I sometimes forget… that we are in the midst of a war. I care not for what has been "declared". If I hear that more and more of our troops are dying… We're still in war. A sobering reminder came to me today. One of my younger (in AKA years) sorors is being deployed. And although I tried to buck up and stay strong and the conversation turned to the weather to keep us from getting "mushy" or worried… I felt it. I felt that horrid feeling. That terrible thought crossed my mind… "I'm typing to someone that I may never see again." I felt bad for killing her off in my head before she even heads out. I don't want anything to happen to anyone I know and love. But this defense mechanism is serious. I remember to this day the day it kicked in. Watching that station wagon pull out of Denman street headed to Florida… with my Grandmother in it. She did die to me that day. Maybe that's why her death recently didn't weigh as much as I thought it did. She was going to be unfathomably (to a 12 year old) far… and all I'd be able to do is call… and write. Although I did get to go visit her once when I was 14. And then she moved back to NY when I was 22. And I never got to see her then either. I never made time to see her. It was crazy… the night before she went into the hospital for her 5 month stint before she died… I passed the door where she was moving into (right next door)… and I thought to myself… I'll ALWAYS get to see her now!!! How late we come to these epiphanies. I'm straying off the subject… I just feel like I'm bracing for bad news now. There are folks that have gone over that I know… Reggie… Fred… I didn't think about it twice. I knew that they'd come back. I need to be that reassured about my Soror. I guess since she looks to me for advice (mostly about AKA) that I considered her like one of my own… one of my neos. It's hitting close. I gotta get on my knees. Because I need her to be okay.


text:
Toni Garrn Foundation - Ghana
Ghana start 2018Ashanti region
Enabling girls to higher education
call_mergeGoal
To raise $200,000 in order to finance the construction of a dormitory and a science lab.
clear_allProject Description
The main goal of this project is to build a dormitory for girls and two female teachers at the Wioso Senior High School in the northwest of Kumasi in Ghana. The housing provides girls a safe home and thereby enables them to receive a proper school education. The successful realization of this construction is a key wish from local community leaders and parents since most of the students live far away from the school.
A school bus for the young folks is also requested to guarantee a safe transportation and minimize the students' walking time to reach the school facilities.
The Toni Garrn Foundation is teaming up with Alma Mater Education, an NGO based in England to leverage both core organizational competencies and successfully support the community on-site.
Wioso Senior High School
The operation of the Wioso Senior High School is a pilot project in Ghana as it combines a high school with an organic farm in a rural area. It is the first Alma Mater Education ("AME") school and was opened in the town of Wioso, Ashanti Region, in September of 2015. The specific location was selected with the support of local partners, such as The Ghana Education Service and Kumasi Institute of Tropical Agriculture, as this area is particularly in need of educational support. The school is in a way unique that it combines a formal secondary school with a 25 acre organic farm. Not only provides the farm an excellent source of nutritious food for the students, but also acts as a center for conducting different training programs. Highly relevant skills in these rural communities, such as sustainable or organic farming and entrepreneurship are taught.
Ghana AJG Model-Support GmbH
AJG Model-Support GmbH
multiline_chartPresent Status
The construction of the dormitory started end of August and was finished at the end of 2018.
Negotiations with the local authorities for new land to build two more schools in that region have already started.
donut_smallFundraising Status
About 70% have been donated until April 2019.
The i engineering group, a leading provider of engineering infrastructure solutions to the telecommunications and power indurstries across Africa have tremendously helped building the dormitory.
iEngineering Group, our project sponsor
how_to_regImpact
Currently, the school provides an education to 180 students of who 50% are female.
Having a place to live in a dormitory will enable these girls to proceed with a secondary education. Secondary instead of basic education leads to severe effects on their earning potential, aspiration level, health and surely life expectancy.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The Recording Guitarist - A Guide To Studio Gear, Techniques and Tone - REVISED AND UPDATED. The Recording Guitarist explores the world of recording the guitar, covering everything from selecting guitars and amps to employing effects and mastering recording techniques, from the modest home studio to a professional facility. Offering valuable insights and tips for the novice or professional, The Recording Guitarist thoroughly examines guitars (electric and acoustic) and amps used in the studio, and explains how to select among them to achieve the desired sound. The signal chain is explained, and signal processors (effects) are analyzed according to type, placement, and contribution. Helping readers create a "total guitar sound" for the studio, the book also tackles recording equipment, techniques, and formats; discusses electric and acoustic guitars and their unique tones; recording hardware and software; effects and how to use them; monitors; overdubbing; and mixing. Also included is advice from recording industry pros such as Carl Verheyen, Al Di Meola, Alex Lifeson, and Phil Ramone. A special feature is a section called "Dial a Sound", an illustrated guide to the setups and recording rigs of 14 guitar greats, including Eric Johnson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix, and others. ©2010, 246 pages.
Click the button below to add the The Recording Guitarist - A Guide to Studio Gear to your wish list.


And to answer a question sent in yesterday from a loyal blog follower, how do you roast butternut squash to get that nutty taste? It's very simple; cut in halves, clean the innards and brush olive oil, salt and pepper for flavor, place on a cookie sheet and bake. Just in case you need specifics, here's a link that gives the low-down http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2010/10/28/how-to-roast-butternut-squash/ with a ton of butternut squash recipes. Enjoy this sunny Wednesday and the final transition from summer to fall days.


text:
Q: wp.cli and sendmail not working via cron but do work when manually run Not sure if this belongs on Wordpress Stackexchange or here. I think here as the last line in my code is not Wordpress specific.
I have the following code in a .sh file which I run weekly using Cron.
The code iterates through all my sites, finds if a site is Wordpress, and if it is, run wp.cli to update Wordpress, plugins and themes.
It logs the output of the scripts to a file, then emails me the file.
If I run this from the command line manually, it works totally fine. I run the following command manually and via cron:
sh /home/update_all_wp_sites.sh > /dev/null 2>&1

If I run this via cron, the wp.cli commands are not run, neither is the sendmail line at the end.
I know cron is OK and the script runs via cron because my log file is still created each week, it still adds in my comments identifying what site is being run. It does not add in the output of the wp.cli commands like it does when manually run.
At first I thought maybe its an issue with tee, but the sendmail line at the end does not use tee.
#!/bin/bash

cd /home
cat /dev/null > update_all_wp_sites.log
echo "AC2"  | tee -a update_all_wp_sites.log
echo '----------------'  | tee -a update_all_wp_sites.log
for user in * ; do

    for d in $user/public_html ; do
        count_file=`ls -1 $d/wp-config.php 2>/dev/null | wc -l`
        if [ "$count_file" != "0" ]
        then
            echo '----------------'  | tee -a update_all_wp_sites.log
            echo $user  | tee -a update_all_wp_sites.log
            echo '----------------'  | tee -a update_all_wp_sites.log
            sudo -u $user -i -- /opt/rh/rh-php70/root/usr/bin/php /usr/local/bin/wp core update --path=/home/$d  | tee -a update_all_wp_sites.log
            sudo -u $user -i -- /opt/rh/rh-php70/root/usr/bin/php /usr/local/bin/wp plugin update --all --path=/home/$d  | tee -a update_all_wp_sites.log
            sudo -u $user -i -- /opt/rh/rh-php70/root/usr/bin/php /usr/local/bin/wp language core update --path=/home/$d  | tee -a update_all_wp_sites.log
            sudo -u $user -i -- /opt/rh/rh-php70/root/usr/bin/php /usr/local/bin/wp theme update --all --path=/home/$d  | tee -a update_all_wp_sites.log
        fi
    done

    for d2 in $user/domains/*/public_html ; do
        count_file=`ls -1 $d2/wp-config.php 2>/dev/null | wc -l`
        if [ "$count_file" != "0" ]
        then
            echo '----------------'  | tee -a update_all_wp_sites.log
            echo $user  | tee -a update_all_wp_sites.log
            echo '----------------'  | tee -a update_all_wp_sites.log
            sudo -u $user -i -- /opt/rh/rh-php70/root/usr/bin/php /usr/local/bin/wp core update --path=/home/$d  | tee -a update_all_wp_sites.log
            sudo -u $user -i -- /opt/rh/rh-php70/root/usr/bin/php /usr/local/bin/wp plugin update --all --path=/home/$d  | tee -a update_all_wp_sites.log
            sudo -u $user -i -- /opt/rh/rh-php70/root/usr/bin/php /usr/local/bin/wp language core update --path=/home/$d  | tee -a update_all_wp_sites.log
            sudo -u $user -i -- /opt/rh/rh-php70/root/usr/bin/php /usr/local/bin/wp theme update --all --path=/home/$d  | tee -a update_all_wp_sites.log
        fi
    done

done

echo -e "Subject: AC2 WP Updates Log" | sendmail -v myemail@mydomain.co.uk < update_all_wp_sites.log

Thanks
Note: I use rh-php70 as its an older server I cant get PHP 7.4 on it, in case anyone asks.
Update: Running the cron in the server admin console shows this:
sudo: sorry, you must have a tty to run sudo
sudo: sorry, you must have a tty to run sudo
sudo: sorry, you must have a tty to run sudo
sudo: sorry, you must have a tty to run sudo
Mail Delivery Status Report will be mailed to <root>

A: The root cause is the issue reported in the update:
sudo: sorry, you must have a tty to run sudo

As per this following post I have commented out Defaults requiretty in /etc/sudoers and now it works:
Why do I need a tty to run sudo if I can sudo without a password?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Science Interviews
The future of alcoholic drinks
A new wave of drinks designed to mimic alcohol's effects, but without the hangover or dependency...
David Nutt, GABA Labs
Part of the show Dry January: is giving up booze beneficial?
GLASS-RED-WINE
CC0, via Unsplash
PlayDownload
In Star Trek they called it "synthehol" - an alcohol substitute that simulates the look and feel of alcohol, but for which - in the words of Commander Data - "the intoxicating effects are easily dismissed". And just like many of the prescient technologies made famous by Kirk and his successors, this is close to becoming a reality. Imperial College neuropharmacologist David Nutt at his company GABAlabs are working on alcohol replacements; one is entirely synthetic and refreshes all the same the parts of the body that many beers and other beverages can reach, but without the risk of an unpleasant hangover - it's called Alcarelle and we'll hear about that shortly; the other, called Sentia, is a carefully selected cocktail of herb extracts that hit many of the same brain pathways that booze does to produce a mild and short lived intoxicating effect. So how do they work?
David - So if you drink Sentia, it's been designed to taste like an attractive vermouth. And after a few minutes you begin to get the effect, a sense of some relaxation around the jaw. And then, the beginning of relaxation is inside your head, in your mind, you become more sociable, more convivial. You chat a little more. Look, if you're doing it socially, which is what we of course encourage people to do, because alcohol is the ultimate social drug. We start to look at people more and smile more, interact better.
Chris - How long will that persist for?
David - So with Sentia, the effect lasts for about 25 to 35 minutes.
Chris - How does it work?
David -
So in the Sentia botanical drink, there are a number of food grade herbs, which we have selected specifically because they contain within them molecules which work on the GABA system. And the impact of this drink is, we believe, driven largely by a slight increase in the function of the GABA system, which produces this state of relaxation and sociality.
Chris - When you say the GABA system, this is the brain's inhibitory circuits that are also targeted by alcoholic boosts, their effects when you drink. So you are going for basically the same brain target, but you're getting there using different chemicals to do it?
David - That's correct. GABA is the main inhibitory system in the brain. We are targeting GABA because that's the primary target of low doses of alcohol. And the advantage of that is that we avoid targeting all the other transmitter systems that alcohol affects, particularly as you take bigger doses. So most of the problems with alcohol come because it starts to interact with other neurotransmitter systems.
Chris - And did we know that these herbs would have this effect or did you have to go through brute force and just find things that looked promising and then test them out?
David - So we started off looking for herbs, which had GABA containing molecules. But the other criteria were that they had to have been available for certainly decades. In fact, most of them have been around for hundreds of years and known to have calming effects. So there are herbs out there which have historically, traditionally been used for relaxation and calming. We targeted those and selected the ones where the effects could be generally predicted to be due to the GABA system.
Chris - And what data have you generated so far looking at the effect of this on the general public and whether it affects everyone the same amount to the same degree and what the safety profile of this is?
David - The safety profile, we believe to be as safe as the herbs. And as I say, all the herbs are approved either as foods or as food supplements. So we're fairly comfortable that these historically used herbs are safe. In terms of the magnitude of the effect, the effect is equivalent to perhaps a half a pint of beer, a small glass of wine. We don't want to get people very intoxicated and you can't get very intoxicated for two reasons. One is if you drank a whole bottle, the effect wouldn't be particularly greater because alcohol takes about an hour to get rid of a unit of alcohol. Whereas we get a much faster clearance. So we believe that even if you took a lot, you would have very little signs of impairment.
Chris - And presumably because there isn't that cumulative effect with dose, it's less likely that someone would become hooked on this.
David - Yes. We think that what we are doing, targeting the GABA system, minimizes, I can't say it completely eliminates, but we think it will minimize risk of dependence because we know that one of the key drivers for alcohol dependence and craving is turning on the dopamine system. And, and we have consciously chosen herbs, which we believe will not do that. So that's likely to reduce the craving that some people have for alcohol. And particularly that craving, which leads people to lose control when they start off intending just to have one or two drinks and going on a binge.
Chris - With the approach you've taken, you are to a certain extent, constrained by the hand that nature has dealt you. Could you do this a different way and say, well, we know what we want to achieve and we're gonna rationally design something that isn't alcohol but does have some of the same effects in the same way as you've done with the herbs, but you can get an even better effect or an even more tailored outcome that's even more desirable for what you want.
David - That's exactly what we're trying to do, Chris, yes. And we have invented small molecules which target subtypes of the GABA system with a deliberate ambition to do exactly what you say, to mimic the effects of alcohol in a much more specific way. The plan is to have, and I have a bottle of it here a synthetic molecule which we call Alcarelle. It's a direct pun on Candarel. Candarel was a molecule developed to give you the pleasure of sugar, the sweetness, without the calories. And Alcarelle is designed to mimic the pleasure of alcohol with much less in the way of harm. And also by the way, a lot less in terms of calories too. So Alcarelle will be an ingredient that we will license to drink companies, any drink company in the world will be able to make drinks which contain Alcarelle rather than ethanol. We see this as being an ingredient that can be used extensively as an alternative to Alcohol.
Chris - You said you've got a bottle of it sitting in front of you. Is this ready to go or is it a bit like if you were coming up with a pharmaceutical drug for Covid, for example, we know there are lots of trials that have to be done on lots of people and that takes lots of time and lots of money. Have you got to do that, or is the food and drink industry a bit different?
David - No, it has to go through food safety testing. I should say if it was a drug for Covid, it would be on the market already. Because if we had the same interest in governments reducing the harms of alcohol as they have shown they have for reducing the harms of Covid, there will be massive investment. There are three and a half million deaths a year globally from alcohol. It's not far off what we've had with Covid. But yes, we have to take Alcarelle through food safety testing and that testing will take between two and four years.
Chris - But you've tested it presumably on yourself if you've got a bottle of it sitting there?
David - Yes.
Chris - Is it good?
David - Well, it does what it will say on the bottle. That's true.
Chris - <laugh>. Well, I'll raise a glass to that. David, thank you very much for joining us, to tell us about it.
David - Thank you, Chris. It's been a pleasure.
Previous Hair follicles encourage scar remodelling
Next What makes alcohol so addictive?
The Naked Scientists Podcast
Psychedelics In Medicine
What psychedelics do to your brain
The future of psychedelic research
Dry January: is giving up booze beneficial?
How tipsy is Santa on Christmas Eve?
Plastic-eating bugs & paying you to power off
ChatGPT: The chatbot changing how we work
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Shouting dolphins and failed rocket launches
New Ways to Break Down Problem Plastic
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Endurance Found
Shades of Blue Stop a Mosquito Biting You
Organising our Memories


After almost six years, | Can I Bring the Dog?
I may be getting the hang of this dog training stuff.
Last night, Chico wouldn't eat dinner, kibble with some wet food on top. Said it was poison and he wanted nothing to do with it. He said the same thing about it this morning.
So I grabbed a half cup of kibble and the clicker and started working on a hind end awareness exercise we're learning and darned if Chico wasn't, after a little convincing that there was nothing better coming, more than happy to work for kibble.
Just plain kibble. Something he almost always insists isn't very interesting. Amazing what a truly empty tummy can motivate a guy to do.
This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged hungry dog, kibble. Bookmark the permalink.


text:
El Motorola T720 es una línea de teléfonos móviles 2G. Es el primer teléfono de Motorola con pantalla en color. El BREW Motorola T720 original salió poco después de la primera ola de dispositivos BREW, el Kyocera 3035e y el Sharp Z-800.

La pantalla tiene una resolución de 120x160 con una paleta de colores de 12 bits (4096).

Las versiones Java ME pueden acceder a toda la longitud de la pantalla, mientras que las versiones BREW sólo permiten a las aplicaciones usar hasta 120x130. La versión Java ME está disponible en diversas variantes GSM y CDMA.

Las versiones CDMA del T720 fueron sucedidas por el poco actualizado T730, seguido por la más reciente serie V710. Los sucesores de las variantes GSM fueron el T725 y el T725e. Sin embargo, han sido eclipsados por los nuevos teléfonos de la serie V de Motorola, principalmente el V400, V500, V600 y sus variantes.

Tecnología
 CDMA
 GSM
 BREW
 Java ME

T720

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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text:
Anime/MangaLucky Star
Other Worlds Than These
By: Vossago
Konata Izumi: Ordinary high school student by day, interdimensional agent for the Eclipse organization by night. It's time for her to make some serious decisions about where her life is going, and that could mean leaving the world of Lucky Star behind.
Rated: Fiction T - English - Adventure/Fantasy - Konata I. - Chapters: 40 - Words: 210,966 - Reviews: 154 - Favs: 97 - Follows: 57 - Updated: 1/8/2011 - Published: 2/27/2010 - Status: Complete - id: 5780603
1. Breathe in the Air2. Dark Chest of Wonders3. Living on the Edge4. Somewhere Far Beyond5. Welcome to Paradise6. People are Strange7. The Waiting8. Space Oddity9. Summertime Clothes10. All Star11. The Seeker12. Komm, susser Tod13. Shine14. Strange Days15. Center of the Universe16. Fires at Midnight17. The Stand18. Burn My Dread19. Sleep Well Tonight20. Devils Never Cry21. To The Hilt22. Enjoy the Silence23. Spatial Architects24. Like A Rolling Stone25. Hometown26. Sympathy for the Devil27. Blank Infinity28. Among The Living29. The Last Angels' Call30. Don't Dream It's Over31. See Who I Am32. Crimson King33. Terror Train34. Stargazers35. The Gunslinger36. Fait Accompli37. Don't Ask Me Why38. Find Our Way Home39. The Court of the Crimson King40. Eclipse
Author's Note: This is a weird little story idea that's been floating around in my head for a while now. I figured I might as well write it all down and share it with the fanfic readers of the Internet. Hope you all enjoy it, and tell me what you think.
I do not own Lucky Star or any property that I use as a crossover ( and as the story goes on there will be PLENTY of crossovers). I'm just a guy with a computer, a twisted imagination, and a big "what if" question.
So with all that out of the way, hope you enjoy it!
"Come on! We're almost done here!"
Konata led her group of adventurers up to the final area of the tunnels. The chambers were dimly lit by torchlight. They had wandered through the maze of passageways for several hours, the last sign of civilization they had seen had been a small outpost set up near the entrance, which was itself far outside of the limits of the nearest village. Their quest had been going exceptionally well, and assuming they could just make it past whatever was up ahead...
A huge roar and a burst of flame from the entrance to the chamber. Honestly she had been hoping for something more like a slightly larger-than-average slime, but it just always had to be a dragon, didn't it? "Better stop here for a minute. Everyone ready?"
"I'm ready when you are," replied Yamanka. "Looks like we should use ice spells?" Yamanka usually supported from the rear, since he had the most magical ability of the party.
Gatongo was obviously excited, and was laughing uncontrollably. Still, he was an experienced rogue, so they put up with his unique mannerisms.
"Here's the plan," Konata explained. "Looks like we're facing a dragon, so Gatongo can distract him. Yamanka, ice spells should work here. I'll go right in and attack close-range. This shouldn't be too hard."
The first thing they noticed as they charged into the final chamber was that the dragon was much larger and more powerful than they had anticipated. Gatongo tried to run past, but was instantly thrown aside by the claws.
"You okay?" Konata shouted.
Gatongo, still laughing (something must be wrong with him), replied, "Yeah. I can still go on. This looks like fun!"
"What are you waiting for?" shouted Yamanka. "Get in there and finish this thing off!"
Typical strategic positions - surround the enemy and attack from all sides. Three against one.
Konata got out her sword, ran in, ready for the attack - when the dragon shot out a huge burst of flame, sweeping across the room, hitting the entire party. Gatongo was killed instantly in the blast. Yamanka struggled to get up, so far unable to get in a single spell against the beast.
"No time to worry about him. We can still do this!" Konata yelled. "We've come too far to be stopped!"
She charged ahead, sword raised, and stabbed the dragon directly in the neck. Roaring in pain, it swiped blindly, throwing her aside. Yamanka cheered in triumph - soon regretting it. The dragon charged towards him and he was crushed. Konata was on her own now. She turned around and prepared for another attack. She could still do this -
Still thrashing around, the tail of the monster hit her full force in the middle of her charge, and she was thrown against the wall, the life draining out of her...
All your life will ever be
Your party is dead. Respawn at home point?
Konata put her head down on the desk in front of her. There goes all that experience, all that time spent on that dungeon... It had taken hours to get that far. Completely unfair boss battle.
yamanka: orz
gatongo: rofl that sucks
yamanka: shoot, we were so close
It was never too late to try again...
konakona: who wants to try again? we've got time
gatongo: rofl, sorry, i dont, lol
yamanka: me neither. dont u have school tomorrow kona?
School? Yes, she did, but wasn't there still time? How long had she been playing for, anyway? Turning to look at the window, she noticed that it was already starting to get lighter outside, which was all the answer she needed.
Damn it. Didn't time just fly by online?
konakona: ;; see u tomorrow then... (-_-)
Not even tomorrow, more like later today. The clock said it was already 5 A.M. Konata thought back over the past few days, and realized this would make... three all-night gaming sessions in a row. In other words, a vacation well-spent. She logged off. Time to get ready for school, then. It was the end of spring break, so today would be the start of her second year at Ryoo High School.
Kagami and Tsukasa had arrived at school early. They stood outside the front doors, talking while they waited for the first bell to ring.
"Hey, sorry I'm late, guys!"
Kagami looked over and saw Konata running towards them. "Look who decided to show up today. I was worried you'd be late for the first day of school," Kagami said. And in all honesty, that would not have surprised her.
"I was up all night on a raid. We almost got a ton of rare items before the final boss just completely overwhelmed us, so I'm going to have to try again tonight," Konata replied.
"I can't believe you. You actually stayed up all night playing a game? On a school night, too!"
"Not just one night, it was more like two or three..." Konata said. "You can't waste a perfectly good vacation, right?" Kagami stared at her in disbelief, completely unable to think of any response.
"Excuse me, can I ask you something?"
They turned around to see a boy in a Ryoo student uniform with medium-length brown hair. "Uh, sure. What do you need?" Kagami asked.
"I'm a new transfer student. Jason Ellis. I'm from America. It says I'm going to class 2-B, the teacher's name is..." He looked at the paper in his hand. "Kuroi Nanako. Do you know where that is?"
"That's where me and Tsukasa are going. Just follow us," Konata replied.
"I didn't realize we were getting a new student in our class..." Tsukasa said.
"Really? That's interesting," Jason replied. Dropping the subject, he added, "So are all of you in my class, then?"
"Kagami isn't," Konata said. "Come to think of it, this is the second year you'll be all by yourself. Don't get too lonely, now!"
"I'm fine!" Kagami snapped. "I have other friends than just you two, you know."
The first bell rang. "We should get going," Jason said. "Nice to meet all of you. I figure I should meet as many new people as possible. What are all your names?"
"I'm Izumi Konata. These two are Tsukasa and Kagami."
"Got it. I'll try to remember that," he said. "So where's the classroom?"
"Just follow me," Konata said.
She really wasn't looking forward to going back to class. All the practical information to prepare them for the real world. Just the thought of it made her feel tired. Never mind all those sleepless nights, this was what really wore her out.
"Welcome back, everyone. Hope you all had fun over your break, but it's on to a new year now, so work hard! My name is Kuroi-sensei, for those of you who are new here." Nanako Kuroi looked at the less-than-enthusiastic faces of her homeroom. She remembered to add, "And speaking of new students, this is Jason Ellis, who transferred in from America. I expect you'll give him a nice welcome."
She decided not to add that she had only heard anything about a new exchange student two days ago. She was supposed to present a responsible image to her students, and that included actually knowing who was in her class. Where had this kid come from, anyway? Well, Vermont, of course, according to the file, but... Something was weird about the situation.
Jason stood up. "Thank you. My name is Jason, I'm excited to be starting this new year with all of you."
The day had hardly even begun, and Konata was already having trouble keeping her eyes open. No way she could make it through an entire day of class... Her head fell forward on the desk, and she fell asleep shortly after.
She woke up once it was time for lunch. Had she really just slept through half the day...? She had some faint memories of history class, maybe math... She sat with Tsukasa and Miyuki, and the new student had already joined the table.
"Hey, everyone," Konata said.
"Wait... don't tell me your name yet, let's see if I can remember it..." Jason said. "You're... Konata, right?"
"Yeah." She took her seat.
"I just wanted to thank you for helping me find the classroom," Jason said. "It would have sucked to be late on my first day of school here."
"Uh, sure... no problem," Konata replied. It was a little awkward suddenly having a boy sit with them. Usually guys didn't seem to notice her or her friends at all.
"You speak Japanese very well," Miyuki commented. "How long have you been studying it?"
"Oh... about... five years now, I think," Jason said. "Thanks, I've been working hard on it."
"By the way, I'm going to need the notes from today's lessons. Can I borrow them from someone? I kind of... wasn't paying attention," Konata asked hopefully.
"Oh, umm... I actually forgot to write anything down," Tsukasa said. "Sorry..."
"There wasn't too much today," Jason replied. "You can use mine."
"You're going to regret that later, trust me." Kagami had just arrived from her own class. "She's just going to start asking you for your work every day if you let her. Konata, you never do any of the work on your own..."
"I can't help it if it's impossible for me to concentrate," Konata said, disappointed.
"Hey, I really don't mind," Jason said, handing her the notes. "Just get them back to me when you're done."
Konata's face brightened immediately. "Thanks!"
Kagami just sighed. "Well, maybe now you won't be copying my work anymore, now that you've made such a great new friend..."
"Of course I still need you, Kagamin. I can't just depend on one person, you know?"
Changing the subject, Miyuki cut in. "If you don't mind me asking, Jason-kun, how has it been for you attending school in a foreign country? I've thought about studying abroad myself before."
Jason smiled. "Well, the uniforms are something new for me. Adjusting to speaking the language all the time, everything like that... And apparently I'm now Jason-kun instead of just Jason."
Konata suddenly spoke up. "You're a transfer student, so... Do you have any secret powers or a hidden identity? Because in manga and anime, transfer students are always like that!" She stood up and leaned in close to him, there was a bit of an awkward moment...
"Umm... no. I'm just a regular guy... Sorry if you're disappointed?"
"Honestly, I can't believe you would say something like that, Konata..." Kagami sighed.
About a week had passed since the first day of school. Konata was going over to the Hiiragi residence to visit Kagami. She'd been sick that day. Jason decided to head back to his apartment and finish unpacking - he'd really been putting that off, there were just too many distractions being in Japan.
He walked home alone, enjoying the warm weather. He looked at the train schedule when he arrived at the station - it would be a while until the train to Nakano arrived. He didn't mind waiting - after all, there wasn't much to look forward to. Nothing ever happened here, if the past two weeks had been any indication. And it was all so...
Well, boring.
His phone rang, which interrupted his thoughts. He hadn't given this number to anyone at school yet, so it must have been somebody from -
The name on the caller I.D. said Rendor Forsythe.
Now that was something interesting.
He answered the call, not sure what to expect or even how to answer. "Hello, this is -"
"Your name is Jason Ellis, correct?" The voice on the other end was male, and Jason thought probably in his thirties or forties. Other than that, he had no idea what Forsythe looked like. From what he had heard, this guy was something of an eccentric. Forsythe was very private even to those working for him. "I believe we have you working in Kasukabe, Japan."
"Yes..."
"I'm calling about your assignment. Everything is going to plan, I assume."
"Everything's fine here. No observations to report yet. What did you want from me?"
"There's been a slight change of plan regarding your target. Listen carefully, because I'm only going to tell you the details once. Understand that this is of great importance to the organization."
"I'm ready."
What he heard next was unexpected, to say the least, but it was an order. In the end that was all that mattered. And he was supposed to start immediately. Such short notice... No time for questions, though.
He decided not to take the train this time.
As usual, Kagami hadn't wanted to help Konata with her homework... since Konata's definition of "help" seemed to be "doing all the work for her." Didn't she understand how many other important things I have to do? Konata thought. Like preparing for another raid. Back in her net game, they'd been grinding nonstop and collecting all sorts of rare items.
"Hey, Konata!"
She turned around. It was Jason, that new student...
"Oh, hey. I thought you were going back to your apartment." He had been going in that direction, at least. Towards Nakano, if her memory was correct... Which was in a completely direction from Washimiya. How had he gotten over here so quickly? He could barely find his way around the school.
"Changed my mind. I need to ask you something important," Jason replied. "Do you have a minute?"
"Sure, no problem." What was this about...?
"Have you ever..." He looked for the right words. "...wished your life could be more exciting?" he asked.
"Well, yeah, I guess so, but - what are you talking about?"
"Follow me." He ducked into an alley, looking around to make sure they weren't being watched.
"You're acting really weird, you know," Konata said. Honestly, though, this was exactly the kind of thing she had wanted from a new exchange student, so she wasn't exactly complaining.
"I work with an organization called Eclipse," Jason explained. "We travel between multiple universes. We maintain a balance of power. Ensure no harmful interference between realities. And you've been chosen to work with us."
"Huh? You're - "
"You believe me, right?"
"This means you were lying back when you said you were normal," she said. "I'm pretty disappointed that you would lie to me about something like that."
That was all she had to say to him? Simply incredible, she accepted all of this as true with absolutely no proof. So far, anyway.
"Sorry about that. But we need to get started right away."
Konata stared at him. "Are you... serious about this?"
"So, will you come with me? Your training is supposed to begin as soon as possible."
"Yeah, of course!"
"Good to hear. Wait just a minute, we'll get going."
Jason pulled out his cell phone, and started typing something into it. Konata tried to see what it was, and noticed the logo on the back. A dark circle with white light radiating out from it. She had noticed it before, but now she realized what it was: an eclipse, just like this organization he had been talking about. That wasn't really a phone, was it?
"What are you -" she started.
"Just hold on." He put his hand on her shoulder, and then all the sounds and colors blurred together as they were pulled out of the only reality Konata had ever known.


House prices in England and Wales increased by 0.3% in November, the first monthly rise since March, according to Your Move's house price index.
The average house price in England and Wales now stands at £300,859, giving a modest annual price increase of just 0.9%.
This monthly growth has been fuelled by a rise in the number of transactions, which are up 4%, year on year, in the third quarter of this year.
Despite these more positive monthly figures, Your Move reports that the annual rate of growth in the housing market continues to slow.
The annual growth rate of 0.9% is the lowest it has been since April 2012, and continues the downward trend started in June. In November 2016 annual house price growth stood at 6.3%.
The regional figures show that the slowdown in London and South East house prices remains a brake on the national figures. Annual house price growth in other regions stood at 3.3% in November, up from 3.2% the previous month. In greater London house prices fell by 0.3% annually, to give an average house price of £586,987.
This was the only region to show an annual fall in prices over the year. The biggest gains were in the South West, where prices have risen by 4.3% annually – to give an average price of £281,126. Wales, the North West, and the East and West Midlands have all recorded annual price increases of more than 3%.
Looking forward, Your Move said there were some "encouraging signs" for 2018 which may point to a "turnaround" in the market.
"First, monthly changes finally seem to be on an upward trend. Second, the relative underperformance of London, which has done much to weaken the national figures, appears to be easing.


In conjunction with one of our parents, Ely College will be collecting old, unwanted College uniform and then donating these to children in Africa. We will work with Re-Imagine at the Witchford Recycling Centre to coordinate this.
In the meantime, if you have any old College polo shirts, or other uniform items, then please drop these into the collection bins available in the College main reception. We will happily take these off your hands!


text:
Review: MotionSports
December 16, 2010, Author: Ray Willmott
The terms Sports and Motion, of late, are like peas in a pod. Using motion controlled peripherals to engineer sport-like experiences from the comfort of your own living room is certainly not a new angle, and therefore it was to be expected that Kinect would quickly become inundated with this type of games from the off. Ubisoft were one of the first to seize the day and launched MotionSports alongside Kinect, quietly competing against Microsoft and Rare's own effort, Kinect Sports.
With a slightly different assortment of games bundled in the package and a distinct lack of Avatars, the burning question is, how did Ubisoft get on?
Ready for action!
It's nice to see that MotionSports comes bundled with different sports from Rare's own game. Whereas Rare focused on some traditional favourites like bowling and table tennis, Ubisoft have tried something different, implementing American Football, Paragliding, Skiing and Horse Riding, alongside old favorites like Boxing and Football. Naturally though, this is still a sports game through and through and that fact cannot be escaped. Unfortunately for all of us, it's an incredibly poor one and it won't take you long to figure that out yourself. On paper, the idea of trying these games is actually quite exciting and you will think that this game can offer you something among all of those bundled in the package. Unfortunately, the translation for each and every one of these games flops rather than flourishes
Let's start with the horse riding shall we? Um, well, how to say this nicely? It handles horribly. Just trying to turn the horse was excruciating, slow and long-winded. The principle of the idea introduced here is good, and trying something different with the sports package is commendable but this was just awfully stunted, unresponsive and for the most part, unenjoyable. It'll be a long time before another development house can convince me that Horse riding is a worthwhile endeavour on Kinect, because this really does fail on so many levels. Not only is this a sluggish experience that is, frankly, nigh on impossible to obtain any sort of 'Best Time' or High Score, but you start forgetting that you're trying to showjump yourself to gold and glory. You feel more as if you've just had sex with thin air with the amount of groin thrusting going on!
Hey, boxing should be easier to recreate. That can't be hard, can it? Well, that would be wishful thinking. Much like Fighters Uncaged, throwing a punch from your left usually means you won't throw a punch at all or throw one from the opposite side, which makes sense, naturally. The only thing that seems responsive is the guard, not to say that makes much difference as punches manage to seep through anyway. As for two players playing this locally? Don't even bother. You'll end up fighting in your living room as opposed to on a computer screen. When compared with boxing on Kinect Sports, let's just say Ubisoft didn't really get this one right.
The skiing is a laughable affair. Bend your knees to move, leaning left or right to turn corners and jumping on verges to help increase speed. Thing is? While turning seems quite responsive (almost too responsive!) you never seem to be able to pick up speed and when you do, you'll have no chance of catching your opposition, even if you're maxing out the speed gauge. In other words, you'll never be competitive.
Football and American Football, while you can play games of each, are just filled with random mini-games that are more annoying than fun. You'll have a penalty shoot-out in Football where it's you vs the goalkeeper. Of course, that would be fun if you could ever get past the point where you place the ball and can have a shot on goal. Although, when you eventually do take a shot, the chances of missing are almost impossible as the goalkeeper barely even moves to try to save the ball!
As for American Football, there's a game similar to Reflex Ridge from Kinect Adventures where you'll jump over obstacles and duck underneath them. Apart from the limited motions you'll need to perform, the game can't even detect them properly. I was crouched in front of Kinect for a good few seconds before the target came up, waving my arms around furiously, and even standing up and ducking down again to try to get into a crouched position, but on several occasions, the game couldn't detect what I was doing. Long story short, it made me look like an idiot for nothing!
In fact, the only thing Ubisoft seem to have got right are the controls for the menus which seem to work perfectly. You know your game is doomed to hell and obscurity when the best you can say about it is that the menus work well!
...but the menus work well!!
Chew the dirt. Feel the realism!
Unlike Rare's offering, Ubisoft have attempted a much more gritty, realistic approach with Motion Sports. For the most part, the graphics are actually pretty good in MotionSports and I probably should commend Ubi for their efforts in trying to recreate an authentic sporting experience. In fact, the graphics are probably the best part of the whole game (apart from those awesome menu screens, of course). There's even some cool graphical effects that make the screen go black and white when replaying penalty shoot-outs.
The game also makes good use of Kinect's camera allowing you to take a photo at the end of each event to go along with a newspaper headline made about you. You can also view all of these back on the menu screen which does have potential to elicit a smile. However, the thought of taking pictures yourself, while it will satisfy your vanity for a little while, does eventually get dull.
Hear the grunts!
I'd talk about the sound effects in the game, but frankly I could hardly hear them over my whingeing, moaning and crying at how frustrating the game is. There is a running commentary over most of the sports, (it describes a striker and a goalkeeper as 'two warriors locked in combat' and even manages to commentate on the actions of hang-gliding and horse-riding) and while it does add an authentic flair, the dialogue is usually rehashed and repeated during every game, so it soon gets old.
The music is light, with a slightly rock-like style but it soon becomes a monotonous, skull digging, eye gouging, hair pulling, ball ripping ache on the ears, that will probably kill you before you can get to like it. As you can probably guess by now, not much in this game won me over.
A terrible excuse for a game...
Playing for real with others
Another thing that may grate you, Motion Sports has no online multiplayer. None, nada, zip! Yes, you can play the game locally and on some games with up to four people, but it's quite hard to believe that Ubisoft didn't take advantage of the frankly, incredibly strong online multiplayer capabilities of the 360 and exploit them in MotionSports. This is the second Ubisoft Kinect launch title that didn't do this (see the equally awful Fighters Uncaged) and is more of a dull move on their part than one that will do the game any favours.
Frankly though, some may even see it as a relief as playing any type of multiplayer on MotionSports is like poking a ram in the eye with a stick and allowing him to butt you in the testicles, repeatedly, for fun. If that sounds like your idea of a wild night out, then yeah, sure, MotionSports is going to be your thing. If, you're perfectly sane mentally and this sounds as appealing to you as eating wet mud, then you're going to come to the same conclusion as me, MotionSports is an awful, painful gaming experience.
In fairness, the game does make use of the Uplay system prevalent in most Ubisoft games, but frankly, by this point, you'll have probably given up on the game altogether.
The final word?
It would be outrageous for me to recommend that you purchase this over the much superior and more entertaining Kinect Sports, as there's not a single aspect of MotionSports that comes close to matching or surpassing Rare's effort. For me, MotionSports is a joke in game making before and after playing Kinect Sports. If this is 'Playing for Real' then I would rather have my Avatar on the screen doing sporting activities for me any day of the week.
This is only barely better functionality-wise than Fighters Uncaged and therefore just slightly evades the crown of being the worst Kinect launch title… but by God is it close!
The game could be very enjoyable, if you didn't have to sift through a gazillion loading screens just to play a single two-minute game, if you could actually play proper games against your friends instead of a series of mini-games and if the game actually reacted to your actions, instead of completely ignoring you. If you can get past all that, sure it's a fantastic game.
Frankly, however, I couldn't. I found myself beating my head against the wall and nearly putting a hole through my TV set in rage. MotionSports smacks of sloppy, uninspired game designing. If this is your one and only showcase title for Kinect, then don't expect to win your friends over with this one, as they'd probably rather go outside and play pooh sticks than stay indoors and attempt to get to grips with this. Diabolical.
Platforms: Kinect, Xbox 360 | Tagged American Football, boxing, Football, Hang gliding, Kinect, Microsoft, Motion, skiing, Sports, Ubisoft, xbox, Xbox 360
TIMJ Rating: Avoid It!
About Ray Willmott
Author history »
Now editor of Expansive DLC
Latest Articles by Ray Willmott
Wii U: Where it is now and where it needs to go


Scientific visualization is an image or video that conveys data collected in various ways.
Scientists use this tool to better understand their data and to share this information with others.
– View visualization examples of dust crossing from Africa to the Amazon, sea surface salinity, global precipitation, and a typhoon.
– Complex data sets needed to make up the visualizations.
– A Brief discussion about aerospace engineering, computer graphics and pursuing your passion for a career.
– Art, engineering, and challenges of working with visualizations.
Bring interest and engagement to your students with a Futures Channel STEM Screening Room subscription; you can access 140+ videos and over 200 lesson plans (that contain 4 to 5 activities each). Yearly subscriptions are available for individual teachers.


Welcome to the December 15th edition of Warehouse & Logistics News, our last in an eventful year, in which Britain's warehouse and logistics industry has faced a stream of challenges and gone on calmly delivering the goods.
Early in the year, in the grocery sector, the 'Beast from the East' blizzards sent shoppers hoarding food and candles but the trucks kept moving and shops stayed open. The glorious summer saw supply chains stretched taut as we celebrated the Royal Wedding, drank to England's World cup success and basked in the long heatwave. But again the line held.
Most recently, in the Brexit tension of the last few weeks, businesses of all kinds have been snapping up warehouse space and buffering themselves against anticipated post-Brexit stock shortages.
As an industry we get through stressful times like this by building in a margin of comfort. On our front cover Swisslog's warehouse automation solutions are helping ease anticipated seasonal ecommerce labour shortages. With experts forecasting that online shopping's rapid growth will create demand for 452,000 more warehouse workers in the next year, Swisslog's solutions increase warehouse pick rates by up to 50%, reducing the need for extra seasonal staff and offering the ability to build instantly available reserve capacity.
Warehouse automation is one of the many areas of innovation in this industry you can read about in the 2019 Warehouse & Logistics News Annual, being mailed with this issue. Now in its eighth edition the Annual is the ultimate reference source for everyone involved in purchasing warehouse equipment, technology and logistics services. The Annual showcases leading suppliers in each category along with reports and commentaries from industry experts, including the UK trade associations.
Meanwhile in our last issue of 2018 we also bring you the latest stories from the industry and features on Forklift Trucks, Pallets and Storage Solutions, all designed to assist in working better and planning ahead. In Forklift Trucks, I.D. Systems' PowerFleet portfolio offers options to help manage machines and operators more effectively, from the PowerFleet Control Center app for monitoring one or two trucks to the PowerFleet Enterprise management system for full-scale MHE fleets.
Planning ahead is certainly paying off for soft drinks manufacturer AG Barr. Our Pallet Focus section reports them enjoying substantial environmental savings by using CHEP's pooled pallets instead of white wood ones. Eighteen months into their contract, AG Barr have cleaned up CO2 emissions by 57%, chopped use of wood resources by 70% and trimmed waste going to landfill by 78%.
In our third feature, Storage Solutions, we have the cautionary tale of a household-name retailer who agreed with their 3PL partner that simulation would be useful to have when they were planning the new warehouse, but neither side was prepared to pay. The story doesn't end well for either side: it's a lesson for all of us.
And finally, let's hope that in 2019 European leaders (including our own) can work together in harmony towards achieving a satisfactory outcome of the present negotiations.
I visited Paris to watch the Ryder Cup this Autumn and witnessed first-hand how Europeans can work together to form a winning partnership against the odds. Politicians take note!!
Enjoy the festive season and we'll be back in January with our next issue. Merry Christmas!


At the present time the main way of increasing the computer ower is the designing multi-processor computer systems with distributed memory. In the world there are a large number of such projects (e.g. Tera 3D, CM-5, KSR1, Paragon) aimed to the realization of the teraflop computer power up to the end of the decade. All of these systems are multi-processor systems with distributed memory consisting of thousands of processors. The design of applications software for such distributed systems meets a number of very serious troubles.
The concurrent program development needs using or creating the appropriate computing methods. To achieve the require efficiency it is necessary to go many times from the algorithm specification to the program written in programming language. And this way is much more complicated for the Parallel Computers then it is for traditional ones.
The lack of availability of concurrent algorithms and programs which the programmer could use in the work aggravates the problems arising by concurrent programs development. In this connection there is a pressing requirement to use huge banks of programs and algorithms written in sequential programming languages.
There are pure psychological problems connected with human perception of parallel algorithms. A man more naturally deals with the sequential algorithms and programs. So the transition to the distributed systems using makes the applications programmer's work much more complicated. Moreover it strongly reduces the pace of program development. That's why it is desirable to give a programmer an opportunity to use a traditional sequential programming languages, which are possibly modified for the increasing efficiency of the automated algorithm paralleling.
The concurrent programs worked out with language facilities which avaliable for the distributed systems require serious efforts for mapping the programs not only on computers with different architectures (sequential, SIMD processor arrays, MIMD shared memory machines), but also on the same computers with another configuration. Linking the concurrent program with using simple modules, accumulating the bank of common concurrent programs and modules are the problems to investigation.
To get over difficulties pointed above and to make convinient and effective using the perspective computer systems with massive parallelism, the investigations of the computer aided system for portable concurrent programs designing (the RAMPA system) have been started at Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics Russian Academy of Sciences.
and will result in establishing widely used banks of parallel algorithms.
The system will also allow the development of programs with Fortran GNS, Fortran 77 and C languages, extended with tools from specially made library for parallel programs support. But that will make programs development more labour-consuming and programs portability much lower.
Above that, using instrumental computer (for instance IBM PC) the system could simulate the program execution for computers with different architecture and evaluate the efficiency of parallelism. The system also could help a programmer to rewrite sequential program into parallel one. Thus the system could be used for training in parallel programming.
The system under developing includes the Fortran DVM, NORMA and Fortran GNS compilers converting the program into extended Fortran 77. The system also envolves the libraries LIB-DVM and LIB-GNS for concurrent programming support and debug and monitor tools.
Fortran GNS is Fortran 77 extended in correspondence with proposals of C.A.Thole , based on abstract GENESIS-machine concept. According to this concept the user's task is a set of sub-tasks which are dynamically created on the specified processors of distributed system. These sub-tasks communicate among themselves by sending and receiving messages in any of the three modes: synchronous, asynchronous and nowait.
The abstract GENESIS-mashine conception is realized as a LIB-GNS library and this makes it available both for the C and Fortran 77 programs. The following approach to the separation of duties between the library and the configuration description language (which is usually applicated for tasks mapping onto processors of distributed system) was accepted by this library realization. The library should allow to map programs onto different processors of some virtual parallel machine (GNS-machine) and should organize the communications between them. The configuration description language should allow to set an effective mapping of the virtual parallel machine onto available hardware.
The virtual parallel machine is a aggregate of rectilinear virtual processor arrangements. When the virtual machine is mapped onto a physical machine, several virtual processors can be mapped onto a single physical processor. This simplifies adaptation of programs for a specific configuration and at the same time increases our capabilities in program debugging.
The Fortran GNS language provide the following basic features for parallel application programming.
The whole application is started by one specified initial task allocated to the specified processor. The task and the processor are specified through the programming environment (for example, as a UNIX command-line argument). This task creates further tasks on the same processor or on others.
The whole application terminates if the initial taskerminates or one of the other tasks requests an abort.
Each task gets an unique identifier.
Each task use only local address spase, no shared data with other tasks.
Each task may perform I/O to a common file system.
Each task may create dynamicaly other tasks on any processors, which are alloted to the whole application. The number of tasks is not limited by the number of processors.
Once created, a task is statically allocated to a specific processor.
Each task may terminate only itself or the whole application.
The message content is list of data objects each of which might be a scalar, an array or an array section. The list of the send command and the receive command must conform in the number of elements and in the data type and the shape of each element.
The descriptor for the destination is the identifier of the task. Multiple destinations may be specified for broadcast operations.
Messages are automatically routed to any destination task.
Asynchronous message passing uses a no-wait send and receive facility, which waits for the arrival of an appropriate message. Integer values called tags are used to distinguish between messages of different type. Matching of messages to the execution of receive statements is performed on the basis of tags and optionally on the origin of the messages. If several messages from the same sender fulfill the request, the one sent first is used.
Alternating receiving of messages of different type and/or origin is possible.
Synchronous message passing is supported.
No-wait send and no-wait receive statements are provided for the implementation of single-buffered communication. On each side a logical variable can be tested using intrinsic calls to determine whether the message trasfer has been performed.
A set of intrinsic functions supports parallel reduction functions (e.g. MAX,MIN,SUM). The reductions are applied for each of the element of the specified array valued operand over the specified tasks. Each of these tasks has to call this intrinsic, the operation is executed synchronously and the results are returned to any task involved.
The Fortram DVM compiler will produce the Fortran 77 program, which will be extended with the library LIB-DVM tools. That library in its turn is the superstructure of the LIB-GNS library.
Norma is a non-procedural language designed for numerical algorithms of solving mathematical physics problems using difference methods.
The basic idea of this language is to use the description of the problem in the form of computational formulae obtained by applied specialist as input information to run computations.
Thus Norma allows applied mathematicians to formulate their problems in their usual terms. The computational process for specific hardware architecture (parallel, vector, etc.) is organized by the translator from Norma.
Research during development and implementation of the non-procedural Norma language shows that program synthesis for the grid methods solutions of the problems of mathemaical physics can be done under practically acceptible restrictions.
Currently there exist the versions of the translator from Norma into sequential FORTRAN 77 and into vector-parallel Fortran VP (extension of Fortran 8X).
The Norma programming system has been used for applications in mathematical physics, including 3-D viscous incompressible fluid flow problems.
Program execution on a parallel computer.
Program pseudo-execution on an instrumental computer by using the tracing information from the program execution on a parallel computer.
Instrumental computer simulation of the program execution on a parallel computer.
A programmer has to spend much more effort to debug a parallel program than a sequential one. It may be explained by specifics of human perception of parallel algorithms as well as a nondeterministic nature of parallel program execution. The same problems have for a long time been a challenge for designers of OS and real-time systems. Therefore it is only natural to borrow from their arsenal of debugging techniques such as tracing, the corresponding tools for automated analysis of traces and the tools for automated analysis of fixed states of program execution. Also important are visualization facilities for graphic representation of the structure of parallel programs, and their message exchange characteristics.
Debugging tools should make it possible to repeatedly run a parallel program with the same results in order to eliminate nondeterministic behavior of the program during error localization.
The following traditional interactive debugging tools will be implemented: the breakpoints setting, the visualization of values of the marked variables, etc.
The monitoring facilities can be treated as an integrated part of debugging tools since they enable programmers to gain a better understanding of his program. Among these facilities are statistics gathering software and profiling software.
By simulation of the concurrent program execution using instrumental computer the user will be able to debug Fortran DVM, NORMA, Fortran GNS programs and to debug programs written in Fortran 77 and in C languages, which extended with the LIB-GNS library tools.
Above that, using the instrumental computer for debugging could help a programmer to rewrite his sequential program into parallel one written in Fortran DVM language. In this case adding control instructions to the program will not influence on correctness of program execution but it will only effect on the estimation of program execution time.
For providing such mode the compiler will prepare program in a special manner. By the program simulation it will allow to make dynamic analysis of statement relations and to use this analysis for choosing the control instructions correctness and for estimating synchronizing and message passing time. By the simulation the user will be able to take exhaustive information about his wrong or non-optimal instructions and information about the program executing, which help him with paralleling the program.
The possibility of gradual paralleling the program with the guaranted correctness of its execution not only makes essentially easier this process but also in some cases allows to limit oneself estimating the concurrent program performance after mapping the computations onto processors (e.g. in case of using or creating the appropriate computing methods).
Hiranandani, S., Kennedy,K., Tseng,C. Compiling Fortran D for MIMD Distributed-Memory Machines. Comm. ACM, Vol.35,No.8 (Aug.1992),66-80.
DRAFT. High Performance Fortran. Language Specification. Version 1.0, Jan.25, 1993.
Thole, C.A.: A proposal for the Abstract GENESIS Machine. In: Report on the GENESIS definition phase October 1988 - June 1989, 1989.
A.N.Andrianov, K.N.Efimkin, I.B.Zadykhailo. The Norma language. Prepr. Keldysh Inst. of Appl. Math., N165, 1985 (In Russian).
N.A.Konovalov, V.A.Krukov, E.Z.Ljubimskij. Controlled virtual memory. Programming, N 1, 1977 (In Russian).


I'm of the firm opinion that for the money, French pharmacy brands offer some of the best solutions for diffcult skin-types. Escentual.com have long been my online destination for French pharma-brands, the beauty retailer offers shoppers worldwide a range of continental treats that can be difficult to source on the high street.
For the next 31-days customers can enjoy a full 1/3 off the price of Vichy, La Roche Posay and Nuxe; 25% off Avene, A-Derma, Klorane, Rene Furterer, and Pierre Fabre Dexeryl; and 10% off Caudalie.
As if that isn't exciting enough… in celebration of this, I've teamed up with the guys at Escentual to offer five lucky Lipglossiping.com readers the chance to win a set of my personal top French Pharmacy picks.
A-Derma Epitheliale A.H Repairing Cream is a skin miracle for those of us with combination/make your mind up skin-types. It delivers comfort to my most irritated patches without saturating my t-zone.
La Roche-Posay Effaclar AI is a product that I've written about many times before. Got a spot? Zap it with this and watch the "anger" disappear overnight.
La Roche-Posay Lipikar Balm AP delivers rich moisture to dry skin. Use allover the body to calm and nourish irritated skin.
Avène Thermal Spring Water Spray remains one of my Summer staples. Cooling, refreshing, and the perfect skin pick-me-up.
Want to win the above products?
Leave a comment telling me whether you've tried anything from a French pharmacy brand and if so, what's been your favourite?
3. There are five prizes to be won, a set of five French pharmacy products as listed above. No cash alternative.
4. Lipglossiping.com is the sole promoter of this competition.
5. Only one entry per IP address will be accepted.
6. Personal details will only be used in the context of this competition to inform the winner(s) of their prize status.
7. Five winners will be selected at random from all entries received.
8. Winners will be notified within 7 working days and will be expected to reply to an email sent to the address used to enter your comment within 5 working days or risk forfeiting the prize.
Barry M Instant Nail Effects - Nail Art on the CHEAP!
Limited Edition products for Superdrug's 50th Birthday!


In the fall of 2015, Carleton College's Learning and Teaching Center and Information Technology Services hosted Randy Bass, Georgetown's Vice Provost for Education, and a leading thinker on innovation in higher education. In this clip from his campus talk, Dr. Bass invites faculty to look proactively and efficiently at the evolving Liberal Arts landscape.
One of the most important things for any institution, especially ones that know that their survival isn't threatened by the changes in the ecosystem, is to try to be a model of reinvention, to try to reimagine what it is that we most deeply value that is now existing in the world. The most important design question to ask is what kind of experimentation does an institution need to do so that institution can live fully in its time.
LACOL's Effective Teaching and Learning Working Group explores creative online and blended pedagogies for liberal arts teaching and learning.
LACOL's working group on Active and Engaged Reading focuses on the role of reading in liberal arts teaching and learning. At liberal arts institutions, we want to meet students where they are and support their ability to read in the variety of ways they will encounter in college. AER is also interested in how different technologies may enable new reading pedagogies through means such as text mining, group annotation or collaborative reading techniques.
Is reading changing for our students in a digital age? If so, how?


text:
L'Oréal brings in TBWA for UK Biotherm launch
L'Oréal is to sell its Biotherm brand in the UK for the first time. The brand has more than 250 water-based beauty and skincare products under its name.
By Marketing Week	 8 Apr 2004 12:00 am
L'Oréal is to sell its Biotherm brand in the UK for the first time. The brand has more than 250 water-based beauty and skincare products under its name.
In an unusual move for L'Oréal, the company has appointed non-roster agency TBWA Connections to run its media buying and planning for the ad campaign backing the launch, rather than using incumbent Universal McCann.
The work will be carried out by Manning Gottlieb, which part-owns TBWA Connections, despite the fact that it also does work for rival Estée Lauder, through its M2M subsidiary. L'Oréal's roster agency Publicis will create the ads. The Biotherm range is well established globally, but up to this point was unavailable in the UK.
In another departure for L'Oréal, the company is opening its first dedicated Biotherm shop, at the Bluewater shopping centre in Kent.
L'Oréal is also to tie up with a number of "trendy" brands to promote the range as aspirational. It will sponsor events held by surfing label QuikSilver and record label Hed Kandi, and is planning a string of Biotherm branded club nights. The brand will also be a sponsor for the Glamour magazine beauty awards.
Biotherm offers men's and women's face care, body care and sun care products. All products in the range are based on an extract of plankton found in spring water from the French mountains. Thousands of products face the chop at Safeway as part of the rationalisation of its ranges under new owner Wm Morrison.
Sources on the integration team between the two supermarkets say that up to 25 per cent of Safeway's product range could be delisted as responsibility for category buying at Safeway is handed to Morrisons' staff.
The cull will most affect brands that carry a large number of variants, as well as tertiary brands that have not been listed by Morrisons, which has a much smaller portfolio of products in its stores.
A Safeway source says Morrisons has no intention of increasing the number of products on its lists despite the fact that it now owns larger Safeway supermarkets.
Morrisons has already slashed prices on over 800 Safeway products to bring them in line with its pricing strategy.
The supermarket launched an ad campaign this week to promote the price cuts, which was created by Morrisons' roster agency BDH/TBWA.
One member of the integration team says large ranges, such as Lever Fabergé's Lynx, are likely to be whittled down to their core profitable products.
"A range harmonisation was inevitable," he says. "Suppliers have to be resigned to the fact that they aren't going to be able to stock as many products in our supermarkets as before."
Archive Consumer Goods


text:
using System;

namespace PcapDotNet.Packets.IpV6
{
    /// <summary>
    /// RFC 6275.
    /// <pre>
    /// +-----+--------------+
    /// | Bit | 0-7          |
    /// +-----+--------------+
    /// | 0   | Option Type  |
    /// +-----+--------------+
    /// | 8   | Opt Data Len |
    /// +-----+--------------+
    /// | 16  | 0            |
    /// | ... |              |
    /// +-----+--------------+
    /// </pre>
    /// </summary>
    [IpV6MobilityOptionTypeRegistration(IpV6MobilityOptionType.PadN)]
    public sealed class IpV6MobilityOptionPadN : IpV6MobilityOptionComplex
    {
        /// <summary>
        /// Creates an instance from padding data length.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="paddingDataLength"></param>
        public IpV6MobilityOptionPadN(int paddingDataLength)
            : base(IpV6MobilityOptionType.PadN)
        {
            PaddingDataLength = paddingDataLength;
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// The number of bytes the option data takes.
        /// </summary>
        public int PaddingDataLength { get; private set; }

        internal override IpV6MobilityOption CreateInstance(DataSegment data)
        {
            return new IpV6MobilityOptionPadN(data.Length);
        }

        internal override int DataLength
        {
            get { return PaddingDataLength; }
        }

        internal override bool EqualsData(IpV6MobilityOption other)
        {
            return EqualsData(other as IpV6MobilityOptionPadN);
        }

        internal override int GetDataHashCode()
        {
            return PaddingDataLength.GetHashCode();
        }

        internal override void WriteData(byte[] buffer, ref int offset)
        {
            offset += PaddingDataLength;
        }

        internal IpV6MobilityOptionPadN()
            : this(0)
        {
        }

        private bool EqualsData(IpV6MobilityOptionPadN other)
        {
            return other != null &&
                   PaddingDataLength == other.PaddingDataLength;
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Emergency Release System - part of the SILSIS system at Montego Bay.
KLAW LNG will provide a unique insight into delivering SIL2 compliant LNG hose transfer operations at Gastech 2018. According to the company, visitors will gain hands-on experience of managing a SIL2 compliant LNG transfer and ESD1 and ESD2 emergency shutdown. Ensuring availability due to SILSIS design and proof test capabilities will also be explained.
According to KLAW, the Safety Integrated Level Safety Instrumented System (SILSIS) is the world's first SIL2 compliant automated system for managing LNG transfers and emergency situations in flexible hose operations.
SILSIS is a fully-automated Programme Logic Controlled (PLC) system and removes many human elements from the transfer process, maximizing cost efficient availability. The ability to proof-test and diagnose issues without the need for invasive inspection helps to ensure minimal operational disruption; SILSIS has a real-time interface ensures that operators can follow systematic procedures without the risk of distraction.
Image courtesy of KLAW LNG.


text:
Uzbekistan - Khorezm Province
Area: 6,1 thousand sq. km
Population: 1350,1 thousand
The province is located in northwestern part of the country. It is one of the ancient areas of artificial irrigation, and prosperous cotton cultivating oases. It consists of 10 rural districts - Bogot, Gurlan, Koshkupir, Urgench, Khasorazp, Khonka, Khiva, Shovot, Yangyaryk, and Yangibozor; three cities - Druzhba, Urgench, and Khiva; seven town-type settlements, and 100 villages. The Urgench city is the administrative center of the province (1119 km away from Tashkent, 139,1 thousand people).
Agriculture: cultivation of cotton, grain, rice, grapes, watermelon, and potatoes, livestock farming, and karakul sheep breeding.
Industry: light and food industry, machinery, cotton processing, and flour grinding.
The natural conditions of Khorezm province are different from those observed in other provinces in the country. It is an island of green and prosperous oasis in northwestern and southwestern deserts of Uzbekistan. It is the most densely populated place in the lower streams of the Amu Darya River, and the most northern cotton cultivating area in the world. The province is located on flatlands of the Amu Darya delta. The climate is a sharp continental; the winter is moderately cold but with little snow. The summer is hot and dry. The temperature in winter drops to 32 degrees Celsius below zero, whereas in summer, it can reach up to 44 degrees Celsius above zero. Amu Darya is the only river, used for irrigation purposes. The province is not rich in natural resources; only some deposits of construction materials have been identified so far.
The local economy is a large agricultural and industrial complex, Light and food industries are leading branches of economy. The cotton processing industry is also well developed. There are more than 107 major industrial enterprises, 7 joint ventures, as well as 1,427 small and 80 cooperative enterprises are now operating in the province. Cotton cultivation is the leading branch in local agriculture. It should be underscored, the province has the highest cotton yield in the country.
It is also a leading rice cultivating area in Uzbekistan. Even though the watermelons, melons are cultivated in a limited area in the province, they are famous for their unbeatable taste throughout the world. The cocoon production in the province has its ancient roots. For centuries the area has been one of the finest silk material producers. The total length of the railroad network is 128,7 km, whereas the automobile roads are 3,800 km long, 3,500 km of which, is covered with asphalt. The Urgench city has one of the biggest international airports in the country.
Education system of the province is well developed, as well. There are 508 general schools, specialized lyceums, gymnasiums, as well as sporting and musical schools. There is a State University, and branches of the Tashkent State University of Economics, and the Tashkent State Medical Institute in the province.
Two theaters, 476 libraries, 333 clubs, 213 movie theaters and 2 museums serve the public. There is an "Icban-kala", the historical and architectural museum in the open air. More than 53 hospitals provide healthcare services.
The province has few industrial centers and cities. The city of Urgench was once a village for small traders in the southern part of the Khiva khanate. The only thing it had was a small castle erected in 17th century. The main trade route of Urgench passed through the Amu Darya River and the Aral Sea. The route saw the export and import of various goods. Today's Urgench is a major cultural center. There are a lot of museums, clubs and theaters in the city. The Shovot canal runs through the city, which is the biggest irrigation construction in Khorezm.
The city of Khiva - one of the beloved tourist destinations in the world - is located to the southwest of Urgench. Khiva is an ancient city-museum with lots of historical and architectural monuments and buildings. It is the only city-museum in Central Asia that is totally preserved in its glory and magnificence as an ancient city. The work of ancient masters of painting, wood carving and stone engraving can be seen in all of its historical monuments and buildings. The forms of majestic mosques, madrasah, palaces, and mausoleums create a unique ensemble. The palace of Tashkbauly, the Pakhlavon Makhmud mausoleum, the Allahkulikhan madrasah, and the Islamkhoja minaret fascinates the visitors with their glory. The city was established along the "Great Silk Road" in the 10th century. Later in the 12th century it became the capital of the Khiva khanate and for several centuries stayed as one of the major centers of Islam.
The architecture of the city was formed not only upon traditions of Islamic architecture, but also on the basis of those with consideration of local customs, features, and climate, respectively. Constant affinity with nomad tribes, severe climatic conditions did affect the architectural buildings, and many private and manor houses, which reminded the small fortifications and castles. The city was built as a castle, and it always remained as that. Initially it was used to protect the local trade, later it became a refuge for the elite during riots and wars between local warlords. In the 19th century Khiva along with Bukhara was one of the major centers for religious studies, and there were many religious educational institutions in the city. Their architectural glory is still preserved.
The architectural monuments and buildings of the city are constantly under care. There is always research and reconstruction going on in there. The Academy of Mam'un has been restored. In sum, the city hasn't become an empty city-museum or ghost town over these years, it has always been a lively place to stay. Hence, the contemporary Khiva became a city, where the history and modernity are living next to each other.


Just a quarter of a season to go the Los Angeles Chargers find themselves in a situation to position themselves for a postseason run heading into Week 14 — all after an 0-4 start to the season.
They're currently in a three-way tie atop the AFC West with the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders.
Let's take a look at a few points of focus heading into this weekend's matchup against the Washington Redskins.
Washington has actually been pretty, pretty good when traveling cross-country for a matchup, going 2-0 so far this season in the Pacific time zone. They recorded a 27-20 win over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 2, and a 17-14 win over Seattle in Week 9.
Their other two matchups against Pacific time zone teams — Oakland and San Francisco at home — also ended in wins. The Redskins won 30-24 in overtime the last time these two sides met (Nov. 3, 2013).
The Chargers opened as 6-point favorites at home, with the total set at 46.
RB Melvin Gordon has been on a tear this season, entering Week 14 with 775 rushing yards on 207 carries to go along with 5 TDs. Amongst the receiving corps, Keenan Allen leads the way with 1,032 yards on 77 receptions for 5 TDs.
According to AccuScore — an industry leader in game forecasting — projects Gordon to finish Sunday's matchup with 75 yards on 17 carries, averaging 0.5 TDs per sim. Good chance he finds the end zone against the Redskins.
Allen is projected to finish with 54 yards on 5 receptions. It's actually Hunter Henry who averages an eye-catching 0.6 TDs per sim for 60 yards on 4 receptions.
Safety Jahleel Addae has been a huge difference-maker for the Chargers with a team-high 81 tackles (57 solo) through 12 games.
Defensive end Joey Bosa has a team-high 11.5 sacks, while safety Tre Boston and cornerback Casey Hayward are tied for most interceptions (four).
The Chargers defense is projected to force one takeaway Sunday, with an even probability of a pick or a recovered fumble.


text:
Wells Fargo backs off the mortgage market, a top Disney exec joins a design firm and more
news digest | Jan 17, 2023 |
By Caroline Bourque
In recent years, the trademarks of Scandinavian design have been minimalist forms and muted, neutral tones—but now, a new guard of artists and designers are embracing bold colors and patterns reminiscent of an earlier era in Danish design. Stay in the know with our weekly roundup of headlines, launches, events, recommended reading and more.
Last November, the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a rule that, if put into motion, would have effectively outlawed cords in window coverings. Now, the rule is on pause after a challenge from an industry group. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has granted the Window Covering Manufacturers Association's motion to stay the CPSC's rule while the case is pending judicial review. The WCMA initially filed a lawsuit challenging the rule on November 30, two days after it was published, claiming that it does not substantially advance child safety or account for the steady decline in safety incidents since the current voluntary standard took effect in 2018. The WCMA also claims that the rule could increase custom window covering costs for consumers, small businesses and the larger commercial market. Over the coming months, both groups will file briefs to the court, which will then hear oral arguments before proceeding.
Wells Fargo—the country's third-largest mortgage lender—is stepping back from the mortgage market, Insider reports, a decision that will trigger significant layoffs in the bank's mortgage operations department. In an effort to reduce risk in light of rising interest rates and falling homebuyer demand, the bank has decided to shift its strategy from targeting as many U.S. homeowners as possible to instead providing mortgages only to existing customers and those in minority communities. The lender is also shuttering its related business selling mortgages through third parties. Though Wells Fargo is not the biggest mortgage lender in the U.S., less competition in the market may make conditions tougher for prospective homebuyers and those working in related industries like real estate, Forbes reports.
Former Walt Disney Imagineering president Bob Weis joined architecture and design firm Gensler as its global immersive experience design leader, Fast Company reports. While Gensler has made steps toward incorporating immersive elements into former projects—such as AT&T's Dallas headquarters, which features ambient music, recordings of regional birdsong and interactive art—the firm hired Weis to incorporate more sensory experiences into future projects, including stores, workplaces, health care facilities and residential spaces. Gensler is the latest architecture firm to enter the multisensory experience design space, following Seattle-based NBBJ's 2020 acquisition of experience design studio ESI Design and the New York–based Rockwell Group's history of subverting conventional architecture through its work on resorts, theater sets and immersive experiences.
A recent survey from the National Association of Realtors underscored the experiences of Black real estate professionals facing discrimination from colleagues and clients, The New York Times reports, revealing that white real estate agents made nearly three times as much as their Black peers last year. According to the report, the median for white real estate agents' residential sales last year was $356,000, while the median for Black agents was $246,000. For the latter group, racism leads to fewer clients and smaller commissions on lower-priced properties—especially since homes owned by Black people are often undervalued, priced an average of 23 percent lower than those owned by white people. Some agents also report that racism contributes to an earnings gap, with examples of white agents receiving better commission splits than Black agents. While the NAR implemented the Fair Housing Action Plan (ACT Initiative) in 2020 to improve industry equity, many Black agents are taking matters into their own hands with mentorship programs and scholarships to promote diversity and equity in real estate.
A year after initially filing its request, Mattress Firm—the industry's largest mattress retailer—withdrew its planned public offering, Furniture Today reports. The news comes just a month after the retailer's parent company, Steinhoff International, announced it was restructuring its $10.8 billion debt with key lenders. Acquired by Steinhoff in 2016, Mattress Firm filed for Chapter 11 two years later, then downsized its retail footprint by unloading unprofitable stores. In January 2022, the company filed for the now-withdrawn IPO, announcing plans to sell $100 million in shares.
The best new apartments can now be found in the Sun Belt states, according to new data from apartment listing service RentCafe, which weighed factors such as location desirability, occupancy and size to create a list of rankings among new apartments completed over the past decade, a period that saw the number of apartments in the U.S. grow by 33 percent—though new builds are not evenly spread across the country. The company placed Boca Raton, Florida, at the top of the list, with a 50.2 percent increase in new apartments, a 91.9 percent occupancy rate, an average size of 1,027 square feet and 96.2 percent of units situated in prime locations. Beyond that, the top-20 city list was dominated by Texas, with 12 cities on the list; followed by Florida, with seven cities; and California, with six cities. Few large metropolitan cities made the list, aside from Denver and Washington, D.C.
The Varmblixt collection includes 20 different pieces, featuring lighting, serveware, rugs and moreCourtesy of Ikea
Launches & Collaborations
Ikea partnered with Rotterdam, Netherlands–based designer Sabine Marcelis for a joint collection featuring lighting, serveware, rugs and more. Named Varmblixt, the collection includes 20 different pieces, with four fixtures in particular set to remain on in Ikea's broader permanent collection.
The San Francisco Decorator Showcase returns to an in-person event this year, hosted at a Mediterranean Spanish Home in the Sea Cliff neighborhoodCourtesy of The San Francisco Decorator Showcase
Showhouses
The 44th annual San Francisco Decorator Showcase will return to a live, in-person event this year, hosted at an 18th century Mediterranean Spanish home located in the city's Sea Cliff neighborhood. Built in 1927 by lauded architects Hyman and Appleton, the 6,100-square-foot home features three levels with 28 design spaces—including seven bedrooms, five full baths, a gym, a movie room and a variety of entertaining spaces. Re-imagined by a slate of top designers the space will open to the public from April 29 to May 29, with proceeds to benefit San Francisco University High School.
The Kips Bay Decorator Showhouse Palm Beach has announced the 21-person slate of architects and designers who will be reimagining the interiors of an estate located in the city's Northshore neighborhood for this year's event. The 2023 cohort includes design professionals such as Billy Ceglia, Eneia White, Delia Kenza and Megan Grehl, who will transform the home before it opens to the public on February 23.
A growing number of major furniture retailers—from e-commerce players like Wayfair to legacy giants like Macy's and Crate & Barrel—implemented sustainable sourcing policies in 2022. As Melissa Daniels writes for Modern Retail, the cost and logistics involved in overhauling a sprawling furniture supply chain presents a considerable challenge to retailers, though the payoff in shopper recognition is getting more valuable by the year.
When Jerald Cooper launched the @hoodmidcenturymodern Instagram account in 2019, his goal was to capture and catalog the history of modernism in Black culture in his hometown of Cincinnati. Now, 82,000 followers later, that mission has changed. As Matt Shaw reports for The New York Times, Cooper's current project—a crowdsourced map database where users can upload their own content with geographically tagged locations on Google Maps—offers an extension of the original account by allowing the community to make their own contributions, fulfilling Cooper's new aim of breaking down historic barriers in architecture and design.
Wayfair Professional is now accepting entries for the eighth annual Tastemaker Awards. The contest will celebrate the year's most exceptional designs in six categories: design of the year, most dramatic renovation, best bathroom design, best commercial business design, best outdoor design and pro's choice award. To submit an entry before the February 1, 2023, deadline, click here.
High Point Market Authority is now accepting applications for the biannual Design Influencers Tour at Spring Market this year, organized in partnership with Esteem Media. The program will bring 10 design influencers to the event for a two-day tour of sponsoring showrooms, where attendees will learn about each exhibitor and in turn promote their respective social media accounts. To apply before the February 17 deadline, click here.
Wayfair is now accepting entries for its 8th Annual Tastemaker Awards—design firm Defining Space + Style cinched the top award in 2022Courtesy of Wayfair
Cue the Applause
Atlanta Market announced the 2023 Best Booth winners from the trade show's winter edition. Chosen for visual design excellence, the 16 winning temporary exhibitors include Aid Through Trade, Big Heart Tea, Carvalho Couture, Christmas Tradition, Creekside Antiques & Design, Driftless Studios, Flutter Gallery, Golden Gems, Handbag Handcuff, Lifestraw, Lucie Kaas, Lucy Darling, Musee, One Dot World, Rite in the Rain and Somar Creations.
Bernie Gordon, co-founder of design company and interior surfacing products provider Wolf-Gordon, passed away at the age of 98. Gordon's legacy in the industry involves leading the rising movement in the commercial market to use fabric-backed vinyl as a wallcovering, which kicked off when he founded the company that is now Wolf-Gordon alongside salesmen Tony Prota and Frank Carr in 1967. Gordon went on to lead product design and development there until his 1991 retirement, when his son David Gordon stepped into the role of executive vice president and saw the company through yet another period of expansion in product and brand design. "I'm proud of what we did when we were running the place, and I'm proud of the natural evolution that has taken place at the company since then," Gordon said in Wolf-Gordon's 2017 publication Sample Book: 50 Years of Interior Finishes. "In order to stay in business, you have to keep coming up with new things."
Homepage image: Ikea teamed up with designer Sabine Marcelis for the launch of the Varmblixt collection | Courtesy of Ikea
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