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Order of Ernest Cline Books
Ernest Cline is an American author of science fiction novels and non-fiction books. He is also a spoken word artist and a screenwriter. In June 2010, Random House subsidiary Crown Publishing Group purchased the manuscript for his first novel, Ready Player One. The novel will be adapted to film by Warner Bros., with Steven Spielberg at the helm. His second novel, Armada is being made into a film by Universal Pictures. A self-professed "full-time geek," Ernie lives in Austin, Texas with his family, a DeLorean that may be able to fly and a massive collection of retro video games.
Ernest Cline made his debut as a published author in 2006 with the non-fiction book The Importance of Being Ernest. His debut as a novelist came in 2011 with Ready Player One, which became a New York Times and USA Today bestseller. Below is a list of Ernest Cline's books in order of when they were originally released:
Publication Order of Ready Player One Books
Ready Player Two (2020)
Armada (2015)
The Importance of Being Ernest (2006)
If You Like Ernest Cline Books, You'll Love…
Ernest Cline Synopsis: Ready Player One is a standalone novel by Ernest Cline. The world is not pretty in 2044. Teenager Wade Watts only feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines – puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of past decades and that promise to reward power and fortune to whomever is able to unlock them. But when Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win – and confront the real world he's always been trying to escape.
Order of Books » Authors » Order of Ernest Cline Books


Designer Blake Eagle worked with the talented folks at Mama's Sauce to create these letterpress and gold foil birth announcements for her son Harley. Blake incorporated design elements inspired by the traditional birth certificate and standardized forms along with astrological symbols – all wrapped up with thin gold wire. So cool!
From Blake: My husband and I decided to go all out and design a multi-piece announcement suite for our soon-to-arrive little guy. We were very much inspired by the birth certificate, astrological symbols, and standardized charts like the periodic table. We wanted to design something that was sophisticated, but also whimsical. The idea was to redesign elements of the birth certificate, but focus on personalizing all of the small details.
In the beginning we wanted to keep everything black and white and very minimalistic, but we became obsessed with the idea of adding a foiled element to the suite. After finishing the larger card with the birth details, which was letterpress printed on 220# Crane Lettra, we decided to add a smaller gold foil piece.
Keeping with the theme, we included things like Harley's astrological sign and element into the design, as well as the weather and moon phase as a sort of homage to the day he was born. To wrap it up (literally…) we used a very thin wire to hold everything together and tie in the gold from the smaller card to the rest of the suite. It was then all placed in a black envelope complete with a letterpress printed address wrap and personalized stamp.
Beautiful. Can you share the source for the the thin gold wire?
Love the invitation idea! Love the colors black and white, very classy. I would have to say my favorite part is the baby's hand print.


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Moving time is a challenge for everyone. Thorough preparation and proper planning is what is needed. There are different types of moving. Either can be local moving, job moving or any other kind of a moving. However, what you need to do when we talk about long distance moving? It might seem hard but it is not. In this article, we are going to present to you long distance house-hunting guide.
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The important thing is to trust your moving company. Keep in mind that this is a very specific type of a relocation and that you need to have everything for your moving. So, contacting residential movers NJ is a solution for you. In this way, you will have a good relocation and you can be sure that everything is going to be fine. Once, you make a deal with the moving company you are about to hire, you can now be focused on your relocation and preparation for it.
Now that you have finished everything about organizing your relocation, you need to do research about your long distance moving. Try to find everything that it is important for this type of a relocation. The other solution is to ask your family or your friends if they have an experience with this kind of a relocation. When you have everything in your mind, all the pieces of information you need to know, you will have a safe and good long distance relocation.
Another important thing for long distance house-hunting guide is to define your budget. Not only that you need to have prepared a budget and define the price of moving cost for your relocation, but you also need to define your budget for the house. Keep in mind that moving needs an extra budget and be prepared to spend more money on your moving. On the other hand, when you finish with your moving, there is another thing and that is your future home. You will need to do a renovation of your house and to decorate it in your own way. But, when you define your budget first, you will know how to do things.
Before you start with your moving, here is another thing for long distance house-hunting guide. You need to go to your new area. Before you go, you should find a list of neighborhoods in New Jersey on the internet. In this way, you will have a clear image of your future house and you can see what you need to do when your moving day comes. For example, is there a clear way for the moving truck to approach your house? Do you need to clean your backyard and to prepare a clear space around your house? When you know these things, you will not lose time on your relocation day and you can be focused on it.
Keep in mind that you are going to spend a long period in your new area, so you need to choose wisely your neighborhood. Try to find out about the neighborhoods in your new area and see what experience people have who are already living in that area. As we mentioned, before you move into your new house, you should go to your new area and meet with your future neighbors. Let them know that you are going to move to the neighborhood and tell them that there might be noise during the relocation day. In this way, you are going to present yourself as a warm person and that you are ready to adapt really fast in the new environment.
When your moving day comes, you need to have a good preparation for it. Because you are about to make a long distance house-hunting keep in mind that you need to have some time for your relocation. Your relocation might take a couple of days, but be ready for it. If you are moving with your family, make a plan with them about the relocation days. Separate the jobs between you and stick together. In this way, you will know that you always have someone who is there for you and you will have a stress-free relocation. When the moving company comes, prepare all the items you need to relocate. In this way, you will save time and you can make your moving faster. Be patient for everything and be prepared that there might be some changes in the moving plan. You just need to adapt to the new situations and to react fast.
Finally, when you have finished everything with your relocation, it is time to enjoy your new life. When we talk about a long distance relocation, it is not that complicated as it sounds. You only need to have patience and to organize things on time, as we mentioned. Once you have good preparation and a good plan, your moving is going to be easy and safe. Keep in mind that you need to have time for this kind of organization, but everything is possible.
To conclude, when you know all these things for your long distance house-hunting guide you can be sure that you are going to make your moving in a right way.


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Muslim prayer ritual inspires entrepreneur
"The demand for multi-faith facilities in both corporate and public buildings is growing every day," says Nigel Bromilow, MD of the Specialist Washing Company who launched the WuduSeat last December, "There is a jungle of legislation which points to the fact that as a multicultural country, we are going to have to start accommodating Muslim practices."
Aside from the Employment Equality laws, the Race Relations Act of 1976, the Human Rights Act of 1998, Bromilow points out there are also numerous pieces of Health and Safety legislation which suggest that it will most likely become mandatory for workplaces and public buildings to provide facilities like the WuduSeat so Muslims can fully undertake their prayer ritual.
Bromilow says he first realised there was a need for the WuduSeat after carrying out some market research which showed that a number of organisations are already committed to putting in multi-faith facilities. "Most hospitals and airports already provide multi-faith facilities such as prayer rooms, but when it comes to facilities for Muslims to undertake the Wudu ritual – generally they are expected to put their feet in wash basins!"
Made from sanitary-grade acrylic so that it is hardwearing and easy to keep clean, the WuduSeat retails between £400-£700 and the company has already sold 26 of the high-end seats, netting them sales of £18,200.
"We've mainly sold them to hospitals, universities, colleges and corporates so far but three of them were shipped to the US and we haven't even started our overseas push yet.
"There was a case recently over there where a university was sued by one of its Muslim students because it had failed to provide an appropriate washing appliance. There are 4,061 universities in the US. And we're about to sign a partnership with a distributing company over there so they clearly agree with us – universities and hospitals are the soft underbelly in the US at the moment. "
Bromilow raised £100,000 from business angels last September which he used to secure the design registrations for both the UK and other international markets he's interested in. "We're about to launch in the Middle East, particularly in the oil-rich nations, which are a huge potential market," says Bromilow who explains the WuduSeat can also be specified for any new build or refurbishment project. "You only have to pick up the papers to see that Dubai, Qatar and Bahrain are all undergoing huge development – both commercial and residential."
Bromilow also thinks there is a demand for the WuduSeat in Pakistan, India and European countries like Scandinavia, Germany and France that have dense ethnic mixes and similar political drivers to the UK.
The company is forecasting sales of £3.3m by June 2009.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Fraud suspect wanted by China pays $31M to end NZ probe
posted August 23, 2016 at 11:58 am by AFP
A Chinese-born businessman has agreed to pay New Zealand authorities US$31 million to settle their money laundering investigation into him, although he remains wanted by Beijing over the alleged multi-million-dollar fraud.
William Yan, 45, holds New Zealand citizenship and denies any wrongdoing. Although he was never charged in New Zealand with money-laundering, China still considers him one of the country's most-wanted suspects.
New Zealand police said Tuesday they have frozen assets worth NZ$42.85 million (US$31.22 million) including luxury cars, property and millions of dollars in bank funds, which will not be released until the money is paid.
The settlement with Yan, his wife Wei You and two associates follows a complex three-year investigation into alleged laundering of money derived from a series of frauds in China between 1999-2001.
"The outcome in this case reflects the effective working relationship between Chinese and New Zealand law enforcement agencies," said Paul Hampton, manager of the police financial crime unit.
The High Court had approved the settlement, police said in a statement.
"They were alleged to have assisted in money laundering and various property associated with them was restrained, including three Auckland properties, a Porsche and Maserati, and over NZ$4.5 million in bank funds.
Chinese authorities claim Yan stole NZ$129 million and New Zealand Prime Minister John Key revealed, following a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this year, that Yan was fifth on China's most-wanted list.
It is not known if China will seek the extradition of Yan, who arrived in New Zealand in 2001 and was granted citizenship despite having multiple identities and an Interpol alert against his name.
In 2012, he was acquitted on charges relating to false declarations on immigration and citizenship papers.
According to the New Zealand Herald, Yan has said he made his fortune legitimately as a businessman and the two identities he came to New Zealand with, Yong Ming Yan and Yang Liu, are valid because he was a foster child.
Both his birth parents and foster family registered him with different names and dates of birth, said Yan, who claimed the Chinese government considered him an enemy because he is associated with the banned Falun Gong spiritual movement and is pro-democracy.
Topics: China , New Zealand , Crime. William Yan
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10 Revelations from 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Blu-ray Deleted Scenes
The home video release will give 'Star Wars' fans an even more behind-the-scenes look at the beloved saga.
Disney / Lucasfilm
Sean Hutchinson
No matter how many times you saw Star Wars: The Force Awakens in theaters, the experience was an incomplete one; true fans know that you have to watch all of the special features and deleted scenes, too. On Tuesday, fans were finally able to get their hands on a physical copy of the Blu-ray, which contains all of the goodies.
We've already broke down all of the awesome new tidbits of behind-the-scenes information from the feature-length documentary, Secrets of The Force Awakens: A Cinematic Journey, which premiered at this year's SXSW, but there are plenty of other special features that map the making of the newest chapter in the Star Wars saga. Here's what we learned from watching them.
1. Lor San Tekka might not be all that important.
We surmised that Max von Sydow's character, Lor San Tekka, might be way more important than the movie implied. You don't cast one of the most accomplished actors in the world in your movie and then kill his character after five minutes, right? Well, maybe not. A deleted scene called "Jakku Message" on the Blu-ray features a Resistance aid informing General Leia that the map to Luke has gone missing and Poe Dameron has been shot down, and possibly dead. But there's no mention of Lor San Tekka, and Leia doesn't seem too bothered by his death. Maybe he isn't related to Rey, or why she's abandoned on Jakku by her parents after all?
2. Kylo Ren might be weaker with the Force than we realized.
Another deleted scene, titled "Kylo Searches the Falcon" is a nice little contrast to Han Solo's homecoming on the fastest ship in the galaxy. Taking place after Han, Chewie, and Finn crash-land the Falcon on Starkiller Base, the clip shows Kylo searching the wreckage and sensing his father with the simple "Han Solo…" line revelation. It hints that Kylo might not be as powerful with the Force as we realized, since it took him actually searching Han Solo's ship to realize his dad is on the battle station planet. The final cut of the movie made it seem like he's more powerful, as knows Han Solo is on Starkiller Base because he just senses his presence.
3. The Table Read wasn't just a publicity stunt.
The feature length documentary on the disc, Secrets of The Force Awakens: A Cinematic Journey has a great behind-the-scenes look at the infamous first table read, but the Blu-ray special features also take a deeper look with the featurette called The Story Awakens: The Table Read. We learn that the table read wasn't just for that now-iconic photo, and was actually the first time the cast had read the entire script with actor Mark Hamill narrating the stage directions. Daisy Ridley admitted she bombed during the session because she was so nervous.
4. There are way more practical effects in the movie than you realize.
Possibly the best featurette on the Blu-ray besides Secrets of the Force Awakens is Crafting Creatures, which follows Creature & Drod FX Creative Supervisor (possibly the best job title ever) Neal Scanlan showing viewers how they achieved the level of practical effects desired by director J.J. Abrams. There are at least 105 practical creatures in Maz's castle alone, while even background characters like Resistance pilot Ello Asty being created via animatronic practical effects as well.
5. Star Wars veterans returned in new roles.
There was room for old names like Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Mayhew, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, and more in The Force Awakens because the story required their character to be there. But what about Star Wars vets who didn't see a spot for their old roles in the new movie? It didn't matter, Abrams just found other places for them. For example, Warwick Davis, who famously played Wicket the Ewok in Return of the Jedi, played Wollivan, the anteater-esque alien in the scene in Maz's castle.
6. BB-8 came from a Post-It note.
Poe's droid companion, who eventually meets up with Rey and who holds the key to finding Luke Skywalker, started out as a floating droid originally expected to be a CGI creation. But director J.J. Abrams suggested the droid be practical just like R2-D2, and drew a design on a Post-It note of two circles on top of one another that he envisioned as BB-8 that he called "a snowman with no body." The Post-It was given to the art department, which came up with designs that led to the BB-8 droid in the final film.
7. One of the earliest ideas for the movie was the forest lightsaber fight.
One of Abrams and co.'s earliest ideas for what would become The Force Awakens was to have a lightsaber fight at night, in the snow. The idea eventually spawned the climactic duels between Kylo Ren and Finn and Rey on Starkiller Base. The scene was created entirely on a soundstage, and the production used real trees, a 360-degree hand-painted forest backdrop, and 750 boxes of fake snow to create the illusion of being outdoors. Abrams actually mistook set logistics photos for a practical location from senior art director Al Bullock and gave the go-ahead to shoot on a set, because he was fooled by how realistic the set would eventually look.
8. J.J. Abrams included a sly nod to Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Han Solo's freighter is hauling Rathtars, which in the movie escapes, and makes for one of the most Abrams-esque scenes in The Force Awakens. But the scene isn't all Abrams. The director made sure his monsters had gross tentacles and razor sharp teeth to make them threatening, but as a tip of the hat to Harrison Ford's iconic role as Indiana Jones, Abrams asked ILM's CGI special effects artists to make them roll as an homage to the iconic boulder sequence from Raiders of the Lost Ark.
9. The Falcon in The Force Awakens is the same from 1977, only digital.
According to ILM: The Visual Magic of The Force, the special effects house says the digital Millennium Falcon in The Force Awakens is the closest any of the movies has ever come in recreating the original five-foot model created in 1976 for the original movie. The team of visual effects artists scanned photographs from the Lucasfilm archive and the actual model itself to painstakingly recreate every nook and cranny on the updated digital Falcon. Even decals and all the little stickers added by model-makers in 1976 that won't even end up on-screen were recreated digitally.
10. "The Jedi Steps" might feature some musical foreshadowing.
The Force Awakens marks the seventh time composer John Williams has composed the music for a Star Wars movie, and the maestro began writing the new music from the day the newest movie was announced. The series has always been awash in playful musical motifs and themes, and The Force Awakens is no different. In the featurette John Williams: The Seventh Symphony, Williams explained that some of the music in the first half of the final cue, titled "The Jedi Steps," has nothing specifically in common with any of the other themes, and could potentially lead into musical motifs for Episode VIII and Episode IX.


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How Big Data analysts reappropriate algorithms from evolution and warfare
By Olivia Solon
The amount of data we generate is exploding, and the ability to analyse large amounts of data is a key differentiator for businesses seeking to gain competitive advantage.
Opera Solutions is one Big Data company that is harnessing predictive analytics to inform the business decisions of its clients. Wired.co.uk spoke to Jacob Spoelstra, vice president of analytics at Opera, about how they are taking the algorithms from electrical engineering, physics and maths and applying them to business data.
What Big Data analysts can learn from anti aircraft guns
Kalman Filters were used in the 1960s to help shoot down aeroplanes using anti-aircraft guns. When targeting a fast-moving plane, you need to be able to predict where the plane is going.
This means you need a model of the object's movement and an estimate of its state, i.e., its position, velocity and acceleration. You then keep an eye of the object by making observations to update your prediction about where the aircraft will go, calibrating the model with reality. Clearly measurements and observations can be a bit noisy thanks to imperfect sensors and measurement equipment. As such the Kalman Filter must find the optimal way of using these noisy observations to minimise inaccuracy.
The pandemic is teaching us to use data in new ways
By Rhonda Vonshay Sharpe
How is this applied to a business setting? Opera Solutions uses it for a client to help work out how to price used vehicles that are sold at auction. Each vehicle has an estimated market value based on its exact specification; for example, people tend to pay more for a white car over a green one. Other factors include mileage, leather versus plastic interiors, etc. This information can be compared to old models that have actually been sold.
Spoelstra explains: "Kalman comes in once you have priced the vehicle and it actually sells at auction. You use that observation to update the state-of-the-world model. This leads us to better prediction models. We can be 20-25 percent better than more standards approachesin rapidly adapting to change in a market." The aim is to reduce the mean absolute error (a little bit like standard deviation). "it is not that hard to be accurate in predicting the mean price of a bunch of similar vehicles, but our goal is to be close to the actual price for every individual vehicle. Companies lose money when a vehicle is severely under or over-priced," added Spoelstra.
What Big Data analysts can learn from genetics
It's not just anti-aircraft targeting algorithms that Big Data can harness. It can also learn from nature. Using genetic algorithms can be particularly useful when you have an optimisation problem with lots of different potential solutions. It can be hard to find the right one. For example, a pay TV provider might be challenged to schedule its content across multiple channels. How do you keep the most people happy at any one time? What is the optimal schedule? Spoelstra explains: "If you have 100 items you want to put into 20 channels, there are billions of different combinations.
It's not always obvious what you need to change to make it better."
A genetic algorithm would create a population where each "individual" has a genome with a string that encodes a potential schedule over the channels.
You run simulations based on assumptions such as the popularity of the show, if they liked it but there was something else on at the time, etc in order to evaluate how many people would be satisfied by a particular combination. You keep the ones which perform the best. These can then be paired to produce scheduling "offspring" or mutated by randomly swapping something out to generate the next generation. This next generation tends to contain more individuals with better solutions. The process continues until, after a few hundred or so generations, you end up with a solution that is often close to optimal. This same technique has applications for scheduling physicians in emergency rooms in hospitals.
What Big Data analysts can learn from neural networks
The Restricted Boltzmann Machine is a learning algorithm developed by Geoffrey Hinton and Terry Sejnowski. The Boltzmann distribution is a very complex probability measure for the distribution of the states of a system, for example the energy levels you might expect to find in a gas. The same formulation can be applied to data wherever you have a state when you have elements of zeros and ones. For example, you might have a load of people who have ranked a load of movies. The machine can learn the distribution of data and find patterns that occur to see what people prefer. So it might find that certain people will watch more comedy. By learning patterns of movies, the Restricted Boltzmann Machine can predict what movies people might like based on how they and others have ranked movies within a system such as Netflix. In fact, this approach was used as an application for the Netflix Prize to create a better recommendation algorithm.
This same technique can be used to analyse complicated private hospital bills and detect where charges for certain treatments may have been left off the human-assembled bills.
Kalman Filter
Opera Solutions
Inside the endless fight to kill the $1 trillion match-fixing industry
By Tom Ward
How big beef destroyed the planet
Hollywood has a secret weapon to help it restart after coronavirus
By Karen Krizanovich
Who will really benefit from the EU's big data plan?


text:
Bitcoin makes restaurant profit increase fivefold
Like giants Tesla and Microstrategy, a small restaurant chain is also keeping bitcoin in its cash register, as reported by Insider. All the profit generated is being turned into bitcoin, resulting in a huge earnings.
The Tahinis restaurant chain in Canada decided to invest its profits in bitcoin. This decision helped the company increase its profits nearly fivefold, by 460%.
One of his reasons for using bitcoin as a store of value was the 65% devaluation of the Egyptian pound (EGP) against the dollar (USD) between 2012 and 2017, which ended up destroying his parents' savings. As a result, the brothers even installed Bitcoin ATMs in their restaurants.
"We don't accept #Bitcoin as payment because we don't want people to spend their coins. But now you can accumulate satohis in Tahinis."
We don't take #Bitcoin payments because we never wanted people to spend their coins. But now you can Stack Sats at Tahinis Locations.
Thank you @BitcoinBrains @TheBitcoinWell for making this happen. LETS GOOO🚀 pic.twitter.com/7qZKo5jL0R
— Tahinis Restaurants (@TheRealTahinis) March 23, 2021
It makes no sense to keep fiat coins
Tahinis currently has a chain of seven restaurants located in Canada, although their cuisine is focused on Middle Eastern dishes they are also focusing on another recipe, this time financial.
All restaurants' profits are being converted to bitcoin, this strategy has caused their cash to increase 460% as Bitcoin rose against the Canadian dollar (CAD).
"The main problem we have now is that the dollar is devaluing"
The sentence above is from Aly Hamam, co-founder of Tahinis, who also said that although the Central Bank says inflation is at around 5%, it depends on what you buy. As examples, he cited beef whose price rose by 25%, as well as chicken (45%) and oils which are 110% more expensive.
As explained by Hamam, it's not actually the products that are getting more expensive, it's the fiat currencies that are losing their value. And this is happening all over the world.
Bitcoin is helping business grow
The success of this financial strategy is also attracting more investors. Omar Hamam, co-founder of Tahinis alongside his brother, also comments that the search for restaurant franchises is growing.
"We had more people signing up to open franchises after COVID than before COVID"
This is proof that any company, regardless of its size, can benefit from Bitcoin. While Tahinis hasn't made billions like Tesla or Microstrategy, BTC is making all the difference in its business, especially during lockdown and inflation periods.
livecoins.com.br
PrevParticipate in the CoinEx Ask Me Anything (AMA) on Telegram
NextToken AVAX Becomes 10th Largest Cryptocurrency as Users Complain about High Ethereum Fees | Bitcoin Portal
Cellnex: maximum potential and minimum traction on the stock market


You're likely to be supplied an essay on virtually every issue for a special selling price. Narrative documents are typically a narrative type. If you choose to understand the way to compose strong ; substantial composition then you certainly should stay to the given below tips, it's aa complete guide for those novices who wish to create in the 1st endeavor. Essay writing is a job where a zillion thoughts mix your head in a second, so it's always favorable you've still another version. In some instances such sort of authorship is, in addition, called persuasive writing and demands some extreme writing abilities. It truly is fundamentally a narrative creating. Consistently have another look at your article when you have concluded. Autobiography essays www.superior-papers.org aren't centered on any renowned personas. Each expository essay will probably have certain aim. A systematic strategy is crucial to compose a process composition.
Because of this very cause, lots of people discover it challenging to write this kind of composition. Normally, reflective essays function as an appraisal mechanism, for both, pupils, together with the teachers, and on occasion also the management. Nicely, if you are ready to compose a great article, subsequently can just take the help of Wonderfulessay.com. It is possible to be as imaginative as you want to be, provided that your essay carries the appropriate information to the reader. Your satirical essay will make additional brownie points with a suitable title. Writing a convincing composition is really stimulating and at an identical time really challenging also. An essay is predominantly called a simple creating that ought to get the appropriate level of quality to organize with your readers. Documents on worldwide heating essentially pay attention to the international heat is climbing because of the trapping in the greenhouse gases in the earth's environment. When you're likely to create global warming convincing essay it's a good idea to understand you will discover a lot of recommendations and primary rules that can enable you to.
It might be easier deliver it and to merely make the e-mail.
The article topics are grouped in various groups solely for the ease of visitors. Informative article topics are superb for individuals who want to find out more about the location of creative composing. Consequently selecting a common ; appropriate convincing essay topic gets extremely important if you prefer to create an impression. There is no need to argue for or against this problem you're composing on. So, it truly is advised that you simply determine your theme on the grounds of the kind of geographic documents you were asked to do. There are many topics where it's possible that you try your reflective writing abilities Thus, you've got to begin with light and easy matters, which may include just one cause and an individual effect. It may be challenging to say if your subject is simple or challenging to publish on. Most the subjects applied for creating process essays are connected with professors.
These are those while in the announcement, greatest and the latest samsung smartphones currently.
There are numerous distinctive matters you could use written down procedure essays. Somebody's merit, energy and performance aren't recognized when it comes to remuneration. Nerve is among the feature that will choose a person besides the leftover folks. Unsurprisingly, good courage is among the very best attributes of astonishing leaders.


The Singer Fabric Marking Pen and Pencil Set is great for quilting, sewing and crafts. Use either the pencil or water soluble ink pen for transferring pattern notations to fabric. Transfer markings after the fabric has been cut, but before removing the pattern. Marks can easily be removed by using clean water.
Below Average, and Overpriced I just recently took up sewing and have gotten hooked! I love creating all sorts of new things, and have spent a lot of time searching out the best tools to help me do so. I purchased this pen and pencil set and was disappointed with the product. The marking pen seemed almost dried out when I got it and after just a few uses the line was almost too faint to see. I still use it occasionally but only for small projects because if the pen is uncovered for too long it stops working. I don't mind the pencil but I feel like if that was all I wanted I could have got just that for a lot cheaper. Overall I was pretty disappointed with the purchase. To make matters worse the next week I was at the local craft store and the same product was $2 cheaper and then on sale. Keep your money and find another Pen.
I love this pen! I really love this pen. I haven't used the pencil much, but the pen is great. It writes very easily and I just spray it with water and it disappears. My favorite pen for sewing so far!


Shoulder Speaker Mic attaches to your Midland Handheld Two-Way Radio and has a rotating clip for ease of use while on your shoulder. Plugs into the microphone/headphone port on the side of your radio and it's ready to use. Communicate by simply pushing the push-to-talk button on the side of the microphone.
Shoulder Speaker Mic is rated 5.0 out of 5 by 2.
Rated 5 out of 5 by Hannah walker from Big help Helps with walking the dog. System says I should say more?
Rated 5 out of 5 by BigBen from Quality of Shoulder Speaker Mic I purchased 4 Shoulder Speaker Mic, to use in a test at work in our Transit Bus Service Dept, the quality and clarity of the unit was loud and clear, when used in the proper manner. My co-workers and line supervisors were able to monitor and respond to our needs and operations. Much of our work required out of line of sight bus movements and placement, directing and coordinating bus pull ups and positions holding or delays as space became available. We were able to coordinate lane movements, that allow us to move lane control and flow in a fluid manner. We totally affected the work flow and behavior of everyone involved. Without the Midland radios and Shoulder speaker mic, work delays would cause backup or mis communication, which requires extra manpower to correct. I highly recommend this unit and combination, I would like to get radio holsters for my unit as extra protection from the elements and constant moving about, that's jumping into and out of 190 buses a night.


text:
Skype rolls out web version for selected browsers
By Nick Lavars
Skype rolls out web version fo...
Skype for Web will allow users to converse with far off friends and family through a web browser
For Windows users, Skype for Web will support Internet Explorer 10 or later and the newest version of Chrome and Firefox. Mac users will need to fire up Safari 6 or later
In welcome news for anybody who has fumbled around on an unfamiliar computer to download and install Skype for an important call, Microsoft has announced a beta version of the popular telecommunications application for web browsers. Skype for Web will at first be available on an invitation-only basis and for select browsers, with plans to roll out globally in the following months.
Through Skype.com, users will be able to log into their Skype accounts and access the instant messaging, voice and video chat functions without needing to download a desktop app. For Windows users, Skype for Web will support Internet Explorer 10 or later and the newest versions of Chrome and Firefox. Mac users will need to fire up Safari 6 or later.
Initially, Skype for Web will require a plug-in to function, though Microsoft claims this to be temporary. Last month in a blog post it detailed its grand plans to make Real-Time Communications (RTC) a reality for browser-to-browser video and audio transmission.
Predominantly, this means making browser calls as simple as possible by eliminating the need for plug-ins. But for this to eventuate, a standard must first be agreed upon for the best way to deliver audio and video across different browsers.
Microsoft's contribution to this has been a technology called ORTC (Object Real Time Communication) API for WebRTC, which it developed in collaboration with the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), the international organization that watches over the implementation of internet-wide standards such as these. Microsoft says it has "momentum" from more than 80 parties representing various browsers, and has produced a solution capable of features ranging from standard video conversations to multiparty conferences.
The company hasn't indicated a timeline yet as to when ORTC API will enable plug-in-free browser communications, nor when support will arrive for browser types other than those mentioned above. In the meantime, users can keep an eye out for an invitation to try out the beta version when logging into Skype or visiting Skype.com.
Source: Skype
ComputersMicrosoftSkypeCommunicationsWeb BrowserInstant Messaging
Nick has been writing and editing at New Atlas for over six years, where he has covered everything from distant space probes to self-driving cars to oddball animal science. He previously spent time at The Conversation, Mashable and The Santiago Times, earning a Masters degree in communications from Melbourne's RMIT University along the way.
warren52nz November 17, 2014 07:08 PM
Skype has been ignoring a bug which stores your IM messages in a place where you can't delete them even with "No History" turned on. The fault is at least two years old now and in spite of hundreds of complaints on their forum the bug is still there. I'd wait till they get their existing software to work properly before I'd head into a new version.
Asus targets business users with tough and capable Chromebox Fanless
Lenovo's latest all-in-one PC offers horizontal or vertical viewing
Cloud service will turn any photo into 3D holographic image
New magnetic tape prototype breaks data density and capacity records


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Corinne Herbst – A life well lived
This past January the fine jewelry industry said goodbye to a true gem. Thirty-year industry veteran Corinne Herbst, lost her gallantly fought battle with cancer leaving her family, co-workers, clients and friends sad, but grateful for her contributions to their lives. Corinne's love of gemology, unique jewelry design and her passion for hand-created art culminated into an upscale, eclectic gallery that has become a mainstay in downtown Decatur, GA. But it is Corinne who has endeared herself to her Decatur neighbors.
Corinne Herbst with her husband, Arthur.
"Corinne was a joy to know – full of vitality and warmth. A generous force in all ways, she gave to the International Community School for our South Africa-themed auction. She wasn't merely a shop-owner. She was someone you enjoyed having in your life." -Angie Hale, customer and friend.
"Corinne was such a warm and lovely presence. We often stopped in and loved bringing out of town guests to shop at Alexia. Corinne was so full of life and always had a smile and welcome hug. She supported local fund raisers and was a true community spirit. She will be sadly missed." -Leanne Rubenstein, client and friend.
Corinne opened Alexia Gallery 7 years ago after starting in the industry back in the early '80s. Her natural interest in colored stones drove her to obtain her gemology certificate many years ago, but it wasn't until she visited a tourmaline mine in Palomar, California, that passion ignited into design. Her oldest son, Jared, recalls her excitement at finding a large (over 600 karat), pink tourmaline in the tailings that were being discarded.
"When she found that beautiful stone that had been discarded, she knew she wanted to set it herself. So, she took a bench class and that was the beginning of her design career."
Like most things that were important to Corinne, she did it her way. She went back to school while raising two boys and working full-time, all the while dabbling in jewelry design. She worked many years at 18Karat in sales, then on to Ross-Simons before finishing her corporate career at Illumina Jewelry Gallery in Atlanta. After much deliberation with her husband, they felt ready to open their own gallery.
"Mom and Dad seriously considered moving to Mexico and opening a gallery there. They spent six months there and collected a tremendous amount of pottery and other handmade goods before deciding she couldn't choose between jewelry or pottery. That's when they returned to Atlanta and opened Alexia, featuring both items," recalls Jared.
Corinne and Arthur Herbst opened Alexia Gallery 7 years ago in Decatur, Georgia.
Corinne's vision played out on the streets of downtown Decatur, a virtual melting pot of cultures, races and personalities. Corinne found her neighbors not only shared her passion for jewelry and art, but they embraced her as a friend, growing fond of the talented designer who always had a smile on her face.
A favorite pastime of Corinne's was finding up-and-coming artists, potters, jewelry designers and woodworkers who wanted to be in Atlanta but needed a venue. She insisted on exclusivity and prided herself on offering her customers pieces they couldn't get anywhere else in the big city. Her inventory changed often, with names of new artists that she proudly promoted.
"She would travel around the southeast to the art festivals to look for new artists to bring back to Alexia," recalls Matt Herbst, her youngest son. "She was always finding new and unique pieces that she loved and, by extension, her clients loved too."
Her own design abilities were in great demand as well, and she was willing to put all her effort into the gallery and the people who came into it. It wasn't enough to simply sell them a piece of jewelry or a hand-blown pottery piece, she wanted to connect on a personal level with the person standing in front of her. Family and customers alike recall her uncanny ability to hone in on each person's style, never trying to upsell any piece just to turn a profit.
When breast cancer hit over 3 years ago, Corinne faced it with the same determination and command with which she'd faced all other obstacles in her life; on her terms.
Refusing to give in to the illness, she insisted the doctors schedule surgery, chemo treatments and scans around the gallery's schedule, which was closed on Mondays. Stating that "cancer needs to work on my schedule," her family nicknamed the Monday-only doctor's appointments Medical Monday, since she'd inevitably have numerous appointments stacked one behind the other.
Corinne Herbst's love of gemstones led her to become a talented designer making unique pieces specifically designed for her customers' individual personalities.
After a 3 year remission cycle, Corinne was given the terrible news that the cancer had returned in November 2012. The rocky road that lay before her didn't deter her passion for her gallery, clients or her family. On January 16th the strong, creative, determined lady lost her battle to cancer, and a most precious, unique person left us with fond memories and original Corinne Herbst jewelry to remember her by.


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Yann Kermorgant: Reading sign striker from Bournemouth
Last updated on 20 January 201620 January 2016 .From the section Football
Yann Kermorgant made 11 appearances for the Cherries this season
French striker Yann Kermorgant has joined Reading from Bournemouth for an undisclosed fee.
The 34-year-old former Leicester and Charlton player signed an 18-month contract with the Championship side.
Kermorgant spent two years with the Cherries and scored 15 goals last season to help them win promotion to the Premier League.
"We have an experienced striker who will be able to work with our young players," said manager Brian McDermott.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.


Turn to Patterson's All-In-One Plumbing if your pipes are clogged. Our plumbers have the skills and experience needed to unclog your pipes as quickly as possible. We'll arrive at your home with all the equipment needed to get your pipes flowing smoothly in no time.
Our plumbers take pride in delivering top-notch drain cleaning services and personalized customer care. Schedule an appointment today with Patterson's All-In-One Plumbing in Mount Morris, PA.
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Call our office to get an estimate on drain cleaning services in or around the Mount Morris, Waynesburg, Uniontown & Washington, PA areas.
Copyright © 2019 Patterson's All-In-One Plumbing, all rights reserved.


Slack rolling out voice calls beta to its desktop messaging platformSlack has begun testing voice chat just a day after announcing the feature would be coming soon. Available in beta, the feature is currently only being tested on desktop in Slack's apps and in Chrome.
Slack's new desktop beta app is lightning fast and available nowIf you're like anyone at TNW, you're probably using Slack every day, all day long. I don't mind; it's a well designed app. But their newly released beta is bringing it to another level.
Would you recommend Slack Beta to a friend?
While I'm satisfied with everything, the quality of communication, better than in Skype.
Алексей Порубай has used this product for one month.
It's better than the previous app, but I still think Slack deserves a fully native Mac app. This Electron app is 175MB once installed and uses A LOT of memory.
@_inside Agreed, PLEASE make a real native app!
@_inside Agreed here - this is the biggest pain point for me after switching from HipChat (which is super _duper_ speedy switching between rooms/channels).
@_inside Totally agree with you. Electron is a great way to provide a "native" Mac App fast, but I by myself enjoy the fully native Apps way more! Better performance and memory management. Also it just looks nicer in the macOS ecosystem.
@nivo0o0 @thenextweb For the record, Electron is a web app wrapper just like MacGap. MacGap is just a dead project whereas Electron has a lively community and ongoing updates.
@bentossell @slackhq The "All unreads" feature is available in all builds, wether it is beta or stable.
@dafonso @bentossell you could also just shift + Esc. Been working for some time.
@dafonso @slackhq you can't at the moment, but submit some /feedback saying you want it. Power in numbers!
@dafonso @slackhq Maybe join more teams? I always join teams with what I use.


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Capturing the Defining Moments in Recent History
Over the course of his globe trotting, extraordinary career, Scottish photographer Harry Benson has captured some of the defining moments in recent history. From photographing every U.S president from Eisenhower to Biden, to the assassination of Bobby Kennedy, it was through photo-journalist and portrait photographer Benson's intimate pictures that we have visual records of such significant moments in time.
From Brides to Beatles
Born in Glasgow in 1929, Benson started out as a wedding photographer, then moving on to working for Daily Sketch and Daily Express, London's cut throat tabloid press. While on assignment fort the Daily Express, he traveled to the United States in 1964 with The Beatles, to photograph the band at the beginning of their worldwide fame. Benson produced some his most renowned images of the band during this tour, and he decided to stay and make America his home. His photographs have appeared in some of the most influential magazines and newspapers of the twentieth century, including LIFE, Vanity Fair, Time, Esquire, and The New Yorker.
Harry Benson, Bobby Fischer in Buenos Aires, 1971, Archival Pigment Photograph
From Argentina to Iceland
A great example highlighting Benson's immediate, natural and intimate aesthetic, is his photographs of the chess great, Bobby Fischer, during The Chess World Championship in Reykjavík, Iceland in 1972. Benson first began photographing Bobby Fischer in 1971, for LIFE magazine, when he was sent to Buenos Aires, Argentina, to cover the 1971 Candidates Match, where the two began cultivating a relationship. With his victory in Buenos Aires, Fischer became a pop culture sensation and an icon ahead of his Championship game which would be played against his Russian rival, Boris Spassky.
Harry Benson, Bobby Fischer vs. Boris Spassky, 1972 World Chess Championship, Reykjavik, Iceland, 1972, Archival Pigment Photograph
The Match of the Century
The 1972 championship game became a worldwide event, and was named 'Match of the Century' by the media. The game also served as a Cold War political metaphor; the Soviets regarded the game of chess as their national pride and Bobby Fischer of the States posed a great threat. Fischer, on the other hand, was under enormous pressure. Henry Kissinger, the Secretary of State at the time, even called Fischer, encouraging him to play the match when he threatened to back out. Fischer ultimately won the title in an iconic battle, a victory that was viewed as another example of capitalism's victory over communism.
"The most eccentric and most fascinating person that I have ever photographed"
During the assignment, Harry Benson spent nearly two months, on and off, with the chess champion. His photographs of Fischer were candid, at times touching, non-scripted and intimate; they portrayed a side of him that was otherwise unknown to the public eye. Although Fischer was known for being notoriously camera averse, and socially awkward, Harry Benson would call him "the most eccentric and most fascinating person that I have ever photographed." As the only person to have private access to Fischer during the World Championships, Benson was able to get beyond Fischer's antagonistic persona, and lens a charming, reflective one instead.
Harry Benson, Bobby Fischer, Chess in the Park, Children Gather Round, 1971, Archival Pigment Photograph
Harry Benson, Bobby Fischer on the Bed at Night, 1966, Archival Pigment Photograph
Private and Personal Moments
Skeptical of journalists, Fischer would request late night meetings with Benson, which generally consisted of quiet walks broken up from time to time by Fischer pulling out a pocket chess set to play under lampposts. During the two months they spent together, Benson captured pictures that serve as windows into some of the more humanist, private and personal moments of the chess genius.
Fischer is depicted in solitude and silence in Benson's 'Bobby Fischer On the Bed at Night', whereas 'Bobby Fischer Kissed by a Horse' reveals a touching moment. On connecting with his subject, Benson said;
"It (chess) was boring to him. I connected with him because I knew nothing about chess. I kept my conversation on the (New York) Jets, boxing, anything but chess."
Harry Benson CBE and Bobby Fischer Play a Game of Chess, 1972
Benson's Empathetic Eye
The series emphasizes Benson's empathetic eye, and his ability to make his subject feel at ease, ultimately producing great pictures that are revealing. Stripped from aesthetic concerns, Benson tried to peer into the very core of his subject, exploring a side of Fischer that was hidden, and beyond his image in the media. He would say:
"The thing then about photography for me was getting to the center. You're looking for the center of the story. You want to get out of this circle and break into the center. That is a good news picture, but it also is, is in all photography you want to see."
Harry Benson, Bobby Fischer with Horse, Iceland, 1966
Harry Benson, Bobby Fischer Wrapped in a Blanket, 1972, Archival Pigment Photograph
One of the Most Interesting Subjects
Benson and Fischer continued speaking sporadically over the years, yet the chess champion remained as one of Benson's most interesting subjects to photographs throughout his career.
Harry Benson, Bobby Fischer Floating Underwater, 1972, Archival Pigment Photograph
World-wide Renown
A great photographer in every regard, Harry Benson has photographed some of the most defining moments of recent history. He has received the 2005 LUCIE Award for Lifetime Achievement in Photography as well as the 2005 AMERICAN PHOTO Magazine Award for Achievement in Photography. He was awarded the 2006 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Scottish Press Photographers Association and has received the Leica Medal of Excellence twice. In 2009, Benson was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II. In 2017, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Center of Photography in New York, where currently resides.
Harry Benson, Bobby Fischer at Chess Board with Newspaper "Bobby the Champ," 1972, Archival Pigment Photograph
Tags: Harry Benson
Dialogues With Great Photographers - Aurelio Amendola
The Curious and Creative Eye – The Visual Language of Humor
The Entertainer – Living Large for the Camera
The Immediate Image
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Photo London 2022
Palm Beach Modern + Contemporary Art Fair 2022
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Fashion with an Edge


Pearl Mae Bailey was an American actress and singer. After appearing in vaudeville, she made her Broadway debut in St. Louis Woman in 1946. She won a Tony Award for the title role in the all-black production of Hello, Dolly! in 1968. In 1986, she won a Daytime Emmy award for her performance as a fairy godmother in the ABC Afterschool Special, Cindy Eller: A Modern Fairy Tale. Her rendition of "Takes Two to Tango" hit the top ten in 1952.


Having started his Drum 'n' Bass career in Birmingham in the 1990s, DJ Hazard was snapped up by Playaz legend DJ Hype, a move that rocketed him to the top of the global D&B game. He's since released anthemic Drum 'n' Bass tracks like 'Mr Happy' and 'Machete'. 'Roll On My Level' sees the Playaz crew backing DJ Hazard once again, featuring the vocals of rising star Summer Rayne, penned by chart-topper Sinead Harnett.
'Roll On My Level' is a rework of the anthemic 'Bricks Don't Roll' which has one of the biggest club tracks over the last few years, getting plays on Annie Mac, MistaJam and Zane Lowe's radio shows, successfully crossing over into mainstream.


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< Events
Monday, February 13, 2023 -- Monday, February 13, 2023 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Central Michigan University - 2/13/23
Central Michigan University representative Lizzie VanDorin will discuss transfer options during an in-person visit on February 13 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Woodside Café in the Activities Building on MCC's Sidney campus. For more information, contact Lizzie at porte1ea@cmich.edu or call 989-774-3872.


Tuesday I took the day off. It's rare that I get a 4-day weekend, and I needed one. And of course, there was the matter of a necessary errand to be performed for the Salida Big Friggin' Loop. So I rode up there.
Plan A was to take a new route over into Bassam Park based on some topo map scouting. I saw a road that appeared to skirt around the east side of Aspen Ridge. I have done that climb to Aspen Ridge from the Salida side enough times, especially this year. It's kind of yucky.
So I was looking forward to having a new way over there, and a nice lollipop loop looked better than an out-and-back to Futurity (where I needed to be to perform my preparation task). I took my right turn following the GPS line I'd loaded. Beautiful road. When I was maybe half a mile in a truck pulling a horse trailer past me, and the folks in that truck gave me the once over. I wondered if I had some body part inadvertently hanging out. They drove on past, but in another mile or so I came to a locked gate with no trespassing signs all over it, and they were parked on the other side of it, presumably waiting to be sure I didn't climb the fence.
I turned around and then climbed over Aspen Ridge. Meh.
In futurity I did a little art and craft project, creating from simple materials some highly collectible tchotchkes which I hid in a place to be revealed to the long course riders. Possessions of one of these little talismans will grant the SBFL bearer a time credit which could change their standings. And they are beatiful, magical little artifacts. The Franklin Mint would love to be hawking these bad boys on the shopping channel.
Futurity is a cool little place. Fun to imagine what kind of tiny community it was back in its mining days.
Saw a bear on my way back. I was doing the slow grinding climb back up to Aspen Ridge. I saw movement to my right, and there was a medium-sized bear ambling up the slope toward the road. We were on intersecting paths. He was less than 50 feet away when I saw him, stopped, and put a foot down. He apparently had not noticed me when I was rolling, but when I stopped he looked up at me, turned on his heel and took off back from where he'd come.
No time to get the camera. Cool to see him, not sure I've ever been that close to one in the wild!
I was pleased that after resting only one day from my 70 mile ride from Salida to BV and back I was able to do another big ride (45 miles and 6,250 ft of climbing) with really a pretty reasonable amount of energy and staying power. Maybe I'll be finishing the SBFL!
Was the road that was gated 185a ? I explored that for the SPDF and was pretty dissapointed when I hit that gate. It looks like they are rather serious about the no trespassing issue up there.


The Official Ball Game Tournament!
Anyone know of a release date? Please let me know!
After getting all weapons, does yarn just go useless?
Secret Heads, Limmited Heads, Special Heads, Etc.
A: no, cut it. Q: Are Chickens Offended?
A: Things take time Q: What the Frog?
I joined because i imagined the Behemoth had an amazing community.
Working on the achievments in Alien Hominid HD.


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Q: Is there a way I can add data to parent document and child document of a collection in firestore? I'm working on e-commerce for my college project. I have a Parent collection of 'Products' and inside 'Products' collection I have documents of the different company name. Inside Company document I have created Collection of Categories likes vegetables, pastries etc.
I want to add the address key-value pair to the company name document. In a single query. To do this right now I'm using This query.
await firestoreInstance
    .collection("Products")
    .document(_productCompany.toUpperCase())
    .setData({"data": ""}).then((value) => firestoreInstance
            .collection("Products")
            .document(_productCompany.toUpperCase())
            .collection(_productCategory)
            .document(_productCategory +
                " " +
                _productCompany +
                " " +
                _productName)
            .setData({
          "DownloadUrl": "$_downloadURL",
          "CategoryName": "$_productCategory",
          "CompanyName": "$_productCompany",
          "ProductName": _productName,
          "PricePerQuantity": _productPricePerQuantity,
          "Available": true,
          "itemQuantityToCart": 0
        }));

Is there a way I can do It In a single query?

A: If you have two documents to update (regardless of their relationship to each other), you will need to update them separately.  There aren't any shortcuts for this.
If you want to update two documents atomically (at the same time), then you can do a batch write to commit both changes simultaneously.  But you will still have to generate two document references and specify the data those documents should contain.
You can read more about this specifically for Flutter here.  The entry point for a batch write starts with the batch() method.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Alexandre Birman has announced his brand new shop, 57 times bigger. If you are one of those women, desperate for sandals, stiletto heel, platforms and peep toes, you'll certainly find your place. Five years after opening his first shop of 13 square meters in Oscar Freire, Birman is already prepared to open his second store, which now has 750 square meters.
Son of Anderson Birman entrepreneur, founder of the famous mark Arezzo, Alexandre was born in the segment. Having lived in USA and Italy, he returned to Brazil and set up his own brand of shoes called Schutz (it means protection in German). Currently, the brand Schultz was incorporated by Arezzo, which has launched the Group Arezzo. Per month, 6 thousand pairs of shoes are produced, which are sold in 1 thousand different shops. The new store will have a showroom floor with concierge service dedicated to resellers. The design of the building was done by the art director Giovanni Bianco carioca.
However, the decoration is provisional. In January of 2010 it will be closed for a final rebuilding. Anyway, on August 12th this huge shop will open it's door for all the girls crazy for shoes. Go get your own!


text:
A speech by The Duke of Cambridge at the Tusk Conservation Awards 2015
This is the sharp end of the human impact of one of the world's most pressing conservation crises.
It is a great pleasure to be here once again at the Tusk Awards for Conservation in Africa… now in its third year. As many of you know, I feel incredibly passionate about this cause and I'm grateful to you all for joining me to support Tusk this evening.
In highlighting the urgency of the issue at hand – namely the protection some of the most beautiful and bio-diversity rich areas on this planet – it is important to take time to recognise the courageous work carried out on the frontline of conservation. Without people like Garth, Emmanuel and Edward – the true unsung heroes of conservation in Africa – we would be facing a very dire situation indeed.
They have all had to face real adversity and opposition in their times, perhaps none more so than Emmanuel who was so nearly killed in an ambush two years ago. Yet, all these men are incredibly humble, and have shown extraordinary vision and commitment to their respective work.
I am in awe of their achievements and we rightly pay tribute to them, because they do this for the sake of all of us, so that we all continue to have the opportunity and - perhaps more importantly - the right, to benefit from our world's natural heritage.
People often ask me why I am so passionate about this cause. There are many reasons, but one of the most obvious is because of the human impact.
As the world's population becomes more and more urbanised, an increasing number of people will grow up with little or no connection to the natural world. This will become a major challenge for conservationists. If people cannot see it, they will never learn to value it, or worse still will take little interest in looking after it.
The planet and our natural resources is not something we can afford to squander.
Africa continues to face unprecedented challenges in terms of poaching, driven by the burgeoning illegal trade in wildlife.
Sadly, all too often rangers are out-resourced and out-gunned. Most of them never imagined that they would need to lay down their lives to protect their country's heritage. But that is the harsh reality.
Emmanuel's own team in Virunga National Park have lost 140 rangers in the last decade. And only a few weeks ago, three rangers and one member of the Armed Forces were killed by poachers in one incident in central Africa, leaving behind 14 children between them.
As I have said in the past, it is these children's future that is blighted so tragically by the illegal wildlife trade and it is their birth right to their natural resources that is stolen.
Having said that - there is much to be positive about, as our winners and finalists have highlighted this evening. I share an optimism with all of you that we can win this battle. And we will win this battle by working together and by having a collaborative approach across the whole spectrum.
There are few organisations that have as large an impact across the conservation sector as Tusk. And I would like to take this opportunity to thank Charlie and his wonderful team for their relentless contribution to the protection of Africa's natural habitat. Through their extensive programmes, and behind-the-scenes counsel, they continue to make a significant impact in Africa year on year.
I would also like to acknowledge the generosity of Tusks' corporate partners, including Investec Asset Management, whose support has enabled us to celebrate the Award winners again this evening. Thank you for your ongoing generosity.
And finally, I would once again like to congratulate the winners and finalists for their incredible achievements. The number and quality of the nominations received this year show that the Tusk Conservation Awards are so important in highlighting the extraordinary work undertaken by some remarkable people across Africa. We can only hope to shine a spotlight on a few each year, but in doing so, we rightly continue to uncover some of the unsung heroes of conservation in Africa.
Royal Dogs
Find out more about The Royal Family and their love of Dogs
The Princess Royal has been involved with Riding for the Disabled for 30 years.


2018 was a record year for venture capital deals, with the year seeing 14,889 deals worth a total of $274bn, according to Preqin. This marked a record high for deal value, and the second-highest number of deals ever announced.
This growth was driven by a number of new participants in the deal making space. 2013 saw 4,789 investors involved with at least one funding round; in 2018 this had risen to 10,620. Collectively, these deal makers made 31,317 investments in venture capital-backed companies, almost twice the 17,655 unique financings that were recorded in 2013.
Nevertheless, despite more deal makers entering the venture capital space, the most active deal makers have maintained their dominance of total activity according to the report. In 2018, the 20 most active deal makers accounted for 14% of the total number of deals, on par with the 15% they were involved with in 2013.
The report shows the rising number of active deal makers is partly due to growing participation in Asia. Five years ago, investors in North America accounted for over half of venture capital deal activity, compared to around 10% involving Asia-based investors. In 2018, however, almost three out of 10 deals involved deal makers in Asia.
Richard Stus, head of private capital research at Preqin, said: "The venture capital deal making market is in a period of unprecedented activity, with more deal makers deploying more capital than ever before.


The next step is to mow the lawn. Experts advise mowing down to two inches, but never removing more than a 1/2 inch of growth at a time. Don't concern yourself with collecting all the clippings. They will decay quickly and actually help fertilize the lawn, which is the next step.
After mowing, apply a quality fertilizer that contains an effective weed killer to promote new growth and help keep your lawn looking beautiful. Fertilizing should be limited to late spring, early fall, and late fall. You don't have to rely on harmful pesticides and fertilizers either. Explore natural alternatives to chemicals to keep your lawn healthy and attractive. Fertilize lightly in late spring for a lush, green lawn in summer and then concentrate most of the fertilizer application in fall. Too much fertilizer in spring can lead to disease and more weeds. Following these simple steps will ensure you have a healthy and beautiful lawn all summer.
Do you have some extra space to play with? If you want to reduce your grocery bill and gain more control over the quality of the food you consume, consider turning a portion of your lawn into a vegetable garden. Even if you don't have a yard, many condominium or apartment dwellers with decks can grow a significant amount of their own food by container gardening. Once you savor your first summer salad from your own fresh greens and vine-ripened tomatoes you will wonder what took you so long to get started!
If you have bigger plans for your outdoor space that require the help of a professional we have landscape and excavation contractors for just about any project you can imagine. Spring clean-up and/or ongoing lawn maintenance, installation of new sod, tree trimming, retaining walls, patios, decks, driveways, and irrigation systems, are just a few of the services we can assist you with.


text:
Audio ad for action mobile phone game
Entry 164 with 1VO
by Sotiroff
We want an epic action soundtrack to an audio ad.
We want a sound track and audio effects for a short audio ad. This ad will be played on mobile games to promote a specific mobile game called Monster Shooter on Android. It will be like a radio ad in the background of a game. The audio of the game will be brought down so that ad can be heard. So take this into consideration when designing the sound track.
We want the music to be like an epic action movie trailer. We want it to start with epic/ominous/action music for 2-3 seconds, then the voice over starts. Effects can be added in with it. Its up to you. For example, you can ad the sound of a cat in distress when the voice over mentions the cat being kidnapped or use alien sounds when aliens are mentioned.
The ad should be very short, about 15-20 seconds in total. It should grab the attention of the user, set the exciting mood and make the call to action very clear ("shake the phone").
The voiceover is in two parts. One part is ad. The second part is the call to action. We will be using multiple versions of our call to action, so the contest submission must take into account this time gap, but we don't want it in the final submission. A sample call to action track is included for download.
The voice over track is included in this post for download.


text:
Q: How to divide column sum by row sum in pandas So I have a data frame called df. It looks like this.

0
1
2

1
2
3

4
5
6

7
8
9

I want to sum up the columns and divide the sum of the columns by the sum of the rows.
So for example:
row 1, column 0: (1+4+7)/(1+2+3)
row 2, column 0: (1+4+7)/(4+5+6)
so on and so forth.
so that my final result is like this.

0
1
2

2
2.5
3

0.8
1
1.2

0.5
0.625
0.75

How do I do it in python using pandas and dataframe?

A: You can also do it this way:
import numpy as np
a = df.to_numpy()
b = np.divide.outer(a.sum(0),a.sum(1))
# divide is a ufunc(universal function) in numpy.
# All ufunc's support outer functionality
out = pd.DataFrame(b, index=df.index, columns=df.columns)

output:
     0      1     2
0  2.0  2.500  3.00
1  0.8  1.000  1.20
2  0.5  0.625  0.75

A: You can use the underlying numpy array:
a = df.to_numpy()
out = pd.DataFrame(a.sum(0)/a.sum(1)[:,None],
                   index=df.index, columns=df.columns)

output:
     0      1     2
0  2.0  2.500  3.00
1  0.8  1.000  1.20
2  0.5  0.625  0.75


This upcoming December 20th, I'll be participating in a 25-hour gaming marathon to benefit St. Louis Children's Hospital. I'll be tricking roping convincing my family and friends in to being a part of the run, both in-person and on Xbox Live.
If you'd like to help the marathon, you can donate to the event, sign up to help me play some games, or just watch the livestream and help it get some attention.
Extra Life was supposed to be run on November 2nd, but I missed it, so let's give St. Louis Chilidren's Hospital a Christmas gift, shall we?


text:
'We Ran Out Of Beer': The Night Nigeria Won Olympic Football Gold Against Argentina
By Eromo Egbejule | As this year's hopefuls remain grounded at Atlanta airport over a money dispute, fans reminisce about a surprise triumph in the city 20 years ago.
The Nigeria team after beating Argentina 3-2 in the men's football final.
Photograph: PPP
Rotimi Fawole was a football-mad teenager when the Atlanta Olympics began in the summer of 1996. Crouched around the family TV, he remembers a summer of sitting up late to watch his team compete.
Like most fans, Fawole wasn't expecting the Dream Team, as the U-23 squad had been hopefully christened, to go far. They had lost a pre-tournament friendly to Togo and Nigerian coach Willy Bazuaye had been sacked at the last minute and replaced by Dutchman Jo Bonfrere.
So when the team beat Argentina 3-2 in a dramatic final, in the early hours of the morning local time, Nigeria erupted . "The national broadcasting corporation allowed random people enter the studio to give shout-outs. It was mad. It was incredible. It was a sweet, sweet feeling," he remembers.
Memories of the historic triumph have been made all the more poignant as news broke on Wednesday that this year's Olympic hopefuls are currently stranded in Atlanta – home to their win exactly 20 years ago – due to unpaid flight bills.
With less than 36 hours before their opening match of the men's football tournament, Samson Siasia's squad were said to be stuck as the charter airline hired to fly them on the last leg of their journey refused to leave until they had been paid.
One of the frustrated players told the BBC: "We've been told to get ready to fly out in few hours but that's been the story since last week."
A 'sweet feeling'
The 1996 triumph came during a tumultuous year for Nigeria. Under a military dictatorship led by Sani Abacha, the national team had been forced to boycott the African Cup of Nations in South Africa a few months earlier due to the hosts' criticism of the hanging of the activist Ken Saro-Wiwa in the Niger Delta.
To date, the win remains its biggest victory at an international level – one that despite the widespread football fever felt across Nigeria, the country's teams have never been able to reproduce.
The team initially qualified as runners-up in their group, winning the first two games against Hungary and Japan, but losing to pre-tournament favourites, Brazil.
Back in 1996, Abiola Kazeem was at college. Now a popular Lagos-based sports journalist, he remembers the excitement when the team made it to the semi-final to face Brazil once again.
"We started the competition on a decent note but Brazil came to the tournament with a squad stronger than the one that won USA 1994 World Cup. So we lost all hope in the semi-final, especially as we quickly went 3-1 down," he recalls. But in an astounding comeback, the team equalised, and then won. Marshalled by captain Nwankwo Kanu, support for the team surged. "We earned the world's respect," Kazeem says. "We stopped being underdogs and became favourites to win the trophy."
The agonising final against Argentina also began with the Nigeria team consigned to the back foot after a Claudio Lopez goal in the third minute and a Hernan Crespo penalty in the 50th. It seemed as though their opponents were racing to an early victory, but goals by Daniel Amokachi and Emmanuel Amuneke in the 74th and 90th minutes turned the tide in favour of the underdogs.
Joseph Dosu, the team's goalkeeper at the tournament, remembers the glory of that night. "It was fun. We were chatting and dancing and singing all night long after we left the pitch. We had done something that no other African team had done, so we couldn't sleep."
Back in Nigeria, all-night parties took over streets across the country, with bars running out of beer and leaving their generators on till dawn.
Emmanuel Amuneke kisses his gold medal in Atlanta.
Photograph: BTS
National heroes
Upon their return home, the triumphant players were each given a luxury apartment together with a plot of land in a new development in an undeveloped area of Lagos and a lump sum of 1m naira (£236,000) each, says Dosu. "The federal government [also] gave all of us the national honour of the Member of the Order of the Nigeria."
But the success was short-lived. Four years after their momentous win, at Sydney in 2000, the Nigeria team exited the competition in the quarter-finals.
What looked like a great African breakthrough on the world stage – which started with Zambia's "sparkle" at the 1988 Olympics and Cameroon's great performances at the World Cup in 1990 and Sydney in 2000 – proved to be illusory.
It gave the world a glimpse of what Africa can truly achieve on a world stage
Oluwashina Okeleji
Kazeem has a theory for why. "Success is usually accidental in Nigeria and Africa," he says. "Abroad, there's some level of organisation and structure to the game but here, there's no strategy or blueprint – it's all down to talent. African sports teams succeed in spite of chaos."
Star goalkeeper Dosu was forced to retire soon after the Atlanta win, at the age of 23, due to injuries from a car accident, and is now a Fifa-licensed agent running a football academy in Lagos.
Midfielders Austin Okocha and Victor Ikpeba have moved into football administration. Ikpeba is also a football pundit on TV, as is Sunday Oliseh, another first-team midfielder who went on to play for Juventus and coached the Super Eagles national team in 2015-16.
Kanu, who went on to become an Arsenal hero and was named the 1996 African Footballer of the Year for his role in the Atlanta win, is one of the most decorated African footballers of all time. He is now an international businessman and Unicef goodwill ambassador.
But 20 years on, the players lament that national football isn't doing better. The current U-23 team face myriad problems, hampering their chances of winning a second Olympic gold.
Oluwashina Okeleji, a sports journalist for the BBC, says scarce funding and poor training facilities make it unlikely the team will go far in Rio. "They are running on empty tank [there is] no money to keep the boys motivated, afford them decent accommodation or pay their allowances and bonuses. Throw in the fact that English clubs are not willing to release [Kelechi] Iheanacho, [Alex] Iwobi and Mikel [Obi] for the event, and I don't think they have a strong squad."
Local newspapers recently reported that the team was stranded in its Atlanta camp due to financial problems. Other athletes have resorted to starting crowdfunding campaigns after the Ministry of Sports emailed the national team informing them they had to pay for their own flights to Rio.
But despite the setbacks, the memory of Atlanta still fuels hope for Nigeria's Olympic fans. "It's two decades yet the memory of that final with Amuneke scoring the winner is still fresh. It gave the world a glimpse of what Africa can truly achieve on a world stage," says Okeleji.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com
Posted by Above Whispers on August 4, 2016.
Under Development, Featured
Tags: Africa, Argentina, Football, Nigeria, Olympics, Rio 2016, Super Eagles


Wherever you walk on our campuses there are opportunities for encounters with art, from the thought-provoking pieces at our Gearbox Gallery, Indigenous works at our Barak Gallery, to our developing Sculpture Walk. This means students come into direct contact with contemporary and historical pieces as part of their everyday experience.
Our professional quality exhibition galleries are also used to display work from students at every campus, along with pieces by visiting and professional artists.
We offer age-appropriate studios and materials at Grimwade House, Wadhurst and Senior School, which encourage students to explore different art forms using resources that meet their needs. These include pottery and photographic studios, bright and well-resourced art rooms, exhibition spaces, and a full range of artistic materials.
Senior School students make good use of the Motor Works arts precinct — a first rate creative arts centre that supports the quality, scope and scale of work across the School.
Students across all campuses gain experience with video and digital media production using up to date equipment and facilities. Video filming, editing and production often involves the use of our green screens and, in the Senior School, the purpose-built media production lab.


text:
Man abandons truck, runs home after chase
FORT WALTON BEACH - It started near Popeye's Chicken on Eglin Parkway. It ended on a street off Hurlburt Field Road.
Early in the morning of Oct. 27 an Okaloosa County Sheriff's deputy tried to stop a pickup truck near Popeye's and cite the driver for numerous traffic infractions. But the driver, 20-year-old Timothy Scott Young of Fort Walton Beach, turned east and fled into the neighborhoods off Eglin Parkway.
The deputy said Young ran five stop signs at over 40 mph and drove into somebody's yard, then almost struck the deputy's cruiser as he fled.
"Young continued in a reckless manner with total disregard for life and property," the deputy wrote in his arrest report. He drove into another yard on Graham Court, jumped out of his truck and ran north, climbing fences as he went.
Eventually he was found at his home on Tray Drive. The deputy said when he answered the door, he was out of breath and sweating heavily.
The truck he was driving was registered to him. Inside, deputies found 19 individually wrapped bags of marijuana for sale, and rolling papers in the glove box. At his home, other materials for packaging, selling and distributing marijuana were found in plain view.
His driver's license had been suspended and he later blew a .071 on a breathalyzer test.
Young was charged with DUI, fleeing and eluding a law enforcement officer, driving with a suspended license, obstruction without violence, marijuana distribution Schedule I, and drug equipment possession.
His court date is Dec. 4.


APPOINTMENT of Robert Gallane, John Walsh, Thomas Walleys and William Heyford to arrest all ships and boats [omnes naves & batellas] laden with wheat or malt from the head of Bray to the water of the Nany [del Nany], and keep them safely until the owners of the said wheat and malt find surety that they will not carry the same out of Ire.; always providing that all those who were previously licenced should in no way be impeded.
RCH; RIA, MS 12.D.16, p. 115.


The Novices have stepped out of the nest.
Now, they fly. They are a flock of fledging friars! Sorry, guys, no disrespect. Just a little mom fun.
Seriously though, as you all know by now, last Wednesday, on the Feast of the Assumption, my son and his nine novice brothers took their First Vows.
These are also known as Simple Profession. They are the vows to the Dominican Order and religious life as a Student Brother for the next 3.5 years. They are the last step of serious discernment before Final Vows, aka Solemn Profession – where they will (God willing) take a vow to God himself to live the religious life with the Dominican Order, until death. Yeah. Read that one again! Wow.
Even these First Vows, seemingly much smaller (3 years versus the rest of their lives), are so big. Because if they weren't awfully sure that they were called to this life, and loved it, until death, they wouldn't have taken First Vows. They are that big. In fact, Peter Joseph (my Chris) told me after the Vows that the Final Vows are rather considered a confirmation of their first vows; that First Vows are the ones that are marked with the anniversary. !! Yeah, good thing, I suppose, that he told me that after the Vows, because I was leaky enough….if I had known, I would'a been UNDONE.
You and I should see the Religious Profession of our ten brothers this day not as some isolated incident in their lives, which we may or may not understand, but rather as a further unfolding of the Paschal Mystery in the life of each of these ten men in all his individuality. What do I mean by that? Their act of vowing themselves to the Lord in poverty, chastity and obedience, which they will do in a few short minutes, one after another, is a further manifestation of the Mystery of Christ's Life, Death and Resurrection being revealed in the life of each of these ten men, this Mystery into which they were incorporated through their Baptism, through their Confirmation, and through their faithful receiving of the Body and Blood of Christ in the Holy Eucharist.
It is easy for us to be overwhelmed by the enormousness of what these ten men do here today in vowing themselves to a life of poverty, chastity and obedience, especially because we cannot know exactly what road lies ahead for each of them. However, we must not lose sight, either, of the immensity of Christ's love that has brought them to this moment in their lives, Christ whose voice it is they are responding to, and whose unwavering fidelity toward them is the only thing that makes their desire to be faithful to Him even possible.
But we can have every confidence that Christ, the Firstborn from the dead, will, in His Goodness, continue to manifest His life, death and resurrection through the lives of our ten brothers, will continue to call forth from them abundant fruit, fruit that will last for the building up of the Kingdom here on earth, until He returns, when they too, each in his proper order, will share fully in Christ's resurrection from the dead.
I'll post more about the hoopla of the vows. But this, for today, is the essence of why it's so big.
The Novices have moved into the next step. My favorite friars are on their way!
This entry was posted in catholic life, Dominicans, family life and tagged Dominican friars, First Vows, Novitiate, Simple Profession by coffeemom. Bookmark the permalink.
Michelle, Thanks for posting these wonderful photos! It was such a beautiful day/ceremony! Loved seeing you all. I know what your husbands favorite gift was this year for his birthday!!
Pretty sure it was…I'm excited for this next step for them all. Peter Joseph seems to be settling in well. They'll all stay in my prayers.
Father Pius, hello and thanks for stopping by! So glad you're ok with my links…. And thank you doubly for these links to the pictures! Bless you and thank you, Michele.