text:
Un-Cruise Adventures Explores Four Islands by Yacht on New Hawaii Itinerary
From November 2013 to April 2014, Un-Cruise Adventures' 36-guest yacht Safari Explorer explores the Hawaiian Islands on a new itinerary sailing one-way between Moloka'i and Hawai'i, the Big Island or reverse.
Weeklong Luxury Adventure cruises in Hawaiiinclude activities and tours while exploring four islands—Moloka'i, Lana'i, Maui and Hawai'i, the Big Island.
New this season, Moloka'i—a quieter, less-visited island—takes center stage as the beginning or ending point for the line's cruises. Exclusive cultural activities are included for guests on Moloka'i with the vessel spending an evening at dock to allow for a full day of activities and cultural immersion.
"Moloka'i is like stepping back in time to the Hawaii of yesteryear," said Dan Blanchard, CEO and principal for Un-Cruise Adventures. "It's incredibly scenic and values its culture and heritage which we're proud to be able to share with our guests."
Anakala Pilipo invites guests to Moloka'i's historic and scenic Halawa Valley for a hike to a secluded waterfall or a relaxing day on his land "talking story," learning the traditions of his family's ancient taro patch and a visit to a nearby beach. In the evening, an authentic Pa'ina (feast) at the Moloka'i Museum and Cultural Center features local cuisine including fresh fish, poi, seaweed, Moloka'i sweet potatoes and other staples of the Hawaiian diet. Local musicians join in the celebration along with a kumu hula dancer.
Travelers booked by August 2, 2013 for travel November 2013 through April 2014 receive a US$700 per couple travel credit. Rates for the inclusive weeklong Hawaii cruise start at US$3,595 per person, double occupancy. Inclusion of premium spirits, fine wines and microbrews, superb hand-crafted meals featuring local Hawaiian flavors, massage, yoga, guided tours geared toward small groups, from-yacht activities and equipment, whale and dolphin encounters, transfers, lei greeting, and port charges and taxes are all wrapped into the cruise fare.
Highlights of the Hawaiian Seascapes cruise include a night snorkel with Giant Pacific Manta rays and snorkeling at Kealakekua Bay where Captain Cook was slain in 1779. A tour to the Lana'i Culture and Heritage Center introduces guests to the history of the island. In the Humpback National Marine Sanctuary, expedition cruising allows time for searching out marine life—humpback whales, dolphins, turtles and other marine life. In Kailua-Kona on Hawai'i, an afternoon is free to explore the historic town.
The yacht carries a full complement of water sports equipment for guest use and a swim step provides a convenient and safe launch pad for kayaks and paddle boards, or jumping in for a swim. Guests can be as active as they like and activities include hiking, kayaking, paddle boarding, snorkeling, sailing and skiff excursions. Expert naturalists provide interpretation on guided excursions ashore and at sea.
An experienced and attentive crew, many from the islands, provides a guest-crew ratio of 2 to 1. Charters and group bookings are available. To book or to request additional information, contact your travel agent or Un-Cruise Adventures at 888-862-8881 or sales(at)un-cruise(dot)com.


"I had fucked around with the phone booths a tiny bit while promoting a show in Dumbo, and I received some positive feedback so i began plotting my next move. I spent about 10% of my time and energy conceptualizing and laying out the art and 90% printing, cutting, and racking to buy ink and paper. The idea with the posters was to maximize my "FAME TOKENS" using celebrities' pretty faces and two ill art/design related institution/companies to boost up KATSU the word. I chose a range of celebrities that I appreciated and knew people would like. I wanted to primarily target Graffiti writers, and people working in Advertising. The plan was that the ads went up all at once. They'd have little effect if they were placed a few here and a few there. I got up about 100 posters in my target areas in NYC: DELANCEY, BOWERY, WEST BROADWAY, BROOME, and UNION SQUARE. It was hella funny because I kept running into other writers throughout the day. I remember GUSTO yelling to a big group of tourists being lead by a tour guide "HEY THAT'S KATSU HE'S A FAMOUS STREET ARTIST HAHAHAHA". I had to chase him off the the block for that one." Check out the KATSU tumblr of the prints by clicking here.


One way to increase undergraduate graduation rates, adaptive learning programs can be used. Using these types of learning can change the educational experience to fit each individual. At National Louis University in the Chicago area, their adaptive tools are all cloud-based, meaning that the students will have more flexibility when completing their school work or when they cannot attend class.
In a recent study done by Pew Research Center found that when it came to learning technology, adults lack in digital readiness. Those that are older than 50 are more likely to not recognize technology tools used for learning, and those in their 30s and 40s are confident with technology as a whole, but not with those related with education.


I only live there, I'm not from there, unlike you and your south hurts.
So you're from Bearsden. The Wife (tm) is from Kilbarchan.
Och, ye'll have had your tea.
In a similar "Scotch" vein, this evening's first feature was "The Ghost Goes West (1935)" with Robert Donat, Elsa "Bride of Frankenstein" Lanchster, and Jean Parker.
They seemed very fond of terming everything "Scotch" including the Highlanders.
The proposed second feature is "Born to Win (1971)" which is alleged to have Robert De Niro in it but he hasn't shown up yet.
He still hasn't shown up, nor has Hector Elizondo who is also alleged to be in this epic.
It's the barest of bare bones dvds.
He's not A Good Guy (got a black hat).
It's a loooong time since I heard the term "schwartzer".
A very very young Bob De Niro just turned up.
This is a remarkably crap film.
And so saying the dvd starts skipping.
Nor any films he's appeared in.
which I watched a couple of months ago.
Ah yes, I remember Ben Gazzara in it, rather than him.
According to imdb it doesn't actually have an end.
Feck me, that wallpaper is hideous.
Our hero looked quite fetching in a pink furry nightie thing.
Now we're off on a road trip having been double crossed on some deal or other.
Now they're on a beach.
Well it's more interesting than the film.
In the real world it's raining.
Which is going to put a bit of a spoke in my gardening.
It's not going so well for George.
It's gone even worse for his mate who's just had a bad batch of tulipe.
The pigs just fitted up his girlfriend.
Hector gave him what may or may not be a hotshot.
The Joys of life on the streets of New York as a junkie in 1972.
De Niro was in it for about 5 minutes.
Last edited by DoctorStrangelove; 15th April 2019 at 21:53.
Back to the Nordic TV for this evening's viewing, starting with a further episode of Ófærð, being S1E8. And after that - and after a long hiatus - back to Borgen as I still haven't finished the third season, so it was Faldet, being S3E7.
Sunday I cut myself chopping vegetables. It was getting better. Banged my thumb this morning and claret everywhere. I even got some on my shirt. I am well hacked off.


Dec 8, 2017. Where to see Christmas lights in Wake County. SHARE:. . Visitors can also tune into 95. 9 FM which has music coordinated with the light show. They even have their own Christmas light website. 5505 Huntingwood Dr, Raleigh, NC. This is one of our favorites.
The pieces in the display and the people behind the decorations have Cary christmas lights display an incredible story that you can read about here. Looking for the biggest, best Christmas lights in the Hill area for the 2017 Christmas season?
Here are a few of the most spectacular displays. Best Christmas Light Displays in the Triangle. POSTED BY Jody Mace. Cary, NC Lights come on at dusk, but show does not begin until 6 p. m. and ends around 10: 30 p. m. Very impressive synchronized light display in the heart of Cary. Freeman Family Lights – 108 Hawks Nest Ct. Greater Raleigh Area Christmas Lights. Looking for the biggest, best Christmas lights in the Hill area for the 2017 Christmas season? Here are a few of the most spectacular displays.
Worldwide Christmas Light Finder. Do you drive around aimlessly looking for Christmas lights, light shows and holiday displays every year? The tradition is easier with our searchable database of the most decorated homes, communities, businesses, parks and drive-thru displays.
NC Chinese Lantern Festival Cary kicks off November 28 at Cary's Booth. Plan for 45-75 minutes to view all light displays and enjoy the live cultural.
The more I think about it, we just might do the" Champions Cup" on the" Great Christmas Light Fight" next year. Can you imagine,a million new lights, countless new displays, maybe the NC State marching band, santa dropping in on a real hellicopter, Reviews on Christmas Lights in Cary, NC - Chinese Lantern Festival, TROSA Christmas.
but last year our church began a project to do an animated light show. Tell us where to find the best Christmas lights in Central and Eastern North Carolina, including Raleigh, Cary, Wake Forest, Durham and Chapel Hill. Upload your photo and location so others can find them on our interactive map and enjoy them. Nov 9, 2017. As homeowners prepare to string up countless lights across their windows and sashes, we have a handful of Christmas light displays that are.
We also like Carpenter Lights in Cary, its a culdesac on Morris Branch and several house do a synchronized display together. Also Balmoral Dr. Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary The Triangle Area:. There's a very nice lights display on Ten Ten Rd and Landsburg Dr (just near the intersection of.
The chill is in the air and the lights are about to be turned on at the region's biggest Christmas light displays. As homeowners prepare to string up countless lights across their windows and sashes, we have a growing number of Christmas light displays near Raleigh and surrounding areas that are destinations and traditions for thousands. This is an awesome light display at a house in Cary, NC off of Penny Road.
82, 250 lights. Holiday Lights at the Cape Fear Botanical Garden. Cary Parkway, and Morrisville Parkway. Johnston County family could win big thanks to huge Christmas lights display.
Find 52 listings related to Christmas Lights Display in Cary on YP. com. See reviews, photos, directions, phone numbers and more for Christmas Lights Display locations in Cary, NC. Find 52 listings related to Christmas Lights Display in Cary on YP.
com. See reviews, photos, directions, phone numbers and more for Christmas Lights Display locations in. Happyland Christmas LIghts, Raleigh, NC. 7, 695 likes · 2 talking about this · 23 were here. 5504 Huntingwood Drive, Raleigh, NC These lights twinkle in.
Holiday Lights at the Cape Fear Botanical Garden. Cary Cary Christmas Parade Dec. 13, 2 p. m. Johnston County family could win big thanks to huge Christmas lights display. 10 Christmas Light Displays In North Carolina That Are Pure Magic. What's a better way to ring in the Holidays than visiting an incredible light display in North Carolina? IN the event of inclement weather such as heavy rain or snow the display will be turned off.
This is a safety precaution check our Facebook for display status. As homeowners prepare to string up countless lights across their windows and sashes, we have a handful of Christmas light displays that are destinations and traditions for thousands around here. 10 Christmas Light Displays In North Carolina That Are Pure Magic. What's a better way to ring in the Holidays than visiting an incredible light display in North Carolina? From the Christmas music (or carolers if you're lucky) to twinkling holiday dioramas, there's no way to not get in the Christmas spirit.
Intersections of Chapel Hill Road, Cary Parkway, and Morrisville Parkway. Johnston County family could win big thanks to huge Christmas lights display. A Raleigh family's Christmas light display was named a winner in ABC's reality show, "The Great Christmas Light Fight. " Judge Carter Oosterhouse gave the family $50, 000.
The display grew to around 15, 000 lights and blow molds. Cary christmas lights display this was in the 90's. In 1996 when hurricane Fran blasted Raleigh, we lost the house to a fire seven days after the storm. Does anyone know the addresses of the best christmas light displays in Raleigh? I know there was one in North Raleigh I went to see last year but I can't find the address online.
I'm looking for lights with or without music. December 9, 2013 March 29, 2015 deMandy 1 Comment 2014, cary, christmas lights, lights, raleigh, raleigh christmas lights, wendell Find the Christmas lights!
I've put together a Google Map that you can use, using unconfirmed data from: List and map of Christmas Light Displays in and around Cary, NC including address, hours, phone numbers, and website. Chinese Lantern Festival Cary's Booth Amphitheatre will once again be transformed into a magnificent setting when the North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival returns this holiday season.
The seven-week event will run November 23rd, 2018 through January 13th, 2019. This is a huge display that was the Grand Prize winner on ABC's TV's "Great Christmas Light Fight" in 2014. Morrisville / Cary / West Apex Holiday Light Trail Christmas Lights at Station Drive – 218 Station Drive, Morrisville, NC. Happyland Christmas LIghts, Raleigh, NC. Can you imagine,a million new lights, countless new displays, maybe the NC State marching band, santa.
This Christmas, the bar for holiday light displays has shot higher than a four-story chimney, introducing a new level of eye-popping, kilowatt-gobbling merriment. Tell us where to find the best Christmas lights in Central and Eastern North Carolina, including Raleigh, Cary, Wake Forest, Durham and Chapel Hill.
Upload your photo and location so others can. For a town with only 700 people, a short drive through the two miles is filled with millions of twinkling lights, decorated houses and buildings, and even Christmas tunes playing through speakers. McAdenville is easily the best destination in North Carolina to get both a 'festival of lights' and a festival of decorated houses.
NC Chinese Lantern Festival Cary kicks off November 28 at Cary's Booth Amphitheatre just in time for the holiday season! Must see Christmas Light Displays in Northeast Ohio. Community light displays& houses with 1, 000s of Christmas lights set to Music. Christmas Lights Display in. MacCary Christmas, Ocean, NJ. 728 likes. Christmas light display in Ocean Township NJ. Features a animated light display to music. Lights Cary christmas lights display off for the.
This house goes all out when it comes to Christmas decorations. With 120, 000 lights, 10 inflatables, and 10, 000 animated lights. you'll be mesmerized (and quite impressed) by this display. This Christmas, the bar for holiday light displays has shot higher than a four-story chimney, introducing a new level of eye-popping, kilowatt-gobbling merriment. Growth in western Cary is. Lights on the Neuse is the Cary christmas lights display ONLY Christmas Lights Park, don't miss this exciting Christmas Holiday Light Extravaganza.
This down home Christmas Lights park is located on Boyette Farms convenient to Clayton, Raleigh, Cary, Apex, Fuquay Varina, Garner, Smithfield, Dunn and Benson NC.
Nov 9, 2017. These are some of the best places for Christmas and other holiday pageantry:. Holiday Favorites: Light Displays and Tree Lightings in Raleigh, N.
C. Thursday. Be amazed as the town of Cary's Koka Booth Amphitheatre is. Cary Town Hall and most staffed facilities will be closed on Monday, September 3 in observance of Labor Day. Learn more. Town of Cary Home Menu.
Search Go Hire the Best Christmas Light Installers in Cary, NC on HomeAdvisor. Compare Homeowner Reviews from Top Cary Holiday Lighting - Add or Remove services.
Get Quotes& Book Instantly. Start a wonderful holiday tradition by following these addresses for a Wake County Christmas Lights Car Tour. Houses in Apex, Holly Springs, and Cary.


Engineering students paddle their cardboard boat while cheered on by a crowd of students and faculty.
Aspiring engineers took to the water Sept. 29 in Pacific's Cardboard Boat Regatta, an annual event in which first-year engineering students design, build and sail boats made only of unwaxed cardboard and duct tape. More than 150 ENGR 10 students competed in this year's regatta, entering 39 boats of varying designs and emblazoned with humorous names that often played on words, such as "Tiger Shark," "Who's Shore Daddy?" and "Buoyansea."
Since the boats are all but ruined at their first contact with water, pre-competition judging is done on dry land for the boats, which teams of 3-4 students have little more than a week to build. To increase the competition at this year's event, students faced tighter rules: they could use only 15 pounds of cardboard and 3 rolls of duct tape.
"This project is a little bit about engineering and design principles, but is really about teamwork, communication and comradery among the students," said this year's event coordinator, Professor Scott Merry.
The regatta took place at the Chris Kjeldsen Pool on the Stockton Campus, and attracted a large crowd of supporters -family, friends and fellow students who cheered on the teams that ran four at a time on two overlapping courses. Successful completion required two students to navigate their boat through a figure 8 course; usually paddling with their hands. Even though not all of the boats completed the course, all of the participants - and the crowd - had a great time at the event.
This year's top finalists were Oboatma (weighed only 8 lbs, completed course in 77 seconds); Buoyansea (weighed 11.6 lbs, completed course in 102 seconds); Boat Ship (14.8 lbs, completed course in 74 seconds, the fastest of the day); and USS Peter Elizabeth (8.6 lbs, completed course in 140 seconds).


text:
The Eye Has Had Enough Of Billy Packer's Act
After years of frustrating plenty of college basketball fans with his crotchety, no-fun act on CBS' March Madness coverage, the Eye has thought better of Billy Packer, saying it will not bring him back for another season with Jim Nantz, preferring to promote Clark Kellogg instead to be its main color commentator for college basketball.
Again, I have no quarrel with the ditching of Packer (although the split seems very mutual, as Packer told the Miami Herald he's tired of commentating). Somewhere during the last decade, the crabby act got really old and tired, plus his admission of not being a fan of sports along with his "fagging out" joke on Charlie Rose didn't endear him any further (this isn't even getting into the mess he started with St. Joseph's Phil Martelli over its #1 seed in 2004 or calling Allen Iverson a monkey). Nantz is hard enough on me as play-by-play; while Packer can be considered about as college basketball as Dick Vitale, I'm not gonna miss him all that much.
But I've got to side with Lozo on this: why Clark Kellogg? He may be next in line at CBS (and it's probably because he works solely for CBS), but they have a more talented analyst in their midst during March who ought to be working Final Fours for them: Bill Raftery. I mean, having Raf give us an "ONIONS!" or a "Send it in, ____!" during the game is damn near a highlight in and of itself. He mixes great analysis with fun, and it's clear he loves the game.
However, Kellogg is as good as we'll get, because CBS won't have its lead color guy for college basketball come from the ranks of guys they hire as contractors from ESPN — which is what really might have killed off any chance of getting the best analyst in this sport from getting its most plush job.
Photo: AP/Michael Conroy
Filed under: analysts, announcers, March Madness, NCAA | Tagged: Bill Raftery, Billy Packer, CBS Sports, Clark Kellogg, Jim Nantz, NCAA Tournament, resignations |	Leave a comment »
Kansas Chalks Memphis' Outline On Court
Posted on April 8, 2008 by Signal to Noise
Yes, Memphis did blow this game. You can't be up by 7 with two minutes left, have the opportunity to put the game out of reach by hitting free throws and missing four of the last five attempts, and you certainly can't fuck up an obvious chance to foul and force Kansas to intentionally miss a free throw. That said, it means nothing if Kansas isn't good enough to take advantage of the errata, the wear and tear on a six-man Memphis rotation, and the absence of Joey Dorsey late due to fouling out. And let's not forget: Chris Douglas-Roberts and Derrick Rose are two of the team's better charity stripe guys, hitting at 70 percent or better.
Mario Chalmers' shot was absolutely incredible. He had a hand in his face and was on the move, and then helped contribute to a dismantling of the Tigers, who appeared as if Chalmers' 3-point bucket to send it to overtime had inspired spontaneous bowel movements on the entire team (and given Derrick Rose's diet, that image would have been an utter mess.) The Tigers looked like a dominant, championship team for 38 minutes — but you have to play 40. When you go against a team as deep as Kansas on the bench, it's hard to compete and follow through, never mind finish, when you're so dependent upon the starting five.
Chris Douglas-Roberts joined Darius Washington and Dorsey as the latest Tiger whose free throw woes cost his team the game, and while it's fun to mock coach John Calipari about free throws not mattering, anyone can crack in that situation — especially when exhausted. The final two minutes with the turnovers caused by Chalmers, Rush, and Sherron Collins, along with Kansas' depth, has Bill Self not only getting the Final Four monkey off his back, but the national championship to add to his resume (whether he uses it to pry more money out of Lawrence for an extension or takes T. Boone Pickens' oil cash back to his alma mater in Stillwater.)
Let's not make the errors of, say, Bill Plaschke or Stewart Mandel, and say Memphis chose flash over basic basketball, because outside of the free throws, that's kind of inaccurate. This whole ideal of purist versus modern reeks of hoops Luddite-ism at its worst, as both the running style and half-court have merit — and, as SI's recent article on Dribble-Drive Motion proved, there is a method behind the Memphis O's madness. 38 minutes of basketball will show you that's not true. Teams will break down when pushed, and it's proof of how deep Kansas was with blue-chip athletes like Rush and Chalmers, as well as Darrell Arthur and Sasha Kaun, that they broke down the tough defense and incredible offensive work that Memphis had performed throughout the tournament.
Kansas had its trial by fire when it had to match up with Davidson and keep Stephen Curry from lighting them up. The Jayhawks got out to a massive lead against North Carolina only to fend off a comeback that cut a 20+ point lead to four. This team rolls nine deep and had to use everyone who could get double digits to do so. Kansas beat Memphis because they were able to wear their athletes down, and the Tigers didn't have the bodies to compensate — thus, Memphis got tired when it mattered most.
Photo: AP/Eric Gay
Filed under: college basketball, March Madness, NCAA | Tagged: Final Foiur, Kansas Jayhawks, March Madness, Memphis Tigers, NCAA Tournament |	3 Comments »
Stop Being Such A Tease, Billy Packer
Unfortunately, with the Final Four starting tomorrow, we're gonna get more than an earful of college basketball's cranky, smarmy old bastard Billy Packer teaming with Mr. Milquetoast himself (Jim Nantz) for what looks to be three of the most competitive games of the college basketball season (this is the bonus of all #1 seeds making it; no one can say on paper than any of these games looks like a blowout.)
Natch, USA Today's Michael Hiestrand gives us the profile of Packer on the eve of the games — and what's annoying is that Billy has to be such a damn tease about whether this is his last tournament or not.
Billy Packer, when asked if this NCAA men's basketball Final Four will be his last on CBS: "Who knows?"
Please, oh please, let it go, Billy — give Raftery, Bilas, someone, anyone who really seems to like and enjoy the game — rather than rag on the selection committee for not picking your favorite ACC teams every year — the chance to call a Final Four. I don't want someone who's completely in the tank; criticism is nice, but at some point, when an analyst or announcer sounds like he doesn't enjoy the job regularly, isn't it time to say "fuck it" and move on?
That said, I did learn some bizarre things about Packer that make him seem less cranky and more like a bizarre eccentric:
Randomly asked more than 100 women if they'd vote for Hillary Clinton
Took Picasso ceramics, put them in plexiglass, and made a work desk with them
Played golf courses backwards (shoot from green to tee)
Started Richard Jewell defense fund because he was sure they had the wrong man in the Olympic bombings (they did)
Hired a psychic to find the murder weapon in the O.J. Simpson case
The last one is the one that really sticks out. I'm trying to imagine Billy hiring some Miss Cleo knockoff with bad head-wraps in order to find the knife, and rolling over doing so.
Filed under: analysts, announcers, college basketball, March Madness | Tagged: Billy Packer, CBS Sports, Final Four, Jim Nantz |	2 Comments »
Rock Chalk Jayhawk (Bruin, Tiger, and Tar Heel Too)
Posted on March 31, 2008 by Signal to Noise
Maybe having all #1 seeds play in the Final Four for the first time ever will ensure us some close, interesting games — because watching three of the four teams whoop up on their opponents in Elite Eight games isn't the most scintillating viewing.
UCLA was expected to win the West easily — playing a series of what could have been considered home games in Anaheim — and took apart the #3 seed Xavier with the precision Ben Howland teams have become known for in Phoenix. Double-doubles for Kevin Love and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute represented ownership of the post and the boards, and Darren Collison showed his development as a point guard and a scorer by putting up 19 and turning Drew Lavender into a non-factor. Also important: UCLA got Josh Duncan in foul trouble early and kept B.J. Raymond from getting hot — which offset the apparent loss of Josh Shipp's mojo.
I didn't watch UNC-Louisville; I wasn't sure it would be a double digit win, but apparently I did not miss a ton here. If the Tar Heels are clicking on all cylinders, that's scary.
Memphis just flustered Texas completely, with size and strength inside and guards Derrick Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts just being bigger than D.J. Augustin and Damion James. Apparently John Calipari has figured out how to get this team to shoot from the stripe in the tourney, and Derrick Rose has probably shot up to where it has become a discussion of who would go first in the NBA lottery should he choose to go — him or Michael Beasley, and it would be a total toss up. Rose plays like UCLA's Collison and Russell Westbrook combined and grew a couple inches: on the defensive end, he sees passes coming and is already going down the other way as soon as you've made the pass.
Bill Self is a very lucky man. Very lucky that Sasha Kaun bashed in the paint and Stephen Curry had a hard time getting open off screens all day, only shooting 9-for-25. The one glaring fault with Curry's game is that he does not have the ball-handling skills to create his own shot, without the assistance of at least a screen or two — and when Self decided to go to the box-and-one defense, he couldn't get those screens. Kansas survived off nights from both Sherron Collins and Brandon Rush, but they had better show up against UNC next weekend. As for Davidson's future: the Wildcats will be back next year, and they may be better if Curry does learn a better handle.
Filed under: college basketball, March Madness | Tagged: Davidson Wildcats, Final Four, Kansas Jayhawks, Louisville Cardinals, Memphis Tigers, North Carolina Tar Heels, Texas Longhorns, UCLA Bruins, Xavier Musketeers |	Leave a comment »
Ill-Advised Elite Eight Predictions
Eh, like I'm not already in the hole and my bracket's busted for good. Oh well.
Xavier vs. UCLA — the Bruins squeak this one out by the barest of margins. Ben Howland's team has been scaring its fans from the beginning of the tournament with either comebacks or having teams get to very close margins. Xavier is the first threat of a team; one that people could actually see knocking off the Bruins. It essentially comes down to how Josh Duncan will play Kevin Love. I'll enjoy watching two good point guards square off, too.
Louisville vs. UNC — the Tar Heels roll too deep on the bench to lose, in my eyes. Louisville makes it close — very, very close, and if this game goes to OT I won't be shocked at all — but UNC will be in the Final Four come next weekend. Also: please make note of how many times Tyler Hansbrough and David Padgett are referred to as "gritty" or "gutty" or "hard-working."
Texas vs. Memphis — I give Memphis credit; they've lasted one round longer than I expected, but after watching the Longhorns destroy Stanford I think the Tigers will somehow manage to fuck it up, either via bad free throw shooting or being forced out of their game.
Davidson vs. Kansas – I don't see this upset happening. Kansas is way too talented on both ends of the floor to get knocked off by a #10 seed. But if Sunday night ends with watching the Wildcats celebrate a trip to the Final Four, I won't be surprised. Eventually we're going to get used to Stephen Curry being amazing. Bill Self needs to get over the no Final Four hump here, but I have to admit, I'd like to see if Davidson's trustees will cough up the funds to send students to the Final Four like they sent students and lodged them in Detroit for these games.
Photo: AP/Pat Sullivan
Filed under: college basketball, March Madness, NCAA | Tagged: Davidson Wildcats, Kansas Jayhawks, Louisville Cardinals, Memphis Tigers, North Carolina Tar Heels, Texas Longhorns, UCLA Bruins, Xavier Musketeers |	Leave a comment »
Ill-Advised Sweet 16 Predictions
Just the usual quick and dirty here. My Final Four is still intact, but I can't say that I think it will be after the next two days.
East Regional:
UNC over Wazzu — this'll be a slog of a game, I think, because this is the best defensive team the Heels will see unless they play UCLA in the final. UNC has enough talent to get by the Cougars, but they won't be scoring 100 this time.
Tennessee beats Louisville — the Cardinals are streaking right now and the Vols look vulnerable. My pick of Tennessee is pure sticking with my bracket; it could go either way.
West Regional:
UCLA tops Western Kentucky — Nice run, Hilltoppers, but UCLA gets calls and plays defense too well. The Bruins can overcome a bad start.
Xavier over West Virginia — Like L'Ville/Tenn, this is a bracket pick that I'm sticking with because I think this will be a close game and don't really know how it will go. I think Xavier's defense will be the defining factor.
Midwest Regional:
Kansas over Villanova — Jayhawks, although it will not be a walkover and Villanova will give them a very good game.
Wisconsin ends Davidson's run — On a Sweet 16 bracket, I picked Davidson for fun, but really, Bo Ryan's defense seems to smother all and I don't see another upset for the Wildcats here.
South Regional:
Michigan State upsets Memphis — Watch. The Tigers will kill themselves with bad free throw shooting and being forced to take jumpers that don't fall.
Stanford beats Texas — Guard play is a big thing in the NCAA tournament, but having the Lopez twins to get points and clean up the boards will be crucial in a close Stanford win.
Photo: AP/Ted S. Warren
Filed under: college basketball, March Madness, NCAA | Tagged: Davidson Wildcats, Kansas Jayhawks, Louisville Cardinals, Memphis Tigers, Michigan State Spartans, North Carolina Tar Heels, Stanford Cardinal, Tennessee Volunteers, Texas Longhorns, UCLA Bruins, Villanova Wildcats, Washington State Cougars, West Virginia Mountaineers, Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, Wisconsin Badgers, Xavier Musketeers |	1 Comment »
So, We've Got 16 Left
What did I screw up? Plenty, but all my Final Four choices are still in. Let's look at the less than obvious choices. UNC was expected to be at this level and are playing lights-out ball right now. That's about as simple as it gets. Tennessee and Memphis are serious liabilities at the free throw line, UCLA scared the crap out of just about everyone who'd picked them to win it all. Kansas made short work of its first two opponents.
I should know better after watching the Pac-10 all year to have dismissed Washington State so easily. That's a bad oversight, because I forgot that they played lockdown defense. Do I think they will beat UNC? Probably not, but it's more validation for Tony Bennett.
Michigan State looked really inconsistent all year and then reels off two solid games to get back to the 16 — beating a Pitt team that was a very popular choice to go to the Final Four in the East. Now they get Memphis, and this is the round where no one will be surprised if Memphis loses to any of hte teams left.
I knew nothing about Western Kentucky going into the tournament. I guess I better know now. I don't have the same excuse for Davidson — I knew Stephen Curry was good, but 70 points in two games good? That I wasn't aware of.
Wisconsin is consistent. They play Bo Ryan's style and do it well enough to get back to the 16 even though they were a popular upset target.
Xavier worries me, they've had to make comebacks, and they're going against a West Virginia team that's overachieving in ways no one expected this year (this is one of the only feathers in my cap that I get to claim, predicting that WVU would beat Duke in that exact game.)
Texas has great players, but they're just as likely to shoot poorly at the line as Memphis and Tennessee — and they have to play Stanford, who shoots well from the line, has better inside presence. Rick Barnes better hope Trent Johnson gets pissed off for no reason again.
Villanova, I completely passed on, and forgot that Jay Wright had gotten Wildcat teams to the Sweet 16 twice, now three times in four years as head coach. Oh well. Beating Siena wasn't the hardest road into the 16, but who expected Villanova to be here right now?
Photo: AP/Chuck Burton
Filed under: college basketball, March Madness | Tagged: Davidson Wildcats, Kansas Jayhawks, Louisville Cardinals, Memphis Tigers, Michigan State Spartans, North Carolina Tar Heels, Stanford Cardinal, Texas Longhorns, UCLA Bruins, Villanova Wildcats, Washington State Cougars, West Virginia Mountaineers, Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, Wisconsin Badgers, Xavier Musketeers |	1 Comment »

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


© 2018 Elsevier B.V. Acetone, one of the most common VOCs, could cause serious air pollution and threat the human health when someone is exposed to certain concentration of acetone. Thereof, acetone detection and elimination in the air was significant to prohibit the hazard of acetone. Acetone adsorbed to (BeO)12, (MgO)12 and (ZnO)12 nanoparticles and their graphene composites was detailed studied by density functional theory. The adsorption energy of acetone to (MO)12 (M = Be, Mg, Zn) nanoparticles and their graphene composites were high, which means that all the adsorbents are eligible for acetone adsorption. The variation of band gap was utilized to describe the sensibility to acetone. It was found that the (ZnO)12 nanoparticle and its graphene composite were not sensitive to the acetone, while the (BeO)12 and (MgO)12, as well as their graphene composites, were sensitive to acetone. Among the (BeO)12-graphene and (MgO)12-graphene, the latter exhibits more sensitive than the former. The conventional transition state theory was been took to estimate the recovery time. According to our calculation, (BeO)12 and (ZnO)12 nanoparticles and all (MO)12 graphene composites have too long recovery time for the high adsorption energy hampering the recovery of the adsorbents. Contrastingly, (MgO)12 nanoparticle is sensitive to acetone and has receivable recovery time. Therefore, (BeO)12, (MgO)12 and (ZnO)12 nanoparticles and their graphene composites may be potential adsorbents for acetone adsorption for their relatively high adsorption energy. The (MgO)12 nanoparticle could be an excellent gas sensor for detecting acetone due to the sensitivity acetone and receivable recovery time.
Mo, Y. and Li, H. and Zhou, K. and Ma, X. and Guo, Y. and Wang, S. and Li, L. 2019. Acetone adsorption to (BeO)12, (MgO)12 and (ZnO)12 nanoparticles and their graphene composites: A density functional theory (DFT) study. Applied Surface Science. 469: pp. 962-973.


This is a summary of my personal notes after reading Use Your Head To Get Your Foot In The Door: Job Search Secrets No One Else Will Tell You by Harvey Mackay. While this book is slightly directed at those looking to get into business positions, it's still filled with many job hunting gems that are worth noting. If you're currently looking for a job, are unhappy in your current position, or are in a position to help others secure a job, I would recommend giving this book a read. The chapters are short and to the point so it reads pretty quickly. I've linked to a few of Mackay's resources from his website which could prove to be really helpful if utilized correctly! If any of these notes seem to be a bit vague, it's because there's a good bit of information in the book that wouldn't fit here in a quick quip.
Misery loves company; it's also contagious.
Stay optimistic- don't take failure personally.
Never leave a job on bad terms- think future references!
Volunteer in your spare time.
Stay current on industry trends and news.
Learn to take notes for everything. Before, during, and after an interview, and networking as well.
Keep contacts organized, stay in touch.
Organize contacts by active and inactive status.
Create a professional, unified web identity.
Never lie on your resume. Ever.
Stay creative, make yourself stand out.
Do your research before an interview.
Follow up with a short e-mail, and then hand written note.
Observe your interviewer's office; make conversation.
Review your reminder list before an interview.
Play up over-qualifications as beneficial.
Make professional development a priority, always.
Create a business plan for the department you're interviewing with.
Lay out a plan to help achieve goals.
Killing time isn't murder, it's suicide.
Strategize for tough interview questions.


This robust robust fish lives in shallow waters. Like many other species of Pomacentridae, is very territorial, especially towards other members of their own species.
In the breeding season the male becomes darker, almost bluish, and builds a nest on the clean side of a submerged boulder, where fertile eggs laid by the female.


Setting the concession speech of Hillary Clinton to music? Yes. This.
China, France, USA, Puerto Rico....music.
This is what happens when a bunch of CalArts students gets together and put their talent to work.
For tonight's Music Club, we learn about WWII submarine classes.
This one goes out to all of you who are busy earnin'.


text:
ByteDance plans to spin off real estate listing business
Brenda Goh
November 24, 2021 18:39 pm +08
SHANGHAI (Nov 24): China's ByteDance plans to spin off its real estate listing service to focus on its core businesses, a company representative said on Wednesday (Nov 24), as the TikTok owner undergoes a reorganisation.
The company is preparing to hive off Xingfuli, the name of which translates into "happy place", by introducing external investors, the spokesperson said, confirming plans first reported by Chinese media outlet The Paper on Wednesday.
Xingfuli was set up in 2018, joining the many apps ByteDance operates alongside Douyin, the Chinese equivalent of TikTok, news aggregator Toutiao and others.
Beijing-based ByteDance this month outlined the creation of six business units in its biggest organisational change since co-founder Zhang Yiming said in May that he would step down as the chief executive officer.


These legal notices are governed by French law. Only the Paris courts are territorially competent to judge all disputes relating to the use of this website.
The Site Publisher and/or the Group Companies hold all the intellectual property rights relating to the Site or hold the rights of usage thereto appertaining.
Access to the Site grants you no right to the intellectual property rights relating to the Site, which remain the exclusive property of the Site Publisher and/or the Group Companies.
The items accessible via the Site, particularly in the form of text, photographs, images, icons, sounds, videos, software, databases and data are also protected by industrial and intellectual property rights and other proprietary rights which the Site Publisher and/or the Group Companies hold.
Except where express provisions are given on the Site (exclusively those expressly inviting you to download a document available on the Site), you may not, in any case, reproduce, display, modify, send, publish, adapt, on any media by any means, or use in any way whatsoever, all or part of the Site information without the prior written authorisation of the Site Publisher.
Usage that has not been authorised beforehand by the Site Publisher, for any purpose whatsoever, of all or part of the Site information may be subject to appropriate action, particularly action for infringement. Only use of a qualitatively or quantitatively insignificant part of the Site information for strictly private and non-commercial purposes may be used.
You acknowledge that you are exclusively responsible for your use of the information available on the site and take full responsibility for the extent to which you rely on this information.
To that end, the Site Publisher and/or the Group Companies may not be held responsible for direct or indirect damage resulting from the use of said information and more broadly from the use of their Site, from any errors, unavailability of the information and/or presence of a virus on the Site.
Likewise, the Site Publisher and/or the Group Companies shall not guarantee the exhaustiveness, exactitude, completeness and timeliness of the information displayed on the Site.
Data collected through application forms (surname, first name(s), email address, postal address) is subject to computer processing for information purposes. This processing is essential to respond to enquiries from users of this website.
The recipient of said data is APSIDE SA. This data concerning site users is treated with the utmost confidentiality.
In accordance with the French law of January 6, 1978, modified in 2004, on data-processing and individual liberties, any user of this site may exercise the right to access, rectify or exclude any information concerning them by contacting APSIDE SA's Communications Management team. Any user of this site may also, for legitimate reasons, oppose the processing of data concerning them.


Straight from the grill, our tender USDA Select sirloin tips are sweet and savory, topped with fresh grilled onions and mushrooms. Two eggs, two fluffy buttermilk pancakes, and our golden hash browns make this combo complete.
Choose your favourite IHOP pancake flavor and we'll bring you two! You'll also enjoy two eggs, two bacon strips or pork sausage links, and our golden hash browns.
Two eggs, two hickory-smoked bacon strips, two pork sausage links, two pieces of ham, two fluffy buttermilk pancakes and our golden hash browns.
Four world-famous buttermilk pancakes become our version of 3 milks bread when they are layered & topped with creamy vanilla sauce, then topped with more vanilla sauce & a drizzle of dulce de leche caramel sauce.
Filled with festive rainbow sprinkles, then topped with cupcake icing, more rainbow sprinkles and whipped topping! These sweet treats are part of a tasty trio, perfect for sharing with your friends and family.
We pair up four all-white-meat golden chicken strips breaded and crispy-fried with four waffle quarters topped with whipped butter for a one-of-a-kind meal. Dip your strips in your choice of honey mustard or ranch dipping sauce.
Brioche toast for breakfast. C'est très bien you'll get three slices of brioche toast topped with real whipped butter & dusted with powdered sugar for a sweet finish.
To create your favorite omelet, start by choosing American, cheddar, jack, pepper jack, cheddar blend, white cheddar or swiss cheese. Then we serve your omelet with your choice of one delicious side: three buttermilk pancakes, hash browns, toast or fresh seasonal mixed fruit.
Tender and tasty strips of steak, hash browns, fresh green peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes and cheddar cheese. Then we serve your omelet with your choice of one delicious side: three buttermilk pancakes, hash browns, toast or fresh seasonal mixed fruit. You can also choose a side of three flavored pancakes and add avocado for an additional cost. Enjoy it with salsa on the side.
Our omelet is filled with grilled fajita-seasoned chicken breast strips, roasted poblano and red bell peppers with salsa, and a blend of cheeses. Sour cream tops it off just right! Then we serve your omelet with your choice of one delicious side: three buttermilk pancakes, hash browns, toast or fresh seasonal mixed fruit. You can also choose a side of three flavored pancakes and add avocado for an additional cost.
Filled with the savory things you crave hickory-smoked chopped bacon, pork sausage, shredded beef, ham, fresh onions and green peppers and Cheddar cheese. Then we serve your omelet with your choice of one delicious side: three buttermilk pancakes, hash browns, toast or fresh seasonal mixed fruit. You can also choose a side of three flavored pancakes for an additional cost. Enjoy it with salsa on the side.
Our delicious blend of ham, cheese, fresh onions and hash browns is topped off just right with a dollop of sour cream. Then we serve your omelet with your choice of one delicious side: three buttermilk pancakes, hash browns, toast or fresh seasonal mixed fruit. You can also choose a side of three flavored pancakes and add avocado for an additional cost.
We take fresh spinach, mushrooms, onions and Swiss cheese, then roll them into this fluffy omelet and top it with hollandaise and fresh, diced tomatoes. Then we serve your omelet with your choice of one delicious side: three buttermilk pancakes, hash browns, toast or fresh seasonal mixed fruit. You can also choose a side of three flavored pancakes and add avocado for an additional cost.
Everything's better with bacon! That's why we loaded this tempting favorite with lots of chopped hickory-smoked bacon, jack & cheddar cheese & a white cheddar sauce. Topped with tomatoes and even more bacon. Then we serve your omelet with your choice of one delicious side: three buttermilk pancakes, hash browns, toast or fresh seasonal mixed fruit. You can also choose a side of three flavored pancakes for an additional charge.
Big on flavor, not on calories. Made with egg whites, fresh spinach, onions, and Pepper Jack cheese, and topped with fresh, diced tomatoes and avocado. Comes with a side of seasonal mixed fruit.
Two silver dollar sliders made with original buttermilk pancakes and filled with a scrambled egg omelet made with a splash of buttermilk & wheat pancake batter, turkey sausage, hickory-smoked bacon & American, all topped with sweet maple glaze.
Hickory-smoked bacon, hard-boiled egg, fresh tomatoes & crumbled Blue cheese on a bed of mixed greens & crisp romaine tossed in ranch.


text:
Direct and indirect health impacts of climate change on the vulnerable elderly population in East China
Kinay, Pelin; Morse, Andrew P.; Villanueva, Elmer V.; Morrissey, Karyn and Staddon, Philip L. (2018). Direct and indirect health impacts of climate change on the vulnerable elderly population in East China. Environmental Reviews (Early Access).
https://doi.org/10.1139/er-2017-0095
The latest scientific advances on the impacts of climate change on the health of the elderly in East China were reviewed consulting peer-reviewed publications from 2000-2017. The direct impacts of climate change result from rising temperatures, heatwaves, and increases in the frequency of complex extreme weather events such as windstorms, floods, and droughts. The health and social consequences of these events are far-reaching, ranging from reduced labour productivity and heat-related deaths, through to direct physical injury during extreme weather events, the spread of infectious diseases, and mental health effects following widespread flooding or prolonged drought. Research has indicated that climate change will have the greatest impact on vulnerable groups of people, including the elderly population. However, there is a dearth of empirical evidence, a lack of focus on vulnerable segments of the population (especially elderly), limited understanding of how health status will change in the future, and lack of acknowledgement of how different regions in China vary in terms of the consequences of climate change. The main risk in East China that climate change may exacerbate is flooding (sea level rise, coastal and riverine, flood risk). However in some regions of East China such as in the provinces of Anhui, Jiangsu, Hebei and Shandong the biggest climate change risk is considered to be drought. Main health risks linked to climate change are evident as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases (heat stroke, exhaustion, and asthma), often caused by interactions between heatwave episodes and concurrent poor air quality.
https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/30...
Jisc Publications-Router


text:
Airbnb adds fancier rental options and loyalty program
Airbnb is adding more lodging types to its site, such as boutique hotels, bed and breakfasts, and high-end rentals....
Posted: Feb 23, 2018 2:44 AM
Updated: Feb 23, 2018 2:44 AM
Airbnb is adding more lodging types to its site, such as boutique hotels, bed and breakfasts, and high-end rentals.
It's also making it easier for bigger groups to stay together for work trips, weddings, and family getaways.
CEO Brian Chesky outlined on Thursday at an event in San Francisco the company's new 10-year roadmap.
Among its goals: host more than a billion guests by 2028.
As a part of the expansion effort, Airbnb will now offer more ways to search for properties. This includes filtering for vacation homes, unique accommodations, bed and breakfasts, and boutique hotels. Previously, Airbnb did not feature hotels on the platform.
Airbnb is also adding new tiers, called Airbnb Plus and Beyond by Airbnb, for travelers who want to stay in more luxurious homes or buy custom-designed trips. Airbnb Plus launches with 2,000 homes in 13 cities. Hosts must complete a rigorous checklist to qualify for the program.
The company is also launching Airbnb Collections, a way for groups of travelers to rent homes that fit their needs. Airbnb is starting with Collections for family and work trips, and will expand to include weddings, honeymoons, and group getaways.
Chesky said the hospitality platform's latest additions will make "Airbnb for everyone."
Related: Airbnb says it won't go public this year as top exec departs
The company is also launching a Superguest membership program later this year, similar to its Superhost program that recognizes favored hosts on the platform. Some benefits could include reduced prices on rentals and transportation, or access to fitness centers. The Superguest trial launches with 10,000 people this summer before being rolled out to all guests later in the year.
Airbnb continues to dive deeper into the travel business with offerings that focus on experiences. Airbnb already offers travelers tours, cooking classes, hiking trips, and other activities.
The 10-year-old company, which is valued at $31 billion, has a total of 4.5 million listings in 81,000 cities.
Earlier this month, Chief Financial Officer Laurence Tosi left the company after reportedly clashing with Chesky over balancing financial stability with expansion.
Chesky later said it would not be going public this year as previously rumored.
Airbnb adds its first female board member
Airbnb now lets you pay less up front for your rental
Three black people checked out of their Airbnb rental. Then someone called the police on them
Scaramucci: Loyalty to Trump requires truth-telling
Booker grills Kavanaugh about loyalty to Trump
Facebook adds 'Clear History' option amid privacy scandal
Subway has a new loyalty program to turn around its slumping sales
Readers flock to 'A Higher Loyalty,' despite partisan criticism


text:
SETP Vol. 3 Chapter 4
Chapter 4 – Symptoms
"…….!!"
My body moved half instinctively.
Thanks to the danger detection abilities engraved in my soul, as soon as I realized it was an explosion I instantly created a "Spada", getting ready to fight at a moment's notice.
Two, three swords poked out of nearby shadows. I was ready to deal with anything that might happen.
"Y-Your Highness…!"
Feli too prepared to fight and called my name to rouse my attention.
Judging that staying in a secluded room could be risky, we headed for the door but were stopped.
"Calm down, you two."
The completely calm voice came from the man sitting quietly in his wheelchair, Stenn Hanse Diestburg.
Considering his circumstances, he should have been the most worried one of all of us, but he had his usual grin plastered on his face, almost creepily so. His unfazed attitude, however, gave us some relief.
"I know it looks like something awful happened…"
The explosions continued, growing gradually stronger and louder, as if they were heading our way. Stenn looked in the direction they were coming from.
"But there's nothing to worry about, seriously."
Stenn then smiled defiantly.
"Since we're here, let me talk about how I got like this."
Stenn looked with some interest at my "Spada" for a few seconds, then turned back towards me and continued speaking.
He lightly tapped his wheelchair, showing clearly what he meant by "like this".
"Human bodies have an organ used to store what they call 'Magic Essence'. This organ changes 'Magic Essence' into 'Magic Power': releasing it lets you use magic. As you know already, right?"
I knew next to nothing about how magic worked and was focused on the surrounding situation, so I gave a half-hearted reply.
Stenn wasn't bothered by my lack of attention to his words, apparently, and showed no signs of anger. On the contrary, he continued as if my reaction was completely natural.
"That organ normally stops stocking 'Magic Essence' once it reaches a certain quantity. In other words, there's a limit of how much of it you can store at once. That's what they call it magic power quantity. When you cast magic and use up magic power, it gets refilled little by little. Rinse and repeat, basically."
…I had the feeling I had heard this information somewhere before.
Seeing that I despised the sword so much, my father, Grerial, Feli, Ratifah, uncle Leric and others suggested I take an interest in magic and explained the same thing. I had stored this information somewhere in my brain,
I couldn't use magic, though.
The "feeling of magic power" everyone talked about was something I couldn't feel at all…unless "Spada" was considered a form of magic.
"That system, however, doesn't apply to me."
In contrast to Stenn's grin, Feli had a bitter expression on her face.
"Regardless of how much 'Magic Essence' I have in stock, my body keeps accumulating it. And that caused changes. I had convulsions, lost consciousness out of the blue, and a lot more."
I was stuck in bed for so long that my legs got weak too, chuckled Stenn.
"However, it turns out that my magic power quantity is quite impressive."
He took out a card from who knows where and casually flicked it in the air, inviting me to look at it.
The card danced through the air, flipping and spinning busily.
The front was blank.
The back, instead, showed geometrical patterns—
As soon as it landed, the card vanished in thin air.
When Stenn spoke a platinum white magic circle extended under our feet.
Feli's confusion was apparently extremely amusing for Stenn: his smile became broader and broader.
"Did you know, Fay!? That if you release extreme amounts of magic power, distortions appear around you!?"
The scenery around us distorted, covering the surroundings in a haze-like film.
The increasingly closer blasts seemed to be right next to us. The walls and doors bowed and were about to explode too, when—
"This distortion!! Swallows anything in its path!!"
We were not struck by debris, knocked away by the blast or scorched by the flames, though. As Stenn said, the distortion swallowed it all.
"Hyahaha. That idiot Grerial acted all cool with his little brother, right? So I'm going to show you that I'm a reliable big bro too."
The smoke from the explosions filled the air. From beyond the destroyed walls, something was flying towards us at high speed.
The distortion, however, easily sucked in that too.
"This level of attack is nothing….hm?"
Stenn's words reflected his complete confidence on the distortions protecting us.
His doubt was not in the distortions themselves, but about what was beyond them.
About the culprit that threw the object that came flying towards us — and the single "Spada" sticking through his chest.
Stenn looked at that and the "Spada" I was wielding, then seemed to grasp what happened.
His expression, however, changed quickly.
The cause was what happened before us.
Suddenly, the man stabbed by my "Spada" turned transparent and melted away in the air, as if there was nothing there in the first place.
"…wait what? Was that a ghost or something?"
"No, it wasn't."
The unreal event provoked Stenn's incredulous comment, but I denied it immediately. I had experienced a similar case before.
My "Shadow Bind" allowed me to lock a shadow in place. In other words, it could capture any existence.
In case its powerful restraining force was used on something without material form…
…it couldn't withstand its restraining force and vanished on the spot.
Which meant that what we saw was—
"It was something without material form. So the user isn't nearby, I guess."
The user surely wasn't hanging around in an area wracked by explosions. This attack was probably meant to test us.
With just one explosion, our enemy had already taken a good look at some of our cards.
My "Spada" and Stenn's magic.
I blamed myself for being too reckless, but then reached the optimistic conclusion that even if they knew what we could do, there was little they could do to counter my "Spada".
There was nothing my "Spada" could not cut, after all.
I smiled defiantly, then looked around to see what exactly our current situation was.
"The place…was not good."
We were in the noble district. Responding to the enemy's attack risked dragging the nobles in the conflict.
"Stenn can't move well either. I guess we should lay low here."
Because of the wheelchair, he couldn't move around quickly.
Stenn acted like it was nothing, but, because of the wheelchair, his line of sight was low. There were many potential dangers he couldn't see.
What I wanted to do was to protect.
If I could do that, I didn't need anything else.
Stenn's "Great Decoy Plan", honestly, came afterward.
So I decided to stay there.
Stenn was displeased, but Feli agreed with me, making us the majority.
Stenn understood it and didn't voice his discontent, but since the situation fizzled like this after he made a grandstand, he felt dissatisfied.
We then waited for several minutes.
There were no more explosions, nor were we attacked by anyone else.
I was about to suggest we return to the royal palace for the time being, when we heard a voice.
Mixed with the voices of the local residents, wondering what was going on, we heard restless words.
"Oh crap, I don't know how to exit…"
The space distortions were still there.
Stenn scratched his head, slightly embarrassed. The man who boasted about being a reliable big bro was nowhere to be seen now.
"Well, er, I guess it'll be gone…by tonight? Tee hee."
Stenn purred while spying our reactions. He looked somewhat apologetic, but neither I or Feli said anything.
We were utterly speechless.
"Hey, c'mon, say something, Fay! You can speak too now, Feli von Yugstine!"
Stenn had a pleading look in his eyes, but I pretended not to see anything.
Honestly speaking, it was kind of rare to see him troubled like that, since he was always the one teasing others.
So I kind of enjoyed the show.
His pleas ended quickly, however. He probably realized their futility.
Stenn worked at full throttle to come up with the next move, but good ideas don't just come with such convenient timing.
In the end, the conclusion he reached was extremely simple.
"I…!! For as long as I live, I will NEVER forgive that bomber!! How dare they lock us in here…!!!"
Responsibility shifting.
"I'm going to do everything in my power to catch it too!! So let's unleash our hate and resentment on them!! Right? Right??"
And thus Stenn placed all the blame on the still-unknown assailant.
However, an excuse made on the spot like that had no chance to work. Feli and I simply continued to look at the true cause of the situation, a blank look in our faces.
We managed to finally leave for home at about six in the evening.
Dinner was already served on the table, where our father awaited us — he had apparently already been informed of what had happened, as evidenced by the veins popping out of his forehead. In the current situation, acting with extreme care was imperative: it turned out that it was all Stenn's idea. Suffice to say, that night we were put through the wringer.


text:
Home / Articles / DIGITAL PAKISTAN
DIGITAL PAKISTAN
Pakistan's IT Industry has registered exponential growth of late, says Pakistan High Commissioner Mohammad Nafees Zakaria
Pakistan's IT Industry has registered exponential growth of late, and its positive trajectory does not show any signs of slowing down. The sector has a promising future, brimming with talent, and the potential to become the country's largest export industry.
With global attention shifting to Pakistan and the surrounding region, trends give confidence to the calculations that the IT sector's revenues may rapidly rise from the current figure of US$3.5 billion to reach a figure of US$20 billion and beyond in the not too distant future.
Pakistan is a preferred source of software developers, programmers, designers and Business Processing Outsourcing (BPO) specialists, and currently ranks as the third most financially attractive location in the world for offshore services. With 64 per cent of the 220 million population under the age of 29, there is an enormous human and knowledge capital potential.
Global enterprises like Bentley, Ciklum, IBM, Mentor Graphics, S&P Global, Symantec, Teradata, and VMware have established consulting service centres, research and development facilities, and BPO support services in Pakistan. Other leaders in Pakistan's IT industry with global market outreach include NESTOL, Systems Limited, TRG Pakistan, i2c Pakistan and LMKR among others.
There are around 3,000 IT and allied companies currently registered. Pakistan was ranked the third most popular country for freelancing in the Online Labour Index published in July 2018 by the Oxford Internet Institute.
According to the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), freelancers and independent consultants are estimated to be generating US$500 million in export earnings of US$3.5 billion.
Pakistan's areas of expertise in IT and IT Enabled Services (ITeS) include:
mobile app design and development, product design, development and testing, ERP (General, Specialised-Verticals), information security, IT governance and strategy, data warehousing and business analytics, BPO, virtualisation and computing, web businesses and e-commerce, office productivity and document management, exploration and production software (oil and gas), health related software, and much more.
Investment opportunities in Pakistan's IT & ITeS Sector include:
company acquisitions and mergers; high growth IT startups; venture capital funds; IT parks; software development centres; software testing centres; technology incubators; gaming and animation studios; IT global consulting centres and data centres.
Pakistan's government incentives for investors in the IT industry include:
1. A tax holiday for venture capital funds until 2024
2. Zero income tax on IT exports until June 2025
3. Income tax exemption to PSEB registered IT start-ups for three years, with no minimum or withholding tax, incentivising entrepreneurship and innovation in the country
4. 100 per cent equity ownership allowed to foreign investors
5. 100 per cent repatriation of capital and dividends
Pakistani start-ups are rapidly gaining international recognition and investment, and SME businesses are driving innovation, economic growth and job creation. Pakistan is home to successful tech start-ups such as Zameen.com; Airlift; Rozee.pk; Bykea; Deraz.pk; inov-8; Finja; Sastaticket; oladoc; Tez Financial Services; well.pk; Pakwheel.com; QMobile; Pakistanistores.com; Patari; Find My Adventure; Home Stove and Sehat Kahani.
National Incubation Centres have been established across Pakistan to provide support, impetus and direction for start-ups and to create an enabling environment for young IT professionals and entrepreneurs.
Recognising the potential of e-commerce in Pakistan, Ali Baba, China's largest e-commerce company, invested US$200 million in the country, and has also acquired Pakistan's ecommerce site Daraz.pk.
Private equity firms and venture capital firms are invited to explore similar lucrative opportunities in Pakistani startups, and to enjoy the tax holidays offered by the Pakistan government for venture capital funds in IT. Investment opportunities exist across various areas including: custom software, mobile apps, gaming and animation, e-commerce, payment systems and next generation technologies.
Fintech Pakistan
With over 70 million broadband users and a GSM penetration percentage in the region at circa 74 per cent (172 million), Fintech in Pakistan is all set to become the largest feeding sector for aiding financial inclusivity.
According to Rehan Akbar, Digital Financial Services Head at Karandaz, Pakistan's Fintech startups can nudge a 7 per cent increase in Pakistan's GDP in the next five years, roughly translating into US$36 billion. Pakistan's e-tail is expected to grow from US$900 million in 2019 to US$2.5 billion by 2024. Meanwhile, the mobile payment industry in Pakistan is expected to record a Cumulative (Compounded) Average Growth Rate (CAGR) of 20.7 per cent to reach US$54 billion by 2025.
As Pakistan strides towards digital banks and cardless payment systems, our highly skilled IT resources industry is well placed to augment growing global demand in the hi-tech space. With more than 320,000 English-speaking IT professionals and with the addition of over 20,000 IT graduates to the existing pool annually, Pakistan has prioritised nurturing new tech skills such as AI and data engineers, data scientists, computer vision and machine learning experts, etc. to cater to domestic as well as global market skills and resources requirements.
Telecommunication:
The telecommunication sector in Pakistan is open and deregulated. The environment offers a level playing field to telecom operators, and a firm foundation in terms of infrastructure. Fibre optics-based telecommunications were introduced in Pakistan in the mid-1980s on a mass scale, and a high-speed efficient infrastructure has since been introduced. The telecom networks in Pakistan use 3G and 4G services and will now be upgraded for 5G service. The telecom sector has received FDI to the tune of US$ 4.5 billion from telecom companies in Pakistan over the past four years, which is indicative of the investment prospects and quick returns in the sector. More than 75 per cent of Pakistan's population (165 million) are mobile phone subscribers, and tele density has been constantly increasing, with an ongoing appetite for the latest telecom devices.
2020 AprilcommonwealthDigital PakistandiplomacyPakistanPakistan High Commissioner
DIPLOMATIC MEMBERSHIP AT ROSL


text:
Expert discussions, national records and new tools for export — how Kherson region was getting ready for the new law to come into force.
On July 18, the discussion panel devoted to organic issues "Organic: 15 days before the Law comes into force" was held at Agroport South Kherson.
The main topics discussed by the participants were:
Regulation of organic products market and organic production standards —new rules of the game;
Control of organic production in Ukraine —from the certification body to the consumer;
Falsification of organic products —it's time to make things right;
Business and legislative regulation —mutual benefit or another challenge?
At the beginning of the discussion, Dmytro Tytarenko, Organic Export Promoter and General Manager of Agroport Ukraine, reminded the attendees that the Law of Ukraine "On Basic Principles and Requirements for Organic Production, Circulation and Labeling of Organic Products" would come into force on August 2.
"We face a situation where a lot of people sell the so-called "Eco" products, not even knowing what it is. I am curious to know what awaits them and consumers in the context of the new Law. Who will be outlawed, what will be the rules of the game on the market, what changes will occur?", he asked.
Olha Trofimtseva, Acting Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food, noted that for those who work in the field of agricultural organic production, the changes in the new Law are very important.
"This Law which we call "organic" was adopted last year, and on August 2 it comes into force, but for its full implementation it is necessary to develop 12 regulatory acts. What is so critical about this Law for manufacturers? First of all, it is a point concerning the rights, duties, powers and responsibilities of public authorities — the participants of the organic products market. It is about introduction of two-level control on the organic market, which will be carried out by the State Service for Food Safety and Consumer Protection", she said.
Also, the Acting Minister reminded that the new Law strictly regulates the requirements for the production, circulation, labeling and selling of organic products; also it proposes a mechanism for certification of organic production and creates public registers of market operators, certification bodies and organic seeds.
"Administrative liability is envisaged for violation of the Law", Olha Trofimtseva added.
In turn, Volodymyr Lapa, the Head of the State Service for Food Safety and Consumer Protection, noted that the fate of modern "Eco" stores is a matter of control, which will actually start when the unified forms of reports for products inspection for compliance with the requirements of the Law will be approved.
"Such reports are already being developed and after their unification as well as after the establishment of the register of operators of the organic products market, it will be possible to plan controls. That means that a tool for making things right in this market is already in place", Volodymyr Lapa said.
Volodymyr Bilyi, the Vice President of "Organic Ukraine" and General Director of NPP "5 Element", also agreed with this statement and stressed that after the Law comes into force it is necessary to check everybody working in this market, as today there are so many types of certificates that any products can be sold as "Eco".
At the end of the discussion, the participants addressed the issue of export of domestic organic products. Dmytro Tytarenko presented the most up-to-date analytics in this regard and a new tool for organic exporters —a Telegram bot BuyBioBot.
We recall that on July 18 another organic record was set at Agroport South Kherson 2019.


Living on a big planet means having lots of ethnic cuisine to choose from. But it also means having the ability to blend those cuisines to create a fun fusion option as well. Whether it's a stir-fry using Indian ingredients or a pot pie filled with the flavors of Spain, blending ethnic flavors and techniques can give your meals a fun and exotic flair.
This month, I'm offering a south of the border twist on an Italian favorite. In a month that has so many feeling the peak of the winter season with the festivities of the holidays at their end, there's nothing like some creative comfort food to make you smile and remember that winter gives cooks a great opportunity to experiment with the wide array of options that lie before them.
You can tweak this recipe in several ways. There are as many salsas out there as there are cooks that make it. To keep this meal quick, I recommend using one of the many blends available from the jar, but you can always opt to make your own as well. If you like a lot of heat in your food, opt for a really spicy salsa. Salsas that include roasted tomatoes or peppers had a smoky element to the mix. Salsas boasted fresh tomatoes and onions will brighten the flavor of the dish.
In the same way, the diced tomatoes you choose will impact the flavor of your lasagna a lot. There are multiple options that will keep a strong southwestern flavor to the mix: such as those with green chiles or varieties labeled "chili ready". If you want to bring the lasagna a little closer to its roots, consider diced tomatoes with Italian seasoning or balsamic vinegar.
You can opt to change the kind of beans used or switch out the corn for diced onion, peppers and/or chiles. Even the kind of cheese you choose will impact the flavor of your final dish. If the thought of a meatless dish doesn't appeal, consider adding browned ground beef or turkey or even shredded pork to the sauce. The point is you have a lot of options available and a whole winter to experiment with your culinary variety. Enjoy!
In a large bowl, combine the salsa, diced tomatoes, corn and black beans. Mix to form a sauce.
Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray and spread 2/3 cup of the sauce evenly along the bottom of the pan. Arrange 3 noodles evenly over the sauce. Add 2/3 cup of the sauce over the noodles and sprinkle with a third of the cheese. Repeat this technique three times, ending with a layer of the remaining cheese. Sprinkle the very top with the sliced olives.
Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes or until the noodles are softened and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Sprinkle the lasagna with the green onions before serving. Serve with sour cream, if desired.


This sounds like an interesting idea but how are we going to find people we don't know to join us.
Let's make a trip to my hometown this weekend and invite some strangers to join us on the ride?
So we are going to post that we are going to travel to my hometown on Friday and we are going to say that we are looking for 2 extra people.
Explain now how this new app is going to help us find strangers to travel with us.


text:
be informed. be inspired.
Tom Horn live in Latvia with Betsafe.lv
Malta, 5th November 2019
iGaming software supplier, Tom Horn Gaming has agreed to provide its gaming content to a Latvia-facing online casino brand of Betsson Group, Betsafe.lv.
Betsafe.lv is the first Latvian online operator to have gained access to the provider's award winning slot games, including its blockbusters 243 Crystal Fruits, Book of Spells or recent titles Sherlock. A Scandal in Bohemia or Frozen Queen.
Tom Horn Has established itself as one of the major players in the Baltic countries, providing a superior and highly responsible gaming experience to players.
Ondrej Lapides, CEO at Tom Horn Gaming said: "We're extremely excited to offer our content to players in Latvia. Betsafe.lv is one of the strongest and most respected brands in the Latvian gaming market. This partnership is another milestone for Tom Horn as we strengthen our position as the leading provider of gaming software in the Baltics."
Kaido Ulejev, Managing Director Baltics at Betsson Group added: "Tom Horn Gaming is a well-known name in the Baltics and its premium games have been very popular with players in the region. I'm certain this addition will be a great asset to our growing portfolio of casino games and it will quickly acquire its place in our customers' list of favourites."
Tom Horn Gaming Limited is a company incorporated in Malta with registration number C75121 and its registered office situated at 2nd Floor Tower Business Centre, Tower Street, Swatar, BKR4013 in Malta. Tom Horn Gaming Limited's operations are regulated by the Malta Gaming Authority under the B2B Critical Supply Licence MGA/B2B/333/2016 issued on 1st August 2018. The company provides Type 1 Gaming services of the Casino Vertical to operators. Tom Horn Gaming Limited is also licensed by the Gambling Commission in the United Kingdom under the account number 49577 with the licence 000-049577-R-327138-003 issued on 16th October 2017 and amended on 8th May 2018. For any queries, contact us on [email protected].
© 2020 Tom Horn Gaming


text:
Yi Jian Duzun
Action, Fantasy
The family elders, fighting for the right to exploit the mines, sent someone to crush his dantian, and Xuan became an abandoned son of the Ye family. However, he accidentally entered the Tower of Boundless Hell because of his mother's bleeding ring and was instructed by a mysterious woman to cultivate the Dao of the sword, which no one had ever cultivated before. With the help of the mysterious woman, could Ye Xuan become the strongest swordsman in the realm of the heavens?...
The family elders, fighting for the right to exploit the mines, sent someone to crush his dantian, and Xuan became an abandoned son of the Ye family. However, he accidentally entered the Tower of Boundless Hell because of his mother's bleeding ring and was instructed by a mysterious woman to cultivate the Dao of the sword, which no one had ever cultivated before. With the help of the mysterious woman, could Ye Xuan become the strongest swordsman in the realm of the heavens?


text:
ANTHOLOGY HITS 35
by Scott Macaulay
on Dec 6, 2005
Anthology Film Archives, jean renoir, Kenneth Anger, Patti Smith
New York's Anthology Film Archives has a fantastic program this weekend to celebrate its 35th anniversary. Three New York luminaries will present three nights of classic arthouse cinema. On Friday director Peter Bogdanovich will introduce a screening of Jean Renoir's Rules of the Game and Buster Keaton's Neighbors. On Saturday, poet and rock star Patti Smith will introduce Robert Bresson's Au Hasard Balthazar preceded by Kenneth Anger's Rabbit's Moon. And on Sunday producer Christine Vachon will screen Robert Frank and Alfred Leslie's Pull My Daisy as well as Jack Smith's Flaming Creatures. Thanks to Altoids, the screenings are free. Click on the link above for more info.
On Being a Cult Filmmaker: An Interview with Trent Harris By Randy Astle on May 1, 2013
Jeff Nichols on Mud and the Realities of the Contemporary Indie Director By Nick Dawson on Apr 26, 2013
Silver Linings Dominates Spirit Awards By Nick Dawson on Feb 24, 2013


text:
Understanding Tactile Contact
Haptic Interface Technology
Teleoperation Interfaces
Physical Human-Robot Interaction
Dr. Hyosang Lee receives prestigious fellowship from South Korean Government
Hyosang Lee receives fellowship from South Korean Government
Another prestigious fellowship for one of the Postdocs of the Haptic Intelligence Department at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems.
Dr. Hyosang Lee, a researcher in the Haptic Intelligence Department at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (MPI-IS) in Stuttgart, receives a prestigious Postdoctoral Fellowship granted by the National Research Foundation of South Korea, a government agency. The program aims at fostering the next generation researchers of the Asian country. South Korea is one of the world´s richest countries, following a remarkable economic success story. In only a few decades it developed from one of the poorest countries in the world into a globally connected, high-technology society.
"I am so thrilled to receive this scholarship!", says Dr. Hyosang Lee. "545 proposals were sent in of which 112 where accepted. And I was one of them! I can´t believe it!"
"I am delighted that Hyosang won this prestigious South Korean fellowship to support his time as a postdoctoral researcher in my department", says Director Katherine J. Kuchenbecker, who heads the Haptic Intelligence Department. "Hyosang is the first graduate from the lab of Professor Jung Kim at KAIST to move to Germany after finishing his doctoral degree. I am lucky that he chose to spend his time with my team at MPI-IS!"
The purpose of the fellowship is to financially support Ph.D. holders, who only recently received their doctoral degree in South Korea, to broaden their research experience outside of the country and to foster research collaboration. The awardees receive 30,000 Euros to help pay for accommodation, finance living expenses, and it also includes one flight home to Korea. The duration of the scholarship is for one year – in Dr. Hyosang Lee´s case starting in August this year.
Hyosang Lee is from Chuncheon in South Korea. He received his B.E. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Korea University in 2010, and his M.S. degree in the robotics program at KAIST, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, in 2012. In 2017, he received his Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering from KAIST, where he studied mechatronic systems and their application to physical human-robot interactions. His research focuses on the development of soft and stretchable tactile sensors using piezoresistive nanocomposite.
Hyosang Lee joined Katherine J. Kuchenbecker's Haptic Intelligence Department as a postdoctoral researcher on October 1st, 2017, where he has a two-year-long contract. His research topic is "soft tactile sensor for robotic skin and human-computer interaction". Kuchenbecker and Lee aim to develop a method which is able to translate soft tactile sensor data from one robot system to another across platforms. Both believe this method will have a significant impact in the field of robotics, where the sense of touch will become an essential part of intelligent systems.
"My formal study was mainly focused on how to obtain the sense of touch, so I expect to conduct many interesting studies with Dr. Kuchenbecker since she is an expert on how to use the sense of touch wisely", Lee explains. "My contract is for two years, but I would like to stay longer at the MPI-IS. This institute has a wonderful research environment and a passionate atmosphere!"
Hyosang Lee
Katherine J. Kuchenbecker
Linda Behringer
Vibrant research environment creates pulling force 29 October 2019
Yasemin Vardar wins the 2018 EuroHaptics Society Best Ph.D. Thesis Award 12 July 2019
Alexis Block is teaching robots to give good hugs 04 June 2019
Hasti Seifi wins EuroHaptics Society prize for best Ph.D. thesis 15 June 2018