text:
AboutAwardsArchitecture for SaleContact
Change SubscriptionPersonal DetailsLog outSubscribeLogin
ShopIssues
AllMagazinesGiftsBooks
The Duncraft House (1974-1986) Christchurch, New Zealand
The Duncraft House is the result of a collaboration between two architects, Nicholas Kennedy and Ian Bisman, taking place over more than a decade.
John and Wendy Duncraft purchased the property in the late 1960s and commissioned a large extension from Nicholas Kennedy. Kennedy was a young architect who, after starting at Warren and Mahoney, had gone out on his own in the early 1970s.
Kennedy, however, became too ill to continue. He died in 1977, aged just 33. He produced only a few buildings under his own name — enough however to create the widely held view that he would have gone on to greater things. Ian Bisman took over the project. Bisman adopted Kennedy's initial concept, subtly improved aspects of the plan, drew up the construction set and oversaw each stage of the build.
It is a building that has, for whatever reason, stayed below the radar.
Please note orders received after Monday 20 December will be dispatched in January 2022.
Architecture at Home
ROOMS: Portraits of remarkable New Zealand interiors
hello@thisishere.nz
ShopMy AccountAboutAwardsArchitecture for SaleContactInstagramFacebook
© SFG Media Limited 2022


text:
Wednesday Fun Fact
Did you know that bestselling author, Darcie Chan was one of indieBRAG's earliest B.R.A.G. Medallion Honorees? She is now a main-stream publishing author with Random House.
Darcie's website
Twitter: @DarcieChan
Labels: B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree, Bestselling Author, Darcie Chan, indieBRAG, The Mill River Recluse
Sunday Book Highlight!
B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree
When the body of Maggie McFarland, an 86-year old widow, is found among the rubble of the once-famous, landmark Artemis Hotel, leveled by fire nearly seventy years ago, residents of Roscoe are shocked. However, it is not the location where Maggie is found, but rather the manner of her demise that has everyone puzzled. For it isn't a heart attack that has felled her; nor has she suffered a stroke, or taken a fatal fall from a porch. Her life has not ended so uneventfully. Maggie has been killed by a bullet to the heart, fired from a pistol at close range. Who would possibly want to kill this kind, gentle woman, known throughout the area as one of the best trout fly tiers within a hundred miles of the famed Beaverkill River? That is the mystery that confronts Matt Davis in Broken Promises, one of the most baffling cases of his career.
Calling All Readers!
Thank you to readers who have submitted applications to indieBRAG- we are so glad to have you join us!
We still need more readers so be sure to tell your friends!
Genres provided: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mystery, Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller, Young Adult, Children and Non-Fiction.
We will provide the ebooks for free and you will be a part of a global reading group attempting to shine a light on worthy self-publishing books.
Stephanie M. Hopkins
indieBRAG Team Member
Books by Nancy Bilyeau
Check out one of my all-time favorite trilogies by Nancy Bilyeau. She is one of my favorite writers of the Tudor Era. I highly recommend!
Tudor fiction like no other. Joanna Stafford, a Dominican nun, learns that her favorite cousin has been condemned by Henry VIII to be burned at the stake. Defying the rule of enclosure, Joanna leaves the priory to stand at her cousin's side. Arrested for interfering with the king's justice, Joanna, along with her father, is sent to the Tower of London.
While Joanna is in the Tower, the ruthless Bishop of Winchester forces her to spy for him: to save her father's life she must find an ancient relic—a crown so powerful, it may possess the ability to end the Reformation.
With Cromwell's troops threatening to shutter her priory, bright and bold Joanna must decide who she can trust so that she may save herself, her family, and her sacred way of life. This provocative story set in Tudor England melds heart-stopping suspense with historical detail and brings to life the poignant dramas of women and men at a fascinating and critical moment in England's past.
It was a time of fear. It was a time of prophecy. It was a time for one woman to show a courage she never knew she had...
Winner of the Best Historical Mystery Award from the RT Reviews, 'The Chalice' is a thriller told from the point of view of a young woman caught in the crosswinds of time: She has pledged to become a Dominican nun in an England ruled by Henry VIII, who has ruthlessly smashed his country's allegiance to Rome. By 1538, the bloody power struggles between crown and cross threaten to tear the country apart. Joanna Stafford has seen what lies inside the king's torture rooms and risks imprisonment again, when she is caught up in a shadowy international plot targeting the King. As the power plays turn vicious, Joanna understands she may have to assume her role in a prophecy foretold by three different seers, each more omniscient than the last. The life of Henry VIII as well as the future of Christendom are in her hands—hands that must someday hold the chalice that lays at the center of these deadly prophecies. As she struggles to forge a life for herself in a country that rejects her faith, she must also decide if her future should be shared with a man--and if so, which of the two men who love her should be chosen.
The next page-turner in the award-winning Joanna Stafford series takes place in the heart of the Tudor court, as the gutsy former novice risks everything to defy the most powerful men of her era.
After her Dominican priory in Dartford closed forever—collateral damage in tyrannical King Henry VIII's quest to overthrow the Catholic Church—Joanna resolves to live a quiet and honorable life weaving tapestries, shunning dangerous quests and conspiracies. Until she is summoned to Whitehall Palace, where her tapestry weaving has drawn the King's attention.
Joanna is uncomfortable serving the King, and fears for her life in a court bursting with hidden agendas and a casual disregard for the virtues she holds dear. Her suspicions are confirmed when an assassin attempts to kill her moments after arriving at Whitehall.
Struggling to stay ahead of her most formidable enemy yet, an unknown one, she becomes entangled in dangerous court politics. Her dear friend Catherine Howard is rumored to be the King's mistress. Joanna is determined to protect young, beautiful, naïve Catherine from becoming the King's next wife and, possibly, victim.
Set in a world of royal banquets and feasts, tournament jousts, ship voyages, and Tower Hill executions, this thrilling tale finds Joanna in her most dangerous situation yet, as she attempts to decide the life she wants to live: nun or wife, spy or subject, rebel or courtier. Joanna Stafford must finally choose.
2016 Historical Novel Society Indie Award Announcement
I have the great pleasure to announce that I have been honored of being the short-list judge for the Historical Novel Society Indie Award alongside Steve Donoghue HNS US Indie Review Editor and author Janis Pegrum Smith - and the Finalist judges: James Aitcheson (author and historian) and Anna Belfrage author and 2015 Indie Award Winner.
Here's the full longlist - the nine selected shortlist titles will be announced here on 1st January.
I am in good company!
When reading a story, I am always wondering how the writers came up with the name for their characters. Now, historical fiction, I get. Except maybe for the fictional characters thrown in. Does the writer look on the internet, billboards, name their characters after friends, favorite actor, family or foe? Or do the names just pop in their heads? I wonder if some writers come up with the name from the personalities of their characters. That would be cool. Or do they take an on-line survey? As you can see, there are endless ways to come up with names…
Whatever the reason, this is just one of the many thoughts on my mind in the world of a writer and reader.
For myself, I write alternate history, so I use names of Historical figures. Okay, okay, I use names that have always appealed to me or of names of people I've come across growing up as well. Names of girls I wish my mother named me or who I despised. Names of boys I disliked with a passion or had a crush on. Hey, at least I can admit this out loud in a VERY public way.
Do you often wonder how writers come up with names?
Pompeii was a lively resort flourishing in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius at the height of the Roman Empire. When Vesuvius erupted in an explosion of flame and ash, the entire town would be destroyed. Some of its citizens died in the chaos, some escaped the mountain's wrath . . . and these are their stories: A boy loses his innocence in Pompeii's flourishing streets. An heiress dreads her wedding day, not knowing it will be swallowed by fire. An ex-legionary stakes his entire future on a gladiator bout destined never to be finished. A crippled senator welcomes death, until a tomboy on horseback comes to his rescue. A young mother faces an impossible choice for her unborn child as the ash falls. A priestess and a whore seek redemption and resurrection as the town is buried. Six authors bring to life overlapping stories of patricians and slaves, warriors and politicians, villains and heroes who cross each other's' path during Pompeii's fiery end. But who will escape, and who will be buried for eternity?
Layered Page's Current Reads
There are moments when I read more than one book at a time. I can't help myself and my moods have been all over the place lately with differnt genres. Luckly, I can keep up with all of the stories in my head without getting confused. Okay, Okay I'll tell you a little secret. I take notes as well. Shh…don't tell. Plus, I have a big project I have been asked to work on in the new year and I need to clear some of my reading shelf. This project will take up almost half a year worth of reading. More to come later about that.
So let's get started! Below are the books I'm reading and what I have to say about each book thus far. Enjoy!
I have been dying to get my hands on one of Libbie Hawkers books. When this came available through NetGalley, I jumped on it. I've read the first few pages so far and I am intrigued with the premise. Review coming soon.
When Zenobia takes control of her own fate, will the gods punish her audacity?
Zenobia, the proud daughter of a Syrian sheikh, refuses to marry against her will. She won't submit to a lifetime of subservience. When her father dies, she sets out on her own, pursuing the power she believes to be her birthright, dreaming of the Roman Empire's downfall and her ascendance to the throne.
Defying her family, Zenobia arranges her own marriage to the most influential man in the city of Palmyra. But their union is anything but peaceful—his other wife begrudges the marriage and the birth of Zenobia's son, and Zenobia finds herself ever more drawn to her guardsman, Zabdas. As war breaks out, she's faced with terrible choices.
From the decadent halls of Rome to the golden sands of Egypt, Zenobia fights for power, for love, and for her son. But will her hubris draw the wrath of the gods? Will she learn a "woman's place," or can she finally stake her claim as Empress of the East?
The Beautiful Daughters has been completely conflicted. My thoughts are torn with this story, actually. I'm reviewing this one for NetGalley, so you will see more of my thoughts soon when I post the review.
Adrienne Vogt and Harper Penny were closer than sisters, until the day a tragedy blew their seemingly idyllic world apart. Afraid that they got away with murder and unable to accept who they had lost—and what they had done—Harper and Adri exiled themselves from small-town Blackhawk, Iowa, and from each other. Adri ran thousands of miles away to Africa while Harper ventured down a more destructive path closer to home.
Now, five years later, both are convinced that nothing could ever coax them out of the worlds in which they've been living. But unexpected news from home soon pulls Adri and Harper back together, and the two cannot avoid facing their memories and guilt head-on. As they are pulled back into the tangle of their fractured relationships and the mystery of Piperhall, the sprawling estate where their lives first began to unravel, secrets and lies behind the tragic accident are laid bare. The former best friends are forced to come to terms with their shared past and search for the beauty in each other while mending the brokenness in themselves.
I'm almost through with, 'In the Shadow of the Storm' by Anna Belfrage. I am on the last few pages. What an adventure! I'm reserving the rest of my thoughts for my written review which will come in the near future.
Adam de Guirande owes his lord, Roger Mortimer, much more than loyalty. He owes Lord Roger for his life and all his worldly goods, he owes him for his beautiful wife – even if Kit is not quite the woman Lord Roger thinks she is. So when Lord Roger rises in rebellion against the king, Adam has no choice but to ride with him – no matter what the ultimate cost may be.
England in 1321 is a confusing place. Edward II has been forced by his barons to exile his favourite, Hugh Despenser. The barons, led by the powerful Thomas of Lancaster, Roger Mortimer and Humphrey de Bohun, have reasons to believe they have finally tamed the king. But Edward is not about to take things lying down, and fate is a fickle mistress, favouring first one, then the other.
Adam fears his lord has over-reached, but at present Adam has other matters to concern him, first and foremost his new wife, Katherine de Monmouth. His bride comes surrounded by rumours concerning her and Lord Roger, and he hates it when his brother snickers and whispers of used goods.
Kit de Courcy has the misfortune of being a perfect double of Katherine de Monmouth – which is why she finds herself coerced into wedding a man under a false name. What will Adam do when he finds out he has been duped?
Domestic matters become irrelevant when the king sets out to punish his rebellious barons. The Welsh Marches explode into war, and soon Lord Roger and his men are fighting for their very lives. When hope splutters and dies, when death seems inevitable, it falls to Kit to save her man – if she can.
'In the Shadow of the Storm' is the first in Anna Belfrage's new series, The King's Greatest Enemy, the story of a man torn apart by his loyalties to his lord, his king, and his wife.
Hysterical Love by Lorraine Wilke is a B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree and the author kindly sent me a copy because of the support I have been giving her on Layered Pages. She is a delight to work with and I've been wanting to read her stories for a while now. Being from the South and reading a story where the setting takes place in California is new to me and thus far I am enjoying the experience. Lorraine certainly does not hold back with her prose and style. One can tell she enjoys her craft in character building.
Dan McDowell, a thirty-three-year-old portrait photographer happily set to marry his beloved Jane, is stunned when a slip of the tongue about an "ex-girlfriend overlap" of years earlier throws their pending marriage into doubt and him onto the street. Or at least into the second bedroom of their next-door neighbor, Bob, where Dan is sure it won't be long. It's long.
His sister, Lucy, further confuses matters with her "soul mate theory" and its suggestion that Jane might not be his... soul mate, that is. But the tipping point comes when his father is struck ill, sparking a chain of events in which Dan discovers a story written by this man he doesn't readily understand, but who, it seems, has long harbored an unrequited love from decades earlier.
Incapable of fixing his own romantic dilemma, Dan becomes fixated on finding this woman of his father's dreams and sets off for Oakland, California, on a mission fraught with detours and semi-hilarious peril. Along the way he meets the beautiful Fiona, herbalist and flower child, who assists in his quest while quietly and erotically shaking up his world. When, against all odds, he finds the elusive woman from the past, the ultimate discovery of how she truly fit into his father's life leaves him staggered, as does the reality of what's been stirred up with Fiona. But it's when he returns home to yet another set of unexpected truths that he's shaken to the core, ultimately forced to face who he is and just whom he might be able to love.
Lorraine Devon Wilke, author of the acclaimed debut novel, After The Sucker Punch, brings her deft mix of humor and drama to a whip-smart narrative told from the point of view of its male protagonist. Hysterical Love explores themes of family, commitment, balancing creativity, facing adulthood, and digging deep to understand the beating heart of true love.
Perfidtas is the sequel to Inceptio by Alison Morton. Her stories have been awarded the B.R.A.G. Medallion. Her alternate history series is unlike anything I have read before. I'm totally digging its uniqueness and the world she has created. Be sure to check out this series. I recommend starting with the first book. The stories build on each other.
Present day, alternate reality. Captain Carina Mitela of the Praetorian Guard Special Forces is in trouble – one colleague has tried to kill her and another has set a trap to incriminate her in a conspiracy to topple the government of Roma Nova. Founded sixteen hundred years ago by Roman dissidents and ruled by women, Roma Nova barely survived a devastating coup d'état thirty years ago. Carina swears to prevent a repeat and not merely for love of country.
Seeking help from a not quite legal old friend could wreck her marriage to the enigmatic Conrad. Once proscribed and operating illegally, she risks being terminated by both security services and conspirators. As she struggles to overcome the desperate odds and save her beloved Roma Nova and her own life, she faces the ultimate betrayal…
Often times I switch to modern day thrillers to mix things up a bit. It also helps me keep things in perspective when it comes to my own writing. I am an avid reader of Historical Fiction but writing an alternate history story that takes place in the modern day and reveals a 16th Century past. It's pretty cool. I'm having a lot of fun with it.
A body in a rundown Opera House.
Simmering resentment in a small Virginia coastal town.
A missing manuscript.
A dark family secret.
Former piano prodigy turned FBI agent Scott Drayco is suffering nightmares from his last case as a private consultant. To add insult to injury, he's bequeathed an unwanted and rundown Opera House in Cape Unity, a down-on-its-luck seaside village where vacation homes were once a playground for the rich. His hopes for a quick sale are dashed when a new client with dreams of his own redemption is murdered in the Opera House, the letter "G" mockingly carved into his chest. Slowly, inevitably, Drayco is pulled into a tangled web of jealousy and betrayal that reaches across the Atlantic into some of the darkest days of human history. But will he be able to untangle the web before the tensions in Cape Unity explode into more violence and he becomes the next victim?
Okay, so as a general rule I do not do Vampire Stories (usually) but this captured my attention some time ago and I've been too curious about it to stay away. What do I think of it so far? Well, you'll just have to wait. I want to surprise you.
Henry Stuart, Duke of Gloucester, the youngest brother of King Charles II is a handsome man with sound principles. When the twenty-year-old prince contracts smallpox in 1660, however, his life takes a decidedly sinister turn. Obsessed with Henry from afar, Contessa Griselda di Cuorenero - one of the Devil's concubines - turns him into a vampire and plunges him into the world of night. But Henry soon discovers that not all horrors are of the paranormal kind... In the unnaturally close village of Coffin's Bishop, Henry encounters a severely abused young woman - Susanna Edmonds - a woman who has suffered under humans more monstrous than vampires. Could love save them from the evil they have known? And at what cost? Henry must choose between his humanity and his monstrous, insatiable desire for human blood. From the author of "His Last Mistress," The Stuart Vampire is a dark gothic tale in the vein of The Monk.
The Historian is one I have read before (more than once) and I'm thoroughly enjoying it still. I'm reading it with a different eye this time around. Alas, it's a dense read with articulate prose and I am absorbing this lush story in small lavish dosages.
To you, perceptive reader, I bequeath my history…
Late one night, exploring her father's library, a young woman finds an ancient book and a cache of yellowing letters addressed ominously to 'My dear and unfortunate successor'. Her discovery plunges her into a world she never dreamed of – a labyrinth where the secrets of her father's past and her mother's mysterious fate connect to an evil hidden in the depths of history.
Book descriptions from goodreads.
Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to check out my wordpress for author interviews and much more!
2016 Historical Novel Society Indie Award Announce...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


This is a photo of Agnes Allen Conley and her husband Oscar Conley that was taken about the time they got married, which was on July 17th, 1917. I don't know the exact date of the photo or even who has the original. I found it on a cribbage board that had been made for a raffle at one of the Conley Family reunions. This is one of my favorite photos of them.


Testing your website on the main browsers (Edge, Internet Explorer 11/10/9/8, Chrome, Firefox, Safari) on the main platforms (Windows 10/8.1/8/7/XP, Mac OS X/macOS, Linux) with the aim of finding any browser-specific issues and to check the compatibility of your website design and layout across all these browsers.
Is your website responsive? Could you be losing business due to your website failing on smartphones and tablets? Website testing on iOS and Android mobile devices. Testing done on real devices, not virtual devices or simulators. Where appropriate, the Kobiton device testing cloud can also be used to further enhance the range of devices tested. Devices I have tested websites on.
End-to-End Testing of your website, in sectors such as online shopping, bookings and ticketing. This can uncover bugs in areas such as Signup, Shopping, Cart, Checkout, Payments and Confirmations. One bug in the Checkout process could lead to customers abandoning both their Cart – and your site.
Performance of your website is a critical element and I can test the performance of your website using tools such as Charles proxy to simulate low bandwidth – known as bandwidth throttling. Also this tool can be used to test for unreliable connections and how your website handles them. This testing is especially vital for websites running on mobile devices, which maybe using mobile networks in addition to wifi.
Testing your Web Apps, to make sure they function correctly and deliver what's required. Does your Facebook app work? Is Twitter integration working? Is your web app accessing the correct server data? Is your ecommerce site working across all browsers and mobile devices?
Giving feedback on the Web Usability & SEO factors of your website. Is your website user-friendly? Can user's find the content they need? Is your website navigation effective? Can user's find your site in Google? Is your site built with SEO in mind? Does your website need an SEO overhaul?
Specialist website testing requirements, such as Performance Testing, Load Testing, Penetration Testing, Accessibility Testing, Usability Testing, Test Automation consultancy etc can also be arranged, via an industry-leading provider I work with.
Exploratory testing involves a tester using their knowledge and experience to explore a website or app, learn it's layout, contents and functions whilst simultaneously designing and executing test scenarios and test cases. This unscripted approach can lead to issues being found almost immediately.
This service is ideal if you're launching (or re-launching) a WordPress website and want to give the website a healthcheck before the go-live.
We would start by defining the healthcheck – what should be covered, what duration, where to perform it, when to schedule it, etc.
… and also logging in via FTP to check the WordPress installation directories and files.
Check of the Backup Strategy.
And on the Frontend – Cross-Browser Testing – to find any bugs lurking in the website, across the main browsers – Chrome, IE, Firefox and Safari – plus Mobile Device Testing – to find any issues the site may have displaying on Smartphones and Tablets.
Healthcheck Report – containing any issues found during the healthcheck, plus recommendations on any improvements that might be needed.
I'm a freelance Website Tester, based in the London area.
High profile websites being hacked is nothing new nowadays – we hear about a different hack every week, if not every day. Hackers will use many different techniques to break into high profile websites and systems – including targeting weaknesses in the website's security, social engineering and vulnerability exploits.
Some large companies spend a fortune on security teams and security audits but may still end up being hacked, due to the many attack factors present in the setup and scale of a large company.
Smaller companies and individuals may believe in security by obscurity, but still end up being hacked, if they happen to come onto the hackers radar for whatever reason.
All these factors cement the fact that every website should be built using at least basic security practices.
My website testing services can include basic security testing, where requested by the customer, to at least test whether basic security practices and processes are implemented by the website.
These tests look for security weaknesses in areas such as user registration, passwords, account maintenance and also some basic code injection, to check for SQL Injection and such like.
Note: The results of these tests provide an indication of what level of basic security practices and processes are implemented by the website, but not how secure the site is, as this would require advanced security testing.
For some sites, such as ecommerce sites, sites with lots of user data and sites relying on user-generated content, I'd normally also recommend some advanced security testing, such as Penetration Testing to be carried out on the site by a specialist service provider.
Home Furniture Range contacted me to give their retail website a thorough testing, to ensure things were working from one end of the sales process to another. This ranged from checking the search results performance of their products on Google, through to creating orders and the whole purchasing and payments process.
Testing performed included Functional Testing, Exploratory Testing, Cross-Browser & Cross-Device Testing, End-to-End Testing, plus checking Usability and SEO.
A Test Plan was created in Excel, with Test Results also recorded in Excel and all issues tracked in my own JIRA.
Testing was performed on all the main browsers on Windows and Mac OSX platforms, plus also testing on mobile including iPad, iPhone and Android devices.
After the testing phase, their IT specialists began fixing the issues found and a short phase of retesting was carried out, to check and close the issues in the JIRA issue-tracker.
Client requirement: A website testing professional who could throughly test their retail ecommerce website.
Outcome: A range of testing methods was used to test the whole end-to-end process, which unearthed a variety of issues which were raised in JIRA and then fixed by the IT team, leading to a more reliable and effective retail website.
* More info on my Flexible Testing approach.
Using testing tools, methods and languages such as Gherkin.
The approach taken depends on many factors, including the time and budget available, how the customer works and how best to take things forward.
* More info on Who I Work With….
In some cases, a client will know exactly what they want from a website testing project and this will help to define the project from the start. On the other hand, a client may come to me and say 'test my website', in which case, further information is required to find out the required scope of the testing project.
In order to define the project, we can discuss requirements via email, phone call, Skype call, Slack chat, or, for a longer-term project in the London area, an onsite meeting.
The aim here is to agree what the testing should focus on and on what browsers and devices the testing should be carried out on.
Other factors to consider are where issues are to be raised and how test results are reported.
Also, scheduling of the testing date(s) is key and you can view my Bookings Calendar to check availability.
At this stage, the Website is tested, according to the Project definitions and the browser and device list agreed on. This will include all the testing types agreed on, plus the appropriate amount of Exploratory Testing to unearth bugs which may otherwise be left lurking in the website.
Issues are raised as they are found, in the method agreed: this could be in your own issue tracker – such as JIRA, DoneDone, RedMine etc – or within an Excel document, or perhaps a Google doc, or, where applicable, within my own hosted JIRA issue tracker.
Test results can be reported in many ways and the method used will often depend on the length of the test project. For example, a short half-day test could be reported on in an email that summarises all the results, whereas a longer test could be reported on in a full Test Summary Report.
A Test Summary Report includes sections such as Overview, Main Findings, Gap Analysis, Deliverables, Testing Types Performed, Test Browsers & Devices, Bugs Statistics and Summary of Main Bugs.
At this stage, we can discuss if any further testing is required.
This may include further focussed testing, retesting of fixed issues, regression testing after changes or any other type of testing.
During the Development Stage, I can work with the Developers, Designers and Project Managers to effectively design and execute tests at the most cost-effective time.
* Working with Developers, Designers, Project Managers.
* Testing can be focussed on the most important functionality or can be generalised, to cover all areas of the website.
* Testing can be added in phases, as new functionality is developed and available for testing e.g. on a sprint/iteration/release basis.
* Most cost-effective time for testing.
During the Beta Stage, bugs can be found which otherwise would have been released to the public.
* Find Bugs before website is released to the public.
* All functionality can be tested at this stage, and emphasis can be given to certain functionality depending on priorities.
* Still a cost-effective time for testing.
At the Release Stage, testing can be done at and around the go-live stage, to try and find any last-minute issues, and also when new features are added to the site, or when the site is enhanced with new technology, new features etc.
The iOS Device list is a list of iOS devices I have tested websites on, whilst working on projects at my own office, at client's offices and via the Kobiton device testing cloud. I have a subset of these devices for my own projects and a device list can be requested by potential clients and existing clients.
The Android & Other Devices list is a list of Android devices and other devices I have tested websites on, whilst working on projects at my own office and at client's offices. I have a subset of these devices for my own projects and a device list can be requested by potential clients and existing clients.
Website Testing of the Home Furniture Range ecommerce retail website.
Working to a specific customer brief to test the sales process, from Google search results through to the website, including test orders and payments.
Testing performed included Functional Testing, End-to-End Testing, Cross-Browser Testing, Mobile Device Testing plus providing feedback on UX/UI/Usability and SEO.
All issues tracked in my own JIRA issue tracker.
After the testing phase, HFR IT team began fixing the issues and I carried out some retesting, to check and close the issues in JIRA.
Having some knowledge of web technologies such as HTML/HTML5, CSS and PHP can be very useful when testing websites, as it gives the tester an insight into how the website works and functions. I have some knowledge in these web technologies and this has proved useful during testing, especially when combined with tools such as Web Developer Tools in Firefox, enabling me to give detailed feedback when reporting bugs.
Creating detailed Bug Reports is an essential part of the testing process, allowing the developers to reproduce the bug and then attempt to fix it.
Sometimes a bug is best shown via a screenshot or a video – or both – especially when a text description doesn't seem sufficient or would be too complicated to be useful. There are several different methods for getting screenshots and videos when testing websites. These include using the built-in screenshot tools on the computer or device you're testing on and also software and tools specifically developed to capture screenshots and videos of the computer in use, such as Camtasia and Jing.
Maintaining and tracking issues in an Issue Tracking System is a vital way of managing the Test Process, so that progress in fixing issues can be monitored and updated.
Different projects require the use of different Issue Tracking Systems and methods. So far, I've used the specialist Jira system, the Redmine system, the DoneDone issue-tracking system, the issue-tracking features in the Codebase system, plus also using Excel spreadsheets and Google docs.
Gherkin provides a scripted way of describing how software works, without detailing how it is implemented. It's written in a human-readable format and can be understood (and written) by those on the business side of a project plus the developers and testers. Gherkin can be used to provide both documentation and also can be used for automating testing, such as when used with Cucumber. I have so far used Gherkin when performing manual testing, as it's an ideal way for developers to document how a feature is expected to work – and for a tester to then test against it.
Google Analytics can be used to obtain detailed statistics and analysis of website usage. These stats can then be analysed to find out key information – such as which browsers access the site the most, which operating systems access the site the most, which mobile devices and O/S are used to access the site. This information can then be used to prioritise the testing done on the website, based on usage. For instance, if the site is mainly accessed by iPad users, then priority needs to be given to testing the website on the iPad range of devices.
Sites such as BrowserStack.com and Sauce Labs can be used to increase the range of testing possibilities when testing websites. For instance, you can choose various devices and browsers to test on and then see how the website looks and acts in them. This can be useful for testing when you don't have access to a certain device, type of hardware or operating system. I have used both BrowserStack.com and Sauce Labs and can recommend them.
There are many different types of websites, including Web Apps, Facebook Apps, HTML5 websites, CMS websites, Online Stores, Blogs and many more. I have tested across an extensive range of websites, including all of these and many more, even testing Emails where email content is linked to websites.
As more websites and web apps feature Facebook login and integration, the lines are starting to blur between the website/web app and the Facebook App. I've now worked on several Facebook app testing projects and each one has differed in the level of Facebook integration. Some have just used the Facebook login API, whereas some have been fully blown Facebook apps, sometimes 'hiding' in a website wrapper to appear like a website rather than a Facebook app. These Facebook app projects have their own complexities, such as Facebook user management and creation, Facebook photo and video library management etc.
Content Management Systems (CMS) are used to create many different types of websites, ranging from the more usual blogs to fully blown websites, some with an online store. I have tested websites created with all sorts of CMS, including WordPress, MS SharePoint and – most often – a custom CMS created by the website developers. Any CMS consists of both a back-end, admin system where the site content is added and maintained, plus also a front-end that the website user actually sees. CMS Testing, depending on client requirements, can consist of testing both the back-end and the front-end, though most often consists of testing the front-end only. Testing the back-end requires additional tests on areas such as access control, account maintenance, user management, media upload and management, image and video testing, plus some basic security testing. I have also tested several eCommerce sites, which use the Magento platform, which is an eCommerce CMS.
Testing tools help the testing process in many different ways and there are many different testing tools. Charles Proxy is a good example, which I sometimes use to test bandwidth throttling for apps and websites, to see how the product handles network connections with low bandwidth and varying stability and reliability. Other tools I've used include Postman, for API testing.


Angel Broking offers a wide range of trading products compared to other full service brokers. The product profile also expands to wealth multiplier and investment products.
As all know, equity refers to the shares and scrip are one of the most widely used investment instruments in the financial market. Angel Broking has a varied product range to suit an investor as well a trader.
Derivatives were introduced in the Indian financial market in the year 2000. Derivatives instruments comprises future and option. As the name suggests, these instruments derive their value from an underlying asset. These instruments are also widely used as risk mitigating instruments.
For trading in derivatives, one need not require the funds to buy the stock, rather, one will only have to pay certain margin money to obtain a long (i.e. buy position) in the market. By taking a long position, one basically buys an option (and does not buy the stock itself) to buy/sell that stock. This is called an Option derivative. The other category of derivate is Future & Forward. Herein, there is no option involved, rather there is an agreement to buy/sell a stock at a future agreed date at a pre-decided price, irrespective of the price prevailing on the agreed of that stock.
Currency trading implies trading in the foreign currencies so as to take an advantage of the fluctuations of the currencies. The currency market also offers F&O instruments wherein the underlying asset is the currency.
Commodity trading refers to trading of a commodity like metals, grains, oil, sugar, cattle etc. and not shares or scrip. This trading is regulated by MCX and NCDX. Currency trading implies trading in the foreign currencies so as to take an advantage of the fluctuations of the currencies.


Deal Alert – 31 Large Utility Tote for $12!
One of my absolute favourite storage items is 31 Gifts' Large Utility tote!
Since it holds up to 100lbs, it's amazing for carrying home shopping hauls and is now a staple in my linen closet for holding linens and stock pile items.
I love, love, love, my Large Utility Totes!
For the month of September only, you can pick up 31 Gifts most popular item, the Large Utility Tote for just $12 when you spend $40 this month!
As a bonus for moneysavvyme readers, you can get an additional 10% off when you order here (price will be adjusted after ordering by the consultant).
Remember, this deal ends September 30th and must be ordered through this link to get the extra 10% off.


You are so correct…we are making it all up as we go along. We've never done this before. Now what will we choose–as individuals, as a collective? Our individual choices make up the whole, determine the way it will all go on a grand scale. Time to quit feeding the fear and instead make conscious choices to feed the love instead.
Oh, and by the way, thank you for following my blog! You are one special lady!


text:
In The Hedge Fund Law Report, Hedge Funds Partner Joel...
In The Hedge Fund Law Report, Hedge Funds Partner Joel Wattenbarger Provides Insights on Communicating with OCIE Examiners
September 24, 2018 Practices: Hedge Funds, Compliance for Hedge Funds, Securities & Futures Enforcement
A two-part series in The Hedge Fund Law Report explores the initial interactions during examinations between examiners from the SEC's Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) and an adviser's CCO, including a detailed discussion about the fairly new practice adopted by OCIE examiners of requesting the CCO to participate in a call to discuss the adviser's business and compliance program (Interim Call) prior to those examiners coming onsite to the adviser's office. Both pieces include insights from hedge funds partner Joel Wattenbarger.
The first installment of the series published on Sept. 13, examines what chief compliance officers should expect during initial communications with OCIE examiners. "In most examinations conducted by the SEC's Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE), a member of the OCIE staff will call the adviser's CCO to let him or her know that the adviser has been selected for an examination," explained Mr. Wattenbarger.
The second article published on Sept. 20 examines how chief compliance officers can stay prepared for initial communications with OCIE examiners. "CCOs should not be afraid to ask OCIE examiners in advance of the Interim Call the topics that they would like to discuss," advised Mr. Wattenbarger. "While CCOs are not necessarily expected to be able to answer every possible question about their advisers' businesses, they should be prepared to speak to the topics that the examiners have told them that they want to discuss," Mr. Wattenbarger continued.
Joel A. Wattenbarger


Rome and Milan were great. The Sistine Chapel was unforgettable. But Megan Gustafson's favorite part of an Italian excursion with the Iowa women's basketball team in 2015 was the small seaside village they visited in the remote stretch of the Italian coastline known as the Cinque Terre.
Of course it was. She was a kindred spirit. You can take the basketball player out of Port Wing, Wisconsin, the isolated hamlet on the shores of Lake Superior in that state's far northern reaches, but you can't take Port Wing out of the basketball player. Which partly explains why Iowa coach Lisa Bluder spent that trip fretting about the freshman who so quietly and readily slipped into the background.
Bluder, worried that Gustafson might be homesick, made a point to pull her into photos, to do something, anything to include her.
"Now I know she was loving it. And it didn't matter that she wasn't around the group and being boisterous. She was taking it in, thinking, 'This is really cool, I can't believe that I'm here.'"
To be sure, Gustafson might have been awestruck on her first trip abroad. She might have been shy around teammates. Mostly, though, she just savored the moment in her own way.
"I was just kind of sitting back and taking it all in," Gustafson said. "I think that's what it was more than anything."
Nearly four years later, time is running out to take things in. Averaging 27.3 points per game entering the week, Gustafson is on track to be the first player from a major conference to lead the nation in scoring in back-to-back seasons. She would be the first to do so on a team of national significance since Southwest Missouri State's Jackie Stiles nearly 20 years ago.
There is nothing quiet about Gustafson's feats. And with Big Ten regular-season and tournament titles still available, and the potential for the first NCAA tournament win during her tenure, she is not sitting back. She wants Iowa to be heard.
After Gustafson averaged 25.7 points per game a season ago, Bluder cautioned her that a repeat might be unrealistic. Not because she would play worse but because defenses would pay even more attention. When Gustafson scored 29 points and made 14 of 19 shots in a win against Ohio State this past weekend -- three days after scoring 41 points on 17-of-21 shooting in a victory against ranked Michigan State -- Buckeyes coach Kevin McGuff summed up how those adjustments are going for defenses trying to limit the 6-foot-3 post with the quick release and quicker decision-making.
"She's an incredibly efficient player," McGuff said. "She really knows how to play the game. She understands angles, and she gives her teammates a great target to throw the ball to. And then she also really knows how to function within their offense."
The Buckeyes played just about every defense in their arsenal: zone, man-to-man, box-and-one. None of those defenses worked any better than what they used last season, when a much better version of the Buckeyes watched her score 29 points in a win. Everyone tries to defend Gustafson. She's still shooting 70.4 percent, second in the nation at the moment, but also what would be the third-best season-long mark in Division I in more than a decade.
"They're definitely mixing it up all the time," Gustafson said of the adjustments encountered this season. "A lot of times they'll have two or three posts rotating in, and I'll be playing the whole time, which I'm fine with. I'm very well-conditioned, and I'm thankful for it. Just seeing that they're giving me, double- and triple-teams -- and trying to figure out where they're coming from -- is definitely something I've worked on."
As is her wont, she credited coaches for help with that work, including Iowa associate head coach and former national scoring leader Jan Jensen. Then she cited her teammates for their offseason shooting work. It might be excessive humility, but it's not empty praise. Take Gustafson out of the equation and Iowa is shooting 45.4 percent from the field this season, compared to 42.9 percent minus her contributions a season ago. That would be the difference between a place among the 25 best marks nationwide and a place outside the top 60 (with her contributions, Iowa's 52.2 percent shooting ranks second nationally).
Hawkeyes not named Gustafson made 14 of 40 shots in an opening round NCAA tournament loss to Creighton a season ago. They haven't been perfect this season (a blowout loss against Notre Dame among the examples), but there is statistical backing for the camaraderie they tout as their strength.
But that supposed wallflower that Bluder worried about in Italy? Gustafson has never been reticent about scoring, not in becoming the leading scorer in the history of Wisconsin high school basketball and not as the leading scorer in Hawkeyes history.
"That's part of my role -- if I have to take over a game, I'm going to have to do it," Gustafson said. "My teammates know that. They depend on me, and they trust me 100 percent. Even if they're thinking, 'I don't know if I can get this ball in there,' they're going to throw it up there anyway because I'm telling them to. They do a great job of reading when I do know I can get it, even if they don't think they can get it to me. At the end of the day, the trust is there."


text:
My faith story: Coming home
Pastor Jay Thorson
This piece is a reflection from Jay Thorson, pastor of Capitol Drive Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, Wis.
As a pastor, there is one moment at the annual synod assembly that never fails to stir my heart: the recognition of ordination anniversaries. As a young pastor, I looked forward to one day standing among these men and women who had "finished the course and kept the faith." But when it came time for me to walk up with the 25-year veterans, my name wasn't called. I'd resigned from the ELCA roster the year before, choosing to stay with my congregation as it left the ELCA for Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC). At that time, I assumed this was final. I couldn't imagine that the ELCA would let me return. But seven years later, they have. This is a bit of my story.
For 10 years, I served a suburban congregation that was much more traditional in its beliefs than most others in the Greater Milwaukee Synod. Although I wasn't as conservative as my congregation, we found we could work well together and God blessed us with growth. But eventually continued affiliation with the ELCA became deeply problematic for many of the members, especially the lay leaders.
As we debated this issue, I had one overriding leadership goal: Keep the congregation united and focused on Christ's mission. After a long study process, we concluded that becoming an independent Lutheran congregation would prevent a destructive split and preserve our mission. Although I'd told the congregation that I personally didn't need to leave, when it came time for a vote, I chose to stay with them. My conscience told me that leaving in the midst of so much transition (including a building program and many new members) would've been an irresponsible abandonment of my call. And indeed, the congregation stayed together and continued to grow. I enjoyed some of the fruits that only come with a long pastorate, especially seeing people whom I'd led to Christ become mature disciples.
But I felt homeless, like I'd lost my family.
In the coming years, I worked to maintain ties to the ELCA. At my urging, the congregation maintained its three ELCA ministry partnerships. I continued to study with nearby ELCA pastors, but I increasingly missed being part of a real ministerium: a team of pastors who shared the unique challenges of parish ministry.
I found myself missing the Greater Milwaukee Synod's commitment to fighting racism and working for justice for the poor. One needs a community of diverse congregations challenging and supporting one another in order to do this kind of kingdom work. And my relationship with the congregation changed. Since the congregation now had ultimate authority over me instead of an oversight shared with a synod, it became more difficult to effectively challenge them.
Then two events happened that turned the light on and motivated me to come back to the ELCA. My wife began a job at a free medical clinic working with many ELCA members. These folks had a joyous heart for the poor, and I was jealous. I wanted to work with people like them! Then a study trip to Israel re-awakened my former passion for critical engagement with the Scriptures. I was reclaiming the view that the Bible isn't an inerrant oracle dropped from heaven but more like a messy, earthen vessel holding the treasure of the saving gospel message. That's what most ELCA professors and pastors teach, and I realized that was where I belonged.
Encouraged by several ELCA clergy friends, I began the long process of reinstatement. This involves many of the same things a seminarian does—applications, essays and psychological tests. The Greater Milwaukee Synod bishop, staff and candidacy committee were very supportive and helpful, especially arranging a transition assignment that has allowed me to serve an ELCA parish so I can serve as a pastor while fulfilling the requirement of being an ELCA member for one year.
Being back has been a joy. It's been great to reconnect with so many friends from my early days in the Greater Milwaukee Synod, as well as build friendships with many fine new pastors and be enriched by their fresh insights. It's been an encouragement to be among people who are committed to God's ministry of reconciliation.
Now, after an 18-month journey, I've been approved and will be restored to the roster upon receipt of a regular call. I'm grateful for the chance to finish in the church that ordained me. And I'm looking forward to the 2028 Greater Milwaukee Synod Assembly. When they recognize the pastors celebrating their 40th anniversary of ordination, I hope to be there and hear my name.
Voices of Faith reflection
Assemblies reach out in service
Synods gather for learning and service
Five ways to honor veterans
Assemblies work to build bridges
Synod reports: Time to learn
Synods meet for education and business


text:
Got Algorithms?
Remove Got Algorithms? filter
Public Wi-Fi Networks Public Wi-Fi Federal Trade Commission Government English 2013 Security Digital Access, Information Quality, Privacy and Reputation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzoEy-t8Y-8 Video
Staying Safe on Public Wi-Fi This Summer Public Wi-Fi Rebecca Kielty (The Family Online Safety Institute) Non-profit English 2017 Security Digital Access, Information Quality, Privacy and Reputation https://www.fosi.org/good-digital-parenting/staying-safe-public-wi-fi-summer/ Text
What Is an Algorithm? Got Algorithms? Tech Policy Lab, University of Washington Academia English 2016 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computational Thinking https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_WfC8HwVB8 Video
What's the Deal with Algorithms? Got Algorithms? Jacob Brogan (Slate) Private English 2016 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computational Thinking http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2016/02/what_is_an_algorithm_an_explainer.html Text


It is no secret that Call Of Duty World War Two is one of the best received games in the series. It was a great return to form for the series and we have not actually heard anyone who has played it really have anything negative to say about it.
We all knew that it had sold well, but the amazing news is actually coming out of the UK where Call Of Duty is the number one selling game of 2017 and is the Christmas number one game, a title that Call Of Duty has held for the last 4 years in a row (yes even Infinite Warfare) and in total has held 8 times!
The only games that have beaten it are Fifa 09 in 2008, Skyrim in 2011 and Fifa 14 which was released in 2013. It is a truly phenomenal run that shows no matter how much people like to make fun of the annual Call Of Duty series, that this series has some serious legs and in all honesty when it comes to iconic gaming series. Even if you are not a huge Call Of Duty fan, you have to put it up there with the likes of Mario, Sonic, Halo, Resident Evil and the other iconic games.
The people at Activision must be thrilled as even though they held the top spot last year, Call Of Duty Infinite Warfare was not as well received. Call Of Duty WWII, on the other hand, has not only sold like hot cakes, it has also been very well received by gaming media and people who have actually played the game.


text:
If We Controlled Your Remote
Recaps & Reviews
About Kyle
← Sunday on TV – 6/23/19
If We Controlled Your Remote… 6/24/19 →
Does the Game of Thrones Slot Game Do the TV Show Justice?
Posted on June 24, 2019 by Guest Contributor
"A Song of Ice and Fire" by author George R. R. Martin had been hugely popular within fantasy circles for years, but when HBO adapted it and gave us Game of Thrones, the franchise soared to new levels, becoming perhaps the most popular television show in recent memory. The combination of nonstop danger, exposed flesh, superb acting, and mature storytelling turned the show into a modern classic. A franchise this popular was never going to stop there. We've seen countless adaptions to other mediums, such as a board game, several video games, and fitting right in with the show's mature audiences, a slot game. But when it comes to that very slot game, did developer Microgaming get it right?
Playing Game of Thrones slot
You can check out bestonlineslots.co.uk to start playing the Game of Thrones slot game. Once you do, you'll hear the famous soundtrack, which, if you're a fan of the show, will motivate you immediately. Then it's on in the battle for the Iron Throne.
The 5-reel, 3-row slot offers you a choice of playing with either 243 ways to win or 15 pay lines. The former means that you only need to spin matching reels and not on fixed pay lines. The latter is self-explanatory.
Aesthetically, the slots have managed to capture the mood of the show perfectly. Expect dark and brooding as opposed to vibrant and colourful. After all, it's a world in which epic battles are fought for the Westeros.
The standard playing card symbols (Jack, Queen, King, Ace) are here, along with shields depicting each house and their coat of arms. There's also the Iron Throne symbol.
The slot will please fans of the novels and the show alike. You'll notice a number of animated cut scenes from the show during the game, which helps to accent the drama. The impressive and detailed animation conjures up a range of emotions for the fight for leadership in the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.
Bonuses and features
The slot is full of in-game features, including the aforementioned clips of the show, so it leaves no want for entertainment.
Stacked Wild symbols: These take the form of the Game of Thrones logo and substitute for any other symbol, which, in turn, enable you to form more winning combinations. Further, they can be stacked on the reels, allowing them to cover all spaces. That's where you'll find the big wins.
Scatter symbols: These take the form of the "Iron Throne." The symbol helps to pay out prizes, regardless of where they're showing on the scream. They also trigger free spins, which you'll read more about below.
Four Free Spins: Each of the four spins provides its own set of advantages, which can reward you with up to 9 free spins, along with a bonus multiplier of up to 5x. During this round, simply play and wait to find out your reward, with the additional prizes added to your balance once the round is over.
Game of Thrones mobile slot
For those of you who enjoy playing games on your mobile devices, you'll be pleased to know that a mobile version of the Game of Thrones slot is available. All of the same bonus rounds and scenes from the show are here, along with the soundtrack.
Whether you choose 243 ways two win or 25 pay lines and no matter what size of screen you play it on, all of the excitement of the slot will be available to you. In fact, it's even easier to play on small touch screen devices.
Game of Thrones is another success from the renowned developers Microgaming and indeed does justice to the TV show and brand. Certainly, the slot can be dark, dramatic, and serious but, after all, that falls in line with the brand. It's a faithful adaptation of the show, perfectly recreating the atmosphere, and with numerous original bonus features included, you may find that you just can't stop spinning those reels.
You don't even need to have seen the serious to enjoy playing the game, but certainly, if you're a fan, you'll love this version.
This entry was posted in Site News and tagged Game of Thrones, HBO. Bookmark the permalink.
Contest (153)
If We Controlled Your Remote (2,416)
Just My Opinion (313)
Recaps & Reviews (410)
This Week on TV (776)
Today on TV (5,100)
TV Clips (48)
TV News (576)
TV Is My Pacifier on Twitter
Megan on Twitter
Kyle on Twitter
Phoebe on Twitter
No(R)eruns on Twitter
No(R)eruns.net
E!Online
TVaholic
SpoilerTV
TV Fanatic
TVOvermind
TV Is My Pacifier © 2022


text:
Attività
Nipote del compositore e direttore del Corpo Civico musicale di Catania Francesco Minuta, ha iniziato la sua attività di musicista fin da giovane, dedicandosi successivamente alla composizione di musica per ensemble e poi per il teatro. Ha collaborato con il Teatro Massimo Bellini di Catania, il Teatro Stabile di Catania, il Teatro Vitaliano Brancati di Catania ed il Piccolo Teatro di Catania, anche con la scrittura di musiche di scena.

Vincitore del primo premio assoluto del XVI concorso internazionale di musica "A.M.A. Calabria", si è inoltre aggiudicato il primo premio nella prima edizione del concorso Italy Percussion Competition per la sezione composizione con il brano Ciciulena, una suite di danze siciliane scritta per ensemble di strumenti a percussione.

Ha realizzato un arrangiamento per ensemble per la rassegna "Poesia e Musica - Arte e Donna" con il patrocinio del Comune di Catania ed il Museo Diocesano di Catania e partecipato con il brano Spanish Lady al Premio Brancati di Zafferana Etnea.

Ha partecipato con composizioni originali alla rassegna The Music Festival of Nations - Concerti del Tempietto, patrocinata da Roma Capitale. Nel 2013 ha realizzato insieme alla Camerata Polifonica Siciliana la colonna sonora per la sonorizzazione del film muto Un Amore selvaggio di Raffaele Viviani (1912) ed insieme all'ensemble siciliano Broken Consorts nel 2015 vince il premio "Agata Rubino Impastato", nella città di Alcamo.

Dal 2015 collabora con il Teatro Massimo Bellini di Catania per diverse produzioni liriche e sinfoniche dell'Ente e nel 2016 ha scritto le musiche per lo spettacolo teatrale Cica la Cicala e Is la Formica, su libretto di Lina Maria Ugolini ed il patrocinio della Camerata Polifonica Siciliana, andato in scena al Piccolo Teatro di Catania.

Ha contribuito nel 2017 alla realizzazione dell'album Eclipse insieme alla cantautrice romana Chiara Civello e nel 2018 realizza per il Teatro Vitaliano Brancati di Catania le musiche di scena per lo spettacolo Oh Dio Mio!, della drammaturga israeliana Anat Gov. Sempre lo stesso anno ha contribuito alla pubblicazione del libro Le forme della poesia e la musica di Lina Maria Ugolini, edito da Villaggio Maori.

Ha realizzato un poema sinfonico dal titolo Elpìs, eseguito dal direttore d'orchestra Teodor Currentzis alla Sainte-Chapelle di Parigi nel 2019 trasmesso da Arte.tv ed ha composto brani per ensemble di percussioni, oltre che un Metodo per Tamburo edito da Symphonos Italia.

Nel 2013 è stato co-fondatore dell'etichetta discografica Symphonos Italia e dal 2020 collabora attivamente con compositori di musica elettronica, tra cui Twelwe, Dye O, Molife, Bonsaye, minite, Far Orange, Sun Mirage, Cogitation, Raphael Creed, Thirsty Ear, Pearl Melendez, Noa Sandberg, Klaangen, Darcie Roman, Leon Jarvis, Moon Oceans, Cokobi, Jeff Birma, Najma Wallin, Clyde Boudreaux, Scintillante, Elise Ryen, Zims Ele, Kaua Correia, Vishal Casey, Mario Basanov, Hot Toddy, Leon Somov & Jazzu, Ella Calmes, Artemio Li Fonti, Samira Tesfay, Artura Ponce Valles, Tine Mydland, Marie Protivovà, Jeff Birma, Jeanelle Bolduc, Kaua Correia, Judithe Abelsen, Jürgen Paape, Sascha Funke, Superpitcher, Pachanga Boys.

Discografia

Album / EP
 2021 – Even After Dark (Symphonos Italia)
 2021 – Piece of Your Heart (Symphonos Italia)
 2021 – Symphony of Nature (Symphonos Italia)
 2021 – Different Ways (Symphonos Italia)
 2021 – Bar Night (Symphonos Italia)

Singolo

 2021  –  Crepitaculum (Symphonos Italia)
 2021  – Mondays Time (Symphonos Italia)
 2021  – Time Laps (Symphonos Italia)
 2021  – Okapi (Symphonos Italia)
 2021 – My Dreams (Symphonos Italia)
 2021 – Mystical Voices (Symphonos Italia)
 2021 – Water Spirit (Symphonos Italia)
 2021 – Holy Ground (Symphonos Italia)
 2021 – Above The Sky (Symphonos Italia)
 2021 – Black in Mind (Symphonos Italia)
 2021 – Sonic Flavours (Symphonos Italia)
 2021 – Age of Pandora (Symphonos Italia)
 2021 – You Know Feeling (Symphonos Italia)
 2021 – Astral Waves (Symphonos Italia)
 2021 – Matter of Time (Symphonos Italia)
 2021 – Talking Heart (Symphonos Italia)
 2021 – Lost with You (Symphonos Italia)
 2021 – Long Time (Symphonos Italia)
 2022 – Friends In Love (Symphonos Italia)
 2022 – Take Me Dancing (Symphonos Italia)
 2022 – Pacific Coast (Symphonos Italia)
 2022 – High On Love (Symphonos Italia)
 2023 – Save a Soul (Symphonos Italia)
 2023 – Midnight (Symphonos Italia)

Pubblicazioni

 Elpìs – Poema sinfonico in unico atto. Sainte-Chapelle di Parigi.
 Il Vecchio Castello – Arrangiamento tratto dalla suite Quadri di un'esposizione di Modest Musorgskij.
 Un Amore selvaggio – Sonorizzazione del film muto di Raffaele Viviani.
 Eclipse – Composizione per ensemble di percussioni.
 Ciciulena – Sicilian Dance Suite for Multiple Percussion.
 Percussion Ouverture – Ouverture in 3 movimenti.
 Quattro Pezzi per Quattro Tom-Toms – Composizione per ensemble di percussioni.
 Giochi di Fuoco – Composizione per ensemble di percussioni.
 Jota – Musica per ensemble di arpe.
 Spanish Lady – Musica per ensemble di arpe.
 Requiem For a Dream – Musica per ensemble di arpe.
 Metodo per Tamburo I – Metodo per Tamburo Volume I
 Metodo per Tamburo II – Metodo per Tamburo Volume II

Note

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Our team was awarded by NASA for a 4-year $8M ULI grant to develop safe and secure assured autonomy.
ACCESS Laboratory
Developed software
AutoDrive2019Results
Autonomous Transportation Testbed
Human-Robot Collaboration Testbed
Advance Robotic Testbed
Smart Farming Testbed
ECEN672-472
ECEN885-SelfDrivingCars
ECEN872
Ali Karimoddini
Director, ACCESS Laboratory
Deputy Director, TECHLAV DoD Center of Excellence in Autonomy
North Carolina A&T State University
Greensboro, NC, 27411
E-mail: akarimod at ncat dot edu
Calendar: Google Calendar
Ali Karimoddini received his Bachelor of Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic), Iran, in 2003. He then received his Master of Science in Instrumentation and Automation Engineering from Petroleum University of Technology in 2007. In 2008, he joined the National University of Singapore to pursue his Ph.D. degree, and in 2012, he joined the University of Notre Dame to conduct his postdoctoral studies.
Dr. Karimoddini is currently an Associate Professor at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, North Carolina A&T State University. His teaching and research interests cover a variety of problems at the intersection of Control, Communication, Computer Science and Life Science. He is currently researching "Testing, evaluation, analysis, control, and decision making for large scale complex systems", "Robotic swarms", "Cyber-physical systems", "Cooperative and distributed control of multi-agent systems", "Reliable and fault tolerant hybrid control systems", "Biological systems", "Aerial robotics", "Flight control systems", "Discrete event systems", "Distributed optimization for coordination of multi-agent systems", "Hybrid modeling and control", and the applications to different fields such as smart grids, smart transportation systems, smart farming and cyber security.
Dr. Karimoddini is the director of Autonomous Cooperative Control of Emergent Systems of Systems (ACCESS) Lab and the deputy director and research thrust leader of Testing, Evaluation and Control of Heterogeneous Large-scale systems of Autonomous Vehicles (TECHLAV) Center. He is the recipient of the 2015 Rookie of the year award of NC A&T State University. He is also a senior member of IEEE, and a member of AIAA, ISA, and AHS.
Address 301 Cherry Hall North Carolina A&T State University1601 East Market Street Greensboro, NC 27411
Email: akarimod at ncat dot edu Phone: (336) 285-3313 Fax: (336) 334-7716


Recently, we discussed the importance of planning out your garden. If you missed that, go back and check it out now . Today, I want discuss an additional consideration before you actually start you garden: building raised garden beds.
...lift your garden off the ground. How high the bed is depends on how you build them. Most often, they stand about eleven inches tall, which is the height of two 2x6 boards (2x6 boards are actually 5.5 inches wide) on end.
The beds themselves are rectangular, and sit upon the ground. They are then filled with soil, often with higher quality gardening soil, rather than regular topsoil.
Why Should You Consider Raised Beds?
Despite these relatively minor consideration, raised bed gardening offers a number of key benefits over traditional planting. If you're new to gardening and don't mind a small initial investment in time and materials, you should be considering raised beds.


Music City's nightlife meets the luxuries of fashion and fun in the day time. Please join Nashville as we celebrate the life of Cedrick Bass. The #NoSleep Day Party will be full of entertainment and memorable moments for the elite, an exerience that you do not want to miss.
Business casual and cocktail dress code enforced.


text:
The Office Bully May Have Finally Met His Match
Business + Economy
By Steve Yoder, The Fiscal Times
Cardiologist Lowell Gerber might seem the unlikeliest of targets for workplace abuse. Hired in 2007 by a small hospital in rural Maine to start a cardiology program, he says he started having trouble on the job after he questioned hospital management about the circumstances of a patient's death. He claims that soon after, his bosses tried to undermine his ability to do his job. He was assigned exam rooms on opposite ends of the hospital, which cut into his productivity. Equipment and staff he asked for never arrived. He wasn't given an office, but a cramped exam room to work out of that he shared with a co-worker.
After six months, he was fired and never given a reason.
He wasn't alone—several of the hospital's other doctors, on a staff with only 22 physicians--were forced out and not told why, according to a report in the Bangor Daily News. (One said it likely was because he'd cooperated with Maine's Attorney General in an investigation into one of his hospital colleagues.) The next year, the administrator who fired Gerber was himself ousted, in part because an investigation revealed numerous failures in the hospital's emergency room procedures, according to the Daily News. Down East Community Hospital spokeswoman Julie Hixson told The Fiscal Times that the hospital will not comment on Gerber's allegations or the Daily News stories.
Gerber believes he was the target of workplace bullying— defined by the Workplace Bullying Institute as verbal abuse, offensive behavior that threatens or humiliates, or sabotage that keeps work from getting done, according to the Workplace Bullying Institute, which studies the issue. (If so, Gerber's case falls into that last category.)
Bullying has become a buzzword in recent years, following several tragic teenage incidents have highlighted a problem that experts say doesn't go away once victims and perpetrators leave the schoolyard and enter the office. Victims have a few options for stopping their antagonists, though as in Gerber's case it usually ends when the target leaves or is fired, say experts. Employers ignore bullying issues on the job at their peril given the long-term costs to their organizations.
In practice, of course, it can be difficult to determine whether the actions of a supervisor represent actual bullying or just a boss's abrasive personality clashing with a subordinate's thin skin. Under an anti-workplace bullying bill introduced this year in the Massachusetts legislature, "verbal, non-verbal, or physical conduct of a threatening, intimidating, or humiliating nature…" is included in the definition of workplace abuse and could be grounds for an employee to sue.
Jonathan Segal of Philadelphia law firm Duane Morris and SHRM's Pennsylvania legislative director finds that definition too subjective: "You can see cases that would be obvious, where three employees decide they don't like one employee, so they yell at him, sabotage him, destroy his work…. But think about the word 'intimidating.' Power is intimidating. Is it intimidating to mention to an employee ten times that she hasn't gotten her job done?" he asks.
Still, a study last year by the Society of Human Resource Management found that 51 percent of companies reported incidents of bullying, and one in five HR professionals say it's increasing.
Many workplace bullies appear to benefit from keen political skills. In fact, a study in the Journal of Managerial Psychology earlier this year suggested that bullying is exactly what helps the perpetrators stay in favor. "Many bullies are very socially skilled and use their bullying behavior strategically to coerce others into providing them the resources needed to achieve their work-related objectives," said the researchers.
BAD FOR EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYERS
Bullying exacts no small toll on employees and companies. More than half of bullying targets reported having panic attacks as a result of the experience, 30 percent said they'd been diagnosed with PTSD, and about 60 percent had heart palpitations or hypertension, according to WBI.
Companies in which bullying occurs pay a price in output: Targeted employees are less productive, feel less dedicated to their organization's success, and use more sick days, according to Robert Sutton, a professor of organizational behavior at Stanford's Graduate School of Business. In organizations with bullying, morale is lower, stress or depression levels are higher, and trust among co-workers is decreased, a SHRM survey found.
RELATED: ONE TERRIBLE BOSS, 10 GREAT WORKPLACE TIPS
WHAT CAN VICTIMS DO?
Targets of bullying do have choices, says Catherine Mattice, author of a book on stopping bullies and founder of Civility Partners, which trains workers and supervisors on building a positive workplace. First they need to reframe the situation and start thinking of it as a challenge they can get past. "You have to recognize that you're empowered," says Mattice.
Equally important is setting up a support system through friends and family. Victims also can try getting support from co-workers, she says, but that's risky since they can't appear to be trying to bring their colleagues over to their side; that could be used as evidence that they're trying to sow division and undermine workplace harmony.
Targets also should find out whether their employer has policies proscribing the bully's behavior, says Sue Ellen Eisenberg, whose Michigan law firm focuses on employee rights. Some organizations now have specific anti-bullying policies, she says. (Forty percent of those surveyed in 2011 by SHRM did.) Others have guidelines that might cover bullying, like those that protect whistle-blowers, prevent retaliation, prohibit workplace sabotage, or ensure that there's an open door to management to report behavior that's disrupting workplace functioning, she says.
A 2012 Wharton study of bullying within the nursing profession found that even in workplaces with an anti-bullying policy, it's often perceived as unfair or unfairly applied. So workers should document everything; they should start a journal and collect emails and other supporting materials. The goal is to assemble evidence about what the bully's behavior is costing the organization, says WBI's Gary Namie. That might include evidence of past litigation by employees who were bullied, settlement of past lawsuits, and workers comp claims related to the person's behavior.
Then take it to the highest level you can, he suggests. Unless you're working in a mom-and-pop business, there will be someone who monitors the bottom line. "Find that person and go in like a consultant would and make a fiscal presentation... Strip the emotion away," Namie says.
RELATED: HOW MEN AND WOMEN DIFFER IN THE WORKPLACE
Eisenberg says victims can also consult an employment lawyer. Though there are no state laws prohibiting workplace bullying, depending on the specifics the abuse could be covered by harassment, discrimination, or stalking provisions of state or federal law. The WBI cautions that filing a lawsuit can cost $10,000 or more.
COMPANIES RESPOND
For their part, companies are well advised to adopt policies that promote a positive work environment, says Philadelphia attorney Segal. Some of his clients have created guidelines that, while not mentioning bullying, encourage a respectful work environment; many also provide training on the policy and evaluate staff and management on whether their behavior promotes it.
HR departments also need clear guidelines for investigating complaints, says Robert Miller, human resources director at the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District.
In fact, one metric indicates that more companies are getting the message that workplace bullying matters, says Namie. The 2012 WBI survey found that in five percent of cases, bullying ended with the perpetrators, not the victims, being fired. It may not seem like much, but it's more than double the two-percent figure reported the last time WBI did the survey.
"Management has the ultimate responsibility to understand and manage this behavior," says Miller. "Just because a person is a high performer is no excuse to accept it."
The New Corporate Success Strategy: Face Time
I have long believed in the power of pageantry to inform and inspire. Even in our digital age, bringing people...
20 Craziest Job Interview Questions
If you head into a job interview thinking you're fully prepared for the most routine questions asked by a hiring...
Free Online College Tuition for Starbucks Baristas
Starbucks Corp is expanding its employee college tuition assistance program to cover the entire cost of getting an...
Steve Yoder
STEVE YODER writes about business, real estate and other domestic policy issues. His work has appeared in print and online at Salon, The American Prospect, Men's Health, The Crime Report, and elsewhere.


So, you didn't listen. You left it to the last minute to buy your tickets for Spoken Movement's Obibini at Sadler's Wells Lilian Baylis Theatre on Thursday? In that case – unless you were at Redbridge Drama Centre for the first showing of Kwame Asafo-Adjei's very first full length work – you've lost your chance to say 'I was there' for the launch of a group of creatives who will make art history in years to come. If you were there and didn't also book tickets for this time, you'll still loose out because they've put in more work and the show is slicker, more elevating and more grounded.
And when I say 'art history' I mean what I say. I've watched hundreds of dance performances, not just in London but all over four continents, and Obibini – as performed last year at Redbridge Drama Centre – is the first time that I have experienced dance theatre at this level. Kwame is good at bathetic juxtaposition, and the experience he provides is expressive, enthralling, scary and resonant. While others felt the work at Redbridge engendered a direct spirituality, my breath was taken by the confidence with which the audience was handled, along with Spoken Movement's use of silence and space.
The company makes a good team too. Outstandingly so in an area where great teamwork is the aspirational Norm. Company members simultaneously follow to the letter and interpret Kwame's instructions. This results in a coherent whole that viscerally pulls you in unexpected directions.
While Kwame does the inspirational creative stuff, Victoria Shulungu's patient production perspective pulls the work together with internal details and external engagement. I could go on, because each participant brings something uniquely special to the mix and the mix works well, but it's better you see it for yourself.
Am I biased? Hell yes! I spotted Kwame and Victoria years ago as some who would rise to stellar heights, and have alternated between doing the little I can to support them and holding my breath as I watched their work come together. So yes, I am biased. Also rather smug.
Follow Spoken Movement. Sign up at DanceGR.ist so you don't miss this type of thing in the future. Follow the DanceGr.ist social media, particularly Instagram, and the next time I tell you to get tickets don't leave it so long.
Obibini is part of Sadler's Wells Wild Card series.


text:
The Delusion of Passion
Subscribe to updates about this book, speaking events by the authors
& updates from Millennial Strong, Inc.
@2016 by Millennial Strong, Inc.
#thedelusionofpassion
contact@millennialstrong.com
One Degree Off
Value Over Cost
Just Say Stuff
There's More To Your Daydreams Than You Know... - More from Steve Harvey
Abundance vs Lack Mindset
Reaction vs Response
Raise The Floor
3 Ways to Avoid Getting Left Behind
Facts Are Facts, The Story Is Yours To Create
3 Misconceptions About Self-Made Billionaires
Mark Nathan
What do you mean it's the week of Thanksgiving?
I mean, I know what you mean, it's physically the week that contains the holiday. But wasn't it just Labor Day? Wasn't it just Columbus Day? Wasn't it just Arbor day?! Dear readers. It feels like Arbor day was just literally yesterday.
I hope this week is full of reflection on all the things there are to be grateful for. I know my life is chock-full of them, especially my wife and our little guy. But this week, I've got an important topic to cover, so I figure you'd be grateful if I just got to it, because even 10 seconds more of application to this principle could move your life forward by months.
What do these movies have in common? Not just a top-10 list of my favorite movies. Because there's only 7 movies listed here. Good catch, readers. This week, we're talking about a well-known and oft-spoke-of concept; it's about who you know.
Perfect example: in the film world, there are some directors that I'm quite fond of (and you likely are, too) that seem to work with the same actors time and time again. Let's use the recent example of Christopher Nolan. Chris Nolan has directed some films that you've likely seen. Above is a partial list of some of the bigger titles.
Well, in my opinion as a director of film myself, they're all pretty fantastically directed. But let me give some actor context. Michael Caine has been in 7 of his films. Christian Bale was in all 3 Batman movies and The Prestige. Cillian Murphy was in the Batman franchise, then featured in Inception AND Dunkirk. Tom Hardy was the lead villain in The Dark Knight Rises, was featured in Inception and Dunkirk.
Have You Ever Heard: It's All About Who You Know?
And why does he continually work with the same people? There's lots of incredible talent in Hollywood, you say. Well, it's not just because they're buddies. They're terrific collaborators, for sure. But in the movie business, there are just so many unknowns lurking around every decision. From the roughly 100 pieces of paper that can make or break a story (the script), to the fact that you have NO idea how the production will unfold, the unknown around schedules, shooting, how the actors will gel with each other, on-screen chemistry, not to mention whether the studio will demand changes, if an audience will even COME AND SEE IT. It's a sea of unknowns. But in this sea of unknowns, he's got a couple less. Because he knows and trusts a core group of actors that he's worked with consistently, and with them he has great rapport.
Even if he has to slightly adjust the plan to fit that performer in, it's better sometimes than taking a chance on someone you don't know at all.
Well, the same thing holds true in just about every area of life. In professional sports, you'll see a coach leave a team and take on a new one. And often times he brings his coaching staff with him. He's got his people. He'll even bring players who are free agents with him, because he trusts the guys who "get it."
Same thing in business. As you're growing a company, expanding, looking to work with more of the right people, opening new departments…it's great to take a recommendation from someone you know. It might be only a 90% fit for the position, but you know they've got the work ethic and the attitude. And it all boils down to having one less thing to worry about.
I was having a conversation with someone while I was out and about, and the conversation started heading towards what we did for work. Well, it was a good conversation. I started talking about how I was initially going down the professional actor road, and then the entrepreneur path, started a film festival, etc…(This is all covered in the delightful book The Delusion of Passion, a great read, I highly recommend it…), and then I ran into a newer friend who started teaching me about how to create income differently, and more effectively, creating assets for myself that could outlive me, generating some long-term financial solutions. And her response was:
"Well, I guess it's about who you know, huh?"
It wasn't what she said, it was the way that she said it. Very resigned, almost negatively so, and maybe with an air of jealousy, tinged with an aroma of an "it's all luck" attitude. (See last week's blog for more thoughts on THAT.)
I wanted to give her a chance to unpack her thoughts. So I asked her, "You say that with a bit of disdain?"
And she went on to vent about how "unfortunately that's how it is in life, that it's about WHO you know, not always about the people who are the most credentialed, most educated, most skilled in a certain area." This was a concept that I could understand, especially coming from the theatre world, but like many things in this life regarding success principles, my world-view had shifted on this topic, and I was all too eager to share my thoughts.
I didn't grow up in a wealthy, trust-fund baby home. My parents were immigrants, scraping by, raising 3 great kids. I had to hustle to move ahead. I had to work harder than everyone around me, and if there were doors that were going to open up for me, it was going to be because I forced them open myself. Had to create my world through blood, sweat and tears. And the more I grew up, the more I moved forward, the more I learned that the simple statement "It's about WHO you know" was absolutely true. And I learned how important it actually was.
It IS About Who You Know: And That's A Good Thing
That's honestly one of the biggest powers of referral. It's vouching for someone. My friend has done this or that. Well, you trust YOUR friend. And if THEY have a friend that THEY'RE speaking highly of, that's better than having an unknown. Which is why it's terribly important to really cultivate the connections that you have. They're literally door-openers.
Now, it takes work to establish these relationships, for sure. But it's nothing new. Everything of value takes work. Sometimes, as was the case with me, you have to LEARN what those things are to focus your work towards. And often times, developing the relationships in your life are even harder than the work it took for you to be that "credentialed, educated" candidate. Sure you worked hard to get A's, I did too. But you can study a textbook and get good grades. You can prep alone in a library for a test. Working on your relationships involves other people.
Maintaining a good relationship is hard work, but it's QUITE worth it. And you've got to be thinking about how you add value to the relationship. How do you prove yourself trustworthy, time and again? Loyal, reliable, consistent, a go-getter. I'll tell you another side of the story.
A gal that I know, I've seen her work very hard, be consistent. I've seen it for the last 2 years. And it was my PLEASURE to introduce her to an executive in a company. "You need to find a spot for this person" were my words. It was an email and a phone call, and things are moving quickly for her now.
Where One Degree Off Will Lead You...
It's about who you know! Yes, true, and it wasn't just that she was lucky and knew the right people, however. She had been proving herself for the last 2 YEARS. SHE was the "right people". She worked hard, and proved it. Having the wrong perspective, in this case, just a single degree difference between the right and wrong perspective, is enough to close doors you didn't realize you were closing.
So. What does that mean for you, dear reader? Well, you have to work hard for the relationships you have already, plain and simple. Are you adding value to the managers that you have right now? Are you finding ways to add to the entry-level job you're currently in? If you can't honor the relationships you have now, you're not going to be opened up to bigger, further-reaching relationships.
Life is a series of killing what's in front of you, gaining the skills, perspective and relationship that you need to in your current situation, and THAT enables you to be ready to move up and out into the next best thing. So, how do you prove yourself in these relationships?
1) Be dependable. What's your dependability game like? Are you someone who is good to their word? Are you someone that offers a deadline, and then falls back from it, with a well-meaning, perfectly logical excuse? Remember, your word is your worth, and your worth is your word.
2) Be loyal. Are you a bit of a gossip? Maybe it's not incredibly intentional, but are you someone who just likes to please others, and will jump on and agree with other people's gossip while you're around them? Are you a team player, and do you have your leader/manager/boss's back?
3) Do you add value? This can sometimes be the hardest thing to quantify, but is it always about you? Remember, you don't have to be an evil genius or an ego-maniac to be selfish. Often times, being innocuously selfish is the default. You need to re-wire your brain to start thinking about others, and how you can add value.
Take the week and focus on this, and let me know your results! If life is about who you know, remember that it goes both ways. You're always making an impression. Always. It's either one that can be recommended and passed continually upwards, or one that people want to cautiously avoid. It's absolutely about who you know, so cultivate every relationship. You never know where it will lead!
I'm about to cultivate a relationship with some candied yams. Happy Thanksgiving, young leaders!
Mark Nathan Blog
Millennial Strong
david anderson blog
emotional basketcase
emotional stability
mentality


text:
bool Entry::numericFilter(int unicode)
{
	bool valid = (unicode > 47 && unicode < 58);

	if (unicode == 45) {
		valid |= m_string.empty();
	} else if (unicode == 46) {
		valid |= (m_string.find('.') == std::string::npos);
	}

	return valid;
}

bool Entry::textFilter(int unicode)
{
	bool valid = (unicode == 95);
	valid |= (unicode > 44 && unicode < 47);
	valid |= (unicode > 47 && unicode < 58);
	valid |= (unicode > 64 && unicode < 91);
	valid |= (unicode > 96 && unicode < 123);
	return valid;
}

Entry::Entry(int w, int h, bool numeric)
	:	m_font_size(FONT_MEDIUM), m_locked(false),
	  m_value(0), m_numeric(numeric)
{
	m_font = initFont(FONT_NAME);
	m_text.setFont(m_font);
	m_dimension = sf::Vector2f(w, h);
	m_text.setColor(COLOR_MAIN);
	m_text.setCharacterSize(m_font_size);
}

void Entry::update(CommandStatus& status)
{
	bool bl = status.mouse.x > m_position.x;
	bool br = status.mouse.x < m_position.x + m_dimension.x;
	bool bu = status.mouse.y > m_position.y;
	bool bd = status.mouse.y < m_position.y + m_dimension.y;
	m_focused = bl && br && bu && bd;

	bool pre_locked = m_locked;

	if (m_locked && status.mouse.clicked && !m_focused)
		m_locked = false;

	if (m_focused && status.mouse.clicked)
		m_locked = true;

	if (m_locked && status.keyboard.stroked) {
		unsigned int code = status.keyboard.code;
		unsigned int unicode = status.keyboard.unicode;

		if(code == sf::Keyboard::BackSpace && m_string.size() != 0) {
			m_string.erase(m_string.end() - 1);
		} else if (code == sf::Keyboard::Return) {
			m_locked = false;
		} else if (m_text.getLocalBounds().width < m_dimension.x - m_font_size) {
			bool valid = m_numeric ? numericFilter(unicode) : textFilter(unicode);

			if (valid) m_string += static_cast <char> (unicode);
		}
	}

	m_new_entry = pre_locked && !m_locked;
//		std::cout << m_locked << std::endl;

	if (m_new_entry) {
		m_value = m_numeric ? std::atof(m_string.c_str()) : 0.f;
//			std::cout << m_value << std::endl;
	}
}

void Entry::render(sf::RenderWindow& window)
{
//		globalMutex.lock();
	sf::RectangleShape shape;
	shape.setSize(m_dimension);
	shape.setOutlineColor(COLOR_MAIN);
	shape.setFillColor(COLOR_BASE);
	shape.setOutlineThickness(SHAPE_OUTLINE);

	if (!m_locked) {
		shape.setOutlineColor(COLOR_MAIN);
	} else {
		shape.setOutlineColor(COLOR_LOCK);
	}

	m_offset.x = std::floor(.4 * m_font_size);
	m_offset.y = std::floor(.5 * (m_dimension.y - .72 * m_font_size) - .28 * m_font_size);

	shape.setPosition(m_position);
	window.draw(shape);

	m_text.setPosition(m_position + m_offset);
	m_text.setString(m_string);
	window.draw(m_text);

	// Display caret
	float time = m_clock.getElapsedTime().asSeconds();
	bool tic = (static_cast <int> (2 * time)) % 2;

	if (tic && m_locked) {
		sf::RectangleShape caret;
		sf::Vector2f caret_offset;

		caret_offset.x = .5 * m_font_size + m_text.getLocalBounds().width;
		caret_offset.y = m_offset.y + .14 * m_font_size;

		caret.setSize(sf::Vector2f(SHAPE_OUTLINE, m_font_size));
		caret.setPosition(m_position + caret_offset);
		window.draw(caret);
	}

//		globalMutex.unlock();
}

bool Entry::newEntry()
{
	return m_new_entry;
}

std::string Entry::getText()
{
	return m_string;
}

void Entry::setText(std::string string)
{
	m_string = string;
	m_value = 0.;
}

float Entry::getValue()
{
	return m_value;
}

void Entry::setValue(float value)
{
	m_value = value;
	std::ostringstream ostr;
	ostr << std::setprecision(4) << m_value;
	m_string = ostr.str();
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Ignore what I said last week, I'm all about the training now.
I re-joined the gym at the start of January (with the rest of the world) and I'm happy to report I'm still going twice a week and surprisingly really enjoying it. Why did I join the gym after giving it up for bouldering? In all honesty it's to help me improve at roller derby, and subsequently bouldering. Plus I've discovered that I'm the type of person that needs to be in the right environment to be productive, whether that's in an office to do work or in the gym to work out. I can do it if I have a reason and I'm in the right place.
Having a goal to aim towards also helps to keep me focused, so when I saw this video for a beginner oriented campusboard drill, I knew this is what I needed in my climbing life. This is perfect to help with dynamic power and contact strength, and I really like how informative the video is, plus it's genuinely one of the best campusboard training videos for beginners that I've watched.
Naturally there will be pictures and videos over on my Twitter, Facebook & Instagram account to do with all of the above, because if you don't document it for the world to see did it even happen?
I would love to know your training goals for the year, leave them in the comment!
A few things have changed this month. I've got a new job to pay the climbing bills, and with that comes different time schedules and general re-adjustment. This means I've not been able to climb with the people I usually would, but instead of popping down for a solo climb, I've waited until the timings aligned so I could go with them. There is nothing wrong with this, but since I really want to up my climbing game, hitting the gym once a week just isn't going to cut it! Realistically I've got the time to fit in a quick session, so after putting it off I finally just went down and climbed on my own.
It was pretty cool as the gym was quite, so I happily worked a couple of problems and moved on to things I wouldn't normally try. Surprisingly I found climbing solo made me work harder, I took fewer breaks and just tried to get stuff done. There was no-one there to see me succeed or fail, and it really didn't matter because I was enjoying myself and making some progress. Also, it wasn't half as scary as I thought it was going to be!
Bouldering with others is awesome, I really enjoy the social aspect of the climbing community, plus sometimes having someone there watching can give you that extra little push to finish a move or problem. However, depending on how I'm feeling that day, having a bunch of people watch me can also work the opposite way. I guess it's all very personal, and getting the right balance can be tricky. Sometimes it's good having people around who inspire you to try hard, but equally it can be nice to solo climb and face your own battles to achieve your own goals for yourself!


On To The Next Paige: Holiday Gift Guide For Her Under $25!!!
Holiday Gift Guide For Her Under $25!!!
Hello my friends!!! I hope that you are all as excited for Christmas as I am! Our tree is decorated, our house is lit with lights and I finally have my shopping started... but I still have lots more to do!
Here's a great Holiday Gift Guide For Her and everything is under $25!!! Lots of these items are things that I already personally own or things that I would love and are on my wish list.
I hope this helps you with your shopping and takes a bit of stress off your shoulders. Go sit down and enjoy a cup of hot cocoa!
If you have any wonderful gift ideas or request for a gift guide, please comment below :)!


Today we built our ecosystem, a two tier terrarium.
• The materials we used on the bottom half of the terrarium was the gravel, spring water, snails, elodea, and daphnia.
• The cotton string connects the two halves of the bottle together, and helps feed water to the top half of the terrarium.
• After taping together the two parts of the bottles, we placed it in sunlight.
Our observations on the ecosystem we have created in a bottle.


text:
Proasellus solanasi är en kräftdjursart som beskrevs av Henry och Guy Magniez1972. Proasellus solanasi ingår i släktet Proasellus och familjen sötvattensgråsuggor. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Externa länkar

Sötvattensgråsuggor
solanasi


American Routes samples the best live music collaborations from the 2011 Jazz Fest season in New Orleans. Each year, music from the festival at the fairgrounds spills over into the streets and clubs of our city. We'll camp out at Preservation Hall for an evening of jazz and country with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Nashville song man Buddy Miller, with special guest Robert Plant. Then we'll catch the Hot 8 Brass Band and Mos Def at the Howlin' Wolf across town. Plus more musical surprises.
What happens when two guys from the East Coast head West with guitars? They become country singers, naturally. But the path there wasn't so obvious. Buddy Miller has been everywhere: Austin, Los Angeles, New York and now Nashville. We'll talk about his musical journey from outlaw to alt-country and how he's carving out a new "old" style in the Music City. Then we'll visit with Los Angeles poet and punk rocker John Doe of the band X, who has found inspiration in the Countrypolitan sounds of the 1960s.
American Routes samples the best live music collaborations from the 2011 Jazz Fest season in New Orleans. Each year, music from the festival at the fairgrounds spills over into the streets and clubs of our city. We'll camp out at Preservation Hall for an evening of jazz and country with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Nashville song man Buddy Miller, with special guest Robert Plant. Then we'll catch the Hot 8 Brass Band and Mos Def at the Howlin' Wolf across town. All this, plus more musical surprises.