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Beltline/ Politics/ WABE
Martin Luther King Jr. Natatorium reopens in Atlanta
A parks staff member leads a water aerobics class at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Recreation and Aquatic Center. (Ian Palmer/WABE)
By MOLLY SAMUEL, WABE
The Martin Luther King, Jr., Natatorium, a pool and rec center in the Old Fourth Ward, isn't just named after Dr. King; it's also connected to his family.
Hundreds of people gathered to celebrate the new facility in Atlanta on Monday morning. The Freedom Singers opened the event. The Morehouse Glee Club sang during the ribbon cutting.
King's daughter, Dr. Bernice King spoke to the crowd at the event. She said her father was an avid swimmer, but her mother, Coretta Scott King, never learned how.
"My mother labored, back when my father was assassinated, she labored over ensuring that this community, this greater Auburn community, would have a facility where young people could come and especially enjoy swimming," King said to the crowd.
The result of that work was the old natatorium built near the King Center in the late-70s. In 2012, it closed due to structural problems.
"When the previous natatorium was torn down, it kind of ripped my heart," said King.
Sabir Muhammad, who grew up swimming at the MLK Natatorium and went on to represent the U.S. in international competitions, told WABE he felt the same way about the old facility, but he can't wait to get in the new pool.
"I probably clocked more miles in the M.L. King pool than anybody in history," he said. "I'm looking forward to seeing who the young one will be who will clock the most miles in this pool."
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Recreation and Aquatic Center in Atlanta, Georgia, on Monday, October 30, 2017.
CREDIT IAN PALMER / WABE
The new natatorium, a $23.5 million project funded by the Renew Atlanta infrastructure bond, is a few blocks from the old location. It's a bright, open building with not just a pool, but also an indoor basketball court, a computer lab and a senior center.
"I've waited for this. I've watched it build from nothing to this," said Beverly Brandon, who lives in a senior community across the street from the new natatorium. "I'm like, oh yes, that's for us, the people of Atlanta."
Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed told the crowd that this project was a priority for him.
"We said in the city of Atlanta, that if Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s name's on it, it was going to be a place that you could take people to with pride, with dignity, with respect. And that is what this building is about today, ladies and gentlemen," Reed said.
At the main entrance to the building, there's a portrait of Dr. King, a few stories tall. Standing near it at the opening celebration, Dr. Bernice King gave her approval.
"It's very hard to get my father right, other than an actual photo. That," she said of the portrait, "that is my daddy."
Beltline/ Crime and Public Safety
The Atlanta Police Department now has an animal cruelty liaison officer
The Atlanta Police Department now has an officer focused on handling animal cruelty cases.
Senior Police Officer Amy Soeldner will be the departments first Animal Cruelty Liaison Officer.
"The need for such a position intensified after a January dog attack in which a 6-year-old boy was killed and a 5-year-old girl was seriously injured while walking to school in southwest Atlanta," the Police Department said. "The owner of the dog is facing criminal charges related to the attack."
The Animal Cruelty Liaison Officer will work with officers, investigators, prosecutors, the community and other government agencies to investigate animal cruelty crimes, the press release says.
"Additionally, SPO Soeldner will work to educate young people on having empathy toward animals and work with police officers to educate them on the links between animal cruelty and other violent crimes such as domestic abuse," the press release says.
Here is the full press release from APD:
Atlanta Police Department Creates Animal Cruelty Liaison Officer Position
ATLANTA, GA – The Atlanta Police Department today announced the creation of a sworn police officer position dedicated exclusively to pursuing and investigating animal cruelty crimes and reducing incidents of officer-involved dog shootings and dog attacks on people.
Chief Erika Shields announced the new position at a news conference today, introducing Senior Police Officer Amy Soeldner as the first officer to hold the position of Animal Cruelty Liaison Officer. Shields said the new position sends a strong message that the City of Atlanta cares about its animals and its children.
The need for such a position intensified after a January dog attack in which a 6-year-old boy was killed and a 5-year-old girl was seriously injured while walking to school in southwest Atlanta. The owner of the dog is facing criminal charges related to the attack.
"The horrific attack on these children in January underscored the need to hold owners accountable for the proper care and restraint of their dogs," Chief Shields said. "We simply cannot tolerate irresponsible ownership of dogs, or cruelty toward any animal in the city. I truly believe there is a direct correlation between how a person treats animals and their propensity toward violence against humans. SPO Soeldner's passion toward animal welfare will be a true asset for the people of the City of Atlanta and will surely benefit people and animals alike."
The Animal Cruelty Liaison Officer will work closely with officers, investigators, prosecutors, the community and other government agencies such as Fulton County Animal Services to investigate animal cruelty crimes. Additionally, SPO Soeldner will work to educate young people on having empathy toward animals and work with police officers to educate them on the links between animal cruelty and other violent crimes such as domestic abuse.
SPO Soeldner has developed and conducted training since January 2015 at the Atlanta Police Academy on animal cruelty that is also aimed at reducing the number of lethal dog shootings by Atlanta police officers. According to APD statistics, in the 32 months prior to the training, APD officers shot 28 dogs, killing four. In the 32 months after the training, APD officers shot 15 dogs, killing none.
Atlanta City Council Member Carla Smith has been instrumental in working with APD and the animal welfare community to create the position.
"This position fosters a relationship with the communities, the police and the courts in sending a strong message that cruelty to animals is a crime that will not be tolerated or overlooked," Council Member Smith said. "This position can also help create safer communities for children and the elderly. Loose animals and irresponsible pet owners are common in many neighborhoods and I'm pleased that SPO Soeldner will help give voice to those concerned about these issues."
SPO Soeldner joined the Atlanta Police Department in 1995, working as a mobile patrol officer for most of her career. She is also a certified instructor for APD who created a Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council-certified course entitled "Law Enforcement & Animal Encounters." The course has been provided to Atlanta police officers and is also offered online for all peace officers through the Georgia Public Safety Training Center. SPO Soeldner was honored with the Humane Law Enforcement Award by The Humane Society of the United States and The National Sheriff's Association for her work on animal welfare issues.
"I'm honored to be selected by Chief Shields to be the first officer to hold this position," SPO Soeldner said. "I have no doubt that enforcement and education around animal cruelty issues will improve the quality of life for animals and people alike."
Atlanta Public Schools warns of furloughs and other cost cutting measures because of tax dispute
Photo obtained via https://www.facebook.com/pg/AtlantaPublicSchools/
A hold up in sending out Fulton County tax bills has Atlanta Public Schools officials scrambling to figure out how to pay the school system's bills.
Staff furloughs and other cost cutting measures are not out of the question, APS said in a press release.
The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports that the state rejected Fulton County's Tax digest, leading to the current predicament. According to Reporter Newspapers, "The state rejected the tax digest, saying it is 'questionable' whether the Fulton County Board of Assessors had the legal authority to freeze the property assessments at 2016 values, which the Board of Commissioners voted to do after residents expressed concern and anger over assessment increases."
APS says it is taking legal action to force the temporary collection of taxes. The delay in collections prompted the school district to take a $100 million loan that will cost the district $470,000 in interest and fees. APS says 62.5 percent of general fund revenue comes from Fulton County property tax collections.
Another thing the district is doing to cut down on costs is waiting to make payments on contracted services until right before the bill is due.
There's a hearing on the temporary collection order on Nov. 3.
"I am hopeful that we will hear positive news from the courts this week and that our operations will not be significantly impacted," Superintendent Meria Carstarphen said in the press release. "In an abundance of caution, however, we are developing a contingency plan that could include implementing furlough days for some or all employees, delaying the $500 one-time payment until January for employees not on the teacher salary scale and identifying ways to delay repayment of the district's TAN in the event that we are unsuccessful in convincing the courts to intervene."
Here is the full press release from APS:
Atlanta Public Schools Files Temporary Collection Order to Intervene in Tax Matter
ATLANTA – Atlanta Public Schools is taking legal action for the immediate and temporary collection of taxes for 2017. On Friday, October 26, 2017, Atlanta Public Schools and Fulton County Schools officially filed this request for the courts to intervene in this process to allow the district to collect property taxes following recent news from the Board of Commissioners of Fulton County that the Department of Revenue did not approve the submitted 2017 tax digest.
Earlier this summer, the Fulton County Commission decided to freeze a portion of the tax digest for reassessed residential properties at 2016 levels. Based on that decision, the district modified the APS FY2018 general fund operating budget to adjust our revenues to be $4 million less than what was originally planned. Also, because of the initial delay caused by the decision of the Fulton County Commission, the Fulton County Tax Assessor had to recalculate property assessments and property notices had to be resent, delaying the typical process by more than two months. This delay caused the district to need to seek a $100 million Tax Anticipation Note (TAN) with a real cost to the district of more than $470,000 in interest and fees. A Tax Anticipation Note (TAN) is a short-term loan issued by states or municipalities to finance current operations before tax revenues are received.
The current delay in approval has major implications for the district and other municipalities that are dependent on the timely collection of tax revenue for operations. APS, like other school districts in Georgia, is highly dependent on local tax collections, with about 62.5% of general fund revenue coming from the Fulton County Tax Digest. As our fiscal year runs from July to June, APS is four months into the year without receiving the revenue or cash payment from the Fulton County Tax Digest.
Over the past few days the district reviewed several options to address short-term cash flow issues. For example, the district plans to take precautionary measures to slow down outgoing cash payments by modifying payment schedules for contracted services, goods and obligations as appropriate to minimize impact to daily operations. "This means that we will delay payments for goods and services until right before the bill is due," said Lisa Bracken, Chief Financial Officer. "We need to carefully monitor our cash flows until revenues from the tax digest start coming in."
The hearing date for the Temporary Collection Order is scheduled for November 3, 2017. "I am hopeful that we will hear positive news from the courts this week and that our operations will not be significantly impacted," said Meria Carstarphen, Superintendent. "In an abundance of caution, however, we are developing a contingency plan that could include implementing furlough days for some or all employees, delaying the $500 one-time payment until January for employees not on the teacher salary scale and identifying ways to delay repayment of the district's TAN in the event that we are unsuccessful in convincing the courts to intervene."
Annexation/ Beltline/ Politics
Arbitration panel will consider settlement agreement on Emory annexation proposal
Main Quad on Emory University's primary Druid Hills Campus, including the Michael C. Carlos Museum on the right. Photo obtained via Wikimedia Commons
An arbitration panel appointed by the state Department of Community Affairs is set to meet on Thursday, Nov. 2, to consider approving a settlement between the city of Atlanta and DeKalb County regarding annexation of Emory into the city.
The meeting is open to the public and starts at 11 a.m. It will be held at Atlanta City Hall, located at 55 Trinity Avenue, Committee Room 2, Atlanta, GA.
The 744 acre annexation proposal also includes petitions from Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Georgia Power, Villa International, Synod of South Atlantic & Presbyterian Church (USA) Inc. and the Centers for Disease Control.
Last month, the city and county reached a settlement agreement on the annexation after DeKalb County raised objections over the potential zoning changes.
Under the terms of the agreement:
· The city will adopt the county's zoning classifications and requirements for the annexed area and receive written approval from the county for any changes. Four members of the county commission, including one of the two commissioners representing the annexed area, must agree with any changes in the zoning ordinance. The Druid Hills Historic District within the annexed area will continue as part of the city's Druid Hills Historic District. The city agrees to adopt a written policy that requires a rational basis for any future annexations within 250 feet of the annexed area.
· The county will provide water and sewer services and storm water services to the annexed areas as well as collect fees for such services. The county will continue to provide fire services in exchange for an annual payment of $1 million for two to 10 years for a total payment of $10,250,000. The county may terminate the fire service agreement after two years.
· The city will notify all proposed real estate developments that sewer capacity analysis by the county is required.
· The city will take ownership of all roads, bridges and 10 traffic signals in the annexed area.
· The county and city leadership will request MARTA to conduct a public meeting to discuss future transit plans for the annexed area.
Source: DeKalb County
It's not yet known when the City Council could vote on the annexation petition. Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent Meria Carstarphen has said the annexation should also expand Atlanta Public Schools' boundaries. Around nine students are affected by the annexation proposal.
Here is the meeting notice:
Public Meeting Notice_10-30-17_2
Fundraising for Atlanta City Council candidates varies widely
Atlanta City Hall. Photo by Bbenrath, obtained via Wikimedia Commons
By Mariann Martin, contributor
More than 50 candidates running for 15 city council seats have raised more than $2.5 million for their campaigns. However, their individual fundraising varies from nothing to almost $200,000.
Spending also varies greatly, and several candidates have nearly $100,000 left in their coffers in the final weeks before the Nov. 7 election.
Candidates filed their latest fundraising and spending information the first week in October, with about 4 weeks left in the race. Several candidates listed on the ballot did not complete filings in October.
Howard Shook, the incumbent running for District 7, has raised the most money at $196,000, with nearly $100,000 on hand. Eleven other candidates have raised more than $100,000 for their runs for a city council race with only eight incumbents running for re-election. Several city council members chose to run for mayor or city council president rather than running for re-election.
Very few of the races have more than one candidate who raised more than $100,000. Courtney English, candidate for Post 1 At Large, raised $158,000, with $62,000 left to spend. Incumbent Julian Bond raised $79,000, with $45,000 left.
Matt Westmoreland, who is running for Post 2 At Large, raised $177,000, and still had $94,000 left. Two other candidates in that race have both spent more than they raised. Cory Ruth raised $64,000, with expenditures of $72,000, and Bret Williams raised $1,770 and spent $4,190.00.
Andre Dickens, the only incumbent who is running unopposed, raised $148,000.
Moraima "Mo" Ivory, candidate in District 1, raised $108,579.00, with $36,000 unspent. Incumbent Carla Smith raised $65,273.63, with $33,000 left. Three other candidates in that race have raised less than $20,000 each.
Two competitors in District 2 raised more than $100,000. Amir Farokhi raised $170,872.00, and Lauren Welsh raised $112,095.00. Five people are competing for the seat, but the three other candidates have each raised less than $20,000 each.
Four people are running in District 3. Greg Clay raised $69,000 and incumbent Ivory Lee Young raised $44,000. Ricky Brown reported he did not raise any funds for his race and Darrion Fletcher did not file a report for October.
District 4 has the most candidates, with eight people running against incumbent Cleta Winslow. Jason Dozier has raised the most money in that race, with $74,000 in fundraising and $34,000 on hand. Kimberly Parmer raised $23,303, but still has $18,000 in reserves. Other candidates have raised less than $20,000 each, with Mr. Adassa and Winslow each raising $14,000.
District 5 has only two candidates, but both candidates have raised significant funds. Natalyn Archibong has raised $76,633.60 and Liliana Bakhtiari raised $101,991.91.
Jennifer Ide and Kirk Rich in District 6 raised with $118,000 and $145,000 respectively. Rich was one of the few candidates who chipped in personal funds in his race, with a $20,000 loan. He had $92,000 in unspent funds.
Dustin Hillis is the only candidate in District 9 who raised significant funds. He raised $50,000, while the other three candidates reported less than $1,000 each in fundraising.
In District 10, Kenneth Hill raised $128,000, but loaned his campaign $93,000. He has spent all but $38,000 of that money. Andrea Boone raised $78,000 and has $52,000 left. The other two candidates have raised less than $10,000 each.
In another race with numerous candidates, Marcia Overstreet is the frontrunner in fundraising for District 11, with $60,000 raised. The other six candidates have raised significantly less, with Harold Hardnette raising $21,000, and Anthony Johnson raising $22,000. The other candidates have raised less than $20,000.
District 12 candidates also have huge disparities in fundraising. Joyce Sheperd, the incumbent, raised $125,000 and spent $100,000. Randy Gibbs raised $34,000 and spent $25,000. Diana Watley raised $11,000 and spent nearly $6,000, and Michael Jackson reported no fundraising or expenditures.
Fundraising varies widely in mayor's race, but top candidates keeps reserves for final weeks
Frontrunners in the Atlanta mayoral race headed into the home stretch with a significant cash reserves before the November 7 election.
Seven candidates in the crowded field had more than $200,000 each to make their final pitches to voters. Early voting began October 16 and will continue through November 3.
Total fundraising amounts among the candidates varied widely, ranging from over $2 million to less $500,000.
Former Atlanta Chief Operating Officer Peter Aman had the highest reserve, with $624,000 on hand. City Councilwoman Mary Norwood came in second with $531,000 in her reserves. Norwood has led public polling by a significant margin throughout the race, with the remaining candidates jockeying for second place at the polls. The two top vote-getters will likely compete in a December run-off.
City Council President Ceasar Mitchell had $455,000 on hand, while Keisha Lance Bottoms had $441,000.
Former City Council President Cathy Woolard, City Councilman Kwanza Hall, and former state Sen. Vincent Fort all had more than $200,000 left in their reserves.
Aman and Mitchell both raised over $2 million to fuel their campaigns, but that number includes personal loans. Aman loaned his campaign $1 million. Mitchell provided $150,000 to his race.
Bottoms, Norwood, and Woolard all raised over $1 million. Bottoms' number included $240,000 in loans.
Hall, who raised $617,000 and Fort, who raised $481,000, spent less earlier in their campaigns, but still have significant reserves.
John Eaves, former Fulton County Chairman, raised about $200,000 and had about $70,000 left.
Former Atlanta workforce agency head Michael Sterling dropped out of the race Tuesday and indorsed Mitchell. Sterling raised about $230,000 for his race, but only had $30,000 remaining the first of October.
In the less closely watched race for City Council President, the three city council members running for the seat raised less money, with no candidate topping $300,000. However, the three had significant cash reserves for the final weeks of the race.
City Councilman C.T. Martin raised $243,000 and had $115,000 in his coffers. Felicia Moore raised $215,000, with $118,000 left. Alex Wan raised $288,000, with $170,000 remaining.
Financial information filed with the City of Atlanta the first week in October:
Mayoral Race:
Peter Aman
Net on Hand: $624,297.68
Total Expenditures: $1,536,368.02
Total Contributions: $2,160,665.70
John Eaves
Net on Hand: $68,130.00
Total Expenditures: $137,017.01
Total Contributions: $205,147.00
Vincent Fort
Kwanza Hall
Keisha Lance Bottoms
Ceasar Mitchell
Mary Norwood
Michael Sterling
Cathy Woolard
City Council President
C.T. Martin
Felicia Moore
Total Expenditures: $97,151.90
Alex Wan
Atlanta Beltline shows off its art collection
Charlie Smith: A 24/7 Timestar Lives, 2015 [Sculpture]. Photo by Gabriel Owens
By Gabriel Owens, contributor
Atlanta BeltLine Inc.'s Arts and Culture staff led a guided tour of its Art on the Atlanta Beltline exhibition Tuesday afternoon.
The tour was over three miles along the Eastside Trail and there were more than 100 individual art displays, murals and pieces that have been curated by ABI's Arts and Culture staff, using a artists from Atlanta and beyond.
Tenay Gonul and Julian Quinn: City Dreamers [Sculpture]. Photo by Gabriel Owens
"It's important to invite media out on these exhibitions," said Jenny Odom, communications and media relations manager for ABI. "We really want to show off to the community what we've done.
"We really want to be able to provide tours like this regularly to the general public. Maybe in the future."
The art along the three mile stretch of trail ranges from mural paintings, repurposed metal objects, free stand sculptures. Even most of the benches along the route are functional works of art.
Ben Pierce: Beginnings [Sculpture]. Photo by Gabriel Owens
Now in its eighth year, Art on the Atlanta Beltline 2017 is the largest outdoor temporary public art project in the South, ABI says. Its purpose is "to bring a new art and cultural experience to miles of the Atlanta Beltline corridor."
"We love every year being able to see our artists grow and do new things," Odom said. "Just as importantly, we like to get the word out to local artists about this project so they can prepare. We are asked all the time past deadline for availability and we hate telling artists 'no.'"
Karl Addison & Jarus, 2016 [Mural] Photo by Gabriel Owens
Odom encouraged all local artists looking to participate in next year's art exhibition to check the website or call them and talk to ABI directly.
Another media tour is scheduled for tomorrow for the Westside Trail's art exhibitions.
Here's a brochure showing the location of each installation:
Art-on-the-Atlanta-BeltLine-brochure-2017
Harry Zmijewski [Sculpture] Photo by Gabriel Owens
Phil Proctor: Solar Wind, 2016 [Sculpture] Photo by Gabriel Owens
Zero Mile – Don't Call the Cops on Me
The Zero Mile Post marked the meeting of two railway lines and possibly the beginning of the city of Atlanta. Zero Mile is a series of sometimes fictionalized and sometimes real (this one is real) stories based on life in Atlanta, Georgia.
I walked to the intersection a few yards away from my house. It is where the school bus stops. I know the corner well. We stand there in the early hours of the day when it is dark o'clock in the morning. I love the shadows and the black sky before the sun rises. Daylight is dangerous for me.
Someone called the cops on me one afternoon. I stood at the corner. Sometimes I go out very early to meet the bus. I like to be outside. I like to walk. When my work day is busy I can't meet the bus. When my travel keeps me from home, I am not the one to meet her there. When I am home, I like this little break in my day. This big privilege of meeting my child at the bus seems like a blessing. Until the cop shows up.
I know they have shown up for me. The police car parks across from me and sits. I have lived here for many years. It's not the spot where they sit to catch the stop sign violators. You don't even attempt to stop at the stop signs in my neighborhood. I see you speed through. Even when your house and your kids live on the same street. You are the criminal, not I.
I am in black yoga pants. They cost me a lot of money at the Nike store. I wear them to be comfortable, but still presentable. Because I have to think about that when I collect my child from school or the bus. I keep up appearances. My shirt is maroon. I am maroon. I am that escaped slave. I am all the colors brown, red, crimson, rage.
The officer sits in his car and waits. I know many of the police officers in my town, but not this one. I know not to blame him, because he didn't make the call. He pulled around the corner in a hurry then stopped short when he saw me. The intended target.
"There is a strange woman on the street corner," I'm sure a neighbor said when they call 911.
I am strange.
I forgot to wear my college diploma around my neck.
I should have tattooed my income tax return across my back.
I forgot makeup and heels and perfume. I smell like milk. And honey. And motherhood.
Everyone wants me to throw away my shoes. They are 11-year-old Vans. Used to be black, but now they are gray. I guess they make me look like a homeless woman.
I have to remind you that being homeless is not a crime.
I wait for the cop to do something.
I stand there for 10 minutes. Ten long minutes.
Eventually I hear the wonderful screeching of the bus tires down the street. I wait to see what happens.
My small child marches off the big yellow bus. I can smell school and happiness. A small hand captures mine.
I think, "F*ck the whole world." I have this perfect small hand that clings to mine.
You have your fear.
My child doesn't miss a beat. Six years old.
"Mommy, why is the policeman parked right there?" Even to a child it is obvious and ridiculous.
"Probably trying to keep someone safe," I say.
I don't say anything about the police or white people or stupidity, though the words hang in my breath.
"I want to wave to him," the child says. Because children are smarter than adults. I would have walked away without acknowledging him, but instead we both wave with a big smile and resume holding hands and make giant swing arcs of our clasped hands. I am happiness again.
I feel pity for you. You have your fear. Even a child can see it.
Full Beltline loop could be walkable in a year
The entrance to the Historic Fourth Ward Park along the Eastside Trail of the Beltline. Photo by Dena Mellick
By AMY KILEY, WABE
The Atlanta BeltLine just bought the land to finish the Eastside Trail, but what will it take to complete the whole project?
Atlanta BeltLine Inc. President Brian McGowan is optimistic about the undertaking. He's excited about the latest section to open, the new Westside Trail. It'll eventually be part of a 22-mile loop around the heart of city, but much of the trail is still under construction.
"It's our top priority is to close the loop," McGowan said. He's only been on the job about a month, but he says he wants to do that within a year. "It may not be paved, but, at least in portions that are not paved, there'll be a trail where people can at least bike, job or walk on it."
At this point, you can navigate about half the trail, but the BeltLine doesn't yet own all the property it needs to connect everything together. McGowan said negotiations for that land are going well. Just this month, it announced the acquisition of the 13 acres in the Northeast Corridor that it needs to finish the Eastside Trail.
But, the overall goal for the BeltLine will be harder. The plan is to put in pathways, parks, affordable housing and a streetcar system – and it's all supposed to be in place by 2030.
"We feel good about that," McGowan said."There's always challenges because it's hard to predict the future when it comes to the economy."
The Great Recession slowed BeltLine development in the past. If the economy takes a dive again, the BeltLine's funding could too. It gets a lot of its money from property and sales taxes.
The other problem has been affordable housing. Even McGowan admits the BeltLine is way behind its goal to create 5,600 units.
Yet another concern is the streetcar component. It's supposed to follow the BeltLine's loop.
"There actually hasn't been the first foot of track or the first transit facility installed, so they have a long way to go," said former Atlanta Planning Commissioner Mike Dobbins. He now teaches in Georgia Tech's School of City and Regional Planning.
Dobbins said it's a waste to spend billions of dollars so people can travel in a circle.
"There's no obvious ridership potential to support a transit system that doesn't really carry people to where they need to go."
But, the BeltLine's McGowan said the streetcar loop would connect riders to MARTA's buses and trains. And, he points out the BeltLine is already helping residents leave their cars at home.


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The hammer needs to fall on misconduct in Council
March 17, 2016 /in Archive /by Writer
And it can with your help
A complaint was lodged with the State Member for Cairns, Rob Pyne and was tabled in State parliament on 17th March 2016. The accompanying letter said:
In Redland City repeated travesties of local government administration, occasioned by Mayor Karen Williams intervention on behalf of property developers, have aroused persistent suspicion… She has poisoned the office of Mayor, and inflicted damage on the integrity of our Council's City Planning and Assessment unit …she has shunned community interests in favour of developer interests.
The submission was made by the Birkdale Progress Association and Redlands 2030, to Rob Pyne, who had previously voiced grave concerns about developer influence in local government.
The documents relate to matters leading up to the Council's controversial Shoreline decision in November 2015. It has given rise to a perception of a conflict of interest and/or corruption, in which certain matters were not disclosed by Mayor Williams.
The contention is that people or companies with an interest in Shoreline have:
transacted a multi-million dollar land purchase from the Williams family estate
made the use of commercial premises available to Cr Williams for use as headquarters for her 2012 mayoral campaign
played key roles in a community organisation which attacked Cr Williams' political opponents at the 2012 election
There are a number of questions that remain unanswered:
At the November 2015 Council meeting to discuss Shoreline, did Cr Williams adequately describe her conflict of interest?
What was the nature of her relationship with the applicants and others who stood to benefit if Shoreline was approved?
When previous matters regarding Shoreline were debated in Council meetings, did Cr Williams declare any conflict of interest?
We need to urge Jackie Trad to hand over documents to the Triple C relating to this matter and we need to urge the Triple C to investigate.
Individually crafted letters carry more weight than a formatted letter or a petition.
If your surname begins with a letter from A to K, write to the Triple C. If your surname begins with a letter from L to Z direct a letter to Trad.
Don't be squeamish. Show your anger. We have put up with 12 years of outrageous development approvals, secret meetings between developers and Council executives behind closed doors, lies, half-truths and obfuscation. Click on this link [pol insight 8] for key points you can use in your letter.
For surnames A – K: Triple C, GPO Box 3123, Brisbane QLD 4001 or email:
For surnames L –Z: Hon Jackie Trad, Deputy Premier, PO Box 15009
CITY EAST QLD 4002 or email:
Once you've sent your letter, email me:
with your name and to whom your letter was sent so we can keep tally.
These campaign funding concerns apply to other councils and every tier of government, so next week I'll send out a short video you can forward on to others who don't live in the Redlands.
We need more support. Please continue to send a copy of this post out by social media.
https://www.balance.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/the-paper-jungle.jpg 408 1000 Writer https://www.balance.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/scales.png Writer2016-03-17 20:34:592016-06-17 07:30:11The hammer needs to fall on misconduct in Council
List of Redland Council Candidates – who don't accept developer... Redland Council Candidates – who don't accept developer funding

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Posts Tagged 'Fascism'
Myth and betrayal in an asbestos town (part one)
About the documentary Lamentations of Judas, shot in Pomfret, South Africa.
The desolation of an abandoned mining camp that serves as the backdrop for a Passion Play with an all-African cast. The life stories of Angolan war veterans, who are the main actors in the Passion Play. The theme: betrayal. More precisely: the betrayal by one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, of Jesus Christ, about to be executed by the Romans who had colonised the Middle East, where the story takes place.
Alright, you have probably lost me there. Allow me to continue and it will all make sense towards the end.
Lamentations of Judas is the last documentary made by the Dutch filmmaker Boris Gerrets, who died in March this year. In a short interview in English the film's producer, Eric Velthuis explains how he came across a snippet of information about the South African town of Pomfret, on the edge of the Kalahari Desert, a stone's throw away from the border with Botswana. And he was intrigued: had anyone ever heard of a group of soldiers from Angola who had fought for the Apartheid regime and had been left marooned in a dilapidated town next to an abandoned asbestos mine where Portuguese was the main spoken language?
Turns out, quite a few had. There had been stories in various South African newspapers, more about that later. But the idea that African soldiers would fight for a government that made Africans third class citizens in their own country was something that just did not compute in a rational mind.
So they went to Pomfret and were met with a wall of stony silence. Which, given the context, was entirely predictable.
Most of the men, especially the older men who will make their appearance in the film, later, were fighting for the liberation of their country, Angola, against the Portuguese colonial regime. The war had started in 1961 and most of these men were fighting for the Frente Nacional de Libertaçao de Angola (FNLA), led by the charismatic but notoriously intolerant Holden Roberto, traits he shared with all of Angola's post-independence leaders.
The FNLA was mostly based in the north of the country and consisted for a large part of BaKongo, people who have lived there for centuries. Support came from many different sides but arrived through Zaïre, a country whose leader (Mobutu Sese Seko) was a Western asset in the 'Cold' War with the Soviet Union. This put the FNLA at loggerheads – and indeed in hot fighting battle – with another liberation movement, the MPLA (Movimento Popular de Libertaçao de Angola), a nominally Marxist movement that was to form the first post-independence government in the capital, Luanda, led by the poet, president and ruthless killer Agostinho Neto. The MPLA received enthusiastic military support from Cuba and rather reluctant assistance from the Soviet Union. (Later, of course, another murderously charismatic individual by the name of Jonas Savimbi would break off his alliance with Holden Roberto, set up his own movement UNITA and become the prime asset of the United States in the deadliest proxy war between the two superpowers of the 'Cold' War, which would last until 2002, when Angolan troops killed Savimbi, thus ending 27 years of hostilities that may have killed one million Angolans.)
32 Battallion. Retrieved from za.pinterest.com
Still with me? This is real history, in which hundreds of Angolan men were caught up, ground down and spewed out into that old asbestos camp called Pomfret, and abandoned.
Here's what happened next, back in those tumultuous 1970s.
The presidents of Zaïre and Angola made their peace, which resulted in Holden Roberto getting booted out of Mobutu's country and his FNLA fighters left to their own devices (as you will see, this is a recurrent theme in the lives of these men). And in the meantime, two other things happened: a military coup in Portugal (Revolução dos Cravos) in 1974 put an end to one of the last fascist governments in Europe (the other was in next-door Spain) and the new soldier rulers immediately started to remedy the cause that had made them cease power in the first place: those idiotic colonial wars they were fighting on behalf of the government they had just overthrown, in East Timor, in Mozambique, in Guinea Bissau, in Cabo Verde and, indeed, in Angola.
And in the same year, the South African Army started arriving in Angola because the last thing they wanted was a majority black government in Luanda that was also – horror of horrors – avowedly Marxist in nature. And the South Africans came across some of those old FNLA fighters and adopted them. A Colonel by the name of Jan Breytenbach has been associated with forging them into what they would become: the most terrifying counter-insurgency force in the Southern African region, the 32 Battallion, nicknamed Os Terríveis, the Terrible Ones. "They never lost a single battle," gushed one commenter under a short South African film about Pomfret that appeared on YouTube in January 2008.
As they were taken to Nambia to fight against the liberation movement there, Angola descended into civil war. Savimbi turned UNITA into the anti-MPLA fighting force that the FNLA never was and president Neto's government in Luanda ordered a purge (it was literally called A Limpeza, The Cleanup) of the more radical elements in the MPLA. The May 1977 mass killing may have cost up to 30 thousand people their lives. It followed a supposed failed coup and is, up to this day, not discussed inside Angola. It is also the subject of a book I reviewed four years ago.
That's enough history for today. I will take you back to Pomfret and the film by way of Namibia and South Africa in the second part of this review, comning in a few days.
Tags:32 Battallion, Agostinho Neto, Angola, Boris Gerrets, Fascism, FNLA, Holden Roberto, Jonas Savimbi, MPLA, Passion Play, Pomfret, South Africa, UNITA
Posted in Africa | Comments Off on Myth and betrayal in an asbestos town (part one)
Nine days in July, 1938
Part 1 – Evian
This is not "another book about migration", as it has been rather dismissively called. This is, in fact, a book about the European anti-migration machine and how it has been fully operational for eighty-eight years. The copy I am reviewing here is the Dutch original, written (full disclosure) by my great colleague and friend Linda Polman. Title (my translation): Not Wanted Anywhere. Literally it reads: Nobody Wants Them (Niemand wil ze hebben, in Dutch).
To explain that title we must go the French resort of Evian, on Lake Geneva. Polman has put her research and investigation skills to use to take us to the origins of Europe's hostility to the idea of receiving refugees. This alone makes it an extremely welcome addition to the Europe-wide clamour about migrants and refugees, which is almost entirely dominated by emotion, rarely informed by facts and completely devoid of any historical perspective. This book offers facts and history, in spades. And in fact, to my not inconsiderable shame, I will admit that I had never heard of this conference until I picked up this book.
For nine days in July 1938 a global mix of 32 delegations took some time off their leisure activities, abundantly available at this French lakeside luxury paradise, to discuss the question what to do with the growing problem of Jewish refugees from Germany, already in the asphyxiating grip of Nazism. To put it more precisely: the delegates discussed the question how to avoid doing anything about the growing Jewish refugee problem, by using phrases that will sound very familiar in 2020. The excuses ranged from "We're full," through to "We should not take in too many of them, as this will create tensions" all the way to declaring the vast majority of those desperately trying to get away from the repressive Nazi steamroller "unwanted elements".
Aerial picture of Evian, retrieved from evian-tourisme.com
None of the nations present, including Canada, Australia, the United States or indeed a smattering of Latin American ones offered any sanctuary. But we should not lose sight of the fact that this was first and foremost Europe's problem. And the response of Europe's nations? Keeping all borders closed.
For the Jewish delegates, Evian was not the soothing pleasure trip from massage parlour to leisure boat. It was a horror show, as 32 delegations casually condemned countless Jews to a prolonged stay in Germany, which for many of them would end in a death camp. "Sorry. We're full."
The Nazis watched the spectacle with cruel irony. As the conference dragged on, their propaganda paper Völkische Beobachter would write a sneering comment along the lines of "We told you so" and continue, referring to the Jews, desperate to get out, with this deadly accurate assessment: "Nobody wants them." Four months after the conference ended, an all-out attack on Jewish persons, houses of worship and businesses took place during the infamous night that would go into history under the name Kristallnacht. In the wake of this massacre that killed hundreds, the Netherlands reinforced its border controls.
Having set the scene, the book then takes us through the 'Cold' War (there were many parts of the world where that war was not cold at all) and into the era following the fall of the Berlin Wall and the many ways in which the Evian Paradigm, if you like, has continued to shape the policies of Europe, the European Union and its member states regarding migrants and refugees. More on that in the next installment.
Oh and what's the Evian Paradigm? You can glean that from the many excuses the delegates used to keep their borders shut during those nine days in July 1938. Put bluntly, you can summarise it inone single phrase: Keep 'Em Out And Keep 'Em Over There. Without presenting a blow-by-blow account of the book, I will give examples of what that means in practice and in so doing also – and hopefully – provide enough ammunition for the argument that this book does indeed deserve an English translation.
Tags:Evian, Fascism, France, Linda Polman, migration, refugees, The Netherlands
A plea for accuracy – 5 and end
Here it is, then: the last instalment of my brief end-of-year reflection…
Yes, I can hear the objections, as in: what we are seeing today are all baby steps towards fascist rule. Let's be clear about this: in the context of the ruin that was 1920s and 30s Europe, the rise of fascism was swift and ruthless. The defences were down and thus the disease could spread rapidly. While there are definitely signs of the disease present in today's society, there are institutional and even personal defences in place to prevent it from taking over the body politic.
None of this means we should let down our democratic guard. But vigilance is helped enormously by proper analysis and this is in extremely short supply. Analysis is often replaced by emotion-charged muddled thinking, resulting in rants where institutional organisation (the separation of powers), civil society (media and trade unions) and the political process are mixed up and/or misrepresented; locate the opinion section in pretty much any edition of The Guardian for a sample. From this whirling maelstrom of confusion we are supposed to gain a sense of impending doom without being handed the tools to prevent it – but we get to acknowledge that we readers, like the author, are all on the (politically) correct side of history. Because Orange Man Bad. Or something.
These rants are symptomatic of Western society's therapeutic tendencies. The comments under such articles frequently reinforce the belief that we're seconds from Fascist End Times and Eternal Darkness is about to descend upon is, the next Hitler has arrived… Hyperbole has replaced clear-headed thinking. But this is not the 1930s and we are not in Germany or Italy. It is deeply depressing to have to point out this simple fact.
Fascism is not "a policy I disagree with", neither is it "an elected leader who does not represent my preferences". As long as those elected leaders can be removed – and there is zero evidence that this has become impossible – you may have elected leaders with unsavoury ideas and bad manners but you do not have a fascist in the house. The idea that parliamentary democracy can be abolished overnight, Europe 1930s fashion, betrays a shocking lack of faith in well-established institutions: checks and balances, parliamentary control, an independent judiciary, separation of powers, strength of civil society, the lot.
Intellectual rigour is vital, especially when the open sewer known as social media leaks its effluvium every minute of the day and newspapers (supposedly of record) are all too frequently caught serving a false narrative. The Fourth Estate is most certainly in great need of some re-appraisal and must re-assess its position and especially its role as the broadcasting arm of some political party – or tendency. This has been a creeping and pernicious tendency. Remember Bush and Blair's WMDs? A piece of utterly cynical fakery that ended the life of a British weapons expert with impeccable credentials, Dr David Kelly, by his own hand. Everyone went along for the dishonourable ride that ended up giving the world ISIS. And does anyone still think that removing Ghadaffi from power in Libya was the brilliant and necessary idea everyone told us it was? None of the main players in these pieces of disgusting geopolitical theatre has ever apologised, let alone been brought to justice. None of those players now crying "fascism" at every turn – and peddling the latest tale, this time tinged with bouts of hysterical Russophobia – have any lessons to teach us about morality or political integrity. Oh and just to be sure: neither does the other side. I am an equal opportunity curmudgeon.
It is useful to know who and what you are dealing with. To describe the enemy accurately makes tackling the problem easier. Resurgent groups that are recycling fascistic themes most decidedly are the enemy. They lie, they solve nothing and invariably end up making life miserable for everyone. But an attack with terminology that no longer has any meaning renders that struggle more difficult. 'You keep using that word…' If we stop mindlessly throwing it around, then I think this piece has served its purpose. An early and excellent 2019 to you all.
Tags:Europe, Fascism, Hitler, The Guardian, WMDs
Posted in politics | Comments Off on A plea for accuracy – 5 and end
A plea for accuracy – 3
Next installment of my brief end-of-year reflection…I have hesitated about this theme, writing and then re-writing bits of the entry that follows but I do feel it needs to be put out there. I had cut it up in smaller parts…four when I started – but for reasons of legibility (and because I keep re-working stuff) there are now five parts. I promise that's where it will stay.
As the previous section suggests, Fascism is above all: organisation. There is no comprehensive fascist ideology but there are themes. Taken together, these themes produce a poisonous cocktail. In the 1920s and 30s, fascist leaders capitalised on the twin themes of national humiliation/demoralisation and national resurrection to capture their audiences. The Italian Benito Mussolini personally made the Odyssey from editor-in-chief of Avanti, the socialist party's paper, to the leadership of the fascist party. An Austria-born amateur painter and World War One front soldier came back to a destroyed German Empire and wrote an overlong book about his struggle.
Both argued that The Nation must be made strong again. The way to do this is through organised coercive violence. The Party and its (visionary) Leader are there to bring this about for a deserving demoralised populace. And this is the third theme.
In both countries, the idea of The Nation got bound up with the demographic that historically was supposed to have owned that nation, hence the reference to that supposed organic unity of Ancient Rome, Blood and Soil in the German version. Indeed, this is about The People: that mythical, constructed, artificial – and above all pure – in-group. It is hardly surprising that fascism (certainly in the German variety) places great emphasis on the wholesome life outside the cities, in the natural idyll of the unspoilt natural countryside.
Once Nation, People, Party, Leader and State are declared to be the same, everybody else falls outside that frame. First the dissenters: the socialists, the communists, the anarchists, the writers, musicians – jazz was infamously declared to be "degenerate art" -, playwrights and other artists, the clergy who questioned the New Faith. They were the first inmates of the concentration camps. Then came everyone else considered "Not Like Us." The Jews, but also the Roma, Asians, Africans, gays and lesbians…all were brutally attacked by party militias and physically destroyed by the repressive machinery of the Party-controlled State.
It should be clear, then, that the nature and organisation (and to a lesser extent the thematic underpinnings) of this self-perpetuating death machine made territorial expansion unavoidable. The machine needs constant feeding. The lands outside The Nation are full of people "Not Like Us," therefore they can be subjugated and humiliated in our holy quest for more resources and Living Space.
Flight/Conquest
In Central Europe, the war began on September 1, 1939 with a classic piece of fake news. Hitler claimed that the Poles had attacked, and then he inserted this infamous little phrase: 'Since 5h45, fire is being returned.' In their conquests, the Germans could fall back on the "expertise" they had gathered during their colonial reign; some of the worst criminals who had participated in the destruction of the Herero and Nama peoples in Namibia effortlessly found their way to the German fascist party. The Italians crossed the Mediterranean and set foot on Libyan soil…after all, the Romans had been lord and master on both sides of the Mediterranean Sea – and most of Western Europe. In their attempt to imitate the ancient empire, Italian colonisers got their hands on Eritrea and Ethiopia. In 1937 they carried out an appalling atrocity, killing thousands of people in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, an infamy that is described in this book.
To sum up then, we have three simple, self-centred navel-gazing themes to seduce a pauperised population and gain power, we have violence and terror-based dictatorship to consolidate that power once obtained and we have wars of conquest to gain more power and fresh resources. Never the question arises whether or not this "model" is sustainable. History teaches us that it isn't. It eats itself.
Banning says, and I agree with him, that at heart there is no coherent ideology. Fascism fills a void and it fills it with raw, naked, undiluted, violent, cynical power, exercised by people who are often unable to excel anywhere else. The Italian and German fascist parties attracted criminals, misfits and failures who jumped on the fast train to power until it inevitably hit the buffers, leaving the two Great Leaders exposed as the charlatans they were. Both men and their short-lived projects came to violent ends.
Now fast-forward…
Tags:Addis Ababa massacre, Europe, Fascism, Germany, Italy, Namibia
Posted in politics | Comments Off on A plea for accuracy – 3
Here's part Two, then…
In this ruinous context, two ideologies vied for supremacy, both initially against the capitalism that had been the main cause of this violent catastrophe. But while one – Socialism – preached the wholesale smashing of the system through solidarity of the working classes, the other veered in the opposite direction and became Fascism, a reference not to solidarity but the exact opposite: circumscribed unity and power, intended to exclude. Its symbol became the tightly-knit bundle, fascis, in Latin, the language of Ancient Rome.
What, if anything, can we say about Fascism, looking at its behaviour while it straddled the political landscape of two European countries? Banning explains.
First, Fascism rejects parliamentary democracy. Even though it may come to power in a more or less democratic context, the minute it arrives, democracy gets tossed in the bin. Which brings us to the second key feature.
Fascism is not merely dictatorial, it is profoundly totalitarian. The locus of power is The Party. The Party dominates life and has a symbol of its power: The Leader. Loyalty and obedience to both are non-negotiable. Fascist parties in Italy and Germany maintained their own militias to suppress dissent, used secret police to terrorise the population. They had no hesitation to bring swift and extreme violence to bear on anyone perceived a threat. All of these were highly visible early on, while the parties aspired to grab power for themselves.
A gathering storm
Third, and as an extension of that violent totalitarian practice, Fascism has one way and only one way to resolve the problems it is supposed to address. The twin problems in Europe at the time were mass unemployment and widespread pauperisation in the wake of the stock market crash of 1929. The solution was, inevitably, War. Italy and Germany created industries that gobbled up the jobless and spewed out war machines that were subsequently used in the areas considered ripe for conquest. And of course, you could get rid of your excess youth (young men, essentially) by sending them away in huge numbers and hoping – or making sure – most of them never came back. The machine was unstoppable until the rest of the world assembled an even greater force and took them on.
Central to fascist organisation is the State, which in this model serves the Party. Only the State can enforce discipline on an entire population, unleash terror on a massive scale, assemble an army and organise the nation's economy around the war effort. And only the State is large enough to roll out the totalitarian program across all spheres of life, as demanded. The State made workers, soldiers, politicians, educators, media workers, trade unionists, lawyers and judges, even scientists and the clergy bow to the will of the Party. Those who refused found themselves locked up in a police cell, a torture centre, a concentration camp or simply disappeared, never to be seen again.
But where should they bow? What the hell is the idea?
That's for the next installment.
Tags:1929, Fascism, Germany, The State, Totalitarianism, youth bulge
Posted in politics | 1 Comment »
For an end-of-year reflection I am taking a short break from matters West African although it is not unrelated… I have hesitated about this theme, writing and then re-writing bits of the entry that follows but I do feel it needs to be put out there. It's long, so I have cut it up in four smaller parts. Whenever you're ready…
Here's a word that is being bandied about with wild abandon. It reminds me of that film quote:
'You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.' It's my deepening irritation about the over-use of this word, misinformed by a complete lack of historical context. The word is: Fascism.
I have in my luggage a classic from my political science classes. The book is entitled "Contemporary Social Movements" (or Hedendaagse sociale bewegingen, to quote the original title) by the Dutch religious sociologist and pacifist Willem Banning. His descriptions of these social movements, both religious and secular, are succinct and to the point.
The first print run appeared as Europe was sliding towards what would become World War Two. An adapted version was published after 1945, and that is the one I have access to. Banning describes and evaluates the destructive movement, Fascism, as it rose and fell in Italy and Germany.
It's instructive to go back to this, because we are bombarded with phrases that suggest the 1930s are back, World War Three is around the corner and the entire Western world is in the grip of an extreme right-wing wave that will lead straight to the resurrection of the gas chambers and the concentration camps. Well, are we? Let's examine the Beast.
Fascism appeared as a political force after World War One (1914-1918), which was a giant European fight for global turf. European nations' collective heads had crashed into various walls. Limits, more accurately. Limits to economic growth, limits to colonial expansion and limits to its rampant capitalism. As a result, Europeans lunged at each other's throats for four years and at the end of it some 11 million people lie dead. Also dead: three empires: Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Kaiser Wilhelm's Germany. Another one, Russia, had a bloody revolution and two others (France and Great Britain) had fatally injured themselves and many of their subjects in Asia and Africa. The European void was both physical and spiritual. World War One buried the 19thCentury and its notions of societies moving inexorably forwards. The space left open was taken up by a new, confident and optimistic kid on the block – America (which, one century on, is in the process of being overtaken by China).
Part Two shortly.
Tags:Fascism, Germany, Italy


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text:
import numpy as np

from ..errors import KaffeError, print_stderr
from ..graph import GraphBuilder, NodeMapper
from ..layers import NodeKind
from ..transformers import (DataInjector, DataReshaper, NodeRenamer,
                            SubNodeFuser, ReLUFuser, BatchNormScaleBiasFuser,
                            BatchNormPreprocessor, ParameterNamer)
from . import network

class PaddleNode(object):
    '''An intermediate representation for Paddle operations.'''

    def __init__(self, op, *args, **kwargs):
        # A string corresponding to the Paddle operation
        self.op = op
        # Positional arguments for the operation
        self.args = args
        # Keyword arguments for the operation
        self.kwargs = list(kwargs.items())
        # The source Caffe node
        self.node = None

    def format(self, arg):
        '''Returns a string representation for the given value.'''
        return "'%s'" % arg if isinstance(arg, basestring) else str(arg)

    def pair(self, key, value):
        '''Returns key=formatted(value).'''
        return '%s=%s' % (key, self.format(value))

    def emit(self):
        '''Emits the Python source for this node.'''
        # Format positional arguments
        args = map(self.format, self.args)
        # Format any keyword arguments
        if self.kwargs:
            args += [self.pair(k, v) for k, v in self.kwargs]
        # Set the node name
        args.append(self.pair('name', self.node.name))
        args = ', '.join(args)
        return '%s(%s)' % (self.op, args)

class MaybeActivated(object):
    def __init__(self, node, default=True):
        self.inject_kwargs = {}
        if node.metadata.get('relu', False) != default:
            self.inject_kwargs['relu'] = not default

        default_slope = 0.0
        slope = node.metadata.get('relu_negative_slope', default_slope)
        if slope != default_slope:
            self.inject_kwargs['relu_negative_slope'] = slope

    def __call__(self, *args, **kwargs):
        kwargs.update(self.inject_kwargs)
        return PaddleNode(*args, **kwargs)

class PaddleMapper(NodeMapper):
    def get_kernel_params(self, node):
        kernel_params = node.layer.kernel_parameters
        input_shape = node.get_only_parent().output_shape
        padding = [kernel_params.pad_h, kernel_params.pad_w]
        if padding[0] == 0 and padding[1] == 0:
            padding = {}
        else:
            padding = {'padding': padding}
        return (kernel_params, padding)

    def map_convolution(self, node):
        (kernel_params, kwargs) = self.get_kernel_params(node)
        h = kernel_params.kernel_h
        w = kernel_params.kernel_w
        c_o = node.output_shape[1]
        c_i = node.parents[0].output_shape[1]
        group = node.parameters.group
        if group != 1:
            kwargs['group'] = group
        if not node.parameters.bias_term:
            kwargs['biased'] = False

        if kernel_params.dila_h != 1 or kernel_params.dila_w != 1:
            kwargs['dilation'] = (kernel_params.dila_h, kernel_params.dila_w)

        assert kernel_params.kernel_h == h
        assert kernel_params.kernel_w == w
        return MaybeActivated(node)(
            'conv', kernel_params.kernel_h, kernel_params.kernel_w, c_o,
            kernel_params.stride_h, kernel_params.stride_w, **kwargs)

    def map_deconvolution(self, node):
        (kernel_params, kwargs) = self.get_kernel_params(node)
        h = kernel_params.kernel_h
        w = kernel_params.kernel_w
        c_o = node.output_shape[1]
        c_i = node.parents[0].output_shape[1]
        if not node.parameters.bias_term:
            kwargs['biased'] = False

        if kernel_params.dila_h != 1 or kernel_params.dila_w != 1:
            kwargs['dilation'] = (kernel_params.dila_h, kernel_params.dila_w)

        assert kernel_params.kernel_h == h
        assert kernel_params.kernel_w == w
        return MaybeActivated(node)(
            'deconv', kernel_params.kernel_h, kernel_params.kernel_w, c_o,
            kernel_params.stride_h, kernel_params.stride_w, **kwargs)

    def map_relu(self, node):
        return PaddleNode('relu')

    def map_prelu(self, node):
        channel_shared = getattr(node.parameters, 'channel_shared', False)
        return PaddleNode('prelu', channel_shared)

    def map_tanh(self, node):
        return PaddleNode('tanh')

    def map_pooling(self, node):
        pool_type = node.parameters.pool
        if pool_type == 0:
            pool_op = 'max_pool'
        elif pool_type == 1:
            pool_op = 'avg_pool'
        else:
            # Stochastic pooling, for instance.
            raise KaffeError('Unsupported pooling type.')

        ceil_mode = getattr(node.layer.parameters, 'ceil_mode', True)
        global_pool = getattr(node.layer.parameters, 'global_pooling', False)
        if global_pool:
            input_shape = node.get_only_parent().output_shape
            return PaddleNode(pool_op, input_shape.height, input_shape.width, 1,
                              1, ceil_mode)
        else:
            (kernel_params, padding) = self.get_kernel_params(node)
            return PaddleNode(pool_op, kernel_params.kernel_h,
                              kernel_params.kernel_w, kernel_params.stride_h,
                              kernel_params.stride_w, ceil_mode, **padding)

    def map_sigmoid(self, node):
        return PaddleNode('sigmoid')

    def map_custom(self, node):
        from .. import custom_layers
        return custom_layers.make_node(PaddleNode, node.kind, node)

    def map_inner_product(self, node):
        #TODO: Axis
        assert node.parameters.axis == 1
        #TODO: Unbiased
        assert node.parameters.bias_term == True
        return MaybeActivated(node)('fc', node.parameters.num_output)

    def map_softmax(self, node):
        return PaddleNode('softmax')

    def map_lrn(self, node):
        params = node.parameters
        # The window size must be an odd value. For a window
        # size of (2*n+1), Paddle defines depth_radius = n.
        assert params.local_size % 2 == 1
        # Caffe scales by (alpha/(2*n+1)), whereas Paddle
        # just scales by alpha (as does Krizhevsky's paper).
        # We'll account for that here.
        alpha = params.alpha / float(params.local_size)
        return PaddleNode('lrn', params.local_size, alpha, params.beta)

    def map_concat(self, node):
        return PaddleNode('concat', node.parameters.axis)

    def map_dropout(self, node):
        return PaddleNode('dropout', node.parameters.dropout_ratio)

    def map_batch_norm(self, node):
        scale_offset = len(node.data) == 4

        #this default value comes from caffe's param in batch_norm
        default_eps = 1e-5
        kwargs = {'scale_offset': scale_offset}
        if node.parameters.eps != default_eps:
            kwargs['eps'] = node.parameters.eps

        return MaybeActivated(
            node, default=False)('batch_normalization', **kwargs)

    def map_eltwise(self, node):
        operations = {0: 'multiply', 1: 'add', 2: 'max'}
        op_code = node.parameters.operation
        try:
            return PaddleNode(operations[op_code])
        except KeyError:
            raise KaffeError('Unknown elementwise operation: {}'.format(
                op_code))

    def map_scale(self, node):
        params = node.parameters
        return PaddleNode('scale', axis=params.axis, num_axes=params.num_axes)

    def commit(self, chains):
        return chains

class PaddleEmitter(object):
    def __init__(self, tab=None):
        self.tab = tab or ' ' * 4
        self.prefix = ''
        self.net_name = ''

    def indent(self):
        self.prefix += self.tab

    def outdent(self):
        self.prefix = self.prefix[:-len(self.tab)]

    def statement(self, s):
        return self.prefix + s + '\n'

    def emit_imports(self):
        import inspect
        codes = []
        codes.append(
            '### generated by caffe2fluid, your net is in class "%s" ###\n' %
            (self.net_name))
        network_source = inspect.getsource(network)
        codes.append(network_source + '\n')
        return self.statement('\n'.join(codes))

    def emit_setup_def(self):
        return self.statement('def setup(self):')

    def get_inputs_info(self, input_nodes):
        input_shapes = {}
        for n in input_nodes:
            name = n.name
            output_shape = n.output_shape
            shape = [str(s) for s in output_shape[1:]]
            input_shapes[name] = ', '.join(shape)
        input_shapes = ['"%s": [%s]' % (n, l) for n, l in input_shapes.items()]
        shape_str = ','.join(input_shapes)
        return '{%s}' % (shape_str)

    def emit_main_def(self, name):
        if name is None:
            return ''

        self.prefix = ''
        main_def = self.statement('if __name__ == "__main__":')
        self.indent()
        main_def += self.statement('exit(main())')
        return '\n\n' + main_def

    def emit_parents(self, chain):
        assert len(chain)
        s = 'self.feed('
        sep = ', \n' + self.prefix + (' ' * len(s))
        s += sep.join(
            ["'%s'" % parent.name for parent in chain[0].node.parents])
        return self.statement(s + ')')

    def emit_node(self, node):
        return self.statement('self.' + node.emit())

    def emit(self, name, chains, input_nodes=None):
        from ..net_template import generate_net_code
        from ..net_template import generate_main_code

        self.net_name = name
        inputs_info = self.get_inputs_info(input_nodes)

        s = self.emit_imports()
        s += generate_net_code(name, inputs_info) + '\n'
        self.indent()

        # define the net using api
        s += self.emit_setup_def()
        self.indent()
        blocks = []
        for chain in chains:
            b = ''
            b += self.emit_parents(chain)
            for node in chain:
                b += self.emit_node(node)
            blocks.append(b[:-1])
        s = s + '\n\n'.join(blocks)

        # define the main function
        s += '\n\n\n' + generate_main_code(name)
        s += self.emit_main_def(name)
        return s

class Transformer(object):
    def __init__(self, def_path, data_path, verbose=True, phase='test'):
        self.verbose = verbose
        self.phase = phase
        self.load(def_path, data_path, phase)
        self.params = None
        self.source = None

    def load(self, def_path, data_path, phase):
        # Build the graph
        graph = GraphBuilder(def_path, phase).build()

        if data_path is not None:
            # Load and associate learned parameters
            graph = DataInjector(def_path, data_path)(graph)

        # Transform the graph
        transformers = [
            # Fuse split batch normalization layers
            BatchNormScaleBiasFuser(),

            # Fuse ReLUs
            # TODO: Move non-linearity application to layer wrapper, allowing
            # any arbitrary operation to be optionally activated.
            ReLUFuser(allowed_parent_types=[
                NodeKind.Convolution, NodeKind.InnerProduct, NodeKind.BatchNorm
            ]),

            # Rename nodes
            # Slashes are used for scoping in Paddle. Replace slashes
            # in node names with underscores.
            # (Caffe's GoogLeNet implementation uses slashes)
            NodeRenamer(lambda node: node.name.replace('/', '_'))
        ]

        self.graph = graph.transformed(transformers)

        #for the purpose of recording name mapping because of fused nodes
        trace = SubNodeFuser.traced_names()
        chg2real = {}
        deleted = {}
        for k, v in trace.items():
            chg2real[k] = v[-1]  #mapping from changed-name to real-name
            for n in v:
                if n in chg2real:
                    continue
                if n not in deleted:
                    deleted[n] = '%s.%s' % (k, v[-1])

        self.graph.add_name_trace({
            'chg2real': chg2real,
            'deleted': deleted
        }, 'paddle')

        # Display the graph
        if self.verbose:
            print_stderr(self.graph)

    def transform_data(self):
        if self.params is None:
            transformers = [
                # Reshape the parameters to Paddle's ordering
                DataReshaper({
                    # (c_o, c_i) -> (c_i, c_o)
                    NodeKind.InnerProduct: (1, 0)
                }),

                # Pre-process batch normalization data
                BatchNormPreprocessor(),

                # Convert parameters to dictionaries
                ParameterNamer(),
            ]
            self.graph = self.graph.transformed(transformers)
            self.params = {
                node.name: node.data
                for node in self.graph.nodes if node.data
            }
            self.params['caffe2fluid_name_trace'] = self.graph.get_name_trace()

        return self.params

    def transform_source(self):
        if self.source is None:
            mapper = PaddleMapper(self.graph)
            chains = mapper.map()
            emitter = PaddleEmitter()
            input_nodes = self.graph.get_input_nodes()
            self.source = emitter.emit(self.graph.name, chains, input_nodes)
        return self.source

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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text:
Q: What is wrong this this code? public class MainFrame extends JFrame {
List<Integer> grades = new ArrayList<Integer>();
List<Character> chars = new ArrayList<Character>();
List<String> charsToString = new ArrayList<String>();

double tempSmall = 0;
int mainGrade = 0;
Border redLine = BorderFactory.createLineBorder(Color.red),
        greenLine = BorderFactory.createLineBorder(Color.green);
JLabel grades_Label = new JLabel(" : Normale Arbeiten hier                          Noten durch , trennen !                                Klassenarbeit hier : ");
JLabel output = new JLabel("                                                                                Note : ");
JTextField normalGrades = new JTextField(20);
JTextField bigGrade = new JTextField(20);
JButton calc = new JButton("Note berechnen !");

public static void main(String[] args) {
    new MainFrame();
}
public MainFrame(){
    super("Noten ausrechnen");
    setSize(1000, 200);
    setResizable(false);
    setDefaultCloseOperation(EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
    setLayout(new BorderLayout());

    bigGrade.setBorder(redLine);
    normalGrades.setBorder(greenLine);

    add(calc, BorderLayout.PAGE_START);
    add(normalGrades, BorderLayout.LINE_START);
    add(grades_Label, BorderLayout.CENTER);
    add(bigGrade, BorderLayout.LINE_END);
    add(output, BorderLayout.PAGE_END);

    setVisible(true);

    calc.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {

        @Override
        public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
            for(int i = 0; i < normalGrades.getText().length(); i++){
                chars.add(normalGrades.getText().charAt(i));
            }
            for(int i = 0; i < chars.size(); i++){
                if(chars.get(i).equals("1") || chars.get(i).equals("2") || chars.get(i).equals("3") || chars.get(i).equals("4") || chars.get(i).equals("5") || chars.get(i).equals("6")){
                    grades.add(Character.getNumericValue(chars.get(i).charValue()));
                }else{
                    return;
                }
            }
            for(int i = 0; i < grades.size(); i++){
                tempSmall += grades.get(i);
            }
            tempSmall /= grades.size();
            output.setText("                                                                                Note : " + tempSmall);

        }
    });
}
}

The code from line 37 ( calc.addActionListener(new ActionListener() )
to line 59 ( the second last } )
does not seem to read the string right...
And I have no idea why...
The code is suppose to convert the string it gets from a normal string to ints
but it does nothing ..
But I also don't get an error ...

A: I think that else return; is the line causing the problem. Dry run it for the values and check if you can identify the issue

A: You should reconsider the following:
for(int i = 0; i < chars.size(); i++){
    if(chars.get(i).equals("1") || ...) {
         grades.add(Character.getNumericValue(chars.get(i).charValue()));
    } else {
        return;  ← This line causes the method to terminate
    }
}

You should do chars.get(i) == '1' in order to compare chars.
Also what if chars.get(i) is not [1,6]? You do return; which causes the method to end. You probably meant to write continue; instead (which is like doesn't have an else).
Another thing, you should be really careful with
tempSmall /= grades.size();

You don't seem to handle the case where grades.size() is 0 which may crash your program.

A: Switch this if statement:
if(chars.get(i).equals("1") || chars.get(i).equals("2") || chars.get(i).equals("3") || chars.get(i).equals("4") || chars.get(i).equals("5") || chars.get(i).equals("6")){
     grades.add(Character.getNumericValue(chars.get(i).charValue()));
}

to this:
if(chars.get(i).equals('1') || chars.get(i).equals('2') || chars.get(i).equals('3') || chars.get(i).equals('4') || chars.get(i).equals('5') || chars.get(i).equals('6')){
     grades.add(Character.getNumericValue(chars.get(i).charValue()));
}

because you're comparing Character, not String. The ' instead of " makes the whole difference.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The details of matches scored in Total Cricket Scorer can be shown on the TCS website (http://www.totalcricketscorer.com > Live Scores). Scores can be updated in real-time, at specific intervals, manually, or later when an internet connection is available. Widgets are available which can be used on your own website. Feeds can be automatic or manual.
Live scores licenses are free. Get in touch via 'Contact Support' or emailing support@crichq.zendesk.com and we will be able to provide them.
Once you are live scoring successfully, you can start to use the Twitter feed functionality in TCS.
I cannot set up live scores as all the fields are greyed out. I've applied for a key but no reply as yet. Could you expedite please. Don.
Thanks for this impressive article if you are new on windows 10 operating system then from here you will learn that how do i find my computer in windows 10 operating system with the help of our tutorial which we do online in easiest way.


text:
'use strict';

/* eslint no-multi-spaces:0, indent:0 */
angular.module('users.admin').controller('UserConnectionsController', ['$scope', '$filter', 'Admin', 'Authentication',
  function ($scope, $filter, Admin, Authentication) {
    Admin.query(function (data) {
      $scope.users = data;
      $scope.buildPager();
    });

    $scope.buildPager = function () {
      $scope.pagedItems = [];
      $scope.itemsPerPage = 15;
      $scope.currentPage = 1;
      $scope.figureOutItemsToDisplay();
    };

    $scope.figureOutItemsToDisplay = function () {
	  $scope.filteredConns = function () {
		return $scope.users.filter(function (user) {
		  return Authentication.user.connections.indexOf(user._id) !== -1;
		});
	  };
    };

    $scope.pageChanged = function () {
      $scope.figureOutItemsToDisplay();
    };
  }
]);


text:
State legislatures attacking community wealth building
Municipal policies for inclusive local hiring shouldn't be illegal
Ted Howard and John Duda
The eyes of the country turned this spring to North Carolina, where the state legislature passed the infamous HB2 "bathroom bill" in order to overturn the efforts of the Charlotte city council to make public bathrooms inclusive and safe for transgender individuals. HB2—with its extraordinarily broad attacks on LGBT individuals' rights to equal protection under the law—has been roundly condemned by everyone from grassroots activists to some of our country's largest corporations, not to mention federal leaders from the DOJ and the White House. But this isn't the only assault on the power of cities to create inclusive policies to help their most vulnerable residents—across the country, state legislatures are working to make municipal efforts to leverage public spending for local job creation illegal.
Here in Ohio, for example, the state legislature passed a remarkably partisan bill this past Friday, May 13th; it is now sitting on Governor John Kasich's desk awaiting his signature. HB 180 eliminates the ability of cities like Cleveland to create regulations like the 2004 Fannie Lewis law, which stipulates that public contracts greater than $100,000 need to hire 20% locally. Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, urging Governor Kasich to veto the bill, underscores how it will set back important efforts to build a more racially and economically inclusive economy in Ohio :
Prohibiting local hiring will hamper Ohio's economic recovery and contribute to segregation of cities by race and income. Our young people have increasing difficulty getting a start in Ohio's workforce. These workers and the overall economy of Ohio will benefit from the local jobs created through the use of geographical-based hiring preferences on construction projects: jobs with apprenticeships, clear career paths, and quality on-the-job training.
HB 180 also threatens efforts like the 30% local hiring target attached to a large water/sewer improvement project in Akron, Ohio. State Representative Greta Johnson, who voted against the bill, is clear about how regressive the bill would be if enacted into law:
For Akron to have no control over who gets those jobs--it's absurd […] this is a project that city taxpayers are funding. So it should be Akron residents that they see on the streets working on this project. We should be able to have a seat at the table when we are in fact the ones who are paying the bill.
Meanwhile, a similar fight is unfolding in Louisiana. With over half of African-American men unemployed in New Orleans, local job creation has been a key priority for Mayor Mitch Landrieu's administration. Already unable by state law to set local hiring quotas, the city instead opted in its Hire NOLA program to establish ambitious local hiring targets for projects receiving public subsidies, building an inclusive job training and hiring pipeline infrastructure that could help the construction industry meet these targets. But all of this is threatened by a proposed state law that would nullify the city's policy. For Ashleigh Gardere, senior adviser to Mayor Landrieu and director of the Network for Economic Opportunity:
...this is not only the fight for the values of local hiring and the ability to have a local hiring policy, but equally as important is that it is a law that was created by local leaders in response to real community challenges. The idea that the state could preempt that local law is really frightening.
Community wealth building is under assault in Nashville as well. Last year, a municipal ordinance—Amendment 3—was approved by voters. The law required at least 10 percent of jobs on city-funded constructions projects must go to low-income residents. Amendment 3 won more votes than any other initiative on the ballot. Yet within weeks, Republican state legislators introduced a bill to overturn the ordinance and to prevent other Tennessee cities from enacting similar laws. Reporting for In These Times , Spencer Woodman notes that in recent years, Tennessee's state legislature has passed a number of "local preemption laws" barring localities from enforcing prevailing wages and requiring employers to provide paid sick leave. Jason Freeman, co-chair of the Economic Equity and Jobs Taskforce at Nashville Organized for Action and Hope, observes:
We're trying to get a handle on how to address systemic poverty. But the best tools that are available are, one by one, being take away from us.
Unfortunately, it's not just Republican-dominated statehouses working to eliminate key tools like local hiring in the local community wealth building toolbox. Leaked documents from the negotiations around the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), which the Obama administration is pursuing with his counterparts in the EU, indicate a desire to eliminate the power of cities and states—as well as public anchor institutions like universities and hospitals—to establish procurement preferences for locally-owned firms. As advocates for inclusive economies where local resources are used wisely and strategically to create and expand opportunities for local communities, we should oppose such counterproductive restrictions on local autonomy, whether at the state or international level.


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text:
The Gateway to San Diego
Golfing in Oceanside
Southern California Attractions
Family Reunions and Group Vacations
Small Meetings and Retreats
Weddings and Special Events
California Welcome Center – Oceanside
Camp Pendleton Travel
Tyson Street Beach and Park
Tyson Street beach, also known as Tyson Street Park, is within walking distance of the Oceanside Pier. Lifeguard Tower 5 is located here. Since the park is just a few feet from the beach, it is great for picnics. Stairs are provided for beach and park access from Pacific Street. Due to crowds in this area during the summer months, it is necessary to prohibit surfing here for the safety of swimmers and waders. The area will be marked with a black ball flag, checkered flags and swim-surf signs.
Facilities: restrooms, showers, and a public telephone are available. The park has a large grassy area, picnic tables, benches and a playground. There are also two available handicapped parking spaces on The Strand.
Parking: metered parking available on Pacific Street. The nearest parking lot is located one block east of Pacific Street and one block north of Tyson Street on the corner of Mission Avenue and Myers Street. Also, as mentioned, two handicapped parking spaces are available.
Directions: from Interstate 5, take the Mission Avenue exit, west. Proceed west on Mission Avenue to Pacific Street, turn left on Pacific Street and continue for about ½ mile until you reach Tyson Street.
Categories: Oceanside Beaches, Outdoor Dining
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Connecting Through Montreal- From an International Flight to the U.S.
Follow the "Arrivals" sign to the Connections sign.
Follow the Connections sign to the Assistance, Connections sign, located near the escalators.
Continue straight ahead to the Connections sign.
Clear Passenger Pre-board screening, and US Customs.


text:
WJMN - UPMatters.com
Marquette 21°
Stocks UPMatters
Precious Metals Market
High School Sports Zone
College Sports UPMatters
Explore The UP Shore
Jobs at WJMN-TV
Completed Contests
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CBS News Live
Bears banking on defense @ home field advantage against defending champion Eagles
by: Scott Leber
Posted: Jan 3, 2019 / 05:56 AM EST / Updated: Jan 3, 2019 / 05:57 AM EST
The Bears are locked into the number three seed in the NFC so they will open the playoffs at home Sunday afternoon against the Eagles.
Both teams have momentum. The Bears have won their last four games and nine of their last ten. The Eagles have won their last three games and five of their last six.
The Eagles have been a different team since Nick Foles took over at quarterback three weeks ago when Carson Wentz went down with a back injury. Can Foles work the same playoff magic that he did last year when the led the Eagles to the Super Bowl Championship and he was named the Super Bowl MVP?
Two weeks ago he set an Eagles' record by passing for 471 yards in a win against the Texans. Foles suffered bruised ribs last week, but the Eagles say he'll be ready to face the Bears.
The other key guy to watch on the Eagles' is tight end Zach Ertz. He set an NFL record for tight ends this season by hauling in 116 receptions for more than 11 hundred yards and eight touchdowns. When the pressure is on Foles, Ertz is his safety valve.
And the Bears will be bringing the pressure with the best defense in the NFL. Statistically they finished the regular season ranked third in the league in yards allowed. But they gave up the fewest points of any defense. They were number one against the run, and they led the league in takeaways with 36. That defense will be ready Sunday.
The big question for the Bears is will Mitch Trubisky be ready? This will be his first playoff experience. Can he step up and avoid costly mistakes? Having this first playoff game of his career at home with the crowd in his corner will certainly help, plus the Eagles banged-up defense ranks only 23rd in the NFL.
There aren't many Bears on this roster who have playoff experience. Matt Nagy wants his guys to know the action and the atmosphere will be much different than it was during the regular season. He said this week quote, "The intensity is completely different. It's not even close. I think that's the message that our guys have got to understand, the guys that haven't been a part of it. This is where it gets real."
Again for the inexperienced Bears having this first playoff game at home is huge. During the regular season the Bears were 7-1 at Soldier Field. Their only loss was to the Patriots.
Kickoff Sunday will be at 3:40 Central Time, 4:40 Eastern.
More The Big Game Stories
by DAVE SKRETTA / Jan 19, 2020
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Andy Reid rarely digs into his own past, preferring to stay in the moment or focus squarely on the future. It's an approach that has served him well during a coaching career that might someday land him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Yet when his Kansas City Chiefs faced a seemingly insurmountable hole in the divisional round of the playoffs, Reid caught himself thinking back almost four decades to his final game as an offensive lineman at BYU. It was the Holiday Bowl and SMU had taken a 45-25 lead in the fourth quarter. Just about everybody in Jack Murphy Stadium that night thought it was over, only to watch, stunned, as the Cougars scored three late touchdowns to win the game.
by JOSH DUBOW / Jan 19, 2020
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers are one win away from accomplishing a turnaround that's been done only once before in the Super Bowl era.
With a victory in the NFC championship game at home on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, the Niners will become the second team in NFL history to make the Super Bowl a year after losing at least 12 games.
by Nexstar Media Wire / Jan 19, 2020
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (NEXSTAR MEDIA WIRE) — If the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Tennesse Titans on Sunday, they're headed to the Superbowl.
And Academy Sports is already prepared for a win.
U.P. water systems awarded
Sights & Sounds: 2020 Heikki Lunta Festival Parade
New leads give hope for closure in Paul Girard homicide
Criminal sexual conduct charges filed against former U.P. clergymen
Special Olympics: Athlete Spotlight
Special Olympics powerlifters get ready for competition
Special Olympics Cross Country Skiing
Special Olympics Basketball
Special Olympics Michigan Area 36 2020 U.P. Winter Games
Special Olympics: Downhill Ski
Special Olympics Figure Skating
Polar Plunge for Special Olympics
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LOCAL 3 FRIDAY OVERNIGHT WEATHER FORECAST 1/17/2020
Precious Metals 1-172020
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Stocks 1-17-2020
WJMN EEO Report
WJMN FCC Public File


18th Annual International Meeting of the Institute of Human Virology is going to be beginning on 19 Sep and ending on 22 Sep 2016.
The place of the Meeting will be Four Seasons Hotel which is one of the fantastic venue for such a great event.
Bringing industry and academia together, 18th Annual International Meeting of the Institute of Human Virology is a 4 days event on Medical, Health Care, Pathology, Pathogenesis and Virology issues. It also suggests you the convenience for face-to-face cooperation with those driving the future.
IHV 2016 is an annual Meeting.
The association of the 18th Annual International Meeting of the Institute of Human Virology is Institute of Human Virology.
Let Baltimore must do tourist attractions make you adore this city when you are there for IHV 2016. Here are great things you can do in Baltimore!


Now we turn to Linguistics as a source of solutions for some of these limitations. In a following post, we will explain how Linguistics can complement Machine Learning and how it can be integrated in the same technology stack.
Recapping, the main limitation of Machine Learning for text analytics is that it is "blind" to text structure. And text structure is essential for moving towards text understanding.
This is the first benefit Linguistics provides to data sicentists. Linguistics helps X-ray the internal structure of text. As the science of language, Linguistics collects knowledge about language (grammars, ontologies, lexicons). This knowledge allows us to understand the structure of language and decompose it in different layers (morphology, syntax, semantics).
and identifyings the topics being discussed (screen, on-screen keyboard) and the opinions about those topics ("is wonderful, I hate it"). Granularity is about detecting that there are two opinions about two topics within the same sentence.
Another advantage that Linguistics provides is the ability to analyze different types of text: from short and informal tweets to lengthy formal legal documents or newswires. Considering the variety of texts involved in Big Data projects, this is a critical advantage that saves significant efforts in text tagging and algorithm training.
Additionally, engines based on Linguistics allow easily for incremental and consistent improvements. Fixes can be implemented easily by adding new rules or modifying existing ones, all with predictable results. So moving from the "usual" 70% accuracy to +90% is a matter of customizing the engine.
In summary, Linguistics provides an understanding of text structure that is the base for tackling many different business applications (understanding customers, preventing churn, generating sales leads, detecting risk of loan defaults, etc.), and is likely most beneficial when integrated with machine learning techniques.
If you want to know more about how Linguistics can help Machine Learning and download our paper!