The islands of Croatia have the most variation in dress due to their geographic distance and isolation from one another. They find more similarity with Dalmatia and Istria, but many have their own unique styles not seen elsewhere.
Ganga is a type of singing from rural Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is characterized by a lone singer singing one line of lyrics and then others joining in for what can be best described as a wail. It is a very passionate form of singing, which is one of the reasons it has been limited in popularity to small towns.
In the nineteenth century, a new form of ballroom dancing emerged in Croatia. Elements of European ballroom spread throughout the region, and dances such as the polka soon became widspread all throughout the Croatian regions. Croatian ballroom dancing, or salonsko kolo, emerged in the nineteenth century as a result of the above influences. Due to the Croatian national revival and re-awakening of Croatian culture and national identity, an effort was made to incorporate traditional music and dances into the urban dance revival. Thus, the intellectual idealists saw kolo as a quintessential Slavic dance, and chose to adopt it for the urban context it. It was at this time that the hrvatsko kolo emerged as a choreographed dance.
The sopila (or roženica, as a similar instrument is called in Istria) is an old traditional instrument similar to today's oboe. It has been preserved in the areas of Kvarner, Kastav, Vinodol, and on the island of Krk.
The sopila is a descendant of the old European shawm, an instrument that developed near the end of the Middle Ages and whose main characteristics were double reeds and a conical bore along the entire instrument. This primitive instrument disappeared completely from European music around 1700, when it was replaced by the much more refined oboe. The old shawm was still to be found here and there in Europe, but only as a folk instrument (e.g. in the Swiss Alps, in Abruzzi, Italy, where it is called the piffero, and, of course, in Istria and the Kvarner region of Croatia).


text:
Elizabeth Olsen recalls her Game of Thrones audition story: 'It was terrible'
By Nick Romano
May 18, 2019 at 11:10 AM EDT
Every actor has a bad audition story. Elizabeth Olsen's happens to be for one the biggest television roles of the past decade.
Speaking with Vulture, the Avengers: Endgame actress, who broke big in the Marvel franchise with Scarlet Witch, recalled her own "bad audition story" about that time she auditioned to play Daenerys Targaryen on HBO's Game of Thrones.
"When I first started working, I just auditioned for everything, because I like auditioning. And I auditioned for Khaleesi. I forgot that," she said. "It was the most awkward audition I'd ever had."
Rich Fury/WireImage; HBO
This audition came about 10 years ago, according to Olsen. Tamzin Merchant (Pride & Prejudice) was originally cast in the role of Daenerys for the infamous pilot, but she dropped off the series and was later replaced with Emilia Clarke.
Olsen remembers auditioning with a monologue from the end of season 1, from "after she just burned."
"She's making this speech to thousands of people about how she's their queen," she said. "They didn't know if they wanted a British accent or not. So, you did it in both. It was terrible. Anytime someone says, 'Bad audition story.' That's one I remember."
Olsen, though a Game of Thrones fan like the rest of us, now has her own franchise. In addition to her role in Sorry For Your Loss, she's taking her Scarlet Witch role to a Marvel series WandaVision for Disney's upcoming streaming platform, Disney+.
Disney's new streaming service to feature Loki and Scarlet Witch shows
What George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood can tell us about the final season of Game of Thrones
Emilia Clarke on Game of Thrones finale's twist: 'I stand by Daenerys'
SNL recap: Kit Harington is Game for anything, Jason Sudeikis returns as Biden
By Dan Snierson
S8 E6 Recap
Game of Thrones series finale recap: This is the end
By James Hibberd
Game of Thrones recap for season 8, episode 5: Queens of the ashes
Game of Thrones recap of Winterfell battle: A dark, epic bloodbath
Game of Thrones recap: Daenerys finds out
Game of Thrones season 8 premiere recap: Jon finds out
Game of Thrones finale recap: 'The Dragon and the Wolf'
Game of Thrones recap: 'Beyond the Wall'
Game of Thrones recap: 'Eastwatch'
Game of Thrones recap: 'The Spoils of War'
Game of Thrones recap: 'The Queen's Justice'
Game of Thrones recap: 'Stormborn'
Game of Thrones premiere recap: 'Dragonstone'
S6 E10 Recap
Game of Thrones season 6 finale recap: The Winds of Winter
Game of Thrones recap: Battle of the Bastards
Game of Thrones recap: No One
Game of Thrones recap: The Broken Man
Game of Thrones recap: Blood of My Blood
Game of Thrones recap: The Door
Game of Thrones recap: Book of the Stranger
Game of Thrones recap: Oathbreaker
Game of Thrones recap: Home
Game of Thrones premiere recap: The Red Woman
HBO's epic fantasy drama based on George R.R. Martin's novel series 'A Song of Ice and Fire.'
TV-MA
04/17/11-05/19/19
David Benioff,
Kit Harington,
Emilia Clarke,
Peter Dinklage,
Available For Streaming On
By Nick Romano @NickARomano

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Jacob Fremont is the adopted Chinese son of a high-powered Seattle coffee buyer. He too has a scar on his face — where his cleft palate used to be — and tends to hide, under costumes that peg him as a Goth, a skater, a preppy. But unlike Terra, he always knows who he is and why that matters. Terra literally bumps into Jacob in a fender bender outside a coffee shop.
Why Do We Love Them: Terra lives under the crippling weight of hiding her true self, because she's sure she's grotesque — even her father calls her "pretty ugly." But Jacob sees her for who she is and *wants* her to see the beauty within her — and that her birthmark is part of who she is, not something she needs to obsessively try to erase. Their relationship is filled with meaningful conversations and experiences. In the same way that they complement each other, their mothers, both damaged from difficult relationships, help each other heal as well. Jacob helps Terra see beyond the superficial and discover what she's passionate about; he's her compass, her guide, figuratively and literally. He's the kind of partner we all need, and together they have a fiery but passionate friendship that turns into the kind of life-changing love that few teens find so young.
"This is beautiful," I said, ignoring the shop window to trace the gleaming stone walls fronting another boutique.
He knew me in all the ways that truly mattered: the shape of my fears, the contours of my dreams.
And then there was Jacob, who stepped closer to me and then waited, letting me decide whether I would take the next step. Balanced there in indecision, it was as if the Twisted Sisters were before me, shaking their pom-poms, asking: But what is fair about staying with a guy who is ashamed to be seen with you? What was so miraculous about a relationship that was based more on my gratitude than mutual respect.
The pressure of his touch through my jacket and my sweater was more assurance than any promise ever made to me. It was a touch that said, I have your back and I am here for you. If a girl wasn't careful, she could fall in love with a touch like that.
YAY!! I love Jacob and Terra and this book way more than a person should love fictional characters. I read this book a couple of years ago and I still think of it quite often. It's that kind of book.
Dude, we had no idea what this book was actually about, despite hearing tons of buzz about it all the time. You've totally sold us! What great characters.
I really loved this book for so many reasons – self acceptance is so tough especially for the YA age group and I thought it was handled beautifully. Terra and Jacob are great characters and their abilities to see the best and strongest in one another was really compelling. Great couple – I agree wholeheartedly!


text:
Photo Credit: Kampus Production
Blavity-U, News
Morehouse College Will Offer Black History Course Taught In The Metaverse
Using virtual reality, students have explored the Underground Railroad, a slave ship and other historical sites.
by Evie B.
During the spring semester of 2023, Professor Ovell Hamilton of Morehouse College will lead students through a groundbreaking course in Black history. All of the lectures and classwork will take place in the metaverse. It is a shared virtual 3D space where students and teachers can use avatars to talk to each other and work together.
Morehouse College to guide students through a first-of-its-kind course in which Black history is taught entirely through the metaverse. https://t.co/DT9jLB4S7n
— NBC News (@NBCNews) November 28, 2022
Wearing virtual reality headsets in class will allow students to experience the harsh reality of African slaves stacked in chains on the deck of a slave ship. Students will also witness a slave standing at the ship's edge, contemplating the agonizing decision between continued servitude and the release that comes with death.
Jerad Evan Young, a 41-year-old Black man, studying film, television, and new media at Morehouse College, shared that the experience undoubtedly conjures up emotions of sadness.
"It definitely evokes emotions of sorrow," Evan Young told NBC News.
In Hamilton's global history course, he had the opportunity to virtually visit the Underground Railroad and a slave ship.
"Also, there's a sense of pride because not everybody made it through the slave trade. You know, you had to really be a strong individual. So, that let me know that my ancestors were strong enough to last that grueling journey across the sea," he said.
Hamilton was among the eleven professors who used virtual reality technology to teach students at Morehouse College's first metaverse class last spring. He is creating the first in-depth Black history course utilizing the VR technology of VictoryXR.
Students can use the metaverse to experience significant events in American history, such as Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech in Washington, D.C., in 1963 or the integration of Little Rock, Arkansas's public high school, by nine African American students in 1957.
Furthermore, they can go on a tour of a slave ship.
The Virtual Reality Project, which includes the new course "History of the African Diaspora Since 1800," utilizes VR to educate students about Black history while also cultivating a feeling of belonging.
The new course will follow the same general outline as "Journey for Civil Rights," a Black history course taught by Hamilton this past spring through the independent VictoryXR organization rather than the university.
It will begin with the Haitian Revolution and progress through the development of the civil rights movement.
The La Amistad slave ship, the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, where Dr. King preached, and the battlefields —where students can see Black soldiers during the Civil War and World War I — will all be recreated using much of the same material.
Hamilton believes that his students gain a deeper understanding of the material and are more invested in its mastery by using the metaverse in a classroom.
"That is an experience that they would not have if they were sitting in a classroom if they were sitting in a lecture," Hamilton shared.
"When you go there and see the bottom of a slave ship, see the slaves packed in together … you will have a new appreciation, and you have a greater knowledge of how the events took place," the professor continued.
To teach his lessons in the metaverse, Hamilton used 3D innovation tools to build environments like Dinosaur Island, a virtual world where students can observe dinosaurs and a prehistoric landscape "to see the true experience."
Hamilton also showed his students the Middle Ages and the Colosseum in Rome.
Freshman sociology major Kade Davis, 18, who is also enrolled in Professor Hamilton's world history class, has found that the metaverse has increased his ability to interact with others and gain insight into the discussions in other courses.
He said that thanks to the metaverse, he has traveled to exotic locations like the Mayan pyramids in Mexico.
Davis added that the students were given a guided and detailed tour of the pyramid and were encouraged to ask questions then and there.
"It was impressive to see that … like, outside of a textbook and be able to articulate and immerse in the environment and actually learn more about it," he expressed.
Director of the Virtual Reality Project and assistant professor of chemistry at Morehouse, Muhsinah Morris, said the program was launched in the fall of 2020 in response to a growing number of students dropping out left and right following the institution's shift to a fully online curriculum.
Morehouse joined forces with VictoryXR to use their virtual reality technology in the classroom, creating a "metaversity."
"In the traditional classroom setting … we can't all just be transported to the Great Wall of China or back in time or into some futuristic event," Morris said.
"You can do that in virtual reality," she said.
There are 10 different metaverse courses offered at Morehouse College, spanning subjects as diverse as journalism, English, biology, sociology and more. Nearly 500 students have participated in the program since its inception, with over 170 students enrolled in the current fall semester alone.
In addition to studying in the metaverse, students are given hands-on experience with game engines like Unity and Unreal Engine to create real-time 3D environments.
Morris has noted "overcoming 20 generations of what could not be" is the program's ultimate goal.


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Home Sport Football FIFA World Cup 2018 Express@Russia
FIFA World Cup 2018: Here is Express' Fantasy XI
After the month-long drama in Russia, Express picks its team of the tournament. It's a 4-2-3-1, the most preferred formation this time...
Published: 17th July 2018 06:22 AM | Last Updated: 17th July 2018 03:52 PM | A+A A-
Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalic with his captain Luka Modric | AP
By Express News Service
BENJAMIN PAVARD (FRANCE)
The right-back was a supposed weak link but his selection has been an inspired choice. Also responsible for scoring one of the goals of the tournament
RAPHAEL VARANE (FRANCE)
Latest in a club of players to win the CL & WC in the same season. Laurent Koscielny's injury was
meant to be a blow, but his composure came in handy.
DOMAGOJ VIDA (CROATIA)
His uncompromising style played a big role in helping his team to the final. Used his physicality at
the right time and was a towering presence against England.
LUCAS HERNANDEZ (FRANCE)
Made his international debut in March. Understanding of when to move forward and when to batten down the hatches helped Didier Deschamps' men immensely.
LUKA MODRIC (CROATIA)
Has been magisterial in Russia and won the Golden Ball award. Has continued recent tradition of deeplying playmakers to have excelled in World Cups after Toni Kroos, Andrea Pirlo, Xavi Hernandez.
N'GOLO KANTE (FRANCE)
The most under-rated box-to-box midfielder in world football right now. Along with excellent ballplaying abilities, he is good at tackling and disrupting crucial counterattacks.
KYLIAN MBAPPE (FRANCE)
The young player of the World Cup emulated the great Pele by becoming the second teenager to score in a World Cup final. His pace and efficiency in front of goal terrifies defenders. At such a young age, Mbappe is already the next star
ANTOINE GRIEZMANN (FRANCE)
The Atletico striker is known for his precision and did not disappoint in Russia. His work rate and quick feet helped France initiate countless counter-attacks. Calmly slotted in from the spot whenever presented with the opportunity.
EDEN HAZARD (BELGIUM)
The Chelsea star proved why he among the top players in world. With an eye for goal, he is one of the finest dribblers who can find the right pass too. Proved that he is captain material, leading Belgium to
their best-ever finish.
HARRY KANE (ENGLAND)
The Tottenham marksman is highly-rated and won the Golden Boot with six strikes. Faded offafter a bright start, but still a player that managers would love to have in their teams.
THIBAUT COURTOIS (BELGIUM)
The Golden Glove winner was instrumental for Belgium. Made the highest number of saves and his ball distribution skills helped launch quite a few Belgian raids.
Hugo Lloris, Kieran Trippier, Denis Cheryshev, Romelu Lukaku, Harry Maguire, Cristiano Ronaldo, Diego Godin, Mario Mandzukic, Ivan Perisic, PhilippeCoutinho, Hirving Lozano, Lucas Torreira.
ZLATKO DALIC
Stay up to date on all the latest Express@Russia news with The New Indian Express App. Download now
FIFA world cup 2018 Luka Modric Harry Kane Kylian Mbappe Antoine Griezmann Eden Hazard


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Catch the legendary rockers live on stage!
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METALLICA Live in Concert in 2023-2024!
The legendary rockers of Metallica are back on tour in 2023-2024, and we can help you see them live on their M72 World Tour! That's right: we can help you find amazing tickets for all upcoming appearances, and we'll update the schedule as soon as any new dates are added. We want to help you catch James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, and Robert Trujillo, live at a show near you, no matter how much you're able to spend!
So check out the schedule below to learn more about their upcoming appearances, and score your Metallica 2023-2024 Tickets today!
Metallica - 2 Day Pass
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Fri, Aug 4, 2023
Metallica, Pantera & Mammoth WVH - Friday
Fri, Aug 4, 2023 8:00 PM
Metallica, Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills - Sunday
Sun, Aug 6, 2023 8:00 PM
Fri, Aug 11, 2023 6:00 PM
Sun, Aug 13, 2023 6:00 PM
SoFi Stadium
Inglewood, California
State Farm Stadium
Fri, Sep 1, 2023
Fri, Sep 1, 2023 8:00 PM
Sun, Sep 3, 2023 8:00 PM
Fri, Nov 3, 2023
Fri, Nov 3, 2023 6:00 PM
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text:
package webmon;

import java.io.*;

import javax.servlet.ServletException;
import javax.servlet.http.*;

import webmon.models.Website;
import webmon.utils.DatastoreUtils;

/**
 * The Class PingerServlet.
 */
public class PingerServlet extends HttpServlet {

	/** The Constant serialVersionUID. */
	private static final long serialVersionUID = 8049243788658828394L;

	/* (non-Javadoc)
	 * @see javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet#doPost(javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest, javax.servlet.http.HttpServletResponse)
	 */
	protected void doPost(HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response)
            throws ServletException, IOException {

        int id = Integer.valueOf(request.getParameter("id"));

        Website website = DatastoreUtils.getWebsite(id);
        website.getResponseTime();
		DatastoreUtils.putWebsite(website);

		response.setStatus(HttpServletResponse.SC_OK);
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Krzysztof Urbański is one of the most successful conductors of his generation. At a young age he took on leading positions, including with the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, and the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra. In May 2014, he celebrated his debut with the Berliner Philharmoniker. In this interview with his Polish compatriot Krzysztof Polonek, violinist with the Berliner Philharmoniker since 2009, the conductor talks about his programme of Czech works by Bohuslav Martinů, Bedřich Smetana und Antonín Dvořák.


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A putative fossil sejid mite (Parasitiformes: Mesostigmata) in Baltic amber re-identified as an anystine (Acariformes: Prostigmata)
Dunlop, Jason A.1 ; Walter, David E.2 and Kontschán, Jenő3
1✉ Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstrasse 43, D-10115 Berlin, Germany.
2Department of Biological Sciences, University of of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada; Queensland Museum 4101 and University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia, 4556.
3Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, H-1525 Budapest, P.O. Box 102, Hungary.
ZooBank LSID: 77E87B16-2E25-45C4-942B-A9211E7C4BCB
Sejida Sejus Anystina fossil record Mesostigmata
The Acari (mites) is currently interpreted to consist of two superorders. In contrast to the relatively rich history of the mite superorder Acariformes, fossils of the Parasitiformes are extremely rare. This is especially true of the most diverse order, Mesostigmata, with only nine families recorded, including four named species, having been described so far. As part of a wider effort to clarify the diversity of Baltic amber Mesostigmata the historically oldest fossil, Sejus bdelloides Koch and Berendt, 1854, is re-examined. While clearly a mite, it is not a mesostigmatan, but a member of the Prostigmata (Acariformes), referable to the Anystina. Thus of the three main mesostigmatan lineages currently recognised both Sejida and Trigynaspida lack a fossil record. Monogynaspida can be traced with confidence back to the Eocene (ca. 44 - 49 Ma).
Although there are around 11,400 living species of mesostigmatian mites (Acari: Parasitiformes: Mesostigmata) (Beaulieu et al. 2011), this impressive diversity is not reflected in their fossil record. As noted by Dunlop et al. (2014), a possible reason for this is that few mesostigmatan lineages currently inhabit tree bark which, if current ecology reflects ancient ecology, reduced the chance of them becoming preserved as inclusions in amber. Only four fossil species have been formally named: Sejus bdelloides Koch and Berendt, 1854 from Eocene Baltic amber, Dendrolaelaps fossilis Hirschmann, 1971 from Miocene Chiapas (or Mexican) amber, Palaeozercon cavernicolus Błaszak et al., 1995 from a subfossil cave deposit in the USA, and Alecrogamasus stenocornis Witaliński, 2000, again from Baltic amber. In addition to this, there are further examples of fossil mesostigmatans in the literature (see citations in Table 1). Several of them were discovered in association with other arthropods (Lyubarsky and Perkovsky 2012; Dunlop et al. 2013, 2014), but could not be identified beyond the family or genus.
Table 1. Summary of the fossil record of the Mesostigmata and the nine families recorded so far. All families with a fossil record belong to the Monogynaspida clade. Both Trigynaspida and now also Sejida (this study) lack a fossil record. Sequence and nomenclature of higher taxa follow Beaulieu et al. (2011).
Fossil arachnids are proving to be of increasing importance in calibrating molecular phylogenies by, for example, constraining minimum ages for cladogenesis and offering divergence times between the appearance of stem-group members of a given lineage and crown-group taxa typically assignable to modern genera. Recent examples include Dabert et al. (2010) for acariform mites, Giribet et al. (2009) and Hedin et al. (2012) for harvestmen and Wood et al. (2013) for spiders. Yet before fossils can be used in this way it is important to check the reliability of published attributions. In this context, three principal clades of Mesostigmata are currently recognised: Sejida, Monogynaspida and Trigynaspida. Most of the published mesostigmatan fossils are monogynaspids (Table 1), while Trigynaspida currently lacks a fossil record.
The third group, Sejida is uniquely represented by the historically oldest species: Sejus bdelloides. However, there are several problems associated with this record. In the mid-19th century when this fossil was described the concept of Sejus – sometimes spelled Seius; see synonymy list – was rather loose, the genus name being used for a variety of mesostigmatans. Also, the original line drawings in Koch and Berendt's (1854) monograph consist of somewhat idealised reconstructions (Figure 1), and are not always reliable guides to the appearance of the actual specimens in the matrix. Thus to clarify whether sejid mites were present in the fossil record, we re-examined the holotype of S. bdelloides (Figures 1, 2) and suggest here that it is neither a Sejida, nor even a Mesostigmata.
The holotype of Sejus bdelloides originates from Baltic amber and lies within in a fairly large piece of dark orange (i.e. partially oxidised) amber, with dimensions of ca. 35 x 15 mm. Two fragments have split off from the main amber piece, but do not contain any inclusions. The specimen is part of the scientifically, and historically, valuable Berendt collection held in the palaeontology section of the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin (MfN). The holotype has the modern repository number MB.A.1634 (for Museum Berlin, Arthropoda). The original label also bears the older collection numbers "117" and "7279". The amber piece is quite complicated in that it contains numerous syninclusions – most of which are also type and figured specimens – including a cheyletid mite (Acariformes: Prostigmata: Cheyletidae), a clubionid spider and two archaeognath hexapods. Baltic amber is thought to have been deposited in a warm forest environment and is conventionally dated at Eocene (Lutetian), or about 44 – 49 Ma. For a recent overview of this amber deposit and its geological setting see Weitschat and Wichard (2010).
Recognising S. bdelloides from within this diverse assemblage was thus challenging, but we believe it to be the mite towards the middle of the amber piece, tucked in close to the antennae of one of the archaeognaths (Figure 1A). In support of this assertion is the fact that the mite in question bears a small pair of posterior setae, whereby similar setae are indicated both in the original text description "am Hinterrande zwei kurze Borsten". Furthermore, the notes ("Anmerkungen") to the original description in Koch and Berendt (1854) state: "Das einzige Exemplar liegt tief in einem etwas dunkelfarbigen Steine und ist überdies noch an der Spitze des Kopfes mit einer undurchsichtigen Blase bedeckt, in welcher auch Rüssel und Taster versteckt sind. Dieses Thierchen gehört bestimmt in die Familie der Gamasiden und den Beinen nach zu gegenwärtiger Gattung." We translate this as: "The only specimen lies deep in a rather dark stone and is covered from the tip of the head with an opaque bubble which conceals the snout and palps. This little animal certainly belongs in the gamasid family and based on the legs to a living genus." The specimen figured here has a smooth prodorsal shield, which could appear like a bubble (Figures 1B), and the gnathosoma cannot be seen, thus it fits quite well with Koch and Berendt's comments. Koch and Berendt (1854) also noted that the first pair of legs was the thickest, which also corresponds well (Figure 1B, 2B) with the specimen we presume to be their holotype.
Figure 1. MB.A.1634, the presumed holotype of Sejus bdelloides from Eocene Baltic amber; at present the only fossil assigned to the suborder Sejida within the Mesostigmata. A – Overview of the mite inclusion in close proximity to an archaeognath insect; B – detail of the mite. The darkened and fractured amber matrix surrounding this historical specimen renders details hard to resolve. Possible ocelli arrowed and longer setae towards the back of the animal indicated. Photograph 1B by Ekaterina Sidorchuk.
The specimen was studied and drawn under a Leica stereomicroscope and a Zeiss Axioscope compound microscope; both with a camera lucida attachment. Since the specimen is deeply buried in the now darkened amber, several details in the drawing were visualised with the camera lucida on the compound microscope allowing minute variations in the depth of field to yield more details (e.g. setae); however photographing all of these details with the equipment available was not possible. The specimen was photographed (Figure 1) under a stereomicroscope via the Leica Application Suite software which enables stacks of images to be combined into a final picture. Since the specimen is part of a series of types all within one – now rather fragile – amber piece, it was not permitted to carry out tomographic scans which might have revealed further anatomical details.
Trombidiformes Reuter, 1909
Prostigmata Kramer, 1877
Cohort (=Infraorder) Anystina sensu Krantz & Walter, 2009
?Anystoidea Oudemans, 1936, incertae sedis
Sejus bdelloides Koch and Berendt, 1854 nomen dubium
(Figures 1, 2)
Sejus bdelloides, Koch and Berendt, 1854: 110, pl. 15, fig. 115; Nec Sejus bdelloides [as Seius] Bronn, 1849; Giebel, 1856: 484; Scudder, 1891: 288; nomen nudum according to Oudemans, 1937: 376) Vitzthum, 1943: 730 [as Seius]; Petrunkevitch, 1955: 97 [as Seius]; Selden, 1993: 310 [as Seius]; Walter and Proctor, 1999: 16 [as Seius]; Dunlop et al., 2010: 67; Dunlop et al., 2013: 338.
Material examined ― MB.A.1634 (ex Berendt collection no. 7279). Baltic amber, precise locality not recorded. Palaeogene: Eocene: Lutetian.
Figure 2. A – Facsimile copy of the original drawing of Sejus bdelloides Koch and Berendt, 1854. Note that it includes features such as the gnathosoma and leg claws which are not obvious in the specimen we interpret as their holotype; B – Camera lucida drawing of the holotype of S. bdelloides; here regarded as a nomen dubium which can nevertheless be referred to ?Anystoidea incertae sedis (Acariformes: Prostigmata). Legs numbered from I to IV. Note the two pairs of putative lateral ocelli adjacent to the prodorsal shield. Tentative identifications for the setae (or their sockets) are provided. Base of leg I partly obscured by a crack in the amber. Scale bar equals 200 µm; C – Comparative image of a female belonging to the modern species Sejus americanus (Banks) (Sejidae) – see also Walter (2013, figs 36–37) – which differs markedly in habitus to the putative amber sejid. Photograph by David E. Walter.
Description ― Total body length 656 µm; maximum width ca. 460 µm. Dorsum: Prodorsal shield oval, 364 μm long and 241 μm wide, surface smooth. Prodorsal shield with four pairs of smooth and needle-like setae (potentially representing setae vi, ve, sci and sce), in which case ve and sce are longer (ca. 100 μm ) than ve and sce (ca. 50 μm). Two putative pairs of ocelli situated on membranous cuticle, lateral to prodorsal shield and at level of sce. Four pairs of setae (potentially representing c1, d1, e1 and f1) presented posterior to prodorsal shield. Setae c1 and d1 short (ca. 30 μm) and needle-like, e1 three times longer (ca. 90 μm) and needle-like. Setae f1 absent, only their insertion visible. Setae c2 longer (ca. 130 μm) than other setae on membranous cuticle and situated anterior to c1. Setae h2 or ps1 and not visible. Legs with smooth and simple setae, but all setae and solenida not visible. Claws visible only on tip of leg II, large and with median fleshy pad (empodium).
Remarks ― The original description of Sejus bdelloides does not provide sufficient characters to unequivocally place the fossil in Sejida as it is understood today, simply stating (as noted above) that it's a gamasid and that, based on the legs, it belongs in the modern genus. Interestingly, Sejus Koch, 1836 was created a few years earlier by one of the describers of the amber inclusion, whereby Carl Ludwig Koch may have been influenced by the apparent posterior setae in the amber specimen (Figure 2B). These are vaguely reminiscent of the condition seen in his (living) type species Sejus togatus Koch, 1836 (see e.g. figures in Hirschmann et al. 1991), although several other mites can show paired posterior setae. However, unlike the dorsally rather setose and pustulate S. togatus, the amber fossil is uniformly plicate except for a prodorsal shield and reveals little in the way of structures consistent with – or diagnostic for – any of the known families of Sejida. A comparative image of Sejus americanus (Banks, 1902) is also included here for reference (Figure 2C) and again the pattern of sclerites and setae here differ markedly from the habitus of the amber inclusion. Sejus bdelloides must therefore be excluded from both Sejida, which now lacks a fossil record entirely, and we see no characters justifying its referral to Mesostigmata in general. The median empodium on leg II also rules out Mesostigmata. We suspect that this amber mite in fact belongs to the acariform suborder Prostigmata. A prodorsal shield with four pairs of setae is visible (Figures 1B, 2B), flanked by what appear to be two pairs of ocelli. This character would also rule out mesostigmatan affinities, as all of these mites should be blind. Note that Koch and Berendt (1854) did not record the eyes, stating "Die Augen sind nicht sichtbar". We are not sure why this discrepancy exists, but the putative eyes are quite hard to see even with modern microscopes (Figure 1B). The legs are relatively stout and tarsus II on the right ends in a pair of claws and empodium (Figures 1B, 2B). Unfortunately the gnathosoma is hidden and the form of the chelicera and palps cannot be determined, but the idiosomal setation is not consistent with any Parasitiformes. That said, Sejus bdelloides does resemble extant members of the cohort Anystina (Walter et al. 2009) and could even be a member of the Anystoidea. Extant Anystoidea are often arboreal, have a similarly shaped body, an anterior dorsal plate with 4 pairs of setae and flanked by two pairs of ocelli (Figure 2B), and similar idiosomal setation. The obscuration of the gnathosoma precludes a definitive identification, but extinct members of Anystoidea have been previously recorded in both Late Cretaceous amber (see Walter and Proctor 2013, Figure 2.12a), Cretaceous and Paleogene Russian amber (Zacharda and Krivolutsky 1985) and Baltic amber by Koch and Berendt (1854) and Sayre et al. (1992). What we interpret as a pair of eyes laterad on the dorsal plate and anteriormost seta (possibly vi) remote from a naso (Figure 2B) is reminiscent of some modern Teneriffiidae, see e.g. Bernardi et al. (2012). The general habitus is similar to some extant Austroteneriffia Womersley, 1935 species (e.g. Khanjani et al. 2014: Figure 1), but the fossil does differ in the leg chaetotaxy and the absence of pectinate claws.
Since the available material in its current state of preservation does not allow a clear resolution of its familial or generic affinities we prefer to treat Sejus bdelloides as a putative Anystina and refer the material to ?Anystoidea incertae sedis. Given that S. bdelloides cannot be meaningfully placed in a known genus – and raising an extinct genus defined on an incomplete character set would be unhelpful – we consider it best to be to formally treat the species name as a nomen dubium. It is not a nomen nudum (sensu Oudemans 1937) as Koch and Berendt's name is clearly associated with a (brief) description and a figure.
The principal conclusion of our study is that neither Sejida nor Trigynaspida have a demonstrable fossil record. A handful of putative mesostigmatans have been reported from the Cretaceous. Poinar (1998: fig. 1C) figured a specimen from New Jersey amber (90 – 94 Ma), while Peñalver et al. (2017) mentioned their presence in the slightly older Burmese (ca. 99 Ma) and Lebanese (ca. 130 Ma) ambers respectively. However none of these Cretaceous records have been formally described, confirmed as Mesostigmata, or assigned to a higher group. Thus only Monogynaspida is unequivocally represented as fossils; whereby nine of the 77 known families (sensu Beaulieu et al. 2011) have now been recorded (Table 1). Both of the two main monogynaspid clades (i.e. Uropodina and Gamasina) can be traced back to the Eocene (44 – 49 Ma), although this rather young age remains a puzzle given that there are mid-Cretaceous records of two of the other three parasitiform clades, namely Opilioacarida (Dunlop and Bernardi 2014) and Ixodida (ticks) (Poinar and Brown 2003; Poinar and Buckley 2008; Chitimia-Dobler et al. 2017; Peñalver et al. 2017). The final parasitiform group, Holothyrida, lacks a fossil record. By contrast, acariform mites go back over 410 million years to the Early Devonian (Hirst 1923). We hope that Mesozoic ambers will begin to yield further fossil Mesostigmata, and we expect that most of the major parasitiform lineages will prove to be considerably older than their present record indicates. The Late Jurassic origins implied by Peñalver et al. (2017: fig 10) are almost certainly an underestimate, given that most orders of arachnids have Palaeozoic representatives.
We thank Christian Neumann for access to the Berendt collection in Berlin, two anonymous reviewers for valuable comments on a previous version of the typescript and Ekaterina Sidorchuk for editorial comments and assistance with producing one of the figures during a visit to Berlin.
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Hedin M., Starrett J., Akhter S., Schönhofer A.L., Shultz J.W. 2012. Phylogenomic resolution of Paleozoic divergences in harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones) via analysis of next-generation transcriptome data. PloS ONE, 7(8): e42888. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0042888
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Hirschmann W., Wisniewski J., Kaczmarek S. 1991. Gangsystematik der Parasitiformes Teil 530. Weltweite Revision der Ganggatttung Sejus C.L. Koch 1836 (Trichopygidina). Neubeschriebung von 26 Sejus-Arten. Wiederbeschriebung der Typenart. Acarologie, 38: 136-214.
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Walter D.E. 2013. A new genus and family of sejine mites (Acari, Parasitiformes, Mesostigmata, Sejoidea) based on new species from Lord Howe Island and Brazil, and a redescription of Sejus americanus (Banks, 1902). Zootaxa 3691: 301-323. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3691.3.1
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Zacharda M., Krivolutsky D.A. 1985. Prostigmatic mites (Acarina: Prostigmata) from the Upper Cretaceous and Paleogene amber of the USSR. Věstník Československé společnosti zoologické, 49: 147-152.
Sidorchuk, Ekaterina
2018 Dunlop, Jason A.; Walter, David E. and Kontschán, Jenő


Recently I created a bedroom design board for two little sisters. I love designing for children, it's just plain fun!
I'd like to note that not one item in the room is from a children's store or section. I think the best children's rooms are made with (inexpensive) adult things put together in a playful way!
Love it! The different colors and patterns go very well together. Wish my room looked like that when I was younger!
I love those colors and patterns.
Beautiful, thoughtful design! I totally agree that designing for youth spaces doesn't have to be from a children's store. This way, the furniture can go with them, when they get older.
Very fun and a room that has staying power, the perfect kid's design! Nice work!
I really like the color combinations and that lamp!
Fun color combo and the benches are too cute!
Love your new site design, it looks so clean!
I'm 24 and want this room for myself!!!! LOVE the color combos! Hope they send you an after picture, I'd love to see the end result.
LOVE. Such a great combo of color and pattern, and this would work for little girls on up through their teen years. Also loving just that hit of ruffle on the duvets to sweeten it up the right amount. So cute!
Love the color combination-the orange pillows really pop!
Oh I love this and it's exactly what I am going for in my living room. The rug is just causing me some grief, can't find one I like.
So cute! I love the pillow with the flower on it. the pops of orange just make the room so fun for two little girls!
As a mother of two I think your thoughts on decorating spaces for kids is spot on. I wasted a lot of money on baby furniture. I wish somehow had told me to buy a great low dresser instead of a changing table.
I totally agree. What a great design board...love the orange sidetable!!
I love this! It's absolutely adorable :) I hate the typical "kids rooms" so this is a very refreshing change!
Love the color scheme! And totally agree with you about combining adult things put together in a creative way for kids rooms. Can't wait to see the finished product!
Where is the lamp from???


text:
// Copyright 2014 The Chromium Authors. All rights reserved.
// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style license that can be
// found in the LICENSE file.

// IPC messages for navigator.connect

#include "content/common/navigator_connect_types.h"
#include "ipc/ipc_message_macros.h"
#include "url/gurl.h"

#define IPC_MESSAGE_START NavigatorConnectMsgStart

IPC_STRUCT_TRAITS_BEGIN(content::CrossOriginServiceWorkerClient)
  IPC_STRUCT_TRAITS_MEMBER(target_url)
  IPC_STRUCT_TRAITS_MEMBER(origin)
  IPC_STRUCT_TRAITS_MEMBER(message_port_id)
IPC_STRUCT_TRAITS_END()

// Messages sent from the child process to the browser.
IPC_MESSAGE_CONTROL3(NavigatorConnectHostMsg_Connect,
                     int /* thread_id */,
                     int /* request_id */,
                     content::CrossOriginServiceWorkerClient /* client */)

// Messages sent from the browser to the child process.
IPC_MESSAGE_CONTROL3(NavigatorConnectMsg_ConnectResult,
                     int /* thread_id */,
                     int /* request_id */,
                     bool /* allow_connect */)


A belief in a holy birth.
Tiny hands carefully placing cookies for Santa.
Candles raised during Silent Night.
Little eyes full of wonder and hearts that believe.
That is what we celebrate.
Wishing you the merriest of Holidays.


At 14.49 hours on 15 Sep 1939, U-53 tried to stop the unescorted Cheyenne (Master Hugh Kerr) with a shot across her bow about 150 miles west-southwest of Fastnet, Ireland. But the tanker used its radio and ignored a second warning shot 10 minutes later, so the U-boat opened fire with the deck gun until the ship stopped at 15.20 hours. After the master and 36 crew members abandoned ship in two lifeboats, a coup de grâce was fired at 15.44 hours which hit underneath the bridge, but the tanker remained afloat even with a broken back after being hit at the same place by a second torpedo at 15.50 hours. U-53 went to the lifeboats to question the survivors and ordered them to stay near the wreck while they tried to stop the sighted British motor merchant Rothesay Castle to assist in the rescue, first by stern signals and then with two warning shots but the vessel fled. The U-boat then returned to the survivors and told them that they will be towed closer to the Irish coast. Just as U-53 was firing three rounds at the tanker wreck to finish it off, the destroyer HMS Mackay (D 70) (Capt P.L. Vian, RN) arrived at the scene, forced the U-boat to dive by gunfire and drove it off with a few depth charges. The distress signals were also heard by the Norwegian motor merchant Ida Bakke (Master Anton Zakariassen) which arrived to pick up the survivors and subsequently landed them at Baltimore, Co. Cork near Fastnet Light. The destroyer then scuttled the wreck of Cheyenne with gunfire. Six crew members were lost.
The previous day, the Ida Bakke had rescued all survivors from the British Influence, which had been sunk by U-29 (Schuhart).


text:
Chris Stout
Chris likes not having any free time. +Chris Stout Email: cstout76@gmail.com
Homepage: http://www.manjr.com
Posts by Chris Stout
AeroShot Energy Giveaway
People love energy products. Coffee, teas, sodas, energy drinks, shots of mystery energy liquid – you name it. If it puts pep in your step, people are going to try it. In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, uncontrollable yawning isn't an option. Whether it's work, play, family, friends, sports, day life, nightlife, whatever you do to occupy your time, you usually want to be alert when you're doing it. That's why people look for assistance in the energy department. It's easy to understand. We've all been there.
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It's basically high-tech, weaponized caffeine. The delivery technology was devised by Dr. David Edwards, a biomedical engineer and Harvard professor. Dr. Edwards wanted to productize this new technology, which can have far reaching applications in the consumption of food, nutrients and medication.
100mg of caffeine is the equivalent of one large cup of coffee, but the delivery system means that the caffeine can be absorbed in your tongue faster than any liquid. Pure caffeine tastes bitter. Red Bull smells toxic. 5-Hour Energy shots taste like medicine. AeroShot uses natural ingredients to produce three distinct flavors: Raspberry (which is sweet), Lime (which is tart) and Green Apple (which is sweet-tart). Each AeroShot contains caffeine, B vitamins, these natural flavors, and that's it. No hidden ingredients, questionable stuff or nasty masking agents. Just insta-energy that can be absorbed immediately.
We're partnering up with AeroShot to giveaway a gift pack to one lucky reader. To enter, just send us an email below telling us why you need more energy. We'll pick a winner at random next Monday.
Oct 22nd
Posted by Chris Stout in Lifestyle
Week 7 NFL Picks
Thursday's pick was the right call thanks to some Vegas-busting decision making by John Harbaugh. 1-0 so far in Week 7 with twelve more games to go…
At Buffalo -3.5 Tennessee
Chris Johnson's working on a mini-resurgence here. He put up 141 rushing yards against Houston and 91 yards on Pittsburgh. Now he gets to face a defense that gives up a league-worst 5.8 yards per carry. The Bills didn't look all that shoddy on defense last week though, when they ended Arizona's eight game home winning streak. For all the drama on defense this season, the Bills are still in the hunt in the all-tied-up AFC East. They can build on last week's win. The Titans haven't won on the road yet.
Pick: Bills -3.5
At Minnesota -6.5 Arizona
Two 4-2 teams both coming off losses. The Vikings haven't lost at home yet, and I'm tempted to think that streak will continue.
Pick: Vikings -6.5
At Indianapolis -2.5 Cleveland
Richardson is optimistic he'll be back this week which is good news for the Browns, as the Colts are allowing 159 yards a game and 5 yards per carry. Andrew Luck plays well at home, but there's just something about this Brown's team that gives them the edge. Maybe it's their trio of rookie playmakers (Weeden, Richardson and Gordon). Maybe it's the fact that Joe Haden's back. I dunno what it is, but I like this team. Playing in Indy will be a true test, because that home crowd is all high on Chuck Strong vibes. If the Browns can get the win this weekend, they're no longer going to be an easy out for anyone.
Pick: Browns +2.5
At Houston -6.5 Baltimore
The Ravens just own people at home, but the team is much less dominant on the road. The Texans have to be bitter about their big loss to the Packers. I think they'll run the ball right down Baltimore's throat. Suggs may be back soon, but this defense isn't as fearful as it used to be.
Pick: Texans -6.5
Green Bay -5.5 At St. Louis
The Rams haven't lost yet at home, but that ends this week. The Packers needed a big win to get things rolling again. They'll keep throttle going and pick up where they left off last week. Lock of the week material, this.
Pick: Packers -5.5
Dallas -2 At Carolina
In the battle of the leagues two most inconsistent teams, it's hard to be confident about either side. When the Panthers are running the ball well, they can do some damage. When the Cowboys are moving the chains through the air, they look like they can hang with anyone. Too often it's stalled drives, self-inflicted wounds and untimely turnovers that derail both of these teams. I'm thinking Dallas can put together a solid game to remind people that they still have the talent to find a sweet spot from time to time.
Pick: Cowboys -2
At NY Giants -6 Washington
The Skins beat the Giants twice last year, and that was without RG3. New York's only two losses have come within the division. If the G-Men want to maintain their lead status in the NFC East, they need to take care of business at home. Look for Coughlin's squad to come out prepared for the importance of this game.
Pick: Giants -6
New Orleans -2.5 At Tampa Bay
The Saints really have some issues on defense, and activating Vilma's not going to change all that. The Bucs are going to run all over the Saints, but I just can't close the books on Brees and company bouncing back after a dreadful start to the season.
Pick: Saints -2.5
At New England -10.5 NY Jets
The Pats will remind everyone that the AFC East isn't as wide open as it seems.
Pick: Pats -10.5
At Oakland -4 Jacksonville
This is going to be the type of game that makes you wonder whether the Raiders can be a really great team. They're not obviously, but they'll sure look like a great team this Sunday. Bank on big plays in the passing game from Palmer and big takeaways from Oakland's D.
Pick: Raiders -4
Pittsburgh -1 At Cincinnati
Man, the Steelers looked like shit last Thursday. RBs and O-lineman we're dropping like flies. Ike Taylor was getting worked over and the Man of Troy was sorely missed. The Steelers have had time to rest up, but Big Ben tweaked an ankle during practice on Thursday. I'm sure it won't be a big factor, but still, this team is missing key players, sitting at 2-3 and Polomalu-less heading into this weekend. Cincy's going to make some big plays against this suspect secondary. With makeshift lineman in there, it's going to be hard for spot starter RB Jonathan Dwyer to make some plays, but I think Ben's gonna fling it around to his playmakers and get enough points on the board to get the Steelers back to .500.
Pick: Steelers -1
At Chicago -6 Detroit
The Lions have a banged up secondary and Jay Cutler is coming off back-to-back good games. Factor in some extra rest for Matt Forte (who typically performs well against Detroit) and the Bears should be able to take this one at home.
Pick: Bears -6
Last Week: 4-10
Season 42-48-1
Last Season: 140-120-12
Posted by Chris Stout in Sports
Week 7 Thursday Night Football Pick
Wow, last week was brutal. Just so many wrong calls. I was clear on the Browns and Broncos, but that was pretty much it. Tough week for pick'ems and ATS picks all around. Let's get back to it this week…
At San Francisco- 8 Seattle
The spread's too big, Seattle won't get blown out.
Pick: Seahawks +8
Pax by Ploom Review
I like to smoke. I really do. When people ask why I haven't quit, I usually tell them it's because I like it, the actual act of smoking. That's why I've never been a big fan of vaporizers. A lot of vaporizers make big claims about providing a cleaner, more enjoyable, more refined smoking experience. But what they usually provide is some level of smoke-free smoking experience. Where's the joy in that?
So the first time I was introduced to Pax by Ploom, I wasn't overwhelmed with anticipation to try the thing. But I read up on it and I got a little curious. So when Ploom offered to send me a unit to review awhile back, I accepted.
The unit came with a bag of pipe tobacco. I read up on how to use the device. It was all pretty simple, really. It's a handheld device that comes with its own charger (it holds a charge for 2 hours with continual use or about a week under typical use). To load it up, you open a flip lid at the bottom, stuff in some tobacco, use the lid to pack it in tight and then close it up. The mouthpiece is located at the top of the unit. To activate the internal furnace burning chamber, you click down on the mouthpiece and it pops up. An indicator light at the center of the device tells you when it's ready to go. It only takes 45 seconds for the Ploom device to fire up. If you leave it idle, it shuts down by itself.
So what about the actual smoking experience? It's pretty sweet, man. You do get a cleaner, more concentrated, more flavor-rich smoking routine out of it. It's more efficient/effective than a traditional pipe and less environmentally intrusive as a cigar or cigarette. The smoke you exhale dissipates quickly, but it's still actual smoke (well, they say it's vapor, but it feels like smoke to me). It's not like an electronic cigarette that tastes like a smoke machine at a concert. It feels like real, actual tobacco smoke that's just delivered in a unique way. You get the full effect with some added delivery convenience and less unfavorable byproduct after effects. The smoke seems to dissipate a bit more quickly than you would expect as well.
The Pax by Ploom device was designed by a couple of smart dudes from Stanford. COO and Co-Founder Adam Bowen has an MS in Product Design from Stanford and a BA in Physics from Pomona. CEO and Co-Founder James Monsees has an MFA in Product Design and a BA in Physics and Studio Art from Kenyon College. These two guys got together and made a great product. It's definitely not cheap (retails for about $250), but it's sophisticated, state-of-the-art way to get your smoke on in a clean, less-intrusive fashion. If you're a smoking connoisseur, I recommend checking it out.
AXE Wants You to Conserve Water by Showerpooling
Water conservation doesn't have to be difficult. It can be quite fun, actually. Find out how with this instructional video from AXE:
Posted by Chris Stout in Videos
Samsung Galaxy SIII Review
A few weeks ago, I received a Samsung Galaxy SIII phone for a review post on this site. I've never used an Android phone before. I was Blackberry guy who adopted the iPhone 3 and then graduated to a 4S. I'm not a big phone nerd, but like most people, I do a lot of different things with my smartphone, and there's certain features and functionality that we've all come to expect from these things at this point.
But I'm not the type of guy who waits in a line to get the latest and greatest version of something. I bought a Dreamcast at thrift store. I collect vinyl records from flea markets and Ebay. When it comes to new technology, I can usually wait. I don't need to be first.
The iPhone 5 release was pretty intense, like all iPhone releases. People who upgraded just a short time ago were chomping at the bit to have the latest version. I don't really get that. My iPhone 4S is still doing pretty well. I don't see the need to chase the new version when the old one is holding up just fine.
So when I got the Samsung Galaxy III phone to review, I went in with the bias of an iPhone user, but not with the bias of an iPhone elitist. My first impression of the Samsung Galaxy III was that it was a super legit smartphone with interesting, useful features that I wasn't used to having on an iPhone. But the main issue with the Samsung Galaxy III is that it would be such a better phone to have if more people had it. In a world loaded with iPhones, it's hard to get excited about some of the device-to-device sharing options when the person you want to share with isn't rocking the same equipment.
Sexy Screen
But with that said, there are still so many things to love about this phone. The screen is what grabs you first. It's massive and vibrant. The surface area makes it feel more like a mini-tablet than a phone. The display is crisp. It's a 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED display with a 1,280×720-pixel resolution. Some people may not like the massive screen experience, but I think it's a huge bonus. Especially if you consume any media on your phone (which most everyone does at this point).
Browsing the Web
The web browsing experience is also high quality. Browsing on a sexy display with 4G in play is the way to go, man. It felt like nothing less than the full internet, not some stripped-down, slow-loading, mobile- friendly equivalent.
The Camera Can Hang
The camera is on par with the iPhone 5, too (8 MP, 3264×2448 pixels, autofocus, LED flash). The video quality is the same as well (1080p@30fps). While it would be nice to have built-in panorama and HDR features like the iPhone 5, the Samsung Galaxy SIII makes up for it with a better secondary camera.
No iTunes
One of the things I like most about the Samsung Galaxy SIII is the fact that you never have to use iTunes, ever. I've had such a passionate distaste for iTunes for so long. If I have a digital device, and I want to drop some media on it, I should be able to that by simply dropping whatever files I want into the thing, without the need for synching, primary computer usage and all that other nonsense. So that's a huge plus. Google Play is pretty sweet, too.
But it's the smart features and sharing options that really make the Samsung Galaxy SIII unique. The AllShare feature allows you to share photos and movies on Samsung Smart TVs, Windows PCs and DLNA-capable TVs and Blu-Ray players. Group Cast lets you participate in shared presentations (Power Points, PDFs, photos, etc. Share Shot lets you share photos with other Galaxy SIII automatically, over a Wi-Fi connection. The S Beam allows you to share stuff between two S Beam-enabled phones, just touching the backs of each phone to each other. This is just awesome. Sharing music, videos and web pages has never been easier. It's really a revolutionary addition.
There's so many reasons why this phone could in fact be a true "iPhone killer"- the superior battery life, the better display, Android OS 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich (with Android OS 4.1 right around the corner), micro USB phone charging and so on. But I don't think I'm ready to give up my iPhone just yet. If more people had the Samsung Galaxy SIII, it would be awesome to leverage all these sharing features. But as it stands now, we still live in an iPhone world. This is the only phone to ever come close to dethroning the iPhone, but as the release of the iPhone 5 has shown, people are still enamored with the original smartphone king.
Padma Lakshmi Interview
Padma Lakshmi is a total dreamboat. The 42-year old Emmy-winning host of Top Chef is five feet nine inches of flavor-savvy Indian-American hotness. Padma started modeling when she was 18 and she reached the top of the high fashion world. Padma has appeared on numerous magazine covers, and she followed that up with successful stints as a TV host, actress and author. And oh yea, she can cook like there's no tomorrow.
Padma speaks five languages, so you know she has a super stash of hidden recipe gems that she can pull from cookbooks you can't even read. When an attractive woman can cook, that's pretty damn sexy, but when you combine peak levels of gorgeous with an ultra-gourmet set of skills, the result is something way past sexy. It's almost criminal, really.
Padma is working with Nespresso to promote a new single-serve espresso machine. She gave us a demonstration and shared a new recipe with us, the Padma Lakshmi Cardamom Cappuccino. We also chatted about top chef, meat preparation tips and guilty food pleasures. Here's the interview:
And if you want to try out the recipe, here's are the details:
Padma Lakshmi Cardamom Cappuccino
1 capsule of Indriya of India
½ cup milk of your choice
½ tsp of brown sugar in the raw
¼ tsp of powdered green cardamom
Pinch of crushed raw unsalted almonds
Grind of nutmeg
Pour the Indriya of India Grand Cru into a cappuccino cup
Mix the milk of your choice with the brown sugar in the raw and powdered green cardamom and froth the milk using the Aeroccino milk frother
Fill the cappuccino cup with the prepared frothed milk over the Espresso
Top with the crushed raw unsalted almonds, a grind of nutmeg and a pinch of cardamom
GameStop Halo 4 Xbox 360 Giveaway
Halo 4 hits stores on November 6 and the most anticipated video game release in a long time is getting a push from a ton of different channels, from Mountain Dew to Doritos and more. GameStop is getting in on the fun, too.
From now until November 6, gamers can visit Halo4Vote.com, pre-order Halo 4 and vote each for one of three bonus exclusives, every day until the release. The first bonus exclusive has already been decided by voters. It's the Artic Battle Rifle Weapon Skin. Voting for the second bonus is going on right now. From now until October 22, you can vote for War Games haven Premium Theme or the Yellow Warrior Avatar Armor. The options for the third bonus will be announced on October 22.
Halo 4 is set in the aftermath of Halo 3, where we follow Master Chief as he "returns to confront his own destiny and face an ancient evil that threatens the fate of the entire universe." Sounds pretty heavy, huh?
Halo 4 is the first Halo release to not be developed by Bungie Studios. For the fourth installment, Microsoft-owned 343 industries has taken the charge. With such a strong base of loyal Halo fans, the pressure is on to deliver a product that's true to the original trilogy, but can stand alone in its own right. The anticipation is mounting.
To promote the release of the game and the bonus exclusives available at Halo4Vote.com, we are partnering up with GameStop to giveaway a prize package that includes a copy of Halo 4 and a 250GB Xbox 360 console. To enter this giveaway, follow MANjr on Twitter and send us an email below telling us which exclusive you will be voting for. We're running this giveaway for two weeks, so you got time to check out the exclusives and enter to win this sweet Halo package. We'll pick a winner at random on Monday, October 29.
Norm Johnson Shows You How to Kick a Field Goal
During this awesome Degree Men-sponsored trip, Norm Johnson gave us a tutorial on how to kick a field goal at Century Link Stadium in Seattle. It's a lot harder than it looks, too. People love making fun of idiot kickers, but when you're out on a field with no one around you and you start maxing out at extra point distance, you really get a new found respect for these guys.
Norm Johnson kicked in the NFL for 18 seasons. He played for the Seahawks (82-90), Falcons (91-94), Steelers (95-98) and the Eagles (99). I asked him what it was like to be a Seahawks guy who spent time in Pittsburgh. He said he enjoyed playing for Bill Cowher and that Cowher was a fair coach. He'd get in your face when you messed up and be the first to pat you on the back when you did well. Norm's impression of the old Steelers coach was spot on, too. He said he remembers missing a crucial kick and having Cowher come up to him, get right in his face, curl his lips in that classic-Cowher scowl and scream "You owe me!" before walking away. The description really doesn't do the performance justice.
When asked who the funniest player was that he ever played with, Norm talked about his first season with the Falcons, when the team had two good ole boy QBs, Brett Favre and Sean Salisbury. He said those two guys in tandem were just totally ridiculous. Just ripping off the best/worst hick humor he'd ever heard. They fed off each other and just made for good times. You could totally see that.
Anyway, back to the tutorial. Here's the video of Norm Johnson teaching the fundamentals of field goal kicking:
Well that caps off all the recaps from a great trip. Thanks again to the guys at Degree Men for putting together such a fun series of events. From the mud-splatter to the race track to the football field, I got to experience some fun stuff while staying protected from odor and wetness with the motion-activated Degree Men Adrenaline series deodorant.
Mack Strong Shows You How to Throw a Football
We met up with former Seattle Seahawks fullback Mack Strong during the Ultimate Seattle Seahawks experience that was sponsored by Degree Men. It was part of an adrenaline-filled weekend that included time at the Tough Mudder course, an interview with Bear Grylls, go cart racing and a tour of the Seattle Seahawks stadium, Century Link Field.
Mack was super chill. While hanging out on the field, Mack shared stories about his playing days, including a reference to his "welcome to the NFL moment" when Bill Romanowski dug an elbow into the back of Mack's neck and pushed his face into the ground during his first NFL preseason game. Even though he was a fullback, Mack could still put some zip on the ball. He gave us a quick tutorial on how to throw an NFL football:
Even with the extra training, I still got worked in the passing drill. Thanks to the Degree Men Adrenaline Series, at least I smelled awesome while stinking up the joint with my errant passes. Fun times though!
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October is the greatest month to explore all things ghostly.
I've talked about poltergeists before and we learned that if you don't actually see what threw the plate at you then it was, most likely, a poltergeist instead of a ghost.
Ghosts don't fool around in the background of life. They are right there to scare the puddin' out of you every chance they get. But why? Why does a ghostly spirit get his kicks from bugging a cool person like you? Well, let's start at the beginning and learn the different ghost types.
To be clear, my list of different paranormal activities is not the be all end all of definitions but it is how I look at the different energies whose intention may or may not be hanging around with our best interests at heart.
Ghosts can have their own agendas.
I figure everyone on earth, you and I are spirits. Spirits that come through as ghosts are spirits that are dead. Basically, ghosts are people too, just dead people.
That's the first type of ghost. Like when your late Nana and Uncle Joe come round to chat. Again, if an apparition comes to visit they are, most likely, family members or friends, people you had a strong bond with usually visiting to add support and understanding during challenging times, or to reassure you that they are alright in the after life.
The next type of ghost experience people have are haunted locations. You can go crazy with this one in a couple of ways.
First is an energy imprint in a certain area of a house, train, ship or car. The energy that was created in the past during a very traumatic event can be so strong as actually to enable it to take on a life of its own and be absorbed into the location. This collection of drama, trauma, and fear grows independent of a person and can walk around all by its lonesome leaving cold spots where ever it roams.
People who are sensitive to spirits — both alive and dead — may develop symptoms and side effects when they enter areas with violent histories. From battlefields to prisons, these independent energies always seem to be there, usually on the dark side, hanging around, making goose bumps and sad, intrusive feelings overwhelm you.
To a ghost buster and historian this might be great fun, but for the sensitive person with awareness of things unseen, this can be the beginning of a really crummy day. You have to make the effort to realize where the icky feelings came from — a bummed-out experience for a spirit — shake it off and declare your independence if you want to find any relief.
Another type of ghost hangs out in certain spots as described above. However, they show up and manifest full body.
You will be climbing the stairs minding your own business and BAM, a cold spot makes you shiver. You look up and see someone without feet suspended in the air looking just as surprised to see YOU.
Two things are happening: 1. Your spiritual eyes happen to be open at the moment which is what enables you to see it in the first place;, 2. The apparition's desire to be understood matches your desire to serve. This is called an intelligent haunting and can interact with you by smiling, talking, or winking; you know, the stuff of which movies and therapy appointments are made.
There's lots on this topic regarding things that go bump in the night, but for now I would like to address what I mean to have your spiritual eyes open.
I feel humans have a sincere desire to understand the world around them. I also believe wholeheartedly that most have a matching desire to serve humanity as a whole.
To understand the seen and unseen you need to have two sets of eyes; the eyes in your head and the eyes in your heart. The eyes in our heads are designed to observe critically and make judgments to ensure safety. The ones in our hearts are abstractly designed to interpret intentions of life around us.
It is with our spiritual eyes we see ghosts and feel energies around us. The spiritual world is not seeking you out. They simply are moving around doing their own thing, fulfilling their own goals right alongside of us.
You can be to ghosts what some of them are to us. That's a chance to change and evolve when witness to each other.
An experience that crosses the veil can effectively back someone up enough, philosophically, to see truly how life, love, and even a haunting, can affect your assumptions of the bigger picture. It's in the bigger picture where people start to understand their lives, and ultimately, their peace.
Sincerely bless the energy with all your spiritual heart when you see a ghost. Visualize God's white coming into the area, surrounding you both with love. This is where your innate and organic desire to serve can come out and be expressed. It's within that field of light where peace lives. And with any luck at all, they will 'Bless' the same for you.
"Past right and wrong", Remi says, "there is a field, I'll meet you there." Yes, come on over, let's sit, relax and have a chat.
Last but not least, free psychic readings and house clearings.
W-H-A-T? You read that right! Every week there will be a lucky winner. Last week was Nellie M! Simply email me at debrazachau@gmail.com to submit your entry. Write in the Subject line, I WANT TO WIN. One submission per week please.
You can also visit her website at http://www.debrazachau.com.
Bill Murray 'ghostbusted' at Kit Carson Park?


Today am going to talk about relationship and the fast paced life!
Yes, all this reminds me how family tie-ups were there and am sure some of the ladies such as my mom would agree that Dad used to spend time with family if not going any where but at least at home by watching movie or cooking something special…or even just by listening to music.
I have so many such sweet memories and I wonder now days what happened to those tie-ups? Today people don't have time to spend with the loved ones…forget about going to places!
No wonder why so many misunderstandings take place in relations and distance is built among them!
Because by the time they run after other things and turn back probably they might have gone far from there beloved ones and then crying or repenting doesn't make any sense!
I wonder and keep wondering…why cant those days be back…is it that difficult. When I ask some of them, they say life is fast and one has to catch up ….but catch up what???
I have read stories where soldiers used to be in the battle field for months and yet there mind were with there family, just coz there werent any means where they could be with the family…!
I guess sometimes it's the value how much you care for your family and the loved ones..!
My message is… spend as much time with your loved ones and don't wait for the next time…as it may not come ever!!!!
"Time is a companion that goes with us on a journey.
It reminds us to cherish each moment, because it will never come again.
Hi Down!Very smart writing!I enjoyed it! Your story describe really haw important is our relationship, how we spend time. You said truly and important message!!!!"My message is… spend as much time with your loved ones and don't wait for the next time…as it may not come ever"!!!!Have a great days!
hi dawn, loved the post nicely decorated with quotes! and the 'icecream guesture' of the father for their beloved daughters is universal, i guess!
hi thre !!tht ws beautiful to read !! brought me bck memories !! but stil, we never kno y ppl r runnin behind their careers n their life so much, widout givin a damn thot abt family!!prayers fer a briter morrow!!n keep postin!!keep up the gud work!!
we stuble n fall so we know how to get up and walk straight…great post Dawny!I have loads of smiles waiting for u in my blog 🙂HUGGGGGGGGGGZ!Keshi.
very true.. and nice wording to realize.. things!..
I agree with you….It is wonderful the way you are spreading the simple message of Love.


Are the Psychologies of the Moors Murderers Still Beyond Representation?
This debate over whether giving voice to Brady's psychology is the same as empathising with him, stretches back over fifty years, and prompted Parliament to threaten to deport one of New Hollywood's most promising film directors. Five years before he shocked audiences with a possessed teenage girl masturbating with a crucifix in The Exorcist (1973), William Friedkin outraged the British press, public and politicians by revealing he was making a film exploring Brady and Myra Hindley's psychologies. The general consensus was that such a project was unethical, even unrepresentable.
It is perhaps unsurprising, therefore, that in 1968 Hansford Johnson should join politicians, the press, the public, clergy, even Hindley herself in condemning the 'hideous and indecent proposal' of American director Friedkin making a film about the Moors murderers. The film was to be shot on location in Northern England and in colour but, quoting Friedkin, 'totally desaturated to remove from it any unsuitable element of gloss'. A draft script was written by Emlyn Williams based upon his non-fiction novel Beyond Belief (1967) and some initial casting decisions were made. According to his own blog, film and television actor Ray Brooks was approached by Friedkin to play Brady, following his recent critical success in Cathy Come Home (1966).
But the film was soon halted by political pressure and the intervention of cultural intermediaries. Labour MP Robert Sheldon raised the plans for the film in Parliament and called for the Secretary of State to revoke Friedkin's visa and throw him out of the country. The Secretary of the British Board of Film Certification (BBFC), John Trevelyan, made it clear that Friedkin would never receive a certification, despite the fact that the Board was in the process of revising its policies on films recreating real murder cases. In the late-1960s, following consultation with the Independent Television Authority (ITA), the BBFC dropped its longstanding fifty and then thirty year rule of distance from crimes before being represented onscreen. This loosening of regulations in both US and UK censorship contexts allowed films such as The Boston Strangler (1968) and 10 Rillington Place (1971) to be produced and certified. But, as Trevelyan explained in his 1973 biography What the Censor Saw, the Moors murderers and their crimes were a uniquely morbid case that were beyond representation.
These conjoined press, censor and political backlashes, and threats of legal action from the families of the victims and, it is claimed, Hindley herself, derailed the film with production company Palomar Pictures backing out due to 'the obvious difficulties, both legal and moral in presenting such a film.' Friedkin had tried to pre-empt some of the moral concerns by insisting that the film would be based upon the factual accounts in Williams' best-selling and, mostly, well received true crime book. But his non-fiction novel raised as many issues is it addressed because much of the book is recounted from Hindley's perspective via passages from her controversially acquired personal diary.
Williams' book is interesting in that, whilst it suggests Brady was on an unavoidable path since childhood, he suggest that Hindley might have evaded her fate if she had not been drawn into Brady's spell. In the time from writing to publishing the book, the Moors murder trial – and particularly Hindley's cold indifference in the dock – instilled a growing media and public perception that she was actually as sadistic, as monstrous, as culpable as Brady.
It took the time span of two generations of distance from the crimes for the Moors murders to be represented on screen, though in the end on television where the medium's civic and sociological functions serve to legitimise its mediation. A main objection against Friedkin's film was that it was intended for the commercial, entertainment medium of cinema, a concern the director tried to address by assuring that the film was also intended for television broadcast following a short theatrical run. Despite the divergence in production contexts and mediums, the BAFTA winning 2006 television miniseries See No Evil offers some insight into what Friedkin's 'desaturated' film might have looked like, and how he might have dealt with Brady and Hindley's psychology. At the same time this Granada Television dramatisation – told from the perspective of Hindley's sister, Maureen Smith, and her husband David – confirms the impossibility of making a film based on the perspectives and experiences of Brady and Hindley in 1968.
Could Friedkin or another director return to this long-abandoned film project, or are the Moors murderers' psychologies still beyond cinematic representation?
Fascinating read. Sort of charming to think about this sanctioned waiting period before the representation of such crimes on film. These days it feels like the movies (or at least TV movies) are being written before the trials have even wrapped up. Also interesting that these crimes and trials seem to be used mostly (in the US at least) to contextualize how they represented the broader cultural moment in which they took place (I'm thinking of the OJ series, the Menendez murders etc).


The world's largest energy producer, Exxon-Mobil, has published an outlook for world energy consumption and production to 2040. It is an interesting read and suggests a few things about the northern economy.
The report provides a 30 year view, extrapolating current trends.
Energy demand in developing nations (Non OECD) will rise 65 percent by 2040 compared to 2010, reflecting growing prosperity and expanding economies. Overall, global energy demand will grow 35 percent, even with significant efficiency gains, as the world's population expands from 7 billion people today to nearly 9 billion people by 2040.
Technology is enabling the safe development of once hard-to-produce energy resources. This trend is apparent today with hydraulic fracking and horizontal drilling.
Oil will remain the No. 1 global fuel, while natural gas will overtake coal for the No. 2 spot. Use of nuclear power and renewable energy will grow, while demand for coal peaks and then begins a gradual decline.
North America will likely transition from a net importer to a net exporter of oil.
China's energy demand increased significantly over this period and now exceeds that of the United States. By 2040, almost 75 percent of China's population will live in cities, nearly a complete reversal compared with 1980. China, like the west (OECD) is becoming a lower growth consumer society.
Consumption of energy in North America and Europe is flat, while Asia/Africa heading higher.
Electricity generation represents the largest driver of demand for energy. Demand will grow by 85%. Now OECD consumes twice what the non OECD consumes. In less than 10 years they will consume equally. By 2040, non-OECD will consume 2.5 times the OECD.
The rise of India and Africa in terms of relative importance in energy consumption by 2040. India's population grows over 300 million between 2010 and 2040, and Africa's population grows by about 800 million people. India becomes the most populous country in the world by 2030.
Energy consumed by personal vehicles will gradually peak and then begin to fall as our cars, sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and small pickup trucks become much more fuel-efficient. The efficiency of light duty vehicles will increase from 27 mpg to 47 mpg due to: a)hybridization, b)vehicle downsizing, c)body and accessory advancements, and d)powertrain improvements.
The two greatest transportation markets for natural gas are heavy duty trucking and marine. These two sectors have unique qualities that may provide stronger economic incentives for use of natural gas compared to light duty vehicles. ExxonMobil sees a shift toward natural gas in the marine sector, where it accounts for 8 percent of total demand by 2040.
World CO2 emissions peak in 2030, then decline.
There is a 200 year supply of natural gas at current demand levels.
What does this report mean for the north to 2040 (if the projections are correct) ?
The long term growth of demand for natural gas suggests LNG exports from BC and Alaska are viable. Natural gas use in heavy trucks and ships will accelerate.
The outlook for uranium mining in Saskatchewan and Nunavut is positive as more nuclear reactors will need fuel.
The development of the oil sands in Alberta and heavy oil in Saskatchewan/Alberta/Alaska will continue. This suggests that oil prices will remain high enough to spur this development.


Poaching is a multi-billion dollar industry with tragic consequences for African Wildlife: over the last seven years populations of endangered African animals have been reduced by one third—-a shocking number of great concern to naturalists, and all lovers of wildlife.
The park rangers need to identify poachers, get to them quickly and arrest them before they do damage and escape into the bush, a wilderness many thousands of square miles in area. Locating these criminals quickly is key to stopping them, which would shut down the supply of ivory and other illicit commodities that fuels the black market. Park rangers have tried drones, cameras mounted on the horns of animals, DNA testing, and more, but have struggled to solve this critical problem.
And now they may have found a solution, and it's incredible. Teams of dogs and men have been trained to parachute from helicopters when a poaching alert is raised. The fast helicopters fly them to the approximate scene quickly, and the dogs get to work doing what they do best, tracking the poachers down before they have a chance to escape. Dogs have been trained to track the smell of ivory, ammunition, and explosives. A South African School is currently training 200 dogs, along with their human handlers.
This is a bold, innovative approach, and it sounds a bit crazy. It just might work. Anything that stems the tide of poaching in this region will be a welcome change. The endangered animals of Southern Africa need all the relief they can get.


text:
Highlights from SOFT 2012
F4E Task force at SOFT 2012
If there is one event that manages to bring together scientists and engineers, laboratories, industry and SMEs, policy-makers and the future generation of Europe's fusion community it has to be the Symposium of Fusion Technology (SOFT). It's the place to be if one wants to find out more about the state of play of current fusion experiments, technology breakthroughs and the progress of big projects like ITER. Do not be misled by its 'soft' acronym, it's the venue where big news can be released and big deals can be sealed.
The 27th edition of SOFT took place in Liège, Belgium, and was organised by the Triltaral Euregio Cluster (TEC), comprising the Dutch DIFFER, the German FZJ and the Belgian ERM/KMS and SCK-CEN under the leadership of the SCK-CEN (the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre). The symposium managed to bring together more than 750 contributions overall and 180 presentations during the four poster sessions.
One of the key players taking part at this event was F4E. Jean-Marc Filhol, Head of the ITER Department, opened one of the plenary sessions presenting the progress of Europe's contribution to ITER and led the F4E taskforce to the symposium. A group of engineers was there to provide information presenting 74 posters directly authored or co-financed by F4E. Business Intelligence specialists were at the service of industry and SMEs ready to answer any questions and organised a meeting together with the Industry Liaison Officers (ILOs) in order to communicate the future roadmap of procurement packages. The institutional representation of F4E was ensured through its corporate stand where a special publication with all SOFT posters was handed out, clips on the progress of the works were projected and new information stands on some key technologies linked to Remote handling, Vacuum Vessel and In-Vessel components were on display.
SOFT 2012 offered the possibility for senior fusion figures to communicate some important news and reflect on the contribution of fusion in the energy mix. Hervé Pero, the Acting Director of the European Commission's Directorate for Energy in DG Research and Innovation, highlighted the importance of the ITER project and its consequences for the future of fusion research. Professor Osamu Motojima, ITER IO Director General, emphasised the corrective measures taken by ITER IO and the Domestic Agencies in order to achieve a "unique ITER team" and ensure better integration of actors, interfaces and work packages. Jean-Marc Filhol covered a broad list of topics ranging from the latest in the areas of TF and PF coils, Vacuum Vessel, In-Vessel Components, Neutral Beam, Test Blanket Modules to buildings construction and site adaptation works. He concluded his presentation by focussing on the key milestones between 2012 and 2014. A roundtable discussion moderated by David Shukman, the BBC's Science Editor, brought together scientists and industry discussing how to bridge the gap between research in fusion and commercial fusion.
To read more about SOFT 2012 visit http://www.soft2012.eu/
Jean-Marc Filhol, Head of the ITER Department, presenting the progress of Europe's contribution to ITER


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Q: Path-connectedness of $S^2$ and $X=\mathbb{C}\setminus\{p_1,\ldots,p_n\}$ I've been given two examples of path-connected sets, but I am not sure how to prove their path-connectedness.
$S^2$: Let $x,y\in S^2$. Then, we can parameterise the points by $x=\left(\cos{\theta}\sin{\phi},\sin{\theta}\sin{\phi},\cos{\phi}\right)$ and $y=\left(\cos{\alpha}\sin{\beta},\sin{\alpha}\sin{\beta},\cos{\beta}\right)$ for some $\theta,\phi,\alpha,\beta\in\left[0,2\pi\right]$. Then, any $x,y\in S^2$ are connected by the path $\gamma(t)$, however I am not sure how to proceed from what I know so far here.
$X=\mathbb{C}\setminus\{p_1,\ldots,p_n\}$: This one I do not even know whether to use the general, polar or exponential form for proof.
Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

A: $S^2$:
Let $x,y \in S^2$ and let
$$u : [0,1] \to \mathbb R^3, u(t) = ty + (1-t)x$$
be the linear path from $x$ to $y$. When do we have $u(t) = 0$? Clearly $u(0) = x \ne 0$, thus $u(t) = 0$ means that $y = -\frac{1-t}{t}x$ and thus $1 = \lVert y \rVert = \frac{1-t}{t}\lVert x \rVert = \frac{1-t}{t}$. This implies $t = \frac{1}{2}$ and $y = - x$.

*

*Therefore, if $y \ne -x$, then
$$\gamma(t) =  \frac{ty + (1-t)x}{\lVert ty + (1-t)x \Vert}$$
is a path in $S^2$ from $x$ to $y$.

*If $y = -x$, choose any $z \in S^2  \setminus \{x,-x\}$. Then $z \ne -x$ and $z \ne -y = x$, and 1. shows that $x,z$ and $y, z$ can be joined by paths in $S^2$. We conclude that also $x,y$ can be joined by a path in $S^2$.
$X = \mathbb{C}\setminus\{p_1,\ldots,p_n\}$:
Let $r = \frac{1}{2}\min\{ \lvert p_i - p_j \rvert : i, j \in \{1,\ldots,n\}, i \ne j \}$ . We have $r > 0$ and the $U_r(p_i) = \{z \in \mathbb C : \lvert z - p_i \rvert < r\}$ are pairwise disjoint. For two distinct points $x,y \in X$ let $u(t) = ty + (1-t)x$ be the linear path in $\mathbb C$ from $x$ to $y$. Assume that some of the $p_i$ lie on this path. Then $p_i = u(t_i)$ for unique $t_i \in (0,1)$. For sufficiently small $\epsilon_i > 0$ we have $0 < t_i - \epsilon_i < t_i + \epsilon_i < 1$ and $u([t_i - \epsilon_i, t_i + \epsilon_i]) \subset U_r(p_i)$. Clearly $u(t_i \pm \epsilon_i) \ne p_i$. Pick any $z_i \in U_r(p_i)$ which does not lie on the line through the two points $u(t_i \pm \epsilon_i)$ and replace $u \mid_{[t_i - \epsilon_i, t_i + \epsilon_i]}$ by the path going linearly on $[t_i - \epsilon_i,t_i]$ from $u(t_i - \epsilon_i)$ to $z_i$ and then linearly on $[t_i, t_i + \epsilon_i]$ from $z_i$ to $u(t_i + \epsilon_i)$. This produces a new path from $x$ to $y$ which does not contain any of the $p_i$.

A: For $S^2$ you can either try to find the equation for the arc of the great circle that any two points on a sphere share (IE the straight line in spherical geometry),   or you can just do a simple two step path,  first vary $\theta$ to $\alpha$ by standard interpolation then $\phi$ to $\beta$.  (i.e. from $0$ to $\frac 1 2$) have your path $$f(t)=(\cos (\frac t 2\theta +\frac {1-t} 2\alpha).....)$$ while leaving the second parameter fixed at $\phi$, then for the second half of the path do the same thing but vary $\phi$ to $\beta$.
For the second one,  you could always either A:  Use the straight line path if the straight line doesn't hit any of the $p_i's$ and if it does,  go around them in a piecewise linear fashion,  or if you wanted to try to come up with a general formula you could try just doing a piecewise formula varying $r$ and $\theta$ from point 1 to point 2 in such a way that you never duplicate one of the finite number of bad points.

A: After spending a long time staring at the computer screen, I think I figured it out and thought I'd share my solution.
$S^2$:
Let $x,y\in S^2$. Then, we can parameterise the points by $x=\left(\cos{\theta}\sin{\phi},\sin{\theta}\sin{\phi},\cos{\phi}\right)$ and $y=\left(\cos{\alpha}\sin{\beta},\sin{\alpha}\sin{\beta},\cos{\beta}\right)$ for some $\theta,\phi,\alpha,\beta\in\left[0,2\pi\right]$. Then, any $x,y\in S^2$ are connected by the path $\gamma\left(t\right)=\left(\cos{\left(t\alpha+\left(1-t\right)\theta\right)}\sin{\left(t\phi+\left(1-t\right)\beta\right)}, \sin{\left(t\alpha+\left(1-t\right)\theta\right)}\sin{\left(t\phi+\left(1-t\right)\beta\right)}, \cos{\left(t\phi+\left(1-t\right)\beta\right)}\right)$
$X=\mathbb{C}\setminus\{p_1,...,p_n\}$:
Let $x,y\in\mathbb{C}$ with $x=x_1+ix_2$ and $y=y_1+iy_2$.
Between any two distinct points on $\mathbb{C}$, there is a unique line.
Let $l_i$ be the line on which $x$ and $p_i$ lie and $m_i$ be a line on which $y$ and $p_i$ lie. Then, we have $2n$ lines in $\mathbb{C}$
There are infinitely many lines through $x$, so pick some line $l$ which does not equal any of the line $l_i$. similarly, pick a line $m$ which does not equal any of the line $m_i$ which is not parallel to $l$.
Then, we have two lines $l$ and $m$ such that $x$ is in $l$ and $y$ is in $m$ and $p_i$ does not lie on either $l$ or $m$. Since $l$ and $m$ are not parallel, there is a point $z$ where the lines intersect.
Therefore, there is a path from $x$ to $y$ by first travelling along $l$ from $x$ to $z$ and then travelling along $m$ from $z$ to $y$.

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