text:
Jason Ling
And they granted his request and they all became a family again! Also the dog was never really dead! Yay!!!
This is gonna end well…
I would like to subscribe to this reality… Do they go out for ice cream too?
Aresius
No, they're all lactose intolerant. We need a bit of drama
bryan rasmussen
I think it's yes, but they're all lactose intolerant – and Patrick knew! hmm, I guess there should be something else like peanut allergy and it's peanut ice cream that they find out too late while Patrick is standing there – think well of me hahhah
Oh no, truly the darkest timeline.
NotPatrick
Heh. Saw this comment just after watching the ice cream scene in Legion.
Lethologica
Patrick's mom: "Yeah, that's gonna be a no from me, dog."
D'yiuwana Tegadring
I'd like to see the parents who tried to kill a child because he was a nuisance dare say HE'S the evil one.
Unfortunately that sounds all too likely to me. Parents who murder their children for being disabled, for instance.
Certainly, there are plenty of cases where such parents garner plenty of public support, though "evil" as such isn't usually their argument.
There have been cases of death during attempted exorcism, as well.
Come to think of it, if I could just share some of my mother's monologues about me… (I don't know if she was trying to kill me. It was a pretty inept poisoning attempt, but that would be in keeping with, well, her. A lot of endangerment and denial of medical care, anyway…)
Every time you talk about your childhood in this comment section, it reminds me of Jared from Silicon Valley. Constant little aspects of some grand and horrifying story being floated bit by bit out into the world.
TBH, it's a little weird from this side? (I don't know the Jared reference.) I don't think of myself as having had a tragic childhood – if anything, I think of myself as having had a complicated childhood (because there were a lot of things I liked about it, and a lot of things I benefited from in it). I suppose the civil thing would be to be more discreet, but I just can't be bothered.
But yeah, I'll start writing about something, and then partway in, it will occur to me that oh, yeah, having one's parent attempt GBH isn't really an abstract concept or anything. (Though, I don't really know WTF was going with the poisoning.)
Mack Stingray
Every now and then, I mention some event from my childhood that seems ordinary to me, the room goes quiet and everybody's staring at me like I grew a second head.
Though if it were a competition, you would win.
Last time, it was a conversation about heating oil and space heaters, and I volunteered how wonderful and useful electric heaters were when living in the campground. Sudden quiet, and a sense of several chatroom members staring at me. So I tried to contextualize it, make it normal to them like it was to me. It was only during that summer, I said, and it was a lot of fun because I was about six, and mum was just trying to find an apartment we could afford. It wasn't so bad, and the apartment was warm and dry, just had a horrendous roach problem. It was the best place we found since the homeless shelter closed down…
I gave up at that point.
It's so very much not a competition. Mostly, my childhood pretty much worked for me, y'know? I mean, it didn't grow me into the standard model (if such exists) but that was pretty much already off the list. I'm pretty happy with who I am. (My sister has a lot of comments about the emotional consequences of being the kid who was respected but not loved – but then, she was the one who was loved by not respected and a) neither of those are going to turn out well and b) our parents sucked at love, and respect and fear tended to get mixed up a lot, so, yeah, there are reasons we got out.)
I think part of the reason I post so freely here* is that in my day to day life, I do try somewhat hard to walk a line between not traumatizing the folks I interact with, and at the same time, not disappearing beneath pretense. And it's always the stupidest stuff that people freak out about. (A bit back, a member of the zendo flipped out at a comment I made about how I try to learn languages during a discussion on learning languages, and lectured the whole group on how people like me are categorically incomprehensible to the rest of humanity. Gah. She caught me flat footed – and it was darkly fascinating to see where she was going with it, as she's a retired professor of gifted education and current counselor. But if she does that again I'm shutting her down really hard.) I both try to handle my research students gently, but also figure that I'm doing them a service by exposing them to a broader world than they have yet experiences – but I mostly mean things like hacking, wider cultural groups, incestuous geek referral networks and that sort of thing.
* and various other places. There's definitely a different dynamic in places where people mostly know me really well (no small number for the last thirty years or more!) and where I'm mostly just a rando who wandered in, and while I post freely around my friends, and a great deal more intimately, it's different.
*decides to look up the Jared reference*
Holy crap. *cracks up*
Yea, Jared is definitely one of the high-points of the show. Zach Wood's cheerful deadpan is extraordinary.
You have officially amused the heck out of my sister. I thought she was going to hurt herself.
I'd highly recommend at least the first season if you find the time. Silicon Valley is definitely one of the best comedies on television currently. Also, while I'm recommending things, Legion is spectacular.
My sister said the same (amidst the laughs, gasps and the "OMG, you are totally Jared!"s – so much for sororal reassurance). If I ever start to watch shows, I'll consider it (and there is one project that maybe I could finish better watching shows, since I had to stop spinning during department seminars?)
Ian Osmond
They'd get a lot of support in this. After all, and not to start an entirely other ethical argument while we're in the middle of all these other ones, would you kill baby Hitler?
How about baby Menace?
…No, and no. Because, when Hitler was a baby, he wasn't 'fixed' as evil. Even if he was a sociopath…there are suprrisingly workable ways to handle such things. Such as a career in law. Or working as a manager of an HMO. Or architectural design.
There's also the issue that the attempt to kill Menace…was likely what CAUSED his supervillainy. Or at least contributed. It's not a binary "Kill Baby Hitler", versus "Allow HItler to destroy the world."
KIDNAP Baby Hitler and raise him? Maybe. (THis conundrum was a plot point in Babylon 5).
Now…kill Hitler right before he entered politics? Outside of time stream "Wnat of a nail" shit? Definitely. Without remorse.
Yes, it's not a binary situation but… Would you take the chance?
Still, you can see that some percentage of the population would support Patrick's parents in their attempt.
Nico Campa
Only from the point of pure hindsight. If they had not tried to kill him, he likely would not have become Menace. They were not acting to try to prevent something horrible from occurring, but simply acting out of selfishness.
That is the difference between a discussion of their attempt to kill Patrick and any hypothetical to travel back and kill Hitler. They made him into that monster through their own monstrous act.
(Follow-on question — if you were born in Germany in, um, 1915 or whatever, and happened to know Hitler at that point — would you have murdered him? I mean, I assume not, because you wouldn't have any way of knowing. And then, going down the rabbit hole of ethics so hypothetical that they can have no bearing on the real world — if someone DID kill Hitler, just because they got in a bar fight or something, would that person have done a good thing and be given credit for their actions? … okay, I'm now way outside my depth…)
Magma Sam
One thing I always think about whenever I hear about all this *go back in time and kill baby hitler* stuff is the fact that there were several groups vying for control of Germany. It was in a pretty horrid state at the time, and wasn't being given any leeway.
What I think is the most likely result of killing hitler prematurely is some other dude rallying the germans to war and power. Probably somebody better equipped for the job, who wouldn't try to blitz Russia while already fighting a war on the other side.
BruceGee1962
How come there aren't any stories of someone going back to 1914 and killing Gavrilo Princip? That would be likely to eliminate the circumstances that gave rise to Hitler.
Gavrilo Princip's death probably wouldn't have changed anything – there were half a dozen or so conspirators lying in wait on the streets of Sarajevo that day, and it was only dumb luck that the Archduke's car even passed him. Also, saving Franz Ferdinand probably wouldn't have prevented war in the long run.
Ray Radlein
If you really want to Kill Hitler, why not do it during World War I? Easy enough to toss one more body on that pile and lord knows there were plenty of times when it could have happened then.
It's unclear, but I don't think we're in Hitler territory with Menace. I imagine his death toll is probably more comparable to Julius Caesar or Napoleon.
Earlier on Patrick said that his entire death toll was less than Nagasaki, so we're talking <50,000 deaths. Napoleon was probably 1-2 Million. Caesar's direct death toll was probably in the low-mid hundred thousands between his conquest of Gaul and the Roman Civil war, with the highball estimate being around a million. Higher if you count the ultimate fallout from the civil war he started that didn't really resolve until decades after his death. http://strongfemaleprotagonist.com/issue-5/page-105/
Actually now that I've checked statistics Napoleon was probably more like 3.5-4 million. By comparison Hitler probably killed at least 20 million if you only count crimes against humanity. If you include all the deaths from the European theater of WW2 on his conscience you're in the 50 million range.
Ian, please do not take the following personally. I have an intense dislike for the premise of "would/should you kill baby Hitler?" I've encountered it in serious academic writing more than enough. So the following is not directed at you, I just try to pour some vitriol on this particular intellectual weed wherever I encounter it.
That being said, "kill baby Hitler" is such a stupid premise. It sounds intriguing at first, and has the emotional gutpunch of a solid ethical dilemma.
But if you go into the particulars, it just breaks down more and more.
Where did you get your info? Proper paradoxical change-your-own-past time travel? And that's the best application you come up with for that tech? Maybe you're a precog. Ok, good job on that one. But again: what about the endless realm of possibilities for making the world a better place? if you got the information elsewhere, you open the entire can of worms that is the death sentence. You can never take back the murder of a person. Which margin of error would you accept for what probability/extent of averted suffering? What do you believe and why do you believe it?
Next is the simplistic view of history, which I believe has already been addressed. Kill one person and fix the whole clusterfuck that was fascism/nazism/WW II? Sounds legit. Horror on a historical scale does not happen because of one person. It happens because we as humans collectively still suck. Are there pivotal moments and people in history? Sure, but they are only ever the fulcrum upon which move the massively larger levers of collective human need, greed and ignorance.
And why does it always have to be murder? Surely an ethical ponderer of ethical questions would rather try to shape young Adolf's life in such a way that he doesn't become a genocidal maniac? Maybe settle down, have 2,5 kids, be kinda happy but mildly disappointed like everyone else?
It's just such a lazy, convoluted, harebrained premise, I cannot take it seriously.
Give me the trolley problem any day.
Rant over, Dirka out.
Yes, my only argument here was that there exist enough people who DO take the comment seriously that Patrick's parents could get significant sympathy if it became known that they'd tried to kill him.
Fair 'nuff.
CakeNsteak
You see it all the time with people aborting children because they would interfere with their freedom while claiming it as a virtue. The one thing these people could claim is that had their super villain son died while he was younger it would have prevented many deaths. Not my stance but It's definitely one his mother would probably take.
trev006
Aw man. That poor guy. No wonder he locked this one away.
Menace may have been an impossibly cocksure supervillain, but Order and Calm look a lot better than other options in the last twenty years. It is surprising his father hates him. I suspect Dad hates Dad most of all, and didn't specifically want Pat dead, but then I'm not a telepath. And a concerned parent would have tried harder to find him.
Of course this will not be the end. I choose to believe affectionate hugs were had, then helicopter rides. Patrick's mom only got the one-way option, but eh. Everyone's a critic.
Mike Elsner
I suspect his father's mental state was more fear and shame than straight up hate. But he probably thinks his son is a monster, so that would qualify as hate. He's definitely a weak and cowardly man.
The mother seems to be feeling straight up hatred.
I swear this is my family minus the super powers.
"…in your final moments."
This! Please this.
His father too? This comes as a surprise.
Also, "great United States"? Chill out with the patriotism firstly in general and secondly, toward the county you're treasoning Pat
Professor Harmless
Treason would require him to betray it to a foreign power. He's a self declared sovereign entity that has declared war on the U.S.A.
Certainly sedition.
Treason, possibly – most of the definitions of "treason" I've checked include the attempt to overthrow the "rightful" current government as one of the definitions.
(legal definitions may be more restrictive, however).
So like, Civil War wasn't treason as defined by the US constitution?
…I'm pretty sure it was
1) 'Oh my god he's turned into a monster, just like the bitch I married!'
2) Breaking the US…or improving them? Keep in mind that some time (months? years?) after he'd call his own nation 'bloodthirsty'
Jovial Contrarian
Pity for your poor telepathic son who had less-than-excellent childhood does not exclude disgust at the fact that he became Magneto.
Hey, unlike Magneto, at least Patrick probably understands how freaking magnets work. Christ, it's like, just take a freaking physics class Mr. Eisenhardt! Or have you been too busy lying to us all these years, when your power apparently just seems to be freaking ferrokinesis?!
Woah there. Patrick wants to run things because he thinks he can do it better. He's not striving for genocide.
Magneto's all over the map morally speaking. Generally "genocidal" when he lands in the hands of an author who's annoyed that, in the previous author's tenure, people didn't get that he was a villain.
Rolf Soldaat
I automatically assumed the "Great United States" line was sarcasm when I read it.
Grason Cheydleur
I definitely read this line as sarcasm. After all, Patrick did try to dismantle the government. I don't think there's actually much love lost between him and the USA.
Well, he did murder all those innocent people.
I just wanted to say that this particular page really moved me. The tragedy and the pain are portrayed vey well here.
I agree. I also appreciate how often I can be surprised by plot developments that still manage not to betray the characters involved.
I'm really swinging back to this is just Patrick's trick to keep from getting exposed by Allison.
Franklin J Gomes
Allison: "Soooo, how far you…"
Patrick: "I can read your mind for any part of the globe"
Allison: " Well, for the N time this day, I don't know if that is lovely or creepy"
Patrick: I conducted an experiment with a teleporter a while ago. You'll be relieved to know that while I can *technically* still read some of your thoughts while on the surface of Mars, on the moons of Jupiter I get nothing.
Just noticed: Patrick seems to have a darker skin tone than his parents. When his mother was blacked out before, I figured she'd have a darker skin tone.
I had figured that he was Latinx, Middle Eastern or biracial.
Was he adopted?
Brendon White
Considering he was homeless for a long time, he probably just got a tan from being outside.
Richard, Probably
I'm sure this will go well.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/7b03a6261122afb0f10bf1a7aea59254653ba0944bf2d451761e0abd2d0ce6eb.png
He just built them a lovely lair in Antarctica.
With an oversized lynx that's actually a biodynamic boy who drew a real pisser of an anomaly.
…and then he goes from Dr. Manhattan trying to be Ozymandias to Ozymandias trying to be Dr. Manhattan.
I mean, it doesn't have heat. Or walls. Or…
Okay, fine, he's just dropping them at the south pole to freeze.
IIt's been said before but I'll say it again: She dead.
Edgedy
I think he cares for his father, and I think what's going to happen is that the mother is going to say something which makes him go to kill her and the father takes the hit instead.
at which point Patrick will apply the evil overlord list.. and kill his mom anyway. then he will engage in teen angst and drama over his dead dad.
"I'd prefer that your last thoughts not be bitter ones."
"I've tried my best to make you proud. I just don't see how I ever can."
No, it's mentioned at least when Allison sees Rat.
(it seems a little weird to me; Rat and Cleaver seem like they'd fit as your average street corner drug dealer / enforcer, not as the lieutenants of a guy trying to take over an industrialized country)
Mm, but the formation of the group was at least equally, and maybe more driven by people who needed a place.
Eh, with Cleaver, this was probably the only guy who could go toe to toe with Mega Girl and expect to come back relatively intact. If being able to take a punch from Superman doesn't get you a seat at the Legion of Doom, what does?
Not to mention that he can actually hurt her, and that his trauma probably resonated with Pat pretty deeply.
Ok for Cleaver.
But my point was more "It's weird the Legion of Doom's leadership is made exclusively of one mastermind, with a bunch of "drug dealer" and "enforcer" types as his lieutenants. Where are the accountants, intel guys, lawyers, engineers, military strategists, etc?"
Intellectual legwork doesn't mean much to a mind reader. His intel guys are your guys. His lawyers are your lawyers. He built an army using Lisa's robotics and he's rich enough to just buy or bribe his way through any broader human resource shortage.
That's not really how logistics work, but whatever. The story isn't about logitstics anyway, that's why it never explains what was Patrick's goal and how he intended to achieve it (beyond a vague "take over everything").
We still don't know what Graveyard did. It's possible that the members of his organization he was personally closest to were the muscle types that he used as bodyguards.
Thanks – it felt like new information but it didn't feel like new information, if you know what I mean.
Also, what the h*ck is Graveyard up to lately, anyway?
maybe Patrick's first attempt to take over the country/world was still somewhat inept, he had knowledge and the people skills but not the wisdom to work completely in shadows.
… you know, it would have been nice of Patrick to send a heads-up about this to Allison. "I'm probably going to keep hearing you no matter how far away you are." Although, considering how creepy that would be, maybe it's better that he kept Allison in the dark?
Well, it makes one thing a bit less creepy. Given Patrick's previously implied range, I assumed his range for projection would be similar, so on all the nights where she had those weird nightmares I assumed he would have had to have been just wandering around weirdly outside the apartment building. Stalking randomly nearby for a couple weeks would have been a bit more creepy than projecting images from the comfort of wherever-he-was-currently-being-a-mess.
Implied therein: "Whether either of us wants me to 'hear' you or not."
Natsumeg
This makes me think that what happened with Patrick showing up at beginning of the chapter is the repeat of what happened with his parents here. But he couldn't possibly do whatever he did back then, which made him into even more of a mess.
Isn't this the reason he tried to kill Allison?
Could be, but then why did he try so hard to make her hate him in he first place?
Even people who aren't telepathic push people they care about away because they're too afraid of being vulnerable. Patrick might have been unconsciously hoping that her hatred of him would be preferable to her longing and ongoing resentment of him. Perhaps he could have erased part of her, compartmentalized better, if she didn't love him anymore.
TheZorginator1
Well I suppose this answers the question "why does he look so bad now but looks really well groomed when Allison meets him." Your life kind of sucks when getting rid of your parents makes you a happier and more well-adjusted person.
And yet, I have at least a few friends for whom that is absolutely true.
Admittedly, "getting rid of" didn't involve murder in their cases.
I'm pretty disturbed when people make generalization that assume that parental relationships are almost always loving and positive – because a lot are, but so many aren't, and it's just another way to alienate people who already have to deal with crappy parents. (This isn't particularly personal – my parents can't do much to me, except mess with my younger sibs, and I generally feel like I won wrt them. But I'm pretty far out on the hard hearted bitch scale.)
Oh shit, so everytime Alison was comparing him to one of her new boyfriends to him, he could hear her….
so this is why he didn't like uhm, kid with glasses whose name I've forgotten now for reals.
Klevin.
I predict before the summer's out (our time) Alison will ask Patrick, how far away can you read my thoughts? (assuming they both survive this trip down memory lane.)
also this puts the check in a whole new light…
and that phrase… thinking of you…. the creepiness factor is now somewhere around 11.
Arianwen
OOOoooh thisisn'tgoingtoendwell.
This puts a different spin on "I'm with you, always."
Oh yeah, that creates a whole new perspective, makes me afraid for Patrick that the memory in the beginning of the chapter is of his mother throwing one last spiteful dig at him just to hurt him.
Patrick is, unfortunately, his mother's son. I don't think they make it out of this scene.
ophidimancer
Oh, Patrick …
Okay, that's unexpectedly disturbing.
All I'm saying is that Al had better get him a new puppy at the end of all this.
demosthenese10
Son: we don't think about you at all. You are what the professionals call "cray cray".
Lika Boss
i thought that was going to end with him killing them,, maybe it still will. But itś pretty interesting to consider the length of his telepathy. What a cool concept
MedinaSidonia
Damn. There is something about this that resonates so strongly. I'm sure the fight I got into with my sister on Easter has nothing to do with it.
Seriously, though, this is a great example of what I always say about science fiction: at it's heart, it's a way of saying things about the human condition that can't be said otherwise–or rather, they *can* be said, but if you say them in a conventional manner, peoples' preconceptions prevent them from getting the message. Through fantastical allegory, science fiction allows us to say the same things in a way that does an end-run around those preconceptions. Like the episode of classic Star Trek with the people with the split white-and-black faces, or the episode of DS9 about the purported "Butcher of Gallitep", they present an opportunity for the audience to have an emotional reaction they might not otherwise have because of their jadedness, and through that emotional reaction connect back to the real subject.
Saddest part for me?
He know it's a futile request.
Welp. That last panel was heartbreaking
Skudplastr
Oh my gosh! Is he gonna commit….
Patrickcide? 😀
Well. That broke me. It's bad enough to cut abusive family out of your life and know they'll never love and accept you. To have to HEAR how much they loathe you…
I don't think a comic panel has ever given me such a sudden, visceral urge to vomit from feeling.
i'd really rather not come up with a better version of hell on earth than that.
Patrick_GETS_me
Anyone else connect that Patrick looks disheveled and scraggly under his Menace helmet because he can hear his parents' negative thoughts about him everywhere he goes, and also looks disheveled and scraggly in real life now because he can hear Alison's negative thoughts about him wherever he goes? Maybe the reason he's falling apart isn't because of the internal struggles of his five selves, maybe it's because he's so haunted by Alison's disapproval and can't ever escape hearing it?
That would be a neat horrifying twist.
"Yay! I fixed the root of your problem!"
"Actually, the reason I was breaking down was that I kept feeling like shit because you kept bringing up the bad things I did in your mind, trying to persuade yourself to forget about me. But thanks for destroying 75% of my mental infrastructure, I guess."
Ok there's some stuff here –
1. the mom is a lost cause, and Patrick knows it – why, because by definition Patrick knows when someone is a lost cause.
2. The father might not be a lost cause, but even if he thinks well of him, well the mother will still be there.
3. Given that father might be manipulatable with this line the question is manipulatable to what end – to think well of Patrick seems not good enough really
a. I think the only reason to manipulate the father is hurt the mother somehow. I suppose it could be make him kill her and commit suicide. but I think it is something other than that.
b. if not that then the only thing that really makes sense about this whole think better of me thing from Patrick is to manipulate Allison.
I'd originally assumed that the father wasn't aware of the murder plan, but Patrick implies that he was in on it. And Patrick would know, so I guess he was. I no longer feel bad for him.
Debbie Jackson
I said this last time! Honestly, still on the fence, though. His father may well have been aware only after the fact – Patrick doesn't specify whether he picked those thoughts up in advance or if he's only been listening in to Dad's guilt, fear and pain over it having happened afterward. Especially since it went wrong and their son is now "a psychopathic supervillain, like Claudia but worse". But I've definitely backed away from pure sympathy for a while now, yes..
Oh shit.
That was somehow even worse than what I was expecting.
Ganurath
Oh, so THAT'S why component is bad. Filtering his emotions reduces his range to tolerable levels.
Kinda surprising that they'd spend that much emotional energy on him. I mean, the sense of existential dread requisite of self serving ass-covering, sure. Hatred, though? Disgust? You don't spend that much time chasing other people's demons unless you're running from your own, and frankly they seem more the type to ride about on their demons' shoulders.
these have been established as Patrick's parents even if he's adopted he was adopted fairly young. trust me parents feelings for their kids are complex, strong, and continuous. just go threaten a child in front of their parents sometime. are there exceptions? yes. but children are a very touchy subject because of it.
also talk to parents of grown, flown, and raising their own kids. you'll find that most if not all grandparents still worry about their kids (who are raising their own kids) on a regular if not daily basis.
also- dispite Patrick's abilities the difference between receiving hatred vs disgust can be very subtle. and given the complexities of his own feelings likely easy to mistake one for the other.
I doubt threatening to kill Patrick and bury his corpse in the woods in front of his parents would elicit any response stronger than 'Got your own shovel, have you?'
sagelynaive
I don't think him being possibly adopted plays in here. His parents, particularly his mom, have already proven they aren't opposed to him dying. They don't have that connection you're describing. Parents or no, they attempted to kill him. That pretty well negated any matronly instincts you're attributing here. They're probably more worries about the fact he survived than about him.
Menace is being broadcast across news screens throughout the US at this point. His drones and servitor army are filling the skies. It's not as if they can avoid noticing his existence.
This hurts.
Rene Askew
Don't. Show. WEAKNESS to them! They know now they can HURT you just by thinking, why would they change that now?
Danygalw
His dad would!
Well he can always shoot them if that's what they settle on.
Wouldn't it be funny if the mental block he had placed was the thing keeping him from feeling his mom's thoughts? Alison's thinking "yay I fixed him" and Patrick is curled up in a corner crying
I know he has to justify himself, but does anyone else feel like this is taking longer than it should? I'm not sure what it is, but I find myself completely lacking any form of sympathy for Patrick and the only thing going through my mind at this point is "Patrick, shut up and kill them already. Get on with it."
Mom is that you?
I hope not. I'd be the worst parent ever (which is why I'm not a parent), but hey, if I were, you'd have a great excuse for whatever issues you have.
I feel bad for the dad. I think that the mom controlled him to an extent (or he's the soft one).
McFrugal
I figured it out. THIS IS WHEN HE ERASES HER. His father changed his mind and stopped hating Menace, but she didn't. So he fixed the problem without killing her. He cut himself off from his feelings for her, so that he couldn't read her mind at a large distance anymore.
kabob
Surely Patrick should know exactly what words he needs to say in order to convince his parents to think well of him? That was what he said in one of the earliest pages, and it makes quite a lot of sense. On the other hand, a mind reader who knows his parents completely and utterly not being able to change his parents mind, doesn't make much sense.
A similar thing with Allison. Patrick should know EXACTLY what it is that's making Allison think badly of him, and while this isn't the same as knowing how to convince her to change her mind, he should be able to see all the other times that she changed her mind about someone, what caused them, and then check all the other 'files' he has on people changing their minds about someone (if its less than a thousand, i will be extremely surprised) and decide on a set of actions likely to convince Allison that he is a good person, or at least someone who is likeable and not deranged.
And why doesn't the mindscape of a mind reader have a really convincing person as a defence? Sure, having a giant invincible giant is nice, but he should have more insidious defences as well- he could just take ideas from all the minds hes read, evaluate them using the thought processes of decision theorists, and then have a large list of easy to apply and effective mental defences.
I could go on quite easily. Patrick really should not be having these kinds of problems, even is his main coordinating mind is a traumatised child. I've been in similar situations (but with a shitty father, not mother, and 9, not whatever age Patrick is here) and while my decisions were no where near as sensible as they would have been, I would still be capable of some basic logic.
Altain Phoeinx
Sure, he should know those words. If there's anything he can say to change things. These are the people he cares about the most, and it really messes with his ability to think clearly. Combine that with what's likely hard-set ideas of who he is, moreso from his parents than Allison, and the fact that he has no idea how to be introspective, these are gonna be the hardest people in the world for him to manipulate. Probably more than if he met his match with another telepath, because of the love he has for these three.
Wait, is this why he memory holed his mom (i.e. black silhouette)? Does that work as a way to prevent him from having that connection to her?
Kill them for him when they disagree, Alison.
I'm wondering about the sequence here. If Alison's act of heroism and kindness opened a door in the barrier that had previously been closed… ( http://strongfemaleprotagonist.com/issue-7/page-71-4/ )
…is this happening after her encounter with Patrick? (i.e. She caused his to start giving a shit about his parents, and therefore this all happened?)
Or did she initiate some sort of gradual destabilization starting way back then?
Because this door was closed.
I think this was locked beyond the vault of Mature Patrick.
This is fantastic material, I should say. This is an amazingly clever and potent hook for connecting a character to the inescapability of their own past magnified through his biodynamic.
This is a brutally sympathetic situation demanding an incredibly painful choice. Bravo, Brennan and Molly.
Dave Huber
Patrick's "mother" is stunned by his revelation of the extent of his power. I expect her to go for the jugular with words and thoughts so hurtful they should destroy him. Which is what he wants! That's why the master manipulator is feigning vulnerability.
Whether her assault triggers the "blanking" or inspires his "father" to eliminate her, I'm not sure…
JohnTomato
Surprised Mom hasn't asked "Who's the bimbo?"


Oligopin® is an organic plant extract derived from the bark of the maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) which is found in the southwest regions of France. This patented and highly potent extract contains a standardized composition of procyanidins, bioflavonoids and organic acids. There are over 400 scientific publications supporting the benefits of this plant extract, especially for cardiovascular function.
Oligopin® is standardized to contain at least 67% procyanidins—a subclass of polyphenols similar to those found in berries and citrus fruits. Procyanidins from Oligopin® are metabolized to catechin, caffeic acid, taxifolin, ferulic acid, and a unique compound known as δ-(3,4-dihydroxy-phenyl)-γ-valerolactone. Oligopin® also contains a number of other polyphenols and organic acids, such as cinnamic acids.
In a 6-week study in 25 healthy adult subjects who took 150 mg of French maritime pine bark extract daily, a healthy balance of cardiovascular lipids occurred. The same study also found that plasma oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) was significantly elevated after four weeks.
Moreover, nitric oxide (NO) is imperative for proper vasodilation (blood vessel expansion/relaxation), and thus, healthy blood flow and blood pressure. Procyanidins, which are abundant in Oligopin®, have been shown to promote blood flow by increasing NO production, as well as supporting healthy blood pressure already in the healthy range.
Dicalcium phosphate, microcrystalline cellulose, vegetable stearic acid, croscarmellose sodium, vegetable magnesium stearate, silicon dioxide.
Take one tablet daily as a dietary supplement, or as directed by your healthcare practitioner.


text:
Agreements with Marshall University give students advanced degree pathways
ISSUED: 11 September 2019
SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV — Shepherd University has signed a series of agreements with Marshall University that will assist students wishing to pursue advanced degrees in a variety of fields, as well as specific articulations to Marshall's Edwards School of Medicine and the School of Pharmacy.
"We have been working strategically to not only identify pathways to Shepherd through dual-enrollment programs for high school students and 2+2 agreements for community college students, but also pathways for our students' next steps beyond Shepherd," said Dr. Scott Beard, provost. "In addition to the medical and pharmacy school pathways, our general agreement with Marshall will help us identify, develop, and implement cooperative projects that will enhance the curricular and co-curricular experience of students enrolled in both institutions."
"When students come to Shepherd, they feel that they may only have one path toward a career in the health sciences," said Dr. Robert Warburton, dean, College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. "By working closely with the faculty at Marshall to develop programs and requirements, we have established multiple paths for the future success of Shepherd students in the health sciences, thereby giving them more options."
"We hope to create and promote intercollegiate co-curricular exchanges and create advantageous academic pathways that prepare students for admission to graduate programs," Beard said. "There can even be the opportunity for co-taught courses and potentially joint faculty appointments. We are very excited by the opportunities with our friends at Marshall University."
For interested and qualified students, the medical and pharmaceutical school agreements outline specific Shepherd course and admissions requirements such as GPA and test scores. They also offer the opportunity to shadow and connect with Marshall University faculty, alumni, and students in person and through the use of ZOOM video platform lectures, as well as get advice and mentoring to provide opportunities for an early admission decision.
For more information, contact Warburton at rwarburt@shepherd.edu.
Download for Print

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


ALS Limited provides analytical testing services in Australia, Canada, the United States, and internationally. The last earnings update was 152 days ago. More info.
ALQ underperformed the Professional Services industry which returned 9.3% over the past year.
Is ALS undervalued based on future cash flows and its price relative to the stock market?
Here we compare the current share price of ALS to its discounted cash flow analysis.value.
Below are the data sources, inputs and calculation used to determine the intrinsic value for ALS.
The calculations below outline how an intrinsic value for ALS is arrived at by discounting future cash flows to their present value using the 2 stage method. We try to start with analysts estimates of free cash flow, however if these are not available we use the most recent financial results. In the 1st stage we continue to grow the free cash flow over a 10 year period, with the growth rate trending towards the perpetual growth rate used in the 2nd stage. The 2nd stage assumes the company grows at a stable rate into perpetuity.
The current share price of ALS is above its future cash flow value.
The amount the stock market is willing to pay for ALS's earnings, growth and assets is considered below, and whether this is a fair price.
Are ALS's earnings available for a low price, and how does this compare to other companies in the same industry?
** Primary Listing of ALS.
ALS is overvalued based on earnings compared to the AU Professional Services industry average.
ALS is overvalued based on earnings compared to the Australia market.
Does ALS's expected growth come at a high price?
ALS is poor value based on expected growth next year.
What value do investors place on ALS's assets?
* Primary Listing of ALS.
ALS is overvalued based on assets compared to the AU Professional Services industry average.
ALS has a total score of 0/6, see the detailed checks below.
How is ALS expected to perform in the next 1 to 3 years based on estimates from 10 analysts?
Is ALS expected to grow at an attractive rate?
ALS's earnings growth is expected to exceed the low risk savings rate of 2.3%.
ALS's earnings growth is positive but not above the Australia market average.
ALS's revenue growth is expected to exceed the Australia market average.
ALS's earnings are expected to grow by 5.9% yearly, however this is not considered high growth (20% yearly).
ALS's revenue is expected to grow by 3.9% yearly, however this is not considered high growth (20% yearly).
All data from ALS Company Filings, last reported 6 months ago, and in Trailing twelve months (TTM) annual period rather than quarterly.
ALS is not expected to efficiently use shareholders' funds in the future (Return on Equity less than 20%).
ALS has a total score of 2/6, see the detailed checks below.
How has ALS performed over the past 5 years?
Below we compare ALS's growth in the last year to its industry (Professional Services).
ALS's year on year earnings growth rate has been positive over the past 5 years.
ALS's earnings growth has exceeded the AU Professional Services industry average in the past year (212.7% vs 11.3%).
ALS's revenue and profit over the past 5 years is shown below, any years where they have experienced a loss will show up in red.
ALS has not efficiently used shareholders' funds last year (Return on Equity less than 20%).
ALS used its assets less efficiently than the AU Professional Services industry average last year based on Return on Assets.
ALS has significantly improved its use of capital last year versus 3 years ago (Return on Capital Employed).
ALS has a total score of 4/6, see the detailed checks below.
How is ALS's financial health and their level of debt?
The boxes below represent the relative size of what makes up ALS's finances.
ALS is able to meet its short term (1 year) commitments with its holdings of cash and other short term assets.
ALS's cash and other short term assets cover its long term commitments.
This treemap shows a more detailed breakdown of ALS's finances. If any of them are yellow this indicates they may be out of proportion and red means they relate to one of the checks below.
All data from ALS Company Filings, last reported 6 months ago.
ALS's level of debt (67.3%) compared to net worth is high (greater than 40%).
The level of debt compared to net worth has increased over the past 5 years (65.9% vs 67.3% today).
Debt is well covered by operating cash flow (29.2%, greater than 20% of total debt).
What is ALS's current dividend yield, its reliability and sustainability?
Current annual income from ALS dividends. Estimated to be 3.1% next year.
If you bought A$2,000 of ALS shares you are expected to receive A$54 in your first year as a dividend.
ALS's pays a higher dividend yield than the bottom 25% of dividend payers in Australia (2.52%).
ALS's dividend is below the markets top 25% of dividend payers in Australia (5.81%).
What portion of ALS's earnings are paid to the shareholders as a dividend.
ALS has a total score of 3/6, see the detailed checks below.
What is the CEO of ALS's salary, the management and board of directors tenure and is there insider trading?
Mr. Raj Naran, BSc (Chemistry), BA (Mathematics), has been Managing Director, Chief Executive Officer and Director at ALS Limited since July 20, 2017. Mr. Naran served as the Group General Manager of Life Sciences Division at ALS Limited since April 1, 2012 until July 20, 2017 and as its Deputy Chief Executive Officer since February 27, 2017 until July 20, 2017. Mr. Naran served as Vice President of Environmental Division - North America & Europe at ALS Laboratory Group. Mr. Naran served as Vice President of Environmental Division - North America and Europe at Campbell Brothers Ltd. and served as its Executive Vice President of ALS Life Sciences – North America & Europe. He served as Executive Vice President of North America - Environmental Division at Campbell Brothers Ltd. since April 1, 2008. Mr. Naran served as Vice President of North America - Environmental Division at Campbell Brothers Ltd. He was the Founder and served as President and Chief Executive Officer of e-Lab Analytical Inc. group headquartered in Houston, Texas, which was acquired by ALS in October 2007. He held a number of senior management positions with US based and multinational laboratory companies.
Raj's compensation has increased by more than 20% in the past year.
Raj's remuneration is about average for companies of similar size in Australia.
The average tenure for the ALS management team is less than 2 years, this suggests a new team.
The tenure for the ALS board of directors is about average.
ALS has a total score of 0/6, this is not included on the snowflake, see the detailed checks below.
How Financially Strong Is ALS Limited (ASX:ALQ)?
Is ALS Limited's (ASX:ALQ) ROE Of 14% Impressive?
For example, ALS Limited (ASX:ALQ) shareholders have seen the share price rise 95% over three years, well in excess of the market return (21%, not including dividends). … One imperfect but simple way to consider how the market perception of a company has shifted is to compare the change in the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price movement. … That would generally be considered a positive, so we'd expect the share price to be up.
Does ALS Limited's (ASX:ALQ) Debt Level Pose A Problem?
What Should We Expect From ALS Limited's (ASX:ALQ) Earnings In The Year Ahead?
Do Institutions Own Shares In ALS Limited (ASX:ALQ)?
Insiders often own a large chunk of younger, smaller, companies while huge companies tend to have institutions as shareholders. … Companies that have been privatized tend to have low insider ownership. … It has a market capitalization of AU$3.9b, which means it would generally expect to see some institutions on the share registry.
What Is ALS Limited's (ASX:ALQ) Share Price Doing?
Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! … As a mid-cap stock with high coverage by analysts, you could assume any recent changes in the company's outlook is already priced into the stock? … Let's examine ALS's valuation and outlook in more detail to determine if there's still a bargain opportunity.
Should You Be Tempted To Sell ALS Limited (ASX:ALQ) Because Of Its P/E Ratio?
ALS Limited provides analytical testing services in Australia, Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company's Life Sciences segment offers analytical testing and sampling, and remote monitoring services for the environmental, food, pharmaceutical, and consumer products markets. It provides analytical testing data to assist consulting and engineering firms, industries, and governments. The company's Industrial segment offers diagnostic testing and engineering solutions for the energy, resources, transportation, and infrastructure sectors. This segment serves asset owners, operators, constructors, and equipment manufacturers in the power, petrochemical, mining, minerals processing, water, infrastructure, and transportation industries. The company's Commodities segment provides testing services for the mining and mineral exploration companies in geochemistry, metallurgy, inspection, and coal quality areas. This segment's services cover the resource life-cycle, including exploration, feasibility, optimization, production, design, development, trade, and rehabilitation. It also provides coal sampling, analysis and certification, formation evaluation, and related analytical testing services; and field and laboratory services, such as bore core, testing, consulting, quality management, and superintendent services to the coal industry. The company was formerly known as Campbell Brothers Limited and changed its name to ALS Limited in August 2012. ALS Limited was founded in 1863 and is headquartered in Brisbane, Australia.


text:
OUR PLANETWildlife & Animal Welfare
Elephant Census Begins In Sri Lanka
By BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI
Thousands of rangers and volunteers have climbed into treetop huts near reservoirs and watering holes in Sri Lanka to carry out the island nation's first full count of its dwindling wild elephant population.
The government says the three-d ay census through Saturday is aimed at devising a plan to protect the elephants. But several conservation groups have boycotted the count, accusing the government of using it as a "smoke screen" for capturing and domesticating the best young animals for use in temples, tourism and labor.
Sri Lanka closed all its national parks to tourists for the census starting Thursday and sent nearly 4,000 wildlife workers, farmers and villagers to more than 1,500 locations across the country to survey the elephants as they come to water sources for a drink.
"I've been in similar huts while staking out poachers, but this is a different experience, watching elephants under the moonlight," said Damith Bandara, a ranger who spent the night with two other volunteers six yards (meters) up a tree near the Minneriya reservoir in central Sri Lanka.
Officials believe Sri Lanka's elephant population is currently 5,000 to 6,000.
In the early 1900s, an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 elephants roamed wild on this tropical island off the southern coast of India. But poaching and the loss of habitat due to human activities such as deforestation for farming have taken their toll.
Wild elephants are increasingly entering villages in search of food, rampaging through houses, destroying crops and killing an estimated 50 people a year.
Around 250 elephants are killed annually, mostly by farmers defending their crops or villages.
Officials say the census will give a rough estimate of the country's endangered elephants as well as other information that can help reduce conflicts between them and people.
"Our objective is not to get an exact number of elephants," said Sarath Dissanayake, the director or training and research at the Wildlife Department. "Our main objective is to understand the population structure of the elephants, that is proportion of calves, adults and sub-adults, juvenile, male and female."
The survey will give officials an idea of where the elephants roam, what food is available to them in the area and the likelihood of them invading villages and farms, he said.
At the 9,000-hectare (22,000-acre) Minneriya National Park, ranger Bandara and his two companions were camped out in their treetop hut with a three-day provision of food, medicine, a flashlight and manuals about how to do the elephant count. They were at one of a dozen posts in the park.
Thursday night, they observed three herds of up to 30 elephants, including a large male with only one tusk, drinking from the reservoir.
They catalogued the elephants by age, gender and distinguishing characteristics to ensure there is no double counting.
Raman Sukumar, an ecologist from India helping in the census, said the herds had many young elephants, indicating they were "very fertile."
About 20 wildlife groups that had agreed to deploy about 200 volunteers for the count withdrew their support after Wildlife Minister S.M. Chandransena was quoted as saying 300 young elephants would be captured and handed over to Buddhist temples after the census.
Elephants in elaborate costumes are often used in Buddhist ceremonies where they parade through the streets carrying the sacred relics of the Buddha.
Chandransena later said he was misquoted, and the head of the Wildlife Department, H.D. Ratnayake, denied that the government planned to capture any wild elephants.
However, Rukshan Jayawardene, chairman of the activist group Wildlife Conservation Forum said he feared that animals were slated for capture and that they would not end up in temples, but "in private residences, working long hours."
Some wealthy, aristocratic families consider owning an elephant a sign of prestige. Domesticated elephants also are used to give rides to tourists and to carry heavy weights, such as in the logging industry.
Most tamed elephants die early due to lack of proper food and lives of hard labor, said Shantha Jayaweera, another wildlife activist.
Previous elephant counts were confined to specific regions. One such census in 1993, found 1,967 elephants, but it excluded the island's north and east, where a civil war was raging at the time. With the war's end in 2009, wildlife officials now have access to the former war zones, and are conducting the survey with the help of armed forces.
The results of the count are expected by the end of the month.
Article courtesy of huffingtonpost.com
Elephant Abuse: Ringling Brothers Circus Cited After Elephant Collapses
Colliding Galaxies Form Exclamation Point In Space
PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) – An Explanation
Wild about Wildlife – The National Wildlife Federation


I hope this finds you all doing well and enjoying some Spring weather. It's hard to believe Summer is right around the corner!
The Hi-Lo Desert GCSA, San Diego GCSA and GCSA of Southern California Board of Directors met at Coto de Caza Golf & Racquet Club for the inaugural Southern California Tri-Chapter Board Retreat.
The event was organized and hosted by Hi-Lo Desert GCSA and GCSA of Southern California executive director Cyndy Neal, San Diego GCSA chapter executive Amy Conrad and me.
The retreat was focused on teambuilding, networking, leadership and challenges facing board members and chapters in the Southern California area. Activities included an icebreaker session, a teambuilding exercise in which members from the three chapters were paired into teams, updates on government relations activities in California, updates from various allied golf associations, a public relations training session taught by Conrad and a question and answer round table moderated by Neal and Jensen that focused on numerous key issues facing the golf industry including labor costs and employee recruitment.
Thank you to Coto de Caza superintendent and past GCSA of Southern California President Shane Roth for hosting the event and our San Diego board members who took a day away from work to attend.
As always, thank you for your support and if I can be of any assistance, please contact me at [email protected].


text:
TOP=..
DIRNAME=config
BUILD_DIRS =
ALL_DIRS=
LVMODULES = all.lv default.lv transtac.lv android.lv ben.lv bolt.lv
FILES = Makefile common_make_rules project.mak config.in system.mak.in \
        $(LVMODULES)

ALL =

include $(TOP)/config/common_make_rules

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


One of the most garden-worthy of all the Milkweeds, this brilliant orange flowered butterfly and hummingbird attraction can be found roaming many eastern and southern North American roadsides, prairies, glades and fields. Tuberous roots, narrow lance-shaped green leaves and clumping, upright hairy stems support the showy flattened dense umbels and unique, silky tailed slender seed pods, which can be added to cut arrangements. A recent recipient of the 2017 PPA as well as a rugged, yet long blooming contender for borders, massed plantings or stylized meadows, Butterflyweed can handle deer, drought, erosion and shallow rocky soil, but detests poorly drained sites.
Size: 2' 0" – 3' 0" high x 15" wide.


text:
Gulf Power requests hurricane surcharge
Jim Thompson @Jimtnwfdn
Feb 6, 2019 at 3:37 PM Feb 6, 2019 at 4:48 PM
PENSACOLA — Gulf Power, which serves nearly 500,000 customers in eight Northwest Florida counties, has filed a plan with the Florida Public Service Commission to add a storm restoration surcharge to electricity bills to recover $342 million in costs associated with power restoration following Hurricane Michael.
In the aftermath of the storm, Gulf Power was faced with restoring power to 136,000 customers and rebuilding its electrical grid, according to a Wednesday news release from the company.
According to the release, Gulf Power is proposing an $8 per month surcharge (actually $8.21, according to the utility's figures) for residential customers using 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per month. According to the federal Energy Information Administration, average monthly household electrical consumption in Florida is 1,123 kilowatt-hours.
For residential customers, the surcharge would "keep Gulf Power customer bills lower than January 2018," according to the news release. At that time, the monthly Gulf Power bill for 1,000 kilowatt-hours of residential electricity was $144, including the state's 2.5 percent utility tax. Monthly bills dropped to $131.28 in April 2018 as the result of federal corporate tax reform. Bills also dropped by more than $2 to $128.86 in January of this year because of continuing tax reform savings and other factors.
If the PSC approves Gulf Power's request, the bill for 1,000 kilowatt-hours of residential electricity will rise to $137.07 in April, according to the Gulf Power news release.
In addition to the residential surcharge, Gulf Power's proposal would boost bills for commercial and industrial customers by 3 percent to 8 percent each month.
According to the news release, Gulf Power "proposes to spread the storm restoration surcharges over five years," contending that doing so will ensure that customers "will continue to experience a significant portion of the savings delivered over the last year." Thus, the surcharge would appear on Gulf Power customer's bills for five years, utility spokesman Rick Delahaya confirmed Wednesday.
"We know that many of our customers continue to face challenges due to the aftermath of Hurricane Michael," Gulf Power President Marlene Santos said in the news release, "and we have worked hard to propose a plan to the Florida Public Service Commission that takes this into account and supports our ability to continue to serve them with reliable service now and into the future."
Gulf Power maintains a storm-recovery reserve, but for any expenses not covered by those funds, the company must request a surcharge through the PSC. Gulf Power depleted what had been a $48 million storm reserve in responding to Hurricane Michael, according to Delahaya.
"Michael was an unprecedented storm," Delahaya wrote in an email, "and the magnitude of the recovery effort depleted our entire storm reserve."
Making its case for the surcharge, Gulf Power noted in its news release that during recovery efforts from a massive storm like Michael, electric utilities incur "all the upfront costs of power restoration and rebuilding, including out-of-town crews, plus their housing, meals and transportation, security and more. Costs also include fuel for trucks, tree trimming, poles, transformers and power lines and many other materials."
Nearly four months after the storm, Gulf Power crews continue to re-connect customers to the power grid as they have their homes and businesses repaired, according to the news release.


text:
Montastruc-la-Conseillère è un comune francese di 3.174 abitanti situato nel dipartimento dell'Alta Garonna nella regione dell'Occitania.

Società

Evoluzione demografica

Note

Altri progetti

Collegamenti esterni

 *

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Looking for a fun and creative way to spend Spring Break? Join us in our Fort Mason art studio for engaging creative exploration & discovery for children ages 3-10 years old.
Open-ended, creative play for young children, exploring a range of materials, such as painting, sculpture, drawing, printmaking, and playdough.
Offered in partnership with Young Performers' Theatre (YPT), with optional full or half day camp. Daily drop-ins available for afternoon visual arts only.


text:
import taxcalc
import dropq
import pandas as pd
import os
import json

from rq import Queue
from worker import conn
import time
q = Queue(connection=conn)

def test_func(personal_exemp, exemp_start, phase_out):
    job = q.enqueue(do_work, personal_exemp, exemp_start, phase_out)
    time.sleep(1)
    while(not job.result):
        time.sleep(1)
    return job.result

def do_work(personal_exemp, exemp_start, phase_out):
    global tax_dta
    myvars = {}
    myvars['_rt4'] = [0.39]
    user_mods = json.dumps(myvars)
    print "begin work"
    cur_path = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
    tax_dta = pd.read_csv(os.path.join(cur_path, "./puf2.csv"))
    mY_dec, df_dec, mY_bin, df_bin = dropq.run_models(tax_dta, user_mods=user_mods)
    print "end work"

    results = (personal_exemp - exemp_start) * phase_out
    return results


text:
package gov.nasa.jpf.jvm;

import gov.nasa.jpf.vm.SystemState;
import gov.nasa.jpf.vm.VM;
import org.junit.Before;
import org.junit.Test;
import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
import org.mockito.Mock;
import org.mockito.MockitoAnnotations;
import org.powermock.core.classloader.annotations.PrepareForTest;
import org.powermock.modules.junit4.PowerMockRunner;

import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
import static org.mockito.BDDMockito.given;
import static org.powermock.api.mockito.PowerMockito.mockStatic;

/**
 * unit test for StackFrame operations
 */
public class JVMStackFrameTest {

  @Test
  public void shouldCreateStackWithSlotsBigEnoughForLocalVariableAndOperands()
  {
    int locals = 4;
    int operands = 3;
    JVMStackFrame frame = new JVMStackFrame(locals, operands);

    assertThat(frame.getSlots()).hasSize(locals + operands);
  }

  @RunWith(PowerMockRunner.class)
  @PrepareForTest(VM.class)
  public static class SetExceptionReferenceTest {

    private final int _exceptionReference = 1;

    @Mock
    private SystemState _systemState;

    @Mock
    private VM _vm;

    private JVMStackFrame jvmStackFrame = new JVMStackFrame(0, 10);

    @Before
    public void setUp() {
      MockitoAnnotations.initMocks(this);
    }

    @Test
    public void shouldClearOperandStack() {
      setupVMClass();
      givenNonEmptyStackFrame();

      jvmStackFrame.setExceptionReference(_exceptionReference);

      assertThat(jvmStackFrame.getSlotAttr(0)).isNull();
    }

    @Test
    public void shouldPutExceptionReferenceOnStack() {
      setupVMClass();
      givenNonEmptyStackFrame();

      jvmStackFrame.setExceptionReference(_exceptionReference);

      assertThat(jvmStackFrame.getSlot(0)).isEqualTo(_exceptionReference);
    }

    private void givenNonEmptyStackFrame() {
      jvmStackFrame.push(10);
      jvmStackFrame.setOperandAttr(new Object());
    }

    private void setupVMClass() {
      mockStatic(VM.class);
      given(VM.getVM()).willReturn(_vm);
      given(_vm.getSystemState()).willReturn(_systemState);
    }
  }

}


text:
Torriano schools consultation
A consultation on proposals to create a single, enlarged Torriano Primary School is under way.
This would mean the closure of Torriano Infant School, in Kentish Town, while neighbouring Torriano Junior School would be turned into an enlarged all-through primary school.
The benefits of the proposal include:
greater continuity for pupils aged three to 11, with no need to move to a new school
closer contact with parents / carers for the full span of children's primary education
potential for stronger leadership and governance and improved ability to recruit and retain leaders and staff
better planning across all key stages and greater sharing of best practice, curriculum and other resources, avoiding duplication.
A decision was taken by the governing bodies of the two schools that a merger would secure continuity of education and raise standards for the pupils at the new primary school.
The aim is to close Torriano Infant School and enlarge Torriano Junior School by expanding the age range, with a total admission number of 420 pupils. The resulting primary school will stay on the current site of the two schools, with a headteacher and a single governing body made up of members from both current infant and junior governing bodies.
Although the proposal is put forward by the governing bodies, by law Camden Council must lead this consultation. With the strong backing of the governing bodies of both schools, the Council is therefore proposing:
the closure of Torriano Infant school on 31 August 2015
the extension of the age range of Torriano Junior School from three to 11 years of age from September 2015.
Find out more and have your say
The consultation document on our website addresses both these linked proposals. We are keen to hear your views - please respond before 5pm on 26 June 2015.
complete and return the consultation response form
email: torrianoconsultation@camden.gov.uk
write to Mark Langridge-Kemp, Property, Strategy and Investment Manager, Children, Schools and Families, Camden Town Hall, Judd Street, London WC1H 9JE.


text:
When You Care Enough to Watch the Very Best
November 6, 2017 / thewritelife61
Hallmark has been in the entertainment business for quite some time. Their greeting card lines began a little over a hundred years ago. In 1932, Hallmark signed its first licensing agreement with one of the 20th century's most recognizable names – Walt Disney.
In 1951, NBC approached Hallmark about sponsoring an opera created for television. Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti debuted on Christmas Eve. Hall wanted to thank everyone who purchased Hallmark cards. The show became the first program in the Hallmark Hall of Fame series. In 1953, Hamlet was the first Shakespeare play to air on television. These Hall of Fame productions have won more than 80 Emmys.
During the late 1980s, the Vision Interfaith Satellite Network (VISN) and the American Christian Television Systems (ACTS) shared a channel to present religious programming. In 1993, it became the Faith and Values Channel, adding secular programming including exercise and food shows. The network once again changed its name in 1996 when it became the Odyssey Network. Crown Media and Jim Henson Co. bought majority stakes in the channel in 1998. At that time, the channel aired about four hours of religious shows with the rest of the schedule being made up of classic sitcoms, family shows, and children's programming. Crown Media bought Henson's shares in 2000.
In 2001, the network took on its current name, The Hallmark Channel, and began showing family-oriented sitcoms, dramas and movies. Its slogan was "Where Great Stories Come to Life. 2008 introduced new branding with a new logo and a slogan "Make Yourself at Home" which continued until 2012. At that time, it debuted a "The Heart of TV" slogan which continues today.
UNITED STATES – APRIL 16: THE GOLDEN GIRLS – 9/14/85 – 9/14/92, BEA ARTHUR (Dorothy), ESTELLE GETTY (Sophia), BETTY WHITE (Rose), RUE MCCLANAHAN (Blanche) , (Photo by ABC Photo Archives/ABC via Getty Images)
FRASIER — Season 2 — Pictured: (front) Moose as Eddie, (back, l-r) David Hyde Pierce as Dr. Niles Crane, Peri Gilpin as Roz Doyle, Kelsey Grammer as Dr. Frasier Crane, Jane Leeves as Daphne Moon, John Mahoney as Martin Crane — Photo by: Andrew Eccles/NBCU Photo Bank .
The channel currently shows classic television sitcoms, such as The Middle, Golden Girls, Home Improvement, Last Man Standing, I Love Lucy, Fraiser, and Cheers. New television series are produced including Good Witch, When Calls the Heart, and Chesapeake Shores. There is a daily two-hour lifestyle show called Home and Family which features decorating, crafts, recipes, and guest stars, Hall of Fame specials, many which were originally shown on CBS. The largest part of the schedule is reserved for made-for-tv movies, typically romances, produced by the network.
Catherine Bell as Cassie, the enchanted beauty who moves to a small town and charms Police Chief Jake Russell (Chris Potter). .Photo: Brooke Palmer /©Ê2007ÊCrown Media..Catherine Bell (ÒArmy WivesÓ) stars as Cassie, a bewitching woman who moves into a mysterious mansion in a small town.Ê Soon, she opens Bell, Book & Candle, a curiosity shop full of candles, lotions, etc., and is enthralling the children of the local Police Chief (Chris Potter), who believes that she is a witch (but not a bad one!).Ê But not everyone in town is appreciative of their quirky new neighbor, and it may take a little bit of magic for her to truly become part of the community. .
From late October till January 1, Countdown to Christmas airs inspirational movies. Countdown to Valentine's Day features more romance movies. The network often shows movies themed for Mother's Day, Father's Day, and Halloween during the year as well.
Many critics make fun of these movies saying they all have the same romance theme and are predictable. That doesn't bother me. I can tell you how Frosty the Snowman, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Elf end as well but that doesn't take away from the tradition of watching them every year. Most of my favorite Christmas songs are ones I heard as a young child, but I still love them.
In this era of unbelievable politics and bad news around every corner, people are finding a refuge on the Hallmark Channel, and it's not just older women. These are shows an entire family can watch including parents, grandparents, and young children. The network avoids sex, violence, and polarizing topics. The LA Times reported that in a time when almost every network saw declines in their ratings, the Hallmark Channel increased from 539,000 viewers a day in 2013 to 875,000 a day in 2017. The Hallmark Channel debuted a second channel called Movies and Mysteries and it grew from 259,000 in 2013 per day to 595,000 per day in 2017. While the median age of viewers was 58.6, the Washington Post did a story on the channel in August and cited research that showed women 18-49 was the fastest growing audience for the Hallmark Channel followed by men. More people in the Midwest and the South watch the channel, which is not too surprising. Ad revenue has increased 70% for the network compared to a year ago.
The network is so popular that they have created a third channel which began October 1 called Hallmark Drama.
Last holiday season, more than 85 million people watched a movie on the network during November and December. I watched several of those movies last year and enjoyed them. There was something uplifting about settling down with some hot chocolate in front of the Christmas lights to watch an inspirational movie in December, forgetting about the news or my to-do list for a short while. The only negative I have is one the network acknowledges and is working on: they need more diversity in their characters.
Below is a list of the 21 new holiday movies that will debut this season. New movies are shown at 7 pm Central time.
Saturday, Oct. 28: Marry Me at Christmas
Saturday, November 4: Christmas Festival of Ice
Sunday, November 5: Miss Christmas
Saturday, November 11: The Sweetest Christmas
Sunday, November 12: Enchanted Christmas
Saturday, November 18: Coming Home for Christmas
Sunday, November 19: A Gift to Remember
Wednesday, November 22: With Love, Christmas
Thursday, November 23: The Mistletoe Inn
Friday, November 24: Finding Santa
Saturday, November 25: The Christmas Train
Sunday, November 26: Switched for Christmas
Saturday, December 2: Christmas in Evergreen
Sunday, December 3: Christmas at Holly Lodge
Saturday, December 9: Christmas Encore
Sunday, December 10: The Christmas Shop
Saturday, December 16: Father Christmas
Sunday, December 17: Christmas Connection
Saturday, December 23: Christmas Getaway
Monday, December 25: When Calls the Heart: The Christmas Wishing Tree
Saturday, December 30: A Royal New Year's Eve
The network has a beautiful website where you can learn more about its original programs. It also features a store run by Amazon Associates where you can purchase clothing, tote bags, mugs, and other items.
I don't think that it is strictly a coincidence that during these past nine months as political reports become more disturbing with behavior in the White House out of control and news cycles filled with much more bad than good news, more people are tuning in to the Hallmark Channel where they can escape for an hour or two. I am going to try to find a few more quiet holiday nights to tune in and escape myself during this Christmas season.
A Gift to Remember, A Royal New Year's Eve, Amahl and the Night Visitors, American Christian Television Systems, Cheers, Chesapeake Shores, Christmas at Holly Lodge, Christmas Connection, Christmas Encore, Christmas Festival of Ice, Christmas Getaway, Christmas in Evergreen, Coming Home for Christmas, Crown Media, Enchanted Christmas, Faith and Values Channel, Father Christmas, Finding Santa, Frasier, Gian Carlo Menotti, Golden Girls, Good Witch, Hallmark, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Hall of Fame, Hamlet, Home and Family, Home Improvement, I Love Lucy, Jim Henson Co., Last Man Standing, Marry Me at Christmas, Miss Christmas, Odyssey Network, Switched for Christmas, The Christmas Shop, The Christmas Train, The Christmas Wishing Tree, The Middle, The Mistletoe Inn, The Sweetest Christmas, Vision Interfaith Satellite Network, Walt Disney, When Calls the Heart, With Love Christmas
← Trick or Treat???
Do You Hear What I See? →
3 thoughts on "When You Care Enough to Watch the Very Best"
greenpete58
I haven't watched this channel in years. I used to enjoy the Hallmark Hall of Fame movies in the '70s. The one I vividly remember is a story of a man (James Garner) who has to take care of his brother (James Woods), who has schizophrenia. It had great story and acting. When this channel went cable, the original movies seemed to become very maudlin and homogenous. And since I haven't seen it in years, I'll take your word that there's no racial (and probably even economic and religious) diversity… the graphics you provided are proof! But you're right, Hallmark is preferable to FOX News or MSNBC, or anything involving Washington these days!
In a lot of hall of fames but not the Hallmark Hall of Fame
I've went by the Hallmark Channel a few times lately. I noticed they went to their Christmas movies pretty early! I still have a hard time getting too into them before Thanksgiving but then I always feel rushed to get through everything. I had no idea how the Hallmark channel originated or its backstory. I have noticed their greeting cards though. I am amazed at how much greeting cards cost these days!
When you need to gain a few points back you'll have to surprise Melanie with hot chocolate and a Christmas movie now that you have the schedule.
I think the Hallmark cards are cheap. It's just that the gold seal they give you costs $5.


Written for the 1945 PRC film Why Girls Leave Home, starring Lola Lane, Sheldon Leonard and Pamela Blake.
Tagline: The violent, unvarnished truth about the scores of thousands of young girls who recklessly toss away home ties for a life of dangerous thrills!
When Pamela Blake sings "Call Me", the voice is actually that of Claudia Drake, who plays a supporting role in the film.


Unheated sapphire, unheated blue sapphire, fancy colored sapphire, rubies, and large gems. See gemstones differently. Bespoke jewelry design services.
Our selection is very precise, small but coveted.We are not gem dealers. What you see here is a selection of a selection of a selection!
We offer mostly unheated gems for sale. Many are at least 5 carat, meaning they are regarded as investment gems if they satisfy gemological criteria.
We consistently select our gemstones thinking, how will an imaginative mind set this into a memorable piece of jewellery? Before we include a stone for sale here, we always know how we'd like to set it.
We are an ideal choice if you are looking for an interesting stone, and a setting intuitive to that stone.
We curate only natural stones. Every design is built by hand.


We all know that finding the right application for a specific job can be difficult, and with the massive selection available on the Android Market, it can be even more so. I thought it would be useful if I shared some of the apps I can't live without with you. You may already use some of them, others may just help make you life a lot easier, either way, here's a breakdown of ten Android apps that I can't live without.
I've broken it down into sections for you, all — apps for all users, notable mentions — may not be for everyone, but they always have a space on my phone and root — yes, you guessed it, essential apps for rooted devices. The image attached is the homescreen of my phone, showing you the Zeam app dock as well as the Widgetsoid custom toggle widget I made.
This is without a doubt my favourite app, mostly because it's the one I use the most. For those of you who don't know what alternative launchers do, they are basically the interface you use to interact on your device. Zeam is a South African developed home launcher replacement and its minimalist approach, speed and app dock make this my #1 recommended app. The best part about this launcher is that there is an XDA forum and the dev is very active, something that I don't think there is enough of in the Android world.
So we've all seen the Instagram pics in our timelines, and when it comes to camera effects, I'm yet to find anything better, on Android, than Vignette. With more than 80 effects to choose from (they can also be applied before or after taking the photo) in a very small application, Vignette is available in both a free and paid version. And it is well worth it.
HTC doesn't have the best photo viewing apps around, actually, they all pale in comparison to Quickpic. It's light on resource, super fast and integrates brilliantly with your device. Highly customisable and easy to navigate, I can't imagine using a different image viewer, ever.
This is a rather geeky inclusion, but an essential one, geek or not. Widgetsoid basically lets you create toggle widgets on your homescreens and allows you to turn anything, from GPS to your lockscreen on or off. You can also use it to switch between 2G and 3G data when you need to squeeze every little bit of juice out of your handset, for people who want efficiency, Widgetsoid delivers. It may be tricky to get used to, but once you do, you're golden. Free and paid versions are available.
One of the best looking and slick news apps out there, it delivers world news, sports, and also localised results, so you can stay up to date with what is going on in your area. Lighter on resource than the very popular Pulse reader, and for that reason, I recommend it, highly.
No best Android app list would be complete with something from the Android masters, Google. Google Goggles is by far my favourite, it allows you to take pictures of anything before the app will connect (via wi-fi or mobile data, your decision) to the net, and deliver you results of what you took a picture of. Seen an awesome building or bridge, or wrapper, or landmark, but you have no idea what it is? Those days are well and truly over.
Because I am a sports fan, I need to keep up to date with what is happening in the sports world at any given time, and ScoreMobile does just that. Its rugby integration isn't all that, so rugby fans may skim over this one, but for its FA Premier League coverage alone, this is a great app to have. It's live alerts system is flawless and very light on resource as well.
This is singlehandedly the most important app I've installed in the past year. I used to be a compulsive flasher of random ROMs. (That is "geek speak" for "I used to try a lot of operating systems on my phone") And when you flash a ROM you lose all your data, and downloaded apps, headache. Not with Titanium Backup though, backup all your apps, system data, and restore quickly and easily once your new ROM is up and running. I would recommend the paid version for this, it just makes life easier when you can reinstall 90 apps without having to allow the installation for each app. The paid version automates the process and makes it easy to get your phone back to where it was in no time.
When you gain root access, you need to be able to browse you new, freshly unlocked data and for that, Root Explorer is my recommendation. Change folder permissions from "Read Only" to "Read Write" and back, delete, zip, unzip, copy and paste to your heart's content with this lightweight, extremely versatile app. Free and paid also available, once again, I would suggest the paid version, for additional features.
So those are my favourite Android apps and I am sure you have yours. You may have noticed that I like my apps as minimal and light as possible, to keep my Desire smooth as silk, however, there are some fantastic alternatives to all of the apps I mentioned.
I hope you've been enjoying my posts, I've been enjoying writing them, but now, let me know, which Android apps you couldn't live without, after all, sharing of information is what this superhighway is all about.


text:
Bobby Anthony is one of the transitioning workers at ReRead Books in Cheshire. (Tom Hearn)
Revive, rejoice! ReRead Books opens in Cheshire
A palpable, collective sigh of relief could be heard around Cheshire last week, and it had nothing to do with politics. No, it had everything to do with books. And a store where books are sold. You remember bookstores, don't you? Well, Cheshire may be forgiven for having forgotten, since the town has not had a bookstore in many years.
All that changed last week, with the grand opening of ReRead Books, located on the lower level of the Watch Factory Shoppes (near Cheshire Academy and Town Hall). Judging from the joyful chatter heard at the grand opening last Saturday, it appears to have been the answer to many prayers.
The store, which sells a fine selection of lightly used books in all categories, is a story in and of itself. It was the brainchild of Cheshire resident Hope Reinhard, executive director of the Connecticut Community Empowerment Foundation, whose goal is to "raise community awareness of the abilities of individuals with developmental, physical and intellectual disabilities."
ReRead Books had a grand opening last Saturday. (Tom Hearn)
"I worked at the high school for years in transition programs, which aim to move special needs students into the workforce," Reinhard said. "Cheshire is a tough town to do that in. There are the grocery stores, and not much else, for special needs workers. The foundation was thinking of a charity project and because I kept hearing about a surge of small bookstores opening around the country, I mentioned that as a possible idea. It blossomed from there."
Reinhard saw all of the upsides to the idea immediately: the store's stock could be largely donated and the merchandise itself was easy for the special needs employees to handle, because it's virtually unbreakable.
And, strange as it is to say in the midst of a paralyzing pandemic, ReRead Books may have picked the best possible time to appear.
ReRead Books, a used book store, has opened in Cheshire in the Watch Factory Shoppes off of Elm Street. (Tom Hearn)
"COVID has cramped our style a bit," said Peg Anthony, who has also worked with transitioning students at the high school and is now a volunteer at the shop. "But we're all in the same boat now, all of us are at home and we're all reading."
Reinhard said they initially looked at a space on Cornwall Road. "But then this space at the Watch Factory Shoppes opened up and the landlord gave us a nice lease," she said. "The shop has plenty of open space because a day care had been here prior to us, but they had to shut down because of COVID. We put in new walls and floors, built and found bookshelves and now all we have to do is sell some books."
"We have been thinking about something like this since before COVID hit," Anthony said. "This is a real work program. We have five people with disabilities who now have jobs working at the store. They are all over 18 and have finished high school and are in transition. They are learning everything from retail sales to book categorizing, skills they will need as they move further into the workforce. They are honing math skills and social skills."
Peg Anthony's son, Bobby, is one of ReRead Books' employees. A graduate of Cheshire High School and Quinnipiac University's Transition Program, he had previously worked at Saint Mary's Hospital in Waterbury but was furloughed when COVID hit and then laid off. "I like working here," Bobby Anthony said while tending to a line of customers waiting to pay at the store's opening last Saturday.
"In the future," Peg Anthony said, "we hope to co-sponsor different events with other Watch Factory merchants. And because the library is not taking books right now, people are bringing them to us."
In addition to hatching the idea for the store, Reinhard has brought a certain flair to the surroundings, creating the sort of homey ambience it takes most bookshops years to achieve. She has added touches like seasonally themed window boxes, display cases, gift baskets, handmade crafts, artfully arranged globes, lamps and end tables, and even a large Buddha set among the books on philosophy and religion (two of the stronger sections in the shop, along with history, classics and popular fiction).
"This combines my two favorite things: working with young people and accessorizing," Reinhard said with a laugh.
A sizable separate wing of the shop is devoted to children's books and crafts, accented by a colorful rug with a map of the U.S. emblazoned on it in all different colors. Off to the sides, kid-sized tables and chairs invite families to relax and forget the tumult of a contentious election season and, perhaps sooner rather than later, the end of this paralyzing pandemic.
According to the Connecticut Community Empowerment Foundation, as the pandemic allows, "ReRead will host community events such as workshops, game nights, seminars, book talks and social events, as well as offering a variety of craft and art samples for sale."
ReRead Books
104 Elm St., Watch Factory Shoppes lower level, Cheshire
Hours: Monday to Wednesday, 10 a.m-5 p.m.; Thursday-Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (closed Sunday)
Website: reread-books.org
SOURCEREPUBLICAN-AMERICAN
Cheshire Academy
Connecticut Community Empowerment Foundation
Watch Factory Shoppes
Previous articleBill Dunn: With social media, not feeling too sociable
Next articleToday's Edition
After COVID-19 hiatus, Miss Connecticut returns in April at Mohegan Sun
Bridal fashions trending toward minimalist look
Frank C. Wisinski
'All Creatures Great and Small' aims to be timely tonic
Around the remote: TV and streaming picks for Jan. 11-16
Anthony Dmuchowski
Year-end review: Celebrities brighten mood in bleak, tragic year
Eric Brown: Workplace issues a priority in presidential election


...comes fast on the heels of the previous post. Above, spotted in today's London Independent newspaper (back of the Arts and Books section), an ad for Cracks, the boarding school film shot partly in the College 18 months ago. Even on the original it's extremely difficult to read the attribution, but on minute inspection it turns out to be Dave Aldridge of BBC Radio 5 Live. So he can hardly be blamed, having spoken rather than written the words.
A one man mission to remove all form's of grammar error's. Good lu'ck! Theres a movie in that two! Maybe it could be filmed in the college next summer?
Many thank's for your support. Getting concerned now that this could get out of hand.


text:
Genuine Healthy Coffee Founder on Startup Transparency Creating Shift in Coffee Consumption — Pressfarm
Jacob Varghese has always been concerned about health. With a background of over 30 years in the business of coffee roasting, the coffee world has been an important part of his life.
Teams around the world literally survive on coffee in startups and established companies. However, do you know how nutritional your coffee is? Do you have the information about the labs used to manufacture your coffee and what health effects the beverage could be causing you?
Building an open and direct messaging culture for coffee processors and manufacturers is the aim of Jacob's company. Aside from selling coffee, he tells me as we begin our chat, on his convictions and why we should all start to be aware even as we down one cup to the next writing lines of code, text, and building startups one step at a time.
Jacob delves into the discussion to tell us how Genuine Healthy Coffee came to be. The initial spark came from a chat he had with some friends who are doctors while taking coffee.
"We chatted about way more things from a biological perspective than what's found online," he begins. "We wondered is there a way to bring together awesome coffee with nutritional supplements. We thought, why not combine them?"
"It was NOT as easy as that, as we soon found out."
For the normal coffee drinker in the street, they never think of the nutritional values of the beverage.
"Coffee is one of the most beloved drinks in the world. The taste and complexities of the beans, origin, farm, soil, weather are just the beginning to create unique, signature coffees."
"When you blend single-origin coffees together, you can tailor the cup to precisely match your preferences by choosing coffees that complement and enhance each other. And now, the craft roasting revolution is bringing artisanal roasters to the forefront."
Additionally, the nutritional supplements and all the complexities can be difficult to understand. In fact, Jacob agrees with me that it is a complex subject. But he insists that it is crucial for everyone who takes coffee to understand these components from a clinical standpoint.
Many coffee sellers evade the topic, and they cut corners because nutritional coffee is costly, and sometimes involves resourcefulness to get the finest US labs with manufacturing, certifications, and safety methodologies.
This is where his startup comes in. The goal is source their coffee from labs with the highest standards in the country. They make clinically prove coffee with patented ingredients.
"But it's not as simple as just combining these two — coffee and nutraceuticals. It takes understanding the interactions, the taste and dosages," he adds.
"At GENUINE, we crafted a proprietary organic coffee blend with clinically proven nutritional ingredients per pod. This was a long, hard process that took five years to get here and super hard to recreate."
Several vitamin coffees never mention who their labs are, and that is very crafty. One thing the company hopes to stand out and build its brand on is their transparency because several companies don't do that to avoid questions and the costs it would bring to actually source genuine coffee from labs.
"Quite frankly, it costs more to source from legitimate manufacturers that have clinical data which back up their products. The risks other companies take were far too great for us and violated our mission of creating the most efficacious and nutritional lines of healthy coffee and teas."
"For us, transparency matters. It's why you'll see, on our ingredients panels, the nutraceuticals and lab manufacturers we have license agreements with. It also comes down to actually caring. It takes time and consideration to account for every factor — taste, dosage, efficacy, biological pathways, delivery mechanisms, manufacturing, standards and host of other factors. This takes time and a team."
With full blown transparency levels, the company hopes it can change the game, and how coffee is sold to the millions of people that love it and take it on a daily basis. The conviction was so strong the company named itself GENUINE.
As the company diversifies its market base, they are considering going into retail. Already, an Amazon shop is operational.
"However, to focus on meeting our customer's needs, retail in key distributors can increase our brand reach and accessibility."
Looking at the number of people that buy coffee from stores, the figures are staggering. It is near impossible to compete if your brand is not in the correct stores.
When a good number of people take coffee, they are mostly never thinking about the nutritional benefits. And Jacob believes that it is bad culture that needs a shift.
"We believe that taste and health do not need to be mutually exclusive. Consumers have more access to information than ever before and are realizing that taking responsibility for their health is their responsibility."
You cannot ignore the health benefits of anything sold around the world at all. Now more than ever before, warnings of unhealthy eating and drinking habits have become a daily occurrence. More and more consumers are getting informed. GENUINE hopes they can continually build on that momentum; to make people care more about the coffee they drink.
"We give credit to educated consumers and believe brands that care, will reflect this in their products. It's the "No B.S." ingredients approach to putting action to words."
COFFEE LABS
It is surprising that millions of people love and take coffee and yet very few of them ever care to find out how it was made. By giving information about their sourcing labs, GENUINE is definitely giving away important, but very needful information nonetheless.
"For us we place value on transparency, something that is missing to many brands and manufacturers. It allows for our customers to be able to do their own research while placing a value on the efficacy of the ingredients."
"Even though we place our ingredients and labs we have license agreements with on our labeling, it's not so simple combining the ingredients. We have a proprietary process of picking the right beans from the right farms (across 7 countries and three continents) at the right conditions, to the roasting process of each bean variety to then combining it to the nutritional ingredients, dosage levels and pod processing."
"Then combining them to have the right taste profiles — without tasting unnatural and while being delicious, is a difficult endeavor."
"Our labs are US based, certified and have CGMP practices in place. Even our medicinal mushrooms are USDA Certified Organic."
"Our roasting and processing facility in Houston is also differentiated by being one of the only coffee processors that is certified organic by the Texas Agricultural Board."
THE FUTURE OF COFFEE
Coffee is going to be here for long periods to come. Centuries even.
"Coffee is one of the most beloved drinks in the world and nutritional supplements are a $37 billion (in 2016) in the US. The single-cup coffee market in North America is $5 billion itself. It shows all are here to stay."
GENUINE wants to be at the centre of shaping healthy coffee drinking habits — something that has been so elusive so far. Because very few companies have picked up the nutritional and healthy consumer awareness direction in selling their beverages.
"We believe that bringing the best of each of these industries together, being authentic and genuine in taste, nutrition and transparency — all make for a meaningfully different product that people will bring to their daily lives."
As Jacob concludes our chat, he is not just stopping at coffee. There is more.
"Tea is actually beloved just as much, and in some ways more than coffee. We're currently developing our line of healthy teas and should be released within the next quarter."
"We're developing our next lines of healthy coffee including a healthy joints blend. One of the largest demographics in the bone and joint market is the aging population. In the U.S., low bone mass is a threat for more than 40 million people. Due to estrogen loss and lack of exercise, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons said post-menopausal women are the demographic most prone to osteoporosis. However, women aren't the only ones who need bone and joint support. Osteoarthritis (OA) is by far the most prevalent joint issue facing those 65 years of age and older. Even those younger are affected."
"We're also working with our labs to create the first sexual health coffees and teas, specific to men and women, because both needs of support are different from a biological perspective. This is by far very difficult and consider by many a "holy grail" product."
Originally published at press.farm on July 13, 2018.
Is 2020 Monzo's Achilles' Heel?
Tom Matsuda in The Startup
Alcohol Industry Targets Pot With Constellation-Canopy Deal
I Ordered a Weighted Blanket, but Only the Disappointment Was Heavy
Shannon Ashley in Better Marketing
The Possibility of Beautiful Business
Tim Leberecht in Predict
You're Not Lost — You're Just Too Early in the Process
Tim Denning in Mind Cafe
Most Companies Are Simply Not Wired To Truly Care About Corporate Social Responsibility
Stan Churley in The Startup
Lyft Suspends Service in California, Starting Tonight
Thomas Smith in The Startup
Death of the American Trucker
Rolling Stone in RollingStone


It is handy to have a program be able to tell you its own version number. But it's a pain to maintain version strings manually. So why not let Go do it for you? It turns out to be pretty easy to do. When reading the code for Drone.io I ran across this cool trick for setting string values at compile time.
Ideally, version info should be set at build time, when we know exactly what the version number should be. Go provides a way to do this in the form of the -X flag to the linker. This flag allows you to set a string variable to a specific value during the linking stage. But we don't usually invoke the linker directly when working with Go. So to pass the linker any options, we have to use the -ldflags flag on go build.
$ git commit -am "One more change after the tags"
This is a great way to let tools do the maintenance work.


This attractive vintage teether is fully hallmarked for Birmingham 1942. We believe the maker's mark is for Crisford & Norris. The teether features a double-sided boy's head. It has a mother-of-pearl teether and ring.