text:
How space tech can help the world fight the pandemic
Michelle Shen, USA TODAY
November 29, 2021, 12:27 a.m. ·4 min read
Michael Strahan, former football star and host of "Good Morning America," will be taking off with a crew of five other passengers on Dec. 9, amidst a global pandemic and rising cases of the new omicron variant.
Strahan won't be the first civilian in space. In September, the Inspiration4 launch sent four civilians (a physician's assistant, an aerospace worker, a professor and a billionaire) into orbit. In October, William Shatner became the oldest person to go into space, at the age of 90.
Civilian spaceflight launches have had a shining spotlight in a time when COVID devastated regions all over the globe. Some, like Prince William, have even criticized the obsession on spaceflight, saying billionaires and companies should focus more on addressing issues closer to Earth.
But could technology developed for space help us battle the pandemic?
An article released in September in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Medicine investigated how space-based technologies could be used to help manage and prevent pandemics.
How much a seat into space costs: William Shatner went to space. Here's how much it would cost you.
Telemedicine was 'developed by space agencies'
When astronauts are in space, for example, their medical information is meticulously tracked, the paper says.
In fact, astronauts often run medical experiments in space to help researchers better understand how the human body reacts to the properties of space, according to Phil McAlister, director of commercial spaceflight at NASA.
For the SpaceX Inspiration4 launch, McAlister said, civilians conducted a series of experiments, such as drawing blood in space, and shared the data with researchers on Earth.
"Telemedicine was actually developed by space agencies as well in order to provide care, monitor the care of astronauts," says Dr. Farhan Asrar, a medical doctor and global faculty member at the International Space University. Asrar was a contributor to the Nature Medicine article.
Similarly, Asrar points out, telemedicine can be used to monitor and assess COVID patients remotely without the risk of infecting healthcare workers.
Asrar says that wearable technology has already been used by Canadian astronauts to monitor several key parameters of health, such as blood pressure, temperature, breathing rate and heart rate, all of which were streamed hundreds of miles from Earth aboard the International Space Station.
These wearable devices can be used by healthcare workers to detect early on whether they are developing and spreading symptoms, the paper suggests.
More: NASA launches spacecraft to test asteroid defense concept
Using satellite imagery to monitor progression
Satellite imagery could contribute to pandemic planning and the distribution of vaccines against COVID-19, according to the paper.
Satellites launched into space have already helped plot disease transmission during the Ebola outbreak, the paper points out. In the fight against polio, satellite images found marginalized and previously unknown villages in Nigeria, assisting with eradication efforts.
"There are several parameters which you can monitor using satellites," Asrar says. "We can monitor temperatures that are ideal for these infectious conditions so that if an outbreak is occurring, you can use this technology to monitor the progression."
Asrar cites using satellite monitoring on mosquito populations as a potential way to predict outbreaks of malaria.
How does COVID-19 affect me?: Don't miss an update with the Coronavirus Watch newsletter.
Isolation and developing techniques to preserve mental health
One more thing we can learn from astronauts is the science of managing isolation, the paper says.
Astronauts often have to be in space for days or months on end, with little or no contact with their loved ones. In a similar sense, social distancing guidelines have prevented people from gathering and made those with limited technological resources even more isolated, the paper points out.
In another article published in Nature in May of 2020, astronauts shared ways that they dealt with isolation in space, including having a carefully managed daily routine and structuring work around an inspiring mission.
Both research papers suggest that by understanding how astronauts cope with isolation, we can develop better techniques for preserving our mental health during the pandemic.
Feel like you're surviving, not thriving: Join us at Keeping it Together, a newsletter about wellness and living life amid COVID-19.
Follow Michelle Shen on Twitter @michelle_shen10
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Understanding how space tech can help the world fight COVID pandemic
Kinder Morgan profit tops expectations on higher gasoline, jet fuel volumes
Global jet fuel demand, however, has again come under pressure with some countries reimposing border restrictions and other curbs to keep the Omicron coronavirus variant at bay, prompting travelers to reconsider their plans. "We saw a little bit more downside momentum on jet fuel due to omicron variant, but combined, we didn't really see a meaningful impact as we exited the year," senior executive Dax Sanders said in the earnings call. Kinder Morgan reported a 48% jump in jet fuel volumes and 7% jump in gasoline, following a year of coronavirus-driven decline.


text:
Буреполомський ВТТ () — підрозділ, що діяв у структурі Головного управління виправно-трудових таборів Народного комісаріату внутрішніх справ СРСР (ГУЛАГ НКВД).

Час існування: організований в 1946 р.;
закритий 29.04.53 (реорг. в ТВ № 4 УВТТК УМВС по Горьковській обл.)

Підпорядкування і дислокація
 УВТТК УМВС по Горьковській обл.

Дислокація: ст. Шерстки Горьковської залізниці (Горьковська область)

Чисельність з/к
 01.01.47 — 7244 ;
 01.01.48 — 7930

Буреполомлаг в літературі

«Таншаєвські вовки»
Поблизу Буреполома місцеві жителі Таншаєвського району йшли в ВОХРу — під час війни, щоб від будинку ближче і на фронт не йти (та й 100 рублів — за запобігання спроби до втечі).

Ворожість оточуючого населення, підживлювалася владою, була головною перешкодою втікачам. Влада не скупилися нагороджувати тих, хто їх ловив (це до того ж було і політичним вихованням). І народності, які населяли околиці ГУЛага, поступово звикали, що спіймати втікача — це свято, збагачення, це як добре полювання або як знайти невеликий самородок. Тунгусам, комякам, казахам платили борошном, чаєм, а де
ближче до житлових поселень, заволзьким жителям поблизу Буреполомського і Унженського таборів, платили за кожного спійманого по два пуди борошна, по вісім метрів мануфактури і по кілька кілограмів оселедця. У воєнні роки оселедець інакше було і не дістати, і місцеві жителі так і прозвали втікачів «оселедцями». В селі
Шерстки, наприклад, при появі всякого незнайомого дітлахи дружно бігли: «Мама! Оселедець іде!»

Лісоповал
Старше всіх робіт Архіпелагу — лісоповал. Він усіх кличе … і навіть безруких ланкою по три
посилають втоптувати півметровий сніг. Сніг — по груди. Ти — лісоруб. Спершу ти собою утопчеш його біля стовбура. Звалиш стовбур. Потім, ледве проштовхуючись по снігу, обрубаєш всі гілки (ще їх треба тискати в снігу
і сокирою до них добиратися). Все в тому ж пухкому снігу тягнучи, всі гілки ти знесеш до купи і в купах спалиш
(А вони димлять, не горять). Тепер лесину розпиляєш по розміру і заштабелюєш. І норма тобі на брата в день — п'ять кубометрів, а на двох десять. (В Буреполомі — сім кубів, але товсті кряжі треба було ще колоти на плахи.)
Вже руки твої не піднімають сокири, вже ноги твої не ходять.

У роки війни (при військовому харчуванні) звали табірники три тижні лісоповалу — «сухим розстрілом».

Барак
 Барак? А де і землянки, вкопані в землю. А на Півночі частіше — намет, правда обсипаний землею, абияк обкладений тесом. Нерідко замість електрики — гасові лампи, а й лучини бувають, і гноти з вати, вмочені в
риб'ячий жир. (В Усть-Вимі два роки не бачили гасу і навіть в штабному бараці освітлювалися маслом з продсклада.)

Нари в два поверхи, нари в три поверхи, ознака розкоші — вагонка. Дошки найчастіше голі, немає на них нічого: на
інших відрядженнях крадуть настільки дочиста (а потім збувають через вільних), що вже й казенного нічого не
видають і свого в бараках нічого не тримають: носять на роботу і казанки та кухлі (навіть речмішки за спиною — і так землю копають), надягають на шию ковдри, у кого є, або відносять до знайомих в охоронюваний барак. На
день барак порожніє як безлюдний. На ніч би здати в сушарку мокре робоче (і сушарка є!) — так роздягнений же
замерзнеш на голому! Так і сушать на собі.

Вночі примерзає до стіни намета — шапка, у жінок — волосся. Навіть постоли ховають під голови, щоб не вкрали їх з ніг (Буреполом, війна).

Посеред барака — бензинова бочка, пробита під грубку, і добре, якщо розпечена — тоді парний портяночний дух
застилає весь барак. Та не горять в ній сирі дрова. Деякі бараки так заражені паразитами, що не допомагають
чотириденні сірчані обкурювання, і якщо влітку йдуть зеки спати в зоні на землі — клопи повзуть за ними і наздоганяють їх і там. А вошей з білизни зеки виварюють у своїх обідніх казанках.

На центральній садибі Буреполомского табору в бараках доходяг в лютому 1943-го з п'ятдесяти чоловік помирало за ніч дванадцять, ніколи — менше чотирьох. Вранці місця їх займали нові доходяги, які мріяли відлежатися тут на рідкій могарі і чотиристах грамах хліба.

Примітки

Посилання
 Буреполомський на сайті «Меморіал»
 Біографічний коментар
 Начальники ГУЛАГа ОГПУ — НКВД — МВД СССР с 1930 по 1960 гг.
 БУРЕПОЛОМ
 «Десятирічка» С. М. Юренєва у ВТТ БуреполомЛАГ

Табори ГУЛАГу у Росії
Радянська доба Нижньогородської області

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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text:
cable Rome. He said the papers today had been inclined to blame the Italian stand and agreed with me that this was to have been expected. He said as he left that he hoped our answer might enable Rome to reconsider the question.
W[ILLIAM] R. C[ASTLE]
500.A15 a 1/45 : Telegram
The Chargé in Argentina (Cable) to the Secretary of State
BUENOS AIRES, February 22, 1927–1 p. m.
[Received 7 p. m.] 20. Your telegram number 6, February 7, 1 p. m.15 Note from Argentine Government received this morning reads as follows:
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has considered with the greatest interest the memorandum transmitted on the 9th instant by the Embassy of the United States and in reply it begs to state that the Argentine Government considers it preferable to await the resolution of the Commission that is studying the disarmament question in the League of Nations in whose preparatory deliberations it has collaborated and continues to collaborate by means of diplomatic delegates and of experts.
In case the said initiative should fail, the moment will then have arrived to consider whether it be convenient to study a solution of a less general character which might perhaps prove of easier realization.
On the other hand the present armaments of the Argentine Republic are of small importance and the renovations being made will not notably augment its military and raval power since it is only a matter of modernization destined (to] replace the antiquated material that has become obsolete. The expenditure needed for this modernization is moderate in comparison with the general resources of the country and the necessary funds have already been set a part for the purpose so that it does not constitute an excessive outlay or a preparation for the Argentine Government.
At the Fifth Pan American Conference at Santiago, Argentina insistently expressed her desire to celebrate agreements which would limit bellicose acquisitions in order to avert the danger of an armament contest in South America in a manner such as was achieved by the pacts of May of the year 1902 celebrated between the Argentine Republic and Chile.16
Although no favorable results were attained in practice either at the Conference of Santiago or by steps taken subsequently by the Argentine Government, the latter maintain the same favorable disposition to consider any reasonable limitation in military expenditure provided that it be compatible with the requirements of its internal and external security as by this means it will be able to dedicate a larger part of its resources to the development of the country with
out forgetting at the same time that the development of these resources and the great interests which they even now signify demand in their turn adequate protection."
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Chile (Collier) 16a
[Paraphrase)
WASHINGTON, February 24, 1927—noon. 7. Reference Department's No. 5, February 7,1 p. m. The Department has received with surprise a "reply" from the Government of Argentina regarding the memorandum which the American Chargé delivered to it on February 10. The purpose of furnishing copies to the Governments of Argentina, Brazil, and Chile was, as you know, merely to keep them informed of events as a courtesy and no replies were expected.
If you deem it expedient and if a suitable occasion should present itself, you may advise the Minister for Foreign Affairs that Argentine reply appears to have been occasioned by some misunderstanding either on part of American Embassy or of Government of Argentina, and that the Government of the United States is not expecting replies from the Governments of either Brazil or Chile unless these Governments particularly wish to make comments.
You will not discuss this matter with any representatives of the press.
500.A15 a 1/49: Telegram
The Ambassador in Great Britain (Houghton) to the Secretary
of State
LONDON, February 24, 1927—4 p. m.
[Received February 24—1:40 p. m.] 46. Department's No. 39, February 21, 6 p. m. This morning I happened to meet Bridgeman and told him that the American press, in part at least, had stated that he was against acceptance of our invitation to Naval Conference. He replied that it was a "damned lie" and hoped that I would take occasion to have that fact known at home. He then went on to say that he had all along been in favor of a conference; in fact, if the President had not called one, he, Bridgeman, was preparing to have one called.
Sent also, mutatis mutandis, to the Embassy in Brazil as Department's No. 7. The Embassy in Argentina was informed to the same effect by telegram No. 7, Feb. 23, 7 p. m.; not printed.
He asked me if I thought that the President had in mind a conference open for free discussion and I replied that that was my belief. He then said that it was essential. He concluded our talk by saying that I must be aware that the delay in the British reply arose from the necessity of consulting the Dominions; while he did not commit himself he indicated that a favorable reply was assured.
500.A15 a 1/56
Memorandum by the Under Secretary of State (Grew)
[WASHINGTON,) February 24, 1927. The Italian Ambassador referred to the Italian note 17 declining to accept our proposal for a discussion at Geneva of naval armament limitation and read to me portions of two telegrams which he had received from Mussolini to the effect that if this Government would agree to "appuyer" the thesis of parity between Italy and France he, Mussolini, would re-examine our proposal. I said to the Ambassador that it was obviously out of the question for us to do anything of this kind, as we had very carefully abstained in our note from making any concrete suggestions concerning the relative positions of Italy and France which might give offense to one or the other and for that very reason we had left the matter entirely open and unprejudiced for discussion at the conference table. I said that we recognized Italy's particular geographic situation and that this was another reason for our avoiding any concrete proposals which might prejudice the case in advance. The Ambassador then asked me to comment on the phrase "far-reaching building programs" and asserted that this could not be taken to apply to Italy which had embarked on no such program. I replied that the phrase was not intended to apply to any individual country, but was used in a general sense. The Ambassador then said that he had been instructed by Mussolini to endeavor to avoid any comment in the American press concerning Italian militarism and he asked me if I could not say a word to the press correspondents to the effect that Italy was not a militaristic nation. I replied that I thought that any statement of this kind would come better from the Ambassador than from the Department. The Ambassador then asked me if I had any comment to make in connection with Mussolini's statement to Mr. Fletcher when he handed him the note. I said that I had no comment to make as it appeared to be similar to the instructions received by the Ambassador.
J[OSEPH] C. G[REW]
" See telegram No. 25, Feb. 21, 3 p. m., from the Ambassador in Italy, p. 14.
[Received February 25—4:55 p. m.] 48. Department's No. 39, February 21, 6 p. m. In pursuance of your instructions I saw Chamberlain this afternoon and repeated the substance of your message to him. He then asked whether I would object to asking. him if the British reply were ready. I said that I would not and made the inquiry. He then handed me the draft of the British reply, as follows: 18
"His Majesty's Government in Great Britain received with cordial sympathy the invitation of the Government of the United States of America to take part in a conversation at Geneva on the further limitation of naval armament.
The view of His Majesty's Government upon the special geographical position of the British Empire, the length of interimperial communications, and the necessity for the protection of its food supplies are well known and together with the special conditions and requirements of the other countries invited to participate in the conversation must be taken into account.
His Majesty's Government are nevertheless prepared to consider to what extent the principles adopted at Washington can be carried further either as regards the ratio in different classes of ships between the various powers or in other important ways. They therefore accept the invitation of the Government of the United States of America and will do their best to further the success of the proposed conversation.
They would, however, observe that the relationship of such a conversation to the proceedings of the Preparatory Commission at Geneva would require careful adjustment.'
Chamberlain then said that this reply could not be made public here until February 28, 4 p. m. The delay was occasioned by delay in receiving answers from two of the Dominions, which, however, would be favorable. He wishes, therefore, that the reply be withheld from publication until the above-mentioned date. I assured him that his wishes in that regard would be strictly respected.
He then remarked that he had received communications from the British Ambassador at Washington to the effect that Italy's reply might be subject to reconsideration. It was Chamberlain's opinion that the Italian Government would not like to permit a great conference of the sort proposed to be carried on without having Italy represented on it, provided that special consideration of Italy's geographical position was assured. He thinks that if this point were
emphasized it might be possible again to approach the Italian Government and to obtain favorable reply, at least to extent of having an observer at the Conference. He said that it was in this
that Italy gradually pushed her way in at Locarno, and that it was only after the treaties were definitely framed that Italy desired to become a party.19 He thinks that in present instance a similar result might follow.
[WASHINGTON,] March 5, 1927. The British and Japanese Ambassadors called separately at my request and I said to them, after discussing the matter with the President, that in spite of the refusal of France and Italy to take part in the proposed naval limitation discussions at Geneva we hoped that these conversations could at least be held by Great Britain, Japan and the United States and I inquired whether this procedure was satisfactory to their respective Governments. Both Ambassadors intimated that in their private opinion such procedure would be agreeable to their Governments, but that they would telegraph to ascertain and would let me know in due course. I said that we proposed to reply to the French and Italian notes expressing regrets that they had found it impossible to participate and expressing also the hope that they might find it possible at least to be represented by observers at the proposed conference. Both Ambassadors thought well of this procedure. Mr. Matsudaira asked me whether we had any reason to believe that either France or Italy would reconsider its refusal. I said that we have no official grounds for such a belief, but as the subject was one of vital importance I hoped that those two Powers would at least find it desirable to send observers to follow the discussions.
In informal conversation I spoke of Italy's desire for some concrete assurances in advance of the conference that Franco-Italian parity would be maintained and that also that some of the smaller naval Powers, such as Jugoslavia, Greece, et cetera, would be included in the conference. I said it was obviously impossible for us to say in advance that we would support any particular thesis in the conference and that our whole purpose has been to leave the matter absolutely open and unprejudiced for free and friendly discussion at the conference table. As regards the smaller Powers it seems to me that
19 See Great Britain, Cmd. 2764, Treaty Series No. 28 (1926), Treaty of Mutual Guarantee between the United Kingdom, Belgium, France, Germany and Italy, Locarno, October 16, 1925.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Novartis' Million Dollar Gene Therapy Drug Sales Boost Earnings
The company is offering refunds when the gene therapy drug fails to work, which has not happened so far, claims the company.
Anna Domanska
. NovartisGene Therapy Drug
What Novartis' Potential Acquisition of The Medicines Company Means for the Industry Leader
Sandoz launches the 1st version of multiple sclerosis drugs in US
Novartis, the Swiss drugmaker, in its fourth-quarter earnings reported a jump of 9 per cent in sales, raking in $12.4 billion and the company attributes the positive numbers to the sale of its new gene therapy drug Zolgensma, and four other drugs released in 2019.
Chief Executive of the company, Vas Narasimhan, said in a press statement that strong 2019 sales growth drove double-digit increases in core operating income and free cash flow. "We launched an unprecedented five new molecular entities (new medicines) in 2019 and advanced the breadth of early programs in our pipeline that address significant unmet needs."
Novartis Posts Sales Growth
In the fourth quarter, Zolgensma, the spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) gene therapy drug, generated $186 million in sales. Analysts expected the sales to touch $177 million, up from the $160 million that the drug made in the last quarter.
Zolgensma is the most expensive drug out there with a price of $1.2 million for a one-time treatment. It was officially launched in the US in June of last year.
Insurance policies now cover 97% of Zolgensma commercial patients, and Medicaid covers 50 per cent against 90 and 30 per cent respectively, in the earlier quarter. In the earnings call on January 29, Narasimhan said that they intended to treat over 100 patients in each quarter of 2020, especially infants below 6 months. Newborn SMA screening will be used to help patients as early as possible.
Credit: Novartisovartis
To facilitate payments, the company has proposed installment payments for Zolgensma, but it has not gained any wide acceptance, according to the company. Narasimhan said, "We have not seen material uptake of installment-based payments at all."
Gene Therapy Drug – A Clear Winner!
The company is offering refunds when the drug fails to work, which has not happened so far, claims the company. Zolgensma at the moment is approved only for IV administration and that also in patients below 2 years. Novartis is trying to expand its application to older patients with intrathecal dosing, which is administrating the medicine into the spinal canal. Once it is approved, then it can be given to older patients. Narasimhan said the drug sales performance will improve with it gaining regulatory approval both in Europe and Japan. It is expected to pass scrutiny by both in mid-2020.
Novartis has been under the scrutiny of the US Food and Drug Administration for fudging data on the earlier animal studies of Zolgensma. This scrutiny has not stopped it from being marketed. Zolgensma is the first approved gene therapy medicine to treat the rare devastating disease that affects the muscles, mostly in children, and timely intervention can prevent death in most cases. It is single-dose treatment at the gigantic cost of $1.2 million but seems to be worth its price going by the sales numbers. And most gene therapy drug manufacturers are emboldened by the high price acceptance, though it seems only government intervention and insurance coverage in some form will help laypersons get access to such treatments.
Anna Domanska is an Industry Leaders Magazine author possessing wide-range of knowledge for Business News. She is an avid reader and writer of Business and CEO Magazines and a rigorous follower of Business Leaders.
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LG CES 2019: 5G, proactive AI and rollable TVs
Matt Sayer
Posted: 8 January 2019 4:39 am
LG believes the future of AI is in predicting what you want before you even know you want it.
At the brisk time of 3:00am this morning, LG kicked off CES 2019 with a packed press conference covering everything from mobile networks to wall-spanning TVs.
The future of mobile networks
On the mobile front, LG made much ado about the impending rollout of 5G, which it insisted will become a reality in 2019. LG's CEO of marketing David Vanderwaal stated that the company plans to be among the first brands to launch a 5G smartphone this year, and to facilitate that, LG has been working closely with Qualcomm and its recently-unveiled Snapdragon 855 mobile platform. Snapdragon 855 is the first mobile processor to support 5G, and it's likely that any 5G-compatible LG phones will leverage it.
The second core pillar of LG's CES press conference was artificial intelligence. Vanderwaal's pitch went beyond the current view of AI, with the CEO believing that the ultimate goal of AI is to provide proactive recommendations based on user circumstances rather than simply responding to user requests.
To highlight how this approach differs from current AI implementations, LG provided an example wherein a user tells their air purifier to turn off. While that would be the end of the interaction for a traditional AI, LG's new ThinQ platform went one step further with Google Assistant asking the user whether the air purifier should turn back on in three hours when dust levels are forecast to increase.
These sorts of pre-emptive solutions rely on a lot of data. They combine user-specific information, like typical electricity usage, the TV shows you watch and how often you clean your house, with environmental data, like weather conditions and time-of-day, to offer suggestions tailored to your unique circumstances. They'll benefit from how invested you are in the LG ecosystem, too, with different LG devices able to communicate and share information. Vanderwaal's example here was to pick up an LG vacuum cleaner which triggered Google Assistant to offer to start the robot vacuum cleaner at the same time.
LG is also incorporating AI into its new customer service platform called LG ProActive Customer Care. This platform gives LG devices the capability to send real-time alerts to a user's phone, notifying them when the laundry has finished or when an error has been detected in the operation of a device. Malfunctioning devices can even offer suggestions on how their problems can be fixed, as well as recommend maintenance operations on a regular basis to avoid issues in the first place.
TVs have always played a prominent role in LG's business and the company used its CES presentation to unveil its largest OLED TV yet. Measuring in at a hefty 88 inches, the set will sport a resolution of 8K powered by 33 million self-emitting pixels. No word yet on pricing, but it wouldn't be surprising if it costs as much as a small car.
LG's emphasis on AI continues in the TV space. All its 2019 TVs will make use of a new Alpha 9 Gen 2 processor for dynamic content enhancement and optimisation. Using machine learning, the new TVs will recognise the kind of content they're displaying and apply visual processing techniques on a content-specific basis, smoothing out high-motion video or tweaking brightness in dark scenes. This extends to environmental conditions, too, with the TVs able to adjust brightness and colour tone settings based on ambient light levels, as well as equalise sound automatically based on the acoustics of the room they're installed in.
2019 will also see LG's TVs integrate Amazon Alexa into their smart home functionality. This is in addition to the existing support for Google Assistant. By combining the two, LG claims it is able to cover 84% of the smart home market.
Following in Samsung's footsteps, LG is also adding AirPlay support to its 2019 TVs, allowing you to stream movies and music from your iPhone or iPad directly to the TV. HomeKit support is baked in too, giving you the means to control other HomeKit-enabled devices from a new smart dashboard on the TV.
No CES presentation would be complete without a flashy gimmick, and LG delivered this in the form of the OLED TV R, a "rollable" OLED TV. This curious device is able to slide in and out of its base (built like a standard entertainment unit), reducing its visual footprint at the press of a button. Three usage modes are available: a standard full view with the TV completely rolled out, a "line view" where the TV slides down to display a narrow bar of options including a music browser, a clock and a carousel for displaying personal photos, and the "Zero" mode where the TV is fully retracted into its base. Thanks to a 4.1 soundbar built into the base, the TV is able to play music even in Zero mode, which is kind of neat.
Those were all the big announcements that LG made at its press conference, but stay tuned to our CES 2019 hub for more news from the rest of the event.
Samsung is adding NFTs to TVs: WTF?
Black Friday 4K TV deals you can get right now [Updated]
Sony's new Bravia XR TVs "see the way humans do"
Samsung's Neo QLED and MicroLED TVs are coming to Australia
Everything from Apple's "It's show time" event: Apple News+, Apple Card, Apple Arcade and Apple TV+


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Q: Why the characters in buffer cannot enter a while loop? why there is no "*" in output?
the input is :
abcde[enter key]
#include<stdio.h>
int main(void){
    char ch;
    while ((ch=getchar( ))== 'e')
        printf(" * ");

    return 0;
}

I was wondering that the abcd'\n' will be stored in buffer when i click the enter key, and the getchar() will constantly read it until catch the char 'e' and print the "*"

A: With input "abcde", there is no "*" printed because while loop reads character by character from standard input, while the read character is equal to character 'e'. Once you enter a character different from 'e' while loop breaks. As your input is "abcde" in first iteration of while loop variable ch becomes equal to 'a' and condition ch == 'e' is equal to false and after that loop breaks. That while loop is same like this loop:
while (1){
    ch = getchar();
    if (ch != 'e') break;
    printf(" * ");
}

A: When you enter "abcd" what's the first value returned by getchar() and what happens to your loop?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


How a student learns is highly dependent upon the manner in which they absorb information and how it is then processed. Some students, those who are and are not learning disabled alike, have a tough time with one process or another but can navigate other methods with ease, while other students, again learning disabled or not, cannot seem to connect one process to another, but are highly adept at each individual step that constitutes learning. Whether or not a student is learning disabled is not an accurate measure of how the current methods and technology is applicable and easily understood. Instead, it is a matter of how they assimilate the given information and in what manner they understand the material best that allows each student to show how truly capable they are.
Technology has come a great ways towards understanding and comprehension, but by itself is not the only tool that can allow students to excel. While it is a very capable boon it is still bound by the material that is programmed into it, the lessons that are adapted and made easier for students to understand. For those who experience any type of learning disability technology is a decided advantage since it can easily be adapted and conformed to work with their disability rather than against it.
Only a short time ago students diagnosed with learning disabilities would have been separated out and given over to special education courses or what was once known as "remedial" courses. This was in effect a means to dump such students into a classroom where an often inept or overworked and disillusioned teacher was told to simply watch over and teach them what amounts to the most fundamental basics of an education, thereby robbing them of the chance to truly excel and find another area where they might prove to be just as adept as any other student.
Technology has come so far as to not only adapt to such methods of learning, but can be made to work in tandem with students who would otherwise be held back and thereby not allowed to succeed in their school careers.
Programs now exist that can aid with learning disabilities on a grander scope, though it is still limited in a way that it requires instruction and a calm, patient individual or group of teachers that are willing to work with the students to insure their success. STEM learning, or as it is better known, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, is a much more specialized type of learning, and thus requires a greater application of technology not just for the sake of learning, but for the advancement of the student's knowledge in more specified courses. These are fields where technology is practically a must, a needed commodity to compete in the ever-expanding field of academia where failure is just barely accepted and success is gained only by being counted among the best of the best.
Learning disabilities are a hindrance to such fields and have always been, but through the application of technology, in various forms, students that possess such a limitation can finally find even ground through programs designed to work with and around their shortcomings. Through use of technological and advanced teaching methods students with learning disabilities can find even ground with their peers while at the same time perhaps even learning how to strengthen other failings in their learning and becoming more balanced in their own academic careers.
When compared to how students with such disabilities were treated only decades ago, those of today are quite fortunate that technology has advanced so swiftly. While learning disabilities will always be somewhat prevalent, the means to bypass and even correct them at times is becoming easier and easier through the application of technology and its many uses.


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Flashback Friday: Vikings 30, Lions 20 (1977)
Through the Years: Vikings vs. Lions
Look back at photos over the course of time featuring games between the Vikings and the Lions.
An image from the Nov. 23, 2017 regular season away game against the Detroit Lions. The Vikings won 30-23.
Andy Kenutis
An image from November 4, 2018 regular season home game against the Detroit Lions. The Vikings won 24-9.
An image from December 23, 2018 regular season away game against the Detroit Lions. The Vikings won 27-9.
Andy Kenutis/Minnesota Vikings
Tom Speicher of Viking Update, for Vikings.com
The Minnesota Vikings needed a win in the 1977 season finale to make the playoffs and the aging Purple People Eaters got it in Detroit.
Each week during the 2015 season, Viking Update examines a past game against the Vikings' upcoming opponent. Some of the choices are obvious; others are not. However, all the games chosen stand the test of time.
Minnesota at Detroit
The Minnesota Vikings were navigating uncharted waters heading into the regular-season finale at the Silverdome in 1977. The Vikings normally secured the NFC Central Division crown prior to Thanksgiving. But a week before Christmas, this aging team didn't know if it would enjoy a playoff present. Five weeks earlier, quarterback Fran Tarkenton suffered a broken leg in a blowout over the Cincinnati Bengals. Veteran backup Bob Lee and rookie gunslinger Tommy Kramer had to fill the gaping void at the most important position.
The Lee-Kramer combination and the sensational running of Chuck Foreman helped Minnesota split its four post-Tarkenton games, leaving the team with an 8-5 record. A win against the 6-7 Lions would guarantee Bud Grant's club its fifth straight division title and ninth in 10 years. A loss, coupled with wins by Chicago and Washington, would leave the Vikings out of the playoffs for the first time since 1972. In that scenario, the Bears would claim the division championship and the Redskins would secure the NFC's lone wild card berth. Minnesota was installed as a 5.5-point favorite for the nationally televised Saturday evening game, presented as a special edition of ABC's "Monday Night Football."
Some Vikings fans most likely groaned when they saw Bob Lee under center at the Silverdome. Two weeks prior, Bud Grant pulled the veteran in the second half as the Vikings trailed San Francisco 24-7. Rookie Tommy Kramer led a remarkable comeback in the 28-27 Minnesota victory. A week later, the magic vanished for Kramer in a 35-13 defeat at Oakland. Thus, Grant went back to Lee, who rewarded his coach's faith with one of his best days as an NFL QB.
Initially, Detroit quarterback Gary Danielson grabbed the spotlight, hitting David Hill on a screen pass that the tight end took 61 yards for the team's longest pass play of the season. A few moments later, the two connected again, this time from 20 yards out, to give the Lions an early 7-0 lead.
The Vikings calmed the nerves of an anxious Purple Nation by responding with an impressive drive of their own. Chuck Foreman, arguably the best multi-dimensional running back of the 1970s, weaved his way through the Lions for runs of 18, 11 and 27 yards in his first three carries. A 19-yard pass that two Lions deflected into the hands of Bob Grim at the 1-yard line set up Foreman for the tying TD plunge.
Minnesota took the lead for good early in the second quarter. A tough defensive stand forced Detroit to punt from deep in its own end. The Vikings' Manfred Moore returned the punt 28 yards to put his team at the Lions 27. When the drive stalled, straight-on kicker Fred Cox booted a 26-yard field goal for a 10-7 advantage. That lead grew by the end of the half, thanks in part to another strong defensive effort. Desperately seeking a spark, the Lions tried to convert a fourth-and-1 at the Minnesota 44, but the graying Purple People Eaters stuffed Dexter Bussey for no gain. Two plays later, Lee hit Ahmad Rashad with a 48-yard touchdown pass and a 17-7 cushion.
The lead was just 10 points, but the Vikings were dominating. Foreman ran for 127 yards in the first half alone. The Minnesota defense, which struggled for much of the season's second half, stymied the Lions, holding them to 50 yards rushing for the game and forcing three turnovers.
The Vikings erased any lingering doubts about the outcome early in the third quarter after linebacker Fred McNeill recovered a Bussey fumble. On the next play, Lee tossed his second TD pass of the night, this one a 29-yarder[1] to Sammy White. Up 24-7, Minnesota relaxed on the ensuing kickoff. Detroit's Eddie Payton took advantage with a 98-yard touchdown return up the left sideline. The rare Silverdome celebration for the 78,572 fans didn't last long as the Vikings came back with 68-yard, nine-play drive, capped by a Foreman 5-yard touchdown run. The scored remained 30-14 until the waning moments when Payton, the brother of Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton, returned a punt 87 yards for a touchdown to make the final 30-21 for Minnesota. The Vikings clinched yet another division title and trip to the postseason with their 9-5 record. If the Purple Gang had lost, they wouldn't have made the playoffs, as both Chicago and Washington posted wins the following day.
Key Play
Bob Lee connecting with Ahmad Rashad on a 48-yard TD pass. The scoring strike gave Minnesota a 17-7 second-quarter lead and came moments after the Vikings defense stopped the Lions on fourth-and-1.
Vikings Player of the Game
Chuck Foreman was electric, rushing for 156 yards and two touchdowns in tying a team record with 33 attempts. The performance pushed Foreman past the 1,000-yard barrier for the third consecutive season. He finished 1977 with 1,113 yards.
Purple Honorable Mention
Quarterback Bob Lee responded to his recent benching by completing 11 of 16 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Ahmad Rashad caught eight of those passes for 139 yards and one touchdown.
Post-Game Chatter
(via the Associated Press)
Minnesota's Bud Grant on pulling Chuck Foreman from the game for most of the fourth quarter:
"We didn't want him to get hurt," said Grant, citing "marginal incidents" of Lions taking semi-late hits when Foreman was down.
The Vikings victory was their 18th in 20 games against the Lions.
Eddie Payton became just the sixth man in NFL history to score on a kick and punt return in the same game. Three years later, Payton would join the Vikings and return a kickoff for a TD against the Raiders on "Monday Night Football."
The following Saturday, Minnesota shocked the favored Los Angeles Rams, 14-7, in the divisional round of the playoffs. The game became known as the "Mud Bowl" as heavy rains turned the LA Coliseum turf into brown soup. Minnesota's season ended in the NFC Championship game at Dallas. The eventual Super Bowl champs were too much for the depleted Vikings, winning 23-6.


text:
(LATIN AMERICA in the 17th CENTURY – continued)
home | 16-17th centuries index
LATIN AMERICA in the 17th CENTURY (3 of 4)
Spanish colonies expand in South America in the 1600s
By 1611 the mining town of Potosi (accent on the i) in the Andes Mountains were around 42,000 Spaniards and 65,000 Indians. Prices were high – as they would be in 19th century Gold rush areas. More than a dozen dance halls existed, around three dozen gambling halls, and numerous prostitutes strolled the streets. Hundreds of miles to the south, the town of Cordoba was growing in a different way. In 1614 a university was founded there.
Farther south, Buenos Aires remained a small frontier settlement. In 1620 Spain began allowing two ships a year to journey there, despite the notoriety of the area for smuggling. Cattle ranches south of the Buenos Aires extended no farther than a hundred miles, and in 1650 Buenos Aires consisted of farmland, 400 houses, 854 Spanish inhabitants and 1,500 slaves.
Colonists, meanwhile, were settling to the north and south of Santiago in what today is Chile. Jesuits in this coastal area called for better treatment of the Indians there – the Araucana. And in 1641 the Spaniards signed a treaty with the Araucana. The treaty broke down, and Lima sent armies to the area to protect the settlers. By the end of the century this coastal area had an estimated 100,000 Christian inhabitants and Bío Bío River was a frontier between well-armed colonists and the Araucana.
The dominant city on the Pacific and in Spanish South America was Lima. Here was the home of Spain's viceroy to South America and a seat of the Inquisition. Lima was a center of trade, including the port of exit for the silver mined in the Potosi area. South America's major university, the University of San Marcos, was there – founded in 1551 under Dominican direction, with a grant from Spain's Charles V, and secularized in 1571. In 1680, Lima had about 10,000 inhabitants who considered themselves of pure Spanish descent and 60,000 others. There, wealthy Spaniards lived in luxury and considered themselves just as aristocratic as anyone in Spain. Elaborate balconies adorned their homes. Churches and monasteries were adorned with much silver and gold. And in the 1680s a wall was built around the city to protect it from pirates.
to the top | home | 16-17th centuries index


Easton Archery Diamond Arrow Vanes - 36 Pack is rated 4.7 out of 5 by 9.
The 4" Diamond replacement vanes from Easton Archery ® provide the quality that Easton ® has been known for since the early 1900's. These durable vanes provide tons of use and come in a pack of 36 (12 white, 24 green). They are extremely light and rise 1/2 inch off of the arrow for maximum accuracy.
Rated 4 out of 5 by young64 from Good value, consistent quality Vanes have consistent construction and are easy to use. Go on to arrow shaft easily with jig. Time will tell if they hold up well with use.
Rated 5 out of 5 by John from Great fletch Good for the do it yourselfer. Great product for my xbow bolts.
Rated 5 out of 5 by Ronbow from Control in flight The arrow has nice flight thru arrow rest. And install is easy.
Rated 4 out of 5 by archerycoach from fletching vanes Vanes work just fine, used to refletch many arrows.


text:
La escultura urbana conocida por el nombre  "Alexander Fleming", ubicada en la entrada a la aldea de Vallín, en la parroquia de Limanes, en el concejo de Oviedo, Principado de Asturias, España, es una de las más de un centenar que adornan las calles de la mencionada ciudad española.

El paisaje urbano de esta ciudad,  se ve adornado por  obras escultóricas, generalmente monumentos conmemorativos dedicados a personajes de especial relevancia en un primer momento, y más puramente artísticas desde finales del siglo XX.

La escultura, hecha en piedra, es obra de Félix Alonso Arena, y está datada en 1972.

Esta escultura se realizó en honor del médico Alexander Fleming, descubridor de la penicilina. Se trata de un conjunto compuesto  por un murete de ladrillo que se cierra con  una verja de hierro colado, presidido por el busto labrado en piedra de este importante médico investigador. A los lados del conjunto hay relieves  de los escudos de Oviedo y Limanes.

Referencias

Esculturas urbanas de España de los años 1970
Esculturas urbanas en Oviedo del siglo XX
Arquitectura de España de 1972


L'heure Magique is rated 5.0 out of 5 by 8.
Envelop yourself in the fragrance of Laura Mercier L'Heure Magique. This scent has been developed to capture the moment just before sunset when the light perfectly reflects beauty at its best.
This perfume has been formulated with top notes of pikake petals, bergamot, and white rose buds and pink geraniums, dusted with soft spices. It features base notes of amber, sandalwood, and cashmere musk and helps to promote feelings of warmth and comfort.
Laura Mercier L'Heure Magique should be sprayed on as desired. Suggestions for spray points include the pulse points on the wrists, in the crook of the elbows, and below the ears. This perfume can be layered with any fragrance from Laura Mercier's Collection Gourmande.
Laura Mercier L'Heure Magique is a floral, woody musk scent that lasts for the majority of the day and can be layered with fragrances from Laura Mercier's Collection Gourmande.
Spray L'Heure Magique onto your pulse points: on your wrists, in the crook of your elbows and below your ears.
Rated 5 out of 5 by Habantia1958 from Beautiful Oriental I have owned this fragrance for quite some time. It is described as an oriental but do not think a heavy oriental. No, L'Heure Magique as a lovely sweetness from the cashmere and musk. This is a hidden gem of a fragrance elegant yet like a comforting hug. Soft and feminine but with great longevity.
Rated 5 out of 5 by Emeraldpink from Smells expensive! I love this scent! I've been wearing it for years: I stray away to various others as they catch my attention but this is the one I always come back to. It's very different to anything else on the market, very layered and warm, and can transition from day to evening easily. It stands out without being intrusive. Classic without being dated. Love it!!


To make the best biltong, you need the best biltong recipe. The recipes below, have all been used in my family. The silverside beef recipe is known as the traditional recipe as it contains the best mix of spices.
The biltong spice recipe we use is one our best recipes, It consists of premixed spices made by Crown. The Crown biltong spice is as close to the original flavour that you can get, and it comes ready to use.
The width you cut the meat is essential, an effective way to measure the meat before cutting is to place your thumb on a table and push down lightly. Your thumb should be the width of an inch as it is pushing against the table and this is the ideal width that the biltong should be cut.
All the biltong seasoning ingredients below are recipes that I have personally used.
This recipe is easy to make. All you need is silverside meat and the Freddy Hirsch biltong spice ingredients.
Using Freddy Hirsch Biltong Spice (Amazon Link) is the easiest way to make Biltong quickly and efficiently. It saves time as you don't have to mix the biltong spices or spend time drying coriander.
If you have time, this is the perfect recipe. You need three bowls for this recipe. You will need to spend some time drying coriander for this recipe before you start the biltong making process.


text: AG 92-132 - SMITH SR., JOHN S & HALL, GARY DECLARATION OF SETBACK RESTRICTIONS THIS DECLARATION OF SETBACK RESTRICTIONS is made this l64 day of 644,5?"' , 1917-1 by John S. Smith, Sr. , (hereinafter "Smith") ; Gary Hall, (hereinafter "Hall") ; and the City of Federal Way, a Washington Municipal Corporation, (hereinafter "City") , collectively "Parties" . 1. HALL is the agent for Smith, owner of the real property situated in the County of King, State of Washington, described in Exhibit A attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference ("Smith Property") and Hall has applied to the City for a building permit for development located on the Hall property; and 2. Adjacent and to the West of the Smith property, are located two properties , which properties are legally described in Exhibit B attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference, ("Adjacent Properties") , and which are burdened by a ten (10) foot sewer easement, and a five (5) foot slope easement, collectively "Adjacent Easement Area", as legally described in Exhibit C attached hereto and incorporated by this reference; and 3. The City is the permitting authority the Smith Property; and 4. This Agreement is executed to conform to the mandatory requirements of Uniform Building Code, 1988 Edition ("UBC") , Section 1709 and Table 5-A, which provides for permanent establishment of a ten (10) foot setback area wherein no buildings or structures may be erected or placed; and 5. The City and Smith/Hall intend to establish setback restrictions designed to benefit the Smith property by creating setback strips on the Smith property in which no buildings or structures may be erected or placed; and 6. It is the intention of the City to allow Smith/Hall to include the Adjacent Easement Area, together with the Smith property to satisfy the requirements of UBC Section 1709 and Table 5-A, upon conditions as outlined herein. NOW THEREFORE, based upon the foregoing and in consideration of the promises, covenants, agreements and undertakings contained in this Agreement and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows: -1- ORIGINAL 4 S 1. No Buildings. 1. 1. No building, structure or other improvement of any kind whatsoever shall be commenced, placed, constructed, erected, maintained or permitted to remain on the West five feet (5 ' ) of the land described in Exhibit A and nor on the Adjacent Easement Area (collectively, the "Setback Area") ; provided however, that this restriction is binding solely upon the owner of the Smith property, the successors or assigns to the Smith property, and all lessors of the Smith property, and is in no way intended to be a restriction or burden on the use, and enjoyment develo ment of the Adjacent Properties. P 1.2. In the event provisions of this Paragraph 1 are breached by the commencement, placement, construction, Y � P erection, or maintenance of a building, structure, or other improvement within the Adjacent Setback Area by owners or occupiers of the Adjacent Properties, the City shall forebear from the enforcement of the provisions of Paragraph 5 herein, conditioned upon Smith's immediate bonding for, and construction of, all improvement necessary for full compliance with UBC requirements then in effect including, but not limited to, the construction of a parapet on the exterior building wall. Nothing herein contained shall be deemed a restriction on the use of said Adjacent Easement Area for underground utilities, railroad tracks, parking, driveway, walkway, fencing or landscaping. 2. Setback. Conditioned upon the restrictions contained herein, the City shall consider the Setback Area as area sufficient to meet the requirements of UBC Section 1709 and Table 5-A for the Smith property development. 3 . Duration and Modification. 3. 1 No addition, modification or amendment of any term of this Agreement shall be effective unless set forth in writing and signed by the parties hereto. The covenants, conditions, restrictions and provisions of this Agreement are imposed upon that portion of the Smith property lying within the Easement Area (the "Smith Easement Area") and shall run with and bind the Smith property and the successive owners thereof, and shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the City and by their respective legal representatives, heirs, successors and assigns, all for a perpetual term commencing with the date this Agreement is recorded in the records of the County Recorder of King County, Washington. -2- • 3 .2 The covenants, conditions, restrictions and provisions contained herein may be modified or changed only by an instrument, signed by a majority of the then owners of the Smith property and the City, recorded in the records of the County Recorder of King County, Washington, agreeing to change said covenants, conditions, restrictions and provisions in whole or in part. 4. No Waiver. No failure or delay on the part of the City to enforce any covenant, condition, restriction or provision contained in this Agreement or in exercising any right, power, privilege or remedy may be, or may be deemed to be, a waiver thereof; nor may any single or partial enforcement or exercise of any right, power, privilege or remedy preclude any other or further exercise of the same or any other right, power, privilege or remedy. 5. Enforcement and Cumulative Rights. 5.1 Violation or breach of any covenant, condition, restriction or provision contained in this Agreement shall give to the City the right to prosecute an action or proceeding at law or in equity against the person or persons who have violated or breached or are attempting to violate or breach any of such covenants, conditions, restrictions or provisions to enjoin or prevent them from doing so, to cause such breach or violation to be remedied or to recover damages for such violation, and/or to immediately revoke the occupancy permit for any building located on the Smith property. 5.2 The rights, powers, privileges and remedies of a covenantee provided herein are cumulative and not exclusive of any right, power, privilege or remedy provided by law or in equity. 6. Severability. In the event any portion of this Agreement shall be declared by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, such portion shall be deemed severed from this Agreement, and the remaining parts hereof shall remain in full force and effect, as fully as though such invalid, illegal or unenforceable portion had never been part of this Agreement. 7. Headings. The paragraph headings contained in this Agreement are for purposes of reference and convenience only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning of this Agreement. -3- i • 8. Indemnification. 8.1 For City. Smith and Hall agree to indemnify and hold the City, its elected officials, officers, employees, agents, and volunteers harmless from any and all claims, demands, losses, actions and liabilities (including costs and all attorney fees) to or by any and all persons or entities, including, without limitation, their respective agents, licensees, or representatives, arising from, resulting from, or connected with this Agreement to the extent caused by the negligent acts, errors or omissions of Smith and Hall, their respective or joint partners, shareholders, agents, employees, or by Smith"s or Hall's breach of this Agreement. 8.2 Survival. The provisions of this Section shall survive the expiration or termination of this Agreement with respect to any event occurring prior to such expiration or termination. 9. Attorney Fees. In the event either of the Parties defaults on the performance of any terms of this Agreement or either Party places the enforcement of this Agreement in the hands of an attorney, or files a lawsuit, each Party shall pay all its own attorneys' fees, costs and expenses. The venue for any dispute related to this Agreement shall be King County, Washington. 10. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be made in and shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Washington. 11. Authority. Each individual executing this Agreement on behalf of the City and Hall represents and warrants that such individuals are duly authorized to execute and deliver this Agreement on behalf of Smith, Hall or the City. 12. Notices. Any notices required to be given by the City to Smith or Hall, or by Smith or Hall to the City shall be delivered to the Parties at the addresses set forth below. Any notices may be delivered personally to the addressee of the notice or may be deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, to the address set forth below. Any notice so posted in the United States mail shall be deemed received three (3) days after the date of mailing. -4- • 13. Notice to Lessors. A copy of this Declaration of Setback Restriction Agreement shall be provided to each present or future Lessor of the Smith property by Hall or Smith. Verification of the fulfillment of this paragraph shall be provided to the City. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written. CITY OF FEDERAL WAY JOHN S. SMITH, SENIOR BY:B J. Brent Mc rSlgnatur9 Its: City Manager 3000 Ca .9, A(Address) /�� 5 , Get e* �- X06- 798- 5/361 (Phone) APPROVED AS TO FORM: GARY HALL (ADDRESS) Carolyn A. Lake, Acting City Attorney 0 54s 4. do7 oM 9f0,1 (PHONE) STATE OF WASHINGTON ) ss COUNTY OF KING ) On this /JAG day of �.� , 199_9, before me, the undersigned, a Notary P blic in and for the State of Washington, duly commissioned and sworn, personally appeared JOHN S. SMITH, SENIOR to me known and that executed the foregoing instrument, and acknowledged the said instrument to be his free and voluntary act and deed, and for the uses and purposes therein mentioned, and on oath stated that he was authorized to execute the said instrument. WITNESS my hand and official seal hereto affixed the day and year first above written. Notary Public in and for the State f Washington, residing at ✓- " / 2w My appointment expires /O/S -5- , • 40 • STATE OF WASHINGTON ) ss COUNTY OF KING ) On this ,,10 day of /9U6 vs 7.--- , 19 142., before me, the undersigned, a Notary Public in and for the State of Washington, duly commissioned and sworn, personally appeared GARY HALL to me known and that executed the foregoing instrument, and acknowledged the said instrument to be his free and voluntary act and deed, and for the uses and purposes therein mentioned, and on oath stated that he was authorized to execute the said instrument. WITNESS my hand and official seal hereto affixed the day and year first above written. Vr Notary Public in and for the Washin State of ton g , residing at My appointment expires ii/9/93 STATE OF WASHINGTON ) ss COUNTY OF KING ) On this day of , 19 , before me, the undersigned, a Notary Public in and for the State of Washington, duly commissioned and orn, personally appeared _ -/ tt , o me known to the ZC Y MANAGER of the City of NH °0 Federal Way, a municipal Corporation, the Corporation that executed 0 the foregoing instrument, and acknowledged the said instrument to be the free and voluntary act and deed of said corporation, and for the uses and purposes therein mentioned, and on oath stated that he was authorized to execute the said instrument and that the seal affixed is the corporate seal of said corporation. WITNESS my hand and official seal hereto affixed the day and year first above written. /e/\-- . Notary Public in and for the State 9f Washington, residing at 3}ail 1 a_U1 - My appointment expires - 2 LA\KATHLEER\SETBACK.AOR -6- • • EXHIBIT "A" LEGAL DESCRIPTION "SMITH PROPERTY" Lot 2 of King County Short Plat No. 688029, recorded under Recording No. 8912199006, records of King County, Washington, being more particularly described as follows: Commencing at the Southeast corner of Section 13, Township 21 North, Range 3 East, W.M. ; Thence along the East line thereof N88°46'15"W, 1064.69 feet, to the Westerly line of Lot 4 of King County Short Plat No. 278133-R, recorded under Recording No. 8001170451 , records of King County, Washington; Thence North along said Westerly line N01°13'45"E, 8.00 feet to the point of be- ginning; Thence continuing NO1°13'45"E, 246.15 feet, to the Southwest corner of Lot 3 of King County Short Plat No. 688029; Thence S88°46'15" E, along the South line of said Lot 3, 75.00 feet; Thence S01°13'45" W, 34.15 feet; Thence S88°46'15"E, 76.60 feet, to the Northwest corner of Lot 1 of King County Short Plat No. 688029; Thence S01°13145: W, 102.01 feet, to a point of curvature; Thence along a curve concave to the right, having a radius of 56.00 feet, and a length of 58.64 feet, through an included angle of 60°00'00" to a point of re- verse curve; Thence along a curve concave to the left, having a radius of 56.00 feet and a length of 58.64 feet, through an included angle of 60000'00' ; . . Thence SO1013'45W, 13.00 feet, to a point which is 95.60 feet, and bears S88°46115"E, from the point of beginning; Thence N88°46'15" W, 95.60 feet, to the point of beginning; Together with an easement for ingress and egress as recorded under Recording No. 8912011175; subject to emcumbrances of record; Situate in King County, Washington • II EXHIBIT "B" LEGAL DESCRIPTION TWO "ADJACENT PROPERTIES" Lots 3 & 4 of King County Short Plat No. 688029, recorded under Recording No. 8912199006, records of King County, Washington, being more particularly des- cribed as follows: Commencing at the Southeast corner of Section 13, Township 21 North, Range 3 East, W.M. ; Thence along the East line thereof N88°46'15" W, 1064.69 feet, to the Westerly line of Lot 4 of King County Short Plat No. 278133-R, recorded under Recording No. 8001170451 , records of King County, Washington; Thence North along said Westerly line N01°13'45"E 254.15 feet, to the point of beginning; Thence continuing S88°46'15"E, 75.00 feet; Thence SO1°13'45"W, 34.15 feet; Thence S88°46'15"E, 279.60 feet, to a point of curvature; Thence along a curve concave to the right, having a radius of 75.00 feet, length of 30.86 feet, and an included angle of 23°34'41 " , to a point on the East line of Lot 4 of King County Short Plat No. 688029; Thence NO1°13'45"E, along said East line, a distance of 174.09 feet; Thence N88°46'15"W, 384.60 feet, to the Northwest corner of Lot 3 of King County Short Plat No. 688029; Thence SO1°13'45"W,133.07 feet,to the point of beginning; Together with an easement for ingress and egress as recorded under Recording No. 8912011175; subject to encumbrances of records; • (Also known as Lot 3 of Federal Way Boundary Line Adjustment Number BLA-92-0006, recorded under AF# 920817-9001 ) . Situate in King County, Washington • EXHIBIT "C" LEGAL DESCRIPTION ADJACENT EASEMENT AREA Beginning at a point on the southeast corner of Lot 1 , King. County Short Plat No. 278133R recorded under Auditor's File No. 8001170451 , located in the southeast quarter of Section 13, Township 21 North, Range 3 East, W.M. , King County Washington; thence north 88 degrees, 46 minutes, 15 seconds west, a distance of 10 feet; thence north 1 degree, 13 minutes 45 seconds east, a distance of 246.15 feet; thence south 88 degrees, 46 minutes, 15 seconds east, a distance of 10 feet to a point, said point being the northwest property corner of Lot 2, King County Short Plat No. 688029 recorded under Auditor's File No. 8912199006; thence south 1 degree, 13 minutes, 45 seconds west, a distance of 246.15 feet to a point, said point being the point of beginning. —9--


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Ares I er en løfteraket som NASA var i gang med at udvikle, som en del af Constellation-programmet. NASA vil bruge Ares I til at opsende Orionfartøjet som skal bringe mennesker ud i rummet efter at rumfærgen blev taget ud af brug i 2011. Ares I var tidligere kendt som Crew Launch Vehicle eller CLV, uofficielt kaldes den for the Stick – pinden. Den større ubemandede Ares V er designet til at komplementere Ares I. Denne vil være fragtraketten i Constellationprogrammet. Det er dog ikke sikkert, at det bliver netop Ares-løfteraketterne, som kommer til at bære menneskeheden ud på de næste rumeventur. United Launch Alliance, et joint venture mellem the Boeing Company og Lockheed Martin, har præsenteret deres Delta IV Heavy rocket som et alternativ, da denne raket allerede eksisterer og bruges til at sende militære og civile satellitter i kredsløb. Ifølge producenterne er Delta-løfteraketten både sikrere og billigere end Ares I. NASAs ingeniører argumenterer til gengæld for, at Delta-systemet primært er egnet til lavt kredsløb om Jorden, mens Ares-systemet vil kunne tilpasses fremtidens større opgaver – rejser til månen og Mars. For tiden overvejer et 10-personers panel nedsat af præsident Barack Obama, hvilken løfteraket bliver udvalgt. Læs artikel i New York Times

Planlagte Ares I-opsendelser

Kilder
Ares I-X Flight Test Vehicle  NASA

Constellation-programmet
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Home Open Access News Environment News Enhancing the competitiveness of the European space sector
Enhancing the competitiveness of the European space sector
ESA's Earth Explorer Aeolus satellite lifted off on a Vega rocket from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, on 22 August at 21:20 GMT (23:20 CEST).
Jan Wörner, Director General of The European Space Agency (ESA) speaks to us about his priorities for enhancing the competitiveness of the European space sector
In this inspiring interview, Jan Wörner, Director General of The European Space Agency (ESA) shares his thoughts on the statement concerning enhancing the competitiveness of the European space sector by supporting investments in the actors of the sector. Along with the European Union (EU), ESA jointly defines a number of objectives. One of these points is to strengthen the global competitiveness of the European space sector which applies to both industry and science. "Here at ESA, we believe that Europe has a very strong base when it comes to industry and being competitive and I believe that this should be on a global scale rather than just being European-wide. Therefore, we are developing different instruments that concern how we can really support such competitiveness.
"One example of this concerns the area of space safety, in particular, debris removal and servicing. We are taking a new approach and as such, we have formulated a list of ESA-owned satellites which we believe should be deorbited. We now ask industry to come up with ideas: firstly, on how to deorbit the satellite, and secondly an idea on how to do maintenance on it.
"This radical change of approach should generate ideas from actors around us, (for example private companies) on how to concretely do maintenance and servicing in space. Based on these inputs, ESA will formulate a proposal for its Member States to be turned into reality. There will be a very specific way of financing, we will ask industry to be very active and attach a strong business case to each proposal. This approach is totally different from the one that we normally take, and it is a step forward as part of enhancing the competitiveness of the European space sector."
The conversation then moves to explore Jan's thoughts on how ESA continues to ensure that space delivers smart growth, highly qualified jobs and solutions for many current challenges in many areas including climate change, energy, transport and agriculture. Firstly, we find out about the ESA's traditional instrument whereby they are developing satellites where data can be utilised by different users. Jan provides one example of the satellite Aeolus launched in August 2018, that aims to measure wind speed, which he explains to us in more detail.
Image: © ESA/Novespace
"Firstly, if you know about the wind speed on earth, on a global scale you have very important information for climate change and other areas. This is because as we know and expect, the Gulf Stream may be affected by climate change, so to know about wind speed globally is very important. What we are doing with this example of Aeolus, is providing data to the public, as well as scientists.
"Secondly, even with just some basic ideas about what could be done, we are doing this with ESA Business Incubation Centres where we are offering companies the chance to create their own business. We give the support with regard to some minor funding, but more importantly access to our technologies, experts and to the net of Business Incubation Centres in Europe. "So, there is a network now: so, let's say that new entrepreneurs in the UK, for example, can have direct access through this net to ESA knowledge and be linked to other ESA Business Incubation Centres and companies. These strengthen the competitiveness of individual companies and therefore, space can deliver all of this,
data and through ESA, it can develop companies and highly qualified jobs, of course.
"We cannot solve challenges, but we can tackle them, and we can give information about what can be done which means not only observing the global challenges such as climate change but providing some instruments to overcome issues of the past. For instance, solar cells were developed by space activities because there was a need to have energy in spacecraft. A future generation of solar cells are needed right now, for example for the mission to Mercury, high-efficient solar cells were developed, so all of these are spin-offs from the ground. So, we have the direct use of data but also the indirect use of technology."
Jan proceeds to provide an additional example that concerns a camera on board a spacecraft to take photos of this tiny comet. The comet is dark, so the camera can distinguish between different shades of grey and this technology can be used on earth for early forest fires detection. So, the satellite images can be used by the fire brigade to help assist with early forest fire detection, fire propagation and details of the wind speed to find out where the fire will move to. These consist of what ESA calls Big Data, and Jan adds that a company in East Germany can develop a whole business based on the development of this exciting development in camera technology.
Staying on this note of positivity, Jan keenly details the extent to which ESA has been instrumental in the development of a globally successful European space sector. To illustrate this, Jan provides an important yet non-technical example. When it comes to a space mission, most people are fascinated with this he explains, such as landing on a comet, flying to the planet Mercury or landing on Titan. "Space missions are fascinating. Fascination is something which happens in our brain which is already a positive move in the difficult times we live in. If you go to the next step and think about why you are fascinated, then many people understand that somebody had an idea or a dream and succeeded in realising it through this mission – this I call inspiration. The second step is that it does not happen in all brains, unfortunately, but it does in many.
"The last step is to say by what he or she has been doing and okay, I can do the same and have a dream, as Martin Luther King did. I can have a dream, thinkabout something and realise it, whether that is in space or other areas – it does not matter. This is changing the whole of society in a positive sense in that we all need dreams and we have to develop something for our globe which I call motivation businesses and individuals. "This idea goes far beyond space into every field and I am personally a part of this chain because when I started out as a civil engineer, I was inspired, fascinated and motivated by the space activities of the 1960s.
While I am not a space expert, I did something in a different field to create new material to build something that was good for society so that is my personal driver." Finally, Jan adds that all ESA programmes have direct and intensive industry support to make them ready to take an idea to market, so the intention here is to encourage public-private partnerships.
"What I would like to say is that in all of our programmes, we are trying to have really intensive and direct industry support to make them ready for the market, not to just do something for us. Therefore, we are trying to have Public-Private Partnerships in all our
programmes. In communication satellites, more than 50% of the money is coming from industry and we are doing it now in exploration.
"On exploration, we are offering industry the chance to go to the International Space Station and do their own microgravity research, but they have to pay for that. This, however, helps the company develop, for example, to do new medicine or 3D cancer tests. Cancer in microgravity is developing differently because of the 3D effect and therefore, you can check medicine in 3D much better.
"We are saying that there should be some kind of financial investment of industry in exploration and we are doing this in earth observation where we have a Public-Private Partnership to really stimulate industry to get money from earth observation. So, we now have specific components to inspire industry to work in space – that is for those already working in the field as well as for the non-space sector.
"3D printing is an area that was not invented in or for space, but now we are trying to put this in space in terms of the companies who are strong in Additive Manufacturing (AM)."
Jan Wörner
The European Space Agency (ESA)
www.esa.int/ESA
www.twitter.com/esa
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Time for some more random reviews, based on stuff I've bought recently.
Back in August I bought an iPad. I'll post a proper review at some point, but in brief I'm quite happy with it - it's pretty good for reading books and comics. However, it's not very convenient for listening to podcasts: I wound up carrying it in my Brompton bag with the headphone cable coming out, so I felt a bit like a courier handcuffed to a briefcase. So, a couple of weeks later I bought an iPod. Two Apple devices within a month? I fear there is no hope for me now; go, leave me, save yourselves!
I mentioned podcasts in Feb 2010, specifically House to Astonish (comics reviews). I enjoyed listening to it, but I found that I'd wound up with a big backlog (similar to my piles of unread magazines). If I'm sitting at my computer, I may have music on in the background while I'm doing other things, but a podcast really needs my full attention. So, it makes sense to use my "dead time" for this, e.g. when I'm on the train during my daily commute.
There are various brands of mp3 players, and I do already have one that came free with a gym membership. However, that one wouldn't handle certain tracks, and I've never tried it with podcasts, so I've never really used it much. Looking at the Apple iPod range, they have four models: classic, touch, nano, and shuffle. The shuffle is the smallest and cheapest model (£40), and I don't need the extra features of the fancier models, so that's what I went for.
It was pretty simple to set this up: there's a USB adapter that plugs into the iPod's headphone socket. iTunes immediately recognised it, so I could then synch it. As I recall, by default it will try to synch music and podcasts, but I've unchecked the "Sync Music" box. I don't have enough room for all my music on the iPod (10 GB on my hard drive vs 2 GB on the iPod), and in fact I didn't originally have room for all the podcasts so I had to manually select the ones I wanted. I've now cleared enough of the backlog that I can tell it to synch all unplayed podcasts, and it's quite clever about that: whenever I connect the iPod to my computer, it will delete any that I've listened to completely, but it keeps them if I've only listened to part of them (e.g. the start).
The iPod has a slider control with three settings: off, "play sequentially", and "shuffle mode". I keep mine in sequential mode, but this brings up the only problem I have: it puts podcasts in reverse chronological order by default, i.e. the most recent broadcast will come first. I could skip one track back to get the oldest podcast (at the end of the list), but when it finished it would loop around to the start of the list to play the newest, so I'd have to skip back twice to get the second oldest, etc. I did some digging online, and found the solution at MacRumors: in iTunes, I checked the "Manually manage music" box, then I sorted the podcasts by release date. It remembers the "Manually manage music" setting, but each time I plug in the iPod it resets the order, so I have to go back and reorder the list. That's a nuisance, but I can live with it.
Because the device is so small, they've "overloaded" the controls, i.e. the same button can do different things. That can make it a bit fiddly to use. It came with a small instruction leaflet in the box, but I had to download the full manual to use it properly. For instance, there are buttons to skip track forward/back, and these also act as fast-forward/rewind if you hold them down for a few seconds before you release. That's useful if I get interrupted and miss a bit, since I don't want to start an hour long podcast from the beginning again. Similarly, there's a VoiceOver button you can press to identify the current track (e.g. "Episode 85"). According to the manual, you can press this twice to hear the battery status, but that just stopped the voiceover when I tried it. The solution is to press the button very quickly, a bit like double-clicking a mouse button.
The iPod says "Battery low" when appropriate, talking over the top of whatever else is playing. The initial battery charge lasted me for exactly 10 episodes (#57-66); it gave the first "low battery" warning just as the 10th podcast was finishing. The total time for those 10 is 12.4 hours, so that's reasonable. (The website says "Up to 15 hours audio playback".) The next full charge lasted me for another 10 episodes (#67-76), so it's consistent; this was 13.2 hours. After the "Battery low" warning, I was still able to finish the episode in progress; maybe another five minutes? I haven't tried draining the battery completely, but that may not be wise anyway, based on the little I know about "depth of discharge".
The website says that it will take three hours to recharge fully, with 80% charge after two hours. That sounds about right, based on my experience. I can recharge it through the USB cable (while I synch it with my computer) or I can connect the USB cable to the wall plug that came with my iPad; this doesn't seem to make any difference to the charging time. By contrast, it's much quicker to charge the iPad from a wall socket because it just gets a "trickle charge" from a computer. When I've finished, I use the "Eject" button inside iTunes, then I can safely unplug the cable without corrupting files.
Speaking of USB, the cable that comes with the iPod is about 7cm long. That works ok for me at the moment, since I have a USB extension cable for my IrDA adapter, but I wouldn't want to dangle the iPod from a USB socket. As an alternative, Apple sell a longer version of their cable (1 metre). The same problem applies if I use the power adapter that came with my iPad, unless I can position something else next to the power socket to rest the iPod on.
The back of the iPod is hinged, so that you can clip it onto a belt. However, I've found that it's a bit fiddly to squeeze the hinge without accidentally pressing any of the buttons on the front. So, it may be best to turn it off first, then clip it on, then turn it back on; the trade-off is that you then have to fiddle with the on/off slider when it's less accessible. When I turn on the iPod, it will automatically start playing if I'd left it in the middle of a track. However, it rewinds a few seconds first to give a brief recap, which is a nice touch.
Edit: If you hold down the play/pause button for a few seconds, that locks the controls, then you can squeeze the hinge without worrying about pressing buttons. Do the same thing to unlock the controls.
One day I was walking along and snagged the headphone cable on something, so the cable got yanked out of the iPod when it went taut. When I plugged it back in, I expected to have to rewind, but it had automatically paused (knowing that I couldn't hear anything). That's quite clever, so well done to Apple on implementing that feature.
I mentioned Transformers recently, and I started reading the new series after I heard about it in the podcast. (My podcast backlog is why I was "late" with the comics.) I've mentioned the relevant part of the episode (starting at 50m43s), but I had to use my computer to identify that. This iPod model doesn't have a display, so I can't see how far I am through a particular track. For a song, that doesn't matter, but for a podcast episode it might be nice to know how much time is remaining. For an audiobook, I'd like the equivalent of "flip ahead to see whether I can finish this chapter before I go to bed".
Speaking of audiobooks, I have mixed feelings on them. I have a couple of Star Trek books on CD ("Imzadi" and "Q in Law"), but in both cases I already had the paper book so I just bought them because I'd heard that the actors did a particularly good job. These came in quite handy after I had laser surgery on my eyes, since I could listen to them with my eyes closed. However, I don't really see the point in buying new books that way; it's cheaper and quicker for me to read them, e.g. as ebooks. Big Finish are a special case, since they do "original" audiobooks without a corresponding prose version, using the original TV cast. I may give their Stargate stories a try (the continuing adventures of Dr Zelenka and Walter the chevron guy), but I think I'll skip their Dr Who stuff (it looks a bit too continuity heavy for me).
Anyway, I'm happy with the iPod: it does what I want it to do, and I'm actually using it on a semi-regular basis. I've now caught up on 25 episodes from House to Astonish, so that leaves me with 12 to go (I'm about 6 months behind).
At about the same time I bought the iPod I needed new headphones. I've been using t.bone HD 880 for a while, but they developed problems where the sound was intermittently cutting out; on closer inspection, I saw that the wiring was loose where the cable joined the headphones.
The iPod came with its own headphones: these are the "ear bud" design, which go inside your ears. However, I'm not keen on them. When I was in Durham, I went along for a hearing test; it was free, and I thought it would be a nice ego boost to be told that I had perfect hearing. However, it turned out that I wasn't hearing as much as I should. I don't think I did any permanent damage, so hopefully I'm ok now, but the ear doctor (?) strongly advised me not to poke headphones into my ears. During the tests, I used padded headphones that fitted over my ears to block out background noise, and he said that he used the same design at home. So, that's what I've done since then. This means that I can keep the volume on a lower setting, which is better for my hearing and hopefully means that I'm not annoying other people by "leaking" music.
When I was at school, I wondered whether I could just play a blank cassette to block out the background noise of other boys in the dormitory without actually needing to hear my own music. Unfortunately, that doesn't work: I'd just get the hissing noise of the tape, and the headphones would simply be acting as earplugs. However, there are noise cancelling headphones which do achieve that goal.
In particular, I heard good things about the Bose Quiet Comfort 15 headphones. A quick glance at that page will tell you the biggest drawback: they cost £300! Amazon sell them for £250, but it's still a lot of money, considering that my old headphones cost under £25.
Fortunately, I'm now in a position where I can afford this, so I bought them. They need a AAA battery, and then there's a slider button to turn them on; this is much like wireless headphones, although these use a cable. As soon as I turned them on, I was very impressed: all the background noise in my flat went away. It's quite similar to what happens during a power cut: I don't really notice the background hum of appliances, fans, etc. until they stop.
How effective the headphones are depends on what the background noise is like. Generally, they do well with a constant noise but not so well with a variable noise. For instance, they're good at dealing with motorbike engines on the road outside. If I use a shredder, I can still hear that shredder quietly in the background (i.e. it's not completely cancelled out) but I don't need to crank up the volume to hear the iPod. It works pretty well on overground trains, and I can use the same volume level that I do at home; it's not quite so good on underground trains, particularly when I go through tunnels. The headphones don't cancel out speech at all, so (unfortunately) I still hear announcements at stations: "The next train at platform 13 will be ..." If I walk around, my footsteps cause some problems, but I think that's the vibration rather than the noise. In particular, when my heels hit the ground, I think that sends some kind of shockwave up my spine until it reaches the headphones. That's not really a problem if I'm pootling around the flat, just if I'm striding along outdoors.
The headphones come with two cables: one of them is specifically designed for Apple products and the other cable is for everything else. (There's also a separate aircraft adapter, but I haven't used that yet.) The Apple cable has a volume control about 8cm from the top of the cable, so I can use that as an alternative to the volume buttons on the iPod. I think that would mainly be useful if the iPod was inaccessible. For instance, the Brompton Oratory jacket includes "a zip-up valuables pocket with headphone port and cable loops". So, if you were wearing a jacket like that with the iPod zipped away out of sight, the control on the headphones would be easier to use. However, I can't see that control so I have to operate it by touch. I think the main benefit of these cables is that they can be replaced independently from the headphones; this would be useful if the wiring comes loose, like my old headphones.
The website says that the battery will last for 35 hours. That sounds about right, based on my experience, and it's roughly equivalent to three iPod charges. There isn't a low battery warning, or any way to check the current battery status, so you only know that the battery is running low when the sound starts cutting in and out. Be aware that when the battery runs out you can't hear anything at all; the headphones don't revert to "normal" mode (no noise cancellation).
The headphones are adjustable, which is useful if (like me) you have a big noggin. They also come with a hard case to carry them around in, which is quite useful: given how much they cost, I don't want to just chuck them in a bag. The ear/speaker bits pivot around to fit into a flat case, which is a good design. However, the headband bit needs to be pushed all the way in before they'll fit into the case. So, that means that I have to re-extend the headphones every time I take them out of the case, which is a minor irritation. The hard case includes a small zipped mesh bag, and I use that to store a spare AAA battery. I can also fit the iPod into there, but I normally leave it connected to the cable, i.e. coiled up in the middle of the case.
All in all, I'm happy with these. I know that the price will be a deal-breaker for lots of people, and I'd certainly advise you to try them out first if possible; if you see me in person, you're welcome to give mine a go. Still, if you can afford it, these are good quality.
I've had a radio alarm clock for a few years, but it's recently been showing its age. The dials on the side (volume/tuning) were pretty fiddly to use, so it was difficult to make small adjustments, and I'd get static if I put my arm in the wrong place. This was an analogue unit, and I know that there are vague plans for a digital switchover, so I decided it was time to replace it, and I now have a Pure Twilight.
Right from the start, I was impressed: the display showed all the relevant information without configuration. For instance, it got the date and time from the radio signal, and I didn't have to change that when the clocks went back. Similarly, when I put it on the appropriate channel (Magic FM) it displayed the station name, and it often shows the details of the current song that's playing. These probably aren't new features, but they're new to me.
This clock has a light dome thing on top, and I've configured this to gradually get brighter for 30 minutes before the music comes on in the morning. In theory, this should be the equivalent of sunlight waking me up, so it won't be quite so jarring when the noise starts. In practice, I'm not sure how effective that is. However, it does also provide enough light for me to read in bed, so I haven't used my bedside lamp since I bought this. That in turn means that I can free up some space (and a power socket) by ditching the lamp.
The lamp controls take a bit of practice, because it's all done by resting your hand on top. (The surface doesn't get hot, unlike a normal light bulb!) You can adjust the brightness, and it alternates between increasing/decreasing: if you go too high, take your hand off, then put it back to go down a bit. However, you also put your hand on top to turn the light on and off. So, I kept doing the wrong thing at first. It's tricky to describe what the correct technique is, but I'd say it really comes down to confidence: if I put my whole hand on top (curved hand to match the curved surface) for about a second then that triggers it on and off. If I'm a bit more hesitant and keep my hand there for longer, it adjusts the brightness. This "light pressing" technique" also triggers the snooze alarm, so if I want to stay in bed I have to press once for snooze then a second time to turn off the light.
There are several different colours of light available, but I've stuck with basic white. However, one of the mood lighting options is amusing: you can have rotating colours, for a disco effect!
There are four alarms, each with their own schedule. This is quite useful, because I don't have to keep swapping it around. I have one for Mon-Fri (07:00), another for Sat-Sun (09:00), and a third that I use if I have to be up early. I'll then set the regular alarm for that day to "Skip once", set the third alarm to "Once only" and I only have to change the time on that third alarm. The first two alarms will then continue on their regular schedule the following day. I haven't bothered with the fourth alarm setting yet, but it may come in useful at some point.
There are options for plugging in other devices, e.g. so that it can play music from an iPod instead of the radio. I can see the benefit of that: if I hear adverts (or the really annoying "guess who's speaking" quiz) then I'm more likely to hit snooze. An 80s power ballad would really hit the spot there. However, it's not really practical for me at the moment while my iPod is full of podcasts.
As with the headphones, the main downside here is cost. If you go direct to Pure, they charge £140, but it's a bit cheaper from other retailers. I got it for £80 from Amazon; I feel a bit guilty about shopping there, based on their tax avoidance, but it's quite tempting when they're so much cheaper. Anyway, I'm happy with it. This is definitely better than the unit it replaced, and I use it every day. If I keep it for 4 years then that averages out at 5p/day, and hopefully it will last me longer than that.