text:
A weekly series of columns originally published in the Friday edition of the Ely Times
Time Warp Photography
If you think you were born one hundred years too late to witness the glory of steam railroading, then I have good news for you: you weren't. There still exists a place where time stopped.
Steam locomotives still rule the rails here. Passenger trains are still made up with cars whose origins date back as far as 1872. These wooden coaches coupled with a baggage/railway post office combination car are pulled by one of the sweetest steam locomotives still in existence: locomotive 40, a 4-6-0 that rolled out of the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1910. Still steaming today, locomotive 40 epitomizes the classic lines of a passenger locomotive from the turn of the last century.
Should there be a mishap on the tracks here we send for the big hook, a century-old operating steam powered wrecking crane. This wrecking crane is pulled by a ninety-eight year old 2-8-0 steam locomotive that looks like it just rolled out of the American Locomotive Company shops. The wreck train consists of the crane, a tank car, flatcar, tool car, outfit car and, of course, a caboose. Once the wreck train arrives on site, the crane is blocked up and laboriously turns to the derailed piece of equipment as men scramble over the wreckage rigging chains and getting ready. The big hook is lowered and chains are wrapped around the derailed car. Then the men fall back, the ground guide signals the operator to raise the hook and quietly (yes quietly) the hook begins to rise and the derailed car is pulled up into the air and put back on to the rails, all with steam power.
Of course, once the tracks are cleared, it's time to get on with the business of railroading. Freight trains can once again roll and so will ore trains. Most of the freight in the last century moved in boxcars. No self-respecting railroad would be without boxcars and our railroad is no different. We have four wooden boxcars built in 1912 that are in top condition and ready for their next load.
This was a time when steam moved mountains. The real business of our railroad was copper and copper was king! It was the reason that the railroad was built in the first place and ore trains ran day and night year round. The demand for copper was insatiable. It was the miracle metal that made all of the newfangled inventions, such as the electric light and the telephone, possible. Today our ore trains still move from the mine to the mill—steam powered, of course.
And what you see here is not a mishmash of equipment from different railroads or different countries, nor is the equipment prettified or garish. This is original railroad equipment from right here in the original paint schemes. All of this equipment has been on the property for many, many decades and in one or two cases more than a century, all of it still operating on the original track that was graded and laid a century ago.
Of course, locomotives, rolling stock, and tracks are a big and obvious part of this railroad but still just part of what makes a railroad work. You also need the infrastructure: enginehouse, machine shop, carpenter shop, blacksmith shop, depot, and dispatcher building. Oh, and don't forget the locomotives go nowhere without a coaling tower and water standpipes. We have those too, the original ones!
Considered by William L. Withuhn, Curator, History of Technology & Transportation at the Smithsonian Institution, "Among all railroad historic sites anywhere in North America, the Nevada Northern Railway complex at East Ely is—no question in my view—the most complete, most authentic, and best cared-for, bar none. It's a living American treasure and a standout one. Historic tracks, original depot and office building, enginehouse, freight shed, three original steam locomotives, five historic and rare wooden passenger cars, Kennecott diesel engines, 60 early freight cars, working machine shop, foundry—even the coaling tower and water tower that are icons of the site—everything is still there."
So where can you travel back in time and experience the grandeur that is steam railroading? Standing out front is the Nevada Northern Railway, a National Historic Landmark in Ely, Nevada. And we offer incredible opportunities to experience steam railroading up close and photograph it.
The Nevada Northern Railway Museum will be hosting four steam spectacular photo shoots. The first will be September 23, 24 and 25, 2007. Then in February 2008, it is the 9th Annual Nevada Northern Railway Photo Shoot or what we like to call the Winter Steam Spectacular. Joel Jensen an award-wining photographer is the coordinator of this event. And in Joel's own words: "If you like steam, have we got it for you! Clouds and clouds of it, once again, our railroad will strut its stuff in sub-zero degree weather (or close to it). Both steam locomotives; #93, a 2-8-0 built in 1909 and #40, a 4-6-0 built in 1910 will be running! Both locomotives will be pulling vintage freight and passenger cars that are original to the railroad. Snow? We've had it on previous winter spectaculars, 6 inches of it during the 1999 version. Sub-zero? We hit -5 in 2001, and you should have seen the frost on the sagebrush. Sun? How about cobalt blue skies during the shoot. Point being, we've offered up just about every type of meteorological conditions that wintertime Ely experiences, including shirtsleeve weather."
Heading home with a fast freight, locomotive 40 is being pressed into unusual service by hauling boxcars. Normally, the queen of the Nevada Northern would be hauling the Steptoe Valley Flyer from Ely to Cobre.
People come from around the world to photograph the NNRy. The photographers are clustered together to get glint shoots of an ore train powered by ALCO RS-2 105 & ALCO RS-3 109. ALCO RS locomotives are considered honorary steam locomotives because of their tendency to smoke.
If you think that steam locomotives 93 and 40 look good on an 85-degree day in August, wait 'till you see them on a zero-degree day in February. They look pretty good in a snowstorm too—billowing white clouds of steam plus plumes of black & gray smoke that tower above the canyons and valleys.
Bottom Line? World-class photography. Participants have won numerous photo contests, recording timeless scenes of a historical railroad that is second to none. Many of the "Winter Spectacular" photos rival the best that National Geographic has to offer.
You'll freeze your butt off (hopefully) but we'll keep the fires burning in the cabooses. True, you may have to have your frostbitten fingers, toes, and nose amputated but when you see your photos, you will be glad that you gave up a body part or two for images that will last a lifetime.
For the third year in a row, the Heber Valley Railroad will be offering photo shoots in between the Nevada Northern Railway photo shoots. The two railroads have teamed up to offer an exceptional opportunity to photograph steam locomotives in the winter. The combined efforts of the two railroads will give you the opportunity to photograph three steam locomotives with vintage freight and passenger equipment in winter settings. Scenery will include rail yards, mines, ghost towns, mountains, and valleys. This is not an opportunity to be missed!
Make your reservations early; there are a limited number of participant slots in each photo session. Because both 2007 photo sessions sold out very early, two more were added: one in the fall of 2007 and one more (for a total of three) slated for February 2008.
This is the best of both worlds. You can photograph scenes from the decades ago with all of the conveniences of modern civilization. For more information and to make reservations contact the museum, toll-free, at (866) 407-8326.
All Rights Reserved - Page Last Updated 09 February 2021


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text:
RuPaul and Georges Got Married!
Julianne Escobedo Shepherd
Filed to:rupaul
All congratulations to RuPaul, who announced Wednesday on Hollywood Today Live that he had married his longtime partner Georges LeBar in January—on the 23rd anniversary of the night they met at Limelight in New York City. It was a club inside a church, so it was only destiny!
LeBar is an artist who lives on his ranch in Wyoming, and the couple has sustained a semi-long-distance arrangement for much of their relationship. Ru explained to Hollywood Today that the ranch is 60,000 acres and overlaps into South Dakota. "When I go there, I dress up in Western wear, but nobody cares," he said, explaining that when they get together it's often in more glamorous vacation spots. "Wyoming—god bless you in Wyoming—but it's very boring, and it's the most isolated place on earth." (As a native Wyomingite, I can confirm these statements.)
Ru also said, perhaps half-jokingly, that they got married "really for tax breaks and financial things," but when I profiled him in 2013 for Spin, he almost started weeping when talking about the love of his life. Back then, he told me, "[Georges is] a lovely, kind person. Being able to experience that in my life, it is honestly, absolutely my greatest achievement allowing someone to love me like that. It is amazing."
Mazel tov to the happy couple, and may they celebrate a zillion years not in Wyoming to come!
Editor in Chief, Jezebel

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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The Pro First 543 Newspaper Box in Silver protects your daily newspapers and various catalogs from moisture. It harmonizes perfectly in colour and design with all Pro First Letterboxes. The Newspaper Box is open on both sides.


text:
using base::win::ScopedCOMInitializer;
using ::testing::_;
using ::testing::AnyNumber;
using ::testing::AtLeast;
using ::testing::Gt;
using ::testing::NotNull;

namespace media {

ACTION_P3(CheckCountAndPostQuitTask, count, limit, loop) {
  if (++*count >= limit) {
    loop->PostTask(FROM_HERE, base::MessageLoop::QuitClosure());
  }
}

class MockAudioInputCallback : public AudioInputStream::AudioInputCallback {
 public:
  MOCK_METHOD5(OnData, void(AudioInputStream* stream,
                            const uint8* src, uint32 size,
                            uint32 hardware_delay_bytes, double volume));
  MOCK_METHOD1(OnClose, void(AudioInputStream* stream));
  MOCK_METHOD1(OnError, void(AudioInputStream* stream));
};

class FakeAudioInputCallback : public AudioInputStream::AudioInputCallback {
 public:
  FakeAudioInputCallback()
    : closed_(false),
      error_(false),
      data_event_(false, false) {
  }

  const std::vector<uint8>& received_data() const { return received_data_; }
  bool closed() const { return closed_; }
  bool error() const { return error_; }

  // Waits until OnData() is called on another thread.
  void WaitForData() {
    data_event_.Wait();
  }

  virtual void OnData(AudioInputStream* stream,
                      const uint8* src, uint32 size,
                      uint32 hardware_delay_bytes, double volume) OVERRIDE {
    received_data_.insert(received_data_.end(), src, src + size);
    data_event_.Signal();
  }

  virtual void OnClose(AudioInputStream* stream) OVERRIDE {
    closed_ = true;
  }

  virtual void OnError(AudioInputStream* stream) OVERRIDE {
    error_ = true;
  }

 private:
  std::vector<uint8> received_data_;
  base::WaitableEvent data_event_;
  bool closed_;
  bool error_;

  DISALLOW_COPY_AND_ASSIGN(FakeAudioInputCallback);
};

// This audio sink implementation should be used for manual tests only since
// the recorded data is stored on a raw binary data file.
class WriteToFileAudioSink : public AudioInputStream::AudioInputCallback {
 public:
  // Allocate space for ~10 seconds of data @ 48kHz in stereo:
  // 2 bytes per sample, 2 channels, 10ms @ 48kHz, 10 seconds <=> 1920000 bytes.
  static const size_t kMaxBufferSize = 2 * 2 * 480 * 100 * 10;

  explicit WriteToFileAudioSink(const char* file_name)
      : buffer_(0, kMaxBufferSize),
        bytes_to_write_(0) {
    base::FilePath file_path;
    EXPECT_TRUE(PathService::Get(base::DIR_EXE, &file_path));
    file_path = file_path.AppendASCII(file_name);
    binary_file_ = file_util::OpenFile(file_path, "wb");
    DLOG_IF(ERROR, !binary_file_) << "Failed to open binary PCM data file.";
    LOG(INFO) << ">> Output file: " << file_path.value()
              << " has been created.";
  }

  virtual ~WriteToFileAudioSink() {
    size_t bytes_written = 0;
    while (bytes_written < bytes_to_write_) {
      const uint8* chunk;
      int chunk_size;

      // Stop writing if no more data is available.
      if (!buffer_.GetCurrentChunk(&chunk, &chunk_size))
        break;

      // Write recorded data chunk to the file and prepare for next chunk.
      fwrite(chunk, 1, chunk_size, binary_file_);
      buffer_.Seek(chunk_size);
      bytes_written += chunk_size;
    }
    file_util::CloseFile(binary_file_);
  }

  // AudioInputStream::AudioInputCallback implementation.
  virtual void OnData(AudioInputStream* stream,
                      const uint8* src,
                      uint32 size,
                      uint32 hardware_delay_bytes,
                      double volume) {
    // Store data data in a temporary buffer to avoid making blocking
    // fwrite() calls in the audio callback. The complete buffer will be
    // written to file in the destructor.
    if (buffer_.Append(src, size)) {
      bytes_to_write_ += size;
    }
  }

  virtual void OnClose(AudioInputStream* stream) {}
  virtual void OnError(AudioInputStream* stream) {}

 private:
  media::SeekableBuffer buffer_;
  FILE* binary_file_;
  size_t bytes_to_write_;
};

// Convenience method which ensures that we are not running on the build
// bots and that at least one valid input device can be found. We also
// verify that we are not running on XP since the low-latency (WASAPI-
// based) version requires Windows Vista or higher.
static bool CanRunAudioTests(AudioManager* audio_man) {
  if (!CoreAudioUtil::IsSupported()) {
    LOG(WARNING) << "This tests requires Windows Vista or higher.";
    return false;
  }
  // TODO(henrika): note that we use Wave today to query the number of
  // existing input devices.
  bool input = audio_man->HasAudioInputDevices();
  LOG_IF(WARNING, !input) << "No input device detected.";
  return input;
}

// Convenience method which creates a default AudioInputStream object but
// also allows the user to modify the default settings.
class AudioInputStreamWrapper {
 public:
  explicit AudioInputStreamWrapper(AudioManager* audio_manager)
      : com_init_(ScopedCOMInitializer::kMTA),
        audio_man_(audio_manager),
        format_(AudioParameters::AUDIO_PCM_LOW_LATENCY),
        channel_layout_(CHANNEL_LAYOUT_STEREO),
        bits_per_sample_(16) {
    // Use native/mixing sample rate and 10ms frame size as default.
    sample_rate_ = static_cast<int>(
        WASAPIAudioInputStream::HardwareSampleRate(
            AudioManagerBase::kDefaultDeviceId));
    samples_per_packet_ = sample_rate_ / 100;
  }

  ~AudioInputStreamWrapper() {}

  // Creates AudioInputStream object using default parameters.
  AudioInputStream* Create() {
    return CreateInputStream();
  }

  // Creates AudioInputStream object using non-default parameters where the
  // frame size is modified.
  AudioInputStream* Create(int samples_per_packet) {
    samples_per_packet_ = samples_per_packet;
    return CreateInputStream();
  }

  AudioParameters::Format format() const { return format_; }
  int channels() const {
    return ChannelLayoutToChannelCount(channel_layout_);
  }
  int bits_per_sample() const { return bits_per_sample_; }
  int sample_rate() const { return sample_rate_; }
  int samples_per_packet() const { return samples_per_packet_; }

 private:
  AudioInputStream* CreateInputStream() {
    AudioInputStream* ais = audio_man_->MakeAudioInputStream(
        AudioParameters(format_, channel_layout_, sample_rate_,
                        bits_per_sample_, samples_per_packet_),
                        AudioManagerBase::kDefaultDeviceId);
    EXPECT_TRUE(ais);
    return ais;
  }

  ScopedCOMInitializer com_init_;
  AudioManager* audio_man_;
  AudioParameters::Format format_;
  ChannelLayout channel_layout_;
  int bits_per_sample_;
  int sample_rate_;
  int samples_per_packet_;
};

// Convenience method which creates a default AudioInputStream object.
static AudioInputStream* CreateDefaultAudioInputStream(
    AudioManager* audio_manager) {
  AudioInputStreamWrapper aisw(audio_manager);
  AudioInputStream* ais = aisw.Create();
  return ais;
}

class ScopedAudioInputStream {
 public:
  explicit ScopedAudioInputStream(AudioInputStream* stream)
      : stream_(stream) {}

  ~ScopedAudioInputStream() {
    if (stream_)
      stream_->Close();
  }

  void Close() {
    if (stream_)
      stream_->Close();
    stream_ = NULL;
  }

  AudioInputStream* operator->() {
    return stream_;
  }

  AudioInputStream* get() const { return stream_; }

  void Reset(AudioInputStream* new_stream) {
    Close();
    stream_ = new_stream;
  }

 private:
  AudioInputStream* stream_;

  DISALLOW_COPY_AND_ASSIGN(ScopedAudioInputStream);
};

// Verify that we can retrieve the current hardware/mixing sample rate
// for all available input devices.
TEST(WinAudioInputTest, WASAPIAudioInputStreamHardwareSampleRate) {
  scoped_ptr<AudioManager> audio_manager(AudioManager::Create());
  if (!CanRunAudioTests(audio_manager.get()))
    return;

  ScopedCOMInitializer com_init(ScopedCOMInitializer::kMTA);

  // Retrieve a list of all available input devices.
  media::AudioDeviceNames device_names;
  audio_manager->GetAudioInputDeviceNames(&device_names);

  // Scan all available input devices and repeat the same test for all of them.
  for (media::AudioDeviceNames::const_iterator it = device_names.begin();
       it != device_names.end(); ++it) {
    // Retrieve the hardware sample rate given a specified audio input device.
    // TODO(tommi): ensure that we don't have to cast here.
    int fs = static_cast<int>(WASAPIAudioInputStream::HardwareSampleRate(
        it->unique_id));
    EXPECT_GE(fs, 0);
  }
}

// Test Create(), Close() calling sequence.
TEST(WinAudioInputTest, WASAPIAudioInputStreamCreateAndClose) {
  scoped_ptr<AudioManager> audio_manager(AudioManager::Create());
  if (!CanRunAudioTests(audio_manager.get()))
    return;
  ScopedAudioInputStream ais(
      CreateDefaultAudioInputStream(audio_manager.get()));
  ais.Close();
}

// Test Open(), Close() calling sequence.
TEST(WinAudioInputTest, WASAPIAudioInputStreamOpenAndClose) {
  scoped_ptr<AudioManager> audio_manager(AudioManager::Create());
  if (!CanRunAudioTests(audio_manager.get()))
    return;
  ScopedAudioInputStream ais(
      CreateDefaultAudioInputStream(audio_manager.get()));
  EXPECT_TRUE(ais->Open());
  ais.Close();
}

// Test Open(), Start(), Close() calling sequence.
TEST(WinAudioInputTest, WASAPIAudioInputStreamOpenStartAndClose) {
  scoped_ptr<AudioManager> audio_manager(AudioManager::Create());
  if (!CanRunAudioTests(audio_manager.get()))
    return;
  ScopedAudioInputStream ais(
      CreateDefaultAudioInputStream(audio_manager.get()));
  EXPECT_TRUE(ais->Open());
  MockAudioInputCallback sink;
  ais->Start(&sink);
  EXPECT_CALL(sink, OnClose(ais.get()))
      .Times(1);
  ais.Close();
}

// Test Open(), Start(), Stop(), Close() calling sequence.
TEST(WinAudioInputTest, WASAPIAudioInputStreamOpenStartStopAndClose) {
  scoped_ptr<AudioManager> audio_manager(AudioManager::Create());
  if (!CanRunAudioTests(audio_manager.get()))
    return;
  ScopedAudioInputStream ais(
      CreateDefaultAudioInputStream(audio_manager.get()));
  EXPECT_TRUE(ais->Open());
  MockAudioInputCallback sink;
  ais->Start(&sink);
  ais->Stop();
  EXPECT_CALL(sink, OnClose(ais.get()))
      .Times(1);
  ais.Close();
}

// Test some additional calling sequences.
TEST(WinAudioInputTest, WASAPIAudioInputStreamMiscCallingSequences) {
  scoped_ptr<AudioManager> audio_manager(AudioManager::Create());
  if (!CanRunAudioTests(audio_manager.get()))
    return;
  ScopedAudioInputStream ais(
      CreateDefaultAudioInputStream(audio_manager.get()));
  WASAPIAudioInputStream* wais =
      static_cast<WASAPIAudioInputStream*>(ais.get());

  // Open(), Open() should fail the second time.
  EXPECT_TRUE(ais->Open());
  EXPECT_FALSE(ais->Open());

  MockAudioInputCallback sink;

  // Start(), Start() is a valid calling sequence (second call does nothing).
  ais->Start(&sink);
  EXPECT_TRUE(wais->started());
  ais->Start(&sink);
  EXPECT_TRUE(wais->started());

  // Stop(), Stop() is a valid calling sequence (second call does nothing).
  ais->Stop();
  EXPECT_FALSE(wais->started());
  ais->Stop();
  EXPECT_FALSE(wais->started());

  EXPECT_CALL(sink, OnClose(ais.get()))
    .Times(1);
  ais.Close();
}

TEST(WinAudioInputTest, WASAPIAudioInputStreamTestPacketSizes) {
  scoped_ptr<AudioManager> audio_manager(AudioManager::Create());
  if (!CanRunAudioTests(audio_manager.get()))
    return;

  int count = 0;
  base::MessageLoopForUI loop;

  // 10 ms packet size.

  // Create default WASAPI input stream which records in stereo using
  // the shared mixing rate. The default buffer size is 10ms.
  AudioInputStreamWrapper aisw(audio_manager.get());
  ScopedAudioInputStream ais(aisw.Create());
  EXPECT_TRUE(ais->Open());

  MockAudioInputCallback sink;

  // Derive the expected size in bytes of each recorded packet.
  uint32 bytes_per_packet = aisw.channels() * aisw.samples_per_packet() *
      (aisw.bits_per_sample() / 8);

  // We use 10ms packets and will run the test until ten packets are received.
  // All should contain valid packets of the same size and a valid delay
  // estimate.
  EXPECT_CALL(sink, OnData(
      ais.get(), NotNull(), bytes_per_packet, Gt(bytes_per_packet), _))
      .Times(AtLeast(10))
      .WillRepeatedly(CheckCountAndPostQuitTask(&count, 10, &loop));
  ais->Start(&sink);
  loop.Run();
  ais->Stop();

  // Store current packet size (to be used in the subsequent tests).
  int samples_per_packet_10ms = aisw.samples_per_packet();

  EXPECT_CALL(sink, OnClose(ais.get()))
      .Times(1);
  ais.Close();

  // 20 ms packet size.

  count = 0;
  ais.Reset(aisw.Create(2 * samples_per_packet_10ms));
  EXPECT_TRUE(ais->Open());
  bytes_per_packet = aisw.channels() * aisw.samples_per_packet() *
      (aisw.bits_per_sample() / 8);

  EXPECT_CALL(sink, OnData(
      ais.get(), NotNull(), bytes_per_packet, Gt(bytes_per_packet), _))
      .Times(AtLeast(10))
      .WillRepeatedly(CheckCountAndPostQuitTask(&count, 10, &loop));
  ais->Start(&sink);
  loop.Run();
  ais->Stop();

  EXPECT_CALL(sink, OnClose(ais.get()))
      .Times(1);
  ais.Close();

  // 5 ms packet size.

  count = 0;
  ais.Reset(aisw.Create(samples_per_packet_10ms / 2));
  EXPECT_TRUE(ais->Open());
  bytes_per_packet = aisw.channels() * aisw.samples_per_packet() *
    (aisw.bits_per_sample() / 8);

  EXPECT_CALL(sink, OnData(
      ais.get(), NotNull(), bytes_per_packet, Gt(bytes_per_packet), _))
      .Times(AtLeast(10))
      .WillRepeatedly(CheckCountAndPostQuitTask(&count, 10, &loop));
  ais->Start(&sink);
  loop.Run();
  ais->Stop();

  EXPECT_CALL(sink, OnClose(ais.get()))
      .Times(1);
  ais.Close();
}

// Test that we can capture loopback stream.
TEST(WinAudioInputTest, WASAPIAudioInputStreamLoopback) {
  scoped_ptr<AudioManager> audio_manager(AudioManager::Create());
  if (!audio_manager->HasAudioOutputDevices() || !CoreAudioUtil::IsSupported())
    return;

  AudioParameters params = audio_manager->GetInputStreamParameters(
      AudioManagerBase::kLoopbackInputDeviceId);

  AudioParameters output_params =
      audio_manager->GetOutputStreamParameters(std::string());
  EXPECT_EQ(params.sample_rate(), output_params.sample_rate());
  EXPECT_EQ(params.channel_layout(), output_params.channel_layout());

  ScopedAudioInputStream stream(audio_manager->MakeAudioInputStream(
      params, AudioManagerBase::kLoopbackInputDeviceId));
  ASSERT_TRUE(stream->Open());
  FakeAudioInputCallback sink;
  stream->Start(&sink);
  ASSERT_FALSE(sink.error());

  sink.WaitForData();
  stream.Close();

  EXPECT_FALSE(sink.received_data().empty());
  EXPECT_TRUE(sink.closed());
  EXPECT_FALSE(sink.error());
}

// This test is intended for manual tests and should only be enabled
// when it is required to store the captured data on a local file.
// By default, GTest will print out YOU HAVE 1 DISABLED TEST.
// To include disabled tests in test execution, just invoke the test program
// with --gtest_also_run_disabled_tests or set the GTEST_ALSO_RUN_DISABLED_TESTS
// environment variable to a value greater than 0.
TEST(WinAudioInputTest, DISABLED_WASAPIAudioInputStreamRecordToFile) {
  scoped_ptr<AudioManager> audio_manager(AudioManager::Create());
  if (!CanRunAudioTests(audio_manager.get()))
    return;

  // Name of the output PCM file containing captured data. The output file
  // will be stored in the directory containing 'media_unittests.exe'.
  // Example of full name: \src\build\Debug\out_stereo_10sec.pcm.
  const char* file_name = "out_stereo_10sec.pcm";

  AudioInputStreamWrapper aisw(audio_manager.get());
  ScopedAudioInputStream ais(aisw.Create());
  EXPECT_TRUE(ais->Open());

  LOG(INFO) << ">> Sample rate: " << aisw.sample_rate() << " [Hz]";
  WriteToFileAudioSink file_sink(file_name);
  LOG(INFO) << ">> Speak into the default microphone while recording.";
  ais->Start(&file_sink);
  base::PlatformThread::Sleep(TestTimeouts::action_timeout());
  ais->Stop();
  LOG(INFO) << ">> Recording has stopped.";
  ais.Close();
}

}  // namespace media

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
import greenfoot.*;  // (World, Actor, GreenfootImage, Greenfoot and MouseInfo)

public class Lydia4 extends Robot
{
    public Lydia4(){
        super(new Color(115, 217, 219));
    }

    public void init(){

    }

    /**
     * What your robot can do:
     * right() => move 1 to the right
     * left() => move 1 to the left
     * up() => move 1 up
     * down() => move 1 down
     * isClearRight() => true means no block to the right
     * isClearRight() => true means no block to the left
     * isClearUp() => true means no block up
     * isClearDown() => true means no block down
     * getX() => returns x coordinate of robot
     * getY() => returns y coordinate of robot
     */
    public void behave(){
       /* if(isClearUp() == true
        else if(isClearRight() == true && getY() % 2 == 0){
            right();
        }
        else if(isClearDown() == true && getY() % 2 != 0){
            down();
        }
        else if(isClearDown() == true && getY() % 2 == 0){
            down();
        }*/

    }
}


Ever wanted to play as a doctor, nurse or patient? Bandage hands, use statoscope, check for fever and even help dad to rush mom in to the baby delivery room! From the makers of My Town comes the largest most kids friendly realistic doll house game, My Town : Hospital. It's a hospital like not other, where kids can interact with real checkup rooms such as MRI and X-ray room, a small emergency room and even a recovery room. My town : Hospital has it all.
- My Town : Hospital is connected to all our latest games so you can move characters to and from the game.
What is My Town all about ? My Town games are open word pretend play games, very similar to a digital dollhouse where kids can pretend play to be a doctor, a nurse and even a patient. My Town : Hospital offers a huge variety of accessories and locations where kids can pretend play.
- 9 different rooms such as MRI, Xray, New born, recovery room, babies room and a dr. office where you can treat and examine characters.
- Lots of new characters you can move around between other my town games. You want to have a dr. visit home? Now you can!
- hundreds of new accessories, Gifts and new items added with the latest update.
- kids can play together on the same tablet - Free updates and upgrades If you can imagine it you can play it, everything is possible in our hospital.


Equinix global footprint, direct connection services and ExpressRoute allow you to access Azure and Office 365 through our data centres securely and with low latency for better application performance of Office 365's collaboration tools, like Skype for Business (formerly Lync), SharePoint and Yammer.
Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute provides a private, dedicated, high-throughput network connection between Microsoft Azure data centres and on-premises IT environments. ExpressRoute connections bypass the public internet and offer more reliability, faster speeds, lower latencies and superior data privacy and security. ExpressRoute connections that transfer data between on-premises and Azure can also help drive down operating costs, while improving quality of experience (QoE) for latency-sensitive applications like Microsoft Lync/Skype and SharePoint/Yammer.


text:
McDonald: 'Disgraceful' lack of measures for renters in Budget 2021
Jack Quann
07.39 14 Oct 2020
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has described the Government's housing policy in Budget 2021 as 'cat'.
She also criticised what she said was a 'disgraceful' lack of measures for renters.
As part of Tuesday's budget, the Government allocated €500m for capital expenditure on housing for 9,500 new social housing units in 2021.
There will also be €65m available for deep retrofitting of existing social housing, and an expansion of Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Scheme.
The Land Development Agency will also have €1.2bn of funding available to deliver nearly 9,000 affordable housing and cost rental over the next few years.
Ms McDonald told Newstalk Breakfast: "It was an extraordinary budget because we're living in extraordinary times.
"I think your listeners will note that the fiscal rulebook got torn up and very, very large amounts of borrowing - correctly - have been made.
"By the way, we're in line with countries right across the continent and right across the globe in that regard."
But she said in terms of changes for people, there was nothing for renters.
"There was the sum of 110 million for affordable housing for a yet undefined shared equity loan, that's very disappointing.
"There was nothing for renters, there was a lot for landlords - a lot of supports for landlords, nothing for renters.
"We had been looking for a months' tax relief, a tax relief credit, to the equivalent of one months' rent to put it back in renters pockets."
"I think if you are a renter and if you're listening to this programme this morning and getting ready - or getting the kids ready for school - and you're worried about your rent, this is an important issue, it's not a marginal one.
"And to let renters down in that way at this time for us is disgraceful".
'No step change in housing'
"We know from experience that the bulk of family homelessness over the last number of years has come from the private rented sectors".
"We're in an emergency scenario, that's why we had the kind of budget that we had yesterday".
She said the Government had promised an "eye catching" housing budget "but the delivery was cat".
"We were promised, and in fact Fianna Fáil in particular, bragged that they had achieved a housing budget - the figures were very eye-catching - but the delivery was cat.
"The reality here is that there hasn't been the kind of step change that's necessary in terms of Government policy in housing delivery."
"As we speak Shane, and not withstanding the fact that we're living through a public health emergency, this phenomenon of co-living - wherein you pay eye-wateringly high levels of rent for a living space the equivalent of a car parking space - is still very much in vogue."
"We want 20,000 new homes delivered next year, we believe that that's what's necessary between social or council housing, affordable purchase and affordable rent.
"Let me just say this: As the days tick over and as the numbers are drilled into and disentangled, and when we actually get to really see the colour of this Government's money, I believe that we will see again the same old same failed housing policies of the last administration".
She said any investment in health is welcome and "urgently needed", but that "they could have gone further".
While she singled out a €100m allocated to disability services as "one thing that is good in this budget".
"That's the start, I hope, of budgets from here on in actually recognising people with disabilities and their carers and making proper provision.
"They shouldn't have to come out and fight so hard every single time for every cent of funding that they receive".
Main image: Mary Lou McDonald (centre) at the launch of Sinn Féin's alternative Budget 2021 at the Alex Hotel Dublin. Picture by: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ieShe said all investment in the health service is welcome, but
Budget 2021 Capital Expenditure Housing Mary Lou McDonald Newstalk Breakfast Renters
Kilkenny's Ger Aylward retires from Inter County Hurling
Ten people fined for breaching 5km limit rule at Wicklow Mountains
Fiscal watchdog: Government needs to identify where 'sustainable' permanent spending is coming from
Car industry gears up for 'big growth' in electric sales next year
Variable speed limits on the M50: Good idea or waste of money?


text:
Chapter 5. The Magical Control of the Weather: Section 1. The Public Magician.
Chapter 5. The Magical Control of the Weather.
Section 1. The Public Magician.
THE READER may remember that we were led to plunge into the labyrinth of magic by a consideration of two different types of man-god. This is the clue which has guided our devious steps through the maze, and brought us out at last on higher ground, whence, resting a little by the way, we can look back over the path we have already traversed and forward to the longer and steeper road we have still to climb. 1
As a result of the foregoing discussion, the two types of human gods may conveniently be distinguished as the religious and the magical man-god respectively. In the former, a being of an order different from and superior to man is supposed to become incarnate, for a longer or a shorter time, in a human body, manifesting his super-human power and knowledge by miracles wrought and prophecies uttered through the medium of the fleshly tabernacle in which he has deigned to take up his abode. This may also appropriately be called the inspired or incarnate type of man-god. In it the human body is merely a frail earthly vessel filled with a divine and immortal spirit. On the other hand, a man-god of the magical sort is nothing but a man who possesses in an unusually high degree powers which most of his fellows arrogate to themselves on a smaller scale; for in rude society there is hardly a person who does not dabble in magic. Thus, whereas a man-god of the former or inspired type derives his divinity from a deity who has stooped to hide his heavenly radiance behind a dull mask of earthly mould, a man-god of the latter type draws his extraordinary power from a certain physical sympathy with nature. He is not merely the receptacle of a divine spirit. His whole being, body and soul, is so delicately attuned to the harmony of the world that a touch of his hand or a turn of his head may send a thrill vibrating through the universal framework of things; and conversely his divine organism is acutely sensitive to such slight changes of environment as would leave ordinary mortals wholly unaffected. But the line between these two types of man-god, however sharply we may draw it in theory, is seldom to be traced with precision in practice, and in what follows I shall not insist on it. 2
We have seen that in practice the magic art may be employed for the benefit either of individuals or of the whole community, and that according as it is directed to one or other of these two objects it may be called private or public magic. Further, I pointed out that the public magician occupies a position of great influence, from which, if he is a prudent and able man, he may advance step by step to the rank of a chief or king. Thus an examination of public magic conduces to an understanding of the early kingship, since in savage and barbarous society many chiefs and kings appear to owe their authority in great measure to their reputation as magicians. 3
Among the objects of public utility which magic may be employed to secure, the most essential is an adequate supply of food. The examples cited in preceding pages prove that the purveyors of food—the hunter, the fisher, the farmer—all resort to magical practices in the pursuit of their various callings; but they do so as private individuals for the benefit of themselves and their families, rather than as public functionaries acting in the interest of the whole people. It is otherwise when the rites are performed, not by the hunters, the fishers, the farmers themselves, but by professional magicians on their behalf. In primitive society, where uniformity of occupation is the rule, and the distribution of the community into various classes of workers has hardly begun, every man is more or less his own magician; he practises charms and incantations for his own good and the injury of his enemies. But a great step in advance has been taken when a special class of magicians has been instituted; when, in other words, a number of men have been set apart for the express purpose of benefiting the whole community by their skill, whether that skill be directed to the healing of diseases, the forecasting of the future, the regulation of the weather, or any other object of general utility. The impotence of the means adopted by most of these practitioners to accomplish their ends ought not to blind us to the immense importance of the institution itself. Here is a body of men relieved, at least in the higher stages of savagery, from the need of earning their livelihood by hard manual toil, and allowed, nay, expected and encouraged, to prosecute researches into the secret ways of nature. It was at once their duty and their interest to know more than their fellows, to acquaint themselves with everything that could aid man in his arduous struggle with nature, everything that could mitigate his sufferings and prolong his life. The properties of drugs and minerals, the causes of rain and drought, of thunder and lightning, the changes of the seasons, the phases of the moon, the daily and yearly journeys of the sun, the motions of the stars, the mystery of life, and the mystery of death, all these things must have excited the wonder of these early philosophers, and stimulated them to find solutions of problems that were doubtless often thrust on their attention in the most practical form by the importunate demands of their clients, who expected them not merely to understand but to regulate the great processes of nature for the good of man. That their first shots fell very far wide of the mark could hardly be helped. The slow, the never-ending approach to truth consists in perpetually forming and testing hypotheses, accepting those which at the time seem to fit the facts and rejecting the others. The views of natural causation embraced by the savage magician no doubt appear to us manifestly false and absurd; yet in their day they were legitimate hypotheses, though they have not stood the test of experience. Ridicule and blame are the just meed, not of those who devised these crude theories, but of those who obstinately adhered to them after better had been propounded. Certainly no men ever had stronger incentives in the pursuit of truth than these savage sorcerers. To maintain at least a show of knowledge was absolutely necessary; a single mistake detected might cost them their life. This no doubt led them to practise imposture for the purpose of concealing their ignorance; but it also supplied them with the most powerful motive for substituting a real for a sham knowledge, since, if you would appear to know anything, by far the best way is actually to know it. Thus, however justly we may reject the extravagant pretensions of magicians and condemn the deceptions which they have practised on mankind, the original institution of this class of men has, take it all in all, been productive of incalculable good to humanity. They were the direct predecessors, not merely of our physicians and surgeons, but of our investigators and discoverers in every branch of natural science. They began the work which has since been carried to such glorious and beneficent issues by their successors in after ages; and if the beginning was poor and feeble, this is to be imputed to the inevitable difficulties which beset the path of knowledge rather than to the natural incapacity or wilful fraud of the men themselves. 4
This article comes from The Book of THOTH - The complete guide to the Tarot, Magick and the Occult
http://www.the-book-of-thoth.com
The URL for this story is:
http://www.the-book-of-thoth.com/modules.php?name=Sections&op=viewarticle&artid=135


Route from Gainesville, MO to Federal Hill Estates, VA. The map shows the fastest and shortest way to travel by car, bus or bike. The main route is red while the alternative route is blue, both with the directions described in the route planner. To find out about fuel costs use the form for Calculation of the cost of the Gainesville, MO to Federal Hill Estates, VA trip.
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text:
Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1944, China, Volume VI
761.93/1757: Telegram
The Ambassador in China ( Gauss ) to the Secretary of State
Chungking , April 4, 1944—4 p.m.
[Received 5:57 p.m.]
593. 1. Sun Fo informed Atcheson this morning that he interprets the Tass statement of April 2 (which he says was in terms similar to those of a communication received from Soviet Government) as public announcement that Soviets are bent on getting rid of Sinkiang Chairman (this re our 588, April 3). He said that Chinese Government had not lodged "protests" over the matter; when report of the incident was first received Chinese Foreign Office orally informed Soviet Ambassador thereof and asked him for information; Ambassador said he would telegraph Moscow but made no other comment and only 2 days ago received reply which he conveyed to Foreign Office to effect that Chinese planes had crossed Sirikiang-Mongolian border and machine gunned Kazaks and that [as] Soviet Russia had a mutual assistance pact with Mongolian People's Republic the Soviet [Page 769] Government was obligated to go to Mongols' assistance and would continue to do so if necessary. Sun Fo said Soviet Government did not deny that its planes were involved.
Sun Fo said also that War Minister21 had told him that plane attacks on Sinkiang troops had continued for 5 or 6 days and that there were no Chinese military planes in Sinkiang; that he, Sun, had not heard of any Central Government troops moving into Sinkiang but that some time ago some Chungking forces had gone to Hami. He said Chinese Government was endeavoring to minimize matter as much as possible and there is indication of this in circumstance that Tass statement has not been published in vernacular press.
Atcheson informed Sun Fo that our general attitude was always to work for harmony among the United Nations, expressed personal opinion that it would be most unfortunate from point of view of our joint interests if a border incident or border dispute should at this time be permitted to expand into an international dispute, and also expressed hope that situation would not become aggravated.
2. In contrast to Foreign Office endeavors to keep incident from developing into more serious proportions, we have reason to believe that Generalissimo may be seeking American intervention and at the same time putting forth theses, for high American consumption, that situation is forcing him to take measures to safeguard Chinese interests, thereby developing explanation of his failure to give Allied forces in Burma and China fuller active military cooperation. We feel strongly, of course, that American Government should not intervene in any way in matter with Soviet Government.
Sent to Department, repeated to Moscow.
Gen. Ho Ying-chin.↩
General wartime relations between the United States and China, with emphasis on China's military position and United States efforts to give military assistance to China (Documents 1-197)
Mission of Vice President Wallace to China, June 1944; conversations between Vice President Wallace and Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek (Documents 198-226)
Special missions to China by Major General Patrick J. Hurley and Mr. Donald M. Nelson as personal representatives of President Roosevelt (Documents 227-251)
Political conditions in China; United States Army observer section sent to Communist territory; United States interest and concern regarding Kuomintang-Communist relations and negotiations (Documents 252-547)
Interest of the United States in Sino-Soviet relations, particularly in relation to border incidents and internal revolts in Sinkiang Province (Documents 548-605)
Financial relations between the United States and China: Chinese request for billion dollar loan; reverse Lend-Lease negotiations; negotiations and agreement respecting payments for United States Army expenditures in China (Documents 606-700)
United States policies respecting control of Lend-Lease supplies to China; consideration of supply route to China through Tibet (Documents 701-724)
Representations by the United States regarding registration of American business firms, trade-marks, and copyrights in China (Documents 725-748)
Preliminary discussions regarding the negotiation of a treaty of friendship, commerce, and navigation with China (Documents 749-762)
Proposed consular convention between the United States and China (Documents 763-770)
Representations regarding Chinese restrictions on remittances to the United States by American film distributors in China (Documents 771-777)
Interest of the United States in plans and policies of the Chinese Government for postwar economic development (Documents 778-819)
Representations to the Chinese Government regarding bandit attacks upon United States Army convoys in Yunnan (Documents 820-833)
Cultural relations program of the Department of State to provide technical assistance to China and to facilitate greater cultural cooperation between the United States and China (Documents 834-871)
Inquiry by the United States regarding Chinese plans for assumption of control over the Diplomatic Quarter at Peiping and the International Settlements at Shanghai and Amoy (Documents 872-875)
Agreement between the United States and China regarding military service with additional exchange of notes (Documents 876-877)
Representations to the Chinese Government protesting its order for the abolition of the China Foundation for the Promotion of Education and Culture (Documents 878-883)
Exchange of views between the United States and China regarding the administration of liberated areas (Documents 884-890)
United States proposals for Chinese-American consultation respecting future status of Korea


Hi, my name's Samm and I'm a Frontend Web Developer who's always looking for a challenge.
I love taking a design and bringing it to life and creating engaging UX.
Here's a selection of my most recent websites and experiments, some of which are personal projects and coding challenges, and some of which have been built for clients.
I'm really proud of my new website; I'm enjoying tweaking the content to get it right - so much better than what I had before!
Jason came to me to rebuild his website, which was originally built using flash and which just wasn't working for him any more. He wanted to keep the same striking design, but he wanted it to work on all devices, on all browsers, and he wanted to be able to keep it updated himself more easily.
This splash page was a coding challenge set to see how I could keep the content of a page visible and impactful on any screen size.
Will came to me with a design that his friend had created for him. He was looking for a polished and subtly dynamic build which was fully mobile compatible to showcase his personal projects. I particularly enjoyed the challenge of modulising my code to be easily installed in his chosen CMS: Perch. You can see the static build of the site here as the live site is currently offline.
My cat has a passion in the kitchen. This is somewhat remarkable and needed to be documented. I took this oppotunity to explore the benefits and pitfalls of using prebuilt themes as a basis on WordPress. Pancake enjoys the ease with which she can upload new content using this CMS, but we both agree bespoke builds are more fun.
This cat grooming website was a mockup to develop my skills. I took a wireframe from a friend and filled it with cats. While this site is filled mostly with 'cat ipsum', I focused my final efforts on developing the site's SEO to gain knowledge in this area. I haven't had any enquiries yet, though I'm still hopeful.
I'm really impressed by how quickly you brought my design to life. I love how it even fits nicely on my mobile!


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text:
HomeFeatured
The minis!
Review: Hyperborea
By Andrew on	 February 10, 2015 Featured Multiple Perspectives Reviews
In the six years following the birth of deck building there have been many attempts to create something truly new and innovative in the shadow of the game that started it all, Dominion. The newest attempt to offer a fresh take on deck building is bag building which saw not one but three releases in 2014. Hyperborea was the first to hit the scene back during Gen Con with a hefty slew of miniatures and euro aesthetics. Seriously, that's one big box.
How It Plays
The Theme – Rebuilding a Devastated Land
As heir to the Emerald Kingdom you've been raised in a harsh land. Centuries ago there was a catastrophe that brought devastation and ruin to every corner of the world. In the middle of it all stands the remains of the Hyperborean city sealed in by a mystical bubble. Around this ominous symbol of destruction are six rival realms trying desperately to survive on what little is left.
The day has finally arrived, the council of elders insist that you should step up and become the new Emerald King. Just as you take your place in the holy forest news arrives that the age old bubble has collapsed. The ruined city of Hyperborea, all of its treasures and mysteries, lies unimpeded at the edge of your kingdom. Surely the other five realms have their own plans for this sacred land, its your responsibility to explore the city before the feuding factions bring destruction to this sacred place. You must act quickly, seek guidance from the elders and send your swiftest scouts into the harsh unknown.
The Gameplay – Running Your Kingdom
Note: I'll be using some different terminology than in the rulebook for thematic immersion and ease of explaination
The elders have gather to advise you in how to explore the new land and advance your kingdom. Ultimately the final decisions are in your hands. Each adviser (cube) has an associated color that indicates what course of action they are suggesting.
Exploration advisers (Green) seek to uncover the mysteries of the ancient Hyperborean city. They allow you to move your units around the map into territory containing cities and ruins. Once a unit is in a hex containing either of those features they may activate the city and take an indicated action or explore a ruins and gain an artifact that may be used immediately or at a later time. Moving through different types of terrain can prove difficult and requires additional effort to navigate into or out of.
During your exploration you'll come across weary ghosts and dangerous units from other factions that are vying for control of the land. Warfare advisers (Red) aim to cleanse the ancient spirits and opposing factions from your path. They allow you to attack other units and claim them as spoils of battle.
In order to properly utilize the surrounding area you're going to need reinforcements. Growth advisers (Purple) offer additional troops to secure territory and expand across the board. New units are placed on the outskirts but they don't have far to go in order to aid in the ongoing conflict.
While some are out scouting and securing the new land others are staying home and making sure your kingdom is running smoothly. Progress advisers (Orange) guide your development in the different areas of society. Each specialty (color) has a track that can be progressed along until enough development has been made to gain one or, upon reaching the end of the track, two additional advisers (cubes).
No society can truly prosper without wealth. Trade advisers (Yellow) will help you gain riches in the form of gems. In spite of the rush to explore and settle the Hyperborean city the mighty gem is still the most reliable way to prove your kingdom's might.
The cornerstone of any society are the great minds that push for innovation and progression. Science advisers (Blue) unlock the secrets of newly discovered technologies. These technologies give you more options for how your advisers can aid your efforts and give you more powerful or efficient actions.
Let me give you some advise
Your initial counsel of advisers will contain one of each color plus an additional one of your choosing. Here's where the bag part of bag building comes in. Take these cubes and put them in your bag, each turn you'll be drawing three of them to use. After you have your cubes ready for the current round you can place them on various actions on your personal kingdom board. Actions require two or more cubes of specific colors before they can be activated. Once their requirements are met then you immediately carry out the indicated action. The cubes stay on this action to indicate that it has been taken.
Once your bag is empty then a reset is performed and all the cubes will go back into the bag. At this time any units on the board that were tasked with activating cities or exploring ruins return to a ready state and may once again move, attack, or explore further cities and ruins. Once a unit interacts with a city or ruins then they will be stuck doing so until the next reset.
The goal of every kingdom is to prove excellence is one or more areas of society: accumulation of wealth (12 gems), advancement in the science (five technologies), and deployment of a formidable army (all figures on board). Once a set number of these conditions, based on the game length, have been met then all players have one final turn before the game ends. Kingdoms are then compared by adding up points in several different areas: gems, spoils of battle, total cubes, technologies, and control of territory. The player that scored the most points claims the Hyperborean city for their faction!
The trusty score pad
Seeking The Holy Grail!
On the surface Hyperborea appears to take on the challenge of finally uniting gamers of all persuasions with a hybrid of rich theme, interaction, and ruthless efficiency. Could this be the grail game that brings everyone happily together at the same table? We'll see how successful it is in that aim by tackling this review from two very different perspectives.
Bag Building a Better Game
Every so often a game comes along that is so enthralling, clever, and engaging that I can't stop thinking about it long after the game has ended. For me it usually has to do with innovative mechanics that open up new possibilities and ways to approach board games. I'm a euro gamer through and through so the games that captivate me tend to do so because of these mechanics and how smoothly they are integrated together. In 2013 there were two such titles: Keyflower with the workers as currency auction mechanic and Ginkgopolis with its organic card drafting that mirrored the development of a city. Coming back to the game at hand, Hyperborea was last year's standout of the same caliber (and at least one other Dragon Slayer agrees with me).
The Promise of Crossover Appeal
For all my talk about loving mechanics and the cold calculated strategy at the core of most euros I'm still a sucker for rich and engaging game experiences. Two areas that euros tend to lack which go a long way towards engaging players are theme and interaction. The challenge in creating a hybrid game (one that can appeal to many player types) is integrating the mechanics deeply into the theme. Players should be able to make strategic decisions in part by following a thematic course of action. In other words, decisions and optimal moves should make sense thematically and feel natural instead of cold and calculated. This is, in a sense, playing from the gut (but not entirely without any strategic guidance). Interaction and luck are useful tools in achieving this by loosening player control and introducing some chaos that must be reacted to, thus naturally creating excitement. However, those can be tough elements to introduce into a game about efficiently executing a strategy.
Hyperborea is a civilization building game with a rich backstory, beautiful art and components, and the feeling of a grand conflict. It can certainly give off the impression that there's an immersive experience contained within. What you actually get out of the game though has more to do with your perspective in approaching it. At its core Hyperborea is, without a doubt, a euro game.The goal is to get the most points and even though there are more interactive ways to achieved this end its very much about efficient execution. Learning the game system is critical to success and will hand the victory to players who want to think and plan over those that want to immerse themselves in the world. This is why I mentioned that a lot is riding on how you approach this game. If you have a group that simply wants to explore and experience the thematic offering then you'll have more success in achieving an immersive session. I generally play to explore game mechanics not to explore game worlds so I'll move on.
I'd categorize Hyperborea as what I refer to as Euro+. This is a game which is deeply rooted in mechanics but brings in theme and/or interaction as strong secondary elements. What this generally means for theme is that things tends to get abstracted in order to keep the focus on efficient play. You're playing with concepts more often than digging deep into the nitty gritty details. In Hyperborea you get to oversee a kingdom and make decision about how it develops but your control is somewhat limited by the bag-building and cube placement mechanics.
As far as interaction goes the execution tends to offer players more control by mitigating luck. Specifically, combat is deterministic which means that you can perfectly calculate the outcome though the timing is often still unknown. You never roll any dice to represent the uncertainty of battle. This plays out more like area control (especially pertaining to end of game scoring) than a battleground.
A battle for the Hyperborean City!
One excellent attempt to reach both camps is made by adding optional asymmetrical play through racial abilities and starting tiles. This provides some flavor and specialization for people that want those things at the risk of unbalance (such as the more easily abusable blue draw engine). If that prospect bothers you and you'd rather stick with the evenly balanced symmetrical start then you can easily leave them out and still have plenty of variation between games.
So what's my conclusion on the matter of crossover potential? I will say that Hyperborea is not the long sought after game that will accommodate and entertain gamers of every type at the same table. It's likely to work with groups that approach the game from the same perspective but I believe it will shine among strategic gamers that want a richer experience than your typical euro. This is perfect for me and I'll be spending the rest of this review exploring what the game has to offer from this perspective.
The Innovation of Bag-Building
The big attention grabber when talking about Hyperborea is the bag-building mechanic. Is it the next evolution in the (deck/chip/dice)-building family? Is it even anything like deck building? It certainly bears resemblance to deck building in that you are customizing a pool (in this case containing cubes) which is randomly drawn from until it is empty at which point you replenish and start over. Like deck building you are limited by your draws but the system as a whole ends up being much more flexible because you can still plan around being able to use everything in your bag (assuming you remember what's in it). You could figure out exactly where you're going to place your cubes if you want, then it's merely a matter of the order that you get to execute those actions. Fortunately that's not often how things shake out, you're often better off taking a tactical approach in response to how the board and other civilizations develop. Comparatively it's less luck dependent than deck building because your planning and execution are split up across multiple turns. This means you're not waiting for the cards to align in a single turn in order to pull off the perfect combo. I've found this to be a great innovation of deck-building. It doesn't replace or invalidate the genre but instead provides a new system to learn and explore. And believe me, there's plenty to explore here.
You may have notice that there are several other releases from last year that coincidentally utilized bag-building (Orleans and King's Pouch). They appeared in rapid succession such that there wasn't a clear originator of the mechanic as was the case with Dominion and deck building. Each game utilizes bag-building in a different way so rather than praise Hyperborea for birthing the mechanic I'd like to take a look at how it shines within the context of the game.
The Integration of Mechanics
One of my favorite things about Hyperborea is how well the information is organized. This goes a long way towards quickly and clearly presenting choices to the players. The catch is that there's a bit of a learning curve before things start to run smoothly. I would say this doesn't take much more than a couple of games assuming players are actively trying to learn the system. This is due to the clever color system and the layout of the player boards.
The color system associates each color in the game with a given action. Upon drawing your cubes for the next turn you'll be presented with a general idea of which corresponding actions they grant. For instance, drawing a green cube grants you the option to move. You may not be able to complete a move action on that turn but you'll at least be able to set yourself up to do it at a later point (unless you've already activated all such actions). The multi-color placements helps prevent this system from being too rigidly defined. If you don't draw the exact colors that you need you still have some flexibility in which actions can be activated. It's generally better to pursue actions that don't use multi-color placement but as a draw back their activation is more draw dependent.
Different terrain used to build the board
To help reinforce this concept the player boards are separated into two groups. The left side of the board (green, red, purple) is associated with actions on the board (external). The right side (orange, yellow, blue) corresponds with developing your civilization (internal). You have a pretty clear choice of which aspect to focus on (external vs internal) by where you place more of your cubes. I've yet to see a single side/focus dominate the majority of games so it seems you truly have the freedom to chose without the game pushing you towards one optimal strategy.
Once you have learned this system a richer game starts to present itself. Rather than bag-building being the core mechanic I'd say it's more about resource/action management. As I said before, you know exactly what resources (cubes) you're going to be able to use you just don't know the order that you're going to get them. You can plan ahead and stall for several turns before completing multiple actions all at once. Or you can make slow and steady progress as you evaluate the effectiveness of your immediate options. The urgency of the central board makes this choice interesting. Since you are interacting on the board your actions will directly impact how the other players plan out their placement. This effect is intensified as you near the end of the game and need to evaluate how much you can realistically achieve given the relative time left.
I'll reiterate that Hyperborea is more than just a bag-builder. There are a lot of moving pieces at play and the bag-building mechanic elegantly ties everything together. The system as a whole takes some getting used to but once it clicks you'll be presented with a lot of meaningful decisions in a relatively quick package.
The Final Word on Hyperborea
Hyperborea has done a brilliant job of introducing an innovative new mechanic, bag-building. But rather than being defined and limited by this mechanic it has gone on to integrate it seamlessly within a broader game context. The color system and player board make choices clear and quick once you've gotten a couple games under your belt. While it may not be the grail game that unites euro gamers alongside their ameritrash brethren it does offer a healthy dose of theme and interaction to stand out from your typical euro.
Hyper Fun or Hyper Boring?
I want to state right up front: This game will not go down as one of my all-time favorites, but that does not mean that it's a bad game. It ended up being not to my taste, but I can see why my teammates chose it as our Game of the Year. I fully supported that decision. It is gorgeous with high production values, does a lot of things very well, and it is innovative. In the end, though, it left me with mixed feelings.
Ultimately, I think my dislikes outweighed the likes. Admittedly, some of my dislikes are intangibles and matters of personal taste. My dislikes certainly won't apply to everyone, so you'll really have to judge Hyperborea for yourself. After a lot of thought, I've decided that it falls into my, "Will play if asked, but wouldn't choose it personally," category.
Why? When I saw this game I didn't think, "Cold, boring Euro as I usually do when confronted with a lot of cubes." I thought, "Look at those minis!" And I saw the art on the technology cards and was excited about the world and abilities represented on them. Unlike Andrew, I'm not a generally a fan of heavy Euros, so I had great hopes that this one would rise above my prejudices. The art and components were certainly a step in the right direction, but after that it kind of fell flat.
Cubes, gems, and tokens, oh, my!
I think that part of the problem was the bag building mechanic. It is innovative and interesting and I can see where fans of deck builders will love it. I'm not a big deck builder fan, though, and this mechanic did little to change my mind. I've never enjoyed the idea of pulling things from my deck (or bag, in this case) and not knowing for sure what I'm going to get. Sure, I have some idea of the probability of getting a certain thing, but I can't know for sure. After trying several deck builders, I think my problem is that I prefer games where I can either know everything or nothing. Give me complete information and control, or give me total randomness. Probability isn't my thing (and any math teacher I ever had would attest to that).
Yet I can see where some will really enjoy the decisions presented by this mechanic. What do you do if you don't pull what you need? Can you make something out of nothing? Which actions do you take to make sure you have what you want in your bag? How do you maximize your efficiency to keep your bag from getting cluttered with waste? These are not decisions I enjoy, but many people do.
In the end, I think what wounded Hyperborea for me was that I never felt like I was building a civilization, or fighting my opponents. For all that it looked like there should be an awesome, fantasy world theme here, I felt like I was playing an abstract game. Granted, it was a gorgeous abstract game, but I felt like a lot of the great art and minis went to waste. They could have been anything. The special abilities felt kind of same-y to me. No one race really stood out as one I wanted to play over any other, or even that different from the others. The combat was not the "roll a die or draw a card" and see what happens type of combat that I enjoy. Nothing happens during combat other than you say, "I have enough points to take you out, so I do." You can look at another player's board and know that, if they target you, they are going to be successful. There's no suspense or sense of agency in the combat. It was all kind of dry feeling, where I was hoping for epic.
The player's components
That aside, there are a lot of things to like about this game. First is the ability to adjust the game length. There are three options: Short, medium, and long games. Unlike many heavier Euro games, you can still get in a game even if you've got a small window of time. For those of us with a short attention span or not a lot of time, it's nice to have a game that scales like this. And, if you're not loving it but have chosen the shorter game, then it's not going to be a three hour affair with no way out as it would be with some Euros.
I also liked that things keep moving (unless you are playing with severely AP prone players). Since you draw your cubes for your next turn at the end of your current turn, you can be planning ahead while others make their moves. You may have to make some adjustments to your plan as others take their turns and the board changes, but you can get a solid idea of what you're going to do before your turn comes around. This prevents a lot of downtime and keeps you engaged even when it's not your turn. AP prone players and those who must optimize everything to the fullest, though, will wait until their turn to do any sort of thinking. Prepare for some pain if you're playing with these kinds of people, but if everyone can commit to moving along as best they can, it's not so bad.
Finally, I really appreciate the fact that there are a lot of ways to score points. When I'm playing civ games, I like to have a lot of choices as to how I build that civilization. If the only way to victory is through combat, I get turned off. After all, very few civilizations are ever built solely on a great army. Hyperborea gives you some choices. Granted, I think you have an easier time of it if you are really into combat, but there are other ways to win.
Examples of the cards
I just want to add one more thought about why I, personally, didn't care for the game. At first glance Hyperborea looks like a relative of games like Clash of Cultures with lots of theme and more toward the Ameritrash end of the spectrum. But it is less like those and more of a Euro engine optimization puzzle, albeit one with minis. I think this is where a lot of people will go wrong with the game, and what happened to me. They'll buy it expecting dice based combat, player interaction, and loads of special abilities, only to find more of a puzzle solving experience. That doesn't mean there's anything wrong with the game. There's not. It's just that you can't judge it by its looks. My first preference would be something more like Clash of Cultures, but that doesn't make Hyperborea better or worse. Just different.
For some, though, the difference between the appearance and the actual game will be viewed as a strength. First of all, it makes for a good compromise game. If you bring it out with a mixed group of Euro lovers and Ameritrash lovers, chances are that everyone will find something redeeming about it. (Not to say that they'll love it, but that they may not outright hate every aspect of it as they would with a full blown Euro or Ameritrash game.) It's also got a lot going on under that surface gloss. Whereas some games are obvious and their mechanics match their gloss in terms of being flashy, this one has more under the hood that will take you multiple plays to figure out and maximize. Both hardcore and casual gamers should be able to get into this, in at least a limited way. The simple rules, shorter playtime, and good looks mean that you might have an easier time getting the casuals to play, but the deeper strategy will draw in the hardcore gamers.
iSlaytheDragon.com would like to thank Asmodee for providing a copy of Hyperborea for review.
Andrew's Rating 9.5
Jennifer's Rating 7.5
Smoothly integrated mechanics tied together with innovative bag-building concept
Color system provides quick and meaningful choices
Multiple balanced paths to victory
A euro with well implemented theme and interaction
Excellent artwork and components
The box, art, and components make it appear to be a highly thematic game, which may mislead players
Not quite the crossover hit that it could have been
Deterministic combat system may disappoint those hoping for an exciting battle, lacks tension
Tags: Andrea Chiarvesioarea controlAsmodeebag-buildingcity-buildingcivilization buildingcubesdeck buildingHyperboreaPierluca Zizzivariable player powers
I love optimization and engine games with tableau builders and card driven ones being my favorite. This usually means medium-heavy euros and medium-light card games.
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The Village Square: June 3, 2019
Review: Shards of Infinity (app)
Review: Polis
Moderate difficulty geared towards players with some familiarity to the hobby
90-120m (box says 90m)
Andrea Chiarvesio, Pierluca Zizzi


Upholstery Pro ATEX Wholesale - Upholstery Pro [67-019] - $529.00 : ATEX WHOLESALE, always wholesale. never retail.
Details: The Upholstery Pro tool fits on standard 2 and 1½ inch vacuum hoses and is compatible with any carpet extraction machine. Unlike jetted tools, the UpholsteryPro will prevent overspray on boxing and piping. It's also designed for easy service in the field. The in-line solution filter removes easily and rinses clean, and changing out a glide or valve takes only minutes with simple hand tools.
Head: 4 in. extraction width Hose assembly: 10 ft.


Because the committee's decision is an interpretation of a current rule and not a rules change, it does not need approval from the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel.
Committee members came to their conclusion that the Harvard student-athlete will not have an advantage over other competitors after hearing a presentation from Alena Grabowski, who is an assistant professor of integrative physiology at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Since 2008, Grabowski has conducted extensive research involving amputee athletes who compete in track and field.
This topic has been controversial in the international track and field community because some believe competitors with prosthetics could have an advantage over abled-body track and field athletes due to the design of the running devices.
Grabowski's research found the opposite. Her studies show amputee athletes are at a disadvantage when competing against abled-body athletes. In layman's terms, amputee athletes do not push on the ground with as much force as abled-body athletes, so amputee athletes are disadvantaged when it comes to being able to run faster.
The NCAA Track and Field Rules Book prohibits the use of any technical device that incorporates springs, wheels or any other element that provides the user with an advantage over another athlete who is not using such a device.
After hearing Grabowski's presentation, the committee determined the incoming amputee student-athlete will not have an advantage.
McNichols said the committee will handle on an individual basis any other requests from schools wishing to have amputee athletes compete in the sport.


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To untrained eye they all look alike,the original design is getting dilluted and boring with so many different models sporting the same architecture.
A regular DB9 cannot stay with either M5 nor M6 ,so the Rapide with it's much higher weight can only compete against Qp and nothing else.
Its like they're franchising the shape now, which isn't always bad (look at E30-E32-E34 bmw range) but in this segment of the market, I wouldn't go for it.
These are there to mask the car a bit. You can see a similar treatment to the front door handles. This is SOP when a test mule is out on the road pre-production.
That is a good spy shot...lol...didn't cover up much at all.
I think it looks great but agree that its too long.
BMW started this with the 4 door sports sedan, then MB followed, now porsche and aston are doing the same.
I heard the price is going to be in the high 180s to low 200's so i don't think its something we have to worry about.
For the same price you could get a M5 and M6 convertible.
Even to this trained eye the various models all look too similar. It's like they came up with one good design and now are baking variations to franchise it as broadly as possible. 2 seat coupe, 2+2, and now a 4 dr. Of course, similar things can be said about the BMW, what with the "same" kidney grille since the 60s. But the only thing different about the Astons is the number of inches between the A and C pillars. There is the "standard" amount in the DB9, "less" in the Vantage, and now "more" in the Rapide, like a stretch limo.
Future - F10 M5 with manual transmission?
"Is it the sounds that make a BMW a BMW? A BMW is designed to be heard, felt, experienced. So our engines sing. Our steering talks back. And we insist on offering manual transmissions in nearly all our models for drivers who crave them. The result is an almost telepathic oneness with the car. Just as surely as you can hear a BMW, a BMW hears you."
I can't help but really liking the design.


text:
package org.redisson.hibernate.strategy;

import org.hibernate.cache.internal.DefaultCacheKeysFactory;
import org.hibernate.cache.spi.CollectionRegion;
import org.hibernate.cache.spi.GeneralDataRegion;
import org.hibernate.cache.spi.access.CollectionRegionAccessStrategy;
import org.hibernate.cfg.Settings;
import org.hibernate.engine.spi.SessionFactoryImplementor;
import org.hibernate.persister.collection.CollectionPersister;
import org.redisson.api.RMapCache;
import org.redisson.hibernate.region.RedissonCollectionRegion;

/**
 *
 * @author Nikita Koksharov
 *
 */
public class ReadWriteCollectionRegionAccessStrategy extends AbstractReadWriteAccessStrategy implements CollectionRegionAccessStrategy {

    public ReadWriteCollectionRegionAccessStrategy(Settings settings, GeneralDataRegion region,
            RMapCache<Object, Object> mapCache) {
        super(settings, region, mapCache);
    }

    @Override
    public CollectionRegion getRegion() {
        return (CollectionRegion) region;
    }

    @Override
    public Object generateCacheKey(Object id, CollectionPersister persister, SessionFactoryImplementor factory, String tenantIdentifier) {
        return ((RedissonCollectionRegion)region).getCacheKeysFactory().createCollectionKey( id, persister, factory, tenantIdentifier );
    }

    @Override
    public Object getCacheKeyId(Object cacheKey) {
        return ((RedissonCollectionRegion)region).getCacheKeysFactory().getCollectionId(cacheKey);
    }

}


text:
Q: How can I fill a google form with IFTTT I have a google form I have to fill every day with the same info.
Whats the best way to text a number and then automatically fill the form?
What do I use for scanning the web page and filling the form?

A: Google lets you send the form URL with pre-filled answers. The directions below are from here.

*

*Open a form in Google Forms.

*In the top right, click More

*Choose Get pre-filled link.

*Fill in any answer fields you want to pre-populate.

*Click Submit.

*To send the pre-populated form to
respondents, copy and send the link at the top.

If it's not your form, you can still do this but it's a bit more hassle.
You'll need to figure out the form entry ids by viewing the page source.
In this example form, we'd be able to fill out the two form elements with the following URL.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfcOpri8vqdMan2j2_FZNMEEf7M-nj-XZ_duLOwxKFQDT95gw/viewform?entry.317303506=answer+one&entry.1178107516=b
You can figure out the entry ids by viewing source like the image below.
entry.317303506 then becomes ?entry.317303506=answer+one to fill out that element, the next piece &entry.1178107516=b selects  option b.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
EG 19.2 Friendly Societies Act 1974 (FSA74), Frien...
View EG 19.2 as PDF
View EG 19 as PDF
View EG as PDF
EG 19.2.1 27/07/2018 RP
1The FCA has certain functions in relation to what are described as "registrant-only" mutual societies including registered societies or registered friendly societies.2 These societies are not regulated or supervised under the Act. Instead, they are subject to the provisions of2 FSA74, FSA92, CCBSA14 and CCBSA(NI)693 which require them to register with the FCA and fulfil certain other obligations, such as the requirement to submit annual returns.
EG 19.2.1A 27/07/2018
3The Financial Services Act 2012 (Mutual Societies) Order 2018 is effective from 6 April 2018 and transfers the Northern Ireland registration function to the FCA. The FCA will be therefore registering Northern Ireland's industrial and provident or co-operative and community benefit societies respectively under the CCBSA(NI)69 as modified by the Credit Unions and Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 and the Financial Services Act 2012 (Mutual Societies) Order 2018.
EG 19.2.2 24/02/2017
1The FCA's enforcement activities in respect of registrant-only societies focus on prosecuting societies that fail to submit annual returns. As registrant-only societies are not subject to the rules imposed by the Act and by the FCA Handbook, the requirement that they submit annual returns provides an important check that the interests and investments of members, potential members, creditors and other interested parties are being safeguarded. The power to prosecute registrant-only societies who fail to meet this requirement is therefore an important tool and one which the FCA is committed to using in appropriate cases.
1The FCA may also use its power to petition for the society's winding up where it has prosecuted a society but the society continues to fail to submit the outstanding annual returns or defaults on submitting further returns.
1The decision whether to initiate criminal and other proceedings under these Acts will be taken in accordance with the procedure described in EG 12.1.7. Under these Acts,3 a society may appeal certain decisions of the FCA relating to the refusal, cancellation or suspension of a society's registration to the High Court or, in Scotland, the Court of Session. 3Distinguishing features of the procedure for giving statutory notices under the FSA92, including available rights of reference to the Tribunal, are set out in DEPP 2.5.18G.
1Further information about the FCA's powers under these Acts3 can be found on the FCA's website.
[Note: https://www.fca.org.uk/firms/mutual-societies]3


text:
Harvard Fire Protection District news
Excerpts from the nwherald.com:
Harvard Fire Protection District Chief Steve Harter submitted his resignation as chief effective immediately Wednesday.
Harter – who has been chief of the district for the past 15 years – said his departure was because of personal reasons, but wrote in his resignation letter that he would be honored to continue to serve as a firefighter and EMT, which the board allowed.
At a previous board meeting, Harter – referring to the constantly evolving fire and EMS standards a fire chief must keep up with – said that it is very hard for a person working 50 hours to 60 hours a week to return to school. He would have to spend hundreds of hours in the classroom annually to keep up with current fire service personnel standards, according to the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal.
Battalion Chief Bryan Pierce will assume the duties of acting fire chief while the board is weighing options for a replacement.
A special board meeting is scheduled for Monday 7 p.m. at the Harvard Fire Protection District's station, 502 S. Eastman St, where an acting fire chief will be formally appointed.
Tags: Harvard Fire Protection District Chief Steve Harter resigns
Buffalo Grove Fire Department Open House
From the Buffalo Grove Professional Firefighters and Paramedics Local 3177 Facebook page:
Our open house is this Saturday, September 14th! Grab the family and come out for an amazing day filled with your local Buffalo Grove Professional Firefighters. We will have live demonstrations, tons of kids activities, and much more!
Tags: Buffalo Grove Fire Department Open House, Buffalo Grove Professional Firefighters and Paramedics Local 3177
Champaign Fire Department news
Excerpts from wandtv.com:
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) has awarded two Assistance to Firefighters (AFG) grants totaling $411,597.52 to the Champaign Fire Department
The first grant of $272,311.81 is in the Operations & Safety program. It provides cancer, physical, and mental health screenings and resources for emergency personnel. The second grant of $139,285.71 is in the Fire Prevention & Safety program and will go towards purchasing a fire safety house trailer used for educational safety demonstrations.
Tags: Champaign Fire Department, Federal Emergency Management Agency's Assistance to Firefighters Grant, fire department receives federal grant
Mayor Lori Lightfoot's also hopes to hammer out a new firefighters' contract that eliminates treasured union perks and outdated staffing requirements that cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars.
Sources said she delivered her cost-cutting message in a recent face-to-face meeting with Jim Tracy, president of Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2. The mayor asked for help and cooperation from a union that gave her a pivotal endorsement during the runoff campaign against Toni Preckwinkle. Sources said the answer was no, setting the stage for contentious negotiations.
Another city hall source noted former Mayor Rahm Emanuel had been close to a new firefighters' contract that would have traded health insurance concessions for a reduction in daily variances from the minimum manning requirement that triggered the bitter 1980 firefighters strike. That rule requires every piece of fire apparatus to be staffed by at least five firefighters. But time ran out before the deal got done.
"If the union was smart, they would have grabbed that deal. But they got greedy. They wanted 15% over five years," the source said.
Emanuel took office in 2011 talking even tougher than Lightfoot is now. He vowed to take a hard line with firefighters — though his own fire commissioner opposed closing fire houses or reducing the minimum staffing requirement. Four months later, then-Fire Commissioner Robert Hoff abruptly resigned, leaving firefighters without a champion.
Emanuel infuriated Local 2 by taking aim at such treasured union perks as holiday and duty availability pay; clothing allowances; pay grades; premium pay; the physical fitness incentive and the 7% premium paid to cross-trained firefighter/paramedics. The plan did not include closing fire stations, but it would have allowed all fire houses with an engine and truck to be staffed by nine firefighters instead of 10. Rookie probation would have doubled to 18 months.
In a letter to the rank and file, then-union president Tom Ryan declared Emanuel's plan horrendous, insulting and ridiculous. Ryan dug in for what he feared would be a long and bitter battle that never happened. Emanuel backed off and settled for a vanilla agreement with no cost-cutting concessions.
For years, Inspector General Joe Ferguson has urged the city to revisit the minimum staffing requirement and eliminate a host of contract sweeteners. Ferguson had estimated annual savings of $57 million if the number of firefighters on each piece of fire apparatus was cut from five to four, and that another $14.3 million could be saved yearly by eliminating"duty availability pay — compensation for being on 24-hour call.
The mayor's city council floor leader argued Tuesday that every option now must be on the table, including closing firehouses, to chip away at the city's $838 million shortfall. "If the need for firefighters vs. EMTs has changed, we need to change the formula. There are no sacred cows anymore. They've all gone out to pasture."
Excerpts from cltv.com:
Mayor Lori Lightfoot stood surrounded by firefighters at a solemn 9/11 remembrance Wednesday, an image in stark contrast to her reported private fight with them. She used the event as a backdrop to slam a Chicago Sun-Times report claiming that she went to the Union Local 2 demanding cost-cutting, and the union said no.
"That reporting was wildly inaccurate and I'm personally offended that it came out on 9/11. This is a day of unity. This is a day that we should be standing together," Lightfoot said. "I'm disturbed at the inaccuracies in that reporting."
She is in the process of negotiating contracts with unions representing Chicago's firefighters, police officers, and teachers. Each powerful group is likely to secure pay raises as a condition of signing new deals.
Facing a staggering $838 million budget deficit, the mayor is looking for savings and efficiencies. This week she said the city can't afford police overtime expenses, which soared to $67.6 million the first six months of the year.
She may also comb through the fire department's budget, and costly minimum staffing requirements.
The city council floor leader says the unions must partner with the city.
There's no comment from the firefighters' union, but former firefighter and Alderman Nick Sposato said minimum staffing requirements are essential. But he admitted there could be room for some cuts.
Tags: Chicago FD staffing, Chicago Fire Department, Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2, Chicago mayor wants changes and concessions from firefighters
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