text:
"""
Parse logs from db into structured data.
"""

# Copyright (c) 2009, Robert Corsaro

import re
from time import strptime, strftime
from datetime import datetime, timedelta
from pytz import timezone, UnknownTimeZoneError

from trac.core import *
from trac.config import Option
from trac.db.api import DatabaseManager

from irclogs.api import IIRCLogsProvider, IRCChannelManager

ENCODED_FIELDS = ('network', 'channel', 'nick', 'type', 'message', 'comment')

class DBIRCLogProvider(Component):
    """
    Provide logs from irc log table.
    [irclogs]
    format = gozer
    # or
    channel.test.channel = #test
    channel.test.provider = db

    The database must contain a table named `chatlog`.  The table definiton
    should match:
    CREATE TABLE chatlog (
        id      SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
        time    DATETIME DEFAULT now(),
        network VARCHAR(256) NOT NULL,
        target  VARCHAR(256) NOT NULL,
        nick    VARCHAR(256) NOT NULL,
        type    VARCHAR(256) NOT NULL,
        msg     TEXT NOT NULL
    );

    If using the Gozerbot chatlog plugin, it will create this table
    automatically in not already present.

    """

    implements(IIRCLogsProvider)

    # IRCLogsProvider interface
    def get_events_in_range(self, ch, start, end):
        global ENCODED_FIELDS

        ch_mgr = IRCChannelManager(self.env)
        self.log.debug(ch.settings())
        def_tzname = self.config.get('irclogs', 'timezone', 'utc')
        tzname = ch.setting('timezone', def_tzname)
        try:
            tz = timezone(tzname)
        except UnknownTimeZoneError:
            self.log.warn("input timezone %s not supported, irclogs will be "\
                    "parsed as UTC")
            tzname = 'UTC'
            tz = timezone(tzname)
        cnx = self._getdb(ch)
        try:
            ttz = timezone(start.tzname())
        except UnknownTimeZoneError:
            self.log.warn("timezone %s not supported, irclog output will be "\
                    "%s"%(start.tzname(), tzname))
            ttz = tz

        try:
            self.log.debug("""executing
              SELECT * FROM chatlog
              WHERE network = %s AND target = %s AND time >= %s AND
                time < %s ORDER BY "time" """)
            self.log.debug("with %s, %s, %s, %s"%(ch.network() or '', ch.channel(), start, end))
            cur = cnx.cursor()
            cur.execute("""
              SELECT * FROM chatlog
              WHERE network = %s AND target = %s AND time >= %s AND
                time < %s ORDER BY "time" """,(
                  ch.network() or '',
                  ch.channel(),
                  start,
                  end
              )
            )
            ignore_charset = False
            for l in cur:
                timestamp = l[1]
                timestamp = tz.localize(timestamp)
                dt = ttz.normalize(timestamp.astimezone(ttz))
                line = {
                    'timestamp': dt,
                    'network': l[2],
                    'channel': l[3],
                    'nick': l[4],
                    'type': l[5],
                    'message': l[6],
                    'comment': l[6],
                    'action': l[6].lstrip('* ')
                }
                ignore_charset = ignore_charset or isinstance(line['message'],
                                                              unicode)
                if (not ignore_charset) and ch.setting('charset'):
                    for k in ENCODED_FIELDS:
                        line[k] = unicode(line[k], ch.setting('charset'),
                                          errors='ignore')
                        continue
                yield line
            cnx.close()
        except Exception, e:
            cnx.close()
            self.log.error(e)
            raise e

    def name(self):
        return 'db'
    # end IRCLogsProvider interface
    def _getdb(self, channel):
        dbm = IRCLogDatabaseManager(self.env)
        trac_db = self.config.get('trac', 'database')
        irc_db = self.config.get('irclogs', 'database', trac_db)
        chan_db = channel.setting('database', irc_db)
        dbm.set_database(chan_db)
        return dbm.get_connection()

class IRCLogDatabaseManager(DatabaseManager):
    """ Provide access to chatlog db """

    connection_uri = None

    def set_database(self, database):
        self.connection_uri = database

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
'Tata won't break Barca contract'
By andrew - 19 March 2014, 9:40
A close friend of Tata Martino has said the Barcelona Coach won't break his contract with La Blaugrana.
It has been speculated that Martino would walk away from Camp Nou at the end of the season but Willy Albergoli told Onda Cero that his friend would do no such thing.
"Knowing him I don't think he'll leave Barcelona," Albergoli said.
"I don't think he'll leave after signing a contract.
"He's going to respect the contract providing the conditions are met."
It was suggested that Martino could take over the Argentina national team after the World Cup in place of current Coach Alejandro Sabella.
Albergoli believes Martino is one of the candidates for the role with Atletico Madrid's Diego Simeone the other.
"Tata has never said he'll take the job although the issue is very clear," Albergoli continued.
"When Sabella goes there are two candidates: Tata and Simeone.
"Tata though is a man of his word. I know he will respect his contract."
Tags Tata Martino
Tata Martino denies ever saying his famous phrase about Lionel Messi
Gaitan 'ideal substitute' for Messi
6 June 2016, 11:27
'Correa has no fear'

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: How to incorporate django-tailwind into Dockerized cookiecutter-django project? Apologies for what is likely a very simple question, I am pretty new to Docker and am struggling to integrate django-tailwind into my docker project, which was created using cookiecutter-django.
I have tried altering my Dockerfile and local.yml file to follow the Example dockerfiles on the Example app on the django-tailwind github repo but haven't been able make it work. The instructions beyond the example app are not very detailed.
I have quoted my Dockerfile and local.yml file below; would someone be able to advise on what changes I need to make in order to incorporate django-tailwind, or point me in the direction of information that would help me to do it myself?
Dockerfile:
ARG PYTHON_VERSION=3.9-slim-bullseye

# define an alias for the specfic python version used in this file.
FROM python:${PYTHON_VERSION} as python

# Python build stage
FROM python as python-build-stage

ARG BUILD_ENVIRONMENT=local

# Install apt packages
RUN apt-get update && apt-get install --no-install-recommends -y \
  # dependencies for building Python packages
  build-essential \
  # psycopg2 dependencies
  libpq-dev

# Requirements are installed here to ensure they will be cached.
COPY ./requirements .

# Create Python Dependency and Sub-Dependency Wheels.
RUN pip wheel --wheel-dir /usr/src/app/wheels  \
  -r ${BUILD_ENVIRONMENT}.txt

# Python 'run' stage
FROM python as python-run-stage

ARG BUILD_ENVIRONMENT=local
ARG APP_HOME=/app

ENV PYTHONUNBUFFERED 1
ENV PYTHONDONTWRITEBYTECODE 1
ENV BUILD_ENV ${BUILD_ENVIRONMENT}

WORKDIR ${APP_HOME}

# Install required system dependencies
RUN apt-get update && apt-get install --no-install-recommends -y \
  # psycopg2 dependencies
  libpq-dev \
  # Translations dependencies
  gettext \
  # cleaning up unused files
  && apt-get purge -y --auto-remove -o APT::AutoRemove::RecommendsImportant=false \
  && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*

# All absolute dir copies ignore workdir instruction. All relative dir copies are wrt to the workdir instruction
# copy python dependency wheels from python-build-stage
COPY --from=python-build-stage /usr/src/app/wheels  /wheels/

# use wheels to install python dependencies
RUN pip install --no-cache-dir --no-index --find-links=/wheels/ /wheels/* \
    && rm -rf /wheels/

COPY ./compose/production/django/entrypoint /entrypoint
RUN sed -i 's/\r$//g' /entrypoint
RUN chmod +x /entrypoint

COPY ./compose/local/django/start /start
RUN sed -i 's/\r$//g' /start
RUN chmod +x /start

COPY ./compose/local/django/celery/worker/start /start-celeryworker
RUN sed -i 's/\r$//g' /start-celeryworker
RUN chmod +x /start-celeryworker

COPY ./compose/local/django/celery/beat/start /start-celerybeat
RUN sed -i 's/\r$//g' /start-celerybeat
RUN chmod +x /start-celerybeat

COPY ./compose/local/django/celery/flower/start /start-flower
RUN sed -i 's/\r$//g' /start-flower
RUN chmod +x /start-flower

# copy application code to WORKDIR
COPY . ${APP_HOME}

ENTRYPOINT ["/entrypoint"]

local.yml
version: '3'

volumes:
  uniqued_local_postgres_data: {}
  uniqued_local_postgres_data_backups: {}

services:
  django: &django
    build:
      context: .
      dockerfile: ./compose/local/django/Dockerfile
    image: uniqued_local_django
    container_name: uniqued_local_django
    platform: linux/x86_64
    depends_on:
      - postgres
      - redis
    volumes:
      - .:/app:z
    env_file:
      - ./.envs/.local/.django
      - ./.envs/.local/.postgres
    ports:
      - "8000:8000"
    command: /start

  postgres:
    build:
      context: .
      dockerfile: ./compose/production/postgres/Dockerfile
    image: uniqued_production_postgres
    container_name: uniqued_local_postgres
    volumes:
      - uniqued_local_postgres_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data:Z
      - uniqued_local_postgres_data_backups:/backups:z
    env_file:
      - ./.envs/.local/.postgres

  docs:
    image: uniqued_local_docs
    container_name: uniqued_local_docs
    platform: linux/x86_64
    build:
      context: .
      dockerfile: ./compose/local/docs/Dockerfile
    env_file:
      - ./.envs/.local/.django
    volumes:
      - ./docs:/docs:z
      - ./config:/app/config:z
      - ./uniqued:/app/uniqued:z
    ports:
      - "9000:9000"
    command: /start-docs

  redis:
    image: redis:6
    container_name: uniqued_local_redis

  celeryworker:
    <<: *django
    image: uniqued_local_celeryworker
    container_name: uniqued_local_celeryworker
    depends_on:
      - redis
      - postgres
    ports: []
    command: /start-celeryworker

  celerybeat:
    <<: *django
    image: uniqued_local_celerybeat
    container_name: uniqued_local_celerybeat
    depends_on:
      - redis
      - postgres
    ports: []
    command: /start-celerybeat

  flower:
    <<: *django
    image: uniqued_local_flower
    container_name: uniqued_local_flower
    ports:
      - "5555:5555"
    command: /start-flower

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Veronica. Deamhan Chronicles #4
I didn't know how many days, weeks, or months had passed since they kidnapped me from Minneapolis and brought me to this hellish place. I never saw myself coming back here. Well, that was my intention when I gathered my things and left years ago.
I spent most of the time in this building located in the outskirts of San Diego in a small room with a twin-size bed, one desk, and one small window. Although the walls were thick and made from concrete, I could still hear the voices on the other end and the rickety elevator from down the hall. The building was vast with seven floors, two above ground and the rest underground. Each floor had its own specific purpose. From what I remembered, the second floor housed researcher offices and the second floor below ground held the archives. How else could the researchers here document the daily on-goings of Deamhan throughout the world?
I knew more than I wanted about the Brotherhood. Both of my parents were avid members. I was raised in it and at one point, I saw myself following in their footsteps. That all changed when my mother disappeared. My father did everything he could to bury her legacy and I wasn't having any of it. To him, she opened Pandora's Box when she decided to sway away from the rules and regulations set down by the organization. To me, I didn't care. She was my mother and through blood, sweat, and tears, I found out what really happened to her.
She fell in love with one of the most powerful Deamhan in the city of Minneapolis at that time. I exposed that truth along with my father's implication in her death, but that didn't cause the Brotherhood researchers to leave the city in droves. In fact, it barely made a blip on their radar, thanks to my father who had the power to bury my findings and further dehumanize my mother's legacy.
Now things had come full circle. I was back at the place where it all started and all I could think about was Blind Bluff Manor—my real home. There I felt safe but that was an oxymoron. How could I feel safe when I stayed under the same roof as Deamhan? Still I wondered about what happened when the Brotherhood ripped me from my life there. Did they survive whatever onslaught they faced? Most importantly, did Nathan, the only other human who lived there, survive the uncertainty?
Three times a day, I had the pleasure of being visited by an older male who brought my breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He remained mute when I questioned him about who oversaw my imprisonment. He didn't bother to look me in the eye. Once a day, an older woman came with her squeaky cart. She handed me fresh toiletries and a stack of Brotherhood journals. She too said nothing when I demanded answers.
Being part of the organization required constant training, reading, and researching. I didn't consider myself a member but because of my father, I knew I would always be tied to the Brotherhood. I had no desire to scour through journals written by those who came before me and to recount each page verbatim. Through these writings they came to understand Deamhan behaviors, their lifestyle, and most importantly, how dangerous these creatures could be. I knew firsthand how dangerous they could be.
A few weeks ago, a woman with short auburn hair entered my room. Dressed in a white blouse and dark slacks, she looked fairly young to be part of the Brotherhood but I wouldn't put it past its members to start their indoctrination early. At first, I honestly didn't know what to think about her. Unlike the other two who came regularly, she told me her name, Miranda, and that all my questions would be answered soon. In the meantime, she wanted to know if I was being treated fairly and to bring up any other issues I had so she could address them.
Oh, I had many issues and I didn't know where to start. "I want out of here," I said. "They can't keep me here against my will."
She clasped her hands together. "The Brotherhood doesn't abide by any laws outside of the organization."
"I don't care. I'm not a member. I never was."
"You're an Austin. You always have been since birth." She callously walked around and observed every inch of the room, as if she was the one in charge of my entire ordeal, but she wasn't.
Only one person in the Brotherhood could keep someone, for this long, against their will inside this dreadful building. "I want to talk to Mr. Alvaro."
"He is preoccupied."
"You will speak with someone soon."
"No, I want to speak to someone now." My demand went in one ear and out the other.
"And you will. Tomorrow." She left the room and locked the door behind her.
She returned the next day with a change of clothes. "You must put this on." She tossed the white shirt and loose pants at me and then closed the door.
I refused to do anything until I knew exactly what was going on. Five minutes later, she checked in on me and seeing I wasn't dressed, she stepped into my room and closed the door. "Veronica, please put those on." She wore a low-cut white shirt with a black leather jacket and black jeans. Her hair was pulled back into a tight bun. It wasn't typical researcher attire which included a black trench coat but lately, the Brotherhood had relaxed their clothing rules.
"I'm not leaving this room until you tell me what's going on."
"I'm not in the position to say."
"Then who is in the position to say?"
"I will take you to him but first, you must get dressed."
"Are you going to take me to speak to him?"
"I said before, he's preoccupied."
"Then I'm not leaving this room." I remained steadfast.
She folded her arms. "There's a lot you don't know."
"Oh, I think I know enough."
"No, no, you don't. What you know is what you want to believe, but he… he will show you the truth."
I eyed her. "Who?"
"Mr. Luzier, the president of the West division of the Brotherhood."
She was right. There was a lot I didn't know.
"I can only tell you what I'm allowed," she said as I followed her down a dark hall with bare white walls.
And she did tell me. While the Brotherhood kept me confined for years in their facility, the supernatural world had been rocked on its axis. Supernaturals were at each other's throats, including Dorvo vampires with the backing of their Dorvo queen, Ruby, who had taken refuge in Minneapolis. Her goal was to annihilate Deamhan and to do so, she went after the Dark Curse tablet. At that same time, Amenirdis, the Dark Mother and a queen in her own right, attempted to release the remaining first Deamhan from Limbo with a ritual consisting of incantations from the same tablet. However, the Brotherhood somehow managed to thwart both plans, which dealt a huge blow to Deamhan and a victory for themselves but not without a few casualties.
All I could think about was Nathan and the others.
We reached the elevator and she pressed the up arrow. Moments later, the doors opened, and I followed her in. As the elevator sped up to its designated floor, she continued to explain what I missed. The Brotherhood staked their claim, once again, in the northern city. They had just opened the doors to their chapter location. "You know how it once was, Miss Austin," she said. "We weren't safe there but now that's changed."
I remembered the friction between the Brotherhood and Deamhan as if it happened yesterday. They blamed my father and his cronies for interfering, thus starting an underground war between themselves and other supernaturals. Throughout this, they managed to remain unknown to humans throughout the city, but they came close to exposing themselves, due to their actions. Whatever the case, being able to re-open their chapter meant that once again, the Brotherhood claimed their top spot. Now I wanted to know how in the hell that could have happened.
The door opened, exposing a huge and extravagant office, made specifically for someone in a high status in the organization. A medium-height man with dark hair sat in a leather chair behind a large polished-oak desk with matching oak bookcases stacked against the wall behind him. The air smelled of hazelnut coffee. "Thank you, Miranda," he said as he stood from his chair and readjusted his dark tie. "I can take it from here."
It wasn't every day members were invited to a meet and greet with one of presidents in the Brotherhood. If I remembered correctly, it was considered an honor to be called upon. Members were expected to show up regardless of their schedules, show respect, and to only speak when they were given permission. That was how my father saw it before he rose to that rank. Many researchers obeyed his command without as much as a thought. They threw themselves into the fire without thinking of the consequences and repercussions. That was the Brotherhood way and I had to play along if I wanted to get out of there.
"Veronica, please have a seat."
I left the elevator and didn't look back as its doors closed behind me. "Mr. Luzier, correct?"
"That's correct."
"You're the one who's kept me locked up here against my will?" I stood with my legs apart and my hands on my hips.
He didn't hesitate to answer my question. "No."
"But you're the president of the West division?"
"Yes, but I'm not the headmaster. I'm not Mr. Alvaro." He nodded. "Please, have a seat."
I wasn't buying it. The headmaster was the Supreme Being, so to speak, of the entire organization but that didn't mean Mr. Luzier didn't have any say in what went on around here. He was just as important, if not more, especially in the western part of the United States. Like the headmaster, his word could either end a career in the Brotherhood or boost it to heights unimaginable.
Still, that wasn't enough to make me cower or show him an ounce of respect. I believed respect had to be earned and no one in the Brotherhood earned mine. "I know you have more pull than you let on."
"In some cases."
After I sat, he rested his elbows on the table and drummed his fingers on its surface. "When you were brought here, it wasn't my call on how long you would stay. My only responsibility was making sure you recovered and were as comfortable as possible."
"I wasn't comfortable in that tiny room you kept me in."
"That was the only room available at that time," he replied. "It's the safest place in this entire building."
I smacked my lips. "So, are you going to let me out of here or what? Or is this just a game?"
"No game." He held up his hands as a sign of throwing in the towel. "Actually, I was the one who pushed for your release. I was against the idea of having you brought here in the first place but as we say, the Brotherhood takes care of its own."
"You don't expect me to believe that." I laughed at the absurdity of it all.
"No. I'll prove it to you."
I leaned forward. "I'm not and never will be a researcher, regardless of my last name."
He leaned back in his plushy black swivel chair. "Let me convince you otherwise."
"There's nothing you can say to convince me."
"Let's just start with what Miranda already told you. The Midwest division is in shambles and the president of that division and region leader positions remain opened."
That couldn't be right. "My father is still the president of the Midwest division." I thought for a moment.
"No, he's not."
I scoffed. "Let me guess. Mr. Alvaro fired my father?"
"No, your father wasn't fired."
This wasn't making any sense.
"Your father, while overbearing, had the right intentions for you. He cared for you more than you know."
"Cared? He didn't lift a finger to help me get out of here. He didn't even bother to see how I was doing."
"He couldn't." He opened the top drawer, pulled out an envelope, placed it on the desk, and slid it toward me. "There have been casualties."
"This is a researcher report about your father."
I pushed it back in his direction.
"Please, read it."
Part of me didn't want to know the truth. I didn't want to know if my father was one of these so-called casualties he mentioned. My hatred for him ran deep, but not deep enough to not care if he died. But I overcame this uncertainty and tore open the envelope. I pulled out a piece of paper and unfolded it. It wasn't my father's handwriting and I asked him who authored it.
"Johanna Rahn," he answered. "She was a researcher in Minneapolis around the time you were injured and brought back here."
"Was?" Her last name didn't sound familiar. Last names proved status in the Brotherhood and 'Rahn' wasn't one of them. I sped through the first paragraph, written in cursive. From what I gathered, Johanna wrote in explicit details about the fight at a warehouse building in Minneapolis and how Kenneth betrayed Anastasia and Remy in acquiring the piece of the Dark Curse tablet. If this was true, the situation in Minneapolis was much worse than I thought.
Betraying someone like Anastasia wouldn't blow over so easily. She was a Ramanga, the Deamhan with the teeth. She was also a fierce and brutal killer who didn't back down from anyone or anything. In her four hundred plus years, she was responsible for the deaths of hundreds, if not thousands of humans, Deamhan, and other supernaturals. She hated Kenneth and the Brotherhood with a passion.
On the other hand, Remy wasn't as old and violent. Lamia Deamhan usually weren't but when it came down to it, he could get down and dirty with the rest of them. He preferred obstacles that didn't directly interfere in what he loved to do: swooning women and pushing Anastasia's buttons. He too hated Kenneth and the Brotherhood.
The letter continued with Kenneth who was determined to end all Deamhan once and for all. That was why he had a piece of the Dark Curse tablet.
"Did he find the other half?" I asked Mr. Luzier.
"No, he didn't."
I placed the paper on the table. "So, why are you showing me this?"
"Keep reading."
"Why? I don't know who this Johanna is."
"That's not the point I'm trying to make. All you need to know is that she was promoted to president of the Midwest Division after Kenneth was demoted from that position."
"Who made Kenneth the president of the Midwest division?" I had to process the information.
"The headmaster."
"And he thought that was a great idea?" I couldn't believe what he just told me. "Kenneth has always and will always do what's best for him. He's never cared about anyone but himself. Allowing him to be president was the worst thing you all could have done."
"That was learned soon enough."
"So, he was promoted and then demoted? This is classic." I lounged back and enjoyed the misgivings of this chaotic organization.
"Yes and after Johanna took his place. However, she was killed during a failed raid at Blind Bluff Manor but that isn't important. It's what she discovered you should worry about."
"And that is?"
"She found out that your father was dead."
"Shortly after Kenneth stole the piece of the Dark Curse tablet your father went missing. Johanna was assigned to search for him and later she found out what happened. He's gone, Veronica. I'm sorry. I know how much you cared about him and you should. He was an Austin, after all, and like you, his last name meant much around here."
I didn't know what to say and what to do. The estranged relationship I had with him was due to what he did to my mother and his involvement in the Brotherhood. Yet still he was my father and that would never change.
"This is why I'm here, isn't it?" I fought back tears. Mr. Luzier wouldn't see how much this affected me.
"Yes, and that is why the headmaster wanted you to stay until you recovered. He wants you to accept the role your father left for you, the role Kenneth stole from you."
"First of all, Kenneth didn't steal anything from me. You handed it to him. And second, that's not me and it never will be."
"It is you," he said as he sighed. "Although you never got along with your father, he was a brilliant man. He was always two steps ahead and that made him a very valuable member of the Brotherhood. He knew if you went to Minneapolis, you would get involved with them, just like your mother did. At that time, we needed an insider and my dear, he chose you to be that insider. But in the end, it was his love for you that killed him."
"His love for me?" Angered, I shot out of my chair. "No, it was his loyalty to all of this that killed him."
"He didn't expect the Lamia to become infatuated with you."
"Remy?" My mind wavered.
"Yes, and that led to his death. This Deamhan who charmed you is the same who killed him."
"No, Remy would never do that." I slowly retook my seat. "Why would he?"
"You know the answer, Veronica. It's what Deamhan do." He stood from his chair. "But if you're so inclined to know, maybe you should ask him when you go back to Minneapolis. And while you're there, you can also find out why a Deamhan you know snapped Nathan's neck."
"What?!" The only Deamhan in Minneapolis that mattered were those who lived at Blind Bluff Manor with him. I knew Anastasia looked after him as well as Hallie and Remy. Not to mention that Lambert, the vampire owner of Dark Sepulcher, considered Nathan his closest friend. Nathan wasn't unprotected. "Who?"
"Think. What Deamhan is violent enough to turn against their friends?"
For the life of me, I couldn't come up with a name. Eventually, he answered his own question.
"Anastasia."
"No, she wouldn't do that. She admired Nathan. She protected him and looked after him."
"She did. She killed him."
Mr. Luzier thought I could fall for it so easily, that I would grow angry and renounce anything and everything having to do with the Deamhan in Minneapolis. No, that wouldn't happen. The Brotherhood was damn good at lying and twisting the truth. "You're lying."
"I am telling you the truth. As they say, the truth hurts, and it should."
It was like my entire world crumbled around me.
"Again, it's what they do." He walked around his table. "Once again, Deamhan have taken away those you love the most." He leaned against its edge. "Your mother, your father—"
"I'm going to have to stop you there." I held up my hand. He was playing a game, the same game my father played regarding my mother's demise, and I wanted no part in it. "If you're trying to use their deaths to rile up any hatred I have for them, it won't work."
"Not hatred. I'm trying to make you understand the bigger picture in all this," he quickly defended himself. "Nathan's family has always teetered on the edge of catering to Deamhan while upholding their duties as Brotherhood members. You know what happens to humans and others who put their trust in Deamhan? Collateral damage, Veronica. I'm sure you've heard that phrase before. You've experienced it. You should know better than the rest of us that you can't trust them or any supernatural for that matter. Your father made the mistake of jumping into the fray to save you from them. And your mother"—he shook his head—"she made the mistake of falling in love with one of them."
"You don't know a damn thing about my mother and what my father put her through, what this organization put her through!"
"But I know what Deamhan have put you through. Remy, a Deamhan, killed your father. Anastasia, a Deamhan, killed Nathan."
"What do you want from me?" I asked in a low grumble.
"The Brotherhood wants you to take up your father's role," he answered. "That's all we want."
"And like I said, I don't want it. Why don't you just offer it to Kenneth again? You know how much he loves that type of power. Once a member, always a member, right?"
"That's impossible. He's one of them now."
I gasped.
"Like I said, there have been many casualties during your recovery."
"Who's the Deamhan responsible for turning him?"
"Anastasia." He stepped up to me. "She made him into the thing he hates the most and right now, he's out there, perhaps plotting his revenge against her and against us." He placed his hands on the arms of my chair. "I know you and this organization haven't had the best history, but what's happening right now, is bigger than the hatred you have for the Brotherhood." He faced me and whispered in my ear, "As I said earlier, the Brotherhood takes care of its own. Not only does that go for you, that also goes for those we've lost and those who've betrayed us."
"How can I betray an organization I'm not part of?"
His lips pulled back into a contorted smile that made me shiver in my seat. "I'm not referring to you directly, Veronica. Think about the ones you've lost since you started on this peculiar journey. Think about Sean."
My eyes billowed. "Sean?" He had my attention. I hadn't seen Sean since he left my apartment at Palm Oaks so many years ago. It wasn't easy for me to grow up in the Brotherhood after my mother's disappearance, but he was there for me. He was the one who pushed me to find the truth about my mother. Even as my father forced him to spy on me, he later reneged and placed his position within the organization on the line. I knew they had taken him back to San Diego afterwards to pay for his betrayal. That's what the Brotherhood did to traitors.
"He's alive," Mr. Luzier said. "He's here and I can help free him but first you must listen to what I have to say, and pay attention to what I have to show you."
I lowered my face and dug my chin into my chest.
"Right now, we're the only people you can count on. We're here to support you and protect you against them because God knows, you will need it for what's to come. Through all this death and misery, you're the only one to come out unscathed and that makes you a very special woman, Veronica. We would hate to lose you."
BEHESIAN
With my legs shaking underneath me, I followed Mr. Luzier to the elevator. "Are you taking me to Sean?"
"Not just yet." He looked over his shoulder and shot me a smile. "What I want to show you is located deep within the building. Something the Brotherhood has been working on since your father's death."
When the elevator descended, I heard several sounds that sent chills throughout my entire body. Screams, hissing, and metal clanging against metal—so loud it almost ruptured my eardrums. Voices in different languages mingled together and I heard male voices cursing and other voices begging for death. The moment the doors opened, heat blasted onto my face, followed by the smell of rotting flesh.
"What is this?" I covered my mouth.
"This is what I wanted to show you." He exited the elevator.
We proceeded down the metal walkway and into the heart of this enormous room and what I viewed around me was more than enough to startle my already nervous mind. I saw people, dressed in long white lab coats, picking and prodding individuals strapped to gurneys and long metal tables. Only when I saw one of them stuff a metal contraption into a woman's mouth, forcing it open, did I realize these victims were Deamhan.
Gripping metal pliers in his right hand, the researcher stood over the Deamhan and ripped the right fang from her gums. She screamed, and he covered her mouth, all with a serious look on his face.
Then I saw another Deamhan strapped on a dissection table to my right with soiled towels wrapped around his wrists and nubs where his hands used to be. To their right, two researchers scraped what looked like remains from the floor. After death, the body of a Deamhan didn't remain intact. Just like the body of a vampire, it melted like ice cream on a warm sunny day, leaving behind pieces of flesh and bone mingled together in a bloody soup-like paste and whatever clothing they had on at the time of death.
They experimented on Deamhan like lab mice.
"These past few weeks, we've been overrun with Deamhan. Most of them literally threw themselves at our feet, if we promised some form of protection."
"You call this protection? This is torture."
"They can take the pain."
"If they came here for help, the Brotherhood should help them." My blood boiled at the ungodly site around me and I didn't know how long I could observe their repulsive actions and do nothing. "You all are about observing but never interfering. If they didn't want to help, then fine. Don't help, but this is interfering."
"We are helping. Veronica, the situation in Minneapolis turned dire and we were left with no choice but to speed up our little project."
"You call this," I gazed around the room, "a little project?"
"I admit, it's hard to stomach but we do what we must to face what's coming."
The rancid smell stuck to my nose and I covered my lower face. "And what is coming exactly?"
"Dark magic."
The idea that something like dark magic existed in the world made every person in the Brotherhood uncomfortable. No one knew its origins—if it was man made, had no creator, or had a creator that was too construed for the human mind to comprehend. What they all knew was that it was an unusual force in the universe that one human managed to manipulate thousands of years ago to create Deamhan and other supernatural creatures.
"Dark magic isn't new to you," I said. "What's so different now?"
We ventured on, revealing more bizarre sights. Many of these researchers appeared to enjoy their tasks, smiling at one another and mocking their Deamhan victims as they cried out in misery.
"Do you remember when you were attacked in Minneapolis the night before you were brought to San Diego?"
"Not really." The events of that night remained clouded and out of reach. The last thing I remembered was confronting Anastasia about releasing the Pure Deamhan from Limbo. After that, everything remained a haze.
"Kenneth brokered a deal with Anastasia and Remy in exchange for the Brotherhood's help." He stopped in front of two large metallic tubs sealed behind a large, thin glass case. "We were to help them secure the Dark Curse tablet, but Kenneth betrayed them and took it for himself. From then on, everything changed, and we're now forced to interfere. These are dangerous times."
"The Brotherhood thrives in dangerous times." I also noticed the large tubs that didn't fit quite right in the cruel environment around us.
"Not like this." He placed his hands on the glass and peered in. "When that Deamhan queen released more dark magic into this world, she awakened something else and that something has made Deamhan and many other supernaturals scared." He stepped back. "It also doesn't help that many Ancient Deamhan have died just in the past three years alone." He pointed to the tub on our left. "This is where the queen, Amenirdis' remains are kept." He then pointed to the one on our right. "These are the remains of the two humans who served her." He looked at me. "You do remember them, don't you?"
How could I forget? They were memorable and downright scary. When Remy took me to that desolate cave just outside of Minneapolis to ask them about my mother, I didn't expect them to be so powerful. I assumed Amenirdis had endowed them with enough dark magic to take out an entire city.
What I also remembered was that Amenirdis had three, and not two humans, who served her. "Where's the other one?"
The corner of his mouth pulled back into a half-cocked smile. "We stopped them with her help."
"So, you're working for her or is she working for you?"
"She sees the dangerous we all face."
He didn't answer my question. "Are we done here?" I had enough of this macabre spectacle. "I want to see Sean."
"Not yet." He took a deep breath. "There's one more thing."
Again, we were on the move. I followed him to another part of the building that looked brand new. Just like the atrocities occurring in the basement, I assumed he wanted me to witness just another one of the Brotherhood's 'projects.'
If my father was still alive, he would never have approved of such things. Sure, he had his dark side and I didn't trust the man, but what Mr. Luzier had planned was beyond anything he would do. It didn't feel like progress. All of this felt more like revenge.
"You're quiet," he said to me as we walked down a hallway with bare walls.
"What do you expect me to say?" I responded. "In only a few hours, I just found out that the only person I trusted in Minneapolis was killed by a Deamhan who he trusted, and my father was murdered by a Deamhan I also knew. Not to mention, you're dissecting them because you can."
"No." He held up his hand. "We're dissecting them, as you put it, because we have to."
"Regardless of whatever excuse you want to use, you're still dissecting them."
He slowed his walk. "I find it rather peculiar that you're still defending them, after all that's happened to you."
"I know what you're trying to do, and it won't work," I said. "I know how this organization twists truths. I know how you pit researcher against researcher and researcher against Deamhan. That might have worked for others. It did work for Kenneth, but not me. I still have no interest in being president of the Midwest division."
"You may not have a choice. The Austins—one of the great families in the Brotherhood, alongside the Tiernans, Dearhorns, Alvaros, Luziers, and Pavels are the founding families of this great organization. As an Austin, your last name has weight around here." He continued down the hall. "I understand it's going to take more than words to make you see the real threat. If you want to protect the helpless, the best thing you can do is accept reality and the position. Why not do what you failed to do when it came to your father and your mother?"
"No, you won't do that to me." I put my hand on his shoulder and forced him to face me. "You will not use what happened to my parents to justify what's going on here. Do you hear me?! The Brotherhood has been doing horrendous things years before I was born."
"And those horrendous things have kept people alive."
"Keep believing that false narrative. You know it's nowhere close to the truth."
"You want the truth?" He stepped up to me. "People are dying out there and many researchers have given their lives for the cause while you're too busy lamenting and complaining about what your father did to you years ago. You're so stuck up on why he tried his hardest to keep your mother's betrayal from you. In all that time, have you even wondered why?"
He towered over me and for the first time that night, I felt myself shrinking in his dominant presence. But the fight wasn't over yet. "You want to talk about researchers? What about Sean?" I jabbed my finger in his face. "The Brotherhood kidnapped him and brought him back by force here because he did what none of you had the balls to do. He stood up to them, to the presidents… to you!"
"Sean betrayed the organization and he knew the consequences."
"Every time a person goes against what the Brotherhood wants them to do, they're branded as a traitor." I slapped myself on my forehead. "It's getting old, Mr. Luzier. I'm not the same girl from before. You can't feed me that crap."
"Your father cleaned up that 'crap' you made in your pursuit for the truth," he argued back. "And how well did that go for you? How did you feel when you found out your mother fell in love with one of them? Did it ever cross your mind that she was on the verge of leaving you and your father for one of them? HAS IT?"
A large vein in his forehead protruded and his demeaning eyes drew into me. He didn't blink, nor did he appear to breathe. He looked like a statue with the face of a hardened man, trying to get his point across.
Finally, he moved back and swiped his hand through his hair. "Your father isn't here to fend for you. The Lamia, Remy, made sure of that. Do you care?""
"Yes, I care."
"Then act like it. One killed your mother and now another one has killed you father. What will it take for you to see they are the enemy?" He continued forward. "While I'm not related to your father, he was like a brother to me and unlike you, I'm quite capable of seeing the truth and accepting to use whatever means necessary to make sure no one else dies at the hand of a Deamhan." He approached a large metal door at the end of the long corridor. "I don't want what happened to your parents to happen to anyone in this organization, not even you, Miss Austin." He knocked three times before it unlocked and creaked open.
Miranda stood in the doorway, dressed in the exact same, long white lab coat I saw earlier when viewing their dissection lab.
"Is everything ready?" he asked her.
"Yes, they're ready." Her eyes reverted to me.
Mr. Luzier waved at me to follow and I had no choice not to. The further we trekked down this long corridor, the brighter the environment appeared to me. Soon, I realized we were in a skyway which extended over a large room below. I looked down through large glass windows and saw a landscape that looked staged. There were various large and broken machinery, long and thick tree branches, rusted cars and car parts, and replicas of single-family homes.
"What is this place?" I asked slowly. "Looks like a movie studio."
Mr. Luzier stood with his head high. "This is where magic happens, literally."
Miranda knocked on the glass door at a male on the ground below to grab his attention. The teenage male looked up and nodded. "Darrien is ready to proceed," she said.
"Good. Now, Veronica, please watch closely."
A loud siren filled the air, followed by two large blast doors on both sides of the room that opened slowly. A tall man who looked to be in mid-twenties walked out. Nervous, he rubbed his forearms and eyed the unusual room.
I placed my hand on the glass and watched as the lights in the facility dimmed and the man, now scared, ran to a nearby vacant car and hid behind it. "What is this?" I asked. "Another project of yours?"
"In order to meet a strong threat, we need stronger allies," Mr. Luzier replied.
The terrified male peeked around the car. "Hello!" he called out in a panicked voice as the teenager, Darrien, approached the car from the other side.
Just then, I noticed something I couldn't explain that scared me half to death. A bright ball appeared directly behind Darrien's right shoulder. Its glow brightened the room and in response, the other male peeked over the hood. The brightness blinded him and in fear, he ran to the opposite side of the room in breakneck speed. It wasn't hard to put two and two together. The frightened male was a Deamhan and the teenager was his pursuer.
"With blessings from the headmaster, we were able to implement a new change in our plan, a new way to deal with the growing threat," Mr. Luzier commented while Darrien approached the Deamhan. He shot off again in a fast speed toward the blast door that closed only seconds earlier. He took off again to the opposite side of the room. With no option of leaving, he leaned against the wall with his hands in the air.
Whatever the teenager was about to do frightened the Deamhan and I'd never seen one this scared before. "That boy," I pointed to Darrien, "what is he?"
"That is one thing your parents never mentioned to you about dark magic."
My parents and the Brotherhood taught me that dark magic was connected to Deamhan but what I witnessed through that window proved otherwise. Darrien looked human. Nothing about him resembled what a supernatural, like a Deamhan, would look like.
"Are you saying that boy has dark magic in him?"
Defeated, the Deamhan leaned against the wall, his eyes as dark as charcoal, and pleaded for Darrien to not hurt him.
"So, he's a Deamhan?"
"He's a Behesian."
The name didn't sound familiar, but what did nowadays when it came to the Brotherhood? "So, instead of trying to contain dark magic, you're exploiting it?"
"More like we want to use it for our benefit," he replied. "We don't exploit Behesians. They're joining us in record numbers of their own free will. They understand the upcoming threat and how important it is to be ready for it."
The Deamhan placed his hands on his head and dropped to his knees. I couldn't see exactly what was going on but whatever Darrien did, took place underneath the skin of his victim, in the interior of his body, and it was working.
"He is just the first of many who have agreed to help us and believe me, there are many more out there."
"By killing him?" I stared at Mr. Luzier and Miranda, only to be greeted with a wide grin on her face.
"No, by showing that Deamhan aren't as powerful as they think they are."
Darrien didn't let up on his attack, even as the Deamhan fell onto his back. I saw dark blood trickle from his nostrils and his ears.
"Your father was the one who suggested this course of action. He was innovative when it came to conjuring up ways to deal with this threat. He was always thinking of the future. In this case, he wanted the Brotherhood to be prepared if Amenirdis was successful in releasing the other Pure Deamhan from Limbo."
"But she failed. The Brotherhood stopped her. You don't need…" I pointed to Darrien. "…this!"
Eventually, Mr. Luzier asserted his authority and ordered an end to this display of power. "Tell Darrien that will be all for now. I promised to return the Deamhan alive for further testing." Miranda nodded and hurried down the hall.
"So now what?" I folded my arms. "Going to take me to another room to watch more Deamhan being abused for your amusement?"
"No," he said in a slow voice. "Now I'm going to take you to see Sean."
Mr. Luzier pushed the thick steel door open and again, I was greeted with another hallway. This seemed the norm around the building: narrow pathways with naked white walls. But this one felt and looked a little different. The air smelled old and thick, and it was much darker than the previous ones we roamed through.
"You said we were going to see Sean," I whispered, unsure if we were the only people in the vicinity.
"And we are."
He led the way and I followed until I heard light tapping against metal and the unusual noise of someone sniffing the air.
"I want her!" a rough female voice yelled out and I jumped, startled at the outburst. That was soon followed by another sound of teeth clacking together. "Bring her here!"
It was too dark to see, and petrified, I remained close to Mr. Luzier who didn't appear to be affected at all. He continued forward until we came to another door. He flicked on a light switch, revealing the area around us.
There were four small cells on the left and five on the right of us. Each cell except for one held a Deamhan.
"You must have done something awful to be down here with us Deamhan." I turned in the direction of a male voice. He partially hid in the darkness of his cell. He had long, brown, matted hair. Stark naked, he approached the bars and his deep-brown eyes showed no resentment or interest in having me as a snack. Instead, his brows scrunched as if he tried to understand why I was there.
"She's mine, Lugat! I've claimed her!" Across from me, I noticed a large overweight woman. Her black-colored eyes and fangs scrutinized him. "I'll tear you limb from limb if you take what's mine!" She snarled and shook the bars of her cell.
The male Deamhan replied in a calm voice, "Relax. Even if I could eat her, I wouldn't. I don't kill humans."
"I want that one." Another Deamhan pointed at Mr. Luzier. "He looks tasty."
Except for the male Deamhan, they waited for their chance to eat us.
"I doubt any of you idiots know who she is." The male Deamhan turned away from the bars. "And if you knew who he is, you'd want to eat him instead." He sat on a weathered cot with his back against the wall.
"I don't care who they are," the female Deamhan grunted.
Nowhere did I see Sean. That bothered me and at the same time, I rejoiced, knowing the Brotherhood would never keep him in such proximity to Deamhan.
But that was short lived.
"Veronica? Is that you?"
I knew that wonderful voice, even though I hadn't heard it in such a long time. The Deamhan in their cells turned into the last thing on my mind. I ran toward the bars and in the back of the cell, I saw his outline in the darkness.
"Sean?" I never thought I'd see him again but there he was, chained to the concreate walls and covered in muck and film like some wild animal. Underneath that dirt, I got a glimpse of the cherub tattoo on his left arm. His hair had grown out and a thick, unkempt and knotted beard covered the lower half of his face. His eyes were swollen shut and dark crud covered the corners of his mouth.
"You kept Sean down here, with them?" Heated, I chided Mr. Luzier.
"All traitors to the organization are held with Deamhan. How else will they know the error of their ways?"
Fear and knowing that at any moment, the Deamhan in the cell next to you, could attack and kill you, was a mind tactic that appeared to work on Sean. Deamhan, like Metusba, could feed by only being a few feet from their victims.
"And if one of them was a Metusba?" Shocked, I asked him.
"Good thing these Deamhan aren't."
I turned back to Sean, praying to see the friend I knew. Instead, they'd broken him, and I felt responsible. If it wasn't for his help, I wouldn't have found out what happened to my mother. When I told him about my plans to go to Minneapolis, he was the only one who supported me.
"Sean, I'm going to get you out of here," I said to him.
He struggled to open his mouth. "Don't… come… over… here."
"You can't keep him here like this!"
"And nor do I want to," Mr. Luzier replied. "That's up to you."
I knew what he wanted, but was it worth it? I didn't want Sean to suffer any longer but the thought of working for the Brotherhood still left a sour taste in my mouth. "Sean, the only way I can get you out here is to work with them."
He tried to open his eyes.
"And I will if I have to."
"No," he said in a coarse voice. "Don't do it."
I squeezed my arm through the bars, even though I knew I couldn't reach him. "Do you trust me?"
"There's no getting out of here. You don't u—understand."
"If he doesn't want to leave, I'll gladly take his place," the male Deamhan interrupted.
"Be quiet!" Mr. Luzier responded in an authoritative voice.
I pulled my arm back. "You'll release him if I accept the position?" I didn't want to look that son of a bitch in his eyes.
"For the moment, agree to go back to Minneapolis and we'll move Sean to a more suitable environment."
"You want me to go back to Minneapolis?" I felt my throat tighten. "Isn't that the last place the Brotherhood wants me?"
"Some people must look with their own eyes to see the truth. You're one of those people, Veronica. I've known that for a long time."
"So, all I have to do is go back and you'll move him from here?" I asked again.
"And if I agree to be the president of the Midwest division, then you'll let him go?"
"One thing at a time. First, go back to Minneapolis. Once you see and understand, you will agree to be the next president of the Midwest division."
I rolled my eyes.
"Miranda will accompany you there," he responded. "Go and see your Deamhan friends. See what they've done since you've been here. That's the only way you'll understand that they aren't your friends after all."
Veronica. Deamhan Chronicles #4.5 is available on Amazon
Thank you for taking the time to read the first three chapters of my novella.
If you would be so kind as to leave a review on Amazon and any of the following sites below, that would make my day.
~Isaiyan


text:
Spring Fine Art Exhibition of Leningrad artists (Leningrad, 1954) () become one of the largest Soviet art exhibition of 1954 and one of the first art exhibitions after Joseph Stalin's death. The Exhibition took place in Leningrad Union of Soviet Artists Exhibition Halls on Bolshaya Morskaya st. 38.

History and Organization
The Spring Fine Art Exhibition of 1954 was opened on May 23. Organization and preparation of Exhibition was engaged specially formed Exhibition Committee which consisted of 34 the most authoritative art-experts headed by Joseph Serebriany. It was published a Catalog of the exhibition. In total, exhibition displayed almost 500 works of art of 196 the best painters, sculptors, and graphics of Leningrad.

Contributing Artists
In the largest Department of Painting were exhibited art works of 93 authors. There were Evgenia Antipova, Ivan Andreev, Nikolai Baskakov, Leonid Baykov, Dmitry Belyaev, Dmitry Buchkin, Leonid Baykov, Piotr Fomin, Sergei Frolov, Nikolai Galakhov, Vladimir Gorb, Leonid Kabachek, Boris Kharchenko, Maya Kopitseva, Boris Korneev, Elena Kostenko, Anna Kostrova, Gevork Kotiantz, Valeria Larina, Boris Lavrenko, Ivan Lavsky, Gavriil Malish, Alexei Mozhaev, Nikolai Mukho, Yuri Neprintsev, Samuil Nevelshtein, Sergei Osipov, Vladimir Ovchinnikov, Igor Razdrogin, Lev Russov, Ivan Savenko, Vladimir Seleznev, Arseny Semionov, Vladimir Serov, Alexander Shmidt, Elena Skuin, Victor Teterin, Nikolai Timkov, Mikhail Tkachev, Leonid Tkachenko, Boris Ugarov, Vitaly Valtsev, Gleb Verner, Vecheslav Zagonek, Elena Zhukova, and others most prominent painters of the Leningrad School.

In the Department of Sculptures were exhibited art works of 46 sculptors. Department of graphics presented a creation of 54 artists.

Contributed Artworks

For the Exhibition were selected art works created in 1953-1954, also some earlier works. All they were exhibited in the first time. Some of them were subsequently found in the collections of Soviet Art museums, as well as domestic and foreign galleries and collectors.

Genre painting was presented of "Practical exercises" by Evgenia Antipova, "On the floating fish factory" by Nikolai Baskakov, "Girlfriend" by Dmitry Belyaev, "Young Figure Skaters" by Dmitry Buchkin, "Pier on the Volga River" by Nikolai Galakhov, "Parting" by Boris Lavrenko, "Our took!" by Yuri Neprintsev, "Skier girl" by Samuil Nevelshtein, "Firstborn" by Vladimir Ovchinnikov, "On the forest plot" by Igor Razdrogin, "The Winter Palace is taken!" by Vladimir Serov, "On the collective farm plantation" by Mikhail Tkachev, "On the Karelian lakes", "The barnyard" by Leonid Tkachenko, "A Meeting", "On the bridge", "Redhead horse" by Boris Ugarov, "Stalin among fishermen of Yenisei River" by Vitaly Valtsev, and some others.

Portrait was presented of "Portrair of Zvontsova, a teacher of the Leningrad Secondary Art School" by Ivan Andreev, "Portrait of Markov, deputy chairman of the collective farm "Leninsky Put", "Portrait of a vegetable grower Kapelina", "Portrait of the best milker Kuznetsova", "Portrait of sheepman Wilson", "Portrait of stableman Andreev" by Boris Kharchenko, "Portrait of artist Marina Kozlovskaya" by Boris Korneev, "Portrait of Academician Sergei Vavilov", "Portrait of Ira Zykova", "Portrait of graduate student Kostenko", "Portrait of student Krzhyzhanovskaya" by Elena Kostenko, "Portrait of artist Alexander Zaytsev", "Portrait of actress Bokkadorova" by Valeria Larina, "Sleeping girl" by Alexei Mozhaev, "Lena", "Valentina" by Samuil Nevelshtein, "Girl with a doll" by Igor Razdrogin, "A Girl with a bow" by Lev Russov, "Man's portrait" by Victor Teterin, "Portrait of Yurgenson, a collective farm watchman", "Tractor driver Andreev" by Leonid Tkachenko, "Portrait of Kolomiytseva" by Gleb Verner, and some others.

Landscape and Cityscape were presented of "Landing place", "Kizhi Pogost", "On the Onega Lake" by Leonid Baykov, "Grey day", "Snow came down" by Piotr Fomin, "Evening. Kama Mouth", "Pier on the Volga River", "Little courtyard" by Nikolai Galakhov, "Alupka", "The Theatre named of the Lenin Komsomol in Leningrad" by Leonid Kabachek, "November" and "Cloudy Day", "Birche-trees" by Maya Kopitseva, "Altai, Lake of Teletskoye" by Boris Korneev, "Autumn Day", "Alley in park of the Victory", "Cold Spring" by Ivan Lavsky, "A Field" by Gavriil Malish, "Coast of Southern Sakhalin" by Nikolai Mukho, "Of the early spring" by Samuil Nevelshtein, "Last Snow" by Sergei Osipov, "September", "Syverskaya settlement", "Ural Mountains", "A Young Aspen", "Hay was harvested" by Ivan Savenko, "Early Spring" by Vladimir Seleznev, "Etude" by Arseny Semionov, "Last ice", "Terrace on the sea" by Alexander Shmidt, "Gurzuf. Landscape" and "The Restoration of the Mikhailovsky Castle", "Sredniy Prospekt on Vasilyevsky Island in Leningrad"  by Victor Teterin, "Evening on the Don River", "Landscape", "Don River expanses", "Evening", "On the Don River" by Nikolai Timkov, "Landscape", "Horses", "Spring waters" by Boris Ugarov, "First Snow" and "Birds fly away" by Vecheslav Zagonek, "Spring day on the Sea" by Elena Zhukova, and some others.

Still life paintings were presented by art works of Vladimir Gorb, Gevork Kotiantz, Elena Skuin, and some others.

Acknowledgment
The Spring Exhibition of the Leningrad artists of 1954 was widely covered in press and in literature on Soviet fine art.

See also

 Fine Art of Leningrad
 Leningrad School of Painting
 1956 in fine arts of the Soviet Union* Leningrad School of Painting
 Saint Petersburg Union of Artists
 Socialist realism

References

Sources
 Весенняя выставка произведений ленинградских художников. 1954 год. Каталог. Л., ЛОСХ, 1954.
 Коровкевич C. Ярче и глубже показывать новое, передовое. Заметки о весенней выставке работ ленинградских художников // Вечерний Ленинград, 1954, 12 июня.
 Выставки советского изобразительного искусства. Справочник. Т.5. 1954—1958 гг. М., Советский художник, 1981. С.25-26.
 Справочник членов Ленинградской организации Союза художников РСФСР. Л., Художник РСФСР, 1980.
 Художники народов СССР. Биобиблиографический словарь. Т.1-4. М., Искусство, 1970-1995.
 Справочник членов Союза художников СССР. Т.1,2. М., Советский художник, 1979.
 Sergei V. Ivanov. Unknown Socialist Realism. The Leningrad School. Saint Petersburg, NP-Print Edition, 2007. P.389. ,
 Юбилейный Справочник выпускников Санкт-Петербургского академического института живописи, скульптуры и архитектуры имени И. Е. Репина Российской Академии художеств. 1915—2005. СПб., Первоцвет, 2007.

External links
 List of Artists - Exhibitors (Spring Fine Art Exhibition, Leningrad, 1954)

Art exhibitions in Russia
1954 works
1954 in the Soviet Union
Socialist realism
1954 in Russia
1950s in Leningrad

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


A few months ago I wrote about all the upcoming events and now it's time to look back and reflect.
I was happy with how my talk went, which was recorded and has since been posted on YouTube.
Fast forward almost two months and I'm in front of an audience at the Blender Conference for another talk. This time the focus is just on DAZE as I accomplished what I set out to do by creating 60 unique VJ loops for the event. Even with a few presentation issues I think the talk went well and my point came across.
On top of that, I even won a Suzanne award for Best Design with the DAC-FRA titles. I didn't expect this to happen at all, as I was already blown away by getting nominated in the first place. Therefore, I'm extending a big thanks to everyone who voted for me, I'm super stoked to receive the award! If you're interested in how I created them, there's also an archived livestream available where I explain some of the more interesting parts of the production.
Well, the next 20 VJ loops are now publicly available for download.
As before, they're all licensed under a public domain (CC0) license so you're free to use them how you want.
Credit is always welcome, but not necessary, as I want people to be able to use them for anything.
DAZE is coming up in a week, so there's one last push to be done to get the word out to more people. That being said, I'm ready to go and think it will be an awesome party!


text:
'use strict';

/* globals describe, it */

const chai = require('chai');
//var should = chai.should();
const expect = chai.expect;

const assign = require('../');

describe('#assign()', () => {

  it('expect assign() is function',  () => {
      expect(assign).to.be.a('function');
    }
  );

  it('expect assign() to copy own properties', () => {

    const obj1 = {
      prop1: 'prop1',
      prop2: 'prop2',
      prop3: {
        prop31: 'prop31'
      },
      prop5: {
        prop51: 'prop51',
        prop52: 'prop52'
      }
    };
    const obj2 = {
      prop2: 'prop2',
      prop4: {
        prop41: 'prop41'
      },
      prop5: {
        prop52: 'prop52',
        prop53: 'prop53'
      }
    };
    let res = {};

    assign(res, obj1);
    expect(res).eql(obj1);

    assign(res, obj2);
    expect(res).contains(obj2);

  });

  it('should assign() not copy prototype properties', () => {

    const Obj = function()  {
      this.prop1 = 'prop1';
    };
    Obj.prototype.prop2 = 'prop2';

    const obj = new Obj();
    const res = {};

    assign(res, obj);
    expect(res).to.contain.all.keys('prop1');
    expect(res).to.not.contain.keys('prop2');

  });

  it('expect assign() to throw if target is null or undefined', () => {

    expect(() => {
      assign(null);
    }).throw(TypeError);

    expect(() => {
      assign(undefined);
    }).throw(TypeError);
  });

  it('expect assign() to accept null and undefined source', () => {

    const obj = {};
    let res;

    res = assign(obj, null);
    expect(res).to.deep.equals(obj);

    res = assign(obj, undefined);
    expect(res).to.deep.equals(obj);

  });

  it('should assing() not copy properties for prototype obj ', () => {

    const parent = {
      parentProtoProp: 'parentProtoProp-value',
    };

    function Child() {
      this.childProp = 'childProp-value';
    }
    Child.prototype = parent;

    const obj = new Child();
    obj.ownProp = 'ownProp-value';

    const res = assign({}, obj);  //, res);

    expect(res).to.not.deep.equals(obj);
  });

});


text:
In the words of those who have passed ... 2020 edition, part 1 by Egantx7
Champion(s):
VenguswamyK
Semper Ubi Sub Ubi
Runner(s)-Up:
AnthonyBianca
The saddest thing in life is wasted talent.
Quiz Description
January 1 feels like an eternity ago .... the first two people on this quiz both died on 1 January 2020. I write this quiz throughout the year, and when I opened this for the first time in months 2 weeks ago, I was floored that I had forgotten that they died this year. It seems like forever ago. 2018 sucked. 2019 sucked. Then 2020 asked those two to hold its beer. 2020 has been a disaster the likes of which almost none of have seen in their lifetime. We lost a lot of good people, a vast majority of whom are not people who made the news. This quiz, however will focus on some of the more famous people who died this year. Given a quote ... from a movie, TV series, song lyric, play, book, interview, etc ... identify the speaker or writer, as indicated. Every answer will be an individual who passed away in 2020. Part II coming soon!
Money Value (% Incorrect):
1 VenguswamyK 1961 98 125
2 AnthonyBianca 1867 94 125
3 HallR 1759 90 125
4 WeikleB 1690 86 125
5 KonkelT 1643 82 125
6 MattK 1553 78 125
7 jnowell 1537 75 125
8 GoodmanDL 1530 71 125
9 ElendilPickle 1518 67 00
10 Svoyager-11 1514 63 125
11 RalliP 1223 59 125
12 KreitzerJ 1210 55 125
13 KPope 1194 51 125
14 GarciaD 1108 48 00
15 UncleTed 1069 44 125
16 SokolM 1061 40 125
17 EggCzar 988 34 00
17 DMTsurel 988 34 00
19 HoodM 964 28 125
20 imogen 940 25 00
21 LynchT 937 21 00
22 SternK 898 17 125
23 FauxD 851 13 00
24 ArunH 633 9 00
25 KlionskyG 507 5 00
26 DouglasLovesVixey 461 1 00
Portland selects Sam Bowie - University of Kentucky.
Announcement, Fell Forum at Madison Square Garden, 19 June 1984
Click to Reveal Answer
David Stern (NBA Comissioner)
... the biggest part of pitching is control, and I never had such good control ... and everything that Yogi called for I threw it pretty close to where he wanted it.
Don Larsen (1956 Game 5 World Series perfect game)
First and last name needed.
I think the fundamental problem for my father (and for me!) was this: up to the last year of his life he was still evolving his ideas in the central work of his life, as I hold it to be, that came to be called 'The Silmarillion', which had begun in tales and poems of his youth.
Interview with Alison Flood of The Guardian, April 2009
First and last name needed
Christopher Tolkien
The best thing that happens when we go out, fans will come up to me and she'll be standing next to me and they'll be like, 'Hey, you gotta have a boy! You and V gotta have a boy to have somebody to carry on the tradition and the legacy.' She's like, 'Hey, I got this! You don't need a boy for that.'
Interview, 23 October 2018, Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Kobe Bryant (speaking of his basketball playing daughter, Gianna)
When a free man dies, he loses the pleasure of life. A slave loses his pain. Death is the only freedom a slave knows. That's why he's not afraid of it. That's why we'll win.
Actor, in character, 1960
Kirk Douglas ("Spartacus")
I say in all honesty and regardless of the current situation that I did not intend to nominate myself for a new presidential term. I have spent enough years of my life in the service of Egypt and its people.
I am now absolutely determined to finish my work for the nation in a way that ensures handing over its safe-keeping and banner … preserving its legitimacy and respecting the constitution.
Speech (that didn't go so well), 1 February 2011
Hosni Mubarak (President of Egypt)
We begin our classroom with the questionnaire that was used for 26 years by Bernard Pivot ... What is your favorite word?
(approximately) oft repeated line
James Lipton (Host of "Inside the Actor's Studio")
Is it so terribly inconceivable to comprehend God with one's senses? Why does he hide in a cloud of half-promises and unseen miracles? How can we believe in the faithful when we lack faith? What will happen to us who want to believe, but can not? What about those who neither want to nor can believe? Why can't I kill God in me? Why does He live on in me in a humiliating way - despite my wanting to evict Him from my heart? Why is He, despite all, a mocking reality I can't be rid of?
or, from a different film:
Especially important is the warning to avoid conversations with the demon. We may ask what is relevant but anything beyond that is dangerous. He is a liar. The demon is a liar. He will lie to confuse us. But he will also mix lies with the truth to attack us. The attack is psychological, Damien, and powerful. So don't listen to him. Remember that - do not listen.
Actor, as two different characters, from two unrelated films in 1957 and 1973, respectively.
Max von Sydow ("The Seventh Seal", and "The Exorcist")
So I handed him my bottle
And he drank down my last swallow
Then he bummed a cigarette
And asked me for a light
And the night got deathly quiet
And his face lost all expression
Singer, originally in 1978, who took this to #1
Kenny Rogers ("The Gambler")
Songwriter and original singer, April 1972
Bill Withers ("Lean on Me")
My name is Pussy Galore.
Actress, in character, 1964
Honor Blackman ("Goldfinger")
After all the highways, and the trains, and the appointments, and the years, you end up worth more dead than alive.
The man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead. Be liked and you will never want.
Actor, in character, 2000 Showtime produced movie, also actor in same character for 1999 Broadway play and 2005 West End play, which won him a Golden Globe, Tony, and Olivier for this role
Brian Dennehy (as Willy Loman in "Death of a Salesman")
I think the Dolphins were 3-10-1 the year before I got to Miami; and then we went 10-4 the next year and got beat in the first playoff game ... and then , you know, we got into the Super Bowl, then we got in and won it and won back-to-back Super Bowls, so there was a lot of success early.
Don Shula (winningest head coach in NFL history)
I got a girl, named Sue,
She knows just what to do
I rock to the east, She rock to the west, but
She's the girl
That I love the best
Songwriter (with Dorothy LaBostrie) and original recording artist
Little Richard (Richard Wayne Penniman) - "Tutti Frutti"
Many Christmas' ago, I went to buy a doll for my son. I reached for the last one they had, but so did another man. As I rained blows upon him, I realized there had to be another way.
Actor, in character, 1997 TV episode
Jerry Stiller (Frank Costanza explaining the origin of Festivus to Kramer on "Seinfeld")
Look at Scott! He is prancing along with the dog! Man, I tell you something, if you live in my neighborhood and you're dressed like that, you'd better be a hotel doorman.
Fred Willard ("Best in Show")


, we picks the top series using ideal quality only for you all, and this images is actually one among graphics libraries in this very best photos gallery about Fancy Freightliner Columbia Truck. I'm hoping you'll like it.
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text:
in: Worlds
Worlds/Build a City
< Worlds
!createworld
This is a world page, it is about user generated content and may not be fully accurate.
Build a city
domaas
World ID
Unique Visits
1.2 Building
1.3 Rules
Just like any other building world, this world requires players to get permission from a high-rank, in this case being an admin and/or owner, to build. This world has over eleven thousand visits and was made back on the 22nd of March 2019. This world also features a Discord server, where the themes are announced as well.
This world features unique themes, where the subject of what the players build change around two days to a week. (i.e. the arctic, prehistoric, underwater, food, industrial, space etc.) Due to that, builds don't stay permanently and the world gets reset more often than other free build games. The admins of the game design a layout for that specific theme after the last one is reset, and then the game becomes public again.
The builders are free to build anywhere they want, unlike most other free build worlds where builders are given plots. There are specific rules set by admins to prevent problems in the world. This world also offers annual events with prizes such as blux or ranks in the Discord server. It is advised to join the server to take part in more events but anyone under 13 is strictly prohibited in the Discord server as it violates the terms of service.
Players can't build any kind of NSFW, discriminating, mocking and those sorts of builds anywhere on the world.
Players can't use bypassed decals, sounds and they can't use blocks to spell out stuff that might offend people.
Players are restricted from interfering with other people's builds.
Players can't make their builds too big or use resized decals that are too big. There isn't an exact size defined as the limit.
Players are encouraged to build according to the theme.
Players can't abuse their building powers to grief or vandalize the map.
Players can't change the background song or use sound blocks with big radiuses to do so.
Players should act within common sense on the world and anyone who abuses loopholes through the rules will also be punished.
Players must have an account which is a year or older, excluding alternative accounts of known builders or admins.
domaas (Also known Domasp and Dom)
VIPmickey (Also known as Mickey)
Baltrus
davidladmuta (Also known as David, ger, and burger)
SpaceEarthEX3 (Also known as Space)
Lukoynov228 (Also known as Luk, Lukoyanov, and the ice man)
laster2808 (Also known as laster_isunfunny)
Axcetcy (Also known as Ax and SubToAxcetcy)
More Blockate Wiki
1 Commands
2 Commands/Decals
3 Gameplay/Hats


Hive is a full-stack deep learning platform helping to bring companies into the AI era. We take complex visual challenges and build custom machine learning models to solve them. For AI to work, companies need large volumes of high quality training data. We generate this data through Hive Data, our proprietary data labeling platform with over 500,000 globally distributed workers, generating millions of high quality pieces of data per day. We then use this training data to build machine learning models for verticals such as Media, Autonomous Driving, Security, and Retail. Today, we work with some of the largest companies in the world to redefine how they think about unstructured visual data. Together, we build solutions that incorporate AI into their businesses to completely transform industries.
We are fortunate that investors like Peter Thiel (Founders Fund), General Catalyst, 8VC, and others see Hive's potential to be groundbreaking in AI business solutions. We have over 100 rock stars globally in our San Francisco and Delhi offices. Please reach out if you are interested in joining the AI revolution!
If you're interested in applying, please reach out to Kristine at kristine@thehive.ai with a copy of your resume.
In order to execute our vision, we need to grow our team of best-in-class engineers. We are looking for developers who are excited about launching new products and features into production, who can work autonomously and aren't afraid to try new technologies, and who don't back down from the challenges of scale. Our ideal candidate has experience building core services and web-based APIs from the ground up, cares just as much about the product itself as the technology that powers it, and is capable of both structuring and writing clean, maintainable code.
We are a group of ambitious individuals who are passionate about creating a revolutionary machine learning company. At Hive, you will have a significant career development opportunity and a chance to contribute to one of the fastest growing AI startups in San Francisco. The work you will do here will have a noticeable and direct impact on the development of Hive.
Our benefits include competitive pay, equity, health / vision / dental insurance, catered lunch and dinner, and a corporate gym membership.
Thank you for your interest in Hive.


You cannot deduct losses from wash sales unless the loss was incurred in the ordinary course of your business as a dealer in stock or securities. The basis of the substantially identical property (or contract or option to acquire such property) is its cost increased by the disallowed loss (except in the case of (4) above).
The substantially identical stock or securities you bought had the same CUSIP number as the stock or securities you sold and were bought in the same account as the stock or securities you sold.
However, you cannot deduct a loss from a wash sale even if it is not reported on Form 1099-B (or substitute statement). For more details on wash sales, see Pub. 550.
Report a wash sale transaction on line 1 or line 3 of Form 8949 with the appropriate box checked. Complete all columns. Enter "W" in column (b). Enter as a positive number in column (g) the amount of the loss not allowed. See the instructions for Form 8949, columns (b) and (g), later.


text:
Mtabisi
Recommended minutes to practice: 10-15min/day
What to practice: "Somewhere over the rainbow" page 1 (verses 1 & 2)
How to practice it most effectively: hands together slowly, sing or hum while playing.
What to practice: "Mia and Sebastien's Theme" & "Forest Drums" in the red book (Level 1) pg 36-37 for sightreading.
What to practice: "Dream a little dream of me" & "Fly me to the moon"
How to practice it most effectively: For "fly me to the moon" listen to a couple different versions – work on the notes at the end of each chorus: "in other words hold my hands" & "in other words darling kiss me"
Recommended minutes to practice: 10min/day
What to practice: piano – "Jazzy Joe" full song Piano Adventures 1 pg 53 (both hands)
Voice – "My Favourite Things" & "Maybe"
How to practice it most effectively: Listen to recording of "Maybe" from Annie – we will sing it in a lower key.
What to practice: "Time after time" (full run-through, slowly) & "Moonlight sonata" first 8 bars
Recommended minutes to practice: 10-15min every other day
What to practice: singing "A whole new world"
How to practice it most effectively: practice the long notes at the end of "Whole new world" by using your arm to wave across (from left to right) while singing. Also listen to the Wicked soundtrack and see if there are any songs you love the most!
What to practice: C major scale, both hands separately & recognizing notes on the treble clef (spaces: FACE, lines: EGBDF) & bass clef (spaces: ACEG, lines: GBDFA)
What to practice: C major scale, both hands separately & recognizing notes on the treble clef (spaces: FACE, lines: EGBDF) & bass clef (spaces: ACEG, lines: GBDFA).
Priya Shah2019-10-16T21:16:58-04:00October 16th, 2019|


text:
package com.myo.stroll;

public class Route {
	Step[] steps;
	int distance = 0;
	String end_address;

	public Route(Step[] steps, String end) {
		this.steps = steps;
		this.end_address = end;
		for (int i = 0; i < steps.length; i++) {
			this.distance += steps[i].distance;
		}
	}
}


The Global Polymer Chameleon Market is expected to reach USD 1.59 billion by 2022, according to MRFR analysis increasing utilization of bio-engineered polymeric materials that offers high efficiency and durability in manufacturing advanced hi-tech end-user products is projected to boost market demand over the forecast period.
Growing disposable income, high demand for low fuel combustion & light-weight vehicles and strict implementation of regulations by the governing bodies such as EPA and EU has led to increasing demand for engineered polymeric products.
These polymers are used in various applications such as the molecular and biomedical areas such as cell culture support systems, actuators systems, bio-separation devices, sensors, and textile engineering frameworks.
Companies such as Akzo Nobel N.V., Autonomic Materials Inc., BASF SE, DOW Chemical Company, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Evonik Industries AG, High Impact Technology, Honeywell International, Inc., Huntsman International LLCand MacDermid Autotype Ltd Company have adopted expansion strategies to increase their presence in the market. Most of the companies have invested in R&D amenities to discover advanced and innovative special trading nylons & monomers that are eco-friendly, and extremely sensitive to surrounding with less utilization of expensive & harmful raw materials.
Smart Drug Delivery System & Implants the Polymer chameleons had the highest market share in 2016.
Key companies in the Polymer chameleons industry include Akzo Nobel N.V., Autonomic Materials Inc., BASF SE, DOW Chemical Company, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Evonik Industries AG, High Impact Technology, Honeywell International, Inc., Huntsman International LLCand MacDermid Autotype Ltd.
North America region is expected to maintain its dominance in the global market. Emerging markets of China, japan and India are expected to boost the Asia Pacific Polymer chameleons market. Other emerging markets are Asia-pacific, Europe and the Middle East countries. Asia Pacific has the largest market share for global Polymer chameleons, followed by Europe and Row.
The Global Polymer Chameleons Market is majorly segmented on the basis of Product Type and application. Based on the Product Type the market is segmented into Thermo-Responsive polymers, Photo-Responsive polymers, Shape Memory polymers, Electroactive & Magnetically-Responsive polymers, pH-Responsive polymers, Enzyme-Responsive polymers, and Others. Based on the application the market is segmented into Smart Drug Delivery System & Implants, Bioseparation, Textile engineering, Automotive & transportation and Others.


There are 20 top-rated accountants in your area and 89 to avoid.
Business Description: The Law Office of David S. Adams offers legal aid to those needing a bankruptcy attorney, personal injury attorney, or car accident attorney in Olathe, Lenexa, Kansas City and Overland Park.
Business Description: We are a family-owned tax, accounting and payroll service. We are open year-round, and specialize in the small-business tax area. We provide services to individuals as well as small businesses. Our fees are competitive and are quoted based on the needs of the individual or business. We cater our services to each person or business.
Business Description: Small public accounting firm.


'150' was a cross arts project which took place in 2015 as a part of Hexham Abbey Festival, working with four Hexham based groups – No. 28, Gateway, Hexham Youth Initiative and an new intergenerational group.
Led by local professional artists, each group worked independently to explore and interpret '150' through a different art form – dance, film, drama or music.
A presentation of the project via a photo exhibition and reflection of the work was presented at the HAF launch, and the exhibition was on display over the course of the Festival week.
Artists involved: Tim Rubridge, Sue Mitchel, Christo Wallers, Molly Stroyan, Susie Tate.


text:
Caution, I Brake For Zombies
Published 3:31 pm Thursday, April 7, 2011
It takes all kinds to make a world.
And unmake it, too, of course, which hasn't happened yet.
Thankfully.
But with the ability of computer hackers to break through sophisticated barriers and perform untold mischief, any threat becomes plausible.
Take the recent situation on Highway 160 near the North and South Carolina state lines. Drivers there saw electronic highway signs flashing this warning:
"Zombies Ahead."
True. Cross my heart and hope to die (many years from now).
The Associated Press cited a report in The Herald of Rock Hill that the sign normally flashes warnings about highway construction, which seems far more appropriate than warnings about zombies.
The zombie alert was unnecessary, of course, because zombies cannot be fatally injured in any kind of motor vehicle accident. They are the undead.
Migratory zombie herds would prove a difficulty to motorists but the south to north movement of zombies returning home for the summer is nearly over in both North and South Carolina.
New Jersey and New York motorists, however, should remain alert for the scores of zombies that tend to collect in land-based flocks, and then, of course, New England.
But no motorist should have to worry about zombies crossing the highway after the end of April because the zombie migration will be over for another year.
Believe that at your own risk, of course.
But it is certifiably true that another road sign at the border of the Carolinas flashed "Watch for Hunters" at the same time one on the opposite side of the highway warned "Be Alert for Tanks."
My, but there is much to contend with while driving on Highway 160. The Carolinas know how to drive a motorist to distraction (pop. 16).
The hunters must have been tracking the herding flocks of migratory zombies, with the tanks considering pretty much anything to be fair game.
A key rule of the road is that all tanks have right of way.
Never make an obscene gesture to a tank, either.
You won't live to regret it, but you won't live, either, depending upon the species of tank and when it has eaten its last meal.
Flash a digit at a tank with an empty stomach and your exhaust pipe is going to get lit up like a Roman Candle-carrying zombie on the Fourth of July.
Being of a practical turn of mind, I am inclined not to take these flashing signs literally. If there had been warnings against zombies, hunters or tanks, I might have believed it. Even zombies and hunters, because the latter logically follow the former, in season. (Remember to get your state license before hunting zombies. Oddly, most states let hunters spotlight zombies).
But all three?
Clearly, hackers broke into the highway signs and at first I was inclined to view it not as vandalism but altruistic public service to protect motorists against the odd concatenation of zombies, hunters and tanks.
But, no, I'm inclined now to think it was all a sophisticated joke.
And I am thankful that such intelligent people contented themselves with amiable warnings about zombies rather than hacking into the Pentagon and starting World War Three.
There is this final caveat, however. Road signs warned of zombies in Collinsville, Illinois and Austin, Texas in 2009.
More Editorials
Opinion — Race of the lemmings
Opinion —The season of hope
Opinion — Remembering Virginia O'Hanlon
Make Some Noise For Post Offices


text:
package org.apache.sysds.test.functions.nary;

import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;

import org.apache.sysds.test.AutomatedTestBase;
import org.apache.sysds.test.TestConfiguration;
import org.apache.sysds.test.TestUtils;
import org.junit.Test;

public class NaryListTestAdvanced extends AutomatedTestBase {
    private final static String TEST_NAME = "NaryListAdvanced";
    private final static String TEST_DIR = "functions/nary/";
    private final static String TEST_CLASS_DIR = TEST_DIR + NaryListTestAdvanced.class.getSimpleName() + "/";

    @Override
    public void setUp() {
        TestUtils.clearAssertionInformation();
        addTestConfiguration(TEST_NAME, new TestConfiguration(TEST_CLASS_DIR, TEST_NAME, new String[] {"R"}));
    }

    @Test
    public void test() {
        TestConfiguration config = getAndLoadTestConfiguration(TEST_NAME);
        loadTestConfiguration(config);

        String RI_HOME = SCRIPT_DIR + TEST_DIR;
        fullDMLScriptName = RI_HOME + TEST_NAME + ".dml";
        programArgs = new String[] {""};

        String out = runTest(true, false, null, -1).toString();
        assertTrue("Output: " + out,
            out.contains(String.join("\n",
                "[1, Im, ",
                "Matrix:",
                "1.000 1.000",
                "1.000 1.000",
                ", ",
                "# FRAME: nrow = 2, ncol = 2",
                "# C1 C2",
                "# FP64 FP64",
                "1.000 1.000",
                "1.000 1.000",
                "]")));
    }

}


The Cable Company's connection to the internet.
It typically is offered at much greater speeds than DSL (Phone company's basic data offering) but is a shared bandwidth, so it is impacted by peak hour demand, and an asymmetrical connection, so uploading large files is much slower than downloads. It typically comes into the building at a different point than the phone lines so it offers redundancy. The cable connection can be used to deliver data, video/TV and VoIP services.
Ethernet wiring is what is used to transmit data within an office, typically on a Local Area Network (LAN).
Ethernet allows data transmission at much higher rates than the twisted pair of copper line the telephone uses. Most buildings are equipped with Cat5E which tops out at around 100 mbps but Cat6E is on the rise, allowing for even higher rates of data transmission in the office environment. The speed of data transmission is not solely dictated by the Ethernet category utilized. The cable you connect your devices to the LAN impacts the speed as well as the Network Interface Card (NIC) in the PC or printer connect to the LAN.
Ethernet over Copper (EoC) is now being leveraged to deliver Ethernet like speeds over copper on the Wide Area Network (WAN). The advantage of this type of service is it rides over existing Copper. This service is more commonly referred to as MetroE and as the name implies, is generally only available in big metropolitan areas.
Multiprotocol Label Switching is the next generation of packet switching.
It allows data to be transmitted much faster than with Frame Relay switching because, the header contains all the information on the outside of the packet that the network needs to know where to send the data packet. This avoids the delay present in a Frame Relay environment to "unpack", "inspect" and "repack" the data packet.
Data that is carried over a wireless network for all or part of its transmission.
Wireless can be used as the last mile connection, especially in a rural setting.
Fiber Optical Cable that is in or near your building but is not currently in use. It can also mean, that it does not have the electronics in place required to make it operational.
Fiber Optics are the fastest, cleanest and most reliable solution but it is not available everywhere. If fiber is near your building but not in your building, some providers will connect your location in exchange for a long term commitment. Increasingly, the cable companies are willing to do such a deal, increasing fiber deployment and adoption at even modest sized companies.
Fiber can be brought into a building over a different conduit than the telephone or internet, providing extra protection from a cut outage. In addition, if the architecture is a SONET ring the fiber can provide superior connection continuity as the ring consist of two fiber paths, greatly reducing the chances that both paths are down at once.
Private Branch Exchange is a phone system that interfaces with a variety of trunk methods. A PBX allows multiple phone lines share a single trunk.
Using a PBX helps optimizes your telecom by reducing idle trunks during peak hour calling. PBXs are flexible in that lines can easily be moved, added, or deleted. In addition, PBXs have ACD (Automatic Call Distribution) which allows for customized call routing depending on who is calling, where they are calling from and what time of day it is. Other features PBXs typically have include: Voice Mail, Least Cost Routing, Auto Attendant, and Intercom/Overhead Paging.
The new trend in PBX is Cloud/Hosted PBX which eliminates the capital cost of a PBX and the cost of maintenance as all the moves, changes and deletes are done through a software interface, saving time and money.
Primary Rate Interface are a type of trunk offered by most phone companies for connecting your phone system to their network.
PRIs can help you save costs by handling multiple phone lines off a single trunk, thus reducing idle trunks. The number of simultaneous calls a company can have occurring at once is limited to the number the trunk can handle. In the case of a PRI, they can handle 23 simultaneous calls. The number of PRIs a company requires is determined by the volume of calls they have at their peak hour of operation.
Session Initiated Protocol is the protocol used to send voice over data networks. In effect, the Internet replaces the conventional telephone trunk, allowing an enterprise to communicate with fixed and mobile telephone subscribers worldwide. One of the most significant advantages of SIP trunking is its ability to combine data, voice and video in a single line, eliminating the need for separate physical media for each mode. The result is reduced overall cost and enhanced reliability for multimedia services.
SIP trunking is the Cable company's alternative to a PRI. SIP trunks can be economical because they often can uses spare capacity on your company's internet connection to deliver voice service.
Voice that is carried over the cellular, wireless network. A special type of office phone is required.
Wireless can be helpful if there are last mile connectivity issues.
Allows your customers to call you without incurring a long distance phone charge. Can be set up for free calling for a specific region or to allow toll free calling from anywhere in the nation or even internally.
Instant Messaging (IM) allows team members to send short messages (without attachments) to others on the network.
The benefit over email is you can see who is actually at their desk and whether they are available. In addition, the messages are generally not stored so there is no storage capacity issues. Companies that make extensive use of IM generally free up the email server capacity.
Tele Conferencing (also known as Telephone Conferencing or Voice Conferencing) is a where three or more people in different locations, can talk to each other all at once via a central switching unit. The type of telephone used can vary between a handheld wired telephones, conference room speakerphones, and a cellular telephone.
Teleconferencing is considered a time saver, eliminating back and forth between parties. In addition, some services can create a single call that up to 100 people can join and talk together. This allows a town hall like meeting to occur with participants spread all over the globe. The participants can be require to "sign-in" using a unique pass codes, giving the conversations extra security and a log of who heard the information.
Video conferencing uses an internet connection to transmission full-motion video and high-quality audio between multiple locations to enable a more face to face like conversation.
Video Conferencing is considered a close substitute for a face to face meeting, eliminating the need for many business trips.
Video conferencing in which the service is provided over a secure encrypted connection to the cloud and useable by virtually anyone on any type of devices (PC, tablet, Smart Phone, etc.).
Hosted Video Conferencing is considered a close substitute for a face to face meeting, eliminating the need for many business trips AND the hosted version eliminate expensive up front capital costs and maintenance.
Web conferencing is a form of Real-Time Communications (RTC) in which multiple computer users, all connected to the Internet, see the same screen at the same time through their web browser.
Use infrastructure located off your premises to a location managed by a third party who's full time job is IT.
Moving your voice service and maintenance to the cloud and can substantially reduce your capital costs and headaches. For some organizations, Cloud solutions can be more secure, predictable and scalable than on-premise solutions.
VoIP, mobility, video-conferencing, instant messaging, bring-your-own device (BYOD), collaboration, and presence technologies all work together seamlessly in the cloud.
Saves time, money and hassles by allowing on-site and remote users to collaborate seamlessly between devices and platforms without having to be in a specific location or have the same devices.
Moving your IT infrastructure to a third party environment that makes your colocation, disaster recovery, and storage infrastructure virtual in a public, private or hybrid Cloud.
Reduce IT complexity, obsolescence, and costs making the organization more manageable, secure, and scalable at a much lower cost. Can greatly reduce capital costs while also increasing security, reliability and business continuity.
Utilizes the Cloud to access business applications and desktops on any device and in any location.
DaaS eliminates the need for software maintenance and makes purchasing and managing workstations simple and fast. There is no need to manage servers or hardware, and obsolescence becomes a thing of the past.
ITaaS means your helpdesk, security, software updates, mobile device management, monitoring and management can all be managed by trained specialists in the Cloud.
ITaaS allows you to focus your time and budget on IT strategy by migrating your more tactical IT responsibilities to the Cloud. ITaaS reduces capex, puts transparency around your financials and ensures predictability around cash flow.
Consolidating your hardware in a highly secure location that has state of the art power back-up, network redundancy and geographic diversity.
Data and information and hardware become completely independent of your business location with a virtual disaster recovery and business continuity solution. Also allows you to centralize your recovery plan in a seamless, secure redundant environment at a fraction of the cost of tradition on-premise disaster recovery solutions.