TheJPScott.
Event Sport:
Albertsons Stadium,1400 Bronco Ln, Boise, ID 83706
Away Team:
Home Team:
College Football Picks: Expert Predictions for Every Game in Week 11
College Football Bowl Projections for 2019-20
College Football Playoff Ranking and Reactions


GovGuam pays $115K for emergency program - KUAM.com-KUAM News: On Air. Online. On Demand.
Guam - The Government of Guam averted jeopardizing millions in future federal funding after announcing that it paid off the remainder of the Emergency Watershed Protection Program. The effort began as a result of the erosion and flooding damages from Typhoon Tingting. A $115,000 check was presented to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service to pay off this prior year obligation.
NRCS State Conservationist Engineer Jeffrey Wheaton says the payment affords them to complete landslide stabilization efforts. "Now it's been paid and our final design has been complete then we'll move forward with completing that, there is always complications its never easy to put something on the ground, but we have," he said.
The payment will fix a six-year-old flooding problem at the Barcinas' residence in Merizo.


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Why Iran's Plan in Syria Will Fail | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive
Why Iran's Plan in Syria Will Fail
by Amir Taheri | Sep 15, 2017 | Opinion |
For the past week or so, Iranian official media and social networks have been abuzz with anecdotes woven around a football match in Tehran between Iran and Syria and the light it might shed on a complicated relationship.
According to most accounts, a group of Syrians flown in by special charter to cheer their national squad in its bid for a place in the World Cup in Moscow staged an anti-Iran demonstration in the stadium. The Syrian contingent included young ladies who refused to wear the Iranian-style hijab.
Their presence in the stadium highlighted the fact that no Iranian woman is allowed to attend a football match after a fatwa by the "Supreme Guide" that women watching young men running around with bare legs might cause "undue excitement"
In any case, the Syrian fans seized the opportunity to unleash a torrent of venom against Iran and Iranians. If videos posted on the web is a clue, the Syrians used words and expressions that are not fit to print. That, in turn, provoked an equally abusive torrent from Iranians on social media.
The incident also prompted a debate over Iran's role in the Syrian tragedy.
"What are we doing there?" was a question repeatedly posed.
The initial answer provided by the Khomeinist authorities was that Iran is fighting in Syria to prevent the fall of President Bashar al-Assad's regime which had been an ally during the war with Saddam Hussein's Iraq in the 1980s and now a member of the Resistance Front led by Iran.
That answer, however, failed to convince many people, even within the regime's base.
Then another reason was cited: Iran was fighting in Syria to prevent the destruction of Shiite holy shrines. Official media published lists of such shrines, sometimes with photos.
But that, too, was challenged by "troublemakers" who pick holes in the regime's shaky claims. More than 90 per cent of Syrian "Shiite holy sites" turned out to be burial places of ancient Jewish prophets or Sunni Muslim theologians and scholars.
The latest and current justification cited by the regime for Iran's role in Syria, which means helping President Assad kill more Syrians, is that the Islamic Republic needs a secure land access to the Lebanese border where, thanks to Hezbollah, it sets the agenda.
The Syrian part of that dream corridor, which must also pass through a long sliver of Iraqi territory, skirts the fertile plains to the south of Damascus. Hence the idea of a deal with Turkey with Russia's blessing. Under the deal, Iran will station troops in a "de-escalation zone" south of Damascus while Turkey seizes control of a chunk of Syrian territory in Idlib.
The putative deal is supposed to receive an official façade during talks in Astana, Kazakhstan, under the auspices of the United Nations.
If put into practice, the Russian "de-escalation" project will freeze the division of Syria into five segments, with Russia, Turkey, Iran dominating three, and the US and its Kurdish and Arab allies present in the remaining two. The Russian scheme may end, or at least tone down, the fighting for a while but risks leading to the destruction of Syria as a unified nation-state.
However, a closer look at Syrian realities might show that the Russo-Irano-Turkish scheme is doomed to fail. From what I know of Syria, a country I have observed and visited wince 1970, despite almost seven years of tragedy, the sense of "Syrian-ness" is still strong enough to frustrate putative imperial appetites.
In that context, Iran has even less chance of succeeding than Turkey or Russia.
In Idlib, Turkey has the advantage of territorial contiguity with Syria, a fact that facilitates logistics and permits significant military intervention to pursue political ambitions.
Also, Turkey has close ties with some elements in Iraqi Kurdistan and could use them to influence at least a segment of Syrians Kurds to accept the "de-escalation zone" as the least bad option. The presence of small groups of Turkmen and Turko-Circassian minorities in the area is an additional boon for Ankara.
Russia is also in a better position than Iran to secure a piece of the Syrian cake.
Thanks to its monopoly of firepower in Syrian air-space Russian air force can be used in support of any design on the ground. Much of the Russian "piece of cake" is in the Mediterranean, easily supplied and defended by Russian naval power. Moreover, a majority of the local population, having adopted an ambiguous posture towards the Assad regime, might prefer Russian domination to domination by Iran.
The Iranian Islamic Republic has none of those advantages.
Syria is not Lebanon where Shiites, accounting for a third of the population, have always looked to Iran as a protector. At different times, notably in the heydays of pan-Arabism under Nasser, Iran, under the Shah, was seen even by Lebanese Christians as a counter-balancing force. Iranian presence and influence in Lebanon date back to the early stages of the Safavid dynasty more than 500 years ago with close family ties, especially among the clergy and traditional business families.
In contrast, Syria has always had a black image in Iranian religious folklore as the base of Ummayads whose caliphate was destroyed by an Iranian revolt led by Abu-Muslim Khorasani. Seen by Iranian mullahs, Damascus is regarded as "Gateway to Hell" because it was there that, according to folklore, the head of Hussein bin Ali, the third Shiite Imam, was presented to the Umayyad Caliph Yazid.
Tehran's attempts to cast Syrian Alawites as "almost Shiites", thus deserving" protection" as Lebanese Shiites do, have failed. Not a single Ayatollah has agreed to cancel the countless historic fatwas that castigate Alawites as "heretics" or even crypto-Zoroastrians. This means that, unlike Lebanon where at least part of the Shiite community is sympathetic to Iran under any regime, in Syria today Iran lacks a local popular base.
Iranian general Hussein Hamadani, killed in action in Syria, admitted that much in a revealing interview he granted weeks before his demise. In it he reveals that even supporters of Assad within the Syrian army and Ba'ath Party were hostile to Iranian presence in Syria. "The way we think, the way we live is abhorrent to them," he said.
In a recent TV interview, Assad indirectly echoed that sentiment: "We look east to Russia," he said. No mention of Iran. Empire building isn't easy, especially when you have neither the military power nor the religious and cultural charisma needed to win native support.
Iran is bound to learn that, unfortunately, the hard way.


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Emmanuel Paul Guiragossian (* 29. November 1954 in Beirut) ist ein armenisch-libanesischer Maler des Expressionismus.

Leben
Emmanuel Guiragossian wurde 1954 in Beirut, Libanon als Sohn des Expressionisten und Hofmalers am jordanischen Königshaus Paul Guiragossian geboren. Wegen seiner besonderen Leistung erhielt er 1979 ein Stipendium an der Hochschule für Bildende Künste Dresden und studierte außerdem in Paris und Florenz. Während seines Studiums in Dresden knüpfte er enge Kontakte zu Professor Gerhard Kettner, Siegfried Klotz, Juan Leon, A. R. Penck und dem Jazzmusiker und Künstler Frank Wollny. Nach seiner Promotion 1979 arbeitete er in Düsseldorf, Paris, New York und Beirut. Nach dem Tod seines Vaters zog es den Künstler wieder zurück in seine Heimat Beirut, wo er eine Kunstschule und das erste Modern Art Museum im Nahen Osten gründete und als Kunstprofessor an der Kunsthochschule Beirut lehrte. 2006 kehrte er in seine Studienstadt Dresden zurück und eröffnete im November 2007 seine Galerie EMMAGOSS im Barockviertel Dresdens.

Ausstellungen
1982 Gallery La Bell, Windsor
1983 Upstairs Gallery, Toronto
1985 Belian Gallery, Detroit
1987 Unesco-Gebäude, Paris
1988 Gorky Gallery, New York
1990 Galerie Haus Schönblick
1991 Kunstprojekt Hilden
1993 Kunsttage der Stadt Harzburg
2005 Farra Gallery, Beirut
2006 Seelsorgezentrum Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden
2007 EMMAGOSS, Dresden
2008 Brand Contemporary Art, Groningen, Netherlands
2010 Amtsgericht und Landgericht Düsseldorf aus Anlass des Bezugs des neuen Gerichtsgebäudes

Weblinks
 Homepage
 Homepage Art School
 Homepage Museum Paul Guiragossian  (englisch)

Maler des Expressionismus
Hochschullehrer (Beirut)
Libanese
Geboren 1954
Mann


MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Gonzaga standout Jeremy Pargo worked out for the Grizzlies on Monday morning alongside Kyle Weaver, Kevin Love, DeAndre Jordan, JaVale McGee and Joey Dorsey. He was solid in spots, OK in others. But a good sign for Gonzaga fans is that he doesn't seem delusional about his position and appears perfectly willing to return to school if he doesn't hear what he wants to hear.
So what does he want to hear?
He wants to hear he's a first-round pick.
But the reality is that such doesn't seem likely to happen, and proof that Pargo understands it came at the end of the workout when director of player personnel Tony Barone gave each prospect a halfcourt shot and promised a Lexus to anybody who could sink one. I'm not sure he was serious, but that didn't stop the players from getting excited. So everybody grabbed a ball and launched a ball, and it was a lot of fun to watch. But before Pargo took his shot he stopped and negotiated a deal.
"I might be going back to college," he said. "So if I make it I'm going to need to put this in my brother's name."
The Pargo shot and missed.
And my guess is he'll be back in Spokane by this time next week.
Tony Barone is one of our old friends from Creighton. Glad to hear Jeremy might be arriving back on earth by next week;) We need him to be outstanding in about 5 months.
good news for us zags, i wish i knew what "spots" they were talking about though.
side note: weaver seems to have dropped far in most mock drafts, i think someone is going to get good value early 2nd round.
I just don't get the NBA. I think Weaver's going to be a real solid pro, definitely one of the 30 or so best prospects in this draft. Why you wouldn't want a guy like him is baffling to me.
Good news about Pargo, though.
The knock on Weaver is his outside shooting, which he's improved every year in school. He keeps working on it, and he will keep getting better.
The other thing about Kyle is that his game doesn't jump off the screen and grab you. You need to see his full body of work to appreciate his feel for the game. He really knows how to play on both ends.
I've always thought that Weaver will be one of those solid guys that won't get the headlines but will get picked in the 2nd round and will really be valuable to some team. I think teams will see his value more the longer he's around.
In one of the Pargo quotes, the interviewee says Pargo isn't a great jumper. Isn't a great jumper? Seriously? He has some holes in his game, but I'm not sure that's one of them after watching all those nasty dunks last season.
Thanks, Theo! Another great story up on The Kennel Report (http://thekennelreport.blogspot.com/2008/06/pargo-in-memphis.html). I don't think I've seen a link yet to this video of the interview with Jeremy (http://www.myeyewitnessnews.com/content/sports/story.aspx?content_id=265a3770-a2dd-477d-aefe-a4ea8b152659) on Memphis TV.
That's a poised young man. I love that he represents the Zags.
And during the memphis workout he sank 6 out of 10 from the NBA 3 point line which isn't bad.
I agree the NBA is underestimating Weaver. He's not one to stand out in individual workouts. He is a great defender and has a nice well rounded offensive game that wasn't always on display for the Cougs. Improving an outside shot is one of the easiest things for the NBA to fix. He may end up being the steal of the draft.
This thread wasn't meant to be about Weaver, of course, but I feel strongly about him. If he improves his shooting, he's Raja Bell or Bruce Bowen.


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Pagiocerus is a genus of crenulate bark beetles in the family Curculionidae. There is at least one described species in Pagiocerus, P. frontalis.

References

Further reading

Scolytinae
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Those wishing to lose weight permanently face an uphill battle. They decide to reduce caloric intake drastically; the more virtuous may even add some aerobic exercise. At first, it works well enough, but eventually weight loss grinds to a halt. Over time, sustained calorie deficits reduce basal metabolism — the energy your body's tissues and organs require daily to carry on life functions like breathing, digestion, and muscle contractions. Severe dieting reduces muscle mass, and muscles use lots of energy. Eventually, the unwary dieter ends up thinner, but not leaner, than they were before they began the diet. Worse, that dieter is almost guaranteed to regain the lost weight!
Do you have to lose muscle while losing weight? Not really, if you go about it the right way. First, you need to be patient and set realistic goals, say one pound of fat loss per week. You will also need to find an exercise, preferably full-body, that will help build muscle while burning large amounts of calories. That exercise would, ideally, be both a cardiovascular and muscular workout. The kettlebell swing may be the answer to your prayers, the best exercise you're not doing.
You will need a kettlebell, which is essentially a metal ball with a thick handle and a flat bottom. The weight you choose is critical. You will need a weight that allows you to generate power, which for most people is about 30% of bodyweight. If you weigh 175 pounds, your kettlebell should weigh around 53 pounds.
If done properly, the kettlebell swing is inherently safe, but it is deceptively hard to master. Still, a single session of instruction can set you on the path to perfection. Look for professional trainers with kettlebell experience, preferably those who have certification.
You can do the kettlebell swing with either one or two hands. You will focus on hinging the hips, and the majority of the power you generate will come from dynamically hinging and unhinging the hips while maintaining a slight, constant knee bend. You should begin as if you intended to hike the kettlebell between your legs; you will feel a considerable tension in your hamstrings and glutes. Hike the kettlebell, and then, keeping your back flat, unhinge the hips and snap them forward. Near the top of the movement, forcefully squeeze your glutes together.
The power you generate will carry the kettlebell to shoulder height. There is no need to go further. Resist the urge to lift with the arms. The motion is not weightlifting; it's a swing. Now hinge the hips, letting the kettlebell fall between your legs, and thrust it forward again. Try to do this about 20 times without stopping. That's one set. Start out with a few sets and build up repetitions over time.
In only 10 minutes per day, you will see changes in your body composition if you're eating properly. When you can do 300 swings daily, which may take only 15 minutes, you'll be well on your way to greater strength, a much leaner body, and excellent cardiovascular health. Your entire posterior chain — calves, hamstrings, glutes, and low back — will be healthier, and your core musculature will be much stronger. Your mobility and posture will improve.
The kettlebell made its first appearance in the annals of history a few centuries ago, but its enduring value lies in reshaping the landscape of modern fitness. It's time to get into the swing of things.


Do you want to see which provision we have made in terms of security, cooling, power and fire protection?
Then check out our videos on this page.
Prevent yourself from becoming a victim on the internet. Use modern internet standards such as SPF, DKIM and DMARC to reduce phishing, spam and viruses. Watch the video of collegue Arjen Steinfort Schaap and read in our (free of charge) ebook 'Internet Schoon' how you can contribute to a safe, free and open internet. You can download the ebook on internetschoon.nu/e-book. You can also do an online test on internetschoon.nu to see how much you contribute to a clean internet.
Recently we celebrated the festive delivery of the BACS monitoring system of Elinex Power Solutions. With BACS, we can measure each battery individually (more than 1,600 in total) and straighten out the differences between batteries in order to extend the reliability and lifespan. In this video Alex Bik tells us why we have chosen this monitoring system and what the big advantages are.
At the beginning of 2018 we again saw how vulnerable some networks and websites are for DDoS attacks. These attacks were performed with amplification attacks. How do you prevent that your DNS server will be misused in a DDoS attack with these "amplification attacks"? In this video we would like to inform you on this subject.
For DNS servers you can check www.openresolver.nl if your DNS server can be misused in new DDoS attacks.
Last Tuesday, we ran our biannual black building test for BIT-2A. Watch the video here.
A good power supply is one of the most important reasons for businesses, organisations and governments to place their IT equipment in a data center. In order to guarantee the reliability of that power supply, we test our emergency power facilities every month and every six months we perform a black building test.
On Thursday afternoon 27 September 2018, BIT organises together with with Axigen and Untangle a partner event for software resellers. The program starts at 12.00 and closes at 16.30 with a drink and the possibility to view the BIT datacenters.
This partner event takes place at BIT-MeetMe in Ede on Thursday 27 September 2018. Participation is free of charge.
Being ISO 27001 certified, take measures against DDoS attacks or combating abuse or cybercrime. We at BIT know that you as a hosting provider have to arrange a lot of things. We want to help you with this so you can keep your focus on the core activities of your company. On Wednesday 26 September we organise the hosting event 'Heart for Hosters', where we talk about how we can support you in this.
The hosting event will take place at BIT-MeetMe in Ede on Wednesday 26th of September 2018. Participation is free of charge. Do you also want to avoid traffic jams and participate in the pizza session of Axigen and Untangle? Do not forget to tick this in the registration form.
The cloud industry is growing rapidly, but data centers, cloud and hosting providers face a shortage of skilled IT professionals. That is why the foundation Cloud IT Academy was set up by companies and branch organisations. BIT is a partner and offers you a challenging learning place and wants to guide you in your studie and work. In this video we would like to show you why it is so great to work with us.
Send your motivation and CV to vacancy@bit.nl!
The servers in our data center produce a lot of heat. More computer activity means that there is also more heat released, and therefore specialized, scalable, and reliable heat management is required. Inadequate cooling can cause expensive interruptions.
Our cooling system, in combination with the closed cold corridors provides optimum cooling of all equipment. The installation is at all points, including pumps and pipes, redundant. In addition, the installation is as energy efficient as possible, which saves both the environment and costs.
The server rooms at BIT are equipped with an independent certified very early warning system with automatic notification to the fire department. When a fire breaks out, the oxygen concentration in the area is reduced by gas extinguishing. To do this, a gas mixture of argon and nitrogen is used (Argonite). By fighting the fire in this way, there is no (water) damage to the equipment.
Obviously at BIT there are several provisions made for the security of our data centers. After all you trust that your company data is kept safe and that we will treat it with good care. The complete service of BIT is ISO/IEC 27001 and NEN 7510 certified. So not only the data center services, but also the network, email, hosting and management services.
For companies, organizations and governments a good power supply is one of the main reasons to outsource their IT equipment in a datacenter. To ensure the reliability of the power supply, we monthly test our backup power supplies.
BIT-2BCD has two direct connections to the distribution station of the network operator. The power and backup power in the racks are fully redundant.
BIT-MeetMe is the perfect location for your events up to 400 guests. BIT customers can use this location free of charge.
For companies, organizations and governments a good power supply is one of the main reasons to outsource their IT equipment in a data center. To ensure the reliability of the power supply, we monthly test our backup power supplies.
BIT is specialised in colocation, internet connections, managed hosting and outsourcing for corporate internet usage. BIT offers the basis of IT and internet infrastructure for quality-conscious organisations. Reliability is the fundamental idea of our service, so our clients can focus on their core activities carefree. We distinguish ourselves through a high level of knowledge, years of experience and a pragmatic approach.
We manage three data centers in Ede, all three fully owned. These data centers operate completely independently and are largely situated above sea level.
In the following video we like to introduce ourself.
Below a fascinating video that shows the data centers from a totally different perspective.
A steadicam and a drone were used for these recordings.