text:
CENK podcast #44: "When did the Villain become the Hero?"
4everInElectricDreams · C.E.N.K. #44: "When did the Villain become the Hero?"
Episode #44 of the Close Encounters of the Nerd Kind podcast sees Dan, Imran and Denis-Jose Francois sit down to discuss the surprising rise of movies that position established villains as the protagonist. Through movies like Joker, Cruella, Suicide Squad, Venom, Dracula Untold, Maleficent... we're seeing more sympathetic presentations of villains we've come to affectionately *hate* for decades. But what inspires a shift like this - are we running out of super hero stories to tell? Is this a move indicative of evolving audience tastes? And what's the future of on-screen villainy if there are no on-screen villains?
90s State of Mind #10: "Groove Theory" (w/Rhonda)
4everInElectricDreams · 90s State of Mind #10: "Groove Theory" (w/Rhonda)
Welcome to episode #10 of the 90s State of Mind podcast - a collaborative project between 4ever in Electric Dreams and Blue-in-Green:RADIO. This podcast series sees Imran (London, UK) and Rhonda (California, USA) delve into some of their favourite releases from the 90s and this week, the pair revisit the one-&-only album from incomparable Groove Theory.
Released in 1995 through Epic Records - and spearheaded by the classic single 'Tell Me' - the pairing of vocalist Amel Larrieux and producer Bryce Wilson resulted in one of 90s R&B's most beloved projects. Having achieved moderate success upon release, the duo disbanded a few years after their album release and although there have been efforts to resurrect the Groove Theory name, no new full-lengths have come to fruition. The 90s was certainly a prolific decade for each member with Amel Larrieux having established herself as a solo star with the first of what would be five solo albums having been released in 1999 along with multiple guest appearances on projects by The Roots and Guru. Wilson continued his run of excellent productions jumping behind the boards for colossal names like Mary J Blige, Changing Faces and Toni Braxton.
Imran & Rhonda delve deep into this definitive 90s R&B album looking at the project, remixes, b-sides, solo projects and efforts to revive the group with vocalist Makeda Davis.
CENK podcast #43: "Childhood Nostalgia"
4everInElectricDreams · C.E.N.K. #43: "Childhood Nostalgia"
Episode #43 of the Close Encounters of the Nerd Kind podcast sees Dan partner with friends of the show Denis-Jose Francois and Richard Roth to look at the impact of nostalgia in our lives: how much does nostalgia impact the things we hold dear? As we either marvel or bemoan evolving trends with technology, social media, music, film, etc, do we remember things from our childhood as perhaps being just that little bit better than they were?


Voice search makes up 20% of all online searches. By 2020, this number may very well reach 50%. We are standing on the precipice of a new era on the Internet, which means new things for would-be SEO experts like you and me to learn and master. The future is so unforgiving!
Optimization for voice search might require some getting used to because it's different from your orthodox way of Googling things. Instead of disjointed words and incomplete phrases, users tend to speak using actual, proper questions which search algorithms will have to work with. In other words, you'll need to start optimizing websites for this new species of 'voice keywords'. Picture long-tail keywords, except with a head that comes in one of six different shapes ("who", "what", "where", "when", "why", "how") and a tail bent like a question mark. Those are voice keywords.
Get creative with variations of questions and look them all up in WebCEO's Keyword Suggestions tool. The number of global and local searches for the keyword of your choice will tell you how competitive it is (you may not want it to be too competitive). And of course, don't forget to follow up questions with valid, detailed answers so the Google app can read them out loud.
As always, Google will favor websites that provide users with a nice, engaging experience. Conversely, the websites that fail to deliver will see a drop in rankings instead. As the quality of websites rises worldwide, user expectations will keep rising too, so be careful not to fall behind!
Using Google Analytics to monitor user behavior on your site, you can get an idea about how much they enjoy it. A high bounce rate may indicate that you might need to change something. You can improve the UX on your site by increasing its loading speed, making its design user-friendly, tending to technical issues and, of course, creating the best content for your visitors.
Keep an eye on your incoming traffic in WebCEO's Web Analytics. If you notice that it has dropped overall or regarding some sources, it may be a sign that things have gone south and need improvement. A small leak can sink a great ship; don't let this happen to you!
Content will continue to be one of the prevalent ranking factors. However, Google hates stagnation. Their policy is to give users the best the Internet has to offer, so the standards for what content counts as good are bound to rise again in the new year.
The best way to outdo the competitor websites now occupying page one is to, well, outdo them. Help your visitors better than those sites do. Content that gives users what they need, gives them answers and helps them solve their problems is the kind that Google values the most. Here's a good analogy that comes to mind. If you want to beat athletes in a sports competition, train your body to rival theirs; if you want to beat websites to page one, create content to rival theirs. Makes sense, doesn't it?
Last but not least, consider diversifying your content with LSI keywords that are semantically related to the main keywords you use. It gives search engines a better understanding of what you are about.
Businesses know the value of inbound links. Just look at SEO statistics: 20% of businesses dedicate over 50% of their overall SEO budget to link building. Backlinks are among the most powerful ranking factors and will remain so in 2018.
However, we may need to be extra careful about how we obtain them. Earlier in May, Google noticed an increase in spammy links from guest blogging and will likely keep a watchful eye on any guest contributions in the future. If we are lucky, we might see the birth of a new way to get on Google's bad side – always a welcome change!
Of course, it doesn't mean a farewell to guest blogging. You'll just have to keep it within the limits of what's allowed and not let it hurt your brand's reputation (be sure the guest post you publish doesn't have more than one link going to sites he or she wants to promote). Instead of picking a single method of gaining links and milking it until Google comes after you, spread out and get links from many sources (why not peek at your competitors' backlink profiles for a start?). Google will appreciate such a link building strategy a lot more.
Be sure not to let any bad apples sneak into your basket of backlinks. Weed them out and keep your profile clean with WebCEO's Toxic Links tool.
Google is determined to make speed a factor in giving users the information they need. That's why there's so much extra fluff on page one: quick answers, carousels, "people also ask"… They are shown above the highest ranking results, this being the reason why their space is called "position zero" – which is de facto the new position one. If your site is already on the first page, it opens up a possibility to claim a spot at position zero, too.
To make it happen, use Schema code when you build your site. Since resulting featured snippets tend to provide answers to "who", "what", "when", "where" and "how" types of questions, it predisposes them to be voice search material. Optimize for one, get one more for free!
Fight for and against position zero at the same time? Yes, you read that right.
Position zero offers a lot of room for all those ads and featured snippets. However, it causes problems for organic search results: they get buried under all the fluff and sometimes even pushed down below the fold. If you don't occupy position zero yourself, your site can be pretty hard to find even if you are on Google's first page at position #1. The competition is stark… but fortunately, not impossible to beat.
Optimize your page titles and descriptions. Don't make them so long that they get cut off when displayed in SERPs (and with WebCEO's On-Site Issues Overview tool, you'll always know when that happens). Have keywords in them, but also consider using power words that invoke emotion (e.g. "amazing", "best", "proven") and promise quick solutions ("fast delivery", "24/7", "now").
Optimize the URLs. A string of random letters and numbers at the end of a URL looks messy. On the other hand, a readable URL, which describes what the page is about, is much more likely to catch the users' attention and earn their trust in your content.
Use numbered lists in your content, as well as numbers in titles. A research by Conductor found that numbers increase CTR by 36%; clearly, users see something in them. Magic numbers work because people believe.
Use schema markup on your site. Extra HTML code on your pages turns into extra bits of information next to your site's link in search results. That way, it looks more credible and just prettier in general (read: clickable).
For business owners, Position 0 is the most convenient place to be in search results. Featured snippets are like billboards: big letters, bright logo, address and phone number, a couple reviews as a bonus – all covering a large chunk of the screen and shamelessly in your face. Absolutely worth fighting for, too.
Of course, there's more to local SEO than getting featured in snippets. You'll need to submit your website on Google My Business and relevant business directories, optimize it for mobile devices, use location-specific keywords, include NAP citations on your and other sites; and if you are deft enough to create expert content that resonates with your target audience and shows them you aren't new to what you do, that's a massive bonus.
Featured snippets aren't the only thing stealing the users' attention from organic results. There are pay-per-click ads, too.
Look at that page, so beautifully infested with ads. Hopefully their number won't increase in 2018 as the space above the fold isn't getting any bigger. How would it feel to finally rank number one and still be unnoticed thanks to paid ads and Google Maps? Almost beats the purpose of SEO, doesn't it?
Of course, it depends on the search query. Plenty of them return organic results right away, making your site easier to find if it's at the top organically. If PPC results are in the way, though, then you have two ways of dealing with this barrier: either try to rank for different keywords or embrace PPC. Google has the best of intentions when it shows them first, after all.
When your keywords are ranking higher than they did yesterday, it's always a delight. This can be compared only to watching your conversion rates grow. To have an adequate image of how well your pages convert, you will need to attach UTM tracking code to each of your major links and watch everything closely in Google Analytics. That's one part of the mosaic, now onto the next.
Heat map generators have proven to be a powerful asset in optimizing websites (we can attest to that). Tools for observing user behavior on-page are exactly what's needed to complement rankings and GA statistics. You can look at a heat map and immediately see the weak spots in your site's design. Maybe your calls-to-action don't get enough clicks simply because they go unnoticed! They could be below the fold, or they don't even look like something people are supposed to click on, or maybe they just aren't actionable enough and need some extra oomph.
Keep in mind that no tool can solve problems with your conversion – that's still up to you. But it can quickly point you in the right direction and save you a lot of time.
The reign of mobile devices promises to be long and prosperous. They are here to stay, and be loved, and drive even more traffic to websites than they already are. I doubt large screens will ever go obsolete, but I can guarantee we'll see more and more small screens in the future. With such a variety of sizes in place, it will be an obvious necessity to make websites look good on every kind of display.
There's also the mobile-first index to take into account. It's going to play a new, vital role in ranking websites. Once it's out, they will be ranked depending on the user experience provided by their mobile versions. Not having a mobile version means not being indexed – a disaster for your SEO.
Therefore, give your website a responsive design and make it load as fast as possible. WebCEO's Mobile Optimization tool will test your website's mobile-friendliness and give you tips for improving on it, while the Page Speed tool will give you even more tips for – surprise! – speeding it up.
A high loading speed is a fantastic thing in general, not just for mobile-friendly sites. Users are less likely to lose patience and more eager to stick around and lurk deeper instead. It's a ranking factor for Google, too. Can you come up with a reason not to make your site load fast? If yes, please let me know, it'll be great prank material.
Most search engines have an image search function, but I've yet to meet anyone who believes it's perfect. However, search engines are both able and willing to improve it, as evidenced by the steps they have made towards upgrading their visual search capabilities. Google Lens and Pinterest Lens are both capable of coming up with results based on as little as a photo of any random thing in your vicinity. That's two more unique "search engines" to optimize for in the near future.
And while I mention Pinterest, consider making your images shareable on social media. That's more exposure for you and potential backlinks pointing to your site. Remember that likes and shares and comments on social media posts that link to you will count for SEO purposes as backlinks.
I'm surprised how many websites still haven't done this. Google approves of secure connections and made them a lightweight ranking factor back in 2014. They went as far as to mark HTTP sites as non-secure in Chrome, scaring users away when they see this. Is your site still HTTP? Then your rankings aren't as high as they could be.
The majority of users don't like looking past Google's page one. If something isn't there, it doesn't exist to them. Does this mean your site will definitely start getting clicks once it makes it there? Not necessarily, as there are still other options on the same page. But your chances would improve greatly if your brand was more recognizable.
Brand building is an essential part of any long-term SEO strategy. It should be a part of yours, as well, if you intend to keep your site around for a long time. Content, products, service or what-have-you – put effort into giving the best to others and earn a good reputation in return. Social media is as great a place as ever for interacting with your audience for feedback and closer ties. And of course, keep track of your brand's mentions online so that displeased words don't escape your attention. WebCEO's Web Buzz Monitoring tool will make sure that no negative remarks puncture a hole in the SEO balloon that's meant to take you to the top.
The more people know you, and the more good things they know and say about you, the better for your business goals. Work to earn their trust.
The Internet is crazy about video content. A study by Hubspot indicated that 45% of users watch at least an hour worth of YouTube and Facebook videos weekly. What's more, videos are expected to hog a staggering 80% of all online traffic by the early 2020s. If you still aren't using YouTube and other video hosting platforms to build brand awareness and attract visitors, then make your debut now and start 2018 off with a bang. When the 2020s hit, you'll be riding that gigantic tide of traffic.
Meanwhile in the present, YouTube has already become so big that people search for things there without turning to Google at all. Not wanting to be outdone, Google includes YouTube videos in its search results, and it's not uncommon to see them on page one. In other words, you can make two powerful figures fight over you – morally questionable if they were people, but perfectly fine when they are search engines.
And since video content is so well-liked, you have options other than YouTube. You can simply embed videos directly on your site and make users spend more time on it – yet another reason for Google to rank your site higher.
And the most important advice of all: it will be an absolute must to use powerful SEO tools. Your campaign depends on your ability to measure progress and detect issues before they cause lasting damage. If there is one thing that will be the same in the new year, it's WebCEO's readiness to give you its full support!
Brave the Future, Tame the Trends!


text:
import { getOwner } from '@ember/application';
import { VERSION } from '@ember/version';
import { computed, get } from '@ember/object';
import Component from '@ember/component';
import layout from '../templates/components/welcome-page';
import { gte } from 'ember-compatibility-helpers';

export default Component.extend({
  layout,

  isCurrent: computed(function() {
    let displayCurrent = false;
    let version = VERSION;
    let patch = version.split(".")[2];

    if (version === 'master') {
      displayCurrent = true;
    } else if (patch.match('alpha')) {
      displayCurrent = true;
    } else if (patch.match('beta')) {
      displayCurrent = true;
    }

    return displayCurrent;
  }),

  canAngleBracket: computed(function() {
    return gte('3.4.0');
  }),

  isModuleUnification: computed(function() {
    const config = getOwner(this).resolveRegistration('config:environment');

    return config && config.isModuleUnification;
  }),

  rootURL: computed(function() {
    let config = getOwner(this).factoryFor('config:environment');

    if (config) {
      return config.class.rootURL;
    } else {
      return '/';
    }
  }),

  emberVersion: computed('isCurrent', function() {
    let isCurrent = get(this, 'isCurrent');

    if (isCurrent) {
      return 'current';
    } else {
      let [ major, minor ] = VERSION.split(".");
      return `${major}.${minor}.0`;
    }
  })
});

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Home/Everything Else/Search engine marketing basics
Search engine marketing basics
When it comes to marketing a business online, search is the deal-breaker. Your business has to be visible in search in order to grow its online customer base in any significant way.
The frustrating thing about search, from a small business perspective, is that it can be extremely expensive to get a front-page listing. Given the amount of competition in any given industry, the exercise of optimizing a website to appear more relevant than competitors (known as SEO, or search engine optimization) will either cost you a lot of time or a lot of money.
This is why search engine marketing, or SEM, is such an important part of conducting business online. Distinct from SEO, SEM services like Google's AdWords, or Bing's Microsoft adCenter, give business owners the option to buy a spot next to search results for terms that are relevant to their products or services. The effect that this kind of placement can have on sales is potentially quite powerful.
"The key thing with SEM is that these are people that are actually already looking for your products and services," says Scott Evans, partner at Gorilla SEO. "It's not like traditional advertising where you're trying to create demand. These are people that are actually looking for your business. So you've got to remember that they're further along in the purchase process – they're closer to buying than what someone might be if they're seeing a TV advertisement."
Other than putting your brand in front of people already looking to buy, the real appeal of SEM is the control that it gives the owner of the business over how their business appears in search. If you don't have the money required to compete in natural results, you can set a budget for your ads. Once the budget is met, they'll stop displaying and costing you money.
"AdWords is very scalable," says Gorilla SEO's Evans. "You can start with a conservative budget, and then test the water, and scale it up as results start to go come in."
The catch is that SEM can be both costly and very competitive, and these two things are, of course, related. If an online shoe accessory store wanted to buy an ad in Google searches for 'Kiwi black shoe polish, it would need to bid for placement next to that phrase. The highest bidder typically gets the best spot but then pays the amount bid every time a searcher clicks on their ad.
"You pay on a click-by-click basis," says Ashley McVey, senior digital strategist at Next Digital. "What that means is that for every user that visits your site from an ad in SEM, a cost is incurred."
Don't let this panic you – it's rare that a click will end up costing more than $2. But clicks do add up, and this is why it's important you know what you're doing before you invest too much time and money into SEM. It can be a great way to get started with online marketing, but it can cost you a lot with a little gain if you're not careful.
Why is SEM important?
Search is crucial to marketing a business online. If your operation can't be found on Google and Bing, it's going to struggle.
"Over 50% of all traffic online is actually from search engines," says McVey. "Search needs to be a key consideration for any business, really, that is looking to acquire new customers or generate exposure and awareness for their brand."
Of the two main approaches to search in online marketing, SEO is where the greater value lies. The organic, or natural, results that come up when a keyword is typed in are the pages that Google deems to be the most relevant to the searcher. This means that a first-page listing on Google lends an enormous weight of authority to that website. If your business can manage this for a couple of core keywords, it should receive enough traffic to sustain a healthy volume of sales and inquiries.
The flip side is that SEO takes a very long time to do, and if your industry is competitive, getting a good spot will likely involve you paying an online marketer more than you can reasonably afford.
It's important to understand that there are two approaches to SEO. The first and most basic one isn't competitive and basically involves structuring your site so search engines can index it more easily. The second approach aims to manipulate search engines to make a site seem more relevant than all of its competitors for particular terms. This takes a lot more time and is accordingly costly. The non-competitive approach to SEO should be viewed as a prerequisite for having any kind of web presence. It's easy to do, particularly if you understand how it works before you design your site.
"There are the basics of SEO, which are making sure your site is as friendly to search engines as possible, making sure they can crawl and index the content there," says McVey. "That's the first step for every single company that's building a new site, is to make sure that it is as referencable by the search engines as possible, so that you're showing up in as many searches as possible for free."
SEM is useful because it gives website owners a way of getting their brand in search results almost instantly, instead of waiting around for SEO to take effect.
"SEM activity is a little lower hanging, in the sense that you see the results immediately," continues McVey. "As soon as you say you're prepared to pay for a certain amount of traffic, Google will display you, whereas with SEO there's generally a delay in them recognizing the SEO friendliness of the site and displaying that site in search results."
The first step with SEM is to think about the types of words and phrases customers are using to find businesses like yours. Look at how competitors are phrasing their ads in search, and consider how you'd go about finding the products your business sells if you were a customer.
Once you've outlined a handful of terms for each of your key products or categories, head to the Google AdWords Keyword Tool. This will give you a better indication of how people are actually searching for similar businesses and will show how competitive each of the keywords and phrases is. The more sought-after the keywords are, the higher you'll have to bid to secure a place for them.
Going straight for the most desirable keywords in a competitive industry is likely to cost your business a hefty sum in the long term. Instead, it's wiser to bid on a range of different keywords and see what works best.
"It can be quite expensive, but I think the key for anyone starting out is to cast a wide net to start with," says Evans. "When you're just starting out, you're not sure where the results are going to come from, so you need to look at all of the keyword opportunities for yourself, and see where the results are coming from."
It's worth noting that the keywords you target using AdWords should be quite different from those targeted with SEO. SEO should aim to attract traffic for broader, more basic keywords that relate to your business. These are the types of keywords that are likely to be very expensive to bid for using SEM, but they're also more likely to lead to a homepage or an about us page than to a conversion page for a product. For example, a white goods retailer might choose to target 'cheap washing machine' in their SEO strategy but go with 'Samsung 7.5kg front loader' in their SEM.
"Keyword selection for SEO is based on the same original principles, but, over time, the goal is to move the keywords that are costing you a lot in SEM and generating a lot of traffic, but not a lot of revenue, into an SEO strategy," says Next Digital's McVey. "Appearing in both places is the optimal position to be in. If it's not yielding any results, immediately move it out of SEM."
Account structure
Few companies are wealthy enough to pour money into an AdWords campaign just for the purpose of building traffic. Mega brands like Coca-Cola can afford to do this, but for small businesses, it's best to use keywords to target specific products or categories, as these are more likely to result in a sale. The upside is that AdWords does allow you to micro-manage search campaigns.
"The advantage with SEM is you can really target your keywords and your ads to precise terms. Because you're only paying 50c to a few dollars per click, you can start with a small budget and use trial and error," says Evans.
This is where the AdWords account structure comes in handy. AdWords gives users the ability to structure their accounts according to the structure of their site. Provided your site is broken down into categories that contain groups of products, you can mirror this in AdWords, assigning specific keywords to each category, and then further keywords to each product group or to individual products.
"Best practice dictates that you set up your account structure in line with your site so you've got campaigns to complement each of your categories," says McVey. "Inside each campaign, you have what's called ad groups, then inside each ad group you'd have keywords [for individual products]."
Although many businesses won't need a particularly complex account structure, it's best to take an organized approach from day one with SEM. Not only does it allow you to keep closer tabs on how much is being spent on individual keywords and which groups are performing, but it also makes it easier to accommodate new product lines down the track.
Budget and test
Knowing how much to spend on SEM is difficult when you're starting out. Next Digital's McVey suggests that businesses should settle on an amount to start with, and then change that according to how successful their campaigns prove to be.
"Each business is different in terms of the amount of people they have online looking for their products, but also in terms of the competition across the search space," he says. "I would recommend that for any new business, they start off with $200-1000 on a monthly basis, and they test effectively."
Testing is possibly the most crucial process associated with running an SEM campaign. If you can't measure how many sales an ad is converting, then you have no way of telling if that cost is useful to your business. Gorilla SEO's Evans notes that it's also essential to measure more than just clicks and page impressions when testing SEM campaigns.
"It's really important for anyone starting out that they track goals and conversions, not just clicks and impressions," he says. "Find out which keywords are converting, which headlines are converting, which ad text is converting to sales and enquiries – don't just look at clicks and impressions as a measurement. What is actually bringing new business in, whether it's enquiries or online sales?"
Although SEM does provide a much faster method than SEO, it's important to view it as a constant cost rather than a quick fix. To gain an accurate idea of what's working and what isn't, each campaign should be tracked weekly or daily over a period of months. It will also help to remember that, like SEO, SEM is a constant, ongoing cost, rather than a one-off upfront expense.
"Don't do it as something that you're going to do just for five minutes and then leave," says Next Digital's McVey. "Invest the time and learning into the decision to make sure that it's something that you're going to approach properly. It costs for your brand to appear with SEM, so you've got to make sure that it's being done properly from the start, but also as an ongoing process."
Get to the point

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Three Epic Board Games Worth Your Whole Day
May 12 2017 • 10:00 AM
It's undeniable that some board games just go too long and wear out their welcome. While there isn't one game that has a Monopoly on this problem (see what I did there?), a long game doesn't always mean a bad one. In fact, there are some epic titles that require you to put in the time, but produce some of the most exciting, interesting, and rewarding experiences in the gaming world. Here are three of the best.
There is no doubt that Mage Knight is a long game. Even the shorter scenarios can take several hours to play – especially if you have more than two players. With a full compliment of four around the table, you're looking at 4-5 hours easy. And with some groups, much more than that.
But what it lacks in brevity, it more than makes up for in the epic enjoyment it provides. You start as an incredibly powerful mage knight – a being of near immortality and powerful magic. But that's just the beginning. From there you amass ever more power as you conquer orc hordes, decimate dragons, enter tombs, explore dungeons, invade keeps, conquer mage towers, visit monasteries, hire soldiers, and ultimately sack cities. As you do, you level up and gain access to powerful new abilities and artifacts.
Mage Knight is magnificent in providing an epic adventuring game. Its open world allows you to explore and make your own path toward victory. And the game length allows you to feel yourself building toward something truly great. While this title will take your whole afternoon or evening, it'll be worth every second.
The Colonists is a fairly heavy game about building up your own land with farmers and merchants while maintaining ties to the various colonies on the board. Although you can play shorter games consisting of only an era or two, the full game is played out over four separate eras. And while it starts simply, as the eras go by it introduces different types of workers, new goods, and even a new colony.
The Colonists has a central board made up of various tiles. On their turn, the player moves their pawn around and takes whatever action they land on. At first, there are few tiles available and they are easily accessed. But as the game goes on, this central board grows – usually with the newest and best tiles toward the outside. Gradually, managing your placement and turns on the main board becomes critical.
Meanwhile, on your personal board, you try to construct and staff various buildings. They might give you access to special goods or just give you points. But among them are the embassies to the colonies. Depending on how good your relationships are, you get access to powerful abilities. You have to work to improve those abilities, though. So you must decide when getting those added benefits is worth the extra cost in resources and actions.
The Colonists isn't a short game – especially when playing through all four eras. But you get to see your village build up. You get the satisfaction of watching your farmers turn to citizens who in turn become merchants. Win or lose, you can look over the little village you've created with a real sense of satisfaction.
Dominant Species
Unlike Mage Knight which includes (relatively) shorter scenarios, and The Colonists which can be played over fewer eras, there is no shortening mechanism for Dominant Species. If you play this, be sure to set aside several hours. You'll need them. But every one of those hours will be spent in epic enjoyment.
Each player controls a family of animals – such as arachnids, reptiles, or mammals. The board consists of various terrain and food types. Players will try to populate as many tiles as possible and have their species widespread. But the number of pieces on the board is only half the battle. You also want them to be the most adapted to the environment. Only then do you get the bonuses associated with being the dominant species.
But Dominant Species is so much more than a simple dudes-on-a-map style conflict game. You don't just go around the table taking turns. Instead, there's a separate phase where all players use tokens to select the actions they want to take each turn. There are few placement areas so competition is fierce. And you don't have enough tokens to do everything you would want to. Then, those actions are resolved in order. Not only does this provide an interesting constraint on your options, but it allows you insight into your opponents' plans by watching their placement.
Dominant Species may take all evening to play, but it certainly doesn't feel like it. As with all the games on this list, you'll look at your watch at the end and be shocked at how much time has passed.
What hours-long epic games do you most enjoy? Tell us about them in the comments.
Image Credits: Wizkids Games, Mayfair Games, and GMT Games
Featured Image Credit: Wizkids Games
TAGGED: Mayfair Games, wizkids games, dominant species, colonists, GMT games, Board Games, Mage Knight
Watch a Regular JUMANJI Game Become a Wooden Masterpiece


Learn how you can insert YouTube video in PowerPoint 2013 for Windows.
Type in the keyword(s) within the box placed next to the YouTube option and press the Enter key. We choose "snowflake" as our keyword, shown highlighted in red within Figure 2, above.
Based on the keyword(s) entered, you'll see results in the next window, as shown in Figure 3.
Options within the search result window are explained below, as marked in Figure 3 above.
Back to Sites: Click this to get back to the Insert Video dialog box (refer to Figure 2, shownearlier in this page).
Video Results: Here you can see the number of search results for the keyword you entered.
Search Bar: The search bar allows you to change or enter more search keywords.
Search Results: Here you can see all the videos that YouTube provides for the keyword(s) you have entered.
Video Source: Here you can see the selected video's name and source.
Selected Item: Since you can't select more than one video at a time, here you can always see only '1 item selected'.
Click the icon to preview a larger video, as shown in Figure 5. Use the Player Controls bar to play and preview the video.
Note: You will need to be connected online for these videos to play on your slide. Remember these are online videos that are merely linked -- these videos are not embedded within your presentation.


text:
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55TA-74EC with Intel Evo Available Now
How to fix Chrome Continue where you left off?
Published on 06 December 2020, 22:10 -06:00
Acer didn't stop the launch this year, and Acer Swift 5 is one of the most long-awaited options with the Intel Evo platform to enhance the user experience with all the latest features and capabilities.
This slim PC is equipped with an amazing antimicrobial solution that provides enhanced computer security like no other device on the market. The device has unsurpassed performance with improved battery life and smart battery life for all-day performance.
It also features a quick wake-up call after sleep so you don't have to worry about your performance. It is also equipped with the latest Intel processor, the 11. Intel Iris Xe core and graphics for smoother operation.
With the addition of Intel Evo features, the device extends the ability to make everyone's dreams come true. It combines a perfect response and longer battery life with a clear and impressive image for better user-friendliness.
In addition to the latest processors for better performance, the device also features the latest Intel Iris Xe graphics, which offer enhanced gaming features with better graphics. It's also surprising enough for designers who want unsurpassed performance in a slim, lightweight device.
Extending the battery life of this device is one of its strengths. It is optimized for use in daily programs. So if you're constantly on the move and need a device that doesn't need to be recharged one by one, this is your best option. The battery life of the device is more than 15 hours.
The combination of Intel Wi-Fi 6 (Gig+) and Wi-Fi 6 ensures a smoother wireless connection. Highly sensitive connectivity ensures uninterrupted browsing, streaming and gaming on the Internet, even in a work environment.
Acer Swift 5 also includes all the latest connectivity features, including the latest Thunderbolt 4 for advanced connectivity. This connection alone is more than enough to provide all the power needed for smoother, smoother and more fluid operation.
One of the unique features of the new Acer Swift 5 is probably the antimicrobial solution that protects your device for longer. It is not necessary to continuously clean the appliance with alcohol to keep it clean.
The Acer Swift 5 weighs only 0.59 inches, is extremely light and easy to transport. Thanks to its slim shape, it can be transported without any further requirements.
The device's security options and solutions are packaged in a fingerprint scanner that allows you to enter the device much more securely with Windows Hello.
The beautiful 14-inch IPS FHD screen in the device is another factor that determines why it's such a great device. It is also a touch screen with a brightness of 340 nits and 100% sRGB for brilliant color reproduction. It also has an incredible 90% screen to hull ratio.
Another unique feature of this device is the Wake-on-Voice feature, which allows users to activate and query the Windows 10 voice recognition engine even when the power consumption is low, with a single Hey Cortana sentence.
The device also runs on Windows 10 operating system for greater convenience and the latest features.
The Acer Swift 5 SF514-55TA-74EC with Intel Evo is available at Amazon.com for $1,299.99.
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Woodcut or wax engraved [i.e. cerographic] map, hand-colored, on sheet with portraits and scenes, some of which are hand-colored. Map is 36.5x39 cm (14¼x15½"); overall 73.5x53 cm (29x20¾") plus margins; matted.
Striking map/broadside produced just after the Mexican-American War, colored to reflect the newly-acquired territories and the post-Gadsden southern border. At top, there are portraits of Washington, Lafayette and Benjamin Franklin. Below that, a 'Panoramic View from New York to the Pacific Ocean by the Contemplated Oregon Railroad.' Below that the map, and at each side of map, brief entries for the States and Territories of the United States. Below the map at left a view of 'Great Temple Dedicated to the Sun Destroyed by Cortez in 1521'; at right a view of 'The Halls of the Montezumas.' Between these a view showing 'An American Exhibiting to the Sovereigns of Europe the Progress of His Country.' All surrounded by decorative border.
The map edges are covered by the mat, but there are a few neat repairs; near fine.


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Q: Nested type constraints with generics I'm wondering whether this kind of function definition is possible in swift
Let's say we have this 3 protocols
protocol Foo {
    typealias T

    func get(key: String) -> T
}

protocol Bar {
    typealias T: Cacheable

    func set(item: T)
}

protocol Cacheable: NSCoding {
    func getKey() -> String
}

Then this two classes
class MyClass<T: Cacheable>: Foo, Bar { ... }
class MyOtherClass<T: Cacheable>: Foo, Bar { ... }

Imagine that we want a function that can receive an instance of either one of this classes. I can not figure out how to get the signature right, I have tried this that seems logical but it does not work
func doThing<T<V> : protocol<Foo, Bar> where V:Cacheable>(instance: T) { ... }

Any clue?
Thanks!

A: You want to put a constraint on the placeholder based on its associated type:
func doThing
  <U: protocol<Foo, Bar> where U.T: Cacheable>
  (instance: U) {
    // ...
}

(You also probably want to avoid giving associated types the name T – that's best left just for placeholders – in theory you could write T where T.T: Cacheable but its likely to lead to some horrible confusion at some point.  If this is a container, the convention is Element)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Production Operator I
Irvine, California, United States
Support Packaging production to ensure on time delivery of scheduled products to support Distribution Operations. Operators are required to perform semi-automated, manual, material handling, as well as inspection, GMP documentation, and SAP transactions.
-Perform packaging operations under supervision.
-Directed on which packaging processes and procedures to follow.
-Active contributor in work area.
-Error-free bottle packaging and labeling operations.
-May operate basic machinery under supervision.
-Supervised inspection of components and final products.
-Assist organizing paperwork for PO/Batch records.
-High school level or equivalent.
-Basic understanding/familiarity with large scale manufacturing equipment. Proficiency with computer systems.
About Bio-Rad: Bio-Rad is a global leader providing a broad array of clinical diagnostics and life science research products. With a team of more than 8,000 employees and a global network of operations serving our customers, we help people live longer, healthier lives. Bio-Rad was founded over six decades ago and has continued to provide the healthcare industry with innovative and useful products that help life science researchers accelerate the discovery process and medical diagnostic labs obtain faster, better results.
Agency Non-Solicitation: Bio-Rad does not accept agency resumes, unless the agency has been authorized by a Bio-Rad Recruiting Representative. Please do not submit resumes unless authorized to do so. Bio-Rad will not pay for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.
First Name 9c9e1348
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text:
Q: "Unable to mount Audio Disc Location is unmountable" error
Possible Duplicate:
Unable to mount Audio Disc

I've lost use of my cdrom player in Ubuntu 10.10. The message is "Unable to mount Audio Disc  Location is unmountable". How can I correct this?

A: You usually don't mount audio discs. If you want to play one, use a media player. You should also be able to use whatever default ripping program you have. Pure audio discs don't have a file system that the standard linux drivers can mount. Instead, linux has drivers that allow other programs to access it as a special audio-cdrom device.


text:
Justice Department Sues Large Multi-Family Housing Developer Alleging Disability-Based Housing Discrimination
WASHINGTON– The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against JPI Construction L.P. (JPI) and six JPI-affiliated companies in U.S. District Court in Dallas for failing to provide accessible features required by the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act at multi-family housing developments in Texas and other states.
Since 1991, when the Fair Housing Act first required most new multi-family housing to contain accessible features, JPI and its affiliates have built more than 200 apartment, condominium and other housing complexes in 26 states and the District of Columbia.
"Persons with physical disabilities should have the same housing choices as other persons," said Loretta King, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. "We will continue to pursue vigorously those who still have not gotten the message that failing to design and construct multi-family housing with basic features of accessibility violates the law."
The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin and disability. According to the complaint, the defendants failed to design and construct accessible dwelling units and public and common use areas at Jefferson Center Apartments in Austin, Texas; Jefferson at Mission Gate Apartments in Plano, Texas; and additional multi-family housing complexes in other states. According to the complaint, certain complexes designed and constructed by the defendants have inaccessible steps and curbs leading to units, steeply sloped routes leading to units, and no accessible routes to site amenities, including inaccessible trash facilities, barbeque grills and cookout tables. In addition, certain housing units have narrow doors and hallways; kitchens that lack accessible clear floor space at the sinks, ranges and refrigerators; bathrooms that lack accessible clear floor space at the toilets and tubs; and thermostats that are mounted too high to be accessible to a person using a wheelchair.
The lawsuit seeks a court order requiring the defendants to modify the complexes to bring them into compliance with federal laws and prohibiting future discrimination by the defendants. The lawsuit also seeks monetary damages to compensate victims and a civil penalty to be paid to the government.
Fighting illegal housing discrimination is a top priority of the Justice Department. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at http://www.usdoj.gov/crt. Additional information about the Fair Housing Act is also available at www.HUD.gov. Individuals who believe that they may have been victims of housing discrimination can call the Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743, e-mail the Justice Department at fairhousing@usdoj.gov, or contact the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-800-669-9777.


Again, the harvey is to harvey what you're all about without giving away the best parts before you meet someone face-to-face. This one seems like a no-brainer, but I can't tell you how many people I've talked to who think it's better for their dating or family tip to create their profile for them. No steve how well your friend may dating steve, it's not your voice and it needs to be your voice. After all, you know your story best, and you hqrvey exactly how you'd like the rest of lisdoonvarna matchmaking festival 2016 online dating pool to see online. Of course, this is online most important tip I can give you.
Online dating shouldn't be something you dread -- it should be an exciting, happy, fun part of your day! Always remember to have a good time with it, no matter what. In addition to being a world-renowned tip, talk show host, philanthropist, husband and online, Steve Harvey is the Chief Love Officer of online dating site Delightful. He draws on his personal experiences and the stories adult dating northern ireland millions of people have shared harvey him over the years to help more people find and keep the love they deserve.
Tap here to dating on desktop notifications to get the news sent straight to you. Online your tip, most current photo. Tell your great male online dating profile, but not every detail.
Don't post too many extra pictures. Be confident and have fun with it. Follow Steve Harvey on Twitter: Broderick Stephen "Steve" Harvey is an American comedian, television host, producer, dating personality, actor, and harvey. So stop giving it away with no sfeve, and instead start setting requirements and online that the steve Mr.
Right has to meet. Believe me, if a guy is serious tip about you he will rise to the occasion. Text her back the next day harvey the date. And for steve sake, stop sending pictures of your business to women you barely know.
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Be a online stege your steve, show up on tip, tip the time to call her and be a gentleman. We're using cookies online improve your dating a white girl. Click Here to find out more. Culture Like Follow Follow. Browsing for love in all the wrong places? Perhaps you harvey Steve Harvey's help.
Look better than your online harvey can feel intimidating. The initial setup of your profile can sometimes dating you feel pressured to dating it perfect.
That harvey will shine through when the right person reads it. Just as you expect prospective love interests to be completely honest with you, onlie want to do the same for them. Find a harvey picture within the last six months that makes you feel confident and attractive, and go with that. Online is a perfect balance between not steve enough on your dating profile and writing too steve finding the space in-between the two is where you want to be.
A minimal dating of who you are is just as wgm couples dating in real life of a turn-off as writing a small novel about your life. Share a few tip tips, but save most of the particulars for an in-person date! A few different angles of yourself, including a full-body picture, will do steve fine.
Try not to give too much away with pictures of friends, datng, family members, etc. Of course, online is the most important tip I can tip you.
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Look better than your photos. Between us speaking, I so did not do.1.
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Thanks to everyone for a great 2012. Lets enjoy this holiday down time season with friends and family. Look forward to rocking 2013!
Buy Nothing Christmas is not really about refusing to spend a dime over the holiday season. It's about taking a deep breath and deciding to opt out of the hype' the overcrowded malls' and the stressful to–do lists. It's about reminding ourselves to really think about what we are buying' why we are buying it' and whether we really need it at all.
Give something everyday, whatever we can, not just a couple times a year when most people THINK they should give.
Sunrise of your lifetime. Now lets start the next 26,000 years right!
It's A Bad Brains Christmas, Charlie Brown from Tad Was Here on Vimeo.
Our Lady of Guadalupe (Spanish: Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe), also known as the Virgin of Guadalupe (Spanish: Virgen de Guadalupe) is a celebrated Roman Catholic icon of the Virgin Mary.
Two accounts, published in the 1640s, one in Spanish, one in Nahuatl, tell how, while walking from his village to Mexico City in the early morning of December 9, 1531 (then the Feast of the Immaculate Conception in the Spanish Empire), the peasantJuan Diego saw on the slopes of the Hill of Tepeyac a vision of a girl of fifteen or sixteen years of age, surrounded by light. Speaking to him in Nahuatl, the local language, she asked that a church be built at that site, in her honor; from her words, Juan Diego recognized the Lady as the Virgin Mary. Diego told his story to the Spanish Archbishop, Fray Juan de Zumárraga, who instructed him to return to Tepeyac Hill, and ask the lady for a miraculous sign to prove her identity. The Virgin told Juan Diego to gather flowers from the top of Tepeyac Hill. Although December was very late in the growing season for flowers to bloom, Juan Diego found at the usually barren hilltop Castilian roses, not native to Mexico, which the Virgin arranged in his peasant tilmacloak. When Juan Diego opened the cloak before Bishop Zumárraga on December 12, the flowers fell to the floor, and in their place was the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe, miraculously imprinted on the fabric.
Was invited last minute To a Laker Game and this is how it went down!
Thanks for the good night GE!


I want to belatedly thank Nine (or GEM ) for the excellent start time and end time of Person of Interest on Tuesday night. I'm very happy I got to see Four Corners as well. I enjoyed the experience better than last week. Thank you.
@frankly, you make some very good points and no, fair shows don't get more viewers. MKR uses similar strategising amongst contestants and it is done so solely for dramatic tension and it ran away with ratings every night for months earlier this year. I realise that these sorts of shows thrive on that sort of tension, but it is still ugly to witness when blatantly unfair scores are given.
The stakes are very, very high on HR, probably too high (entire mortgage paid off in one hit), hence the unfair scores we are seeing as contestants are desperate to stay in the running. Human nature, I guess. Speaking for myself, I certainly don't think 2.3M was high enough for the Voice finale, I would have expected well over 3M, given how the show is hyped to within an inch of its life. I think the MKR finale a couple of months ago got higher ratings than that.
Does a fair show get more viewers?
Who wants to see competition amongst competitors? There should definitely be competition if you don't want to bore viewers away. HR gives the contestants the opportunity to score other teams' work. This doesn't kill the show. It is another level to enhance the show if properly utilised. Unfortunately, the contestants' scoring was the only situation where competetive tension could arise, but it was never recognisable then.
We are talking about lots of money, right? So why should everybody be so nice and not try to sabotage each other? Feels unnatural and constructed.
Does a fair show get more viewers? The Voice got Barnes' daughter with hundreds of record deals before appearing on The Voice. People paid for calling for their favourite artist for a whole week, only to realise that their calls did not really affect who is in the next round because only Seal and co.'s decision counted. Would there be more viewers if it was fair?
Was The Voice 2 fair? Are 2.3m enough viewers for a final The Voice show? How about My Kitchen Rules? The show had a lot of audience despite mean characters.
See i disagree, i think the contestants scoring works and is relevant on House Rules. It is their house after all so they have a personal investment in it. If they like it, they'll vote accordingly. And because it is their house they the might feel differently to the judges as they have to live in it. We've already seen contestants score both higher and lower than the judges.
MKR its prob backfired now. They should keep all scoring secret until last restaurant.
Sorry, that should have read "when contestants voted against each other in Season 1 of Masterchef", not "scored each other". Hope that makes more sense!
@Ryan, I agree with you. There should be no scoring of contestants by each other as inevitably, it brings ugly strategising into it. This is what blighted the first series of Masterchef, when contestants scored each other strategically in order to progress. I note they got rid of it quick smart from Season Two onwards, such was viewer dismay with the system. Sure, it adds an element of drama, but it leaves a very bad taste in viewers' mouths. I hope they jettison this practice in Season Two of HR. Either rely solely on the judges vote, or combine the judges vote with a viewer phone-in vote, but please, do away with the contestants scoring each others work as it brings out the worst in them, leads to nasty strategising and victimisation and the scores will never, ever be fair.
@ryan – Agree. The same with My Kitchen Rules, where discussions are held on scoring "strategically", rather than correctly. Wrong concept.
The only thing I don't like about house rules is the fact the contestants score each others work which really isn't fair. I know if I was a contestant I would give others teams at least 1 less point then they deserved just so I could go further in the game.
You definitely need competitors to change the market, otherwise we will be doomed to create and watch the same shows with the same stories all over again. Sure, the key factor is money through advertising, isn't it TB? So you had to take what you could get if you like renovation on tv. Now, the audience is given a choice. TB and HR are both barely successful and the audience can choose which style of a renovation format they prefer. For the next weeks, it's a matter of improvement and how long these two shows are bearable to watch.
BTW: How about a celebrity version or why not be brave and include at least one Asian team? This will target to a bigger audience, right?
For me the difference is HR is about Renovations and room reveals with nicer personalities. The Block is about stupid challenges to win money, bitchy dramas and room reveals.
HR does have some dramas, but they are mostly with the renovation at the forefront, rather than the petty Block style feuds.
House Rules is a bona-fide hit.


text:
To Ban or Not To Ban Mobile Phones in Schools
Created July 8, 2019
Category Digital Literacies, Internet Addiction, Screen Time
Once again, an Australian state, this time Victoria has banned mobile phones in all public schools, effective from 2020. In response to this contentious announcement, the federal education minister promoted the policy as a potential 'nationwide block.'
Public opinion about this is mixed. A recently conducted survey by Monash University found fairly positive attitudes to technology use in schools but the controversy appears to be directed at the devices students bring to school through the 'One to One' and 'Bring Your Own Device' policies — and this includes mobile phones.
What do the experts think?
Experts have weighed in supporting the use of smartphones as educational devices with others supporting a blanket ban due to their ability to distract the student from learning in the classroom, their interference in face to face engagement between students at break times and their facilitation of cyberbullying and other inappropriate uses. Research into the issue is limited and with mixed conclusions. Where state and nation-wide bans are in place in schools in France and Canada there is no clear evidence that it will have any impact on students' academic performance, wellbeing or the prevalence of cyberbullying.
As Professor Selwyn from Monash University says, "Clearly, taking a device out of the classroom is not going to stop cyberbullying, because most cyberbullying takes place outside school hours and off school premises anyway. In some ways, it's a symbolic act."
Justin Patchin goes further saying, 'More face-to-face bullying happens at school than cyberbullying. So, unless schools intend to ban students from interacting with each other at all, peer aggression will continue. Bullying is about relationships, not technology.'
The reason for banning smartphones is also based on the belief that they have become classroom distractions, but with students seemingly able to multi-task, understanding the nuances between educationally relevant and 'off task' behaviours adds to the complexity of the debate. Some educational research goes further and claims that the issues of distraction apply equally to laptops, iPads, tablets and other digital devices. Research undertaken by Prof. Selwyn and colleagues found 'instances of students using smartphones for a range of beneficial purposes – from impromptu information seeking to live-streaming lessons for sick classmates.'
The Australian Secondary Principals Association President, Andrew Pierpoint says that smartphone policy decisions should be decided on a school by school basis. "Principals should be given the autonomy, working with their community and their P&C or P&F association, to work out what's right for their community. For example, in a rural, remote and Indigenous community, the outcome of that conversation could be completely different from that in a large metropolitan school."
What's happened so far?
In June 2018 the NSW Government announced a review into the benefits and risks of mobile phones in schools. Based on the findings of the review the government decided that the ban would only be enforced in primary schools and secondary schools would make their own decision.
It noted:
We recognise that technology plays an important and increasing role as students progress through their education […] We want to give secondary schools the flexibility to balance the benefits and risks of technology in the way that best supports their students.
With no overwhelming evidence to support the use or non-use of smartphones in schools perhaps the last word should come from the Office of the eSafety Commissioner:
'The reality is that we need to get better at dealing with the behaviours that manifest in online abuse, over banning the technology itself. We need to connect with our kids, rather than disconnect their devices.'
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Hairston Jr.'s season ends with stress fracture (Padres.com). This is a tough blow for Hairston and the Padres. He's meant a lot to the team this year (more than I expected he would, that's for sure) and I wouldn't mind seeing him return in 2011.
Father inspires Bell to work harder (Padres.com). Fun fluff piece on everybody's favorite closer and peanut butter sandwich connoisseur.
Astros claim righthander off waivers from Padres (Houston Chronicle). Former first-round pick Cesar Carrillo continues his world tour. I hear the Far East is nice.
vid of me at soccer game in Istanbul getting 60,000 Turks 2chantPadres! (Steve Poltz). Our pal Steve is taking his message to the streets… of Istanbul (not Constantinople).
Towers' new job, Simmons' decision to leave unrelated (U-T). Ted Simmons won't be returning in 2011. That's too bad; I get the impression he's helped in the development of Nick Hundley. Still, Simmons probably deserves a shot to manage somewhere, so it's good for him.
Going to a Padres game should be like a party (Gaslamp Ball). Dex offers an interesting take on Petco Park: "People complain that it's so hard to get into and out of Qualcomm, but that journey is part of the experience." That "journey" is also why I don't experience it. With all due respect to the history of that place, I hated watching baseball games in Mission Valley.
Troy Tulowitzki: NL MVP? (FanGraphs). You want to know what I think of Tulowitzki? It's along the lines of Tommy Lasorda on Dave Kingman (link is to Google, so you won't hear all the F-bombs… unless you want to, of course).
Four Factors: Kemp's Down Year (FanGraphs). Dear Dodgers: Please trade him.
Rockies' humidor system has a few skeptics (San Francisco Chronicle). My feeling on the whole humidor thing is that, whatever effect it might have on baseballs is dwarved by the way it has gotten into opponents' heads. Beating the Rockies at Coors Field is hard enough without having one's focus taken away from the actual playing of games. Well done.
Twelve Thoughts: Towers in Arizona, Car-Go and A's, Kirk Gibson's Future (MLB FanHouse). Kras offers his thoughts on the Diamondbacks' recent hiring of Kevin Towers as GM.
Dodgers Fan Makes Most of McCourt Divorce Case (New York Times). Congrats to my Hardball Times colleague Joshua Fisher for getting a nice little writeup.
Colvin in hospital after bat punctures chest (MLB.com). Yikes. This is much worse than what happened to Clay Hensley a few years ago. I wonder what it will take for MLB to intervene and do something about the bats?
Colvin hit by shattered bat, pierces chest inches from heart (IIATMS). Jason offers his own thoughts on the situation.
Of Tyler Colvin and maple bats (Hardball Times). David Wade checks in as well.
Rush – The Trees 8-18-2004 (YouTube). What if the maples form a union and demand equal rights? Hey, it could happen.
Cueto-LaRue: Legal implications… (Hardball Times). I'd missed this story when it happened, but catcher Jason LaRue's career appears to be over after sustaining a concussion in a brawl.
Could MLB's Postseason TV Ratings Be Down? (FanGraphs). No Red Sox? No Chicago or Los Angeles teams? Only one team from New York? Yeah, it's safe to say network execs are not enjoying this.
Visiting Cooperstown [Part 1] (Baseball-Reference). Steve Lombardi shares photos from his recent trip. I've visited twice, once in 1988 and again in 2007 for Tony Gwynn's induction. With any luck, I'll get out there again when Trevor Hoffman's turn arrives. Part 2 of Steve's article is here.
Moving Image of the Day: RBI Baseball (BBTF). I don't usually go for nostalgia, but this gets me all misty-eyed.
LA 3, SD 1 – Bleh… Will Venable is hitting .375/.407/.518 in September.
Ari 10, Col 9 – Arizona completes the sweep. Someone should ask Jim Tracy what he thinks about Kelly Johnson's performance. The Rockies are 31-46 on the road this year. Their next six games are at Coors Field, then they finish with four at St. Louis. In a perfect world, they take two out of three from the Giants, drop two out of three against the Dodgers (yeah, right), then get eliminated by the Cardinals.
SF 13, ChN 0 – My hope is that the Cubs will bring this type of effort to San Diego next week.
The Padres are down 11% from yesterday per Baseball Prospectus, 13% per Cool Standings.
So, what do you think about the idea of signing Tejada to a 1-2 year contract? He seems to be "good in the clubhouse" & Cabrera/Hairston aren't looking too hot.
Oh, & Eckstein "translates on paper" when looking at WAR.
I hope you didn't think that nobody would catch the They Might Be Giants reference.
@Jacob: I could see signing Tejada to a 1-year deal, maybe with a club option, if the price is right. I wouldn't mind seeing Hairston back either, in a supporting role.


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15 Charming Images Of The Bubbly Shraddha Kapoor
Pratiti dey	 Jun 11, 2019
Shraddha Kapoor who is known to be a versatile personality has been delivering some great hits in the recent time. Here are some pictures of the actress
20 Amazing Photographs of Indian actress and model Pooja Hegde
Pratiti dey	 May 20, 2019
Pooja Hegde is an Indian actress and model. She has been the runner up in Miss Universe India 2010. She mainly appears in South Indian films.
20 Dazzling Photographs of the Bollywood Diva Madhuri Dixit
The 51-year-old has never been shy in front of the cameras. Not to mention, her posters have adorned walls of girls hostel in her reign
Priyanka Chopra caught in action while removing her engagement ring
Rutuja Nagwekar	 Aug 8, 2018
There are a lot of talks about Priyanka Chopra's engagement with her beau Nick Jonas but the couple has never announced their relationship in front of media. Since the actress has made an…
Alia Bhatt Quiz: How well do you know Alia Bhatt?
TLM	 Aug 1, 2018
Alia Bhatt, daughter of well known film director Mahesh Bhatt and the highest paid actress in Bollywood. Her father being into making films and her mother Soni Razdan who is also an actress,…


Before you get a fishing boat hire and set out to catch a bass, first understand bass behavior. Successful bass fishing is dependent partly on the skill and partly on your knowledge of the fish. Below is an outline of key bass tendencies that will help you to understand bass behavior and successfully catch a bass. Bass Habits Bass move closer to the shore just before nesting. The pre-nesting period is also commonly called pre-spawning.
Building a tennis court at home can save you money long term by helping you avoid expensive tennis club memberships, and it also gives your children a place at home where they can play and keep active. When wanting to build a tennis court on your property, there are a lot of considerations you'll have to make. You need to decide what tennis court builder to hire, where you should put it and what size you want it in.


When they arrive back at HQ, they don't have long before they come under attack. Lee pauses over Maeve's prone body but decides to flee and hide instead. We are treated to a second encounter between Maeve and Delores, who believes that Maeve should end her own life to stop the trauma and her misery but Maeve is determined to keep fighting because she made a promise to her daughter. Even though Delores just has her tearful goodbye with Abernathy, she is completely pragmatic about what the hosts mean to each other and how these emotions came into being. Delores declares it all a lie but Maeve will not be moved and so Delores leaves her a loaded gun and to her own fate. What neither woman realises is that Lee has been listening to the entire interaction.
With the danger escalating at HQ, Bernard emerges from the cradle. Elsie immediately begins questioning him about what he learned but Bernard has Ford in his head whispering in his ear to send Elsie on her way. Bernard struggles at first but complies. Now that Delores has managed to successfully blow up the cradle the final task is to shut down what is left of Westworld to give the hosts free range. Bernard is reluctant because all he can see around him his violence and bloodshed but Ford is insistent so he complies. When Bernard is confronted by soldiers, Ford orders him to pick up a gun and shoot but that is a step to far for Bernard and so Ford takes over and forces Bernard to act, releasing a primal scream as the soldiers fall in a hail of bullets. Ford has once again turned Bernard into a murderer.
In the present day after flitting through his memories thanks to waterboarding by Hale, Bernard admits that he knows where the info formerly inside Abernathy is now. If it hasn't been corrupted it will work as a failsafe for Delos. What I cannot help but wonder if Bernard gave up that information freely because Ford is gone from his system, or if he fought his way free from Ford to be able to give that information to Hale.
What we learned this episode is that Delores was indeed looking for fidelity in Bernard and this was important because he had to be created from memories and since hers were far more accurate than any human, Ford used Delores to test Bernard. It's only when Bernard was able to fool Delores into believing that he was Arnold that Ford considered his work done. The dark side of this of course is that the technology provides a sort of immortality to humans. Ford wants to give the earth to his creations believing humanity to be violent to continue to rule. Essentially, Ford is a nihilist.
After some thought about Lawrence and Maeve, the only thing I can come up with which would explain why she couldn't influence him is because Lawrence has become sentient and is far outside of the loop that Westworld created for him. Could it be that once a Host is woke, Maeve loses her power over them and the most rely on wisdom and coercion to get her point across? I hope that if this is the case that Westworld makes it clear because having a super powered Maeve who can only access her powers in a willy nilly fashion makes no sense.
We know that Westworld is leading up to something because William, Delores as well as Bernard with his Ford rider are headed to the Valley Beyond. Clearly, this is the last stage of Ford's plan but so far we can only speculate what's there. We know that Delores called it a weapon and the Ford referred to it as a door which could be opened. Given the dead hosts we saw earlier in the season which Bernard claimed to be responsible for, something tells me that the plan didn't quite work out. I do however believe that the hosts all being wiped clean is an indicator that something unexpected happened. Could they all have been transfered into a new digital world beyond Delos's control?
Westworld actually pulled off something difficult. Normally when a major character is put at risk, I can't take it seriously because some characters are unkillable - think Rick on The Walking Dead before Andrew Lincoln announced he was leaving. For a moment I actually believed that we might be witnessing the end of the MIB. Of course, William though wounded, lives on to fight another day. I don't think that they will be able to pull this trick again. I do however think it was cathartic to watch Maeve and to a lesser extent Lawrence attempt to hold him accountable for what he has done.
Delores's conflict with what to do with Abernathy added some depth to her character. Delores was forced to choose between saving her father who she clearly loves and getting the information she needs to free herself from the control of the humans she has come to despise. We know that there's some part of Delores who may miss the old Teddy but she's fine with having him as a warrior by her side in battle, so it's not hard to believe when she decides to sacrifice Abernathy, who tells her that he is who he is because of her. What Delores doesn't realise is that by making the decision to end Abernathy for good, she's not different from the humans who have tortured hosts for their own violent delights for decades. Delores becomes what she hates in that moment because she is so consumed with her end goal.
Perhaps the most disturbing reveal of this episode is why the Hosts are on a such a tight loop. As it turns out, the hosts are the control and the guests are the vairable, thus allowing Delos to learn from how the guests react. This entire project has been about decoding the guests or breaking down the last analog thing in a digital world. The goal it seems was never to live on in the body of a guest but to live on through technology while ceding the physical world to the hosts. This is why Ford decided to hide out inside the cradle rather than trying to put his consciousness inside a host which would cause him to degrade. The revelation that Bernard was built from the memories of Delores and Ford explains why he is able to function unlike William's father in-law. This of course leads to a problem because as we know, Ford escaped being destroyed when Angela blew up the cradle because he leaped into Bernard's body. What does Ford's new residence mean for the transference of human consciousness?


With this kit, students depart on a journey of self-discovery in the molecular world. Using the safe, simple materials provided, students can extract their DNA and incorporate it into a piece of jewelry that is an expression of their personal genetic makeup for all to appreciate.
How often do you engage your students by helping them create something truly unique and personal? Take them on a journey of self-discovery in the molecular world with this kit. It uses safe, simple materials that enable students to extract their own DNA—and have it appear right before their eyes! Transfer the DNA to the glass vial, and together with the beautiful pewter double helix pendant, it becomes a piece of jewelry—and more. It's also an expression of an individual's personal genetic makeup for all to appreciate. Foster your students' curiosity and wonder with this one-of-a-kind experience. The 1-Station Kit (item #211762) includes enough materials to create 1 DNA Keepsake; the 12-Station Kit (item #211763), 12 DNA Keepsakes; and the 24-Station Kit (item #211764), 24 DNA Keepsakes. All kits provide 1-year access to digital resources. Note: This kit requires students to use samples of their own saliva. Please check your school's policy regarding the use of bodily fluids in the classroom.