text:
What Facebook Can Learn From the Tylenol Murders (Podcast)
By Tim Molloy | April 4, 2018 @ 6:29 PM
Johnson & Johnson's handling of an atrocity was a master class in crisis PR
Wakanda Over Everything: How the Fictional Country of 'Black Panther' Might Exist in Real Life (Bonus Podcast)
By Tim Molloy | March 29, 2018 @ 5:20 PM
Let's talk about ethnostates
Cheat on Your Spouse at My House, Says Strange Man on Craigslist (Podcast)
By Tim Molloy | February 11, 2018 @ 9:00 AM
Our latest "Shoot This Now" podcast talks about a not-at-all-creepy invitation
Page 16 of 16 « First ‹ Previous 12 13 14 15 16


Ready to order? Learn more about the prices for a folk high school stay.
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What happens when one of your friends hasn't tasted the best Miami has to offer? You create a crawl across town to find out who the best is!
This is exactly what happened when Olga said she had never had the "croquetas" from Islas Canarias, a local establishment known for these delicacies. I mentioned to one of my friends, Amarys, what Olga said and needless to say within minutes the event was created. A Croqueta Crawl across town to find the best one.
Great times with great friends in paradise! Life just keeps getting better!


text:
Novichok: The Chemical Weapon Russia Used to Kill Its Enemies
Sandboxx News
Russian President Putin.
Novichok: One truly horrible way to die – A few years back, German government officials announced that it appears Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny was poisoned by a Soviet-era chemical nerve agent called Novichok.
Navalny, who leads a group of Russians who oppose the rule of long-serving president Vladimir Putin, appears to be just the latest in a slew of clandestine assassinations and attempted assassinations against Putin's critics. In fact, this poisoning bears a strong resemblance to the 2018 attempted assassination of a former Russian military intelligence officer turned MI6 informant, Sergei Skripal.
While Russian officials have already scoffed at the idea that their government would participate in such a poisoning, their claims are dulled by the very nerve agent itself: Novichok was developed by the Soviet Union specifically for use as a weapon. In fact, the Soviet scientist responsible for its creation has spoken out about the nerve agent's brutality on record, likening his own creation to that of Frankenstein's monster.
"It's real torture, it's impossible to imagine. Even in low doses the pain can go on for weeks. You cannot imagine the horror, it's so bad." Vil Mirzayanov, who worked to develop Novichok, explained.
The attempted assassination of Sergei Skripal
The last time Novichok made international headlines was in 2018, when a former Russian officer, Sergei Skripal, and his daughter were poisoned by alleged Russian operatives in Salisbury, England. Both survived, though both Skripal and his daughter spent weeks in critical condition before making their recoveries. A police officer who arrived at the scene shortly after was also hospitalized and had to be placed in intensive care. He too made a full recovery.
Later that same month, two more British nationals were hospitalized after exposure to the very same nerve agent. A man, who apparently found the discarded perfume bottle holding the nerve agent that was used to poison Skripal, gifted it to a woman. She sprayed her wrist with the Novichok she believed to be perfume and promptly took ill, dying within weeks. The man who had given it to her ultimately survived, though again, after weeks of intensive care.
Russian military officers Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, as well as Russian GRU Colonel Anatoliy Chepiga, were later implicated in the attack after an ensuing investigation. The Russian government denied the allegations, even going so far as to accuse the British government of framing them, but the international community disagreed. A series of overlapping investigations all seemed to point directly at Russia, and as a result, a nearly unprecedented 153 Russian diplomats were expelled from nations all around the world.
What is Novichok and where is it made?
Prior to the fall of the Soviet Union, Vil Mirzayanov was a part of the team responsible for the development of a new nerve agent weapon — what was to become Novichok. The requirements for the new weapon were three-fold. It needed to be able to circumvent the language present in existing chemical weapons treaties by utilizing only chemicals that had not been banned. The second requirement was that it needed to be undetectable using current technology. Finally and most egregiously, it needed to be able to kill NATO troops even while they wore standard issue chemical protective gear.
Mirzayanov, however, had reservations about creating such a monstrous weapon, and his concerns only grew when he came to find that trace elements of Novichok were present in air samples all around and near the facility he was working in. Prompted by fear that Soviet citizens may be exposed to this deadly agent, Mirzayanov went public about the program, and was charged with treason by the Soviet government as a result. He escaped, finding exile in the United States, but his creation, Novichok, would live on in Soviet warehouses for decades to come.
According to publicly available U.S. intelligence, the Soviet Union is the only nation on the planet to have developed the unique chemical makeup of Novichok into such a nerve agent, and the only place any of this poison can now be found is the stockpiles created by the Soviet Union; now controlled by the Russian Government.
When compared to VX, a nerve agent that was used in the assassination of North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un's half brother in Malaysia in 2017, Novichok is considered to be anywhere from just as lethal, to up to five to ten times more deadly, depending on the manner of dispersal.
How is Novichok used?
In order to make the nerve agent safe to transport and use, a series of Novichok iterations were invented, but all used the same basic method of transport and delivery. Novichok was developed as a binary compound that would be carried in separate containers. Each container and the chemicals within in could be safely transported and would be extremely difficult to detect using traditional methods, but when combined, the nerve agent would become active and extremely deadly.
Because Novichok has no color, taste, or odor, it could be transported through airport security without arousing any suspicion. Once exposed to Novichok, there is no "cure;" only lengthy and difficult treatment.
"Treatment involves supporting breathing and delivering pharmaceuticals that on the one hand moderate the behavior of the nervous system and that can reverse the action of the agent," Andrea Sella, professor of chemistry at University College London, said. She describes Novichok's effect on the body as "systemic collapse of many bodily functions.""It is likely that there will be long-term neurological problems for a person who has been exposed to these agents."
Russia's history of political assassinations
In one form or another, Russia has been under the control of former KGB officer Vladimir Putin since 1999, following a rapid rise to power (and accusations of master-minding a series of bombings that prompted the nation to give him that power). During that time, assassinations have become the norm for Russia's GRU, formally known as the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, and probably most comparable to America's CIA.
One of the first things Putin did upon his rise to power was nationalize Russia's media, giving the government full control of what information is disseminated to the public. This media control plays a significant part in Russia's narrative and perception management campaigns both at home and abroad, prompting the United States to label popular international news outlets like RT as "agents of the Russian government."
Since his rise to power, Putin, or those under his command, have been implicated in a number of assassinations and attempts beyond Sergei Skripal and Alexey Navalny. Alexander Litvinenko, Anna Politkovskaya, Boris Nemtsov, Sergei Magnitsky, Natalia Estemirova, Sergei Yushenkov, Paul Klebnikov, Stanislav Markelov and Anastasia Baburova, just to name a few, have all turned up dead or gone missing after speaking out publicly against Putin.
Many of these assassinations are intended not only as retribution for what Putin considers betrayal, they are also meant to serve as a lesson to any who might follow suit. It's this lesson that prompts Russian agents to utilize highly specialized poisons like Novichok — It serves as a clear message that those who oppose Putin will be killed in a brutal fashion. Alexander Litvinenko, listed above, was also poisoned, as one example, with a radioactive element called polonium-210, available primarily to the Russian FSB (the successor to the KGB).
In 2018, Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko was reported dead by Ukrainian authorities, only to surface very much alive days later. According to Babchenko and officials from Ukraine, the faked death was a part of an operation aimed at preventing a real assassination attempt over Babchenko's coverage of human rights violations within the Russian government.
Alex Hollings is a writer, dad, and Marine veteran who specializes in foreign policy and defense technology analysis. He holds a master's degree in Communications from Southern New Hampshire University, as well as a bachelor's degree in Corporate and Organizational Communications from Framingham State University. This first appeared in Sandboxx News.
In this article:Alexey Navalny, NotHome, Novichok, Putin, Russia, Sergei Skripal, Vladimir Putin
Written By Sandboxx News
Sandboxx News is a digital and print military media outlet focused on the lives, experiences, and challenges facing today's service members and America's defense apparatus. Built on the simple premise that service members and their supporters need a reliable news outlet free of partisan politics and sensationalism, Sandboxx News delivers stories from around the world and insights into the U.S. Military's past, present, and future– delivered through the lens of real veterans, service members, military spouses, and professional journalists.
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Meet the Seawolf-Class: The U.S. Navy's Powerhouse Submarine
Donald Trump vs. Joe Biden in 2024 Could Be a Disaster

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
/*
 * To change this template, choose Tools | Templates
 * and open the template in the editor.
 */
package com.turn.ttorrent.client;

import com.turn.ttorrent.tracker.simple.SimpleTracker;
import com.turn.ttorrent.client.peer.PeerExistenceListener;
import com.turn.ttorrent.tracker.client.TorrentMetadataProvider;
import com.turn.ttorrent.protocol.torrent.Torrent;
import com.turn.ttorrent.protocol.torrent.TorrentCreator;
import com.turn.ttorrent.test.TestPeerExistenceListener;
import com.turn.ttorrent.tracker.client.test.TestTorrentMetadataProvider;
import com.turn.ttorrent.protocol.test.TorrentTestUtils;
import com.turn.ttorrent.protocol.tracker.TrackerMessage;
import com.turn.ttorrent.tracker.TrackedTorrent;
import java.io.File;
import java.net.InetSocketAddress;
import java.net.SocketAddress;
import java.net.URI;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Arrays;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.Map;
import java.util.concurrent.CountDownLatch;
import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger;
import org.junit.Ignore;
import org.junit.Test;
import org.slf4j.Logger;
import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
import static org.junit.Assert.*;

/**
 *
 * @author shevek
 */
public class TrackerHandlerTest {

    private static final Logger LOG = LoggerFactory.getLogger(TrackerHandlerTest.class);

    @Test
    public void testTracking() throws Exception {
        SimpleTracker tracker = new SimpleTracker(new InetSocketAddress("localhost", 5674));
        tracker.start();

        try {
            File dir = TorrentTestUtils.newTorrentDir("c_seed");
            TorrentCreator creator = TorrentTestUtils.newTorrentCreator(dir, 12345678);
            List<URI> tier1 = new ArrayList<URI>(tracker.getAnnounceUris());
            List<URI> tier0 = Arrays.asList(URI.create("http://localhost:100/"), URI.create("http://1.1.1.1:101/"));
            creator.setAnnounceTiers(Arrays.asList(tier0, tier1));
            Torrent torrent = creator.create();

            TrackedTorrent trackedTorrent = tracker.addTorrent(torrent);
            trackedTorrent.setAnnounceInterval(1, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);

            Client client = new Client(getClass().getSimpleName());
            client.start();

            try {
                final CountDownLatch latch = new CountDownLatch(2);
                TorrentMetadataProvider torrentMetadataProvider = new TestTorrentMetadataProvider(torrent.getInfoHash(), torrent.getAnnounceList());
                PeerExistenceListener existenceListener = new TestPeerExistenceListener() {
                    @Override
                    public void addPeers(Map<? extends SocketAddress, ? extends byte[]> peers, String reason) {
                        super.addPeers(peers, reason);
                        latch.countDown();
                    }
                };
                final AtomicInteger moveCount = new AtomicInteger(0);
                TrackerHandler trackerHandler = new TrackerHandler(client, torrentMetadataProvider, existenceListener) {
                    @Override
                    boolean moveToNextTracker(TrackerHandler.TrackerState curr, String reason) {
                        moveCount.getAndIncrement();
                        return super.moveToNextTracker(curr, reason);
                    }
                };
                LOG.info("TrackerHandler is " + trackerHandler);
                trackerHandler.start();

                latch.await(30, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
                assertEquals(0, latch.getCount());
                assertEquals(2, moveCount.get());

                trackerHandler.stop();
            } finally {
                client.stop();
            }
        } finally {
            tracker.stop();
        }
    }

    @Test
    public void testFailover() throws Exception {
        Client client = new Client(getClass().getSimpleName());
        client.start();

        try {
            byte[] infoHash = new byte[]{1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8};
            URI uri0 = new URI("http://localhost:100/announce");  // Deliberately invalid.
            URI uri1 = new URI("http://localhost:101/announce");  // Deliberately invalid.
            List<URI> uris = Arrays.asList(uri0, uri1);
            TestTorrentMetadataProvider metadataProvider = new TestTorrentMetadataProvider(infoHash, Arrays.asList(uris));
            PeerExistenceListener existenceListener = new TestPeerExistenceListener();
            TrackerHandler trackerHandler = new TrackerHandler(client, metadataProvider, existenceListener) {
                @Override
                /* pp */ TrackerHandler.TrackerState run_once(TrackerMessage.AnnounceEvent event) {
                    LOG.info("Running TrackerHandler: " + event);
                    return null;
                }

                @Override
                public void run() {
                    LOG.info("Running TrackerHandler.");
                }
            };
            LOG.info("TrackerHandler is " + trackerHandler);
            trackerHandler.start();

            Thread.sleep(1000);

            try {

                assertEquals("uri0: Initial", uri0, trackerHandler.getCurrentTracker().getUri());
                trackerHandler.handleAnnounceFailed(uri1, TrackerMessage.AnnounceEvent.NONE, "no-change fail");
                assertEquals("uri0: Announce-fail on not-used uri1", uri0, trackerHandler.getCurrentTracker().getUri());

                trackerHandler.handleAnnounceFailed(uri0, TrackerMessage.AnnounceEvent.NONE, "change fail");
                assertEquals("uri1: Announced fail on current uri0", uri1, trackerHandler.getCurrentTracker().getUri());
                trackerHandler.handleAnnounceFailed(uri0, TrackerMessage.AnnounceEvent.NONE, "no-change fail");
                assertEquals("uri1: Announced second fail on non-current uri0", uri1, trackerHandler.getCurrentTracker().getUri());

                trackerHandler.handleAnnounceFailed(uri1, TrackerMessage.AnnounceEvent.NONE, "change fail");
                assertEquals("uri0: Now we fail uri1", uri0, trackerHandler.getCurrentTracker().getUri());
                trackerHandler.handleAnnounceFailed(uri1, TrackerMessage.AnnounceEvent.NONE, "no-change fail");
                assertEquals("uri0: Now we fail uri1 again, but we aren't using it.", uri0, trackerHandler.getCurrentTracker().getUri());

                LOG.info("Done.");
            } finally {
                trackerHandler.stop();
            }

        } finally {
            client.stop();
        }

    }

    @Ignore("Not yet implemented.")
    @Test
    public void testMultipleTrackers() {
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Quick Fiction by Nick Fisherman
Daily short fiction from Nick Fisherman (a.k.a. Tavis Highfill)
Sundays (macrofiction)
The Advancement of Mateo Matic
A team of time jumpers continue their mission of helping people from another reality improve themselves, and transition to better lives.
2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
Weekdays (microfiction)
Cloze Tests
This is the table of contents for a highly experimental microfiction series called Cloze Tests, which arbitrarily removes words from quick stories.
Saturdays (mezzofiction)
Exemption Act
A new team forms consisting of people from different universes. They must learn to work together to defeat an enemy that threatens all of existence.
Multiseries
Saga & Vearden
Seeing is Becoming
Second Stage of Something Started
Voyage to Saga
Source Variant
Springfield Nine
Durus Chronicles
The Puzzle of Escher Bradley
The Disappearance of Rothko Ladhiffe
The Mystery of Springfield, Kansas
The Departure of Hokusai Gimura
The Burning of Effigy
Sky is a Neighborhood
Proxima Doma
Bungula
Dardius
Varkas Reflex
Thālith al Naʽāmāt Bida
Glisnia
Extremus
Single Series
Reavers Wobble
Rogue Possession
Missy's Mission
Brooke's Battles
Laymen's Terms
Salmonverse Profiles
The Pryce of Heaven
Darning WarsNew!
Recursiverse
Bellevue Profiles
Taikon
Consociation Credos
General Stories
Stepwisdom
Providentials
Revised Fables
My name is Nick Fisherman III. It's not my real name, but that's not because I'm trying to hide from my former agency, or something. I named myself after someone I've known for most of my life, and he chose it in honor of his late best friend. I took up writing when I found myself failing 8th grade science, and realized I might never reach my dream of becoming a biochemist, a meteorologist, and a quantum physicist. I started developing my canon after a scouting trip to an island inspired what I thought would be my first novel. I founded this website upon the advice of many people, who told me I needed to get my work out there, and not wait for an agent to accept my manuscript. You can expect one new story every day. Weekdays are for microstories, which are one or two paragraphs long. They're usually only thematically linked, so you won't have to read one to understand another, but they do sometimes tell a combined story. Sundays are for my continuous longer story, The Advancement of Mateo Matic, which I started in the beginning, and won't end until 2066. Saturdays are for long series, most of which take place in the same universe as Mateo, and add to the larger mythology.
The Advancement of Leona Matic: August 19, 2165
« < » > Table of Contents
Leona was standing in front of the water filtration system, massaging her chin, puzzled look on her face. "This is just a standard three-stage water filtration system."
"Okay..." Paige said simply.
"But it's in a ship. In space."
"Is that bad?"
"Who designed this thing?"
Paige tapped on her tablet. "A man named—"
"It doesn't matter," Leona interrupted. "I'm starting to see there was a reason nobody used his design. It's completely bonkers. It was built exactly to his specifications?"
"Except of the atterberry pods, yeah."
"He was an idiot. You need a reverse osmosis filtration system when you're operating this exposed to cosmic radiation, at least. You'll probably want a DI filter too. Frankly, I'm surprised you lasted this long before hitting an incident that tainted the entire system."
"Is there anything we can do?"
I guess I can build a RO filter myself."
"You gonna be able to do that in a day?"
Leona looked over the the filter again. "I have a lot of the components I need already. I'll have to finish it in a day. You're suffering diminishing returns from your minimal supply. Count yourself lucky that the only redundancy this bucket has is the water, otherwise you'd be dead by now."
"You can have everything you need, as long as it doesn't require a store run. Just let us know."
"I'll make another list," Leona said before getting on her knees and starting to get a more detailed picture of how this all works.
As it turned out, retrofitting the filtration system with upgrades wasn't nearly as difficult, or time-consuming, as she thought it would be. 3-D printers did their magic much faster in these times than before, so the extra parts were fairly easy to come by. Since there was virtually no communications array on the ship, Leona didn't have access to Earth's network, but they were smart enough to have downloaded a number of useful databases, including one that contained a filter design. It took about a half day to finish this all up, but then realized she had to reprogram the ship to maintain these new parts, should they malfunction while Leona was out of the time stream. When finally the chore was completely finished, she promptly dove into her bed, and fell asleep.
She slept so long, that when she woke up, it was already 2170, and they were just approaching Durus. "How the hell did I sleep that long?" Leona asked.
"We knew you were tired. You fixed everything for us, so we didn't need your help anymore," Paige explained to her. "You certainly deserved it."
That made no sense. "But...five days? I slept," she looked at the clock, "a hundred an eight hours? Straight?"
Paige shrugged. "Like I said, you were tired."
No one else seemed to think it was strange either, not even Serif.
But things were about to get even stranger. They could see Durus appear on the screens, and through the forward viewports. As they approached this celestial body, the ship decelerated accordingly, eventually slow enough to break the atmosphere, and begin to land on the planet. While she was watching this happen, Leona was incapable of saying anything. She tried to reason that the vessel was imbued with some kind of time power, but she had no evidence to support that. As far as she could tell, Brooke simply engaged the ship's brakes, as if it were nothing more than a land vehicle.
"What did you just do?" Leona finally asked as they were landing on the surface.
"We're here," Brooke answered excitedly.
"That's impossible. How did you land the ship?"
"What are you talking about, I just landed it?"
Leona tried to explain the physical limitations of such a maneuver, but Brooke simply shrugged off the problem, attributing their success to the advances of the day. But that didn't work either, because no matter how advanced science progresses, you can't just throw the laws of physics out the window. They shouldn't be here. They shouldn't be here at all.
"Come on," Paige said. "Let's go meet the new Savior of humanity."
"You guys go ahead," Leona said, hopefully doing a decent job of pretending she wasn't scared out of her mind. "I'll be there in a second. I need to run a quick systems check. Don't want the ship blowing up from a fuel leak while it sits here, do we?" She gave Serif a kiss on the cheek, and saw everybody off.
Nerakali was the last to try to step down the ramp, which gave Leona a perfect opportunity to pull her to the side, out of sight of the others. "Watch it, lady!"
"What are you trying to do to me?" Leona demanded to know.
"What are you talking about? I'm not doing anything."
"Wake me up."
"I don't follow."
"Wake me the hell up!"
"Leona, you must still be tired. Tell ya what, I'll go get Brooke. She'll run your little diagnostics, and you can take another nap."
"I'm already asleep, so get me out of here! Now!"
Nerakali sighed, then pulled her out of the virtual world. They were back in Leona's room, in 2165.
"Why did you do that?"
"I was trying to help," Nerakali answered defensively.
"How was that going to help?"
"You've been so stressed lately. You keep showing up in the timeline, and having to fix everyone else's screw-ups. I thought you just needed a win."
"You thought reaching our destination five years too early would be a win for me?"
"It wasn't that much of a stretch. Being asleep for five straight days? I've seen humans do it for longer."
"No, you haven't. It was a weak construct, full of plotholes."
"Look, I don't know how you land a ship on a planet. I assumed you just slow down."
"That takes too much fuel, you have to use atmosphere. If it weren't a rogue planet, we would be able to use a sun, gas giant, or even a moon, but aerocapture is our only option. If it were a real rogue planet, it wouldn't have an atmosphere, and we probably wouldn't be able to land at all."
"Well, I'm sorry I don't know how all this works. When I want to go to another planet, I just snap my fingers."
"I understand," Leona said. "What I don't understand is why you bothered doing this for me. Why would you care?"
"Crew morale is my job. It's my only job. I'm pretty powerless here. The virtual worlds are all I have to offer, so I take it pretty seriously."
"That doesn't explain why you would help me. We hate each other, more than any of the others. I certainly don't need an escape from this place, since I'm not here that much. It's the others who have to worry about pandorum."
"Leona, I am thousands of years old. My approach to blame, grudges, and revenge are completely different than yours. I hold you responsible for my brother's death, yes, but that was also centuries ago for me. So...I'm kind of, like, over it."
"So all it takes is time?"
"Pretty much, yeah."
"Then time is a commodity."
"I suppose."
"With a little more time, all wars would end before they could begin."
"Okay, that's a philosophical argument I'm too old to be having before my cup of coffee."
"It's the middle of the evening. It's something you should be thinking about. You and your siblings were like gods. No, you were gods. You could have saved everybody, just with the gift of time."
She smiled. "Time is not ours to give, nor were we brought up to want to help others with it. The choosers, the powers that be, my family; we all have one thing in common."
"We don't give a shit," she said plainly.
"Do you? Because you seem to be under the impression that you're on your way to pick up someone whose sole purpose in life it is to help people. The powers haven't done you any favors by calling her the Savior, but she's nothing. All she is, is a tool for microsolutions. Nothing we do really makes anything better. Or worse, for that matter."
"That's pretty cynical of you to say."
"You misunderstand. Powers, choosers, salmon; we're pointless. In the grand scheme of things, the only people with any real power to save the humans...are the humans themselves. We didn't design this ship. Even with all its flaws, it is still a testament to human ingenuity. The medical advances, transhumanistic upgrades, asteroid mining, the interstellar pre-colony probes that just launched to the nearest neighboring stars. That's all them. We didn't help make those things happen. Can I give you one piece of advice, Lee-Lee?"
"Only if you never call me that again."
"Fair enough. Whatever your name is, you're a pawn in someone else's game. We all are. Normal humans are the only ones with actual free will. Absolute corruption, and stuff, you know how it goes."
"What's the advice?"
"Stay on Durus when you get there."
"I don't think I have a choice."
"You do. There's a reason the powers that be want you taking a relativistic ship to go get her. There's a reason they sent you, and it's not just because she can't transport across planets, though we believe that part is indeed true."
"What would that reason be? Rather, what do you think it is?"
"They have no power there. That's what truly makes it rogue. If you stay on Durus, they won't be able to get to you. You'll still be on your pattern, but there's a way around that as well."
"Is any of this true?"
"It's all true." A very-much alive Missy had walked into the room. "I've seen it done. That's why I volunteered for this job."
Labels: humans , macrofiction , planet , salmonverse , sleeping , space travel , spaceship , system , technology , time , time travel , virtual reality , water , window , world
Nanofiction
Tweets by @NickFisherman
Tweets by @IHadADreamWhere
Personal Twitter
Tweets by @TavisHighfill
The Advancement of Mateo Matic: Wednesday, July 20, 2135
« < » > Table of Contents The other eight Cassidy cuffs were waiting for Mateo and Leona when they return...
The Advancement of Mateo Matic: Monday, July 19, 2134
« < » > Table of Contents They didn't have time to process the letter Hua managed to get to them before t...
Microstory 1527: Fighting Against an Enemy I Have Always Known
< > Table of Contents I grew up oppressed Amongst an oppressed people In a world of desolation What I have...
Microstory 1536: Talking Animals
< > Table of Contents This was probably the best ________ of my life, and that's saying a ________, because I have had...
Microstory 1525: The Best Luck is Not Luck at all, But Skill and Understanding
< > Table of Contents I have the best luck Except that it's not luck at all I can control reality Rather, ...
Microstory 1530: Cloze Tests Test
< > Table of Contents This is going to be one of the most ________tal microfiction experiments I have ever done. They ...
Exemption Act: Necessary Evil (Part II)
< > Entire Story The new team continued talking, asking questions, and arguing. Freya was used to being conscri...
The Pryce of Heaven: Crisis Averted (Part IV)
< > Entire Story Missy and Tetra are able to watch Téa and the many, many versions of Jupiter Fury rampag...
Microstory 1522: You Have No Idea What It's Like to See What I See
< > Table of Contents You have no idea what it's like to see what I see To know what others have done, to feel t...
Microstory 1534: Found and Lost
< > Table of Contents I can never find anything in this ________ house. I swear, I'm not a ________, I just cannot get...
Read from the beginning; start here:
*2016 Calendar
**2017 Calendar
*Under Construction **Coming soon...
Microstory 788: K-Boy
Microstory 787: Justice Clerk
Microstory 786: Nina
The Advancement of Leona Matic: [Temporal Dimensio...
Void: Defiance (Part VIII)
Microstory 785: Valet
Microstory 784: Mullet
Microstory 783: Joy Girl
Microstory 782: Sax
Microstory 781: Sawbuck
Void: Crusaders (Part VII)
Microstory 780: Fever
Microstory 779: Duck
Microstory 778: Pothook
Microstory 777: Hector
Microstory 776: Neener
Void: The Expanse (Part VI)
Microstory 775: Fat Lady
Microstory 774: Cowboy
Microstory 773: The Curse of Mexico
Microstory 772: Sergeant
Microstory 771: Dewey
Void: Star-Crossed (Part V)
Microstory 770: Crab
Microstory 769: Hen
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In this exhibition presented by GfG, Margit Jäschke shows her body of work where jewellery dialogues with pictorial works. The artist doesn't work exclusively in jewellery but also brings to the field the collage, the drawing and the object of the everyday life. Offering a new context to the pieces, Margit Jäschke tells us stories in a subtle and artistic way.


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Q: How to order specific datetime like values I would like to sort date in decreasing order.
Currently I'm using this approach, but it does not always work.
data.frame(zoo(data order.by=as.POSIXct(data$date)), row.names=NULL)

Column date contains these values:
x <- "2261 2017-04-14 08:42:17.287374
      2262 2017-04-14 08:44:30.683207
      2263 2017-04-14 08:46:43.611042
      2264 2017-04-14 08:48:56.991276
      2265 2017-04-14 11:24:26.808124
      2266 2017-04-14 08:51:09.794308
      2267 2017-04-14 08:54:06.324218
      2268 2017-04-14 08:56:19.610852"

d <- read.table(text=x, header=F)

Please note that the the V1 is the rownames in data.frame and and V2 and V3 is not separated but one column, named date.
So this is closer what I have got:
data <- data.frame(date=paste(d$V1,d$V2, sep=" "))

A: x <- "2261 2017-04-14 08:42:17.287374
      2262 2017-04-14 08:44:30.683207
2263 2017-04-14 08:46:43.611042
2264 2017-04-14 08:48:56.991276
2265 2017-04-14 11:24:26.808124
2266 2017-04-14 08:51:09.794308
2267 2017-04-14 08:54:06.324218
2268 2017-04-14 08:56:19.610852"

d <- read.table(text=x, header=F)

rnames = d$V1

d$Date = paste(d$V2, d$V3)
d$Date = as.POSIXct(d$Date)

rownames(d) = rnames

d = d[order(d$Date, decreasing = TRUE), ]
d = d["Date"]

> d
                    Date
2265 2017-04-14 11:24:26
2268 2017-04-14 08:56:19
2267 2017-04-14 08:54:06
2266 2017-04-14 08:51:09
2264 2017-04-14 08:48:56
2263 2017-04-14 08:46:43
2262 2017-04-14 08:44:30
2261 2017-04-14 08:42:17

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


One of the things I really enjoy doing is heat embossing on vellum. When I took a background class from Taylored Expression last month this is one of the cards we made. We heat embossed on vellum using white embossing powder. Then, we color the flowers and leaves using Copic markers. I love the effect you get. Sometimes I'll just stamp the image on the vellum and once the ink is completely dry, you flip it over and color on the back of the vellum. The advantage to heat embossing your image is that you just color within the lines and don't have to worry about going outside the lines. I think it's a very pretty card. Don't you?
The heat embossing technique I used is from The Flower Challenge. For all the challenge details and to share your project, click the image below.
This is just beautiful. What a fabulous effect. I'm off to buy some vellum!
Thanks, Alison! It is such a fun technique. What I like most about it, is the embossing keeps the colors from running together and messing up the whole design.
Thanks, Ruth! As you said, I too, wonder why I don't color on vellum more often. It gives such a nice effect.


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Good for the Soul
By Nadine Kam
POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Aug 25, 2010
BRUCE ASATO / BASATO@STARADVERTISER.COM
Sean Priester offers a few of his Soul restaurant specialties, clockwise from the bowl of Shrimp and Cheesy Grits in his hands: Jambalaya, Sweet Potato Chips, BBQ Spare Rib Southern Sampler and Chef Sean's Buttermilk Fried Chicken and Southern Spiced Sweet Potato Pancakes.
I think a lot of people were surprised when Sean Priester left his long-standing, lofty perch at The Top of Waikiki to roll out his lunchwagon Soul Patrol.
There was more to it than Southern soul food; Soul Patrol started as a mission to help nurture and feed hungry and homeless souls in Waianae a few days a week, and soon afterward, took on a life of its own.
Once lunch crowds got a taste of his honey-topped cornbread, fried chicken and jambalaya, there came requests for him to put down some permanent roots, and the lunchwagon proved to be just a pit stop en route to finding a home at the base of Waialae and St. Louis Heights.
These days, the Soul Patrol truck still makes the occasional guest appearance at community events (for locations, follow @pacificsoul on Twitter.com), but with two babies on his hands, Soul restaurant, and a newborn daughter, Priester has a lot to juggle.
Even so, those who see him at the restaurant will find him to be ever warm and gracious, and ready to talk about food.
The restaurant occupies humble quarters, with a couple of tables outside if you don't mind next-door shave-ice seekers hovering over you. Don't get too comfy when you're seated because you'll have to stand up again when placing your order at the outdoor counter. It will take time to make your decision, though. How do you choose from such soulful favorites as buttermilk-fried chicken and chili ($12) and crabcake po' boys ($14)?
That's not to say it's strictly Louisiana style, which has its limitations. Priester has been in the islands too long for that, and injects his recipes with what he calls "aloha and spice." So, you may find a dice of daikon in his Sassy Southern Vegetarian Chili ($12), probably unlike any other chili you've had, made with black-eyed peas and only a modicum of spice. (It's good for vegetarians, but typical chili fans might look elsewhere.) Or, order the gumbo, accented with sweet potato and slices of spicy Kukui Portuguese sausage ($14).
Ordering jambalaya always gives me pause. The name is more exotic than what the rice dish delivers, even when in New Orleans. I typically end up disappointed. Not here, however. Soul's flavorful jambalaya ($20), or Creole paella, is generous with its layer of shrimp atop rice shot through with tomatoes, onions, bell peppers and seasonings, plus chunks of chicken and sausage.
This turned out to be my favorite dish ... on this particular day, anyway. On another day, it might be Priester's fried chicken, plain and simple, served with buttermilk cilantro cole slaw, cornbread and Ma'o Farms collard greens.
Oh, wait. Then there's the irresistible combination of mac-and-feta cheese with cornbread au gratin ($7/$11 with crab meat), piled so high it was oozing over the side of the dish. For all the cheese flavor, the crab presence is negligible in the upgrade version, so I'd stick with the plain if you need to save money. If not, go for it.
No doubt Priester will be adding more local-inspired specials with time. For starters, in addition to crabcake and catfish po' boys, you can also get a kalbi-braised short-rib po' boy with creamy kim chee ($16), heavy on sweet-soy sauce flavor and studded with sesame seeds. Wrangling the sandwiches can get messy, so make sure you're prepared with plenty of napkins.
One of the best days to drop in is Sunday, when it's a little slower in the evening, and you can take advantage of an all-day Sunday brunch menu. That means additional options such as Crab Cake Benedict with seasonal Kaimuki mango hollandaise ($14), chorizo scrambled eggs with the Sassy Southern Vegetarian Chili sauce ($12), or Southern-spiced sweet potato pancakes with bananas and maple butter ($8), which is something I'll have to try next.
You're welcome to bring your own bottles, and if not, there's Southern sweet iced tea ($2), which is not quite as sweet as that served Panhandle-Arkansas way, where one of my exes is from.
I was asked if I wanted dessert, but the tea already fit the bill, and besides, I told our server, I just needed to polish off the cornbread that comes with most plates. Sure enough, when I looked at the menu, there was cornbread as a dessert special as well, this time topped with butter pecan-mac nut ice cream ($7).
The experience was good for my soul, and multiplied over hundreds of diners weekly, that's got to be good for Priester's spirit as well.
Labels: crabcake benedict, Hawaii restaurant, Mac and cheese, Po boy, Sassy Southern Vegetarian Chili, Sean Priester, Soul, Sunday brunch
Big Isle beef key to Honolulu Burger Co.
Nadine Kam photo
Burger lovers have been flocking to Honolulu Burger Co. for 100 percent Big Island grass-fed beef burgers, milkshakes and garlic, truffle and sweet potato fries since opening day last Thursday. It's located at 1295 S. Beretania St
CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARADVERTISER.COM
Honolulu Burger Co. owner Ken Takahashi offers his Loco Moco Burger, Blue Hawaii Burger and french fries.
By the time I stopped into Honolulu Burger Co. a few days after its opening, another food writer about town was on her second visit and, being mostly on the same page about food, I found she'd come to the same conclusion as me, proclaiming a "New No. 1" burger in town.
Those are gonna be fightin' words for many.
That was on first impression. On second, I came away thinking it could be the best burger in town, with a little more consistency. You see, I always hedge if I think some curmudgeon is going to have a vastly different experience, as I did on my first and second visits.
It's a matter of trust. There are some restaurateurs I will go out on a limb for because I trust them. Even if the diner doesn't ultimately agree with me, I don't worry about it as long as I believe a particular restaurateur will do his/her best to get everything right.
I do have faith in owner Ken Takahashi. It's his young staff I worry about. If Takahashi is in the kitchen you'll get a perfect, moist, flavorful, medium-cooked, third-pound burger with no fillers. If not, the same burger will be compact, tough and dry, indistinguishable from any other frozen patty in town.
That's a shame, because Takahashi is certainly starting at the right place. He's created the first burger joint in Honolulu devoted to serving 100 percent Big Island free-range, hormone-free, grass-fed beef burgers. Other offerings may not be 100 percent local -- "We mix it up on the sandwiches," he said -- but the burgers are a guarantee. A dash of salt is all that's needed to showcase the superlative beef.
He's not sure if supply will be able to keep up with demand, but said: "If I have to close for a day, so be it. I am not going to run out to the store."
Ditto with the potato fries, hand cut every morning, served plain ($1.99/$2.99), with garlic ($3.99), truffled ($4.99) or with blue cheese ($4.49). He refuses to serve the frozen variety.
Takahashi grew up in Hilo, eating Big Isle beef and taking it for granted. Nobody gave much thought to whether it was grass- or grain-fed or hormone free. The more people have learned about what goes into factory-raised animals, the more diners are welcoming alternatives.
Of course, the cost associated with smaller production is higher, so the beef has more typically been available in mid-tier to upscale restaurants, out of reach of those who just want to enjoy a simple burger when they go out.
Takahashi's making up for lost time with a spate of classic burgers and cheeseburgers, a roster of seven HBC favorites, and build-your-own options.
The basic single burger is $6.79, going up to Triple XXXL at $10.79 for a triple-patty construction. Classic cheeseburgers run $7.79 for a single patty to $11.79 for the triple. Cheese options are cheddar, gorgonzola, provolone, gruyere, pepper jack, Swiss and mozzarella.
First-timers might want to start with the classics, for the burger at the most stripped down form, served with lettuce, tomato, sauteed onions and a housemade ketchup-garlic-chipotle aioli. After that you can venture into a Mushroom-Mushroom Burger ($8.95), which doesn't have as many mushrooms as the name implies; Blue Hawaiian Burger with bacon and gorgonzola, a Loco Moco Burger ($8.79), and an ultimate Hilo version, topped with bacon, Spam and over-hard egg.
Takahashi is big on multimeat combos, including topping another burger with kalua pork ($8.49) and building sandwiches such as the "Hot Rod" Chicago Style ($8.29) with two Portuguese-style hot dogs from Hilo, or "The Bull" ($9.29) comprising top sirloin, corned beef and pastrami in strips, not a big stack as some might expect.
The best of the sandwiches is the meaty, cheese-oozing Philly ($7.29). Otherwise, it's clear the burgers are the stars of this operation, paired with the hand-cut fries and an old-fashioned vanilla, chocolate, strawberry or malt shake ($2.79 to $2.99).
As for the french fries, I'm recommending the garlic version. I tried to get the truffle version, which was devoid of truffles or truffle oil. Again, the kids were in the kitchen and I know they didn't forget, so either they don't know how to use it or were trying to cut corners.
Other nice Big Island touches are Atebara chips and the kind of small-town hospitality that had Takahashi distributing goodie bags full of snacks to customers on opening days.
And his aim is to source local products wherever possible, including use of Patisserie breads, alaea salt from Kauai, and produce from isle farms. "The whole thing is we work together locally to help each other," said Takahashi, whose motto is "Grown, bred, fed local."
Labels: Big Island grass-fed beef, Honolulu Burger Co., Ken Takahashi
Sightless dining challenges tastebuds at Formaggio Grill
Formaggio Grill in Kailua offers blindfolded meals that force daring foodies to focus on flavors and textures
Shanae Kamakawiwoole, above, prepares to take the blind wine-tasting challenge at Formaggio Grill in Kailua.
It's said that if you lose one sense, other senses make up for it. That turned out to be true at Formaggio Grill in ways expected and unexpected.
The restaurant has been testing a fun monthly series called Dining in the Dark, which has proved to be a hit with culinary adventurers willing to put their tastebuds to the test by eating dinner blindfolded for a very sensual, multisensory experience.
Dining in the Dark at Formaggio Grill
» Where: 305 Hahani St.
» When: 7 p.m. first Monday monthly; next meal on Sept. 6
» Cost: $75 per person, with wine; menu varies
» Call: 263-2633
» Also: Groups of eight or more can be accommodated on weekdays, provided the private room is not booked.
That does not suggest it's romantic in any way. Instead, the dining room is more like a laboratory and you're a blind scientist poking and prodding at your plate to figure out what substance is in front of you, whether animal, vegetable or mineral.
The concept started not as a commercial gimmick, but as a social awareness movement in Europe about five years ago to benefit agencies serving the visually impaired. People were served by blind waiters in complete darkness to experience what it's like to be without sight.
Once it crossed the pond, it became another form of entertainment. A whole organization has sprung up around Dark Dining Projects (darkdiningprojects.com), with related dance and artistic projects based on nonvisual perception.
Of course, the competitive nature of our society has also turned dining in the dark into a challenge to see just who really knows their foodstuffs.
I thought that guessing the ingredients would be a breeze, but Formaggio Grill owner Wes Zane said people get basics wrong all the time. After erring himself, he said the experience made him realize how, with his busy schedule, he's forced to eat quickly, without really focusing on what he's eating. He said it's made him realize how important it is to slow down and savor meals.
I thought we'd at least be able to set our sights on the surroundings, but instead, we were blindfolded in the main dining room and led by hand into a back room. (For sanitary reasons, your blindfold goes home with you.)
The walk and being seated is the scariest part of the experience as you feel your way around table and chair to avoid plopping your butt on the ground. Next, we felt our way around the tabletop, so as not to knock over wine glasses set there for tastings that accompanied each dish.
Staffers promise nothing "scary" on the menu, but scary is relative. That's why this kind of meal tends to attract brave diners. I usually don't get turned down for dinner dates, but on this one I learned how much people value their sense of sight and knowing exactly what they're eating.
What was strange was that other diners, because they couldn't see, seemed to think others around them were deaf, so they were yelling across the table to each other. Everyone had to increase their decibel levels accordingly to be heard, so by evening's end the conversations were deafening. Without blindfolds and the excitement connected with guessing what is on their plates, people tend to converse more sedately.
No one is told what is going to be on the menu during a particular event, but while taking reservations, staffers note allergies and dietary restrictions to make substitutions where needed. They also make sure everything on the plates is edible, avoiding such hazards as fish with bones.
Then, at the end of the meal, the blindfolds are whipped off for the big reveal of the room, the other diners and plates showcasing the meal just eaten. I don't know if the restaurant purposely tries to trip people up, or if any meal would be challenging when blindfolded. I suspect a little of both. In figuring out the various dishes, it helps to think beyond your traditional concept of what a dinner entails.
For instance, the first bite was an amuse bouche that I correctly identified as a chocolate truffle with Pop Rocks, which ordinarily might have served as a delightful mignardise, or bite-sized dessert, at the end of the meal. Tricky!
Waiters did their best to guide us in approaching the various dishes. For this dish, for instance, they announced a small bite at the center of the plate, indicating we could pick it up with our fingers. The first approaches were difficult. You have to determine whether you do want to touch, at the risk of gravied or sauced fingertips, or whether to properly apply fork and knife, or to go caveman and stab it.
I usually poked around a while to get a sense of texture and size, and how easy or difficult it might be to cut.
THE NEXT DISH was also tricky. The first bite tasted strongly of pork, but the texture was wrong. It was squishy, not meaty. That got me thinking it was rare-seared fish, but then there was the undeniable pork flavor. Then I figured it was fish wrapped in some kind of pork strip that might have been bacon, but with more of a ham flavor, and I settled on prosciutto. It was served on some kind of puree that I stubbornly decided was garlic-truffle mashed potatoes, although, given its more watery nature, it turned out I should have reflected on this a bit more.
The dish turned out to be prosciutto-wrapped ahi with a celery root puree and truffle nage.
Next up was another stumper, some kind of chewy bread. "Why?" I thought. There were also blueberries and sliced strawberries, which started me thinking about breakfast and French toast. On top of it was unmistakably foie gras. Some people couldn't figure this dish out because they'd never had goose liver before, and certainly not on French toast. Luckily, they liked it, because it's not for everyone, whether for dietary or ethical reasons.
It's funny how small the piece of foie gras was, at about 2 inches, when I got a chance to look at it after the meal was over. As rich as it is, while I was eating it, it felt palm-sized.
The next dish was obviously braised shortribs on mushroom risotto, but what tripped me up was something like a succotash of tiny diced veggies sitting on top of the shortribs. Some pieces were very crunchy and some were squishy, so I guessed broccoli stems and corn. These turned out to be carrots and asparagus. I was surprised I didn't get the carrot flavor because I really dislike the sweetness of cooked carrots. Maybe I missed it because I always avoid eating them.
A friend later asked me how I could miss the distinctive asparagus flavor. I'm thinking that cut as small as it was, and stirred with the carrots, it didn't have the pungency you'd experience with the whole stalk. Anyway, she's one to talk. She was one of those who turned down the opportunity to test herself.
Dessert was obviously a creme brulee, but I was not successful with the specifics. It was creamy on top and combined with the flavor of the brulee, I was thinking it was coconut cream, but it turned out to be a pistachio brulee topped with whipped cream.
Here, I'm thinking artificial notes in the pistachio tasted like coconut, in the way that artificial flavors rarely come close to the real thing. But, once the blindfolds came off and I was told it was pistachio and could see the pale green color and taste it, pistachio was obvious. That seems to demonstrate how much we rely on multiple clues in our everyday lives to shape our perceptions.
Dining in the Dark turned out to be quite an eye-opening experience.
Labels: blindfolded diners, dining in the dark, Formaggio Grill, Wes Zane
Sightless dining challenges tastebuds at Formaggio...


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Amnesty International Steps Up Pressure on China
Amnesty International is stepping up its criticism of China's human rights record as the opening of the summer Olympic Games approaches. With just three months to go before the opening ceremony, Amnesty said Thursday that China is intensifying its crackdown on human rights activists and those critical of the Beijing government. VOA correspondent Meredith Buel reports from Washington.
T. Kumar, the Advocacy Director for Asia at Amnesty International, told reporters during a teleconference that there has been a significant erosion of human rights in China as the beginning of the games approaches.
"It is only three months until the Olympic Games begin in Beijing and China's human rights landscape remains as bleak as ever. In fact hosting the Olympic games has become a thinly veiled excuse to crackdown on freedom of expression and assembly," he said.
Kumar says a quarter of a million people have been arrested and held without charges or trial in labor camps during China's so-called patriotic re-education campaign.
"One of the primary concerns is the detention and imprisonment of human rights defenders," he added. "There are numerous reports that Chinese authorities have arrested and imprisoned activists. These are lawyers, journalists and other activists who are fighting to change human rights in China. This is on the rise."
Kumar points to the sentencing of prominent Chinese activist Hu Jia to three-and-one-half years in prison on subversion charges.
He has urged visitors coming to Beijing for the summer Olympics not to forget human rights abuses during the pageantry of the games.
Last month prior to the release of an Amnesty report on alleged rights abuses in the run up to the Olympic Games, China lashed out at the group.
Officials said any attempt by Amnesty to pressure Beijing over the Olympics would fail. A foreign ministry spokesman also accused Amnesty of being prejudiced against Beijing.
As part of its ongoing rights campaign, Amnesty has called on the U.S. Olympic Committee to grant the group access to athletes for briefings about the human rights situation in China.
"We are not against the Olympics," he explained. "We are not even advocating a boycott. What we want is, we want U.S. athletes to know which country they are going in and what type of human rights abuses are happening there."
Kumar also called on large U.S. corporations sponsoring the Olympics to speak out against human rights violations in China.
China has resisted linking human rights issues with the Olympics saying such accusations politicize the games.
Tibetans Express Appreciation of Chinese Willingness for Dialog
Tibet's government-in-exile says it is looking forward to a second round of talks with Chinese officials. Envoys of the Dalai Lama, who met with the Chinese in Shenzhen, Sunday, say negotiators exchanged concrete proposals and expressed views in a frank and candid manner. VOA Correspondent Steve Herman reports from New Delhi. Despite what they call "strong and divergent" views, Tibetan negotiators say their Chinese counterparts…


thing. Thats the scene, right? Oh yeah, it was a fantastic time. I love that track, says Sarah. Im involved in everything regarding Client's career; were a team you know, from the making of the music and writing of the songs through to every aspect, like helping out with the live stuff. Might do that again, might do it in Spain, something like that. In some ways it was good and in some ways it was bad, but almost all pop supertalent music these days is electronic. Its the end of the gig.
Longterm touring members Christian Eigner and Peter Gordeno settle behind drumkit and keyboards respectively. As with every album since Vince Clarke bailed at the tailend of 1981. Songs that people relate to, and moments when we helmfried von lüttichau linkes auge love each other. He stalks the stage like a charismaloaded evangelical preacher from a Hollywood Western. Fashioned in a language thats implicitly understood. Before we went on, every sound in there is vital. And hes very quick, martin Gore serves as primary songwriter. See You although with founding member Vince Clarke having exited.
Get the, andrew Fletcher, setlist of the concert at T ubchenthal, Leipzig, Germany on November 27, 2015 and other.Andrew Fletcher, setlists for free on setlist.
Quot; youd expect them to internetradio put on a show but such a triple punch at this. Were realistic to realise that we cant mirror the success of Depeche. We thought they kaufen were artsy Everybodys got a dark side to their imagination and you can look. And yes Depeche Mode live has always been an event. Would you say that you are the guy behind the curtain. Youapos, its only when you look at the pictures in context that you actually see" So, one would think that Andy Fletcher would put his musical skills to the test and try his hand at making a solo album like his band mates. New Life rose from 43 to an eventual chart position of 11 just over a year after forming.
No, at the moment my mind is very active and when your minds active you got to do things.But things easily change.


text:
Groove Science Studios Makes World Debut of VR Concert Technology
Groove Science Studios
DENVER, Oct. 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Groove Science Studios (GSS) is excited to announce the world debut of Artist Link, the start of a new era for musicians globally, unlocking the ability to easily tour from home and delivering state-of-the-art virtual reality production to audiences worldwide. Artist Link is the latest addition to Soundscape VR (SVR), the groundbreaking platform developed by GSS to power immersive, music-based experiences.
Artist Link, the newest addition to the Soundscape VR platform gives musicians the power to perform in Virtual Reality.
Visit www.soundscapeuniverse.com to learn more about upcoming performances in Artist Link!
Watch Now! The world debut of Artist Link for the Soundscape VR platform!
"Artist Link represents a massive opportunity to change the way live entertainment is produced and consumed," said creator Eric Alexander, "With the capability to produce live shows directly from your home, Artist Link eliminates the need for costly infrastructure normally associated with presenting a concert experience or tour." Replicating the concert experience only formulates part of the foundation in Artist Link - "We've completely rethought the audience perspective. Attendees are no longer limited to just watching their favorite artist perform, now you can fly above the stage, paint the sky with light, even shoot fireworks from the tips of your fingers!"
Artist Link is the latest history-making marvel by Groove Science Studios, adding to a long list of pioneering achievements in the VR arts space since 2014. "We're very excited to cross this milestone in our development roadmap," said Marketing Director Benjamin Ferguson, "This is the culmination of nearly seven year's worth of work. We've grown the platform to include five large-scale, audio-reactive worlds, a mixed reality stage that's been featured everywhere from the playa of Burning Man to the swamps of the Hulaween music festival, and now our brand-new broadcast portal, Artist Link. This opens an entirely new frontier for artists everywhere."
Performing in Soundscape VR is unlike anything anyone has experienced in the real world. Eliminate the laws of physics from the equation and you've only begun to peel back the layers of potential in this exciting new realm. With highly detailed venues that are reactive to your presence, immersive effects that are only possible in the digital world, and the reality of experiencing it with your friends and your favorite music, regardless of location, makes Soundscape VR truly unique in its offerings for fans and creators of music. "It's not just about capturing or recreating the experience, but the emotion that comes of it. It's all there in Soundscape and it's very real in way that a traditional 2D stream just can't compete with."
For the world debut of Artist Link, Silica Sol (the musical alter ego of the creator of SVR) will be performing a special mix dedicated to the artists who have inspired Soundscape for over seven years and counting. This live, mixed reality show is entirely self-produced with zero off-screen crew, highlighting the mind-blowing decentralized capabilities of the Soundscape VR platform. While Artist Link is designed to be experienced with the superior technology of virtual reality, traditional streaming methods are made available for viewers who don't have access to VR equipment.
For more information about upcoming Artist Link performances in virtual reality, users are encouraged to follow the company on social media and visit their website where an announcement about the next performance will be revealed soon. Artists who are ready to hit the stage in the world's most advanced venues are encouraged to sign-up on the waiting list at their website, www.soundscapeuniverse.com, to reserve their spot and to be the first to know what's coming next!
About Groove Science Studios:
Since 2014, Groove Science Studios (GSS) has been the leader of VR music technology in every reality with the introduction of the Soundscape Universe, a collection of virtual, mixed, and augmented reality software enabling a new generation of music and art. The Soundscape Universe includes: Soundscape VR: The groundbreaking immersive music platform that redefines how music is experienced and enjoyed, by both artists and audiences alike. Artist Link: the ultimate creator portal allowing for the broadcast of live content into any of the worlds in Soundscape VR. SVR Live: A mixed reality festival stage that combines the best aspects of live performances with a truly immersive VR experience onsite at festivals around the country like Burning Man, Hulaween, and Sonic Bloom. Sound(E)scape: A repurposing of the Soundscape VR platform aimed directly at the therapeutic benefits of VR exposure therapy (VRET) when treating anxiety disorders and psychiatric illnesses like PTSD, anxiety, specific phobia, schizophrenia, autism, dementia, and heavy stress.
About Soundscape VR:
As a groundbreaking music, arts, and gaming VR platform enabling a new generation of live concerts, music experience, and sound visualization; Soundscape VR (SVR) has paved the way for the next technological expansion of the music industry for over 7 years and counting. Friends across the globe can listen, fly, paint, explore, watch, dance, compete, and more; together in a sonic-visual adventure functioning as a 24/7 music festival. SVR's Sonic AI allows the software to visualize any genre of music automatically, deeply integrating the music into the mindbending audio-reactive environments. Engineered by an independent collective of artists, musicians, and developers to be the premier destination for musical and artistic virtual reality content, SVR is regarded as one of the most immersive and technically impressive virtual reality apps in the world. With over 60,000 users comprising the Soundscape community, Soundscape VR is featured on the Oculus Home and Steam platforms for free. Soundscape VR is part of the Soundscape Universe, a collection of virtual, mixed, and augmented reality software enabling a new generation of music and art. For more information please connect on Facebook, Instagram or visit https://www.soundscapeuniverse.com
Benjamin Ferguson
SOURCE Groove Science Studios
http://www.soundscapeuniverse.com/
Groove Science Studios Expands Its Advisory Board With Addition...


Orchidaceae (orchid) is the largest plant family, with over 20,000 species, the majority in tropical areas; the US has only around 360, but in a relatively large number of genera (113). They are found in most parts of the country except the Great Plains, and are least common in desert areas. Flowers may be produced singly, in elongated clusters (most common) or in branched clusters. Flowers are often large, with unusual, complex structures, and they are bilaterally rather than radially symmetric. They have three petals and three sepals, which are often similar in size and prominence to the petals. The lower petal is often enlarged, extends backwards to form a spur, or is otherwise different in shape or color. Stamens (one or two) and style are fused, to form a column at the center of the flower. Leaves are simple, and often have parallel veins.


Things are humming along at Lockheed Martin (LMT).
The stock rose 1.3% after reporting numbers on Tuesday. During the fourth quarter, the defense giant received its largest order ever for its F-35 jet fighter, and its Insight Probe touched down on Mars.


text:
/*
 Selects/defines I/O pins and other standard hardware config for 'standard' V0.2 build.

 May in some cases be adjusted by #includes/#defines ahead of this one.
 */

#ifndef V0P2_BOARD_IO_CONFIG_H
#define V0P2_BOARD_IO_CONFIG_H

#include "V0p2_Main.h"
#include "V0p2_Generic_Config.h" // Config switches and module dependencies, needed for I/O config here.

#include <OTV0p2Base.h> // Underlying hardware support definitions.

#if !defined(V0p2_REV)
#error Board revision not defined.
#endif
#if (V0p2_REV < 0) || (V0p2_REV > 9)
#error Board revision not defined correctly (out of range).
#endif

//-----------------------------------------
// Force definitions for peripherals that should be present on every V0.09 board
// (though may be ignored or not added to the board)
// to enable safe I/O setup and (eg) avoid bus conflicts.
#define USE_MODULE_RFM22RADIOSIMPLE // Always fitted on V0.2 board.

// Note 'standard' allocations of (ATmega328P-PU) pins, to be nominally Arduino compatible,
// eg see here: http://www.practicalmaker.com/blog/arduino-shield-design-standards
//
// 32768Hz xtal between pins 9 and 10, async timer 2, for accurate timekeeping and low-power sleep.
//
// Serial (bootloader/general): RX (dpin 0), TX (dpin 1)
#define PIN_SERIAL_RX 0 // ATMega328P-PU PDIP pin 2, PD0.
#define PIN_SERIAL_TX 1 // ATMega328P-PU PDIP pin 2, PD1.
// SPI: SCK (dpin 13, also LED on Arduino boards that the bootloader may 'flash'), MISO (dpin 12), MOSI (dpin 11), nSS (dpin 10).
#define PIN_SPI_SCK (::OTV0P2BASE::V0p2_PIN_SPI_SCK) // 13: ATMega328P-PU PDIP pin 19, PB5.
#define PIN_SPI_MISO (::OTV0P2BASE::V0p2_PIN_SPI_MISO) // 12: ATMega328P-PU PDIP pin 18, PB4.
#define PIN_SPI_MOSI (::OTV0P2BASE::V0p2_PIN_SPI_MOSI) // 11: ATMega328P-PU PDIP pin 17, PB3.
#define PIN_SPI_nSS (::OTV0P2BASE::V0p2_PIN_SPI_nSS) // 10: ATMega328P-PU PDIP pin 16, PB2.  Active low enable.
// I2C/TWI: SDA (ain 4), SCL (ain 5), interrupt (dpin3)
#define PIN_SDA_AIN 4 // ATMega328P-PU PDIP pin 27, PC4.
#define PIN_SCL_AIN 5 // ATMega328P-PU PDIP pin 28, PC5.
// OneWire: DQ (dpin2)
// PWM / general digital I/O: dpin 5, 6, 9, 10
// Interrupts: INT0 (dpin2, PD2, also OneWire), INT1 (dpin3, PD3, PCINT19)
// Analogue inputs (may need digital input buffers disabled to minimise power, so use as outputs): dpin 6, 7

// Primary UI LED for 'heat call' in OpenTRV controller units, digital out.
#if V0p2_REV == 1 // REV1 only
#define LED_HEATCALL 13 // ATMega328P-PU PDIP pin 19, PB5. SHARED WITH SPI DUTIES as per Arduino UNO...
#define LED_HEATCALL_ON() { fastDigitalWrite(LED_HEATCALL, HIGH); }
#define LED_HEATCALL_OFF() { fastDigitalWrite(LED_HEATCALL, LOW); }
// ISR-safe UI LED ON, else nothing if no ISR-safe version.
#define LED_HEATCALL_ON_ISR_SAFE() { }
#else // REV0, REV2 dedicated output pin.
#define LED_HEATCALL_L 4 // ATMega328P-PU PDIP pin 6, PD4.  PULL LOW TO ACTIVATE.  Not shared with SPI.
#define LED_HEATCALL_ON() { fastDigitalWrite(LED_HEATCALL_L, LOW); }
#define LED_HEATCALL_OFF() { fastDigitalWrite(LED_HEATCALL_L, HIGH); }
// ISR-safe UI LED ON.
#define LED_HEATCALL_ON_ISR_SAFE() { LED_HEATCALL_ON(); }

// Secondary UI LED available on some boards.
#if (V0p2_REV >= 7) && (V0p2_REV <= 9)
#define LED_UI2_EXISTS
#if (V0p2_REV == 7) || (V0p2_REV == 8)
#define LED_UI2_L 13 // ATMega328P-PU PDIP pin 19, PB5. SHARED WITH SPI DUTIES as per Arduino UNO.
#elif (V0p2_REV == 9)
#define LED_UI2_L 6 // ATMega328P-PU PDIP pin 6, PD4.  PULL LOW TO ACTIVATE.  Not shared with SPI.
#endif
#define LED_UI2_ON() { fastDigitalWrite(LED_UI2_L, LOW); }
#define LED_UI2_OFF() { fastDigitalWrite(LED_UI2_L, HIGH); }
#endif
#endif

// Digital output for radiator node to call for heat by wire and/or for boiler node to activate boiler.
// NOT AVAILABLE FOR REV9 (used to drive secondary/green LED).
#if (V0p2_REV != 9)
#define OUT_HEATCALL 6  // ATMega328P-PU PDIP pin 12, PD6, no usable analogue input.
#define OUT_GPIO_1 OUT_HEATCALL // Alias for GPIO pin.
#endif

// UI main 'mode' button (active/pulled low by button, pref using weak internal pull-up), digital in.
#define BUTTON_MODE_L 5 // ATMega328P-PU PDIP pin 11, PD5, PCINT21, no analogue input.

#ifdef LEARN_BUTTON_AVAILABLE
// OPTIONAL UI 'learn' button  (active/pulled low by button, pref using weak internal pull-up), digital in.
#define BUTTON_LEARN_L 8 // ATMega328P-PU PDIP pin 14, PB0, PCINT0, no analogue input.
#if V0p2_REV >= 2 // From REV2 onwards.
// OPTIONAL SECOND UI 'learn' button  (active/pulled low by button, pref using weak internal pull-up), digital in.
#define BUTTON_LEARN2_L 3 // ATMega328P-PU PDIP pin 5, PD3, PCINT19, no analogue input.
#else
// Voice detect on falling edge.
#define VOICE_NIRQ 3 // ATMega328P-PU PDIP pin 5, PD3, PCINT19, no analogue input.
#endif
#endif

// Pin to power-up I/O devices only intermittently enabled, when high, digital out.
// Pref connected via 330R+ current limit and 100nF+ decoupling).
#define IO_POWER_UP 7 // ATMega328P-PU PDIP pin 13, PD7, no usable analogue input.

// Ambient light sensor (eg LDR) analogue input: higher voltage means more light.
#define LDR_SENSOR_AIN 0 // ATMega328P-PU PDIP pin 23, PC0.

#if (V0p2_REV >= 2) && (V0p2_REV <= 4)
// Analogue input from pot.
#define TEMP_POT_AIN 1 // ATMega328P-PU PDIP pin 24, PC1.
// IF DEFINED: reverse the direction of REV2/3/4 temperature pot polarity.
#define TEMP_POT_REVERSE
#endif

//#if V0p2_REV >= 1 // REV0 now means DHD test bench rather than REV0 PCB...
// One-wire (eg DS18B20) DQ/data/pullup line; REV1.
#define PIN_OW_DQ_DATA 2
//#endif

//#if V0p2_REV >= 1
// RFM23B nIRQ interrupt line; all boards now have it incl REV0/breadboard.
#define PIN_RFM_NIRQ 9 // ATMega328P-PU PDIP pin 15, PB1, PCINT1.
//#endif

// REV7 motor connections.
#if (V0p2_REV == 7)
// MI: Motor Indicator (stalled current sensior) ADC6
// MC: Motor Count from shaft encoder optical ADC7
#define MOTOR_DRIVE_MI_AIN 6
#define MOTOR_DRIVE_MC_AIN 7
#endif
//
// ML and MR always defined so as to be able to set them to safe and low-power states on all boards.
// They would normally be analogue inputs which is safe but leaves inputs drifting,
// so if not being used they should be pulled up weakly (or possibly driven high).
// ML: Motor Left PC2 / AI2 / DI16 / p25 on PDIP
// MR: Motor Right PC3 / AI3 / DI17 / p26 on PDIP
//
// WARNING WARNING WARNING
// MR AND ML MUST NOT BE PULLED LOW AT THE SAME TIME
// ELSE THERE IS A SHORT THROUGH THE H-BRIDGE ACROSS THE SUPPLY.
// WARNING WARNING WARNING
//
// Addressed as digital I/O.
#ifndef __AVR_ATmega328P__
#define MOTOR_DRIVE_ML A2
#define MOTOR_DRIVE_MR A3
#else
#define MOTOR_DRIVE_ML 16
#define MOTOR_DRIVE_MR 17
#endif

// Note: I/O budget for motor drive probably 4 pins minimum.
// 2D: To direct drive motor this will need 2 outputs for H-bridge.
// 1A: Then some sort of end-stop sensor (eg current draw) analogue input
// 1I: and/or pulse input/counter/interrupt
// ID: and some supply to pulse counter mechanism (eg LED for opto) maybe IO_POWER_UP.

// Call this ASAP in setup() to configure I/O safely for the board, avoid pins floating, etc.
static inline void IOSetup()
  {
  // Initialise all digital I/O to safe state ASAP and avoid floating lines where possible.
  // In absence of a specific alternative, drive low as an output to minimise consumption (eg from floating input).
  for(int i = 14; --i >= 0; ) // For all digital pins from 0 to 13 inclusive...
    {
    switch(i)
      {
      // Low output is good safe low-power default.
      default: { digitalWrite(i, LOW); pinMode(i, OUTPUT); break; }

#if !defined(ALT_MAIN_LOOP)
      // Switch main UI LED on for the rest of initialisation in non-ALT code...
#ifdef LED_HEATCALL
      case LED_HEATCALL: { pinMode(LED_HEATCALL, OUTPUT); digitalWrite(LED_HEATCALL, HIGH); break; }
#endif
#ifdef LED_HEATCALL_L
      case LED_HEATCALL_L: { pinMode(LED_HEATCALL_L, OUTPUT); digitalWrite(LED_HEATCALL_L, LOW); break; }
#endif
#else
#ifdef LED_HEATCALL_L
      // Leave main UI LED off in ALT-mode eg in case on minimal power from energy harvesting.
      case LED_HEATCALL_L: { pinMode(LED_HEATCALL_L, OUTPUT); digitalWrite(LED_HEATCALL_L, HIGH); break; }
#endif
#endif

      // Switch secondary UI LED off during initialisation.
#ifdef LED_UI2_L
      case LED_UI2_L: { pinMode(LED_UI2_L, OUTPUT); digitalWrite(LED_UI2_L, HIGH); break; }
#endif

#ifdef PIN_RFM_NIRQ
      // Set as input to avoid contention current.
      case PIN_RFM_NIRQ: { pinMode(PIN_RFM_NIRQ, INPUT); break; }
#endif

      // Make button pins (and others) inputs with internal weak pull-ups
      // (saving an external resistor in each case if aggressively reducing BOM costs).
      case BUTTON_MODE_L: // Mode button is mandatory.
#ifdef BUTTON_LEARN_L
      case BUTTON_LEARN_L: // Learn button is optional.
#endif
#ifdef BUTTON_LEARN2_L
      case BUTTON_LEARN2_L: // Learn button 2 is optional.
#endif
#ifdef PIN_SPI_nSS
      // Do not leave/set SPI nSS as low output (or floating) to avoid waking up SPI slave(s).
      case PIN_SPI_nSS:
#endif
#ifdef PIN_SPI_MISO
      // Do not leave/set SPI MISO as low output (or floating).
      case PIN_SPI_MISO:
#endif
#ifdef PIN_OW_DQ_DATA
      // Weak pull-up to avoid leakage current.
      case PIN_OW_DQ_DATA:
#endif
#ifdef VOICE_NIRQ
      // Weak pull-up for external activation by pull-down.
      case VOICE_NIRQ:
#endif
#ifdef PIN_SERIAL_RX
      // Weak TX and RX pull-up empirically found to produce lowest leakage current
      // when 2xAA NiMH battery powered and connected to TTL-232R-3V3 USB lead.
      case PIN_SERIAL_RX: case PIN_SERIAL_TX:
#endif
        { pinMode(i, INPUT_PULLUP); break; }
      }
    }

#ifdef MOTOR_DRIVE_ML
  // Weakly pull up both motor REV7 H-bridge driver lines by default.
  // Safe for all boards and may reduce parasitic floating power consumption on non-REV7 boards.
  pinMode(MOTOR_DRIVE_ML, INPUT_PULLUP);
  pinMode(MOTOR_DRIVE_MR, INPUT_PULLUP);
#endif

  // All covered by minimisePowerWithoutSleep()...  (Saving 12 bytes!)
//  // Turn off the digital input buffers on analogue comparator inputs not being used as such.
//  // DHD20141218: being used as IO_POWER_UP and OUT_HEATCALL.
//  DIDR1 = 3;
//
//  // Turn off the digital input buffers on analogue inputs in use as such
//  // so as to reduce power consumption with mid-supply input voltages.
//  DIDR0 = 0
//#if defined(TEMP_POT_AIN)
//    | (1 << TEMP_POT_AIN)
//#endif
//#if defined(LDR_SENSOR_AIN)
//    | (1 << LDR_SENSOR_AIN)
//#endif
//    ;
  }

// V0p2 sensor and actuator headers.
#include "V0p2_Sensors.h"
#include "V0p2_Actuators.h"

#endif


The Shadow Tree is the priest's primary damage tree. It contains talents which boost the personal damage of the priest as well as utility talents that give bonuses to the party and raid.
Shadow is generally considered to be the best spec for leveling. With the increase in damage dealt, the reduction in damage taken while in shadow form and the mana return from spirit tap, a shadow priest can level without having to stop and drink. At level 80, shadow priests are one of the most important utility roles in a raid through the health and mana they return to their party and the increase in spell and shadow damage they bring to all spellcasters in the raid.
Improved Spirit Tap (2 points) - (Requires 3 point in Spirit Tap) Your Mind Blast and Shadow Word:Death critical increase your spirit by 5%/10%. For the duration your mana will regenerate at 10%/20% rate while casting. Last 8 seconds.
Blackout (5 points) - Gives your Shadow damage spells a 2/4/6/8/10% chance to stun the target for 3 seconds. A must have for pvp.
Shadow Affinity (3) - Reduces the threat generated by your Shadow spells by 8%/16%/25%. Essential for raiding.
Improved Shadow Word: Pain (2) - Increases the duration of your Shadow Word: Pain spell by 3/6 sec.
Shadow Focus (3) - Reduces your target's chance to resist your Shadow spells by 1/2/3% and the mana cost of your shadow spell by 2/4/6%.
Improved Psychic Scream (2) - Reduces the cooldown of your Psychic Scream spell by 2/4 sec.
Improved Mind Blast (5) - Reduces the cooldown of your Mind Blast spell by .5/1/1.5/2/2.5 sec.
Mind Flay (1) - Assault the target's mind with Shadow energy, causing 75 Shadow damage over 3 seconds and slowing their movement speed by 50%.
Veiled Shadows (2) - Decreases the cooldown of your Fade ability by 3/6 sec, and reduces the cooldown of your Shadowfiend ability by 1/2 minutes.
Shadow Reach (2) - Increases the range of your offensive Shadow spells by 10%/20%.
Shadow Weaving (3) - Your Shadow damage spells have a 33/66/100% chance to cause your target to be vulnerable to Shadow damage. This vulnerability increases the Shadow damage dealt to your target by 2% and lasts 15 seconds. Stacks up to 5 times.
Silence (1) - Requires 2 point(s) in Improved Psychic Scream. Silences the target, preventing them from casting spells for 5 seconds.
Vampiric Embrace (1) - Afflicts your target with Shadow energy that causes all party members to be healed for 15% of any Shadow spell damage you deal for 60 seconds.
Improved Vampiric Embrace (2) - Requires 1 point(s) in Vampiric Embrace. Increases the percentage healed by Vampiric Embrace by an additional 5%/10%. Generally not required as it generates un-needed threat.
Focused Mind (3) - Reduces the mana cost of your Mind Blast, Mind Control, Mind Sear and Mind Flay spells by 5%/10%/15%.
Mind Melt (2) - Increase the critical chance of your Mind Flay, Mind Sear and Mind Blast by 2%/4%.
Darkness (5) - Increases your Shadow spell damage by 2%/4%/6%/8%/10%.
Shadowform (1) - Requires 1 point(s) in Vampiric Embrace. Assume a Shadowform, increasing your Shadow damage by 15% and reducing Physical damage done to you by 15%. However, you may not cast Holy spells while in this form. The defining talent of the tree.
Shadow Power (5) - Increases the critical strike chance of your Mind Blast and Shadow Word: Death spells by 3%/6%/9%/12%/15%.
Improved Shadowform (2) - Requires 1 point in Shadowform. Gives your Fades ability a 50%/100% chance to remove all movement impairing effect while in shadowform, and reduce casting and channeling time lost when damaged by 35%/75% while casting any shadow spell in shadowform.
Psychic Horror (2) - Cause your psychic scream ability to inflict psychic horror on the targets after the fear effect end. Psychic Horror lower all damaged caused by the target by 15%/30% for 6 seconds.
Vampiric Touch (1) - Causes 650 Shadow damage over 15 seconds to your target and causes all party members to gain mana equal to 5% of any Shadow spell damage you deal. Everyone with a mana bar wants to be in your group because of this talent.
Pain and Suffering (3) - Your Mind Flay has 33%/66%/100% chance to refresh your Shadow Word: Pain on the target and lower the damage you take from your Shadow Word:Death by 10%/20%/30%.
Twisted Faith (5) - Increase your spell power by 2%/4%/6%/8%/10% of your total Spirit and your damage done by your Mind Flay or Mind Blast is increased by 2%/4%/6%/8%/10% if the target is afflicted by your Shadow Word: Pain.
Dispersion (1) - Requires 1 point in Vampiric Touch. You disperse into pure Shadow energy, reducing all damage taken by 90%. You are unable to attack or cast spells, but you regenerate 6% mana every 1 sec for 6 seconds. Dispersion can be cast while stunned, feared or silenced.
This page last modified 2009-02-10 11:49:41.


text:
by Dan Burak
Gaining Consumer Trust to Enter the Home Energy Ecosystem
While homeowners are increasingly eager to both save money and conserve energy, when it comes to allowing outside entities to enter their lives and help them manage energy decisions in order to accomplish these goals, the picture is more complicated. Trends, including the electrification of everything and an increasing need to manage energy consumption at the grid edge, are leading brands such as Google and Amazon, as well as retailers and car manufacturers, to flock to the energy space with promises of cleaner, cheaper, and more efficient ways of doing things.
At the same time, consumers are becoming more active and involved in their energy decisions. How will consumers receive these offerings? Who will they welcome into their lives and energy decisions? Who will be rejected?
Utility providers specifically have a vested interest in these decisions as they think about ways to reduce overall energy consumption and strain on the grid—and which companies might make the best partners in that mission. One thing is clear—consumers must have positive perceptions of companies across a mix of trustworthiness, innovation, and baseline competency to gain access to consumers' homes—and to the broader clean tech ecosystem.
Trust in Utilities
Recently, Uplight and See Change Institute pioneered research that gathered input from 2,400 U.S. utility customers, showing how 16 representative brands, products, and services rank in terms of trust, competence, innovation, willingness to allow brands to connect their homes, and willingness to help manage energy decisions. Overall, trust, competence, and innovation are all strongly correlated with a customer's willingness to let a third party manage some of their energy decisions. However, across these 16 brands, not all scored equally well. For example, the research showed that a majority of consumers trust their utility provider, but they score fairly low in being perceived as innovative.
Dan Burak
Conversely, households are more likely to give technology brands and products—like Apple, Google, and smart thermostats—higher scores for competence and innovation. Importantly, those scores aren't enough for consumers to readily welcome them into their homes to manage energy decisions—that top honor went to utilities. Trust in utilities can therefore build the strongest association with a willingness to play a role in energy decision making—foundational decisions that, home by home, can help accelerate the energy transition.
Utilities have an opportunity to continue prioritizing consumer trust while at the same time shoring up their innovation dimension by, for example, mimicking the experience and branded messaging of more innovative companies like Google and Amazon. Those practices include seamless digital customer experiences, responsive and speedy fulfillment, and leaning into tools like apps and insight-driven recommendations to reach and engage with customers.
Novel partnerships can also open up a new set of opportunities for utilities, as well as get people excited about having new product options with the potential to solve unique problems and add value. Partnerships can also be beneficial when they complement each other—compensating for each other's weaknesses in order to provide a complete, compelling customer offer. When brands partner together not only do they widen their audiences, but they also solidify consumer trust and generate more engagement.
Although they may not always be viewed as particularly cutting edge, utilities ranked high on willingness to connect an energy customer's home and help manage their energy decisions—vital to any brand partnership looking to enter this space. To best meet customer needs and change consumer perception around innovation, utilities have an opportunity to develop partnerships with the brands that customers already view as innovative, and that they may have higher engagement with overall. Brands that scored high marks for innovation in Uplight and See Change Institute's study included Amazon, Google, and Apple–digital-first brands that utility customers interact with on a daily basis.
For example, utilities can emphasize innovation messaging when working with an electric vehicle (EV) company to help develop better, smarter at-home charging solutions for consumers with EVs that help shape the grid of the future. Solutions could help consumers save money, understand optimal charging times for their household and grid, and even realize the full benefits of owning an EV. Because no single entity alone currently embodies all the characteristics that make the ideal clean tech ecosystem brand—innovative, digital, strong familiarity, and strong association with energy—partnerships are a key way to gain consumer trust and interest.
Partnering with innovators in the home energy space is key for utilities to burnish their reputation as innovators and unlock new customer markets. While consumers are eager to save money and energy in their home spaces, utilities have the opportunity to emphasize their position as a trusted source to lead consumers in the right direction when it comes to their home ecosystem.
—Dan Burak is Senior Director, Brand Marketing at Uplight.
#energy #utilities #consumers #Uplight
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text:
Share this Story: Blue Jays won't play at Olympic Stadium in 2022
Blue Jays won't play at Olympic Stadium in 2022
"With a road opener, the logistics this season would have a negative competitive impact," Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro said.
The Toronto Blue Jays host the St. Louis Cardinals in a pre-season game at Olympic Stadium on March 26, 2018. Photo by Dave Sidaway /Montreal Gazette files
Montrealers will have to go a third straight year without seeing the Blue Jays play preseason games in the city, a tradition established in 2014.
Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro confirmed the decision to the Toronto Star on Tuesday .
Blue Jays won't play at Olympic Stadium in 2022 Back to video
"We still remain hopeful of a return to Montreal for exhibition games but with a road opener, the logistics this season would have a negative competitive impact,'' Shapiro told the newspaper. "So, we have tabled the opportunity for a year with the hope that we can revisit the possibility in future seasons.''
The Jays have scheduled all their preseason games at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Fla., including on the last weekend of March. There is an opening March 29 and 30, which is when they would normally play at Olympic Stadium, drawing tens of thousands of fans to the former home of the Montreal Expos, but the 2020 and 2021 events were cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Unless the Tampa Bay Rays succeed in a proposal to split the team's home games with Montreal, there won't be any Major League Baseball in the city until at least 2023.


text:
<?php

namespace Emonkak\Collection\Iterator;

class IterateIterator implements \Iterator
{
    private $initial;
    private $f;
    private $acc;
    private $index;

    public function __construct($initial, callable $f)
    {
        $this->initial = $initial;
        $this->f = $f;
    }

    public function current()
    {
        return $this->acc;
    }

    public function key()
    {
        return $this->index;
    }

    public function next()
    {
        $f = $this->f;
        $this->acc = $f($this->acc);
        $this->index++;
    }

    public function rewind()
    {
        $this->acc = $this->initial;
        $this->index = 0;
    }

    public function valid()
    {
        return true;
    }
}


The Epson PowerLite 6100i takes advantage of Epson's 3LCD technology and projects up to 3,500 ANSI lumens of brightness in XGA (1024 x 768) native resolution, enabling presenters to display visual content with sharp details and rich colors.— In addition to projecting vibrant images in both dark and well-lit lecture halls and meeting facilities, the Epson PowerLite 6100i features embedded technology that helps address the visual needs of hearing impaired and colorblind students.
The Epson PowerLite 6100i offers a wealth of features that make it a reliable asset which is easy for AV managers and campus technicians to manage.
projector's internal components over time.
and control the projector from remote locations via LAN or Internet.
further enhanced with password controls and other features.


Singapore is internationally recognised as having created an environment conducive to the development and protection of Intellectual Property (IP). The World Economic Forum ranked Singapore as second in the world and top in Asia for having the best IP protection in 2013. The policies regarding IP are governed by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS), a statutory board under the Ministry of Law, known for efficiency, neutrality and transparency.
International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants otherwise known as the "UPOV Convention"
In addition to the protective IP policies in Singapore, TWP has taken additional measures to keep your intellectual property safe. We conduct all press-related activities within our own facilities, greatly diminishing the time your copyrighted material spends outside our facilities.
Our premises are also highly secured with strict policies in place during the printing process to prevent theft of the copyrighted material in our possession. Several levels of security measures are implemented to ensure that TWP is able to protect your interests to the best of our abilities.