text:
/ The Rise of Wearable Media
The Rise of Wearable Media
Wearable technology is a boom industry. But will wearable media make it as a mainstream platform, and what will it mean for content producers?
Barely a week passes without a new piece of wearable technology either hitting the shelves or beginning its journey in the development lab. From already well-recognised technologies, such as Google Glass, the Sony SmartWatch and Nike's FuelBand, to lesser-known iterations such as the Qualcomm Toq smartwatch and Nichole Scherzinger's Twitter dress - displaying fans' twitter messages in real-time - wearable technology is becoming big business.
A recent infographic in the UK's Guardian newspaper revealed an estimated 8 million Brits now wear some form a wearable technology, while 82 per cent of wearable tech users in the US believe it enhances their lives. Twenty-seven per cent of UK wearable tech users said it has enhanced their love lives.
View the infographic in full: click here
So what are the opportunities for the media industry when it comes to wearable technologies, and what impact will wearable media have on content?
Professor Retha Hill is executive director of the Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism in the US. She says wearable media offers exciting opportunities for content producers – but adds it has some way to go before it reaches its full potential.
"Wearable media is exciting but it feels like people are waiting to see how it shakes out," she says. "Even with the more advanced forms, such as Google Glass, it still feels a bit cumbersome and I'm not sure people have been overwhelmed by it.
"One of the things stopping from investing heavily in it is that it's an expensive risk. I think companies look at things like Second Life - how quickly that came and went because the public didn't follow - and they worry wearable media could go down the same route."
John Winsor, CEO at creative ad agency Victors & Spoils, concurs. "Wearable media is certainly one of the big innovations to watch. But my concern is that there is too much media now," he says. "I think there is a counter-trend developing to avoid media altogether because consumers are being bombarded from all angles."
However, Hill adds that any device which enables you to engage an audience provides great content opportunities: "Even if those devices were not originally created for content, such as gaming devices or Nike's FuelBand, there is great value in the fact consumers have chosen to have them and are actively using them."
Moving into the mainstream
Ruth Papazian is a US-based journalist currently using Google Glass to create a documentary depicting modern life in the Bronx. She says wearable media can have a big impact on journalism and content creation going forward.
"Journalism is a multimedia profession now," she says. "With our ability to report news instantly and through social channels, audiences have come to expect photographic evidence and supporting images. Wearable media can certainly help. As a journalist, I appreciate having different ways to tell a story.
"Another opportunity lies around transparency and accountability. Wearable media can help our profession repair some of the damage done to it over a lack of accuracy and people being quoted out of context, because it allows you to gather so much raw material."
Speaking of her own documentary project, Papazian adds that wearable media also offers a number of practical benefits.
"It adds spontaneity," she says. "I can take a picture in many different ways or start filming in an instant – without having to reach for a camera and losing the moment. It allows me to get very close to a subject without sticking a huge news camera in his or her face. People freeze up when there is a big news camera there."
Cronkite's Hill agrees there's a big appeal around the usability aspects.
"I once created an augmented reality app, which gave visitors information about the local town as they moved around it," she explains. "Using the viewfinder of your smartphone to receive that information is cumbersome and it can be dangerous too. Wearable media makes those processes much easier."
Tailoring content
Hill adds that, while content creators will have to carefully consider how they generate content for wearable media devices, they already have a strong understanding of the type of content required.
"In the past few years we have become adept at creating content in short-form. Twitter, Facebook and video have taught us how to engage quickly and effectively with audiences. That is how content will best work through wearable media, so I don't think it will be too much of a shift for content creators.
"I think the optimum content will be where you can receive short bursts of information and bookmark it for later. When I am listening to the radio in the car, and I hear interesting things, I make a mental note to follow them up later. Of course, I often forget. Wearable media will have an advantage if it can allow you to return to fuller content later on."
Winsor offers a more cautionary view. "How wearable media will change the way content is produced and delivered is a great question, and one that media organisations will have to turn their attention to at some point. But on the board of our start-up, we're still trying to figure out content for mobile devices. So I think it will be years before we figure out what it will mean for wearables."
Despite that, David Berkowitz, Chief Marketing Officer at agency MRY, is certain wearable media's ability to combine engaging content with accurate data will ensure the platform's move into the mainstream happens sooner rather than later.
"The far bigger opportunity will be in the data generated by these new devices," he blogged recently. "Just as an actuary looks at a 45-year-old Chicago male who is 5'10" and 210 pounds with a desk job and a sedentary lifestyle, and figures out that his life insurance premiums need to go up, a marketer could look at the data from this man's wearable devices, notice that he doesn't stray too far from his couch, and promote specials on the brand's potato chips just before the Bears game each Sunday.
"Each of the wearable devices becomes a new source of data," he adds. "People initially won't be inclined to share, but consumers tend to be willing to share quite a bit if they receive something of value in return."


The Canadian Network for Economic History (CNEH) sessions at the 46th Meetings of the Canadian Economics Association (CEA) at the University of Calgary, Alberta.
Mosk, Carl A. (University of Victoria): American System of Manufactures: Factor Bias or the Democratization of Invention?
Hinton, Michael (Rimini Centre for Economic Analysis): Does the National Policy explain the growth of the Canadian cotton textile industry?
The network supports the Canadian Economics Association, the Canadian Historical Association and organizations allied with Economic History Services.
For questions about the CNEH or the website please Contact us.


text:
News & Media Baucus, Lindeen Applaud New Montana Based Mutual Fund
Baucus, Lindeen Applaud New Montana Based Mutual Fund
Missoula's Front Street Capital on Takes Big Step Forward
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana's senior U.S. Senator Max Baucus is applauding Front Street Capital for successfully launching Montana's only current publicly traded mutual fund with no commission or sales fees. The Missoula-based fund launched this week and is called the "Tarkio Fund" after the Mineral County town along the banks of the Clark Fork River. This week, the "Tarkio Fund" received approval from Montana's Commissioner of Securities, Monica Lindeen, and has already garnered investments making it the state's sole publicly traded no-load mutual fund.
"It is good news anytime we can move jobs and opportunities from Wall Street to Main Street, Front Street or any street in Montana," Baucus said. "This is especially great news because Russ Piazza is a University of Montana graduate who is putting his education right back to work in the Missoula community. The future of good-paying jobs in Montana relies on fresh business ideas and hardworking people to implement them."
"We are excited to be taking this next important step in the evolution of our investment management business and are honored to be recognized by Senator Baucus. We are proud to be able to manage this fund in the State of Montana and believe it is a tremendous advantage to work in a part of the country whose values are aligned with our long term approach to partnering with companies who create cultures that strive to engage and energize their employees at all levels. Our ability to work here, away from the noise and distractions of a Wall Street type environment, is a competitive advantage," said Russ Piazza, Front Street Capital President and portfolio manager.
"Wall Street could learn a lot from Montana's responsible work ethic, and I'm glad to see Front Street Capital give the east coast firms a run for their money," said Lindeen. "The hard work of small businesses like Front Street Capital further cements Montana's reputation as the best state in the nation for new businesses and entrepreneurs. Congratulations to Russ Piazza and everyone at Front Street Capital for taking this new, bold step."
More information about Front Street Capital is available HERE.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


We start off 2015 discussing musicals on the big and little screen.
So, are you guys going to D&E's final concert? We're trying to work out driving the 16 hours to be there.
If someone watches the baby!
Musical movies are pretty good! My favorite is Jungle Book because it has such a big fight at the end.
Also, I'm 92 pages into my rough draft. If I make it to page 100 while Into the Woods is still out, you've officially convinced me to make seeing it my reward for myself.
Really good points! Also, write write write!


If we do have 3 people on, I would prefer video. Because with two people, it is hard enough to get the timing right, regarding when to begin a sentence and not cut off the other person. With visual cues, it becomes much easier.
Al Furqan, you can drop F bombs on mic, we are not an official BC sanctioned podcast yet. If that happens down the line, then some censorship may be enforced. Right now I like to call this an open source BC members venture.
I am not thinking about money. It is really hard marketing an English podcast about Bangladesh cricket. That being said, if you do it in Bangla, you have a better shot. Mufi and I were also discussing this, how much easier will it be to get views if done in Bangla complete with Bangla video title. I think it definitely should be done at some point.


Want the flavour of a tea time treat in a convenient bar? Pick up a Nakd Bakewell Tart. We've recreated all of the cherry and almond scrumminess of your fave British classic with just fruits and nuts, all smooshed into a 100% natural snack that's free from gluten and dairy and vegan friendly. Mind. Blown.
100% natural ingredients - go on, check what I'm made from!


Ski and ride season is here!! Check out this spacious and comfortable 4 bedroom, 4 bathroom home that is centrally located between Killington Resort, Okemo Ski Area, and the quaint Village of Woodstock. Enjoy having your morning coffee by the wood stove. The sound of the rushing river below the property provides an aura of peace and serenity. Wonderful natural light from all directions! The finished basement was formerly an auxiliary apartment and can easily be one again, with a 3/4 bathroom and separate access. Sleeps 10+! The 2 car garage/barn with workspace area has an expansive storage space above, easily converted to a studio. A second, open barn works for wood storage, tractor, or motorized toys. Bridgewater is in the well-regarded Prosper Valley Elementary School district. Close to the VAST snowmobile trails and the Chateauguay Natural area, and a short drive to the famous Long Trail Brewing Company and restaurant. A 4-season second home or wonderful family homestead awaits!


Sir John Grey Gorton, GCMG, AC, CH (9 September 1911 – 19 May 2002), Australian politician, was the 19th Prime Minister of Australia. Gorton was born near Melbourne, the illegitimate son of Alice Sinn, the daughter of a railway worker, and English orange orchardist John Rose Gorton. The older Gorton and his wife Kathleen had emigrating to Australia by way of South Africa, where they had prospered during the Boer War. They separated in Australia and John senior established a de facto relationship with Sinn, who died of tuberculosis in 1920. John junior then went to live with his father's estranged wife and his half-sister Ruth, in Sydney.
He was educated at Sydney Church of England Grammar School, Geelong Grammar School and then travelled to England to attend Brasenose College, Oxford. While in England, Gorton also undertook flying lessons and was awarded a British pilots' licence in 1932. He studied history, politics and economics at Oxford and graduated with an upper second undergraduate degree.
While he was at Oxford, Gorton met Bettina Brown of Bangor, Maine — USA, a language student at the Sorbonne — during a holiday in Spain. In 1935, they were married and settled in Australia, taking over his father's orchard, "Mystic Park", at Lake Kangaroo near Kerang. They had three children: Joanna, Michael and Robin.
On 31 May 1940, following the outbreak of World War II, Gorton enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force Reserve. At 29, he was considered too old for pilot training, but he re-applied in September after this rule was relaxed. Gorton was accepted and commissioned into the RAAF on November 8, 1940. He trained as a fighter pilot at Somers, Victoria and Wagga Wagga, before being sent to the UK. Gorton completed his training at RAF Heston and RAF Honiley, with No. 61 Operational Training Unit RAF, flying Supermarine Spitfires. He was disappointed when his first operational posting was No. 135 Squadron RAF, a Hawker Hurricane unit, as he considered the type greatly inferior to Spitfires.
During late 1941, Gorton and other members of his squadron became part of the cadre of a Hurricane wing being formed for service in the Middle East. They were sent by sea, with 50 Hurricanes in crates, travelling around Africa to reduce the risk of attack. In December, when the ship was at Durban, South Africa, it was diverted to Singapore, after Japan entered the war. As it approached its destination in mid-January, Japanese forces were advancing down the Malayan Peninsula. The ship was attacked on at least one occasion by Japanese aircraft, but arrived and unloaded safely after tropical storms made enemy air raids impossible. As the Hurricanes were assembled, the pilots were formed into a composite operational squadron, No. 232 Squadron RAF.
In late January 1942, the squadron became operational and joined the remnants of several others that had been in Malaya, operating out of RAF Seletar and RAF Kallang. During one of his first sorties, Gorton was involved in a brief dogfight over the South China Sea, after which he suffered engine failure and was forced to land on Bintan island, 40 km (25 mi) south east of Singapore. As he landed, one of the Hurricane's wheels hit an embankment and flipped over. Gorton was not properly strapped in and his face hit the gun sight and windscreen, mutilating his nose and breaking both cheekbones. He also suffered severe lacerations to both arms. He made his way out of the wreck and was rescued by members of the Royal Dutch East Indies Army, who provided some medical treatment. Gorton later claimed that his face was so badly cut and bruised, that a member of the RAF sent to collect him assumed he was near death, collected his personal effects and returned to Singapore without him. By chance, one week later, Sgt Matt O'Mara of No. 453 Squadron RAAF also crash landed on Bintan, and arranged for them to be collected. They arrived back in Singapore, on February 11, three days after the island had been invaded. As the Allied air force units on Singapore had been destroyed or evacuated by this stage, Gorton was put on the Derrymore, an ammunition ship bound for Batavia (Jakarta). On February 13, as it neared its destination, the ship was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine and the Derrymore was abandoned. Gorton then spent almost a day on a crowded liferaft, in shark-infested waters, with little drinking water, until the raft was spotted by HMAS Ballarat, which picked up the passengers and took them to Batavia.
Although Gorton had been a member of the Country Party before the war, in 1949 he was elected to the Senate for the Liberal Party. He served in various positions under Robert Menzies and Harold Holt, including Minister for the Navy, Minister for Works, Minister for the Interior and Minister for Education as well as Leader of the Government in the Senate. Gorton was an energetic and capable minister, and began to be considered leadership material once he moderated his early extremely right-wing views.
Harold Holt disappeared while swimming on 17 December 1967 and was declared presumed drowned two days later. His presumed successor was Liberal deputy leader William McMahon. However, on 18 December, the Country Party leader and Deputy Prime Minister John McEwen announced that the Country Party would not continue to serve in the coalition if McMahon were to be the new Liberal leader. His reasons were never stated publicly, but in a private meeting with McMahon, he said "I will not serve under you because I do not trust you". McEwen's shock declaration triggered a leadership crisis within the Liberal Party; even more significantly, it raised the threat of a possible breaking of the Coalition, which would spell electoral disaster for the Liberals -- they were only able to win and hold power with Country Party support, and the Liberal Party had never won sufficient seats in any federal election to be able to govern in its own right.
The Governor-General Lord Casey swore McEwen in as Prime Minister, on an interim basis pending the Liberal Party electing its new leader. McEwen agreed to accept an interim appointment provided there was no formal statement of time limit. This appointment was in keeping with previous occasions when a coalition conservative government had been deprived of its leader. Casey also concurred in the view put to him by McEwen that to commission a Liberal temporarily as Prime Minister would give that person an unfair advantage in the forthcoming party room ballot for the permanent leader.
In the subsequent leadership struggle, Gorton was championed by Army Minister Malcolm Fraser and Liberal Party Whip Dudley Erwin, and with their support he was able to defeat his main rival, the Minister for External Affairs Paul Hasluck, to become Liberal leader even though he was a member of the Senate. He was elected party leader on 9 January 1968, and appointed Prime Minister on 10 January, replacing McEwen. He became the only Senator in Australian parliamentary history to be Prime Minister. He remained a Senator until, in accordance with the Westminister tradition that the Prime Minister is a member of the lower house of parliament, he resigned on 1 February 1968 in order to contest the House of Representatives by-election for the electorate of Higgins (necessitated by Holt's death). That by-election was held on 24 February; there were three other candidates, but Gorton achieved a massive 68% of the formal vote. He visited all the polling booths during the day, but was unable to vote for himself as he was still enrolled in the western Victorian seat of Mallee. Between 1 February and 24 February he was a member of neither house of parliament.
Gorton was initially a very popular Prime Minister. He carved out a style quite distinct from those of his predecessors - the aloof Menzies and the affable, sporty Holt. Gorton liked to portray himself as a man of the people who enjoyed a beer and a gamble, with a bit of a "larrikin" streak about him. Unfortunately for him, this reputation later came back to haunt him.
He also began to follow new policies, pursuing independent defence and foreign policies and distancing Australia from its traditional ties to Britain. But he continued to support Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War, a position he had reluctantly inherited from Holt, which became increasingly unpopular after 1968. On domestic issues, he favoured centralist policies at the expense of the states, which alienated powerful Liberal state leaders like Sir Henry Bolte of Victoria and Sir Robert Askin of New South Wales. He also fostered an independent Australian film industry and increased government funding for the arts.
Gorton proved to be a surprisingly poor media performer and public speaker, and was portrayed by the media as a foolish and incompetent administrator. He was unlucky to come up against a new and formidable Labor Opposition Leader in Gough Whitlam. Also, he was subjected to media speculation about his drinking habits and his involvements with women. He generated great resentment within his party, and his opponents became increasingly critical of his reliance on an inner circle of advisers - most notably his private secretary Ainsley Gotto. At the 1969 elections, the Coalition lost the two-party preferred vote, but the Democratic Labor Party's longstanding practice of preferencing against Labor allowed the Coalition to win enough seats to stay in office. The Coalition lost most of the sizeable majority in the House of Representatives they had inherited from Holt - it was reduced from 45 seats to seven.
After the election, Gorton was challenged for the Liberal leadership by David Fairbairn, but so long as McEwen's veto on McMahon remained in place, he was fairly safe. McEwen retired in January 1971, and his successor, Doug Anthony, told the Liberals that the veto no longer applied. With the Liberal Party falling further behind Labor in the polls, a challenge was launched in March with the resignation of the Defence Minister, Malcolm Fraser, who attacked Gorton on the floor of Parliament in his resignation speech, saying that Gorton was "not fit to hold the great office of Prime Minister." Gorton called a Liberal Party meeting to settle the matter. A motion of confidence in his leadership was tied. He could have kept his position by using his casting vote but he chose to resign, and McMahon was then elected leader and thus Prime Minister. In a surprise move, Gorton contested and won the position of Deputy Leader, forcing McMahon to make him Defence Minister. This farcical situation ended within a few months when McMahon sacked him for disloyalty. After Labor won the 1972 election, Gorton served in the Shadow Ministry of Billy Snedden until after the 1974 election, when he was dropped. When Fraser became Liberal leader in 1975, Gorton resigned from the party and sat as an independent. He denounced the dismissal of the Whitlam government by Sir John Kerr, and unsuccessfully stood for an Australian Capital Territory Senate seat at the 1975 election as an independent.
Gorton retired to Canberra, where he kept out of the political limelight, although he quietly rejoined the Liberal Party. Bettina Gorton died in 1983, and in 1993 he remarried Nancy Home. In his old age he was rehabilitated by the Liberals; his 90th birthday party was attended by Prime Minister John Howard. He died in his ninety-first year in Sydney.
The journalist Alan Reid served in the Federal Parliamentary Press Gallery from 1937 to 1985. Over this extensive period he accumulated a distinctive persona. His colleagues in Parliament House came to regard him as the ultimate old-style working journalist, subsisting on hand-rolled cigarettes and leaks from his sources. And yet his hard-bitten exterior was not the whole story. Reid was never just a lowly hack. Far from merely reporting events, he was an insider who helped to shape them.


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text:
"use strict";
/* global describe,it*/
Error.stackTraceLimit = 1000;
const util = require("util");

const Variant = require("node-opcua-variant").Variant;
const DataType = require("node-opcua-variant").DataType;
const VariantArrayType = require("node-opcua-variant").VariantArrayType;
const NumericRange = require("node-opcua-numeric-range").NumericRange;
const StatusCodes = require("node-opcua-status-code").StatusCodes;
const ExtensionObject = require("node-opcua-extension-object").ExtensionObject;

const DataValue = require("..").DataValue;
const extractRange = require("..").extractRange;

require("should");

const encode_decode_round_trip_test = require("node-opcua-packet-analyzer/dist/test_helpers").encode_decode_round_trip_test;

describe("DataValue", function () {

    it("should create a empty DataValue and encode it as a 1-Byte length block", function () {

        const dataValue = new DataValue();

        encode_decode_round_trip_test(dataValue, function (buffer/*, id*/) {
            buffer.length.should.equal(1);
        });
    });

    it("should create a DataValue with string variant and encode/decode it nicely ", function () {

        const dataValue = new DataValue({
            value: new Variant({dataType: DataType.String, value: "Hello"})
        });
        encode_decode_round_trip_test(dataValue, function (buffer/*, id*/) {
            buffer.length.should.equal(1 + 1 + 4 + 5);
        });
    });

    it("should create a DataValue with string variant and some date and encode/decode it nicely", function () {

        const dataValue = new DataValue({
            value: new Variant({dataType: DataType.String, value: "Hello"}),
            serverTimestamp: new Date(Date.UTC(1601, 0, 1, 0, 0, 1)),
            serverPicoseconds: 50000,
            sourceTimestamp: new Date(Date.UTC(1601, 0, 1, 0, 0, 2)),
            sourcePicoseconds: 25000, // 25 nano
        });
        //xx var str = dataValue.toString();
        encode_decode_round_trip_test(dataValue, function (/*buffer, id*/) {
        });
    });

    it("should create a DataValue with string variant and all dates and encode/decode it nicely", function () {

        const dataValue = new DataValue({
            value: new Variant({dataType: DataType.String, value: "Hello"}),
            statusCode: StatusCodes.BadCertificateHostNameInvalid,
            serverTimestamp: new Date(Date.UTC(2018,1,23,12,34,56,789)),
            serverPicoseconds: 987654320,
            sourceTimestamp: new Date(Date.UTC(2018,1,23,18,54,12,345)),
            sourcePicoseconds: 12345670
        });
        encode_decode_round_trip_test(dataValue, function (/*buffer, id*/) {
        });
    });

    it("DataValue#toString", function () {

        let dataValue = new DataValue({
            value: new Variant({dataType: DataType.String, value: "Hello"}),
            statusCode: StatusCodes.BadCertificateHostNameInvalid,
            serverTimestamp: new Date(Date.UTC(1789, 6, 14)),
            serverPicoseconds: 1000,
            sourceTimestamp: new Date(Date.UTC(2089, 6, 14)),
            sourcePicoseconds: 2000
        });
        let str = dataValue.toString();
        str.split(/\n/).should.eql([
            "DataValue:",
            "   value:           Variant(Scalar<String>, value: Hello)",
            "   statusCode:      BadCertificateHostNameInvalid (0x80160000)",
            "   serverTimestamp: 1789-07-14T00:00:00.000Z $ 000.001.000",
            "   sourceTimestamp: 2089-07-14T00:00:00.000Z $ 000.002.000"
        ]);

        dataValue = new DataValue({
            value: new Variant({dataType: DataType.String, value: "Hello"}),
            statusCode: StatusCodes.BadCertificateHostNameInvalid,
            serverTimestamp: null,
            serverPicoseconds: null,
            sourceTimestamp: new Date(Date.UTC(2089, 6, 14)),
            sourcePicoseconds: 2000
        });
        str = dataValue.toString();
        str.split(/\n/).should.eql([
            "DataValue:",
            "   value:           Variant(Scalar<String>, value: Hello)",
            "   statusCode:      BadCertificateHostNameInvalid (0x80160000)",
            "   serverTimestamp: null",
            "   sourceTimestamp: 2089-07-14T00:00:00.000Z $ 000.002.000"
        ]);
    });

    it("DataValue - extractRange on a Float Array", function () {

        const dataValue = new DataValue({
            value: new Variant({
                dataType: DataType.Double,
                arrayType: VariantArrayType.Array,
                value: new Float64Array([1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7])
            })
        });
        const dataValue1 = extractRange(dataValue, new NumericRange("2:3"));
        dataValue1.value.value.length.should.eql(2);
        dataValue1.value.value[0].should.eql(3.0);
        dataValue1.value.value[1].should.eql(4.0);
        dataValue1.value.dataType.should.eql(DataType.Double);
        dataValue1.value.arrayType.should.eql(VariantArrayType.Array);

    });
    it("DataValue - extractRange on a String", function () {

        const dataValue = new DataValue({
            value: new Variant({
                dataType: DataType.String,
                arrayType: VariantArrayType.Scalar,
                value: "1234567890"
            })
        });
        const dataValue1 = extractRange(dataValue, new NumericRange("2:3"));
        dataValue1.value.value.length.should.eql(2);
        dataValue1.value.value.should.eql("34");
        dataValue1.value.dataType.should.eql(DataType.String);
        dataValue1.value.arrayType.should.eql(VariantArrayType.Scalar);

    });
    it("DataValue - extractRange on a String with StatusCode != Good - issue #635", function () {

        const dataValue = new DataValue({
            statusCode: StatusCodes.BadAlreadyExists,
            value: new Variant({
                dataType: DataType.String,
                arrayType: VariantArrayType.Scalar,
                value: "1234567890"
            })
        });
        const dataValue1 = extractRange(dataValue, new NumericRange("2:3"));
        dataValue1.value.value.length.should.eql(2);
        dataValue1.value.value.should.eql("34");
        dataValue1.value.dataType.should.eql(DataType.String);
        dataValue1.value.arrayType.should.eql(VariantArrayType.Scalar);

        dataValue1.statusCode.should.eql(StatusCodes.BadAlreadyExists);
    });
    it("DataValue - extractRange on a String with StatusCode != Good and invalid range - issue #635", function () {

        const dataValue = new DataValue({
            statusCode: StatusCodes.BadAlreadyExists,
            value: new Variant({
                dataType: DataType.String,
                arrayType: VariantArrayType.Scalar,
                value: "1234567890"
            })
        });
        const dataValue1 = extractRange(dataValue, new NumericRange("20:30"));
        dataValue1.value.value.length.should.eql(0);
        dataValue1.value.value.should.eql("");
        dataValue1.value.dataType.should.eql(DataType.String);
        dataValue1.value.arrayType.should.eql(VariantArrayType.Scalar);

        dataValue1.statusCode.should.eql(StatusCodes.BadIndexRangeNoData);
    });

    it("DataValue - extractRange on a ByteString", function () {

        const dataValue = new DataValue({
            value: new Variant({
                dataType: DataType.ByteString,
                arrayType: VariantArrayType.Scalar,
                value: Buffer.from([1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10])
            })
        });
        const dataValue1 = extractRange(dataValue, new NumericRange("2:3"));
        dataValue1.value.value.length.should.eql(2);
        dataValue1.value.value[0].should.eql(3.0);
        dataValue1.value.value[1].should.eql(4.0);
        dataValue1.value.dataType.should.eql(DataType.ByteString);
        dataValue1.value.arrayType.should.eql(VariantArrayType.Scalar);

    });

    it("DataValue - extractRange on a ByteString (null value)", function () {
        const dataValue = new DataValue({
            value: new Variant({
                dataType: DataType.ByteString,
                arrayType: VariantArrayType.Scalar,
                value: null
            })
        });
        const dataValue1 = extractRange(dataValue, new NumericRange("2:3"));
        dataValue1.value.dataType.should.eql(DataType.ByteString);
        dataValue1.value.arrayType.should.eql(VariantArrayType.Scalar);
        should.equal(null,dataValue1.value.value);
    });

    it("DataValue - extractRange on a Array of ByteString", function () {

        const dataValue = new DataValue({
            value: new Variant({
                dataType: DataType.ByteString,
                arrayType: VariantArrayType.Array,
                value: [
                    Buffer.from("ABC"),
                    Buffer.from("DEF"),
                    Buffer.from("GHI"),
                    Buffer.from("JKL"),
                    null
                ]
           })
        });
        const dataValue1 = extractRange(dataValue, new NumericRange("2:3"));
        dataValue1.value.value.length.should.eql(2);
        dataValue1.value.value[0].toString().should.eql("GHI");
        dataValue1.value.value[1].toString().should.eql("JKL");
        dataValue1.value.dataType.should.eql(DataType.ByteString);
        dataValue1.value.arrayType.should.eql(VariantArrayType.Array);
    });
    it("DataValue - extractRange on a Matrix of ByteString", function () {

        const dataValue = new DataValue({
            value: new Variant({
                dataType: DataType.ByteString,
                arrayType: VariantArrayType.Matrix,
                dimensions: [3, 3],
                value: [
                    //[
                        Buffer.from("11"),
                        Buffer.from("12"),
                        Buffer.from("13")
                    ,//],
                    //[
                        Buffer.from("21"),
                        Buffer.from("22"),
                        Buffer.from("23")
                    ,//],
                    //[
                        Buffer.from("31"),
                        Buffer.from("32"),
                        Buffer.from("33"),
                    //]
                ]
            })
        });
        const dataValue1 = extractRange(dataValue, new NumericRange("2,1:2"));
        dataValue1.value.value.length.should.eql(2);
        dataValue1.value.value[0].toString().should.eql("32");
        dataValue1.value.value[1].toString().should.eql("33");
        dataValue1.value.dataType.should.eql(DataType.ByteString);
        dataValue1.value.arrayType.should.eql(VariantArrayType.Matrix);
        dataValue1.value.dimensions.should.eql([1,2]);
    });

    describe("Cloning a DataValue", function () {
        function SomeExtensionObject(options) {
            this.a = options.a;
        }
        util.inherits(SomeExtensionObject, ExtensionObject);

        function copy_construct(v) {
            return new DataValue(v);
        }

        function clone(v) {
            return v.clone();
        }

        function install_test(copy_construct_or_clone, copy_construct_or_clone_func) {
            it("should " + copy_construct_or_clone + " a DataValue with a simple Variant", function () {

                const dv = new DataValue({
                    value: {
                        dataType: DataType.UInt32,
                        value: 36
                    }
                });
                const cloned = copy_construct_or_clone_func(dv);

                cloned.value.dataType.should.eql(dv.value.dataType);
                cloned.value.value.should.eql(dv.value.value);

            });
            it("should " + copy_construct_or_clone + " a DataValue with a variant array", function () {

                const dv = new DataValue({
                    value: {
                        dataType: DataType.UInt32,
                        value: [36, 37]
                    }
                });

                const cloned = copy_construct_or_clone_func(dv);

                cloned.value.dataType.should.eql(dv.value.dataType);
                cloned.value.value.should.eql(dv.value.value);
                cloned.value.value[0].should.eql(36);
                cloned.value.value[1].should.eql(37);

                dv.value.value[0] = 136;
                dv.value.value[1] = 137;

                cloned.value.value[0].should.eql(36);
                cloned.value.value[1].should.eql(37);

            });
            it("should " + copy_construct_or_clone + " a DataValue with a variant array of ByteString", function () {

                const dv = new DataValue({
                    value: new Variant({
                        dataType: DataType.ByteString,
                        arrayType: VariantArrayType.Array,
                        value: [
                            Buffer.from("ABC"),
                            Buffer.from("DEF"),
                            Buffer.from("GHI"),
                            Buffer.from("JKL"),
                            null
                        ]
                    })
                });

                const cloned = copy_construct_or_clone_func(dv);

                cloned.value.dataType.should.eql(dv.value.dataType);
                cloned.value.value.should.eql(dv.value.value);
                cloned.value.value[0].toString().should.eql(dv.value.value[0].toString());
                cloned.value.value[1].toString().should.eql(dv.value.value[1].toString());
                cloned.value.value[2].toString().should.eql(dv.value.value[2].toString());
                cloned.value.value[3].toString().should.eql(dv.value.value[3].toString());

                dv.value.value[0] = Buffer.from("ZZZ");
                dv.value.value[1] = Buffer.from("YYY");

                // clone object should not have been affected !
                cloned.value.value[0].toString().should.eql("ABC");
                cloned.value.value[1].toString().should.eql("DEF");

            });

            it("should " + copy_construct_or_clone + " a DataValue with a variant containing a extension object", function () {

                const extObj = new SomeExtensionObject({a: 36});
                const dv = new DataValue({
                    value: {
                        dataType: DataType.ExtensionObject,
                        value: extObj
                    }
                });

                const cloned = copy_construct_or_clone_func(dv);

                cloned.value.dataType.should.eql(dv.value.dataType);
                cloned.value.value.a.should.eql(dv.value.value.a);

                extObj.a = 1000;

                cloned.value.value.should.not.equal(dv.value.value);
                cloned.value.value.a.should.equal(36);

                dv.value.value.a.should.eql(1000);

            });
            it("should " + copy_construct_or_clone + " a DataValue with a variant containing a extension object array", function () {
                const extObj1 = new SomeExtensionObject({a: 36});
                const extObj2 = new SomeExtensionObject({a: 37});
                const dv = new DataValue({
                    value: {
                        dataType: DataType.ExtensionObject,
                        arrayType: VariantArrayType.Array,
                        value: [extObj1, extObj2]
                    }

                });

                // copy construct;,
                const cloned = copy_construct_or_clone_func(dv);

                cloned.value.dataType.should.eql(dv.value.dataType);
                cloned.value.value[0].a.should.eql(36);
                cloned.value.value[1].a.should.eql(37);

                extObj1.a = 1000;
                extObj2.a = 1001;

                cloned.value.value[0].a.should.eql(36);
                cloned.value.value[1].a.should.eql(37);

                dv.value.value[0].a.should.eql(1000);
                dv.value.value[1].a.should.eql(1001);

            });
        }

        install_test("copy construct", copy_construct);
        install_test("clone", clone);

    });

});

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The Audible UK #1 bestseller from the author of The Stone Man!
What do the dead do when they can't leave...and don't know why?
What are the strange, glowing objects that pass across the sky? Who are the living people surrounded by a blue glow? What are their physical limitations in that place, and have they fully explored the possibilities of what they can do?
In this creepy, mysterious debut novel from the author of the Amazon and Audible number-one best seller The Stone Man, the richly-built world of The Physics of the Dead will slowly draw you in with an icy grip until you are left gasping.
Every so often an author comes along who has the gift of original thought. I don't mean the kind of author that comes up with a single great idea and then proceeds to develop it across a number of books. I mean one that can produce an excellent and original book and then come up with something equally good in a "And now for something completely different" kind of way. There's no formula for what Smitherd does, just quality ideas put into quality writing.
This book is a case in point. The characters are the story, so much so that the plot almost creeps up on both them and the reader, at first unnoticed. The quality of this book is underlined by the fact that it's hard to describe, it's a story of desperation, friendship, characters, discovery and so much more.
Smitherd does a very decent job of narration. Normally I'd say having the author do the narration is not the greatest idea. Authors write but narration requires a reader's mind. However, he seems to strike a tone that simply fits. How irritating it must to be for his friends to know someone who seems to be so good at everything!
I'm not going to include spoilers because this is original, it is compelling and it will take you to unexpected places. In all honesty it's not my usual kind of book and I can imagine that not everyone will take to it in the same way. However, it's one that I'd urge everyone to read because it is so very different to much of what is out there.
Addictive, suspenseful piece of genius!!
Would you listen to The Physics of the Dead again? Why?
Amazing story brought to life by fantastic reading. It's a gem to find such a fascinating and cleverly constructed piece of writing and even better to have it narrated by the author himself. It is such a unique and complex story and I highly recommend it even if you think this isn't your thing, it will grab your attention and pull you right in until you can't let go!
Without wishing to be a cop out I honestly can't choose! They are all complex and fascinating, it's like trying to choose a favourite child!!
The author knows the story inside out, he has lived and breathed the characters so who better to bring them to life.
Definitely, so much mystery and clever dentil that I didn't want to stop listening to it.
If this is the first book you come across by Luke Smitherd then you are on the start of a fantastic journey, read/listen to more of his books, they are all individual but all addictive and so cleverly written.
....how any book that makes you think, makes you feel, makes you laugh, makes you squirm uncomfortably, makes you empathise, makes you sympathise, makes you think, makes you remember, shocks you, surprises you, answers questions, puts a lump your throat and makes you cry, makes you not want to stop listening and ensures you won't forget it in a hurry... is well worth your time. Just take it all as read.
Excellent listen, couldn't get enough of it. Good tale told with twists and turns, benifitting from creative characters interactions. Loved it.
Can't remember where I first found this author but since that day I've read everything he has published.
The story is unusual and exciting and also a lot of fun.
Another superb book and read from Smitherd!
I don't know what it is about Luke's reading but he has the ability to take you on a journey in which the road goes on for miles and you want to just keep driving. I listen to audio books as I drive a lot and the journeys are never long enough!! So exciting, so enthralling, so exhilarating! Another stunning listen!
...you'll find yourself wondering about the characters and locations Luke describes so vividly in the book.
Read it, listen to it, buy it for someone else you knows loves an intelligent read.
Particularly enjoyed that this is read by the author- whose performance of his own work was very enjoyable.
What was one of the most memorable moments of The Physics of the Dead?
Another great port into the world of audio. I've already read this title but it adds another dimension when you listen to it in this way.
I can almost guarantee there is no other book like, "Physics of the Dead". On the surface, it is a story of two men trapped in an afterlife they don't understand. Where are they? Why are they there? Most importantly, is there any chance they can get out?
Beneath that story is the true brilliance of this book. You learn about these men. You feel what they feel--bored, lost, sad, scared, and alone. They only have each other to help pass the time and how long will that be? Forever? They don't know and neither do we.
There is an incredibly written story about a train ride that will make you understand the utter desperation of these men. It may also make you ache with compassion and wince at the agony felt by the man on the train. This train ride puts you into the mind and body of the man and you will feel his pain as he tries to hold on just a little longer.
This is a story of friendship. It is also a mystery of sorts, as they try to figure out where they are and if there is any way out. There are agonizing moments in this book, but there are also beautiful, life-affirming moments that show us what it really means to be human--even if you're dead.
I highly recommend this book. It tells us there are always consequences to our actions, but, more importantly, there is always hope to change and rise above our circumstances. And, whether you are alive or dead, having a friend who understands and loves you is priceless.
Perhaps the best thing about Luke Smitherd's books is the sheer inventiveness of each story's concept. A lot of sci-fi and fantasy are variations on a theme, fresh renditions of, say, time travel or space opera or dungeons and dragons. But Luke's stuff is always wildly original, and, he sells it (and I do not mean in the monetary sense). Try to relate the plot of one of Luke's books to a friend, and you will see a quizzical look staring back at you, but when you are immersed in these wild tales, they seem as real as everyday life. Physics of the Dead is exactly this kind of book, unlike anything I've ever seen and strangely compelling. That it is narrated by the author himself, is an added bonus not only because of the charms of his storytelling voice, but because you know you are getting exactly the nuance that was intended when the words were composed. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Physics of theDead, and couldn't wait to get back to it for each session.
This story impressed me not only with its uniqueness, but with the author's lack of dumbing down for the reader. I enjoyed that many aspects of this story were left to the reader's imagination to understand the why of it all. The ending wasn't handed to you on a silver platter. Like many great stories, you are given just enough to let your mind create the scenario you envision for the lead character(s). Lovely twists, perfect pace and heartwarming characters.
A great story, if you are dead, can you die? If you are trapped in a city center, is there a way out? Finally, if you have a friend can you hold on to that friendship to keep out the insanity that is a constant threat?
Smitherd is good at setting up impossible puzzles and then showing how people react to them and solve them. This is a mystery story with an escape from an eternal prison as the mystery to be solved.
The Physics of the Dead was absolutely spellbinding. Smitherd creates characters you come to know and love, and although this book starts off more slowly than his others, it was completely worth the wait.
I was warned before I started this book that it had a bit of a slower start than those of Smitherd's other books, but "stick with it". It was true. It doesn't explode in your face right off but rather offers you a proverbial "drink" as you settle in for a great ride. As always, Smitherd's ability to develop a realistic life for his characters is simply amazing.
It's the little details that make his characters become alive!
Not only would I, I actually have. This is one of my favorites of Luke's work. It is an amazing story that ultimately gets you thinking about the incredible things we miss when we are pursuing things that really don't matter.
I liked Hart by the end, simply because I ultimately identified with him, but early on I identified with Bowler. The book really got me to thinking of how I put on a Bowler kind of persona, but really am more reserved like Hart, holding back because of the fear of taking risks.
Which character – as performed by Luke Smitherd – was your favorite?
I think he did a great job with Bowler. I loved hearing that character come alive through Luke's voice (as I actual read the book before listening to it).
One of my very favorites of Luke's books, Not only is TPOTD an intriguing, unique concept, but Luke really does an incredible job of character development. Because of Luke's incredible dive into the intrinsic make up of each character, I was truly sad when I finished the book, as I felt I was leaving friends behind. Not only that, but the book really gets you to thinking about what matters in the grand scheme.
The Physics of the Dead is the story that will answer all your questions and prepare you for what comes next, or, it's an entertaining work full of horror, humor and action. You decide.
The Physics of the Dead was a pleasantly good read. It held my interest throughout and held a lot of little surprises. It was much different than anything I've ever read before or heard of before. I love that he narrates his novels, because then you get it exactly how it was intended. He narrates well, doesn't feel the need for falsetto when speaking women or children. Overall, it's a good book that I'd recommend to everyone!
Brilliant... Dark... Well worth a credit.
I completely enjoyed this book! I found the characters interesting and complex enough to really keep me involved in the story. I was genuinely concerned about the fate of each of them. The story is classic in a sense, but nonetheless uniquely original and new. Some moments were funny, others seriously scary, others heartbreaking and sad, but ultimately, just an all-around great story.
The narration was outstanding. While I generally do like it when authors read their own work, this particular writer is so good at it! His narration style is fun. He's dramatic and engaging and really brought the story to life. I planned on exploring other works by Luke Smitherd, but I'm definitely going to listen to the ones he narrates as well first.
I am so glad to have found this writer. His stories are brilliant and imaginative and keep you guessing up to the very end!


What a treasure! Thank you Mr Gregg for all your hard work in piecing together and laying out side-by-side the four main understandings of The Revelation. Whilst I do not have absolute hard and fast opinions of how The Revelation should be interpreted I am continually concerned about the excessive dogma and combined ignorance of so many people where this most difficult book of The Bible is concerned.
I, in my generation, like so many others, ventured several years into my Christian life never hearing of any but one view of The Revelation – albeit a view that has many variants. That view, which is by far the most popular view nowadays is called 'futurism' – i.e. the belief that The Revelation is mostly concerned with a seven year period which has yet to commence – hence, 'futurism'. As I say, there are many variants of this theme, including: 'pre-tribulation rapture', mid-tribulation-rapture', 'post-tribulation rapture' and many other more specific details but seldom does one hear people say that they don't believe in any of the above!
When I was at school (many years ago now!) I was taught "The Theory of Evolution", in more recent years I have noted that the word "Theory" is mostly dropped now and the discussion is simply called, "Evolution" – as though it was a fact! This is what has, in large measure, happened to discussion about The Revelation. Most proponents of the futurist view simply talk about a seven year period (yet to commence) as though it was a plain stated fact – the only acknowledgement of other points of view is confined only to whether or not the 'rapture' takes place before, during or after the seven year period. Now, I am not necessarily ruling out any of the theories of futurism but I am greatly concerned that it is being taught as 'fact' when there are in actual fact four very different views of The Revelation (each with variations on the main theme) – all held by godly, intelligent saints of both the past and present.
Revelation, Four Views, by Steve Gregg, provides a parallel commentary on all of these four major views without any apparent bias. Background information, origins, sources, pros and cons are all provided in introductions and side-by-side analysis. This is not only a great resource for studying The Revelation but in my view a great object lesson in Bible study in general.
Preterist – It's mainly about past events – the destruction of Jerusalem and possibly also the destruction of Rome.
Historicist – It's an unfolding of all the major world/church events in history – from then till now.
Futurist – It's all concerned with a seven year period and a tribulation yet to come (probably soon).
Idealist – Also called the 'spiritual' interpretation. It's not about specific events as such but general repeated cycles of world and church troubles/spiritual principles.
Given the above four summaries I personally cannot imagine any other possible contender. I think that must cover every direction.
If you are not already familiar with the above four views this volume will furnish you with an in-depth understanding of all of them. If you do know the four views this book will provide you with the most ready reference to them. If you're quite sure about one particular view (along with whichever variation you're convinced about) this book will help you to at least see that there are good, honest and intelligent reasons why some other Christians have arrived at very different conclusions. This book is a valuable and unique resource to the body of Christ regardless of your current point of view.
NextShould Christians Dedicate Their Children?


We started out looking at sustainable business practices.
to sustainability and what it means for sustainable business practices.
Let us look at Walmart again.
There is the whole context behind its road to sustainability.
in 2005, Hurricane Katrina occurred.
These are the initiatives Walmart started in 2005.
companies will pay greater attention to sustainability.
Years later, I learned that Walmart was actually triggered by this calamity.
the customer and keeping costs low for Walmart.
brought in a company to examine the sustainable related issues.
Tell me why I should care about endangered mouse is what he asked at that time.
looking at the whole system, meeting with the environmentalists and so on.
the same applies to the ecosystem.
you can see some of the players here.
This is an arena where you have to talk to every different players and stakeholders.
Walmart started with low-hanging fruit.
They looked at two lines of laptops, one in Europe and one in the US.
both laptops cost the same.
So they said, why not do this for the US as well?
but it's a way to get started and understand issues.
the problems related to sustainability.
to increase sustainability and so on.
outside networks to transform practices to cut down on supply chain cost.
So we have to thing broadly and look at the entire context of our business.
the process to make the plastic bottle, and it takes oil to make it as well.
And below there, do you see where the plastic bottles end up?
how huge they are in the Pacific Ocean where these kinds of things end up.
about thinking about where products come from and where they end up.
after it is used and not just what happens in making the product.
This is a disappearing Lake Chad.
This is actually a map of the estimated deaths caused due to climate change.
when compared to other countries.
the most seriously as well.
This is Shanghai in 1990 and this is Shanghai in 2010.
But this is also Shanghai in terms of pollution.
There is so much wealth creation, but we have to breathe in order to enjoy life.
Growth is a given as many people come out of poverty.
So businesses have to understand how they're going to grow.
This is Mumbai or Bombay, where I spent the first eight years of my life.
And these are different images from the same city.
write down what businesses can do about these issues.
Jot down your thoughts as you go along.
These are waterways in a number of different countries.
So this is both a developing and a developed world issue.
You can look at this issue-by-issue or industry-by-industry.
And you see a variety of problems like ewaste and sea level rise.
This is a graph about the world population.
I was born in 1962, when the population of the world was about 3 billion.
On October 31, 2012, my 50th birthday, the population officially reached 7 billion.
9.5 billion when my life ends, that's in one lifespan.
And population growth also means being born poor trying to get out of poverty.
And this is going to increase consumption as well.
Now we can look at this issue-by-issue.
For example, here is a graph of global water consumption.
Or you can look at energy.
and get at arms around the problems.
Here is some data on energy consumption of the United States by source.
You can see the proportions of renewable and non-renewable sources.
how it is being satisfied by different sources.
Here is an image of soil erosion.
Now how do we comprehend the current system?
We could look at it from the point of view of a number of different flows.
Here is an image of US energy flows in terms of efficiency and wastage.
Here, is a food system flow.
how much is used for humans and so on.
everything is off the charts in the last few decades.
it's temperature or population, everything is off the charts in the last 60 years.
fronts, but it is coming at a huge cost in a variety different ways.
This is temperature change, and you see this trend in the last 50 to 60 years.
a number of things associated with it as people come out of poverty.
And this has been amazing in the last 60 years.
is being harmed in the last 50 to 60 years.
both in terms of the good things that have happened with growth and the bad things.
I'm going to give you the opportunity of a lifetime.
I'm going to solve the world's food problem right here, right now.
But I'm going to ask you to do one thing for me.
I need you to become a vegetarian.
becoming a vegetarian will be solved by me.
So what problems do you foresee?
in order to solve the world's food problems, I want you to tell me why.
Now, there are many reasons you'll have come up with.
And as I said, I'm going to stipulate that I'm going to solve all of them.
being a vegetarian is not the way you grow up.
it's to bring out a different point.
I'm not trying to make that point.
I'm trying to make a slightly different point.
The fact that you grew up a certain way is about your culture.
it means that we are different from others as well.
just in terms of the technology we have to think about culture as well.
I have a friend who designs solar ovens for developing countries.
The government in one of the countries asked him to not come back.
Because wives cooked using the solar oven when the sun was out.
And husband showed up late at night when the food was cold.
And this led to domestic abuse.
We cannot just discuss sustainability problems in a board room or a lab.
Or our solutions will simply not be used.
So our solutions have to be based on bottom-up understanding.
we have to be very careful about trying to understand cultural aspects as well.
think about what it means for sustainable business practices.
to previous time in history, it is very difficult to compare across time.
But there are some unique aspects.
any corrective actions will take a long time to take effect.
this problem is diametrically opposite to what we focus on in the short-term.
in terms of meeting our short-term needs.
And this is not meant to be a negative statement.
Sometimes it's short-term gratification, sometimes it's emergencies.
I can do all of that instantaneously.
I'm going to put all my resources to use to try to solve them.
the mindset that's going to help solve the long-term problem of sustainability.
resources and extraction and the production of goods.
what has grown tremendously is consumption as well.
Now what does this mean for environmental sustainability?
Whether it is in terms of clean air or drinkable water or fertile soil and so on?
And what does this mean for social sustainability?
In terms of health and security, and social harmony?
in some ways it was at odds with nature.
One way to think about this is that everything is part of the economy.
So in a sense, the economy has used society and the environment to grow.
a social context and society happens within the environment.
Economists have a way of saying that there's no free lunch.
behaving as if there is a free lunch.
And that free lunch is called nature.
And nature is telling us, finally that the lunch is not free.
The problem is, I'm having the free lunch and the next generation is paying for it.
What we are finding out is that was not a free lunch after all.
Particularly in terms of who's going to pay for some of the consequences.
and we have known this for sometime now.
This is part of the challenge for us from the standpoint of sustainability.
the consequences of not taking care of the environment.
As in doing another thing, we need to figure out where to start?
your usage of energy and your impact on the environment?
If you were to do an audit, it may surprise you.
all the companies we've talked about have to figure out what the first lever is.
Walmart has focused on the supply chain.
Ford focused on the plant that it used to make cars.
We need to figure out the best lever.
the environmentally sustainable automobile itself.
analyze where they are and where they'd like go.
On the vertical axis, you have time, either today or down the road tomorrow.
it's a dimension of internal versus external analysis.
internal analysis today are pollution, material consumption and waste.
And the payoff is immediate in terms of cost and risk reduction.
the current situation, but the focus is external.
On drivers like the civil society, transparency and connectivity.
integrating stakeholder views in the business processes.
And the payoff is in terms of reputation and legitimacy.
some of the drivers are clean technology and the footprint of the company leaves.
developing sustainable competencies of the future.
And the payoff is in terms of innovation and repositioning.
the trajectory that the company takes.
and air carcinogens and reducing greenhouse emissions.
the focus could be on partnerships with NGOs and partnerships with governments.
energy and greater safety and security, as well as increased food production.
doubling revenues from non-depletable resources.
Here are the five stages in a business's response to issues about the environment.
The next stage is being reactive.
It's just complying with regulatory demands.
It's complying with public pressure.
But then we can think beyond compliance, maybe looking for efficiencies.
Maybe trying to be proactive in getting ahead of the regulations.
and finding ways to manage risk.
in aligning its core values with the environment and with sustainability.
sustainability at the highest levels.


My Search for a Family Tree Maker for Mac Replacement.
I decided to go back to looking at Mac specific products. The difficulties of working with C: and F: drives and lack of adequately accessing my file system was too frustrating.
and again last June (Heredis 2015).
What I didn't mention on my blog was that I only used it for three of the dozen or so family trees I manage. I liked a lot about it but the surname issue I mentioned before and the cumbersome process of associating my source and citations to a fact, event, or location that I couldn't seem to overcome caused me to continue working with Family Tree Maker for Mac 3 with my larger trees and not convert them to Heredis. I tried working with it again in earnest and decided I might use it, but I thought there must be something I like better.
Gramps is an open source program for managing genealogical data. There were quite a few things about it that I liked. (No cost is good.) I liked how you could focus upon an individual and not be burdened by family unit information. The way you could enter relationships that didn't include marriage yet did include children was nice. However, the proof of the pudding was how it handled entering source/citation/textual data then associating it to multiple facts involving multiple individuals. Again, I found it cumbersome. I only gave it a few hours and I think I might have figured out better processes to handle it, but I decided to continue and research some other products.
I had version 5.5.5 several years ago and see that they have updated it several times since. The latest is Mac Family Tree 7. I downloaded their demo version, 7.6.2. It is supposedly the same as their paid version except you can't import, can't save, and can't print. So, I began putting a tree together using my process for documenting a source and then associating it was individuals and their facts and/or events. Not bad — certainly better than Gramps and Heredis and much simpler than RootsMagic. I decided that it was definitely a contender, but I wanted to continue.
One of the many websites I looked indicated that they thought Reunion was the best. I had Reunion 9 a number of years ago and liked it. I used it until I went to Family Tree Maker for Mac (FTM4M) because I wanted the replication to Ancestry Trees that FTM4M allowed. Their new version, Reunion 11, has a free evaluation version that allows for 50 people, no import or export, watermarked reports and some other limited features. Luckily, it allowed enough functionality for me to test my work processes. Wow – I was impressed.
I really loved how you can put almost anything you want on the left side of the screen, including sources. Then you can enter your facts, events, or notes and drag and drop the appropriate source citation to the fact. It was a really a smooth process.
Reunion, like many other systems, doesn't deal well with multiple names. For example, my grandfather was born Clifford Durwood Brown. He went by Richard Durand for many years (married and had two children) and then changed his name to Richard Earl Brown. RootsMagic handles that really well. Most other genealogy programs don't. Many require you to pick one name as the individual's name then make aliases for the other names. Reunion has a few suggestions. In the case of my grandfather, I could use Richard Earl Brown because that was his name at his death. I could also use Richard Durand because that is the surname that most of his children were raised with the Durand surname. In either case, Clifford Brown would be an alias or "AKA." It just doesn't seem right to me to make someone's birth name an alias. They mention the problems with that as the alias names don't show up in the indexes reports.
I wish that Roots Magic, or Legacy Family Tree for that matter, made an actual Mac product. Until they do, I'm going to use Reunion and hope they can improve their multiple name handling issues cause the rest of Reunion seems to be just what I'm looking for.


Somewhere in the moments between dreaming and waking I heard a voice gently call to me. "Little One, receive my blessing," he said in soft yet commanding tone. As I looked up I saw Him standing before me with outstreched arms. Effortlessly, I was lifted into his embrace. As he drew me to himself I became like a three year old child. One arm naturally wrapped around his neck and with the other my thumb found its way to my mouth. With my cheek resting comfortably upon his chest, I nestled my head under his chin. All my fears, all the pain just dissapeared in the presence of so much incredible love. Divine peace flooded my being and permeated every corner of my heart. I knew exactly where I was for I had been here many times before. Safe at last, I was "home" in the harbor of my daddys embrace.
Each night just before I fall asleep I see a giant hand rise up out of the ocean.
Our Lord Jesus Christ longs for each and every one of His children. To hold us, to heal us, to love us as only He can. If you will open your heart toHim, He is only too happy to show you just how dearly loved you truly are.


text:
Heaven Hill's Annual Unicorn Whiskey Is an Innovative Bourbon Blend
The new Parker's Heritage Collection is a "Double Barreled Blend Bourbon."
By Jonah Flicker
Jonah Flicker
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Heaven Hill
The annual Parker's Heritage Collection whiskey release from Kentucky distillery Heaven Hill changes every year, but one thing remains the same—it is always interesting, and collectors snap up these bottles when they hit the shelves. Details of the 2022 edition were just announced, and it looks like this year will follow suit.
How NBA Champion Tony Parker Traded the Hardwood for the Vineyard
Parker's Heritage Collection is named after the late Heaven Hill master distiller Parker Beam, who worked at the distillery for over half a century before he passed away in 2017. His father, Earl Beam, left his family's namesake distillery to join Heaven Hill as master distiller in 1946, and Parker joined him in 1960, becoming master distiller in 1975. Under his direction, Elijah Craig and Evan Williams Single Barrel were both added to the Heaven Hill lineup. According to the distillery, the past nine Parker's Heritage Collection releases have raised over $1 million for the ALS Association, an organization dedicated to research on and patient care for the disease Parker was diagnosed with in 2010.
The new PHC is the sixteenth in the series, and the distillery refers to it as a "Double Barreled Bourbon Blend." What that translates to requires a little explaining. The first whiskey in the bottle (making up 67 percent of the final blend) is a 13-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon that was distilled in 2008 and aged on the floors five through seven of rickhouse Q. It was then re-barreled into new American white oak casks with a level three char for an additional four weeks to give it a flavor boost. This whiskey was then blended with 15-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon (33 percent of the final blend) produced in 2007 that was aged on the second and fifth floors of rickhouse II. The mashbill for both bourbons is the classic Heaven Hill recipe of 78 percent corn, 10 percent rye, 12 percent malted barley, and it was bottled at a strong 132.2 proof.
"The Parker's Heritage Collection is a testament to the distilling legacy at Heaven Hill Distillery and the continued thirst for innovation which has driven generations of master distillers," said Susan Wahl, vice president, American whiskey at Heaven Hill, in a statement. "This Double Barreled Blend Bourbon is a masterful pairing of two uniquely aged products that create the perfect balance of flavors which, we believe, honor the past and are a fitting tribute to Parker and his legacy."
We have not gotten a chance to sample this whiskey for ourselves, but the official tasting notes describe the double-barreled bourbon adding rich oak and spice to the palate, while the older whiskey rounds out the mouthfeel. Hints of butterscotch and caramel lead into spice, sweetness, and tannins, with a finish that has some white pepper and dark chocolate.
Past Parker's Heritage releases have strayed near and far from what Heaven Hill typically produces, with expressions like an orange curaçao-finished bourbon, Heavy Char Wheat Whiskey and a 24-year-old bottled-in-bond bourbon. The 2022 edition comes in a bottle with the same design as previous releases with one change—the label color is now eggplant. The SRP for this limited-edition whiskey is $175, but previous bottles now sell on the secondary market for around $1,000, so… you know how it goes… happy hunting.
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Recording an album right out of school was something violinist Francesca dePasquale never thought she'd have the financial means to do. But thanks to a $100,000 grant from the Leonore Annenberg Arts Fellowship Fund, the newly minted Juilliard School graduate's big dream became a reality.
DePasquale credits the Fellowship, which is administered by Penn's Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC), as "one of the greatest gifts" of her life.
"It's been truly a life-changing experience," she says.
The fellows are nominated by one of the program's 25 partner organizations, which span the country. In dePasquale's case, she was nominated by New York City's Perlman Music Program.
Ruibo Qian, sponsored by Lincoln Center Theater, was named a fellow in early April, along with seven additional rising artists—the initiative's final cohort. Qian, a writer and actress, is planning to use her Fellowship for a variety of movement and performance classes, one-on-one voice and audition coaching, supplies to create her own work, and travel.
By design, every Fellowship recipient is required to have a mentor through the institution or school organization through which they were nominated.
Levin says it's the close mentoring, as well as the professional plan and detailed budget, that has made the program so successful over the years.
For the past decade, the Annenberg Arts Fellowship's selection council has consisted of Levin; Michael X. Delli Carpini, a professor in and dean of Penn's Annenberg School for Communication; Kathleen Hall Jamieson, an Annenberg School professor and director of the APPC; Vartan Gregorian, president of Carnegie Corporation of New York; and Diane Deshong, Leonore Annenberg's daughter and a Penn alumna.
That same council is charged with operating two additional branches of Leonore Annenberg's 10-year initiative: The School Fund for Children, which has dedicated $7 million in educational resources to public elementary schools serving students in impoverished areas, and the College Scholarship Fund, which, when all is said and done, will have provided $9.4 million in four-year scholarships to high-achieving students who have overcome challenging circumstances.
Isabelle Tersio, a Biological Basis of Behavior major with plans to go to medical school, says coming to Penn wasn't even on her radar before she received the Annenberg Scholarship.


1. How suitable did you consider the venue to be?
2. How successful did you consider the dinner to be?
3. How suitable did you consider the speakers to be?
4. How interesting did you find the topics?
5. What did you think of the exhibits?
6. In what ways could the conference have been improved?
7. How did you participate in the conference?


James is the Chief Meteorologist for ABC 33/40. He can be seen weeknights on the news at 5, 6, and 10 o'clock. He joined ABC 33/40 one month after the station signed on the air in the fall of 1996. In all, James has been a television weather anchor for 32 years. Along the way he has worked for WCFT in Tuscaloosa, WSFA in Montgomery, KDFW in Dallas and two other stations in Birmingham.
In 2001, James received an Emmy Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. He was recognized for live coverage of the deadly tornado which hit Tuscaloosa on December 16, 2000. His work during that horrible storm also helped ABC 33/40 earn a prestigious national Edward R. Murrow award for spot news coverage.
In April 2010 James was again named Best Weather Anchor in Alabama by the Associated Press, an award he has received thirteen times. James also won the new ABBY award for Best Weather Anchor in Alabama from the Alabama Broadcasters Association for the two years it has been awarded (2008/2009). And, in November of 2010, James Local was won the PEAK award for local Television Personality of the Year from the The American Advertising Federation's Birmingham chapter.
While in Texas in the mid 1980s, James received the prestigious Katie award from the Dallas Press Club for being the "Best Weather Anchor" in the Dallas-Fort Worth market.
James was one of the first weather anchors in the nation to earn "Certified Broadcast Meteorologist" status from the American Meteorological Society. Among radio and television meteorologists, the CBM designation is sought as a mark of distinction and recognition. To earn the CBM, broadcasters must hold a degree in meteorology or equivalent from an accredited college or university, pass a rigorous written examination, and have their on-air work reviewed to assess technical competence, informational value, explanatory value, and communication skills. He also has been awarded the seal of approval from the National Weather Association and holds a certificate in broadcast meteorology from Mississippi State University.
James has served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Trinity Medical Center for the last 5 years, and is a member of the University of Alabama College of Communication Board of Visitors.
James and his wife Karen have been married for 29 years, and they have two boys: J.P., 26, and Ryan, who is 13 and in the eighth grade. After many years of service in the children's ministry at Hunter Street Baptist Church in Hoover, James is now leads Children's Worship every Sunday at Double Oak Community Church in Mount Laurel.
In his spare time, James enjoys amateur radio as his hobby. He earned his first ham radio license at the age of 14, and holds an extra class license. His "creative outlet" every week is hosting the WeatherBrains podcast.


text:
NAPI to reopen flour mill with new company
James Fenton
jfenton@daily-times.com
FARMINGTON — After a yearlong shutdown to undergo renovations, the Navajo Pride flour mill will start up operations next month.
In a press release issued today, Navajo Agricultural Products Industry officials said the flour mill will be relaunched through a joint venture between the tribal agribusiness and a newly formed milling company called New Mexico Milling LLC, which will operate the flour mill.
Newly installed NAPI CEO Wilton Charley said the new venture will require hiring about 20 employees to operate the flour mill.
"The venture is the result of months of planning and negotiations to ensure that all issues were addressed and resolved," Charley said in the release. "We are estimating about $1 million a year in wages to run and operate the mill. ... The joint venture will return an investment of 104 percent to (the flour mill)."
The NAPI board of directors approved the agreement on June 22.
"The venture will rely on the Navajo work force for staffing, and the milling will be conducted at the NAPI flour mill facility started in 2012," NAPI Board Chairman Lawrence Platero said in the release. "We are thrilled about rolling out this new venture. The facility has been inspected, evaluated and is ready for operation."
The mill can produce flour in 2-, 5-, 10-, 25- and 50-pound bags and bulk quantities, as well as deliver custom blends of various bread, pancake and tortilla mixes, according to the release.
New Mexico Milling CEO Bryan Ledgerwood said the tribal flour facility is a unique independent operation with a future for growth in an era dominated by corporate giants.
"This is a rare opportunity to operate an independent mill, during a time when the industry has seen continued consolidation into a select few large corporate millers," Ledgerwood said in a release. "As a result of the wheat sources in the area, we see many opportunities to create efficiencies and provide for long-term sustainable growth."
Ousted NAPI CEO Tsosie Lewis told The Daily Times in an interview last year that the closure of the flour mill was prompted by increased expenses and falling sales. Some of the milling equipment was 30 or 40 years old, and replacement parts for some of them were no longer available.
The mill also suffered about $33,000 in losses when NAPI issued a voluntary recall for its bleached, all-purpose flour because of a Salmonella contamination scare. Testing failed to turn up any conclusive evidence of a contamination.
To staff the mill, the new NAPI and New Mexico Milling Co. officials will hold a job fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, July 28, at the Quality Center for Business at San Juan College, 5101 College Blvd. in Farmington. Job seekers should dress in business casual attire, bring a résumé and be prepared to interview at the event.
For more information, go to nmmilling.com.
James Fenton is the business editor of The Daily Times. He can be reached at 505-564-4621.


text:
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            $scope.user = data;

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            console.log(reason);
            $scope.error = "Could not fetch data";
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text:
Home » Victorian Authors List » Hall Caine Biography
Hall Caine
Thomas Hall Caine was born on 14 May 1853 at Runcorn in Cheshire. His father was John Caine was a Manxman and was mostly away in search of work, mother was Cumbrian named Hall. He did his studies in the field of architecture but pursued a career in journalism and novelist.
Although now largely forgotten, Hall Caine was the world's most famous author with book sales in millions. Being the highest-paid novelist of his time, he was so famous that in the time when there was no television, people would gather around his house just at the name of him being at his residency.
Childhood of Hall Caine
Hall Caine's Writing Career
Hall Caine's Marriage and Children
Hall Caine's Political Career
When Caine was nine he lost two of his young sisters within a year(Sarah and Emma). He was sent to his relatives and spent most of his childhood holidays there in the Isle of Man in a thatched cottage in Ballaugh.
His grandmother lived in the cottage with him and also helped him learn the rudiments of the Manx language, and s she also gave him the nickname Hommy Veg which in Manx meant little Tommy. Caine was trained as an architectural draughtsman, became a schoolmaster in Maughold at the age of 17, later he returned to Liverpool and started his career in journalism.
He started writing for newspapers and trade journals in his spare time which brought him in a close circle of literary friends Bram Stoker (who's novel Dracula was dedicated to Caine) and Dante Gabriel Rossetti.
Dante Gabriel Rossetti invited him to London and they became great friends. Tommy stayed with the old man right until he died. He was greatly influenced by Rosetti's work which shaped his upcoming life as a novelist. Under Rosetti's suggestion, Caine took a more literary approach towards writing, contributing to The Academy and The Atheneum as well as the other periodicals.
His novels The Shadow of a Crime (1885) and A Son of Hagar (1886) were successful and after that on the advice of Rosetti to change his tack after which he started writing on the Manx story, The Deemster (1887) incorporating aspects of life on the Isle of Man, and it was this work that brought him to prominence as a novelist.
His next books, The Bondman, and The Scapegoat (1890), and Cap'n Davey's Honeymoon (1893) all further enhanced his rapidly growing reputation selling millions of copies.
Mary Hall Caine
After Rosetti's death, Caine moved into Clement's Inn where he shared a room with Eric Robertson, they had their meals brought up from nearby coffee shop which was delivered by two girls, one of them was Mary Chandler who adored Caine.
Some months later Mary's step-father, and the father of the other girl, confronted Caine and Robertson and, looking to off-load the girls, claimed that they had been 'ruined' and demanded marriage to which Caine refused the blame and told nothing more than a "bit of flirting" had taken place.
Later Mary's father abandoned his daughter and Caine agreed to keep her and educate her. They moved to Sevenoaks and Mary continued her education and devoted all the time to becoming a fit housewife. After a year, they moved to Worsley Road in Hamstead. Mary became pregnant and gave birth to a boy which they named Ralph.
Even after all this, Caine did not attempt to legalize the situation. In 1886 he took Mary to Edinburgh, and stayed at 83 Princes Street and arranged a quiet wedding. No one except the Registrar and two local witnesses knew anything about it. Caine gave his age correctly as 33, but Mary's was given as 23, but she was in fact only 17. their other son Dervent was born in 1891.
During the great war (1914-1918), he wrote many patriotic articles in favor of Belgium refugees. Later, he was made KBE (Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) in 1918 on the recommendation of prime minister Lloyd George and four years later he was made a Companion of Honour in recognition of his distinction in literature.
On 24th October 1901, Caine was elected a Member of the House of Keys in a by-election as a Liberal for the constituency of Ramley, Isle of Man. After 7 years in a political career, he retired from active politics in 1908. After a series of short illness, Caine passed away on 31 August 1931 and was buried in Kirk Maughold churchyard (Isle of Man).


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text:
Biogen Idec CEO Jim Mullen Stepping Down, After Tumultuous Year of Shareholder Activism
[Updated 6:05 pm Eastern 1/4/10] Biogen Idec, the world's largest maker of multiple sclerosis drugs and an anchor of Boston's biotech cluster, is looking for a new CEO. The Cambridge, MA-based company (NASDAQ: BIIB) said today that longtime CEO James Mullen is stepping down on June 8, and also will be relinquishing his seat on the board at this year's annual meeting.
Mullen, 51, joined the company in 1989 as director of facilities and engineering, and rose through the ranks on the business side over the next two decades. He became vice president of operations in 1992, and then ran Biogen's international operations from 1996 to 1999. He was named CEO and president of Biogen in June 2000, and he has held both of those titles since the 2003 merger with San Diego-based Idec Pharmaceuticals.
Mullen presided over a period in which Biogen emerged as the world's largest maker of multiple sclerosis drugs and one of the biotech industry's leading companies. But it has recently come under fire from billionaire investor Carl Icahn for failing to deliver investment returns on par with its biotech peers, and for its inability to introduce any new marketed products since natalizumab (Tysabri) was approved by the FDA in November 2004.
Pressure from shareholders wasn't a factor in Mullen's decision to step down, says Tim Hunt, Biogen's vice president of communications.
"After more than 20 years at the company, he's retiring," Hunt says. "He feels it's the right time for a transition in leadership." He said Mullen has "a good working relationship" with the board, and that the timing is right, because "the situation with Tysabri has stabilized," and the company is confident in its pipeline of experimental product candidates. Tysabri, the hit MS drug, has had a tortured history because of its link to a rare, and potentially fatal brain infection called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML).
Mullen will continue to earn a prorated portion of his annual base salary of $1.25 million through June 8, and will collect a bonus worth 125 percent of his base salary, Biogen said in a regulatory filing. All of his unvested stock options will vest on his retirement date of June 8. If the company is sold before his retirement date, Mullen will collect a severance payment worth triple his annual base salary and target bonus.
Biogen has started a search for Mullen's replacement, and he said he will help the new leader with the transition.
Mullen noted in a statement: "I have had the opportunity to work with many talented and dedicated colleagues over the past 21 years, and I am proud of all that we have accomplished together. With our strong product portfolio, pipeline, global presence and financial profile, the company is well positioned to continue to enhance the lives of patients and deliver value to its investors."
[Updated 6:05 pm Eastern with CEO pay details.] Biogen has endured a tumultuous year at the top, which intensified last May when Icahn mounted a proxy fight, urging shareholders to oust directors for what he called "failed leadership." It was a blistering attack on Biogen's marketing, dealmaking, research and development, and management. In his May proxy filing, Icahn pointed out that Mullen sold $85 million worth of his shares in the company at an average price of $59 a share since the merger with Idec. He noted that Mullen was paid $60.8 million in total compensation, combining salary, bonus, and stock options over the preceding five years, while Biogen's stock declined from $66.61 to $47.63 in that time.
Icahn's arguments had some sway with shareholders, as he won two of the four seats he campaigned for last spring, and since then, four more directors have resigned or announced plans to resign.
Separately, Biogen announced that it has added Caroline Dorsa as a director who will fill a term that expires in 2011. Dorsa is chief financial officer of Public Service Enterprise Group, and a former senior vice president of Merck.
Shares of Biogen climbed 36 cents to $54 in after-hours trading following the announcements.
With Biogen at a Crossroads, CEO Scangos to Step Down


On behalf of members of AMSA, Will Figueira, President provided comments on the Draft Management Plans for Australia's Marine Parks. To provide the most comprehensive, and specific comments for the submission, the Council asked the State Branches to conduct open, roundtable discussions with their members. The comments are science-based, with reference to peer-reviewed articles where possible, or follow general scientific principles as they apply to the Internation Union for the Conservation of Nature. The detailed submission will be posted on the website when general posting is allowed.