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Opening The Doors To 2023 (January Wallpapers Edition)
The new year is the perfect occasion to tidy up your desktops and home screens and start on a fresh, clean slate — no clutter, just the things you really need and space for what's about to come. So how about some wallpapers to make the makeover complete and cater for a bit of fresh inspiration this January?
More than eleven years ago, we started our monthly wallpapers series to bring you a new collection of beautiful, unique, and inspiring desktop wallpapers every month. And, of course, this month is no exception.
In this post, you'll find January wallpapers to inspire, make you smile, or just cater for a bit of color on a dark winter day. All of them are created with love by artists and designers from across the globe and can be downloaded for free. A big thank you to everyone who shared their wallpapers with us — you are truly smashing! Have a happy and healthy 2023, everyone!
You can click on every image to see a larger preview,
We respect and carefully consider the ideas and motivation behind each and every artist's work. This is why we give all artists the full freedom to explore their creativity and express emotions and experience through their works. This is also why the themes of the wallpapers weren't anyhow influenced by us but rather designed from scratch by the artists themselves.
Submit a wallpaper!
Did you know that you could get featured in our next wallpapers post, too? We are always looking for creative talent.
Bird Bird Bird Bird
"Just four birds, ready for winter." — Designed by Vlad Gerasimov from Georgia.
with calendar: 800×480, 800×600, 1024×600, 1024×768, 1152×864, 1280×720, 1280×800, 1280×960, 1280×1024, 1366×768, 1400×1050, 1440×900, 1440×960, 1600×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1680×1200, 1920×1080, 1920×1200, 1920×1440, 2560×1440, 2560×1600, 2880×1800, 3072×1920, 3840×2160, 5120×2880
without calendar: 800×480, 800×600, 1024×600, 1024×768, 1152×864, 1280×720, 1280×800, 1280×960, 1280×1024, 1366×768, 1400×1050, 1440×900, 1440×960, 1600×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1680×1200, 1920×1080, 1920×1200, 1920×1440, 2560×1440, 2560×1600, 2880×1800, 3072×1920, 3840×2160, 5120×2880
Yogabear
Designed by Ricardo Gimenes from Sweden.
with calendar: 640×480, 800×480, 800×600, 1024×768, 1024×1024, 1152×864, 1280×720, 1280×800, 1280×960, 1280×1024, 1366×768, 1400×1050, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1680×1200, 1920×1080, 1920×1200, 1920×1440, 2560×1440, 3840×2160
without calendar: 640×480, 800×480, 800×600, 1024×768, 1024×1024, 1152×864, 1280×720, 1280×800, 1280×960, 1280×1024, 1366×768, 1400×1050, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1680×1200, 1920×1080, 1920×1200, 1920×1440, 2560×1440, 3840×2160
Hoppy New Year
"2023 is the Year of the Rabbit in the Chinese Zodiac. All of us at Mad Fish Digital wish you a Hoppy New Year!" — Designed by Jenna Miller from Portland, OR.
with calendar: 320×480, 1024×1024, 1280×720, 1680×1200, 1920×1080, 2560×1440
without calendar: 320×480, 1024×1024, 1280×720, 1680×1200, 1920×1080, 2560×1440
Christmas Snow Globe
"Take a trip down memory lane with this enchanting snow globe.
The little house inside transports you straight to a cozy Christmas atmosphere. 🎄
Shake it up and let the snow fall for an instant winter wonderland." — Designed by PopArt Studio from Serbia.
with calendar: 320×480, 640×480, 800×480, 800×600, 1024×768, 1024×1024, 1152×864, 1280×720, 1280×800, 1280×960, 1280×1024, 1400×1050, 1680×1050, 1680×1200, 1920×1080, 1920×1200, 1920×1440, 2560×1440, 1400×900
without calendar: 320×480, 640×480, 800×480, 800×600, 1024×768, 1024×1024, 1152×864, 1280×720, 1280×800, 1280×960, 1280×1024, 1400×1050, 1680×1050, 1680×1200, 1920×1080, 1920×1200, 1920×1440, 2560×1440, 1400×900
Winter In The White House
"The new year is here and in this 2023 we will visit some of the best-known buildings around the world. We start with The White House. What will be next?" — Designed by Veronica Valenzuela Jimenez from Spain.
with calendar: 640×480, 800×480, 1024×768, 1280×720, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1920×1080, 1920×1440, 2560×1440
without calendar: 640×480, 800×480, 1024×768, 1280×720, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1920×1080, 1920×1440, 2560×1440
Open The Doors Of The New Year
"January is the first month of the year and usually the coldest winter month in the Northern hemisphere. The name of the month of January comes from 'ianua', the Latin word for door, so this month denotes the door to the new year and a new beginning. Let's open the doors of the new year together and hope it will be the best so far!" — Designed by PopArt Studio from Serbia.
without calendar: 320×480, 640×480, 800×480, 800×600, 1024×768, 1024×1024, 1152×864, 1280×720, 1280×800, 1280×960, 1280×1024, 1366×768, 1400×1050, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1680×1200, 1920×1080, 1920×1200, 1920×1440, 2560×1440
"If we wait until we're ready, we'll be waiting for the rest of our lives. Start today — somewhere, anywhere." — Designed by Shawna Armstrong from the United States.
without calendar: 1280×720, 1280×800, 1280×960, 1280×1024, 1400×1050, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1080, 1920×1200, 1920×1440, 2560×1440
Winter Leaves
Designed by Nathalie Ouederni from France.
without calendar: 320×480, 1024×768, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1200, 1920×1200, 2560×1440
Don Quijote, Here We Go!
"This year we are going to travel through books, and you couldn't start with a better one than Don Quijote de la Mancha!" — Designed by Veronica Valenzuela Jimenez from Spain.
Laughter Is An Instant Vacation
"These are polarized times we're living through. It seems like there is division all around. So sometimes you just have to find the time to remember that the one thing that connects us all is a good laugh. And there is no better laugh than the belly laugh! So on the 24th of January, let's celebrate one of life's truly great joys and let it all hang out!" — Designed by Ever Increasing Circles from the United Kingdom.
The Little Paradox
"I wanted to do a lettering-based wallpaper because I love lettering. I chose January because for a lot of people the new year is perceived as a new beginning and I wish to make them feel as positive about it as possible! The idea is to make them feel like the new year is (just) the start of something really great." — Designed by Carolina Sequeira from Portugal.
without calendar: 320×480, 1280×1024, 1680×1050, 2560×1440
Designed by Elise Vanoorbeek from Belgium.
without calendar: 1024×768, 1152×864, 1280×720, 1280×800, 1280×960, 1280×1024, 1366×768, 1400×1050, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1680×1200, 1920×1080, 1920×1200, 1920×1440, 2560×1440
Let The Magic Begin
"When the noisy holidays stay behind us and everything calms down to a peaceful setting, it is a perfect moment for the magic to step in and start making our wishes, hopes, and decisions come true. Happy January, everyone!" — Designed by PopArt Studio from Serbia.
without calendar: 320×480, 640×480, 800×480, 800×600, 1024×768, 1024×1024, 1152×864, 1280×720, 1280×800, 1280×960, 1280×1024, 1400×1050, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1680×1200, 1920×1080, 1980×1200, 1920×1440, 2560×1440
Be Awesome Today
"A little daily motivation to keep your cool during the month of January." — Designed by Amalia Van Bloom from the United States.
without calendar: 640×960, 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1920×1200, 2560×1440
Japanese New Year
Designed by Evacomics from Singapore.
without calendar: 320×480, 768×1024, 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1920×1080, 2560×1440
Happy Hot Tea Month
"You wake me up to a beautiful day; lift my spirit when I'm feeling blue. When I'm home you relieve me of the long day's stress. You help me have a good time with my loved ones; give me company when I'm all alone. You're none other than my favourite cup of hot tea." — Designed by Acodez IT Solutions from India.
without calendar: 320×480, 640×480, 800×480, 800×600, 1024×768, 1024×1024, 1152×864, 1280×720, 1280×960, 1280×1024, 1366×768, 1400×1050, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1680×1200, 1920×1080, 1920×1200, 1920×1440, 2560×1440
Angel In Snow
Designed by Brainer from Ukraine.
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Colorful January
Peaceful Mountains
"When all the festivities are over, all we want is some peace and rest. That's why I made this simple flat art wallpaper with peaceful colors." — Designed by Jens Gilis from Belgium.
without calendar: 640×480, 800×600, 1024×768, 1152×864, 1280×720, 1280×800, 1280×960, 1366×768, 1400×1050, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1080, 1920×1200, 1920×1440, 2560×1440
Oaken January
"In our country, Christmas is celebrated in January when oak branches and leaves are burnt to symbolize the beginning of the new year and new life. It's the time when we gather with our families and celebrate the arrival of the new year in a warm and cuddly atmosphere." — Designed by PopArt Studio from Serbia.
Wolf-Month
"Wolf-month (in Dutch 'wolfsmaand') is another name for January." — Designed by Chiara Faes from Belgium.
Pop, Fizz, Clink
"I wanted to try my hand at creating a low-poly illustration and thought a champagne glass would be fun." — Designed by Denise Johnson from Chicago.
without calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1920×1200
Rubber Ducky Day
"Winter can be such a gloomy time of the year. The sun sets earlier, the wind feels colder and our heating bills skyrocket. I hope to brighten up your month with my wallpaper for Rubber Ducky Day!" — Designed by Ilya Plyusnin from Belgium.
"Kingfishers are called 'ijsvogels' (ice-birds) in Dutch. Not because they like the winter cold, but because of the intense blue and teal colors." — Designed by Franke Margrete from the Netherlands.
without calendar: 320×480, 360×480, 376×668, 768×1024, 1024×1024, 1280×720, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1366×768, 1366×1050, 1440×900, 1536×864, 1600×900, 1920×1080, 1920×1440, 2560×1440, 2560×1600, 3840×2160, 5120×2880
Rest Up For The New Year
"I was browsing for themes when I found this "Festival of Sleep" that takes place on the 3rd, and I'm a big fan of sleep… Especially in these cold months after the holiday craziness, it's nice to get cozy and take a nice nap." — Designed by Dorothy Timmer from Central Florida, USA.
without calendar: 640×480, 640×1136, 750×1334, 800×480, 800×600, 1024×768, 1024×1024, 1152×864, 1280×720, 1280×800, 1280×960, 1280×1024, 1366×768, 1400×1050, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1680×1200, 1920×1080, 1920×1200, 1920×1440, 2560×1440


This may seem like a brazen attempt for a chess retailer to maximise profits, but in fact it really is the course of wisdom. With Chess sets - most people only have one set in the household, so the set will be around for a while. Good chess sets, the King, Queen, Knight, Rook, Bishop and Pawn, like	good furniture, still look and feel great after years have elapsed (and the credit card bill has been paid), so spending that little extra on a 'Baron' chess set to get better weighting and better detail adds greatly to the joy of ownership and playing the game. The feeling of lifting chess pieces without having them fall over and sensing the weighted quality of stability is not to be over-rated in your chess purchase.
Larger chess sets are highly desirable, but this makes the overall room needed for the board larger. Small homes can still enjoy exceptional quality in a chess set. Start with the intended place for the board. Measure the size of the area for the chess set allowing for board margin and area around the board for putting captured pieces down. Get down to the maximum size of the boards individual squares for potential chess sets. This determines the size of pieces (usually governed by the King being the largest piece). For best compliment, the diameter of the base of the chess King should be slightly less than the board square size. Typically, a chess set's board with 2 inches in square size should have a King with 1 7/8" or less base diameter.
All pieces of chess sets should be finely crafted, but the flagship is usually the knight because of the capacity for flair and intracacy of design. The finer knights show detail even in the teeth, eyes and mane. Some of Baron's chess sets even have detailed bridles. If the set is judged worthy by it's manufacturer of giving the knight great detail, other pieces will also reflect high quality workmanship.
After the knight, the rook carries subtle detail that adds to the value and quality of the chess set. Look for the sloping of the trunk. Some of the best chess sets have rooks with a curved slope to the trunk, others have precise detail of the piece turrets. The rook is one of the most satisfying of chess pieces to hold in your hand. It's weighting matters more than any of pieces in chess sets.
Cheap chess sets have no weighting and fall over easily when nudged by a finger accidentally. The weighting of the pieces adds significantly to the enjoyment of the game and have a quality feel about them when held in the hand. Chess piece weights are classified as standard, double and triple weighting. If your budget only allows for an economy choice of chess sets, then ChessBaron have products costing little but still having quality of design and weight in the pieces. Baron's double weighted chess sets are priced at extremely low prices and have significant quality. A further option is to buy a chess set that is designed for travelling, of which we also have a wide selection. Due to the magnetism, the pieces of travel chess sets have some weight and don't fall easily.
Having given great thought to the design of chess sets and quality, match the chessboard with the pieces. Boards provide much grief to manufacturers of chess sets. They recognise the greater preponderance given by buyers to pieces of chess sets, and the subsequent downward pressure on prices for boards. However, for them, a mistake in the manufacture of just a chess piece means discarding just the single piece of the set, but mistakes on a board often mean discarding the whole board. Purchasers of chess sets are often surprised by the board price, but the profit margin is usually lower on chess boards than sets. Be careful. Poor chess boards give a poor feel to chess sets, no matter what quality the individual pieces have. Consider carefully the colouring, quality, weight and size of the board relating to your choice of chess sets.
No chess computer is 'above a players level'. They all have settings for the novice as well as the expert. Great examples are the Saitek Maestro, the Talking Touch model from Excalibur, The Chess Challenger and the Citrine. Call to discuss best options in your chess machine.


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Q: Calculating a percentage position of Z between X and Y Okay so if i have 3 values:
x = 0;
y = 100;
z = 50;

The position of z between x and y is 50%.
If z is 25, the difference is 25%.
How can I work this out with javascript? I want my return value to be like 0.5 or 0.25
Thanks in advance from a first time StackOverflow user!

A: It's a simple mathematical formula, just use the floating point calculation:
position = (z - x) / (y - x)

That will get you the relative position (0 through 1) of z within the range x..y, assuming x <= z <= y and x < y. If you want a percentage, simply multiply by 100.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Home/General/Top 10 Bitcoin Movies And Documentaries To Learn About Cryptocurrency In 2022
Top 10 Bitcoin Movies And Documentaries To Learn About Cryptocurrency In 2022
Kolade Elusanmi
Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin have taken the world by storm in recent weeks. Despite the high volatility of Bitcoin's price, more and more people are learning about this phenomenon and investing in it. Even though cryptocurrencies are still in their infancy, their use is on the rise, particularly online.
You can also tell how popular Bitcoin is by counting how many movies and TV shows feature cryptocurrencies. We will now take a look at some of the best movies and documentaries to watch this year, with a focus on Bitcoin, to see how the idea is being accepted.
Top 10 Bitcoin Movies And Documentaries To Watch In 2022
1. Bitcoin – Shape The Future
2. Bitcoin – The End Of Money As We Know It (2015)
3. Trust Machine: The Story of Blockchain (2018)
4. The Blockchain and Us (2017)
5. The Bitcoin Gospel (2015)
6. I am Satoshi (2014)
7. The Rise And Rise Of Bitcoin (2014)
8. Bitcoin: Beyond the Bubble (2018)
9. Magic Money: The Bitcoin Revolution (2017)
10. Deep Web (2015)
Bitcoin – Shape The Future (2017)
Bitcoin – The End Of Money As We Know It
Trust Machine: The Story of Blockchain
The Blockchain and Us (2017)
The Bitcoin Gospel (2015)
I am Satoshi (2014)
The Rise And Rise Of Bitcoin
Bitcoin: Beyond The Bubble
Magic Money: The Bitcoin Revolution (2017)
Deep Web (2015)
Type: Documentary
Running Time: 45:00 min
China has always been a supporter of cutting-edge technology, and Bitcoin is no exception. Taking a look at the cryptocurrency revolution from a Chinese perspective, Bitkan produced a documentary called Bitcoin – Shape The Future. The Great Wall of China is just the beginning of what you'll see in this film. Economic restrictions in China are well-known.
The documentary is the first of its kind in the country. A look at the Chinese cryptocurrency market and the future of digital assets will give you a new perspective.
Cryptocurrencies continue to be a huge hit in the region despite strict government regulation. If you're curious about how China's cryptocurrency boom has affected the country, this is a great show to watch.
In China, there aren't many documentaries about cryptocurrency and Bitcoin. You can learn more about Chinese crypto firms and the technology they use by watching shows like "Bitcoin – Shape the Future."
You'll learn a lot about the influence of Chinese crypto companies on the future of decentralized cryptocurrencies.
Filmmaker Torsten Hoffman's documentary "The End of Money as We Know It" takes viewers through the history of money, culminating in the era of Wall Street.
Whether bitcoin is the currency of the future or just a recipe for financial disaster, this hour-long documentary on bitcoin raises some important questions.
For those interested in learning more about Bitcoin's potential for disrupting the global financial system, this documentary is worth your time.
Using his video, Hoffman aims to show audiences just how disruptive Bitcoin is to the world's money supply and economy.
Running Time: 01hr:24min
Anyone interested in learning more about blockchain technology should check out Trust Machine. When was the last time you asked yourself how a complex system like the Blockchain came to be?
In other words, do you want to know where Bitcoin came from and how it set the stage for today's frictionless bitcoin transactions? Trust Machine: The Story of Blockchain, a 2018 documentary that takes things further than the rest, is a must-see for anyone interested in blockchain.
Using Alex Winter's film, you can learn more about the Blockchain network's technical and logical components. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to learn about the history of cryptography.
An in-depth explanation of how blockchain technology works and how viewers can get involved is provided in the documentary The Blockchain and Us.
Without the blockchain, there would almost certainly be no Bitcoins or other cryptocurrencies. Blockchain technology will fundamentally alter how we interact with our environment, as filmmaker Manuel Stagars explores in this documentary.
Blockchain technology experts, including software engineers, cryptographers, and researchers, as well as entrepreneurs and consultants, are interviewed to gain a better understanding of what blockchain technology means for us.
An educational film produced in the Netherlands, "Bitcoin Gospel," explains the ins and outs of the cryptocurrency and explores the reasons for its rise in popularity.
The video focuses on comments made by "Bitcoin Jesus," a crypto-enthusiast who calls himself "Roger Ver." He explains in great detail how this currency works.
At its center is Ver, an individual who has dedicated his entire adult life to publicizing Bitcoin as a legitimate payment method. It also examines China's mining sector in depth. In addition to Andreas Antonopoulos, other well-known Bitcoin angels appear in the movie.
Also included is Roger Ver's performance in Japan, which is said to be more interested in Bitcoin than any other country. There is no doubt that this film is for you if you want to gain a better understanding of Bitcoin and how it can be used in various scenarios.
'I am Satoshi' is a documentary film about Bitcoin and its impact on the global economy, which examines Biin-depth depth. The video addresses the question of whether the Bitcoin cryptocurrency's technology has the potential to improve society. In 2014, this film was nominated for the "Most Creative Cinema" award.
However, the financial system has yet to be impacted by open-source platforms that have already impacted the software, education, and retail industries. The documentary 'I am Satoshi' asks if open-source bitcoin technology can revolutionize outdated monetary, commercial, and payment systems.
One of the most creative videos at the 2014 Blockchain awards was "I am Satoshi," a 52-minute montage analyzing bitcoin's interactions with the larger financial system.
Kcanble to explain the differences between cryptocurrency and traditional banking in terms that are understandable to the general public. He uses an investigative method to investigate the link between bitcoin and the larger financial system. When it comes to banking, open-source platforms have already had a significant impact on industries like education and software, but haven't had an impact on banking.
Anyone interested in learning more about Bitcoin should watch the documentary I Am Satoshi, which can be found on Netflix.
In the Rise and Rise of Bitcoin, Daniel Mross, a computer programmer and ardent Bitcoin fanatic, takes the lead. It's a pioneering film on the subject of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. He explains in this video how he first became interested in Bitcoin and how he discovered its global impact.
In 2011, Mross became enamored with Bitcoin, believing it to be the future currency. This documentary was made by Mross and his brother Nictoder to educate the public about Bitcoin's progSeveralber of other crypto enthusiasts and key players are encountered by the two brothers of the film.
It doesn't matter that The Rise and Rise of Biareoin are overly optimistic; it's still a worthwhile watch. Animated graphics are used in this Bitcoin documentary to demonstrate how the blockchain works.
For the author, the personality of Satoshi Nakamoto, the man who invented digital currency, is the focus of attention. An overview of Bitcoin's features is provided in the film, which depicts significant events in the digital currency's history. The Winklevoss brothers and Vitalik Buterin were interviewed during filming. Despite the negative reviews, this film has received the most attention in the Bi in the coin community.
Running Type: 35:00 min
Bitcoin: Beyond the Bubble is a good choice if you're looking for a concise and to-the-point book. In just 35 minutes, the documentary answers many of the questions raised by Bitcoin critics while also helping you understand the complexities of cryptocurrency.
It's a short book that gets right to the heart of the matter while also raising serious questions about the long-term viability of an unregulated market.
Type: Documentary/Film
The documentary Magic Money: The Bitcoin Revolution examines the emergence of cryptocurrencies and the allure of Bitcoin in particular. It explores Bitcoin's mysterious origins, as well as its role in society which has the potential to change the future of our global economy and society.
When Bitcoin first appeared on the scene, there were a lot more questions than answers to them. Besides the mysterious inventor who has never been seen in public, Bitcoin is a decentralized currency that is unaffected by government regulation in any way possible.
Furthermore, it tries to explain why digital currency is gaining in popularity so quickly and so rapidly around the world.
Type: Film
This is a journey into the Silk Road, the politics of the deep web, and how bitcoin plays a role in all this.
This documentary is a must-see for anyone interested in Ross Ulbricht and the events that led to his death on the Silk Road. In this riveting look at an arrest and trial that takes place in the shadowy underbelly of the internet, we learn about the purported inventor of the Silk Road, an online black market.
Many people are curious about cryptocurrency and how it works, and this has led to a rise in the popularity of documentaries and movies that explain the concept of cryptocurrencies in detail.
There is a high probability that future films and documentaries about cryptocurrency will focus on the most recent developments, scandals, legislation, and success stories.
Bitcoin documentaries Bitcoin movies
As a cryptocurrency and digital assets writer, I am knowledgeable about the latest developments in the world of digital currencies and their impact on the global economy. I also have a deep understanding of the various types of gift cards and their use in the modern retail landscape. With my expertise, I strive to provide informative and insightful articles that help my readers stay up-to-date on the latest trends and issues in these dynamic fields. I hope you enjoy my writing.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


We are working on collecting historic data for the City of Frontenac and Frontenac Schools and will publish it on the pages below as we receive it. If you have any scanned or printed copies of historical papers, pictures, maps, etc.
Yearbooks – a listing of online yearbooks from 1941 and on.
Frontenac – It's Beginning – written by the English IV Class of FHS – 1986.
Photos – This is an unsorted collection of photos that have been digitized and uploaded.
1906 Frontenac Plat Map – Donated by the Crawford County Register of Deeds and GIS Dept.
1906 Crawford County Plat Map — Donated by the Crawford County Register of Deeds and GIS Dept.


2012, July through December – J, T, and Theo B.
The first half of the year zoomed by quickly and rather uneventfully. The second half, while still fast, was filled with bits of…well…excitement, but we all weathered the events marvelously.
Tucker's half-birthday celebration was one of our more festive days of the year. He shares his half-birthday with the real birthday of our nation: July 4th. We were at the beach, where every American should be on the 4th of July.
Cue the Sanford & Son theme right about now.
This kid knows no fear.
Riding a skim board is surprisingly difficult. Or maybe it's just difficult for adults who are scared of how bad it hurts to fall.
Mystery animals at Baba and Popster's. Popster thought it was a snake (his eyes are bad–ha!) and was flooding it out of his hole with water from a hose pipe. I went over to see what was going on and, after explaining that flooding a rattlesnake out of his lair might not be a good idea, we both leaned over (yes, because that was a good idea) and peered in the hole to find this nest of baby rabbits. Very wet baby rabbits. Mama rabbit came along and moved them all about twenty minutes after we took this picture. Popster claims the backyard is Bunny-Ville on any given morning. Tuck wants to catch some for pets.
We took a behind-the-scenes tour of Turner Field with several of Jack's baseball teammates in late July.
The adorable one turned 4 and celebrated with a Sparklers and Sprinklers party.
Yoga is a big deal in our house lately. Nightly plank contests are a good way to wear out overly excited boys, by the way.
…even one on a boogie board (talk about core strength!).
We were almost late for the very first day of school because Tucker lost his first tooth–as in, LOST it. It fell out as he was walking down the hall to his room. Tuck loses teeth as passively as Jack does, apparently (and has only lost 1 to date even though there are 2 super-wigglers in his mouth right now).
Closing out the summer at the beach over Labor Day weekend. Best brothers on a perfect day.
No, not South Korea. It's just a firework.
Jack (to the 2 boys in football uniforms next to him, both wearing green jerseys–1 saying Packers; the other Eagles): Looks like it was a bad night to be on the green team.
Football player 1 (watching a Disney movie playing in the hallway near them): I think they're playing hockey.
Football player 2: No…that's baseball.
Jack: No, those are birds flying around.
When we finally made it into the x-ray room, it was obvious something was amiss. Thankfully they set his collarbone while he was standing there, without any warning. Like I said, Lortab was Jack's friend that night.
It's no secret we love us some Halloween around here. Check out our newest decoration: a box of fingers. Um, yeah.
We hosted a fiesta for cousin Kate and her fiance'. It was a wonderful night of hanging out with my Bedingfield family.
Tucker played fall ball and was on one of the greatest teams ever…as far as names go: The Lugnuts.
Theo and I took Digger and Henry to be blessed on St. Francis's Feast Day, which was a good thing since Henry had major oral surgery a few weeks later. Henny-bug is now in the possession of only 4 of his teeth, but he acts like a puppy again, which was a fair trade, I'd say.
Q: What do you get when you have 7 members of Section 3 gathered in a hotel conference room in Macon, Georgia?
A: A 10-year law school reunion.
Move over, Pele. Take a seat on the bench, Beckham. Here comes Theo, the Mighty T-Rex!
Tucker finally got to hold a live rabbit at the Art Barn. Love at first sight, for sure. Tuck plots where he's going to set up his bunny traps in Baba and Popster's backyard.
The cul-de-sac firework festivals with our neighbors have now morphed into bonfires. Right smack on the pavement. There were adults present, I assure you–and not just the one photographing the event.
Halloween, finally. Theo loved the facepaint.
Two skeletons and Harry Potter. Jack defaulted to the skeleton after his first two choices (cow-serpent and satyr…no kidding) were determined to be impossible to track down.
Collarbones heal very quickly, thank goodness. Jack made it back to finish out the last 3 games with his fall ball team, the Hooks.
That's some fierce rope jumping right there.
In November, we learned we've been given the gift of dyslexia.
After years of me worrying, a few months of attentive concern from his teachers, a few weeks of tutoring with his learning specialist and a few days of testing with a psychologist, we were finally given the answer: Tucker has a magic brain. He is unbelievably math-y, creative, clever and adept at problem solving. He can think in 3-D. But letters do weird things inside his head (he told the psychologist and us that either God or ZEUS (so help me) tells him to say the wrong word after it comes into his brain). He also told the psychologist that he might be a demi-God. OK, then.
We are grateful to have answers and to have a plan to help Tuck. And Tucker is visibly relieved to have an answer, too. He leaves me notes like the ones below all the time. We think he's pretty "wabrfll," too. Having a magic brain is definitely wonderful; don't you agree?
Tucker fears nothing; we knew that already. This is just one of the many reasons why we know he is going to be better than OK.
Three eggs; four yolks. It's the little things in life that keep it spicy.
Jack's new favorite place to read: nestled down in my bed.
Thanksgiving brought us a trip to Charlottesville and a serious asthma attack for Tuck.
When it's tough to blow the fluff off a dandelion, you know your asthma is back. We've since gotten back on top of it and have accepted that Tuck still hasn't grown out of it.
Jingle has returned. Lord help us all…or, more accurately, Lord help us remember to move him nightly.
Yes, the tree is leaning; it's not just your imagination.
Two more days until Christmas! Baba and Popster (and no wild bunnies, we hope) roll into town later today. The excitement level of 3 little boys, 2 dogs and 1 gerbil just keeps amping up.
We hope you are experiencing the same level of joy in your own home, too. Hold your loved ones–especially the littlest ones–close this year. We know we are.
The merriest of Christmas wishes to you and yours!


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In Review: Star Wars Adventures: Return to Vader's Castle #3
The covers: A trio to find that feature the Sith's most famous female. The A cover by Francesco Francavilla features the outline of Darth Vader on a space background. Within his iconic profile is Asajj Ventess...
Patrick Hayes October 20, 2019 635 0
As the Fifth Element Turns 20, We Ask Why it Was Such a Divisive Movie
20 years ago or so, the 1990s were in full swing. Away from film, we had the joys of yo-yos, the explosion of MTV, and the emergence of the Harry Potter books. On the big screen,...
Ian Cullen July 24, 2017 5206 0
What We Want From Judge Dredd Series 'Mega City One'
Late last week it was announced that there would be a TV series called 'Mega City One'. The announcement was made by Producer Brian Jenkins and Rebellion CEO Jason Kingsley. By the sounds of what is...
Ian Cullen May 15, 2017 3087 0
Karl Urban confirms Dredd 2 in Development
Karl Urban who portrays Dr. McCoy in the upcoming Star Trek Beyond due to be released this coming July 2016, appeared at the recent Denver Comic Con, and after being asked by a fan about his possible future involvement in...
Tye Bourdony June 21, 2016 1535 0
In Review: Judge Dredd: Anderson, Psi-Division #4
The covers: Three different covers for you to take to your iso-cube. The Regular cover is by Matt Haley. It's a good peek into what readers can expect from this story: Anderson bound to a chair...
Patrick Hayes December 26, 2014 3373 0
In Review: Judge Dredd: Anderson, PSI Division #2
The covers: Three wildly different covers for you to devote your psychic energies to finding. The Regular cover is by Mike Haley showing Anderson unconscious on the ground because she's allowed her soul to leave via...
Patrick Hayes September 14, 2014 2218 0
John Ainsworth Chats Big Finish and 'The Night Of The Triffids'
Some time back before 'Doctor Who' came back to television in 2005. The only way that most people could get their fix of Doctor Who was through the brilliant audio plays from Big Finish Audio. One...
Ian Cullen August 28, 2014 3515 2
Comics Writer Rob Williams Chats About 'Ordinary', 'Doctor Who' And More…
Last week we reviewed a new comic book mini series called 'Ordinary,' which has been released through Titan Comics. Thanks to a little help from Titan we were able to catch up with the writer of...
Ian Cullen June 19, 2014 2018 0


Eggs over easy and wheat toast. Mrs. Bear was hungry, so scrambled eggs, turkey sausage, bagel & cream cheese for her.
A glass of milk, and Swiss Colony Chocolate pecan Caramel Clusters [Their version of DeMets Turtles] I also ordered a tin of Sea Salt Chocolate Caramel squares for some other time.
An array of Indian food at a local restaurant. They have a killer lunch buffet.
Raising Canes just opened a block away from me today.
Roasted brussels sprouts salad at MOD pizza.
An old Favorite. Small Curd Cottage Cheese, with Lawry's Seasoned salt, garlic powder, and gourmet ground pepper. My father used to eat Thick tomato slices with only cottage cheese, until my Mom tried Lawry's Seasoned salt on small curd Cottage cheese for me. That did the trick for me! Regular Cottage cheese is just too bland for me.
Some chile relleno combo plate at a Mexican place just before I see Shazam.
I find plain cottage cheese very bland too. I was eating pineapple and cottage cheese but that was just a bit too sweet.
Banana pancakes, Aunt Jemima Lite™ syrup and a large glass of orange juice (with pulp).
Haagen-Dazs - Spirits line, bourbon vanilla bean truffle ice cream...nice.
Ranch-seasoned hash browns, 3 eggs over easy, diced up leftover steak, toasted onion roll, and a Vanilla Coca-Cola!


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Q: UNIX Seconds, TAI (SI) Seconds, Leap Seconds, and Real-World Code I've read a lot about UNIX Time lately, most of it incoherent, much of it contradictory.  I am trying to reconcile conversions between UNIX Time (hereafter, for simplicity, UXT), TAI, and UTC, and to do this, I need to understand UXT properly.  The trouble is, I can't seem to find anyone else who does.
The following represents my best-attempt explanation, reconstructed from innumerable sources by tedious research.  It is also wrong somewhere.  I am looking for a holistic analysis and point-by-point verification/refutation of the following.  Essentially, fix the following so that it works.

*

*TAI is a monotonically increasing time standard.  It ticks SI seconds, and ignores DST and leap seconds.

*UTC is the same as TAI, but corrected by an integer number of leap SI seconds (conversions to time strings reflect this as a 60th second) so as to be within 0.9 SI seconds of UT1, an astronomical time standard.

*UXT is a count of UNIX seconds since 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC.  There are always exactly 86400 seconds per day.  Nevertheless, UXT is related to UTC.

*How is this possible?  Well, the UNIX second needs to be different from the SI second, and because leap seconds are not perfectly regular, UNIX seconds can't be a well-defined length of time.

*The conversion from UTC to UXT in §4.15 of the UNIX spec aliases different UTC times to the same UXT timestamp, effectively making UNIX seconds the same as SI seconds (except for UNIX leap seconds, which are two SI seconds).

In practice, what actually happens varies.  Most computers synchronize based on a remote server, and so they handle leap second updates implicitly during the synchronization.

*All of this means that, while each individual UXT timestamp can be converted to/from UTC easily (use gmtime or §4.15, respectively), you can't really do arithmetic to find out anything using them.  In particular, difftime returns UNIX seconds, and so you can't do anything with it, including adding it to a different timestamp, unless you know where all the relevant leap seconds are.
I think I understand so far.

*But now we look at actual code, which doesn't do any of this at all.  I can understand people measuring durations using difftime and just sortof hoping that it's good enough (or not knowing there's a problem), but timekeeping libraries are wrong too.

As one example, libtai provides a conversion (tai_now.c:7) to TAI from UXT as: TAI := 4,611,686,018,427,387,914 + UXT.  Since TAI ticks SI seconds while UXT ticks UNIX seconds, you just can't do this.  Yet, since libtai explicitly handles leapseconds, it doesn't seem reasonable that this is a careless mistake.

It's not specific to libtai.  You see this sort of thing all over.

So: points 1-6 are in disagreement with point 7.  That is, tons of existing code is in contradiction with the time standards it supposedly represents.  What went wrong?

A: A problem is that most documents do not use a vocabulary which can distinguish time scales without sentences of ambiguity.  I suggest http://www.ucolick.org/~sla/leapsecs/picktwo.html as introduction to the problem that in historic use there are two unrelated kinds of seconds -- one which is a subdivision of a calendar day for residents of Earth, and one which is a constant duration as measured in a particular reference frame.  Any time library which spans dates before and after 1970 is trying to make use of both kinds of second, and that ends up providing answers which are akin to a function that claims to provide arcsin(-2) -- which is to say that there are complexities involved that need careful explanations and definitions of exactly what is being considered important.

A: Well . . . future you here, writing for a sense of closure.
A few years after you wrote this question, but still a few years before today, you wrote up a huge tutorial that solves this.  It constitutes a complete bootstrapping of modern time standards, from TAI through UTC to offsets and UXT.

As to your question, it appears you indeed got points 1–6 substantively correct.  Your point 7 can just be summed up as "software cannot possibly be so bad at this, right?"
Spoiler alert: it can.  The particular complaint about libtai isn't a good example—the library includes leap seconds, but only by composing the appropriate functions, and not just the single function you looked at.  This feels like a huge (and demonstrably confusing) deficiency to us, even if it gets the answer correct in the end (who knows if it does), but it's no use harping on it because this sort of thing is incredibly common.  Not only does most software actually get it wrong, software gets it wrong in different, incompatible ways!
Heck, the documentation for the fundamental UXT primitive, time(...), isn't even clear.  The standard C documentation (ref.), (ref.), which defer to (part of) the POSIX Standard (ref.) say it's a count of seconds since the epoch.  But elsewhere in the POSIX standard (ref.), it is not a count of seconds, but instead a count of seconds from the epoch, exclusive of leap seconds, which is the correct characterization.  The idea is to make computing things simpler, but it clearly makes it harder because subtraction doesn't work when you introduce discontinuities in your number line.  Any program that uses difftime(...), for example, is necessarily incorrect.
The key mental model here is that SI seconds and UNIX seconds are different.  This is clearest in yet another place of the POSIX spec. (ref.).  This section pegs UXT to UTC by means of a datetime conversion.  UTC includes leap seconds, and yet this section also specifies that days are 86 400 seconds long.  How can we reconcile this?  The key realization is that some UNIX seconds are 2 SI seconds long, and some are 0 (and obviously, the vast majority are 1).  Still confused?  Go read the tutorial!  It is quite unsurprising that there is such a mess with real-world code.

You regret you can't point the reader to code.  You wrote your own timekeeping library, but it is as complicated as it is powerful, and it's not really production-ready.
I guess, to first order, call time(...) to get the POSIX-epoch-relative count of UNIX seconds, subtract 220 924 790, and add leap seconds (from a table) to get the TAI-epoch-relative count of SI seconds.  Do it in reverse to go back.  (Note: there's some ambiguity in what the TAI epoch is; I chose 1977-01-01 00:00:00 TAI (i.e., 1976-12-31 23:59:45 UTC) since this was the epoch that standardized TAI, JDTAI, TCB, TCG, TT, and TDB (ref.).)
In C++20 we will have std::chrono::tai_clock, with epoch 1958-01-01 00:00:00 TAI, (i.e. 1957-12-31 23:59:50 UTC).  Hopefully it will be right and we can put this whole sordid business mostly behind us.

A: You are right, and this mess is terrible. My conclusion:
UXT and UTC are the same, except during the leap second. There, UTC counts to 60 and UTX just 'hangs' for a second.


text:
APCO Extremely Disappointed, Remains Committed to Seeing Public Safety Telecommunicators Properly Classified as a 'Protective' Occupation
Today, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announced proposed revisions to the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC), under which Public Safety Telecommunicators would continue to be inappropriately designated as "Office and Administrative Support Occupations." These preliminary recommendations go against comments from APCO, the public, and the Congressional Next Gen 9-1-1 Caucus Co-Chairs advocating that Public Safety Telecommunicators be categorized as a "Protective Service Occupation." APCO strongly disagrees with this designation and will use every available resource to ensure that this is rectified and Public Safety Telecommunicators receive the recognition they deserve. Stay tuned for guidance on how to voice your support, including instructions and suggested language for interested parties to submit comments to OMB. APCO will provide further information during a webinar on Thursday, July 28, 1:00 p.m. EST. For more information.
Updated Webinar Program: Due to the breaking news above, we have elected to change the content of the webinar.
Reclassifying Public Safety Telecommunicators as "Protective" Occupations
(formerly The Very Latest Developments Impacting Public Safety Communications)
Thursday, July 28, 2016 | 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET Register now.
APCO Institute Announces New Active Shooter Webinar Series
In light of the most recent active shooter tragedies, APCO has been working to identify ways to continue to help our colleagues in communication centers learn about, prepare for, and recover from, these incidents.
As part of that effort, the Institute has developed a webinar series featuring communications center staff who have experienced active shooter tragedies in their jurisdictions. During the webinars they will share their experiences – what happened in the PSAP during and after the incidents, and what they have learned from these tragedies.
The first webinar in the series, "Active Shooter Incidents: What the Facts Have Shown Us," is scheduled for Tuesday, September 13. The featured presenter is Matt Shenk, who serves as Supervisor of Lancaster (PA) County-Wide Communications.
In 2006, Lancaster County was the site of the Nickel Mines Amish school shooting, during which a man shot eight young girls, killing five of them, before committing suicide. Shenk will discuss the history of active shooter incidents and present the findings of extensive research that he and his fellow APCO Institute Adjunct Instructors have conducted over the years on the subject.
Seats are limited, so register early.
Get Informed About ASAP at APCO's Annual Conference
APCO, along with CSAA, the Central Station Alarm Association, and Nlets is bringing the Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP) to municipalities around the country. Now used by more than 20 PSAPs and with dozens more in the pipeline, ASAP is surging as PSAPs and alarm companies, including ADT, recognize the value of its winning formula for error reduction, cost containment and faster responses to dispatch.
Meet Your AFC Advisors: Thomas Kadunce (Delaware)
Thomas Kadunce has been an APCO Local Advisor for six years. He retired from the Air Force after 24 years of service. Thomas now serves as the Operations Manager for the State of Delaware public safety communications system.
10 Ways FirstNet Will Help Public Safety Save Lives and Secure Communities
EMS World Learn how public safety will benefit from FirstNet's single, interoperable, nationwide network.
Delaware County (Ohio) 9-1-1 Becomes First in the State to Launch ASAP Program
The Delaware Gazette Ohio has opened the state message switch to Nlets to facilitate the Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP) with the Delaware County Ohio 9-1-1 PSAP being the first to launch the program.
Boca Raton's Police First In State Using New Dispatch System for Home Burglary Alarm Calls
WPTV The IT project manager at Florida's first ASAP-connected PSAP was featured in a local TV interview about ASAP. "Faster response times, greater likelihood of law enforcement apprehension; everyone wins here," explained Cindy Cevallos when asked about Boca's recent implementation of ASAP.
Kalamazoo, Mich., Consolidated 9-1-1 Dispatch Talks Nearing Resolution
WKZO Kalamazoo (Mich.) officials have been innovators and leaders in the ways they provide many governmental services, but when it comes to consolidated dispatch, the county is one of the last in the state of Michigan to get it in place
A Day in the Life of Appling County (Ga.) 9-1-1 Dispatchers
The Baxley News-Banner A reporter paints a picture of what dispatchers encounter daily.
New 9-1-1 Dispatch System in Lexington County
ABC Columbia Lexington County (S.C.) is weeks away from going live with a new 9-1-1 dispatch system. The new PRO Q-A system will start August 1. It will handle all EMS, fire and law enforcement calls.
Texas City Adopts Resolution to Create 9-1-1 District
Hood County News The Granbury City Council has adopted a resolution that could help keep millions of regional dollars from going to the state and instead allow local elected officials to have control over how the money is spent. The resolution is in support of the creation of the North Central Texas Regional 9-1-1 Emergency Communications District.


For this particular post, I would like to share a white paper I recently came across summarizing a major research on the security of various types of software from off the shelf to custom built applications either by in house or by 3rd party developers.
As a software architect, looking back from my own experience over 20 years, I can easily agree with the results in this paper. While it's foolish to think any software is 100% secure, it's undeniably true, aside from financial sector, business software is many times built with minimal focus on security. In fact I would go as far and add, the levels of security obtained in the software is many times directly related to the level of experience the developer or team involved has.
In a room of 3 developers, with 1, 5, and 10 years of experience each, each would claim to have developed good and secure software based on the scope of their knowledge at the time. All three can develop a sound solution meeting the functional requirements from the perspective of business or product owner. However, as with any practiced discipline, the developer with 10 years of experience will usually build some additional safe guards for security or at a minimum is aware of certain of advanced topics such as code signing, etc. where such is unbeknownst to the less experienced developers. Consequently the level of security in each is starkly different and is not easily measurable without explicit validation.
How do we apply metrics and quantify the level of security? A business owner, unaware of programming details, is not able to measure this. A manager similarly, would be primarily concerned about timely delivery of functional aspects over any security needs which may delay the actual deliverable. Furthermore as the paper mentions, less than 20% "of organizations surveyed view security as the most important criterion when developing custom applications internally or when having customer software developed by third parties".
As a result, a concerted effort must ensue for education on secure development. Similarly a concerted effort must ensue to adopt patterns for security validation much like we have validation for functional requirements. Some can be automated while some require human validation similar to automated unit tests and manual human tests of functional aspects in software.
In this day and age, its abundantly clear the software we write for the web is directly exposed to thousands and even local software running on computers or devices, is indirectly accessible by just as many -- security should be at the forefront moving forward.
Here is the white paper, which although shocking, I vouch for it's factual findings and is a worth while read for anyone in the business delivering quality secure software.


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Top Therapeutic Drugs Targeting the Novel Coronavirus COVID-19
by DelveInsight, on April 28, 2020
The novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, also known as COVID-19, has now become a pandemic, leaving all healthcare institutions and government officials baffled, and researchers and scientists on high alert.
The virus has managed to claw at every corner of the Earth inhabited by humankind. With no effective cure at hand, several trials and studies are ongoing to find a "magic bullet" for the treatment of COVID-19. So far, more than 300 active clinical trials are registered in different clinical trial registries for the disease.
Some of the most promising drugs and therapies under investigation are as follows:
Remdesivir (GS-5734): Gilead Sciences
Remdesivir at the moment is looked upon as the most promising drug (by Johns Hopkins University) that can bring relief to millions of patients affected with COVID-19. Gilead has begun two Phase III clinical trials to study the drug in adults diagnosed with COVID-19. The first of the two-Phase III trials will evaluate safety and efficacy of both a 5-day and a 10-day dosing duration in severe patients; while, the second one will evaluate the safety and efficacy of the same dosing regimens with moderate manifestations of COVID-19, in addition of standard of care in both.
Remdesivir has already been granted U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) rapid review and investigational new drug (IND) designation. The drug was developed in the face of Ebola and is an antiviral medication – an adenosine analogue, which causes premature death of viral particles by inserting into RNA viral chains.
In addition to the two-Phase III trials, several other trials are testing remdesivir for COVID-19. Two studies by the China-Japan Friendship Hospital in Hubei province, one Phase II by the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, and another by INSERM in France are also underway testing remdesivir, which is provided by Gilead at no charge.
Name: Remdesivir
Company: Gilead Sciences
MoA: Adenosine nucleoside analogue
Status: Phase III
Repurposed Ebola virus drug
NCT04292899, NCT04292730
CD24Fc: OncoImmune, Inc.
CD24Fc is being tested in Phase III clinical trials for its safety and efficacy in hospitalized COVID-19 patients (SAC-COVID) in the U.S. by OncoImmune. The trials will study the ability of the drug candidate in diluting the inflammation caused due to virus-induced cellar injuries, ultimately providing relief in COVID-19 patients suffering from cytokine storm, immune dysfunction and pneumonia.
CD24Fc is the company's lead drug and a first-in-class recombinant fusion protein. The drug targets novel immune pathway checkpoint and has shown efficacy in animal models of GVHD, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Moreover, CD24Fc has completed Phase II trials in patients with prophylactic treatment of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) for leukemia undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The company is hopeful that its drug will likely sharpen the saw by adding value to existing antiviral treatments chloroquine and Remdesivir.
Name: CD24Fc
Company: OncoImmune
MoA: DAMPs & Siglec G/10 Dual Inhibitor
In trials for several indications
Actemra (tocilizumab): Roche
Actemra/RoActemra aka tocilizumab is undergoing a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase III clinical by drug developer – Genentech, now acquired by Roche. The trials began on March 19, 2020, in the U.S. The trials are in effect by a collaboration of Roche with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), a part of the U.S. Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR).
At the moment, no robust evidence or study has shown the effectiveness of Actemra in the clinical treatment of COVID-19 pneumonia. However, the trial, COVACTA, proposes to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the drug in hospitalized COVID-19 patients with severe pneumonia. ACTEMRA is a humanized monoclonal antibody (mAb) and inhibits IL-6 signalling by binding to IL-6 receptors. The drug is indicated for moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA), active polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis, giant cell arteritis (GCA) and active systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
Name: Actemra
Company: Roche
MoA: IL-6 inhibitor
Indicated for several forms of arthritis
Kevzara (sarilumab): Regeneron/Sanofi
Kevzara (sarilumab) is under Phase II/III trial jointly by companies Regeneron and Sanofi. The companies are conducting trials of the drug across the world to treat COVID-19 patients. At the moment, Sanofi is leading trials outside the U.S., namely in Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Japan, Canada and Russia, while Regeneron is leading U.S. trials. The ongoing trial is a part of the second global clinical trial assessing the medication as a treatment for COVID-19.
The companies began testing Kevzara after the administration of Roche's Actemra showed efficacy up to a certain extent in Chinese COVID-19 patients. Kevzara might be a potential drug to treat inflammatory responses in the lungs and organs due to COVID-19. The drug is an injectable IL-6 inhibitor therapy and is indicated to treat moderately to severely active rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients who have not responded to previous therapies.
In addition to this, Sanofi has also pledged to provide 100 million doses of Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine) for the currently approved indications of the medicine, i.e., lupus and rheumatoid arthritis to 50 countries.
Name: Kevzra
Company: Regeneron/Sanofi
Status: Phase II/III
Indicated for rheumatoid arthritis
DAS181 (Fludase): Ansun Biopharma
DAS181 is also under evaluation by Ansun Biopharma for the treatment of severe COVID-19 infection. The company has begun to enroll patients in a proof-of-concept study. The company plans to conduct the first stage in the U.S. with 22 patients and then proceeding to the second stage with 60 more patients in the U.S. and Europe.
DAS181 – the company's lead drug – is a recombinant sialidase protein and boasts of the potential to cure every strain of the virus that uses sialic acid as its infecting weapon. DAS181 works by eliminating the sialic acid sites on the epithelial cells of the human respiratory tract, thus, blocking the interaction of viral particles with the cells. The drug uses Aerogen Solo aerosol drug delivery technology and is delivered in the nebulized formulation. At the moment, the drug is in multicenter Phase III clinical trial for the treatment of hospitalized, immunocompromised patients with lower respiratory tract parainfluenza virus infections (STOP PIV), and in Phase IIb clinical trial in China for the treatment of severe hospitalized influenza infections (STOP FLU).
Name: DAS181
Company: Ansun Biopharma
MoA: Recombinant sialidase enzyme
In trials against viral infections
NCT04324489, NCT04354389, NCT04298060, NCT03808922
Tradipitant (VLY-686): Vanda Pharmaceuticals
Tradipitant is under Phase III double-blind placebo-controlled trial – ODYSSEY – by Vanda Pharmaceuticals for the treatment of neurogenic inflammation of the lung secondary to SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) infection. The trials are being jointly run by the company and with the research arm of Northwell Health.
Tradipitant targets the neurokinin-1 receptor, which is coded by the TACR1 gene and is the primary receptor for substance P, an 11 amino acid neuropeptide with a diverse set of functions. It has been shown that the substance P neurokinin-1 receptor system is involved in the neuroinflammatory processes. The compound was initially developed By Eli Lilly and was later on purchased by Vanda. The drug, at the moment, is under clinical evaluation for gastroparesis, motion sickness and atopic dermatitis.
Name: Tradipitant
Company: Vanda Pharmaceuticals
MoA: NK-1 receptor
In clinical trials for several indications
IFX-1: InflaRx N.V.
IFX-1 – its company's lead product - is under randomized clinical trial investigation for the treatment of pneumonia associated with COVID-19. The company has presented promising results from the data of two patients suffering from COVID-19-induced severe pneumonia.
IFX-1 is a first-in-class monoclonal anti-human complement factor C5a antibody and is currently in clinical development for several indications. C5a is a key player in many acute and chronic inflammatory processes, thus an attractive pharmacological target. However, to effectively control the target a special technology – Anti- C5a technology – is leveraged by the company to manufacture IFX-1. The drug has shown promising outcomes in first clinical Phase IIa multicentre, placebo-controlled, dose-escalation study in patients suffering from early septic organ dysfunction. It is further under clinical trials for treating various inflammatory disease, cancers and other indications such as including Hidradenitis Suppurativa, ANCA-associated vasculitis and Pyoderma Gangraenosum.
Name: IFX-1
Company: InflaRx N.V.
MoA: C5a antibody
In trials for several indications including cancers, and Pyoderma Gangraenosum
Uncertainty Remains for Now
In the atmosphere walloped by the pandemic, the fear of life-loss and economic imbalance looms over the world. To diminish both, governmental organizations, the healthcare and pharmaceutical sector, and international organizations are taking draconian measures; however, the negative impact is inevitable, although it can be minimized to a certain extent.
Taking into consideration the trials underway to come up with a potential cure to treat COVID-19, the results do seem quite promising; however, until the date the treatment enters the market, the situation might continue to worsen.
For more in-depth information on the companies developing therapies, vaccines, and diagnostic kits for the treatment of COVID-19, see COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus 19) Therapeutic Pipeline, Vaccines, and Diagnostic Competitive Landscape, 2020, a 200-page market research report by DelveInsight.
For a more concise view, check out the 90-page report COVID-19 (Coronavirus) - Pipeline Insight, 2020, also by DelveInsight. A sample of this report is also available on MarketResearch.com along with purchasing options.
About the Publisher: DelveInsight is a market research firm focused exclusively on the life sciences. It provides cutting-edge market and pipeline information to help organizations make important business decisions and identify potential market opportunities.
Topics: Pharmaceuticals Industry Insights


text:
Basement Waterproofing in Buena, NJ
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Mike was professional, helpful and very knowledgeable. A+
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Evaluated small water issue where two parts of basement foundation meet. Removed rug and moldy drywall where water had been coming in; installed bucket and drainage system, which can be converted easily into a sump pump if needed (correctly assessed that this would most likely not be necessary); so far so good. Waiting to see
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All of my patterns can be done by hand or machine. They are each $10.00 (USD). Click to order, specifying which pattern you want in the email. Upon payment, the PDF of the pattern will be emailed within 24 hours.
A "squircle" is a square with rounded edges. Each of these 4½" blocks has a squircle appliquéd on it with a circle in the middle, thus "Circles & Squircles". Order here.
This loosely means "Happy New Year" in Chinese. Since red is considered a lucky colour it is perfect for this table runner. The circles represent coins. It is also shown in 1930's reproduction prints for variation. Order here.
This little quilt is 24" x 27½". There are 30 blocks, circles appliquéd on 4" circles. The circles are like degrees in warm & cool, separated with warm on the left, cool on the right. I quilted diagonally through the background. Order here.
Simple Drunkards Path blocks make up this wallhanging. I've made it in blue & yellow, warm colours, and neutrals and it turns out great every time. It is 39½" x 45". I quilted concentric circles throughout the blocks and the background. Order here.


Working as a Digital Media Partner.
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Q: How to make Entity Framework Data Context Readonly I need to expose an Entity Framework Data Context to 3rd party plugins. The purpose is to allow these plugins to fetch data only and not to let them issue inserts, updates or deletes or any other database modification commands. Hence how can I make a data context or entity readonly.

A: As opposed to the accepted answer, I believe it would be better to favor composition over inheritance. Then there would be no need for keeping methods such as SaveChanges to throw an exception. Moreover, why do you need to have such methods in the first place? You should design a class in a way that its consumer doesn't get fooled when it looks at its list of methods. The public interface should be in align with the actual intent and goal of the class while in the accepted answer having SaveChanges doesn't imply that Context is read-only.
In places where I need to have a read-only context such as in the Read side of CQRS pattern, I use the following implementation. It doesn't provide anything other than Querying capabilities to its consumer.
public class ReadOnlyDataContext
{
    private readonly DbContext _dbContext;

    public ReadOnlyDataContext(DbContext dbContext)
    {
        _dbContext = dbContext;
    }

    public IQueryable<TEntity> Set<TEntity>() where TEntity : class
    {
        return _dbContext.Set<TEntity>().AsNoTracking();
    }
}

By using ReadOnlyDataContext, you can have access to only querying capabilities of DbContext. Let's say you have an entity named Order, then you would use ReadOnlyDataContext instance in a way like below.
readOnlyDataContext.Set<Order>().Where(q=> q.Status==OrderStatus.Delivered).ToArray();

An alternate option, if you wanted to hand pick (and limit) which entities are exposed via this new context.  You would remove the generic based method above (the complete block with TEntity in it) and use something similar to the below.
    public IQueryable<MyFirstThing> MyFirstHandPickThings => this.dbContext.Set<MyFirstThing>().AsNoTracking();

    public IQueryable<MySecondThing> MySecondHandPickThings => this.dbContext.Set<MySecondThing>().AsNoTracking();

A: In my scenario with EF Core/.NET 5.0, I wanted to have compile-time safety for SaveChanges. This only worked with "new" instead of "override".
I'm using read/write and read-only contexts side-by-side, where one inherits from the other since there are lots of tables attached. This is what I use, with "ContextData" being my original R/W DbContext:
public class ContextDataReadOnly : ContextData
{
    public ContextDataReadOnly() : base()
    {
        ChangeTracker.QueryTrackingBehavior = QueryTrackingBehavior.NoTracking;
    }

    [Obsolete("This context is read-only", true)]
    public new int SaveChanges()
    {
        throw new InvalidOperationException("This context is read-only.");
    }

    [Obsolete("This context is read-only", true)]
    public new int SaveChanges(bool acceptAll)
    {
        throw new InvalidOperationException("This context is read-only.");
    }

    [Obsolete("This context is read-only", true)]
    public new Task<int> SaveChangesAsync(CancellationToken token = default)
    {
        throw new InvalidOperationException("This context is read-only.");
    }

    [Obsolete("This context is read-only", true)]
    public new Task<int> SaveChangesAsync(bool acceptAll, CancellationToken token = default)
    {
        throw new InvalidOperationException("This context is read-only.");
    }
}

Note that:

*

*I had to use "new" instead of "override" when overwriting inherited SaveChanges*() in order to have warnings/errors. With "override", there where no compile time errors/warnings at all.

*With "override" you get CS0809 [1], but not with "new"

*Using "new" will only work for the class itself, but not in context of the parent:
Base b = new Derived();
Derived d = new Derived();

b.SaveChanges();     // Calls Base.SaveChanges, will compile and run without exception
d.SaveChanges();     // Calls Derived.SaveChanges, will not compile

*Proper choice of (optional) arguments is required for the variants of SaveChanges and SaveChangesAsync. (This is for .NET 5.0, I have not checked whether it varies for other versions of EF Core/EF)
Conclusion

*

*"override" would provide full inheritance, but does not work in my environment

*"new" provides desired function, but will return unexpected results for certain polymorphism scenarios

*Not using inheritance at all will be pain if you have many tables

==> There is no silver bullet, and the choice depends on taste and circumstances ...
[1] https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/csharp/misc/cs0809?f1url=%3FappId%3Droslyn%26k%3Dk(CS0809)

A: In addition to connecting with a read-only user, there are a few other things you can do to your DbContext.
public class MyReadOnlyContext : DbContext
{
    // Use ReadOnlyConnectionString from App/Web.config
    public MyContext()
        : base("Name=ReadOnlyConnectionString")
    {
    }

    // Don't expose Add(), Remove(), etc.
    public DbQuery<Customer> Customers
    {
        get
        {
            // Don't track changes to query results
            return Set<Customer>().AsNoTracking();
        }
    }

    public override int SaveChanges()
    {
        // Throw if they try to call this
        throw new InvalidOperationException("This context is read-only.");
    }

    protected override void OnModelCreating(DbModelBuilder modelBuilder)
    {
        // Need this since there is no DbSet<Customer> property
        modelBuilder.Entity<Customer>();
    }
}

A: public sealed class MyDbContext : DbContext
{
    public MyDbContext(DbContextOptions<MyDbContext> options, IHttpContextAccessor httpContextAccessor)
        : base(options)
    {
        ChangeTracker.QueryTrackingBehavior = QueryTrackingBehavior.NoTracking;
    }
}

and override SaveChanges to throw Exception

A: Since DbQuery<T> isn't available anymore in Entity Framework Core, you need to modify @bricelam's answer a little bit and directly use IQueryable<T> instead:
public class ReadOnlyContext : DbContext
{
    public IQueryable<Customer> Customers => this.Set<Customer>().AsNoTracking();

    // [...]
}

A: I have a solution that I believe is as nice at it gets. It is based on other answers here, but uses interfaces to nicely restrict the interface (duh) of both the Context and the ReadOnlyContext.
Note: I'm using EF Core style here, but the pattern can also be used with old EF.
For the Context we follow the normal interface pattern, where the interface defines those aspects of the Context class, that we want to be able to use from our application. Everywhere in our application we will inject IContext instead of Context.

public interface IContext : IDisposable
{
    DbSet<Customer> Customers{ get; }
    int SaveChanges();
    Task<int> SaveChangesAsync(CancellationToken cancellationToken = default);
}

public class Context :DbContext, IContext
{
    public DbSet<Customer> Customers { get; set; }

    public Context(DbContextOptions options)
        : base(options)
    {
    }
}

Now we implement our ReadOnlyContext by extending Context, and limiting its functionality so it becomes readonly, but we also create a matching IReadOnlyContext interface that limits this further by exposing IQueryable instead of DbSet and by not exposing SaveChanges. When using it in our application we inject IReadOnlyContext instead of ReadOnlyContext.
public interface IReadOnlyContext : IDisposable
{
    IQueryable<Customer> Customers { get; }
}

public class ReadOnlyContext : Context, IReadOnlyContext
{
    public new IQueryable<Customer> Customers => base.Customers.AsQueryable();

    public ReadOnlyContext(DbContextOptions options)
        : base(options)
    {
    }

    [Obsolete("This context is read-only", true)]
    public new int SaveChanges()
    {
        throw new InvalidOperationException("This context is read-only.");
    }

    [Obsolete("This context is read-only", true)]
    public new int SaveChanges(bool acceptAll)
    {
        throw new InvalidOperationException("This context is read-only.");
    }

    [Obsolete("This context is read-only", true)]
    public new Task<int> SaveChangesAsync(CancellationToken token = default)
    {
        throw new InvalidOperationException("This context is read-only.");
    }

    [Obsolete("This context is read-only", true)]
    public new Task<int> SaveChangesAsync(bool acceptAll, CancellationToken token = default)
    {
        throw new InvalidOperationException("This context is read-only.");
    }
}

The setup of these contexts could look something like this:
    public void ConfigureServices(IServiceCollection services)
    {
        services.AddDbContext<IReadOnlyContext, ReadOnlyContext>(
            contextOptions => contextOptions
                .UseSqlServer(
                    _configuration["ConnectionStrings:ReadOnlyConnection"] ??
                    _configuration["ConnectionStrings:DefaultConnection"],
                    sqlServerOptions => sqlServerOptions.UseQuerySplittingBehavior(QuerySplittingBehavior.SplitQuery)
                )
                .UseQueryTrackingBehavior(QueryTrackingBehavior.NoTracking)
        );
        services.AddDbContext<IContext, Context>(
            contextOptions => contextOptions
                .UseSqlServer(
                    _configuration["ConnectionStrings:DefaultConnection"],
                    sqlServerOptions =>
                        sqlServerOptions.UseQuerySplittingBehavior(QuerySplittingBehavior.SplitQuery)
                )
        );
    }

As you can see it works nicely with the dependency injection approach, and it allows for using a separate connection string, which you need if you want to connect to a read-only replicate of an Azure Database.

A: Situation:  I needed to reference DB1 for creating records in DB2 and wanted to protect DB1 in the process.  DB1 and DB2 are schema copies of each other.
I updated the autogenerated Entity Context file.  And put in a read-only option when instantiating the Entity Context with an override of SaveChanges() to abort writes when using the ReadOnly option.
Downsides:

*

*You have to create a separate EF connection string in config settings

*You'll have to be careful when auto-updating the model.  Keep a copy of your code changes and remember to apply it after model updates.

*No notice is provided that the save was not performed.  I chose not to provide a notice because my usage is very limited and we perform alot of saves.

The upsides:

*

*You don't have to implement a CQRS type solution.

*By using the same Entity Model, you don't have to create a second one and maintain it as well.

*No changes to the DB or its user accounts.

Just make sure when you are naming your context instantiation to name it using ReadOnly or some such.
public partial class db1_Entities : DbContext
{
    public bool IsReadOnly { get; private set; }

    public db1_Entities()
        : base(ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["db1_Entities"].ConnectionString)
    {
    }

    public db1_Entities(bool readOnlyDB)
        : base(ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["db1_ReadOnly_Entities "].ConnectionString)
    {
        //  Don't use this instantiation unless you want a read-only reference.
        if (useReferenceDB == false)
        {
            this.Dispose();
            return;
        }
        else
        { IsReadOnly = true; }
    }

    public override int SaveChanges()
    {
        if (IsReadOnly == true)
        { return -1; }
        else
        { return base.SaveChanges(); }
    }

    public override Task<int> SaveChangesAsync()
    {
        if (isReadOnly == true)
        { return null; }
        else
        { return base.SaveChangesAsync(); }
    }

.....
}

A: What do you think about this, guys? I have not tested it but I think it should work.
public class ReadOnlyContext : DbContext
{
    public ReadOnlyContext(DbContextOptions<MyDbContext> options) : base(options)
    {
        ChangeTracker.QueryTrackingBehavior = QueryTrackingBehavior.NoTracking;
        ChangeTracker.Tracked += ChangeTracker_Tracked;
    }

    private void ChangeTracker_Tracked(object sender, EntityTrackedEventArgs e)
    {
        throw new Exception("The dbcontext is in readonly mode.");
    }
}


I realize I just shared my total lack of interest in this soccer thing, but I didn't see this coming. Following their loss to Argentina last night, officers detained several members of the Chilean team after a melee broke out.
As facts leak out, it sounds like the Chile players were a little ticked at the ref and the coppers had to step in to protect the zebras. At least one Chilean got Tasered and several were handcuffed. The Chilean government issued a formal protest today to Ottawa over the police action.
Having read and heard about this incident after the chile vs. Argentinian soccer game I am very upset.Chileans are saying they are embarrassed to call themselves Canadian? What did they want the police to do? Had the police let both groups at each other what then would have been said about our police if someone was seriously hurt during the brawl? Soccer spells trouble and always has in England and Europe in general. It is a very hot blooded sport and there have been dangerous occurences in England many times. Did we really need a soccer stadium???


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text:
Q: How to get values from an xml using Csharp - Linq to XML I have an xml with the following structure:
<cadastro>
<nome>Jose da Silva</nome>
<endereco>Rua Sete de Setembro</endereco>
<cidade>Porto Alegre</cidade>
</cadastro>

I need to get this information and insert, respectively, into three textbox.


Now in this land there was a knight by name Goddard. He had wedded in his youth to a noble lady of proud race and name. Goddard and Ysemay had long dwelt together in peace and content, for their hearts were fixed on one another in faith and loyalty. Their lives were blessed with three sons (Alain, Gawayne, Teirbron, who was the youngest of the brood) and one beauty of a daughter by name of Solome.
Time passed on and although kind to Sir Goddard it had begun to show on his face when chanced that the wealth and fortune that Goddard had acquired, drew the interest of a black knight from a far land.
The black knight was greedy and wanted the wealth of the lands that Sir Goddard had worked for all his life. The black knight raised an army and invaded the lands surrounding the keep of Sir Goddard. The battle raged through the long day. Sir Goddard's knights fought well and valiantly. The lord kept looking to the skies as if searching for something.
Night fell upon the battlefield. It was too dark to distinguish between friend and foe and the fighting ceased. The dead lay around on all sides. Goddard's knights wandered about seeking their friends and shouting to one another in the gloom. The men of the black knight were doing the same, and occasionally hand-to-hand encounters took place. Late in the night all shouting from the black knights men's ceased and then Sir Goddard's men knew that their enemies had fled and that the battle was a victory. Albeit a sad one, the noble lord, Sir Goddard and 2 of his three sons lay upon the bloody battlefield dead from grievous wounds.
Bonfires were lighted upon the field of battle. The dead were piled in great heaps, to be buried upon the next day.
Upon the tower stood a cloaked figure, having watched the entire battle until the darkness covered the battlefield.
The cloaked figure turned and made the way down the tower in the dark. Running to the fallen Sir Goddard and his sons. The lady Ysemay had already made her way out of the castle and was beside her fallen husband, mourning his loss.
Her pleas were in vain, the valiant knight was dead. Her maid of the solar gently pulled the distraught woman into her arms..
"There, there my lady" she patted her back and offered what comfort she could. The cloaked figure stood silent, head covered by the hood hiding any features that could be seen.
" It's nae safe for ye to be here" It was Sir Balian, who had often rode as Sir Goddard's right hand man at arms.
Flinging back the hood, blue eyes blazing, revealed the cloaked figure to be of a young woman.
"Tis foolish ye are! And foolish yer father was, May God his soul, to teach ye the way of the sword!" Sir Balian angrily told her.
"Who let ye loose then?" the grizzled knight asked her.
"You need not worry, Sir. It was Teirbron who turned the bolt letting me free, no servant disobeyed the great knights of Sir Goddard's keep!" she spat at him.
Her back to the knight, tears welling in her eyes she knelt beside her fallen sire and brothers. Touching each of her older brothers faces in reverence. Knowing she would never see their eyes sparkling with some trickery or praise towards her.
Wiping her fathers face with a soft cloth, she whispered her good byes. Placing a kiss of good- bye on his cheek, Solome pushes herself off the ground into a standing position. She seems to steel herself and curbs her emotions.
A loud roar sounded across the dark battlefield. Men scattered running shouting about a monster. Swinging around Solome grabs her eldest brother's sword, from where the knight lay fallen.
Solome turns her back on him and runs out onto the battlefield, her braid flying behind her.
As the moon rose over a hill, through the mist a huge dark figure makes it way over the crest of it. Solome sword in hand advances to meet it. It is a black dragon, smoke floating around its head. Seeing Solome, the dragon stops, as if waiting for her approach. Behind her a group of valor knights follows, protecting her back.
Solome stopped twenty feet from the huge black fire-breathing beast.
"What do you want, dragon?" She shouts at him, her voice firm.
The creature chuckles and slowly bows to the woman, its wings folded close to its body, his red eyes watching her with amusement.
"You knew my father?" she stepped closer to the dragon, peering up into the creatures face.
"What shame do you speak of, dragon?" Solome asked softly, moving closer towards the huge beast.
Head down so the beast could look into her eyes, he told her of how the black knights came to him claiming to be from Sir Goddard. They lured the dragon to a cave and tricked him. They chained the dragon to the wall in the cave, and laughing told him of the attack on Sir Goddard's keep.
"Theys NOTS knows how to chains dragons. I'sa managed to get away from the chains but this dragon was too late to helps!" More tears fell from the beast's eyes. Reaching out to touch the dragon on the forepaw Solome attempted to comfort him " You did all you could, my father would understand" Wings softly enfold the woman in a dragons embrace.
"This dragon thanks you, Lady Solome. Your sire would speaks with pride of his younglings, especially yousa." Feeling the compassion and comfort from the dragon, Solome finally let loose the grief she had been holding back. Her sobs muffled by the dragon wings went on until the darkness gave way to dawn.
"This dragon makes a life time oath to thee, Lady Solome, youngling of Sir Goddard, that I'sa will be friend and protector to yousa, ifs yousa wills accepts it. This I'sa swears bys this dragons blood." His voice echoed across the battlefield and raised more into a roar " This dragon shall avenge Sir Goddard and his male younglings. Lady Solome will always hasa this dragon by hers side." Taking a taloned forepaw, the dragon dabs a digit into a torn piece of his wing that is dripping blood. He draws a symbol on Solome's right hand, which she doesn't recognize.
"What is it?" she asks him, watching as it sinks into her skin becoming permanent.
"This dragon is shamed. The pledge to yousa Sire was Nots honored. This dragon's name is nots to be spoken untils that honor are returned. So's fors this time, I'sa be only the dragon" He bowed his head.