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Changes to Volvo Penta Executive Group Announced
Ron Huibers, President Volvo Penta Americas
Martin Bjuve, currently CFO and SVP, Business Office of Volvo Penta
After 26 years with Volvo and 7 as President of Volvo Penta Americas, Ron Huibers has decided to retire from his current role and move to another role within Volvo Penta. Succeeding Ron will be Martin Bjuve, currently CFO and SVP Business Office Volvo Penta. Planned transition date will be January 1, 2020.
Bjorn Ingemanson, President and CEO Volvo Penta, today announced that Ron Huibers, President Volvo Penta Americas, has decided to retire from his current role and take up a new role within the company. "The team, customers and industries we serve here have been exciting and rewarding. This role has been the best of my long career." Ron said. "I am thankful to have worked with great leaders and teams and establish stronger partnerships. However, as we have planned, I want to spend more time with my family that has been difficult to balance given the travel demands of being President. The time is right to hand over the baton as the Americas continues into the next stage of its journey."
"With 26 years of distinguished leadership across Volvo Group at Volvo Penta, Volvo and Mack Trucks, Volvo Finance and Volvo Construction Equipment, Ron's skills and experience developing business, teams and partnerships have paid dividends to the company and stakeholders. On behalf of Volvo Penta, I would like to thank Ron for his valuable contribution. His experience will still be available to the company, as Ron will help represent the company and support me as Senior Advisor." said Bjorn Ingemanson.
"With this transition, I am pleased to announce that Martin Bjuve, currently CFO and SVP, Business Office of Volvo Penta, will be the new President of Volvo Penta Americas planned date of January 1, 2020." said Bjorn.
Martin Bjuve has been with Volvo Penta for 17 years and is a member of the Volvo Penta Executive Group. As SVP & CFO, his responsibilities has included the overall strategy development, as well as process and IT. Martin has developed a broad commercial and customer experience in Volvo Penta. Prior to being appointed global CFO, Martin was based in Chesapeake Virginia for 5 years. First as CFO for Volvo Penta of the Americas, and later also as VP of customer support. Earlier roles include CFO Region Europe as well as responsible for sales of spare parts and accessories, and dealer development in the Nordic countries. "During his many years at Volvo Penta, Martin has developed into a commercial leader, with a strong strategic vision. He will continue to build on the strengths that Volvo Penta has established in North and South America over the years. I am pleased to have Martin take on the leadership role given his strong and diverse experience. Martin will of course be a key person in developing our current business in the business region. Furthermore Martin is well suited for expanding the new businesses that we are currently developing, like the outboard offer as well as automation, connectivity and electromobility" said Bjorn.
Martin Bjuve shared "I am thrilled to take on this new role. Volvo Penta Americas is very special for me and my family. I look forward to lead the very strong team we have in the region and keep growing the diverse business we have together with our partners. The company has made great progress under Ron's leadership. As we continue to innovate and grow in both the Marine and Industrial segments, we intend to build even further for the future. " said Martin Bjuve.
The recruitment of a new CFO and SVP, Business Office Volvo Penta is initiated and will be announced at a later stage.
• Americas • Nordic countries • North America
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Scottish Fire & Rescue Service
Dundee East MP Stewart Hosie has re-iterated the call for the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service to be exempt from VAT. Mr Hosie said: I cannot understand why the Westminster government has refused to exempt the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service from value added tax (VAT), despite repeated demands from the Scottish Government and politicians of all persuasions. ... I agree with the Fire Brigade Union, who simply cannot see why VAT rules apply uniquely to Scotland, while the rest of the UK is exempt." Official figures from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) estimate The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service's annual VAT bill at around £10 million. Mr Hosie continued: "The annual VAT bill of The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service's would pay for an additional 337 firefighters,. I am sure that most Scots would agree with the Scottish Government and the Fire Brigade Union that the Treasury should think again and eliminate this anomaly, which would free up valuable resources for the fire and rescue service in Scotland." Mr Hosie has signed the cross party Early Day Motion 156 supporting the campaign: SCOTTISH FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE VAT •Session: 2017-19 •Date tabled: 11.07.2017 That this House notes the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) continues to be liable for VAT, which means that it has 20 per cent greater running costs than equivalent services in England and Wales; further notes that this anomaly was apparent when the SFRS was formed; recognises that the effect of the anomaly is to reduce the quality of service to the Scottish public; and calls on the Government to allow the SFRS to reclaim its VAT. (picture shows Stewart at the recent "Love Your Firefighter" event at Parliament. See more
#StewartHosieMP #ScottishFireRescue #VAT

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Radar Tames the Wild Blue Yonder
November 1956 Popular Electronics
The VOLSCAN (Volume Scanning) radar system was a paradigm changer for air traffic controllers charges with guiding aircraft while assuring safe separation. Busy terminal areas were a particularly difficult challenge due to the large variation in aircraft speeds and types. VOLSCAN was a computer that tracked the position, direction, and speed of each target and even made recommendations to controllers for course assignments. It also warned of impending dangerous scenarios. Another VOLSCAN article in the July 1954 issue of Radio-Electronics magazine went into more detail and had color photos of the equipment. Interestingly, the equivalent of maybe the world's first light pen computer interface is used by the operator for letting the processor know what part of the screen (PPI, or plan position indicator) he is referring to. Here is an IEEE Xplore article on VOLSCAN.
By Shane Smith
The sky, once empty and beyond reach, is now a busy thoroughfare. Aviation has shrunk space aloft as well as on the ground. With the planes themselves made safe by today's superb engineering, congestion of the air has become the chief risk of flying.
As the wild, blue yonder grows wilder and more dangerous with fast planes crowding each other for space, the future of flying now depends on electronic aids to air safety.
Volscan, developed jointly by the Cambridge Research Center of the Air Force and the Crosley Corporation, is the latest answer to the urgent problem of air traffic control in the vicinity of busy airports. Combining ordinary radar data, Volscan converts a cloud of randomly arriving aircraft into an orderly, safe procession.
Giant overhead radar scope displays total air traffic situation. As newly arriving plane enters the monitored air space, an electronic computer coordinates its position and progress with every other plane in the area.
Operators relay instructions to incoming aircraft in terms of azimuth and elevation.
A supersonic jet plane may require as much as 50 miles for its landing approach, with some elbow room at either side. Therefore, an air traffic control system must assign each incoming aircraft a long "block of space" reserved exclusively for its use. Volscan automatically marks this space and follows the aircraft on its assigned path until the Instrument Landing System (ILS) takes over and sets it down on the runway.
Since pilots can't just step on the brake and slow down, the problem is complicated by faster planes overtaking the slower ones. A fast plane coming in later might wind up right on top of a slower plane that had already started its landing approach. Hence, not only the sequence of the incoming aircraft but also their speeds must be taken into account. This adds to the space demand of fast planes and to the score of factors that every minute may tip the balance of life and death at a busy airport.
Volscan keeps all these factors "in mind" at any moment, and automatically parcels out to each plane precisely the air space it needs to keep that fateful balance firmly held down on the safe side. As the airport radar sweeps the sky, each plane in the area appears as a "blip" on the radar screen. The operator marks each newly appearing blip with a light gun, which triggers Volscan's electronic brain into action. The computer then "follows" the plane as the blip moves on the radar screen.
Acting as an electronic traffic manager, the computer has stored within itself the correct answers to every possible landing approach situation that may arise. Since the computer has the answer before the problem actually comes up, it needs only a fraction of a second to pick the correct approach instruction - in effect, to assign a block of space. These instructions are then given to the pilot by radio, or fed directly into the airplane's automatic controls by data-link transmission.
Always on guard against error, Volscan keeps its unblinking eye on up to 14 planes which it guides simultaneously. If either the human or the automatic pilot takes any plane off the assigned course, the computer immediately compensates for the mistake and issues new instructions for getting the plane back on its track and arrival schedule. It must "touch down" at just the right moment, for the 13 other planes are strung by the computer in a tight but safe landing sequence. The result is maximum use of the available runway facilities, increasing the safe traffic capacity of any airport almost three times.
In this manner, Volscan can handle one landing every 30 seconds, thus reducing the dangerous practice of "stacking" airplanes waiting around an airport for an opportunity to land. Such stacking is discomforting in present-day planes, but for the jets of the not-distant future, it would be disastrous. For jets use almost three times as much fuel at approach altitude as they do at cruising altitude. While awaiting their landing clearance, they might exhaust their fuel reserve.
Volscan and the whole problem of air traffic control point up those ironic twists by which history bedevils human effort. Fifty years ago, when Man first transformed himself into a creature of flight, the main idea was to get him off the ground. Now, in the headlong progress of the air age, he seems to have trouble in getting down again. But electronics offers him a safe ladder for his descent.
(updated from original post on 6/30/2016)


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Natasha Goldowski Renner, born Nathalie Michel Goldowski, was a Moscow-born physicist and educator. She worked on the Manhattan Project, and later taught at Princeton University, Black Mountain College and Alfred University.

Biography

Early life and education
Natasha Goldowski was born into an aristocratic Russian family in Moscow in 1908. Together with her mother, Anna Goldowski, she immigrated to Paris in 1917 to flee the Russian Revolution.

She was educated in France, earning a Dr.Sc. and Ph.D. from the University of Paris in 1935 and 1939. At age thirty-two she became Chief of Metallurgical Development for the French Air Ministry. Her work in this role included protecting the aluminum frames of French seaplanes from salt water corrosion by introducing strips of magnesium.

When the Nazi occupation of France began, she and her mother immigrated again, this time to the US.

Manhattan Project
Goldowski first found work in the US as a researcher for the Sciaky Brothers in Chicago, but soon after became a metallurgist and corrosion expert for the Manhattan Project. She joined the University of Chicago's Metallurgical Laboratory ("Met Lab") in 1943, where she engineered a non-corroding aluminum coating that could be used in jackets surrounding the uranium fuel in Hanford plutonium production reactors. This coating was critical to the success of plutonium production.

Goldowski created a moving picture about the corrosion of metals, for which she received a medal. She also lectured about her work at the Nobel Institute and the Belgian Royal Academy.

At Met Lab, she earned a reputation for her Parisian fashion sense and for her flamboyant personality: one frequently repeated story relates that she "once plowed into Enrico Fermi while zipping through a Met Lab building's halls on roller skates."

Under McCarthyism, Goldowski lost her security clearance, in part because she did not become naturalized as a US citizen until 1947. Her career shifted into education.

Teaching
Goldowski's first work in education was at Princeton University, where she taught in the physics and math departments.

From fall 1947-summer 1953 (with the exception of a leave of absence from summer 1951 to summer 1952) she taught chemistry and physics at Black Mountain College, an experimental educational community located in Western North Carolina that emphasized the arts in its curriculum. Goldowski's colleagues at Black Mountain College included fellow European emigrants Max Dehn, Josef and Anni Albers, Ilya Bolotowsky, Trude Guermonprez, Fritz Hansgirg, Paul Leser, Charlotte Schlesinger, and Stefan Wolpe. She also taught alongside John Cage, Hazel Larsen Archer, and M.C. Richards. Natasha Goldowski's mother, Madame Anna Goldowski, also served as faculty, teaching French and Russian. Natasha eventually married a Black Mountain College student, Eric Renner.

In 1948, Goldowski led a non-credit seminar on cybernetics using galley proofs from Norbert Wiener's book Cybernetics. The seminar particularly influenced the poet Charles Olson (who failed to establish a convivial relationship with Olson following his installation as rector of the college, precipitating her departure) as well as Robert Duncan, Robert Creeley and other Black Mountain poets. Goldowski's essay "High Speed Computing Machines" was included in the first and only edition of the Black Mountain College Review edited by M.C. Richards, Alex Kemeny, and Hazel Larsen Archer, published in June 1951 (predating the later Black Mountain Review edited by Robert Creeley from 1954-1957).

After leaving Black Mountain College, Natasha Goldowski Renner worked in industry until 1956. In 1955, she was among a group of former faculty including Nell Rice and Hazel Larsen Archer who brought a lawsuit against the college for payment of back salaries.

From 1956-1962, she taught at Alfred University in New York as an associate professor of physics. The Natasha Goldowski Renner Prize in Physics named for her and is awarded to students displaying excellence and promise in the field of physics.

Later life
Natasha Goldowski Renner later emigrated to Mexico with her husband, where the two worked as scientific translators.

She died of meningitis in Guadalajara in 1966.

Published works
 Protection of Alumag in Bimetallic Constructions [by Metallization]. Métaux, 1935.
 Contribution à l'étude de la corrosion. E. Blondel La Rougery, 1935. With Charles Grard.
 Contribution à l'étude des potentiels de dissolution. E. Blondel La Rougery, 1939.
 "Korrosion." Zeitschrift für analytische Chemie 116.5-6 (1939): 216-221.With W. Palmaer, E. Heyn, O. Bauer, H. E. Searle, F. L. La Que, W. R. van Wijk, H. J. Lodeesen, H. Fournier, H. Thyssen, J. Bourdouxhe, E. Naumann, U. R. Evans & W. Blum.  https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01358941.

References

1908 births
1966 deaths
Alfred University faculty
Black Mountain College faculty
Manhattan Project people
Princeton University faculty
Emigrants from the Russian Empire to France
French emigrants to the United States
University of Paris alumni

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Top Ten Questions on Political Dialogue in the Workplace
By John A. Snyder
During a presidential election season, political discussion and debate are prominent, often at family functions, social gatherings, and even at work. This year, in the final week leading up to the election, the divisiveness and sharp tone of political discourse seems more acute than ever and heightened awareness of its impact on the workplace is needed. According to CareerBuilder's latest survey on politics at work, 3 in 10 managers (30 percent) and nearly 1 in 5 employees (17 percent) have argued with a co-worker this election season. More than 5,000 managers and workers in the private sector participated in the survey. At the same time, only about 3.1 percent of responding organizations have official or unofficial guidelines on talking about politics at work, according to Chicago-based outplacement and executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas based on the results of its survey of 150 human resources executives conducted in March.
Beyond the employee morale and productivity issues that may be affected, political dialogue in the workplace also may create potential liability for employers. Conversations over candidates often focus on race, sex, or religion and can easily provide potential grounds for harassment, race, religious, age and/or gender, among other forms of discrimination, retaliation, or other types of workplace complaints. Regulating and restricting political displays and expression at work does not mean an employer must purge the workplace of politics. Each employer must decide the extent of tolerable political expression or activity in the workplace based on an understanding of its culture, workforce, business needs, and client and marketplace sensitivities.
Here is our Top Ten list to consider in determining whether your company is ready for the upcoming presidential election:
1. Do the First Amendment's freedom of speech protections allow employees to express their political views in the workplace?
Employers have wide discretion when it comes to limiting the political expression of employees in the workplace. The First Amendment generally applies only to government censorship of speech. Thus, the Constitution allows private companies to regulate speech, even to bar political discussion entirely. While public employees are more protected by free-speech rules, even governmental entities can impose speech limits to ensure efficient operations. Some states, however, provide explicit protection for employee political expression. With that said, however, regardless of a particular state's rules on political expression in the workplace, a private employer in general can discipline or discharge an employee for legitimate, business-related reasons, even if the conduct involves political expression at work. For example, if an employee's political expression interferes with his or her work, disrupts his or her co-workers, or infringes upon business objectives, the employer can take action consistent with its written policies and practices. On the other hand, employers can run afoul of discrimination laws (including laws protecting political expression, religious beliefs, race, gender, religion, and other protected characteristics) when there is evidence of disparate treatment, uneven application of the employer's policies, or adverse or retaliatory treatment based solely upon an employee's political expression.
2. Can an employer require its employees to support the employer's political views?
Federal election laws allow corporations to persuade a "restricted class" of individuals to vote for or against a political candidate. The "restricted class" is defined as "executive or administrative personnel" who are employed by a corporation on a salary basis and have policymaking, managerial, professional, or supervisory responsibilities. Executive and administrative personnel include a corporation's officers, executives, managers, and lawyers. However, outside the restricted class, a corporation's ability to communicate with rank-and-file employees regarding the election of political candidates is more restricted than under federal election laws.
Further, state laws may prohibit all employers, including corporations, from requiring employees to support their political positions. New Jersey, for example, prohibits an employer from requiring employees to attend an employer-sponsored meeting or participate in any communication with the employer in order to communicate the employer's opinion about religious or political matters. Similarly, the state of Washington prohibits retaliation against employees for failing to support a candidate, ballot position or political party. In addition, some courts have recognized an employee's common law right to be free from employer-sponsored political expression. Given these statutory and common law protections, managers and supervisors should not share, and certainly not impose, their political views and opinions with their subordinates.
3. Can an employer prohibit political campaigning at work?
An employee's focus at work should be job-related. Accordingly, an employer should regulate political campaigning at work through the enforcement of a non-solicitation policy, which prohibits employees from soliciting other employees for political purposes during working time. Employers should also immediately and consistently counsel and discipline employees who engage in political activities, instead of performing their job duties, during working time. In other words, employers should treat political campaigning at work as it would other forms of solicitation under its non-solicitation policies, whether it is for school fundraisers, charitable causes, or other civic endeavors unrelated to work.
In the Internet Age, political campaigning at work may not be as readily detectable by employers as in years past. Often, political tickets and posts go viral and can span the globe in term of their reach. With nearly every employee having a smartphone and the proliferation of political blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social networks, it is easier than ever for employees to find like-minded political supporters and focus on politics rather than their jobs during working time. Consequently, employers must implement and consistently distribute and enforce their electronic communications policies, emphasizing that their computer systems and devices are to be used for business-related reasons and that employees' computer activity will be closely monitored. Employers might want to consider denying access to certain internet sites at work, including social networking sites to further restrict political activities there, much like they would restrict access to limit other-work use of the internet to conserve bandwidth, avoid viruses, and the like. As appropriate, employers should communicate in advance that this is a touchy subject and encourage courtesy and discretion.
4. Can employers prohibit political displays at work (e.g., buttons, signs, or posters)?
An employer can implement dress code policies that prohibit employees from displaying political items at work, such as buttons, pins, hats, and other campaign paraphernalia, so long as the employer evenhandedly prohibits the display of all forms of non-business-related items. An employer may want to prohibit employees from wearing paraphernalia (buttons, hats, and the like) at work in order to avoid the appearance that the employer adopts an employee's political views. Typically, employers can prohibit campaign signs and solicitations and can take control of the information posted within their workplace by enforcing their non-solicitation rules. While an organization may prohibit employees from posting political signs and asking for campaign donations even without a non-solicitation policy, non-solicitation rules often can prevent these types of issues in the first place.
Under the National Labor Relations Act ("NLRA"), non-managerial employees have the right to display labor union insignia at work. Therefore, an employee cannot be disciplined for wearing a union button that contains a political message. To the extent that buttons or insignias contain union messages or messages related to terms and conditions of employment, such as "fight for 15," generally, non-managerial employees would be protected under the NLRA even though the messages also are political.
5. Can employers restrict employees' off-duty political activities?
Individual states provide varied levels of protection for employees' political expression and for other off-duty conduct. For example, Washington State makes it illegal to take adverse action against an employee on the basis of his or her voting preferences. Florida makes it illegal to fire or threaten to fire an employee for voting or not voting in any election, including in any state or local election. The election code in Texas makes it a felony to reduce wages or another benefit of employment, or to threaten to do that, in retaliation for a voter voting for or against a candidate or measure, or a voter refusing to reveal how he or she voted. California, Colorado, and Louisiana prohibit covered employers from preventing any employee from engaging or participating in politics, including running for elected office.
Employers, therefore, need to be careful about not discriminating against employees for engaging in political activity. For instance, companies should not take adverse action against an employee for engaging in lawful off-duty conduct, such as supporting a specific candidate or being involved with a particular political party or organization. Likewise, discriminating against employees for holding political views or participating in off-duty activities on the campaign trail for candidates is often prohibited. For example, employees generally can put bumper stickers on their cars in support of a presidential candidate or volunteer to pamphleteer or otherwise volunteer when off-duty for a political candidate. Any action taken against employees typically should be based on inappropriate conduct related to the political activity, as opposed to the underlying political activity itself.
6. An employee mentions to his supervisor that the employee's co-worker constantly tells him that a candidate should not become president because of his religion. Another co-worker tells colleagues at lunch that another candidate is too old to be president. What can the employer do?
As a threshold matter, the employer should follow established procedures for employee complaints. An employer must do what it can to ensure that political dialogue among employees does not turn into a discussion about protected characteristics. If they observe employees criticize a political candidate based upon their own protected characteristics, workers in protected categories may feel alienated or isolated. For instance, discussions about how a candidate's age might affect his or her ability to operate as President could be perceived as age-based discrimination. Similarly, media attention concerning Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton's statements about border security, the U.S.-Mexico border, deportation, and immigration could lead to comments about race, ethnicity, and national origin that might make someone uncomfortable. These and other current political issues all too easily can generate inappropriate workplace conversations.
For all these reasons, employers should reiterate as necessary their anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies, which include detailed complaint and non-retaliation procedures. Persistent, unwelcome political dialogue and discussion might be viewed by some employees as unlawful harassment or discrimination. If an employee complains of inappropriate behavior or unfair treatment based upon a discussion about politics or an individual's political views, the employer should immediately investigate the complaint and take necessary action to remedy the potentially offensive behavior as swiftly, thoroughly and seriously as any other discrimination or retaliation complaint it receives. Calling a discussion, debate, or exchange among employees "political" does not obviate an employer's need to investigate or take appropriate corrective action, especially where a complaint has been lodged.
7. A devout Christian employee displays a Bible on her desk and strongly urges co-workers to vote for pro-life candidates. Can the employer take disciplinary action against the employee for displaying the Bible and/or for discussing her politics?
An employer must distinguish between the religious and political aspects of the employee's expression and conduct. Discrimination on the basis of religion is prohibited under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and analogous state laws. Under Title VII and other laws, absent an undue hardship, an employer has an obligation to reasonably accommodate an employee's religious practice, including the display of religious objects and artifacts. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ("EEOC") has issued written guidance concerning religious discrimination in the workplace. In the guidance, the EEOC stated that an employee displaying a religious object (e.g., a poster with the message "Jesus Saves!") in his/her private office does not pose an undue hardship. On the other hand, if the employee sat in the main lobby through which all employees, visitors, clients and vendors must enter and displayed the religious object, it would likely constitute a hardship because it could be perceived as representing the employer's beliefs and viewpoints.
Therefore, under existing EEOC guidance, an employee likely has a right to display the Bible on her desk in her office. By contrast, the employer can restrict the employee's advocacy of pro-life candidates at work if it offends co-workers. The EEOC's guidance and applicable case law makes it clear that religious expression directed toward employees by co-workers and managers may constitute harassment, if it is abusive or persists after the employees to whom it is directed have made clear that it is unwanted. For instance, an employer can prohibit an employee from repeatedly urging co-workers to vote for pro-life candidates if the other employees take exception to the employee's persistent and unwelcome attempts to foist his or her religious beliefs on them. Employers should consider discussing religious and political expression and the need for sensitivity towards others in any discussions with managers and employees about workplace conduct and respect during the lead-up to the election.
8. What are the general rules regarding use of corporate resources and soliciting contributions in the workplace?
Corporate resources usually cannot be used to underwrite fundraising for a federal candidate. Expenses, such as a corporate conference room, supplies, or catering used during a fundraiser, must be underwritten by the campaign. Resources made available to the candidate must be charged to and paid for by the campaign at fair market value. Absent a company non-solicitation policy that prohibits such solicitation, the law generally allows individuals to solicit contributions from their work colleagues if the contributions are voluntary and made without threat of reprisal or retaliation. While supervisors may be able to solicit contributions depending on workplace policies, such requests should be completely discretionary and not appear to be coercive. Finally, if employees donate money to a campaign, it has to be their own money and not company money. "Straw person" arrangements with employees being reimbursed by the company for contributions must be avoided. Failing to do so can result in trouble with the Federal Election Commission and potential criminal charges against the company, not to mention that there may be additional state protections, depending on the jurisdiction involved.
9. Does an employer have to provide employees time off to vote?
The majority of states protect an employee's right to take time off from work to vote. For instance, states including Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Maryland, and New York provide for paid leave for employees to vote in an election in certain circumstances where the employee may not have sufficient consecutive non-working hours to enable the employee to have time to vote. It is a criminal violation for employers to refuse to allow an employee in Texas to be absent from work to attend the polls to vote on Election Day, unless the polls are open for at least two consecutive hours outside the voter's working hours. Accordingly, employers must be aware of and abide by these state-specific voting laws. (See our article, Election Day is Coming – What are Your Obligations as an Employer?)
10. What are some recommended steps employers can take regarding politics and political discussion in the workplace?
Monitor the workplace during the final weeks leading up to the presidential election and be responsive to questions, complaints, or concerns that may arise from employees. Additionally, remind managers to report employee complaints, even if the complained-of conduct has political overtones. Remind managers of the company's non-retaliation policy.
Reiterate a non-solicitation policy that prohibits all forms of solicitation — including political campaigning — during working time. Remind managers to evenhandedly enforce dress code, non-solicitation and electronic communications policies. Enforcement cannot be influenced by an employee's political views or activities.
Reiterate an electronic communications policy that explicitly mentions that the employer's computer system, including its internet, instant messaging and text messaging, is primarily for business-related use. Actively and consistently enforce a comprehensive anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policy that provides a clear mechanism for complaints and investigation. Remind employees of the company's non-retaliation policy associated with lodging legitimate complaints.
Remind managers and supervisors to avoid political conversations or discussions with their subordinates. Employers also may want to include a specific section in their company policies addressing political discussion in the workplace. To the extent that employers limit political expression, limit only the types of expression that might harm productivity in the workplace, affect customer, client, vendor, or similar relationships or otherwise disrupt work.
Advise employees that all workplace speech, whether political or otherwise, should be respectful and tolerant of others' views.
Do not press employees to vote for a particular candidate and never use threats of adverse employment action to influence an employee's vote.
Review state laws regarding employee political expression and voting leaves.
Seek legal counsel before disciplining any employee for his or her political activities, including missing work to attend a political rally or to vote.
Communicate with managers and supervisors regularly during campaign and election season to ensure that they understand the importance of creating a respectful, politically-neutral work environment.
Brace yourself as an employer to address issues relating to the "First Amendment" and claims of "infringement on my Constitutional rights."
Be sensitive to potential discrimination, harassment and retaliation issues. While political beliefs at work are not protected in the same manner as, say, religious beliefs, the potential exposure to these types of claims remains prominent.
©2016 Jackson Lewis P.C. This material is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended to constitute legal advice nor does it create a client-lawyer relationship between Jackson Lewis and any recipient. Recipients should consult with counsel before taking any actions based on the information contained within this material. This material may be considered attorney advertising in some jurisdictions. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Focused on labor and employment law since 1958, Jackson Lewis P.C.'s 950+ attorneys located in major cities nationwide consistently identify and respond to new ways workplace law intersects business. We help employers develop proactive strategies, strong policies and business-oriented solutions to cultivate high-functioning workforces that are engaged, stable and diverse, and share our clients' goals to emphasize inclusivity and respect for the contribution of every employee. For more information, visit https://www.jacksonlewis.com.
John A. Snyder
New York City 212-545-4054
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Duluth, MN (OpEdNews) April 27, 2010 In my earlier article published at OpEdNews entitled "Not For Profit, Eh? Hold on There, Martha Nussbaum!" I published my objections about the terrible title NOT FOR PROFIT. Just as there is financial profit, so too there are many other forms of profit, including profiting from the study of the humanities. But enough about that!
Apart from my objections about the title, I consider Nussbaum's new book NOT FOR PROFIT: WHY DEMOCRACY NEEDS THE HUMANITIES important enough to call for a national debate with her about her thesis.
Nussbaum rises to speak in defense of the humanities in elementary, secondary, and post-secondary education.
She rises to speak out not just against former President George W. Bush's administration, but also against President Barack Obama's administration. Both administrations have endorsed the federal legislation known as No Child Left Behind, which leaves much to be desired.
She quotes President Obama as saying, "[E]conomic progress and educational achievement have always gone hand in hand in America" (quoted on p. 137). That much sounds promising.
However, when he turns to praising nations of the Far East for their recent economic advances, he says, "They are spending less time teaching things that don't matter, and teaching things that do. They are preparing their students not only for high school or college, but for a career. We are not" (quoted on p. 138). This sounds ominous.


An air Compressor is just one of the significant power consuming utilities in any commercial procedure as well as are generally categorized in two types. The category is based on their construction and also operation features.
You will certainly discover details of each kind from below summary.
01) Favorable Displacement Type Air Compressor.
Positive displacement kinds compressor are those, that mechanically displace a set quantity of air right into a lowered quantity. The continuous volume could be delivered by compressor when run at fixed speed. The discharge pressure is identified by the system load conditions. If the usage of air is more, after that release stress falls below the cut-off pressure & compressor works on tons problem.
In this type, pressed air is generated by to & fro activity of piston inside the cyndrical tube(compression chamber). Each movement compresses a set quantity of free air at a particular pressure. Single phase, dual phase or numerous stage and also single acting or double performing is the more classification of Reciprocating Air Compressor. An Upright type Air Compressor is usage for the application of pressed air ranging between 50 to 150 c. f. m as well as the Horizontal balance kind is most suitable for application varying from 200 to 5000 c. f. m.
In this type, air is pressed by 2 turning or inter meshing rotors. According to the sort of building and construction Rotating Compressor could be more classified as (a) Rotary Screw Compressor (b) Rotary Vane compressor.
Air is pressed between 2 revolving screw (male & female screw) as well as case. The compression occurred in progressively lowering room between these 2 parts.
Air is compressed between housing & turning blades by the assistance of movable blades blade. This kind of Air Compressor can be further classified as Single Stage or Dual Phase Rotary Air Compressor.
02) Dynamic Type Air Compressor.
The Dynamic Type Air Compressors mechanically convey velocity to the air. This action is produced by the Impellers revolving at a broadband, in enclosed case. The air is pushed into a progressively decreased quantity. The volumetric circulation will certainly vary inversely with the differential pressure throughout the compressor.
This sort of compressor is additional categorized as (a) Centrifugal Air Compressor (b) Axial Flow Air Compressor (c) Origins Blower Compressor.
In a Centrifugal Air Compressor, an Impeller is placed on a shaft as well as positioned within housing, including an inlet air duct, a volute as well as a Diffuser. The speed to the air could be convey by the broadband rotation of Impeller. The Diffuser borders the Impeller as well as act to convert the Kinetic energy of air into prospective power at a higher pressure level.
The Axial Circulation Kind Air Compressor is essentially a big capacity, broadband maker with qualities rather different from the centrifugal air compressor. Each phase contain 2 row of blades, one row turning & the next row of blade is stationery. The rotor blades present velocity and stress to the air as the motor transforms, the velocity being converted to pressure in stationery blades.
This kind is usually called as blower. The discharge atmospheric pressure acquired from this kind of device is really low. The Discharge Stress of 1 bar can be obtained in Single Phase as well as stress of 2. 2 bar is obtained from Double Phase. The discharge stress accomplished by 2 blades which have different parallel axis and revolve in opposite instructions. This is the example of Positive Displacement Compressor in Rotary Type Air Compressor. For more review visit link thediyhubby.com.
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Our bullying prevention program is rooted in neuroscience that transforms whole-school communities through digital storytelling, reflection, and empathic relationships.
Abuse, community violence, racial profiling, the pernicious effects of poverty, and many other forms of trauma affect children's ability to succeed in school and communicate clearly their feelings and thoughts. Many of them are experiencing chronic stress activation, and a recent major epidemiological study demonstrated that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) such as these underlie many mental health problems including major depressive disorder.
DFA is informed in its entirety by findings from leading trauma specialists and researchers, and co-developed by a trauma practitioner and researcher. DFA seeks to address and remediate the toxic stress that youth today are grappling with by incorporating the tenets of Trauma-Informed Care (TIC). The premise of TIC is to take into account past traumas and actively resist re-traumatization.
What is Dignity for All?
We want kids to feel free to tell their story and help shape a new generation of kinder, empathetic and civic-minded children.
Behind the Scenes provides background texts for each character in a provided DFA video as an empathy-building activity to connect the reader to the circumstances, beliefs, and attitudes of others. The stories and associated role-playing activities inspire students to actively empathize with others and strive to understand opposing perspectives.
Break it Down provides students with the opportunity to evaluate what they have learned from the Quest through both written and discussion-based analyses. This activity helps students understand the role they play in their school community and at home.
Write to the Point allows students to reflect privately through a series of journal prompts, helping students to put their emotions, thoughts, and values into words.
We Got Game prompts students to take part in a collaborative project with the goal to create a school-wide mission statement committed to a positive community for all. Students engage in research on mission statements of historical movements, brainstorming of values and goals, outreach to the rest of the school community through a variety of multimedia projects, and the organization of a school-wide event to discuss and implement the resulting mission statement. See the full list of components here.
DFA's teacher guides include in-depth descriptions of the research in neuroscience, restorative justice, and empathy upon which the curriculum is based. Urban Tech strives to give teachers the tools they need to coach their students on a personal level, deal effectively with emotions, and help develop positive responses to stressful situations. In this way we can help teachers and students raise self-awareness eradicate unconscious bias, and build skills in empathy and critical reflection.
In 2018, we implemented DFA into its first pilot school in Brooklyn, NY. At the start of the school year, 63% of students indicated that they had been teased, lied about or socially isolated. After completing the first phase of DFA, in only ten weeks' time, reports of the same behavior had decreased to 29%. Overall victimization rates fell from 23% to 17.9%, a rate lower than the national bullying average for middle school students, and prevalence rates among female students dropped by nearly 50%. Download our latest evaluation below.
"The Dignity for All program is supporting our goal to help develop students who are empathetic, collaborative and reflective contributors in their communities. We are learning what bullying is and how to distinguish it from other mean behavior by using the ACID test: Is it aggressive, is it continual, is there imbalance in power, and a deliberate intention to hurt another person. With this new knowledge and language, we are empowered to change our own attitudes and behavior and those of our students. We are doing our part to create a better world thanks to Urban Tech and its Dignity for All program which we hope can be brought to all schools in New York City."
Every day, 160,000 students skip school to avoid being bullied. Bullies and targets are both at increased risk of suicidal ideation. 25% of students are bullied each year and face long-term mental and physical health problems as a result, while students who bully are more likely than their peers to face academic challenges and suspension.
Every year, 70% of students witness bullying in their schools, and recent studies indicate that these bystanders suffer the same negative effects as bullied students. Importantly, studies show that as many as 59% of incidents can be prevented by teaching bystanders to recognize bullying when it occurs and to prevent and intervene in the bullying cycle using restorative practices that include the whole community.
For adolescents, practicing mindfulness and empathy is particularly important. Recent findings show that empathic, caring encounters with others not only light up the pleasure centers in the brain, but also facilitate the development of integrative fibers in the brain. That means that emotional attunement from another can make the entire brain work better.
Research has indicated that in schools where students perceive that adults care about them individually and are invested in their learning, the students are less likely to become either targets or aggressors of bullying. Moreover, when bullying is seen as a whole school issue and supportive connections are fostered among all school personnel, bullying behaviors have been reduced.
The National Urban Technology Center is a non profit that creates social emotional learning curriculums taught in schools across the country.


Tis the season for back yard BarBQs. Coincidentally, its also bathing suit season. So take it easy on the dogs and burgers and maybe throw something green on the grill?! Or roast up some veggies in the oven with a little olive oil and salt and pepper to nosh on instead of chips or donuts! Portobellos, zucchini, squash, and asparagus are some of my faves. What are yours?


Brush Your Teeth Then What?
One tip I'd like to pass on -- if anyone gets a sore mouth and uses toothpaste for sensitive teeth it may be your toothpaste.
I can't use toothpaste for sensitive teeth for this reason. I guess "'m allergic to whatever is in it.
My dentist paints something on my teeth so they aren't too sensivite to cold or hot. It works for at least a year.
I never rinse after I brush. I feel that just defeats the purpose of brushing and washes most of it off. Eventually I will drink a sip of water many minutes later. I only floss afterwards.
I don't understand swallowing the stuff you've just been getting off your teeth and tongue (yes, I brush my tongue). I rinse and gargle and after that, I floss.
Actually chewing gum is a good way to clean your teeth, it removes the bits the brush misses. Handy when you're away from home and need to freshen up.
I brush with coconut oil toothpaste that I make up. THere are many recipes on line...and for a while now I've been adding 1/2 of Now Food Coconut Oil toothpaste to my own. Often add drops of clove oil to the whole mix. I brush and spit but don't rinse with water, not tap for sure. I'm one of t hose anti fluoride activists.
My brushing before going to bed I swish after brushing with 3% H202.
I never realized that there was such wide diversity in practices for cleaning people's mouths!
I wasn't as good as I should have been about dental hygiene when I was younger and have paid a price. I now spend about eight to ten minutes flossing and brushing (electric brush for teeth, manual for all soft tissues), followed by a thorough rinse. For me, the purpose of rinsing is to get all of the stuff I just loosened out of my mouth and down the drain. I finish with a fluoride rinse like Aim and don't drink anything for 15 minutes. I'm a big proponent of properly used fluoride - systemic for children, topical for adults.
One would think with all the fluoride being pushed on the population, it's called mass medication, by we anti F, the dentists would be poor, but they are just as busy fixing all the problems.
Do you think chlorinating or otherwise purifying the water that comes out of the rivers and lakes is "mass medication" ? Are you an anti-vaxxer too?
I have been with the anti F group for years and if YOU think the F pushed down our throats that comes from industrial waste from the U.S. fertilizer and smelters and lead plants and now most comes from China as we've moved so much industry to that part of the world....then go on thinking that.
And I've been consuming tap waters for decades and have done more than my share of dental visits and I believe in treating the water as we've done forever, but not treating people against their wills. And that's what it's been for too too long.
As for anti vaxxer, and I've never called myself that, but I'd sure be against all the vaccines that pushed on the babies being born today. Not in my life nor my daughter's life, who is 55. She and I had the necessary ones to enter 1st grade.
I have NOT gotten a vaccine of flu type since I was about 40 or so..and I'm 81 soon.
And no shingles vaccine either.
I work on keeping my immune system tip top and don't need shot up with those toxic drugs.
Had a tetnus shot due to a rusty nail issue many yrs ago and that's been it.
I started in my 50's to "wake up" to the western medicine money grabbing world.
And I'm glad there is help for those who need restoration from damage done in their mouths and believe me glad I have the bridge work and crowns I do have.
But at this point I take such great care of my mouth with antioxidants and started refusing xrays about 10 yrs ago and with the care I use for myself I don't need to run to dentists these days and haven't for some yrs. I've cleaned up my diet a LOT.
My peridontist, my dentist and my oral hygentist all use Crest Pro Health Advanced mouthwash. It is used for 30 seconds after brushing then no fluids or solids for 30 minutes after. Available everywhere.
On the anti vaxxer comment, my grandkids who are 22 and 19 both have had a lot of health issues and they were the children caught in all these many early baby vaccines that their mom/dad bought into from the pediatrician. My daughter has said to me, she now questions all those vaccines pumped into the babies. My daughter has done a 380 on all pharma and it's drugs as she has seen so much damage.
Flossing is not officially recommended, anymore. Dental groups encourage it, but when push comes to shove, there is absolutely no hard scientific evidence to support its use. Recommending it is a way for the dental profession to keep getting their benefits from the mega powerful floss manufacturers. I use dental picks, and my gum pain has never recurred, two years running. I quit using toothpaste about thirty years ago. I use salt water. The only teeth not in my mouth are those I elected to have removed because I kept biting my inner cheek, which can lead to oral cancer. Toothpaste gave me canker sores. The outlandish claims for toothpaste, such as regeneration of enamel, are also without scientific merit.
Everyone is Selling something. I use dental pink color picks.
When do you brush your teeth in the morning?
Two nuns and a paint brush.


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Woman dumped for 'putting on weight' after spending £93 travelling to Tinder date launches fundraiser
Yahoo Style UK deputy editor
Jade Savage, pictured, set up a GoFundMe page after her date ended within five minutes. [Photo: GoFundMe]
A woman who spent £93 travelling to a date before being dumped for 'putting on weight' is now fundraising to earn back the money spent.
Jade Savage, 28, who is a clothing size 14, spent the sum getting from Leicester to Peterborough to meet a man she had first met online.
The round trip took the mum-of-one a total of three and a half hours to complete – and was made worse by the fact she missed her initial form of transportation, a coach.
But when she was picked up at the station by her date, he allegedly called her fat – which lead to an argument.
Five minutes later, the man – whom Savage had already been on a date with four weeks earlier – dropped her back at the station.
READ MORE: Are single parents right to put their children before dating?
"Date called me fat and got offended when I told him he was rude and acting like a pr***," she explains on the page, which is entitled: "Want my £90 back because my date called me fat."
"So took me back to the train station 5 minutes later."
"He then offered to give me the £90 travel money back and blocked me when I said yeah," she adds.
Explaining the motivation behind her GoFundMe page, Savage says: "Just want to make my £90 travel money back so I can buy wine and sticks of lard."
She has already raised £345 of her £90 target at time of writing.
Savage provided further context to The Sun: "She said: "I was chatting to him on the phone when I got to the train station, waiting for him to pick me up.
"That's when he said, 'F*** me, you have put some weight on haven't you?' I was like, 'No, you can't say that.'
She added: "It was clear he wanted to call the whole thing off but I still hoped we could have a nice time so we went to his car.
The situation escalated: "He told me I had put him in a bad mood and that I had to go home."
READ MORE: Dad receives influx of date offers after taking fashion advice from daughter
With an hour to go until the next train home, Savage set up a GoFundMe page to cover her costs, which included:
Taxi to Leicester and back - £15
Missed coach - £12
Train to Peterborough - £23
Wine at station - £5
Train back to Leicester - £15
Taxi home - £15
The care support worker says she has since been able to see the funny side: "My mates were laughing with me, saying, 'You've paid £90 to go to Peterborough, be called fat and then get sent home.'
"It was the worst and shortest date I've been on."
Savage isn't the first to seek reimbursement after a bad date.
In June this year, a man asked to be paid back for a drink he bought a woman – because she didn't sleep with him.
Most right-swiped 'Mr Tinder' back on the dating scene for 2020
Tomorrow is the busiest day of the year for online dating apps
From Faux-nogomy to Jekylling, the 2020 dating trends you need to know
You can treat your loved one to a chicken nugget bouquet this Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day: Where did it come from and what's the real meaning?
China's credibility on the line as it tries to dispels fears it will cover up spread of Wuhan virus


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Tag Archives: Jessica Williams
Corporate Animals
There is no "I" in team but there IS meat…
(2019) Comedy (Screen Media) Demi Moore, Jessica Williams, Ed Helms, Isiah Whitlock Jr, Karan Soni, Martha Kelly, Dan Bakkedahl, Calum Worthy, Jennifer Kim, Nasim Pedrad, Frank Bond, Wendy Meredith, Britney Spears, Courtney Cunningham, Chris Harding, David Phyfer, Richard Beal, Tobiah Powell, LynNita Ellis. Directed by Patrick Brice
There is something inherently funny about corporate life. From the platitudes that are meant to inspire to the team-building exercises that are more an exercise in wasting time to the gorilla in a velvet suit venality of corporate politics, it's a wonder that the subject hasn't been mined more often for the comedy gold that is clearly there. Maybe it just hits a bit too close to home for most of us.
Lucy (Moore) is the high-strung platitude-spewing CEO of a company that makes edible cutlery. The corporate culture is supposed to be diverse and inclusive but below the surface of civility there is an awful lot of discontent. Perfect time for a team-building session, right? Of course, right.
Brandon (Helms) is their guide as he attempts to get the group to move a stone sphere that is clearly too heavy for the group to budge until the intern Aidan (Worthy) is injured, but that's just the warm-up. The main event is spelunking in some deep caves in New Mexico. When the group comes to a fork, Lucy insists that they take the more difficult "advanced" route despite everyone else – including Brandon – trying to dissuade her.
At first, it looks like Lucy might have been on to something when the group reaches the majestic Cathedral Cavern but what little triumph the group can muster is quickly quashed when an earthquake buries them in the cavern and kills one of their number. Bummer.
Finding a way out doesn't seem to be much of a priority for Lucy who is confident that there will be a rescue party finding them shortly; after all, she had left an itinerary with the ranger's office and as soon as they're listed as overdue the cavalry will be coming. When it soon becomes obvious that they are going to be trapped for more than a few hours, it becomes clear that the problem of survival is going to start with the fact they have no food and no water.
This is very much a dark comedy with elements of parody meant to take on the aforementioned subjects of office politics and corporate culture. Brice, who previously helmed the much better comedy The Overnight works off of a script by Sam Bain which is too scattershot for its own good. There are too many subplots, including the rivalry between Jess (Williams) and Freddie (Soni) who were both promised a big promotion by Lucy, Lucy's sexual harassment of Freddie and the fact that Lucy's incompetence has left the company nearly bankrupt, a fact her workers are ignorant of.
Lucy is definitely the centerpoint here and the movie could have used an actress with a deft comic touch. Demi Moore is a lot of things, but she has never been known for her comic timing. She ends up coming off as vile and venal, self-absorbed and arrogant who believes herself to be superior in all ways to those who actually do the work that keeps the company going. One has to wonder if Moore was cast because she had a similar role in the drama Disclosure which was also a far better movie than this one. One imagines that Ms. Moore cashed the check as quickly as she could and moved on to something a bit more challenging.
Someone who does have a deft comic touch is Jessica Williams who is note-perfect as the long-suffering assistant Jess who is far more competent than anyone else in the workplace. Anyone who has seen her in the Netflix film The Incredible Jessica James knows what Williams is capable of and the career path in front of her is bright and shiny indeed. I look forward to seeing her in more movies.
By necessity the movie is dimly lit over long stretches and while the cavern set is pretty decent, it also looks like a set. While apparently some of the film was lensed in the famed Frankfurt Caverns of Kentucky, the rocks look like papier machė. The movie would have benefitted from a little more focus and fewer subplots. The critics have pretty much savaged the film so don't expect there to be much of an audience for it but adventurous readers who are interested can take a chance on it when it hits home video in a few months.
REASONS TO SEE: Jessica Williams is absolutely stellar.
REASONS TO AVOID: This has been done better elsewhere.
FAMILY VALUES: There is plenty of profanity, some drug and sex references, a bit of violence and some gruesome images.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT: Sharon Stone was originally cast as Lucy but had to bow out due to a scheduling conflict. Demi Moore stepped into the role instead.
CRITICAL MASS: As of 9/22/19: Rotten Tomatoes: 31% positive reviews: Metacritic: 31/100.
COMPARISON SHOPPING: Severance
NEXT: Moonlight Sonata: Deafness in Three Movements
Posted in New Releases | Tagged boulders, cannibalism, cave-in, cinema, Cinema365, comedy, Corporate Animals, corporate culture, Dan Bakkedahl, Demi Moore, Ed Helms, edible cutlery, Films, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Jessica Williams, Karan Soni, movies, Nasim Pedrad, New Mexico, reviews, Screen Media, sexual harassment, spelunking, team building, trapped | Leave a reply
People Places Things
A meaningful look shared.
(2015) Romantic Comedy (The Film Arcade) Jemaine Clement, Regina Hall, Jessica Williams, Stephanie Allynne, Michael Chernus, Aundrea Gadsby, Gia Gadsby, Derrick Arthur, Celia Au, Paul Castro Jr., Jason DarkChocolate Dyer, Catherine Cain, Charles Cain, Brandon O'Neill, Alexa Magioncalda, Gavin Haag, Jordan Edmondson, Kiowa Smothergill. Directed by Jim Strouse
Sometimes life deals us a bum hand out of left field. We're just thinking we've got things figured out and Blammo!, we discover we haven't had a clue all along.
Will Henry (Clement) is a successful graphic artist who is deliriously in love with his twin daughters (played by the real life twins Aundrea and Gia Gadsby) who are throwing a party in honor of their fifth birthday. He goes off into the house looking for his wife Charlie (Allynne) for some party business or another. He finds her all right; in their bedroom having sex with sad sack Gary (Chernus). Will is of course upset, but Charlie turns things around and makes herself out to be the aggrieved party. She wants a divorce and custody of the kids.
A year later Will is still suffering from depression over the whole sordid affair. He has begun teaching graphic arts at a New York-area college, having moved to Astoria in Queens which is a long train ride into the City. He sees his girls on weekends and leads a fairly lonely existence. At this point, Charlie announces she is marrying Gary – because she is pregnant with his kid. She also wants to take an improv class, so she needs someone to watch the kids and as Gary is too busy doing his monologues off-off-off-Broadway, Will is the next best choice. Will likes this idea very much; he needs to be around his kids more often than just the occasional weekend.
In the meantime, Kat (Williams), one of the students in his class, takes a romantic interest in him – not for herself but for her 45-year-old mom Diane (Hall), a lit professor at Columbia. Against all odds, they hit it off, despite Diane's disdain for the graphic novel format in general. The two begin dating.
Then things start to go sideways for Charlie. She's getting cold feet, and she explains to Will that she doesn't want to make the same mistake as she did the first time – which leads Will to believe that she regards their marriage as a mistake. But she still has strong feelings for Will and he for her – so where does that leave Diane? Or Will, for that matter?
Strouse has a bit of a checkered resume, with movies that are close but no cigar on it (like Grace is Gone) but here he finally makes the checkered flag. While the story does not exactly break new ground in the busted relationships genre, it is told well and given much life thanks to some strongly written character and some fine performances.
Chief among them is Clement, who is quickly developing into one of the strongest comic actors in the world. His dry, deadpan delivery is hysterical all by itself but where Clement excels as he did in HBO's Flight of the Conchords. One of his strongest traits is that he can take an everyday guy, put him in an everyday situation and find something funny to mine out of it. He's not the guy who makes us laugh hysterically; he's the guy that makes us quietly chuckle to ourselves because we can find so much common ground.
Williams is a comedy star on the rise, and although her role here is fairly brief, she makes it entirely memorable. Williams is as hip a performer as there is and she looks as good on the big screen as she does on the small; only bigger, if you catch my drift. It wouldn't surprise me if she becomes as big a star as I believe Clement is going to be, which is one of considerable size if you ask me.
]There is kind of a mopey hipster vibe here that I found myself not liking so much at first. It took me awhile to decide that I like the movie, but it is worth the effort to stay with it. Yeah, it's got that New York indie 'tude that I sometimes find stupefying but there is heart at the center of the movie and most of it belongs to Clement who continues to impress after the earlier this year What We Do in the Shadows.
Again, not entertainment that is going to rock your world or change your views on life. Quietly though, it gets under your skin and stays there, maybe the perfect indie romantic comedy in that regard. And we all know how vapid indie romantic comedies can be. This one is anything but that; it is surely smart, quietly funny and undeniably well-written. Those sorts of films tend to be few and far between while the mercury is still hitting the high notes during the last dregs of summer.
REASONS TO GO: Clement's dry delivery is intoxicating. Some nice New York images.
REASONS TO STAY: A little too indie hipster douche in places, particularly early on.
FAMILY VALUES: There is a bit of foul language, some sexual references and brief nudity.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT: Williams is a regular correspondent on The Daily Show during the Jon Stewart era and continuing into the Trevor Noah era.
CRITICAL MASS: As of 8/21/15: Rotten Tomatoes: 76% positive reviews. Metacritic: 68/100.
COMPARISON SHOPPING: Motherhood
NEXT: Mateo
Posted in New Releases | Tagged birthday party, Celia Au, cinema, commuter train, divorce, dramedy, Films, graphic artist, graphic novels, infidelity, interracial couple, Jemaine Clement, Jessica Williams, Michael Chemus, movies, New York City, People Places Things, pregnancy, Queens, Regina Hall, remarriage, reviews, romantic comedy, Stephanie Allyne, teacher, The Film Arcade, twins | Leave a reply
Hot Tub Time Machine 2
Posted on February 24, 2015 by carlosdev
The requisite non-drug user accidental drug ingestion sequence.
(2015) Sci-Fi Comedy (Paramount/MGM) Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, Clark Duke, Adam Scott, Gillian Jacobs, Chevy Chase, Collette Wolfe, Bianca Haase, Jason Jones, Kumail Nanjiani, Kellee Stewart, Josh Heald, Gretchen Koerner, Lisa Loeb, Jessica Williams, Bruce Buffer, Mariana Paola Vicente, Adam Herschman, Kisha Sierra, Olivia Jordan. Directed by Steve Pink
Second chances don't come easily or often. We generally have one shot at making the right choice. Being human, we don't always make the right choice, which is where the need for second chances come in.
After having gone back in time and in the process changing their lives for the better, the three buddies are beginning to get a little, well, bored. Lou (Corddry) is a former metal God and tech mogul who's search engine "Lougle" has slowly been losing market share and is in danger of going under, although Lou – hopelessly coked out, drunk and hooked on whatever drugs he can get his hands on – stays the blissfully ignorant course.
Nick (Robinson) has become one of the biggest recording artist/producers in the world using songs other people wrote – before they wrote them, such as the Lisa Loeb hit "Stay (I Missed You)" (the bespectacled singer makes a cameo as a cat wrangler who confides to Nick that every time she hears his version of the song she feels oddly violated). However, he continues to be somewhat henpecked by his wife Courtney (Stewart).
Jacob (Duke) is essentially Lou's butler as well as his son and is headed down a similar road as Lou has taken. The relationship between the two continues to be strained.
Then at a party, a mysterious figure shoots Lou in the crotch. Jacob has somehow managed to secret the hot tub time machine in a hidden room in the house. Figuring out that someone had used the time machine in the future to come back and assassinate Lou, they head to the future to try and discover who – among many suspects – would want to murder Lou.
In 2025 they meet Adam (Scott), the son of their fourth member who has apparently disappeared into a dimension all his own. In an era where the loser of a high school classmate Gary Winkle (Jones) has become wealthy because Lou was a dick to him in 2015, where reality TV game shows include virtual anal rape, where smart cars can be homicidal, and where masturbation has gotten the ultimate high tech aid, the crew bumbles through trying to locate the man who shot Lou and stop him from carrying out the plan, leaving Lou to wink out of existence.
The first Hot Tub Time Machine was an example of a movie in which I had low expectations for and was pleasantly surprised; the sequel is an example of a movie in which I had high expectations for and was sadly disappointed. This is nowhere near as funny as the first movie and definitely suffers for the lack of John Cusack who was essentially the anchor of the first film. Corddry, Robinson and Duke were more or less supporting characters and now have to take center stage. Corddry, who was especially good in the first movie, really doesn't have anywhere to go with his one-dimensional character other than performing the same kind of actions. It's not as good the second time around.
There are some laughs to be sure, but the movie needs an anchor. A lead character who the action swirls around. Instead we have hear a selection of supporting characters waiting for a straight man. Having Adam Scott – a very talented comic actor – in the mix is a good move, but he doesn't really have a story line and in the end is essentially another supporting character. Corddry is the ostensible lead but his character functions better on the outside.
I was hoping this would be hilarious (it was originally slated for a Christmas release) but it simply isn't funny enough. It's decently entertaining but little more which I suppose is fine for this time of year but definitely makes me yearn for a few months hence when we'll start to see a better caliber of movie from the studios. For now, this will have to do.
REASONS TO GO: Some sly time travel movie in-jokes. Funny in places.
REASONS TO STAY: Not funny enough. Doesn't really build on the first movie. Needed a lead character; more of a collection of supporting characters.
FAMILY VALUES: The humor is fairly crude throughout with plenty of sexual references. There's also some graphic nudity, drug use and foul language as well.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT: John Cusack, who starred in the first film, has said in interviews that he was never approached or received an offer to appear in this film; there are photographs of him that appear in one scene.
COMPARISON SHOPPING: Click
NEXT: Wish Me Away
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March 18, 2010 | Politics
How Isa Yuguda, Bauchi State Governor Laundered N18.1billion Via Fraudulent Loans And School Refurbishment
Source: ukpakareports.com
The embattled governor of Bauchi State Isa Yuguda, the son-in-law to the ailing president, Umaru Yar'Adua, presently finds his administration loitering in the hallways of unchecked financial recklessness and blind corruption. Documentary information available to ukpakareports.com show conclusive evidence of brute corruption and financial crimes committed by the governor of Bauchi State. In particular, confirmatory information indicate the governor obtained fraudulent loans to the tune of N14billion from FIN bank [Bauchi State Branch], N2.5billion refurbishment of college of Islamic studies, N1.1billion refurbishment of Sa'ad Zungur primary school and N6oomillion secretly stashed in a FIN bank account under the name Excalibre [belonging to Isa Yuguda].
At the center of the money laundering saga is the Secretary to the State Government, Ahmed Ibrahim Dandija who reportedly uses proxies to award contracts to companies operating for he Governor and the SSG. The re-construction and expansion of the Sa'ad Zungur primary school for the initial amount of N800million depicts the scenario. The N800million, interestingly, was financed through the LGA accounts.
On September 8, 2008, the Special Adviser [projects], Mohammed Sirajo Garba generated an internal memo addressed to the State Governor through the SSG referenced "re-construction and expansion of Sa'ad Zungur primary school". The subject of the letter read "request for payment and award of contract". In the letter, the special adviser wrote, "the consultant prepared all the necessary drawings for the redevelopment and invited contractors to bid using schedule of rates in which they recommended M/S Current MEC Engineering LTD having the least tender figure. The contractor, M/S Current MEC Engineering LTD was issued with a letter of intent to commence work without mobilization fee pending when details drawings and Bill of Quantities are completed." With this, the governor gave his approval four [4] day later on September 12, 2009 as he wrote to the SSG stating "approve as recommended in paragraphs 7 – 11 subject to exco ratification. Project to be from the LGA and State joint account" [see letter; Page 1, Page 2, Page 3].
Experts in the field of building construction in Bauchi find the cost of the refurbishment a tad puzzling. They noted that the primary school has a capacity of 3000 to 5000 pupils and the oldest primary school in the State. According to their estimate, the cost of refurbishment should not have exceeded N150million.
But adding muster to the blind financial recklessness was the move by the contractor to submit a variance [or change order] for an adjustment to the contract sum from N800million to N1.1billion. On the same day of the contractor's request, approval was given by the Governor – who also directed that the funds be sourced from the LGA account. And to date, questionable work has been completed at the said school. The contractors have received over 70% of the contract sum [N792miilion].
In the same suave of suspicious financial moves, the administration of Yuguda in mid-2008 approved a warping N1.1billion for the refurbishment of the college of Islamic Studies at Misua LGA – of which our correspondent gathered was already equipped and refurbished by the previous administration. The project was later adjusted upwards to N2.5billion. The additional money was said to incorporate the addition of computers and information technology centers into the college. As directed by the governor, the fund was sourced from the LGA funds. As it appears, only the roofs of the college buildings were replaced. Two weeks ago, the governor commissioned the project amidst protest by the local residents.
Nine prior to the school refurbishment, Governor Isa Yuguda and his men dipped their hands into the coffers of the State via FIN bank through the influence of the governor at the FIN bank [Bauchi State branch]. On January 22, 2008, the Governor's men launched an exercise that would net them N10billion within a span of 30days. It began with a letter written by the Accountant General, Bappa Azare and the Commissioner of Finance, Sadiq Y. Wanka on January 22, 2008 to the Branch Manager, FirstinLand Bank located at 19-23 Jos road, Bauchi. The letter referenced "request for a N10billion term loan". The letter read "we wish to request for a N10billion term loan that would enable us finance capital development projects in anticipation of future receipts. We intend to repay the facility within a period of seven years from proceeds of monthly federation account allocation that is currently domiciled at your bank". [see letter]
On the same day [January 22, 2008], in a manner deemed highly suspicious, the approval was given for the loan. This was stated in a letter signed by the Branch Manager, M. M. Abdullahi and the Manager Credit, Jibir Abubakar and addressed to The Executive Management Committee [see letter].
Responding in a letter dated February 21, 2008, Accountant General, Bappa Azare and the Commissioner of Finance, Sadiq Y. Wanka, acknowledged the loan approval. The letter was referenced MOF/TD/FIN/8/443/VOL.1 with the caption "term loan of N10billion acceptance of offer" and addressed to The Branch Manager. It read "we refer to captioned credit facility offered to the State Government and hereby write to accept the offer". The tenor of the loan was 7years at an interest rate of 13% per annum [see letter].
However with four [4] days following the acknowledgement of the loan approval, on February 25, 2008, the Isa Yuguda administration realized they have committed an impeachable offence. They committed the offence of getting a loan without the approval of the State Assembly. To avert this, the Accountant General, Bappa Azare and Finance Commissioner, Sadiq Y. Wanka quickly drafted a letter dated February 25, 2008 to the Branch Manager. The letter was captioned "N10billion term loan facility: request for deferral of certain documents and approval for immediate draw down". It read " we refer to captioned credit facility recently granted us and hereby write to further request for a one week deferral of submission of the following documents due to circumstances beyond our control – loan agreement, lien and set-off agreement, and House of Assembly resolution. We also hope that an immediate draw down will be approved to enable us settle immediate obligations". With this, the bank allowed the Isa Yuguda's administration to draw down on the N10billion without the approval of the State Assembly [see letter].
Sources out of the Isa Yuguda administration told our correspondent that the Bauchi House of Assembly had refused to involve Bauchi State in the said N10billion loan. And this reason that they saw the loan as a money laundering avenue, refused to give their approval. Nonetheless, the Governor in a desperate move, according to the source, distributed the sum of N20million to each of the members of the State Assembly.
With this effect, the SSG wrote to the State Assembly in a back-dated letter dated February 8, 2008 with subject number GO/SS/PER/S/72/T.3 requesting for approval to secure a bank loan to finance some government projects. And the State Assembly through its Permanent Secretary/Clerk to the House, Abubakar Usman, relayed its approval in a letter dated March 10, 2008 and referenced BASHA/POL/S/13VOL.VI/158. The letter indicated that "the approval of the request was moved and was unanimously resolved in the affirmative". This was following their March 4, 2008 deliberation [see letter].
In a similar stroke of financial criminality, [as at August 2009] an unpaid loan of N4billion hangs on the neck of the Isa Yuguda administration. The loan was secured from Intercontinental Bank through one of the State Government accounts [account number 026648600201] domiciled in the bank. As a result of the Yuguda administration's failure to fulfill on its repayment agreement fell out of terms with the bank. And in turn, the bank refused to give the Yuguda boys further credit facility – of which Yuguda reacted to threaten the withdrawal of the State account from the bank. Responding to the Yuguda threat, the bank wrote to the Central Bank Governor and the Accountant General of the Federation urging their intervention to stop Yuguda from withdrawing the State account from the bank without repaying the said loan. Both parties have yet to respond.
Adding gravitas to the stench of possible financial crimes are Isa Yuguda's personal activities at the FIN bank. Presently, Governor Yuguda maintains two secret accounts at the FIN bank under the names Excalibur Investment [account number 2104300004644001] and African Energy. Form C2C7 of the Corporate Affairs Commission [CAC] revealed the owner of both companies as Isa Yuguda. But the possible financial crime is in the balance of the accounts and the unpaid loans taken by the two companies. The balance on the account of Excalibur currently stands at N281,191,501.59k while that of African Energy stands at N293,755,537.47k. And interestingly, the CBN's exercise that listed bank debtors showed that both companies owed exactly the amount sitting/idling in their respective accounts. A sum totaling N574,947,038.06k. The loans remain unpaid.
What strikes as puzzling is the manner the Isa Yuguda's administration continues to evade the attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC].
| Article source


text:
package ai.h2o.sparkling.extensions.rest.api

import ai.h2o.sparkling.extensions.internals.{CollectCategoricalDomainsTask, ConvertCategoricalToStringColumnsTask, UpdateCategoricalIndicesTask}
import ai.h2o.sparkling.extensions.rest.api.schema.{FinalizeFrameV3, InitializeFrameV3, UploadPlanV3}
import ai.h2o.sparkling.utils.Base64Encoding
import water.{DKV, Key}
import water.api.Handler
import water.fvec.{AppendableVec, ChunkUtils, Frame, Vec}
import water.parser.{CategoricalPreviewParseWriter, ParseDataset}
import water.util.Log

import scala.collection.mutable.ArrayBuffer

class ImportFrameHandler extends Handler {
  def initialize(version: Int, request: InitializeFrameV3): InitializeFrameV3 = {
    ChunkUtils.initFrame(request.key, request.columns)
    request
  }

  def finalize(version: Int, request: FinalizeFrameV3): FinalizeFrameV3 = {
    val rowsPerChunk = Base64Encoding.decodeToLongArray(request.rows_per_chunk)
    val columnTypes = Base64Encoding.decode(request.column_types)
    val frameKey = Key.make(request.key)

    // Collect global domains from local domains on h2o nodes.
    val collectDomainsTask = new CollectCategoricalDomainsTask(frameKey)
    collectDomainsTask.doAllNodes()
    val stringDomains = collectDomainsTask.getDomains()
    val isEmpty = stringDomains == null
    val columnTypesAwareOfEmptyFrames = if (isEmpty) {
      columnTypes.map(columnType => if (columnType == Vec.T_CAT) Vec.T_STR else columnType)
    } else {
      columnTypes
    }
    val domains = expandDomains(stringDomains, columnTypesAwareOfEmptyFrames)
    ChunkUtils.finalizeFrame(request.key, rowsPerChunk, columnTypesAwareOfEmptyFrames, domains, false)
    val frame = DKV.getGet[Frame](frameKey)

    convertColumnsWithTooManyCategoricalLevelsToStringColumns(frame, columnTypesAwareOfEmptyFrames, stringDomains)

    val categoricalColumnIndices = for ((vec, idx) <- frame.vecs().zipWithIndex if vec.isCategorical) yield idx

    // Update categorical indices for all chunks. (local chunk domains -> global domains)
    val updateCategoricalIndicesTask = new UpdateCategoricalIndicesTask(frameKey, categoricalColumnIndices)
    updateCategoricalIndicesTask.doAll(frame)

    convertCategoricalColumnsToOtherTypesIfNeeded(frame, categoricalColumnIndices)

    // Final frame created -> log the same information H2O would log after import is finished
    if (frame.numCols > 0) { // logParseResults doesn't work with empty frames
      ParseDataset.logParseResults(frame);
    }

    frame.update()
    frame.unlock()

    request
  }

  private def convertColumnsWithTooManyCategoricalLevelsToStringColumns(
      frame: Frame,
      columnTypes: Array[Byte],
      stringDomains: Array[Array[String]]) = {
    val indicesOfChanges = indicesOfChangedColumnsFromCategoricalToString(columnTypes, stringDomains)
    if (indicesOfChanges.nonEmpty) {
      indicesOfChanges.foreach { idx =>
        Log.info(
          s"A categorical column '${frame.names()(idx)}' exceeded maximum number of categories. " +
            "Converting it to a column of strings ...")
      }
      val vectorsToBeConvertedToString = indicesOfChanges.map(frame.vec(_))
      val domainIndices = for ((domain, idx) <- stringDomains.zipWithIndex if domain == null) yield idx
      val convertCategoricalToStringColumnsTask = new ConvertCategoricalToStringColumnsTask(frame._key, domainIndices)
      val outputTypes = vectorsToBeConvertedToString.map(_ => Vec.T_STR)
      convertCategoricalToStringColumnsTask.doAll(outputTypes, vectorsToBeConvertedToString: _*)
      val newVectors = AppendableVec.closeAll(convertCategoricalToStringColumnsTask.appendables())
      for ((newVector, index) <- newVectors.zip(indicesOfChanges)) {
        val oldVector = frame.replace(index, newVector)
        oldVector.remove()
      }
    }
  }

  private def convertCategoricalColumnsToOtherTypesIfNeeded(frame: Frame, categoricalColumnIndices: Array[Int]) = {
    categoricalColumnIndices.foreach { idx =>
      val vector = frame.vec(idx)
      val correctType =
        CategoricalPreviewParseWriter.guessType(vector.domain(), vector.length().toInt, vector.naCnt().toInt)
      correctType match {
        case Vec.T_CAT => // No action needed
        case Vec.T_STR =>
          Log.info(s"The categorical column '${frame.names()(idx)}' has been converted to string.")
          val oldVector = frame.replace(idx, vector.toStringVec())
          oldVector.remove()
        case Vec.T_NUM =>
          Log.info(s"The categorical column '${frame.names()(idx)}' has been converted to numeric.")
          val oldVector = frame.replace(idx, vector.toNumericVec())
          oldVector.remove()
        case unexpectedType =>
          Log.err(
            s"The categorical column '${frame.names()(idx)}' has been identified to be " +
              s"type of '${unexpectedType}', but the conversion is not supported. ")
      }
    }
  }

  private def indicesOfChangedColumnsFromCategoricalToString(
      columnTypes: Array[Byte],
      stringDomains: Array[Array[String]]): Array[Int] = {
    var strIdx = 0
    var idx = 0
    val result = ArrayBuffer[Int]()
    while (idx < columnTypes.length) {
      if (columnTypes(idx) == Vec.T_CAT) {
        if (stringDomains(strIdx) == null) {
          result.append(idx)
        }
        strIdx += 1
      }
      idx += 1
    }
    result.toArray
  }

  private def expandDomains(stringDomains: Array[Array[String]], columnTypes: Array[Byte]): Array[Array[String]] = {
    var strIdx = 0
    var idx = 0
    val result = Array.fill[Array[String]](columnTypes.length)(null)
    while (idx < columnTypes.length) {
      if (columnTypes(idx) == Vec.T_CAT) {
        result(idx) = stringDomains(strIdx)
        strIdx += 1
      }
      idx += 1
    }
    result
  }

  def getUploadPlan(version: Int, request: UploadPlanV3): UploadPlanV3 = {
    val key = new Vec.VectorGroup().addVec()
    val layout = (0 until request.number_of_chunks).map { chunkId =>
      val h2oNode = Vec.chunkKey(key, chunkId).home_node
      new UploadPlanV3.ChunkAssigmentV3(chunkId, h2oNode)
    }.toArray
    request.layout = layout
    request
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Computer Vision Engineer
We are looking to add a talented and motivated individual to fulfil a role of Computer Vision engineer - come work with us and be the eyes of our advanced audio reproduction systems!
The Audioscenic listener-adaptive 3D audio technology uses computer vision to track the user. Our patented technology then delivers audio beams directly to the listeners ears, which can adapt to the listener's position in real-time. An example of a system using our technology can be found here: https://youtu.be/OYIY0a56Fw4
We are looking for a top computer vision engineer that can help us improve and further develop our computer-vision system. The aim is to take our head-tracking software to the next level and help us become a world leader in advanced 3D audio reproduction and simulated reality systems.
The successful candidate will be taking the lead on the development of our vision tracking systems. The candidate should have experience maintaining a large code base to high quality standards within a multidisciplinary team.
The successful candidate will work with our multidisciplinary team to develop working versions of systems using RGB cameras and depth sensors, building single and multi-listener tracking, and pose estimation applications for PCs and embedded systems.
The technology developed at Audioscenic is aimed at novel consumer products that will represent the forefront of audio engineering in the years to come. Working with us you will have the opportunity to work with customers all over the world.
Audioscenic is a young VC backed start up, offering the benefits of a friendly working environment and a wide range of day-to-day tasks with opportunities for training, career progression and international travel.
Lab-based work is required for the tuning and development of systems, but a flexible lab and home-work basis is possible and encouraged.
Degree or PhD in Computer Science, electronic engineering, or equivalent experience.
Preferably 2 or 3 years in similar computer vision and head tracking engineering roles.
Skillset and Interests
Experience in developing computer vision applications
Experience in designing and training vision models
Experience with RGB and RGB-D camera sensors
Experience with OpenCV
Proven programming skills in C++ and Python
Experience of computer vision in embedded applications highly desirable
Practical electronics experience desirable
Audio interests are a plus
Strong communication skills and friendly personality are a plus plus
Audioscenic Limited, Southampton, Hampshire, UK
About Audioscenic
Audioscenic Limited is a company that specialises in the design and implementation of technology for advanced listener-adaptive reproduction. Audioscenic licenses software and reference designs for computer-vision-based, listener-adaptive 3D audio systems. Using small arrays of loudspeakers and in house head-tracking technology, our systems can render a breath-taking audio experience in a wide range of applications.
To apply please email your CV to careers@audioscenic.com
Audioscenic is a company registered in England and Wales with company number 10960466. Vat no: 324 0104 65. Registered Address: Audioscenic, Suite A, Epsilon house, Enterprise Rd, Chilworth, Southampton, SO16 7NS.
We use cookies on this website to give you the best experience on our site. To find out more, read our privacy policy and cookie policy.


text:
Q: Pdf miner how to extract images I'm trying to extract images from a PDF file using pdfminer.six
There doesn't seem to be any documentation about how to do this with Python.
This is what I have so far:
import os
import pdfminer

from pdfminer.pdfinterp import PDFResourceManager, PDFPageInterpreter
from pdfminer.converter import TextConverter
from pdfminer.layout import LAParams
from pdfminer.pdfpage import PDFPage
from io import StringIO

os.chdir('C:\\Users\\zone_\\Desktop')
diretorio = os.getcwd()
file = str(diretorio) + '\\example.pdf'

def convert_pdf_to_txt(path):
    rsrcmgr = PDFResourceManager()
    retstr = StringIO()
    codec = 'utf-8'
    laparams = LAParams()
    device = TextConverter(rsrcmgr, retstr, codec=codec, laparams=laparams)
    fp = open(path, 'rb')
    interpreter = PDFPageInterpreter(rsrcmgr, device)
    password = ""
    maxpages = 0
    caching = True
    pagenos=set()

    for page in PDFPage.get_pages(fp, pagenos, maxpages=maxpages, password=password,caching=caching, check_extractable=True):
        interpreter.process_page(page)

    text = retstr.getvalue()

    fp.close()
    device.close()
    retstr.close()
    return text

This is extracting the text, but how to retrieve the images in the pdf?

A: Recent versions of PDFMiner provide pdfminer.image.ImageWriter class, which handles image serializing. You can use it like this:
import pdfminer
from pdfminer.image import ImageWriter
from pdfminer.high_level import extract_pages

pages = list(extract_pages('document.pdf'))
page = pages[0]

def get_image(layout_object):
    if isinstance(layout_object, pdfminer.layout.LTImage):
        return layout_object
    if isinstance(layout_object, pdfminer.layout.LTContainer):
        for child in layout_object:
            return get_image(child)
    else:
        return None

def save_images_from_page(page: pdfminer.layout.LTPage):
    images = list(filter(bool, map(get_image, page)))
    iw = ImageWriter('output_dir')
    for image in images:
        iw.export_image(image)

save_images_from_page(page)

Also you can use a command line tool, as explained in the documentation.

A: I have never used pdfminer, however I found this code and this document from Denis Papathanasiou explaining it, which might be of some help to figure this out, as pdfminer's documentation is not very exhaustive. The document is from an outdated version, but the code was recently updated.
If you are not required to use pdfminer, there are alternatives which might be easier such as PyMuPDF found in this answer which extracts all images in the PDF as PNG.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange