text:
Justia Patents Electronic Program GuideUS Patent Application for METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING IPTV RECEPTION INFORMATION OVER HFC NETWORK Patent Application (Application #20110154395)
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING IPTV RECEPTION INFORMATION OVER HFC NETWORK
Sep 23, 2010 - Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
An apparatus of providing Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) reception information includes a Cable Modem (CM) to provide an interactive service that enables an IPTV broadcast content including service information, and a Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) Media Access Control Management Message (MMM) based on the service information to be received from a cable network, or enables an IPTV broadcast content control signal to be transmitted from a subscriber to the cable network, and a Set-Top Box (STB) to decode the IPTV broadcast content received from the CM and to transmit the decoded IPTV broadcast content to a display device. The STB may receive an IPTV broadcast content selected by a user using Layer 2 (L2) reception information bounded to the IPTV broadcast content. Thus, it is possible to receive an IPTV broadcast content selected by a user directly without a delay time.
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This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2009-0129819, filed on Dec. 23, 2009, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a method of providing Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) reception information to provide an IPTV service using a cable network, and an apparatus using the method.
A broadcast service and a communication service are currently provided through different channels over a cable network.
A Video on Demand (VoD) service using Internet Protocol (IP) packets is partially provided through a communication channel on a cable network. However, the VoD service is similar to a point-to-point communication service where a VoD content selected by an individual viewer is provided in the form of a download, rather than a real-time broadcast that multiple viewers simultaneously view being provided.
A real-time IP television (IPTV) service enables a plurality of viewers to simultaneously access and view a single content, however, has various technical problems to be solved, for example a zapping time caused by a channel switching.
A currently provided IPTV service enables a content selected by a viewer to be transmitted to a subscriber terminal, and is different from a current broadcast service where all channels currently being broadcast are provided to a subscriber terminal, such as a Set-Top Box (STB), regardless of whether viewing a specific channel. In the IPTV service, a considerable delay may occur while channel switching, which is one of the various technical problems to be solved.
Broadcast viewers generally feel bored when a delay time exceeds about 2.5 seconds during channel switching. It has been known that an analog broadcast incurs a channel switching time of less than 1 second, a digital cable broadcast incurs a channel switching time of 1.2 to 2 seconds, a digital satellite broadcast incurs a channel switching time of about 1.8 second, and a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) incurs a channel switching time of 3 to 5 seconds.
Currently, in an IPTV, an Electronic Program Guide (EPG) is used to transfer information regarding serviced contents to viewers.
Typically, to view content via the IPTV, there is a need to perform a serial signaling procedure of selecting a desired IPTV broadcast content using the EPG, and joining an IPTV multicast group to receive an IPTV content.
During the signaling procedure, a viewer may feel inconvenience before viewing a selected IPTV broadcast content, since a delay is incurred due to channel switching.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a subscriber terminal including a content receiver to receive a selected Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) broadcast content from a cable network using Layer 2 (L2) reception information, the L2 reception information being bounded to the IPTV broadcast content; a decoder to decode the received IPTV broadcast content; and a transmitter to transmit the decoded IPTV broadcast content to a display device.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a content provider headend including a content receiver to receive an IPTV broadcast content from a content provider; and a provider to provide a subscriber terminal with a Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) Media Access Control Management Message (MMM), the DOCSIS MMM including L2 reception information obtained by reflecting service information for the received IPTV broadcast content, wherein the L2 reception information is used by the subscriber terminal to receive the IPTV broadcast content.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus of providing IPTV reception information, the apparatus including a content provider headend to receive an IPTV broadcast content from a content provider, and to provide the subscriber terminal with a DOCSIS MMM, the DOCSIS MMM including L2 reception information obtained by reflecting service information for the received IPTV broadcast content; and a subscriber terminal to receive the IPTV broadcast content and the DOCSIS MMM from a cable network, to decode the received IPTV broadcast content, and to transmit the decoded IPTV broadcast content to a display device.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of operating a subscriber terminal, the method including receiving a selected IPTV broadcast content from a cable network using L2 reception information, the L2 reception information being bounded to the IPTV broadcast content; decoding the received IPTV broadcast content; and transmitting the decoded IPTV broadcast content to a display device.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of operating a content provider headend, the method including receiving an IPTV broadcast content from a content provider; and providing a subscriber terminal with a DOCSIS MMM, the DOCSIS MMM including L2 reception information obtained by reflecting service information for the received IPTV broadcast content, wherein the L2 reception information is used by the subscriber terminal to receive the IPTV broadcast content.
These and/or other aspects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of exemplary embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a network including an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) reception information providing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a scheme of forming, by a headend, IPTV reception information, generating a Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) Media Access Control Management Message (MMM) based on the IPTV reception information, and transmitting the generated DOCSIS MMM, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a scheme of periodically receiving, by a terminal, a DOCSIS MMM that is formed based on IPTV reception information by a headend according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a scheme of joining a service using IPTV service information (for example, an Electronic Program Guide (EPG)) provided by an application program, and using Layer 2 (L2) reception information contained in a DOCSIS MMM;
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a scheme of leaving an IPTV service in an IPTV reception information providing method, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a format of a DOCSIS MMM according to an embodiment of the present invention; and
FIGS. 7 and 8 are diagrams illustrating a format of an L2 message (namely, a DOCSIS MMM) including IPTV reception information, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. Exemplary embodiments are described below to explain the present invention by referring to the figures.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a network 100 including an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) reception information providing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The IPTV reception information providing apparatus may include a content provider headend 120, and a subscriber terminal 110. The content provider headend 120 may receive an IPTV broadcast content from a content provider, and may provide the subscriber terminal 110 with a Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) Media Access Control Management Message (MMM) that includes Layer 2 (L2) reception information obtained by reflecting service information for the received IPTV broadcast content. The subscriber terminal 110 may receive the IPTV broadcast content and the DOCSIS MMM from the content provider headend 120, may decode the received IPTV broadcast content, and may transmit the decoded IPTV broadcast content to a display device. Accordingly, the IPTV reception information providing apparatus may provide a subscriber with IPTV broadcast content as a service. Additionally, the IPTV reception information providing apparatus may reduce a delay time caused by channel switching when providing an IPTV service through the network 100, thereby preventing a viewer from feeling bored.
The IPTV reception information providing apparatus may form a part of the network 100, and may provide the subscriber terminal 110 with an IPTV service, or may display an IPTV broadcast content using the provided IPTV service.
Referring to FIG. 1, the network 100 may include the subscriber terminal 110, the content provider headend 120, an IPTV server 124, IPTV broadcast content provider headends 130 and 140, and IPTV content servers 131 and 141. The subscriber terminal 110 may receive communication and broadcast services through a cable network. The content provider headend 120, and the IPTV server 124 may provide the communication and broadcast services. The IPTV broadcast content provider headends 130 and 140, and the IPTV content servers 131 and 141 may provide IPTV broadcast contents. The elements in the network 100 may be connected to each other through the cable network and an Internet network.
To provide an IPTV service over the cable network, the IPTV reception information providing apparatus may include the subscriber terminal 110 to receive the communication and broadcast services through the cable network, and the content provider headend 120 to provide the communication and broadcast services.
The subscriber terminal 110 may include a Cable Modem (CM) 115, and a Set-Top Box (STB) 111. The CM 115 may provide an interactive communication service, and the STB 111 may decode an IPTV broadcast content and output the decoded IPTV broadcast content.
The STB 111 may include a content receiver 112, a decoder 113, and a transmitter 114. The content receiver 112 may receive an IPTV broadcast content from a cable network using L2 reception information that is bounded to the IPTV broadcast content. The decoder 113 may decode the received IPTV broadcast content, and the transmitter 114 may transmit the decoded IPTV broadcast content to a display device. Additionally, the content receiver 112 may receive information associated with the IPTV broadcast content from the cable network through the CM 115, based on content selection information of an IPTV broadcast content corresponding to the service information.
Specifically, the CM 115 may provide an interactive service that enables an IPTV broadcast content containing the service information to be received from the cable network, or enables an IPTV broadcast content control signal to be transmitted from a subscriber to the cable network.
The STB 111 may decode the IPTV broadcast content received by the CM 115, and may transmit the decoded IPTV broadcast content to the display device. The display device may display the received IPTV broadcast content.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the STB 111 may receive information associated with the IPTV broadcast content from the cable network through the CM 115, based on content selection information of an IPTV broadcast content corresponding to the service information.
The IPTV reception information providing apparatus may include the content provider headend 120 to provide the subscriber terminal 110 with the communication and broadcast services, as described above.
The content provider headend 120 may include a Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) 121, and the IPTV server 124.
The CMTS 121 may include a content receiver 122, and a provider 123. The content provider 122 may receive an IPTV broadcast content from a content provider. The provider 123 may provide the subscriber terminal 110 with the DOCSIS MMM that includes L2 reception information obtained by reflecting service information for the received IPTV broadcast content. Here, the CMTS 121 may allow the subscriber terminal 110 to receive the IPTV broadcast content based on the L2 reception information.
The IPTV server 124 may form service information associated with an IPTV broadcast content that is to be provided to the subscriber terminal 110. For example, the service information may include an Electronic Program Guide (EPG).
The CMTS 121 may receive the IPTV broadcast content from the content provider, may add the service information to the received IPTV broadcast content, and may provide the subscriber terminal 110 with the IPTV broadcast content based on the service information.
For example, to provide IPTV broadcast contents over the cable network, the content provider headend 120 including the CMTS 121 and the IPTV server 124 may receive provided contents from the IPTV content servers 131 and 141 that are respectively located in the IPTV broadcast content provider headends 130 and 140.
The IPTV server 124 may form service information associated with IPTV broadcast contents that are to be provided to the subscriber terminal 110.
To form service information for provided contents, various schemes may be provided, for example, a scheme of using an EPG.
IPTV service information including an EPG may be used by a viewer to select content from an application program layer.
In the current embodiment of the present invention, the IPTV server 124 may form service information associated with IPTV broadcast contents, and may transmit reception information in a DOCSIS layer as a separate DOCSIS MMM. Here, the reception information in the DOCSIS layer may be used to receive the service information.
Accordingly, it is possible to view an IPTV immediately by setting the reception information in the DOCSIS layer, namely an L2 Media Access Control (MAC) layer, without joining and leaving a multicast group in an application layer for a currently transmitted IPTV broadcast content.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to significantly reduce a delay time caused by channel switching when an IPTV service is provided using a cable network. Additionally, it is possible to define an MMM in a separate DOCSIS layer that includes IPTV reception information based on service information associated with IPTV broadcast contents that are currently provided to a viewer. Furthermore, it is possible to view an IPTV immediately by setting reception information in a DOCSIS layer, namely an L2 MAC layer, without joining and leaving a multicast group in an application layer for IPTV broadcast content.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a scheme of forming, by a headend, IPTV reception information, generating a DOCSIS MMM based on the IPTV reception information, and transmitting the generated DOCSIS MMM in an IPTV reception information providing method, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
For example, the scheme of FIG. 2 may be interpreted as a scheme of operating a content provider headend according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 2, in operation 201, an IPTV broadcast content may be received from a content provider.
In operation 202, service information associated with the received IPTV broadcast content may be formed.
In operation 203, a DOCSIS MMM may be generated based on the formed service information. Specifically, an IPTV server located in the content provider headend may form service information associated with received IPTV broadcast contents.
In operation 204, the generated DOCSIS MMM may be transmitted to a CM.
Here, the CM may receive the DOCSIS MMM, may parse the received DOCSIS MMM, and may periodically update IPTV reception information.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a CMTS located in a cable headend may periodically transmit a DOCSIS MMM including IPTV reception information to a subscriber terminal via a downstream channel.
In the IPTV reception information providing method, to provide the IPTV reception information to the subscriber terminal, an IPTV broadcast content may be selected based on the service information, and the selected IPTV broadcast content may be transmitted to the CM. Here, the CM may set related reception information based on the IPTV broadcast content.
The CM may receive an IPTV broadcast content based on the set reception information.
The CMTS in the content provider headend may form a DOCSIS MMM including IPTV reception information based on IPTV service information provided by the IPTV server.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a scheme of periodically receiving, by a terminal, a DOCSIS MMM that is formed based on IPTV reception information by a headend in an IPTV reception information providing method according to an embodiment of the present invention. For example, the scheme of FIG. 3 may be interpreted as a scheme of operating a subscriber terminal.
Referring to FIG. 3, in operation 301, a DOCSIS MMM may be periodically received by a CM in a subscriber terminal.
In operation 302, service information for an IPTV broadcast content may be updated based on the received DOCSIS MMM.
As described above, in an IPTV reception information providing method according to an embodiment of the present invention, a CM in a subscriber terminal may periodically receive a DOCSIS MMM including IPTV reception information that is transmitted by a CMTS in a content provider headend. Additionally, the CM in the subscriber terminal may parse the received DOCSIS MMM, and may extract the IPTV reception information from the DOCSIS MMM, to periodically update the extracted IPTV reception information.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a scheme of joining a service using IPTV service information provided by an application program, and using L2 reception information contained in a DOCSIS MMM. Here, the IPTV service information may include, for example, an EPG.
For example, a scheme of joining an IPTV service using IPTV reception information will be described with reference to FIG. 4.
Referring to FIG. 4, in operation 401, an STB in a subscriber terminal may select an IPTV broadcast content based on IPTV service information, such as an EPG, provided by an application layer. In operation 402, the STB may transmit, to a CM in the subscriber terminal, IPTV broadcast content information regarding the selected IPTV broadcast content. Here, the IPTV broadcast content information may include, for example, an identifier (ID) of the selected IPTV broadcast content.
In operation 403, the CM may set reception information related to the IPTV broadcast content based on the IPTV broadcast content information received from the STB. Here, the reception information may include, for example, a Data Set ID (DSID). In operation 404, the CM may filter IPTV packets from the IPTV broadcast content based on the set reception information, and may receive the IPTV packets. In operation 405, the CM may transmit the received IPTV packets to the STB. In operation 406, the STB may decode the IPTV broadcast content including the received IPTV packets, and may display the decoded IPTV broadcast content.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a scheme of leaving an IPTV service in an IPTV reception information providing method, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 5, in operation 501, an STB in a subscriber terminal may receive a viewing stop signal to stop viewing of a currently provided IPTV broadcast content when channel switching is requested. In operation 502, the STB may transmit, to a CM in the subscriber terminal, IPTV broadcast content information, such as an ID of the IPTV broadcast content. In operation 503, the CM may delete reception information related to the IPTV broadcast content, based on the IPTV broadcast content information provided by the STB. Here, the reception information may include, for example, a DSID of the IPTV broadcast content. In operation 504, the CM may stop a reception of the IPTV broadcast content. In other words, it is possible to stop the reception of the currently viewed IPTV broadcast content by deleting the reception information using the CM in the subscriber terminal.
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a format of a DOCSIS MMM 600 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The DOCSIS MMM 600 may have a same format as a conventional DOCSIS message. For example, fields such as a Frame Control field may be equivalently used in different DOCSIS MMMs, and a new type value may be added to a DOCSIS MMM to include IPTV reception information.
Referring to FIG. 6, a new type value is assigned to the DOCSIS MMM 600. Specifically, a type value of "100" or another value may be assigned to the DOCSIS MMM 600, and the DOCSIS MMM 600 with the type value of "100" may be used as a new IPTV-SVC-INFO message for IPTV reception information. In other words, several DOCSIS MMMs may be distinguished by type information. For example, a DOCSIS MMM having a type value of "100" may be interpreted as an IPTV-SVC-INFO message.
FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a format of an IPTV-SVC-INFO message 700 as a new DOCSIS MMM including IPTV reception information. The IPTV-SVC-INFO message 700 may be used by assigning a type value of "100" or another value to a DOCSIS MMM.
In FIG. 7, the IPTV-SVC-INFO message 700 may include a header field 710, a Change Count field 720, a Number of Fragments field 730, a Fragment Number field 740, and a Current Channel DCID field 750.
In addition, the IPTV-SVC-INFO message 700 may further include a Type/Length/Value (TLV)-encoded information field 760 to store information regarding TLV-encoding, and a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) field 770.
A value of the Change Count field 720 may be incremented by "1" whenever IPTV reception information is changed. A CM in a subscriber terminal may determine whether the IPTV reception information is changed, based on the value of the Change Count field 720, and may update the IPTV reception information.
The Number of Fragments field 730 may exceed a maximum size of a single DOCSIS MAC Frame, when a large amount of all IPTV reception information is provided. Accordingly, the DOCSIS MAC Frame may need to be divided into several pieces, and the pieces may be transmitted. Here, the Number of Fragments field 730 may indicate a number of fragments of the IPTV-SVC-INFO message 700 including all of the IPTV reception information.
The Fragment Number field 740 may identify the number for each IPTV-SVC-INFO message among a plurality of IPTV-SVC-INFO messages 700 including all IPTV reception information. For example, a value of the Fragment Number field 740 may be incremented by "1" starting from 1.
The Current Channel DCID field 750 may indicate an ID of a downstream channel where the IPTV-SVC-INFO message 700 is currently transmitted.
As shown in FIG. 8, the IPTV-SVC-INFO message 700 may include an IPTV Program Number field as a main field. The IPTV Program Number field may be used as an ID of an IPTV broadcast content.
An STB and a CM in a subscriber terminal may exchange information regarding an IPTV broadcast content selected by a viewer using the IPTV Program Number field. Additionally, the CM may set related reception information using the IPTV Program Number field.
The CM may filter IPTV packets from the IPTV broadcast content and transfer the IPTV packets to the STB using an assigned DSID. The IPTV-SVC-INFO message 700 may further include a Downstream Channel ID field and a MAC Domain Downstream Service Group (MD-DS-SG) ID field that indicates downstream channels where the IPTV broadcast content is currently transmitted.
The methods of providing IPTV reception information above-described embodiments of the present invention may be recorded in non-transitory computer-readable media including program instructions to implement various operations embodied by a computer. The media may also include, alone or in combination with the program instructions, data files, data structures, and the like. The program instructions recorded on the media may be those specially designed and constructed for the purposes of the embodiments, or they may be of the kind well-known and available to those having skill in the computer software arts. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tape; optical media such as CD ROM disks and DVDs; magneto-optical media such as optical disks; and hardware devices that are specially configured to store and perform program instructions, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), flash memory, and the like. Examples of program instructions include both machine code, such as produced by a compiler, and files containing higher level code that may be executed by the computer using an interpreter. The described hardware devices may be configured to act as one or more software modules in order to perform the operations of the above-described embodiments of the present invention, or vice versa.
Although a few exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, the present invention is not limited to the described exemplary embodiments. Instead, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made to these exemplary embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.
1. A subscriber terminal comprising:
a content receiver to receive a selected Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) broadcast content from a cable network using Layer 2 (L2) reception information, the L2 reception information being bounded to the IPTV broadcast content;
a decoder to decode the received IPTV broadcast content; and
a transmitter to transmit the decoded IPTV broadcast content to a display device.
2. The subscriber terminal of claim 1, further comprising:
a Cable Modem (CM) to provide an interactive service, the interactive service enabling the IPTV broadcast content and a Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) Media Access Control Management Message (MMM) to be received from the cable network, or enabling an IPTV broadcast content control signal to be transmitted from a subscriber to the cable network, the DOCSIS MMM comprising the L2 reception information based on service information.
3. The subscriber terminal of claim 2, wherein the content receiver receives information associated with the IPTV broadcast content from the cable network through the CM, based on content selection information of an IPTV broadcast content corresponding to the service information.
4. A content provider headend, comprising
a content receiver to receive an IPTV broadcast content from a content provider; and
a provider to provide a subscriber terminal with a DOCSIS MMM, the DOCSIS MMM comprising L2 reception information obtained by reflecting service information for the received IPTV broadcast content,
wherein the L2 reception information is used by the subscriber terminal to receive the IPTV broadcast content.
5. The content provider headend of claim 4, further comprising:
an IPTV server to form the service information associated with an IPTV broadcast content, the IPTV broadcast content being provided to the subscriber terminal.
6. The content provider headend of claim 4, wherein the service information comprises an Electronic Program Guide (EPG).
7. An apparatus of providing IPTV reception information, the apparatus comprising:
a content provider headend to receive an IPTV broadcast content from a content provider, and to provide the subscriber terminal with a DOCSIS MMM, the DOCSIS MMM comprising L2 reception information obtained by reflecting service information for the received IPTV broadcast content; and
a subscriber terminal to receive the IPTV broadcast content and the DOCSIS MMM from a cable network, to decode the received IPTV broadcast content, and to transmit the decoded IPTV broadcast content to a display device.
8. A method of operating a subscriber terminal, the method comprising:
receiving a selected IPTV broadcast content from a cable network using L2 reception information, the L2 reception information being bounded to the IPTV broadcast content;
decoding the received IPTV broadcast content; and
transmitting the decoded IPTV broadcast content to a display device.
9. A method of operating a content provider headend, the method comprising:
receiving an IPTV broadcast content from a content provider; and
providing a subscriber terminal with a DOCSIS MMM, the DOCSIS MMM comprising L2 reception information obtained by reflecting service information for the received IPTV broadcast content,
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the providing comprises:
selecting an IPTV broadcast content based on the service information; and
transmitting IPTV broadcast content information corresponding to the selected IPTV broadcast content to a CM,
wherein the IPTV broadcast content information is used by the CM to set related reception information.
Filed: Sep 23, 2010
Publication Date: Jun 23, 2011
Applicant: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (Daejeon)
Inventor: Woongshik YOU (Gyeryong Si)
Current U.S. Class: Electronic Program Guide (725/39); Connection To External Network At Receiver (e.g., Set-top Box) (725/110)
International Classification: H04N 7/173 (20060101); H04N 5/445 (20060101);


WAYNE ROONEY : WE ARE ALL BEHIND DAVID DE GEA!
Wayne Rooney hailed the performance of David De Gea after Manchester United's victory at Fulham.
The 22 year old Spanish U23 international goalkeeper produced a series of excellent saves at Fulham on Saturday as United eked out a crucial 1-0 win.
And match-winner Rooney was quick to highlight the Spaniard's contribution.
The England international said : "David has made some great saves over the last few weeks,".
"I know he got a little bit of criticism after the Tottenham game but it wasn't the biggest mistake I've ever seen.


text:
Galaxy Force II
About the Game The peaceful and prosperous solar system Junos was located at the end of the Milky Way. Those who called its five planets home had no idea what was about to happen... Halcyon, ruler of the Fourth Empire, had Junos marked as its final target in the galactic massacre, and had sent the bulk of his attacking force in with a single purpose – the elimination of all life forms in the system, and the construction of a gigantic fortress on each of the five planets from which to rule the galaxy. The galaxy's recognised governing body, the Space Federation, began recruiting attack pilots in an effort to reclaim Junos. Strap yourself into your TRX-5 Quasar and turn the tables on Halcyon.
System Requirements Minimum:
OS: Windows XP or higher
Graphics: 32MB or greater graphics card
DirectX: DirectX 9.0 or greater
Hard Drive: 50MB free disc space
The peaceful and prosperous solar system Junos was located at the end of the Milky Way. Those who called its five planets home had no idea what was about to happen... Halcyon, ruler of the Fourth Empire, had Junos marked as its final target in the galactic massacre, and had sent the bulk of his attacking force in with a single purpose –...
Developer: SEGA
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege - Deluxe Edition
Action, Racing, Sports

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Home News S&S moves to reassure authors after Milo Yiannopoulos controversy
S&S moves to reassure authors after Milo Yiannopoulos controversy
Published January 24, 2017 by Lisa Campbell
Simon & Schuster's US chief executive Carolyn Reidy has moved to reassure authors that the publisher will not "support, condone" or publish "hate speech" following...
Simon & Schuster's US chief executive Carolyn Reidy has moved to reassure authors that the publisher will not "support, condone" or publish "hate speech" following the furore surrounding the book it signed with Milo Yiannopoulos.
In a letter to authors sent yesterday (23rd January), Reidy said the book deal its imprint Threshold Editions signed with the Breitbart News editor was intended to be "a substantive examination of the issues of political correctness and free speech", issues that she said are "already much-discussed and argued and fought over in both mainstream and alternative media and on campuses and in schools across the country".
The book deal for Dangerous sparked outrage in the US and the UK when it was first reported. Breitbart News is known as a publisher of "alt-right" articles, and Yiannopoulos has also been banned from Twitter after allegedly encouraging people to abuse actress Leslie Jones on the social media platform.
At the time Yiannopoulos signed the book deal for a reported $250,000, he told the Hollywood Reporter: "I met with top execs at Simon & Schuster earlier in the year and spent half an hour trying to shock them with lewd jokes and outrageous opinions. I thought they were going to have me escorted from the building — but instead they offered me a wheelbarrow full of money.
"Every line of attack the forces of political correctness try on me fails pathetically. I'm more powerful, more influential and more fabulous than ever before, and this book is the moment Milo goes mainstream. Social justice warriors should be scared — very scared."
In her letter sent yesterday (23rd January) and seen by BuzzFeed, Reidy said the publisher had received a lot of feedback from authors and readers "expressing concern and displeasure" about it.
"I want you to know that we take all of this feedback seriously and appreciate that so many people, especially our authors, have taken the time to communicate with us," she said.
"First and foremost, I want to make clear that we do not support or condone, nor will we publish, hate speech. Not from our authors. Not in our books. Not at our imprints. Not from our employees and not in our workplace."
She added Threshold Editions, like all its imprints, is editorially independent and its acquisitions are made without the involvement or knowledge of our other publishers.
"In considering this project, the imprint believed that an articulate discussion of these issues, coming from an unconventional source like Mr. Yiannopoulos, could become an incisive commentary on today's social discourse that would sit well within its scope and mission, which is to publish works for a conservative audience," Reidy wrote.
She ended her letter bleakly, telling authors there was "no question" that we are "living in a time when many are feeling uncertainty and fear".
"It is a moment when political passions are running hotter and stronger than at any time in recent history, and cultural divides across the country seem to be getting wider," she said. "And so I can appreciate the strong opinions and feelings this has stirred in you and others".
Reidy added that she also recognised there may be a "genuine debate to be had about who should be awarded a book contract".
"For us, in the end, it ultimately comes down to the text that is written," Reidy said. "And here I must reiterate that neither Threshold Editions nor any other of our imprints will publish books that we think will incite hatred, discrimination or bullying."
The Bookseller has previously reported that the UK arm of Simon & Schuster said it had no plans to publish the title, which is set for release in March 2017.
However, free speech group English PEN has argued that Yiannopoulos' right to freedom of expression must be respected and "offensive ideas should be debunked and discredited, not censored".
Milo Yiannopoulous
Carolyn Reidy
S&S UK will not publish controversial Milo Yiannopoulos
S&S 'expects to prevail' against $10m Yiannopoulos lawsuit
Yiannopoulos responds to S&S in reissued lawsuit
Yiannopoulos to represent himself in S&S lawsuit
Milo Yiannopoulos drops S&S lawsuit


text:
Former Morgan Stanley Broker Receives 18 Month Prison Spell for Insider Trading
A former Morgan Stanley broker has received an 18-month prison sentence after it was revealed he played a pivotal role in a multi-million dollar insider trading scheme.
A court found that Michael Siva took part in an insider trading scheme alongside five others. The group received non public information from a technology consultant at an investment bank, who used the bank's internal systems to access information about potential and unannounced M&A deals. They then used codewords in an attempt to evade detection, as well as meeting at diners outside of New York.
Siva and those involved in the scheme made around $5m in profits between August 2013 and May 2017. As well as receiving prison time, Siva was also sentenced to two years of supervised release and fined $35,000.
How MUFG is Tackling its Global HR and Conduct Challenge
Specialized Financial Crime Court Signals Latest Step In Middle East's…
Wild, Wild East: Insider Trading Skyrockets in India, As Regulators…


Effect of sperm exposure time on in vitro fertilization and embryo development of bovine oocytes matured in vitro.
Reduction of centrifugation force in discontinuous percoll gradients increases in vitro fertilization rates without reducing bovine sperm recovery.
Time of insemination culture and outcomes of in vitro fertilization: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Prolonging bovine sperm-oocyte incubation in modified medium 199 improves embryo development rate and the viability of vitrified blastocysts.


The makers of fine Mac (and mobile gadget) protection and bags at Speck have announced a new lineup of iPad accessories including cases, carrying sleeves and anti-glare screen protectors. They were kind enough to send over a Speck CandyShell iPad case for review. The iPad CandyShell iPad case is similar to the Speck CandyShell iPhone case, but it is tailored specifically for the iPad and has a big advantage over many current iPad cases because it lets you connect your iPad to the Apple iPad dock without removing the case — a first that we've seen.
The Speck CandyShell iPad case is a snap on case that hugs the edges of your iPad adding a cushion between the precious aluminum backside and surfaces that seemingly conspire to scratch the back of your iPad every time you lay it down. The hard rubber outershell of the Speck CandyShell case is paired with a honeycomb interior that provides a bit of shock protection. Additionally, the case adds a lip on the top of the iPad which allows you to carry it with a book on top or place it facedown without the fear that someone will drop something on the screen. The only downside to the shell was that the black model we have shows fingerprints almost as bad as the iPad's screen does; but with the added grip the case provides it's a sacrifice we'll make. It is possible that fingerprints won't show as much on the NightShade Purple CandyShell case.
The case has an opening for headphones, the internal microphone and the hold switch while providing soft rubber button covers to handle the power and volume up/down functions. I found that both the power and volume buttons worked fine with the new case and were perhaps even easier to find by touch when reading in bed. When it comes to openings I was a little underwhelmed because the orientation hold button was for me to turn on and off. It wasn't impossible to reach and if you have fingernails you won't have a problem at all, but I found myself angling my index finger in or relying on my smaller pinky finger to slip the switch.
The bottom of the case pops out to let you plug the iPad into the Apple Dock or to plug in the standard USB cable and is really well designed. My first thought was that the flap would tear off with too much pressure but after twisting and tugging, with the same force you might receive upon snagging it on a your gear bag, there was no sign that it would come loose. I was also impressed by the ease it snaps in and out of place without leaving any lines that jut out of the device. The final thing to note about the Speck CandyShell's dock flap is that if you don't want to use the dock you can leave the flap open just enough to plug in the dock connector without turning your iPad over or feeling like you are going to stress the device.
Overall the Speck CandyShell iPad case offers great protection without getting in the way of connecting it your computer or power. Adding the case to my iPad marked a special transition in my ownership, which granted most cases will, in that I could take my iPad anywhere and set it down without fear of it getting scratched. Previous to snapping my iPad into the Speck CandyShell I had a generic netbook bag and a cloth to clean the screen; and I never set the iPad on a hard surface without placing my case or the cloth under it. By adding the CandyShell case I could place my iPad wherever I want, without a second thought — and it was great.
I still think my perfect iPad case will include some sort of cover for the screen (other than a screen protector which Speck also makes) but, the Speck CandyShell is a great case and offers significant value to anyone who wants to connect their iPad to an Apple Dock or Apple Dock+Keyboard without completely removing the iPad from its case. The case is $49.95, which is about standard for high end iPad cases and will be available soon online and at Apple retail locations. I have no reservations recommending this case to a friend looking to protect their iPad; in fact, I already have.
Stay tuned as we will be bringing you reviews of other Speck products including the Speck Anti-Glare iPad screen protector.
I can personally vouch for this post and state that the CandyShell iPad Case is perhaps one of the best cases on the iPad accessory market in terms of protection, quality, accessibility and usability. It's made so close to the specifications of the iPad that it's uncanny.


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I like beetroot soup to be smooth and earthy, savoury with a slight hint of citrus. Beets store well but in November they're still really firm and fresh, giving your soup a real energy and depth. Adding the caramelised butter enriches the soup but it is equally nice without.
Waste not: Make veg stock with your veg tops and clean peelings. Steaming the beetroot will keep all the nutrients and colour.
1) Gently sauté the onion, leek, garlic and cumin for 15 minutes or until translucent but not coloured.
2) Add the stock and simmer for 5 minutes.
3) While hot, blend the stock and beetroot until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste.
4) To serve, place a teaspoon of yoghurt in the middle, brown the butter in a pan and spoon on top.


text:
Comment: Liam Fay: Don't cultivate the myth of the feminist farmer
At the organisation's birthday party in Dublin's RDS there was much lofty talk from the top table about the unique voice afforded to women by the work of the IFA. President Mary McAleese, the guest of honour, claimed that the association had "prised open" a closed and patriarchal society. Meanwhile, an anniversary edition of The Irish Farmer's Journal went big on tributes to the surviving widows of IFA leaders and waxed lyrical about the cherished contribution of women to Irish agricultural development.
The IFA is clearly determined to present the farming industry as having a proud tradition of equal opportunity and gender blindness. This is fine and dandy, but it's also what most rural dwellers would recognise as a heap of manure.
In fact, it


text:
Hot Pockets recalled for possible contamination
Listeria found on leafy greens at major grocery stores including Costco, Whole Foods
Morgan Hines | USA TODAY | 5:49 pm EDT July 28, 2019
The Consumer Reports study included 284 samples of varying greens including kale, spinach, lettuce and others.
Consumer Reports has found that major grocery stores such as Whole Foods, Acme, Costco and Hannaford have been selling some greens carrying listeria.
The study they conducted, prompted by recent romaine outbreaks, included 284 samples of varying greens including kale, spinach, lettuce and others. In that selection, six samples were tainted with Listeria monocytogenes.
Martin Wiedmann, a food safety professor at Cornell University, told USA TODAY that Listeria monocytogenes causes disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1,600 people are infected by the bacteria species yearly, and about 260 die.
"It's always concerning to find a bacteria that can make people sick in foods that won't be cooked," Brittany Behm, spokesperson at CDC told USA TODAY.
Kale     As in so many cases, moisture is the potential villain here. This popular vegetable, which is one of the most contaminated foods on the market , will last about a week if it's stored in the refrigerator in a sealed plastic bag with a couple of sheets of paper towel to absorb excess dampness. Don't wash kale until you're ready to eat it, even if you think you're drying it thoroughly, as this may cause the leaves to wilt, or encourage mold to form.
alice dias didszoleit / Getty Images
But the CDC isn't terribly concerned about a little bit of Listeria being found.
"It's important to remember that most of the time healthy people aren't going to get sick from listeria," Behm said.
The populations more likely to be infected are the elderly, pregnant women, newborns, young children and people with poor immune systems.
Two of the samples, spinach and an organic spinach-spring mix, were prepackaged and prewashed, Consumer Reports found. The other four were loose bunches or heads of red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce, kale and spinach.
All of the greens included were purchased in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut between June 3 and June 19.
The study they conducted, Consumer Reports said, was not large enough to draw conclusions about safety of brands or specific retailers and whether or not to buy from them. "But the testing underscores that industry needs to do more to improve the safety of leafy greens," said the report.
Food labels are confusing: The FDA is looking at 'Sell By,' 'Best By' and 'Enjoy By' to try and combat food waste
This could kill you: America, you're grilling your burgers wrong
Hilary Thesmar, senior vice president of food safety programs at the Food Marketing Institute, told Consumer Reports that the results would cause them to take a closer look at the food safety program and prompt more discussions with their suppliers.
"I think we can always improve our food safety programs," Thesmar said to Consumer Reports.
James Rogers, director of food safety research and testing at Consumer Reports, said in the study that it's important that vulnerable populations be careful when deciding to eat their greens.
"The safest thing is to stick with greens you can cook," he said in the study.
Consumer Reports' findings prompted an investigation by the Food and Drug Administration, which has a zero-tolerance policy for Listeria monocytogenes, but no results have been handed over to Consumer Reports yet, the study said.
To prevent listeria from spreading or to minimize its spread, the FDA recommends taking precautions. Some include keeping refrigerated foods cold at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower, keeping the freezer at 0 degrees Farenheit or lower, covering foods, cleaning your refrigerator regularly and cleaning kitchen surfaces regularly.
Follow Morgan Hines on Twitter: @MorganEmHines.
View | 30 Photos
Salads so tempting, you might order salad
Originally Published 2:04 pm EDT July 26, 2019
Updated 5:49 pm EDT July 28, 2019


text:
<?php
# Generated by the protocol buffer compiler.  DO NOT EDIT!
# source: google/monitoring/v3/uptime.proto

namespace Google\Cloud\Monitoring\V3;

/**
 * The supported resource types that can be used as values of
 * group_resource.resource_type. gae_app and uptime_url are not allowed
 * because group checks on App Engine modules and URLs are not allowed.
 *
 * Protobuf enum Google\Monitoring\V3\GroupResourceType
 */
class GroupResourceType
{
    /**
     * Default value (not valid).
     *
     * Generated from protobuf enum RESOURCE_TYPE_UNSPECIFIED = 0;
     */
    const RESOURCE_TYPE_UNSPECIFIED = 0;
    /**
     * A group of instances (could be either GCE or AWS_EC2).
     *
     * Generated from protobuf enum INSTANCE = 1;
     */
    const INSTANCE = 1;
    /**
     * A group of AWS load balancers.
     *
     * Generated from protobuf enum AWS_ELB_LOAD_BALANCER = 2;
     */
    const AWS_ELB_LOAD_BALANCER = 2;
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Capture the Double Poudré strap . A revisited timeless strap that would doubly please any demanding wrist !
Thanks to our patented system, you can change your watchstrap in just a few seconds, in order to express every aspect of your personnality !
All of our women's leather watch straps are made in France.


text: perspicillata, Aethoprora Ogilby [J. D.] 1898:36 [Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales v. 23 (pt 1); ref. 5861] Lord Howe Island, southwestern Pacific. Holotype (unique): QM I.794 (in 2 pieces). •Valid as Diaphus perspicillatus (Ogilby 1898) -- (Paxton 1979:8 [ref. 6440], Fujii in Masuda et al. 1984:73 [ref. 6441], Hulley 1986:294 [ref. 5672], Scott & Scott 1988:213 [ref. 25518], Paxton et al. 1989:259 [ref. 12442], McAllister 1990:104 [ref. 14674], Hulley 1990:417 [ref. 15273], McEachran & Fechhelm 1998:640 [ref. 23897], Fricke 1999:97 [ref. 24106], Paxton & Hulley 1999:1963 [ref. 24748], Nakabo 2000:393 [ref. 25086], Paxton & Hulley in Randall & Lim 2000:593 [ref. 25122], Sheiko & Fedorov 2000:22 [ref. 25650], Hutchins 2001:20 [ref. 25847], Chen 2002:205 [ref. 26587], Nakabo 2002:393 [ref. 26001], Santos et al. in Menezes et al. 2003:53 [ref. 27192], Hartel & Craddock 2003:950 [ref. 27005], Moore et al. 2003:199 [ref. 27076], Mundy 2005:218 [ref. 28379], Paxton et al. 2006:517 [ref. 28994], Fricke et al. 2011:361 [ref. 31242], Robertson & Clements 2015:647 [ref. 34257], Pinheiro et al. 2015:8 [ref. 34324], Hulley 2016:1894 [ref. 34576], Fricke et al. 2018:77 [ref. 35805], Carneiro et al. 2019:118 [ref. 37250], Fricke et al. 2019:68 [ref. 36673], Sutton et al. 2020:185 [ref. 37832] in subgenus Aethoprora). Current status: Valid as Diaphus perspicillatus (Ogilby 1898). Myctophidae: Diaphinae. Distribution: Circumglobal in tropical through temperate seas, but not in the eastern Pacific. Habitat: marine.


So far in Inside the Indies, we've reviewed Book 1, Book 2, and Book 3. And at last, we come to the end. But not actually the end. Leftovers Book Four is a new beginning, the start of a trilogy. And to be frank, you need to buy this book. Let's dig in to why!
This is the story of Kaleb, a man in his late-20s or early-30s who suffers from anxiety. He's been medicating to help cope with it for as long as he can remember. It's in this semi-stupor that he meets Addey. We don't see the "courtship," but they're together in a very serious way. In love, even. And it comes off as one of the better things that's happened to Kaleb, at least if you ask his buddy Mike. But there's still something lingering, something that's holding Kaleb back: he doesn't know if it's him that's in love with Addey or his medication. Since he can't remember what life was like sans 2 pills-a-day, he contemplates ditching the pills and being himself again, whoever that is and whatever complications arise regarding his anxiety.
The leap in quality from Leftovers Book 1 to Book 4, even from Book 3 to Book 4, really, is astonishing. Leftovers, the series, has never looked better. The character designs are consistent and the level of detail boggles (Mike and Kaleb have one of those stress squeezers on their desk). The latter especially makes the world seem real and lived-in. It's a place people live, work, and walk around in. At no point do you question the environment. Worth noting is that the only color in the book, and the first in the series, is for the superhero and supervillain that represent Kaleb's mind on and off meds, respectively. They draw attention in the right way.
The dialogue sounds natural and realistic and the bits of humor will make you laugh out loud. The internal monologue, which makes up most of the written word, flows as you'd expect a thought process to. It's not stream-of-consciousness but still, again, natural. Towards the end of the book, Jason does some excellent things with the placement of the dialogue boxes, that show Kaleb's frame of mind wonderfully.
The narrative e ngages and will make you want Book 5 now. If you've been on the fence about the Leftovers series, read this book now. The improvements Jason has made since the first book nearly 10 years ago astounds. It's like reading the work of a totally different creator. It all feels so much more sure of itself. There's a purpose to everything you read and see and that is no small task. No question about it, this is an indie book you need to read. If the ending is any indication, Jason's doing good work breaching that gap between "smaller" indie stories and the bombastic superhero tales of the Big 2.
Buy this book. If you can only buy one Leftovers book, make it this one. And if you're in Virginia, head to Richmond this weekend and get Jason to sign your copy and chat with him. The man himself will be at the VA Comic Con this Saturday and Sunday in Artist's Alley at table A23.


text:
Former owner of French wine bar and deli dies age 49
Sabrina Johnson
Published: 4:24 PM October 29, 2020 Updated: 7:11 PM November 21, 2020
Damien Cabanis who ran Les Garrigues has died aged 49 Photo: Sonya Duncan - Credit: Sonya Duncan
A wine merchant who brought a slice of French culture to Norwich in the form of a wine bar and deli has died aged 49.
Damien Cabanis. Photo: Sonya Duncan - Credit: Sonya Duncan
Damien Cabanis died in Beeston Regis, North Norfolk on Sunday, October 25.
At an inquest into his death, held at Norfolk Coroner's Court on Thursday, October 29, Jacqueline Lake, senior coroner for Norfolk said Mr Cabanis had lived in Sheringham and worked as a self-employed wine merchant.
His cause of death was given as hanging.
In October 2015 Mr Cabanis, who was born in Brittany, opened Les Garrigues, a French wine bar and deli in St John Maddermarket.
The small but popular deli served a range of wines from French vineyards, cheeses and charcuterie.
Fronted by Mr Cabanis, who would often be on hand to make tasting suggestions, the deli offered customers the chance to bring in and re-fill empty bottles in a bid to provide a more environmentally friendly way of purchasing wine.
In 2018, Les Garrigues merged with Louis Deli and after raising more than £14,000 in the space of a month through a crowdfunding campaign relocated to Upper St Giles.
Talking about how Les Garrigues had been received by Norwich ahead of its relocation, Mr Cabanis said: "I was quite amazed how quickly the people visited the shop and then kept coming back and became regular customers.
"The idea was to offer wines at a price which were not restaurant prices and to have wines which were better than restaurant prices. A lot of people have said coming here is like coming on holiday."
Les Garrigues opened in Upper St Giles in May 2019. In January 2020, the premises was taken over by Kofra Coffee.
The inquest into Mr Cabanis' death had been adjourned for a full hearing on January 25 2021.
• If you need help and support, call Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust's First Response helpline 0808 196 3494 or the Samaritans on 116 123. Both services are available 24 hours 7 days a week. You can also download the Stay Alive app on Apple and Android.


Just installed my two E Z Skylight shades (3%, pebblestone) They are a perfect solution to blocking heat and some light from the hatch door to my roof deck.
E-Z Skylight Shade is a fixed solar shade panel that fits inside the skylight opening using spring tension rods at each end to secure it. Custom manufactured to your exact specifications, these shades can be made using transparent woven or light blocking fabrics. Kirsh Spring Tension Rods are hidden in permanently welded pockets at the top and bottom and lock the panel into position. A third filler flap pocket closes up any extra gaps in the height. There will be a gap of about 1/4″ on each side of the fabric panel. Larger units may require an intermediate pocket for additional support.
NOTE: The surfaces that the tension rods will be pushing against must be parallel to each other for the rods to stay up. No drilling, brackets or special installation tools are required to install this simple, low cost solution to control heat , glare and fading. The panels do not retract.The solar shade materials are woven from heavy duty, color fast, non shrinking yarns. They are available in 3%, 5% or 10% openness factors depending upon the light reducing requirements. We recommend 10% openness to retain the open feeling of a skylight. Colors closest to white reject heat the best. Light blocking materials from our Stop Light collection are also a popular option.
Length: Filler flap pocket that extends beyond height ordered provides full coverage. May be ordered without extra filler pocket if desired.
Maximum width and length is 48" x 72"
Shades are shipped with all the necessary hardware.
These shades are lead free.
Download Performance Details The solar shade materials are woven from heavy duty, color fast, non shrinking yarns. They are available in 3%, 5% or 10% openness factors depending upon the light reducing requirements. We recommend 10% openness to retain the open feeling of a skylight. Colors closest to white rejects heat the best. Light blocking materials from our Stop Light collection are also a popular option.
Product which is less than the minimum or more than the maximum size as set forth by North Solar Screen LLC website.
With respect to fabrics, the above warranty is limited to defects which cause fading, oxidation, flaking or discoloration.
Defects occurring in OEM's sole judgment as a result of 1) improper installation 2) abuse or misuse 3) normal wear and tear or 4) maintenance and care not in accordance with the instructions included with the product are not covered under the warranty.
OEM disclaims all other warranties, whether arising by law or otherwise, including but not limited to the implied warranties and fitness for a particular purpose.
The sole and exclusive obligation of OEM and North Solar Screen under the above warranty is the repair or replacement of the product or any part of the product. This obligation excludes labor cost in measurement or installation and the cost of returning the product. Neither OEM nor North Solar Screen shall be liable for any special, indirect, consequential or incidental damages, including but not limited to loss of use.


text:
Amy Walker Killed in Pedestrian Collision on Mill Plain Boulevard [Vancouver, WA]
By Sweet Law Group October 5, 2018
18-Year-Old Fatally Struck by Vehicle at North Morrison Road
VANCOUVER, WA (September 30, 2018) – An 18-year-old woman was killed in a pedestrian collision on Mill Plain Boulevard, late Sunday afternoon. The deceased victim was identified as 18-year-old Amy Walker.
According to reports from the Washington State Patrol, Walker was crossing the street outside of a designated crosswalk with a group of girls when she was hit by a vehicle. The collision took place near North Morrison Road, near 4:00 PM.
The victim's grandmother, Linda Evans, said the victim was with her younger sister and two close friends when she was hit. They were trying to catch a bus across the street and were on their way to the local mall. Her friends and sister reported that Walker did not see the car coming.
Due to the impact of the collision, the young woman suffered critical injuries. Unfortunately, she succumbed to her injuries and was later pronounced dead. No other injuries were reported in the incident. The driver who hit the victim remained at the scene and cooperated with police investigators.
Both the eastbound and westbound lanes of E Mill Plain were closed at N Morrison for several hours, while officers investigated and crews cleared the crash site. No further information about the fatal crash was immediately released, as the investigation continues.
We at Sweet Law Group offer our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Amy Walker. Evans shared that Walker graduated from Fort Vancouver High School last year and had her entire life ahead of her. May she rest in peace.
If you have lost a loved one in a tragic pedestrian collision, reach out to the experienced wrongful death lawyers at Sweet Law Group. With over 40 years of experience in the legal field, understand what you and your family are going through, and we are here to help. Call us at (800) 203-3061 to arrange your free consultation with an experienced legal professional in your area. For your convenience, we are also available through email, text message, and online chat.
Tags: 18-Year-Old Fatally Struck on Mill Plain Boulevard at North Morrison Road in Vancouver WA, Amy Walker Fatal Accident on Mill Plain Blvd near N Morrison Rd, Amy Walker Killed in Pedestrian Collision on Mill Plain Boulevard in Vancouver WA, Fatal Pedestrian Crash on Mill Plain Boulevard near North Morrison Road, Pedestrian Accident Attorneys Vancouver WA, Teenager Killed in Pedestrian Collision on Mill Plain Boulevard in Vancouver WA, Wrongful Death Lawyers Vancouver WA


A realization about monogamy that should make anyone getting married feel a little more hopeful.
This flattering off-the-shoulder top drapes really nicely, so you can tuck it into high-waisted pants or wear it as a swimsuit cover-up.
Kim, Kourtney and Khloé met with Planned Parenthood leaders.
Plus: Rihanna, Ashley Graham, Tracee Ellis Ross.
It's a bit of a splurge, $32 for mascara, but for truly the best waterproof mascara, it's probably worth it.
A revolutionary way to swap out clothing no matter what size you are.
Alongside such titles as Blast the Sugar Out!
With contributions from Hillary Clinton, Zadie Smith, Taylor Swift, and many more.
From a pink Acne shirt to bright blue Robert Clergerie slides.
Talking to Erin Lee Carr, director of a new HBO documentary.
Jessica Antola returned to her childhood home for a fashion shoot with her mom.
The future of advertising, everyone.
The House took the unusual measure of voting to censure David Eastman.
My Mom Is Broke. How Can I Help Her?
Reversing caretaker roles is one of the toughest parts of being an adult.
"It was hilarious" and a little bit heartbreaking.
It's the most practical shirt I've seen in a while.
It features a magnetized closure and three interior pockets.


Read the true stories of LGBTQ Americans and the people who support them. It's time to protect all Americans from discrimination!
In most states, LGBTQ people remain vulnerable to discrimination in employment, housing, and public spaces – and it's time for that to change. That's why across the country, Americans are speaking out and sharing their stories.
As a faith leader in his community, the Reverend Dr. Terence Leathers has been a long-time proponent of full equality for all people. He has preached inclusivity for LGBTQ people during his many years as a religious leader and was one of more than 1,300 clergy to sign on to a Faith Leaders Against Discrimination amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in the 2018 Masterpiece Cakeshop case.
In the final days of 2018, the owner of a rental unit in Middleburg, Florida evicted her tenant Randal Coffman because of his sexual orientation. "You didn't tell me you were gay until yesterday. Do you think I want homosexuals coming back and forth in my place like that? You have to leave this place," she said. The apartment is located just a few minutes from Jacksonville, where LGBTQ people are fully protected from discrimination, including housing discrimination. But those protections stop at the city limits – and with no explicit LGBTQ protections at the state or federal levels, discrimination like this occurs all too frequently.
Even as he deals with the fallout from this experience, Randal has words of encouragement for other LGBTQ people dealing with similar discrimination. "Everything will work out," he said. "It may not work out as it's supposed to or as you think it will, but as time goes by, we'll have more laws. And eventually we'll all feel safe.
Kimberly Acoff knows what it feels like when your very humanity and dignity is up for public debate. That's because Kimberly is a transgender woman – she was born and raised male but understood for a long time that that didn't quite fit, and so she transitioned and now lives every day as the woman she has long known herself to be. Kimberly is also a veteran, having served in the Indiana National Guard for several years, before the Department of Defense lifted the ban on open service for transgender people. Now that President Trump is trying to once again ban transgender Americans from serving their country, Kimberly is finding herself revisiting the deeply unpleasant memories of when she had to hide who she was in order to serve her country.


text:
Nikola Balvin
Sustainable Development Goals: 1, 10
What do snakes, flat batteries, limited privacy, and identifying a suitable cut-off point have in common? As I recently observed, they are some of the many challenges that can occur when conducting an impact evaluation in a remote village.
On a recent trip to Ghana, we observed baseline data collection for an evaluation of the Ghana Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) 1000 cash transfer programme. The programme is administered by the Government of Ghana with technical support from UNICEF and targets households with women who are pregnant or have children under the age of 12 months. The impact evaluation is taking place in five programme districts and has a target sample size of 2,500 households: half from the treatment group and half from the comparison group. Because it wasn't possible to randomly assign participants to a control group and carry out a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT), the evaluation uses another rigorous approach called Regression Discontinuity Design (RDD; see page 7 of Brief 8 for a description). The results will inform the Ghanaian government of changes in families' lives caused by cash transfers and inform future delivery of similar programmes.
There's a demand within UNICEF, but also in the broader international development community, to share good research practices and lessons learned. This is why the Office of Research-Innocenti is developing a new series of methodological briefs, Impact Evaluation in the Field. The series will go beyond textbook advice to document practical challenges and innovative solutions from the Transfer Project and other UNICEF-supported impact evaluations, providing examples of both challenges and innovative solutions in an often under-resourced development context.
My observations of the work in the Upper East Region of Ghana highlighted that despite some difficulties, technological innovations certainly made the work much easier and more efficient. Using wireless tablets during the targeting phase (when women were informed of the programme and registered to determine eligibility) and laptops during the evaluation interviews meant that data could be uploaded and communicated to analysts almost instantly. This allowed for ongoing quality control of the data and monitoring of how much more needed to be collected. The communities where the interviews took place were in remote areas and households were often inaccessible by vehicles. The enumerators relied on locals to show them around and take them to the right household. To increase the likelihood of finding the same participants when they come back to do endline interviews, the enumerators used a GPS device to note the dwelling's location coordinates. Mobile technology was also extremely important for keeping data collection teams connected to each other during the long days among the maize fields.
The challenges were many and varied. Some – like the electronic scales not reading participants' weight correctly because of the uneven ground and dirt surfaces, laptop batteries going flat, and the occasional snake dropping from a tree – were relatively easy to deal with. But others were much more complex and required an informed consideration of the context, review of international standards and updating of study protocols.
The value of working with local institutions was very clear and I was impressed with the enumerators' professionalism as they administered the survey questions and protocols, ensuring participants' privacy and skipping sensitive topics when a private space was interrupted by a visiting neighbour or a curious relative. They were fluent in several of the local dialects and able to translate the survey questions on the spot or secure alternative translators in the community when needed. They also understood the culture well, allowing them to read the social dynamics and ask questions in a way that made sense in the local context – sometimes accompanied by vivid examples and body language.
Another challenge revolved around managing delays – during targeting, baseline data collection and even the first payment – and ensuring that the time needed for one stage did not take away from another. Targeting needed to be fully completed before the government confirmed the cut-off score/threshold which identifies the eligible beneficiaries and it was only after this decision that the treatment and comparison groups for the impact evaluation could be formed and the research could begin. This meant that baseline data collection was squeezed between the government's targeting of eligible households and registration for the first payment, and the enumerators had to be trained, ready to go, and work quickly and efficiently to complete this phase.
Perhaps the most valuable lesson learned from my visit was shared by the Chief of Social Policy, Sarah Hague, who stressed the importance of working closely with the government and providing technical support. It is through this close relationship, built over many years, that social protection work supported by UNICEF Ghana is making a positive impact on the lives of Ghanaian women and children, while also providing important global lessons learned.
After only a few days in the field, I found so much to think about and share. Imagine the richness and value of UNICEF colleagues and partners sharing their knowledge and experience gained over many years in the Impact Evaluation in the Field methodological series. The first briefs in this new series are expected to come out at the end of 2015.
Nikola Balvin is a Knowledge Management Specialist in the UNICEF Office of Research-Innocenti. The author would like to thank Tia Palermo, Richard de Groot, Sarah Hague, Jonathan Nasonaa Zakaria, Daisy Demirag, Maxwell Yiryele Kuunyem, and the enumerators from ISSER for the helpful discussions that contributed to the writing of this blog.


text:
Aurora Cannabis Repurchases US$20 Million of Convertible Notes
June 03 2022 - 07:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
Aurora Further Strengthens Balance Sheet with Accretive Debt Reduction
EDMONTON, AB, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Aurora Cannabis Inc. ("Aurora" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: ACB) (TSX: ACB), the Canadian company defining the future of cannabinoids worldwide, today announced that it has repurchased an aggregate of approximately $25.3 million (US$20 million) principal amount of its convertible senior notes ("Notes") at a total cost, including accrued interest, of $24.3 million (US$19.2 million) in cash.
The purpose of the transaction, which represents a repurchase of a portion of the Notes at a 5.25% discount to par value, was to reduce the Company's debt and annual cash interest costs. Annual cash interest savings from the repurchases of Notes made from Q3 2022 onwards now total $9.5 million (US$7.5 million).
Aurora's balance sheet is among the strongest in the industry with approximately $455 million in cash inclusive of the transaction announced today, and the Company reiterates its expectation of achieving a positive Adjusted EBITDA run rate by the first half of fiscal 2023.
This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any security and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any jurisdiction in which such offering would be unlawful.
Aurora is a global leader in the cannabis industry, serving both the medical and consumer markets. Headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, Aurora is a pioneer in global cannabis, dedicated to helping people improve their lives. The Company's adult-use brand portfolio includes Aurora Drift, San Rafael '71, Daily Special, Whistler, Being and Greybeard, as well as CBD brands, Reliva and KG7. Medical cannabis brands include MedReleaf, CanniMed, Aurora and Whistler Medical Marijuana Co. Driven by science and innovation, and with a focus on high-quality cannabis products, Aurora's brands continue to break through as industry leaders in the medical, performance, wellness and adult recreational markets wherever they are launched.
This news release includes statements containing certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law ("forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements made in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the purpose of the debt repurchase and the Company's path and timing to achieve Adjusted EBITDA run rate.
These forward-looking statements are only predictions. Forward looking information or statements contained in this news release have been developed based on assumptions management considers to be reasonable. Material factors or assumptions involved in developing forward-looking statements include, without limitation, publicly available information from governmental sources as well as from market research and industry analysis and on assumptions based on data and knowledge of this industry which the Company believes to be reasonable. Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances could cause actual events, results, level of activity, performance, prospects, opportunities or achievements to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. These risks include, but are not limited to, the ability to retain key personnel, the ability to continue investing in infrastructure to support growth, the ability to obtain financing on acceptable terms, the continued quality of our products, customer experience and retention, the development of third party government and non-government consumer sales channels, management's estimates of consumer demand in Canada and in jurisdictions where the Company exports, expectations of future results and expenses, the risk of successful integration of acquired business and operations, management's estimation that SG&A will grow only in proportion of revenue growth, the ability to expand and maintain distribution capabilities, the impact of competition, the general impact of financial market conditions, the yield from cannabis growing operations, product demand, changes in prices of required commodities, competition, and the possibility for changes in laws, rules, and regulations in the industry, epidemics, pandemics or other public health crises, including the current outbreak of COVID-19, and other risks, uncertainties and factors set out under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual information form dated September 27, 2021 (the "AIF") and filed with Canadian securities regulators available on the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and filed with and available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. The Company cautions that the list of risks, uncertainties and other factors described in the AIF is not exhaustive and other factors could also adversely affect its results. Readers are urged to consider the risks, uncertainties and assumptions carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such information. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities law.
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text:
Norway delivers the best raw materials for solar cell production
By The Explorer
NorSun
Demand for silicon is growing at a pace with the demand for environment-friendly solar power. Norwegian silicon production is the cleanest in the world.
The global demand for electricity will double during the next few decades. If we are to achieve the targets of the Paris Agreement, 70 per cent of consumption will have to be covered by wind or solar power.
And when it comes to solar power, Norwegian silicon is the world's best material for manufacturing solar cells.
NorSun manufactures superclean monocrystalline silicon wafers for high-efficiency solar cells
"In order to manufacture pure silicon, the process of converting the raw material must be energy efficient, and the power used in the process must be clean. Norway and Norwegian companies deliver on both these points. Norwegian companies have developed unique manufacturing processes that are very energy efficient. In addition, the electricity we use is generated by hydropower," says Erik Marstein.
Marstein is Director of the Norwegian Research Centre for Sustainable Solar Cell Technology (SuSolTech) as well as Deputy Head of the Department of Solar Energy at the Institute for Energy Technology (IFE).
Norway has long traditions within research and production, and several Norwegian companies have invested considerable time in developing processes that use less energy.
Erik Marstein, Director of SuSolTech and Deputy Head of Department at IFE
The world's coolest element
You can find silicon in almost everything around you today. Pure silicon is required for much of the technology you use. It is used to make the computer chips in your smartphone or laptop, the image sensors in your camera, and possibly soon the batteries you use.
"Silicon has atomic number 14, and is the world's coolest element. Silicon is also the second most abundant element in the earth's crust, after oxygen. There are other ways of manufacturing silicon, but the Norwegian method is best, based on several criteria," states Marstein.
The disadvantage of silicon is that it cannot be found in its pure state in nature.
Elkem is developing a graphite-silicon composite to increase battery storage capacity
"What is unfortunate is that silicon is tied to oxygen in minerals such as sand, quartz, rock crystal and amethyst. Silicon must be refined before it can be used. And in Norway we have done a good job of developing technology to extract silicon with a level of purity of 99.99999 per cent or more," he says.
A good example is REC Solar's production of solar cell silicon at its factory in Fiskaa, outside Kristiansand, in southern Norway. It produces about 8 000 metric tons of super clean silicon per year, using a process the company alone has rolled out. The company holds certificates showing that its silicon is the most environment-friendly in the world.
Another example is the company Dynatec Engineering. Together with IFE, Dynatec has developed a new way of manufacturing silicon for solar cells. The method has been demonstrated to grow silicon 40 times faster and with far greater energy efficiency than using other methods. The company received the Innovation Award from the Research Council of Norway for the method, which works as follows:
Gas containing silicon is pumped into a centrifuge. The gas is heated to 600–700 °C, which causes decomposition and the separation of silicon. The centrifugal force separates the silicon and the gas.
The Dynatec reactor produces silicon that is almost 100 per cent pure.
Dynatec and IFE have developed a method to grow silicon extremely quickly and efficiently.
Rune Holter
Interested in investing in Norway?
Click here to get in contact
Better, cleaner, faster and cheaper
Norway is a pioneer in much of the solar energy industry and has built a large research community. According to Marstein, this functions as an ecosystem in which the various players can draw on synergies.
"Solar power is a very clean way of generating electricity, but there is still potential to make production even more energy efficient and environmentally sound," he points out.
Scatec Solar offers flexible leasing of redeployable solar and battery solutions
Although Norwegian companies are possibly the world's best at extracting silicon, they cannot rest on their laurels.
"China in particular, but also countries like Japan, South Korea, Germany and the US are major producers of silicon. We must work to stay in the lead. We have to manufacture large quantities quickly, and the product must be environmentally friendly. It must also be cheap. Nobody can be bothered to buy expensive solar cells anymore," he says.
As long as there is a demand for silicon in the solar energy industry, there will be a demand for cheaper, purer and better materials. Norwegian companies have their work cut out for them for years to come.
"Every country in the world will need solar cell materials, and we have the chance to gain large market shares."
An element for the future
Another market being revolutionised by silicon is battery development. In theory, silicon will increase the capacity of batteries tenfold, which will be very important to the automobile industry.
"There is an extremely tough global race to develop new types of silicon batteries. Norwegian companies are at the forefront here as well," says Marstein.
Silicon is definitely an element for the future.
"Silicon is essential for the green transition," concludes Marstein.
Read how Norway is building a circular battery economy


text:
Q: dataframe has a list of url's, beautiful soup breaks when making into string? I am using a dataframe with multiple urls from separate domains in it.
animal - url - trust
catdog - sdasd.html - .8

I want to take those urls and make them into a fourth and fifth column for for the text content of the url. Using beautiful soup like this,
from bs4 import BeautifulSoup
soup = BeautifulSoup(result.text, 'html.parser')

print(soup.prettify()[:1000])

I know will return html, which I am having trouble appending to my dataframe in a loop.
loop..
df.htmlblog = ...

Whats the best way to approach this?
trying pd.read_html at the moment.

A: This should help u:
from bs4 import BeautifulSoup
import requests
import pandas as pd

df = pd.DataFrame()

urls = ["https://www.google.com/","https://www.w3schools.com/"] #Sample urls

for url in urls:
    r = requests.get(url)
    soup = BeautifulSoup(r.text,'html.parser')
    df[url] = [soup.prettify()]
df.index = ["Source code"]
print(df.head())

Output:
                                      https://www.google.com/                         https://www.w3schools.com/
Source code  <!DOCTYPE html>\n<html itemscope="" itemtype="...  <!DOCTYPE html>\n<html lang="en-US">\n <head>\...

Hope that this helps!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange