Slim and portable is the contest when it comes to productivity laptops, with many of the big names pushing for devices that are unbelievably thin, without compromising performance and battery life.
The HP ENVY X360 is a perfect case in point. At only 12.07 x 8.45 x 0.59 inches, this is one of the most compact laptops I've ever seen and used. Don't let its size fool you though, as this productivity powerhouse has more than enough tricks in the hat to keep you interested.
The HP ENVY X360 is a rather straightforward looking laptop. You get a dark finish with a glossy HP logo on the lid, some badges on the lower right side, an ENVY branding, and that's it.
Sometimes, keeping it simple is the way to go. And in this case, it works very well. You can safely take this laptop to any cocktail party, to your morning business meeting, and even for a trip to the nearest cafe. It keeps things simple, yet elegant. It's not a device that screams "Oh yes, I'm powerful, compact, and I've got a shiny badge," but is rather relaxed; that's a plus, at least for me.
Just below the screen is the Bang and Olufsen speakers, which actually sound good, with a good balance of bass and clarity that fits most genres of music, and is are loud enough for a small room. We expected a lot from Bang and Olufsen, and it delivered fantastically on this laptop.
Oddly, HP has decided to place power button on the left side, which is pretty unconventional. It's illuminated, at least. There's also a USB 3.1 port, an exhaust grill, and a microSD card reader. On the right side is another USB 3.1 port, a USB Type-C port, a volume rocker, and the power port. I know, that's not a lot, but at least it's enough for a mouse and a storage device.
The keyboard isn't anything special, but is quite comfortable to type on. It's responsive, and there's just enough space between each key to minimize unintentional keypresses. It's backlit, which is very helpful when using it at home, say when its lights out time already, and someone's sleeping beside you.
Talk about the display, you get a 13.3″ FHD IPS micro-edge WLED touchscreen with satisfactory brightness. The bezels aren't as thin say as the ones in the ZenBook 13, and a few millimeters off the top and bottom would've been nice though. It's not distracting or anything that ruins the experience.
The HP ENVY X360 is also compatible with Windows Hello. Facial Recognition works extremely fast, which is very convenient as you no longer have to remember passwords. This is a feature that some consumers might find important and useful.
When working in tablet mode, the screen isn't the most responsive that I've used as it still occasionally misses input. It's enough to give you a decent writing experience using the supplied pen, which has two dedicated buttons that are used to, for instance, erase writings or doodles.
Moving back to the hardware, HP ENVY X360 is powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 2700 quad-core processor, backed by 8GB of DDR4 2400 SDRAM, and a 256GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD. For graphics processing, it boasts an AMD Radeon RX Vega 10.
With real world usage scenario, HP ENVY X360 is also capable of handling slightly heavier workload than your usual suite of word-processing and spreadsheet such as basic video editing. This is what AMD Ryzen 7 2700U can offer to the table. You don't need to spend much on computing and – in this case – writing device that delivers outstanding performance without spending too much.
As you can see, the HP ENVY X360 doesn't fall behind too much against the ASUS ZenBook 13 in terms of benchmark results, considering that their competitor's laptop is slightly more expensive. This, again, shows another impressive selling proposition of the HP ENVY X360 with AMD Radeon RX Vega 10 – value for money.
Read and write speeds are as fast as expected from an SSD, As such, the laptop is also quick to boot up.
We also tried to play Dota 2 on it, and HP ENVY X3600 performed decently, though at the fastest preset (lowest setting). Thermals were also well-managed as the GPU temperature only peaked at 69°C.
HP ENVY X360 runs on Windows 10, and you do get a bunch of pre-loaded HP apps, which include Command Center that basically serves as a central hub for managing Thermal Profiles, and viewing system information.
There's also the Bang and Olufsen Audio Control app, which lets you adjust all sound-related settings, and even tune the sound signature to your liking.
Apart from those, everything is pretty much Windows Default.
At 50% brightness and 80% volume, the HP ENVY X360 managed to yield almost 5 hours of uptime in a single charge, which is pretty decent, considering how compact it is.
HP ENVY X360 is a well-rounded companion that takes your work seriously with its performance and looks. It allows you to have a bit of fun after the meeting, as you can still play games on it. As a tablet, it still needs work on reading inputs from the pen, but using your fingers to navigate websites using the touchscreen is quite an enjoyable experience.
are also among the better ones I've tested. The latter gives you great sound quality that's loud enough for your small room.
It does suffer from a shortage of ports. It's most likely a design limitation, but one more USB port would've made it a sweeter deal. Performance-wise, it handles your typical office workload, even basic video editing, and can also play a few games. Oh, and it's got decent battery life as well. All, in all, HP ENVY X360 should be on your list if you're looking for an ultra-compact laptop that has a good combination of performance and looks.
HP is an advertiser of Gadget Pilipinas.
The HP Envy x360 is a pretty well-rounded companion that takes your work seriously with its performance and looks, but allows you to have a bit of fun after the meeting, as you can still play games on it. As a tablet, it still needs work on reading inputs from the pen, but using your fingers to navigate websites using the touchscreen is quite an enjoyable experience. It's however, a complete joy to use as a laptop. The keyboard is comfortable to type on, the screen is bright enough, and Its speakers are also among the better ones I've tested, giving you great sound quality that's loud enough for your small room. It does suffer from a shortage of ports. It's most likely a design limitation, but one more USB port would've made it a sweeter deal. Performance-wise, it handles your typical office work load, even basic video editing, and can also play a few games. Oh, and it's got decent battery life as well. All, in all, the HP Envy x360 should be on your list if you're looking for an ultra-compact laptop that has a good combination of performance and looks.
Good performance, can even game.


While Epic Games hasn't allowed for Unreal Tournament 3 to be released for Linux, the first native Linux game using Unreal Engine 3 was released today. Yes, Unreal Engine 3 for Linux.
Launched today with Humble Indie Bundle 7 was Dungeon Defenders for Linux. Dungeon Defenders is a tower defense / action RPG originally released for the PC in 2011. What makes this game noteworthy is that it was developed on Unreal Engine 3 and now there's a native Linux port.
Ryan Gordon confirmed today via Twitter that he's responsible for this Linux port of the first UE3 title. It's also interesting as he's using SDL 2.0 for the port. "Dungeon Defenders is an Unreal Engine 3 game on Linux, and it's the first thing I've shipped with SDL 2.0!"
Ryan Gordon ported Unreal Engine 3 to Linux years ago but ultimately was never permitted to release the Unreal Tournament 3 Linux client... Hopefully going into 2013 we'll see more Unreal Engine 3 games being released natively for Linux to compete with Valve's Source Engine and Unigine Corp's Unigine Engine.
Below is the trailer for Dungeon Defenders.


The new device, named 'Roar,' was used during Saturday clashes along the Gaza Border.
Israel has developed a new non-lethal method to disperse crowds called 'Roar' [in Hebrew, Sheaga], Arutz Sheva reported on Sunday.
The device uses radio waves.
Not much has been published about the new system. It is likely to be derived from existing Long Range Acoustic Devices [LRAD] which emit warning tunes at a very high frequency humans cannot tolerate and may cause long-term damage to hearing if exposed to it over time.
LRAD has been used since 2009.
Other non-lethal methods to disperse crowds include sticky riot foam and high-impact water cannons.


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Mac's Floral is an event floral company that specializes in untamed, organic and whimsical floral to suite any bride. We love to use natural materials and local flowers to enhance any design and pride ourselves on a passion for anything floral and the art of creating - even if that means breaking the rules of tradition. We look forward to meeting you and creating for your special event!


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Eight international students from India have died by suicide since 2020, including two in 2021, according to the High Commissioner of India to Canada. Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.
Health Top Stories
Recent Deaths of Indian International Students Point to Disturbing Trend
Two recent cases of death by suicide among Indian international students in Canada have shed light on a disturbing trend, which seems to have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Concerned community members want students to know that they are not alone with their problems.
Gita Abraham April 26, 2021	3 Comments
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Heightened stress induced by financial difficulties, anxiety over failed exams and culture shock are among the main reasons for what some are calling a "disturbing trend" of suicides among Indian international students in Canada. The COVID-19 turbulence has added to these pressures, but help is available.
Six Indian students died by suicide in 2020, and two have taken their lives this year, High Commissioner of India to Canada Ajay Bisaria said at a recent webinar organized by Sahyog Canada, a community that supports Indian international students in crisis situations.
The webinar was held in response to the two most recent tragedies, which happened within weeks — one in Ottawa, and the other one in Brampton — as confirmed by Dr. Shivendra Dwivedi, a leading anesthesiologist in Montreal and a founding member of Sahyog Canada.
The organization decided to reach out to Indian students to "provide tools to manage your stress or be a support to someone struggling." It was already their second webinar devoted to mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Counselling is not the only priority of Sahyog Canada. Rajesh K. Tyagi, a Sahyog team member, said the group also supports the family members of the deceased students, which includes logistics to send bodies home by getting the necessary clearance and coordinating with the airlines.
Many suicide deaths go unreported
Dr. Dwivedi said he believed the available data on student suicides was only "the tip of the iceberg" and that the actual number could be "significantly higher, for many deaths are unreported, unconfirmed, or are tackled by agencies and friends."
His suspicion was confirmed by Dr. Amresh Srivastava, a professor emeritus of psychiatry at the Western University.
"World over, suicides are unreported, and in Canada an average of 10 persons die each day, adding to the approximately projected 4,000 suicides each year," he said at the Sahyog Canada webinar.
Yet, the problem of suicide among foreign students is little talked about, according to Douglas Todd, a journalist and author specializing in migration, ethics and diversity, who wrote about the issue back in 2019. The data obtained by Todd from the B.C. Coroners Service showed that at least 15 international students in the province (most of them young men) took their own lives between 2013 and 2018.
A similar trend has been observed in the Bengali Canadian community. According to the Bengali Information and Employment Services, a Toronto-based non-profit, 14 young men attending college or university in the Greater Toronto Area died by suicide between 2016 and 2017.
Stress as the main cause of student suicides
The main causes of suicide among international students include financial hardships, culture shock, poor physical health, academic underperformance, and lack of social support, said Dr. Srivastava, who is also a scientist of mental health at Lawson Health Research Institute in London, Ontario.
"Stress is the major factor for psychological challenges among students," he said.
According to immigration consultant Neera Agnihotri, most international students experience a culture shock as they navigate a totally different education system and social order. Few of them have any support in the process.
"They come into Canada, it's a whole different system, the social aspect, the education system is different," Agnihotri told Global News, commenting on a recent report by One Voice Canada, a non-profit she co-founded.
COVID-19 adds to students' existing problems
In their incisive analysis titled The Realities of International Students: Evidenced Challenges, One Voice Canada pointed to rampant fraud and corruption in the student recruitment industry, "exorbitant tuition fees" and an "underground economy" where students are working illegally and are being exploited by their employers.
"International student suicides have become a disturbing trend in Canada," the report stated. "The economic impact of COVID-19 seems to have exacerbated these problems."
For Canada, international education is a very lucrative business, but for international students from India it is a heavy financial burden, especially since many families are taking loans to send their children to Canada, the authors wrote.
"To manage this financial burden, many international students are working illegally. This has put them in a vulnerable position, and many are victims of labour exploitation … The economic dependency of female international students is especially unsettling as it makes them vulnerable to sexual violence," the report stated.
A concern that the pandemic-related restrictions would only add to the pressures experienced by international students was already expressed last year by the University of Ottawa President and Vice-Chancellor Jacques Frémont after a student was found dead in an on-campus residence in March 2020.
"I know that many of you, including our international students can feel particularly isolated being so far away from family and friends in a new environment and during a stressful time," he wrote at the time in a letter to the university community.
As reported in the media, the apparent suicide was the sixth such incident at the university within a year, and although it did not appear to be related to COVID-19, Frémont worried that "these troubling times may exacerbate existing stress and anxieties."
"I wish to take this opportunity to address all of those students on campus who are feeling anxious or overwhelmed especially in the context of current events. To you I say: You are not alone," he wrote, urging students to reach out to mental health counsellors and to stay in touch with friends and family.
With 642,000 international students in 2019, Canada ranks third globally in attracting foreign students, according to the most recent data by Immigration Canada. Around 34 per cent of Canada's international students come from India.
COVID-19 did make many Indian students want to go back home because of the disruptions early last year, the high commissioner of India to Canada admitted. "We did accommodate as many students as possible," putting them on flights back, he added. There are currently 236,000 Indian students at various educational institutions in Canada, he said.
For those who stayed, Bisaria sounded a note of optimism: "(With) improved vigilance from NGOs and sustained efforts from the High Commission and our two Consul General offices in Toronto and Vancouver, students can now be more aware and not resort to desperate measures," he said.
"After a year of disruption, year of the virus, we are in the year of the vaccine. 2021: this is the year of hope."
About the author Related Posts
Gita Abraham
Freelance journalist, Author at Self employed
Gita Abraham is a journalist of 45-year standing and has worked in national dallies and magazines in New Delhi including Hindustan Times and India Today. For 15 years she was the Feature Editor of The City TAB in Bangalore. She was also a Professor of Journalism, at the Asian College of Journalism in Chennai. Treading the thin line between fact and fiction, Gita has launched her debut novel "Daughter of the Blue Hills" early this year. She and her husband are snowbirds shuffling between Chennai and Ottawa. She has two daughters and two frisky grandsons who inhabit her world.
https://newcanadianmedia.ca/author/gitaabraham3agmail-com/
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'All We Can Do Is Pray': Indian Diaspora Shaken by COVID-19 Crisis Back Home Vaccine Inequality Costs Lives in Global South and Hurts Us All
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3 Replies to "Recent Deaths of Indian International Students Point to Disturbing Trend"
Dr. Brahma Chaudhuri says:
It's disgraceful and disgusting that Canada is making huge amount of money out of International students from India. Shame on you!
Teresa Brown says:
They are forced by their parents to get here so they can bring all the family here to take advantage our social services and business opportunities from 2nd nation people (old stock canadians as Trudeau calls us) 8 lives out of almost 8 billion ppl is nothing. How many 2nd nations kids kill themselves and do you care?Stop wasting time worrying about 8 lives when the planet is dying. Prioritize your concerns. Stop trying to fix worthless issues.
Sunita Rani says:
Those 8 lives may not matter to you but they matter to their loved ones.
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So, you found some waterbody in the wild and collected some water. You even boiled the water to make it safe to drink. But when you try to drink it, it has a horrible smell or unpleasant taste. It is a common scenario faced by many survivalists.
Some survivalists will, no doubt, want to stay as far away from these items as possible, as most of them over time become useless in a state of complete apocalyptic devastation. That being said, for short-term prepping emergencies, at the very least, these items are likely to come in quite handy, especially in our power/electricity driven world of today.


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You are here: Home / Military Retirement / Marine Corps Offers Early Retirement – Details on the Temporary Early Retirement Authority (TERA)
Marine Corps Offers Early Retirement – Details on the Temporary Early Retirement Authority (TERA)
Author: Doug Nordman Last Updated: February 5, 2019 8 Comments
Let me interrupt Memorial Day with some late-breaking news: Stars and Stripes reported last week that the Marine Corps will be offering a 15-year retirement.
The program is expected to begin this fall for Marines and officers, but the actual program details and start date haven't been released yet.
Both the Marines and the Army experienced the greatest growth over the last decade, and both services are expected to bear the brunt of the personnel drawdown. The Marines are expected to reduce their strength by at least 5000 per year for the next four years, a total reduction of nearly 10%. Although some of this additional attrition will be handled through voluntary early discharges and selected officer retirements, an early retirement program will be part of the reduction.
The finances of the 15-year retirement are expected to be similar to the Navy program, which is taken from a DoD instruction. For those eligible for a High-Three retirement, the service multiplier will remain 2.5% per year of service. However, that total will be reduced by one percent for each year of service less than 20. (One percent, not a percentage point.) This means that a Marine with 15 years of service would receive a pension of 36.625% of the average of their highest 36 months of pay.
Actual reduction factor calculations are done in units of months instead of years, and the resulting reduction factor is taken from a table in the DoD instruction. Any fraction of a month of service for a reduction is rounded up before subtracting the result from 20 years of service, which results in slightly more retirement pay. For example, a Marine with 16 years and 10 days of service would have a reduction factor of only three years and 11 months, or 47 months short of 20 years. The reduction factor applied to the pension would be .96083 instead of 0.96, and their pension service multiplier would be
(16 years * 0.025) * 0.96083 = 38.433%.
The 1990s TERA program offered some additional benefits that aren't included in the 21st-century version. There is no credit for entering public service after retiring from the military, so there's no recomputation of retired pay later in life. TERA retirees will continue to be eligible for the Survivor Benefit Plan, but SBP will still be based on the lower pension amount instead of a 20-year figure.
Like the 1990s TERA program, Marines will have to apply for this 15-year retirement program. Servicemembers in critical skills or in specialties with personnel shortages may not be approved for early retirement. Once the program is offered, though, the quotas will fill up quickly. If you think there's any possibility that you'll be interested in the program, then calculate your pension amount now and review your finances. You want to be able to apply immediately when the program is announced.
When the 1990s TERA program was announced, some Navy officers were required to retire. O-4s who had failed to promote to O-5 had been "continued on active duty until eligible for retirement". Before TERA, it was understood that this would allow them to serve up to 20 years. When TERA was announced, though, these officers were informed that they were now considered eligible for retirement. If you're a Marine officer who's failed to select for promotion but been continued on active duty until 20 years of service, it's possible that you'll be required to retire under TERA. Plan for being retired sometime during 2013, estimate your pension, and review your finances.
Even if continued officers are not required to retire, you may want to consider whether serving out another tour is a good idea. Those questions are discussed in an earlier post: "Retire at 17 years of service or 20?"
Marines who have already accepted a Career Status Bonus (the REDUX retirement option) have an even harsher reduction to their pensions. Their service multiple is reduced by an additional percentage point (not just a percentage, but a percentage point) for every year that they've served less than 30 years. In the case of the 16-year Marine, that would mean that their service multiplier started at 40% (= 2.5% x 16 years) but would be reduced by an additional 14 percentage points to only 26%. (Another sample calculation is included in the TERA retired pay computation instruction linked above and also linked at the end of this post.) Even worse, a REDUX retirement means that the pension's annual COLA is reduced a percentage point below the High Three pension's annual COLA. The REDUX pension is "reset" at age 62 to the amount of a High Three pension, but the COLA reduction continues throughout a retiree's life.
DoD is allowing CSB/REDUX retirees to keep the bonus. Of course, DoD is "saving" far more from the reduced pension & COLA than they're "losing" in the $30K amount of the bonus, so they can certainly afford to be generous. The CSB/REDUX system has always been a bad financial decision for the vast majority of retirees, and for TERA retirees it's even worse.
TERA was a popular force-shaping tool during the 1990s. Ultimately, however, the 15-year retirement program was regarded as less successful than anticipated. Annual TERA retirements only made up about 0.5% of each year's average 10% reduction. Most of the drawdown was achieved by voluntary separations (nearly 12 times higher than TERA) and reduced recruiting. Meanwhile, TERA is much more expensive. Separations were a one-time lump-sum payment, but TERA pensions will be paid out for decades of inflation-fighting COLAs and survivor benefits.
I'll keep an eye on the media for the formal TERA announcement, but if you're an active-duty Marine then I'd appreciate a link to the actual message or instruction when it's released.
Retire at 17 years of service or 20?
Congressional Budget Office: The Drawdown of the Military Officer Corps (page 20)
Tricky Details Of The Military Blended Retirement System
LEAKED: Statistics From The Army Officer Separation Board
Military Pension Inflation Protection - How and Inflation Indexed Pension Keeps ...
Filed Under: Military Retirement
Avo M says
Is the Navy allowing TERA retirements? I know the medical community is looking at deep drawdowns so I was wondering if there was any word about TERA to aid the attrition.
Not that I've heard of, Avo, but keep an eye on the NAVADMINs.
From the BUPERS perspective over the last 25 years, TERA has not been very effective at shaping the drawdown. They'll try just about every other incentive first.
Pappy says
Surprised no one dropped this here yet. http://www.marines.mil/news/messages/Pages/MARADMIN543.12.aspx/
http://www.marines.mil/news/messages/Pages/MARADMIN542.12.aspx/
Right on schedule for FY13, too. Thanks, Pappy!
Interesting points! Navy O5 with 16 yrs here also. Have promoted quickly but facing very small promo groups from here on out due to drawdown.
I had not thought to compare REDUX to High-Three to get perspective, very cool. And I can't wait to get a degree in (something cool) while earning $20K a year after I retire!
Thanks, Lisa, the closer you are to financial independence then the more choices you'll have!
Walter says
O-5 with 16 years of service checking in. One talking point that keeps coming up in the smokedeck discussions of "would you take TERA?" is that guys of my era were originally under REDUX when we received our commissions. If you went back in time to 1996 and asked Ensign Walter if I would prefer to have a 40% pension after 20 years or a 40% pension after 16 years, 7 months, it would be a no-brainer. It's only when comparing TERA vs. our current High-Three retirement that TERA doesn't look so good–at first glance.
Secondly, guys that are in the 15-20 year window right now are, in some ways, the equivalent of coming into the stock market at the bottom and getting out at the top. Starting in 1996, I've received very generous raises essentially my entire career and it's only now looking like the pay raises are going to flatten out. An O-5 with 16 years in today is making a lot more (even after adjusting for inflation) than an O-5 back in 1996 and this is reflected in the pension amounts.
Lastly, don't forget the incentives of the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Everyone (even officers) getting out today can take essentially any classes and get free tuition and a housing stipend for up to 36 months. Taking three years of cabinetmaking or welding classes at my local community college for free, plus $20K/year in housing money, is a pretty sweet way to learn a retirement hobby.
Excellent points, Walter, thanks!
'96 in the submarine force was such a small group that they've had a very high rate of screening for command and promotion. Quite different from the 1990s drawdown on their own commanding officers from '79-'84.


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Q: Send data to an Arduino by using an audio cable I want to send some Data to my Arduino by using the audio jack of my smartphone/computer.
(USB is no option, since my smartphone does not support USB Host mode and I also don't want to go wireless or use a modem)
I have allready connected my computer to my Arduino and created a squarewave as the audio signal. But what the Arduino saw, was something like the derivative of the squarewave. Or a declining voltage of capacitor. I haven't lookt at it at a high enough sampling rate to specify this.
(I didn't use an amplificator)
What do I have to do, to get the Arduino to read 0 and 1, like the signal I created?

A: Audio outputs are typically AC-coupled, i.e. there is a series capacitor.  Try Manchester encoding, and experiment with different baud rates - perhaps start around 4000 symbols per second.  I've done this successfully in the past but it takes some fiddling to get it to work.

A: The specifics of this depend on which Arduino you are using.
You are going to want to use a voltage divider so that the ground wire from the audio cable has voltage that is half that of your Arduino's '1'. If you are using a 5 Volt Arduino like the Arduino Uno, then ground should be set to 2.5V. If you are using a 3.3 Volt Arduino, 1.65V is what you want.
Since you are just sending '1's and '0's, connect the other wire to a digital port. Then you can just use the digitalRead() function.
You may want to amplify the signal a little if you are having trouble reading the correct values. You are also going to want check the sampling speed to make sure that you don't send the data too fast.

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Wolfspeed (NYSE:WOLF) Issues Q3 Earnings Guidance
Posted by Adam Dyson on Jan 26th, 2023
Wolfspeed (NYSE:WOLF – Get Rating) issued an update on its third quarter earnings guidance on Wednesday morning. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of ($0.16)-($0.12) for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of ($0.08). The company issued revenue guidance of $210-230 million, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $249.45 million.
Wolfspeed Stock Up 0.4 %
Shares of WOLF stock traded up $0.35 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $81.96. 2,766,768 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,442,729. The stock's 50 day moving average is $79.55 and its 200-day moving average is $93.27. The company has a market cap of $10.18 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -62.56 and a beta of 1.46. The company has a current ratio of 4.61, a quick ratio of 3.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62. Wolfspeed has a fifty-two week low of $58.07 and a fifty-two week high of $125.48.
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Wolfspeed (NYSE:WOLF – Get Rating) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 26th. The company reported ($0.22) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of ($0.21) by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $241.30 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $239.76 million. Wolfspeed had a negative return on equity of 4.40% and a negative net margin of 18.90%. Analysts predict that Wolfspeed will post -0.94 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Several research firms recently issued reports on WOLF. Morgan Stanley cut their target price on Wolfspeed from $106.00 to $88.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, October 27th. BMO Capital Markets lowered their price target on shares of Wolfspeed from $100.00 to $85.00 and set a market perform rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, October 27th. Canaccord Genuity Group lowered their price target on shares of Wolfspeed from $140.00 to $114.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 28th. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Wolfspeed in a report on Wednesday, October 12th. They issued a sell rating on the stock. Finally, Susquehanna initiated coverage on shares of Wolfspeed in a report on Monday, December 12th. They issued a neutral rating and a $90.00 price target on the stock. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $102.67.
Insider Buying and Selling at Wolfspeed
In other Wolfspeed news, Director Duy Loan T. Le acquired 2,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Friday, November 18th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $91.04 per share, for a total transaction of $182,080.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director now owns 29,662 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,700,428.48. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In other news, Director Duy Loan T. Le purchased 2,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 18th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $91.04 per share, for a total transaction of $182,080.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director now directly owns 29,662 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,700,428.48. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, Director Duy Loan T. Le purchased 1,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 1st. The shares were purchased at an average price of $77.26 per share, for a total transaction of $77,260.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director now owns 25,662 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,982,646.12. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. 0.62% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.
Institutional Inflows and Outflows
Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Forum Financial Management LP purchased a new stake in Wolfspeed during the first quarter worth about $200,000. Cubist Systematic Strategies LLC boosted its holdings in Wolfspeed by 536.7% during the second quarter. Cubist Systematic Strategies LLC now owns 31,066 shares of the company's stock worth $1,971,000 after buying an additional 26,187 shares in the last quarter. Macquarie Group Ltd. boosted its holdings in Wolfspeed by 12.5% during the second quarter. Macquarie Group Ltd. now owns 55,966 shares of the company's stock worth $3,551,000 after buying an additional 6,201 shares in the last quarter. Centiva Capital LP purchased a new stake in Wolfspeed during the second quarter worth about $304,000. Finally, Captrust Financial Advisors boosted its holdings in Wolfspeed by 20.2% during the second quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 7,011 shares of the company's stock worth $445,000 after buying an additional 1,180 shares in the last quarter.
About Wolfspeed
Wolfspeed, Inc operates as a powerhouse semiconductor company focuses on silicon carbide and gallium nitride (GaN) technologies Europe, China, the United States, Japan, South Korea, and internationally. It offers silicon carbide and GaN materials, including silicon carbide bare wafers, epitaxial wafers, and GaN epitaxial layers on silicon carbide wafers to manufacture products for RF, power, and other applications.
Get a free copy of the StockNews.com research report on Wolfspeed (WOLF)
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The opening campfire of a week of Boy Scout summer camp. It is time to meet the staff that will play an important role during the success of your troop's time at camp. Is the staff enthusiastic? Are they energetic? Are they ready to provide you with the totally awesome program you have come to expect from camp? Are they a little bit crazy? In the case of the 2014 Many Point Scout Camp Buckskin staff, the answer is yes to all the above, and their opening campfire was a great demonstration of how enthusiastic and crazy they could be.
This video was recorded during the July 6, 2014, opening campfire. This will be the first of a few videos filmed during the campfire that will be posted to the Melrose Scout Productions Podcast. As you can see when you watch this, this year's staff was pumped to start working with a new week of Boy Scout campers. This video features the staff introductions and the singing of the Many Point Rouser. As all "repeat after me" songs, it gets pretty loud and rowdy by the end.
Video Information: 960 x 540, time 05:22, 145.4 MB. m4v format.
Click here to DOWNLOAD and watch this Podcast.
or through iTunes (and rate the show).
Don't forget to leave a comment below, or at the iTunes store. It is great to read what you think of these videos.


In your coffee, Mushrooms, it's a thing. What's more, hope to see it springing up in other, startling spots in the following year.
The fungi are a good source of antioxidants, vitamins and fiber. Also, they are versatile. Mushrooms are stuffed with protein and can be utilized as a part of heating and cooking as a building specialist. Harris disclosed to CNBC that mushrooms could before long be utilized as a part of sustenance shading, too.
Customers can already purchase mushroom-infused products such as Four Sigmatic's coffee, cocoa and matcha blends. Time will tell if this trend will be picked up by the likes of Starbucks and Dunkin.
Mushroom, the obvious umbrella-formed fruiting body (sporophore) of specific parasites, commonly of the request Agaricales in the phylum Basidiomycota yet in addition of some different gatherings. Prevalently, the term mushroom is utilized to recognize the palatable sporophores; the term toadstool is frequently saved for unpalatable or noxious sporophores.
There is, be that as it may, no logical refinement between the two names, and either can be appropriately connected to any plump growth fruiting structure. In an exceptionally limited sense, mushroom demonstrates the normal eatable growth of fields and knolls. A firmly related animal varieties, A. bisporus, is the mushroom developed industrially and found in business sectors.
Umbrella-shaped sporophores are found mainly in the agaric family, individuals from which bear thin, bladelike gills on the undersurface of the top from which the spores are shed. The sporophore of an agaric comprises of a top and a stalk. The sporophore rises up out of a broad underground system of threadlike strands. A case of an agaric is the nectar mushroom.
Mushroom mycelia may live many years or bite the dust in a couple of months, contingent upon the accessible sustenance supply. For whatever length of time that sustenance is accessible and temperature and dampness are reasonable, a mycelium will deliver another harvest of sporophores every year amid its fruiting season.
Fruiting bodies of some mushrooms occur in arcs or rings called fairy rings. The mycelium starts from a spore falling in a favourable spot and producing strands that grow out in all directions, eventually forming a circular mat of underground hyphal threads. Fruiting bodies, produced near the edge of this mat, may widen the ring for hundreds of years.
Mushrooms are free of cholesterol and contain little amounts of fundamental amino acids and B nutrients. Be that as it may, their main worth is as a claim to fame food of delicate, inconspicuous flavour and agreeable texture. By crisp weight, the regular monetarily developed mushroom is in excess of 90 percent water, under 3 percent protein, under 5 percent carbohydrate, under 1 percent fat, and around 1 percent mineral salts and nutrients.
Poisoning by wild mushrooms is common and may be fatal or produce merely mild gastrointestinal disturbance or slight allergic reaction. It is important that every mushroom intended for eating be accurately identified.
Low-carb is the new paleo slim down. The keto slim down, short for ketogenic, centers around bringing down the quantity of carbs you eat and expanding your great fat admission. By denying your assemblage of sugars, it will normally create "ketones" that separate fat. This can help with weight reduction and general wellbeing.
Dinners that fit into this eating regimen contain meat, verdant greens, nuts and seeds, berries and high-fat dairy items, for example, margarine and cheddar. The eating regimen strips out grains, sugar, products of the soil, for example, potatoes.
The "keto" in a ketogenic diet originates from the way that it makes the body deliver little fuel atoms called "ketones". This is an elective fuel hotspot for the body, utilized when glucose is hard to find.
Ketones are produced in the event that you eat not very many carbs and just moderate amounts of protein.
Ketones are produced in the liver, from fat. They are then utilized as fuel all through the body, including the cerebrum. The cerebrum is an eager organ that devours heaps of vitality consistently, and it can't keep running on fat straightforwardly. It can just keep running on glucose… or ketones.
On a ketogenic diet, your whole body switches its fuel supply to run generally on fat, consuming fat day in and day out. Insulin levels turn out to be low, and fat consuming increments significantly. It turns out to be anything but difficult to get to your fat stores to consume them off.
This is incredible in case you're endeavoring to get in shape, however there are likewise different more subtle advantages, for example, less appetite and a relentless supply of vitality. This may help keep you alarm and centered.
The diet, which was first created in the early 1920s to treat epilepsy. It has resurfaced in the last year thanks to social media. People who have followed this diet and have experienced dramatic weight loss have posted about it online.
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It ought to be noticed that the keto eating routine isn't for everybody and not all individuals have gotten similar outcomes from this high-fat meal plan.
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text:
The Dawning of the Day is an American romantic novel written by Elisabeth Ogilvie and first published in 1954. The novel is the second Ogilvie's Bennett Island Family series of novels and forms the first part of her "Lover's Trilogy."

Plot Summary
Philippa Marshall, a young war widow, takes up the mantle of new school teacher on Bennett Island, a fictional lobster-fishing community on the coast of Maine. Her work leads to a romance with the handsome son of one of the town's leading families.

References

1954 American novels
American romance novels
Novels set in Maine
Contemporary romance novels

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Pawn Storm, the hacking group aligned to the Russian government that penetrated the Democratic National Committee, has mounted additional "brazen attacks" over the past eight months, including persistent targeting of the U.S. Senate internal email system, according to a cybersecurity firm that has tracked their progress.
A report released Friday by Trend Micro said the hackers, also known as Fancy Bear, had also targeted several Winter Olympics organizations, notably after Russia was excluded from the Games because over doping allegations.
"In the second half of 2017 Pawn Storm, an extremely active espionage actor group, didn't shy away from continuing their brazen attacks," according to the report, entitled "Update on Pawn Storm: New Targets and Politically Motivated Campaigns."
Trend Micro. Inc. says the hackers, starting in June 2017, set up phishing sites mimicking the Active Directory Federation Services of the U.S. Senate.
"The real ADFS server of the U.S. Senate is not reachable on the open internet, however phishing of users' credentials on an ADFS server that is behind a firewall still makes sense," the report says. "In case an actor already has a foothold in an organization after compromising one user account, credential phishing could help him get closer to high profile users of interest."
One type of email used by the hackers is supposedly a message from the target's Microsoft Exchange server about an expired password. The other says there is a new file on the company's OneDrive system.
"They're very sophisticated at social engineering, they're very good at making things look legitimate," said Mark Nunnikhoven, vice president of cloud research at Trend Micro.
The victim would attempt to log in through the fake emails and get an error message. "Attackers rely on the fact that people are used to getting error messages. They grumble about IT services, give up or maybe try on their phone. Either way, the attackers now have their credentials," Nunnikhoven said.
Trend Micro alerted the FBI and offered support. Nunnikhoven could not comment on the success or failure of the attack, or the FBI's involvement, because it is part of an ongoing investigation.
The FBI did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
The U.S. Senate Sergeant at Arms does not comment on ongoing defense of its systems, but does have an active cybersecurity team.
In wake of the report, Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., called on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to update lawmakers on steps taken to prevent Russian meddling.
"Russia is just getting started and the hacks, forgeries, and influence campaigns are going to get more and more sophisticated," he sais.
He called for "urgent action" by the administration "to ensure that our adversaries cannot undermine the framework of our political debates and the attorney general should come back to Congress and explain what steps he's taken since last year."
The cybersecurity firm says it has been tracking Pawn Storm's activities closely for four years including phishing attempts against political organizations in Iran, France, Germany, Montenegro, Turkey, and Ukraine.
"They're still very active — in making preparations at least — to influence public opinion again," Feike Hacquebord, a security researcher at Trend Micro Inc., tells the AP, which first reported the story "They are looking for information they might leak later."
Hacquebord tells the AP that the rogue Senate sites — which were set up in June and September of 2017 — were similar to those used to penetrate French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron's campaign in April 2017. The private emails from several Macron staffers were published during the final days of the race.
"That is exactly the way they attacked the Macron campaign in France," he said.
Fancy Bear, or Pawn Storm, along with a competing Russian hacking group called Cozy Bear, have been accused by cybersecurity experts of hacking the Democratic National Committee in 2017 and gained access to internal email.
While Trend Micro Inc.says only that Pawn Storm appears to be "aligned" with the Russian government, US. intelligence says they are linked to the Russian military intelligence service.
Other security firms, like ThreatConnect,and Fireeye's Mandiant, have also described the Pawn Storm/Fancy Bear hacking group as most likely sponsored by the Russian government.
A months-long Associated Press investigation into the group, drawing on a vast database of targets supplied by the cybersecurity firm Secureworks, has also determined that the group is closely attuned to the Kremlin's objectives.
"These attacks don't show much technical innovation over time, but they are well prepared, persistent, and often hard to defend against," the report says.
It said the hackers have a "large tool set full of social engineering tricks, malware and exploits" and doesn't need much innovation to go after its targets.
"With the Olympics and several significant global elections taking place in 2018, we can be sure Pawn Storm's activities will continue" the report says.
With the Winter Games only a month away, Trend Micro says the hackers began in the second half of 2017 targeting several International Olympic Wintersport Federations, such as the European Ice Hockey Federation, the International Ski Federation, the International Biathlon Union, the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation and the International Luge Federation.
The reports note that the efforts began around the time that several Russian Olympics players were being banned for life in the fall of 2017.
The report also says, without elaboration, that Pawn Storm had some success in compromising the World Anti-Doping Agency and TAS-CAS, the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
At that time, Pawn Storm sought active contact with mainstream media either directly or via proxies and had some influence on what some of them published, the report says.


text:
Q: Reading a binary file from Google Drive using node.js I'm running into a problem getting a binary from Drive using the API, I keep going in circles.
Here are the relevant code bits:
// Load client secrets from a local file.
fs.readFile('client_secret.json', function processClientSecrets(err, content) {
  if (err) {
    console.log('Error loading client secret file: ' + err);
    return;
  }
  // Authorize a client with the loaded credentials, then call the
  // Drive API.
  oauth.authorize(JSON.parse(content), dasm.init, driveapi.getFile)
});

driveapi.getFile:
function getFile(auth, cb) {
  var service = google.drive('v3');
  service.files.get({
    auth: auth,
    pageSize: 20,
    fileId: "0B2h-dgPh8_5CZE9WZVM4a3BxV00",
    alt: 'media'
  }, function(err, response) {
    if (err) {
      console.log('The API returned an error: ' + err);
      return;
    }
    cb(response)
  });
}

Now, response appears to be coming back as a string. When I try to convert to hex it goes nuts. Is there any way to to take response and get it into a Buffer? Or is it corrupted the sec I get it from service.files.get ?
By nuts, I mean that
console.log(
        arrData[0].charCodeAt(0).toString(2),
        '-',
        arrData[1].charCodeAt(0).toString(2),
        '-',
        arrData[2].charCodeAt(0).toString(2),
        '-',
        arrData[3].charCodeAt(0).toString(2),
        '-',
        arrData[4].charCodeAt(0).toString(2)
    )

= 1001101 - 1011010 - 1111111111111101 - 0 - 11 (I'm using binary to try to see what is broken)
The correct hex would be 4D 5A 90 00 03
Edit: For those who are confused, like I was, how 90 became fffd it's the Unicode replacement character that gets displayed when the value doesn't map to an ASCII char.

A: Was able to solve this, finally. Google APIs use the request module, and you can apply any options that it accepts. For reference, you will need to set [encoding: null]2, as any other option will pass the response though toString, thus ruining it if you are working with binary data.
Working code is located below:
function getFile(auth, cb) {
  var service = google.drive({
    version: 'v3',
    encoding: null
  });
  service.files.get({
    auth: auth,
    fileId: "0B2h-dgPh8_5CZE9WZVM4a3BxV00",
    alt: 'media'
  }, function(err, response) {
    if (err) {
      console.log('The API returned an error: ' + err);
      return;
    }
    cb(response)
  });
}

A: This answer is based on an article in MDN about sending and receiving binary data
function getFile(auth, cb) {
  var service = google.drive('v3');
  service.files.get({
  auth: auth,
  pageSize: 20,
  fileId: "0B2h-dgPh8_5CZE9WZVM4a3BxV00",
  alt: 'media'
 }, function(err, response) {
  if (err) {
    console.log('The API returned an error: ' + err);
    return;
  }
  var arrayBuffer = response;
  if (arrayBuffer) {
    var byteArray = new Uint8Array(arrayBuffer);
    for (var i = 0; i < byteArray.byteLength; i++) {
      // do something with each byte in the array
    }
  }
 }

If you do not get a byte array your will have to convert the string to a bytearray with the code below.
var bytes = [];
for (var i = 0, len = response.length; i < len; ++i) {
  bytes.push(str.charCodeAt(i));
}
var byteArray = new Uint8Array(bytes);
for (var i = 0; i < byteArray.byteLength; i++) {
   // do something with each byte in the array
}


Elevate classic chikankari with a trendy style and spectacular chikan stitches with this Green Faux Georgette Chikan Top from Ada. The rich faux georgette fabric is richly covered in lavish lucknowi chikankari with the detailed thread work that enhances the look. The heavy chikankari work is formed with the finest stitches like 'Bakhiya, 'Phanda' and 'Keel Kangan' using green and white coloured cotton threads. The front of the top features a front 'Jaal' i.e. it is fully embroidered. The neck design includes white thread embroidery along with all-over green thread embroidery. The back and sleeves of this top include chikankari 'butis'. Beautiful floral motifs can be seen on this top these motifs will instantly brighten your mood with their beauty. A trendy top like this one is a perfect choice for work wear and college wear or for day-out with your girl gang. If you are frequently travelling and need a comfortable yet stylish ensemble, add this chikan top to your wardrobe to full fill your wish.
Silhouette: Green faux georgette top is finished with round neck and white piping placed on neck design and sleeve ends. The fabric is light-weight and crinkled in appearance it offers comfort to the wearer. This top is finished with a straight look along with round neck and full sleeves.
Trivia: Chikankari is an Art of Imagination, It is a handicraft process where the wooden blocks are hand chiselled in various design patterns, and the natural stew for printing is prepared, and printed on the cloth. The chikankari artisans then use ten ary of the needlecraft embroidery and perform the needlework artistically.


text:
Alex Delany Net Worth, Age, Girlfriend, Height, Biography And Wiki
Alex Delany is an Instagram food blogger. He develops new interesting and tasty recipes. Alex is a famous Insta star who often posts drool-worthy food shots on his Instagram profile. The world knows him popularly as assistant production Manager of Bon Appetit. But now, he has said goodbye to the multimedia and social world. He is a young entrepreneur and has launched his food consulting agency. Alex has more than 147K followers on his Instagram profile.
Alex Delany Biography & Other Details
Alex Delany Girlfriend
Alex Delany Net Worth in 2021
Alex Delany facing controversy
Alex Delany's Social Media Profiles
Alex Delany Popularity on Google
A Quick Check into Alex Delany Profile:
Q: What is Alex Delany's age?
Q: Who is Alex Delany?
Q: Where was Alex Delany born?
Q: What is Alex Delany's ethnicity?
Q: What is Alex Delany's marital status?
Q: What is Alex Delany Height?
Alex Delany
Full Name Alex Delany
Nick Name Alex
Net Worth 10 million dollars
Birth Date September 3, 1992
Profession Instagram Star and Editor
Residence New York
Education Bachelors In Fine Arts
Like every other famous celebrity, Alex Delany also likes to keep his personal and professional life separate. However, as the sources tell, Alex Delany is single and unmarried. He is not dating anyone as of now.
Related: Johnny Depp Net Worth, Age, Wife, Movies & Characters
Due to his secrecy, we have no information about the dating and romantic life of Alex Delany.
Alex Delany is a man of many talents. He likes to develop new recipes and is a food blogger on Instagram. He also holds writing skills as he is a content writer at the magazine Bon Appetit. He also works there as a web editor.
Alex also has his YouTube channel where he curates content holding the same interests as Instagram. He posts food videos, challenges and recipes there. You can tell he is an absolute foodie. But aren't we all?
Alex Delany with his talents, interests and job have an incredible net worth of $10 Million.
Alex Delany had to face a massive controversy when Alex Delany's vine was discovered by his co-star, Andy Baraghani "Kitchen tester" found it on his Instagram. In his old vine, Alex used an f word, a homophobic slur. Andy told in his stories that he is hurt, and how it's triggering.
Alex, later publicly apologizing for using foul language. He also left Bon appetite in February 2021 and mentioned that he will work on his own project now.
Here are some interesting facts about Alex Delany that very few of his fans and followers might know.
Alex loves vines, beers and other beverages.
He has a travelling soul and has visited Asian and European countries.
Alex is currently living and is settled in New York.
Alex did his bachelors in fine arts from The College of New Jersey.
There he was the tennis club's president.
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Instagram Follow Alex Delany on Instagram
Youtube Watch Alex Delany Videos on YouTube
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A: How old is Alex Delany? Alex Delany was born on 3 September 1992. He is now 29 years old. He has acquired fame at a young age. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a state in the USA. Alex was born and grew up in America. Alex Delany's zodiac sign is Virgo.
A: He is a social media influencer and has been among the top Instagram stars.
A: He was born in the United States of America.
A: Alex Delany's ethnicity is white.
A: Unmarried
You might be wondering that will all those charming looks, how tall is Alex Delany? Alex Delany stands tall with a height of 5 feet and 8 inches.
The main reason for the fame of Alex Delany is that he shares the same love of food and everyone else. His fans love him for his creative new recipes. They love their walls filled with amazing food posts by Alex. Alex is an American celebrity who is a web editor, blogger and now has launched his food consulting agency.
Robie Uniacke Wiki, Age, Children, Net Worth, Family, Pictures And Bio
Ovilee May Age, Height, Feet, Ethnicity, Net Worth And Wiki


Perfect for illuminating pathways, shrubs, flowerbeds and trees. The Ultima Solar Spot light is has a very powerful beam.
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The Integrated solar panel is completely water seal and covered by warranty.
The solar spotlight is fully automatic so you don't need to turn it on and off each night, but you can operate them manually if you like.


"125 Pentatonic licks" is almost sold out!!!
Thanks to everyone who has purchased my book so far! I happy to report that I only have 1 hard copy left after it's initial printing. Get it now before it's too late! E-copies will always be available but there may be a delay on future hard copy orders. Please follow this link to purchase your copy today!


Bardhaman Zilla Parishad has issued a notice to invites applications against 120 Vacancies of Secretary, Sahayak Posts.Candidates with the required eligibility criteria are invited hereby for filling and submitting the online application form for the current openings on or before the closing date (23-12-2016).
Essential Qualification Required: Job applicants, who are applying for above said posts must have completed 10th / 12th from a recognized Board / University / Institute.
Salary Details: Selected Candidates will receive salary of Rs. 5,400 - 25,200/- plus 2600/- Grade Pay (Post 1), Rs. 5,400 - 25,200/- plus 2300/- Grade Pay (Post 2) and other benefits as per Bardhaman Zilla Parishad Policies Circulars.
The selection of contestants who are participating under Bardhaman Zilla Parishad Recruitment 2016 shall be through the Written Test, Viva Voce.
First and Foremost step is to visit the Official website that is bardhaman.gov.in.
Opening Date of Online Registration of Application Form Is : 08-12-2016.
Last Date of On-line registration : 23-12-2016.


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Back to Transport for London
About Labyrinth
Labyrinth Shop
Labyrinth Film
Tube Challenge
Poster Competition
Tracing the Line
Tracing the Line; 'Art and Mapping', Tube poster
Tracing the Line; 'A Sense of Place', Tube poster
Tracing the Line; 'Signs and Symbols', Tube poster
Anne Harild, 'Forge', Drawing and collage on paper, 2014
Anne Harild, 'Passing', Drawing and collage on paper, 2014
Anne Harild, 'Cluster', Drawing and collage on paper, 2014
Anne Harild, 'Pause', Drawing and collage on paper, 2014
Beth Atkinson, Extract from a retelling of the Greek myth 'Theseus and the Minotaur', 2013
Sh'hd, Woodlane High School, 2013
Zacharay, St George's RC Primary School, 2013
Davina, Ruislip High School, 2013
'Tracing the Line' at London Bridge station
'Tracing the Line' at Earl's Court station
'Tracing the Line' at Canning Town station
0247: 'Tracing the Line' at Hainault station
9179: 'Tracing the Line' at St James's Park station
Three artists and twelve schools create artworks inspired by Labyrinth
331 students, aged 4-16years, across London took part in a series of innovative workshops led by artists Beth Atkinson, Holly Graham and Anne Harild. Inspired by Mark Wallinger's Labyrinth, a unique artwork at every Underground station to celebrate 150 years of the Tube, students were encouraged to explore the ideas behind this major commission. Each school workshop drew upon one of the following themes, inspired by the lead artists' own practice:
Beth Atkinson, A Sense of Place
Holly Graham, Art and Mapping
Anne Harild, Signs and Symbols
New artworks have been created by the students in a range of media, including printmaking, photography, collage and drawing. A series of Tube posters and exhibitions at Underground stations accompany this online exhibition. Work can be seen at the following stations from 14 April 2014: Canning Town, Charing Cross, Earls Court, Hainault, Hounslow East, London Bridge and St James's Park. Exhibitions to follow at Canary Wharf and Southwark stations.
Thank you to the staff and students at Duncombe Primary School, Islington; Fairlop Primary School, Redbridge; Gallions Primary School, Newham; Ruislip High School, Hillingdon; St Alban's C of E Primary School, Camden; St George's RC Primary School, Enfield; The Grey Coat Hospital School, Westminster; The Heathland School, Hounslow; The Holmewood School, Barnet; Vaughan Primary School, Harrow; Woodlane High School, Hammersmith and Fulham and Westminster Academy, Westminster.
Developed in collaboration with ReachOUT RCA.
The Labyrinth collection was such a unique and inspiring way to celebrate our 150th anniversary. I'd never heard of 'Sound Art' before the staff and children arrived at Hainault station to record samples. Fascinating. Well done all. (Chris Weaver, Station Supervisor, Central Line East Group)
Beth Atkinson
Holly Graham
Anne Harild
© Transport for London


Delaware, OH — Welcome to radio broadcast coverage of the 73rd annual running of the Little Brown Jug!
All five days of Grand Circuit harness racing action from the Delaware County Fair (Sept. 16-20) will be broadcast on Delaware radio stations WDLR (1550 AM. 92.9 FM), WINF (98.5 FM) and Marysville's True Oldies WQTT (1270 AM, 96.7 FM).
The broadcasts include the live call of each race from the track announcers, interviews, handicapping analysis of each race, updated odds and complete mutuel results.
Airtime begins each day 30 minutes before post time. Post times were scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday (Sept. 16) and Tuesday (Sept. 18), 3 p.m. on Monday (Sept. 17) and 11 a.m. on Wednesday (Sept. 19) and Thursday (Sept. 20).
Hosting the broadcasts this year is Jim Lloyd and Kelly Bell.


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Zen in the Art of Writing: 'The Secret Mind'
Admittedly, I didn't enjoy this chapter as much as I did previous ones. The Secret Mind deals a lot with playwriting, and, to be honest, when I first saw that, I cringed. Writing plays is one area of creative writing I've never really been particularly interested in. If this posting seems abridged, it's because the chapter deals with a segment of writing that's not really my forte. Perhaps someday when I read it again…
Be that as it may, I read the chapter anyway. Ten years ago, I probably would've skipped it. When it came to reading, I used to be this way: if the first few paragraphs weren't interesting or if things dragged on after a few pages, I'd skip and skim from there.
But this time, I read. There was that little voice whispering to me, encouraging me to read. You might miss something crucial, it said.
Mr. Bradbury talks in TSM about traveling to Ireland and, as per film director John Huston's request, wrote the screenplay for the screen adaptation of Herman Melville's novel Moby Dick. Mr. B described it as seven miserable months spent on the Emerald Isle as he braved the weather and dreariness of being far away from home. After the screenplay was written and submitted to Huston (Anjelica Huston's father, by the way), he returned back to the warmth of Southern California.
What Mr. B didn't realize is that while he was focusing his energies on writing the screenplay and thinking of how much he loathed Ireland, his subconscious was recording the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches of Ireland and its people, culture, buildings, landscape and weather. All this information went into a memory bank inside his head, where he could draw from it and produce plays and short stories. It came to him the same way stories came to him from his visit into Mexico years earlier. As he relived memories, out came the stories.
Even as I go out and about, I try to make note of as many things as I can–people, scenarios, weather, clothing, everything. You never know what can become a story idea. The possibilities are indeed endless. It's fun to just out and observe.
What I found fascinating is Mr. B earlier in his career had aspirations of acting and being a playwright. He writes that the plays he wrote when younger weren't very good. How many other writers out there look back at stories/plays/novels they wrote when teens and have favorable recollections?
Over the years, Bradbury would receive letters from countless readers telling him of how his stories have been performed, like plays. This apparently inspired him to get into writing plays again, as did watching plays, seeing how poorly they were done in their frailness, lack of wit and lack of imagination and concluding he could do better.
And he wrote plays.
And did he ever.
The ideas flowed like water spewing throught he cracks of a dilapidated dam.
Richard Zowie's a writer who might someday try writing plays. He's content for now writing fiction prose and blogging. Post comments here or e-mail richardzowie@gmail.com.
By richardzowie • Posted in Uncategorized	• Tagged anjelica huston, herman melville, ireland, john huston, moby dick, playwright, Ray Bradbury, Richard Zowie, screenplay, zen in the art of writing
Zen in the Art of Writing: 'On the Shoulders of Giants'
Maybe I've been working too much too lately or am just getting old (I'm 37), but I thought I'd posted this chapter commentary already. I haven't, so here it goes…
Much of this chapter has to do with what was once a taboo genre of literature. Once dubbed inferior and not worthy of being read by those who desired to read fiction, science fiction has over the years slowly gained an acceptance. Currently, the top grossing movie of all time, Avatar, is science fiction.
Mr. Bradbury starts off this chapter with a reference to a poem of his about a boy in a semi-animatronic museum in the future. The boy stumbles upon Plato, Euripedes and Socrates.
Kids, Mr. B asserts, became teachers early on in this first time in history as they moved art and teaching "back in the form of pure illustration." Sci-fi gives us a chance to ask "what if" and be creative.
When I think of some of my favorite sci-fi movies and books, I think of the "What if?" questions they answered…
What if man could design a pressurized space craft to enter into Jupiter and explore its oceans? (Ben Bova's Jupiter)
What if artificial intelligence took over the world, lost a critical battle to humans and then invented time travel to try to kill the human resistant's leader's mother before he was ever born? (The Terminator)
What would it be like for humans in deep outer space with nothing to do but do scientific research? (Frederick Pohl's Starburst)
What would happen if a corporation's greed for profits almost allows a hostile lifeform to take over a ship and destroy the crew? (Alien)
What happens when robots do the unthinkable and start thinking for themselves? (Philip K. Dick's Bladerunner, Isaac Asimov's I, Robot and Ray Bradbury's Marionettes, Inc.)
I wasn't born until 1973, so I was pretty surprised to learn that in the 1920s and 1930s, there was no science fiction in school curriculum and few in any libraries. Even up to 1962 it was difficult, according to Mr. B, to find anything written by Asimov, Robert Heinlein, Alfred van Vogt or Bradbury.
Why was this? I defer to Mr. B, since he was an adult and aware back then. He believes the perception then was that facts and not fiction were worth reading. Fantasy literature was considered escapist and a waste of time.
But inevitably, kids grew more and more curious and wanted to read these books. This led to an explosion. Sci-fi flooded the market. Instead of being confined to pulp fiction magazines or paperbacks in dime stores, sci-fi graduated to hard cover and was soon in libraries and first-hand book stores.
More importantly, according to Mr. B, sci-fi brought with it new ideas that then turned into advances in technology. People read these books and get ideas. Perhaps someone long ago read Jules Verne's book about traveling to the moon and thought, "Why can't we travel to the moon?"
This is one reason why I've grown to love the fantasy science fiction rather than the "hard" science fiction. Hard bores me. I've tried to read a few of these books and am amazed: unless you have an advanced science degree in physics or engineering, you're often lost. Too often far too much time is devoted to technical information while the story line is left to wither. I like the stories that ask "What if?" and let the imagination take them where they will.
Richard Zowie is a professional writer who likes reading science fiction. Post comments here or e-mail him at richardzowie@gmail.com.
By richardzowie • Posted in Uncategorized	• Tagged Alien, Ben Bova, blade runner, frederick pohl, i robot, Isaac Asimov, jules verne, Jupiter, philip k. dick, Ray Bradbury, Richard Zowie, schools, science, science fiction, space, starburst, technology, the terminator
Zen in the Art of Writing: 'Just this Side of Byzantium: Dandelion Wine'
I'm not an expert in Byzantine-style of writing, but from what little I gather, it's a very ornate style of writing. It sounds like a style very different from Ray Bradbury's. Some have asked me how I'd describe Mr. Bradbury's style, and, again, I think Stephen King said it best in his book On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft: Everything's green and wondrous and seen through a lens of nostalgia.
That being said…
When I was younger and an even worse writer than I am now, I often would try to write fiction using strict outlines. I think it came from the times I'd occasionally get 15 minutes at church to preach miniature sermons. I'd take a story idea, outline it and then write according to the outline. Whenever possible, I'd employ alliteration.
Don't misunderstand–there's nothing wrong with writing by outlines. If you're a very organized person, perhaps it's the best way to go. In many ways (especially in my journalism and freelance writing careers) I still like to do that as a way to have a starting point that points towards a faint, distant, illuminated end of the tunnel. But there are many times when writing fiction where it's sometimes best to go with the flow and write as the spirit moves you. Let your imagination guide you.
Mr. Bradbury notes that even at an early age his preferred style of writing was word asociation. Take a story, write down as many words that come to mind and then write the story based on the word list. Before this, he used to "beat, pummel and thrash" an idea into existence. He believes that word association allows you to write faster as the ideas flow much better.
To illustrate this, he explains the term "Dandelion Wine", which he would use in a collection of his published short stories. Dandelions sprout in the spring (as they will very soon do here in Michigan), and each dandelion represents a fascinating story idea. As for the wine, oenophiles tell us that the best wine is properly aged. Take a story idea and allow it to age, breathe and build up color, aroma and flavor in a cask and then in a bottle and soon you have a story that people will pay good money to read.
That gives me hope, when you consider the unpublished short stories I have that I hope someday will see the light of day: Why Are You Here So Soon? (a young man commits suicide out of despair, gets to heaven and sees how God could've richly used him had he not ended his life on a lark); God's Final Call (a young man raised in a Baptist church knows he's not really saved and has a decision to make: become a Christian or ignore God one last time); Dear Billy, Sincerely, Billy (a time travel story involving bullies, new opportunities and receiving a letter from yourself in the not-so-near past). Perhaps these dandelions will someday soon turn into very fine wines.
Mr. Bradbury notes how some critics who, aware of his humble childhood and some of the perceived ugliness of that area of Illinois (such as the trains, boxcars and smell of coal) wonder how he could convey excitement about these. It's all about perception, he reasons. A carnival or railyard deemed ugly by a dignified, stuffy Byzantine person is, to a Midwest boy who grew up in the 1930s a paradise.
To Bradbury, his humble surroundings were Byzantium: a wonderous, exotic, beautiful place very ornate and rich to him.
Finally, Mr. Bradbury talks about the pear-shaped, red, white and blue-striped paper balloons filled with hot air during 1925 Fourth of July. They floated and seemed to have a wonderful, mysterious life of their own. I wonder if these balloons were the inspiration for his short story The Fire Balloons (which can be found in his book The Illustrated Man).
Richard Zowie is a Michigan-based writer who blogs, works in journalism, writes fiction and essays. Post comments here or e-mail him at richardzowie@gmail.com.
By richardzowie • Posted in Uncategorized	• Tagged byzantium, Christian, dandelion wine, illinois, oenophiles, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, Ray Bradbury, Richard Zowie, Stephen King, the fire balloons, the illustrated man, wine, writer, writing
Zen in the Art of Writing: 'Investing Dimes: Fahrenheit 451'
It cost Ray Bradbury $9.80 in dimes back in 1950 to write The Fire Man (which would later become Fahrenheit 451) on typewriters at the UCLA library. In today's money, that may not seem like much. About $10 in quarters will do laundry for the Zowie family for about a week. But 60 years ago? It must've seemed like a small fortune.
Why the trouble? Mr. Bradbury and his wife Marguerite were married with children and were doing what so many do in the first decade or so of marriage: struggling to make ends meet. They couldn't afford an office for him to work in, so he set up his typewriter in the garage. His daughters liked to go out there and play, and according to Mr. B, he would choose playing with his daughters to working. And since much of the Bradbury family income came from fiction writing…
So, a Plan B had to be implemented. At the University of California at Los Angeles library, typewriters could be rented for a dime per half hour. So, he went and typed. And typed. And typed. In nine days, he had 25,000 words–the makings of a solid short story. I'm sure to some this may seem extreme, but when it comes to writing, you have to be someplace without distractions. Distractions can be the death of great writing. Much is made about Jack Torrance chewing out his wife in The Shining for interrupting him while writing, and Melvin Udall made no friends getting angry at his neighbor Simon for doing the same. While the admonishments were handled poorly, I can sympathize with both of Jack Nicholson's characters.
For the benefit of those not familiar with Mr. Bradbury's work, let me summarize Fahrenheit 451: Guy Montag is a futuristic fireman, except that he's not a fireman the way we'd define it. Instead of putting out fires, he uses fire to destroy books and the houses where they were stored. All books were banned, from the Holy Bible to the Quran and from Mein Kampf to Uncle Tom's Cabin. Each book offended someone, and society felt that with no books, there would be more order and fewer occasions to offend. Montag, like so many in literature, becomes curious about books and starts privately wondering if banning them is such a great idea after all. He rebels, starts storing books at his house and eventually is forced to burn down his home. After turning his flame thrower on his chief, Montag escapes into the underground and meets people working feverishly to memorize and preserve the great works of literature. The book ends with him wondering what the future holds for society.
I understand that in the Wall Street Journal Opinion journal back in 2003, Mr. Bradbury denied his book was an attempt to predict the future. Instead: "I was trying to prevent it."
Writing this book, Mr. B reports, inspired him into an explosion of reading and writing as much as he could. Besides the thousands of books lining the shelves of the Bradbury home, he wrote in countless genres: short stories, books, essays, plays, screenplays and even poems. One such story he mentions in this chapter is one where he uses a time machine (a favorite science fiction theme of mine even though I personally don't believe time travel is possible [and even if it is possible, it would create far more problems than it would solve]) to visit and encourage Edgar Allan Poe, Herman Melville and Oscar Wilde in their final hours.
Mr. B decided a few years down the road to write what turned into a two-act play and revisit the characters from F-451 and see what they were up to. Among the things discovered was that the fire chief actually had a large treasure trove of books. Having the books isn't illegal, he tells a flabbergasted Montag. Reading them is.
It seems that $9.80 in dimes was a reasonable investment for a book that would make 20th century readers think long and hard about the consequences of banning books.
Richard Zowie is a writer and active blogger. Post comments here or drop him a line at richardzowie@gmail.com.
By richardzowie • Posted in Uncategorized	• Tagged ban, dimes, fahrenheit 451, guy montag, holy bible, little black sambo, quran, Ray Bradbury, typewriters, ucla, uncle tom's cabin
Ray Bradbury's 'Zen in the Art of Writing' chapter 'Drunk and in charge of a bicycle'
Zowie! Lots of fascinating information in this chapter. I will write as I understand. Once again, faithful reader, please take it for what it's worth: me, a writer, writing about the great Ray Bradbury and writing how Mr. Bradbury's wisdom applies to my own life.
Mr. Bradbury starts by talking about a letter he received at 33 from Italy from 89-year-old American art historian Bernard Berenson. The historian, who would pass away five years later, commended Mr. B for his ability to put "flesh" into writing and how much he enjoyed its fascinating nature. This letter made Mr. B realize writing doesn't have to be difficult, agonizing, dreadful or terrible. Those who view writing these ways and only these ways, no doubt, lack the talent and passion to be great writers. Myself, I love to write. I can't explain it, but I've always loved putting words down on paper or (right now) onto a computer screen. I love to create stories and characters.
What of the title of this chapter, Drunk and in Charge of a Bicycle? Mr. B describes it as something once put in an Irish police report. By being drunk and riding a bicycle, you have no idea where you'll go next. The trip is one half terror and one half exhiliration. Building on this idea, Mr. B's career stemmed from childhood fascinations with monsters, skeletons, circuses, dinosaurs and, not surprisingly, the planet Mars. Hence the short stories like The Fire Balloons (another favorite of mine) and the short story collection The Martian Chronicles.
Mr. B's love of science fiction (which, granted, isn't necessary the often-incredibly-boring "hard" science fiction that frequently focuses far too much on technical details and not enough on great story lines) originated from his love of Buck Rogers comics. Under peer pressure he got rid of his comics and then feeling empty, built up his collection again.
Mr. B then talks about stories he's written and how, under enough inspiration and with enough keywords, images to work with. It took him two hours to write The Veldt, the very first short story in The Illustrated Man. The lions from that story? They came from library books Mr. B read when he was 10, from circuses he attended when he was five and from a 1924 Lon Chaney film he saw in his youth.
Mr. B then talks about his memory and how he remembers a) being born, b) being circumcised, c) nursing at his mother's breast. Wow. My earliest memory? I was three and I remember being on a porch, sticking something into my mouth that tasted sweet (I'd later learn it was sugary) and crying as two girls (whom I'd later learn were my older sisters) walking into the woods. My own birth? My own circumcision? No memory of them whatsoever. From his earliest memories became the basis of a short story The Small Assassin that Mr. B wrote when he was 26.
It was at a carnival in 1932, around 14 years earlier, that Mr. Bradbury began his writing career. While at a carnival, he sat in on a performance of Mr. Electro, who took his Excalibur sword and tapped various children on the shoulders. He got to the young Bradbury, did the same and said, "Live forever!"
This lit a fire of inspiration within Bradbury that has never been quenched. Mr. B even got to talk to Mr. Electro a great deal.
With this, Mr. B spent the ages 12 to 23 often writing well past midnight in a day when computers didn't exist. I imagine he must've used pencil and paper and typewriters, writing countless odd themes. Many of these stories would later appear in the short story collection Dandelion Wine and The Martian Chronicles. It reminds me of the long hours I'd spend writing stories on a computer. Most of them unpublishable, but the more you write the more you develop creative and literary muscle.
Bradbury's hard work paid off. He became noticed and worked for the director John Huston on a screenplay and later did work for Disney and even wrote an essay to reintroduce the book 20,000 Leagues Beneath the Sea. What made all this possible? His love of things that fueled his imagination.
Furthermore, Bradbury talks about the 1-2 times he's based on story on something that actually happened to him: The Next in Line (a trip he took to Mexico) and McGillahee's Brat (a trip to Ireland).
At the time of his meeting Mr. Electrico, Mr. B liked to write 1,000 words a day and found this rate would allow him to write one short story per week. Things finally started to click and his story writing turned into professional-grade writing.
The motivation? Having a wife and kids. Living a very modest lifestyle. It was once said that he and his wife, Marguerite, had occasions early on where all they had in the bank was change. Man, I've been there. I can't tell you the times I've told my wife the financial news: our checkbook is balanced but we have very little in the account.
It's interesting how some stories evolve. Bradbury's short, short story Black Ferris turned into a screenplay which became the iconic thriller Something Wicked This Way Comes.
In short, Mr. Bradbury's stories reflect his growth through life. Some take years to write and some have taken mere hours.
Makes me hope for the day I can make my entire living writing fiction. I can think of no greater joy in life.
Richard Zowie's a professional writer and has one published short story to his credit: Love, Solomon. To read this story or to make a comment, post here or e-mail him at richardzowie@gmail.com.
By richardzowie • Posted in Uncategorized	• Tagged dandelion wine, disney, john huston, marguerite bradbury, martian chronicles, mr. electro, novel, october country, Ray Bradbury, Richard Zowie, short stories, something wicked this way comes


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DANNY TO EXTEND STAY
Stoke loanee to remain at Portman Road for three months
Danny Higginbotham is extending his loan at Portman Road to three months.
The 33-year-old Stoke defender completes his one month stay against his former club Derby tonight but has put pen to paper on a new deal that will keep him at Town for the maximum 93 days.
"We are delighted that we have managed to keep Danny with us until the end of December," Town chief executive Simon Clegg told the Club website.
"He has settled into the team and the Club very easily and made it known that he would like to stay here when we started discussions about extending his loan.
"He is very much committed to the cause here and I know he's delighted that we have managed to reach an agreement with Stoke that keeps him in an Ipswich Town shirt for the rest of the year."
TOWN CONFIDENT ON KAYDEN
Jackson expected to be fit for Tranmere trip
OXFORD TEST ON iFOLLOW
Watch Town take on U's for a tenner
STADIUM 'MAKEOVER' TO KICK ON
Legends mural the start as stadium to get Ipswich Town feel inside and out
FAN GALLERY | ACCRINGTON
Can you spot yourself in yesterday's fan gallery?