text:
Alzheimer's Moments
After living in Southern California for 20 years, I returned home to upstate New York to watch over my mother who was suffering from Alzheimer's Disease. My brother and I did everything we could to keep her in familiar surroundings at home and avoid assisted living. We were successful until June 2009, two weeks short of her 80th birthday. These Alzheimer's Moments document her life and the challenges of being a primary caregiver.
Libra, Rabbit, and ISTJ. Each sum me up perfectly.
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Big Ass Belle
Citrus And Sage
City Girl Talks
Diary Of A Carer
Mom, Me and Alzheimer's
Our Journey Through Alzheimer's
The Dandelion Clock
Wits' End
Alzheimer's Sites
About.com | Alzheimer's Disease and Care
Caring.com
DrKoop.com | Alzheimer's Disease and Care
Medicine.net | Alzheimer's Disease
Today's Caregiver Magazine
Top 50 Online Resources For Families Coping With Alzheimer's
WebMD | Alzheimer's Disease
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Super Bowl XLI Sunday
The Scene: Watching the Super Bowl being broadcast live from Miami, Florida on TV. Miami is 2000 miles south of here...it is warm and raining there, but it sure beats the frigid cold here (it will be 0ºF tonight).
Here in the U.S., today is a bit of a special day. It's where we award the American-style football team with the trophy for being the ultimate winner of the 2006-07 season. Termed the 'Super Bowl', it is the final game played after a series of playoffs. This year the final two teams are the Indianapolis Colts vs. the Chicago Bears.
Over the years it has grown in its hype. A lot of people throw themed parties where the main food group can accurately be called "crapola." Entrees include potato chips (you might call them crisps) with sour cream-based dip; tortilla chips with tomato-based salsa and/or guacamole dip; and deep-fried chicken wings slathered with ultra-hot sauce. As most of the northern U.S. is freezing in winter cold, the games are always scheduled to be played in a city in a warmer climate.
This program is the most-watched of the year so advertising has become a major side show. Advertisers roll out their most clever efforts to see who can create the most buzz. Talk at work on Monday with be as much about the commercials as about the game. Companies and advertisers can make or break their reputations on this one event. The ads even warrant their own special web site.
Half time draws the top entertainers. Most notable of these were U2 — absolutely incredible in 2002 after 9/11 with a special tribute to the victims. This year, Prince will be performing.
Me: Noticing that it is pouring rain at the game, "Boy, it sure is raining!"
Mom: "Are the cats in?"
Posted by Gavin at 7:05 PM
Labels: alzheimer's
I just found your blog. I enjoy it. My mother has alzheimer's also. I glad you can find the humor in a sad situation. My mom has started talking to herself in the mirror. This past weekend I was over at mom's house to give her a bath. As we were finishing getting her dressed, as she put on her glasses she looked in the mirror and said "Your back!". I said "What?" Mom pointing to the mirror said "I just said that she was back." So I said "I didn't even know she had gone anywhere." This made her bellylaugh.
Sun Feb 04, 08:23:00 PM GMT-5
Gavin said...
Glad you found me! I hope that each of us finds the humor and patience that this requires. I try to capture the funny things here but it isn't always easy that's for sure!
Mon Feb 05, 09:30:00 AM GMT-5


With atypical pneumonia, the infection is caused by different bacteria than the more common ones that cause pneumonia. Atypical pneumonia also tends to have milder symptoms than typical pneumonia.
Mycoplasma pneumonia is caused by the bacteria Mycoplasma pneumoniae. It often affects people younger than age 40.
Pneumonia due to Chlamydophila pneumoniae bacteria occurs year round.
Pneumonia due to Legionella pneumophila bacteria is seen more often in middle-aged and older adults, smokers, and those with chronic illnesses or a weak immune system. It can be more severe. This type of pneumonia is also called Legionnaire disease.
Pneumonia due to mycoplasma and chlamydophila bacteria is usually mild. Pneumonia due to legionella gets worse during the first 4 to 6 days, and then improves over 4 to 5 days.
If needed, you will be prescribed antibiotics.
Most people with pneumonia due to mycoplasma or chlamydophila get better with the right antibiotics. Legionella pneumonia can be severe. It can lead to problems, most often in those with kidney failure, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or a weakened immune system. It can also lead to death.
Contact your provider if you develop fever, cough, or shortness of breath. There are many causes for these symptoms. The provider will need to rule out pneumonia.
Wash your hands often and have other people around you do the same.
Moran GJ, Waxman MA. Pneumonia. In: Walls RM, Hockberger RS, Gausche-Hill M, eds. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 66.


[03/05/12] Once we get a bunch of pictures up we should probably start telling our favorite Paper Street/Mayhem stories.
[03/04/12] Who has more pictures/memories to post of this place? Mine were all washed away by rum and more rum.


NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 3, 2018--Highview Power, the global leader in long-duration energy storage solutions, has been named a finalist for the highly prestigious S&P Global Platts Global Energy Awards, often described as "the Oscars of the energy industry." The company's Liquid Air Energy Storage (LAES) system at the Viridor Pilsworth site near Manchester, United Kingdom, is nominated in the Grid Edge category. The innovative LAES technology delivers the reliable and cost-effective long-duration energy storage that is needed for renewable energy to displace traditional baseload power generation systems. Winners will be announced at the S&P Global Platts Global Energy Awards banquet on December 6, 2018, in New York.
"This is the time for liquid air energy storage. It provides the long-duration energy storage capacity of over eight hours and beyond that the world needs to achieve 100% renewable energy. We are honoured to be a finalist for an S&P Global Platts Global Energy Award and we appreciate the judges recognizing the impact LAES can have on the grid today by enabling baseload solar and wind power," said Javier Cavada, President and CEO of Highview Power.
Highview Power's 5 MW/15 MWh Pilsworth plant is the world's first grid-scale LAES system and was officially launched in June 2018. The facility is actively providing grid balancing services such as Short-Term Operating Reserve (STOR) to reduce consumption during winter peaks and is proving that intermittent distributed energy resources such as solar and wind can be easily integrated into the power grid when paired with long-duration energy storage. LAES systems can easily and cost-effectively scale to more than 200 MW/1.2 GWh, giving it the capacity to store days of clean renewable energy for hundreds of thousands of homes.
Highview Power's proprietary LAES technology is based on the principle of air liquefaction, which enables the easy storage of gases in cryogenic liquid form. The process involves a 700-fold expansion in volume from liquid back to gas, which releases the stored energy, powering turbines and generating electricity. This enables Highview's system to store vast quantities of energy at significantly lower lifetime costs than duration-limited energy storage resources. LAES systems offer pumped hydro capabilities to the grid but without the siting limitations and while releasing zero emissions in the process. It utilizes long-proven technology with an economic useful life of over 30 years.
Highview Power is a designer and developer of long-duration energy storage solutions for utilities and distributed power systems. The company's proprietary technology uses liquid air as the storage medium and its custom designed Liquid Air Energy Storage (LAES) solutions can deliver anywhere from 20 MW/80 MWh to more than 200 MW/1.2 GWh of energy. LAES has been developed using proven components from mature industries to deliver pumped-hydro capabilities without geographical constraints and it can be configured to convert waste heat and cold to power. For more information, please visit: www.highviewpower.com.


text:
Condominiums for sale in Ngau Tau Kok
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As a vibrant force in civil society, women continue to press for their rights, equal participation in decision-making, and the upholding of the principles of the revolution by the highest levels of leadership in Egypt. - Michelle Bachelet
It's really cool to hear your stuff in things like TV shows. It's a pretty cool feeling to hear what you did in the studio and then to hear it in places like that. It's definitely surreal. - Greg Kurstin
One of the most important responsibilities in the Christian life is to care about others, smile at them, and be a friend to the friendless. - James Dobson
Condos for sale in Nai Chung
Condos for sale in Nam Cheong Estate
Condos for sale in Nam Long Shan
Condos for sale in Ngau Chi Wan
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Q: How to use protobuf-net with immutable value types? Suppose I have an immutable value type like this:
[Serializable]
[DataContract]
public struct MyValueType : ISerializable
{
private readonly int _x;
private readonly int _z;

public MyValueType(int x, int z)
    : this()
{
    _x = x;
    _z = z;
}

// this constructor is used for deserialization
public MyValueType(SerializationInfo info, StreamingContext text)
    : this()
{
    _x = info.GetInt32("X");
    _z = info.GetInt32("Z");
}

[DataMember(Order = 1)]
public int X
{
    get { return _x; }
}

[DataMember(Order = 2)]
public int Z
{
    get { return _z; }
}

public static bool operator ==(MyValueType a, MyValueType b)
{
    return a.Equals(b);
}

public static bool operator !=(MyValueType a, MyValueType b)
{
    return !(a == b);
}

public override bool Equals(object other)
{
    if (!(other is MyValueType))
    {
        return false;
    }

    return Equals((MyValueType)other);
}

public bool Equals(MyValueType other)
{
    return X == other.X && Z == other.Z;
}

public override int GetHashCode()
{
    unchecked
    {
        return (X * 397) ^ Z;
    }
}

// this method is called during serialization
public void GetObjectData(SerializationInfo info, StreamingContext context)
{
    info.AddValue("X", X);
    info.AddValue("Z", Z);
}

public override string ToString()
{
    return string.Format("[{0}, {1}]", X, Z);
}
}

It works with BinaryFormatter or DataContractSerializer but when I try to use it with protobuf-net (http://code.google.com/p/protobuf-net/) serializer I get this error:

Cannot apply changes to property
  ConsoleApplication.Program+MyValueType.X

If I apply setters to the properties marked with DataMember attribute it will work but then it breaks immutability of this value type and that's not desirable to us.
Does anyone know what I need to do to get it work? I've noticed that there's an overload of the ProtoBu.Serializer.Serialize method which takes in a SerializationInfo and a StreamingContext but I've not use them outside of the context of implementing ISerializable interface, so any code examples on how to use them in this context will be much appreciated!
Thanks,
EDIT: so I dug up some old MSDN article and got a better understanding of where and how SerializationInfo and StreamingContext is used, but when I tried to do this:
var serializationInfo = new SerializationInfo(
    typeof(MyValueType), new FormatterConverter());
ProtoBuf.Serializer.Serialize(serializationInfo, valueType);

it turns out that the Serialize<T> method only allows reference types, is there a particular reason for that? It seems a little strange given that I'm able to serialize value types exposed through a reference type.

A: The selected answer didn't work for me since the link is broken and I cannot see the MyValueTypeViaFields code.
In any case I have had the same exception No parameterless constructor found for my class:
[ProtoContract]
public class FakeSimpleEvent
    : IPersistableEvent
{
    [ProtoMember(1)]
    public Guid AggregateId { get; }
    [ProtoMember(2)]
    public string Value { get; }
    public FakeSimpleEvent(Guid aggregateId, string value)
    {
        AggregateId = aggregateId;
        Value = value;
    }
}

when deserializing it with the following code:
public class BinarySerializationService
    : IBinarySerializationService
{
    public byte[] ToBytes(object obj)
    {
        if (obj == null) throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(obj));
        using (var memoryStream = new MemoryStream())
        {
            Serializer.Serialize(memoryStream, obj);
            var bytes = memoryStream.ToArray();
            return bytes;
        }
    }

    public TType FromBytes<TType>(byte[] bytes)
        where TType : class
    {
        if (bytes == null) throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(bytes));
        var type = typeof(TType);
        var result = FromBytes(bytes, type);
        return (TType)result;
    }

    public object FromBytes(byte[] bytes, Type type)
    {
        if (bytes == null) throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(bytes));
        int length = bytes.Length;
        using (var memoryStream = new MemoryStream())
        {
            memoryStream.Write(bytes, 0, length);
            memoryStream.Seek(0, SeekOrigin.Begin);
            var obj = Serializer.Deserialize(type, memoryStream);
            return obj;
        }
    }
}

being called like var dataObject = (IPersistableEvent)_binarySerializationService.FromBytes(data, eventType);
My message class FakeSimpleEvent has indeed parameterless constructor because I want it immutable.
I am using protobuf-net 2.4.0 and I can confirm that it supports complex constructors and immutable message classes. Simply use the following decorator
[ProtoContract(SkipConstructor = true)]

If true, the constructor for the type is bypassed during
  deserialization, meaning any field initializers or other
  initialization code is skipped.

UPDATE 1: (20 June 2019)
I don't like polluting my classes with attributes that belong to protobuffer because the domain model should be technology-agnostic (other than dotnet framework's types of course)
So for using protobuf-net with message classes without attributes and without parameterless constructor (i.e: immutable) you can have the following:
public class FakeSimpleEvent
    : IPersistableEvent
{
    public Guid AggregateId { get; }
    public string Value { get; }
    public FakeSimpleEvent(Guid aggregateId, string value)
    {
        AggregateId = aggregateId;
        Value = value;
    }
}

and then configure protobuf with the following for this class.
var fakeSimpleEvent = RuntimeTypeModel.Default.Add(typeof(FakeSimpleEvent), false);
fakeSimpleEvent.Add(1, nameof(FakeSimpleEvent.AggregateId));
fakeSimpleEvent.Add(2, nameof(FakeSimpleEvent.Value));
fakeSimpleEvent.UseConstructor = false;

This would be the equivalent to my previous answer but much cleaner.
PS: Don't mind the IPersistableEvent. It's irrelevant for the example, just a marker interface I use somewhere else

A: Which version of protobuf-net are you using? If you are the latest v2 build, it should cope with this automatically. In case I haven't deployed this code yet, I'll update the download areas in a moment, but essentially if your type is unadorned (no attributes), it will detect the common "tuple" patten you are using, and decide (from the constructor) that x (constructor parameter)/X (property) is field 1, and z/Z is field 2.
Another approach is to mark the fields:
[ProtoMember(1)]
private readonly int _x;

[ProtoMember(2)]
private readonly int _z;

(or alternatively [DataMember(Order=n)] on the fields)
which should work, depending on the trust level. What I haven't done yet is generalise the constructor code to attributed scenarios. That isn't hard, but I wanted to push the basic case first, then evolve it.
I've added the following two samples/tests with full code here:
    [Test]
    public void RoundTripImmutableTypeAsTuple()
    {
        using(var ms = new MemoryStream())
        {
            var val = new MyValueTypeAsTuple(123, 456);
            Serializer.Serialize(ms, val);
            ms.Position = 0;
            var clone = Serializer.Deserialize<MyValueTypeAsTuple>(ms);
            Assert.AreEqual(123, clone.X);
            Assert.AreEqual(456, clone.Z);
        }
    }
    [Test]
    public void RoundTripImmutableTypeViaFields()
    {
        using (var ms = new MemoryStream())
        {
            var val = new MyValueTypeViaFields(123, 456);
            Serializer.Serialize(ms, val);
            ms.Position = 0;
            var clone = Serializer.Deserialize<MyValueTypeViaFields>(ms);
            Assert.AreEqual(123, clone.X);
            Assert.AreEqual(456, clone.Z);
        }
    }

Also:

it turns out that the Serialize method only allows reference types

yes, that was a design limitation of v1 that related to the boxing model etc; this no longer applies with v2.
Also, note that protobuf-net doesn't itself consume ISerializable (although it can be used to implement ISerializable).

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A short time ago Irish Golfer Magazine's Equipment & Technology Consultant, Derek Murray from Fore Golf, got the chance to visit the heart of Mizuno's operations in Japan to see the new MP-18's coming off the line and it was an eye-opening experience.
At Fore Golf, we have been involved with Mizuno and their growth since the early 1990s. Back in the day, I was introduced to the brand by my then boss, Ernie Jones, who was the Pro at the K Club. He played with Mizuno, and I've been a fan of the brand ever since, their irons specifically. They are known as an irons company although they have started to produce some cool wedges as well as fairway woods, hybrids and drivers. But my love affair with Mizuno began when I first saw the TP9s back in the 90s.
I was delighted therefore to be invited for Irish Golfer Magazine on a three-day trip to Japan to visit Mizuno's main headquarters in Osaka, west of Tokyo, where the Mizuno Tower is close to 40 storeys tall. It encompasses all of their sporting businesses, including baseball, tennis and even the Olympics.
As Fore Golf is a family business I was very privileged to be able to bring my dad Don with me and we learned how Mizuno's involvement in sport began. They've been around for hundreds of years and they have a special timeline video room at their HQ, which is basically a testament to sport. You can take blocks off the wall, put them down on this screen and you are told about that specific time and history in Mizuno. It is fascinating stuff.
After a visit to 'The Tower' we headed to Hiroshima on the Bullet Train, where they produce the steel for the clubheads.
This is where you'll find Mizuno's steel foundry. Roughly 80 per cent of the foundry's capacity is used to produce Mizuno irons. The reason for this is that Mizuno insists on a very specific type of steel. They produce this billet steel which is like a round sausage. It is about 7 or 8 inches long and these cylinders are then pressed in to a mould… as opposed to being poured which you'd see in typical club making.
Enormous amounts of pressure and energy are applied by five tonne machines which are 20 to 25 feet high. The pounding is phenomenal: it reverberates through the ground under your feet. The reason for this specific technique is that clubheads shaped from a single cylinder never change their molecular structure. The grain in the steel stays absolutely pure throughout the clubhead's manufacture. This is so important in terms of the iron's production as it keeps the feel of the iron very very consistent. In total, they produce about 500,000 pieces a year here.
Once we had seen how the steel was made, we went through the different processes. For a lot of it we were not allowed to take photographs or record anything. We weren't even allowed to ask too many questions because so much of what they do is carefully protected. The attention to detail is phenomenal and it is little surprise they want to protect their processes and what makes them so special.
We were seeing a lot in a short amount of time. For Dad and me it was truly fascinating. We have both been in custom-fitting for so long but this was going ever deeper into the club making process. It opened our eyes to how Mizuno works and demonstrates the value and integrity that Mizuno puts into the brand… but there was so much more to come.
We travelled back to Osaka, and day three of our trip took us to the Yoro Technics factory. This was the place we really wanted to see because this is where the serious craftsmanship takes place, where they do a lot of their R & D testing and where they produce their Japanese-only products, which is why it is called Yoro. Yoro is the highest level of Mizuno iron production. This factory also produces their premium end equipment for baseball. You might not think that baseball bats require such attention to detail but the bats produced here are hand turned by their master craftsmen. It is also the place where the Meisters work. These guys are the Masters of club making for Mizuno: a Meister is a person who can build a set of clubs from blocks of steel. Literally. They will actually take a block of steel and they will grind it and shape it into a single iron head. Imagine doing that from single blocks of steel for an entire set of irons. You might ask why… and I did. The Meister told me he might not have a mould that matches the exact shape a player requires, so he grinds it from scratch instead. Each club is unique.
No other golf company does this as far as I know.
While we were there we met with Turbo, the Head Meister, who looked after Nick Faldo back in the day. He still does a lot of work for some Tour players. He is the most senior Meister at the factory and Meisters are treated with the utmost respect. It can take 20 to 30 years to become a Meister and they are revered. It is not hard to see why. They're like Samurai in that way. They are simply the best at what they do and while many different people work in the factory building clubs, the Meisters and the Master Craftsmen occupy a separate section where they make the clubs from scratch. Turbo showed us heads that he had forged by hand and he then demonstrated how he makes and bends the iron to the way he wants. It was amazing to watch.
He was very aware of my Dad's presence and, throughout the trip, the Japanese culture impressed me so much. I love the respect they show to each other and to visitors. They have an inate respect for themselves and their country and they look after each other very well… particularly the elderly. There is a heirachy which even operates when you get into a lift – you have to stand in a certain place and it rotates based on heirachy: the youngest person stands near the buttons and operates them; and the most senior person stands in the back right of the lift and they enter and exit on that hierarchy. You are always watching who is the eldest and who goes where. So they were very aware of my Dad on this trip, giving him the deepest bows as a sign of respect for his age. Towards the end of the Yoro factory tour they called us into a meeting room and presented my Dad with his Meister apron from Mizuno. This was a huge moment both for him and for me because we hadn't expected it and because it was Turbo who presented it. Turbo commented that my Dad had Meister blood. It is, I think, the first time that a Westerner has been honoured in such a way. We were both incredibly moved. Dad may not have reached full Mizuno Meister level but he was certainly greeted as being one of their own. If you come out to Fore Golf you'll find dad wearing his Meister apron every day as he carries on making clubs.
We were then given a final tour of the factory where we saw some of the clubs that Mizuno have made down the years: cool products like the irons they made for the Masters; irons that have won numerous Major Championships; and clubs that are used by some of the best Tour players in the world.
We saw their R & D and how they research products, test it and build it. And yet, within Yoro, things can be done quite differently because it is a step up in terms of quality and that's saying something. I was so impressed that I made enquiries and, as a consequence, Fore Golf is to become a Yoro-connected establishment. This means that we will be able to allow customers to design their irons in terms of their finish, where the logos are placed, where the numbers are placed, the offset and certain design qualities of the irons. The irons will then be built in the Yoro factory in Japan and shipped to us. It will be more expensive but then Fore Golf will be one of the first places outside Japan directly connected with Yoro as an outlet for these Mizuno products. That is serious quality, right there.
We finished our trip in Tokyo and flew home certainly more the wiser, certainly incredibly impressed by not only Mizuno and their processes but also by the different and extraordinary levels of work required to produce a club head. You can't take short cuts – that much was made abundantly clear.
Perhaps I should point out that there are only four Meisters at Mizuno, so that indicates the level of respect shown for my dad by men on the other side of the world. To be recognised as being the best in the world at what we do is hugely rewarding for all of us. We are constantly learning in our world because we can never say we know everything. Our trip has given us a much higher respect for what goes into an actual club head… and a better understanding when we are talking to clients about what these clubs do.


text:
the guesthouse
Notre Dame of Jerusalem
Holy Land History: Adam under Calvary
By Silvia Holgado
September 13th, 2022 - Fall Newsletter I Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center
Photo showing the Rock of Calvary in the Chapel of Adam in the Holy Sepulchre - Photo by Gary Todd
Barely decorated, the so-called "Chapel of Adam" draws little attention from pilgrims who visit the Holy Sepulchre. Located under the rock of Calvary, this small chapel is of more theological than historical interest. No marble, no silver, hardly any lights or religious images. Only the rock visible, and in it a deep vertical crack. According to tradition, it occurred during the tremor that followed the death of Jesus Christ. This crack leads us into the theological understanding of the redemption obtained in the Crucifixion: the redeeming blood of Christ reaches even Adam, that is, it encompasses the entire human race, from our first parents to us, who are at the feet of that rock that held the salvation of the world.
The Holy Sepulcher deserves a leisurely tour. It is a place that always reveals "something else" to us, because there we not only find the witness stones of unique events in history but we also delve into the mystery of our salvation.
This theological theme dates back to the fourth century, it was already known by Origen and by the ancient Fathers of the Church. For example, Epiphanius of Salamis wrote that Christ washed and cleansed our ancestor's bones with his blood. At the same time, in the iconography of the Anastasis (Resurrection of Christ) the image of the resurrection of Adam began to appear.
It was the builders of the time of Constantine who gave utility to the cavity that the rock of Calvary presented in this lower level. Later the space was expanded to be able to celebrate the cult, even if it was for a small number of people. Under the Crusaders, Adam's Chapel was expanded from the east, and the tomb of Jerusalem's early kings was built here (these tombs were dismantled during the post-fire restoration in 1808 and today, something like two stone benches remain at the entrance of the chapel).
Hail, O Cross, Our Only Hope!
Fall in Jerusalem: Nativity of the Virgin Mary, the Exultation of the Cross, and Our Lady of Sorrows
Happy Birthday! Is Pentecost the Birth of the Church?
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Is a kitchen makeover in your future? If so, then we've got some great options and trends that will help you narrow down the choices whether you're making just a few changes or remodeling your entire space. The best thing about making over your kitchen is that you can do a lot to just a little and it can transform the whole look of your kitchen. Since the kitchen is the heart of your home, it should reflect you and your family's personal taste and lifestyle.
From door styles and functionality to colors and designs, trending patterns in cabinetry are taking on a straight lined and simple look. Soft grays and clean whites are gracing the doors, floors and walls. Since trending designs are always changing, it's important to know your style and remember that a kitchen makeover is something you'll live with for many years.
Transitional – Where contemporary mixes with traditional, you'll find the perfect blend of style for your kitchen. Shaker doors in stains or painted colors with or without glazes are popular transitional styles. Hardware designs incorporate simple straight lines and curves with brushed nickel and pewter finishes.
Contemporary – If you're looking for straight lines, less molding and glossier finishes, contemporary is your style. Polished doors in stains or painted colors with or without glazes are popular transitional finishes.
Traditional – As trends shift and change, a traditional style kitchen will always be a classic. There are so many options today to choose from – colors, designs, moldings and inlays… not to mention all of the options with hardware. Antique bronze, brushed nickel or pewter finishes go great with just about any traditional door style.
In today's kitchen, there is no compromising design or function. No matter what your style, there are a wide variety of space saving options – pull outs, cutlery trays, dividers, and trash pull outs.
When choosing a countertop, consider style, durability and price. While quartz has grown in popularity, granite still remains a top contender. There are advantages and disadvantages of both so it's best to weigh your options.
Quartz has a cleaner and more simplified look. It is non-porous, heat resistant and does not need to be sealed, meaning less maintenance. However, quartz is typically more expensive than granite.
Granite, being natural stone, can add warmth and dimension to your kitchen. It is also heat resistant, but recommended to be resealed once a year. When searching for the granite of your choice, be sure to look at the entire slab because the colors can often vary from the sample you're checking out.
Another great option growing in popularity is butcher block and the fashionable place to use it is on your kitchen island. Mixing different elements of countertop materials combines the warmth of wood with the cool surfaces of stone for the best of both worlds.
Just like cabinet designs, there are many trending patterns to choose from so knowing your style will make your decision a whole lot simpler. If you're considering the softer grays, then a clean white subway tile is always a good compliment. If you want to spice it up a bit, change it up by adding a patterned tile accent area or using a contrasting grout color.
If warmer tones and natural stones are more your style, then considering a natural stone or complementary tile is your best option.
Flooring trends fall right in line with cabinet trends ushering in the grays and neutrals. While hardwood still seems to be an all-time favorite, we're seeing more and more ceramic wood-look tile in barn wood and rustic patterns. Mixing rustic designs with modern elements creates a comfortable and more relaxed feeling environment. Tile is also more durable and easy to clean. Another upcoming fashion hitting the floor is Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) giving consumers a durable, low maintenance, water-proof and warmer floor to live on.
With so many options available, you're bound to find the look you want with the budget you have in mind. Take the time to search the internet for designs and styles that fir your lifestyle and taste. If you're interested or have any questions about the information in this article, give us a call at 256.536.8086.


text:
Twin Cities Daily Planet (https://www.tcdailyplanet.net/no-hiding-under-covers-bedbugs-are-back/)
No hiding under the covers: Bedbugs are back
By mbaran (TC Daily Planet) | May 5, 2009
Bedbugs, the unwitting beneficiaries of the foreclosure crisis, are creeping back into Twin Cities' households, straining the pocketbooks of low-income families.
The blood-sucking insects can cost thousands of dollars to eradicate. Families often have to throw out their mattresses, furniture, and even books, toys, picture frames, DVDs –anywhere the apple seed-sized insects might hide. And, since bedbugs can survive for up to a year without feeding, even the most careful efforts to eliminate them can fail.
Although the Minnesota Department of Health does not track the number of infestations, as bedbugs have not been shown to carry disease, exterminators and public health organizations report sharp increases in the past several years.
Plunkett's Pest Control Incorporated, a large Midwestern extermination company, received its first bedbug call in decades in 1995. "It started to snowball from there," Plunkett's technical director Jay Bruesch said. Last year, the company received 212 requests for bedbug extermination, and is already on pace to top last year's numbers. "This hasn't plateaued yet," Bruesch said.
Plunkett's recently invested in new technology to address the high infestation rates, including several massive heaters that can warm an infested area up to 130 degrees, killing bedbugs without having to destroy any personal belongings, furniture, or mattresses. But the treatments can cost several thousand dollars–well beyond what many households can afford.
Dealing with bedbugs
If you're a renter and need legal advice about your bedbug problem, you can call HOME Line's tenant hotline. The hotline provides free legal advice to tenants. Call 612-728-5767. If you're calling from Greater Minnesota, call 866-866-3546.
To donate to the Minnesota Visiting Nurse Agency's "Community Caring" fund, call 612-617-4600 or go to their website.
At HOME Line's statewide tenant hotline, complaints about insect infestations are up about 37 percent over the past two years. The organization does not track bedbug calls separately, but HOME Line's Mike Vraa said that a considerable number of these calls are bedbug-related. The non-profit agency has already received over fifty insect infestation complaints this year and expects the number will continue to increase.
Bedbug experts believe that the 1972 ban on the pesticide DDT and the rise in global travel over the past decade contributed to the resurgence. Some organizations, including the Minnesota Visiting Nurse Agency (MVNA), a nonprofit home health and public health care provider, suspect that the foreclosure crisis has worsened the situation. With more families, including both renters and homeowners, moving frequently, bedbugs can easily travel with them.
Bedbugs feed on human blood and tend to cluster on mattress crevices, where they emerge at night to eat. However, bedbugs can also quickly spread throughout an entire apartment complex, leaving telltale dark fecal spots, discarded skin, and egg cases on bed sheets and furniture.
Small, itchy red bumps from bedbug bites typically appear on the arms and neck. "You don't notice them at first," MVNA's Amy Goodhue said. "Not everyone reacts to it in the same way. You may mistake it at first for being a mosquito bite." Although in most cases, bedbug bites do not pose a serious medical risk, they can cause skin infections, particularly in children.
Bedbug infestation can financially devastate low-income households. MVNA started seeing occasional bedbug complaints several years ago. Nurses in the family services division now see one or two new bedbug infestations every week. "Like anyone else, [mothers are] pretty horrified," Goodhue said. "They're scared for their children."
MVNA runs a "Community Caring" fund to assist low-income individuals with non-medical needs, including bedbug removal. The unique program provides money for families to seal their mattresses, rent a steam cleaner, or buy a new crib. However, funding remains limited, as the program relies on donations. "It's very difficult to tell [families] what to do, but not to have the funding or the ability to do it," Goodhue said.
Not everyone can afford to follow basic guidelines to prevent infestation. Experts recommend that people do not pick up furniture off the street or even purchase used furniture in a thrift store. "But for our families who are sleeping on floors, they're willing to risk a mattress from the street rather than sleeping on the floor," MVNA's Michelle Lichtig said.
Low-income families also move more frequently, increasing their risk of encountering an infestation. However, in today's housing market, even some wealthy families find themselves forced to move due to foreclosure. "I don't think it's a low-income problem so much as it is a moving problem," Bruesch, of Plunkett's, said.
Tenants also routinely encounter landlords who refuse to pay for an exterminator. HOME Line's Vraa said that landlords often argue that the tenant caused the problem and should therefore have to cover the costs. But pinpointing the outbreak to one household is difficult, if not impossible. And unless the landlord can show that the tenant caused the infestation, either intentionally or through negligence, the law requires that the landlord pay for an exterminator, Vraa said.
If a landlord refuses, a tenant can file a written complaint with the landlord, set up a rent escrow account, and pay $55 to request a court hearing to force the landlord to pay for extermination costs. "Frankly, landlords need to realize that this is one of the costs of doing business," Vraa said.
When Maximillian Regan and his girlfriend Valerie moved into separate apartments in the same complex near Minneapolis Community and Technical College (MCTC) in January 2008, they spotted a few small bugs, but the couple assumed they were harmless. Then Valerie broke out into a rash and sought medical attention. After seeing several doctors, she received the diagnosis: bedbugs.
"I didn't even know they existed," Regan said. "I thought they were a medieval thing."
The couple talked to the landlord, who agreed to pay for an exterminator. But Regan said the landlord did not want to pay for the most expensive treatments, and instead used cheaper, ineffective methods.
Regan said that his former neighbors also experienced infestations and could not afford to move or buy new furniture. "People who live there generally don't have a lot of money," he said. "When people throw their furniture out, even when it's littered with bedbugs, someone will bring it back."
After several months, Regan said the situation became unbearable. He was unable to sleep and failed out of a summer math course due to the stress. He tried to eradicate the bedbugs on his own, but was unsuccessful.
He spent most of the last month of his lease living in a hotel room. When Regan moved out in September, he threw away all of his furniture, tightly sealed up the rest of his belongings, put them in storage, and waited for the bedbugs to die before retrieving his possessions.
He then began the arduous process of meticulously inspecting every item. "We moved everything over piece by piece," he said, including his large collection of books. "I pretty much went through page by page to find out if there were any around." Some of his thickest books took five hours to inspect.
Despite all his efforts, Regan still experienced a small resurgence of bedbugs in his new apartment. Luckily, the infestation proved to be minimal and his landlord quickly sent over a skilled exterminator.
Regan's apartment remains bedbug-free, but he struggles to avoid the mental picture of bedbugs waiting in his mattress to feed. "I swear I can feel them on me still, crawling on me at night," he said.
Madeleine Baran is a freelance journalist specializing in labor and poverty issues. Her articles have appeared in The New York Daily News, Dollars & Sense, Clamor, The New Standard, and other publications.
mbaran


text:
Q: Parent-Child Single Table Reference I can't find any information on tables referencing themselves in a parent-child relationship. Is it bad practice to have this? Should this be split in two tables for the parent-child relationship? There's a lot more columns in the real table. We are working on cleaning up the old records from this table and it can take a long time to delete a parent with numerous children. This table is used for numerous things throughout our application so a long running delete causes the table to be locked and our application hangs. I don't know that splitting this table will provide any sort of benefits but I am not strong in SQL.
|     HistoryItemID   |ParentHistoryItemID|        Data       |
|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
|          15         |        NULL       |  Starting Rule 1  |
|          35         |         15        | Subject Processed |

A: Here is a little working example of using a Recursive CTE to generate a hierarchy via hierarchyID datatype
Example
Declare @YourTable table (HistoryItemID int, ParentHistoryItemID int, Data varchar(50));
Insert Into @YourTable values
( 15, NULL, 'Starting Rule 1'),
( 35, 15, 'Subject Processed'),
( 38, 35, 'Subject 1'),
( 42, 35, 'Subject 2'),
( 17, NULL, 'Starting Rule 2'),
( 55, 17, 'Rule 2 - Subject 1'),
( 56, 17, 'Rule 2 - Subject 2')
;

Declare @Top   int         = null      --<<  Sets top of Hier Try 35

;with cteP as (
      Select HistoryItemID
            ,ParentHistoryItemID
            ,Data
            ,HierID = convert(hierarchyid,concat('/',HistoryItemID,'/'))
      From   @YourTable
      Where  IsNull(@Top,-1) = case when @Top is null then isnull(ParentHistoryItemID ,-1) else HistoryItemID end
      Union  All
      Select ID  = r.HistoryItemID
            ,Pt  = r.ParentHistoryItemID
            ,Data   = r.Data
            ,HierID = convert(hierarchyid,concat(p.HierID.ToString(),r.HistoryItemID,'/'))
      From   @YourTable r
      Join   cteP p on r.ParentHistoryItemID  = p.HistoryItemID)
Select Lvl   = HierID.GetLevel()
      ,HistoryItemID
      ,ParentHistoryItemID
      ,Data  = replicate('|----',HierID.GetLevel()-1) + Data  -- Nesting Optional ... For Presentation
      ,HierID_String = HierID.ToString()
 From cteP A
 Order By A.HierID

Results

If @Top was set to 35


800 - Charlemagne arrives in Rome to examine the alleged crimes of Pope Leo III.
1877 - Thomas Edison demonstrates his phonograph for the first time.
Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "November 29" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on original research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.
This page was last modified 09:00, 23 November 2014.


There are so many internet trends reports out there, including some very closely watched reports about the tech industry, and most of them underscore the growth of mobile this year. Mobile makes up over half of the web traffic. The internet of things is another exciting but newer development in technology, but it isn't yet quite clear exactly how it will affect the marketers and consumers.
Personalization technologies have also been around for a while, but it is only recently that companies have started to realize the opportunity, and the fact that personalization is really coming into its own. These fast paced trends are really turning the digital industry upside down, and in order to save yourself from becoming lost, marketers need to start building a roadmap for this uncharted terrain.
While companies have since forever followed the "content is the king" mantra and have tried to milk every possible channel to promote their brand's content, things are changing. They used to create a whitepaper and then bombard social networks with links to their whitepaper, from sending emails to their subscribers, sponsoring ads on relevant sites to blogging and social media posting, it was all about links to their whitepaper. Fast forward to 'now', omni-channel experiences have stepped in.
By gathering data about patterns of content consumption of a company's users, more companies will invest in omni-channel user experiences, which will be seamlessly integrated across multiple channels. Understanding user behavior will allow businesses to align their content messaging, design and goals across particular channels to give users a feeling of continuity.
Personalization on the basis of basic customer profiles such as age, location, gender, etc. is history. Companies have now realized that not all 20 year olds from New Delhi need to have the same user experience for a similar reaction. Instead, many well-informed businesses have started analyzing the behavior of online visitors and studying the psychology behind a user's online behavior to then customize their experiences to personality rather than profile.
While no two 20 something Delhi-ites may shop alike, there is a good probability that most "Wish Listers," who select and put particular items in their online shopping carts, and then never complete the purchase, will give away an abandoned shopping cart after seeing one of the items from their selection go on sale.
The idea of artificial intelligence (AI) has been talked about for a few decades, and from movies to games, has now found a place in the mainstream businesses. While computers can still not start to plot an overthrow of humanity, but through AI, they are very well beginning to understand human beings in a way that is better than what we understand about ourselves.
Advertising and marketing platforms especially have started to benefit from AI in their own ways, and will integrate AI into their regular processes to crunch numbers much faster by deriving insights that will be used to better target and understand the end users and consumer.
The digital industry is sure to evolve and change, probably even more in the next ten years than it did in the last decade. Awareness of the most enduring trends in will enable you to effectively deliver relevant ads in order to target consumers while connecting thorough data with whatever new technologies are available.
It is therefore important to stay on top of developments but do not overcommit. As digital technology continues to develop, ask yourself if it fits in with your strategy, and only then give it a shot. The most successful businesses in the upcoming data-driven future will be the ones who will be willing to take risks on newer channels, processes and systems.


text:
Q: Questions with SEO context (instead of SEO advice) are on-topic, right? What about these? It's my understanding that questions asking for SEO advice are off-topic on Stack Overflow, while questions with a SEO context should be on-topic.
It's "How should I … for SEO" (= SEO advice) versus "[Because of SEO] I want to …" (= SEO context).
"Unfortunately" questions of the latter case are often also tagged with seo, and it seems to me that they are sometimes getting closed (primarily) because of having this tag.
For example, these questions are closed currently:

*

*https://stackoverflow.com/q/21233315/1591669: Although this question references "SEO" in the title and tags, the question itself is about the Canonical link relation, and not about search engines' interpretation of the Canonical link relation.

*Can Microdata be applied on any type of HTML element?: This question is about Microdata, not about search engines' interpretation of Microdata (although the initial version contained the question "Will Google still pick up on this correctly?", this was only an additional side question that shouldn't invalidate the whole question).

*Setting a different title tag for a URL with a hash?: It's tagged with "SEO", but the OP is asking for a way to accomplish it, not if it should be done or if/how search engines would interpret it.

Was this the right move to close them?

Couldn't this be a simple guideline to decide if a "SEO" tagged question is on-topic?

Can this question be answered by referencing a standard/specification (instead of a blog post or a search engine's documentation)?

If yes, it's probably on-topic. (Well, it would at least apply to those three example questions.)
Or the countercheck:

Would an answer to this question depend on the (current) behaviour/documentation/support of a search engine web service?

If yes, it's likely off-topic.

A: I would imagine that, if you can ask the same question without mentioning SEO, and still have it be on-topic, then it's on-topic.


text:
Eurytides dolicaon är en fjärilsart som först beskrevs av Pieter Cramer 1775.  Eurytides dolicaon ingår i släktet Eurytides och familjen riddarfjärilar. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Bildgalleri

Källor

Externa länkar

Riddarfjärilar
dolicaon

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Securetech, a tradeshow/conference that brings together 100+ booths exhibiting the latest in safety/security products and services, thousands of expected visitors, four conference tracks (cyber security, counter-terrorism, emergency management, and personal protective equipment), and dozens of experts from private sector, Canadian and Foreign governments including speakers from National Defence, Homeland Security, police forces, municipalities – all talking about topics like unmanned systems for first responders, emergency operations centers, building resilience against terrorism, integrated systems for first responders today and tomorrow, cyber protection and the technical innovation that drives, well, everything. This is an event where security and safety experts and organizations are gathering to share information. Given the sheer number of information collection opportunities at Securetech, I thought this would be a good opportunity to write to you about my favourite area of expertise – competitive intelligence.
Described as the act of defining, gathering, analyzing, and distributing intelligence about products, customers, or competitors, competitive intelligence supports executive strategic decision-making. It should not be confused with corporate or industrial espionage, which use illegal and/or unethical methods to gain an unfair competitive advantage.
Event intelligence is a popular theme with competitive intelligence professionals. Competitive Intelligence Magazine (the magazine for members of the Strategic and Competitive Intelligence Professionals – SCIP) has a regular column on it (I write it). There is a book about it put out by the Competitive Intelligence Foundation, and there have been countless webinars from leading competitive intelligence organizations.
Ten years later, Joe Goldberg (formerly senior director of business intelligence at Motorola, and before that a top notch CIA officer) wrote: "Conference and trade show events are the most concentrated, productive and cost-effective means to spotlight strategic trends, and they often go unnoticed in normal intelligence activities. Trade shows, conferences, and seminars furnish the greatest collection potential in the shortest span of time for the least amount of money. The many formal and informal activities at the event provide a variety of collection opportunities. Over the years, a small community of business intelligence (BI) experts within Motorola has made the most of trade events as a primary collection opportunity".
I have led many groups on trade show intelligence missions and can attest to the extraordinary opportunity that events bring. So why are trade shows and other events so good for intelligence? Because they bring the experts together customers, competitors, government regulators, suppliers, academics and so forth – experts with information. From a collection perspective, people attend events with the objective of exchanging information so they are keen to talk. Validation of information is also simpler at events. There are always sources to validate information at the event – again, everyone is there. At one event, my task was to validate a rumor about a major technology development happening within the next year. The show attendees included scientists who certainly would be involved in this activity, government officers who are also part of the area, companies with leading edge technology, academics and others who would have been consulted on emerging developments. Validating the rumor was straightforward and quick.
Tip 1: Help your organization focus their intelligence and information needs – help them figure out what they need to know.
What are the specific intelligence needs of your organization? Do you need to update technology profiles? Customer profiles? Competitor profiles? Are you trying to get a sense of emerging opportunities? Know what it is that you need to know.
I was at a lab equipment show for a safety and security related company to help them identify potential equipment to be put on their long term acquisition list. They needed to know where the new technologies are heading – should they put off some current potential acquisitions in favour of new technologies coming out in the next 5-10 years?
The trade show was particularly good for this as all major lab equipment companies were there with their R&D personnel.
Another public sector client was looking for innovative policy solution-programs for biotechnology. The bio show, with its dozens of government pavilions and numerous ministerial delegates, was a great place to gather this information.
Tip 2: Overlay your information and intelligence needs with the event activities or, put another way, make sure you know where you will be spending your time at the event.
Does the speaker/exhibitor have the information that I need? Match the booth, speaker, or panel topic to your organization's information needs.
Will the people who will be attending that particular event (eg. people who will attend and listen to the unmanned vehicle session) be people that I want to talk to? Do I want to hear the questions they will ask? If yes, then they are likely going to be at that particular session and you can talk to them either before or after the panel.
Every time you note something in the program that you are interested in, put it in your event plan, but be sure to link it to your objective(s) in attending the workshop, or visiting the booth etc. Have others from your organization (for example senior management) look at pre-show materials to identify areas they would like to see covered. I use a form similar to the one shown here to help summarize everything I want to do at an event.
Sometimes I have gone to shows with the sole objective, not of collecting information, but meeting people who will be of help to me in future intelligence initiatives – call this creating a new network. It's still an important intelligence objective for the event but, to figure out who you need to meet at the show, you need to know what your organization's longer term information needs are.
Tip 3: Find out who will be going to the event and see if they can help you.
No matter how organized I am, I can't be in more than one place at a time, yet I invariably have identified two or three panels that I want to attend that are occurring at the same time. I also am limited in how much time I can effectively gather information during an event and, given the information opportunities at events, my needs are always greater than the time I have, so I either need to cut down on my information collection objectives or find other people who can help me. The starting point is sharing my plan with others. I let my co-workers who are going to be going to the event know what information I am looking for that they may come across, I let government and association executives know what I am looking for that may be part of their domain. I share. The more eyes and ears you have at an event helping you out, the higher the likelihood that someone will find the information you need.
actively helping me collect information. Networking is important in intelligence, and really pays off at trade shows.
Tip 4: Contact people that you want to talk to before you go to the show.
Contact as many of your information targets as is appropriate before the show. Since you have already identified people to interview at the event (either by booth number, workshop, or delegate), consider contacting them to set up a time to talk at the event, but only if the element of surprise is not important to your plan. Conference time is short and precious. Many delegates have their available show meeting times committed almost a year in advance.
I have a lot more trade show tips to share, and will do more of this in the future. Also to follow, will be advice how to collect effectively at events, how to use social media to assist in collection at events, the use of analytics at events, what to do after the event, counterintelligence at events, and so forth. But for now, these four planning tips should help get you started.
Alison Bourey (another competitive intelligence practitioner) estimates that companies waste 30 to 50% of their entire trade show budgets by not having the sort of collection plan and associated mindset talked about in this article. Whether you are going to Securetech this month, or other events are on your horizon, hopefully this article will help you avoid this waste.
To help you prepare for Securetech in particular, this issue of FrontLine includes an article that provides background on the show itself, and an interview with CADSI President Christyn Cianfarani with information about the activities at the event. An article focusing on unmanned systems for first responders is one of the roundtables that are part of the Emergency Management portion of the conference. Another article is based on an example from Securetech's Innovation Zone, with information from the National Research Council. Call it part of the background research for your Securetech event intelligence program.
Jonathan Calof is FrontLine's Executive Editor.


Stories of a Traveling Diva: Thomas Rick @ Washington Post can BITE ME!
Want to trim the federal budget and improve the military at the same time? Shut down West Point, Annapolis and the Air Force Academy, and use some of the savings to expand ROTC scholarships.After covering the U.S. military for nearly two decades, I've concluded that graduates of the service academies don't stand out compared to other officers. Yet producing them is more than twice as expensive as taking in graduates of civilian schools ($300,000 per West Point product vs. $130,000 for ROTC student). On top of the economic advantage, I've been told by some commanders that they prefer officers who come out of ROTC programs, because they tend to be better educated and less cynical about the military.
This is no knock on the academies' graduates. They are crackerjack smart and dedicated to national service. They remind me of the best of the Ivy League, but too often they're getting community-college educations. Although West Point's history and social science departments provided much intellectual firepower in rethinking the U.S. approach to Iraq, most of West Point's faculty lacks doctorates. Why not send young people to more rigorous institutions on full scholarships, and then, upon graduation, give them a military education at a short-term military school? Not only do ROTC graduates make fine officers -- three of the last six chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff reached the military that way -- they also would be educated alongside future doctors, judges, teachers, executives, mayors and members of Congress. That would be good for both the military and the society it protects.
Thomas E. Ricks is a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security and author of "The Gamble," about the Iraq war from 2006 to 2008.
Point 1. "service academies [are] more than twice as expensive as taking in graduates of civilian schools ($300,000 per West Point product vs. $130,000 for ROTC student).
"Rebuttal 1. A more accurate figure for the 4 year experience here is $202,000, which is equivalent to the 4-year cost of graduating a student from any of the country's top-tier universities . . . and those students generally take more than 4 years to graduate. And college and universities across the nation also receive funding from federal and state governments.An accurate cost comparison takes a lot more analysis than shown in this op-ed.
P2. "On top of the economic advantage, I've been told by some commanders that they prefer officers who come out of ROTC programs, because they tend to be better educated and less cynical about the military."
R2. I can't address this specifically, as this is his personal anecdotal evidence, but this has not been my experience in 29 years in the Army-and I was commissioned through Univ. of Mass. ROTC.
P3. "Too often they're getting community-college educations."
R3. Nothing against the many fine Community Colleges, but in the past year alone, three national organizations have ranked West Point in the top 10 of all 4,000 colleges and universities in the nation:. Forbes.com ranked West Point as the sixth best college or university in America as well as the most "surprising" pick-surprising even Mr. Ricks apparently . . . and West Point finished ahead of his alma mater, Yale . U.S. News and World Report says West Point is the "Top Public Liberal Arts College" [the Naval Academy was second] and has the fifth-best "Undergraduate Engineering Program" in the nation.. StateUniversity.com said West Point was the sixth best in the nation, behind only Stanford, MIT, Princeton, Cornell, and CalTech. (Again ahead of Mr. Rick's Yale.) Furthermore, in the past century West Pont graduates have been awarded more than 80 Rhodes Scholarships, 4th most in the nation behind only Harvard, Yale and Princeton. Just last year our Cadet First Captain Jason Crabtree was so honored.
P4. "most of West Point's faculty lacks doctorates."
R4. All of our faculty have advanced degrees, but approximately 50% are rotating faculty, active duty officers who do not have a doctorate. However, I challenge Mr. Ricks to actually walk around campuses of America's "elite"schools and see how many undergraduate classes are being taught by teaching assistants-smart, hardworking and dedicated, but usually without even a master's degree. There are no teaching assistants at West Point and the largest class here has 18 students-the Dean has to approve any class with 19 or more students.
P5. [Send to ROTC and] "they also would be educated alongside future doctors, judges, teachers, executives, mayors and members of Congress."
R5. West Point cadets ARE future doctors, judges, teachers, executives, mayors and members of congress. While their military successes are legendary, their impact on the civilian world is just as great.Currently, Dave Heineman is Governor of Nebraska; Rhesa Barksdale is a U. S.judge; William Taylor, Jr. is Ambassador to Ukraine; Fletcher Lamkin is President of Westminster College; Daniel Kaufman is President of Georgia Gwinnett College; Marshall Carter is Chairman of the New York Stock Exchange; Marshall Larsen is Chairman and CEO of Goodrich; and Michael Krzyzewski is the Duke basketball coach. And 6 members of Congress either graduated from West Point or were on the faculty.
P6. "We should also consider closing the services' war colleges . . . Just ask David Petraeus, a Princeton PhD."
R6. Mr. Ricks closing example is outrageous in an article with the headline "Why We Should Get Rid of West Point" as General Petraeus is both a graduate of West Point and a member of our what we call our second graduating class, having been an asst. professor here in the mid-1980's."


text:
Pence reaffirms support for NATO, says U.S. will hold Russia accountable
From left, Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Latvian President Raimonds Vejonis at the Munich Security Conference.
(Thomas Kienzle / AFP/Getty Images)
Feb. 18, 2017 12:15 PM PT
Vice President Mike Pence on Saturday conveyed a message to jittery partners that the Trump administration will "hold Russia accountable" and maintain steadfast support for NATO, a military alliance the American commander in chief once dismissed as "obsolete."
In his overseas debut as vice president, Pence told the audience at the Munich Security Conference that the U.S. would be "unwavering" in its commitment to NATO and that President Trump would "stand with Europe." Pence pointed to their shared "noble ideals — freedom, democracy, justice and the rule of law."
Addressing the violence in Ukraine, Pence said the U.S. would demand that Russia honor a 2015 deal to end violence in eastern Ukraine between government forces and Russia-backed separatists. He did not mention findings by U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia interfered in last year's presidential election to help Trump win the White House.
"Know this: The United States will continue to hold Russia accountable, even as we search for new common ground, which as you know President Trump believes can be found," Pence said.
Pence's address and a series of one-on-one meetings with world leaders on the sidelines here sought to calm nervous European allies who remain concerned about Russian aggression, including its annexation of Crimea. Many have been alarmed by Trump's positive statements about Russian President Vladimir Putin. Pence's speech aimed to reassure international partners who worry that Trump may pursue isolationist policies.
After his speech, Pence met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who called for the maintenance of international alliances and told the audience, with Pence seated nearby, that NATO is "in the American interest."
Sergey Lavrov, Russia's foreign minister, told the conference after Pence's speech that Moscow wanted "pragmatic relations" with the U.S. He said he hoped that "responsible leaders" would choose to create a "just world order; if you want, you can call it a post-West world order."
European countries along Russia's border are rattled by the prospect of closer U.S.-Russia ties after Trump suggested — contrary to the opinions of Merkel and other world leaders — that sanctions imposed after Russia's annexation of Crimea could be eased in exchange for a nuclear weapons deal. The president referred to NATO as "obsolete" in an interview before his inauguration, but has since tempered his language and has emphasized the importance of the alliance during telephone conversations with foreign leaders.
But, mindful that the new U.S. president often lashes out on Twitter, some attendees remained skeptical that Pence's speech represented Trump's thinking and said the president's foreign policy moves would be closely watched.
"We are waiting for actions," said Polish President Andrzej Duda. "We only know what the media has reported and the statements that we've got. Now we are waiting for actions of the new government of Donald Trump."
Wrote U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Twitter: "Looks like we have 2 governments. @VP just gave speech about shared values btwn US and Europe as @POTUS openly wages war on those values."
Michael Chertoff, a former Homeland Security secretary under President George W. Bush, noted that Pence's comments about NATO and Europe echoed assurances given by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. "They've all been consistent about the fact that there is a strong, deep and enduring commitment to Europe and to NATO, and I think that message has been received," Chertoff said.
In his remarks, Pence also reinforced the Trump administration's message that NATO members must spend more on defense.
NATO's 28-member countries committed in 2014 to spending 2% of their gross domestic product on defense within a decade. But only the U.S. and four other members of the post-World War II military coalition are meeting the standard, Pence said.
Failure to meet the commitment, he said, "erodes the very foundation of our alliance."
"Let me be clear on this point: The president of the United States expects our allies to keep their word, to fulfill this commitment and, for most, that means the time has come to do more," Pence said.
In a day of meetings and photo ops, Pence was sitting down with the leaders of the Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and separately with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko — whose countries are all dealing with the threat of Russian incursion. The vice president also scheduled a meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim.
The former Indiana governor's stature within the administration was also under scrutiny after the recent dismissal of Trump's national security advisor, retired Gen. Michael Flynn. Flynn was forced to resign Monday following reports that he misled Pence about contacts with a Russian diplomat. The vice president learned that he was not told the truth through media accounts about two weeks after the president was informed.
Pence also met with the leaders of Iraq and Afghanistan, where the U.S. remains embroiled in two separate wars. Trump has made clear his intention to defeat the Islamic State group. But he also said the U.S. may get a second chance to take Iraqi oil as compensation for its efforts in the war-torn country, a notion that has been rebuffed by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi.
Trump's immigration and refugee ban has ruffled feathers with a number of Muslim-majority countries affected by the order, which is currently tied up in court, including Iraq, a close ally in the fight against Islamic State. Trump has promised to issue a revised order, possibly as soon as next week.
Republicans in Congress gambled on Trump and won. Here's why they're worried now
Trump says he will issue a new order after a 'very bad decision' blocked his initial travel ban
The White House has found ways to end protection for 'Dreamers' while shielding Trump from blowback


Thank you for showing an interest in my work. This page is just for press and music industry – please don't share outside of that network. Thank you!
Here is my EPK, plus scroll down to the bottom of the page to download a full press kit and tech spec, highlighted red.
KALA CHNG (fka Makala Cheung) is a half-Chinese British music artist from Knowle West, Bristol, UK. As songwriter, singer and producer she creates an original blend of Bristol bass, dark synths and grimey beats meets catchy uplifting pop and a touch of Kung Fu film soundtrack.
Since 2013 she's released 3 EPs and 3 albums (under the name Makala Cheung); debut River (Bristol Live Magazine's album of the month, Chinese New Year 2014), and follow ups Moon (review below) and Empress launched at her own 'far east meets west' Mini Moon Festival (2015+17). Her singles have featured on stations across the globe, and her radio play to date includes BBC 1Xtra and BBC Introducing in the West.
As well as performing solo, KALA CHNG performs with a 4-piece electronic band, including synths, samples and drums. KALA CHNG has performed many headline and main stage slots (under previous name Makala Cheung) including headlining the main stage at world famous Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, plus main slots at Upfest, Shambala, Dot to Dot, Redfest, Vegfest, Brisfest, St Paul's Carnival, and Bristol Harbourside Festival.
CHNG's solo artist endeavour began in 2012, following a few years in a duo and featuring on local Hip-Hop and Grime tracks, before going on to learn to play keys and produce in the studio. KALA's influences include; M.I.A, Aaliyah, The Spice Girls, Destiny's Child, Banks, FKA Twigs, Lauryn Hill, Dizzee Rascal and Katy B. Referred to as reminiscent of Kate Bush, Madonna and 'like a Chinese Lady Gaga', she's also a Bristol Woman cover girl, one of Bristol's Happiness Champions and a Culture Ambassador (West of England China Bureau).


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Kåre Santesson, född 19 september 1928 i Adolf Fredriks församling, Stockholm, är en svensk skådespelare, filmproducent och regissör. Han är son till Gerd och arkitekten Olle Santesson samt barnbarn till Henrik Santesson.

Filmografi

Roller

Regi

Producent

Teater

Regi (ej komplett)

Roller (ej komplett)

Källor

Fotnoter

Externa länkar

Svenska teaterregissörer
Svenska filmregissörer
Svenska scenskådespelare
Svenska skådespelare under 1900-talet
Regissörer från Stockholm
Skådespelare från Stockholm
Alumner från Dramatens elevskola
Födda 1928
Levande personer
Män


The little ones can be helped to cope with the long wait for Christmas with, say, a carousel ride at the Vienna Christmas World on Rathausplatz, a visit to Poldi's Christmas workshop in Schönbrunn Palace or a concert with the Vienna Boys' Choir, which gets you in the mood for Christmas with shepherds' songs.
At the Children's Museum in Schönbrunn Palace, where palace ghost Poldi resides, Poldi's Christmas Workshop (November 24 - December 24) and special guided Christmas tours for children (Sa, Su, hols.) are on the program. St. Nicholas gives presents to all the children on "his" day (6 December). On 24 December, Poldi tells a Christmas story on a guided puppet tour.
At Schönbrunn Zoo, visitors can make small Christmas gifts in the ORANG.erie under expert instruction and bake Christmas animal-shaped cookies at the Tyrolean farm (December 8/9). There are free guided tours of the zoo for children every Sunday in Advent. On December 6, after a pre-Christmas puppet show, St. Nicholas arrives. And on December 24, a visit to the penguins and maned seals shortens the wait for the Christkind. Anyone in need of some last-minute gifts can make a few in the ORANG.erie until 4.00 pm.
The popular children's songwriter Bernhard Fibich gives participatory Christmas concerts at the House of Music and at Kabarett Niedermair.
Marko Simsa performs his program "Tastenzauber - Klavierhits & Weihnachtslieder" (Keyboard Magic - Piano Hits & Christmas Songs) on December 15 at the House of Music. Together with the Boogie Woogie Gang, he invites everyone aged 5 years and up to sing and dance along at the "Swinging Christmas" concert on December 23 in the Stadtsaal.


text:
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LOCAL CHEF WINS ON "CUTTHROAT KITCHEN"SummerWood's Kelly Wangard Wins Popular Food Network Show
Tuesday, October 28, 2014 12:00 AM
Contact: Kim Murphy-Rodrigues
805.227.1365 ext. 17 ph.
kim@summerwoodwine.com
LOCAL CHEF WINS ON "CUTTHROAT KITCHEN" SummerWood's Kelly Wangard Wins Popular Food Network Show
PASO ROBLES, CA (October 27, 2014) SummerWood Winery & Inn Executive Chef Kelly Wangard was the champion of this week's popular Cutthroat Kitchen television show, which aired on the Food Network on Sunday, October 26, 2014. Wangard's lively episode, "The Undertater", included challenges in which she prepared a stuffed baked potato and cooked Korean short ribs. The final challenge found Chef Kelly sabotaged, playing a memory game to retrieve needed ingredients to prepare her award-winning blueberry turnover, all while handcuffed. Throughout the competition, Chef Kelly was sabotaged five times, with final winnings totaling $6,900.00
Cutthroat Kitchen is a reality cooking show hosted by celebrity Alton Brown.Each episode ofCutthroat Kitchenfeatures four chefs faced with three cooking challenges. At the beginning of the challenge each chef is given $25,000, which can be used to sabotage their opponents and/or use to bid on ingredients to assist in the competition.Each challenge gives the chefs a dish to create, with 1 minute to retrieve their ingredients from the pantry.The contestants are then given 30 minutes to prepare their dish to the highest culinary standard.Upon completion, a guest judge evaluates each dish and the chef with the worst dish is eliminated.
SummerWood Executive Chef and Inn Manager Kelly Wangard, learned of the opportunity after receiving a Facebook message from the show's casting director, who was searching for a female executive chef. A quick telephone conversation and Skype interview followed, with Wangard learning she had been selected within a week of the initial contact. To prepare for the show, Chef Kelly practiced perfecting simple dishes in a short amount of time, and also brushed up on her baking skills. Chef Kelly commented that, "it was by far the most challenging, stressful and hilarious cooking experience I've ever had! The show has a ton of staff and it seemed to be a well-oiled machine. I was very impressed with the professionalism and how they were able to produce 5-6 shows a week. "Follow Chef Kelly on Facebook or view her Recipes page at summerwoodwine.com.
Kelly Wangard joined SummerWood Winery & Inn in 2009 as the property's Executive Chef, taking on the additional duties of Inn Manager in 2012.Raised in Paso Robles, Wangard trained at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco where she was awarded the prestigious Carlisle Walker Award and graduated at the top of her class.While at the California Culinary Academy, Chef Kelly also worked at Fleur de Lys for Hubert Keller, who she credits in mentoring her in the high standards, daily operations and the importance of consistency in quality in culinary endeavors. Wangard's culinary experience also includes the Kimpton Hotel Group, the Caneel Bay Resort in the Caribbean, American Club in Kohler, WI and the Loews Beverly Hills Hotel. A move back to the Central Coast led Chef Kelly to the Paso Robles Inn prior to joining SummerWood Winery & Inn. Chef Kelly resides in Paso Robles with her husband, Corporate Chef Gregg Wangard, and their two children.
SummerWood Winery & Inn is located on the westside of Paso Robles, set on a 36-acre estate vineyard. The picturesque property features multiple picnic areas and sites for special events, including weddings. The winery's focus is on limited production wines, with both the Rhane and Bordeaux-style selections receiving honors from wine publications and international competitions. The nine-room luxury guest inn reopened in 2013 after an extensive renovation, featuring an all-inclusive retreat complete with a wine and appetizers hour, nightly dessert, turndown service, a complimentary bottle of wine in each guest room and a farm-fresh cooked to order breakfast.SummerWood Winery & Inn is owned by the Fukae family of Japan, with the winery's name originating from the translation of Mr. Fukae's oldest son's first name, Natsuki.SummerWood Winery & Inn is dedicated to uncompromised quality, with an attention to detail that has earned them a worldwide reputation for excellence.For more information, please visit www.summerwoodwine.com.
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China, Russia will soon be able to take out US satellites, Pentagon says
A REPORT has raised renewed concerns around Beijing and Moscow's space capabilities — and how they could have major ramifications for Australia.
Debra Killalea@DebKillalea
news.com.auJanuary 31, 20184:50pm
Australia backs US naming Russia and China a greater threat than Islamic terrorism
The Pentagon has warned Russia and China could soon target US satellites in low orbit.Source:istock
CHINA and Russia are developing anti-satellite missiles that could take down United States objects orbiting low Earth in as little as two years, the Pentagon has warned.
The Joint Staff intelligence directorate, or J-2, warned in an internal report that the two rivals are developing technology which could destroy and disrupt US satellites.
The report concludes that "China and Russia will be capable of severely disrupting or destroying US satellites in low-Earth orbit" in the next several years, officials close to the report told the conservative politics website Washington Free Beacon.
This capability could be in place as early as 2020, officials said.
The warning represents a huge concern to the US and follows one given in May last year by Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats. Mr Coats said Russia and China were "increasingly considering attacks against satellite systems as part of their future warfare doctrine".
Concerns over Moscow and Beijing's military capabilities and ambitions have been growing in recent times. Just days ago, US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis identified countering China's rapidly expanding military and an increasingly aggressive Russia as America's top national security priorities when he released a new strategy.
The US defence strategy warned China and Russia were a bigger threat to national security than Islamic extremism.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, pictured with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, last year spoke of China's ambitious 30-year plan to become a superpower. Picture: Sergei Ilnitsky/AFPSource:AFP
That view was apparently backed by Canberra when Defence Minister Marise Payne told The Australian: "It is for the US to determine what is of concern in relation to its national security, but I would note that Australia shares similar concerns."
However, Senator Payne later clarified her view.
"Australia doesn't see a threat in the region and we certainly don't see China as a threat," she said.
In an address to China's national congress last year, President Xi Jinping set out his time frame for the country to become a "global leader" with international influence.
Mr Xi said "it was time for his nation to transform itself into a mighty force" that could lead the entire world on political, economic, military and environmental issues.
'GROWING CONCERN'
John Blaxland, Professor of International Security and Intelligence Studies and director of ANU's Southeast Asia Institute told news.com.au concerns over Russia and China's anti-satellite technology had been building for some time.
"The US Department of Defense is undoubtedly concerned," Professor Blaxland said.
"That is because much of the precision and geolocation technology, on which much of US military technology depends, is heavily reliant on maintaining their network of satellites unhindered by the prospect of anti-satellite (ASAT) strikes from China or Russia."
Professor Blaxland said the ASAT concerns had driven the development of countermeasures, including a range of other geolocational tools not dependent directly on satellite systems such as the GPS satellite constellation.
Any attack on US systems would have huge ramifications for Australia.
"For Australia the concerns are very real as well, for even if we were not to be directly involved in a conflict that might erupt between the USA and China and or Russia, many of the systems on which Australian technological mastery depends, could be significantly degraded by such attacks," he said.
"In essence, this points to Australia being heavily invested in the dominance of US military technology.
"It is with this in mind that the Department of Defence and other elements of Australia's national security apparatuses are so committed to maintaining close ties and interoperability with the United States, helping to bolster redundancy and the capability edge.
"Indeed, despite much debate about where Australia might sit in a conflagration between the great powers, there is no question that it is strongly in Australia's interests for US technology and military power to remain predominant."
- with AAP
debra.killalea@news.com.au


July. 18th, 2019 19:57 by Stéphane de Luca — Permalink | TrackBack: https://stephanedeluca.com/trackback/898 — exists for In 2 months & 3 weeks - .
* a set of tools to produce highly-optimised data for iOS.
* multiplayer engine and protocol : with SDLTP 2.0 — the TCP-based protocol dedicated to MMO games and persistent environement — you can develop any simple or advanced multiplayer games you might think of, including MMOs. The server side is developped in Java J2SE as a set of distributed modules that cooperate to handle high-loads.
Feb. 10th, 2018 13:19 by Stéphane de Luca — Permalink | TrackBack: https://stephanedeluca.com/trackback/901 — updated on Nov. 17th, 2018 23:02 exists for a year & 2 months ago - .
I designed a brand new industry standard online service that enable for journal delivery, restocking, and zillions of industrial rules.
Feb. 10th, 2017 13:19 by Stéphane de Luca — Permalink | TrackBack: https://stephanedeluca.com/trackback/900 — updated on Nov. 17th, 2018 22:27 exists for 2 years & 2 months ago - .
The city of Paris decided to deploy brand new newsstand through the city in 2017. Those are a great overhaul of the existing XXth century style with q greater surface and new organization.
In addition, about 100 of them were equipped with a large touch screen where we run our ZEENS app.
This version is based on the Android version of ZEENS modified to take into account the landscape layout of the screen.
In addition to streamline the in-store purchase process, we added to the press magazines a large collection of ticket show that the customer can buy right in the store.
• City of Paris: for the project lead.
Mar. 10th, 2016 13:19 by Stéphane de Luca — Permalink | TrackBack: https://stephanedeluca.com/trackback/899 — updated on Nov. 17th, 2018 22:06 exists for 3 years & a month ago - .
-50% discount at your press dealer!
M2S helps customers to get to the nearest newsstand where to find given magazines and goodies are in stock: that's more than 3.5k journals and magazines in more than 24K stores!
It offers mobile-to-store functionalities and implements a dedicated social network.
I introduced a brand new business model for the traditional paper-backed press: -50% discount on press journals and magazines. The user gets in the store and scans its screen to immediately benefits from the discount!
All the French press since 1947 at your fingertips!
Infinite… That's the code name we gave to the brand new project we are about to publish on Apple iPad platform by June 2016.
The idea behind INFINITE is to give access to the Apple iPad users to everything the press have published in France since 1947, including daily and magazines!
This service exposes an all-you-can-eat subscription-based model, in two flavours: luxury and professionals. While the luxury subscription is open to everyone for a mere €19.90/month, the professional subscription is dedicated to journalist, publishers, archivist and other professionals acting in the press industry. The price is €29.90/month and includes specific tools.
That leads to more than 2M journal issues and billions of articles.
It is important that such a product gives fun to the users. Therefore we created "The Wall" as the reference screen to access to this universe.
The Wall is capable of exposing more than 2M journal issues on a mere iPad screen, thanks to the innovative maps-like pyramidal tiling system, and to let user both scroll the time line and expand a specific point in time by pinching in.
The second main way to find useful content is to explore the time line: You can restrict the time line by adjusting the two thumbs "from" and "to", then horizontally scroll the content.
The timeline exposes universal event at the top of the screen, such a for example Neil Armstrong walking on the Moon in 1969. But users are encouraged to add their own events, being personal or whatever they find it useful to better grasp the time. Those events can be shared to others whenever that makes sense.
Scaling the time is available through the pinch gesture: pinching in make it possible to better refine a point in time while pinching out make it possible to run though time in accelerated fashion.
For better focus on specific subjects, the users can add specific tags to filter results in realtime.
The third main way to find useful content is the explicit searching bar. Like any search engine, you simply type in you request and results come in handy with the horizontal time line browsing.
That's a partnership with Presstalis, the French press publishers and Apple.
The 3D video-game hitech library that visually improve your 3D video game on consoles, desktop, tablets and mobile.
mtrackr.com: your personal coach helps you reach your objectives.
This concept is designed as the first "abstract application for the common human being": a Web 3.0 powerful online application with minimum requirement — UI is limited to a single input field, so that you can access it from simple command embeded in SMS.
Proof of concept completed — No longer available to test.
mobilezoo.biz: in this museum you'll find almost every mobile phone specifications — developers use it to track their mobile application deployment statistics.
Online magazine dedicated to Apple: discloses original news and contents about Apple products, including: iPhone, Macs, etc. Anyone can publish on the site.
Our life as a programmer will never be the same.
Remembering twenty-four years ago — back in 1976 — the first time I get in touch with what I will call a computer; it was a Texas Instrument TI-57, a calculator equipped with a simple numeric display and a maximum of 50 programmable instructions. It was right after xmas, at school, a friend of mine showed me the calculator, saying something like: "look at that!" and while pressing a strange "RUN" key, the TI to display this incredible thing: 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1! This automatic count down somewhat blew up my brain!
This event triggered the beginning of my interest in computing at-large. But at that time, I was miles away to imagine from what one could achieve, years after years. And even the most anticipating fiction never matched what actually appeared years afters.
My first mobile phone was purchased in 1996, ten years ago; I was then completing my first PC, Saturn and PlayStation project in Paris. The handset was small enough to make people in the streets stop by and stare at me when I was passing a call.
I understood at that time that one day, people would use their mobile phone to play, connected each others to a gigantic MMO game via the air. But I thought it would take tens of years to come up.
Once again, things arrived more rapidly than expected: only ten years after, the industry is about to reach 1 billion of new handsets sold this year. How it comes? Innovation. Building new markets thanks to new products or technologies.
But what's really cool, is that I am in the place trying to push the envelope one step further, participating to this course, spreading new ideas or usages. New technologies.
But what could be new technologies if they are not streamlined enough and not really made for casual users? While the world of the mobile industry was already fast paced, there wasn't that much innovation since the appearing of 3G/3G+ network. Same ideas were simply recycling again and again.
By chance, the promising 3 billion users market definitively attracted new entrants. Once again, Apple came up with a great design along with well defined features with its iPhone, and simply redefined almost everything in the industry. Amazing.
But how does this is likely change our programmer's life? Well, where others simply put Java ME (90% of the market) or Symbian (5%) or even Windows Mobile on their devices, Apple did choose not to sacrifice the performance and homogeneity; they simply embedded their own system - Leopard - and did provide the Xcode environment. But more importantly, they came up with an unique and incredible simple distribution scheme: developers choose the price for their app, and Apple take care of everything via iTunes - distribution and payment - for a mere 30% of the revenu.
Written in June 2006, last updated in march 2008.


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Q: Can't bind selected item in templated combobox I have this modified ComboBox:
<ContentControl Content="{Binding LoadedFiles}" >
   <ContentControl.ContentTemplate>
      <DataTemplate>
         <Grid>
            <ComboBox x:Name="cb" ItemsSource="{Binding}" Width="150" Margin="5"   SelectedItem="{Binding SelectedFile}" DisplayMemberPath="FileName"/>
            <TextBlock x:Name="tb" Text="Select a file" IsHitTestVisible="False" Visibility="Hidden" Width="150" VerticalAlignment="Center" Margin="10 0 0 0" FontSize="12" FontStyle="Italic" Foreground="#7FFFFFFF" />
         </Grid>
         <DataTemplate.Triggers>
            <Trigger SourceName="cb" Property="SelectedItem" Value="{x:Null}">
               <Setter TargetName="tb" Property="Visibility" Value="Visible"/>
            </Trigger>
         </DataTemplate.Triggers>
      </DataTemplate>
   </ContentControl.ContentTemplate>
</ContentControl>

What it does is to display a default text when the selected item is null. The ItemsSource works well. And the whole combobox worked well before using the ContentControl. Now I can't bind properly the SelectedItem, even if I change the selection of the combobox the actual object remains as when I initialize it.
I've read that this solves the problem:
SelectedItem="{Binding RelativeSource={RelativeSource TemplatedParent}, Path=SelectedFile}"

But it doesn't help to me, what is happening here? Why can't I bind like I did before?

A: Errr... you might like to take a look at the BindingBase.TargetNullValue Property page on MSDN to solve your original problem of specifying a value to be displayed when the data bound property is null. You would use it like this:
<ComboBox x:Name="cb" ItemsSource="{Binding}" Width="150" Margin="5"
    SelectedItem="{Binding SelectedFile, TargetNullValue='Select a file'}"
    DisplayMemberPath="FileName"/>

There's no point in re-inventing the wheel.


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Q: MGWT [ERROR] Trying to sink unknown event type webkitAnimationEnd I'm currently developing a mgwt  application using some techniques in showcase. Anyway, on a line when calling MGWTPlaceHistoryHandler.handleCurrentHistory method in entry point (initialization of first view) i got this error:

com.google.web.bindery.event.shared.UmbrellaException: Exception caught: (String)
@com.google.gwt.user.client.impl.DOMImplStandard::sinkBitlessEventImpl(Lcom/google/gwt/user/client/Element;Ljava/lang/String;)([JavaScript object(20), string: 'webkitAnimationEnd']): Trying to sink unknown event type webkitAnimationEnd

I can't figure out, what causes this type of error. The exception message is kinda vague - I'm not using any custom native methods affecting target DOM and JS code.
Any ideas ? I'm really clueless about this :(
PS: a part of code where this problem occurs:
AppPlaceHistoryMapper historyMapper= GWT.create(AppPlaceHistoryMapper.class);
AppHistoryObserver historyObserver= new  AppHistoryObserver();
MGWTPlaceHistoryHandler historyHandler= new  MGWTPlaceHistoryHandler(historyMapper,historyObserver);
historyHandler.register(clientFactory.getPlaceController(),clientFactory.getEventBus(),new  MyDefaultPlace());
historyHandler.handleCurrentHistory(); //Exception thrown here

Any help or tips appreciated, I got stuck on this problem for a hours. Thanks in advance.

A: [SOLVED] - never EVER, EVER EVER use latest MGWT on older versions of GWT [2.5.1] ;)