text:
John Wick Chapter 2 is action cinema at its very best
Chapter 2 unveils a little more of everything that made the first great
Three years on after the original murderfest, Chad Stahelski's John Wick is back to turn up the volume and pile up the bodies. The overhanging threat of action movie sequels is that they will either re-tread the same old ground, remaking old scenes with an inflated budget or they will use that new budget to spend on cars to chase and crash/ explode. There is always a danger of losing the magic of the first film by upping the stakes too much.
The first scene of John Wick 2 features a car chase with several close ups, quick cuts and crane shots. Immediately it seems as if the style of film would be different. The views are fleeting, the camera does all the moving. Maybe the directors misunderstood what was so enjoyable about the first. Maybe studio pressure has created a more homogenised vision. Maybe this won't be filmed like the original. Then out of nowhere the car chase ends and the next time we visit John in his Mustang the camera hangs about in the front seat, it lingers and lets the action unfold in the best way possible, the way that made John Wick so special. It's as refreshing as ever with its take on choreography and camera placement.
John Wick introduced the hidden world of assassins, a New York based hotel called The Continental where assassins hold a mutually beneficial armistice, managed by Ian McShane's delightfully cheesy Winston. The sequel introduces us to the international world of assassins. The filmmakers continue to have as much fun with this concept that they can, clearly, they held back in the first because they throw so much ideas at the screen that it's hard to keep up. Three scenes are spliced together to what amounts to a frantic shopping montage where John shops for equipment. The scene is brilliantly whimsical and may as well be taking place in Diagon Alley, as Peter Serafinowicz's Sommelier delicately recommends Mr. Wick new and improved firepower.
In all honesty, the film is an ode to the professional and this scene shows it. It is a film to admire the handicraft of a master tradesman, even if your trade is tailoring suits, engineering guns or shooting people in the head. This second chapter features much more members of John Wick's professional circle, he is no longer dealing with low down gangsters, he is up against pros. He faces more difficulty in one on one battles and needs to prepare a lot more than before. He certainly gets more lucky in this outing, with a few guards failing to shoot him from feet away. However, the advent of a bulletproof Italian suit makes for highly effective plot armour.
The film does not appear to have lost any of giddiness over choreography and seems to have doubled down on its tongue in cheek attitude, with the sequel containing much more laughs without ever going overboard. The lighting was something that stood out in the first and here they appear to stick to a similar formula, using intense blue and green filters for the majority of the film. It is broken up by scenes of vibrant lighting, culminating in a shoot-out in what is essentially a hall of mirrors.
Once again, however, it is Keanu Reeves who is worthy of the praise, he puts his body on the line through some fantastic choreography and dedicated stunt work all while maintaining John Wick's sullen equilibrium aided in multiple scenes by the ever intimidating Common and Ruby Rose. Matrix partner Laurence Fishburne makes a reappearance next to Neo and brings a great energy to the film with his booming vocals and heavy duty laugh. After witnessing the upsetting dullness of his performance in Passengers it was a great relief to see him letting loose in a film that doesn't take itself too seriously.
John Wick Chapter 2 is what the most extreme optimist should have expected from a John Wick sequel. It remains as inescapably driven and hardcore as the last and increases the extremes on every angle, it constantly adds seasoning to its intensely realised world and the direction and style remains as fresh as the first. The film is the action genre at its very best.
John Wick increases his body count from 77 in the first to 128 this time round. That should tell you all you need to know.
Author Jamie ClarksonPosted on March 2, 2017 March 2, 2017 Categories 2017, Film ReviewTags action movies 2017, assassin, assassin movie, chad stahelski, chapter 2, common, downsize, fishburne, ian mcshane, john wick, john wick 2, john wick chapter 2, keanu, keanu reeves, kill count, laurence, laurence fishburne, lawrence, matrix, movie, movie review 2017, new films 2017, new movies 2017, passengers, peter serafinowicz, reeves, review, rose, ruby, ruby roseLeave a comment on John Wick Chapter 2 is action cinema at its very best
The Last Year – Downsize's Top 20 films of 2016
[Due to release schedules for the UK, Downsize Media's reviews of the year will run from 1 February 2016 – 31 January 2017. Notable movies that missed the cut include: Moonlight, Hacksaw Ridge, Fences, Hidden Figures and Split]
A film that decided against adhering to traditional structure, Wiener Dog uses its little brown mascot to connect a series of vignettes. Essentially four short films, the film is a melancholic look at relationships, spanning across generational divides. The stories are all connected by a dark humour, whether through their criticism of the mundanity of everyday life or the ridiculousness of the art world, the film finds something to laugh at in each bleak world. Wiener Dog boasts a great ensemble cast with performances that ooze a deadpan charisma.
Disney and Pixar have been merged for a few years now but this is the first example where a Disney branded film takes on the guise of a Pixar film. The film manages to remain cutesy and fun while not patronising its young viewers and still addressing themes of racial profiling and news media. The film boasts stunningly detailed creature designs and manages to remain funny for everyone. Kids won't get the Breaking Bad meth lab scene, but they'll still laugh at the Lamb in the yellow hazmat suit.
Pivoting on the Breaking Bad segue, let's talk about something pretty un-Disney. Eye in the Sky is a film about drone strikes on terrorist cells. What impressed me most about Eye in the Sky was how level headed it was about such a heavy subject matter, it doesn't seem to be endorsing or criticising the methods but instead using drone strikes as a vehicle to explore career politics and public relations in government. The characters of the story are taken more from The Thick of It rather than Syriana.
A strangely titled film, 10 Cloverfield Lane's story has nothing to do with Cloverfield. Instead of an Alien Invasion film it is a prison thriller set in a fallout shelter. If Cloverfield could be considered as a mirror for the opening invasion from War of the Worlds then 10 Cloverfield Lane is Ogilvy's hideout. With John Goodman at the helm embodying a terrifyingly unstable but well-meaning psychopath, the film is a collection of cushion clutching tension and a testament to claustrophobic fear.
Jeff Nichols has a good thing going, he makes small films, gets Boardwalk Empire's Michael Shannon to star and he refines his storytelling. Midnight Special is not his strongest venture yet it still manages to capture something special. There is something so impressive about Nichols' tight control of his world, his ability to speak with visuals and create intrigue makes Midnight Special one of the most fascinating films of the year.
Superhero movies are getting old, it's been 17 years since X-Men began the trend and now it's at full speed. In 2017 we will see:
The Justice League
Spider Man: Homecoming
It's exhausting, and there's no apparent end in sight. Yet with popularity comes parody and thank god that Deadpool came along to break up the monotony. Now that the tropes have been established on the big screen Deadpool is finally free to come along and laugh at them. The film's humour is not the most advanced but its R rated fun is indicative of superhero films being able to do something different.
Disney is back on top, having bought out the competition it is now reaping the rewards of its monopoly. Moana displays some of the best-looking animation I have ever seen, and it combines modern animation style with flat animation and cut out style sequences. Held together by a terrific soundtrack the world of Moana is a brilliantly realised introduction to an unfamiliar mythology in a way that Disney has not done so well since Hercules.
Embrace of the Serpent
Having not yet seen The Handmaiden, or Toni Erdmann this is the only foreign language film on this list. Embrace of the Serpent is a Colombian film about an Amazonian shaman leading two different scientists, forty years apart, through the rainforest. Shot in black and white the Amazon looks like an alien planet and the tribal people that lurk represent a constant danger. The film is calming and considerate for the most part yet finds time for bat shit insanity and trippy visuals.
Scorsese knows what film is, he knows how to titillate better than anyone working today. In Silence he takes a side step from titillation and into contemplation. He ponders the meaning and compatibility of religion, delves into ideas of martyrdom instead of success and creates a dark descent of a narrative. Despite this there is still room for the expected Scorsese touch of dynamic violence and brutal barbarism.
Green Room doesn't waste time, it's villains are neo Nazis, murderers who own attack dogs and bowie knives, they're the villains and the aim of the film is to get away from them. The film features some brutal gory visuals and unpolished action, if I was to use one word to sum up the film it would be 'grimy.' Condensation sweats off the walls and lights flicker dimly. The film is a real time journey into desperation, characters are developed so as to show their vulnerabilities and their strengths, then they are placed into the fray for the next hour. It's an entertaining spectacle weighed down with a nervy realism, a low-key action film were the stakes are real. I don't want to draw too many comparisons to Die Hard but it's kind of like Die Hard in that respect.
Western movies have fallen out of fashion in the last… 40 years? So it's always nice to see something honour the memory of something that fell out fashion a long time ago. Hell or High Water is a modern western, following bandit brothers on a bank robbing spree through Texas. The two are pursued by the human embodiment of a past his prime cowboy, Jeff Bridges. The film is an exciting crime caper with a side order of social commentary, nicely filmed and endlessly gripping it is brought together by great performances on all sides.
Films about films, aren't they self-indulgent? Yes. Yes they are.
That doesn't mean they can't still dazzle and amaze with fantastic cinematography, lighting and set pieces. The technical aspect of La La Land and design is beyond amazing. Aside from the sheer level of escapism that La La Land offers there is an even deeper level of sincere passion from the filmmaker. This is a film made from love and it shines through in the writing. Fans of Whiplash will know that Chazelle is crazy for jazz and here he cuts through the chaff and essentially tells viewers that he needs more people to love it too. The film moves from one cinematic set piece to the next, breaks conventions and fourth walls like crazy. It unfolds like a stage play, skipping ahead to the interesting parts of the story. The film suffers in the middle when the music dries up but it just makes the moment when it comes back all the more impacting.
Is there a sub-genre that has persisted as well as the Buddy Cop movie? Find two stars and give them a mystery to solve. Simple. The Nice Guys is one of those rare films were everything just slips nicely into place, the chemistry between the two leads is immediately funny and the setting of LA in the 'Golden Age of Porn' is the perfect backdrop for the convoluted neo noir story behind it. The writing is sharp and layered with hidden jokes, subtle cues and even moments of the surreal humour. The biggest thing The Nice Guys has going for it is that each actor brings exactly what they need to the table and because of it there isn't a single scene that falls flat.
Stop motion animation is an art that is getting less and less exposure as time goes on, as 3D rendering has become more widely available stop motion has fell behind as an overly time consuming, outdated method. Which is a shame because there is an overwhelming presence to stop motion, it's shadows are not simulations, each frame is crafted. It's art, creation and effort down to its core. Kubo and the Two Strings is one of the most beautifully crafted movies in recent years, Laika studios has pulled out all the stops to make a film, specifically for kids which takes no shortcuts. It's message is spiritual and philosophical, its design is stunning and its exciting and filled with genuine stakes. Kubo is a one eyed, parentless child whose remaining family is conspiring to kill him, the film does not coddle its protagonist, it puts him through the wringer and sees him endure actual troubles. This is a film that every child should see and anyone who appreciates craft will be stunned by the design.
Strangely titled and delightfully charming, Taika Waititi's Hunt for the Wilderpeople unfolds like a children's story. The story of Ricky Baker the troublesome orphan escalates quickly and commits itself to the muted ridiculousness of its story. Then it goes a bit further. Segmented into ten chapters it's a joyful experience that hops about without losing site of the central focus of the film. It's heartfelt, sweetly funny and weird. Having written parts of Disney's Moana and with a sequel to What We Do in the Shadows in the works it seems as if we'll be seeing more of Waititi's kiwi wit in the future.
It's important to remember that Sci-fi is not simply a vehicle for space battles and explosions. It's an entire genre, and within that genre there is a multitude of options and subgenres. They can be psychological horrors (Moon), time travel thrillers (Looper) or even straight up romance (Her). When you take Sci-fi as the be all and end all you end up with generic garbage about reactor cores (Passengers).
Arrival took its sci-fi basis and used it as a tool to tell a human story about communication. Held together by a criminally overlooked performance from Amy Adams. Arrival is an intently focused story that never loses track of its ideas. It's brilliant to see a big budget cerebral sci-fi like this and with Denis Villeneuve attached to the new Blade Runner project I have hopes that this will be a trend that picks up steam.
Nicolas Winding Refn's films have been steadily becoming more elusive and more fluorescent with each new instalment. With Only God Forgives it appeared that he took this a bit too far for general audiences. However, with his latest film, Refn has pulled back on the elusiveness and turned up the lights. The film is a fever dream of stunning colour, amazing long shots and heavily loaded dialogue. What separates The Neon Demon from other Refn flicks is the tongue in cheek attitude that seeps from every pore, it's more ridiculous than most films you'll have seen in 2016 and it embraces it to great effect. It's the best looking film of the year along with having the most amazing soundtrack.
It could so easily have been another one of those films, you know the ones that I'm talking about: The Oscar baiting, heart warming tale of misfortune and overcoming the odds. All the ingredients are there for a manipulative slog of misery but Manchester by the Sea manages to become so much more than the sum of its parts. By drawing viewers in with the mysteriously detached behaviour of Casey Affleck's Lee Chandler and a dry humour it encourages intrigue while still entertaining. It is a stunningly well crafted movie filled with intensely realised and human characters. What impressed me most was how often Manchester by the Sea left the audience to fill in the gaps, it leaves the performances to simmer by taking away dialogue at times when there would be opportunity for trailer soundbites. The film must be seen to be appreciated. The weightiest moments of the film take place without words, it is the expressions, the visuals, the build up that inspire the devastation.
From the very first shot of Tom Ford's Nocturnal Animals you know it's not going to be an easy watch, it promises uncomfortable situations and delivers on it in spades. The film is one uncomfortable moment after another. A revenge flick with an incapable protagonist, harsh, barren landscapes with a bitter love affair to hold it all together, everything in the film meshes so well together. It certainly has a dark atmosphere but it is more realised than most films and consistent in its tone. Michael Shannon makes his second appearance on the list with a deservedly Oscar nominated performance as jaded detective Andes next to a dejected and beaten down Jake Gyllenhaal. Much like 2013's Blue Ruin, Nocturnal Animals plays out like a feature length episode of Justified. Dark, gritty and uncompromising, it's a wild ride that will stay with you.
After the collective misery of the previous two entries on this list it may come as a surprise to many that I do like my films to contain a little bit of escapism occasionally. Sing Street is a film all about dreaming big and getting out, with a feel good original soundtrack of 80s pastiche that has made its way to my regular rotation. (It is an absolute crime that Drive It Like You Stole it did not receive an Oscar nomination for best song, especially seeing as it unfolds along with one of the best scenes of 2016.)
Everything in Sing Street is there to enhance the music, drama unfolds to allow for the songs to be weighed down with more meaning. Our protagonist, Connor's life revolves around music and his love interest, Raphine. The relationship between the romance and the music work perfectly in tandem, each enhancing the other. Connor has limited knowledge about what he can be, he is impressionable and limited, his band cycles through new inspirations and changes their style week by week.
Sing Street is enjoyable on a minute by minute basis, it is charming, funny, emotional, romantic aspirational, real and fantastical all at the same time. It is brilliantly written and contains one memorable moment after another. It is never boring or unpleasant, constantly engaging and entertaining for everyone.
Well that's my review of 2016, let me know how wrong you think I am, let me hear your lists or give me any recommendations you have.
Author Jamie ClarksonPosted on February 21, 2017 March 30, 2017 Categories The Last YearTags 10 cloverfield lane, 2016, aaron paul, adam driver, alan rickman, amazon, amy adams, andrew garfield, arrival, batman, best films 2016, blue ruin, buddy cop, bunny, casey affleck, chris pine, cloverfield, colombia, cop, danny, daschund, deadpool, devito, die hard, Disney, dog, drive, drive it like you stole it, dwayne johnson, ellie fannning, embrace, embrace of the serpent, emma stone, eye in the sky, fox, gig, green, green room, guardians of the galaxy, helen, helen mirren, hell or high water, hunt for the wilderpeople, jake gyllenhaal, japan, jeff bridges, jeff nichols, jeremy renner, jj abrams, john goodman, kirsten dunst, kubo and the two strings, la la land, Laika, logan, lucas hedges, manchester by the sea, marvel, michael shannon, midnight special, mirren, missionary, Moana, neo nazis, neon demon, nice guys, nicolas winding refn, nocturnal animals, only god forgives, patrick stewart, portugal, priest, punk, rainforest, refn, review, review of the year 2016, room, russel crowe, russell crowe, ryan gosling, ryan reynolds, sam Neill, scorsese, serpent, shaman, shane black, silence, sing street, solondz, spider man, spiderman, superman, the rock, thor, todd, wiener, wiener dog, wilderpeople, winding refn, x men, zootopia, zootropolisLeave a comment on The Last Year – Downsize's Top 20 films of 2016
Silence is a quiet meditation on Christianity and torturous barbarism
Scorsese has skewered the American Dream better than anyone else, now he tries his hand at the opposite
Martin Scorsese has gained enough points throughout his illustrious career to be a box office draw all by himself, but with the release of a 170-minute-long film displaying the trials of Jesuit missionaries I think he may have found the limit that his name has. People expect more of the same and with the release of Silence Scorsese has surely not given people what they expect. It was for this reason that four people left the cinema during the screening of Silence that I attended. Although it is hardly likely that a lack of box office will reduce the legendary director's clout in the industry, especially when the film is a stunning example of cinematography and sound design.
Silence announces itself to its audience, it opens with a black screen and ambient noises of cicadas increases until it is deafening before cutting out completely as the title reveals itself. It's a powerful opening to what proceeds to be a powerful film. The film follows the Portuguese priests Rodrigues (Andrew Garfield) and Garupe (Adam Driver) as they travel to find their mentor Ferreira (Liam Neeson). They travel to Japan where Catholicism has been outlawed and priests and catholic practitioners are being executed and tortured in increasingly cruel ways. The film's premise has similarities to Apocalypse Now and it mimics the film's mood effectively, with knowledge of Copolla's masterpiece creating an additional sense of dread surrounding the mentor, Ferreira's fate.
Silence constantly shows that it is a film that has the potential to follow the Scorsese mould of brutal violence but does not indulge in it. People are seen being burned alive wrapped up in wicker like sushi, stacked upon each other like firewood. It is terrible and unforgiving but the scenes of violence merely service the true message of the film and they are used sparingly and effectively. Scorsese has the ability to tell another violent story, but it is not his prerogative. He wants to open up a conversation about other things now. Like the release of Hugo, this is a passion project for him and it shines through in a levelhandedness and a genuine moral ambiguity. The aggressive back and forth dialogue so associated with his films is replaced with voices of concern.
In all of Scorsese's most successful films there is a narrative to be the best, to hop into a pond at the start of the film and end up as the biggest fish. It is true of Goodfellas, Casino, Wolf of Wall Street, The Aviator and more. This leads to his films having clear paths of progression; suits become more fitting, wives become prettier and characters become experts in their respective fields. It's a reason why Scorsese speaks to so many people, it is aspirational filmmaking with a coat of gloss.
What occurs in Silence I would argue is the same type of progression, Rodrigues faces more and more testing trials, there is a clear path of regression. He goes from a marble church in Portugal to a wooden shack in a rainy Japanese mountain and only goes down from there. Yet Rodrigues' hero is not a Casino mogul or a Wall St banker, he aspires to be like that most idolised of heroes, Jesus Christ. Instead of making money and spending money his path to imitating the success of his idol is through martyrdom. He endures tortures that test his ability to keep his faith and the tortures keep escalating. In a sense this is the polar-opposite of a traditional Scorsese flick while still retaining the narrative structure.
Andrew Garfield is put under a lot of pressure with his performance, for the majority being the only English speaker on screen. He does himself proud while performing with a difficult Portuguese accent and a wealth of dialogue. Whilst his accent does slip in places it does not take away from the film and he should be commended for the range he can apply to his character's despair. Driver is a more divisive character who show reservations and doubts but plays it well, whereas Liam Neeson simply refuses to attempt to change his voice for the role. Which, I admit, made me laugh out loud. It is a brave choice to commit actors to accented roles but to contrast this with Neeson talking in his droll Northern Irish tones after two hours of Portuguese and Japanese is baffling.
The film has issues with being somewhat too indulgent in its moral quandaries, most notably with its ending, which drags on for much longer than needed to state something which doesn't need to be said. For a film that values the power of Silence in filmmaking it sure screams its conclusion in your face. Its message of Religion is not always the most cinematic but it constantly finds a way to be interesting.
This is Scorsese on a philosophical level, on the surface it is a no thrills affair that could leave the average viewer bored if they go in expecting Godfellas. There is a wealth of drama hidden beneath the surface and the multiple methods of torture and brutality should haunt viewers.
It is an impassioned movie for a select audience who should be fascinated by its portrayal and it should be rewarded for not taking the easy route of constantly criticising the specifics of religion. For those not interested in religious discussion it still possesses an intense emotional central arc which provokes thought on a personal, as well as parochial level.
Author Jamie ClarksonPosted on January 30, 2017 February 22, 2017 Categories 2016, Film ReviewTags adam, andrew, catholic, catholicism, christian, christianity, driver, garfield, japan, liam, martin, neeson, oscar, oscars, portugal, portugese, portuguese, religion, religious, review, scorsese, silence, slow2 Comments on Silence is a quiet meditation on Christianity and torturous barbarism


text:
foundations of computational agents
Full text of the second edition of Artificial Intelligence: foundations of computational agents, Cambridge University Press, 2017 is now available.
3.7.3 Iterative Deepening
So far, none of the methods discussed have been ideal; the only ones that guarantee that a path will be found require exponential space (see Figure 3.9). One way to combine the space efficiency of depth-first search with the optimality of breadth-first methods is to use iterative deepening. The idea is to recompute the elements of the frontier rather than storing them. Each recomputation can be a depth-first search, which thus uses less space.
Consider making a breadth-first search into an iterative deepening search. This is carried out by having a depth-first searcher, which searches only to a limited depth. It can first do a depth-first search to depth 1 by building paths of length 1 in a depth-first manner. Then it can build paths to depth 2, then depth 3, and so on. It can throw away all of the previous computation each time and start again. Eventually it will find a solution if one exists, and, as it is enumerating paths in order, the path with the fewest arcs will always be found first.
When implementing an iterative deepening search, you have to distinguish between
failure because the depth bound was reached and
failure that does not involve reaching the depth bound.
In the first case, the search must be retried with a larger depth bound. In the second case, it is a waste of time to try again with a larger depth bound, because no path exists no matter what the depth. We say that failure due to reaching the depth bound is failing unnaturally, and failure without reaching the depth bound is failing naturally.
1: Procedure IdSearch(G,s,goal)
2: Inputs
3: G: graph with nodes N and arcs A
4: s: set of start nodes
5: goal: Boolean function on states
6: Output
7: path from s to a node for which goal is true
8: or ⊥ if there is no such path
9: Local
10: natural_failure: Boolean
11: bound: integer
12: Procedure dbsearch(⟨n0,...,nk⟩,b)
13: Inputs
14: ⟨n0,...,nk⟩: path
15: b: integer, b ≥ 0
16: Output
17: path to goal of length k+b
18: if (b>0) then
19: for each arc ⟨nk,n⟩∈A do
20: dbsearch(⟨n0,...,nk,n⟩,b-1)
21: else if (goal(nk)) then
22: return ⟨n0,...,nk⟩
23: else if (nk has any neighbors) then
24: natural_failure←false
25: bound ←0
26: repeat
27: natural_failure←true
28: dbsearch({⟨s⟩:s∈S},bound)
29: bound ←bound+1
30: until natural_failure
31: return ⊥
Figure 3.10: Iterative deepening search
An implementation of iterative-deepening search, IdSearch, is presented in Figure 3.10. The local procedure dbsearch implements a depth-bounded depth-first search (using recursion to keep the stack) that places a limit on the length of the paths for which it is searching. It uses a depth-first search to find all paths of length k+b, where k is the path length of the given path from the start and b is a non-negative integer. The iterative-deepening searcher calls this for increasing depth bounds. This program finds the paths to goal nodes in the same order as does the breadth-first search. As in the generic graph searching algorithm, to find more solutions after the return on line 22, the search can continue from line 23.
The iterative-deepening search fails whenever the breadth-first search would fail. When asked for multiple answers, it only returns each successful path once, even though it may be rediscovered in subsequent iterations. Halting is achieved by keeping track of when increasing the bound could help find an answer:
The depth bound is increased if the depth bound search was truncated by reaching the depth bound. In this case, the search failed unnaturally. The search failed naturally if the search did not prune any paths due to the depth bound. In this case, the program can stop and report no (more) paths.
The search only reports a solution path if that path would not have been reported in the previous iteration. Thus, it only reports paths whose length is the depth bound.
The obvious problem with iterative deepening is the wasted computation that occurs at each step. This, however, may not be as bad as one might think, particularly if the branching factor is high. Consider the running time of the algorithm. Assume a constant branching factor of b>1. Consider the search where the bound is k. At depth k, there are bk nodes; each of these has been generated once. The nodes at depth k-1 have been generated twice, those at depth k-2 have been generated three times, and so on, and the nodes at depth 1 have been generated k times. Thus, the total number of nodes generated is
bk+2bk-1+3bk-2+···+kb
= bk(1+2b-1+3b-2+···+kb1-k)
≤ bk(∑i=1∞ib(1-i))
= bk(b/(b-1))2.
As there are (b/(b-1)) bk nodes in the tree, iterative deepening has a constant overhead of (b/(b-1)) times the cost of generating the nodes at depth n. When b=2 there is an overhead factor of 2, and when b=3 there is an overhead factor of 1.5 over generating the frontier. This algorithm is O( bk) and there cannot be an asymptotically better uninformed search strategy. Note that, if the branching factor is close to 1, this analysis does not work (because then the denominator would be close to zero); see Exercise 3.9.
Iterative deepening can also be applied to an A* search. Iterative deepening A* (IDA*) performs repeated depth-bounded depth-first searches. Instead of the bound being on the number of arcs in the path, it is a bound on the value of f(n). The threshold starts at the value of f(s), where s is the starting node with minimal h-value. IDA* then carries out a depth-first depth-bounded search but never expands a node with a higher f-value than the current bound. If the depth-bounded search fails unnaturally, the next bound is the minimum of the f-values that exceeded the previous bound. IDA* thus checks the same nodes as A* but recomputes them with a depth-first search instead of storing them.
Artificial Intelligence, Poole & Mackworth (LCI, UBC, Vancouver, Canada)
Copyright © 2010, David Poole and Alan Mackworth.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 Canada License.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Inside Information è il sesto album in studio del gruppo anglo-statunitense Foreigner (gruppo musicale), pubblicato nel dicembre del 1987 dalla Atlantic Records. Nonostante abbia ottenuto un successo minore rispetto ai dischi precedenti del gruppo, l'album è comunque riuscito a registrare vendite importanti, trainato da singoli di successo come Say You Will e I Don't Want to Live Without You. È stato certificato disco di platino negli Stati Uniti dalla RIAA.

Tracce
Tutte le canzoni sono state composte da Mick Jones e Lou Gramm, eccetto dove indicato.

Formazione
 Lou Gramm – voce
 Mick Jones – chitarra, tastiere, cori
 Rick Wills – basso, cori
 Dennis Elliott – batteria

Altri musicisti
 Tom Bailey – tastiere in I Don't Want to Live Without You
 Kevin Jones – sintetizzatori, synclavier
 Ian Lloyd – cori
 Hugh McCracken – chitarra spagnola in Beat of My Heart
 Sammy Merendino – percussioni elettriche
 Mark Rivera – cori
 Peter-John Vattese – tastiere

Produzione
 Mick Jones e Frank Filipetti – produzione
 Frank Filipetti – ingegneria del suono e missaggio
 Billy Miranda – ingegneria del suono (assistente)
 Ted Jensen – mastering presso lo Sterling Sound di New York
  Bob Defrin – direzione artistica

Classifiche

Note

Collegamenti esterni

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Q: UIWebView not showing properly on iPad I am building a very simple application for iphone and ipad with a UIWebView which load site, but there is an issue, it is working properly on iphone but on iPad the site moved upward and is even not scrollable.
Following are the screenshots:
iphone:

ipad:

You can see the header section on ipad is not visible, please help me.
here is .m file code
UIWebView *myWebView = [[UIWebView alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(0,0,myView.frame.size.width,myView.frame.size.height)];
myWebView.delegate = self;
myWebView.scalesPageToFit = YES;
NSString *urlString = @"http://www.webhousemedia.com/?";
NSURL *url = [NSURL URLWithString:urlString];
NSURLRequest *requestObj = [NSURLRequest requestWithURL:url];
[myWebView loadRequest:requestObj];
myWebView.frame = [[UIScreen mainScreen] bounds];
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


San Diego College of Ayurveda is an online and distant learning institution. Most courses are 100% online, and, all you need is a good internet connexion, a computer, and be adept at handing basic technology.
Some courses are 100% online. Some Track B courses use a hybrid format of distance learning and limited onsite campus classes. (The onsite intensives can be waived for international candidates and those unable to travel on a case by case basis).


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Benz builds the first single-cylinder engine for car.
John K Starley creates the first genuine bicycle, the Rover.
John Boyd Dunlop invents the pneumatic tire.
W.S. Gilbert & Arthur Sullivan's The Mikado
The Times reports that "A lady well known in literary and scientific circles" has been cremated by the Cremation Society in Woking, Surrey. She is the first person to be officially cremated in the United Kingdom.
Cholera epidemic in Spain – one of the victims is the king Alfonso XII.
Third Burmese War begins.
Clint Eastwood defeats Mad Dog Tannen.
Sitting Bull joins Buffalo Bill.
Randolph Churchill becomes a viceroy of India.
Nikola Tesla sells a number of his patents to George Westinghouse.
William Stanley, Jr. builds the first practical alternating current transformer device, the induction coil.
Local anesthetic.
First skyscraper – Home Insurance Building in Chicago, Illinois, USA (10 floors) is built.
Bicycle Playing Cards are first produced.
Grover Cleveland replaces Chester A. Arthur as President of the United States
January 8 – John Curtin, Australia's 14th Prime Minister
September 17 – George Cleveland, Canadian actor
March 31 – Charlotte Brontë, British writer


Home / Columnists/ Authentic leaders: Are they here?
Authentic leaders: Are they here?
We still bear the brunt of a brutal natural disaster. Vesak just ended, awakening us on becoming more humane. It was heartening to see the spirit of humanity in action where thousands of needy were offered a helping hand. Surely it is not over and perhaps just a beginning of a more robust plan for better disaster management.
I am so sad to witness the Lankan tragedy while in Oklahoma, USA, where one of the best weather forecasting centres is located. All of these prompted me to get back to my preferred area of leadership. This time, it is on the rare breed of authentic leaders.
Leadership literature is full of fancy jargon and a multitude of packaging as well as re-packaging. One significant trend in the recent past in the East and West alike is the focus on authentic leaders. As we are aware, leadership is all about inspiring, influencing and instructing. It is more than positions and titles as it involves decisions and actions. What is the specialty of authentic leadership? Let's discover.
Authentic leaders have always been there in the world. All great religious leaders are obviously authentic. From Jathaka stories to the Bible, many such examples could be found. Yet, as in most of the cases, the real packaging was done in the West. The concept of authentic leadership was made popular by Bill George in 2003.
1. Authentic leaders are self-aware and genuine. Authentic leaders are aware of their strengths, their limitations, and their emotions. They also show their real selves to their teams. They do not act one way in private and another in public; they don't hide their mistakes or weaknesses out of fear of looking weak. They also realise that knowing themselves better is an endless journey, never complete.
2. Authentic leaders are mission driven and focused on results. They are able to put the mission and the goals of the organisation ahead of their own self-interest. They do the job in pursuit of results, not for their own power, money or ego.
4. Authentic leaders focus on the long-term. A key tenet in Bill George's model is the company leaders are focused on long-term shareholder value, not in just beating quarterly estimates. Just as George did as a CEO of several leading business organisations, leaders realise that to nurture individuals and to nurture a company requires hard work and patience, but the approach pays large dividends over time.
I was contemplating what Bill George attempts to say. For me the key is authenticity. It comes from being ethical and effective. What could be an appropriate way to connect Bill George's authentic leadership with what we need to do? I propose triple spheres for leaders to depict their authenticity.
I propose for a leader to be authentic, he/she should strive on three spheres, in simultaneously being a servant, synergist and a strategist. It is very much linked to Aristotle's model of leadership where he spoke of ethos, logos and pathos. (I must acknowledge the fact that it was Dr. Travis Perera, my senior colleague at PIM, who shared this thought with me initially).
We have often discussed the need for a leader to be a servant. It goes with the maxim that those who serve deserve leadership. It was Robert Greenleaf who "branded" the concept of servant leadership. "The servant-leader is servant first. Becoming a servant-leader begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead." That's how Greenleaf described servant leadership.
This fits to the Ethos dimension of Aristotle. It means good character, proper sense and right will. Authentic leaders should be willing to serve in a genuine manner. We find many such examples from multiple fronts.
From the religious front, Mother Theresa devotedly demonstrated the dedication towards deserted children. From the business front, Jan Carlzon of Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) is a fitting example where he upheld service at all levels. "We have 50,000 moments of truth every day," said he at the beginning of the successful SAS turnaround, referring to every time an employee of the company came into contact with a customer.
A leader needs a team in order to move towards a shared dream. It is not being autocratic but democratic, not being coercive but collaborative. World of sports have many such examples where leader harnesses a winning team.
Authentic leaders have to awaken the team spirit in fostering synergy. Leveraging on strengths of each team member, the leader can collectively do more. What Mahatma Gandhi demonstrated in rallying a nation with non-violence against a forceful empire is this reality. He was a true synergist and the community, even while he was in jail practiced what he preached.
This is where the head comes before heart and hand. Crafting and executing "the game plan" of the organisation is what an authentic leader should do. It reminds me of a brilliant book I read so many years ago, titled 'Mind of the Strategist'.
Kenichi Omae vividly depicts the triangle consisting of company, customer and competitor. Siting many Japanese business successes, he highlights the need to be sharp and specific. "Rowing harder does not help if the boat is headed in the wrong direction," said he.
The best way to take the discussion on authentic leaders forward is to be one of them. Authentic leaders are in high demand, locally and globally. Instead of being unethical, unfair and untruthful, what is acutely required is the authenticity. Operating in triple spheres as a servant, synergist and a strategist is what one should do.
Perhaps the natural disaster we are currently facing could be a wakeup call for managers and administrators at all levels alike to think and act like authentic leaders.


text:
<?php

namespace MusicBrainz\Relation\Type\Release\Url\GetTheMusic;

use MusicBrainz\Relation\Type\Release\Url\GetTheMusic;
use MusicBrainz\Value\Name;

/**
 * This links a release to a page where it can be legally downloaded for free.
 *
 * @link https://musicbrainz.org/relationship/9896ecd0-6d29-482d-a21e-bd5d1b5e3425
 */
class DownloadForFree extends GetTheMusic
{
    /**
     * Returns the name of the relation.
     *
     * @return Name
     */
    public static function getRelationName(): Name
    {
        return new Name('download for free');
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
|}
|}
De N331 is een lokale weg in België tussen Ieper (N336) en de Franse grens bij De Seule, waar de weg over gaat in de D38. De weg heeft een lengte van ongeveer 15 kilometer.
De gehele weg bestaat uit twee rijstroken voor beide rijrichtingen samen. De weg heeft een lokale functie maar wordt beheerd door het Agentschap Wegen en Verkeer van het Vlaams gewest.

Plaatsen langs N331
 Ieper
 Kruisstraathoek
 Kemmel
 Nieuwkerke
 De Seule

331
Weg in West-Vlaanderen


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The Rio Olympics are underway, and after a build-up that's already been marred by the Russian doping scandal, officials will be on the look-out for athletes trying to gain an edge by using performance-enhancing drugs. What types of drugs will they be looking for, and why might athletes be tempted to use them in the first place? This graphic takes a look at some of the major classes of banned substances and the reasons that they are banned.
Anabolic agents are the biggest class of prohibited drugs at the Olympics, and they're also the most frequently detected. In 2014, the World Anti-Doping Agency found that 48% of positive tests were due to the use of anabolic agents. Their list of prohibited substances names around 74 different agents, but also includes any substances with similar chemical structures.
Anabolic steroids are the major group of drugs included in this class. They are structurally similar to the natural human hormone, testosterone, and when taken mimic its effects. As such, they are used by athletes to help them increase their muscle mass and physical strength. Commonly, they're taken in the run-up to competitions, rather than during the competition itself. This would make them harder to detect with testing at the Olympics alone, which is why out-of-competition testing also takes place. With that said, recent research has found that steroid metabolites persist in the bodies of those using them for several months, making them easier to detect.
Anabolic steroids were at the centre of the recent Russian doping scandal, detailed in a previous post with C&EN magazine. Their cocktail used a combination of three different steroids; one of these was changed as detection methods for it improved. Metanedienone, developed in the 1960s, was regularly used by body-builders, weight-lifters, and shot-putters before anabolic steroids were banned from Olympic competitions in 1975.
Steroid use doesn't come without risks. Their side effects include high blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease, and also kidney damage. In both men and women, they can also have aesthetic effects. For men, they can shrink the testicles and enlarge breasts, as well as reducing sperm count. In women, they increase body hair, decrease breast size, and deepen the voice.
This category of drugs also includes some non-steroidal agents, and notably clenbuterol. Clenbuterol is used to treat breathing disorders, as it widens the airways and also acts as a decongestant. For athletes, it has modest muscle-building effects, but can also be taken to help increase the metabolism and help burn fat. A number of athletes in a variety of sports have been banned for using this drug.
The second most frequently detected class of doping drugs are stimulants. In 2014, they accounted for 15% of the positive tests recorded by the World Anti-Doping Association, and the stimulant methylhexanamine was reportedly found in 45.9% of positive athletics urine samples worldwide in 2012.
Stimulants are substances that help increase alertness, energy, and attention. A number of them behave similarly to the human hormones adrenaline and noradrenaline, commonly referred to as being involved in the body's 'fight or flight' response. A very well-known example of a stimulant is caffeine, which isn't banned in Olympic competition. Banned stimulants include amphetamines and cocaine.
As with anabolic agents, there are health issues associated with stimulant use. Many of them are addictive, and their use can also increase the risk of heart failure. They can also lead to exhaustion. Modafinil, a stimulant that was added to the list of prohibited substances for Olympic athletes in 2004, reportedly prolongs exercise time for athletes, and several athletes have been banned for its use.
This class of prohibited substances is large and varied. Generally, they tend to be substances that interfere either with human hormones or metabolism to give athletes an edge. They can also be used in conjunction with anabolic steroids, as they can act to reduce some of the undesirable physical effects of these drugs.
Some of the drugs in this class are those that effect the hormone oestrogen. This can be beneficial for men using anabolic steroids, as steroid use leads to gynecomastia, or enlarged breasts. Oestrogen-inhibiting drugs can help minimise these effects. They are usually taken for this purpose, rather than having any effect on athlete performance.
This class of drugs also include meldonium, which shot to prominence recently when tennis player Maria Sharapova was banned for using it. Meldonium is a drug that can be used to treat some heart problems, particularly coronary artery disease. It helps widen the arteries, which can be useful for athletes as it helps increase the flow of oxygen to the muscles in the body.
Meldonium was banned at the start of 2016 after evidence showed that athletes in 15 out of 21 sports at the Baku 2015 European Games were using it to help enhance their performance. Since being banned, 124 positive samples have been taken from athletes in various sports, a large number of them Russian. Meldonium's ability to enhance performance has, however, been debated, particularly by the Latvian manufacturer of the drug.
The drugs in this class are used for two purposes. Diuretics are substances that promote the excretion of water in urine, and can be used by athletes to regulate their body mass, particularly in events where competitors must be at or near a certain weight such as boxing. They can also be used to mask the use of other banned substances, as by diluting the urine they can help reduce the concentration of banned agents and their metabolites. Masking agents are substances that impair the detection of substances in the urine, either by concealing or interfering with detection of metabolites of banned substances.
Diuretics and masking agents can lead to a range of side effects, including dehydration and affecting salt balance. One of the most commonly used diuretics is furosemide, which can increase urinary excretion by a factor of 30. Their continued use can lead to gastrointestinal problems and kidney damage.
Narcotics are used primarily to manage pain. This can be to help athletes overcoming minor injuries, or to simply increase their pain tolerance during events. They also help reduce anxiety, which can be a benefit in the high pressure environment of the Olympics.
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The side effects of narcotic use can also be severe. They are particularly addictive, and the body can also build up tolerance to them, meaning that the dose has to be routinely increased to see the same effects. Over-use can also lead to adverse psychological effects.
Though the main groups of abused substances have been discussed so far, there are a number of other substances whose use is prohibited. Some are banned outright; these include cannabis, cannabinoids, and glucocorticosteroids. Others, such as alcohol, are only banned in-competition in particular sports such as archery. Further substances are banned only above certain thresholds; for example, beta-2 agonists, primarily used in the treatment of asthma in inhalers, are largely banned, but the used by asthma sufferers are permitted to certain levels.
Another banned agent worth a more extended mention is erythropoietin (EPO). This is an agent used in what is sometimes termed as 'blood doping', the practice of taking substances to increase the number of red blood cells in the blood. EPO is a hormone that stimulates red blood cell production. Red blood cells help carry oxygen to the body's muscles, so increasing their number should help increase athlete performance. Gene doping can also be used to achieve similar effects, as C&EN detailed recently.
It's clear that doping in athletics is a constant game of cat and mouse, as the recent issues with meldonium illustrate. Though some athletes risk the use of banned substances to gain an edge, it's clear that a number of others attempt to do so using substances that the World Anti-Doping Agency has yet to explicitly ban. Retroactive testing on samples taken at previous Olympics make it much more likely that those using doping to get ahead will be caught out, if not immediately, then eventually.


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Supplies: USB Required and 1 pack of copy paper.
Pickleball is a paddle sport (similar to a racquet sport) that combines elements of badminton, tennis, and table tennis. Two or four players use solid paddles made of wood or composite materials to hit a perforated polymer ball, similar to a Wiffle Ball, over a net.
Students will learn a variety of soul line dancing. The class emphasis is on fun, good music and soul line dancing.


text:
iPhone 12: 8 expectations for Apple's new top device
July 23, 2020 by Habibur Rahman
With just over a month to go, the image we have of the iPhone 12 is getting clearer. These are our expectations for Apple's new smartphone this year.
iPhone 12 expectations
As it stands, the iPhone 12 appears in four different models. The iPhone 12, a smaller iPhone 12 mini, the more expensive iPhone 12 Pro and even larger iPhone 12 Pro Max. We focus on the regular model: these are our iPhone 12 expectations.
1. A new design
The most striking adjustment that Apple is making this year has to do with the iPhone 12 design. After a few years of using the iPhone X design, the iPhone is now switching to a device with a familiar face. Apple would like to blend the design of the iPhone 4 with that of the iPhone X.
That makes for a smartphone that looks a bit like the most recent iPad Pro: harder edges and a somewhat more rectangular design. The device would still get a glass back so that it supports wireless charging. It is not yet clear in which colors the iPhone 12 will appear, but we again expect a wide choice of bright colors – as was the case last year.
2. The same price as the iPhone 11
The iPhone 12 appeals to the same target group as the iPhone 11 last year. The improvements that Apple is making also seem to have little impact on the price, except for the screen (see also point 4). That is why we expect the following prices depending on the storage capacity:
iPhone 12 64GB: 809 euros
iPhone 12 128GB: 859 euros
3. Camera: double lens without LiDAR
Apple took major steps in the camera field last year: the iPhone 11 received a wide-angle lens and also supports night mode. The iPhone 12 is therefore expected to continue mainly on the same footing.
All innovations from last year are (of course) present, supplemented with an improved autofocus. This should ensure that the camera takes less time to optimally adjust the settings. The LiDAR scanner that would be present on the iPhone 12 Pro is not present on the cheaper iPhone 12.
4. Finally: OLED instead of LCD
An important improvement of the iPhone 12 compared to its predecessor is the screen. For the first time, the mid-range model from Apple will be equipped with an OLED display. This better screen type was previously only available for the Pro variants.
OLED is more energy-efficient, has nicer colors and deeper blacks. In addition, the OLED screen panel is bendable, so the screen edges of the iPhone 12 will probably be a lot thinner than that of the iPhone 11. So on every front a visible improvement.
5. Yes or no 5G in the Netherlands?
It remains a strange story: does the iPhone 12 get support for 5G in the Netherlands or not? As it stands, both the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro would come with 5G support.
In the Netherlands, this is not of much use to us, because it will take years before we have a stable 5G network throughout the country. Still, it is nice if iPhones support standard 5G from this autumn. Then you can be sure that your device is future-proof when you purchase it.
6. Runs on A14 chip and iOS 14
The iPhone 12 is equipped with the new A14 chip from Apple and runs iOS 14 as standard. The A-series chips are made by Apple themselves and have set the standard in mobile performance for years.
Every year Apple is at the absolute top in terms of performance and that will be no different this year. The A14 chip also focuses on energy efficiency, so that it also contributes to longer battery life.
7. No charger or earplugs included
If you have followed the news about the new iPhone, you probably will have noticed that Apple wants to put less stuff in the box. This is expected to be the first time that a new iPhone will be delivered without a charger and without earplugs.
As a make-up, Apple would add an extra sturdy Lightning to USB-C cable, a big improvement over the fragile cables that you now get. In the opinion below, we explain why this change does not have to be bad, as long as Apple does it well.
8. Unveiled in September, available soon thereafter
Despite the corona crisis and possible delay, the iPhone 12 will simply be unveiled during an Apple event in September. There we will also see the three other models and the new Apple Watch Series 6.
After the event, it will probably not be long before the pre-order starts and the first copies will be delivered a week later. We expect the unveiling at the end of September, after which you can hold the device in your hands in late September or early October.
Categories Apple, iPhone, News, Smartphone


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8 Most Underrated Current Cricketers: Why is that we always remember the guy who scores the goal in the FIFA World Cup final yet we always fail to remember the name of the guy who assisted him in that scoring that goal? Why is that we always remember the guy scoring the winning runs in Cricket World Cup final but never seem to recall the guy who scored a grinding fifty in quarter final to make sure that the team reaches the fifty? Some players get more fame than others. Some are so good that they attract all the lime light towards themselves and some just know how to remain in the news but there is one lot of professional players which despite being talented, despite bearing the lion's share of the team's burden and despite exceptional performances at big stages remain out of the limelight. Maybe they lack the charism to attract the youth or maybe it's just the nature of our sport that certain players remain underrated throughout their career. No one lauds their talent or falls for their skills. Let us see talk about few of such players today.
One cannot score a six off Dale Steyn's bowling the final over of the Semi Final of the Cricket World Cup unless his name is Grant Elliot. Our man here has played a number of crucial knocks for his adopted country, New Zealand yet the local media fails to give him the lime light he deserves. He is a big match player who has nerves of steel which help him deal with the pressure situations yet his name never gets taken alongside the modern day greats like Kane Williamson and Virat Kohli.
Not many people can claim to have dispatched a cricket ball outside the Basin Reserve Stadium. That is precisely what Martin Guptill can boost of. Guptill's clean hitting is something to be feared of if you are playing against him yet a player of his caliber went unsold in the recent auction of Indian Premier League. A clear manifestation of the fact that he is usually given less credit for his talent than he deserves. Guptill has been instrumental in New Zealand's recent surge in ICC's rankings. The ruthlessness with which he launches the attack on opposition's bowlers is comparable with the killing instincts of some predators.
How many cricketers do you know who have scored three centuries in three consecutive ODIs? Not many. Right? Quinton De Kock is that a young wicket keeper batsman form South Africa who became only 5th player in the history of the Cricket to have achieved this feet after scoring two centuries against India and one against Pakistan. De Kock rose to fame after playing some compact innings in the Under-19 World Cup and later replicated similar performances in the Champions League. But a little bad patch in form and De Kock has lost all the attraction that he once had for international media. Although he is performing consistently for his team, very seldom do we ever see his name discussed in the commentary boxes anymore which is really an injustice to his skills. He averages 45.22 in tests and 42.94 in ODIs.
Aizaz Cheema is a person who in the most unexpected of ways becomes a hero for one night and then the very next day wakes up as just another guy who can bowl. Aizaz Cheema bowled the all-important last over for Pakistan in Asia Cup 2014's final against Bangladesh and defended a meagre total. In the most recent match that he played, he made whole Quetta proud by the last over he bowled against Peshawar Zalmi in the first playoff match of the PSL. He took two crucial wickets in that over and helped his team win the match by 1 run. Still he failed to find a spot for himself in Pakistan's national team.
India spinner who has been around international circuit since 2010, comes across a sneaky player who go un-noticed with his mean bowling performances with very batting dominated Indian side. In 2016 he has been the best Twenty spinner having already taken 17 wickets in 10 t20 matches. He will be key on Indian wickets and MS Dhoni sometime use him as opening bowler on Indian tracks. As far as his test figures go he has been handy taking 176 wickets in 32 matches he has played while Ashwin is a decent lower order batsman having already scored 2 hundreds.
Widely regarded as new Rahul Dravid, Ajinkya Rahane has been a very consistent test batsman for India. But most often than not Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma over shadow his performances with the bat. Rahane has already scored more than 16000 runs in 22 test scoring 6 hundreds. Unlike some of the other stars Ajinkya Rahane has scored runs in different conditions consistantly like South Africa, England and even Australia.
Started his international ODI career back in 2009 as a all-rounder and since some of the key players have retired he has established himself in the team as decent lower order batsman and nippy seam bowler with uncanny ability to break partnerships. He has not always lived up to his potential but with his big hitting he can be a match winner on his day.
Finn has been around England international squads since 2010 and now is a established first choice bowler alongside Broad and James Anderson. He represent England in all three formats and having taken 113 wickets in 29 test matches shows his ability. But with Stuart Broad and James Anderson taking the center stage often, Finn sometimes goes along unnoticed with his nippy seam bowling.


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Adventures tours by Egypt Uncovered, offering inspiring travel aimed at active travellers looking for small group, family, overland and tailor-made holidays. 5 episodes · Egypt Uncovered Poster · Add a Plot» Egypt Uncovered () · See all 16 photos». Edit Also Known As: Egypt: Chaos and Kings See more» . 31 Aug Shot on location at many sites off-limits to the public, and featuring many of the world's most noted Egyptologists, Egypt Uncovered offers a..


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Q: SchedulerException :JobStore class 'com.novemberain.quartz.mongodb.MongoDBJobStore' could not be instantiated I have upgraded the spring boot from 2.2.5 RELEASE to 2.7.3 but getting below error
SchedulerException :JobStore class 'com.novemberain.quartz.mongodb.MongoDBJobStore' could not be instantiated.
org.quartz.SchedulerException: JobStore class 'com.novemberain.quartz.mongodb.MongoDBJobStore' could not be instantiated.
    at org.quartz.impl.StdSchedulerFactory.instantiate(StdSchedulerFactory.java:881) ~[quartz-2.3.2.jar:?]
    at org.quartz.impl.StdSchedulerFactory.getScheduler(StdSchedulerFactory.java:1579) ~[quartz-2.3.2.jar:?]

war file deployed successfully on wildfly server but Quartz getting failed, we are using mongodb 4.2 , java 1.8 , quartz scheduler version 2.3.2, novemberain.quartz.mongo 2.0.0
Please help me
Regards,
Vijay Kumbharkar


In-State Per Diems are Increased!
The State of Alabama has increased the per diems for in-state travel! As you remember, the overnight per diem was $75 for each travel day, and the partial day per diem was $11.25 for travel of 6-12 hours and $30.00 for travel of 12 or more hours. The following rates will be effective for in-state travel occurring on or after July 1, 2018.
The allowance for overnight travel will be $85.00 or $100.00 per day, depending on the length of the trip. For travel requiring one overnight stay, the traveler will be paid $85.00 per day. For travel requiring stays of two or more nights, the traveler will be paid $100.00 per day.
One overnight stay at $85 per travel day.
This traveler will see a $20 increase in his or her per diem allowance for a one night/two day trip.
This traveler will see a $75 increase in his or her per diem allowance for a two night/three day trip.
For travel that does not require an overnight stay, the traveler shall be paid a meal allowance of $12.75 (15% of the regular per diem rate of $85.00) for a trip of six to twelve hours' duration.
For travel in excess of twelve hours' duration, the traveler shall be paid $34.00, which represents one meal allowance and one-fourth of the per diem allowance.
The exception is still in place that allows employees traveling within the State of Alabama to attend a convention, conference, seminar or other meeting of a state, regional, or national organization of which the state or individual is a dues-paying member to be reimbursed according to the UA out-of-state policy.
You will enter your reports in Concur using the same methods and processes as in the past. We will modify the current In-State Overnight report options and provide both a One Night Stay and a Two or More Night Stay in order to help you more easily calculate the appropriate per diems.


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Імператор Ко́каку (, кокаку тенно; 23 вересня 1771 — 11 грудня 1840) — 119-й Імператор Японії, синтоїстське божество. Роки правління: 16 грудня 1779 — 7 травня 1817.

Біографія
Імператор Кокаку народився 23 вересня 1771 року. Він був шостим сином Сукехіто, принца Кан'їн, онука Імператора Хіґасіяма. Матір'ю хлопчика була Ое Івасіро, донька лікаря Івамури Сокена з міста Куракіті. Новонародженому дали ім'я Морохіто та титул принц Саті.

Літній Імператор Ґо-Момодзоно не мав синів, тому принца зробили його названим сином. 16 грудня 1779 року, у 10-річному віці, його проголосили новим Імператором Японії й провели церемонію інтронізації.

В лютому 1788 року, за правління Імператора Кокаку, в столиці Кіото сталася велика пожежа. Під час лиха згорів Імператорський палац.

1789 року батько Імператора — Сукехіто, принц Кан'їн, намагався отримати титул Верховного Імператора Японії, однак сьоґунат Токуґава, що виконував функції японського уряду, відмовив у задоволенні його прохання. Ці події отримали назву «інцидент з титулом» і спричинили напругу у відносинах Імператорського двору та самурайського уряду.

7 травня 1817 року Імператор Кокаку передав свою посаду і монарші регалії сину, Імператору Нінко, а сам відійшов від політики. Він прийняв почесний титул Верховного Імператора Японії й займався дослідженнями палацового церемоніалу. Відставний монарх був останнім з Імператорського роду, хто носив цей почесний титул.

11 грудня 1840 року Імператор Кокаку помер у 69-річному віці. Його поховали в гробниці Нотіноцукінова, на території монастиря Сенрюдзі в районі Хіґасіяма, в Кіото.

Генеалогічне дерево

Примітки

Джерела та література

  『新編 日本史辞典』 (Нове видання. Словник історії Японії) / 京大日本史辞典編纂会. — 東京: 東京創元社, 1994. — P.1057—1058.
  『歴代天皇全史―万世一系を彩る君臨の血脈』 (歴史群像シリーズ (69)) (''Історія Імператорів

Посилання

  Список усипальниць Імператорів Японії // Офіційна сторінка Управління Імператорського двору Японії

Імператори Японії


Joe Frankenstein, by Graham Nolan and Chuck Dixon, has a fascinating premise. The monster Dr. Victor Frankenstein created found remorse after slaying his creator. As penance, the Monster pledged to protect Victor Frankenstein's heirs. Since that time, he has done so from the shadows and, of course, become very wealthy as all immortals would do, right?
Fast forward to the present day, pizza boy Joe Pratt is accosted by vampires. The Monster saves the boy. He reveals to Joe that he is Dr. Frankenstein's descendant. Together, the two share a bond coded in their DNA which can unlock the secrets of immortality. This secret is coveted by dark sinister forces, including the Bride of Frankenstein, Golgatha, and the mysterious entity known only as the Master. For Joe's own safety, he must come to live with Frankenstein's Monster. However, the encounter with the vampires has alerted these creatures to his presence and they will stop at nothing to get him.
While the narrative plays on horror concepts and themes, the story's focus is on action and adventure. Joe Frankenstein is a story written for children. As a children's story, it is amazingly successful. What kid would not want Frankenstein's Monster protecting him? Not to mention, the Monster is rich, super hip, and he spends most of his time battling evildoers. Joe Frankenstein is now part of that world and accompanied by not only Frankenstein's Monster but a werewolf named Finnabar, a genius named Enoch, and a supercomputer known as I.G.O.R.
Adults will dig it too. Those growing up in the 1980s will find some of the concepts and delivery akin to the movie Monster Squad. Like Monster Squad, the graphic novel, Joe Frankenstein, never takes itself too seriously. After all, you are dealing with a superhero which can be "recharged" with an electric jolt! So if you are looking for something that is fun and appropriate for children of all ages, consider picking up a copy of Joe Frankenstein.


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Valuing people in an automating world
By Glynn Davis on May 7, 2019 in K3 Viewpoint
Brought to you by Retail Insider and K3
Automation, machine learning, and artificial intelligence have been driving the narrative around the retail industry in recent years whereas the people element has been somewhat sidelined. It has certainly not been seen as a central plank of the future for the sector.
But we are seeing evidence of a growing realisation that it is people that are the real differentiators for retailers and that they are the most valuable component in generating loyalty among shoppers for retail businesses and brand owners.
This reappraisal of the value of people is taking place across entire organisations – from stores to call centres, and from senior management to those lower down the ranks. In the store environment their value is clear, according to recent research from Reflexis, which found 78% of people say good service drives loyalty and 87% find the ability of store associates to guide and advise them during the purchasing journey as important.
Gucci: Opening six call centres for its customers
This sort of evidence is driving change at companies including Gucci, which is opening six customer call centres that resemble the luxury brand's shops. They involve hundreds of people handling calls and online queries. The objective is to create personal relationships with customers who are increasingly buying online, which replicates the personalised experience they would have enjoyed in-store before the emergence of the smart-phone. Gucci recognises the value of bringing people into the online mix as half of its revenues are derived online.
The value of the personal touch is also being recognised among even the most disruptive of businesses. The upstart bank Revolut is tearing up the old banking playbook but even it is now considering giving its customers the ability to call a number and speak to an actual person if they have a problem. The big complaint from its clients was the slow and impersonal way it has dealt with issues.
Such is the move towards focusing on the people perspective that work is being done on creating metrics for rating and valuing human capital. David Fairhurst, chief people officer at McDonald's, says there needs to be a measure for the quality of the leadership and culture within a business. With the formation in the US of the 'human capital management coalition' he reckons the financial community will have developed a rating for businesses based on the quality of its leadership and culture.
Glynn Davis, editor of Retail Insider
K3 Retail partners with businesses to provide connected technologies based on Microsoft Dynamics 365 so retailers can reach their goals now and in the future. In a size that best fits future plans wherever you need it – Cloud, Hybrid or On-premise. Our solutions drive more than 800 international retail brands from Charles Tyrwhitt and The White Company to Ryman and Sue Ryder, Hobbycraft, Wasabi and Ted Baker, K3 Retail is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner and the UK's leading Microsoft Dynamics retail partner.
Technology helps boost in-store employee contribution
Like everything, our complaints are going digital
Customers are no longer always right
Proactively facing up to the returns headache
Digital brands flocking to physical retail
Transforming Retail Awards 2019: The Judges
Innovative Retailer: Bottletop


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Biba Caggiano gives a demonstration of making pasta and tips on its preparation in the kitchen of her restaurant. She has owned the popular Italian restaurant Biba for the past 26 years. (Photo by Renée C. Byer, The Sacramento Bee)
Biba Was a Star in Sacramento's Restaurant Scene
Back Web Only Aug 30, 2019 By Blair Anthony Robertson
When I heard the news that Biba Caggiano died, it took my breath away. Like many Sacramentans connected in some capacity to the city's food scene, I knew she had been in declining health for several years, struggling with Alzheimer's disease.
That news was difficult enough. But knowing she had passed away gave me a jolt of sadness, for I not only respected all she had done to elevate the regional restaurant community and admired the standards she set for quality and consistency at her destination dining spot in Midtown Sacramento, I liked her very much.
How could I not?
She was smart, kind, passionate, charming, demanding, committed.
She was the owner and host of Biba, the guiding force behind the menu, and, in those roles, she was everybody's favorite Italian mamma.
The first time I went to her restaurant in 1999, not long after moving to Sacramento from the East Coast, I was caught up by how precisely executed everything was. As I waited to be shown to my table, I took in the grand setting and couldn't help but notice the well-dressed woman, petite and poised, standing at the bar.
No one had to tell me this was her place. I could see it in her eyes, by the way she carried herself. If a top-flight restaurant puts on a show, Biba was the star, the ringleader. She exuded confidence and elegance, all the while watching everything. If she stopped by your table to say hello, it was an event.
The first time I reviewed her restaurant in The Sacramento Bee, a decade or so after my first visit, the only thing I could fault was the decor. It seemed a little dated, a tad too formal, maybe. After all, things had changed since Biba opened her place in 1986. The carpet, the fixtures, the feel of the room, it needed to be more like the woman herself, cool and casual and classic.
Not long after that review, Biba called me and said she was remodeling the place.
"I have been wanting to do it for several years, but I was always too busy," Biba told me.
"Whatever you do," I said with a laugh, "please don't change that lasagna! It is one of the greatest things I have ever eaten."
I am not alone. Her Lasagne Verdi alla Bolognese — 10 layers of house-made pasta sheets and slow-cooked meat sauce — says everything you'd ever want to know about Biba, the food from Northern Italy and the restaurant that bears her name. It's what I see and taste and smell in my head whenever I think of that place.
"Don't worry," she replied in her Italian accent, "there's nothing I could do to make it better."
The same could be said for everything on the menu. Free of gimmicks and trends, Biba was not trying to be edgy or innovative. The kitchen did things the right way — use excellent ingredients and classic technique while paying attention to all the little things from start to finish.
Biba Caggiano was also a great cooking instructor and accomplished cookbook author. Her nine books have sold 600,000 copies. I wrote a story about her the last cookbook and remember chatting with her about her approach to cooking. There are no shortcuts, she told me.
Biba died at 82, but her legacy will live on. Sacramento was very lucky to have her and taste her food. I feel privileged to have known her and will think of her often when I roll out my own pasta at home and watch over a sauce on the stove.
That's her legacy: There are no shortcuts. Do things the right way. Cook and live life with passion.
VisitoPeggy Vellanoweth (not verified) – August 30, 2019 - 7:04pm
I worked with Vince as a nurse and ever since I met Biba it was family!!She had such class and every time we bought our babies in for dinner she made us feel like family. She loved children. I will miss her and may she rest in peace with the angels!! Bless Biba
Starr Walton Hurley (not verified) – September 3, 2019 - 9:18am
Celebrated many anniversary dinners at BIBA's. Our favorite restaurant! Always took our visiting friends from overseas to BIBA's for a special dinner. She will be sorely missed. Starr Hurley. New Zealand Consul. Sacramento
Dennis Dong (not verified) – September 4, 2019 - 8:15am
As a young Architect, I got to meet Biba through a recommendation to submit a proposal for design services for her new restaurant. Rather than meet in some office, she invited me to meet her in her kitchen at her home. I did not get the job, but I will always remember the warm hospitality I received from her that day.
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Current Position: As the Associate Director, Co-PI, and Competition Coordinator for the MATE Center, Jill's role is to work closely with industry to ensure that educational programs are aligned with workforce needs and to facilitate partnerships among educators, students, employers, and working professionals. Jill maintains relationships with well over 100 businesses, research institutions, government agencies, and professional societies and nearly 200 middle schools, high schools, colleges, and universities that participate in MATE ROV competitions each year.
Jill's role also includes identifying potential funding opportunities, writing proposals, and strategic planning. She coordinated the development of MATE's Underwater Robotics: Science, Design & Fabrication textbook.
In addition, Jill oversees the newly established MATE II, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation dedicated to supporting the MATE ROV competition and its other programs that inspire and challenge students to learn and creatively apply science, technology, art, engineering, and math to solving real-world problems in a way that strengthens critical thinking, collaboration, entrepreneurship, and innovation.
Related Experience: Jill is an active member of the Marine Technology Society (MTS). She served on the MTS Board as the Vice President of Education and Research for 6 years. She currently serves as the Underwater Intervention (UI) Technical Program Committee Marine Education Track Chair and is the chair of the MTS-Monterey Bay section. She is also a member of the MTS ROV and Education Committees.
Prior to marine technical education, Jill's focus was on marine research. During her Master's degree program at LSU, Jill participated in research cruises that investigated hydrocarbon seep communities in the Gulf of Mexico using the Johnson Sea-Link and Alvin submersibles. As a research technician at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab (DISL), Jill's focus shifted from the deep ocean to the coastal environments where she studied seagrass communities.
Personal Interests: Jill is a huge fan of outdoor activities (hiking with her dog and running are at the top of her list) and the Super Bowl LII Champion Philadelphia Eagles. She also enjoys traveling (Venice is her current favorite destination), wine tasting, reading, and spending time with her aviator husband Roy Woods and aspiring thespian daughter Addison (whose latest role is Kanga in Winnie-the-Pooh).