text:
What Lyft Learned From 30K Driverless Rides
By Dan Costa
Lyft's Chief Strategy Officer Raj Kapoor discusses the company's mobility strategy, from self-driving cars to scooters, and why it's more about getting people from point A to B than the vehicle in which they're transported.
One of the coolest things I did at CES was catch a ride in an autonomous Lyft. I caught a similar ride in 2018, but Lyft has learned a lot since then. The braking seemed smoother and steering correction on the BMW was a lot more fluid.
After the ride, I spoke with Raj Kapoor, Lyft's Chief Strategy Officer. You know Lyft as a ride-hailing platform, but it's also making investments in self-driving cars, scooters, and a whole lot more. Check out our conversation below.
Dan Costa: Last year at CES, I got my first self-driving car experience on the open road, and it was in one of your vehicles. It's now 12 months later. We just got out of the car. How much has changed in 12 months?
Raj Kapoor: Hopefully, it was as boring as the first time.
Dan Costa: It was.
Raj Kapoor: Good. What's changed is, first of all, the system's gotten smarter. The smartness comes out in terms of planning and prediction. You can tell by how smooth the ride was. If it's seeing pedestrians or lots of cars, it doesn't make knee-jerk reactions. It has measured reactions and acts like a really good driver, versus maybe an inexperienced driver, so that's a big change.
Two is that we've broadened the area that we're operating significantly now. We're operating in a geo fence that covers almost all the major hotels in Las Vegas. You can go anywhere in that area, versus very specific points.
Dan Costa: Last year, it was a demo during CES. Journalists were invited into the cars, a relatively controlled experience. But then you opened up that experience to Lyft customers in Las Vegas. Why did you do that, and how is it going?
Raj Kapoor: It's one of those things where a cool demo from CES right away becomes a live service. We have [provided] 30,000 rides [and] so far, the feedback has been awesome. Consumers have rated it a 4.95 out of five stars. Nine out of 10 people that go on a ride would come back and do it again. We're really quite pleased with it. I think people have a lot of questions around self-driving. There's some fear, but once they get in and do the ride, they are really excited about it and ready to do it again.
Dan Costa: Those ratings are really just the same ratings that Lyft drivers are getting at the same time, so it's on the same scale.
Raj Kapoor: It's using the same scale, and in their mind it's that same perception of how comfortable, clean, did the person or the robot drive well, all those things go into account.
Dan Costa: What gets a better average score, the human Lyft driver or the automated Lyft?
Raj Kapoor: I would say that the automated Lyft is pretty high, but the human drivers definitely get up there too in doing it, but 4.95 out of five is very respectable.
Dan Costa: I think that one of the things that makes Lyft different is that a lot of other companies are having pilot programs, they've got test drivers. They're trying to simulate the real-world experience. You're providing a service for actual consumers. How does that help you collect more meaningful data or build a better service?
Raj Kapoor: We can notice a lot of things about this. First of all, Las Vegas is a great proving ground because there are so many people from around the world that come here. It's not just residents. You're having people that are using it for their vacation, using it for going back and forth. We're able to collect lots of data from a big diverse group of people, and we're able to see what the repeat use is like, what do they like about it, what do they dislike about it, how much do they like to walk to the vehicle versus not. There's all these little nuances that go in.
Another example is around remote assistance. We noticed that the people love to have a conversation with the safety driver. They're so excited at that moment. The question we have is as we move in the future without a safety driver, how do we still get that interaction with the consumer. Can we have a remote assistance to do that? We're learning all these little things by being in the real life out there with people.
Dan Costa: I imagine it's comforting because people have questions about what's happening in the car. Right now the safety driver can answer those questions. Take the safety driver out, you still want to be able to answer those questions for the first couple of years when people are getting used to the technology and setting expectations.
Raj Kapoor: Yeah, and in fact there are two people in the front. There's a safety driver and also a safety engineer that's in the front. Usually it's the safety engineer that's answering the questions. Safety driver is very focused on the road. The problem nonetheless will exist in the future without that. What we have to do is, and we're right now developing remote assistance systems where you can talk to a Lyft operator and ask the questions that you need to ask, and have a very conversational interface with the consumer because there's a lot going on there, there's a lot going through their head about building trust. What is this car seeing? Is it acting the way that I would act and then asking questions about how does that technology work? How can it do this?
Dan Costa: What's going to happen to all the human drivers who make their living driving people from point A to point B? You've said in the past that we're always going to need human drivers. I think we may not need quite as many of them. How do you think we should respond to these technological transformations because it's clear that we're not going to go backwards, but how do we go forwards in an intelligent way?
Raj Kapoor: I think going to the question around drivers, we still believe that there will be a need for more human drivers than there are, even today. If you look at it, these ride-sharing services in the US make up about 0.5 percent of vehicle miles traveled. Even if we go to 5 percent [and] the majority of rides become self-driving, if you do the math on that growth of overall number of rides, you need even more drivers than you have today.
Two is that this technology is great, but it's going to be slowly rolled out. It's going to take a while for it to be able to do all conditions, all places all the time. You need that there because the consumer, just like between a 3G and a 4G network, wants to have a ride or just wants to make a call or get a message. We need to have that seamlessness there. I don't think we're going to see a reduction.
That being said, the other question you had is how do we respond to this? We haven't even begun to imagine around the new economy that comes out of this. There's so much infrastructure that needs to be built around parking and charging and even mundane things like cleaning cars, which right now the driver's doing it all the time. But if there's no driver, how are you going to get all that done?
Then there are groups of people that need to have assistance, whether it's elderly people, people requiring physical assistance, young children. We think there's going to be opportunities abound. We've always, in the past, underestimated what the new opportunities are and overestimated the loss that's going to be there.
Dan Costa: What do you think the biggest obstacle to the widespread adoption of driverless cars will be? Is it regulations? Is it the technical limitations of being able to solve these problems? Is it the safety issues? What do you think the obstacles are?
Raj Kapoor: The obstacles, I would say, there's a number of them. First of all, it is consumer trust around whether I can trust that this vehicle is going to operate safely, not just for me but for all the environment and community around it. It's really important.
Two is the technology itself, as I mentioned. I think we're on a good path, and we're improving, but it's going to take some time to get there. The other piece of it is that the cost of the vehicles are significantly expensive right now. They're using expensive computers, expensive sensors. They're not made necessarily to last for a long time because they're in a lot of R&D stage. The reliability and the cost have to get better and will just like the computer industry has in doing it.
Then there's, on the government side, the regulations that need to allow for this to flourish. We're seeing good progress there. If we continue to have a federal level safety standards, then that's something that's really positive, and it's not going to be that you have to create a specific car versus specific jurisdiction. We think those are the barriers, but they all seem very doable.
Dan Costa: One of the other things that's happened in the last 12 months is that scooters went from a small gadget for enthusiasts to a mainstream transportation platform that is taking over a lot of cities, frankly. And Lyft has made some investments in that space, too. Where do you see the opportunity in scooters, and what makes Lyft's approach unique?
Raj Kapoor: We classify all this as micro mobility, scooters and bikes. What we found is that there's a really unmet need for that, call it zero- to two-mile-range short-distance trip. Yes, you could take a Lyft or you could potentially walk, but you're in that zone, especially if it's a half a mile or more where it's a little bit long to do that. It is a really convenient thing to do. It's also a really fun thing to do. Whether you're biking or scooting, and especially if it's electric propulsion, so you're going a little faster than you would by yourself, it's exciting and fun to do that.
(Lyft Scooters in Atlanta)
I'm also surprised on how quickly that has penetrated, but I think we're living in a world now where there's mass adoption. There's social networks, and the innovation that's that happened in software so fast, we're seeing in hardware. There are new versions of scooters every month that they're coming out.
Dan Costa: That's one of the amazing things—that the cost to manufacture a scooter is so low that the companies don't mind losing a couple a day.
Raj Kapoor: Yes, there's some loss rate and breakage rate that is acceptable given the high usage. It works for the consumer because it's still a very reasonable price to get around town. What we're seeing is it's really going to be a stitching together of a number of different modalities, whether it's bikes, scooters, walking, and ride-sharing together to provide a really good alternative to owning a car, which is expensive, a hassle, has parking, congestion, emissions. It's a really big problem that all of these things together are going to solve.
Dan Costa: You want to be able to open up the Lyft app and get to where they want to go, whether it's by a car or whether it's a scooter or a bike, it almost doesn't matter to you. It depends on what the user needs at the moment.
Raj Kapoor: We want to get them from point A to point B in the most convenient way that they could get there and without owning a car. That's the key criteria.
Dan Costa: Do you think that people will still own cars for long-distance trips or for other purposes, or do you think that there's going to be a slice of the population that just says, "You know what, I live in a city. I very rarely have to go more than 10 miles, and when I do, I'll rent one."
Raj Kapoor: Yeah. I think there will clearly be a big group of the population, especially that lives in cities, that really will not be able to justify owning a car. All the use cases that you're thinking about you could utilize by short-term rentals, car-sharing or ride-sharing or micro mobility or also public transit. We've integrated in public transit. It's the best way to get around in a lot of instances. We're feeding into that. I think that there will be a big chunk that does that. There's a lot of inertia still about buying a car, and some people are still wrapping up a car in their self-worth and their identity, but that's changing, especially with young people.
Dan Costa: I want to ask you several questions I ask everybody that comes on the show. Is there a technology trend that keeps you up at night and that you're really worried about?
Raj Kapoor: I've seen the online advertising industry become this incredible performance machine in which clicks drive revenue, and what drives clicks is an emotional response. That can lend itself to, I think, content that could be really damaging to society. We're seeing that play out, not just in the political realm, but the way that you get a response which drives the business model is to raise the emotional anxiety of a person in either good or bad ways. I don't think that feels like a great model that we should be building media upon.
Dan Costa: What's the solution to that? I find myself doing it even though I know all of the mechanics, I know why I shouldn't be doing this. It usually happens at the bottom of an article page, and there's six stories that are all provocative, tuned into my personality.
Raj Kapoor: I think part of it is, first, people understanding what's driving [clicks] so that you can have a more rational view of making that decision. I think most people don't understand what the incentives are in the system. Two is really the consumer having to take it into their own hands and saying, look, I'm willing to pay for an experience that doesn't have that because I want to really have focus and I don't want to be distracted in ways that I think I don't want to be in the future.
Dan Costa: Is there a technology, a device, or a service that you use every day that inspires wonder?
Raj Kapoor: I would say I am an owner of an electric car and have a Tesla. That really inspires wonder for me, not just that it is electric and all the benefits of that, but just what they've done with software, and the ability to update the car is just phenomenal. All the benefit that I see in my phone and my PC has now come to the car.
Dan Costa: I think there are a lot of Tesla owners. Obviously, it's a fantastic product. It works the way it's supposed to work, but there's an aspirational aspect to it of pushing boundaries and transforming what cars mean that I think a lot of people want to buy into and they want to be a part of.
Raj Kapoor: Yeah. It's that brand association that Elon has done a really good job around.
For more Fast Forward with Dan Costa, subscribe to the podcast. On iOS, download Apple's Podcasts app, search for "Fast Forward" and subscribe. On Android, download the Stitcher Radio for Podcasts app via Google Play.
Dan Costa Editor in Chief
Dan Costa is the Editor-in-Chief of PCMag.com and the Senior Vice President of Content for Ziff-Davis. He oversees the editorial operations for PCMag.com, Geek.com, ExtremeTech.com as well as PCMag's network of blogs, including AppScout and SecurityWatch. Dan makes frequent appearances on local, national, and international news programs, including CNN, MSNBC, FOX, ABC, and NBC where he shares his perspective on a variety of technology trends.
Dan began working at PC Magazine in 2005 as a senior editor, covering consumer electronics, blogging on Gearlog.com, and serving as the host of the weekly Gearlog Radio podcast. Prior to arriving at PCMag, Dan was Editor of the CNET Fortune ... See Full Bio
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is a Japanese speed skater. He competed in the men's 10,000 metres event at the 1968 Winter Olympics.

References

1947 births
Living people
Japanese male speed skaters
Olympic speed skaters of Japan
Speed skaters at the 1968 Winter Olympics
Sportspeople from Hokkaido

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Sharks Bites: Frustrations Run High During Losing Streak
November 5, 2019 by Adam Cumbee
Another week, another dismal showing for the San Jose Sharks. After three more losses, the Sharks dropped to 4-10-1, the second-worst record in the NHL. This puts them just two points ahead of the Ottawa Senators, whom the Sharks lost to last week. Not much has gone right for head coach Pete DeBoer's squad, especially during this five-game losing streak.
While the losses to the Boston Bruins and Vancouver Canucks were lacking in just about every area, the Sharks put up a valiant effort against the Winnipeg Jets in their return to the SAP Center after a long road trip. In what may have been their most complete game to date, San Jose fired off 53 shots to Winnipeg's 19, but they just couldn't capitalize on the opportunities as Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck played arguably the best game of his young career.
There have been plenty of games this season like the ones against Boston and Vancouver, but the Winnipeg game gave us a glimpse of what the Sharks are capable of and provided fans with a much-needed glimmer of hope. While the team struggles to find an identity and fights through frustration, it hasn't been all bad in the Bay Area. Here are some news and notes from the past week.
Weekly Game Results
Tuesday, Oct. 29: 5-1 loss at Boston Bruins
Friday, Nov. 1: 3-2 loss vs Winnipeg Jets
Saturday, Nov. 2: 5-2 loss vs Vancouver Canucks
Frustrations Mounting
When you're a team that has found as much success as the Sharks have in recent history, it can be very frustrating to have no answers as to what is going so dreadfully wrong. The Sharks are currently sporting a minus-20 goal differential with a league-worst minus-18 differential in 5-on-5 play. While it would be easy for a team struggling as badly as San Jose is to get down and start pointing fingers looking for answers, defenseman Brenden Dillon provided a glimpse into the mindset of the struggling locker room.
Dillon: "Everybody, if we do our job, whatever that role is…That's where it's got to start. Everybody not getting on each other. Staying prideful."
Dillon, then asked if guys were getting on each other, said they weren't, but there was frustration
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) November 3, 2019
Coach DeBoer was a little less saccharine in his assessment of the current state of the team.
"I think as a group we're a little pissed off where we're at," DeBoer said. "We're a little embarrassed. We've got to start playing with a little more of an attitude. Defend with a little more attitude, attack with a little more attitude. I just think we've been a soft team through 10 to 12 games and that doesn't win you many games in this league."
The good thing is that frustration can be fixed with a few good games. We see those aforementioned glimpses in games like the one against Winnipeg where San Jose came out with a certain swagger that has been missing in a majority of their games this season. Although it's hard to play with swagger and confidence when you're getting blown out, captain Logan Couture believes the frustration will be fleeting and the swagger and wins will make their triumphant return sooner than later.
"We need to get that swagger, that confidence back, that we've had here for so many years. It's tough when you're losing," Couture said. "There's no blame game going on in the room at all. Everyone's looking at their own game. Individually we all need to be better. Once that happens I think, as a team, we'll play better."
San Jose Sharks center Logan Couture (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Penalty Problems Bite the Sharks
One major handicap to winning games is committing excessive penalties. As a team, the Sharks are second in the league with 70 penalties. Dillon and Barclay Goodrow are tied for sixth in the NHL with eight penalties and Brent Burns trails the duo by one with seven penalties. Goodrow is also tied for the league-lead with 35 penalty minutes.
This problem reared its ugly head in the Bruins game when the Sharks accrued 57 penalty minutes, including game misconducts and ejections for Goodrow, Couture, Evander Kane, and coach DeBoer in a very heated game. Even without the 30 minutes of misconduct penalties, San Jose still had 27 PIM in the game.
Their penalty kill has been a big help in this area, and we'll get to that in a bit, but it's still not an ideal situation for a team desperate for a little success.
Simek Returns
The Sharks' defense has struggled mightily thus far, but help is on the way. Radim Simek, who suffered a major leg injury last March, has been recalled from his AHL conditioning assignment and figures to play a role in helping stabilize the defensive unit. Simek scored nine points in 41 games for the Sharks during the 2018-19 season, so he won't add a lot to the score sheet, but he still brings a lot to the table defensively.
San Jose Sharks defenseman Radim Simek (Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports)
In the last two seasons, San Jose is 28-9-3 with Simek on the ice, and 17-28-2 without him, including the 2018-19 playoffs. He won't fix all of the team's problems, but it sure is a great place to start.
Who's Hot?
One of the few consistently bright spots for San Jose this season has been their special teams units. The Sharks are the owners of the league's best penalty-kill unit with an 89.7 percent kill rate. They're also ninth in the league on the power play at 22 percent.
In a season desperate for some highs, one of the few consistent highs has been Kane, especially on the power play. Kane has six of the team's power-play goals. Defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic even got in on the special teams fun with a shorthanded goal against the Canucks. It's odd to see such a disparity between 5-on-5 play and special teams play, but it's another glimpse into an area of success that the team can try to build on.
Who's Not?
The goalie situation in San Jose has been rough to watch in recent years. This year has been no different. The boom-or-bust nature of Martin Jones and the inconsistent play of Aaron Dell has contributed greatly to the team's struggles. The defense has been abysmal, which hasn't helped, but when it comes down to it, neither goaltender has really stepped up to the challenge.
San Jose Sharks' Martin Jones (AP Photo/Scot Tucker)
This past week, Jones sported an .878 save percentage against Boston, stopping 36 of 41 shots, and an .842 SV% against the Jets, turning aside 16 of 19 shots. Dell didn't fare much better against Vancouver with an .821 SV%, stopping 23 of 28. Dell has struggled mightily as a backup, which opens a potential door for prospect Josef Korenar. Much like Simek, Korenar may not be the answer to all of the Sharks' problems, but the 2018-19 AHL All-Star sure looks like a step up from Dell, and potentially even Jones, and could help provide a spark in the net that the Sharks so desperately need.
The Sharks will look to get back in the win column this week with home games against the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday, the Minnesota Wild on Thursday, and the Nashville Predators on Saturday, who beat them 5-2 on Oct. 8. They have already beaten the Blackhawks once this season, picking up their first win, so they'll look to rekindle some of that magic before tough tests against the Wild and the Predators.
Adam Cumbee
Adam got his start in sports journalism and sports broadcasting at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater where he was fortunate enough to cover several national championship teams. He was also the Color Commentator and pre/post-game interviewer for the Columbus Blue Jackets' ECHL affiliate, the Chicago Express, in their one year of existence.
Adam fell in love with hockey at a young age and grew up a Chicago Blackhawks fan despite them not being on television at the time.
Categories Column, San Jose Sharks Tags Josef Korenar, Radim Simek
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Sechin asks to destroy the circulation of Vedomosti with an article about his house in Barvikha
Rosneft head believes that all phrases with his surname in the Vedomosti article on his building up a house in Barvikha should be considered as an invasion of privacy. Top manager demands to prohibit the circulation of the article and destroy all issues in possession of the publisher.
Origin source
The head of "Rosneft" Igor Sechin in his lawsuit against the publishing house "Business News Media" published by "Vedomosti", demanded to destroy all the means at the disposal of "Vedomosti" copies of the newspaper on July 20, an article entitled "Sechin building a nest in Barvikha," said RBC head the legal department of "Vedomosti" Vladimir Rumyantsev.
Sechin also asked to remove the article from the website and distribute it to prohibit in the future, he said. In addition, the head of "Rosneft" required to publish on the website and in the newspaper reported that the article "Sechin building a nest in Barvikha" acknowledged violating his right to privacy, said Rumyantsev.
According to him, all the phrases in the article with the name of the plaintiff Sechin considers interference in the private life. "We do not believe that violated existing law, because all the information obtained from public sources," - said Rumyantsev.
The official representative of "Rosneft" Mikhail Leontiev Sechin refused to comment on the essence of the claim. A source in the "Rosneft" RBC confirmed that Sechin's lawyers require the defendant to recognize all of the phrases in the article with the name Sechin interference in his private life and point it in the newspaper, as well as to destroy all available copies of the paper version of the said Article.
The issue of "Vedomosti" dated July 20, it published an article by journalist Rinat Sagdieva titled "Sechin building a nest in Barvikha." It tells us that Sechin has acquired land near clinical sanatorium property administration of President "Barvikha" and build a house there.
"Rosneft" after the article stated that the forced "to assume customized nature of this publication," which was published "without any kind of information was a clear reason."
In August Sechin gave in Ostankino court in Moscow to claim the publisher of "Vedomosti" and journalist Rinat Sagdieva. "Material claims in the lawsuit is not, but it takes a distortion of the facts and the finding of a refutation of the illegal invasion of privacy and use of personal data - this is the subject of the claim", - he told the then Vice-President of "Rosneft" Mikhail Leontiev.
An action against the publisher and journalist, "Vedomosti" was the second appeal the head of "Rosneft" in the court in August for newspaper publication. Before that, he filed a lawsuit on protection of honor and dignity to the "Novaya Gazeta" journalist and Roman Anya. The reason for this was the material Anya, and stating that the spouse Sechin Olga spent time on a yacht St. Princess Olga worth $ 100 million.
Sechin demanded to recognize information from the article of "Novaya Gazeta" untrue and discrediting his honor and dignity, to deny it and to destroy, said RBC representative of the court. In early September, the deputy editor of "Novaya Gazeta" Sergei Sokolov said that the lawsuit, resulting publication, there was no requirement to destroy the circulation. According to Sokolov, the head of "Rosneft" requests to remove material from the site and publish a retraction.
On the destruction of the circulation numbers of "Novaya Gazeta" insisted wife of the head of "Rosneft" Olga Sechin, who also addressed the Court, claiming a violation of her right to privacy. The lawsuit was filed in the Moscow's Basmanny Court on 15 August and two days later the court found it inaccurate and left him without movement. Sechin corrected the deficiencies within the prescribed period, and filed a lawsuit again. But on September 2, it became known that the court returned Sechin lawsuit, finding that she was not completely eliminated the shortcomings.
Igor Sechin
Mikhail Leontiev
Sergey Sokolov
Business News Media
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Income of Sechin and other members of the board of Rosneft has grown by 1 billion rubles
Former rector of the New Economic School — RBC: "Corruption means the governors and higher officials"
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How the oil and gas projects in the Arctic are being scrapped
One of the four suits of Leonid Lebedev to Viktor Vekselberg and Leonard Blavatnik rejected
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Bloomberg about the crack in the relationship between Putin and Sechin
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"Rosneft": the battle for the Far East?
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Bugaboo announced their latest collaboration this morning – this time with Pendleton. The brand is well known for their for their tartans and woolen blankets, most infamously the Rob Roy (red and black check print).
The new stroller collection includes three designs – the Rob Roy (pictured above), Spirit of the Peoples and Crossroads, a design exclusive to the Bugaboo Cameleon3.
The Spirit of the Peoples is a gorgeous Native American inspired print that showcases shades of red, turquoise and black with various stripes and shapes. It's quite eye-catching!
Crossroads jacquard design harnesses the power of the four directions (East, West, North and South).
Each stroller comes with a beautiful, woolen woven blanket. Prices have yet to be released, but we will update this post once we hear more.


Kids watching the sun set as someone shags the ball from the lake.
After four weeks on the beach, getting off the bus in Phnom Phen was a nightmare. Tuk tuk driver screaming into the bus before I could even get off it. Swarming and yelling, all within the midst of the teeming city, it's enough to make you stay on the bus and go wherever it goes.
Not every city is opulent or has a long scroll's worth of things to see. Some cities are just busy places of industry, places where people are trying to get by and get things done. Phnom Phen is one of those.
My reaction reminded me of getting to Kathmandu after a week in isolated, deserted Tibet. I was shocked by the people and the noise and wanted to leave immediately.
I spent a single day in the city. I had some good falafel, played hacky sack with some local kids at the mosque and watched the sun go down. There is a lot of hacky sack in Cambodia and I join whenever I can. it's a good way to meet the locals. I decided to head to Siem Reap the next morning. I didn't know what to see the next day and I would rather spend the time in smaller Siem Reap.
7 hours on the bus with the horrible Cambodian music videos blaring got me there.
I first learned of Angkor Wat some twenty years ago. A friend had found out about it in some book and we sat at the table marveling at the these black and white photocopies. The scale of the thing was stunning. We didn't really know where it was or really anything about it. But it stuck in the craw all these years and I was pleased to get to see it. There are moments when traveling that are good travel moments: those times when you know are you somewhere amazing, or where things really happened…those moments when you feel really far from home. New York, Hiroshima, Mt. Everest.
For me, Angkor Wat was one of these places. After all these years, I was in the home of one of the largest temples in the world; a huge place that supported a huge population more than 1000 years ago, and then collapsed completely.
The complex is a series of temples spread over and area the size of Manhattan. It's been cut back out from the overgrown forest and the scale is stunning. The buildings that remain are enormous and the environs are strewn with countless cut stones from buildings that collapsed or were vandalized. Most of the surfaces were ornately carved with images or gods or kings or battles or whatever. Huge statues and monumental bas reliefs, the size is staggering. This is the place where the trees are growing out and around the walls.
It's the main tourist attraction in Cambodia and we are out in droves. Buses and tuks and motorbikes abound as we zip from place to place, trying to drown out the shrill chorus of hawker women peddling water, scarves, and other tourist crap. I figured out in India that the forcefulness of the selling is proportional to the poverty. That means that these people are quite poor. Plus there is the smoldering anger that accompanies anyone that is turned down a million times a day, while we tourist get our endless photos and slyly compare rigs.
But for all that, for all the effort, distance traveled, anticipation wasted, I was underwhelmed.
Perhaps I am turning into the jaded traveler. I am certainly not at the eye-rolling "you don't know the real…" stage. It's a very impressive pile of rocks. But in the end, a pile of rocks. Perhaps it's because they are hard to photograph. They are wider than tall and that makes it very difficult to provide a proper scale to the thing. Each photograph is a small snapshot of a much larger, more impressive thing and perhaps I am frustrated by the inability to get it properly.
I certainly know I am getting sick of the CONSTANT touting that comes with Siem Reap. It's impossible to walk 20 feet, honestly, without being heckled for food, rides, girls, massage, fish massage, marijuana, bus ticket, whatever. It's exhausting, but few things are uglier than snapping at a local for interrupting your precious vacation.
So while others take 5-7 days to see everything, I am done with them after 3. I can't muster the energy to do the sunrise photos because in the end, it's more photos of things I already shot.
But there are still the nice moments. Smiles from the lovely children, shouting 'hello' and delighted at the reply. Girls getting photos with me because I am the big, handsome foreigner. Having the old guy take me to all the good shots behind the scenes. Finding a perfect mango laasi.
Kids at Angkor. Love the one standing.
I found this organization called Artisans D' Angkor. This place trains locals to be artists. Sponsored by the French, it's a well run school that produces excellent work. They have a school you can visit, where you can see them learning wood carving, marble sculpting, silver and lacquer work, silk making and silk painting. And it turns out it was 50 ft from my hotel! I walked by the sign many times and didn't notice it.
I signed up for a free trip to the silk farm, where they grow the mulberry, raise the worms, and do the entire silk making process from worms to scarves.
But for me, the highlight of the week was my visit to the floating village. There is a very large lake next to Siem Reap. It's one of the largest natural features of the country. It's unique in the world in that every year, in its reach to the sea, the floods cause it to reverse course and the river heads back and fills the lake. it grows 5 times from low, dry season to full, wet season. It's also the largest freshwater fishery in Asia. It's a vital resource for many people.
Those that live on the lake live a unique life. They live in houses built on stilts some 20/30 feet in the air. During the wet season, these villages are completely surrounded by water, accessible only by boat. In the dry season, you can drive out to them over the muddy river bed. During dry season, some build temporary villages along the shore and then take them down in the flood.
It's an amazing sight, to see so many buildings up so high. It's quite poor, as you might imagine, and that much is apparent, both though the construction and though the lack of smiles from the local. At some point, they are probably sick of being ogled at by tourists, with the loud boats puttering around endlessly.
But it's an amazing place. I was in Kampong Phluk, which of the three villages that can be gotten to, is the middle one as far as tourists go. Another village is much closer to town and is inundated with tourists and is best avoided.
I hired a car and a boat to take me around. A French couple came along as well. We toured the village on a battered but sturdy boat. At this time of year, the water had receded about half of it's height and the ground beneath the village was visible and dry. We walked around a bit and then did a little canoe excursion into the floating forest. Then back to the village for the sunset photos, and then home.
It was for sure the highlight of the week.
Tomorrow, Christmas Eve, I head back to Bangkok to escape the holiday madness, safely ensconced at my friend's house. I leave Bangkok on Jan. 4th, to where I don't know.
I am uncharacteristically indecisive. So many places I can go. I feel like I am burning through too much money and need to get back to the Helpx thing. Since money is time in this new life, I am trying to strike a balance between helping and getting to see the world I am within. I figured out in Ireland that just because you are IN the country doesn't mean you are actually SEEING it. And it's cheap here for sure.
I met a couple from France while I was on the beach. We got along smashingly and I agreed to show up at their door in the Pyrenees in the March timeframe, for some web design and some real work. They run a guest house in the south of France and I will help them out a bit. So at some point, this young man needs to head west.
I might head to Egypt to help out one or two hosts in the Sinai, working on a farm for one and teaching kids for the other. We shall see.
Long post for one short week! Thanks for reading.
It's been a busy week for photographs so there are a lot more up on Flickr.


A 32 year-old woman is referred to the ICU post caesarean section. In the last 2 hours she has developed vaginal bleeding and oozing from her epidural site.
A 27 year old female with metastatic ovarian cancer for whom treatment options have been exhausted arrives in the ED in extremis.
What is the explanation for the discrepancy between the oxygen saturations on pulse oximetry and on arterial blood gas analysis in this patient?


Roam Agency is the exclusive agent for Arundhati Roy in North America. For inquiries about any translation, audio, video, reprint, or other rights for Arundhati Roy, contact Roam Agency. For all other inquiries, contact David Godwin Associates.
Photo Copyright: Mayank Austen Soofi.


"Wekufe: Origin of Evil" (Wekufe) is the first found footage movie to hail from the country of Chile. The film is written and directed by first-time feature film director Javier Attridge. The story follows a journalism student and her boyfriend who travel to Chiloé, a small island south of Chile. The couple investigates a possible connection between a large number of sexual related crimes in the region and an ancient local legend.
The film opens with a teaser of journalism student Paula (Paula Figueroa) and cinematographer Matias (Matias Aldea) interviewing a Chiloé local. The conversation delves into the environmental and economic impact of large corporations on the small but vital salmon farming industry in Chiloé. More of this interview is presented later in the film which takes on an entirely different meaning.
Next, the film presents the obligatory on-screen message describing the roots of the word "Wekufe," the film's namesake. The term loosely translates to demon and pertains to someone who is evil.
From here, the main plot thread of film opens with Paula and Matias purchasing provisions for their trip to Chiloé. The couple set out to investigate the island's legendary creature known as the Trauco. The mythical creature is said to seduce and impregnate young women. Paula asserts that the Chiloé locals are using the Trauco as a coverup for the island's historically high number of sexual related crimes. The couple interview government officials, Chiloé locals, historians, and Trauco experts in an effort to expose any relationship behind the high sexual crime rate and Trauco.
All along, Matias, a recent film school graduate, has his eyes set on using this trip for a secondary purpose. Matias wants to create a found footage horror movie and believes their investigation of the Trauco is the perfect backdrop. With this goal in mind, Matias expands the scope of filming to capture enough footage for his feature length film. The couple delves much deeper into the roots of the legend of the Trauco then they had originally planned, only to find themselves spiraling into grips of the ancient evil legend.
Wekufe is a Spanish language film with English subtitles. The original Chilean (Spanish) name of the film is "Wekufe: El Origen Del Mal." Like many great horror films, director Javier Attridge bases the plot of Wekufe on actual local legends and historical events. When coupled with found footage, this approach lends a strong foundation to the film's premise and credibility within the genre.
The film is set on the small island of Chiloé, south of Chile. Wekufe makes reference to local Chiloé folklore, which speaks of a mythical creature known as the Trauco. According to local legend, the Trauco is a short ogre-like creature that seduces young women in their sleep. Legend has it that the Trauco is also responsible for a large number of unwanted pregnancies on the island. It's not uncommon for women in Chiloé who give birth and are unable to identify the father to blame the Trauco to avoid family disgrace.
The use of actual folklore as the basis for Wekufe is a smart approach to filmmaking. The legend of the Trauco already has an established mystique and aura that the film leverages. Not only is this approach more economical than creating a new story, but using actual folklore infuses a real fear that is not easily replicated through pure fictional screenwriting.
The underlying story driving Wekufe is entertaining and also very creepy given that the film is grounded using an actual local legend. Additionally, the writing and storytelling contain a great deal of subtext, making the film thought provoking as well. We commend writer and director Javier Attridge for the intelligent and well-place humor and sarcasm laced throughout the story. This reviewer laughed out loud several times during Wekufe, which is rare for a found footage horror film.
As mentioned earlier, the film has two overlapping plot threads. Paula is capturing her journalism story (for school) on the rampant sexual crime rate in Chiloé and relationship to the Trauco, while Matias is intent on using Paula's coverage of the Trauco as an opportunity to create a found footage horror film. While these two objectives seem to be at odds, there's a harmonious overlap between the two given the horrific nature of the Trauco legend permeating both projects.
The acting of Paula Figueroa as character Paula is exceptional. Equally as impressive, is the performance of Matias Aldea as character Matias. These two characters exhibit a great banter and synergy that starts in the opening scenes of the film that carries through to the bitter end. This banter is used as a vehicle to present some great humor and sarcasm. The chemistry between Paula Figueroa and Matias Aldea is completely believable. So much so that reviewer wouldn't be surprised if these two actors were real life friends.
One great joy in Wekufe is watching Paula and Matias debate over the merits (or lack thereof) of the found footage genre. Matias, a horror fan himself, cites horror movies throughout the film, making reference to Rosemary's Baby, The Blair Witch Project, H.P. Lovecraft, and Swamp Thing, to name a few. This approach adds yet another tier of complexity to the already deeply layered writing. Director Javier Attridge effectively breaks the fourth wall (speaking directly to the audience) through his characters' satirical found footage discussion.
Also noteworthy, director Javier Attridge told Found Footage Critic that aside from the principle cast, most of the characters encountered in Chiloé are actual residents of the island, not trained actors.
The found footage purity in Wekufe is very well done. A professional video camera held by character Matias captures most of the found footage throughout the film. Since the character of Matias is a professional filmmaker, the steady hand and nicely framed shots used throughout the movie makes perfect sense. During most scenes where the characters are stressed or in danger, the camera is held askew or pointed towards the ground which add's to the film's realism.
Although the found footage purity is very good, it falters somewhat during several scenes very late in the film where Matias is in danger. The manner in which the footage is shot during these latter scenes comes across as too composed for someone in Matias's predicament.
Wekufe is presented as a professionally edited film with background music and a few musical montages. While on its face, this approach seems to violate the found footage conceit of Wekufe, the film hints that what we're watching was subsequently edited by a third party. During a very early scene in the film, Paula mocks the found footage genre, jokingly saying into the camera,"if you are watching this video, most likely I'm already dead […] with some good editing and background music [this would] make a great movie." This scene effectively breaks the fourth wall, speaking directly to the audience and offers some not so subtle foreshadowing.
However, despite the compelling filming reasons used early in the film, there are a few scenes towards the climactic ending where the filming reason comes into question. During a lengthy scene near the climactic ending, one of the protagonists films while in grave danger which does not come across as completely genuine.
The found footage cinematography employed in Wekufe is spot-on. As mentioned earlier in the Found Footage Purity discussion, a professional video camera wielded by Matias is used to capture all footage in the film. Generally speaking, the camerawork is very well done throughout the film. Of particular note, Wekufe contains several interesting camera techniques worthy of discussion.
In one scene where the two protagonists are driving, Paula nonchalantly places the handheld video camera on the car dashboard so it's capturing both characters in-frame. The subtlety in which the camera placement is done comes across as purely coincidental and realistic. While this brief scene may come across as trivial in the grand scheme of Wekufe, it's nuances like this one that add to the found footage conceit of the film.
Also of note is a scene where the two protagonists enter a police station to conduct an interview. Matias holds the camera at his side pointing upwards recording so not to draw suspicion. Once again, this technique is used very subtlely without any dialog to setup the scene, as none is needed. While this technique is nothing new to the genre, most found footage films with similar scenes add unnecessary dialog for the benefit of the audience to explain that the filming is being done undercover.
Wekufe artfully employs very subtle sound design effectively raising the tension where needed. The film initiates a very low hum during scenes where something supernatural is taking place. Accordingly, the sound is barely noticeable, yet is likely to subconsciously make viewers feel uneasy. The technique used in Wekufe is very similar to that used in the Paranormal Activity series.
As of the publishing of this review, Wekufe: The Origin of Evil is in post-production and will be entering the festival circuit. As such, an announced release date for the film is still pending.
WEKUFE: THE ORIGIN OF EVIL is the first found footage film from Chile and is worthy of the distinction. The movie has great acting, plot, cinematography, and humor, making WEKUFE a must watch for found footage and horror movie fans.


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Traditional views of causation are cause-effect views. Among other things, what is claimed is that when a causal report is true, a cause and an effect exist. Similarly with theories of causal beliefs, such as Gärdenfors's (1988) view that - by looking at the contraction with respect to the cause of the given epistemic state - we can apply the simple criterion that the occurrence of C raises the probability of the occurrence of E. The cause and the effect has been at centre in much theorising about causation and causal beliefs.


Here's the exciting info on our new to rescue dog Johnny. Johnny is 4 yrs young and weighs in at around 60 pounds. He's neutered and up to date on his vaccinations. This is what his foster mom has learned so far about him. Johnny has wonderful leash manners, he's been taught to not jump up or get on the sofa and he knows a lot of commands. He crates easily, his house training is solid as well. Since he's a youngster he does chew if given the opportunity, but he also crates well - so this will help in not giving him the opportunity future chewing. Johnny also gets along with other dogs his size, he loves to play and loves to be around his people. He's young and big and enthusiastic, and he loves kids but we recommend that he be in a family with older kids, that are respectful of dogs - say 6 and older. If you're a lover of Labs, or dogs, this handsome boy is ready to start the New Year off in his new furever home. We're asking for a $350 donation for his adoption, you can email journeyhomerescue@outlook.com for an adoption application or go to our website journeyhomerescue.us and download one from there.


For those who love truffles, agro-tourism, wine and untouched nature, Buzet, the "city of truffles" is well worth a side trip from Rovinj, about 50km away. Pula is about 90km distant but each of these cities has bus connections to Buzet. The town itself lies in the very heart of the northern part of Croatian Istria on a 150-meter-high hill overlooking the Mirna River valley. The old town, or "stari grad" is more than 500 years old and served as a walled fortress that provided a spectacular overlook as well as security. The new part of the town is called Fontana and is surprisingly active. The first week of September is the town's annual truffle festival including creation of a giant omelet is made with over 2000 eggs and $12,000 worth of truffles (about 10 kilos!). Despite its tiny size, just 6,000 inhabitants, a growing number of wine connoisseurs, truffle lovers and others looking for the off-the-beaten-track charm of interior Croatia are discovering Buzet. And it's very close to the hilltop magic of Motuvun and just a bit further inland from Buzet is Pazin, with its famous castle. Just two more reasons why central Istria is such a marvelous find!
–the town's website, in English, and just terrific!
–the Karlic family has daily truffle presentations, including omelettes with truffles as well as truffle hunting with their dogs in the nearby woods. We loved it!
–Zdenka and her crew do fabulous day trips from the Buzet area, highly recommended!
–be sure to call, these must be booked in advance and things change!


text:
For racing fans, life does exist beyond Loudon
Steve Haberman
The smell of high-octane fuel, the scream of engines pushed to their limits, the flash of colorful vehicles speeding across asphalt tracks, the controlled madness of the pit crews, and the camaraderie that develops between spectators atop their motor homes as they cheer on their favorites, that is what motor sports is all about.
This coming week, the focus of racing fans from across the state and country will be on New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon. It is expected that motor homes from all over the nation will begin appearing on up-country roadways as racing's faithful make their pilgrimage to one of New England's racing meccas.
The fans will all be in the state as part of one of the largest racing spectacles in the Northeast. From Friday, Sept. 14, through Sunday, Sept. 16, the Loudon track will host three NASCAR-sanctioned races — the New Hampshire 100, New Hampshire 125 and New Hampshire Winston Cup Series 300 — along with a Featherlite Modified Series race.
As media outlets gear up to cover these races as they have for every NASCAR race at NHIS, other races that take place throughout the season all across the state often don't get half the publicity of the Loudon events. In fact, there are many other racetracks scattered around the state that hold races virtually every weekend.
Canaan USA Motorsports Park — The facility features a 1/3-mile dirt track and a 1/3-mile asphalt oval.
Claremont Speedway — This track holds races every Saturday on a 1/3-mile, semi-banked, asphalt oval, featuring a Tour-type Modified Division, Pro Stocks, Late Models, Street Stocks and Mini Stocks.
Hudson Speedway — Sunday is race day at this track, which features a 1/4-mile, high-banked, asphalt oval.
Jolly Rogers Moto Sport Park — This 1/5-mile track in East Lempster caters to moto-cross motorcycle racing.
Londonderry Raceway — This raceway is a 1/4-mile asphalt oval that is strictly devoted to miniature motor sports.
Speedway — Located in Winchester, this 1/4-mile high-banked, asphalt oval features racing every Friday night.
Norway Pines Speedway — This 1/4-mile clay oval, located in Wentworth, features racing every Saturday night.
Riverside Speedway — This Groveton track features racing every Saturday on its 1/4-mile, high-banked, asphalt track.
Sugar Hill Speedway — This 1/5-mile asphalt oval and road course facility in South Weare promotes Go-Kart and miniature motorsport racing every Saturday and Sunday.
Winchester Speedpark — Saturday night is race time on this 1/5-mile, high-banked, clay oval that features Mini-Sprints, ATVs, Go-Karts, Wingless Modifieds and Thunder Stocks.
White Mountain Motorsports Park — This track in North Woodstock is 1/4-mile, high-banked oval that holds races every weekend in five classes; Late Models, Super Streets, Street Stocks, Strictly Minis and Mini Cup Cars.
And the Seacoast is home to three of the state's finest and busiest racing facilities. They are:
Lee USA Speedway — Located on Route 125, just south of the Lee traffic circle, this 3/8-mile, asphalt oval track hosts Pro Stocks, the Exide Battery Short Track Series Late Models, Street Stocks, Hobby Stocks and four-cylinder NGK Sparkplug Roadrunners.
Star Speedway — The 1/4-mile, semi-banked, asphalt oval, located on Exeter Road, Route 27, in Epping, holds races throughout the season on Saturday nights.
New England Dragway — The state's only drag strip, this 1/4-mile track hosts dragsters of all types, including nitro-fueled motorcycles.
In fact, this weekend was one of the busiest for all three Seacoast tracks.
Lee, billed as the fastest short track in New England, held the Pepsi Championships for Pro Stocks on Friday. The event featured two races in this category.
On Saturday, Star held its Star/ISMA Supermodified International Classic 200, a 350 Supermodified 50-Lap Classic and season championships in the Pro and Street Stocks categories.
New England Dragway celebrated its 35th anniversary by hosting one of its premier events this weekend, the Amalie Oil North American Nationals. The finals will take place this afternoon. The event will feature Top Fuel, Pro Stock and Funny Cars, along with the Screamin' Eagles Nitro Harley Davidson motorcycle competition.
While local racers and racing enthusiasts know about the quality events that take place at these local tracks, many residents of Seacoast towns are unaware of the depth of motor sport activity that takes place just minutes from their homes. It is something that track marketing people hope to change in the near future.
"We've got to bring in new fans," said New England Dragway's Marketing Director Cliff Jacques. "New fans are what will keep us alive."
Jacques said this kind of outreach has not been tried locally, but that he is developing a plan for next year to let local drag fans know about what is available at the Epping track.
So far, state tourism officials have not concentrated on promoting motor sports in New Hampshire, said Terry Rayno, director of the State Office of Tourism.
"There are no plans to promote motor sports that I'm aware of," Rayno said. "We still focus on what we call 'authentic experiences,' mostly involving outdoor attractions like the mountains and the lakes."
Exeter Area Chamber of Commerce President Tracey McGrail, who counts both the New England Dragway and Star Speedway as members of her organization, said it is up to organizations like the chamber to exert pressure on the state to promote the local tracks.
"If the state hasn't discovered the tourism value of these resources, it is because those of us here on the Seacoast haven't brought it to their attention," the chamber president said.
Motor sports is gaining a wider audience almost every day, thanks to NASCAR events being televised nationally. McGrail said she hopes that in the near future, the kinds of crowds that will be making their way to Loudon this week will eventually discover the secret world of motor sports that takes place from June through October here on the Seacoast.
"When you think of the number of racers who come to these tracks and the lodgings and meals they eat, and all the visitors who come to watch these races, the economic impact on the region could be huge," McGrail said.
For race fans, tracks exist beyond Loudon


text:
Q: How to remove lines which match lines in another document So I am running Centos 6.9, but could switch to Centos 7 if needed
If I have 2 txt files, one contains
Gold
Silver
Copper
Aluminum
Titanium

And my second contains
Gold
Silver
Titanium

How can I run a command to have a file that contains
Copper
Aluminum

Summarized: How can I remove lines in a file which match those of another file

A: This can easily be done with grep
laforge@ncc1701d:~ $ cat file1.txt
Gold
Silver
Copper
Aluminum
Titanium
laforge@ncc1701d:~ $ cat file2.txt
Gold
Silver
Titanium
laforge@ncc1701d:~ $ grep -vf file2.txt file1.txt
Copper
Aluminum
laforge@ncc1701d:~ $ grep -f file2.txt file1.txt
Gold
Silver
Titanium
laforge@ncc1701d:~ $

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Tagged As: lyricist
The Following content has been tagged as "lyricist"
jingle writer
recording arts
song plugger
It was once the dirty little secret of the recording industry that many artists did not write their own music, but today consumers understand that behind a teen pop queen or platinum-selling group, there is often an unsung hero who receives only a brief mention in the fine print of the album's credits.
Practiced in the short form of songwriting and an equally adept arranger, the jingle writer is a hired hand that specializes in composing music for advertisements, such as television and radio commercials. Whether exalting the wonders of toothpaste or an airline, this person has a knack for creating an auditory brand that artfully expresses the qualities of a product or company.
music publisher
Transcription, in musical terms, formally refers to the process of writing musical notation based solely on a recording of the song. Recording artists are not in the habit of composing sheet music for all instrumental parts on a track, nor do contemporary musicians always play a song precisely how it was written. A transcriber can take a commercially released album or recording of a live performance and put written notes to each musical part.
dramatist
The work of the lyricist is the art of substitution; at least that's how Sheldon Harnick, the Tony and Grammy award-winning wordsmith of musicals such as Fiddler on the Roof and Fiorello describes it. Songwriting, in the form that a lyricist sets words to a composer's melodies, is a craft of poetry and wit.
Supervising Editor
Hired toward the latter part of principal photography in most cases, the supervising...
Rendering is the pivotal process in CGI of turning computer data into a sequence of...
Plate Supervisor
A plate, in production terms, is footage shot to be used for visual effects in post-...


text:
""" Tests Linear Regression scoring engine """
import unittest
from sparktkregtests.lib import sparktk_test
from sparktkregtests.lib import scoring_utils

class LinearRegression(sparktk_test.SparkTKTestCase):

    def setUp(self):
        """Build test frame"""
        super(LinearRegression, self).setUp()
        dataset = self.get_file("linear_regression_gen.csv")
        schema = [("c1", float),
                  ("c2", float),
                  ("c3", float),
                  ("c4", float),
                  ("label", float)]

        self.frame = self.context.frame.import_csv(
            dataset, schema=schema)

    def test_model_scoring(self):
        """Test publishing a linear regression model"""
        model = self.context.models.regression.linear_regression.train(
            self.frame, ['c1', 'c2', 'c3', 'c4'], "label")

        predict = model.predict(self.frame, ['c1', 'c2', 'c3', 'c4'])
        test_rows = predict.to_pandas(50)

        file_name = self.get_name("linear_regression")
        model_path = model.export_to_mar(self.get_export_file(file_name))

        with scoring_utils.scorer(model_path, self.id()) as scorer:
            for _, i in test_rows.iterrows():
                res = scorer.score(
                    [dict(zip(["c1", "c2", "c3", "c4"], list(i[0:4])))])
                self.assertEqual(
                    i['predicted_value'], res.json()["data"][0]['Prediction'])

    def test_revise_model(self):
        """Tests revise api in scoring engine"""
        model = self.context.models.regression.linear_regression.train(
            self.frame, ['c1', 'c2', 'c3', 'c4'], 'label')
        old_model_path = model.export_to_mar(
            self.get_export_file(self.get_name("lin_reg")))

        # create a revised model
        model_revised = self.context.models.regression.linear_regression.train(
                self.frame,
                ['c1', 'c2', 'c3'], 'label',
                max_iterations=10)
        result_revised = model_revised.predict(self.frame, ['c1', 'c2', 'c3'])
        test_rows = result_revised.to_pandas(50)
        revised_model_path = model_revised.export_to_mar(
            self.get_export_file(self.get_name("lin_reg_revised")))

        with scoring_utils.scorer(
               old_model_path, self.id()) as scorer:
            res = scorer.revise(revised_model_path)
            self.assertEqual(res.json()["status"], "success")

            for _, i in test_rows.iterrows():
                res = scorer.score(
                    [dict(zip(["c1", "c2", "c3"], list(i[0:3])))])
                self.assertEqual(
                    i['predicted_value'], res.json()["data"][0]['Prediction'])

if __name__ == '__main__':
    unittest.main()

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


QUU lamps are a beautiful lighting collection combining wood and glass in a harmonious way.
Lamps are made from sustainably sourced solid ash and hand blowed glass. Unique glass balls are made from high-quality recycled glass and each ball have been hand blowed individually. The opposing materials create a nice contrast. Wood provides roughness whilst the glass brings lightness.
This simple and timeless design will work in many interior styled spaces and is a great way to bring a touch of nature and Nordic design in to your home. Lets its simplicity speak for itself.
The lights are available in a multitude of colour and design combinations. The basic collection consists of pastel and neutral shades but the lights are fully customisable. They can be made-to-order in any colour which makes them perfect for bringing Nordic style and simple beauty to any interior.
QUU Group L is a cluster with 5 QUU pendant lights.


text:
James Samuel Risien Russell (ur. 17 września 1863 w Demerarze, zm. 20 marca 1939 w Londynie) – brytyjski lekarz neurolog.

Życiorys
Urodził się w Gujanie Brytyjskiej jako syn plantatora trzciny cukrowej Williama Russella. W 1880 roku wraz z bratem Williamem Jr. wyjechał na studia do Szkocji. Studiował na Uniwersytecie Edynburskim od 1882 do 1886 roku. W 1893 otrzymał tytuł doktora medycyny. Przez pewien czas pracował w St. Thomas' Hospital w Londynie, uzupełniał też studia za granicą, w Paryżu i Berlinie. Od 1895 rezydent w Queens Square Hospital, rok później na stanowisku patologa. W Queen Square współpracował m.in. z Horsleyem i Jacksonem. Od 1895 dzięki stypendium British Medical Association prowadził badania doświadczalne w laboratorium Horsleya. Od 1898 na stanowisku lekarza asystenta w Queen Square, równocześnie w University College Hospital. Od 1900 do 1910 profesor medycyny sądowej, po 1908 jeden z wykładowców medycyny klinicznej w University College Hospital.

Przewodniczył National Society for Lunacy Reform.

Żonaty z Adą Gwenllian Michell od lipca 1892, mieli córkę Marjory Gwenllian Russell (1893-). W 1915 roku rozwiódł się, w 1924 ożenił się z wdową Adą Hartley.

Od około 1900 roku prowadził z sukcesem prywatną praktykę lekarską przy 44 Wimpole Street, wśród jego pacjentów byli m.in. Henry Stanley i Humphry Ward.

Zmarł w 1939 roku, pochowany jest na Highgate Cemetery w Londynie.

Dorobek naukowy
Wspólnie z Battenem i Collierem przedstawił jeden z pierwszych opisów podostrego złożonego zwyrodnienia rdzenia kręgowego. Jego prace doświadczalne prowadzone wspólnie z Horsleyem dotyczyły m.in. lokalizacji obszarów mózgu odpowiedzialnych za kontrolę ruchów gałek ocznych, szlaków nerwowych rdzenia przedłużonego i rdzenia kręgowego oraz dróg móżdżkowych.

Wybrane prace
 An experimental investigation of the nerve roots which enter into the formation of the lumbo-sacral plexus of Macacus rhesus (1893)
 On some circumstances under which the normal state of the knee jerk is altered (1893)
 Experimental researches into the functions of the cerebellum (1894)
 Phenomena resulting from interruption of afferent and efferent tracts of the cerebellum (1897)
 Infantile cerebral degeneration with symmetrical changes at the macula (1897)
 Insanity as a ground for divorce. Divorce Law Reform Union, 1930

Przypisy

Linki zewnętrzne

Brytyjscy neurolodzy
Pochowani na cmentarzu Highgate Cemetery w Londynie
Urodzeni w 1863
Zmarli w 1939


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But Is It Available With A Huge "L" Superimposed?
We generally think we've seen just about the stupidest possible coaster-themed merchandise. After all, we've been to events -- we've seen the patches, the incredibly cheesy joke t-shirts (including our own tasteful ones!), the posters, the magnets, and, yes, the bumperstickers.
And then along comes this. A thrillseeker's diploma, available for the low price of $9.95 (plus a mere $2.50 shipping and handling), which is probably only $9.75 more than it would cost you to create it on any consumer-level computer with a marginally-functional color printer.
(Oh, and there's a fancy gold seal. Add another quarter spent at Hobby Lobby. We're guessing the handwritten signatures don't cost any extra, since it's presumably whoever the seller is toking up with that day.)
We certainly are pleased to read that "The scanned image does not do the diploma justice, it is nice," since from the scan it surely looks like a cheap inkjet printout created by a marginally literate person hoping to somehow make a living selling massively marked-up fake diplomas (his other diplomas include a hilarious array, from hedgehogs to AMC Gremlin Hornets!).
But hey, it's a revenue source, so we'll join the competition: For just $20, we'll send you a guaranteed-authentic color printout of any ARN&R entry you desire, with a genuine signature by whoever is around. Hell, we'll throw in a gold seal for $5 extra, and coffee stains for free. For $100, we'll even write a whole piece just about you and your wacky hijinks.
But until that business begins, we'll have to live with naming this auction the Site O' The Weak.


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Poll: What's Your Favorite Movie from Phase Three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
02.10.20 |	Jon Morgereth	| Tags: Ant-Man and the Wasp, Avengers: Endgame, Avengers: Infinity War, Black Panther, Captain America: Civil War, Captain Marvel, Doctor Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Marvel Cinematic Universe, MovieFanFare Mega Mondays, Spider-Man: Far from Home, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Thor: Ragnarok	| no comments
We are rounding out our tour of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with this week's poll — which covers all of the Phase Three films from Captain America: Civil War to Spider-Man: Far from Home. Vote below! Excelsior! Previously on MovieFanFare:…
Poll: Which of 2019's Top-Grossing Films Was Your Favorite?
01.05.20 |	Chris Cummins	| Tags: Aladdin, Avengers: Endgame, Captain Marvel, Frozen II, Hobbs & Shaw, Joker, Spider-Man: Far from Home, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, The Lion King	| 2 comments
2019 was an incredible year for cinema. Once again the box office was dominated by huge popcorn flicks — everything from superhero sagas (Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: Far from Home, etc) to sequels (Frozen II) to spin-offs (Hobbs & Shaw). What…
What Were Your Favorite/Least Favorite Movies and TV Shows of 2019?
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With 2020 nearly upon us, we here at MovieFanFare find ourselves reflecting upon the past year. There were so many entertainment options in 2019 that we felt at times overwhelmed by all the great films and TV shows available. For…
Poll: Which Of These Top-Grossing Films Is Your Favorite?
07.21.19 |	Chris Cummins	| Tags: Avatar, Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Avengers: Endgame, Avengers: Infinity War, Black Panther, Furious 7, James Cameron, Jurassic World, Marvel, Marvel's The Avengers, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, superhero films	| no comments
Well, it's official, Avengers: Endgame is now the highest grossing film in history. Over the weekend the latest installment in Marvel's superhero team franchise overtook James Cameron's Avatar (which earned $2.7897 billion in global box office receipts) to become the…
Do You Think "Avengers: Endgame" Will Beat "Avatar" to Become the Highest Grossing Film of All Time?
05.05.19 |	Chris Cummins	| Tags: Avatar, Avengers: Endgame, James Cameron, Marvel Cinematic Universe	| 1 comment
The box office domination of Avengers: Endgame continues. Since its release last Thursday night, the latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has grossed over $2,000,000,000 — a mind-boggling figure to be sure. It just beat out Titanic as the…
How Long of a Movie Is Too Long?
04.30.19 |	Chris Cummins	| Tags: Avengers: Endgame, Open Thread	| 10 comments
Gone with the Wind clocks in at a bladder-busting three hours and 58 minutes. Dances with Wolves is just two minutes shy of that. Kenneth Branagh's 1996 version of Hamlet is, alas poor Yorick, four hours and two minutes. And…
If Only One of These Marvel Cinematic Universe Characters Is Resurrected in "Avengers: Endgame," Who Do You Want it to Be?
04.21.19 |	Jon Morgereth	| Tags: Avengers, Avengers: Endgame, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Comics, superhero films	| no comments
The summer movie season officially gets underway (yes, we know it's still Spring) when Avengers: Endgame hits theaters this Thursday. A sequel to last year's Avengers: Infinity War, the film — spoiler alert — finds our heroes picking up the…


I never understood why this one was not a hit here in the U.S. I worked at Taco Bell when it came out back in 1991 and this song was in heavy rotation on the satellite system we had in place of Muzak. Of course, there was no internet back then and the "Taco Bell Channel" had no announcers. I have no idea how I found out that the band was Stage Dolls. I probably got lucky and heard this on the alternative station here (Lightning 100).I finally hunted down the cassette of their album Stripped at the long-defunct Tower Records near Vanderbilt University. It's hard to believe that was 20 years ago. Stage Dolls is from Norway and they still seem to have a pretty big following. A lot of their other songs are out on You Tube. In other news, this has been a crazy week. The allergies have kicked in full this week. I'm ready for the cooler weather to come in tonight and hoping it brings a bit of relief.
Sleep was at a minimum over our three day Vegas excursion which really only consisted of being there Thursday night, all day Friday, and flying out first thing Saturday morning. I had to be at the airport at 7AM Saturday and it took a lot of coffee to handle that. I went to bed at 6:30PM last night just so I could recover in time for today.These pictures are actually inside the Venetian right outside of Wolfgang Puck's Postrio Bar & Grill. Here's some pictures from the lobby and the hallway to the rooms and casino. Overwhelming wealth and luxury, anyone? They've got plenty.And, if you need to dial number two while doing number two, they have the phone you need in the place you need it.It was a good time but it sure is a lot of traveling to do in a very short amount of time. I'm glad to be back and back on a normal sleep schedule.
In my room in Las Vegas, I have a television in the bathroom.I also have a remote control that operates the curtains and blinds and I have those soft robes like the ones Axel Foley gave to Rosewood and Taggart in Beverly Hills Cop.If I can get just enough sleep to last through the day tomorrow…….
It's only Wednesday. Two more days of crap ahead.
I think Ron Swanson perfectly sums up how I feel about birthdays. What nugget of knowledge from my 38 years can I share with you today? Wisdom is not expressing every feeling that you have, every moment that you have them.Sally Albright actually told me that back in 1989. Each year I have realized more and more how right she was!
The Fall home improvement project is finished. Lindsay's room has been repainted and rearranged in order to transform it into a "big girl" room. Gone is the bright green paint and jungle themed wall border.Of course, stuffed animals remain. You never outgrow stuffed animals. If you want proof, just try to come between me and my Christmas Rodney Reindeers.
My Walmart rain gauge overflowed sometime last night so I'm not sure how far over 5 inches we've got here now. The yard did not flood out like it typically does and I'm guess that is because of the weeks of no rain and 100 degree weather we've had. Today it's staying right around 60 degrees and the feeling of fall is in the air!Unfortunately, we know that the heat will sneak back in at some point. We normally have hot weather all they way through the end of October so this is just a temporary break.And, it is Labor Day and we're trying to be lazy but it is tough. This day is dragging. I think we're going to have to go out in the rain to get lunch before we all go stir crazy in this house. So much for staying in and staying dry today.


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House Democrats unveil a sweeping 'Medicare-for-all' bill — here's what's in it
Published Wed, Feb 27 2019 11:54 AM EST Updated Wed, Feb 27 2019 1:27 PM EST
Jacob Pramuk@jacobpramuk
House Democrats unveil a bill to insure all Americans through Medicare, in a major push toward universal coverage.
The plan's lead sponsor, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, says it has more than 100 co-sponsors in the House.
Democratic leaders have been cautious about embracing "Medicare-for-all," as Republicans have tried to target the party as radical ahead of pivotal elections next year.
Progressive Democrats of America holds a news conference to announce the launch of a Medicare for All Caucus at the Capitol on Thursday, July 19, 2018.
Bill Clark | CQ-Roll Call Group | Getty Images
House Democrats introduced a plan Wednesday to insure all Americans through Medicare, as the push for a sweeping shift to universal health coverage gains more traction ahead of pivotal elections next year.
The "Medicare-for-all" proposal, introduced by Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., will face backlash from critics who have warned about its potentially enormous cost — and Republicans who aim to cast Democrats as radicals drifting toward socialism.
Here's what Jayapal's legislation would do:
It would create a single-payer, government-funded health-care program within two years, eliminating the age 65 threshold for Medicare eligibility.
It would not charge beneficiaries copays, premiums or deductibles.
The plan would cover prescription drugs, vision, dental, mental health, substance abuse and maternal care. It would also provide universal coverage for long-term care for people with disabilities.
The proposal notably does not include methods to pay for the health-care overhaul. Jayapal mentioned higher taxes on the wealthy or contributions from employers as potential ways to fund it.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has not endorsed the health-care plan. Numerous Democrats who helped their party flip the House last year by winning ideologically split, GOP-held districts have also distanced themselves from the proposal. A Pelosi spokesman did not immediately respond to a request to comment on whether Pelosi will back the legislation or bring it to a vote.
How will Washington affect health care in 2019?
Still, the measure marks a victory for activists and the party's left wing, who have pushed for more drastic action to expand coverage and reduce costs. Jayapal says the "Medicare-for-all" bill has more than 100 co-sponsors.
"Is this a bold and ambitious plan? Damn straight it is. Because it has to be," the representative said in introducing the bill. She called health care a "human right," adding that "whether you're rich or poor you should have the same quality of guaranteed health care."
Democrats won House control last year in large part by attacking Republican efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and its protections for people with pre-existing medical conditions. Since the party took control in January, the debate has shifted to how best to expand insurance coverage and cut coverage and drug costs for consumers.
Several Democratic contenders for the 2020 presidential nomination have embraced "Medicare-for-all." Presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., helped to put "Medicare-for-all" into the political mainstream during his 2016 bid. He introduced a similar bill to Jayapal's in 2017, and four other declared 2020 presidential candidates — Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Sen. Kamala Harris of California and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts — co-sponsored it.
Others have called for more incremental steps, such as an optional Medicare or Medicaid buy-in, as some Democrats worry appearing too radical will hurt their chances in presidential and congressional elections. On Wednesday, Jayapal responded to those who would argue the proposal costs too much.
"Just remember that the only ones who can't afford to let this bill pass are these pharma and insurance companies who can't afford to lose massive profits if we pass this bill," she said.
In January, 56 percent of Americans favored a "Medicare-for-all" system, versus 42 percent who opposed it, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll. However, support for such a plan falls when Americans are told it could require most Americans to pay more in taxes or eliminate private insurance companies.
Jayapal highlighted support from various labor unions and public interest groups on Wednesday. She also disputed the notion that House members from ideologically balanced districts would not support the plan. One congressman who won a swing district last year — Rep. Josh Harder of California — appeared with Jayapal to back her plan Wednesday.
Republicans quickly attacked the proposal. Even if the Democratic-held House votes on and passes the legislation, the GOP-controlled Senate is unlikely to approve it.
The National Republican Congressional Committee — the House GOP's campaign arm — called the health plan House Democrats' "latest socialist idea" on Wednesday.
— Reuters contributed to this report.
WATCH: Why medical bills in the U.S. are so expensive
VIDEO14:5814:58
How American health care got so expensive
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Illinois House Majority Leader Greg Harris, a driving force behind legalizing same-sex marriage, won't seek reelection next year
Chicago Tribune 11/30/2021 Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune
© E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune House Majority leader Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago) on the Illinois House floor at the State Capitol in Springfield on Jan. 29, 2020.
In May 2013, state Rep. Greg Harris choked back tears on the floor of the Illinois House when he told supporters that he wouldn't be calling for a vote on his measure to legalize same-sex marriage, which already had been approved in the Senate and had the support of then-Gov. Pat Quinn.
In the face of opposition from Catholic and conservative Black church groups, Harris, an openly gay North Side Democrat, said he wanted to give fellow lawmakers more time to weigh the issue. He later called the decision to wait "the hardest thing I've done in my life."
The wait lasted just a few months. The House approved the bill during its fall session that November, with a handful of Republican votes proving to be decisive, and it was later signed into law by Quinn.
That combination of progressive values and political pragmatism served Harris as he rose through the ranks for the House Democratic caucus to become majority leader in 2019. On Monday, Harris, 66, announced that he won't seek reelection and will leave the House when his term expires in early 2023.
"When I stepped into this office 15 years ago, I was committed to making change," Harris said in a statement. "I wanted to improve the lives of LGBTQ folks, support our immigrant community, increase the diversity of our caucus and fight for those who for so long have been ignored. As I look back at my time in Springfield, I can confidently say that I was fortunate to do that and more."
Looking back, Harris said the effort to legalize same-sex marriage was emblematic of his approach to issues in the legislature.
"I go in things to win. I don't go in things to put something up on the board and have it fail and go, 'Oh, well,' " Harris said in an interview. "I go in things to win, and it takes a lot of hard work and it takes a lot of patience. And you've got to be able to put up with a lot of aggravation along the way sometimes."
Harris' decision to retire was part of the biennial exercise of evaluating whether to run for another term, he said. With the Democrats in Springfield "settling in" under the leadership of House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch, Senate President Don Harmon and Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Harris said, "it just seemed like a natural opportunity to move on and let other people have an opportunity to lead."
One of the challenges of serving as the No. 2 leader of the 73-member House Democratic caucus has been trying to build consensus among a group that is diverse in its geography, its racial and ethnic makeup, and even its political persuasions.
"We've got ... (to) take care of a diverse state and a diverse set of needs, but also we have to govern," Harris said. "We can't just sit by the sidelines and heckle."
Prior to becoming House majority leader in 2019, Harris was former Speaker Michael Madigan's point man on budget issues during the Democratic-controlled General Assembly's long-running standoff with former Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.
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He continued to be one of the chief architects of the state budget in the ensuing years, including the past two years as the state has grappled with financial uncertainty brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.
Harris' work on the budget and other key issues earned praise Monday from Pritzker, who said in a statement that Harris' "service defines what it means to fight for all Illinoisans."
"From marriage equality, to health care reform, to balanced budgets: you'd be hard pressed to find a recent Illinois legislative achievement that Leader Greg Harris didn't help shape," Pritzker said.
Harris said his remaining priorities include maintaining the state's recent progress toward fiscal stability, marked by a shrinking backlog of unpaid bills and the first upgrades to the state's credit ratings in decades. He also said he wants to work on measures aimed at improving access to drug treatment and mental health care, issues that have been underscored during pandemic.
With the announcement of his impending departure, Harris received praise from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.
Welch praised Harris in a statement as "a values-oriented leader."
"Greg Harris embodies public service and throughout his 15-year career, he has been a passionate advocate for what's fair and just," Welch said. "His command of a wide range of public policy issues, particularly Medicaid and our state budget, has been such a vital asset to the entire state."
Rep. Tom Demmer of Dixon, deputy leader of the GOP minority in the House, likewise lauded Harris as "a tremendous legislator and a great public servant."
"Working with him on budget and Medicaid issues has been a true highlight of my time in the House," Demmer wrote in a Twitter post. "All of his colleagues, and the House as an institution, will miss his leadership."
Harris took office in December 2006, having been appointed to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Rep. Larry McKeon. Harris had already won the November election for the term that began in January 2007.
Before becoming a legislator, Harris was chief of staff to then-Ald. Mary Ann Smith, 48th, for 14 years.
Harris said the timing of Monday's announcement was intended to give potential candidates time to decide whether to run for the seat in the newly drawn 13th House District, which includes parts of the Lakeview, Uptown, Lincoln Square, North Center and Edgewater community areas. Candidates can begin circulating nominating petitions on Jan. 13.
dpetrella@chicagotribune.com
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Was multivariable calculus particularly prominent in Italy?
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