My last post outlined why social media isn't the right tool for all businesses. I've thought more about Amy Mengel's reasons corporations are failing at social media and tried to apply the "rules" to the companies I'm following on twitter. I was able to categorize the businesses into "the good", those who are using social media well and "the bad", those who aren't doing so hot, but might have a chance at redemption. We'll leave "the ugly" (the guys that don't stand a chance in the twittersphere) alone, they've suffered enough.
And not just because I'm a Buffalo girl. If you're not lucky enough to have this amazing grocery store in your area, check out the Wegmans map and take a roadtrip. Still, we know that having a killer brick and mortar presence doesn't always translate to the Internet (hello, Tiffany!). Wegmans has #1 covered. Sure, they tweet about store openings, but they also post product recalls, recipe ideas, and community events. They listen to their customers (#2) in the real world and online (#5). If there is one thing Wegmans excels at, it's customer service. I tweeted about a not so great salad. Within the hour, Wegmans responded and I was sent a gift certificate for twice the value of my meal.
Being a bit of a fashionista, I was surprised to have only recently discovered kate spade on twitter. I've been trolling around for an iPhone4 case and fell in love with the designs from spade. Unfortunately, the cases only fit the older phones, and I tweeted my disappointment. Not five minutes later I got a response saying that iPhone4 cases would be out by the end of August (#2). Sure, the tweet benefits the company and will probably end in a sale, but it also made me feel "special" and "connected". The kate spade team also hits #3 out of the park. Not only is the kate spade website an interactive dream, but two employees are currently twittering their way through a store opening in Palm Springs!
I'm an editor, a writer, a scribbler, I use pens! I even ask for them in my stocking at Christmas, but I only use one kind. I am loyal, to a fault, to the BiC Ultra Round Stic (black or red, no blue). Keep your fancy Montblac, I'll stick with Bic, even if it means suffering through stained fingers and ink blob smeared words (no, I'm not a lefty). The BiC performance policy states that the company will gladly replace my faulty writing instrument at no cost if I am not satisfied. Well, I'm not. So I tweeted about it. BiC followed me, and then…nothing. Wake up, guys! You have a cute, flashy website but we all know that for most of the world, putting pen to paper is like rolling down a car window, something we've heard of but don't actually do anymore. But there's hope! Some of us still live in the dark ages, you can tell because we sit at meetings with a legal pad instead of an iPad. You might want to keep us happy, or at least respond!
*hides* First things first, I am addicted to Starbucks coffee and will suffer through caffeine withdrawal if I can't find that little green mecca. So please, people of Starbucks, don't spike my caramel macchiato. You all make wonderful coffee and yummy baked goods, but the social media aspect is lagging a bit. Yes, you have the ideastorm-esque site where customers can share their gripes, praise and suggestions, but it looks like you've put all your beans in one basket! The idea site gets a lot of attention and feedback from the people of Starbucks. You've created a wonderful community and are engaging in a conversation. Unfortunately, you also built a community over on twitter, but that platform is used as a bulletin board, not a sounding board.
Both BiC and Starbucks need a refresher course on rule #2. Weggies, kate spade: you guys rock. Let's go shopping for local produce and carry our haul home in an adorable, versatile tote.
Note: Yes, I'm an editor and know names are usually capitalized, kate spade, however, is not.
Note two: Full disclosure, I worked at Wegmans in Willamsville, NY during high school and received a Wegmans scholarship.


text:
Q: How many times does one number divide into another, and how much is left over? I need an algorithm in Delphi to generate partitions for a specified integer value.
Example: for 13 if 5 is specified as the max value for partition it will give 5,5,3; if 4 is specified as max partition value the result should be 4,4,4,1, and so on.

A: It's simple enough to solve the problem using div and mod. Here's an example program that I don't think needs any further explanation:
program IntegerPartitions;
{$APPTYPE CONSOLE}

function Partitions(const Total, Part: Integer): TArray<Integer>;
var
  Count: Integer;
  Rem: Integer;
  i: Integer;
begin
  Assert(Total>0);
  Assert(Part>0);

  Count := Total div Part;
  Rem := Total mod Part;
  if Rem=0 then
    SetLength(Result, Count)
  else
    SetLength(Result, Count+1);
  for i := 0 to Count-1 do
    Result[i] := Part;
  if Rem<>0 then
    Result[Count] := Rem;
end;

var
  Value: Integer;

begin
  for Value in Partitions(13, 5) do
    Writeln(Value);
  Readln;
end.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Mr. Skin's 10 Best Nude Scenes of 2015 Has a Curious Way of Defining 'Best'
By Dustin Rowles | Industry | December 2, 2015 |
Mr. Skin, which compiles a database on every boob flash, nipple slip, and dong appearance in movies and television, has compiled its list of 2015's best nude scenes, which is always a curious list, because of how they apparently define "best." Is it the best looking nude scene? The most effective nude scene? The most salacious? Or the most prurient? Or is it a combination?
Unfortunately for more than half of our audience, Mr. Skin apparently only cares about female nudity. Still, it's an interesting curiosity, and maybe it will encourage more people to see Dope and Ex Machina, two of the best movies of 2015, for reasons that have nothing to do with the nudity.
10. Kristen Wiig in Welcome to Me — I actually haven't seen this movie, but the screenshots suggest the scene involves Kristen Wiig — sad and covered in blood — walking through a casino in a daze. That's a weird call.
9. Ruby Rose in Orange is the New Black — Piper agrees with its placement.
8. Chanel Iman in Dope — It's a really good movie, and Iman's nudity had very little to do with it, but if that's what it takes to get you to watch, that's cool.
7. Sarah Silverman in I Smile Back — This is the scene where Silverman examines herself in the mirror, snorts some coke, and then has anal sex with a married man played by Thomas Sadoski, the guy from The Newsroom.
6. Alicia Vikander in Ex Machina — A nude android staring at herself in the mirror? Whatever kinks your boat, I guess.
5. Lena Headey / Rebecca Van Cleave in Game of Thrones — Great scene, but not really because of the nudity, or rather, there was nothing sexual about the nudity. The nudity made it harder to watch, which I guess makes it an effective nude scene, but not exactly the "best" nude scene.
4. Klara Kristin and Aomi Muyock in Love — I haven't seen this movie, but I understand the sex in Gaspar Noe's film is not simulated. It's real. So, basically it's pretentious porn (reviews took the film to task for being boring, which is the last thing you want to hear about a film with actual sex in it).
3. Allison Williams in Girls — Every time I think of the analingus in this scene, I think of SNL's Colonel Angus, and I laugh.
2. Madalina Diana Ghenea in Youth — Basically, this scene amounts to a very attractive naked woman jumping into a giant outdoor sauna with Michael Caine and Harvey Keitel, who ogle and comment, but not in a gross way. More of a doddering old man kind of way.
1. Dakota Johnson in Fifty Shades of Grey — Really? In a tasteful, sterile BDSM movie? It's kind of obvious, isn't it? Like nominating Adam Sandler for a Razzie.
Source: Mr. Skin
Beyonce, Amy Schumer And The Notorious RBG Get Mini-Me's In Kick-Ass Toy Ad
In the Epic Drum-Off of the Century, Dave Grohl Kicks Animal's Muppet Ass
Dustin is the founder and co-owner of Pajiba. You may email him here, follow him on Twitter, or listen to his weekly TV podcast, Podjiba.
Review: 'Radium Girls' Dramatizes a Tragic True Story of Workplace Violations, Misogyny, and the End of the Radiation Craze

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
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Home » Patients, Caregivers, and Advocates » Progress Against Cancer » Combining Two Immunotherapies Shows Promise
Combining Two Immunotherapies Shows Promise
In an early-phase trial, investigators study whether combining immunotherapies expands "tumor-specific immune activation."
Source: Tom Deerinck and Mark Eillisman, National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research
A small phase Ib study of a combination of an investigational cytokine-based immunotherapy and the checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab (Keytruda) showed promise in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma, the most common form of kidney cancer.
Two of the eight patients had complete responses and two others had partial responses with 92 and 77 percent reductions of their tumors after 10 to 15 months. The results of the trial were presented at the Second CRI-CIMT-EATT-AACR International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference held in New York City Sept. 25-28, 2016.
"Immunotherapy has improved the prospects for many cancer patients by providing long-term benefit, but not all patients respond to the currently available immuno-oncology drugs," said Aung Naing, MD, an associate professor in the department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. 'Rational combinations of immune therapies are likely to expand the tumor-specific immune activation and lead to more durable tumor responses."
Dr. Naing and colleagues are investigating a novel immunotherapy, AM0010, that has specific immune-stimulating effects that induce the activation, proliferation, and survival of certain T cells, the physician-scientist explained. The targets of AM0010 and pembrolizumab are both present on those T cells, he explained.
"In this clinical trial, we found that the two immunotherapies were well tolerated, without overlapping toxicity or severe autoimmunity, while providing strong antitumor responses," Dr. Naing said. "In addition, we detected new, expanding T-cell clones in the blood of all patients who received AM0010. Many of those T-cell clones were not detectable before treatment. This is reminiscent of tumor-specific vaccination."
The most common side effects associated with AM0010 were anemia, thrombocytopenia, and fatigue, which were all manageable. Importantly, AM0010 did not lead to autoimmune side effects.
The weapons used by this type of T cells in killing cancer cells are the cytotoxic molecules – granzymes, FasL and lymphotoxin beta. With AM0010 treatment, the levels of these cytotoxic molecules were elevated in the serum of the patients, which provides further evidence of the systemic activation of the cytotoxic arm of the immune system, according to Dr. Naing.
Effects such as the elevation of cytotoxic molecules and the expansion of T-cell clones in the blood were also observed in patients from other cohorts in this clinical trial in which AM0010 was tested as monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapies.
The main limitation is that this is a study with a small number of patients, said Dr. Naing.
The study was funded by ARMO BioSciences Inc. Dr. Naing receives travel reimbursement for professional conference presentations of studies relevant to ARMO-developed therapies.
About the CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference
The International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference covers all areas of inquiry in cancer immunology and immunotherapy. Launched in 2015, the meeting is jointly sponsored by the Cancer Research Institute (CRI), the Association for Cancer Immunotherapy (CIMT), the European Academy of Tumor Immunology (EATI), and the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR).


Konstantinos Rokas was born in Athens, Greece in 1979. After his undergraduate studies in law at the University of Athens, he went on to obtain two LLM degrees from the University of Athens (in private international law and EC law) and the University of Paris II-Panthéon Assas (in international commercial law and private international law), finishing second in his class.
In 2004 he became a member of the Athens Bar Association and joined Kalamitsis and Associates. Since 2006, he runs his own office in Athens practising in the fields of civil law, commercial law, private international law and international commercial arbitration. He has dealt with issues of recognition of foreign arbitral awards in Greece.
He is fluent in Greek (mother tongue), English and French.


Perfect for an 8" pie, tart, quiche or cake . A 9" box best fits a 8" pie to account for crust and pie plate overflow. Semi-automatic style allows ease in assembly. Waterfall window showcase your bake goods from top and side.
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text:
COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS' "PROJECT: BACK TO SCHOOL" BACKPACK AND SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE RETURNS TO BOROUGH HALL
QUEENS, NY – As part of her commitment to getting the school year off to a good start for all children, Queens Borough President Melinda Katz is encouraging members of the public to once again donate backpacks and other school supplies to homeless children as part of "Project: Back to School," an annual initiative organized by the Coalition for the Homeless.
"There were over 100,000 homeless students in New York City public schools, according to recent counts," said Borough President KATZ. "All children, no matter where they sleep at night, deserve the opportunity to learn. We can help ensure every child has that opportunity by providing the backpacks and school supplies that all school kids need. Queens residents are encouraged to generously donate backpacks and other school supplies to 'Project: Back to School.' Such donations will make a real difference in the lives of so in need."
Borough President Katz's office is accepting donations of backpacks and other school supplies now through September 1st at Queens Borough Hall, located at 120-55 Queens Boulevard in Kew Gardens. Donations will be accepted on the first floor of Borough Hall in a box located just inside the front entrance in the main lobby next to the security desk. Donations dropped off at Queens Borough Hall are anonymous and are not tax-deductible. All donated items received will be distributed to schoolchildren living in homeless shelters to help them have the tools they need to succeed in school.
"Project Back to School gives thousands of homeless students the school supplies they desperately need but simply can't afford on their own," said DAVE GIFFEN, Executive Director of the Coalition for the Homeless, the nation's oldest advocacy and direct service organization helping homeless men, women and children. "Becoming homeless is a shocking disruption in any child's development and education, but thanks to Borough President Melinda Katz and hundreds of volunteers and donors across the city, we can make sure that these young learners have the supplies they need to continue their education."
Last year, more than 105,000 New York City public school kids experienced homelessness at some point during the year, according to the Coalition for the Homeless. That number equals nearly 10 percent of the students enrolled in our City's public school system.
In addition to backpacks, the Coalition for the Homeless says supplies that are much needed by elementary school children include No. 2 pencils, pencil sharpeners, composition notebooks, colored pencils, crayons, washable markers, glue, erasers, safety scissors and rulers. Also needed are items used by middle and high school children, including 1" and 1 ½" binders, filler binder paper, scissors, pocket folders, scientific calculators and blue and black pens.
This is the fourth year in a row that Borough President Katz is hosting a "Project: Back to School" drop-off site at Queens Borough Hall, which is open Monday through Friday during business hours and can be easily reached by mass transit by taking the E or F subway lines to the Kew Gardens-Union Turnpike station.
Follow Borough President Katz via @melindakatz or www.facebook.com/queensbpkatz


text:
5 Special Edition Video Games That Every Collector Wants To Have
Craig Snyder August 22, 2013 22-08-2013 4 minutes
My fascination with abnormal video games started with the NES 4 Websites To Play NES Games For Free & Through The Browser 4 Websites To Play NES Games For Free & Through The Browser Just recently, I put out an article outlining some of my favorite RPGs for the SNES and showed MUO readers how they can experience those games through a web interface. Not everyone has the time... Read More . I was never big on baseball, but I remember playing R.B.I. Baseball simply because it came as a special black cartridge, and it was easy to find in my pile of games. Although it was no special edition, the cartridge for The Legend of Zelda was gold in color and had a glittery texture to it. I'm unsure if it was the intention, but the aesthetic differences between games such as these two, and others, probably worked really well as a marketing strategy. It made them look important, and it made me feel like I had to have them.
As gaming has grown, there have since been some pretty impressive bundles and special/collector's editions. Another of our authors, Dave, put out a great article outlining some of the most quality collector's editions of video games Video Game Collector's Editions That Actually Held Value [MUO Gaming] Video Game Collector's Editions That Actually Held Value [MUO Gaming] One of the biggest money makers for video game companies is collector's editions. Generally, companies include a junky art book, a soundtrack, and some form of cheap plastic that no one really wants. The price... Read More . It's a great list of popular games, all worth playing, but there are many more out there that could impress you. In this article, let's look at five more of them.
Saint's Row IV "The Super Dangerous Wad Wad Edition"
Seeing this edition of Saint's Row IV is actually what inspired me to write this article.
This is something that you'll probably never see again, and it should start the list off in a big way. Some have even said that this edition of the game is just a joke, but Volition seems serious about it. They are known for awesome pre-order bonuses, but this?
This $1,000,000 edition of Saint's Row IV comes with a Virgin Galactic Space Flight, a hostage rescue experience, a 7-night stay at the Royal Suite in Dubai, plastic surgery, a Lamborghini Gallardo, a Toyota Prius, and more. That's on top of a special edition of the video game. Worth it?
GRID 2: Mono Edition
Up until the unveiling of the aforementioned edition of Saint's Row IV, GRID 2 sported the title of "world's most expensive video game" at £125,000. It still holds the official Guinness World Record.
Codemasters offers this edition of the game with a copy of GRID 2 featuring exclusive packaging artwork, a BAC Mono supercar (shown in the video above), a day at the BAC factory, a GRID 2: Mono Edition branded Bell Racing suit and helmet, and a PlayStation 3 console.
BioShock Limited Collector's Edition
This limited edition of BioShock doesn't come attached to a car or any elaborate external goodies, but it's still the holy grail of a game stuck in between the FPS, RPG, and action-adventure genres.
In March of 2007, fans created a petition begging for a special edition of the game. That petition was answered by 2K Games stating that if it reached the modest total of 5,000 signatures, they would plan such a release. Just a few hours later, the signatures nearly tripled that. This release of the game comes with a limited edition game case, two discs full of bonus content (a "making of" DVD and the official soundtrack), and a 6″ tall Big Daddy figurine. It retailed at $650.
Resident Evil: Revelations Unveiled Edition BSAA Watch Set
This special edition of Resident Evil: Revelations was only available in Japan and was priced at ¥39,900 (roughly $430).
Capcom put together this bundle to include a copy of the game, an arranged soundtrack CD, a BSAA card case, and a BSAA wristwatch made by US Agency (a company known for making tactical military timepieces). The Resident Evil series has an excruciatingly long history of coming up with special releases of their games, and this is one of the cooler ones. Many of these special releases come with an even "more special" release. It never ends, and we'll always love these terrifying games 4 Video Games That Will Actually Terrify You [MUO Gaming] 4 Video Games That Will Actually Terrify You [MUO Gaming] Video games are able to capture much of the emotion and feeling that comes with movies and other forms of entertainment. That being said, video games always seem to struggle with making people laugh and... Read More .
Tekken Hybrid Extreme Edition
Fighting games are known for releasing with special editions. Tekken Hybrid's "extreme" special edition is a bit different and more expensive.
This edition of Tekken Hybrid comes with a Mad Catz fight stick, soundtrack, art book, Tekken Tag Tournament, a demo for Tekken Tag Tournament 2, and the Tekken: Blood Vengeance 3D movie. The bundle retailed at $250 and was only sold to 1,000 buyers. Namco actually received quite a bit of flack on this release due to the staleness of the centerpiece of the set (the fight stick). Doesn't it seem a little plain? Nonetheless, fighting game enthusiasts see this as a huge asset to any collection.
A lot of special or collector's edition game bundles have been released, but very few of them offer perks that are unique enough to capture the average gamer's attention. The ones listed above were able to do so for me. Are they worth it or should they just be considered overhyped and overpriced pieces of gaming history The Most Overpriced Products In Video Game History [MUO Gaming] The Most Overpriced Products In Video Game History [MUO Gaming] I think at this point, all gamers have accepted that playing and buying video games is an expensive hobby. Between the cost of games, consoles, and accessories, it's easy for a gamer to drop a... Read More ?
I'll leave that up to you to decide. Let me know what you think of this list and other special video game editions and bundles in the comments below!
Explore more about: First Person Shooter, Retro Gaming.
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Raj Owusu
i want to crate my own website, can you help me.
Craig Snyder 259 articles
Craig is a web entrepreneur, affiliate marketer, and blogger from Florida. You can find more interesting stuff and keep in touch with him on Facebook.
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text:
The fall of PlayStation 4 in Japan
Marco Zangirolami reports in from Akihabara, Tokyo's gaming heartland, on how Sony has lost the support of Japanese gamers
By Dr. Marco Zangirolami 2016-04-14T12:39:00.104Z
While many here in the West will have heard nothing but good things regarding sales data for the PS4, in Japan things are not looking so good. In fact, they are looking quite concerning for the Japanese hardware and gaming giant. That's because, according to sales data reported in legendary gaming periodical Famitsu, Sony has sold little more than 2,381,113 PlayStation 4s to date.
Worse still, most of the historical software houses related to the PlayStation brand are miles away from the sort of massive, full-on production of games that was a staple 10 years ago. While this sounds unbelievable in a country where Sony has always played a major role (as Sony was born in Japan after all!), it couldn't be more true, with software houses like Konami and Sega not only a shadow of their former selves, but switching increasingly to churning out mobile, free-to-play games for PCs and handhelds.
Nintendo NX mega guide: hardware, software, games, key players, release date, price and more
Another contributing factor, it seems, to this downfall is the almost total lack of console exclusives, which at one point was what PlayStation as a brand was renowned for. Now all of those Japanese exclusives have vanished, with new titles coming out on every possible platform available on the market - old-gen included! For example, look at the release of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. Once Metal Gear Solid was a PlayStation exclusive and a real reason to go out and buy a Sony console, however V launched not just on PS4, but also Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC and PS3.
The PlayStation 4's launch was delayed in Japan, despite it being Sony's native territory
And Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is not the only exception. Games such as Phantasy Star or the crazy Sega cash cow Ryu ga Gotoku (the Yakuza franchise in the West) are now developed for every system, with the clear target to enlarge the developer's financial income in any possible way. Those heyday console exclusives are gone and, judging by the state of the Japanese games industry, gone forever.
What probably happened is that long ago Japanese software houses came to the understanding that times had changed and, when Sony hit a financial rocky patch, stopped pumping money into console game development. Making a big, console-exclusive title is more expensive than ever and, at least in the minds of the software houses, why would you risk a big loss when people are clamouring more and more for free-to-play games. There is little risk in making them, as they cost a fraction of the money to make, yet potentially can become insane, Candy Crush Saga-style cash cows.
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain did OK in Japan. However publisher Konami have since dropped its maker Hideo Kojima
I was recently in Tokyo, Japan, and after talking with the Japanese gamers in Akihabara (the famous Tokyo district known for its gamer culture) about this issue (i.e. why Sony is not selling anywhere near as well as in the past) the typical response was that it is not 'interesting' (literally 'tanoshii' = amusing) anymore.
Sony PS4 review: does the Sony PS4 have more game than the Xbox One
Paradoxically, this is the same answer we have in Europe from the hardcore gamers who lived in the so called "Golden Age" of game production and now criticize the nex-gen's production for having "no creativity" in most of the AAA productions. These people, who are now in their 30s and 40s, frequently criticize modern games makers for delivering no new game concepts, nor experimentations as they used to see and play in the past.
Japanese software houses are increasingly not prepared to allocate GTA V-level budgets to make new, original games
And, the scary thing is, it is probably true. But logically rising costs to develop new games have progressively reduced risks on investments, so few new ideas have seen the light in the last decade in this market. Even if consoles go to 4K definition and the upcoming VR peripherals revolutionise the games market to a degree (such as the Oculus Rift and PlayStation VR coming later this year), many analysts still can't see the money tap being switched back on.
Best 10 The Legend of Zelda games of all time
Indeed, as I walked around Akihabara asking the otakus (the typical Japanese hardcore gamer) what was their most favorite and 'interesting' game was that had been released over the past five years, the answer, with no hesitation, was almost always Gravity Daze (which is the game known in the West as 'Gravity Rush').
Gravity Daze was received well by Japanese gamers due to its "innovative" concept
Upon hearing this, I said to them that that the original 2012 game for PlayStation Vita (where gravity can be controlled and manipulated by the player), had just recently been remasted on the PS4, so they can replay the game on the new console with better graphics and with some new content. The answer from these guys though was alway the same, "why buy twice what I already played once?".
Now look, Sony is almost certainly aware of the problem in its native country, and will have started to fund as many Japanese studios like Team Ico, Project Siren as possible, but it doesn't have infinte resources to burn, so it's not like in a few months the system will become awash with great, original games with interesting concepts like Gravity Daze.
The "dead console walking" Wii U has outsold the PS4 in Japan
But what really must be most concerning for Sony about this current impasse is how an underdog console like the Nintendo Wii U, which is considered in the West a "dead console walking" and never had the sort of super high-end launch that the PS4 had, is that it has managed to outsell the PlayStation 4 in Japan with more than 3 million consoles sold to date.
Xbox One versus PlayStation 4 smackdown: battle of the consoles
So while Sony is killing it here in Europe with the PS4, generating a real stranglehold over the console market thanks to many US developers like Rockstar, Zenimax, Activision and EA pumping out games for the system (and their effective marketing on TV), in Japan, despite Sony's heavy marketing campaigns (the last one was weirdly named 'ZOINK'), Japanese hardcore gamers are just not buying it. According to my face-to-face research in Akihabara, gamers just see the PS4 as an expensive toy with very few interesting titles to play.
Big releases like Destiny have helped the PS4 do well in the West, but not in Japan, with the game barely making the list of top 20 games sold
And this PlayStation 4 issue isn't just a problem with hardware sales either. Famitsu's software sales data shows that in almost two years of shelflife, only two big Japanese titles came out for the PS4: Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain and Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree's Woe and the Blight Below – and neither sold phenomenally.
Worse still, if you take a look at Famitsu's top 20 best selling games of all time for PS4 (source: Famitsu n.1420 3-3-2015), of the titles that sold well since the PS4's official launch in Febrary 2014 (the japanese launch was delayed compared to the West for the first time in history), only two games in the top five were from US. Japanese gamers just don't seem to buying the big Western titles that are helping the PS4 to do so well in Europe.
Knack is the second best selling game of all time on PS4 in Japan. Oh dear!
This is demonstrated perfectly in the fact that the 2nd best selling game for PS4 since February 2014 in Japan is Knack! Now look, Knack isn't awful or anything, but it received mediocre scores across the board. GTA V meanwhile, a massive western title that racked up over $1 billion dollars of sales, is down in 7th.
So, to conclude, no wonder the PS4 in February 2016 reached one of its lowest selling moments in its entire history (only 32,181 consoles sold). Japanese PlayStation exclusives have fallen off a cliff, Japanese software houses are turning more and more toward free-to-play mobile games production, and the hardcore Japanese gamers feel there are no "interesting" titles on the system and aren't that interested in AAA western alternatives. Whether or not Sony can turn it around in Japan remains to be seen, however unless things change soon, it looks like this console generation will have been lost on Sony's native teritory.
Japan Amusement Expo 2016: T3 attends and delivers you the tasty inside scoop
For those who are interested, here is the official top 20 list of best selling PS4 games in Japan since launch:
1. Metal Gear V (Konami)
2. Knack (SCEA Asia)
3. Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree's Woe and the Blight Below (Square-Enix)
4. Call of duty (Activision)
5. Bloodborne (From Software)
6. Fall Out 4 (bethesda)
7. GTA V (Rockstar)
8. Star wars: Battlefront (EA)
9. Dragon Quest Builders (Square-Enix)
10. Metal Gear V: Ground Zero (Konami)
11.The Witcher 3 (Spyke)
12. Ryu ga Gotoku 0 (Sega)
13. Final Fantasy HD (Square-Enix)
14. Ryu ga Gotoku Ishin (Sega)
15. Ryu ga Gotoku Kiwami (Sega)
16. Destiny
17. Battlefield 4 (EA)
18. Battlefield: Hardline (EA)
19. Call of Duty (Activision)
20. Watchdogs (Ubisoft)
T3 Opinion: PlayStation 4.5 will crown Sony winners of this console generation
Huge motorbike helmet, boots, gloves and jacket sale: up to 50% off top brands
Get cheap Alpinestars, Shoei, Richa and more in the GetGeared winter sale
By Paul Douglas • 2020-01-16T16:05:44Z
How to lose belly fat: 5 ways to feel better and reveal your abs in 2020
Need to shed a few pounds this year? There's no shortcut to six-pack abs, but you can slim down and burn belly fat with these tricks
PlayStation 5: Sony's PS5 console up close
PS5 price, release date, specs and news info for Sony's PlayStation 5 video game console
PS5 news: fresh leak says PlayStation 5 is set for February reveal
The unconfirmed PS5 rumour contains info on official announcements, backwards compatibility and more
Xbox Series X: Microsoft's next Xbox up close
The next Xbox, the Xbox Series X, is already looking like it is going to be a very special system. But will it beat the PS5?
PS5 will be unveiled at EXCLUSIVE PlayStation event later this year
Sony won't reveal new PlayStation console details at E3 for the first time ever
By Shabana Arif • 2020-01-15T08:58:12Z
PS5 boss teases Xbox Series X-beating "unique elements"
Despite a series of leaks about the console's capabilities, Sony's Jim Ryan says the best is yet to come
Sony PS5 console takes fight to Xbox Series X with futuristic design
This PlayStation 5 looks like it has come back in time from the future of console gaming to take on the Xbox Series X
Best PS5 games: top PlayStation 5 titles to look forward to
Every confirmed or expected PS5 game we can't wait to play
Best Xbox One games 2020: awesome Xbox games to play
These are the best Xbox One games to play today. Fill your collection with great Xbox games
By Dom Reseigh-Lincoln • 2020-01-13T18:27:20Z


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Prof. Dr. Nikola Jankulovski
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text:
Q: How to split by dot? How can I split a string by different symbols including dots?
currency_title = "USD.RUB.EUR"
currency_arr = re.split('&|,|/|and|.',currency_title)

I get many empty substrings why?
Please notice that I want to use regex re, not split.


text:
So many people believe so many different things ... . (Comment here at youtube.)
Science, Religion, and True Myth:
A Secret of the Universe is Stephen L. Gibson's "skeptical" novel about beliefs, the fallibility of human reasoning, and our propensity to segregate and clash over dogmatic convictions that are held above critical examination. It is the story of two high-school pals from the Midwest for whom a personal tragedy sets in motion a journey of inquiry that spans a lifetime of cruel and glorious twists, and culminates in an astonishing discovery. Ian wants answers his faith can't provide, so he abandons traditional religion and its magic, mysticism, and supernaturalism, turning instead to science, reason, and skepticism. Bill's path has become that of a devoted Christian who sees the bountiful harvest that can be achieved through spirituality and faith. When profound revelations lead each friend to uncover shocking historical "secrets" in support of his own worldview, their odyssey plays out on a global stage, with tragic consequences. Only by embracing the inherent mystery and pain of their quest do Ian and Bill make the discovery that really matters—a genuine secret of our human universe.
Blending fiction with non-fiction:
Though fiction, A Secret of the Universe is a timely, intelligible synthesis of religious scholarship and discourse—meticulously researched and footnoted—wrapped in a poignant story about God, terrorism, culture wars, and the origins of our beliefs.
A Secret of the Universe is essentially two books, synthesized into one story. One book has a non-fiction feel, and is comprised mostly of concepts and ideas about early Christian history, belief, and epistemology—the fascinating study of the origins of knowledge. The other book is a coming-of-age story about love and loss, tragedy and triumph. This human drama encompasses much of the first half of the book, and is illustrative of the fertile soil in which belief takes root—and it is vital to seeing the potential for unenlightened belief to divide humanity rather than unite it. Together, the books form a tiny microcosm of the human struggle to understand the great mysteries of our existence, and the divisions and consequences that often result from the solutions we formulate.
Copyright 2009, Truth-Driven Strategies LLC, P.O.Box 367, Kalamazoo, MI 49004-0367; 269-342-7002
info@truthdrivenstrategies.com
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text:
Enough ripping already
One of the TV shows Gail and I have liked to watch for years is Law & Order. In more recent years, we've also enjoyed its cousins, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. For those of you who don't watch them, each of these shows occasionally has an episode they describe as being "Ripped from the headlines", where they take a real-life high-profile news story, and write an episode about it. Of course, they change the names and some details and stuff, but it's usually pretty obvious what story they're talking about. For example, a few years ago, they did one about a man who was arrested and tried for several murders, including that of his wife's sister. Later on, it was revealed that his wife was directly involved in the killings, and was just as evil as he was, if not more. This was the story of Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka. There was another one about a six-year-old beauty pageant winner who was murdered. For the most part, the stories had some obvious connections to the real-life stories, but diverged in some way as the story went on.
I think these "ripped from the headlines" episodes were fairly popular, since they began becoming more and more frequent, and then I think the writers just started getting lazy. In the last month or so, there was a L&O story about a female astronaut who suffered a mental breakdown, and drove across several states (wearing adult-sized diapers to avoid having to stop) to confront her lover and his wife. The other day, we started watching one (this was L&O:CI) involving a pudgy bleach-blonde former stripper who had become famous by marrying a 90-year-old billionaire and inheriting his estate on his death. Her 20-something son died of a drug overdose shortly after the birth of her daughter, and then she died mysteriously shortly after that. When the story started to deal with paternity issues, we got bored and turned it off.
Note to the L&O writers: enough of the "ripped from the headlines" stuff already. It's been done. To death. Drop it. It's one thing to write a story that vaguely resembles a news item, but when you take the news item, modify the names of the people involved, and that's it, well, that's hardly even worthy of the term "writing", is it?
This entry was posted in TV on May 28, 2007 by Graeme.
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text:
Oct. 10, 2016 / 11:37 AM
Guillermo del Toro opens up about his late 'Trollhunters' lead Anton Yelchin
By Karen Butler
"Trollhunters" creator Guillermo del Toro is seen at the premiere of the animated motion picture "The Book of Life" in Los Angeles on October 12, 2014. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
NEW YORK, Oct. 10 (UPI) -- Famed filmmaker Guillermo del Toro described what a blow it was to lose Anton Yelchin, the lead vocal actor in his animated series Trollhunters, in a tragic car accident this year.
Yelchin was 27 when he was run over by his own vehicle in his driveway in June. He was remembered by Trollhunters creator del Toro during a round-table interview with reporters at New York Comic Con during the weekend.
Asked by UPI if he considered re-casting Yelchin's central human character of Jim, del Toro replied: "I didn't talk about it for a month. I could not and I would not. I didn't have a meeting. I didn't have a conference. I just had a phone call and I said, 'We're keeping everything he did and we're going to complete the little pieces [that weren't done yet...]' Fortunately, we had most of it."
Del toro said he wrote the series with troll characters in mind for Ron Perlman and Kelsey Grammer, but the "rest of the cast was casting."
"We heard 30, 40, 50 voices... until we found someone that felt exactly like the character," he explained. "The impulse behind Trollhunters was to create sort of an Amblin movie, like a 1980s, feel-good, suburban, very crisp and clean -- emotionally, very crisp and clean -- series that had a family feeling. You could have a grilled cheese sandwich and a glass of milk and watch."
Also featuring the voice of The Walking Dead star Steven Yeun, the series is to premiere on Netflix on Dec. 23.
"When ordinary teenager Jim Lake Jr. stumbles upon a mystical amulet on his way to school one morning, he inadvertently discovers an extraordinary secret civilization of mighty trolls beneath his small town of Arcadia," a synopsis said. "Strong-willed and seeking adventure, but wholly unprepared for the responsibilities thrust upon him, Jim is forced to take on the exalted mantle of Trollhunter, sworn to protect the good trolls from powerful enemies bent on revenge."
Animated 'Trollhunters' series gets a trailer and release date William Shatner, Olivia Wilde, J.J. Abrams express shock, grief over Anton Yelchin's death Ron Perlman to lead voice cast of Netflix 'Trollhunters' series First look at 'DreamWorks Trollhunters' released
TV // 2 days ago
'The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder' coming to Disney+ on Feb. 23
Jan. 14 (UPI) -- Disney's revival of animated series "The Proud Family" titled "The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder" is set to debut Feb. 23 on Disney+.
Tim Allen to return for 'The Santa Clause' series at Disney+
Jan. 14 (UPI) -- Tim Allen will reprise Scott Calvin in "The Santa Clause," a new series based on his 1994 movie.
'Justified': Timothy Olyphant to return for 'City Primeval' sequel series
Jan. 14 (UPI) -- Timothy Olyphant will reprise U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens in the FX series "Justified: City Primeval."
Nicole Ari Parker recalls intense reaction to her 'And Just Like That' character
Jan. 14 (UPI) -- Nicole Ari Parker, who plays Lisa Todd Wexley on the "Sex and the City" sequel series "And Just Like That," described her experience joining the franchise.
Jan. 14 (UPI) -- "All of Us Are Dead," a new Korean horror series based on the webtoon "Now at Our School," is coming to Netflix.


NEW CONSTRUCTION in the Rosemont section of Haverhill --- [2 of 2 NEW Homes] --- This NEW 3 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath Colonial offers 2,200 SqFt +/- of Living Space on a spacious 36,302 SqFt (0.83 acre) lot, and ready access to Interstate 495 and retail, restaurants & shopping along Main Street (Route 125) in Haverhill & Plaistow, NH. --- Amenities include: 2 Forced Hot Air by Natural Gas Heating Systems & 2 Central Cooling Units, Large Rear Deck, Hardwood Flooring throughout the 1st floor, Gas-Fireplaced Family Room, Center Island Granite Kitchen with GE Stainless Appliances, 2nd Floor Master Suite, and Walk-Up Attic for future expansion or storage space. --- Expected delivery end of June 2017. Interior & deck photos are of similar NEW home next door at 139 Merrill Ave.
Directions: Main St to Merrill Ave. #131 is the BROWN house.


My Dad's birthday is on Thursday. I am leaving and will be there on Friday. Here's the blanket I made for him. I tied it instead of hand quilting.
These are not quilted, but I'm not sure where else to put them. So I'll add them here.
Here's a blanket I made the edging for and a pillowcase I made for my nephew. The yellow says caution all over it like a yellow tape you would see for construction.
Here's the backpacks I made. The pink one I finished last night and will mail it out on Monday for our 5 years old niece who loves pink and purple.
The black and white one is for my nephew. He's here visiting & got to pick his fabric. I made it a few weeks ago.
I saw a tutorial here and realized it's very similair to the small drawstring bags I make. So I made a large version of my lined bag and used her instructions to add the strap. I added a pocket on the outside and made the strap out of matching fabric.
Here's a link to the tutorial.
Thanks to everyone that helped me figure out how to get the image on the fabric.
I wanted to embroider something I have always liked and decided this would be perfect to hang in my computer room. I have always loved Bewitched. I wish the moon was a perfect circle, but...it happens.
We are going to take my nephew home at the end of the month. We will be there for 10 days.
I made mine a double cozy. The pocket on the outside is for the cords.
The flash seems to make the pictures dull. Mine is hot pick and bright lime green.
Hi, just wanted to say hello to everyone. I've already posted in a few thread and then found the intro thread.
I'm 40, married for 20 years in September and we have one daughter.
I like to try lots of crafts I've never tried. Some of them don't stick around, but at least I try.
Hope to see you all around here on one board or another.
What type of machine needle to you use when you are sewing faux fur?
My daughter wants to make a monster purse. In the past, the needles always break when we have tried to sew with the faux fur??


text:
Kidnapping of journalist will force Belarus into Russia orbit
Protasevich and his girlfriend Sofia Sapega were detained at Minsk airport
Kidnapping of journalist will force Belarus into Russia orbit photo credit: canva
The taking of journalist Roman Protasevich from a commercial airline flight has further estranged Belarus from an outraged west and will force the country deeper under the influence of an increasingly powerful Russian Federation.
ALSO READ: Belarus kidnapping: what international law says
Protasevich and his girlfriend Sofia Sapega were detained at Minsk airport after a Ryanair flight from Athens to Vilnius, Lithuania was forced to make an emergency landing in the Belarusian capital on May 23.
The incident sparked widespread backlash from the west, leading the UK and the EU to ban Belarusian aircrafts from entering the their airspace and the latter announcing preparations for another round of sanctions. The incident was received very differently in Russia. Moscow expressed support for Lukashenko's decision – albeit relatively mutedly – which raises questions about Russia's potential involvement in the operation and how it stands to benefit from the fallout.
Protasevich has been a strong critic of Lukashenka's regime. He is the former editor-in-chief of the Nexta news website, which used the popular Telegram messaging app to widely broadcast and publicise anti-government protests that erupted after the fraudulent presidential election in August 2020.
Protasevich has successfully established himself as an alternative source of information in an authoritarian state, which immediately makes him a prime target for the regime. Belarus put his name on a wanted list on charges of extremism and allegations of inciting mass riots.
Given the well-known role of social media platforms in facilitating mass protests, it is perhaps unsurprising that authoritarian regimes across much of Eurasia, including most recently in Russia, are doubling down on repression of individuals and targeting of outlets that enable coordination of mass activities. The ferocity with which the Belarusian authorities are suppressing dissidents abroad strongly suggests that Lukashenko is growing increasingly desperate to hold on to power and ever more isolated from the West.
Ultimately the situation plays into Russia's hands because a weak Lukashenko gives Moscow additional leverage over Belarus. This potentially increases the long-term prospects of a formation of a so-called "union state" between the two countries.
But the relationship between Putin and Lukashenko has always been an uncomfortable alliance. Lukashenko has repeatedly stalled on integration, much to the Kremlin's frustration. So the relatively muted nature of Moscow's expression of support for Lukashenko ahead of the crucial summit between Putin and the US president, Joe Biden, on June 16, could also be indicative of Moscow's weariness of Lukashenko's belligerent actions.
Kremlin's role
Lukewarm or not, the Kremlin supported the grounding of Ryanair flight 4978 and the detention of Protasevich and his Russian girlfriend. This has led to speculation that Russia was in some way involved in the operation. While Russia's role in this particular incident remains relatively vague, the development is likely to make Minsk more dependent on Moscow in the short term.
The fact is that Moscow's influence over Minsk has been on the rise since the start of the political crisis in Belarus in August 2020. After it was announced that Lukashenko had won the election with 80% of the vote, large sections of the population rejected the result and took to the streets. The Lukashenko regime reacted with savage oppression, leading western countries to introduce sanctions and call for companies to divest their holdings in Belarusian enterprises. This has led the country to become even more economically reliant on Russia, with Putin issuing Belarus a US$1.5 billion (£1.06 billion) loan in September 2020.
The Belarusian economy remains heavily reliant on importing subsidised Russian oil. And a new five-year strategic defence plan was agreed in March which will further integrate the two countries' armed forces and is thought to involve constructing a Russian airbase on Belarusian territory.
Two become one?
Lukashenko stirred a brief flurry of speculation in April that Belarus would merge with Russia after Lukashenko said that he would be making "one of my principal decisions for a quarter of a century of presidency" as he departed for a visit to Moscow. In the end, no such grand announcements were made. But Putin and Lukashenko are reportedly due to meet again this summer and then again during an autumn session of the Supreme State Council of the Belarus-Russia Union State, a body set up to consider the union between the two states. In these meetings they are due to formalise and sign various "road-maps" aimed bringing Russia and Belarus closer together.
It remains hard to say whether a full merger between the two states will take place in the near future. But the most recent uptick in Minsk's aggression against opposition will further estrange Belarus from the west and could make it easier for Moscow to extract favourable concessions in future negotiations.
Russia is also almost certainly watching very closely how far the EU will go with the anticipated new sanctions against Belarus. I would be surprised if Kremlin strategists aren't interested to determine whether similar events can be orchestrated against its own critics without eliciting crippling consequences from the west.
Liana Semchuk, PhD Candidate in Politics, University of Oxford
Tags: Belarus, Roman Protasevich, Russia
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In 2014 Microsoft was meant to release 2 GDR updates to Windows Phone 8.1, but we know in the end they only managed one, and even this is still rolling out to some handsets in 2015.
Windows Phone 8.1 GDR2 or Update 2 is however shipping on Microsoft's very latest Windows Phones, the Lumia 640 and 640 XL, even though its rumoured not to be for general roll-out to existing devices.
WindowsMania.pl, who always manage to get their hands on Microsoft's goodies first, have posted this screen shot from a leaflet accompanying the Lumia 640 explaining what's new.
Settings are now reorganized into groups, and you can even search them.
Switch your calendar to show week numbers in monthly view.
Switch mobile data on and off easily – add a shortcut to the action centre.
Cortana supports new languages: French, German, Italian and Spanish.
Of course we know there are other features not mentioned, such as support for Bluetooth Keyboards, but with the focus on Windows 10 Mobile now, it is still good to know what new Lumia 640 and 640 XL buyers will be getting.


frigid limbo, and hold on.
That is a powerful culmination — biding in limbo and holding on.
Thank you – feels that way some days, lol.
'Old dreams hover, tethered to fences' I love that image.
"Old dreams hover, tethered to fences" what a fantastic line.
VJ, this is spectacular visual translation!
beautifully and realistically at the same time…words of aging and feeling and a matching to the seasons.
The setting sun….an oft used harbinger of ending…but this idea of being in winter, the rigidity, tethered to fences. Really gives the feeling of ending approaching.
Thank you, Lillian for a thoughtful and meaningful response.
It gives me goosebumps and encouragement all at the same time.
Thank you for sharing V.J.
As always, you provide such great prompts. Love playing along.
You had me at /old dreams hover–tethered to fences/. I'm not a lover of winter; must be different in Alaska, the Yukon, much of Canada, Michigan and Minnesota, where winter is imprinted.
Thanks Glenn. Winter is a time of enforced hibernation once one is a certain age.
You've completely captured the voice of an old tree indeed. Well done, V.J.!
Well, thank you for that! Always a silver lining!
I love how the voice varies within this poem. A mixture of weariness, hope, anger and resignation.
Thanks for noticing – it was intentional.
My pleasure. Good job, it drew me back a few times to read.
Thank you, Gina. Quite a compliment.
Wise old tree.. Find your balance and hold on.. Lovely blend of all the prompts.
The voice of this poem, while it says weakness, has a hidden strength in self-knowledge. Rock hard and standing the storms.
Well-weathered, lol. Thanks for that Jilly.
You've created a powerful chill in your poem, V.J, with a rigid vessel in the opening lines and 'frigid limbo' in the last. I love the line 'Old dreams hover, tethered to fences' and the wordplay on 'fences/offences'.
'frigid limbo' moves on to meet life, proclaiming fertility.
The imagery is fabulous! And your words are powerful and precise. "Old dreams hover, tethered to fences …" Love it!
Thanks Rob. Hélène at Willow Poetry comes up with the best images.
Such beautiful language, metaphor of life, and such a lovely flow to this. "Old dreams hover, tethered to fences" is a wonderful line, but I see in that, too, that they haven't died. The old tree is living in limbo, but I see strength in that it's still biding and waiting.
Quitters never win and winners never quit, my old Dad used to say, lol.
What is it about the word gnarly – it speaks volumes, as does this reflection on the reality of life, thank you for this slice of life.
I'm glad you commented on 'gnarly' – it set the whole tone for me – quite a delicious words.


This recipe is a bit difficult – it took me a few failed attempts before I finally got it right!
1 lbs Chocolate or candy melts — use candy of the colour that you need.
Melt the candy melts or chocolate in the microwave or double boiler. I usually use the double boiler as it's far too easy to burn chocolate in the microwave.
Microwave the corn syrup and add it to the melted chocolate.
Pour the mixture onto your worktop and knead it until the chocolate is soft and pliable.
Wrap it up in cling film and leave it to rest for 20 mins before use.
Strain all the oil out of the modelling chocolate.
Place it back into a bowl and start stretching it as shown in the picture.
Do this a few times and let it set overnight. This should fix your modelling chocolate.
I fell in love with modelling chocolate the first time I used it, and I've used this recipe so many times since then, as modelling chocolate is so easy to use! Hopefully, you'll enjoy modelling chocolate just as much me, and you'll find this recipe just as useful as I do. Good Luck!


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Winston C.W.'s 'Good Guess' Is a Skewed, Beguiling Take on Piano-Based Pop
Posted on December 4, 2020 by AgramantFinley
Nearly every aspect of Good Guess, the new album from Brooklyn-based Winston Cook-Wilson (who records solo albums under the abbreviated moniker Winston C.W.), seems oddly out of place, starting with the cover art. The sleek, clean design looks like it might hang on the wall of a Reagan-era yuppie stockbroker's Manhattan apartment or possibly adorn the latest sampler from the 1980s new age label Windham Hill. The instrumentation is a somewhat anachronistic combination of piano, electric guitar, and upright bass. Cook-Wilson's voice has a frail, innocent quality that seems to fly in the face of the song's stylish art-pop. But whatever anomalies are contained within the album's eight songs are, in the end, inconsequential. This is an exquisite album with a uniqueness that only adds to its charm and likeability.
As one-fourth of Office Culture, Cook-Wilson has been involved in some of the most tuneful, sardonic lounge-pop in recent memory, thanks to the albums I Did the Best I Could (2017) and A Life of Crime (2019). As a solo artist, Cook-Wilson's albums Thirty (2017) and the mostly-covers Without a Sail (2020) see him paring down his sound to primarily vocals and keyboards but with the lyrical wit and musical sophistication intact. Good Guess could almost be seen as a compromise – adding musicians but stopping short of anything resembling a traditional pop/rock lineup.
For Good Guess, Cook-Wilson enlisted the aid of two members of the Brooklyn experimental trio Scree – Carmen Rothwell on upright bass and Ryan Beckley on electric guitar. With Cook-Wilson himself on piano, the result is a smooth, jazzy, artfully rendered take on singer/songwriter pop balladry. Comparisons to Donald Fagen, Joni Mitchell, or perhaps Warren Zevon are inevitable. It's no coincidence that most of the album's cultural touchstones are artists who flourished in decades past. The songs and their arrangements have a charming, retro quality but are original enough to wave off any accusations of stylistic laziness.
Good Guess by Winston C.W.
While Cook-Wilson is credited with writing seven of the eight songs himself ("Swing Time" is credited to all three musicians), the performances – recorded live in the studio over two days with no overdubs – are deeply rooted in improvisation. This allows the music to stay within the song's themes of "trying to stay in the moment while feeling like you're being held hostage by the past", according to Cook-Wilson's press notes. By allowing all three musicians to play off each other and "in the moment," as it were – the performances are fresh and completely present.
Cook-Wilson's complex chords kick off the opening track, "Cakewalk", accompanied by twangy electric guitar figures and understated bass work. It's a delicate, low-key affair, the melancholia occasionally broken by Cook-Wilson's plaintive falsetto. The crossover jazz inclinations of Joni Mitchell are definitely in there, crossed with the moody folk of Nick Drake. "Business" combines the monotony of everyday life with ugly memories of the past: "After the morning broke like an ugly grin / I couldn't feel anything but grief / Stole a quick glance through the pearly gates / Past a present I couldn't leave / I had no business being there."
There are moments here and there when the fractured piano-pop ventures into a more atonal, idiosyncratic territory, particularly on the striking "Broken Drum". The piano and bass rumble atonally as Beckley's guitar dances around in a jazzy manner that suggests Nels Cline or Marc Ribot. Likewise, the instrumental "Swing Time" has an experimental tilt that suggests an ethereal, new age approach to modern classical composition. The chugging syncopation of "Birds" – one of the more traditional sounding songs on the album – almost begs for the presence of a drum kit. Still, Rothwell's insistent, tactile basslines provide all the necessary percussion (as does Cook-Wilson's brief, playful solo, which almost sounds like it was executed on one of composer John Cage's prepared pianos).
Good Guess closes with possibly the album's most ambitious song – the title track. It's by far the album's longest song with a run time of eight minutes, beginning with Cook-Wilson's lengthy piano intro, followed by his vocals accompanied by Rothwell's scattered bass notes. Eventually, Beckley's guitar crashes down in a swell of distortion, all slashing chords and sustained notes. Each section of the song enters the picture gradually and deliberately. Throughout the song's slow build and eventual chaos, Cook-Wilson's vocals remain calm and composed. "Remember me sometimes like you knew me when / It was a good guess lover, try again," he sings as the song ends. The song, like the rest of this odd, gorgeous album, manages to artfully combine the idiosyncrasies of jazz and pop while all the while remaining tuneful, sophisticated, and quite irresistible.
Noah Cyrus Apologizes After Making Racist Remark in Defense of Harry Styles
Mariah Carey, Ariana Grande and Jennifer Hudson Team Up For an Epic Christmas Collab


In our global world, a cluster of questions are before evangelicals: Should we collaborate with Catholics? On which topics or areas? How far should we go? Is it possible to do mission together?
Of course, much depends on the various contexts and those who are involved. For example, is it one thing to work with individual Catholics or lay groups; it is something else to join hands with the institutional Church of Rome. It is one thing is to work together on areas of common concern in society, e.g. the promotion of Judeo-Christian values in society; it is an altogether different issue to engage in common mission and evangelism.
To start unpacking the issues involved, it may be useful to remember the lesson of 20th century Evangelical apologist Francis Schaeffer (1912-1984). Schaeffer was a Christian leader who introduced the expression co-belligerence to the present-day Christian vocabulary. In the midst of the cultural transitions of the Seventies, he encouraged Evangelicals to side with people of other religious persuasions for the sake of promoting specific issues that were shared by a cross-section of society and that were under threat by secular tendencies, especially in the realm of basic moral values. Schaeffer's call to engage in the public square, working together with non-Christians, has been one of the motivating factors of recent Evangelical involvement in society.
In suggesting a rationale for co-belligerence, Schaeffer made a distinction between forming alliances and engaging in co-belligerence. On the one hand, an alliance is a kind of unity based on truth, and therefore has to do with born-again Christians only who receive Scripture as the standard of their lives. On the other, co-belligerence focuses on a specific issue and is open to all those who share it, whatever their backgrounds and the goals that motivate them. Here is how Schaffer defines it: "Co-belligerent is a person with whom I do not agree on all sorts of vital issues, but who, for whatever reasons of their own, is on the same side in a fight for some specific issue of public justice". For Schaeffer this distinction reflects Scriptural principles about unity among believers and cooperation among people of different faiths. Co-belligerence is not another way of talking about ecumenism. The latter has to do with unity of believers according to the Bible; the former is related to possible cooperative efforts among different people and beyond agreement on central truths of the Gospel.
The distinction between alliance and co-belligerence reflects the teaching of Scripture. Unity exists deep within the people of God on the basis of a common faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:1-16). This unity allows alliances in terms of worship, prayer, evangelism and Gospel witness. This unity allows the church to work out the Great Commission that Jesus gave to go all over the world and disciple the nations (Matthew 28:16-20). This type of alliance shows the power of the Gospel to reconcile different people around the same Lord Jesus who sends His people forth to take the message of reconciliation to the world (2 Corinthians 5:17-20). This unity is not what co-belligerence is all about.
The Scripture clearly distinguishes the unity of believers in Christ from other types of relationships without separating them. The Bible commands all men and women (Christians included) to inhabit the earth responsibly, taking care of the world and living peacefully as much as possible. Then, the Word of God encourages the church to develop and maintain good relationships with their neighbours and to be committed to the good of others (Genesis 1:27-31; Jeremiah 29:5-7; Titus 3:1-2). In doing what the Bible requires, we will be always in contact with different people who hold a plurality of worldviews and lifestyles. Our family members, co-workers, roommates, and friends may not be believers, yet we are called to live with them for the good of the community.
In this sense, co-belligerence is necessary, useful and … inevitable. It is a task of our God-given humanity. It is part of our common calling to live in this world without being of the world (John 17:14-18). For the Christian, neither total retreat nor self-imposed exclusion from the world is a viable option. The Christian life requires one to develop and nurture multiple networks of social relations. A mature faith is able to maintain different relationships with different people, without losing its Christian identity and Gospel commitments. The important thing is to practice the distinction between alliance and co-belligerence.
Back to the question we asked at the beginning. As far as our relationship with the Roman Catholic Church, should evangelicals engage in alliances or acts of co-belligerence? Schaeffer encouraged co-belligerence with people of all persuasions, but would limit alliances to Bible-believing, born again Christians, therefore excluding the Church of Rome as an institution. The basic issue to address is whether or not the Catholic gospel held by the Church of Rome is the biblical gospel in its basic contours. The answer to this question leads to answering the previous one. If the answer is "yes", i.e. the Roman Catholic gospel is the biblical gospel, then it follows that no theological restriction needs to be put in place. If the answer is "no", i.e. the Roman Catholic gospel is not the biblical gospel in significant ways, then there needs to be a careful discernment not to blur the distinction between collaborating on social issues and engaging in common mission. The former is possible, the latter isn't.
 Plan for Action (Old Tappan, NJ: Flemming H. Revell, 1980, p. 68). Schaeffer spoke about co-belligerence in the second chapter of his book The Church at the End of the Twentieth Century (1970) various editions.


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It's been a while since my last blog post, apologies for that, life has been pretty busy.
I recently had the pleasure of taking my 3 year old daughter along to a photo walk. She had no instruction, and was able to take images of whatever she wanted.
Toddlers see the world from a vastly different viewpoint from adults, not only are they much lower down, but ordinary things, like shadows on the ground, or a discarded bottle are far more interesting. The sort of things which seasoned street photographers have retrained themselves to look for are more obvious to a toddler.
The images from the walk can be found in 2 albums, hers is here, and mine is here.
If you have kids, especially toddlers or pre-schoolers, then do this. Hand them a camera, show them how it works but not what to take, and let them go and do it. You may be surprised at what they come up with. If you do then I would be really interested to see the result.
And for the rest of us, try and get a different perspective on things, not just your physical viewpoint, but try and change how you see things, it makes for some interesting shots.
Having just picked up some images which was taken on 'old fashioned' film, I have been thinking about the differences between film photography and more modern digital shooting.
One thing which stands out is the success rate of shots on film is much much higher than similar shots on digital, so why is this?
Obviously, when there is a tangible dollar value for each click of the shutter there is a greater onus to 'get it right', there is also a limited number of shots per roll before having to reload.
All of this has the effect of forcing the photographer to 'slow down' and actually think properly about everything before committing the image to film. I have noticed a similar effect when shooting with a large, often heavy tripod. We often know what we should be doing, but digital is so cheap, so easy, so throw away, that clicking the shutter costs us nothing. We shoot first and think later and do often this means at end up actually missing the shot we were aiming for.
Thus far I have shot with Kodak Portra 400, and Fuju Velvia 50; both of which are vintage stock that have been frozen for something like 15 years. Both turned out well, and each has it's own unique feel.
The Velvia has fantastic contrast and very intense colours, the Portra is softer and has a subtler contrast and intensity.
E-6 processing is hard to find these days. Vanbar imaging did a fantastic job, I shall be returning there.
Some people will assume that you must be shooting digital, even though they see you winding on the camera after each shot.
Even though I know I am shooting film, sometimes I still look at the back of the camera after each shot. Film-chimping doesn't work terribly well for some reason.
No matter what you are shooting with, if you slow down, and think, before taking the shot, then your images will be better.
I was looking through some old photos the other day and I found these 2, some early examples of me and a camera.
The first is dated 1984, making me about 8.
Photography had always been around, dad is a professional wedding and portrait photographer (now retired), and my brother Steve also took up photography as a professional. I grew up playing with everything from 35mm, through Medium format, and even some large format 5x4 photography, as well as studio setups and location shoots. I worked for a few years in the family studio before studying I.T. at university.
So in short, I can't actually remember when I started as it has just always been around, I learnt a whole bunch of stuff and played with a whole bunch of cool things, then got out of practice and forgot most of it. Then picked up again with digital and am enjoying being an amateur again.
Over to you photography friends, what is your background story, and how long have you been into Photography.
Earlier this month I was thrilled to be asked along to a shoot organised by +Paul Pavlinovich and +George Darsas from the +Melbourne Photowalk group.
The brief was to take a group of approximately 12 photographers and shoot images of a theatrical production, titled "The Death of Peter Pan"
This represented a fantastic opportunity to get outside of my usual comfort zone and shoot something both different and challenging.
Set in the most romantic of times and in the most romanticised of places – 1920s Paris, Eton and Oxford – The Death Of Peter Pan is an emotionally stirring biographic tale of repressed desire, love and dreamy adulation.
We had a special session which took place before the last night of the play, we ran through some scenes, sometimes silently, sometimes with dialogue, and often with the full weight of music adding emotion.
The set was simple, a chair, a table, and an old gramophone.
Thanks Paul and George for organising, thanks to the photographers for inspiration and generally keeping out of each others way, thanks to the cast and crew for your time in making this happen, and huge thanks to Rob Chuter, the director for being so accommodating and allowing us in to photograph the play.
The thing I get asked about most when out on a photowalk (apart from the bemused 'what is going on' questions from the public prompted by the hoards attending the +Trey Ratcliff walk) are when I am using the Lensbaby composer on my camera. These questions have come both from members of the walk and passers by.
The Lensbaby composer system is easy to explain but difficult to understand, it is a low-tech lens with a sweet spot of focus in the center, the size of the spot varies depending on the aperture used, and the spot can be moved around the frame by tilting the lens which has a ball and socket design.
Aperture changes are made by removing a small magnetic disc and inserting another disc with a different sized hole. The actual aperture is not sent to the camera electronically, however metering in AV mode works just fine. Focus is manual using a ring, and getting this right takes some practice.
Lensbaby shots are typified by the sweet spot which falls off to a progressively more blurred outer section. This is great for directing attention to a particular element in the picture, and great for adding a sense of motion. The pinhole optic gives a very soft retro look.
So why bother? It's something a little different, it's something fun, and with practice you can get some fantastic images with one. They are available from most good camera stores, or online. Not everywhere stocks them, I do recall a fantastically bemused look by the assistant in Ted's cameras upon being asked if they had Lensbaby, rather than try and convince him that they do exist, and are actually on their pro website, I decided to purchase elsewhere.
Being a non meat eater (but an eater of fish) we tend to have a lot of fish dishes, and salmon is my favorite variety.
This is an adapted recipe for a garlic and rosemary baked salmon served with mash, the original idea was found here, but as you can see, I didn't follow that recipe much at all.
My recipes tend to be rather vague with a good amount of 'until it looks right' steps.
2 Good sized potatoes, good mashing ones like Désirée or similar.
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary.
Salmon fillets (better with the skin off).
Whatever veggies to choose to serve it with.
Take 2 good sized potatoes, we prefer desiree Désirée, peel, chop, and boil until soft. Add 1 sprigs worth of chopped rosemary, milk, and butter, salt, and pepper. Then mash until mashed.
Take 6-7 peeled garlic cloves and mash/crush with a garlic press. If you don't have a garlic press then crush and finely chop instead.
Fry in oil and butter until they start to brown. You want a good amount of oil and butter, enough to coat both pieces of fish when the marinade is done.
Chop 1 sprig of rosemary and add to garlic.
Take the fish and coat on both sides with the marinade.
Wrap in foil, pouring any remaining marinade over the top before sealing.
Bake for 15-20 mins in medium oven, our oven loses a lot of heat, so your milage may vary.
Plate up the mash and lay the fish on top. Drizzle any remaining juices from the fish on top.
I served with steamed carrots and honey glazed peas, although this time we didn't have any peas, so they were actually honey glazed peas, corn, and carrots.
My wife has been asked to work an extra day a week to meet a deadline, and as I have more accrued leave than I should, each Monday from January until March she has been going off to work on the train and I have been hanging out with 2 toddlers. One of them, "Miss 2.5", is ours, and the other, "Miss 2", belongs to our friends, which may sound a bit unusual but we have a child sharing arrangement which works out well for all of us.
So, what is it like swapping higher education, code reviews, and work place coffee for toys, parks, and nap time? Pretty good actually.
Visiting the park, going in the "big train" or the "little train", running up and down the decking, playing on the slides and the swings, and looking at all the things. It's cute how Miss 2 waits for Miss 2.5 at the top of the slide so they can both go down together.
Looking at trains, a favourite of Miss 2.0, she loves trains.
It would have been nice to visit the park more often, but the last couple of weeks have been over 30 degrees, which is a bit hot for little ones to be running around the park, and definitely a bit hot for this bigger one to be running around after them.
Reading stories, or watching stories on the TV. They would, if allowed (which they are not) watch Shaun the sheep or fairy tales on TV all day.
Drawing on the driveway with chalk, including the "what shall we draw" game. We drew houses, cars, bunny rabbits, cats, and a face.
Hanging out in the back yard, playing on the slide and the swings, riding the trike, playing with the puppies, or just having a look at things. Jumping, on the path, on the step, anywhere.
Playing with their toys, or playing with the boxes for their toys, boxes are fun!
Today was the last Monday of the series on which I will be looking after the girls on my own, as next week is a public holiday here in Victoria. Today we read stories and made lanterns.
Shopping with 2 toddlers is not always fun.
Synchronised sleep times, when they happen, are fantastic.
Sometimes they need to be reminded how to share.
Toddlers can be messy, and loud, and fun.


text:
Medialized var en serie dokumentärer om mediekritik, som sändes i SVT1 under hösten 2011. Serien producerades av ungdomsredaktionen på Utbildningsradion och omfattade sju halvtimmeslånga program. Målgruppen var elever på gymnasiet.

Externa länkar
 UR - Medialized

Barn- och ungdomsprogram i Sveriges Television
Samhällsprogram i Sveriges Television

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Middletown BOE secretary critical of $2M lower budget
BOE member, council at odds over $2M spending plan cut
Middletown Superintendent of School Patricia Charles answers questions about the proposed 2015-16 budget before the common council this week.Brian Zahn — The Middletown Press
MIDDLETOWN >> Officials addressed claims made by one school board member that the common council is underfunding its budget on Thursday night.
This was the final hearing before the public gets its turn to comment on Tuesday.
Councilwoman Mary Bartolotta said she was "taken aback" by an editorial written by board of education member Ed McKeon in which he charged the council with consistently allocating insufficient funding to the schools for years.
"This can't keep going on, the going back and forth and the innuendos, and I don't appreciate some of the comments that were made, and to be perfectly frank about it, nobody else (on the Board of Education) rebuked any of that," she said. "I want to make it clear to people at home that we have not underfunded and we have not taken money away."
On Friday, McKeon said he maintains that, although the city legally must fund an increase to the Board of Education's budget each year, the board has never been granted the full amount of funding it requests, which he views as making cuts "at the get-go."
"We're not asking for extravagant things, we're asking for a budget," he said.
Superintendent Patricia Charles submitted a budget in January requesting a 5.92 percent increase to the budget, for a total of $80,715,746. In a March budget workshop, it was determined that the board overestimated its insurance costs by 2 million, which was removed from the budget and submitted to the council for approval on a 3.02 percent increase by Mayor Dan Drew.
McKeon said he would have liked to see the $2 million remain in the budget.
"Our budget is a series of moving parts," he said.
During the meeting, Charles shared that the board has an outstanding debt of $800,000 to the employee union that is unaccounted for in the proposed budget, which led to cuts.
"I don't think it's appropriate that it looks like we're underfunding the Board of Education when we were never asked to cover that $800,000," Bartolotta said.
She was one of several board members who criticized the district's continued relationship with Sodexo, a company contracted to provide cafeteria and operations services to the schools.
"I still don't get that," said Councilman Thomas Serra. "It's supposed to save money, but it's going up $43,000."
Charles said the district's contract with Sodexo is for one year, and the board is conducting an independent audit of whether its relationship with the company is financially beneficial. Sodexo also announced it would not be requesting any budgetary increases in the following fiscal year at a March board of education meeting.
Councilman Sebastian Giuliano criticized how the board combined capital and operational expenditures into one line, which the state does not do in its budgets.
"To me, it's a major flaw that your budget doesn't do what the state budget says it should do," he said. "I, for one, am not going to vote for one lump sum. I want to give you the right dollars for the right things."
Councilwoman Deborah Kleckowski said the police chief appeared before the board during its first hearing and he had to defend whether he would purchase bullets or hire more officers.
She is concerned with how much will be allocated to the board in previous years if the council must continually provide it with more funding, yet other departments are making tough decisions.
"We have no flexibility," she said. "Our number one complaint is not our school system: it's taxes. People complain all the time about taxes, and people are leaving because of taxes and they're stressed because of taxes."
Charles said that, with the funds in the proposed budget, the district would be able to hire a bilingual teacher for Farm Hill Elementary School, an action mandated by the state because of how many students there speak Spanish at home.
The district would be able to hire other staff members with the proposed budget, including a library media specialist, elementary school teacher and a dean of students for the high school. In total, the district is looking to add 5.5 staff positions.
The public will have an opportunity to address the council on Tuesday to advocate for budgetary spending at the next hearing at council chambers, city hall, 245 deKoven Dr., at 7 p.m.


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text:
Q: Methodologies to Evaluate $\lim_{L\to \infty}\int_0^\infty \frac{\sin(Lx)}{x}\cos(x^3/3)\,dx$ In This Answer, I wrote

"It is straightforward to show that $\displaystyle \lim_{L\to \infty}\int_0^\infty \frac{\sin(Lx)}{x}\,\cos(x^3/3)\,dx=\frac\pi2$."

For completeness, I've included the "straightforward approach" that I had in mind in that which now follows.

First, for any $\nu>0$ we can write
$$\begin{align}
\int_0^\infty \frac{\sin(Lx)}{x}\,\cos(x^3/3)\,dx-\frac\pi2&=\int_0^{\nu} \frac{\sin(Lx)}{x}\,\left(\cos(x^3/3)-1\right)\,dx\\\\
&+\int_{\nu}^\infty \frac{\sin(Lx)}{x}\,(\cos(x^3/3)-1)\,dx\tag1\\\\
&=\int_0^{\nu L} \frac{\sin(x)}{x}\,\left(\cos\left(\frac{x^3}{3L^3}\right)-1\right)\,dx\\\\
&+\int_{\nu L}^\infty \frac{\sin(x)}{x}\,\left(\cos\left(\frac{x^3}{3L^3}\right)-1\right)\,dx
\end{align}$$

The second integral on the right-hand side of $(1)$ converges as an improper Riemann integral, which can be shown be integration by parts with $u=\frac{\sin(Lx)}{x^3}$ and $v=\sin(x^3/3)$.  And integration by parts with $u=\frac{\cos(x^3/3)}{x}$ and $v=\frac{\cos(Lx)}{L}$ facilitates showing that the limit as $L\to \infty$ is $0$.

Second, given $\epsilon>0$, there exists a $\delta>0$ such that $|\cos(x^3/3L^3)-1|<\epsilon$ whenever $|x|<\delta$.  We take $\nu <\min(\delta, (3\pi)^{1/3})$.  Since $\cos(x^3/3L^3)-1$ is decreasing for $x\in [0,\nu L]$, the second mean value theorem guarantees that there exists a number $\xi \in (0,\nu L)$ such that
$$\begin{align}
\left|\int_0^{\nu L} \frac{\sin(x)}{x}\,\left(\cos\left(\frac{x^3}{3L^3}\right)-1\right)\,dx\right|&=\left|\left(\cos\left(\frac{\nu^3}{3}\right)-1\right)\right|\,\left|\int_\xi^{\nu L}\frac{\sin(x)}{x}\,dx\right|\\\\
&<\epsilon \pi/2
\end{align}$$
whence we see that $\lim_{L\to \infty}\int_0^{\nu L} \frac{\sin(x)}{x}\,\left(\cos\left(\frac{x^3}{3L^3}\right)-1\right)\,dx=0$.  And we are done!

While the given approach is a standard one, I am interested in seeing "better, stronger, faster" approaches.  For example, direct use of the Dominated Convergence theorem to $\int_0^\infty \frac{\sin(x)}{x}\cos(x^3/3L^3)\,dx$ doesn't seem to apply here.  The Riemann-Lebesgue Lemma fails since $\frac{\cos(x^3/3)}{x}$ is not $L^1$.  The function $\cos(x^3/3)$ does not have compact support on $\mathbb{R}$.  And integration by parts schemes haven't appeared to be illuminating.  So, is there a "better, stronger, faster" approach?