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In a June 2014 report, the Office for Healthcare Workforce noted that South Carolina's healthcare system "is changing in ways that will rely heavily on a well-educated nursing workforce." Among the changes are projected nursing shortages due to an aging nursing workforce and less nurses working extra hours due to a healthier economy.
Featured DNP Programs:
- Simmons College offers an Online Post-MSN to DNP program.
- Georgetown University's Online BSN to DNP Program.
- Capella University offers a 100% Online Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree.
- Northern Illinois University's MSN to Doctor of Nursing Practice.
- Nova Southeastern University's Doctor of Nursing Practice.
- Sacred Heart University's Doctor of Nursing Practice.
South Carolina nurses who hold a Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) will be instrumental in meeting these shortages, leading the state's healthcare professionals in multiple settings:
- Clinical – Doctorate-prepared nurses are experts in their chosen speciality, allowing them to provide advanced care to patients
- Administrative – DNP programs prepare nurses for leadership positions in healthcare, giving them the chance to oversee policy reform, treatment development, and more.
- Academic – Many DNP-prepared nurses go on to teach at graduate nursing programs, allowing them to prepare South Carolina's next generation of nurses
Bachelor's- and master's-prepared nurses alike can apply to DNP programs, giving them a direct route to the most valuable educational preparation and credentials in nursing.
DNP-prepared nurses serve in many of South Carolina's most important healthcare leadership positions. Just some of the state's most prominent nurses who hold the DNP include:
- Debbie Chatman Bryant, DNP, RN, Director of Partnerships for Healthcare Quality Research at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC)
- Susan Roos, DNP, MS, RN, NE-BC at Beaufort Memorial Hospital and Member at Large of South Carolina Hospital Association
- Lisa T Williams DNP, MSN/Ed, MSM, APRN, FNP-BC – Healthcare author, Graduate Nursing Faculty at Walden University
- Martha Sylvia, DNP, Associate Professor and Director of Population Health Analytics at Medical University of South Carolina
Earning a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in South Carolina
There are two DNP programs requiring campus-based learning in South Carolina, located in Charleston and Columbia. Through these programs, students can earn their doctoral degrees in the following tracks:
- Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- DNP for Post-Master's Nurses
- Adult-gerontology
- Pediatric
- Nurse Executive Leadership
Bachelor's-prepared nurses seeking a doctorate degree are eligible to apply to MSN to DNP programs, which allow them to earn their master's-level education en route to doctorate studies. Master's-prepared nurses would apply directly to DNP programs, although they must complete the prerequisite coursework for their chosen track before beginning DNP studies.
With only two campus-based DNP programs in the state, a growing number of South Carolina nurses are electing to pursue their doctorate-level education through accredited online programs. These programs offer practical and clinical experience opportunities, a DNP project, and flexible coursework, making them popular among working nurses. For practicum experiences, online DNP programs find placement for nurses at clinical settings throughout South Carolina.
MSN to DNP Programs for BSN-Prepared Nurses
Nurses who hold a BSN are eligible to apply to Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) to DNP programs, which allow them to receive master's- and doctoral-level education through a continuous course of study. These types of programs provide the most direct route to the DNP.
Master's-level education typically consists of initial core coursework followed by coursework in the nurse's chosen concentration.
Doctorate-Level Coursework and DNP Projects
Typically, DNP programs consist of between 48-60 credits, depending the amount of supervised practice the nurse has completed before beginning studies.
Core coursework in DNP programs typically covers the following areas of study:
- Healthcare organization leadership
- Clinical decision making
- Scientific foundations
- Advocacy, ethics, and policy for population health
- Epidemiology
To earn the DNP, students are generally expected to complete a minimum of 1,000 hours of supervised post-baccalaureate practice. This practice may consist of hours earned in both the student's master's and doctorate programs. Students may also earn these hours independently if the hours are approved by their program.
Nurses enrolled in DNP programs must complete a DNP Project to apply their knowledge in their chosen focus. Working with a program mentor, the nurse uses this project to contribute to an area of scholarship in advanced nursing practice.
Nationally Accredited Post-BSN and Post-MSN DNP Programs in South Carolina
The following DNP programs have been accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) (current as of 2016). A larger selection of CCNE and ACEN (American Commission for Education in Nursing)-accredited DNP programs are available online.
Medical University of South Carolina
- BSN-DNP and MSN-DNP
- Advanced Clinical Practice
- Nurse Executive
University of South Carolina
- BSN-DNP and MSN-DNP
Nurse Practitioner Patient Population Foci
- Nurse Executive
Other DNP programs in the state not shown here may be regionally accredited or hold specialty accreditation through the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs or the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education.
Opportunities Available to DNP-Prepared Nurses in South Carolina
By completing Doctorate of Nursing Practice programs, nurses in South Carolina can significantly advance their careers, either expanding their current role, earning a higher position outright with their current employer, or filling leadership gaps at various healthcare organizations. Additionally, many DNP-prepared nurses go on to accept teaching positions at graduate nursing programs, allowing them to earn a lucrative second salary. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual wage for postsecondary nursing instructors and teachers in South Carolina was $69,200 as of May, 2015.
The following job listings for DNP-prepared nurses in South Carolina are shown as illustrative examples only and are not meant to represent job offers or provide any assurance of employment. These examples were taken from a survey of job vacancy announcements completed in March 2016:
Nurse Manager, Pediatric Cardiology Clinic, at Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston
- DNP preferred
- The hired nurse would work with the hospital's nurse manager of clinical services ambulatory care to plan and manage all patient care resources and operations for the hospital's clinic locations.
- The hired nurse would develop and oversee staffing models for the hospital's clinic locations.
Nurse Manager, Surgery Trauma ICU, at Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston
- DNP preferred
- Hired nurse would be responsible for planning and overseeing unit operations on a 24-hour basis
- Hired nurse would work directly with the director/service line administrator
Full-time faculty member at South University, Columbia in Columbia
- DNP or PhD required
- Nurse would be responsible for designing and delivering class instruction
- Nurse would be expected to incorporate his or her real-world professional experience into teaching plan


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The full paint dealers' range incorporates Sika's floor coatings, cleaning and protecting, hygienic wall coatings, waterproofing and roof repairing products, alongside ancillaries such as adhesives and sealants. The company can tint specialist paint products in-house in accordance with the RAL colour guide, meaning paint dealers can offer their customers a completely bespoke option for hygienic areas.
Sika is rolling out its coverage to the UK to provide both a specialist and generalist range to the paint dealer. To find out more about Sika's specialist paint offering, visit stand 28.

subset: commoncrawl


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Garden Supplies for Children
Nurture the Budding Gardener in Your Life!
Great gardeners are made, not born, and you can help develop a child's passion for growing into a skill that will last a lifetime. From playing in the dirt to watching backyard birds to harvesting fresh fruits and vegetables, children love being in the garden, and these items make the most of their interest. (They're pretty fun for grown-ups, too!)
- Plants $39.95


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Circumstances and consequences of falls among people with chronic stroke - Schmid AA, Yaggi HK, Burrus N, McClain V, Austin C, Ferguson J, Fragoso C, Sico JJ, Miech EJ, Matthias MS, Williams LS, Bravata DM.
Falls are common after stroke; however, circumstances and consequences are relatively unknown. Our objectives were to identify the differences between fallers and non-fallers among people with chronic stroke, identify the circumstances of fall events, and ...
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - Category: Global & Universal Tags: Economics of Injury and Safety, PTSD, Injury Outcomes Source Type: news
Related Links:
AbstractPurpose of ReviewStroke is a devastating event that annually affects over 800,000 million individuals in the USA and is associated with significant individual and social costs. In this narrative review, we summarize current evidence regarding post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following acute stroke.Recent FindingsIn addition to the long-term physical consequences, it is increasingly recognized that psychological distress is common after stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA). Nearly 1 in 4 survivors of TIA and stroke report elevated symptoms of PTSD in the first year following their cerebrovascular event. T...
Source: Current Emergency and Hospital Medicine Reports - Category: Emergency Medicine Source Type: research
Factors affecting organ donation rate during devastating brain injuries: a 6-year data analysis - Arslanta ş R, C Evik BE.
Objectives: The discrepancy between organ donation rate and the number of patients waiting transplantation has been a common problem in Turkey. Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), traumatic brain injury (TBI), anoxic encephalopathy, stroke, and brain tu...
Source: SafetyLit - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Tags: Economics of Injury and Safety, PTSD, Injury Outcomes Source Type: news
Metabolic syndrome risk in relation to posttraumatic stress disorder among trauma-exposed civilians in Gansu Province, China
This study included 1456 men and 1411 women who were trauma-exposed and underwent routine health examinations in a community epidemiological investigation. The participants completed the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Check List-Civilian Version (PCL-C) for PTSD and medical examinations to detect metabolic syndrome. Adjustments for age, marriage, exercise, education, cigarette smoking, cancer, stroke, angina, and thyroid disease were performed. The relationship between PTSD and metabolic syndrome and each of its components was analyzed by multiple logistic regression. In women, PTSD was associated with metabolic syn...
Source: Medicine - Category: Internal Medicine Tags: Research Article: Observational Study Source Type: research
No abstract available
Source: Neurology Today - Category: Neurology Tags: For Your Patients Source Type: research
Stressing out about the Heart: A Narrative Review of the Role of Psychological Stress in Acute Cardiovascular Events.
CONCLUSION: Psychological stress is often present in patients undergoing evaluation for acute CVD events. Understanding such associations provides a foundation to appreciate the potential contribution of psychological variables on acute and long-term cardiovascular recovery, while also stimulating future areas of research and discovery. PMID: 31675448 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Accident and Emergency Nursing - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Musey PI, Schultebraucks K, Chang BP Tags: Acad Emerg Med Source Type: research
(Reuters Health) - Young adults who develop PTSD may be more likely to have a stroke by the time they are middle aged, a study of U.S. veterans suggests.
Source: Reuters: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: healthNews Source Type: news
Young adults with PTSD may be at increased risk for TIA or a major stroke by middle age, based on new research published in the journal Stroke.
Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News - Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Robert Glatter, MD, Contributor Source Type: news
Young and middle-aged adults with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have an increased risk of stroke, new research suggests.
Source: WebMD Health - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
Increased risk seen in cohort of young and middle - aged veterans in unadjusted, fully adjusted models
Source: The Doctors Lounge - Psychiatry - Category: Psychiatry Tags: Cardiology, Neurology, Psychiatry, Emergency Medicine, Journal, Source Type: news
Mind-reading exoskeletons, digital tattoos, 3D printed drugs, RFID implants for recreational purposes: mindblowing innovations come to medicine and healthcare almost every single day. We shortlisted some of the greatest ideas and developments that could give us a glimpse into the future of medicine, but we found so many that we had trouble fitting them into one article. Here are the first ten spectacular medical innovations to watch for. 1) Mixed reality opens new ways for medical education Augmented, virtual, and mixed reality are all technologies opening new worlds for the human senses. While the difference between...
Source: The Medical Futurist - Category: Information Technology Authors: berci.mesko Tags: Future of Medicine 3d printing artificial food brain-computer interface cyborg digital tattoos drug development exoskeleton gamification google glass health insurance Healthcare Innovation List Medical education medical techn Source Type: blogs


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Sepang, Malaysia: Lewis Hamilton said his ability to rise from adversity had helped him claim a long-awaited win in Malaysia that installed him as championship favourite and put Mercedes back on top of Formula One.
The tattooed and bejewelled Briton, 29, led wire-to-wire for his first victory at the steamy Sepang circuit in eight attempts.
It was far from a classic race, but the win ended the 2008 world champion's eight-month barren streak and confirmed he is ready to challenge seriously for a second Formula One title.
There were celebrations at Mercedes as the famed Silver Arrows brand climbed to the top of the constructors' ladder with their first one-two since pulling out of the sport in the 1950s.
"Incredibly happy," said Hamilton, who finished 17 seconds ahead of teammate Nico Rosberg with world champion Sebastian Vettel third. "My first time. It's my eighth year here and finally got that win.
"I really just owe it all to the team… it's quite special when you get a one-two. I've not had many in my career and so that makes it even more special."
Hamilton's helmet was decorated with the words 'Still I Rise', from a poem by American author Maya Angelou, which he also has tattooed on his back.
He said he has drawn inspiration from the line as he fought through career and personal setbacks after becoming what was then Formula One's youngest world champion at the age of 23.
Since then, Hamilton has not finished a season higher than fourth after his former team McLaren slipped behind Vettel's Red Bull in the pecking order.
Following a whirl of rumour and speculation, and ups and downs with his pop star girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger, he took the tough decision to leave long-term employer McLaren for Mercedes last year.
Hamilton's past also includes a high-profile and acrimonious decision to ditch his father, Anthony, as his manager in 2010. But he said he still follows his father's life lessons.
"It's what I have tattooed on my back so I just added it to the helmet design and I think the metaphor is just that regardless of what difficulties you go through, you still rise above it," he said.
"That's really something my dad has always enforced in me. We've had so many ups and downs throughout our lives and our careers, as everyone has, but he would always 'say just rise above it' and do your talking on track."
Despite the win Hamilton, who retired at the season-opener in Australia, remains behind Rosberg in the standings and he will be aware of the resurgence of Vettel, winner of the past four championships.
The German's Red Bull team have struggled with Formula One's complex new engines, but they showed they are back in the hunt with Vettel's first podium finish of the year.
"I think it's a question of time, how soon we manage to catch up," Vettel said. "And then we try to give them a harder time."


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SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Coast Guard head strength & conditioning coach Shaakira Hassell enters her first game preperation week with the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). Earlier this summer, Hassell was selected for the Bill Walsh Minority and Diversity Coaching Fellowship with the Carolina Panthers. The NFL Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship is proud to celebrate 30 years of helping outstanding coaches gain exposure to NFL training camps and offseason workout programs.
Heading into week two, the team did a walk-through before the team had a much deserved day off. Friday was the FanFest even at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. It was a huge success and was capped off a phenomenal fireworks display.
It is our first week of game preparation as the Panthers take on the Buffalo Bills on August 9th on the road. It has been brutally hot and humid but the guys continue to push through it with valor and perseverance and still managed to get their weight lifting session completed post practice. The Panthers are a prime example of professionalism at its core. Stay tuned for updates from the first preseason game. PANTHER NATION!


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If you want to test your swing, why not give these golf driving ranges a try?
The list was compiled after a friendly vote: VOTE: Where are the best golf driving ranges in Lancashire?
This is not a competition. It is a list of places as voted by readers, intended to cover areas across Lancashire.


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New 2019 DodgeCharger SXT RWD Sedan
- Stock: KH714356
- Fuel Economy
- 19.0/30.0 mpg City/Hwy
- Exterior Color
- White
- Interior Color
- Black
- Body/Seating
- Sedan/5 seats
- Transmission
- 8 speed automatic
- Drivetrain
- rear-wheel
- Engine
- 3.6 3.6-Liter V6 24-Valve VVT Engine
Highlighted Features
- Blind spot sensor
- Wireless phone connectivity
- Parking sensors
- Exterior parking camera rear
- Front dual zone A/C
- Speed sensitive wipers
- High intensity discharge headlights
- Split folding rear seat
Standard Specifications
- 1-touch down
- 1-touch up
- Air conditioning
- Driver door bin
- Driver vanity mirror
- Front beverage holders
- Front dual zone A/C
- Garage door transmitter
- Illuminated entry
- Overhead console
- Passenger door bin
- Passenger vanity mirror
- Power windows
- Proximity keyless entry: doors and push button start
- Rear beverage holders
- Rear door bins
- Remote engine start: keyfob
- Remote keyless entry
- Speed control
- Telescoping steering wheel
- Tilt steering wheel
- Alloy wheels
- Four wheel independent suspension
- Front anti-roll bar
- Front tires: 215/65TR17.0
- Power steering
- Rear anti-roll bar
- Rear tires: 215/65TR17.0
- Wheel size: 17"
- 1st row LCD monitors: 2
- AM/FM radio: SiriusXM
- Primary LCD size: 7.0"
- Satellite radio trial duration with new vehicle purchase (months): 12
- Smart device integration: Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
- Speakers: 6
- Steering wheel mounted audio controls
- Wireless phone connectivity: Uconnect w/Bluetooth
- Basic warranty: 36 months/36,000miles
- Corrosion perforation warranty: 60 months/ unlimited distance
- Powertrain warranty: 60 months/60,000miles
- Roadside assistance coverage: 60 months/60,000miles
- Front center armrest
- Front seats: bucket
- Leather shift knob
- Max seating capacity: 5
- Power 4-way driver lumbar support
- Power driver seat
- Rear seat center armrest
- Rear seats: bench
- Split folding rear seat
- Cylinder configuration: V-6
- Drive type: rear-wheel
- Engine liters: 3.6
- Engine location: front
- Fuel economy city: 19mpg
- Fuel economy combined: 23mpg
- Fuel economy highway: 30mpg
- Fuel tank capacity: 18.5gal.
- Horsepower: 292hp @ 6,350RPM
- Manual-shift auto: AUTOSTICK
- Number of valves: 24
- Recommended fuel: Regular Unleaded
- Sequential multi-point fuel injection
- Torque: 260 lb.-ft. @ 4,800RPM
- Transmission: 8 speed automatic
- Variable valve control
- Auto-dimming door mirrors
- Bumpers: body-color
- Door mirrors: body-color
- Heated door mirrors
- Power door mirrors
- Rear cargo: trunk
- Tailpipe finisher: chrome
- Trailer sway control
- Compression ratio: 10.20 to 1
- Curb weight: 1,784kg (3,934lbs)
- Engine bore x stroke: 96.0mm x 83.0mm (3.78" x 3.27")
- Engine displacement: 3.6 L
- Engine horsepower: 292hp @ 6,350RPM
- Engine torque: 260 lb.-ft. @ 4,800RPM
- Exterior body width: 1,905mm (75.0")
- Exterior height: 1,478mm (58.2")
- Exterior length: 5,039mm (198.4")
- Front headroom: 980mm (38.6")
- Front hiproom: 1,427mm (56.2")
- Front legroom: 1,062mm (41.8")
- Front shoulder room: 1,511mm (59.5")
- GVWR: 2,313kg (5,100lbs)
- Interior cargo volume: 456 L (16 cu.ft.)
- Interior maximum cargo volume: 456 L (16 cu.ft.)
- Passenger volume: 2,965L (104.7 cu.ft.)
- Rear headroom: 930mm (36.6")
- Rear hiproom: 1,425mm (56.1")
- Rear legroom: 1,019mm (40.1")
- Rear shoulder room: 1,471mm (57.9")
- Towing capacity: 454kg (1,000lbs)
- Turning radius: 5.7m (18.8')
- Wheelbase: 3,053mm (120.2")
- Blind spot sensor: Blind Spot Detection warning
- Compass
- Delay-off headlights
- Display: digital/analog
- Exterior parking camera rear: ParkView yes
- Front fog lights
- Front reading lights
- Fully automatic headlights
- High intensity discharge headlights
- Low tire pressure warning
- Outside temperature display
- Parking sensors: rear
- Rear collision: Rear Cross Path Detection warning
- Rear reading lights
- Rear window defroster
- Speed sensitive wipers
- Tachometer
- Trip computer
- Variably intermittent wipers
- 4 wheel disc brakes
- ABS brakes
- Anti-whiplash front head restraints
- Brake assist
- Dual front impact airbags
- Dual front side impact airbags
- Electronic stability
- Ignition disable
- Knee airbag
- Occupant sensing airbag
- Overhead airbag
- Panic alarm
- Perimeter/approach lights
- Traction control
Dealer Notes
19/30 City/Highway MPG
* ALG Residual Value Awards Price includes: $1000 - Southwest 2019 Bonus Cash SWCKA. Exp. 02/03/2020 $1000 - Southwest 2019 Retail Bonus Cash SWCKA1. Exp. 02/03/2020 $2920 - 2019 Retail Consumer Cash 63CK1 . Exp. 02/03/2020 *Prices may be subject to change at any time as the dealer reserves the right to change vehicle due to any factor including but not limited to rebate qualifications, market fluctuation, volume demand, availability, and installed options.
KBB.com Consumer Reviews
- 5.0
Love this car.
By Big Scott on Monday, November 04, 2019Bought my 2013 Dodge Charger RT Hemi AWD brand new. I have driven this vehicle 77,000 miles with practically no problems whatsoever...Just routine maintenance... The hemi V-8 engine is the reason i purchased it and the quality and reliability is impeccable...
- 4.0
It's my 3rd charger since 2006
By Gub on Wednesday, September 11, 2019Love the car! Funny how the experts that have never owned one gave it a 3.7 versus the consumer reviews of 4.8. I didn't buy the car for gas mileage or plowing through the snow. I bought it for the horsepower and the looks. I love to drive the car. It never gets old and when I park it and walk away...I always have to turn back and look at it.
- 5.0
It is a great car
By Rob on Monday, August 26, 2019This is my 4th charger and each one has been outstanding, the MPG I have gotten on the highway is over 34 MPH, the ride is outstanding, the handling is outstanding, the interior is well laid out and easy to access, the sound when driving in city or highway is very good
*Prices may not reflect upgrades on vehicles and pictures are for illustration purposes only.
New Arrivals
2020 Jeep Gladiator RUBICON 4X…
- $52,790
- Crew Cab
- White Exterior
- 3.6L V6 24V VVT w/ESS Engine
2020 Jeep Gladiator RUBICON 4X…
- $52,790
- Crew Cab
- Red Exterior
- 3.6L V6 24V VVT w/ESS Engine
2020 Jeep Gladiator RUBICON 4X…
- $53,590
- Crew Cab
- Gray Exterior
- 3.6L V6 24V VVT w/ESS Engine
2019 Ram 1500 Classic WARLOCK…
- $40,135
- Quad Cab
- Red Exterior
- 5.7L V8 HEMI MDS VVT Engine
All vehicle specifications, prices and equipment are subject to change without notice. See above for information on purchase financing and lease program expiration dates. Prices and payments (including the amount down payment) do not include tax, titles, tags, documentation charges, emissions testing charges, or other fees required by law or lending organizations. The estimated payments may not include upfront finance charges that must be paid to be eligible for the purchase financing program used to estimate the APR and payments. Listed Annual Percentage Rates are provided for the selected purchase financing or lease programs available on the current date. Program expiration dates reflect currently announced program end dates, but these programs are subject to change at any time.
Lessees will be financially responsible for mileage beyond the elected quantity and for vehicle maintenance and repairs and excessive vehicle wear. Option to purchase at lease end for an amount may be determined at lease signing. Payments may be higher in some states. You may not be able to combine other incentives with the purchase financing or leasing programs presented above. Residency restrictions may apply. See dealer for details.
Listed APR, down payment, payments, incentives and other terms are estimates for example purposes only. Information provided is based on very well-qualified buyers or lessees. The payment information provided here is not a commitment by any organization to provide credit, leases or other programs. Some customers may not qualify for listed programs. Your terms may vary. Lessor must approve lease. Credit approval required.


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What Makes You a Successful Small Business Owner? (It's not what you think)
When's the last time you felt successful? Or the last time you celebrated a win? Being a small business owner is stressful. ... Learn More
Hiring a Marketing Intern is a Huge Mistake If You're Serious About Your Business
I ran across a brilliant article yesterday by Social MS "10 Reasons Why an Intern Will Not Solve Your Marketing Problems" that... Learn More
4 Small Business Take-Aways from the Wells Fargo Scandal
Once again big business has let us down. As if banks didn't have enough bad PR with the whole Great Recession housing... Learn More
Dear Small Business Owner: You got out of bed today? You're a Success!
The Hidden Side Effects of "Motivational" Articles Every day I log on to email and social media and get blasted with articles... Learn More
The Best Marketing in the World Can't Fix a Bad Business
Do you wonder why you don't sell more? Does it seem no matter what you try, people just won't buy from you?... Learn More


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Small Networks of Marine Reserves Better Than Single Large Reserves for Preserving Fish & Coral
photo: Johnny Bahru via flickr.
Large marine reserves aren't working to protect fish or coral--and therefore fishermen's livelihoods in the long term--and we should collectively shift towards more small reserves with fishing allowed in between. That's the word from the UN University Institute for Water, Environment and Health's Peter Sale. Sale told Reuters, "People have been creating marine protected areas for decades. Most of them are totally ineffective. You need a network of protected areas that function well. It's important to get away from single protected areas which has been the common approach."
Why aren't they working? While animals on land may stay with the protected boundaries of a reserve, in the ocean creatures swim or are carried long distances. That's one reason. The other is that when you create big no-go zones for fishermen, the bans are often simply ignored, and these areas are often excessive in terms of conservation, Sale notes.
Sale suggests creating smaller reserves, concentrated on the most vulnerable areas for fish and coral as a better solution.
Like this? Follow me on Twitter and Facebook.
More on Marine Reserves:
Will a Global Network of Marine Reserves Reverse Troubling Trends In The Sea?
Coral Can Recover From Climate Change Damage... In Marine Reserves
From the Great Barrier Reef to the Gulf of California, Marine Reserves Work
They're Worth Big Bucks, So Why Are Marine Reserves So Rare?


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Release date: October 23, 2018
Design for test (DFT) is an important consideration for Speedcore eFPGAs from the perspective of both Achronix and the ASIC integrator. The programmable nature of Speedcore eFPGAs deliver the inherent benefit of being able to use the programmable logic fabric to test itself. This guide describes Speedcore eFPGAs from a testability perspective and outlines the general features and methodologies that Achronix uses to achieve the necessary coverage.


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Coping with Climate Change
Here is a unique web interface that displays in detail the story of the oaks at Ramat Hanadiv, in plain language accompanied by photographs from the field. The interface provides a unique opportunity to make close acquaintance with the stages of the research process.
You are welcome to enter the link and follow this fascinating process.Activate the speakers.


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Buying a Pumpkin to Carve for the Holidays? Pastry Chef Nguyet Nguyen from Hubbell & Hudson shares recipes & tips for selecting your perfect pumpkin.
Fall is in the air & everyone is indulging in their favorite pumpkin fix. Nguyet creates delicious desserts from local & seasonal ingredients and October is everything Pumpkin. Watch as she shares her secret to picking the perfect Pumpkin & how to make her Pumpkin Creme Brulee with Anoushah Rasta from NBC News KPRC2.
Watch the full video and make yours at home.


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A real German Oktoberfest right in your backyard?
That's right! If you missed your chance last weekend, you're in luck. The German American Society is hosting its traditional German Oktoberfest in El Cajon for the second weekend in a row from October 9 to 11.
From the food to the drink, to the music and the attire, everything about the El Cajon Oktoberfest will make you feel like you're inside Germany's own beer gardens.
Authentic German food such as: bratwurst, ox-on-the-spit, potato salad, potato pancakes, sauerkraut and red cabbage will be served, along with a delicious variety of German pastries. And of course, what would Oktoberfest be without authentic German brews? A fantastic selection of German beers and liquors will be available to enjoy.
The sounds of Germany will be provided by the Guggenback-Buam, from Germany, who will be there wearing traditional clothing and playing a variety of traditional German songs. Other activities to see? Folk dancing performances, games and contests, vendor and craft booths, and a Kids' Fun Zone.
Festival hours are Friday from 4 to 10 p.m., Saturday from Noon until 10 p.m. and Sunday from Noon until 9 p.m. On Saturday, check out the children's parade at 4 p.m. and a dance party from 8 p.m. to midnight at the clubhouse.
And on Sunday, grab your wackiest hat for Chicken Hat Day.
Admission is $5 for those 21 and up.


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I think that everybody feels some pain from overuse; however, you're normally not aware of it as it goes away when you stop the activity – it's just part of the normal human condition.
Once you've had TMS it's difficult to distinguish between pain that you would naturally feel and pain associated with TMS. I can imagine that many TMS people say they are 90 – 95% better, when in fact they are just feeling the normal day to day pain that people get – they are just over sensitised to it.
I would therefore say that in regards to pain I do still feel some, but I think this is natural; however, it is 90%+ better than before.
In regards to my mental approach, I would say that I am 95% better. I'm not worried about the pain any more and I can do unrestricted activity (including all sports!!) – I know the pain will go away and therefore it does not bother me.
Occasionally I get the odd TMS moment and slip back into it, but if I ignore it and continue with the activity the pain always goes within a couple of hours.
It's amazing when you get the concept as you know that you can always beat it!!!
On holiday I lifted all the suitcases and carried the children everywhere and I felt no pain. My wife has also has a shoulder operation a month ago and could not use one of her arms – during this period I've carried and lifted everything, again no pain!!! I can do unrestricted computer activity and occasionally get pain, but I just work through it and it always goes. I'm going mountain biking at least twice a week and getting absolutely no pain at all!!!!
I think with TMS once you get the concept you can get back to full physical activity very quickly; however, it took around 2 months to get on top of the pain.
As well as my hands getting better I now also get far less pain in my back (especially in my trapeziums) and have also lost several other weird symptoms I used to get such as night sweats. My insomnia (which admittedly was 80% better before I got RSI) has now gone completely, which is amazing as I suffered from it for nearly 3 years!!!
Thanks again for your help. Mike Sloman.
December 2008
N.B. At Mike's last contact in 2011 he reported that he was fit and well and was riding competitively in very challenging cycling events. He also reported that his Brother who had also followed this approach for his bilateral RSI was now enjoying a musical career playing the guitar.


text:
Master of Philosophy
Whether you're looking to fast-track your development, or sharpen your expertise in a specific area of the law, the Master of Philosophy can give you a distinct career advantage.
Taken over 2 years full time (or 4 years part time), you'll complete a major thesis of up to 35,000 words in an area of research within the Faculty.
Meet a recent graduate
Meet Natalia Antolak-Saper, a Monash PhD graduate who completed her research project exploring the role media plays in policy development, in particular in criminal justice and sentencing. Natalia looked at the case study of Adrian Bayley, the offences he committed against Jill Meagher and the aftermath in terms of parole reform.


text:
- You are here:
- Home »
Best Price Guarantee policy
Best Price Guarantee policy
Axuse Group Sp. z o.o. Sp. k. have a vast knowledge about products due to direct contact with manufacturers and suppliers.
We guarantee that we will provide you with quality products at competitive prices.
If you find a better price for the same product we provide, please contact us. We will do our best to meet the prices and conditions.
This policy is valid for requests sent before Axuse Group Sp. z o.o. Sp. k. responds to your client order confirmation.
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text:
GUATEMALA CITY – Embattled Guatemalan President Otto Perez announced his resignation Thursday, after a warrant was issued for his arrest for allegedly masterminding a huge fraud scheme.
The conservative leader, in power since 2012, decided to step down to confront "individually the proceedings against him," his spokesman Jorge Ortega said, hours after the arrest warrant was issued.
His resignation upsets the political landscape in the central American nation just days before voters go to the polls to elect a new president who will take office in 2016.
Sunday's election is also being held to choose members of Congress and local mayors.
Vice President Alejandro Maldonado(photo) is to assume power until Perez's successor is sworn in.
- Perez is accused of masterminding a huge fraud scheme, known as "La Linea" (The Line), a scandal that already forced his last vice president to step aside.
- Six of his 14 ministers have resigned in recent days, along with several other top officials.
- Perez is expected to appear before a judge Thursday morning.
Allegations and public pressure have snowballed against his government, leaving him increasingly isolated.
Before the warrant for his arrest was issued Wednesday, Perez's lawyers filed a court document saying he would cooperate with the investigation, allowing the 64-year-old leader to avoid being
taken into custody.
taken into custody.
Source: AFP


text:
Message from PSC Director of Soccer Operations
June 3, 2015
Welcome Everyone to the 2015-2016 season. We're very excited with the rejuvenated programs that we're offering this season. As you know we've restructured the club and I want everyone to understand that player development is the most important factor that will drive our club's decision making going forward.
We intend to use technical, physical, psychosocial, and tactical components as the four pillars of our player developmental pathway. These represent the foundation that we will drive our player's developmental pathway and will represent the club's new philosophy / foundation. With these exciting changes we do anticipate questions and concerns. As a result we have put together three meetings. We're going to do a parent education meeting, player seminars, and individual team meetings so everyone is informed on the processes and stages and our focus on player development.
In the first meeting on Friday, June 5th, we will focus on highlighting our player development platform and how we plan to implement it.
In the second meeting, we will focus on the curriculum for specific age groups.
The third meeting, will be a team meeting where the coach will discuss their expectations of players, parents, and themselves; review policies involving players and parents; let parents know how to best communicate; outline schedule for the year and review other team matters.
The second and third meetings will be held at the end of August.
We are very excited with what we are embarking and the future and development of the players within this program.
Roger Thomas
Director of Soccer Operations


text:
In Ferrovial we are looking for people who are determined to build their future.
We offer them a place to grow, to be part of a world-class professional team and undertake a broad range of unique projects.
- 92,113 Employees in 2018
- 6 Main markets
- 91% Employees committed to the company
From the outset, Ferrovial has been fully committed to its employees. Ferrovial&you is the way we show that the employee is as important as the company, because the value of the company is, simply put, the value of each of our employees. We offer them all a place to grow and build their own professional project, with unique opportunities.
Professional opportunities range from citizen services to managing the infrastructures which are necessary for communities to develop. From innovation to social responsibility and sustainability. From the purely local to landmark projects at international level.
New generations say: "We want to change the world". Ferrovial's reply is: "Come and change it with us".


text:
The trails the surround my home weave their way through the Los Padres National Forest. I should put quotation marks around the word forest. For the most of the year, the forest is dry and brown and void of the kinds of trees most people think of when they think of a forest. This photo was taken after a rare few weeks of consistent rain here in Southern California. This is as green as it gets. There is a rugged beauty to the landscape, even when it's brown, but when the hills are green, it's magical.
If there are multiple photos in this post, the following EXIF data is for the first photo only:
- Aperture: ƒ/6.7
- Camera: ILCE-6000
- Flash fired: no
- Focal length: 50mm
- Shutter speed: 1/200s


text:
Getting started
The Botsquad chatbot language (Bubblescript) is a simple programming language you use to program chatbots in the Botsquad studio. This introduction helps you get started with building your own chatbot.
Lets start off with a simple example:
dialog main do
type 3
say "To the optimist, the glass is half-full."
say "To the pessimist, the glass is half-empty."
say "To the engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be."
pause 10
ask "Did you laugh?", expecting: ["Yes", "No"]
if answer == "Yes" do
say "You must be an engineer!"
say "You're not an engineer are you?"
Hopefully you already get the gist of what this bot will do. Don't worry if you don't. In the following paragraphs the scripting language used will be explained in more detail.
Dialogs are the main building blocks of bot conversations. Dialogs contain interactions with the user, grouped together and ran in sequence, one after the other. The main interactions are
ask and
dialog main do
say "Hi there!"
say "I'm a chatbot"
Interactions (like 'say', 'ask', 'show') can only be used inside dialogs, not outside of them.
Do … end blocks¶
Blocks (everything starting with
do and ending with
end) are another fundamental construct within Bubblescript. They hold multiple interactions (statements and expressions) that are run in sequence when they get "in the path of execution".
We have already seen blocks in both the dialog:
dialog welcome do
say "Welcome! nice to meet you"
as well as in conditions:
if answer == "Yes" do
say "You must be an engineer!"
say "You're not an engineer are you?"
do needs to have a closing
end. This can be tricky with nested blocks. The editor will help you by automatically indenting.
Named dialogs¶
Dialog can have names, these names are used to refer to dialogs from other dialogs.
In the above earlier script we named the dialog
main. This name,
main, has a special meaning: the main dialog dialog is started automatically when the bot starts. Each bot has exactly one main dialog.
The name of a dialog can be used to start (
invoke) another dialog:
dialog main do
invoke welcome
say "How can I help you?"
dialog welcome do
say "Welcome! Nice to meet you."
say "I hope you have a wonderful time here."
In this example the bot will start in
main, but will then immediately start
welcome. After
welcome is done, it continues in main, saying "How can I help you?" last.
Dialog triggers¶
After the main dialog finishes new dialogs can get triggered by matching the users messages to dialog triggers:
dialog trigger: "hi" do
say "hi there!"
The above dialog will be invoked when the user types "hi" anywhere in a sentence: "hi there" or just "just wanted to say hi". Note: Dialogs are matched from top to bottom so order matters.
dialog trigger: "say hi" do
say "thats nice of you"
dialog trigger: "hi" do
say "hi there"
trigger: "say hi" is first matched so "just wanted to say hi" and will match this dialog and not any of the dialogs after it like
trigger: "hi".
Besides exact matches you can also match text patterns.
dialog trigger: "mus(ic|eum)" do
say "you typed either music or museum"
The full message that the user typed is availabe in the variable
message. The exact part that matched the trigger is available under the variable
dialog trigger: "mus(ic|eum)" do
say "you typed '#{message}'' matching '#{entity.value}'"
Note that matches are case insensitive: "museum", "Museum", "MUSEUM" will all match the
dialog trigger: "museum".
Responding to the user¶
We have already seen how to respond to users with text using
say and
say "Hello!"
Next to normal text you can also any UTF-8 characters as well as emoji
say "😂 Very funny!"
Type / Pause¶
To send a reply with an extra delay you add a
type (showing a typing indicator) or
pause (silent) statement after the message
type 2
say "Hello"
pause 2
say "world"
type 2 will show the typing indicator for 2 seconds,
pause 2 will not show a tying indicator but just wait for 2 seconds before continuing.
To give a random response use
random with a block of potential responses:
random do
say "Hi!"
say "Hello!"
say "Howdy!"
Just saying random things to user would not make for a good dialog. Lets ask the user something…
To ask a user for input you can use 'ask' and assign the result to a variable:
name = ask "What is your name?"
say "Hello, #{name}!"
When encountering an
ask, the bot will wait until the user types a message. In the above example, the captured reply is assigned into the variable
You can also use
ask without variable assignment:
ask "What is your name?"
The result is then stored in the variable
Validation: expecting a certain answer¶
ask "Did you laugh?", expecting: ["Yes", "No"]
if answer == "Yes" do
say "You must be an engineer!"
When using
expecting:, you can enforce the user giving a certain type of answer: the
ask statement will retry until the expectation has been met.
When using
, expecting: ["Yes", "No"] it will also render quick-reply buttons for "Yes" and "No" and only allow those exacts answers. It will ask again when the user types anything else.
Asking with a more fuzzy expectations¶
To make the bot a bit more forgiving (smart) you can use
named entities in the expecting:
dialog question do
laugh = ask "Did you laugh?", expecting: [@yes, @no]
if laugh == :yes do
say "You must be an engineer!"
Note that when using entities you should match against the returned atom
:yes instead of the string "yes". Think of
:atoms as names for things dynamically provided by the system, where variables are names for things you/the user provide.
defaults script that is added when you create a bot on Botsquad contains (amongst others) the entities definitions for
@yes and
@no. They are not magic at all, if you look at them:
@yes entity(match: "yes|yep|sure", label: "Yes", return: :yes)
@no entity(match: "no|nope|nah", label: "No", return: :no)
Read more about entities (
@yes), string matching and learning in the NLP section.
Quick Replies¶
Sometimes you want to show quick-reply buttons but not restrict the user to only these values. In that case you can use
name = ask "What is your name?", quick_replies: ["skip"]
if name == "skip" do
name = "Anonymous"
or even combine it with an expectation:
did_laugh = ask "Did you laugh?", quick_replies: ["yep", "nah"], expecting: [@yes, @no]
quick_replies will overwrite what the expecting would set as quick_reply. So in this case without quick_replies it would show the quick replies "yes" and "no", with the quick_replies it renders "yep" and "nah".
Ask timeout¶
Sometimes, the user might not want or forgets to respond to your question. For these cases you can add a
timeout to the ask, so that the script continues after a short while.
name = ask "Whats your name?", timeout: 30
This will wait 30 seconds for the user to respond. When the
ask times out, the returned value is
nil, so you can use a
if !answer do... construct to check whether a timeout was triggered.
You can also use the global constant
@ask_timeout to give every
ask statement a default timeout value:
@ask_timeout 30
dialog ask_name do
name = ask "Whats your name?"
if ! name do
say "Never mind then!"
When you want a different value to be returned when the question times out, you can use the
timeout_value option.
name = ask "Whats your name?", timeout: 30, timeout_value: "John Doe"
To allow the bot to make decision based on the users input the statement
if and
else are used to conditionally execute blocks of code.
if you can test for truthiness of a condition (predicate).
if platform == "Yes" || app == "Yes" do
say "Apps or platforms are not really a thing anymore."
Reads: "If variable platform is equal to "Yes" and variable app is equal to "Yes" do the following"
Executes the
else block if the
if statement evaluates to false (is not true).
if exits != "Yes" do
say "I believe in your product. Let's do it!"
if team > 3 do
say "I think your team is too big."
if platform == "Yes" || app == "Yes" do
say "Apps or platforms are not really a thing anymore."
You can nest
if and
else statements as deep as you want; for sanity it's wise to keep it to max 3 levels deep. To circumvent nesting of branches, use the
branch statement described below.
branch statement evaluates each expression top down until the first one that evaluates to true. It then executes all the statements inside the block.
This is especially handy if you want to branch the conversation on more than two branches:
ask "Do you want to continue?", expecting: ["Yes", "No", "Maybe"]
branch do
answer == "No" ->
say "Sorry to hear"
answer == "Yes" ->
say "Great!"
answer == "Maybe" ->
say "Make up your mind!"
In the above example the
expecting: assures that answer can only contain the 3 cases we branch on. If you branch on an open answer you can end with a catch all
true case:
ask "What is your name?"
branch do
answer == "Steve" -> say "hi Steven"
answer == "Pete" -> say "hi Peter"
true -> say "hi stranger"
Operators in predicates¶
The following operators can be used:
a && b # AND
a || b # OR
a ! b # NOT
a == b # IS
a != b # IS NOT
a <= b # IS SMALLER OR EQUAL TO
a >= b # IS LARGER OR EQUAL TO
a < b # IS SMALLER
a > b # IS LARGER
Variables in Botsquad script are global, meaning they are available from any where in Bubblescript. Some variables are made available by the system, others are created by the user in the scripts by assignment. All variables are can be seen in the panel below the script editor.
Note that you can create these maps yourself as well:
car.brand = "Volvo"
car.engine.hp = 200
Predefined variables¶
Some variables are set (when triggered) by the runtime itself:
Don't set these reservered variables yourself as they will be overwritten!
remember variables¶
Variables are used to provide context for the conversation and steer the dialogs. Some variables are temporary and can be forgotten the next time the user engages with the chatbot while other variables (name, preferences) you want the bot to remember. To remember variables just say
remember variable. Like wise to forget remembered information you can say
forget variable
dialog greeting do
if visited_before == true do
say "hi again!"
visited_before = true
remember visited_before
if user.first_name do
say "Nice to meet you #{user.first_name}"
user.first_name = ask "whats your name?"
say "Nice to meet you #{user.first_name}"
remember user.first_name
Variables that start with
user. are saved inside the user record of the bot and are shared between multiple conversations between a user and the bot. Those user variables are automatically added to the CSV export in the contacts section of the studio.
capturing dialogs¶
You can also capture parts of the user's input in a
dialog by using a notation with pointy brackets, specifying the variable name between the brackets as follows:
dialog trigger: "My name is #<name>" do
say "Hi #{entity.name}, how are you?"
Note: matched entities are made available via de entity Map. So name becomes
You can even capture multiple parts of a message in a triggers:
dialog trigger: "My #<object> is #<color>" do
say "So you have a #{entity.color} #{entity.object}?"
You can also use regular expressions in the capturing group as follows:
dialog trigger: "My age is #<age:\d+>" do
say "so you are #{entity.age} years old!"
which then would only match when the users enters one or more digits as an age.
__unknown__ dialog¶
If none of the defined dialogs match the user's message a special dialog __unknown__ will be triggered.
dialog __unknown__ do
say "Sorry don't understand #{message}. I am just a robot you know 😂"
the variable
message hold the full message the user typed.
After returning to the previous dialog on the stack the dialog
__returning__ is invoked:
dialog main do
say "Hi"
pause 60
say "there"
dialog __unknown__ do
say "?"
dialog __returning__ do
say "Back to the subject."
If you type anything here if will call
__unknown__ and then
__returning__ when returns to the main dialog to continue stepping through the script.
Advanced responses / text matching¶
Intent matching¶
Next to hard text matching you can also use a more fuzzy matching based on machine learning by defining
@hello intent(learn: ["hi", "hello there", "howdy", "how are you doing"])
dialog trigger: @hello do
say "Hello to you too!"
say intent
Note: these intents are matched after all hard matches fail. So if you also have a dialog with
trigger: "hi"and type "hi" this will match first even though the trained intent also include the example "hi".
Entity extraction¶
entity() function allows you to define entities which can be used in
ask and in dialog triggers. Some defaults are defined in every BotSquad bot. These entities are defined in the defaults file and match multiple user inputs returning atoms :yes or :no
@yes entity(match: "yes|yep|sure", label: "Yes", return: :yes)
@no entity(match: "no|nope|nah", label: "No", return: :no)
@yes and
@no the following entities are also already defined in the defaults file.
@postcode and
@postcode entity(match: "^\d{5}(?:[-\s]\d{4})?$")
dialog main do
laugh = ask "What is your postcode?", expecting: @postcode, help_dialog: invalid_postcode
dialog invalid_postcode do
say "Sorry, that doesn't look like a postcode. It should be something like 1000 AA."
To learn more about regular expression matching you can use this online tool: regexr
Entity recognition with Duckling¶
Botsi integrates with Duckling so that you can use duckling's entity matchers on the user's input.
For this a special syntax is allocated:
entity(duckling: "email").
@email entity(duckling: "email")
dialog duckling do
email = ask "What is your email?", expecting: @email
say email.value
The duckling matchers are smart and only extract the text which is relevant to the given entity. So when asking for an email address, the user can respond with
"My email address is email@example.com!" and the
email.value will only contain
You can also use dialog triggers with duckling, like this:
@email entity(duckling: "email")
dialog trigger: @email do
say "Thank you for your email! You entered: #{value}"
The following is a list of all supported entities:
Note that not all entities are supported in every language. Please refer to the Duckling documentation for exact support.
Duckling matchers are locale and time zone sensitive. By default, the locale is
en_US and the time zone is
Europe/Amsterdam. These can be changed by passing them in as arguments to the
entity() function like this:
@time entity(duckling: "time", locale: "nl_NL", timezone: "UTC")
Handling validation errors¶
To handle validation dialogs you can use the following: To direct the user on typing or clicking "Yes" or "No" you can also add a help dialog:
dialog main do
laugh = ask "Did you laugh?", expecting: [@yes, @no], help_dialog: help
dialog help do
say "Please click the quick replies or type 'Yes' or 'No'"
Gallery and response templates¶
To create a gallery you can use the
template statement:
template do
"The hat shop 1" ->
image_url "http://via.placeholder.com/150x150"
subtitle "We've got the right hat for everyone."
default_action do
open "http://www.redhat.com"
buttons do
"View Website" ->
open "http://www.redhat.com"
"Say hello" ->
postback "postback"
"The hat shop 2" ->
image_url "http://via.placeholder.com/150x150"
subtitle "We've got the better hat for everyone."
default_action do
open "http://www.redhat.com"
buttons do
"View Website" ->
open "http://www.redhat.com"
"Say hello" ->
postback "postback"
# ...
Prompting the user for an image¶
To ask a user to upload an image you can use the
expecting: with
:image as expected value.
dialog image do
image_url = ask "Please upload a selfie", expecting: :image
say image_url
show image image_url
The uploaded image url will be captured into the variable
image_url and can be used later to send the same image back to the user.
Receiving images¶
You can also create a dialog that responds when a user sends the bot an image at any time (so not when being asked like above).
dialog attachment: :image do
say "thanks for your image!"
show image attachment.url
The following variables are created by the system when a file is received:
attachment.url https://s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/bsqd/image/png/73a51722-fb1c-4a94-8037-4d16.png
attachment.type image
Receiving other media types¶
To respond to any other media type the user uploads you can use a special system dialog:
dialog __unknown_attachment__ do
say "Thanks for the #{attachment.type} file"
Asking a location¶
To ask a user to provide his location you can set
:location as expectation.
location = ask "Please share your location", expecting: :location
The location latitude and longitude will be captured into the variable
location. This is an Map with two keys (lat, lon) than can be accessed as follows:
say "your latitude is #{location.lat}, and longitude is #{location.lon}"
Distance functions¶
dialog distance do
loc1 = [lon: 4.893414, lat: 52.364909]
loc2 = [lon: 4.8952, lat: 52.3702]
d = distance([4.893414, 52.364909], [4.8952, 52.3702])
d2 = distance(loc1, loc2)
say d
say d2
Sending a location¶
Similar to shwowing images you can also send a small map with a location:
show location [4.893414, 52.364909]
show location [lon: 4.893414, lat: 52.364909]
To get the first item in a List you can use the bracket notation [0] Note: List like arrays in most programming languages start at 0 zero!
dialog n do
list = [1, 2, 3]
say list[0]
length([1,2,3]) == 3
To iterate over the full array you can use
dialog iterate do
list = [1, 2, 3]
repeat item in list do
if item == 3 do
say "and.."
say "item #{loop}"
Location matchers¶
A script can respond to the user sending his location (outside of an ask)
dialog location: [lon: 4.893414, lat: 52.364909], radius: 3000 do
say "Welcome in Amsterdam!"
When you define a single dialog named __unknown_location__ it will be called whenever the user sends a location that is not matched by any dialog with a
location: matcher.
dialog __unknown_location__ do
hilversum = [5.177459, 52.224025]
d = round(distance(location, hilversum) / 1000)
say "You are #{d} km from Hilversum"
Emit an event¶
emit statement sends an event to the runtime that is executing the bot. These events can be used for instance to trigger backchannel events or trigger events on the website.
The event itself is a string; it can have an optional extra parameter which will be sent as payload.
dialog main do
emit "start"
say "Hello!"
emit "end", [user_id: user.id]
The event name can be a simple string or an expression. The payload is optional and can be any valid expression.
You can use events to trigger javascript on the page where the chatbot is hosted:
dialog events do
emit "focus", [element: "#section-1"]
You do need to respond to these events by adding handlers in the integration Javascript.
Defaults are set via the following @constants:
@delay 1
@typing_indicator 1
To speed up dialogs for testing purposes you can set them to 0
@delay 0
@typing_indicator 0
This way you don't have to wait between statements.
When there is no user interaction the chatbot will "die" after a certain time. This can be set via the constant
@timeout "1h"
The notation in the string is as follows:
@timeout "1h"
@timeout "60s"
@timeout "200ms"
Just before the chatbot dies a special dialog is invoked allowing you to do a last interaction with the user.
dialog __timeout__ do
say "Thanks for you visit"
buttons "We would love to hear your opinion on the experience" do
"Share your opinion" ->
open "https://bsqd.me/bolflinck/chat?bot=Joan&name=#{user.first_name}"
You can for instance use this to ask visitor to participate in a survey. Here the survey is done by linking to another bot. Note you can pass information to the next bot via parameters. You can capture this information in the next bot via the query variables:
dialog main do
user.first_name = query.name
chatbot = query.bot


text: Hi, On 7/21/07, Michael Niedermayer <michaelni at gmx.at> wrote: > > On Sat, Jul 21, 2007 at 04:00:04PM -0400, Ronald S. Bultje wrote: > > following Michael's comments, here's 4 patches (v3.1-4) for rm.h > /rmdec.c. > > > > The first one fixes get_str/get_str8() to also work if the target string > is > > not long enough to fit all data from the container string, and allows > NULL > > as a string also to simply skip the string alltogether. > > patch ok > btw, as you are already working with the code ... > maybe you want to merge get_str() and get_str8() > a 1 line difference doesnt merit having a second function ... Makes sense. How about $attached? (I can also make get_str{.8}() macros to get_str_i() to save another 2x3 lines for their function declarations, I think you originally intended that, but then the if(len_size==1) would no longer be inlined, making it slightly slower...) Ronald -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: rmdec-fixgetstr.patch Type: application/octet-stream Size: 1355 bytes Desc: not available URL: <http://lists.mplayerhq.hu/pipermail/ffmpeg-devel/attachments/20070721/6ae4a5ed/attachment.obj>


text:
Montes blasts way to All-Star MVP award
Rockies prospect homers twice, plates six for Pioneer League
By MiLB.com | August 8, 2018 1:17 AM
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. -- Hometown favorite Coco Montes belted two homers to power the Pioneer League to their first All-Star victory over the Northwest League in four tries, a 13-10 win before a crowd of 4,892 fans on Tuesday at Suplizio Field. The 32-hit battle featured three homers and six lead changes.
Montes' six-RBI night earned him BUSH'S® All-Star MVP honors for the Pioneer League, while Salem-Keizer's Diego Rincones took home the Northwest League award with a four-hit performance.
Video: Grand Junction's Montes slugs two-run shot
"It's amazing," Montes said. "Our crowd is awesome. Our fans, them cheering me on every time I get to the plate."
Grand Junction closer Alexander Martinez notched the save in relief of Missoula's Deyni Olivero, the Pioneer League's 10th pitcher who recorded two outs. Eugene's Sean Barry took the loss after an eventful eighth inning.
With the Pioneer League trailing, 10-9, Helena's Nathan Eaton hit a popup to shallow right field that landed between first baseman Curtis Terry and second baseman Connor Kopach before rolling into the bullpen for a double. It was his fifth hit of the night.
"Sometimes you just have those days when the ball just goes your way," said Eaton, who fell a homer shy of the cycle. "I wasn't really thinking about the home run, just getting our team back in it."
Jeremy Arocho singled home Eaton with the tying run and Buddy Kennedy walked. With runners at first and second, Emmanuel Clase came on in relief and misplayed a ball off the bat of Grant Lavigne for an error. Arocho and Kennedy both scored when Clase made an errant throw to third and Lavigne came home on a single by Daniel Robinson.
"It was wild," said Terry, who had three hits after winning Home Run Derby earlier in the day. "The first inning, we got five and I was like, 'This is good.' Then they came back. ... It was crazy."
It looked good early for the Northwest League, whose first five batters reached against Pioneer League starter J.C. Cloney. Diosbel Arias led off with a single and Andy Yerzy went the opposite way with a ball that just stayed fair and landed on the warning track for a double, setting the stage for Joey Bart.
The Giants' top prospect fouled off three pitches, then clobbered a 2-2 offering for a three-run homer. Owen Miller and Olivier Basabe followed with RBI groundouts for a 5-0 lead.
Video: Salem-Keizer's Bart cracks three-run shot
But the Pioneer League bounced right back against Tri-City's Henry Henry, who allowed a leadoff single to Eaton and Montes' first homer.
"The first one, I was ahead in the count, so I was trying to be aggressive," said Montes, who has seven homers for Grand Junction, including six at home. "I got a good pitch, hit it the other way."
After doubling and stealing third in the second, Vancouver's Tanner Kirwer scored on a wild pitch to extend the Northwest lead to 6-2, but the Pioneer League answered again in the bottom of the frame. Ogden's Ronny Brito singled off Cobi Johnson and scored on Eaton's triple that was misread in left field by Rincones. Montes plated Eaton with a grounder to short as the Pioneer League pulled to within two.
"The past few games before the All-Star Game, I was seeing the ball really well," said Eaton, who went 5-for-5 with four runs scored and two RBIs. "I think it just carried over."
David Fry drew the game's first walk in the fourth and Eaton threaded a single under the glove of pitcher Michael Plassmeyer to put runners at the corners for Montes, who didn't waste the opportunity. With the count full, he stroked a laser down the right field line for his second dinger and the Pioneer League's first lead of the night, 7-6.
Video: Grand Junction's Montes blasts another jack
"A 3-2 count and we had a man on third, so I was trying to fight something off, put the ball in play. One out, get the run to score," Montes said. "I got enough barrel and it went over the fence."
The lead was brief, however.
Terry led off the fifth with a single and Rincones doubled. Miller's sacrifice fly, his second run-scoring out, plated Terry and Rincones dashed home on a wild pitch by Marcos Tineo to put the Northwest in front, 8-7.
Spokane's Terry slugs way to Home Run Derby title
That lead last four batters.
Fry hit a towering fly to the base of the wall in left-center, scoring Zachery Almond to tie it. Leugim Castillo trotted home one out later on Eaton's fourth hit of the game to put the Pioneer back on top, 9-8, but Rincones made a rifle throw to the plate to Bart to nail Fry.
"I felt really good having [Bart] there behind the plate and just wanted to make a really good throw," Rincones said. "I feel really happy about [the MVP award] because I can play here. I felt really good about the game and was trying to do 100 percent.
An inning later, the lead changed hands for the fifth time. Danny Edgeworth walked and scored on a groundout by Francisco Ventura and Blue Jays No. 17 prospect Griffin Conine came home on a passed ball by Pabel Manzanero, who pegged Conine with his throw as he crossed the plate.
Ultimately, however, the Pioneer League finally earned bragging rights.
"I was excited to be here," Montes said. "Home Run Derby was fun, but I'm not really a big Home Run Derby type of guy, so I just had fun with it. In the game, I got some good pitches. It was a great time."
Jared Ravich is a senior software engineer for Major League Baseball Advanced Media. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.View More


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2014 Mazda Mazda3 in Saint-Jerome, Québec, $11,995
General Information
- Engine4 cyl.
- TransmissionAutomatic
- Body StyleHatchback
- DrivetrainFront wheel drive
- Doors4
- Exterior ColourRed
- Interior ColourBlack
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CARFAX Canada is Canada's most trusted vehicle history report.
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Model Information
2Average Price (used) $12,891
4Seller's Price (used) $11,995


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Introducing the Fire Bible for Kids!
There is nothing like it… The first ever study Bible with an emphasis on the Holy Spirit written specifically for kids.
Each Book of the Fire Bible for Kids includes an introduction Section, Study Notes, and Engaging Graphics. The Bible comes with a Concordance, Glossary, Theme Finders, Full Color Maps and Illustrations. This New King James Version will help today's kids become tomorrow's Church.
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text: So I don't really break a lot of boxes, but I like to look at the box breaks posted here and elsewhere to see what kind of cards are out there. Anyways, I've noticed something about the new football TTT. In my opinion it's, um, not great. At least with the baseball it looked like guys were pulling some past greats and some good veterans. In the football product, all I've really seen are the same mid-round rookies that are in every product, with the occasional mediocre veteran jersey card. Looking at most of the other box breaks I've seen this year for the other products, it looks like more of the same. Why does football seem to focus so heavily on rookies instead of current players?


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After worldwide heats and the occasional unpleasant controversy, the Pokémon World Championships finals have taken place in Hawaii, with a new group of champions securing a prestigious trophy and scholarship prizes. With over 30 countries represented, it was undoubtedly a hard-fought contest, with six division champions celebrating their success.
The list of all winners is below, but the big story is Ray Rizzo, who wins the prestigious Masters title for the third year in a row.
2012 Pokemon TCG Junior Division World Champion: Shuto Itagaki (Japan)
2012 Pokemon Video Game Junior Division World Champion: Abram Burrows (USA)
2012 Pokemon TCG Senior Division World Champion: Chase Moloney (Canada)
2012 Pokemon Video Game Senior Division World Champion: Toler Webb (USA)
2012 Pokemon TCG Masters Division World Champion: Igor Costa (Portugal)
2012 Pokemon Video Game Masters Division World Champion: Ray Rizzo (USA)
For those of you who think, "I could do better", you'll have a chance to put that to the test in the upcoming Pokémon Black and White 2 titles, with select finalists and their teams set to be distributed via Wi-Fi. The Pokémon World Tournament arena in the game will let you challenge these teams, perfect if you want to train for a tilt at the real thing next year.


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If there's one makeup item I can't live without, aside from foundation, it would definitely be eyeliner. Ever since I discovered the wonders of it back when I started college, I've never been without it in my makeup collection. I'm also a big fan of the makeup styles from the 40s, 50s, and 60s when eyeliner was an absolute must.
Because my eyelids aren't perfectly smooth and have these natural lines and creases on them, then I have difficulty using gel and pencil eyeliners to line the top of my eyes. I always end up having to tug or stretch my lid just to get an even line. That's why I love and have always used liquid liners. I know some people find it intimidating or difficult to work with, but trust me, it's all about practice!
Last week, Etude House was having a sale so I decided to try out their Oh m'Eye Line liquid eyeliners. It comes in three shades: #01 Black, #02 Gray, and #03 Brown. I didn't see the gray one so I got black and brown instead which is perfect anyway because they're the two colors I use most. I use brown more often because it looks a little softer and more natural, so it's perfect for everyday. I opt for black when I want to define my eyes a bit more intensely.
The packaging is nothing fancy and isn't the typical 'Etude House cute', I guess. I've seen some reviews calling the packaging cheap looking, but I don't think they are. The bottles are made of seemingly sturdy plastic, have a twist off cap, and they hold 5ml of product each.
The applicator itself is a soft, fine-tipped brush. I have tried other eyeliners with an even finer tip, and for me personally, the finer, the better. But I think this brush is just right and it'll please both beginners and those who are already used to working with liquid liners. I like how the brush doesn't pick up or hold too much, or too little, product each time too. If you need less, then you can always easily wipe away the excess back into the bottle.
Swatches of both colors. Top two lines are the black shade, and the bottom two are the brown. Since the brown one is very dark, it looks almost similar to the black and under artificial or dim light it's hard to tell them apart. I wish the brown was just a little bit lighter though so that there was more of a difference with the black, know what I mean?
You can see that it's easy to create either a thick or thin line with the brush. It all depends on how you angle it. I like how the product also comes out evenly and very opaque already. It saves time on having to go over any gaps and uneven color which I find frustrating and time-consuming sometimes.
Drying time is another good point as it's fairly quick. It's dry to touch within a few minutes and has an almost matte finish. Of course, the thicker your line, the longer it'll take, but above swatches only took a minute or two to dry completely. Once it's dry it's also virtually smudge-proof. It took very vigorous rubbing for it to start fading, and even then, the thicker lines were still mostly intact while the thinner lines disappeared. So unless you rub your eyes raw all the time, which I hope you don't, then don't worry about accidentally touching or rubbing your eye a little with this on.
Now for the water test. After running my hand under some water for a few seconds, I was pleased to see the swatches didn't budge.
Once wet though, the eyeliner 'weakens' and can come off very easily if you start rubbing it again. However, there is a plus side to this. Notice there's no streaking or running? When it comes off, it sort of clumps and 'peels' instead which means you won't be getting any panda eyes from this even if you start crying or sweating. Just remember to not rub your eyes after or during!
Here I've used the brown one to create a simple cat eye which I love sporting everyday. Because of the flexible and fine tip brush, you can easily create a nice wing with it and make the entire line as thick or as thin as you want.
Also, when I say easy, I mean it. I've tried every kind of eyeliner out there and have had a lot of liquid varieties including those with felt tip applicators but this is seriously one of the easiest ones to work with that I've used so far. I can actually line my eyes faster using these! Because the brush is so soft and fine, and the liquid product itself already comes out both smoothly and very opaque, I'd even recommend this to liquid liner beginners!
Wear time is really good too. After five hours, most of it still stayed put and there was only very minimal fading, mostly just towards the wing. This is without me applying a primer beforehand and with my naturally oily lids too by the way. Safe to say, I'm really impressed overall and I'll most likely be re-purchasing both these colors once they run out if I don't find a better alternative. Hopefully I can try out gray next time!
- Quite affordable at less than PHP200.
- The brush is very soft, flexible, and has a fine tip.
- Quick drying time.
- Doesn't easily fade even after hours of wear and with my oily lids.
- Has a semi-matte finish.
- Doesn't run or streak when wet.
- Easy to take off with makeup remover and no need for harsh rubbing like with a lot of other eyeliners. I'm actually able to just use a facial wet wipe to remove this.
- The formula becomes weak once it gets wet and is no longer smudge proof until it's dry again.
- No ingredients listed, all info on the accompanying sticker is in Korean.
- I find the formula is waterproof, provided you don't really touch or rub the eyeliner while it's still wet.
Price: PHP198.00, Purchased from: Etude House (Greenbelt 3, Makati)


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Biodiversity Cross-Mission Learning Program
The Biodiversity Cross-Mission Learning Program focuses on increasing the effectiveness of USAID biodiversity conservation programming by finding out what works, what doesn't, and why.
The Learning Program will:
- Form connections between USAID staff implementing the same approach to address development challenges;
- Facilitate knowledge and experience sharing about when and under what conditions the theory of change holds; and
- Help foster collaboration to answer shared learning questions (a Learning Agenda) that can help improve the effectiveness of USAID programs.
Learning Groups will collaborate through email discussions, virtual meetings, and an online wiki knowledge base. Learning Groups may also choose to collaborate on data or information collection to address priority learning questions.
Conservation Enterprises
The Conservation Enterprises Learning Group focuses on the theory that if income is increased through conservation enterprises, then participants will discontinue environmentally unsustainable activities.
Combating Wildlife Trafficking
The CWT Learning Group focuses on creating a knowledge base around how to build capacity, reduce consumer demand, and improve community engagement to combat wildlife crime.
More information about the Learning Program can be found here.