text:
/* -------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
/* Copyright 2002-2022, OpenNebula Project, OpenNebula Systems                */
/*                                                                            */
/* Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may    */
/* not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain    */
/* a copy of the License at                                                   */
/*                                                                            */
/* http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0                                 */
/*                                                                            */
/* Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software        */
/* distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,          */
/* WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.   */
/* See the License for the specific language governing permissions and        */
/* limitations under the License.                                             */
/* -------------------------------------------------------------------------- */

#ifndef HOOK_MANAGER_H_
#define HOOK_MANAGER_H_

#include "ProtocolMessages.h"
#include "DriverManager.h"
#include "Listener.h"

#include <vector>

/* -------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
/* -------------------------------------------------------------------------- */

class HookManager :
    public DriverManager<Driver<hook_msg_t>>,
    public Listener
{
public:

    HookManager(const std::string& mad_location)
        : DriverManager(mad_location)
        , Listener("Hook Manager")
    {
    }

    virtual ~HookManager() = default;

    /**
     *  This functions starts the associated listener thread, and creates a
     *  new thread for the Hook Manager. This thread will wait in
     *  an action loop till it receives ACTION_FINALIZE.
     *    @return 0 on success.
     */
    int start();

    /**
     *  Loads Hook Manager Mads defined in configuration file
     *   @param _mads configuration of drivers
     */
    int load_drivers(const std::vector<const VectorAttribute*>& _mads);

    /**
     *  Returns a pointer to a Information Manager MAD. The driver is
     *  searched by its name and owned by oneadmin with uid=0.
     *    @param name of the driver
     *    @return the Hook driver owned by uid 0, with attribute "NAME" equal to
     *    name or 0 in not found
     */
    const Driver<hook_msg_t> * get() const
    {
        return DriverManager::get_driver(hook_driver_name);
    }

    static std::string format_message(const std::string& args,
                                      const std::string& remote_host,
                                      int hook_id);

    /**
     *  Generic name for the Hook driver
     */
    static const char *  hook_driver_name;

    /**
     *  Send event message to the driver
     *    @param message to pass to the driver
     */
    void trigger_send_event(const std::string& message);

    /**
     *  Send retry message to the driver
     *    @param message to pass to the driver
     */
    void trigger_retry(const std::string& message);

private:
    // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    // Protocol implementation, procesing messages from driver
    // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    /**
     *
     */
    static void _undefined(std::unique_ptr<hook_msg_t> msg);

    /**
     *
     */
    void _execute(std::unique_ptr<hook_msg_t> msg);

    /**
     *
     */
    void _retry(std::unique_ptr<hook_msg_t> msg);

    /**
     *
     */
    static void _log(std::unique_ptr<hook_msg_t> msg);

    // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    // Action Listener interface
    // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    static const int drivers_timeout = 10;

    void finalize_action() override
    {
        DriverManager::stop(drivers_timeout);
    };
};

#endif /*HOOK_MANAGER_H*/


View cart "Renew Your Mind" has been added to your cart.
We all possess mental resources but only a few of us use them to their full potential. Instead, we apply the 'working hard' approach rather than the 'working smart' approach, and end up getting stuck in bad habits that drain our energy, blur our minds and disrupt our focus. Mindfulness expert Chantal Hofstee shares her expertise, inspiration and techniques to show you how to break that cycle so you can achieve new personal insights and implement practical strategies for sustainable success.


Are you an older adult who experiences an urgency to urinate or occasional leaks? You might be surprised to learn that roughly 50% of adults over 65 experience some form of incontinence just like you. While urinary incontinence seems like a topic you might want to avoid discussing or hide from others, it's important to address it with your doctor, family, and caregivers to prevent potential health complications down the line.
Talk with your doctor – if sudden incontinence issues have snuck up on you, schedule an appointment with your doctor. Urinary incontinence isn't always the result of weak bladder muscles; in fact, medical conditions like urinary tract infections, prostate problems, nerve damage, and autoimmune diseases like Parkinson's can contribute to incontinence too. Your doctor may ask you to keep a diary of when and how long you use the bathroom, when you experience leaks, and so forth to help you formulate a strong plan to manage or treat it.
Try briefs – with the number of adults over 65 growing to record highs in the U.S., more and more companies are tailoring products to fit their needs; this includes adult briefs (also called disposable underwear, undergarments, or adult diapers). You can find stylish, sleek, and discreet styles in a variety of sizes at most drugstores, big box stores, and online. One simple brief can help prevent embarrassing accidents and boost your self-esteem, reinvigorating you to stay active and social.
Use a bedside commode – aside from accidents, urinary continence also involves symptoms like urgency to urinate and not being able to fully empty one's bladder. Seniors can continue living an independent life with the help of a bedside commode (portable toilet). This lightweight yet sturdy piece of equipment literally brings the toilet to you so there's no more scrambling down the hall to the bathroom when you have a sudden urge to go.
Stick with a routine – a loose schedule of events and tasks does more than just help structure your day; it allows you more control over your continence. Waking, taking medicine, eating meals, and going to bed around the same general time of day each day can help keep your body in check as well as make toileting more standard (and less surprising). You can also speak with your doctor about bladder training or other behavioral therapies like biofeedback and pelvic floor muscle training to address incontinence too.
Promote good hygiene – accidents and leaks may happen so be prepared for a little clean-up. Urine that sits in an adult brief can breed bacteria. In the event of a leak, you'll want to change clothes and also thoroughly clean with adult wipes (or perineal spray) as well as make sure the area is dry before you put on a new undergarment. For seniors who spend a significant amount of time sitting or lying in bed (due to disability), caregivers will want to see to proper hygiene in order to prevent skin breakdown and bedsores.


text:
The Tyrant's Confession
By Stu Horvath • February 7th, 2013
Recently, to my overwhelming joy, the stars aligned and I found myself with a regular board game group. For three weekends in a row now, we've played Risk: Legacy, a variation on the classic game that permanently changes depending on who wins, who loses and how everyone plays.
As an only child, a board game group is something to celebrate. I have always loved board games but having no siblings meant that playing them was dependent upon either my parents or the neighborhood kids. My parents, being adults, generally played too well, while having friends over on a rainy day meant more immediate entertainments like movies and videogames.
More often than not, I simply played board games by myself. I taught myself chess this way, with the help of a lovely old book filled with diagrams and poorly reproduced photographs called An Invitation to Chess. Avalon Hill's intricate Kingmaker was difficult to puzzle through but, in doing so, I wound up knowing more about the War of the Roses than any elementary school kid reasonably ought. Thanks to By Jove, I became engrossed in Greek mythology in the same way.
Playing alone was not empty of challenge. I would only let one player have the benefit of my full strategic faculties. My opponents, on the other hand, were always fettered with a set of behaviors, dependent on the game. When playing their turn, I would only allow myself to move within those parameters. Player 2 is obsessively defensive. Player 3 is recklessly offensive. Player 4 is really annoyed Player 2 beat him in the previous game. The more I played, the more elaborate the opponent behaviors would get. Though this might sound schizophrenic, by managing these variables while simultaneously attempting to exploit or defend against them, I gained a deeper understanding of a game's mechanics than if I had played it casually with friends.
This naturally segued, as I got older, into running Dungeons & Dragons games, since the role of the Dungeon Master is, in essence, to manage variables. Between D&D and ever more elaborate videogames, playing board games solo fell to the wayside.
Something similar happened in 2005, though. I stumbled on an addictive little Flash game called Dice Wars, a fast-paced, highly randomized variation of Risk. Because chance plays such a huge role in the game, from initial placements to how your territories are reinforced, it is very easy to lose a game quickly and badly. I played it obsessively and, after several days, I began to discern indication of whether a game would likely lead to victory or defeat. Chance can never be entirely defeated, but after a few more days I knew before the first turn whether or not the game had randomly generated a map I could win. I stopped playing Dice Wars soon after.
Strike fast and punish weakness.
All these lessons came to bear in Risk: Legacy. Unwinnable's resident board game guru, Gus Mastrapa, warned me before the first game to encourage the other players to play aggressively. Unlike classic Risk, where the goal is to entirely eliminate all the other players, victory in Legacy is won by accumulating four star tokens. This is usually done by accumulating cards (won via combat) or taking over rival headquarters. Every player starts with at least one star token. Playing defensively often leaves you out of the action.
As we were setting up the first game, I joked that I wanted to play the faction that looked the most like fascists. I was only half kidding – after losing the first game to my own folly, I have developed a brutally efficient system for victory: strike fast and punish weakness. I won the next five games in a row.
Part of that success comes from disregarding preconceived notions about the game. I have long held that Russia (Ukraine in classic Risk) is the linchpin for victory. Likewise, my opponent Shawn Dillon has maintained that he who holds Australia holds the world. Russia wasn't a factor in my first loss and I proved to Shawn that Australia was a death trap in our fourth game, when I penned him in and eliminated him within the first two turns.
Again, it is the stars tokens that count, not the conquests. The most valuable territories are the ones that hold your opponents' headquarters, as those building count as stars in the tally. In our third game I won by tempting my opponents to attack the un-reinforced middle of my empire while I made one final push toward their HQs.
My final victory was won by losing a battle. At the end of your turn, you get a resource or a coin card if you conquered a territory. Once the coin cards run out, a special bonus is revealed: the person with the most territories gets a star token. So, when Ian Gonzales defeated me in North Africa and drew the last coin card, he actually defeated himself.
My theory, then, is not that the object of a board game is to win, but rather that the object is to encourage your opponents to lose before you do. I hope to test this theory over the ensuing months with my regular board game group.
Unless, of course, it works so well that I lose my regular board game group.
Speaking of misunderstood tyrants, Stu Horvath was unreasonably excited by the recent news that the body of King Richard III had been discovered under a Leicester car park. Poor old Richard. If you nodded in agreement when reading that, you should follow him on Twitter @StuHorvath.
Board Games, By Jove, Dice Wars, Dungeons & Dragons, Kingmaker, Richard III, Risk, Risk: Legacy
Commentary, Games, The Burnt Offering
The Rules of the Game Sympathy for the Universe The Family Business The New Make-Believe
Breccia Needs Healing

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


When confronted with major global problems – environmental degradation, epidemics such as HIV/AIDS, hunger, oil injustice, abuse of land rights, extreme poverty, violence – BIRUDO's natural instinct is to ask, "What can I do?".
BIRUDO's advocacy programs encourage critical thinking by the local communities to assume the responsibilities of oil justice, land rights, environmental issues, food security, economic empowerment and the fight against HIV/AIDS so as promote meaningful and active engagement by local people in the pursuit of justice.
Given lessons drawn from other oil producing countries such as Nigeria, Uganda's oil exploration and production developments may as well have tremendous negative impacts on the developing local communities of the affected areas in the country. Against this background therefore, BIRUDO urges her representatives to support those who advance social and economic justice and promote human rights. Such efforts offer us a way to heal Uganda, by working to advance a more just and secure future for all.
BIRUDO's advocacy efforts currently focus on oil advocacy aiming at familiarizing the local communities of Buliisa District with potential challenges of oil extraction and encouraging these local communities to engage with government agencies and oil companies in order to promote the adoption of measures to prevent socio-economic stagnation and environmental degradation caused by oil extraction in Buliisa District. BIRUDO has also played a leading role in advocating for oil justice and land rights in Buliisa in so as to gain the right to information, fair compensation and revenue sharing BIRUDO also holds community workshops to teach local people about establishing communal land associations, land rights, conserving their natural resources and achieving food security.


Fully equipped kitchen with refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave and coffee maker.
Complimentary hot breakfast buffet each morning.
Flat screen TVs in every room with A/V hook-ups.
Residence Inn Orlando East/UCF hotel has a smoke-free policy.
Experience the Residence Inn Mix Monday through Wednesday.


Arthur M. Cromarty of Lindenhurst served his country with distinction as a Captain in the United States Army during World War II.
A graduate of the University of Alabama, CPT Cromarty was trained at Mitchell Field before being deployed to England. When formations were made, he served as lead bombardier — responsible for dropping the first bomb during missions, giving cue to the other bombardiers who would follow.
CPT Cromarty went on to complete 30 combat missions over Germany and France for which he earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal, which is awarded to members of the armed forces who distinguish themselves for heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight.
Among the battles and campaigns in which CPT Cromarty took part are the European Theater, Air Offensive Europe, Normandy and Northern France. He earned the European, African and Middle Eastern Theater Campaign Ribbon and the European Theater of Operation Medal with three Bronze Battle Stars. In 1994, he was awarded the Jubilee Medal from the President of the Regional Council of Lower Normandy, which commemorated the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Normandy Landing and Battle of Normandy.
Following his service, CPT Cromarty earned a law degree from St. John's University School of Law. He served as Lindenhurst Village Attorney; Babylon Town Councilman; Vice Chair of the New York State Thruway Authority; and State Supreme Court Justice. The current Suffolk County Court Complex is named in his honor.


text:
5 days in the Provence France
My wife with hat and dress at the Lavender fields during sunset
Thinking about the Provence and what comes to mind?
Fields of lavender, sunflowers and olive trees?
A slower pace of life.
A Sunday lunch under the shade of plane trees in a village square.
A café crème at a sidewalk café.
Wondering how to see the lavender fields in the Provence?
For only about 1,5 month every year, the rolling hillsides of the Provence region in France are covered in breathtaking rows of bright purple lavender.
I Always dreamed about a visit to the lavender fields. Every year around this time we are to busy traveling somewhere else to visit this beautiful area, so this year we make some time to visit the lavender field of the Provence we fly to Marseille picked up a rented car and here we go.
Sénanque Abbey Provence Lavender fields
Our first stop is Gordes a small hilltop village in the Provence, stayed at Hotel Les Bories & Spa, Gordes
Located in Gordes, in the Luberon, the Hotel Les Bories & Spa is a 5-star hotel which offers a 300sqm, Spa, 2 swimming pools and a Michelin-star gourmet restaurant and big rooms with a bed you can sleep forever.
Unfortunately, we do not have much time here to enjoy this Paradise. We stay here because it's not so far from the amazing Senanque Abbey and of course the village Gordes, so a perfect place to discover this area.
Hotel Les Bories & Spa
We visit the village Gordes and walked around for a couple of hours,its just a beautiful cozy village.Great to see all the viewpoints from the hill and the colorful Streets with shops and restaurants, be sure when you need some dinner in the evening you make a reservation, the most restaurants here are closed between 17:00 and 20:00 and there are not many other places to dinner so be aware of this.
This ancient village stands on the edge of the plateau of Vaucluse, facing the Luberon valley. It has been voted one of France's most beautiful villages. Its houses and buildings made of white stone are rooted into the cliff of a mountain, making it one of the most well-known hilltop villages in the region.
Gordes viewpoint
Street view Gordes
Lavender shop with soap
Castle Gordes
During sunset we visit the Abbey the most lavender field here not blooming anymore i think the fields here are blooming early in the season, but still a lot of colors.
We loved the sunset here and go back to the hotel for dinner and enjoy the rest of the evening with wine and beer under the stars in front of our room.
The next day we had a lovely breakfast with some home made French Baguette, enjoyed the morning by the pool and just relax here. In the afternoon we drive around looking the lavender fields and shoot some pics here.
Lavender field Provence
The next day we got up early and drive to Valensole the center of the Lavender fields.
Around Valensole you will find the most lavender fields i think.
You'll need to hire a car or take a tour to see the lavender in all its gorgeous glory and there's nothing quite like standing in a lavender field, the sun beating down, the air thick with the scent of those gorgeous flowers…
The map under indicates where around the Luberon you will find concentrations of lavender fields: on the high plateaux around Sault, at the foot of the Mont Ventoux, and around Apt and Gordes.
We drive all day around on the Valensole plateau and just loved it here. Get away from the crowds and head to the roads above Sault. Where you can indulge your love of lavender in peace and quiet apart from the sound of goats and sheeps wearing little bells as they frolic in the fields.
July is usually the best time to visit.
In the Luberon and the Rhone Valley regions, lavender begins to bloom mid-June.
The Valensole plateau and Drome Provencal begins around the beginning of July, and the area of Sault begins blooming mid-July.
The main lavender fields of Provence are centered on, and to the north, of the Luberon and Verdon plateau regions to the north of Aix-en-Provence and Marseille, and to the east of Avignon.
The map here will give you a general idea of the best areas.
Valensole plateau
Avignon, Aix en Provence, and Luberon are all wonderful towns to stay in if you are looking to be close to the lavender fields
Top things to do and see:
1. Be amazed by the lavender fields of Provence
If Provence could be characterized by one scent, it would be that of 'lavender.' Soaps, food products.. Endless seas of lavender fields can be found throughout the Provençal region and are best seen in mid-summer when the blooms are at their best and the sweet smell is at its strongest.
Indeed one of the most visited monuments in Provence is L'Abbey de Senanque, a stunning abbey made famous by its outlying lines of lavender. These rows must be visited at sun-up or during sundown for the best lighting in photos, and to ensure the fewest number of tourists around. In other parts of Provence, Sault is the capital of lavender, and the Luberon region also offers plenty of locations to enjoy the lavender fields.
2.Senanque Abbey A gem of Romanesque art
Notre-Dame de Senanque is a Cistercian abbey near the village of Gordes in the department of the Vaucluse in Provence. The Senanque Abbey was founded in 1148 under the patronage of Alfant, bishop of Cavaillon, and Raymond Berenger II, Count of Provence, by Cistercian monks who came from Mazan Abbey in the Ardèche.
Senanque Abbey
3. Visit the small village on the hill Gordes
Built on the foothills of the Monts of Vaucluse, facing the Luberon, Gordes is one of the most well-known hilltop villages in the region, and one of the most beautiful in France. Its houses and buildings of white stone root themselves into the sharp cliff of the mountain, its labyrinth of "clades" (narrow cobblestone streets) do not leave the visitor indifferent to its charms.
Many artists have stayed in the village of Gordes and have contributed to its fame. Some, such as André Lhote, Marc Chagall, Victor Vasarely and Pol Mara came to stay. Gordes is the seat of many cultural events in summer with its museums, a festival, concerts, and numerous exhibitions.
4. Visit the city of Avignon
If you are coming to visit Provence, don't stop in Avignon!
Once here, like a siren, the city will entrance you and you won't want to leave!
And just to see the sights, you can spend days wandering the neighborhoods within the city walls and never get bored.
Avignon is full of history and full of life.
The capital of the Vaucluse and the Côtes du Rhône, the seat of the popes and city of art and culture, theatre, cinema, museums, big stores and little shops, Avignon is a small city that has everything a big one has, and then some...
From medieval streets and houses to private mansions from the Renaissance, passing through all its old and enticing squares, some no bigger than a tiny lane…
5.Valensole the center of the Lavender fields
Set on its plateau, Valensole is a picturesque town on the northern edge of the Verdon Regional Nature Park.
With 300 days of sunshine a year, Valensole is true to its name: it comes from the Latin Vallis and Solis and means valley of the sun.
The medieval village is built like an amphitheater on the side of a hill overlooking a small river valley.
The streets and alleys snake their way up to the 11th century St Blaise church with its immense bell tower at the top.
Valensole Lavender fields
6.Valensole plateau
The Plateau of Valensole is famous for its lavender and truffles. Covering approximately 800km2, this plateau is the biggest area in France devoted to growing lavender and the blue, violet and purple-colored fields stretch as far as the eye can see.
The blooming period from mid-June to mid-July is an explosion of colors and the inebriating scent fills the exceptionally pure air of the region.
During that period, the Tourist Office of Valensole organizes guided tours on the theme of lavender.
And throughout the year, the distilleries welcome you to visit their lavender farms and discover the steps in the distilling of lavender, from the gathering of the flowers to the stills to the packaging.
Some, such as the Ferme du Riou, still today use the most traditional of techniques.
Each year on the 3rd Sunday of July, the town of Valensole organizes its Lavender Festival.
7.Sunflower fields
This time of the year you will pass them on the road everywhere so why not take some pics here , they are a perfect photo background. They aren't as plentiful as the lavender fields in this region but you can still see them in full bloom around this time.
Sunflower field Provence
8. Visit the ancient port city of Marseille
Inhabited for millennia, the port town of Marseille is one of the largest cities in France (the second largest, after Paris, to be precise). As a result, Marseille has seen its fair share of history over the years. Highlights of the city include hiking up to the church which crowns the highest hill of the town, a chapel dedicated to Notre Dame de la Garde. Another is visiting the old port (an area used for imports for over two millennia), as well as wandering around Le Panier neighborhood.
9. Enjoy the many quaint villages and towns of Provence
Elsewhere in the South of France, there are plenty of other towns and villages to explore. Many of which, unlike Saint Paul de Vence, haven't been 'discovered' by tourists yet. As a result, these hidden Provençal gems are filled with authentic eateries, local history and none of the tourist traps you would expect to find in more popular places.
10. Sample local food and drink!
One of the very best things to do in Provence is to enjoy its Mediterranean cuisine fused with French tradition. The result of this marriage of foods comes together to form a beautiful blend of sea-inspired cuisine.
Head to Provence and you can expect to find plenty of olive-based dishes and all the fish plates. For those who don't eat meat, then there's plenty of sweet treats on offer (don't leave without sampling lavender-flavored ice cream!). When it comes to beverages, wine aside, pastis, an anise-flavored spirit, also originate in the region.
Lavender field Valensole
Woman hand with lavender field
Photography tips:
Shoot in the early morning or evening to find the best light.
If you want to photograph the lavender fields in is full glory and get the colors like you see on all the pics on the internet you need a lower sun to pop up the colors.
Since it's summer and daylight savings time it doesn't get dark until at least 9 pm so you have plenty of time to do your shoot!
Another thing to be aware of is the bees. Thousands of bees buzzing and swarming .If you ignore them and leave them alone, they leave you alone too.
wheat fields
Senanque Abbey A gem of Romanesque art
My wife in a Grape vineyard
My wife having fun with hat
Thanks for reading and bye bye
sources: www.avignon-et-provence.com/
#Provence #Travel #France
Colmar France, the best photo spots and where we stayed
Traveling during the Corona pandemic, our 3-week road trip to France, Italy, Austria, and Germany
14 free things to do in Paris


text:
(-) Housing, Communities, Neighborhoods
(-) Social and Behavioral Psychology
Endnotes: Priced Out (Tsung-Mei Cheng)
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text:
Chimeryczny lokator (fr. Le Locataire chimérique) – debiutancka powieść Rolanda Topora wydana w Paryżu w 1964 roku. Chimeryczny lokator jest dziełem otwartym i można go również potraktować jako powieść paraboliczną. Zawiera przy tym elementy powieści grozy. Po raz pierwszy na polski przełożył ją Roman Cieślewicz w 1980 roku.

Opis fabuły
Głównym bohaterem powieści jest nieznany z imienia Trelkovsky, Francuz o rosyjskich korzeniach. Jest on samotnym trzydziestolatkiem, mieszkającym w Paryżu. Pewnego dnia przeprowadza się do mieszkania w kamienicy, którego poprzednia lokatorka, Simone popełniła samobójstwo. Po przeprowadzce w kamienicy Trelkovsky zaczyna być świadkiem różnych, dziwnych zdarzeń. Działalność sąsiadów wymierzona jest wyraźnie przeciwko niemu.

Ekranizacja
Na podstawie powieści powstał film Lokator w reżyserii Romana Polańskiego. W filmie epizodycznie występuje również sam Roland Topor.

Przypisy

Bibliografia
 Topor R., Chimeryczny lokator, przekł. T. Matkowski, Warszawa, 2012

Powieści Rolanda Topora
Powieści, których akcja toczy się w Paryżu
Powieści horrory

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
static const SELECTOR s_selectorGame[] = { //"0123456789abcdef"
                                            {"Bus Idle",        CGameCallback::onSelectBusIdle,        (void*) &CGameCallback::game, false},
                                            {"Bus Check",       CGameCallback::onSelectBusCheck,       (void*) &CGameCallback::game, false},
                                            {"ROM Check All",   CGameCallback::onSelectRomCheckAll,    (void*) &CGameCallback::game, false},
                                            {"RAM Check All",   CGameCallback::onSelectRamCheckAll,    (void*) &CGameCallback::game, false},
                                            {"RAM Check All RA",CGameCallback::onSelectRamCheckAllRA,  (void*) &CGameCallback::game, false},
                                            {"RAM Check All CS",CGameCallback::onSelectRamCheckAllCS,  (void*) &CGameCallback::game, false},
                                            {"Interrupt Check", CGameCallback::onSelectInterruptCheck, (void*) &CGameCallback::game, false},
                                            {"Input Read",      CGameCallback::onSelectInputRead,      (void*) &CGameCallback::game, true},
                                            {"Output Write",    CGameCallback::onSelectOutputWrite,    (void*) &CGameCallback::game, true},
                                            {"ROM Check",       CGameCallback::onSelectRomCheck,       (void*) &CGameCallback::game, true},
                                            {"ROM CRC",         CGameCallback::onSelectRomCrc,         (void*) &CGameCallback::game, true},
                                            {"ROM Read",        CGameCallback::onSelectRomRead,        (void*) &CGameCallback::game, true},
                                            {"RAM Check",       CGameCallback::onSelectRamCheck,       (void*) &CGameCallback::game, true},
                                            {"RAM Check RA",    CGameCallback::onSelectRamCheckRA,     (void*) &CGameCallback::game, true},
                                            {"RAM Check Ad",    CGameCallback::onSelectRamCheckAd,     (void*) &CGameCallback::game, true},
                                            {"RAM Write-Read",  CGameCallback::onSelectRamWriteRead,   (void*) &CGameCallback::game, true},
                                            {"ROM Read All",    CGameCallback::onSelectRomReadAll,     (void*) &CGameCallback::game, false},
                                            {"RAM Write All AD",CGameCallback::onSelectRamWriteAllAD,  (void*) &CGameCallback::game, false},
                                            {"RAM Write All Lo",CGameCallback::onSelectRamWriteAllLo,  (void*) &CGameCallback::game, false},
                                            {"RAM Write All Hi",CGameCallback::onSelectRamWriteAllHi,  (void*) &CGameCallback::game, false},
                                            {"RAM Read All",    CGameCallback::onSelectRamReadAll,     (void*) &CGameCallback::game, false},
                                            {"Custom",          CGameCallback::onSelectCustom,         (void*) &CGameCallback::game, true},
                                            { 0, 0 }
                                         };

const SELECTOR *CGameCallback::selectorGame = s_selectorGame;

static const SELECTOR s_selectorGeneric[] = { //"0123456789abcdef"
                                               {"Bus Idle",        CGameCallback::onSelectBusIdle,        (void*) &CGameCallback::game, false},
                                               {"Bus Check",       CGameCallback::onSelectBusCheck,       (void*) &CGameCallback::game, false},
                                               {"ROM CRC",         CGameCallback::onSelectRomCrc,         (void*) &CGameCallback::game, true},
                                               {"ROM Read",        CGameCallback::onSelectRomRead,        (void*) &CGameCallback::game, true},
                                               {"RAM Check",       CGameCallback::onSelectRamCheck,       (void*) &CGameCallback::game, true},
                                               {"RAM Check RA",    CGameCallback::onSelectRamCheckRA,     (void*) &CGameCallback::game, true},
                                               {"RAM Check Ad",    CGameCallback::onSelectRamCheckAd,     (void*) &CGameCallback::game, true},
                                               {"RAM Write-Read",  CGameCallback::onSelectRamWriteRead,   (void*) &CGameCallback::game, true},
                                               { 0, 0 }
                                            };

const SELECTOR *CGameCallback::selectorGeneric = s_selectorGeneric;

static const SELECTOR s_selectorSoakTest[] = { //"0123456789abcdef"
                                                {"ROM Check All",   CGameCallback::onSelectRomCheckAll,    (void*) &CGameCallback::game, false},
                                                {"RAM Check All",   CGameCallback::onSelectRamCheckAll,    (void*) &CGameCallback::game, false},
                                                {"RAM Check All RA",CGameCallback::onSelectRamCheckAllRA,  (void*) &CGameCallback::game, false},
                                                {"RAM Check All CS",CGameCallback::onSelectRamCheckAllCS,  (void*) &CGameCallback::game, false},
                                                {"Interrupt Check", CGameCallback::onSelectInterruptCheck, (void*) &CGameCallback::game, false},
                                                {"RAM Write All AD",CGameCallback::onSelectRamWriteAllAD,  (void*) &CGameCallback::game, false},
                                                {"RAM Write All Lo",CGameCallback::onSelectRamWriteAllLo,  (void*) &CGameCallback::game, false},
                                                {"RAM Write All Hi",CGameCallback::onSelectRamWriteAllHi,  (void*) &CGameCallback::game, false},
                                                { 0, 0 }
                                             };

const SELECTOR *CGameCallback::selectorSoakTest = s_selectorSoakTest;

IGame *CGameCallback::game;

PERROR
CGameCallback::onSelectBusIdle(
    void *iGame,
    int  key
)
{
    IGame *game = *((IGame **) iGame);

    return game->busIdle();
}

PERROR
CGameCallback::onSelectBusCheck(
    void *iGame,
    int  key
)
{
    IGame *game = *((IGame **) iGame);

    return game->busCheck();
}

PERROR
CGameCallback::onSelectRomCheckAll(
    void *iGame,
    int  key
)
{
    IGame *game = *((IGame **) iGame);

    return game->romCheckAll();
}

PERROR
CGameCallback::onSelectRamCheckAll(
    void *iGame,
    int  key
)
{
    IGame *game = *((IGame **) iGame);

    return game->ramCheckAll();
}

PERROR
CGameCallback::onSelectRamCheckAllCS(
    void *iGame,
    int  key
)
{
    IGame *game = *((IGame **) iGame);

    return game->ramCheckAllChipSelect();
}

PERROR
CGameCallback::onSelectRamCheckAllRA(
    void *iGame,
    int  key
)
{
    IGame *game = *((IGame **) iGame);

    return game->ramCheckAllRandomAccess();
}

PERROR
CGameCallback::onSelectInterruptCheck(
    void *iGame,
    int  key
)
{
    IGame *game = *((IGame **) iGame);

    return game->interruptCheck();
}

PERROR
CGameCallback::onSelectInputRead(
    void *iGame,
    int  key
)
{
    IGame *game = *((IGame **) iGame);

    return game->inputRead( key );
}

PERROR
CGameCallback::onSelectOutputWrite(
    void *iGame,
    int  key
)
{
    IGame *game = *((IGame **) iGame);

    return game->outputWrite( key );
}

PERROR
CGameCallback::onSelectRomCheck(
    void *iGame,
    int  key
)
{
    IGame *game = *((IGame **) iGame);

    return game->romCheck( key );
}

PERROR
CGameCallback::onSelectRomCrc(
    void *iGame,
    int  key
)
{
    IGame *game = *((IGame **) iGame);

    return game->romCrc( key );
}

PERROR
CGameCallback::onSelectRomRead(
    void *iGame,
    int  key
)
{
    IGame *game = *((IGame **) iGame);

    return game->romRead( key );
}

PERROR
CGameCallback::onSelectRamCheck(
    void *iGame,
    int  key
)
{
    IGame *game = *((IGame **) iGame);

    return game->ramCheck( key );
}

PERROR
CGameCallback::onSelectRamCheckRA(
    void *iGame,
    int  key
)
{
    IGame *game = *((IGame **) iGame);

    return game->ramCheckRandomAccess( key );
}

PERROR
CGameCallback::onSelectRamCheckAd(
    void *iGame,
    int  key
)
{
    IGame *game = *((IGame **) iGame);

    return game->ramCheckAddress( key );
}

PERROR
CGameCallback::onSelectRamWriteRead(
    void *iGame,
    int  key
)
{
    IGame *game = *((IGame **) iGame);

    return game->ramWriteRead( key );
}

PERROR
CGameCallback::onSelectRomReadAll(
    void *iGame,
    int  key
)
{
    IGame *game = *((IGame **) iGame);

    return game->romReadAll( key );
}

PERROR
CGameCallback::onSelectRamWriteAllAD(
    void *iGame,
    int  key
)
{
    IGame *game = *((IGame **) iGame);

    return game->ramWriteAllAD( key );
}

PERROR
CGameCallback::onSelectRamWriteAllLo(
    void *iGame,
    int  key
)
{
    IGame *game = *((IGame **) iGame);

    return game->ramWriteAllLo( key );
}

PERROR
CGameCallback::onSelectRamWriteAllHi(
    void *iGame,
    int  key
)
{
    IGame *game = *((IGame **) iGame);

    return game->ramWriteAllHi( key );
}

PERROR
CGameCallback::onSelectRamReadAll(
    void *iGame,
    int  key
)
{
    IGame *game = *((IGame **) iGame);

    return game->ramReadAll( key );
}

PERROR
CGameCallback::onSelectCustom(
    void *iGame,
    int  key
)
{
    IGame *game = *((IGame **) iGame);

    return game->custom( key );
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Crumbed anchovies, a delicious, salty treat to serve as part of an antipasto tray or with drinks. If you can't get anchovies, replace with 400g fresh OR frozen sardines.
Sprinkle with coarse salt and serve immediately.


text:
18-24 October: Motoring Milestones
Discover the most momentous motoring events that took place this week in history ……
130 years ago this week, a one-mile dirt track opened for harness races at the site of the present-day Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Nashville, US [21 October 1991]. Harness racing proved a popular event at the annual Tennessee state fair, but it was nothing compared to the excitement generated by the fair's first automobile race, held at the Fairgrounds in 1904. For the next fifty years, motor racing events were the highlight of the annual state fair, drawing top American drivers to compete, and launching the careers of others……110 years ago this week, the first Ford car to be made in Britain, a Model T, was produced at the Ford Motor Company (England) plant at Trafford Park in Manchester [23 October 1911]. The assembly plant, located in an old Tram factory employed 60 people to make the Model T and the company was re-registered as Henry Ford & Son, Ltd. This was the first Ford factory outside North America…….100 years ago this week, John Boyd Dunlop (81), veterinary surgeon and inventor of the pneumatic tyre, died [23 October 1921]. In October 1887, John Boyd Dunlop developed the first practical pneumatic or inflatable tyre for his son's tricycle and, using his knowledge and experience with rubber, in the yard of his home in Belfast fitted it to a wooden disc 96 centimetres across. The tyre was an inflated tube of sheet rubber. He then took his wheel and a metal wheel from his son's tricycle and rolled both across the yard together. The metal wheel stopped rolling but the pneumatic continued until it hit a gatepost and rebounded. Dunlop then put pneumatics on both rear wheels of the tricycle. That too rolled better, and Dunlop moved on to larger tyres for a bicycle "with even more startling results." He tested that in Cherryvale sports ground, South Belfast, and a patent was granted on 7 December 1888. Unknown to Dunlop another Scot, Robert William Thomson from Stonehaven, had patented a pneumatic tyre in 1847. Willie Hume demonstrated the supremacy of Dunlop's tyres in 1889, winning the tyre's first-ever races in Ireland and then England. The captain of the Belfast Cruisers Cycling Club, he became the first member of the public to purchase a bicycle fitted with pneumatic tyres, so Dunlop suggested he should use them in a race. On 18 May 1889 Hume won all four cycling events at the Queen's College Sports in Belfast, and a short while later in Liverpool, won all but one of the cycling events. Among the losers were sons of the president of the Irish Cyclists' Association, Harvey Du Cros. Seeing an opportunity, Du Cros built a personal association with J B Dunlop, and together they set up a company which acquired his rights to his patent. Two years after he was granted the patent, Dunlop was officially informed that it was invalid as Scottish inventor Robert William Thomson (1822–1873), had patented the idea in France in 1846 and in the US in 1847. see Tyres. To capitalise on pneumatic tyres for bicycles, Dunlop and Du Cros resuscitated a Dublin-listed company and renamed it Pneumatic Tyre and Booth's Cycle Agency. Dunlop retired in 1895. In 1896 Du Cros sold their whole bicycle tyre business to British financier Terah Hooley for £3 million. Hooley arranged some new window-dressing, titled board members, etc., and re-sold the company to the public for £5 million. Du Cros remained head of the business until his death. Early in the 20th century it was renamed Dunlop Rubber. Though he did not participate after 1895, Dunlop's pneumatic tyre did arrive at a crucial time in the development of road transport. His commercial production of cycle tyres began in late 1890 in Belfast, but the production of car tyres did not begin until 1900, well after his retirement. J B Dunlop did not make any great fortune by his invention. He was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2005……..90 years ago this week, the first automobile race was held at the Oakland Speedway, California, US [18 October 1931]. It was a one-mile, banked dirt oval track built, which operated throughout the Great Depression and the postwar years. The track featured AAA-sanctioned National Championship races with Indy cars and drivers from 1931 until 1936. When the AAA pulled out of the West Coast the track featured racing by members of the Bay Cities Racing Association running roadsters and motorcycles, as well as Big Cars, stock cars, and midgets. It was known as the "fastest dirt track in the Nation". After the grandstands burned down in 1942, the track had been abandoned, but after World War II, new stands were built and the track reopened as Oakland Stadium, until it closed in 1955 to make way for the Bay Fair Shopping Center, a $25 million development. Among legendary top race drivers who got their start at the Oakland Speedway was Bob Sweikert, the 1955 Indy 500 winner……. 70 years ago this week, the first DeSoto was produced with the Firedome V-8 engine [18 October 1951]……Michelin & Cie were issued with a French patent for its radial tyres [24 October 1951]……60 years ago this week, the Jaguar Mark X saloon – cover image – was unveiled at the London Motor Show, Britain's biggest car so far with unitary body construction [18 October 1961]. Like the E-type, it was remarkable value for money at £2,256 undercutting its nearest rival, the similarly specified Lagonda Rapide by more than half. A convertible version of the Aston Martin DB4 was also presented for the first time……Gustav W Carlson (77), developer of the two-speed axle, died in Cleveland, Ohio, US [19 October 1961]……. Joe Weatherly surged to the front in the late stages to win the Southeastern 500, just the second race for NASCAR's top series at Bristol Motor Speedway, Tennessee, US [22 October 1961]. Weatherly passed Rex White with 82 laps to go and leads the rest of the 500-lap race, holding off White by seven car-lengths at the finish. Nelson Stacy came home third as the only other car on the lead lap…..50 years ago this week, Jo Siffert (35) who won the 1971 Austrian Grand Prix, was killed in the non-championship World Championship Victory Race at Brands Hatch GB, the scene of his first and greatest victory in 1968 [24 October 1971]. The suspension of his BRM had been damaged in a lap 1 incident with Ronnie Peterson, and broke later. This was not admitted by BRM until much later when a BRM ex-mechanic accidentally divulged this fact……30 years ago this week, General Motors announced a 9 month loss of $2.2 billion [22 October 1991]……20 years ago this week, Darren Manning (UK) reached a record speed of 102.58 mph going backwards in a Caterham 7 Fireblade at Kemble Airfield, Gloucester [22 October 2001].
Motoring Milestones


text:
Helping Samsung Save Water and Improve Operations in Texas
tweet me:
In water-challenged #Austin, TX, making microchips isn't easy. That's why the @Samsung plant there teamed up with @Ecolab to save #water, ensure operations and reduce its impact on the community. Here's how they did it: https://bit.ly/2Kns6Au
Multimedia from this Release
Thursday, August 2, 2018 - 1:00pm
NEWSROOM: Ecolab
CAMPAIGN: 2017 CSR Report
CONTENT: Press Release
August 2, 2018 /3BL Media/ - At its plant in Austin, Texas, Samsung produces chips that go into mobile devices. Precise temperature and humidity control are essential to the fabrication of semiconductors, which is why these facilities have large chiller operations. They also consume significant amounts of Ultra Pure Water (UPW) and generate substantial wastewater.
High-volume water consumption can present significant challenges in water-stressed areas such as Austin, Texas, where Samsung operates one of North America's largest chip fabrication plants. It has 45,000 tons of chilling capacity and 34 chillers connected to two cooling towers. The challenge for this technology provider: To ensure reliable production climate control while reducing the plant's water footprint and protecting its assets.
That's why Samsung called on Ecolab to help the plant dramatically reduce its water use, control corrosion and microbial growth, and optimize its operations. Working with Ecolab, Samsung saved 73.8 million gallons of water, equivalent to the drinking water needs of more than 255,000 people, as well as $1.6 million in reduced maintenance and equipment replacement costs.
Given its location in a water-scarce region, the Samsung facility had to increase operational reliability while optimizing water use. To support those goals, Nalco Water, an Ecolab company, conducted a detailed analysis and implemented its 3D TRASAR™ Technology.
The solution provided:
Real-time notification of changing conditions
Detailed modeling and optimization of water sources so the facility managers could better understand the impact of improved flow management of the different streams
24/7 automation to enable immediate response to scaling or corrosion
Technology to identify and control Key Process Indicators (KPIs) to minimize the risk of downtime or disruptions
The successful 3D TRASAR installation delivered on its promises, and enabled Samsung to achieve its objectives — save water and cost, ensure smooth operations and reduce the plant's impact on the surrounding community.
To learn more about how Ecolab helps its customers save water, energy and cost, read our new Corporate Sustainability Report.
CATEGORY: Responsible Production & Consumption
More From Ecolab
Ecolab Joins the U.N. Global Compact's Business Ambition for 1.5⁰C
Ecolab's Douglas Baker is the First Recipient of the Dayton Award
Ecolab Named to Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index for Fifth Consecutive Year
Videos from Ecolab
Video: Ecolab Food Safety Matters Webinar August 2015
Video: Frank Yiannis Shares Expertise in Ecolab "Food Safety = Behavior" Webinar
Video: Ecolab Food Safety Matters Webinar June


text:
A Hjakunin issu (japánul: 百人一首, Hepburn-átírással: Hyakunin Isshu, 'száz ember egy vers', 'száz ember egy-egy verse'), avagy más néven az Ogura hjakunin issu (japánul: 小倉百人一首, Ogura Hyakunin Isshu) egy klasszikus japán versantológia, amiben száz darab vaka található száz különböző költőtől. Ugyanakkor neve utalhat az Uta-garuta kártyajátékokra, amely játékokat a Hjakunin issu verseiből készült paklikkal játsszák.

Az antológiát Fudzsivara no Teika gyűjtötte össze, amíg Kiotó Ogura kerületében élt.

Összeállítása
Teika egyik naplójában, a Meigecukiban, azt írja, hogy fia, Fudzsivara no Tameie kérte meg őt, hogy állítson össze egy antológiát, amivel a fiú meglepheti apósát. Az após birtoka az Ogura-hegyhez közel terült el, innen a másik név azaz az "Ogura hjakunin issu".
Az ogurai birtok falait díszíthesse, Fudzsivara no Teika a verseket kalligráfiával írta le.

Költők
A Hjakunin issu 100 verset tartalmaz, de mindegyik verset más-más költő írta. Az antológiában a költők közel időrendben követik egymást.

Más hjakunin issu antológiák
Más versantológiákat is összeszerkesztettek hasonló kritériumok alapján, azaz hogy száz költő egy-egy versét gyűjtötték egy kötetbe. Ilyen például a második világháború idejéből származó Aikoku hjakunin issu (愛国百人一首) vagy a Kjóka hjakunin issu (狂歌百人一首, Kyōka Hyakunin Isshu), ami az Ogura hjakunin issu paródiájának készült.

Kártya játék
Teika antológiája alapjául szolgál a karuta kártyajátéknak, ami már az Edo-kor óta népszerű játék. Sok formája létezik az uta-garutának, azaz a 'verses kártyajátéknak', mint például a Verseny-karuta.

Feldolgozásai a médiában
A költők életét a Csójaku hjakunin issu: Uta koi című manga és anime dolgozza fel, de nagy szerepet kapnak a versek a Csihajafuru nevezetű mangában és animében is.

Jegyzetek

Fordítás

Japán irodalmi művek


Organises and controls the operations of a caravan park and camping ground to provide accommodation and leisure services. Registration or licensing may be required.
organise and control the operations of caravan parks and camping grounds to provide accommodation and leisure services.


text:
Archive Infographic - February 17, 2013
An Average Monday in the UK: PCs for Lunch, Tablets for Dinner
In today's multi-platform environment many people consume content on the go using different devices throughout the day. Looking at the share of device page traffic on a typical work day in the UK, we can see that mobiles capture the largest share of page traffic in the early mornings, especially between 7am-9am as Brits consume digital content over breakfast or during their commute to work.
The highest share of computer usage occurs during core working hours (10am-5pm), taking a dip in traffic share in the evenings after 8pm. This makes room for tablets which are used heavily during evenings, with share of device page traffic peaking at 8pm-9pm on a typical workday in the UK.
For more insights into the UK market download a copy of our 2013 UK Digital Future in Focus report.
Mobile Tablets
Media and Advertising: The Past, Present and Future
An Average Monday in the UK: PCs for Lunch Tablets for Dinner


As if Christmas wasn't complicated enough – the gifts, the decorations, the food, the parties, the hangovers – there is an added, and potentially trickier, consideration for separated parents. Where, and with which parent, do your children spend the festive period, especially Christmas Eve and Day? This is an issue that has had the attention of family lawyers, and the courts, time and time again. Christmas is a special time for families, and for younger family members it has extra significance. Many families are able to agree what should happen without legal advice, but many are not. So if legal intervention is necessary, what are the considerations?
Start communication about Christmas plans early in the year. Even if you have an arrangement that you have agreed should operate year on year, don't make assumptions. Families consist of a number of individuals, possibly from other parts of the country/world, and all of whom may have an agenda for "the big day". Families can also change year on year, and changes in a family dynamic may prompt a need to reconsider a pre-existing arrangement.
The age of your children cannot be ignored; if your children are not on the naughty list and are expecting their annual visit from Mr Claus, parents should anticipate that the children might be confused or worried that they miss out if they are not in their main home overnight on Christmas Eve. As they become older, and their expectations change, organising a sleepover on Christmas Eve at the non-resident parent's home makes more sense, and if it alternates between parents every year, the kids then experience Christmas with both families.
Collaborate on Christmas gifts for the children, and consult each other about expectations and spending budgets. You don't want to each buy the same gift. Perhaps more importantly, the ability of one parent to afford more expensive and appealing gifts when compared to the other can cause resentment and foster bad-feeling that can simmer on well into the New Year and beyond. The failure by one parent to assist in practical terms may breed unhappiness too. Discussing how you approach the presents will help avoid any such problem arising.
If you think children should spend time with both sets of parents in their respective homes on Christmas Day itself, ask yourself who really benefits from that, and the possible effects on both families if a special occasion is interrupted or delayed by the uplift or collection of children. How will the kids feel about having to leave one home to go to another, half way through a family celebration? Think instead about celebrating the season, not the day. There are plenty of opportunities for get-togethers with friends and family over the holiday period.
How is your relationship with your ex? Think about inviting the other parent to spend Christmas with you and the children. And don't automatically exclude any new family members or partners that have emerged since the relationship breakdown. The concept of "the blended family" is normal in other parts of the world (USA/Australia), largely because it is recognised that children of separated parents don't want conflict and acrimony – just for everyone to get along. It is, after all, only one day out of a whole year.
If your attempts at organising Christmas is proving a worry, our experienced family law team can navigate you through this thorny issue.


In an unexpected move, some media outlets have accused the military of complicity in the Karachi naval base attack.
Pakistan's military has come in for unexpectedly stinging criticism from the country's media following an attack by Taliban fighters on a key naval base in the southern port city of Karachi.
Editorials in both the English and Urdu-language press on Tuesday ridiculed the army and accused them of complicity in the attack, which saw a small group of fighters lay siege to the PNS Mehran naval base.
"Political rhetoric and a Cabinet Defence Committee meeting are not going to solve this one," read an editorial in the English-language daily, The News.
"This is an epic failure exposing an existential threat that will need epic leadership to countervail."
An editorial in the usually pro-military Urdu-language Jang, said that the attacks illustrated "a weakness of security measures".
"In very polite words, it can be called worrisome negligence," the paper said.
The English-language Dawn newspaper questioned whether the attackers had received help from within the military, asking: "Did the Taliban raiders have information inside the naval base?"
"Such a possibility cannot be ruled out, because the involvement of serving personnel in several previous attacks has been well-established," the paper said.
At least six gunmen infiltrated the naval base in Karachi late on Sunday, killing 13 security forces and wounding 20 others.
The base is the headquarters of Pakistan's naval air wing and the fighters were able to destroy two P-3C Orion aircraft from the United States, crucial assets for Pakistan's anti-submarine and maritime surveillance capability.
It took about 100 commandos, rangers and marines to kill four of the attackers and recapture the base.
Despite the criticism of the military, the country has embraced as a national hero Lieutenant Yasir Abbas, a young navy officer who was killed leading the counter-attack against the Taliban fighters.
Yusuf Raza Gilani, the Pakistani prime minister, travelled to the base on Tuesday to pay tribute to the security forces who died.
"We are proud of these brave men", Gilani said, singling out Abbas for particular praise.
But the attack has been a further humiliation for Pakistan's military, already on the back foot following the May 2 killing of Osama bin Laden, the al-Qaeda leader, by US special forces on Pakistani soil, where bin Laden had been in hiding.


text:
The ObserverBritish Virgin Islands
Asian logging companies 'use British islands for tax dodging'
Calls for crackdown as investigation finds huge Indonesian corporations evading tax through network of secret shell companies in British Virgin Islands and other tax havens
In the British Virgin Islands it is easy to set up shell companies, which makes them popular with companies and the wealthy. Photograph: Neil Rabinowitz/Corbis
John Vidal, environment editor
Sat 10 May 2014 16.04 EDT
Giant Asian logging companies that make billions from destroying rainforests use a labyrinth of secret shell companies based in a UK overseas territory, the British Virgin Islands (BVI), which operate as a tax haven, according to documents seen by the Observer. The 13 companies own millions of acres in Indonesia, provide much of the world's palm oil, timber and paper, and use complex legal and financial structures to keep their tax liabilities low.
An unpublished two-year investigation by anti-corruption experts, and seen by the Observer, says Britain should launch a major investigation into the use of the BVI and other tax havens by "high-risk" sectors such as Indonesian forestry. This follows a court case in Jakarta in which one of the world's largest palm oil companies, owned by billionaire Sukanto Tanoto, was fined US$205m after being shown to have evaded taxes by using shell companies in the BVI and elsewhere. The company has agreed to pay the fines.
Documents arising from the case show that Tanoto's company, Asian Agri, systematically produced fake invoices and fake hedging contracts to evade more than $100m of taxes.
According to evidence contained in more than 8,000 papers, the company, which employs 25,000 people in 14 subsidiaries and owns 165,000 hectares of plantations, was engaged in "routine and systematic fraudulent accounting and book-keeping practices" using British jurisdictions.
It is easy to set up shell companies in the BVI, and this makes them a favourite destination for Asian corporations and individuals. A cache of leaked documents obtained by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists showed last year that nine of Indonesia's 11 richest families had used tropical tax havens.
Although there are legitimate uses for offshore companies, critics say tax havens fuel corruption and allow corporations and individuals to dodge taxes. "Powerful forest and palm oil conglomerates have set up shell companies in the BVI, Cayman Islands and Bermuda, but lack of transparency – including public access to the names of the actual owners of shell companies – makes it difficult for governments to monitor the legality of their activities," said Stephanie Fried of the Ulu Foundation, a US organisation that tracks international financial flows. "Clearly, a full international investigation is needed not only by Indonesian authorities, but also by those in the BVI, the UK and other jurisdictions."
A government spokesperson said: "The government put tax and transparency at the heart of the UK's G8 presidency. As a result, the UK's overseas territories are consulting on establishing a central registry of beneficial ownership and on whether it should be publicly accessible. We believe a registry of this kind would provide the best outcome for sound corporate behaviour and for helping authorities, including those in developing countries,prevent misuse of companies for illicit purposes."


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text:
Syrian fighters stand at the back of a pick-up as they attend a mock battle in anticipation of an attack by the regime on Idlib province and the surrounding countryside, during a graduation of new Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) members at a camp in the countryside of the northern Idlib province on August 14, 2018. (Photo by OMAR HAJ KADOUR / AFP) (Photo credit should read OMAR HAJ KADOUR/AFP/Getty Images)
Affiliation with Tahrir Al-Sham; Reasons and Motives II.
Ahmad Al Romoh
Tahrir Al-Sham had been formed by members of Al-Qaeda, functioning in Iraq. Syrian commandants were among them and moved to Syria after the outbreak of revolution. In Syria, they established Al-Nusra Front and thousands of volunteers came from Syria, the countries of the Arab and Islamic world (especially the countries of the Middle East), the countries of Western Europe (mainly the United Kingdom and France), the Islamic countries of Central Asia (particularly Chechnya), and other countries around the world where there are Muslim communities. They all came to join the organization. In the same context, "In just one year, we reached 5,000 members after we were six during the first year, the financial support also doubled, and we managed to spread in a very large area in Syria," Al-Julani says.
The Most Important Reasons and Motives are as Follows:
Ideological reasons:
Ideological reasons have prompted some volunteers to join the ranks of Al-Nusra Front. Those volunteers are the ones who have become believers in the jihadist Salafism as a result of the activity of Salafi preachers in Islamic countries and their urgency for young people to wage jihad in the Islamic regions that are experiencing instability.
Religious reasons:
The Iranian media machine and the one affiliated with Al-Assad regime both have played an important role in feeding the sectarian conflict. This role was perfectly clear when the mentioned media started to film and promote sectarian films on social media. The first act of this kind took place in Hama when the phrase "There is no god but Bashar al-Assad," was seen written on the pulpits. The second is the famous Raml camp video that appeared in it a person who was being tortured and forced to say "There is no god but Bashar al-Assad." The third is a video depicts a Syrian citizen being buried alive and asked to repeat the exact same words. Considering this attitude, it is reasonable to conclude that Al-Assad regime wanted the conflict to be sectarian by provoking the Sunnis and pushing them towards the jihadist organizations and, at the same time, releasing the jihadists from prisons to complete his sectarian strategy.
In addition, the war that had been waged against the Sunni areas of Al Qusayr and Western Qalamun by the Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah was provocative for the jihadists, especially when Iran portrayed Hezbollah's victory over the Al-Qusayr area as a victory for the Shiites in their war against the Sunnis.
All of that have raised strong reactions in the Sunni Muslim world as Sunni clerics, including Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, Sheikh Mohamad al-Arefe, Nabil al-Awadi, and others, have called on the Sunnis of Muslim world to go to Syria to aid the jihadists there. However, they did not specify that the volunteers should join the ranks of Al-Nusra Front, but rather other factions, especially those affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, such as Shields, which later named Sham Legion.
Nevertheless, it is likely that many volunteers have eventually found their way to Al- Nusra Front and other Salafi-jihadi groups due to their tempting and organized ideological superiority. Al-Nusra and Hezbollah have become the main tools that portray the war in Syria as a Sunni-Shiite war. Moreover, Al-Assad regime's use of chemical weapons against Sunni-majority areas has given Al-Nusra Front the chance to invest in it and show that the Sunnis are being subjected to a campaign of extermination carried out by the Nusayri Army. Thus, thousands of volunteers have been prompted to come to Syria.
Personal reasons:
They are relating to pictures coming from Syria that tell heroic stories of the jihadists there. The media of Al-Nusra Front, despite its fragility, has benefited greatly from Al-Jazeera media, especially since Al-Jazeera has always been reviewing suicide operations and depicting them as if they were heroic actions. Therefore, the feeling of adventure that prevails the mentality of the Salafis is added to the other reasons for volunteering in the ranks of Al-Nusra.
Al-Nusra Front has managed with its experience to change its ideological structure because the people that are under the weight of violence and organized international terrorism are interested in the ideology of Al-Nusra Front besides basic services. Therefore, al-Julani, in the presence of leaders from al-Qaeda, has announced the abolition of Al-Nusra Front and the formation of a new entity called "Jabhat Fateh al-Sham" without any affiliation with al-Qaeda.
The announcement of Fatah al-Sham was not only a formality but also problematic, according to what has later been revealed by some of the figures associated with the event in their internal testimonies. From the first moment, a few members of the organization's Shura Council resigned, led by Abu Julaybib who was al-Julani companion on the establishment journey, Abu Khadija al-Urduni and Abu Humam al-Shami. While Sami al-Oraydi, the general Sharia official of Fateh al-Sham Front, suspended his duties. The worst was the anger of al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri who sent two separate messages in which he announced his rejection of the schism. Al-Zawahiri has opined that the schism was only allowed to take place if all the members of al-Qaeda's Shura Council had approved on it or a formation of an Islamic state had been reached. On the other hand, Abu Khayr al-Masri, al-Zawahiri's deputy, announced himself his blessing for what had happened a day before the announcement of the schism because he expected Al-Zawahiri's approval. Whereas the latter's rejection was interpreted as being influenced by the rest of the members of Al-Qaeda's Shura Council, especially those settled in Iran, such as Saif Al-Adel and Abu Muhammad Al-Masry.
Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham "January 2017"
At the end of January 2017, Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham was formed by merging a number of factions operating in northern Syria. The first to join were Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement, Fatah al-Sham Front, Ansar al-Din Front, Liwa al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar and Liwa al-Haqq. Furthermore, several sheikhs and advocates of Jihadi Salafism joined Tahrir al-Sham, such as: Abdul Razzaq al-Mahdi, Abu al-Harith al-Masri, Abu Yusef al-Hamwi, Abdullah al-Muhaysini, Abu al-Taher al-Hamwi and Musleh al-alyani.
As the time passes, Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham shows greater flexibility to save its project from public or external isolation but, still, has the ability to renew violent confrontation as well, which has not stopped.
Manifestations of Political Changes
In a way that combines attack and defense, the military strategy of Tahrir al-Sham has been represented over the various stages of the war inside Syrian territory. However, as the war approached its sixth year in 2017, it has been noticed during the last two years that there has been an increasing focus on the political nature applied in Tahrir al-Sham strategy, especially in its military operations that aims to fight terrorism represented by the two organizations (ISIS and al-Qaeda). These operations have taken place within Tahrir al-Sham controlled areas in Idlib and its surroundings. Specifically, military raids have been carried out against the Guardians of Religion Organization because it represented a source of threat that necessitated, on the one hand, Tahrir al-Sham to suppress it in order to prevent any disruption that would change the balance against Tahrir al-Sham supremacy in those areas. On the other hand, by having done that, Tahrir al-Sham has been seeking to reach the centers of influence and Western decision in order to improve its image.
Al-Julani's war against ISIS and Al-Qaeda organization in Syria is part of his emerging strategy which is experiencing various transformations from time to time, and there is no evidence of these transformations. It is not only his separation from the extremist jihadist groups, but also fighting them in Idlib where Tahrir al-Sham has been waging a war against ISIS since 2014. Since the March 2020 ceasefire, Tahrir al-Sham has escalated its raids and arrests to hinder ISIS's attempts to build a secret network of cells in Idlib, especially after the latter lost its control over the lands of eastern Syria.
At the same time, Tahrir al-Sham has contained non-ISIS foreign jihadists, and since March 2020, it has dismantled by force the members that oppose Tahrir al-Sham's commitment to the Turkish-Russian truce, Guardians of Religion Organization in particular. This organization is an al-Qaeda-linked faction led by individuals who Deviated from Tahrir-al Sham because of contention over Tahrir al-Sham being relatively pragmatic, and they did not agree on the schism from al-Qaeda as well. After having followed the policy of containment towards the Guardians of Religion at first, Tahrir al-Sham turned its weapons towards the organization in mid-2020 after the Guardians of Religion members had tried to consolidate an alliance with deviators from Tahrir al-Sham and others from the extremist factions that were opposing the ceasefire.
To be continued in the next part
All publishing rights and copyrights reserved to MENA Research and Study Center.
Haya'at Tahrir Al Sham
Radical Groups
Syrian war
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7. Arrived. It's about time.
10. Messy Tap. Fits though.
22. Sociallly challenged coconut game.
26. A drink with jam and bread.
"...Didn't do well on this puzzle. The clues were all slightly off, enough to throw me. I finally realized that when the clue mentions messy, that the word is scrambled. Others I can't figure out like 22A, or 4D. So, sorry to say, this puzzle didn't do it for me...."


North Lake Como is the ideal place for hikers. It offers numerous hiking trails of all difficulty levels where visitors can enjoy an unforgettable experience with breath-taking views. You can venture along the paths leading to the majestic peaks, take a walk through unspoilt nature or stroll along the lake or ancient trails and roads.
Use this search form to find your hike or walk in North Lake Como!


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SCHEHERAZADE is a multimedia harp show inspired by the music of the Middle East. Harpist Ann McLaughlin presents a solo harp show interweaving live harp, percussion, and vocals with animated videos and theatrical lighting to create an evocative atmosphere enhancing the Middle Eastern inspired music of the performance. The centerpiece of the performance is a 15-minute arrangement of Rimsky-Kosakov's Scheherazade symphony for solo harp with animated images - inspired by Scheherazade's tales - synchronized to the music. This exciting event is McLaughlin's first show at Parkland College since her Celestial Strings: an Evening of Harp Music and Stargazing concert in January 2013 and is sure to delight audiences with its enchanting take on storytelling through music. $5 admission. Tickets sold only the evening of the performance. Lobby will open at 6:30pm. Paid for in part by the City of Urbana Arts Grant and the Illinois Music Entrepreneurship Grant from the University of Illinois School of Music AVL/eDream provided visual elements and consultation for the multimedia presentation.


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Most nad Dunajem w Metten (niem.: Donaubrücke Metten) – most autostradowy nad Dunajem, w ciągu autostrady A3 w Niemczech o długości 614 m.

Znajduje się pomiędzy węzłem drogowym Metten i węzłem autostradowym Deggendorf. Został zbudowany w latach 1978-1981 kosztem 25 mln marek.

Jest to most o konstrukcji strunobetonowej, 8 przęsłowej o wymiarach: 68,85 m - 145 m - 5 x 68 m - 60 m oraz jednym pylonem o wysokości 33,22 m.

Linki zewnętrzne
 Donaubrücke Metten

Dunajem w Metten
Mosty i wiadukty drogowe w Niemczech
Metten


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Are You Ready for Gutenberg?
by Pete O | Oct 12, 2018
Gutenberg is coming. Are you ready for a more modern website editor? A major update to WordPress is just around the corner — version 5.0! Along with it, WordPress watchers are expecting to see the first public release of a newly reimagined pages/posts editor, which developers are calling "Gutenberg." What should we be doing to get ready for Gutenberg?
You've probably already seen this announcement in your WP Dashboard:
What's Different in Gutenberg Editor?
The fundamental new concept in web page editing with Gutenberg is "Blocks." Think of Blocks are chunks of content. You build a page by assembling a collection of Blocks. In the Gutenberg editor, every paragraph of text is a block. You can click and drag blocks to arrange them. Images are blocks. Embedded media such as audio and video are blocks. Design elements such as rule lines, lists, subheads, and quotations — these are all Blocks in Gutenberg.
The Block model implies there will be many different kinds of Blocks besides the chunks of content described above. One local WordPress developer here in Albuquerque, 11Online, has been preparing for the arrival of Gutenberg by inventing new kinds of Blocks — animated graphical pie charts, line charts, bar charts, and statistics counters, for starters. You can check out these first "premium blocks to build beautiful WordPress pages and posts" at Block Party, an ecommerce site for purchasing commercial Blocks.
Once Gutenberg is released in the WordPress core, we can expect there will be an explosion of new Block development. It seems likely there will be a new WordPress repository for free Blocks, similar to the Plugins repository. It also seems likely that some Plugins will be re-written as Blocks, so their functionality can easily be dropped into any page or post in the Gutenberg editor.
What is less certain is how Gutenberg will evolve, once it becomes available in public release. Many WordPress developers are anticipating a full-featured page layout editor, with table-like elements such as rows & columns. And sections — Blocks within Blocks. Also fine-grained style controls such as padding, margins, line-height, before/after spacing, and font selection. It remains to be seen whether these features will appear in the Gutenberg road map as the roll-out unfolds over the next several months.
When Will Gutenberg Arrive?
The roll-out schedule has already begun, starting with the Gutenberg plugin that is now available in the free WordPress Plugin repository. The first public beta WordPress v5.0 is scheduled for release soon — on October 19th, 2018. The general public release is scheduled for November 19th, 2018. That has some developers and webmasters — me included — saying "Yikes!" because this release date hits just as ecommerce sites are ramping up to their peak business cycle during the gifting/holiday season from Thanksgiving through Christmas.
The WordPress developer team is allowing flexibility in this schedule, and have already said that if they need more time to get it right, a realease on January 9th – 22nd, 2019 is possible.
Trying Out Gutenberg
Your webmaster has been reading up on it. I've attended presentations by local WordPress developers, and checked out the current options for installing pre-release "beta" versions of Gutenberg. There are two ways to begin exploring and getting some hands-on experience:
Install Gutenberg plugin
Install a beta WordPress release which includes the Gutenberg editor.
BEWARE! Neither of these options are recommended for use on a LIVE production WordPress site. If you want to get an up-close in-person experience with Gutenberg, you can install and activate the plugin on your Oakley Studio Staging website. Then try out some test posts with it there. This plugin adds all the current functionality of Gutenberg, in a plugin that can be deactivated and removed when the final release comes in WP v5.0.
In order to prepare, here's more helpful commentary on Gutenberg, from Elegant Themes blog:
"An Introduction to the Gutenberg Editor"
"How to Check If Your WordPress Plugins Are Compatible With Gutenberg"
"8 Gutenberg Tutorials for Developers"
"3 Gutenberg Block Collections that Show What's Possible with WordPress's New Editor"
We've known for months that Gutenberg is coming. Some were expecting to see it by end of this summer. That time is now passing. With little to do but wait, you are now informed. So, say with me, "Yes, I'm ready for Gutenberg!"
Please add me to your mailing list.


After exploring South East Asia for the last two months, I feel I am in a solid place to share the vast and endless wisdom I now possess…just kidding. But I do have a little guidance and a few tips that I would like to share; which may or may not come in handy one day.
Asia is hot – just to state the obvious. So you will be drinking a solid 5x the amount of water you drink back in England just to survive the day. I can't stress enough that water is always the highest of priorities and you must never, I repeat never, turn down free water, since you have got to pay for bottled water in Asia and you will need that life source sooner or later. Probably sooner.
Luckily in Asia you will never struggle to find wifi unless you are in a seriously remote location; but usually even the smallest of cafes have this mighty source of life. My main tip is to put a desired destination into Google maps on your smartphone, whilst you are still connected to wifi and then it will continue to direct you even without the connection just by using your GPS – it's genius.
Markets in Asia are meant to be bartered in, that is how the business works. So, don't say yes straight away and if you walk away from the item they usually pitch up with a more suitable offer. You can nearly always find a way to compromise and make a good transaction.
When crossing roads in Asia you will quickly realise that the rules are very different to the UK. The roads feel like death traps especially in the chaotic main cities like Phnom Penh and Hanoi. Every driver just looks out for themselves and where they want to go. So, if you want to get across the road then you have to be like everyone else and look out for number one. So be brave, walk calmly, power on through and trust that the seven bikers going 50mph directly towards you will manage to avoid making you into the road decor. Yes it's terrifying; but it gets easier as you practice.
When travelling in an entirely different culture you need to abide by their customers and respect their way of life. So when visiting all the incredibly beautiful temples, you need to make sure that you have your shoulders and knees covered in these places of worship. It's just manners at the end of the day.
I know, I know, it feels so wrong throwing away those innate customs that result in us always responding to street sellers, apologising for not doing anything wrong and standing in queues for hours. However in Asia, they rarely queue so just like the rules of driving in Asia, it's all about getting where you want to go without stopping for others. So unless you want to be waiting in lines that move around you all day, you'll have to drop your favourite British pass time and get a move on.
These adorable little beggars are thieving experts. They will take any food or drink that you are not clutching for dear life and they are swift and savvy whilst doing so. Just don't underestimate our fury little friends, they are unbelievably smart. Avoid having any expensive possessions out in the open when near monkeys and watch your back.
Whilst staying at a hostel in a shared room, we unfortunately ended up being targeted by a thief which resulted in us having a total of £90 stolen. Annoyingly, this incident occurred even after we locked our stuff in our lockers with our own lock and key. Therefore, this thief busted open our lock with a pin, raided our stuff for money and then had the courtesy to re-lock it for us to open later on. So, here's a serious tip, use a lock with a code cause the ones with just a key still leaves you vulnerable.
I feel like kipping in an airport over night is a travel must do; it just makes you feel like an authentic traveller when you rough it on a night in true travelling style. So, if you have an early flight, want to save a few pennies and check something quirky off the bucket list then give sleeping in an airport a go. It's free, warm and if you are lucky you might even find seats without separators that you can lie down on. To top it off there is an endless supply of shops and restaurants so what more could you want?
You will be a sweaty mess and spend the entire time in Asia resembling a licked jelly baby; so accept your fate. Deodorant is a lovely resource; but the amount of good it actually does unless you apply in every 20 minutes is questionable. But, hey luckily you will be amongst several other individuals who are also rocking that glistening glow look; so just power on and learn how to work instagram to tweak the after photos.


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Blog > Electric Lit
Category: Electric Lit
A Story About a Parasitic Relationship
"Together" by Jess Arndt, recommended by Justin Torres for Electric Lit
Jess Arndt's short story "Together", with an introduction by Justin Torres for Electric Lit.
An Introduction by Justin Torres
Jess Arndt is a great prose stylist — but what does that mean? Well for one thing, it means Arndt writes with such poetry and such precision, that the force of the communication damn near knocks you over. The sentences turn, open, and crash down on you unexpectedly, rhythmically, like waves. Great style has something to do with surfaces, but that's not all I mean when I say Arndt is a great stylist. I mean, too, that the pace and pull of this story — and really, every story in Large Animals — works something like an undertow. At the beach as child, I remember being warned about undertow and thinking, how could it be, amidst all the foam and roar and sparkle of the ocean's surface, that an even stronger churning went on below? But that's exactly the experience of reading Arndt: first mesmerized by the beautiful noise of the language, then knocked down, and dragged out to another, underwater world."Together" is a story precisely about the churning going on beneath the surface — about the awful lot going on inside each of us. Arndt reminds us that physically, psychically, we are processes; we are happening all the time. The life of both mind and body is defined by an awesome and constant churning. And outside, in our backyards, our neighborhoods, our neighbors, our lovers and bosses — the churning continues. Places and people seduce, destroy, remake us in their undertow. What we would like to understand as form — the backyard, the body — is phenomena. What we would like to understand as impermeable is always susceptible to parasitic invasion. Instability is the shared condition of life. This is a thing we know, but the knowledge quickly stales, or we are distracted from the knowledge, or narcotized, or placated with straighter, more genteel notions I can think of no better description for the transformative power of Arndt's stories — willful.
Reading Arndt, I was reminded of Genet, and reminded specifically of Sontag's description of Genet, in "On Style." "He is recording, devouring, transfiguring his experience. In Genet's books, as it happens, this very process itself is his explicit subject; his books are not only works of art but works about art." Sontag goes on to connect style, above all, to will: "The complex kind of willing that is embodied, and communicated, in a work of art both abolishes the world and encounters it in an extraordinary intense and specialized way." I can think of no better description for the transformative power of Arndt's stories — willful. I suppose it's a particular kind of lineage, a particular kind of will I'm getting at, when talking about Sontag talking about Genet, and also talking about Arndt — I suppose it's something like the will of the lover, the will of the parasite, the will of the undertow; I suppose I am talking about the will to queer the world.
Justin Torres Author of We the Animals
Together by Jess Arndt
We had it together but we also had it when we were apart. We got it in that comedor in Oaxaca, we both agreed. Or maybe it was that little town, just a few palapas actually and a beach with a deceptive number of black dogs, called San Angelino. But it's also quite possible that we had gotten it on the subway. Don't forget about a head of lettuce! our naturopath said. They caravan those heads in from anywhere imaginable. And water these days — it's no good washing with it.We made a list of what was now okay and what wasn't. Sugar, yeast, all the essentials — out. Enter: lines and lines of herbaceous esophagus-jamming pills we swallowed noon dinner and night.
Predicting the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
Bradley Sides for Electric Lit
Bradley Sides takes a look at this year's contenders for American literature's most prestigious prize
Considering how unpredictable the past few months have been, it seems almost unreasonable to even attempt to predict the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. But, at a time when books — and all of our arts, really — are facing such scrutiny, shouldn't we take every chance we get to talk about and celebrate those things that inspire us and, in so many ways, enrich our lives? I certainly think so.
At a time when books — and all of our arts, really — are facing such scrutiny, shouldn't we take every chance we get to talk about and celebrate those things that inspire us and enrich our lives?
The Pulitzer Prize, which honors the year's best fiction by an American writer that deals with some aspect of American life, is the Oscar of the literary world. It's the rare literary occurrence that garners news attention; it's the book award that results in real sells. Some Pulitzer winners are household names. William Faulkner, Harper Lee, Toni Morrison, Philip Roth, and Junot Diaz are all past winners. But, just like with the Oscars, there are occasional surprises that cause shock and delight. For example, few people (seriously, "few" is extremely generous) predicted in 2010 that Paul Harding would win the Pulitzer Prize for his novel Tinkers. It's commonly known that Tinkers, published by the small Bellevue Literary Press, sold only around 40 copies the week before it won the Pulitzer. In the week following the announcement, Harding's novel sold over one thousand copies. For every Tinkers-level surprise, there are also some decisions that aren't so great. In 2012, the Pulitzer jury nominated David Foster Wallace's The Pale King, Denis Johnson's Train Dreams, and Karen Russell's Swamplandia!, but the Pulitzer board couldn't agree on a winner. So, we were left with nothing. Talk about a bummer.
I don't think this year will be like 2012. There's too much at stake. The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction seems especially crucial in 2017. Every novel and short story collection that I read felt important, and even more that that, these works of fiction felt urgent. Reading fiction teaches us empathy in ways that nothing else can, and, my friends, we NEED empathy now more than ever.
Reading fiction teaches us empathy in ways that nothing else can, and, my friends, we NEED empathy now more than ever.
In looking over some of the hundreds of worthy works that could be nominated, I'm amazed at the quality of work writers gave us over the past year. There were meticulously-constructed debuts, and there were epic tomes by some of today's most established and respected authors. Comedies and speculative works received notice alongside family dramas and redemption tales. Most importantly, diversity came to the forefront of the conversation. It's certainly true that we have a long way to go, but writers in 2016 told stories that couldn't have been told before. These voices were simultaneously brave and bold. We can only hope that future Pulitzer contenders will enlighten us and inspire us just the same.


How to Find a Green Home Houston!
A guide looking at discovering your green home in Houston.
A post about the green tax credits that you can get for your home.
A Houston home inspector looks at a step towards a green home conversion that a homeowner can take, when they have an attached garage.
Discussing air flow versus temperature to create comfort in a green home.


Since that time the sector has become larger and more sophisticated and so too has our offering. We recognised early that in order to provide a full end to end service we needed to grow along with our clients and the industry generally.
Having conducted some matters in the ACT for a number of clients and due to organic growth, Grace opened a dedicated ACT office in 2014.
The new office will be managed by Daniel Radman (who studied at ANU).