text:
The COVID-19 pandemic reached the province of Fujian, China, on January 22, 2020.

Statistics

Timeline

2020
On January 22, 2020, the National Health Commission confirmed the first confirmed case of imported novel coronavirus pneumonia in Fujian Province.

On January 25, Fujian Province reported 8 new confirmed cases of pneumonia imported from the new coronavirus infection, including 1 in Fuzhou, 3 in Zhangzhou, 2 in Quanzhou, 1 in Sanming, and 1 in Ningde. As of January 25, Fujian Province had reported a total of 18 confirmed cases of imported novel coronavirus pneumonia.

On January 27, Fujian Province reported 21 newly confirmed cases of pneumonia imported from the new coronavirus infection, including 4 cases in Fuzhou City, 5 cases in Quanzhou City, 8 cases in Putian City, 1 case in Nanping City, and 3 cases in Ningde City.

On January 28, Fujian Province reported 14 new confirmed cases, all of which were imported cases, including 1 in Xiamen, 3 in Quanzhou, 4 in Sanming, 4 in Putian, 1 in Nanping, and 1 in Longyan.

On January 29, Fujian Province reported 2 new confirmed cases, all of which were imported cases, including 1 in Zhangzhou City (1 in Zhao'an County), and 1 in Sanming City (1 in Youxi County).

On January 30, Fujian Province reported 17 new confirmed cases, all of which were imported cases, including 6 cases in Fuzhou City (2 cases in Jin'an District, 2 cases in Minqing County, 1 case in Lianjiang County, and 1 case in Minhou County) ), 1 case in Xiamen City (1 case in Wuhan City, Hubei Province), 5 cases in Quanzhou City (2 cases in Nan'an City, 1 case in Fengze District, 1 case in Anxi County, 1 case in Shishi City), 1 case in Sanming City (1 case in Sha County ), 3 cases in Putian City (1 case in Chengxiang District, 1 case in Xiuyu District, 1 case in Wuhan City, Hubei Province), 1 case in Ningde City (1 case in Fuding City).

In March 2020, Xinjia Express Hotel, which was being used to quarantine COVID-19 patients, collapsed, causing 29 deaths.

2021

In September 2021, the government of Putian imposed restrictions on travel and activity in response to what CCTV described on 13 September as a "serious and complex" outbreak. A total of 43 locally transmitted cases were reported in Fujian from 10 to 12 September, of which 35 were in Putian and which included cases of the Delta variant. In addition, 32 asymptomatic cases (which are reported separately in China) were detected in Fujian (all in Putian) over the same period.

According to state media at the time, the Putian outbreak was suspected to have started with a traveler who had arrived in Xianyou County from Singapore via Xiamen.

2022
On January 1, Fujian Province reported 9 newly imported confirmed cases (all were reported by Xiamen City).

On January 2, Fujian Province reported 2 newly imported confirmed cases (both reported by Xiamen City).

On January 3, Fujian Province reported 9 newly imported confirmed cases (all were reported by Xiamen City).

References

Fujian
Fujian
History of Fujian
Health in Fujian
zh:2019冠状病毒病福建省疫情

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


P-38 Campaigns compatible witg CUP?
Topic: P-38 Campaigns compatible witg CUP?
Re: P-38 Campaigns compatible witg CUP?
I flew Ace of Aces when it first came out. It is a great campaign! Would love to tackle it again.


text:
Published On: Fri, Feb 24th, 2017
Himachal Guv, CM felicitate people on eve of Shivratri – PTI
Himachal Pradesh Governor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh have felicitated the people on the occasion of Shivratri.
The Governor said it was one of the most important festivals celebrated in the state as Himachal was considered as "Abode of Gods".
He hoped that the auspicious occasion brings peace and happiness into the lives of people.
Virbhadra Singh said that the people of the state had been celebrating Shivratri with traditional fervor and gaiety since the time immemorial.
Himachal Pradesh was known as abode of Lord Shiva and Shivratri festivals celebrated with devotion and religious fervor at various places, he said hoping that it would go a long way in strengthening the bonds of brotherhood.
Meanwhile the famous week long International Mahashivratri festival would commence at Mandi tomorrow.
The festival would be inaugurated by chief minister while governor would be the chief guest at the closing function.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Tim Carter demonstrates how to replace a window and frame. A replacement window can be very heavy. These tips help you when doing a window replacement.
Tim Carter finishes the installation of a new vinyl window in an existing frame wall covered with fiber cement siding. Watch the entire four-part series to see how to create the hole in the wall with precision. Discover tips about remodeling from national award-winning master carpenter and builder Tim Carter.
Tim Carter shows a Simonton window that sports the AAMA Gold Certification label.
You can install glass blocks yourself with these simple tips from Tim Carter of AsktheBuilder.com. You can make glass block windows, showers, walls and much more, once you learn the basics of glass block installation.
Window cleaning can be quick and easy with the right tools. AsktheBuilder.com host Tim Carter shares window washing tips about which window cleaning supplies to use, what tools work best and how to clean windows properly.
Window cleaner is only one aspect of streak free window cleaning. This video shows you window cleaning secrets to get results like a pro window cleaner. The most important thing is using the right window cleaning tools. Rather than store bought or homemade glass cleaner, use a squeegee and the right soap.


If you are looking for a career in land surveying in the Northeast Florida area Manzie & Drake Land Surveying may just have what you are looking for.
This position is for a career oriented individual.
Benefits include vaction, retirement plan, uniforms and more.


Surrey, B.C. – March 26, 2018 – Westminster Savings Credit Union (Westminster Savings) is pleased to report its financial results, which show significant growth, for 2017. Total assets under management grew by 12.2% to $4.0 billion, while members' deposits grew by 11.5% to $2.7 billion. Loans and leases receivable grew to $2.7 billion, an increase of 16.8%. Net interest income was up by $6.3 million or 10.1% against 2016. Net income after taxes for the year was $13.2 million and members' equity grew by 7.8% to $195.0 million.
In 2017, Westminster Savings opened three new service locations in Central City and Grandview Central in Surrey, and River District in South Vancouver, expanding its branch network by 25% in just six months. The success of these new branches has exceeded the credit union's early expectations with all three locations quickly having established a significant presence in their local communities.
In 2017, Westminster Savings invested $333,000 through sponsorships and direct donations to its local communities. In addition, the credit union made a $250,000 contribution to the Westminster Savings Foundation (the foundation), bringing its community endowment fund to more than $9.0 million. The foundation, one of the largest credit union foundations in Canada, disbursed $317,000 to local charitable organizations in 2017, including $75,000 to each of its community partners, Arts Umbrella, Special Olympics BC and KidSport BC, in the first year of a three-year commitment totalling $675,000. Westminster Savings believes the arts and active living are pivotal to healthy, inclusive communities across Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, and is honoured to be lending its support to such impactful causes.
Westminster Savings' interactive Annual Report and downloadable Management Discussion and Analysis, Governance Report and Westminster Savings Foundation Report are now available at wscu.com.
Westminster Savings is asking eligible members to vote in a Board of Directors Election. Voting will remain open until 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 5. For more information, please visit wscu.com. The results of the 2018 Directors Election will be announced at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and posted on our website the following day.
The 2018 Westminster Savings AGM will be held on Tuesday, April 17 at the Anvil Centre, 777 Columbia Street, New Westminster. Registration for the AGM opens at 6:15 p.m. and the meeting starts at 7 p.m.


text:
Keynote address by NATO Secretary General celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative
Minister Al-Attiyah, Excellencies,
Let me first of all thank you for hosting us. And we feel really welcome, and we really appreciate that you are hosting this conference, and your great hospitality.
Our visit is a timely opportunity to:
celebrate the 10th anniversary of our Istanbul Cooperation Initiative; and to
discuss the challenges we face in the broader Middle East context and in addition;
see how we can work more closely together to meet those challenges.
Looking back at the past 10 years, we have much to celebrate.
The launch of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative sent a very strong signal. That the security and the stability of the Gulf region is important to NATO. Just as the security and stability of the Euro-Atlantic area is important to the Gulf.
Qatar was among the first countries to establish a close practical relationship with NATO. But others soon followed -- Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
As well as regular consultations, we conduct a wide range of practical cooperation. From military training and education to crisis management.
Earlier this year, Kuwait became the first of our Gulf partners to conclude an Individual Partnership Cooperation Programme with NATO. I hope that Qatar and other Gulf partners will soon follow suit.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Sultanate of Oman have not joined the ICI. But both have also drawn closer to NATO.
For 10 years, NATO's relations with the Gulf partners have grown deeper and stronger. And this is good, because the more we cooperate, the safer we will be.
We need to protect our sea lanes, energy supply, and critical infrastructure, and cyber-networks. To stop the trafficking of people and drugs. And to prevent the spread of the world's most dangerous weapons.
This year, we have also seen the rise of the terrorist group ISIL. It poses a grave threat to the Iraqi and the Syrian people, the wider region, and all of our nations.
Dealing with this threat demands a long-term, multinational effort. It must integrate political and economic measures, as well as military action. And we welcome that the United States has rallied nations behind such a broad coalition.
It is particularly important that several countries from the region, including Qatar, are playing their part.
It is vital for military reasons, because of the capabilities that Gulf countries can bring to bear. But also for political reasons. To show that this is not about the West imposing its will on others. But about peace-loving nations working together to reject violence and extremism.
Together with United States, other NATO members are doing their share. We all stand with our Ally Turkey, which is literally on the front line. And while the air campaign is not a NATO operation, Allies provide the bulk of assets.
At our NATO Summit in Wales in September, we underlined our readiness to help Iraq and other interested NATO partner countries to build their defence capacity. And to strengthen their ability to project stability in their region.
Iraq has now requested NATO support in defence capacity building.
We agreed a defence capacity building package for Jordan last week, and we held very constructive talks in Amman earlier this week on how we can be of further assistance.
I believe there is also considerable scope for NATO to deepen our cooperation in the Gulf region. Particularly in three areas:
First, through greater cooperation between our military forces.
During the NATO-led Libya operation three years ago, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates contributed impressive assets fast and effectively. In the recent months, Gulf countries have shown that same ability to plug into a complex military operation, fighting ISIL.
This was not luck. But the result of years of military-to-military cooperation. Information sharing. Joint training and exercising. And then putting our shared experience into practice when the time came for action.
We must continue to strengthen those vital connections. And our ability to work together.
Second, we can do more together at sea.
Many NATO Allies depend on imports of oil and gas. Gulf countries depend on the secure transport of those exports. So we have a clear, common interest in ensuring the safety at sea.
Gulf countries have taken an increasingly active role in strengthening maritime security. Including by working with NATO and other navies.
Thanks in large part to NATO's operation "Ocean Shield", piracy off the Somali coast has declined dramatically.
But to keep the pirates at bay, we need to sustain this effort. So I invite Gulf partners to join NATO and the "Ocean Shield" operation. To combat a common threat to the security and well-being of our nations. To further strengthening the ties between our forces. And to demonstrate your growing contribution to stability in the region and beyond.
Finally, we must deepen our political cooperation.
Bilateral contacts remain important. They give us a better understanding of your concerns. And how we can address them.
But we also want to strengthen our multilateral consultations. Between NATO Allies and all our Gulf partners. And between NATO and the Gulf Cooperation Council. To develop a shared outlook of the security challenges of this region. And a solid basis for our practical cooperation.
The 10th anniversary of our partnership is a good time to take stock of how far we have come. But also to consider how far we still need to go. To deliver the stability we need in the neighbourhood we share.
I'm confident that this conference today will help us move in the right direction. Thank you.
Translation Source:
Istanbul Cooperation Initiative
The Arab Spring and Turkey's future
What the President's ISIL Strategy Means to the Army
A Desert War on ISIS, Fought From a Floating City
How America Made ISIS?
America's Toxic Middle East Allies


Make biodegradable pots for your seeds and seedlings!
This is a handy tool used to make little paper pots out of newspaper. Great for starting seeds, and easy to use.
I saw some things designed to make newspaper pots, but none of them were quite what I had in mind (either requiring supports, too complicated, no grips, etc) so I decided to design my own. Editing the .scad file allows you to easily change the size of the pot, depth, grip sizes, etc.
Just cut a strip of newspaper (use black and white because colored ink can contain toxins--black ink is around hand-width. Then, wrap it around the cylinder on the larger tool part. Fold the ends in, press it into the cap, and carefully remove the newly-formed pot!
The black and white newspaper is also biodegradable, so once the plants are ready to go in the ground you can just drop the entire thing in.
Clarification: This is actually being released under the MIT License, available at https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT. YouMagine did not give this as an option but I want to share it anyway. You can pretty much do anything you want with it!
This tool is entirely printable and doesn't require any supports or fasteners.
A pair of scissors and some old newspaper are all you need to get started.


Abstract. Estimation and accurate assessment regarding population gets harder and harder day by day due to growth of world population in a fast manner. Estimating tendencies to settlements in cities and countries, socio-cultural development and population numbers is quite difficult. In addition to them, selection and analysis of parameters such as time, work-force and cost seems like another difficult issue. In this study, population number is guessed by evaluating light activities in İstanbul via night-time images of Turkey. By evaluating light activities between 2000 and 2010, average population per pixel is obtained. Hence, it is used to estimate population numbers in 2011, 2012 and 2013. Mean errors are concluded as 4.14 % for 2011, 3.74 % for 2012 and 3.04 % for 2013 separately. As a result of developed thresholding method, mean error is concluded as 3.64 % to estimate population number in İstanbul for next three years.
How to cite: Turan, M. K., Yücer, E., Sehirli, E., and Karaş, İ. R.: ESTIMATION OF POPULATION NUMBER VIA LIGHT ACTIVITIES ON NIGHT-TIME SATELLITE IMAGES, Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLII-4/W6, 103-105, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLII-4-W6-103-2017, 2017.


Apricots are most familiar as a dried or canned fruit. But it's the delicate flavor, sweet aroma and downy skins of fresh apricots that make them the golden gems of the stone fruit family. Botanically related to peaches and about the size of small plums, they bruise more easily than other stone fruits and are usually shipped unripe to prevent damage during transit. California grows over 90% of U.S. apricots with their season running from late May through August. So, don't procrastinate when you see them at the market. Pick some up this summer to enjoy in desserts, salads, hot off the grill or eaten raw as a sweet juicy snack.
Select fragrant, plump apricots with velvety golden skins that have no tinge of green color. Handle gently to prevent bruising.
Avoid any that have whitish spots, blemishes or cracks and are either too firm or too soft.
Store the unripe apricots in a paper bag at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.
Once ripe, use immediately or refrigerate in a plastic bag for only 1 to 2 days. Apricots dry out very quickly under refrigeration.
Gently wash apricots under running water just before using. Because their skins are so thin, they are rarely peeled.
To remove the pit, cut around the seam to the pit with a sharp paring knife. Twist gently to separate into halves, then pull out the pit with your fingers.
Use fruit immediately or brush cut surfaces with lemon juice to prevent the flesh from turning brown.
Preserve fresh summer apricots to enjoy all year round by turning them into homemade jam.
Poach in fruit juice or white wine and serve alone or over ice cream, pancakes or pound cake.
Grill fresh apricot halves to serve alongside grilled poultry or pork.
Toss thinly sliced apricots into green or fruit salads.
You can layer yogurt, chopped apricots and your favorite cereal in a glass for an easy breakfast parfait.
Top BREAKSTONE'S Cottage Cheese with sliced or chopped apricots.
Substitute sweetened apricots for strawberries in summer shortcakes.
Use alone or with other fruits in tarts, cobblers and crisps.


Pistachio products There are 29 products.
The Christmas sweets are traditionally associated with Christmas festivities.
DOSicily.com's sweets are essential to create that "magic and charming" air!
Thanks to "panettone", biscuits, nougats, crunchy, chocolate pralines and many other small (and large) pistachio delicacies, you will feel more kind, your house will smell of Christmas and the sweetness will be around you!
Find out now with us what are the best Christmas cakes to buy on our site and offer your guests.
Easter desserts mainly refer to the Christian tradition: the dove is indeed an animal that recurs frequently in the scriptures.
From the Noah's Ark to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, according to the Christian, the dove is the representation of the Holy Spirit, salvation and hope.
The dove is universally accepted as the true symbol of peace and prosperity.
DOSicily.com selected the best pistachios for a unique preparation of the Easter pistachios desserts.
The dove and Ester desserts like pistachio chocolate eggs are typical desserts spread throughout Italy and beyond.
For years now, the Italian traditions and especially those widespread in Sicily have become popular worldwide.
The semi-finished products for ice cream parlors, pastry shops and restaurants from DOSicily.com represent one of our Italian excellence that the pastry and ice cream makers use to create fine pastries and delicious ice creams: we are talking of pistachio.
Irresistible protagonists of many preparations, from the most sophisticated as the creamy pistachio ice cream or cannoli filled with sweet green pistachio cream, to the very simple example like the plum.
How can we forget the absolute protagonist "the famous pistachio pesto sauce" used by the best cooks and chefs in the world?
Pesto sauce has delighted their palate and that of their customers, with the true taste and decided characteristic of our Sicilian tradition of Bronte.


text:
Chadbourn és una població dels Estats Units a l'estat de Carolina del Nord. Segons el cens del 2000 tenia una població de 2.129 habitants.

Demografia
Segons el cens del 2000, Chadbourn tenia 2.129 habitants, 877 habitatges i 548 famílies. La densitat de població era de 311,4 habitants per km².

Dels 877 habitatges en un 27,6% hi vivien nens de menys de 18 anys, en un 35,3% hi vivien parelles casades, en un 24,4% dones solteres, i en un 37,5% no eren unitats familiars. En el 33,6% dels habitatges hi vivien persones soles el 14,3% de les quals corresponia a persones de 65 anys o més que vivien soles. El nombre mitjà de persones vivint en cada habitatge era de 2,42 i el nombre mitjà de persones que vivien en cada família era de 3,12.

Per edats la població es repartia de la següent manera: un 28,4% tenia menys de 18 anys, un 9% entre 18 i 24, un 24,7% entre 25 i 44, un 22,5% de 45 a 60 i un 15,4% 65 anys o més.

L'edat mitjana era de 36 anys. Per cada 100 dones de 18 o més anys hi havia 72,5 homes.

La renda mitjana per habitatge era de 24.539 $ i la renda mitjana per família de 30.574 $. Els homes tenien una renda mitjana de 23.804 $ mentre que les dones 20.270 $. La renda per capita de la població era de 12.290 $. Entorn del 24,3% de les famílies i el 31,4% de la població estaven per davall del llindar de pobresa.

Poblacions més properes
El següent diagrama mostra les poblacions més properes.

Referències

Entitats de població de Carolina del Nord


Topics covering a wide range of historic interest are covered during the year and anyone can attend - you'd don't have to live in Newington.
Apart from guest speakers and visits, NHG will be organising Newington Uncovered, the village's annual Heritage Open Days on 14th and 15th September and will be involved in the 100th anniversaries of the First World War Peace Day Celebrations in June and war memorial unveiling in September.
The group meets at 7.30pm on the second Thursday of the month, excluding January and August. Annual subscription is £15 and guests (£3) are welcome.
We're interested in hearing stories and memories about people and places linked to the village. We can offer advice and assistance to people researching family and local history. As a member you can help us unearth, preserve and promote the history of the village and neighbouring areas.
For more details contact thelma@newingtonhistory.co.uk or call 01795 842711. View the website newingtonhistorygroup@btck.co.uk and follow Twitter @newingtonhg.


text:
Neil Mitchell may refer to:

 Neil Mitchell (cricketer) (born 1936), South African cricketer
 Neil Mitchell (musician) (born 1965), Scottish musician
 Neil Mitchell (footballer) (born 1974), English former professional footballer
 Neil Mitchell (radio presenter) (born 1951), Australian radio presenter


text:
Q: Notification Center Selector Method does not get called Hi I've HomeCollectionViewCellComponent which is using in HomeCollectionViewCell and also there is a struct that holds size calculation logics for my collectionView (HomeCollectionViewCellSizeCalculator). it is calling in sizeForItem method of UICollectionViewDelegateFlowLayout. I hide my imageView when kingfisher is failed to downloading but I also want to compute imageSize as zero. I should tell to sizeCalculator from the setData function inside the HomeCollectionViewCellComponent. I used NotificationCenter but its objc method does not called.
HomeCollectionViewCellComponent setData func
    func setData(with data: Article?) {
    guard let data = data else { return }

    if let imageUrl = data.urlToImage, let url = URL(string: imageUrl) {
        self.newsImageView.kf.setImage(with: url) { [weak self] result in
            guard let self = self else { return }
            switch result {
            case .success(_):
                break
            case .failure(_):
                self.newsImageView.isHidden = true
                NotificationCenter.default.post(name: .kingfisherFail, object: nil)
            }
        }
    }
}

HomeCollectionViewCellSizeCalculator
class HomeCollectionViewCellSizeCalculator {

private let width: CGFloat
private let article: Article?
private var imageDownloadingFailed: Bool = false

init(width: CGFloat, article: Article?) {
    self.width = width
    self.article = article

    NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(self, selector: #selector(didImageDownloadingFailed), name: .kingfisherFail, object: nil)
}

private var imageSize: CGSize {
    return imageDownloadingFailed ? .zero : CGSize(width: width, height: HomeCollectionViewCellComponentViewConstants.imageViewHeight + HomeCollectionViewCellComponentViewConstants.imageTopSpacing)
}

@objc func didImageDownloadingFailed(notification: Notification) {
    print("didImageDownloadingFailed")
    self.imageDownloadingFailed = true
}

HomeViewCollectionViewDelegate
final class HomeViewCollectionViewDelegate: NSObject, UICollectionViewDelegate, UICollectionViewDelegateFlowLayout {

private var viewModel: HomeViewModel

init(viewModel: HomeViewModel) {
    self.viewModel = viewModel
}

func collectionView(_ collectionView: UICollectionView, layout collectionViewLayout: UICollectionViewLayout, sizeForItemAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> CGSize {
    guard let article = viewModel.getArticle(at: indexPath) else { return CGSize(width: collectionView.frame.width, height: collectionView.frame.height) }

    let sizeCalculator = HomeCollectionViewCellSizeCalculator(width: collectionView.frame.width, article: article)
    return CGSize(width: collectionView.frame.width, height: sizeCalculator.itemSize.height)
}

func collectionView(_ collectionView: UICollectionView, layout collectionViewLayout: UICollectionViewLayout, minimumLineSpacingForSectionAt section: Int) -> CGFloat {
    return 15
}

}

A: Try the following code
 NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(self, selector: #selector(self. didImageDownloadingFailed(_:)), name: .kingfisherFail, object: nil)

@objc func didImageDownloadingFailed(_ notification: Notification){ }

A: The problem is here:
func collectionView(_ collectionView: UICollectionView, layout collectionViewLayout: UICollectionViewLayout, sizeForItemAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> CGSize {
    guard let article = viewModel.getArticle(at: indexPath) else { return CGSize(width: collectionView.frame.width, height: collectionView.frame.height) }

    let sizeCalculator = HomeCollectionViewCellSizeCalculator(width: collectionView.frame.width, article: article)

At this point in time, you have a sizeCalculator, and it is listening to the notification because the init(width:article:) function added itself as an observer.
Then you use the size calculator:
    return CGSize(width: collectionView.frame.width, height: sizeCalculator.itemSize.height)
}

But now, with ^ this closing curly brace, you return from that method and don't hold on to the size calculator, so it is dealloced, and is no longer alive to listen to any notifications.
You need to consider what object should be listening to the notification, and responding to the failure. Or indeed, maybe not consider using Notification Center at all.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
WY: VT: Black Diamond Equipment to Open New Mountain Town Retail Stores
Black Diamond Equipment announced it would open two retail stores this winter—in Jackson Hole, WY and Burlington, VT. Those two openings will be followed by a third retail location in Bend, OR, scheduled to open in Spring 2022.
The store openings coincide with Black Diamond's push to integrate into the mountain towns it serves as a hub for customers to gather. With the added retail space, Black Diamond will have nine retail stores in the U.S.
"Growing into these three rich, iconic mountain towns is a very exciting moment for the brand. Each location uniquely represents what Black Diamond is all about," said Devin Gillette, director of retail, Black Diamond Equipment.
The stores will feature a seasonal product assortment for equipment and apparel, including climbing, backcountry skiing, snow safety products, and mountain running.
"We look forward to connecting and integrating into each of these communities by bringing people together for monthly events, including clinics, athlete presentations, equipment demonstrations, special presentations, and our own product launches," added Gillette.
Vermont,
Wyoming,


text:
Home » Gaming » Torment: Tides of Numenera – Do's and Don'ts
Torment: Tides of Numenera – Do's and Don'ts
On Saturday, January 3, 2015 — by Jester
Torment: Tides of Numenera is InXile's upcoming RPG. They released Wasteland 2 last year, which turned out to be one of the best RPGs not only in 2014 but in recent years. It was a throwback to classic RPGs like its predecessor as well as Fallout, Fallout 2, and Fallout: Tactics, and stands out as being one of very few hardcore modern RPGs. Wasteland 2 presents a thoughtful, very significant skill system, a complex attribute system, party dialogue system similar to Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir, and plenty of freedom to role-play in the story, leading to many different outcomes and even premature endings. InXile did a fantastic job with Wasteland 2.
But like every other game, Wasteland 2 has its faults. It has serious pacing issues; we found it to be addicting for the first 35-40 hours or so, but then it dreadfully drags on later in the game, with main quests being reduced to menial tasks. Wasteland 2 also lacks a strong story; although the dialogue is often witty and humorous, it is not a story driven game and at some point, as the game drags on and starts to feel monotonous, you will begin to question the purpose of playing the game especially when there is no complex story to pursue and no well developed characters that you can care for.
Like Wasteland 2, Torment: Tides of Numenera is a spiritual successor to classic RPGs: in this case, as the name implies, it is a spiritual successor to Planescape: Torment, which stands as one of the best RPGs of all time, and is still by far the most well-written game of all time. We have such high hopes for the game that it was named our most anticipated game of 2015 in our 2014 game of the year ceremony. Being the hardcore RPG fans that we are, we have a very thorough wishlist, and clear ideas of what InXile needs to do and what they need to avoid when developing the game.
Before making our suggestions, we have to be clear about several things.
We actually understand the type of game Torment: Tides of Numenera is supposed to be: a story-driven hardcore RPG inspired heavily by Planescape: Torment. This is vital: you can't make suggestions for something if you don't understand it, and this is overlooked by just about every other gaming website.
We have no experience in Monte Cook's Numenera setting, so we won't make specific suggestions about setting or rules.
We adore hardcore RPGs with complex rulesets, like D&D games and the classic Fallout games. So for the most part, we are on the same page as InXile, and we understand their game design choices.
Not too long ago InXile released the following gameplay teaser.
Having watched that, we will now proceed with a list of things we'd like to see in Torment: Tides of Numenera.
Provide Top Notch Writing Quality
This was an obvious one. Planescape: Torment is known for one thing above all others, and that is its writing quality. It tells one of the most original, complex stories in video game history, and does it exceptionally well. Its writing quality is closer to that of great novels instead of video games, and despite the quality of writing, the story and dialogue can branch out considerably like every story-driven RPG should.
Torment: Tides of Numenera needs to live up to this example that Planescape set, because no other game has. Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer tried, and came close, so at the very least its writing quality needs to be on this level. The problem with Mask of the Betrayer is that the story progression is more linear than that of Planescape; in order for Torment: Tides of Numenera to truly stand out over every other game, it needs to branch out even more and strongly react to the player's dialogue choices.
Be Expansive, Large Scale
During 2014 we saw the release of many large scale games, larger than ever before. The three best RPGs of the year are solid examples: Dragon Age: Inquisition, Divinity: Original Sin, and InXile's own Wasteland 2. When you compare these games to their predecessors, you will see that these modern counterparts are significantly larger in scale. Divinity: Original Sin has huge areas, much bigger than the classic RPGs (excluding open world ones like The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind) and both Wasteland 2 and Divinity: Original Sin are significantly longer than the classics. Planescape: Torment is only around 30-40 hours long unless you waste a lot of time doing repetitive, menial tasks. Both Baldur's Gate games and both Fallout games are also significantly shorter and smaller than the 70+ hour Wasteland 2 and Divinity: Original Sin.
Dragon Age: Inquisition is on a level of its own when it comes to scale. All of these RPGs have a hub based non-linear design, but many of Inquisition's areas approach the size of an entire open world game.
The point is, last year's RPGs were bigger than ever before. We never saw this type of RPG, the type that Torment: Tides of Numenera is, be this expansive. Obviously since Torment: Tides of Numenera is a crowd-funded game we aren't expecting Dragon Age: Inquisition's size and scale, but hopefully it at least follows Wasteland 2's example. We want to see significantly larger areas than what Planescape: Torment offers, and it would be nice if it's a longer game too… as long as it doesn't drag on like Wasteland 2 does. It should be expansive, large scale, and open, but not empty. Please use an open level design thoughtfully, like Dragon Age: Inquisition or even Baldur's Gate II.
Loot, Loot, And More Loot
We don't want looting to be required, but we would like to see a diverse set of equipment and loot that isn't just a waste of time. If there are hidden areas like in Wasteland 2, there should be a chance of finding good loot in them. We feel that loot should be randomized in non-linear RPGs as well.
In terms of equipment, we really love the amount of weapon categories that both Neverwinter Nights games have, so seeing something similar along with several different armor classes would be ideal.
Artifacts That Are Worth A Damn
Building off of our previous point, every RPG of this type has special artifacts, whether it's unique weapons, armor, or accessories like amulets and rings. Personally my favorite artifact in RPG history has to be the Silver Sword of Gith from Neverwinter Nights 2 and Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer. It is a universal sword which means it can be wielded by both shortsword, longsword, and greatsword wielding warriors. It has no race or class restrictions and needs no weapon proficiency feat. But it's more than just a sword: ignoring its plot importance, in Neverwinter Nights 2 this sword is not only powerful with its +3 enchantment bonus, it has many special abilities such as Blade Storm which breaks the sword blade up into shards, and fires these shards at an area of enemies, damaging and possibly knocking them all down, but it can instead target only a single enemy, adding to its versatility. Another ability is Shard Barrier, which breaks the blade up into shards which form a barrier around the person wielding it, damaging anyone who approaches. Uses are not quite unlimited, and it has many other abilities, and new ones in Mask of the Betrayer, which you can read about here.
We aren't asking for the Silver Sword of Gith to be included in Torment: Tides of Numenera, since that makes no sense. What we are asking for is worthwhile special artifacts, sort of like how the Silver Sword of Gith is a worthwhile special artifact. Looking at Dragon Age 2 and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim as other examples, their artifacts have special meshes but in terms of gameplay, they aren't special. Most of them do not have unique abilities, nor are they more powerful than regular items. Retrieving these mediocre artifacts is not rewarding. Most Skyrim players will find themselves using regular weapons and armor instead of special ones, because Skyrim's artifacts are weak. But artifacts are artifacts for a reason, they should have unique advantages, distinct disadvantages, but should be more powerful than regular counterparts of the same level.
Offer A Customizable HUD
This is something cRPG fans are used to, and it's something we'd love to see in Torment: Tides of Numenera. Many RPGs give us HUD scaling and the ability to move around or close HUD elements. Neverwinter Nights 2 and Dragon Age: Origins are probably the best examples. We at GND-Tech hate intrusive HUD's, and want to minimize it as much as possible. While it's true that an RPG like this can't have an extremely barebones HUD like an Elder Scrolls game can, if Torment wants to be like some of its successful predecessors then it should give the player some control over the HUD.
Provide Mod Support
The vast majority of great RPGs have good mod support, even dating back to the early days. Fallout, Fallout 2, Baldur's Gate, Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, Planescape: Torment, Neverwinter Nights, Neverwinter Nights 2, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2 (not a great game but it's a modern RPG with mod support), and Divinity: Original Sin all have excellent mod support. Many of them have SDKs so we can create our own campaigns.
As far as we know, Wasteland 2 does not have extensive mod support. It's a Unity engine game so great mod support should be possible, so this is a minor cause for concern for Torment: Tides of Numenera. Mods only increase longevity, especially for games like this. What's the harm in user-made content packs?
There are many traps that InXile should avoid when developing Torment: Tides of Numenera, and we feel our suggestions here are less obvious and more important than many of the Do's.
Don't Cater To Casual Gamers
There are more than enough dumbed down, oversimplified RPGs, which are meant to appeal to the widest audience possible (including young teens, despite the fact that they usually have age 17+ ratings). The Witcher games are the best examples, which are best described as "fringe-RPGs" since they lack any sort of gameplay diversity and for a story-driven RPG, their story progression is too linear and player choice is not as big a factor as they make it out to be. Plus, the gameplay in The Witcher 2 is just hack-and-slash with five very basic spells, and no other playstyles but this one. The leveling and ruleset in general are extremely dumbed down compared to something like Dungeons & Dragons.
As much as we love Dragon Age: Inquisition, we could not ignore that it is dumbed down compared to Dragon Age: Origins in some ways, specifically the automatically increasing attributes when leveling up, the removed AI tactics system, and the reduced diversity (since modern gamers are afraid of diversity and choice). Even Dragon Age: Origins is dumbed down in some ways compared to its spiritual predecessors like Neverwinter Nights and Baldur's Gate, but it remains complex enough for most and its AI tactics system still reigns supreme.
We want a complex ruleset, and we want the same amount of gameplay diversity that many of the classic RPGs offered. Wasteland 2 does it right, with its full-fledged rule system and in-depth role-playing.
The image above shows the first character creation scene in Wasteland 2. The game has seven attributes, and does not give the player many starting points for them. You don't get attribute points every time you level up, it's rather rare like in Dungeons & Dragons games. All of these attributes impact the "Derived Stats" and you can see just how many there are, and they are all extremely important.
Look at the amount of skills Wasteland 2 offers. Twenty nine skills. They are all very useful, except perhaps Toaster Repair. All of the general skills turn up in gameplay, and many in-game scenarios call upon several different general skills, not just one, so that it provides alternatives. Look, for example, at the dialogue skills under general skills: "Hard Ass" which refers to intimidation, "Kiss Ass" which refers to a more polite persuasion technique, and "Smart Ass" which refers to outsmarting others in dialogue. All three are strongly present throughout the game, and sometimes you can use one instead of another. "Brute Force" can often be used in place of "Lockpicking" but there are of course consequences. The point is, the game has many skills and all of them are useful. This also applies to Fallout and it's "S.P.E.C.I.A.L." ruleset, and Dungeons & Dragons.
As mentioned earlier, we don't know much about Monte Cook's Numenera game, but since it is a tabletop RPG we will assume it is at least as complex as the above rules. All we ask is not to leave too much of that complexity out of Torment: Tides of Numenera. Its ruleset should be at least as complex as the above games, it should have a diverse skill set that is actually used throughout the game (in similar fashion to Wasteland 2 and other RPGs), and it should also have diverse classes if it is going to have a formal class system like most other RPGs. Neverwinter Nights 2 for example has 15 base classes, each one being substantially different than one another and only six have fundamental similarities (Wizard and Sorcerer, Cleric and Favored Soul, Barbarian and Fighter). Different classes rely on different attributes, and each class has specific skill focus. Each one has an abundance of unique abilities, and so do all 24 of the prestige classes, so each and every class and prestige class feels fresh and very different from one another.
We don't need that many classes, but it would be nice to have more than three like Dragon Age is limited to. Divinity: Original Sin has 11 classes, that is plenty for us. Again we don't know much about Numenera, but if it is a class-based RPG then please don't exclude too many for the sake of appealing to casuals who are overwhelmed by choice and character creation (after all, games like this usually have pre-made characters which is a much better solution to character creation complexity than dumbing down the rules and character creation).
Of course, we're really preaching to the choir here. Look at what InXile did with Wasteland 2, and look at the positive reception it got. Look at their stance on the RPG genre. Torment: Tides of Numenera is most likely not going to disappoint us in this regard.
Don't Forget That It Is 2015
Lately we have seen many RPGs turn back the clock and deliberately resemble RPGs from the late 90s. Examples include Divinity: Original Sin, Wasteland 2, Shadowrun Returns, the upcoming Pillars of Eternity, and of course Torment: Tides of Numenera. This is fine as long as you understand why the classic RPGs were the way they were, and as long as you emulate the right things and not the wrong things.
The classic RPG model which Torment: Tides of Numenera is trying to resemble, includes the aforementioned rule complexity and gameplay diversity that we love, which is definitely something that most if not all RPGs should seek to provide. It also includes limitations to 2.5D rendering and isometric viewpoint, and this is something that should be avoided.
The classic RPGs like Fallout, Baldur's Gate, and Planescape: Torment feature an isometric viewpoint because they wanted to resemble tabletop RPGs. In real life, when playing a tabletop RPG, you are looking at an isometric angle like in these video games. The reason these games were limited to 2.5D rendering is tied to the technology at the time: these games are from the late 90s you see, so real time 3D graphics didn't have the detail that they wanted. It wasn't possible, so they chose 2.5D, because 2.5D is meant to resemble 3D. We applaud this decision.
But guess what? It's 2015 now. Such technological limitation no longer exists. Early in the 21st century, developers like BioWare, Obsidian, Bethesda Game Studios, and even Interplay/Black Isle Studios (which InXile stems from), tried to take advantage of newer technology and detailed 3D rendering. This is evident in games like Neverwinter Nights (BioWare), Neverwinter Nights 2 (Obsidian), Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (BioWare), Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II – The Sith Lords (Obsidian), The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (Bethesda), and the unreleased Baldur's Gate III: The Black Hound (Interplay/Black Isle Studios). All of which are 3D games, and both Neverwinter Nights games feature unrestricted camera control allowing for isometric view, third-person view, and anything in between. This is the right way to do it, because it satisfies everyone: those who prefer third person and those who prefer isometric. Dragon Age: Origins might be the most recent RPG to fully satisfy both crowds. It is unfortunate that Torment: Tides of Numenera is not one of such games, so InXile has already fell into this trap. They have already done this "don't" and we don't see any good reason for it.
Wasteland 2, InXile's most recent game, is 3D. It is limited to isometric viewpoint, but this is only a slight hindrance because it is a turn-based game so combat would be awful in third person. Dialogue and exploration however would be more immersive for most gamers in third person, but the option for 100% isometric gameplay should remain. Truthfully, the camera should have unrestricted movement and scrolling, similar to the Neverwinter Nights games, Dragon Age: Origins, and Dragon Age: Inquisition. We should be given the ability to move the camera wherever we want, play in any way we want. This satisfies everyone and is easily possible in a 3D game like Wasteland 2.
Very few people honestly prefer 2.5D over 3D, and those that do prefer 2.5D do so for only confused reasons. They are not aware that the classic RPGs were rendered in 2.5D due to technological limitation, and they generally refuse to accept this answer for whatever reason (maybe they would rather believe the classic RPGs are perfect). They don't seem to be aware that 2.5D is meant to resemble 3D. It's a poor man's design, but Torment: Tides of Numenera gathered significantly greater crowd fundings than Wasteland 2: the latter raised $2,933,252 while the former raised $4,787,293 and counting. These figures can be found on InXile's website and also the Kickstarter page for both games (but the Kickstarter page for Torment is outdated).
It doesn't make much sense to play a story-driven role-playing game in isometric viewpoint the entire time. It makes sense for setting up battles, but in a role-playing game you are meant to be in someone's shoes, and story-driven games are much more powerful when you are looking a person in the eye when talking to them, rather than controlling everything from above like a God. It is without question that Torment: Tides of Numenera would be a superior game being made in 3D opposed to fake 3D as it currently is, with both isometric viewpoint and third person viewpoint as options to satisfy everyone. A more unrestricted camera mode, like Dragon Age: Inquisition's tactical camera but improved, would have been a lovely feature as well, since this enables the player to position the camera almost anywhere making it easier to set up battles, and view battles in more cinematic fashion.
But as it stands, the ignorance behind the origins of 2.5D RPGs is being used by InXile as a smokescreen to cut corners, to cut spending. The result of this is yet another 2.5D (fake 3D) RPG in 2015. Even Wasteland 2 suffers from this, by being limited to isometric so that they can render characters with less detail than a 10 year old 3D game, and so that they didn't have to render skies or ceilings. But Torment: Tides of Numenera suffers the most. It looks like it will have stunning, magnificent, alien environments. Imagine them in 3D.
Well, keep imagining because it is not going to happen. At least Torment's 2.5D rendering looks more modern than that of Pillars of Eternity (CGI inspired?), and at least Torment has much more modern animations. Pillars of Eternity literally looks like Obsidian took an RPG made 15 years ago and scheduled a release for this year. Torment: Tides of Numenera on the other hand looks like a 10 year old RPG with much more modern animations. Either way, making a game in 2.5D in 2015, with the kind of budget they had, is just half-assed. This applies to both Pillars of Eternity and Torment: Tides of Numenera, although Torment is the lesser offender.
Don't Drag On
We already mentioned the pacing problems with Wasteland 2; it's over 70 hours long, which would be great if paced well and filled with diverse content. Instead it gets monotonous and rather repetitive, with main quests being reduced to menial tasks, and the game just loses its charm. The player is given little reason to even want to finish at this point, due to the lack of a good story or well developed characters.
If Torment: Tides of Numenera is going to be a long game, it needs to not beat around the bush too much, it can't drag itself on like Wasteland 2 does. Look at any long story, whether it's a video game, a film, or a novel; significant events happen throughout to keep it from feeling monotonous. Torment: Tides of Numenera has the advantage of being heavily story-driven so hopefully players will feel compelled to play all the way through. Planescape: Torment for example builds up an amazing, memorable, and diverse cast, and tells the most marvelous story ever told in a game, so attentive players are going to feel strongly compelled to finish it. It is, however, a relatively short RPG, lasting about 40 hours for a very thorough playthrough.
Dragon Age: Inquisition might be the best example; it can easily last well over 100 hours, but never becomes monotonous due to how diverse the different regions are, and because of the significance and variety in main quests. It builds up to several different climaxes throughout, it paces itself perfectly for its length. Wasteland 2 does not, but Torment: Tides of Numenera needs to.
It is unfortunate that Torment: Tides of Numenera has already violated one of our most significant "Don'ts" but despite this, it remains our most anticipated game of 2015. Its writing needs to live up to the example set by its spiritual predecessor, Planescape: Torment, it needs to be devoid of the pacing issues and late monotonous feel that Wasteland 2 suffers from, and if it really wants to impress, it needs to be expansive and ambitious, since 2014 was full of such RPGs.
best game story best game writing best story best writing planescape planescape 2 planescape torment role-playing game rpg story story driven game tides of numenera tides of numenera review torment torment review torment tides of numenera
Game Studios That Debuted With a Masterpiece
Basic Modding Guide for Morrowind
The Outer Worlds – More Mediocrity from Obsidian
Essential Mods for Fallout: New Vegas
Essential Mods for Dragon Age: Origins
NVIDIA RTX Demo Atomic Heart Demo at CES 2019


Looking Panamanian saves money while ensuring equal treatment from the bureaucracy and judiciary, but it makes doing business complicated.
Anyone who has traveled much in developing countries has come across a situation where tourists get charged more than locals.
The tourist price, or the gringo price as it is known in Panama, can be genuinely noble, like paying extra to visit a national monument and subsidizing access for locals while helping to fund necessary upkeep. Or it can be downright thievery, like paying several times the usual price for carpets and cab rides.Businesses, unlike tourists, are in competition and can't pay several times the price their competitors pay and be competitive.
There are more benefits to looking Panamanian than just avoiding the gringo price, but paying a fraction of what you might otherwise pay is a pretty big benefit. Getting permits is easier. Hiring is easier. Buying is easier. And resolving legal disputes is easier.
Getting permits is a headache for everyone, but it can be worse if you don't look Panamanian. Most ex-pats in Panama have stories of frustrating little bureaucratic double-standards like applications taking longer than they do for Panamanians.
Looking Panamanian will help reduce this sort of problem.
Looking Panamanian will save you from having to pay the gringo price.
The common perception amongst some Panamanian demographics that all gringos are wealthy also makes gringos more likely targets of lawsuits.
It's not that Panamanians target foreigners, but rather the wealthy are worth targeting and many Panamanians think all foreigners are wealthy. Therefore foreigners are more likely to be the targets of lawsuit.
Then, when going before a judge, which story resonates more? Rich foreigner victimizes poor local? Or shifty dealer victimizes small company? If you don't look Panamanian, you start a lot closer to the former rather than the latter.
Foreigners still aren't likely to have legal problems, but looking Panamanian further reduces the odds.
In Panama, it's possible to do business in complete anonymity by using bearer shares.
A bearer share grants ownership to whoever is physically in possession of the share. Typically shares are registered and investors almost never see the physical shares that they own. Bearer shares are not registered in any way. The owners of bearer shares are not recorded, so ownership can change hands privately.
Bearer shares have fallen into disuse in most parts of the world because they were commonly used to avoid taxes. Most countries have strict rules governing bearer shares and other bearer instruments with severe penalties.
Anyone purchasing Panamanian bearer shares should look into the laws governing taxes and ownership in their home country before purchasing or issuing bearer shares because the consequences for not being in compliance with home-country laws are often severe.
The in-Panama costs to run a company this way are $1000 per year or more (compliance with your home-country laws will likely add to the costs). You need to hire an attorney who, along with the attorney's staff, fill the director and officers roles.
You also need to carefully consider which law firm to hire. The firm will be signing all of the documents on behalf of the corporation, so there needs to be a strong degree of trust.
The firm also needs to have adequate staffing levels. Anything that has to go through the firm will move more slowly than in a regular business. Adequate staffing will make the difference between this being just a nuisance and a complete disaster.
Finally, no matter how good the law firm, you need to be able to pull the plug on the directors and officers overnight. You need solid documentation, verified by a different law firm, confirming your ability to dismiss the directors and officers.
The final requirement is to conduct day-to-day business through Panamanian proxies.
Very simple businesses, like a land-holding company, only need the occasional proxy, but more complicated businesses need to hire Panamanians to conduct all public-facing business.
Hiring more Panamanians introduces all sorts of cross-cultural problems that complicate business.
Using bearer shares to conceal ownership of a company is an important first step toward looking Panamanian. By looking Panamanian you stand to save money and reduce legal and bureaucratic headaches by more than enough to justify the costs.
What I Learned About The Real Estate Markets On My Drive Through Mexico, Guatamala, Honduras, & Costa Rica.
Wanna Find Out More About Our Deals?
You Gotta be on the list!


This week we are looking at the statistics of loan funding and each channels share of the total investments on Bondora platform.
The trend of more investors choosing the Bondora Portfolio Manager (PM) over API and manual investing continued last month. Over the past month 82% of investments were made using PM compared to its 71% share in June 30, 2016. The increased share of the Portfolio Manager investments has mainly come at the expense of manual investments. This broad adoption of the Portfolio Manager reflects the usability and effectiveness of the evolved interface.
Bondora PM offers an array of settings. These choices enable the investor to employ a strategy that is every bit as unique as that of a manual or even API user. Diversified risk is easier than ever with the "minimum investment per loan" option. This feature allows the user to invest smaller sums across a greater number of loans thereby defraying risk.
The cumulative effect of the PM interface is a smart approach to risk with swift execution. This benefit is evidenced by the fact that each investor's bid will be applied only to loans with an equal, or lower risk profile than the composition of their whole portfolio. This consistency keeps the users capital in the market where it can grow without unnecessary risk. Additionally, the speed of the interface has increased with the advent of a faster PM. Recent changes have enabled the PM to start running as soon as the loans reach the market. This speed is in contrast to the older model that ran periodically on an hourly basis.
Share of manual investments has decreased down to 11%. As already mentioned, manual investments have been decreasing for a while now and the reason being that manual investing is much more limited in terms of speed of investing and data analysis comapred to the Portfolio Manager and Bondora API.
Investments through API represented just over 6% of total investment amount on the platform over the month. The share of API investments has been either steady or very slowly increasing. This is explained by the fact that Bondora API has mainly been an choice for those investors more comfortable with programming skills and the nuances of the lending market.


text:
The OA Brief Data
Show Language: English
Show Type: Scripted
Premiere date: December 16, 2016
Show network: Netflix
Official website: Link
Show runtime: 60 min
Show schedule: Friday,
Show IMDB Link: IMDb Link
Show status: scheduled
Show genres:
Drama Science-Fiction Mystery
The OA Won't Return For Season 3 On Netflix
Current Show Status: Ended
Next Season Status: canceled
The OA Season 2 Relsease Date: March 22, 2019
The OA Overview & Latest News
Is there going to be another season of The OA on Netflix? Is The OA Renewed or Canceled? When should the next season premiere of The OA take place? How many episodes the next season of The OA contains? Track down the renewal/cancellation status of The OA. We publish the latest news about when The OA is renewed for a next season, the upcoming season release date is revealed, or the show is canceled.
In addition, you can read a synopsis for each the three upcoming episodes of The OA if Netflix revealed such data.
Leave a review about the current season of The OA on Netflix in a respective section below. Click the "TRACK" button to add The OA in your favorites. Rate the current season of The OA, which allows other visitors to figure out does the show The OA worth watching.
The OA is a 60 minute scripted mystery television series, which kicked off on December 16, 2016, on Netflix and is broadcast every Friday at . The show is currently in its 2nd season.
Netflix opted not to pick up The OA for Season 3. The OA officially canceled on Netflix. Sign up to track down your favorite TV shows.
f t g+
Rate "The OA" and/or Write A Review
Write a review (min. 300 words)
Total words count: 0 words. Words left: 1000
The OA: List of Episodes With Release Dates
02x08 Chapter 8: Overview March 22, 2019
02x07 Chapter 7: Nina Azarova March 22, 2019
02x06 Chapter 6: Mirror Mirror March 22, 2019
02x05 Chapter 5: The Medium & the Engineer March 22, 2019
02x04 Chapter 4: SYZYGY March 22, 2019
02x03 Chapter 3: Magic Mirror March 22, 2019
02x02 Chapter 2: Treasure Island March 22, 2019
02x01 Chapter 1: Angel of Death March 22, 2019
01x08 Chapter 8: Invisible Self December 16, 2016
01x07 Chapter 7: Empire of Light December 16, 2016
01x06 Chapter 6: Forking Paths December 16, 2016
01x05 Chapter 5: Paradise December 16, 2016
01x04 Chapter 4: Away December 16, 2016
01x03 Chapter 3: Champion December 16, 2016
01x02 Chapter 2: New Colossus December 16, 2016
01x01 Chapter 1: Homecoming December 16, 2016
Related shows by Netflix
Copyright © 2020 A.C. Niche Media LLC


At maurices, we strive to inspire the women in Independence, MO to look and feel your best. That's why we offer a wide selection of women's jeans, tops, dresses, and shoes in sizes 2-24. Come find your community and new favorite outfit at 18801 East 39th Street in Independence Center.


Once a person finishes their treatment for addiction in a rehabilitation facility, usually the recommendation is to move into a sober living. This transitional residency is suggested as an instrumental means to keep getting a solid foundation in recovery. When someone lives in a sober living, or a halfway house, they are applying life skills that they learned in rehab and establishing new skills that they are acquiring hands on. Having accountability to a house manager, can help them to utilize their recovery tools in real life situations instead of being confined to just the four walls of their rehab.
Moving into a sober living is a rite of passage that has become a regular practice in recovery that has yielded some good results in persons that are wanting make sobriety part of their lifestyle. With this recovery model being located in a standard neighborhood, a person is given an opportunity for routineness while being regulated. With the label of "addict" or "alcoholic" that goes along with a sober living, neighbors may not be as thrilled to find out that the house is occupied by persons that are newly sober, possible criminals, and perhaps possess mental illness.
With the direction that sober livings have started to go in neighborhoods around the country, there is fear that these sober livings will take up the whole street with a few family homes mixed in while charging $5,000 a month per client without housing regulations being monitored. What has started happening is that sober livings may begin to amass a couple of houses for living, one for dining, one for meeting, and one for recreational purposes. While the intent is to a provide a safe place for a person to evolve from a treatment center to the real world, the persons that own the house are making a pretty penny on their own terms and not giving the nearby residents a choice of whether they want to live in such proximity to sober living houses.
A new bill in California has been introduced to safeguard the home owners in such a community. The bill would instruct the State Department of Health Care Services to ban having two or more sober livings within 300 feet of one another to keep overconcentration from resulting. This bill was developed to contain the number of rising sober livings that have started popping up around the surrounding cities of Los Angeles. If this bill were put into action, most likely it would only affect the sober livings that are trying to build an empire around the neighborhood and protect the rights of the neighbors.


Ever imagined that your furniture could be built completely with carboard layers? Chris Cushingham from New York glued layer upon layer together and added a walnut wooden veneer to the front. The console was built to fit HiFi audio equipment and a part of your record collection. It's an impressive console for showing vinyl records. Would this shelve fit your needs?
When you order your very own console it can be custom made to measure to your amplifiers, speakers and audio equipment. A secret compartment hidden behind the right speaker. Prices are at 1.600 USD for this unique shelve.
This entry was posted in Misc and tagged booth, Brooklyn, cardboard, Chris Cushingham, collection, Console, Cush Design, custom, designed, HiFi, New York, records, Shelve, unique, Vinyl, wooden. Bookmark the permalink.


text:
Post-Grad Music Reviews
Music Reviews from an overanalyzing junkie. Submissions for LPs and EPs are open! amcnal817@gmail.com
MisterWives – "Our Own House"
Key Tracks: "Reflections," "Coffins," "No Need For Dreaming"
Let's get this out of the way: there's nothing inherently special about MisterWives. They're not one of the more unique indie bands you're going to hear. But, it's their sweetness and earnest desire to just make music and bank off each other that makes them great. They've only existed for a short while, but on their full-length debut, they sound like a full-fledged band that's had years of practice. The band's pretty, vocal-heavy folk-indie is strong at every point.
I was lucky enough to catch MisterWives live at what had to have been one of their earliest shows. They were opening for another great band called Pyyramids in Manhattan, and I remember seeing enough of them to think that they seemed like a down-to-Earth, groovy group that was playing what they wanted to. On "Our Own House," they've expanded their sound, but they haven't lost much of the fun qualities that they had in that tiny Manhattan bar.
Three of the first five songs on this album have horns. Openers "Our Own House" and "Not Your Way," and fifth track "Best I Can Do." It's worth noting, because the band has an interesting strategy, where they come out with the bang of some extra musicians, before settling into who they are themselves. They bust out with a groove, with a funky grip that hooks you in for a few tracks before you things have calmed and you're listening to just a few people.
The best tracks on the album are the ones where MisterWives work as a collective – some songs are too heavy on vocals, but some are collective efforts. Two of the album's better songs, "No Need For Dreaming," and "Imagination Infatuation," are collaborative efforts. "Hurricane" is even more guitar-heavy. But even on the tracks on that aren't as cohesive, Mandy Lee Duffy's vocals are strong throughout. She's the anchor of the band; she formed it, she leads it, and her sweet but booming voice propels the band forward. The band's best song, "Reflections," is centered almost entirely around her vocals.
"Reflections" is one of five songs on the album that already existed, on last year's "Reflections" EP. But it's okay, because they're worked into the twining of the album organically. They're just reprints of the older versions, but they fit fine within the album's frame.
On first listen, MisterWives might seem like another folksy-indie throwaway band, but there's a lot of substance to their music. It's grasping, and catchy, and a ton of fun. There isn't a dull moment on their debut. What MisterWives really is, is five talented musicians sitting in a studio, simply creating whatever they want. And as far as the (pseudo-)indie-folk genre goes, MisterWives are already one of the better bands in the game.
if you like this, try: Company of Thieves. Genevieve Schatz's voice was sweet but dominant, like Duffy's, and the band also had a collaborative indie sound. "Oscar Wilde" is one of my permanent favorite songs.
-Andrew McNally
February 25, 2015 by Andrew McNally	Categories: "A" Or Higher: Best New Albums, Alternative, Folk, Indie	| Tags: A-, alternative, Coffins, Company of Thieves, folk, Hurricane, Imagination Infatuation, indie, Mandy Lee Duffy, MisterWives, MisterWives Our Own House review, No Need For Dreaming, Not Your Way, Pyyramids, Reflections | 2 Comments
← Imagine Dragons – "Smoke + Mirrors"
Jeff Rosenstock – "We Cool?" →
2 thoughts on "MisterWives – "Our Own House""
Pingback: Nerina Pallot – "The Sound and the Fury" | Post-Grad Music Reviews
Pingback: MisterWives – "Connect the Dots" | Post-Grad Music Reviews
Categories Select Category "A" Or Higher: Best New Albums (4) Alternative (115) Comedy (10) Country (4) Electronica (14) Emo (23) Fade In Playlists (3) Folk (27) Hip-Hop/Rap (31) Indie (66) Lo-fi (10) Metal (12) Opinion (12) Pop (36) Punk (52) Rock (131) Uncategorized (44)
100 Albums & 50 Songs I Loved in 2020
Grimes – "Miss Anthropocene"
75 Albums I Loved in 2019
Top 100 Albums of 2018
My Favorite Albums of 2017
Archives Select Month December 2020 February 2020 January 2020 January 2019 February 2018 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 January 2017 December 2016 August 2016 July 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013
††† - "†††"
U2 - "Songs of Innocence"
Kyle Kinane - ""I Liked His Old Stuff Better""


Why I love Red Cabbage..
This powerful veggie has amazing health benefits you'll be surprised..
The Power of Purple vegetables is underrated. Red Cabbage believe it or not has one of the most enriching vitamins and rewarding health perks which can boost your well being. Researchers say eating two cups of red cabbage daily can slow aging, cure diseases like cancer, boost immune system leaving satisfaction to the body adding glowing perfected skin.
FYI I love cabbage. It has definitely made a difference in how I feel daily. Why refused to reap its natural benefits? Its simply crunchy, fun and looks beautiful to serve.
Cabbage has anti-age fighting mechanisms.
Vitamin A- 187% Contributes to the healthy growth of the the retinol (eyes) to see brightness. Vitamin A also contribute to other significant factors for the body, like healthy immune system. For instance, the eyes are Organic Compounds providing protein which are significant for vision growth development.
Vitamin K- 216% A fat soluble. Vitamin K is known as the clotting vitamin, because without it blood would not clot. It also contributes to healing wounds. It is also found in green leafy vegetables such as Romaine, Kale, and Parsley.
Vitamin C- 797% A water soluble known as ascorbic acid. Vitamin C is an powerful antioxidant which contributes to connective tissues, healthy bones, skin and blood vessels. Can be found in fruits like strawberries and oranges.
Raw foods is the purest way to fight free radicals and other harmful chemicals found in meats and process foods.
How to Create your magic bowl of salad. One way to prepare Red Cabbage is to take it to work. Doesn't make sense? Try it? Create your magical bowl of salad first by sharing. Invite friends and co-workers to try it. One bowl can change your life.
Make a tasty salad come alive!! Make cabbage soup, add cooked cabbage to pasta, or just crunch on as a leveraging snack.
(Non vegans add sliced chicken).
What Are The Benefits From Eating Red Cabbage.
Next article Why Fjallraven Backpacks Forever?


lots of the on hand literature in instant networking and cellular computing concentrates at the actual point of the topic, akin to spectrum administration and telephone re-use. as a rule, an outline of primary dispensed algorithms that aid cellular hosts in a instant surroundings is both no longer integrated or is just in brief discussed.
Handbook of Algorithms for instant Networking and cellular Computing makes a speciality of a number of features of cellular computing, relatively algorithmic tools and allotted computing with cellular communications strength. This quantity offers the subjects which are an important for development the root for the layout and development of destiny generations of cellular and instant networks, together with mobile, instant advert hoc, sensor, and ubiquitous networks.
Following an research of primary algorithms and protocols, the ebook bargains a simple review of instant applied sciences and networks and a dialogue of the convergence of communique and computation. different subject matters comprise matters with regards to mobility, with a spotlight at the production of thoughts that regulate linked uncertainties; elements of QoS provisioning in instant networks; a comparability of various instant TCP proposals; a assessment of basic algorithms for Bluetooth instant own region networks (WPANs); and investigations of destiny voice and video entry networks; and a overview of power functions of pervasive computing and cellular e-commerce.
Within the excessive frequency international, the passive applied sciences required to achieve RF and microwave performance current specified demanding situations. observed filters, dielectric resonators, MEMS, and waveguide do not need opposite numbers within the low frequency or electronic setting. even if traditional lumped parts can be utilized in excessive frequency functions, their habit doesn't resemble that saw at decrease frequencies.
Verbal exchange units akin to shrewdpermanent telephones, GPS platforms, and Bluetooth, at the moment are a part of our day-by-day lives greater than ever earlier than. As our verbal exchange apparatus turns into extra subtle, so do the radios and different required to permit that know-how. universal radio architectures are required to make this know-how paintings seamlessly.
Cooperative and Cognitive satellite tv for pc platforms presents a superb evaluation of the present examine within the box of cooperative and cognitive satellite tv for pc structures, assisting clients know how to include state of the art verbal exchange suggestions in cutting edge satellite tv for pc community architectures to let the subsequent new release of satellite tv for pc structures.
This ebook makes use of tutorials and new fabric to explain the elemental innovations of soft-computing which almost certainly can be utilized in real-life sensor community functions. it's equipped in a fashion that exemplifies using an collection of soft-computing functions for fixing varied difficulties in sensor networking.


New research comparing fresh and frozen embryo transfer by Shi, Y. et. al. (2018) has found that live birth rates are equivalent between the two types of embryo transfer but that frozen embryo transfer significantly lowers the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS).
In this multi-centre randomised controlled trial, 2157 who were undergoing their first IVF were randomly allocated to receive either fresh or frozen embryo transfer. The live birth rate did not differ significantly between the two groups. However, frozen embryo transfer resulted in significantly lower risk of OHSS than fresh embryo transfer (0.6% vs 2.0% relative risk). The risk of other adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes did not differ significantly between the 2 groups.
For more details you can read the full article in The New England Journal of Medicine.
A study by Julie Hennegan, Jane Henderson and Maggie Redshaw shows increased risk of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-type symptoms in fathers who held their stillborn babies.
In this study, women were asked at nine months whether their partner had seen and held their stillborn baby after birth, and about their partners' subsequent wellbeing. Almost all fathers, 92%, saw their baby, and 82% held them.
At three months, partners who had held their stillborn babies had more than two-and-a-half times the risk of depression, and nearly twice the risk of PTSD-type symptoms compared to those who had not held their stillborn babies, even when comparing partners of similar characteristics. There was weaker evidence at nine months of a difference in outcomes between fathers who had held their stillborn baby and ones that had not, although a trend towards poorer outcomes remained.
You can read the study in the Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology.
What information do women need when choosing where to give birth?
Current guidelines support offering 'low risk' women a choice of birth setting, including a midwifery unit, at home, or in a hospital labour ward or obstetric unit. But how do women choose between these options and what information do they receive and need in order to make a choice?
As part of the Birthplace Choices project, a team of researchers led from the NPEU by Jennifer Hollowell and Rachel Rowe, and also including Lisa Hinton from the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, carried out a focus group study using an innovative online approach with a national sample of pregnant women to explore their choices.
Women in our study drew on multiple sources of information when choosing where to give birth; their midwife was not their primary source of information. Women wanted to be able to know what their options were early in pregnancy and to be able to consider, explore and discuss these with their midwife throughout their pregnancy, not at a fixed point in time.
You can read the paper which is published in BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth.
The BUMPES trial has been featured on the MoreTrials website in the 'Trials that matter' series. BUMPES was led at the NPEU by Ed Juszczak, Pollyanna Hardy and Oliver Rivero-Arias as part of a multicentre collaborative group. Women who had received an epidural anaesthetic were randomised to either an upright or lying down position in the second stage of labour. The primary outcome of the trial was spontaneous vaginal birth.
Women in the lying down group had significantly better chance of spontaneous vaginal birth, and no disadvantages were apparent on the short or longer term for both mother and baby.
You can read more about the BUMPES study in the British Medical Journal.
Throughout 2018 as part of our 40th Anniversary celebrations we will be rolling out this new identity on our new documents and correspondence.
We are delighted to announce that we received two awards at the University of Oxford's 4th Annual Apprenticeship Awards and Graduation Ceremony. Our very own Katherine Whitcher, Apprentice Software Developer and Tester, took home the Best Poster award for a poster submission illustrating her personal apprenticeship journey in NPEU. Sarah Chamberlain and Andy Kirk both won the Apprenticeship Manager Award. Sarah is NPEU's Graphic and Multimedia Designer and Andy is the manager for NPEU's designs, publications and website.
This year's award ceremony was held on the 7th of December at the Sheldonian Theatre. It brought together apprentices and their family members, among others, to celebrate the continuing successful work of the University's apprenticeship programme. Further information about the ceremony is available on the University of Oxford website.
Well done Katherine, Sarah and Andy!


(CNN) — Gmail doesn't cost any money to use, but it's not free.
Google's popular online e-mail service, which turns 10 Tuesday, may not charge for its Gmail accounts. But the company is still collecting payment in the form of massive amounts of personal information about the people who use it.
With an estimated 500-plus million users, Gmail has grown to dominate the Web-mail world. It has also repeatedly found itself in hot water over privacy. Gmail is facing multiple privacy lawsuits in the United States and Europe, some accusing the company of illegal wiretapping for scanning the content of e-mails.
Google reported $16.86 billion in revenues for the last quarter of 2013 alone. One way it makes money from Gmail is by automatically scanning and indexing messages and using the data it mines to show relevant ads to its users.
"The basic premise of Gmail is, we'll give you a robust e-mail service and in exchange we want to display ads alongside our e-mail and we're scanning your e-mail to decide what ads are most relevant," said Eric Goldman, a professor at the Santa Clara University School of Law.
Gmail looks for keywords that identify topics of discussion based on things such as frequency and context, then matches the e-mail up with related ads. A conversation thread about meeting up at a spinning class, for example, might trigger an ad for a weight-loss product.
Data gathered through e-mail scanning can also be used to create user profiles for future ad targeting.
What many consumers don't consider is that companies such as Google can create a comprehensive profile of each user based on information from different products such as search, maps, e-mail and Google+, its social network.
"Nothing in life is free, and as a result it is important for people to understand what value they bring to a free service of any kind," saidBehnam Dayanim, a partner at the law firm Paul Hastings LLP in Washington.
When people send and receive messages using a free e-mail service, they are sharing details about their interests, who their connections are and what their finances look like. That information might seem mundane on the surface, but when extracted and organized, it's incredibly valuable to marketers and advertisers.
All the major e-mail providers, including Microsoft Outlook and Yahoo, benefit one way or another from offering a free service. The provider might serve up general or targeted ads, generate a user base for marketing other services, or just use the e-mail service to build brand recognition.
And while Gmail may have popularized it, targeted ads based on user data has become the primary business model for many tech companies. It's how social media companies such as Facebook and search engines such as Bing make money as well as a huge number of apps that scrape contact and location information from users. It's also led to a number of similar privacy lawsuits against other companies, including LinkedIn, Yahoo and Facebook.
However, many of the details about how exactly Google's program works have been kept confidential. And critics say the service doesn't adequately disclose what it is doing with customers' information.
When Gmail made its debut in 2004, it was upfront about the fact that it would show contextual ads targeted to match the topic of e-mail threads. People still lined up to be accepted as early beta users of the service because it was slickly designed, included ample amounts of storage, and was excellent at filtering out spam. And it didn't cost anything to sign up.
Google has defended its e-mail scanning program by pointing out that it's automated and handled by computers picking out keywords. Google's employees aren't personally reading through e-mails for the latest lovers' spat.
Google also says the scans are necessary to cut down on malicious e-mails and spam, and for features such as Priority Inbox and the tabbed view that filters e-mails into different categories.
A federal judge dealt a blow to the case this month, ruling it couldn't proceed as a class-action lawsuit because the different groups weren't cohesive enough. A class-action lawsuit could have cost Google trillions of dollars in damages.
When Gmail debuted in 2004, the rules for collecting user information were looser. But the privacy landscape has changed drastically over the past 10 years.
Several U.S. states have passed laws that restrict the use of personal information, the Federal Trade Commission has been more active pursuing privacy violations, and the industry has adopted best practices about what's acceptable.
One thing that hasn't changed is the federal law with the biggest impact on how and when companies can share data with third parties. The Electronics Communication Privacy Act is a dusty piece of legislation passed in 1986, long before the era of cloud-based e-mail. Many legislators and technology companies (including Google) have lobbied to have the law updated to reflect the times.
Meanwhile, consumers must increasingly weigh the value of using a free e-mail service such as Gmail against their personal privacy.


Britain's new aircraft carriers can't defend themselves against Russia's latest hypersonic antiship missile.
The problem? Russia's 3M22 Zircon streak toward their target as fast as Mach 6, or 4,600 miles per hour. But the Sea Ceptor defensive missiles on the Queen Elizabeth–class carriers can only intercept targets traveling up to Mach 3, or about 2,300 miles per hour, anonymous British defense officials told the British press.
The Zircon has an estimated range of 250 miles. Traveling six times the speed of sound, it could reach that maximum distance in a little over three minutes.
And if that news wasn't bad enough, it now turns out that estimates of the Zircon's speed may have been premature. Russia's TASS news agency now reports that the Zircon achieved a speed of Mach 8 during recent tests. That would mean the missile reached a speed of 6,138 miles per hour.
The Zircon will replace P700 Granit missiles on the Kirov-class nuclear-powered battlecruisers Pyotr Velikiy and Admiral Nakhimov, as well as submarines. Though the Granit has a slighter longer range of about 390 miles, its estimated maximum speed is only Mach 2.5.
So what does all this mean? Not a great deal, despite Pravda's boast that the Zircon means Russia "would be able to annihilate an up-to-date British aircraft carrier at one fell swoop" (see the video here).
Britain is not about to cancel a nearly $10 billion program for carriers that will be the jewels in the Royal Navy's crown. The leaks to the British press from naval officers no doubt reflect legitimate concerns, but they also serve as leverage for bigger budgets to fund weapons to stop Russian hypersonic missiles.
If Russia hopes to achieve conventional deterrence with its hypersonic missiles—don't mess with us, Britain, or we'll wipe the White Ensign off the seas—then they're aiming at the wrong target. If Russia and NATO manage to avoid conflict in eastern Europe, it will be because of political sensibility and not hypersonics.
Finally, it's important to remember just how much we don't know here. We don't know how these hypersonic missiles will perform in combat, either in terms of flight characteristics (note that DARPA's experimental Mach 20 hypersonic gliders encountered heating and instability problems during tests) or in terms of sensors and electronic warfare. Nor do we know how shipboard defenses will evolve as the advent of tactical antimissile lasers draws nearer.


text:
austin_dern —
austin_dern
austin_dern ( austin_dern) wrote,
When logic and proportion have fallen sloppy dead
After trick-or-treating ended, we went up to our hipster bar, because they were having a costume party and bands playing and all that. bunny_hugger got out her rabbit partial fursuit and I put on my coati ears and tail and we came in to find, first, that there was a nice variety of people wearing pretty good outfits, including a Tom Baker Doctor Who, Aquaman and what I assume to be Mrs Aquaman, masquerade and carnivale characters, witches, Adventure Time characters, a couple Ponies because of course, the works. A good blend of characters. Also there was the guy who organized the Lansing Pinball League, and two of his friends, one of whom was just joining the league, the other of whom is one of the best players in it. The best-player friend looked as close to flabbergasted as his relaxed personality lets him get to see bunny_hugger in costume. She played, too, several games, some of which turned out pretty well considering she had a field of vision nearly as wide as half a pinball.
When we got out from pinball bunny_hugger got a healthy number of photo requests, starting with one Korean-looking guy who ran up to her and squealed at the awesomeness and insisted he had to have a picture with all his friends --- and me in the background, he insisted --- and it'd go kind of like that. People like big rabbits wearing Michigan State sweatshirts, at least in Lansing. Most were pretty good about coming up and asking, which is good, as bunny_hugger could hear almost nothing between her suit and the metal band playing extremely loud and fast (``we've got four more songs, which should take us about two minutes'').
We were getting closer to midnight, and things were getting a little ... bar late on a drinking holiday. I started feeling wary when I saw a guy come up to Tom Baker Doctor Who, and get shoved by the Doctor and fall onto the floor. But the guy took it as almost comical --- maybe he exaggerated how much he was shoved so he could be the clown? --- but I was ready for a fight with the potential to be a viral video to break out.
Then a very drunk guy calling bunny_hugger awesome came up and pawed all over her. He grabbed her, shook her around, started giving her head a noogie even. She screamed for me, and I pushed myself between him and her and tried to figure how to get a very drunk guy off the idea of mangling the fursuiter. I tried telling him --- and then I had to yell into his ear, because of the band --- that the suit was fragile, he was going to break it, he had to be gentle, it's very delicate. My guess was this was less likely to escalate the situation than ``stop battering my wife, you drunken lout'' would have been. He --- understood may be a strong word, given his apparent state --- accepted this and begged for a picture, and I figured that a picture of him with her was the best way to buy time and get her out of the scene.
He gave me his cell phone to use, and I don't know how to work that. I think I had my finger over the flash, if it worked at all, so he got a picture that was a black shape with a vague outline of another black shape. And so help me my inner camera nerd said I had to take another picture because that didn't come out, and he said no, it was great, without seeing it. I assume the next day he woke up feeling a bit hung over and wondering what he did with a giant white rabbit the night before, and looked at his phone, and wondered why that didn't help any.
We fled, and do not believe that her costume sustained any serious damage. But, well, neither of us imagined someone at the bar breaking one of the furry fandom's handful of actual rules, don't touch the fursuiters without invitation, so that ended a great night on a terrifying moment.
Trivia: Charles Evan Fowler's design for the Ambassador Bridge, connecting Detroit with Windsor, Ontario, is largely the same design he proposed for a bridge to cross the Hudson River. Source: Engineers of Dreams: Great Bridge Builders and the Spanning of America, Henry Petroski.
Currently Reading: Ignition! An Informal History of Liquid Rocket Propellants, John D Clark.
PS: Some Stuff About Edmond Halley, whose birthday just ended (Eastern Time). Fourth since the last roundup.
And a partridge in a pear tree
Got my humor blog going with more of Grumpy Weasel and then comic strip stuff. A sampling, by which I mean the whole population: MiSTed:…
Drip, drip, drop
And now my attempts to write about last weekend get pushed back by breaking news. Friday's likely to be preempted too, and I should warn you…
With candy canes and silver lanes aglow
No time to write because of how much has been going on since Friday. Instead please consider learning What's Going On In Prince Valiant? Why are…


When I was in the fourth grade, my mom took me to our local bank in New Jersey – Hudson City Savings – and opened up a savings account in my name with $50 in it.
I got a little savings book with my name neatly type-written on the cover. I remember feeling suddenly very "adult" – especially now that I was rich!
Every week, or whenever I got some money, I took that little book straight to the bank where a kindly official smiled at me, and with a hollow ka-thunk of his big rubber stamp, recorded my small deposit. Even better than the big inky smudge was the idea that, through the magic of something called "compound interest," the money in this book would continue to grow. Even during the night while I slept. Like Jack's Beanstalk!
At the beginning of a New Year, many of us are left looking at our depleted savings accounts, wondering what the hell happened? Where did all that time and energy and money go? Not to mention the good intentions we had at the beginning of last year. It mocks us like a cheap champagne hangover.
In this delicate state, I am loath as a business coach to offer "resolutions" on top of all the other burdens we already feel. But what I often try to do for myself at the beginning of each year, is simply to begin saving again. Small deposits, put somewhere safe, that over time, slowly accrue interest. I have five "buckets" that I like to use. You may have more or less. The trick is to make daily investments in each of these, small enough so that we don't feel the pain.
1. Physical. Do something that improves your physical health. Instead of two hours parked in front of the TV or computer screen, can you turn it off and go for a 20-minute walk? Maybe you can walk to the store instead of driving? Climb the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator. I have even started taking some meetings while strolling in the park. We're more apt to begin on time, finish on time, and we get a little exercise in the process.
2. Emotional. It's vital that we spend our emotional energy wisely. The ways in which our emotional energy can be squandered are endless: the 24-hour bad news cycle, traffic, unreasonable deadlines, toxic people. Try to surround yourself with people who will uplift and inspire you, not deplete and depress you.
If that jerk on the radio makes your blood boil, then why are you listening to him? Spotting the negative influences may take some practice, as we have become so used them. But we don't have to indulge them.
3. Mental. The mind is like a muscle and needs exercise too. Can you learn one new thing every day? Big or small, it doesn't matter. Maybe it's somebody's name, a piece of history that you've always wondered about. Maybe you can learn one new word from the New York Times most frequently looked-up words list?
I read where author Philip Roth recently bought himself an iPhone. "Every morning I study a chapter in my 'iPhone for Dummies,'" he said. "And now I'm proficient." This from the man who won the Pulitzer Prize!
4. Spiritual. Try to get in touch with a "higher force," whatever you perceive that to be. You don't have to meditate for three hours a day, go to a mountaintop, pray to God or even believe in a God. But try to connect with something bigger than yourself for a few moments each day.
Even it's just to stare in awe at nature, or see your humanity reflected in another person. One of the best ways to do this is to practice gratitude daily. Pick out the things in your life that you are grateful for – especially those things you would normally take for granted.
The most effective prayer in the world has two words: "Thank you." When you do this, you will find yourself reconnected to the source.
5. Interpersonal. I call this the daily "reach out." It might be someone who has been on my mind recently. An old college friend I owe an email to. Someone I bumped into on an airplane once. An introduction I would like to make for someone.
It costs us nothing to pick up the phone, write 4 lines or tweet 140 characters. But it says to somebody, "Hey, I'm thinking about you." If you can add value, or give them something, then so much the better. Nobody can do everything on their own.
We need other people, just as other people need us. So try to practice one daily reach out. You may be surprised by the results.
This past year has been tough in many ways. We've seen a bruising election campaign in the U.S., political unrest overseas, a heartbreaking tragedy in Newtown, the destruction of Hurricane Sandy, and a still sluggish economy trying to grow.
But every New Year brings us renewed hope, and the chance to begin saving again. By taking me to Hudson City Savings Bank, my mom knew, even if I didn't, that I probably wasn't going to get rich anytime soon. But she also knew that good habits, practiced regularly over time, help us to grow in the right direction.
May all your small deposits yield big dividends in 2013.
Ann Mehl is an executive coach and career strategist based in New York City. She coaches, speaks and writes about how to navigate the changing world of work.
Hello, I found this information for you: "5 Simple Daily Habits to Practice This New Year". Here is the website link: https://www.entrepreneurmag.co.za/advice/personal-improvement/self-development/5-simple-daily-habits-to-practice-this-new-year/. Thank you.