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SINGULARITY 2030
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Machine-Emotions and the Struggle for Power over Humans
Posted by Peter Rudin on 9. November 2018 in Essay
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King John signing the Magna Charta 1215 Picture Credit: Public Domain
One of the founding fathers of AI, Marvin Minsky, was once questioned about machine-emotions when said: "The question is not whether intelligent machines can have any emotions, but whether machines can be intelligent without any emotions". Indeed, without emotions we would not have survived as a species and our intelligence has improved as a result of our emotions. Furthermore, we cannot detach our emotions from the way in which we apply our intelligence. For example, a physician may decide on medical grounds that the best treatment option for a very elderly hospital patient would be a surgical procedure. However, the physician's emotional empathy with the patient might override this view. Taking the age of the patient into account, he or she may decide that the emotional stress likely to be incurred by the patient is not worth the risk of the operation – and therefore, rule it out. Emotional intelligence, as well as technical knowledge, is used to decide the treatment options. Of course, machines could never feel emotions akin to us humans. Nevertheless, they could simulate emotions that enable them to interact with humans in more appropriate ways.
Ray Kurzweil explains in his book called "How to Create a Mind", that in theory any neural process can be reproduced digitally in a computer. For example, sensory feelings like heat, feeling hot or cold, could be simulated from the environment if the machine is equipped with the appropriate sensors. However, it does not always make sense to try to replicate everything a human being feels in a machine. For example, some physiological feelings like hunger, and tiredness, are feelings that alert us of the state of our body and are normally triggered by hormones and our digestive system.
Computational models for the processing of emotions in Humanoids and Avatars
Emotions play a central role in most forms of natural human interaction, so we can expect computational methods for the processing and expression of emotions to play a growing role in human-computer interaction. Human-like avatars, designed as screen-based interactive assistants or humanoid robots designed as 3-D replicas of humans, require an emotional 'engine' to communicate with real humans. Several emotion models are available. Ortony, Clore and Collins have developed a computational emotion-model, that is often referred to as the OCC model and which has established itself as the standard model for emotion analysis (See Fig.1). Many developers of avatars or humanoids believe that the OCC model will be all they ever need to equip their characters with emotions. The model specifies 22 categories of emotion which represent reactions to the consequences of events, reactions to the behaviour of others or the reaction to objects. The model also offers a structure for these variables, such as likelihood of an event or the familiarity of an object, which determines the intensity of the emotion types. It contains a level of complexity and detail to cover most situations an emotional artificial character (Avatar or Humanoid) might have to deal with.
Fig. 1: OCC model of emotion
The process that artificial characters follow – from the initial categorization of an event to the resulting behavior – can be split into four phases:
Categorization – In the categorization phase the character evaluates an event, action or object, resulting in information on what emotional categories are affected.
Quantification – In the quantification phase, the character calculates the intensities of the affected emotional categories.
Interaction – The classification and quantification define the emotional value of a certain event, action or object. This emotional value will interact with the current emotional categories of the character.
Mapping – The OCC model distinguishes 22 emotional categories. These need to be mapped to a possibly lower number of different emotional expressions.
During the development process some missing features of the model might become apparent. These missing features and the context in which emotions arise are often underestimated and have the potential to turn the artificial character into an unconvincing clown-like character.
Current research about social interaction with Avatars and Humanoids
The human likeness, naturalness of movement and emotions expressed and evoked by avatars and humanoids are important factors influencing their perception. These and other social factors become particularly relevant when screen-based avatars interact with humans. In an experiment conducted by the researchers McDonnell et al., participants were asked to tell if an avatar was lying or telling the truth. There were three avatars, each rendered differently (cartoon, semi-realistic, highly-realistic) combined with an audio track. The authors expected that the more unappealing characters would bias the participants toward thinking that they lie more. No such effects were found. The lie ratings and the bias toward believing them were similar for the different renderings and the videos of real humans. However, participants may have extracted most of their information from the audio track that was identical across all stimuli.
The researchers Lucas et al. take human-virtual character interaction to another level by suggesting that in some particular cases of social interactions, virtual characters might be more successful than real humans. They showed that when disclosing health information, participants were more willing to disclose information to an avatar than to a human. Conversing with the avatar, participants had less hesitancy and showed their emotions more openly.
Obviously, these interactions are not the only factors influencing how humans perceive artificial agents. Humanoids and avatars can be programmed to display distinct personalities, and these personalities influence whether they are liked or not. For example, the researchers Elkins and Derrick showed that a virtual interviewer is trusted more when the pitch of the voice is lower during the start of the interview and if the virtual interviewer smiles at the beginning. However, how a virtual characters' personality is perceived depends largely on context and the personality of the perceiver. When an avatar takes on the role of a healthcare assistant, it should have a different personality from that when it works as a security guard.
When designing human-like characters to investigate human cognition in neuroimaging research, evidence so far indicates that, contradictory to the predictions of the uncanny valley hypothesis, not the most realistic looking virtual characters evoke an eerie feeling, but rather those on the border between non-human and human categories, especially if they are combined with human-like motion.
Should Humans become Cyborgs?
If the singularity were to happen in a way that truly takes into account human emotion, it must
transcend the silicon world. It would have to be part organic and part machine. Perhaps this is
the only way that the singularity could actually happen – not as a computerized event that takes place somewhere in the depths of a machine, but in each of us as technologically enhanced bodies. The singularity, if it were to completely account for the full range of human experience, would of necessity retain the humanity inherent in our bodies. Perhaps this is already happening, as some have argued that we are not becoming cyborgs; we are already cyborgs.
Graham et al. argue that "technologies are not so much an extension or appendage to the human body, but are incorporated, assimilated into its very structures. The contours of human bodies are redrawn: they no longer end at the skin." Because we have been integrating technology into our bodies for many years now, the question of how to define our humanity as we move forward has been called into question. "Are we genes, bodies, brains, minds, experiences, memories, or souls? How many of these can or must change before we lose our identity and become someone or something else?" Rather, it is our capacity for emotion, which is an intrinsic part of our embodiment. Without emotions, there is no humanity to retain and without the body, there are no emotions.
AI has emerged thanks largely to advances in neural networks modelled loosely on the human brain. AI can find patterns in massive unstructured data sets, improve performance as more data becomes available, identify objects quickly and accurately and make ever more and better recommendations in decision-making. As human emotions are becoming subject to the immense learning capacity of AI, providing screen-based avatars to emotionally converse with humans, we are entering a danger-zone which clearly requires a rebooting of human rights and the application of ethics in the design of human-like conversational systems. Augmenting an AI focused on mathematics and statistics with an AI focused on emotion sets the stage for unprecedented power exercised by a few tech conglomerates. The "Magna Carta", signed in 1215, which in Latin stands for "the Great Charter of the Liberties", was an agreement to settle issues of a power-struggle between an unpopular king and a group of rebel barons. It also was an important building block for the Enlightenment and Western Democracy. It is the balance between the ever-increasing power of the new potentate – the intelligent machine – and the role of human beings that needs to be defined and regulated. We have the legal framework defining the rights and responsibilities among humans. Now we need a similar framework that defines the rights and responsibilities between humans and intelligent machines to reap the huge potential benefits AI can provide.
Katharina Gattiker says:
9. November 2018 at 9:57
just the very last sentence: not only to reap the huge potential benefits AI can provide,
BUT: to prevent the huge potential dangers and threats that AI can provide and execute……
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By Mike Jackson, Software Architect.
Software management plans set down goals and processes that ensure software is accessible and reusable throughout a project and beyond. To complement our guide on Writing and using a software management plan we have now developed a prototype software management plan service, powered by the Digital Curation Centre's data management plan service, DMPonline.
It is easy to concentrate on the short-term issues when developing scientific software. Deadlines for publications, collaboration with others and the demands of a daily routine all conspire to prevent proper planning. A software management plan can help to formalise a set of structures and goals that ensure research software is accessible and reusable in the short, medium and long term. It also helps researchers to consider whether third-party software to be used within a research project will be available, and supported, for the lifetime of the project. They can also give funders confidence that software they have funded survives beyond the funding period, that there is something to show for their investment.
In 2012 we wrote a guide on Writing and using a software management plan to take researchers through the questions they should consider when developing a software management plan. This was influenced by work by the Digital Curation Centre on data management plans.
Both our advisory board, and participants at our Collaborations Workshop 2012, suggested that we complement our guide with an online service. An online service could help researchers understand issues around research software, appreciate why software management plans are important and assist in the preparation of them.
Rather than create yet another service from scratch, we decided to practice what we preach and see if we could reuse an existing research output, DMPonline. DMPonline is the Digital Curation Centre's data management plan service which helps researchers write data management plans. DMPonline is a Ruby on Rails application and the source is hosted on GitHub licenced under GNU Affero GPL.
We took DMPonline, and updated its form and content into a prototype software management plan service, which is now live. The source is on GitHub.
What software management plans should contain.
What features a service like this should support, what questions it should ask, and what advice it should give.
Overlaps between software and data management plans.
If you have any suggestions then please get in touch. Likewise, we want to collect examples of software management plans that we can link to, so if you have one you are willing to share, please let us know.
We are working closely with the Digital Curation Centre, providing feedback on our experiences in customising DMPonline - DMPonline has been deployed at a number of institutions around the world and the Digital Curation Centre want to make this easier to do. We will also be discussing the overlaps between software and management plans, and whether these can be combined in some way, and, if so, how. And, we'll be helping with the development of an API for DMPonline.
Both Marta Ribeiro of the Digital Curation Centre and myself will be at our Collaborations Workshop 2015 this week, giving lightning talks and a demo.


The increasing cost of dry wells has made Talisman Energy cautious about exploration activities in Alaska, but the company will wait for the results of a 2008 seismic survey to determine the future of its Alaska operations, according to President and CEO John Manzoni, who spoke during a conference call for investors on Feb. 28.
"We've decided to write off our Alaskan exploration activity," Manzoni said.
The Calgary-based oil company, which operates in Alaska through its subsidiary FEX L.P., reported dry hole costs more than doubled in 2007 to C$684 million ($704 million) up from C$296 million ($305 million) in 2006.
Of the write offs, C$322 million came during the fourth quarter of 2007.
In addition to Alaska exploration work, the write off included the J-2 discovery in the United Kingdom and several higher-risk and higher-cost wells in Canada. Companies often write off frontier wells because of high costs.
Manzoni said Talisman plans to unveil a long-term company-wide strategic plan in May.


Since the 1930's, the R44 has proven incredibly adept at recording string instruments and sections. The upright bass, for one, is complemented by the R44's detailed mid-range, extended low-end, and figure-of-8 polar pattern.
Try positioning the R44 1 to 4 feet in front of the instrument where the low-end response is most ideal. Keep in mind that instruments within 6 feet of the R44 benefit from its pronounced proximity effect. Within that range, moving the R44 closer to the instrument will accentuate the bass, and pulling it away will reduce that effect. For more attack, move the R44 up vertically towards the player's bow or plucking fingers. For less attack and more overtone, lower the R44 so it is parallel with the sound hole.


text:
Q: HoloEverywhere overrides ActionBarSherlock's Theme.Sherlock This kind of bug is like a black magic :
I am trying to port https://github.com/SimonVT/android-timepicker to complete Holo style (by default it has got only ICS timepicker widget, dialog remains pre-Honeycomb).
I have extended Theme.Sherlock with timepicker's special attributes , then applied it to whole application. Dialog looks the same as in default ( mentioned above). After that I just added HoloEverywhere lib to project ... BLACK magic appears! Timepicker widget somehow lost some of it's views like blue lines and changed position within dialog. I am still wondering about reason of this glitch.
Note : in my project(code) as well as in TimePicker lib I have got absolutely nothing concerning HoloEverywhere
Note: I also changed some attributes in timepicker because they are conflicting with HoloEverywhere's attributes (because of "... attribute has already been declared" error)
Code:
public class DialogSample extends SherlockFragmentActivity implements OnTimeSetListener {

    private TextView mTimeDisplay;

    private int mHour;
    private int mMinute;

    static final int TIME_DIALOG_ID = 0;

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_dialog);

        final Calendar c = Calendar.getInstance();
        mHour = c.get(Calendar.HOUR_OF_DAY);
        mMinute = c.get(Calendar.MINUTE);

        mTimeDisplay = (TextView) findViewById(R.id.timeDisplay);

        findViewById(R.id.btnDialog).setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
            public void onClick(View v) {
                DialogFragment newFragment = new TimePickerFragment();
                newFragment.show(getSupportFragmentManager(), "timePicker");
            }
        });

        updateDisplay();
    }

    // updates the time we display in the TextView
    private void updateDisplay() {
        mTimeDisplay.setText(
                new StringBuilder()
                        .append(pad(mHour)).append(":")
                        .append(pad(mMinute)));
    }

    private static String pad(int c) {
        if (c >= 10) {
            return String.valueOf(c);
        } else {
            return "0" + String.valueOf(c);
        }
    }

    static public class TimePickerFragment extends SherlockDialogFragment {

        @Override
        public TimePickerDialog onCreateDialog(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
            // Use the current date as the default date in the picker
            final Calendar c = Calendar.getInstance();
            int hour = c.get(Calendar.HOUR_OF_DAY);
            int minute = c.get(Calendar.MINUTE);

            return new TimePickerDialog(getSherlockActivity(), (DialogSample)getSherlockActivity(), hour, minute, true);
        }

        public TimePickerFragment() {

        }

    }

    @Override
    public void onTimeSet(TimePicker view, int hourOfDay, int minute) {
         mHour = hourOfDay;
         mMinute = minute;
         updateDisplay();

    }
}

https://github.com/SimonVT/android-timepicker
https://github.com/SimonVT/android-numberpicker

A: If I understand correctly, you want holo style time picker and number picker. You can use  holoeverywhere components you don't need SimonVT

A: Solution is tricky : I added HoloEverywhere to
1) NumberPicker lib
2) TimePicker lib
3) TimePicker dialog lib
4) to my project
but I am still not satisfied with this because  solution is the same way unclear as an issue

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The British Are Coming—and They've Brought Newspapers - Atlantic Mobile: " . . . The Guardian also has a reputation for solid investigative journalism. The NSA story isn't their first rodeo. They were one of three publications to work closely with WikiLeaks to process the mountains of data leaked by Bradley Manning in 2010. When Rupert Murdoch's vast tabloid the News of the World was finally caught phone-hacking, it was The Guardian that brought it down, doggedly fighting for the story for two years against a storm of legal threats and denials from News International . . . I ask Gibson what's coming up for Guardian US, when the Snowden dust finally settles. "We will add commentators, we will add reporting, we will add verticals, we will continue to grow, and we'll work with commercial partners and do tech and business and all the things that we want to be," she says. The publication is doubling down on its investigative presence in the States as well: Investigative journalist Paul Lewis is joining the paper's Washington bureau from the London office this month, and Nick Davies, the reporter whose two years of digging brought about the phone-hacking scandal, is joining the New York team later in the year. . . ."
This is all good news for US readers but probably bad news for legacy media in the US. Should the New York Times and Washington Post just admit they are trapped in the past and no longer relevant? For some reason, most American journalism has turned cowardly and views its role as PR shills for those in power.


text:
Q: After years of working alone, other developers will finally see my (buggy) code. What should I do? I have been working on a system alone for about four years. I have built it from the ground up. It is not a perfect system. It is very complex, it is buggy, and the business is now becoming aware of this.
After all this time, other developers at the company are getting interested in the project, and they are becoming more involved. I am a bit worried they will blame me for the problems.
Am I being paranoid? Have others experienced a similar situation? How can I soften the glare of the spotlight on my buggy code?

A: I hope you're not to blame. The company couldn't put the resources needed to make a large and complex application as robust as possible, so they had a jr. dev to it. Maybe the app wasn't expected to be so critical at the time. The fact they want to continue the project probably shows you did something right. Now you can get some help, learn a few things, and refactor a lot of code. Nothing new in this business.
I wish I owned a software company and some middle manager tried to blame an entry programmer on the problems with such a project. "We let him code for 5 years with no help, support or code review, but I thought he was a better programmer." Could I possibly fire the manager fast enough? This is someone who is pretending to be a manager and completly abdicated his/her responsibility to this project.

A: Keep the Atmosphere Positive
Make sure that all the programmers expect to find bugs. Make sure they get praised for resolving problems. Express thanks that you're getting the help you've needed to move on to other interesting problems.
Avoid Being Defensive
Don't say you're sorry. Don't be upset. If there are challenges suggest improved processes to solve them. Maybe you need new testing procedures? Maybe you need better requirements?

A: Its Not your Code. It is the companies Code.
They are the ones who allowed you to go 4 years without serious outside inspection of the code, they should bear responsibility. (That said, you wrote it so some of the shit will stick).
I would take this as an opportunity to embark on a really great (if painful) learning experience. If you can be harder on your code than your reviewers, then you will be seen as a positive driver of this phase, rather than a negative, defensive factor.

A: Everybody Loves a Good Code Bash / WTF Session

I am now worried that they will find bugs and blame me for the problems.

Of course they will find bugs. You said it yourself: it's buggy (you
already found bugs) and complex (it's very likely to have more).
And yes they'll blame you for it. Because it's a large codebase and
they will, over time, get accustomed to the habit of tracking the
problem down to your code. And it is your code after all.
However, that doesn't mean that everything you did was bad, so
they may (if they are patient and kind enough) come to praise the
bits you did well, or recognize value in particularly well-crafted
areas of the code (assuming these exist).

Am I being paranoid

No, but you seem a bit afraid of criticism, be it fair or not.

or is there some logic in this?

As stated above, it's pretty common and normal. They'll find
problems. Lots of them. You did the thing. It seems logical they'll
blame you, as you are, after all, responsible for the code.
However it's not necessarily your fault for the way things
HAD to be done: the company should have dedicated more resources and
eyeballs to the project earlier on, and conducted more regular
reviews. But from the standpoint of other developers (and damn, are we
the picky and bashing kind...) it will often turn into a case of "oh
great, yet another example of X's famous bad design pattern or
practice".
Add lots of subjectivity into the mix (design decisions, coding
style, etc...) and it's a great recipe for a perpetual code bash.

Does anyone else have a similar experience?

Pretty much anyone who's ever written code that's been maintained by
someone else, or who's maintained code written by someone else. It's
good to have been on both sides of the fence.
Some Advice on Preparing your Hand-Over

*

*Defend your Design Decisions.
Take the time to explain the reasoning behind your design
decisions, both good and bad. You did things one way at that time,
and there were reasons for it. Maybe you'd do it differently now,
and maybe you already knew a different way back then, but you picked
THAT way. Make sure to say WHY. If, however, you can't find a
reason, then...

*... Don't Make Excuses.
If something's awful because of you, say so. They'll respect you
more for that. If a piece of the code sucks because you were green
at the time, say so. If it sucks because you didn't know a better
way at the time, say so. If it sucks because you didn't have the
time, say so. We don't care why you didn't have the
time. But it's good to know you couldn't do better at the time.
Don't deflect blame where and when it's deserved.

*Remember the 1st Rule of Damage Control

Get it in the open before someone else does.

And we do mean all of it and very early.
What works for politicians, bankers and press and marketing agencies
works for crap code as well (and all aspects of life).
If your screw-ups have to come out (and here they likely will), it's
best that they come out on your terms and you keep the control.
Don't Sweat It
You'll get bashed, and you'll bash other developers over the time of
your career.
Just make sure to keep it light-hearted, positive, and
open. It's a 2-way street, so be kind in dispatching severe but
justified criticism, and be humble in accepting your share of
it.
And whatever you do, steer away from holy wars.
Personal Experience
Personally, I know I've sometimes been very unkind to coworkers or
said unkind things about code that had been written by people before
my time. And while I hope that most of the time my criticism was at
least somewhat founded, I'm sure there were times it wasn't,
for various (probably bad) reasons.
We all do that crap. Don't pretend otherwise, fellow reader frowning
at this. I'm on to you!
I've also been bashed a few times, and I've stood my ground when I
deemed it right (or strategically worth it). But I've also
accepted blame more often than not, because I fucked up. And I
still do on a daily basis. Because, as mentioned, there's usually a
reason for it.
As a consequence of this, it's become a tradition to hold informal
code bashing sessions with co-workers. Not the bad kind (though it's
been debated heartily on this site whether a "good" kind of code bash can exist). Just
the kind where you kick back on a Friday afternoon and sip your coffee
looking at dark areas of your codebase and highlight the best picks of
the week. Then you fix them. And you don't assign blame for them. You
don't even say "what a stupid way of doing X". You just chuckle at it,
refactor it, review it with coworkers so your refactoring is vetted
and history doesn't repeat itself, and you move on.
And you know what? Sometimes you'll even hit some shitty code
somewhere and realize it was yours, and you'll humbly submit it for
bashing. Because you sucked, and what's fair is fair. And you pin it
to a virtual or physical wall for all to see and remember to avoid it
in the future.

For the record, at my company we have formal review meetings required by our
processes, and some informal ones (way more frequent) whenever we feel
we want other people to vet our stuff. And then we have informal code
bashing sessions, which are more for fun. But in the end, they all
have the same outcome: we improve code, and that's what matters.
As Jeff Atwood puts it in What's Wrong with The Daily WTF (emphasis his):

[The Daily WTF] is therapeutic, even educational. But whether the
  code in question is catastrophically stupid or just plain
  ill-advised, we have to do something about it. Until we do, we are
  implicitly perpetuating the painful, costly cycle of bad coders
  writing bad code, ad infinitum. And that hurts all of us.

And in general, if you approach it this way, it comes out as rather
positive. You improve code, and people tend to become more
forgiving. We occasionally fondly remember some out-of-this-world
kind of bug, hack or plainly non-sensical piece of code, but then when
a new co-worker shows up and says something like "hang on, how could
someone have been so crazy/dumb as to do something like THAT?!" when
they run into one of our code bash archives, we just shrug and say
"hey, they probably had a good reason at the time, you know!"
And then you hope people have the same attitude after you're
gone... But you won't be there to know that anyways.
Sure, a constant random number generator or an isEmpty(String)
implementation duplicated across 73 different packages might seem like
utter stupidity. And it is, in a perfect scenario. But, quite
possibly, the guy wasn't in that perfect fairy-tale scenario. The guy
had a reason at the time. Maybe not a good one, but it doesn't
matter. Maybe it was just the wooshing sound of a deadline flying by.
Give him a break. I write shitty code all the time because of more
reasons than I'd care to list. We all do. If your coworkers are worth
2 cents and aren't total jackasses, they'll give you the same benefit
of the doubt.
Nobody Gives a Damn!
But then again... Who gives a damn?
It's your code. Own up to it. Own up to your mistakes.

Side Note: The Case for Open-Source
This is one area where open-source is said to shine. After all,
in someone else's wise words:

Given enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow.
- Eric S. Raymond's Linus Law, excerpted from The Cathedral and the Bazaar

More eyeballs during development phases means a lesser likelihood that
bugs will creep up during production phases. You shouldn't be afraid
of scrutiny.
You'd think the larger the crowd would imply the stricter the
scrutiny. But strangely enough, in some large corporations, the level
of scrutiny isn't linked to the size of the engineering workforce at
all:

*

*[GREAT] Companies like Google have a single code repository
for most projects, so pretty much anyone can see, review and
comment on anything.

*[BAD] Others, for some good and bad reasons, compartmentalize
everything and only a few number of people review code. The result is bugs and duplication.
Open-source encourages the embrace of scrutiny.
Yes, someone will be able to dig up that stupid padding error you did
back in your early days that triggered a memory
allocation that could be exploited to cause a pretty big fat booboo
with severe consequences. So what? It's gone now, because someone
found it. And nobody's to say you'd still do the mistake now. Or maybe
you would, because, well, we all have days where we need coffee. Or
maybe we just still suck. But it doesn't matter, there's a giant herd
of people willing to try your crap code and fix it - if it's worth
anything at all for them to use. You need to take that leap of
faith: accept that people will be generally benevolent and you won't
get scarred for life; And you won't be branded with the seal of the
World's Worst Developer Ever. Quite the countrary, this will help
you to improve over time. The mythical lone developer can get
better, but he won't get the powerful and useful feedback received while working with a team.

If you're afraid of scrutiny, you're in the wrong game.

A:
I am now worried that they will find bugs and blame me for the problems. Am I being paranoid or is there some logic in this?

Software never complete
As it goes with an old saying - "Good software is never complete".
Every software needs to evolve and go through iterations before reaching its stable stage. Eventually the frustration builds up enough to kick off another project to cover the gaps between what the product delivers and the current business needs. By the time the project is developed, delivered, and handed off to support there are new gaps, and the cycle continues on and on.
Thus, i would not worry and just lay down current project as is, and mention that it was build on initial assumptions, and it does require improvements and fixes.
Being transparent
For a professional software developer, it is always good to be transparent with your team members, and be open for new things and suggestions. Thus, it is a way to follow for a productive team building. And transparent collaboration of skills and knowledge is a must.

A: I'm in the very same situation as you are. The place I'm at is where I've been for the last 5 years, and I've spent 80% of my time building a system for internal use from scratch - on my own.
This is my first job, meaning that it is the first job I got after i graduated. I, just as you, know that if I were to begin work on the very same system today I would to things differently. However, that's the beauty of experience. As long as you are able to identify the mistakes you've done, it's a good sign. It means that you've learnt something.
As for the things you have not identified yourself, but which the others probably will : embrace the feedback you get and learn from it. Don't be afraid of the feedback you get. You did things for a reason when you built it, and as long as you explain why things were made a certain way, then there's ground for a good discussion. After all, you're all grown ups so I assume you will talk about it the way grown ups do. As for the question of "blame"; you're the one who built the system so it's pointless to even talk about that. You all know that it's your "fault". The focus should be on how to improve it, and you will get a great learning opportunity for free.
I'd love if someone else would take a look at the system I've built. I, just as you, work alone and if there is something I miss it's being able to discuss my work with a colleague. I'd say you should value the opportunity :-)

A: As others said, this is the perfect opportunity to learn and improve the project.
Additionally, I would also try to document the current state from a high architectural standpoint, if that is not already done. I am not talking about class diagrams here, but more the kind of package or component diagrams or probably some very coarse (data) flow charts.
This will help your new fellows to grasp an overview of the project in a short time and will quite automatically show the spots you probably want to to some cleanup work first.


text:
package lassie.server

import akka.actor.ActorSystem
import lassie.Api
import lassie.Doc
import rapture.json.Json
import spray.http.HttpRequest
import spray.http.HttpResponse

import rapture._
import rapture.json._

import spray.client.pipelining._
import spray.http._

import scala.concurrent.ExecutionContext.Implicits.global
import scala.concurrent.Future

object ApiImpl extends Api {
  implicit val actor = ActorSystem("maven")

  def pipeline: HttpRequest => Future[HttpResponse] = sendReceive

  override def queryMaven(userQuery: String): Future[List[Doc]] = {
    val query = if (userQuery.length < 3) "slick" else userQuery
    val url = s"http://search.maven.org/solrsearch/select?q=$query&rows=20&wt=json"

    import jsonBackends.spray._
    val result = pipeline(Get(url)).map {
      response =>
        Json.parse(response.entity.asString).response.docs.as[List[Doc]]
    }
    result
  }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


5 Remodel LED Recessed Can Light - IC Airtight Rated - Case Pack of 6 Line voltage recessed 5 housing. This housing is designed for use in a home remodel, in non-insulated ceilings. Suitable for installation in dry and damp locations. 120 volts line voltage. UL / CUL certified. Case pack of 6 recessed housings included. 7.5 in x 6 in. Recesso Lighting By Dolan Designs Remodel Led Recessed Can Light - Ic Airtight Rated - Case Pack Of 6 Aluminum Ceiling Fixture - 7.5 in X 6 In.


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Top Five Contests in Limited Overs Cricket That Finished With a Last Ball Six
Cricketnext Staff |March 19, 2018, 11:13 AM IST
New Delhi: Dinesh Karthik's last ball six off Soumya Sarkar sealed the win for the India in the Nidahas Trophy final. India were in a tricky position when Karthik came into bat, as the team needed 35 runs from just three overs. The keeper-batsman held his nerve, and probably played the most crucial knock of his career.
This victory will certainly go down as one of the most memorable finishes to a game of cricket. In the past too, there have been instances when players have taken their side home, by hitting a six on the last ball of the match. Cricketnext takes a look at some of these matches:
1. Javed Miandad vs Chetan Sharma (India vs Pakistan, Sharjah, 1986)
The bitter memories of Miandad hitting Chetan Sharma for a six on the last ball of the match in Austral-Asia Cup final are still fresh in fans' minds. Requiring four runs in one ball, Sharma bowled a low full-toss to Miandad, that the latter bludgeoned away to the boundary. The Pakistani batsman scored 116 no in the match. Batting first, India had set Pakistan a target of 246 runs.
2. Chamara Kapugedera vs Ashish Nehra (India vs Sri Lanka, Gros Islet, 2010)
Chasing a target of 164 runs in a World T20I encounter, Sri Lanka needed three runs off the final ball, to register a win against India.It was a heartbreak for the fans back home as Kapugedera hit Nehra for a six on the final ball of the match. After the loss, India was ousted from the tournament too.
3. Lance Klusner vs Dion Nash (New Zealand vs South Africa, Napier, 1999)
One of the most destructive batsman in the limited overs format, the match was never over till the time Klusner was on the crease. The Proteas needed 11 runs from the final over, and it came down to four runs on the last ball. Klusner hit Nash for a big six to level the ODI series 2-2.
4. Brendan Taylor vs Mashrafe Mortaza (Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh, Harare, 2006)
In a clash of the miinows, Zimbabwe came out on top, when Brendan Taylor hit Mortaza for six on the last ball. Chasing a target of 237 runs, Zimbabwe needed 17 runs from the final over. The equation had come down to five runs from one ball, and Taylor did not disappoint. The win helped Zimbabwe level the series 1-1.
5. Ryan McLaren vs James Franklin (South Africa vs New Zealand, Potchefstroom, 2013)
This was a match to remember as Proteas were chasing 261 runs in the 3rd ODI. Needing just three runs of the final delivery, McLaren smacked Franklin out of the park, that helped his team avoid a whitewash on home soil. Apart from McLaren's last ball heroics, skipper Graeme Smith scored a brilliant 116 runs that was instrumental in their win.
Chetan Sharmadinesh karthikJaved MiandadLance Klusnerlast ball six

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The SFSP partners have been developing their own social forestry research approach. It is mainly a "Research and Development" approach that includes components of participatory research and documentation, participatory technology development (PTD) and participatory action research (in its broadest sense).
The development of the social forestry research approach has been evolving in loops: the approach was tried out, reflected upon and tried out again with some improvements. These learning loops allow the approach to be consolidated and to achieve a more systematic application.
Therefore it is of great importance that SFSP partners maintain long-term relations with their field links and continue collaboration. It allows them to further grasp realities beyond initial findings and impressions.
A coming challenge for SFSP will be to find ways to integrate learning and research results from the field into the curricula of the universities.


text:
New Jersey Employment Law Lawyers Resnick Law Group Home
Contact New York City Discrimination Attorney Resnick Law Group
Race & National Origin Discrimination
New York and New Jersey Race Discrimination LawyersHave You Been Treated Unfairly Because of Your Race or National Origin?
America is perhaps the world's most racially diverse nation. While this diversity is certainly a point of pride, it can also lead to racial tension or prejudice in the workplace. Since this prejudice can directly harm your career and negatively impact your job opportunities, employment laws like Title VII the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, the New York Human Rights Law, and the New York City Human Rights Law all make race and national origin discrimination in the workplace illegal.
If you have experienced discrimination or harassment based on your race or national origin at work, your rights may have been violated. Call us or contact our employment law firm to schedule an appointment with an experienced New Jersey employment lawyer.
Fighting Workplace Racial Discrimination in New York and New Jersey
We fight to enforce our clients' rights to be free from race discrimination and harassment at work. We help employees of all racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, including:
Black/African-American
Arabic/Middle Eastern
Indian or Native American
Our employment law attorneys have handled multiple precedent-setting cases that have improved workplace conditions for employees in both New York and New Jersey. If you have suffered race or national origin discrimination, we can help.
How Do I Know if I Have Been the Victim of Race Discrimination?
It is often difficult to know if you have been the victim of race or national origin discrimination. Generally, though, you can ask yourself two questions:
Was I fired, denied a job, passed over for a promotion, harassed, given lower pay or benefits, or otherwise treated worse than my co-workers?
Do I think my race is one of the reasons why I was treated worse?
If you can honestly answer "yes" to both of those questions, then you should have an employment lawyer who is experienced in race and national origin discrimination law evaluate your case. Even if you have not been fired, denied a job, passed over for a promotion, harassed or received less compensation or benefits than other employees, you may still have been the victim of a "constructive discharge," where the employer makes working conditions so intolerable that you must quit.
See our employer retaliation page for more information about constructive discharges.
Not All Workplace Racism Is Caused by Conscious Bigotry
In fact, in this day and age, it is relatively rare to encounter an employer in New York or New Jersey that overtly and consciously mistreats employees based on their race. More often, supervisors or managers simply express an unconscious preference for employees who are more like themselves, or a bias against employees who are different from them. Fortunately, race and national origin discrimination can be illegal regardless of whether the employer consciously intended to discriminate.
To meet with an employment lawyer, contact our firm online or call us today to schedule an appointment to discuss your racial or national origin discrimination matter. Our offices are located in Hackensack, New Jersey, Roseland, New Jersey, and New York City.
The New Jersey Employment Law Firm Blog - National Origin Discrimination
Jury Awards $6 Million to Former Employee in National Origin, Age Discrimination Case A federal jury recently found in favor of a former employee claiming national origin and age discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of
Definition of "Nation" Might Be at Issue in New Jersey National Origin Discrimination Lawsuit A New Jersey teacher's lawsuit for alleged national origin discrimination took an unusual turn in a recent court hearing, according to media reports.
EEOC Issues New Guidelines on National Origin Discrimination in Employment Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of five distinct factors: sex, religion, race, color, and
Race & National Origin Discrimination | New Jersey Employment Law Lawyers


China Traveling Grate Factory - Traveling Grate Manufacturers and Suppliers - Shenyang Northern Metso Heavy Industry Machinery Co., Ltd.
In order to meet the needs of the continuous development of iron and steel industry, China has attached great importance to the construction of modern pellet industry in recent years. Chain grate machine rotary kiln oxidation pellet production line process is widely used in the construction of pellet plant which is advanced process, excellent quality, high yield and high efficiency.Grate kiln oxidized pellet production line running and years of production practice provide a mature experience and reliable technical basis for China chain grate rotary kiln oxidation pellet business development.
In recent years, the rapid development of domestic steel industry greatly promoted the development of the ball industry. chain grate rotary kiln oxidation pellet production line is composed of multiple equipment, including chain grate machine, rotary kiln, Grinding machine, dryer, pelletizing machine, cloth machine and other ancillary equipment. This pellet process character is dry preheating, roasting and cooling processes carried out on three different major equipment. The raw ball is first dried on the chain grate, dehydrated, preheated, then roasted into the rotary kiln, and then cooled by the ring cooler. Finally, transported by the high temperature of plate conveyor or high temperature belt conveyor to the finished product storage.
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text:
Tag: Free events
The Ultimate Guide to Cruisin' The Coast
Cruisin' The Coast was voted #1 in USA TODAY: Best Car Show Competition in 2018 and 2020! America's Largest Block Party celebrates antique, classic and hot rod vehicles, nostalgic music and related events.Car enthusiasts from 40 states plus Canada, Germany and Puerto Rico arrive in Coastal Mississippi once a year to showcase their rides and to cruise our beautiful 30-mile stretch of beach-side highway with designated stops sprinkled throughout our 62 miles of coastline. …
Celebrate Mardi Gras on the Mississippi Gulf Coast
By Tori Ward on Jan. 24, 2017
For more than a century, Carnival season has been celebrated on the Mississippi Gulf Coast with parades, balls, and other festivities. This year, Mardi Gras, also known as "Fat Tuesday," falls on February 28; however, you can experience Mardi Gras celebrations all month long! Below are the parades and events happening along the Coast that you can look forward to this Mardi Gras season. February 11 Children's Mardi Gras Celebration: Lynn Meadows Discovery Center | 10 am Elk's Mardi Gras Parade: Ocean Springs | 1 pm Krewe of Legacy Mardi Gras…
Halloween on the Mississippi Gulf Coast
By Kelsey King on Oct. 21, 2016
With Halloween right around the corner, the Mississippi Gulf Coast has so many upcoming activities and events to partake in to celebrate the spooktacular holiday. The following are a few of the many Halloween events you can experience on the Mississippi Gulf Coast this year:…
Mississippi Gulf Coast Pokéstops
By Erin Rosetti on Jul. 13, 2016
Image by Thomas Broadus We've seen you at Jones Park, walking around Downtown Ocean Springs, even venturing to local attractions as you play Go…
4th of July Weekend on the Mississippi Gulf Coast
By Kelsey King on Jun. 22, 2016
Americana in Mississippi Tour
By Kelsey King on Mar. 07, 2016
Blues. Country. Gospel. Rock. It all started right here in Mississippi. That's right. Mississippi is the birthplace of America's music, and we are celebrating that with an Americana in Mississippi Music Tour throughout the state…
Gulf Coast Winter Classics
By Kelsey King on Feb. 25, 2016
The Gulf Coast Winter Classics Horse Showhas welcomed horses and riders to the Mississippi Gulf Coast for the last 18 years. This series of hunter and jumper events last for six weeks, Wednesday through Sunday each week…


In December 2012 a homeless man named Lukis Anderson was charged with the murder of Raveesh Kumra, a Silicon Valley multimillionaire, based on DNA evidence. The charge carried a possible death sentence. But Anderson was not guilty. He had a rock-solid alibi: drunk and nearly comatose, Anderson had been hospitalized—and under constant medical supervision—the night of the murder in November. Later his legal team learned his DNA made its way to the crime scene by way of the paramedics who had arrived at Kumra's residence. They had treated Anderson earlier on the same day—inadvertently "planting" the evidence at the crime scene more than three hours later. The case, presented in February at the annual American Academy of Forensic Sciences meeting in Las Vegas, provides one of the few definitive examples of a DNA transfer implicating an innocent person and illustrates a growing opinion that the criminal justice system's reliance on DNA evidence, often treated as infallible, actually carries significant risks.
As virtually every field in forensics has come under increased scientific scrutiny in recent years, especially those relying on comparisons such as bite-mark and microscopic hair analysis, the power of DNA evidence has grown—and for good reason. DNA analysis is more definitive and less subjective than other forensic techniques because it is predicated on statistical models. By examining specific regions, or loci, on the human genome, analysts can determine the likelihood that a given piece of evidence does or does not match a known genetic profile, from a victim, suspect or alleged perpetrator; moreover, analysts can predict how powerful or probative the match is by checking a pattern's frequency against population databases. Since the mid-1990s the Innocence Project, a nonprofit legal organization based in New York City, has analyzed or reanalyzed available DNA to examine convictions, winning nearly 200 exonerations and spurring calls for reform of the criminal justice system.
Like any piece of evidence, however, DNA is just one part of a larger picture. "We're desperately hoping that DNA will come in to save the day, but it's still fitting into a flawed system," says Erin E. Murphy, a professor of law at New York University and author of the 2015 book Inside the Cell: The Dark Side of Forensic DNA. "If you don't bring in the appropriate amount of skepticism and restraint in using the method, there are going to be miscarriages of justice." For example, biological samples can degrade or be contaminated; judges and juries can misinterpret statistical probabilities. And as the Anderson case brought to light, skin cells can move.
Since 1997, when researchers first showed that it was possible to gather genetic information about a person based on skin cells they had left on an object, this type of trace evidence, also known as touch DNA, has been increasingly collected from surfaces such as door and gun handles. (In some jurisdictions, such as Harris County, Texas, the number of touch DNA cases submitted for laboratory analysis increased more than threefold between 2009 and 2013, often as a means of identifying possible perpetrators for burglaries and thefts.) Commercial companies now sell kits to law-enforcement agencies that can generate a full genetic profile of an individual from as few as three to five cells. Independent labs and scientists working on such projects as identifying long-deceased individuals also employ the kits.
The erroneous interpretation of touch DNA for Anderson has now also become a contentious issue for two co-defendants on trial for the Kumra murder, Kulick says. No doubt DNA evidence remains an invaluable investigative tool, but forensic scientists and legal scholars alike emphasize that additional corroborating facts should be required to determine guilt or innocence. Like all forms of evidence, DNA is only one circumstantial clue. As such, Anderson's case serves as a warning that a handful of wayward skin cells should not come to mean too much.


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Thank you, everyone, for the kind words of comfort and sympathy about Riley. I loved that darn cat, and for the past few weeks, as she faded from us, there's been a heavy weight on my chest, like the pile of stones that flattened Giles Corey at the Salem witch trials. But reading how many other people loved her too has eased that burden a little -- at least to the point that I no longer fear being flattened by Pilgrims.
It also reminded me of something important, something I forget far too often. Ever since Riley got sick, I found it increasingly difficult to troll the Internet, looking for things to write about for the blog, because -- as you know -- it's a task that involves reading a lot of smug cruelty by a lot of willfully stupid people who think heartlessness is a school of thought, rather than a symptom of sociopathy. It was especially hard to do when my lap was occupied by Riley, who despite her unrivaled ability to throw shade at the camera, never did a deliberately mean thing in her life; never bit, never scratched, even when she was in pain, and who only ever demanded that we administer her medicine and her treats in the proper order and at exactly the same time every day; that we give her the lap-time she was legally entitled to, the underpants she craved, and that we spank her while saying "Pank! Pank! Pank!" (and you had to say it, believe me, or she'd glare until you did), because she took her fetishes seriously.
Anyway, WorldNetDaily and Townhall and American Thinker and all those sites comprise a rich vein of derp, and making fun of it is cathartic; however, it can also make you feel like the world is full of horrible people. And not even conflicted, interesting villains, but people who seem to delight in their own horribleness.
But I know there are many more good and kind people in the world, because they've touched my life. When I asked for help with Riley's medical bills, you guys responded immediately. Old friends, familiar names from the comments rallied 'round, but also a surprising number of people who told me they've lurked for years, but never commented. And I realized that letting Dr. Professor Mike Adams splash a little evil on my shoes is a tiny price to pay for being part of a community like this.
Which brings me to Sheri.
Sheri is that best of all possible things: a saint with a sense of humor, a hybrid life-form composed of equal parts Mother Teresa and Eve Arden, who's been making me laugh for going on twenty years, while spending most of her time caring for the least of us -- both the two- and the four-legged kind.
Her town didn't have a shelter -- stray animals were summarily killed -- so she began to take in those who weren't immediately adoptable -- the sick, the injured, the...behaviorally idiosyncratic, shall we say? -- and nurse and care for them until homes could be found. But now the city has passed an ordnance limiting the number of cats per home to three. So rather than let the others starve in a ditch, get hit by a car, or die of exposure, Sheri spent nearly everything she had to buy a trailer outside the city limits where the Unadopted can live temporarily while she searches for a permanent shelter before the weather turns cold.
The most joyous of birthdays and the sexiest of lizards to you, Sheri!
There are people in this world who if I had the decency, wit, and intelligence they have in their little finger I would be a better person.
In s.z.'s case if I had the decency, wit, and intelligence she has in the fingernail of her little finger I would be a vastly better person.
And Scott? Keep up the good twerk.
Sheri, you are obviously among the best humans available on this iffy planet -- I had no idea of the extent of your generosity and financial sacrifice. I'm kind of a cheapo humanitarian myself -- partly forced to be by circumstances, partly by nature, alas, so I bow deeply in your direction, and will certainly shoot a few Genuine Impecunious Dollars in your direction, in Riley's honor and yours too.
Oh, yeah, and a VERY happy birthday one day late, dear.
Happy birthday from a double latecomer, to the big-hearted rescuer of lost critters, filleter of wingnuts and miraculously witty co-author of Better Living through Bad Movies!
Happy birthday, Sherri. Who else could've written so convincingly about Ann Coulters' vampirism, or made the problems of humanity so easily solved by the proper use of Spry in the kitchen.
Thank you in the name of all homeless cats, dogs, and other domesticated beasts.
Thank you so much for that eloquent birthday message, Scott. You made me vow to try harder to be the person you think I am.
And thanks to everyone else for the kind birthday wishes. It wasn't a great birthday, until you all made it so.
And super-duper thanks to everyone who donated to Four Paws. Since we are an all-volunteer, no-kill rescue group, I promise that 100% of your donations are used to feed, house, or provide vet care for the cats and dogs we are caring for and hoping to find homes for. Scott is a wonderful friend to me AND the pets for letting our group be the beneficiary to anyone wanting to make a donation to honor Riley.
So, in conclusion, you are all wonderful people, and I love you for your kind hearts and appreciation of gentle snark.
Anywho, I just wanted you to know that I once broke up with an old gf (who was fine with that) telling her that I was looking for a Supermodel/Astronaut/Spy. Worked nicely!
So thanks for that and all the fun on WoC!
Super late to the party, and I don't even have a smart phone.
Happy birthday, SZ. I may not get the date right, but I remember the important part: You have a birthday, which means the world is absolutely a better place. I've loved you since I read the first bit of gentle snark, and yes, it has been gentle. Even with a collection of halfwits and jackasses to snark on, you still manage to avoid misanthropy. It's amazing and pretty beautiful, if you want the truth.
Thank you and Scott for the chance for even those of us who aren't keeping up to honor both your generosity and Riley's life. My donation's on the way as soon as I figure out where the zombies hid the envelopes.
Which doesn't mean my wishes for a wonderful & better everything are any less sincere, just slower.


San Francisco, USA - May 10, 2016: Phillip Burton Federal court house building entrance in San Francisco with several people walking in front of it or sitting against the wall.
Don't expect Jeff Sessions' undoing of the Cole memo to unleash a nationwide crackdown. By rescinding Justice Department guidelines that encouraged federal prosecutors to take a hands-off approach in legal states, the attorney general isn't so much dropping bombs as he is encouraging his lieutenants to fire at will. It will be up to individual US attorneys to pull the trigger.
In other words, a crackdown on state-legal cannabis, if it comes, will likely happen unevenly. District by district, US attorneys will decide for themselves how to enforce federal cannabis law—or whether to enforce it at all. This is exactly what we saw in California during the last major federal crackdown, in 2011 and 2012. US attorneys in some parts of the state tried to close every dispensary in their districts, while others allowed shops to operate unimpeded.
US attorneys are playing their cards very close to their chests.
In this new normal, it's crucial to understand not just Sessions' views, but also where each US attorney stands on cannabis. To that end, we're tracking how US attorneys in legal states have responded to the removal of the Cole memo—and how likely they are to take action.
You'll notice a common theme as you read through this piece: US attorneys are playing their cards very close to their chests. Most have issued murky statements that can be interpreted in a number of ways. We've done our best to parse the available information and add to those statements to get a better sense of the risk of prosecution in that district.
Initially we'll be looking at states that have legalized adult-use cannabis. This page will be updated to include more information about US attorneys in medical-only states.
US Attorney Brian D. Schroder, a Trump appointee whom the Senate confirmed in November, isn't giving us much to go on. He said in a statement shortly after Sessions' announcement that his office would continue using "long-established principles" in deciding which cases to charge. He added that violent crime, including that which stems from drug crimes, has been a top priority. His office has declined to comment further.
Schroder's statement—like his record on cannabis—is awfully thin. Aside from any violent incidents in the state system, which would almost certainly draw his attention, it's not yet clear what action, if any, his office might take.
Interim US Attorney Nicola T. Hanna took his post last week, when Sessions appointed him and 16 others as interim US attorneys. So far both Hanna and his predecessor, Sandra Brown, have been mum on enforcement, which could be an ominous sign if the office weren't in the midst of a transition. As it is, it doesn't tell us much.
It's worth noting that Hanna was a federal prosecutor in Los Angeles and San Diego during the 1990s, when the war on drugs was in full swing. He then left the office for private practice, taking a position at the international firm Gibson Dunn. He hasn't said much on cannabis, but in the 2016 presidential election, records show he gave $2,700 to the campaign of Chris Christie—a notorious anti-cannabis crusader.
Complicating it all, Hanna's gig is only temporary. As an interim US attorney, he can serve for 120 days until President Trump must appoint someone and seek Senate confirmation.
Following Sessions' memo, Scott spokesperson Lauren Horwood said the office would evaluate possible enforcement actions "in accordance with our district's federal law enforcement priorities and resources." That's pretty standard boilerplate and doesn't tell us much, but Scott's enforcement history suggests he wouldn't be shy about going after cannabis businesses if he feels they're too far out of line.
Acting US Attorney Alex G. Tse took over for former US Attorney Brian Stretch, who announced through a spokesperson on Jan. 4 that he would be leaving the post. It was the same day Sessions rescinded the Cole memo, though Stretch said the announcement was not the reason for his departure.
Despite their San Francisco office location, Northern District prosecutors have a reputation for interfering with California's legal-cannabis system even when local officials push back. The office famously undertook—and famously lost—a multiyear case against Oakland's Harborside Health Center, perhaps the state's best-known dispensary.
Tse, for his part, spent most of the 2011-12 federal crackdown in California working in the San Francisco District Attorney's Office. The experience likely gave him an understanding of the close working relationship between federal and local authorities—something that might give him pause before bringing cases against locally approved, state-licensed businesses.
On its face, that seems just fine. State-legal cannabis has shrunk the illegal market in the United States, and Braverman may rightly see prosecuting licensed businesses as a surefire way to reinvigorate cartels. But sometimes when you're a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
If Braverman does his homework, he'll see that legalization tends to accomplish those priorities. But if he views legal cannabis as part of the problem, watch out.
Here is the question we ask every time we consider allocating our finite resources to prosecute any of the vast number of federal crimes we can prosecute, from violent crime to immigration crime to opioid crime: Will this prosecution make Colorado safer? … Under the attorney general's new memo, we have more freedom and flexibility to make decisions that make Colorado safer by prosecuting individuals and organizations for marijuana crimes that significantly threaten our community safety.
US attorneys often point to their own district's unique needs when explaining their enforcement priorities, so this doesn't tell us much—although it does suggest Troyer could take action in response to local officials who believe legal cannabis is a threat to public safety, as has happened in past crackdowns.
Unlike some other US attorneys, Frank has spoken out publicly against legalized cannabis in the past. In a 2013 column in The Forecaster newspaper (published after the Cole memo), he wrote that when "there is a conflict between state and federal law, federal law prevails." Maine's state law, which at the time allowed medical use of cannabis, "is not a defense to federal prosecution for manufacturing or distributing marijuana," he wrote.
This is a straightforward rule of law issue. Congress has unambiguously made it a federal crime to cultivate, distribute and/or possess marijuana. As a law enforcement officer in the Executive Branch, it is my sworn responsibility to enforce that law, guided by the Principles of Federal Prosecution. To do that, however, I must proceed on a case-by-case basis, assessing each matter according to those principles and deciding whether to use limited federal resources to pursue it.
This has the noncommittal air of some other US attorneys' statements, but the tone is comparatively harsh. While it doesn't signal a categorical crackdown on cannabis businesses, it certainly suggests the office could bring targeted actions against certain state-legal actors. More worrisome is the relative lack of local pushback to Sessions rescinding the Cole memo. While officials in many other legal states have decried the move, Massachusetts elected officials, many of whom opposed the 2016 ballot question that legalized cannabis, have been relatively quiet.
Interim US Attorney Dayle Elieson was one of 17 interim US attorneys appointed by Sessions last week. Before the appointment, she was an assistant US attorney in Texas, where she focused on fraud, money laundering, and terrorism. As a new arrival to Nevada, she's a relatively unknown quantity, and Nevada officials are eagerly awaiting further guidance from the office.
Nevada's legal cannabis program has strong support from state and local officials, which could help dissuade Elieson from taking a hardline stance legal against legal cannabis while still new to the office. Federal prosecutors tend to work closely with local law enforcement and other partners, and targeting cannabis could risk hurting those relationships.
As an interim US attorney, Elieson's post is only temporary. She'll be able to serve for 120 days before Trump must nominate someone for the position and seek Senate confirmation.
Update, Jan. 12: In a guest article published in the Oregonian newspaper, US Attorney Billy J. Williams wrote that he has "significant concerns about the state's current regulatory framework and the resources allocated to policing marijuana in Oregon." Pointing to evidence of overproduction by cannabis growers, diversion of Oregon cannabis to other states, and potentially negative effects on public health, he says he will be launch a summit to bring together stakeholders and discuss how to proceed.
This summit and the state's response will inform our federal enforcement strategy. How we move forward will depend in large measure on how the state responds to the gaps we have identified. Until then it would be an inappropriate abdication of my duties to issue any blanket proclamations on our marijuana enforcement strategy in light of federal law.
Williams, who became an acting US attorney in 2015 and was nominated by Trump in November to remain in the post, had already expressed concerns with the state's cannabis regulatory system. In an interview with the Associated Press last year, he complained about what he said was insufficient enforcement by the state to prevent cannabis from being illegally exported to states where it's not legal. Stopping diversion to other states was a key piece of the now-rescinded Cole memo.
As noted by Attorney General Sessions, today's memo on marijuana enforcement directs all U.S. Attorneys to use the reasoned exercise of discretion when pursuing prosecutions related to marijuana crimes. We will continue working with our federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners to pursue shared public safety objectives, with an emphasis on stemming the overproduction of marijuana and the diversion of marijuana out of state, dismantling criminal organizations and thwarting violent crime in our communities.
It sounds like Williams might be OK with Oregon's cannabis program when it works, but failures—including things like diversion, violence, or illegal sales to minors—could prompt him to take action. So he's presumably not too pleased with reports like one issued this week by Oregon cannabis regulators that found a number of stores around the state that reportedly sold cannabis to minors.
Washington, DC, is unusual in that it allows individuals to grow, possess, consume, and even give away cannabis but, due to pressure from federal lawmakers, forbids purchases or sales. The laws have led to the emergence of a thriving gray market in which consumers make "donations" or purchase other items and are "gifted" cannabis as part of the transaction. Liu may take a closer look at these businesses—they are, after all, operating in Jeff Sessions' backyard—but it seems unlikely at this point that she'll bring cases against individuals who follow the law.
Interim US Attorney Joseph Harrington was another of the 17 interim US attorneys appointed by Sessions last week. He's a longtime federal prosecutor, with nearly three decades of experience handling the office's criminal division, health care cases, and terrorism matters.
Harrington has said hardly anything about how Sessions' move would affect his office's cannabis enforcement. Immediately following the undoing of the Cole memo, he directed questions directly to the main Justice Department press office in Washington, DC. The Eastern District, nevertheless, has come to be seen as an aggressive enforcer by many in the state's legal cannabis industry. The office sought criminal charges, for example, against a family of medical cannabis patients who became known as the Kettle Falls Five.
Harrington filed a motion in October to put that case on pause, noting that a federal spending provision—which had been adopted three years earlier and halted a blockbuster California case in May 2016—prevented the case from going forward. But that provision, the Rohrabacher–Blumenauer amendment, is set to expire later this month, and it only blocks prosecutions against medical operations. Currently nothing stands in the way of Harrington bringing cases against the state's many adult-use businesses.
This may be the most supportive statement of state-legal cannabis to come out of a US attorney's office in the wake of Sessions' announcement. Read between the lines. Hayes' almost cheeky use of "reiterated" suggests little or nothing has changed in her eyes. Rather than read Sessions' move as a sign the attorney general wants to see more cannabis cases—which, given Sessions' views on cannabis, it almost certainly was—Hayes' comments interpret the memo as an endorsement of local discretion. "Thanks for trusting us to do a good job," the statement seems to say. It's likely that wasn't by accident.
US Attorney Mike Stuart, a Trump appointee whom the Senate confirmed in December 2017, practiced business and tax law before being appointed to his Justice Department post. Since then, he's issued a series of statements suggesting he'd like nothing better than to crack down on his state's medical cannabis program. Most recently, on March 8, he tweeted that his office is "preparing to enforce laws against marijuana aggressively – AGGRESSIVELY." He appeared to be basing his approach on feedback from drug-treatment professionals who claim that cannabis is a gateway drug.
Have visited many treatment facilities. Every single treatment professional – EVERY SINGLE ONE- has told me "Marijuana is a gateway drug." My office is preparing to enforce laws against marijuana aggressively – AGGRESSIVELY.
As of the tweet, however, Stuart's hands are pretty much tied. The congressional Rohrabacher–Blumenauer amendment currently prevents the Justice Department from prosecuting state-compliant medical marijuana patients and providers.
Correction: An earlier version of this story misspelled the name of US Attorney McGregor W. Scott. Leafly regrets the error.
Who decides the prosecution risk? You say the Northern CA district has a reputation for interfering with the industry but say the risk is low when you give no reasoning for that conclusion?
Good question. I decided the prosecution risk. For California's Northern District, I was considering Tse's time at the SF District Attorney's Office, the fact there's been relatively strong pushback from local officials in that district, and the fact Tse doesn't hold a Senate-confirmed post. These prosecution risks are educated guesses and, as I hope I've noted, are based on statements that don't tell us much. Is the prosecution risk "low"? I think it's safe to speculate that it's lower than in the Eastern District, and frankly I don't see a good justification (just yet) for slapping a high-risk label on any district in California.
Also, the Northern District's reputation was earned (in large part) under then-US Attorney Melinda Haag. A lot has happened since then.
This coercion from the Federal level by Conservatives who always tells us that government decisions at the local level are best because they are closet to the people. Short of impeachment, anybody that thinks Sessions won't bring some Federal pressure on AGs to "show some action" is a fool. These clowns are driven by their ideology. What is right or wrong is of little consequence compared to how they "feel". Why would anything not think that Sessions consider MJ a shithole business?
One thing for sure they will be inundated with law suits against the people trying to ruin the states regulations. The state's attorneys general will go tooth and nail against any undue actions by the federal government. The congress may yet make the whole matter moot, by preventing the DOJ from using any money to interfere with legal cannabis. It will not be like the currant rider that prevents the DOJ from doing anything to medical, this one will be a one time thing that doesn't have to be snuck in on an other bill it will be permanent. End of problem, maybe?
Jeff Sessions; His inbreeding is becoming apparent. He has several (if you notice) missing genetic characteristics. Intelligence, not the only one. His distorted, pathetic and demented view of reality is seriously in question. Just another greedy corporate puppet, Big Pharma or Big Oil occasionally dress's him, feeds him and then dangles him in political forum's. His 'Igor' personality would do better in a Dracula movie than public office. Trump's number one Toady. I certainly object to an INBRED KEEBLER ELF being allowed to make decisions that affect or are forced upon me. He should never have been allowed into any position of public responsibility.We should all struggle to remove or reform the Republican Party.
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Keep up to date on the work of the European Alzheimer's Alliance (made up of Members of the European Parliament) and their efforts to ensure that both action is taken at a European level and the debate on dementia kept alive.
19/12/2019 Two new MEPs sign up to the European Alzheimer's Alliance
10/12/2019 Four MEPs represented at the Alzheimer Europe's lunch debate
07/11/2019 MEPs Cláudia Monteiro de Aguiar (Portugal) and Pierfrancesco Majorino (Italy) join the EAA
06/11/2019 Sara Cerdas MEP joins the European Alzheimer's Alliance
15/10/2019 European Alzheimer's Alliance welcomes two new members
21/09/2019 European Alzheimer's Alliance for 2019-2024 parliamentary term launched on World Alzheimer's Day
28/05/2019 New members of the European Alzheimer's Alliance are announced
28/03/2019 European Parliament election candidates pledge to make dementia a priority and to join the European Alzheimer's Alliance
22/02/2019 Members of the European Alzheimer's Alliance reflect on making dementia a European priority
13/02/2019 European Alzheimer's Alliance (EAA) member to host an exhibition on accessibility in the European Parliament
04/12/2018 Members of the European Alzheimer's Alliance participate in AE Lunch Debate
04/09/2018 Ana Miranda MEP joins European Alzheimer's Alliance
31/05/2018 Written parliamentary question from MEP Roberta Metsola on the use of real-world data for medical research
28/03/2018 Deirdre Clune, MEP submits European Parliament Written Question on the Dismantling of the Commission Expert Group on Dementia
21/03/2018 Six European Alzheimer's Alliance members win MEP awards
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THE-A-SCENE
Broadway's ONCE will play Fox Theatre for one night
The musical is based on the 2007 Academy Award-winning film of the same name which was written and directed by John Carney, and starred Glen Hansard and Markéta Irgl
Author: Ryan Dennis
Published: 9:13 PM EDT September 12, 2019
Updated: 9:13 PM EDT September 12, 2019
Broadway fans will be excited to find out that ONCE, a Broadway musical will play at the Fox Theatre for a limited one-night engagement on October 11.
The musical is based on the 2007 Academy Award-winning film of the same name which was written and directed by John Carney, and starred Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, with original music and lyrics by Mr. Hansard and Ms. Irglová.
Featuring an impressive ensemble of actor/musicians who play their own instruments onstage, ONCE tells the enchanting tale of a Dublin street musician who's about to give up on his dream when a beautiful young woman takes a sudden interest in his haunting love songs. As the chemistry between them grows, his music soars to powerful new heights... but their unlikely connection turns out to be deeper and more complex than your everyday romance. It's emotionally captivating and theatrically breathtaking, and ONCE draws you in from the very first note. It's an unforgettable story about going for your dreams... not living in fear... and the power of music to connect all of us. This tour will include the pre-show onstage bar where the performers play random selections each night, and the audience can be on stage and interact with the musicians.
J. Michael Zygo, who performed in the Broadway production as the Emcee, will be recreating the original concept and staging by John Tiffany and original movement by Steven Hoggett.
As an original Broadway and Off-Broadway cast member, he feels a special attachment to the incredible work realized by the original cast and creative team.
Zygo's recent credits include Director of Once at Pittsburgh CLO and Music Director /Associate Choreographer of Once at The Fulton Theatre /Virginia Repertory Theatre.
The cast is led by Jack Gerhard as Guy and Mariah Lotz as Girl. Jack is a recent graduate of Rider University with a BFA in Musical Theatre. Previous regional credits include Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar at the Tibbits Opera House in Coldwater, Michigan. Mariah is also a graduate of Rider University and has premiered in numerous new shows in New York and was part of the Rising Star program at Fifth Avenue Theatre. The ensemble includes Todd Aulwurm (Bank Manager/Cello/Guitar), Carrie Lyn Brandon (Swing), Carlos Castillo (Andrej/Electric Bass/Guitar/Ukulele), Trevor Lindley Craft (Svec/Mandolin/Guitar/Drum Set/Banjo), Richard Daniel (Da/Mandolin), Elleon Dobias (Ex Girlfriend/Violin/Percussion), Emily Gregonis (Reza/Violin), Caleb Hartsfield (Emcee/Guitar), Jody Alan Lee (Swing), Sam Saint Ours (Swing), Jon Patrick Penick (Billy/Guitar/Percussion), Marta Rymer (Swing), Matthew Staley (Eamon/Guitar/Piano/Cajon), Tracy Thomas (Baruska/Accordion/Concertina) and Gianna Winston (Ivonka).
The production features scenic and costume design by Tony Award winner Bob Crowley (Aida, An American in Paris, Carousel, Mary Poppins) with set coordination by BroadwayWorld winner Evan Adamson (Mamma Mia), lighting design by Russell A. Thompson (international tour of The Wizard of Oz, US tours of Million Dollar Quartet, Fiddler on the Roof) and sound design by David Temby (Clearwing Productions/national tour of Memphis).
MORE FROM THE A-SCENE!
Special needs advocate fulfills 'dream job' with CATS at the Fox Theatre
Show must go on: Unafraid of the dark, Broadway performers play the streets in New York power outage
How 'Hamilton: The Exhibition' came to life in Atlanta


These days, people are following a wide array of specific eating regimens and avoiding numerous food allergens, which can making hosting Thanksgiving and other holiday dinners a bit of a challenge. Barilla's Gluten Free Oven Ready Lasagne is made with a delicious blend of corn and rice, which makes it perfect for feeding your gluten-free guests. To cater to the vegetarians at your dinner table, simply skip the meat (or use a plant-based ground meat substitute) and create layers with seasonal vegetables for a tasty and nutritious lasagna that will please the whole family. Wishing you and yours a very happy Thanksgiving!
1. In a pot, bring milk to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, dilute the corn starch with seven tbs.of cold water and whisk into a slurry. Season with salt, nutmeg, paprika and one cup of Parmigiano cheese.
3. In a separate skillet, heat olive oil and sauté all the vegetables over high heat until browned and thoroughly cooked. Season with salt and combine with the "béchamel" sauce you just made.
4. In a 13x9 greased pan, layer ⅙ of the sauce mixture on the bottom of the pan and cover with three lasagna sheets. Repeat the process four more times.
5. Top the last layer of sauce with the remaining cheese, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes at 400°F in the oven.
6.Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes or until perfectly browned on the top. Allow lasagna to set for 20 minutes before serving.