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Another Siri clone hits the Android market
Jordan Kahn
- Jan. 23rd 2012 12:48 pm PT
@JordanKahn
We have seen Siri clones in the Android Market trying to pass themselves off as the real thing, and some Siri alternatives making their way to the Windows Phone Marketplace. Evi, on the other hand, might actually be the first true Siri competitor/alternative for Android and non-iPhone 4S iOS users.
Available on the App Store for 99 cents and free to Android users on the Android Market, Evi is the work of True Knowledge and its "core semantic search technology" better known as The True Knowledge Answer Engine. The 99-cent price tag on iOS is apparently to cover the cost of using Nuance voice recognition (the same voice recognition tech as Siri), which is not used in the Android version.
The app's iTunes page explained Evi is capable of returning local data for the United Kingdom (along with the United States), which has been a complaint from U.K. Siri users since the iPhone 4S launch. According to TechCrunch, the app uses "an ontology of tens of thousands of classes into which" every possible user command can be recognized. True Knowledge said the app contains "almost a billion 'facts' (machine understandable bits of knowledge)" with the ability to infer trillions if necessary. It also reportedly uses all the expected sources, such as local results from Yelp, third-party websites, traditional web searches, and APIs.
While as of yet Evi is incapable of integrating with Calendar and Reminders like Siri, TechCrunch pointed out it sometimes provides more accurate and useful results for certain types of questions. Siri requests to search the web for an answer when users ask certain questions, such as "How do I make apple pie?" Evi, however, would provide a list of recipes with relevant links to that specific question. TechCrunch highlighted another example where Evi excels:
Ask "Who was President when Queen Elizabeth II was born". Siri is unable to provide an answer and suggests performing a web search. Evi determines who Queen Elizabeth II is, when she was born, the dates when she will have been a teenager and then compares this against which US presidents were in office over that time, delivering the results of both serving US presidents during those years. Not bad huh.
UK iTunes iPod touch iPhone 4 Nuance
Jordan writes about all things Apple as Senior Editor of 9to5Mac, & contributes to 9to5Google, 9to5Toys, & Electrek.co. He also co-authors 9to5Mac's weekly Logic Pros series and makes music as one half of Toronto-based Makamachine.
Jordan Kahn's favorite gear
LG 34-inch Widscreen Monitor
This gorgeous desk clock is made with vintage Soviet Union Nixie tubes


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Q: Can't run workflows after migrating WF 4 instance store schema to WF 4.5 I'm really struggling with a very unusual problem here. We've just upgraded our dev stack to Visual Studio 2012 / .NET 4.5.
We want to upgrade to the latest version of Workflow Foundation (4.5), which means upgrading the SQL workflow instance store schema as well, so that we can use new features such as side-by-side versioning.
First I started by running the schema upgrade script installed with .NET 4.5 at:
C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\SQL\en\SqlWorkflowInstanceStoreSchemaUpgrade.sql
Then I ran my workflow tests, and everything worked fine.
Next step was to incorporate the schema and data changes into our SQL Server Database Project (the new one in VS 2012) so that these changes will build and deploy automatically as part of our build process.
I did a schema compare from the updated database instance to the database project, which identified and imported all the schema changes, and I updated our reference data scripts so that the SqlWorkflowInstanceStoreVersion table had the correct values.
I then published the project, which meant the target database was dropped, re-created, and populated with default reference data (including the store version row).
I ran my workflow tests again, and this time the workflow tests all timed out waiting for the workflow thread to return. The PersistableIdle handler gets called to Unload, but the Unloaded handler never gets called, so something is screwing up in between now.
It's obviously to do with the fact that the database is re-created, but I cannot see any differences using the Schema Compare tool in VS 2012.
We can't go any further with WF 4.5 features until we can fix this problem, does anyone have any idea what might be going on here?

A: Not sure if you found a solution, but I thought the following information may help other people with upgrade woes.
This MSDN article hints at one of the issues with upgrading in-place:
What's New in Windows Workflow Foundation in .NET 4.5

The new Windows Workflow Foundation features introduced in .NET Framework 4.5 are not available for projects that target previous versions of the framework. If a project that targets .NET Framework 4.5 is re-targeted to a previous version of the framework, several issues can occur.
C# expressions will be replaced in the designer with the message Value was set in XAML.
Many build errors will occur, including the following error.
The file format is not compatible with current targeting framework. To convert the file format, please explicitly save the file. This error message will go away after you save the file and reopen the designer.

Upgrading the SQL persistence store seems to make it so the workflow has to be recompiled targeting .Net 4.5 or it hangs trying to communicate with the persistence store now that it supports versioning.
It may not be necessary in your case, but we had to also create update maps to "upgrade" the activity definitions and running instances.
MSDN provides a lengthy article on this here:
How to: Update the Definition of a Running Workflow Instance
And the Dynamic update reference was also useful:
Dynamic Update
It was a pretty involved process, but afterwards everything began working again.
You may also find this useful: How to: Host Multiple Versions of a Workflow Side-by-Side

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
<?php

namespace kartik\builder;

use kartik\base\AssetBundle;

/**
 * Asset bundle for [[Form]] widget.
 *
 * @author Kartik Visweswaran <kartikv2@gmail.com>
 * @since  1.0
 */
class FormAsset extends AssetBundle
{
    /**
     * @inheritdoc
     */
    public function init()
    {
        $this->setSourcePath(__DIR__ . '/assets');
        $this->setupAssets('css', ['css/form']);
        $this->setupAssets('js', ['js/form']);
        parent::init();
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


It was a total blast to get behind the scenes and capture the dress rehearsal for "Clara" and her family. We wish we'd been in town for the production. Best wishes to the cast and crew. Break a leg! 😉 We've got a whole lot more where these came from and can't wait to share them all within a couple weeks.
Be sure to reach out to us if you'd like lasting documentary coverage of your event, production, or Mitzvah.


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Home » The Daily – January 23, 2023
• The combination of Tiny and WeCommerce creates a well-capitalized technology holding company managed by a leadership team with a strong track record of building and acquiring profitable companies, driving organic growth, and generating free cash flow for future acquisitions. The proforma newly combined business of WeCommerce and Tiny (which will retain the " Tiny " name) had approximate revenues of $149 million and adjusted EBITDA of $49.7 million for the period ending December 31, 2021. Each of the combined businesses continued to experience growth in calendar 2022, which results will be published in the second quarter of 2023 after the completion of their audited financial statements. The transaction represents substantial value for WeCommerce shareholders with an attributed value of $5.12 per share, representing a fully diluted equity value for WeCommerce of $220 million and for Tiny of $691 million, excluding Tiny's existing interest in WeCommerce shares.
• Saturn Oil & Gas agreed to acquire Ridgeback Resources, a privately held oil and gas producer focused on light oil in Saskatchewan and Alberta, for a transaction value of C$525 million ($393 million). Grounds for more hope that the global economy can avoid a major slump may emerge in the coming week in business surveys showing gradual improvement across much of the advanced world. Ahead Thursday, watch for the Bloomberg Nanos Confidence Index. Oil prices are rising for the third straight session while natural gas is rebounding after three sessions of losses.
• Canadian auction company Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Inc. will boost the cash component of its takeover offer for IAA Inc. and accept a $500 million investment from Starboard Value LP to help fund it. Ritchie's new bid is the equivalent of $44.40 per IAA share, based on Friday's market close — $12.80 in cash and 0.5252 of a Ritchie share for every IAA share. The original bid, announced in November, had $10 in cash but more stock. "We are pleased to have reached an amended agreement with IAA, which reflects feedback we've received from shareholders regarding the best structure for the transaction," Ritchie Chief Executive Officer Ann Fandozzi said in a statement. "We believe that the transaction with IAA will allow us to unlock significantly more value for shareholders than either company could deliver standalone through the realization of cost synergies and additional revenue opportunities." The new structure would leave Ritchie shareholders owning 59% of the company post-merger, with IAA holders owning 37% and Starboard almost 4%.
• European stocks gained at the start of the week as traders assessed earnings results as well as the outlook for interest rate hikes in the region. The Stoxx Europe 600 rose 0.3% by 8:05 a.m. in London. Technology and automakers outperformed, while chemicals lagged. The Stoxx 600 has rallied over 18% since its September low, putting it on track to enter a bull market on the optimism from China's reopening and slowing inflation. Strategists are increasingly preferring the region to its US peers as its cheaper valuations have priced in headwinds like hawkish central banks and weaker earnings. Milder weather and lower gas prices have also eased concerns of a European energy crisis, bolstering the attractiveness of European shares. The Stoxx 600 hit overbought levels last week for the first time in more than a month, while the breadth of its index members trading at such levels reached the highest since November. The last such occurrence was followed by the European benchmark dropping about 4.5% on a closing basis before resuming gains.
• US equity futures were little changed on Monday as investors mulled a possible moderation in the Federal Reserve rate increases and analyzed incoming earnings results. S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures were each down 0.1% by 6:16 a.m. in New York after both underlying benchmarks rallied on Friday. The tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 Index has posted three weeks of gains, the longest winning streak since mid-August.
• Asian stocks rose, with Japan leading gains as much of the region was closed for the Lunar New Year holiday, as prospects for slower Federal Reserve policy tightening lifted investor sentiment. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index was up 0.4%, on track for its highest close since June 9, driven by gains in Tokyo-listed technology shares including Keyence and Tokyo Electron. Key share gauges also rose in India. Trading overall was light with markets shut in Greater China and a number of other countries. Asian equities have been outperforming global peers this year amid optimism over China's reopening and its easing crackdown on large tech companies. While further moderation in Fed rate hikes should be another tailwind for the region, questions linger over the outlook for the global economy.
• Oil rose on expectations of rising demand in the wake of China's reopening, while the US dollar eased and risks to Russian energy supplies came into sharper focus with fresh curbs looming. West Texas Intermediate climbed toward $82 a barrel following a back-to-back weekly gain that drove the US benchmark to the highest close since mid-November. While a weaker US currency supported prices Monday, trading volumes in Asian hours were held back, with national holidays to mark the Lunar New Year affecting key markets including China and Singapore. Oil has shaken off a weak start to 2023 as China's outlook has brightened. Expectations that the Federal Reserve is close to ending its series of aggressive rate hikes have also buoyed prices.
• Gold was stable after gaining for five consecutive weeks as traders awaited more economic data to gauge the risks of a US recession. Weak retail sales data, poor company earnings and layoffs heightened concerns of an economic retraction last week, boosting demand for bullion as a haven. European stocks and US equity futures rose Monday in subdued trading. Spot gold was little changed at $1,925.50 an ounce as of 8:51 a.m. in London. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index dipped 0.2%. Silver declined, while palladium rose 0.4% and platinum advanced 0.3%.
• European natural gas fell as an icy blast was forecast to ease next week, while high stockpiles helped the region guard against any supply disruptions. Benchmark futures fell as much as 4.3%, giving up an earlier increase. Gas demand could rise over the next few days as a wave of cold temperatures is expected to persist in northwest Europe for most of this week. Temperatures are likely to rebound to above seasonal norms next week, forecaster Maxar Technologies Inc. said. The ongoing frigid weather has brought back some demand after a prolonged period of unusual warmth has gas storage sites about 78% full compared with the five-year average of 58% for the time of year. The reserves have kept Europe on track to ride out this winter without any major disruptions, and pushed gas prices to about half the levels of what they were during the previous cold snap in early December.
• Copper held steady near a seven-month high in London, supported by global supply risks and optimism that China's reopening from Covid lockdowns will boost demand. The metal has notched five consecutive weekly increases on the London Metal Exchange, with investors betting that China's shift away from Covid Zero will bolster demand prospects in the second-biggest economy. Concern lingers over supply due to protests in Peru. Expectations for an economic recovery driven by China's reopening and demand linked to energy transformation were catalysts for the market upturn, said Takayuki Homma, chief economist at Sumitomo Corp. Global Research Co. Copper's supply-side vulnerability has made it easier for investors to opt for the metal, he said.
• Investors added money to exchange-traded funds that buy emerging market stocks and bonds last week. This was the 16th straight week of inflows. Inflows to U.S.-listed emerging market ETFs that invest across developing nations as well as those that target specific countries totaled $3.32 billion in the week ended Jan. 20, compared with gains of $4.65 billion in the previous week, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. So far this year, inflows have totalled $9.19 billion.
• Hedge fund Elliott Investment Management has taken a substantial activist stake in Salesforce Inc., making its move after layoffs and a deep stock swoon at the enterprise software giant. Elliott, which often pushes for strategic changes and seeks board representation, took a multibillion-dollar stake in the company, according to a person familiar with the matter. The San Francisco company had a market capitalization of $151 billion at Friday's close, down from a peak of more than $300 billion in 2021. "Salesforce is one of the preeminent software companies in the world, and having followed the company for nearly two decades, we have developed a deep respect for Marc Benioff and what he has built," said Jesse Cohn, managing partner at Elliott in a statement. "We look forward to working constructively with Salesforce to realize the value befitting a company of its stature."
• Millions of people across Pakistan's major cities were plunged into a blackout prompted by a power grid failure, dealing another blow to the nation already reeling from surging energy costs. Outages were reported in locations including Karachi, Lahore and capital Islamabad, according to local media reports, and it could take as long as 12 hours to fully restore electricity, Geo TV said, citing Power Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan. Many major businesses were relying on backup power systems, and Pakistan's stock exchange was trading as normal. The benchmark KSE-100 index was 0.5% lower as of about 11:25 am local time.
• Ken Griffin's Citadel churned out a record $16 billion in profit for clients last year, outperforming the rest of the industry and one of history's most successful financial plays. The top 20 hedge fund firms collectively generated $22.4 billion in profit after fees, according to estimates by LCH Investments, a fund of hedge funds. Citadel's gain was the largest annual return for a hedge fund manager, surpassing the $15 billion that John Paulson generated in 2007 on his bet against subprime mortgages. This was described as the "greatest trade ever" in a subsequent book of the same name by Gregory Zuckerman. But it's a different story outside the industry giants, with hedge funds overall losing $208 billion last year as many managers found themselves on the wrong side of global market turmoil. LCH estimated a return of 3.4% at the top 20 managers — while the rest of funds it studied suffered losses of 8.2%.
• The improving sentiment toward US equities is at odds with a backdrop of weakening economic data and earnings, according to Morgan Stanley strategist Michael Wilson. One of the most vocal bears on US stocks warned on Monday that plunging forward-looking indicators will translate into an earnings recession and will end up hitting US markets. Recent optimism around a less hawkish Federal Reserve, China reopening and a weaker dollar is already priced into share prices, he wrote in a note. Wilson's view serves as a warning sign after the S&P 500 Index rose nearly 11% since mid-October in its recovery from last year's bear market. The gauge looks expensive compared with average historical levels given that earnings estimates have been falling for months.
• US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said she's encouraged by progress on inflation, with energy prices and supply-chain issues easing across the globe even as the US labor market remains strong. "We're seeing those supply-chain problems significantly mitigate, inventories are being built, shipping costs have come down," Yellen told reporters after visiting a community health center in Lusaka, Zambia's capital. "And so that part of inflation is no longer really contributing very significantly." Several measures of inflation have shown encouraging signs in recent weeks, including declines in the consumer price index, which fell to 6.5% in the year through December, off its high of 9% in June. Producer prices have also declined faster than expected.
• The UK grid is asking some households to cut energy use on Monday and is likely to extend the request to Tuesday as a plunge in wind power and freezing temperatures across the country test its ability to keep the lights on. National Grid Plc looks set to use the emergency measure for the first time to help ease a supply squeeze. Starting 5 p.m., customers of Centrica Plc, EON SE and Octopus Energy Ltd. who have signed up for the program will be asked not to use dishwashers or washing machines during a two-hour period of peak demand. "Our forecasts show electricity supply margins are expected to be tighter than normal on Monday evening," the system operator said. "These are precautionary measures to maintain the buffer of spare capacity."
• Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said Warsaw will file a request for German approval to send its Leopard tanks to Ukraine, adding this was a secondary issue "because we will transfer the tanks without the nod." Foreign ministers of the European Union held talks in Brussels, with Germany facing pressure from several countries on tank deliveries. The EU ministers are expected to approve another 500 million euros ($545 million) in funding for weapons sent to Ukraine, amid concerns Budapest may seek to veto it. Separately, the bloc is eyeing a 10th package of sanctions targeting Russia's war in Ukraine one year after Moscow's invasion next month, according to people familiar with the matter.
• The reopening of China's borders is set to allow the return of its high-spending tourists back to the UK, helping to reduce the size of its recession in 2023. Forecasters at Credit Suisse expect Xi Jinping's reversal of strict zero-Covid constraints will help drive a recovery in UK goods exports to China and draw in tourists that plow money into high-end shopping. The Swiss bank said Chinese tourists and stronger UK exports can add a combined 0.2 percentage points to GDP growth in 2023. It anticipates a 0.8% contraction in the UK economy this year, an upgrade from its previous prediction of a 1.3% drop in gross domestic product.
• Before Russia invaded Ukraine 11 months ago, freight trains looked like an ever-widening route as China boosted its Belt and Road investments so trade flowed more easily to Europe. But because trains making the two-week journey from China to Germany must pass through one of several tracks through Russia, the war and the sanctions slapped on Russian businesses threatened to disrupt transcontinental commerce. While the European Union's overall imports via rail from China did decline through the first nine months of 2022, some key goods continued to make the journey by train across Russia.
• Spotify Technology SA is planning to cut about 6% of its employees, joining a slew of technology companies from Amazon.com Inc. to Meta Platforms Inc. in announcing job cuts to lower costs. The move was announced in a filing Monday morning, confirming reports from over the weekend that there would be job cuts. The music streaming giant has about 9,800 employees, according to its third-quarter earnings report. Spotify laid off 38 staff from its Gimlet Media and Parcast podcast studios in October. Tech companies added to their headcounts during the pandemic but were forced to make reductions in response to diminished advertising revenue and a shaky economic outlook. Amazon, Meta and Microsoft Corp. were among the biggest companies to announce staff reductions recently, while Google parent Alphabet Inc. said Friday it will cut about 12,000 jobs, more than 6% of its global workforce.
• Xylem Inc. agreed to buy Evoqua for an enterprise value of about $7.5 billion in a deal that combines two water-technology and treatment companies. Investors will get 0.48 of a Xylem share for each share in Evoqua, the companies said Monday. The value of $52.89 per share is 29% higher than Evoqua's closing price on Jan. 20.
• Wall Street syndicate desks are expecting $20 billion to $25 billion in new investment-grade bonds this week. JPMorgan, Wells Fargo, Citi and Goldman may bring new bond deals this week, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. Meanwhile, volatility in the high-grade market is likely to continue through the heavy earning calendar this week though underlying technicals remain strong, according to JPMorgan. The spread on the Markit CDX North American Investment Grade Index, which declines as credit risk drops, widened 0.18 basis points to 74.3 as of 7:19 a.m. New York time. The remaining Wall Street banks are likely to bring new deals this week, though at a reduced pace from last year, Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Arnold Kakuda said in an email, after Morgan Stanley and Bank of America raised a combined $9 billion last week
• Argentina and Brazil are in the preliminary stages of renewing discussions on forming a common currency for financial and commercial transactions, reviving an often-discussed plan that would face numerous political and economic hurdles. South America's two largest economies have considered options to coordinate their currencies for decades, often to counter the influence of the dollar in the region. The persistent macroeconomic imbalances of both countries, together with recurrent political obstacles to the idea, has resulted in little practical progress. On the eve of a meeting Monday in Buenos Aires, Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Argentina's Alberto Fernandez wrote a joint article in Argentine newspaper Perfil noting that sharing their currencies could help boost regional trade.
• European shares dropped after their longest streak of gains since November 2021, on fears of economic slowdown and as investors shift their attention to corporate earnings. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index was 1.3% lower as of 11:59 a.m. in London, the biggest intraday decline since Dec. 16. Most of the sectors dropped, with miners and energy leading the retreat. European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said Thursday in Davos inflation remains far too elevated and the bank will stay the course on its their efforts to return price growth to the target. Equities in Europe have had a strong start-of-the year rally as slowing inflation and China's reopening boosted appetite for the region, helping it outperform the US market. With the Stoxx 600 index up 19% since its September low, its 14-day relative strength index hit an overbought level on Tuesday. Investors will also be analyzing earnings for signs of how economic slowdown and inflation have been weighing on corporate margins.
• US equity-index futures declined as growing signs of a global economic slowdown raised investor concern that the start-of-the-year rally in risk assets may have gone too far. Contracts on the S&P 500 Index dropped 0.7% after the benchmark slumped the most in a month Wednesday amid weaker-than-expected economic data. Nasdaq 100 futures lost 0.8%. Europe's Stoxx 600 gauge halted a six-day rally. The 10-year Treasury note erased gains. A selloff spread across global markets, from Japanese shares to oil contracts. In the US, Wednesday's releases showed producer prices and retail sales fell, while business equipment production slumped. A decline in factory output wrapped up the weakest quarter for manufacturing since the onset of the pandemic. Even after such a string of poor data, Fed officials repeated calls for more interest-rate hikes.
• Asian stocks fell as Japanese shares gave back the gains made after the central bank left policy settings unchanged Wednesday, while Chinese tech giants retreated on worries about insider selling. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index dropped as much as 0.9% on Thursday, poised to snap a two-day rally. Japanese equities were the biggest drags to the regional benchmark as weak economic data from the US raised concerns over a slowdown and as the yen strengthened.
• Oil fell for a second day on signs of rising US inventories and economic growth concerns. West Texas Intermediate dropped below $79 a barrel after declining almost 1% on Wednesday as US retail sales slowed, stoking fears of a potential slowdown. The American Petroleum Institute reported a 7.6 million-barrel gain in commercial stockpiles, according to people familiar with the data, reflecting the lingering impact of a December cold snap which shut down refineries. Thursday also marks the first day of a series of strikes in France, including at the nation's refineries. While the first walkout will only last 24 hours, industrial action late last year shuttered much of the country's crude processing, damping European demand and boosting fuel prices.
• Gold snapped three days of declines after weak US economic data spurred bets the Federal Reserve may ease the intensity of its monetary tightening. Retail sales fell the most in a year and producer-price inflation slowed, data showed Wednesday, heightening recession concerns and adding to signs the Fed may turn less hawkish. The US 10-year Treasury yield lost 18 basis points, a positive for non-interest bearing gold. Bullion has rallied sharply since early November on signs the tightening cycle in the US was coming to an end, after a run of monthly declines. So far investors in gold exchange-traded funds have been reluctant to back the rally with fresh money, while hedge funds trading Comex futures have gradually raised their bullish bets.
• Aluminum, zinc and copper all retreated as renewed concerns about global growth blunted the demand optimism that's carried prices higher so far this year. Soft US retail sales and weak factory data triggered a risk-off turn across markets by highlighting the continued threat of recession in major Western economies. That follows a flurry of cautious commentary on economic prospects emerging from the World Economic Forum in Davos. The LME Index of six base metals on Wednesday hit its highest since June, fueled largely by hopes that China's rapid reopening will boost demand in the world's biggest consumer. But there's still major headwinds in the Asian nation, from fragile consumer confidence to a still-struggling real estate industry.
• Goldman Sachs Group Inc.'s international head says that the bank's recent job cuts have resized its footprint for the current economic environment and it will continue to hire at all levels of the firm. "We've sized the firm to suit what we think the outlook will be," Richard Gnodde said in a Bloomberg Television interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday. "But of course you have to be nimble." He said the firm will adapt to the environment but it continues to hire people and expects to add more than 3,000 graduates this year as well as more selectively at all levels of the firm. The industrywide slowdown and threat of a recession later this year pushed the bank's leaders to ax as many as 3,200 jobs last week. The firm's shares slumped 6.4% on Tuesday after it reported fourth-quarter results, their biggest decline in a year.
• President Joe Biden heads for California on Thursday to visit communities devastated by storms and flooding in recent weeks and to assess first-hand the need for additional federal support for recovering residents. Biden approved an expedited major disaster declaration at the request of California Governor Gavin Newsom on Saturday, dispatching federal grants for debris removal, temporary housing and loans to cover uninsured property losses. On Wednesday, Biden increased federal assistance to cover all costs of eligible emergency measures for two months since the onset of the storms, up from the default of 75% coverage. The wave of atmospheric rivers, which brought heavy rains, snowfall and dangerous winds and spurred landslides and flooding, have caused more than $30 billion in damages, according to an estimate from AccuWeather Inc. last week. At least 20 people have died as a result of the extreme weather in recent weeks, the governor's office said Monday.
• Wall Street banks are in a good spot to ride out an economic storm and surging staff costs, according to one of the biggest German asset managers, whose fund has almost two-thirds of its holdings across the pond. "We like banks as we have confidence that the economic cycle will be holding up better," said Benjardin Gaertner, head of equity portfolio management at Germany's third-largest asset manager Union Investment. His view is slightly at odds with the mixed messages from the biggest US banks this earnings season. Where JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Bank of America Corp. warned of slowing economic growth, Morgan Stanley said an expected boost in investment banking and deals activity will support results once the Federal Reserve pauses rate hikes. The country's six biggest banks are also facing a surge in compensation and personnel expenses this year, driving up overall costs to a record $320 billion.
• Procter & Gamble Co. said higher prices are more than offsetting a diminished amount of goods sold, bolstering the revenue outlook for the maker of Tide detergent and Pampers diapers. The consumer-goods giant now expects organic sales growth, which excludes factors such as currency fluctuations, to rise between 4% and 5% in the fiscal year ending in June, it said Thursday. That narrows the company's projection to the more optimistic half of its previous forecast, issued in October. P&G also increased the overall revenue outlook for the year. Another hike in prices during the three months ended in December helped P&G offset a decline in units sold and drive organic revenue expansion of 5%. That surpassed analysts' expectations but was still the slowest growth rate since the quarter ended September 2021 as the pandemic boom continues to fade. Volume fell in all categories, with P&G citing a "market contraction" for most.
• Strikes coordinated by French unions aim to bring much of the country to a standstill on Thursday in a protest against government plans to revamp the pension system and a test of president Emmanuel Macron's ability to resist street pressure. Workers in sectors including railways, schools, hospitals and air-traffic controllers are taking part in the 24-hour strike against Macron's plan to raise France's minimum retirement age to 64 from 62. Unions will lead marches across France's largest cities with the backing of left-wing political parties. In a rare show of unity, France's eight largest labor unions have coordinated efforts and the expected disruptions have prompted the government to urge people to work from home. Still, the success of the strikes is set to be at least partly measured by the scope of the street demonstrations. Both the CGT union and the head of the Communist party have set a goal of having at least 1 million people protest across France for what is likely to be just one of a series of actions.
• Norway's central bank paused monetary tightening while signaling a likely quarter-point increase in borrowing costs in March is still needed to bring inflation under control. Norges Bank kept the key deposit rate on hold at 2.75% on Thursday, as forecast by the majority of economists in a Bloomberg survey. Governor Ida Wolden Bache said the benchmark "will most likely be raised in March," an outlook that would chime with guidance in December that the key interest rate would increase to "around 3%" this year.
• Global funds will pressure the Bank of Japan until it capitulates and tightens policy, after the central bank disappointed bond bears by refusing to lift its ceiling on sovereign yields. UBS Asset Management and Schroders Plc are sticking with bets Japanese government bond yields will rise on the expectation the BOJ will eventually stop capping the 10-year benchmark at 0.5%, even after it kept the so-called curve control policy unchanged Wednesday. Torica Capital Pty also expects the central bank to fall in line and shift toward the global trend of raising rates. "We see no reason to square up shorts," said Tom Nash, a money manager at UBS in Sydney, referring to his reluctance to close out bearish bets on Japanese bonds. "The yield-curve-control policy is not consistent with the current economic and political landscape and will need to be dismantled."
• Jamie Dimon said the government shouldn't play games with the debt ceiling, amid a standoff among Republicans and Democrats as the clock ticks on the borrowing cap. "We should never question the creditworthiness of the US government. That is sacrosanct and it should never happen," the JPMorgan Chase & Co. chief executive officer said Thursday in an interview on CNBC. "This is not something we should be playing games with at all." Congress is locked in an intense political fight over the debt ceiling, which threatens to upend financial markets sometime after early June, when the US may default on a payment obligation.
• While Tesla Inc.'s epic stock-price collapse dominated headlines over the past year, for some smaller electric-vehicle companies the rout has been even worse, a sign that investors see few attractive alternatives in the sector. Two of the most prominent new EV makers — Rivian Automotive Inc. and Lucid Group Inc. — have lost about 90% of their equity values from their bull-market peaks, compared with a 69% drop for Tesla. The companies have struggled to ramp up output of vehicles amid supply-chain woes just as investors grew leery of highly valued companies with no earnings.
• The best start to a year for bond returns is helping fuel an unprecedented debt-sale bonanza by governments and companies around the world of more than half a trillion dollars. From European banks to Asian corporates and developing-nation sovereigns, virtually every corner of the new issue market is booming, thanks in part to a rally that's seen global bonds of all stripes surge 4.1% to start the year, the best performance in data stretching back to 1999. Borrowers looking to raise fresh financing after getting turned away for much of 2022 are suddenly encountering investors with a seemingly endless appetite for debt amid signs inflation is cooling and central banks will call a halt to the harshest monetary tightening in a generation. For many, fixed-income assets are looking increasingly attractive after last year's historic rout drove yields to the highest since 2008, especially as the prospect of a slowing global economy offers the potential for further gains.
• Bitcoin steadied after snapping a rare 14-day winning streak as a mood of caution supplanted the risk appetite that drove up a variety of assets at the start of the year. The largest token swung between gains and losses on Thursday and was up about 0.2% at $20,813 as of 12:50 p.m. in Singapore. Smaller coins like Solana and Polkadot posted modest increases. Bitcoin on Wednesday retreated 2.5%, ending its longest run of daily gains since 2013. Bitcoin "has now become very overbought on a near-term basis" and is "getting ready for a short-term pullback," said Matt Maley, chief market strategist at Miller Tabak + Co.
By MAAM|2023-01-23T14:32:05+00:00January 23rd, 2023|The Daily|


In October of 2018, Hillary Clinton argued that states, not the federal government, is where social justice warriors should focus their efforts. The recommendation was in response to the new "conservative" direction of the Supreme Court, and a Trump administration that is quickly using the largess of executive power to reorganize the federal government's priorities.
However, it still offers us a valuable lesson in what government actually is. Government is not some abstract entity—it is a political body, run by politically motivated individuals. As a result, the power that is given to government is, in essence, power given to the politicians who happen to be controlling things at the time. Instinctively, politicians seem to know this—even if most voters fail to connect the dots.
The political power that comes with increasing the size and scope of government—for the party in charge, that is—is immense. And it explains why, over the decades, there seems to be little distance between the major political parties when it comes to their zeal for expanding government's control over the economy.
Here in Nevada, we ought to know this better than most. With a fully Republican government in 2015, taxpayers were nonetheless burdened with the state's largest tax hike, a crony "economic development" model and a growing bureaucracy. In 2019, the Democrat controlled legislature is sure to embark on their own slate of big-government proposals, increasing their political influence over even more of the economy.
This ever-increasing zeal for greater government control over our lives (from both parties) is easy to understand when one puts it in political terms.
After all, what is a government, other than a collection of politicians? Put simply, control over a big and ever-increasing government is a fairly big boost to one's political opportunities. It therefore only makes sense that political factions should resist the temptation to reduce government's control over "we the people" while they control the reins of power.
And because no political victory is ever permanent—just ask Democrats reeling from the 2016 election, or Nevada Republicans still licking their wounds from 2018—the power given to one faction through big government is, eventually, controlled by another. The result is that the issues over which government gains control soon become political footballs.
Education, healthcare and even retirement are consistently and relentlessly used as battlegrounds for partisan sparring. Not because these are the issues Americans are most eager to address—rather because those are areas of our lives where government (that is to say, politicians) have unprecedented levels of control.
With the increased political bitterness and pettiness in modern America, this means more and more of our lives seem subject to the partisan squabbles taking place in statehouses and Washington D.C.
As politicians wrangle for their turn to control vast swaths of the American (and local) economy, it's the citizens who find themselves in the middle of a tug-of-war. Instinctually, Americans know to distrust politicians. And yet, many of those same Americans turn to "government"—i.e.: politicians—to solve their problems.
Democrat voters are currently clamoring for government-run healthcare. But maybe someone should ask them if they're truly comfortable with Donald Trump's administration having control over their health.
Likewise, Republican voters are increasingly eager to give government the power to regulate and impose free speech on private tech firms such as Google, Facebook and YouTube. Perhaps someone should ask them if they're truly comfortable with Nancy Pelosi drafting such rules.
When we talk about government getting involved in an aspect of our life, we should instead be asking if we want politicians to take control. And given the bitter, partisan, political times in which we live, that might just be the best argument of all for having government simply leave us all alone.


Riginos Yachts has been in the yachting business for almost three decades. Our passion for yachting is what has led us to being one of the top yachting firms in Greece. With affiliated brokers in almost every marina in the country, we can provide the best and most complete services to anyone who wishes to purchase a fine boat. We pride ourselves on representing the finest shipyards; having chosen them carefully, always considering the quality of the finishing as well as the sea worthiness of the hulls, so as to be able to provide only the best.
This is a 25,07m Mangusta 80 built in 2000. She has a Fibreglass (GRP) hull and superstructure with a beam of 6,00m and a draft of 1,60m. She has a cruising speed of 36 knots, a max speed of 43 knots and a range of 440nm from her 6000lt. fuel tanks. She can accommodate up to 6 guests.


Brands are not static. They grow, evolve and adapt, sometimes organically, sometimes by design. If you let your brand get stuck in a rut, and don't let it evolve to match your audience expectations, you could find yourself being superseded, overtaken and forgotten. And having that befall your brand would be a crying shame. If you can keep your brand agile and nimble, so much the better. That way you can proactively position yourself in line with market trends and remain relevant to your target audience. This is where brand maintenance becomes essential – one it's of the subjects closest to our hearts at thirdegreeº.
Establishing your brand identity is vital. Rather than repeating ourselves, we encourage you to read more about this in our brand development section.
Back with us? Excellent! So… developing your brand and corporate identity can be a challenging process. But the job's not over once that's done –particularly if you operate in a swiftly-moving market. Trouble is, it's very easy to overlook brand maintenance if you work in a small business with limited resources. You may have developed your brand 5 years ago and have been delighted with it then, but by now it may have fallen into disrepair. You may have even worked with a branding agency that helped you with initial development work, then vanished without trace, never bothering to check in with you to see if your brand is still relevant.
We can audit your brand and all your communications to make sure they are still relevant. We even offer a free brand audit service (T&C apply), so do get in touch to see if your business qualifies.
Work with you on a SWOT analysis of your brand to identify whether your ambitions or audience have shifted focus (more about that here).
Help you update or evolve your corporate identity through development of vision, mission and value proposition statements.
Help you evolve your branding to ensure you remain relevant to your target audience.
Do please contact us with any questions you may have. We insist… doing so could help make sure your brand can avoid 'doing a Kodak' and going the way of the dodo.


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Home » Features » Tamil Features » Vishal's Irumbu Thirai: What Works, What Doesn't
Tamil Features
Vishal's Irumbu Thirai: What Works, What Doesn't
Director P.S.Mithran makes a confident debut with Irumbu Thirai which feels like a lightweight version of the highly celebrated action thriller Thani Oruvan
by L M Kaushik
Irumbu Thirai is helmed by debut director P.S.Mithran and features Vishal, Arjun and Samantha in lead roles. It's a commercial thriller about information vulnerability and money related malpractices in the current digital age.
Plot: Major Kathiravan (Vishal) is expelled from the Army because of his anger issues. To rejoin the force, he is ordered to get a NOC from Chennai-based psychologist Rathi Devi (Samantha). Just as Kathiravan gets closer to Rathi Devi and spends time with his family, he is tricked by a loan agent and loses Rs 10 lakh from his newly-opened bank account. While trying to get to the root of the theft he unearths a huge digital scam masterminded by Sathyamoorthy (Arjun) who goes by the alias of 'White Devil'.
Director Mithran has packaged the film with enjoyable commercial elements in the first half and keeps the latter half devoid of any distractions like comedy and songs. This enables the viewer to be invested in the film completely. It's a confident debut by the filmmaker given that he was handling big stars, established technicians and a theme that is universal in its relevance.
Vishal looks fit and smart as always and puts up a neat show. But the perennially young-looking Arjun takes over the spotlight in his scenes with Vishal. There's a scene in the lift which has a memorable exchange between the two. Samantha doesn't get much to work with in the second half but has a pleasing presence as Vishal's counsellor in the early part of the film.
Veteran actor Delhi Ganesh has been utilized very well. He effortlessly plays Vishal's easy-going father. The father–son scenes work well; they share a complex relationship where the son feels that the father has let down the family due to his careless ways with money. Robo Shankar consistently brings out the laughs as Vishal's maternal uncle.
Composer Yuvan Shankar Raja proves his calibre at background scoring yet again. He elevates the viewing experience for each of the scenes and dishes out great variety in his themes. The songs 'Athiradi' and 'Yaar Ivan' stand out. Two of the songs ('Angry Bird' and 'Azhagae') have been left out of the final film to keep it crisp; a brave call by the director and editor Ruben.
Cinematographer George Williams is a proven technician when it comes to handling big films, and the tense sequence in Richie Street and the subway episode in the second half are testament to that.
What Doesn't
In the second half, the film dives deep into technological terminology, which might alienate a section of the viewers.
Towards the end, one feels that the hero could've crossed a few more interestingly placed hurdles before he gets to the seemingly invincible villain.
Also, a bigger mass hero pitted against Arjun may have produced a better audience reception for some of the highlight sequences in the film.
Final Word: Irumbu Thirai feels like a lightweight version of the highly celebrated action thriller Thani Oruvan. It manages to entertain, engage and educate the viewer with its topical theme and interesting screenplay.
Irumbu Thirai
L M Kaushik
mithran
A passionate 'moviemaniac' as my Twitter handle says; movies are more than just entertainment for me. I'd like to believe that I'm driven, committed and ambitious.
The Year Cinema Moved Online: A List Of Films From The Four South Indian Languages You Need To Have Watched
Filmmaker P.S. Mithran On Irumbu Thirai's Delayed Release And His Friendship With Vishal
With Sarkar, Thalapathy Vijay Is Poised For Another Diwali Blockbuster
Keerthy Suresh On The Success Of Mahanati, The Toughest Scene To Shoot And Future Projects
Iravukku Aayiram Kangal: What Works, What Doesn't
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Yes, zoom level is per-tab that's why I was asking for other open tabs.
not able ti build octave for my windows vm.
Next by Date: [Octave-bug-tracker] [bug #55931] Plot diisappers after zooming out once and then clicking "Autoscale"


Danbury Hospital is a 371-bed regional medical center and university teaching hospital associated with Yale University School of Medicine, the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, and the University of Vermont College of Medicine. In June of 2014 Danbury Hospital completed The Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Pavilion, a 12-story new tower expansion of the hospital.
ASI worked in collaboration with the architect, The SLAM Collaborative, and the client, Western Connecticut Health Network Foundation to develop the designs for all components of the donor recognition and interior signage for the new construction.
A key component to the foundation's successful Imagine Build Transform campaign, the campaign to fund the expansion project, was the opportunity for donors to directly associate their gift to rooms, spaces, buildings, or building and landscape features in the new construction.
The donor sign package was designed to recognize the generosity of all the donors who made the hospital expansion possible, while simultaneously honoring the beauty of the new space by seamlessly fitting into the interior design.
Donors are recognized locally at the site of their gift, by one, or more, of a range of individual plaques suited to the environment and function of the space. To acknowledge donated rooms, individual donor plaques were incorporated into the room ID, exam room ID, and patient room ID signs as a silkscreened donor header. ASI graphic designers tied the donor header graphic to the interior space by generating a custom background image that echoed project artwork and finishes.
To ensure public recognition of the donors, the Foundation wanted their donors to be honored both at the room location or site associated with their gift, as well as grouped on summary, "Neighborhood", recognition walls located in public areas. The two "neighborhood" walls, located on inpatient floors, were designed using wire cable and gripper systems and film-backed acrylic panels. Infinity was the basis of the design for four large mosaic-style "neighborhood" displays located in the new Emergency Department. Each of the four large displays consists of seasonally themed graphics and panel sizes that vary by gift amount. Donors were also able to choose in which season they wanted their panel to appear.
ASI also customized two Messenger Interior monoliths to honor major project donors in the Buck Pavilion Lobby. All individual room donor plaques and summary donor recognition walls are easily updatable to allow for future expansion and growth.


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describe('HomepageCtrl', function() {

	beforeEach(module('mtApp'));

	var scope,ctrl;

    beforeEach(inject(function($rootScope, $controller) {
      scope = $rootScope.$new();
      ctrl = $controller('HomepageCtrl', {$scope: scope});
    }));

	it('should ...', inject(function() {

		expect(1).toEqual(1);

	}));

});


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Q: graph library (c#) for Rete algorithm Can you give me suggestions of graph libraries that are best to develop Rete algorithm.
I'm using .net 4.0
I found QuickGraph but I'm not sure if it's useful in this case.

A: I'm not a C# dev, but I've implemented rete in another language. You want a directed acyclic graph algorithm, start looking here on github. Or perhaps here. However, you can get away with a simpler data structure with a visitor. And, if you haven't I'd read Doorenbos, 1995, which will walk you through how to implement the whole thing.

A: Well, I agree with Chase. I have built a rules engine using Composite and Visitor, and its working absolutely flawless. Composite helps in organizing rules in a hierarchy (nesting) and Visitor helps you draw unlimited operations like evaluators, visualizers etc. I'd suggest building a truth logic first using composite and visitor and then wrap it up with expression parsing, where expressions are represented as text, maybe XML nodes, which naturally has the hierarchical structure to represent nesting of rules. Best is that you can version expression based rules.


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Lisa Zaccone was racing her coworkers to Chicago. Except, not really. They were tracking the number of steps they took each day, converting those steps into approximate mileage, and competing to see who, in a hypothetical trip starting at their office in Ann Arbor, Michigan, would arrive first in the Windy City.
Doing those calculations every day for everyone in the office was a lot of work, so Zaccone asked her son, John, a 31-year-old software engineer, to create an app that tracked the progress of their footrace for them.
John didn't say no, even though he had never developed an app before. He wasn't that kind of software engineer. But his mom was asking, and who can turn down their mom? So he began working on a way to track those steps. However, John thought he could do better than the imagined road walk from Michigan to Illinois that his mother and her coworkers had come up with. Instead, he coded the Appalachian Trail.
Today, John's mom has 2,000 people to thru-hike with—virtually. That's how many people have downloaded the app, called Walk the Distance, since June, and it's not far off the total number of thru-hikers (2,272) who successfully completed the actual trail during its first five decades of existence. Currently, the app is only available for iOS, but John's developing an Android version, which should be ready next year.
The app connects to your iPhone's Health app, which measures the mileage you've walked while carrying your phone, even when the app isn't in use. John's app uses that information to then show you where you would be on the Appalachian Trail if you were thru-hiking. And you're not hiking alone. Literally every other user is visible on the same map, passing you and getting passed by you.
"Some people tell their friends to download the app at the same time, and then they're motivated to keep up with each other," John says. "I want it to be a social experience."
Having thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail last year—physically, not virtually—I was intrigued when I first heard about the app. It's the latest example of technology finding a window into the world of thru-hiking, much like the navigation apps that many actual thru-hikers now rely on. I love the idea. Not everyone has the time, money, or ability to hike the Appalachian Trail, even if they like the idea of thru-hiking. Hiking virtually might not be as good as the real thing, but it's a lighthearted and easy way to connect with the trail and get a sense of how long it takes to hike 2,000 miles.
(Photo: Courtesy Walk the Distance)
"I went to school in Blacksburg, Virginia, which is basically right off the Appalachian Trail," says John, who has backpacked a few sections of the AT. "I really wanted to make an app for the people who have the inspiration or the dream to hike the whole trail." As users progress, they pass virtual signposts, which include shelters, scenic points, and trail-volunteer information. The first 150 miles are free, then it costs $3 to walk the rest of the way to the trail's northern terminus in Maine, Mount Katahdin.
For a person walking 10,000 steps a day, John calculated it would take an average of 440 days to hike the entire trail on Walk the Distance. That's more than twice as long as it would take most thru-hikers, and it doesn't take into account elevation change or a heavy pack. But it's still an impressive achievement, given that the average adult in the United States only walks about 5,000 steps per day. In 2020, John says, he wants to challenge people using his app to walk the entire trail within the calendar year, which would be slightly more than 12,000 steps a day.
But he isn't content with just the Appalachian Trail. His next coding project? The Pacific Crest Trail. Who knows, maybe one day you can become a virtual triple crowner.
from Outside Magazine: All https://ift.tt/35SBBn0
Labels: Outside Magazine: All


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Sounds of Summer
BIG NEWS! My Etsy shop is now officially open ! Please visit it at julierosesews.etsy.com.
Right now, I have three jumper-style sundresses for sale, and I hope to expand to include bags and more styles of dresses and tops soon. If you're interested in any of the items, but don't see it in your size, contact me either through etsy or in a comment, and I'll be happy to make you a custom listing.
I got home from my all-too-brief stay at Marissa's house on July 18th. So, the rest of this post will be primarily devoted to that visit!
The first thing we did was go see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I'd already heard that some significant changes had been made in the transition from the book to the movie, so I was prepared. But... eh, maybe I just love the books too much to see past them, but I thought that the translation to the screen was rather poorly done. Or, rather, to someone who hadn't read the books, it would be an fun, entertaining movie, with lots of action of both the dueling and kissing varieties. But Marissa and I concurred that for readers of the Harry Potter series, it was confusing as to why important things, like the origins of the various Horcruxes, and the whole mystery of who the Half-Blood Prince actually was, were given very little importance and screen-time, while scenes that did not occur in the book, and as far as I could tell had little to no relevance, like a dizzyingly-shot attack on the Burrow, were added. Overall, I would give it two and a half stars out of five.
More and more crochet has been creeping into my life! Well, not so much creeping as bashing down the door and throwing a party. In any event, I have been prolific. I joined Ravelry, an online knit and crochet community, and a pattern search turned up a super-pretty headband pattern from CreativeYarn. She has a lot of really cute patterns, I'm going to make the red bow beret pretty soon, too. But anyway, I took some yarn and this crochet pattern to Marissa's house with me, and made 5 during my stay. This was the first one I made, and I later made 2 in black (one of which went to Marissa), one in eggplant purple, and one in yellow. It was a really fun, easy pattern, and a good way to transition into making something other than amigurumi. I made them mostly while watching Marissa play video games, which sounds lame, but I really, really like watching people play them. I am terrible at anything that involves a lot of complicated button-pushing combinations myself, so I enjoy getting the experience of the game without requiring any skills in that area.
On Friday, my second day at Marissa's, we visited Knoebel's Amusement Park. It was incredibly fun! I'd never been there before, and I was very pleasantly surprised. There's no admission fee, just inexpensive tickets for rides. We went on the wooden roller coasters and water rides. There was much yelling and general hysteria. We also went in the Haunted Mansion. The plan was for both of us to yell ridiculous exclamations in our very convincing old lady voices.... however, one of us remembered what a complete baby she is about anything remotely scary and curled into a ball with her eyes closed and her hands over her ears from the moment we entered the ride to when we were outside again, and did not utter a sound the entire time. Here's a hint: it wasn't Marissa. The great thing about Knoebel's, though, is that it's a fairly small amusement park, so we were able to go in at 11:15 a.m., go on all the rides we wanted as many times as we wanted for about $13, and we were out by 2 p.m, and the longest line we waited in was maybe fifteen minutes. My personal favorite moment of the day was when we were riding this flume-type thing, except with less thrill-ride and more sit-in-a-boat-and-get-soaked, which was called the Sklooosh. It was our second time on it, and there were only two other kids with us in this, like, 12 person boat, and after we'd gone down the hill and been drenched, Marissa turned around to them and exclaimed, "Good Skloooshing!" We'll definitely be returning.
Saturday, was the day I was scheduled to go home. We had something very important to accomplish before we could leave, though! Namely... Lord of the Rings cupcakes. Marissa had wanted to make cupcakes before I came to visit, then she had the idea of having them be in an LotR theme, and how could I say no to something like that? Without further ado...
We got stuck in traffic on the way back to the town where I live (not to mention that we missed our exit twice), and therefore had to find a way to pass the time. For about half an hour, this consisted of playing Highway I Spy, where one of us would yell, "I spy something... GREEN!" The other would ask," Is it the GRASS?!" "YES!!!" And so on, about the sky, any car passing us, signs, the yellow lines on the highway... Marissa and I found this incredibly amusing; I think anyone else in the car would have killed us after about the first ten minutes. We did get bored eventually, though, and we needed a new game. So, it was time for the ever-popular "Kill, Marry, Shputz." No, the original last word is not 'shputz.' But neither of us are a big fan of the word it stands for, and... who could pass up the opportunity to say 'shputz' over and over? For those of you who don't know, this is a game where three individuals are chosen, and then the two players have to choose which of the people (in our case men... or at least males, as some of them did not actually exist) they would kill, which they would marry, and which they would.... shputz. Here are a few of the more amusing rounds of the game. The letters stand for each action.
Potentials Julie's Answer Marissa's Answer
William Shatner (now) M K
Howard Stern S S
Mr. Bean K M
Julius Caesar M K
Macbeth K M
Hamlet S S
Patrick Stewart M K
Link, from the Zelda games S S
That Creepy MSNBC Anchor K M
Construction worker next to the road K K
Abe Lincoln M M
Dwight Shrute S S
Interestingly, Marissa and I rarely chose the same marry/kill options, but nearly always had the same shputz choice. Hmm.
I think I'm going to try to start blogging every day, or every other day, so that I don't do these massive twice-a-month blogs. I still have crochet projects, sewing stuff, music reviews ,and general what's-going-on-in-my-life stuff, but it's going to wait until next time so this doesn't turn into an intimidatingly large entry. But, in case you want up to the minute information on my life, I've joined Twitter. I'm at http://twitter.com/julie_rose_sews. It's really exciting, I think today I tweeted about cat-sitting and having a peanut butter and jelly for lunch. But my background on my page is super-cute.
Next time: crochet projects, new etsy favorites, handmade dorm decor, and more!
Posted by Anonymous at 5:05 AM 2 comments:
Labels: crochet, food, geekery, hat, my etsy shop
What do we want? A BLOG POST!!!!! When do we want it?
NOWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!
I have fiiiinally found my camera! Success! Also, this is my first blog post made as a nineteen-year-old. Which segues very nicely into...
For my birthday, my parents got me lots of lovely things, including fabric, yarn, ballet flats, and two books, both by Ana Paula Rimoli: Amigurumi World: Super Cute Crochet and Amigurumi Two!: Crocheted Toys for Me and You and Baby Too. They are full of the cutest little creatures imaginable. One of my favorites is the 'Tiny Ami Bunny,' which I made in pink!
I also made lots of little foods, which went to the girl I babysit for her birthday, complete with a picnic blanket and basket.
The egg patterns are from Amigurumi World by Ana Paula Rimoli, The apple and corn are free patterns from Lionbrand.com, the pear is from here, and the cupcake is from here.
In other news, the garden is producing massive amounts of berries! There are wild blueberries growing up in out field, and inside the garden are black raspberries, red raspberries, and my favorite summer treat, golden raspberries. Mmmmmm.
What I Have Been Listening to Lately:
Bishop Allen: "Click, Click, Click, Click" and "Choose Again"
The Killers: "Losing Touch," "I Can't Stay," and "Human"
Paul and Storm: "Other Places Jimmy Hoffa Isn't"
The National: "Ada"
You know what I wish was sold? Extra tops for perfume bottles. I lose them constantly and then I can't take my perfume anywhere.
Speaking of perfume, I finally found one that I like almost as much as the Escada Moon Sparkle that's no longer being made. When Marissa came up to visit me, she sprayed a perfume and I thought I was going to die, it smelled so good. Naturally, I had to have it, and asked her what it was. It was..... *drumroll....* Love Spell, from Victoria's Secret. It has a sort of peachy top-note, and it mellows into a warm berry-vanilla smell. Yum. It does fade fairly quickly, since it's a body spray and not an eau de toilette, but at $9, you can afford to spray twice a day.
Love Spell Body Mist, $9, at Victoria's Secret stores or at victoriassecret.com.
I'm going to Marissa's house for a few days, and we will be going to Knoebel's amusement park. There is no knowing what kind of mischief we will get into.
I am not normally one to talk about how much I like a particular commercial, but I've been watching full episodes of shows on hgtv.com recently, and I really, really like the Blackberry commercial with U2. They managed to capture the energy of a concert really well. I mean, I would be pretty enthused if I got to be in the crowd for the filming of that, too. But... I just think it's a really well done commerical. I like it a lot.
I am now the proud wearer of the biggest hat in the world. It was a birthday present from my aunt and uncle, and I love it! It makes me feel like Strawberry Shortcake. It's from the Scala hat company. It's also offered in lots of other colors, for those who don't wish to be seen from space while sunbathing.
Off to Marissa's!
Posted by Anonymous at 12:16 AM 3 comments:
Labels: music, scent, stuff I#039;ve made


7/12/2016 · To reduce a round shaped face it is important to perform facial exercises. So you can slim your face and remove accumulated fat. Also facial gymnastics are exercises to improve your circulation.
18/01/2013 · it maybe just excess skin, i dropped 36 pounds to 154 5'10.. which this is good weight for this height. is there anyways to tighten facial skin without surgery or losing more weight?


Get Noticed Beach Volleyball was created to connect the amateur teams playing beach volleyball with the colleges who seek to recruit the top players in the sport. We are excited to see everyone recognize what is happening in the beach volleyball community and hope to contribute to everyone's success!
Drury-Pullen earns spot in beach volleyball JO's and wins silver division title at the Get Noticed Beach Volleyball Tournament in Huntington Beach.


text:
ruuhaaniia
Lotfi Bouchnak
Gianna Greco
Zoé Martinot
François R. Cambuzat
RUUHAANIIA : a Spriritual Blast from the most famous Arab singer and the most elusive artists from the Western World. Sufi incantations sparked by a certain Westerner electricity.
Lotfi Bouchnak, the most famous classic singer of the contemporary Arabic music breaks up all the doors.
The publication of the first video " Doua#1 " aroused in 9 hours an avalanche of hate from Metal fans & Islamic fundamentalists then a typhoon of supports coming from all the Muslim world, with more than 900.000 views between YouTube and Facebook and reactions from almost all of the Arabic medias.
LOTFI BOUCHNAK, from Tunisia. He is considered one of the best tenors in the Middle East, North Africa and the Arab world. Constantly called in concerts all over the world, his reputation guarantees him venues always fuels, and this in Moslem countries as well in West where local arabic communities reserve him an enthusiastic welcome. Lotfi Bouchnak is also Ambassador of the Peace at the UN for his actions during the war in Bosnia and was granted Best Arab Singer in 1997 in Washington DC. He also received among others the Prize of the Institute of the Arab World in Paris as well as the Prize of the Opera of Cairo. Bouchnak has been one of few artists to have regular shows in the Cairo Opera House since 1992.
FRANÇOIS R. CAMBUZAT, from Phrance, released about 19 albums and performed over 4000 concerts all over the planet. From Avant (L'Enfance Rouge, Putan Club) to Shamanism (Xinjiang, taklamakan & Karakoram), flamenco or Adorcist Rituals (Ifriqiyya Electrique), from Europe to Caucasus or Sahara. Not belonging to any Church (cultural or whatever), he works and created at present diverse projects with Lotfi Bouchnak (TN), Lydia Lunch (USA), Eugene S . Robinson (USA) and Denis Lavant ( F ). And love to be somewhere else, absolutely NOT were YOU are.
GIANNA GRECO, from Eetalee. A merry disgust for the two-headed Hydra of a society, a parasitic system founded for the benefit of a privileged class on one side, and on the other the male prerogative which declared one half of humanity free and autonomous while reducing the other half to slavery. A one-sex society. A man's world. The triple nature of female slavery: ignorance, capitalism, and men. More than 600 concerts in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Gianna now lives between Pamir, France and Argentina, and continues to follow only that which gives her a thrill. Founded the Putan Club, a cell for artistic activism founded on ideals of revolutionary feminism. Trance, Dance and Defiance.
Video Doua #1
Management & booking: Thijs Vandewalle


text:
Texila Talk Series: Guyana Health Care System and the Impact of COVID-19
On November 18, 2020, Texila American University conducted a webinar on the topic "Guyana Health Care System and the Impact of COVID-19." Dr. Deeraj Bansal, Dean of College of Medicine, TAU, hosted the event. Prof. Dr. PremMisirtook part as a speaker and shared valuable insights on various aspects of COVID-19's impact in Guyana. Dr. Misiris a tenured medical professional and a scholar serving in various academic boards as Pro-Vice-Chancellor, SI Campus, and Professor and Head of School of Public Health at the University of the South Pacific.
Dr. Misir explained to the participants about medical professionals' understanding of the transmission of the virus, testing methods, and how medical professionals handled asymptomatic patients.
He also pointed out the Guyanese healthcare's response to the virus and its shortcomings in containing the virus during its initial stages. The conversation also shed light on the transmission rates and how it varies from country to country. Dr. Misir also educated the audience on how unique strategies would benefit countries in managing the virus' spread and why we should change our one-size-fits-all approach with COVID-19.
Lately, the World Health Organization had set a benchmark for adequate testing that could helpnations bring down the spread. Dr. Misir introduceda concept of the primary reproduction number known as R0 (pronounced "R-Naught") used to gauge contagious infections and how this value could tailor our approach to setting appropriate limits and goals on testing and prevention in Guyana.
The webinar session was concluded with a questionnaire session where participants raised exciting questions on improving testing procedures and advancing preventive measures to keep the spread in check. Overall, the webinar had provided the participants with some insightful information on COVID-19 and its impact in Guyana.
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text:
Silenced in the mall, Border Patrol takes its next piece of art to the cemetery
The art collective will host a performance about death at Highland Memorial on Saturday.
By Bob KeyesStaff Writer
After a controversial photo installation was removed from the Maine Mall, the Portland-based art collective Border Patrol hopes its next piece will be more permanent.
On Saturday, Border Patrol will host an art performance, "Funeral for the Ocean," at Highland Memorial Cemetery in South Portland that involves the placement of a granite slab inscribed with a fragment of an untitled poem by Chicago poet Imani Elizabeth Jackson.
A fragment of a poem by Imani Elizabeth Jackson is on a granite slab that's at the center of Border Patrol's performance art piece. Photo by Sean D. Henry-Smith, courtesy of Border Patrol
"We are hoping this will be a permanent thing that stays on because we bought the plot," said Elizabeth Spavento, co-director of Border Patrol. "We see it as a permanent public memorial."
Saturday's performance begins at 6 p.m. at the cemetery at 881 Highland Ave. Jackson has written a poem as part of an ongoing, unpublished set of poems contending with the middle passage, slavery and the entangled relationship of the Atlantic Ocean with enslavement.
The artists Vanessa Anspaugh and Asher Woodworth will create a performance piece based around funeral ritual and processions.
"Funeral for the Ocean" is part of a larger Border Patrol project called "R.I.P." that explores death and dying. The work is funded by a grant from the Rockland-based Ellis-Beauregard Foundation.
Border Patrol, based in the State Theatre building, wanted to take its work into public spaces for this project. Over five months beginning in June, Border Patrol bought advertising space in kiosks at the Maine Mall, where it featured photos by a different artist every month, exploring themes of extinction, loss, ceremony and grief. The last one, by the New York artist Lizania Cruz, was removed after a few days.
Her installation involved photographs of flowers common in Mexico, along with a message for the president: "Let him rot!"
A few days after the installation went up in early September, Spavento got an email from the Florida-based company, Smartlite, that handles advertising in the mall, saying that Cruz's artwork drew complaints. "We were asked to remove the poster. Mall management prefers to stay away from politics, and Smartlite must honor their request," a Smartlite representative wrote to Spavento.
Border Patrol didn't have much recourse, Spavento said. Its contract with Smartlite allows the company to remove any image for any reason.
"We knew it might be a problem and we assumed it would come down," Spavento said. "But we hoped it would be up for more than a few days."
She worries that an art collective being silenced at the mall might be part of a larger trend of eroding civil liberties across the culture. "It seems pretty symbolic of this larger thing happening in our country right now," she said.
Neither mall management nor a Smartlite representative returned messages seeking comment.
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In the end of September, British street artist, Banksy, announced Better Out Than In. Staying true to where he is coming from, this current project is about art in the streets. So instead of showing his works at a gallery – and there are surely all doors are open to him – Banksy uses the urban environment for his exhibition. For Better Out Than In, Banksy has chosen to play at New York neighborhoods. Ever since he kicked his project off on October 1st, there has been one new artwork, video or performance each day.
Yesterday, he set up a stall in the park selling 100% authentic original signed Banksy canvases for $60 each. Nobody payed attention to it. And only some few people who came by accidentally and needed something "for their walls", bought a piece. The total intake has ran up to $420.


THE CANS THE CANNOTS AND THE SHOULDN'T EVEN TRYS!
There's certainly no doubt that life with all its little vicissitudes, might be an altogether smoother running exercise if phone callers would only leave their name at decipherable speed, spell out anything more complicated than Smith and leave a considerate pause whilst you jot.
However, I usually find whilst am still furrow-browed over the name – is that their's or their company's? – they're hitting me hard and at speed with the vast variety of numbers on which I can call them back, if only I could write them down in time.
And of course that's just landlines, mobiles are a different ball game altogether. And yes, I hear you. I know my iphone can do more clever things in a minute than I can do in an hour. I know it knows who called last, has stored their message somewhere and probably even, to pass the time, given them their own special little ring-tone so I'll know who they are if they call again. Does this help me – does it heck!
This world's split into two sorts. Those who run headlong into the arms of technology with little moans of pleasure, embracing each new innovation with fevered fervor – let's call them the Cans. And there are those who don't – let's label them the Cannots.
Cans have their mobile or blackberry no less than 2 inches away from their right hand at any given moment, night or day. They are always poised and quivering, alert to the next beep, burp or ping signifying an email, a text, a reminder and yes, even possibly a phone call. They will, when it sounds, respond instantly – think Gary Cooper, High Noon.
Cannots (and I'm guessing you've sussed where I am on this) never really expect their phone to go off in the first place and tend initially to think that attractive little tune they're hearing is something on the radio. This leads to a short time lapse before they make a belated lunge for their handbag or briefcase. Unfortunately by the time they've located the wretchedly teeny weeny object, wedged securely between make-up bag and cheque book and tangled up in spare pair of tights, they'll of course have missed the call. Should they then by some miracle be able to locate any message left, it will have almost certainly have been left by someone apparently speaking in tongues and at great speed. Which rather brings me back to where I started.
So just a short appeal on behalf of the Cannots. Remember we're different – not better, not worse, just different. And if you're a Can and you come across a hot, flustered and frustrated Cannot be gentle not patronising, kind, not cruel and for pity's sake SHOW ME WHICH RUDDY BUTTON TO PRESS!
RAPUNZEL, RAPUNZEL – YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO!


text:
Flattered and Scared
By Josh Board, Nov. 3, 2005
I attended a party that Jamison, a hairstylist, hosted at the Abbey Cafe in Hillcrest. I asked Jamison about his name, and he joked about his mother being drunk on Jameson Irish Whiskey when he was conceived. He told me there is an actor with the same name. Jamison introduced me to several of his friends and told me that Rob Halford, the Judas Priest singer and Hillcrest resident, might show up. When Jamison introduced me to his cousin, I asked her about the tattoo she had on her breast. She was happy to tell me about it and talked for half an hour. She was interesting, but her friend was quiet. I find that people who talk a lot tend to hang out with people who are quiet -- it's a perfect match.
A friend of Jamison's came down from Northern California to attend his party. His friend told me that she's seeing a guy in San Diego, but that the long-distance relationship is almost over. She was wearing a black outfit that showed her back, and most of her front. She was a Lara Flynn Boyle type (but one who's had a sandwich).
A waiter was coming around with appetizers. I told him that he reminded me of Andy Warhol. He said, "I always hear that." As we were devouring chicken wraps, a woman gestured to the pile of gifts and said, "Everyone is putting their presents on that table, and the ribbons keep falling into the candles."
I met a dentist who owned a restaurant in Hillcrest. When Jamison passed by, the dentist said to him, "Where are all the women? I'm a straight guy, you know." He told me several dentist office stories, while his business partner didn't say a word during the hour that I sat there. (Another talker and quiet guy match.)
I listened as two older guys and a woman in a tight leopard skin outfit spoke German. Turned out the woman spoke several languages. She told me that she had grown up in Turkey and learned how to speak Italian and German from the years she spent modeling in Italy and Germany. I told her that I thought she looked like Sophia Loren with shorter hair. "Are you trying to hit on me?" she asked. She said that she worked at a restaurant nearby and asked me if I'd like to go there for dinner. I said, "Yeah, maybe I'll stop in sometime." She said, "No. I mean now."
We left the Abbey Cafe and walked down University. After dinner I told her that I had to leave to attend another party. She got upset and said, "Why would you take a woman to dinner when you have other plans for the evening? That is rude." I agreed and decided to skip the next party.
We headed downtown to the Gaslamp where she had a few drinks and asked me, "Are you some kind of faggot?" I said, "Excuse me?" She explained that because I was at Jamison's party, she assumed I was gay. She told me I was acting gay and I laughed, "I'm not even sure what that means." She grabbed me and said in her broken English (imagine Zsa Zsa Gabor), "This will prove if you are straight," and she leaned in and kissed me. I'm not sure what that proved but I didn't complain.
She proceeded to get drunk and embarrassing. A person walked by selling flowers, and she harangued the woman about how much she was charging for a single rose. When I told her it was time I drove her home, she asked me if we could see each other again. She asked me if I would teach her how to drive. I told her that I wasn't sure, and she started crying. This flattered and scared me, but she said she was upset because her sister needed a kidney transplant. Maybe she told me hoping I'd be the donor. She said she had a headache, so I was able to drop her off and head to my next party.
It was at a place called Flinn Springs Inn in Lakeside. It's a country and western place, but the DJ was playing hip-hop. The party was on the back patio. Megan, the woman who invited me, was talking to a friend named Laura when I arrived. Laura was upset about a boyfriend who broke up with her. "He told me I was too heavy. He's six feet tall, weighs 278, and he's calling me fat." She didn't look fat to me. Laura told us, "He cheated on me with his old girlfriend." "You're better off without him," I said.
I met a guy named Jono who was moving to Texas. He said something about having a house there, and that he was going to put a horseshoe pit in. When Megan suggested that he share some of his funny stories, Jono said, "I better drink another beer first." While Jono went for his beer, I had time to grab a piece of birthday cake, which I had to eat with a knife because they ran out of forks during dinner.
Jono told me about getting his skull crushed in a bicycle accident, about being arrested in Barstow for tipping over cows, and about his time as a drug dealer. Jono told me that he used to sell everything: "acid, cocaine, heroin, pot." Dealing drugs never got him into trouble, but he recently got hauled in for an open beer at the beach.
When Jono ran out of stories and the party crowd went into the bar to dance, I prepared to leave. There were cop cars in front of the club. I thought of Jono's recent trouble and was relieved I hadn't had a drink.
Crash your party? Call 619-235-3000 x421 and leave an invitation for Josh Board.
More stories by Josh Board
Boards and Bones — Sept. 6, 2007
Party Hoppers — Aug. 30, 2007
Broken Bones — April 26, 2007
Three Slushees, Two Pools, One Old Lady — June 1, 2006
Multicultural Mixers — April 6, 2006


We hear plenty about Galileo (Ire), and rightly so. He is the stallion of our generation whose influence will be discussed by pedigree aficionados for decades, if not centuries, to come. For as much as I'm glad to be alive and writing about breeding under his reign, I've long harboured a preference for Galileo's erstwhile stablemate Montjeu (Ire), who was lost to us almost five years ago.
My grandchildren will tell you I'm "old" but next to the subject of this note, I'm still in the kindergarden. By my reckoning, Des Scott will be 90 next birthday. He was a junior at Durban High School in 1940, my father's last year, which calls for some respect. Des earned that a long time ago though, through his dexterity as a businessman and in our game, as an exemplary owner of racehorses. This weekend, he achieved a new milestone as the breeder of an English Group One winner, Rivet, who catapulted himself into contention for the juvenile colts' championship with a knock-out blow in the season-ending Racing Post Trophy (Gr.1).
You've heard us say before that the stallion barn is the soul of Summerhill. The Gosses have been chasing stallions for the best part of a century now, and in many respects our lives on the turf have been shaped by them. As a family, our first real taste of the potency of a stallion's influence came courtesy of Teddy's grandson, Asbestos II, sire of my grandfather's diminutive Durban July hero, St Pauls, yet it wasn't until almost four decades later that Northern Guest was destined to launch a veritable nation.
People waste countless hours debating whether thoroughbred racing is a sport or a form of gambling, when the answer is simple: it's both. Without wagering, the economic fuel behind the racing game, the raising of horses would be the preserve of wealthy eccentrics, as if they were breeding champion orchids or poodles. Without the emotional impact the sport has on gambling, racing would be little more compelling than jai-alai or slot machines, just another form of generating numbers and payoffs.
Underlying the dominance wherever it rests in our sport, is generally a matter of the locality of the great stallions, and right now the reigns of the Sadler's Wells tribe through Galileo, Montjeu, High Chaparral and now Frankel, as well as Danehill and Dubawi have anchored the crown firmly within the island nations of Ireland and England, in that order.
Ogden Mills Phipps, known to everyone in the horse racing world as "Dinny," died April 6 at New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City after a long illness. He was 75.
You couldn't have drawn it up any better. Champion Nyquist (Uncle Mo) with the lead as they turn for home. Fellow unbeaten Mohaymen (Tapit) breathing down his neck on the outside... But that's where the dream GI Xpressbet.com Florida Derby showdown came to an end.


text:
Trump bemoans U.S. immigration laws: 'You have to have Perry Mason involved'
Business_Finance
President Donald Trump speaks at a Make America Great Again rally Saturday, April 27, 2019, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer) more >
By Tom Howell Jr. - The Washington Times - Sunday, April 28, 2019
President Trump on Sunday again bemoaned the state of immigration laws in the U.S., saying it's too easy for illegal migrants to leverage the courts and loopholes to remain as family units.
"You have to have Perry Mason involved," Mr. Trump told Fox News' Maria Bartiromo.
Mr. Trump said he wants Congress to "get off their ass" and reform asylum laws, as many migrants count on the lengthy legal delays to give them a chance to disappear into the shadows as illegal immigrants.
"It's like pulling teeth dealing with the Democrats," he said.
Mr. Trump said at the same time, he'd like to help people enter the country legally based on merit and use his promised border barrier to keep out illegal border crossers.
"The wall is going to be great, it's going to be top of the line," he said.
Fox News flashed a graphic showing more than 400,000 apprehensions at the border in fiscal 2019 as of April, already exceeding the roughly 396,000 in all of fiscal year 2018.
The number of apprehensions is deemed to be a yardstick for the overall flow of illegal immigrants, so an increase suggests more people are probably getting through, too.
And unlike in previous years, when illegal immigrants were mostly from Mexico, were arrested and quickly shipped back across the border, the new flow of people is mostly children and families from Central America, who take advantage of loopholes in U.S. policy to avoid deportation.
"This is something that's a relatively new phenomenon for us," Aaron Hull, the El Paso sector chief for U.S. Border Patrol, told Fox.
Mr. Hull said many of them are looking for a better life in the U.S., rather than fleeing harm.
"They don't indicate fear of return," he said. "They indicate they want better opportunity."
• Stephen Dinan contributed to this report.