text:
Sikth (also typeset as SikTh) are a British progressive metal band from Watford, Hertfordshire, formed in 1999.

History

Early days (1999–2002)
SikTh formed in late 1999, but consolidated their line-up in March 2001. That line-up consisted of dual vocalists Mikee Goodman and Justin Hill, guitarists Dan Weller and Graham Pinney, bassist James Leach and drummer/percussionist Dan Foord.

Their first official release was an EP titled Let the Transmitting Begin. Released in 2002, it featured three tracks, as well as a limited edition live CD from the BBC Radio 1 recordings of the same songs.

The band's first release for Gut Records was an EP titled How May I Help You? Released in 2002, it featured three tracks, two of which were on the band's debut album. A video for the song "(If You Weren't So) Perfect" was also contained. The song "How May I Help You?" contained a story about a person called Rodney. The song was made into an animated video, which was written, directed and produced by Mikee Goodman. It went on to win the best video award in The Big Cheese Magazine, as well as reaching number 1 on MTV UK, and being an A-list video on MTV Asia.

Debut album (2003–2005)
SikTh's debut album The Trees Are Dead & Dried Out Wait for Something Wild was released on 18 August 2003 through Gut Records. The album was produced by the band themselves, along with Andrew Scarth. Mixing duties were handled by Colin Richardson. Two singles were released from the album in "Scent of the Obscene" (October) and "Peep Show" (December). The album has sold approximately 30,000 copies in the UK, Japan and Australia.

In support of the album, Sikth performed at Download Festival at Donington Park in 2003. The band subsequently travelled to Japan in 2004, firstly supporting Anthrax and Killswitch Engage, then playing at the Fuji Rock Festival in August with Lou Reed, PJ Harvey and Primus. Also in 2004, the band made an appearance at the debut Fuse Leeds festival of cross-disciplinary New Music, at the personal invitation of festival curator Django Bates (they played a support slot to Bates' own jazz ensemble on the closing night of the festival).

Second album (2006–2007)
The band returned in 2006 with their second full-length album Death of a Dead Day. It was released in the UK on 26 June 2006 on their new label Bieler Bros. Records. It was earlier released in the US on 6 June. The album entered the UK album charts at number 94. The album was once again produced by the band themselves, with mixing duties handled by Matt Plant.

In support of the album, SikTh performed a show at The White Horse in High Wycombe, the venue of their first ever gig, on 6 June 2006 and at the Download Festival 2006 four days later, as well as short UK tour.

An EP titled Flogging the Horses was released in October 2006, featuring demo versions from Death of a Dead Day tracks, as well as a remix version of "Where Do We Fall?". The track "Each Other and Ourselves" was also included, which was a bonus track on the Japanese version of the album. The EP was limited to just 1,500 copies.

Departure of vocalists and hiatus (2007–2013)
On 8 May 2007, it was announced that vocalists Mikee Goodman and Justin Hill would be leaving the band at the conclusion of the July 2007 "The Black Summer Starts Here" UK tour set, due to their ongoing projects and producing careers. Mikee Goodman's and Justin Hill's final performance in SikTh was at the Carling Academy, Islington, London on 14 September 2007 (this was a rescheduled show).

On 27 May 2008, SikTh announced that the band had decided to split due to numerous factors. The main reasons cited for their break-up was the inability to find a replacement for Mikee and Justin, as well as commitment to other projects.

On 15 January 2012, an official SikTh Facebook Page was created by the band in order to reissue and sell SikTh merchandise. The band also stated that when they do reform, it will not be "for the wrong reasons" and that "we owe it to our fans to produce something very special when we return."

Reunion (2014–present)
On 16 December 2013 it was revealed in a surprise announcement that SikTh were to be playing a reunion set at Download Festival 2014, headlining the Red Bull stage. This was the band's first live performance since 2007 and their first appearance at Download Festival since 2006. On 25 March, they were also announced to be headlining October's Euroblast festival in Cologne, Germany. On 13 June 2014, SikTh announced a full autumn UK tour via their Facebook page running through October and November. SikTh have also been announced to play UK Tech-Metal Festival as the main headliner on 14 June 2014. They were also main headliner of Silence Festival V in Nepal 17–18 October 2014,sharing same stage where Enigmatik, Vader, Textures and Behemoth had headlined before.

On 27 April 2015 Sikth announced via their Facebook page that they are planning to release new music in the form of a crowd funded EP with a tour to follow. Fans who pre-ordered the EP were able to visit the pledgemusic page and gain access to exclusive updates, content and merchandise for the duration of the funding campaign. The six track EP, titled Opacities, was released on 4 December 2015. Sikth were also the opening act for Slipknot on their 2016 U.K tour in February alongside Suicidal Tendencies. They were announced to be performing the Arctangent Festival in August 2016, but later pulled out. They appeared in 2017.

On 3 June 2016 Justin Hill announced his retirement in order to focus on his production career. Joe Rosser from Pin's second band Aliases was announced as his replacement.

The band will be in the UK in September for their "Riddles of Humanity" tour and will feature Loathe as their support act in September 2018. Their final show of the year was at Festivile on 20 October 2018, it was also at this show where frontman Mikee Goodman said that "This will be the last show we'll do for a while" he also stated he is unsure if they will return soon and if new music will be made.

Sometime between 2019 and 2021, Joe Rosser departed the band to pursue other musical endeavours, in late 2022 the band announced that Justin Hill would rejoin the band for a set of anniversary shows in November 2022, at the Manchester date of the show the band brought out Joe Rosser for the songs "Sanguine Seas of Bigotry" and "Bland Street Bloom" as a thank you to his tenure in the band when Justin departed.

Musical style
SikTh's style of music is hard to categorise as they incorporate many different elements of metal, rock and hardcore. They are commonly categorised as progressive metal due to their unorthodox approach, as well as avant-garde metal and mathcore due to the complex nature of their instrumental playing abilities and the regular inclusion of dissonance into their music.

According to guitarist Dan Weller;

"Energy has always inspired us, things that really get you pumping. We play extreme music, sure, but in the sense that we go to all extremes. If something sounds good, then we'll do it, and that includes beautiful, melodic music, which we all love, too".

According to guitarist Pin;

"But we're always concerned with the quality of the tune; just writing crazy music isn't enough, and I think that's what makes us different from other bands who go really technical. We're definitely writing songs."

In a review for SikTh's second album Death of a Dead Day, DecoyMusic.com described the band's style as containing elements of "speed metal, progressive metal, thrash, nu metal, metalcore, and cock-rock". The website Drowned in Sound "sees the band come across like a heady America-friendly mix of Dillinger Escape Plan's feather-fingered guitar contorting melded with Korn's manipulated rhythms, thundering through the bizarre nuances of System of a Down".

In a review for the band's debut album The Trees Are Dead & Dried Out Wait for Something Wild, MusicOMH.com described the album as containing "guttural throaty vocals mixed with harmonized melodies, viciously rhythmic drumming which instantly metamorphosises into elaborate percussion, and haunting atmospheric piano interludes which sit superbly between slices of metal brutality". In the early days of the band, Goodman once described their sound as "scatcore", a reference to their fast-jabbering scat style of singing.

Members

Current members
Mikee Goodman – vocals (1999–2007, 2013–present)
Dan Weller – guitar, piano (1999–2008, 2013–present)
Graham "Pin" Pinney – guitar (1999–2008, 2013–present)
Dan "Loord" Foord – drums, percussion (2001–2008, 2013–present)
James Leach – bass (2001–2008, 2013–present)
Justin Hill – vocals (2001–2007, 2013–2016, 2022–present)

Former members
Joe Rosser – vocals (2016–2021)

Timeline

Members and other projects

Mikee Goodman – vocals
Alongside producing and vocal coaching, Goodman is a member of Primal Rock Rebellion, featuring Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith and Sikth drummer Dan Foord. Mikee's first project after Sikth was The Painted Smiles and appeared on the tracks 'Dark Matter' by This Is Menace and 'Sleep Street' by Cyclamen. He also sings/screams on Deathembers EP ''A Thousand Flatlines'' track 4 ''The Linear Act''. His latest musical project is the band Outpatients (later renamed Outside the Coma), a "male and female dual vocal, experimental, electronic/rock/metal band".

Dan Weller – guitar, piano
Weller is currently the guitarist of In Colour, which features TesseracT vocalist Daniel Tompkins. Weller produced Enter Shikari's 3rd album, A Flash Flood of Colour, and assisted in the production of their 2nd album Common Dreads. He has also produced two albums by the band Young Guns. Dan wrote the music alongside co-writer, Ciaran Cahill (who plays keyboards alongside him in In Colour) for Transmission Impossible with Ed & Oucho on the BBC.

James Leach – bass
James teaches bass and is Gallows' drum tech. He is a member of supergroups Krokodil and Gold Key, and allegedly part of the hardcore punk group The Hell. James also played bass for Pure Love's live shows on their 2014 farewell tour. Devin Townsend confirmed on Twitch that James is playing bass on his upcoming production Lightwork.

Dan "Loord" Foord – drums, percussion
Loord has performed session work for the bands Primal Rock Rebellion, Sol Invicto and The HAARP Machine.

Justin Hill – vocals
Justin featured on the track Predisposed from the 2006 album No End in Sight, then returned the favour on Return The Favour from the 2007 album The Scene Is Dead by This Is Menace, Dreams Without Courage from the 2007 album Entities by Malefice and Distance from the 2013 album Severance by Heart of a Coward. Justin also works as a producer.

Graham "Pin" Pinney – guitar
Pin is currently a member of the progressive metal band Aliases, who are signed to Basick Records. They have released one EP, Safer Than Reality, and are currently working on a full-length album. He also is a guitar teacher.

Joe Rosser – vocals
Rosser was announced as the replacement for Justin Hill following Hills departure in order to focus on production. Joe Rosser is also a member of guitarist Pins other band, Aliases. Rosser debuted on the Aliases single 'Exasperated', subsequently appearing on Aliases second release Derangeable.
Rosser debuted as co-vocalist alongside Mikee Goodman on SikTh's 2017 record The Future In Whose Eyes?

Not much is known about the band's lineup before 2001, except the band's other vocalist besides Goodman was Tristan Lucey instead of Hill, and there were two other members, one of them named Jamie Hunter.

Discography

Studio albums

EPs

Singles

Music videos

Demos and promos
 Pussyfoot/Suffice (2000)
 Hold My Finger/Such the Fool (2001)
 Pussyfoot (2003)

Tours and festivals

 2000 – UK Tour with Sanctum.
 2001 – UK Tour with Dead Life Portrait.
 2002 – UK Tour supporting American Head Charge.
 2003 – UK Tour supporting Mad Capsule Markets.
 2003 – UK Tour supporting Mudvayne.
 2003 – Download Festival 2003 at Donington Park, 3rd stage.
 2003 – Europe Tour supporting Machine Head.
 2004 – UK Headline Tour With Akercocke and Hondo Maclean
 2004 – Ireland tour with Akercocke and Labrat.
 2004 – Japanese tour supporting Anthrax & Killswitch Engage.
 2004 – Fuji Rock Festival in Japan.
 2004 – UK tour supporting Pitchshifter.
 2006 – Fury Fest in France.
 2006 – French headline tour.
 2006 – Barfly/Jägermeister UK tour in March/April.
 2006 – Album release show on 6 June, High Wycombe.
 2006 – Download Festival 2006, 2nd stage.

 2006 – Death of a Dead Day UK Headline tour supported by Dead Man in Reno & Architects.
 2007 – Death of a Week Day UK tour in July.
 2007 – Final show before split at the Islington Carling Academy in London on Friday 14 September.
 2014 – Headlined the Red Bull Stage at Download Festival on Saturday 14 June.
 2014 – Silence Festival in Nepal on 18 October.
 2015 – BIG69 Festival in Mumbai, India, 18 January
 2015 – Breakout Festival Brighton, 26 September
 2016 – UK tour supporting Slipknot and Suicidal Tendencies
 2016–2000 Trees festival
 2016 – USA Tour supporting Periphery
 2017 – European & UK tour supporting Trivium and SHVPES
 2017 – Download Festival 2017, Main Stage.
2017 – ArcTanGent Festival
2018 – UK TechFest
2018 – UK Tour with Loathe
2018 – UK Festivile 2018
2019 – PULP Summer Slam 2019 in Quezon City, Philippines

References

Musical groups established in 2001
Musical groups disestablished in 2008
English heavy metal musical groups
English progressive metal musical groups
Avant-garde metal musical groups
Bieler Bros. Records artists
Mathcore musical groups


The EESC considers that ENISA's new permanent mandate as proposed by the Commission will significantly contribute to enhancing the resilience of European systems. However, the accompanying provisional budget and resources allocated to ENISA will not be sufficient for the agency to fulfil its mandate. The EESC recommends to all Member States to establish a clear and equivalent counterpart to ENISA, as most of them have not done it yet. The EESC also feels that, ENISA should prioritise actions to support e-government, should provide regular reports on the cyber-readiness of Member States focusing on sectors identified in Annex II to the NIS Directive and monitor the performance and decision-making of national certification supervisory authorities. The EESC supports the proposal to create a cybersecurity competence network sustained by a Cybersecurity Research and Competence Centre (CRCC).
The EESC recalls that the human factor constitutes one of the most important causes of cyber accidents. There is a need to build a strong cyber skills base and improve cyber hygiene also through awareness campaigns among individuals and businesses. The EESC supports the creation of an EU-certified curriculum for high schools and professionals.
The EESC believes that a European Digital Single Market needs a homogeneous interpretation of the rules for Cybersecurity and that a certification framework and schemes for the different sectors could provide a common baseline. Because different approaches must be provided for different sectors, the EESC believes that sectoral EU Agencies (EASA, ERA, EMA, etc.) should be involved in the process and in some cases, delegated to draw up cybersecurity schemes. Minimum European standards for IT security should be adopted in cooperation with CEN/CENELEC/ETSI. The envisaged European Cybersecurity Certification Group supported by ENISA should be made up of national certification supervisory bodies, private sector stakeholders, scientific and civil society actors. The EESC believes that certification activities cannot exclude a proper labelling system, to be applied also to imported products to reinforce consumers trust. With regards to funding, Europe should scale up investments converging different EU funds, national funds and private-sector investments towards strategic objectives in strong public-private cooperation, also through the creation of an EU Cybersecurity Fund for Innovation and R&D in the current and future Research Framework Programme. Furthermore, Europe should create a fund for deployment for the Cybersecurity, opening a new window in the current and future Connecting Europe Facility as well in the next EFSI 3.0.
Finally, the EESC believes a minimum security level is necessary for "ordinary" "Internet of People" (IoP) devices. In this case, certification is a key method of providing a higher level of security. Internet of Things (IoT) security should be a priority.


AMETHYST Enhances intuition, spirituality and meditation.
AQUAMARINE Encourages being true to the self, trusting in the Universe and letting go.
BLACK OBSIDIAN Develops the intuition and releases negative energies.
BLUE TOPAZ repels negativity and cultivates knowledge.
CITRINE As the stone of clarity and creativity, each sparkle from a Citrine crystal symbolizes all the ideas and inventions that are waiting in the wings of the collective consciousness.
CHALCEDONY Keeps the creative juices flowing.
CHRYSOCOLLA Teaches the art of communication and gives inner wisdom a voice that can be heard.
CORAL Restores harmony to the heart.
CARNELIAN Attracts prosperity, joy and luck.
FLUORITE Protects against stress and negative energy.
GARNET Increases energy, regeneration and vitality.
HEMATITE Provides clarity and mental organization.
LABRADORITE Develops spiritual power and psychic awareness.
LAPIS Teaches compassion and spiritual love.
MOONSTONE Connects you to the divine feminine and inner goddess.
MALACHITE The compassionate tenderness of a woman. The fierce warrior that is a mother. This is the energy of Malachite; all in one magnificent, magical and mysterious stone.
OPAL Opal is the fire of the human spirit. Its dancing auroras help keep our passions and dreams burning even when we believe our own vital spark has long since smoldered out and turned cold.
ONYX Increases concentration and determination.
PINK TOURMALINE: Attracts love, joy and happiness.
PYRITE Defends against negative energies, environmental pollutants, and physical harm.
RUTILATED QUARTZ Promotes spiritual growth and cleanses the soul.
RHODOCHROSITE Emits selfless love and compassion.
RUBY Heals and balances emotions, making the holder emotionally aware.
ROSE QUARTZ Raises self-esteem and teaches us to love ourselves.
SUNSTONEIncreases happiness and optimism and boosts enthusiasm.
TURQUOISE Assists in communicating truth and articulating inner wisdom.


text:
Case Study – Factory worker whose hand was crushed in machinery receives £100k compensation
A man who has been left unable to find work after his hand was crushed in a factory machine says he feels angry towards his former employers for the injury he suffered, and the impact it has had on his life.
David Warburton, 49, was left unable to use his left hand after it became trapped in a furnace machine at Warrington-based Avdel Metal Finishing.
He had worked for the firm for 10 years prior to the accident, and remained employed there for a further two years in a different role afterwards. However, he was then told no jobs were suitable for him due to him having 'capability problems', and he was made redundant.
Mr Warburton, who was a deputy manager at the firm, sought legal advice from accident at work specialists Hudgell Solicitors, resulting in a £100,000 damages settlement being offered to him by the firm.
Although not formally admitting being liable, the compensation offer was made on the basis of them accepting 85 per cent of the responsibility for the injury he suffered.
The accident happened when Mr Warburton, who is left-handed, was called to help by his junior colleague as a furnace machine he was operating, but had not been trained in using, had jammed.
Mr Warburton said it was common practice for either he or the shift manager to repair machine faults if no fitters were available, despite not having had any training in machinery repair.
On this occasion, he said the machine had become jammed and as no fitter was on site, he looked to repair it himself. The machine had no guard in place, and a spring was missing.
His hand became jammed in the machine for 20 minutes, and he was only freed when a co-worker dismantled the machine.
As part of the legal case, it was claimed the company had been negligent and in breach of its duty of careby failing to ensure equipment was suitable for purpose. It also faced allegations of failing to ensure work equipment was maintained and inspected at regular intervals, and failing to ensure all persons who used work equipment had received adequate training.
"My hand was covered in blood. Initially it was extremely painful, but then it became numb and I thought my fingers had been severed," said Mr Warburton, recalling the accident.
"I was in extreme shock. The next thing I remember is being in a taxi with the First Aider."
Mr Warburton was taken to Accident and Emergency at Warrington Hospital, where he was scanned and told he had a severed nerve and tendon in his index finger, and a ruptured tendon in his middle finger.
He underwent surgery to repair the tendons and nerves days after the accident, which happened in March 2011, and in August that year he returned to work on light duties.
He said: "I was unable to sleep comfortably for two months, every time I rolled onto my hand I was woken up. I had no use of my left hand and my wife had to cut up my food, assist me with bathing and dressing and do the cooking and household chores."
Mr Warburton had cortisone injections, and further surgery in October 2013, which was unsuccessful, and he said his hand still causes him a lot of pain today.
He has since been told there is nothing further that can be done medically to restore full use of his hand, and he has been left with difficulties with day-to-day activities such as tying shoe laces, opening jars or doing buttons, he has reduced grip strength, and is restricted on lifting heavy objects or driving for long periods.
Mr Warburton has also been diagnosed with depression from the trauma of his injury and also suffered the breakdown of his marriage, which he says was partly caused by stress related to the impact the accident had on his life.
Since being made redundant he has been unable to get another job, and he added: "I feel very bitter about what has happened. It is horrible being out of work, I have never been out of work since leaving school.
"I now have money in the bank but I don't want to spend it while I am not working, so I am not going out or socialising with my friends.
"I have trouble driving, and every day things such as shaving. I get by, but it's difficult."
Vicky Houghton, a specialist solicitor dealing with accident at work claims at Hudgell Solicitors, said: "There were obvious concerns in this case about the practices in place at the company with regards to the maintenance of machinery and the training practices in place to protect employees from injury.
"Too often we see examples of companies cutting corners and allowing their staff to put themselves at risk of serious injury.
"Workers will often go beyond the call of duty to make sure the job gets done and to ensure downtime is reduced, but it is the responsibility of employers to ensure only fully-trained staff carry out repairs, that machinery is always maintained and kept fit for purpose, and the proper, agreed procedures are followed.
"This accident had a huge impact on Mr Warburton's life, so much so that he has struggled to find employment since, a situation he has struggled to adapt to.
"We are glad that our support helped secure Mr Warburton substantial damages which reflect his pain, suffering, and loss, since he suffered the accident."
A Guest post by Hudgell Solictors

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
using System.Net.Http;
using System.Net.Mail;

using Amazon.Scheduling;

namespace Amazon.Ses;

public sealed class SesClient : AwsClient
{
    public const string Version = "2010-12-01";

    public const string Namespace = "http://ses.amazonaws.com/doc/2010-12-01/";

    private static readonly ExponentialBackoffRetryPolicy retryPolicy = new (
        initialDelay : TimeSpan.FromSeconds(1),
        maxDelay     : TimeSpan.FromSeconds(10),
        maxRetries   : 5
    );

    public SesClient(AwsRegion region, IAwsCredential credential)
        : base(AwsService.Ses, region, credential)
    { }

    public Task<SendEmailResult> SendEmailAsync(MailMessage message)
    {
        return SendEmailAsync(SesEmail.FromMailMessage(message));
    }

    public async Task<SendEmailResult> SendEmailAsync(SesEmail message)
    {
        var request = new SesRequest("SendEmail");

        foreach (var pair in message.ToParams())
        {
            request.Add(pair.Key, pair.Value);
        }

        var text = await SendWithRetryPolicy(request, retryPolicy).ConfigureAwait(false);

        return SendEmailResponse.Deserialize(text).SendEmailResult;
    }

    public async Task<SendRawEmailResult> SendRawEmailAsync(SendRawEmailRequest request)
    {
        var data = new SesRequest("SendRawEmail");

        foreach (var pair in request.ToParams())
        {
            data.Add(pair.Key, pair.Value);
        }

        var text = await SendWithRetryPolicy(data, retryPolicy).ConfigureAwait(false);

        return SendRawEmailResponse.Deserialize(text).SendRawEmailResult;
    }

    public async Task<GetSendQuotaResult> GetSendQuotaAsync()
    {
        var request = new SesRequest("GetSendQuota");

        var text = await PostAsync(request).ConfigureAwait(false);

        return GetSendQuotaResponse.Deserialize(text).GetSendQuotaResult;
    }

    #region Helpers

    private async Task<string> SendWithRetryPolicy(SesRequest request, RetryPolicy retryPolicy)
    {
        var retryCount = 0;
        Exception lastException;

        do
        {
            if (retryCount > 0)
            {
                await Task.Delay(retryPolicy.GetDelay(retryCount)).ConfigureAwait(false);
            }

            try
            {
                return await PostAsync(request).ConfigureAwait(false);
            }
            catch (SesException ex) when (ex.IsTransient)
            {
                lastException = ex;
            }

            retryCount++;
        }
        while (retryPolicy.ShouldRetry(retryCount));

        throw lastException;
    }

    protected override async Task<Exception> GetExceptionAsync(HttpResponseMessage response)
    {
        var responseText = await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync().ConfigureAwait(false);

        var errorResponse = ErrorResponse.Deserialize(responseText);

        return new SesException(errorResponse.Error, response.StatusCode);
    }

    private Task<string> PostAsync(SesRequest request)
    {
        request.Parameters.Add("Version", Version);

        var httpRequest = new HttpRequestMessage(HttpMethod.Post, Endpoint) {
            Content = new FormUrlEncodedContent(request.Parameters!)
        };

        return base.SendAsync(httpRequest);
    }

    #endregion
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Blake McKinney owned several acres of beautiful deep forest wilderness along a fast-moving year-round fishing stream that was perfect for a planned weekend retreat. Mr. McKinney, an attorney in western Virginia, had purchased this property located along the Virginia-Tennessee border with the hope of building a small weekend cabin his family and friends could use away from the city.
Rear deck steps lead down to the water's edge.
Building on a rocky valley floor along this ancient creek bed would not allow digging a basement, but the desire to keep above the level of low-land flooding resulted in building the first floor above a five-foot high crawl space. Although not high enough to stand up in, the added concrete floor and access door provide a good dry storage area for all that fishing gear.
The McKinney family wanted to keep the rustic feel of the original forest, so the house site was selected to avoid cutting any large trees, and the undisturbed heavy ground cover of pine needles assured that Blake would not be doing any yard work. As all good intentions go, however, there was a very big problem with this plan, which is what got me involved in the story.
Their property was one of the many old homesteads that became "land islands" years ago when the National Forests were created around them, so now the thousands of acres of restricted public land use has effectively blocked all utility line access. This would mean no all-electric kitchen, no central HVAC system, no major appliances, and no video games. When I first met Blake, the cabin was almost completed on the outside, but the electrician had stopped all work since there was no utility power for him to connect.
Anything can be powered by the sun in my work, but when I visited the site for the first time it was obvious the location at the base of a high mountain range blocking the south exposure and nestled among extremely tall pine trees told me any serious solar power system was out of the question. It was determined that a generator would be required, but nobody wanted to hear one operating constantly all weekend.
We decided the best solution would be a hybrid power system, having all 120-Volt AC appliances powered from a Trace 4 kW sine wave inverter, with the inverter connected to 12 industrial L-16 size batteries wired in series-parallel to provide a 24-volt DC output.
An insulated plywood battery enclosure was built around the battery bank in the crawl space that includes an outside vent pipe to exhaust any battery gasses generated during the charging process. We selected an 8.5 kW Kohler 1,800-RPM propane fueled generator to charge the batteries, and a large underground propane tank would provide months of maintenance free fuel. It was possible to use a smaller generator, but the higher amperage capacity of this generator provides faster battery charging and longer quiet time between charging.
The south-facing roof only had enough unshaded area for a small 150-watt solar array, barely enough to offset the battery bank's self-discharging during weeks of un-occupancy. The limited sun hours each day would be partially offset by the many days between cabin occupancy.
Blake and I agreed that for this concept to work, he must purchase the most energy saving lights, appliances, and HVAC systems available; otherwise, his generator would need to run continuously. Although I designed the home's power system and supplied all of this equipment, a local electrician provided the actual equipment installation and wiring. After the installation was finished, we provided the system startup service and programmed the inverter to maximize the generator powered battery charging process.
All lighting installed was compact fluorescent and T-8 tube high efficiency fixtures with full-color spectrum lamps. Realizing that the inverter would shut down anytime the battery voltage dropped too low during these long unattended periods, we decided to install a few 24-volt DC lighting fixtures at key locations including stairwells, corridors, and over the system control panel. This would provide basic lighting until the generator was restarted to bring the cabin back to life. Nobody wanted to have television or video equipment during these get-away weekends, and the cool deep woods guaranteed air conditioning would not be needed. The large fireplace would provide all required heating, but hot showers and a fully functioning kitchen would be mandatory.
We decided the long unoccupied periods would make a conventional hot water heater impractical even if it was supplied from the large underground propane tank for the generator, so we installed an AquaStar instantaneous propane hot water heater. This 125,000 BTU hot water heater can heat a continuous 2 gal/min flow of 50-degree ground water without any storage tank instantly up to 140 degrees for as long as you keep the faucet open, and will still shut-off the instant the water flow stops. I have seen this same unit supplying scalding water for two simultaneous showers in the dead of winter.
We had intended to utilize this water heater to also heat a small piping loop of baseboard hot water radiation around the perimeter walls of the ground floor rooms, but decided the potential for pipe freezing during long periods of unoccupancy was too risky. Since the large fireplace would provide the serious heating during occupancy, it was decided to install a small in-wall forced air propane heater which included a small supply duct down under the floor to also heat the water piping and storage battery areas.
Although intended to operate only long enough to take the initial chill off the cabin until a fire could be started in the fireplace, a low limit thermostat allows the heater to re-start if near freezing temperatures are reached inside the cabin or around the heavily insulated battery box in the crawl space.
Now for the refrigerator. Since they will bring the refrigerated foods and drinks needed each weekend, keeping lots of foods cold for long periods was not necessary. We also realized the refrigerator would be the largest energy using appliance in the cabin and we didn't want to operate the generator during weeks of un-occupancy just to keep a few things cold. We decided to install a 24-volt DC Sunfrost 12 cu. ft. refrigerator freezer.
This is the most energy efficient refrigerator made and its heavily insulated walls insure the small dual compressors will operate much less than a conventional refrigerator. We chose this DC model since it could be powered directly from the 24-volt battery bank, avoiding the need to operate the inverter with its associated standby losses during long periods of unoccupancy.
The final issue was to decide how this system would be controlled, since the intent was to provide a home away from home without spending the weekend servicing complex electrical equipment. A remote system monitor and inverter control panel were installed near the front door. This control system is capable of fully automatic operation of the generator and the battery charging process; however, it was decided to not operate the generator in automatic mode when the cabin is not occupied since any generator starting problem would not be observed and could damage the generator.
Upon first arrival, a check of the display panel may show the solar maintained batteries are still low and in need of charging. By manually pressing a button on this display panel, the generator is started and the inverter comes to life putting as much charge as possible back into the batteries. Since it will take this generator about three hours to fully recharge the batteries, this is the best time to operate any high-energy usage appliances like the warm up gas furnace, kitchen appliances, or power tools directly from the generator. By nightfall the batteries will be recharged and the inverter will shut down the generator for a nice quiet evening.
Depending on how long the cabin was unoccupied and the current weather conditions, it may be possible to go through the entire weekend without restarting the generator. However, it is a good practice to bring the batteries back to full charge just before "check out" time. Hopefully, with enough sun, the small solar array will offset the standby battery losses and the electrical usage of the DC refrigerator until the next weekend or holiday visit.
More and more people are buying rural property to have a retreat from city life, but still want the comfort and labor saving conveniences of modern appliances. If you are buying property in an area not served by utility lines, perhaps a hybrid solar-generator-battery power system will fit your needs too.


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Pop In Place Archives December 2012
Christmas at the Pop In Place…
The Staff Party
We have just had our staff Christmas Party with all the usual immature games that we all like at this time of year.
Thanks to Joanna for the chocolate game think that was a big hit this year.
Thanks to Gaye for the pass the parcel story game and to Ruth for the musical Quiz won by Julie and I, nice to know your new directors are so knowledgeable in their field.
Thanks to Liz Farley for the who's who, that was an excellent Ice breaker at the beginning, and well done to all who did a party piece (Someone please get Peter a joke book for Christmas!)
But in all seriousness the Pop In Place would not be able to operate without everyone's efforts and people playing their own individual parts in making it the most wonderful vibrant village organisation.
So I thank you all and wish you a very Happy Christmas.
Monday Party 17th December 2012…
We had a lovely time at the Monday Christmas Party, thanks to everyone who came along and to all who helped with the games and Quiz, thanks to Gwen for the pass the parcels and to Julie Osmond for the lovely home-made Mince pies.
Well done to everyone who won the free raffle prizes, and Cis you wont be able to be late now that you have that lovely clock, well done to Jean for winning the cake and to Rita who won the beautiful hand made Christmas mats made by Stella.
We had a great time and Julie Lye told us some very amusing Christmas jokes, some I had never heard before!
Merry Christmas everyone see you next year we start back on the 7th of January 2013.
Festive Morning Friday 21st 10am until 12 noon…
The Pop In Place is holding a festive Morning next Friday 21st December at the upper Village Hall from 10am until 12 noon, there will coffee/tea and warm mince pies, traditional carol singing with Kath Jeeves at the piano, and a visit from the children from Bere Regis school who are going to sing for us.
All welcome to come along and join in the fun.
It is also hoped that Rod will be there doing some filming for the Bere Regis DVD.
The Festive Morning wasn't looking too festive on Thursday as poor Kath was ill and unable to play the piano, then Bere Regis school sadly had to pull out due to illness.
However in true community spirit Jim was able to source David Leigh, who is the most talented pianist, and he played for the whole morning with the carols and for people to sing Jim and Jan did a lovely version of a "Winters Tale" and Julie and I sang "In the Bleak Winter" and David played beautifully.
Tony Shave was well enough to attend after his recent accident and was voted the best Bing sound alike in the Bing Factor this was a close run thing with lovely singing from Max, Colin, Ruths Dad, Graham, and of course Jon.
Thanks to Gaye and Liz Farley and Rose who did the teas, it turned into a lovely morning against all odds so thank you to everyone especially Pastor Jim who came to the rescue.
Also thanks to 'CARS' for the lovely display left on the stage from their recent Father Christmas event, that really helped to create the Christmas spirit.
It was also lovely to see Rod doing some more filming for the Bere Regis DVD project.
We start back on Monday 7th January we wish all our supporters and volunteers a Happy Christmas and we look forward to the New Year when we have many new and exciting challenges ahead of us.
Pop In Performers Panto Peter Pan…
We have just staged three shows of Peter Pan to sell out audiences, the cast and crew have done a fantastic job and the community have very much enjoyed the delights that we have bestowed on them.
Many of the younger members of the group were taking part for the very first time, we also had some adults taking on roles who have never acted before and they have all done a marvellous job.
This production has greatly benefited from the new lighting system and that has added another dimension and been instrumental in the professional feel of the show.
The costumes and the set were excellent and the wealth of talent that exists within the cast is just outstanding.
Thanks to Janet and Pastor Jim for their tireless work with this production, they have worked so hard to pull off the most ambitious pantomime the group has undertaken.
Well done to all involved and I am very pleased to announce that we have raised a phenomenal £1,200 for the Alzheimer's Society who will use that to help in very real and positive ways to improve the lives of those living with dementia.
Pictures taken by Philip Boreham
More images here


on farm, using our own fresh, unhomogenised milk.
Our milk is our secret to producing super-creamy ice cream.
Gluten, dairy and egg free options are available.
While our ice cream is nut free, be mindful that ingredients we use may contain traces of nuts.
Our sorbets are popular, and not just with the dairy intolerant folk!
We always aim to offer two dairy-free options at our scooping outlets.
Sorbet is also available in 1L take-away tubs.


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Q: Conditional support of iOS 6 features in an iOS 5 app How can you support features of iOS6 in an app with a Minimal Deployment Target set to iOS 5.0?
For example, if a user has iOS 5 he will see one UIActionSheet, if the user has iOS 6 he will see a different UIActionSheet for iOS 6? How do you do this?
I have Xcode 4.5 and want an app running on iOS 5.

A: You should always prefer detecting available methods/feature rather then iOS versions and then assuming a method is available.
See Apple documentation.
For example, in iOS 5 to display a modal view controller we would do something like this:
[self presentModalViewController:viewController animated:YES];

In iOS 6, the presentModalViewController:animated: method of UIViewController is Deprecated, you should use presentViewController:animated:completion: in iOS 6, but how do you know when to use what?
You could detect iOS version and have an if statement dictate if you use the former or latter but, this is fragile, you'll make a mistake, maybe a newer OS in the future will have a new way to do this.
The correct way to handle this is:
if([self respondsToSelector:@selector(presentViewController:animated:completion:)])
    [self presentViewController:viewController animated:YES completion:^{/* done */}];
else
    [self presentModalViewController:viewController animated:YES];

You could even argue that you should be more strict and do something like:
if([self respondsToSelector:@selector(presentViewController:animated:completion:)])
    [self presentViewController:viewController animated:YES completion:^{/* done */}];
else if([self respondsToSelector:@selector(presentViewController:animated:)])
    [self presentModalViewController:viewController animated:YES];
else
    NSLog(@"Oooops, what system is this !!! - should never see this !");

I'm unsure about your UIActionSheet example, as far as I'm aware this is the same on iOS 5 and 6. Maybe you are thinking of UIActivityViewController for sharing and you might like to fallback to a UIActionSheet if you're on iOS 5, so you might to check a class is available, see here how to do so.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Interest in hunting, fishing licenses remains high
Danielle Nelson - January 7, 2022
(As seen on WZZM TV 13) The pandemic forced people to rethink how they would protect their health and well-being in 2021, and one of the ways they did so was by retreating to the outdoors.
Boating emerges as top outdoor activity
Many industries have been negatively impacted by the pandemic, but there is at least one industry that has benefited from it.
Davenport president joins NCAA council
Danielle Nelson - November 11, 2021
Davenport University President Richard Pappas was appointed to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II President Council.
Baseball, softball lead sports tourism rally
Danielle Nelson - October 1, 2021
Sports is proving to be vital in reviving the tourism industry in West Michigan as it emerges from the pandemic, but not just any sports.
Griffins offer promotions and giveaways
Danielle Nelson - September 7, 2021
The Grand Rapids Griffins will be offering its fans a series of promotions and giveaways at its 38 regular season home games during the 2021-22 season, which begins on Oct. 15.
Griffins announce public relations manager
The Grand Rapids Griffins named Andrew Streitel its new public relations manager.
Grand Rapids Gold to host tryouts
Danielle Nelson - August 31, 2021
The Grand Rapids Gold, the NBA G League affiliate of the Denver Nuggets, will be hosting two open tryouts for its 2021-22 NBA G League season in Grand Rapids and Denver on Sept. 18-19.
Grand Rapids Gold name former NBA player Jason Terry as head coach
The Grand Rapids Gold, the NBA G League affiliate of the NBA's Denver Nuggets, selected Jason Terry as its next head coach.
Grand Rapids Gold announce exclusive partnership with Founders Brewing
The Grand Rapids Gold are partnering with Founders Brewing Co. for the 2021-22 NBA G League season to allow patrons to purchase Founders' craft beer at multiple locations inside the DeltaPlex during the regular season of the Gold's home games.
Grand Rapids Drive change name to Grand Rapids Gold
Danielle Nelson - July 8, 2021
The Grand Rapids Drive will enter the 2021-22 season with a new name, the Grand Rapids Gold.
Indian Trails Golf Course offers speedgolf tee times
Grand Rapids-based Indian Trails Golf Course announced Tuesday that it is the first golf course in the state to be recognized as a speedgolf course by Speedgolf USA.
EGR varsity crew team launches fundraising campaign to upgrade boathouse
The East Grand Rapids High School varsity crew team launched a $500,000 capital campaign to upgrade its existing boathouse in John Collins Park, at 650 Lakeside Drive SE in East Grand Rapids.
Meijer LPGA Classic raises $1.1 million for food pantries
Danielle Nelson - June 28, 2021
The 2021 Meijer LPGA Classic raised $1.1 million for its Simply Give program during its three-day tournament, where Nelly Korda was crowned the champion, becoming the first two-time winner on the LPGA tour this season.
Reeds Lake Run returns for 2021
The 42nd annual Reeds Lake Run will start at 8 a.m. Saturday at the East Grand Rapids Community Center, 750 Lakeside Drive SE.
Grand Rapids Drive accepting cryptocurrency as payment
Grand Rapids Drive fans and partners can now purchase tickets, merchandise and sponsorships using cryptocurrency.
Grand Rapids hosting postponed USA Masters Games this week
The 2020 USA Masters Games will return after it was postponed last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ride United bike event returns in September
Danielle Nelson - June 2, 2021
The annual Ride United (United Way of the Lakeshore) bike event will return Sept. 25 with starting locations in Muskegon, Newaygo and Oceana.
Start Garden graduates make their mark
Danielle Nelson - May 28, 2021
Start Garden has made its presence felt in this region's business community ever since it was founded nine years ago by Rick DeVos.
Meijer LPGA Classic returns for 2021
Tickets went on sale Tuesday for the 2021 Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give on the newly renovated course at Blythefield County Club, 5801 Northland Drive NE in Belmont.
Fitness companies partner to track exercisers' progress
ShapeLog, a Midwest-based fitness technology company and provider of connected strength solutions, has partnered with Life Fitness, a global commercial fitness equipment company, to provide strength training data to individuals who are exercising.


I use http://vyte.in for scheduling our interviews. Keep an eye out for an invitation and when you receive it, please vote on a suggested time slot. If none of the suggested days/times are convenient for you, feel free to suggest a time that will work with your schedule.
I am in the U.S. East time zone and aim for weekday evenings for the interview slots. That being said, I recognize that guests are often in different time zones and I am happy to schedule around your needs.
In order to produce a high quality show I use the service Zencastr.com to handle recording the direct audio of all participants via a browser. I will send a URL to be used during the interview ahead of time. Once the conversation is done the WAV file of your direct audio will be uploaded automatically, so please just leave the browser tab open until that is complete. It is also a good idea to have a pair of headphones to use during the call in order to prevent feedback from your speakers.
Before the interview, I will send you a link to the questions and topics that I intend to cover. This will give you the opportunity to add any questions that I miss or provide any comments on the questions and topics that I have. If there are any questions that you are not comfortable with answering or do not seem relevant to the subject of the conversation I will be happy to remove or modify them.
At the end of the show I like to include a 'picks' section. This is where we have the opportunity to share with the audience anything that we find interesting or useful. This can include anything, both technical and not. Some examples are a book that you enjoy, a movie that you like, a particular style of food, a vacation destination, your favorite hobby… Anything that you think the audience might like to learn about.
After the interview I will edit the recording and release the episode within 1-2 weeks. Since the episode is being edited, don't worry about misspeaks or digressions during the call as it can all be fixed after the fact. Once the episode is released I will announce it via Twitter, Google+ and my mailing list and I will notify you when it is available. If you can promote the episode within your networks it would be appreciated.


Oh. my. yumminess. Yesterday was typical 75 degree in late February L.A. gorgeousness, and I was totally craving ice cream. Unwilling to actually EAT ice cream on a random Friday afternoon, which I save for special occasions usually involving another person, I made an amazingly delicious toffee superfood raw protein shake from heaven.
The shake was based on a candy I've been making recently, which is only called "candy" because it looks and tastes like it, not because it's full of candy-like ingredients. Contrarily, the candy is loaded with superfoods like chia, hemp, gojis, raw protein powder, and coconut oil. The recipe for it is here: the Tastiest Healthy Treat I've Ever Made and the shake I made contained both it, and larger amounts of a few of its ingredients, plus of course liquid. This candy, for the record, is beyond worth the half hour it will take you to throw ingredients into a bowl, and I would like to say it is the most addictive food I have created, but my Rawk-n-Roll Cuisine Notchos have enough kale chip eaters around America hooked that I don't want to jinx anything with such a claim. That said, I've eaten three batches in three weeks, and am showing no signs of slowing down yet.
Perfect for an ice cream craving, satisfying enough for a meal, full of protein and a moderate amount of good fats and carbs. Health-food life doesn't get better than this!


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