text:
The Night of the Triffids is a science fiction novel by British writer Simon Clark, published in 2001. It is a sequel to John Wyndham's The Day of the Triffids. Clark has been commended for his success at mimicking Wyndham's style, but most reviewers have not rated his creation as highly as the original 1951 work. Clark's book is written in the first person and narrated by David Masen, the son of Wyndham's protagonist.
Cover of first edition (hardcover)
Print (Hardcover & Paperback)
0-340-76600-X
The story begins on the Isle of Wight, 25 years after the events from The Day of the Triffids. The community there has thrived, primarily by refining triffid oil into fuel.
One morning, a solar blackout occurs and triffids once again besiege the island. Pilot David Masen (son of Bill and Josella Masen from The Day of the Triffids) takes to the skies to investigate the cause of the blackout; however, even after taking his plane into the atmosphere as high as it can go, he finds that there is no end to the absolute darkness.
On David's descent, he loses communication with the control tower and is forced to make a crash landing on a floating island populated by triffids. There, he meets an orphaned young girl, Christina, who has been surviving on her own in the wild since she was a young child, primarily because she is immune to triffid stings. The pair are rescued by an American ship that takes them to Manhattan Island in New York City.
Manhattan, a secure and self-contained community like the one on the Isle of Wight, appears at first glance to be a utopia seemingly untouched by the triffid catastrophe. David quickly falls in love with his tour guide, Kerris Baedekker, who is one of the hundreds of daughters of General Fielding, the primary ruler of the city. David divulges to General Fielding that the Isle of Wight has a considerable fleet of aircraft, which, using triffid oil for fuel, can fly much farther than the Manhattan fleet that runs on wood alcohol.
Just before David is set to return home to the Isle of Wight, he is kidnapped by a rebel group known as the Forresters. However, David ends up siding with them when they reveal that Fielding is actually a terrible dictator named Torrence, an old enemy of David's father, and that he keeps Manhattan prosperous by using the black and blind citizens as slaves, unbeknownst to the rest of the population. The Forresters further reveal that Torrence is planning to attack the Isle of Wight in order to steal their triffid oil refining machinery and that he intends to create a race of soldiers immune to triffid poison by harvesting Christina's ovaries and implanting them into all the viable women in Manhattan.
In order to rescue Christina and Kerris from Torrence's headquarters in the Empire State Building, the Forresters unleash thousands of triffids into the city, some as gigantic as sixty feet tall. Unfortunately, Torrence and his guards manage to fend off the attacks and capture David and his group. However, Torrence is defeated when thousands of slaves arrive, released from their slave camps during the triffid attack, and convince the soldiers to turn on the dictator.
At the end of the story, it is revealed that the great blackout was caused by interstellar dust, and that even though it continues to wreak havoc on the global climate, people everywhere are still surviving. It is also revealed that up to 25 percent of the population is immune to triffid stings, due to repeated exposure to small amounts of the plant's poison when consuming triffids for food.
Literary significance and criticism
Comments on The Night of the Triffids include:
"Clark scores fairly high in pastiching Wyndham's style, at least."[1]
"Wyndham did hit notes of poetry and grim beauty more often than Clark does"[1]
"Overall, The Night of the Triffids is a fine work of fiction that will keep any sci-fi/horror fan happy"[2]
"It fails, however, in its main aim, that of supplying a worthy follow-up to one of the classics of British science fiction."[3]
The Night of the Triffids won the British Fantasy Award in 2002.[4]
On June 19, 2014 Big Finish Productions announced an audio drama adaptation of The Night of the Triffids, released in September 2014.[5] Big Finish's production has been picked up by the BBC and first broadcast on their Radio 4 Extra station June 29, 2016.
^ a b Di Filippo, Paul (2006). "The Night of the Triffids : Off the Shelf". scifi.com. Archived from the original on 2006-12-31. Retrieved 2007-02-26.
^ Seaman, Dave (2005). "The Night of the Triffids review". curledup.com. Retrieved 2007-02-26.
^ Hudson, Patrick. "Triffids - book reviews for zone-sf.com". zone-sf.com.
^ The British Fantasy Awards: a Short History Archived 2013-07-04 at the Wayback Machine at britishfantasysociety.co.uk. Retrieved 12.June 2013
^ http://www.bigfinish.com/news/v/night-of-the-triffids-is-announced
Clark, Simon (October 2001). The Night of the Triffids (1st ed.). London: Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 0-340-76600-X.
The August Derleth Award is an annual literary award by the British Fantasy Society, named after the American writer and editor August Derleth. It was inaugurated in 1972 for the best novel of the year, was not awarded in 2011, and was continued in 2012 for the best horror novel of the year.
Culture of the Isle of Wight
As an island, the Isle of Wight maintains a culture close to, but distinct from, that of the south of England. A high proportion of the population are now 'overners' rather than locally born, and so with a few notable exceptions it has more often formed the backdrop for cultural events of wider rather than island-specific significance.
The Island has inspired many creative works. Local people often seek to defend their real or perceived culture, and local politics is often dictated by a desire to preserve the traditions and habits of the Island.
The first creative flowering occurred during the reign of Queen Victoria, under whose patronage the island became a fashionable destination for the gentry.
List of apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction
This is a list of apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction works as portrayed in literature, film, television, and, comics.Apocalyptic fiction is a subgenre of science fiction that is concerned with the end of civilization due to a potentially existential catastrophe such as nuclear warfare, pandemic, extraterrestrial attack, impact event, cybernetic revolt, technological singularity, dysgenics, supernatural phenomena, divine judgment, climate change, resource depletion or some other general disaster. Post-apocalyptic fiction is set in a world or civilization after such a disaster. The time frame may be immediately after the catastrophe, focusing on the travails or psychology of survivors, or considerably later, often including the theme that the existence of pre-catastrophe civilization has been forgotten (or mythologized).
Apocalypse is a Greek word referring to the end of the world. Apocalypticism is the religious belief that there will be an apocalypse, a term which originally referred to a revelation of God's will, but now usually refers to belief that the world will come to an end very soon, even within one's own lifetime.Apocalyptic fiction does not portray catastrophes, or disasters, or near-disasters that do not result in apocalypse. A threat of an apocalypse does not make a piece of fiction apocalyptic. For example, Armageddon and Deep Impact are considered disaster films and not apocalyptic fiction because, although earth and/or human-kind are terribly threatened, in the end they manage to avoid destruction. Apocalyptic fiction is not the same as fiction that provides visions of a dystopian future. George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, for example, is dystopian fiction, not apocalyptic fiction.
List of fictional plants
This list of fictional plants describes invented plants that appear in works of fiction.
The Day of the Triffids is a 1951 post-apocalyptic novel by the English science fiction author John Wyndham. After most people in the world are blinded by an apparent meteor shower, an aggressive species of plant starts killing people. Although Wyndham had already published other novels using other pen name combinations drawn from his real name, this was the first novel published as "John Wyndham". It established him as an important writer and remains his best-known novel.
The story has been made into the 1962 feature film of the same name, three radio drama series (in 1957, 1968 and 2001), and two TV series (in 1981 and 2009). It was nominated for the International Fantasy Award in 1952, and in 2003 the novel was listed on the BBC's survey The Big Read.
The Day of the Triffids (film)
The Day of the Triffids is a 1962 British science fiction film in CinemaScope and Eastmancolor, produced by George Pitcher and Philip Yordan, and directed by Steve Sekely. It stars Howard Keel and Nicole Maurey, and is based on the 1951 novel of the same name by John Wyndham. The film was released in the U.K. by the Rank Organisation and in the U.S. by Allied Artists.
Triffid
The triffid is a fictional tall, mobile, prolific and highly venomous plant species, the titular antagonist in John Wyndham's 1951 novel The Day of the Triffids and Simon Clark's 2001 sequel The Night of the Triffids. Triffids were also featured in the 1957 BBC radio dramatization of Wyndham's book, a considerably altered 1962 film adaptation, a more faithful 1981 television serial produced by the BBC, and in a 2009 two-part TV series also produced by the BBC.
Since 1951, when The Day of the Triffids was first published, the word "triffid" has become a popular British English colloquial term for large, overgrown or menacing-looking plants.
Works by John Wyndham
The Secret People
Foul Play Suspected
Stowaway to Mars
The Kraken Wakes
The Chrysalids
The Outward Urge
Trouble with Lichen
Chocky
Plan for Chaos
Consider Her Ways
"Random Quest"
Short story collections
Jizzle
The Seeds of Time
Tales of Gooseflesh and Laughter
Consider Her Ways and Others
The Infinite Moment
Sleepers of Mars
The Best of John Wyndham
Wanderers of Time
Exiles on Asperus
No Place Like Earth
Village of the Damned (1960)
TV adaptations
The Day of the Triffids (1981)
The Chrysalids (radio drama)
Children of the Damned
Blackbirds at Bangpleng


우리는 중국에서 Bussiness 노트북 배낭 제조 업체 및 공급 업체 / 공장 전문화되어 있습니다. Bussiness 노트북 배낭 중 하나 인 Shenzhen Olinb Bags Co., Ltd. 중국 유명 브랜드 중 하나 인 저렴한 가격 / 저렴한 가격으로 고품질의 Bussiness 노트북 배낭 도매업.
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Individuals or entities whose participation in the Medicaid program has been terminated for cause under the provision of WAC 182-502-0030.
Medicaid providers who have been excluded from participation (see 42 CFR 1001).
Not every action taken by the Health Care Authority (HCA) involves a finding of wrongdoing (see WAC 182-502-0030 (b)). Individuals or entities terminated without cause pursuant to WAC 182-502-0040 are not included on this list.
The Affordable Care Act requires that all physicians or other professionals who prescribe, order, or refer services to Medicaid recipients must be enrolled as participating providers (see 42 CFR 455.410 (b)). Therefore, any non-enrolled provider—including any provider who is terminated from the Medicaid program for any reason—is not permitted to order, prescribe, or make referral for services to Medicaid recipients.


"Over the past 12 months Chuck Nees has recruited my entire senior finance team, including the Controller, Treasurer and Vice Presidents of Planning and Budgeting, Tax, and Compliance. I am extremely pleased with Chuck's performance and recommend his professional services with confidence and conviction.
In my view, Chuck is extremely skilled in evaluating the distinct needs of a particular position as well as the corporate culture of an organization. He also is an expert at assessing the technical qualifications of an individual and their overall fit with the rest of the team. His searches are comprehensive and he maintains strict standards of discretion and prudence.
Chuck's straightforward and personal approach is refreshing and enjoyable, and his appreciation for the time constraints of a busy executive is invaluable during the hiring process. For all of these reasons, I enthusiastically endorse him and the highly recommend services he provides."
Steve Swad, EVP & CFO, Comverse Technology, Inc.
Deep operational experience with the adoption of a strategic business planning process, development of operating budget methodology, revenue tracking and reporting, performing variance analysis, and optimizing the global fiscal processes and systems.
Ability to recruit and develop a high performance team that will be globally deployed.
Extensive exposure with board members, as well as investment bankers and industry analyst communities.
Strong executive presence and emotional intelligence.
Significant restructuring and restatement experience.
SVP, Finance – Access Ops.
VP, Finance – International Ops.


Unspunnenfest is a festival held in the town of Interlaken, Switzerland, near the old ruin of Unspunnen Castle, in the Bernese Alps, approximately once every twelve years, most recently in 2017. The festival highlights traditional Swiss culture and features competitions of Steinstossen (stone throwing), Schwingen (wrestling) and yodeling. The stone throwing competition uses an 83.5 kg (184.1 lb) stone known as the Unspunnenstein ("Unspunnen Stone"), made of Aare granite from the Hasli valley.
The history of the festival dates back to the 13th century, in the meadows of Unspunnen Castle, when local lord Burkard von Unspunnen and the founder of the city of Bern, Berchtold V von Zähringen were able to reconcile their differences.
The first official festival was held on August 17, 1805, in a similar effort: Napoleon had just invaded Switzerland, and the event was seen as a way of unifying the nation. Furthermore, the people of the Bernese Oberland had formed a separate canton in the Helvetic Republic, leading the Mayor of Bern, Niklaus Friedrich von Mülinen and Interlaken's chief magistrate, Franz Ludwig Thormann (and others) to organize this festival in an effort to bring both sides together. It was, unfortunately, not very successful in that regard, and conflicts continue to exist between rural and urban dwellers today. Culturally and financially, however, the first two festivals were a great success. The Swiss Heritage Society and the Swiss Traditional Costume Association owe their origins to the Unspunnen Festival.
A second competition was held in 1808, but the original 184 lb (83 kg) stone was lost in the intervening years, and the 1808 festival used a 167 lb (76 kg) stone. The third festival was not organized until the centenary in 1905, using the 1808 stone, now with the dates 1805 and 1905 carved into it. However, it wasn't until 1946 that the festival, then known as the Swiss Traditional Costume and Cowherd's Festival, was held at regular intervals. After 1946, the Unspunnenfest was staged at regular intervals: 1955, 1968, 1981 and 1993.
In 1984, the 1808 stone was stolen by members of the Belier Group (Jura separatists) from Unterseen museum on Sunday June 3, 1984, and held as a "political hostage". A new stone was found, this one weighing 83.5 kg, similar to the 1808 stone, and has been used in all competitions since. This stone can currently be found in the counter hall of Interlaken UBS Bank.
In 1999, a photographer was led to a private residence in Brussels, where he was shown what was claimed to be the 1808 Unspunnenstein. He took photographs as evidence, which members of the Interlaken Gymnastic Club, who had commissioned the 1984 replacement stone, identified as authentic. The stone was delivered mysteriously to Shawne Fielding-Borer (American-born wife of the then Swiss ambassador to Berlin), packaged as confectionery, at a festival held in the village of Saignelégier, in the canton of Jura in August 2000. However, the stone had been damaged. Unhappy with the result of the Swiss national referendum in 1992, in which the Swiss population decided against participation to the European Economic Area (EEA), the Belier Group had engraved twelve stars in the stone, symbolising the European Union, as well as the date of the referendum, December 6, 1992, and their own emblem. As a result, the stone lost 2.3 kg (5.1 lb) in weight, and could no longer be used for competitions.
The 1808 stone was once again stolen on August 20, 2005 from a hotel in Interlaken. A small stone was left behind by the thieves bearing the emblem of Jura. The French-speaking separatists did not claim responsibility this time, but did issue a statement in support of the theft. Its whereabouts remain unknown.
Excessive flooding caused the next installment of Unspunnenfest to be postponed by a full year; it was finally held in September 2006. The winner of the stone throwing competition threw the Unspunnenstein a distance of 3.89 m (12 ft 9 in).
The next competition is scheduled for 26 August 2017.
^ Foulkes, Imogen (2 September 2006). "Stone is star of Swiss festival". BBC News. Retrieved 2010-12-03.
^ a b c d "Unspunnen Festival in Interlaken, 1–3 September 2006" (PDF). Interlaken Tourismus. Retrieved 2010-12-03.
^ a b Kirby, Emma Jane (21 August 2001). "Swiss rolling stone returns home". BBC News. Retrieved 2010-12-03.
^ "Historical Swiss boulder stolen". BBC News. 21 August 2005.
^ "Reuters article (reprinted)". Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2005-08-31.
^ "I thought you said 'rock festival'". The Times. September 4, 2006. Retrieved 2010-12-03.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Unspunnenfest.


text:
By: Shige Ihara, President & CEO, NEC X
NEC X launched in 2018 as a new pathway for outward-bound, open innovation. NEC already had world-class, cutting-edge technology from NEC research and development, but to put the technology to good use, NEC X developed a Corporate Accelerator Program (CAP) to match talented entrepreneurs, known as Entrepreneurs-in-Residence (EIRs), with NEC's researchers or engineers and technology in an effort to find new applications for commercialization.
This outward-bound, open-innovation model of startup acceleration was bold, cutting against the grain of most other Silicon Valley tech accelerators, which usually support ventures that have already invented a technology that addresses a specific customer problem. As we celebrate our third anniversary this year, this innovative approach is paying off.
In just three years we've had many accomplishments, including three spin-outs and some additional promising stealth-mode ventures from the CAP. We've evolved our program and support day by day, cohort by cohort, thanks to those who have been a part of NEC X.
Professor Charles O'Reilly III, Stanford Graduate School of Business, said he has been very impressed with our success and achievements relative to other accelerators in Silicon Valley.
"According to the rule of thumb for venture investment in Silicon Valley, 10% of new startups might be successful, 10% to 20% will be marginally successful and return their investment, while 70% will fail," O'Reilly said. "NEC X has evolved from being a new startup itself and is on track to have a success rate that surpasses the norm."
Our three graduates from the CAP are:
Inguo.io, a market research software product that uses automation and machine learning to discover causality from complex datasets and provide more robust and actionable insight. Inguo.io is expanding its market share in the retail, health care, finance and human resources industries.
Metabob, an artificial intelligence Python code-review tool that detects where problems are, determines how they interact with other aspects of the codebase, and provides recommendations on how to fix them. Metabob incorporated with support and investment from NEC X and third-party investors and is acquiring enterprise customers.
GAZIRU, an image-recognition technology company backed by a strategic venture capitalist that is currently acquiring customers in the retail, manufacturing and distribution industries.
All of these startups began with technology from NEC R&D as their roots. EIRs were paired with NEC technology researchers to develop the products from ideation to launch, with coaching and support from NEC X.
David Wolfe, CEO and founder of Inguo.io, said that NEC's technology and NEC X's support set up his venture for success.
"Not only did the NEC X CAP give us access to truly groundbreaking technology from NEC, it also helped us develop a unique business model and begin refining it with actual customers in a matter of months," said Wolfe. "This combination of innovative technology access with a well-resourced and clearly defined mentoring process for commercialization provided us with a greater chance for rapid success than we found with any other incubator program."
The full CAP process, which includes customer research and discovery, several minimum viable product iterations, and customer validation, usually takes six to nine months. At the end, CAP graduates can launch a new independent company with a venture funding round, incorporate the business into the NEC main lines of business, or have the company incorporate with NEC as a co-investor.
Recently, we entered into a strategic partnership with Alchemist Accelerator, a venture-backed initiative focused on accelerating the development of early-stage B2B startups, to offer additional support for our startups. NEC X has access to Alchemist's methodology and resources, as well as the Alchemist network of entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, corporations and mentors. Additionally, several NEC X CAP graduates have joined the Alchemist Accelerator Program for further growth and investment opportunity.
With the Alchemist partnership, the potential for more collaboration among talented people in our network is exciting. Add to this the potential new ventures in the pipeline, and our future looks extremely bright. We are continuing to recruit new EIRs to pair with NEC technology, especially in areas such as artificial intelligence (recognition, analytics and control), system platforms, technology communications, and security and networks.
Thank you for your support over the last three years! We look forward to driving innovation forward into the new year. Follow us to stay in the know.
For the second year in a row, NEC X has been named the Most Innovative Company of the Year by Best in Biz Awards. "The…

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


First of all, apologies that Waits 101 has hit the skids, but things at the office have become pretty busy, so unfortunately I can't carve an hour out of my day to write. The second half will get rolling pretty soon. Think of this as a time to immerse yourself in the three albums we've already covered.
I hear you, Mavis. I remember thinking the same thing after I first listened to Summerteeth.


text:
Schlegeltal ist ein Weiler der Gemeinde Unterkirnach im Schwarzwald-Baar-Kreis in Baden-Württemberg.

Schlegeltal besteht aus rund zehn Häusern und erstreckt sich vom Ortsausgang Unterkirnachs in Richtung Friedrichshöhe bis zum Schlegelwald. Durch den Weiler verläuft die Landesstraße 173. Den öffentlichen Personennahverkehr in Unterkirnach stellt der Verkehrsverbund Schwarzwald-Baar sicher.

Die weitgehende Naturbelassenheit der Landschaft rührt daher, dass die meisten Flächen aufgrund der Hanglage nur sehr schwer landwirtschaftlich bewirtschaftbar sind. In Schlegeltal 1 befindet sich ein denkmalgeschützter Bauernhof.

Einzelnachweise

Ort im Schwarzwald-Baar-Kreis
Geographie (Unterkirnach)
Weiler in Baden-Württemberg

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


I figure if I'm going to be broke, I'm going to be broke in some place I like. So I came to Tacoma.
"But you lost that job?" Henry asked.
"And what's that?" Henry said..
WHEN THE RED KING AWAKES BY JOSEPH GUYER, MILK'S ABOUT TO SOUR BY AMY PURCELL, LIKE SUNSHINE BY ELAINE OLUND, NEVER CROSSED YOUR MIND BY ALANAH L MUIR, AIRPORT FICTION BY BOB SAWATZKI, WILD ROMANIA BY WILLIAM FALO, SNAKES IN THE CANE BY WILLIAM R STODDART, HAUNT ME BY RANDALL BROWN, TACOMA BY IAN DENNING, SOME THINGS SACRED BY JOHN JANDA, A CALL FOR DADDY BY KANISHA LAMPKIN, CORPORATE GOLDFISH BY DAVID BARNES, ON THE BEACH BY BOB SAWATZKI.
says most of her poetry deals with gang violence and the impact it has on someone's life, "which is something that isn't talked about a lot". A version of A Call for Daddy was published in Lampkin's college publication, The Coil, 2009. "I admire the 34thParallel for the stories and poetry because they produce real true emotions that make that special connection between the piece and the reader," Lampkin says. "I love to write poetry that portrays strong emotion. I especially enjoyed Arlene Ang's Time with Frieda in Issue 03. It makes you realize that the little things you don't give much attention to are the things that can have the most meaning to them."
says he is an escaped Briton, escaped to France that is, who runs SpokenWord, the biggest English-speaking open microphone poetry performance in Paris, or even the only one. He is an editor of Strangers in Paris, An Anthology of New Writing Inspired by the City of Light, which is to be published early summer. He is also an editor of the zine Issue.ZERO, available from themag.paris@gmail.com. Barnes was interviewed by Trace Sheridan in 34thParallel Issue 08, titled Hemingway-esque, and we ran his story, Borrowing the House for the Weekend.
is currently enrolled in the MFA program at the University of New Hampshire, where he is a fiction editor for the online journal Barnstorm. He also holds a Master's from Western Washington University. His fiction has appeared in A Cappella Zoo, The Absent Willow Review, and 5x5. He likes beer, cats, and video games from the '80s. He does not like Tacoma. Reach him at iandenning85@gmail.com.
wrote Tears Before They Fall in 34thParallel Issue 03, Touch the Sky in Issue 04, and Russian Brides in Issue 10. His stories are also published in Emrys Journal, Shalla Magazine, Skive Magazine, Delinquent, Delivered, Mississippi Crow, Bottom of the World, Skyline Review, First Edition, Foliate Oak Review, Oak Bend Review, Open Wide Magazine, The Linnet's Wings, The View From Here, and others.
is a high school English teacher living in San Antonio, Texas, with his wife and two sons. He has an MA in English from the University of Texas at San Antonio. His work has appeared in American Letters and Commentary. "As a storyteller," he says, "my interest is in characters on the outside looking in, who would prefer to maintain some semblance of normalcy and simplicity and are often at a loss to cope with the more grotesque or surreal aspects of life. Some of my inspirations include Beckett, Kafka, Camus, and Millhauser."
is a student at Brigham Young University-Idaho studying English-Creative Writing and Journalism. She says she isn't quite sure yet what she is doing with her life after she graduates. She lives in Rexburg, Idaho, and wishes for a warmer climate. When Muir isn't doing homework she is reading or writing. Never Crossed Your Mind is her first published story.
has had her short stories published in Third Coast, Storyglossia, Beloit Fiction Journal, Timber Creek Review, and two fiction anthologies produced by the Cincinnati Writers Project. She was awarded an Individual Artist Fellowship from the Kentucky Arts Council in 2003 to support her work on a novel that she is still working on. Amy lives in Kent, Ohio, with her husband and two Australian Shepherds. She is a student in the Northeast Ohio Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing Program and runs marathons when she's not writing.
won 1st Prize for novel in the 2005 Utah Original Writing Competition. Airport Fiction is a chapter from a work in progress titled Postcards from Catalonia. He works in a library to support his writing habit. His goal is to return to Spain with a published book and learn more about the onders of Catalonia.
lives in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, US. His work has been published in Ruminate Magazine, The Adirondack Review, The Pedestal Magazine, The Pittsburgh Quarterly Online, and Insolent Rudder. He also plays the acoustic guitar and writes music for it.


Chou Yu-Cheng will be showing in the group exhibition 'What's In Store?', a vast array of international artists working across multiple mediums and histories. Chou Yu-Cheng is presenting a piece from his series: 'Molyneux' (2014), a critical approach to contemporary issues such as copyright and recontextualisation, specifically referencing the practice of fellow artist Geoff Molyneux.. The hugely varied show is drawn from Salford University's permanent collection, the first time the extensive range of works spanning over a century has been presented publicly, and marks the university's 50th anniversary.


text:
package org.diirt.support.pva.adapters;

import org.epics.pvdata.pv.PVBoolean;
import org.epics.pvdata.pv.PVField;
import org.epics.pvdata.pv.PVScalar;
import org.epics.pvdata.pv.PVStructure;
import org.diirt.vtype.VBoolean;
import org.diirt.vtype.VTypeToString;

/**
 * @author dkumar
 */
public class PVFieldToVBoolean extends AlarmTimeDisplayExtractor implements VBoolean {

  protected final Boolean value;

	public PVFieldToVBoolean(PVStructure pvField, boolean disconnected) {
		this("value", pvField, disconnected);
	}

	public PVFieldToVBoolean(String fieldName, PVStructure pvField, boolean disconnected) {
		this(pvField.getSubField(fieldName), pvField, disconnected);
	}

	public PVFieldToVBoolean(PVField field, PVStructure pvParent, boolean disconnected) {
		super(pvParent, disconnected);

		if (field instanceof PVBoolean)
			value = ((PVBoolean)field).get();
		else if (field instanceof PVScalar)
			value = convert.toInt((PVScalar)field) != 0;
		else
			value = null;
  }

  @Override
  public Boolean getValue() {
    return value;
  }

  @Override
  public String toString() {
    return VTypeToString.toString(this);
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


SPCA Adopt A Meme: GIFs featuring shelter animals you can adopt.
Energetic and good-mannered by nature, Xiao Ma loves having space to roam around. She was surrendered to the SPCA in February, as her owner couldn't take care of her and her family. Now, she's ready to hop onto a new adventure with an owner who'll nurture her.
© 2017, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Singapore. All Rights Reserved.


We received a call yesterday, from the Georgia Department of Agriculture, informing us that Brooks County's Georgia Clean Day has been rescheduled. The new date, set by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, is November 12, 2014. Also, due to the change in collection date, we will be accepting additional product and extending the pre-registration time frame. The Georgia Department of Agriculture has agreed to accept approximately 6,000 additional pounds of product. There is no additional action required by participants that have submitted their information. If you still need to register for this event, refer to the link below for registration information and submit application information as soon as possible. Please note this change on your calendars and call our office at (229) 263-4103 if you have any questions.
November 12, 2014 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Posted in Pesticides.	Bookmark the permalink.


media to woo electorate with sundry promises of what they will do if elected.
Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, following the ease of tension among South East political heavy weights occasioned by his emergence as Atiku's running mate, seems to have found his groove as he took to twitter, yesterday, to inform Nigerians of the plan of the PDP on reducing cost of conducting government business.
On his part, Atiku, for the umpteenth time, reiterated his commitment to job creation if given the opportunity to preside over the affairs of the nation.
Writing via @atiku, the presidential candidate said the "most effective way to fight crime is to provide opportunity to create wealth because poverty is conducive for crime.
The two were in the South-East states earlier in the week to commiserate with victims of flood and made financial donations to ease the plight of the displaced.


Konstantin has taken part in various projects in the European financial industry for the last 4 years. Currently Konstantin is heading marketing at KontoX - a European developer of bank API. In addition to this, Konstantin often publishes articles on finance and technology on key industry websites.
Konstantin Rabin commented on the blog Is credit scoring the next part of the lending value chain for disruption?
Konstantin Rabin created the blog Financial Information: Whose data is it, anyway?


text:
Q: Type 'Subscription' is missing the following properties IDE shows error when I write this code.
I have a component that calls service in ngOnInit to get the data. Service calls the other service to get some data and use it to get data then returns it.
component:
ngOnInit() {
    const token = "abc";
    this.service.getContactPersons(token).subscribe(
      persons => this.contactPersons = persons
    );

  }

service:
getContactPersons(token: string): Observable<ContactPerson[]> {
return this.tokenService.getParameters(token).pipe(
      switchMap((data: Params) => {
        return this.http.get<Properties>(
          this.baseUrl + `/abc/${data.param1}/properties/${data.param2}`
        );
      })
    ).subscribe((data: Properties) => data.contactPersons);
}

I've got this error: "Type 'Subscription' is missing the following properties from type 'Observable': _isScalar, source, operator, lift, and 6 more."

A: your function getContactPersons returns a subscriptions as it is now.
just delete the .subscribe((data: Properties) => data.contactPersons); part of your function and it should do the trick.
Since your are going to return an Observable you should always try to just pass along the observable itself or perform Operations on it within a pipe() and only subscribe to it once, because multiple Subscription can get out of hand and result in memory leak and therefore performance loss for your users.

A: subscribe is not an rxjs equivalent of then. Specifically, with promises you can do somePromise.then(doSomething).then(doSomethingElse), but you can't someRxjsStream$.subscribe(doSomething).subscribe(doSomethingElse). If you want to transform the data stream, you should use one of several available rxjs operators, and in your case it's map:
getContactPersons(token: string): Observable<ContactPerson[]> {
    return this.tokenService.getParameters(token).pipe(
        switchMap((data: Params) => this.http.get<Properties>(
            `${this.baseUrl}/abc/${data.param1}/properties/${data.param2}`)),
        map((data: Properties) => data.contactPersons));
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Right to Carry Guns Headed to Supreme Court
Gun rights advocates won their most important court victory in the past two-and-a-half years last week [Dec. 11] when the federal appeals court in Chicago struck down Illinois' virtually absolute ban on carrying concealed weapons in public. But news of the ruling was quickly eclipsed by two other gun-related stories: a shooting episode in an Oregon shopping mall on the same day that left three persons dead and the horrific massacre in Newtown, Conn., that claimed 28 lives [Dec. 14]. Both shooters killed themselves at the scene.
The shootings produced predictable anger among gun control supporters, low-lying silence from gun rights advocates, and — after two-day wait — a strong call from President Obama for unspecified action to prevent more such tragedies. "We can't tolerate this anymore," Obama said in remarks at an interfaith service in Newtown on Sunday night.
The debates over gun laws included immediate calls to revive the lapsed ban on assault weapons of the type that Adam Lanza used to gun down 20 first-graders at Sandy Hook Elementary School and six school staff members before using a pistol to kill himself. (Lanza killed his mother before going to the school.) Many commentators saw a likely "tipping point" in the long stalemated debate over regulating guns.
In the meantime, however, the appeals court ruling on the Illinois concealed weapon ban portends a new issue for the Supreme Court to decide. And if the Roberts Court follows its two previous gun rights rulings, its decision could further restrict lawmakers' ability to curtail the role of guns in day-to-day life in America.
The ruling by the Seventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals builds on the two Supreme Court decisions of the past four years that held the Second Amendment to protect an individual right to possession of firearms for the purpose of self-defense. The court struck down the District of Columbia's ban on possession of handguns in the first of the rulings, Heller v. District of Columbia (2008), and extended the right to states and localities in a ruling striking down a similar ban in Chicago, McDonald v. City of Chicago (2010).
Conservatives generally praised and liberals generally criticized the rulings, both by 5-4 votes divided along the justices' conservative-liberal fault lines. But one improbable critic was Judge Richard Posner, the idiosyncratically conservative jurist and prolific legal commentator. Writing in The New Republic only six weeks after the ruling, Posner called Heller "questionable in both method and result." The decision, he said, showed that the court, in constitutional cases, "exercises a freewheeling discretion strongly flavored with ideology."
Court watchers can rightfully claim surprise, therefore, in seeing Posner as the author of the farthest extension to date of Heller and McDonald. Writing for the majority in the new case, Moore v. Madigan, Posner said the Supreme Court's decisions recognizing a right to possess handguns inside the home for self-defense also necessarily imply some right to possess some kinds of weapons in public place for the same purpose: self-defense.
Posner relied in part on textual analysis. The Second Amendment's right to "keep and bear arms," he reasoned, "implies a right to carry a loaded gun outside the home." Looking to English history, he interpreted the 17th century statutes that barred going armed "with dangerous or unusual weapons" as implying permission for others. And in contemporary America, Posner said, the need for self-defense recognized in Heller and McDonald may be more acute on the streets than in the home. "A Chicagoan is a good deal more likely to be attacked on a sidewalk in a rough neighborhood than his apartment on the 35th floor of the Park Tower," he wrote.
From logic, Posner — joined by Judge Joel Flaum, like Posner a Reagan appointee and former chief judge on the Seventh Circuit — moved to empiricism. Summarizing the studies, Posner said the net effect that carriage of guns in public has on crime rates in general and murder rates in particular is "uncertain." He credited in particular studies that show a low rate of arrests or misuse of weapons by gun permit holders. On that basis, Posner said that the empirical literature "fails to establish a pragmatic defense of the Illinois law." In any event, he said the Supreme Court "made clear in Heller that it wasn't going to make the right to bear arms depend on casualty counts."
In a dissent, Judge Ann Williams, a Clinton appointee, argued that the issue is "closer than the majority makes it out to be." Williams found no recognized right to carry arms in public at the time the Second Amendment was written or earlier in England. And she saw a contradiction between recognizing a right of public carriage and upholding laws of the sort that the Supreme Court cited in Heller as permissible, such as bans on guns in government buildings or other "sensitive" places. A "patchwork" of laws governing where loaded guns are or are not permitted would negate meaningful self-defense, Williams reasoned. Her conclusion: "[T]he constitutional right to carry ready-to-use firearms in public for self-defense may well not exist."
The Seventh Circuit's ruling clashed with an earlier decision by the Second Circuit that upheld New York's restrictive law requiring applicants for gun permits to show a "special need" for self-protection (Kachalsky v. County of Westchester, Nov. 27). The issue is headed, inexorably, toward the Supreme Court, the court where Posner saw ideology more than law as driving its pronouncements on the issue.
Ban on Gay Conversion Therapy in Uncharted Territo...
Gerrymandering, Unchecked by Court, Aids GOP


text:
SONA 2016: Duterte vows faster internet, free Wi-Fi
Jul 25, 2016 10:00 PM PHT
Chris Schnabel
The President asks the new DICT office to come up with a national broadband plan for better internet infrastructure and speeds
MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte threw a bone to millions of Filipino netizens clamoring for better internet service, promising them on Monday, July 25, that it will be faster and free in most public areas.
"I have ordered the newly created Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to develop a national broadband plan to accelerate the deployment of fiber optic cables and wireless technology to improve internet speed," Duterte said in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA).
The new DICT office was created at the tailend of the Aquino administration. Duterte has since appointed his former law classmate, noted IT legal expert Rodolfo Salalima, to be its first head.
Dutetrte added "that Wi-Fi access shall be provided at no charge in selected public places including parks, plazas, public libraries, schools, government hospitals, train stations, airports and seaports."
The government hit the ground running on that score with it signing a deal with PLDT earlier this month to provide free Wi-Fi service at NAIA terminals as well as other transportation hubs within the first 100 days of the new administration.
PLDT has promised that speed would be up to one gigabit per access point.
Still loading
The state of the country's internet has been a major sticking point in recent years, with the average speeds last year lower than 7 other ASEAN neighbors including those with a lower GDP per capita such as Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia.
The previous government took steps last year setting a minimum advertised speed of 256 Kilobytes per second (Kbps) for broadband internet at least 80% of the time, or 24 days in a month. (READ: New Internet speed minimum throwback to '90s?)
One often highlighted point is the lack of choice consumers have in internet service providers or ISPs with the market dominated by Globe Telecom and PLDT.
Both telcos are currently embroiled in a dispute with the Philippine Competition Commission over a deal with San Miguel Corporation that would hinder the arrival of any more players. – Rappler.com


text:
Lee Marvin (født 19. februar 1924, død 29. august 1987) var en amerikansk filmskuespiller.

Han vandt en Oscar i 1965 for sine roller som Kid Sheleen og Tim Strawn i filmen Cat Ballou.

Eksterne henvisninger

Filmskuespillere fra USA
Oscar for bedste mandlige hovedrolle
Amerikanere i 1900-tallet
Skuespillere fra New York


text:
Q: How should a SPDT switch be wired for a digital input? I want to connect a switch to a digital input on a logic board and make it so that the input goes high when the switch is pressed. I'll be using a SPDT switch:

Should I connect the digital input to COM, GND to NC, and VCC to NO?
Or could I connect VCC to COM and the digital input to NO? (this would leave the digital input "floating" when the switch isn't pressed, but is that necessarily a bad thing?)

A: You want to use the first option: connect the digital input on the micrcontroller to COM, GND to NC (1T), and VCC to NO (2T), except use an resistor, e.g. 4.7K, between VCC and the NO (2T) terminal.  Usually not a good idea to connect VCC directly to an input pin on the micrcontroller -- for example, if it became a digital output for some reason and was at GND level, you would have a nasty short.

A: I would connect it thus:

simulate this circuit – Schematic created using CircuitLab
The resistor will pull the input high when the switch is pressed.

A: Connect a series resistor 4k7 from the digital input pin to the COM 1P.
Connect a series resistor 1k from VCC to NO 2T.
Connect NC to GND.
The first series resistor protects the digital input if it can be configured as an output; it may drive to VCC or GND.  Omit if it cannot be reconfigured.  Omit if the logic board already has a series resistor on the digital input.
The second series resistor protects the supply from a fault that may develop in the switch, a fault which shorts NO to NC.
The capacitance of the digital input pin will cause the existing voltage level to remain while the switch is being moved.  Obviating debouncing.
However, if the logic board digital input has a pullup or pulldown resistor, you must either add capacitance to defeat it, or code for debouncing.
All this uncertainty might be cleared up by describing the digital input more thoroughly.  ;-)


text:
Rufaro Samanga
Nov. 22, 2019 07:58AM EST
Listen to Davido's New Album 'A Good Time'
The new album from the Nigerian superstar features Naira Marley, Zlatan, Popcaan, Summer Walker and more across 17 tracks.
Davido's much anticipated album A Good Time has finally dropped.
Trust us when we say that it's aptly named. After incredibly successful singles and collaborations, the Nigerian superstar is in top-form on this new 17-track project. Naira Marley, Zlatan, Popcaan, Chris Brown, Summer Walker, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, WurlD, Dremo, Peruzzi, and Yonda are all featured on the album.
Production across the album comes from the likes of Kiddominant, Shizzi, London On Da Track, Speroach Beatz, P2J and more.
Davido mentions: "A Good Time. It's been a long 7 years. A lot has transpired in my life since my debut album Genesis, and I, David Adeleke (aka Davido) have gone through a process of immense changes and growth. In sad times I lost close family and friends (RIP) and in my happiest times I've created lives (Imade, Hailey & David Jr). I fell in love and got engaged to my PHENOMENAL fiancé, Chioma. I've fought battles of all kinds and on all fronts: spiritual, physical, mental, emotional even political."
IN PHOTOS: Davido and OkayAfrica 'A Good Time' New York Album Release Party
"A Good Time reflects on the ability to trust the timing of your life, enjoying the best moments & persevering through the worst ones. There's no time like the present and it's A Good Time to be alive, to be a PROUD AFRICAN and to fight for the freedom of one another - in unity," Davido continues.
A Good Time shows off Davido's signature sound (afrobeats, afropop and tinges of high-life) while not straying too far from him his well-known style. From uptempo tracks including "1 Milli" and "Risky" to mid-tempo tracks such as "Sweet in the Middle," "D&G," and "Green Light Riddim," the album strikes a good balance between both.
Davido also includes his past hit singles "If", "Assurance" and "Fall" on the new album. "Fall" has become the longest charting Nigerian song in Billboard history. It's video is also the most watched Nigerian music video on Youtube ever, currently . sitting at 150 million views.
We've still got this album stuck on repeat but some of our favorite tracks so far include "Get to You", "Risky", "Sweet in the Middle" and "1 Milli".
Listen to A Good Time on Apple Music or Spotify.
Davido - Risky (Official Video) ft. Popcaan youtu.be
FULL TRACK LIST AND CREDITS
1.INTRO (VANITY) PRODUCED BY KIDDOMINANT
2. 1 MILLI ( PRODUCED BY SEYI)
3. CHECK AM (PRODUCED BY TEEKAY WITTY)
4. DISTURBANCE FEAT. PERUZZI (PRODUCED BY SPEROACH BEATZ)
5. IF (PRODUCED BY TEKNO)
6. D & G FEAT. SUMMER WALKER (PRODUCED BY KIDDOMINANT & LONDON ON D TRACK)
7. GET TO YOU (PRODUECED BY P2J)
8. RISKY FEAT. POPCAAN (PRODUCED BY SPEROACH BEATZ)
9. SWEET IN THE MIDDLE FT. WURLD, NAIRA MARLEY & ZLATAN(PRODUCED BY SHIZZI)
10. FALL (PRODUCED BY KIDDOMINANT)
11. GREEN LIGHT RIDDIM (PRODUCED BY SHIZZI)
12. BIG PICTURE FEAT. GUNNA, DREMO & A BOOGIE WIT DA HOODIE (PRODUCED BY RAY KEYS)
13. ONE THING (PRODUCED BY KIDDOMINANT)
14. ASSURANCE (PRODUCED BY SPEROACH BEATZ)
15. BLOW MY MIND FEAT. CHRIS BROWN (PRODUCED BY SHIZZI)
16. COMPANY (PRODUCED BY V STIX)
17. ANIMASHAUN FEAT. YONDA (PRODUCED BY FRESH)
NYC: This Saturday (11/23) An OkayAfrica Party is Davido's Official Release Party
#AnOkayAfricaParty is the official release party for "A GOOD TIME," Davido's first album in 7 years, so you know we gotta do it up big! Get ready for the largest dance and singalong event of your lives. JOIN US for our New York finale at SCHIMANSKI this Saturday Night!
We've got the Queen AQ, the honorable Blaq.Pages, Liberia's finest selecta DJ Mohogany and your favorite's fav DJ Nani on deck, not to mention MC Lolahstic and Young Prince on the mic throughout.
TICKETS HERE
IT'S GONNA BE A GOOD TIME!
EARLY ARRIVAL EXTREMELY SUGGESTED!
New Davido Song 'Risky' Featuring Dancehall Star Popcaan ... ›
Watch Davido & Bombino Perform at Idris Elba's Wedding in Morocco ›
Davido ›
Larry Gaaga Drops A New Love Song Featuring Davido ›
Interview: Davido on Taking African Music Global - OkayAfrica ›
Davido Shares Tracklist for 'A Better Time' - OkayAfrica ›
music nigerian music nigeria a good time davido
Jan. 28, 2022 04:18PM EST
Photo courtesy of Kunjina
Spotlight: Ethiopian Brand Kunjina Is On a Fashion Metamorphosis
Founder and creative director Kunjina Tesfaye speaks on her namesake brand, and how her personal evolution manifests through the unique garments.
In our 'Spotlight' series, we highlight the work of photographers, visual artists, multimedia artists, and more who are producing vibrant, original work.
In our latest piece, we spotlight Ethiopian fashion brand, Kunjina. The Addis Ababa based label focuses on ready-to-wear fashion and empowering woman through their garments and designs. Creator Kunjina Tesfaye established the brand in 2017 in her home country Ethiopia, and has since shared her distinctive designs with the world. Each garment acts as a physical embodiment of Kunjina's life experiences, and the stages we all go through to become closer to ourselves. "When the work comes from a personal place, it portrays a true feeling therefore the output becomes Authentic", the young designer says on the website. Each garment is carefully and intentionally created, as the company prides themselves on their choice to reduce unnecessary waste -- often times what happens with brands focused on trends.
Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Describe your background as an artist and the journey you've taken to get it to where it is today.
When I was little, I loved playing around in my mother's closet. Memories of my sister and I presenting fashion shows for the family over the weekends come to mind. I loved draping my mother's extra-large clothes on myself. That time marks the beginning of my journey into design.
I attended Addis Ababa University to study construction management because my parents wanted me to have a "plan B" — something more "stable" — compared to my interest and passion in fashion design. While I was a fourth-year student, I took a short course in fashion design. Using what I learned there, I started small; by making clothes for myself and my friends. They loved it. Gradually, I grew into selling the designs I made on social media. During my senior year in college, I got accepted to the African Mosaique Fashion Incubator program which has made a significant impact on my career as a designer. I learned a lot about branding, production, and the business of fashion. I made a collection after completing the program, and it acted as a dialogue of my two worlds; a world where I pursued my passion for fashion design and the world where I am an Engineering student. I won an award for 'most creative and promising fashion designer' for my final collection. Eventually, Kunjina, my namesake brand, was born and I began to work on it full-time. Right now we have one physical store in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and we have recently branched out to the U.S with the help of our partner Fraol Bekele.
What are the central themes in your work?
All of our work revolves around empowerment. With each collection, we envision the empowered woman feeling her best self. Our upcoming collection, UDET, speaks of the transformation a woman goes through to find and fully express herself. It is metamorphosis; at the beginning, we see a larva, a simple being trying to figure out life for the first time. It goes through its own process and finally, we find the beautiful butterfly.
How has the pandemic affected you creatively?
For me, the difficult part was not being able to go out and socialize. I really love meeting people and going to events. Being unable to do that has really affected my creativity — and slowed down my pace. On the contrary, it made me realize how solitude is important for the growth of an individual. It was also a wake-up call to live and explore myself, through my immediate surroundings.
Can you tell us about your upcoming collection, UDET?
The name 'UDET' is a Ge'ez* word meaning 'cycle'. This collection is based on my personal experience on the topic and it shows the process of self-doubt, transformation, and self-actualization using the metamorphosis cycle of a butterfly as a metaphor. It has three stages and the color and theme of the collection varies according to each stage. In the Caterpillar stage; fear, sadness, and self-doubt arise, and manifest through black, with a heavily restrained use of red. Chrysalis explores the cocoon and transformation taking place inside, and the use of white see-through organza represents the shell. In Butterfly — the final stage where beauty, freedom, and self-actualization are visible — the free use of red, orange, and hints of black further magnify the story.
*Ge'ez (ˈɡɨʕɨz) is an ancient Ethiopian language
What advice do you have for upcoming designers trying to make it on the continent, and around the world?
Don't be boxed. Explore your identity and stick to it no matter what. Have patience and always be a student.
The 5 Songs You Need to Hear This Week
Featuring Ayra Starr x Ckay, Kes, Davido x Skiibii, Pierre Kwenders and Rema.


USER AGREEMENT WITH THE TERMS OF SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE EXCHANGE SERVICE.
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7.3. Any transaction between the Client and the Exchange Service is irrevocable upon its completion. Return of the transferred funds after completion of the transaction is impossible.
7.4. In case of a disputable situation between the Client and the Exchange Service the maximum amount of compensation from the Exchange Service cannot exceed the amount handed over by the Client for exchange or transfer. The Client in case of his/her fault guarantees independent reimbursement of damages caused to the Exchange Service. All disputes between the Client and the Exchange Service are resolved by means of negotiations.
7.5. The Exchange Service is not liable and does not reimburse damages as a result of inadequate performance of its obligations to the Client caused by force majeure circumstances. Such circumstances, include in particular: failures; equipment shutdowns or work with power supply failures; acts of God; natural and industrial accidents; acts of terrorism; military operations; civil disorders; acceptance by public authorities, acceptance of laws containing prohibitions or restrictions concerning the activities of the Exchange Service or related Payment System by public authorities, local governments or administrations of payment systems; other circumstances that cannot be reasonably foreseen or prevented in advance and that prevent provision of the services of the Exchange Service.
7.6. The Exchange Service has the right not to give out cash to the Client until he/she provides his/her passport details.
7.7. The Exchange Service has the right to amend the present agreement at any time without prior notice to the Client.
a. Two printed and signed by yourself copies of USER AGREEMENT.
b. Scanned copies of relevant pages of your passport.
After we have received the above documents we will send the signed and stamped copy of the user agreement to the return address printed on the envelope , or return it during the next meeting.


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Home Why Does a Hearing Aid Cost Six Times More Than an iPad?
Why Does a Hearing Aid Cost Six Times More Than an iPad?
… this post was contributed by Ed Belcher*, who put together this eye-opening piece of analysis.
Posted in Affordable Hearing Aids, Audicus, Hearing Aid Cost
Did you ever wonder why a hearing aid can cost up to 6x more than an iPad? Peeling the onion on the cost structure of both devices reveals an eye-opening comparison into the dynamics of either industry. It can provide us with pointers on where the future price and cost tags could shift and should.
Hearing Aids vs. iPad
Let's assume a high-end hearing aid costs $1000 to the audiologist when he/she buys it from the manufacturer and consequently gets sold for $3000 to the consumer. Now if you dissect the $1000, based on a study by the German Competition Regulator, the following total cost breakdown emerges:
Now, let's take a closer look at the iPad: a recent study at the University of California, Irvine took a closer look at the cost structure of a regular iPad and came up with the following segmentation:
Bear with us, as we plot these numbers on a chart:
The manufacturing and distribution costs of a hearing aid are upside-down in comparison to the manufacturing and distribution costs of an iPad.
The iPad is subject to hard, unfettered competition. Its manufacturer profit, marketing, R&D and dispensing costs combined take up 45% of the retail price. The production cost takes the balance (55%) of the retail price.
Most hearing aids are made by the Big-6 consortium which shares patents and does business in a mutually beneficial way. The dispensing businesses sell the aids at a price around 3x their wholesale cost. In that case, the production cost of a hearing aid comprises only 8% of its bundled price. The remaining 92% is made up mostly of dispensing fees, administration salaries, and profits.
Granted, the market structure is different for both products. For instance, the sheer sales volumes of iPads far surpass those of hearing aids: Apple sold 3Mn iPads in the first 72 hours of its recent launch. By contrast, 3Mn units are what the entire hearing aids industry sells in one year. This sales volume allows for different economies of scale, especially when it comes to retail.
Furthermore there is a more involved service component attached to hearing aid dispensing (however not as much as what is traditionally claimed). Hearing aid dispensing, based on personal experiences when shopping in varied businesses for hearing aids, took 1 hour for the exam and discussion of HA options; 1 hour for fitting and training; and up to 2 hours for up to four 30-minute adjustments/training, a total of 4 hours of contact time. Assuming $100 per hour, consultation should yield a total of $400 in dispensing service fees.
In any case, the comparison is still startling and should raise questions on whether the industry is really operating at its most favorable level for the consumer. Let's look at the next piece of analysis.
What Would a Hearing Aid Cost If it Had the iPad Cost Structure?
The aforementioned hearing aid that a dispenser buys for $1000 costs about $250 to make, as we saw with the previous example. So we start with the $250 production cost.
If the iPad-structure were followed based on the $250 production cost (i.e. 55% of the total) then:
– the final retail price for one hearing aid would be $250 / 0.55 = $455
– If the specialist sells two aids for $455 each and adds $400 for four hours of service, a pair of high-end hearing aids would have a price of $1,310
Let's pause here and put this figure into perspective: $1,310 is equivalent to 22% of the traditional $6000 for the same pair!
What does this calculation imply on the audiologist revenues per customer? The $455 retail price includes a 15% markup (same as the iPad) of $68.25/aid. The total proceeds to the dispenser is 2*$68.25 + $400 = $537 for each customer served.
The questions that remain are thus:
1.Can industry prosper and sell aids for $387 (0.85*$455)? After all, they have sold millions of aids to the VA with prices decreasing from $375 to $333/aid from 2004 to 2011 respectively, according to Lucille Beck, Director of Audiology, VA, and The Hill
2.Can a specialist prosper with a 15% commission for aids sold and with a $100/hour rate for services (normally 4 hours) during and after the sale of the aids (i.e. $537 of proceeds per customer)?
Tell us what you think; we would love to hear your opinion!
* Ph.D. EE, Career researcher (retired) in underwater acoustics at the University of Washington
Sources: German Competition Regulator, The Economist, MSN Money, Lucille Beck, Director of Audiology, VA, The Hill


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https://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/commentary/article/Voter-restrictions-have-a-deep-history-in-Texas-13961127.php
Voter restrictions have a deep history in Texas
By Laurie B. Green, For the Express-News
Published 12:00 am CDT, Sunday, June 9, 2019
Scouts in Austin this week celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Congress passing the 19th Amendment. Texas quickly ratified the amendment, but still kept women of color from the polls.
Photo: Drew Anthony Smith /Associated Press
One hundred years ago, Congress approved the 19th Amendment, which prohibited the denial or limitation of voting rights "on account of sex."
The agonizing, 14-month struggle by suffragists to get three-quarters of the states to ratify the amendment, especially its dramatic culmination in the Tennessee statehouse, garnered much attention. But it may come as a surprise that Texas, a state that has become notorious nationwide for passing some of the most restrictive voting legislation, ratified the amendment in just 14 days.
Texas' speedy ratification of the 19th Amendment represents a beacon for women's political power in the U.S., but a critical assessment of the process tells us far more about today's political atmosphere and cautions us to compare the marketing of voting rights laws with their actual implications.
In a one-party state like Texas, primaries were the elections that mattered, and 1918 marked the first time women could participate — thanks, in part, to campaigning by thousands of members in the all-white Texas Equal Suffrage Association, or TESA.
Not all women got the chance to vote, however. Despite efforts by black activists, including suffragists, Texas' all-white primary system trumped women's newly won right nearly everywhere in the state. Still, the support from TESA secured the election of a pro-suffrage governor, William Hobby, and persuaded him to introduce an equal suffrage amendment to the Texas Constitution.
Like today, however, reactions to heightened immigration from Mexico — largely by those fleeing the violence of the Mexican Revolution — influenced Texas' equal suffrage movement. Believing adding Mexican-born women to voter rolls would alienate legislators who otherwise would back women's suffrage, Hobby proposed a two-part amendment that would extend full suffrage to women but reverse a policy allowing foreign-born residents to vote if they had petitioned for naturalization.
Tasked with getting voters to approve the amendment on May 24, 1919, TESA adhered to advice from national women's suffrage leaders willing to alienate Mexican American and African American suffragists for another state win. "In the winning or losing of the Second Amendment on your ballot," read a TESA leaflet addressed to the men of Texas, "the State chooses between her women and the alien enemies within our gates as citizens."
While this tactic won the allegiance of many Texans, it lost them the election — not a total surprise because immigrant men on a pathway to citizenship still retained the right to vote.
Just 11 days later, Congress approved the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, prohibiting the denial of voting rights on the basis of only sex. It took Hobby just two weeks to call a special session to approve the federal amendment's simple language.
By 1921, Mexican-born women awaiting naturalization had lost their right to vote. In 1923, a restructured all-white primary law kept out even black women who had managed to register earlier.
And again, on this 100th anniversary of Congress' approval of women's suffrage, voting rights are imperiled in Texas, this time by measures espoused as necessary to end voter fraud: the voter identification law already in place; threatened purges of voting rolls to eliminate noncitizens; and bills that nearly passed in this legislative session that would have classified voter registration mistakes as felonies.
In practice, these measures have targeted the same kinds of groups excluded from voting a century ago, such as the African American and immigrant women unable to reap the benefits of the 19th Amendment.
Photos of female members of the Congress wearing white at the 2019 State of the Union address illustrate how that history of injustices may have inspired women to figure so prominently in movements for truly universal voting rights.
Those sworn in for the first time this year include many who could not have joined major suffrage organizations in 1919. But as crucial as it has been and will be to gain further political power for women by voting them into office, we can't isolate that from burning voting rights issues today, in which Texas, like then, is a leader in voting restriction.
Laurie B. Green is an associate professor of history and a faculty affiliate in the Center for Women's and Gender Studies at the University of Texas at Austin.
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Is NBA 2k10 the Best Basketball Game of All Time For X Box 360?
Oct 21, 2022 my blog
On the off chance that you haven't played any of the NBA games that have been out over the new years, then, at that point, you are passing up the absolute most prominent games that you might at any point play. I'm an enormous b-ball fan yet was profoundly disheartened in the nature of the games that were emerging. It seemed like all that out there had errors or some likeness thereof or the game play as will I say "Stunning".
Then, at that point, comes the NBA 2K series (around 2k7) that transformed everything. From custom player ascribes, to genuine shooting styles, I can't get enough of these games. When I began to play it, I was snared.
This game is likewise perfect to UFABET challenge companions in a gaming competition in light of the fact that the illustrations are best in class and the game play is essentially as smooth as silk.
Likewise, with the prevalence of Xbox live, you can go on the web and fight with others from all over the world. I have done this multiple occasions and be warned…there are a great deal of great players out there that can beat you! I have played in many games on experience that went right down to the last second just to have me lose eventually.
This game has many highlights, for example, roads and top pick games that has the NBA's best on the court so you can play with every one of them immediately. I truly like how genuine it looks. That gets me constantly. Particularly on the off chance that you're playing on a big screen LCD television. Wow…what an image!
This gaming stage is extending enormously and I'm blissful each time I turn on this game and play it for two or three hours. It's a brilliant game and the makers ought to be extremely glad the NBA 2k establishment. It will stay one of the most mind-blowing ball games out there until somebody comes and takes their tossed, which I'm practically conceivable that won't occur.


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CPD Tracker
Australia's first School of Paramedicine to be established in 2023
Media Release:
In a national first and another step forward for the profession, the University of Tasmania (UTAS) Paramedicine Program has announced the establishment of a dedicated School of Paramedicine in 2023.
UTAS said the move reflected the evolving role of paramedics beyond emergency response. This position is reflected in the work of the Australasian College of Paramedicine (the College) and the opportunity to utilise paramedics more widely.
"Paramedicine is an integral healthcare profession that continues to expand and evolve to meet the out-of-hospital and primary care needs of communities across Australia," said College CEO John Bruning.
"UTAS establishing a standalone School of Paramedicine shows leadership and commitment to paramedic career progression and professional growth opportunities in Australia and will have a positive impact across the health workforce."
Associate Professor Belinda Flanagan, head of the new School of Paramedicine, said the announcement reinforced growth and autonomy in the health space for paramedicine.
"The university has given paramedicine a voice at the leadership table; it is recognition that paramedicine is more than emergency care."
Since paramedicine became a registered Ahpra profession in 2018, universities across Australia have seen continued growth in undergraduate enrolments and the expansion of paramedicine academic specialisations.
The College advocates with governments and key stakeholders across Australasia for the advancement of the profession to deliver the highest-quality person-centred care for our communities.
Media contact: Lindsey Salas, Good Talent Media, on 0416 335 886 or Lindsey@goodtalent.com.au
Ahpra News
College in the Media
Get unlimited access to hundreds of ACP's top courses for your professional development.
The Australasian College of Paramedicine (the College) is a not for profit, professional member organisation representing over 10,000 paramedics and students from all around Australia & New Zealand.
The College acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the traditional custodians of the land and sea in which we live and work, we recognise their continuing connection to land, sea and culture and pay our respects to Elders past, present and future.
The College acknowledges Māori as tangata whenua and Treaty of Waitangi partners in Aotearoa New Zealand.
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Ancient Egyptian Secret Tomb Revealed
Oooh, I love when this happens :)
Of all places, this article is from Faux News:
Ancient Egyptian secret tomb uncovered
Excavations at Abusir Archaeological Cemetery at Giza have revealed the tomb of Shepseskaf 'ankh, Head of the Physicians of Upper and Lower Egypt who dates to the Fifth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom of Egypt. [Note: Fifth Dynasty dates approximately 2465 BCE - 2323 BCE].
The entrance to the tomb of one of Ancient Egypt's top royal physicians.
(Arab Republic of Egypt Ministry of State for Antiquities Affairs)
The physician's final resting place is "huge" for its time, vice head of the Ancient Egyptian Sector Ali ALasfar described. The limestone tomb is approximately 69 by 45 feet long and 13 feet high.
A large false door inside the chapel where the tomb was found carries the names and titles of the owner. "Priest of Khnum" and "Priest of Magic," in addition to other titles are written on the eastern part of the tomb and show how the deceased physician was one of the most important royal physicians in Ancient Egypt.
This is the third tomb belonging to a physician to be discovered in Abusir Cemetery.
Next up, Faux News reveals that Shepseskaf'ankh was burned at the stake, beheaded, and then quartered and drawn for practicing "magic" and "bowing down before false idols" instead of following the tenets of the Bible according to Michelle Bachmann. Yes, she was ALIVE back then, bwwwwaaaahhhhh! Pay no attention to the fact that so-called christianity, a blasphemous take on the teachings of Jesus Christ, did not come into existence until more than 2,300 years later.
For more information on the 5th Dynasty:
Egypt: History - Pharaonic Dynasty V (Fifth Dynasty) (from Tour Egypt, always an excellent resource)
Labels: ancient Egypt, Egyptian Fifth Dynasty, Shepseskaf'ankh tomb
To Those Who Find This Temple, Praise My Name...
A plea by Assyrian King Tukulti-Ninurta I made over 3,200 years ago, when this inscribed gold tablet was buried in the foundations of a temple dedicated to "a fertility goddess." I don't know why the article didn't identify her. At that time, in Assyria, it was probably a temple to Ishtar. I wonder what She thinks about this? I wonder what King Tukulti-Ninurta I (may he rest in peace) thinks about this?
Berlin museum seeks return of ancient gold tablet
Berlin antiquities museum wants Holocaust survivor's family to return ancient gold tablet
By Michael Virtanen, Associated PressOctober 16, 2013 6:51 AM
A Holocaust survivor's family urged New York's highest court Tuesday to let them keep an ancient gold tablet that their late father somehow obtained in Germany after World War II. Attorney Steven Schlesinger argued that the estate of Riven Flamenbaum has a legal claim, whether the native of Poland bought the relic from a Russian soldier or simply took it to compensate for losing his family at Auschwitz, the concentration camp where he spent several years.
The golden tablet from King Tukulti-Ninurta I's temple to the fertility goddess.
Maybe worth $10 million cash at auction, but priceless, in more ways than one.
"Under the Soviet rules at the time, there was permission t pillage and plunder," Schlesinger said. "My client could have taken it in retribution." The tablet was in the collection of the Vorderasiatisches Museum, a branch of the Pergamon Museum in Berlin, before the war. The family argued that the museum's failure to reclaim the tablet for 60 years was an unreasonable delay, undercutting its claim. Schlesinger said Flamenbaum had been told by Christie's in 1954 that the small tablet was a fake and kept it at home. It's now in a safety deposit box on Long Island. Museum attorney Raymond Dowd said the absence of the 3,200-year-old relic was quickly noted by the museum, later reported by scholars and widely known. "There's no such thing as a right of pillage," Dowd said. "Reparation has nothing to do with this case." Who gets it is up to New York's Court of Appeals, where the seven judges grilled both lawyers Tuesday. A ruling is expected next month. The 9.5-gram tablet was excavated a century ago by German archaeologists from the Ishtar Temple in what is now northern Iraq. It went on display in Berlin in 1934, was put in storage as the war began and later disappeared. "It could fit in the palm of your hand," said Hannah Flamenbaum. "We played with it as children." Her father met her mother, another Holocaust survivor, at a relocation camp after the war. By his accounts he traded cigarettes or a salami for it. The couple came to the U.S., where her father went to work for a Manhattan liquor store and later bought the store, settling in Brooklyn, raising three children and later moving to Long Island, she said. "He never tried to sell it. ... This was sort of the legacy of his suffering in the camps," she said. "The thought was if we're allowed to retain it, put it on display in one of the museums, whether down here in Battery Park City in Manhattan or even in Israel. Use it as a way to talk about the Holocaust ... and my parents' story."
According to court documents, the tablet dates to 1243 to 1207 B.C., the reign of King Tukulti-Ninurta I of Assyria. Placed in the foundation of the temple of a fertility goddess, its 21 lines call on those who find the temple to honor the king's name. The tablet was excavated by German archaeologists from about 1908 to 1914 in what was then the Ottoman Empire, with Germany giving half the found antiquities to Istanbul, Raymond Dowd, the museum's lawyer, said. The modern state of Iraq has declined to claim it, he said. In 1945, the Berlin museum's premises were overrun, with many items taken by Russia, others by German troops and some pilfered by people who took shelter in the museum, Dowd said. The museum director was not in a position to say who took it, only that it disappeared. One recent estimate put its value at $10 million, Schlesinger said. Lower courts in New York were split on the decision, leading to the latest appeal.
Labels: law suit over ancient gold tablet, Tukulti-Ninurta I
Boy Dance Party -- Saturday Night Live October 12, 2013 (with Bruce Willis, Twerking His Little Ol' Booty)
What dudes do in secret. Love this!
Labels: boy dance party, Bruce Willis
Boy Dance Party -- Saturday Night Live October 12,...


This architect's rendering shows the proposal for building a new, smaller parking garage on the site of the TB Bank parking lot.
That's how he chose to describe what he and others say is Springfield's actual downtown parking problem — not the lack of inventory that many believe exists.
"There is plenty of parking in downtown Springfield, and when I say plenty, I mean plenty," Love told BusinessWest, while quickly acknowledging that many people are simply not aware of this volume, leading to that perception he mentioned — that there is no place, or no good place, to park.
The city's real issue lies with properly managing all that parking, he said — and this means everything from more-effective marketing of that supply to better signage to bring people to it, to perhaps more-creative pricing on the various products to incentivize people to use some of that underutilized inventory.
This need for better management is spelled out in something called the Downtown Springfield Parking and Pedestrian Plan (a carefully chosen name), which was prepared by Utile Inc. Architecture + Planning, with which Love is a principal, and Nelson Nygaard, a Boston-based transportation-planning firm, and funded by Mass Development.
The plan was commissioned in response to ongoing questions from city officials about what to do with the crumbling, 41-year-old, 1,232-space Civic Center Parking Garage. And while the document addressed that matter, it went much further in its scope.
Indeed, while the plan's headline-making proposal is a suggestion to raze the Civic Center garage, build a new facility slightly more than one-third that size on a portion of the parking lot of the TD Bank building (owned by the Springfield Redevelopment Authority), and create a 250-space surface lot on the site of the old garage, there are many other suggestions, all aimed at making the downtown easier to navigate for motorists and pedestrians alike.
These include making Dwight Street, currently one way going south, a two-way road; closing down Falcons Way (the street that runs between the Civic Center garage and MassMutual Center) for many events, thereby creating what Love and others called a "Yawkey Way Effect," in reference to the street outside Fenway Park in Boston where crowds gather before and after games; and improving the Market Street pedestrian way.
As for the specific plans for the garage and its proposed replacement, it would actually reduce the inventory of parking downtown by roughly 600 spaces, said Jason Schrieber, a principal with Nelson Neygaard.
But given the supply that exists downtown and the large percentage (more than half) of that supply that's not being used, the city can easily absorb that loss, he said. Meanwhile, moving large amounts of parking even another block from the convention center could spur additional development in that area, he noted.
Using Boston and Northampton as examples, Schreiber said there are benefits to putting a few blocks of retail and hospitality venues between parking facilities and the front doors of event venues.
Kevin Kennedy, Springfield's chief development officer, said, with the plan in hand, city leaders will closely consider all its points, from its basic premise — that perception is the real issue — to its major recommendation, and decide when and how to proceed.
While he agrees with some suggestions, he said there are questions about whether taking 600 spaces out of the inventory may hinder additional development, whether a 250-space surface lot on the footprint of the old garage is the best option for that site, and other matters.
And if they're answered effectively, the city must then pursue financing for a plan that currently carries a price tag approaching $17 million.
For this issue, BusinessWest takes an in-depth look at the parking plan, thus shedding some light on what has become an important, and also complex, issue for many urban centers.
There were three college commencement ceremonies going on that afternoon — AIC and Westfield State University at the MassMutual Center, which he serves as general manager, and Western New England University School of Law in Symphony Hall — as well as other, much smaller events in the convention center, he said. The various ceremonies and gatherings brought thousands of people downtown — as well as some serious gridlock.
It was the kind of day that would prompt questions about the wisdom of removing 600 parking spaces from the area around the convention center, he noted, while adding quickly that these are not the kinds of days on which to base one's parking inventory.
"No one plans their system to the 100-year flood — it's just not worth it," he said, adding that Springfield and communities like it should create inventory sufficient to meet typical needs during peak weekday use — 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Going by that standard, Springfield is using not quite half (46%) the spaces in garages, on the street, and in surface lots within a 5-minute walk from the convention center, according to the report, and 51% of those within a 2.5-minute walk.
The ideal utilization rate, the identified target for most communities, is 85%, said Schrieber. But few communities actually come close to that number, he noted, adding that Springfield is in many ways typical of Northeast urban centers, although its utilization rates are even lower than those found in most other cities.
"I've found literally one place that actually has a parking-supply problem," he told BusinessWest. "Every other community has plenty of supply, far more than anyone would have ever thought. We're talking about hundreds or thousands of empty spaces at the peak hour of the day, and it all has to do with the need for better management programs.
Elaborating, he said Nashua has implemented creative pricing policies, whereby busy streets are priced somewhat higher than those a little further away from the center of downtown, while parking in locations that would be considered remote is free or close to it.
Such dynamic pricing programs can be a tool for improving overall parking management, said Corey Zehngebot, an urban designer and planner at Utile, noting that they help communities increase their utilization rates while reducing the kind of congestion Springfield saw on May 19.
But parking management starts with having the proper amount of inventory, said Love, returning to the study and its main recommendation — building a new garage much smaller than the existing facility and taking several hundred spaces out of the inventory.
"When you have too much parking, there are other negative effects," he explained. "There are too many vacant lots; if you have too many surface parking lots and garages in your downtown, it's not an attractive place.
Still another aspect of effective parking management is putting the inventory in the right places, said Zehngebot, noting that having 1,200 spaces literally across the street from the convention center, while convenient for visitors, isn't exactly conducive to generating commerce and additional vitality in the city's downtown.
A garage on the TD Bank lot would help create development opportunities along the block between Harrison Avenue and Falcons Way — and even on the site of the old garage itself, she said, while also facilitating efforts to create that aforementioned Yawkey Way look and feel on Falcon Way and bringing new life to a somewhat tired Market Street.
Love agreed, and summoned the phrase "double duty" to describe what the authors of the parking garage have in mind for the proposed new garage. Elaborating, he said that it will not only meet parking-supply needs, but also funnel pedestrian areas, especially the Market Street corridor, while also perhaps serving as a catalyst for new retail and hospitality-related venues in that area.
Kennedy said city officials will closely consider the parking plan's many recommendations, and as they do so, they will attempt to answer several questions. One of the biggest, he noted, is why the parking-utilization rate in Springfield is so low.
To be determined is whether the problem lies with awareness — do people actually know these spaces exist? — or resistance to using some of the city's supply because of locations that might be considered poorly lit or unsafe, or still-sluggish economic conditions and a resulting high commercial real-estate vacancy rate. Or is it a combination of all these and other factors?
Also to be determined is whether a new 400-space garage (where 200 spaces must be reserved for TD Bank employees) and a 250-space surface lot on the site of the old garage will be sufficient to attract new development and handle the needs of the new businesses and residential units the city hopes to add in the years to come.
Summing up the situation for Springfield, Love told BusinessWest that something has to be done about the Civic Center Parking Garage — either shoring it up at a high cost, something he wouldn't recommend, or replacing it.
The key is for officials to get ahead of the situation and basically control the outcome, he continued, adding that the city still has an opportunity to do that. And while addressing the fate of that aging structure, the goal should not be to merely replace parking spaces, but to take major strides in the direction of more-effective management of the city's parking inventory.
"Parking can and should be an integral part of economic development downtown," said Kennedy, hinting strongly that the city has many questions to answer and steps to take before its parking supply can effectively play such a role.