Ruslan Ponomarev: I have good impressions and memories!
Before the Opening Ceremony chess players was expressed the expectations of tournament.
- Ruslan, I am glad to see you here, especially knowing that you were in Thessaloniki on day ago in front of a chess-board, taking part in Grand Prix tournament. How often do you generally play blitz championships?
- As you know there is a rating in both rapid and blitz nowadays. And if you have a look on official ratings of FIDE on rapid and blitz you will not find me there, because I just have null. That means that in these sphere I will play as a beginner ( laughs). We will check now how well I play rapid and blitz.
- I know that you have already been in this beautiful city. What kind of impression do you have about Khanty-Mansiysk?
- I have been here for 4 times already. Of course I have good impressions and memories! I have played several World Cups, and two times reached the finals. In 2010 our team won World Chess Olympiad.
- What are your expectations here, do you have favorites?
- It may sound funny but I even don't know who is registered for the games. We will play and see.
- We know you as an experienced blitz player. What are your expectations this time?
- Well, I took part in the World Blitz Championship in Astana last year as well, and took the 7th place. As for this tournament, I would say that I love playing blitz, rapid, and of course, I will do my best to perform well in the tournament.
- Speaking about the last World Blitz Championship, can you please compare the participants of the previous championship in Astana and the one which starts tomorrow?
- Definitely, last year's competitors were much stronger, there were only 16 participants and it was not easy even to get there.
- What do you think, why most of the leading players have not come this time?
- It is difficult to say, everyone has his own reasons, but I am sure the competition will be very exciting this year too.
- As far as I know you preferred to take part in blitz and rapid tournaments before. What is the reason for that?
- Yes, I used to play blitz before as it gave me a great pleasure. I can tell you that even now I enjoy that kind of chess but I don't play blitz so often any more.
- What can you say about the list of participants, do you have some evident favorites?
- Many strong chess players will take part In the championship such as Alexander Grischuk, the world champion in blitz, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and others. I believe it's not possible to play good in rapid and blitz if you are not good in classic. Of course there are some exceptions; we can see some of them in Internet.
- The first prize in the tournament is 40.000$. Why don't we see other elite chess players here?
There are many tournaments in the world right now and many players take part there. For example the tournament in Greece finished just two days ago, so it was not easy for participants of that event to come here.
- I know it's your first trip to Khanty-Mansiysk. How do you feel here?
- Yes, actually I am here for the first time and first impressions are great.
- How do you estimate your chances in this tournament?
- Well, if you look at the list of participants, you will notice, that I'm placed in the second half with my rating. However, I can say that these kinds of tournaments are usually unpredictable. I will try to do my best.
- And how often do you play in such kind of tournaments?
- It depends. For example, I played similar tournaments during Aeroflot Open and in United Arab Emirates. However, it would be a sin not to come.
- Your generation adores playing blitz. I suppose you are not an exception?
- Yes I also like it a lot and I can say that I play it pretty often. Those kinds of tournaments are very attractive for me.
- Is it hard to play blitz and rapid chess? Do you feel pressure?
- I think it's I tens more playing classic chess. Here you can relax and play calmly.
- What can you say about the list of participants.
- In spite of the fact that some other elite chess players could be playing, for me the cast is strong enough. It would be nice to compete with the senior colleagues.


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You've got to free your mind!
March 3, 2016 § 1 Comment
On occasion, you encounter someone whose life experience is so different from yours that it forces you to recalibrate your understanding of humankind.
That's how I felt meeting the Lakota counselor at a summer camp where I worked. And that's how it was with Big Ern.
His full name: Ernest Shepard III and his reputation preceded him. About three years ago, my partner Joe told me he had met this amazing guy. "He spent 45 years in prison and now he's working with Youth Justice Coalition."*
Meeting the formerly incarcerated wasn't anything new—Joe himself was a Vietnam-era federal prisoner, in for draft resistance, and is deeply involved with criminal justice reform movements—but forty-five years! I couldn't imagine it.
Plus, a hefty sentence like that might mean an unnervingly hefty crime, though it was hard to know. Sentences often don't match the violation and it's a breach of prison etiquette to ask, "What are you in for?"
Anyway, Joe said Ernie was okay and that was enough. We invited him to our Christmas open house and were delighted that he came.
It was immediately clear how Ernie got his nickname— he was tall, robust, muscled—and seen on the street, he could appear intimidating. In fact, he was gentle and kind.
That Christmas, Ernie mentioned that his father had been a musician, that a clip of him playing with the Duke Ellington orchestra was posted on YouTube. I pulled out a laptop and we all watched a performance of "Take the A Train," with an extended solo by Ernest Shepherd pere playing the bass and scat singing. The man was good! And his son was so proud.
In the months afterwards, I'd get reports about Big Ern from Joe when he'd run into him at demonstrations or county supervisors' meetings where Ernie spoke up on behalf of the formerly incarcerated. One Saturday, I tuned into Geri Silva's KPFK radio program, "Think Outside the Cage," and heard Ernie's warm baritone. He sometimes spoke haltingly, not because he didn't know what to say but because he was reaching deep inside himself to access wisdom that had come from decades of struggle.
Through the grapevine, I learned Ernie was was working with the Fair Chance Project, "a movement led by liberated lifers (formerly incarcerated men and women), prisoners and loved ones of term-to-life prisoners organized around the demand for just sentencing laws and fair parole practices."
That's what Ernie was doing on Friday, February 19, waiting for an elevator that would take him to a Fair Chance meeting, when untreated cancer claimed him. He had celebrated his 71st birthday only the week before.
Since his death, I've learned more about Ernest Shepard's life. He grew up in segregated Los Angeles, in the Black community surrounding Central Avenue. He was academically accomplished, but, as he told YJC students, "Like a lot of Black youth, I wanted to be a student, but I was forced to be a fighter."
In one of those fights, another man died, and though manslaughter would have been an appropriate charge, the prosecutor called it second degree murder and demanded the death penalty.
Ernie spent three years on death row, but studied the law, filed a writ, and was granted a new trial. He then represented himself in court, getting his sentence reduced to 7-years-to life. Lamentably, "tough on crime" policies kept him in prison decades beyond seven years.
I last saw Ernie at a theater performance by former prisoners. During the panel discussion that followed, he said that to remain whole while locked up he'd had to do a lot of inner work. To be free, he told us in an impassioned voice, "You've got to FREE YOUR MIND."
Coming from anyone else, this would have sounded New Age-y and glib. But from Ernest Shepard III, with a lifetime of struggle behind him, it was Truth with a capital T.
The panel ended shortly after Ern's pronouncement because what more was there to say?
A memorial for Ernie will be held on Saturday, March 5, 2016 in Hardy Hall, 6501 Crenshaw Blvd., Inglewood.
You can see Big Ern yourself in this five-minute video interview shot in 2012 by Robert Corsini.
* From their Facebook page: "The Youth Justice Coalition (YJC) is working to build a youth-led movement to challenge race, gender and class inequality in the Los Angeles County juvenile injustice system." Their continuation high school is located at Chuco's Justice Center, 1137 E Redondo Blvd., Inglewood, California.
§ One Response to You've got to free your mind!
Pamela Brubaker says:
What an amazing man! Thank you for this insightful and moving post, and link to video.
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Now on Netflix Instant: Monsters, Freakonomics, Fish Tank & More
by Ethan Anderton
It's that time of the month again! A whole slew of great new Netflix Instant titles have been dumped into the library for your viewing pleasure. We've got some great movies from last year and decades past. One of them appeared on our list of movies you may have missed from 2010 while another showed up on my list of the worst five films of last year (if you're interested, it's in honorable mentions). There's a few comedy faves, a recent remake of a certain 80's flick, a couple films which are getting or have already received the remake treatment, plus plenty more for you to sink your teeth into this time. So what's in our queue this week?
Monsters (Available Now):
This hidden indie sci-fi gem is now readily available for viewing as soon as possible. Six years after aliens invaded Earth, a security force maintains tenuous control in the Infected Zone straddling the U.S.-Mexican border. Andrew (Scoot McNairy), a photographer, is documenting this war-torn area when he's interrupted by an unexpected rescue mission. Samantha (Whitney Able), daughter of a media mogul who just happens to be his boss, needs an escort home, and Andrew reluctantly takes on the job.
Hellboy (Available Now):
If you're still reeling from the fact that director Guillermo del Toro isn't currently getting the opportunity to make At the Mountains of Madness, perhaps it's time to visit one of his older flicks in this comic book adaptation. Based on Mike Mignola's cult comic book series, this fast-paced live-action film tells the dark story of Hellboy, a charismatic demon who's put on Earth by the Nazis to terrorize the rest of the world. But Hellboy has other plans. Deciding to fight for good instead of evil, he vows to rid the world of supernatural monsters and the powers that rule them.
Happy Gilmore (Available Now):
Remember when Adam Sandler used to be funny? This film should be both a rude awakening and great trip down memory lane with the "Saturday Night Live" veteran as the aggressive hockey player turned golfer. Featuring great supporting roles from Christopher McDonald and Carl Weathers, not to mention one of the greatest cameos ever from Bob Barker, this film is over the top, fun and absolutely full of laughs. If you've underestimated the value of this comedy, well "The price is wrong, bitch."
Fish Tank (Available Now):
I've heard plenty of great things about this British drama, so I'm thankful it's finally here for our viewing pleasure. The life of hot-tempered teen outcast Mia (Katie Jarvis) takes an unexpected turn when her mother, Joanne (Kierston Wareing), brings home a handsome and mysterious boyfriend named Connor (Michael Fassbender), who pledges to bring sweeping positive changes to the household. If you need anymore convincing, the film also won Best British Film at the 2010 BAFTA's.
Freakonomics (Available Now):
In what can be considered a super documentary, Morgan Spurlock, Alex Gibney, Seth Gordon, Eugene Jarecki, Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing come together for an adaptation of Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner's best-selling book of the same name. Each of the filmmakers takes on one chapter of the book which tackles different elements of popular culture through economic theory and statistics. Issues include everything from cheating sumo wrestlers to whether Roe v. Wade produced a drop in crime.
Dumb & Dumber: Unrated (Available Now):
If you've successfully avoided Hall Pass, stand strong and take a journey back to a time when the Farrelly Brothers knew how to craft a good comedy. This 1994 favorite pairs Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels in a comedy of errors and stupidity with Hithcockian levels of intrigue and danger. But these two dopes are completely unaware of the trouble they're getting themselves into in their cross country journey to return a briefcase which they're unaware is full of ransom money.
Last Action Hero (Available Now):
I don't care what anyone says about this film, I will defend it to the grave. This is fun, hilarious and full of movie references. It's the movie I would've wanted to make as a kid. A magic movie ticket gains a young fan (Austin O'Brien) unprecedented access to his favorite action hero Jack Slate (Arnold Schwarzenegger) when he's sucked out of his seat and onto the big screen. But things really blow up when a notorious movie villain uses the ticket to break into the real world. Keep an eye out for cameos from Ian McKellen, Robert Patrick and MC Hammer.
The Naked Gun (Available Now):
Though Leslie Nielsen may have sadly left this world, his legend lives on in the form of this hilarious spoof and adaptation of the TV series "Police Squad." It's hard to believe that O.J. Simpson not only used to act, but that the dude was actually funny. They just don't make parody films like this anymore. David and Jerry Zucker and Jim Abrahams (of Airplane! fame) were the kings of their craft, and it's sad that this form of comedy just doesn't have the punch it used to pack back in the day.
The Odd Couple (Available Now):
The film that launched a great brotherly love and hate between Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon must be seen. Yes, before they were Grumpy Old Men, they were The Odd Couple. Tossed out of the house by his wife and close to packing it in, Felix Unger (Lemmon) decides the best thing to do is move in with his best pal: barely housebroken, deliberately devolved caveman Oscar Madison (Matthau). Within a few days, slovenly sportswriter Oscar and compulsive neatnik Felix are driving one another bonkers.
The Virgin Suicides (Available Now):
Thankfully Sofia Coppola has become much more than Francis Ford Coppola's daughter with a supporting role in The Godfather III with great films such as Lost in Translation. But now her directorial debut has made its way to instant in the form of this adaptation of Jeffrey Eugenides novel of the same name. In sharp response to the lax moral milieu of the mid-1970s, Ronald and Sara Lisbon (James Woods and Kathleen Turner) keep their five alluring, adolescent daughters (including Kirsten Dunst) on a short leash by embracing religion and pushing away the opposite sex.
Honorable Mentions (Available Now): Grown Ups, Charlie's Angels, Macbeth, Peacock, Stripes, The Verdict, Daybreakers, Client 9, The Square, The Last Station, The Karate Kid, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, Arizona Dream, The Cable Guy, Chain Reaction, Cliffhanger, Cool World, Conversations with Other Women, Courage Under Fire, Fargo, Goya's Ghosts, Gung Ho, The Incredible Mr. Limpet, The Kite Runner,The Last Emperor, The Nines, Once Upon a Time in America, Patton, Revolver, Searching for Bobby Fischer, Sling Blade, Soapdish, Southland Tales, Thelma and Louise, 8 Mile and Chloe.
That's all for this week's installment of Now on Netflix Instant new titles. And remember, if you ever want to look back at the thousands of Netflix titles already released, look forward at what's on the way, or check out the entire library of Netflix Instant titles available, you can head over to InstantWatcher (in my opinion the most complete listing of Netflix's instant titles, updated daily) or also FeedFliks, whose hawk-eyes are on the lookout for future streaming release dates. And of course we'll also be back next week with the latest line-up of new Netflix titles. Now go watch some good movies! Are you happy with this week's latest titles?
Find more posts: Netflix Instant, Opinions
Watched Monsters a few day ago. Not too bad, could have used a bit more UMF to it. Good little script.
Shawn on Mar 11, 2011
i thought monsters was excellent......and i liked how they did connection with beginning and end. i want a sequel!
Anonymous on Mar 11, 2011
Monsters was awesome, I wanted to find out more about the ending though
Duck on Mar 11, 2011
A5J4DX on Nov 13, 2018
what happened to the weekly posts? haven't done once since march 10th? Also Monsters was AMAZING. its a shame I rented it when it came out on dvd, if only I waited a few more weeks.
Jdunnican on Mar 30, 2011


IS SHOW TIME SOFTWARE HELPFUL TO CONTROL MY PC FROM LOLA REMOTE CONTROL?
My goal was to watch Window Media Center on my large screen TV.
LOLA/SHOWTIME Software is not compatible with Window Vista. You can bypass this and download a driver for your X10 mouse remote.
For me the Sender and Receiver worked GREAT when the antennas are facing each other and kept within 1 feet of each other. Cracking noise and average picture at 30' in an adjacent room with the door open. Barely any picture at 70'. Yes, I moved the antenna around and tried all channels (A-D). Sender interfered with my Belkin 2.4 Ghz Wireless Router and MacBook. Bottom line: Sender ON = Internet OFF.
Mouse remote did work but I did not like how it performed. When you press the arrow key the mouse starts moving slow but then it speeds up. X10 brags about this feature but I find it annoying. It takes a long time to reposition the mouse from the far left to the right of your screen. Once you get close to the icon you want the mouse speeds up and you overshoot your target. Release the arrow key and start over again and overshoot in the opposite direction.
I ordered a 50' S-Video/RCA cable ($70 at TigerDirect, $40 at www.amazon.com) that I can run between PC (PCI-E video adapter already had S-Video Out Port) and TV. I will also need a mini plug to RCA jack adapter ($5-$10 Radio Shack). Only problem is that I can't control the mouse remotely unless I spend another $30-$40 for USB dongles that can extend the mouse up to 100'. A little bit more expensive but might be cheaper in the long run since it doesn't require electricity and won't conflict with current equipment.
Another solution is to spend $300 for the Windows Media Center Extension.
I think both of these post are 100% SPAM!!!!
I ordered a 50' S-Video/RCA cable ($70 at TigerDirect, $40 at www.amazon.com) that I can run between PC (PCI-E video adapter already had S-Video Out Port) and TV.
That cable is $8.23 (50 ft., gold plated) at www.monoprice.com. You might want to try them next time. That's where I get my cables.
JRP could you post a link to the driver your refereing to which works on Vista?
I'm not using Vista but many here are and I'm sure some are wondering where to find!


text:
Subscribe for Developer Updates!
Tap. Type. Fight!
A Hero centric, tower defense based typing game set in the fairy-tale kingdoms of childhood folklore and literary legends.
Compete against friends and foes alike, in a real-time multiplayer game that will test your typing skills and battle strategies. First one to destroy their opponent's keyboard wins!
Choose Your Hero,
Challenge Your Friends!
Who will you choose? From Little Red Riding Hood to Captain Ahab, with many more on the way. Choose a hero that fits your play style, each with unique abilities.
Invite your friends to battle against you. Defeat their hero, defend your kingdom, and prove who is the Tap, Type, Fight champion.
Download Qwerty Kingdom from the iOS App Store and Android Play Store to play today! Be a part of the launch of the world's first typing based MOBA.
Stay up to date on the latest developments and upcoming content by subscribing to Developer Updates, visiting The Last Vertex, or following us on social media.


Sgt. Watanabe was a couple of streets behind when the bus pulled in to Abiko Station. I pushed my way through the old folks to the front of the bus and ran up the station steps to the ticket machines under the "Let's Shopping" poster.
Abiko Station has two lines—the Joban, an always-busy commuter line to Ueno in central Tokyo. And there was the line I would take, the always-empty Narita local service, a single track line to the airport nobody used since the fast trains from Tokyo started up.
So I knew something was wrong when I got to the escalator going down to Platform 2 for Narita and the platform was overflowing. I waded in to the mass of people all squeezed together, trying to force my way through. I couldn't. But no one hunting me could pick me out. I limped forward with the press of the crowd. A thousand heels click-clacked on the metal steps of the escalator, locked in position to save energy. We all stopped as one.
We shook. The ground swayed. Back and forth. People's mobile phones were bleeping. An earthquake warning. Others were looking about for confirmation.
And it passed. We all resumed moving, and shared smiles. So sorry we panicked there, we didn't really think we were going to die, honest.
All escalators were off, as were the lights, and only a dim overcast sun penetrated the gloom. Were we at war? Who was the enemy? And what was I doing with this bloody pebble in my shoe?
The train was already full when it pulled in to the station. In my carriage there was a woman shouting Cantonese into her cell phone, a tall white man eating a sandwich, and a mother fussing at her daughter in French. All foreigners. Strange.
I took my place squeezed in with people by the doors, but manoeuvred myself to face the lucky ones sitting on the bench with their backs against the walls. I didn't know who was pressing into my back, but I could look ahead. And I could breathe.
The Cantonese woman stopped shouting then glanced at my face and hair. What was different, what was the same? I could see her making the calculations. I chose to stare blankly beyond the sitting heads, to the world out of the window. Concrete buildings and the shuttered Mama and Papa iron-mongers and fruit stalls. Blue tarps on broken roofs. But no high watermarks. No dead fish. No real suffering here.
In 40 minutes the train took us further away from Tokyo towards Narita. The airport control tower looked out over fields.
My ears popped as the train entered a tunnel and squealed to a stop at a platform somewhere under Narita Terminal 1.
I went with the flow of the crowd, since there wasn't any other choice. We slogged up the still escalators away from the harsh world of loudspeakers and concrete into the closeted terminal world of carpeted walls.
The crowd slowed to a standstill as male and female guards in white gloves rifled through bags. I broke into a cold sweat. I was on the run for murder, only here there was nowhere to run.
"ID please," said a woman in a navy blue fake-police uniform.
"Of course." I reached for the student ID of Mayumi Okami, but held my thumb over the picture. In bad light, I might have passed for her, but not here under the eyes of a security guard. I held my breath.
"Let me see that…" she said.
But there was another aftershock. A few of the foreigners in the crowd screamed, and people jostled forward. A woman lost her balance and hit the floor. The guard glanced at the name on my ID and handed it me back to pick the woman up off the floor. I threw my phone and wallet into the tray for the x-ray machine and strolled through the metal detector gate.
In the departure hall it was chaos. The boards said all flights were delayed. British Airways had emergency flights to Hong Kong. There were people of every nationality in the concourse trying to buy tickets out of the country, or trying to find out information about flights somewhere. Anywhere but here.
But if this wasn't your home why would you stay? If it was, why would you stay? Why was I here? Where would I go, if not here?
I slumped down on a bench closest to the exit doors. I could see everyone coming in and could get to the street faster from here. But I didn't have a passport or any money. Or a home to go to. There was nowhere for me to flee. I fumbled for my phone and looked down. No signal in the building. Time – 8:22 a.m.
I followed him. He followed a yellow tape pasted onto the floor. It led to a bank of seats bolted together in two rows of ten. So many different people, but all had the same expressions, like family around a deathbed.
We sat side by side, in chairs bolted together.
A woman in her 30s but wearing a short Burberry yellow plaid skirt, a green beret with a pink T-shirt. She was waving her arms around when she spoke.
English in front, Cantonese behind.
A Filipino woman using her reflection in her iPhone to check her makeup.
A Korean girl wearing a red baseball cap, orange hair waving behind.
A teenage boy wearing an embroidered silk green baseball jacket with Japan written on it.
Possibly an American wearing a Cambridge University T-shirt.
Some western faces but 90 percent were other.
They looked Japanese but the styles were a couple of seasons old.
Uncle Kentaro held my hand in both of his.
He reached into his pocket, pulled out a small green booklet.
I opened it, I couldn't read it. I flipped to the picture ID page. It was Uncle Kentaro 10 years younger. And there was text written in English—Republic of Korea.
I bit my lip. He wiped the smirk off his face.
Kentaro sucked air through his teeth.


An initiative by the National Arts Council, Arts Weekend Civic District aggregates arts programmes in the Civic District on the last weekend of every month and presents the precinct as an arts and culture destination in Singapore. It will feature both free and ticketed programmes by National Arts Council, Asian Civilisations Museum, The Arts House, Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay, National Gallery Singapore and Victoria Theatre and Victoria Concert Hall.
Enjoy arts programmes ranging from museum visits and activities for the whole family, to live performances and picnics on the Empress Lawn.


See that? Tip your delivery people very well if you're expecting someone to show up in this mess. I've not even gotten my mail since before Christmas. I shared my pics on line in the hope that action is taken. My husband hopes that maybe some news publication would buy one of my pictures since I got some unbelievable sights as well.
Oh, and it gets better. In some cases, you have to decide between stepping in fresh dog mess or walking in this deep snow.
This is called "citizen action." People taking matters into their own hands when their city government has completely failed them. Next thing you know, we'll have rotting garbage piles to add to the snow ocean that is my neighborhood.
One charming thing I saw was these people creating their own little snow hideout. I had to get pics of it b/c when I was walking by, two people were actually inside these holes.
Those people were awesome but I asked to take the pic since I didn't want to be intrusive & rude. I don't photograph for those purposes.
Now I had another motive for taking these pictures. My husband's employer had the gall to open his place of business today. He doesn't work in the medical field, law enforcement or even for NYC Transit or the Sanitation Department. In other words, no one has ever died because his place of employment wasn't open at this precise nanosecond. Then a number of people who came in were completely rude; screw you if you're not in need of medical treatment or a ride to the hospital, police station, what have you. I wouldn't be nice to you in those circumstances; I'd point out the snow ocean & tell you to go dive in it.
Add to this that most employers don't care if you live or die when asking you to report to a job that doesn't entail showing up in these conditions as a matter of course. You can save the CEO's life & get rewarded by being fired. Don't expect loyalty from your employees if that's how you operate & don't expect people to risk life & limb to go to a job for non-essential services.
I swear, if someone could come up with a chemical compound that melted snow instantly without harming anything underneath it or polluting the environment and just reduced the snow to harmless vapor then that person would make a ton of money. I'd certainly want some myself. How about you?
See Facebook or ask me privately if you'd like to see more evidence of the utter trashiness & stupidity of higher ups who wouldn't traipse around in this ocean of snow themselves.
Brace yourselves; there is supposed to be a "warm front" for the next few days which will cause some flooding and drainage issues.
I live in Yonkers, NY and by Monday afternoon, the city's main roads and nearly all of the side streets were cleaned.
And they just cleared my street THIS morning! Some people on my block also decided to take matters into their own hands.
Our mayor's getting reamed in the press for the city's response; I have no sympathy for him AT ALL (and I had enough reasons not to like him before this). If he'd been like the Newark mayor & going out there personally, then maybe I'd have more respect for him.


text:
David J. Haffner
There are condolences waiting approval on David's Tribute wall
Celebrating the life of David J. Haffner
Be the first to share your favorite memory, photo or story of David. This memorial page is dedicated for family, friends and future generations to celebrate the life of their loved one.
Obituary for David J. Haffner
Haffner, David J. Age 59
Devoted father of Kristen (Edward) Esgate, David (Kristin) Haffner, and Charlotte Haffner.
Proud grandfather of Carson, Collin, and Cameron.
Cherished son of Charlie and Patricia Haffner.
Loving brother of Chuck (Sharon), Barbara, Diane O'Hara, Patty (Jim) Hasier, Joan (Bob) Cecich, Carol (Andre) Yarbrough, Matt (Janet), Maureen (Jim) Joyce, Joe (Kristin), Maggie Blake, Tommy (Jenni) , Joyce (Mike) Schramm, John (Sarah), and the late Mary Eileen (Tom) McAuliffe.
Dear uncle, cousin and friend of many.
Visitation Monday 2-9 p.m.
Funeral Tuesday 9:00 a.m. from the Robert J. Sheehy & Sons Funeral Home, 9000 W. 151st Street, Orland Park, IL to St. Bede The Venerable Church, Mass 10:00 a.m.
Interment Holy Sepulchre Cemetery
ST. BEDE THE VENERABLE CHURCH
8200 S. KOSTNER
Funeral home opens at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday. Procession leaving at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday to go to the church.
8200 S. KOSTNER CHICAGO IL
HOLY SEPULCHRE CEMETERY Final Resting Place
Alsip, IL 60803
6001 W. 111TH STREET Alsip 60803 IL
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Samsung has issued an apology to factory workers that may have contracted cancers linked to chemical exposure while on the job. The company also promised to compensate workers and their families affected by the longstanding incident.
In a statement on the matter, Samsung vice chairman Kwon Oh-hyun noted that several workers at their production facilities suffered from leukemia and other incurable diseases which also led to some deaths. The chairman went on to say they regret that a solution for the matter had not been found in a timely manner and would like to use the opportunity to express their sincerest apology to the affected people.
The story first came to light in 2007 when 23-year-old Hwang Yu-mi died from leukemia in 2007, one of several that fell ill while working at a Samsung production facility. Her story was told as part of a Businessweek story published last month around the same time the Galaxy S5 launched.
How widespread is the issue, you ask? According to lawmaker Sim Sang-jeung, no less than 114 of the 243 workers sickened since the 1990s were Samsung semiconductor employees.
It's worth pointing out that Samsung's apology and compensation does not concede a link between the illnesses and chemicals used at their manufacturing plants. But by issuing the apology, Samsung said they will no longer participate in lawsuits surrounding the incident.
Either way, it's seen as a victory for those affected by the illnesses, their families and civil groups that have struggled to raise awareness about the situation.


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Q: how to config apache namevirtualhost with different domain and different port i config the httpd.conf
NameVirtualHost *:8801
<VirtualHost *:8801>
  ServerName sub1.domain.com
  ServerAlias sub1.domain.com
  DocumentRoot /www/site1
</VirtualHost>
NameVirtualHost *:8802
<VirtualHost *:8802>
  ServerName sub2.domain.com
  ServerAlias sub2.domain.com
  DocumentRoot /www/site2
</VirtualHost>

the service works well,but the domain sub2.domain.com:8801 can also access the first site,i do not want this. how can i fix? thank you.

A: Put them on the same port (e.g. 8801).
Apache will do its best to match a vhost based on IP address (* in this case), port and lastly, if it needs to,  based on name. It also defaults to nearest config if it can't find a match. So when you look for sub2.domain.com:8801 it can't find an exact match based on on three criteria so picks the first one as that at least matches on IP and port. If you used the same port number for both subdomain do this would not happen.
The alternative, if you really want to keep this as two ports, is to put a dummy service on the other port for each subdomain and redirect back to main port:
NameVirtualHost *:8801
<VirtualHost *:8801>
  ServerName sub1.domain.com
  ServerAlias sub1.domain.com
  DocumentRoot /www/site1
</VirtualHost>
<VirtualHost *:8801>
  ServerName sub2.domain.com
  ServerAlias sub2.domain.com
  Redirect : http://sub2.domain.com:8802/
</VirtualHost>
NameVirtualHost *:8802
<VirtualHost *:8802>
  ServerName sub2.domain.com
  ServerAlias sub2.domain.com
  DocumentRoot /www/site2
</VirtualHost>
<VirtualHost *:8802>
  ServerName sub1.domain.com
  ServerAlias sub1.domain.com
  Redirect / http://sub1.domain.com:8801:
</VirtualHost>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: Supply Voltages for Inverting Amplifier I want to use an inverting amplifier to linearly shift and convert a signal with voltage range -10...+10V into 0 ... 3.3V for an ADC of a microcontroller. I wanted to use the circuit presented in this post.

Instead of the 40 Hz source I would input the -10...+10V supply and instead of -15V I want to use a -12V supply.
1.) Which supply voltage range should the OpAmp have? I mean the output should only be in the range of 0 ... 3.3V, my resistor feedback network will take care of that. Or does it have to cover the sum of the two input voltage maximum and minimum (i.e. -22V and 2V)?
2.) Are there any constraints regarding the DC-bias supply (-12V)? Must it have a low output impedance (< 1 Ohm)? Does it matter whether I would use a Linear Voltage Regulator or a Voltage Reference (as long as the rated current of the device is not exceeded)?
3.) General question: Can I use an OpAmp that is specified for a supply range of +-5V...+-15V (i.e. dual supply) also as single supply? For example V_supply_- = 0V and V_supply_+ = 5V
Best regards and thanks in advance!

A:
I want to use an inverting amplifier to linearly shift and convert a signal with voltage range -10...+10V into 0 ... 3.3V for an ADC of a microcontroller.

That's doable without much trouble.

Instead of the 40 Hz source I would input the -10...+10V supply and instead of -15V I want to use a -12V supply.

That should probably read:

*

*Input signal: -10 V to +10 V.

*Offset adjust current to be sourced from a -12 V supply.

1.) Which supply voltage range should the OpAmp have? I mean the output should only be in the range of 0 ... 3.3V, my resistor feedback network will take care of that. Or does it have to cover the sum of the two input voltage maximum and minimum (i.e. -22V and 2V)?

The important point to realise in this inverting amplifier op-amp configuration is that the feedback adjusts the output to make the two inputs equal. Since the non-inverting input is at 0 V the inverting input will be at zero as well. It seems strange but your op-amp will never see the input voltages. The two inputs will normally be extremely close to zero volts.
Since you only require 0 to +3.3 V out a rail-to-rail op-amp fed from those voltages would suffice but they generally can't sink or source much current when the output is close to the rail voltage. You have the luxury of having higher voltages available.

2.) Are there any constraints regarding the DC-bias supply (-12V)?
  Must it have a low output impedance (< 1 Ohm)? Does it matter whether I would use a Linear Voltage Regulator or a Voltage Reference (as long as the rated current of the device is not exceeded)?

With something like 10k in there you'll only be pulling a little over a milliamp. All that is required is that the source voltage is stable.

3.) General question: Can I use an OpAmp that is specified for a supply range of +-5V...+-15V (i.e. dual supply) also as single supply? For example V_supply_- = 0V and V_supply_+ = 5V.

Not always. Read the datasheets carefully. If the op-amp was specified with a minimum of -5 to +5 then it would work at 0 to +10 V, etc., but check how low the output voltage could go - i.e., how close to zero.

Best regards and thanks in advance!

Thank afterwards on this site by up-voting useful answers and accepting the best one.

You may not need to go to all that trouble. A potential divider with a little bias can do what you require without any op-amp in many cases.

simulate this circuit – Schematic created using CircuitLab
Figure 1. A simple resistor bias arrangement.*
How it works:

*

*R1 and R2 provide a 10:3.3 potential divider. Without R3 the ADC input would be -3.3 V to +3.3 V for a -10 to +10 signal range.

*The equivalent source impedance of the potential divider is the value of the parallel resistors. AllAboutCircuits online calculator tells me that that 6.7k in parallel with 3.3k is 2.21k. If we set R3 equal to this value and tie it to +3.3 V it will pull the voltage at the R1-R2 junction half-way towards 3.3 V.

Let's consider that last line a bit more:
Vin      Vadc without R3    Vadc with R3
 0 V       0 V              1.65 V
+10 V     3.3 V             3.3 V
-10 V    -3.3 V             0 V

The built-in CircuitLab simulator lets us run a DC sweep on the input from -10 to +10 V and watch the output.

Figure 2. Bingo! The desired transfer function.
You haven't told us the source impedance so be careful that this circuit doesn't load it too much. If it's a problem scale all the resistors up, for example, by ten.

A: One thing you could do is use a summing amplifier to scale and offset the input signal simultaneously. This requires a little bit of math, you can reference the following image/equations from Sedra/Smith Microelectronics Circuits textbook.

This does invert the output, so you'd have to follow this amplifier with a -1 gain stage. If you plug in the values chosen (somewhat arbitrarily), you'll see how the math works out.


The Bluetooth-enabled Smart Outdoor Lighting Control Platform offers robust control capabilities through a range of devices, including microwave and passive infrared motion sensors; fixture controllers with single- and dual-channel control capabilities for light level and color tuning, and a photocell for daylight-responsive control.
All devices on the platform are engineered for reliable operation in rugged outdoor conditions and are qualified by Bluetooth for interoperability. The Bluetooth 5 protocol is suitable for long range networking and communication applications such as parking lots. The dual-channel controller can also provide color tuning to minimize perceived glare or provide bright white light for enhanced safety.
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Ductile iron fountain with special corrosion protection.
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Do not include any pressure regulator or key dams.


text:
Lily Padula
What to Expect from a Cesarean Section
By Katherine Hobson
A C-section is major surgery, so it's natural to be apprehensive. But the operation is extremely common, so your medical team is accustomed to doing them.
The basics of the surgery are consistent, but some factors will differ depending on whether you're having a scheduled, urgent or emergency C-section.
Women increasingly have choices about their C-section, including seeing the baby's birth and having more contact immediately after delivery.
A C-section is unique in that the recovering patient will likely be sleep-deprived and stressed. Plan for as much postpartum support as you can.
If you notice any signs of infection, blood clots or other concerning symptoms after your surgery, get medical help.
Here are some signs you may need additional support or medical care.
The rate of cesarean section births in the United States has been declining over the past few years. Still, a full 31.9 percent of births were by C-section in 2016. Even among women who hadn't had a previous C-section, the rate was almost 22 percent. Some women are prepared; they've had the surgery scheduled because of a medical complication or something else that is known in advance. But many will end up having a C-section only after a decision is made during labor that it's the safest route for the woman and for the baby.
All that is to say that, even if you want and are planning for a vaginal birth, it's worth brushing up on the basics of C-sections so you'll be prepared if it happens to you. You'll want to know what the surgery entails, how it might change your birth experience and how your postpartum recovery will be affected. For this guide, I spoke with two obstetricians, one obstetrical anesthesiologist and one obstetrical nurse practitioner.
Know the basics.
Once a decision has been made to perform a C-section, the prep begins. You'll get an IV, if you don't already have one, to deliver fluids and an antibiotic. It's no longer standard procedure to shave pubic hair, because it could permit unwanted bacteria into the body. (Nor should you shave or wax your own bikini area or abdomen right before a scheduled C-section, also due to the infection risk.) Any hair that might get in the way of the incision is clipped.
You'll get anesthesia, which is most often regional – so you'll be awake during the operation, though numb from the mid-chest down. If there's already an epidural in place, the dose of anesthetic will be increased, said Dr. Aaron Caughey, M.D., an obstetrician and gynecologist specializing in maternal-fetal medicine at Oregon Health & Science University. If you don't already have an epidural, you'll most likely get a spinal injection, which places the anesthetic closer to the spine in one shot and acts more rapidly than an epidural. Either way, there's a narcotic in the mix, which helps combat post-op pain for 18 to 24 hours, said Dr. William Camann, M.D., director emeritus of the obstetrical anesthesia service at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. (Delivering narcotics this way doesn't carry the same side effects as when taken orally, he added.)
You'll get a catheter inserted in your urethra and your abdomen will be washed with an antiseptic solution. During the surgery, you'll be lying on your back, with your hands on armboards so that your blood pressure can be monitored and your IV adjusted, if necessary. And there will be a drape over your body, separating your upper body from the lower, to keep the surgical site sterile.
Expect a quick procedure.
It typically takes only 10 or 15 minutes to get the baby out. Most of the time, the surgeon will make a horizontal, or transverse, incision that's two fingers' breadth above the pubic bone, cutting through the layers of skin and muscle and then the uterus, said Dr. Nazaneen Homaifar, M.D., an obstetrician and gynecologist at the University of California San Francisco Medical Center. (Less frequently a surgeon will use a low or central vertical incision, for example if the position of the baby is breech or sideways, if you've had multiple abdominal surgeries or during some emergency procedures.) You'll likely feel pressure twice during the procedure: once when the layers of tissue are being stretched to get to the uterus, and once when the baby is delivered. It shouldn't hurt, said Dr. Homaifar, who has had a C-section (because her twins were in the breech position) in addition to performing them, but you might feel pressure — "like a toddler sitting on your belly" or a pulling sensation. You may also have some nausea and vomiting during the surgery for reasons including cutting through the peritoneum (the membrane lining the abdomen), moving the uterus in and out of the abdomen after delivery or low blood pressure.
Once the baby is out, there will usually be 30 seconds or a minute before the umbilical cord is clamped and cut. The baby is passed to the pediatrician to be checked out, and if all is O.K., can often be brought to the mother for skin-to-skin contact and even breastfeeding. Closing the incision takes longer than making it, 30 minutes (or even less) to more than an hour based on anatomy, the incision and previous scars, said Dr. Caughey.
Be prepared for different circumstances.
Some C-sections are scheduled ahead of time for reasons including multiple births, a baby in the breech position or certain medical conditions in the mother. (In a small percentage of cases, women will request a C-section for no medical reason.) In that case, you won't wait to go into labor but will check into the hospital ahead of your due date, at a specific date and time. You'll meet with the medical team, the baby will be monitored for 20 minutes or so and then you'll proceed to surgical prep, said Dr. Homaifar.
If a C-section is unscheduled, and you've already been in labor, the surgery may be urgent but not an emergency – often because labor isn't progressing, for example. In that case, surgery will usually start within 30 minutes or an hour from when the decision is made to operate.
But sometimes, when there is a serious and imminent threat to the mother's or baby's health, the C-section is an emergency. In that case, there will be a lot of people involved and things will happen fast, said Cheryl Roth, Ph.D., a nurse practitioner at HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea and Osborn Medical Centers and president of the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses. The team's goal is to get the baby out in minutes. It can seem overwhelming for the woman, but it's important to remember that to the medical personnel, it's a "very established process," said Dr. Roth. (Don't be afraid to ask questions about what's going on.) Depending on the circumstances, an emergency C-section may require general anesthesia, which means you'll be unconscious.
Know your birth options.
You may still have some choices about the birth in the case of a non-emergency C-section. Dr. Camann led the introduction of the so-called "gentle" or "family-friendly" C-section in the United States. He said he realized that with an opaque drape across her abdomen and the fact that the baby was taken to the other side of the room after birth, the first time a mother saw her baby was often on the screen of her partner's camera. He started using double-layered drapes with opaque and clear layers, so the opaque layer can dropped during the actual birth. "The patients and their partners loved it," he said. "And the acceptance has been tremendous."
Also part of this approach is incorporating in the operating room many of the things that have become customary for vaginal deliveries, such as a woman's choice of music during delivery and skin-to-skin contact after birth.
Lean on others during your recovery.
After the surgery, you'll be moved to recovery and then, depending on the hospital, possibly to another room for the rest of your stay, said Roth. The catheter will usually be removed the same day to reduce the risk of urinary tract infection, and the goal is usually to get women up and walking around the same day to prevent blood clots, said Dr. Homaifar. Once the narcotic from surgery wears off, you may get IV or oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications for pain, such as alternating prescription-strength doses of ibuprofen and acetaminophen. (There's been a move to limit unnecessary oral narcotic use.) If your pain isn't being controlled, tell your health care team.
Federal law requires that insurers pay for at least 96 hours in the hospital after a C-section, compared to 48 after a vaginal delivery, so you will likely be in the hospital for a few days. But once it's safe, the goal is to get the mother and baby home as soon as possible. Unlike other recovering surgical patients, though, a new mother can't go home and sleep for 10 to 15 hours a day. The combination of major abdominal surgery, sleep deprivation and the hormonal fluctuations after childbirth is "a really bad match," said Dr. Caughey. He advised leaning on family and friends as much as possible to help out during this initial recovery period. (If it's in your budget, this may be a great time to hire a night nurse.)
Physical recovery depends on many factors, including how long and difficult the labor was before the C-section was performed. In general, Roth tells her patients not to lift anything heavier than the baby for two weeks. Your physical activity can start with walking and ramp up as you feel up to it, though you should talk with your doctor or other medical provider before resuming vigorous exercise. You should also get the all-clear from your doctor before resuming sexual activity.
Also realize that just because you have one C-section you aren't necessarily bound to have all future births that way. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a vaginal birth after cesarean, or VBAC, is an option for some women, depending on the type of incision made in the earlier surgery and the birth facility, among other factors. Studies have reported that about 60 percent to 80 percent of women who attempt a trial of labor after a cesarean (called a TOLAC), have a VBAC, and there are calculators available to help gauge a woman's odds.
When to Ask for Help
Most women recover fine from a C-section, but like any other abdominal surgery, there are risks, including infection, blood loss and blood clots. Your doctor will give you a complete list of symptoms that should prompt you to seek medical attention, including a fever, signs of infection in the incision, excessive vaginal bleeding and leg pain that could signal a clot. The bottom line: If something doesn't feel right, speak up.
Katherine Hobson is a freelance health and science writer and a mom.
Aaron Caughey, M.D., Ph.D., obstetrician and gynecologist specializing in maternal-fetal medicine at Oregon Health & Science University, January 22, 2019
William Camann, M.D., director emeritus of the obstetrical anesthesia service at Brigham and Women's Hospital, January 24, 2019
Cheryl Roth, Ph.D., a nurse practitioner at HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea and Osborn Medical Centers and president of the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses
Nazaneen Homaifar, M.D., M.B.A., obstetrician and gynecologist at UCSF Medical Center, February 5, 2019
Births - Methods of Delivery, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Cesarean birth, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Related topics:Pregnancy,Giving Birth
Created on May 3, 2019
A diagnosis can be scary, but you can manage it with diet, exercise and — if needed — medication.


Hello, hello! Over a month ago I blogged about a few business card ideas and I loved everyone's feedback and comments! You guys had some great ideas. After creating those five and reading your thoughts, I still wasn't totally convinced with any of them. David snapped a new pic of me a few weeks ago and it spoke to me and said, "This is it. Use me." So with my same template, I created a new card and ordered the minimum quantity (50) through Moo. I love the way they turned out and what's cool about this company, you can actually upload multiple designs per order, so even though I ordered 50 of the same design for now, next time I could use several different pictures. Anyways, I hope you like these - let me know what you think! I can always make changes and order more in the future.
And just for fun, Bandit modeled for me, as well. Though I'm shocked that he remained calm and still long enough for me to pose him, focus the camera, and snap a pic without him trying to nibble on the card! Good job Bandit.
OMG!!!!! what a lovely bunny!
Those cards look so amazing, and are really suited for your blog. Great choice! ANd what a CUTE BUNNY!!!
Your business cards turned out so well and the photos of Bandit are TOO cute! Have a great weekend, Mary Ann!
This one is the best!! I remember the other ones but this picture of yours looks so vibrant and full of life and I love the shade of green that you've used! Keep it for good!
Love the business cards especially that last pic! with your bunny! super cute!!
Love your new cards and OMG Bandit is so cute!
I too love how the green stands out. They turned out perfect!
Ooh blogger business cards - how awesome! And way more fun than regular job business cards!
aaah the bunny is so cute!!
the bunny is too cute! love the card!
LOVE it Mary Ann! I totally remember this outfit and it's such a great picture of you that I think you made a great choice.
And LOL at using Bandit as a prop. haha!
Hope you're having a great weekend friend!
I have never heard of Moo but I'm going to check I'll check it out. This card is definitely you, I love that dress and the pose. Great choice.
I have heard of Moo but didn't realise you could use your own photograph for them. These look fantastic!
that's a nice idea, thanks for sharing, i'll do that ,too!
Great choice, that's a beautiful photo and looks great as a business card!
This is so lovely. Business cards are so Neccessary nowadays. Everytime I tell people about my blog I wish I had a card. I love the lush floral it adds to your lovely hues on your dress. i think you did a great job hun. Next time use different pics options... That would be fun!
Super cute business cards! Love your bunny!
Such a great card, I love love the last photos, it also can be an image for the card. You have amazing bunny.
I was just thinking about getting cards for my blog today! Yours turned out great!
Lovely business cards and what a cute rabbit - gorgeous!
Thanks for this post, I just ordered my business cards from Moo, too. I'm glad you liked the quality!
That's one very lovely card in full color. No borders, huh! Amazing! I think I would love to try out something similar to that except mine is going to be an embossed business cards type of style.
Do you have some Clear business cards business card to share?


text:
February 16, 2019: Munchkin Gets Board
Welcome, adventurers, to Munchkin Dungeon, an all new boardgame with all your favorite Munchkin characters, loot, monsters, and backstabbing. CMON, in collaboration with Steve Jackson Games, has created a Munchkin dungeon-crawling experience from the (what else?) ground up. Read on to learn what's in store for you and your friends when you lay out the board, set up the (gorgeous and exclusive!) Munchkin minis, and roll the dice . . .
In Munchkin Dungeon, two to five players take on the role of characters from the classic Munchkin games, including the Wizard, the Dwarf, and the Thief. These Heroes push their luck, wending deeper and deeper into the twisting tunnels in search of treasure. Around any corner might lurk a Monster, looking for its next meal, and these Heroes will have to face a final Boss if they hope to escape the Dungeon with their life, and their Loot! As if the Monsters weren't enough of a threat, the Heroes are going to want to wear some tough back armor to protect themselves from their companions' inevitable stabbings. No one said the life of a dungeon crawler was easy.
Each round, players' turns are broken up into different phases:
First, they Kick Down the Door, moving at least one Room deeper into the Dungeon. Brave explorers can choose to go further, but with each extra step, the risk increases.
The next phase is to Look for Danger. Starting with the player to the left of the active player, every opponent can choose to play a Threat card from their hand. There are two kinds of Threat cards, Wandering Monsters and Events. Events are resolved immediately, whereas Wandering Monsters join the Fight in phase three, which is:
Fight Monsters(of course). In this phase, the active player faces off against all of the Monsters they've come across on their turn. Based on the Level of the Hero and any Loot they may have acquired to help them in combat, they roll the dice and look for Hits. As they defeat Monsters, they gain rewards. Named Monsters are relegated to the Graveyard and Wandering Monsters are discarded.
(Combat has consequences; Heroes will often take damage, covering one of the Heart icons on their character sheet. If their life has been completely drained, they'll need to recover by leaving the Dungeon and returning on their next turn with full Health.)
Finally, after battling, the last phase of a turn allows players to Loot the Room and Level Up. Players gain rewards (Coins, Loot, Fame, or Munchkin tokens) for defeating Monsters and can get an extra bonus for clearing a Room of all the underground beasts that were infesting it.
When players Level Up, they move their counter onto the level they just reached. That may gain them more Hearts, dice, rerolls, or even Room-cleaning bonuses. Hey, all that hard work pays off!Sometimes, a Threat card or Loot will result in a player having to take a Shame token. That player will lose Fame points and be the target of other negative game effects until they can recover their reputation. In short, being shamed is bad. It wouldn't be a dungeon crawl without a big, mean baddie waiting for you at the end of the adventure. Boss Monsters are trickier and moredangerous than other Monsters. It's worth one Fame point just to try to fight them. The Boss is selected at the start of the game, and it will determine the difficulty level of the Dungeon the Heroes are facing. If you manage to slay the Boss, you gain all of the rewards printed on the top card of the Boss deck and then that card is discarded, making the Boss that much harder for the next hero to go after it.
The game ends immediately when the Boss is defeated for the fifth time, or when any player reaches 20+ Fame. You earn extra Fame points for all the Loot and Trophies you've acquired along the way. The player with the most Fame wins!
Do you have the nerve to sneer in the face of danger, laugh in midst of battle, and chortle in the presence of Giant Angry Chickens? This is not a game for first-level adventurers, this is Munchkin Dungeon! Only one Hero can be the most famous, and you won't need an influencer campaign to get there!
Join the Munchkin Dungeon Kickstarter today!
-- Alain H. Dawson


An exceptional product, suitable to any 1:18 scale Ferrari 250 GTO and other GT cars of the 60s.
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THIS W34B set includes a 5th supplementary WHEEL+TIRE (front rim/tire size) FOR CARS NEEDING A SPARE WHEEL (FERRARI 250 LM etc.).


text:
The ESG Exchange
Research & Forums
Instituting sustainability reporting competencies
This event is part of the ESG Exchange Initiative which guides and equips organizations to publish assurable sustainability reports meeting the global mandates.
Mandatory recurring financial and non-financial sustainability reporting for companies around the world is imminent, and guidelines, such as those for JSE listed companies, have already been published. This is wholly new territory for most corporate C-suites and boards and on the front line for this task will be companies' reporting officers. Most aren't prepared. As a leader of a listed, private or non-profit company, you have a responsibility to ensure that you and your staff understand and are prepared to meet the impending global sustainability reporting requirements.
Bruce Whitfield hosts this interactive one-hour engagement with an expert panel. Watch the video to obtain an understanding of what corporate competencies are required to publish assurable sustainability reports according to the JSE guidance, emerging international standards, and developing stakeholder requirements.
C-suite / executives
CFOs, accountants, investment managers and analysts
Assurance providers including audit, risk and compliance
Operational managers including information officers and IT leaders
Stakeholder relationship managers including investor, employee and corporate relations
Questions from the audience and answers from the panellists
What kind of qualifications or studies can a chartered accountant pursue to advance their knowledge in the sustainability and the ESG space?
The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, offers an online CVO (Chief Value Officer) programme which addresses sustainability. See more here
Audencia Business School offers an Executive Master Chief Value Officer which is a graduate degree. See more here.
What are your views on Taxonomy?
The panellists recommended all boards and management teams consider sustainability reporting in two 'layers', namely, principles and practices. Principles provide high-level guidance, with universal application. In contrast, practices are organization-specific implementations of the guiding principles. As such they are idiosyncratic. Such a categorisation should enable leaders to think more clearly about what they are trying to achieve (principles) and how (practices).
Another categorisation concerns organisational type. To date, many people have sought guidance by industry. If the principles and practices taxonomy is embraced, industry-based distinctions become less relevant.
I enjoyed Peter Crow's comments on director's duties regarding ESG. What does 'good look like' in terms of directors' fiduciary duties to obtain success in terms of people, planet & profit (prosperity)?
Fiduciary duties are specified in the Companies Act (or similar, the name varying from country to country). Fulfilment of duties is necessary, but not sufficient. Given the duty to ensure the on-going performance of the business, directors need also to consider corporate purpose, external factors, strategy, performance measures, and stakeholder engagement. The Learning Board Framework is an exemplar in terms of 'good' board activities. The Strategic Governance Framework extends the LBF (it adds relevant capabilities and behaviours) to provide a more holistic expression of the practice of governance and priorities if boards are to have any impact beyond the boardroom including, importantly, on sustainable performance.
The embrace of 'people, planet and prosperity' is realised through purpose and strategy. Boards and executive teams should specify overarching goals to be achieved, how these various capitals will be use in the conduct of business and pursuit of strategy, and then report the impacts (by capital category) having operated the business.
Is a framework available for private company boards to assist with this way of thinking or with matters to consider?
The ESG Exchange's How-To Playbook equips participating directors with the competencies and capabilities necessary to govern their organizations effectively in respect of sustainability matters, resulting in the company's production of assurable sustainability reports as per the adopted and applicable international standards. This includes a sustainability governance framework, associated governance policies, terminology, and questions which need to be answered.
At a higher level, the guidance provided in ISO 37000, and its Organizational Governance Framework, both help boards focus on relevant matters.
What do you believe are the short-term and long-term effects on organisations for boards that neglect / refuse to implement?
Bruce says it well at the end of the webinar when he said that the opposite of sustainable is unsustainable. Short-term impacts will probably be very limited while the reporting systems are implemented, and report quality improves. However, over the medium to longer term, organizations that do not report on sustainability matters will be seen to only be reporting on part of the story regarding the stability of the organization.
Peter Crow noted in his opening remarks that organizations and their governing bodies should have been doing this "all along", that this shouldn't come as something new or as a shock. In recent years, stakeholders, especially the providers of capital, are holding organizations, and their governing bodies, accountable for exactly this. There are various reasons for this, including the current social and climate impacts, but whatever the reason, stakeholders are demanding that organizations now disclose "the whole truth".
The main lever to achieving change is reputational pressure. Once directors and boards realise that refusal may (will?) have an impact on their personal and professional reputation, expect changes to follow. The challenge, of course, is to embrace the benefits, and specifically the opportunity to drive towards higher company performance. Boards that continue to think in terms of compliance will, over time, find themselves on the back foot.
I fully agree with Peter, there should be an intersection between sustainability and viability / feasibility. This is where we see success in real sustainability.
Joanne supported this perspective and provided guidance in how this can be done. This is largely in the murky waters of materiality. Reporting on those matters which are "material" for the organization's sustainability in its economic, social and environmental contexts.
I believe that quality ESG reporting is especially important for State Owned Entities as it will provide a basis for enabling a better understanding of the economic activities, and impacts, in the country. Would it not be advantageous to have a principle-based standard for public companies (setting out the methods for identifying what needs to be reported, materiality, etc.)? Could this "public sector" standard then be narrowed down for private companies in the same geographic area?
The base international standard (conceptual framework) should be the same for all sizes and types of organizations across the world. This standardization makes the information comparable and assurance against these standards makes the information more trustworthy. The same basic information is needed from all organizations no matter their size or type.
Beyond the basic information (conceptual framework), countries will have their individual national imperatives, whether these are of a social, environmental or economic nature. In following a "building blocks" approach as promoted by the International Federation of Accountants, such imperatives would be "overlaid" on top the basic information. Those determining these "overlays" would need to ensure that comparability is not compromised and, in fact, supported to ensure that these additional reporting obligations meet the intended purpose of the disclosures.
The global targets for sustainable development are necessarily ambitious and we are far behind in meeting them – particularly in the private sector. How do we support the ESG movement to move beyond simply meeting mandatory reporting to meeting targets when we are still dealing with so much greenwashing? Does this require government intervention?
The first step in effective sustainable development is, of course, understanding where you are. Thereafter informed decisions can be made, and improvement targets can be set. Reporting standards assist organizations to better focus their efforts on collecting, managing and analysing the right information.
Although we are quite confident that market forces will positively respond to the international sustainability reporting standards, governments may be called on to determine which standards to apply nationally and the minimum acceptable standard of sustainability reporting which is required to meet the needs of their societies.
Peter suggests that a close focus on ESG may be counterproductive, primarily because agreement as to what it is, and how it might be achieved, is yet to be achieved. Also, boards need to discuss relative priorities and the extent to which external expectations should be accommodated. Stakeholders are, increasingly, making their expectations known. That is fine, but boards are not powerless—decision-rights lie with the board!
How does this link with the alternate GDP measures that are being considered in government reporting?
Government agencies have long considered alternate reporting options, most of which are underpinned by ideological preferences. A large body of literature, most of which has been created since WWII, that high company performance (economic performance, having considered social and environmental factors) is a precursor to economic growth and societal well-being. More directly, if companies perform well, society benefits.
My sense from listening to the panel is that companies need to decide what its critical ESG outcomes are, based on a defined materiality level, and then processes should be embedded into the organisation beyond the just finance department but in the business units themselves where the ESG impact is generated and then collated using IT to report and assure etc. Would my understanding be correct?
Correctly understood, ownership for outcomes lies with the board. Sustainability needs to be a feature on board agendas, lest it be lost within the managerial hierarchy. A holistic (pan-organizational) perspective is crucial.
While this understanding is correct, the determination of the levels of materiality would also need to be tested. This may require information in addition to that gathered only for those, already determined, material matters.
What are companies doing, or can they do, to fast-track the induction of existing organizational roles so that they are up to speed?
Fast-tracking of understanding is only one side of the equation, the application of this understanding is equally important. This is why the ESG Exchange is promoting an implementation programme rather than training on its own.
How will the implementation of sustainability reporting influence those companies reporting under IFRS for SMEs (Small and Medium Entities)?
Sustainability is equally if not even more important for SMEs. It is important that SMEs provide a comprehensive report on all material factors impacting, negatively or positively, their longer-term success / sustainability – across the various economic, environmental and social aspects.
Were the panel members surprised at the opposition to including the new mandatory TCFD reporting framework within the Resilience Statement (from the White Paper on Restoring trust in audit and corporate governance in the UK)?
No. Many of the reporting proposals that have been created over the past decade have been birthed from a compliance mindset, with cursory attention paid to what is pragmatically relevant or cost-effective. Time will tell, but the regulatory-heavy approach common-place across the EU and UN/WEF may need to be moderated, if companies are to remain internationally competitive.
Supporting notes and links
"Izz-bee" (ISSB) the International Sustainability Standards Board
Integrated Reporting Framework (<IR> Framework) a basis for multi-capital reporting
Harvard Business Review commentary on the development of global standards – The long and winding road to financial reporting standards
ISO 37000 – Governance of organizations – Guidance, international benchmark for "good governance"
Peter's recommended reading: Adam Smith's The Theory of Moral Sentiments, and Peter proposes using this link for enquiry into the nature of wealth of nations from the adamsmith.org website
How-To Playbook for Sustainability reporting
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Panellist profiles
Bruce Whitfield
Business speaker | Journalist | Author
ESG Exchange Host
Joanne Henstock
Climate Change and Sustainability and ESG Governance Consultant
Peter Crow
International company director and board advisor
Shameela Soobramoney
Chief Sustainability Officer
info@goodgovernance.academy
Wits Business School, 2 St Davids Pl,St Andrew Rd, Parktown,
Johannesburg, 2193, South Africa
© 2022 Good Governance Academy
Business Speaker, journalist, author
As a presenter, speaker and author, he interprets the noise at the murky intersection where business, politics and society collide. He has the extraordinary ability to bring clarity and transform the way we see the world. This fresh perspective shines a light on how we can fix the future.
Bruce is an award-winning journalist whose daily Money Show each weeknight on 702 and CapeTalk is compulsory listening for anyone who wants to better understand the world of money and business amidst the noise and clutter of a confusing world. He has hosted numerous TV programs, is a Contributing Editor to the Financial Mail and is a foreign correspondent to multiple international news providers.
His latest project, Genius: How to Take Smart Ideas Global, examines what it takes to thrive in an increasingly complex, fast-paced, divisive global environment. These are lessons for anyone looking to succeed anywhere against the odds.
His bestselling, first book, "The Upside of Down", focuses on how chaos and uncertainty breed opportunity. Using examples, backed up with the facts, and his signature brand of optimistic realism, he shows how current times are not the most challenging in history but actually a time of incredible opportunity.
Bruce is a well-known broadcaster, best-selling author and sought-after business speaker. He has shared stages and digital platforms with the likes of Bill & Hillary Clinton, Nouriel Roubini Charlize Theron, Lord Mervyn King and hundreds of business and political luminaries and personalities. He is as comfortable on a stage as he is on camera or behind the microphone. He is insatiably curious and constantly builds his understanding of the world in a way that helps him help audiences make sense of it too.
Climate Change and Sustainability and ESG Governance, EY
EY Profile
Joanne is an accomplished sustainability and related services executive with 25 years' experience working across corporate reporting, regulation and standards, sustainability strategy, and performance and impact reporting in southern Africa, New Zealand and the United States.
Joanne leads organisations and corporate reporters strategically to elevate the quality of non-financial performance and impact reporting, including specialism in integration of ESG strategy and reporting.
A Chartered Accountant with extensive experience spanning the business, government and education sectors, she has a sound foundation as a thought leader in governance, reporting and assurance.
Prior to joining EY, Joanne held an executive role in regulation, policy and standards, focused on influencing policy makers and standard setters towards achieving better regulation outcomes in New Zealand.
Joanne's driving purpose is to help individuals and organisations focus on sustainable development impact: economic, environmental and social. Increasingly, assessments of what "value" means are re-focusing on long-term value creation capability, recognising that building prosperous communities and economies and a healthy environment must necessarily harness a wider, more holistic value equation for decision-making about how resources are applied. This long-term value lens is the foundation for driving long-term prosperity, and a better working world.
Company Director • Board Advisor
Peter Crow is a company director, advisor and speaker with deep expertise in corporate governance, strategy and the craft of board work. He has an extensive international record helping boards realise organisational potential.
Peter's board service includes director, trustee and chair appointments; principally of privately-held and high-growth companies, family firms and social enterprises:
Chair, Riverlock Group Holdings Limited (2018–)
Director, Quarry Group Limited (2001–)
Chair, McGrath Nurseries 2019 Limited (2019–2021)
Director, CATAS Limited (2011–2019)
Chair, Splice Group Limited (2010–2013)
Director, Tracmap Holdings Limited (2008–2015)
Director, EnergySmart Limited (2008–2011)
Councillor, Baptist Union of New Zealand (2007–2013)
Chair, Hutt International Boys' School (2003–2009)
Trustee, Hutt International Boys' School (2001–2010)
Peter has advised thousands of boards and directors of privately-held and publicly-listed companies, government agencies, family firms and social enterprises. His contributions have been founded on deep knowledge, broad business and governance experience. His innate curiosity and strategic mindset have proved influential to the fortunes of a wide range of enterprises, across five continents.
Peter also delivers director development courses, masterclasses, and graduate programmes; to build capability and equip the next generation of directors. Peter presents globally and his activities have included:
Company Directors' Course (Institute of Directors in New Zealand)
Executive MBA (ISM University of Management and Economics, Lithuania)
Director Development Programme (Hunt Partners, India)
Effective Director Series (Governance New Zealand)
Effective Director Course (Governance Institute of Australia)
High-Performing Board Member (Baltic Institute of Corporate Governance)
Characteristics of Effective Boards (Institute of Public Administration, Ireland)
Peter has made keynote, panellist and after dinner contributions at business and academic conferences, industry seminars, award ceremonies and dinner events; across the United Kingdom and Europe, North America, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. The topics he is commonly requested to present include the characteristics of high performing boards, the board's role in strategy and business success, the board–CEO nexus, and insights from board/company failures, as well as emerging trends and practical insights from recent research. However, the breadth of his general knowledge provides the credibility for him to accept invitations to discuss a wide range of business and social topics.
Peter's audience members have generously used terms such as 'eloquent', 'authoritative', 'insightful' and 'deft communicator' to describe his contributions. Peter, though, prefers a more straightforward term: a storyteller.
Peter's credentials include a PhD in corporate governance and strategy (a pioneering study explaining how boards can influence company performance); a first in technology and management; chartered membership of the Institute of Directors; and memberships of several institutions including the International Corporate Governance Network, the European Institute for Advanced Studies in Management and the Peter Drucker Society.
Chief Sustainability Officer, Johannesburg Stock Exchange
JSE
Shameela is the JSE's Chief Sustainability Officer and is the current chair of the World Federation of
Exchange's (global) Sustainability Working Group and member of the Strategy Group of the Global
Investors for Sustainable Development (GISD) Alliance.
She joined the JSE in 2007 and has also served as Senior Manager: Group Strategy where she was
responsible for advising the Executive Committee and Board of the JSE Limited on corporate
strategy. She sees strategy and sustainability as inextricably linked to each other.
Her responsibilities at the JSE include all aspects of sustainability including management of the FTSE
JSE Responsible Investment Index series. She represents the JSE on various industry advisory panels
locally and globally related to sustainability, responsible investing and climate change. As a
sustainability specialist she has, inter alia, been a key contributor to the JSE's research into climate
change, the potential for a local market to trade in carbon credits and environment-related
products, the development of the sustainability segment of the JSE and the Green Bonds framework,
impact investing, the JSE's sustainability, innovation and CSI strategies as well as the annual
sustainability investor briefing sessions. She is a trustee of the WWF (South Africa) and served on the
board of Directors as a non-executive director until November 2016, and is the board chairperson of
the Ubuntu Wilderness Trust.
Her previous experience includes senior roles in the banking and insurance industries.
Shameela completed the Master's Programme in Sustainability Leadership (MSt) at the University of
Cambridge and holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Pretoria,
Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS). She is a recipient of the Chevening and Mansion House
scholarships, and is a member of the Institute of Directors of Southern Africa (IoDSA).
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Q: Fade UIImageView as it approaches the edges of a UIScrollView I have a UIScrollView over an image at the bottom of my app that acts as a dock with icons that can be scrolled through horizontally. Instead of the harsh edges of the UIScrollView, I would like the icons to fade out for a more aesthetically pleasing look. Being new to iOS development, I don't know if either of these would be valid options:

*

*Create a faded image to use as an overlay on the scrollview so the
icons only appear through the visible portion.

*Actually change the
alpha of the images based on their distance from the center (or from
each edge).

I suspect the first idea would be the most simple, but I'd like to throw this out there for any other ideas.
Note: I did see this tutorial, however that technique assumes that the background is a solid color. If I were to do it programatically, I would probably need to fade the individual images.

A: You can definitely implement something along the lines of #2. It'd be something similar to what the tutorial describes. The alpha transition however won't be as smooth as using the gradient layer mentioned in the tutorial or using an image since the entire icon would have the same alpha. How much discernible the difference is depends on the size of your icons. Smaller icons, very few will be able to tell the difference. Larger icons the difference would be quite clear.
You'd have to implement the

*

*(void)scrollViewDidScroll:(UIScrollView *)scrollView

method in your scroll view's delegate class. This method will get called every time the scroll view changes the location of its content. In this method you can call its subviews and adjust their alphas as required. To optimize it a bit instead of calling the alpha adjustments on all the elements you can just update the subviews which are still partially/completely visible.
EDIT: to figure out which views to adjust you'll use the contentOffset property of the scrollView that gets passed as a parameter in the above method.


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There are hundreds of gadgets for quilters out there. Which ones do you really need? Two of our quilting bloggers weigh in.


text:
Murray's campaign chest low after legal bills
PUBLISHED: December 14, 2013 at 12:00 am | UPDATED: July 11, 2019 at 12:00 am
By Matt Murphy
State House News Service
BOSTON — Former Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray's once robust campaign account has been spent down to just $34,620 after the Worcester chamber of commerce executive shelled out nearly $200,000 over the past three months in penalties and legal fees.
After reaching a deal in August with Attorney General Martha Coakley to resolve her investigation into unlawfully solicited donations for Murray by former Chelsea Housing Authority Executive Director Michael McLaughlin, Murray's campaign committee in early September paid a $20,000 civil fine and paid the state $50,000.
Then in November, Murray paid off the remainder of the legal bills that have accrued throughout the investigation, including $70,000 to Nixon Peabody and $58,208 to the Worcester law firm of Aloise and Wilcox. Murray hired Aloise and Wilcox after his attorney at Cooley, LLP retired.
The former lieutenant governor's committee has also been paying Boston attorney Paul Johnson to handle compliance issues for the account.
"It's done. He hasn't had any new activity. All the activity has been with the negotiations with the AG over the fine and what was going to be included in the accounting," Murray spokesman Scott Ferson told the News Service.
Once a potential candidate for governor in 2014, Murray resigned in May to become executive director of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce.
The same report that included disclosure of legal fee payments also showed $32,331 in non-itemized receipts by Murray's campaign account in the last two weeks of November, accounting for the bulk of the $32,762 his committee has taken in since June after Murray resigned.


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