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ALL DIGITAL SIGNAGE, SOME SNARK
Enplug Shows Off Its Millennial Take On Digital Signage
July 16, 2015 July 15, 2015 by Dave Haynes
I've known about the LA start-up Enplug for a few years, and followed with curiosity the journey of millennial friends who got a company going in a rented house and gradually started to build it up and get some attention.
I hopped off a plane Tuesday (upgraded by surprise, yay!), grabbed a rental, and went over for a visit to Enplug's West LA offices before heading way south to the gig I'm at this week.
Nice people. Cool place, typical of the dotcom/silicon beach look. Minimalist. Furnishing-lite. Ping pong table. Dogs welcome. But in a Culver City office park, not downtown loft space.
The company started in 2012, bootstrapped and then private equity supported, and went after the restaurant-bar digital OOH ad space. It was the "sign up venues, put your equipment in, sell ads and share revenues" approach that plenty of now-dead companies have tried. Selling local ads is a TOUGH gig.
About a year ago, Enplug pivoted and went into the far more stable, far less capital-intensive fee-for-service signage game.
It's worked, and the company now lists some 600 customers – from the coffee and bubble tea places they started with to larger corporate clients with lotsa sites, like the shared workspace company Wework.
The company has 30 people working out of its Culver City office and the home that's still being rented, and used as part office, part dorm for staff. Enplug also has partner companies doing work out of Slovakia and Nigeria. The company is engineering-heavy, by its own admission, and it's only been in the last year and changed business model it has started to actively sell software and related services.
I got a rundown on what Enplug does – which is digital signage with a heavy emphasis on the idea of being a platform for web-driven apps of all descriptions. The company has a marketplace and is very interested in working partnerships with third parties who bring a new spin to what you might see on signs.
They've seen the most success, at least lately, working in corporate communications – providing content and social apps that differ from the typical motivational and messaging stuff you see in workplace environments. One of the company's partners is Startup Vitamins, which sells posters, shirts and other with in your face statements like "Get Shit Done."
The platform is SaaS-based and pricing comes in a variety of tiers based on business size and things like the need, at the most expensive level, to go white label. The platform is both Android and Windows, though in an interesting twist, it's the Windows version that needs to catch up with the Android 4.4 version in terms of features and capabilities.
More typically, Android systems are limited variants of existing Windows playback systems and don't do all the stuff a Windows set-up can manage. The company has settled on a set of single board computers from a South Korean company called HardKernel.
I asked CIO Navdeep Reddy and marketing director Ryan Gushue what their big selling point is, and they said ease of use. I suggested the vast majority of signage platforms trumpet their ease of use, so they have a problem there. But these guys said Enplug is genuinely easy and comes from the same mindset as web-based services, as opposed to installed software.
The UX, from what I saw, was indeed very friendly- with some interesting wrinkles like a set of sliders operators could use to balance scheduling ie if there are five content apps running the default is 20% of time for each, but that could be adjusted just by adjusting percentages via slider buttons.
I was impressed that in the time that they've moved off an ad-based model, Enplug put a LOT of development effort into what looked to be pretty deep device management (which I don't see as often as I should). Reddy also suggested their software development kit makes it very easy for interactive developers to drop their HTML5 work into Enplug's platform without learning anything new, and that the SDK gives a developer far deeper access into the platform than is typical.
Beats me, as I am no developer. But I do like the general approach and mindset. The user base, no matter how technically adept those people may be, is familiar with using no end of web services that are click, click, click, done. Companies that emulate that, and flatten out the learning curve, are on to something. Companies that have user experiences that instantly suggest that many hours of training will be needed will face more and more of a problem staying attractive to hyper-busy people.
One of the company's primary calling cards is its integration and use of social media on screens. I asked what the implications of the Monster Media/Locamoda patents and Aerva settlement might be, and Reddy said the company is making a deliberate decision to not talk about its own point of view.
If I visited 50 software CMS companies, I'd get 50 opinions on why whoever I talked to that day was superior. You kinda have to be in love with your product and processes to stay sane when there are so many competitors offering up roughly the same thing.
In a lot of ways, I think what matters and what will set you apart more than the software is your understanding of the shifting marketplace and how people do things, and on that I'd say Enplug is on the right track.
I also think these guys have a very solid handle on marketing – behaving much more like a tech web services start-up in how it gets the word out than the traditional methods I see from most companies in the signage ecosystem. They've managed to get tech press attention that much larger, more established companies rarely get, and appear to have done a good job of being squarely part of the LA tech scene.
Reddy says the goal is to position Enplug's platform as THE foundation for sign messaging, with apps and content getting plugged in to work on top of that base. It's a similar notion to how WordPress has emerged as THE website management platform, and there's a huge community of developers that create, market or at least make available plug-ins that enable different types of content and functionality.
That's a big goal and there are lots of companies with a similar one. So we'll see.
But this is the first established signage software play I've seen that absolutely reflects the mindset, interests and style of millennials.
It's really important for anyone in this industry to acknowledge and respect that millennials now outnumber the baby boomer generation – the generation making the big decisions at competing software companies, and not necessarily knowing or understanding ALL those millennials who don't think and work the same way.
Millennials don't run many Fortune 1000 companies. But they run a lot of start-ups, and have marketing and communications gigs at a lot of bigger companies.
Dave Haynes
Dave Haynes is the founder and editor of Sixteen:Nine, an online publication that has followed the digital signage industry for more than 13 years. Dave does strategic advisory consulting work for many end-users and vendors, and also writes for many of them. He's based near Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Categories Android, CMS, TECHNOLOGY Tags Android, content, Digital OOH, digital signage, Enplug, marketing, Software Post navigation
DSrupted: Why You Should Attend – Reason #3 – Depth
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1 thought on "Enplug Shows Off Its Millennial Take On Digital Signage"
Clinton Gallagher @virtualCableTV
Enplug looks good at face value but requires development using Java raising the technical debt. Furthermore, it is quite expensive and does not provide a way up front to prove its cost model.
The more I look into MediaSignage which holds the digitalsignage.com domain the more I realize how developer friendly and cost friendly their signage appears to be.
The signage CMS and players are long in the tooth. My concern being the longevity, capabilities and support of the Adobe programming frameworks in a world that has gone HTML stack, Java, C# or Objective-C
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About Sixteen:Nine
SIXTEEN:NINE is an online news and analysis publication focused on the digital signage industry – vendors and end-users. We filter the BS. We ignore most press releases. We celebrate great work. And we point out stupidity. There are 7,000+ articles here, and the count grows daily. Tracing back to early 2006, 16:9 is in many ways a running history of the digital signage industry. Founding Editor Dave Haynes has built and run companies in this business, and he's consulted for scores of companies. In other words, he knows his stuff.
Sixteen:Nine Podcast – more than 180 episodes and counting
Twitter: @sixteennine
Sixteen:Nine has been covering the digital signage industry daily since Feb. 2006. The online publication is solely owned by Vertical Media Consulting Group Inc., a Canadian-incorporated firm located near Halifax, NS. Other properties include the MeetingRoomSigns.biz online directory.
SIXTEEN:NINE accepts advertising, and has multiple ad positions available. We have a global reader base and large, highly-focused and loyal readership interested in editorial independence, quality writing and a frank, honest point of view. We can send you a media kit with rates and options.
Guest submissions are happily considered from people with genuine experience and insight about the Digital Signage and Digital OOH sectors. If you want to guest post to plug your product, or generate links for SEO reasons, go away.
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And yet, while it's George we relate to, we can't help but find Mary incredibly desirable. She stands iconically as the devoted wife, and the movie is jampacked with these shining moments of Mary.
George and Mary have scraped together a honeymoon fund of $2,000 to wine and dine and see the world. But, when there is a run on the banks, the beloved Building & Loan is out of money, and George must attempt to dissuade a mob of people thirsty for cash. Beholding such a moment, it would have been perfectly natural for Mary—who insisted that George never get out of the car—to become very upset for the ruined day.
As the film progresses, George's ungratefulness only becomes more sharply contrasted with Mary's devotedness. When George reels over the temptation of a lucrative job under Mr. Potter, Mary gleefully announces that she is carrying their first child. George spends his days toiling at Building & Loan and disparaging his beat-up car, but Mary faithfully fixes up the house and raises their children. While George contemplates suicide over the misplaced $8,000, Mary goes on the move and resourcefully mobilizes the town to come to their aid.
In supporting Intellectual Takeout's operations, Eric is responsible for the administration of strategic plans, finances, and mass communications. Eric received a B.A. in the Philosophy and Psychology of Ethics from St. Olaf College. With five years of admin experience, Eric enjoys using systems to facilitate effective missions and edifying communities. Outside the world of admin, Eric likes dancing, cooking, reading, and time with family and friends.


If there are eight pies at the bakery, and four pies are sold, how many are left? Learn subtraction on a fun trip to the bakery! With vibrant photos, math charts and diagrams, simple informational text features to help navigate the book, and easy-to-read, repetitive text, beginning readers will learn real-world applications of math skills as they learn subtraction and build their STEM skills.


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New processing technology reduces operating costs at Namibian uranium projects
Posted by Musa Carter | Jan 24, 2017 | Headlines
Australian Stock Exchange-listed uranium miner, Marenica Energy has now commenced studies to apply its proprietary processing technology, U-pgrade, at the Marenica Uranium project, the Australian miner's majority-owned uranium deposit at Trekkopje in the Namib desert.
Announcing the move this week through the stock exchange news service, Marenica said a scoping study was completed on the project in 2011, since then the company has developed its processing technology, U-pgrade, providing the potential to halve process operating and capital costs at its Namibian mine.
After the scoping study, testwork on Marenica's game changer U-pgrade technology was concluded towards the middle of 2016. During the testing phase, initial results at Namibian ore bodies, including that Deep Yellow's Tumas and Marenica's Trekkopje open pit exploratory mining operation, indicates a substantial saving for uranium miners. This prompted Marenica to conduct a revised scoping study which was announed this week.
U-pgrade is an innovative recovery technology that Marenica hopes will drastically reduce its operating costs, helping the entire industry to survive the cycle of depressed uranium prices.
In addition, Marenica stated that mining development costs have reduced significantly since the original scoping study was conducted. These factors, together with expectations for a reboot of the uranium sector in the medium term have encouraged the Marenica Board to revise its studies on the economics of the Trekkopje project.
The revised scoping study is expected to be completed within 3 months, and will create a platform to consider a more detailed feasibility study later in 2017.
Marenica said it can now continue with the new scoping study after the Ministry of Mines and Energy issued them with a Mineral Deposit Retention License only a month ago in December 2016.
Marenica´s MD, Murray Hill said, "This revised scoping study will provide an opportunity for Marenica to reset the economics of the project in light of the material advancements possible using the U-pgrade technology and the more competitive cost environment in which the industry finds itself in at the moment".
He added, "The project´s world scale size, its shallow and easily accessible orebody and Marenica´s own U-pgrade technology combine powerfully to demonstrate its competitive and low risk production capacity once prices recover as we expect".
Marenica´s Chairman Doug Buerger said, "Re-focusing on the Marenica Project comes at a time where perhaps we are seeing the first green shoots in the uranium industry. We are strongly committed to the potential of this project and in taking our place in the development queue of new projects in preparation for better times".
"Progressing our own projects using U-pgrade is both complementary and supportive of our corporate strategy of developing a portfolio of uranium interests and providing our shareholders with a leveraged and diversified exposure to the medium term prospects in the uranium market," he added.
The company stated that although the low grade of the deposit would normally make development challenging in all but the more optimistic uranium price scenarios, the U-pgrade technology is capable of concentrating the ore by a factor of 50 time to materially improve the economics of the project.
Furthermore, Marenica also intends to channel the expertise within its Technical Steering Committee to revisit all parts of the mining operation to identify further performance and cost improvements. By applying this technology and technical expertise through the revised scoping study it hopes to establish a profitable uranium operation in the US$65 to US$75 per pound, price band.
Marenica believes the fundamentals are in place for a rebound in the uranium market in which prices will need to rise substantially to support investment in new mine capacity. Commencing the revised scoping study now would place the project on a timeline to compete with other projects when the uranium price recovers.
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Musa Carter
Musa Carter is a long-standing freelance contributor to the editorial team and also an active reporter. He gathers and verifies factual information regarding stories through interviews, observation and research. For the digital Economist, he promotes targeted content through various social networking sites such as the Economist facebook page (/Nameconomist/) and Twitter.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Guest Blog - Chef Dennis Littley: "How I got my life back with Phytorite Hemp Oil"
Guest blog from one of our favorite clients and friends, Chef Dennis Littley. Dennis experienced amazing results from Phytorite CBD oil. One of the things we love above Dennis is that he took his time to find the exact right dosage for maximum effect. Recently Dennis returned from a 6 week promotional trip in Europe and told us "I would not have been able to go on this trip if I hadn't been consistently taking Phytorite CBD and using the Soothe & Spicy Cool salves."
How can something as simple as Hemp Oil help with pain? That's the question I ask myself every day. But I can wonder all I want, the fact is that Hemp Oil does work. And although it is from the Cannabis family, I can promise you won't be getting high on Hemp Oil, you only get health-related benefits.
Hemp, which is also known as industrial hemp is found throughout North America. Hemp is one of the fastest growing plants and was one of the first plants to be spun into usable fibers more than 10,000 years ago. Hemp can also be refined into a variety of commercial items including paper, textiles, clothing, biodegradable plastics, paint, insulation, biofuel, food, and animal feed.
When people ask me how I'm doing with all my back and leg pain, I smile and tell them I couldn't be better. Well, maybe if I was 30 and still had a full head of hair, I might be a little better. But I can honestly tell them that after suffering from back pain so debilitating that it sucked the life out of me, I feel like I have a new lease on life.
And that my friends is because I discovered Hemp Oil.
For me, hemp oil is a miracle product. It's that mystical snake oil that roadside salesmen would tell you will cure all your ills. Now I'm not going to tell you that Hemp Oil will cure your body, but it certainly will help your body cope with a wide variety of health issues and very possibly give you back your life. Wouldn't that be nice?
The thing about getting older is that your body starts to pay you back for all the bad decisions you made over the course of your lifetime. Doctors give us pills, we buy over the counter pain medications and all the devices to block our pain and help us function at a fraction of the way we use to live.
Since taking Hemp Oil, my pain has subsided and I no longer need to take Advil, Tylenol or any other pain medication just to get through the day or help me fall asleep. There were days I was taking 800 mg of Advil 2 or 3 times a day and after 2 months of Hemp Oil, I wrote Advil a dear John letter breaking up.
Now I will admit that on days that I forget I couldn't walk a year ago and overwork my old body I do call on my old friend for occasional relief. But that happens once every two or three weeks instead of daily. I'd say that's quite an improvement.
And what I also discovered is that all hemp oils are not created equal. Some are not made properly or from the right parts of the plant and the cheaper the product the more you can be sure you're buying an inferior product that isn't going to help you.
The other problem is finding the right dosage. I started out buying my CBD / Hemp Oil from a large very well known company that sells their products to all 50 states. It was very expensive and although I did get a good amount of relief it never took the pain away completely.
A friend of mine from Denver, Charles Garden Stivers had been working to start his own company, Phytorite and spoke to me at length about his product and finding the right dosage for my body.
And although Cannabis (marijuana) and industrial hemp both derive from the species Cannabis sativa and contain the psychoactive component tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), they are distinct strains with unique phytochemical composition and uses.
Hemp naturally has much lower concentrations of THC and higher concentrations of cannabidiol, more commonly known as CBD. And Industrial Hemp has been bred to pretty much eliminate the THC, which eliminates its psychoactive effects. So if you think you're going to get stoned using Hemp products, nothing could be farther from the truth.
I need to say it a few times to make sure you understand. Hemp Oil won't get you high. You won't be hearing any Jimmy Hendrix Music and won't be seeing any more pink elephants than you already do!
When I tell friends how well Hemp Oil has worked for me, I always see the doubt in their eyes. I tell them that I completely understand how they're feeling because I felt exactly the same way. How could something as simple as Hemp Oil really work? I go on to tell them they have to be at the point in their life to be desperate enough to try anything. And that's when they find out that everything I told them was true.
Sadly most people have to get to that point before they're ready to try Hemp Oil.
I was thrilled that the pain was gone from my back and hips. I wasn't taking any over the counter pain medication and I was feeling good about taking my life back.
And that's when my left knee decided it was its turn to wreak havoc on my life….sigh But I'd already been to the point of desperation so I took what I thought was a long shot and started applying Hemp Oil directly to my knee, in addition to the salves I had for muscle relief.
After 3-4 days the pain was going away and I was getting movement back into my knee. Now I'm not saying that Hemp Oil is going to cure your broken body, that's simply not possible. But it can reduce inflammation, which in turn reduces pain and helps you regain mobility.
My knee is working as well as can be expected now and the feeling in my lower leg has almost completely returned. All from something as simple as Hemp Oil……. Go Figure.
I mentioned the Spicy Cool Salve I used for sore muscles. Phytorite also has Soothe Salve that's good for skin issues, scarring and wound care.
When I first started using the Spicy Cool Salve it didn't seem to do much. But now that I've built up the levels of my Endocannabinoid system it works amazingly well. I put it on the affected areas before bed and in the morning the pain is gone. Which is so much better than the thrill is gone….lol.
And yes there is an Endocannabinoid System in the human body.
In 1902 Thomas Edison said, "There were never so many able, active minds at work on the problems of disease as now, and all their discoveries are tending toward the simple truth that you can't improve on nature." Cannabinoid research has proven this statement is still valid.
Hemp seed oil is extracted by pressing the seeds of the female cannabis hemp plant. The hemp oil extracted is very nutritious in terms of a dietary supplement but hemp seed oil lacks cannabinoids, which are the main compounds found in the cannabis plant that have the ability to help battle cancer. Hemp seed oil is found mostly in products in your local grocery store and typically contains twice the levels of omega 3 found in olive oil with only half of the total calories.
There is a big difference between hemp seed oil and hemp/CBD extract. Hemp/CBD extract is the main ingredient in popular products like Charlotte's Web and other CBD-specific brands. Products containing hemp/CBD extract do have a wide range of cannabinoids, just limited to NO THC.
Because the total THC content is below the legal limit, products consisting of hemp/CBD extract can be shipped nationwide, across all 50 states. These types of products can be beneficial for increasing the quality of one's life; many patients report that they have found relief for a wide range of ailments from hemp extract alone. However, the lack of THC does provide an issue for patients that have a treatment plan that requires high doses of THC, so it will depend on your specific use-case.
If you're tired of chronic pain and over the counter pain medications that are destroying your liver, why not give Phytorite Hemp Oil a try.
They also have Hemp Oil for pets that can keep them out of pain and functioning at a better level.
This isn't a sponsored post, I'm not getting paid for sharing information about this product, I just want to help my friends and followers feel better. It worked for me and hopefully, it can work for you. It will take 3-4 weeks of building up your cannabinoid levels and a little longer to get pain levels lower than they've been in years. So give yourself time for the Hemp Oil to work.
I also had a friend who bought a cheaper product off of Ebay and saw no results. Remember not all Hemp Oils are created equal, some are just scams preying on the uninformed.
*Remember if you do order salves, give your body time to build up your cannabinoid levels to get the most out of those products.
Thank you, Dennis, for this in-depth blog post - we couldn't have said it better!
Follow Dennis for great recipes and travel adventures.
Use code PHYTOCHEF for 20% off your first order!
CBD is proving to be a powerhouse supplement for people who have struggled to lose excess weight.


Taylor R. Brewer, 22, 112 South Railroad Avenue, Morgan City, LA was arrested on March 14, 2016 at 9:22 am on a warrant for theft. The warrant was obtained following an investigation that began in February into an employee theft from a store in Bayou Vista. The detective collected video evidence of Brewer taking cash from a register on over a dozen occasions in the total amount of $2,880. Brewer turned herself in on the warrant at the St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office in Morgan City and was transported to the parish jail. Brewer was released after posting a $5,000 bond.
Dylan Allen, 18, 1755 Highway 317, Centerville, LA was arrested on March 14, 2016 at 1:35 pm for misdemeanor carnal knowledge of a juvenile. A detective received a complaint of a possible molestation of a juvenile. During the course of the investigation, the detective gathered evidence that Allen had contact that was sexual in nature with a 15 year old juvenile female at a location in Centerville. Allen turned himself in on the warrant at the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center. Allen was released after posting a $1,500 bond.
Steven Williamson, 32, 126 Riverview Drive, Patterson, LA was arrested on March 14, 2016 at 6:02 pm for possession of Schedule I and operating a vehicle under the influence of an illegal substance. A deputy responded to a report of a vehicle traveling at an extremely slow rate of speed on Highway 87 in the Franklin area. The deputy conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and made contact with the driver, identified as Williamson. While speaking with Williamson, the deputy observed several signs of impairment including slow and slurred speech. Williamson also used the vehicle to support himself. The deputy received consent to search the vehicle and located a small bag containing a green leafy substance suspected of being synthetic cannabinoids. Three burnt cigarettes suspected of containing the same substance were also located. Williamson was transported to the parish jail for booking. No bail is set.
A deputy patrolling Amelia conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle with a malfunctioning headlight on Lake Palourde Road and made contact with the driver, Lewis. During the stop, the deputy located two active warrants for Lewis' arrest. The deputy also found a drinking glass containing an alcoholic beverage and a small plastic bag containing suspected marijuana inside the vehicle. Lewis was transported to the parish jail for booking. No bail is set.
Lady Brown, 33, 1404 Martin Luther King Drive, Jeanerette, LA was arrested on March 15, 2016 at 4:37 am for violation of the maximum speed limit and driving under suspension. A deputy on Highway 90 in the Amelia area observed a vehicle travelling 81 miles per hour in a posted 70 mile per hour zone and conducted a traffic stop. The deputy made contact with the driver, Brown, and found that her driver's license was listed as suspended. Brown was released on a summons to appear in court on May 27, 2016.


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A Liberal Decalogue: Bertrand Russell's Ten Commandments of Critical Thinking and Democratic Decency
When Debate Is Futile: Bertrand Russell's Remarkable Response to a Fascist's Provocation
How to Grow Old: Bertrand Russell on What Makes a Fulfilling Life
The Will to Doubt: Bertrand Russell on Free Thought and Our Only Effective Self-Defense Against Propaganda
"The protection of minorities is vitally important; and even the most orthodox of us may find himself in a minority some day, so that we all have an interest in restraining the tyranny of majorities."
"We must believe before we can doubt, and doubt before we can deny," W.H. Auden observed in his commonplace book. Half a century earlier, Bertrand Russell (May 18, 1872–February 2, 1970), the great poet laureate of reason, addressed the central equation of free thinking in his 1922 Conway Memorial Lecture, later published as Free Thought and Official Propaganda (public library | free ebook) — a short and searing book charged with Russell's characteristic intellectual electricity, the immense power of which melts an entire century into astonishing timeliness speaking directly to the present day.
Three decades before he was awarded the Nobel Prize for "his varied and significant writings in which he champions humanitarian ideals and freedom of thought," Russell writes:
When we speak of anything as "free," our meaning is not definite unless we can say what it is free from. Whatever or whoever is "free" is not subject to some external compulsion, and to be precise we ought to say what this kind of compulsion is. Thus thought is "free" when it is free from certain kinds of outward control which are often present. Some of these kinds of control which must be absent if thought is to be "free" are obvious, but others are more subtle and elusive.
Writing three years after the magnificent Declaration of the Independence of the Mind, which he signed alongside luminaries like Albert Einstein and Jane Addams, Russell points to two primary meanings of "free thought" — the narrower sense of resisting traditional dogma and a broader sense that encompasses all forms of propaganda pervading public life. A patron saint of nonbelievers, Russell writes:
I am myself a dissenter from all known religions, and I hope that every kind of religious belief will die out. I do not believe that, on the balance, religious belief has been a force for good. Although I am prepared to admit that in certain times and places it has had some good effects, I regard it as belonging to the infancy of human reason, and to a stage of development which we are now outgrowing.
But there is also a wider sense of "free thought," which I regard as of still greater importance. Indeed, the harm done by traditional religions seems chiefly traceable to the fact that they have prevented free thought in this wider sense.
He considers the three essential elements of this wider conception of free thought:
Thought is not "free" when legal penalties are incurred by the holding or not holding of certain opinions, or by giving expression to one's belief or lack of belief on certain matters… The most elementary condition, if thought is to be free, is the absence of legal penalties for the expression of opinions.
Legal penalties are, however, in the modern world, the least of the obstacles to freedom of thoughts. The two great obstacles are economic penalties and distortion of evidence. It is clear that thought is not free if the profession of certain opinions makes it impossible to earn a living. It is clear also that thought is not free if all the arguments on one side of a controversy are perpetually presented as attractively as possible, while the arguments on the other side can only be discovered by diligent search.
Echoing the essence of Descartes's twelve tenets of critical thinking, penned three centuries earlier, Russell returns to the centerpiece of free thought — the willingness to doubt:
William James used to preach the "will to believe." For my part, I should wish to preach the "will to doubt." None of our beliefs are quite true; all have at least a penumbra of vagueness and error. The methods of increasing the degree of truth in our beliefs are well known; they consist in hearing all sides, trying to ascertain all the relevant facts, controlling our own bias by discussion with people who have the opposite bias, and cultivating a readiness to discard any hypothesis which has proved inadequate.
Half a century before Richard Feynman's terrific meditation on science vs. religion and why doubt is essential for morality, Russell extols science as the domain of human knowledge that best exemplifies the fruitfulness of this "will to doubt":
Every man of science whose outlook is truly scientific is ready to admit that what passes for scientific knowledge at the moment is sure to require correction with the progress of discovery; nevertheless, it is near enough to the truth to serve for most practical purposes, though not for all. In science, where alone something approximating to genuine knowledge is to be found, men's attitude is tentative and full of doubt.
In religion and politics, on the contrary, though there is as yet nothing approaching scientific knowledge, everybody considers it de rigueur to have a dogmatic opinion, to be backed up by inflicting starvation, prison, and war, and to be carefully guarded from argumentative competition with any different opinion. If only men could be brought into a tentatively agnostic frame of mind about these matters, nine-tenths of the evils of the modern world would be cured. War would become impossible, because each side would realize that both sides must be in the wrong. Persecution would cease. Education would aim at expanding the mind, not at narrowing it. Men would be chosen for jobs on account of fitness to do the work, not because they flattered the irrational dogmas of those in power.
He points Einstein and the relativity theory he had formulated just seven years earlier as an epitome of this disposition:
His theory upsets the whole theoretical framework of traditional physics; it is almost as damaging to orthodox dynamics as Darwin was to Genesis. Yet physicists everywhere have shown complete readiness to accept his theory as soon as it appeared that the evidence was in its favour. But none of them, least of all Einstein himself, would claim that he has said the last word… This critical undogmatic receptiveness is the true attitude of science.
Indeed, we have seen a supreme testament to this in the recent landmark detection of gravitational waves — something Einstein saw as a purely theoretical concept of unimaginable empirical corroboration.
Illustration by Vladimir Radunsky for On a Beam of Light: A Story of Albert Einstein by Jennifer Berne
Russell offers a disquieting thought experiment of sorts:
If Einstein had advanced something equally new in the sphere of religion or politics … the truth or falsehood of his doctrine would be decided on the battlefield, without the collection of any fresh evidence for or against it. This method is the logical outcome of William James's will to believe. What is wanted is not the will to believe, but the wish to find out, which is its exact opposite.
He considers the core obstacles to this vital rational doubt:
A great deal of this is due to the inherent irrationality and credulity of average human nature. But this seed of intellectual original sin is nourished and fostered by other agencies, among which three play the chief part — namely, education, propaganda, and economic pressure.
Russell examines each of the three in turn, beginning with education — a subject he would come to consider closely four years later in his masterwork on education and the good life. Education's formal institutions, he argues, are set up "to impart information without imparting intelligence" and designed "not to give true knowledge, but to make the people pliable to the will of their masters" — a seedbed of political and cultural propaganda that begins in elementary school, with the teaching of a history told by those in power, and results in the widespread manipulation of public opinion. Lamenting "the paradoxical fact that education has become one of the chief obstacles to intelligence and freedom of thought," he envisions the remedy:
Education should have two objects: first, to give definite knowledge — reading and writing, languages and mathematics, and so on; secondly, to create those mental habits which will enable people to acquire knowledge and form sound judgments for themselves. The first of these we may call information, the second intelligence.
He then turns to propaganda — the concerted manipulation of public opinion by those in power. Having previously advocated for the blurring of the line between intuition and the intellect, he writes:
Too much fuss is sometimes made about the fact that propaganda appeals to emotion rather than reason. The line between emotion and reason is not so sharp as some people think.
The objection to propaganda is not only its appeal to unreason, but still more the unfair advantage which it gives to the rich and powerful. Equality of opportunity among opinions is essential if there is to be real freedom of thought; and equality of opportunity among opinions can only be secured by elaborate laws directed to that end, which there is no reason to expect to see enacted. The cure is not to be sought primarily in such laws, but in better education and a more sceptical public opinion.
Turning to the final impediment of free thought — the economic pressures of conformity, under which one is rewarded for siding with and adopting the dogmas of those in power — Russell writes:
There are two simple principles which, if they were adopted, would solve almost all social problems. The first is that education should have for one of its aims to teach people only to believe propositions when there is some reason to think that they are true. The second is that jobs should be given solely for fitness to do the work.
Nearly a century after Kierkegaard argued for the power of the minority and a generation before Hannah Arendt's case for outsiderdom, Russell urges:
The protection of minorities is vitally important; and even the most orthodox of us may find himself in a minority some day, so that we all have an interest in restraining the tyranny of majorities. Nothing except public opinion can solve this problem.
It's a sentiment of enormous poignancy and prescience, illustrating both how far we've come — Russell is writing more than three decades before the zenith of civil rights and the Equal Pay Act — and how far we have yet to go in a culture where, a century later, sexism and racism are far from gone and many workplaces are still systematically discriminating against minorities like Muslims and the LGBT community.
The cultivation of public opinion that advances equality and justice rather than upholding oppressive power structures has to do with the "will to doubt" at the heart of Russell's case. He writes:
Some element of doubt is essential to the practice, though not to the theory, of toleration… If there is to be toleration in the world, one of the things taught in schools must be the habit of weighing evidence, and the practice of not giving full assent to propositions which there is no reason to believe true.
The role of the educator, he argues, is to teach young minds how to infer what actually happened "from the biased account of either side" and to instill in them the awareness that "everything in newspapers is more or less untrue" — a task all the more urgent today, when the old role of the newspapers has been largely taken over by incessant opinion-streams barraging us online and off with the certitude of their respective version of reality masquerading as truth.
Russell returns to the basic human predicament obstructing freedom of thought and envisions its only fruitful solution:
The evils of the world are due to moral defects quite as much as to lack of intelligence. But the human race has not hitherto discovered any method of eradicating moral defects; preaching and exhortation only add hypocrisy to the previous list of vices. Intelligence, on the contrary, is easily improved by methods known to every competent educator. Therefore, until some method of teaching virtue has been discovered, progress will have to be sought by improvement of intelligence rather than of morals. One of the chief obstacles to intelligence is credulity, and credulity could be enormously diminished by instruction as to the prevalent forms of mendacity.
Writing nearly a century ago, even before Walter Benjamin's increasingly timely meditation on the challenge of extracting wisdom from the morass of (mis)information, Russell once again reveals his extraordinary prescience:
Credulity is a greater evil in the present day than it ever was before, because, owing to the growth of education, it is much easier than it used to be to spread misinformation, and, owing to democracy, the spread of misinformation is more important than in former times to the holders of power.
He concludes by considering what it would take for us to implement these two pillars of free thought — an education system that fosters critical thinking rather than conformity and a meritocratic workforce where jobs are earned based on acumen rather than ideological alignment with power structures:
It must be done by generating an enlightened public opinion. And an enlightened public opinion can only be generated by the efforts of those who desire that it should exist.
Complement the timelessly terrific Free Thought and Official Propaganda with Galileo on critical thinking and the folly of believing our preconceptions, Ursula K. Le Guin on power, oppression, and freedom of mind, and Carl Sagan's indispensable Baloney Detection Kit, then revisit Russell on what "the good life" really means, why "fruitful monotony" is essential for happiness, the nature of time, and the four desires driving all human behavior.
https://www.themarginalian.org/2016/05/18/bertrand-russell-free-thought-propaganda-doubt/
Bertrand Russellbookscultureeducationphilosophypublic domainreligionscience


text:
Cheang Pou-Soi and Johnny To Cooperate Agian in "Motorway"
A still of "Motorway."[Photo: mtime.com]
The upcoming racing action film "Motorway" is set to be released in June in Hong Kong and on the mainland. Behind the scenes, there is Johnny To and his crew from Milkway producing the film, Mtime.com reports.
Known as a pioneer in HK new generation directors, director Cheang Pou-Soi proved himself in "Horror Hotline…Big Head Monster."
It's the second cooperation for Cheang and To, following "Accident" in 2009.
"In "Accident", Johnny To gave me a great deal of advice and guided me throughout the shoot," Cheang says. "This time he gave me more space to establish my own brand."
"The director has his own way of telling a story," Johnny To states. "I wish that he could shoot the film by himself. He needs more freedom in self-creation."
The races are another highlight for the film. "I love those American car-racing movies in the1960s and 1970s. Cars were driven by real actors," said Cheang. "I hope 'Motorway' can achieve this too."
By Ma Sicong
v New Trailer of "Motorway" Released 2012-05-08 17:04:05
v Trailer and Poster for "Motorway" Released 2012-05-08 09:24:56
v "Motorway" Due to Release in Summer 2012-05-04 14:04:36


Peace and grace in Jesus Christ our Lord!
As you may know, I have been on an extended vacation since November. When I decided to take some time off, I was stressed out, overworked, and had to rectify a lot of chaos in my personal life. It's been almost three months, and a lot has changed since then. Am I still stressed? To some degree. Still overworked? Oh yes. Still a lot of chaos? Yes, but much less so. I feel things are much more ordered now than they were in the fall and I am feeling a lot happier about life in general.
Ergo, I'm going to announce my official return to blogging - tentatively at least. I offer no promises on how frequently I will post, but I definitely am starting to feel the bloggy itch again.
What have I been doing with myself these past three months? A lot. Living life. In many respects, I've been doing things I should have been doing a long time ago. I do not want to go into a lot of detail out of fear of sounding virtuous, but essentially I've been working on just trying to be a better Christian in the ever-changing circumstances of my life. I've been able to spend more time with my children; I've made unexpected friendships with people I never would have probably been open to befriending before; I've stepped outside my comfort zone and engaged with people suffering from all manner of problems, sometimes being able to offer valuable help, sometimes having to stand by helplessly while I watch them destroy themselves. I got caught up writing letters to old friends. I've been able to attend to my health more and am in the best shape of my life. Rectified a lot of issues in my personal life that needed attention. And I've learned many valuable lessons about grace, honesty, love, and humility.
Professionally, things are going better than they've ever gone. Spiritually, I suppose I am responding to the continuing crisis in the Church by enfolding myself further in my own spiritual life - on letting Christ be formed in me, and worrying less and less about following up with the latest cluster at the Vatican. Earlier this month, a certain neo-Catholic apologist contacted me and asked me to participate in a debate with a well-known theologian on Amoris Laetitia and whether Francis is a good pope or a bad pope, in which I would represent the "traditionalist position." Aside from noting that what constitutes a "good" or "bad" pope can be riddled with subjectivities, I had to tell him I was not interested, because I had not even followed the debate. I haven't read Amoris Laetitia, and not following the controversy around it, I am not competent to argue about it. I'm just...past the point where I see what is going on in Rome as vitally connected with my own day to day walk with Christ.
Yes, my friends, I know the big stuff matters. I'm not suggesting it doesn't. But I do think the best we can do in times like this, if we are not to go mad, is to keep our hearts focused on the truth, maintain our integrity, perform our duties, and cling to the cross. Ultimately, my faith does not hinge on what happens in the Vatican. In the Middle Ages, there were plenty of Catholics in places like Ireland or Poland who, by virtue of their distance, might not even know who the current pontiff was, let alone be following what was going on in Vatican politics. That's what I have been doing...living as if I was a Catholic in Greenland circa 1150 AD. And living in Michigan in the winter, it might as well be Greenland. The picture atop this post is one I snapped of my yard and the field across the road last month.
So yes, dear friends, I am back and happy to bring Unam Sanctam Catholicam into its 11th year. Bless you all!
Welcome back, you were missed. It sounds like you are in an excellent place spiritually, personally and professionally. Peace and joy to you and yours.
Yes, yes, welcome back! Your words find me divided right in half, half of me agrees with you completely that our spiritual lives are far more important than the group of heretics and apostates that have obviously taken over our church, and other half believes we are going to need to grab pitchforks ourselves and go to Rome to oust these destroyers post haste. At any given moment I am in one camp or the other.
Thank you for the recommendation, friend.
Good for you on all counts!
Good to see you back, brother. Just happened to check out your blog again. Your approach to Vatican politics is largely the same as mine. It helps to focus on working out your own salvation and keeping your sanity if you try to to stay away from these type of news.
Thank you Konstantine. Bless you for your continued patronage of this blog.


text:
The Fantasticks, Twelfth Night, and More Join New Pasadena Playhouse Season
A world-premiere musical by A Night With Janis Joplin creator Randy Johnson is also added to the lineup.
Hayley Levitt
Artistic director Sheldon Epps announces his final season lineup at the Pasadena Playhouse.
(courtesy of the Pasadena Playhouse)
The Pasadena Playhouse has announced the lineup of productions set for its 2016-17 season, which will also serve as Sheldon Epps' final season as the theater's artistic director.
The season opens with Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones' classic musical The Fantasticks. The show, which tells an allegorical love story about "a boy, a girl, two fathers, and a wall," holds the distinction of being the longest-running musical in history. Directed by Seema Sueko, the production will run from September 6-October 2, with an official opening on September 11.
David Henry Hwang's M. Butterfly will follow, running from October 25-November 20 with an official October 30 opening. Inspired by Puccini's Madam Butterfly, the Tony-winning play offers a fictionalized account of an actual French diplomat who carried on an affair with a Peking opera star for 20 years, only to discover she was actually a man. Bart DeLorenzo will direct.
Next will be the world-premiere musical Shout, Sister, Shout!, conceived and directed by Randy Johnson (A Night With Janis Joplin) with a book by Cheryl West. The production depicts the life and music of legendary gospel singer Sister Rosetta Tharpe, whose hits include "Down by the Riverside," "This Train," and "Strange Things Happening Every Day." Performances will run from January 31-February 26, 2017, with an official February 8 opening.
Shakespeare's Twelfth Night will then run from March 28-April 23, 2017, with an official April 2 opening, followed by a yet-to-be-announced "Artistic Director's Choice" that will run from May 30-June 25, 2017 (opening June 4).
The Playhouse will also offer Lythgoe Family Productions' Cinderella Christmas for its fifth year of Panto at the Playhouse. The show, written by Kris Lythgoe and directed by Bonnie Lythgoe, will run from December 8-January 8, 2017.
Full casting and creative teams for each production will be announced at later dates.
For more information about the Pasadena Playhouse season, click here.
Lythgoe Family Productions
The Fantasticks
Sheldon Epps
Pasadena Playhouse
Randy Johnson
Bart DeLorenzo
M. Butterfly
Seema Sueko
Shout Sister Shout!


text:
'use strict';

/**
 * mesg_count enum
 *
 * ****WARNING**** This file is auto-generated! Do NOT edit this file.
 */

const BaseType = require('../type');
const FieldTypes = require('../fieldTypes');

const ValuesMap = {
	0: 'num_per_file',
	1: 'max_per_file',
	2: 'max_per_file_type'
};

class MesgCount extends BaseType {
	static getValues() {
		return ValuesMap;
	}

	static getSourceType() {
		return FieldTypes.Enum;
	}
};

module.exports = MesgCount;

MesgCount.NumPerFile = 0;
MesgCount.MaxPerFile = 1;
MesgCount.MaxPerFileType = 2;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Time Warner's refusal to carry Disney programming on its cable distribution networks, while apparently legal, greatly inconvenienced television viewers and rests on shaky ethical grounds.
Disney, owner of the ABC network, is one of Time Warner's fiercest competitors. As such, no love was lost between the two in the contract dispute that led to this controversy. But bad feelings aside, both companies have an obligation to television viewers to provide open access to a wide variety of programming outlets. Bickering over the price of carrying that programming is one thing; blocking consumers' access to services to which they subscribe and for which they paid is entirely unacceptable. Companies must look to what is best for the consumers they serve rather than to the bottom line. Only then will a corporation's actions be ethical and responsible.
Consumers and regulators may see the move against Disney by Time Warner as retaliation for seeking to block the proposed AOL-Time Warner merger. They may also recognize a fundamental principal of the American economy: unfettered monopolies do a disservice to the individual consumer.
Yes, consolidating services simplifies the billing process. And yes, sometimes that consolidation leads to lower prices. But on occasions like these, the true damage wrought upon consumers by monopolistic enterprise becomes starkly apparent. Certainly Time Warner's subsidiary cable companies would not refuse to carry CNN, HBO, Headline News or TBS – all Time Warner networks. Time Warner's actions are clearly anti-competitive.
Unlike the ongoing Microsoft case, the law appears to be on the side of an overzealous monopoly in the Time Warner-Disney dispute even if sound ethics and responsibility to consumers are not.


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Published on November 15th, 2018 | by Inspirations with Liz Black
Grammy Nominated Juan & Lisa Winans Set to Release Digital Holiday EP "A Little Soul For Christmas" on November 16th
Juan and Lisa Winans (formerly Lisa Kimmey) announce the release of their Christmas EP, "A Little Soul for Christmas," on Friday, November 16 via Parkside & Papergirl Entertainment. The 5-track EP offers a timeless collection of holiday classics and original songs. "A Little Soul for Christmas" is a must-have for any holiday music collection. The EP's lead singles, " Rest " and " Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas " are available for listening now. Juan and Lisa Winans married in 2007. After leading believers in worship for over a decade together, the Grammy nominated couple are returning to their first love as gospel music recording artists.
"We want to combine the platform and expertise we've gained from our years as successful recording artists with our understanding of the needs of the church from the context of music and worship. God has anointed us to walk in both for the purpose of advancing His Kingdom in this generation," says Juan Winans.
Juan Winans began his career with the Billboard #1 Gospel Album, "Winans Phase 2: We Got Next," which birthed the hit single "It's Alright (Send Me);" and continued on to write and produce for a myriad of Gospel, Pop and R&B artists including Mary Mary, Lalah Hathaway, Smokie Norful and Michael Bolton. In 2016, Juan Winans and his sister Deborah Joy Winans ("Greenleaf") began a series of tours in the original musical Born For This: The BeBe Winans Story.
Lisa Winans (formerly Lisa Kimmey) is best known as one third of the trailblazing Contemporary Christian Music trio, Out of Eden. The group was active from 1994 to 2006, producing seven albums through Gotee Records and received two Dove Awards. During Lisa's tenure with Out of Eden, she appeared on UPN's 90's sitcom "Moesha," and hosted original programming for GMC (Gospel Music Channel). In 2006, Out of Eden retired and released a greatest hits compilation. The trio reunited in 2014 for a special Gotee Records compilation album with a cover of House of Hero's single "Constant."
"Juan and Lisa are dear friends who will lift and encourage people from all backgrounds through their music. Their devotion to Christ combined with the excellence in their presentation creates a dynamic environment where lives are changed," says Dr. Rice Brooks, Co-Founder Every Nation Churches.
Celebrating the true reason for the season "A Little Soul for Christmas" will fill your holiday with sounds of peace, love and joy. This essential addition to your holiday music collection is available wherever music is digitally sold on Friday, November 16.
Tags: Juan Winans, Lisa Winans
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JOSEPHINE PALMIGIANI vs. MARIA D'ARGENIO & another.
Landlord and Tenant, Landlord's liability in tort to tenant and members of his family. Evidence, Violation of statute as evidence of negligence.
St. 1907, c. 550, § 127, which provides that owners of buildings in Boston shall maintain their premises in such repair as not to be dangerous, does not repeal nor modify the rule of the common law relating to tenancies at will, and in case of such a tenancy no liability on the landlord for obvious defects or want of repair of the premises arises unless he contracts to keep the premises in a safe condition and to make suitable repairs during the tenancy.
St. 1907, c. 550, § 127, should not be so broadened by construction as materially to limit the rights of landlords and tenants to enter into such lawful contracts as they please.
In an action by the wife of a tenant at will for personal injuries, sustained in falling down stairs on the premises let, it appeared by an answer of the jury to a special question submitted to them, that there was no agreement by the defendant to maintain the stairs in a safe condition. The plaintiff requested the judge to rule in substance that, if the jury believed that the defendant violated the provisions of St. 1907, c. 550, § 127, in failing to maintain the stairs in such repair as not to be dangerous, such failure was negligence on the part of the defendant, and that, if they believed the injury to the plaintiff was caused by such failure, their verdict should be for the plaintiff. The requests were refused. Held, that the requests were refused rightly.
In view of the negative answer of the jury to the special question in the action described above, it was said to be unnecessary to decide as to the correctness of certain instructions asked for by the plaintiff, which were based upon the hypothesis that the agreement, referred to in the question submitted to the jury, had been made.
TORT , against the owners of a building numbered 16 1/2 Bremen Street in that part of Boston called East Boston, for personal injuries sustained by the plaintiff on January 23, 1917, in falling down a stairway in that portion of the building let to her husband for a tenement under a tenancy at will. Writ dated March 9, 1917.
St. 1907, c. 550, § 127, in failing to maintain these steps in such repair as not to be dangerous, that is evidence of negligence on the part of the defendants."
"St. 1907, c. 550, § 127, provides that owners of structures shall maintain their premises in such repair as not to be dangerous. If you believe that the owners of this building failed to maintain these steps in such repair, that they were dangerous, and the injury to the plaintiff was caused by such failure, your verdict should be for the plaintiff."
The judge refused to make the rulings requested but, on the question raised by these requests, gave supplemental instructions to the jury in substance that St. 1907, c. 550, § 127, would not apply to this action, if they should find that there was no duty devolving on the defendants to keep the premises safe, because, if there was no duty, there was no negligence. The jury returned a verdict for the defendants; and the plaintiff alleged exceptions.
E. H. Savary, for the plaintiff.
H. E. Perkins, for the defendants.
that is evidence of negligence on the part of the defendants. . . . Section 127 . . . provides that owners of structures shall maintain their premises in such repair as not to be dangerous. If you believe that the owners of this building failed to maintain these steps in such repair, that they were dangerous, and the injury to the plaintiff was caused by such failure, your verdict should be for the plaintiff," and to the instructions which were given on the questions raised by the requests.
The statute which consists of one hundred and thirty-four sections is entitled an act relative to the construction and maintenance of buildings in the city of Boston, after creating a department to be called the building department to be under the charge of the street commissioner, prescribes certain requirements for the construction and maintenance, and proper lighting, plumbing and ventilation of all kinds of buildings, both public and private, whether constructed after, or existing at the time of enactment, and imposes a fine "not exceeding five hundred dollars" for any violation of the act.
The section in question reads as follows: "Every structure and part thereof and appurtenant thereto shall be maintained in such repair as not to be dangerous. The owner shall be responsible for the maintenance of all buildings and structures. The lessee under a recorded lease shall be deemed the owner under the provisions of this act." It is plain that there is no express repeal of the rule at common law relating to contracts creating a tenancy at will, under which no liability is imposed on the landowner for obvious defects, or for want of repair, unless he contracts to keep the premises in a safe condition, and to make suitable repairs during the tenancy. Fiorntino v. Mason, 233 Mass. 451.
The statute not having attempted to regulate or modify the contractual relations of the parties it should not be broadened, or a construction adopted by implication which would materially limit the rights of parties to enter into such lawful contracts as they please. It would be going far to say that the Legislature intended to do away with fundamental law. Ryalls v. Mechanics' Mills, 150 Mass. 190. Barriere v. Depatie, 219 Mass. 33, 35, 36. The requests were denied rightly.
Berdos v. Tremont & Suffolk Mills, 209 Mass. 489, Draper v. Cotting, 231 Mass. 51, 61, 62, and Cussen v. Weeks, 232 Mass. 563, the instructions, that if the jury found that a special agreement had been established, then "the fact (if it be a fact) that he was violating this statute, that would be evidence as bearing upon the question of negligence and might be considered . . . as such evidence" were correct. The question in view of the answer of the jury has ceased to be material.