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Odisha: a home for abundant natural life, wildlife sanctuaries and beautiful monuments.
Odisha has multi tourist attractions ranging from the beautiful monuments to the craftsmanship of artistic excellence. Each of these Monuments has a significance in the history of Odisha. Some of these monuments are in a derelict condition as the ravages of time leaves nothing untouched.
Most of the monuments in Odisha that remain today are large temple complexes dedicated to a presiding deity, with the construction of the temple parts likened to a human body. The monuments in Odisha provided for worshippers in a separate square shaped porch called the "jagamohana" to congregate and await their turn to pay their respects to the deity.
Many of these Monuments in Orissa are archeological finds that have been unearthed. Some bear testimony to Buddhist influence while others tell of Jain influences. Some of the most frequented Monuments in Orissa are:
BUDDHIST MONUMENTS
Dhauli Hills
Dhauli is famous for the edicts related to Buddhism that were composed from the Brahmi script and used Prakrit language. One can spot a series of rock cut monuments on this hill. Numerous artifacts tell us about the urban settlement at this place in the 3rd century B.C. One finds the image of intricately carved elephant and close to this elephant, you have a stupa.
An enormous temple in Dhauli is the Dhavaleswar Temple, which is much frequented by the visitors. In addition to this, you have the Bahirangeswar Temple, Siva Temple as well as the Ganesha Temple that together add to the religious aspect of this place.
Moreover, Dhauli also has another attraction named as the Shanti Stupa whose foundation was laid by the Japan Buddhist Sangha. Therefore, Dhauli is a worth visiting place by the diehard devotees of Lord Buddha.
Lalitgiri
Lalitgiri is a major center of Buddhism hemmed between the Parabhadi and Landa sandstone hills in the standalone Assian hill range. It is situated in the Mahanga Tahsil in Cuttack district.
The site about 3 km south of Bandareswar village was first excavated in 1985.Large architectural remains including a 20-m-high apsidal temple have been found together with sculptures and decorated door jambs. A stone platform with inscriptions dates this site closer to the second century although Kushana Brahmi inscriptions on an underlying brick stupa suggest Buddhist occupation around the first century BC. Three caskets were also found, two of which contained stone, silver and gold caskets with preserved relics inside. The caretaker will open the small museum. There is a stone-carvers' village at the base of Lalitgiri which traces its connections back to ancient times and produces excellent sculpture.
Puspagiri
Puspagiri, situated atop Langudi hills of Odisha, was an ancient Buddhist Mahavihara established in 3rd century AD. It flourished in this region till 11th century AD. Langudi hills are spread across Cuttack and Jajpur districts of the state.
Exquisite sculptures and beautiful architecture of the Gupta dynasty adorn these structures. The campus stands in a picturesque landscape whose beauty is further augmented by Kelua River, a tributary of the Brahmani River which flows along north east of Langudi hills. Puphagiri was considered as one of the primary institutions of higher education in ancient India and was often ranked with Takshila, Vikramshila and Nalanda.
Exploring the most religious and paramount Buddhist sculptures, especially around the hills of Odisha gives you a true experience of peace of mind and soul that every Buddhist follower wishes to visit. Yes, the famous place is Ratnagiri of Jajpur , one of the famous destinations on the Buddhist Tour in Odisha. However, the history of Ratnagiri is also related to Gupta Dynasty. Talking more about Ratnagiri, it has been of historical and religious significance that makes it an ideal destination to explore. The small yet religious town in Jajpur District is known for a huge monastery that relates to Mahayana Sect along with famous kings like Ashoka and others from the Gupta Dynasty. Apart from its strong historical backgroung, Ratnagiri is also known for the flow of main rivers of Odisha known as Mahanadi, Brahmani, Kimiria and Birupa.
Along with enjoying the beauty of these major rivers of Odisha you can find wide range of different tourist attractions in and around Ratnagiri that keeps in account the places like Dhaulagiri, Lalitgiri, Udayagiri and many more. Ratnagiri tourism is also known for Buddhism of the Tantric cult that is popularly known as Vajrayana.
Padmapur
The village of Padmapur in the district of Rayagada is a flourishing agricultural centre today. However, a 7th century inscription found here indicates that the Jagamanda hill, located closeby, once housed the monastery of the famous Buddhist logician-philosopher Dharmakirti. The hill also has 5 Shiva temples dedicated to Manikeswar, Dhabaleswar, Mallikeswar, Nilakantheswar and Podukeswar as well as a perennial water reservoir at the top.
Buddhist Heritage
A large number of Vajrayana or Tantric Buddhist images and figurines found in Odisha suggest that this form of Buddhism found a fertile growing ground in Odisha.
Apart from the Buddha figures, the other important feature of Buddhist plastic art in Odisha is the representation of Boddhisattva Avalokiteswara in his different forms such as Padmapani, Lokeswara, Vajrapani etc. We also find sculptures of Tara, Manjusri, Amoghasiddhi etc. in this period. A Lokeswara image found at Bhubaneswar, Amoghasiddhi near Phulbani, Buddha in Bhumi-sparsa mudra from Khadipada, and Avalokiteswara Padmapani in standing pose from Khadipada are displayed at the Odisha State Museum in Bhubaneswar. Most of these Buddhist sculptures are very big in dimension. The museum at Lalitgiri preserves colossal Boddhisattva figures in it. Many more such figures are located at nearby Udayagiri and Ratnagiri.
Vajrayana Sculptures
We have a large number of Vajrayana sculptures at Ratnagiri. These are different forms of Avalokiteswara, Manjusri, Heruka, Jambhala, Kurukulla, Mahakala, Vajrasattva, Aparchana, Vajrapani, Tara, Aparajita, Marichi, Arya Saraswati, Vajra Tara, etc.
Other important sculptures are the Tara figures of Solampur, the three Vajrasattva figures along with a Buddha image from Haripur, Prajnaparamita from Banesvaranasi, Tara image at Banpur, a Maitreyi image at Natara near Kendupatna, Avalokiteswara, Padmapani and Yamantaka images at Kuruma, Marichi and Vajravarahi at Ayodhya, Buddha from Khiching and Buddha figures of Ganiapalli. It is interesting to note that the back slab of a Buddha image at Solampur contains the story of Buddha, from his birth to nirvana.
JAIN MONUMENTS
Udayagiri & Khandagiri Caves
One of the earliest groups of Jain rock-cut shelters, the caves of Udayagiri and Khandagiri command a unique position in the field of history, rock-cut architecture, art and religion. The two hills rise abruptly from the coastal plain, about six km west of Bhubaneswar, separated by a highway.
Called lena, in the inscriptions, the caves of Udayagiri and Khandagin are essentially dwelling retreats or cells of the Jain ascetics, opening directly into the verandah or the open space in front. Mostly excavated near the top of the ledge or boulder, they simply provided dry shelter for meditation and prayer, with very little amenities even for small comforts. The height being too low, does not allow a man to stand erect.
Each cell was tenanted by several monks. The cells are austerely plain, but their facades are encrusted with sculptures depicting auspicious objects worshipped by Jains, court scenes, royal processions, hunting expeditions and scenes of daily life. The austere later additions, when Jainism no longer enjoyed royal patronage in this part, show 24 Jain tirthankars. At present, all the important caves have been numbered for to avoid confusion in nomenclature.
The famous Rani Gumpha ('Queen's Cave'), also on Udaygiri, has upper and lower stories, a spacious courtyard, and elaborate sculptural friezes. The carvings show popular legends, historical scenes, and religious functions, as well as many dancers. The style seems quite well-developed, and of a singular grace and liveliness.
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Webit
Webit News
Webit Virtual – The Thought Leadership Network
Come to Webit.Festival and see the latest advancements in AI
Three of the top speakers at Webit's AI Summit - Christoph Auer-Welsbach, Mark Val and Vitaliy Goncharuk.
Last year was full of AI technology advancements, but in 2017 experts and big players in this innovative field expect even more.
Probably the biggest success was the historic victory of AlphaGo over one of the best Go players in history Lee Sedol. This was the factual presentation to the world of the positives, that the process called deep reinforcement learning can bring.
"Reinforcement learning takes inspiration from the ways that animals learn how certain behaviors tend to result in a positive or negative outcome. Using this approach, a computer can, say, figure out how to navigate a maze by trial and error and then associate the positive outcome—exiting the maze—with the actions that led up to it. This lets a machine learn without instruction or even explicit examples", explained the senior editor at MIT Technology Review Will Knight.
In 2017, we are likely to see attempts to apply reinforcement learning to problems such as automated driving and industrial robotics. If the outcome is positive, this could completely change transport and manufacturing.
At this year's Webit.Festival Europe you can listen to some of the top experts in the world of artificial intelligence and machine learning. During the AI Summit they will share their expectations about the development of this amazing field of science and technology.
The Partner at IBM Ventures Christoph Auer-Welsbach will speak about Deep Tech and AI and will share the best practices for high-growth startups on going from tested idea to scalable company. He will advise the audience how to apply artificial intelligence techniques in products and business.
ARX's Founder and CEO Mark Val will explain how augmented reality and artificial intelligence are transforming remote collaboration and are creating a profound sense of presence and interaction between remote teams. In his speech he will share how transition is currently happening and the impact of it.
The Director of Strategic and International Development at Wolfram Research Conrad Wolfram will give his recipe for fixing current education through artificial intelligence. He is recognized as a world authority on fixing maths education, including advocating a fundamental shift to focus on computer-based computational thinking rather than hand calculation.
IBM's Vice President for Cloud and Mobile Technology Jonas Jacobi will tell us what we can learn from AI, Cloud Computing and IoE and will help us realize the power of the combination of these new technologies.
The CEO and Founder of Augmented Pixels Vitaliy Goncharuk will talk about the development of augmented reality and the connection between it and the progress in the field of artificial intelligence.
Meanwhile, the Chief Software Architect of Google's Quantum Artificial Intelligence Lab Vasil Denchev will explain the primary mission of artificial intelligence – to build good models of the world around us and automatically make accurate predictions for various task of practical importance.
Here you can see a full list of the confirmed speakers at Webit.Festival, while here you can get all the information you need about the tickets for the event.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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A Glass of milk
null | 14 Feb 2015 3:42 PM GMT
There was a poor boy living in the city. He made a living by selling various objects door to door, to pay for his school. He was very hungry and felt he couldn't walk even a few steps. He decided to ask for food at a house.
He knocked the door and was stunned to see a beautiful young girl at the door step. With so much hesitation, in spite of his hunger, he asked the girl to offer a glass of water. The young girl understood his hunger through his eyes and offered him milk in a huge glass.
With astonished look he drank the milk very slowly. And asked how much I owe you for this milk? The girl replied 'I don't accept anything for kindness.' With big smile in his face, the boy thanked the girl from the bottom of his heart and left the place. Years passed by.
The young girl fell ill and was diagnosed with the rarest kind of nervous condition, which was a complicated condition to treat. While many experienced doctors baffled at her condition, she was taken to a big hospital to study about her condition.
Dr Kevin, a renowned specialist was called in by the hospital to examine her. He gave a visit to the hospital where she was admitted to learn about the rare condition. As he entered her room, Dr Kevin immediately identified who that woman was! With all his efforts and knowledge, Dr Kevin battled hardly with the disease for weeks and months.
At last, he won over the disease and the woman was completely cured. Everyone praised the doctor, while the woman was quite afraid about the hospital bill as she could not afford to pay. Dr Kevin asked the hospital to send the bill to him as he would add his charges.
After receiving the hospital bill, he wrote a note and sent it to her. With lots of fear, she opened the bill and had no idea how much she was charged. Her eyes filled with tears and happiness once she opened the bill. She found the bill cancelled and that was not the reason for her happiness. She saw the note written by Dr Kevin - "Bill Paid years ago with a glass of milk.
Glass Milk
Good For Health


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Dynamic pages
Ireland's Only Dinosaurs Discovered in Antrim
Scientists laud 200-million-year-old fossil find. Confirmed by University of Portsmouth and Queen's University Belfast, led by National Museums NI.
The only dinosaur bones ever found on the island of Ireland have been formally confirmed for the first time by a team of experts from the University of Portsmouth and Queen's University Belfast, led by Dr Mike Simms, a curator and palaeontologist at National Museums NI.
The two fossil bones were found by the late Roger Byrne, a schoolteacher and fossil collector, who donated them along with many other fossils to Ulster Museum. Analysis has confirmed they are from early Jurassic rocks found in Islandmagee, on the east coast of County Antrim.
Ulster Museum has announced plans to put them on display when it reopens after the latest rounds of restrictions are lifted.
Dr Simms, National Museums NI, said: "This is a hugely significant discovery. The great rarity of such fossils here is because most of Ireland's rocks are the wrong age for dinosaurs, either too old or too young, making it nearly impossible to confirm dinosaurs existed on these shores. The two dinosaur fossils that Roger Byrne found were perhaps swept out to sea, alive or dead, sinking to the Jurassic seabed where they were buried and fossilised."
The article, published in the Proceedings of the Geologists' Association, is part of a larger project to document Jurassic rocks in Northern Ireland and draws on many fossils in Ulster Museum's collections.
Originally it was assumed the fossils were from the same animal, but the team were surprised to discover that they were from two completely different dinosaurs. The study, employing the latest available technology, identified the type of dinosaur from which each came. One is part of a femur (upper leg bone) of a four-legged plant-eater called Scelidosaurus. The other is part of the tibia (lower leg bone) of a two-legged meat-eater similar to Sarcosaurus.
The University of Portsmouth team, researcher Robert Smyth, originally from Ballymoney, and Professor David Martill, used high-resolution 3D digital models of the fossils, produced by Dr Patrick Collins of Queen's University Belfast, in their analysis of the bone fragments.
Robert Smyth said: "Analysing the shape and internal structure of the bones, we realised that they belonged to two very different animals. One is very dense and robust, typical of an armoured plant-eater. The other is slender, with thin bone walls and characteristics found only in fast-moving two-legged predatory dinosaurs called theropods."
"Despite being fragmentary, these fossils provide valuable insight on a very important period in dinosaur evolution, about 200 million years ago. It's at this time that dinosaurs really start to dominate the world's terrestrial ecosystems."
Professor Martill said: "Scelidosaurus keeps on turning up in marine strata, and I am beginning to think that it may have been a coastal animal, perhaps even eating seaweed like marine iguanas do today."


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Imperial Palace areaParks & Playgrounds
Parks & Playgrounds Sceneries
History of Hibiya Park
Resting just by the southern end of the Imperial Palace is Hibiya Park, Japan's oldest western-style park. Built in 1903, Hibiya Park has been a long-time favorite amongst locals as a haven of greenery and relaxation within the busy city surroundings. The flower gardens are embellished with vibrant blossoms in the spring, and gingko trees radiate a rich gold in the autumn. Hibiya Park provides Tokyo with flair and elegance all throughout the year.
During the early Edo Period (1603 – 1868), the Hibiya Park area was a fishing village near the ocean. The land eventually fell in the hands of a feudal lord's family. As the feudal Edo era came to an end, the land was put back into the control of the imperial government. The land then served as the drill ground for the imperial military, and later became known as the "Hibiya Drill Grounds".
Later in the Meiji Era, buildings began to construct around the drill ground. The drill ground area was then deemed unsuited for military use, and a new drill ground was constructed in the Aoyama area. After the drill ground's big move, it was decided that a park was to be built in the former Hibiya Drill Grounds area, with architect Honda Seiroku as the planner and designer. The park completed in 1903 as the first western themed park in Japan.
Within the Park
Fountain / Second Flower Garden
The largest fountain in Hibiya Park
The largest fountain and the flower garden in the center of the park serves as the main recreational spot of the premises and are often featured in the media. The fountain operates every 28 minutes; with 24 varieties of fountaining patterns between 8a.m. and 9p.m. Lights illuminate the fountain at night, making it an extra beautiful sight.
First Flower Garden / Pelican Fountain
Pelican Fountain
The first flower garden exists from the park's opening days in 1903, and is a western style garden. The pelican fountain within the garden is another symbol of the park, and can be seen in scenes from Japanese dramas.
Hibiya Mitsuke / Shinji Pond
Hibiya Mitsuke ruins
Hibiya Mitsuke is the remains of the Hibiya Approach or front gate of the Edo Castle. The approach was made of stone, and a moat surrounded it to protect the Edo Castle.
Shinji Pond
A part of the moat is preserved, and is named Shinji Pond.
Gingko Road / "Risky Gingko Tree"
Gingko trees in Hibiya Park
The S shaped road with gingko trees lined up on both sides has been at the park since 1903, its opening year. The particularly famous cherished gingko, called the Risky Gingko Tree, earns its name from when architect Honda Seiroku claimed he would risk his life in order to re-plant this particular gingko from the streets to the park. The gingko tree was originally planted on a street near the park, and Honda desperately worked to move it into the park.
Cloud Shaped Lake / Crane Fountain
Crane Fountain in the Cloud Shaped Lake
The Crane Fountain, located in the Cloud Shaped Lake, is the third oldest park fountain in Japan. This area is especially stunning during the cherry blossom, gingko and fall foliage seasons.
Seagull Square
Built in 1984, the Seagull Square was originally a part of the Tokyo District Court. The square now houses trees from every prefecture in Japan, and the fountain is inspired by Tokyo's official bird, the seagull.
Statues and Monuments
Jose Rizal statue
【Statue of Lupa Romana - ルーパ・ロマーナ像】
The Statue of Lupa Romana was gifted by the Italian embassy in 1938. The statue portrays a scene from the myth of the founding of Rome.
【Ancient Scandinavian Stone - 古代スカンジナビア像】
This large tablet, laying near the pond, is a gift from Scandinavian Airlines. The writings on the tablet are in an ancient Nordic language.
【Antarctic Stone - 南極の石】
In 1996, this stone was donated to Hibiya Park. After the Icebreaker Fuji came back from its journey, it brought back this 150 kg stone from Ongul Island in Antarctica.
【Joze Rizal Statue (pictured above)】
Joze Rizal, a key figure in the Philippines' independence movement, is celebrated with this statue. In 1888, when Rizal visited Japan, he stayed in a hotel near the current Hibiya Crossing. To commemorate his visit and life, this statue was built in 1961.
Hibiya Park hosts a myriad of events every year. The best way to check is to look online for details of the monthly events. Here are some examples of the events held at Hibiya Park:
Some of Hibiya Park's most popular events are the international festivals. The international festivals introduce a country's culture and cuisine during a span of usually two days, and are always crowded with people enthusiastic about trying a taste of a new culture. Some of the events include the Thai Food Festival, Oktoberfest, Africa Festival and Philippines Festival, with the list growing every year. There is no entry fee, but you must pay at each booth or food stand when buying something.
A healing space within the busy business town
Regardless of being placed in the center of Tokyo's busiest business areas, Hibiya Park is filled with gorgeous nature, sports centers, libraries and more! It is a perfect spot to take a breath during your busy day. The park is also beautiful during all seasons, and has accommodating events throughout the year.
Nearest stations: Tokyo Metro Hibiya Station (Hibiya Line; Chiyoda Line) and Toei Hibiya Station (Toei Mita Line)
From Shinjuku Station 新宿駅
【Shinjuku Sta.】Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line / for Ikebukuro
→【Kasumigaseki Sta.】Exit B2 → connects directly to the park entrance
From Tokyo Station 東京駅
【Tokyo Sta.】Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line / for Ogikubo
From Narita Airport 成田空港
【Narita Airport Sta.】Tokyo Shuttle / for Shinonome-shako
→【Tokyo Sta.】Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line / for Ogikubo
From Haneda Airport 羽田空港
【Haneda Airport Sta.】Keikyu Airport Line Limited Express / for Narita Airport
→【Mita Sta.】Toei Mita Line / for Nishi-Takashimadaira
→【Hibiya Sta.】from Exit A10 or A14 → connects directly to park entrance
1-6 Hibiya-koen, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
https://www.tokyo-park.or.jp/park/format/index037.html
Tsukiji Market
4-16-2 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
GINZA SIX
6-10-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Koukyo-gaien National Gardens
1-1 Kokyo Gaien, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Celebrate Spring in Tokyo at the Bunkyo Azalea Festival!
1-day Tokyo Yozakura Tour: Cherry Blossoms at Night
Rikugien: Tokyo's Tranquil Garden for Sakura and Fall Leaves
Kyu-Shibarikyu: Tokyo's Business District's Edo-style Garden


Entrepreneurs who anticipate quick startup, growth, and success when undertaking a business venture forget that the accomplishment of such goals requires proper utilization of the right entrepreneurial strategies. A worthy business venture demands that the business leaders and managers should work out a means to cut down operational costs, ensure that the business runs effectively and efficiently, and increase profit margin with ease. This goes along with adequate training, research and preparation, monitoring of successful related businesses, and competitors and avoiding the business damaging methods.
Understanding the value of reducing fixed and variable overhead costs is a good way to start a successful business. With cost reduction, it is possible to gain higher profits and development of a substantial business enterprise within a short time-span. In that regard, here are helpful approaches for how to reduce costs when starting a business.
All these will cut costs in the sense that there will be little to be incurred in buying expensive equipment and most of the equipment bought is durable and efficient.
Budgeting is a powerful tool that allows entrepreneurs to make informed financial choices, having a clear mind on the expected costs to be incurred and possible outcome of spending. As time goes on, it is essential to compare the actual costs of supplies with what is actually spent using a spreadsheet. If the actual cost is higher than the planned amount, then there is the need to reduce the costs. Strategies for this include going inexpensive, but not cheap, bargaining, and even buying supplies in volumes to earn rebates. Therefore, cost-saving solutions should be utilized and proper goals set and strictly adhered to.
It is also important to conduct the proper recruitment of staff and hire individuals that have a vast knowledge in the field and have acquired enough experience by holding various responsibilities in related enterprises. Employees should also be capable of taking on more than one role since this can reduce the cost incurred in salary payment. This can also reduce work overload and cost of outsourcing individuals to undertake specific tasks. There should be an attempt to hire employees in shifts to increase work efficiency and accountability.
With the current increase in prices of electricity, gas, water, and other energy resources, employing strategies that can help reduce energy consumption can mean a significant reduction in overhead costs. The strategies employed should be simple and inexpensive to implement and they include going green to save energy. The business should consider buying light emitting diodes (LEDS) in lieu of incandescent and fluorescent bulbs, installing occupancy sensors to control lighting in the premises, installing low flow faucets, toilets, and high-efficiency urinals, upgrading computers, and combining trips to save on vehicle gas consumption.
The value of an insurance cover should be underscored in undertaking any business venture, but it doesn't mean that the business should pay high monthly premiums. The business managers should shop around for a perfect company that offers an insurance cover with sufficient details and terms, as well as cheap premiums. Also, there is the option of the company paying all the premiums at once, which usually comes with discounts that can help the business save some amount of money.
The business can also maximize the benefits of refurbished equipment from a manufacturer, which is usually a cheaper option than brand new ones. It is notable that refurbished equipment serves their purposes well and is offered at a discounted price. When it comes to the vehicles, buying used cars instead of new ones can help in meeting the company's needs to cut down the overhead costs.
However, when buying an car for use, it is important to ensure that a thorough inspection is done in its interior and exterior parts, as well as the paperwork to ensure that the car is still in good condition. Make sure the documentation is legitimate and tallies with the car model and what is stamped in the engine bay.
The above mentioned strategies can help greatly in reducing the costs of operation of the business and saving a lot of money for investment and expansion. Therefore, when starting a business they should be adopted and the mindset of employees be directed towards saving costs.


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Q: if statement not passing on false while iterating through list The code below started as the Tic Tac Toe exercise in Automate the boring stuff but I wanted the game to check if there was a winner at each turn.
I attempted to put every win combination in it's own list and update each position where applicable to the last move made. The idea then would be to check if one of these lists had all X's or all 0's and the program would declare a winner.
While testing I received the error ValueError: 'top-L' is not in list at the line containing update_wincon = winconditions.index(move)
surrounding code for context:
    for each in winconditions:
            if move in each:
                update_wincon = winconditions.index(move)
                winconditions[update_wincon] = turn
            if each[1] == 'X' and each[2] =='X' and each[3] == 'X' or each[1] == '0' and each[2] =='0' and each[3] == '0':
                print(str(turn) + ' is the winner!')
                break
        print(winconditions)

In this specific section I am trying to use a for loop to iterate through the lists in winconditions to see if the move the user input is in that list, and if so, update it to the current turn ('X' or '0'). It seems like it's not passing on the lists in winconditions that don't contain move. Not sure what I did wrong?
Complete code below.
#board is stored as a dictionary
theBoard = {'top-L': ' ', 'top-M': ' ', 'top-R': ' ',
            'mid-L': ' ', 'mid-M': ' ', 'mid-R': ' ',
            'bot-L': ' ', 'bot-M': ' ', 'bot-R': ' '}

#function to convert dictionary into visual board

def printBoard(board):
    print(board['top-L'] + '|' + board['top-M'] + '|' + board['top-R'])
    print('-+-+-')
    print(board['mid-L'] + '|' + board['mid-M'] + '|' + board['mid-R'])
    print('-+-+-')
    print(board['bot-L'] + '|' + board['bot-M'] + '|' + board['bot-R'])

#winconditions stored as dictionary for reference to check if there is a winner
winconditions = [['top-L', 'top-M', 'top-R'], ['mid-L', 'mid-M', 'mid-R'], ['bot-L', 'bot-M', 'bot-R'],
                 ['top-L', 'mid-L', 'bot-L'], ['top-M', 'mid-M', 'bot-M'], ['top-R', 'mid-R', 'bot-R'],
                 ['top-L', 'mid-M', 'bot-R'], ['top-R', 'mid-M', 'bot-L']]

turn = 'X'

while True:
    printBoard(theBoard)
    print('Turn for ' + turn + '. Move on which space?')
    move = str(input())
    if move not in theBoard:
        print('please enter top/mid/bot-L/M/R')
        continue
    theBoard[move] = turn
    for each in winconditions:
        if move in each:
            update_wincon = winconditions.index(move)
            winconditions[update_wincon] = turn
        if each[1] == 'X' and each[2] =='X' and each[3] == 'X' or each[1] == '0' and each[2] =='0' and each[3] == '0':
            print(str(turn) + ' is the winner!')
            break
    print(winconditions)
    if turn == 'X':
        turn = '0'
    else:
        turn = 'X'

A: Your winconditions is a list of lists, therefore you cannot check if a single location is in there. You iterate through each row of possible winds, which is saved in the 'each' variable, so change this line:
to
update_wincon = winconditions.index(move)

to
update_wincon = each.index(move)

then, you'll be left with the next error.
This implementation should work according to your need:
#board is stored as a dictionary
theBoard = {'top-L': ' ', 'top-M': ' ', 'top-R': ' ',
            'mid-L': ' ', 'mid-M': ' ', 'mid-R': ' ',
            'bot-L': ' ', 'bot-M': ' ', 'bot-R': ' '}

#function to convert dictionary into visual board

def printBoard(board):
    print(board['top-L'] + '|' + board['top-M'] + '|' + board['top-R'])
    print('-+-+-')
    print(board['mid-L'] + '|' + board['mid-M'] + '|' + board['mid-R'])
    print('-+-+-')
    print(board['bot-L'] + '|' + board['bot-M'] + '|' + board['bot-R'])

#winconditions stored as dictionary for reference to check if there is a winner
winconditions = [['top-L', 'top-M', 'top-R'], ['mid-L', 'mid-M', 'mid-R'], ['bot-L', 'bot-M', 'bot-R'],
                 ['top-L', 'mid-L', 'bot-L'], ['top-M', 'mid-M', 'bot-M'], ['top-R', 'mid-R', 'bot-R'],
                 ['top-L', 'mid-M', 'bot-R'], ['top-R', 'mid-M', 'bot-L']]

turn = 'X'
play = True
while play:
    printBoard(theBoard)
    print('Turn for ' + turn + '. Move on which space?')
    move = str(input())
    if move not in theBoard.keys():
        print('please enter top/mid/bot-L/M/R')
        continue
    theBoard[move] = turn
    for each in winconditions:
        if (theBoard[each[0]] == 'X' and theBoard[each[1]] =='X' and theBoard[each[2]] == 'X') or (each[0] == '0' and each[1] =='0' and each[2] == '0'):
            print(str(turn) + ' is the winner!')
            play = False
    if turn == 'X':
        turn = '0'
    else:
        turn = 'X'

A: The problem is that "winning_conditions" contains lists, not a single string.
The line should be
update_wincon = winconditions.index(each)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Home Gadgets news Google's latest Nest Hub smart display detects movement to track your sleep
Google's latest Nest Hub smart display detects movement to track your sleep
It's been three years since Google launched its first smart display, with the Home Hub (later renamed the Nest Hub) claiming its space on our counters and bedside tables. Since then, the company has made bigger, more useful versions of its connected screen. But most of them are little more than digital photo frames with built-in speakers and assistant.
With its latest Nest Hub, Google added a surprise feature that could make smart display more useful. The second-generation Nest Hub has a Soli radar sensor that detects movement and uses that data to determine if you're asleep.
Sleep tracking via motion detection
To recap, Soli was the product of Google's Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP) division that used radar to detect movement "at different scales." It was implemented at general level in the Pixel 4 to wake up the phone when you wave your hand over it. Soli also appeared in the latest Nest thermostat as a way to recognize if someone is in a room and adjust the temperature accordingly.
On the new Nest Hub, Soli will allow the device to "watch" while you sleep, without a camera. Google calls this feature Sleep Sensing, and it's opt-in. You will need to set up the screen a few feet from your bedside and tilt it towards your torso. After a calibration and configuration process, the sensor can capture movement at "incredibly precise levels," according to Ashton Udall, senior product manager. Things like "the micrometric movement of your chest going in and out as you breathe and lie in your bed," for example. Then Google's algorithm will analyze your movement and determine when you are asleep, restless or awake and give you a report every morning. You can also choose to share this information with the Fit app to see your sleep patterns over time.
This of course raises some concerns, the most obvious being the fact that there are a lot of movements in bed that have nothing to do with sleep. So what happens then? Google's algorithms will look at motion data and analyze which patterns are sleep-related movements and ignore things that aren't. The Nest Hub is also designed to monitor one person at a time, and during calibration you'll need to lie down in the middle of where you usually sleep. It is not yet clear how well the device will be able to analyze your partner's movements – how well this all works is something we will have to see for ourselves when we test one.
Those who usually sleep alone and have a partner who stays on occasionally may also need to recalibrate their system or reduce those nights (there will be an option to exclude a night on the screen). Udall said you don't need to sweat the odd irregular evenings since the goal here isn't to fixate on everyday results. "These are your trends," he told Engadget. "We don't want people hanging on to their nightly data." So if your dog jumps in your bed during a midnight thunderstorm, you shouldn't worry about it ruining your results.
Besides the efficiency of the system, there are also questions around privacy. Since it only uses radar and there's no camera on board, at least the Nest Hub won't have any footage of your bedtime activity. The spectograph of what it sees is similar to a heavily loaded ECG – lots of lines going up and down. The collection of this raw data is also processed on the device's on-board machine learning chip, and what is sent to Google is interpreted as things like how long you slept and when you were restless. If sleep detection is on, you'll also see a visual indicator on the screen so you or your guests know that the Nest Hub is monitoring your sleep.
The second-gen Nest Hub has a third mic (compared to the previous two) and uses them to detect if you've been coughing or snoring overnight. It will only turn on the mic when it detects that you have fallen asleep and the audio information is being processed locally and not being sent anywhere. The display also has a new temperature sensor that it uses in addition to the ambient light sensor to identify changes in your surroundings. In the morning you will receive a report on how you slept and if things like how cold or how bright affected your sleep. You will also see this in the Fit app and over time you will be able to identify trends such as whether you sleep better in the winter or wake up earlier when there is more light.
To develop its system, Google performed more than 110,000 nights of testing with approximately 10,000 people and compared it to established sleep studies. He found that compared to polysomnography studies, which Udall said are "the gold standard," his algorithms gave no statistical difference. Additionally, compared to popular devices on the market "and even clinically approved sleep trackers on the market," Udall said the performance of the Nest Hub was "on par or even better in many cases."
Again, it's hard to judge this without testing it, but it's worth noting that many fitness trackers worn on the wrist also detect your heart rate overnight. With this data, they can tell how deep you sleep and what restorative areas you enter, which could be more insightful. But Google's approach seems to focus more on your surroundings (noise, temperature, movement, and disturbance) than your heart rate and body temperature. It might help you with things over which you have more control, like turning up the heat or pulling the blinds, for example.
This is potentially the most useful aspect of Nest Hub's sleep detection feature, as Google integrates its results with the Assistant to suggest things like past bedtimes or routines for your bedroom lights. After 14 nights of monitoring, Google will be able to recommend a program to "optimize sleep efficiency", based on advice from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), the American Heart Association and the World Organization. of health.
Sleep detection will be free in preview for anyone who purchases the new Nest Hub until next year. Since Google has just integrated with Fitbit"Udall said" we are just getting to know each other, but we are actively exploring ways to bring these experiences together to create an awesome Google sleep solution.
Improved audio and connectivity
While sleep tracking is the standout feature of the new Nest Hub, there are still a few improvements to note over its predecessor. It has an improved sound system similar to the Nest Audio speaker, promising 50% more bass than the original Hub. The new integrated ML chip should make it possible to respond to your assistant requests faster (only available in the US), while its integrated Thread radio activate support for budding Project Connected Home platform over IP in the future.
With its new third microphone as well, the Nest Hub should be able to hear you better from further afield, and the Soli sensor allows gesture controls such as touching the air in front of the screen to pause playback or stop a timer. . While not much is different on the Nest Hub (its screen is still a pretty 7in, for example), Google has a new color option: Mist. It is a light pastel blue in addition to the existing options Charcoal (black), Chalk (gray) and Sable (pink).
The new Nest Hub costs $ 100 to $ 50 less than the original at launch. It is available for pre-order today from the Google Store, Best Buy, and Walmart, and hits stores on March 30, when you can also find it at Target and The Home Depot. For those who want to track their sleep without portable, mattress sensor or a camera, the Nest Hub can help. Google is clearly finding creative ways to track your health without wearable sensors, just like it has done by letting people measure their health. heart rate and respiratory rate with their phone cameras. The company continuing to roll out its software prowess for health monitoring is an interesting sign of things that could come up, especially as it begins to integrate more deeply with Fitbit.
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text:
ARG UBUNTU_VERSION=18.04

FROM ubuntu:${UBUNTU_VERSION} AS base

RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
        build-essential \
        curl \
        git \
        libcurl3-dev \
        libfreetype6-dev \
        libhdf5-serial-dev \
        libzmq3-dev \
        pkg-config \
        rsync \
        software-properties-common \
        sudo \
        unzip \
        zip \
        zlib1g-dev \
        openjdk-8-jdk \
        openjdk-8-jre-headless \
        && \
    apt-get clean && \
    rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*

ENV CI_BUILD_PYTHON python

# CACHE_STOP is used to rerun future commands, otherwise cloning tensorflow will be cached and will not pull the most recent version
ARG CACHE_STOP=1
# Check out TensorFlow source code if --build-arg CHECKOUT_TF_SRC=1
ARG CHECKOUT_TF_SRC=0
# In case of Python 2.7+ we need to add passwd entries for user and group id
RUN chmod a+w /etc/passwd /etc/group
RUN test "${CHECKOUT_TF_SRC}" -eq 1 && git clone https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow.git /tensorflow_src || true

ARG USE_PYTHON_3_NOT_2
# TODO(angerson) Completely remove Python 2 support
ARG _PY_SUFFIX=${USE_PYTHON_3_NOT_2:+3}
ARG PYTHON=python${_PY_SUFFIX}
ARG PIP=pip${_PY_SUFFIX}

# See http://bugs.python.org/issue19846
ENV LANG C.UTF-8

RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y \
    ${PYTHON} \
    ${PYTHON}-pip

RUN ${PIP} --no-cache-dir install --upgrade \
    pip \
    setuptools

# Some TF tools expect a "python" binary
RUN ln -s $(which ${PYTHON}) /usr/local/bin/python

RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y \
    build-essential \
    curl \
    git \
    wget \
    openjdk-8-jdk \
    ${PYTHON}-dev \
    virtualenv \
    swig

RUN ${PIP} --no-cache-dir install \
    Pillow \
    h5py \
    keras_preprocessing \
    matplotlib \
    mock \
    numpy \
    scipy \
    sklearn \
    pandas \
    future \
    portpicker \
    && test "${USE_PYTHON_3_NOT_2}" -eq 1 && true || ${PIP} --no-cache-dir install \
    enum34

# Install bazel
ARG BAZEL_VERSION=1.2.1
RUN mkdir /bazel && \
    wget -O /bazel/installer.sh "https://github.com/bazelbuild/bazel/releases/download/${BAZEL_VERSION}/bazel-${BAZEL_VERSION}-installer-linux-x86_64.sh" && \
    wget -O /bazel/LICENSE.txt "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/bazelbuild/bazel/master/LICENSE" && \
    chmod +x /bazel/installer.sh && \
    /bazel/installer.sh && \
    rm -f /bazel/installer.sh

COPY bashrc /etc/bash.bashrc
RUN chmod a+rwx /etc/bash.bashrc

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


← pretty, pretty felted soap!
I melt all my hard oils together. This is Coconut, Palm & Shea Butter. My soft oils for this recipe are Olive, Sunflower and Castor.
Loofah. Sea Clay. Sea Salt. Spirulina. Juniper Breeze. In my mind = Mermaid Soap!
Mermaids are sparkly, right? I added some soap glitter to my Sea Salt and sprinkled the top.
All finished, ready for curing. Juniper Breeze smells fantastic: "An ozon-y balance of floral, green and fruity notes with a slight musk undertone." Yum.
In six weeks, I'll weigh them and make labels. Did I mention I love to make labels? It's almost as fun as making the soap!
Posted in My Hand-Made Soap and tagged sea clay, shea butter, soft oils. Bookmark the permalink.


text:
Rosemond Brown Lands First Major Movie Role
By Cephas Larbi	 Last updated Jul 13, 2018
Rosemond Brown
Budding actress, Rosemond Alade Brown, has been unveiled as the lead character for an upcoming movie, 'OBAAMU', meaning Uncommon Passage.
OBAAMU, which would be produced by AdomiBridge Studios, a content creation company, also features broadcast journalist MzGee, veteran actor Prince Yawson aka Waakye, Bex, and Mamaley Djangmah.
In an interview with The Publisher, David A. Masterwille, producer and director of Obaamu, disclosed that "the movie tells the compelling story of a young girl Akyaah who finds herself on the dangerous streets of Accra hawking for a survival. Not only is Akyaah at conflict with her immediate environment but at the larger society. Amidst her hardship, she maintains a steady focus on education through self-learning. She sees education as the only way to better her world."
He described the movie as one that touches on the lived experiences of majority of Ghanaians and their daily struggles for survival.
"Audience identification will be key to the success of this movie. We want the viewers to root for Akyaah as she takes on the heartless monster her society has become. We want them to be glued to their cinema seats praying and wishing for her success," he said.
According to him, the language used in the film would be mainly Ghanaian languages.
"I am dwelling on multiple local languages to create a direct link to majority of Ghanaians whose daily interactions are done in a language other than English," he said.
Explaining why he casted Rosemond Brown, he indicated that he knew very little about the actress but was touched by a radio interview she granted to an entertainment program on JoyFM.
"I couldn't have chosen any other person for this role except Rosemond. The story of Akyaah is very similar to Rosemond's journey," he disclosed. "Another person I was lucky to have auditioned is Mamley, who plays Joanna in the movie. Her friendship with Rosemond's character is very crucial to the plot." David disclosed that ten days of intense rehearsals have been arranged for the cast.
On her part, Rosemond Brown said the role is a dream come true, considering that it will be her first lead role as an actress.
"People say they have never seen me in a movie and that I am not even an actress. I am going to surprise them," she said.
Obaamu is written and directed by David A. Masterwille. It will be produced by AdomiBridge Studios with funding from the Zylofon Arts Fund, TransSahara Pictures, Film for Change and Development. Official media partner is All New Ghana (www.allnewgh.com).


A platform to scale advanced energy, create millions of jobs, and grow our economy in communities across America.
Advanced Energy Works is a campaign raising the voices and impact of the more than 3 million and growing advanced energy workers in the United States. Advanced energy is the fastest growing sector of the energy industry, yet we remain at a political disadvantage to incumbent energy. By elevating the voices of workers across the advanced energy industry we can level the playing field for advanced energy once and for all. Advanced Energy Works is the grassroots advocacy arm of a coordinated campaign in partnership with Advanced Energy Economy and AEE Institute.
Anyone who works in advanced energy, wants to work in advanced energy, or just thinks advanced energy should get a fair shake.
Advanced energy job creation, sustained market growth, and the rapid transition to clean, secure and affordable energy.
We focus on directing the power of tens of thousands of advanced energy workers and allies across the country to ensure policies move forward that make America an advanced energy leader.
We give people easy opportunities to have their voices heard by elected officials when and where it matters. As important decisions come up determining whether advanced energy succeeds or fails, we activate our members to email, call, and show up in person to ask their public officials to do the right thing: protect advanced energy jobs and support our industry.
And, when election season rolls around the corner we make sure voters hold decision makers accountable and elect pro-advanced energy candidates up and down the ballot.
How can you support Advanced Energy Works?


If you're looking for a truly unique and personal way to celebrate your love story, why not have a symbolic wedding.
While a symbolic wedding is not legally binding, nor is it a religious ceremony, it is can be extremely meaningful event that can truly symbolize the love that you and your partner share.
Most symbolic weddings consist of the couple coming up with their own vows and fashioning their own ceremonies to pledge their love and devotion to each other in front of their friends and family. A symbolic wedding doesn't have to be in a church or at the civil registrar but it can be in the location that the couple chooses.
Just like you and your partner choose each other to spend the rest of your lives together, with a symbolic wedding, you and your partner choose in what way you want to celebrate your love and commitment to one another.
A symbolic wedding allows you and your partner to create the atmosphere you want and fashion a truly unique and unforgettable event that reflects your own taste and personality.
Having a symbolic wedding is also a great way to renew your wedding vows and show the world that, even after the first ceremony is just a happy memory, your love story is going strong.
Follow the dictates of your heart and choose the wedding you want with a symbolic wedding.


text:
Al Bateen Executive Airport
Welcome to the only private jet airport in the region
Property Lease
Hangar Leasing
Security Pass Forms
The airport covers an area of some 200 Hectares and is in close proximity to Abu Dhabi's new commercial Capital District - home to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (5 minutes), a high net-worth community of local residents, and numerous luxury hotels and resorts.
Al Bateen Executive Airport offers a wide range of commercial opportunities and facilities on competitive terms
There are many advertising opportunities at Al Bateen Executive Airport that will put your business at the forefront of high net-worth individuals' minds.
Al Bateen Executive Airport offers commercial spaces at Al Bateen Executive Airport and it's surrounding properties.
Al Bateen Executive Airport offers a safe and secure operating environment to our hangar leasing client base with competitively priced hangar spaces of various sizes available for lease.
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Abu Dhabi Airports
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Ground Handling by:
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© AL BATEEN EXECUTIVE AIRPORT 2019


text:
Heute gehe ich allein nach Hause (portugiesischer Originaltitel: Hoje Eu Quero Voltar Sozinho) ist ein brasilianischer Coming-of-Age-Film von Regisseur Daniel Ribeiro aus dem Jahr 2014, der auf dem Kurzfilm Ich möchte nicht allein zurückgehen aus dem Jahr 2010 basiert. Der Film war der brasilianische Oscar-Beitrag 2015. Der deutsche Kinostart war am 26. Februar 2015.

Handlung
Leonardo, genannt Leo, ist blind. Jeden Tag bringt ihn seine beste Freundin Giovana von der Schule nach Hause, obwohl sie zwei Blöcke in die andere Richtung wohnt. In der Schule macht sich Mitschüler Fabio über Leos laute Schreibmaschine lustig. Als ein neuer Schüler namens Gabriel in die Klasse kommt, nimmt dieser den leeren Platz hinter Leo ein.

Giovana, die genau wie Leo noch nie jemanden geküsst hat, beginnt sich für Gabriel zu interessieren, ist jedoch abgeschreckt, als auch die extravertierte Karina sich an ihn heranmacht. Schließlich freunden sich Giovana und Leo mit Gabriel an, der sich ihnen von da an auf dem Nachhauseweg anschließt. Als Leo eines Tages alleine mit einem Gehstock nach Hause geht, wird er von Fabio und dessen Freunden bedrängt, sodass er stolpert und hinfällt. Wütend und mit großer Verspätung kommt er zuhause an, wo ihn seine besorgten Eltern erwarten. Er wirft ihnen vor, überfürsorglich zu sein. In der Folge erzählt er Giovana, dass er ein Auslandsschuljahr machen will, um selbstständiger sein zu können. Die beiden informieren sich deshalb bei einer darauf spezialisierten Agentur, die jedoch mit den Eltern reden möchte.

Leo verbringt immer mehr Zeit mit Gabriel. Nachdem sie beide bei Giovana waren, bringt Gabriel Leo nach Hause, damit Giovana keinen Umweg machen muss; sie willigt jedoch nur ungern ein. Als für ein Gruppenprojekt in der Schule Paare gebildet werden, arbeitet Leo mit Gabriel (anstatt, wie üblich, mit Giovana). Dieser erzählt Leo von Filmen und Internetvideos, bis Leo einwilligt, ins Kino zu gehen. Dabei muss Gabriel ihm andauernd die Handlung ins Ohr flüstern. In den nächsten Tagen arbeiten sie an dem Schulprojekt und Leo versucht, Gabriel Blindenschrift beizubringen, was dieser für unmöglich hält. Zusammen beobachten sie eines Nachts eine Mondfinsternis, die Gabriel Leo zu beschreiben versucht. Als Gabriel bemerkt, dass er seinen Pullover bei Leo gelassen hat, bittet er Leo, ihn ihm am nächsten Tag mitzubringen. Leo findet den Pullover, riecht daran und zieht ihn beim Schlafen an.

Gabriel nimmt endgültig Giovanas Platz als Leos Begleitung auf dem Heimweg ein. Als die beiden einmal vergessen, auf Giovana zu warten, wird sie wütend und geht ihnen fortan demonstrativ aus dem Weg. Leo erzählt seinen Eltern von seinem Plan, ein Auslandsschuljahr zu absolvieren, stößt damit jedoch wie erwartet auf Ablehnung. Als Karina eine Party bei sich zuhause gibt, gehen Giovana, Leo und Gabriel hin. Giovana meidet Leo weiterhin, schüttet aber Gabriel gegenüber ihr Herz aus, während sie sich betrinken; schließlich küsst sie Gabriel, aber er erwidert den Kuss nicht. Leo gerät in eine Partie Flaschendrehen, was Fabio benutzt, um ihn erneut zu ärgern: als Leo am Zug ist, will Fabio ihm Karinas Hund zum Küssen unterjubeln, doch Giovana befreit Leo im letzten Moment aus der Situation. Die Stimmung zwischen den beiden verschlechtert sich jedoch eher noch, und als Gabriel Leo nach Hause bringen will, beschwert sich Leo wütend darüber, dass niemand ihn jemanden küssen lasse. Daraufhin gibt Gabriel ihm einen Kuss und verschwindet.

Bei einem Campingausflug mit der Schule ist Leo im Bus alleine, während Gabriel neben Karina sitzt. Gabriel erklärt Leo später, bei der Party so betrunken gewesen zu sein, dass er sich an nichts mehr erinnere. In der Nacht treffen sich Leo und Giovana und betrinken sich gemeinsam, bis Leo ihr schließlich verrät, in Gabriel verliebt zu sein. Giovana nimmt die Nachricht anfangs misstrauisch auf, sichert Leo aber dann ihre Unterstützung zu. Als Gabriel Leo wieder zuhause besucht, erklärt er ihm, dass er Karina abgewiesen habe, da er Gefühle für jemand anderen habe. Er deutet auch an, dass er sich an den Kuss nach der Party sehr wohl erinnert und seine Aufmerksamkeit Leo gilt. Es kommt zu einem langen Kuss zwischen den beiden.

Nachdem Gabriel und Leo in der Schule ihr Projekt vorgestellt haben und wieder auf dem Heimweg sind, spekulieren Fabio und seine Freunde darüber, dass die beiden schwul seien. Leo reagiert darauf, indem er statt Gabriels Arm dessen Hand ergreift und so allen ihre Beziehung zeigt. In der letzten Szene hilft Gabriel Leo dabei, seinen Wunsch, Fahrrad zu fahren, zu verwirklichen.

Hintergrund

2010 veröffentlichte Regisseur Daniel Ribeiro den Kurzfilm Ich möchte nicht allein zurückgehen (Originaltitel: Eu Não Quero Voltar Sozinho). Der Kurzfilm gewann mehrere Festivalpreise und wurde auf YouTube kostenlos zur Verfügung gestellt.

Im Dezember 2012 wurde angekündigt, dass ein Spielfilm produziert wird, der auf dem Kurzfilm basiert und dieselben Schauspieler beteiligen wird. Nach über zwei Jahren Vorbereitung begannen die Dreharbeiten im Frühjahr 2013. Wie auch der Kurzfilm wurde der gesamte Film in São Paulo gedreht. Der Arbeitstitel lautete noch Todas As Coisas Mais Simples ("All die einfachen Dinge"), im September 2013 verkündete Regisseur Ribeiro jedoch, dass der finale Titel des Films Hoje Eu Quero Voltar Sozinho ("Heute will ich allein nach Hause gehen") lauten würde. Damit wird das Augenmerk des Films (im Gegensatz zum Kurzfilm) auf Leonardos Unabhängigkeitsbestreben gerichtet. Der internationale Titel des Films hingegen lautet The Way He Looks (englisch mehrdeutig für "Wie er [aus-]sieht").

Am 10. Februar 2014 wurde der Film erstmals auf der Berlinale 2014 gezeigt, am 10. April 2014 lief er schließlich in den brasilianischen Kinos an. Die internationalen Filmrechte wurden bereits verkauft, für Deutschland und Österreich sicherte sie sich Edition Salzgeber. Deutscher Kinostart war am 26. Februar 2015. In der Schweiz kam der Film bereits am 14. August 2014 im Verleih von Agora Films in die Kinos. Die deutsche DVD-Ausgabe erschien am 24. März 2015 bei Salzgeber.

Der Film wurde als brasilianischer Beitrag für den besten ausländischen Film bei der Oscarverleihung 2015 eingereicht, konnte aber keine Nominierung erlangen.

Soundtrack
 Belle & Sebastian – There's Too Much Love
 Cícero – Vagalumes Cegos
 Arvo Pärt – Spiegel im Spiegel
 Franz Schubert – Klaviertrio Nr. 2 in Es-Dur, Op. 100 / II. Andante con moto (The Gryphon Trio)
 Marvin Gaye – Let's Get It On
 David Bowie – Modern Love
 The National – Start a War
 Homemade Blockbuster – Dance Moves
 Dom La Nena – Start a War (Cover)
 Tatá Aeroplano und Juliano Polimeno – Beijo Roubado em Segredo
 Marcelo Camelo und Mallu Magalhães – Janta

Rezeption

Erfolg
In der ersten Woche startete Heute gehe ich allein nach Hause in 33 brasilianischen Kinos und war mit 30.209 Zuschauern der fünftmeistgesehene Film der Woche. Unter Berücksichtigung der Premierenvorstellungen in der Vorwoche belaufen sich die Zuschauer auf 31.209.

International spielte der Film 1.159.451 $ ein, davon 1.016.161 $ in Brasilien (Stand: 5. März 2015).

Kritiken
Heute gehe ich allein nach Hause wurde von der internationalen Kritik generell positiv aufgenommen. Die Kritikensammlung Rotten Tomatoes verzeichnet eine zu 93 Prozent positive Bewertung, auf der Grundlage von 27 professionellen Kritiken.

In Brasilien erhielt der Film viel Lob. Raíssa Rossi vom Almanaque Virtual etwa erklärte, es sei "schwer, von einer so leichtfüßigen und wahren Geschichte nicht bewegt zu werden, die jegliche Art von Vorurteilen" zunichtemache. Die "fesselnden Schauspielleistungen, die sanften Bilder und der angenehme und treffende Soundtrack" würden das "Verdienst" des Films "vervollständigen".

Der Filmdienst nannte Heute gehe ich allein nach Hause einen "unaufgeregt erzählte[n], einfach und klar entwickelte[n] Film über das Erwachsenwerden", der "viel zu vielschichtig" sei, "um sich einfach nur als 'Blindenfilm' oder als 'Coming out'-Drama einordnen zu lassen". Für Sascha Westphal von epd Film ist der Film "eine klassische Coming-of-Age-Geschichte", die "unspektakulär" und "doch anrührend" sei. Regisseur Ribeiro erzähle "mit einer wunderbaren Nonchalance von der ersten Liebe". Zwar seien einem die "Situationen und Stationen der Geschichte … natürlich aus unzähligen Filmen vertraut", doch finde Ribeiro "für sie Bilder, die direkt ins Herz treffen". Die stellenweise "ungewöhnliche Perspektive" der Kamera, wenn sie "senkrecht von oben auf Leo" blicke, signalisiere "Distanz" und erzeuge "doch eine ungeheure Nähe". Westphal hebt auch hervor, dass keiner der beiden Protagonisten mit seiner Homosexualität ringe; vielmehr sei sie "ganz selbstverständlich".

Im Hollywood Reporter zeigte sich Boyd van Hoeij beeindruckt davon, wie Ribeiro das Material des Kurzfilms zu Spielfilmlänge ausgearbeitet hat; er habe nicht nur "Konflikt und eine überzeugende Riege von Nebendarstellern" hinzugefügt, sondern auch den "ganz neuen Aspekt der Suche nach Unabhängigkeit des blinden Protagonisten". Mit "Sicherheit im Ton" konzentriere er sich auf die "angeborene Gutherzigkeit seiner jungen Hauptfiguren", bevor er ihnen langsam Platz lasse, "zu rebellieren, während sie versuchen, sich zu behaupten und den schützenden Kokon ihrer Kindheit hinter sich zu lassen". Nicht Leos "mögliches Coming-out", sondern "die Überfürsorglichkeit der Personen um ihn herum" sei der "Motor des Dramas". Während Van Hoeij zwar den Klassenausflug und die Duschszene als ein "zweckdienliches Queer-Film-Klischee" kritisierte, lobt er das Drehbuch insgesamt, das "sowohl aus humorvollen als auch aus emotionalen Momenten" bestehe und "äußerst passend auf die konfliktbeladenen Gefühlswelten der jugendlichen Hauptfiguren abgestimmt" sei. Dazu kämen "verschiedene liebevolle klangliche und visuelle Leitmotive".

Jay Weissberg schrieb in der Variety, der Film besitze "echte Ausstrahlungskraft", obwohl Drehbuch und Regie "wenig mehr als durchschnittlich" seien. Einen Fehler mache Ribeiro allerdings, wenn er die Eltern sich verhalten lasse, "als ob ihr Sohn erst seit Kurzem und nicht schon sein ganzes Leben lang blind sei". Der "Großteil der Dialoge" scheine "aus zahllosen Teenagerfilmen recycelt" worden zu sein, dennoch werde die Geschichte "mit Zärtlichkeit erzählt" und fange die "Unschlüssigkeit" ein, "Zuneigung zu bekennen, wenn Zurückweisung nur schlimme Folgen haben kann". Andy Webster von der New York Times attestierte dem "einnehmenden" Film, er verwebe "gewandt … die gesellschaftlichen Herausforderungen der Jugend zu einer Geschichte breiterer Selbstentdeckung". Martin Tsai kritisierte in der Los Angeles Times, die "täglichen Mühen" des Protagonisten wirkten im Vergleich mit bspw. der "einsamen Not" der Heldin von Blau ist eine warme Farbe "nebensächlich". Und mit dem "zuckersüßen Ende" stelle Ribeiro "realitätsferne Unterhaltung über die bedeutungsvolle Beschäftigung mit den Herausforderungen, die behinderte oder schwule Jugendliche meistern müssen".

Auszeichnungen
Bei seiner Premiere auf der Berlinale 2014 gewann Heute gehe ich allein nach Hause den FIPRESCI-Preis für den besten Film im Panorama-Hauptprogramm und den Teddy Award für den besten Spielfilm. Außerdem landete er auf dem zweiten Platz des Panorama-Publikumspreises. Daneben gewann der Film eine Reihe von weiteren Festivalpreisen.

Weblinks
 Berlinale-Filmbeschreibung (PDF)

Einzelnachweise

Filmtitel 2014
Brasilianischer Film
Homosexualität im Film
Blindheit im Film

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Une équipe suisse dans le World Tour féminin dès 2022
A team from Vaud has a good chance of entering the elite of the peloton next season. The Tours de France and Romandie are particularly in the sights.
Never has a Swiss women's formation competed at the highest world level of women's cycling. This expectation soon seems to be over. In the wake of its initiator, the Palinzard Ruben Contreras, the "Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad" could well run the biggest races on the calendar in 2022, when the discipline is booming. This year, the first Paris-Roubaix made an impression, while a "real" Tour de France will finally be organised next July. The Tour de Romandie will follow in October 2022.
The Cogeas Foundation has been in cycling for over twenty years. It has been participating in a Russian team since 2018 and also gives its name to an Elite-level Geneva team, which develops young local prospects. Cogeas wants to go a bigger gear and hopes to be able to join the Women's World Tour, which will increase from nine to fifteen teams starting next season. Projects like Jumbo-Visma, TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank, Uno-X and Cofidis are also in the running.
With the support of various local actors and sponsors, and perhaps even that of the city of Lausanne – which will therefore host a finish of the first Women's Tour de Romandie in a year – this team should start with a budget of around 1.3 million francs in 2022, all inclusive, the first year. Such an amount should make it possible to race from the start, against top names whose costs can amount to 3 million annually.
The signed sponsorship contracts would already be signed for the long term, a guarantee has also been deposited with the International Cycling Union and the main aim is to develop young local riders. With the Roland company, well known in German-speaking Switzerland for its unmistakable "Zwieback", the Cogeas Foundation, which works in insurance, consulting and real estate, and the city of Lausanne in the wheel, the business seems credible and well fitted.
"We still wanted to climb a rung and go to the World Tour. It was time for Switzerland and Lausanne to be represented there, says Ruben Contreras. All the big names in the women's peloton have long term agreements and I have always favoured training. We have already launched runners to four Olympic medals. And there is also something to do around here! "
The "Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad" team therefore hopes to shine in the cycling firmament from 2022. To do this, it can already count on Swiss riders (Petra Stiasny, 20, Swiss mountain champion, and the 24-year-old tracker. Aline Seitz, 5 times Swiss champion), Russian, German and Spanish. Olympic champion Anna Kiesenhofer (Aut) was surveyed, but unfortunately one of Contreras's dreams failed to materialise.
Cogeas Source: https://www.lematin.ch/story/une-equipe-suisse-dans-le-world-tour-feminin-des-2022-389363009913


Home Andalucia Botellón or Botelloff?
IN the run up to the Día de la Cruz, drinkers were left wondering whether Granada has the bottle to host the biggest botellón of the year.
As the May 3 festival approaches in Granada, botelloneros (outdoor drinkers) were choking the internet with plans to unite for a giant open-air drinking session – known popularly as a macrobotellón.
Such events in previous years have attracted tens of thousands of mainly young revellers to the city, leaving a massive clean-up bill and an unearthly stench behind them.
Not wishing to err on the side of totalitarianism as some other Spanish cities have done with the anti-botellón law of 2006 – Granada has constructed a space dubbed a botellódromo where revelers can continue the botellón revolution without breaking the law by drinking in the streets.
The tension began to mount, however, when botelloneros began their networking in earnest and a Malaga tour operator even unveiled a coach trip package to the event.
Spain newspaper La Opinion reported local authorities in Granada are considering legal action against the travel company for encouraging customers to break the outdoor drinking laws in the city.
The company has insisted all its clients are informed it is forbidden to consume alcohol outside in Granada – except in designated areas.
The sound of collective knee trembling in council offices and behind police desks could be heard as officials speculated they might bottle-out and close down the botellódromo for the May 3 festival.
The local government announced it would "armour-plate" the town centre to avoid possible concentrations of young drinkers.
The Día de la Cruz festival has long been a source of local pride, with religious displays adorning various points of the city. However, in recent years it has been overshadowed by its very antithesis – the excessive drinking phenomenon of the macrobotellón.
The council has asked local associations to help think of ways to "recuperate the traditional character of the Día de la Cruz" but the fears are the festival has already been hijacked.
For the last twenty years or so, bars have served drinks on the streets of Granada on the Día de la Cruz. This year, the ambience is set to be a lot different as May 3 is the first day of the cross since the new anti-botellón law was brought into force prohibiting alcohol consumption on the streets.
With only a few days to go, the council is still undecided whether or not to open the botellódromo located opposite the Hipercor superstore; while national and local police forces were said to be having logistics talks on how to possibly handle the influx of a possible tens of thousands of people on the city centre of Granada.


Thank you! For The Expanse-for Killjoys- for Childhood's End-even for Dark Matter. Because you are trying again. Thank you!
I'm not a huge fan of Dark Matter, I also didn't enjoy Childhood's End like I wish I could have (it was just missing something), but the quality of programming that is coming out of SyFy right now is what everyone wants. It looks nice, the plot lines are awesome, and to be honest I don't know if they are going to be able to put anything else this good out for a while-but thank you all the same.
I love you. Absolutely love you.
I can't say enough good things about this show. The visuals are worth watching it alone. Just when you think it's winding down they push people together you didn't think would run into each other in a million years.
Characters I hated I now kinda like. People I thought I liked I'm not sure about anymore. Everyone has a backstory. Even if it isn't said aloud -every character's history is implied- you just aren't sure if you are imposing the right history into the narrative.
It's not BSG. There is less personal drama and more political prowess. I like it that way. I like the noir side of it, and I really appreciate the fact that they didn't really let it bleed out into the rest of the show. If you haven't seen it yet you need to. Just hold on for the ride, Earther.


Experience our charming, traditional Cream Tea, served in the elegant ambience of our lovingly restored vintage carriages.
Enjoy the rumble of a steam train whilst the city skyline passes you by.
Relax with a cup of tea, a glass of fizz and clotted cream and jam scones. Simply delicious.
Gift Vouchers available in store/via email.
Your Ticket includes unlimited train rides and access to our museum and workshop and other site facilities.
Seats are limited for each event. We wish to ensure we offer you and your guests a unique Ribble Steam Experience.


Dear Salty: My wife and I recently visited my grandmother and decided to take her out to a local diner nearby. My grandmother has mild dementia and can easily get confused.
When dinner was over and I got up to pay the bill, my grandmother decided she would cover the tip. She got her purse and pulled out a one-dollar bill. Just then, the waitress walked by and my grandmother handed her the one-dollar bill and very happily exclaimed that she was delighted to have had her wait on our table and that the waitress "deserved ever bit of that dollar." The waitress looked horrified and rolled her eyes, let out a very loud sigh, and walked off. This all happened before my wife and I could do anything to stop it.
After we had helped my grandmother to the car, my wife and I talked about what we should do. My first reaction was to find the waitress and give her a proper tip, but my wife told me not to. She argued that the waitress didn't deserve anything more because of her attitude. I didn't want to argue with her, so I went along with her decision, but I felt guilty about it. I wanted to explain what happened and that we really did think she gave us excellent service. So, my question is: Was my wife right to withhold a tip due to a bad attitude over a misunderstanding or should have I gone back in and tipped more?
To avoid this kind of unpleasantry in the future, it might help to give your server a heads-up that your grandmother has dementia and that she may act in unexpected ways. You probably don't want to yell "She has dementia!" in front of granny, but maybe a discreet word off to the side of the table would do the trick. The Alzheimer's Association even offers printable cards for this very purpose.
The main question I have after reading your story is whether the server was aware your grandmother had memory issues. If not, I can see how the server might think she was just a mean older lady who said "you deserve every bit of this dollar" in a sarcastic way. It's still never a great idea to roll your eyes at customers, but it's an understandable reaction if the server thought your grandma was mocking her.
My gut says that server didn't know your grandma has dementia. If the server was pleasant and helpful during your entire experience, I find it unlikely that she'd be suddenly rude to a woman she knows has a cognitive condition. She probably just misinterpreted your grandmother's remark and read it as a big kiss-off.
I think you and your wife could have compromised on this: You could have gone back into the restaurant and tracked down the server to explain the situation. If, after hearing that your normally sweet granny has dementia, the server was still acting stuck-up and offended, then you don't have to give her any more tip than you're comfortable with. My instinct, though, is that the server would be apologetic and glad that you cleared up the understanding, in which case, I think you should fork over the rest of the cash.


As part of the Get on Board concept, Brunel asked PROOF to develop an activation campaign. The aim was to position Brunel as an attractive employer amongst high potentials, so that students consider working for Brunel after they graduate. The activation campaign, "Access to more", literally gave them more: entry to an exclusive student event during the Volvo Ocean Race Festival.
With its Access to More activation campaign, Brunel enabled high potentials to experience that it as an employer has more to offer. Because high potentials are after more: career, growth, future and opportunities. Students were given the opportunity to discover that for themselves during an exclusive event in Scheveningen where Brunel gave them more: short inspiring talks about career and business, a rigid-inflatable boat speed date on the water where they discovered their career options, a living room concert by Miss Montreal and much, much more. It was all held at a top location: the exclusive Brunel Pavilion at the Volvo Ocean Race Festival in Scheveningen. Students rode to this exceptional venue in a special tram with a singer-songwriter performing on board.
The campaign primarily targeted students from Dutch universities of technology, with the focus on students from Delft University of Technology. The campaign also targeted IT and Finance students from the universities of applied sciences in The Hague, Leiden and Rotterdam, the Inholland University of Applied Sciences and Erasmus University. And with hundreds of enthusiastic students taking part, the event can certainly be called a great success.


text:
Taking A Look At Some Of Fathers And Father-Figures Of Star Wars
On June 20, 2017 September 2, 2017 By Princess GeekIn Star Wars
Happy (late) Father's Day everyone! To celebrate the day where we honor our fathers, I'm going to talk about some of the fathers and father figures of Star Wars. Yes, even Darth Vader! So let's get to it!
When you think of Star Wars dads, the first thing that comes to your mind is most likely Darth Vader. Of course, he might not be the most wonderful father in the galaxy, but I just had to put him on this list. You can never forget that moment in The Empire Strikes Back when Vader revealed to Luke Skywalker that he was, in fact, his father. Vader might not have been there for his kids all the time, and he may have tracked Luke down across the galaxy so he could either turn him to the Dark Side or kill him. Can you imagine your dad doing that to you? But if you look back at the prequels, no matter how terrible you think they might have been, Anakin Skywalker (Darth Vader) was actually excited to be a father, and I'm thinking he would have made a pretty great one. But then, with the death of his wife, and everything else that went on, Vader turned bitter. But in the end, Darth Vader turned from his evil ways and saved his son from being killed by The Emperor, and was killed instead. So Darth Vader was not always there and taking care of his kids, but it turned out that he really did love them.
Galen Erso was the father of Jyn Erso in the latest Star Wars movie, Rogue One. This movie was a wonderful work of art, and one of my favorite things about it was the relationship between Galen and Jyn. But of course, Star Wars is known for tragic family stories. Like, I literally only know at least two people who's family is together and intact (Eli Vanto and Arihnda Pryce from Star Wars: Thrawn). It's sad, really. Anyway, Galen's wife is killed in front of him, and he is forced to construct the Death Star for the Empire. Later, when Jyn is an adult, Galen is mortally wounded in an explosion. That's when Jyn finally meets back up with him before he dies. Trust me, it's one of the saddest parts in the movie besides K2-S0's goodbye. Galen Erso was a father who truly cared about and loved his daughter. It's sad that it all had to end the way it did.
Of course, we can't forget about this duo. The Bounty Hunters Jango Fett and Boba Fett are some of my favorite characters. Jango Fett was never married (as far as I'm concerned), but apparently wanted a son. When he was hired by Count Dooku to give his DNA to the Empire so they could create a clone army, he requested that one of the clones be given to him. This clone had to be unaltered so that Jango could raise him himself. Jango's request was fulfilled, and he named his son, Boba Fett. These two were like two peas in a pod. Jango taught his son everything that he knew, and Boba Fett became one of the greatest Bounty Hunters in the galaxy. Though, when Boba was young, he witnessed his father's death in the battle of Geonosis. Like I said, Star Wars families end tragically.
Cham Syndulla
Next up is Cham Syndulla. In the Clone Wars, Cham was a renowned freedom fighter. He fought for his planet as well as his family. Though things turned bitter when Cham's wife was killed in the war and he was left with his daughter, Hera Syndulla. In Star Wars Rebels, we see that Cham and Hera's relationship is not in good shape. The two never really saw things eye to eye and argued a lot. It only got worse when Cham betrayed his daughter and her team and almost got all of them killed. Thankfully, Cham ended up apologizing to Hera for everything that happened, and the two began to mend their relationship. The next time we saw Cham in Star Wars Rebels, there was barely any argument between the two. Cham even went as far as turning himself into the Empire to make sure Hera would be safe. Hopefully, we get to see these two together again before Rebels ends this year.
Owen Lars
Now we get to the father figures. Owen Lars was the husband of Beru Lars, and the half-brother to Anakin Skywalker (Darth Vader). Owen never had any children of his own, but he adopted his nephew, Luke Skywalker, when Anakin turned to the Dark Side and Padme died. Owen was worried that Luke would turn out like his father and turn to the Dark Side as well, so he didn't really let him go anywhere and did not tell Luke about his past. This all frustrated Luke, who wanted to be more than just a farmer. After Owen is murdered by Stormtroopers, Luke ends up going with Obi-Wan-Kenobi to become a powerful Jedi.
Another father-figure is Kanan Jarrus. Kanan is an ex-Jedi who went into hiding after Order 66. If you read the book A New Dawn, then you saw what happened to Kanan. He was a depressed alcoholic traveling from place to place. That all changed when he met Hera Syndulla. She convinced him to join the Rebellion and help out people in need. They eventually became known as the Ghost crew. Later, in the Star Wars Rebels series, Kanan met Ezra Bridger, who was strong with the force, and got him to join the crew. Kanan taught Ezra how to be a Jedi as well as a good person. Kanan took care of the team as if they were his own children (and in case you're wondering, yes, I view Hera as the mom, who wouldn't?) Even though none of them are blood related, the Ghost crew is my favorite Star Wars family. And Kanan is a wonderful father figure.
So there they are! Do you have any favorite fathers or father figures of Star Wars? Let me know in the comments below. Oh yeah, Father's day might have been yesterday, but why don't you go ahead and tell your dad you love them. Happy (late) Father's Day!
All media property of Lucasfilms
Father's DayFathers and Father-FiguresStar WarsStar Wars RebelsThe Clone Wars
Star Wars Theories: What Happened to Ahsoka?
Star Wars: BREAKING NEWS


The Persian Boy traces the last years of Alexander's life through the eyes of his lover, Bagoas. Abducted and gelded as a boy, Bagoas is sold as a courtesan to King Darius of Persia, but finds freedom with Alexander the Great after the Macedon army conquers his homeland. Their relationship sustains Alexander as he weathers assassination plots, the demands of two foreign wives, a sometimes mutinous army, and his own ferocious temper. After Alexander's mysterious death, we are left wondering if this Persian boy understood the great warrior and his ambitions better than anyone.


A little backstory: This boxgun was my 1st high end stock class marker and I had it for many months. It Served me well.
-nice sliding trigger, not as good as some others though.
-pretty good pump stroke, not amazing when compared to some others but good.
-Occasionally finicky, the boxgun has a recurring issue with binding on the pump stroke. Some have found solutions but for me they were not premenant.
Final thoughts: If you have alot of cash to spend and like the looks and design of the boxgun then it might be for you. It has its quirks but they can be worked around. I myself would pass on it if I were given the choice again, that is just my preference.
Backstory: I picked this up used here, it was in my hands for a few months and then I sold it.
-nice looking, but it it kinda looks like a phantom, a bit underwhelming to me.
-EXTREMELY user freindly! This gun has loads of features that make it easy to use and maintain.
-Tool less quick strip makes cleaning and maintainence almost fun!
-phantom internals which make replacing parts a breeze!
-Lack of sights, I wish it had a sight rail so one could mount an armson pro dot or something.
-Not that great of pump stroke. Maybe i am just spoiled but the pump stroke was lacking imo. This might be just mine though, I have felt stitches and his is real smooth.
Final thoughts: This gun is great, I miss it and I will likely buy another in the future. If you are looking for something that just works and is very user freindly, the gargoyle is great for you! It might not be as fancy looking as some of the others but it is a players gun, it is a joy to have on the field.
Backstory: I wanted this thing forever but got tired of waiting for the new ones to finish(still not done...) so I got the boxgun instead. I then got this used about 8 months later, i have now sold it.
-Looks AWSOME, very cool indeed.
-feels nice in the hands, very solid.
Final thoughts:This gun is a show peice, cool design and great looks. If you are looking for a sweet looking gun that you can play with, this might be for you...If you are looking for a gun that works great and can be a go to gun, I would pass on the redux. For me it is just a pain to deal with on the field, it you have to really take your time when loading it or your game ends. I would pass on it if I were given another chance, its just not for me though some have been successfull with it.
Backstory: I bought the orange and black gun used on mcb awhile ago and it has been my go to marker for many months. I love it so much I decided to buy a 2nd one(pink) in pistol form. The ones I own have the aluminum snub, this is how they come brand new now. The older ones had stainless snubs.
Final Thoughts: If you want a reliable, super smooth beast of a gun, I highly recommend the mini buzzard. It is a great shooter and my favorite gun to date. I love it so much I bought a 2nd one!
Well that is all for now, I will continue to update this thread as time passes.
Guns that I plan on adding to the list are: retro 7, phantom with dukie grip frame, and some others... Leave suggestions for others you are interested in seeing.
Last edited by lechooch; 02-04-2012 at 11:05 PM.


As the door closed behind the agents, Valerie snatched a knife off the table and stuffed it into her back pocket. She picked the handgun back up, opened the chamber, and checked for bullets. It was fully loaded. She snapped the chamber into place and unlocked the safety. With that she walked over to the far wall of the room, spread her legs shoulder width apart, and aimed at the door.
Valerie glanced at the mirror.
She kept her arms steady. The gun weighed on her arms as she waited, but she didn't waver. There was a sudden knock right before the metal door screeched open. A twenty-something man stumbled in as the door slammed shut. The dude was skinny and a bit pale, but who wouldn't be in a place like Alaska? He righted himself and faced the door. And there he remained standing, staring at the door as though it would open if he waited long enough.
Some vampire. Valerie lowered the gun slightly as her arms relaxed.
"Hey, you," she called out.
The man turned more suddenly than she'd expected. His eyes sparked to life when he saw her.
"I don't speak vampire," Valerie retorted.
The man started walking toward her.
"Ich brauche Blut," the man said back.
When he was three feet away from her, he reached for her neck.
Not again. Valerie wouldn't be a victim a second time.
This sounds really good! Thanks for sharing!


Just some pictures from lunch.
I took some time to take pictures of our beautiful day today.
Did you know my favorite color is green? LOVE it!
no idea why… but the picture of the grass is dream y to me. Love the different shades of green.
and finally when I was coming in I saw a little man who was up to no good! Kitchen counter is off limits…or I guess if only we are around.
We're going to the Portland Saturday Market and I'm so excited! I'll bring my camera and take as many picts as the camera will let me. Enjoy your Saturday!


A Florida man was recently arrested after the FCC discovered that he was using a cell phone jammer on his morning and evening commutes to prevent other motorists from using their phones while driving. Now this guy faces up to $48,000 in fines.
$48,000 in fines? This is a prime example of the craziness that is our world today. What freedoms do we have left? This guy was probably just trying to make sure that all of you idiots who use your phone while driving DID NOT KILL HIM while on his way to and from work. Because, you know, he values his life more than you guys value your own.
Metro PCS alerted the Feds of an issue in April of 2013. The company noticed that its cell phone tower sites had been experiencing interference during the morning and evening commutes.
Agents from the FCC used direction finding techniques to find that strong wideband emissions were coming out of a blue Toyota Highlander SUV driven by Humphreys.
The FCC says that Hunphreys admitted to using the jammer to keep people from talking on their phones while driving.
Federal law prohibits the operation of jamming devices in the United States.
The FCC says that jamming devices cannot be authorized because they can compromise the integrity of the nation's communications infrastructure, including 911 and police calls during an emergency.
When some idiot teenager is texting OMG LOL I KNOW RIGHT and rams your car at 70MPH, sending your soul shooting out of your body, you will wish you had a cell phone jammer. Rant over.


Getting old is a bummer. For one, although you may be earning enough to do all the things you wanted to do, your body may not always be cooperating. So, at a time when we can finally afford all those goodies we've always wanted to eat without anyone to stop us, we also have bowel movement issues.
Exchanging your carbs with whole grain substitutes go a long way too! So next time you eat something greasy, make sure you also eat a lot of vegetables and drink a lot of pure fruit juice!
We offer information, counselling and support.


Remember that scene on Searching for Bobby Fischer where the parents have been banned from the chess tournament and are getting their updates on the championship match from the little boy who keeps running into the room with the latest play?
"Josh is in trouble. He's down another pawn."
"Petey just hung his rook!"
And then the final announcement, the boy not running this time, rather walking slowly and with his head hung low: "It's over."
I've felt like this boy as I've written to my brother (who currently can only get letters and is pretty much cutoff from all media outlets) and given him an update after each of the games in the NBA finals. We both wanted the Spurs to win (as I hope the majority of the world did), so it was fun to report such tidbits as, "Spurs win game 1!" and "Spurs win game 5! They lead 3-2!" And considering that Fischer was a favorite family movie growing up, I have no doubt that he'll know exactly what happened when he reads my post script on today's letter. "It's over."


text:
Legacy of The Hearing House attracts new Chief Executive
The new Chief Executive at The Hearing House says she was drawn to the organisation by its legacy.
Dr Claire Green, a former lawyer, first heard about the charity when she was working with Chris Moore more than 11 years ago.
They were at law firm Meredith Connell and he was her supervising partner. Chris is a trustee on the Cochlear Implant Foundation of New Zealand, and the son of The Hearing House founder Sir Patrick Eisdell Moore, a leading ENT surgeon.
"I can vividly recall standing in Chris' office and Chris talking with me about the legacy of The Hearing House and why his father thought there was a need for the centre and its wonderful work."
Another senior lawyer had previously mentioned Sir Pat to Claire when he spoke with her about his daughter who was born prematurely, with a hearing impairment, and needed the services of Sir Pat.
Sir Pat was described as a "great ENT who was so gentle and had such a special way with children".
"I distinctly remember saying to Chris 'I'd like to help The Hearing House if an opportunity comes up'. Chris said something like 'I'll keep you in mind'."
Claire also had a great uncle who was deaf and says when she was growing up she "saw how he was treated".
"He was really isolated."
Claire interspersed her 10-year law career with having three children, now aged 16, 14 and 11, and going back university to study for her PhD in law.
"Years later, when it came to returning to work, I thought I'd rather do board work than go back in to law."
She joined The Hearing House Advisory Board in 2017 and as part of her introduction to the organisation she visited the Joyce Fisher Preschool.
"I was watching the kids [with cochlear implants] play and I was really touched. It just blew me away. I thought, a few generations ago I wouldn't have been witnessing this or connecting with the children in the manner that technology and the work done at The Hearing House now enables."
Claire, who has a diverse legal and research background, says during her time on the board she became "really engaged" with the organisation and worked with some amazing board members and trustees.
"I feel very privileged to have had that position on the board. It helps in my position [as Chief Executive] to have that governance experience."
Claire says she feels excited, humbled and fortunate to be in this role and follow on from former Chief Executive Scott Johnston, who retired in May.
"I feel hugely responsible. I don't want to let people down. It's about what I can do to help and serve."
After going through the application process, Claire was appointed to the Chief Executive position and started in June.
Claire says she sees her role as one that will help build relationships, improve communications and break down barriers.
She wants to take the organisation "to the next level" as a centre of excellence.
"I want it to be a truly world class centre. Who knows where the research might lead us.
"I'd like to see us be the best we can."


Making change involves subtraction and addition. Your student will use both in this worksheet for making change with coins and bills. It's a good way to practice Common Core Standards for Measurement and Data for 2nd grade, although other students may also use it as appropriate.