text:
Gartner: Spending on social and collaboration software booms as remote work takes hold
The research firm confirmed that companies have been rushing to spend money on tools needed to keep their employees connected and productive.
By Matthew Finnegan
Senior Reporter, Computerworld |
Metamorworks / Getty Images
Spending on social and collaborative applications will likely see double-digit growth this year, according to a Gartner forecast, as businesses focus on keeping remote workers connected during the pandemic and beyond.
While videoconferencing tools such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Cisco Webex were the big winners of the global shift to remote working during 2020, there has also been an uptick in interest in other types of platforms that connect workers and facilitate ad-hoc communications and "watercooler"-style interactions.
[ Related: Remote working, now and forevermore? ]
Revenues in three software market segments – collaborative work management, enterprise social networks. and employee communication software – are set to reach almost $4.5 billion in 2021, a 17% increase from $3.8 billion in 2020, according to Gartner's "Forecast Analysis: Social and Collaboration Software in the Workplace, Worldwide."
The five-year revenue forecast predicts that revenues will increase by double-digit percentages each year to $6.9 billion in 2024; the research firm increased its long-term revenue growth forecast in comparison to its 2019 expectations due to the global shift toward remote work. Other drivers behind the increase include a rise in the number of knowledge workers globally, according to Gartner.
"The need to suddenly empty out all the office buildings, while keeping businesses afloat, gave a jolt to many markets, with social and collaboration being one of those at the forefront," said Craig Roth, research vice president at Gartner and one of the report's authors. "Social and collaboration products went from 'nice to have' to 'must have' within a period of a few weeks."
Of the three areas covered in the report, collaborative work management tools – including the likes of Asana, Trello and Monday – were the biggest driver of revenue growth, as businesses sought to digitize "non-routine" task management and coordination processes that would otherwise require back-and-forth emails. "Tracking and coordination of work outside of formal project plans became a lot more difficult when you couldn't just ask for status over a cube wall. These tools, which were on an upswing anyway, got an extra boost [during the pandemic]," said Roth.
The report also forecasts that collaborative and social functionality will increasingly be embedded into CRM, HR and ERP business applications. Gartner predicts that 65% of enterprise application software provides will include collaboration features in their products by 2025.
That trend is well under way. Microsoft recently announced that its Teams collaboration tool will be made accessible in elements of its Dynamics 365 portfolio, for example, while Salesforce's pending acquisition of team chat pioneer Slack is likely to bring tight integration across its suite of business apps.
The advantage of embedding social and collaboration functionality is the ability to include non-formalized processes, such as conversations or content sharing, in more process-oriented business tools.
"Going forward, we'll start seeing [collaboration] products integrated more into packaged business applications, as opposed to being a siloed product on the side that, every now and then, you exit your business application to do some collaboration, and then go back to 'work,'" said Roth. "It shouldn't feel that way."


WorkChain.io builds immutable work, payment and education records using blockchain's consensus model. Through the consensus model, "blocks" of data can only be permanently recorded to the blockchain once they have been verified through the consensus of those with access to the platform. This ensures the information is trusted and tamper-proof.
On top of this network of work, education and payment records, the applications workID and workPAY are built, drawing on the data of WorkChain.io.


The first wind turbine monopile foundation installed at Dudgeon.
As the operator and one of the owners of the Dudgeon Offshore Wind Farm, Statoil is pleased to be one of the sponsors of the 2017 Great Yarmouth Maritime Festival.
Last year Statoil completed its base at Berth 9 in South Denes Road, Great Yarmouth, from where the Dudgeon offshore construction activities are being managed, and from where all Operation and Maintenance work will be based for the lifetime of the wind farm.
The Dudgeon Offshore Wind Farm is being built 20 miles off the coast of Cromer in North Norfolk. It started to generate electricity in February 2017 and, when completed later this year, its 67 wind turbine generators are expected to generate sufficient electricity to power 410,000 UK homes annually.
This £1.4 billion project is creating a variety of UK opportunities. A number of British suppliers are involved in the wind farm's construction, and at least 70 local jobs directly associated with the operations phase have now been created, with additional indirect opportunities in the supply chain.
The organisation comprises 30-35 people working onshore in Great Yarmouth, supporting the 35-40 offshore technicians. Statoil has chartered the Esvagt Njord Service Offshore Vessel from which its offshore personnel work on a 14 days on /14 days off cycle. This highly distinctive vessel comes in to Great Yarmouth's river harbour every two weeks for technician changeover and to re-provision.
Statoil looks forward to welcoming Festival visitors to its stand in the Sponsors Marquee.


text:
Colorado recreational marijuana sales boom in month of March
Marijuana Marijuana |
Eli Mcvey
Marijuana Business Daily
DENVER — Recreational marijuana sales in Colorado eclipsed $105 million in March 2018, the highest monthly total for adult-use sales in the program's history.
The record-breaking month is part of a broader, seasonal trend playing out in Colorado's rec market, where sales have consistently spiked in early spring, midsummer and around holidays.
Seasonal sales trends are common in the retail landscape. Sales of lawn and garden equipment, for example, jump in the spring, while pens, pencils and notebooks all experience major sales boosts around back-to-school season in late summer.
But the marijuana industry is still in its infancy, and only recently has there been enough data to observe these reliable, repeatable sales trends.
And the data shows that March is an especially important month for Colorado's cannabis retailers, as it marks the beginning of peak sales season.
Historically, adult-use revenue surges in March, ramps up in the summer months and plateaus around August or September.
The sales increase in Colorado in March 2018 was particularly notable, with adult-use revenue up more than 23 percent from February. On a percentage basis, that represents the largest month-over-month sales gain in Colorado's rec market in more than three years.
Here's what you need to know about recreational marijuana sales in Colorado in the month of March:
—In every year since 2014, adult-use sales records have been set in March. Although March sales totals are eventually surpassed by sales in August or September, there has yet to be an instance where sales in March were less than any month in the previous year.
—In 2017, sales in March accounted for 8.5 percent of total adult-use revenue for the year. If that holds true in 2018, Colorado's rec market will reach approximately $1.25 billion — a 14 percent increase over adult-use sales in 2017.
—Since Colorado's adult-use industry launched in 2014, the largest month-over-month sales increases each year have come in March, with 2016 as the only exception. While some of these gains can be attributed to February being a short month, average daily sales in March also tend to be about 8 to 12 percent higher than in February.
—Tourists may contribute to the uptick in rec sales in March, but in-state customers likely drive most of the sales gains. Hotel occupancy in Denver was up 7 percentage points in March 2018 compared to February 2018. But, according to Google search trends, tourism season doesn't kick off until May. Average temperatures in Denver break 50 degrees for the first time each year in March, and the change from February represents the largest month-over-month temperature increase of the year. Furthermore, daylight saving time kicks off in March, giving Coloradans more time to socialize and enjoy the warmer weather.
Information from: Marijuana Business Daily, http://www.mjbizdaily.com

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Book Blitz: City of Masks by Ashley Capes
December 4, 2018 December 1, 2018 sophrilreads
City of Masks
Ashley Capes
(Bone Mask Trilogy #1)
Genres: Adult, Fantasy
A noble daughter burdened by power she never sought.
Perched on an unforgiving coast, the city of Anaskar is under threat from enemies within. Its own royal family feuds over possession of sentient bone masks of power, leaving Sofia Falco, daughter to the city's Lord Protector, to foil a conspiracy designed to strip her father of both his title and powerful Greatmask.
A bitter mercenary accused of murder.
Yet when disaster strikes, Sofia is forced to flee the palace and into the city where she crosses paths with mercenary Notch. But Notch has his own problems – accused of murder, he must fight to clear his name, all the while hunted by the city's robed assassins, the very people who are now searching for Sofia.
A young Pathfinder seeking vengeance.
Meanwhile, far across the western desert, Pathfinder Ain must overcome his doubts and leave on a hopeless quest. To restore his people to their rightful home, he must unlock the ancient mystery of Anaskar's Sea Shrine and the gargantuan sea beast that lurks beneath its harbour. Yet all who have gone before him have failed…
Follow three unlikely heroes on an epic fantasy adventure where the struggle over bone masks of power threatens to tear their city – and kingdom – into shreds.
Learn more about City of Masks!
What were your cultural influences for the world creation for The Bone Mask Trilogy? Why those?
The main influence was probably Italy for setting it was the coast of Amalfi in particular. The historical city was perched on the coast and actually slid from the mountain into the sea in the 14th Century so there's a bit of that influence on the city of Anaskar itself.
I also found smaller details from the region fun to incorporate into the setting, particularly the fire-lemon which is similar to limoncello, and a lot of the naming conventions are Italian-influenced with some Latin too. For a quick example, one character is named Lupo which would make his name "Wolf" in English. I followed such naming conventions throughout the city with people and placenames ─ all save the city itself Anaskar. (It's not strictly very Italian-sounding because it's actually a city that has been named by the previous occupants so I didn't want it to sound too Italian influenced.)
I think Italy has ended up the biggest influence because back in 2011 (when I first had the idea for a city under threat by a sea monster) my wife and I were in Italy and we were immediately smitten by the country ─ it was one of those once in a lifetime trips and I think I was just keen to soak in everything.
City of Masks weaves together politics, history, culture, and the action in this book. What kinds of research influenced the politics of your world?
Thanks! I drew upon monarchies and tribal systems mostly ─ always looking at where power lies in a group, I guess. Is it shared or is it guarded jealously? If it's disrupted, who takes what is left? Those sorts of questions are fun to explore as a writer.
I remember reading a lot about various royal families who always featured a brother or son (or uncle) keen to knock off a few family members on their way up to the throne. I think it was the shadowy Richard III that I recall the most.
I think all political structures tend to have an undeniable element of personality; the forceful, confident or clever tend to have the ability to direct others, no matter their title or lack of. With the desert-dwelling Medah people, for instance, despite there being multiple elders in the Cloud clan it's clear that Raila is holds the most sway; she tends to command the most respect in the group.
Do you have a playlist that you used while writing City of Masks?
Sort of! Nothing like a specific playlist on Spotify etc, but here's some of the albums that I remember playing quite a lot during the writing (and editing) of the story:
Pink Floyd – Animals
Prince – Sign o the Times
Killswitch Engage – Alive of Just Breathing
Opeth – Ghost Reveries
Black Sabbath – Heaven and Hell
Yo Yo Ma – Silk Road Ensemble
Janko Nilovic – Rythmes Contemporains
The chill of prison bars against his temple did little to ease Notch's headache. Decades of dank didn't help either, nor snoring from another cell, where someone was impersonating a bear. Or dying. In the poor light it was hard to tell.
Notch squinted. Noon sun barely crept through the small, grated windows on his side of the building. Even cells across the way were shadowed. Sunlight, in addition to a piece of bread and some water, were high points, while the straw 'bed' and stale body odour of criminals were typically unpleasant. Worse places than Anaskar City prison existed. At least he hadn't been beaten yet – a twinge in his shoulder reminded him how much some guards enjoyed their work.
His cellmate raised his voice and Notch turned. The man had probably been speaking for some time; his drawn face was expectant. Years of imprisonment had washed out his Anaskari tan.
Notch leaned against the bars. "What is it, Bren?"
"Did you kill her, truly?"
Bren nodded. "Innocent then." He knelt in the corner, his fine coat of blue long since gone to grime, his face pressed against the stone wall. "Listen to this one." He scratched at an armpit with some vigour. "It's hard to see but I think it says 'death to the Shields of Anaskar' and it's got a signature, but I can't make it out."
Notch grunted. Nothing special for a convicted man to write; since waking on a pile of old blankets that morning and meeting his cellmate, he'd heard a dozen similar sentiments. Through Bren's meandering introduction, Notch had winced, probing his body. Both arms and chest were heavily bruised and his head so fragile he wouldn't be surprised to learn a wagon rolled over it last night. Possibly twice. He wasn't drunk, though the smell of ale was on his breath. One damn drink, that was all.
And there was blood.
His leathers and tunic were splattered a dark red. Not his own blood, the City Vigil told him as much when they hauled him off the street, as if he couldn't figure that much out. But whose? His own memory was unreliable, which made no sense. He hadn't been drunk, truly drunk, since right after the war. When he bore another name. A name he left on some tavern floor, after making a convincing go of drinking the memories away. A good bath did for the sand on his body, but the blood-soaked sand in his mind? No amount of ale had washed that away.
And now the Vigil were telling him he'd been so intoxicated he had to be dragged to the prison?
Unlikely.
"The Shields probably caught him doing something bad, that's why he wrote this," Bren continued, tapping on the wall. His too-bright eyes looked up at Notch.
"I'd say so."
"Like us, Notch. We've done bad things, we have."
"So you keep saying."
Bren laughed, its shrillness cutting through Notch's skull. If it hadn't been unsettling, Notch would have thumped him, but there was something wrong with Bren. Any fool could see that.
"The guards say you've got a few days. That they can't hang you sooner, because there's too many in the queue. Waiting to hang."
"Thanks, Bren."
A moment of quiet fell between them. Distant voices drifted from beyond the prison walls. Notch clenched his jaw. He should have been out there. On his way to another job. The Blue Lady, a fat merchant ship, would have sailed with most of his possessions on board.
His father's sword.
No chance of seeing it again. He wrapped his hands around cold bars and squeezed.
"The guards say it too, the guards say you killed her," Bren said, unperturbed.
He crept forward. "So?"
"So I don't remember." He frowned. "But I wouldn't harm a child."
Blood blossomed on Sofia's finger and she cursed, chisel clattering to the bench beside an unfinished mask. Bone dust stirred and a row of heads popped up in bright lamplight as young women in the Carver's chamber turned to her.
"What's wrong?" Pietta spun on her stool. Both her grey carver's robe and face were smudged with fine white dust.
"It's nothing." Sofia wiped her finger on the rough fabric of her own robe. "Just a tiny cut."
Pietta pointed. "It's on your mask too."
Sofia groaned. A pink smear marred the otherwise pristine surface of the mask. She had completed one eye. The groove for the mouth and ridges for nose and cheeks were already carved, but she'd have to start again if she couldn't clean it. The Mascare would not accept a mask dishonoured by any stain. Not that it really mattered – the masks were just symbols of office, costume for tradition. A way to honour the past and intimidate the populace.
It wasn't as though she was carving a Greatmask.
She wound a strip of fabric over her cut and reached for a small vial with a clear solution. A few drops and a dry cloth were enough to remove most of the stain. "That's better." She kept rubbing.
"Aren't you annoyed?"
"Of course. But it's not so bad." Sofia grinned. "I'm still one mask ahead."
Pietta glared at her, but her own smile was not far behind. She kept her voice low. "You know, I heard the Mascare might open the order to common folk. To bolster numbers."
"That's just a rumour. Father said it's only being discussed."
Conversations hushed and chisels slowed. Two figures approached. Lady Alda escorted a Shield across the chamber. He stared directly ahead, as if unaware of the sets of eyes trained upon him. Captain Emilio. Youngest member of the Honour Guard.
Pietta stared up at him but Sofia saw only the grave expression on Lady Alda's plump face. "Sofia dear, that will be all for today. The Lord Protector has returned. He wishes to speak with you. Captain Emilio will escort you."
"Has something happened?"
"Not here." The two ushered Sofia toward the exit. The scrape of chisels resumed. Alda pulled open the large doors, their beaten-steel surface showing a looming mask and chisel. Sofia glanced back. Pietta's expression was caught between worry and envy, as the doors swung shut.
Ashley is an Australian novelist, poet & teacher. You might have read his epic fantasy 'The Bone Mask Trilogy' or maybe you're familiar with his other work, the fantasy/adventure series 'The Book of Never.' Either way, you can read more about his books and get access to giveaways and free books via his newsletter below 🙂
Ashley occasionally dabbles in film, is addicted to 80s cartoon shows and Studio Ghibli films, and finds himself constantly awed by the simple beauty of haiku. He is also convinced that 'Magnum PI' is one of the greatest TV shows ever.
Sign up to Ashley's newsletter for free books and news:
http://www.subscribepage.com/b5w1k0
Find out about Ashley's fiction:
http://www.cityofmasks.com/
Check out Ashley's poetry:
http://www.ashleycapes.com/
Website / Newsletter / Twitter / Goodreads
Published by sophrilreads
View all posts by sophrilreads
Adult Ashley Capes Blogging book blitz Book Blog Book blogging books City of Masks Fantasy Xpresso Book Tours
Previous Post It's Monday! What Are You Reading? December 3, 2018
Next Post Book Blitz: April in Atlantis by Alyssa Day


For public trackers, we seed until the upload ratio is 1.00 or for up to 1 day, whichever comes first.
Longer seed times will imply that you will end up with more active torrents in your account. This might require you to have more torrent slots which are available in bigger plans.


Errol did such a terrific job photographing our wedding. We opted for a small intimate wedding and were considering not having a photographer but I'm so happy that we reconsidered. Our family loved Errol as much as they love the pictures. He captured moments that we will forever treasure and he wasn't obtrusive at all. As a bonus, we received a montage of photos that includes music from his wife! This personal touch means so much to my husband and I and we couldn't be happier. Absolutely one of the best decisions we made for our wedding!
If I could give Errol Daniels Photography more than 5 stars, I would! Errol grabbed all the photos I could have wanted. With such a large wedding, I'm sure it was not an easy task! But, he did it! I am VERY happy with the pictures. My guests all complimented me on how great the photographer was. I can't express how great working with Errol Daniels and his co-photographer, Camille, was for me. So, hopefully the 5 star rating will speak for me!
After a year of planning our daughter's wedding, the day was over before we knew it. Thankfully, Errol's exceptional talent as a photojournalist has enabled us to 're-live' this sacred, special time over and over again. Many images are moments that we would have otherwise missed had Errol not thoughtfully captured them on film! Errol is an accomplished photographer. The resolution and composition of his images testify to the excellence of his work behind the camera lens. Errol is also a dedicated professional. He is easy to work with, prompt in his responses and willing to accommodate unusual requests. Even doing a shoot from the top of a 90 meter ski jump! Lastly, unlike many other photographers, Errol is unobtrusive. If we didn't have the images, we would have hardly been aware of his presence through the entire day of the wedding. Now that all our children are married, Errol is beginning to document the arrival of our grandchildren . And yes, he will go into the delivery room, too! We are proud to recommend Errol and are confident that you will be pleased with his documentation of your life event!
My fiance and I searched for weeks for a photographer who would capture our important day. We picked Errol Daniels because we loved his website. Also, because two of my co-workers loved his work for their weddings. To me, the photographs were going to keep our memories alive after the wedding. I was so right. The photos we picked are fabulous and remind us of the wonderful time everybody had. Errol has a unique knack of slipping in and out of crowds so smoothly that it seemed as if he was invisible. He is completely unobtrusive and so respective of capturing the important moments. He also loves kids and was able to shot photographs of them that are delightful. Errol explained everything to me prior to the wedding and was readily available to me whenever I had a question. Every question I had was received with importance and concern. There were no surprises. Everything was clear. Planning a wedding can be a very overwhelming event with lots of aggravation. Everything about the photography for the wedding was a pleasure and left me with time to take care of the annoying planning responsibilities. I highly recommend Errol Daniels Photography and have recommended him to all of my friends.
Errol Daniels Photography made everything on my wedding day so easy. They were flexible as well as accommodating. They kept our "staged" photos moving quickly. Even my guests commented on what a pleasure they were to work with. My beautiful pictures were returned to me very quickly, and Errol followed up to make sure I was totally happy. It felt like our wedding day was over in the blink of an eye. I'm happy that Errol Daniels Photography was there capturing every moment so that we can relive it again and again!
Errol Daniels was the wedding photographer that my new husband and I chose to hire. He captured all of the most beautiful things about our wedding day. Everything that I would have chosen to remember forever. Each important moment, and every one of the details we worked so hard on while planning our wedding. This is a photographer that has the perfect intuition about what moments to capture, and just how an image should look. He has the perfect timing and the technical skill. But perhaps even more importantly, he has the people skills to make the bride and groom comfortable and relaxed.
All of the intimate, beautiful moments after my husband saw me in my wedding dress for the first time. During our first dance. We looked so natural in the photos. He got amazing pictures without distracting us from the moment. I really feel like he captured our essence as a couple perfectly. When making arrangements to book him for our wedding, he was very professional. He was also responsive, and worked with us to schedule a meeting even though our schedules were difficult. He went over every detail and took the time to get to know us and what we wanted out of a wedding photographer. I'm really glad that we hired him.
Errol is of the best capturing the moments that make the day special! We used Errol for our daughter's wedding this summer and couldn't be happier. He truly does "tell a story". My favorite photos were not the posed ones, but the ones that captured the joy, excitement and love that radiated. From my daughter and her new husband, to our family and friends who shared this wonderful day with us.
The photo album for my wedding was one of the most important aspects of this affair. I had family flying in from all over the world and I wanted to make sure that every moment was captured. After a very long three months of interviewing photographers, we finally decided to go with Errol. He stood out from the rest because he is very friendly and personable. Not only that, but he is very creative (his portfolio is amazing). His energy was very positive and caring. On our day, Errol was punctual, professional, and was naturally intuitive to where, when, and how to shoot pictures. His work ethic is second-to-none. He was a stealthy photo ninja, we hardly noticed him working. Shortly after we returned from our honeymoon, Errol delivered the photos and they were breathtaking!


text:
Multimedia bank
The month of record
Reportages vidéos
in ShortNon classé
UN Security Council: Five countries elected as new non-permanent members, including Gabon and Ghana
Admin 11/06/2021 Conseil de sécurité de l'ONUONU
Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were elected on Friday by the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly to serve as the next non-permanent members of the UN Security Council from January 1, 2022 for a two-year term.
Ce message est également disponible en : FrenchArabic
Tags :Conseil de sécurité de l'ONUONU
Fatima Maada Bio, African Champion of Sanitation and Hygiene
West Africa: World Bank disburses US$465 million for energy
Global growth forecast to slow to 1.9% in 2023, warn UN
The latest #WorldEconomyReport by UN DESA predicts global growth to slow sharply to 1.9% in 2023, from 3% in 2022....
Burkina Faso: Essakane gold mine delivers 480,000 ounces in 2022
The Essakane gold mine produced 480,000 ounces in 2022, Lamgold announced on January 17, 2023. The Canadian company, which owns...
Banking and finance: Access Bank Cameroon records more than USD 16 million in deposits in H2 2022
Access Bank Cameroon, a subsidiary of the Nigerian group Access Bank, has recorded more than 16 million dollars (or 10...
Africa-Middle East: E-commerce development at heart of Ethiopian Airlines-MailAmericas partnership
Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa will serve as a hub to develop e-commerce between Africa and the Middle East, under a...
Africa News Agency (ANA) est une Agence de presse spécialisée sur l'Afrique et les sujets Nord-Sud. Sa vocation est d'accompagner les médias dans leur traitement médiatique d'une Afrique en mutation.
Email:info@africanewsagency.fr
Website:www.africanewsagency.fr


Imagine my initial reaction then, when walking through the hallowed halls of the LA Convention Centre after collecting our E3 passes, we were faced with some advertising boards announcing the summer release of a new and improved edition of Gauntlet – a game I have fond memories of playing in arcades during my youth, and something on which my brother and I spent almost all of our pocket money whilst on holiday.
The original Gauntlet was the forerunner of the modern day dungeon crawler, a fast-paced game of top down action, running around corridors and rooms teeming with ghosts and goblins, picking up coins, looking for food, and taking out generators to lessen the assault of the enemy to gain enough room to clear the level and move on to the next stage. It has a place of honour in my memories as one of my favourite ever gaming icons, so seeing that Arrowhead Game Studios and Warner Bros had taken this old friend and dragged it (to my mind) kicking and screaming into the 21st century brought out a very mixed reaction in me.
On the one hand, I was excited that this absolute gem of a game from my past was being given a new lease of life. On the other hand, my natural scepticism and wariness of 'all things remade' left me feeling a tad uneasy, so, when the doors opened on the South Hall, I immediately made my way to the Warner Bros booth and prepared myself for a massive explosion of indignation and self righteous ranting at the people who dared defile my precious recollections.
Arrowhead Games have taken the Gauntlet of old and have lovingly crafted a new masterpiece that retains almost all of the characteristics of the old and melded them with modern graphics to recreate a masterpiece and imbue it with all of the nostalgia one would expect of something that is almost thirty years old. I cannot express enough how well they have managed this process and how impressive it is that they have faithfully kept the detail and quirkiness of the original, yet have still given it a modern feel and flow with pristine environments and impressive effects that could well pave the way to this becoming a modern-day classic.
They have made a minor alteration to the top down view of the original to that of a slightly angled view, but as it's only really a few degrees off true top-down it retained that feeling while allowing for a proper three-dimensional effect to the dungeons and corridors our embattled heroes find themselves in.
Those heroes could well be the descendants of the originals too, with the Barbarian, Valkyrie, Elf, and Sorcerer all returning to where their forefathers found fame and fortune, each with their own unique approach to battling the hordes. The Barbarian is the tank figure, best deployed up close and personal with devastating spin attacks and an axe ready to inflict massive damage. The Valkyrie, a slightly more balanced approach with spear and shield, equally at home in close, or at a moderate distance slinging her shield and sending her enemies reeling. The Elf, a master bowman able to bring enemies down from a distance with his arrows, and also able to fire a bomb shot that will devastate the massed ranks of undead. Finally, we have The Sorcerer – master of magic and mayhem, able to deal elemental damage and magical death from afar. All of these are true to the original game, yet updated and applied in such a way that they don't feel out of date or under powered and with a four-player co-op system in place it will offer the opportunity to get together with friends online.
The gameplay for this remake is true to the original too, with the hordes of enemies piling towards the heroes with a single-minded determination to destroy. Some of them slow-moving and lumbering, others quicker or able to attack using magic or ranged weapons. Every now and then, there is a bigger "boss"-like opponent who is much harder to take out, followed by an end-of-level creature that is even harder.
Dotted around the rooms and corridors there are vases and urns filled with coins for you to collect, and occasionally, food or drink containers to replenish health. Also, occasionally you will find some powerful relics such as boots of speed or ice crystals that will enhance your character for short periods, making it easier to vanquish your foes.
The sounds and music also seem to have been lifted from the original game and given a little polish and sparkle to further enhance that nostalgic feeling and make Gauntlet a fun-filled, fast paced gem just like its predecessor.
This is probably one of the best remakes I have ever come across in any medium. The guys and gals at Arrowhead must really have loved the original Gauntlet as they have recreated it with a spectacular modern feeling, yet maintained all of the elements that made Gauntlet such a hit back in 1985. I doff my metaphorical hat to them, and thank them wholeheartedly for treating this beloved friend so very gently. They have maintained the very soul of the original Atari classic and that is a rare thing in these modern times. And with that, this elf needs food… badly.
i loved the original also, but there was 1 thing that i did not like about the original, and that was that the health would go down automatically over time, even when you don't get hit. I am hoping that the remake doesn't act that way and health only goes down when you get hit. Also I hope that there is a final boss in this one.


There is no direct upgrade path to 3.1.1, you must migrate to 3.0.0 first then upgrade to 3.0.1 3.0.2(recommending to upgrade to 3.0.2 to avoid any known issue) followed by whatever upgrade (3.1.1) available.
Logon to support.ca.com and navigate to Download Management.
Then enter "Privileged" at the dropdown menu and select "Privileged Access Management" as below.
Navigate and locate "CA Privileged Access Manager DEBIAN" (it should appear at the top).
It would show the latest version in the "Release" dropdown list, you need to select 3.0.1.
Once you selected 3.0.1, click on the CART icon and add to cart.
Then click on the cart.
Click on "All files" to get a full list.
Download the following 2 files.
For the Migration Itself, you only need to download 2 files.
"CA PRIVILEGED ACCESS MANAGER MIGRATION PATCH PAYLOAD R3.0 - ESD ONLY" which is referred to as "Payload".
"PRIVILEGED ACCESS MANAGER MIGRATION PATCH R3.0B" which is referred to as "Migration Patch"
Payload is the one you copy to the Session Recording network shared folder.
Migration Patch is what you apply on PAM as any other Patches and this will initiate migration.
Once you have downloaded the 2 files, you can empty the cart and select "3.1.1" and add to cart.
Download the "PRIVILEGED ACCESS MANAGER UPGRADE PATCH R3.1.1 - ESD ONLY"
Downloading the 3.0.2 patch is at a different location.
Visit the following link(after logon to support.ca.com) and download 3.0.2 patch.
Copy the files where you would perform the upgrade from.
Before performing any upgrade, check the following.
If this is not successful you cannot upgrade!
You must ensure this on all PAM Servers!
Proceed only if you pass this.
And note the following too.
The PAM 2.x has 8GB HDD Disc Size.
This is going to be insufficient when you move to 3.x so you will need to increase the disc size prior to the migration.
However, increasing the disc size requires that you remove all the snapshots!!!
So, please do a full backup of your VM instance first so you can revert back if anything goes wrong.
Once you have backed up, remove all snapshots from the VM instance.
Then modify the disc size by increasing it to 80GB(or higher).
Once the disc size has been expanded to 80GB, the partition will be resized automatically adjusted during the migration.
If this has not been performed and the migration was performed, customers can contact CA Support to increase the partition manually.
Take VMWare Snapshot so you can revert to this stage.
Back at the "Database Configuration", click on "Save Database and Configuration" button.
Download the DB and Configuration.
In my sample I was using 2GB RAM for PAM 2.8.4.1 but that is insufficient for PAM 3.x.x so you must have at least 4GB RAM even for just a boot up.
Otherwise, you may fail to logon or see blank screen when you logon.
FYI. The 2nd HDD would not be visible to PAM GUI.
Check the Session Recording network folder is mounted correctly.
Again, you cannot migrate if you cannot mount or if it is not available.
Try using IP Address if the hostname does not work.
Copy the payload file to the Session Recording Network Shared folder.
If you have access to the VMWare Console, you can see the following. If not, you will have to patiently wait.
It will stay at the following screen for some time.
Wait for couple of minutes and do not power off or reset.
And the 2nd HDD would be used.
It will again spend some time at the following screen.
You can see the payload file is being extracted and deployed.
Now almost at the end.
You can already see it is at Phase 3.
And finally it shows the new screen and the wording has changed from "xceedium" to "CA PAM"
Close all PAM Clients and launch a new instance.
You should be able to confirm the version from sysinfo as well.
You can power off the PAM server and discard the 2nd HDD.
The CA Privileged Access Manager 3.0 code base is larger than the 2.8.x version from which you are migrating. For VMware and AWS virtual appliances, resize the 2.8.x virtual hard disk by a minimum of 2 GB, but preferably to 12 GB. If resources allow, we recommend that the drive has at least 80 GB to allow for log and metric growth.
Thanks, I will try to document the steps for that as well.


Kick Ash provides behavioural support throughout your quitting journey.
You can contact Kick Ash directly via phone call, text or via GP referral.
Kick Ash provides support and advice for women who are pregnant.
This page was last updated at 1:58PM on October 1, 2018. This information is reviewed and edited by Kick Ash South Canterbury.


text:
HYDE BELLAGIO NIGHTCLUB CLOSES IN JULY
MGM Resorts International announced today that Hyde Bellagio, the 12,000-square-foot indoor and outdoor nightclub and lounge known for its views of the Bellagio fountains, will close after service on July 6 to be replaced by a new concept this winter.
An MGM spokesperson could not confirm whether the new concept will be a nightlife venue.
Hyde has won the Las Vegas Weekly Best of Vegas Readers' Choice Award for Best Lounge for the past two years and is also known for its industry night and XIV Session parties. Opened in 2011 in the former Fontana Bar lounge space, Hyde was the first nightlife venture in Las Vegas for SBE Entertainment, which had previously purchased the Sahara hotel and casino in 2007. Established in 2002 by Sam Nazarian, the company famously rebranded the classic Las Vegas Strip resort as SLS in 2014, a property now owned by the Meruelo Group. In addition to Hyde Bellagio, SBE currently manages Hyde Lounge at T-Mobile Arena and the Delano hotel and three restaurants (Citizens, Kumi and Red Square) at Mandalay Bay.
The closure of Hyde will leave Bellagio without a proper nightclub as the Bank closed in June after a decade-long run. That night spot was originally known as Light Nightclub from 2001 to 2007, a brand that re-opened at Mandalay Bay in 2013.
Tagged as dj producer, music production.
Written by IDCO
It shouldn't be a pleasant surprise when you come away from a ...
IDCO | November 10, 2019
Has Lady Gaga Brought Back Dance Music


The fohawk offers a versatile, low-maintenance cut with an optional side of edginess.
The roots of fashion often run surprisingly deep -- while the Native American Mohawk tribe first introduced the eponymous hairstyle to western settlers in the 17th century, the British and American punks of the 1970s revitalized this signature cut. As fashion progressed into the early 2000s, the faux hawk, or "fohawk," arose as a less aggressive variation of the age-old mohawk. Unlike its predecessor, the sides of this do aren't completely shaved, allowing you to wear the central strip up on party nights or combed down on work days.
Start with the proper foundation. Your hair needs to be shorter on the sides and longer on top, creating a "strip" of length that extends from the hairline to the crown. Typically, a number three fade with about 2 to 4 inches of length on top does the trick. If you prefer closer cropped sides, you can go with a number one or two fade.
Run your fingers through sections of the top portion of your hair, starting at the crown and moving forward to the center of the hairline -- the area that will form the top strip or crest of your fohawk. As you lift your hair upward with your fingers, mist on a light, even application of texturizing spray, holding the bottle about 6 inches from your hair.
Work a hearty dab of wax, putty or gel into the longer top strip of your hair -- go with wax for a messy, matte-finish fohawk, putty for a matte finish with a bit more hold or gel for a strong hold and shiny texture. Apply the product to your palm, then spread it onto your fingers and apply to your hair with your fingertips using a massaging motion.
Lightly comb your hair into the basic shape of the fohawk. Part the hair inwards right at each temple, combing the hair inward and upward so that it meets right in the middle of your head -- this forms a tall crest that reaches from the widow's peak back to the crown. Depending on the length of the sides of your hair, which will be shorter than the top, you can comb them forward or downward, or simply not comb them at all.
Set your hair dryer to cool and dry the lengthier top portion of hair, angling the dryer upward to give your hair some lift. Alternate your focus from one side of the fohawk's crest to the other, encouraging the mohawk-like shape. Lift sections of your hair upward with your fingertips as you dry, teasing the hair to give it volume.
Work a pea-sized dab of pomade into the crest, moving the two sides of the crest inward and upward toward each other with your fingertips. You can also gently massage the sides and back of the hair with the pomade to give it a messy texture, or add a messy look to the crest by pulling strands forward or out to the sides. Finish your fohawk with an even application of lightweight hairspray if you really want to keep each strand in place, or leave out the spray out for a more flexible do.
Wash, condition and towel-dry your hair just before styling to maximize its manageability.
For finer hair, work a hearty dab of thickening mousse into the longer, top part of your faux hawk after you apply your texturizing spray.
Ketchum, Dan. "How to Do a Fohawk on a Guy's Hair." Synonym, https://classroom.synonym.com/fohawk-guys-hair-18882.html. Accessed 22 April 2019.


text:
[Blu-ray Review] 'BEVERLY HILLS COP' trilogy showcases a fascinating look at the dawn of Eddie Murphy's ego
[Review] 'TROOP ZERO' -Birdie Scouts of the Southern Wild
[Review] 'DOLITTLE' an incoherent mess that does little to delight or entertain
[Review] 'BAD BOYS FOR LIFE' should practice some impulse control
[Interview] Crystal Fox's theater training came in handy for her role in 'A FALL FROM GRACE' – and so did batting practice
[Interview] Bresha Webb talks craft and character in 'A FALL FROM GRACE'
[Review] Not even Divine Intervention can help 'THREE CHRISTS' from being a manipulative examination of schizophrenia
[Fresh on 4K UHD] 'JOKER' has all the visual tricks to make for a quality 4K buy
[Interview] Filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton spotlights heart & humanity in 'JUST MERCY'
[Review] 'LIKE A BOSS' isn't very boss
Film Stories
Movie Review: 'THE STANDOFF AT SPARROW CREEK' a razor sharp debut from Henry Dunham
Kip Mooney // Film Critic
Not rated, 88 minutes.
Director: Henry Dunham
Cast: James Badge Dale, Brian Geraghty, Chris Mulkey, Patrick Fischler, Robert Aramayo, Happy Anderson and Gene Jones
Well, that didn't take long. Only a few weeks into 2019 and we already have our first great movie. Shot in Dallas, mostly in one location, THE STANDOFF AT SPARROW CREEK is a tense thriller that maximizes its low budget, delivering a compelling, complex film.
James Badge Dale plays Gannon, a damaged ex-cop and militia member. When he hears a report of shots fired at a police funeral, he and his fellow militia men assemble at their compound, as they try to figure out if they or any of their brothers in arms are suspects. When they discover some of their arsenal missing – including hardware used in the shooting – they begin to turn on each other. With the authorities closing in, they have to figure who could commit such a heinous crime, and why he would want to bring down the rest of the crew with him.
To say much more would give away the film's many twists, some of them gut-wrenching. The film definitely owes a debt to paranoia thrillers like THE CONVERSATION and BLOW OUT, and its interrogation scenes reminded me a lot of THE USUAL SUSPECTS. And for a film about violent men and a horrific crime, the movie is extremely careful about when it uses violence.
James Badge Dale stars in 'THE STANDOFF AT SPARROW CREEK.' Courtesy photo.
The cast is filled with "that guys," character actors who have popped in everything from MULHOLLAND DRIVE (Patrick Fischler) to NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (Gene Jones) and FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (Chris Mulkey) to BOARDWALK EMPIRE (Brian Geraghty). They all play their roles perfectly, adding dimension to characters who may not say much, but all have intense reactions when backed into a corner.
Denham directs with a lot of skill, using sparse lighting, but still letting us see exactly what we need to, and obscuring what we don't. With several long takes, he lets his actors show off their chops, as they tell vivid stories that don't need flashbacks to feel real (even if they're not). But the secret weapon is Josh Ethier's editing. He's worked almost exclusively on horror flicks, and his masterful cutting ratchets up the tension, and makes the devastating reveals hit that much harder.
THE STANDOFF AT SPARROW CREEK is a hidden gem, lurking in some theaters and on VOD. Search for it. You'll be shaken, but glad for the experience.
THE STANDOFF AT SPARROW CREEK is now playing in limited release and is also available on Video-On-Demand and Digital HD.
Critic's Notebook: 2018's HALLOWEEN and the curse of the annoyed fan
Fresh on Blu-ray: 'NEMESIS', 'OBSESSION', 'HOWLING III' and 'PLAGUE OF ZOMBIES'
Preston Barta
Hello, there! My name is Preston Barta, and I am the features editor of Fresh Fiction and senior film critic at the Denton Record-Chronicle. My cinematic love story began where I was born: off planet on the isolated desert world of the Jakku system. It's there I passed the time scavenging for loose parts with my good friend Rey. One day I found an old film projector and a dusty reel of the 1975 film JAWS. It rocked my world so much that I left my kinfolk in the rearview (I so miss their morning cups of green milk) to pursue my dreams of writing about film. It wasn't long until I met two gents who said they would give me a lift. I can't recall their names, but one was an older man who liked to point a lot and the other was a tall, hairy fella. They got me as far as one of Jupiter's moons where we crossed paths with the U.S.S. Enterprise. Some pointy-eared bastard said I was clear to come aboard. He saw that I was clutching my beloved shark movie and invited me to the "moving pictures room" where he was screening the 1993 film JURASSIC PARK to his crew. He said my life would be much more prosperous if I were familiar with more work by the god named Steven Spielberg. From there, my love for cinema blossomed. Once we reached planet Earth, everything changed. I found the small town of Denton, TX, and was welcomed into the Barta family. They showed me the writings of local film critic Boo Allen. He became my hero and caused me to chase a degree in film and journalism. After my studies at graduate of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, I met some film critics who showed me the ropes and got me into my first press screening: 2011's THE GREEN LANTERN. Don't worry; I recovered just fine. MAD MAX: FURY ROAD was only four years away.
2019 FreshFiction.tv


Success Takes Sacrifices. – Life of a guy they call "JiNX"
Posted on May 9, 2017 May 9, 2017 by Lyfeless	This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged alone, anxiety, blog, blogger, blogging, depression, dreams, goals, grind, life, lonely, personal, sacrifice, self-love, success. Bookmark the permalink.
← Yeah…. You're an abuser..


Location - Peninsula Grand is an oceanfront luxury condo complex located just north of town on Cozumel's west coast.
Area Features - Cozumel is most famous for its world-class scuba diving, snorkeling and deep sea fishing. Water sports, jeep rentals, shopping and dining and rich culture will also add to your wonderful experience on this relaxing island.


Host a sweet baby shower when you use these Elephant Girl Party Balloons! Complete the look of your party with elephant-inspired balloon decorations! This balloon goes perfectly with the rest of our Elephant Girl-themed party supplies! featuring the sweetest pink baby elephant holding up a polka dot umbrella in a shower of hearts.
Our Elephant Girl Mylar Balloons are of better quality than other party brands, making them perfect for your party. Each of our party themes is researched and tested by our team of designers. We go the extra mile to make sure that you absolutely love our party supplies.
These Elephant Girl Mylar Balloons make great decorations for your upcoming celebration or event. Whether you're throwing a birthday party or other special gathering, guests will be delighted to see the fun and coordinated theme at your party. Pair with our Elephant Girl Party Packs, Baby Bottle Balloons, and Elephant Girl Foil Banners! Create the ultimate setting for a baby shower with our full line of elephant baby shower products!
Get ready for a fun time at your party knowing that your party theme will look great with our Elephants Girl Mylar Balloons! When inflated, they measure 18". Keep in mind that these balloons require helium to inflate them.
Our Elephants Girl Mylar Balloons, along with the rest of our Elephants Girl-themed products, are created at our main office by our dynamic team of in-house product designers. Our designers work hard to research and design a variety of party themes that are perfect for your special occasions, like Gymnastics, LOL! Surprise, and Ballet.


text:
What People Used To Say About The First Xbox
András Neltz
Filed to:Flashback
We don't know every last thing about the new Xbox. Some leaked details, for the most part, sprinkled with a liberal helping of rumors. While we wait for new bits and pieces to be revealed, why not reminisce a bit? Let's have a look at how the very first Xbox, turning 12 years old this year, was received.
The Next Xbox Has Mandatory Kinect, Game-Swapping and New Controllers, According To Leaked
The next-generation Xbox—the one that will follow the still-popular Xbox 360—will run multiple…
"'The Microsoft Xbox game console is built around an Intel Pentium III processor running at 733 MHz,' says Julia Elvidge, vice president, marketing and sales [of Ottawa-based Chipworks Inc.]. 'The whole console is in fact a stripped down medium-end PC with high-end graphics. (...) Despite the hype and considering its late arrival in the marketplace, one would have expected more enhancements of the Xbox.'"
Cybernalia - X-ray exposes xbox; The Ottawa Citizen, November 26, 2001.
The least they could've done is throw in a cupholder.
"Now gamers, as well as their gift-giving parents, are left with a difficult decision this holiday season. (...) Perhaps they should buy the Xbox. After all, it is the most technologically advanced of [the Xbox, GameCube, and PS2]. And, with Microsoft putting its enormous weight behind the unit, how could it fail?"
David Carter: Xbox and GameCube: Start your CPU engines: These consoles can play; The San Diego Union-Tribune, November 20, 2001.
They might also want to buy it to play this fab new game called Halo.
"[The Xbox] has the most powerful graphics engine on the market. The first question many gamers ask: "Who has the best graphics?" With games such as "Dead or Alive 3" and "Halo" (think "GoldenEye" on steroids), the answer is simple: Xbox."
Wes Phillips: Game Wars; Tampa Tribune, November 19, 2001.
Huh. I don't recall any aliens in GoldenEye.
"One would think with the millions of dollars Microsoft spent developing this system, they'd have the most ergonomic controller in history. Instead, they copied the basic design of Sega Dreamcast's controller, but bulked it up so it's almost impossible to hold comfortably. The skill buttons are difficult to reach and pressing down the triggers (used mostly in shooting and driving games) is a herculean feat."
David Thomas: Xbox Vivid To See, Awkward To Play; Palm Beach Post, November 17, 2001.
It's like the Fat Lady of controllers. Except it doesn't sing as well and has shiny colorful buttons.
"DOA3, which has a "teen" rating and a "mature sexual themes" advisory, is basically for hard-core, testosterone-addled gamers. That's an important constituency for the Xbox's inventor, Microsoft, to ensnare. It just doesn't reflect much of a vision for sophisticated video-game entertainment."
Mike Antonucci: Let The Xbox Games Begin: First Releases Come Out Swinging For Microsoft's New Consoles; San Jose Mercury News, November 17, 2001.
I object to that. DOA's jiggle physics are quite sophisticated, thank you very much.
[Jason Vermeer, supervisor at Gamers] said he preferred the PlayStation 2 over the Xbox and the Gamecube. 'They have a huge selection of games, and it's a lot of fun to use,' Vermeer said. Vermeer said the Xbox was a good investment for sophisticated games geared toward adults. Two other advantages of the Xbox were its processing power and its Internet-access capability."
Sean McCarthy: Holiday shoppers fight on front line of console wars; University Wire, November 26, 2001.
See? Sophisticated. I'll let that PS2 comment slide... for now.
So, Kotaku. When did you get hold of your own Xbox? Have you played much of GoldenEye on Steroids—with a fat controller, no less? Tell us below.


text:
Technology & Policy
The Blockchain and the New Architecture of Trust
From Information Policy
By Kevin Werbach
How the blockchain—a system built on foundations of mutual mistrust—can become trustworthy.
Hardcover $27.95 T £22.50
ISBN: 9780262038935 344 pp. | 6 in x 9 in 7 b&w illus. November 2018
However, Werbach argues, the most significant innovation of blockchain is not governmental or even technological but emotional: the creation of 'a new form of trust,' in which you put your confidence in a store of information without relying on any single person to authenticate it — trust the system, not its parts. The outstanding question is whether this method of cultivating trust is viable, and if it is, in what ways we can best deploy it. The answers we come up with are likely to determine blockchain's future.
Kevin Werbach writes with great clarity and insight about the powerful blend of social, technical and legal components that provide the architecture of trust underlying blockchain. Combined in the right way these components provide a wide set of capabilities in a surprisingly wide set of circumstances. This elegant analysis is sure to become a classic and will change how individuals, guilds, organizations and governments invent new kinds of institutions and institutional architectures for our fast moving, radically contingent networked world. I highly recommend this paradigm shifting book.
John Seely Brown, Co- author The Social Life of Information (HBS Press, 2000 & 2017) and Design Unbound – designing for emergence in a white water world (MIT Press, 2018)
Former Chief Scientist, Xerox Corp. and Former Director of its Palo Alto Research Center (PARC)
The blockchain entered the world on January 3, 2009, introducing an innovative new trust architecture: an environment in which users trust a system—for example, a shared ledger of information—without necessarily trusting any of its components. The cryptocurrency Bitcoin is the most famous implementation of the blockchain, but hundreds of other companies have been founded and billions of dollars invested in similar applications since Bitcoin's launch. Some see the blockchain as offering more opportunities for criminal behavior than benefits to society. In this book, Kevin Werbach shows how a technology resting on foundations of mutual mistrust can become trustworthy.
The blockchain, built on open software and decentralized foundations that allow anyone to participate, seems like a threat to any form of regulation. In fact, Werbach argues, law and the blockchain need each other. Blockchain systems that ignore law and governance are likely to fail, or to become outlaw technologies irrelevant to the mainstream economy. That, Werbach cautions, would be a tragic waste of potential. If, however, we recognize the blockchain as a kind of legal technology that shapes behavior in new ways, it can be harnessed to create tremendous business and social value.
$27.95 T | £22.50 ISBN: 9780262038935 344 pp. | 6 in x 9 in 7 b&w illus. November 2018
Kevin Werbach
Kevin Werbach is Professor of Legal Studies and Business Ethics at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Founder of the technology consulting firm Supernova Group, he has advised the FCC and Department of Commerce on communication policy. He is the coauthor of For the Win: How Game Thinking Can Revolutionize Your Business.
Forget the hype – read this book! With his eloquence and insightfulness, Kevin Werbach made me realize why blockchain truly matters, and the ways it will alter how we transact in business and as consumers. A truly indispensable guide!
Viktor Mayer-Schönberger, Professor of Internet Governance
University of Oxford and co-author of Reinventing Capitalism in the Age of Big Data
In a world where Blockchain has become the new buzzword du jour, Werbach is balanced and thoughtful describing the opportunities, challenges and the underlying technical and social issues. He uses easy-to-read examples and explanations accessible to newcomers but worth reading for even seasoned experts to better understand this important phenomenon.
Joi Ito, Director of the MIT Media Lab and cofounder of the Digital Currency Initiative
Who rules the blockchain? Everyone, and no one, and lawyers, too. The Blockchain and the New Architecture of Trust is a tour de force tour of the hidden layers of power and politics that make blockchains work. Werbach makes a compelling case for taking blockchain governance seriously.
James Grimmelmann, Professor of Law
Cornell Tech and Cornell Law School
Design Justice
Sasha Costanza-Chock
Melissa Zimdars and Kembrew McLeod
https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/blockchain-and-new-architecture-trust


Denpasar, Indonesia Startup Map has 7 startups, and the most popular startups in Denpasar, Indonesia are Annika Linden Centre, OraclevisuaLab and Cikamedia.
Denpasar, Indonesia ranks 3 in Indonesia and 502 globally, based on the strength of its startup ecosystem. See complete city rankings in table below. The most popular industries in Denpasar, Indonesia are Digital Media, Mobile and Hardware.
View the top ranking startups or the newest startups in Denpasar, Indonesia.
Filter Denpasar, Indonesia startups by industry, if you're looking for companies in a specific niche.
Browse Denpasar, Indonesia Coworking spaces, Denpasar, Indonesia Accelerators, Denpasar, Indonesia Leaders and Denpasar, Indonesia Investors.


Those who have recently acquired the two CDs which contain everything in the Journals No 1 to 45 will like to know that it is planned to provide a further CD which is an index of the articles, to help find them on the other CDs. The work has been done, and it just remains to decide the cost.
It would help the Committee's deliberations if members indicated how much they would be prepared to pay for such an index.
admin wrote: Those who have recently acquired the two CDs which contain everything in the Journals No 1 to 45 will like to know that it is planned to provide a further CD which is an index of the articles, to help find them on the other CDs. The work has been done, and it just remains to decide the cost.
How might I get hold of the CD Journals?
With regards to the price of an Index, I'd pay anything so long as it wasn't more expensive than the actual Journals.
The Society gives the CDs free to any member who makes a donation of £15 or over. This is to get over the copyright which requires that they are not sold. Members are required to keep them safe and not to pass on to others, either electronically or otherwise. They are especially asked not to put anything onto the internet from these CDs.
Considering that the payment for the two CD's is 15 pounds sterling, I would be willing to pay 5 to 10 pounds sterling for the index.
Just to make things clear. The is an index OF THE ARTICLES (i.e. their titles and authors) it is not a complete index of words contained in them. It is therefore not a large index.
As I've received the 2 CD's I now fully understand the need ofr an index. I would be willing to pay 5 to 10£ for such a usefull tool.
Is there any estimate on when the index might be ready for sale?
I will check out postage to the USA and let you know.
Thank you. I will order one after I know the postage to include.
Will the index run on a Mac?
Thank you. I sent the payment, by way of Paypal, in today.


text:
Hockey Mom Column
Keeping Emotions In Check The Key To On-Ice Success
Christie Casciano Burns
Emotions can get the best of us. If you need evidence, watch any of those viral clips I'm sure you've seen of meltdowns on the bench, on ice chaos or overzealous spectators.
Plenty of us have had moments of flush faces or choice words that we later regret.
When it happens on the ice, with our kids, we need to pay attention. I've seen plenty of "moments." From an 8U player flailing tantrum on the ice, fistfights, to a 12U skater breaking his stick over his helmet because the ref called a no-goal that would have won the game (seriously). The exhilarating game of hockey can trigger a range of emotions, even some unexpected feelings.
A dad recently reached out seeking advice because his daughter is having trouble controlling her emotions during games.
"She's only 10, but plays with a lot of intensity and passion," he wrote. "Sometimes that comes out in tears. It's not anger or sad tears. They're happy and excited tears."
The dad went on to explain their only rule for her is work hard and have fun.
USA Hockey's Player Development Director Scott Paluch says parents can intervene with guidance to help their children develop into better athletes and people. When they lose
their cool, a young athlete can easily lose focus and the same is true when the emotional pendulum swings the other way.
Paluch suggests working with your child on a plan to keep calm. To develop a more balanced approach, have a conversation to find out what makes them angry, sob or trigger happy tears. Understanding the "why" can help them move toward more positive solutions for intense or inappropriate outbursts.
"While it's important they enjoy sports, help them find a moment to get them back to focusing on the game," Paluch says.
A "snap back" moment, could be a favorite hockey player, a pet or something that is calming. Paluch advises giving the athlete the responsibility for getting emotions under control and remind them how to do it.
Junior hockey team owner and editor of MyHockeyKid.com Mark Gilman recalls his son once cried an entire game at the age of 7 because the Velcro on his shin guard broke loose and was scratching his leg the whole game.
"That stuff happens and as parents, we can't get frustrated either, even though we traveled over an hour each way for that game," Gilman says.
It really begins with setting an example.
"If we get frustrated with referees, so will they. If we talk badly about coaches, our kids will stop listening to them," Gilman says. "Take time as a parent to compliment the coaches and their teammates; they'll see the sport as fun and having a good time with their friends instead of an exercise in frustration because of something like an equipment failure."
Talking about emotions often carries a stigma in athletics. That might be especially true in hockey, where toughness reigns supreme. Maybe we could avoid some of those viral moments if we just talked about how we were feeling in the first place.
Christie Casciano Burns is the author of several successful hockey books including "My Kids Play Hockey: Essential Advice For Every Hockey Parent."
Type: Hockey Mom
Issue Features
Issue Departments


text:
\section{Introduction}

\IEEEPARstart{P}{ower} system dynamic state estimation (PSDSE) has been implemented by extended Kalman filter (EKF) [\ref{ekf3}], [\ref{ekf4}], which maintains the elegant and efficient recursive update form of the Kalman filter, but suffers serious limitations due to linearization and Jacobian matrix calculation.

The unscented transformation (UT) [\ref{ut}] was developed to address the deficiencies of linearization
and the unscented Kalman filter (UKF) [\ref{ukf1}] was proposed based on UT and has been applied to PSDSE [\ref{pwukf1}]--[\ref{pwukf2}].
For UKF the state covariance is propagated and under some circumstances it cannot maintain
the positive semidefiniteness so that its square-root cannot be calculated, which makes UKF not numerically stable.

In this letter we propose an UKF procedure with guaranteed positive semidefinite state covariance, thus enhancing the numerical stability.
Section \ref{basis} introduces the proposed method and Section \ref{result} tests it on NPCC 48-machine system.

\section{Unscented Kalman Filter with Guaranteed Positive Semidefiniteness State Covariance} \label{basis}

A discrete-time nonlinear system can be described as
\begin{subnumcases} {}
\boldsymbol{x}_k=\boldsymbol{f}(\boldsymbol{x}_{k-1})+\boldsymbol{q}_{k-1} \\
\boldsymbol{y}_{k}=\boldsymbol{h}(\boldsymbol{x}_k)+\boldsymbol{r}_k
\end{subnumcases}
where $\boldsymbol{x}_k \in \mathbb{R}^n$ and $\boldsymbol{y}_k \in \mathbb{R}^p$ are states and measurements, the state mean and covariance are $\boldsymbol{m}$ and $\boldsymbol{P}$,
$\boldsymbol{f}$ and $\boldsymbol{h}$ are vectors of nonlinear functions, $\boldsymbol{q}_{k-1} \sim N(0,\boldsymbol{Q}_{k-1})$ and
$\boldsymbol{r}_k \sim N(0,\boldsymbol{R}_k)$ are Gaussian process noise and measurement noise.

\subsection{Unscented Transformation}

A total of $2n+1$ sigma points $\boldsymbol{X}$ are calculated as
\begin{align}
\boldsymbol{X}^{(0)}&=\boldsymbol{m} \nonumber \\
\boldsymbol{X}^{(i)}&=\boldsymbol{m}+\eta\sqrt{\boldsymbol{P}},\quad i=1,\cdots,n \notag \\
\boldsymbol{X}^{(i)}&=\boldsymbol{m}-\eta\sqrt{\boldsymbol{P}},\quad i=n+1,\cdots,2n \nonumber
\end{align}
with weights
\begin{align}
\boldsymbol{W}_m^{(0)}&=\lambda/(n+\lambda) \nonumber \\
\boldsymbol{W}_c^{(0)}&=\lambda/(n+\lambda)+(1-\alpha^2+\beta) \notag \\
\boldsymbol{W}_m^{(i)}&=\boldsymbol{W}_c^{(i)}=1/(2(n+\lambda)), \quad i=1,\cdots,2n \nonumber
\end{align}
where $\eta=\sqrt{n+\lambda}$, $\lambda=\alpha^2(n+\kappa)-n$, and $\alpha$, $\beta$, and $\kappa$ are positive constants

\subsection{Unscented Kalman Filter} \label{ukfp}

The initial state mean and covariance are $\boldsymbol{m}_0$ and $\boldsymbol{P}_0$.

\begin{enumerate} \renewcommand{\labelitemi}{$\bullet$}

\item Prediction
\begin{align}
&\boldsymbol{X}_{k-1}=\big [\underbrace{\boldsymbol{m}_{k-1} \cdots \boldsymbol{m}_{k-1}}_{2n+1} \big] +
\eta \big[\boldsymbol{0} \quad \sqrt{\boldsymbol{P}_{k-1}} \quad -\sqrt{\boldsymbol{P}_{k-1}}\, \big] \notag \\
&\hat{\boldsymbol{X}}_k=\boldsymbol{f}(\boldsymbol{X}_{k-1}) \qquad\quad\;\;\; \boldsymbol{m}_k^-=\sum\limits_{i=0}^{2n}\boldsymbol{W}_m^{(i)}\,\hat{\boldsymbol{X}}_{i,k} \notag \\
&\boldsymbol{P}_k^-=\sum\limits_{i=0}^{2n}\boldsymbol{W}_m^{(i)}\,(\hat{\boldsymbol{X}}_{i,k}-\boldsymbol{m}_k^-)
(\hat{\boldsymbol{X}}_{i,k}-\boldsymbol{m}_k^-)^T+\boldsymbol{Q}_{k-1} \notag
\end{align}

\item Update
\begin{align}
&\boldsymbol{X}_{k}^-=\big [\underbrace{\boldsymbol{m}_k^- \cdots \boldsymbol{m}_k^-}_{2n+1} \big] +
\eta \big[\boldsymbol{0} \quad \sqrt{\boldsymbol{P}_k^-} \quad -\sqrt{\boldsymbol{P}_k^-}\, \big] \notag \\
&\boldsymbol{\boldsymbol{Y}}_k^-=\boldsymbol{h}(\boldsymbol{X}_k^-) \qquad\qquad\;\;
\hat{\boldsymbol{y}}_k^-=\sum\limits_{i=0}^{2n}\boldsymbol{W}_m^{(i)}\boldsymbol{\boldsymbol{Y}}_{i,k}^- \notag \\
&\boldsymbol{P}_{\tilde{\boldsymbol{y}}_k\tilde{\boldsymbol{y}}_k}=\sum\limits_{i=0}^{2n}\boldsymbol{W}_c^{(i)}\big(
\boldsymbol{Y}_{i,k}^--\hat{\boldsymbol{y}}_k^-\big)\big(\boldsymbol{Y}_{i,k}^--\hat{\boldsymbol{y}}_k^-\big )^T + \boldsymbol{R}_k \notag \\
&\boldsymbol{P}_{\boldsymbol{x}_k\boldsymbol{y}_k}=\sum\limits_{i=0}^{2n}\boldsymbol{W}_c^{(i)}\big(
\boldsymbol{X}_{i,k}^--\boldsymbol{m}_k^-\big)\big(\boldsymbol{Y}_{i,k}^--\hat{\boldsymbol{y}}_k^-\big )^T \notag \\
&\boldsymbol{K}_k=\boldsymbol{P}_{\boldsymbol{x}_k \boldsymbol{y}_k} \boldsymbol{P}_{\tilde{\boldsymbol{y}}_k \tilde{\boldsymbol{y}}_k}^{-1}  \qquad \boldsymbol{m}_k=\boldsymbol{m}_k^-+\boldsymbol{K}_k\big(\boldsymbol{y}_k-\hat{\boldsymbol{y}}_k^-\big) \qquad\qquad\qquad \qquad\qquad\;\; \notag \\
&\boldsymbol{P}_k=\boldsymbol{P}_k^- - \boldsymbol{K}_k \boldsymbol{P}_{\tilde{\boldsymbol{y}}_k \tilde{\boldsymbol{y}}_k}\boldsymbol{K}_k^T \qquad\qquad\qquad\qquad\qquad\;\; \notag
\end{align}

\end{enumerate}

\subsection{Guaranteed Positive Semidefinite State Covariance}

The $\boldsymbol{P}_k^-$ in step 1 or $\boldsymbol{P}_k$ in step 2 in Section \ref{ukfp} should be positive semidefinite. If any of them is not, the nearest symmetric positive definite (nearSPD) matrix (necessarily positive semidefinite) in Frobenius norm can be obtained by the following nearSPD algorithm, which adapts the modified alternating projections method in [\ref{spd}] and then adds procedures to guarantee positive definite and symmetric. $\boldsymbol{P}_k^-$ or $\boldsymbol{P}_k$ is the input $\boldsymbol{X}_0$, which is converted to the output $\boldsymbol{X}$. Similar algorithm has been implemented as a R function ``nearPD".

  \begin{algorithm}[H]
  \renewcommand\thealgorithm{}
   \caption{nearSPD} \label{alg}
    \begin{algorithmic}
      \STATE -- \sc{Initialization}: \textnormal{Let $\Delta \boldsymbol{S}_0=\boldsymbol{0}$, iteration counter $i\leftarrow 0$.}
      \vspace{0.1cm}
      \STATE -- Alternating projections: \\
      \quad While $i<i_{max}$ and $||\boldsymbol{Y}_i-\boldsymbol{X}_i||/||\boldsymbol{X}_i||>\tau_{conv}$\\
      \qquad\qquad $\boldsymbol{Y}_i \leftarrow \boldsymbol{X}_i$ \quad $i \leftarrow i+1$ \quad $\boldsymbol{R}_i \leftarrow \boldsymbol{Y}_{i-1}-\Delta \boldsymbol{S}_{i-1} $ \\
      \qquad\qquad $[\boldsymbol{V},\boldsymbol{d}] \leftarrow eig(\boldsymbol{R}_i)$ \quad\quad\quad $\boldsymbol{p} \leftarrow\boldsymbol{d}>\tau_{eig}\max(\boldsymbol{d})$ \\
      \qquad\qquad $\boldsymbol{X}_i \leftarrow \boldsymbol{V}(:,\boldsymbol{p}) \raisebox{-0.25ex}{\scalebox{1.5}{$\cdot$}} \big [\underbrace{\boldsymbol{d}(\boldsymbol{p}) \cdots \boldsymbol{d}(\boldsymbol{p})}_{n} \big] \times \boldsymbol{V}(:,\boldsymbol{p})^T$  \\
      \qquad\qquad $\Delta \boldsymbol{S}_i=\boldsymbol{X}_i-\boldsymbol{R}_i$ \\
      \quad End
      \STATE -- Guaranteeing positive definite: \\
      \qquad\qquad $[\boldsymbol{V},\boldsymbol{d}] \leftarrow eig(\boldsymbol{X}_i)$ \quad\quad $Eps\leftarrow \tau_{posd}\max(\boldsymbol{d})$ \\
      \qquad\qquad $\boldsymbol{d}(\boldsymbol{d}<Eps)\leftarrow Eps $ \quad $\boldsymbol{diagX} \leftarrow diag(\boldsymbol{X})$\\
      \qquad\qquad $\boldsymbol{X} \leftarrow \boldsymbol{V}diag(\boldsymbol{d})\boldsymbol{V}^T$ \\
      \qquad\qquad $\boldsymbol{D} \leftarrow sqrt\big(\max(Eps,\boldsymbol{diagX})./diag(\boldsymbol{X})\big ) $ \\
      \qquad\qquad $\boldsymbol{X} \leftarrow diag(\boldsymbol{D}) \times \boldsymbol{X} \raisebox{-0.25ex}{\scalebox{1.5}{$\cdot$}} \big [\underbrace{\boldsymbol{D} \cdots \boldsymbol{D}}_{n} \big]$
      \STATE -- Guaranteeing symmetric: $\boldsymbol{X} \leftarrow (\boldsymbol{X}+\boldsymbol{X}^T)/2$
    \end{algorithmic}
  \end{algorithm}

\hspace{-0.5cm} Here ``$eig$" is the eigen decomposition, $\boldsymbol{V}$ is the matrix of eigenvectors, $\boldsymbol{d}$ is the vector of eigenvalues; ``$max$", ``$diag$", and ``$sqrt$" are Matlab functions; ``$\times$" is matrix product and ``$\raisebox{-0.25ex}{\scalebox{1.5}{$\cdot$}}$" is elementwise product; $||\boldsymbol{A}||$ is the Frobenius norm, the matrix norm of an $m\times n$ matrix $\boldsymbol{A}$ with entry $a_{ij}$ defined as
\begin{equation}
||\boldsymbol{A}||=\sqrt{\sum\limits_{i=1}^{m}\sum\limits_{j=1}^{n}|a_{ij}|^2}.
\end{equation}

\section{Simulation Results} \label{result}

The proposed method is implemented with Matlab and is tested on NPCC 48-machine
on a 3.4 GHz Intel(R) Core(TM)
based desktop.
The basic UKF comes from EKF/UKF toolbox \cite{ekfukf}.
The generator and measurement model in Section \uppercase\expandafter{\romannumeral 3\relax}.C of \cite{model} is used. The NPCC data is from Power System Toolbox (PST) \cite{pst} and 27 generators have 4th-order model and the others have 2nd-order model.
The measurements are voltage phasors $E_t=e_R+je_I$ and current phasors $I_t=i_R+ji_I$ of the terminal buses of generator where PMUs are installed. The PMU sampling rate is 60 frames$/s$ [\ref{pwukf}], [\ref{model}].
Gaussian noise with zero mean and standard deviation of $10^{-2}$ is added to the measurements.
The process noise setting is the same as \cite{model}.
The initial state mean is set to be the pre-fault states, which can be quite different from
real states, thus making PSDSE very challenging.
For nearSPD $i_{max}=100$, $\tau_{conv}=10^{-6}$, and $\tau_{eig}=\tau_{posd}=10^{-7}$.

For each number of PMUs, denoted by $N_{PMU}$, PSDSE is performed for 120 times under the optimal PMU placement in \cite{model} to estimate the system trajectory on $[0,5s]$.
For each case a fault is applied at a randomly selected location. The fault types come from PST and can be
three-phase, line-to-ground, line-to-line to ground, line-to-line, loss of line, or loss of load at a bus. We count the number of convergent angles for which the differences between the estimated and true values in the last 0.5 second are less than 5\% of the absolute value of true values.
In Fig. \ref{pmu} we show the average ratio of convergent angles $\overline{N}_\delta$ and the average number of solving nearSPD $\overline{N}_{nearSPD}$, which respectively increases and decreases with the increase of $N_{PMU}$. When $N_{PMU}$ increases, the degree of observability of the system states also increases \cite{model} and the chance that the state covariance becomes negative definite decreases. Thus the need for solving nearSPD decreases. But for all $N_{PMU}$ there is $\overline{N}_{nearSPD}>0$, indicating that for all estimations nearSPD must be solved to make UKF work.

We also show the average time $\overline{T}_{nearSPD}$ (second) for solving nearSPD in one estimation, which gradually decreases to a very low level (less than $0.05s$) with the increase of $N_{PMU}$.
$\overline{T}_{nearSPD}$ is a small ratio of the total estimation time: for $1\le n_{PMU}\le 10$ the ratio is about 20\%, for $10< n_{PMU}\le 13$ the ratio is about 4\%, for $n_{PMU}\ge 19$ the ratio becomes less than 0.1\%, and the smallest ratio is only 0.0193\%. Also the average time for solving nearSPD for a $150\times 150$ matrix (there are 150 states) once is only $0.0553s$.

\begin{figure}[H]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=2.9in]{num.pdf}
\caption{Results for different number of PMUs.}
\label{pmu}
\end{figure}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


After more than three decades of experience in mining, we've found that system deployment success depends more on the people than the technology. ... Monitoring .
Web server based wireless coal mine monitoring system proves to be very effective in monitoring the atmospheric conditions of underground places in coal mines.
The Zhangji coal mine uses Moxa's Ethernet switch to set up its monitoring system.


text:
Motorcraft YCC203 Compressor and Clutch
Four Seasons 59692 Gauge
TRAILHEAD TIRE DEFLATOR KIT - 5-20 PSI (Blue)
Home › Blog › US Automotive News › Dodge mixes history, horsepower for new ad campaign – The Detroit News
Dodge mixes history, horsepower for new ad campaign – The Detroit News
Posted: Monday, October 06, 2014
Image attached: A still from the "Ballroom – They Dreamed Big" spot that kicked off Dodge's new advertising campaign that takes place 100 years ago after John and Horace Dodge created the Dodge Brothers Motor Car Co.
(Photo:
Dodge is mixing legend with history and horsepower for its new national ad campaign.
The campaign, which launched Saturday with the first of a series of television spots, takes place 100 years ago after John and Horace Dodge created the Dodge Brothers Motor Car Co. It imagines the brothers' elaborate lifestyles and how they would be proud of the 2015 Dodge muscle cars.
The first ad, called "Ballroom — They Dreamed Big," is set during a ballroom party for the brothers that features over-the-top decorations and celebration. During the festivities, the voiceover tells the imaginary tales of the brothers.
"As boys, the Dodge brothers made their own bicycles … John went on to hold office, Horace supported the orchestra," says the voiceover. "They raced yachts. Their lives were big, but their dreams were even bigger. One-hundred years later, this is how their spirit lives on."
The spot ends with a shot of the new 2015 Dodge Challenger next to two 1915 Dodge Touring cars and closes with "The New 2015 Dodge Challenger" and "Their Spirit Lives On."
Chrysler Chief Marketing Officer Olivier Francois said the campaign is meant to pay homage to the brothers that led the brand to what it is today.
"Dodge has a very specific DNA, a bloodline that traces back to the Dodge brothers' passion for making great cars," he said in a statement. "The new campaign captures the spirit of innovation and enthusiasm the Dodge brothers had when they founded the brand 100 years ago. Everything Dodge does today honors John and Horace Dodge's legacy."
"Ballroom" is the first national ad exclusively for the Challenger since a 2010 Super Bowl commercial called "Freedom." It featured Revolutionary War fighters in battle, followed by George Washington and his men driving up in muscle cars to save the day.
The new Dodge ad campaign includes full-page and spread print ads. The first ads show the 2015 Dodge Challenger with the headline, "They may be gone, but they left us the keys." The ads will run in enthusiast, lifestyle and general market magazines and newspapers.
More television and print advertising featuring the Dodge brothers for the 2015 Dodge Charger and high-performance Hellcat SRT and Viper models are expected to follow in the coming months.
"Ballroom" can be viewed on Dodge's YouTube channel, youtube.com/dodge.
mwayland@detroitnews.com


WASHINGTON — US consumer prices were flat in January from December for the second month in a row, the latest sign inflation is in check. That could give the Federal Reserve leeway to continue its efforts to stimulate growth.
The consumer price index has risen 1.6 percent in the 12 months ending in January, the Labor Department said Thursday. That's down from a 2.9 percent pace a year ago.
Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 0.3 percent in January. Core prices have risen 1.9 percent in the past year, below the Fed's inflation target. That's also down from the 2.3 percent pace in the same month a year ago.
The Fed is purchasing $85 billion in Treasurys and mortgage bonds each month in an effort to keep interest rates low. Last month, some Fed policymakers expressed concern the purchases could eventually cause inflation or disrupt bond markets, according to minutes of the Fed's Jan. 29-30 meeting released Wednesday.
But most private economists see little sign that prices are increasing at a troubling rate.
"As long as inflation readings remain relatively constrained and inflation expectations do not get out of control, the (Fed) has plenty of runway to continue its program," Dan Greenhaus, chief global strategist at brokerage BTIG, said in a note to clients.
Food prices were flat last month after rising for 10 straight months. And energy costs, which include gasoline, dropped 1.7 percent.
The relief at the pump ended in recent weeks, with prices rising steadily this month. Higher gas prices will likely push up measures of inflation in February, though economists expect overall price increases to stay mild.
Gas prices averaged $3.78 a gallon nationwide on Thursday, according to AAA. That's up 47 cents from just a month ago.
Some economists said the increase in core prices could continue, causing a slight pickup in inflation. Core prices rose by the most in 20 months. They increased largely because of big jumps in the cost of clothing, hotel costs, and air fares. The gains in clothing and hotel costs were the most in about 18 months.
But increases at that magnitude are unlikely to be repeated, said Paul Ashworth, an economist at Capital Economics.
"At a time when the Fed is becoming more concerned about the costs of its unconventional monetary policies, it is striking that the inflation outlook remains benign," Ashworth said.
If the Fed feared that prices were rising too fast, it might have to raise interest rates. The Fed has kept the benchmark interest rate it controls at nearly zero, a record low, for more than four years.
Low inflation leaves consumers with more money to spend, which benefits the economy.
Inflation slowed dramatically last year. Consumer prices rose only 1.7 percent in 2012, down from 3 percent in 2011.
With job gains and economic growth steady but modest, many businesses are reluctant to raise prices for fear of losing customers. That's helped keep inflation mild. Workers also aren't able to demand higher wages when growth is weak. That limits their ability to spend more.


text:
Sound Station
Staff (Original)
Monstober
Stevenson's senior support systems
Family, school offer help to seniors amid uncertain transition into college
Collin Fan and Anika Krishnaswamy
The characteristic ding of a text message sounds as Lindsey Grant '21 pulls out her phone, opening a recent conversation with a student from a college she is particularly interested in. There is hardly a month left of Grant's high school career and the thought of leaving Stevenson behind seems frightening. However, interacting with college students in casual Q and A sessions — with questions ranging from details about her prospective major to what type of mattress is most practical for dorm life — have been extremely helpful in easing some of her worries for the future.
Reaching out to college students with questions and concerns is by no means an oddity, especially since Commitment Day is imminent. Many high school seniors find themselves experiencing a mix of emotions as they near the end of this chapter in their lives and prepare to start anew at college. While the thought of making new friends and exploring new opportunities is one that sparks excitement for many, the sudden transition away from the familiarity and comforts of home is also a common cause for nervousness.
"I am most nervous about making friends and forming new support systems," Grant said. "It can be frustrating knowing that it takes time to become close and [that] friendships aren't always instant."
To combat these anxieties, 'Stevenson to College' Coordinator Aileen Aragones emphasizes the importance of family involvement in the transition process to ensure students find the best college for them. She stresses the necessity of setting up support systems in a new environment.
"It is always important for students and families to make college decisions together, taking into account the shared priorities and interests when it comes to academic, social, and financial needs and respective resources provided by colleges," Aragones said.
In addition to her family, Grant has been utilizing current college students as a valuable resource in her decision-making process. She has tried to ask as many questions as possible to get the best picture of each college she is interested in regards to all of the factors incoming college students consider, such as the academic aspect of postsecondary education.
"I have reached out to students that already go to the schools and that has been a really positive experience," Grant said. "I got to hear a lot about my major and social life from a student involved in both."
Colleges themselves also provide assistance for students. Post-secondary counselor Dan Miller has made efforts to point students towards the resources that colleges offer. Many colleges provide invaluable information to help students better acclimate to their new majors and environments.
"We encourage seniors to utilize their institutional enrollment checklist… to ensure they are timely in submitting a deposit, providing a housing deposit, filling out required forms for orientation, advising, etc," Miller said. "Each college should have FAQs and contact information for all the aforementioned steps before classes start in the fall."
Even though these resources have helped Grant clear up a lot of her concerns and have made her more excited for the experience to come, they haven't completely resolved the emotional effects that come with the drastic shift to college life away from home.
"I am really sad to be leaving Stevenson because I've had such a great time here… and my favorite memories from the last four years have been in this school," Grant said. "I am feeling a bit nervous about making friends and not having my parents to rely on. That being said, I am excited for the opportunities that I will have in college."
Although college life is generally unexplored territory for current high school seniors, Grant, along with many other students, see this as an exciting challenge. The chance to meet new people, while rather nerve-wracking at first, is an opportunity for incoming college freshmen to expand their horizons and knowledge in and outside of the classroom.
"Even though [making new friends in an unfamiliar environment] is what I'm most nervous about, I am excited to meet new people; especially those with widely different backgrounds than me," Grant said.
Collin Fan, Editor-in-Chief
Collin is a senior and this year's Editor-in-Chief. He values Statesman because it helps vocalize underrepresented stories around the Stevenson community. Outside of Statesman, he enjoys reading from two opposing forces of nature: Wikipedia and the New York Times.
Anika Krishnaswamy, Managing Editor of Magazine
Anika is a senior at Stevenson and is one of the Managing Editors of Magazine for Statesman this year! She is excited for her third year on staff. Outside of Statesman she enjoys reading and playing music.
Getting Down to Business
KaPOW! Bryan Gallo Bursts onto the Scene
Rising Above the Bottom Line
Behind the Scenes of Dual Credit
Back On Guard
Within the Walls
Fueling Inclusivity, Reaching Everyone
Patriots Passing Petitions
The Face Behind Stevenson.Space
Please note that Statesman has the right to monitor comments and accepts comments at staff discretion.
All Statesman Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest


text:
Mixx Facebook Twitter Digg delicious reddit MySpace StumbleUpon
Slumping sales, surging yen hits Toyota
Slump in sales, surge in yen's value have wreaked havoc on its balance sheet
The firm cut its group operating forecast to a loss of ¥150 billion
It recorded an operating profit of ¥2.27 trillion last year
Automakers around the world face their toughest challenge in recent memory
Next Article in World Business »
(CNN) -- Japanese automaker Toyota warned Monday it will post its first operating loss in almost 60 years.
Toyota president Katsuaki Watanabe announces the company's forecast in Nagoya, central Japan.
A slump in sales and a surge in the value of the yen have wreaked havoc on its balance sheet, with the world's second biggest car maker revealing that its net revenues have dropped by 6.3 percent compared to a year ago.
In a statement, Toyota said it cut its group operating forecast to a loss of up to ¥150 billion ($1.7 billion) for the year to end-March, after shocking financial markets last month by slashing its group operating profit forecast by ¥1 trillion to ¥600 billion.
The car maker recorded an operating profit of ¥2.27 trillion last year. Watch more about Toyota's losses »
This would be Toyota's first operating loss since 1950, Toyota spokesman Steve Curtis said. Despite the likely operating loss, Toyota expects to post a $557 million net profit for the fiscal year.
Automakers around the world are facing their toughest challenge in recent memory, caught in a sharp reversal of demand as the financial crisis deepens.
Last week, fellow Japanese car manufacturer Honda slashed its earnings forecast for 2008, citing "no prospect for recovery" in the midst of the global recession and slumping worldwide sales
And in the United States, the Bush administration agreed a $13 billion bailout for two of its ailing "big three" automakers -- GM and Chrysler.
Honda cuts earnings, sees 'no prospect for recovery'
Bush on auto bailout, war in Iraq
How Japan carmakers took different route
Japanese exports have been hit hard as the yen has been rising in value sending the country's trade deficit shooting up to $2.5 billion in November, according to the Japanese government. Exports fell 26 percent on a month-over-month basis.
Toyota's president Katsuaki Watanabe said he expected group sales to slump to 8.96 million vehicles for 2008, down four percent from a year earlier.
He said the company was freezing expansion plans, suspending executive bonuses and reviewing its dividend payout.
"The company is facing an unprecedented crisis where it cannot avoid posting an operating deficit in this term," Watanabe told a news conference.
"The markets are changing every week and even every day. Unfortunately we cannot forecast our business performance for the next year at this point," he said.
According to Britain's Financial Times newspaper, Toyota plans to reduce contract workers in Japan from 9,200 in the first quarter of this year to about 3,000 in the same period next year, a cut equivalent to 20 per cent of its production workforce in the country.
The company has temporarily shut much of its big-truck production in the U.S. and has said it would probably delay the opening of a plant in the state of Mississippi that was scheduled to start building Prius hybrids in 2010.
Mixx Facebook Twitter Digg del.icio.us reddit MySpace StumbleUpon
| Mixx it | Share
All About Honda Motor Co. Ltd. • Cars and Car Design • Japan • Financial Markets • Toyota Motor Corporation
From the Blogs: Controversy, commentary, and debate
Sit tight, we're getting to the good stuff
powered by Sphere
From psychiatrist to 'Butcher of Bosnia' Why trial could take years


text:
SA testing blitz after quarantine breach – Tenterfield Star
Visitors to a number of popular shopping centres in suburban Adelaide are being asked to get tested immediately, after a man breached quarantine. Pop-up testi……
Visitors to a number of popular shopping centres in suburban Adelaide are being asked to get tested immediately, after a man breached quarantine.
Pop-up testing clinics will be operating at two supermarkets at the centre of the breach from Sunday afternoon.
There are no new cases recorded in the state but chief health officer Nicola Spurrier says she is disappointed with the man's actions.
"When I spoke yesterday my initial understanding was that the case was in quarantine and certainly they were…
Related Topics:AustraliaTenterfieldstar.com.au