text:
Thought England had a good chance, but not gone to plan: James Anderson
Australia have won the Ashes with two Tests to play thanks to thumping wins in Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne
England have lost the Ashes in 12 days with their most recent loss an innings and 14-run loss at MCG. Australia as a result have taken an unassailable 3-0 lead and will look to win four on the bounce when the two teams meet again at SCG, starting January 4.
England have now lost 12 of their last 13 Tests in Australia with one ending in a draw. England fast bowler James Anderson believes that he though his side had a chance of winning the series Down Under, but things have not gone to plan.
"The first three games have been really gutting. The lads are pretty flat at the minute," Anderson said.
"I genuinely thought we had a good chance when we came over here," Anderson, 39, told Test Match Special.
"I thought the squad we've got would be able to compete, but it's clearly not gone to plan.
"The more senior players have to rally round and make sure everyone is in a good headspace to compete because the first three games have been really gutting."
Despite a poor series so far, Anderson, who is England's leading wicket-taker in Tests, says his side needs to give it their all in the next two matches.
"I think we've just got to throw absolutely everything at the next two games," Anderson added.
"We're aware that we've got so much support and I know people are getting up in the middle of the night watching us as well at home.
"We are just gutted that we're not performing for those people and giving them what they want to see."
Anderson has also called for a balance between red and white-ball in domestic cricket back home. "There has been a huge [change of] direction with white-ball cricket and I think that, at the minute, it's tipped slightly towards white ball," Anderson added.
"If you look at our performances in Test cricket over the last few years, they've been pretty inconsistent.
"So, from that point of view we can hopefully just redress that balance a little bit."
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text:
Q: Rearrange order of geom_segment y-axis Problem: Want to order ggplot by length of geom_segment.
Data
swimplot_response

 SUBJECT            RESPONSE ORD_RESP  STARTRESP    ENDRESP ORD DEATH  MAX_RESP
1        01            On Study        1  0.0000000 88.9000000   1     1 94.483871
2        01      Stable Disease        2  0.0000000  9.2333333   2     1 94.483871
3        01    Partial Response        3  9.2333333 21.0333333   3     1 94.483871
4        01   Complete Response        4 21.0333333 62.0333333   4     1 94.483871
5        01 Progressive Disease       -1 62.0333333 88.0000000   5     1 94.483871
6        01     Off Study/Alive        0 88.0000000 94.4838710   6     1 94.483871
7        02            On Study        1  0.0000000 93.5806452   1     1 93.806452
8        02      Stable Disease        2  0.0000000  1.9000000   2     1 93.806452
9        02 Progressive Disease       -1  1.9000000 93.5806452   3     1 93.806452
10       02     Off Study/Alive        0 93.5806452 93.8064516   4     1 93.806452
11       03            On Study        1  0.0000000  4.1290323   1     1  5.774194
12       03      Stable Disease        2  0.0000000  0.6666667   2     1  5.774194
13       03 Progressive Disease       -1  0.6666667  4.1290323   3     1  5.774194
14       03     Off Study/Alive        0  4.1290323  5.7741935   4     1  5.774194
15       04            On Study        1  0.0000000  2.5666667   1     1  5.607143
16       04      Stable Disease        2  0.0000000  2.5666667   2     1  5.607143
17       04 Progressive Disease       -1  2.5666667  5.6071429   3     1  5.607143
18       05            On Study        1  0.0000000 11.0645161   1     1 19.833333
19       05      Stable Disease        2  0.0000000  3.0000000   2     1 19.833333
20       05 Progressive Disease       -1  3.0000000 11.0645161   3     1 19.833333
21       05     Off Study/Alive        0 11.0645161 19.8333333   4     1 19.833333

*Then I subsetted by MAX_RESP. In this code I thought I had solved the issue of arranging the dfs by MAX_RESP.

subj_18mos_resp <- swimplot_response %>%
  group_by(SUBJECT) %>%
  filter(MAX_RESP >= 18) %>%
  arrange(desc(MAX_RESP))

subj_18mos_resp

subj_18mos <- unique(subj_18mos_resp$SUBJECT)

subj_18mos_bev <- swimplot_bev %>%
  subset(SUBJECT %in% subj_18mos) %>%
        group_by(SUBJECT) %>%
        arrange(ORD, .by_group = TRUE)

subj_18mos_steroids <- swimplot_steroids %>%
  subset(SUBJECT %in% subj_18mos) %>%
        group_by(SUBJECT) %>%
        arrange(ORD, .by_group = TRUE)

subj_18mos_dose <- swimplot_dose %>%
  subset(SUBJECT %in% subj_18mos) %>%
        group_by(SUBJECT)

subj_18mos_resp

# A tibble: 66 x 8
# Groups:   SUBJECT [16]
   SUBJECT RESPONSE            ORD_RESP STARTRESP ENDRESP   ORD DEATH MAX_RESP
   <chr>   <chr>                  <dbl>     <dbl>   <dbl> <dbl> <dbl>    <dbl>
 1 01      On Study                   1      0      88.9      1     1     94.5
 2 01      Stable Disease             2      0       9.23     2     1     94.5
 3 01      Partial Response           3      9.23   21.0      3     1     94.5
 4 01      Complete Response          4     21.0    62.0      4     1     94.5
 5 01      Progressive Disease       -1     62.0    88        5     1     94.5
 6 01      Off Study/Alive            0     88      94.5      6     1     94.5
 7 02      On Study                   1      0      93.6      1     1     93.8
 8 02      Stable Disease             2      0       1.9      2     1     93.8
 9 02      Progressive Disease       -1      1.9    93.6      3     1     93.8
10 02      Off Study/Alive            0     93.6    93.8      4     1     93.8
# ... with 56 more rows

*I also tried to convert the SUBJECT to factor and level by the current order, but this did not work. (Error message included below.)

subj_18mos_resp$SUBJECT <-  factor(levels = subj_18mos_resp$SUBJECT)

Error in `levels<-`(`*tmp*`, value = as.character(levels)) :
  factor level [2] is duplicated

*I also tried including subj_18mos_resp within the ggplot(aes())
My plot code is included below, as well as images of the example plots

"Full" swim plot code (with dose, bev, steroid use) for subjects with overall survival >18mos
SwimmerPlot_18mos_full <-  ggplot() +

  theme_classic() +

  geom_vline(xintercept = 6, colour = "black", linetype = "longdash",
             show.legend = FALSE) +

  geom_segment(data = subj_18mos_resp, aes(x = STARTRESP, xend = ENDRESP,
                                                  y = SUBJECT, yend = SUBJECT,
                                                  colour = RESPONSE),
               size = 4, show.legend = TRUE) +

  scale_colour_manual(values = response_color) +

  geom_segment(data = subj_18mos_steroids, aes(x = STARTROIDS, xend = ENDROIDS,
                                                y = SUBJECT, yend = SUBJECT,
                                                colour = STEROIDS),

               size = 2, linetype = 1, show.legend = TRUE) +

  geom_segment(data = subj_18mos_bev, aes(x = STARTBEV, xend = ENDBEV,
                                           y = SUBJECT, yend = SUBJECT,
                                           colour = BEV),
               size = 1, linetype = 1, show.legend = TRUE) +

  geom_point(data = subj_18mos_dose, aes(x = DUR, y = SUBJECT,
                                          fill = TREATMENT),
             shape = 25, size = 2.5, show.legend = FALSE) +

  labs(title = "Phase 1 GBM Swim Plots",
       subtitle = "Data from study [redacted]",
       caption = "Subjects with OS of >18 mos.",
       color = "Response") +

  scale_x_continuous(name = "Duration in Months", breaks = seq(0,90,10)) +

  ylab(label = "Subject ID") +

  scale_fill_discrete() +

  geom_vline(xintercept = 6, colour = "black", linetype = "longdash",
             show.legend = FALSE) +

  geom_text(aes(x=DUR, y=SUBJECT, label = TREATMENT), data = subj_18mos_dose,
            nudge_y = 0.5, nudge_x = 0.5, size = 2.5) +

  guides(fill = FALSE)

SwimmerPlot_18mos_full

Subjects >18 mos response only
SwimmerPlot_18mos <-  ggplot() +

  geom_segment(data = subj_18mos_resp, aes(x = STARTRESP, xend = ENDRESP,
                 y = SUBJECT, yend = SUBJECT,
                 colour = RESPONSE),
             size = 4, show.legend = TRUE) +

  scale_colour_manual(values = response_color) +

  labs(title = "Phase 1 GBM Swim Plots",
       subtitle = "Data from study [redacted]",
       caption = "Subjects with OS of >18 mos.",
       color = "Response") +

  scale_x_continuous(name = "Duration in Months", breaks = seq(0,90,10)) +

  ylab(label = "Subject ID") +

  #Add dashed line at 6 month mark
  geom_vline(xintercept = 6, colour = "black", linetype = "longdash",
             show.legend = TRUE) +

  theme_classic()

SwimmerPlot_18mos

A: Thanks so much Gregor Thomas!
I ended up arranging the MAX_RESP by ascending order and re-factoring, since ggplot builds levels in ascending order as default. Your comments led me to the following solution (changes marked by #comments):
subj_18mos_resp <- swimplot_response %>%
  group_by(SUBJECT) %>%
  filter(MAX_RESP >= 18) %>%
  arrange(MAX_RESP) #Changed from arrange(desc(MAX_RESP))

subj_18mos_resp

subj_18mos <- unique(subj_18mos_resp$SUBJECT)

subj_18mos_resp$SUBJECT <- factor(subj_18mos_resp$SUBJECT, levels = subj_18mos)
#Re-specified levels from the unique vector produced when arranged by increasing MAX_RESP

subj_18mos_bev <- swimplot_bev %>%
  subset(SUBJECT %in% subj_18mos) %>%
        group_by(SUBJECT) %>%
        arrange(ORD, .by_group = TRUE)

subj_18mos_steroids <- swimplot_steroids %>%
  subset(SUBJECT %in% subj_18mos) %>%
        group_by(SUBJECT) %>%
        arrange(ORD, .by_group = TRUE)

subj_18mos_dose <- swimplot_dose %>%
  subset(SUBJECT %in% subj_18mos) %>%
        group_by(SUBJECT)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Watch new Cars 3 "Next Generation" Extended Look trailer!
Lightning McQueen's going to have to up his game!
There's a brand-new Cars 3 trailer giving us a proper look at the Next Generation racing cars!
These fast, powerful, aerodynamically-efficient vehicles are providing some tough competition for Lightning McQueen in this next Cars movie! But McQueen won't going down without a fight!
The film is in UK cinemas from 14 July 2017 – it's going to be epic!


An urban take on the wristwatch by HUGO, designed in black-plated stainless steel with a tonal silicone strap. Featuring mixed textures at the dial, this three-hand watch has bold hour markers in signature red for quick and easy reading. Versatile enough to round off any outfit, this accessory makes a confident statement.


It is a lightweight, ergonomic hand mixer with a powerful but very quiet motor. It has 5 speed settings and a turbo function to provide you with excellent results within a short period of time.
The beaters area is somewhat small.
Designed by Bosch, this hand mixer has a lot of advantages over its rivals, making it a solid choice both for beginners and professional chefs. It costs more, but it offers more too compared to many similar models.
Smart Storage Case is a convenient option for storing all attachments as well as a power cord in one place. With such a useful addition, you won't lose anything.
The Duronic HM4 is a high-quality, reliable and simple mixer that has a powerful motor and a heavy-duty stainless steel body. In addition to the full kit of attachments this mixer stands out with its great ergonomics and rather compact size.
It is a lightweight mixer with a powerful motor, 5 speed operations, Turbo Function and Ejection Button for easy, fast and convenient use. Five different attachments will make your cooking much easier than it used to be and will bring diversity to your dishes.
The release mechanism for mixing paddles is a bit stiff.
A nice choice for those who want to have a functional and reliable hand mixer for everyday cooking or baking.
The improved cooling system won't let the motor overheat even after long mixing, which makes the use of this mixer as safe as possible. And the folding construction of the attachments implies an ergonomic storage of the device.
The Kenwood HM220 is a practical hand mixer that will become a worthy purchase for a small family. The device is easy to use thanks to the moulded handle that absorbs extra vibrations. The ability to clean whisks in a dishwasher simplifies the maintenance.
The hand mixer itself is very powerful yet quiet. It is easy to store since it is very compact and has a handy cable compartment. Moreover, there are replaceable parts to prolong its life.
The cord is rather short.
If you don't feel like overloading your kitchen with lots of appliances, then choose this compact 3-in-1 Dualit 89300 Hand Mixer to save your time and money on food preparation.
As we all know, handheld mixers are usually cheaper than stand mixers. Besides, they take less space in the kitchen and can become your best companion in cooking or baking. If you are looking for a high-quality hand mixer, check out the Bosch MFQ36300GB. Cooking with this mixer can be not only simple but also enjoyable since it has an ergonomically-shaped handle to fit in your hand perfectly, as well as large and simple-to-use buttons. This all contributes to the convenience of use.
With its light weight that has been reduced due to the latest motor and materials, you will forget about hands fatigue and soreness. Thanks to its powerful 400-Watt motor, it won't be a problem to whip cream or knead dough in a short time. Moreover, the unit offers five speed settings to help you choose the most appropriate one for the ingredients you're going to mix. Also, it has a turbo function that speeds up the cooking process significantly.
Along with the powerful motor, this mixer is equipped with two turbo beaters to provide quick whisking of eggs and beating of cream. It also has two kneading hooks for creating a smooth dough. All attachments are made of high-quality stainless steel and show reliable performance. You can easily switch between the attachments at a click of a button.
There are a few more features you will probably like about the Bosch MFQ36300GB Hand Mixer. For example, all of its accessories are easy to clean after use. You can put them into a dishwasher or clean with warm water and soap by hands. As for the main unit, just wipe it with a damp cloth and stow it away in a drawer. Another thing we like about this mixer is that it has a special groove for the cord, which helps prevent it from damaging during storage. Finally, you should be pleased with its noise reduction system. Designed based on the latest technology, the operation of the mixer has become quieter than usual and less annoying. So, if excellent performance and quiet operation are the things you need in your hand mixer most, the Bosch MFQ36300GB can be your best choice.
If you are in search of a hand mixer that will be high-quality, powerful, and convenient to use, the Duronic HM4 is the one that should fit you to a tee, covering most of your cooking needs. Equipped with a 400-Watt motor, this mixer is able to mix both wet and dry ingredients quickly and efficiently and do this without creating any mess. Despite delivering fast operation, the overheating of the motor is excluded thanks to the vents and built-in fans that cool the mixer during work. Another benefit of the Duronic HM4 is that, while it seems big, it's actually lightweight and thus can be easily moved without tiring your wrist. The mixer is very easy to use and doesn't have any intricacies to get the hang of. All controls are intuitive and placed comfortably on the handle so you can easily reach them. Along with five speed controls, there's also a Turbo button which will let you do mixing fast and effectively. On top of the variety of speed settings, the mixer offers you the benefit of several attachments that come boxed with the purchase. This makes it fit for a variety of mixing jobs.
While the Duronic HM4 hand mixer can offer you many advantages, one thing that we like about it in particular (aside from its performance, of course) is its design. The unit has a beautiful silver body which may become a good match with just about every kitchen interior. Furthermore, it has a small footprint, requiring very little space on a countertop. Plus, it has a convenient storage case in which you can store the mixer as well as other accessories that you receive on a purchase. This helps minimize the risk of losing something. All attachments that you get are detachable, which is also helpful, and can be safely washed in a dishwasher or by hand if you wish.
As we've mentioned, the Duronic HM4 comes with several additional attachments. They are suitable for mixing soft and heavy mixtures. The beaters are used for mixing wet and heavy mixtures such as biscuits, cookies, and all kinds of pastries. Metal whisks are more suitable for mixing such ingredients as egg whites, cream, and icing. All these attachments come included in the package. For those who love home-made pastry and seek a mixer that will allow them to experiment with recipes while slashing the time needed for cooking, the Duronic HM4 will fit the bill. It includes five settings, has all the needed attachments on it, comes with a few bowls, and, unlike many other models, is very portable, not taking up a lot of kitchen space. Perfect combination!
Hand mixers are very practical and handy kitchen tools. They are good for mixing, baking and cooking needs. If you have a tight budget but feel the need in such appliance, it is possible to buy a reliable and at the same time durable hand mixer for less than $50. There is usually no need to purchase something more expensive unless you are a professional baker who cooks a lot and very often. So, when it comes to affordable price, convenience, and durability, the 07/067 hand mixer by VonShef is exactly what you need. It will make you love cooking and baking even if you've never enjoyed it before. This model comes with an excellent 300-Watt motor and a turbo setting that are sufficient enough to mix, whisk, and knead without any efforts. With 5 speed levels, it became easy to achieve desired results in whisking or mixing since you can select the mixing speed to fit the chosen ingredient best. For instance, the fifth level would be great for whipping cream and eggs, whereas the first, slowest speed would suit stirring and mashing fruit or vegetables. If you use one of the five settings with a turbo you can adjust the power to cooking everything from the lightest soufflés to the toughest dough mixtures. With this appliance, your creativity will know no limits.
The VonShef Hand Mixer will add a variety of dishes to your everyday diet as it is equipped with 3 attachments to help you master different cooking techniques with little effort. There are two durable chrome dough hooks to make the preparation of dough faster and more thorough. Plus, there are two chrome beaters and one balloon whisk for whisking and creaming components with just one press of a button. Cooking has never been so easy.
The VonShef 07/067 Hand Mixer performs a great job, whereas its outstanding black and silver design makes it look modern and stylish. Being light and compact it will be able to save precious space in your kitchen. You can easily store it either in a deep drawer or in a cupboard. In addition, all components of the hand mixer are dishwasher-safe and easy to clean. Therefore, you will need less time for washing up, freeing some for baking.
The Kenwood HM220 is a budget-friendly yet reliable mixer that will be able to deal with any mixing job you throw at it. Although it doesn't have the most powerful motor (150-W), it benefits from the improved cooling system that prevents it from overheating thus extending its operation time. We wouldn't recommend using the Kenwood HM220 for mixing tons of mixtures, but it will certainly suffice for basic tasks. It's designed mainly for small families with average mixing needs. Speaking of the design, the Kenwood HM220 looks like the majority of other hand mixers. Enclosed in white plastic housing, it looks elegant and will match perfectly with your other kitchenware. The mixer isn't big in size and convenient to stow away due to its special folding construction of the attachments and wraparound cable storage. You will be able to hide it away on a shelf or in a kitchen drawer.
Despite rather low power, the Kenwood HM220 hand mixer is fit for many jobs. Apart from baking, it will come in handy when cooking other dishes like desserts, bread, dough, smoothies, etc. It comes with three speed levels, allowing you to increase/decrease the speed so you can achieve the needed mixture consistency with little effort. The Kenwood HM220 packs a standard set of attachments, including special beaters for kneading dough. Granted you have a bread maker, baking home-made bread will take you sheer minutes. For preparing creamy mixtures such as mouses and cheesecakes, the Kenwood HM220 offers the whisking option. This option will also be good for making various kinds of sauces. Cooking spongy and airy omelettes will also become much easier as beating eggs will never take you longer than one minute. The controls of the mixer are all intuitive and situated conveniently on the handle so you can easily push them when holding it over a mixing bowl.
As we've mentioned before, the Kenwood HM220 hand mixer has a well-thought-out cooling system, which makes it safe to use for a long time. Though we would advise against using it that long, its motor is powerful enough to run continuously without stopping. Finally, we'd like to say a few words about the maintenance of the mixer. Like with any other mixer, you won't need to put a lot of effort in keeping the Kenwood HM220 clean. The plastic body is enough to wipe with a cloth and its stainless steel blades and beaters can be just thrown into a dishwasher.
In conclusion, if you want to diversify your daily menu and consider purchasing a mixer for that, the Kenwood HM220 might be a good option. It isn't as bulky as stand mixers, yet it has enough power to cope with most basic mixing jobs. One of the best solutions for those who need an inexpensive hand mixer.
The Dualit 89300 HandMixer is a godsend for aspiring chefs, designed to become your hard-working assistant. This nice tool with sleek, classic design will easily fit in the smallest place in your kitchen due to its compact size and weight of just 2.8 pounds. To add to that, it has integral plug storage along with a retractable cord to minimize clutter. Though compact and portable, the Dualit 89300 is quite powerful. It is equipped with a 400-Watt motor and 4 speed levels ideal for whisking cream, egg whites, mixing cake batter, or kneading a dough. Basically, it will be able to take any challenge in a matter of moments when used with the right attachment. It comes with 3 accessories: flat beaters, dough hooks, and a balloon whisk. They will help you accomplish different tasks and get desired results. Even though the Dualit 89300 Hand Mixer is built to last, the wear and tear may take the toll. For this very reason, the kit includes replaceable parts that will increase the lifespan of the machine allowing you to enjoy it for many years. At the same time, its strong and very comfortable grip handle will let you have a great control over the mixer. Finally, the hand mixer boasts a beater ejection button that allows easily swap and clean the accessories after using.
When you finally get your Dualit 89300 Hand Mixer, make sure that you know how to use it correctly to avoid damaging it. There are several simple tips we've selected for you to help with that. Before you begin, we recommend you to read the manual where you will find some useful information on exploitation and on how to fix unexpected breakdowns by yourself saving you a trip to the service centre. Secondly, learn how to match the attachment to the ingredient for the best result. Next, don't jump abruptly from one speed to another if you want to get the right consistency. Finally, always keep your mixer clean after use but avoid getting water inside the chords and buttons as it can render your mixer useless.
The Dualit company has more than 70 decades of baking experience and is aimed at creating know-how and quality products for the customers. Their quality policy makes them one of the most-trusted companies with sturdy products that are high on performance and last longer. Buying their products, you make a good investment of your money.
A hand mixer is a small kitchen device used to quickly mix wet and dry ingredients into a uniform substance. Today, instead of mixing eggs manually with lots of efforts, one can turn the mixer on and save much time. Furthermore, the results will be way better. All hand mixers are easy to clean from food remnants. Beaters and other accessories are easy to remove and attach. Almost all accessories are dishwasher safe. In addition, wire-beaters don't have any aluminium intrusion and therefore, they resist rust very well.
If you need an appliance that'd not only mix food but also chop, cut, and beat it, look towards handheld and countertop blenders listed in our other reviews.
Homemakers searching a versatile kitchen gadget designed to perform more tasks beyond basic mixing might find our food processors reviews and guides interesting.
Firstly, you need to know that Power of a hand mixer is an important issue. The higher the power is, the faster the mixer will stir the ingredients. To begin with, you should decide on a purpose the mixer will be used for. If you are planning to stir and beat butter, cream, soft drinks or food - 100-150 Watts is quite a suitable power. But if you need to mix up the dough and similar products, it's much better to pick more powerful mixers, with a power about 200-250 Watts.
Hand mixers include different additional Attachments. Thanks to these accessories, you will be able to cook various dishes only with the help of mixer! Usually, wire beaters of a mixer are made from a more durable material than the body of a mixer itself. But if you need just to stir soft ingredients, you can buy any basic electric hand mixer. On the other hand, if you want a multifunctional device in your kitchen, consider buying a mixer with lots of accessories in a package.
Number of Speeds is another essential feature. It is important to know that most hand mixers have 3-5 speeds, but some models offer more - over 12. A large number of speeds allows users to mix any ingredients, even the densest bits, with minimum effort. The gear change is one of the most important technical specification, usually controlled by a step switcher. Several models have a "Pulse" button. With its help, the ingredients will be mixed with a different speed for the best result. A variety of speed settings will also let you avoid splattering the ingredients.
We'd also like to draw your attention to Construction and Design of handheld mixers. The body of this kitchen appliances is usually made of plastic but with metal elements. This surely enhances the durability of a mixer. Compact mixers will become a great solution for owners of small kitchens. They don't take a lot of space and easily fit any cupboard. An ergonomic design allows you to use a hand mixer for a long time without any difficulties. Some models offer a comfy storage for a swivel cord right in the unit.
Q: Why not to buy a stand mixer instead of a hand one?
A: If you are on a budget, a hand mixer is more suitable since it costs less. Plus, it doesn't take valuable space in your kitchen like a stand mixer. Being a portable device, you will be able to take it with you wherever you want. As for the performance, a hand mixer is fine if you cook for small parties or just for your family and friends. However, if you host bigger events, you should think over a purchase of a stand mixer.
Q: Is a hand mixer the same as a blender?
A: A hand mixer combines ingredients, whereas a blender liquefies them. If you want to make some juice, milkshake, or a sauce, use a hand blender rather than a hand mixer. But for kneading dough or other baking processes pick the mixer.
Q: How many speed levels should a hand mixer have?
A: It is preferable to have a model with a good range of speed settings to fit each task. Moreover, you will have better control over your mixer. For example, if you need to mix or fold ingredients use low speeds, but if your plan is to whip cream with egg whites to add more air to the ingredients choose high speeds. As a rule, a mixer with 5 to 9 speed settings will be enough.
Q: Do all hand mixers come with bowls for mixing?
A: No, not all of them. But most hand mixers are designed to fit all types of bowls or other containers you may use when baking.
Q: Is it difficult to clean a hand mixer?
A: Usually, all attachments are easy to release and clean separately from the main body. You can put them in a dishwasher or run under warm water with a dishwashing liquid. As for the body, just clean it with a damp sponge.
Q: What should a good hand mixer handle be like?
A: For greater comfort choose hand mixers with ergonomically designed handles to perfectly fit in your hands. The one more important factor is a non-slip grip since it provides a better control when holding a mixer.


text:
Mr. Brodie Lee – A Tribute to the Exalted One
jheadey1995 Uncategorized September 27, 2021 September 27, 2021 18 Minutes
On September 29th this year All Elite Wrestling's premier weekly show, Dynamite, will emanate from Rochester, New York. It is one of many shows that is a rescheduled show, having originally been set to take place during the pandemic. The show was originally dated for 18th March 2020, and was heavily rumoured to be the show where the FKA Luke Harper (in WWE) would debut for the company. And indeed it was the case… the leader of the Dark Order group, The Exalted One, was indeed revealed as Mr Brodie Lee. And later on in the same show we had the AEW debut of BROKEN Matt Hardy… but neither got the thunderous crowd reactions the Rochester fans would've given them, particularly Brodie in what was his hometown. Instead the Dynamite show took place in a near empty arena, with fans not present as a result of the pandemic. With AEW finally heading to Rochester… sadly we won't get to see its favourite son get the ovation he so richly deserved.
Jon Huber, Mr Brodie Lee, sadly passed away on December 26th 2020. He was just 41 years old.
I was such a big fan of Luke Harper. But the Brodie Lee that appeared in AEW was one of my favourite characters in wrestling I've seen for some time. So compelling, so exceptional in that role. I've rarely seen a performer execute a character so perfectly.
This is the story, and my tribute, to the All Elite Wrestling run of The Exalted One, the leader of the Dark Order, the late, and VERY great, Mr Brodie Lee.
After finally being granted his release from WWE on December 8th 2020, there was plenty of speculation about where Jon Huber's professional future would take him. But at long last, as previously mentioned, on the 18th March 2020 episode of AEW Dynamite (a show originally scheduled to be in Rochester, New York) we finally got the big reveal of the leader of the Dark Order faction, of which Evil Uno of the group had been repeatedly referring to as 'The Exalted One'.
Up to this point in AEW, the Dark Order had been… well they hadn't exactly been an overwhelming success. The gimmick wasn't getting all that over, Evil Uno and Stu Grayson at the front as the main tag team were fine without being superstars, and the likes of John Silver and Alex Reynolds as seconds again where just that, secondary… Dark Order had been given big spots before with big wins, and also a much talked about show-closing angle where they essentially took out the entire Elite faction. In the early days of the group it was just Uno and Grayson and a bunch of nameless guys in masks, known as their creepers. And well… here's what they did…
The main talking point after, aside from the fact a gimmick that was NOT over (case and point, the CRICKETS-like reaction form the crowd) was given a main event spot and they beat up the top babyface group at the time, was that one of these 'creepers' threw punches at Dustin Rhodes during the brawl, and clearly (and ON CAMERA) made absolutely ZERO contact with Rhodes. The gimmick as a whole looked dead in the water… they needed SOMETHING… And hope looked to be on the horizon when the idea of this 'Exalted One' came about. This would be the first AEW Dynamite of the 'pandemic era', and as such took place at Daily's Place Arena in Jacksonville, Florida with 0 fans in attendance. It was going to be a very unique show for sure, little did we know it would be one that would set up the next few months of programming for the company. The identity of the Exalted One would FINALLY be revealed… For months now he had been talked about, largely by Evil Uno, as this all-powerful… maybe you could even call him a "HIGHER POWER" (if you know, you know)… And then finally he was going to arrive. March 18th, to confront longtime enemy of the Dark Order Christopher Daniels and his SCU group, The Exalted One arrived… Would it be Matt Hardy? Would it be Lance Archer even? Speculation was rife… and we were not left disappointed…
The thing I found most notable form that was Evil Uno saying how the Exalted One would breathe new life into the Dark Order. My oh my he could not of been proven more right. I also very much loved how CD called out the failings of the Dark Order to this point. Now it was up to the Dark Order and the Exalted One to change things… And so they would do just that…
"You are not the first out of touch old man to not believe in me"… I'll let you figure that one out.
I can only imagine the beyond belief level pop this would've got if such has taken place in Rochester, New York. But as segments and debuts go, this was a home-run for me, under the extraordinarily difficult circumstances they faces, and at a time when we ALL needed to see some GOOD SHIT on our TVs.
And so what followed was, week after week, a GREAT vignette of Mr Brodie Lee telling us all what he intended to bring to AEW and to the Dark Order. The references and subtle winks and nods to… someone… were obvious… but nonetheless it was all GREAT stuff…
Yeah… The Boss man is not a happy man it seems… And he was not afraid to show his won just how serious he is…
Brodie Lee was going to change the entire course of the Dark Order. Legitimately it seemed liked this absolutely brilliant professional wrestler was going to DRAG this whole faction and get them over by force.
And he wasn't just coming in as a mouthpiece, or a big guy who can't back it up, people forgot I think that this guy could GO… He never really got too many chances in the later part of his WWE run to show off… But he was coming in here as a monster… He began in AEW with 3 quick and dominant wins against QT Marshall, Lee Johnson and Justin Law.
His fourth match came in what was maybe the biggest miss-match in AEW history…
After another dominant win (this time against 5 foot 2, 117 pound Marko Stunt), Mr. Brodie Lee set his sights on the richest prize of them all, and he and his Dark Order made his intentions known after the conclusion of AEW Champion Jon Moxley's match with Frankie Kazarian of SCU, a faction whom the Dark Order had been feuding with…
The Exalted One wanted Jon Moxley and the AEW World Championship. And just as he said they would under his leadership, what the Dark Order want they will take… After laying out Daniels and with the Dark Order swarming all of SCU (including Scorpio Sky who also came out to try and help Mox), after his challenge was accepted Mr. Brodie then STOLE the AEW world title belt!
The next week on Dynamite, we finally got the big grudge match between Mr. Brodie and Christopher Daniels. And sure CD got his stuff in, but it was mainly another relatively dominant win for Mr. Brodie.
The next week, Mr. Brodie Lee cut another great promo and then set the responsibility on Preston "10" Vance to take on Jon Moxley.
Mox did then get the win over 10… But then tried to bargain with Mr. Brodie… which went about as well as you'd expect…
And so it was ON for AEW Double Or Nothing 2020… Jon Moxley vs Mr. Brodie Lee for the AEW World Championship. Two men still undefeated in the company battling for the top prize… and my oh my was this a FIGHT!!!
Jon Moxley (C) defeated Mr. Brodie Lee to retain the AEW World Championship
Brodie came to the ring with Mox's world title belt, my word what a visual that was… Given this was essentially an empty arena match, these two undefeated guys had not a wrestling match, but a FIGHT! Very aggressive strikes and offence from both right from the off, the referee was lenient enough to allow them to brawl a lot outside the ring. We even had Lee suplex Moxley onto the top of the ring announce table that had been leant against the guard rail which looked nasty. Back in the ring Brodie seemed the aggressor to begin, but Mox gave as good as he got. Moxley went outside again and seemed to set up the steel steps for something, but after Brodie got the advantage he then set Moxley up on the steps, and then looked to be going for a piledriver or even a slam, but Moxley flipped him over and Brodie went crashing through the nearby bell table. The brawling continued after, Mr. Brodie in the ring hit a big suplex only for Mox to counter with cradle cover for a nearfall. Back outside Mr. Brodie hit a dragon suplex into the wood set of cards that were nearby, with Lee then slamming Moxley into the wood cards. Mox tried to reverse Lee in the, but was countered with a big boot and a sit out powerbomb for a nearfall. A battered Moxley staggered to the ring entrance ramp area, as an increasingly frustrated Exalted One followed after him… Moxley threw what was described as a 'fiber glass poker chip' at Lee, but Brodie avoided the Paradigm Shift after and hit a kick to the mid-section of the champion… Mr. Brodie then signaled for a powerbomb and signaled towards the entrance ramp… And after a brief back and forth we got a quite amazing spot of Moxley hitting the Paradigm Shift to Lee that sent both men THREW the wood entrance ramp!!! Eventually the doctors and officials cleared as Moxley and Lee (with a heavy cut on his head) emerged… Brodie went for the big discuss clothesline as soon as he staggered back in to the ring, but Moxley ducked and hit the Paradigm Shift… BUT BRODIE KICKED OUT AT 1!!! But Moxley wasted no time in unleashing a series of hard strikes and elbows to the already busted open challenger, after biting followed knee strikes, then the big finisher… Brodie kicked out at 2… and then Moxley locked in the chokehold with the rear naked… and Lee's arms dropped and Moxley was declared the winner. Great finish that makes Moxley look strong, but also protects Brodie very well. I though this match was awesome and was everything it needed to be. It was executed and laid out perfectly given the story they told leading up to it and both of the men involved. Great stuff all round.
****1/2
After failing to capture the top prize, Mr. Brodie Lee and the Dark Order looked to instead increase their numbers… And after sending out an invitation to Colt Cabana, they looked to another person who they thought they could recruit and change their fortunes too. One that would add a whole new dimension to the group…
The following week, Colt Cabana (alongside Mr. Brodie Lee) scored what was a rare win for him in AEW in a tag match against Sonny Kiss and Joey Janela. And on Night 2 of Fyter Fest, Cabana again saw the benefits of his new allies help, this time in a 6 man tag against SCU…
Mr. Brodie continued with his recruitment drive for the Dark Order… This time with maybe his most ambitious potential recruit yet…
The next week on Dynamite, after Stu Grayson and Evil Uno of the Dark Order failed to win the AEW Tag titles from Page and Kenny Omega, Mr. Brodie decided he still was not done…
This culminated the next week on Dynamite in a huge 6v6 tag match to open the show. With the collective of 3 of the best tag teams in AEW (Omega and Page, the Bucks and FTR) taking on "9" , Grayson, Evil Uno, "5", Cabana and Brodie…
Among a huge number of top stars, it was Mr. Brodie who got the big win and the dominant performance. And as always in AEW, it was all for a purpose…
The next week on Dynamite, after then TNT Champion Cody had retained his title in a super-fun outing against Scorpio Sky, Mr. Brodie made his intentions clear…
And so it was set. For a special Saturday edition of AEW Dynamite; Cody defending the TNT title against Mr. Brodie Lee…
When I tell you I have watched the following YouTube clip maybe 30 times I am not lying. If ever you wanted a summary of Mr. Brodie Lee in AEW and just how GREAT he was, how much bigger he made everything feel, and how he dragged his stablemates up to the top with him, this was all that and more.
Mr. Brodie Lee. A champion. How it should be.
With Brodie as TNT Champion, and the Nightmare Family on it's knees, we next went to the All Out PPV where Matt Cardona, Scorpio Sky and The Natural Nightmares (Dustin Rhodes and QT Marshall) (with Allie and Brandi Rhodes) defeated The Dark Order (Brodie Lee, Colt Cabana, Evil Uno and Stu Grayson) (with Anna Jay). It wasn't a major match, just more one to get all these people on the card maybe, oh and of course it wasn't Lee who took the pin. In fact the finish, which saw Dustin pin Cabana, led to a TNT title opportunity and a chance at redemption on the next episode of Dynamite.
A solid effort by Dustin, but there was still no stopping Brodie.
2 weeks later, Mr. Brodie again had a defense of his title. This time in a complete contrast of styles, Lee beat Orange Cassidy…
… but then it was a familiar face that kind of stole the headlines…
Mr. Brodie was NOT pleased… (I absolutely LOVE this promo by the way)…
Honestly as far as heel promos go, I thought this was AWESOME. And that really laid the foundations for THE match…
So after the chaotic scenes it was made official, set for the special episode of Dynamite the next week that celebrated 30 years of the career of Chris Jericho… Cody vs Mr. Brodie Lee for the TNT Championship in a DOG COLLAR MATCH.
I'll be honest and say I'm quite emotional typing this right now. I've not watched this match back since it first aired, and of course knowing that this would be Brodie's last really hits home. But I guess it's as good a tribute to the performer he was that his last match would be not only a huge main event match, but one that played out like it did. One that showed off just how great in his role he was. If you can go out of your way to watch it…
Cody defeated Mr. Brodie Lee (C) in a Dog Collar Match to win the TNT Championship
They had Greg Valentine in the crowd, having been one half of "the most famous dog collar match of all time" against Roddy Piper in 1993 which was a cool touch. Commentary noted that it took just 3 minutes 10 seconds for Brodie to beat Cody for the title. Lee had Silver and Anna Jay come out with him, Cody had Arn and Brandi and it was Silver who brought the dog collar and chain. Justin Roberts also announced the ringside doctor and Valentine in his pre match intros. They really did all the could to make this match seen absolutely massive! Eventually the ring cleared and the dog collar and chained were attached to each man, and we got underway. Brodie cut a brief promo beforehand saying this was what Cody asked for and now he will have to deal with him, also telling Arn to shut his mouth. After Cody used the chain to knock Silver (who was also busted open) off the apron, Brodie dominated after. Cody came back but could not take Brodie down, with Lee using the chain to yank Cody off the top to stop a springboard cutter. Lee tried to pull Cody to the outside using the chain, and Mr. Brodie beatdown Cody after. Mr. Brodie got a chair for Silver and instructed him to take a seat, Cody immediately dropkicked Silver and took him out again. Lee dragged Cody back in the ring using the chain, then tightened it before hitting a DDT onto the chain. Lee instructed Anna Jay to take Silver to the back, before he then used the chain to tear at the face of Cody, who was also busted open by this point. Arn tried to motivate Cody, but Lee backed him off and then continued to go at the bleeding face of Cody. Cody eventually got back into it using the chin to hit a low blow and then a Russian leg sweep. He tried to pump himself up, but Lee tried to retreat… Cody hit a Tope to send Mr. Brodie into the barricade, but Lee yanked Cody twice into the same barricade and then back over it. Lee moved the timekeeper's table, eventually with both men fighting on the apron, Cody somehow yanked Lee off the apron into a cutter which was a great spot. Lee was on the apron and very close to going through the table that was now next to it… Cody then hit a package piledriver through the table off the apron!!! Mr. Brodie now had a heavy cut on his head also. Cody went for the first pin but Lee kicked out at 2. Cody tried to pump himself up again, with Lee's face now completely covered in blood. Akin to near Roman Reigns Mania 34 main event level of blood. Brodie tried to crawl up, with Cody screaming at him to get up before hitting him time and time again with the chain, then a huge slam into the chain. Cody whipped Mr. Brodie with the chain over and over, then used the chain to punch Lee in the head over and over… Cody wrapped the chain around the ringpost trying to choke Lee, Mr. Brodie then tried to choke Cody over the ropes, before hitting a bossman slam for a nearfall. Mr. Brodie then threw a chair right at Arn Anderson, who then came into the ring to confront Lee… Alex Reynolds tried to run in, but got a signature Spinebuster from AA (that'll never get old) for his troubles… Lee then did take a shot at Arnderon, Cody got a roll up nearfall after… then really went in with strikes at Lee using the chain… Lee was now down from all the chain-assisted strikes. Cody used the chain to try and choke Mr. Brodie out, but he wouldn't give in… Cody went to the top and got a moonsault for another 2 count. After a kick from Mr. Brodie, Cody hit the Cross Rhodes but Lee kicked out at ONE, Cody looked demonic as he hooked Lee up… Mr. Brodie hit a couple of kicks and a huge powerbomb, but Cody kicked out at 2. Lee tried to get at Cody but he instead went face first into the ringpost… with Cody on the top Lee went after him and hit a huge superplex. Both men were down exhausted as the ref began his count… they exchanged strikes and slammed one another's head to the ring floor, eventually Lee hit a release dragon suplex, and went for the Discuss Lariat but Cody ducked and hit a great counter. He then wrapped the chain around the mouth and face of Mr. Brodie and hit strikes and elbows before hitting another Cross Rhodes… and Finally that was enough for the win. Brandi, Arn and Dustin got in the ring after to help up the new TNT Champion Cody. The members of the Dark Order looked on from ringside in disbelief. Cody cut a great babyface promo after, and they set up his next title match against Orange Cassidy with OC coming out to essentially make the challenge… This match was a great, big-time tv match that played out as brutal as it was built up to be. My personal favourite match of Mr. Brodie in AEW… it would of course take on more meaning in the months that followed than we could of ever known…
From here Cody would go into his second reign as TNT Champion. The Dark Order would be without their leader on TV and would seem to be directionless going forward. We all kind of presumed Lee was being kept off TV for storyline reasons. But on December 27th 2020 it was sadly revealed that Jon Huber had in fact passed away. It was news that shook the entire wrestling world, and came as a shock to many. But it appeared that many around Huber knew he was not well, but to the credit of everyone the privacy was respected.
The Dynamite episode of December 30th would be a show dedicated to the life and memory of Mr. Brodie Lee. It would be a show of unique match ups featuring the members of the Dark Order, as well as a main event match featuring a team of Mr. Brodie's son, Brodie Jr. aka -1, favourite wrestlers teaming up. It was one of the most emotional wrestling shows we have all ever seen.
We had a number of matches and emotional tributes paid by various members of the AEW roster. All of which can be found in the following playlist from the AEW YouTube page. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLILTWWX_AIJQpybUJvxQpVb_HrhBp8EgY
The show itself opened with the entire AEW roster, as well as Lee's family and Tony Khan, stood at the top of the entrance ramp for a 10 bell salute, followed by a personal message from then AEW Champion Jon Moxley.
Our opening match had Matt Hardy and Private Party take on the unique combination of the Dark Order and another AEW act. The whole show in fact would feature a number of fan favourites team up with the Dark Order members. This time it was Colt Cobana teaming with the Young Bucks.
From the off it was very clear we would see a lot of tears and red eyes tonight, but this opener was a great example of the professionalism of this roster. They paid tribute to their friend in the best way possible, by doing what brought them all together.
Darby Allin was next to pay tribute to Brodie. He talked about how Brodie had no ego, and was here to elevate everyone.
The next match saw the team of Dark Order's Evil Uno and Stu Grayson team up with Lance Archer. Archer, in a tribute that certainly made me smile a lot, wore a familiar looking attire to fans of a certain Luke Harper…
The next video focused on Brodie and his love for his family. I don't have the words to do this justice.
Our next match was a very emotional one. We had Adam Page team up with Alex Reynolds and John Silver of the Dark Order. Silver was wearing gear inspired by Mr. Brodie, and was actually made for a skit that was intended to later be a part of BTE… This match was beautiful for a few reasons… but the ending sequence was just wonderful…
Big Red's run in, -1 getting his spot, Silver with the discuss clothesline finisher, Erik coming back out after with his sign… all of it… wonderful.
Eddie Kingston spoke next with some very thoughtful words. Followed by a match between Mr. Brodie's personal recruit into the Dark Order Anna Jay in a match teaming with Tay Conti.
Chris Jericho spoke next, and told a story about a time he and Brodie spent in Jeddah. He finished by promising that everyone would take care of his family.
The main event of the show was an awesome concept. Essentially Brodie Jr, who eventually would become well known as Negative 1, picked his three favourite AEW wrestlers; Cody, Orange Cassidy and 10 of the Dark Order, and they teamed up in a 6 man tag.
The show concluded with this:
I'll finish this blog with a video that gets me every time. And the first time I saw it I wept like a child. Please if you never watch the clips in my blogs, more than ever, I beg you to watch this absolutely beautiful video.
Thank You Brodie.
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When the club began, the idea occurred to honour mothers and fathers by giving an award to the elected mother or father for the year. In the early years, the award was given to the oldest mother. These included MZ, MS, AS and IR. Later it was decided that the award should be given to those most active;ones that contributed most to the good of the club. The choice of the winner of the award is not an easy one, but whoever was chosen, deserved to receive it.


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Support interracial film "Those People," and win a VIP invitation!
By Monique on Thursday, April 6, 2017
You might have remembered my interview with screenwriter Janice Rhoshalle Littlejohn about her upcoming film Lovers in Their Right Mind. I now have a huge update to share!
The film, now called Those People: A Love Story, is in its third week of its crowdsourcing campaign Seed&Spark. The film focuses on a black woman who falls in love with an Iranian immigrant.
Taylor and Mehran meet in a photography class, and the two decide to partner on a class assignment. They work well together. When it comes to intellect and wit, they are each other's equals. They have common interests, and a friendship blooms. Despite the attraction, Taylor struggles to come to terms with their differences.
Throwing her cautions to the wind, she takes a chance on Mehran and they fall in love. Six months later, Mehran proposes. Head over heels, Taylor says yes. She has longed for a good love — and surprises herself finding it with Mehran. But her joy fades as she confronts the backlash from her family. Taylor must decide whether to lose the love of her life in order to keep the family she loves.
The film team has a $20,000 goal, and as of this post, they are at 22%. But they still need your help! According to Littlejohn:
Not since 1991's Mississippi Masala has a feature film starred two non-white leads in an interracial, cross-cultural romance. Ours showcases diverse images of black and brown people, of women and Muslims, plus a key role for a bi-racial/bi-cultural woman.
Such representations are critical in our media landscape, and we're on course to deliver a film vital to our time. To do this, we need to get this film out of development and into pre-production, and springboard our vision onto the screen.
Here's what the cast and crew have to say about the film in their words.
If you want to give to Those People, support them through their Seed&Spark page. Now, here's what's really cool for my L.A. readers:
Exclusive for Just Add Color fans: CONTRIBUTE any amount to Those People: A Love Story, and you'll receive a VIP invitation to an early screening of Those People: A Love Story with Just Add Color's Monique Jones hosting an interview with the filmmakers after the movie.
To contribute, visit the Those People Seed & Spark page. Add the promo code "VIP" to your last name when making your contribution and we'll put you on the list! Offer ends Sunday, April 9 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time. (L.A. only. Travel/lodging not included.)
(Just for clarification: Just Add Color doesn't receive any funding or payment from this Seed&Spark campaign.)
Happy crowdfunding!


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Funding Strategies
Securing federal universal service funding or grants is often essential to public or public-private broadband networking, as well as to ensuring adequate services to schools, libraries, and hospitals. CTC has helped clients capitalize on funding opportunities for more than 15 years.
Developing Strategy to Meet Broadband Goals: Our team has deep experience with federal, state, and regional grant programs. We identify program options and develop appropriate funding strategies that align our clients' broadband plans, including public-private collaboration, with available funding opportunities.
Preparing Applications: We provide guidance and support throughout the tactical phases of the grant process, from researching and writing applications to developing budgets. Our funding team writes grant or E-rate/Healthcare Connect Funds narratives that are strategically positioned to maximize the chances of successful funding. Our GIS team prepares maps of eligible unserved and underserved geographic areas, and our engineers design and estimate costs for how to build networks in those eligible areas. Our business/market team prepares financial models and, as required, conducts statistically valid market research to support revenue projections.
Providing Post-Award Support: Our expert funding strategies team provides post-award services—from compliance and due diligence to oversight of project implementation and ongoing funds management guidance.
Committing the Services of a Dedicated Team: CTC's funding strategies team includes dedicated staff:
Heather Mills, Funding Strategies Team Lead: Heather works to identify, strategize, apply for, and comply with the requirements of state and federal broadband funding opportunities. She has long experience with programs run by USAC, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Appalachian Regional Commission, and the U.S. Department of Commerce. She has also worked to navigate the New Market Tax Credit program. Heather works with E-Rate applicants/consortia and public sector/non-profit providers that require training, strategic guidance, and support with RFPs. She advises on RFP responses and reviews filings for compliance. She is author of an E-rate guidebook for non-profit and municipal providers and co-author of a guide to E-rate for libraries that was commissioned by the Knight Foundation. Additionally, she works to assist with post-award processes such as developing grant management policies and appealing funding decisions.
Matthew DeHaven, Vice President for Fiber and Infrastructure: Matt leads the engineering analysis and design tasks required to support the development of our clients' grant funding strategies and realization of their goals. He has provided hands-on support for broadband network deployments of varying scales over the past two decades—from last-mile municipal networks to regional and statewide networks—and has in-depth experience navigating a wide range of federal and state grant programs.
In particular, Matt has supported successful implementations under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI), the U.S. Department of Commerce's Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP), and the FCC's E-Rate program, and has most recently supported planning and grant applications for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Utilities Service's (RUS) ReConnect grant and loan program.
Matt generates the technical inputs and related engineering analysis required to support the development of successful grant applications, from determining the eligibility of a particular project according to the technical criteria of the grant program to developing the required network designs and cost estimates. He has led technical teams through grant implementations necessitating rigorous reporting and compliance with federal and state requirements.
Karen White, Funding Strategies Project Manager and Principal Analyst: Karen oversees the grant application process—from initial strategy through the development of technical and business case responses and on to submission—on behalf of CTC's clients. Working closely with clients and CTC's funding strategies team, she ensures that applications are fully compliant with grant submittal requirements and deadlines. She advises clients on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Utilities Service (RUS) broadband grants, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grants, and National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) grants, including those associated with FirstNet and NextGen911. Karen represents the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors as a member of DHS's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) SAFECOM Committee; she also vice-chairs the Broadband and Emerging Technologies Working Group for the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC).
David Talbot, Funding Strategies Senior Researcher and Analyst: Dave leads a range of analytical, research, and needs assessment tasks. As a fellow at Harvard's Berkman-Klein Center for Internet & Society, he authored reports on municipal broadband and the impact of competition on broadband pricing. He previously worked as a senior editor and chief correspondent at MIT Technology Review, where he covered internet equity, communications, and energy technologies and policies.
Universal Service Program (E-Rate & Healthcare Connect Fund)
CTC supports both billed entities and municipal service providers with the federal Schools and Libraries Program (commonly known as E-rate) and Healthcare Connect Fund Program (commonly known as HCF).
In addition to facilitating educational workshops and preparing reports that demystify these processes for clients, we have also worked closely with local governments, school districts, library districts, and qualified healthcare providers and consortia to guide them through the proposal and application processes.
Our E-rate and HCF engagements have encompassed strategic planning, data collection, benchmarking of clients' current services, recommending network technologies, drafting and evaluating RFPs and RFP responses, preparing draft E-rate forms (including Forms 470, 471, and 474), and facilitating follow-up communications with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC).
CTC has also developed E-rate thought leadership on a national level. Working on behalf of the Schools, Health, and Libraries Broadband Coalition (SHLB), CTC developed a methodology, conducted engineering and geographic analysis, and prepared a nationwide assessment of the cost to construct fiber to every unserved school and library in the country. CTC's team briefed the FCC Commissioners and staff on our methodology. Our model was cited in the FCC's 2014 report on E-rate modernization ("In the Matter of Modernizing the E-rate Program for Schools and Libraries").
USAC Clients
CTC has supported municipal government providers, school systems, and library districts nationwide in applying for and managing E-rate and Healthcare Connect Fund requests for support. Our clients have included:
Anne Arundel County, MD, Office of Information Technology – Strategic, RFP response, and process support
Baltimore County, MD, Office of Information Technology – Strategic, educational, RFP response, and process support
Baltimore City Public Schools – Strategic, RFP creation and bid evaluation, and process support
Centre County (PA) Federation of Public Libraries – Strategic, RFP creation and bid evaluation, and process support
Clarksville (TN) Department of Electricity – Process support
East Baton Rouge (LA) Parish Libraries – Strategic, RFP creation and bid evaluation, and process support
Free Library of Philadelphia – Strategic support
Howard County, MD – Strategic, RFP response, and process support
Commonwealth of Kentucky – Strategic and educational support
KINBER (PA) – Educational support
Knight Foundation – Strategic, RFP response, and process support
Oconee County, SC – Strategic, RFP response, and process support
City of Pasadena, CA – Process support
City and County of San Francisco – Strategic support
Tennessee Valley Public Power Association, Inc. – Strategic and educational support
Wichita (KS) Public Library – Strategic, RFP creation and bid evaluation, and process support
The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)—a partnership among federal, state, and local government—provides grants for infrastructure projects that improve the region's economic competitiveness, among other goals. CTC wrote a successful application for an ARC grant to support an innovative wireless broadband infrastructure project in Garrett County, Maryland (a rural, mountainous community with a thriving tourism sector and a need to support telecommuters and home-schooling families).
CTC helped the County with engineering and strategic and business planning for expansion of middle-mile fiber—then helped negotiate with a private partner to leverage that fiber to support the deployment of a fixed-wireless broadband network.
The private partner is matching the public investment with its own capital and will assume operating risk. The County contribution (which was matched with ARC development funds) made the economics of this opportunity attractive to the private partner.
The fixed wireless "TV White Spaces" network will serve up to 3,000 currently unserved homes in the most remote parts of the County.
This innovative technical solution to the County's lack of broadband was featured in a 2017 "Motherboard" article, "Rural America Is Building Its Own Internet Because No One Else Will".
In 2018, Congress made the first major appropriation for broadband infrastructure deployment in a decade when it allocated $600 million in funding for the ReConnect program. The program is being developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service (RUS), which oversees grants and loans designed to help underserved rural communities enhance their broadband services.
CTC has advised a number of clients on RUS grant applications (including for the Broadband Initiatives Program established by the Recovery Act in 2009) and has reviewed business plans and projections that make use of RUS loan funds for entities such as UTOPIA, the regional non-profit open access fiber network in suburban and rural Utah.
CTC also advised Grant County, Oregon, and a number of rural California counties and tribes regarding the USDA's Community Connect program, which provides grants for communications infrastructure in low-income areas.
U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)
CTC supported more than a dozen clients with tasks related to the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP)—the federal initiative that distributed Recovery Act funds to expand broadband infrastructure via the Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Our BTOP work started with the first round of applications in 2009 and continued through due diligence and project implementation tasks for successful grantees.
During the BTOP application process, CTC developed business plans and pro formas for several successful applicants, including the $22.5 million Urbana-Champaign Big Broadband project, the $115 million One Maryland Broadband Network (OMBN), the $32.1 million OpenCape project in Cape Cod, and Washington, D.C.'s $17.5 million Community Access Network (DC-CAN).
We developed a sustainable business model and evaluated business plans for KINBER, the BTOP-funded statewide network in Pennsylvania. We also helped EAGLE-Net, the statewide network in Colorado, to devise a sustainable business strategy, and are now providing business planning and strategic planning services.
CTC helped to secure additional NTIA funds from the Public Safety Interoperable Communications (PSIC) grant program on behalf of the National Capital Region's (NCR) public health and public safety communications projects.
U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA)
The Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration oversees the Economic Development Assistance (EDA) program, which has provided economic assistance to distressed communities for many years. Public broadband projects in economically distressed communities are eligible for funding under the Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance programs.
CTC currently is supporting a number of clients with applications for EDA assistance. As part of our work, we review the client's general eligibility and the defined project area. We then support the client in crafting an initial proposal for review by and submission to EDA. This effort involves engaging with a regional representative of EDA to discuss the project before submission and evaluating input from the client on current economic development plans.
The Department of Homeland Security's Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) offers grant funds for the specialized public safety needs of dense urban communities. CTC has provided business case development and ongoing business planning support to three significant UASI grant-funded projects in the National Capital Region (NCR), encompassing Washington, D.C. and almost two-dozen surrounding jurisdictions:
The NCR Interoperability Program's fiber-optic public safety network (NCRnet) supports a range of governmental functions and support agencies at the local and state level. Our involvement with this project began immediately after 9/11, when we were asked to evaluate the feasibility of such a project; that feasibility study later served as the basis of the successful grant application to DHS.
The NCR Patient Tracking Microwave Project supports a stakeholder group comprised of public health providers and health care institutions.
The NCR emergency communications regional video-conferencing network provides constant, interactive, high-end emergency communications to thousands of public safety sites and first responders, as well as a broad range of other government users.
CTC is fluent in the specific requirements of these public safety grants, and in the careful ongoing management required by their highly specific requirements. We work closely with local officials to train their personnel, and our staff also has direct experience preparing budgets and arranging them in a grants management system; creating and submitting reimbursements; preparing quarterly financial reports; interacting with granting authorities; preparing grant close-out reports; and assisting with grant audits.


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Home / Blog / 3Q Named to Ad Age Best Places to Work 2020 List
3Q Named to Ad Age Best Places to Work 2020 List
Author: Laura Rodnitzky
When I interview candidates for jobs at 3Q, they often ask me "What is it you like most about 3Q?" and "How have you maintained the culture as you grow?" The first question is difficult for me to answer succinctly – even after being asked the question tens if not hundreds of times – so I'll get back to that. But the second question, that's easier for me to answer: we've maintained our culture by continuously asking for and acting on feedback from all 3Qers; by being purposeful in trying to create connections between employees spread across multiple geos (now multiple continents) and teams; by operating under the belief that whatever we're doing, we can be doing it better; by empowering each office to have its own unique micro-culture; and by hiring people who are passionate not only about their own growth and success, but also their teams, clients, and communities.
But maintaining a great culture while growing a company doesn't happen without hard work, thoughtful consideration, and engaged employees. Every 3Qer participates in building and growing our culture in a number of ways, including participation in our employee committees, helping out colleagues across the country that they don't even know, discovering shared interests through our employee-driven Slack channels, serving their community through 3Q3%, dressing up for Spirit Days, volunteering to be a buddy for a new hire, and providing feedback through the Employee Voice Survey. The feedback we get from committees, surveys, and individual employees gives the leadership team important insight into what we're doing well as an organization and where we need to improve, and it helps build the roadmap for future enhancements to the employee experience at 3Q.
While our culture has been recognized by industry awards in the past, the honor of making AdAge's Best Places to Work 2020 list is especially meaningful to me because it comes on the heels of a year full of change for 3Q, more than we'd ever seen before.
For people like myself who've been with the company for some time, change is nothing new – it's an inevitable part of being a growing company. But 2019 was a year unlike any other for us. It was a year of highs, including taking a growth investment from two fantastic PE firms, being recognized on the Inc. Best Places to Work 2019 list and as the winner of the first-ever US Search Diversity, Inclusion & Equality Award, bringing on new executive leadership and further diversifying our executive leadership team, launching our first international offices in Dublin and Singapore, and opening amazing new offices in San Diego and Charlottesville. But all of this exciting growth and development was tempered by some big challenges as well, most notably an agency reorganization that resulted in the departure of some really wonderful human beings and coworkers.
All of that change understandably made some 3Qers nervous and others very frustrated. We heard from employees in All Hands meetings, on Glassdoor, and in our Employee Voice Survey, and we learned some important lessons about how to communicate change with our rapidly growing employee base. It was a humbling experience for many of us on the Executive team, and I'm not going to lie – there were times when I worried that the 3Q I have known and loved for 10+ years might not survive all this change.
But then we got news of the AdAge award, which was based on anonymous employee feedback that was collected amidst a lot of this change. It reminded me that the most frustrated employees are often the loudest (which is a good thing – we need to know if employees aren't happy), and that the fundamental reasons employees love 3Q hadn't changed.
So, going back to that question I get asked in interviews: what do I like most about 3Q? It's difficult for me to answer; not because I can't think of an answer, but because I can't think of just one. There are a lot of reasons to love working at 3Q, and why I believe, despite the many changes and challenges of 2019, our employees voted us onto the "Best Places to Work" list. To name a few:
Being surrounded by good people. And I really do mean good. We've done a phenomenal job of finding people who are smart, ambitious, and passionate about growth – but not at the expense of others. We champion each other's successes, we are willing to take time to help others in the org, and we take time to volunteer in our communities.
The ability to grow and shift roles – many of us in the company (including myself and others on my team) have been able to move into different career paths, and we've helped hundreds of people launch their career in digital marketing. I am so proud when I see people who started their career with us now serving as senior leaders in our own org or outside the company.
Being treated as an adult, trusted to make the right decisions, and given a ton of flexibility in where and when we work – the unlimited PTO, flex hours, and work from home allow me to fit work around my life, and not the other way around.
An open and accessible leadership team. There are no corner offices at 3Q – the execs sit out in the open with the rest of the team. And while our CEO explicitly schedules 1:1s with everyone in the company, all of our execs are reachable and open to meetings with anyone, any time. And the feedback that comes out of these meetings often leads to discussions among the larger executive team, and real change for 3Q.
This award gives the 3Q People and leadership teams, as well as every 3Qer, a lot to be proud of. It's an important reminder of the great company and culture we have built together. But we know that we can do better, and we know that as we continue to grow and evolve, it will be ever more challenging to ensure 3Q is a great place to work for all. How will we do it? By continuing to recruit amazing people who believe as much in the growth and development of others as they do in their own, by building out more training and growth opportunities for our people, by listening more and talking less when it comes to change, by always looking for new ways to support our employees as humans with lives and responsibilities outside of work, and by ensuring every person always has a voice at 3Q.
Working at an Agency or In-House – Which is Right for You?
Across the nation, people are changing jobs and planning for the future. As digital marketers
Humans of 3Q: Meet Maya Ghai
Part of what makes 3Q Digital a great place to work is our incredible employees.
Humans of 3Q: Meet Jahz Bolima
Humans of 3Q: Meet Stella Grenn


Travis' day-to-day work is centered around production winemaking (currently dessert wines - Port and Sherry style - and Merlot). This work cycles around the growing season -- prior to harvest, he make trips to the vineyards to assess the fruit quality and the growing site for the grapes which will be going into the wines. As the season progresses, the trips turn into a chance to make picking decisions. After the grapes are harvested, they arrive at the winery. Here, his responsibilities are making sure to have a plan in place to deal with all incoming fruit and to provide processing instructions to the cellar crew. At this time, he will make decisions about what yeast to use, fermentation temperatures, pump-over regimes, thermovinification, etc. After harvest, Travis will strategically age wines with or without the use of oak, micro-oxygenation, or other enological tools. He is then responsible for creating blends targeted toward specific consumer groups for each product, consistent with previous vintages for existing products. This year, Travis will be responsible for delivering roughly 5,000,000 gallons of wine on style, on time and on cost.
In addition to his day-to-day production work, Travis takes part in many exciting projects and works with members of many other divisions at Gallo. These projects have included: new product development, cellar first pass quality, partnering to develop software tools, renovating and repairing micro-ox units, helping to develop new analytical standards, and an international trip to assess new winemaking technologies.


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Headlines from the Peoples State of Washington: the good, the bad, and the ridiculous
On February 1, 2021 By rushbabe49In Authoritarianism, business, Culture, Economics, Education, government, Health care, Law and Justice, Politics in the Age of Trump, Random Musings About Life, transportation
I live now in a One-Party State, with all parts of the government controlled, by large margins, by the Democrat Party (elected by the population of the Seattle area, much to the dismay of Eastern Washington with its lower population). The State has been in a Wuhan Coronavirus Mask Mandate situation since July of 2020. Every state resident is required to wear a dehumanizing face covering whenever they are indoors with strangers, especially in retail stores, offices, and factories. Businesses are held liable for their customers' and workers' behavior when inside, and can face fines, loss of license, or closure if they are found to be admitting massless customers or employees.
There are now multiple vaccines available for the deadly Wuhan Coronavirus, but the State is not doing very well in getting that vaccine out to its vulnerable residents, including long-term-care facility residents, seniors over age 65, and first-responders. Here are some indications of what has been happening in our state. Stories courtesy of KOMO News and MyNorthwest.com.
Over 10,000 people vaccinated for Covid at State sites in the past week.
Three mass-vaccination sites in Snohomish County closed for lack of doses. I happen to live in Snohomish County, and I am way over 65, so eligible for vaccination now.
And then, there's this:
Covid-19 Updates: Getting Covid-vaccinated does not mean you are invincible. Get the people all fired up to get vaccinated so they can resume normal life, then say "Not so fast…". We have been jerked around since last March by the state government which has been literally ruling by decree. Unfortunately, the vast majority of the people in our state are perfectly fine with being ruled from Olympia. However, some of our businesses are not too happy with what the state has done to them.
Study: Washington State Second most restrictive for closing bars and restaurants. Our hospitality industry has been decimated, with hundreds of restaurants closing permanently, and thousands of workers rendered unemployed. Only the little people suffer.
Criticism of Washington's Phase 2 move includes inconsistent metrics. This is a great story-read this one to see how the ruling by decree, and moving the goalposts constantly, has affected our hospitality industry. This is criminal. And the state bureaucrats and Health Nazis never worry about losing their jobs.
7 taken into custody as Olympia hotel cleared of homeless advocates demanding pandemic housing.
The Homeless-Industrial Complex is very powerful in the Pacific Northwest. The article above shows a group of so-called "homeless advocates", armed with hatchets and batons, literally invading a local hotel, demanding housing for the homeless. And, in Seattle's Mayoral contest:
Seattle Mayoral Candidate seeks spaces for homeless. The taxpayers of Seattle can go to hell, but the homeless need living space, at those taxpayers' expense. Seattle parks have been turned into filthy campsites, where drug-dealing and guns are rampant.
Even the college town of Bellingham has been invaded by the homeless, and their "advocates" of the organization "Housing Now".
And from Olympia, the State Capitol:
Proposed new K-9 Law alarms law enforcement. The state wants to restrict the use of K-9 Officers (AKA dogs), which would not help enforce the law, but would enable criminals to get away. Yes, here in the Peoples State of Washington, criminals get more consideration than law-abiding taxpayers.
In Seattle:
Seattle schools teaching radical BLM and anti-police curriculum in Kindergarten to fifth grades! This is criminal, to teach little kids to be ashamed of the color of their skin, and their parents, and to hate policemen who are there to protect them from bad people.
And the ridiculous:
Local organization pushes bill that would mandate electric cars by 2030. This stupid bill is even more onerous than the ones being pushed in California and DC (which don't mandate electric until 2035). The State will now tell you what kind of automobile you MUST drive. The only problem being that the people do not want electric cars! If everyone wanted an electric car, they could by one today, but, funny thing, most people still prefer their gasoline-powered cars. And the state is telling auto makers that they must build electric cars that the public does not want. Good luck with that.
Sigh… Welcome to Washington State, where the people of Seattle with all their aging-hippie residents and ideas, make policy for the entire state.
good bad and ridiculoushomeless advocateslaw enforcement hobbledmandate electric cars by 2030state of Washingtonvaccine shortageWuhan Coronavirus
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #133: My photography journey
The Bidenist Purges-update 2/9


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A new study shows why working through a few problems may be an anxiety elixir.
When it comes to managing anxiety, science just lent more credibility to the advice to "stay busy." Engaging the brain to stay busy with problem-solving appears to be an effective buffer against debilitating anxiety, especially in those prone to the worst of the condition, according to a new brain imaging study from Duke University researchers.
The research team assessed a group of 120 participants to find out which were most at-risk in terms of responding to anxiety triggers. Peoples' brains most prone to anxiety tend to display a bigger response to threats and a lower response to rewards, so researchers exposed participants to stimuli designed to trigger a response from the brain areas most associated with threats and rewards (the amygdala and ventral striatum, respectively).
They also asked the participants to complete a problem-solving task (a simple memory problem involving a little math) to stimulate activity in their brains' executive control center—the seat of problem-solving—the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DPC).
Brain imaging showed that the highest threat and lowest reward responses predicted high levels of anxiety in participants who had low or average DPC activity, but not in participants with high DPC activity. In other words, stimulating the problem-solving center of at-risk individuals' brains seemed to protect them from the worst effects of anxiety. A follow-up evaluation and brain scan of the study participants seven months later confirmed the initial findings.
"These findings help reinforce a strategy whereby individuals may be able to improve their emotional functioning—their mood, their anxiety, their experience of depression—not only by directly addressing those phenomena, but also by indirectly improving their general cognitive functioning," said study co-author Ahmad Hariri, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Duke.
Though the results are promising, a couple of caveats are worth noting. The most important is a matter of interpretation: the study could be interpreted to show that pre-existing wiring of certain brains provides this in-built anxiety protection, while other brains simply lack it. If that's the case, then it wouldn't be accurate to say that problem-solving is an effective buffer against anxiety for anyone with the condition, but only those with brains fortunate enough to be wired that way.
On the other hand, it's also possible that the effect is a matter of degree. Perhaps some brains are wired a bit more fortunately, but maybe it just takes a little more problem-solving stimulation in other brains to catalyze the same protective effect.
Those questions remain open, at least for now. In the shorter term, the results point to new directions in anxiety research and give anxiety sufferers a worthwhile reason to stay busy.
The study was published in the journal Cerebral Cortex.
I've suffered anxiety issues from the age of 16, saying 'stay busy' is fine during the day, but what about at night when your desperate to sleep, but can't because your physiology is being tortured by thought processes?
How do you know for sure you are anxious?
I find myself I am anxious when I am at junction where something is truly bothering me...............something so obvious to my body but not to my consciousness...and I find I go into this tailspin of trying to solve it and I find the minute I solve it viscerally not intellectually (the latter may even come few days), then the anxiety stops.
The reason I ask this question is I also talk to myself a lot to challenge my behaviour or thought process but I wonder if talking non-stop to myself is the definition of anxiety or does anxiety must feel debilitating?
The only time again I have a debilitating anxiety is when I truly hit a limitation within my psyche and I must resolve an issue...it could be something deep and fundamental about my personality that I am in denial or unconscious of.
New research helps explain the crucial linkages between sleep and mental health.
Research shows that staying fit in middle age may reduce dementia risk later.
Be Merry and Solve Problems!
Jealousy: How Do You Solve a Problem Like Medea?


Bennelong – Call To Action!
The seat of Bennelong is up for by-election on Saturday 16 December 2017.
We are considering contesting this by-election, but only if we get enough volunteers to do it properly. If there are not enough volunteers by Monday, our campaign will not go ahead. We know that this isn't much time, but there is a lot of paperwork to nominate a candidate and very little time to do it in as nominations close soon.
We are looking for volunteers locally who are in commuting distance to Bennelong NSW, and Australia-wide who can offer assistance online. We particularly need a coordinator who is on the ground in Sydney.
Anything else you can offer?
If you have any connections which you think could be helpful, please come forward.


When I first heard that NetBeans and OpenJDK were going to switch to a version control system I'd never heard of called Mercurial (aka Hg) I had some reservations.
Well, this weekend, we did the switch - all the sources of NetBeans are now housed in Mercurial at https://hg.netbeans.org - and I also spent Saturday setting up my own Mercurial server at home from scratch and putting a bunch of code in it and working on it. It was incredibly easy to set up!
Mercurial is a distributed VCS. You have a local repository that you commit a changeset to. Then you push changes to some other repository (might be a local path or a http or ssh url), or you pull changes from a remote repository.
Because everything lives and dies by hashes, if someone pushes changes to files you haven't changed, and you want to push changes to other files, you have to pull all the changes from the remote repository before you can push yours. One of those things where it's fine unless everybody flushes the toilet at once, which might happen around the end of the day when it comes to pushing changes.
All and all, I am very happy about this change. Have you used Mercurial? What do you think? I'm sure there are gotchas I haven't forseen - anything that changes workflow for a few hundred people is disruptive. But so far it's been a remarkably smooth transition.


When I write, one of the most difficult things to deal with is the sense that I'm not really creating anything unique—that my music is somehow derivative, either of my own earlier work or of somebody else's. This is understandable—there are only so many notes in the scale, so many chord qualities and rhythmic subdivisions to play with. Jazz mitigates the problem somewhat by pushing the envelope—by allowing more complex rhythms, chord progressions, and melody-bass relationships—but no matter how far you push, the problem is still there. This can be discouraging, but I'm not so sure it should be.
The good doctor was kind enough to provide me with a recording of your concert. Your performance shows …feeling.
As I have recently reminded others, sir, I have no feeling.
It's hard to believe. Your playing is quite beautiful.
Strictly speaking, sir, it is not _my_ playing. It is a precise imitation of the techniques of Jascha Heifetz and Trinka Bronkin.
[shakes head] Is there nothing of Data in what I'm hearing? You see, you chose the violinists. Heifetz and Bronkin have radically different styles, different techniques, and yet you combined them successfully.
I suppose I _have_ learned to be …creative, sir—when necessary.
Mr. Data, I look forward to your next concert.
I like how this discussion frames the problem. Data is a machine, so he's already lacking in one area typically considered necessary for creative work: emotion. However, he does have drive. Throughout the series, Data's chief drive (maybe even "passion") is to become more human. This leads him to pursue all kinds of artistic endeavors: painting, acting, music…anything he thinks will help him connect more meaningfully with his human creators. Surprisingly, he frequently succeeds, despite lacking the raw, subjective emotional ingredients we typically believe are necessary for such creativity.
In this instance, Data's creative experiment with the violin involves a simple proposition: pick two master violinists, combine their styles, and see what happens. As Picard points out, this, despite requiring no emotion, is in and of itself a creative act. By choosing the violinists, Data has staked a claim in the resulting art; by calculating the best combination of their techniques, he has come up with something only he could have come up with. He didn't have to invent anything per se, only to build out of what had already been invented by others. This kind of creativity, by definition, is derivative…but it is creativity.
Data's approach here is hardly unique. Heck, in the real world, musicians take the building blocks of one anothers' work all the time (often without realizing it), resulting in countless songs leveraging the same basic chord progressions. Not surprising; even jazz musicians (who love pushing envelopes) do the same thing with rhythm changes and the twelve-bar blues.
Given how common this is, I wonder why we so often think that truly "creative" folks are magically extracting brand-new ideas out of thin air. Who has ever done such a thing? Isn't all creativity derivative to some degree? If someone could come up with something totally novel, something that didn't depend at all on earlier ideas, would any of us understand it? If Data, instead of learning to play the violin after the tradition of the masters, had decided to invent a totally original approach to the instrument, I doubt the crew would have wanted to listen to it; it may have been original (maybe even beautiful to those who understood its mathematical qualities), but it would also have been so totally unfamiliar as to evoke all the emotional response of white noise.
Bottom line is this: we have to get our ideas from somewhere, and pushing that envelope will only get you so far. I think I'm going to stop worrying about it and just enjoy the ride.


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Q: Get rid of warning C4503 globally I'm trying to remove around 400 warnings like "C4503: decorated name length exceeded, name was truncated ..." from a huge project.
As this question states, there's no easy way to figure out from where these warnings are coming from, besides there will be in a lot of different translation units. In order to remove them I would like to do it through the Visual Studio project settings (I use VS 2013).
Is it possible? How can I do it?

A: It can be done in two different ways:

*

*Project properties -> C++ -> Advanced -> Disable specific warnings -> Add 4503.

*Disable the compiler warning by /wd4503


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Lowe joins L.A. radio station as news writer
Brian Lowe
Brian Lowe has joined KNX News, a commercial radio station in Los Angeles as a news writer. Previously, he was working as a freelance editor at MarcoPolis, a press and communications agency in Paris.
He was also an editor at KFI 640AM, an iHeartMedia radio station. He has also edited for the Global Times North America Inc. in Diamond Bar, California. He was also a news director at Grant Broadcasters in Nowra, Australia.
Lowe has an advanced diploma in public relations from South Brisbane TAFE College.
Job changes


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And Then, What Else? All I Really Know about All I Really Know
All I can say about the lyrical content of today's previously unheard offering, submitted for your approval, is that it was written in the tumultuous early days of 2001.
We were broke, and had been fighting, a bit
We'd worked out our respective beefs, though, and grew up quite a lot in the process. The new collaborations took on a renewed sense of exuberance and passion.
Problem is — we were still broke.
Another important thing to remember is where we were, as a country, in that period. No one lives in a fishbowl, and we were becoming more aware of what was going on. The new songs conveyed a hopeful, but concerned point of view, written by a person dealing with the onset of a new era, both economically, and politically.
George W. Bush had just entered the Oval Office and, almost immediately, there were reports of secret meetings with heads of energy industries.
We were not activists on any front, at that point, and we had never taken any political stand, as a group. But, being interested in the environment was a common bond between us, and we all started to get more informed about what was going on, and being set into policy, by a group that seemed to be the beneficiaries of said policy – who got to write it!
Those classified meetings eventually were made public, and we now know that our worst fears were not only met, but it was much worse than anyone could have dreamt — the plans for an Iraq invasion were being drawn.
Even without that knowledge, the portents were deeply unsettling, and it led to many of us becoming much more activist in our personal lives. But, in Mat's humble hippie head, in the fallow days of 2001, the focus of his lyric was all about coping with daily life, with all these brand new unknowns that lay ahead.
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Native Deals With It
A Second Helping Of Love