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Coffee & Business »
Can Coffee Help You Manage Work-Related Stress Better?
/ Coffee & Business
Ask a group of people how their mornings would be without coffee, and you'll hear a collective grunt. Without a dose of caffeine, many of us feel like we can't wake up or function normally, and most of us suspect that coffee makes us more alert.
There's truth to that – caffeine is a stimulant that keeps the central nervous system buzzing so that you feel more awake. Research suggests that coffee can increase energy and mood, too. This is great news for businesses because it's an easy way to improve productivity while warding off burnout.
How Stress Takes a Toll on Business
Workplace stress wreaks havoc on everyone involved. The individual who is stressed can have a slump in morale and energy, and an uptick in anxiety and symptoms of depression. The employer can lose productivity, deal with more errors, and pay more for health coverage. It's also common for co-workers to get into more conflicts if they're stressed.
It's important that employees manage their stress in a healthy way instead of relying on alcohol, drugs, or other harmful habits. Alcohol abuse, for example, can make matters worse, as it has short- and long-term risks, including alcohol poisoning, STDs, and heart disease.
How Coffee Reduces Workplace Stress
If you were to list the habits you could make or break to reduce your stress levels, "stop drinking so much coffee" may be at the top. Since caffeine makes a lot of people jittery, it seems obvious that having less caffeine would bring down anxiety levels. However, it's possible that caffeine can actually keep some people calmer in difficult situations. Even the smell of coffee may be enough to reduce stress levels, which is good news for decaf drinkers.
A study conducted by scientists from Brazil, Portugal, and the U.S. tested the impact of stressors on mice. In this study, one group of mice was given caffeine mixed with their drinking water while a second group had plain water. Both groups were then subjected to stressors like tilted cages and cold baths.
The mice who had the plain water showed signs of stress, such as doing poorly on memory tests. The mice who had caffeine didn't exhibit signs of stress. The scientists estimated that the caffeine blocked receptors from the stress response – in humans, those responses include depression or being in a bad mood.
Coffee and Pain Management
A study by the National Institute for Health found that caffeine may help decrease pain in computer workers. When participants drank caffeine before doing computer work, there was a reduction in the pain they normally experienced. For people who currently manage pain with CBD or marijuana, they may feel that combining the substance with caffeine is a natural next step. Reducing pain can improve mood and make it easier to function at work.
If you're thinking of mixing marijuana or CBD oil with your coffee, though, know that there hasn't been much research done to show how the compounds in marijuana mix with caffeine. However, there is a possibility that combining marijuana with coffee will improve mood and help control pain. Check with your local state laws and your employer's policy on using marijuana and CBD before you start adding it to your daily supplements, though, to make sure you are in the clear.
Preventing Burnout in Employees
Job burnout goes beyond feeling exhausted or overwhelmed by work. It also includes doubting your competence to do your job and feeling like there's no value in your contributions.
Signs of burnout include:
Anger and even violent outbursts aimed at co-workers.
Daily anxiety and nerves, and constant worry about the future.
Depression symptoms, especially hopelessness and feeling stuck.
Difficulty concentrating and remembering things.
Fatigue and feeling drained of energy in a way you can't shake.
Physical problems, such as chest or stomach pain.
Poor appetite and regularly skipping meals.
Employees who haven't struck a healthy work-life balance can suffer from insomnia, conflicts at home, and an overall reduction in satisfaction with work and life. Being less stressed and more productive at work, two things that coffee can help with may give employees the permission they need to disconnect when they're no longer at work. They'll feel accomplished and like they deserve a break instead of forcing themselves to work in order to catch up or get ahead.
How Employee Coffee Breaks Help Productivity
It seems counter-intuitive that giving employees more breaks can make them more productive, but the work break is truly that powerful. While 15 minutes of work may be "lost," morale and productivity can improve so much that the time is more than made up for when the employee gets back to work. Modern employers don't just allow for coffee breaks, they also encourage them. More than 50% of adults spend time outside of their job monitoring email; for younger workers, the number is closer to 70%. While employers can't follow their employees home to ensure they're shutting off from work, they can help them take the necessary breaks while they're on the clock.
The traditional 15-minute coffee break can be beneficial for reasons other than caffeine, too. Employees have a chance to connect with one another and even vent their complaints. The break-room or a coffeehouse outing can help employees connect, share creative ideas and improve morale. Moreover, taking a short break gets employees out of their chairs. Sitting for long periods of time is bad for circulation and the joints, and staring at a computer screen without taking a break now and then can be straining on the eyes.
The Right Amount of Caffeine Consumption
Just because caffeine may have positive effects doesn't mean that the more caffeine you ingest, the more positive effects you'll experience. Having too much caffeine can cause problems ranging from insomnia to liver damage. Aim for no more than 400 mg of coffee each day, which is around four cups.
It's important for employees to strike a work-life balance and avoid burnout, and coffee — one of the most beloved drinks in the U.S. — can help with that. Scientists theorized for a long time that caffeine can improve mood, but whether it was the caffeine itself or the rituals surrounding coffee (like going to your favorite café or having a cup of coffee on your porch) that could be thanked for the boost was still unknown. Now, it seems that those positive effects are, in fact, associated with caffeine.
So go ahead and get that second cup!
How to Make Turkish Coffee: Your Complete Brewing Guide
10 Ways to Make Your Coffee Healthier
When the Coffee Becomes Too Hot for Your Business to Handle


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"I've always wondered, like, what is so masculine about abstraction? How did men get ownership over this?" asks Cecily Brown.
The truth is that women have never been treated equally in the art world. Even today, with the demise of gender bias seen in most industries, female artists remain dramatically underrepresented and undervalued. Most women find it difficult to sell their work and gain recognition, but renowned artist Cecily Brown has shattered the archaic barriers of this creative industry and found her way to the top of the male-dominated market.
"Female artists are important to the art conversation," said Jeremy Larner, a private art dealer and president of New York-based JKL Worldwide. "Excluding an artist from being shown because of a factor unrelated to the art idea leads to the loss of important conversations in art. When artists are dismissed from the imagery of the moment, it can take decades to re-germinate their ideas in regional, national and international art. I think we should show all artists bold enough to open their ideas up for critical review."
Brown, a British painter specializing in figurative and abstract art, is among the few female artists who have experienced escalated prices at auction. Her current record, a painting titled Suddenly Last Summer that achieved $6,776,200 including the buyer's premium in May 2018 at Sotheby's New York, heightened desire for her work in the upcoming months was achieved in June 2017 at Sotheby's in London. Where the painting The Girl Who Had Everything (1998) sold with an elevated price of $1,976,250, and collectors and institutions expect a heightened desire for her work in the upcoming months.
"Compared to her contemporaries, she is making work that is distinct and that offers her particular view on art," said Larner. "There is a big focal point on female artists right now, too, and I think that comes from the cultural flashpoints that we've seen in the past few years."
Born in London in 1969, Brown faced a promising academic and artistic future. She studied at the Slade School of Fine Art in London in 1989 and moved to New York in the early 1990s with hopes to explore the ideals of feminism and sexuality, principals that already had an emergent presence in the New York art scene. Early in her career, Brown experimented with different media types, but she is most famously known for her role in the rebirth of painting and her ongoing theme of underlying eroticism. Since 1990, over 119 exhibitions have featured the work of Cecily Brown, showcasing her work in commercial galleries, non-for profit galleries or foundations and public museums.
Her annual exhibition total peaked in 2017 with 9 shows, including 3 shows in public and private museums or foundations and an additional 6 in commercial galleries. "I think she's one of the best living artists in her generation. The work I respond to most are pieces from late '90s and early 2000s. I think Brown developed an adaptable language in painting that has proven itself useful to the totally new methods of interpreting paint today," Larner said.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


How can you impart effective training on using software applications? What does it take to enable your people master a computer application? You can go in for simulations of the software.
Software training managers often look for a perfect screen recording, the feasibility to create a simulated environment, and expect to check learners' understanding in a test environment. To your pleasant surprise, Articulate Storyline has all these features in-built, to develop effective software/ERP end-user training.
You can easily create e-training modules with interactive simulations on software applications, using Articulate Storyline.
Before we look at how Storyline facilitates this, let's understand what a simulation is. A simulation is the replication of a real environment. It helps learners learn and practice complex and dangerous tasks in risk-free conditions.
Let's now see how Articulate Storyline helps create top-notch simulations.
You can record your software simulation as a single video and insert it in one Storyline slide. The video needs to include the recorded screens, mouse clicks, and audio narration (if you want to explain verbally). You can use the video to demonstrate the process of working with the software. Your employees can watch these videos to get a better understanding of how the software works.
You can develop an interactive simulation using the option Insert as 'Step-by-step slides' in Articulate Storyline. This option will divide the entire recording into various slides, containing hotspots and captions with instructions. Learners can view the logical order of mouse clicks and dialog boxes which specify how to complete a task, and then, try the procedure and practice it a number of times to gain mastery.
You can develop interactive simulations in three modes.
Watch/View mode: Users or employees can view the working of the software.
Try mode: Employees or users can work on the process with step-by-step visual hints on the screen and Help options.
Do/Test mode: Here, you can check the user's knowledge. Employees need to complete the given task in the simulated environment, without any assistance or hints.
In Articulate Storyline, you can first record the whole simulation, and then, publish it as a single video or step-by-step slides. So, you can use a single screen recording in multiple ways.
Changing background images and unexpected actions are strenuous tasks after recording. You can do such edits easily and quickly using the 'action fine-tuning' option in Articulate Storyline. You can get the timing right while editing, using the 'action editor' feature. This helps you fine-tune the frames.
Thus, we see that Articulate Storyline is ideal for developing simulation-based e-training modules on software applications. Hope you will make the best use of Articulate Storyline to develop your software training.


The passengers of MS St Louis, that boarded the liner in Hamburg on May 15, 1939, destined for Havana in a bid to escape the violence, persecution and outright imprisonment at home.
But Mr. King said it was not Canada's problem and left the matter to officials such as Frederick Blair, the architect of Canada's restrictive immigration policies, known for his inflexibility.
Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has formally apologised for his country's refusal to provide shelter to a ship carrying more than 900 Jewish refugees nearly 80 years ago.
"We must guard our communities and institutions against the kinds of evils that took hold in the hearts of so many, more than 70 years ago, for they did not end with the war", Mr. Trudeau said. But it is our collective responsibility to acknowledge this hard truth, learn from this story, and continue to fight against antisemitism every day, as we give meaning to the solemn vow: "'Never again'".
But anti-Semitism is not just a thing of the past in Canada as Trudeau said that some 17 percent of religious hate crimes victims in the country are against Jews.
Trudeau met the only surviving Canadian passenger of the St. Louis shortly before making the apology.
More than 250 passengers were killed by the Nazis during the Holocaust after the ship was forced to return to Europe. They looked for refuge in Cuba and the USA but were turned away.
Gordon said history continues to repeat itself and even today "many people are discriminated against, starving or running for their lives". However, about a quarter of them faced a gruesome fate of being killed in Nazi death camps, historians estimate.
The US State Department apologized for the incident in 2012 at a ceremony attended by then deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns and 14 survivors from the ship. The Twitter account was a protest against President Donald Trump's travel ban, which targeted refugees.
Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau congratulated Americans on Wednesday for electing a "historic number of women" in midterm elections.
The head of Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center, Avi Benlolo, said it is up to governments to "take serious measures that help counter hate crimes against minority groups".


4:05 jochu: Aw, I was hoping to catch Lau of DK lounging about to let him know the swank clojure bug he hit was fixed. Ah well.
4:50 jteo: is "do" documented anywhere?
6:42 jacksmack: I've recently set up Emacs as my Clojure IDE, and it starts fine, but there's one problem. Everytime I hit SPACE in the REPL, it spawns an error "Unable to resolve symbol: user in this context" - Anybody know whats up with that ?
6:45 Lau_of_DK: I've recently set up Emacs as my Clojure IDE, and it starts fine, but there's one problem. Everytime I hit SPACE in the REPL, it spawns an error "Unable to resolve symbol: user in this context" - Anybody know whats up with that ?
7:17 come on boys - anybody?
7:59 I've recently set up Emacs as my Clojure IDE, and it starts fine, but there's one problem. Everytime I hit SPACE in the REPL, it spawns an error "Unable to resolve symbol: user in this context" - Anybody know whats up with that ?
8:16 Lau_of_DK: I just feel like emacs is quicker for small things. But ok, do you have any small examples of how to get started with enclojure?
8:23 Lau_of_DK: Now emacs connects to swank all fine, and it uses correct indentation and all that, so I can assume that advanced-clojure-mode is working. Secondly it does evaluate clojure code correctly, so I can write an run programs..
8:25 jgracin: what is it?
8:25 Lau_of_DK: when I'm in the REPL, and I type "user>(+ 2 2)", it evaluated to 4 like it should, but when I hit SPACE it pop an error everytime saying "unable to resolve symbol: user in this context"
8:27 jgracin: do you type that "user>" part as well? or you just type (+ 2 2)?
8:29 jgracin: start by making sure you have the latest slime from CVS. And the latest swank-clojure.
8:31 but normally when you press SPACE, you'd get a function description at the bottom right? I assume thats what you get?
14:33 jgracin: Lau, the instructions for checking out the latest SLIME version are on its home page (downloads link).
15:22 Lau_of_DK: jgracin, yea thanks, I've updated Slime now but the error persists. Its somehow connected to the SLDB.
15:26 jgracin: what did it?
15:32 Lau_of_DK: Any emacs experts here? I have a binding for C-M-x which evalutes the function at the cursor - how do I changed this binding to C-c c ?
15:37 dabd, Im fishing for the syntax for emacs, how do I then make the binding for C + 2x c. or C-c c ?
15:39 would that work ?
15:39 Lau_of_DK: clojure mode map?
15:53 jgracin: Lau_of_DK: I really think you should do yourself a favor and at least skim (if not read) through the first 200 (PDF) pages of GNU Emacs Manual. Trades a lot of frustration for a lot of fun.
15:56 trust me. It is very difficult to learn how to use Emacs by guessing and asking on chat. But reading that manual will give you a real boost.
16:00 jgracin: That's exactly how I feel about Clojure. A Lisp which is at the same time more clean and more practical/pragmatic then other Lisps.
16:09 before I hit the manual though - Is there anyway I can trade with insanely ugly font that emacs defaults to, to something like Bitstream Vera Sans ?
16:21 rhickey: it's an instance method, not static. Anything wrong with add-classpath ?
16:23 jgracin: silly me. thanks.
16:24 Lau_of_DK: The "Context Free Art" example from the Wiki wont run by itself and the comments state that some libraries need to be compiled independant - Is there an exact guide to where I can find these libs, how I compile/include them in the project anywhere?
17:57 Lau_of_DK: The "Context Free Art" example from the Wiki wont run by itself and the comments state that some libraries need to be compiled independant - Is there an exact guide to where I can find these libs, how I compile/include them in the project anywhere?


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Bulgaria to announce candidate for UN Secretary General 'at moment most favourable for success'
Written by The Sofia Globe staff on January 5, 2016 in Bulgaria - Comments Off on Bulgaria to announce candidate for UN Secretary General 'at moment most favourable for success'
The Bulgarian Government will announce its candidate for the post of United Nations Secretary-General at the moment at which conditions are most favourable for success, Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov was quoted by local media as saying on January 5 2016.
His statement comes against a background of the 2013/14 government having backed Irina Bokova, currently in her second term as head of UNESCO, to become the next UN head – a move made by the now-departed "Oresharski" administration in June 2014, when it was nearing its closing days.
Even as that administration departed, speculation began that the new government might not follow through with support for Bokova, whose political origins run deep with the Bulgarian Socialist Party, for which she was a failed candidate for vice-president of the republic in the 1990s.
There has been no definitive statement on the part of the second Boiko Borissov government, in office since November 2014, about continuing to back Bokova, who won her first term as UNESCO head after the previous front-runner was perceived as discredited.
A principle topic of speculation on the issue has been that instead of Bokova, the Borissov government would put forward Kristalina Georgieva, now in her second term as a European Commissioner, having gained a major promotion in the Commission when Jean-Claude Juncker took office as EC President.
Borissov is known to have a high regard for Georgieva and previously has sought her out for high-ranking domestic government posts, but on the domestic political scene of early 2016, it is an open question whether he would wish to change horses in midstream at the risk of possibly causing tensions with some left-wing political forces with which he might either want to continue or to forge new co-operation.
Bulgarian Foreign Minister Mitov was reported to have told Bulgarian news agency BTA that in deciding on the most opportune moment to announce its candidate, there was an "element of tactics".
"We should not speculate about names but should count on the qualities behind them," Mitov was reported to have said.
He said that one of the most important qualities of the candidate to be put forward by Bulgaria should be the candidacy's ability to achieve consensus among UN member states, and in practice in the choice of the Secretary-General, the permanent members of the Security Council.
This is likely to be a reference to the necessity of a candidacy that would satisfy both the United States and Russia. However, both Bokova and Georgieva have credentials that would make them known quantities to the Kremlin – Bokova because of her background with the BSP, a generally pro-Russian party, and Georgieva because, between 2004 and 2007, she was World Bank resident representative in Moscow.
Bokova's term as UNESCO head expires in 2017, the same year that the term of the next UN Secretary General begins.
In 2017, it will be the turn of the UN's Eastern European Group, one of five regional blocs at the UN and which currently includes 23 countries, to have the Secretary General come from one of its countries. Informed observers as the race procedurally begins to get underway note that the UN has not yet had a woman Secretary-General – again, and quite obviously, a criterion that both Georgieva and Bokova fulfil. Either, however, could find herself up against other possible women candidates from the Eastern European Group of the UN.
On the issue of consensus about the candidacy, Mitov said that Bulgaria would rely on a "recognisable figure" that could achieve this consensus. "But anyway, this is a process that involves a lot of diplomatic work, not media speculation," he said.
Unesco general assembly elects France's Audrey Azoulay director-general, to succeed Bokova
French former culture minister Azoulay, of Jewish origin, wins election to be Unesco head
Bokova 'profoundly regrets' US decision to withdraw from Unesco
Unesco chief Bokova 'got death threats' after criticising Arab-backed resolution denying Jewish ties to Jerusalem


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Mletačka tvrđava na Svetom Marku, tvrđava na kvarnerskom otoku Svetom Marku, Hrvatska. Otok je bio važna strateška točka, jer se s vrha otoka izvrsno vidi okolno pomorje i jer je na važnom prometnom položaju, na prijelazu između kopna i Krka, te zbog plovidbe iz Riječkog zaljeva u Vinodolski kanal. Zbog toga je u Bizantu u Justinijanovo vrijeme, polovicom 6. stoljeća podignuta bizantska tvrđava (castrum). Premda je dio castruma sve do 16. stoljeća služio Mlečanima kao promatračnica, podigli su Mlečani i svoju tvrđavu na otoku, i za potrebe njene posade crkvicu sv. Marka. Iz tog vremena datira novo ime otoka, Sv. Marko, umjesto dotadašnjeg Omiš. Smatra se da je glavna zadaća mletačkoj postrojbi bila boriti se protiv senjskih uskoka. Gradnja nije počela prije 1480., otkad su Mlečani zauzeli ovaj otok. Vojsci više nije služio nakon Madridskog mira 1618., nakon čega ga je opatija Sv. Nikole u čijem je bio vlasništvu počela davati u zakup ovdašnjim ljudima zbog ispaše.

Izvori

Utvrde u Hrvatskoj
Mletačka vojna povijest
Hrvatske zemlje pod mletačkom vlašću
Sveti Marko (Kvarner)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Digital Disruptions
UK DASA awards nine projects under phase 2 of Intelligent Ship competition
Addenbrooke's to use Microsoft's AI tool to speed up cancer treatment
Microsoft said that Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, UK, will use its artificial intelligence (AI) technology powered InnerEye tool for speeding up cancer treatment.
UK announces winners of £20m Turing AI Acceleration Fellowships scheme
The UK government has announced a funding boost of £20m through the Turing AI Acceleration Fellowships scheme for artificial intelligence (AI) projects.
University of Manchester, THG join forces for cybersecurity project
The University of Manchester has joined forces with e-commerce business THG for the £5.8m Soteria project to help prevent cyber attacks.
UK announces National Cyber Force to counter adversaries
The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed the formation of the National Cyber Force (NCF) for undertaking cyber operations to disrupt hostile state activities, terrorists, and criminals threatening the...
Sensyne Health, Somerset NHS sign pact for AI-powered clinical research
Sensyne Health has signed a five-year strategic research agreement (SRA) with Somerset NHS Foundation Trust to gain access to 1.1 million patient records for undertaking clinical research with the help...
NHS launches second round of 'AI in Health and Care Award' competition
The UK's National Health System (NHS) has opened applications for technology companies, researchers, and developers to take part in the second round of the £140m 'AI in Health and Care...
NCSC defends UK from 723 cyber attacks in fourth year of operations
The UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) claimed to have defended the UK from 723 cyber incidents during the fourth year of its operations, of which nearly 200 are related...
US hospitality company Marriott International has been fined £18.4m by the UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) over a data breach resulting from a cyber-attack in 2014 that impacted 339 million...
UKRI to invest £29m to boost digital revolution and online safety
The UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) will invest £29m towards the creation of a new online safety centre of excellence and multiple new research projects across the UK to boost...
UK enforces sanctions on Russia for cyber attack on German Parliament
The UK government has enforced new sanctions against Russia for allegedly carrying out cyber attacks on Deutscher Bundestag, the German federal parliament, in 2015.
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CAMFEED is a project supported by the Fondazione Cariplo and belongs to the "Integrated research on industrial biotechnologies 2015". The project involves four research groups located in Lombardy: the Institute of Agricultural Biology and Biotechnology (CNR-IBBA), Institute of Sciences of Food Production (CNR-ISPA), Department of Environmental Science and Policy and the Department of Veterinary Medicine (UniMi).
The project CAMFEED aims the enrichment in omega-3 and antioxidant compounds in meat and eggs obtained from broilers and laying hens fed with the addition to the diet camelina meal obtained from lines of Camelina sativa selected for reduced glucosinolate content.
The project also aims to develop new formulations of feeds enriched in omega-3 and antioxidant due to the presence of camelina meal. This should allow us to get products (eggs and meat) with a longer shelf-life and greater availability of these valuable essential nutrients for human diet.


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HomeWorking TranslationsErnest Lesigne, "Socialistic Letters," No. 8 (1887)
Ernest Lesigne, "Socialistic Letters," No. 8 (1887)
December 28, 2012 Shawn P. Wilbur Working Translations
[ezcol_2third]
SOCIALISTIC LETTERS
These socialistic letters have earned me, as it should be, some unfriendly observations, with which I find nothing wrong, strong partisan that I am of the freedom of the press.
Before such a touching agreement to criticize both content and form, to declare that writing in French, I must know nothing of what I say, and that it is very bold of me to dare address social questions without first being awarded a diploma by the regular doctors, there is nothing to do but make a strong mea culpa for the great liberty and recognize that there are some very astounding geniuses in the world, these days.
But where I have failed to be moved, is when I have seen that the accord extended to completely refusing me the title of socialist.
Oh, illustrious colleague, you are very difficult!
Not communist, certainly; but not socialist, come on then!
Is he a socialist, who urges all the groups, associations, and syndicates, all the free assemblies of individual forces, as the sole means of providing prevention and remedy against the hazards of life, accidents, disasters, miseries, maladies, lay-offs, and disabilities that can affect one today, and strike another tomorrow?
Is he a socialist, who would like to see the poor portion given to the child by nature supplemented by a well-stuffed and wide-open fund, which would make itself creditor of every individual born, with the simple responsibility of reimbursing it in their adult years and, giving them full liberty, free initiative, complete choice of teachers and of profession, would furnish them all the pecuniary means proper to insuring their complete development?
Is he a socialist, who wants for all the complete expansion and free functioning of all their faculties of production and consumption, the maximum of liberty and the maximum of well-being, the complete satisfaction of activities and needs, the right to labor and the rights of labor; the harvest after the sowing, enjoyment after labor?
Is he a socialist, who produces the elimination of all the parasitism, the end of all monopolies?
Is he a socialist, who proclaims men, women and children equal in rights, who asks the communal power to safeguard the rights of children against men and women; to safeguard against men, the rights of women, who asks the national power to safeguard the right of the individual against the oppressive commune, and who asks popular suffrage to protect the individual and every association, communal or otherwise, against the oppression of the state?
Is he a socialist, who encourages the means of transforming sterile France into a true garden of abundance, capable of meeting the needs not of thirty-eight, but of a hundred millions inhabitants?
Is he a socialist, who advises the use of the current political tools, as detestable as it is, to destroy the whole odious arsenal of laws, decrees, orders, ordinances, veritable war measures dictated by the monopolists of goods against the accession of the workers to property, to the possibility of living in liberty?
Is he a socialist, who wants to see undertaken seen through in our generation that immense labor, wonderful source of prosperity, which shall distribute the fertilizing waters over fifty million hectares of cultivableland, to make sure that no drop descending from the hills and mountains could be lost in the sea; who declares it possible to go, by fast roads, from one end of France to the other for ten sous, to talk from one end of France to the other for a few centimes, to traverse by railroads all the corners of the country, even to the villages most deprived today, which tomorrow would become prosperous if we would apply the socialism of these Socialistic Letters?
Is he a socialist, who says: "The must no longer be servants among us; there must be no more poor among us; and, to accomplish that, all the workers must be possessors and sharers of their instruments of labor; that the cultivators have their lands, the industrial workers their tools, their workshops, their factories, their mines; that the postal workers have their offices, the professors their colleges, their schools, the telephone operators, the telegraphers, their telephones and telegraphs, all being able to receive orders, credits, commissions or profit sharing from individuals, communes or the state concerned?
Is he a socialist, who report, with profound joy, the coming of a next economic revolution, as beneficial as decisive, the advent of the little mechanization, which will make liberty where the large machine had made slavery; the reappearance of art, of individual skills in labor, the disappearance of the proletariat, and consequently the conquest, by the laborer, of dignity, liberty, and security?
You see very well that he is a socialist.
Ernest Lesigne
Le Radical, July 19, 1887, p. 2.
Working translation by Shawn P. Wilbur
[/ezcol_2third] [ezcol_1third_end]. [/ezcol_1third_end]
Travels in the Louiseverse
Ernest Lesigne, Socialistic Letters — IX (1887)
January 30, 2015 Shawn P. Wilbur Working Translations
SOCIALISTIC LETTERS IX Ten years ago, I wrote a study from which emerged the somewhat unexpected conclusion that every error is, as well as every truth, the product of experiment. In the case of error, […]
Unfinished business of Liberty
April 24, 2008 Shawn P. Wilbur Uncategorized
Benjamin Tucker, like a lot of us, took on a lot of projects, not all of which came to fruition. His "Proudhon Library" and the pamphlet version of Bellegarrigue's "Anarchy: Journal of Order" are among […]
Ernest Lesigne, "Socialist Letters" (1887)
August 5, 2019 Shawn P. Wilbur Working Translations
I have already told you, my dear friend, that the socialization of the means of production is a dogma; that a dogma is proclaimed, taught, imposed; that it has its faithful, its apostles its sectarians, its priests, its martyrs, and its visionaries; but that it is not opened, justified, demonstrated.
The dogma is by nature mysterious and obscure, and you ask me to throw some light upon it, on the ground that I have taken as my motto, "Whatsoever is not clear is not true." […]


It's 12 am, and you can't sleep. Your mind is racing with thoughts about the past day, week, year. It's impossible to relax.
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The beautiful city of Venice is famous for a lot of things: the attractions like squares and churches, and events that attract a lot of tourists. One of them is Carnival of Venice 2018: it is an event that makes people fun, both adults and children, thanks to its cheerful and festive atmosphere. From 27th January to 13rd February 2018 the fun in Venice is guaranted.
Why you should spend Carnival in Venice?
Let's see beacause Carnival is so much important in Venice, in other words what are the features of thi event that attracts every year thousands of people.
The atmosphere of the city changes during Carnival, squares are full of masks, in calli and squares there are plenty of confetti and venetians canals are illuminated by the lights of this event. Carnival's atmoshere starts from January, waiting for one of the most important events of the world.
Read this post to find out the unique opportunity of a Carnival in Venice: if you want to spend some days in Venice during this event, you will live a once-in-a-lifetime experience that you will remember forever.
This event has an ancient origin. Have you ever asked yourself what is the meaning of the word "Carnevale"? Let's see some information to be ready for this event and live it as best as you can.
Carnival is a term that according to the experts can derive either from "carrum novalis" or "naval cart", an allegorical chariot shaped like a boat with which the ancient Romans inaugurated their commemorations, both from "carnem-levare" that is, "remove the meat" referring to the period that precedes Lent.
This festival was made "public festival" only at the end of 1200 and is still celebrated only in Catholic countries.
Carnival has a basic theme, that is the inspiration for parties and events.
Now that you know something more about it you can immerse yourself in the atmosphere that this event creates, but let's see first of all how to plan this holiday.
First of all, you need to know how to arrive in Venice. Organizing early allow you to book transports and hotels and benefit from cheaper prices and wider availabilities.
Venice has a lot of alternatives, either for places to stay and "how to get".
There are two main alternatives to get to Venice and start enjoying your picturesque holiday: airplane and train.
The plane is definitely a good alternative for those who decide to leave from all those Italian cities that are not close to the Serenissima. It is in fact inadvisable to make 4 or more hours of train ((for example from Rome), especially if it is full of people, and it will be on the occasion of the Venetian Carnival. The flight can also be a good choice to save time, it will allow you to arrive directly at the Marco Polo airport in Venice. To organize your flight you can use this website https://www.expedia.com/Flights: by entering dates and destinations you can consult the list of flights in order of convenience.
The train is the most common means of transport, used by thousands of tourists who want to participate in this event, perhaps staying a few days in the city.
This alternative that will ensure you a good price is suitable for all those who are not particularly distant from Veneto region. Unfortunately during the Venetian Carnival you may find crowded trains, so we suggest you to book early, especially for trains like the regional ones. Once you arrive at the Santa Lucia station you will be very close to the historic center. For timetables and rates of regional trains and Frecce (high speed train), look at the Trenitalia website. With Trenitalia if you book in advance (a few months) you can take advantage of strong discounts on the standard Frecciabianca and Frecciarossa trains, taking advantage of the "Super Economy" and "Economy" rates. If you are sure of the dates (these preferential rates do not generally allow the date / train change), the discount is significant.
If you have already organized the transports and you are only interested in hotels or accomodation for a short vacation in Venice, we will find the best offers for you.
It could be an hard challenge, especially for Venice Carnival 2018, because there are a lot of people and for that period the accomodation will have a lot of requests.
Most of the parties and folklore will be located in San Marco Square, so we can immediately say that "the ideal hotel" should be in this district. Unfortunately, the proximity to this central area leads to the inevitable increase in prices compared to the average. Our tip to save money is to move away from the center to find cheaper prices, but be careful: choose a convenient area and / or near a pier for ferry boats. The Venetian streets will be very crowded on Carnival days, so even a short walk can be challenging.
Our staff recommend some hotels that represent an excellent accommodation solution for the vacation in Venice during Carnival period, based on our experience, all of them have many positive feedbacks received from users who, in previous years, have made this choice.
This hotel has a very good position in a quiet place (20 minutes from the station and San Marco), has a good value for money. The venetian style is a feature of this accomodation, the staff is kind, skilled and helpful.
This hotel offers lot of services like breakfast included and free wi-fi. It is a good accomodation if you want to reach the main attractions in the heart of Venice like the Bridge of Sighs and Doge's Palace without great efforts.
This hotel is only 3 minutes far by one of the most important attractions of Venice: Rialto Bridge, one of the center of Carnival. More than being located in a quiet area with lot of transports, this hotel has a good value for money.
Let's see some of the possibilities that we have for this short holiday in Venice for Carnival.
Every day it will be possible to attend the evocative celebrations. But you have to consider that this celebrations will take place in different areas of the city and you have to be careful about the location of the shows.
Among the various events organized there is one that attracts also media, the "Volo dell'Angelo": this event (which will begin Saturday, January 27 from 12.00) is not only one of the most important events of the Venice Carnival, but it is also one of the most ancient and evocative manifestations of this picturesque city.
This event (which officially starts every year at the celebrations in San Marco Square) dates back to 1500 when a young acrobat walked on a tightrope until the end of the bell tower. This boy was dressed in fake wings, tied to a rope with metal rings, hence the event took the name of "Flight of the Angel".
Some of you may know this event as "Volo della Colombina": this name is originally from the eighteenth century, when unfortunately the athlete in charge could not run the rope from the bell tower to the Doge's Palace, falling to the ground, so it was decided to replace the acrobat with a large wooden dove. From 2001 the term was changed again and returned to being "Flight of the Angel" as the journey was retraced by a real person with all the necessary safety measures.
Venice Carnival 2018 is certainly an event for people of mixed age, but attending some celebrations may not entertain your children, who would prefer something less tiring.
An alternative to entertain your children could be to show them for the competition of the most beautiful mask in San Marco Square on February 13th. People will have the opportunity to choose the winner thanks to a knockout mechanism. Participation is free and children will love this competition and it would make their afternoon more interesting.
After a pleasant morning and an afternoon full of events, you will be definitely hungry! We would like to give you some advices and tips about where and what to eat.
If you are looking for a quick, traditional and cheap meal, go to the venetian taverns and "bacari" (typical venetian bar).
Bacari and tavern are good options for avoiding restaurants full of people, and allow you to know more about venetian tradition. But if you want to relax and restore your energy, we suggest you to find a restaurant. Be careful, the ones close to Rialto / St. Mark area are always full of people, so if you don't choose a smart time to eat (avoid the period 11.30 am-2.30 pm), you have to take a ferry boat and move in another area of the city to eat.
Alternatively, you can insert in your itinerary a guided tour of the venetian cuisine. We suggest you some interesting options, that you can directly book before your departure.
This tour could be the best option for those who want to better understand Venice, in fact, "bacari" fully represents the Venetian tradition. The tour starts from a simple walk between the various taverns and bacari, then you will get a ferry boat through the Venetian canals. This experience will allow you to taste the local appetizers through "mini-portions" (cicchetti) with the good wine of the Serenissima, and also to learn the culinary history of Venice, spending an unusual afternoon.
This tour offers the opportunity to taste numerous alternatives of typical Venetian wines. Drinking this wines, white or red, prosecco or refosco, you can discover the history of venetian vine variety and their importance for the local taverns. The tour allows you to meet new people and find out the hospitality of the typical venetian clients: you can drink your wine with them while they are telling you a nice anecdote.
Most of the solutions that we have described, if not all, are mainly suitable for those who decide to visit the city, for this event, for an holiday of at least 3-4 days. But not everyone has the same needs: there are a lot of students or tourists who prefer a short visit to the city, trying to visit as much as possible in a short time, such as a morning or afternoon.
The most important events of this Carnival will take place in Piazza San Marco, if your stay in Venice is only one day, that will have to be your main destination. If you are not interested in an event in particular and you just want to "party" this is the right place for you and for all those who love being surrounded by fun.
During a day you could have to travel to attend the events you are interested in. If you do not intend to spend money on public transport such as ferry boats or water taxis, you will have to walk: our advice is to dress comfortably to better cross the steps and bridges, without too much effort.
Another possibility to live Venice Carnival in a single morning or afternoon could be to book some funny tour.
Tour is available only during the carnival period and allows you to spend an afternoon learning and hving fun. Kids until the age of 16 can take part for free: so, a lot of advantages for your short visit of Venice during Carnival.
Masks are accesories that you must have during the Carnival of Venice; if you want to attend the celebrations but you don't know what mask take with you, here you can find some tips about it. Thanks to this post you will surely make a good impression!
BAUTA: it is one of the most famous masks that fully represent the city and its tradition; it does not have nose and mouth and is both used by male and female (female version is called moretta).
MEDICO DELLA PESTE: (plague doctor): this mask is very peculiar because it represnts a situation that was real in the past (venetian doctors during the plague wore it because they belived that the mask can protect them by plague). Don't be afraid, it could be disturbing in the first moments, but it could be one of the winner masks.
BERNARDON: this is another typical venetian mask, it is called "lurida macchietta popolare" (literally translated in "lurid popular speck") because represent a lice-ridden old man and show the plagues caused by his vices.
Here you can find a short video that will show you the "Grand Opening" of the Venetian Carnival 2016. A way to focus the climate of the Venetian carnival awaiting your holiday for the next Carnival.


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Gaming ⋮ PC
Cyberpunk 2077 To Feature Full Day-Night Cycle, Dynamic Weather; Might Be Possible To Change V's Name
By Francesco De Meo
Aug 13, 2018 08:33 EDT
Cyberpunk 2077 is still quite far from release, so all of its features have yet to be set in stone. Some of them, however, have already been confirmed, and one of the game's writers confirmed something that will make fans happy.
Speaking with Italian website Multiplayer, CD Projekt Red writer Stanislaw Swiecicki confirmed that Cyberpunk 2077 will sport a full day-night cycle as well as dynamic weather. The team wants players to feel like an integral part of the city from the very beginning of the game, and as such, players will be able to experience the city during both day and night. Additionally, the game will come with dynamic weather conditions just like The Witcher 3.
Cyberpunk 2077 New Lighting Mod Restores the E3 2018 Demo Lighting System
On a related note, it seems like there's the possibility that players will be able to change V's name in the game. Nothing is set in stone, however, as the team is still debating on the matter.
As for now the character's name is V, but this is something we're still debating.
— Cyberpunk 2077 (@CyberpunkGame) August 13, 2018
Last week, Cyberpunk 2020 creator Mike Pondsmith confirmed that he got to play the game beyond what has been seen in the E3 2018 demo, confirming some new details.
I got to wander through a lot more than was shown at E3, The sequences where you're going down to the Ripperdoc and all that. There are entire neighborhood areas in there where you can walk around and you can listen to people's gossip.
Because it's in first-person, what I love is you get that stuff peripherally. You could be crossing to go down the street to get something and hear somebody say something [behind you], and you have to turn and figure out who said it in a crowd and where. You don't have complete situational awareness, which makes it a far more powerful experience.
Cyberpunk 2077 is in development for PC and consoles.
Cyberpunk 2077 and Next-Gen Consoles Couldn't Beat CoD and Switch in December Says NPD
Nathan Birch • Jan 15
Cyberpunk 2077 Modded Game Save Adds Permanent Companions
Francesco De Meo • Jan 14
Cyberpunk 2077 PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S Upgrade to Release in Second Half of 2021; First Update to Release in 10 Days
New Cyberpunk 2077 Driving Mod Provides That "Forza-Feeling" With Better Handling, Drifting and More
Aernout van de Velde • Jan 13
Cyberpunk 2077 Climate Change Mod Makes Weather More Varied
NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010, The Entry-Level Successor To The GT 710, Is Finally Here – Powered By Pascal GPU
Battlefield 6 Will Be A Soft-Reboot, Heavily Influenced By Battlefield 3; Game Is Also Launching on PS4 and Xbox One – Rumor
Sony's 'Secret' San Diego Studio Is Working on "Existing Franchises" Using Proprietary Engine Tech
Galaxy S21 With Snapdragon 888 Could Be the First to Get Qualcomm's Smaller, Narrower mmWave Module, Saving Space
Watch The AMD CES 2021 Event Live Here! Lots of Announcements Including Ryzen 5000 Zen 3 Mobility CPUs2797
RoboKiller Spam Call & Text Blocker Subscriptions Are Up For Amazing Discounts For The Next Few Days


Several years ago, my wife and I were going through our bills and trying to figure out what we owed to whom. The idea was to develop a payoff strategy, but it became a tad overwhelming. How should we organize it all? Who should we pay off first, and why? And how, in the name of all that is right and holy in this world, did we wind up with so much of it?!
Being the financial guru, I gave it some thought, did a bit of research, talked to some folks and finally came up with three ways we could do it.
The Ease of Payment strategy would tackle our debt like the name implies: by ease of payoff (either the smallest payoff amount, or shortest term). Once one was done, we'd move to the next one, and so on.
The idea was to make some progress and see a relatively quick payoff for our efforts.
The idea was for us to pay the least over the life of the debt, rather than worrying about month-to-month costs. Thus, our credit card would be the first on the list because minimum payments make such a small dent in the bill.
If we had $1,000 at the average of 17% interest, it'd take us nearly seven years to pay, with $500 in interest.
A $5,000 card at the same rate would take 12 years to pay and cost $2,665 dollars in interest.
So we went to a financial calculator and added up ours. It might have had a lower rate and less on it, but it still would have taken us six years of making minimum payments to pay it off. It was quite the eye opener.
The Interest-Rate Strategy was straightforward: We'd take all of our bills and order them by their interest rate, with the highest as the top priority, then the next highest, and so on. The goal was to pay the smallest amount in interest and save ourselves a ton of extra money.
Because we could easily change strategies as our financial situation changed, we started with the first one—Ease of Payoff—so we could have some breathing room. A few months and paid bills later, we moved to the long-term strategy.
Although the Interest Rate Strategy would have saved us the most over the long haul, it didn't fit with our budget. And you know what? That's okay! Sometimes the real world intrudes, and choices aren't viable. The key was that we were doing something to get a hold and control of all of our debt.
Oh, and one thing we did that can also help you is "The Snowball Technique." Once we paid off a bill, we added that money to the payment of another one. For example, the $100/month we used for our credit card was added to our car payment. Once that was paid, we added the money we were using on those to another payment, and so on. It's a fantastic way to pay off a lot of debt in a short amount of time.
So if your debt is becoming too much to handle, try one of these strategies. Odds are you'll feel much more in control and have a real plan to reduce your debt.


RTÉ have released a short teaser trailer of the upcoming season of hit gangland drama series, Love/Hate, and it's anything if not hilarious.
We see series favourite Fran in what would appear to be a Garda station being questioned by the Special Branch (you would think). A very serious Fran looks as if he's about to spill the beans on whomever or whatever he's being questioned about before bursting into a goofy song and dance, to our relief.
*We're very, VERY sorry for the emotional distress that last pun may have caused some readers.


Fool's Bluff is a mystery novel with clues hidden in plain sight, and in this photo, there is more than one animal hidden in plain sight. Can you see the animals hiding in this scene? How many do you see and where are they? Can you guess what they are?
Click on the play button to watch the video and wait for it…! Surprised? Share this with your friends and challenge them to take this test!


It's a souvenir bonanza in Britain a month ahead of the royal wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Shops at Windsor Castle say they're selling limited edition cups, sauces, mugs, magnets and commemorative tea bags. One shop owner says the most popular item is a cutout photograph of the couple, so people can say they've had their picture taken with the couple. InsideEdition.com's Lisa Voyticki has more.


5 Easy Steps To Success With A High-Converting Spanish Clickbank Product That Anyone Can Implement!
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Sign up for an advertising account on Facebook, POF, Sitescout or whatever platform you use.
Consider breaking up your demographics by targeting interests: many women want to sign up for this program, but not all are able to. Target those with higher incomes.
Or place some banners on some media networks you know, and target female Spanish-speaking traffic.
Here are some banners to get you started for media buys, direct buys or display.
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GO HERE to get all the Spanish email swipes.


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TNA Impact 12-03-09 Thoughts And Opinions
Just a mere 2 weeks way from TNA's next Pay Per View extravaganza, Final Resolution, TNA brought us another addition of IMPACT on Spike TV. Was the show awesome? Was it average? Did it suck bad? We'll, let get started with the review and find out!
IMPACT began with Desmond inside the 6 Sides Of Steel Cage, cutting a promo cutting down Kurt Angle, as well a challenging him to a rematch at Final Resolution. At Final Resolution, it will be Desmond Wolfe vs. Kurt Angle in a 3 levels of pain match. The match will be contested inside the cage, with the first fall consisting of pin falls only, the second fall with submissions only, and the third fall can only be won by escaping the cage. You think this might be a little gimmicky? Forget the gimmicks, and just let these two wrestle! Besides, another cage match? didn't we have a cage match last month at Turning Point? Anyway, out came Kurt Angle, and climbed into the cage, only to be knocked out by Wolfe, thanks to a first full of brass (brass knuckles). I really like the feud between these two, but enough with the overbooking!
Alex Shelly vs. Doug Williams
As we all know, The Motor City Machine Guns will face The British Invasion at Final Resolution, for the TNA Tag Team Championships. This was a preview for that match, and expect to Sabin vs. Magnus next week. Although Williams looked a little sloppy at times,this was a decent little 5 minute match. Shelly eventually got the pin with Sliced Bread. Expect the MCMG to win the titles at Final Resolution, for if they got the win here, they have a good chance of winning at Final Resolution. But remember, this is TNA! Expect the unexpected, and throw logic out the window!
Suicide vs. Homicide
Recently, Homicide announced that he is aware of Suicide's true identity. When the hell are we getting our payoff with this feud, if you could call it that? One week TNA advances their feud/story line, and the next week all is forgotten. Come on TNA! Get it together! After a fairly decent 5 minutes of action, Suicide got the win, with a backslide. After the final bell, Homicide attacked Suicide, and tried to unmask him, but "The Pope" D'Angelo Dinero made the save. Before this match, it was announced that Matt Morgan, "The Pope", Hernandez, and a partner of their choosing would face Team 3D, Rhino, and Jesse Neal, in an elimination match up at Final Resolution (should be good). Also before this match, "The Pope" approached Suicide, and asked him to be apart of the team. Suicide gave no conclusive answer, because of the battles he's had with "The Pope" in the past. After making the save, "The Pope" extends his hand to Suicide, but Suicide walks out on him, leaving him hanging.
Next, we witnessed ODB's "Trash Talking" show. She had Tara as a guest, who will face her at Final Resolution for the Knockout's Championship. Eventually, ODB attacked Tara, resulting in Tara running away almost in tears. First off, Tara needs to stop being so emotional. Second, why would she run away from ODB? Wasn't she just in a feud with Kong where they had to be separated by security several times? Makes no sense.
Jesse Neal vs. "The Pope" D'Angelo Dinero
Boy, does Jesse Neal look like a completely different person or what? He's seemed to have gotten a lot bigger too. Although he's not that great in the ring, he's defiantly a lot better than he was the last time we saw him. He's covered with tattoos now. He almost reminds me of Tomko. After only about 3 minutes or so, "The Pope" got the win, with his running exposed knees into the back patented finisher. After the match, Neal attacked and beat down "The Pope". Meanwhile, the lights went out, and Suicide appeared on the top rope, delivering a top rope dropkick onto Neal, making the save. "The Pope " and Suicide shook hands, implying that Suicide will in fact join Pope's team at Final Resolution. Then, out of nowhere, came Team 3D and Rhino, who surrounded them. Out came Hernandez and Morgan to make the save. I'm thoroughly looking forward to this big 8 man tag team elimination match at Final Resolution, but why is Suicide involved with this when he seems to entering a feud with Homicide? TNA needs to make sure to conserve their focus completely.
Eric Young and Kevin Nash vs. Beer Money INC.
I still can't seem to understand why Kevin Nash is involved with the World Elite. He's from Detroit for heaven's sake! As far as this match went, it was a pretty formula match up, which seemed to pick up in the final few minutes or so. Nash and Young go the win, after Young gave Rude a low blow, and then gave him a piledriver. Looks like the two teams may fight again at Turning Point, which should be decent at best. After the match, Mick Foley came out, asking Nash all kinds of questions about what Hulk Hogan's role in TNA is going to be. Nash chewed Foley up, stating that Foley's going to loose his job. Maybe Foley's been paranoid for a legitimate reason. A really funny quote from Nash was when Foley asked Nash if he had Hulk's phone number. Nash said he did, but Hulk said not to five it to him! LOL! Speaking of Foley, aren't he and Abyss suppose to be in a big feud with Dr. Stevie and Raven? Again, come on TNA! Stay focused! At the ended of the segment, Nash stated that "the band's getting back together". This basically hints that the NWO will be returning. You've got to be kidding me! This will really help push the younger guys! WOW! What a crock! TNA seriously needs to stop trying to relive history. They need to create their OWN history! TNA just has an awesome Pay Per View last month, and all the matches involved the young guys. Everyone was happy, where as everyone was pissed as hell, when TNA used to stink up the place when they'd use all the old guys on Pay Per View. I really don't think TNA can recognise the difference between failure and success. WOW!
Next, Lashley came out with Crystal, and cut a promo on Steiner. At Final Resolution, it will be Lashley vs. Steiner again. Should be a watchable match, with an interesting story line.
Abyss vs. Daniels
Why would these two be paired together? Anyway, AJ Styles was out as a special guest commentator for the match. After about 3 minutes or so, Abyss was distracted by a video playing on the big screen, of The Beautiful People harassing Lauren. This was setup by Daniels earlier in the night. Daniels then got the pin with a roll up. Daniles is challenging for the world title in 2 weeks, and he needs to cheat to win? In my opinion. this makes him seem unworthy, and makes it unrealistic for the viewer to actually believe that he can beat AJ. After the match, AJ charged to the ring after a taunting Daniels, but was attacked by his mystery attacker once again. Once again, TNA really needs to keep focus. Wait until after Final Resolution to push this new story line. If the mystery man ends up being Tomko, I'm going to be pretty pissed, seeing as though his return was revealed a few weeks ago. Hopefully, this will be more of a surprise.
Next, we witnessed the very special Dixie Carter interview. Throughout the course of the interview, she basically stated the obvious. Hulk Hogan is going to be working closely with her and TNA management, in hopes that TNA will eventually become the biggest and best wrestling company in the world. Nothing special here, just Dixie stating what we already know from the Internet. After this interview, Mick Foley was shown on the phone, with who sounded to be Jeff Jarrett. Jeff didn't sound very happy. Almost like a shoot. Speaking of Jarrett, Dixie addressed him in her interview as well. She said he was asked to leave TNA because of personal issues. If I were Jerrett, the man who founded TNA, and was kicked out of the company I founded, I'd be pissed!
Hamada vs. Sarita
Now, we had a TNA Knockouts match, featuring Hamada taking on Sarita. This was a pretty good match, once again putting the WWE Divas to shame! Hamada got the win with the Hamada Driver. Over the past couple of weeks, Hamada seems to have gotten a decent push. I look forward to seeing her vie for the TNA Knockouts Championship in the near future. Her and ODB could have some pretty damn good matches!
Kurt Angle vs. Dr. Stevie and Raven
This matched was announced by Foley, who was mad at Angle, for not giving him enough information about Hogan earlier that night, and questioning his authority. Why would Foley put Angle in a match with his enemies, Raven and Dr. Stevie? Again. makes no sense at all. This match was obviously not booked for wrestling action, but to advance story lines and such. At one point in the match, Abyss came out to help Angle. Angle ended up winning with the ankle lock on Raven. After the match, Desmond Wolfe came out, and beats Angle down, before leaving to a chorus of boos.
Overall, this was a decent addition of IMPACT. In my opinion, it lacked actual wrestling action, however, the story lines were interesting for the most part, and Final Resolution is looking to be a solid show as well. Overall, I would give this show a letter grade of a B.
*Be sure to check out my very new pro wrestling news site, at www.elitewrestlingnews.blogspot.com! Also, I'm looking for writers!
Todd Frizzell is from Columbus Ohio, and has been a huge professional wrestling fanatic for the last ten years. Todd is very interested in all aspects of pro wrestling, including what goes on when the cameras aren't rolling. Todd is very excited to write about his passion, and will try his best to entertain and provoke the wrestling fans.
Order TNA: Kurt Angle: Champion on DVD by clicking here.
Check out TNA Wrestling: Sting – Return of an Icon on DVD by clicking here.
Related Items:Desmond Wolfe, Dixie Carter, Kurt Angle, Raven, sting, TNA Impact Review
Sting: Into the Light WWE DVD Review
Jason Jordan's Slow WWE Road To Relevancy
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Q: Is "the phenomenon that a conductor experiences a force in a magnetic field" grammatically correct? The full sentence is:

[The Motor Effect is:] The phenomenon that a current-carrying
  conductor experiences a force in an external magnetic field.

My Physics teacher says that it sounds clunky.
I can find a similar usage on a Wikipedia page:

Stein's example... is the phenomenon that when three or more parameters are estimated simultaneously, there exist combined estimators more accurate on average ... than any method that handles the parameters separately.

The argument against this is that there is the "when" placing a condition upon the rest of the sentence. I disagree and believe that "The phenomenon that " + an independent clause is perfectly valid grammar.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Game Review: Hand of Fate 2 Deals Out Unique, Exciting Card Game and Combat
By David Lanzafame on November 30, 2017 • ( Leave a comment )
Photo Courtesy of Defiant Development
The original Hand of Fate was a fun mashup of a deck-building style trading card game meshed with combat reminiscent of the Batman Arkham series. In practice Hand of Fate was fast, simple, and overall very easy to figure out and play. It proved that remixing a few familiar ideas with a unique presentation can create a fresh original experience.
Hand of Fate 2, developed and published by Defiant Development, is a refinement and expansion on the core concept in nearly every way. Though there are some notable additions to gameplay, the sequel sticks to what it knows. Hand of Fate 2 is still at its core a roguelike deck-builder with art style, writing, music, and presentation that are very reminiscent of the Fable series. Narrative-wise, Hand of Fate 2 straddles that fine line between sad and funny, creating a similar sort of melancholic mood. You, the hero, attempt to fulfill challenges set by the Dealer by traversing across each card and then facing the consequences, good or bad, when that card is unveiled. At the same time, you'll need to manage your supplies of food, gold, and fame. As you progress through each quest, you have the ability to influence what you come across by introducing your own cards with different scenarios, equipment, and weapons. The sequel also introduces new elements which not only rebalance the card playing and combat sections, but also grant the player further influence through mini-games of chance and special cards with their own specific challenges.
The most noticeable addition in Hand of Fate 2 is the inclusion of companion characters. These companions, from a spellcasting bard to a duel-wielding barbarian, act as support during combat with their own unique special attacks. Outside of combat, each companion can help by adding an extra die to dice rolls, or slowing down a spin-the-wheel challenge. In all cases, helping out in the card game often means a temporary absence during combat, so it's important to choose wisely what kind of help you need. Your new friends also come with their own specific sets of cards, and meeting the challenges can yield you these new cards for later use.
When everything clicks in place, the game moves at a very steady but brisk pace. Hand of Fate 2 doesn't linger, nor does it rush the player. Each card challenge can be solved through combination of decision-making, chance, and often a round of combat. At the end of the day, Hand of Fate 2 is a trading card game that strips out the need to nip down to the local supermarket for a booster pack. Nearly every round played will net you more cards for you to give yourself more of an advantage the next time you play. This is an easy to learn, difficult to master setup with a seemingly endless combinations of card layouts that changes with each quest you undertake. You'll traverse a path from one side of the board to the other, with small off-shoots leading to new opportunities, such as climbing a mountain while trying to avoid damaging blizzards. Sometimes the board will be completely filled with cards as you traverse through a deadly forest, tasked with locating or chasing down a moving objective.
Combat still retains the same feel as before, for better or worse. This is where Hand of Fate 2 becomes more about skill than simple chance, as even a hero with low level weapons and armor can be victorious, even in overwhelming odds. Attack, defense, dodge, and bash (stun) moves are laid out in their appropriate buttons or keys. Though the combat is still overly reliant on the Arkham/Shadow of Mordor style of combat, new weapon types like two-handed and dual wielding weapons add some strategy and flavor.
Provided by Defiant Development
Chance plays a big part every time you land on a card, and leaving yourself at the mercy of luck can be exhilarating or frustrating. Hand of Fate 2 requires not only a level of combat competency, but also a willingness to take a risk. If that's not what you're interested in, then Hand of Fate 2, and maybe roguelike games in general, might not be for you.
The first Hand of Fate shined in the presentation department, and Hands of Fate 2 returns with the same level of fun and mystery. The extra layer of presentation even reflects on your hero, as you'll now have customization options when creating your character. While the selections are paltry for the most part, it's a nice addition to be able to choose your hero's gender, skin color, hair style, and the color of their clothes. Once again, we're reintroduced to the Dealer (reprised by the excellently sinister voice of Anthony Skordi) who is more than a little bitter at the loss he suffered when he last played. According to the Dealer, your story is spread out among the cards, which will reveal just what kind of hero you are. The caravan where you and the Dealer play is dark, intimate, and brooding, with the music perfectly lending itself to what's happening on screen. The Dealer will comment, critique, and cajole you on every step of your quest.
The card game nature of Hand of Fate 2 means that each interaction with the Dealer will be a little different, making every playthrough somewhat unique. While it has yet to be released, Hand of Fate 2 does promise an "Endless Mode," which is exactly what it sounds like, and will offer even more replayability. If you liked the previous Hand of Fate, then you'll easily become acquainted with the sequel. Even if you've never played the previous game, Hand of Fate 2 is a good place to start.
Hand of Fate 2 is currently available on Steam and PlayStation 4, and will be available on Xbox One on December 1st.
Categories: Game, Games & Tech, Review
Tagged as: Defiant Developement, Hand of Fate 2, PlayStation 4, Steam, Windows, Xbox One
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Canadian Government Introducing Anti-Poverty Legislation Next Week, Duclos Says
It will propose implementation of Canada's first-ever official poverty line.
By Zi-Ann Lum
File photo of Families, Children and Social Development Jean-Yves Duclos.
OTTAWA — The federal government will introduce its Poverty Reduction Act next week, bringing forward new legislation to implement Canada's first-ever official poverty line, HuffPost Canada has learned.
Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Jean-Yves Duclos said in an interview Thursday that having an official measure and target in place will force the government to be accountable for its poverty reduction goals.
"Future federal governments will need to live up to that unless they change the law, which is of course always possible. But I'm certainly not going to do that myself," he told "Follow-Up" podcast host Althia Raj.
Listen to the full interview with Duclos beginning at 18:50 here:
Without an official statistic, the government relied on multiple measures to quantify what constitutes poverty, such as Statistics Canada's "low-income cut off." That's the income threshold at which a family will likely spend 20 per cent more than than the average on the necessities of life, such as shelter, food, and clothing.
If the legislation passes, Canada's official poverty line, formerly named the market basket measure, will become the standard, adjusted to the cost of living in 50 communities across the country.
The official poverty line will be "based on the cost of a basket of goods and services that individuals and families require to meet their basic needs and achieve a modest standard of living in communities across the country," according to Employment and Social Development Canada
Watch: Photographer chronicles scrapped basic income pilot
It's a benchmark that's intended to be used to measure the government's target to reduce the poverty rate by 20 per cent by 2020; and 50 per cent by 2030. The Poverty Reduction Act would also make the Liberals' poverty reduction targets law.
"And if we succeed in doing that, we also align with the United Nations' first sustainable development goal, which is to reduce poverty by half in our country," he said.
It's been more than two months since the federal government announced its much-anticipated poverty reduction strategy in August.
Named "Opportunity For All," the strategy rolls out $22 billion in investments the government had previously committed to since 2015. Those investments include the Canada Child Benefit, Guaranteed Income Supplement increases, War Veterans Allowance, changes to the Canada Workers Benefit, and other initiatives.
A second 'Poverty Reduction Act'
Critics have challenged the government's math, particularly around the prime minister's message that the Canada Child Benefit lifted 300,000 children from poverty in one year. Some grassroots anti-poverty organizations panned the government's anti-poverty plan for being lacklustre and devoid of ambition.
Despite the strategy being void of new program or funding announcements, Duclos maintains the government is on track to lift 650,000 Canadians out of poverty by 2019.
It's "unfair" for Canadians to have an "unfortunate chance of not thriving and being well in our society," the minister explained. "So it's important to have these longer term objectives.
Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press
Pallets of food are shown at the Welcome Hall Mission food bank in Montreal on March 14, 2017.
The Liberals won't be the first to table a "Poverty Reduction Act" in the House in the current Parliament. In February 2016, NDP MP Brigitte Sansoucy sponsored a private member's bill that proposed the "development and implementation of a national strategy to reduce poverty in Canada and the appointment of an independent poverty reduction commissioner."
Sansoucy's Bill C-245, dubbed the "Poverty Reduction Act," picked up support from Green Party Leader Elizabeth May and nine Bloc Québécois MPs. It was defeated at second reading after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, 155 Liberals, and 82 Conservative MPs voted against it.
With files from Althia Raj
Canada's Poverty Strategy To Reference Existing Programs, Documents Suggest
Blog: It's Time Canada Had An Official Poverty Line
Most Canadians Think People Are Poor Due To Circumstance: Angus Reid Institute Survey
Zi-Ann Lum Politics Reporter, HuffPost Canada
MORE: canada canada poverty line Jean-Yves Duclos news Politics poverty poverty line poverty reduction act


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Student fees set to increase
By: Sophia Bates, Staff Writer
Photo by David Fisher/ The Towerlight
Tuition and student fees are set to increase next year, according to the proposed schedule of tuition and mandatory fees for 2019.
Towson University and Student Government Association leaders held an open forum Feb. 8 in the University Union to discuss proposed fee increases.
The panelists included Vice President for Student Affairs Deb Moriarty, Associate Vice President of Auxiliary Services Daniel Slattery, Associate Vice President of Financial Affairs Robert Campbell and Deputy Director of Athletics for Internal Operations Tricia Brandenburg.
The forum started with a disclaimer, noting that these are the proposed fee increases, and that they have not yet been sent to the University System of Maryland. The board will review the feedback from the forum with TU President Kim Schatzel, according to Moriarty.
Moriarty started the forum by acknowledging the increasing minimum wage from $9.25 to $10.10 as a leading cause of inflation throughout all the rate changes.
"In the auxiliary budget, a lot of the increase is from us having to cover inflationary costs as well as the impact that we're taking on employees that are largely students that are getting paid minimum wage," Moriarty said.
Under the proposed fee increases, room rates would rise four percent. This increase provides opportunities to address the shortage of on-campus housing, upgrade residence halls and look toward a future of building more residence halls, according to Moriarty.
Slattery addressed the board plans, which include increasing the costs of all meal plans, except for the 14 meals per week plan, which will remain at its current price of $2600 per semester or $5200 per year.
Parking fees will increase by two percent, from $349 to $356 for a student yearly pass. Slattery said the two percent increase every year will allow the University to keep up with increasing wages and costs of garage maintenance.
When addressing the issue of finding and adding more parking for students with this fee increase, Slattery acknowledged the amount of parking the campus has.
"The problem with parking is that there are not enough spaces where everyone wants to be," Slattery said. "It's not a problem with not having enough spaces."
Junior and SGA Director of Higher Education Tyra Fields-Maynard addressed the issue of finding parking as a student living on campus.
"I can only park in one garage, since I live on campus, and that's the West Village garage. I have trouble often in there finding parking," Fields-Maynard said. "If I could calculate how much gas I spend on just going up the ramps trying to find parking, that's a serious problem."
Fields-Maynard also acknowledged the heft of the parking fee.
"I know you are only increasing it $7, but that $349 was already a big hit. I think this is something you should reconsider," Fields-Maynard said.
"As you know, auxiliaries are self-supporting," Slattery said. "We don't get any money from the state on this, so it must come out of the parking fees charged to students, faculty and staff to support the operation. As for the driving around and looking for parking, we are currently looking into the electronic counters to aid and assist everyone looking for spaces."
SGA President James Mileo asked whether faculty and staff parking fees will increase along with the student fee.
"The rates that faculty and staff have to pay are based on a salary scale, so it varies. The more you make, the more you pay," according to Campbell. "Usually, the two rates go [up] together. Whatever the student fee increases, the faculty and staff share will increase as well."
Brandenburg addressed that the increase in the athletics fee by 5.1 percent, or $910 to $956, is also to keep up with inflation rates and keep the athletics department at a good standing as of now.
Mileo questioned if the athletic experiences of students here will increase.
"I think that has been the hard part," Brandenburg said. "We have been trying to keep up with what the mandatory increases are, and it's staying status quo where our budget goes. That's what gets us away from the athletic experience and those types of things. We are trying to make gains by being creative and developing various partnerships."
The forum opened discussion about the renovation of the Marriott Hotel, which is being converted to student housing.
"There is a really small number of beds relative to the size of housing on campus, and our most underserved population for housing is our transfer students, so they will get the first opportunity to reserve an apartment in that residence hall," according to Moriarty.
Senior Alexis Alexander noted that the Marriott pricing is listed high in cost, from $8,988 to $10,770, depending on the tier.
"That's not really catering to transfer students that are coming into our school," Alexander said. "They might as well live off-campus, because that proves to be way cheaper."
According to Moriarty, transfer students were polled and the responses were positive in seeking first dibs on these apartments.
Fields-Maynard noted the issue of inclusion for transfer students.
"What we keep hearing from transfer students is that they don't feel like they are a part of the Towson community," she said. "Instead of you to give them first dibs on something that may isolate them from the community, why not consider somewhere like Res Tower, so they get a sense of community when they come to Towson for the first time."
According to Moriarty, they expect a demand from transfer students on the Marriott conversion housing, despite the comments on the pricing and requirement of a meal plan for certain apartment tiers.
To end the forum, Moriarty addressed the fees and the proposal.
"I'm sorry that we are the bearer of this news, but I appreciate the thoughtful questions and thoughtful feedback," Moriarty said. "This is stuff that we can go back and look at as we finalize this year's proposal."
InAssociate Vice President of Auxiliary Services Daniel Slattery, Associate Vice President of Financial Affairs Robert Campbell, Deputy Director of Athletics for Internal Operations Tricia Brandenburg, SGA, Student fees, student government association, TU President Kim Schatzel, university union, Vice President for Student Affairs Deb Moriarty


text:
/**
 * @file example_kernel.hpp
 * @author Ryan Curtin
 *
 * This is an example kernel.  If you are making your own kernel, follow the
 * outline specified in this file.
 */
#ifndef __MLPACK_CORE_KERNELS_EXAMPLE_KERNEL_HPP
#define __MLPACK_CORE_KERNELS_EXAMPLE_KERNEL_HPP

#include <mlpack/core.hpp>

namespace mlpack {

/**
 * @brief Kernel functions.
 *
 * This namespace contains kernel functions, which evaluate some kernel function
 * @f$ K(x, y) @f$ for some arbitrary vectors @f$ x @f$ and @f$ y @f$ of the
 * same dimension.  The single restriction on the function @f$ K(x, y) @f$ is
 * that it must satisfy Mercer's condition:
 *
 * @f[
 * \int \int K(x, y) g(x) g(y) dx dy \ge 0
 * @f]
 *
 * for all square integrable functions @f$ g(x) @f$.
 *
 * The kernels in this namespace all implement the same methods as the
 * ExampleKernel class.  Any additional custom kernels should implement all the
 * methods that class implements; in addition, any method using a kernel should
 * rely on any arbitrary kernel function class having a default constructor and
 * a function
 *
 * @code
 * double Evaluate(arma::vec&, arma::vec&);
 * @endcode
 */
namespace kernel {

/**
 * An example kernel function.  This is not a useful kernel, but it implements
 * the two functions necessary to satisfy the Kernel policy (so that a class can
 * be used whenever an MLPACK method calls for a `typename Kernel` template
 * parameter.
 *
 * All that is necessary is a constructor and an `Evaluate()` function.  More
 * methods could be added; for instance, one useful idea is a constructor which
 * takes parameters for a kernel (for instance, the width of the Gaussian for a
 * Gaussian kernel).  However, MLPACK methods cannot count on these various
 * constructors existing, which is why most methods allow passing an
 * already-instantiated kernel object (and by default the method will construct
 * the kernel with the default constructor).  So, for instance,
 *
 * @code
 * GaussianKernel k(5.0);
 * KDE<GaussianKernel> kde(dataset, k);
 * @endcode
 *
 * will set up KDE using a Gaussian kernel with a width of 5.0, but
 *
 * @code
 * KDE<GaussianKernel> kde(dataset);
 * @endcode
 *
 * will create the kernel with the default constructor.  It is important (but
 * not strictly mandatory) that your default constructor still gives a working
 * kernel.
 *
 * @note
 * Not all kernels require state.  For instance, the regular dot product needs
 * no parameters.  In that case, no local variables are necessary and
 * `Evaluate()` can (and should) be declared static.  However, for greater
 * generalization, MLPACK methods expect all kernels to require state and hence
 * must store instantiated kernel functions; this is why a default constructor
 * is necessary.
 * @endnote
 */
class ExampleKernel
{
 public:
  /**
   * The default constructor, which takes no parameters.  Because our simple
   * example kernel has no internal parameters that need to be stored, the
   * constructor does not need to do anything.  For a more complex example, see
   * the GaussianKernel, which stores an internal parameter.
   */
  ExampleKernel() { }

  /**
   * Evaluates the kernel function for two given vectors.  In this case, because
   * our simple example kernel has no internal parameters, we can declare the
   * function static.  For a more complex example which cannot be declared
   * static, see the GaussianKernel, which stores an internal parameter.
   *
   * @tparam VecTypeA Type of first vector (arma::vec, arma::sp_vec should be
   *      expected).
   * @tparam VecTypeB Type of second vector (arma::vec, arma::sp_vec).
   * @param a First vector.
   * @param b Second vector.
   * @return K(a, b).
   */
  template<typename VecTypeA, typename VecTypeB>
  static double Evaluate(const VecTypeA& /* a */, const VecTypeB& /* b */)
  { return 0; }

  /**
   * Serializes the kernel.  In this case, the kernel has no members, so we do
   * not need to do anything at all.
   */
  template<typename Archive>
  void Serialize(Archive& /* ar */, const unsigned int /* version */) const { }

  /**
   * Returns a string for the kernel object; in this case, with only the memory
   * address for the kernel. If your kernel has any members, your ToString()
   * method should include those as neccessary as well.
   **/
  std::string ToString() const
  {
    std::ostringstream convert;
    convert << "ExampleKernel [" << this << "]" << std::endl;
    return convert.str();
  }

  /**
   * Obtains the convolution integral [integral K(||x-a||)K(||b-x||)dx]
   * for the two vectors.  In this case, because
   * our simple example kernel has no internal parameters, we can declare the
   * function static.  For a more complex example which cannot be declared
   * static, see the GaussianKernel, which stores an internal parameter.
   *
   * @tparam VecTypeA Type of first vector (arma::vec, arma::sp_vec should be
   *      expected).
   * @tparam VecTypeB Type of second vector (arma::vec, arma::sp_vec).
   * @param a First vector.
   * @param b Second vector.
   * @return the convolution integral value.
   */
  template<typename VecTypeA, typename VecTypeB>
  static double ConvolutionIntegral(const VecTypeA& /* a */,
                                    const VecTypeB& /* b */) { return 0; }

  /**
   * Obtains the normalizing volume for the kernel with dimension $dimension$.
   * In this case, because our simple example kernel has no internal parameters,
   * we can declare the function static.  For a more complex example which
   * cannot be declared static, see the GaussianKernel, which stores an internal
   * parameter.
   *
   * @param dimension the dimension of the space.
   * @return the normalization constant.
   */
  static double Normalizer() { return 0; }

  // Modified to remove unused variable "dimension"
  //static double Normalizer(size_t dimension=1) { return 0; }

};

}; // namespace kernel
}; // namespace mlpack

#endif

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Reflecting a tumultuous past, "Community" season five struggles to find its rhythm
Lily Korte, Staff Reporter
Television shows with cult followings frequently have tumultuous existences, but the season-by-season fight for the continuation of "Community" deserves attention as a phenomenon all its own. From struggling to maintain viewership numbers to secure season renewals from NBC, to recurrent public squabbles amongst certain members of its cast and crew, the fact that the show has even managed to have a fifth season at all, let alone one with controversy-courting creator Dan Harmon returning as writer/show runner, seems nothing short of miraculous. It admittedly has become increasingly difficult to ignore the background drama while trying to appreciate the show on its own merits, but after the ongoing tension throughout season four, the earliest episodes of the fifth season seem to indicate that the show is more than willing to adapt itself to some changes while managing to mitigate the effects of others.
Within the world of the show itself, the graduation of Jeff at the end of the last season presented a problem: How do the main members of the cast remain in the context of community college when they aren't students anymore? The problem was conveniently, if somewhat unrealistically, solved by having Jeff return as a teacher, and by having everyone else continue taking classes. (It's not as if anyone is watching "Community" for a realistic depiction of anything anyway.) Outside of the show's universe though, the departures of certain actors will likely have a more dramatic impact on the season as it progresses. The death of Chevy Chase's character was announced in the third episode, more or less confirming what everybody had suspected about his future with the show (although he did return for an extremely brief cameo in the first episode). More concerning is Donald Glover's imminent departure, as Troy is one of the more notable characters, particularly through his interactions with Abed, so the fact that his departure might impact another character's role in the dynamics of the ensemble is also worth considering. All of this still lies in the future, but the episodes that have recently aired can at least be assessed in the meantime.
"Repilot" functioned essentially as its title suggests—a way to effectively reboot the show for the current season without upsetting the status quo—but it also hinted at the impending changes ahead. The iconic table that the characters sat at was burned and symbolically replaced with a new one at the end of the episode, and much of the meta-commentary revolved around the ninth season of the show "Scrubs," which was notable primarily for having an almost entirely different cast and location. At least "Community" still seems fundamentally rooted at Greendale, for better or for worse. As this episode indicates, Greendale Community College has almost certainly worsened the lives of all who have set foot in it, but they inevitably seem attached to it and the people they meet there regardless. While Jeff is initially upset after realizing that, as a teacher, he will have to actually teach his students, he soon falls in with the rest of the professors in the second episode ("Introduction to Teaching") and learns some convenient shortcuts from his similarly lazy co-workers. Jonathan Banks, better known as Mike from "Breaking Bad", makes a welcome addition to the cast as the comically-named Buzz Hickey, a jaded forensic science teacher who draws cartoons of ducks in his spare time.
A set-up involving Abed and others taking a class on the films of Nicholas Cage initially seemed promising, but wound up being the worst part of the episode, culminating in a lengthy, cringe-inducing impersonation of the, for lack of a better word, infamous actor. The third episode, "Basic Intergluteal Numismatics," is part riff on crime procedurals, part extended butt joke. I had a hard time warming to it at first, mainly because the main premise was ridiculous even by this show's standards, but the genre pastiche bits were well done. It was nice to see John Oliver return to the show after several years' absence, and the guest appearance by Ben Folds was also a pleasant surprise.
I haven't always been the biggest fan of "Community," as I find it to frequently be the sort of program that thinks it's much wittier than it actually is, but I still have to admire the tenacity of everyone involved for hanging in there through all the drama while still maintaining relatively high standards for the show itself. Most sitcoms would've crumpled long ago under the pressures this show has faced, and yet, buoyed by an ardent fanbase and a talented cast and crew, it has managed to soldier on and seems in no immediate danger of cancellation. While the loss of central cast members will certainly be felt, the show's ensemble is large enough that the transition should be handled with relative ease. Still it may be best to withhold judgment on that particular issue until the season has finished.
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