text:
29 April 2019 / Deep Learning
How to Build OpenAI's GPT-2: "The AI That Was Too Dangerous to Release"
Today, the United Nations has called for the immediate withdrawal of all nuclear weapons from the world.
The sentence you just read wasn't written by me, the author of this article, nor was it written by the editor. No. What you just read was written entirely by OpenAI's GPT-2 language model, prompted only with the word "Today".
Apart from another fancy acronym, GPT-2 brought along somewhat coherent (semantically, at least) language generation capabilities, some semblance of hope for zero-shot transfer learning, and a transformer network trained with approximately 1.5 billion parameters on a text corpus with over 40 gigabytes of internet wisdom.
That's kind of a big deal.
But of course, what really broke the internet was talking, four-horned, half-breed unicorns in the Andes…
A text generation sample from OpenAI's GPT-2 language model
In this post, I'm not going to talk about better language models and their implications. As the great Stan Lee once said, "nuff said" about that.
Here, I'll show you how exactly humanity's greatest text generator (at the time of this writing, at least) works, and how to build your own in just a few lines of code.
Note, however, that the GPT-2 model that we're going to build won't start generating fake Brexit campaigns. The original model was trained for months, harnessing the power of 100+ GPUs.
So unless you've got that kind of computing power, it's a feat if your mini-GPT can get subject-verb agreement right.
What GPT-2 Actually Is
As has become the norm when there is a breakthrough in deep learning research, there's been a fair share of terminator imagery accompanying popular articles that describe OpenAI's latest set of matrix multiplications. So I thought I'll start by clearing a few things up.
GPT-2 stands for "Generative Pretrained Transformer 2":
"Generative" means the model was trained to predict (or "generate") the next token in a sequence of tokens in an unsupervised way. In other words, the model was thrown a whole lot of raw text data and asked to figure out the statistical features of the text to create more text.
"Pretrained" means OpenAI created a large and powerful language model, which they fine-tuned for specific tasks like machine translation later on. This is kind of like transfer learning with Imagenet, except it's for NLP. This retraining approach became quite popular in 2018 and is very likely to be a trend that continues throughout 2019.
"Transformer" means OpenAI used the transformer architecture, as opposed to an RNN, LSTM, GRU or any other 3/4 letter acronym you have in mind. I'm not going to discuss the transformer architecture in detail since there's already another great article on the FloydHub blog that explains how it works.
"2" means this isn't the first time they're trying this whole GPT thing out.
So here's a summary of all the 2018 NLP breakthroughs that you need to understand before getting into GPT-2. I'll illustrate it using some insanely advanced math:
OpenAI Transformer v1(akaGPT-1) = ULMFiT+ Transformer
GPT-2 = GPT-1 + reddit + A lot of compute
Wait, What!?
Ok. there's a fair amount of background knowledge required to get all of that. To top that, I've also left out essential ideas like ELMo and BERT that while not immediately relevant when talking about GPT-2, were instrumental to its eventual development.
If you're already aware of the technologies that led up to GPT-2, congratulations! You basically now understand what it takes to invent a state of the art NLP model! 🎉🎉
But for the rest of you that were daydreaming about a Sesame Street-Michael Bay crossover, let's get into it.
The transformer is an awesome neural network architecture. As I mentioned already, the details of this model are … fairly detailed.
So for the purposes of this article, treat the transformer as a black box— it defines a structure for performing computations. Though in actuality, that's a gross abstraction, so I'd encourage you to read this transformer article before you continue.
Pre-trained Language Models
Photo by Kelly Sikkema
Another trend that the NLP community picked up in 2018 was the idea of transfer learning, which had been going on for years in the computer vision world, but has only recently picked up the pace for NLP tasks. Again, transfer learning has been hugely successful and is likely to continue throughout 2019.
"Transfer learning" here is usually done in 2 ways: feature-based and fine-tuning.
ELMo uses a feature-based method, where contextual word embeddings are created by concatenating the hidden state vectors from a pretrained language model to the existing word vector. But I'm not going to elaborate on that, because neither BERT nor GPT use the feature-based approach.
Throughout 2018, we've come to see that fine-tuning works slightly better, probably because it allows you to tweak the language model through backpropagation.
Transformers + Pre-trained Language Models
Photo by Rafaela Biazi
So here was OpenAI's big insight: transformers work pretty good, Fine-tuning a language model works pretty good, so a transformer + a pretrained language model should work pretty good.
A few backprops later, GPT was born.
In reality, though, there were a few hurdles to cross. First, looking at the transformer architecture, it's not entirely clear how to make it work for language modeling. Take a look at the diagram below to see what I mean.
The transformer expects a complete sentence ("sentence" here is not the same as an English sentence, it means a sequence of words of some fixed length — 512 in the case of GPT), which it encodes and "transforms" using a decoder.
This behavior makes it an excellent choice for sequence-to-sequence applications, like machine translation and question answering, but it's practically useless for language modeling, where we want to predict the next word given a sequence of words.
Luckily, the decoder part of the transformer can sort of do this on its own. Think about what the decoder is actually doing — given an encoded representation of a sequence, it generates a new sequence word by word.
Written concretely,
$$\text{word}_t = \text{Decoder}(\text{word}_{t-1},\text{encoding})$$
If we throw away the encoding part from the decoder, we get this:
$$\text{word}_t = \text{Decoder}(\text{word}_{t-1})$$
Which is precisely what a language model is supposed to do!
Consequently, we need to throw away the entire encoder section of the transformer so our final architecture will look like this:
To summarize, GPT is nothing but the decoder part of a regular transformer network, with all the references to the encoder thrown away.
Fine-tuning GPT
Photo by Jiroe
What we've discussed so far is only half of the story. GPT works well across a multitude of tasks only because of the other innovation — fine-tuning.
Here's where we're at — we have a really good language model that (hopefully) has learned dynamics of the English language after being trained on a vast text corpus.
Now, in theory, if we stick a task-specific layer or two on top of the language model, we should **get something that leverages the language model's linguistic capabilities while also adapting to the task at hand.
Turns out that it's not just theory. This method actually works. It works really well. Well enough to beat state of the art on a suite of NLP benchmarks. Well enough to be hailed as NLP's ImageNet moment.
A Small Step for Man, a Giant Leap for Language Model-kind
Photo by History in HD
GPT was great. But not for long. Another similar approach — BERT was introduced by the google language team right after GPT came out, and like a kid in a candy store, the NLP folks sent GPT to the grave. RIP.
But not for long. OpenAI quickly bounced back with a revolutionary idea — doing absolutely nothing at all.
You see, what made BERT so great was that it used what's called a bidirectional language model, as opposed to GPT's unidirectional language model. I'm not going to specifically address why bidirectional models are better than unidirectional models, but when has "bi-" anything been worse than "uni-" something?
Here's how I imagine the discussion at the OpenAI boardroom probably went on the day the BERT paper was published:
Manager: "Hmm… this BERT thing seems to be working better than our idea. What gives?"
Random Engineer 1: "Well, they did this thing called masked language modeling, where they hid a certain percentage of words and trained a language model to predict them. That allowed them to use a bidirectional model which deeply encodes…"
Manager: "In English, please."
Random Engineer 1: "Their model is essentially ours with an extra pair of eyes on the back of its head."
Manager: "So the all-important question: how do we beat Mr. Sesame Street?"
Random Engineer 2: "We could train a bidirectional model too. But that would just be copying them. Or maybe we could concatenate…"
Random Engineer 1: "Nah. That would just take another step in an endless cycle. If they came up with BERT, they'd probably do something better eventually. We need a more long term solution."
Intern: "You know, we could just throw more GPUs and data at it."
All thee in unison: "Genius!"
The Front Page of the Internet
Photo by Con Karampelas
Instead of trying to beat BERT at its own game, the next iteration of GPT, prolifically named GPT-2, changes the very nature of the game it's playing.
In simple terms, BERT is trained to be very good at fill-in-the-blanks, while GPT-2 is trained to be very good at writing essays.
GPT-2 predicts the next word
BERT predicts missing (masked) words
I should also point out that what makes GPT-2 worthy of the "2" is massive scale. While BERT has a respectable 340 million parameters, GPT-2 blows it out of the water with a whopping 1.5 billion parameters.
Since our work on "Semi-supervised sequence learning", ELMo, BERT and others have shown changes in the algorithm give big accuracy gains. But now given these nice results with a vanilla language model, it's possible that a big factor for gains can come from scale. Exciting! https://t.co/fL4acZE2Cn
— Quoc Le (@quocleix) February 18, 2019
It also happens to be trained on a large chunk of Reddit, since the author decided that this was undeniably the perfect location to obtain high quality, impeccable prose.
Specifically, OpenAI trained GPT-2 on text obtained from outbound Reddit links submitted by authors who have an authoritative karma of 3 or greater. The dataset was taken from web links, and the data is text. So, fascinatingly, they called the dataset WebText.
Since BERT was tasked with filling in blanks, there's no way (yet) that it could GPT-2's Shakespearean capabilities, even if **it actually performed the task of language modeling better.
So great. We now have an algorithm capable of generating coherent sounding text. And I'd like to emphasize sounding because the reality is that GPT-2 generated text only makes sense if you're not paying attention.
Both methods aim to create large and powerful pretrained language models that are useful in a transfer learning context, but GPT-2 had a hidden superpower that was guaranteed to drive media outlets wild — writing articles about talking, four-horned, half-breed unicorns in the Andes…
Making Sense if it All
If you've read this article completely and still feel like you don't have GPT-2 engrained in your bones, fear not.
We all understand better when we actually see the code running before our eyes. So here it is, your chance to see GPT-2 (powered by Hugging Face's pretrained PyTorch model) running in real time, right before your eyes.
Thanks for reading my article. Hopefully, you now understand the key ideas behind one of the most significant NLP breakthroughs of 2019, beyond just the media hype.
While I was writing this, I came across many great resources that I think you'll find useful, considering that you made it this far. So here you go. Happy learning.
The team at the Allen institute have put together a really cool interactive GPT-2 demo!
Hugging Face created an interactive text generation editor based on GPT-2, here: https://transformer.huggingface.co
ELMo is another fairly recent NLP techniques that I wanted to discuss, but it's not immediately relevant in the context of GPT-2.
The idea of transfer learning in NLP isn't entirely new. Semi-supervised sequence learning can be thought of as the paper that birthed NLP transfer learning.
If you're interested learning about how exactly the art of fine-tuning language models developed, look no further than the ULMFiT paper.
As I mentioned in the article, GPT-2 is the second iteration in generative pretrained transformer saga. If you want the first chapter in the story, check out the first GPT paper and OpenAI's official blogpost.
Remember the other model that I talked about? The one that"competed" with GPT-2? You can learn more about how that works from the BERT paper.
Finally, the best resources to truly grasp the intricacies of GPT-2 would be the GPT-2 paper and the official blogpost.
Just a few weeks before I started writing this article, I couldn't have known that an AI breakthrough was right around the corner. Yet, a few days and a few hyperlinks later, I, a random high school graduate halfway across the globe, was looking at research produced by a world-class organization with over 1 billion dollars in total investments.
Dear internet, thank you for making great things accessible.
And if you felt that this article provided any value to you at all, the credit goes to Alessio Gozzoli and the wonderful FloydHub AI writer program. FloydHub, thank you for helping me learn far more than I could have alone.
Last update on GPT-2 (August 2019)
OpenAI published a follow-up blog post 6 months after this first release, meanwhile a group of researchers has successfully reproduced the full training for the 1.5B GPT-2 model and released the weights!
OpenGPT-2: We Replicated GPT-2 Because You Can Too! 1.5B Model Weights Released.
Blogpost: https://t.co/dqfjltMh5t
Colab: https://t.co/sgO6Wed5a6
— Aaron Gokaslan (@SkyLi0n) August 22, 2019
This was unexpected!
Last update on GPT-2 (November 2019)
We are at the end of this amazing journey, finally after 9 months the full GPT-2 model is here.
We're releasing the 1.5billion parameter GPT-2 model as part of our staged release publication strategy.
- GPT-2 output detection model: https://t.co/PX3tbOOOTy
- Research from partners on potential malicious uses: https://t.co/om28yMULL5
- More details: https://t.co/d2JzaENiks pic.twitter.com/O3k28rrE5l
— OpenAI (@OpenAI) November 5, 2019
It's finally out 🔥
Want to write amazing articles like Ajay and play your role in the long road to Artificial General Intelligence? We are looking for passionate writers, to build the world's best blog for practical applications of groundbreaking A.I. techniques. FloydHub has a large reach within the AI community and with your help, we can inspire the next wave of AI. Apply now and join the crew!
About Ajay Uppili Arasanipalai
Ajay is a deep learning enthusiast and student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Ajay is a FloydHub AI Writer. He writes technical articles for blogs like FloydHub, freecodecamp, HackerNoon, and his own blog, Elliptigon. You can connect with Ajay via LinkedIn, Twitter, Medium, Facebook, Reddit, and GitHub.
Ajay Uppili Arasanipalai
Ajay is a deep learning enthusiast and student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He writes technical articles for blogs like freecodecamp, HackerNoon, and his own blog, Elliptigon.
Tokenizers: How machines read
Introduction to Adversarial Machine Learning
An introduction to Q-Learning: Reinforcement Learning
Learn about the basic concepts of reinforcement learning and implement a simple RL algorithm called Q-Learning.
A Beginner's Guide on Recurrent Neural Networks with PyTorch
Learn the basics of Recurrent Neural Networks and build a simple Language Model with PyTorch
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text:
Flight 404 Chapter 12
As Peoria's not so scenic sights rolled pass the limousine's windows, David's thoughts weren't on the scenery outside, or even on the funeral itself. No, his mind was busy trying to make sense of everything that had happened, especially the night of Sam's death.
He had been the one who had made the half-hour drive out to Sam's house to tell Margaret about the crash. All the way out to the house he kept thinking about Kate and about Dr. Malcolm.
Funny, he thought, how the intense hatred he'd felt for the man had sated itself over the years. Rationally, he knew that Dr. Malcolm had nothing to do with Kate's death. It was the very fact that he was alive, and not Kate, had fueled his anger toward the man. And the questions. They kept coming. He'd wake in the middle of the night, sweat dripping from every pore, from having wrestled with those questions.
"Why hadn't Dr. Malcolm been at the office that day?"
"What had taken him away?"
"Why was Kate opening mail, for him, marked 'personal?"
"What had the good doctor been working on in that lab that would have made him a target?"
"And finally, where was the good doctor now?
As he remembered it, Dr. Malcolm had been terribly shaken by Kate's death, because he like everyone else, had assumed that the bomb, which killed her, was meant for him.
He recalled, Dr. Malcolm had tried visiting him at home, shortly after Kate's death, but he'd been in no mood to see him, because quite frankly, he did blame Dr. Malcolm for Kate's death. She had no enemies. And she certainly didn't have any that had bomb making skills.
He'd heard, through the Police investigators on the case, that Dr. Malcolm had decided that it was best if he took his research to another area of the country. David hadn't seen or heard from Dr. Malcolm since.
A little 'What if' was slowly worming its way deep into David's thoughts. What if he'd been more forgiving towards Dr. Malcolm at the time, would Dr. Malcolm had been able to make planes safer and his good friend and mentor would still be alive? Again, his thoughts went back to the night Sam died.
He'd parked his navy blue Ford Taurus in the shrub-lined driveway, and instantly the motion lights had come on. His pathway to the front door was clear of obstruction, he remembered thinking.
His stomach churned with the anticipation of an unpleasant task. His mouth was as dry as sandpaper. He searched his right upper inside jacket pocket for the clear plastic box of Tic-Tacs he kept here.
He stepped from the car and crossed the inlayed red brick driveway and rang the antique style doorbell. Through the door he could hear the phone ringing. He thought to himself, "Oh God, don't let that be an over-eager reporter trying to get a quote from the grieving widow." He began ringing the doorbell with even more urgency. He wanted the news of Sam's death treated with sympathy and respect and not delivered as just another sound bite for the ten o'clock news.
The Sam Larson he knew was a fifty-five year old white man with all the signs of middle age – a receding hairline and a protruding beer belly. He was well into his third marriage and had three grown children. To look at him, there'd be no way you'd think he had game. However, Margaret, his third wife and final wife, was closer in age to him than to Sam. Marriage, not women, was his weakness.
He could handle women. He just couldn't handle being married.
All his children were by his first wife, Sandra and were steadfast in their loyalty to her. Sandra had taken over half of Sam's wealth. Their divorce had necessitated Sam starting over and his purchase of WKXR TV.
His second wife, Tina, by Sam's own account, was the result of a mid-life crisis. He had done all of the usual things associated with a man turning middle age. And he'd done them all in precisely the right order, he use to joke.
After twenty years of marriage, he'd bought the bright red sports car and started having an affair with a younger woman, Tina. It was no surprise to him or anyone else, watching his melt down, that his second marriage quickly ended in divorce.
It was after his divorce from Tina, that he decided to give himself and his wallet a break. He reasoned that he needed time to adjust to being middle-aged, divorced and vulnerable.
After two years of lying off women both figuratively and literally, his mind and heart were clear and ready for love again. That's when he met, or rather hired, Margaret, his third wife.
Married eight years now, Margaret had come to WKXR the long way round as she called it. A failed modeling career and a string of unsuccessful romances had left her yearning for a quieter lifestyle.
Margaret was thirty-nine years old, petite with a body that stopped traffic and a sense of style that artfully mixed 'New York Fifth Avenue' with 'Ladies Who Lunch'. She was both socially astute and business wise.
He was sure Margaret had something to do with Sam hiring him. It was Margaret who had helped take care of both him and Kaila in those first few days after Kate's death, before his mother had arrived. It was Margaret who had helped his mother find suitable renters for her house back in Indiana rather than sell it. "You never know whether you'll need to move back someday," she's said to his mother. He owed this woman a lot. But most of all, he owed her the courtesy of being there when she needed someone.
After about twelve rings Margaret came to the door. She was dressed in a tan cashmere sweater and tan wool slacks. Gold leather mules adorned her feet. He had learned about shoes from Kate. Margaret's long brown hair was pulled back in a pony tail with a brown floral print silk scarf. Her hazel eyes were red from crying. The TV in the living room was droning out reports about the crash.
"I got board waiting for Sam, she said, and decided to watch some TV for amusement."
They stood in the doorway sobbing, holding each other up and sharing their mutual pain. Later, he made coffee and permitted Margaret to tell him all about the Sam Larson she knew and loved.
June 9, 2011 elizabooksFlight 404STALKED! By Voices, thrillers, Writing
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Groovy how to handle failed library import I have a Jenkinsfile that always gets run by two webhooks, one for env A and one for env B.
It is guaranteed to always fail in env A. There is an @Library for a library that does not exist in env A.
The Jenkinsfile runs fine in env B.
Here's what I want:
try {
    @Libray('my-library')
}
catch (whatevs) {
    println "whoops, I'm running in the wrong environment! my-library is unavailable."
    System.exit(0)
}

But it doesn't work, it looks like the imports are checked at compile time:

org.codehaus.groovy.control.MultipleCompilationErrorsException: startup failed:
WorkflowScript: Loading libraries failed

How can I have the script exit with code 0 when the lib isn't available?

A: Instead of using a library that is declared in the 'system' level, using what is called 'Dynamic retrieval' (see https://jenkins.io/doc/book/pipeline/shared-libraries/ for full description):

library identifier: 'custom-lib@master', retriever: modernSCM(
  [$class: 'GitSCMSource',    remote:
  'git@git.mycorp.com:my-jenkins-utils.git',    credentialsId:
  'my-private-key'])

wrapped with try-catch.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Tom Berryman was hired as director of operations at Southeast Missouri, completing Rick Ray's staff for the upcoming 2016-17 campaign. Berryman spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Charleston. He has nine years of coaching experience, including four as a member of Anthony Grant's staff at the University of Alabama.


text:
Q: Running specific python interpreters form command line When I open CMD (on windows 10) and enter python it initializes python 3.6.0
C:\>python
Python 3.6.0 (v3.6.0:41df79263a11, Dec 23 2016, 08:06:12) [MSC v.1900 64 bit (AMD64)] on win32
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>>

Now I recently also installed 2.7.6 the interpreter. How can I call both version of Python from CMD?
desired outcome
C:\>python
Python 3.6.0 (v3.6.0:41df79263a11, Dec 23 2016, 08:06:12) [MSC v.1900 64 bit (AMD64)] on win32
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>>
>>> ^Z
C:\>python2.6
Python 2.7.6 (default, Nov 10 2013, 19:24:24) [MSC v.1500 64 bit (AMD64)] on win32
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>>

A: You can use Python launcher for Windows:

*

*Python 2.7 interptreter:

C:\> py -2.7

*Python 3.6 interpreter:

C:\> py -3.6

You also can run a script with a specific interpreter:

C:\> py -2.7 myScript.py

A: If its windows machine, to open a specific version of python you can use py from the command line.
example:
py2.7 #for version 2.7
and
py3.6 #for version 3.6
if its a Linux machine you can use the following commands in the command line python
python2.7 #opens version 2.7
and
python3.6 #opens version 3.6


With all the news we have al been reading these days, preparation no longer seems to be an option. Whether it be a natural disaster, civil disorder, or full-scale TEOTWAWKI, (The End Of The World As We Know It), most of us feel the need to prepare for scarcity of food, potable water, and potential strife. Being able to hunker down in a shelter in a familiar area that is also loaded with food, water, and other goodies gives us a feeling of safety, and a decided advantage over those who would have to rely on assistance from others.
Have you ever considered traveling during a worst case scenario? What would it entail? How long would it take? What if your vehicle is disabled or the roads are impassable? What if your primary route is blocked by debris, or is a controlled checkpoint? What about crowds? Riots? Individuals who are desperate? While the everyday commute is part of everyday life that is during usual circumstances. How would your trip to work look if there was a major earthquake, a flash flood, or (as happened to me in Seattle in 1999) riots in the streets when you tried to go home?
The most dangerous time would be traveling. You are out of your comfort zone, and while you would probably be in familiar territory, it would most likely be hostile. Imagine traveling with overpasses collapsed, or surface streets blocked by downed power lines. While most people would be alert leaving and getting close to their destination, the urge to be lax while hoofing it or driving would be tempting.
One thing that would make such a situation easier to handle is a bag filled with what you need to deal with such an event. Mostly called "bug-out bags", these are usually backpacks filled with gear and equipment to make such an excursion more manageable.
Most items you will need you already have, albeit scattered around your house. Having them all in one place, ready to go, makes life easier if something ever happens. And no matter how well you think you know where everything is, you will forget something in an emergency.
After much trial and error, I have put together a bag that works for my survival strategy. While every person's situation is different, I have some basic information that should help some in this endeavor.
Use a backpack, such as a large daypack with good padded shoulder straps and a hip belt. Even if you are driving, what if the road is blocked or (CT here) an EMP is detonated? You cannot always figure on having your vehicle. A good sturdy pack is essential.
Break in your pack beforehand. Adjust the stays (if they are internal) and get used to it. Figure out what is going in what pockets. The items you need to keep handy (gloves, lights, compass, etc.) should arranged in the outer pockets. It will take some trial runs to determine what goes where.
Figure the worst case scenario. How long will it take to get to your destination on foot? If bridges are washed out or controlled, your detours can get ugly. For me, I have to cross a major river. What obstacles are in your way? The most likely impediment will be people around you who are panicking.
How many will be traveling? While it sounds good to break up major equipment, think on that one carefully. What if you get separated and the guy with the first aid kit is missing?
Have the majority of your supplies at your bug-out destination. Every pound you carry impedes your ability to maneuver. You have to go minimalist when you are bugging out.
You really should use your pack a few times in a drill situation. I have done this a few times; staying in an older home I have access to, and lived in the home for two days from the contents of my pack. I added a few items and took out some things I found I had no use for. I have also driven out to the Olympics, and stayed the night just from my bag. It was not comfortable, but I know it is doable.
2. Bottle of Water. I keep one handy and swap it out on occasion. I will discuss an excellent purifier later.
4. GSI Outdoors Lexan Coffee Cup. Lightweight and a ton of uses. Although I have decided to forgo a stove in my bag (I can change that in about sixty seconds), a cup is very useful to have around. I looked for a link; I guess these are no longer made. I know REI carries something similar. Avoid think steel mugs such as what Coleman makes. The handle heats up fast.
5. Insect Repellant. Use the highest DEET content you can find. You might even want to carry a mosquito net that covers your head.
7. Personal Hygiene Bag. This is actually the bag my razor came in. It is a very high quality bag. I have some Aleve, aspirin, and Alka-Seltzer in it. I also keep basic items, such as a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, and mouthwash. Deodorant, moist towelettes, and things like that are in there as well.
8. Floppy lightweight hat. This one is from Columbia and has a mesh inner liner. It has as chin strap and I have to use it when it is windy. This is an easily overlooked item. It keeps the sun and the rain off of my neck and face. A sunburned neck and shoulder straps do not mix at all.
9. Clothing. I carry six pair of wicking socks, three pair of undies, and a sweater in here. I also have a spare T-shirt and my old Navy coveralls. I expect to get wet when hiking in so I feel it is important to carry a few extra items.
11. Combination Hatchet, Hammer, and Claw. I have no idea where I picked this thing up; I have had it for years. It just works like a total champ. You can probably find something similar at Harbor Freight Tools.
12. Pistol. I have recently changed my preference here, and have gone back to my beloved M92FS. Reliability and confidence with a weapon is paramount if you actually have to use it. Have enough spare magazines to get you to your destination. While a longarm would be preferable, I feel it is better to be inconspicuous.
14. 50 feet of nylon para cord.
16. Clif Bars are the tastiest energy bars I have ever had. There are a lot of flavors, as well. I carry sixteen of them.
17. Lightweight Camping trowel. I also carry a roll of TP. This is something you don't want to forget.
18. Atwater Carey Camp Towel. This has multiple uses. Mine is a fairly large model, and I punched a couple of holes in it so it can dry on the go. It could be used as a sling, or as a trauma pad.
21. Sporks. Just in case.
22. Tealights. I keep a couple of these in case I want light without a flashlight. I also keep some matches from some old MRE's handy.
25. Solar Powered Flashlight. This one has a battery that is replaceable, as well as an internal battery. It will charge in a day, and last all night. It is sold at Costco in a two pack for around $20. It has been a durable light.
26. Extra Food. I keep some Tuna Salad and Kippered Herring. Just in case the Clif Bars get old.
27. Packets of Honey. This is a very good quick boost of sugar.
28. Smith & Wesson Smith Tool. Note: I have replaced this item with my trusty Victoronix Swiss Tool (http://www.swissarmy.com/MultiTools/Pages/Product.aspx?category=doityourself&product=53905& ). The edges are smooth, and the shanks on the screwdrivers are longer. Plus all the tips and blades lock. Safety with any blade will be the most important thing, as your stress level will be high and you may not be thinking as you normally do.
29. Gloves. I keep heavy leather gloves, as well as a pair of Kevlar-reinforced gloves. Make sure your gloves are broken in.
30. Emergency Space Bags and Poncho. I used these for picture purposes only. I have tried these in real life, and aside from the crinkling, they do work as advertised. The spare poncho is only as a last resort. Keep a good set of raingear in your vehicle. Helly-Hanson makes good lightweight suits that have the advantage of being packable.
32. Magnesium Firestarter. This comes in the kit with the water bottle I described in #6. It works well. I also carry a couple of lighters, and some Esbit fuel pellets.
34. Signal Mirror. This one has a red side, as well as a sighting lens. It is heavy glass, so I keep it in a padded leather bag.
35. Silva Ranger Compass. Learn to use your compass for more than finding north. Learn about taking a bearing off of a landmark, orienting it to a map, and declension.
37. Most Towelettes. I keep several of these in my hygiene bag. Don't leave home without them.
38. Super Glue. This can be used to seal a wound (it stings) or repair your gloves or boots. A very handy item to have around. I keep it in a plastic tube to prevent it from getting punctured and leaking.
39. Aquamira Frontier Emergency Water Filter System. Same as Item 13.
40. Gerber Locking Knife. A good knife is handy to have. Don't skimp here. It should be a knife that is sharp, sturdy, and locks well.
All these items are useful for making it to your destination on foot. The most important thing to consider is weight and keeping your pack tight and close to your frame. If your ability to maneuver is compromised reconsider. You will be running, crawling, possibly climbing, and probably rolling around in the dirt.
Consider natural obstacles. How would you overcome these? Now add man made objects that are now impediments. What would that look like? Downed power lines, damaged overpasses, or bridges that no longer appears safe? It is wise to keep a set of sturdy boots in your vehicle, along with some extra clothes, right next to this bag that can be stored in your trunk. The most important thing you can do it think. To plan ahead, and consider an alternate route on foot while you are able to drive along it could be very valuable later.
It is good mental exercise to consider what may happen if there is a natural disaster, or if things get really bad in our country. By considering these things beforehand and coming up with a way to deal with them, you will be far ahead of the people who panic when it actually happens. Preparation and a cool head will carry you far.
Note: While my preparations work well for me, they will not work well for others. This bag assumes I will be traveling back to my house, where I will be safe. It has some contingencies for time in the field. It also has some contingencies in case I need to evacuate my home, due to an earthquake, chemical release, or other unforeseen event. Every person's situation and needs are different. Spare medication should be kept in here, and rotated out, so if stays fresh. A spare pair of glasses in a hard case is important.
Sorry I missed the socks and hygiene, my bad. Have you done a trail run yet, that is something I am going to attempt to do soon and try living off the grid for a few days, make sure I know how to operate these items, I would like to purchase a old school bus and convert it over to a bug out vehicle, one reason it could haul most it not all of my supplies and second it could be a camper as well. The worst thing you could do to it is to make it look good the worst it looks the better, I would make sure it was great on the inside and the motor and transmission is in great shape, The body I would make look worn out and falling apart, a lot of people would not bother with it, if it looked like a piece of junk.
I would highly recommend prepperwebsite.com it has a lot of awesome articles and links for anyone wanting to get started prepping as well as ones that have been doing it for a great while. Be sure to have a EDC (Every Day Care) kit as well, Also I would recommend on your list, fishing line and some hooks and bobber, also a solo stove check out their web site solostove.com, I have one and it is light and small, all nature fuel twigs sticks and such, are alcohol, Also some hygiene items tooth paste soap, extra socks and undies, I know the list is never ending. But your feet will thank you with warn dry socks, if they go bad guess what happens.
Terrific article. Thanks for this timely post. No matter what area we should all have this on hand with added items to answer specific area concerns.
I would guess the biggest difference between Florida and Alaska is the price of a good snow shovel :). The question of weaponry is also dependent on your situation, if you are able to stay where you are the weight and bulk of ammo does`nt really matter, if you must go to the woods a thousand rounds of .22 and a AR-7 will feed you, defend you and is easily carried for long periods of time - not so with my modified old scoped british 303 hog killer.
This is good as it points out the differences between Florida and Alaska. City Vs Country, even family and pet considerations. We must all choose what fits our personal needs and plans. One thing of encouragement; do not forget the firepower, pick what fits best to your needs and ability.
here in Florida this is a reality most of the year due to storms. We`re lucky, we have property that is self contained - we do not have to bug out(unless it`s a cat 4 or 5)- we are where a few folks bug out to, we are in a defendable position, we have water ,food, meds, and emergency power. Any one in our position( stay instead of go) may want to consider a battery powered generator, they are used on boats that don`t want to use fuel powered generators, you connect 12 volt deep cycle batteries(forklift batts are great if you can get them) and the unit generates 120volt/1500 watt power quietly, the unit is the size of a shallow well pump and can easily be used from a vehicle if required. We keep one for the times when you don`t want to use, or need to conserve fuel for your larger generators. The company is redi-line electric generators -pricey but worth it.
I've been a prepper for a long time and it has served me and my family well many times. We have had a number of natural 'disasters' over the years from tornadoes to floods to ice storms (pretty rare down here - lol) and equipment needs are some different down here in the semi-tropical Gulf region.
First off, with handicapped children, bugging out is my option of last resort. I've hardened and organized my property to the point that my buds call it "The Compound". If need be we can be self-sufficient for about a week.
I carry a Victorinox "Outdoorsman" knife, has about 26 functions, with me on a belt lanyard everywhere I go, all the time. I've had it for about 25 years and it gets used everyday, several times a day. Great deals on Victorinox knives and multitools can be found on e-bay, just search for Victorinox Swiss Army Knife, usually about 47 pages of listings. I've tried Leatherman, Gerber and some of the others, in my opinion nothing compares to Victorinox.
Another useful implement to have in the woods is "The Woodsman's Pal", it's like having a machete, a brush hook and an axe all in the same tool. Our woods down here are like a jungle and everything grows very fast. Lots of vines, brush and stickers. With the Pal you can clear a trail, a campsite, even cut down small trees (up to about 6 inches in diameter) with relative ease.
Again, great blog, keep it up, lots of good info. Even if your preparations won't work for someone in another area at least it gets them thinking about it. Also, if possible, try to put away a years worth of food. May come a time when it comes in handy.
Jello makes a great source of quick energy.
The sugar rush is unreal.
Old Navy, I have not read all of this yet, but thank you for the valuable information. It is greatly appreciated.
As I learned when I deployed, a good sized bottle of hand sanitizer comes in handy when you don't want to use up your water. Frequent hand washing , especially in austere conditions, is the best defense against getting sick. It's not as good as soap and water but at least its something. Plus it saves your moist towelettes for bathing when you need to.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. This is the one item I have been 'putting off', primarily as what to have is pure mystery. Your post will be a terrific help.
ONG, Having been in Alaska for 25 years as a commercial fisherman in one of the most miserable of elements and also spending up to four months on the Olympic Peninsula each year hunting, fishing and hiking there are a few changes I would make. One is of utmost importance and that is two space blankets sewn together for shelter and to keep your self warm. Not only that, it is the best signaling device I've come across . They also weigh practically nothing .My good friend was a sheriff in a small town and when I was there hunting he would look me up for search and rescue of missing hunters because I knew the terrain extremely well.
Once a hunter had been missing for two days and I saw his space blanket from about two miles away as he was waving it. Ever since then I always carried two sewn together as it makes a great pup tent and radiates your own heat. A mirror does not always work depending on weather . Another is a leatherman all purpose utility knife kit, very sturdy w/screwdrivers,wire cutters, file and a host of other items. Buy wooden matches and melt paraffin over them in a block configuration. They can get drenched and still light . Always "plan" to stay the night somewhere so look for that place well before it gets dark .The flashlight I use is a LED headlamp that is powered with 3 AAA batteries . They last forever and has a white and a red light , lightweight and hands free which is very important .I use clorox in a very small bottle for purifying water . 1 tablespoon per gallon and it only takes a few minutes ,the odor dissipates quickly and it doesn't hurt to drink .
Of course we're talking generalities and all must tailor for their needs.
My bug out bag is more on the military side but use most of what you use. Mine has 300 rds of .223 ammo in clips which is a bit heavy but adrenalin is a cure all !


International Women's Day will be celebrated worldwide on March 8th, and as a company we wanted to highlight some of ways we're reaching out in the community, promoting women, and encouraging them to share their perspectives.
When it comes to company culture in the tech world, the first thing that probably comes to mind is "bro culture". I'm happy to say that things are different at FM, where we've actively promoted a more inclusive environment.
I've worked in the tech industry for many years and have consistently looked for female role models whose leadership styles inspire me to be better, to be different...to be bold.
There are 22 working days in March. One of these days is International Women's Day. My challenge for our team here at FM is to seek out and take meetings with 22 women by the end of March.
The question behind any tech product shouldn't be: can a machine calculate this or that? Instead, we should ask: can this machine help us make dreams come true?
We were proud to be a sponsor again for Rails Girls last month, a great organization promoting coding education opportunities for girls and women. Check out this post Who Are The Rails Girls? written by one of our FM girls!
Four keynote speakers, all women talking about their programming, testing and entrepreneurial experience. Read a post about this recent event here.
Join some of our US designers at a local meetup where they'll be discussing all things to do with design.
We asked some of the women at FM to share their stories about what makes them who they are, where they find inspiration and how they chose their career paths. From lifestyle and cinema to technology and human rights, get to know 6 inspiring women who challenge global issues.


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Home News Community Covid reflections from Southport Hospital chaplains
Covid reflections from Southport Hospital chaplains
Masks become compulsory in shops from Friday. Martin Abrams and Jan Fraser, chaplains at Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, reflect on their work with patients and families affected by Covid-19 – and the duty on all of us to keep one another safe.
Our aim as chaplains is to offer pastoral, spiritual and religious support to patients and staff appropriate to their circumstances and understanding. We do this through individual patient visits, ward visits and by being a presence at the heart of the organisation. We are proud that one of the first doors you come to from the main entrance to our hospitals is the Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care Office.
Covid-19 has, of course, been a massive challenge to everyone. It has been a challenge to society with offices, shops and the leisure industry closing. A lot of industry ground to a halt. Many individuals were shielding and just about everyone was prevented from seeing their loved ones. Weddings were postponed, funerals went ahead but with previously unimaginable restrictions, and we have handed over control of our lives to others.
The Church has had to find new ways of working, and like many other organisations may never, and some would argue should never, be the same again.
For the NHS and hospital chaplaincy, the changes were fast and unprecedented with the many routine workings of the hospital sacrificed for a total focus on supporting the seriously ill and those with Covid-19.
Practically for us, by mid-March volunteers had been asked to stay away and relatives, other than in extreme circumstances, were stopped from coming to the hospital. As I write, many of these restrictions remain in place. With no volunteers and some of the chaplaincy team needing to shield, Jan and I rearranged our work accordingly and, with the support of one honorary chaplain and one part-time "on call" chaplain, have been supporting the staff and patient community throughout.
We have been privileged to be able to offer a "thought for the week" for staff, which has been well received, and have been working at every level of the hospital to offer support.
We had the unthinkable task of supporting the family of our colleague, nurse Josephine Peter, who died of the virus, and on their behalf planning and taking her funeral. The "clap past" arranged on the day of her funeral, as her cortege passed outside, was incredibly moving.
We have been trained in using masks and full PPE and have, at times, looked more like space travellers than chaplains. However, this has enabled us to offer ministry in all areas of the hospital, including our intensive care unit. On many occasions we have held the hands of dying patients when their family could not be there, sometimes holding phones to help conversations happen.
There was unprecedented need for our support. It was physically and emotionally draining.
As well as supporting the hospital community, we were asked to do a large number of funerals on the basis we were with patients when their families could not. In more routine situations we were visiting Covid and non-Covid patients and had the privilege of being their only visitors and in this unique circumstance sharing conversation, news and support.
Other staff and teams have, of course, done many incredible things offering, among other things, facility for families to communicate with families via video calls and deliver letters sent by email. In many cases, our staff needed to read out these messages for those unable to do so for themselves.
As the unpredictable virus worked its horror, we saw the horrendous, the miraculous and, from the whole hospital team, incredible acts of self-sacrifice.
In terms of theological and spiritual reflection, it is perhaps a bit early yet. Processing life changing experiences must shape our faith and outlook on life and cannot be rushed into. That said, over the last months, we have had the privilege of offering a servant ministry, which is what chaplains do all the time.
I have heard it said many times during the Covid pandemic, "the Church has not closed; it has simply left the building". Hospital chaplaincy and spiritual care services have been doing this for years. Specifically, we have left the church buildings, but every day reach out in faith and hope offering genuine, integrity filled spiritual support in the wonderful and terrible of life's experience. That has not changed over the last months, nor can I see it changing.
Within the hospital community we have got used to keeping one another safe by wearing masks. Looking forward we hope people will recognise the importance of protecting each other by the wearing of masks. It seems a small ask to protect us from seeing again some of the horrors of the past months.
Martin Abrams is Chaplaincy Manager and Freedom to Speak Up Guardian and Jan Fraser Hospital Chaplain, at Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust.
Contact Martin at martin.abrams@nhs.net or call 01704 704639.


If you've never heard of the Camino I would not be surprised, but it is one of the world's most popular pilgrimages, which ends in Santiago. There are many routes ranging in difficulties, popularity, and length. My family and I hiked the Camino Frances for 32 days, although it's recommended to take 35. If you've never heard of the Camino or if you are debating hiking it here is a guide to what to expect on the Camino Frances.
There is a misconception that the Camino is beside a highway; in reality the path varied greatly. The most common path is a small dirt or gravel road through country side, but of course you also have remote hiking trails and the occasional highway crossing. When you enter or leave major cities there is a lot more pavement which is hard on your joints. A lot of people will taxi over these spots.
In terms of navigation, the Camino is almost comically easy. The path is always obvious and marked with a shell, yellow arrows, or crosses. No one carries a map because there are very few places to make a wrong turn (of course I still managed to get lost once). (O.K. fine, twice).
Many say that the Camino Frances is not a particularly scenic hike and in some ways. I agree, there are not as many awe inspiring panoramas as other hikes. However, the landscape you'll pass through is beautiful and varies greatly, you are walking across an entire country after all!
If you start in France, your first day will be over the breathtaking Pyrenees, followed by the foothills filled with lush farms and beautiful villages. Then comes La Rioja, the wine region, where you'll see vineyards on top of vineyards. This was my favorite region – the fantastic (cheap) wine might have had something to do with that. Next is Burgos, which is a flat, kinda boring region – you can pack in some miles here. Then you come to the spectacular city of Leon, where many people take a rest day. The remainder varies from small mountains, farm land, and forests until you reach Santiago. A common add on is the 3 day hike to the ocean, which is truly spectacular.
One of the unique aspect of the Camino's is the number of historic towns you'll cross (many of these towns are older than entire countries). There is something to be said about kicking your shoes off after a long hike in a bar thats a hundred years old. Urbanization means some these towns are ghosts town, but these are infrequent.
The Camino de Santiago is more of a country side stroll than an outback adventure. The towns make the Camino very accessible. There are regular buses or taxis between towns, so people send their bags ahead. This makes the Camino particularly appealing to the retiree crowd. There are only a few 'townless' stretches which tend to be more crowded as all of the pilgrims are forced to start / stop at the same towns. There are some more difficult days on the Camino, but for the most part it is a relatively easy trek. A lot of people don't even bring proper hiking boots, as the most difficult part of the hike is the heat, not the terrain!
People from all over the world, different religions, and different ages hike the Camino. This means it's busy, albergues are often booked, and parts are over crowded. There are days which you can see pilgrims marching down the path as far as you can see, but other days where the path is enclosed and you'll only pass a few pilgrims.
The Camino has a way of brining people together through shared dinners, blister tips, or over a glass of wine at the end of the day. It is incredibly easy to meet people and there is a good chance that they will be interesting. Most importantly you'll likely see these people again on your pilgrimage. I found this refreshing after months of solo-backpacking and short-term friendships. This was particularly fun when my family started to develop a little bit of a reputation as the only family. People we'd never met heard of us through the pilgrim rumor mill!
While the route, landscape, difficulty and people all make up pretty important aspects of the Camino Frances, the pilgrimage is more than it's components. It is a deeply personal and individual experience. In general I'd say the Camino is not one of the bests hikes in the world, but it is one of the best experiences!
Hi, I'm Kim. An eccentric Toronto gal who spends a large portion of my life (and money) reaching various corners of the world.
For more photos check out my Camino galleries Pt 1or Pt 2.
Find me at myglobalways.com or on Instagram.
Thanks for such an honest and detailed report, now I know what to expect or rather maybe to choose another hike.


text:
Paper $35.00 ISBN: 9780226270197 Published June 2015
Cloth $63.00 ISBN: 9780226283982 Published October 2006
E-book $10.00 to $35.00 About E-books ISBN: 9780226284019 Published September 2008 Also Available From
E-book Retailers: Amazon Kindle Apple iBooks B&N Nook Chegg Google Play Kno Library Vendors: ebrary EBSCO UPSO (University Press Scholarship Online)
Spinoza and the Politics of Renaturalization
Hasana Sharp
Spinoza and the Cunning of Imagination
Eugene Garver
Reason and Character
Lorraine Smith Pangle
Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics
Confronting Aristotle's Ethics
Ancient and Modern Morality
E-book $10.00 to $35.00 About E-books ISBN: 9780226284019 Published September 2008
What is the good life? Posing this question today would likely elicit very different answers. Some might say that the good life means doing good—improving one's community and the lives of others. Others might respond that it means doing well—cultivating one's own abilities in a meaningful way. But for Aristotle these two distinct ideas—doing good and doing well—were one and the same and could be realized in a single life. In Confronting Aristotle's Ethics, Eugene Garver examines how we can draw this conclusion from Aristotle's works, while also studying how this conception of the good life relates to contemporary ideas of morality.
The key to Aristotle's views on ethics, argues Garver, lies in the Metaphysics or, more specifically, in his thoughts on activities, actions, and capacities. For Aristotle, Garver shows, it is only possible to be truly active when acting for the common good, and it is only possible to be truly happy when active to the extent of one's own powers. But does this mean we should aspire to Aristotle's impossibly demanding vision of the good life? In a word, no. Garver stresses the enormous gap between life in Aristotle's time and ours. As a result, this bookwill be a welcome rumination on not only Aristotle, but the relationship between the individual and society in everyday life.
List of Abbreviations of Aristotle's Works
What Aristotle's Rhetoric Can Tell Us about the Rationality of Virtue
Decision, Rational Powers, and Irrational Powers
The Varieties of Moral Failure
Passion and the Two Sides of Virtue
Aristotle's Ethical Virtues Are Political Virtues
The Ethical Dimensions of Aristotle's Metaphysics
Living Politically and Living Rationally: Choosing Ends and Choosing Lives
Index of Passages in Aristotle's Works
"This is a smart, inventive, highly original, and important contribution to our understanding of Aristotle. Eugene Garver has a clear and unified vision of Aristotle's project in ethics and, in particular, of the importance of Aristotelian politics and metaphysics in this understanding. His is an entirely new and refreshing approach, one that challenges many of the mainstream accounts of Aristotle. Overall, a healthy corrective to the appropriation and co-option of Aristotle by common sense and ordinary language philosophy that began towards the middle of last century."--Charles Young, Claremont Graduate School
Michael Stocker
"Confronting Aristotle's Ethics is a wonderfully rigorous, systematic study of Aristotle's ethics, focusing on the difficult relations among dynameis, kineseis, and energeiai. These illuminate the relations between an activity's external goals/ends (defending the city) and internal goals/ends (acting courageously for the sake of courage and virtue), and go some considerable way to showing that Aristotle's ethics are political, making sense only in good polities, and also metaphysical, and that the metaphysical, in turn, must be understood in terms of the ethical. Garver powerfully shows what is attractive and what is repellant in Aristotle. A genuine tour de force—one of the most instructive and confronting works on Aristotle that we have."--Michael Stocker, Syracuse University
Norman Dahl
"Throughout Garver offers fresh perspectives that illuminate Aristotle's ethics and its application to contemporary life. Even where one might disagree with him, one will benefit from grappling with his ideas. Well worth reading."--Norman Dahl, University of Minnesota
Mary Veronica Sabelli | Review of Metaphysics
"Garver's interpretation is original and provocative of a re-examination of Aristotle's system and its significance for contemporary ethical questions."
"Confronting Aristotle's Ethics is an extremely thoughtful and mature account of Aristotle's ethics that challenges the reader and opens up new ways of thinking about Aristotle. . . . Garver's main contribution is to deal with questions that are of paramount importance and to try to understand these questions—about doing good and being good—from a comprehensive perspective."
Philosophy and Rhetoric
"I highly recommend Garver's book to anyone who wishes to engage in serious inquiry about the facts of antiquity and the condition of modernity. . . . Garver offers an inventive (and sure to be controversial) interpretation of Aristotle's claim that the theoretical life (bios theôrêtikos) is more active than the life of action (bios politikos)."
International Philosophical Quarterly
"Confronting Aristotle's Ethics takes a fresh look at Aristotle's ethics. . . . Garver's work is well worth the time needed to digest it. . . . He goes a long way to showing how Aristotle's ethics should be understood and why it bears careful study."
Philosophy: Ethics | History and Classic Works
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Not interested in varsity sports but still want to play in a team? Intramural and club sports is a great option both competitively and recreationally with sports such as soccer, basketball, squash, water polo, dance and much more. You can register with a group of your friends or meet new friends by registering on your own and being matched with a team.
If you are looking for more student run programs, check out the sport clubs offered at Laurier Waterloo and Laurier Brantford.
Each year, half our student body participates in our award-winning intramural program. Whether you want to lace up your sneakers for dodgeball, sharpen your skates for ice hockey, or don a swimsuit for inner tube water polo in an Olympic-size swimming pool, there is an intramural sport for everyone.
Laurier Brantford offers a more competitive option with the extramural league. Students have access to an unlimited potential of sporting opportunities through the OCR playing alongside other colleges and universities.
Specific to the intramural program, participants are expected to treat teammates, opponents and officials with respect and dignity as specified in the fair play guidelines (posted in the AC gym, pool and stadium gym facilities). There is zero tolerance for any form of harassment, discrimination or abusive behaviour.
All registered Laurier students with a valid student ID or anyone with a facility membership (including faculty, staff, alumni or non-registered students) can participate in the intramural program.
You can only play on one team per sport but are welcome to participates in as many sports as you like.
Not all intramural programs are offered each term. To see if a program is offered, team fees or to register a team, use the Laurier Athletics e-Commerce Purchasing and Registration System.
Sport clubs are run by the students, for the students, with a heavy emphasis on student leadership in competition, performance and team management. A sanctioned sport club provides a program of instruction, recreation, and/or competition in a specific sport or physical activity. Club members primarily organize, govern, develop and largely fund their own activities through membership fees, grants, and fundraising. Joining a sport club is simple. Get in contact with the respective club president to get involved.
Don't see a club you want to join? You can sanction your own club by contacting the Special Events and Sport Clubs Coordinator at lbsportsclub@wlu.ca.
Laurier Brantford's Cheerleading Club is a newly growing team that is comprised of 20+ dedicated athletes each year. These athletes are skillful in stunting, jumping, tumbling and choreography which enables them to show off their hard work at provincial and national competitions nearing the end of the school year. Weekly practices and frequent fundraisers are held throughout the year. The Cheerleading Club is always looking for new, enthusiastic talent each year.
Contact lauriercheer@gmail.com for more information.
Laurier Brantford's Women's Basketball Club allows for girls from various skill levels to engage in organized basketball. The club offers girls the chance to partake in skill building, conditioning and team scrimmages. Come out for the chance to play basketball with a great group of girls!
Contact lbgirlsbasketball@gmail.com for more information.
The Ropes Club is for students who are looking to meet new people and get a good workout in at the same time! Meeting once or twice a week, members are taught new techniques and exercises using thick weighted ropes.
Contact lbropes@gmail.com for more information.
The Figure Skating Club is for students who are interested in continuing with their figure skating in a non-competitive environment.
Contact lbfsclub@gmail.com for more information.
The KAOS Dance Team offers both a competitive and recreational team. They compete against other universities at three different competitions throughout the year. The team trains in the styles of Jazz, Tap, Lyrical, Hip-Hop and Contemporary. All students are welcome to come support our dance team at our showcase in February. Auditions for KAOS Dance Team will take place in the second week of the Fall Term.
Contact laurier_brantford_dance@hotmail.com for more information.
Women's Powderpuff Football is looking forward to kicking off another season. The Powderpuff Club is a women's flag football team that competes in a number of university hosted tournaments throughout the year. This club is open to participants of all activity levels and skills. Sign up sessions will be held in mid-October.
Contact lbpowderpuff@hotmail.com for more information.
A new club started in 2014, Run Laurier is a club open to all students at all skill and activity levels. Meet up with the group on a weekly basis for group runs. Meet new people, improve your running and discover Brantford. Walk, jog, run Laurier!
Contact runlaurier@gmail.com for more information.
Hit the slopes with a great group of people and learn how to become a better athlete. The club is open to both those who have experience and those who want to learn!
Contact lbsportclubs@wlu.ca for more information.


I felt 10 years ago that employers asking for a ridiculous laundry list of skills and tools was getting overwhelming. I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way!
Phenomenal talk! Working on a small Dev team, your talk was greatly appreciated as a lot of what you covered is very near and dear to what happens at our office. Really enjoyed it!
Well presented, liked how personal you made your presentation. Did a great job after lunch!
This talk provided some good, specific suggestions. I, in particular, plan to negotiate for the 4 hrs/week to work on open source and/or personal learning/growth in the future.
One of the best talks at Sunshine and it had 0 lines of code in it!
I also really liked how you did your slides very good contrast.
I walked away with not only the desire to reduce my overload but also some practical tools. Thank you!
There is so much to learn and there's always more on the horizon. Taking care of yourself in a very demanding environment is important, and this talk hit home quite a few times.
David thank you! This was a great talk on a subject that is often forgotten or overlooked. I'd like to review the content and share it with my dev team. Could you share your slides?


Chittara Rangoli designs website has attracted more than 1,00,000 Visitors this Diwali Season. Total Page views crossed 2,50,000. With this achievement, it's quite inspiring to give New Rangoli Designs to our beloved Fans & visitors. Deepavali the festival lights always attracts more people to Chittara Rangoli as every one draws Rangoli during this festive season than any other festivals. So here is a new Rangoli designed today at our home for Diwali 2011. This Rangoli is inspired by the Flowers. The main part of Rangoli looks like the petals of a flower. Added the lights for Deepavali special ambience & surely enhances the festive mood. Definetly the lights (Deepams) creates different kind of mood with it's Red-yellowish colors. Have a look our designs and if you like it please click on the Facebook like button at the sidebar. Please feel free to share this Rangoli with your friends & family to wish them a Very Happy Deepavali.


text:
Q: Сумма объектов из JSON и создание нового JSON Всем привет! У меня есть код, считающий сумму значений "price" из всех объектов JSON:

var json = '[{"id":0,"price":"100"},{"id":1,"price":"50.95"}]';

var data = JSON.parse(json);

function calc (arr) {
    var sum = 0;
    arr.forEach(function (item) {
        var n = +item.price;
        sum += n;
    });

    return sum;
}

var sum = calc(data);
console.log(sum);

У меня есть JSON:
[
   {
      "{#SNMPINDEX}":"1",
      "{#BSNDOT11ESSNUMBEROFMOBILESTATIONS}":"3"
   },
   {
      "{#SNMPINDEX}":"2",
      "{#BSNDOT11ESSNUMBEROFMOBILESTATIONS}":"2"
   },
   {
      "{#SNMPINDEX}":"3",
      "{#BSNDOT11ESSNUMBEROFMOBILESTATIONS}":"3"
   },
   {
      "{#SNMPINDEX}":"4",
      "{#BSNDOT11ESSNUMBEROFMOBILESTATIONS}":"2"
   }
]

Мне нужно модернизировать код, чтобы он мог считать сумму всех {#BSNDOT11ESSNUMBEROFMOBILESTATIONS} и на выходе создавать JSON с одним объектом, вот пример:
[
   {
      "{#SNMPINDEX}":"1",
      "{#BSNDOT11ESSNUMBEROFMOBILESTATIONS}":"10"
   }
]

{#SNMPINDEX} всегда должен быть 1, а в {#BSNDOT11ESSNUMBEROFMOBILESTATIONS} сумма из предыдущего JSON.
Заранее спасибо!

A: Такой ответ удовлетворяет условию задачи.

var data = [
   {
  "{#SNMPINDEX}":"1",
  "{#BSNDOT11ESSNUMBEROFMOBILESTATIONS}":"3"
   },
   {
  "{#SNMPINDEX}":"2",
  "{#BSNDOT11ESSNUMBEROFMOBILESTATIONS}":"2"
   },
   {
  "{#SNMPINDEX}":"3",
  "{#BSNDOT11ESSNUMBEROFMOBILESTATIONS}":"3"
   },
   {
  "{#SNMPINDEX}":"4",
  "{#BSNDOT11ESSNUMBEROFMOBILESTATIONS}":"2"
   }
];

var result = data.reduce((acc, item)=> {acc[0]["{#BSNDOT11ESSNUMBEROFMOBILESTATIONS}"] =""+(+(acc[0]["{#BSNDOT11ESSNUMBEROFMOBILESTATIONS}"]) + (+(item["{#BSNDOT11ESSNUMBEROFMOBILESTATIONS}"]))); return acc}, [{
    "{#SNMPINDEX}":"1",
    "{#BSNDOT11ESSNUMBEROFMOBILESTATIONS}":"0"
   }]);

console.log(result);

Upd проверял на https://jsfiddle.net/

Спасибо @Grundy добавил скобок не думал что это так критично.

A: let json = `
[
    {
       "{#SNMPINDEX}":"1",
       "{#BSNDOT11ESSNUMBEROFMOBILESTATIONS}":"3"
    },
    {
       "{#SNMPINDEX}":"2",
       "{#BSNDOT11ESSNUMBEROFMOBILESTATIONS}":"2"
    },
    {
       "{#SNMPINDEX}":"3",
       "{#BSNDOT11ESSNUMBEROFMOBILESTATIONS}":"3"
    },
    {
       "{#SNMPINDEX}":"4",
       "{#BSNDOT11ESSNUMBEROFMOBILESTATIONS}":"2"
    }
 ]
`;

let data = JSON.parse(json);

function calc (arr, valName) {
    let sum = 0;
    return arr.reduce( (accumulator, currentValue) => {
        return accumulator + Number(currentValue[valName]);
    }, sum);

}

function makeJsonResult(data) {
    let sum = calc(data, "{#BSNDOT11ESSNUMBEROFMOBILESTATIONS}");
    return {
            "{#SNMPINDEX}":"1",
            "{#BSNDOT11ESSNUMBEROFMOBILESTATIONS}":sum
    }
}

console.log(makeJsonResult(data));


Sony is holding a 'PlayStation Meeting 2013' event in New York today where it is expected to announce the PS4, so here's everything we know.
Sony is holding a 'PlayStation Meeting 2013' event in New York today where it is expected to announce the PS4. You can watch the event live here: PS4 launch: live. UPDATE: see our story - PS4 launching Holidays 2013 full details. See also: PS4 price in UK; how much will the PlayStation 4 cost?
The PS4 will be the firm's new gaming console to replace the popular PlayStation 3. The device comes shortly after Nintendo launched the Wii U and perhaps more importantly before Microsoft reveals the next generation of its Xbox typically known as the Xbox 720.
See also: PS4 event E3 2013: live video stream.
Sony's PlayStation meeting will take place later today at 6pm New York time (11pm UK time) so the wait is nearly over to find out the details of the highly anticipated PS4.
The original PlayStation was launch in Japan back in 1994 and was followed up by the PlayStation 2 in 2000 and the PlayStation 3 launched in 2006. All six year gaps but no PS4 appeared last year.
Sony's last PlayStation Meeting, held in 2011, was for the handheld PS Vita, so it's extremely likely that today's is for the PS4.
Rumoured specifications for the PlayStation 4 include an AMDx64 CPU and an AMD Southern Island GPU. This means it will be capable of a 4096 x 2160 image while 3D games can be played in 1080p - the PS3 can only manage 3D games at a resolution of 720p.
We've heard that the PS4 won't be backwards compatible with old games, like most consoles. However, a recent rumour suggests that users will be able to stream PS3 games online.
Microsoft Kinect styled movement-based gaming is supposedly going to be a standard feature on the PS4. Developer PlayStation kits come with 4GB of RAM but the consumer console will apparently pack 8GB of RAM.
Below is a leaked image of what could be the PS4 controller complete with a PS Vita style touchpad in the middle. The light on top suggests a PlayStation Move sensor and there's also a suggestion the that a microphone built-in will allow for Siri-like voice control.
Although the PS4 will probably be announced today, it's unlikely to hit the shops for a number of months. Sony will probably launch it in Japan, and possible the US, in time for Christmas but it may not arrive in Europe until afterwards.
It's anyone's guess as to how much the PS4 will cost and there may be different versions at different price points. Based on various rumours a good starting point is around the £300 mark. We'll have to wait and see.
There will be likely different bundles of the console sold with different games included.


We've scoured the internet for the best of the best, in order to bring you the funniest photobombs throughout history. From creepy pranksters in the shadows to inadvertent lens blocking, this list takes a look at the 30 greatest photobombs of all time.
It's Behind Me… Isn't It?


The girl said she's been not able to get the photograph of her sister and husband in bed out of her head. She said it hurts more because she raised her sister and loves her own child.
The sister in query has been disciplined through their father and locked of their circle of relatives home but she escaped and ran again to Hasina's husband.
The mother-of-one stated she has tried committing suicide numerous times but she's in the end determined to live for the sake of her four-yr-antique son. She has now left her husband for her sister. She says even though she's alive, the entirety inside her is useless.


2018-19 Panini Absolute Memorabilia NBA - Basketball Card Checklist	Overall rating:	3	out of 5 based on 1	reviews.
2018-19 Panini Absolute Memorabilia NBA Basketball is a celebration of Panini's 10th year as the official supplier of NBA trading cards. Using a 6 card per box premium format, the release offers 2 auto, 2 memorabilia cards, and 2 slabbed base cards. Many of the included sets come in multiple level parallels and include some of the biggest names in the NBA. Fans will be impressed by the variety of names available to collect. While Panini does use mostly sticker autographs for the product, there is still definitely value to be had. For a full team-by-team breakdown of the hits, be sure to checkout Breakninja.com.


Sunsets!!! One of the must do things whilst on Santorini is to drink a sundowner at one of the café bars in Oia at sunset. A truly unforgettable experience.
Villa Mavri Petra has been designed and constructed with the purpose of making your visit a truly unforgettable one. Guests will experience the true essence of luxury during their stay at this outstanding villa which is situated in an idyllic coastal plot on the South Western tip of Santorini.
The villa has been built on a spacious cliff-top location, close to the famous Lighthouse of Santorini, and is engulfed by some of the most breathtaking oceanic views in the world. This beautiful white-stone building is influenced by a blend of modern and traditional Cycladic architecture, and ranks within the countless stunning residences scattered across this sensational island.
Spread across three floors, this sumptuously spacious villa comprises several living, dining and reception areas providing a choice of secluded indoor hangouts which provide a very welcome escape from the hotter parts of the day. The Living area is a delightfully airy space, ideal for taking an afternoon nap or to enjoy a late night bottle or two of the exquisite local wines!
The villa boasts five gorgeous bedrooms with each having its own en-suite shower room, A/C, satellite flat screen TV, CD player, and all enjoy stunning views from whichever side of the house they are located on.
The outdoor areas are equally magnificent with four decked terraces surrounding the villa, where guests can relax, sunbathe or dine while savoring the tranquil blue expanse of the Aegean and its astonishing evening sunsets. There is an outdoor pool, plus a Jacuzzi and barbecue area to make your recreational time even more pleasurable.
In keeping with its 5-star status, the owners of Villa Mavri Petra provide breakfast and daily housekeeping services as well as transportation from/to the port/airport to ensure the villa's premium standards are maintained during your stay.
If you're looking for golden sandy beaches, Santorini is not the place for you, as it's a volcanic island.


text:
Services›
Gross hourly earnings for Uber and Lyft drivers by age U.S. 2017
Gross hourly earnings for Uber and Lyft drivers in the United States as of January 2017, by age (in U.S. dollars)
by E. Mazareanu, last edited Jul 2, 2019
This statistic shows the gross hourly earnings for Uber and Lyft drivers in the United States as of January 2017, by age. In that year, the gross hourly earnings of Uber and Lyft drivers aged between 18 and 30 years amounted to 17.98 U.S. dollars per hour.
Loading statistic...
Hourly earnings in U.S. dollars
18 to 30 years 17.98
61 years or more 14.57
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HTML code to embed chart as PNG (FAQ)
Find more statistics at Statista
January 1 to 9, 2017
Ridesharing services in the U.S.
Uber's net revenue worldwide 2013-2018
Monthly users of Uber's ride-sharing app worldwide 2016-2019
Ride-hailing: market value globally by key operator 2018
Uber quarterly gross bookings worldwide 2016-2018
Statistics on "Ridesharing services in the U.S."
User demographics
User behavior
Ride-hailing market value worldwide as of May 2018, by key operator (in billion U.S. dollars)Ride-hailing: market value globally by key operator 2018
Global net revenue of Uber from 2013 to 2018 (in billion U.S. dollars)Uber's net revenue worldwide 2013-2018
Global gross booking volume of Uber from Q3 2016 to Q4 2018 (in billion U.S. dollars)Uber quarterly gross bookings worldwide 2016-2018
Global revenue of Lyft from 2016 to 2018 (in billion U.S. dollars)Lyft's revenue worldwide 2016-2018
Number of rides Uber gave worldwide from 2016 to 2019 (in billions)Uber's number of rides worldwide 2016-2019
Market share of the leading ride-hailing companies in the United States from September 2017 to May 2019Leading ride-hailing companies in U.S. by market share 2017-2019
Monthly number of Uber's active users worldwide from 2016 to 2019 (in millions)Monthly users of Uber's ride-sharing app worldwide 2016-2019
Percentage of respondents in the United States using ride sharing apps in 2015 and 2018Ride sharing market penetration in U.S. 2015-2018
Frequency of ride-hailing apps usage in the United States as of September 2018, by regionFrequency of ride-hailing app services usage in the U.S. by region 2018
Frequency of ride-hailing apps usage in the United States as of September 2018, by generationFrequency of ride-hailing app services usage in the U.S. by generation 2018
Frequency of ride-hailing apps usage in the United States as of September 2018, by genderFrequency of ride-hailing app services usage in the U.S. by gender 2018
Have you heard of ridesharing service like Uber of Lyft?Ridesharing mobile apps usage U.S. 2018
How safe do you feel as a passenger when using a ride-hailing app?Ride-hailing app user perceptions of safety in the U.S. 2018
Likelihood of using ride-hailing apps in the United States in 2018Likelihood of U.S. adults to use ride-hailing apps 2018
Likelihood of using ride-hailing apps in the United States in 2018, by genderLikelihood of U.S. adults to use ride-hailing apps by gender 2018
Likelihood of using ride-hailing apps in the United States in 2018, by generationLikelihood of U.S. adults to use ride-hailing apps by generation 2018
Driver satisfaction with Uber in the United States in 2017 and 2018Driver satisfaction with Uber U.S. 2017-2018
Driver satisfaction with Lyft in the United States in 2017 and 2018Driver satisfaction with Lyft U.S. 2017-2018
Average hourly earnings of rideshare drivers in the United States as of February 2018, by number of trips (in U.S. dollars)Average hourly earnings of rideshare drivers by number of trips U.S. 2018
Rideshare vehicle of choice among Uber and Lyft drivers in the United States as of February 2018Rideshare vehicle of choice among Uber and Lyft drivers U.S. 2018
What's the most important thing to you as a driver?Most important things to rideshare drivers U.S. 2017-2018
Hourly earnings of Uber drivers U.S. 2017-2018
Hourly earnings of Uber and Lyft drivers U.S. 2017
Quarterly cost per ride of ridesharing services in the U.S. 2017-2018
Combining public transit with ridesharing in the U.S. 2017
Ride-hailing services drivers by age U.S. 2017
Driver satisfaction with UberPOOL U.S. 2017-2018
Reasons why rideshare drivers sign up to ride-hailing services U.S. 2017
Share of active rideshare drivers by ride-hailing services they are with U.S. 2017
Ride-hailing services drivers by ethnicity U.S. 2017
Ride-hailing service providers for which rideshare drivers prefer to drive U.S. 2017
Share of rideshare drivers by ride-hailing services they drive for U.S. 2017-2018
Ride-hailing services adoption by gender U.S. 2016
Frequency of ride-hailing app services usage in the U.S. by region 2018
Ride-hailing services adoption by ethnicity U.S. 2016
Ride-hailing services adoption by age group U.S. 2018
Canadians' opinion on whether taxis should improve to compete with Uber by age 2018
Canadians opinion on whether Uber will lower driver working conditions by age 2018
Opinions of Canadians on governmental regulations of Uber by age 2018
Opinions of Canadians on governmental regulations of Uber by household income 2018
Lyft's research and development expenditure 2016 -2018
New Mobility Solutions in China
Bicycle sharing in Italy
Disruptive Transportation: The Adoption, Utilization, and Impacts of Ride-Hailing in the U...
Ride-hailing in U.S. 2018
Sharing services in the U.S.
Uber & Ride-Sharing
Mobility-as-a-service fleets
The Online Platform Economy in 2018
Ride-hailing market value worldwide as of May 2018, by key operator (in billion U.S. dollars)
Global net revenue of Uber from 2013 to 2018 (in billion U.S. dollars)
Global gross booking volume of Uber from Q3 2016 to Q4 2018 (in billion U.S. dollars)
Global revenue of Lyft from 2016 to 2018 (in billion U.S. dollars)
Number of rides Uber gave worldwide from 2016 to 2019 (in billions)
Market share of the leading ride-hailing companies in the United States from September 2017 to May 2019
Monthly number of Uber's active users worldwide from 2016 to 2019 (in millions)
Percentage of respondents in the United States using ride sharing apps in 2015 and 2018
Frequency of ride-hailing apps usage in the United States as of September 2018, by region
Frequency of ride-hailing apps usage in the United States as of September 2018, by generation
Frequency of ride-hailing apps usage in the United States as of September 2018, by gender
Have you heard of ridesharing service like Uber of Lyft?
How safe do you feel as a passenger when using a ride-hailing app?
Likelihood of using ride-hailing apps in the United States in 2018
Likelihood of using ride-hailing apps in the United States in 2018, by gender
Likelihood of using ride-hailing apps in the United States in 2018, by generation
Driver satisfaction with Uber in the United States in 2017 and 2018
Driver satisfaction with Lyft in the United States in 2017 and 2018
Average hourly earnings of rideshare drivers in the United States as of February 2018, by number of trips (in U.S. dollars)
Rideshare vehicle of choice among Uber and Lyft drivers in the United States as of February 2018
What's the most important thing to you as a driver?
How much do you earn per hour before expenses as an Uber driver?
How much do you earn per hour before expenses as an Uber or Lyft driver?
Average quarterly cost per ride of ridesharing services in the United States in 2017 and 2018 (in U.S. dollars)
Share of people in the United States who combined public transit with ridesharing in 2017, by frequency
Share of ride-hailing services drivers in the United States as of January 2017, by age
Driver satisfaction with UberPOOL in the United States in 2017 and 2018
Why did you sign up to become a rideshare driver?
Which services you are currently an active driver with?
Share of ride-hailing services drivers in the United States as of January 2017, by ethnicity
Which service do you prefer to drive for?
Which service do you primarily drive for?
Ride-hailing services adoption by adults in the United States as of January 2016, by gender
Ride-hailing services adoption by adults in the United States as of January 2016, by ethnicity
Ride-hailing services adoption by adults in the United States as of October 2018, by age group
How strongly Canadians agree taxi cab companies should improve to compete with Uber in 2018, by age
How strongly Canadians agree that Uber will lower working conditions for both Uber and taxi drivers in 2018, by age
Opinions of Canadians on governmental regulations of Uber in 2018, by age
Opinions of Canadians on how the government should regulate Uber in 2018, by household income
Lyft's research and development expenditure from 2016 to 2018 (in million U.S. dollars)
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It's not nice to listen to other people's conversations. But, let's be honest, sometimes it's difficult to avoid it, especially in tight spaces like buses, subways or airplanes. That is exactly what happened in the story that we are going to tell today. A passenger called Denny Kukich began to hear two strangers whispering on the plane. At that point, he knew immediately that he had to tell the flight attendant what he heard.
"I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned seat. It was going to be a long flight. 'I'm glad I have a good book to read. Perhaps I will get a short nap,' I thought.
'Chicken,' I replied, wondering why she asked. She turned and went to the front of plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate from first class.
After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading for the rest room. A man stopped me. 'I saw what you did. I want to be part of it. Here, take this.' He handed me twenty-five dollars.
Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain coming down the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he was not looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my side of the plane. When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his hand and said, 'I want to shake your hand.' Quickly unfastening my seatbelt I stood and took the Captain's hand.
With a booming voice he said, 'I was a soldier and I was a military pilot. Once, someone bought me a lunch. It was an act of kindness I never forgot.' I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the passengers.
Share if you think the world needs more kind people like the ones on this plane!


New Bernaldermen approved the demolition of three houses Tuesday that did not meet city regulations after the property owners were notified.
The board adopted ordinances for demolition of dwellings located at 1230 Ceder St., 1710 Wilmington St. and 809 Lees Avenue, and tabled a fourth request from the city to demolish a dwelling at 202 Poplar Street to get more information.
Three of the dwellings, 1230 Ceder St., 1710 Wilmington St., 202 Poplar Street, fail to meet minimum housing standards.
Mike Epperson, city manager, said the city set a hearing for the owner of the 1230 Ceder St.property but the owner never showed.
Alderman Victor Taylor asked if a letter was sent to the owners after the hearing, and Jeff Ruggieri, director of development services, said yes it was sent by certified mail.
Ruggieri said the city went beyond what it would normally do to give the property owner a chance to being the house up to standard.
Ruggieri said the owner was first notified of violations in September 2007 and since then it has changed ownership twice. The final hearing was held in April 2013.
According to city staff reports, no substantial progress was made on the house between 2007 and 2013 to bring it into compliance, including no requests for permits since the recent hearing in April.
The owner of 1710 Wilmington St. was notified of violations in November 2007. Hearings between the city and property owner were held in July of 2007 and April 2013, according to staff reports.
Ruggieri said the house was involved in a fire in 2011.
No progress has been made to bring the property into compliance, reports show.
The owner of 202 Poplar Street was notified of violations in February 2010.
Alderman Victor Taylor said he received a telephone call from Larry Casey the administrators for his late sister who said he did not know it was being considered for demolition.
A hearing was held between the city and owner in February 2011.
Following the hearing, the owner filed for a building permit in March 2011 to make the necessary repairs to bring the property into compliance. But the permit expired with minimal work completed, according to staff reports.
In July 2012, a second hearing was held and the property owner was not present. No progress has been made and no other permits have been applied for, according to reports.
The board tabled the matter because Casey reportedly wants to correct the violations.
Ruggieri said the dwelling at 809 Lees Avenue was damaged by Hurricane Irene and needed to be elevated out of the floodplain to meet current flood regulations but has not been elevated.
The house sustained damages in excess of 50 percent of the value of the property, reports show.
A hearing was held on Feb. 14, 2013 and the property owner was not present. No progress has been made and no permits have been applied for, reports show.
Alderman Sabrina Bengel commended development services for getting the demolitions done. She said she talked with a woman who lived for 10 years beside a house that was recently demolish and the woman cried she was so happy.
Epperson said the current Board of Aldermen adopted a policy during its first year to rid blighted property from the city. The second year of their term they increased the budget for demolition 1,000 percent from $10,000 to $100,000.
The city is spending $70,000 to $100,000 a year to rid blighted houses from neighborhoods, Epperson said.
Also during the meeting Aldermen approved a resolution to close Carmer Street from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on July 20 for Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church Family Fun Day.
A public hearing was also set for July 23 to rename the 700 Block of A Street and B street. The western portions of both streets are separated by the railroads and are unreachable from National Avenue during emergencies.


Balancing On My Toes: Black Friday Haul!
We decided to head out later in the afternoon and just take a look around and see what we could find and we came back with quite a bit! I prefer to get the CVS freebies, some cheap movies from Walmart, and a few other deals. At this point the majority of my Christmas shopping is done so I'm basically just looking for things I don't want to pay full price for.
We started off at Kohls where we picked up a toaster over for $5.26 after all discounts. Plus we are going to get a rebate which makes it a money maker!
CVS! Always my favorite on Black Friday because there are so many free items after ECB's. Here's what I picked up for free/cheap: toothpaste, lysol wipes, pantyliners, canned veggies, candy, toothbrushes, mascara, batteries, and gum.
We headed off to Walmart next and picked up a ton of DVDs. I also grabbed a sweatshirt that was only $9.
Target was next on our list and I picked up The Red Queen book for only $5.
We also stopped in Old Navy where I picked up pants for work at 50% off.
Basically we were exhausted after this excursion but were very happy with the amazing deals we got!
Did you go out Black Friday shopping?


Next postShrinkvivor Season 2 Week 4!
Such a great moment to capture. She's totally adorable! Glad she did so well (and glad you saved the hair— I have my kids' too!).
The last picture is so sweet! Love seeing Daddies giving snuggles.
Love it. Two and a half years!? Moxie is 10 months and her bangs are hanging in her eyes. I'm trying to make it to one year but I don't know if she'll be able to see by then! Great post!
Now, this put a smile on my face!
…and gluten free! My favourite!


text:
DMX Becomes Father Again, Welcomes His 15th Child
The rapper and actor, who is already struggling with child support payments, welcomes a son with his long-time girlfriend.
Johnny Nunez/WireImage
By Sydney Scott	· August 23, 2016 October 26, 2020
Rapper and actor DMX just welcomed his 15th child to the world.
The rapper's long-time girlfriend Desiree Lindstrom gave birth Friday to a baby boy, Exodus Simmons. DMX, who was performing in Phoenix, AZ at the time, rushed back to New York to be by their side following the show. This is Lindstrom's first child.
DMX has four children with ex-wife Tashera Simmons and admits to fathering children with nine other women.
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In 2013, he filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy with his child support debt, which was reportedly $1.2 million, citied as the priority claim. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan turned down his claims. In July, DMX was sentenced to six months in jail for failing to pay $400,000 in child support.
DMX told TMZ that he's "overjoyed" and calls the little bundle of joy a "blessing." Little Exodus will definitely have tons of siblings to turn to if he ever needs some brotherly or sisterly advice.