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Colorado Street Bridge, Pasadena, California
Gotham Hall, New York City, New York
September 30, 2012 – December 9, 2012
The Amazing Race 21 is the twenty-first installment of the reality television show, The Amazing Race.
The season was announced by CBS on June 17, 2012. The original grand prize for this season remains at US$1 million, but if the team that comes in first in the first leg wins the race at the end, the grand prize will be doubled to US$2 million.
In an effort to assist viewers in navigating primetime changes due to live sports coverage overruns, CBS listed the scheduled delayed start times (30 minutes later in Eastern and Central Time zones) for the following days: Oct 7 & 21; Nov 4 & 18; Dec 2, 16 & 30. The Network also unveiled an upgrade to the CBS Eye-lert system, which informs viewers of any further adjusted start times.[1]
Goat Farmers
Abbie & Ryan
James & Abba
Rock Star/Lawyer
Rob & Kelley
Married Monster Truckers
Gary & Will
Amy & Daniel
Dating On and Off
Rob & Sheila
Lumberjack/Marketing Exec
"Double Your Money" September 30, 2012
United States → China Abbie & Ryan Rob & Sheila 1st Eliminated
"Long Hair, Don't Care" October 7, 2012
China → Indonesia Natalie & Nadiya Amy & Daniel 2nd Eliminated
"There's No Crying in Baseball" October 14, 2012
Indonesia Abbie & Ryan Caitlin & Brittany 3rd Eliminated
"Funky Monkey" October 21, 2012
Indonesia → Bangladesh James & Abba Gary & Will 4th Eliminated
"Chill Out, Freak" October 28, 2012
Bangladesh James & Abba Josh & Brent Non-Elimination
"Get Your Sexy On" November 4, 2012
Bangladesh → Turkey Trey & Lexi Rob & Kelley 5th Eliminated
"Off to See the Wizard" November 11, 2012
Turkey → Russia Trey & Lexi James & Abba Non-Elimination
"We Was Robbed" November 18, 2012
Russia Jaymes & James James & Abba 6th Eliminated
"Fishy Kiss" November 25, 2012
Russia → Netherlands Natalie & Nadiya Abbie & Ryan 7th Eliminated
"Not a Well-Rounded Athlete" December 2, 2012
Netherlands → Spain Trey & Lexi Natalie & Nadiya Non-Elimination
"Take Down That Million" December 9, 2012
Spain → France Jaymes & James Natalie & Nadiya 8th Eliminated
France → United States Josh & Brent Trey & Lexi 3rd Place
Jaymes & James 2nd Place
Josh & Brent 7 5 5 4 7 6 5 5 4 3 3 1 4.58 7-7
Jaymes & James 10 3 3 6 6 5 2 1 2⊂ 2 1 2 3.58 7-7
Trey & Lexi 9 2 2 7 5 1 1 2 3⋐ 1 2 3 3.17 7-7
Natalie & Nadiya 4 1 6 3 3 4 3 3ϵ 1► 4 4 3.36 6-5
Abbie & Ryan 1 4 1 2 2 2 4 4 5⊃ 2.78 4-6
James & Abba 6 6 4 1► 1 3 6 6 4.13 3-5
Rob & Kelley 5 8 7⊂ 5 4 7 6.00 4-3
Gary & Will 8 9 8⊃⋐ 8 8.25 3-2
Caitlin & Brittany 3 7 9 6.33 2-2
Amy & Daniel 2 10 6.00 2-1
Rob & Sheila 11 11.00 1-1
[1] [2][3] [4] [5] [6][7][8] [9][10] [11] [1]
1 : This leg had two Roadblocks and no Detour. The team member who sat out the first Roadblock was required to perform the second one.
2 : Gary & Will Blind U-Turned Rob & Kelley, who had already passed the U-Turn point and were therefore unaffected by it.
3 : Caitlin & Brittany initially arrived 6th, but had missed the clue at the U-Turn, having been taken to the Pit Stop by mistake. They had to backtrack to the U-turn to retrieve their clue. During this time, Natalie & Nadiya, Rob & Kelley, and Gary & Will checked in, resulting in the elimination of Caitlin & Brittany.
4 : Rob & Kelley initially arrived 4th, but took a boat directly to the Pit Stop instead of to Swarighat, as instructed in their clue. They had to backtrack to their boat and take the proper route. Josh & Brent checked in during this time, dropping Rob & Kelley to 5th.
5 : As part of the Speed Bump, Josh & Brent were instructed to find a marked Maraş ice cream cart, but accidentally went to another ice cream cart in the area. After returning to the Detour clue box, they were instructed that they had not completed the Speed Bump and were turned back until they correctly finished the task. This did not affect their final placement.
6 : Episode 7 ended with a cliffhanger where three teams were still running Leg 7: James & Abba, who had to locate their passports before being checked in; and Josh & Brent and Abbie & Ryan, who were still at the Detour.
7 : In Leg 7, Josh & Brent were unable to complete either Detour before the sites for both Detour options closed for the day. They were issued a 4-hour penalty, which was assessed at the start of Leg 8.
8 : James & Abba initially arrived 4th, but were not allowed to check in because Abba's passport was amongst the items stolen by their cabbie during the Roadblock. As they tried to retrieve the passport, Abbie & Ryan and Josh & Brent checked in during this time, dropping James & Abba to last place. However, Leg 7 was a non-elimination leg and they were allowed to keep racing until they came to a point where they would need to produce their passports for international travel.
9 : Natalie & Nadiya used the Express Pass to bypass the Roadblock in Leg 8. The official website states that Natalie elected to perform the Roadblock; this is reflected in the total Roadblock count.
10 : As they spent much of the Leg trying to retrieve Abba's passport or acquire a new one, James & Abba were only shown retrieving the Speed Bump clue and traveling to the task before arriving at the Pit Stop in last place and being eliminated. On the official website, Abba disclosed that he was able to complete the Roadblock, but it is unknown whether they attempted or completed the Detour.
11 : Trey & Lexi knowingly U-Turned Jaymes & James, who had already passed the U-Turn point and were therefore unaffected by it.
First season to introduce Double Your Money.
First season to have the Blind Double U-Turn which allows two teams to U-Turn two different teams while remaining anonymous.
First time that a team was allowed to continue racing on the next leg despite losing passport(s).
Second time to visit Turkey (after The Amazing Race 7).
First season where no new countries were visited.
First season where the Express Pass is not given to the winning team on the first leg.
Second time to visit Indonesia (after The Amazing Race 19).
Tied with All-Stars for 3rd-most number of teams who won a leg, 6 teams.
↑ http://uproxx.com/sepinwall/cbs-to-start-sunday-shows-half-hour-later-to-accommodate-nfl-doubleheaders/
↑ https://www.cbspressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/releases/view?id=33127
↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 https://www.cbspressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/releases/view?id=33220
↑ 7.0 7.1 http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/sdsdskdh279882992z1/sunday-final-ratings-the-amazing-race-60-minutes-the-mentalist-666-park-ave-american-dad-adjusted-down/
↑ 8.0 8.1 http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/sdsdskdh279882992z1/sunday-final-ratings-revenge-the-mentalist-666-park-avenue-60-minutes-adjusted-down/
↑ 9.0 9.1 http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/sdsdskdh279882992z1/sunday-final-ratings-family-guy-amazing-race-american-dad-and-the-good-wife-adjusted-up-americas-funniest-home-videos-60-minutes-the-simpsons-adjusted-down/
↑ 10.0 10.1 http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/sdsdskdh279882992z1/sunday-final-ratings-once-upon-a-time-family-guy-the-good-wife-60-minutes-adjusted-down/
↑ 11.0 11.1 http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/sdsdskdh279882992z1/sunday-final-ratings-american-dad-adjusted-up-666-park-avenue-adjusted-down-unscambled-cbs-ratings-final-football-numbers/
↑ 12.0 12.1 http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/sdsdskdh279882992z1/sunday-final-ratings-american-dad-adjusted-up-final-football-numbers/


Let's face it: if you're a fellow govvie, then you know that there are more and more opportunities to hack the government: hackfests and codefests and open gov initiatives and consultations and conferences and meetups and communities and so forth. Buuuuut, it can be hard to stay on top of everything, let alone get away from the office to participate. And sometimes, if the participation is remote, it can feel like you're commenting into a void and nothing is ever, ever going to change. Your life — and your career — is going to be governed by policies and processes that were instituted decades before you arrived and that will likely continue standing long after you leave.
But then, every so often, you go to an event or, if you're really lucky, you get to work with a team, full of people with ideas and with the latitude to make change! And you get invigorated! And hopeful! And you just want to change the world!
Which is why you need to come to Gov Jam!
Here's your chance to make a difference. And to be part of something huge.
Now it's not entirely clear what exactly will happen with the solutions coming out of the jam. (According to the main Gov Jam site, they will be shared online for general consumption.) So... is this an exercise in futility? I don't think so. Much like a startup jam or hackfest, the point is to come together as a community and see what ideas we can generate. If something tangible surfaces, fantastic; but the act of hacking alone can be enough to spark change.
By addressing and building towards solutions for smaller issues, we can begin solving bigger, broader problems from the ground up. Just like the foundation of a house, every large scale problem needs a solid, strong and tested foundation to sit on for support, structure and longevity.We hope that the solutions that come out of GovJam will become a part of that foundation; clearing the way to begin thinking about the more complex problems.
Small wins, people. That's how we make change.
I'm incredibly excited to be helping out as a mentor for the Ottawa event; in fact, I can't wait to see what the teams come up with! If you'd like to check out the action, you can find out all about the worldwide movement that is Gov Jam (and find a local event) on the official Gov Jam website.
If you want to dig right in and are in the Ottawa area, head directly to the Ottawa Gov Jam site to sign up and join local govvies for jamming in our own town.


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83. What do we know about the ecology of the Indus Valley (and the adjacent areas) during the period in which this civilization prospered?
How much of the area that we now see as desert was actually forested in those times?
There are aspects of the ecological system in South Asia that have remained fairly constant since plate tectonic forces pushed the Himalayan Mountain range to a height that created a permanent monsoon system in the Arabian Sea. Other aspects of climate and environment are constantly changing. The Valley is also watered by seven rivers (and their tributaries) that emerge from the mountains North of Punjab and flow through what would otherwise be a desert region, known as Sindh. The climate today in the Indus Valley is semi-arid, watered by winter rains, seasonal streams, and human landscaping.
The natural ecological circumstances vary within the region but for the purposes of this discussion, it might be more important to notes that humans have interacted with and modified their environments to create new ecological systems for millennia and we know that process began in South Asia very early in the Holocene. We have evidence for fully domesticated animals and plants at Mehrgarh in the Bolan Valley by 7 kya BP and we know that the Indus Valley civilization was based on agriculture and pastoralism.
Many of the regions settled in the first urbanization, like Punjab, receive at least some rainfall in both the winter and summer monsoon season. Combined with seasonal streams and rivers, bunds, and irrigation, the region sustains a large amount of agricultural production today. Agricultural production is focused on wheat, barley, rice, millet, oil seeds, peas, beans, and some fruits and vegetables. Perhaps also true in the past, the calcareous desert, tropical arid brown, and alluvial sandy loam soils in the area can cause problems with salinity and alkalinity.
Based on the bioarchaeological evidence from faunal and floral remains, it seems that the Indus Valley was a breadbasket in the past as well. Animals like pigs, cats, dogs, wild ass, and even camels are evidenced in the archaeological record but there is no evidence they were eaten! Indus people raised cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats, and chickens for food; they grew a wide range of crops including wheat, barley, rice, millet, peas, beans, pulses, gram, seed oils, melon, dates, grapes, and jujube but cereals were the primary dietary staple (Weber 1999). Recently, some studies have suggested Indus people may have obtained the majority of their calories from wheat (Petrie et al. 2017). The relative importance of rice is still debated. Cities like Harappa were centers for trade, including exchange involving ingredients and other food items.
Thus this has been the predominant climatic and ecological situation for the latter half of the Holocene. However, there have been occasional climatic perturbations, rapid climate change events that were of sufficient magnitude to have impacted human populations in the past. Particularly relevant here is the 4.2ka BP event, evidenced by a large number of different kinds of paleoclimate proxy data and demonstrated across not only South but also Southwest Asia. This Rapid Climate Change Event was associated with increasing aridity, reductions in summer and winter monsoon rainfall and possibly also increased variability in the timing and amount of melt water in the Indus River Basin, a condition that persisted until 3.9ka BP.
It has been suggested that during this climatic change event, settlements in the Indus Valley that had formerly focused on either winter or summer cropping strategies increasingly began to incorporate crops from both strategies. At Harappa, where the winter rain strategy—focused on wheat and barley—had been predominant (making up 80% of the floated carbonized grains sampled in one study), lentils, peas, millet and fruit were also grown throughout the occupation at the site. However, as climate changed, people seemed to have relied on a more mixed strategy of both winter and summer crops and rice played an increasingly important role as a summer crop, which makes sense given the concept of adaptive diversity (Petrie et al. 2016).
As far as reasoned inference goes the Indus alluvium was a fertile zone for raising crops and animals, and for fishing. The rainfall deficit in the area south or and including Harappa was compensated by the groundwater which was tapped by wells. We assume that the river channels functioned as routes for the transport of people and goods. The vegetation then would have been more varied and would have comprised tree growth that is scarce today.
There was great variability within the indus civilization. Steven Weber in an issue of Man and Environment refers to agro-ecological variability. This variability therefore influenced the types of crops and methods of farming for example.
Something, but not too much. Research has always been centered on just a few sites and the retrieval methods employed during excavation in most cases insufficient. Moreover, results from some very important sites remain unpublished!
Above: Indus River terrain, Courtesy Daily Geek Show

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Language and Linguistics (2)
Language in Society (2)
Bible Society of South Africa (2)
Controlling Roma refugees with 'Google-Hungarian': Indexing deviance, contempt, and belonging in Toronto's linguistic landscape
Philipp Sebastian Angermeyer
Journal: Language in Society / Volume 46 / Issue 2 / April 2017
This article investigates signage in the linguistic landscape of Toronto that is addressed to Hungarian-speaking Roma asylum applicants, focusing on multilingual public-order signs that convey warnings or prohibitions. Such signs are produced by institutional agents who often use machine translation (Google Translate), yielding ungrammatical texts in ostensible Hungarian. Drawing on ethnographic interviews, the article explores the indexicalities that such multilingual signs have for different groups of participants, including Roma addressees and English-speaking 'overreaders'. While institutions may view the production of multilingual signs as indexical of open-mindedness towards migrants, Roma interviewees may see public-order signs as indexing racial stereotypes by presupposing deviant behavior, and may view ungrammaticality as indexing an unwillingness to engage in face-to-face interaction. (Multilingualism, Canada, Gypsies (Roma), linguistic landscapes, Hungarian, machine translation, indexicality)
Spelling bilingualism: Script choice in Russian American classified ads and signage
Journal: Language in Society / Volume 34 / Issue 4 / October 2005
Print publication: October 2005
This article investigates the role of script choice in bilingual writing, drawing on classified advertisements and other texts written for and by Russian-speaking immigrants in New York City. The study focuses on English-origin items that appear in Russian texts, which are found to be written either in roman or Cyrillic script. Through an investigation of categorical and variable constraints on this variation, it is found that script choice relates to the distinction between lexical borrowing and single-item codeswitching. It is argued that writers may, consciously and on a token-by-token basis, choose the Cyrillic script to mark a word as borrowed or the roman script to mark it as foreign. However, they may also avoid this choice, as hybrid forms attest, especially when the use of characters shared by both alphabets allows ambiguous readings. The findings thus have implications for understanding notions of language boundaries in bilingual language use.Versions of this article were presented at two conferences: "Alphabetics: Interpreting letters" at Harvard University, 26–27 April 2003, and NWAVE 32, Philadelphia, 9–12 October 2003. I thank the audiences for their valuable insights and observations, especially Erika Boeckeler and Daniel Kokin. I also owe thanks to Katya Korsunskaya, Vladislav Rapoport, Doris Stolberg, Mario Geiger, and Tobias Kuhn. I am grateful to John Victor Singler, Mark Sebba, and Jannis K. Androutsopoulos, as well as to Jane H. Hill and to two anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments and suggestions. All errors and omissions remain my own.


Revenge of the permalink errors. A had a similar problem happen when I upgraded to 2.7.1, which I posted about here.
Drag the files into your WordPress installation directory.
Log-in into the admin menu.
WordPress will request to automatically update your database. Agree to the update.
Everything should be back to the way it was. It was for me.
Readers, keep me posted on when this major bug gets resolved. Thanks.
Did just that and still have a broken website. Glad to hear that you fixed your site, hope to do the same soon.
Have you read my other post?
Make sure that LoadModule rewrite_module modules/mod_rewrite.so is enabled in Apache setting file httpd.conf (that was what was wrong with my server).


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ALEXANDER ON FILM
Criticism and Commentary by Chris Alexander
On SHOWGIRLS
alexanderonfilm	Uncategorized	 February 6, 2018 November 20, 2018 4 Minutes
Paul Verhoeven's notorious Vegas stripper melodrama Showgirls might be a horror movie in disguise
Decades after 1967's Valley of the Dolls and decades prior to 2016's The Neon Demon, Dutch director Paul Verhoeven's Showgirls, the over-the-top tale of ill-gotten fame, busted dreams and the skeezy, grimy underbelly of Las Vegas, dragged its garish arse across screens across the world. That the heavily-hyped project (a reunion between Verhoeven and his Basic Instinct writer Joe Eszterhas) fell flat on its busted back, much like Gina Gershon's Cristal does in the film, just made its myth all the more potent. And though Showgirls has been universally reviled and is now rather forcibly embraced as a cult film, the misleadingly-marketed movie is really yet another in a long line of Hollywood horror films masquerading as something else entirely.
Showgirls casts Saved by the Bell actress Elizabeth Berkley as Nomi, a scrappy young dancer who hitchhikes her way to Vegas with her heart full of hope and her head full of dreams. Those dreams are damaged almost right off the bat, when a cute young Elvis clone steals her suitcase and leaves her stranded in a casino parking lot. There she meets Molly (Gina Ravera), a friendly young seamstress working backstage at a big topless revue on the strip. For whatever reason, Molly takes Nomi under her wing and gives her a place to stay while she finds her footing. Nomi spends her nights peeling at a low-grade nudie bar, but after Molly takes her to work one night, she is dazzled by the lithe Cristal Connors (Gina Gershon), a superstar dancer who is the centerpiece of a garish show that makes Staying Alive's "Satan's Alley" number look restrained. Once Nomi locks her eyes on this prize, there's no stopping her. Though she has admirers like the plucky blue-collar dancer James (Glenn Plummer) warning her not to crawl to deep into the belly of the beast, she refuses to listen and soon, she's in way over her head in a parasitic world where flesh is a commodity and femininity is distorted to fit the bleakest sort of fantasy.
Showgirls may have been made in 1995, but its soul is in the 1950s. The writing is arch, the tone of the film is pitched to 11, the drama is bubbling and boiling over. Really, it's as if Douglas Sirk directed Suspiria. It's a cautionary tale masquerading as manic insanity and I don't think audiences understood what they were getting. Showgirls isn't an erotic thriller. In fact, it's not erotic at all, this despite the endless female (and male) nudity, spurting fluids and berserk sex (watching Berkley give lap dances and screw men in swimming pools is the stuff of legend). But the sleaze here is upsetting. Ugly. Forced. Empty. Showgirls is as tawdry and lurid as it is reputed to be, but and that's what gives it its feral soul; its grime is essential to the story.
But really what Verhoeven and Eszterhas are doing here is painting a sperm and blood-stained black velvet painting of a festering sore of a world; an empty, black hole that sucks in delusional, naive, men and women, turning them into meat-puppet mulch and excreting them back out, robbing them of their souls and leaving them to stagger around the blinking, flashing, electric-sex-soaked landscape as something less than human. In the case of Nomi, she's already damaged when we meet her. But she's crawled out of some sort of muck — which we find out about explicitly in the icky climax — and she's obviously convinced that life can't get any worse. She's seen the ugly. She knows the hideous. But she has no idea just how sickening a land this evil Oz really is.
I'm not sure what or who is more vile in Showgirls. Is the monster Gershon's Cristal, a slinking star on the decline who sexually manipulates big time hustler/producer Zack (played with gross boyishness by Kyle MacLachlan) to get what she wants, toying with Nomi in order to suck her dry and destroy her? Or is it Zack himself, who womanizes, decimates and then keeps the she-demon husks he helps make around as busted trophies to amuse him? Is the leering choreographer who jerks his desperate dancers around emotionally and degrades them physically? Is it the malevolent Andrew Carver (William Shockley) who uses his fame, privilege and greasy charm to assault his admirers within inches of their lives? Is it Nomi, who really is such a narcissistic woman that we feel little pity for her pain during her claw to the top? Is it sex? The city itself? Or is it simply that poisonous side that pulses in all of us, the one that is desperate to be loved and admired and remembered; that ego that tricks us into thinking we're more than we are?
This is not a bad movie, despite the dipshits at those Golden Raspberry awards telling you otherwise and the cabal of sniggering cinema hipsters who laugh at like they're at a midnight screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. No, Showgirls is really a very, very good exploitation picture about the very nature of exploitation and its dehumanizing effects.
It may not be an outright horror movie, but it's certainly a film of many horrors…
Originally published at comingsoon.net
Published by alexanderonfilm
View all posts by alexanderonfilm
Published February 6, 2018 November 20, 2018
Previous Post On DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS
Next Post On THE BLOOD SPATTERED BRIDE
2 thoughts on "On SHOWGIRLS"
ivry says:
Spot on. An avant-garde, misunderstood film, which alexanderonfilm breaks down with panache to those who missed the point.
John Angell says:
Holy Schmoley what an amazingly vivid description. Absolutely perfect.


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XXV. Armeekorps var en tysk armékår under andra världskriget. Kåren sattes upp den 24 november 1938.

Befälhavare
Kårens befälhavare:
 General der Infanterie Karl von Prager  6 november 1939–1 maj 1942
 General der Artillerie Wilhelm Fahrmbacher  1 maj 1942–10 juni 1944
 General der Infanterie Dietrich von Choltitz  10 juni 1944–16 juni 1944
Stabschef:
 Generalmajor Anton Dostler  5 februari 1940–1 oktober 1941
 Oberst Kurt Adam  1 oktober 1941–1 juli 1943
 Oberst Robert Bader  1 augusti 1943–25 december 1944

Referenser

Noter

Webbkällor

Armékårer ur Heer

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


has what it takes to keep you covered in the water or on dry land.
We wanted to build a brand from the bottom up that while it embraces all of the things we appreciate, is a high quality American made product that serves our paddling community in all its forms. So whether you paddleboard, canoe, kayak, surf, or just have one hell of a dog; we'd love to hear about it. Our mission is to be the go-to brand for you. From the mountains to the coast and everywhere in between, let Paddle Hound be the brand you call home. The next time you head out to where land ends and the water begins, far removed from the office cube, conference room or the job site, enjoy it with Paddle Hound.
We cordially invite you on our journey to make Paddle Hound your brand for distinctive branded apparel and performance wear. We hope to see you on the water or at the next SUP event. We encourage you to keep those paddles in the water and when given a choice, take the path less paddled.
Wondering where you can find Paddle Hound?
We're partnering with retailers throughout NC, SC and along the East Coast. Interested in becoming a Paddle Hound Partner? Send us your info using the form below and we'll be in touch as fast as our four legs can carry us!
Seriously, we mean it! Let us know what's on your mind and we'll be in touch.


SpaceX Just Launched a Device That Will "Change How We Interact with Space"
The company says this represents "the first industrial use of space."
On December 15, 2017, SpaceX launched the CRS-13, a resupply service mission contracted by NASA. Originally scheduled for three months ago, the launch has been delayed seven times. Finally off the ground, the Falcon 9 rocket is carrying a Dragon space capsule with more than 2,000 kg (4,800 lb) of cargo to the International Space Station. A piece of that cargo is a device about the size of a microwave created by Made In Space, Inc. (MIS): a manufacturing unit that uses microgravity to produce more efficient optical fibers.
Optical fibers support much of the world's internet and television systems — a demanding task. MIS believes fibers manufactured in space would be able to handle more data traffic and send signals over long distances with less delay compared to their Earth-made counterparts.
The International Space Station could be home to a new manufacturing industry. Credit: NASA.
Once the device is plugged into the space station, MIS will command it to begin manufacturing nearly a kilometer's worth of the new optical fiber, called ZBLAN. When the task is complete, astronauts can unplug the device and stow it in the capsule, which is slated to return to Earth in January.
The company's press release stated that manufacturing the fibers in microgravity will provide significant improvements over versions produced on Earth. According to Rush, after the space-made materials return to Earth and are tested by MIS, they plan to begin selling it.
To send data over short distances, telecommunications companies use cables that carry electrical signals. But for longer distances, it's cheaper to use pulses of laser light shot down silica glass fiber optic cables. The world is crisscrossed with webs of these cables that are only a few tens of microns across — about the thickness of a human hair. They run under every ocean and between every continent.
These silica cables are expensive. Not because they are costly to make, but because they are imperfect; even the best-made glass is not one hundred percent transparent. Whenever these cables are made under the presence of gravity, some crystals form in the glass.
Due to this formation of crystals, light passing through gets weaker over longer distances, which means the signal has to be boosted many times along its path. These boosters, called repeaters, are expensive to set up. They also add a delay to each transmission. While the delay is only measured in milliseconds, to computers doing financial transactions or streaming data that feels like an eternity.
Experiments in zero-g aircraft have shown that if these fibers are manufactured without gravity, there's nearly 10 times less crystal formation. Less crystal formation means the fiber can transmit information over a longer distance — research that MIS leveraged to create a device capable of making the superior fibers in space.
When talking about ZBLAN, Rush said, "You could lay a line across the Atlantic Ocean that has no repeaters in it." Typically, repeaters come every 50 or 100 kilometers — so here, fewer repeaters mean less signal delay. He also said that the fiber would dramatically increase bandwidth, sending 50 to 100 times more data down a single strand than silica fibers.
If Made In Space, Inc. can deliver, it could also help telecommunication companies get more bang for their buck. "On a dollar per kilobyte basis — which is where the rubber meets the road — we can be at a same or better price than silica once we produce ZBLAN en masse," Rush said.
Now, Owens said the rocket industry has advanced rapidly, with launch reliability going up and costs going down. NASA frequently allows other companies to join their launches, which prevents a company like Made In Space, Inc. from having to front the entire $62 million cost of this Falcon 9 rocket launch, for example.


Here's a great deal on a 2015 Hyundai Elantra. This 4 door, 5 passenger sedan still has fewer than 40,000 miles! It features a front-wheel-drive platform, an automatic transmission, and a 1.8 liter 4 cylinder engine. Top features include front bucket seats, delay-off headlights, a tachometer, air conditioning, tilt and telescoping steering wheel, remote keyless entry, cruise control, and 1-touch window functionality. Audio features include a CD player with MP3 capability, and 6 speakers, providing excellent sound throughout the cabin. Side curtain airbags deploy in extreme circumstances, shielding you and your passengers from collision forces. A Carfax history report provides you peace of mind by detailing information related to past owners and service records. Our aim is to provide our customers with the best prices and service at all times. Stop by our dealership or give us a call for more information.


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Cold Blood takes us to another world at Adelaide Festival 2020
13 March 2020 16 March 2020 Matilda Marseillaise
Belgian couple, choreographer Michèle Anne De Mey, and film-maker Jaco Van Dormael together with Kiss & Cry Collective have created a spectacular show like no other with Cold Blood which had a short 4 day season at Adelaide Festival 2020. We'd watch this show over and over if we could!
Image: Julien Lambert
The narrator opens the show telling us:
"It's dark. Your eyes are open, but you can't see anything. You are at the theatre and yet you are already elsewhere. You are already a little bit different. You are going to live seven deaths. Without fear. Every death is amazing. Every death is the first. The deaths are like lives. No two are alike."
The narrator is the only voice we hear throughout the performance. It is his voice that provides a backstory for each death that we will see. Aside from the narration, Cold Blood has a wonderful soundtrack which covers everything from Doris Day, Nina Simone, David Bowie, Janis Joplin to György Ligeti, Antonio Vivaldi and Franz Schubert.
You would think that a show which is about 7 deaths would be perhaps morbid and depressing but Cold Blood is anything but. The narrator explains early on that there are many different kinds of deaths such as premature deaths, sad deaths but that those that we would witness in this show were "stupid deaths". And indeed the deaths that we see in Cold Blood are stupid – a man in his car who doesn't heed the warning to wind his windows up as he goes through the car wash or another who chokes on a bra hook.
Cold Blood is a show like no other in that it brings together dancers who use only their hands performing in miniaturised sets with emotive lighting. Film technicians capture the hand choreography and project it onto a giant screen. The dance done only with fingers in Cold Blood was dubbed "nano dance" by creators Van Dormael and De Mey. They explain that "It is like a pop up film in which the camera films things which are too small to be seen by the naked eye and the eyes sees what the camera does not capture."
There is no margin for error in Cold Blood. Cameras, lights and action are all required to be in synchronicity to produce the beautiful, moving show. Cameras film and project the action happening live on stage. The only thing that is pre-prepared here is the voice of the narrator. Given the whole premise of Cold Blood is choreographed fingers dancing, we are dealing with miniature actions zoomed in on and projected to the large screen.
You might think that in a production where there is activity on stage happening simultaneously as a screen projects the film being made from that activity that the audience may end up distracted by one or the other.
You may think that the audience would get distracted by the people moving around on stage but Cold Blood works so as to allow the audience to flit between the big screen projecting the action and watching the actual actors/dancers/cameramen creating that film.
One of the most spectacular scenes would be the kaleidoscope-like scene with fingers and hands creating beautiful mesmerising art. The dance scene which gives a nod to Fred and Ginger is also a highlight. Another very clever scene shows us a woman laying on a bench moving her arms about on stage but the camera shows us that woman dancing vertically outside a window being shot and rotated through the window of a dolls house like structure.
However, there are so many beautiful scenes that we could describe but that would give away too much of the show or even worse our words would fail to convey just how spectacular and special Cold Blood is. De Mey and Van Dormael have created a show like no other you are ever likely to see. Unfortunately the Adelaide Festival season of Cold Blood has now concluded but if you have the chance to see it anywhere in the world, we urge you to do so!
🥐🥐🥐🥐🥐 5 CROISSANTS
Matilda Marseillaise was a guest of Adelaide Festival
You can read our interview with Cold Blood creator Michèle Anne De Mey here
You can also read our other reviews:
If you're interested in other Adelaide Festival shows, read our other interviews with the artists:
Christophe Bricheteau from Compagnie Carabosse re Fire Gardens (which starts tonight)
Nick Power re Between Tiny Cities (season ended) and Two Crews (currently on and running 'til Saturday)
Lady Rocks re Two Crews
Focus Cie re Dimanche (season ended)
Compagnie Chaliwaté re Dimanche (season ended)
Siobhan Stagg re recital of French songs (season ended)
Adelaide Festival has just 3 more nights left. Check out what's left to see here.
Art, Dance, FestivalBelgian theatre, Cold Blood, Jaco Van Dormael, Kiss & Cry Collective, Michèle Anne De Mey, nano dance
Previous Article Cold Blood at Adelaide Festival debuts tonight
Next Article From classical to frenetic dance in Lyon Opera Ballet's Trois Grandes Fugues


Base client implementation. Every plugin format implementation hold a Client member.
Plugin interface, from the client point of view. This client has no knowledge of thread-safety, it must be handled externally. User plugins derivate from this class. Plugin formats wrappers owns one dplug.plugin.Client as a member.
Should be called in Client class during compile time to parse a PluginInfo from a supplied json file.
A plugin client can send commands to the host. This interface is injected after the client creation though.
This allows to write things life tempo-synced LFO.


Something we've discussed before on this blog is how Lensrentals.com operates. While many of the people who work here are photographers and videographers as well, we're still very much a specialty service. Our job is to get the tools you need to help create your work. So, while we're in the service industry, we still have a creative side to us, and occasionally get to see some of the incredible work others have created with gear rented from us. We want to start a new series here on the Lensrentals.com blog, where we can highlight some of the incredible work that our customers have created.
To kick off these community stories, we were introduced to one of our customers who had the incredible opportunity to photograph the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket launch at the Kennedy Space Center on February 6th. For those who missed the news last week, the Falcon Heavy is the most powerful operational rocket in the world and, in spectacular fashion, was the first time that SpaceX was able to successfully land the outer boosters for reuse on future missions. Watching this footage in real time was inspiring to say the least, and singlehandedly created the next generation of kids (and maybe this 30-something year old) who want to be astronauts when they grow up.
So let me introduce Brady Kenniston, a portrait and wedding photographer out of Bay City, MI, who has an affinity and talent for photographing rocket launches. Shooting something like rocket launches takes a whole lot of planning and talent no doubt, and this wasn't Brady's first experience in the trade. Shooting rocket launches now for the last couple years, with the help of his friends at NASASpaceFlight.com, Brady was able to get press credentials for this SpaceX Launch, and even had his photos shared by SpaceX's CEO and billionaire genius, Elon Musk.
I was able to chat with Brady, as he walked me through the process of how to take photos for such an incredible and once in a lifetime event. With an event like the Falcon Heavy Launch, you only get one chance to capture this from your preferred angles, so Brady used six different cameras to shoot this launch at various shooting angles. His cameras of choice were an extensive collection of Nikon systems – the Nikon D500, Nikon D610, Nikon D3100, two Nikon D3200s, and the Nikon D7500 he rented. While the gear savvy among us may notice, a lot of the cameras are not the latest offerings from Nikon, and that's because they don't need to be.
But it takes a whole lot more than just a couple cameras and lenses to photograph something like this; it also takes an extensive amount of planning ahead of time. From camera placement to lens selection, everything needs to be done ahead of time, because, with a camera within 1,500 feet of a rocket capable of 5 million pounds of thrust, there is no going to change your settings last minute.
"We go out there, usually a day early. We'll get on a bus, take all of our gear, and go to four locations where we can set up cameras. We put them on tripods and set up, and then basically leave the gear there, and have no control over our camera's until after the rocket launch is complete. For triggering the camera, I used a Miops Sound Trigger, the same thing that most of the guys out there use. You just plug it using a normal release cable, and the system triggers the camera for you" Brady explains.
So, the result is a lot of planning, a lot of technology, and a lot of wishful thinking as you watch the rocket lift off from a safe distance six miles away. It isn't until after the rocket has left out atmosphere that you can get back on the bus, and see what your camera did, or didn't capture. For Brady though, the end result is an incredible experience of another successful SpaceX launch (and landing), and some spectacular photos that have been shared all over the world highlighting this fantastic feat for science.
Thank you again to Brady Kenniston for sharing his story and photos with us and everyone else. Be sure you check out some more of his work on his Instagram and social media, and if you'd like to buy a print from Brady, we encourage you to check out his SmugMug store where he has some of his best photos from the day available for print purchase.


text:
Q: Filtering a numpy array by frequencies of certain elements in it I have a numpy array and a dictionary similar to below:
arr1 = np.array([['a1','x'],['a2','x'],['a3','y'],['a4','y'],['a5','z']])
d = {'x':2,'z':1,'y':1,'w':2}

For each key-value pair (k,v) in d, k should appear exactly v times in arr1 in its second column. Clearly that doesn't happen here.
So what I want to do is, from arr1, I want to create another array where every element in its second column appears exactly the number of times it's supposed to according to d. In other words, my desired outcome is:
np.array([['a1','x'],['a2','x'],['a5','z']])

I can get my desired outcome using list comprehension:
ans = [[x1,x2] for x1,x2 in arr1 if np.count_nonzero(arr1==x2)==d[x2]]

but I was wondering if it was possible to do it only using numpy.

A: This does what you want:
import numpy as np

arr1 = np.array([['a1', 'x'], ['a2', 'x'], ['a3', 'y'], ['a4', 'y'], ['a5', 'z']])
d = {'x': 2, 'z': 1, 'y': 1, 'w': 2}

# get the actual counts of values in arr1
counts = dict(zip(*np.unique(arr1[:, 1], return_counts=True)))
# determine what values to keep, as their count matches the desired count
keep = [x for x in d if x in counts and d[x] == counts[x]]
# filter down the array
result = arr1[list(map(lambda x: x[1] in keep, arr1))]

Quite possibly there's a more optimal way to do this in numpy, but I don't know how big the set you're applying to is, or how often you need to do this, to say whether looking for it is worth it.
Edit: Note that you need to scale things up to decide what is a good solution. Your original solution is great for toy examples, it outperforms both answers. But the numpy solution provided by @NewbieAF beats the rest handily if you scale up to what may be more realistic workloads:
from random import randint
from timeit import timeit
import numpy as np

def original(arr1, d):
    return [[x1, x2] for x1, x2 in arr1 if np.count_nonzero(arr1 == x2) == d[x2]]

def f1(arr1, d):
    # get the actual counts of values in arr1
    counts = dict(zip(*np.unique(arr1[:, 1], return_counts=True)))
    # determine what values to keep, as their count matches the desired count
    keep = [x for x in d if x in counts and d[x] == counts[x]]
    # filter down the array
    return arr1[list(map(lambda x: x[1] in keep, arr1))]

def f2(arr1, d):
    # create arrays from d
    keys, vals = np.array(list(d.keys())), np.array(list(d.values()))
    # count the unique elements in arr1[:,1]
    unqs, cts = np.unique(arr1[:,1], return_counts=True)

    # only keep track of elements that appear in arr1
    mask = np.isin(keys,unqs)
    keys, vals = keys[mask], vals[mask]

    # sort the unique values and corresponding counts according to keys
    idx1 = np.argsort(np.argsort(keys))
    idx2 = np.argsort(unqs)
    unqs, cts = unqs[idx2][idx1], cts[idx2][idx1]

    # filter values by whether the counts match
    correct = unqs[vals==cts]

    return arr1[np.isin(arr1[:,1],correct)]

def main():
    arr1 = np.array([['a1', 'x'], ['a2', 'x'], ['a3', 'y'], ['a4', 'y'], ['a5', 'z']])
    d = {'x': 2, 'z': 1, 'y': 1, 'w': 2}

    print(timeit(lambda: original(arr1, d), number=10000))
    print(timeit(lambda: f1(arr1, d), number=10000))
    print(timeit(lambda: f2(arr1, d), number=10000))

    counts = [randint(1, 3) for _ in range(10000)]
    arr1 = np.array([['x', f'{n}'] for n in range(10000) for _ in range(counts[n])])
    d = {f'{n}': randint(1, 3) for n in range(10000)}

    print(timeit(lambda: original(arr1, d), number=10))
    print(timeit(lambda: f1(arr1, d), number=10))
    print(timeit(lambda: f2(arr1, d), number=10))

main()

Result:
0.14045359999999998
0.2402685
0.5027185999999999
46.7569239
5.893172499999999
0.08729539999999503

The numpy solution is slow on a toy example, but orders of magnitude faster on a large input. Your solution seems pretty good, but loses out to the non-numpy solution avoiding the extra calls when scaled up.
Consider the size of your problem. If the problem is small, you should pick your own solution, for readability. If the problem is medium-sized, you might pick mine for the bump in performance. If the problem is large (either in size or frequency used), you should opt for the all numpy solution, sacrificing readability for speed.

A: After a bit of playing around with np.argsort(), I found a pure numpy solution. Just have to sort the second row of arr1 according to how the same elements are positioned in an array version of d.values().
arr1 = np.array([['a1','x'],['a2','x'],['a3','y'],['a4','y'],['a5','z']])
d = {'x':2,'z':1,'y':1,'w':2}

# create arrays from d
keys, vals = np.array(list(d.keys())), np.array(list(d.values()))
# count the unique elements in arr1[:,1]
unqs, cts = np.unique(arr1[:,1], return_counts=True)

# only keep track of elements that appear in arr1
mask = np.isin(keys,unqs)
keys, vals = keys[mask], vals[mask]

# sort the unique values and corresponding counts according to keys
idx1 = np.argsort(np.argsort(keys))
idx2 = np.argsort(unqs)
unqs, cts = unqs[idx2][idx1], cts[idx2][idx1]

# filter values by whether the counts match
correct = unqs[vals==cts]

# keep subarray where the counts match
ans = arr1[np.isin(arr1[:,1],correct)]

print(ans)
# [['a1' 'x']
#  ['a2' 'x']
#  ['a5' 'z']]

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


On October 5th from 5:30 to 7:30 there will be an opening reception at Second Street Gallery and the featured artist is Lana Guerra from New Orleans. She will also be presenting a puppet show at 6:30.
My work will be in the "Backroom" which is really the office area, but I am still very excited to have a presence at this gallery. When I moved to Charlottesville seven years ago, I wanted to do art that was contemporary and could be shown at this gallery. Now after working these years to find my own voice in abstraction, my wish has come true. I am happy to be working in a manner that is abstract, intuitive and feels good to create.
When you go through the gallery you will see that Lana and I use some of the same bright colors such as fluorescent pink and teal but the over all feelings of the paintings are so different. Her art is like punk rock and mine is like jazz. I wonder if my art really is like jazz? I looked up Jazz on Wikipedia and maybe Lana's art is more like Jazz, both originated in New Orleans. I do not know much about music, but I thought Wikipedia would say that jazz was improvisational and playing with the elements of music. However, it didn't really say that, maybe I should ask a musician how they feel about it. I am in love with the art and design elements and I feel I do intuitively play with the elements to make finished compositions. Lana is working in an intuitive stream of consciousness, letting her creativity run wild. I hope to find out more about the narratives she creates on October 5th. She may have purposes and reasons for the stories or she may create them and the meanings emerge. I feel pretty sure the need to create is another common bond between the two of us and not just the same bright colors.


Congratulations to Tanika on receiving her Bronze Arts Award while studying at WOAPA - West Oxfordshire Academy of Performing Arts in Witney, Oxfordshire.
As part of her studies, Tanika reviewed 'Horrible Christmas' at The Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham and for her 'Arts Inspiration' she interviewed and researched cast member Earl Hughes.
Tanika joins a growing list of WOAPA students who have gained an Arts Award while studying at our performing arts academy in Witney.


text:
Home » Assembly in Action: Mixer Ensures Armor Integrity
Assembly in Action: Mixer Ensures Armor Integrity
Textron Inc. manufactures a wide range of products, including everything from airplanes to boats to lawnmowers. Subsidiaries include Cessna Aircraft Co. and golf cart manufacturer E-Z GO.
Textron's adhesive formulation includes flame retardants and a curing accelerant.
Textron Inc. (Providence, RI) manufactures a wide range of products, including everything from airplanes to boats to lawnmowers. Subsidiaries include Cessna Aircraft Co. (Wichita, KS) and golf cart manufacturer E-Z GO (Augusta, GA).
At its Textron Marine & Land division (New Orleans, LA), the company manufactures the M1117 armored security vehicle (ASV) for the U.S. military. Because the vehicles provide protection for soldiers on patrol in hotspots like Iraq, the Army has been ordering an unprecedented number of the vehicles in recent year. In 2005, the Army ordered 724 of the vehicles. In 2006, the order grew to 1,200, and Textron found itself assembling up to 48 ASVs per month.
Incorporated into each ASV's body armor is a thick layer of Kevlar fiber. During production, approximately 30 different Kevlar shapes are pre-cut and assembled on a table. The panels are then attached to the interior of the vehicle using two-part SIKA Biresin brand elastomeric urethane casting resin in 5-gallon pails with viscosities of 7,000 cps for part A and 250 cps for part B. The mix ratio is 1.5:1 by volume and has a 15- to 20-minute work life.
To ensure that the adhesive is correctly mixed, Textron employs a See-Flo 7 Meter Mix Dispense System from Sealant Equipment & Engineering Inc. (Plymouth, MI). During production, an operator selects a specific shot size, and the See-Flo 7 dispenses a precise volume of mixed material into a container. A flame retardant and curing accelerant are added, the adhesive is applied to the Kevlar, and the Kevlar is then applied directly to the body of the ASV. As part of this process, the ASV is rotated on its axis to facilitate operator access. C-clamps, vise-grips and column jacks are put in place for 2-hours to hold the Kevlar panels in position during the adhesive curing cycle.
The See-Flo 7 is a continuous-flow, adjustable-ratio meter system with precision shot volume controls. Textron's system is cart-mounted, so that it can be easily moved where needed. Material is placed in 10-gallon pressure tanks, agitated and degassed. The tanks are pressurized with nitrogen.
In the Textron operation, the system has been pre-set with 15 shot sizes ranging from 360 to 3,600 cc. The system's Program-A-Shot controls incorporate a linear-transducer to precisely measure the selected volume of mixed material. The See-Flo 7 meters the material on-ratio to a 2200-245 No-Drip Mix-Dispense Valve with disposable static mixer, which delivers the material at a rate of 22 cc per second. A ratio-check is performed regularly to verify the 1.5:1 material ratio accuracy.
For more on two-part dispensing, visitwww.sealantequipment.comor call 734-459-8600.
Assembly In Action: Inspection System Ensures Quality Parts for Binder Assembly
Assembly in Action: Dispensing System Ensures Mixing Ratios for Foam Padding
Assembly in Action: Vision Sensor Ensures Correct Dispensing
Assembly in Action: Surface Treatment Ensures Adhesive Performance


text:
Pigeon Cove is een gemeentevrij dorp in de Canadese provincie Newfoundland en Labrador. De plaats bevindt zich aan de noordwestkust van het eiland Newfoundland en maakt deel uit van het local service district Pigeon Cove-St. Barbe.

Geografie
Pigeon Cove ligt aan de noordwestkust van het Great Northern Peninsula, het meest noordelijke gedeelte van Newfoundland. De nederzetting bevindt zich aan de zuidelijke oever van St. Barbe Bay, een baai van de Straat van Belle Isle. De plaats is in het oosten vergroeid met St. Barbe en is in het westen vergroeid met Black Duck Cove.

Demografie

Vanaf de volkstelling van 2001 worden er niet langer aparte censusdata voor Pigeon Cove bijgehouden. De plaats valt vanaf dan immers onder de designated place (DPL) Pigeon Cove-St. Barbe.

Plaats in Newfoundland en Labrador


Robert Tonner "Portland - Théâtre de la Mode outfit"
Chic cocoa brown with white bands linen day dress; matching hat, earrings, hose and shoes. Outfit only - doll sold separately. Was created as souvenir piece for the Oregon Tonner Convention and as part of the 'Théâtre de la Mode' Series.


I need a car moving from Paignton/Devon to Sandbach in Cheshire on or around 20th December.
I have got a quote of £300 from a guy I have used before, he will be heading down from the Derby/Nottingham area to pick the car up. He said if he can get a run down with something on it will be cheaper, anyone need owt shifting from the midlands area down to Devon?
Happy to help with short term storage of small items.
Ten mins walk from station if you have car that can be parked in the road.
Insurance covers driving of other cars.
Tea/coffee if anyone wants stop off before/after crossing Dartford bridge.
Don't seem to be able to add myself on the map from iPad, but will try later from PC.
I seem to regularly be going Leicester to Dartford, or Sheffield. Or Nottingham. Or Solihull.
Not got much storage space but happy to pick stuff up if it's not far from the M1/M42 area and drop it elsewhere.
Got some damage but got to be worth buying as a spare at that price! I could always graft the sides onto a better centre piece.
Just up the road from me. I can collect and store it for a while for you.
Anyone start it on it's way south please?
I've my eye on an MA4 gearbox for my Pug, that's collection only from eBay - Main bearings on mine are protesting a little.
Anyone in Harrogate able to check out something Audi shaped for me?
Not in Harrogate but near enough - pm me.
ROSS!! Did you get my PM re the map?
Hopefully this'll be sorted tomorrow!
Can any shiters help me out with getting a canine treadmill (don't ask!) from York YO60 7JP to somewhere near Colchester? Could meet up pretty much anywhere in East Angular if any northern folk are coming south in the next month or so, long shot I know but worth a try!
Very long shot but worth a go, I need to get a Honda CG125 from Stockport in Cheshire (near Manchester) to North Devon over this weekend. I'm prepared to stump up for van rental to get it back but wondered if anyone happened to be travelling part of that route at the time. Shiply has only produced moderately decent prices with earliest collection Monday night which is too late for the seller as he wants it gone.
As I write this it now strikes me this offer may be a bit of a waste, if a few Scotto shitters are coming to Chumley in a couple of weeks.
Anyone able to get a tyre from Shoreham by the sea to NW Kent/SE London please?
I could, but only if it's not urgent. Not sure when I'll be up your way next.
No rush for delivery, but would need to be collected fairly soon. Is that possible please?
Anyone near Thames Ditton, Surrey? There is a pair of Rover 800 rear mats on ebay I'm thinking of bidding on (as if I need them ) but they are collection only.
Could possibly do Sunday at some point, next Wednesday evening would be best though as I'll be going that way anyway.
I've put my bid in.
Going from Wirral to Bedfordshire (and back) on Saturday, so does anyone need anything Shitley-ing ?
Anyone travelling up from Herne Bay to SE LOndon/NW Kent please?
Anyone near Keresley Coventry that could collect and start a few ado16 spares on their way to Dartford Kent please?
Any N.I Shitters coming over to the North West in the next few weeks? Need some body panels and parts moving from Belfast to Sandbach (j17 M6)?
Xantia towbar from Royston Herts to Stoke on Trent/Birmingham/Nottingham?
How urgently? I'll be visiting Herts in the next few weeks, not sure of the exact date though, either Stoke or Brum would be doable.


Error: Document type 'http://<NameSpace>' does not match any of the given schemas.
However you confirm the transformed message schema properly exists and has been deployed.
We found this is an issue that ESB TransformationService does not set the context property DocumentSpecName of the output message to be the target schema type after transform. However the XML assembler component will check if current message schema matches the schema list in this context property. If not, it reports the schema mismatching error.
You can use a normal map(not ESB TransformationService) or receive port which will properly set the context property as a work around. A permanent fix may be provided in a hotfix or future release of ESB toolkit.


In the past few weeks, three things have weighed on my mind and have tortured my being tremendously. They have all been things that have made the news or at least trended on social media and at the same time things that will astonish the toughest, most cynical of any of us.
Firstly, I cannot but mention the release as well as the subsequent 'Hero's Welcome' for James Ibori. Most people I know have spoken about this and I feel it runs the risk of getting boring now. A convicted Nigerian Governor, who served time in the UK because the Nigerian Legislature lacked the balls to convict him themselves. To rub salt to the wounds, after serving time and was released, he was lauded and praised by many of his 'friends', led by an elected Nigerian senator who in his welcome speech praised Ibori for having the power (or audacity) to influence Nigerian elections from behind bars. Have you ever heard of that before in a civilised world?
In anything I do, I try to put myself in the shoes of both the Antagonist as well as the Protagonist and I wonder if (this is a big IF here) I end up in prison for whatever crime, I am absolutely certain there will be a welcome party waiting for me in my home upon my release. There might even be a welcome speech by one or two of my friends. Therefore, in this regard, I can certainly understand the video showing Ibori's friends jubilating with him in his home, on his release.
What I can't and WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND is the multitude that came out to welcome him when he eventually returned to his hometown. There were banners, market women, students, associations, professionals and lawmakers. It was a homecoming the sort that I have not witnessed since the return of the Gold winning Atlanta 96 football team. His people welcomed him home. These are the same people he stole millions of dollars from. Monies meant for roads, hospitals, security and infrastructure. And they welcomed him home.
The second thing that burdened me greatly this week is the discovery of $9.8 million (in cash) by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC in an inconsequential house that belonged to former group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC – Dr Andrew Yakubu. In the hierarchy of power holders in Nigeria, Andrew Yakubu can only be considered to be a medium wheel and for him to have in his possession that sum of money says a lot about what can be expected in houses of bigger wheels. Andrew Yakubu has now come out to say the seized money is a gift and as such would want it returned. This news trended and is possibly still trending today.
The fact that the looted money could have been used to help some poor innocent person (or people) in dire straits simply shows the callousness associated with this particular case. You wonder why people do a double take when they hear you are from Nigeria? Or you are linked to that country in any way? I heard a snide remark the other day from a European who said "we know what goes on in Nigeria." Whether he meant it as an insult or not is not even the question, it is the fact that those words cut like a knife.
Thirdly, and still actively trending is the extended leave of President Buhari. To say his handlers have made a complete faux pas of his medical situation is simply an understatement. The President left Nigeria on a supposed holiday and suddenly, word filtered through that he was either very ill, in a coma or dead. Trusting Nigerians, they soon very quickly gathered on all social media platforms and even Nigeria High Commission in London, demanding to see their President or at least know his state of health. Personally, I believe anybody, President or not is entitled to an uninterrupted break. And barring a national emergency, he (or she) must be given the time and respect to see out his stated time of leave. Running the country in the absence of a President is why we have a Vice President isn't it?
However, in the midst of all this confusion, rather than the president come out and address his people, President Buhari decided to extend his vacation on the account that he is awaiting test results from his UK doctors. Meanwhile his spin-doctors back home in Nigeria swear blind that he is not ill. The President was meant to return to Nigeria between the 6th and 10th of February, it is the 24th today and Nigerians are yet to see their President. Of course they have seen him in one or two pictures showing various people visiting him in his London residence but even that is disputed. 'PHOTOSHOP' is the word coming out of the mouth of the most cynical Nigerian (which is basically 90% of the population).
It backfired quicker than the conversation between the two Presidents ended. Nigerians wondered how it is possible for their President to hold a phone conversation with his foreign counterpart, and not have 5 mins to wave at them from the window of his London apartment or do a Skype video call with the various Nigerian media houses. How he is able to take pictures from his central London living room to disprove the notion that he is gravely ill but cannot be bothered to open his front door to the people demanding to see him. Something is surely not right.
Let me just say right here, right now, I am certain every 73 year old man would have health challenges, that is a given. It'll be very unfair to expect President Buhari not to break down once in a while. But why the shroud of secrecy?
With all three things on my mind, I have to ask, as citizens of this great country, are we happy with the status quo? Do we really, truly want change? Then I start to wonder, is there something wrong with us genetically as Nigerians?
For me it is quite clear-cut, for a nation with a lot of grammar blowers, Professors and literal minds, it contains in equal measure a majority of illiterates and blind followers. For it is only illiterates that will turn out in huge numbers to welcome home a convicted state executive into their midst after he has stolen from them. The solution is to secure the future of school age Nigerians by educating them thoroughly. They need to know that Nigeria belongs to everybody, not just a few. They need to be schooled with the knowledge that corruption, on all levels is dangerous to the survival of even generations unborn.
And on the issue of the ill President, I must say this, I as well as millions of Nigerians demanded change and unapologetically supported his candidacy. I still support him fully as my president but is there anything wrong with having a younger man in the helm of affairs in my country?
Why, oh why are the youth sidelined from every single aspect of nation building or governance? Do you not think that if President Buhari's media handlers were younger (meaning more tech/ SM savvy) this health situation would have been better managed? We really need to start thinking deeply about our future, and if we are going to have one, it will have to start with the youth.
I more convinced than ever that the one who will be successful in creating and sustaining a Nigeria that is fit and healthy for all is the one who engages with the youth, the one who knows the significance of young Nigerians and the one who is not only young, but also youthful at heart. If that happens, it wouldn't matter to me what part of Nigeria he is from.


Had anyone come across the bloodied apparition of Scott Vali that night, they might have run screaming for their very souls. He ambled slowly along, each foot carefully moving before the other. One hand was pressed firmly against his stomach, which was now completely covered in blood, while the other firmly gripped the handle to an equally stained butcher knife.
There were only a few hours before sunrise. Even now, lights flickered on inside of the houses he passed, the inhabitants beginning their morning routines. Birds were singing their morning songs high above him, another reminder that he needed to hurry if he wanted to get home before even it was full of activity.
He didn't know that at this very moment, his mom and sister were sitting at the kitchen counter, fearfully clutching the other as they spoke to a detective. He had no way of knowing that, even though the pieces were a long ways from being put together, the detective had just received a call about a double homicide involving a classmate and his father.
His mind was focused on other things at the moment. He thought about the sticky texture of the exposed intestine beneath his hand. He wondered how long it would be before it would begin to die.
"…probably when the rest of me does," he muttered softly.
His voice sounded as if it was coming from a different room, and in a way it was. He was still in the place where the 'other' had lay dormant for so long, deep inside the prison of his own mind. He no longer controlled his limbs as he had before, his will had long since grown tired. The 'other' had taken his place, but it wasn't acting of its own accord. It was taking him exactly where he wanted to go. Home.
After leaving B.J.'s house, he had mentally curled into the fetal position, holding onto his very being as if his life depended upon it. He had felt fragile. The very sight of the blood, the feel of it on his clothes, even the smell of it had threatened to sent him spiraling into a whirlpool of madness from which he would never return.
He remembered dancing in the blood of his victims, spinning insanely and watching the blood fling off the blade of his weapon to splash randomly around the room. He had giggled when the feeling of his guts slipping out had tickled as they fell out.
It was as if he was a different person, just as the other was a different entity inside of him. It still was. He clutched so tightly to his essence that he felt as if he was becoming a concentrated version of the person he once was.
"Just add three cups of water," he breathed.
But try as he might, it wasn't good enough. He couldn't hold onto the part of himself that he had so long ago let go. He tried to remember exactly when it happened, but even that was a memory which eluded him. Maybe it had always been this way? Maybe there never was no 'other'?
The sky was beginning to lighten in the distance, fading from black to violet. Soon it would become orange, spreading outward as the colors chased the darkness beyond the horizon, giving way to the fiery orb which would break dawn upon All Saints.
Home wasn't far, perhaps another block or so, but ahead was another obstacle he would have to avoid before entering the final stretch. Placing an empty milk bottle into a recycling bin was his old 'pal', Arnie Jameson, who always seemed to be around when he was most down. Arnie had yet to see him and as he approached, he slid the knife blade between his belt and jeans behind him.


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text:
Q: Etale maps and local intersection cohomology Suppose that $f:(X,x) \to (Y,y)$ is etale at $x$, meaning that it induces an isomorphism $C_xX \to C_yY$ on tangent cones.  Then $f$ induces an isomorphism from the cohomology of $IC_{X,x}$ (the stalk of the IC sheaf at x) to the cohomology of $IC_{Y,y}$.
Now suppose that $f$ and $g$ are two such maps, inducing two different isomorphisms from $H^*(IC_{X,x})$ to $H^*(IC_{Y,y})$.
Question:  If $f$ and $g$ induce the same isomorphism on tangent cones, does it follow that $f$ and $g$ induce the same isomorphism from $H^*(IC_{X,x})$ to $H^*(IC_{Y,y})$?


text:
Citizen Scientists Count Endangered Black Shama
Filipinos can do more than merely trek and camp in the forests – they can help count birds too, all for a good cause. Twice a year, the Siloy Watch is attended by more than a hundred citizen science to count Endangered Black Shama. A joint project of Provincial Government of Cebu, Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region VII and the Philippines Biodiversity Conservation Foundation Inc. It's a free event and an opportunity for families, students and people of all ages to explore the forests on karst of Cebu Island and make a significant contribution to science.
Why do the Siloy Watch?
Black Shama is an Endangered bird found on the island of Cebu. It is the Provincial Bird of the Province of Cebu and a mascot of a local newspaper e.g. Cebu Daily News. Its last population estimate was based on records of more than 10 years ago. Black Shama occurs in a variety of habitats but has a strong preference for secondary and mature forests. It is a territorial ground-dwelling bird and easily recognizable by its melodious calls. Its features and distribution range makes it an ideal bird to monitor the health of our forests and upland ecosystems.
Scientists and bird enthusiasts can learn a lot by recording where the birds are and know how many are left in the wild. No single scientists or team of scientists could hope to document and understand the complex distribution and movements of species in a short time. Thus, Siloy Watch is a great way to know what is happening to the Black Shama population.
The three island-wide synchronized Siloy Watch (Black Shama population count) conducted in 149 stations spread over 11 sites from 2019 – March 2020 generated population density of 2.4 Black Shama per hectare of suitable habitat. This then results to a population estimate of 6,084 Endangered Black Shama Kittacincla cebuensis (formerly Copsychus cebuensis). The largest sub-population was in Alcoy, followed by Argao, Central Cebu Protected Landscape, Catmon and Dalaguete.
Three hundred eight (308) Citizen Scientists participated in the count led by the Provincial Government of Cebu, Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region VII and Philippines Biodiversity Conservation Foundation Inc. in collaboration with local communities, academic institutions, birdwatching and mountaineering clubs, and key individuals. Among the group assigned in Nug-as, Alcoy was Christian Casio. When asked about his experience he said, "Incomparable and more than anything". He added that "doing activities for nature uplifts, eases and fires my soul. I consider the Forest as my best home."
So far, there are currently eight registered monitoring sites for the Black Shama Watch: Central Cebu Protected Landscape (Tabunan, Cantipla and Buhisan watershed), Algeria, Alcoy, Argao, Boljoon, Catmon, Dalaguete and Sogod). We are aware of Black Shama occurring in other sites and we encouraged the local government units and the public to participate and include your sites in monitoring the species.
Where can you find Black Shama?
The Black Shama is known to occur in a variety of habitats but the largest concentration of populations was always in forest. This shows the strong preference of the bird for forests but it can survive in degraded habitats although in much smaller population. Currently, the bird can be found in at least 22 localities in Cebu Island.
How can you help the Black Shama?
You can help us count the population and report new locality records. On a more medium and longer-term solutions, creating networks of patches of forest in between sub-populations to facilitate movement would improve the health of the Black Shama population. Black Shama was also recorded in existing tree plantations mixed with native species of plants. Enhancing the quality of the existing tree plantations would not only benefit the Endangered Black Shama but also the other threatened endemic species of Cebu e.g. Critically Endangered Cebu Flowerpecker Dicaeum quadricolor, Critically Endangered Cebu Brown Dove Phapitreron frontalis and the Endangered Cebu hawk owl Ninox rumseyi.
Follow your passion
If you love birds, nature, butterflies or plants, citizen science is an opportunity to help you follow your passion. Joining these events will get you the hang of participating in these scientific endeavors. It will also provide you with the positive experience and in appreciating our biodiversity.
Get your friends involved
Siloy Watch teams were both young and not-so-young. The youngest participant in the last Siloy Watch was a 10-year old girl while the oldest was 76 years old. You can join us or you can organize an outing to natural parks among your friends or ask your parents and teachers to consider making these activities part of your educational experience.
Each area of the Siloy Watch has a coordinating team. The Conservation Development Division (CDD) of DENR Region VII, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office – Capitol with Philippines Biodiversity Conservation Foundation Inc. lead the coordination of the activities at the provincial level. Our local partners on the ground implements the activity and reports back to the three agencies. In Argao, this was led by both the Cebu Technological University – Argao Campus through Dr. Hemres Alburo and Philippines Science High School – Central Visayas – Ms. Sherry Paul Romayla in partnership with CENRO Argao. DENR Region – VII leads the Central Cebu Protected Landscape monitoring sites while CENRO Cebu City for Catmon areas. Dalaguete Municipal Agriculture and Natural Resources Office (MANRO) takes the lead in their sites while the Alcoy and Boljoon areas are coordinated with Philippines Biodiversity Conservation Foundation Inc. with Kapunungan sa Mag-uuma sa Yutang Lasangnon sa Bulolacao Nug-as Alcoy. Unique among the sites, is Sogod as it is primarily coordinated by Cebu Birdwatch group in collaboration with DENR, PENRO – LGU and PhilBio.
Photo credits: Lyra Auce, Andrew Ross Reintar, Christian Casio, Jo Villacorta, Gabrielle Peña, Orlyn Orlanes, Lisa Paguntalan and Godfrey Jakosalem.
Author: Lisa Paguntalan
Visayan Hornbill population
Ecology of Philippine Scrubfowl
The Story of Ada – Siquijor Hawk Owl
How Pilareneos saved endangered wildlife
Negros Island Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan
Tags : DISCOVERYHELPORGANIZATIONSTUDIES


UCI Professor David Kirkby to give First Physical Science Breakfast Lecture of the Year.
UCI Professor David Kirkby is giving the first Physical Science Breakfast lecture of the year on Tuesday, November 13, 2012 at 8:00 a.m. in the Pacific Ballroom C of the Student Center.
The title of the talk is "Mapping the Universe: From Black Holes to Dark Energy".
Please visit the URL below for the full lecture announcement.
Physical Science BreakfastLecture: "Mapping the Universe: From Black Holes to Dark Energy"


text:
Symphytum insulare är en strävbladig växtart som först beskrevs av Pawl., och fick sitt nu gällande namn av Werner Rodolfo Greuter och Burdet. Symphytum insulare ingår i släktet vallörter, och familjen strävbladiga växter. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Vallörter
insulare


text:
A Microsoft AI for Earth grant will help researchers bust the spread of infection for millions of people sustainably
By	Geoff Spencer, Microsoft Asia Writer	 9 January, 2020
A car trundles along a bumpy village road in the Fiji Islands in the South Pacific. As it passes through the lush tropical landscape, a woman in the backseat reaches into a box full of sealed plastic tubes. She opens them one-by-one and methodically shakes the contents out through an open window.
She is releasing a batch of laboratory-bred mosquitoes that have been modified by scientists to eliminate the scourge of dengue fever.
Regular releases like this by field workers and volunteers are producing dramatic trial results in selected communities in Asia Pacific and South America. Now researchers are turning to digital technologies to scale up their fight worldwide.
Around 40 percent of the world's population – about 3 billion people in 100 countries – live in communities with a risk of dengue and other potentially deadly mosquito-borne viruses like Zika, yellow fever, and chikungunya.
Many of those people struggle with poverty and overcrowding, and tragically the most vulnerable to these diseases are often the very young.
"The haunting memory of dengue is the body ache," recalls Evisake Wainiqolo, a Fijian mother of seven, who was infected as a child. "The pain is beyond explanation."
There are no cures. But what if something could curb the power of mosquitoes to infect people?
Well, there is. It's a bacteria called Wolbachia. And, in a way, it is to mosquitoes what kryptonite is to Superman. That's because Wolbachia limits the replication of dengue and those other viruses within a mosquito's body.
The World Mosquito Program breeds mosquitoes with Wolbachia-infused cells and releases them into the environment to mate with local mosquitoes. This interbreeding spreads Wolbachia across entire mosquito populations and neutralizes their disease-carrying capabilities.
The common house mosquito, Aedes aegypti
In a way, Wolbachia is to a mosquito what kryptonite is to Superman because it limits the replication of dengue within a host's body.
Years of scientific research, some trial-and-error deployment, and lots of labor-intensive grassroots campaigning have delivered impressive results in targeted communities.
Now the Program – a global not-for-profit research consortium headquartered in Vietnam – is planning to dramatically scale up its ambitions and scope. It has just been awarded a Microsoft AI for Earth grant to make Wolbachia's disease-busting impact global.
With the help of data, machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI), and the computation power of the cloud, this humble micro-organism could soon become an international public health superhero.
The key to success is determining the best release points for modified mosquitoes to maximize impact, says Ben Green, Senior Project Delivery Manager at the Program, which has been working toward a goal of protecting 100 million people in 12 countries.
Its researchers are now pulling together massively detailed data sets to create a predictive deep learning model that will determine the best release points anywhere in the world.
AI does its best when it just kind of disappears into the background and lets people get on with the task at hand.
– Lucas Joppa, Chief Environmental Officer at Microsoft
Lucas Joppa, Chief Environmental Officer at Microsoft, says AI can change the game for not-for-profits. In this case, the Program's AI model will have the potential to turbo-charge its work and impact by freeing up its researchers from the painstaking and time-consuming task of analyzing data.
"They will no longer be governed by the speed and scale of how they do their data analytics. AI does its best when it just kind of disappears into the background and lets people get on with the task at hand," Joppa says. "They can pull together all of the data, all the expertise available, and expand their operations across the world instead of going from project to project, location to location."
How Wolbachia works
Wolbachia is a naturally occurring type of bacteria that lives inside the cells of around 60 percent of insect species—but crucially not in Aedes aegypti, the mosquito whose bites can infect people.
But when scientists introduce Wolbachia into the cells of an Aedes aegypti, the mosquito's virus-spreading capabilities are dramatically reduced. On top of that, Wolbachia also messes up a mosquito's love life.
When a male with Wolbachia mates with a female that does not have it, the eggs she lays will not hatch. When a female with Wolbachia mates with a male who does not have it, her eggs will all produce offspring with Wolbachia. When both a male and a female have Wolbachia, then again, all their offspring will have it.
Within a few generations, the number of mosquitoes with Wolbachia exponentially multiplies until nearly all have it. The result: people will still have to put up with mosquito bites, but their communities will become free of those diseases.
Releasing Hope
In recent years, researchers at the Program have perfected ways of introducing Wolbachia into mosquito cells and are now busy breeding modified mosquitoes that are being released in a number of communities around the world.
A boy in Puducherry in southern India unscrews a jar and shakes out dozens of mosquitoes as he walks down a street in his impoverished neighborhood. In a village near Yogyakarta, on the Indonesian island of Java, a woman pours water carrying mosquito eggs into a pond.
The same sorts of scenes happen in targeted communities in Colombia and Brazil. And in Vietnam, a man pops the lid off a plastic tube as he sits on the back of a motor scooter in the market town of Vinh Luong.
"When we release these mosquitoes, it's like we are releasing hope," explains Samu Tuidraki, the chief of Narewa, a village in Fiji.
We will be able to release Wolbachia mosquitoes where they will have the most effect with analysis at a countrywide scale instead of at a neighborhood scale.
– Ben Green, Senior Project Delivery Manager, World Mosquito Program
Australia's Far North Queensland has been declared essentially dengue-free for the first time in about a century, following an intensive release campaign. Other targeted efforts are making strong progress in Asia and South America, where authorities have long tried to wipe out mosquito populations with insecticides.
"Our Wolbachia method is natural and self-sustaining," Green says. "As a large-scale public health intervention, we believe that this a cost-effective way. The evidence so far is that it can sustain itself in local populations for up to seven years. And we expect it will continue."
How machine learning and AI will help take the fight global
The Program's data science partner, Gramener, is developing machine learning for the AI model. It will tap the Program's existing release point records as well as many other datasets on human population densities, land use, industrial sites, weather, and other variables. Satellite imagery will be a big part of mapping out large urban areas with strategic and granular accuracy.
The aim is to have the ability to pinpoint multiple impactful release points within blocks of as little as 100 square meters.
READ MORE: Gramener is building AI tools to help biodiversity conservation
"We want to target the areas where our intervention is needed most," Green says. "We will be able to release Wolbachia mosquitoes where they will have the most effect with analysis at a countrywide scale instead of at a neighborhood scale. Our ambition is to be able to look at a whole country and run the model over all its urban areas and let it give an unprecedented snapshot of where we can have the most impact."
Joppa says machine learning and AI are potent tools for not-for-profits that want to tackle big challenges but have limited resources.
"The World Mosquito Program started with the objective of figuring out how to attack a problem. In this case, they worked out how to neutralize the disease-carrying ability of mosquitoes. Then they worked out where they needed to release these mosquitoes.
"They started collecting tons of data. It then became a really messy data problem as they tried to compare a bunch of different data sets to work out where they could be most efficient.
"Ultimately, this is where machine learning comes in. It allows you to take all of that data, abstract it down to a single estimate of probability and map it out. It is cost-effective, and it is super scalable. Instead of figuring out data visualization and analytics for one particular area, you can now do it for an entire city, for an entire country, for the entire world.
"That is because the data sets they are using are globally generalizable. One model that works here can work everywhere."
Top imagery: Wolbachia mosquitoes are released in rural Fiji.
AI for Earth is a US$50 million, five-year commitment from Microsoft to put AI to work for the future of the planet. The World Mosquito Program has been awarded Asia Pacific's Signature AI for Earth grant. Signature grants aim to build shared value with our customers and partners. They pull together resources from Microsoft's global and regional teams, including cash and engineering support, so scalable projects can transform the way people and organizations monitor, model, and manage Earth's natural systems.
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'State of Affairs' Review: Katherine Heigl Doesn't Pass the Spy Test on NBC's Espionage Drama
The former "Grey's Anatomy" star is way out of her element as a CIA analyst
Diane Garrett | November 17, 2014 @ 7:30 AM	Last Updated: November 19, 2014 @ 1:58 AM
"State of Affairs" is so ludicrous it's impossible to take seriously.
The biggest problem, sad to say, is star Katherine Heigl, who's making a high profile return to series television with NBC's new espionage drama. The former "Grey's Anatomy" star can be appealing in the right role, but is completely wrong as Charleston "Charlie" Tucker.
Supposedly a top CIA analyst, Heigl's character looks like she's wandered off the set of the actress's many rom-com movies, her hair pulled back just so as she navigates government corridors at all hours in impossibly high heels. Her Charlie spits out jargon with the best of them, but isn't very convincing as a savvy political operator.
See photos: 45 Fall TV Actresses Ranked by Popularity
The show, developed by Joe Carnahan and executive produced by Heigl and her mother, plays like a cross between "Homeland" and "Scandal," minus the juicy intrigue and femme intellect. Say what you will about Carrie Mathison and Olivia Pope's romantic choices, but at least those characters, as portrayed by Claire Danes and Kerry Washington, seem believably powerful and capable of navigating tricky situations. Not so for Heigl's Charlie.
There are moments in the reshot pilot that play to the actress's strengths and suggest a complexity that may be developed in subsequent episodes, but overall the enterprise is regrettably conceived. The writing does no one any favors, failing even to make the most of Alfre Woodard as president. At the very least, Heigl's costumer deserves a sharp reprimand.
Michael Parmelee/NBC
The action begins with a flashback to a shootout in Afghanistan a year prior. Our very first hint that we may be in for trouble with the show comes with a shot of a woman's pointy shoes amid repeated cuts to Heigl's character shaking her head in agony. This is where we learn that Charlie's fiancé, Aaron, was a doctor who died on a humanitarian mission. Charlie's therapist insists she's repressing a key part of her memory and engaging in reckless behavior; the president's special briefer isn't about to change her ways.
See photo: Katherine Heigl 'State of Affairs' Male Co-Stars Strip Down to Support Her Topless Scene (Photo)
However, she's not quite as sanguine when the CIA discovers that another American humanitarian doctor who looks like her dead African-American love has been captured, and terrorists are threatening to kill him if their demands aren't met.
This news sets off a chain reaction, threatening a covert operation to kill a key enemy on the anniversary of Aaron's death. Did we mention that Aaron was the president's son? Well, he was.
Dr. Butler's capture ramps up the urgency as the CIA analysts race to put together the daily briefing on the nation's top threats. That sense of urgency is one of the best things about "State of Affairs," along with its distinctive portrayal of briefing process and certain aspects of government protocol. We see ripped-up notes being stapled into paper bags and stuffed down a burn chute as the report is being prepared for the president, for instance, plus the hand delivery to the president.
Also read: Katherine Heigl Drama 'State of Affairs' Loses Showrunner
Cell phones are omnipresent, with communication rapidly careening around Washington and the globe. Those are all things we've come to expect from espionage dramas, and "State of Affairs" delivers.
There's requisite workplace banter between Charlie and her colleagues, which include newbie Lucas Newsome (Adam Kaufman) and newly divorced pal Maureen (Sheila Vand). Charlie's high-handed workplace behavior, and that of acting CIA Director Skinner (Dennis Boutsikaris), strain credulity, however.
Charlie interferes with a major covert operation and decides to omit key information from the president, aka the woman who would have been her mother in law had Aaron not been killed. The acting head of the CIA, meanwhile, seems strangely oblivious to a Syrian envoy of dubious motive, paving the way for cat and mouse behavior between Charlie and her boss.
See video: Watch Trailers for NBC's New Shows: Katherine Heigl's 'State of Affairs,' Kate Walsh's 'Bad Judge,' More (Video)
The show plays the bond between Charlie and the president awkwardly. Woodard, a fine actress, is reduced to telling Heigl's Charlie that "his death will make killers out of both of us." As awkward as these moments between the women are, they do give Heigl a chance to display her warmth and vulnerability, two of the traits she nicely brought to bear in "Grey's Anatomy."
Carnahan directed and co-wrote the first episode, which includes other groan-inducing remarks, as when Charlie makes an off-color remark to her therapist about sexual satisfaction, and the president's chief of staff shouts out to Charlie, "You don't set policy, the president does."
The show does end on a promising note with a visit from one of Charlie's old colleagues from the field; that could lead to more intriguing developments in the future. Charlie, it turns out, is highly compromised and just as capable of rationalizing her behavior as Carrie Mathison and Olivia Pope.
See photos: 31 New Show First Looks From the 2014-15 TV Season
But Heigl, and the show, both have to step up their game considerably if they want to operate convincingly at the same level as TV's most successful espionage dramas or even its passable ones. After the first episode, the state of affairs for this new program is very dire indeed.
"State of Affairs" premieres Monday at 10 p.m. ET on NBC.
45 Fall TV Actresses Ranked by Popularity (Photos)
Pauley Perrette
"NCIS"
Q Score: 31
Read TheWrap's Most and Least Liked TV Actress Report
A.J. Cook
"Criminal Minds"
"Law & Order: SVU"
Emily Vancamp
"Revenge"
Kirsten Vangsness
"Person of Interest"
"Scandal"
ABC/Craig Sjodin
"The Big Bang Theory"
"Nikita"
"Modern Family"
Nicole Beharie
"Sleepy Hollow"
"Bones"
"Nashville"
"Grey's Anatomy"
"How to Get Away With Murder"
"NCIS: Los Angeles"
"Vampire Diaries"
"New Girl"
"Chicago PD"
"Bad Judge"
"Parks & Recreation"
"The Middle"
"Arrow"
"State of Affair"
"The Mindy Project"
"Mom"
"Hawaii Five-O"
"Gotham"
"Blue Bloods"
"America's Next Top Model"
"The Good Wife"
"The Mysteries of Laura"
"Red Band Society"
"Hart of Dixie"
"Scorpion"
Q Score: 8
"Madam Secretary"
Katherine Heigl 'State of Affairs' Male Co-Stars Strip Down to Support Her Topless Scene (Photo)
By Travis Reilly | October 3, 2014 @ 12:15 PM
'The Mysteries of Laura' Review: Debra Messing's Mom Cop Breezes Past Tired Dialogue
By Diane Garrett | September 24, 2014 @ 7:11 AM
Katherine Heigl's 'State of Affairs' Co-Star Has a Message for Her Haters: 'F–k Those Assholes'
By Greg Gilman | September 11, 2014 @ 10:53 AM
Diane Garrett, formerly senior editor of TheWrap, has written for the L.A. Times, Variety and Movieline in addition to TheWrap and once served as a fact checker for TV Guide. She began reviewing for an alt-teen monthly shortly after moving to L.A. Nowadays, she's never far from digital devices.


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text:
Q: Query division in oracle how can I divide the result of query1 to query2? (The result has decimal points.) Thank you:
query1:
select count(*) as aa
  from registered_devices
 where status = 1;

query2:
select sum(last_count) as current_daily
  from statistics
 where to_char(counter_date, 'YYYYMMDDHH24') between to_char (sysdate - 1, 'YYYYMMDDHH24')
   and to_char (sysdate - 1 /24, 'YYYYMMDDHH24')
   and counter_type = 'WS_GET_OFFER_ACCEPT'

A: You can simply do this:
select (select count(*) as aa
          from registered_devices
        where status = 1)
       / (select sum(last_count) as current_daily
            from statistics
            where to_char(counter_date, 'YYYYMMDDHH24')
                   between to_char (sysdate - 1, 'YYYYMMDDHH24')
                       and to_char (sysdate - 1 /24, 'YYYYMMDDHH24')
              and counter_type = 'WS_GET_OFFER_ACCEPT')
  from dual

(or vice-versa if you meant the other way).
Beware of divide-by-zero error!


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This page contains information about: nonstop flights from PWT, nonstop flights from Bremerton WA, nonstop flights PWT to, direct flights from Bremerton WA, PWT airport, Bremerton WA airport, flight speed, flight duration, flight time, distance, ... It is also related to: flights from, load factor, destination, first class, flight information, jet, to, domestic flight, and air travel in general.


Forgive me for the cruddy photo, I ended up not being able to get a new sd card yesterday and now I have no clue when I will be able to, so for a while my posts will have to consist of iphone photos. On the brightside I did get a lot of shopping done.
But, I did not get these books yesterday in fact I got all of them but one about two months ago and made myself wait until summer to start on them. I knew that, like always, I would sit down and tear threw them unable to concentrate on anything else. This summer on the other hand is turning out to be busier then I expected but I still should be able to read them all. Technically I could get away with out Immortal Beloved, but I would love to re-read it before I get started on Darkness Falls. I'm starting off with the Hunger Games books first and I hope to maybe to a book review after I'm done with each book.