text:
November 30, 2018updated 23 Dec 2019 12:39pm
What is Project Dragonfly, Google's controversial venture?
what is Dragonfly, Google's new project, and will it penetrate The Great Firewall of China?
By Ellen Daniel
Google is reportedly working on a search engine for China. Credit: Cesar Solorzano.
In an open letter, published today on Medium, more than a hundred Google employees have urged the tech giant to halt the development of Project Dragonfly, a controversial plan to bring a censored version of its search engine to China.
Backed by Amnesty International, the letter condemns Dragonfly, warning that it is complicit in China's efforts to "openly expanding its surveillance powers and tools of population control".
But what is Dragonfly, and will it penetrate The Great Firewall of China?
The Great Firewall of China, the moniker given to the county's restrictive internet model, is one of the most extreme examples of online censorship in the world. The authorities are able to block access to certain content, and also monitor individuals' internet use, thanks to more than 60 regulations put in place by the Chinese government.
Covid-19 will have high impact on renewable energy projects: Poll
Falconara Power Plant, Italy
Subiya Emergency Power Plant, Kuwait
It forms part of the country's efforts to protect its values and political ideas. Certain topics, including sex, free speech and anti-communist activity, as well as certain historical events such as the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989, are blocked.
The rules also mean that western social media sites including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube are blocked, although many citizens use VPNs to bypass restrictions.
China's internet model has been widely criticised by human rights organisations as suppressing freedom of expression and being used to silence dissident voices.
What is Project Dragonfly?
Google launched a version of its search engine for China back in 2006, but in 2010 the company made the decision to shut down its site in the country, allegedly in protest of censorship laws. This means that currently, it is not possible to access Google in China without the use of a VPN.
With a population of 1.386 billion, China represents the biggest internet market in the world, a market that is currently out of reach for the largest search engine.
In 2016, Google CEO Sundar Pichai expressed intentions for the company to have a presence in the country once more, saying "Google is for everyone, we want to be in China serving Chinese users."
In August, news site The Intercept reported that leaked documents showed that the company was working on a version of the search engine, under the codename Dragonfly.
The new app would reportedly allow citizens access to a version of Google, but sensitive searches related to topics like religion, democracy and human rights would be blacklisted. Under China's internet laws, Google would also have to hand over access to user data, raising privacy concerns.
Although Google has no commented on the project, the reports have been met with widespread criticism from human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, which criticised the plans as being complicit in the Chinese government's "manipulation of information".
Today's letter echoes this sentiment, warning that not only is Project Dragonfly enabling "censorship and government-directed disinformation", but it could set a dangerous precedent for other nations wishing to adopt a similar internet model.
The letter urges Google to not only abandon Project Dragonfly, but also commit to "transparency, clear communication, and real accountability".
This is not the first time the project has been criticised from those within Google, with hundreds of employees writing to the company in August to speak out against the plans, and many taking part in a protest organised by Amnesty International. However, this has been met with an "unsatisfactory" response from the company's leadership.
Don't be evil?
The company's commitment to its previous motto, "don't be evil", quietly removed from its code of conduct in May this year, has been called into question recently, with widespread reports of the company misusing users' personal data.
Last month, Google employees staged walkouts over allegations of workplace sexual harassment made against made against senior executives.
Another project, known as Project Maven, which provided artificial intelligence to the US Department of Defense was abandoned in June after 3000 employees signed a petition against the project over concerns that the technology could be used in drone strikes.
The letter concluded by casting doubt over the commitment to moral standards the company has been long known for:
"Many of us accepted employment at Google with the company's values in mind, including its previous position on Chinese censorship and surveillance, and an understanding that Google was a company willing to place its values above its profits. After a year of disappointments including Project Maven, Dragonfly, and Google's support for abusers, we no longer believe this is the case."
Read more: Censorship-busting Intra app shows the duplicity of Google
PEKO Precision Products
Contract Manufacturer of Renewable Energy Machinery and Equipment
WEYTEC
High-Tech Solutions for Power Industry
Ellen Daniel
Yahyali RES, Turkey


THIS IS THE LIST OF CLOSINGS & CANCELLATIONS REPORTED DIRECTLY TO US.
WE DO NOT TAKE INFORMATION FROM OTHER SOURCES.
The announcements we place ON-AIR are those that typically affect the most people and are most urgent, such as School Events, Churches, Major Employers and Government Agencies.
Cancellations for groups and organizations that tend to affect fewer people will be posted on our website only…where time and space limitations are not a factor. We encourage our listeners to "call ahead" to their appropriate organization contact to inquire if a meeting or event has been cancelled.
To report your cancellation during traditional business hours (M-F 9a-5p) you may call us at 716-487-1151. We cannot accept any cancellations by email or voice mail. If you believe your business or organization qualifies for our "Emergency Contact Information" outside of our regular business hours please contact Andrew Hill, Director of Operations & Programming. Otherwise, you are welcome to complete the form below to register for 24/7 online access to our closing software which will allow you to manage your postings. Media One Group, LLC reserves the right to choose the cancellations we wish to post online and announce on the air.


The line-up for this year's The Bamboozle has been released, and features a number of bands that are well known within the straight edge community. Alongside mainstream acts like Bon Jovi, Foo Fighters, Blink 182, and Skrillex, the New Jersey festival's 2012 iteration will feature Justin Sane's Anti-Flag, Dan "Soupy" Campbell's The Wonder Years, Trapped Under Ice, and Comeback Kid.
Could a Bon Jovi / Skrillex / Trapped Under Ice collab be far off?
To view the full concert line-up, visit the official site for The Bamboozle.


text:
'It's in complete crisis' – architects form trade union amid fury and despair over exploitation
Low pay, shocking hours and cut-throat competition spell misery in a profession with few safeguards. We meet the young architects who are fighting back
Rebuild the profession … placards created to represent UVW-SAW members' demands. Photograph: UVW-SAW
@ollywainwright
Wed 30 Oct 2019 07.48 EDT
Unpaid overtime, precarious contracts, working hours so antisocial your only friends are people who do the same job … after a minimum of seven years' education and professional training, the reality of working as an architect can be a bleak prospect. It's not hard to see why so many of them wear black, as if in permanent mourning for the lives they once had.
"Spending almost 10 years at uni to be paid £20,000 doesn't seem right," says Joseph, a qualified architect who recently left the award-winning practice he had worked at for five years, to become a (better-paid) technical consultant. "I was getting really fed up with the dysfunctional nature of the profession. It's in complete crisis. Practices are undercutting each other, competing on fees in a race to the bottom, and it's the workers who bear the brunt."
His experience prompted him to get involved with the formation of a new union for architectural workers, remarkably the first time an attempt has been made to unionise the whole sector. The illustrious Royal Institute of British Architects, founded in 1834, mainly exists to promote the profession, while the Architects Registration Board has more of a policing role, regulating conduct. Because of its long history as an exclusive "gentleman's profession", architecture has few safeguards to ensure that workers aren't being exploited in practice. There is still a deeply ingrained culture of architects thinking of their work as a "vocation", and an artistic labour of love, so the long hours and poor remuneration have become an inevitable part of the package. But a new generation, saddled with more debt than ever, has had enough, and thinks the time is ripe for change.
The organising group of new union UVW-SAW this month. Photograph: UVW-SAW
Someone told us they joined a well-known practice and had to work 60 hours' overtime a week. They burnt out and left
"It all started with grumpy chats in the pub after work," says Aska, one of the group who began formulating ideas for the union two years ago. "We realised that the issues of overwork, underpay and instability of employment were so endemic that something had to be done." Together, the group of friends and colleagues launched an 18-month Workers' Inquiry to assess the lie of the land, organising a series of workshops, surveys and meetings to build a picture of labour conditions in architectural practices in the UK.
"Some of the feedback was shocking," says fellow member Jake. "Someone told us they joined a very well-known practice and had to work 60 hours' overtime a week for the first three weeks. Someone else worked every single weekend for four months, then burnt out and left architecture altogether."
Such horror stories are rife. When I worked as an intern for a high-profile firm in Rotterdam, my regular hours were 10am to 2am, seven days a week. As competition deadlines drew nearer, we were discouraged from leaving the office, dusk fading to dawn in a delirious blur of styrofoam models and AutoCAD grids. I left and became a critic.
While architectural internships have been mostly outlawed in the UK, exploitative practices persist. One of the most common findings of the group's inquiry was people being encouraged to opt out of the EU working time directive as part of their employment agreements. The directive, first introduced in 1998 and extended in 2003, provides for a right to work no more than 48 hours per week, with four weeks' paid holiday a year and restrictions on night work. But it is possible to opt out of the directive by signing a declaration – which, the group found, is frequently being included as an extra page in many practice's employment contracts. Many were told they would not get the job unless they signed the clause. Extensive hours of unpaid overtime were also found to be common, with some salaries equating to less than the minimum wage when overtime was factored in. Extended probationary periods were allegedly being used to threaten people into working longer hours, too; some were simply dismissed for leaving on time.
Chained to the desk … extended probations have allegedly been used to threaten workers. Photograph: Chris Sattlberger/Getty Images/Cultura RF
"These are structural problems with the industry," says union member Esma. "It begins at university, with the masochistic studio culture of staying late and courses designed to breed individual competition rather than collaborative working. We're taught to believe architecture is like a religion. We're trying to make it heard that we're actually workers and our rights matter."
There have been previous attempts to unionise architects, most notably in the 1970s, when the radical New Architecture Movement encouraged people to join the technical, administrative and supervisory section of the AUEW engineers' union, but the enthusiasm was short-lived. Marking a departure from previous efforts, the current group's ambitions go beyond just architects alone. "We're open to everyone involved in the production of architecture," says Jake, "from the model-maker to the office cleaner and admin staff, everyone should be united under the same umbrella."
Past attempt to unionise … a women's handbook from the 70s New Architecture Movement. Photograph: UVW-SAW
They have formalised their union as a section of the United Voices of the World (UVW), one of the new breed of grassroots trade unions, supporting policies such as bringing outsourced workers in-house, for groups previously considered "un-unionisable", including cleaners, security staff and sex workers. The legal sector is the latest to join UVW, with paralegals, personal assistants and administrative staff alongside solicitors and barristers, while a branch of culture and design workers was also recently formed. UVW will support the Section of Architectural Workers (UVW-SAW), as the new union is named, with free in-house legal advice, employment law and organiser training, skill-sharing, workplace representation and negotiation, as well as cross-sector experience and campaigns. Membership is between £6 and £10 per month, depending on income.
Officially launched this month, with around 50 members so far, the union has a list of demands focused on regulated working hours, transparent pay structures, stable employment contracts, accountable employers and ethical practice. The organisers are at pains to stress that the union is for the benefit of the architectural profession at large, not just junior low-paid workers. "We're not trying to screw over the bosses," says Joseph. "It's about creating a more sustainable profession that might be able to last another 50 years."
As Jake puts it: "Employers will say that they can only afford to pay low wages because of the low fees they're getting. But the reason they can take on that work at such a low rate is because they're exploiting their workforce. If the workforce was unionised, then it would raise the value of architectural labour overall."
The initiative deserves to gather momentum. For too long, architects have accepted their fate as inevitable; the low pay, long hours and lack of agency seen as part and parcel of their calling. Rather than perpetuating the vicious cycle, by continually undercutting each other and trampling on their employees' rights, it's about time architects came together and recognised the collective value of their labour.
UVW-SAW is now open for membership. The next open meeting is on Monday 4 November in Elizabeth House, Waterloo, London, at 6.30pm.
The RIBA

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


My client is looking for a Senior Mechanical Engineer to join their small, talented R&D team developing products for oil & gas, water and industrial process industries.
Your main role will be the design and specification of valves, seals, hydraulic systems and other components.
You will be taking new products from design/prototype stage all the way through testing phase and finally to production.
In return, my client is offering a competitive base salary as well as a benefits package that includes company pension, death in service insurance and 25 days annual holiday plus public holidays.
If you are interested in this role and believe it would be a good fit, pleased apply with your latest CV for consideration.


Buddy is trained on leash and off leash. He has level three obedience training. Buddy has tons of manners, he is fluent in more than 10 different commands and he executes at a very high standard. He will bark when given the command and if that is not enough of a deterrent, on command he will pursue the threat and subdue the threat until you are able to gain control by calling the police or locating your fire arm. Buddy is not sensitive to gun fire and he will not back down.
Buddy is trained in real life scenarios and not for sport. He is trained to protect at your home, business, car, atm, late night walks/ jogs and so many more scenarios. Buddy is an amazing awesome dog!
The Rottweiler is a medium-large sized breed. They are loyal and natural protectors. They will defend their family fiercely if needed, seemingly immune to pain. We test all of our rottweilers in real life scenarios. Our dogs are the real deal. Our Rotties are calm, confident and courageous.
The Rottweiler is a medium-large sized breed. They are handsome and easy to groom. Typically, individuals are intimidated by this breed. In most cases the dogs presence size and color will be more than enough to deter a criminal.
If you feel that you need to take things further; on command the dog will bark and show its teeth aggressively at the threat. If the criminal is still a persisting threat at this point, on command your dog is trained to pursue the attacker and take him down with bone crushing power.
Our dogs are raised in our home with young children and pets and are very comfortable with just laying around and having a good day. Our dogs are the furthest thing from attack dogs. They are companions first and foremost. They will be calm and relaxed in their home enviorment but very vigiliant when you need them to be. Our dogs love car rides, meeting people, camping, hiking, laying fetch and ofcourse they are huge fans of snacks.
Move quickly dogs like Buddy go sell very fast.


Robin Dover took two days off work and was up at 5 a.m. to prepare for her yard sale.
Tables of antiques, duvets, toys and clothing reached all the way down her Mountain Lane driveway for her Saturday morning sale.
Carol and Donny Spriggs were trying to sell some items before moving to a smaller house. Along with earning some cash, the Spriggs couple hoped to have fewer items to move.
�We�re originally from Illinois, and up there people have garage sales Thursday through Sunday,� Donny Spriggs said.
Dover was hoping to buy an ottoman with the money she earned, and her daughter, Katie Mauney, was earning extra spending money for a beach trip.
Dover usually earns anywhere from $300 to $1,000 in her annual garage sales.


I am having difficult uploading my documents to this site. My credentials will be furnished upon request.
Personal Statement : I am having difficult uploading my documents to this site. My credentials will be furnished upon request.


Virginia Tech athletic director Whit Babcock said Buzz Williams left the Hokies basketball program "a lot better than he found it" and expressed empathy for the team, which learned of Williams' decision to take the same job at Texas A&M in a meeting early Wednesday morning.
Williams, the Hokies' coach for the past five seasons, is a native of Greenville, Texas. He earned his Master's degree at the school and was an assistant coach for the Aggies in 1998-99.
Williams first mentioned the possibility of interest in the Aggies job after the ACC tournament, Babcock said, and the two had discussions about things the school would like to do for the program, but "I think that the pull of Texas, his home state, was pretty strong in the end," Babcock said.
He set no timetable for naming a replacement in a teleconference with reporters and said he does not maintain the proverbial "short list" so many athletic directors are said to have in the event they have to find a new coach.
He also said no search firm would be involved in the process.
Williams inherited a team that had finished last in the Atlantic Coast Conference and guided them to a 100-69 record in his five seasons. The Hokies were 26-9 this past season and went to the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season, both program records. They lost 75-73 to No. 1 overall seed Duke in the Sweet 16.


Quite simply, we design and develop wonderful websites for businesses just like yours! Built to be responsive for all devices, we love to combine beauty and functionality at rather sensible prices!
Our sites are made to last and they'll grow as your business grows. We use a modular approach, which means we can get you online quickly and then upgrade your site in a structured way, when you're ready.
We have plenty of advanced options for service businesses including online booking, live appointments, reviews and reservations to really connect your business to your clients.
Our sites come with a built in content management system. Easily edit text and update images yourself, at no cost and as often as you like.
Tell us about your project and we'll get back to you with suggestions and prices.


5 1/2 x 8 5/8 Hardcover, 1034pp Here`s the machzor that you`ve been waiting for! New clear typeset and easy to follow instructions. Some of the features include: Shaded boxes indicate prayer changes for Shabbat. Instructions for sitting, standing, and other customs. English instructions. Headings identify major prayer sections. All this in a clear new Hebrew typesetting.


The whole curriculum as approved by our Local Governing Body is concerned with the holistic needs of our individual pupils. The school is committed to teaching all of the National Curriculum and has developed a localised curriculum that is embedded in our curriculum plans. Our curriculum aims to develop key skills across a range of subjects to enable effective learning. Hill West is a place 'where Learning is fun and All children succeed'. Our curriculum is stimulating, challenging and enriching with the highest aspirations for pupil's achievement and progress. We enrich the National Curriculum subjects by teaching through cross curricular key questions that are aimed to improve the children's ability to; ask questions, investigate, interrogate information, present and argue whilst developing a range of skills and deep knowledge. Our Curriculum is designed to be flexible to the changing needs of our pupils and wider community. As such it is under a continuous cycle of review and evaluation. As part of this our pupils contribute to curriculum design by informing us how they learn best and what they enjoy learning most. Pupils therefore play a significant part in planning, assessing and recording their personal learning journeys and targets for improvement.
The specific aims of our curriculum include: promoting the very highest standards in Literacy, Numeracy, Science and Computing; allowing children to develop knowledge of themselves as learners; enabling children to acquire knowledge and key skills across the curriculum; promoting spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and in doing so ensuring high levels of involvement and wellbeing; growing children's awareness of the importance of, and participate in, the arts and related cultural themes; growing children's awareness of the importance of the humanities including R.E; preparing pupils well for transition and the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life.
Independent careers advice that inspires and motivates them to fulfil their potential.
In this way we work together to: Equip our children and young people to be happy, talented, confident and ambitious citizens of Birmingham and of the wider world.


text:
Marvel Heroes (video game)
The key art for Marvel Heroes.
Gazillion Entertainment
Secret Identity Studios
Brian Michael Bendis[1]
Unreal Engine 3[2]
Microsoft Windows, OS X
Omega only
Massively multiplayer online role-playing, action role-playing
Marvel Heroes,[3][4] also known as Marvel Heroes 2015, Marvel Heroes 2016 and Marvel Heroes Omega, was a free-to-play massively multiplayer online action role-playing video game developed by Gazillion Entertainment and Secret Identity Studios.[2] Characters such as Iron Man, Captain America, Deadpool and Wolverine were playable characters that could be unlocked in the game. Players who pre-purchased a game pack received early access to the game on May 29, 2013. The game was officially launched on June 4, 2013, on Microsoft Windows. An OS X version followed in November 2014.[5] The game was renamed to Marvel Heroes 2015 on June 4, 2014.[6] The game was renamed Marvel Heroes 2016 in January 2016.
On April 5, 2017, a console version was announced to be in production at the time for both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One that was branded as a free-to-play game under the title Marvel Heroes Omega.[7][8] This version was released on June 30, 2017.[9]
On November 15, 2017, Disney announced that it was ending its relationship with Gazillion Entertainment and that Marvel Heroes would be shut down at the end of 2017.[10] The game and the website for Marvel Heroes were taken offline on November 27, 2017 and Gazillion was shut down.[11][12][13][14]
4.1 Cryptic Studios
4.2 Gazillion Entertainment
Marvel Heroes allowed players to control iconic Marvel Comics heroes. Here Iron Man, Scarlet Witch and Wolverine battle an enemy robot.
The gameplay was an ARPG (action role playing game). Marvel Heroes was free-to-play with micro-transactions used to fund and support the game. Players could unlock most of the things that could be bought via real money with currencies earned in game.
As characters gained levels, they gained a passive stat (statistic) increase for stats that helped that particular character and gain power points, allowing the player to further define the abilities of that character. Each character had three power trees in which they could spend points. Each of the trees generally focused on a certain mechanic or play style, such as the Assault (melee), Firepower (guns), and Demolition (explosives) trees for Punisher, or the Archery (ranged), Fighting (melee), and Trick Arrows (special ranged) trees for Hawkeye. As the character gained levels, the player had access to more skills to spend points on and was able to put more points into existing skills. Each skill had a level cap, so more points could not be put in a skill until a certain level was reached. Each skill had a maximum of 20 power points and a maximum of 50 points could be reached from gear bonuses.
Several updates after launch rebalanced many of the game's systems. Story Mode could be used to fully level any hero, and defensive stats were consolidated and simplified. Players could obtain any playable character using the 'Eternity Splinter' system. These timed drops could be used as currency with Adam Warlock so that players could obtain the heroes they wanted to play (faster than the previous random hero drop system) without spending money. In addition, the splinters could be used to get a random Cosmic item, to upgrade the character's Ultimate ability, or to purchase a Team-Up companion.
The relaunched Marvel Heroes 2015 version of the game was also the first ARPG to feature a raid. In raid encounters, 10 grouped players attacked a series of unique bosses. Each encounter featured a timer and a death limit. Raid encounters allowed players to take on, for example, Surtur and his minions in Muspelheim, and also Red Onslaught in Genosha.
Each location in the game was composed of several "instances" at any one time. This allowed the game to run on one huge virtual server, rather than the game being split into different servers. Many missions took place within smaller instances that would reset if the player left and returned.
This section needs expansion with: Chapters 2-10. You can help by adding to it. (May 2016)
Doctor Doom obtains the Cosmic Cube, and he uses it to incinerate the Watcher. After responding to a theft at Queens, the player travels to the Raft, where Madame Hydra and HYDRA have facilitated a breakout, freeing several superpowered inmates. The player manages to reactivate the security system, lock down the cell blocks, and recapture Green Goblin and Living Laser; however, many villains escape. After the breakout, Madame Hydra meets with Doctor Doom, declaring it a success. Doctor Doom gives Madame Hydra a chip with the ability to exploit a flaw in Tony Stark's security system, after which their transaction ends. After the breakout, Daredevil manages to recapture Rhino in Hell's Kitchen, while the player recaptures Shocker in an abandoned subway. Doctor Octopus tries to steal the Tablet of Life and Time from the Blood Rose nightclub, but he is stopped and recaptured by the player. The heroes temporarily gain possession of the tablet; however, Hood appears through a portal and steals it. The player then travels to Industry City, combating forces from both Advanced Idea Mechanics and Kingpin's Maggia while hunting the Hood. Eventually, Hood is defeated and taken into custody, only to reveal that he has already sold the Tablet to the Hand.
The heroes travel to Madripoor, the Hand's base of operations, and soon discover that HYDRA is also attacking the Hand in an attempt to take the Tablet for themselves. The heroes subdue Madame Viper, culling the HYDRA invasion, and then defeat the Hand's leader, Gorgon and his top assassin, Elektra, reclaiming the tablet. However, upon returning to New York, Kingpin uses his legal connections to force the heroes to return the Tablet to him. Knowing that the Tablet is too powerful to be left in the Kingpin's hands, the heroes work to expose his involvement in illegally smuggling Mutant Growth Hormone into the city. With the help of detective Jean DeWolff, the heroes expose the Kingpin and defeat him, finally securing the Tablet. However, shortly afterwards, the Tablet is again stolen by professional thief Ghost, who delivers it to Doctor Doom.
The heroes are then summoned to the X Mansion by Professor Charles Xavier, who explains that anti-mutant terrorists called the Purifiers have launched a genocidal attack on Mutant Town. The heroes rush to Mutant Town to stop the killings, fighting not only the Purifiers, but also the Reavers, a group of psychotic cyborg mercenaries led by Lady Deathstrike, who has allied herself with the Purifiers due to her grudge against the mutant Wolverine. The heroes fight the Purifiers back to their base in an abandoned trainyard, where they discover that the Purifiers have taken advantage of the Juggernaut's hatred of Xavier in order to trick him into defending their base. The heroes subdue Juggernaut and force the Purifiers to retreat from Mutant Town. Upon returning to the X Mansion, they are contacted by Nick Fury, who reveals that the Purifiers' leader, Reverend William Stryker, is colluding with AIM in order to create an anti-mutant superweapon. The heroes rush to the Purifier main base, Fort Stryker, in order to destroy the superweapon and apprehend Stryker. However, when they arrive, they find that Stryker is already under attack by Magneto and his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants in retaliation for their attack on Mutant Town. Magneto threatens to kill Stryker, but the heroes refuse to let this happen and defeat him. As Stryker is arrested, the heroes discover that he has sold genomes from the mutants his forces captured to Mr. Sinister for an unknown purpose. The heroes track Sinister to the Savage Land, which is under attack by not only Sinister's Mutate army, but also hostile tribesmen under the control of the mutant Sauron and a Brood invasion force. The heroes defeat Sinister, but he manages to escape and deliver a clone of Lucas Bishop to Doctor Doom.
The heroes are then called to the SHIELD Helicarrier, where Nick Fury takes them with ending the threats of AIM and HYDRA. After defeating both MODOK and the Mandarin, Doctor Doom steals one of the Mandarin's rings and reveals his master plan. It was he who originally orchestrated HYDRA's attack on the Raft which led to the mass breakout of super-villains, as well as commissioned Mr Sinister to gather Mutant DNA through the Purifiers to create a clone of Bishop. The purpose of the clone is to create a conduit with which Doom can control the Cosmic Cube, while the super-villain breakout was intended to keep the heroes occupied while he finalizes his plan.
Several supervillains try to prevent the heroes from interfering with Doctor Doom's use of the Cosmic Cube. The villains fail, and the heroes are able to thwart Doom's attempt to gain omnipotence. After stopping Doctor Doom, players may travel across the Bifrost Bridge to Asgard, where Loki has summoned hordes of Dark Elves, Frost Giants, and other monsters in an attempt to seize Asgard's throne while Odin slumbers. The heroes defeat Loki's minions before confronting Loki himself in Odin's throne room where he reveals that he has stolen the power of Doom's Cosmic Cube. Eventually, the heroes defeat him. Before judgement can be passed on Loki, the heroes learn that the dark god Surtur has reforged the Twilight Sword. Surtur plans to use the chaos caused by Loki in order to launch his own invasion of Asgard. The heroes defeat Surtur and his minions in his home dimension of Muspelheim. Odin soon reawakens, enraged at Loki's crimes. Loki claims that he simply wanted to be acknowledged as a hero. As a punishment, Odin decides to trap Loki in an endless time loop covering the events of the game, giving him the opportunity to become a hero.
Shortly after Surtur's defeat, Professor X suddenly goes missing. While investigating his disappearance, the heroes discover that Red Skull has merged with Onslaught, becoming Red Onslaught. Onslaught has launched a genocidal campaign against the sovereign mutant nation of Genosha. In order to combat Red Onslaught, the heroes are forced to enlist the aid of supervillains through the Thunderbolts program, including Magneto and Green Goblin. The heroes and super-villains are able to defeat Red Onslaught and save Genosha, after which the Red Skull is imprisoned and Onslaught is destroyed.
Sometime later, after defeating Ultron's invasion of Manhattan, the heroes are confronted by Doctor Doom. Doom explains that he had been captured by Thanos following his initial defeat. He then reveals that the Skrulls are planning a massive invasion of Earth. The heroes are summoned by Nick Fury to the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, only to discover that the entire base has been infiltrated by Skrulls. After defeating the Skrulls, the heroes meet with S.W.O.R.D., who escort them to the real Nick Fury's base in an abandoned toolshed in Madripoor. From there, the heroes combat Skrull activity throughout the world until discovering that the leader of the invasion, Kl'rt the Super-Skrull, has established his primary base in Madripoor's Hightown. The heroes confront Super-Skrull and defeat him. As he is taken into custody, his ship manages to escape. Thereupon, Super-Skrull exclaims that the heroes should be thankful because its cargo. Sure enough, the ships is revealed to be carrying an Infinity Gem, catching the attention of Thanos.
Marvel Heroes features more than 100 characters from the Marvel Universe. Players can choose from a large and diverse cast of superheroes and villains. Each playable character is a different archetype, either Melee or Ranged with each having unique sets of attributes and talent trees.[15] At the game's release, there were 21 playable characters. As of July 2017, there were 63 playable characters. These characters range from well-known and iconic such as Iron Man and Spider-Man to lesser-known and obscure ones such as Squirrel Girl. Several villains, such as Loki and Venom, also appear as playable characters.
Every player can play all heroes up to level 10, with the exception of the hero most recently added to the game. Players may continue to level up the heroes of their choice by spending an in-game currency called Eternity Splinters or by purchasing them with real money via the game's store. Once a hero is unlocked, they may reach a maximum level of 60, at which point they may access all of the game's content.
Players can also unlock Team-Up characters, a concept based on the Marvel Team-Up comic book series. While these characters are not playable, they may be summoned to act as sidekicks or bodyguards, providing assistance and boosting the playable character. Team-Ups can be acquired using Eternity Splinters or via the game's store.
Costumes to change the character's appearance can be acquired in the game's web store, as drops from enemies, or through crafting. Four costumes (consisting of Iron Man 3-inspired Iron Man armor, a Weapon X outfit for Wolverine, Hulk's future form Maestro, and Spider-Man's black symbiote costume) are exclusive to players who purchased the limited edition character Ultimate Pack for nearly USD$200, under Gazillion's Founder's Program. An "enhanced costume" is an iteration of a playable character, but it is based on a completely different (though usually related) character. For example, Beta Ray Bill is an enhanced costume for Thor; although he has his own unique appearance and voice work, he has the same exact powers, talents and abilities as Thor. On September 9, 2016, the game achieved a Guinness World Record for having the most superhero costumes from the comics in a game.[16] Enhanced costumes may also be an alternate version of a character, in which case they still require additional voice-over work. Examples include Thing's Angir, Breaker of Souls appearance from the Fear Itself storyline and Gambit's appearance as the Horseman of Death.
As of July 1, 2017, the Fantastic Four characters (Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, Thing, and Silver Surfer) and all FF-related alternate costumes for various other characters are no longer available to purchase in the shop.[17] After the announcement of Disney's end contract with Gazillion on November 15, 2017, all character packs which contains the pack exclusive costumes are removed from the online shop but could have been purchased in-game with any player-remaining currencies.
Cryptic Studios[edit]
Marvel Heroes was originally known as Marvel Universe Online and later Marvel Universe. Marvel Universe Online was the original working title of Champions Online. The massively-multiplayer online (MMO) game was developed by Cryptic Studios and was to be published by Microsoft Game Studios for Microsoft Windows using a license from Marvel.[18] The project was changed on February 11, 2008 due to what a Microsoft spokesperson referred to as "an inability to compete" with the current MMO marketplace. Less than a week later, Cryptic Studios announced that development would continue using a new intellectual property license related to Champions, a superhero role playing game.[19]
Confirmation of the project's cancellation arrived on February 11, 2008, although rumors of the possible cancellation had existed since November of the previous year.[20] Shane Kim, the head of Microsoft Games Studios, stated in an interview that the cancellation was primarily due to the competitive market for subscription-based MMOs, and that while one current MMO was successful, "everything else wouldn't meet our level or definition of commercial success".
Gazillion Entertainment[edit]
On March 17, 2009, it was revealed that Gazillion Entertainment had signed an exclusive 10-year deal to develop Marvel Entertainment games, of which Marvel Universe is one. The first title released was Marvel Super Hero Squad Online, which targets younger audiences. Marvel Universe was eventually renamed Marvel Heroes and started being developed as a massively multiplayer online-action role-playing game rather than a massively multiplayer online role-playing game like Cryptic's canceled version of Marvel Universe had been. Gazillion Entertainment has chosen to use Epic Games's Unreal Engine 3, instead of the Unity 3D engine used for Marvel Super Hero Squad Online, with studio director Jeff Lind stating "We love Unreal Engine 3's streaming system. It's made our entire technical approach possible and is easy to work with. We also love the flexibility we get from the actor components, which have empowered us to make all kinds of customizations without sacrificing the built-in features of the engine."[2] During a live stream session David Brevik, the President/CEO of Gazillion, further detailed the game's engine. He noted that while Unreal Engine 3 powers the game's front end visuals and audio, much of the components that make a massively multiplayer game were written using entirely new code that interfaced with Unreal Engine 3.[21]
During development, Gazillion used an internal team of 75 people working for three and a half years, with others assisting with support and marketing. Gazillion has raised more than $80 million to fund the game's development, but it hasn't disclosed exactly how much was spent.[22] In contrast to other MMO developers, Gazillion always planned to use the free-to-play model.
Closure[edit]
David Brevik left Gazillion on January 6, 2016, citing he was pursuing other opportunities.[23] CEO Dave Dohrmann took over as President of Gazillion Entertainment. On October 20, 2017, missed updates became apparent to players when promised releases didn't make the deadline. An annual Halloween event didn't occur during 2017, and a tie-in to the recent Marvel Cinematic Universe movie "Thor: Ragnarok" wasn't made, both of which were promised semi-annual content.[24] Employees, including designers and community representatives, were stepping down as the CEO faced allegations of harassment from co-workers and associates.[25]
On November 15, 2017, Disney announced that it was ending its relationship with Gazillion Entertainment and that Marvel Heroes games would be shut down at the end of the 2017.[10] Around the same day of Disney's announcement concerning Gazillion, Marvel Heroes Omega was removed from the PlayStation Network, but the game server was still playable for those who already downloaded the game from the PSN's online store earlier.[26]
On November 23, it was revealed that Marvel Heroes would instead shut down a month earlier than promised and that all employees of Gazillion have been fired without pay before Thanksgiving, including the termination of all benefits, medical and earned time off.[27] This was due to Gazillion being liquidated by its debtors after Disney pulled their license.[28] On November 27, 2017, the game servers and website were taken offline shortly after 11 A.M. Pacific Time.[29][30] Due to the closure announcement of Marvel Heroes, many players who purchased the game's purchasable content demanded refunds. PlayStation 4 users (particularly non-European users) who purchased the game's purchasable contents in the online store between August 17, 2017 - October 17, 2017 received refunds to their PlayStation Network accounts or on the original payment source automatically, which started on December 5, 2017.[31]
Reception[edit]
Aggregate score
Metacritic PC: 58/100[32]
PC (2015): 81/100[33]
PS4: 83/100[34]
XONE: 68/100[35]
IGN PC: 5.7/10[36]
Marvel Heroes received mixed reviews upon release; on the aggregate review website Metacritic the game attains an overall score of 58 out of 100 based on 38 critic reviews.[32] IGN gave the game a 5.7/10, praising the story but criticizing the combat and limited customization.[36] The game was relaunched later with the title "Marvel Heroes 2015", following various improvements and new content implemented over time. On Metacritic, the game attains a score of 81 out of 100 based on 10 critic reviews.[33] On January 10, 2015, Marvel Heroes 2015 was awarded "Most Improved MMO" by MMORPG.com, as decided by site visitors.[37]
^ "Marvel Universe Written by Bendis". joystiq. 2011-04-29.
^ a b c "Gazillion Supercharges Marvel Heroes With Unreal Engine 3". Marvel.com. 2012-01-18. Retrieved 2012-01-20.
^ Will (2011-12-20). "Marvel Universe MMO Officially Dubbed Marvel Heroes". MMO Site. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
^ Webb, Charles (2011-12-20). "Marvel's MMO Reveals Official Name And New Spider-Man Image". MTV. Archived from the original on 2012-01-19. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
^ "MAC OPEN BETA NOW LIVE!". Retrieved 5 November 2014.
^ Tach, Dave (30 May 2014). "Marvel Heroes 2015 launches June 4, open beta headed to Mac". Polygon. Vox Media. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
^ IGN (5 April 2017). "Marvel Heroes Omega Official Console Announce Trailer" – via YouTube.
^ Xbox (5 April 2017). "Marvel Heroes Omega Announce Trailer" – via YouTube.
^ Marvel Heroes Omega PlayStation 4 and Xbox One Launch Set for June 30
^ a b D'Anastasio, Cecilia. "Disney Shuts Down Marvel Heroes". Kotaku. Retrieved 2017-11-15.
^ O'Brien, Lucy (22 November 2017). "Marvel Heroes Developer Gazillion Reportedly Shut Down, Game to Close Early".
^ "Marvel Heroes Omega is offline on all platforms - VG247". 28 November 2017.
^ Gazillion Has Terminated its Staff and Shutting Down Marvel Heroes on Friday - PlayStation LifeStyle
^ Omega, Marvel Heroes (27 November 2017). "pic.twitter.com/Q12AUQ61c3".
^ "Types of Heroes". Marvel Heroes official website. Retrieved June 13, 2013.
^ "Marvel Heroes 2016 - Timeline | Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2016-10-07.
^ "The Fantastic Four Characters Are Being Removed From Marvel Heroes".
^ "Marvel Entertainment and Cryptic Studios Unveil 'Marvel Universe Online'". Business Wire. 2006-09-27.
^ Tor Thorsen (2008-02-13). "Cryptic bringing Champions Online to PCs, consoles". GameSpot.
^ Fear, Ed (November 15, 2007). "Marvel Universe canned?". Develop.
^ "Marvel Heroes Athene Livestream Preview". Marvel Heroes official website. January 15, 2013. Archived from the original on May 10, 2013. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
^ "After 4 years in development, online game Marvel Heroes debuts | GamesBeat". Venturebeat.com. 2013-06-04. Retrieved 2013-08-28.
^ Futter, Mike. "Diablo Creator David Brevik Steps Down As CEO of Marvel Heroes Studio Gazillion". Game Informer. GameStop Network. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
^ D'Anastasio, Cecilia. "Disney Shuts Down Marvel Heroes". Kotaku. Gizmodo Media Group. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
^ Royce, Bree. "Marvel Heroes studio Gazillion has fallen eerily silent – here's what we know about the sexual misconduct allegations and missed updates". Massively Overpowered. Overpowered Media Group. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
^ "Marvel Heroes shutting down December 31st, already removed on PlayStation 4". Delisted Games. Retrieved 2017-11-16.
^ @marvelheroes. "Official Statement from Gazillion". Twitter. Twitter. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
^ Royce, Bree. "Gazillion is dead and Marvel Heroes is shutting down Friday, not at the end of the year". Massively Overpowered. Overpowered Media Group. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
^ Royce, Bree. "RIP Marvel Heroes". Massively Overpowered. Overpowered Media Group. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
^ @marvelheroes. "Marvel Heroes Omega". Twitter. Twitter. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
^ Olivetti, Justin. "Sony joins Microsoft in giving out Marvel Heroes refunds". Massively Overpowered. Overpowered Media Group. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
^ a b "Marvel Heroes for PC Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
^ a b "Marvel Heroes 2015 for PC Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved October 18, 2014.
^ "Marvel Heroes Omega for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
^ "Marvel Heroes Omega for Xbox One Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
^ a b Karmali, Luke (June 21, 2013). "Marvel Heroes Review". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
^ "General: Player's Choice Round 1 Winners". MMORPG.com. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
Marvel video game crossovers
The Infinity Gauntlet
Comic Combat
Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter
Clash of Super Heroes
2: New Age of Heroes
3: Fate of Two Worlds
3: The Black Order
The Amazing Spider-Man and Captain America in Dr. Doom's Revenge!
Spider-Man and the X-Men in Arcade's Revenge
Marvel Super Heroes In War of the Gems
Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects
X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse
Marvel: Avengers Alliance
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Marvel_Heroes_(video_game)&oldid=923980958"
Role-playing video games
Action role-playing video games
MacOS games
Massively multiplayer online role-playing games
Superhero video games
Unreal Engine games
Video games based on Marvel Comics
Video games scored by Kevin Manthei
Video games developed in the United States
Windows games
Works by Brian Michael Bendis
Products and services discontinued in 2017
Free-to-play video games
Articles using Infobox video game using locally defined parameters
Articles using Wikidata infoboxes with locally defined images
Articles to be expanded from May 2016
Articles using small message boxes
Articles using Video game reviews template in single platform mode


text:
Kazuchika KISE
黄瀬 和哉
Family name (in kanji): 黄瀬
Given name (in kanji): 和哉
Hometown: Osaka, Japan
News: Show: 4 5 43
Made in Abyss and My Hero Academia: Two Heroes Released Monday (Apr 7, 2019)
Pigtails, Kick-Heart and Other Shorts Released in Collection on March 25 (Feb 8, 2019)
Psycho-Pass SS Anime Film Trilogy Reveals More Cast, Staff, Song Info (Oct 27, 2018)
Akihito Tsukushi's Made in Abyss Manga Gets TV Anime (Dec 21, 2016)
Kingdom Hearts' Yoko Shimomura Composes Music for Hirune Hime Anime Film (Jul 18, 2016)
Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie Released Monday (May 7, 2016)
Gundam, GITS Arise and Eccentric Family Released Monday (Nov 29, 2015)
2015 Ghost in the Shell Film's 1st 12 Minutes Streamed (Jun 9, 2015)
2015 Ghost in the Shell Film's Promo Previews New Footage (Mar 20, 2015)
Ghost in the Shell AAA Anime's TV Ad Previews Action (Mar 6, 2015)
Maaya Sakamoto to Perform Ghost in the Shell Arise: Alternative Architecture's Opening Theme (Feb 28, 2015)
2015 Ghost in the Shell Film's 1st Teaser Previews Animation (Jan 8, 2015)
Ghost in the Shell Arise and Blu-ray Kill la Kill Released Monday (Nov 23, 2014)
Ghost in the Shell Arise #4's 1st 9 Minutes Streamed (Aug 29, 2014)
Ghost in the Shell Nyūmon Arise Anime Shorts to Air in January (Dec 25, 2013)
Anime Expo to Host Urotsukidoji Creator Toshio Maeda (Jun 28, 2013)
Neptunia Anime Event Cancelled Due to Man Wielding Object (Updated) (Jun 22, 2013)
Anime Expo to Host Good Smile, Sanzigen, Max Factory Heads (Jun 19, 2013)
Anime Expo Hosts Steins;Gate/Black Rock Shooter Designer huke (Jun 9, 2013)
Anime Expo Hosts Production I.G Founder Mitsuhisa Ishikawa (Jun 7, 2013)
Ghost in the Shell Arise Anime to Launch in 2013 (Update 3) (Jan 15, 2013)
Production I.G Makes Original Anime with Mercedes-Benz (Nov 15, 2012)
Blood-C Film's Long, 'Unpleasant' Promo Streamed (Jun 22, 2012)
Blood-C: The Last Dark Film's 1st 8 Minutes Streamed (May 29, 2012)
Blood-C: The Last Dark Film's 4th Intro Video Streamed (May 16, 2012)
Blood-C: The Last Dark Film's 3rd Intro Video Streamed (May 6, 2012)
Blood-C: The Last Dark Film's 2nd Intro Video Streamed (Apr 23, 2012)
Blood-C: The Last Dark Film's Web-Only Trailer Streamed (Apr 22, 2012)
Blood-C: The Last Dark Film's 1st Intro Video Streamed (Apr 9, 2012)
Blood-C: The Last Dark Anime Film's New Trailer Posted (Apr 2, 2012)
Blood-C: The Last Dark Anime Film's Trailer Streamed (Dec 2, 2011)
Blood-C 's Promo Streamed, Premiere Date Announced (May 18, 2011)
CLAMP's Blood-C to Be Made as Both TV Series & Film (Apr 8, 2011)
Young Animators, High School Debut Promos Streamed (Feb 4, 2011)
4 Anime Selected for Young Animator Training Project (Jun 16, 2010)
Mamoru Oshii's Musashi Samurai Film Posts 2nd Trailer (May 26, 2009)
Mamoru Oshii's Musashi Samurai Film Trailers Streamed (May 17, 2009)
Musashi: The Dream of the Last Samurai English Trailer Posted (Mar 18, 2009)
New xxxHOLiC, Tsubasa DVD Trailers Posted (Feb 10, 2009)
Mamoru Oshii's Musashi Samurai Film Teaser Streamed (Dec 12, 2008)
Oshii Develops, Writes Musashi Miyamoto Samurai Film (Update 2) (Oct 14, 2008)
New Anime From Production I.G (May 20, 2004)
Blood: The Last Vampire contest at Akadot (Aug 15, 2001)
Other articles: Show: 0 2
Buried Treasure - Heroic Legend of Arslan (Part 1) (Dec 13, 2007)
Interview with Ageha Ohkawa and Mitsuhisa Ishikawa (Mar 2, 2006)
801 T.T.S. Airbats (OAV) : Key Animation (ep 3)
Ai Monogatari (OAV) : Key Animation (Those Were the Days)
Angelic Layer (TV) : Key Animation (ED 2)
Aoki Ryūsei SPT Layzner (OAV) : Key Animation (ep 3)
Aoki Ryūsei SPT Layzner (TV) : Key Animation (Anime R; 6 episodes
eps 7, 14, 19, 24, 29, 36
Armor Hunter Mellowlink (OAV) : Key Animation (ep 3)
Assemble Insert (OAV) : Key Animation (ep 2)
B: The Beginning (ONA) : Storyboard (ep 7), Key Animation (ep 7)
Bakuen Campus Guardress (OAV) : Character Design, Chief Animation Director (ep 2), Animation Director (eps 1, 3-4), Key Animation (ep 4)
Bakusō Kyōdai Let's & Go!! Max (TV) : Key-animation (OP), Opening Animation
Big Windup! (TV) : Key Animation (OP 1)
Black Jack (OAV) : Key Animation (ep 9)
Black Jack: The Two Doctors Of Darkness (movie) : Key Animation (Production I.G)
Black Magic M-66 (OAV) : Key Animation (Anime R)
Blood+ (TV) : Animation Director (OP; ep 40), Key Animation (ep 9)
Blood-C (TV) : Animation Director (OP; ep 1 asst), Animation Character Design, Key Animation (ep 9)
Blood-C: The Last Dark (movie) : Character Design, Chief Animation Director, Animation Director
Blood: The Last Vampire (movie) : Animation Director, Character Setting
Blue Seed (TV) : Character Design, Animation Director (eps 1-2, 6, 22), Animation (OP), Key Animation (eps 1, 15, 22)
Blue Spring Ride (TV) : Animation Director (eps 8, 12), Key Animation (ep 8)
Boruto: Naruto the Movie : Key Animation
Bronze: Zetsuai Since 1989 (OAV) : Character Design, Animation Director, Key Animation
Bungaku Shōjo (movie) : Animation Director
Captain Tsubasa (TV) : In-Between Animation (ep 26), Key Animation (ep 26)
(Le) Chevalier D'Eon (TV) : Key Animation (ep 18)
Chinpui (TV) : Animation Director (ep 10), Key Animation (ep 8)
Choriki Robo Galatt (TV) : Key Animation
City Hunter (TV) : Key Animation (6 episodes
City Hunter 2 (TV) : Animation Director (5 episodes
eps 7, 13, 18, 25, 32
) , Key Animation (7 episodes
eps 1, 6, 13, 18, 25, 36, 41
Darkside Blues (movie) : Key Animation
Den-noh Coil (TV) : Key Animation (ep 11)
Dirty Pair (OAV) : Key Animation (eps 5, 9)
Dirty Pair (TV) : Key Animation (eps 13, 16, 25)
Dirty Pair: From Lovely Angels with Love (OAV) : Key Animation (ep 1)
Dominion Tank Police (OAV) : Key Animation
Dream Hunter Rem (OAV) : Key Animation (ep 1)
Eden of the East: Paradise Lost (movie) : Animation Director
Eiji (OAV) : Key Animation
Ellcia (OAV) : Animation Director (ep 3), Key Animation (ep 1)
Escaflowne: The Movie : Key Animation
Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone (movie) : Animation Director, Key Animation
Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance (movie) : Key Animation
Everyday is Sunday (OAV) : Character Design, Chief Animation Director (ep 3), Animation Director (eps 1-3), Key Animation (eps 2-3)
Figures of Happiness (OAV) : Animation Director
Gakusaver (OAV) : Key Animation (ep 2)
Genki Bakuhatsu Ganbaruger (TV) : Animation Director (ep 36)
Ghost in the Shell (movie) : Key Animation, Key Animation Supervisor, Layout
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence (movie) : Animation Supervisor, Key Animation
Ghost in the Shell: Arise (OAV) : Chief Director, Director (ep 3), Storyboard (ep 3), Character Design, Chief Animation Director (ep 3), Animation Director (ep 3), Assistant Animation Director (ep 4), Key Animation (eps 1, 3-4)
Ghost in the Shell: Arise Alternative Architecture (TV) : Chief Director, Character Design
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex: Solid State Society (movie) : Key Animation
Ghost In The Shell: The New Movie : Chief Director, Character Design, Key Animation
Ginga Hyōryū Vifam (TV) : In-Between Animation (eps 34, 40, 44)
Ginga Hyōryū Vifam: "Kate no Kioku" Namida no Dakkai Sakusen!! (OAV) : Key Animation
Giovanni's Island (movie) : Key Animation
Girl from Phantasia (OAV) : Character Design, Animation Director
Goku II - Midnight Eye (OAV) : Key Animation
Gosenzo-sama Banbanzai! (OAV) : Key Animation (ep 6)
Haikyu!! (TV) : Animation Director (eps 23-24)
Hajime no Ippo Rising (TV) : Key Animation (ep 20)
Halo Legends (OAV) : Character Design (The Duel)
Hana Kappa (TV) : Ending Animation
Heavy Metal L-Gaim (TV) : Key Animation (ep 34)
(The) Heroic Legend of Arslan (OAV) : Animation Director (ep 1), Key Animation
Hikari no Densetsu (TV) : Key Animation (eps 4, 8, 13)
Idaten Jump (TV) : Key Animation (OP)
(The) Irresponsible Captain Tylor (TV) : Animation Director (ep 4)
Jin-Roh - The Wolf Brigade (movie) : Weapon Design
Joker Game (TV) : Storyboard (ep 5), Episode Director (ep 5), Animation Director (ep 5), Key Animation (eps 5, 10, 12)
Kick-Heart (movie) : Pro-Wrestling Consultant
Kimi ni Todoke 2nd Season (TV) : Key Animation (ep 6)
(The) King of Fighters: Another Day (ONA) : Animation Character Design Cooperation, Assistant Animation Director (eps 1-4)
Kuroko's Basketball (TV) : Storyboard (OP2), Episode Director (OP2), Key Animation (OP2)
Ladies versus Butlers! (TV) : Key Animation (ep 10)
(The) Legend of the Dog Warriors: The Hakkenden (OAV) : Key Animation (ep 4)
(The) Legend of the Galactic Heroes (OAV) : Character Design (Original Guest Character Design; eps 3, 12), Animation Director (4 episodes
eps 3, 9, 12, 18
), Guest Character Design (eps 3, 12)
(The) Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These (TV) : Design
Legendary Armor Samurai Troopers (TV) : Animation Director (5 episodes
), Key Animation (Studio Mu; ep 1)
A Letter to Momo (movie) : Key Animation
Made in Abyss (movies) : Character Design
Made in Abyss (TV) : Character Design, Animation Director (ep 1)
Made in Abyss: Fukaki Tamashii no Reimei (movie) : Character Design
Maroko (movie) : Key Animation
Martian Successor Nadesico (TV) : Animation (Gekigangar 3; ep 16), Key Animation (ep 26)
Martian Successor Nadesico: The Motion Picture - Prince of Darkness : Key Animation
Mass Effect: Paragon Lost (movie) : Storyboard
Miru Tights (ONA) : Key Animation (ep 9)
Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (TV) : Key Animation (4 episodes
eps 20, 24, 27, 34
Moshidora (TV) : Key Animation (ep 9)
Musashi: The Dream of the Last Samurai (movie) : Animation Director
Nadia - The Secret of Blue Water (TV) : Key Animation (ep 5)
Napping Princess (movie) : Unit Director, Chief Animation Director
Neo Ranga (TV) : Key Animation (OP 1)
Neon Genesis Evangelion (TV) : Animation Director (eps 13, 18), Design Assistant (ep 13), Setting Assistance (ep 13)
Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth (movie) : Character Animation Director, Setting Design
Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion (movie) : Character Animation Director (ep 25), Set-Up Design
New Dream Hunter Rem: The Knights Around Her Bed (OAV) : Key Animation
Noblesse: Awakening (OAV) : Key Animation, Key Animation Supervisor
Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror (movie) : Design Supervisor (Haruka)
Orange (TV) : Key Animation (OP)
Otogi Zoshi (TV) : Character Design, Chief Animation Director, Animation Supervisor (ep 16), Key Animation (ep 14)
Otohime Connection (OAV) : Key Animation
Paranoia Agent (TV) : Key Animation (ep 8)
Patlabor 2: The Movie : Animation Director
Patlabor The Mobile Police (OAV 1/1988) : Animation Director (eps 1, 3, 5), Key Animation (ep 1)
Patlabor WXIII (movie 3) : Key Animation Supervisor
Patlabor: The Movie : Animation Director, Key Animation
Phantom of the Kill -Zero Kara no Hangyaku- (special) : Assistant Animation Director
Plawres Sanshiro (TV) : In-Between Animation (ep 31)
Pokémon the Movie: Black - Victini and Reshiram : Animation Director, Key Animation
Pokémon the Movie: Kyurem VS. The Sword of Justice : Key Animation
Prologue of Blame! (OAV) : Layout
Psycho Armor Govarian (TV) : In-Between Animation
Psycho-Pass: Sinners of the System (movies) : Animation Director (Case 3)
Reideen (TV) : Animation Director (3 episodes
eps 6 asst, 16, 19
), Key Animation (OP; eps 2, 16, 26)
Robin Hood (TV) : Key Animation (ep 9)
Roujin Z (movie) : Key Animation
Rurouni Kenshin (TV) : Key Animation (ep 26)
Ryoko's Case File (TV) : Animation Director (OP), Key Animation (OP)
Sakura Wars: The Movie : Animation Director
Sands of Destruction (TV) : Key Animation (ED)
Seikima II Humane Society - Jinruiai ni Michita Shakai (OAV) : Character Design, Animation Director
Sengoku Basara - Samurai Kings (TV 2) : Key Animation (OP; ep 7)
Sengoku Basara - Samurai Kings: The Last Party (movie) : Animation Director, Key Animation
Shining Hearts (TV) : Key Animation (ep 12)
Showa Aho Zhoshi Akanuke Ichiban! (TV) : Key Animation
(The) Sky Crawlers (movie) : Key Animation
Sol Bianca (OAV) : Key Animation (ep 1)
Sorcerer Hunters (TV) : Key Animation (ep 1)
Space Battleship Yamato Resurrection (movie) : Key Animation
Spring and Chaos (movie) : Key Animation
Sukeban Deka (OAV) : Key Animation (ep 1)
Tales from Earthsea (movie) : Key Animation
Tales of the Abyss (TV) : Key Animation (OP)
Tales of Vesperia: The First Strike (movie) : Animation Director, Key Animation
Talking Head (hybrid movie) : Key Animation
Tansuwarashi (movie) : Director, Original Concept, Character Design, Key Animation (all for ED)
Teki wa Kaizoku: Neko no Kyōen (OAV) : Key Animation (ep 4)
Tenkū Senki Shurato (TV) : Animation Director (ep 35), Key Animation (5 episodes
Tistou Midori no Oyayubi (movie) : Animation Director
Twinkle Heart - Gingakei made Todokanai (OAV) : Mechanical animation Director
Uchū Senkan Yamato 2199: Hoshi-Meguru Hakobune (movie) : Animation Director
Urashiman (TV) : In-Between Animation
Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (movie) : Key Animation
Vampiyan Kids (TV) : Animation Director (OP; ep 1)
Video Girl Ai (OAV) : Animation Director (eps 2, 4, 6), Key Animation (eps 2, 4)
(The) Vision of Escaflowne (TV) : Key Animation (5 episodes
Voogie's Angel (OAV) : Key Animation (ep 3)
(The) Weathering Continent (movie) : Animation Director, Key Animation
xxxHOLiC (TV) : Character Design, Animation Director (OP, ED 1), Key Animation (OP, all for ED 2)
xxxHOLiC the Movie: A Midsummer Night's Dream : Character Design, Animation Director
xxxHOLiC: Kei (TV) : Character Design, Chief Animation Director, Animation Director (OP, ED; eps 3, 12), Key Animation (ep 12)
xxxHOLiC: Rō (OAV) : Character Design, Chief Animation Director
xxxHOLiC: Rō Adayume (OAV) : Character Design, Chief Animation Director
xxxHOLiC: Shunmuki (OAV) : Character Design
Yagami-kun's Family Affairs (OAV) : Character Design, Animation Director (eps 1-3), Key Animation (eps 1-2)
Yondemasu yo, Azazel-san (OAV) : Key Animation (ep 2)
Yotoden (OAV) : Key Animation (ep 3)
your name. (movie) : Animation Director
Yuyushiki (TV) : End Card Illustration (ep 7), Key Animation (ep 12)
Zillion (TV) : Character Design (Studio Mu; eps 23, 28), Animation Director (Studio Mu; eps 23, 28), Key Animation (Studio Mu; 6 episodes
eps 4, 8, 13, 18, 23, 28
Zillion: Burning Night (OAV) : Animation Director, Key Animation
cloudflare ray# 4f86124173f9c1ca-IAD


Hayleys PLC's acquisition of a controlling stake in Singer (Sri Lanka) PLC (Singer, A-(lka)/Stable) is neutral for Singer's rating. This move helps Hayleys' balance sheet to be stretched significantly following the completion of the Singer acquisition despite Hayleys' stronger business risk profile, Fitch Ratings agency said.
The purchase is likely to be largely funded by debt and existing cash. In Fitch's view, this is likely to limit Hayleys' ability to provide extraordinary support to Singer if required, especially given the size of Singer's own balance sheet and its significant debt.
There will not be additional pressure for higher dividend up streaming from Singer to its new parent as Singer's average dividend payout has been above 60% in the past, which is materially higher than what we have seen with most of Hayleys' subsidiaries, Fitch Ratings said.


Jessica crossed the official finish line at 1.53pm and was greeted by her excited parents, Julie and Roger. There was a flotilla of well-wishers, support crew and other spectator boats that joined Jessica as she made her way through the harbour.
Jessica was supported by Jesse Martin and Mike Perham whom had jumped aboard to take control of Ella's Pink Lady, this allowed Jessica to prepare herself for the intense welcoming that she was about to receive.
• Jessica was 16 years, 362 days old when she completed her epic voyage.
Well done Jessica, truly inspirational!
Interested in free maritime newsclippings? Please visit the Maasmond Maritime website and register for free!


MapleStory Survey II, Notice About Recent Bannings, 2x EXP!
Ahaha! This explains a lot! The above video was uploaded earlier today on Nexon America's official YouTube page. It shows the the company's staff dancing to Baauer's "Harlem Shake." Enjoy!


text:
Q: onStop being called after onDestroy? I've encountered a rather strange issue with Activity lifecycle.
Short prequel:
The first symptom that I've found is that it crashed with IllegalArgumentException when I was trying to unregister receiver in onStop after registering it in onStart.
After dumping the full list of active receivers (some reflection magic), I've found that my receiver is not the list. It was either being removed somewhere else by mistake, or it was removed during onDestroy call of Activity where Context is being cleaned (during onDestroy ActivityThread calls ContextImpl#performFinalCleanup, which then calls LoadedApk#removeContextRegistrations).
What is happening?
After adding some more analytics info to the crash, I found out that while the crash is happening in onStop, the Activity is in a pretty weird state - it's isDestroyed() call returns true, it's isFinishing() returns false, and it's getLifecycle().getCurrentState() returns DESTROYED...
Checking normal onStop() (without crash) call shows that the Activity is in this state:
isDestroyed() is false, and getLifecycle().getCurrentState() is CREATED in onStop.
So I drew the conclusion that onStop is being called after onDestroy, which I thought is impossible, but it seems to happen.
And onStop is definitely not being called manually by something else in the app, since this is the stack trace of where the onStop is called from.
com.myapp.TheActivity.onStop (TheActivity.java:217)
android.app.Instrumentation.callActivityOnStop (Instrumentation.java:1474)
android.app.Activity.performStop (Activity.java:8189)
android.app.ActivityThread.callActivityOnStop (ActivityThread.java:4994)
android.app.ActivityThread.performStopActivityInner (ActivityThread.java:4967)
android.app.ActivityThread.handleStopActivity (ActivityThread.java:5047)
android.app.servertransaction.TransactionExecutor.performLifecycleSequence (TransactionExecutor.java:233)
android.app.servertransaction.TransactionExecutor.cycleToPath (TransactionExecutor.java:201)
android.app.servertransaction.TransactionExecutor.executeLifecycleState (TransactionExecutor.java:173)
android.app.servertransaction.TransactionExecutor.execute (TransactionExecutor.java:97)
android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage (ActivityThread.java:2220)
android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage (Handler.java:107)
android.os.Looper.loop (Looper.java:237)
android.app.ActivityThread.main (ActivityThread.java:8016)
java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke (Method.java)
com.android.internal.os.RuntimeInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run (RuntimeInit.java:493)
com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main (ZygoteInit.java:1076)

A: The reason is unclear, but, it is getting more and more attention recently. And it happens in both onResume/onPause and onStart/onStop pairs to call register/unregister. About those lifeCycle checks, make sure you have on Instance of the activity with hashCode() or something. Anyway, to fix the issue the best practice is to wrap register/unregister calls in try/catch block:
private void registerBroadcastReceiver() {
    try {
        appUpdateReceiver = new AppUpdateReceiver();
        registerReceiver(appUpdateReceiver, appUpdateIntentFilter);
    } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
        // already registered
    }

}

private void unregisterBroadcastReceiver() {
    try {
        unregisterReceiver(appUpdateReceiver);
    } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
        // already unregistered
    }
}

A: I am not entirely sure why that happens in the first place, but I've encountered something similar on one of the Xiaomi devices that did not happen on any of the emulators (or my device), but happened on somebody else's phone. onStop() was called 5 seconds after the app was moved to background, but onPause() was called immediately. More weird issue, if in between these 5 seconds, I open the app from task manager, onStart() was called. (Notice the 2 onStart() calls but not a singular onStop() call.) I think it would have been possible if the activity was destroyed, onDestroy() would be called before onStop(). As an alternative, you might try to move the receiver registration calls to onResume() and onPause() instead of onStart() and onStop().
Second: I don't exactly use lifecycle of the activity when it comes to checking resumed or paused state, but I'd suggest overriding all of those methods (onPause, onResume etc...), storing the state on boolean variables and logging the state while checking the actual calls. Maybe that will result in a different state since this is a pretty unusual check.
If it does not happen on other activities, in that activity, maybe something is posting so many callbacks to the main message looper that prevents onStop() from getting called in the first place because of the overflow, causing this exception to happen. These are only assumptions, of course, but I'd be grateful if they helped in a way.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
5mins Five killed in Russian hotel after boiling water floods basement
44mins Watch | Retail inflation at 5-year high of 7.3% in India
50mins CAA protest: Opposition pushing women to the front to malign India, says Yogi Adityanath
55mins UN's decarbonisation target for shipping to cost over $1 trillion - study
56mins Virat Kohli greatest ODI player of all-time, Rohit Sharma in top-five: Aaron Finch
1hr Australian Open: Naomi Osaka fires back at social media troll after winning round one
1hr WhatsApp faces outage in India, Twitter abuzz
1hr Hyderabad, Bengaluru top two most dynamic cities globally in list of 130: JLL
Training wall planned on mouth of Cooum to check deposits of silt
CHENNAI, January 08, 2020 01:07 IST
On average, nearly ₹1.5 crore is spent every year to remove sand bars from the river's mouth using heavy machinery.
Cooum River
River's minimal flow not enough to prevent blockage by formation of sand bars
In a bid to minimise sand bar formation on the Cooum river mouth and ensure smooth tidal action, the Water Resources Department has proposed to construct a training wall, a structure to direct the river flow, at the mouth.
The river only has minimal flow for the most part in a year and that is insufficient to reduce blockage by sand bars. Moreover, the presence of the Chennai Harbour also leads to rapid sedimentation at the river's mouth, according to officials of the WRD.
The Department has submitted a ₹70-crore proposal to the State to build a training wall perpendicular to the sea for sustainable opening of the river mouth. On an average, nearly ₹1.5 crore is being spent to remove the sand bars every year.
Avoiding inundation
It is essential for at least two-third of the river mouth, which is nearly 150 m wide, to remain open for free flow of water and reduce inundation in the areas along the river. Though machinery is involved in dredging the mouth to clear sedimentation, it often gets clogged with sand deposits. The project will help decrease maintenance cost and also drain floodwater without any hindrance during monsoons, said officials.
Recalling that several measures were taken in the past to keep the river mouth open, WRD officials said this included construction of a regulator during the 1970s. However, it stopped functioning after some years. Groynes were constructed on the southern and northern sides of the mouth about two decades ago as one of the solutions.
The coastline also faces sea erosion during a minimum of three months in a year due to the littoral drift. However, the stretch near Marina beach is slowly expanding due to the groynes provided near the river mouth. The new structure will be built without disturbing the groynes already laid and will also help coastal protection, officials added.
Related Topics Cities Chennai Puducherry
Previous Story Auroville's art expo kicks off on Jan. 11
Next Story No plan to hike power tariff in 2020, says official
Printable version | Jan 20, 2020 12:01:47 PM | https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/puducherry/training-wall-planned-on-mouth-of-cooum-to-check-deposits-of-silt/article30507368.ece
AIADMK flays Kiran Bedi for disrespecting Assembly resolution
AIADMK floor leader A. Anbalagan said that the Chief Minister should resign and the Lieutenant Governor should be recalled
Next Story » No plan to hike power tariff in 2020, says official


Vertical swing away, height adjustable footrests.
56cm / 22" pneumatic tyre, rear Mag wheels with steel hand rims.
15cm / 6" front solid tyre swivel castors.
Nylon cord upholstered seat and back-flame retardant.
Designed for children / young adults.
Progressive and parking braking system.
Seat height 46cm / 18"
Seat depth 33cm / 13"
Seat width 35.5cm / 14"
Seat to footrest 30-39cm /12-15"
Elevating leg rests 20-28cm / 8-11"


All Categories - Superior West Electric - Your Vancouver Electrician !
My house has a 110V/220V electrical service. I have a motor that says its rated for 220V. Can I use it at my work shop that has a 3 phase 120/208V electrical service?
Yes. 208V is a standard three phase voltage. The 220V rating of the motor allows it to be used in both a 240V single phase system as well as 208V system. You will not have quite as much power as you would when you were using it at home which provided you with a 120V/240V service but will likely not notice the difference. By the way 208V will actually give you a measured voltage probably closer to 210V-215V.


text:
Central Park, New York City, NY
Home » Statistical Information » Venues » Venues In New York (NY) » Central Park, New York City, NY
Central Park is an urban park in Manhattan, New York City. It is located between the Upper West Side and Upper East Side, roughly bounded by Fifth Avenue on the east, Central Park West (Eighth Avenue) on the west, Central Park South (59th Street) on the south, and Central Park North (110th Street) on the north. Central Park is the most visited urban park in the United States, with 40 million visitors in 2013, and one of the most filmed locations in the world. In terms of area, Central Park is the fifth-largest park in New York City, covering 843 acres (341 ha).
Bethesda Fountain Terrace, New York City, NY
Wollman Rink, New York City, NY
Wollman Skating Rink Theater (The), New York City, NY
Wollman Theater (The), New York City, NY
1982-06-12 Central Park, New York City, NY
1974-08-03 Wollman Skating Rink Theater (The), New York City, NY
2018-09-07 Bethesda Fountain Terrace, New York City, NY
{"module":"wiki\/image\/FlickrGalleryModule","params":{"userName":"brucebase wiki","sort":"date-posted-desc","tagMode":"all","perPage":"50","tags":"+location,+newyorkcity,centralpark,bethesdafountainterrace,wollmanskatingrinktheater,wollmantheater,wollmanrink"}}
centralparkcpinfonewyorkcitynewyork(ny)usavenue


Please call Eli at 770-773-5330 or Matt at 678-457-8571 for interior access.
You choose... tear-down, build new around 2,400 sqft, or add sqft to the existing house. East Atlanta was recently awarded the "Curbed Cup Neighborhood of the Year" by Curbed Atlanta and your beautiful renovation or new build is only a 2 minute drive from East Atlanta Village!
Only available to cash or hard money buyers who can close quickly. End buyer pays both A to B and B to C closing costs. A $3,000 deposit, proof of funds and/or pre-qualification letter from hard money lender is required to secure the property. The $3,000 deposit is only refundable if clear title cannot be delivered. Property sold AS-IS with no disclosures. Please do not re-post property online or on social media.
PS... Ask us about our investor-focused post-renovation home listing program that includes a direct marketing campaign paid for buy us and aimed at generating off-market leads exclusively for you.
Eli Rose (AGENTS LICENSE #372357) is a party to this transaction and he is a licensed Georgia real estate agent with Buy n Sell, Inc. (H-65988). Any and all information provided to you is done so strictly for informational purposes. Eli Rose and/or Buy n Sell, Inc. DO NOT represent you in any capacity whatsoever.


Two of Chris Reecer's oil paintings have been selected for the TAC Impromptu Invitational at the Fort Worth Community Arts Center. This exhibit will include other artist members of the TAC (Texas Art Coalition) who's art is selected through a curatorial process by local arts professionals. He will be attending the artist reception Friday, July 6.
small faces and V8 24×48 2500.
femme qui monte 24×48 2500.


You love stickers. You have since you were little and peeled them off your bananas to stick onto your chest.
Go ahead. No shame, baby. We all love stickers.
We've got two lovely variations–one with The Clanky Lincolns stovepipe hat logo, and one with your boy Abe.


text:
Tag: Support
January 14, 2020 Crypto Bit News Staff
Cryptocurrency exchange Binance has made its first direct investment in a South Korean startup. According to an exclusive report by CoinDesk Korea, Binance has taken a 500 million won ($432,000) stake in BxB, a Korean fintech firm that launched a Korean won stablecoin last year. Alongside the investment, the two firms have inked an agreement that will see BxB support Binance in operating a new support center for local users of Binance.com, the exchange's international platform. The investment was made, not through the exchange's incubator arm Binance Labs, but directly…
Bitcoin price (BTC) closed the week at $8,180 representing an 11% gain for the week after struggling to break the resistance at $7,600 for most of November and December. The price is down around 1% on Monday but the bulls have retained the $8K handle. Total market cap excluding Bitcoin was up 12.5% last week meaning that altcoins are starting to gain some market share from Bitcoin, which is impressive given BTC's impressive week and counter to the general downtrend that has been in place since summer. Cryptocurrency market 24-hour…
Binance Coin (BNB) Price Bound To Surge Unless This Support Gives Way
Binance coin price started a downside correction from well above $15.00 against the USDT. BNB price is now approaching a strong buy zone, which is likely to stage another rally. Binance coin price is trading below the $15.00 and $14.80 pivot levels against the USDT. Bitcoin started a major downside correction and declined below $8,000. There is an ascending channel forming with support near $14.00 on the 4-hours chart of the BNB/USDT pair (data source from Binance). The price is likely to start another rally unless there is a close…
Ethereum Price Diving: Can Bulls Save This Key Support?
Ethereum extended its decline below the $140 support versus the US Dollar, while bitcoin dived below $8,000. ETH bulls must protect the $135 support to start a decent recovery. Ether price failed to recover and declined further below $140 against the US Dollar. The price is currently approaching the main $135 support and pivot area. There is a new connecting bearish trend line forming with resistance near $138 on the hourly chart of ETH/USD (data feed via Kraken). The pair could decline heavily if it fails to stay above the…
January 8, 2020 Crypto Bit News Staff
Major cryptocurrency exchange Binance added support for Australian dollars (AUD) and Thai baht. Binance announced support for the national currencies in separate releases on Jan. 7. Thai digital asset exchange Satang Corporation will process Thai baht transfers, while Australian dollar transfers will be facilitated by Banxa, a company specialized in internationally compliant fiat-to-crypto gateways. Satang's fiat processing service is integrated into Binance's trading platform by means of a recently launched application programming interface that allows users to deposit and withdraw baht directly to their accounts. Satang CEO and co-founder Poramin…
Major cryptocurrency lending company BlockFi has added support for two new assets to its list of supported digital currencies. According to a press release shared with Cointelegraph on Jan. 8, the firm has added major altcoin Litecoin (LTC) and USD Coin (USDC) — the dollar-backed stablecoin from major United States-based cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase. The new additions mean that BlockFi users can now trade and receive loans as well as interest with the aforementioned cryptocurrencies. Clients can earn monthly compounding interest through the BlockFi Interest Account (BIA). USDC carries an annual…
Kelly Loeffler, former CEO at the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE)-backed crypto trading platform Bakkt, has been sworn into the United States Senate. In a Jan. 6 tweet, Loeffler announced that she was sworn into the U.S. Senate by Mike Pence, the Senate's chief officer, to become Georgia's newest Senator. Loeffler casts first vote to support Trump's pickto lead the Small Business Administration In the announcement, Loeffler said that she had already cast her first vote to support U.S. President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Small Business Administration, an autonomous U.S.…
Bitcoin Price Falls Below $7K But Bears Yet to Break Key Support Level
Today, Bitcoin (BTC) price abruptly dropped below the $7,100 support, declining 3.35% to rest near $6,900. For the past few days, Bitcoin price traded between $7,300 and $7,100, testing the $7,100 and $7,050 support multiple times. Therefore, for many traders, it was no surprise when the price fell below $7,100 as frequent retests of support weaken it. BTC USD 6-hour chart. Source: TradingView It's likely that traders anticipate a bounce at $6,800 and many will watch to see if the $7,100 support flips to a point of resistance. On the…
Bitcoin to Boom after Markets Run Out of Fed Support
The US central bank's effort to expand its balance sheet through a pseudo-quantitative easing program could prompt bitcoin to pursue its next bull run. Since October, the Federal Reserve has been buying $60 billion worth of T-bills every month. Moreover, the organization is purchasing another $20 billion in MBS and TSY maturity investments, alongside tens of billions in overnight repos. That has led the Fed's balance sheet to explode by over $400 billion in about four months. But that is still not quantitative easing (QE), according to an assertive Fed…
Binance Will Support Newly Announced Ethereum Muir Glacier Upgrade
December 30, 2019 Crypto Bit News Staff
Major cryptocurrency exchange Binance will suspend Ether (ETH) deposits and withdrawals to support the recently announced Ethereum network Muir Glacier upgrade. In a Dec. 30 blog post, Binance said that deposits and withdrawals will be suspended on the platform prior to the Ethereum network block height of 9,200,000 selected to execute the upgrade. Ether trading will not be affected While ETH trading will not be affected during the upgrade, deposits and withdrawals will be reopened once Binance deems the upgraded network to be stable. Binance noted that it will not…


After all the mice agreed to put a bell on their enemy the cat, none could answer the only important question: Who`s going to tie the knot?
Instead of belling a cat, Rachford and his associates at the affluent south suburban high school are now trying to tie a knot in the tail of the vicious tiger called drugs.
Last week, on the night that President Bush urged all Americans to enlist in a national war against narcotics, the Homewood-Flossmoor school board adopted a policy to test student athletes for substance abuse.
The president proposed spending $7.9 billion in an all-out crusade, but almost as soon as he did, questions were raised about where the money would come from, how it would be spent and who should spend it. It was the same for Homewood-Flossmoor, which quickly faced myriad, complex questions about its own drug policy-for example, who`s going to pay for it.
And it is a theme that will undoubtedly be repeated time and again as the nation, as well as its communities, schools and businesses, decide battlefront strategies and tactics in this war against drugs.
acknowledged Homewood-Flossmoor Principal Charles Smith.
Late Tuesday, the school board voted 5-2 to adopt a three-paragraph statement calling for random drug testing. It stipulates that students who want to participate in sports must sign consent forms agreeing to the tests. Their parents also must sign.
Now, the board must answer these and other questions: How will the athletes be chosen for testing, how many tests will be given and how frequently, who will pay for them, what will be done when drugs are found and who will be told, will counseling play a role, and what about liquor and steroids?
And what will be done in the event of legal action, or when an athlete questions the accuracy of such testing?
Homewood-Flossmoor, a school of 2,100 students, sends more than 75 percent of its graduates to college, Rachford said. Last year, the school`s ACT college-entrance exam scores averaged fourth best in Illinois.
Rachford insists no tax money will be used to underwrite the drug tests, which will cost about $20 each. So where will the funding come from? ''We`re going to ask anyone and everyone for money,'' he said.
One possibility, Rachford said, would be to use the money generated by this year`s $1 increase in the price of admission to school sporting events.
''That would give us around $12,500 to start with,'' he said.
But money is not the real issue, according to Smith.
''Right now, we don`t know any details, and I don`t expect to have any or all the questions answered by the time the board meets again,'' he said.
Smith had urged the board to adopt a voluntary drug testing program that would include all students involved in extra-curricular activities.
Such a plan, approved by the board in August but drastically amended Tuesday, would have encompassed everyone from football players to trombone players in the band, as well as members of the chess club or debating squad.
The board is now studying a three-page, single-spaced proposal based on procedures used by two high schools in Tippecanoe County, Ind., that have been upheld in the courts.
Under this plan, a random selection would be made every other week, of 10 athletes out of every 100. These 10 would provide urine specimens to be tested at a nearby hospital. If the results are positive, parents would be notified and the student kicked off the team for the rest of that season.
Rachford hopes the board can agree to a plan at its next meeting, Sept. 19, and then implement the plan in time for the winter sports season. Smith considers that unlikely. ''There are just too many basic questions that still must be ironed out,'' he said.
Among other things, the board must decide whether it`s worthwhile to test for alcohol and steroids. Alcohol usually leaves the bloodstream within four to eight hours, and the test for steroids could involve blood testing that would raise the cost to nearly $200, according to athletic director Ken Schultz.
Smith said that some coaches also think that kicking an athlete off the team is too harsh a penalty, and that athletes should be given a second chance.
And no one has even discussed the possibility of an inaccurate test result.
''These are things that cannot be worked out in two weeks,'' said Smith.
There still could be a suit filed by a student who claims that the consent form is a violation of civil rights. ''I guess there always is a possibility the consent form could be litigated,'' said Rachford.
Both Harrison and McCutcheon high schools near Lafayette, Ind., have had random drug-testing programs in place since the start of the school year on Aug. 22. ''We`ve had 46 students tested, and all were negative,'' said Jake Burton, athletic director at McCutcheon.
But how legitimate is that zero-for-46 count? Burton isn`t sure.
Possibly, the school has only a minor drug problem, he said, or maybe the random tests have hit the ''wrong people.'' Of course, it`s equally possible the athletes have actually stopped taking drugs for fear of being caught.


Miles of gorgeous beaches with powdery white sand and brilliant, warm blue water. Top-rated resorts and golf courses. The Dominican Republic has all of these things, but so do other Caribbean islands. What makes the Dominican Republic really stand out for a family beach vacation?
We absolutely fell in love with the Dominican people. From the hotel staff to paddleboarding instructors to drivers, the level of genuine warmth toward tourists is astounding. Friendly people at every turn enhance a vacation experience.
When you are going away for just a week, the length of time it takes to get there makes a difference. The Dominican Republic has seven international airports, and at least two of them have regular flights to/from major U.S. hubs. Even travel from the West Coast felt easy; our trip was long, but only involved one seamless change of planes in Atlanta. Californians don't go to the Caribbean — we have Hawaii, which is much closer. But I'd go back to the Dominican Republic again in a heartbeat.
The driving distance between the Punta Cana airport and the area's accommodations, such as Puntacana Resort and Eden Roc Cap Cana, is short. You can rent a car but you don't really need to, which is also nice perk from a budget and hassle standpoint.
The island has a huge array of accommodation options, from all-inclusive resorts loaded with activities for every age and stage, to a more independent-feeling apart-hotel setup like that we experienced at Sublime Samana.
We stayed at three properties (Eden Roc Cap Cana, Puntacana Resort and Sublime Samana) in one week. Although that's extreme, it's definitely not unreasonable to pair two different Dominican Republic experiences. In fact, I'd recommend this as a way to craft a rich family beach vacation and take advantage of the variety of experiences within a relatively small geographic area.
The extensive resort complexes, such as Puntacana Resort and Cap Cana Resort (home of Eden Roc Cap Cana), offer every possible resort amenity in a clean, beautiful and protected environment. Meanwhile, I loved the lush, rugged landscape of the Dominican Republic's Atlantic Coast, which has no consequential development at all.
Between the different resorts and home rental options, there's something in the Dominican Republic for every budget. One thing I really liked about Puntacana Resort is that guests can stay at a more value-oriented property such as the Westin, but still use the top-ranked golf courses and the heavenly Six Senses Spa within the same complex. This lets families prioritize where they want to spend money, yet still easily access amenities at different quality and price points.
Head to the official website for the Dominican Republic for a great overview and more information.
Editor's Note: The Dominican Republic tourist board provided some financial assistance for our trip. As always, our opinions are our own on Ciao Bambino. Photos by Amie O'Shaughnessy.
I never thought bring my kids here. This sounds like a great getaway for the whole family! This trip sounds like a great time to take my son out golfing as well. Thanks for sharing this!
Both Puntacana Resort and Eden Roc Cap Cana are on the higher priced side. And westin is not much cheaper. You have more budget and kid friendly hotels now, for example Melia, or new built Nickelodeon which is like a dream come true for kids, everything from Dora the Explorer to Sponge Bob.
I never had a chance to stay in Sublime, but if you have a chance try to stay few nights at Cayo Levantado on Samana, it's nothing less than fantastic.