text:
Q: Inflated view has no height I am implementing an expandable recyclerview adapter in my app, everything is working perfectly except my expandable adapter has a gridview in it, in the gridview am am putting images, but it seems the expandable adapter is not being given height, when I predefine the height everything is working perfectly but I do not want to predefine it, I want it to wrap content here is my code
My Adapter XML
<FrameLayout
style="@style/commonListItemStyle"
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:background="@drawable/bg_swipe_item_neutral">

<FrameLayout
    android:id="@+id/container"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:clickable="true"
    android:foreground="?attr/selectableItemBackground">

<GridView
    android:id="@+id/expanded_grid"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:layout_gravity="center"
    android:drawSelectorOnTop="true"
    android:background="#ecf0f1"
    android:numColumns="4"
    android:horizontalSpacing="3dp"
    android:verticalSpacing="3dp"
    android:listSelector="?android:attr/selectableItemBackground"

    />

</FrameLayout>

my Adapter code
public class ExpandableCategoryAdapter extends ExpandableRecyclerAdapter<CategoryParentViewHolder, CategoryChildViewHolder> {
/**
 * Primary constructor. Sets up {@link #mParentItemList} and {@link #mItemList}.
 * <p>
 * Changes to {@link #mParentItemList} should be made through add/remove methods in
 * {@link ExpandableRecyclerAdapter}
 *
 * @param parentItemList List of all {@link ParentListItem} objects to be
 *                       displayed in the RecyclerView that this
 *                       adapter is linked to
 */
private LayoutInflater mInflater;
private ImageInternalFetcher mImageFetcher;
private Context context;
public ExpandableCategoryAdapter(Context context, ArrayList<ParentListItem> parentItemList) {
    super(parentItemList);
    this.context = context;
    mInflater = LayoutInflater.from(context);
    mImageFetcher = new ImageInternalFetcher(context, 300);
}

@Override
public CategoryParentViewHolder onCreateParentViewHolder(ViewGroup parentViewGroup) {
    View view = mInflater.inflate(R.layout.parent_category, parentViewGroup, false);
    return new CategoryParentViewHolder(view);
}

@Override
public CategoryChildViewHolder onCreateChildViewHolder(ViewGroup childViewGroup) {
    View view = mInflater.inflate(R.layout.preview_child, childViewGroup, false);
    return new CategoryChildViewHolder(view);
}

@Override
public void onBindParentViewHolder(CategoryParentViewHolder parentViewHolder, int position, ParentListItem parentListItem) {
    ExpandableCategoryItem item = (ExpandableCategoryItem) parentListItem;
    parentViewHolder.mCrimeTitleTextView.setText(item.getmDescription());
}

@Override
public void onBindChildViewHolder(CategoryChildViewHolder childViewHolder, int position, Object childListItem) {
    ChildItem data = (ChildItem) childListItem;
    ImageGalleryAdapter adapter = new ImageGalleryAdapter(context);

    if(data.getImgUri() != null) {
        for (String item : data.getImgUri()) {
            try {
                adapter.add(new ImageObject(Uri.parse(item)));
            }catch (Exception e)
            {
                e.printStackTrace();
            }
        }

        childViewHolder.gridView.setAdapter(adapter);

    }

}

class ViewHolder {

    ImageObject mImage;
    ImageView mThumbnail;
}

public class ImageGalleryAdapter extends ArrayAdapter<ImageObject> {

    public ImageGalleryAdapter(Context context) {
        super(context, 0);
    }

    @Override
    public View getView(int position, View convertView, ViewGroup parent) {
        ViewHolder holder;
        if (convertView == null) {
            convertView = LayoutInflater.from(getContext()).inflate(R.layout.adapter_grid_expanded, null);
            holder = new ViewHolder();
            holder.mThumbnail = (ImageView) convertView.findViewById(R.id.pp__thumbnail_image);
            convertView.setTag(holder);
        } else {
            holder = (ViewHolder) convertView.getTag();
        }

        ImageObject image = getItem(position);

        if (holder.mImage == null || !holder.mImage.equals(image)) {
            mImageFetcher.loadImage(image.getImagePath(), holder.mThumbnail);
            holder.mImage = image;
        }
        return convertView;
    }
}

Layout containing Recycler
     <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
   <android.support.design.widget.CoordinatorLayout
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:id="@+id/parentCord"
android:background="@drawable/repeatinggiftly"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:fitsSystemWindows="true">

<android.support.design.widget.AppBarLayout
    android:id="@+id/appbar"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="192dp"
    android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
    android:theme="@style/ThemeOverlay.AppCompat.Dark.ActionBar">

    <android.support.design.widget.CollapsingToolbarLayout
        android:id="@+id/collapsing_toolbar"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
        app:expandedTitleMarginEnd="64dp"
        app:contentScrim="@color/google_lightblue"
        app:expandedTitleMarginStart="48dp"
        app:layout_scrollFlags="scroll|exitUntilCollapsed">

        <FrameLayout
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="match_parent">
        <ImageView
            android:id="@+id/header"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="match_parent"
            android:background="@drawable/clothes"
            android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
            app:layout_scrollFlags="scroll|enterAlways"
            android:scaleType="centerCrop"
            app:layout_collapseMode="parallax" />
            <View
                android:layout_width="match_parent"
                android:layout_height="match_parent"
                android:background="@drawable/actionbar_gradient_dark" />
        </FrameLayout>
        <android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar
            android:id="@+id/anim_toolbar"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="?attr/actionBarSize"
            app:layout_collapseMode="pin"
            app:popupTheme="@style/ThemeOverlay.AppCompat.Light" />

    </android.support.design.widget.CollapsingToolbarLayout>

  </android.support.design.widget.AppBarLayout>

 <android.support.design.widget.CoordinatorLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:id="@+id/recyclerParent"
android:paddingLeft="10dp"
android:paddingRight="10dp"

app:layout_behavior="@string/appbar_scrolling_view_behavior"
android:background="@android:color/transparent">

<android.support.v7.widget.CardView
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:background="#FFFFFF"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:foreground="?android:attr/selectableItemBackground"
    app:cardCornerRadius="4dp"
    app:cardElevation="2dp"
    app:cardPreventCornerOverlap="true"
    app:cardUseCompatPadding="true"
    android:id="@+id/relativeLayou">

<android.support.v7.widget.RecyclerView
    android:id="@+id/scrollableview"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:background="#FFFFFF"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
   />
</android.support.v7.widget.CardView>

 </android.support.design.widget.CoordinatorLayout>
<android.support.design.widget.FloatingActionButton
    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:layout_margin="@dimen/fab_margin"
    android:clickable="true"
    android:id="@+id/fabAddItem"
    android:src="@drawable/ic_action_add"
    app:backgroundTint="@color/accent"
    app:layout_anchor="@+id/appbar"
    app:layout_anchorGravity="bottom|right|end" />

  </android.support.design.widget.CoordinatorLayout>


text:
Carbon Based Lifeforms top 20 songs
World Of Sleepers
Gryning
Right Where It Ends
Central Plain
Supersede
Euphotic
Polyrytmi
Behind The Corner
Somewhere In Russia
Carbon Based Lifeforms biography
Carbon Based Lifeforms (also known as CBL) is an electronic music duo made up of Johannes Hedberg and Daniel Segerstad (born Ringström), both born in 1976 and based in Göteborg, Sweden. They met at the age of 15 and are still working together, almost 20 years later. CBL itself was formed in 1996, as an offshoot from other projects, but soon became their focal point, culminating in their first release on mp3.com in 1998. It is hard to categorise CBL's music but the best description might be that of a groundbreaking mixture of acid, techno and trance music. The term acid/ambient has also been coined. CBL signed with the celebrated Lyon-based Ultimae Records in 2002 and have since released five full-length albums (Hydroponic Garden in 2003, World of Sleepers in 2006, Interloper in 2010, VLA and Twentythree in 2011) and an EP (Irdial in 2008). All releases have been extraordinarily well received by connoisseurs within the ambient scene. Additionally they have actively participated in successful collaborations with several artists, including Magnus Birgersson of Solar Fields in a project to compose the music for the Swedish dancer Olof Persson's "Fusion" performance in 1999. Johannes often creates the building blocks of sounds and harmonies and could tweak sounds forever, whereas Daniel develops the rhythms and sculpts the ideas into tracks. It remains unclear which of them derives the greatest pleasure from manipulating the distinctive, squelching sounds of the Roland TB-303. Through this synergy of ideas, their aim is to combine earth and space in their music. Daniel and Johannes use the combination of nature and technology as the main inspiration for their work. They like to represent both the positive and negative effects that this collaboration can lead to, including the negative impact that incorrect technology can have on the environment. The genius of CBL's music is that it suits any occasion. Their creativity occasionally spills over into what become 'new' projects. The results can be enjoyed by listening to releases from Thermostatic and Digidroid, as well as Daniel's own SYNC24, which is the result of sudden impulses of inspiration, giving room for his personal reflections. The music often seems to reflect the natural landscape of its land of inception; indeed if you listen to "Photosynthesis" on the World of Sleepers album then you find yourself feeling genuine concern for the forests. Given the source of the quotation in the song, perhaps this is the point. If so, it's a damned good one and epitomizes the aim of the group in pricking the conscience when it comes to something as critical as the environment. Official site: http://carbonbasedlifeforms.net/ Bancamp: http://ultimae.bandcamp.com/
The Offspring - Track 6
Cake - Cake - I Will Survive
Pharell Williams - Happy Shock
Maurice Ravel - Ravel: Bolero
The Offspring - You Gonna Go Far, Kid
Ravel - Bolero
Raf - Non È Mai Un Errore
Pan - 11 The-Devils-Pan-Flute-Unmastered Cw8
Dire Straits - Sultans Of Swing
Eminem - Superman
Eminem - The Way I Am
Thefatrat - Monody (Ft. Laura Brehm)
Air Supply - Goodbye
The Green - Dave Macisaac / From The Archives
Air Supply - Chances
Air Supply - Air Supply - All By Myself
Air Supply - Love Is All
Air Supply - All Out Of Love
Keith Fullerton Whitman

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
using System;
using DiscUtils.Streams;

namespace DiscUtils.Ext
{
    internal class ExtentHeader : IByteArraySerializable
    {
        public const ushort HeaderMagic = 0xf30a;
        public ushort Depth;
        public ushort Entries;
        public uint Generation;

        public ushort Magic;
        public ushort MaxEntries;

        public int Size
        {
            get { return 12; }
        }

        public int ReadFrom(byte[] buffer, int offset)
        {
            Magic = EndianUtilities.ToUInt16LittleEndian(buffer, offset + 0);
            Entries = EndianUtilities.ToUInt16LittleEndian(buffer, offset + 2);
            MaxEntries = EndianUtilities.ToUInt16LittleEndian(buffer, offset + 4);
            Depth = EndianUtilities.ToUInt16LittleEndian(buffer, offset + 6);
            Generation = EndianUtilities.ToUInt32LittleEndian(buffer, offset + 8);
            return 12;
        }

        public void WriteTo(byte[] buffer, int offset)
        {
            throw new NotImplementedException();
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Home Forums > The Zoo > Reptile News >
Andrew Clifford pledges $1m towards feral cat eradication
Discussion in 'Reptile News' started by Flaviemys purvisi, Jun 13, 2018.
Flaviemys purvisi Very Well-Known Member
GREG BEARUP
John Woinarski, from the Threatened Species Hub, said "cats kill more than one million birds, more than one million reptiles, and more than one million mammals in Australia every day". Picture: Fredy Mercay
A Sydney businessman and his wife have pledged $1 million for research into feral cat eradication in a move that will kickstart work on the development of genetically modified cats.
Andrew Clifford, chief investment officer at Platinum Asset Management, and his wife, Jane, have pledged to match Australian Wildlife Conservancy dollar for dollar, up to $1m, to raise money for feral cat research.
The Australian recently revealed that AWC had signed an agreement with the CSIRO to develop a genetically modified cat and some of the money the Cliffords will donate will go towards developing this technology.
Feral cats are voracious hunters of native birds, reptiles and mammals and have hunted many native mammals to the point of extinction.
John Woinarski, from the Threatened Species Hub, said "cats kill more than one million birds, more than one million reptiles, and more than one million mammals in Australia every day".
The idea behind the CSIRO project is to breed genetically engineered cats that produce only male offspring.
These cats would be released across the continent and within a number of generations this gene would spread through the population and feral cats would breed themselves out of existence.
Mr Clifford said he had been a supporter of AWC for more than a decade and had seen first-hand how destructive cats had been on our native mammals. The population of species such as the mala (rufous hare-wallaby) and the numbat used to number many hundreds of millions; they now exist in small pockets only, with their numbers reduced to a few hundred.
"You go out and see some of these animals and you think, 'There are only 150 of these still living'," Mr Clifford said.
"Things are very much on the edge (for many of our native mammals)."
He said he was happy to see his money used to develop a genetically modified cat.
"AWC are doing a lot to create large, fenced, feral-free reserves," he said, "but the longer-term goal is how we deal with feral cats outside the fences.
"This gene-drive technology really stands out as the one area where over a longer period of time we might have a real breakthrough with feral cats."
AWC chief executive Atticus Fleming said his organisation would launch a major campaign today in an attempt to raise at least $1m before the end of the financial year to match the donation made by the Cliffords, and he urged people to go to the AWC website and donate.
Some of the money would be spent to investigate mapping and sequencing the sex genomes of cats.
It would also go towards studies on feral cat ecology, looking at how they breed in the wild and how the kittens disperse.
Flaviemys purvisi, Jun 13, 2018
Ropey likes this.


text:
Q: how can i download the video and convert it to play in videoview using parse? video gets stored in parse.
public void uvideo(View v) throws FileNotFoundException, IOException
    {

         File f = new File("/sdcard/Sample.3gp");
         byte[] videoUp=new byte[576600];
            videoUp = IOUtils.toByteArray( new FileInputStream(f));

             files = new ParseFile("testVideo1", videoUp);

             files.saveInBackground(new SaveCallback() {

                 public void done(ParseException e) {
                      if(e==null) {
                          // SUCCESS!!!
                      } else {
                          e.printStackTrace();
                      }
                  }

             }, new ProgressCallback() {

             public void done(Integer percentDone) {

             System.out.println("Progress :" + percentDone);
              }
             });

    }

    // this code doesnt't work
    public void recievev(View c)
    {
        jobApplications = new ParseObject("Testvideo");
        jobApplications.put("applicantName", "Joe Smith");
        jobApplications.put("applicantResumevideo", files);
        jobApplications.saveInBackground();
        ParseUser.enableAutomaticUser();
        ParseACL defaultACL = new ParseACL();
       // If you would like all objects to be private by default, remove this line.
        defaultACL.setPublicReadAccess(true);
        ParseACL.setDefaultACL(defaultACL, true);

    }

      // this code doesnt't work
    public void rvideo(View c)
    {

       ParseFile applicantResume = (ParseFile)jobApplications.get("applicantResumevideo");
        applicantResume.getDataInBackground(new GetDataCallback() {
          public void done(byte[] data, ParseException e) {
            if (e == null) {
              // data has the bytes for the resume

             String strFile = Base64.encodeToString(data, Base64.NO_WRAP);
              try
              {
                BufferedReader br=new BufferedReader(new FileReader(strFile));
                BufferedWriter bw = new BufferedWriter(new FileWriter("/sdcard/s.3pg"));
                String line=br.readLine();
                String dt="";
                while(line != null)
                {
                 //System.out.println(line);
                dt = dt+"\n"+line;
                line = br.readLine();
                 }
                   br.close();
                   bw.write(dt);
                   bw.close();

               }
               catch (FileNotFoundException e1) {
                // TODO Auto-generated catch block
                e1.printStackTrace();
            }
                //Bitmap bMap = BitmapFactory.decodeByteArray(data, 0, data.length);
                catch (IOException e1) {
                // TODO Auto-generated catch block
                e1.printStackTrace();
            }

            } else {
              // something went wrong
            }
          }
        });
       dvideo();
    }
      // this code doesnt't work because video doesn't get download
    public void dvideo()
    {
         VideoView v = (VideoView) findViewById(R.id.videoView1);
         Uri u=Uri.parse("/sdcard/S.3gp");
         v.setVideoURI(u);
         v.start();

    }

video gets played in browser when I click on video stored in parse, it gets downloaded to downloads folder and I can play in any media player.
How to download video from parse and store it in parse and play in video view?

A: You are going to need to use a media controller. I came across this same problem before. Here is an example. i being the variable for the ParseObject you retrieved in your query. This code was written in C# for Xamarin for Android though. It can be easily converted just lowercasing some these letters.
var videoVar = i.Get<ParseFile> ("video");
                        string videoUrl = videoVar.Url.ToString ();

 VideoView video = FindViewById <VideoView> (Resource.Id.videoView);

            var uri = Android.Net.Uri.Parse (videoUrl);
            video.SetVideoURI (uri);
            MediaController mc = new MediaController (this);

            video.SetMediaController (mc);
            video.RequestFocus ();
            mc.Show ();
            video.Start ();

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


In the United States over 50% of the adult population consumes coffee. Teas, hot chocolates and ciders are also enjoyed by many but with all these drinks there is a window where the temperature of the beverage is not too hot, is not too cold. Scientific AmeriKen explore this zone in greater detail and identify how long it last, how long to microwave to get there and several other aspects to this "window of perfection".
12 ounces of refridgerator cooled water (~11 ºC) was microwaved in individual trials where time was increased 30 second per trial and temperature was immediately assessed with an alcohol thermometer.
12 ounces of water was microwaved in a Scientific AmeriKen official mug for 2 minutes. Water temperature was measured with an alcohol thermometer and water was qualitatively assessed for enjoy-ability at 5 degree intervals.
12 ounces of water was microwaved in either a Scientific AmeriKen official mug or pride and prejudice artsy mug and declining temperature was assessed at 1 minute intervals.
Our data show the decline of temperature to be fairly consistant as seen in the two trials with the Scientific AmeriKen (SA) mug (Figure below on left). It was also seen that the type of mug can influence the temperature loss curve as the pride and prejudice (P&P) mug lost heat at a faster rate. Sampling of the liquid at various temperatures identified an optimal temperature for drinking between 45-55 ºC (Indicated green on figure below and left). The water stayed in this range for 18 minutes (SA Mug) and 12 minutes (P&P Mug). Analysis of the microwave heating of water found there was a general increase of ~0.5 ºC / second that slowed as the temperature approached the boiling point (Figure below on right). Optimal temperature was reached after 90 seconds of microwaving.
This study has reached several intriguing data points including the window of optimal beverage temperature is about 15 minutes depending on the container. It is also important to note that overheating in the microwave can have deleterious results - as in one trial it took 20 minutes for the beverage to cool enough to be enjoyable. This study also provides a model to test many aspects affecting beverage temperature including whether the type of beverage has an effect, the volume of the liquid, and even as some have speculated, the color of the beverage. Finally, and of equal or even greater importance, this experiment has demonstrated the effectiveness, durability and superior functionality of the Scientific AmeriKen mug – available from the Scientific AmeriKen Online store today!
Click here to visit Science Chat Forum to discuss this experiment!


The 2018 Matthews Rosé was crafted using Cabernet Franc from vineyards in Washington State, in the Columbia Valley and Walla Walla Valley AVAs. The fruit was harvested between September 13th and 17th, arrived to the winery in the cool early morning and was destemmed and macerated for 12-18 hours before pressing. The Rosé was fermented and aged in stainless steel for 4 months before being bottled and released.
"The 2018 Matthews Rose is another beautiful new wine by the talented Aryn Morell. The wine opens with a bright bouquet of red cherry, ripe kiwi, guava and suggestions of wild mushroom. The palate reveals a kiss of sweetness and a wonderfully soft texture. Red currant jelly, ripe strawberry and cran-orange flavors round out this awesome new Rose. Drink 2019-2025."
A complex nose of chamomile, watermelon and rose water. Hints of dried pineapple, nectarine and spice cut through a background of tangerine and white flowers. Silky and fresh, with ethereal texture carrying macerated citrus and stone fruits. Exceedingly drinkable.


text:
Former Imperial Steakhouse, El Vallarta Building Sold Today
The former Imperial Steakhouse building has been sold.
Bruce and Cindy Hild of Neligh closed on the 116 E. 4th St. property this morning.
Mr. Hild said the building, which most recently housed the El Vallarta Mexican Restaurant, will be converted back into a steakhouse and lounge. It will be reopen with the name, Imperial II.
"It will be turned back into a steakhouse like the Imperial used to be, and the other side will be a sports lounge with TVs in the bar area," he said. "The artwork on the walls (inside and out) will be changed to look more like the old Imperial did."
Hild said the Imperial II will open as soon as the cosmetic changes can be made to the building. He said the original steakhouse opened for business in the winter of 1964. The Hilds purchased the property from Doug and Gloria Dennis of Neligh.
"So it will be 50 years later, if it opens about the same time," Hild said.
He said food will be served in the restaurant and lounge areas and will include a variety of menu options of beef, pork and chicken options. He said Lloyd and Colleen Meis of Neligh will manage the business.


Dry Cooling Towers are produced in forced draught and induced draught designs, and in Single and Multi-Fan Arrangements, Depending on customer specifications and requirements, We are the professional dry Cooling Tower and Air Cooled Condenser Manufacturers, Tubes in Copper and Fins are Aluminium MOC we use 5/8'' or 3/8'' OD copper tubes as per customer specification, all tubes are well expanded tested for pressure and leak.
A great deal of water gets preserved on using dry Cooling Towers.
There are no mobile parts except for the fan and the motors. Hence the Cooling Tower maintenance is negligible.
Predominantly used for air compressor and power generating units for applications of engine water cooling. Petroleum plant, power utility, steel manufacturing industry, cement, sugar factories , chemical and gas-processing industrials.


"'Minions' is an amusement park of oddball humor and jibberish where the kids will be bouncing the whole way, while adults pop a few Motrin just to keep up."
On this scale I have officially entered adulthood. At first I found the start of Minions silly (famous side characters of the Despicable Me movies, whose beginnings on this planet will surely piss off Creationists), as their antics pushed them from serving one super villain to the next in a vignette that reminded me of the Looney Tunes. They even had the smooth narration of Geoffrey Rush (the English Morgan Freeman) to accommodate for their lack of discernible dialogue.
See, after failing to properly serve a master for all of eternity the Minions decide to set it upon themselves to find their true master once and for all. So the adventure follows Kevin, the eponymous leader with nothing really special about him; Stuart, the slacker, and; Bob the tiny cute one with a high voice and teddy bear who thinks rats are puppies. (who no doubt will be the most popular with children).
They soon stumble upon a secret villain convention meeting a litany of goofy amateur super villains they hope to make master. Standouts are a doctor who invented time travel only to bring another version of himself back with him and a Creature from the Black Lagoon monster who gets the best line (one I felt very embarrassed being the only one who laughed so hard at).
But the big baddie, the one they wish to serve, is Scarlett Overkill, voiced by Sandra Bullock who has never really gotten a chance to stretch this kind of acting muscle before. There's something about being unhinged in voice acting that she embraces while also remembering to bring the gravitas needed for a villain. And, like everything else, she nails it, and also gets to have the suave-voiced Jon Hamm as an onscreen husband. Damn you, Bullock and your natural talent!
Needless to say a bombardment of disorienting, poorly structured hijinks followed, and as the Minions went further and further along my headache grew more and more. Everything from chase sequences throughout London, the numerous musical numbers and the overall destruction caused by the Minions became so loud and aimless I realized that my adult brain was not designed to handle the silliness overload. The mind needs to be so infantile for this frivolity to be absorbed that only a child is truly worthy to watch.
As I rested my head on the back of my seat, feeling as if I'd been on a roller coaster for 30 minutes, I realized I could not escape one gnawing question: Why the hell is there even a story for the guys and why are we pretending these walking sandbags are people?
What is so great about the Minions in the "Despicable Me" movies is that they aren't really characters. No reason was necessary to explain where they came from nor complexity to make them relateable. They exist in the background, getting into shenanigans and smashing each other with oversized mallets—like the Three Stooges in pill form.
I never once thought watching those movies, "Wow, I really wanna see these guys go on a merry adventure where there's nothing but their Spanish-French hybrid jibbersh for 100 minutes!" Frankly, the sketch-style opening is the only reason I enjoyed the first few minutes of Minions; I think this style is what would work best if the Minions are indeed going to have their own movie. What do people remember more: Looney Tunes: Back in Action or Bugs Bunny continuously thwarting Elmer Fudd in five minute segments?
Basically, I couldn't escape the feeling that Minions should not be a movie in the traditional sense, but more a harkening back to the old school Saturday morning cartoons, where scenes move from sketch to sketch, each retrofitted with their own series of unique gags. These guys are built for variability and here they are stuck doing the same thing. Hell, I had more fun watching the Minions doing normal people stuff (vacuuming, reading the paper, etc) in the Me movies than many of the moments in their big screen debut.
Not to say the movie isn't funny. Trust me, I belly laughed numerous times, but honestly I can recall most of those times being from jokes not done by the Minions, but more so the smaller characters—usually at jokes making fun of the British. But still, in trying to be more cute than funny the Minions take a back seat in their own movie, losing out to the side characters. If that isn't irony I don't know what is.
I guess I shouldn't be too hard on a children's movie. It is undoubtedly funny in spots, the voice acting for all the B-characters by A-list actors saves many moments, and all the chaos and colors will please the target audience, so I guess the film does its job. It's just that the movie could've capitalized on the uniqueness of its characters in a way that creates something modern for kids, while also evoking nostalgia for their parents. But like I said, Minions is an amusement park of oddball humor and jibberish where the kids will be bouncing the whole way, while adults pop a few Motrin just to keep up.


Searchers are more qualified than prospects identified by mass marketing.
At KEO Marketing, we research and analyze how your prospective customers are finding and interacting with your business. We then create a search informed marketing plan to help you reach them.
KEO Marketing specializes in search marketing strategy – the solutions required to drive first-page natural search rankings, paid search results, increased brand exposure, higher conversion rates and more qualified leads.
Does your online presence really drive your business? If not, it can.
What Is Involved in a Successful Search Marketing Program?
KEO Marketing provides comprehensive, ongoing search marketing services that include everything from SEO to analytics, and everything in between.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – Drive long-term organic search marketing benefits – more traffic, higher conversion rates and more qualified leads – with the most effective form of online marketing.
Search Engine Marketing (SEM) – Increase your ROI with this highly measurable PPC and display advertising strategies and get your website critical search engine exposure in a short time-frame.
Local Search Optimization – Gain visibility in Google, Bing, Yelp, Kudzu and other local search engines to attract qualified, local business.
Mobile Search Optimization – Leverage mobile search to drive traffic, maximize visibility, grow brand loyalty and increase revenue.
Content Marketing & Distribution – Publish new, fresh and relevant content and increase your online presence with valuable information for customers and search engines.
Competitive Analysis – Discover what's working for your competitors and use that information to develop better strategies and achieve higher rankings.
Effective search marketing means more than just ranking for a few good keywords. It means taking a comprehensive approach that will produce short- and long-term results, and help you achieve your online marketing and sales goals.
Their insight on the SEO industry has helped us greatly. We have also appreciated their detailed approach to our business.


text:
Empower Technologies™ Announces $600,000 Loan Agreement with the Directors and Officers of the Company
Dec 2, 2013 |
December 2nd, 2013 – Richmond, British Columbia, Canada – Empower Technologies Corporation (TSX.V: EPT) ("Empower") announces it has entered into a loan agreement dated November 29th, 2013 with the non-arm's length Directors and Officers of the Company (the "Lender") in the amount of $600,000 (the "Loan").
The Loan will be secured by a general security interest granted by Empower, and will be repayable on or before November 30th, 2014. Empower will receive $400,000 the first tranche at an interest rate of 12% per annum and an optional $200,000 the second tranche at an interest rate of 13.2% per annum at the discretion of Empower on or before May 30, 2014 subject to certain terms and conditions. Early retirement of the Loan will have a three (3) months interest penalty on the principal amount repaid.The proceeds of the Loan will be mainly used as general working capital for Empower and working capital for Empower's newly acquired subsidiary AIC Global Communications Inc. to finance its sales and marketing expansion plan.
In connection with the loan, Empower will issue, at no additional consideration and subject to Empower receiving the prior approval of the TSX Venture Exchange, 4,615,384 common shares in the capital of Empower (the "Shares"). The Shares shall be duly issued to the Lender effective as of the date the Loan is advanced. The Shares issued will be subject to a 4 months plus a day hold period commencing from the date of issuance.
"This Loan shows how much the Empower directors and officers believe in the Company and its huge untapped revenue potential from three separate revenue streams. The first stream comes from the newly acquired subsidiary AIC Global Communications. The second stream is the sales and marketing of the advance imaging technologies Empower developed and the third stream is from the licensing of the handwriting patent Empower invented." Said Paul Leung, CEO of Empower Group.
This news release includes certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include predictions, projections and forecasts and are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "forecast", "expect", "potential", "project", "target", "schedule", budget" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions and includes the negatives thereof. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the expected benefits of the acquisition of AIC are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Empower's expectations include actual sales results, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, uninsured risks, regulatory changes, delays or inability to receive required approvals, and other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by Empower with securities regulators. Although Empower has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause such actions, events or results to differ materially from those anticipated. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and accordingly readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements which speak only as of the date of this news release. Empower disclaims any intention or obligation, except to the extent required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Founded in 2000, Empower Technologies (TSX.V: EPT) has transformed from an embedded technology company to a full-fledged innovative technology, products and services and manufacturing enterprise. Empower Technologies as a group caters to communication, media, IT, security and surveillance, military, automotive and transportation, healthcare, industrial control and consumer electronics industries. Under the Empower Group, the Company has four operating divisions – Empower Embedded Engineering, Empower Imaging Laboratories, Empower Defense Systems and AIC Global Communications. For more information, please visit www.empowertechnologies.com.
Empower's brands are "AIC", "LEOs®", Linux-based embedded operating systems, "BullsEye", Real-Time Video Stabilizer, "PowerPlay™", smart consumer electronics.
Media Enquiries: info@empowertechnologies.com"> info@empowertechnologies.com or via Tel @ (604) 278-3100
Investor Relations: investorline@empowertechnologies.com"> investorline@empowertechnologies.com
More Information on Empower Technologies: www.empowertechnologies.com
Sales Enquiries: sales@empowertechnologies.com"> sales@empowertechnologies.com or via Tel @ (604) 278-3100
Paul Leung
Chairman, President and CEO
# 130-3751 Shell Road
Airport Executive Park
Richmond, BC, Canada V6X 2W2
Empower Technologies, LEOs, PowerPlay and BullsEye are the trademarks of Empower Technologies, Inc. All other brands are trademarks of their respective owners.


Another summer in London, another Taste of London festival in Regent's Park. This London Food Festival has been a fixture in the city's summer calendar since 2004. This year we felt the festival was smaller than in previous years. There were a lot of Spanish restaurants this year because the festival coincided with the third World Tapas Day.
Many of London's best restaurants which had appeared in previous years did not make an appearance. Maybe the Taste of London's festivals organisers were trying to mix it up a bit. My husband always (and I mean always) has the foie gras burgers from Opera Tavern. Good thing he wasn't there this year because some of his favourite places such as Opera Tavern and Sushi Samba did not make an appearance.
Never mind. The sun was shining, the alcoholic iced-tea was freely flowing and the food was delicious.
Little plates mean you can try lots of different things.
Bubbledogs serves up gourmet hot dogs and champagne. They even have their own-label champagne. It's a perfect treat for Sunday brunch with the kids. Parents hang out with the bubbly and the kids scoff hot dogs. Win/win really.
This beauty had a twin which I scoffed before I realised I really should have taken a photo of it.
Why yes, champagne and hot dogs go together like… champagne and hot dogs.
The Spanish Basque country stall was selling pintxos (or pinchos) and wine. Pintxos are a relative of the better-known tapas. They are small bites which are skewered together with a little toothpick onto a small slice of bread.
This pintxo was made up of a Spanish tortilla and a grilled pepper skewed onto a slice of bread.
Sipsmith are London-based gin distillers who served up a mean gin & tonic (in several varieties). They were ahead of the gin trend setting up the first copper pot distillery in London in a couple of hundred years.
I loved the gin AND the copper bar at Sipsmith.
Sitting in a London park, drinking a G&T, could there be anything more English? I think Pimms would say yes. I do love a glass of Pimms in the summer as do my other American friends.
A retro London bus serving up Pimms is hard to miss.
These two Mochi ice cream balls from Little Moons are coconut and mango.
The marquees provided shelter from the intense sunshine.
These chairs were surprisingly more comfortable to sit in than they looked.
The VIP Area had the comfortable seats and trendy wicker furniture.
What would a hip festival be without artfully styled (i) midcentury modern furniture, (ii) greenery and (iii) a typewriter.
If you are in London in June for this London food festival, I highly recommend you visit. You can get tickets online or at the door.
You will be able to sample some of the best bits of London's food scene in a short period of time. There is a Taste Card which you can buy and fill with money which allows you to be cash free at Taste of London. This cash-free policy did not seem universal though because many places accepted cash and/or card as well.


First night that I've not been in bed asleep by this time due to pain and painkillers, and so I'm pleased to announce that I have uploaded the cover for Blaise Maximillian: Bitter Defeat to CreateSpace for approval. That's right, soon there will be a print version!
I've gone for a glossy cover, and I'm hoping that I'll have copies to sell at EdgeLit. What this also means is that those people who prefer their books signed, and sat on their bookshelves will be able to purchase as many covers as they like and I'll be more than happy to sign as many as they like too!


Simultaneous use of cell-permeant and impermeant fluorescent nuclear dyes is a common method to study cell viability and cell death progression. Although these assays are usually conducted as end-point studies, time-lapse imaging offers a powerful technique to distinguish temporal changes in cell viability at single-cell resolution. SYTO 13 and Hoechst 33342 are two commonly used cell-permeant nuclear dyes; however their suitability for live imaging has not been well characterized. We compare end-point assays with time-lapse imaging studies over a 6 h period to evaluate the compatibility of these two dyes with longitudinal imaging, using both control neurons and an apoptotic neuron model.
In longitudinal assays of untreated neurons, SYTO 13 addition caused acute necrosis within 3 h, whereas neurons imaged with Hoechst remained viable for at least 6 h. In a staurosporine-induced apoptotic model of neurotoxicity, determinations of the mode of cell death and measurements of nuclear size were identical between longitudinal studies using Hoechst and end-point assays. Alternatively, longitudinal studies using 500 nM or 5 nM SYTO 13 were not consistent with end-point assays.
SYTO 13 is acutely neurotoxic and when used in longitudinal studies, masked end-stage morphologic evidence of apoptotic cell death. In contrast, a single application of Hoechst evoked no evidence of toxicity over a 6 h period, and was consistent with end-point characterizations of cell viability and nuclear morphology. For longitudinal characterization of acute cell death, Hoechst is a superior option.
The paired use of fluorescent membrane-permeant and impermeant nuclear dyes is an established method of evaluating morphological changes associated with end-stage cell death. These dyes undergo a large fluorescent enhancement upon binding nucleic acids and, in conjunction with imaging methods such as flow cytometry or fluorescent microscopy, enable facile, rapid and quantitative discrimination between the classical terminal sequelae of apoptosis (condensed nuclei, intact membrane) and necrosis (normal or swollen nuclei, permeabilized plasma membrane)[2, 3]. Cell-permeant nuclear markers such as SYTO 13 or Hoechst 33342 (Hoechst) provide information about nuclear morphology, while cells with disrupted plasma membranes are marked by nuclear uptake of cell-impermeant dyes such as propidium iodide (PI).
Nuclear markers are typically used in end-point assays to discriminate among viable, necrosed or apoptosed cells. When used in conjunction with live imaging, these dyes have the potential to enable longitudinal characterization of the onset of cell death with single-cell resolution. The statistical comparison of cell behavior using repeated measures over time allows for increased power and sensitivity compared to end-point assays, particularly in populations in which cell death occurs by multiple mechanisms. However, since acute cytotoxicity would confound interpretations of cell viability, membrane-permeant nuclear dyes have to be validated for longitudinal imaging. Here we evaluate the suitability of SYTO 13 and Hoechst for longitudinal imaging of neuron viability and identification of modes of end-stage cell death over a 6 h window.
In an attempt to develop a longitudinal assay of neuron viability, we evaluated nuclear morphology and plasma membrane integrity over a 6 h period after administration of 8 μM Hoechst or 500 nM SYTO 13. Unlike SYTO 13, which required hourly application, a single administration of Hoechst was sufficient to visualize nuclei throughout the 6 h experiment. Viable neurons were initially PI-negative, with nuclei that were 9.1 ± 0.66 μm in diameter. Whereas neurons exposed to Hoechst remained PI-negative through 6 h, neurons treated with SYTO 13 exhibited PI uptake within 3 h (Figure1A). Neither dye elicited a significant change in nuclear size (Figure1B). The co-localization of Hoechst and PI in neurons with disrupted membranes resulted in a purple hue (top panels), whereas the PI fluorescence overwhelmed SYTO 13 (bottom panel) unless the green channel gain was increased beyond the dynamic range (not shown). Condensed, PI-positive nuclei (purple in top panels, red in bottom panels) present at time 0 represent cells that underwent primary apoptosis during initial plating followed by secondary necrosis, a common phenomenon with in vitro models.
Neurons visualized with SYTO 13 or Hoechst exhibit different outcomes during time-lapse microscopy. (A) Neurons visualized with Hoescht (blue) remained viable over 6 h. Neurons stained with SYTO 13 (green) became PI-positive by 6 h, indicative of necrotic cell death. White arrows indicate cells that became PI-positive in each frame. (B) Repeated measures quantitation of nuclear area demonstrated no changes regardless of PI uptake.
The above experiments suggested that SYTO 13 was acutely neurotoxic. To determine whether the presumptive toxicity associated with SYTO 13 interfered with morphological determination of apoptotic cell death, we evaluated nuclear morphology and plasma membrane integrity among neurons treated with the pro-apoptotic kinase inhibitor staurosporine. Neuron fate was compared between end-point assays conducted 6 h after staurosporine addition and longitudinal assays, in which nuclear morphologies were imaged every hour for 6 h using PI with either SYTO 13 or Hoechst uptake.
In end-point assays conducted 6 h after staurosporine addition, neurons had PI-negative, condensed nuclei that were 35.0 ± 5.1% (Hoechst) or 37.3 ± 7.4% (SYTO 13) the area of untreated controls (Figure2; P < 0.001 for both dyes). In longitudinal imaging using Hoechst, nuclear condensation was visually apparent by 4 h, with PI-negative nuclei at 6 h that were 41.1 ± 6.4% of the area measured at 0 h (Figure3; P < 0.001). In contrast, SYTO 13-stained neurons were PI-positive by 2 h, without evidence of nuclear condensation through 6 h (Figure3). As in Figure1, the PI signal overwhelmed the SYTO 13 signal at 500 nM.
End-point assays of control and staurosporine-treated neurons exhibit identical outcomes at 6 h. (A) End-point characterization of nuclear morphology 6 h after addition of vehicle (top panels) or staurosporine (bottom panels). Neurons were visualized using PI plus either Hoescht (blue) or SYTO 13 (green). Note that neither vehicle nor staurosporine addition caused necrotic cell death. (B) Planimetric measurements of nuclear size. * represent p < 0.01.
Staurosporine-treated neurons undergo different outcomes when SYTO 13 and Hoechst are used in time-lapse imaging. (A) Neurons stained with Hoescht (blue; top panels) visually undergo chromatin condensation within 4 h and remained PI-negative. In contrast, neurons visualized with 500 or 5 nM SYTO 13 (green) became PI-positive (red) by 2 h, without visual evidence of chromatin condensation. White arrows indicate cells that became PI-positive in each frame. Condensed, PI-positive nuclei (purple in top panels, red in middle and bottom panels) observed at time 0 represent cells that died during initial plating. In bottom panels, the increased gain needed to clearly image nuclear structure resulted in PI-positive nuclei developing an orange hue. (B) Planimetric quantitation of nuclear size measured longitudinally through the 6 h experiment. * represent p < 0.05; ^ represents p < 0.01.
These data unambiguously demonstrate that neurons exposed to repeated doses of 500 nM SYTO 13 underwent acute necrosis, even when exposed to apoptotic stimuli. Reasoning that SYTO 13 neurotoxicity may be dose-dependent, neurons were evaluated by time-lapse imaging using 5 nM SYTO 13. The lower concentration of SYTO 13 eliminated PI uptake in staurosporine-treated neurons throughout 6 h (Figure3A). Nuclear diameters were difficult to measure because of diffuse nuclear staining; however, at the lower SYTO 13 dose nuclear areas were only reduced to 74.7 ± 12.9% relative to 0 h (Figure3B).
Defining the molecular and biochemical pathways responsible for cell death phenotypes is essential for identifying critical points that could be exploited to prevent, delay or re-direct cell death mechanisms. This requires the ability to conduct time-lapse characterization of multiple aspects of the onset and progression of cell death. However, a longitudinal assay to visualize the morphologic alterations associated with cell death has not been well-described. Here we demonstrate that SYTO 13 is acutely neurotoxic in vitro, whereas Hoescht-treated neurons do not exhibit symptoms of toxicity over a 6 h period. Thus for short-term longitudinal imaging of viability and morphologic characterization of apoptotic cell death Hoechst is the preferred dye.
Despite manufacturer warnings that SYTO 13 is not recommended for imaging nuclear morphology, a number of publications have used SYTO 13 to evaluate nuclear changes associated with cell death phenotypes, in some cases during longitudinal cell viability assays[6–9]. Here we demonstrate that 500 nM SYTO 13 elicited acute necrosis and prevented staurosporine-induced chromatin condensation in time-lapse imaging studies. Reduction of SYTO 13 to 5 nM prevented acute necrosis, but resulted in less intense nuclear staining and an intermediate degree of nuclear condensation compared to end-point studies. In contrast, control neurons longitudinally imaged with Hoechst exhibited no morphological evidence of neurotoxicity over 6 h, and underwent a similar degree of chromatin condensation following staurosporine treatment as in end-point studies.
The mechanism(s) of the acute SYTO 13 neurotoxicity described here is unclear, but could be a consequence of nuclear binding or interaction with cytoplasmic nucleic acids. Regardless of the mechanism, the end-stage cell death markers of necrosis were observed prior to those of apoptosis, suggesting that acute neurotoxicity interferes with apoptotic progression. There are several possible explanations for the intermediate degree of chromatin condensation observed with the lower dose of SYTO 13. For example, injury mechanisms may be initiated that do not result in overt necrosis by 6 h, yet deprive the cell of sufficient metabolic energy to delay apoptotic progression. Alternatively, SYTO 13 may sterically interfere with the mechanisms involved in chromosome nicking and chromatin condensation, disrupting the morphological appearance of end-stage apoptosis.
Hoechst is a superior alternative to SYTO 13 for reasons other than the low relative toxicity. SYTO 13 labels cytoplasmic RNA as well as nuclear DNA, complicating measurements of nuclear size. Hoechst, on the other hand, preferentially intercalates between adenine and thymine in DNA minor grooves, rendering it specific for nuclear chromatin. Unlike SYTO 13, which had to be applied on an hourly basis, a single application of Hoechst was sufficient for 6 h, significantly reducing reagent costs and the potential for cumulative toxicity. Although reducing the concentration of SYTO 13 decreased the intensity of non-nuclear fluorescence, the weak nuclear signal made planimetric measurements difficult.
In a comparative evaluation of the suitability of SYTO 13 and Hoechst for time-lapse imaging studies of neuron viability and cell death, we found that SYTO 13 was acutely neurotoxic at high doses within 3 h, whereas Hoechst-treated neurons remained viable for at least 6 h. In an apoptotic model, 5 and 500 nM SYTO 13 interfered with the ability to distinguish between apoptotic and necrotic cell death. In contrast, a single administration of 8 μM Hoechst was sufficient to identify nuclear condensation by 4 h, without evidence of necrosis through 6 h. Neurons are generally sensitive to external insults, and thus may be more susceptible to SYTO 13 than other cell lines. Nonetheless, given the evidence of acute toxicity in SYTO 13-treated cultures, Hoechst is a superior alternative for short-term, longitudinal evaluations of neuron viability and nuclear morphology.
ESNs were generated, plated and cultured as previously described[10, 11]. ESNs were maintained in Neurobasal®-A medium (NBA, Life Technologies, Carlsbad, CA) with glutamine, B27 supplement and penicillin/streptomycin (Sigma-Aldrich, St Louis, MO) at 37°C and 5% CO2.
For longitudinal imaging, DIV 14 ESNs plated on 18 mm coverslips were transferred to a Zeiss LSM-700 confocal microscope stage in a constant-temperature environmental chamber at 37°C and incubated in Hibernate®-E, media supplemented with glutamine, B27 vitamins and penicillin/streptomycin (Life Technologies), PI (10 μg/mL, Sigma-Aldrich) and either SYTO 13 (500 nM or 5 nM, Life Technologies) or Hoechst (5 μg/mL, (Intergen, Oxford, U.K.) for 10 minutes. After the incubation period, neurons were perfused with complete Hibernate®-E medium using a Minipuls 3 peristaltic pump (Gilson, Inc) at 200 μL/minute. After 50 minutes, the pump was turned off and PI (and SYTO 13, if used) was added to the coverslip for 10 minutes. The pump was then restarted and images were captured at 20x using manufacturer-specified excitation wavelengths and emission filter sets. These steps were repeated on an hourly basis for 6 h. For a neuronal model of apoptosis, staurosporine (Sigma-Aldrich) was applied at 1 μM in the perfusion media throughout the 6 h experiment.
For end-point assays, ESNs on 18-mm coverslips in 12-well dishes were washed and incubated for 6 h in complete NBA medium without (control) or with 1 μM staurosporine. After 6 h, the media was replaced with complete NBA supplemented with 5 μg/mL PI for 10 min at 37°C and 5% CO2 followed by complete NBA with 5 μg/mL Hoechst or 500 nM SYTO 13 for 5 min. Coverslips were then washed twice with PBS, fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde in PBS for 20 min, mounted on glass slides with Prolong Gold antifade reagent and imaged as above.
Twenty nuclei per time point were measured along orthogonal axes using Zen 2009 and averaged. The same nuclei were measured longitudinally from 0–6 h. A similar measurement methodology was used for end-point assays, except over 50 nuclei. Average diameters were converted to areas and graphed with Prism version 5.04 (GraphPad Software). Longitudinal changes in mean nuclear sizes were compared using repeated-measures ANOVA and significances determined with Tukey's post-hoc comparison. Student's t-tests were used to compare the mean nuclear sizes in end-point assays.
This work was funded by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency – Joint Science and Technology Office, Medical S&T Division (grant number CBM. THRTOX.01.10.RC.021). I.G. was supported by a Defense Threat Reduction Agency-National Research Council Research Associateship Award.
This research was performed while I.G. held a Defense Threat Reduction Agency-National Research Council Research Associateship Award at USAMRICD. K.H. consecutively held an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education fellowship and a National Research Council Research Associateship Award at USAMRICD. We thank Angela Adkins and Cindy Kronman (USAMRICD, MD) for administrative, logistical and technical assistance. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy of the Department of Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.
KSH conceived of the study, designed the study, executed the live imaging, interpreted the results and contributed to the manuscript. IMG contributed to the study design, interpreted results, conducted the end point assays and prepared figures for the manuscript. SMM conducted live imaging and interpreted results. MLL maintained and differentiated neurons and contributed to the manuscript. PMM conceived of the study, designed the study, interpreted the results and drafted the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.


After studying and making a difference between the modals expressing the uncertainty of an action test, we are now going to study other nuances of the modal auxiliaries concerning the freedom of action of a subject.
* Physical or intellectual Capacity (in the present or in the past); CAN is the modal auxiliary expressing physical and intellectual capacity; in the negative, CAN'T expresses physical and intellectual incapacity.
ex: The robot can move its lips in time with the words (physical capacity) and it can speak six different foreign languages ...(intellectual capacity).
2) PERMISSION (may/can): THE FREEDOM OF ACTION (to act, or not to act) is expressed with 'MAY', and refusal will be built with CAN'T.
ex: Yes, Kevin, you may leave the table now, but you can't leave the house!
3) OBLIGATION or INTERDICTION: in both cases, the FREEDOM of ACTION is denied.
ex: I must go now, as I still have a lot of homework to do.
ex: You have to leave now ! No visits after six !
ex: You didn't need to bring your own book! (in another tense than the present) OR You didn't have to bring your own book!
Now, you're ready for the test ! Go for it !
- 'Of course you can'tmaymustn'thave tomustI don't know , Elsa ... Don't you remember that you couldn't haveyou can haveyou must haveI don't know a shot (une piqûre) today?
If I have tocouldmaymustmustn'tI don't know , I would take you to watch a film instead, but I can'tmayhave tomustI don't know !
If you don't have it today, you 'll have to getmustn't getwon't have toI don't know it tomorrow ... Really, you must haveyou shouldcan't toyou don't need toI don't know procrastinate!


Vintage Gold Cufflinks. Wedding, Christmas Gift Valentines, Groomsmen, Groom.
These vintage cufflinks are really unique! Each one is a gold tone and has four connection swirlies, which sort of look like a butterfly to me. They measure almost 1 1/8 x 1". These were made in the 1960's and are in excellent condition.


text:
The Course at Pinawa Golf & Country Club
2019 Green Fee Rates
2019 Golf Membership Rates
Book a tee-time
Best Rates & e-Specials
Stay'n'Plays
Pinawa Curling Club
Curling Leagues
Curling Gallery
Curling Executive
Conduct & Discipline Home
Pinawa Sections
Restaurant employment
The Pinawa Club, hereafter referred to as The Pinawa Golf & Country Cub (PG&CC), has developed the following codes of conduct to ensure a safe, friendly and respectful place for members, visitors, staff, and the board to gather in the spirit of cooperation, relaxation, good will, fun, and friendly competition. They do not supersede or replace any staff rules implemented by the general manager and/or departmental supervisors. For the purposes of this document rules are defined as specific regulations regarding specific behaviours, for example, "Don't be late for work", whereas conduct is defined as the general mode of behaviour with respect to the rules and interactions with members, staff, and visitors. Part 1: General Code of Conduct applies to everyone: members, employees, and the board. Part 2: Code of Conduct for Board Members applies specifically to The PG&CC board members. Part 3: Code of Conduct for Staff applies specifically to employees of The Pinawa Golf & Country Club.
Part 1: General Code of Conduct
All members, visitors, and staff are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that:
Creates an environment and culture that is reflective of personal integrity and respect, as exemplified in the games of golf, curling, and tennis;
Acknowledges that the PG&CC is a family friendly environment, and therefore refrains from using obscenities and loud boisterous behavior inappropriate to social situations;
Observes the proper etiquette for whatever club activity, golf, curling, tennis, etc. in which they are participating;
Is reflective of being an ambassador for The Pinawa Golf & Country Club when participating in club or community events;
Shows the utmost respect and dignity to fellow members, staff, and visitors;
Does not damage the character, integrity, good will, property, and community view (local and/or the broader community) of The Pinawa Golf & Country Club;
Is reflective of an adherence to all club rules and procedures, for example:
obeying daily guidelines concerning conduct in the various club venues;
payment of fees within the board defined deadlines;
Understands that members and visitors have no authority to instruct staff in job performance and duties;
Understands that the general manager and/or departmental supervisors are responsible for instructing the staff in the performance of their duties;
Is vigilant in reporting real or perceived safety hazards to staff and/or club managers, supervisors, and/or board members;
Understands that the membership, through the board, may make suggestions to the general manager and/or departmental supervisors about the club's operation;
Does not denigrate, talk down to, or scream at staff, members, board members, and/or guests, and does not create unnecessary strife and divisiveness.
Does not misrepresent their position and/or authority to others;
Uses the Progressive Discipline Policy and supporting documents to express concerns about member, staff, and board conduct at The PG&CC
Part 2: Code of Conduct for Board Members
This Code is to ensure a mechanism for establishing a business environment that fosters an efficient operation and a sound decision making process, while utilizing a spirit of mutual respect and cooperation.
All Board members are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that:
Reflects honesty, integrity and support for the best interests of The Pinawa Golf & Country Club in carrying out the daily business and future planning of the club;
Affords the membership an identifiable method to voice concerns in a proper, civil and consistent manner, namely:
A place to bring concerns, ideas and suggestions for appropriate consideration and/or action;
A respectful place where they have the freedom to voice opposition and/or praise for board initiatives;
A place that does not create unnecessary strife, ill will, and divisiveness among the membership and/or staff;
Demonstrates a professional and healthy regard for confidentiality;
Is unbiased in the management of all sections of The Pinawa Golf & Country Club;
Is consistent with a committee system of organization and operation, namely:
Members decide, according to club constitutional procedures, who will constitute the board;
The board, through a participatory style of decision making, assigns responsibilities to remaining members for other offices and committees;
The president calls and presides over meetings in accordance with the club bylaws;
Minutes of meetings will be maintained and posted for the general membership;
The president, on behalf of the Board, sets the agenda each month and welcomes the membership to take an active part in the life of the club and to make suggestions and present ideas for improvement;
Roberts Rules of Order will be followed in all monthly board and any general membership meetings;
Conduct:
The Board will respectfully consider various ideas and suggestions, and will, through a committee system, make and vote on motions for action or inaction;
The Board will pursue further information, solicit expert advice, and gather as much information as possible about issues pertinent to the successful operation of The Pinawa Golf & Country Club ;
Board members should always keep in mind that the foremost determinant of any decision is the best interests of the club as a whole;
The Board will debate issues of concern to the operation of the PG&CC, develop motions regarding these issues, and conduct a democratic vote at the end of debate;
In cases where immediate decisions and actions are required in the general operation of the PG&CC, no member of the board will take an independent decision or action without immediately notifying all other board members. Such decisions are subject to future board ratification, amendment, or reversal of the decision;
Once the Pinawa Golf & Country Club board has adopted a motion, board members are expected to support the decisions to the membership and conduct themselves as a unified body.
Any board member may divulge, without prejudice to the board's members and actions, their own voting choices concerning a board motion, but may not divulge the choices of other board members;
It is not acceptable for board members to express negative opinions of other board members and/or board actions to individuals or small groups that may foment strife and divisiveness within the PG&CC;
When made aware of any member's dissatisfaction concerning an issue regarding a previous board decision, the board should invite said member(s) to the next meeting to voice their concerns.
Realizes that it is the responsibility of the club manager and/or departmental supervisors to assign work to the staff and to monitor the results;
Understands the Board does not become involved in, or interfere with, the general manager and/or departmental supervisors in his/her daily managerial duties regarding work assignments to staff and does not instruct staff in how to perform their work.
Part 3: Code of Conduct for Staff
This Code is to ensure a dignified and respectful working environment. The Code of Conduct differs from rules in that it addresses acceptable/unacceptable behavior. The general manager and/or departmental supervisors may establish staff rules beyond this document as they see fit for the efficient running of the PG&CC, but these rules must not contradict the spirit of these codes of conduct.
All staff are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that:
reflects positively on the membership and the physical environment of the club:
does not create unnecessary strife, ill will, or divisiveness among the membership and/or staff;
helps create a place whose physical appearance is a source of pride.
compliments a welcoming and aesthetically pleasing environment;
is open to courteous feedback and handles that feedback with appropriate civility and urgency;
understands their job performance direction comes from the general manager and/or departmental supervisors and not from the membership or board;
respectfully refers questions and concerns regarding the performance of duties to the general manager and/or departmental supervisors for action/inaction;
complies with the general rules and regulations established by the general manager and/or departmental supervisors for the efficient operation of the club.
© Copyright - Pinawa Club - Site internet par Chronogolf


We send order both in Australia and overseas. Please read below for your relevant countries details.
Please allow on average 1-10 business days to receive your order's in Australia- as delivery times depend on your location.
Orders to Western Australia do take on average 5-10 business days. To Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane on average 1-5 business days.
Express Post is only next day delivery in the same state- as per Australia Post guidelines. Please note we don't ship orders every day of the week, so express post does not guarantee next day delivery. Please email or call us for further information if your order is required urgently.
We use a variety of methods to ship orders including local couriers- (Sydney and National based) and Australia Post. Freight charges in Australia are $10 for standard shipping and $15 for express post (Australia Post) shipping. You can select either standard or express shipping at checkout.
If you need to change your shipping address a new delivery charge will apply if the order has already left. You will receive an email confirmation with the tracking details once your order has been dispatched. Please ensure that once your order has been sent that you track the order as if you miss your delivery a card is left by the shipper redirection may require a new charge. If you don't respond to the card and the package is returned to us you will be responsible for a new return freight charge.
We ship orders internationally. The main countries we ship to are the United States of America, Canada, United Kingdom and New Zealand. We can ship worldwide.
To the USA we send via DHL couriers. Other countries are via Australia Post.
Delivery depends on your location however we would suggest that you allow on average 3-14 business days to receive your order.
Any overseas customs or import duties charged once the order reaches its destination must be paid by the recipient of the order. To the USA any orders valued under $800USD do not have any duty fees.
Customs policies and charges vary greatly from one country to another and we recommend that you contact your local customs office for further information. Where charges are due this may impact the time it takes your order to reach you.
We have no control over these charges, but we may be able to offer you some guidance as to how much they may be. Please contact us for more information.
We will email you when your order has been dispatched with the consignment number and method sent. If you miss your delivery a card is left. If you don't respond to the card and the package is returned to us you will be responsible for a new return freight charge.
Website: We are open 24 hours a day! Please add the items to your cart, select checkout and then follow the prompts to enter your shipping details, payment information and any comments.
Email: if you are having problems placing your order online please email us so we can process the order via email.
We use a shopify payment gateway which is secure for all online orders as no card details are stored.
We can also process orders to be sent in Australia via direct deposit (online banking).
All pricing is quoted in Australian Dollars. Please use our websites tool to convert to other currencies.
Payment is required for all preorders. Preorders can be placed via our online store or via email.
Please email us at enquiries@teaprincess.com.au and one of our team members will be able to reply.
Once your email is received we will then authorise the return as long as it is in line with our return policy below.
If you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, we will offer you a credit note or exchange within 14 days of purchase. We do not refund for change of mind.
Please note there is no exchanges/credit notes available on sale Items, underwear and swimwear.
(Please only return to our PO Box not our showroom address for security reasons). The showroom address does not have a mail collection facitility. We cannont take responsibilty for any items returned to our showoom address. If you do require an address other than our PO Box ie- you are sending via courier please email us so we can advise an alternative street address.
You will be responsible for any returns postage charge and all returned (non-faulty) goods must be in their original packaging, with the relevant swing tags attached and in excellent re-saleable condition. Damaged soiled or altered returns may not be accepted and will be returned back to the customer. Please note that any delivery charges will not be refunded, nor will any postage costs incurred by returning the item(s) to us, unless the item(s) are faulty.
The goods are your responsibility until they reach our office, so make sure it's packed up properly and can't get damaged on the way.
All items returned should have a exchange/credit note email approval. Unidentified returns within our 14-day policy may be returned to the sender.
Unidentified returns outside the 14-day policy may be returned to the sender and we will not accept any liability for these returned goods.
Exchange any item within 14 days of receiving your original order.
If you require an exchange please include a pre-paid stamped self addressed post pack or satchel. Otherwise a member of our team will contact you regarding the new freight charge.
All items are quality controlled and checked for any faults before they are dispatched to customers. Should you receive an item that is faulty please contact us immediately.
All goods will be inspected on return. If If the item(s) have a minor problem we will repair it and return it to you, alternatively a replacement of refund will be processed.


text:
Q: What shortened URLs are available through s.tk? It was announced on the Stack Exchange Podcast episode #23 (at 1:05:26) that Stack Exchange has its own URL shortener, http://s.tk/.
Users can't create their own, they can only use the ones that are built-in.
What shortened URLs are available through it?

Return to FAQ index

A: This is a community-maintained list of publicly-known s.tk URLs. Please note that several links have broken or been removed in the past. Long-term stability is not guaranteed.
Note: The SE team announced on October 6, 2017 that no more s.tk URLs will be created.
General

*

*/:
Stack Exchange

*/about:
About Stack Exchange

*/androidannouncement: Stack Exchange for Android is here! – Stack Overflow Blog

*/apps:
Stack Apps

*/area51
Area 51

*/attribution:
Stack Exchange Attribution Policy

*/blog:
Stack Overflow Company Blog

*/careers:
Stack Overflow Careers for employers

*/chat:
Stack Exchange Chat

*/data:
Stack Exchange Data Explorer aka SEDE

*/employer: Product Guidance | Stack Overflow Business

*/faq:
Stack Exchange Community FAQ

*/jeff:
Jeff Atwood's Stack Exchange Profile

*/jobs:
Stack Exchange Open Positions

*/joel:
Joel Spolsky's Stack Exchange Profile

*/linkrequest:
s.tk Short URL Request Form (Note: As of October 6, 2017, no new s.tk URLs are being created.)

*/livechat:
Live Podcast Chat

*/livestream: Stack Exchange - live streaming video powered by Livestream

*/newsletters:
Newsletters

*/NYCTour: Google street view tour of the NYC office - Stack Exchange

*/onhold
Before you post your next question

*/podcastrss
Podcast RSS Feed

*/sites
Stack Exchange Sites

*/story
Stack Overflow Developer Story

*/team:
Stack Exchange Team Listing

*/workhere:
Stack Exchange Candidate Brochure
Communities

*

*/android:
Android Enthusiasts

*/apple:
Ask Different

*/bikes:
Bicycles

*/christianity:
Christianity

*/crypto:
Cryptography

*/cstheory:
Theoretical Computer Science

*/cooking:
Seasoned Advice

*/dba:
Database Administrators

*/design:
Graphic Design

*/dsp:
Signal Processing

*/diy:
Home Improvement

*/drupal:
Drupal Answers

*/ee:
Electrical Engineering

*/gamedev:
Game Development

*/gis:
Geographic Information Systems

*/golf:
Programming Puzzles and Code Golf

*/japanese:
Japanese Language and Usage

*/judaism:
Mi Yodeya

*/miyodeya:
Mi Yodeya Publications

*/meta:
Meta Stack Exchange

*/money:
Personal Finance and Money

*/movies:
Movies & TV

*/musicians:
Musical Practice and Performance

*/parenting:
Parenting

*/patents:
Ask Patents

*/photo:
Photography

*/physics:
Physics

*/ptso:
Stack Overflow em Português

*/review:
Code Review

*/rpg
Role Playing Games

*/scifi:
Science Fiction and Fantasy

*/security:
IT Security

*/sharepoint:
SharePoint

*/skeptics:
Skeptics

*/soes:
Stack Overflow en español

*/stats:
Cross Validated

*/tex:
TeX

*/travel:
Travel

*/unix:
Unix & Linux

*/ux:
User Experience

*/webapps:
Web Applications

*/webmasters:
Pro Webmasters

*/wp:
WordPress Answers
Beta Communities

*

*/astronomy:
Astronomy

*/avp:
Video Production

*/beer:
Homebrewing

*/bitcoin:
Bitcoin

*/bricks:
Bricks

*/cars:
Motor Vehicle Maintenance and Repair

*/fitness:
Fitness and Nutrition

*/french:
French Language and Usage

*/gardening:
Gardening and Landscaping

*/german:
German Language and Usage

*/hermeneutics:
Biblical Hermeneutics

*/history:
History

*/linguistics:
Linguistics

*/philosophy:
Philosophy

*/pm:
Project Management

*/productivity:
Personal Productivity

*/quant:
Quantitative Finance

*/scicomp:
Computational Science

*/sqa:
Software Quality Assurance and Testing

*/writers:
Writers
Easter Eggs

*

*/hyphen: The hyphen site

*/stk: See /stk

*/unicorn: Candy Mountain

*/StackOverflowSecrets: Direct access to secret keys


The FBI CRC is one of six applicants that have been shortlisted to deliver new research under the Commonwealth's A$731 million (US$516 million) programme.
The proposed CRC would support Australian research into the battery minerals industry as the sector grows to meet surging demand for batteries to support renewable energy and power electric vehicles.
The shortlisted applicants also include the Future Cities CRC, Blue Economy CRC and Advanced Medical Biotechnologies CRC, Future Food Systems CRC and SmartSat CRC.
The applicants will now proceed to the next stage of assessment, which includes developing a comprehensive business case and attending an interview with the CRC Advisory Committee.
WA mines and petroleum minister Bill Johnston said the second stage FBI CRC application would be submitted before the end of November.
"The Commonwealth government has recently acknowledged the growing importance of the battery and energy materials sector to the Australian economy. This CRC bid has never been more relevant," he said.
"Our state is the ideal place to host the CRC; we have the resources, highly skilled workers and technical expertise, and we're also the largest producer of lithium in the world."
FBI CRC chairperson-elect Tim Shanahan and other members of the bid team will be invited to present in person to the committee in Canberra in February.
Earlier, Shanahan said to have a battery mineral mining boom without a cohesive research and development effort would be a missed opportunity to encourage more investment, with the immediate focus expected to be on lithium, which is expected to remain a key battery component well beyond 2030, according to a recent report from the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies.
A decision on the winning bid is expected by March next year.
If successful, Perth will host the FBI CRC headquarters and the state government will invest A$6 million through the Minerals Institute of Western Australia, and the WA Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation.
The funding would be disbursed by mid-2019, with the FBI CRC expected to be in operation for five years at an expected cost of A$50 million, with WA businesses expected to commit A$25 million. The Commonwealth will then match the funds.
The CRC is backed by three of WA's five universities (Murdoch, Curtin and UWA) and companies ranging from BHP, Pilbara Minerals and Tianqi Lithium down to unlisted junior Multicom Resources.


Short Product Description: Turmeric has wonderful benefits that can be absorbed through the skin with this wonderful soap bar!
Product Website Address: Get YOUR *Four Foxes* Turmeric and Black Pepper Soap Bar HERE!
Turmeric has wonderful benefits that can be absorbed through the skin with this wonderful soap bar!
Made with a combination of Coconut, Argan, and Essential Oils.
Turmeric is a natural antioxidant, supporting the immune system as well as having great anti-inflammatory properties.
Shipping is FREE, so go ahead, order one for a friend!


These AXO Boxer Motocross boots have all the style and functionality that you've come to expect from AXO.
The outside is constructed out of a flexible leather to enhance both the style and the comfort. They are accented by four floating buckle bases which allow maximum control over fit and ensure that they maintain stable and secure alignment.
Two nylon side struts increase lateral stability and support, and the boots feature AXO exclusive MX style soles. The top of each boot is sealed by synthetic gator material. A steel shank and steel toe cap round out the AXO Boxer boots creating the sturdy protection that you need.
These boots would fit in any rider's gear collection.


Glasfloss PTASP8441 - Custom Synthetic Heavy-Duty Disposable Panel Filter, 8" X 44" X 1"
The Glasfloss PTA Series disposable panel filter has set the standard for quality and durability. This rigidly constructed air filter maintains its integrity where others fall short. Always the highest quality, Glasfloss disposable panel filters have metal grids on both the air entry and the air leaving sides.
8" x 44" x 1"


Some time ago we did an exclusive interview with AFTERLIFE ZINE regarding our music, the concept behind it, the artwork that is depicted "Ravenous Spectre", comments on the local metal scene and some other very interesting topics regarding Metaphysics, The Evolution of Human Consciousness as well as some facts about the Deep State or Shadow Government, the Mind Control Programs we as a species are subjected to and much more.
If you are interested in seeing behind appearances and knowing more about the illusion we as mankind are currently trapped in, go to their website and get the AFTERLIFE ZINE Issue #5! It features very interesting interviews with Septillion(Aus) DFC (Aus) Septik Piggery (Aus) Claret Ash (Aus) Full Of Hell (USA) Coldbound (Swe-Fin) and Arkheth (Aus) as well!
Thanks, big time to Ricardo Rengifo and AFTERLIFE ZINE´s team for all the support!


Dreamville Fest was postponed last year due to Terrible weather conditions , Hurricane Florence being at the top of that list . Thankfully the new date (april 6) is upon us and fans cannot hide their excitement.
For Fans Unable to attend , Fear Not , Tidal got you covered as the whole festival can be Livestreamed on their platform , Jigga really is superman , Link Below.


text:
MEMBRESÍAS DE TEMPORADA
Entradas de Grupos
TicketSmarter – Ticket Resale Marketplace
Community Request
Meet the Mascot!
Panther City Jr. Lacrosse Club
Panther City Lacrosse Club Signs Ten Players
FORT WORTH, TX – The Panther City Lacrosse Club signed ten players today, the team announced. The following ten players were all signed to one-year contracts.
Right-handed forward Mike Fiegehen
Left-handed forward Cody Hamley
Left-handed forward Bryan Hancock
Right-handed defenseman Sawyer Howell
Right-handed forward Jack Jasinski
Right-handed transition Dan Keane
Left-handed defenseman Josh Medeiros
Left-handed forward Jon Phillips
Right-handed defenseman Nick Scott
Right-handed forward Bryce Wasserman
Fiegehen played in six games in the Ontario Jr. A Lacrosse League in 2019, netting one goal to go along with six assists. The right-hander is an Owen Sound, Ontario native.
Hamley played with the Kitchener-Waterloo Braves of the Ontario Jr. A Lacrosse league from 2015-2018, where he recorded 73 points in 72 career games.
Hancock hails from Highlands Ranch, Colorado, and attended Hobart College, netting 58 points in his four years.
Howell was originally drafted by the Georgia Swarm with the 71st overall pick in the 2018 NLL Entry Draft after playing at Mimico Jr. A, where he netted one goal and three assists in his lone season.
Jasinski attended Ohio State University where he played four years, netting 97 points in 61 collegiate games. A native of Birmingham, Alabama, the right-hander was second on the team in scoring his senior season with 32 points.
Keane attended the University of Delaware, where he netted over 40 points in four years. He also has racked up 277 points in his 79 career games in the Junior A Lacrosse League as a member of Brampton, Elora and Kitch-Water.
Medeiros, a lefthanded defenseman from Brampton, has been a member of the Brampton Excelsiors since 2014, netting 145 points in 104 games.
Phillips, hailing from Ladner, British Columbia, attended the University of Massachusetts Lowell, where he recorded 116 points in 55 games. He went on to play for Nanaimo of the Western Lacrosse Association, totaling 150 points in just 49 games. He was selected with the 66th overall pick in the 2018 NLL Entry Draft.
Scott hails from Pitt Meadows, British Columbia and was selected 40th overall in the 2019 NLL Entry Draft by the Calgary Roughnecks.
Wasserman won Major League Lacrosse's Most Valuable Player award in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, netting 15 goals and dishing out six assists in five games. A native of Southlake, Texas, Wasserman attended Monmouth University where he racked up 149 points across his four years.
January 21, 2022 Panther City Lacrosse Club Announces Roster Transactions Panther City Lacrosse Club Announces Roster Tr...
January 17, 2022 Panther City Lacrosse Club Defeats New York Riptide 13 – 12 (OT) Panther City Lacrosse Club Defeats New York Ri...
Sign up to receive exclusive news and updates from Panther City.
Follow Panther City Lacrosse Club
© 2022 Panther City Lacrosse Club. All trademarks and copyrights used by permission. All rights reserved.
Panther City Lacrosse Club


Openings shall be announced as available from time to time.
Thank you for your interest in the Malaysian Business Directory. We keep records of all applicants and should an opening arise, we will inform qualified applicants of our interview process. Please remember to include a cover letter with your submission, your C.V., a recent photograph, letters of reference and your expected salary in any enquiry.
Only selected applicants will be contacted. Thank you for your interest in Malaysian Business Directory.


One thing needed for church renewal is a biblical understanding of the church. This may seem like an odd proposal. Aren't there programmatic proposals, such as a recovery of the Wesleyan class meeting for accountable discipleship under lay leadership, which would renew the lives of congregations and their members? Aren't there primary tasks of the church, such as passionate worship centered around sermon and sacrament, which would renew the faith of members and attract those who do not yet have faith in Jesus Christ? Aren't there even structural changes in the United Methodist Church which would enhance Episcopal leadership, reduce bureaucracy, and simplify the organizational mandates of the Book of Discipline – proposals which would liberate the Church to be more of a movement than an institution? I do not doubt that these proposals, along with others, such as coaching congregations to be externally focused on the needs of their communities and the world, are necessary. Yet I believe that the most important agenda for the church is to claim a biblical understanding of the church.
We are living through the most profound change in the relationship between the church and Western civilization since the fourth century. In this new post-Christian age, the church must discover an identity other than that of being the religion of the culture. The resources for finding a new identity are the ways of being church practiced in primitive Christianity and the foundational description of the church in the Scriptures.
Moreover, because the church in the West is undergoing a radical and permanent shift in its relationship to the culture, genuine renewal must be grounded in a theological vision rather than merely in technological approaches, whether they are programmatic of organizational. Technological approaches are necessary, but they are no substitute for a theological reformation which must begin with the recovery of a biblical ecclesiology.
Also, I assume that all long-term fundamental change occurs because of big ideas. The big idea most needed today is a biblical understanding of what the church of Jesus Christ is.
What is this biblical understanding of the church that is needed today? There are several images of the church in the New Testament and in the tradition of Christendom. I think there is warrant for choosing as the most comprehensive image (which is inclusive of both Testaments and perhaps most of the other images of the church in the New Testament), "the messianic pilgrim people of God" (for more on this, see George Lindbeck, "The Church", in Keeping the Faith by Geoffrey Wainwright, ed., Fortress Press and Pickwick Publications, 1988, Pp. 179-208).
The understanding of the church as the messianic pilgrim people of God does not view the church as the religion of the culture, or even as a religion, but as a distinctive people in all of the nations of the world. Such an understanding views the church as a missionary community that witnesses to the world by word and deed. Because it sees the church as a people on a pilgrimage through history, it enables the church to be liberated from its captivity to a settled place in society and to adapt to change. It is centered in Jesus Christ as the crucified and risen Messiah of Israel declared by God to be the Lord of the world by the power of the Holy Spirit. Christ is known as the climax of the story of Israel which continues in the form of the church for all the families, tribes, and nations of the world. It is not individualistic, but it is a corporate understanding of the church in which all members are joined together in the on-going story of the people of the Messiah. It learns from the experiences of this people in the past, beginning with Israel in the Old Testament, but it is also oriented toward the future God intends for all creation.
As a bishop, I attend many anniversaries of congregations where the history of the congregation is narrated. Nearly all of these histories are stories of buildings constructed and programs instituted. These histories are indicators of the congregations' self-understanding of themselves as institutions settled down in society. Rarely is the history of the congregation a narrative of the witness and mission of the congregation in its community and the world.
To claim a biblical identity of the church as a messianic pilgrim people of God would be the work of at least a generation of theological education, pastoral leadership, congregational transformation, and denominational reform. It is not the only thing needed by the church today, but it is what is most needed for the church to arise out of the wreckage of Christendom.


text:
UK: Muslim woman in medieval mask criticises Boris Johnson
Niqab-wearing Sahar Al-Faifi bashes Boris on BBC's Victoria Derbyshire show
Sunday 28 July - Sahar Al-Faifi previously worked in the NHS as a molecular geneticist, but has taken a lengthy sabbatical to be a full-time Islamic activist, one whom the Victoria Derbyshire programme appears to have on speed-dial.
Previously the show gave her a platform to condemn the BBC's popular drama Bodyguard for its 'Islamophobic narrative' in portraying a Muslim woman as a suicide bomber.
A year ago Sahar Al-Faifi received the Derbyshire call after Boris Johnson filed his now notorious Telegraph article, in which he expressly stated that the burka and other forms of 'oppressive' dress should not be banned.
However, Boris went on to say:
'If you say that it is weird and bullying to expect women to cover their faces, then I totally agree – and I would add that I can find no scriptural authority for the practice in the Koran. I would go further and say that it is absolutely ridiculous that people should choose to go around looking like letterboxes.'
At a time when many brave women in Iran and elsewhere were riskily removing their compulsory hijabs, Boris was not without female Muslim supporters.
Journalist Qanta Ahmed said: 'Today the adoption of the full-face veil, particularly in the modern secular world, is far worse than looking like a letterbox. It's both a symbol of cultural misogyny and a political marker for Islamist sympathies.'
Naturally for Sahar Al-Faifi, it was 'Islamaphobic and racist' that her face covering had been likened to a letterbox.
Individual viewers are able to make their own aesthetic comparison, but voicing it will become verboten should Ms Al-Faifi get her way.
To the surprise of no one, she has been part of the ongoing campaign, spearheaded by disaffected Conservative peer Sayeeda Warsi, for a catch-all definition of Islamophobia that preferentially protects all 'expressions of Muslimness'.
When pressed by Andrew Neil, 'Is it Islamophobia to say that people should not wear what you are wearing?', Al-Faifi reluctantly conceded that although criticism would remain permissible – how magnanimous! – she does indeed want ridicule of her niqab to become punishable as a hate crime.
At least for the moment, Sahar Al-Faifi can do no more than sound off behind her medieval mask. However, BoJo in Downing Street has given fresh impetus to her labelling the new prime minister as an 'Islamophobic racist'.
This is a point of view which the BBC is keen to publicise.
It therefore was no surprise that Thursday's Derbyshire show prominently featured Sahar Al-Faifi: 'I am deeply, deeply concerned about Boris Johnson being elected as leader of the Conservative Party, not only because of the Brexit delivery deal, but also [...] because of his racist, Islamophobic and homophobic remarks.'
Muslims UK Boris Johnson niqab medieval mask


text:
Q: Editing thickness in postscript (.ps or .eps) figures via unix shell commands? I have many figures (graphs) in postscript (.eps) format that I wish to thicken the plots with.
I found the following code, but the output file is no different. I was wondering what I was doing wrong.
The code:
    # get list of all arguments
    set args = ($*)

    # if not enough arguments, complain.
    if ($#args < 2) then
   echo "Usage: ps_thicken ps_file factor"
   echo "Thickens all lines in a PostScript file by changing the linewidth macro."
   echo "Result goes to standard output."
   exit 1
   endif

   sed -e "s/^\/lw {\(.*\) div setlinewidth/\/lw {$2 mul \1 div setlinewidth/" $1

Now to execute this from my command line, I use the command (filename is ps_thicken, and has appropriate permissions):
    ./ps_thicken old_file.eps 10 > new_thick_file.eps

Which I thought should make everything 10x thicker, but it just doesnt change anything.
Any help would be greatly appreciated, I'm pretty new to shell script!

A: PostScript is a programming language, so it isn't really possible to make changes in an automated fashion like this. At least not without writing a PostScript program to do so!
Note that linewidth isn't a 'macro' (PostScript doesn't have macros) its am operator. What the code you've posted for sed does (if I recall sed well enough) is look for the definition of /lw and replace it with a modified version. The problem with that is that /lw is a function declartation in a particular PostScript program. Most PostScript programs won't have (or use) a function called 'lw'.
You would be much better to prepend the PostScript program code with something like:
/oldsetlinewidth /linewidth load def

/setlinewidth {2 div oldsetlinewidth} bind def

That will define (in the current dictionary) a function called 'setlinewidth'. Now, if the following program simply uses the current definition of setlinewdith when creating its own functions, it will use the redefined one above. Which will have the effect of dividing all line widths by 2 in this case. Obviously to increase the width you would use something like 2 mul instead of 2 div.
Note that this is by no means foolproof, its entirely possible for a PostScript program to explicitly load the definition of setlinewidth from systemdict, and you can't replace that (at least not easily) because systemdict is read-only.
However its unlikely that an EPS program would pull such tricks, so that should probably work well enough for you.
[based on comments]
Hmm, you mean 'failed to import' into an application or something else ?
If you're loading the EPS into an application then simply putting that code in front of it will break it. EPS (unlike PostScript) is required to follow some rules, so to modify it successfully you will have to follow them. This includes skipping over any EPS preview.
This is not really a trivial exercise. Your best bet is probably to run the files through Ghostscript, you can do a lot by harnessing a PostScript interpreter to do the work.
Start with the 2 lines of PostScript above in a file, then run the EPS file you want to 'modify' through Ghostscript, using the eps2write device. That will produce a new EPS which has the changes 'baked in'.
Eg (assuming the linewidth modifying code is in 'lw.ps'):
gs -sDEVICE=eps2write -o out.eps lw.ps file.eps

But be aware that the resulting EPS is a completely rewritten program and will bear no relation to the original. In particular any preview thumbnail will be lost.