text:
Q: Use  within  in  Can I use <use> to refer to a previously declared object inside a <clipPath> declaration?
So that it uses that element as definition for the clip path?
For example:

<defs>
    <rect id="foo" width="20" height="20" />
    <clipPath id="bar">
        <use href="#foo" />
    </clipPath>
</defs>

A: Yes, you can use the <use> command inside the clipPath declaration to refer to any external objects inside the svg file.
In the example below, clipPath cuts a 80 x 80px square from the image.

<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"
         viewBox="0 0 300 300" style="border:1px solid red">
<defs>
    <rect id="foo" width="80" height="80" />
    <clipPath id="bar">
        <use href="#foo" />
    </clipPath>
</defs>

<image clip-path="url(#bar)" xlink:href="http://lorempixel.com/600/600/nature/1" x="20" y="20" height="100%" width="100%" />
</svg>

The red square shows the border of the entire canvas svg.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


This name generator will give you 10 random names fit for grasslands, savannas, meadows and other flat, mostly empty fields.
The names are separated into 3 categories. The first 4 names are grasslands named after an animal that lives there. The animals in this generator are all animals who live at least part of their lives in grasslands, but you could of course use any animal in your fictional worlds.
The next 3 names are names that describe the grasslands in some way. These names are the most generic, but often also the most used names, even in real life.
The last 3 names are randomly generated names, which could have any meaning you choose. A name of a person, a word in a different language or perhaps the name of an animal or plant, the choice is yours.


text:
David Taylor of Flogas looks at how No-Deal could impact the UK gas industry
Home > David Taylor of Flogas looks at how No-Deal could impact the UK gas industry
Posted on March 19, 2019 March 20, 2019 by Anna Tobin in Brexit analysis
David Taylor, head of innovation and corporate affairs, Flogas
David Taylor, head of innovation and corporate affairs at UK liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) provider Flogas, looks at what a no-deal Brexit could mean for regulation and supply of gas in the UK
With very little clarity about the eventual outcomes of Brexit, one thing that is clear is that all options are still possible, including the possibility of leaving the EU on 31 October 2019 (or after) without a deal. Because the UK is reliant for its energy demands on both domestic and imported gas, the UK's energy landscape is an area that has generated plenty of discussion.
The status quo and the future
There are two main areas to consider when we look at the potential implications for Brexit: the current and future state of the UK's gas supply, and the laws and regulations governing how we source and use our energy.
Gas supply: As it stands, the UK produces just under half (44%) of the gas it uses. The rest is imported. The UK has direct gas pipelines (or gas interconnectors) with three EU states: Ireland, The Netherlands and Belgium.
Energy law: As an EU member state, the UK is subject to EU energy laws. These provide a Europe-wide framework around energy security and supply, as well as energy efficiency and safety – and there will be a change in the legislation applying to the UK if we do see a no-deal Brexit.
Energy law and Brexit
In the event of a no-deal situation, EU energy law will cease to apply to the UK from 31 October 2019. UK laws relating to energy will still apply (on the 17 December 2018 the Government published its statutory instruments to ensure UK energy laws continue to work after Brexit).
There will be some changes to licensing and industry codes of practice to ensure that they're still valid. Ofgem – the Government regulator for the gas and electricity markets in Great Britain – published guidance on modifications to licenses and industry codes related to Brexit on 6 December 2018. In Great Britain, Ofgem is responsible for ensuring the technical rules of the domestic gas market are updated in a no-deal situation. As such, Ofgem will lead the licence change process in Great Britain and the Utility Regulator will lead it in Northern Ireland.
Interconnector owners and operators will need to engage with the relevant EU regulators to ensure approved access rules are in place and to understand any changes to certifications. Support from Ofgem and the Utility Regulator for Northern Ireland will be available for interconnectors during this process.
Supply after Brexit
The big question around gas supply and Brexit is whether the UK will be able to import gas as it does now. Fundamentally, the mechanisms of cross-border gas trade aren't expected to change – even in the event of a no-deal scenario.
This is because the UK's national suppliers or Transmission System Operators (the National grid in Great Britain and Premier Transmission Limited in Northern Ireland) and our European interconnector operators are all trading via the same privately-owned platform, PRISMA. PRISMA provides a range of services for EU and non-EU countries, and the Government has reported that both the National Grid and Premier Transmission intend to continue using it.
In the absence of a deal, however, there will be some implications to the way gas is traded with the EU's 27 member states. As such, the Government is advising interconnectors, code administrators and UK gas market participants to carry out contingency planning for a no-deal scenario. More information is available in the guidance document: Trading gas with the EU if there's no Brexit deal.
The future is uncertain – keep up to date
Whilst it's possible to make predictions based on the information available to date, it's worth noting again that as it stands, the Government is planning for all possible outcomes. It has confirmed that it will continue to work with businesses, trade associations and gas market stakeholders on the implications of a no-deal Brexit, publishing updates online. For updated information and guidance visit: www.gov.uk.
Posted in Brexit analysis
Brexit uncertainty triggers BCC to downgrade UK growth forecast
A No-Deal Brexit is still the default position. Are you ready for it?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Constance Binney
Born June 28, 1896 in New York, NY
Died Nov. 15, 1989 in Queens, NY
Actress Constance Binney's Hollywood career was relatively short. She started in film in the mid-1910s and retired in 1923. Highlights included starring opposite John Barrymore in 1919's "The Test of Honor." She also performed alongside her older sister, Faire Binney, in the silent film "Sporting Life."
In 1941, Binney married British World War II pilot Geoffrey Leonard Cheshire. She was about to turn 45 and he was just 23. She had already been married and divorced twice by that time, and the marriage to the young war hero was short-lived and childless.
Binney died at 93 in Queens, N.Y.
— Tony Pierce for the Los Angeles Times June 09, 2010
Reginald Denny
Share a thought about Constance Binney
Did you ever meet Constance Binney? Share your memory.
Which other stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame have connections to Constance Binney?
Are other places in the world important to Constance Binney?
Does Constance Binney deserve this star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame?


text:
SSH_USER=ubuntu

function detect-minion-image (){
  if [[ -z "${KUBE_MINION_IMAGE-}" ]]; then
    KUBE_MINION_IMAGE=$(curl -s -L http://${COREOS_CHANNEL}.release.core-os.net/amd64-usr/current/coreos_production_ami_all.json | python -c "import json,sys;obj=json.load(sys.stdin);print filter(lambda t: t['name']=='${AWS_REGION}', obj['amis'])[0]['hvm']")
  fi
  if [[ -z "${KUBE_MINION_IMAGE-}" ]]; then
    echo "unable to determine KUBE_MINION_IMAGE"
    exit 2
  fi
}

function generate-minion-user-data() {
  i=$1
  MINION_PRIVATE_IP=$INTERNAL_IP_BASE.1${i}
  MINION_IP_RANGE=${MINION_IP_RANGES[$i]}

  # this is a bit of a hack. We make all of our "variables" in
  # our cloud config controlled by env vars from this script
  cat ${KUBE_ROOT}/cluster/aws/coreos/node.yaml
  cat <<EOF
      ENV_TIMESTAMP=$(yaml-quote $(date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%T%z))
      INSTANCE_PREFIX=$(yaml-quote ${INSTANCE_PREFIX})
      SERVER_BINARY_TAR_URL=$(yaml-quote ${SERVER_BINARY_TAR_URL})
      ENABLE_CLUSTER_DNS=$(yaml-quote ${ENABLE_CLUSTER_DNS:-false})
      DNS_SERVER_IP=$(yaml-quote ${DNS_SERVER_IP:-})
      DNS_DOMAIN=$(yaml-quote ${DNS_DOMAIN:-})
      MASTER_IP=$(yaml-quote ${MASTER_INTERNAL_IP})
      MINION_IP_RANGE=$(yaml-quote ${MINION_IP_RANGE})
      MINION_IP=$(yaml-quote ${MINION_PRIVATE_IP})
      KUBELET_TOKEN=$(yaml-quote ${KUBELET_TOKEN:-})
      KUBE_PROXY_TOKEN=$(yaml-quote ${KUBE_PROXY_TOKEN:-})
      KUBE_BEARER_TOKEN=$(yaml-quote ${KUBELET_TOKEN:-})
      KUBERNETES_CONTAINER_RUNTIME=$(yaml-quote ${CONTAINER_RUNTIME})
      RKT_VERSION=$(yaml-quote ${RKT_VERSION})
EOF
}

function check-minion() {
  echo "working"
}

function yaml-quote {
  echo "'$(echo "${@}" | sed -e "s/'/''/g")'"
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Schoolboy Q Taps Kendrick Lamar, 2 Chainz, Raekwon, & More For "Oxymoron" LP
CHECK OUT THE TRACKLIST FOR SCHOOLBOY Q'S "OXYMORON"
(AllHipHop News) The tracklist for Schoolboy Q's highly anticipated album Oxymoron has been revealed. The set will feature appearances by his fellow Black Hippy members Kendrick Lamar and Jay Rock. Other guests set to show up on the LP include 2 Chainz, Raekwon, Tyler the Creator, Kurupt, BJ the Chicago Kid, Sza, and Suga Free.
[ALSO READ: Schoolboy Q Talks Gangbanging Past & Following After Kendrick Lamar's Success]
Oxymoron is scheduled for release on February 25th and is now available for pre-order on iTunes. Check out the tracklist for Oxymoron below.
"Los Awesome" (Feat. Jay Rock)
"Collard Greens" (Feat. Kendrick Lamar)
"What They Want" (Feat. 2 Chainz)
"Hoover Street"
"Studio" (Feat. BJ the Chicago Kid)
"Prescription/Oxymoron"
"The Purge" (Feat. Tyler, the Creator & Kurupt)
"Blind Threats" (Feat. Raekwon)
"Hell of a Night"
"His & Her Friend" (Feat. SZA)
14 "Grooveline Pt. 2″ (Feat. Suga Free)
"F**k LA"


Pennsylvania was an admittedly tough crossing—tensions grew as early fatigue and the realities of our challenge truly set in. Up until we actually hit the road, these challenges were all abstract. But actually sitting there in the middle of Pennsylvania with a car you can't simply gas up in four minutes was new ground for all of us. Wes Conner, our route planner and en-route logistics manager, had stitched together multiple campground options for us to plug our Focus Electric, stretching from Allentown to Columbus, and for the most part that worked out well—with a single tough exception.
First, though, some notes on the car.
If you're willing to live a little bit dangerously—and recalibrate your expectations about what a multi-day drive should be like—the Focus-E is a terrific road-trip car. It's comfortable, nimble, and fun to drive, with its responsive, powerful electric motor and confidence-inducing handling. It's designed as a commuter car, of course, but that's a regrettable limitation. The fact is, if you buy this car, or one like it—especially when the price is above $30,000—you don't want it to be just a commuter tool. You want to take it out, enjoy it, and stretch its legs. (The Focus Electric retails for about $39,000, before the $7,500 tax credit from the federal government.) EV's are filled with benefits that excite people—they're low-maintenance, have few failure points, such as belts, spark plugs, exhaust systems, valves, pistons, alternators, and starters, are reliable, and use technology that's been in development as long as the internal combustion engine. The problem is the batteries—they take time to charge, now anyway, and are heavy and expensive. That's where all of the innovation will be focused in coming years.
But for now, with the Focus-E's 24kWh battery, the hard reality is that you can't drive more than 100 miles without recharging—fewer if you're hammering down the highway or generally lead-footing around town. The Focus-E's 6.6 kW onboard charger means you can bump it up from empty in anywhere from three to four hours. We're okay with that—that's why we're here, after all. We dig this technology, are convinced it can make our lives better, and are equally convinced that it's our collective future, no matter how many years the transition may take. We're here to see what kind of fun we can have as a group and as individuals while we yield to our machine's unique needs, and to find out what a slow, off-highway crawl across the country at Pony Express speeds actually feels like.
At some points in Pennsylvania, it didn't feel like much fun at all, frankly—at least for our specific version of the road trip, setting a New York to Los Angeles speed record in a battery electric. But we have a capable, resourceful team that's ready for anything. Part of our initial problem was that we had to split up. While the pace of the car is entirely dependent on our ability to maneuver it into the path of charging options, our support vehicle, the Ford F-150, allows us to go ahead of the Focus-E to hit hotels and ensure that our drivers are well-rested. So the first night saw Wes and Coleman, our Navy SEAL, cruising back roads to campgrounds and then napping in the car while Tanner Foust, our project's early guest and host of Top Gear USA, and I crashed in hotel rooms with our increasingly critical Hampton Inn hookups. (Gratitude where gratitude is due: The chain is supporting our effort by providing hotel rooms as we cross the country, and if we didn't have these predictable, consistent-quality rooms, we'd be slitting our wrists.) The plan is that we'll alternate who stays with the car and who takes the hotels on a nightly basis.
After our first night in the Harrisburg vicinity, we split up even further. Tanner, Coleman and I went ahead to Pittsburgh while Wes continued pushing our little champ west to rejoin us. Rolling into Pittsburgh Thursday afternoon was a terrific opportunity to refresh. First stop, of course: Starbucks. After that, we met up with some folks who are experts in the adoption of new technology by a skeptical or reluctant population—the geniuses at the Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute. We toured their labs, where they showed us a robot with touch-sensitive mechanical arms that can make dinner for people, a segmented snake that can climb up pipes or electro-mechanically "slither" through narrow spaces, and an autonomous Jeep that can drive itself through traffic or down mountain trails.
What Carnegie has going for it is its focus on real user benefit. They don't make devices to impress people, but to help make their lives better and safer. Podnar says they're keenly aware of how squeamish robots make people, but they're going to be important aids. A robotic chef isn't for people who are too lazy to cook—it's for people who can't cook, whether they're senior citizens or disabled. A robotic car isn't for people who want to read their papers on their commute—it's there to improve traffic flow, since robots can communicate with each other, reroute, and track closer together to speed traffic. It's also geared for helping the oldest (and youngest) drivers move around with an extra layer of safety. Similarly with electrified cars, Podnar sees the greatest inroads with consumers coming from the embrace of real, practical benefits—lower maintenance, reliable power, and a total absence of gasoline consumption.
We also visited Carnegie Mellon's Electric Garage, a small facility outside the campus where they've installed charging stations and work on conversions of conventional cars to EV's. Thought the economies of scale aren't strong enough to be able to readily produce conversion kits, the group hopes to be able to make it cost-effective sometime soon.
Our arrival in Pittsburgh coincided—somewhat startlingly—with a gathering of EV enthusiasts at a local theater, an event that had been scheduled by environmental research group PennFuture. About 100 met up to check out some Chevrolet Volts, Nissan Leafs, and a Tesla Roadster. We couldn't bring our car—it was charging over at the Electric Garage—but we spent time hanging out with the group, chatting up our mission, and handing out some t-shirts. The hot topic, of course: how we're pulling together all of our charging options. The problem of charging infrastructure, as we're finding, is significant. It's easy to rely on campgrounds and the kindness of strangers to charge your car when you're a rolling media event with logos and t-shirts, a big F-150 support vehicle that can shuttle everyone to lunch while the car charges, and a team of enthusiastic drivers. But when you're going it alone, the task becomes even more daunting. Regardless, the EV crowd relished the challenge, and in fact all seemed to be on the precipice of trying smaller-scale versions of the adventure themselves. So while the EV manufacturers aren't encouraging road-tripping themselves, it's really out of their hands. People are going to do it. The more communities that can cough up even a few public charging stations, the smoother this transition will be.
We settled into the theater for a screening of Revenge of the Electric Car, a documentary that explores the recent resurgence of electric cars, which had seemed unlikely only a few years before. Director Chris Paine made its precursor, Who Killed the Electric Car?, in 2006 when it seemed that the promise of electric cars was being squelched by big business, big oil, big politics, etc. The centerpiece of the film was the GM EV-1, a limited-production EV that GM recalled and destroyed to the dismay of its enthusiastic drivers. The newest film is more optimistic, citing vehicles like the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt as solid, usable, and efficient cars. With the Focus Electric added to the list, options have expanded still further.
A Q&A session, which we participated in, followed the screening. One of the attendees asked Tanner whether the racing community that he's such a big part of would embrace EV technology.
At the end of the evening, we went back to pick up our Focus, which had finished charging at the Electric Garage. Coleman took the car forward while Tanner, Wes, and I hit up the Hampton Inn. The next morning, Tanner jumped an airplane to head to Los Angeles to attend the Long Beach Grand Prix race, where our team member Martin Plowman is competing—he hopes to be able to rejoin us later while Wes and I wound our way steadily to meet up with Coleman. The night before, Coleman ran into trouble when he pulled up to a campground at 1:30 in the morning only to find the gate locked—until 9 a.m. He had only 8 miles left, and had few options. "I was tired, so I just erred on the side of safety and parked it there for a few hours to sleep," Coleman reported. When he was suitably refreshed at about 4 a.m. Wednesday morning, he found another campground a few miles away—after asking around at several truck stops.


ShaDeeLa held it's "YOU LOOK MAHVELOUS MIRROR" workshop in early May. Participants received a wooden framed mirror, which soon became individual masterpieces! After transferring original designs to the frame, students painted, glittered and glued down items that gave dimension and interest. The final touch was using a wood burning tool to outline designs to create a "pop" effect. With the final pieces in hand, students walked out of class with a smile on their faces and a reminder that... "YOU LOOK MAHVELOUS!"
Sharon, Dee and Deb usually take the month of August off. Vacations, preparations for the holiday trunk show (details coming soon!) and project development normally has the month filled. This year, however, an unexpected phone call had the ladies of ShaDeeLa heading north to Philadelphia. The project -- working with a group of girlfriends; The agenda -- finishing up partially completed projects. Sharon, Dee and Deb gave the friends new ideas and modernized a few old techniques. So much fun! This could be come an annual event.
"This was such a great Saturday with the girls - and productive too! Sharon, Dee and Deb were great instructors and really gave us all some wonderful ideas. I hope they have workshops in our area soon!"- Kris L.


This church in Tournai bluestone is one of the most beautiful examples of the Scheldt Gothic style.
One of its unique elements is that the tower is not above the entrance but above the crossing of the nave and transepts. It functions as a sort of natural lantern as the light shines into the transept from the tower.


text:
niche drama Sept. 3, 2020
Father and Son Embroiled in Frenchest Feud of All Time
By Madeleine Aggeler@mmaggeler
Jean-Paul Enthoven and son, Raphaël. Photo: Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty Images
Voici, mes amis, an exquisitely French familial drama that goes down like a nice glass of Bordeaux, or the post-coital cigarette you drag on lethargically while your partner dresses to go home to his wife and children. Smooth. Rich. Complex. Magnifique.
On Wednesday, the Guardian detailed the recent schism between famed French philosopher and former boyfriend to model Carla Bruni, Jean-Paul Enthoven, 71, and his son, famed French philosopher and former boyfriend to model Carla Bruni, Raphaël Enthoven, 44.
The Enthovens' clash had nothing to do with Bruni, though, whom Jean-Paul had briefly dated before Raphaël fathered a child with her in 2001. (After she and Raphaël separated in 2007, Bruni would go on to marry French president Nicolas Sarkozy in 2008.) Rather, it was about Raphaël's latest autobiographical novel, Le Temps gagné (Time Saved), in which he describes in less-than-flattering terms a number of prominent and recognizable French personalities, including Justine Lévy, his ex-wife whom he left for Bruni; her father, philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy; and of course, his father, Jean-Paul.
"I don't like people's private lives to be unpacked like this in public," Jean-Paul told the French outlet Le Figaro on Tuesday. "Why should I and my loved ones be subjected to this treatment based on prying eyes and denigration. Does someone have the right to tear off the masks that each of us may have needed during our lives without our consent and for their own pleasure."
He added: "As Camus, who my son is so fond of quoting, said: 'A man should restrain himself'."
The elder Enthoven, who also recently released a novel, told Le Figaro that after reading Le Temps gagné, he texted his son to let him know that he would be cutting off all communication with him going forward.
"I am in mourning," Jean-Paul went on. "My heart is broken. It's a terrible book for those, like me and others, who have loved Raphaël and who find themselves drowning in an ocean of ingratitude."
All in all, some pretty brutal early reviews of the book, if you ask me.
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Waiter Fired for Rudeness Says He's Just French
raphaël enthoven
niche drama


text:
You are at Home Magnum Instincts Reviews
Magnum Instincts Reviews
Apr 3, 2014 0
May be good, but it's too soon to tell
Magnum Instincts looks like a promising new product. Due to the lack of reviews and the high price, I don't recommend it at this time, but stay on the lookout.
Ingredient Quality
Magnum Instincts is supposed to "make you feel like a teenager again" by alleviating fatigue, improving physical endurance, and enhancing libido.
Can a natural supplement like Magnum Instincts really improve both sexual function and athletic performance, supposedly everything a man needs to feel young again?
Let's look closer at Magnum Instincts.
Magnum Instincts Functions
Magnum Instincts claims to do the following:
• Reduce stress from performing under pressure
• Increase sexual desire
• Relieve fatigue
• Improve physical endurance
• Restore sexual function
• Produce better erections
• Stimulate testosterone production
• Enhance sperm quantity, quality, and motility
Magnum Instincts Ingredients
Magnum Instincts has some lofty goals. The only way to tell if they are possible is to look closer at individual ingredients.
Carnosyn Beta Alanine (170 mg)
Beta alanine is an amino acid and a precursor to carnosine, a substance concentrated in muscle tissue and touted to improve athletic performance. Carnosyn is a patented bio-friendly form of beta alanine.
Beta alanine doses in supplements are often found in 400 mg or 800 mg, and Magnum Instincts has just 170 mg. Yet too much can cause paraesthesia, a sensation of tingling, burning, and pricking of skin.
Cordyceps Sinensis (150 mg)
Cordyceps improved exercise capacity in rats [1] and may also function as an aphrodisiac. Fortunately, side effect risk is rare.
Water Extracted Epimedium (140 mg)
Epimedium has effectively treated erectile dysfunction in preliminary studies. It's even conjectured to work better than prescription drugs, although this is unproven. Epimedium may cause upset stomach and dry mouth.
Maca Powder Extract (100 mg)
Commonly used as an aphrodisiac, maca has been touted in some clinical trials to improve semen quality and to boost libido. It may improve energy, mood, sexual desire, and sperm production and motility, but it doesn't seem to raise testosterone.
L-Citrulline Malate
This amino acid enhances athletic performance by reducing muscle fatigue. In one study, CM supplementation was measured on eighteen men, where it reduced fatigue and increased ATP production during exercise. [2]
Lycium Barbarum (Goji Berry; 75 mg)
Goji berry may protect against bacteria, preventing certain diseases. Yet manufacturers often make undue claims about goji's curing powers, which caused the FDA to speak out against certain distributors.
L-Lysine (50 mg)
Lysine is an amino acid that plays a role in calcium absorption, muscle protein building, injury recovery, and even hormone production. Side effects may include stomach pain and diarrhea.
Zinc Monomethionine (15 mg)
This is another name for ZMA, a common supplement in the athletic world, claimed to improve athletic performance and raise testosterone. However, studies don't show results in athletic performance nor testosterone levels. [3] [4]
The zinc portion of ZMA may treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (prostate enlargement) and male infertility.
These ingredients show promising benefits. It's encouraging that they are found in concentrated forms and that the ingredient amounts are disclosed.
What Do Customers Say about Magnum Instincts?
Unfortunately, customer reviews are lacking on this new product. Magnum recently requested that bodybuilders log about the product at BodyBuilding.com, but results as yet are undetermined.
How to Use Magnum Instincts
Magnum Instincts has two uses:
1. For a night of increased pleasure, take 2 capsules with a warm glass of water at least 40 minutes before sexual activity.
2. For a testosterone/sexual vigor increase, take 2 capsules with a warm glass of water at least 40 minutes prior to sleep for ten days.
Magnum Instincts Pricing
Magnum Instincts is available at HardMagnum.com for the following prices:
• Two pack: $14.99
• Ten pack: $59.99
You can also purchase it at BodyBuilding.com for the following prices:
• Two capsules: $12.99
• Ten capsules: $49.99
In the case of the two-capsule pack, this is definitely a high price to pay for a product you can only use once. The same goes for a product you can only use five times.
Magnum Instincts: My Opinion
[1] Rajesh Kumar. "Cordyceps sinensis promotes exercise endurance capacity of rats by activating skeletal muscle metabolic regulators." Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2011; 136 (1): 260-266. Available from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378874111002923
[2] D. Bendahan et al. "Citrulline/malate promotes aerobic energy production in human exercising muscle." British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2002; 36: 282-289. Available from: http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/36/4/282.long
[3] Colin D. Wilborn et al. "Effects of Zinc Magnesium Aspartate (ZMA) Supplementation on Training Adaptations and Markers of Anabolism and Catabolism." Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2004; 1 (2): 12-20. Available from: http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1550-2783-1-2-12.pdf
[4] K. Koehler et al. "Serum testosterone and urinary excretion of steroid hormone metabolites after administration of a high-dose zinc supplement." European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2007; 63: 65-70. Available from: http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/v63/n1/abs/1602899a.html
Categories: Male Enhancement,Supplement Reviews


As is my wont, when in Kambos, I walked into the restaurant formerly known as Miranda's and headed for the small cooking area at the back. The new supremo, the new Miranda, explained what was on offer and after due consideration I went for small pieces of pork in a wine sauce with a side helping of zucchinis and okra. That will end up costing me six euro.
As I wandered back to my table on the stoop, the step just outside the restaurant but before you get to the tables on the square, a place where an open window leaves you sort of inside while enjoying the breeze, an old man started gabbling at me. He was sitting on a table with a younger man who I did not know and a man my age who I have got drunk with once or twice, who I exchange yassas and a wave with but who I don't really know. Is his name Georgios? I think it is.
The old man had a vaguely swivel eyed loon look to him and talked faster and in a louder at me keeping me fixed in his gaze and pointing at me. He seemed almost angry. I tried to make him understand that I did not speak Greek and my drinking friend, I think, made the same point. I moved onto my table, one open window away from his. As the new Miranda put water and bread on my table I asked who the old man was. "The village President Stavros". Aha. I nodded politely at the man who talked even louder and started banging the table, looking at me then at his companions and then at me again.
The young man several times tried intervening as did my drinking friend. Further evidence that I was being discussed came as I heard the word Toumbia mentioned several times. Toumbia is the settlement of two dozen farmsteads spread far and wide where the Greek Hovel is located. I am pretty sure that there are only two residents of Toumbia, me and my mad neighbour Charon.
I asked the new Miranda what the old man was so cross about as she arrived with my ,lunch. "He is just mad" she said and that was it. Perhaps Kambos is following some ancient Athenian model of democracy where the only folks eligible to be village President are those deemed so mad that they are utterly unfit for office?
I ate my lunch. A couple of other folks with whom I have spent an evening on the ouzo headed to the old man's table, leaned over and exchanged words. The an ger subsided. There was no more table banging. Twenty minutes later I wandered in to pay and as I left the man waved goodbye and smiled a very friendly smile. I have no idea what that was all about.


text:
I am not going to change 400 years in four.
Film phase:Completed
When Satana Deberry took the oath of office as district attorney of Durham County, North Carolina on January 1, 2019, it was a momentous occasion—for the city of Durham and for her, as a Black woman elected to an office historically held by white men whose "tough on crime" policies have devastated communities of color for decades. Now, she faces the complicated realities of seeking to reform a deeply flawed criminal justice system, and a community ravaged by gun violence. Her story is at once inspiring and empowering—and also a call to action, for voters across the nation.
I am not going to change 400 years in four. was produced by Chicken & Egg Pictures through Docs by the Dozen, in partnership with Mother Jones. Watch the short film here.
ABOUT THE DIRECTORS
Angela Tucker and Kristi Jacobson teamed up to co-direct this powerful short documentary, a natural evolution of each of their bodies of work. Angela Tucker is a New Orleans-based writer, director and Emmy nominated producer. Her latest films include Belly of the Beast, which will broadcast on PBS' Independent Lens in fall 2020, and All Skinfolk, Ain't Kinfolk (2020, PBS), a short about a mayoral election in New Orleans. Earlier films include narrative feature All Styles (2018, Amazon); Black Folk Don't, a doc web series that was featured in Time Magazine's "10 Ideas That Are Changing Your Life"; and (A)sexual (2012, Netflix/Hulu). Kristi Jacobson is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, working as a director and producer of features, series and short-form content. Some of her films include Solitary (2017, HBO), which takes an unprecedented look at life inside a supermax prison and is winner of an Emmy Award for Outstanding Investigative Documentary and Independent Spirit Truer Than Fiction Award nominee; Take Back the Harbor (2018, Discovery); A Place at the Table (2012, Magnolia Pictures/ Participant Media); and Cartel Bank, an episode of the hit Netflix Original series Dirty Money (2018).
Cecilia Aldarondo
One Shot One Kill
Nancy Schwartzman


●Trails of Indochina – 10/8 Phan Dinh Giot Street (Ho Chi Minh City, Tan Binh District); 011-84-8-3844-1005; trailsofindochina.com.
●Chiang Mai Resort (Anantara) – 123 Charoen Prathet Road, T. Changklan A. Muang; 011-66-53-253-333 or 800-745-8883; chiang-mai.anantara.com; centrally located on Mae Ping River banks; within walking distance to night markets; modern Asian design, with teak wood flooring, and warm rich colors; deluxe rooms & club suites, each with courtyard, garden, or river view, balcony with day bed; complimentary breakfast buffet, cocktails, and snacks; butler service and round trip transfers in Mercedes Limousine.
●Four Seasons – Mae Rim-Samoeng Old Road (Mae Rim); 011-66-53-298-181 or 800-819-5053; fourseasons.com/chiangmai; pavilions recall 1400s Lanna architecture.
●Mandarin Oriental – 51/4 Chiang Mai, Sankampaeng Road Moo 1 (T. Tasala A. Muang); 011-66-53-888-888; mandarinoriental.com; spread over 60 acres of moats, fortified walls, and gateways; 2-story villas.
●Baan Rai Yam Yen – 14 Moo 3, Soi Lanka 3, Jaroenraj Road (Faham); 011-66-53-244-796; not in tourist area; outdoor-covered seating, wood decor with man-made pond in back; live band plays local music; ask for khao soi (classic northern Thai dish with boiled noodles, fried noodles, and braised chicken).
●Huen Phen – 112 Rachamankha Road; 011-66-53-814-548; northern cuisine foodie destination (sort of Burmese and Chinese mix, lighter than southern Thai cooking); try khao soi (curry, crispy egg noodles, pickled cabbage, and shallot-lime mixture); breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
●Krua Phech Doi Ngam – 125/3 Moo 3, Mahidon Road; 011-66-53-812-051; restaurant with encyclopedic, northern Thai dish menu; try jin hoom (beef stew seasoned with turmeric), yam kai meuang (intensely flavored chicken soup), and yam samun phrai (herb-heavy salad).
●Khao Soi Lam Duan (Fah Ham) – Khao Soi Lam Duan Fah Ham, 352/22 Charoen Rat Road; 011-66-53-243-519; any trip to Chiang Mai without khao soi bowl would be like trip to Texas without barbecued brisket; this open-air space, with basic kitchen in front, and busy staff, fills bowl after bowl with house-made noodles, then ladles in pork-and-chicken-based broth, small dose fresh coconut cream, and little, crunchy fried noodle crown; have with gaeng hung leh (pork belly and shoulder hunks in rich curry), nahm phrik noom (green-chile relish), and sai ua (herbaceous pork sausage).
●Pa Daeng Jin Tup – Ban San Sai, Noy Moo 9, Highway 1001 (San Sai); "Restaurant" might be too strong for this roadside dirt spot, about 15 minutes northeast of Chiang Mai; scattered with benches and tables haphazardly nailed together; cook uses crude pulley system to raise and lower meat-covered rack over glowing charcoal; specializes in northern Thai drinking food: charred pig teat, jin tup (grilled flank steak hammered into shreds), sour fermented ground pork, and tremendously tasty but comically tough beef strips (called "crying tiger" because not even tiger can chew).
●SP Chicken (Kai Yang Isaan) – 31/1 Sri Phum Road; lemongrass- and garlic-stuffed chickens rotate in front on vertical spit beside glowing charcoal wall; sat beneath aluminum awning on plastic chairs while eating sticky rice, papaya salad, and chicken (hacked into pieces and served with sweet, spicy dipping sauce; food mainly from Isaan, Thailand's northeast region.
●Night Bazaar – city center; shopping arcade.
●Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep – Doi Suthep Mountain temple.
●Anantara – 229 Moo 1; 011-66-53-784-084; goldentriangle.anantara.com; on lush hills Thailand's border, overlooking Laos and Myanmar; 77 impeccably finished rooms and suites; Bill Bensley designed gardens; every room has oversized terrazzo bathtubs, Thai textiles, teak furnishings, and artwork from local cultures; on-site elephant camp; cooking school; explore 3 countries including hill-tribe villages, Hall of Opium museum, and Lanna Kingdom's ancient capital (Chiang Saen).
●Soneva Kiri – Ko Kut; 011-66-39-619-800; soneva.com/soneva-kiri; 42 villa-suites.
KOH PHANGAN – world renowned Full Moon Party is monthly dance music festival on Haad Rin Nok Beach scheduled every month at full moon; features electronic music & attracts anywhere from 40K party-goers (normal) to 1M (high season, December-March).
●Rasananda Resort & Spa – 5/5 Moo 5 (Thong Nai Pan Noi Beach, Baan Tai); 011-66-77-239-555; phangan-rasananda.anantara.com.
●Hin Deang – 40 nautical miles south of Phi Phi Islands; among Thailand's best dive sites; just breaks surface, with depths down to well below normal recreational limits; southwest side drops to over 60m, creating steep, soft coral wall; leopard sharks, whale sharks & manta rays; east side has 2 ridges that slope gently into deeper water; pelagic fish such as jacks hang close to rock; in shallower areas, moray eels commonly found hiding in cracks in rock face.
●Hin Muang – long rocky ridge just few 100 ms from Hin Daeng; top at 8-9 m & bottom at 60-70 m; strong currents so want to stay on sheltered side; surface covered in purple soft corals and anemones & swarms of tiny silversides, constantly under attack from predators such as jacks and trevallies; leopard sharks common & whale sharks also seen.
●King Cruiser – 10 miles off Phi Phi Island; divershotspot.com/Site/Thailand/Andaman_Sea/King_Cruiser_Wreck; car ferry that sank May 4, 1997 when hit submerged rocky pinnacles at Anemone Reef; impact tore large hole in hull & vessel sank within 2.5 hours; all 561 passengers – including both Thai locals and foreign tourists – rescued.
●Shark Point – southeast of Ko Bida Nok; large rock going down to 22 ms on sandy bottom; among most famous local diving sites; best place to spot Leopard sharks resting; drift dive.
●Orgasmic – Bophut Beach; 011-66-86-276-9101; finewinedinesamui.com; expensive but innovative cocktails.
●Anantara Bophut Resort & Spa – 99/9 Bophut Bay; 011-66-77-428-3000; samui.anantara.com.
●Elements Resort – 53/5 Moo 4; 011-66-77-914-678; elements-koh-samui.com.
●Four Seasons Resort – 219 Moo 5 (Surat Thani); 011-66-77-243-000 or 800-819-5053; fourseasons.com/kohsamui; on secluded northwestern tip of island's glassy Laem Yai Bay; 60 gorgeous hillside villas among coconut trees, all with expansive Thailand Gulf views (including from tub); decks with plunge pools and shaded day beds; small, effectively private beach by main infinity pool; March-June best; rooms in 900 series are closest to beach.
●Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary – 102/9 Moo 3, Laem Set Road (Na-Muang); 011-66-77-429-800; kamalaya.com; Ayurvedic healing, Chinese medicine, and Western naturopathy come together; beachfront lagoon and former Buddhist monks' meditation cave.
●Langham Place – 146/24 Moo 4, Lamai Beach (Maret); 011-66-77-960-888; langhamplacehotels.com; posh resort on Lamai Beach is like small village.
●W Retreat Koh Samui – 4/1 Moo 1 Tambol Maenam; 011-66-77-915-999; wretreatkohsamui.com; great, must-see spa.
●Beach Republic – Lamai Beach; 011-66-77-458-100; beachrepublic.com; especially noteworthy for sunsets, barbecues, and Sunday brunch.
●H-Bistro – Bophut (at Hansar Samui resort); 011-66-77-245-511; hansarsamui.com; French-Mediterranean and Thai menu conceived by Jordanian royal family's former chef.
●Orgasmic – Bophut Beach; 011-66-86-276-9101; finewinedinesamui.com; expensive but very good; try cocoa butter scallops.
●Fizz – Sairee Beach; music and drinks; restaurant attached.
●Koh Tao Cabana – 16 Moo 1, Baan Haad (Sairee Beach); 011-66-77-456-505; kohtaocabana.com; ask for cottages 28 or 32 for remote experience.
●Whitening Bar & Restaurant – 17/2 Moo 2, Mae Haad; 011-66-77-456-199; Thai food and barbecue.
●Island Cruises – island-cruises.org; ask skipper, Alf, to take you to Ang Thong for spectacular swimming and romantic dinners.
●Cave Lodge – 90 Moo 2, 15 Moo 1 (Pang Mapa); 011-66-53-617-203; cavelodge.com.
●Big Knob – Ban Tham Lod; towering limestone pillar that has 30' square flat surface at top, affording 360˚ views from top over surrounding forest.
●Christmas Cave – Ban Tham Lod; beautiful stalagmites and stalactites.
●Hair Cave – Ban Tham Lod; giant spiders.
●Tham Lod – Ban Tham Lod; river that flows into cave; can arrange rafting trip to see.
●Anantara Resort & Spa – 198-199 Moo5, Had Pak Meng, Changlang Road (Changlang Beach, Maifad, Sikao, Trang); 011-66-76-592-100; sikao.anantara.com; 51 thatched-roof villas, all with 4-poster beds and glorious views of silvery beaches along Andaman Sea or 22-acre palm grove surrounding sapphire lagoon; each expansive marble bathroom opens onto secret garden; visit rescued leatherback turtles at Hat Thai Muang National Park, then take afternoon jungle trek to secluded waterfalls and hidden beaches.
●Manta Rays – mantatrust.org; among world's premier manta-viewing locations.
●Ha Roi Rai Floating Bungalows – jungleyoga.com; bungalow is like "living in basket"; thatch roof, hand-woven bamboo walls and split bamboo; each has small deck in front, offering cliff and lake views and place for hammock nap or viewing wildlife; sparsely furnished – bedding, mattress, mosquito netting, and pillows; bedding changed every 3 days; all bungalows, as well as all other structures, float over lake, connected by bridge walkways; bathroom and shower facilities are only structures on land.
●Khao Sok National Park – khaosok.com; world's oldest evergreen rainforest; huge limestone mountains, valleys, lakes, caves; see Cheow Larn Lake (floating villages).
●Khlong Saeng Wildlife Sanctuary – Khiri Rat Nikhom and Ban Ta Khun; great wildlife, including large cats.


Angelique Kerber is calling Bianca Andreescu a "drama queen" after losing to the 18-year-old Canadian for the second time in a week. Kerber made the remark after Andreescu won a late-night match in three sets to reach the fourth round of the Miami Open. Andreescu beat Kerber in the Indian Wells final for her first career title.


On Tuesday 28 November, our Patron Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall visited Stoke-on-Trent to celebrate the work of the National Literacy Trust Hub in the city with school children, authors and local organisations.
The Stoke-on-Trent Hub is one of our seven UK place-based initiatives bringing together local partners to tackle literacy issues in their community. Led by us and Stoke-on-Trent City Council in partnership with the City Learning Trust, the Stoke-on-Trent Hub is branded as Stoke Reads and encompasses a range of programmes and activities to promote reading and raise literacy levels.
Joined an event with over 200 pupils from eight local schools to recognise their reading achievements and celebrate their favourite books. The event was attended by top authors whose books are on the city's Stoke 100 Reads and Stoke Reads On book lists, including Liz Pichon, Bali Rai, Andy Stanton and Kate Leake.
Visited the Stoke-on-Trent library service's Little Library Van and shared stories with a group of pupils.
Met key local partners and representatives from businesses who are championing literacy in Stoke-on-Trent at a reception event. Secondary school teachers who have taken part in our professional development training also shared their successes in improving literacy at their schools.
Stoke City Football Club is supporting the Stoke Reads campaign. The club delivers literacy activity as part of Premier League Primary Stars and has held several reading and writing-focused events.
Launching story packs on the neonatal ward at Stoke Royal University Hospital, which are given to the parents of premature babies. The packs include a copy of Guess How Much I Love You and tips on supporting the development of newborns.
Delivering professional development training to secondary school teachers in Stoke-on-Trent, which will help them to improve literacy at their schools.
Creating a book list of 101 books for young people to read at secondary school and beyond, following on from the Stoke 100 Reads list of books to read at primary school.
Delivering fun football-themed literacy events for pupils and families in partnership with Stoke City Football Club.
Giving out over 3,000 free books to children across the city to inspire them to enjoy reading.
Running engaging competitions for pupils with Emma Bridgewater and Autonet Insurance.
To find out more about Stoke Reads visit stokereads.org.uk.


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June 19, 2019 March 17, 2022 Mr. Wapojif
The BFG: 1989's Take on Roald Dahl's Big Friendly Classic
It's the Big Fat Git.
This British animated film from the now defunct Cosgrove Hall Films has a special place in our vile hearts.
It's a real nostalgia-fest for us, a dark but endearing adaptation from 1989 of Roald Dahl's 1982 word The Big Friendly Giant.
The BFG (the 1989 TV version)
First up, the book has sold over 37 million copies worldwide. It's popular!
Directed by Brian Cosgrove and written by John Hambley, it rather closely follows Roald Dahl's classic. The author was still alive at the time, so he got to see it—which is fab.
According to Cosgrove, Dahl loved it and after a screening stood up and applauded happily. Apparently, he wasn't such a big fan of previous adaptations.
As a story, it's along the lines of Disney levels of harrowing kids stories. Although not on the same level as Watership Down, sure.
It follows the adventures of Sophie (Amand Root), a young orphaned girl in London living in a horrible orphanage run by some psychotic nuns.
One night, she wakes up and spots an enormous figure off in the distance blowing strange spirals out of a huge trumpet.
The giant sees her and "kidnaps" Sophie, taking the young orphan off to Giant Land.
The BFG, as it turns out (voiced by David Jason), is a lovable sort who's actually very friendly. His job is to provide fun dreams to kids, which is why he has that trumpet thing.
In Giant Land, most of the others aren't quite as nice as the BFG. In fact, a lot of them are just bloody terrifying.
There are nine others of those scary ones, who are child-eating and pretty unpleasant. They have an attitude of casual malice to the BFG and often rough him up a bit.
But he and Sophie hit it off and become good friends quickly.
So he takes her to Dream Country to explain to her how he makes the fun dreams that kids have, which leads to an impromptu dance number.
He then takes her to London at night to show her how the dreams affect the kids, but the psychotic Fleshlumpeater giant also arrives and devours several children.
Seriously… this film was designed to just freak the hell out of young minds, wasn't it?
Sophie eventually convinces her giant friend to end the reign of the nasty giants. So they visit (and things go a bit weird here) the Queen of England and provide her with a giant-based nightmare.
When she awakes, the Queen demands the annihilation of the nasty giants and befriends Sophie. Yeah, as anti-monarchists we never did really like that bit.
But, yes, justice prevails! And the big bad giants are wiped out by the British army.
The BFG is noteworthy here as this was the last (and a posthumous one) role for British actor Ballard Berkeley (1904-1988). He plays the head of the army.
Most of you will know him as the senile, partially crazed Major from Fawlty Towers.
Anyway, to sum up The BFG… we're not sure if it's the nostalgia factor of having watched it so much aged around five back in 1989.
But, yes, we watched it again recently and really enjoyed the dark take on Dahl's famous work.
The animation is top-notch for the era, plus the voice acting is full of charm—there's a very natural feel to proceedings, despite the fantastical setting.
And it's scary! The nasty giants really stick with you, they freaked us out a great deal. But there are important life lessons to learn there. Not everyone is nie.
30 years later, this sterling British production definitely stands as a giant amongst Hollywood productions.
The 1989 BFG—Full Movie
If you want to watch the whole thing, you can find it above in complete form. Cheers, YouTube!
Pretty sure that's illegal, but for a small production from 30 years ago we think it deserves some added exposure.
BFG's 2016 Adaptation
A few years ago, Disney went ahead with a full adaptation and went totally technology crazy with it. The BFG (2016) features impressive live-action animation—Mark Rylance is the voice of the friendly giant.
Steven Spielberg directed the production, so it has all the panache and little touches you'd expect from the industry legend.
And it's a fine effort. Although, interestingly, from its $140 million budget it only recouped $180 million.
Even when it was released in China it struggled, with critics saying it was too juvenile for adults to enjoy. Um?
So, unfortunately, it stands as one of Spielberg's worst-performing films and could represent as much as a $100 million loss for Disney. Bugger.
The BFG
The Big Friendly Giant
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I forgot how terrifying those giants were like geez o.O The animation reminds me a bit of The Secret of NIMH, which is another one of those movies for kids that's kind of terrifying (the owl, the OWL). I'm saving the whole movie to watch later!
Mr. Wapojif says:
Yeah, they really freaked me out as a kid. They are proper scary. They do get their asses whooped by the end of the film, though.
I've not seen The Secret of NIMH! I'll watch that. It looks like An American Tail, which was another brutal kids film that freaked me out when I saw it. That and Watership Down. *shivers*
Ahhhhh, Secret of NIMH would go great on your list of "terrifying kids' films." It's by Don Bluth the same guy who did American Tail and Land Before Time. I'd say NIMH is more disturbing than American Tail, but I'll leave that for you to decide. Watership Down is also fully on YouTube or was last time I checked 😉
I shall get it watched! Thank you kindly for the recommendation. I love Land Before Time, watching that immediately takes me back to me being 7 or something.
I feel Watership Down is the ultimate terror-inducing one.


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Brainiac On Banjo #99: A Master Leaves The Stage
Pop Culture Squad > Brainiac On Banjo #99: A Master Leaves The Stage
Posted on November 12, 2020 July 25, 2021 by Mike Gold
If Sean Connery had never made Dr. No, he would still be remembered as one of our most impressive actors. Except…
… Except if Sean Connery had never made Dr. No, it's very doubtful that he ever would have been given the chance to make such movies as The Man Who Would Be King, Time Bandits, Robin and Marian, and The Wind and the Lion. Great actors are like great guitar players: for every Eric Clapton or Buddy Guy on stage, there are a thousand equally gifted musicians who never get out of the garage. It takes commitment, determination, and a very thick skin in combination with off-the-scale talent that brings about the possibility of success. Even then, the odds are against you.
Well, that's show biz.
Prior to taking the James Bond gig, Connery had done a handful of appearances in movies and television shows, none that are well known. In 1957 he made his American media debut in a very brief appearance on The Jack Benny Program – "Jack Hires Opera Singer in Rome," where he played a hotel porter. It's in the rerun package and continues to be aired on one or more of those nostalgia decimal channels. It was Dr. No that brought him to the attention of the masses, to the surprise of the producers, to the studio, and to Bond creator Ian Fleming, who saw his master action hero as more of a Hoagy Carmichael type. After seeing the finished film, Fleming changed his mind… after counting his change.
(Note: In my opinion, singer/songwriter/actor Carmichael would have made an excellent James Bond, but he would have been a bit too old for the part in Dr. No and most certainly too old by the time United Artists made Thunderball. "What if" is the dross of all fandom.)
Cleverly, Connery parlayed his success as 007 into a career that proved he deserved to be in a paragraph that contained Humphrey Bogart, Robert De Niro, and Steve McQueen. He was courageous enough to take on roles that many found confounding – Zardoz, for example – and others where the "hero" proved to be less-than-heroic (my favorite Connery flick, The Man Who Would Be King). He showed his gentle side in Time Bandits, another of my favorites, and his age – something rarely seen from big movie stars – in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. He had no problem performing with actors who were equally gifted such as Michael Caine and Harrison Ford, and he never squeezed their screen presence.
Contrary to the position held by many otherwise reasonable people, James Bond is not an ideal. He's a hero only because he takes his job seriously, thereby saving us from extinction. Bond is a killer; it is in his job description. His attitudes towards women, which mirrored those of his creator, were obnoxious from the very outset and ugly even in its time. Yet Bond is not a conflicted character. He knows who he is and how he's supposed to execute his responsibilities to his employer and to his nation.
It took a very secure performer to make James Bond work on the screen, to get the point across where so many other talented actors in similar roles could not. Damn near each and every actor who succeeded Sean Connery in the role echoed the studio's advertising claim – "Sean Connery IS James Bond."
In Connery's hands, 007 was the effective artifact the world needed to get through growingly conflicted times. It is very difficult to evaluate our past through contemporary standards, although it is vital we do so.
At the end of the day, Sean Connery's varied roles were mostly strong, well-centered men who were slightly out of their time but, at that very instant, desperately needed. It's heroic fantasy, folks, and heroic fantasy is very tough to make believable.
Sean Connery did just that.
Posted in Brainiac On Banjo, Celebrities, MoviesTagged heroic fantasy, Ian Fleming, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, James Bond, Michael Caine, Robin and Marian, Sean Connery, The Man Who Would Be King, Thunderball, Time Bandits, Wind and the Lion, Zardoz
With Further Ado #120: Bill Turner and Frazetta
Weird Scenes Inside The Gold Mind #115: The Whiny Little Bitches Ride Again!


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Indeed reveals what UK workers really want from a job
Posted by: Joanna Jones
Economy & Politics | Employment & Skills | Lifestyle | National | Reports
Global job site Indeed has published a new study exploring what work means to people in the UK today. The Meaning of Work analyses jobseeker trends from the last five years, generated by the more than 40 million monthly visitors to Indeed, alongside new insights from a YouGov survey of over 2,000 full-time employees.
The results reveal two key insights surrounding workers' attitudes towards work/life balance and pay:
Workers are ready for a four-day working week – 74% claim they could do their job to the same standard in four days as they do in five.
Brits want to know how much their colleagues are paid and are prepared to give up their own privacy to get it – 56% back full pay transparency.
Workers are demanding much more from their employers and want to work on their own terms.
The study reveals that 3 in 4 (74%) Brits believe they could do their job to the same standard in four days as they do in five. This rises to four in five (79%) among millennials.
The results come as politicians, trade union leaders and employers increasingly examine the feasibility of a four-day working week, a debate sparked by accelerating automation, a changing attitude to work among younger workers, and improvements in mobile technology.
The study also reveals that, while salary (57%) is the most important element to people, work/life balance (55%) is almost equally significant, underlining the high expectations that workers and job seekers have for their employers. UK workers who prioritise work/life balance would be happy earning £6,000 less annually than those who are not concerned with work/life balance.
Data from Indeed underlines these emerging trends – searches for 'working from home', 'flexible work' and 'remote work' are up 116% as a share of all searches on Indeed's UK site since 2015. Employers are starting to respond – between 2014 and 2019, Indeed recorded a 136% increase in the phrase "flexible working hours" in job postings in the UK.
Commenting on the findings, Pawel Adrjan, UK economist at Indeed, said: "Time will tell if workers' enthusiasm for the four-day week ever makes it the norm in the UK, but the idea has shot up the agenda of politicians, academics and even some employers over the last twelve months.
"Demands for flexibility and work/life balance are also increasing, so employers who want to attract and retain the best staff will need to take an imaginative and flexible approach to how they organise their people."
Brits want to know how much their colleagues are paid.
Most UK workers (56%) now back full pay transparency, which would see personal information such as monthly income and tax returns made publicly available, as it is in Sweden, but only 42% of job postings on Indeed list any salary information.
The measure – which has been called for by some politicians, trade unions, think tanks and campaign groups – is now opposed directly by just 33% of full-time UK employees.
With nearly a third of UK workers (31%) dissatisfied with their current level of pay and over half (52%) saying they would consider leaving their current role if their pay didn't increase in the next 1-2 years, pay transparency could be an important tool for companies looking to reassure their employees that pay levels are fair and gender gaps are being addressed.
Pawel Adrjan, UK Economist at Indeed, continued: "In the UK, there has been a deep-seated reticence to discuss financial matters with even close friends, colleagues or family. This attitude is clearly being challenged, perhaps in part due to the huge interest that gender pay gap reporting has gathered but perhaps more so thanks to the new generation of younger workers with different views on money and the workplace."
Beware mimicking Jack Ma: Toxic overwork culture will stain your business
UK workers will put in extra hours for a company that is going places
Tech scale up employees leave due to work culture and accept new roles based on salary
Pawel Adrjan, UK economist at Indeed: "Why…
Is 9-5 no longer the norm?
Why are British workers reluctant to take career breaks?
British employees work for just three hours a day
Are Brits taking pay cuts to make themselves happier?
Are workers being given enough flexibility to do their jobs?


My book on Hypertension-the other side of the Coin was published in 1993 by the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai. This book has a foreword by a leading British hypertensinologist, Barry Hoffbrand. I have a chapter there which gives the reader the truth behind this enigma called mild-moderate hypertension. Any normal person who goes for a check up to a doctor will, per force, have some degree of anxiety about the unknown outcome of the examinations. As such his/her sympathetic system gets aroused. The latter pushes up one?s blood pressure slightly, (in anxious persons even significantly) hereinafter called white-coat hypertension. If the blood pressure does not go up slightly when a new doctor checks up a person there is something wrong with that person?s heart!
The moral of the story is that marginal elevation of the blood pressure, on routine check up, is a normal response. However, the pharmaceutical trade establishments want to convert this normal healthy response into a disease. This is a huge fraud on the population. They cloak their game with apparent altruistic fervor of keeping people healthy. (Must be a simplistic thinking) If they could make huge amounts of money by selling drugs to lower this white coat hypertension why not delude themselves by thinking that no harm could come to the hapless recipients of their drugs! But the fact remains that most, if not all, blood pressure lowering agents are potential poisons. In the long run all of them are capable of damaging the human system. Adverse drug reactions are today the biggest bane of medical interventions even in the advanced west killing more than 140,000 in one year in the US and more than 15,000 people per year in the UK.
The definition of normality in medical science is also not scientific. It is the mean plus/minus two standard deviations of the normal Gaussian distribution of blood pressures in society. This becomes very vague when you realize that blood pressures of normal people are not static. There is a dynamic marked variation in the pressures from second to second-called as the healthy chaos. In a dynamic system like the human body the healthy chaos results in 5-15% of absolutely normal people being labeled hypertensives on routine check up.
This applies to all other parameters of the body like blood sugar, cholesterol etcetera making routine check up of apparently healthy people in society the most dangerous activity.
My book provoked much criticism from all quarters including from my own colleagues. I had expected that in the first place. Ever since then I had been writing about the drug company fraud in other areas as well. I was invited to be a part of the Indian team to have hypertension guidelines for India. When I went for the first meeting I realized that the whole game is being played by a multinational company with large sums of money to have one more guideline for Indians to net more people into the net of the companies to sell their drugs. I withdrew from that organization immediately (ten years ago). People still did not believe me and others in that organization thought that I was either mad or did not understand hypertension well!
Now, for the first time, the cat is out of the bag in the west. The American Hypertension Society, the guru of its Indian counterpart, is in real trouble with disclosures that the whole society is maintained by money from the American pharmaceutical corporations. The leading members seem to have become aware of the truth. (Belated though) Their conscience must have been pricking them. Some of their past Presidents have even resigned and they are washing their dirty linen in the public now. I give hereunder an expose by Stephanie Saul of the New York Times (20th May, 2006) which speaks for itself and exonerates me fully. Hope my colleagues now take note of the truth and leave the well people in society alone and not drug them and frighten them to scare them to death.
"Three pharmaceutical companies donated $700,000 to a medical society that used most of the money on a series of dinner lectures last year to brief doctors on the latest news about high blood pressure. The same three companies ? Merck, Novartis and Sankyo ? also gave the money that the medical society used to formulate the main talking point of those briefings, an expanded concept of high blood pressure that many doctors say would increase the number of people taking drugs. The seven dinners at Ruth's Chris Steak Houses around the country are just one example of why the small medical society, the American Society of Hypertension, has been in the midst of a dispute over the influence of drug industry money. "This is about the monetarization of medicine," Dr. Michael H. Alderman, a past president of the organization, said in a recent interview.
The dinners promoting a new definition of high blood pressure illustrate connections ? among the pharmaceutical industry, academic physicians and societies that formulate opinion ? that can ultimately affect patient treatment. And the dispute within the society reflects a growing unease that industry money is influencing scientific discourse in medical societies and elsewhere. At a recent speech before another society, the American College of Cardiology, its new president, Dr. Steven E. Nissen of the Cleveland Clinic, suggested that the medical profession had become addicted to industry money just as the nation was addicted to foreign oil.
After months of controversy within the American Society of Hypertension that included accusations of industry influence, the society's president, Dr. Thomas D. Giles, said yesterday that the group's leadership would be required to disclose more details about the money they receive from industry. Dr. Giles said the organization had always maintained a firewall between its activities and industry funding. "We don't take money that has strings attached to it," Dr. Giles said, emphasizing that its industry grants are not earmarked for any specific purpose.
The added disclosure had been sought by a board member, Jean E. Sealey, a biochemist and a longtime blood pressure researcher affiliated with Weill Medical College of Cornell University, who was among those also involved in a leadership struggle within the organization. Dr. Alderman, a professor of medicine and epidemiology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, is one of several doctors who withdrew from a group formed by the society to write the new blood pressure definition. He complained that the definition was derived from a hodgepodge of opinions not supported by hard science, and also questioned whether the society of 1,600 could insulate itself from the drug company donations it used to operate.
Controlling blood pressure has long been a mainstay of the pharmaceutical industry. About 65 million Americans have high blood pressure under the current definition and they help fuel a $17 billion annual market in drugs for hypertension. But another 59 million people are on the borderline, and many doctors believe the new definition of hypertension could make drugs a standard treatment for many of them, drastically expanding the potential drug market.
Dr. Giles of Louisiana State University's medical school in New Orleans was the driving force behind the new definition. The work of the group that developed it was financed by $75,000 in unrestricted drug industry grants from Merck, Novartis and Sankyo, according to Susan Rood, a spokeswoman for the Society of Hypertension. Ms. Rood also confirmed that the dinners were financed by $700,000 in grants, also unrestricted, from the same companies. The new definition that resulted was written by some of the leading experts in blood pressure medicine.
Pre-hypertension has been considered a blood pressure reading of 120/80 to 139/89, according to guidelines developed by a National Institutes of Health panel, which first identified the pre-hypertension category in 2003. Currently, pre-hypertension is generally not treated with drugs. The new definition proposes assigning some of the people with pre-hypertension to a new category called Stage 1 hypertension. Hypertension is currently defined as blood pressure readings of 140/90 and above. Dr. Giles estimated that the proposed definition would move half of those whose blood pressure readings are currently considered pre-hypertension to the Stage 1 hypertension category.
That determination would be based not just on their blood pressure readings, but also on other risk factors. The proposed definition makes no specific treatment recommendations. But some specialists who have read the proposed definition say it is a short step from labeling someone with high blood pressure to prescribing pills. And they predict that if the new definition is embraced, it will expand the use of medications. Dr. Curt D. Furberg, a professor of public health science at Wake Forest University, who was among those who withdrew from the writing group, citing concerns that its work was not evidence-based, said, "The industry wants to sell drugs and to as many people as possible."
But Dr. Giles said it was possible that the use of medication could actually contract under the new definition, with some doctors recommending lifestyle modifications rather than medication. And he said industry money or influence did not play a role in the proposed definition, which he said reflected a concern that too many people with diagnoses of pre-hypertension ended up having strokes.
"I will tell you that if you've ever sat there and watched patients in the prime of life get a stroke or a heart attack, it's heart-wrenching," Dr. Giles said last week. The recommendations by Dr. Giles and his group are considered influential in the evolving thinking over what constitutes high blood pressure. In addition, the discussion about whose blood pressure should be treated is also being driven by a new study that concluded that a drug called Atacand by AstraZeneca could reduce the risk that people with pre-hypertension will develop hypertension.
In statements, spokeswomen for Merck and Novartis confirmed that their companies had helped finance the society's work, but said that they had no influence over the outcome of the new definition or the content of the dinner briefings held last fall in seven cities. Sankyo did not return calls seeking comment. Of the seven doctors who wrote the proposed new definition, six have said that they served as consultants and speakers for pharmaceutical companies that make blood pressure medications. The seventh is a consultant and stockholder in a company that markets a diagnostic method to measure damage to blood vessels.
Such industry affiliations are not unusual among prominent doctors at academic research centers. And for years, the American Society of Hypertension, known as ASH, has operated with industry support.
But some members of ASH have become vocal critics of the influence wielded by the drug industry, including the person who was next in line to become the society's president, Dr. Sealey, who has been embroiled in a longstanding dispute with the organization's current leadership over that and other issues.
"The truth of the matter is that we have many members who are leaders in our society who are making well into the six figures from their pharmaceutical-company-supported activities," Dr. Sealey, a research biochemist and physiologist, said in an interview two weeks ago.But many members of the society have taken umbrage at suggestions that their work for drug makers affects their scientific independence. "There are those who accuse us of being nothing more than shills of industry; a lot of us take pretty great offense at that," said Dr. Joseph L. Izzo, a professor of medicine at the University of Buffalo who was part of the group that developed the new definition. "We've basically devoted our careers to researching this disease and how to treat it."
Dr. Sealey's assertions had fueled dissension within the society and were among the reasons that a vote to block her presidency had been expected at yesterday's business meeting of the society. Instead, an agreement was forged under which Dr. Sealey gave up her term as president and, according to written statements circulated among those attending the meeting, the organization's leadership agreed that its board would soon submit detailed financial disclosure forms, which Dr. Giles said had been in development for more than a year. Dr. Giles said those disclosures would go beyond the affiliations that were currently disclosed and would require leaders of the group to state how much they received, in broad categories. "Truth ultimately triumphs. One can not fool all people all the time. But falsehood and mystery only run this world, dragging millions by the nose in all fields including governance. Truth does not influence people easily. I even wonder if this write-up sees the light of the day in print at all. My book on high blood pressure mentioned in the beginning was proved right after nearly ten years by the largest study of hypertension in the US, the ALLHAT study, vis-?-vis the best management strategy for hypertension.


text:
Q: Java - Compare two strings - unicode/ascii sensitive In java, is there a way to compare s1 = "\u0061" and s2 = "a" such that the comparison returns false?
Want unicode representation to be different from ascii letter.

A: No there isn't a way.
Those two strings are the same.  Not just equal.  They will actually be represented at runtime by the same String object.
So a comparison will always tell you that those strings are equal.

So, would really be curious how we handle both external source and source code cases.

It is "apples and oranges".
For the case of String literals, see above.
If you got the 6 characters \u0061 in a text file, the standard Java I/O classes would not recognize that as a Unicode escape.  So the issue does not arise.
Likewise, if you constructed a Java String like this:
String s = "" + '\\' + 'u' + '0' + '0' + '6' + '1';

or similar, that is not recognized as a Unicode escape.  It is a 6 character string.
In short, \uxxxx is a notation not a representation.  It is used in Java source code only1 to denote a character (code point).  Not in the runtime representation of strings.
And since a and \u0061 denote the same character, they are indistinguishable.

1 - But not just in string and character literals.  You can also use Unicode escapes in identifiers and so on, though it is very bad for readability.

A: You can use escape sequence for unicode if you just want to represent without converting unicode value to character.
Below is the code if it helps :
public class MyClass {
    public static void main(String args[]) {
      String s1="\\u0061";
      String s2="a";
      System.out.println(s1);
      System.out.println(s2);
      System.out.println(s1.equals(s2));
    }
}


text:
Did a U.S. Official Threaten an Attack on Russia?
The U.S. Ambassador to NATO threatened to "take out" treaty-violating Russian missiles but it's not quite what it sounds like.
By Kyle Mizokami Published: Oct 2, 2018
GENNADIY DUDISHKIN, Russian Ministry of Defense
The U.S. Ambassador to NATO said the United States would seek to destroy Russian cruise missiles that Washington claims violate a decades-long arms control treaty. Former U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison stated during a press conference the U.S. would "take out" Russian ground launched cruise missiles that violate the INF Treaty, causing confusion as to exactly what she meant. Did she mean to threaten an attack? Not exactly.
The comments came during a press conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, ahead of a conference of NATO defense ministers. Ambassador Hutchison was asked about the United States bringing "new information to the table" regarding the United States' accusation that Russia has developed a new ground-launched cruise missile in violation of the Treaty on Intermediate Nuclear Forces, or INF Treaty.
The INF Treaty, signed in 1987 between the U.S. and Soviet Union, prohibits either country from developing nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges between 310 miles and 3,100 miles. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Russia agreed remained party to the agreement. The treaty was the first that completely eliminated an entire class of offensive nuclear weapons and removed a considerable number of nuclear weapons from the European continent on both sides.
Ambassador Hutchison at the October 2, 2018 press conference.
Asked what countermeasures the U.S. would take to the alleged treaty violation, Hutchison replied, "The countermeasures would be to take out the missiles that are in development by Russia in violation of the treaty. So that would be the countermeasure eventually."
Reuters news agency covered the press conference in alarmist terms, opening an article covering the event with, "Russia must halt its covert development of a banned cruise missile system or the United States will seek to destroy it before it becomes operational, Washington's envoy to NATO said on Tuesday."
On the face of it, that sounds pretty frightening. It sounds like Hutchison is openly discussing a pre-emptive strike during peacetime against Russian nuclear missiles, an act that would almost certainly lead to nuclear war. There's some evidence however that's actually not what Hutchison meant. A look at the press conference transcript pieces together what she likely has in mind—the ability to "take out" Russian missiles during wartime with American missiles that similarly violate the treaty.
The 9M729 cruise missile uses the same transporter erector launcher vehicle as the Iskander-K short-range ballistic missile, shown here.
Mikhail Tereschenko//Getty Images
Hutchison also says: "We are trying not to do anything that would violate the treaty on our side, which allows research, but not going forward into development, and we are carefully keeping the INF Treaty requirements on our side, while Russia is violating." Hutchison later says, "I think it is very important that we have the capability to deter, not only for European defense but for American defense."
In other words, Hutchison was saying that the U.S. believes Russia is violating the treaty, but if the 9M729 becomes operational the United States will abandon the treaty to produce weapons of its own—to strike at the Russian missiles before they can be launched. In threatening to do so the United States is attempting to deter Russia from making the missile operational and, failing that, will deter Russia from using them. It's a nuclear standoff in miniature.
Kalibr submarine-launched cruise missile.
Vadim Savitsky//Getty Images
The treaty-offending missile, according to Washington, is the Russian 9M729 cruise missile, known to the U.S. military and intelligence community as SSC-X-8 "Screwdriver." Russia has been pushing long-range cruise missiles, with their ability to fly under U.S. ballistic missile defenses, in a big way lately, placing them on bombers, submarines, and now apparently on land. The 9M729 is thought to be in the same family of missiles as the submarine-launched Kalibr missile. In December 2017 the U.S. government sanctioned a number of companies involved in production of the 9M729, including lead contractor Novator.
The United States does not currently have any intermediate range missiles, but it could easily develop them. The irony is that the Soviet Union originally sought to ban the missiles on the grounds that Russian IRBMs based in Europe could only threaten Western Europe, but American IRBMs based in Europe could attack the Soviet Union while giving Moscow very little time to react. If the Washington does redeploy missiles back to Western Europe Russia will have made its security situation even worse, and it will have only itself to blame.
Kyle Mizokami
Writer on Defense and Security issues, lives in San Francisco.
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GF Piping Systems, has received a substantial order totalling more than EUR 15 million from the leading shipbuilding company STX France for Polybutene-1 piping systems.
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Polybutene-1 is often referred to as Polybutene, Polybutylene, PB-1 or PB.
Polybutene-1 is not sold by PBPSA members for use in pipe applications intended for use in North America, and those parties require their customers or distributors not to sell products made from PB-1 into pipe applications for North America.


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This festival is hosted by Big-Little Comedy in Grand Rapids, MI. It's hosted by Tina Jackson and Big-Little Comedy.
The Inaugural BLCF was presented at the Dog Story Theatre in 2010. Most recently the festival offered 5+ workshops and 25+ shows.
This page was last modified on 26 October 2011, at 16:50.


text:
Eduarda Idalina "Duda" Amorim Taleska (født d. 23 september 1986 i Blumenau, Brasilien) er en kvindelig brasiliansk håndboldspiller som spiller venstre back for Rostov-Don og det Brasiliens kvindehåndboldlandshold. Hun blev kåret til verdens bedste håndboldspiller i 2014 året efter hun sammen med det brasilianske landshold vandt VM i håndbold 2013.

Bedrifter
 Den Brasilianske Liga:
 Runner-up: 2002

 Den Makedonske Liga:
 Vinder: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008

 Macedonian Cup:
 Vinder: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008

 Nemzeti Bajnokság I:
 Vinder (8): 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017

 Magyar Kupa:
 Vinder (9): 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018

 EHF Champions League:
 Vinder (4): 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018
 Finalist: 2012, 2016
 Semifinalist: 2010, 2011

 Panamerikamesterskabet:
 Winner: 2007, 2011
 Runners-Up: 2009

 VM i håndbold:
 Winner: 2013
 Verdens bedste kvindelige håndboldspiller 2014

Eksterne henvisninger

Håndboldspillere fra Brasilien
Olympiske håndboldspillere fra Brasilien
Håndboldspillere fra Győri Audi ETO KC
Håndboldspillere ved sommer-OL 2008
Håndboldspillere ved sommer-OL 2012
Håndboldspillere ved sommer-OL 2016
Håndboldspillere ved sommer-OL 2020
Deltagere for Brasilien ved sommer-OL 2008
Deltagere for Brasilien ved sommer-OL 2012
Deltagere for Brasilien ved sommer-OL 2016
Deltagere for Brasilien ved sommer-OL 2020

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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text:
September 29, 2017 By Nalina Athyantha
AI & Customer Experience: The Rise of the Intelligent Interaction
in Customer Experience, Customer Service, Marketing, Artificial Intelligence
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) can seem like a remote concept, a technology more applicable to the likes of Apple and Tesla than the average business. But while this may have been true a couple of years ago, things are changing fast.
Almost every business is now using AI to some extent and it's no longer just a novelty; it's generating insights that guide decision-making and drive critical business processes. Most importantly of all, it's helping businesses get closer to their customers than ever before.
A new view of the customer
AI lets you make full use of customer data for the first time. It helps you makes sense of data of all types, from all channels, and finds patterns that reveal how your customers are actually behaving today. Even better, it tells you what they're about to do next.
This has applications for every customer-facing team.
Sales can predict which opportunities are most likely to close, and receive recommendations on actions that'll help them close deals. (Read: The Definitive Guide to Sales AI)
Customer service can deliver proactive service by resolving issues before they happen. (Read: AI for Customer Service)
Marketing can create predictive journeys and personalise experiences. (Read: Artificial Intelligence in Marketing)
And with all-new insight into customer behavior, you can create all-new customer experiences. We're already seeing our customers use AI to transform the way they engage with customers. Read on for a few examples.
AI in action
Retailer Black Diamond is using Commerce Cloud Einstein, to deliver smart product recommendations to online shoppers.
It uses data captured from both known and anonymous customers to create models of shopper activity in real time. These models predict what each individual is most likely to purchase and then present recommendations to that customer in the moment. And they're getting smarter all the time. With every click and interaction, they learn more about customers and adapt accordingly.
AI is also making it easier to create frictionless customer interactions.
For example, one retailer is transforming the grocery experience by enabling its customers to place orders through Amazon Alexa. Customers can add items to their basket, browse what's on offer and schedule deliveries using only voice commands.
Another of our customers, a hotel provider, is using AI in a similar way. It's trained chat bots to answer frequently asked questions and direct customers to relevant resources. As a result, customers get the information they need more quickly and are more likely to continue their engagement with the provider.
Making AI-driven customer experience a reality
Integrating AI into your business sounds like a complicated process, but finding and implementing the technology that drives AI is relatively easy. The difficult part is capturing and organising the data you need to power these platforms.
AI depends on high-quality, accurate customer data. And to be most effective, this data needs to come straight from the customer. Otherwise you won't be able to build look-a-like models that truly reflect your audience.
Capturing this data can be difficult, especially if you aren't interacting with your customer directly. This was a problem that our Global SVP, Ulrik Nehammer, faced when he was CEO of Coca-Cola Germany.
His team had huge databases of data from retailers that showed him how many products were being sold, but he knew little about the individuals that actually bought these products.
To solve this problem Coca-Cola launched the GetHappy app. This app connects customers to local retailers and rewards them with loyalty points every time they buy a Coca-Cola product. This gives the marketing team access to the data it needs to create personalised messages and launch niche campaigns. It can see where people like to shop, the products they buy and how often they're buying.
This is the type of data that drives successful AI initiatives, and Neheammer believes that capturing it should be a priority for all businesses – even before you have a perfect plan for using it. Speaking at a recent Salesforce Connected Customer event he said: "All first-party data is valuable, even if it's unstructured. You may not be able to use it now but it's only a matter of time before you can."
The future of AI
AI is already transforming the way we engage customers but the benefit we're seeing today pale in comparison to its projected impact. IDC predicts that AI will deliver a $1.1 trillion boost to global business revenue and create 800 thousand new jobs in the next five years alone.
If AI was a novelty a few years ago, it looks set to become the new electricity – something all businesses depend on and few can do without.
Want to learn more about how you can transform your customer experience with AI? Email us at innovate@salesforce.com to schedule a meeting. And in the meantime, read this e-book on AI for CRM to find out how you can get started.
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