text:
Disclaimer: This is a very long post, so if you intend to read through it in its entirety instead of just skimping through some points and proceeding to argue with me in the comments, you might want to grab some fried chicken and popcorn to keep your stomach full while you read through this post. I've divided the post up into sections to make it easier to read but I won't be providing a TL R because doing that imo takes away a lot of context and doesn't adequately explain things. I've tried to explain detailed things in simple terms, so analogies won't be perfect but they should give you a general idea and understanding of the things I'm trying to explain. I'm also not claiming to be a technical savant, so if you spot something wrong, don't just yell about how it's wrong and how I should be ashamed to even live on this planet. Explain why I'm wrong so that I don't make the same mistake in the future. Thanks for reading!
Over the past week I have been poring over every single detail that Sony and Microsoft revealed about their next gen consoles, all the while grinning gleefully because these consoles sound amazing and are packed with innovative features and solutions which I can't wait to see be implemented in games, which is why I find it so annoying and infuriating that the conversation around these consoles is dominated by the number of TERAFLOPS™ (Trademarked by Fanboys worldwide) each console has.
Don't get me wrong, a console's power is very important, but beyond a certain point it doesn't really matter (for me at least). Both these consoles are powerful enough to run games at 4K60. The Series X is more powerful, yes, but that was the case this generation anyways with the launch of the One X. We'll see that extra power being utilised in games to deliver higher or more stable framerates (Microsoft said that 4K60 is their base target and they want games to be able to run upto 120FPS, kinda like how the One X achieves 4K30 and can run games upto 60FPS) and maybe somewhat prettier or more detailed games but the power gap doesn't seem to be so large that games will run on the Xbox at a higher resolution (like it was the case with some games early in the generation this gen) or significantly higher FPS. I'm not dunking on the Xbox here, Microsoft has done an astounding job and they've delivered upon their promises, but imo a year into next gen, games are pretty much gonna look the same across both platforms, as has been the case in the past.
To me, the power of these consoles, while amazing, is the least exciting thing that was revealed about them. Other features of these consoles are much much more interesting and innovative but due to the somewhat technical nature of these features, everyone seems to be ignoring them.
So in this post I'll be highlighting most of these features, for both consoles, and explaining how these features are going to have an effect on the games we play and what it is that makes these features innovative.
Before we start though, I have to say that I'm very happy about the directions these consoles are going. I think most people, including me, assumed that they're basically going to be extremely similar to each other and to PCs but after the reveals it's quite clear that not only are they quite different from each other in terms of how they achieve the shared target that they have, but they're also different from PCs. This brings us to our first point of discussion:
PROCESSING POWER AND COOLING
I'm not gonna talk about the processors because they're fairly similar and standard components. What I want to talk about is how they're configured.
The Series X uses a tried and tested design. They set a specific Frequency target for both the CPU and the GPU and supply the chip with increasing amounts of power till the chip hits those frequencies. However, this power draw is not uniform i.e it is a variable range. In certain game scenarios, more power is required to hit that frequency while in others less power is required (to be noted here: increase in power doesn't correspond to an equal increase in frequency i.e it does not scale linearly. To hit higher frequencies you need to input more and more amounts of power to the point where it becomes a case of diminishing results). Power consumed=Temperature outputted. As such, the temperature outputted by the chip is also a variable range like the amount of power consumed (you can actually see the variance in power consumed in real time by the amount of noise the fan is generating. If its spinning faster and louder it means that more power is being consumed). So the design team and engineering team have to design a cooling system that is sufficient and works well for a range of temperatures/power consumed. The catch here is that they're making a prediction about the amount of power that might be drawn by a game and this prediction might end up not being good enough for certain games i.e the cooling system might not be sufficient enough for certain games which means when this game is being played the console is gonna run hot and loud. The Series X designers have clearly taken note of this because the entire design of the console is based around this. I think its fair to say that the Series X has one of the most unique designs out there, and that is to accommodate the cooling system. How well it'll run remains to be seen but the design team seem very confident and I think we can trust them.
Now onto the PS5. The PS5 eschews years of traditional console design and goes for variable frequencies or boost clocks. However there is a huge misconception among people because of the word 'boost clocks'. To understand further, lets take a look at something that has boost clocks in the traditional sense - a PC processor (GPU or CPU, both will do). A PC processor usually has two clockspeed targets - a base clock (lower frequency) and a boost clock (higher frequency). Variable power will be supplied to the processor so that it consistently hits that base clock (so basically what the Series X is doing). However, if there is thermal headroom (i.e more power can be supplied to the chip without it overheating) the processor will be supplied with more power so that it hits the boost clock. However at this boost clock, the temperatures will start to rise and eventually the processor will have to come back to the base clock to prevent overheating. In this type of configuration, both the power and the frequency are variable.
The PS5's boost clock is not the same as this. Lots of people have been talking about how the teraflop number is a sham because the PS5 won't be able to run at this 'boost clock' most of the time. That is simply false and here's why:
The PS5 has a specific power limit i.e it's power consumption is not variable and is a consistent figure at all times. Thus the temperature that the chip outputs is the same at all times. This allows the designers to design a cooling system around the exact temperature that it outputs. What this means is that the PS5's fan is not gonna spin much faster or much slower depending on the how big or small power consumption is. Its going to spin based on ambient temps, as the thermal output of the processor is already know and they only need to account for the variance in ambient temps (which makes the temperature range that the cooling system has to be designed for much more predictable and exact i.e a one degree rise in ambient temperature can be more accurately accounted for than the rise in power consumption). So all the people who suffer through the obnoxiously loud and hot PS4s and PS4 Pros, rejoice for you have to suffer no longer (that is, if you're getting a PS5)!
How is Sony achieving this though? Well here is where the variable frequency part comes in. The PS5's processor will be able to see what the games are actually doing i.e what activity is going on in-game, and when those game scenarios occur where power consumption spikes up, it'll downclock. Game developers will be able to tell exactly when it is that this power consumption goes up and as such, be able to account for the reduced frequency then (so in a way, you have the predictability and reliability that comes with setting a specific frequency target, but it also mean that devs will have to work a bit harder to fine tune and optimise things). The crucial thing here is that it doesn't have to downclock by a lot. Remember when I said this a couple of paragraphs above:
Increase in power doesn't correspond to an equal increase in frequency i.e it does not scale linearly. To hit higher frequencies you need to input more and more amounts of power to the point where it becomes a case of diminishing results
Well the opposite is happening here. Decrease in Frequency leads to an exponential decrease in Power consumption. So a 2-3% decrease in frequency (that's about 40-70 MHz in the PS5's case) can deliver at least a 10% decrease in power consumption. So what this basically means is that the PS5 is going to be hitting the targeted clockspeed of 2.23 GHz most of the time (unlike a PC processor with boost clocks), when it downclocks it's not going to be by a significant amount (again, unlike a PC processor) and while doing all this it is going to remain cool and quiet. Quite an innovative and novel concept huh? This is why the PS5's variable frequency is unlike that of the boost clocks found on PC and shouldn't be compared.
So the summary for this section:
- Xbox Series X: Variable power/temps but constant frequency
- PC: Variable power/temps and variable frequency (unless you overclock it, in which case it'll perform like the Series X processor)
- PS5: Constant power/temps but variable frequency.
The exciting thing for me and maybe others who are interested in hardware and engineering is that these are three different ways to achieve the same general target. Just goes to show that these companies are putting lots of effort into the design and engineering and not just copying things and definitely not skimping on anything.
Now lets move on to the next and imo the most innovative part of these next generation consoles:
This is it folks. This is the game changer. This is what's going to deliver a generational leap. If you're worried that the change from 8th gen to 9th gen consoles is going to be like the change from 7th gen to 8th gen wherein it was a jump in graphics but not really a jump in generations, this should allay your fears. It's disappointing to see people downplay the capability of a SSD to just faster loading times and worry about the size of storage, because the inclusion of a SSD can change the way games are made. But before I talk about how the SSD can change things, I want to talk about the PS5's SSD because it's just insane and because while Microsoft has been mainly pushing the idea of faster loading times and being able to suspend and resume multiple games in quick succession, Sony is pushing the message that this is going to be game changing.
When Xbox revealed their 'velocity architecture' and their SSD solution I was extremely impressed- 2.4GBps of raw IO throughput is cutting edge. Microsoft has also done a lot of work on integrating the SSD into the system. They built a hardware decompressor that allows for 4.8GBps of compressed IO throughput and made changes to the DirectX API and wrote specialized code to ensure that the performance of the SSD is amazing. I was sure then that Sony is going to have egg on their face, just like I was sure that they're going to embarrass themselves when they claimed that their SSD is faster than any SSD on PC.
But the madlads actually went ahead and did it. The PS5's SSD is easily the most impressive part out of all the other parts of both consoles. In fact I would go as far as to say that its one of the most impressive hardware to be made in the past few years, alongside the likes of AMD's Zen architecture.
Just to show you how impressive the SSD is - No consumer SSD on PC will be able to match or exceed its raw speed (5.5 GBps) for another year or so. No consumer SSD on PC will be able to match its compressed speed (8-9 GBps) until the next revision of PCIE gets adopted by manufactures (which will happen many years from now) or until a CPU manufacturer implements a dedicated hardware decompressor in its processor (which is extremely unlikely to happen). No consumer SSD on PC will be able to match its performance in games because the storage interface that Sony has built for its SSD is better than the NVME spec that is standard on PC.
Now getting back to how such super fast storage is going to change the way games are made. The largest impact that the SSD is going to have is on Game and Level design. Currently, and ever since we stopped using cartridges, games have had to be designed with the speed limit of HDDs (and in the past, discs) in mind. You can actually see these limitations while playing a game - All those super long corridors and long elevator rides, they're there not because the game designer loves corridors and elevators, but because designers are forced to implement them because of the speed limit of HDDs. This is still an abstract explanation, lets see what impact it has on an actual game:
One of the most requested features from fans of the game Horizon Zero Dawn for its sequel is the ability to fly by mounting robots which can fly. However, this simply would not be possible now because the game was designed with the slowness of a HDD in mind. Here's why it wouldn't work - Lets consider Meridian, the large and detailed City that's in the middle of the map and on top of a mesa, with one end being connected to the adjoining hills by long bridges while the other end is connected to the flatlands below by tall elevators. It was surely a creative decision to design a city like that, but it was also a technical one. Because the City is so detailed and large, with a large number of NPCs each with their own dialogue and music, the data for the city cannot exist in system memory at the same time as the data for the rest of the game world. So when you're walking towards the city the game is dumping all the data for the open world and loading the data for the city, but since HDDs are slow, the bridge has to be longer and the elevators have to be taller to ensure that the game has enough time to load the city. They also have to put in place artificial limits - for example Aloy's running speed when she is on the bridge is slower than when she is out in the open world and she cannot ride a mount (the game's controllable robot horses) into the city because it would be too fast (this is also why you cannot ride a horse into Athens in Assassins Creed Odyssey). Similarly, flight cannot be a thing because the game, or rather the HDD, simply cannot keep up with the speed of flight. If you tried to fly into Meridian the game would just get stuck until its all loaded up and that's something no game dev will allow.
Another example is GTA V. Don't you think its odd that while the map is so large and detailed, you cannot enter most buildings and the city itself is not as populated and feels rather empty? GTA V was a 7th gen game so it had limitations like amount of RAM (the PS3 only has 512 Mb which is just fucking crazy) and rendering power in addition to the limitation of the HDD. But with the current gen, those two limitations went away and yet we ended up with a game that's very similar to its last gen counterparts and that's because of the slow HDDs.
The improvements aren't just limited to open world games either. Linear games will also see a big change. Lets take The Order 1886 as an example. It's a game with extremely detailed settings. In fact its graphical fidelity is among the best of the games that were released this gen. However, almost all of it felt like a facade, because it was. For example, in a section of the game you enter a bar/brothel and in it you walk in a long corridor full of doors. However you couldn't enter any of those rooms, you couldn't see what was inside, you couldn't interact with anything. Why? Because the corridor is actually a hidden loading screen, as you're walking across it the games is unloading everything from the last big area of the game and loading everything required for the next big section of the game. It simply cannot load anything else. So if you felt that linear games were just movies that occasionally let you press buttons on your controller, this should change that.
So far we've talked about how the SSD will remove limitations forced upon game devs. Now lets talk about how it'll enable designers to expand their vision and to do that I want to highlight one game in particular - Beyond Good and Evil 2. With BGE2, the creative director, Michel Ancel, wants users to explore a Solar System and on some of these planets of the solar systems there are vast cities, larger than any of the cities Ubisoft has done so far. Ancel wants people to be able to be in space and then seamlessly travel to a city on the face of a planet and explore its depths and then seamlessly travel back to space (i.e he wants all this to happen without loading screens). This type of game simply would not be possible on platforms without SSDs unless the creative vision was seriously compromised with (by either adding loading screens, making things so slow that they space travel doesn't seem like space travel anymore or by significantly reducing the size of the city).
With the PS5's SSD, Sony wants everything to happen in a snap, they want things to be immediate, they want you to be able to ride a flying robot dinosaur into a large city, shoot some unruly robot in the face with an arrow, then mount a horse-like robot and exit the city at breakneck speed towards your next objective, all without artificially stopping you in your tracks, without making you walk across long bridges or wait through a long elevator ride. They want loading times to be 1 second, not 10 seconds. They want you to be able to get back to playing again after dying without having to look at 'tips' for 2 minutes. They want your fast travel subway rides across New York to be over in 1 second, not 3 minutes. It might not seem much to you now, but once you experience that sense of immediacy, of things happening instantly, going back to anything that isn't this, that is slower, is going to be annoying.
So after all this, you can understand why I'm so excited for the SSDs, specifically Sony's solution and why I was using terms and statements that seem hyperbolic at first to describe these SSDs.
Before moving on to the next section, I want to talk a couple more things about the SSD.
Number one thing is, it's going to reduce game sizes or at the very least, ensure they stay the same. Developers often copy the same thing multiple times across a HDD to ensure that it is there when they need it. Now instead of having 200 postboxes on storage, they only need 1 since it can be accessed in an instant. Also, a vast portion of a game's file size is taken up by uncompressed audio. For example, when No Man's Sky launched, it had a file size of 5GB iirc. Around 4GB of that file size was taken up by audio. With the presence of great hardware decompressors on both platforms, devs can now compress the audio to a much smaller size, thus reducing total file size.
Second, its going to make development of games slightly easier. Devs won't have to spend a lot of time carefully specifying memory usage and fine tuning everything. They wont have to spend time getting the length of a bridge and the characters walking speed across that bridge just right so as to ensure everything loads in time.
Third, games aren't going to get slower after release. You might've noticed that games get 'slower' over time when they've received a lot of updates/patches. This is again because of HDDs. With a SSD, this isn't going to happen.
IMMERSION AND PRESENCE
This is a PS5 specific thing. A key tenet of Sony's next gen console is 'immersion' and 'presence', the feeling that you are inside the game that you're playing. How are they going to achieve that feeling? Through two things - reactive interaction and immersive sound.
The first, reactive interaction, is a term I just came up with to describe the haptics on the controller. Sony didn't talk about this in their presentation but if you read the Wired interview, you'd know that they're going all in haptics. They don't just want the vibrations that the controller makes to be 'strong' or 'soft', they want it to have 'texture' and 'weight'. In the article the journalist describes a PS5 version of GT Sport with enhanced haptics. He says that while driving a car, he could feel the difference between driving the car on an asphalt surface and driving it on grass. Another example given was a platforming game where one could feel the difference between walking on snow and walking on mud.
The second, immersive sound, seems to be the second biggest feature of the PS5, after the SSD. Now I'm not going to go too in-depth about the PS5's Tempest 3D audio tech, because a) its quite complicated and frankly I don't fully understand some parts about it and it probably deserves a post of its own and b) Cerny again does a better job of explaining that I ever will be able to. What I can say however, is that its the most complicated and advanced sound solution that I know of that has been put into a consumer product.
Over the past week I've actually seen a lot of comments saying how this is basically useless and doesn't work or about how this technology already exists in AMD's GPUs and is called AMD TrueAudio and that the Series X also has this feature through an implementation of Microsoft's Project Acoustics. Both of these notions are false. The PS5's Tempest audio tech does work (in theory) and its much more advanced and different than either TrueAudio or Project Acoustics.
Before I go into why it should work, lets talk about how its different than TrueAudio and Project Acoustics. TrueAudio is basically a dedicated chip to process audio instead of using the CPU or GPU to do so. AFAIK this technology is already used in the PS4 and Xbox One and hasn't really been put to much use in AMD's GPUs or the consoles apart from for VR games. To explain Microsoft's Project Acoustics, we need to take a slight detour into Physics 101. You might be aware that Light has dual-nature i.e it behaves like a particle and also behaves like a wave. The prime difference between particles and waves is that particles travel along straight lines (i.e rays) while waves can 'bend around' objects. While light behaves like a particle and a wave, sound only displays wave nature i.e it is a wave and displays properties of waves. In games however, wave properties of sound like occlusion and reverberation haven't been properly implemented. In games, devs code sound to be like a ray, it originates from one specific source and travels from there like a ray does. They try to simulate wave effects like reverberation but it isn't very accurate. Project Acoustics basically changes that and implements real life wave-like behaviour of sound like occlusion, obstruction and reverberation in game.
Now the tech I mentioned above isn't quite specific to 3D audio but should lead to a general improvement in audio quality. Sony's Tempest audio tech meanwhile, is trying to achieve this and much more, specifically in the department of 3D audio. Now, 3D audio isn't a new idea whatsoever, in fact you've probably already experienced it if you've been in a theatre with Dolby Atmos or own a Atmos certified sound system or if you have a particularly good piece of surround sound equipment. However, Sony's implementation of 3D audio is quite different and more advanced than the consumer implementations we've seen before. To see how it's different, I'm going to compare it to Dolby Atmos:
First off, it is to be noted that the way we perceive sound is unique to all of us (i.e its different for everyone) because of the difference in the shape of each of our heads and ears. AFAIK, Atmos doesn't account for these differences while Sony's tech is trying to, key word here being 'trying'. The obvious caveat here is that since the way each of us perceive sound is unique to us, there is simply no way Sony can program a unique algorithm for each of the millions upon millions of people who are going to be buying a PS5. What Sony is doing instead, is scanning as many people as they can, and building 5 general algorithms based on all the people they scan, and the end user can select the algorithm that suits them the best out of these 5. What this means is that for most people, game sound should be extremely close to how they perceive sound irl, for some people it's going to be exactly how they perceive sound irl while for some people the improvements in audio is not going to be perceivable because they're outliers i.e the way they perceive sound is much much different than the way most people perceive sound. This is just at launch though. Sony has said that it's a multi year project for them, so they'll be building more algorithms as they collect more data from people, this is what Cerny meant by 'send me nudes of your ears'.
The second difference is quite straightforward. Atmos uses 36 individual sources of sound. Sony's tech can use hundreds and thousands of sources of individual sound and the quality of the sound streams themselves can be much higher.
The third difference is that use of Atmos requires specialised, certified hardware that matches Dolby's spec. Sony's audio tech doesn't require certified hardware and it will work with any set of headphones, TV speakers or surround sound systems. Not everything will be supported at launch though. All headphones will be supported and Cerny says that headphones will be the gold standard. Currently they're working on implementing support for TV speakers and in the future they'll implement support for multi speaker surround sound systems.
So all this is quite exciting stuff then. There is however an issue. While the SSDs will have an objective improvement in games, the sound technology and controller are going to be much more subjective and the improvements they will offer isn't exactly clear. For example, you might not like the haptics at all and completely disable it or you might be one of the outliers in terms of how you perceive sound and hence you won't be able to tell much of a difference. As for me, my opinion on the PS5's audios system is gonna depend entirely on whether or not it comes with a 100 hour long Mark Cerny read the LOTR Trilogy ASMR audio file.
So until we see, or rather experience games built for the PS5, it's impossible to tell if all this will have much of an effect. Regardless, the concept alone is quite innovative and exciting and I have to give Sony props for following through with this despite the complexity of it all.
ENHANCED CONTINUITY
This is a Series X feature, at least for now. What I mean by enhanced continuity is basically enhanced backwards compatibility. The backward compatibility features of the Series X, courtesy of the amazing Xbox Backwards Compatibility team at Microsoft, is easily the most impressive part of the Series X for me (again, the power of the Series X is jaw dropping, but beyond a certain point it doesn't really do much for me. Meanwhile, the PS5's SSD kinda overshadows the still impressive Velocity Architecture of the Series X).
Sony talked about 'machine learning' in one of their Wired interviews but it was just a vague term and so far we've not seen anything about the machine learning capabilities of the PS5 or even if it is actually present on the PS5. Meanwhile Xbox has actually showed off an impressive use of machine learning. The fact that the Series X can play thousands of Xbox One, 360 and OG Xbox titles is amazing but its ability to automatically play the game at higher resolutions and framerates and even apply HDR to it is just downright jaw-dropping. Of course the caveat is that not every previous-gen Xbox game is going to work but because the backwards compatibility team has been working on this for the past 4-5 years. we can play thousands of previous generation games at launch on the Xbox and that's just frickin awesome.
The PS5's backwards compatibility situation was kinda blown out of proportion with many people assuming that it isn't backwards compatible at all or that only 100 titles were going to be backwards compatible (which just goes to show you how little people were paying attention during the whole event) when in fact Sony is just doing what Xbox has been doing for the past 5 years - testing, certifying and improving games on a title to title basis. What is disappointing though is that it took them so long to finally start doing this and now they're just so far behind Microsoft with regard to backwards compatibility.
This idea of enhanced continuity also extends to the peripherals. All Xbox One peripherals will be compatible with the Series X, that's all well and good, but they'll also receive a software update that brings with it the Latency Reduction features that Microsoft has baked into the Series X controller and that is awesome.
SERIES X SPECIFIC FEATURES
There are a couple of more features that Microsoft announced that while innovative, I can't really talk much about because there isn't much to talk about it. So I'll just list them out.
Another thing to note is that these are Series X specific features for now. The fact is that unlike major components like the SSD, Processor or the Audio chip, these features already exist in the base AMD processors that both Sony and Microsoft are using or can be implemented via software updates. So far only Microsoft has talked about these features so I'm gonna assume that only the Series X has these features unless Sony says otherwise. So here's the list of features:
Minimising Input Lag
Variable Refresh Rate
Elimination of screen tearing
Variable Rate Shading
So there you have it, I've highlighted why I believe that this generation of consoles might be the most innovative in decades. Now I understand that this is a very big statement to make.
Some of you might argue that back when consoles used specialised, purpose built hardware like the PS3's Cell Processor, consoles were more innovative, but to that I respond by asking, how does it matter if those consoles were packed with innovation when developing games for them was so hard that you couldn't even make full use of many of those innovations?
Others might also say that just like it has been in the past, no developer will actually make use of these features and I understand why people might be so skeptical. In the past console manufacturers have promised a lot of things but have almost always ended up under-delivering. However, I believe this generation will be different. For one, both manufacturers are listening to the developers and implementing features that developers are asking for rather than creating their own features and forcing developers to use it. Case in point being the SSD. Devs seem more excited about the SSD, specifically Sony's SSD, than any of the other improvements and features and according to Cerny the number 1 requested feature was the inclusion of a SSD. One of the top priorities for the consoles manufacturers is also to ensure that developers have an extremely easy time developing games for the system and that they get to grips with the system as soon as possible.
Secondly, there seems to be a no BS talk being said by both Microsoft and Sony. Cerny outlined his vision for the system and explained with detailed reasons why they made the technical choices that they made while Xbox has been extremely upfront about their vision, aims and achievements with the Series X. There is just a lot more 'real' and honest communication coming from both manufacturers (at least until now, it could all change as we near launch period). During the pre-launch period of the current gen consoles we kept hearing about the cloud or TV or other completely unrelated and BS stuff, so it's nice and refreshing to have Sony and Microsoft just focus on what matters - the games.
I'm also very happy to see that these consoles are different from each other, each with their own unique features. I really cannot wait to see the games that are being built for these consoles and I cannot wait to get my hands on them when they launch.
r/hardware - PS5 and Xbox Series X: The Most Innovative Console Generation in Decades? || An Explanation of the Innovative Features of the Next-Gen Consoles.
450 votes and 443 comments so far on Reddit
Xbox Series X vs PS5 load time comparisons
The Medium's Bloober Team talk about exclusivity and raytracing support
Microsoft asks Xbox Series customers if they would like PS5's DualSense features on its controllers
Demon_skeith
Mark Cerny: Devs Don't Have to Optimize in Any Way for PS5's Variable Clocks, It's All Automatic
Developing for PS4/XO Feels Like Developing for Ancient Machinery, Halo Co-Creator Says; PS5 and XSX SSD Will Make a Huge Difference


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Presidential Security Service
대통령경호실
大統領警護室
Dae Tong Ryeong Gyeong Ho Shil
Daetongryung Kyunghosil
Superseding agency
Kyong Mu Dae Presidential Security Police (First)
Blue House Presidential Police (Second)
Government of South Korea
Near Blue House
Yom Sang Guk, Chief Officer
Presidential Security Service (Korean : 대통령경호실, Hanja : 大統領警護室, Dae Tong Ryeong Gyeong Ho Shil), or PSS for short, is a South Korean close protection agency. Based on the United States Secret Service, the South Korean PSS is an independent agency responsible for the protection of the President of South Korea and the Blue House.
The unit is currently being commanded by Yom Sang Guk, 12th chief officer of the PSS.[1] Its headquarters and related support units are based near the Blue House.[2]
PSS Agents during Park Geun-hye's Presidential Inauguration in 2013.
The PSS had been established in 1949 as the Kyong Mu Dae Presidential Security Police.[3] Its name soon changed in 1960 to the Blue House Presidential Police with a Security Force raised in 1961 to closely guard Park Chung Hee.[3]
The unit had a name change again, this time to the PSS, after the PSS Law 157 had passed in 1963 with Hong Jong Chul as its first chief[3] under the direction of the Gyeongmundae Police Force.[4] Yet Pak Chong-gyu headed the PSS from 1963 to 1974.[5] PSS responsibilities were increased after North Korean soldiers of the 124th Army Unit attacked the Blue House in 1968.[6][7]
In 1974, the PSS was granted more power over the South Korean military and various law enforcement agencies under the enactment of Security Committee for presidential protection (Executive Order 7246) and of Security Control Unit for presidential protection (Executive Order 7246)[8] after Park Chung Hee's wife, Yuk Young-soo was killed.[9]
The abolishment of Security Committee for presidential protection (Executive Order 9692) and abolishment of Security Control Unit for presidential protection (Executive Order 9692) came in 1979 after Park Chung Hee had been assassinated. In 1981, the PSS was mandated, by the revision of PSS directives,[10] to protect former South Korean presidents and their families.[8]
The PSS was involved in the close protection of Pope John Paul II during an attempt to attack him when he visited the country on May 6, 1984 in Seoul.[10]
On February 1, 1989, the Cheongnamdae (Presidential retreat) guard squad was formed.[11]
On April 1, 1993, the Mugunghwa Dongsa (Korean: Clearing away of the security house) division was created to act as a counter-terrorism unit.[12] On March 3, 1999, a PSS Multi Security Training Center was created.[13]
During the 2002 FIFA World Cup, the PSS established the Cheong Wa Dae World Cup Safety Measures Team and the World Cup Security & Safety Control Division to bolster security on South Korean soil[13]
The PSS was relieved of their guard duties of the Blue House on April 18, 2003 as jurisdiction was given to the Chungcheongbuk-do Provincial Government.[14] On January 1, 2005, the Pusan APEC Security Safety Control Group was established by the PSS[14]
The Presidential Security Safety Measures Committee was legalized as a committee on March 10, 2005.[14]
Among the duties conducted by PSS agents include close protection for the following:[8][15]
President of South Korea and family
Former Presidents of South Korea and family after 7 years
Visiting heads of state
Domestic/Foreign VIPs, under approval of the PSS
As of 2008, the PSS had been organized into the following:[16]
Head of PSS
Vice Head of PSS
Headquarters for Innovation & Planning
Headquarters for Administration
Headquarters for Protection
Headquarters for Intelligence & Security
Headquarters for Education & Training
Code and Pledge
The PSS has a code and a pledge that its agents must abide by at all times:
Unity - The will for unity amongst all and conformity with the President reflecting the teamwork orientated characteristic of security duties[17]
Loyalty - The very basic mental attitude of security agents towards the nation and its people[17]
Eternity - Security duties pursue eternal honor to the end by being with the President with a precondition of self-sacrifice[17]
Honor - Expertise and dignity of the security duty based on sacrifice and service[17]
One, we will lay down our lives for the successful execution of our duties.[17]
Another, we will act in a righteous and truthful manner.[17]
Third, we will firmly unify on the basis of mutual trust.[17]
Fourth, we will guard the preservation of public peace like our lives.[17]
Fifth, we will guard the honor and maintain dignity.[17]
Italy: Beretta Px4 Storm
Germany: Heckler & Koch MP7
Germany: Heckler and Koch UMP
↑ Greetings. Retrieved on January 24, 2008.
↑ Location. Retrieved on January 24, 2008.
1 2 3 Presidential Security Service at GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved on January 24, 2008.
↑ Introduction to PSS. Retrieved on January 24, 2008.
↑ Joo-Hong Kim, "The Armed Forces" pp. 168-199, at pp. 181, 191, in Kim and Vogel, editors, The Park Chung Hee Era. The transformation of South Korea (Harvard University 2011).
↑ History of Activities, The 3rd Republic. Retrieved on January 24, 2008.
↑ Scenes from an Unfinished War: Low-Intensity Conflict in Korea, 1966-1968
1 2 3 Presidential Security Service at FAS.org. Retrieved on January 24, 2008.
↑ History of Activities, the 4th Republic. Retrieved on January 24, 2008
1 2 History of Activities, the 5th Republic. Retrieved on January 24, 2008
↑ History of Activities, the 6th Republic. Retrieved on January 24, 2008.
↑ History of Activities, Civilian Government. Retrieved on January 24, 2008.
1 2 History of Activities, People's Government. Retrieved on January 24, 2008.
1 2 3 History of Activities, Participatory Government. Retrieved on January 24, 2008.
↑ Duties. Retrieved on January 24, 2008.
↑ Organizations & Functions. Retrieved on January 24, 2008.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Code & Pledge. Retrieved on January 24, 2008.
Official Site (Korean)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Daniel Kammen Reports on Bonn Climate Conference Wed Dec 13 7 pm
Posted on November 21, 2017 by league
Dr. Daniel Kammen, distinguished policy expert on energy and climate change, will report on the recently concluded Bonn Climate Conference on Wed., Dec 13, 7-9 pm in the Parlor Room of the Northbrae Community Church, 941 The Alameda, Berkeley. Dr. Kammen's talk will be preceded by a holiday potluck. The Parlor Room is accessible from the parking lot behind the community building through the more southerly entrance.
Please sign up for this free event by clicking this link so we will know how many to expect.
Daniel Kammen is the Class of 1935 Distinguished Professor of Energy at the University of California, Berkeley, with parallel appointments in the Energy and Resources Group, the Goldman School of Public Policy, and the department of Nuclear Engineering. He was appointed the first Environment and Climate Partnership for the Americas (ECPA) Fellow by Secretary of State Hilary R. Clinton in April 2010.
Kammen is the founding director of the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory (RAEL), Co-Director of the Berkeley Institute of the Environment, and Director of the Transportation Sustainability Research Center. Dr. Kammen has served as a contributing or coordinating lead author on various reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change since 1999. The IPCC shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. He serves on the Advisory Committee for Energy & Environment for the X-Prize Foundation.
During 2010-2011 Kammen served as the World Bank Group's Chief Technical Specialist for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency. He was appointed to this newly-created position in October 2010, in which he provided strategic leadership on policy, technical, and operational fronts. The aim is to enhance the operational impact of the Bank's renewable energy and energy efficiency activities while expanding the institution's role as an enabler of global dialogue on moving energy development to a cleaner and more sustainable pathway.
Kammen has founded or is on the board of over 10 companies, and has served the State of California and US federal government in expert and advisory capacities.
Dr. Kammen was educated in physics at Cornell and Harvard, and held postdoctoral positions at the California Institute of Technology and Harvard. He was Assistant Professor and Chair of the Science, Technology and Environmental Policy Program at the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University before moving to the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Kammen has served as a contributing or coordinating lead author on various reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change since 1999. The IPCC shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. He serves on the Advisory Committee for Energy & Environment for the X-Prize Foundation.
He has authored or co-authored 12 books, written more than 300 peer-reviewed journal publications, testified more than 40 times to U.S. state and federal congressional briefings, and has provided various governments with more than 50 technical reports. Dr. Kammen also served for many years on the Technical Review Board of the Global Environment Facility. He is a frequent contributor to or commentator in international news media, including Newsweek, Time, The New York Times, The Guardian, and The Financial Times. Kammen has appeared on 60 Minutes (twice), Nova, Frontline, and hosted the six-part Discovery Channel series Ecopolis. Dr. Kammen is a Permanent Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences, a fellow of the American Physical Society. In the US, he serves on two National Academy of Sciences boards and panels.
For more information, contact Carol Stone, 510-549-0959, seastone01@comcast.net


DIRECT FROM LOURDES - On Your Confirmation Day Card with Pocket Token.
On Your Confirmation Day Card with Pocket Token.
Dove confirmation card with pocket token.
On your Confirmation Day, May God be there beside you, and may the Holy Spirit always be a light to guide you.


text:
Q: laravel 5.3: HTTP/1.0 405 Method Not Allowed route:
  Route::post('serial', 'HomeController@serial');

  Route::get('doctorlist',['as'=>'doctorlist','uses'=>'HomeController@doctorlist']);

script:
 @section('scripts')

 <script>
    $(document).ready(function() {
        src = "{{ route('doctorlist') }}";
        $("#search_text").autocomplete({
            source: function(request, response) {
                $.ajax({
                    url: src,
                    dataType: "json",
                    data: {
                        term : request.term
                    },
                    success: function(data) {
                        response(data);

                    }
                });
            },
            min_length: 3,

        });
    });
</script>

controller:
public function doctorlist(Request $request)
{
    $query = $request->get('term','');

    $doctors=Doctors::where('doctors_name','LIKE','%'.$query.'%')->get();

    $data=array();
    foreach ($doctors as $doctor) {
        $data[]=array('value'=>$doctor->doctors_name,'id'=>$doctor->serial_no);
    }
    if(count($data))
        return $data;
    else
        return ['value'=>'No Result Found','id'=>''];
}

it always goes to serial route. not going doctorlist

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


We are now all ready to share the 2017 White Cave Restaurant Menu details as we put together some really intriguing tastes. Before start mentioning the must try dishes of the new menu let us tell you that the White Cave Restaurant serves in the two shaded terraces with the breathtaking caldera and sunset views and the pool bar is now set to serve cocktails, drinks and snacks that will complement your relaxation at the swimming pool area of Ira Hotel & Spa in Firostefani, Santorini.
Now it is time to tell you that for this season we created three different menus in order to share tastes according to the time and place. For example, we prepared the all-day Snack Menu, available from 11,30hrs to 20,30hrs, the Dinner Menu, available from 17.00hrs to 22.30hrs, and the Room Service Menu with tastes that you can enjoy the privacy of your room or the even better with the amazing views to volcanoes from your veranda. You can enjoy this service from 11.00hrs to 22.30hrs.
For this season we kept our gastronomic focus to the very same principles as we do every year. Local products, recipes inspired from Santorini, Greece and the Mediterranean with fresh salads, scrumptious appetizers, meat dishes and special fresh fish every day along with suggestions that are inspired from Greek Gastronomy under the section of Greek Only of each menu. In the snack menu, you will find some delicious sandwiches, club sandwiches, and burgers with a twist. From the Dinner Menu next to classic Mediterranean flavours we suggest some pasta and risotto dishes where the fish dishes are more for this season and you have to discover dishes like the grilled octopus or the sea bass fillet in poppy seeds crust.
That was just a sneak preview from the 2017 White Cave's Restaurant Menu for the rest you simply have to click on www.ira-hotel.com/dining.


text:
Fragile States and Fragile Cities
On December 16th, The Independent Commission on Multilateralism (ICM) hosted a Public Consultation on its Discussion Paper: "Fragile States and Fragile Cities." This Public Consultation provided a platform for representatives from member states, civil society, the private sector, academia, and the United Nations to comment on the Discussion Paper's recommendations and exchange perspectives on the larger trends and challenges at hand.
Click here to view the event video on YouTube>>
Nearly 1.2 billion people live in fragile states, including one‐third of the world's poor. Challenges emerging from fragile states, such as transnational threats, regional spillovers, local insecurity, and underdevelopment require the attention of multilateral institutions. While there is no agreed upon definition of a "fragile state," limited institutional capacity and weak governance—particularly in combination with structural political and economic exclusion—are evident as main factors of fragility.
More recently, cities as urban systems susceptible to damage incurred by shocks to infrastructure, and ecological, social, economic, and political systems have emerged as a concept of fragility in the peace and security landscape. With unprecedentedly fast urbanization rates, cities are becoming the focal point of global poverty, conflict, and vulnerability to disasters—particularly when situated within a "fragile state."
As policy-makers move beyond "fragile states" to "states of fragility," important shortcomings persist in the United Nations and the multilateral system in addressing fragility and building resilience in states and cities. These gaps are conceptual and analytical; institutional; financial; engagement-related; and gender and youth-related. Despite its limitations, the concept of fragility has enhanced the linkage not just among international, national, and human security, but also among security, development, and governance needs, including issues of food, water, health, and environment.
Discussants:
Ms. Andrea Ó Súilleabháin, Senior Policy Analyst, International Peace Institute
H.E. Mrs. Makurita Baaro, Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Kiribati to the United Nations
Mr. Seth Kaplan, Lecturer, Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University
H.E. Mr. Hardeep Singh Puri, Secretary-General, Independent Commission on Multilateralism


A unique group activity for your next group travelling to Mauritius – Cane Cutting activity at L'Aventure du Sucre!
Experience 'live cane cutting' in the Domaine de Beau Plan and an explanation of the particularities of the plant in the fields.
Did you know? A cane plant can yield up to 20 litres of juice from which may be extracted 2 kg of sugar.
NB : Explanation on safety measures will be given.
Gloves, billhooks, etc will be provided by l'Aventure du Sucre.
Definitely an activity to combine all the senses!
Subject to a minimum of 20 people or more for the tour.
Duration of the activity, approximately 3 hours.


6 companies comprise 75% of the market.
Michigan has a limitation or cap on non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases, which was set at $280,000 in 1993. The cap is adjusted for inflation each year and is now up to $433,400. In addition, the cap is increased to $774,000 in some cases such as permanent functional loss of limb, permanent cognitive impairment, or permanent loss of reproduction. There is no cap on economic damages for medical expenses or lost income. In an effort to reduce the number of frivolous claims Michigan has a mandatory review of all malpractice suits. A mediation panel reviews the case and gives a written evaluation to both sides. If either side rejects the panel's evaluation and the case goes to trial and they lose, they must pay the opposing side's costs.
In Michigan a patient has 2 years from the date of the medical care or incident to file a medical malpractice suit. The state also allows for a claim to be filed within 6 months of the date of discovery or when the plaintiff reasonably should have discovered the problem, but this extension is limited to 6 years after the original incident. As with most states there are exceptions for minors; in most cases until the minor's 10th birthday, and after that the 2 year limit applies.
Coverage for all medical specialties in Michigan.
Michigan, like most states, does not have legally mandated minimum limits of liability coverage a doctor must carry. However, it is advisable for physicians to carry the standard $1M/$3M coverage limits.
Medical malpractice claims have steadily and consistently declined in Michigan for several years. The number of claims filed and the severity of payouts has decreased creating a favorable environment for physicians to practice medicine. In addition, insurance carriers see medical malpractice insurance profits in the state, which has pushed rates down and improved the availability of coverage. With competition, patient safety, and reforms Michigan's insurance market should not see any significant changes in the near future.


text:
HIMSS 2010: The Doctor (of Technology) Is In The House
As an industry, healthcare is full of cutting-edge technologies used to extend and save lives. But beyond the core operating room and hospital room technologies, health information technology (HIT) is struggling to move into the 21st century.
Walking the show floor at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Conference, which wraps up today in Atlanta, I was struck by the feeling that the tech of healthcare feel about 8-10 years behind.
I initially chalked it up to my own sense of déjà vu, as the last show I attended at the Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC) was on September 11, 2001, during which John Chambers showed off a technology called "unified communications" that tied together videoconferencing and voice-over-IP phones for something he called "telepresence."
Yet, fast forward to the 2010 show and the two biggest announcements, from a streaming perspective, were around telepresence and unified communications.
Both Polycom and Cisco announced telepresence suites that tied high-definition videoconferencing into voice over IP (VoIP) phones and unified messaging. With privacy issues of great concern, both Polycom and Cisco are attempting to address workflow deficiencies and enhance patient care while also maintaining patient confidentiality.
"Polycom understands the challenges faced by healthcare organizations today, and we've been improving communications in this industry for a number of years," said Ron Emerson, director of global healthcare markets for Polycom. "We are accelerating efforts with Polycom Open Collaboration Network (POCN) partners to offer our customers fully integrated end-to-end solutions that can help improve patient care and enable organizations to achieve greater efficiencies."
Geared toward remote and medically underserved areas, Polycom says its HDX telepresence videoconferencing system is capable of delivering HD video at 512Kpbs for use in patient assessment, remote consultations and medical education.
Polycom's video offering for its healthcare-focused telepresence tools also included a Converged Management Application (CMA) desktop-based video conferencing system that provides 720p video output, for flexible, PC-based video communications supporting up to 720p high definition video for the sharpest images and most accurate patient assessments.
In addition, Polycom addresses some of the advances made in wireless and high-speed internal networks in hospitals via its wireless SpectraLink handsets. With SIP integration for interoperability with the videoconferencing solutions, these SpectraLink handsets also include Nurse Call and Smart Bed Monitoring solutions, for patient-nurse communications.
Finally, for offices where prescriptions may be filed, Polycom is addressing the move to e-scripts, or electronic prescription entry via a Polycom VVX 1500 phone that integrates a touch screen-capability with a user interface based around SureScript entry and transmission.
Not to be outdone, Cisco's HealthPresence is the company's healthcare-focused telepresence solution.
"HealthPresence creates new, streamlined clinical encounters by integrating two technology innovations—Cisco TelePresence and Cisco Unified Communications," the company said in a press release.
Similar to the Polycom solution, Cisco sees unified communications between its videoconferencing and mobile voice- and video-over-IP devices as a way to help streamline patient care. Cisco goes a bit beyond Polycom, however, by also tying in connected medical devices.
"A goal of Cisco HealthPresence is to support collaboration and personalization that is rarely accomplished in traditional face-to-face consultations," said Irene Sandler, Senior Marketing Manager, Cisco TelePresence.
To accomplish this move beyond face-to-face, Cisco has the idea that patients using HealthPresence will see images and listen to sounds from a variety of diagnostic devices, in the same way that the clinicians (doctors, nurses, assistants) see and hear the same feedback. One such example would be a digital stethoscope.
Cisco notes the scarcity and productivity of clinical expertise, as well as a need for information exchange and collaboration, as primary drivers in the unified communications approach.
"We want to engage patients in ways that make them more active participants in consults," said Sandler, adding that the entire toolset is Cisco-derived, as the acquisition of Tandberg—a Polycom competitor—has not been finalized.
We'll look at healthcare tech more soon, as it is a growth market that dwarfs all but the entertainment industry. But at a simple level, healthcare is struggling kick its dependency of simple technologies like paper.
Electronic medical records (EMRs or EHRs) and information exchange between service vendors (hospitals, physicians practices) and clinicians (doctors, nurses, radiologists) have a huge roadblock in paper, as well as in the interoperability of sending database information as well as the movement of video files and large still images from location to location.
The best way I can describe this is to use the title of a book that my seatmate was reading as I flew from Atlanta to the RSA show in San Francisco: Paper Kills 2.0 is a new book based on a series of white papers edited by David Merritt, VP and national policy director for the Center for Health Transformation. The book advocates an approach to electronic health records (EHR) that not only improves efficiencies but also save lives.
Polycom Acquires Accordent
Deal will let Polycom grow in the unified communications space by integrating the two company's technologies.


This weekend the Nittany Lions will take on the Boilmakers and the best kicker in the Big Ten. This past week, Cody Webster was announced as one of ten semi-finalists for the Ray Guy Award. The Ray Guy Award recognizes the most outstanding punter in college football and Webster was selected as a semi-finalist from a list of 85 punters, spanning all of college football.
The senior punter is ranked 10th nationally and first in the Big Ten in punting average (44.8 yards). With the help of Webster's punting abilities, the Boilmakers are currently first in the FBS in net punting, with 43.1 yards.
Webster will return to his home state of Pennsylvania, this Saturday, to face the Nittany Lions for the third time during his career at Purdue. The 6-foot 1, 205 pound, punter is a native of Harrisburg, PA, and has yet to win against Penn State while in a Boilmakers uniform.
While in high school, Webster was a four time first team All-Mid Penn Conference punter and was named first team All-State punter during his senior year. He was selected to multiple All-Star teams and recorded a record-breaking 72-yard punt, in October of 2009. As a high school junior, Webster was placed on The Sporting News Top 50 Juniors in the Country to Watch list, and was ranked as the number four punter in the country by Chris Sailor Kicking.
As a freshman, Webster played in 11 games and handled a majority of the punting duties for the final 10 games of the season. He finished the season with 47 punts, 2,034 yards, and a punting average of 43.3 yards. At the time, Webster's punting average was the third highest in school history. In 2010, Webster kicked a 79-yard punt against Northwestern that was later tied for the third longest punt in Purdue football history.
In 2011 and 2012, Webster appeared in all thirteen games. As a sophomore, Webster had 13 punts of 50 yards or more and had 11 kicks fall inside the opponent's 20-yard line. In 2011, he made his first bowl game appearance in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl on December 27th.
72-yard punt against Wisconsin and punted for over 345 yards against Michigan.
This season, No. 42 has punted 55 times, and has already recorded 2,453 yards. He kicked a 73-yard punt in the season opener against Cincinnati and has tallied one touchback. His 73-yard punt during the season opener was the second longest in his career. Webster has been one of the few consistent and reliable players head coach Darren Hazell has been able to utilize this fall.
Webster will continue to put up career-high numbers during his final season at Purdue. Webster will look to finish the season as the number one punter in the Big Ten and the winner of the Ray Guy Award.


The aim of the Club is to provide a social and business meeting place for professional journalists, both Brussels-based and visiting. The Press Club is also a platform for press conferences, public debates among media, representatives of the European institutions, civil society organisations, the Belgian economy, science and cultural life. Membership of the club is open to all – not just to journalists – who are interested in public affairs such as Communication professionals or embassy press officers.
Use the Press Club's space as your office when you're in Brussels.
Relax in the Press Club Lounge or refreshments corner with free soft drinks, Belgian beer, wine, coffee, wifi connections and daily press.
Enjoy the media wall of televisions to keep up on breaking news.
Take advantage of the Press Club Brussels Europe reciprocal agreements with more than 80 press clubs around the country and the world.
For visitors and guests of the Club, tourist, cultural and logistic information is available at the Visit Brussels Information desk of the Press Club.
For visitors and guests of the Club, tourist and logistic information is available at the VisitBrussels Information desk of the Press Club.


text:
Disney's 'Mulan' Is Being Turned Into a Live-Action Film — Check Out the First Trailer!
Jul 8, 2019 11:16 am·
By Ed Gross
Sister Wives' Christine Flaunts Weight Loss After Janelle's RV Update
Brian Laundrie Shared Disturbing Posts Ahead of His, Gabby's Disappearance
Maci Bookout Has 'No Communication' With Jen, Larry After 'TMOG' Firing
Kourtney Kardashian, Megan Fox Call Travis, MGK 'Future Baby Daddies' at VMAs
Chris Watts Still Talks to Mistress He Murdered His Family to Be With
With the live-action Aladdin still in theaters, and the adaptation of The Lion King only a short time away, Disney is already looking towards next year with yet another classic animated film being brought to life in the form of Mulan.
Based on the 1998 animated film, the story, says Disney, is "the epic adventure of a fearless young woman who masquerades as a man in order to fight Northern Invaders attacking China. The eldest daughter of an honored warrior, Hua Mulan is spirited, determined and quick on her feet. When the Emperor issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Army, she steps in to take the place of her ailing father as Hua Jun, becoming one of China's greatest warriors ever."
In the live-action film, the role of Mulan is being played by Liu Yifei, who is pictured in costume above. Actress Ming-Na Wen, who voiced Mulan in the animated version, spoke to Entertainment Weekly about the power of the tale, commenting, "The story itself kept to the idea of this young girl wanting to protect her father, and she was brave enough to go into battle and become such a heroine … It had staying power. I go to these Comic-Con conventions and as much as I get people who love S.H.I.E.L.D. and Agent May — that strong female character and what she represents — there are so many women and young girls who come up to me [because of Mulan]. It's incredible to meet these people and have them tell me their stories of how it's influenced them and inspired them, [because] they don't feel like they were represented, which was something I never thought about, because all I thought about was this folklore. Now when you see the Disney princesses, they're all very independent and they don't need someone to save them — that's the legacy of Mulan, which is wonderful."
Look for Mulan on March 27, 2020.
Hakuna Ma-terrifying! Fans Drag Pumbaa's Appearance in the New Live-Action 'Lion King'
Hidden Gems! Walt Disney's Hush-Hush Secrets About The Disney Parks
Jennifer Garner and Her Kids Seraphina and Samuel Have a Blast at Disneyland!
Win $2,000 Cash!


In today's video, I'll cover the basics of doing pixel animation in Clip Studio Paint. Sorry, this one's coming out a bit later than I'd like. I'm training for my Quality Matters cert (it's for teaching college online.) I just completed the first two classes, yay! …At the expense of getting my tutorial done on time, boo. -_-0 Better late than never, I suppose.
If you're making your own pixel art or animation I'd love to see it! Please let me know where to find your work. I'm still trying to decide what my next tutorial series will be after this one so if you have any ideas please leave a comment and let me know what you'd like to learn next.
Today I'm showing my process for creating an old-school RPG battle screen in Photoshop. As you can see, it's heavily inspired by games like Final Fantasy IV and Lufia and the Fortress of Doom which were two of my favorites growing up. Apologies for the lack of narration this time. Life has had me really busy the past couple weeks so I didn't have time to record and edit audio. I think it's still helpful even without narration though.
Today I demonstrate various techniques for drawing pixel art while creating a retro-RPG overworld map for my animated series, PlotQuest. Although I use Photoshop to create this particular piece of art, the techniques I show will work in just about any digital art program.
I'd like to get a jump on planning my next series of tutorials so if there's any animation technique or software you've really been wanting to learn, please leave a comment and let me know. Thanks!
Tutorial: Where the Heck is That Button?!
Watch as I strive to answer the age-old question (as it relates to creating pixel art anyway) in Photoshop (1:03), Clip Studio Paint (6:28), and Gimp (9:13).
1. How to resize an image.
2. How to find the layers panel.
3. Getting the Pencil tool to just create a 1-pixel line without anti-aliasing the heck out of it.
4. How to do the same thing with the eraser (which you'd think would be the same process but it never is).
Hope you enjoy and if you have any questions just leave a comment!
This is the first in a series of tutorials I'm doing on my work for the web series, PlotQuest. This one goes over some tricks for creating a quick pixel art look in Photoshop or Clip Studio Paint. So if you've ever wondered how to take a piece of art you've already made and make it look like pixel art without having to actually redraw it as pixel art then you may wanna check it out.
If you have any questions, comments, or just wanna show off what you've made using this trick please leave a comment.
Just a quick holiday sketch inspired by my Thanksgiving.
Momentum continues to build! Tommy just finished some new concept art for Amy and Pltnm06Ghost has been busily boarding Episode 2. For my part, I've been working on animation and setting up our social media so we have a YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5k7XLDT8KRQ-J12TVkRVug, Twitter, Tumblr, etc. now.
You can find all the concept art and video of Ghost's storyboarding process on our Production Blog. More to come very soon!
This week I did brand identity for a lawn care company. I designed a logo, business card, letterhead, etc. I did two versions, this is the more whimsical one. I wanted it to have a bit of a retro feel without looking dated.


text:
.class interface abstract Landroid/support/v4/app/NotificationCompat$NotificationCompatImpl;
.super Ljava/lang/Object;
.source "NotificationCompat.java"

# annotations
.annotation system Ldalvik/annotation/EnclosingClass;
    value = Landroid/support/v4/app/NotificationCompat;
.end annotation

.annotation system Ldalvik/annotation/InnerClass;
    accessFlags = 0x608
    name = "NotificationCompatImpl"
.end annotation

# virtual methods
.method public abstract build(Landroid/support/v4/app/NotificationCompat$Builder;)Landroid/app/Notification;
.end method

.method public abstract getAction(Landroid/app/Notification;I)Landroid/support/v4/app/NotificationCompat$Action;
.end method

.method public abstract getActionCount(Landroid/app/Notification;)I
.end method

.method public abstract getActionsFromParcelableArrayList(Ljava/util/ArrayList;)[Landroid/support/v4/app/NotificationCompat$Action;
    .annotation system Ldalvik/annotation/Signature;
        value = {
            "(",
            "Ljava/util/ArrayList",
            "<",
            "Landroid/os/Parcelable;",
            ">;)[",
            "Landroid/support/v4/app/NotificationCompat$Action;"
        }
    .end annotation
.end method

.method public abstract getExtras(Landroid/app/Notification;)Landroid/os/Bundle;
.end method

.method public abstract getGroup(Landroid/app/Notification;)Ljava/lang/String;
.end method

.method public abstract getLocalOnly(Landroid/app/Notification;)Z
.end method

.method public abstract getParcelableArrayListForActions([Landroid/support/v4/app/NotificationCompat$Action;)Ljava/util/ArrayList;
    .annotation system Ldalvik/annotation/Signature;
        value = {
            "([",
            "Landroid/support/v4/app/NotificationCompat$Action;",
            ")",
            "Ljava/util/ArrayList",
            "<",
            "Landroid/os/Parcelable;",
            ">;"
        }
    .end annotation
.end method

.method public abstract getSortKey(Landroid/app/Notification;)Ljava/lang/String;
.end method

.method public abstract isGroupSummary(Landroid/app/Notification;)Z
.end method

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Submit supporting documents when appealing for BPN aid – IRB
PUTRAJAYA: Applicants whose application for Bantuan Prihatin Nasional (BPN) have been rejected can make an appeal by submitting supporting documents to prove that they've lost their jobs or their income has reduced, said Inland Revenue Board (IRB) chief executive officer Datuk Seri Dr Sabin Samitah.
He said in a statement today that the appeal can be made via e-mail to the IRB ([email protected]) or by going to any IRB office.
Those who were rejected for other reasons, including applicants/couples having companies registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM), could appeal by presenting supporting documents to prove their latest income total, he said.
Sabin said the period for BPN aid appeals had been extended until May 31 and that IRB offices would be open from either tomorrow (May 11) or Tuesday (May 12), depending on the working days of the respective states.
"All appeals will be given due consideration to ensure only those that meet the BPN requirements will receive the aid," he said.
Sabin said one of the main reasons applications were rejected was because applicants had earnings which exceeded the eligibility criteria, while other reasons included non-compliance with certain conditions, such as age eligibility and full-time student status.
"For example, 240,465 applications were received from full-time students despite them not being eligible for the BPN aid because they are already getting the RM200 one-off payment for students of institutions of higher learning," he said.
For more details regarding BPN, visit the official IRB website at https://bpn.hasil.gov.my.


It's been a while hasn't it? I've just come off from making a run of RapidWeaver themes for THEME WEAVER; THEME 007, THEME 008, THEME 009 and THEME 010, all of which I am extremely proud of (but THEME 010 is my favourite). I've also been busy updating my own edGy, viEw and 2hadow (not quite ready yet).
So what's kept me busy in my… erm… off time? I have a few things on the go. Namely RapidWeaved.com which has turned out well. It's the RapidWeaver showcase site that lets anyone with a RapidWeaver site to show off their stuff. It's kind of a throwback to the old RapidWeaver showcase that was once on their site but in recent time, have opted to hand select only the very finest examples (in their opinion) to post instead.
And it's that very project that has really spun the old cogs in my noodle. That site is a database right? Why then am I treating it like a blog when it should be handled by some sort of content management system with a database and some back-end programing to control it all? Well… because I don't know a lick of SQL and can only struggle through enough PHP to parse a few RSS feeds. So I figured enough is enough, I've been wanting to learn some back-end web programming and I have now set off to do it. I am currently making my through the SitePoint book Build You Own Database Driven Website using PHP and MySQL by Kevin Yank. I am riveted. No really, I love this sort of reading.
So what about Objective-C then? You might recall that I wanted to give Chris a hand in the whole RapidWeaver plugin market and I did read the book, Programming in Objective-C, but then I saw the support involved through Chris's eyes. Honestly, it's not the sort of thing that a guy with a full fledged theme store like mine should get into. Don't get me wrong, I want to some day. And Chris has definitely shown my that it's a worth while endeavor, but it's the sort of thing where I would have to sell my theme store before I got knee deep into plugins. I am not ready for that.
Who knows though, if all goes well with the PHP and MySQL, there are certainly a lot of things I could see making for RapidWeaver that have been missing for some time.


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Chris Noth Reveals Why He Was Initially Reluctant to Join 'And Just Like That…'
And Just Like That… fans remain divided over the death of Mr. Big in the first episode of the Sex and the City reboot. While many tuned in hoping to see Carrie and Mr. Big's love story continue, they got the opposite. They were served a definitive and heartwrenching ending. Now, they are watching as Carrie learns to navigate life as a sudden widow. While not everyone was happy to see Mr. Big killed off, it almost didn't play out. In fact, Chris Noth, the actor who portrayed Mr. Big, was initially reluctant to reprise the role at all.
Chris Noth was critical of his character's development
Noth spent years portraying John James Preston, but he was also critical of how the franchise portrayed his character in both movies. In an interview for Origins with James Andrew Miller, Noth described the grand gestures in both movies as "corny." He went on to say that he hated the final closet scene in Sex and the City: The Movie and thought his character's response to Carrie kissing her ex-boyfriend in the second, much-criticized movie unrealistic.
Chris Noth isn't the only one who has been critical of the way the show and movies portrayed Mr. Big in the end. Darren Star, the show's creator, also disliked the way things ended, at least in the series. In a Kindle Singles interview, Star said that the series betrayed itself and pandered too much to what viewers wanted. Star noted that the series ended too "happily ever after" and felt too much like a romantic comedy. He would have preferred to see Carrie single.
Chris Noth was initially reluctant to return to 'And Just Like That…'
And Just Like That… has now released four of its 10 inaugural episodes. So far, it is anything but a romantic comedy. Still, Noth was initially reluctant to join the production. For months, there were rumors that the actor wouldn't be reprising his role. Eventually, he signed on, but not before a great deal of creative negotiation between Noth and Michael Patrick King happened.
In an interview with Vogue, Noth explained that he wasn't interested in returning to the series just to have his character killed off. He said, "At first I balked at even the idea of coming back and dying." Noth explained that he didn't see the point of returning to have the character killed off. A bit of negotiating and tweaking helped him see the vision, and he liked how the scenes did turn out.
Will Mr. Big appear in any future episodes of 'And Just Like That…?
Chris Noth and his co-star, Sarah Jessica Parker, were spotted filming scenes in Paris toward the end of the production. They were also captured filming additional scenes in Manhattan. Fans have yet to see those scenes play out in And Just Like That…, and it is looking like they may never get to see them.
Shortly after the release of And Just Like That… several women stepped forward to accuse Noth of sexual assault. Initially, The Hollywood Reporter published detailed accounts of sexual assault by two women who wished to remain anonymous. Several more women have since stepped forward to tell their stories. A stand-in on Sex and the City also spoke to The Hollywood Reporter. She recalled toxic behavior by the actor. Since the allegations came to light, Noth was dropped by his talent agency and fired from The Equalizer. He has vehemently denied the allegation.
How pregnant Lauren Goodger has finally found happiness after heartbreaking miscarriage & years of 'toxic' relationships
Thats a wrap! NCIS LA crew member drops huge season 13 filming update ahead of premiere
Bodyguard boss speaks out on plans for series 2 – with more explosive fights than ever before
Director Paul Feig Calls Out Sony For Omission Of 2016 Ghostbusters From Ultimate Box Set
Coronation Street spoilers: Alya Nazir horrified as Zeedan makes a decision about ex wife Marrium


For decades, there has always been a negative stigma about cannabis. As the 1930 brought various "brainwashing" propaganda about marijuana and it's evil ways, so did a long lasting negative stigma carry on all the way to the modern day; the stereotype that marijuana smokers are pot heads, stoners, dirty hippies, lazy, no job, stupid and unsavory.
Today, the stigma still remains, although the truth about cannabis is now recognized and accepted through education in social media, youtube, etc.
As recreational dispensaries and marijuana starts to become accepted in various states, there are still many myths about what it will do to society. Here are some interesting studies that debunk those myths.
Legalizing marijuana increases other substance use.
Marijuana legalization endangers public health.
Several countries, Portugal, the Netherlands, Australia and part of the U.K. have lowered their marijuana laws, having little to no impact on society's marijuana use. In the U.S. medical marijuana laws suggests that adult marijuana use has increased only modestly. Preliminary data in Colorado and Washington, the two first states to legalize recreational marijuana, display similar trends in use before and after legalization.
Here they go again with the gateway drug theory. There is no scientific nor convincing evidence that supports the gateway drug theory for marijuana. Some research, in fact suggests that users substitute alcohol with marijuana after legalization. After legalization rates of cocaine use appear unchanged.
There is a plethora of medical evidence that points to alcohol being much more dangerous than marijuana. Alcoholism, for example, can generate life-threatening diseases such as cirrhosis of the liver, where regular marijuana use has no similar effect.
Excessive alcohol use led to approximately 88,000 deaths and 2.5 million years of potential life lost (YPLL) each year in the United States from 2006 – 2010, shortening the lives of those who died by an average of 30 years. Marijuana, zero.
States that have accepted recreational marijuana laws display large declines in arrest rates for drug offenses! There have been no changes in violent and property crime rates. Moreover, the drug war has consumed and continues to consume significant resources, diverting police away from more serious crimes.
Legalization or marijuana has actually promoted public health by providing individuals safer options to treat pain. Recreational marijuana laws appear to have little or no impact on suicide rates, nor they have not led to any public health epidemics. There have been reduced admissions seen for substance abuse treatment.


USA Green Card - Looking to Emigrate to America?
Searching for a USA green card is made quick and easy here at Citizen USA with the EB 5 visa program backed by the government. Included in the US 1990 immigration laws is the EB visa programs allowing individuals wanting to come to the US and receive a green card (permanent resident) may do so by investing in a US business.
Citizen USA has been working with individuals and their families to come to the US permanently by using the EB 5 visa program for over 9 years. Needed to qualify for the EB 5 program the investor must invest $500,000.00 to $1,000,000.00, depending on the region of the business, into a business, retain a minimum of 10 full time employees and make an economic impact. Citizen USA and our international representatives are with you through this new and exciting journey for you, your spouse and children, under the age of 21. A green card is also known as an alien registration card or permanent resident card good for 10 years and available for renewal.
Contact Susan Ports at Citizen USA for more information about a green card through the EB 5 visa program. Right now immigration is a hot topic and with elections around the corner anyone who is serious in becoming a permanent US citizen should do so now.


Attention Homebuilder Sales Staff: What are You Paid to Do?
Misrepresentations by sales associates are the bane of poor customer satisfaction, potential liability and risk management issues for home builders.
Remember "Carnac the Magnificent," Johnny Carson's fortune-telling alter ego? Carson wasn't the only one; I can predict the future, too. Just follow along and you'll see what I mean.
Your New Home Sales Staff Need an Attitude Adjustment?


Barrel aged golden sour with peaches, raspberries, and apricots.
Both Sides Now is an exceptional blend we've composed from our maturing library of red wine barrel aged golden sour ale, which displays the deepening complexity of our oak aged stock. The fruit character shines bright in this one; refermented on apricots, peaches, and raspberries, each fruit is distinctly present, contributing to the beer's poised harmony and balance. This is a beer that evolves on the palate and displays fresh nuances each time we return to the glass: mixed ferm funk, oak tannins, and layered fruit acids.


What would 24 hours without immigrants be like?
I am Eunice. I am Zimbabwean. I am a Refugee. I am a migrant.
Theresa May's promise to protect workers' rights during Brexit will mean nothing if migrant workers are neglected.
Theresa May has committed to protecting workers' rights enshrined in EU law, as she charts the UK's withdrawal from the European Union. This is welcome but her aim of 'controlling migration' places those very rights at risk for the millions of migrant workers in the UK.


A set of 4 teak Mcintosh dining chairs with new dark grey 100% pure new wool upholstered seats. Nice proportions with a generous seat these comfortable teak dining chairs work well around a variety of shaped teak dining tables.
A. H. McIntosh and company were furniture makers based in Kirkaldy, Scotland. This dining chair design, Dunfermline was made circa 1970, finished in teak with the option of several different upholstery fabrics for the seats in the original sales catalogue.
We have more of this design and can match sets up. In their original condition they are priced at £100 each for a carver, that is with arms and £50 each for a dining chair without arms.
Upholstery, if you would like the seat pads re upholstering in a fabric of your own choice the cost of the work is £12.50 per seat pad plus the cost of your fabric. Each pair of seat pads need 60cm of fabric, so a set of 4 needs 1 meter 20cm, set of six needs 1 meter 80cm.
We also have a pair of Carvers with the seats upholstered in the dark grey as these.


It remains a macro world for credit, with no real concerns of a fundamental nature within the corporate bond universe.
This is an excerpt of Outlook Update: Credit Looks Cheap But Macro Risks Keep Building, published on September 4, 2018.
It remains a macro world for credit, with no real concerns of a fundamental nature within the corporate bond universe. The problem is that the macro world has become increasingly complicated this year. At the start of 2018, when markets were extraordinarily becalmed, we did feel that 2018 would see the return of volatility and that credit spreads would widen in sympathy. The reality is that 2018 has certainly deviated from our roadmap even if spreads have migrated to roughly where we thought they would be at this stage of the year.
That there have been more macro shocks was relatively easy to predict given where we are in a central bank tightening cycle after such a long period of astonishingly easy money. However, these shocks (e.g. early Feb VIX spike, trade war dispute, Italian political crisis and more recently Turkey) have not really had a sustainable impact on the measures of volatility that typically drive credit spreads, but they have repeatedly led to bond market rallies on a safe-haven bid. So our view of more spikes in volatility has held back our view of higher rates – and it does make us wonder whether the two can co-exist at the moment; i.e. can we get higher yields if we have more 'events'?
Equity volatility is only a touch higher than where it started 2018 and bond volatility has barely moved out of its rock-bottom all-time-low range this year, especially in Europe. Even in the US, where we saw an early year yield spike, bond volatility is getting back closer to its December 2017 all-time lows again.
The dilemma we now have is that although our view on spreads this year has been correct and we think volatility spikes will continue, we need to acknowledge that spreads are now cheap relative to fair value based on our volatility models (outside of US HY). It also feels like the non-consensus trade would be to recommend a tactical overweight.
The reason we can't recommend an overweight, though, is that we still think there are plenty of macro landmines out there going into the end of 2018 that could again increase volatility. For the remainder of 2018, markets will likely continue to be in the crosswinds of strong US growth and decent earnings on one hand and macro risks remaining elevated on the other. We are unlikely to have seen the last of negative Turkey newsflow, are likely to see tensions rise as the Italian budget negotiations reach the crucial stage later this month, still have the trade war to contend with as we approach US mid-term elections, and will likely see a Fed that raises rates twice before the year end and an ECB that is likely to end QE purchases by then. If that's not enough, we should have a better idea of the direction of Brexit by year end – and even if we eventually see a softer Brexit than might have been feared several months ago, negotiations may be fraught at first, and as we get closer to crunch time the risk of the no-deal scenario may start to be more priced in to certain risk markets. Net net, given that spreads already discount some of these elements, we think credit will widen only slightly more into year-end even if our macro thesis plays out.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, shorter-duration HY with cash flows linked to still-decent economic growth has outperformed longer-duration IG with greater exposures to global trade. While we understand the rationale, those moves look overdone, esp. in the USD, and we thus prefer IG over HY in both the EUR and USD space. In relative terms, we see more value in EUR over USD IG. In Europe, monetary conditions will stay accommodative for some time, with negative front-end rates keeping captive demand for higher-quality IG paper. In the US, as the Fed keeps hiking and corporates continue with heavy stock buybacks and the M&A spree goes on, conditions for IG product may be less friendly. EUR IG has underperformed this year due to domestic risks that might subside somewhat by year end, further supporting our views despite short-term MtM risks due to politics. Also, cross-currency considerations would favour EUR paper more.
In both Europe and the US we continue to favour loans, and would arguably reinforce this view following the summer spread rally for HY bonds and our expectations for wider spreads over the remainder of the year. In general the relationship between loans and bonds has been maintained, particularly as bonds outperformed through July as spreads generally tightened. Much of H1 saw outperformance from loans as spreads widened, particularly in Europe. Our rationale for further loan outperformance is based on our expectation of further modest widening in credit spreads and higher volatility through the remainder of the year, but at the same time we expect the macro fundamentals to remain fairly robust. We still see this as a relatively "goldilocks" scenario for loans.
We also provide a summary of key events and risks for credit into the year end, including Brexit, trade war, Italy, the US mid-term elections, and emerging markets.


Homecoming brought nearly 1,000 alumni of all ages to campus for a weekend so packed with special events that it began on Thursday. On September 29, the university honored its students, faculty members, employees, and alumni at a Founders' Day convocation in Duke Chapel, which culminated in the unveiling of the freshly scrubbed statue of James B. Duke.
Homecoming Weekend coincided with Oktoberfest on the quad, as well as the annual reunion of the Half-Century Club (HCC), which is made up of alumni who have previously celebrated their 50th reunions. This year, the HCC came back 120 strong, joining alumni who returned for the Duke Marching Band and Pep Band reunions and a reunion for past members of the University Union, which was celebrating its 50th anniversary.
The HCC gathered for an opening luncheon on Friday and a weekend of myriad activities, including lecture tours of Duke Chapel and Perkins and Bostock libraries, a carillon recital, presentations on the 75th anniversary of West Campus, medical advances for healthy aging, and the future of NASA. That evening, a gala dinner-dance, "My Best to You," was held in the ballroom of the Millennium Hotel.
On Saturday morning, HCC members heard from Samuel Wells, who had been installed the weekend before as Duke's new Dean of the Chapel. They then joined other Homecoming revelers for a pregame lunch in Cameron Indoor Stadium. During the Duke-Navy football game, marching and pep band alumni joined current members to play during the game and at halftime ceremonies. The evening's headline event was President Richard H. Brodhead's Homecoming Dance in the Wilson Recreation Center, attended by 974 alumni and 1,582 students.
On Sunday afternoon, Raymond Nasher '41, President Brodhead, and Durham mayor William Bell officially opened the Nasher Museum of Art, welcoming visiting alumni and the local community.


Richard Wu is a Eugene McDermott Scholar majoring in biochemistry at the University of Texas at Dallas. In his spare time, he can be found drawing, writing and/or composing music. Richard's work draws on inspiration from medically related experiences.
"The practice and art of medicine can sometimes involve a great deal of uncertainty. While a clinician may hope for the best for a patient, it is not always possible for every patient to get better. This painting expresses that feeling of uncertainty--while the path behind the person is visible, the path ahead is not."


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Historic Fresno Arch May Move For High Speed Rail
Published October 25, 2013 at 3:09 PM PDT
The historic Fresno arch was contructed over Van Ness Avenue at Highway 99
Fresno's historic 1920's era welcome archway, on South Van Ness Avenue may move after the state's high speed rail project turns the street into a culdesac.
Plans for high speed rail will require the closure of the S. Van Ness Avenue / Railroad Avenue intersection, turning the street into a culdesac.
The archway on South Van Ness Avenue was built in the 1920's to welcome travelers off of Railroad Avenue, which was then Highway 99
An artist's rendering that depicts one possible new location for the arch, at the north end of the Fulton Mall
Valley Public Radio
Up and down the valley, many cities have historic signs or archways which welcome visitors to town. Modesto's arch promotes a city filled with "Water Wealth Contentment and Health." Clovis proudly proclaims itself as the "Gateway to the Sierras," and Bakersfield makes a bold statement with its arch off of Buck Owens Boulevard. Fresno has its own historic archway, but as FM89's Joe Moore reports, it may soon need a new home.
After 84 years of spanning Fresno's South Van Ness Avenue, the concrete and steel archway that welcomes visitors to "the best little city in the USA" is about to get a new neighbor - high speed rail. And while the arch doesn't stand directly in the path of the rails, there is one problem:
"The high speed rail track that goes in will block the entrance to South Van Ness, so it will be an arch facing on to a cul-de-sac," says Elliot Balch, the downtown revitalization manager for the City of Fresno. He's working with the California High Speed Rail Authority to find a new more visible home for the Fresno landmark. He says leaving the archway standing over a dead end street and facing a fence that will wall off the high speed rail tracks isn't a good idea.
"The original intent of the arch was to serve as an entry way, something that a lot of people would see as they're coming into Fresno, something prominent. So we want to find a way that great structure can serve that purpose in the present day. So we think that with the street blocked there at the railroad that it would make more sense to find a different place that is some kind of passageway or a gateway," says Balch.
"If it's going to be abandoned here on a dead-end street, it [should] be moved to some place of prominence, downtown somewhere," - Sally Caglia
So where should the arch that used to welcome travelers off of Highway 99 go? Sally Caglia's late father Frank led the effort to restore the sign.
"I'd like to see this, if it's going to be abandoned here on a dead-end street, that it be moved to some place of prominence, downtown somewhere. And of course the place that I'd like to see it, and the [Caglia] family would like to see it is at the entrance of the Fulton Mall, to show that that's the gateway to the heart of our city downtown," says Caglia.
The Caglia family has a long connection to the arch. It currently sits outside the family business, Electric Motor Shop. Years ago, the company essentially adopted the city-owned sign, repairing the broken neon, painting it, and paying the monthly electricity bill to this day. And if the arch moves downtown, it could also make for something of a family reunion. That's because the site Sally favors, at intersection of Fulton and Tuolumne, is next to another Fresno landmark her dad saved from the wrecking ball - the historic Warnors Theatre.
"It was a lot of pride for him, to be able to take care of some of the historic treasures of this city that he felt had been so good to him in the business," says Caglia.
As for the city, officials says they haven't settled on any one site just yet but they've looked at a number locations downtown, including at the entrance to the Fulton Mall. Balch says the Fulton site makes sense not only as an important entryway, but also for another reason - it fits.
"If you look at the north side of Tuolumne and you measure the distance from one light pole to the other, it is exactly the distance between the interiors of the columns of the Van Ness archway," says Balch.
Balch says any decision on moving the sign is independent from the on-going planning the city is doing to re-open the Fulton Mall to vehicle traffic. And he says the rail authority would be responsible for the cost of relocating the sign. The city's Historic Preservation Commission is scheduled to hear input from the public on new locations for the arch on Monday night at city hall.
CommunityFresnoHigh Speed RailhistoricdowntownhistoryarchVan Ness
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Mayor Renews Call to Add Cars Back to Fresno's Fulton Mall
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Fresno's Twee Boutique To Close
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A diamond in the rough. That's what Los Angeles developer Shay Maghame sees in the 90-year old former J.C. Penney building on downtown Fresno's Fulton…
High Speed Rail Forces Out Longtime Fresno Businesses
For most of the past century, the building that sits on the southwest corner of Fresno and G Streets in downtown Fresno has been passed down from…


text:
Peter Bogdanovich Interviews / edited by Peter Tonguette
Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, c2015.
Call No: 81BOG PET
Author: Tonguette, Peter
Source: US
Place: Jackson
Publisher: University Press of Mississippi
PhysDes: 183p. ; 24 cm
Series: Conversations with Filmmakers Series
Subject: BOGDANOVICH, PETER
Summary: "This volume collects thirteen of his best, most comprehensive, and most insightful interviews, many long out of print and several never before published in their entirety. They cover more than forty years of directing, with Bogdanovich talking candidly about his great triumphs, such as The Last Picture Show and What's Up, Doc?, and his overlooked gems, such as Daisy Miller and They All Laughed. " -- BOOK BLURB
Notes: Includes index and filmography
Contents: Peter Bogdanovich / Eric Sherman and Martin Rubin (1968) -- Without a dinosaur / Gordon Gow (1972) -- An interview with Peter Bogdanovich / Martin Rubin (1974) -- Dialogue on film: Peter Bogdanovich / American Film Institute (1978) -- Peter Bogdanovich interview / Stephen Myers and Larry Estes (1979) -- Peter Bogdanovich: "What is the point of making pictures?" / Michael Ventura (1982) -- Dialogue on film: Peter Bogdanovich / American Film Institute (1986) -- Peter Bogdanovich interview / Thomas J. Harris (1988) -- Between action and cut: Peter Bogdanovich / John Gallagher (1997) -- Interview with Peter Bogdanovich / Gerald Peary (2002) -- Peter Bogdanovich's year of the cat / Alex Simon (2002) -- Peter Bogdanovich / Stephen Lemons ( 2002) -- Peter Bogdanovich / Peter Tonguette (2005).