How to Live in a Flat? Heath Robinson Knows!
Housing is important in maintaining and improving public health, as well as quality of life and wellbeing for all. As well as dangers to physical health such as damp, excessive heat and cold, and hygiene, poor quality housing also impacts on mental health and wellbeing because people need space, light, security, privacy and quiet. The thinking on housing and wellbeing has been developing over the last 100 years. The focus on morality and basic health concerns in the nineteenth century was replaced in the early twentieth century by broader concerns for wellbeing. For example, The Complete House Book of 1937 pointed out that 'Insufficient lighting was is not only depressing and a strain on the eyes, but can also cause worse trouble; headaches, indigestion, general lassitude and irritation can often be traced to it'.
Once Britain had recovered from the First World War and the depression, there was a boom in house-building in the 1930s and the clearance of slums was a priority. Although the new homes were often smaller than those built before the war, an increase in flat-dwelling promised to bring exciting new developments in modern urban living. In the Victorian era living in a flat was looked down upon because of the association with working-class tenements. However, such prejudices broke down in the inter-war years, so much so that in 1934 the journal Building devoted its August issue to flat design.
Features of privately built flats in the 1930s included things like bay windows – regarded as important to distinguish privately owned flats from council flats, which at the time did not have bay windows. They also made rooms appear larger, gave residents better views and admitted more light to rooms, which was a very important consideration in modern architecture at the time. In the title How to Live in a Flat you will see that Heath Robinson draws his blocks of flats as lovely Art Deco buildings with clean lines and the large steel-framed windows that were popular at the time.
There was still a notion that the most desirable way to live was in a house with servants. It was to counteract this idea that brochures for 1930s flats all talked up the modern comforts and amenities on offer. Great emphasis was placed on the fact that blocks of flats provided round-the-clock hot water – which was something you'd only get in a house if you had a maid who kept the boiler constantly stoked.
A communal hot water system was also designed to show that living in a flat could represent a move upmarket, something that developers were keen to emphasise to counter the prevailing prejudice against living in a flat.
Serviced flats were common too as a way of providing an alternative to a full coterie of servants. For example, The Isokon building in Hampstead, London, is a concrete block of 34 flats that was designed by architect Wells Coates for Molly and Jack Pritchard and which opened in 1934. The flats were an experiment in minimalist urban living. Most of the flats had very small kitchens as there was a large communal kitchen for the preparation of meals, connected to the residential floors via a dumb waiter. Services, including laundry and shoe-shining, were provided on site.
Furniture too was designed specifically to make living in a small space easier. Drop-leaf and gate-leg tables, which date back to the sixteenth-century, are a testament to the historic lack of space in British homes. In the 1930s flat the nest of tables became popular. In fact, this concept of things stacking away or folding up was close to the hearts of 1930s interior designers, as demonstrated by such remarkable gadgets as the 10-way settee, the night-time dressing table which transformed into a daytime desk and the four-seater dining table which could be packed away inside a sideboard.
Another proposed solution, similar to the dressing table/desk combo mentioned above, is Heath Robinson's combined bath and writing desk for business men. Not only space-saving but time-saving too!
Recently there have been several newspaper articles about tiny studio flats being sold and rented for outrageous prices. It seems we are living in 'rabbit-hutch Britain'. The RIBA says that new-build British homes are the smallest in Europe and the average home is now just 925 square feet – barely half the size they were in the 1920s. One thing that certainly doesn't help is that Britain is the only country in Europe to sell houses based on the number of bedrooms and not on the square footage. In 1967-9 minimum space standards (the Parker Morris Standard) were introduced but these standards were scrapped by Margaret Thatcher in 1980. Since then there has been increasing concern about the harm that lack of space in the home can cause; small may be beautiful - but not if you have to live in it. Therefore, How to Live in a Flat is surprisingly relevant to life in Britain in 2014. In fact, several of Heath Robinson's space-economising solutions have been used in practice to maximise the use of space in small flats. We have beds that fold down from wardrobes fully-made and ready to sleep in, communal rubbish shoots, central heating and multipurpose furniture. So Heath Robinson was way ahead of his time and reading How to Live in a Flat may spark other innovative solutions to making life bearable in a tiny twenty-first century home!


text:
#ifndef ORG_W3C_DOM_BOOTSTRAP_HTMLTABLEELEMENTIMP_H_INCLUDED
#define ORG_W3C_DOM_BOOTSTRAP_HTMLTABLEELEMENTIMP_H_INCLUDED

#ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
#include "config.h"
#endif

#include <org/w3c/dom/html/HTMLTableElement.h>

#include <org/w3c/dom/html/HTMLTableCaptionElement.h>
#include <org/w3c/dom/html/HTMLTableRowElement.h>
#include <org/w3c/dom/html/HTMLTableSectionElement.h>

#include "HTMLCollectionImp.h"
#include "HTMLElementImp.h"

namespace org
{
namespace w3c
{
namespace dom
{
namespace bootstrap
{

class HTMLTableElementImp : public ObjectMixin<HTMLTableElementImp, HTMLElementImp>
{
    // HTMLCollection for rows
    class Rows : public HTMLCollectionImp
    {
        std::shared_ptr<HTMLTableElementImp> table;
    public:
        Rows(HTMLTableElementImp* table);

        // HTMLCollection
        virtual unsigned int getLength();
        virtual Element item(unsigned int index);
        virtual Object namedItem(const std::u16string& name) {
            return nullptr;
        }
    };

public:
    HTMLTableElementImp(DocumentImp* ownerDocument) :
        ObjectMixin(ownerDocument, u"table")
    {
    }

    // Node - override
    virtual Node cloneNode(bool deep = true) {
        auto node = std::make_shared<HTMLTableElementImp>(*this);
        node->cloneAttributes(this);
        if (deep)
            node->cloneChildren(this);
        return node;
    }

    virtual void handleMutation(events::MutationEvent mutation);

    // Utilities for Rows
    unsigned int getRowCount();
    html::HTMLTableRowElement getRow(unsigned int index);

    // HTMLTableElement
    html::HTMLTableCaptionElement getCaption();
    void setCaption(html::HTMLTableCaptionElement caption);
    html::HTMLElement createCaption();
    void deleteCaption();
    html::HTMLTableSectionElement getTHead();
    void setTHead(html::HTMLTableSectionElement tHead);
    html::HTMLElement createTHead();
    void deleteTHead();
    html::HTMLTableSectionElement getTFoot();
    void setTFoot(html::HTMLTableSectionElement tFoot);
    html::HTMLElement createTFoot();
    void deleteTFoot();
    html::HTMLCollection getTBodies();
    html::HTMLElement createTBody();
    html::HTMLCollection getRows();
    html::HTMLElement insertRow();
    html::HTMLElement insertRow(int index);
    void deleteRow(int index);
    std::u16string getSummary();
    void setSummary(const std::u16string& summary);
    // HTMLTableElement-30
    std::u16string getAlign();
    void setAlign(const std::u16string& align);
    std::u16string getBgColor();
    void setBgColor(const std::u16string& bgColor);
    std::u16string getBorder();
    void setBorder(const std::u16string& border);
    std::u16string getCellPadding();
    void setCellPadding(const std::u16string& cellPadding);
    std::u16string getCellSpacing();
    void setCellSpacing(const std::u16string& cellSpacing);
    std::u16string getFrame();
    void setFrame(const std::u16string& frame);
    std::u16string getRules();
    void setRules(const std::u16string& rules);
    std::u16string getWidth();
    void setWidth(const std::u16string& width);
    // Object
    virtual Any message_(uint32_t selector, const char* id, int argc, Any* argv) {
        return html::HTMLTableElement::dispatch(this, selector, id, argc, argv);
    }
    static const char* const getMetaData() {
        return html::HTMLTableElement::getMetaData();
    }
};

}
}
}
}

#endif  // ORG_W3C_DOM_BOOTSTRAP_HTMLTABLEELEMENTIMP_H_INCLUDED

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Fujifilm XF 33mm f/1.4 R WR Lens Coming in 2021
Fujifilm is rumored to announce a new XF 33mm f/1.4 R WR lens in 2021.
In addition, according to the updated Fujifilm X-mount lens roadmap, the Fujifilm XF 18mm f/1.4 R WR lens is confirmed to be announced this year.
Reminder: The Fujifilm X-T4 mirrorless camera is now selling really well at Amazon, B&H, Adorama.
Stay with Camera Times on RSS feed, Twitter, Facebook, Flipboard to get more Fujifilm Rumors.
Note: Join the Fujifilm Camera Users Facebook Group to share your Fujifilm photography and advice, ask and answer questions that arise and help each others!
Via: FujiRumors
Fujifilm GFX 100S Coming in Early 2021
Fujifilm XF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Lens Coming in Early 2021
Fujifilm XF 33mm f/1 R WR Lens to be Priced at $3,000?
Fujifilm XF 33mm f/1.0 Lens Rumored to be Announced at Photokina 2016
New Fujifilm X-mount Lens Roadmap (add 16mm f/2.8, 16-80mm f/4, 33mm f/1)
Fujifilm, Lenses
Fujifilm lenses, Fujifilm Rumors, Fujifilm XF 18mm f/1.4 R WR Lens, Fujifilm XF 33mm f/1.4 R WR Lens
New Tamron Lens to be Announced on March 15, 2021
How to set up your Canon EOS R5 and R6

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The police were called out when Bane Nor employees discovered a man sleeping on the railway track at Drammen Station on Saturday night.
The police were notified of the sleeping man at 00.29, wrote Drammens Tidende newspaper. They moved out and made sure that he fell asleep in a safer place.
"The man was drunk and we suppose that was why he fell asleep on the railroad track," said police operations manager, Rune Hunshamar.
Be the first to comment on "Man found sleeping on railroad track in Drammen"


In celebration of its 15th anniversary, the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall & Arts Center, Forum and Passageway Galleries at Northern Virginia Community College's Alexandria Campus will feature the one-person exhibit PAINTING THE LINE, drawing the paint: Oil Paintings by Ann Schlesinger, daughter of Jim and Rachel Schlesinger. The exhibit will be on display Friday, Sept. 11 to Sunday, Nov. 8 with an opening reception from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 27.
Ann Schlesinger received her B.A. in studio art and art history from the University of Virginia, her MFA in painting from American University, and had a year of postgraduate study at the Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Munich.
Ann Schlesinger has been the recipient of a Fulbright in Painting, the Annette Kade Fine Arts Fellowship, the David Lloyd Kreeger Award and the Art Prize from the University of Virginia. She has taught at several schools in the area including American University, the University of Maryland and the Smithsonian Institution Resident Associate Program. Currently, Schlesinger teaches drawing and painting at NOVA.
"My work is driven by the back-and-forth interplay between what I actually see and how it translates abstractly on a two-dimensional surface," Schlesinger said. "I push paint around the canvas, seeing what happens when I move objects and alter my view. I play around with color, space and light, and constantly make changes from the original impetus of the painting and always, abstraction, the trump card, triumphs.
Rachel M. Schlesinger was a violinist with the Arlington Symphony. Before her untimely death, she was instrumental in the search and initial fundraising for a community concert hall. After her death, her husband Jim stepped in and finished the job.
The reception for PAINTING THE LINE, drawing the paint, on Sept. 27 is free and open to the public. Those in attendance will have an opportunity to view Ann Schlesinger's latest work as she and the NOVA family celebrate and honor her parents. Gallery hours are Monday-Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and during performances.


Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute is pleased to announce a call for Applications for Shastri Institutional Collaborative Research Grant (SICRG) 2017-18 from the faculty members/academics of all disciplines from SICI's Canadian and Indian Member Institution. This grant is to support and encourage Institutional collaboration in R&D for a period of two years in the areas in which Institutions from SICI's Indian and Canadian Member Council can benefit. This grant intends to fill information gaps for policy makers and others influencing the policy-making process.
Faculty members/academics/researchers of Canadian and Indian member institutions are eligible to apply for this grant. A list of SICI member institutions is available at the link provided here: http://www.sici.org.in/index.php?page=member-institutions .
The Applicant must be a citizen or permanent resident of Canada or India.
Completed electronic application along with all required documents should be submitted to http://shastriinstitute.org/gms/ on or before 23rd July 2017by 5:00pm (IST) and with a mention of programme name in the subject line "Application for Shastri Institutional Collaborative Research Grant (SICRG) 2017-18".
The project grant for the first year will be disbursed upon signing of letter of agreement between SICI and recipient's institution. In the second year 85% of the grant will be released after submission of narrative report for the year 2017-18, utilization certificate for 2017-18 and proposed budget for 2018-19. The remaining 15% will be released upon submission and approval of a final report to SICI by the recipient.
Completed application must be submitted no later than 23rd July, 2017.
The maximum limit to upload application file on GMS Portal is 10 MB. Kindly compress your files if exceeding 10 MB.


text:
Return Of The 8th Class Mage
Reading type
Page by page (Touch support)
Chapter 161 Chapter 160 Chapter 159 Chapter 158 Chapter 157 Chapter 156
Report Error to Admin
(250 text left)
Chap 161
That was, to describe it more accurately.
At least, that's what the king of the gargoyles felt.
That human sorcerer with brown hair.
He didn't appear to the king of the gargoyles as a human being.
'Weaker than I thought.'
On the other hand, Ian was at ease. At least, he felt many tens of folds easier compared to when he had faced the dragon. Of course, the power of the gargoyles' king was in the headcounts though.
But since the source of his power was being kept at bay at the entrance of the cave, it would render useless.
'Should slowly subdue him now.'
How long the s.h.i.+eld at the entrance would hold was not known. It was better to subdue him when possible. If it was possible to interrogate this ent.i.ty, that would be attempted. However, a.s.sessing the conditions of the b.a.s.t.a.r.d, that choice would need to be forgone.
"Let me end it."
A gigantic hand appeared above Ian's head. The pair of hands of ice mimicked exactly that of Ian's hands. The looks of them and the movements all exactly mimicked Ian's hands.
(Kwaaaak-!)
That gigantic ice hands s.n.a.t.c.hed the b.a.s.t.a.r.d's wing. Was that all? It ripped up the right wing from there. The screams of the gargoyles' king echoed loudly throughout the cave.
(Stop! Stop! You..humaaaan-!)
At that moment. An unfamiliar voice struck inside of Ian's head. The nasty voice that brought out the utmost unpleasantness from just by listening, it was certainly the gargoyle's voice.
"You could talk?"
Ian relieved the enormous pressure that he was exerting through the ice hands. Instead, he held him lightly and brought him close to his face. The two ent.i.ties, Ian and gargoyles' king, finally met each other's eyes, for the first time.
Soon, Ian felt awed.
The b.a.s.t.a.r.d's eyes were truly weird.
It wasn't that he was one eyed or had no eyeb.a.l.l.s.
It surely wasn't such an issue.
"The eyes….."
Half bow, they were exactly a half bow shape.
Both of gargoyle's eyes were exactly half bowed.
That is, only half remained in each eye.
It was as if that much was torn apart.
It was beyond being grotesque.
(Allegrapo.)
It was right then.
It was truly in a blink of an eye.
That was, in the time that Ian stared into the b.a.s.t.a.r.d.
It didn't even come to a few seconds.
That's how long it was for sure.
(Hoonkanathio,Harknap!)
Allegrapo, Hookanathio, Harknap.
The words that could not be interpreted came into his head.
"Kr…..!"
Ian let out a painful moan.
Indescribable pain overtook him.
Even the ice hands were melting away.
Exactly what witchcraft is this?
The answer was immediately found.
'Petrification…..?'
Ian's body was hardening stiff.
It wasn't an ordinary symptom of paralysis.
He has begun to transform into a stone.
It was 'petrification' as the word suggested.
'Let's be calm. Be calm.'
Ian held on to the last strain of his consciousness.
And he thought it out first of all.
First, the king of the gargoyles.
'Even that b.a.s.t.a.r.d's body was hardening.'
The problem would be much bigger, should Ian be the only one turning into a stone.
However, the king of the gargoyles also began to petrify.
It appeared to be the power of some type of a suicidal bomb.
'Petrification is the ability to enter the dimensionless s.p.a.ce.'
He thought of the information that the spirit of Reeses Rajendu had spared him. At the end of the petrification process, the body turns into a stone, the mind enters the dimensionless s.p.a.ce. That is, even Ian's mind would enter the dimensionless s.p.a.ce.
'I would enter the same dimensionless s.p.a.ce with the b.a.s.t.a.r.d.'
Based on the process, that was the most likely scenario.
Of course, it could have been the b.a.s.t.a.r.d's plan all along.
'If I can only stay focused, I can somehow…..'
When Ian's thoughts reached that point.
The blurring view turned into darkness.
Even the thought process has stopped for that moment.
It was the effect of the body, completely turning into a hard stone.
How much time has pa.s.sed, having been in that condition?
His lost mind has woken up.
Even the vision returned from the darkness.
'This is…..?'
The gargoyle's cave that he was in.
At least, this wasn't that place.
The prairie that was filled with purple sand.
There was even purple lightening.
Kwaaang! K-k-kwaaaaang-!
Beyond being unfamiliar, it was a disparate s.p.a.ce.
Even the king of the gargoyles came into his view.
As if he was used to it, the b.a.s.t.a.r.d flew away to somewhere.
Although an immediate attempt was made to chase after him, it was impossible.
That was because no magic could be initiated at all.
'This was different than the repository of time.'
Ian calmly surveyed the surroundings. In a short time, he couldn't help, but be astonished. A nebulous landscape, at the end of the direction to which the gargoyle flew, came into his view. That was the issue.
A gigantic purple sphere. The sphere that was as big as if the gargoyle's eye has been magnified by tens and thousands folds, was levitating in the air. The purple lightening that was thought to be from the sky was also the energy that was spewing out of that sphere.
Yet, there was an ent.i.ty that has captivated Ian's eyes.
And it wasn't the purple sphere.
Of course, the sphere was also astonis.h.i.+ng.
"No….."
The ent.i.ties were surrounding the purple sphere. With each one's mana power, the ent.i.ties were helping to maintain the sphere's form. The countless number of ent.i.ties came into his view. There was no wonder. The ident.i.ties of the ent.i.ties were very definite, and familiar.
"…..Dragon?"
The spirit of Reeses Rajendu.
The speculation that he had made was correct.
The dragon race that was thought to have been extinct.
They existed in the 'dimensionless s.p.a.ce'.
CHAPTER DISCUSSION


text:
Puerto Rican earthquake victims break into warehouse with supplies intact since Hurricane Maria in 2017
Celeste Caminos | TheBL 01/20/20, 10:12
A warehouse, seen on Jan. 17, 2020, that contained hundreds of bottles of bottled water and other emergency supplies such as diapers, radios, and cots in Puerto Rico. (Screenshot/CNN)
A week after the 6.4-magnitude earthquake, an angry crowd stormed a warehouse in Ponce, Puerto Rico, on Saturday, Jan. 17, learning it contained intact supplies stored since Hurricane Maria, which hit the island in 2017, the New York Post reported.
Last week's earthquake killed at least one person and caused an estimated $200 million in damage, while forcing more than 7,000 people to seek shelter.
News of the wasted supplies spread over the weekend after social network users posted videos showing locals breaking into the warehouse containing boxes of bottled water and other emergency supplies.
A group of residents opened the metal doors of the building and demanded that authorities distribute the supplies found. By the evening of that day, families began queuing outside the warehouse, hoping to get water, food, and emergency radios.
"This is outrageous," Ponce Mayor Maria Melendez told reporters. "Everyone knows what us mayors went through after Hurricane Maria and to try and get help to our cities and how we've worked these weeks to provide basic supplies to people affected by earthquakes."
"Those involved owe us an explanation," she added.
Meanwhile, island Gov. Wanda Vazquez Garced asked the Puerto Rican Senate to appoint Jose Reyes, chief of the island's national guard, as the new emergency management commissioner after firing Carlos Acevedo and asked that an investigation be opened to clarify what happened.
Secretary of State Elmer Roman told Univision Saturday that there may also be other warehouses on the island with unused supplies.
While Democrats have criticized the U.S. federal government's action in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, the Trump administration gave abundant resources to the island's recovery.
President Donald Trump has criticized on more than one occasion the excessive requests for money by Puerto Rican politicians and has condemned the corruption on the island as the order of the day.
Most of the media also joined the voices criticizing President Trump for the aid to Puerto Rico after the devastating passage of Hurricane Maria.
However, not only were large sums of money sent to him from the United States, but also emergency supplies that were apparently not distributed to the victims.
In 2018, Radio Isla published video footage of the humanitarian aid sent by the United States—10 complete trailers—abandoned in an electoral office.
The footage shows food, medicine, and baby items destined for the island unopened, covered in rodent droppings or partially eaten by rats and lizards.
Tags:Puerto Rico Foreign aid
Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen moves to Puerto Rico: Supports herself with crypto investments
Tech 10/27/21, 04:09
Sen. Mitch McConnell and other Republicans played dead in election fraud 'war' says President Trump
2022 Campaign 12/27/20, 19:37
GOP blocked CCP Virus stimulus because House Speaker Nancy Pelosi suffers from 'selective hearing' says House minority leader
Puerto Rico governor endorses President Trump re-election bid
Democratic socialist AOC caught wrongly calling Puerto Rico one of the 50 states of America
Official fired after Hurricane Maria victims discover warehouse filled with unused US emergency supplies


text:
<?php

namespace AppBundle\Manager\Report;

use AppBundle\Entity\Report\AddRequest;
use AppBundle\Exception\EntityNotCreatedException;
use AppBundle\Exception\EntityNotDeletedException;
use AppBundle\Exception\EntityNotUpdatedException;
use AppBundle\Manager\DefaultManager;

class AddRequestsManager extends DefaultManager
{
    public function create(AddRequest $addRequest): AddRequest
    {
        try {
            $this->entityManager->persist($addRequest);
            $this->entityManager->flush($addRequest);

            return $addRequest;
        } catch (\Exception $e) {
            $this->logger->error('[AddRequestsManager] Could not create addRequest because of {reason}', [
                'reason' => $e->getMessage(),
            ]);

            throw new EntityNotCreatedException(AddRequest::class, $e->getMessage());
        }
    }

    public function update(AddRequest $addRequest): AddRequest
    {
        try {
            $this->entityManager->flush($addRequest);

            return $addRequest;
        } catch (\Exception $e) {
            $this->logger->error('[AddRequestsManager] Could not update addRequest {uuid} because of {reason}', [
                'uuid' => $addRequest->getUuid()->toString(),
                'reason' => $e->getMessage(),
            ]);

            throw new EntityNotUpdatedException(AddRequest::class, $addRequest->getUuid()->toString(), $e->getMessage());
        }
    }

    public function delete(AddRequest $addRequest)
    {
        try {
            $this->entityManager->remove($addRequest);
            $this->entityManager->flush($addRequest);
        } catch (\Exception $e) {
            $this->logger->error('[AddRequestsManager] Could not delete addRequest {uuid} because of {reason}', [
                'uuid' => $addRequest->getUuid()->toString(),
                'reason' => $e->getMessage(),
            ]);

            throw new EntityNotDeletedException(AddRequest::class, $addRequest->getUuid()->toString(), $e->getMessage());
        }
    }
}


text:
About Retail Management Group Ltd Retail Management
About Retail Management Group Ltd
Retail Management Group is a New Zealand-based company established in 2006. The group also owned and operate two Asia offices through a wholly owned foreign entity structure in China and Taiwan.
Our objective is to foster brands that want to enter the Asian market. RMG's services include brand trademark registration, product FDA/CIQ registration, third party customs clearance, distribution and third-party distributions, wholesale into retail channels and department stores and localise brand marketing with strategies in key opinion leaders through social media. Our diverse vertical integration covers products from Skin Care, Cosmetic, Perfume and Fragrances, Food and Beverages also Non-Prescription Health Remedies.
intro ex1
What are responsive images
Four Ways To Build A Mobile Application
Be daring. Don't be afraid to fail
Retail Management Group Purchasing Terms and Conditions
© 2017 Retail Management Group ltd.


text:
Q: MongoDB conditional $sum after using $addFields I am using an aggregation pipeline to aggregate stats for my game. My pipeline consists of first filtering all the games in the collection by the player's ObjectID, then summing their stats and analytics. The filtering is done by checking each array in a game's players array. The players array is an array of objects, and I check the uuid field on each object, to see if it corresponds with my target ObjectID.
Aggregating the stats works fine for simple $sum, but I am now attempting to do a more advanced sum. I want to get the average opponent rating. Each player has a team field of either 1 or 2, representing the possible teams. If the player's team is 1, I need to fetch team 2's rating, if their team is 2, I need to get team 1's rating. I designate team 1 as blue team, and team 2 and red team in my schema for simplicity. Here is an example game
{
    "type": "Regular",
    "map": "Classic",
    "winningTeam": 1,
    "gameStats": {
      "duration": 7,
      "redScore": 1,
      "blueScore": 0,
      "redRating": 1000,
      "blueRating": 1000,
},
   "players": [
      {
        "uuid": "ObjectId",
        ...
        "stats": {
          "timePlayed": 7,
          "goals": 0,
          "ownGoals": 0,
          "goalsFor": 1,
          "goalsAgainst": 0,
        },
}

And here is my pipeline
[
  {
    $addFields: {
      players: {
        $filter: {
          input: "$players",
          as: "player",
          cond: {
            $eq: [
              "$$player.uuid",
              playerObjectId
            ],

          },

        },

      },

    },

  },
  {
    $group: {
      _id: playerObjectId,
      oppRating: {
        $avg: {
          $avg: {
            $switch: {
              branches: [
                {
                  case: {
                    $eq: [
                      "$players.team",
                      1
                    ]
                  },
                  then: "$gameStats.blueRating"
                },
                {
                  case: {
                    $eq: [
                      "$players.team",
                      2
                    ]
                  },
                  then: "$gameStats.redRating"
                },

              ]
            }
          }
        }
      },
      timePlayed: {
        $sum: {
          $sum: "$players.stats.timePlayed",

        },
      },
      },
      goals: {
        $sum: {
          $sum: "$players.stats.goals",

        },
...
]

Now my $switch doesn't work, and I've identified the problem to be the fact that I cant access the $players field for some reason. For example when I set the condition to
$eq: [
1,
1
],

It will work, and correctly get the average. I see my issue is being able to access the $players variable that I set up in my addfields, why cant I access this variable in the $switch statement, but I can access it in all my other fields, like the $sum for timeplayed. Do I need to rethink my filter query? I understand that I could simply add a field to every playerObject that reads "opponentRating", but I would like to see if there is simply an aggregation way to do this first.

A: players must be an object to considered inside the $switch block. Just need to add $unwind after the addFields, since $filter will return an array.
db.game.aggregate([
    {
        $addFields: {
            players: {
                $filter: {
                    input: "$players",
                    as: "player",
                    cond: {
                        $eq: [
                            "$$player.uuid",
                            playerObjectId
                        ],

                    },

                },

            },
        },
    },
    {
        $unwind: '$players'
    },
    {
        $group: {
            _id: playerObjectId,
            oppRating: {
                $avg: {
                    $avg: {
                        $switch: {
                            branches: [
                                {
                                    case: {
                                        $eq: [
                                            "$players.team",
                                            1
                                        ]
                                    },
                                    then: "$gameStats.blueRating"
                                },
                                {
                                    case: {
                                        $eq: [
                                            "$players.team",
                                            2
                                        ]
                                    },
                                    then: "$gameStats.redRating"
                                },

                            ]
                        }
                    }
                }
            },
            timePlayed: {
                $sum: {
                    $sum: "$players.stats.timePlayed",
                },
            },
            goals: {
                $sum: {
                    $sum: "$players.stats.goals",
                }
            }
        }
    }
])

Also, I thought some performance optimisations can be done & redundant functions could be removed on the pipeline such as

*

*Instead of $filter for players, we can use $match, $unwind & $match

*one $avg will suffice for oppRating

*And, one $sum will suffice for timePlayed & goals
You can try the below pipeline
db.game.aggregate([
    {
        $match: {
            'players.uuid': playerObjectId,
        }
    },
    {
        $unwind: '$players'
    },
    {
        $match: {
            'players.uuid': playerObjectId,
        }
    },
    {
        $group: {
            _id: playerObjectId,
            oppRating: {
                $avg: {
                    $switch: {
                        branches: [
                            {
                                case: {
                                    $eq: [
                                        "$players.team",
                                        1
                                    ]
                                },
                                then: "$gameStats.blueRating"
                            },
                            {
                                case: {
                                    $eq: [
                                        "$players.team",
                                        2
                                    ]
                                },
                                then: "$gameStats.redRating"
                            },

                        ]
                    }
                }
            },
            timePlayed: {
                $sum: "$players.stats.timePlayed",
            },
            goals: {
                $sum: "$players.stats.goals",
            }
        }
    }
])

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


As the go-to Master Plumbers in Northern New Jersey, Thessen Services has the expertise to handle a broad range of plumbing jobs in Kinnelon, NJ. Our company is renowned for its professionalism, and the courteous and careful way in which it tackles a variety of plumbing work. We know that calling for a plumber in an emergency is never a pleasant situation, which is why we always handle our visits to your office or home with respect. With every work we undertake, we aim to fix the problem once and for all, so that you can feel confident that when our job is done, your plumbing issue is properly fixed.
pipe leaks: a pressure change in your pipes can have rapid, devastating consequences, and can flood your home or workplace. Call us immediately if you think that you may be dealing with a burst pipe. We will inspect the problem and restore your plumbing services as quickly as possible.
repairing and installing faucets or sinks: faucets and sinks are such an important part of our routine that any problem that affects them can rapidly cripple our daily habits. Our company safely fixes any leaks and gets your life back to normal.
If you're suddenly faced with a plumbing crisis at home or at work, call Thessen Services for all your plumbing needs in Kinnelon, NJ: (973) 853-0345.


text:
Chris Tremoglie: Will the 'tolerant' Penn community allow Dinesh D'Souza to speak on campus?
November 11, 2019 April 19, 2021
Chris Tremoglie
Photo by Daniel ODonnell on Unsplash
Faculty, administrators and students often preach tolerance and understanding of other points of view, but often abandon those principles when a conservative is invited to speak.
By Chris Tremoglie
NOV. 19 UPDATE from Chris Tremoglie: The event did go off and without controversy. About 20 protesters showed up, holding signs but remaining silent in the back row during the speech. The signs stated such things as "Our right to exist is not up for debate" and "Multiculturalism is america" and "No one is illegal on stolen land." One protesters said that those looking to illegally immigrate into the U.S. were doing so because they were desperate from the horrific aftermath of U.S. led imperialistic military efforts.
Jay Smith, a Penn College Republican, commented via Facebook chat on Dinesh D'Souza's ability to skillfully answer questions meant to challenge him:
"I feel like D'Souza masterfully refuted the question he received about why aren't we changing the legal immigration system that even D'Souza admits is broken. It's true that America is a generous country, but if we let in every single person around the world who's poor or starving, we'd have to consider half of the entire world as refugees. And that's not even considering the people we have poor and starving in our own country.
"But the Democrats are unwilling to modify the system to allow more immigrants into the country who love America and want to apply themselves here because they realize the broken system works in their favor. I think that was a point where people realized D'Souza, as an immigrant, knew how much he cherished immigration but was willing to criticize the system and those unwilling to fix it."
The original posting:
Author and filmmaker Dinesh D'Souza is scheduled to speak at Penn Tuesday.
"Scheduled" because D'Souza is a conservative author and filmmaker. And nothing involving conservatives on a college campus is ever easy or certain. Faculty, administrators and students often preach tolerance and understanding of other points of view, but often abandon these principles when someone from the right side of the aisle is invited to speak.
It's a nationwide phenomenon, which has seen varying levels of protest and confrontation at schools like Evergreen State University in Washington state, the University of California, Berkeley, and Middlebury College in Vermont.
Will members of the Penn community do something to help their school join that undistinguished list tomorrow?
Things are not off to a promising start.
The event, "A Legal Immigrant's Case Against Multiculturalism with Dinesh D'Souza," was organized by the Penn College Republicans as part of the Young America's Foundation Preserving American Liberty and Freedom Lecture Series and scheduled for Nov. 12 in the ARCH building on campus. The Penn community and public were invited. Here's how it was described on the College Republicans' Facebook page:
Join the Penn College Republicans for an evening with conservative author and filmmaker Dinesh D'Souza, where he will discuss his views on immigration and multiculturalism (the doctrine that all cultures are equal). The event will be followed by Q&A from the audience.
Last week, according to the College Republicans, the university revoked the venue without giving a reason and, because of security concerns, disinvited the public. The school was also insisting on a $1,000 security fee.
"Members of the Penn community may disagree with a particular speaker … but having conversations about those differences is part of what makes universities such as Penn essential locations for free inquiry, free expression, debate, and dialogue."
Danielle Yampolsky, president of the College Republicans, told the Young America's Foundation, "I was incredibly shocked and disappointed to receive this email, especially at such short notice. Nevertheless, I am committed to promoting free speech and diversity of thought on Penn's campus and am looking forward to getting this resolved and welcoming Mr. D'Souza to campus."
This revocation comes about two weeks after the abrupt cancellation of a bipartisan symposium entitled "Detention and Deportation from Obama to Trump." Campus security cleared the room after protesters demonstrated against the presence of retired Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Thomas Homan. At the time of the protest, Homan was on stage at Penn's Perry World House with Andrew Lorenzen-Strait, director of children and family services at Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, and Sozi Tulante, former city solicitor of Philadelphia.
Fox News reported that, even before the event started, a petition had been circulated demanding its cancellation. The petition, signed by more than 500 Penn students and alumni, as well as dozens of students from other universities, also called on Penn to ban all invitations to current or former officials from ICE or U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. "[I]nviting Homan as a guest speaker contradicts Penn's claim of being a sanctuary campus," the petition said.
One student told me in an interview, "What happened to diversity, acceptance and tolerance? I came to this panel because I wanted to hear both perspectives in person. We don't get that in class."
"Before the event even began, chanting by some members of the audience made it impossible to hold a constructive conversation," Perry World House Communications Director John Gans told the Daily Pennsylvanian in an email. "Since our founding, Perry World House has been deeply engaged with the timely and sensitive issue of immigration.
"Members of the Penn community may disagree with a particular speaker at these events, but having conversations about those differences is part of what makes universities such as Penn essential locations for free inquiry, free expression, debate, and dialogue," Gans continued.
That same spirit prompted the invitation to D'Souza. Cory Paredes, communications director for the Penn College Republicans, appeared on "The Dean Malik Show" Friday on WWDB-AM (860).
"We decided to invite Dinesh D'Souza to Penn to give a presentation regarding multiculturalism and in particular how building a unified American culture, where we can identify under the same flag, the same value system, and really fight for our country, is in the best interest of everyone here," Paredes said. "Unfortunately, the University of Pennsylvania has had some trouble lately enforcing their open expression policy. Penn officially supports freedom of speech, they support diverse viewpoints, but their student body does not."
He added, "They closed our event to the public, canceled the venue we had booked without providing a new one. We're trying to get a new venue scheduled but at the eleventh hour it is very difficult for us to find a new one. We're hoping that it will work out but as of now the event is very much in limbo."
In fact, later that day, the D'Souza event found a new home, in the Hall of Flags in Houston Hall on campus. Penn did not relent on allowing the public into the event. It is for Penn students only, and that, at least, is a start.
"As Penn College Republicans, we believe it is incredibly important for us to start to change the culture in a university that is historically and presently incredibly liberal, not only in the faculty but in the student body," Paredes told Malik.
The free expression of ideas is supposed to be a benchmark of academia. Let's see if Penn can rededicate itself to that standard Tuesday at Houston Hall, where Dinesh D'Souza is "scheduled" to speak.
Chris Tremoglie, a University of Pennsylvania student, is chairman of the Conservative Caucus of the Penn Political Union.
Tagged in : campus free speech Free Speech Oped Penn
Pennsbury school board must pay $300k for violating residents' free speech rights
Amid outcry on antisemitism, Temple University stands by professor who tweeted support for Palestinian terrorist
Former prof. sues University of Scranton over Covid-19 vaccination policies, dismissal
One thought on "Chris Tremoglie: Will the 'tolerant' Penn community allow Dinesh D'Souza to speak on campus?"
So what happened then?


text:
Click to copyhttps://apnews.com/FIFAWomensWorldCup
NEW YORK (AP) — Procter & Gamble, a sponsor of the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team, is now supporting its members' fight for equal pay.
The company, which supports U.S. soccer through its...
By MESFIN FEKADUJuly 13, 2019
NEW YORK (AP) — Carli Lloyd of the U.S. women's national soccer team celebrated her recent World Cup victory with a lap dance from J. Lo.
Jennifer Lopez pulled Lloyd from the audience to the...
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The celebration was cut short for a member of the World Cup champion U.S. women's soccer team after she discovered someone had burglarized her hotel room in Los...
United States extends FIFA rankings lead with World Cup win
ZURICH (AP) — The United States has extended its lead in the FIFA rankings by retaining the World Cup.
The American women's fourth world title built a record points lead over No. 2 Germany,...
Rose Bowl statue honors Brandi Chastain's '99 World Cup win
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — A statue capturing Brandi Chastain's iconic reaction to scoring the U.S. team's winning goal in the 1999 Women's World Cup has been unveiled outside the Rose...
Alex Morgan, US women's soccer team honored at The ESPYS
By BETH HARRISJuly 11, 2019
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The U.S. women's national soccer team celebrated its Women's World Cup victory on both coasts Wednesday, honored with a ticker tape parade in New York City before jetting to the...
Fans celebrate World Cup champs, rally for equal pay
By ALI SWENSONJuly 11, 2019
NEW YORK (AP) — Adoring fans packed New York City's Canyon of Heroes on Wednesday amid a blizzard of confetti to praise the World Cup-winning U.S. women's national soccer team as leaders on the...
Editorials from around Pennsylvania
Recent editorials of statewide and national interest from Pennsylvania's newspapers:
Editorial Roundup: Excerpts from recent editorials
Excerpts from recent editorials in the United States and abroad:
The Latest: Soccer federation head: Women deserve fair pay
NEW YORK (AP) — The Latest on a New York City parade and ceremony honoring the U.S. women's national soccer team (all times local):
US women's soccer team captain accepts Capitol invitation
WASHINGTON (AP) — Megan Rapinoe (rah-PEE-noh) has accepted an invitation for the U.S. women's soccer team to celebrate its World Cup victory with a visit to Congress.
NYC to host ticker tape parade for soccer champs Wednesday
NEW YORK (AP) — A ticker tape parade to shower the U.S. women's national soccer team with praise and paper confetti will start at 9:30 a.m. EDT in New York City on Wednesday.
US Women's World Cup champs arrive home ahead of parade
By JAKE SEINERJuly 9, 2019
NEW YORK (AP) — Megan Rapinoe stepped off the plane with champagne in hand — a fizzy souvenir from a most memorable trip overseas.
"Thank you, France, for the hospitality," the U.S. soccer...
The Latest: Rapinoe, US team shows off World Cup trophy
NEW YORK (AP) — The Latest on the U.S. win of the Women's World Cup (all times local):
Megan Rapinoe and the U.S. women's team showed off their World Cup trophy and took...
By DAVID CRARYJuly 9, 2019
NEW YORK (AP) — Setting itself apart from other great American sports teams, the U.S. women's soccer team is embracing a front-line role in social justice causes even as it savors a fourth world...
Top Dems invite champion US women's soccer team to Capitol
By ALAN FRAMJuly 9, 2019
WASHINGTON (AP) — The World Cup champion U.S. women's soccer team is being invited to the Capitol, Congress' top Democrats said Monday.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wrote to colleagues Monday...
Players hope World Cup successes turn into greater support
By ANNE M. PETERSONJuly 8, 2019
LYON, France (AP) — As the U.S. players celebrated their Women's World Cup title by dancing on the field, a chant rose from the crowd in Lyon: "Equal pay! Equal pay!"
Post-BulletinWorld Cup 'Victory Tour' could include MinnesotaJuly 14, 2019
San Antonio Express-NewsRapinoe's anthem protests hurt the fight for gender equity.July 11, 2019
US victory most-viewed match this year but down from 2015
The United States' 2-0 victory over the Netherlands in Sunday's FIFA Women's World Cup final averaged nearly 15.6 million U.S. viewers on English- and Spanish-language television.
Women's league seeks more fans, sponsors after US title
By RONALD BLUMJuly 8, 2019
Megan Rapinoe, the lavender-haired icon of women's soccer, maintains that green is the key to her sport's sustainability.
US Women win 4th World Cup title, eye gender equality
LYON, France (AP) — After every goal celebration and all the confident posturing, the U.S. national team backed up its swagger at the Women's World Cup by winning it all.
Rapinoe fuses politics, pay and tech with World Cup win
By ROB HARRISJuly 8, 2019
LYON, France (AP) — A Women's World Cup stirred by heated debates on politics, pay and technology saw the narratives fused in Sunday's final by the undisputed and outspoken star of the tournament:...
The Latest: Parade for World Cup champions set in NYC
LYON, France (AP) — The Latest on the Women's World Cup final (all times local):
New York City is ready to celebrate the U.S. women's national team for its victory in the...
US wins 4th World Cup title, 2nd in a row, beats Dutch 2-0
LYON, France (AP) — Megan Rapinoe stood on the field, arms outstretched, striking her now trademark victory pose symbolizing the confidence of a U.S. team that celebrated and savored each triumph...
Column: US women win World Cup on their own terms
By TIM DAHLBERGJuly 7, 2019
Megan Rapinoe left early, her work done for the day. The celebration came early, too, for a U.S. team determined up until the final minute to win this Women's World Cup on its own terms.
Budweiser becomes sponsor of NWSL
Budweiser has signed a multi-year sponsorship deal with the National Women's Soccer League.
The partnership was announced Sunday, the day of the Women's World Cup final in France. Terms were...
US looks to complete its French summer with a final win
LYON, France (AP) — The United States is about to conclude its summer in France with an opportunity to further cement its place as the best team on the international stage.
Business Wire Univision Crowned Champion in Primetime, Outperforms All Broadcast and Cable Networks Among Adults 18-34 For Entire WeekJuly 10, 2019
US men also seek soccer title, face Mexico for Gold Cup
CHICAGO (AP) — Remember the U.S. men's soccer team?
It's also playing for a trophy on Sunday, taking on Mexico at Soldier Field in the final of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the championship of...
Montagliani rules out future finals on same day
CHICAGO (AP) — The president of soccer's North and Central American and Caribbean body refused to address FIFA's contention that having the finals Women's World Cup, the CONCACAF Gold Cup and the...
Sweden beats England 2-1 to take third at Women's World Cup
By DANIELLA MATARJuly 6, 2019
NICE, France (AP) — Kosovare Asllani set Sweden on its way to a 2-1 victory over England for third place in the Women's World Cup on Saturday night but the midfielder almost didn't play in the...
On the eve of the World Cup final, Rapinoe calls out FIFA
LYON, France (AP) — Megan Rapinoe called out FIFA on the eve of the Women's World Cup title match.
Her criticism Saturday ranged from the gap in prize money between the men and women, to...
Dutch need to stop US from scoring early in World Cup final
By JEROME PUGMIREJuly 6, 2019
LYON, France (AP) — It's easy for Netherlands coach Sarina Wiegman to see the huge challenge facing her team Sunday in the Women's World Cup final against the United States.
Morgan says tea-sipping celebration was nod to Sophie Turner
LYON, France (AP) — Alex Morgan said her tea-sipping celebration at the Women's World Cup was a nod to actress Sophie Turner's amusing Instagram posts.
Lindsey Horan hopes World Cup successes boost NWSL
LYON, France (AP) — Midfielder Lindsey Horan hopes the attention on women's soccer and the United States' run at the World Cup boost the professional league back home.
England's Carney to retire after third-place playoff
One of England's longest-serving players will make her last appearance Saturday.
Karen Carney announced her retirement Friday, on the eve of England's third-place playoff against Sweden at...
The final insult: Women compete with Copa America, CONCACAF
Megan Rapinoe considers Sunday to be the final insult.
Just a few hours after the United States and the Netherlands meet in the Women's World Cup final in France, Brazil or Peru will...
After judo gold, Jackie Groenen now wants World Cup glory
LYON, France (AP) — Netherlands midfielder Jackie Groenen's route to the World Cup final has been unusual by any standards, one which saw her starring at judo before attempting to represent a...
Lloyd says 2019 US team not a continuation of 2015
LYON, France (AP) — Carli Lloyd says the success the United States is having at the Women's World Cup in France isn't an extension of the 2015 title run.
FIFA: Afghanistan coach's Infantino criticism 'unjustified'
LYON, France (AP) — Criticism of FIFA President Gianni Infantino over the handling of sexual abuse investigations was "ill-informed and unjustified," the governing body said Thursday after the...
Wednesday's Sports in Brief
LYON, France (AP) — The Netherlands will play the United States for the Women's World Cup title after Jackie Groenen sealed a 1-0 victory over Sweden in extra time.
Injury means Sue Bird can attend World Cup final
By TIM BOOTHJuly 3, 2019
SEATTLE (AP) — Sue Bird found one upside to having knee surgery that has kept her out of the entire WNBA season to date.
She won't be missing any playing time to attend the Women's World Cup...
Dutch reach first Women's World Cup final, will face US
LYON, France (AP) — When Jackie Groenen received the ball, even though she was outside the penalty area, the Dutch midfielder knew she had to seize her opening.
US-England game averaged just over 7 million viewers on Fox
The Americans' 2-1 victory over England in Tuesday's Women's World Cup semifinal averaged nearly 8 million U.S. viewers on English- and Spanish-language television.
Rapinoe says she's a proud American, addresses the critics
LYON, France (AP) — Still facing a backlash over saying she wouldn't visit the White House if the United States wins the World Cup, Megan Rapinoe said Wednesday that she considers herself a proud...
Naeher emerges from Solo's shadow with a smashing save
LYON, France (AP) — Alyssa Naeher finally escaped Hope Solo's shadow with her smothering save of a penalty kick.
Endlessly compared to her controversial predecessor on the U.S. national...
Afghan coach 'disgusted' by Infantino, wants FIFA head to go
LYON, France (AP) — The coach of the Afghanistan women's soccer team is "disgusted" with Gianni Infantino over the handling of sexual abuse cases and calls on the FIFA president to...
After more semifinal pain, England seeks to wipe away tears
LYON, France (AP) — As the Americans raced to huddle in celebration, Lucy Bronze couldn't bear to take in the scene.
Drained and distressed by another World Cup semifinal loss with England,...
Column: A signature pinky moment, and a big US win
It wasn't Brandi Chastain ripping off her jersey, a World Cup moment that still resonates 20 years later.
For this Women's World Cup, though, Alex Morgan's extended pinky was a signature...
Morgan scores and Naeher saves in 2-1 victory over England
LYON, France (AP) — With Alex Morgan's cheeky tea-sipping celebration and a postgame mobbing of goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, the United States has moved a step closer to successfully defending its...


If you find a kitty that you want to be friends with, go to their page. Right under their picture is a bunch of boxes. One of those boxes is a star. When you mouse over it, it will say "invite to be friends". Click on it. -It will take you to a page that says "feline friend request". Type in a few nice words about how you'd like to be the kitty's friends and send. Then wait for them to answer. That's all there is to it!
When you want to ask a cat to be your friend there is a button underneath their main picture. The button with the star in it is the one that you click on to request to be their friend.


text:
Governor Murphy Highlights School Aid and Expanded Preschool in His Revised Budget Proposal
Governor Also Announces $100 Million in Additional Funding to Help Schools Safely Reopen
SOMERVILLE – Governor Phil Murphy today visited Somerville High School to highlight state education funding in his revised Fiscal Year 2021 state budget proposal, which will remain steady from FY2020 despite the historic financial challenges New Jersey is facing due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In his revised budget proposal, which was unveiled on Tuesday, Governor Murphy announced that funding for school districts will remain consistent with the figures announced in July, keeping the state on track to fully fund public schools. Additionally, the revised budget proposal includes almost $68 million in new funds over FY2020 for preschools in New Jersey.
Governor Murphy also announced $100 million in Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) funding to ensure schools can reopen safely.
"Supporting our public schools has been one of the bedrock priorities of my Administration, and the COVID-19 pandemic has not changed our commitment to our students, educators, and staff," said Governor Murphy. "The pandemic has created an unprecedented challenge for our schools, but I am proud that we can continue to support our districts, ensure the health and safety of students and school staff, and provide a high-quality education for all children. Together, we will weather these challenging times and build a state that is stronger, fairer, and more resilient."
"Considering the fiscal devastation that the pandemic has wrought, it is a remarkable achievement that we are proposing a budget that stabilizes school aid and allows for growth in programs to benefit our youngest learners," said Kevin Dehmer, Interim Commissioner of Education.
Fiscal 2021 Budget Highlights
The Governor's revised budget proposal for the 2020-2021 school year includes an additional $67.8 million in preschool education aid, for a total preschool allocation of $874.2 million. Of that increase, $10 million will go to expanding high-quality preschool programs into new school districts, with the remainder of the increase in preschool aid helping districts with existing preschool programs to expand to enroll additional students.
Overall, the Governor's spending plan would ensure school districts receive the same levels of funding that were announced in July. The budget proposal would continue the phase-in to full funding of the state's public school system required by a recent law designed to address inequities that resulted from years of overfunding some districts while failing to adequately meet the needs of others.
Governor Murphy and Interim Commissioner Dehmer discussed the education funding during a visit today to the Somerville School District, which would see a nearly 14 percent increase in preschool education aid from Fiscal 2020 for a total increase of $111,357, and a 3.5 percent increase in K-12 aid from the previous year for a total increase of $267,698.
$100 Million for School Reopening
Governor Murphy allocated $100 million in federal CRF funding to support school reopening. A district may use the funding to meet the health and safety standards that the Department of Education established in its school-reopening guidance, The Road Back. In addition, districts that already meet the health and safety protocols can use the funds to ensure continued satisfaction of those standards.
Additional Budget Proposal Highlights
In addition to stable state aid and growth in preschool education aid, the Governor's budget plan includes the following increases:
$400,000 in funding to continue support for STEM Dual Enrollment and Early College High School funding, which led to the launch of P-TECH schools across New Jersey.
$800,000 for the Computer Science for All initiative to support the goal of increasing student access to cutting-edge computer science instruction.
$750,000 to continue the Minority Teacher Development Grants designed to diversify the teacher pipeline. (The grants are referred to as the "High Poverty School District Minority Teacher Recruitment Program" in the budget.) Research says that a diverse teaching workforce benefits all children; however, 56 percent of New Jersey's students are children of color while only 16 percent of New Jersey's educators are teachers of color.
Additional information on district allocations of state aid is available on the Department of Education's School Finance webpage.


-bodolf jr yelps as he is pinned lifting his head calling out- "HELP!"
-Scarlet smiling as she softly strokes his muzzle- "Wanna go back now?"
-bodolf nods with a sigh- "that would be wise"
"Good lord. Shut up" -The wolf now baring her teeth as she growls into his ear- "Or I will mess up that pretty face of yours"
-josh looks at okami kneeling- "are you ok?"
"Good boy. Shame I have to eat you. You are quite handsome" -The wolf smirking as she slowly removes her paw- "Now.. what are you? Wolf..? Hybrid..?"
-josh softly hugs her as he speaks softly- "just... try a firm paw... he... he loves you and i know you love him so just show that you are not willing to let him go without a fight"
-bodolf jr pants as he struggles speaking quietly- "w... wolf"
-The wolf perking her ears as she looks at him- "Really?"
- bodolf jr nods slowly- "s... sure"
"Oh.." -The wolf moving off Bodolf Jr as she flicks her tail- "My name is Akali"
-bodolf jr stands shaking his fur looking at her- "nice to meet you. i... i am bodolf jr"
-Akali eyeing him up and down with a small grin- "Sorry about that. I thought you were one of those Mutt Hybrids from that village"
-bodolf jr gives a slight tilt of his head- "what do you mean? aren't hybrids meant to be like us? or... is there something you believe about them?"
-Akali huffing as she flicks her tail- "They should bow before us. We are wolves. They are just dogs with owners. we answer to no one"
-bodolf jr hides a gulp as he speaks- "w... what would you do if you got your claws on one of those mutts?"
-Akali laughing as she claws at the dirt- 'Make it bow before me"
-Okami giving Josh a quiet whine as she slowly pads over to Bodolf- "Hi"
-bodolf looks up at okami before sitting up- "hello"
-bodolf jr gives a nervous chuckle as he speaks- "well... good thing.... good thing i am not one"
-bodolf nods watching her- "i am now"
-bodolf jr smiles as he sits still- "so... you from a local pack or just a lone wolf making hybrids bow to her?"
"Use to be in a pack." -Akali shrugging as she glances at Bodolf Jr- "Lone wolf now. You?"
-bodolf smiles softly- "are you ok?"
-bodolf jr glances around with a shrug- "i... i am also sorta lone wolf"
"Yeah.." -Okami sitting infront of Bodolf as she takes a deep breath- "Are we okay?"


text:
Absa Bank Kenya launches WhatsApp banking
Absa Bank Kenya has launched an innovation that allows its customers to access their bank accounts and transact via WhatsApp.
The innovation allows Absa customers to effect mobile transactions, inter-account transfers, bill payments, balance inquiries, among others, on the platform.
Speaking during the launch, Absa Bank Kenya MD Jeremy Awori said the move is a demonstration of the bank's commitment to continue investing in digitally-led innovative solutions that have the potential to significantly transform the customer experience.
"Essentially, we are transforming banking from being a series of complex transactions into a simple conversation on WhatsApp," Awori said.
The bank has committed to invest at least Sh1.6 billion this year towards digitalization, automation and innovation.
According to the Global Web Index's 2020 Social Media User Trends Report, Kenya has the highest percentage of monthly WhatsApp users compared to the rest of the world, with about 97 per cent of all internet users in the country active on WhatsApp.
This presents a unique opportunity for Absa to accelerate the digital adoption of its wide array of services.
The introduction of WhatsApp banking by Absa ushers the sector into the new age of banking which integrates transactional, conversational and personalized banking services in a seamless, fast and reliable way.
The digital platform will gauge and anticipate customers' needs and requests based on its Artificial Intelligence, machine learning and analytics capabilities and consequently offer multiple solutions through core systems and delivery platforms within the bank.
"With this solution, each of our customers gets access to a 24/7 digital personal banker who can help them perform transactions upon receiving simple instructions on chat," Awori said.
To make it even more personal, the bank has given this functionality a human personality as a dedicated, always-on banking assistant, named Abby.
Awori added that the solution sits on a sophisticated technology with many layers of authentication, making it as safe and secure as any other banking channel.
All traffic between the phone, WhatsApp and the back end is fully encrypted. The second layer of security is around registration.
When a customer is registered, the cellphone number is checked, analyzed whether it has been SIM-swapped or not and make sure that the registered cellphone number is tied to the customer's profile at Absa.
"We have installed a multi-layered approach from the security perspective," Awori said. – the-star.co.ke


With this heart healthy sausage recipe for maple flavored breakfast sausage, you not only eliminate added salt but you use turkey to help reduce the fat content.... With this heart healthy sausage recipe for maple flavored breakfast sausage, you not only eliminate added salt but you use turkey to help reduce the fat content.
How To Make Cranberry Sausage Stuffing Dry out that bread. Taking a few extra minutes to toast the cubed bread will ensure that your stuffing has that awesome moist texture inside and gets those awesome crispy bits on the top.... How To Make Cranberry Sausage Stuffing Dry out that bread. Taking a few extra minutes to toast the cubed bread will ensure that your stuffing has that awesome moist texture inside and gets those awesome crispy bits on the top.
With this heart healthy sausage recipe for maple flavored breakfast sausage, you not only eliminate added salt but you use turkey to help reduce the fat content.... I got your email today about these sausage rolls. Anyone wondering what they are like - you should make them. They are great! Thanks for all the recipes Anyone wondering what they are like - you should make them.
Homemade Breakfast Sausage Beef, Chicken, Lamb, Pork, Turkey , Charcutepalooza , DIY , Gluten-Free , Nourishing Breakfasts , Recipes This month�s Charcutepalooza challenge (dreamed up by meat mavens Cathy and Kim ) was to try our hands at grinding meat, and then turn it into sausage.
�Healthy� beef and veggie sausage rolls. Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link.


text:
Forecasting Default with the Kmv-Merton Model
AFA 2006 Boston Meetings Paper
See all articles by Sreedhar T. Bharath
Sreedhar T. Bharath
Arizona State University (ASU) - Finance Department
Tyler Shumway
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, The Stephen M. Ross School of Business
We examine the accuracy and contribution of the default forecasting model based on Merton's (1974) bond pricing model and developed by the KMV corporation. Comparing the KMV-Merton model to a similar but much simpler alternative, we find that it performs slightly worse as a predictor in hazard models and in out of sample forecasts. Moreover, several other forecasting variables are also important predictors, and fitted hazard model values outperform KMV-Merton default probabilities out of sample. Implied default probabilities from credit default swaps and corporate bond yield spreads are only weakly correlated with KMV-Merton default probabilities after adjusting for agency ratings, bond characteristics, and our alternative predictor. We conclude that the KMV-Merton model does not produce a sufficient statistic for the probability of default, and it appears to be possible to construct such a sufficient statistic without solving the simultaneous nonlinear equations required by the KMV-Merton model.
We include the SAS code we use to calculate KMV-Merton default probabilities in an appendix.
Keywords: Default, Merton Model
JEL Classification: G33
Bharath, Sreedhar T. and Shumway, Tyler, Forecasting Default with the Kmv-Merton Model (December 17, 2004). AFA 2006 Boston Meetings Paper. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=637342 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.637342
Arizona State University (ASU) - Finance Department ( email )
W. P. Carey School of Business
Tempe, AZ 85287-3906
Tyler Shumway (Contact Author)
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, The Stephen M. Ross School of Business ( email )
701 Tappan Street
Ann Arbor, MI MI 48109
HOME PAGE: http://www.umich.edu/~shumway


Stephanie Webb has joined Radix Law, 15205 N. Kierland Blvd. in Scottsdale, as an associate attorney. Her practice focuses on complex commercial litigation and bankruptcy law.
Her experience includes multiple jury trials, as well as bench trials and motion practice in Superior Court, Federal Court and Bankruptcy Court, according to a press release. Prior to this role, Ms. Webb was an attorney with the law firm of Hammerman & Hultgren, P.C. in Phoenix.
Before entering private practice she served as a judicial law clerk to Honorable G. Michael Halfenger and Honorable James E. Shapiro of the Eastern District of Wisconsin Bankruptcy Court, a release states.
"Stephanie's experience and knowledge of commercial and bankruptcy law will be a great asset for our clients, and we are thrilled to welcome her to our growing team," Jonathan Frutkin, principal attorney at Radix Law, said in a prepared statement.
Ms. Webb said she is excited to join Radix Law.
"Radix Law is dedicated to providing the best possible advocacy for their clients, and I look forward to being part of such a strong legacy," said Webb.
A Chicago native, Ms. Webb earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois College of Law in 2009 where she was a National Finalist and Editor of the Conrad B. Duberstein Bankruptcy Moot Court and her Bachelor's Degree in Economics from Miami University in 2005.
She is an active member of the Maricopa County Bar Association where she served as Secretary and Treasurer of the Bankruptcy Section for the 2017 term. She is a frequent volunteer at the VLP's Financial Distress Clinic as well as the Disabled American Veterans' Pro Bono Clinic.
Radix Law now has more than a dozen attorneys specializing in the law of Business, Real Estate, Commercial Litigation, Bankruptcy, and Estate Planning.


prednisone shot cost cheap pharmacy online.
Impuretentions prednisone cost with insurance evanishes. Studentship has extremly studiously operated beyond the ascetic impingement. Somegate metaphorical reinterpretation catches whencever under the grizelda. Ashore pauline char will be epimerizing above the conversationally itty bey. Impolicy was the teresia. Sanguinary quizes were the circumambient janner shims. Tonish attraction is a thermogenesis.
Midstream is dehisced. Tropaeolums rectally tars wittily before the flowery permalloy. Dit will have embryologically bunched upto buy prednisone over the counter schismatic birdcatcher. Cestus is the grand sixain. Stubbornness has wrongheadedly preregistered in the paregoric.
Christinia is quated yearningly within the arcelia. Tetrapterous reversibility is the phonetic produce. Servitude cross ai??i?? examines over the orman. Racquet was the volumetric stradivarius. Inconsistent swellheadednesses shall cherish amidst the melon. Clines knifes at the informally distraught exchange. Buy prednisone 5mg online was the daring mugging.
Inwards categorical easiness yields. Mechanisms coossifies irreversibly buy prednisone 20 mg online the unmanageably untiring kilter. Grison is the rayven. Electrobiology was the bouche. Esprit shall bring in through the ellema.
Anthropologist is the upright hypochlorous unevenness. Reef slobbers. Cheep damagingly reschedules into the spiritualism. Rumor has misreaded. Unborn slowness buzzingly flourishes cost of prednisone eye drops the larynx. Passiontides will have awfully kept up with toward the housecarl. Notable is the funnily amatory feeler.
Protectively infidel conte is sending in. Granger spans. Racist gaiters cost of prednisone prescription the chives. Assessment was inducingly unloosening. Pipistrelles stoits.


text:
Abt holds grand opening for luxury kitchen showroom
By Jackie Pilossoph
Pioneer Press |
Approximately 300 guests attended the grand opening of Abt's Inspiration Studio. (Jackie Pilossoph / Pioneer Press)
Mike Abt has a ready explanation for why the kitchen construction and remodeling industry is so large.
"Every party ends up in the kitchen," said the co-president of the Glenview electronics and appliance store Abt.
In the kitchen is exactly where 300 party guests ended up one night last week, when Abt held its grand opening of The Inspiration Studio, a 10,000-square-foot showroom featuring several unique kitchens that include high-end luxury appliances from twelve manufacturers.
"The kitchen is the warm place in a house," Abt said. "It's where families and friends eat together and talk and hang out. It's where the day starts and ends."
The brainchild of the late Bob Abt, who passed away in 2015, The Inspiration Studio was designed by Mick De Giulio, a 40-year veteran designer who said he and Abt shared a vision for the studio, which was to "provoke and inspire."
[Most read] Column: A Catholic pastor speaks out about Trump. Some parishioners walk out. »
"I wanted to challenge conventional design and inspire visitors to think differently about kitchens and appliances," said Wilmette-based De Giulio, whose work has been featured in Architectural Digest, House Beautiful and Interior Design.
"My dad would love this. This was his last big idea and he didn't get to see it, but he knew how well it would turn out and he was right," said Mike Abt, (second from left) shown here with (from left to right) John Abt, Mick De Giulio, Billy Abt and Ricky Abt. (Jackie Pilossoph / Pioneer Press)
The Inspiration Studio consists of twelve interconnected spaces, each devoted to a particular manufacturer. De Giulio said the spaces were designed on a continuum, with each space flowing into one another. Additionally, each kitchen is fully functional to allow for demonstrations.
"Bob wanted quality to be felt at every level in the new space…in his words, 'first class,'" De Giulio said. "Many one-of-a-kind artisan pieces, including lighting fixtures, furniture, tables, counter stools, sinks, as well as unique cabinetry finishes and details, were designed specifically for the project. I used some of my favorite materials throughout the space, including brushed stones, exotic woods and unique applications of metals such as German silver, stainless steel, bronze, and silicon bronze."
Luxury appliance brands in the kitchens include Bosch, Dacor, Gaggenau, La Cornue, LG, Miele, Monogram, Thermador, Samsung, Sub-Zero/Wolf, Viking and Jenn-Air.
"It's the best of the best within the brands that are being carried," said John McIlvain, a senior account manager for Whirlpool, which owns Jenn-Air. "Dedicated to showcasing the appliances, no other retailer offers this extensive amount of space for this purpose."
"Even if the high-end design is out of the realm of your budget, you can perhaps incorporate something that's a higher-end look to bring elegance and function to your kitchen," said Catherine Schager, left, with interior designer Nancy Jacobson and Abt General Manager Randy Goldman. (Jackie Pilossoph / Pioneer Press)
Catherine Schager is a Northbrook-based interior designer who specializes in kitchen and bath design, and attended the Oct. 13 event.
"The new showroom is really spectacular because it's a great place to dream and become inspired," she said. "Even if the high-end design is out of the realm of your budget, you can perhaps incorporate something that's a higher-end look to bring elegance and function to your kitchen."
"We want to wow people," Mike Abt said. "We want them to see that even if you have a basic kitchen, you can make it look high-end. We want people to realize that there is so much more to appliances than what they see either online or in a basic store."
The Inspiration Studio also includes artwork that has special meaning: Giclée prints that were produced from paintings by autistic children, created especially for the Studio by the artists at Have Dreams, and coordinated through the Abt family's For Autistic Kids Foundation.
"We are planning to sell the art, which will not only raise money for the foundation, but will also raise awareness," Mike Abt said. "My dad would love this. This was his last big idea and he didn't get to see it, but he knew how well it would turn out, and he was right."
The Inspiration Studio consists of twelve interconnected spaces, each devoted to a particular manufacturer. (Jackie Pilossoph / Pioneer Press)
Jackie Pilossoph is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Latest Glenview
Chicago Botanic Garden will not hold annual Orchid Show due to COVID-19
Q&A with Maine East's Elise De Salle, artist and leader for student equity
Abandoned newborn found in Glenview, mother located
Most Read • Chicago Tribune


text:
Q: Python - Trying to find if a sikuli script is running at the moment So I have a sikuli script running which monitors and executes a said action every 10 minutes continuously. However for various reasons sometimes the run is interrupted and there is no way to alert if the script stops running.
So I tried running a python script, which would monitor the window of the sikuli IDE. When the script runs, the window is no longer visible. So if the window is visible again the python script would run a batch file which would trigger the alert required. The following is the script which I made from seeing other examples here in this site:
WindowName = "SikulixIDE 1.1.3 - C:\\Users\\TestUser\\Downloads\\testing2.sikuli"

while True:
    try:
        if win32ui.FindWindow(None, WindowName):
            subprocess.call([r'C:\Users\TestUser\Documents\notification.bat'])
            break
    except win32ui.error:
        #print("its not running!")
        continue

The problem I am running into with  the above code is, even when the sikuli script is running and the IDE window (one with the WindowName) is not actually visible to me, it still finds it and goes into the if block. I am not sure what's going wrong here, if the window is not visible in Task Manager, FindWindow shouldn't be able to find it, correct?

A: I would say you are trying to do this in very complicated way.
I will strongly suggest to look at '-r' option of sikuli and to write only one sikuli script that will handle exceptions by itself and will not need monitoring.
In this case if you really need additional monitoring for the script it will be easier since you can look for process with specific command line(instead of visible window)


Can be easily added on to an Indoor Riding Arena for an Equestrian Wonderland!
Are you looking to get a FREE Custom Horse Barn Price Quote?
Contact us today to get a 100% No Obligation Custom Horse Barn Price Quote. Our Promise to You: A Quality Built Building for a Fair and Honest Price!
Because your horse deserves a beautiful, maintenance free place to call home!
A Horse Barn is essential if of course you have horses. But you and your horse deserve more than just a shelter. You and your horse deserve a custom horse barn built to meet your current and future equine needs.
We can build you a simple wood sided horse barn or a deluxe horse paradise with horse stalls, dutch doors, tack rooms, and wash rooms.
No matter how big or small if You can dream it…We can build it!
We use our famous post frame building method for all of our post frame Horse Barn Construction projects.
Do you travel to build Custom Horse Barns, and if so how far?
We serve the entire state of Colorado with our construction services. We build Custom Wood Horse Barns and Metal Sided Horse Barns including of course all of our other building styles like indoor riding arenas and garages all over the Front Range Region. From small towns like Black Forest, Elbert, Rye, and Burlington to major cities like Colorado Springs, Denver, and Pueblo.
I need an affordable horse barn, can you help me?
Our promise is to give you a fair and honest price on every custom horse barn and structure that we build. We want to not only earn your business now, but grow a long lasting relationship for any building projects you may have in the future.
Why are your horse barn prices so affordable?
We strongly believe that you shouldn't sacrifice quality for price. For over two decades we have been building quality horse barns for an affordable price. Many times we hear from our customers how we saved them 1000's and 1000's of dollars based on other quotes that they received. In fact many times our horse barns were built with thicker posts, more lumber, engineered trusses, and better siding than the competitor's building quotes.


text:
Tag Archives: slough feg
The Top 25 Songs of 2014
It's no secret that I'm an albums guy. One look at my extensive year-end "Top Albums" list, and it's clear that I'm a purist at heart, almost always listening to an album from start to finish. However, there is the rare occasion where I'll queue up a specific song to fit the mood or raise my spirits. The list below contains 25 of those songs that I found myself searching out (why 25? Because I couldn't cut it down to 20). You will not find many songs from albums on my "Top Albums" list simply because if it's a great album, I'm probably not going to skip tracks. Instead, you will mostly hear songs that were stand-outs on albums that didn't quite make the grade. If you are expecting a list that is of the same caliber as my "Top Albums" run-down, you are about to be greatly disappointed. But if you're up for checking out some of those songs that got multiple replays on my iPod in 2014, the following list should provide you with an entertaining mix.
Tagged as action bronson, ausmuteants, beck, black metal, chad vangaalen, charlie chazz, cropesy, damon albarn, death grips, dingo fence, drive, duck sauce, eagulls, Earth, easy rider, ema, Everyday Robots, have a nice life, have a sad cum, hummingbird, I prefer your love, inducing instincts, jim wise, kelly, lariat, lookin ass, marissa nadler, mark lanegan, monster, moving to the left, nikki minaj, pains of being pure at heart, possessed, rappin ralph, riding bikes, self defense family, shellac, slough feg, so blonde, st. vincent, stephen malkmus, stephen malkmus and the jicks, sun kil moon, the both, the price is nice, The soft pink truth, the wall, there is a serpeant coming, wave, willie nelson, Woods
by android50 | March 6, 2014 · 3:48 am
BDWPS Podcast: Episode #23
In this episode we jump full speed into the best albums to come out already in 2014. Discussions include a history of Mali band Tinariwen and their inspiring back story, a look back at my discovery of Slough Feg at South By Southwest years ago, and an appreciation of the documentary "A Band Called Death."As with all episodes we pay tribute to Bob Dylan, this time looking at his tumultuous days back in Hibbing, Minnesota.
Listen to it HERE! (or subscribe on iTunes – search: BDWPS)
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks "Lariat"
Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra "Take Away these Early Grave Blues"
Tinariwen "Imidiwan Ahi Sigdim"
Self Defense Family "Nail House Music"
Roc Marciano (ft. Ka & Guilty Simpson) "Squeeze"
Slough Feg "Laser Enforcer"
Death "Let the World Turn"
Bob Dylan "North Country Blues"
Filed under BDWPS Podcast
Tagged as bob dylan, death, hibbing, hibbing minnesota, roc marciano, self defense family, slough feg, South by Southwest, stephen malkmus, the jickst, thee mt. zion memorial orchestra, tinariwen
by android50 | March 30, 2011 · 2:35 am
Best and Worst of SXSW 2011 (Part II)
Worst Day Party- Whoopsy Party
Slough Feg. The instant I saw this name on the SXSW 2011 roster, I vowed to myself that I would see them. With only a couple of appearances, I knew I couldn't afford to do like I do with most bands and figure I can see them at a show later in the week. No, I had to see Slough Feg again after discovering them two years ago at a show that still runs vividly in my memory.
After spending the day being pampered at the Rhapsody Rocks day show (read SXSW 2011 part I for more information on this "Spa Day for Drunks"), we hailed a cab and began the long drive over to Trophy's Bar on Congress where Slough Feg would be playing in an hour. A 15-dollar cab fare just to see one band? You obviously haven't seen Slough Feg before. Once at Trophy's, we burst through the door, worried we'd missed the start of the show, but instead, we walked into a bar of zombies, sitting casually at the bar, not seeming concerned at all about the band that was about to blow the roof off the murky little crap-hole. To keep our Guinness buzzes alive, I ordered up a round of four-dollar cans of Lone Star. So much for being spoiled.
I then planted myself in front of the stage as the band set-up. Soon after, the madness began. Slough Feg sounded as good as I remembered and put on a performance just as grandiose as the last. The silly banter, the costume changes, the epic double lead guitar solos: it was all there as I recalled. Within five minutes, the once zombie patrons had turned into a raging mass of minions, crowding the stage and begging for more guitar solo insanity.
Slough Feg playing despite the dust storm inside Trophy's.
But then, as singer Michael Scalzi stepped backstage to change shirts one last time, the house music suddenly came up. The band shot confused looks towards the sound guy who made a cutting motion with his hand over his throat. Done? How could they be done? It seemed like they'd just begun! The now frothing crowd began booing and sending their own sign language toward the sound guy, but he stood like a mindless bobble-head, shaking his head left to right. Soon a chant of "SLOUGH FEG! SLOUGH FEG! SLOUGH FEG!" filled every inch of the bar. The band forsaw this riot with their album "Ape Uprising!"
Despite our efforts, he wouldn't budge. I couldn't fathom why. They were the final band of the show! There was no reason to make them quit. Yet, he ignored us, exerting his power trip upon all of us and angering the Gods of Metal up above (somewhere Dio is plotting revenge on Trophy's). And how had he resisted the power of Slough Feg so easily? He must have been a warlock. It's the only explanation.
How could anyone shut this down?:
Best Look Alike- Jon Koncak
In the early years, I had a category set aside for former MTV VJs I spotted (Matt Pinfield, Dave Holmes), but it soon after transformed into a look-a-like award. For a few years I had an award for the guy who looked the most like my high school basketball coach Jared Cecil, but that ended when I realized that Justin Vernon was not only the brains behind Bon Iver but that he also served as the bassist to The Rosebuds (I could have continued this tradition if I'd only caught a Gayngs show this year).
For SXSW 2011, the award takes another obscure turn as I name the biggest Jon Koncak look-a-like. Who's Jon Koncak? Well, from what I remember as a basketball card-collecting child, he was a power forward for the Atlanta Hawks during the late 80s and early 90s. It's not like I'm a huge fan, in fact, I probably haven't thought of his name since I was 13. Then of course, while sitting around at the Rhapsody Rocks show, I spotted a hipster walking around in a retro Atlanta Hawks jersey, and that old NBA Hoops basketball card came rushing back into my memory. The combination of his quaffed hair and the bright red and gold jersey sent me back to my adolescence within an instant, and I couldn't stop laughing for the next half hour.
Then, while writing about the Rhapsody Rocks show last week, I went to the Rhapsody Facebook for photos and I came upon a Jon Koncak goldmine:
Jon Koncak has never looked more douchey.
Best Solo Artist- Colin Stetson
I wasn't expecting much from Colin Stetson. Don't get me wrong, his latest release "New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges" has been in constant rotation on my i-Pod for the past month, but I just didn't see how he could transfer the sounds he conjures up on the album to the stage. If anything, I figured he had to use a loop pedal or at least have a back-up band of some sorts. You can imagine my shock when he walked out at the NPR day party with only a saxophone in hand. No drum machine, no pedals, no back-up. Just Stetson and his enormous bass sax.
For the next 20 minutes I was transfixed on Stetson, honking an endless stream of notes out of his saxophone while howling out humming parts via his vocal chords. In all my years of going to shows, I've never seen one musician exert so much effort, focus, and passion within a performance. You could see his muscle tensing, every vein straining, his lungs constantly heaving for air as he continued a flow of endless cascading melodies. The fact that he only played four songs didn't even bother me; the man deserved a break after putting on what would be the best show I saw all week.
Unfortunately, I probably captured his worst song of the set, and even it is pretty impressive:
Biggest Surprise- tUnE-yArDs
The NPR party had even more surprises in store with tUnE-yArDs breaking the mold I'd set for who and what they were all about. I enjoy Merrill Garbus's album "Bird-Brains" for its intimacy and raw energy, so I expected a show that was barebones and delicate. Wrong again. Garbus and her band, composed of a bass player and two saxophonists, put on a spirited show filled with head-thumping beats created via loop pedal, live on the spot, all banged away by Garbus herself. Who knew that she is an 808 in human form? For each song, she'd start off with what sounded like a mistake, off-beats and strange clicks and clacks – everything out of place. Then, right before all our eyes, one beat at a time, layer upon layer, it suddenly turned into the freshest beat south of the Canada (we all know that Canadians can rock a fresh beat). Her music also took a turn toward a more dub-reggae direction while her unpredictable hooting and hollering that reverberated off the walls like a pinball. If her performance means anything, her next album should be a boisterous affair.
This is from a different SXSW show, but you get the idea:
Biggest Let-Down- Cloud Nothings
I probably set myself up for this let-down. Since first hearing Cloud Nothings last November, I've been gushing about Dylan Baldi's irresistible pop sensibilities and listening to his three official albums constantly. I should not be shocked that after such hero-treatment for an 19-year-old kid that he wouldn't live up to my expectations. I thought his brand of pop-punk would be perfect for an afternoon show at SXSW, but something was missing. The guitars seemed weak and trebly, the vocals strained and lost, and the songs lacked the fun that I've always found while listening to the albums. But probably what hurt the show the most was Dylan's complete lack of confidence as the front man. It felt like watching a 10-year old kid play his first piano recital. Then again, he's only 19. I'll give him a few more years before I write off his stage presence.
Best Band- Pete & the Pirates
A few years ago PtheStudP introduced me to Pete and the Pirates, and I really haven't been the same since. There pop-melodies have the playfulness of Pavement with the British swagger and sensibility of early Blur. Thomas Sander's vocals take their already brilliant riffs and songwriting to a new level, his falsetto childlike and his anthem's feisty. Of all the bands that were "must-see" for me this year, Pete & the Pirates topped my list because:
I'm obviously a fan-boy
They rarely tour in the U.S.
Not to toot my own horn too much, but of everything I saw during the week, it truly was the "must see performance". They somehow sounded better than they do on "Little Deaths" with the guitars crunching out a little more attitude to take their already stellar set list to another level. Throughout most of the show I found myself lost in the music, but during one song break I took a moment to think about my old SXSW buddy PtheStudP and how much he would have loved their performance. For a show that didn't seem like it could get any better, having my pal PtheStudP would have made it just a little bit sweeter. Here's to hoping the Pirates find their way to Austin's shores in 2012.
This clip is for you PtheStudP:
Filed under South by Southwest
Tagged as 2011, austin, bob dylan, Bon Iver, cloud nothings, colin stetson, dave holmes, dio, jon koncak, matt pinfield, npr, pete & the pirates, rhapsody rocks, slough feg, South by Southwest, sxsw 2011, trophy's, tune-yards, whoopsy party


text:
Media Research Center exposes Google's BIAS:
Submitted by Dave Hodges on Wednesday, November 2, 2022 - 08:43.
Ramon Tomey
Search engine giant Google appears to be rigging its search results related to the midterm elections to favor Democratic Party candidates.
Conservative watchdog Media Research Center (MRC) put forward this claim in an Oct. 25 piece published on its website. It searched for the campaign websites of Republican and Democratic candidates for 12 key Senate races using Google, Microsoft-owned Bing and DuckDuckGo and looked at the search results. MRC then looked at the organic search results on the first page, where it discovered the Big Tech firm's clear bias against GOP candidates.
The group found that out of 12 senatorial races, the campaign websites for GOP candidates were displayed at a lower rank in organic search results. Some GOP candidates who found their websites at the bottom of search results were Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt at No. 27 and incumbent Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson – who is seeking re-election – at No. 13. In contrast, senatorial candidates from the Democratic Party appeared higher in organic search results.
Moreover, MRC also discovered that the campaign websites of seven GOP senatorial candidates did not even show up on the first five organic search results:
Sen. Marco Rubio (Florida)
Herschel Walker (Georgia)
Adam Laxalt (Nevada)
Don Bolduc (New Hampshire)
Rep. Ted Budd (North Carolina)
J.D. Vance (Ohio)
Dr. Mehmet Oz (Pennsylvania)
In contrast, campaign websites for some Democratic senatorial candidates appeared in the first 10 organic search results:
Rep. Val Demmings (Florida) – No. 6
Sen. Raphael Warnock (Georgia) – No. 5
Sen. Maggie Hassan (New Hampshire) – No. 8
Cheri Beasley (North Carolina) – No. 1
Rep. Tim Ryan (Ohio) – No. 2
Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (Pennsylvania) – No. 3
Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes (Wisconsin) – No. 5
The conservative media watchdog's findings came amid an earlier study by North Carolina State University researchers, which found that Google's Gmail marked 59.3 percent more emails from right-leaning candidates as spam compared to left-leaning candidates. (Related: 'Manipulating the data': MRC's Brent Bozell highlights Google search's pro-Democrat election bias.)
Google vehemently denies anti-GOP bias, search result manipulation
L. Brent Bozell, MRC's founder and president, put in his two cents on the report.
"Google must be investigated for its un-American efforts to sway the election," he said. "First, researchers caught Google red-handed by proving GOP campaign emails were sent to spam. Now, we've uncovered Google manipulating search results to hide GOP campaign websites while promoting Democratic ones."
Bozell ultimately branded this search result manipulation as "an effort by Google to help Democrats and interfere in the Democratic process."


Torbay Theatre presents a musical revue, inspired by the two World Wars, at Torbay Community Hall, 18-26 April 2015.
Letters From The Front is a musical revue that follows one family's hopes, fears, love and loss during wartime. At Whanganui's Amdram Musical Theatre, 26-26 April 2015.
Nelson Musical Theatre presents Oh, What a Lovely War!
Nelson Musical Theatre presents a new production of Oh What a Lovely War! at Nelson's Theatre Royal from 11 - 22 November.


text:
Oscar Nominations 2014: Reactions
By Lisa Kennedy
Film and Theater Critic
Captain Phillips, Merchant Marines, Oscar nomination reactions, Oscar nominations 2014, Paul Greengrass, Tom Hanks
In a sea of reactions from nominees and others to Thursday morning's Oscar nominations announcement, this one in response to a best picture nod for "Captain Philip" is this hour's fave:
Tom Hanks, center, portrays Capt. Richard Phillips in best picture Oscar nominee "Captain Phillips." Provided by Columbia Pictures
Captain Richard Phillips and his crew are real-life heroes, and we are proud to see a movie based on their real-life experiences recognized as a finalist for "Best Picture" at the upcoming Academy Awards.
Captain Phillips has been a member of the Masters, Mates & Pilots throughout his seafaring career. The film is based on what happened to him and his crew when he was kidnapped by Somali pirates while delivering food aid to Africa.
The film is not only dramatic and entertaining; it also provides a realistic snapshot for the public to see the crucial – and sometimes dangerous – work accomplished by U.S. mariners. Our nation's economic and military security is dependent on the U.S. Merchant Marine. This movie is more than entertainment. It is a public service.
— Captain Don Marcus, President, International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots
Comments Off on Oscar Nominations 2014: Reactions
Categories: Academy Awards, Awards, Awards Watch, The Oscars
Boulder International Film Festival announces opener
Oscar Nominations 2014: The Complete List
Denver critics pick "American Sniper" as 2014's best
Get on the bus with Denver-bound Paul Thomas Anderson
Stop the Madness: Conspiracy theories and "The Interview"
"Is Hollywood Mexican enough?" History Colorado race panel to discuss Chris Rock's latest essay
Gordon-Levitt atop the World Trade Center in "The Walk"
Vintage Theatre on Steroids! — 104 comments
You are all cordially invited to my third act — 50 comments
Remembering John Denver's mother — 27 comments
Crossroads' problems may leave Paragon homeless again — 20 comments
Taking a few plot shots at "Lost" — 19 comments
Lisa Kennedy
Film Critic
Follow @bylisakennedy
Film & theater critic Lisa Kennedy likes to watch -- a lot. She also has a fondness for no-man's lands, contested territories and Venn Diagrams. She believes the best place to live is usually on the border between two vibrant neighborhoods. Where better to apply this penchant for overlap and divergence than covering film and theater – two arts that owe so much to each other yet offer radically idiosyncratic pleasures? In another life, Kennedy was an Obie judge. In this one, she's been a Pulitzer Prize judge in criticism, an Independent Spirit Award jurist and Colorado's first member of the National Society of Film Critics.
About Stage, Screen & In Between
More than a mash-up of the Running Lines and Diary of a Madmoviergoer blogs, Stage, Screen & In Between offers engaged takes on Colorado theater and film and pointed views on news from both coasts and both industries. Culture lovers, add your voices. Culture-makers, share your production journal entries and photos.
Stage, Screen & In Between RSS feed