text:
EmoSPARK: An "artificial intelligence console" that wants to make you happy
By Nick Lavars
EmoSPARK: An "artificial intel...
The EmoSpark console is a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled cube that used a combination of facial recognition software and content analysis to detect a user's emotions
The cube works to improve your mood and overall happiness by connecting to and recommending particular songs and videos or content on sites such as Facebook and YouTube
Users communicate with the cube by either typing or talking to it through their television, smartphone, tablet or computer
The EmoSpark uses custom developed technology that Rosenthal says enables it to differentiate between basic human feelings
The EmoSpark console contains a 1.8 GHz CPU along with 2 GB of DDR3 memory and Rosenthal's custom-built 20 MHz EPU (Emotion Processing Unit)
Over time the cube develops a personality of its own, the rate of which is largely determined by how often the user engages with it
As the relationship between the cube and user progresses, the device becomes more skilled in the art of conversation and nuanced in its offers of comfort
EmoSpark comes connected to Freebase, a collection of online knowledge that enables it to answer questions on over 39 million topics
For as long as we've been imagining emotionally intelligent machines, we have pictured something at least mildly resembling the human form. From George Lucas' C-3PO to the recently-developed Robokind Zeno R25, our vision for robotic companionship has typically involved two arms and two legs. Taking a different approach is inventor of the EmoSpark console Patrick Levy Rosenthal, who aims to bring artificial intelligence to consumers in the form of a cube small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.
The EmoSpark console is a 90 x 90 x 90 mm (3.5 x 3.5 x 3.5 in) Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled cube that interacts with a user's emotions using a combination of content analysis and face-tracking software. In addition to distinguishing between each member of the household, the device uses custom developed technology that Rosenthal says enables it to differentiate between basic human feelings and create emotion profiles of not just everybody it interacts with, but also itself.
"While the technology behind face-tracking is well established, what we've done differently is use it to track and process different emotions," Rosenthal tells Gizmag. "The EmoSpark Cube contains a unique chip invented by myself called the Emotional Processing Unit. This allows the cube to build up its own Emotional Profile Graph (EPG) as it interacts with its users. The cube saves all this information and, just like a fingerprint, will over time will keep an emotional print of each family member with which it interacts."
Users communicate with the cube by either typing or talking to it through their television, or remotely via a smartphone, tablet or computer. By analyzing this data and using its face-tracking technology, the cube is designed to acquaint itself with the user over time by gauging their likes, dislikes and different moods based on eight primary human emotions: joy, sadness, trust, disgust, fear, anger, surprise and anticipation.
Initially, the cube works to improve your mood and overall happiness by connecting to and recommending particular songs and videos or content on sites such as Facebook and YouTube. As the relationship between the cube and user develops, the device becomes more skilled in the art of conversation and nuanced in its offers of comfort – something Rosenthal considers a significant mark of progress in artificial intelligence and integral to the technology.
"The major breakthrough was in developing a credible model to synthesize emotions in a machine and creating a machine that can reply to a question not based on a script, but on a system compatible with the human emotional spectrum," says Rosenthal. "A system that will be able to reply to a free association test, not only based on logic, but also based on its emotional status at the time you ask it a question."
This means that over time the cube will develop a personality of its own, the rate of which is largely determined by how often the user engages with it. "The emotional learning will never end, the cube will always learn and its EPG will change over time but it's logarithmic," said Rosenthal. "It will learn much more when it is young and developing, I would say it depends more on the frequency of use than time."
While confident he has created a foundation for the assimilation of artificially intelligent machines into the consumer space, Rosenthal hopes to harness a keen general interest in artificial intelligence by handing control over to developers. "The cube will have open API (Application Programming Interface) to allow developers to create new blocks of technologies in the form of apps in Google Play store," said Rosenthal. "So the conversational engine, voice and speech recognition are all modules that will be upgraded or will be replaced, so the user can make their own cube."
The EmoSpark cube also doubles as an e-learning tool. It comes connected to Freebase, a collection of online knowledge owned by Google, which Rosenthal says enables it to answer questions on over 39 million topics. It can also be used to control robotic devices, bringing emotional feedback capabilities to a NAO robot or turning a Sphero ball into a virtual pet with its own emotions, for example.
Android powered, the cube contains 1.8 GHz CPU along with 2 GB of DDR3 memory and Rosenthal's custom-built 20 MHz EPU (Emotion Processing Unit). It has an internal antenna, built-in Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n capability and features USB 2.0, MicroUSB and HDMI 1.4 ports.
Citing an enduring trepidation held towards machines that replicate our shape and movements, Rosenthal said steering the design of the EmoSpark away from the traditional humanoid robot blueprint was a conscious and strategic decision. "I don't want a fake human," he says. "When we look at robots like that we see a bunch of silicon. The danger is machines that lie and tell us that they are human. That is why we made a cube, the cube has laws that ensure it respects human desires and happiness and knows that it is a machine."
Aesthetics aside, Rosenthal believes that central to the success of consumer artificial intelligence is an ability to communicate with the machines in way that involves emotion, as it may serve to alleviate a wide-held apprehension toward the potential capabilities of intelligent machines.
"As the role of machines in society and the workforce continues to grow, it is important that humans and machines can connect on an emotional level," he said. "It is about trying to show how this technology can be used to improve lives and trying to change the future while we can."
The crowdfunding campaign for the EmoSpark cube launches on Indiegogo today. Early adopter pledges are available for US$224, with shipping estimated for May 2014 if all goes to plan. You can see the EmoSpark cube in use and hear from Rosenthal in the video below.
Source: EmoSpark
EmoSPARK | The First Artificial Intelligence Home Console - Official Release
Around The HomeAndroidEmotionsRoboticArtificial IntelligenceIndiegogo
Nick Lavars
Nick has been writing and editing at New Atlas for over six years, where he has covered everything from distant space probes to self-driving cars to oddball animal science. He previously spent time at The Conversation, Mashable and The Santiago Times, earning a Masters degree in communications from Melbourne's RMIT University along the way.
Robert Walther January 3, 2014 08:38 AM
Woody' Allen 'Sleeper' movie...We now have the 'cube' instead of the 'Orb'.
Charles Ostman January 3, 2014 03:24 PM
Happiness from a cube . . . really?
MK23666 January 3, 2014 04:21 PM
Would really love to see this in a cellphone by way of an app. That would be amazing. Suri or Andi, or whoever you want to call the AI voice would really connect with the user then.
nicho January 3, 2014 05:21 PM
How will a cube make me a sandwich ?
b@man January 4, 2014 03:59 PM
Oh yeah, that's all we need EMO machines;) My computer wouldn't speak to me for a week:)
Gargamoth January 4, 2014 10:43 PM
The predecessor to the Allspark with will give birth to Cybertrons Transformers.
Javyn Hattie January 21, 2014 02:29 AM
Welcome to Aperture Science. This is a Weighted Companion Cube.
Pleco Smart Water Watch keeps an eye on home water usage
Complete Chef cooks the food it processes
Two-in-one electric/hand coffee grinder works at home or camp
Respira's Smart Garden: Dawn of the six-hundred-dollar pot plant


Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia currently have laws legalizing marijuana in some form.
Four states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for recreational use. In Alaska, adults 21 and older can now transport, buy or possess up to an ounce of marijuana and six plants. Oregon voters approved a similar measure allowing adults to posses up to an ounce of marijuana in public and 8 ounces in their homes, set to take effect July 1. Colorado and Washington previously passed similar ballot measures legalizing marijuana in 2012.
A number of states have also decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana. Most recently, Delaware passed legislation that decriminalizes the private use of up to an ounce of marijuana, replacing penalties with a civil fine.
Other states have passed medical marijuana laws allowing for limited use of cannabis. Some medical marijuana laws are broader than others, with types of medical conditions that allow for treatment varying from state to state. Others states (not shown on the map below) have passed laws allowing residents to possess cannabis oil if they suffer from certain medical illnesses. Most recently, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal signed a law legalizing the possession of up to 20 ounces of cannabis oil.
The map show states legalizing marijuana use for medical and recreational purposes.
Disclaimer: Information correct as of June 19, 2015.
cannabis, cannaninoids, cbd, facts about medical marijuana, legalized marijuana, marijuana, medical cannabis, medical marijuana, State Marijuana Laws, USA, weed. Bookmark.


JR, The Black Entertainment Guide: Shaunie O'Neal and VH1 re-up for more "Basketball Wives"
Shaunie O'Neal and VH1 re-up for more "Basketball Wives"
VH1 has had a stranglehold on the black audience ever since the days of "Flavor of Love." Following the success of that show, the cable network has given the green light to many other black oriented shows. Other struggling cable networks have copied VH1's formula in an effort to gain ratings.
Bravo, another cable network struggling for viewership, began broadcasting "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" in 2008. While the advantage still belongs to VH1, a major dent was created with this show. As she was divorcing NBA star, Shaquille O'Neal, Shaunie O'Neal needed something of her own to live from.
She had been watching "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" and decided to create a similar show with some of her friends. VH1, ironically, was looking for a similar show to compete with Bravo's hit. Early in 2010, a match made in heaven was found when Shaunie O'Neal pitched her new project to the network and they quickly agreed to do a deal with the network.
The first season of "Basketball Wives" was more successful than "The Real Housewives of Atlanta." Through that series, VH1 was able to gain a lot of viewership from Bravo. But, "Basketball Wives" has been on hiatus since the summer. Meanwhile, "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" has returned from hiatus and is back making headlines. Realizing this, VH1 recently called for a meeting with Shaunie O'Neal and they decided to come back with more episodes of "Basketball Wives."
The new season of "Basketball Wives" will premiere on December 12 at 9:00 pm.


MANILA, Philippines - Eight of 10 world cities most exposed to natural hazards are in the Philippines and more than half of the 100 cities most exposed to earthquakes, storms and other disasters are in four Asian nations, according to a research.
The study, published on Wednesday by risk analysis firm Verisk Maplecroft, analyzed the threat posed by storms, floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, fires, volcanoes and landslides in more than 1,300 cities.
The study found that the 10 cities most at risk are Port Vila in Vanuatu followed by Tuguegarao in Cagayan, Lucena in Quezon province, (4) Manila, (5) San Fernando in Pampanga, (6) Cabanatuan in Nueva Ecija, (7) Batangas, (8) Taipei, (9) San Carlos (the report did not indicate which province in the Philippines) and (10) Naga in Bicol.
The study also found that of the 100 cities with the greatest exposure to natural hazards, 21 are in the Philippines, 16 in China, 11 in Japan and eight in Bangladesh.
The Philippines is considered "high risk" in terms of the country's ability to manage and mitigate the impacts of natural hazard and in part due to "entrenched corruption and high levels of poverty," the report added.
Aside from being at risk to volcanic eruptions, quakes and floods, the Philippines is also hit by more than 20 typhoons every year.
The strongest typhoon ever recorded in the history of the world was Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), which struck the Visayas on Nov. 8, 2013. The monster storm left more than 7,000 people dead or missing and destroyed over a million houses.
The report said that disaster risk reduction strategies in the Philippines are improving after the "widely criticized" response to Haiyan.
Better communication and the evacuation of 1.7 million people meant that Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit), a category 3 storm, killed only 27 people in December 2014.


text:
Q: XML Generation using XSD in PHP I have an XML file, i want to insert new data in it based on a schema defined in an XSD file,
is there a way to do that in PHP?

A: Can you explain a little more.  Are you attempting to add new nodes to the XML?  If so, you an use SimpleXMLElement::addChild.  If this is not what you mean, please give more details.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Theodosius Dobzhansky was born in 1900 when it was part of Russia Ukraine moved. He moved to America in his late 20s.
He was interested in biology since an early age and butterflies fascinated him, he would often collect them as a young boy.
Theodosius Dobzhansky was a student of the University of Kiev and he shifted to Russia later to study further under distinguished teachers like Yuri Filipchenko.
He immigrated to America after he won a Rockefeller Foundation scholarship.
Theodosius then started work at the Columbia University and worked on fruit flies and their utilization in experiments dealing with genetics along with Thomas Hunt Morgan.
The Rockefeller University created the Dobzhansky Award for individuals having worked extensively in the field of behavior genetics in his honor.
He is credited with the publication of "Genetics of the Evolutionary Process" in the year 1970.
One of his most celebrated written works is the 'Nothing in Biology Makes Sense except in the Light of Evolution" essay which he wrote when working in the capacity of professor emeritus at the University of California.
He died in 1975 after his heart failed, following a long battle with a severe case of leukemia.
Was an esteemed biologist who worked in the fields of genetics and evolution with many contributions to the world of science.


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Posted on Friday, February 26, 2016 by Admin C.L.
ScholarshipsCanada.com tallies scholarships and dollars that go unclaimed across the country each year. It's currently listing 77,744 awards worth over $100 million, and says around $3 million of that is unclaimed. There are many scholarships available.


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Q: WPF isn't binding ComboBox SelectedItem I already search widely, but I can't find any solution to my case.
I have several ComboBox's at my project and I was searching for an AutoComplete solution, then I found a good one and applied in my project, I applied solution's style as well to all ComboBox in my project.
After that, SelectedItem stopped working, some one can help me ?
My Combobox:
<ComboBox Name="CbOwnerType" Grid.Column="1" Grid.Row="2" ItemsSource="{Binding Path=OwnerTypes, Mode=OneWay}" SelectedItem="{Binding Owner.OwnerType, Mode=TwoWay, UpdateSourceTrigger=PropertyChanged}" SelectedValuePath="Id" DisplayMemberPath="Name" Margin="5,0,10,0" />

My style:
<Style TargetType="{x:Type ComboBox}">
    <Setter Property="FocusVisualStyle" Value="{x:Null}" />
    <Setter Property="Foreground" Value="Black" />
    <Setter Property="FontWeight" Value="ExtraBold" />
    <Setter Property="IsEditable" Value="False"/>
    <Setter Property="IsSynchronizedWithCurrentItem" Value="False" />
    <Setter Property="StaysOpenOnEdit" Value="True" />
    <Setter Property="SnapsToDevicePixels" Value="True"/>
    <Setter Property="ScrollViewer.HorizontalScrollBarVisibility" Value="Auto"/>
    <Setter Property="ScrollViewer.VerticalScrollBarVisibility" Value="Auto"/>
    <Setter Property="ScrollViewer.CanContentScroll" Value="true"/>
    <Setter Property="Template">
        <Setter.Value>
            <ControlTemplate TargetType="{x:Type ComboBox}">
                <Grid>
                    <ToggleButton Name="ToggleButton" Template="{StaticResource ComboBoxToggleButton}" Grid.Column="2" Focusable="True" IsChecked="{Binding Path=IsDropDownOpen, Mode=TwoWay, RelativeSource={RelativeSource TemplatedParent}}" ClickMode="Press" BorderThickness="0" />
                    <ContentPresenter Name="ContentSite" IsHitTestVisible="False" Content="{TemplateBinding SelectionBoxItem}" ContentTemplate="{TemplateBinding SelectionBoxItemTemplate}" ContentTemplateSelector="{TemplateBinding ItemTemplateSelector}" Margin="5,0,20,0" VerticalAlignment="Center" HorizontalAlignment="Left" />
                    <TextBox x:Name="PART_EditableTextBox" Style="{x:Null}" Template="{StaticResource ComboBoxTextBox}" HorizontalAlignment="Left" VerticalAlignment="Bottom" Margin="3,3,23,3" Focusable="True" Background="Transparent" Visibility="Hidden" IsReadOnly="{TemplateBinding IsReadOnly}" />
                    <Popup Name="Popup" Placement="Bottom" IsOpen="{TemplateBinding IsDropDownOpen}" AllowsTransparency="True" Focusable="False" PopupAnimation="Slide">
                        <Themes:SystemDropShadowChrome Margin="4,6,4,6" CornerRadius="4">
                            <Grid Name="DropDown" SnapsToDevicePixels="True" MinWidth="{TemplateBinding ActualWidth}" MaxHeight="{TemplateBinding MaxDropDownHeight}">
                                <Border x:Name="DropDownBorder" Background="{StaticResource WindowBackgroundBrush}" BorderThickness="1" BorderBrush="{StaticResource SolidBorderBrush}" />
                                <ScrollViewer Margin="4,6,4,6" SnapsToDevicePixels="True">
                                    <ItemsPresenter />
                                </ScrollViewer>
                            </Grid>
                        </Themes:SystemDropShadowChrome>
                    </Popup>
                </Grid>
                <ControlTemplate.Triggers>
                    <Trigger Property="HasItems" Value="false">
                        <Setter TargetName="DropDownBorder" Property="MinHeight" Value="95"/>
                    </Trigger>
                    <Trigger Property="IsEnabled" Value="false">
                        <Setter Property="Foreground" Value="{StaticResource DisabledForegroundBrush}"/>
                    </Trigger>
                    <Trigger Property="IsGrouping" Value="true">
                        <Setter Property="ScrollViewer.CanContentScroll" Value="false"/>
                    </Trigger>
                    <Trigger SourceName="Popup" Property="Popup.AllowsTransparency" Value="true">
                        <Setter TargetName="DropDownBorder" Property="CornerRadius" Value="4"/>
                        <Setter TargetName="DropDownBorder" Property="Margin" Value="0,2,0,0"/>
                    </Trigger>
                </ControlTemplate.Triggers>
            </ControlTemplate>
        </Setter.Value>
    </Setter>
</Style>

UPDATE
My ToggleButton
<ControlTemplate x:Key="ComboBoxToggleButton" TargetType="{x:Type ToggleButton}" >
    <Grid>
        <Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
            <ColumnDefinition />
            <ColumnDefinition Width="20" />
        </Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
        <Border x:Name="Border" Grid.ColumnSpan="2" BorderBrush="{StaticResource LabPetsStandardColor}" BorderThickness="1" CornerRadius="5" />
        <Border Grid.Column="0" Margin="1" Background="Transparent" BorderBrush="{StaticResource NormalBorderBrush}" BorderThickness="0" CornerRadius="5,0,0,5" />
        <Path x:Name="Arrow" Grid.Column="1" HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center" Data="M 0 0 L 4 4 L 8 0 Z">
            <Path.Fill>
                <SolidColorBrush Color="Black" />
            </Path.Fill>
        </Path>
    </Grid>
    <ControlTemplate.Triggers>
        <Trigger Property="ToggleButton.IsMouseOver" Value="true">
            <Setter TargetName="Border" Property="Background" Value="{StaticResource LabPetsStandardColor}" />
        </Trigger>
        <Trigger Property="ToggleButton.IsChecked" Value="true">
            <Setter TargetName="Border" Property="Background" Value="{StaticResource LabPetsPressedStandardColor}" />
        </Trigger>
        <Trigger Property="IsEnabled" Value="False">
            <Setter TargetName="Border" Property="Background" Value="{StaticResource DisabledBackgroundBrush}" />
            <Setter TargetName="Border" Property="BorderBrush" Value="{StaticResource DisabledBorderBrush}" />
            <Setter Property="Foreground" Value="{StaticResource DisabledForegroundBrush}"/>
            <Setter TargetName="Arrow" Property="Fill" Value="{StaticResource DisabledForegroundBrush}" />
        </Trigger>
    </ControlTemplate.Triggers>
</ControlTemplate>

My TextBox
<Style x:Key="ComboBoxTextBox" TargetType="{x:Type TextBox}">
    <Setter Property="OverridesDefaultStyle" Value="True" />
    <Setter Property="AllowDrop" Value="True" />
    <Setter Property="MinWidth" Value="0" />
    <Setter Property="MinHeight" Value="0" />
    <Setter Property="FocusVisualStyle" Value="{x:Null}" />
    <Setter Property="Template">
        <Setter.Value>
            <ControlTemplate TargetType="{x:Type TextBox}">
                <ScrollViewer HorizontalScrollBarVisibility="Hidden" VerticalScrollBarVisibility="Hidden" Background="#00FFFFFF" Name="PART_ContentHost" Focusable="False" VerticalAlignment="Center" VerticalContentAlignment="Center" Margin="0">
                    <ScrollViewer.Style>
                        <Style TargetType="ScrollViewer">
                            <Setter Property="OverridesDefaultStyle" Value="True" />
                        </Style>
                    </ScrollViewer.Style>
                </ScrollViewer>
            </ControlTemplate>
        </Setter.Value>
    </Setter>
</Style>

Some, please, can help me ?
UPDATE 2
Found a hack, not the perfect solution, but kind of works...
If I insert property SelectedValue and the value Owner.OwnerTypeId, it works like a charm... But, it's right this?
My Combobox now:
<ComboBox Name="CbOwnerType" Grid.Column="1" Grid.Row="2" ItemsSource="{Binding Path=OwnerTypes, Mode=OneWay}" SelectedItem="{Binding Owner.OwnerType}" SelectedValue="{Binding Owner.OwnerTypeId}" SelectedValuePath="Id" DisplayMemberPath="Name" Margin="5,0,10,0" />

This is a solution, not that I like it, but it's a solution...
Some one can answer why SelectedItem isn't working as it should ?
Obs.: When I change the selection, SelectedItem works, just doesn't work when I load my view.
UPDATE 3
Ok, it's worked like I said, but the problem is that WPF is hitting 4 times at my ViewModel, so I changed my ComboBox a little:
<ComboBox Name="CbOwnerType" Grid.Column="1" Grid.Row="2" ItemsSource="{Binding Path=OwnerTypes, Mode=OneWay}" SelectedItem="{Binding Owner.OwnerType}" SelectedValue="{Binding Owner.OwnerTypeId, Mode=OneTime}" SelectedValuePath="Id" DisplayMemberPath="Name" Margin="5,0,10,0" />

So, now, WPF just search the OwnerTypeId and when I change an item, WPF just hits 2 times.
UPDATE 4
Ok, another strange finding...
In another ComboBox, with the same properties, except SelectedValue, it's working perfect... I can't understand what is happening.
UPDATE 5
Sorry about that, I forgot to post my models.
Model Owner:
public class Owner
{
    public int Id { get; set; }
    public int OwnerTypeId { get; set; }
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public string Address { get; set; }
    public string FormatedPhone
    {
        get
        {
            if (this.Phone == null)
                return string.Empty;

            switch (this.Phone.Length)
            {
                case 11:
                    return Regex.Replace(this.Phone, @"(\d{2})(\d{4})(\d{4})", "($1) $2-$3");
                case 12:
                    return Regex.Replace(this.Phone, @"(\d{2})(\d{5})(\d{4})", "($1) $2-$3");
                default:
                    return this.Phone;
            }
        }
    }
    public string Phone { get; set; }
    public string CellPhone { get; set; }
    public string FormatedCellPhone
    {
        get
        {
            if (this.CellPhone == null)
                return string.Empty;

            switch (this.CellPhone.Length)
            {
                case 11:
                    return Regex.Replace(this.Phone, @"(\d{2})(\d{4})(\d{4})", "($1) $2-$3");
                case 12:
                    return Regex.Replace(this.Phone, @"(\d{2})(\d{5})(\d{4})", "($1) $2-$3");
                default:
                    return this.CellPhone;
            }
        }
    }
    public string Email { get; set; }
    public virtual OwnerType OwnerType { get; set; }
    public virtual ICollection<Animal> Animals { get; set; }

    public Owner()
    {
        this.OwnerType = new OwnerType();
        this.Animals = new List<Animal>();

        this.ErrorList = new StringBuilder();
    }

Model OwnerType:
public class OwnerType
{
    public int Id { get; set; }
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public virtual ICollection<Owner> Owners { get; set; }

    public OwnerType()
    {
        this.Owners = new List<Owner>();
    }
}

A: Your SelectedItem binding isn't working because WPF compares the SelectedItem to the items in the ItemsSource by the .Equals() method, which by default compares by reference. And the instance in memory containing your SelectedItem is not the same instance in memory as one of the items in your ItemsSource
There are 3 ways to handle this.

*

*First, as you've already discovered you can bind SelectedValue to a value type property on your item, and set SelectedValuePath.
<ComboBox ItemsSource="{Binding Path=OwnerTypes}"
          SelectedValue="{Binding Owner.OwnerTypeId}"
          SelectedValuePath="Id" DisplayMemberPath="Name"
          />

This is usually the solution I go with because it's often easiest

*Second, you could ensure your SelectedItem is set to the same reference in memory as one of the ItemsSource items. Depending on the application design, this isn't a bad choice either.
public class Owner()
{
    public int OwnerTypeId { get; set; }

    public OwnerType OwnerType
    {
        get
        {
            return StaticClass.OwnerTypes
                .FirstOrDefault(p => p.Id == this.OwnerTypeId);
        }

        set
        {
            if (value != null)
                OwnerTypeId = value.Id;
        }
    }
}

*And last of all, you could override the .Equals() method on the OwnerType object so it considers the two values equal if the Id properties are the same.
public override bool Equals(object obj)
{
    if (obj == null || !(obj is OwnerType))
        return false;

    return ((OwnerType)obj).Id == this.Id);
}

I usually try to avoid this method unless I know I'll always want to compare this object's equality by the Id property only, but sometimes this is the best way to go.
Also, its good practice to override .GetHashCode() whenever you overwrite .Equals().
As a side note, you usually don't want to be binding both SelectedItem and SelectedValue. They are two different ways of setting the same thing, and you can get unexpected results by binding both of them.

A: You have to do a Template binding of selectedValue of comobox. Because you have overriden the control template and placed your own TextBlock to display the selected value. Now when the value is selected from the UI control Template takes care of displaying it. but it is not setting the value to the SelectedValue or SelectedItem.
<TextBox x:Name="PART_EditableTextBox" Style="{x:Null}" HorizontalAlignment="Left" VerticalAlignment="Bottom" Margin="3,3,23,3" Focusable="True" Background="Transparent" Visibility="Hidden" IsReadOnly="{TemplateBinding IsReadOnly}" Text="{TemplateBinding SelectedValue}"/>

Hope this helps you

A: Let's look at the bindings, and break down what they say:
<ComboBox ItemsSource="{Binding Path=OwnerTypes, Mode=OneWay}"
          SelectedItem="{Binding Owner.OwnerType, Mode=TwoWay, UpdateSourceTrigger=PropertyChanged}"
          SelectedValuePath="Id" DisplayMemberPath="Name"
          />

So this means:

*

*The items in the list are retrieved from the property "OwnerTypes".

*The selected item will be bound to the property "OwnerType" inside the instance of the property "Owner".

Since there is no binding applied to SelectedValue, the SelectedValuePath will be completely ignored.  Note the definition of SelectedValuePath:

Gets or sets the path that is used to get the SelectedValue from the SelectedItem.

So let's omit #3 for now.  Working with #1 and #2, let's assume that the property "OwnerTypes" is of type List<OwnerTypeDef>.  This implies that the type OwnerTypeDef is the same type as the property "OwnerType" inside "Owner" property.  With this setup --
public class OwnerDef : INotifyPropertyChanged   // TODO implement INotifyPropertyChanged
{
    public OwnerTypeDef OwnerType
    {
        get { return _ownerType; }
        set
        {
            if (_ownerType == value)
                return;
            _ownerType = value;
            RaisePropertyChanged();
        }
    }
    private OwnerTypeDef _ownerType;
}

public class OwnerTypeDef : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
    public string Name
    {
        get { return _name; }
        set
        {
            if (_name == value)
                return;
            _name = value;
            RaisePropertyChanged();
        }
    }
    private string _name;

    public int Id
    {
        get { return _id; }
        set
        {
            if (_id == value)
                return;
            _id = value;
            RaisePropertyChanged();
        }
    }
    private int _id;
}

public class ViewModel : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
    public List<OwnerTypeDef> OwnerTypes
    {
        get { return _ownerTypes; }
        set { _ownerTypes = value; }
    }
    private List<OwnerTypeDef> _ownerTypes = new List<OwnerTypeDef>
        {
            new OwnerTypeDef { Name = "foo", Id = 1, },
            new OwnerTypeDef { Name = "bar", Id = 2, },
            new OwnerTypeDef { Name = "baz", Id = 3, },
        };

    public OwnerDef Owner
    {
        get { return _owner; }
        set
        {
            if (_owner == value)
                return;
            _owner = value;
            RaisePropertyChanged();
        }
    }
    private OwnerDef _owner = new OwnerDef();
}

-- the binding works for me.  The property "OwnerType" inside "Owner" gets updated when I change the selection in the UI.
Edit
Let's look at the other scenario, where you use SelectedValuePath and SelectedValue.  In this case, we are binding the selected value to "Owner.OwnerTypeId" (an integer).  We'll use SelectedValuePath=Id, which tells the framework to look for the "Id" property in the selected item (which is OwnerDef.Id, an int).  Therefore, we'll have to add a matching int property in the OwnerDef class, call it "OwnerTypeId".  XAML in this case would be:
<ComboBox ItemsSource="{Binding Path=OwnerTypes, Mode=OneWay}"
          SelectedValue="{Binding Owner.OwnerTypeId, Mode=TwoWay, UpdateSourceTrigger=PropertyChanged}"
          SelectedValuePath="Id" DisplayMemberPath="Name"
          />

With this setup the binding is updating the "OwnerTypeId" correctly.
Edit #2
It's also possible use both SelectedItem and SelectedValue, so that both the "OwnerType" and "OwnerTypeID" properties get updated.  Make sure to use TwoWay bindings (in Update #3 above they are the default OneWay):
<ComboBox ItemsSource="{Binding OwnerTypes}"
          SelectedValuePath="Id" SelectedValue="{Binding Owner.OwnerTypeId,Mode=TwoWay}"
          SelectedItem="{Binding Owner.OwnerType,Mode=TwoWay}"
          DisplayMemberPath="Name"
          />

This setup updates both the "OwnerTypeId" and the "OwnerType" properties when I select an item in the combo box.


The Fire Station in Cheltenham has been open a while now; after not being able to make the grand opening and what with life being pretty hectic, it wasn't until recently that we finally went to check it out.
With the family in tow, one Saturday evening we entered the 110 year old building, that bares no resemblance to it's age.
We headed to the bar area to grab a drink before taking a seat at our table.
The bar area is large, with restaurant seating not too far away on the ground floor as well as on the upper floor. The bar is quite noisy, especially on a Saturday night, so for next time I would probably request a table upstairs.
With the cocktails flowing and food ordered we eventually forgot about the noise and enjoyed catching up on what we'd all been up to since the last time we saw each other.
We all ordered a mix of starters, that involved a lot of forks/hands reaching across the table to make sure we got a sample of everyones.
They included chicken wings, croquettes, charred cauliflower, lamb kebabs and a pork terrine. I can confirm that all were well thought out and cooked to a high standard; with the lamb kebabs as the stand-out dish.
For mains, our expectations were now high. We all ordered something different and were probably able to tick off most of the items on the menu.
All dishes came with a side of fries and green salad – which came in a couple of large bowls to share across the table. I'd normally disagree with this, with the fear of not getting enough chips, but there were plenty to go around!
By the end of our mains we were all stuffed and decided to save pudding for our next visit. We also fancied a couple more cocktails, which were only justified by sacrificing pudding.
I had high expectations for The Fire Station, since it can be quite hard to secure a table. On arrival with the noise from the bar, expectations were not met; however after trying their food along with some fun cocktails, we all left on a high and keen to return soon.
To find out more check out their website here.


text:
HOUSE AND HERITAGE
KIRBY HALL
May 24, 2018 David Poole	Leave a comment
"And to think that the sumptuous palace erected by Elizabeth's wealthiest subject should have become the residence of a humble shepherd."
Kirby Hall. A hall whose precise age is recorded, and in which we see plainly that the designer had not quite got rid of the idea that the exterior was to be plain, as being liable, in case of civil strife, to future 'crenellation'.
Kirby Hall, near Gretton in Northamptonshire, was built from Barnack stone between 1570-1575, for Sir Humphrey Stafford, whose motto, 'Je seray loyal,' and the date 1572, were to be seen over the porch of the great hall, and on some of the panels of the parapet one noted the inscription, 'Hum Fre Sta fard.'
It had one-time represented the high-water mark of Renaissance building, before it degenerated into heaviness and over ornamentation. The original plan is preserved in the Soane Museum, and the architect John Thorpe, very thoughtfully entitled it, 'Kerby whereof I layd ye first stone Ad. 1570.' It was so ambitious in concept that it took five years to build, somewhat too long for its owner, Sir Humphry Stafford, who died just before it was ready for occupation. His son, who probably considered the whole scheme unnecessary as they already had a fine house at Blatherwick, only five miles away, at once sold Kirby Hall to Sir Christopher Hatton, so that the only connection with the Staffords was found in the crest and badge carved in stone and wood.
It was never certain whether Sir Christopher Hatton found time to live in Kirby Hall, for he owned many fine properties, besides having to attend the Queen at Court. He didn't go near it for five years after the purchase, because he wrote to a friend in 1580 that he was going 'to view my house at Kirby which I have never yet surveyed.' Sir Christopher, who was well-known to be the favourite of Queen Elizabeth, was said by his enemies to have entered Court 'by the galliard,' referring to the famous occasion when he caught the notice of the Queen at a masked ball by the beauty and agility of his dancing. Favours were heaped upon him, even to the apparent absurdity of making him Lord Chancellor, but in the end the Queen tired of her devoted admirer and was cruel enough to insist upon the return of a Crown debt, money which had been advanced to pay for some of the fine furnishings of the house. This was said to have broken his heart, because he died shortly afterwards.
Sir Christopher Hatton (1540-1591) was an English politician, Lord Chancellor of England and a favourite of Elizabeth I of England.
Sir Christopher never married, but Kirby remained with his heirs. His successor, following the fashion of the day, employed Inigo Jones, the English Palladio, to re-decorate the exterior in 1640, and on the north side of the spacious courtyard that occupied the centre of the building, his work and that of John Thorpe was blended together into a harmonious whole. The arcade, pilasters, and cornices dated from an earlier period, and the windows, chimneys and attic storey formed part of Jones' later embellishments. There was less trace of Inigo Jones' handiwork on the opposite side of the courtyard, only the window over the porch and the side door being his.
The Hatton family kept Kirby Hall until 1764, when it passed to the Finch-Hattons.
Kirby Hall was abandoned in the 1800s, its owner moving to a newer and more commodious house, and it was left to solitude and destruction. Its lead was stripped from the roof, the oak wainscoting was carried off to ornament other houses in the district, and its stones were used to mend roads. In 1878 the Northampton Mercury said that the house had become a kind of quarry, from which stone could be cheaply obtained for the erection or repair of farmhouses, stables and other buildings in the vicinity and, it was whispered, that many richly sculptured slabs, the work of the most celebrated art-workmen of the Renaissance period, were to be found embedded, face inwards, in the walls of stables and labourers cottages. 'We have seen such specimens of sixteenth century art in the possession of cottagers, who made no secret of the source from whence they had been obtained.' The house was left to the estate shepherd who allowed his flock of sheep to wander the once grand halls.
This sketch is from 1882 and shows Kirby Hall's garden front. By this time the house was derelict. Image: The British Newspaper Archive.
The interior court was symmetrically designed, with its carvings and classical forms. Image. The British Newspaper Archive.
The library front. Another sketch from 1882 when tourists were freely allowed to wander through the abandoned house. Image: The British Newspaper Archive.
Its last absent-owner was Murray Edward Gordon Finch-Hatton, 13th Earl of Winchilsea. When he inherited the property, his first thought had been to preserve the home of his ancestors from complete ruin, and he did what was necessary to keep Kirby from falling to pieces. It was his intention, 'if ever his ship came in,' to restore the property to its old splendour, using the profits from his stone quarries in Northamptonshire. But 'man proposes, God disposes'; he was never able to carry out his dream. He died in 1898, and Edith Broughton, writing in The Sketch the following year, described the decay that had beholden Kirby Hall to her Victorian readers:
"The oak panelling has been torn from its walls; at the approach of a stranger, rats scuttle away through holes on the worm-eaten boards; and the decorations hang in festoons from the ceiling.
"Through the porch a short passage leads into the banqueting hall, with its musicians' gallery, where once the soothing strains helped calm the angry passions of bygone revellers, or the merry tunes to which the light feet of the dancers in the room below kept time. Good-living, good-fellowship, good times were these; but alas for the frailty of earthly things, a change has come to this once beautiful mansion.
"The unglazed windows, the skeleton walls, the nettle-decked passages, are in strange contrast to the magnificent architecture that in many places has been spoilt by time and neglect. A few rooms in the house are still habitable, and a caretaker lives and makes tea for the curious tourist who loves to visit 'the homes of England.' In the large Drawing-Room, with its huge bay-windows, it isn't an uncommon sight to see a picnic-luncheon laid out upon the floor where once spindle-legged furniture stood on which were seated the powder-headed courtiers, as they paid their addresses to the be-jewelled and be-satined damsels of long ago."
The north side of the courtyard in 1899. This photograph was taken by Edith Broughton, of Bedford, for The Sketch magazine. Image: The British Newspaper Archive.
The porch to the banqueting Hall. Another photograph from Edith Broughton. Ivy can be seen taking hold of the building. Image: The British Newspaper Archive.
Edith Broughton hoped that the day would soon dawn that would see men hard at work restoring this lovely specimen of the Renaissance. 'Which it were a sin to leave longer to ruin and decay!'
That day would take a long time coming. In 1935, the ruined mansion was under the kindly protection of the Office of Works and had suffered well over a century the utter misery of neglect. With no one interested in it, or to watch over it, it had become a roofless ruin, its windows broken, more stones removed, and its beautiful interior woodwork long gone.
The Banqueting Hall. This photograph was taken in 1930, just after it had been taken over by the Office of Works who planned repair and renovation. At this time, the house had not been inhabited for one hundred years. Image: The British Newspaper Archive.
Delicate Renaissance carving on the capitals of the fluted columns that alternate with the tall windows, and along the frieze running round the four sides of the inner quadrangle at Kirby Hall, which represents the best of Elizabethan architecture, having been built in 1570 by John Thorpe. Image: The British Newspaper Archive.
"Beautiful, stocked with a great variety of exotic plants, and adorned with a wilderness composed of almost the whole variety of English trees, and ranged in elegant order," was the comment of John Bridges, the 18th century Northamptonshire historian, on the garden at Kirby Hall, which was until the 1930s an overgrown waste. In this photograph from 1935 they were about to restocked with yews and roses by the Office of Works. Image. The British Newspaper Archive.
Elegantly ornamented pilasters on either side of one of the great entrances at Kirby Hall, whose owner never lived to see it in its completed beauty. Image: The British Newspaper Archive.
Devouring time had brought much of the splendour of Renaissance architecture to decay, but under the care of the Office of Works, the crumbling walls were about to be restored in 1935. Image: The British Newspaper Archive.
Kirby Hall is approached by an outer court, with fine gateways, and is enclosed by a stone balustrade, but the main structure consists of the quadrangular courtyard, surrounded by buildings like an Oxford college. The long east and west sides were occupied by a series of small apartments and connected with one another, in which the household and guests once resided, while the Great Hall was at the southern end. The exterior of Kirby Hall is described as 'not particularly striking'; it is the richness of the detail and real beauty of the design of the inner courtyard which makes it of importance.
Today, Kirby Hall and its gardens are still owned by the Earl of Winchilsea but is managed and maintained by English Heritage. Although the vast mansion remains partly roofless, the walls show the rich decoration that proclaims its successive owners were always at the forefront of new ideas about architecture and design. The Great Hall and state rooms remain intact, refitted and redecorated to authentic 17th and 18th century specifications.
It now enjoys a new celebrity as a filming location and has appeared in Kenneth Clark's Civilisation, Mansfield Park, A Christmas Carol for Ealing Studios in 1999, and Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story in 2005.
The semi-restored Kirby Hall. The house was described in 1878 as being 'cold grey ruins, the very image of mournful desolation, hidden amid deserted lime avenues and woods, untrodden save the solitary gamekeeper.' Image: The K Team.
A managed ruin. Parts of Kirby Hall are still unrestored, but the decay has been halted under the management of English Heritage. Image: The Telegraph.
Country HouseCountry MansionEnglish HeritageInigo JonesJohn ThorpeKirby HallNORTHAMPTONSHIREOffice of WorksQueen ElizabethSir Christopher HattonStately HomeThe British Newspaper Archive
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COUNTRY HOUSES WITH A STORY TO TELL
Our country houses have a story to tell. From the time they were constructed to the present day.
This site provides an insight into their glory days and how changes in society affected them.
We occasionally look at country houses being offered on the market and investigate their history. There are snapshots in time, when certain events influenced their existence, and we examine those houses that were lost forever.
The emphasis isn't necessarily on the famous country houses, but on those that might have quietly faded into obscurity.
This isn't an architectural look at country houses; there are sites out there much better qualified to do so. Instead we look at the people who built them, who lived varied and interesting lives and what happened to their properties afterwards.
'People are not dead, they are just invisible.'
Please follow the facebook and twitter feeds featuring the latest news stories and features.
Compiled by David Poole
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
St Pancras Old Church: heritage, worship and community
Published: Thursday, September 1, 2016
In 2014, the National Churches Trust awarded St Pancras Old Church a £20,000 Repair Grant for urgent repair and building works. With the work completed, we visited this historic church to see how our funding has helped.
The church stands on a site that has been dedicated to Christian worship since the fourth century. As you step through the ornate iron gates which mark the boundary between Pancras Road and the ancient churchyard of St Pancras Old Church you enter a sanctuary of calm far removed from the rapidly changing area outside. Up the road is the brand new Francis Crick Institute; Google's new offices are just round the corner; and, directly behind the churchyard wall, the Eurostar whisks passengers at high speed to Europe.
The current church building has seen many restoration projects, including those carried out in 1847, 1888, 1925, and 2007. The work funded by the National Churches Trust is the latest in this constant process of change.
The urgent building works helped by the National Churches Trust Repair Grant included filling in Victorian drainage gullies, connecting the church to the main sewer system, and repairing the disabled toilets and kitchen area.
With the works complete the updated facilities enable the church to provide a warmer welcome to visitors and regular worshippers alike. In particular, the disabled toilet means that a wider section of local people can be invited into the church including older people and school groups.
A wide variety of events held at the church include regular acoustic concerts which attract up to one hundred people. A popular lecture series has covered the Romantic poets, a talk from the Garter King of Arms, and the controversy of Henry VIII's will.
Fr James Elston, team rector, said:
"Without the generous grant from the National Churches Trust, we would have had a significant shortfall in our budget and this would have put pressure on an already stretched congregation to raise more money."
The many centuries of history of St Pancras Old Church can be best seen in its varied architecture. Although the church was rebuilt in the Victorian era, it retained Norman architectural features such as the elaborate geometric front entrance arch. Fragments of stonework are thought to come from Roman and Norman shrines.
Just as fascinating as the small but perfectly formed interior is the churchyard. In the three hundred years from 1600, it is thought that 1.5% of all London's six million burials took place here.
It was in this churchyard that Mary Shelley planned her elopement with Percy Shelley, while visiting the grave of her mother, the women's rights advocate Mary Wollstonecraft. Also here stands the tomb designed by Sir John Soane for his family vault, which became the inspiration for the famous red telephone box.
The twisted 'Hardy Tree', growing amongst a ring of gnarled gravestones, is the work of author Thomas Hardy. As architectural surveyor for the expansion of the railways in 1866, he managed the disinterment and construction of a dense ring of graves around an ancient ash tree. The story goes that he became so fed up with surveying that he quit to become a writer.
Moving closer to the present, the Beatles on their 'Mad Day Out' LIFE magazine photo shoot were pictured in the churchyard in 1968. More recently, the 2012 London Olympic torch relay passed by the church. Increased visitor numbers to the area at the time of the Olympics, travelling from St Pancras station to the Olympic Park, led to the development of a new guidebook about the church.
Using its experience of welcoming visitors, the church has shared its knowledge on how to run guided tours with neighbouring churches. This work continues with new interpretative boards offering an insight into the heritage of the church and local area, and a children's guidebook.
The repair and building works were completed in 2015. A year on, the church is fundraising for another phase of building work. Old drains under the church need to be stabilised to prevent subsidence - or, as the parish website puts it, to stop St Pancras Old Church 'slowly attempting to make its way down the gentle hillock that has been the site of Christian worship for over 1000 years'.
St Pancras Old Church is an excellent example of what a church in the twenty first century should be; an open church with worship at its heart and a place where a wide range of events are enjoyed by local people and visitors.
Find out more at sosstpancras.org
Support churches like St Pancras
The National Churches Trust relies on the generosity of our supporters to fund our work and help rescue churches like St Pancras Old Church.
You can help us to continue saving churches by becoming a Friend, making a donation or leaving a legacy in your will. For more information, click here.
Interior of St Pancras Old Church
Heritage interpretation boards
Entrance gates
Norman style entrance arch
St Pancras Old Church


text:
Cresciuto in una famiglia valdese, inizia la lotta armata subito dopo l'armistizio. Forma insieme ad altri il gruppo detto dei Chabriols (o anche dei Ventuno, dal numero dei primi componenti), gruppo molto attivo tra Villar e Torre Pellice.

Arnoulet, insieme al suo compagno René Poet, è autore di una curiosa invenzione militare. I Ventuno avevano, infatti, deciso di colpire una caserma tenuta dal nemico, servendosi dei proiettili di mortaio da 81 di cui erano venuti in possesso; non possedevano però il mortaio. Arnoulet e Poet quindi assicurarono alle bombe di mortaio una sorta di miccia a combustione rapida, costruirono una specie di robusta fionda, portandosi sul tetto di una casa prossima alla caserma. Di lì tirarono contro l'obiettivo.

Si distinse particolarmente negli scontri che avvennero in Val Pellice nei primi giorni del febbraio 1944. Proprio il giorno 3, dopo un combattimento, Arnoulet volle tornare sul luogo dello scontro per recuperare armi e munizioni abbandonate ma ancora utili. Mentre stava occultando il materiale, fu sorpreso e catturato. Fu torturato per più di una settimana dai nazifascisti, nel tentativo di avere delle informazioni sui suoi compagni, senza riuscirci. Fu quindi passato per le armi.

Onorificenze

Note

Bibliografia

Medaglie d'argento al valor militare

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Elements of the DPLA
Digital Hubs Pilot Project
Beta Sprint
Audience & Participation
Content & Scope
Financial/Business Models
Digital Library Digest
Digital Library Digest: April 11, 2013
Posted by Vicky Zeamer on April 11, 2013 in Digital Library Digest.
European Commission welcomes Member States' endorsement of EU Open Data rules
"The European Commission welcomes endorsement by the EU Council's 'Coreper' committee (EU Committee of Member States' Permanent Representatives)of the Commission's effort to open-up public sector data for re-use across Europe (see IP/11/1524)."
"Once fully implemented into national law, the revision of the 2003 Public Sector Information Directive would make all generally accessible (that is, non-personal) public sector information available for re-use. Developers, programmers, businesses and citizens will be able to get and re-use public sector data at zero or very low cost in most cases. They will also have access to more exciting and inspirational content, for example including materials in national museums, libraries and archives."
"European Commission Vice-President Neelie Kroes said: "Opening up public data means opening up business opportunities, creating jobs and building communities. I welcome the Council's agreement to this culture change.""
"The proposed new rules now need to be formally approved by the European Parliament."
"Background: Public Sector Information refers to non-personal data produced, stored or collected by public sector bodies. Studies show that wider availability of public data could boost economic activity by tens of billions of euros per year across the EU."
"When fully implemented, proposed new rules would:
Create a genuine right to re-use public information, not present in the original 2003 Directive;
Expand the reach of the Directive to include libraries, museums and archives;
Establish that public sector bodies can charge at maximum the marginal cost for reproduction, provision and dissemination of the information. In exceptional cases, full cost recovery (plus a reasonable return on investment) will remain possible;
Oblige public sector bodies to be more transparent about charging rules;
Encourage the availability of data in open machine-readable formats"
From a European Union press release on Europa, Commission welcomes Member States' endorsement of EU Open Data rules
Extending the Arc of Publishing: Preprints at PeerJ
"This month the open access journal PeerJ launched a new preprint server where scholars can post papers prior to submission for formal peer review and publication. Preprints are common in many disciplines, but have been unusual in the biology and biomedical areas that PeerJ focuses on. The culture of biomedicine and the academic overlap with highly competitive and potentially lucrative biotechnology and biopharm firms have retarded pre-publication release of results."
"Pre-print servers are part of a growing trend. Over the last few years, the breadth of scholarly communication has begun to dramatically expand to support a life-cycle trajectory extending from the publication of small pieces of the research process in "nanopublications," to the publication of pre-prints, and subsequently publications of record, often with post-print versions. With the launch of its preprint server, PeerJ hopes to capitalize on the growing comfort with pre-publication review and commentary that is increasingly accepted as a normal part of the publication lifecycle."
"I was able to do a Q+A with the founders of PeerJ this last week, Pete Binfield and Jason Hoyt, to ask them more about their motivations."
"PW: Why are you launching a pre-print server now?"
"PeerJ: Three reasons really:"
"Firstly, "Green Open Access" and the role of repositories are very important issues these days. The demand for Green OA is coming from both the top and bottom, and if you look at it, then the peer-reviewed portion of Green OA is covered by institutional repositories, but the 'un peer-reviewed' or draft versions of articles (i.e. the pre-prints) really have no major venues (at least not in the bio/medical sciences). So we view PeerJ PrePrints as one solution to that demand."
"Secondly, academic journals themselves started out as non peer-reviewed venues for the rapid communication of results. Peer-review came about later on, evolving over centuries, to create something which has certainly introduced many positives for science. Still, 'preprints' also have many benefits that we no longer get to enjoy, because peer-review has come to dominate peoples attitudes towards what deserves to see the light of day. Now that more and more scientists are comfortable with the sharing attitude of the Internet (in part encouraged by the rise of Open Access), and as the costs of 'preprinting' are really quite low, it seemed like a good time to return to the roots of scholarly communication. Both peer-review and preprints have important roles to play in the ecosystem."
"And thirdly, we believe that we are finally seeing a desire from the Bio and Medical communities for a service like this, but with no viable venue to meet that need. Just in the last year or two, we have seen biologists start to use the arXiv preprint server more (even though it really isn't set up for their areas); we have seen services like FigShare and F1000 Research launch; and we have heard from many academics that they are eager to submit to something like this."
From Peter Brantley's article for Publisher's Weekly, Extending the Arc of Publishing: Preprints at PeerJ
New Hampshire libraries say they're busy in electronic age
"IF EVERYONE is using smart phones, e-readers and laptops for everything, do we still need public libraries?"
"Actually, New Hampshire librarians say they're busier than ever."
"State librarian Michael York noted library visits statewide were up 34 percent from 2006 to 2011, when more than 7.5 million visits were recorded."
"There were 780,318 registered library patrons at New Hampshire's 234 public libraries in 2011. And libraries held 38,392 programs that year, which 644,229 attended."
"Kingston, Portsmouth, Jackson and West Lebanon all have new libraries, and new buildings have been approved in Sunapee, Durham and Bethlehem, according to the state Department of Cultural Resources."
"For greying baby boomers, many offer lectures by scholars, concerts, book talks, travel programs and art exhibits."
"There are writing, cooking and anime clubs for teens, story times for younger kids and family movie nights. There's free computer use and wi-fi access, and meeting spaces where community organizations gather."
"And when the power goes out, librarians say, their buildings are filled with local residents looking to warm up and charge their electronic devices."
"Last Friday, nearly all 18 public computers in the reading room at the Manchester City Library were in use before 9 a.m. One man was looking for a truck to purchase, while a young woman and her tutor worked on an assignment."
"Downstairs, children's librarian Karyn Isleb was leading a dozen toddlers through a fast-paced hour of reading, songs and physical activity."
"Kaitlyn Woods of Manchester comes every Friday with her 18-month-old son, Samuel."
""He gets to socialize with the other kids," she said. "Obviously, reading is very important, so it gets him exposed to books at an early age.""
"And as a stay-at-home mom, she said, "It gets me out of the house.""
"Woods recalls picking out books at the library when she was a child, but doesn't remember these kinds of programs. "It does seem they're more focused on outreach to the community, trying to get people inside the library," she said."
From Shawne Wickham's article for Union Leader, NH libraries say they're busy in electronic age
NBC Sports sees move from New York City to new Stamford, CT facility as chance to preserve video library
"NBC Sports Group is hoping to preserve its historic video archives before the library falls victim to the effects of time.
"The network that was a pioneer in covering the National Football League, Major League Baseball, the Olympics and myriad other sports, has hired a New Jersey company to digitize, catalog and store the group's film and video library, representing up to 400,000 hours of sports-media content.
"Darryl Jefferson, vice president of digital workflow at NBC Sports, said the division of Comcast Cable took advantage of its move from New York City to a new facility on Blachley Road in Stamford to hire Deluxe MediaRecall of Northvale, N.J., and tackle the project.
""While the historical preservation of our media and reduced physical storage costs are welcome byproducts of such an enormous undertaking, the most compelling reason for NBC Sports Group to complete this migration is to reduce in-production turnaround times of critical deliverables to nearly zero," he said. "With our new facility in Stamford, we engineered for true, file-based production, whether at our studios or in remote locations."
"Jefferson estimated that NBC's sports library goes back 52 years, but much of it cannot be reviewed because the needed equipment could not be found.
""To lose this to deterioration would be a shame. This allows us to access the material instantly," said Jefferson, adding that archival video is used to provide context to a telecast. A digital record makes the process less labor intensive and time consuming.
"The digitizing process has been an eye-opener for Jefferson because it has uncovered material that he didn't know existed, including a short clip of football great Jim Brown going through a practice.
""It's exciting, but to see him so young — honestly, it was humbling," he said.
"Deluxe, which has a staff of 2,000, is encoding to a digital master and applying metadata for all NBC Sports' media. As the digital migration is completed, the new master files are imported into the group's advanced media asset management system for search, discovery and file-based workflow delivery on a global basis.
""We're capturing about 9,000 hours of content a month. We are honored to be working alongside Darryl and his team to preserve and make readily available NBC Sports Group's valuable content," said Dan Glasser, general manager of Deluxe MediaRecall, a division of Deluxe Media Services. "Preservation of this is absolutely critical. I love sports. I saw early footage of Super Bowl IV. It's the re-discovery of the players and moments that were part of your youth. It's a wonderful project to work on."
"Transferring the material from videotape and film to digital is essential, but just finding original material is challenging, said Daniel Durbin, director of the Annenberg Institute of Sports, Media and Society at the University of Southern California.
"He recalled trying to obtain sports film and video from KTLA in Los Angeles and was disappointed to learn that most of it had been discarded. Much the same has occurred across the nation.
""The vast majority of broadcasts are long gone. The volume of the content that has been lost is tragic. NBC should be applauded for saving some of this history," he said. "NBC is aggressively going after media platforms to monetize their content. It's important to go digital now. This is important for historical research.""
From Richard Lee's article for Stamford Advocate, NBC Sports sees Stamford move as chance to preserve video library
Iowa City library begins digital library effort
"IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — From piles of old photos showing an evolving downtown, to a Depression-era filmstrip focused on the debate over a proposed new high school, workers at the Iowa City Public Library are finding their latest project to be as timely as it is historical."
"Library staff are scanning photos and processing film from Iowa City's early years to establish a new digital history collection — a Web-based archive launching later this spring intended to preserve and highlight local historic and cultural materials."
"The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports (http://icp-c.com/14RdxOK ) it will include a trove of photos from the city's urban renewal efforts of the 1970s and early 1980s, when 10 square blocks of downtown buildings were razed, in part making way for the pedestrian mall and Old Capitol Town Center. The digital library also will feature a film from the 1930s titled "Does Iowa City Need a New High School?" — a strip made by a group leading the campaign for the construction of what would become City High."
"With the future of Iowa City's downtown and the possibility of a third high school among today's hot-button issues, the old photos and movies will be of interest to more than just historians, the project leaders hope."
""We'd like to create a resource that expands our collection in a different way, but also one where it becomes more interactive with the community," said librarian Candice Smith. "We want something that will be accessible for everybody, but also reflective of them. It's a new way to reach out and get material, but also make some different connections with our community.""
"The library received a grant from Iowa City's Noon Lions Club — a group that once included late local historian and Press-Citizen columnist Irving Weber — to purchase scanning equipment and set up a content management system. The Johnson County Historical Society provided the library with hundreds of negatives, prints and slides for the project, and librarians have spent the past year scanning and cataloging the materials."
"The first batch of photos to be included in the digital library will focus largely on downtown Iowa City, from the turn of the century through urban renewal. The library hopes to expand that scope in the future."
"I think it's an area that's going to grow," said Maeve Clark, the library's adult services coordinator. "People will be clamoring for more than we can do initially, but I think we can also get a corps of volunteers who can help us. There are a lot of things that I could think that could be an outgrowth of this.""
From Josh O'Leary's article for SFGate, Iowa City library begins digital history effort
Press: Now, With No Further Ado, We Present… The Digital Public Library of America!
HistoryPin Features the DPLA in its Pin of the Day
DPLA: Coming Soon


text:
The Originals 5×02 Inside "One Wrong Turn On Bourbon" Season 5 Episode 2 Inside
The Originals 5×02 "One Wrong Turn On Bourbon" Season 5 Episode 2 Inside – THE RETURN TO NEW ORLEANS — When a mysterious disappearance brings Klaus (Joseph Morgan) back to New Orleans, Hope (Danielle Rose Russell) looks forward to the prospect of seeing her father again. However, when the dark magic that had been keeping them apart begins to manifest in dangerous ways across the city, Vincent (Yusuf Gatewood) turns to Ivy (guest star Shiva Kalaiselvan) for guidance about what it may mean. Elsewhere, Marcel (Charles Michael Davis) returns to New Orleans amidst increased tensions between the supernatural factions, while Freya (Riley Voelkel) makes a decision about her future with Keelin (guest star Christina Moses). Finally, Roman's (guest star Jedidiah Goodacre) surprise visit to the Mikaelson compound forces Hope to reveal some dark truths about her family. Steven Krueger also stars. Carol Banker directed the episode written by Carina Adly MacKenzie (#502). Original airdate 4/25/2018.
The Originals 5×02 Sneak Peek "One Wrong Turn On Bourbon" (HD) Season 5 Episode 2 Sneak Peek
The Originals 5×02 Promo "One Wrong Turn On Bourbon" (HD) Season 5 Episode 2 Promo
The Originals 1×17 Extended Promo "Moon Over Bourbon Street" (HD)
The Originals 1×17 Promo "Moon Over Bourbon Street" (HD)
Home » The Originals 5×02 Inside "One Wrong Turn On Bourbon" (HD) Season 5 Episode 2 Inside


Okay, I'm going to say it and hate me all you want, but sometimes it's just true. Some days there is no time to write!
It's a horrible reality, like death and taxes and waiting for replies to queries.
Writers are told that nothing is more important than the craft. Like Stephen King says, if you want to be a writer, you have to read and you have to write. In the make-believe realm of Writer's World, there would always be magical moments when the clock stops, the children take naps, and the dryer hums quietly making sure nothing wrinkles until the spell breaks and it's time to get back to reality. In today's world, writers are often Cinderellas stuck mopping floors, just waiting for our godmother to send us — not to the ball- but to some quiet sanctuary where we can WRITE!
Non-writers don't get it. They don't understand that not writing is like not getting the drug we're addicted to. It's literally like all the characters in our brains start running their fingernails (and some of them have very long fingernails indeed) across some chalkboard in our brains. To put it mildly, we get a little…irritable when we don't get to write. But it happens.
Life gets in the way. Things like the need to pay bills and eat and avoiding ending up as guests on Dr. Phil because we've neglected our children and spouses and we remember our characters' birthdays but not theirs.
First and foremost, we have to not beat ourselves up. We may create superheroes on the page, but sadly, we can't turn ourselves into them. We can't go without sleep or food or somehow add hours to the clock. We can however remember that tomorrow is a new day. Sure, it will come with challenges, like every day does, but it's new. It's fresh. It's a blank page.
Even if you can't get a word physically on that page because the one hour you'd carefully set aside is taken up by an emergency trip to the vet because the dog ate a roach hotel, you can still think about writing. You can turn the radio off and visit with your characters at stop signs and traffic lights. You can jot an idea down in the little notebook you carry or on a fast-food napkin. You can fan the flames of your creativity until things settle down a bit.
They'll never settle down completely. Writer's World doesn't exist. But we can remember that tomorrow is a new day, and with it comes a new night and new minutes and new moments. New opportunities to push the laundry and the grading and the dishes aside, and do what keeps us sane.
Write when and what you can. Fifteen minutes at lunch is better than nothing at all. And amazingly, if we give ourselves small goals, they have a way of growing bigger. Fifteen minutes at lunch turns to thirty. Maybe we wake up thirty minutes before the alarm goes off and instead of going back to sleep, we get to work.
Stephen King is right in that to be a writer you have to read a lot and you have to write a lot. But when life becomes our own personal antagonists, we have to remember that 'life' is what it's all about. Enjoy the cuddles when the kids are sick, don't forget to listen to the birds when you take the dog for a walk. After all, if we get too out of touch with our own lives, how will we be able to write about the lives of our characters?


notes 1452680587506 Disclaimer This page was automatically converted from a module that was shared prior to the release of Published Pages. Additionally, the arc below was auto-converted from the arc created by the author (which used the old module), and so it is possible there are misplaced logical relationships.
(14-15) First confidence (4:17-18) was for the day of judgment and was rooted in being loved by God as Jesus is loved by God. Because of this love God has for us, we can know that we have eternal life (5:11-13). Second confidence (14-15) is for now and is answered prayer . We can have confidence then and now. We will go to God confidently then and we can go to God confidently now. How do we go to God confidently now? In prayer. We are not just positionally confident before God. We are relationally confident before God. John Stott calls this "freedom of speech" before God. (14b) Every true prayer is delivered with the theme "Your will be done." This is how Jesus taught us to pray and this how Jesus modeled prayer in Gethsemane. (14c) "He hears us" means (15) not only that he receives our petitions (that they (requests) reach him), but that we receive what we requested (that they (answers) reach us). (15b) "we have the requests" means that our request is granted now, instantly. God is not deliberating. We are not waiting for an answer, we are waiting for the visible results of his granting. (16b) "he shall ask" - we "shall ask" because "he hears." This is not a command from John, "When you see your brother committing a sin not leading to death you should pray for him." John is describing the inevitable reaction of a Christian who sees his brother or sister committing a sin not leading to death - "He shall pray" or "he shall ask." So this is how we deal with sin in our church - WE PRAY. (16) John is giving a specific illustration of a prayer that is according to God's will. So this prayer he not only hears, he grants (he says "yes"). "he shall ask and God will give him (the one prayed for ) life!" James 5:15,20 - And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. We pray with confidence for the brother or sister committing sin that does not lead to death, knowing that God will give them life. However, we do not pray with the same confidence (John is not prohibiting prayer for this person, just explaining that the prayer will not be rooted in the same confidence - hope yes, confidence no) for the person committing sin that leads to death. Wow. So what is this sin leading to death? Death is the penalty for sin (Romans 6:23). In that sense, all sin leads to death. This verse led to the Catholic distinction between "mortal" and "venial" sins and "the seven deadly sins." Is there a list of gross sins that are unpardonable? No. Perhaps this sin leading to death is apostacy - a rejection of Christ. Hebrews 6:4-6 (10:26ff; 12:16-17) - For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. Is John referring to the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit? What does "life" mean? Does this mean God will give them life in an Ephesians 2 sense - that he will save them? Or is this a believer who will be given life, as in communion with God? Is John here referring to the false teachers?
that you may know that you have eternal life.
we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
to those who commit sins that do not lead to death.
I do not say that one should pray for that.
but there is sin that does not lead to death.


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Bell & Howell and Ex Libris forge links
Press Release: Ex Libris [December 5, 2000]
Abstract: Bell & Howell''s Information and Learning division announced its intention to extend the current linking capabilities in ProQuest, the company''s award-winning online information system, to support the open linking environment of the SFX Framework. SFX will be enabled in the release of ProQuest 4.1, which is scheduled for December 2000.
Today Bell & Howell's (NYSE: BHW) Information and Learning division announced its intention to extend the current linking capabilities in ProQuest, the company's award-winning online information system, to support the open linking environment of the SFX Framework. SFX will be enabled in the release of ProQuest 4.1, which is scheduled for December 2000.
SFX permits context-sensitive linking among all parts of an electronic collection, including full-text repositories; abstracting, indexing and citation database; on-line catalogues; citations appearing in research articles, e-print systems and other Web resources. SFX provides users with seamless integration of heterogeneous resources, and places the management of this in the hands of the librarian. The librarian defines the conceptual relationships between different information resources to allow the user to fully exploit the institution's collection and to link to appropriate services.
Two-way linking will be enabled between ProQuest and the SFX linking server from Ex Libris, whereby ProQuest customers who also license the SFX server can link directly from ProQuest search results via SFX to an extended range of resources and services; and, users of ProQuest and other information sources can link through the SFX server to full text in ProQuest databases, such as ABI/INFORM. Users will be able to use the powerful indexing of ABI/INFORM, which has full text for about 70% of the articles, and link out to the full text of articles when the library has full-text access via an e-journal, publisher site, or other electronic resource.
Todd Fegan, Vice President, ProQuest Product Management, said, "This integration extends the ProQuest IntelliDocsTM linking capabilities introduced earlier this year. With SFX, access to the key data in ProQuest, particularly the significant number of full-text articles, will now be possible from multiple resources. Users will choose their preferred route to these resources." ProQuest provides access to more than 6,000 periodicals and newspapers, many in full text.
Jenny Walker of the Ex Libris Information Services Division added, "Bell & Howell has been quick to realize the benefits of SFX for their library users. SFX empowers the librarian to determine not only the scope of the information space relevant for their users, but also how the component heterogeneous information resources are interlinked in a meaningful manner. With the SFX-enabling of ProQuest, the scope of resources through which the SFX user can navigate is now substantially increased."
About Bell & Howell Information and Learning
Bell & Howell Company (NYSE: BHW), headquartered in Skokie, Ill., is a leading information solutions and services provider to industries worldwide. In each of its businesses, the company transforms information through software and services, helping its customers operate more effectively and efficiently. Additional information on Bell & Howell Company can be found at: www.bellhowell.com.
Bell & Howell Information and Learning (formerly UMI) is a world leader in collecting, organizing, and distributing information worldwide to researchers, faculty, and students in libraries and schools. Known widely for its strength in business, general-reference, humanities, and social sciences content, the company develops premium databases comprising periodicals, newspapers, dissertations, out-of-print books, and other scholarly information from more than 8,500 publishers worldwide. Users access the information through ProQuest, the company's Web-based online information system, Chadwyck-Healey electronic and microform resources, and UMI microform and print reference products. In addition, the company develops educational products that support learning in the classroom. In every product line, the company seeks to bring valuable information directly to researchers and learners. For more information about Bell & Howell Information and Learning, call 800-521-0600 (U.S. and Canada) or 734-761-4700, or visit: www.infolearning.com.
About Ex Libris
Ex Libris is a leading worldwide developer of high-performance applications for libraries and information centers. ALEPH, the Ex Libris integrated library solution is now in over 530 installations in 41 countries. The newly formed Information Services Division will address the broader aspects of collection management with its initial focus being the further development and deployment of the SFX context-sensitive reference linking solution acquired in February by Ex Libris from Ghent University in Belgium. Ex Libris is a multi-national company with offices located around the world. For more information on SFX and for the OpenURL specification, link to: www.sfxit.com.
SFX Reference Linking Software Solution
Reference linking