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|Our Environment We are stewards of wild places
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Valid points, but they do nothing to stop the demand for them.
Until the demand ceases we will continue to exploit nature in the only way we know how.
People with $$$ want prawns, salmon, and out of season strawberries(always thought Ca. and Fla. supplied a bunch).
Religious zealots are another story. That has to deal with exploitation of man and not salmon.
The question you asked is one we have all gone over and over again.
The world is full of hunger, millions of men, women and mostly children die of longterm starvation on a yearly basis. Unfortunately none of those who starve could ever afford even 99 cent a pound farm raised salmon or $6.99 a pound farm raised shrimp. Our farm raised aquaculture products are targgets for the middle class world wide as is the ever growing industrial agriculture. I think we all thought that this would help solve the worlds hunger problems but ther are many hunger experts out there telling another side of the story. I will try and get the authors of some pretty astounding books who can better explain what Aquaculture and industrial farming are doing to the world and the majority of its people and post the info latter.
Some of the points these experts bring up are very sound. Such things as the first world demand for out of season products and what the real cost is in consumption of scarce resourses. One example that I love is that one strawberry from Chile brought up to New York in January uses 495 calories of fossil fuel to grow in an industrial mannor and ship. That same strawberry provides only 5 calories for human consumption. Grown with sound small farming disaplines in season in New York and sold in a local market the amount of calories required to grow and ship are few. I am sure that farm raised salmon are the same way as the strawberry maybe even more so when you think of all the waste in salmon farming. A few other things that are talked about more and more is on a world wide basis that poverty is becoming an ever growing problem as local farming and markets are being displaced by the multi national industrial farm and the loss of the local market because there are no produce to sell in them. Shrimp Aqua culture has been devasting to many thrid world communtities in SE Asia and S. America. As these multi national companies come in pay off the pols take over the costal mangrove swamps, bulldoze them to make holding ponds that have only a one to one and a half year life before they must bulldoze more swamp because the ponds go bad after that short time period. Loss of swamp means loss of habitat for young fish which means the locals loose their way of life of subsistance fishing and what extra they have selling in local markets. Many coastal villages have been abandond and many locals have lost their lives to violance for trying to stop this insanity.
I'm not going to blame us the average guy in the first world yet for what is going on because I don't think enough information is getting out. Someone from the Mid West thinks it's great they can eat salmon year round as the average guy in the NW can get those very same strawberries mentioned above right now in Larry's Market. But sooner or later we are going to have to change our unthoughtful ways we look at food and get back to seasonal foods grown locally. We look at what is happening in the world differently since 911. We are just looking at one part of what we think is the problem, that being extreme religious zelots but we better take a better look and it's got to do with 3 basics, fuel, food and water. Those three items are what the first world considers theirs and at their convenience. The have nots are becoming real pissed world wide at an ever quicker pace than past decades. If you don't think the religious zelots are not picking up on this and using religion as it has always been used you better all take some time and look a little deeper. All religions have used underlying problems as a catylist and now they are seeing what our mulinational companies are doing the take over of fuel, food and water world wide. Ask the first peoples of BC, ask the locals of South America, SE Asia what they think of what we think as a convienence such as aquaculture.
VERY good question, MJYP, and one that has taxed my brain considerably. As you say, there is a consumer demand, and it will need to be filled somehow.
I found myself in the odd position of defending salmon nets in the recent debate on the 'Atlantic Salmon' board - although nothing would please me more than to see them all gone! In my view, a moderate harvest from identified, prolific runs of fish is the 'least worst' option, at least until a better way of salmon farming can be found. There are undoubtedly rivers that can sustain some netting effort without threatening the survival of the species, although it obviously isn't good for rod fishermen.
The problem in the UK is that salmon have moved in the last 10-15 years from a luxury product to one of the cheapest forms of animal protein you can buy. As a result, the demand is dramatically higher than before, and only a really dramatic health scares, like the recent one, will put that genie back in its bottle. But trying to educate the consumer - to reduce or cut off the market for farmed salmon - is one way to help, and is an integral part of Bruce Sandison's Salmon Farm Monitor campaign over here.
Incidentally, I've just seen a post by Bruce on a UK board, noting that a planning application has just been lodged here for a land-based farm. The only figures I've seen (which were here some time ago) indicated that this would likely make the product so expensive that it would not be able to compete in the market. But if it can be made to work, even if the consumer has to pay a bit more, I think this is probably the best solution. The ecological problems associated with marine aquaculture (notably effluent, lice/diseases and escapes) can all be more or less controlled in an inland farm.
I just want to play devils advocate here. (I by no means support the fish farmers in any way)
There are more people on this planet than ever, they want to eat salmon. Do we fill the need by depleting wild stocks or do we farm raise them???
Interested in your answers on filling the need. We all know by now we can't trust man(government, business) to manage anything to our liking.
What is the answer????
Could you ask the paper....
Why something as important as 'rebating' a 1.5 million dollar fine is 'last page material.' Skip the who ... given BC budet problems now I'd have thought they'd need the money.
Or would the 'money' have put them out of business??
|North Island
Thanks for bringing this news item into the light. This is exactly what our government needs, a WATCH DOG. The parties in power are in such a strong poloitical position [both fed & prov.] they have little worry for public repercussion. Couple this with constant threats of financial cutbacks to the ministries responsible for our fish and even their own ranks fear being to outspoken .
|Some politians and some judges. Those that would hold up to the fine are called commies, liberals and radical enviro pinkos.
|Wonderful!? Summer steelhead runs have been down the last two summers, the fish farms have been fined for doing illegal things, and then they get rewarded by the government through having the fines "rebated" (what a term for simply forgiving them for doing illegal things) so they can continue on with business as usual. When was the last time you got a "rebate" for something as simple as a speeding ticket for going 6 miles/hour over the posted limit on the freeway? Don't you just love the way politicians and judges think when an industry gives them some cash for an election.
Salmon Farming in BC news flash....
Very small article buried in the last pages of the local newspaper this morning telling of how the BC Goverment refunded and excused $1.75 MILLION in fines for illegal operations!
I was pretty sure that the Farm Industry had the politicians attention I guess this is just further proof.
To the Policians who granted this this is the middle finger of my right hand!!!
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TinyKeep - A 3D Multiplayer Dungeon Crawler with focus on AI (FUNDED!)
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Topic: TinyKeep - A 3D Multiplayer Dungeon Crawler with focus on AI (FUNDED!) (Read 1468 times)
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TinyKeep - A 3D Multiplayer Dungeon Crawler with focus on AI (FUNDED!)
May 09, 2013, 03:10:22 AM »
Hi everyone, I have a Kickstarter project I would like to announce.
A few days ago I launched a new project called TinyKeep, which is a 3D Multiplayer Dungeon Crawler game with big focus on intelligent monster AI. The game was quickly featured on Kickstarter's Staff Picks, but I'm still looking to boost my funding pledges.
I have also posted a somewhat technical article regarding procedural dungeon generation for the community:
Procedural Dungeon Generation Algorithm Explained
Hope you guys enjoy the concept - and are able to help spread the word!
Last Edit: June 03, 2013, 05:09:13 AM by phi6
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Re: TinyKeep - A 3D Multiplayer Dungeon Crawler with focus on AI (Kickstarting!)
Reply #1 on:
May 10, 2013, 06:22:29 PM »
Just a quick update, we've done quite well on the initial few days of our Kickstarter so far, and have just gone over a quarter of the funding goal. Still we are a long way away from achieving the total so if you like to see the game developed please support us!
Anyway, here's a Dungeon Generation Demo application to show a little bit of how the procedural stuff works.
An example generated dungeon:
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Re: TinyKeep - A 3D Multiplayer Dungeon Crawler with focus on AI (Kickstarting!)
Reply #2 on:
May 11, 2013, 12:12:59 AM »
Your title says "Multiplayer", is this going to be an MP only game, or have an SP component?
"Books are the perfect entertainment: no commercials, no batteries, hours of enjoyment for each dollar spent. What I wonder is why everyone doesn't carry a book around for those inevitable dead spots in life"
- Stephen King
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I said good day, sir!
Re: TinyKeep - A 3D Multiplayer Dungeon Crawler with focus on AI (Kickstarting!)
Reply #3 on:
May 11, 2013, 04:02:37 AM »
I think the test footage of the game looks really good for the early state that it is in. And I really like the idea of bringing back random dungeons.
However, if you don't mind some constructive criticism, I will say that I always feel a little hesitant to back something before you can see actual gameplay.
I also didn't really get is a sense of the size of your team. It seems like there are some great artists working on the game, but the Kickstarter page only really mentions you as the programmer. I know I personally like to get at least a little feel for team size and composition before backing a project.
Also, welcome to the forums!
Check the place out and stick around if you like it.
Demons run when a good man goes to war.
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Re: TinyKeep - A 3D Multiplayer Dungeon Crawler with focus on AI (Kickstarting!)
Reply #4 on:
May 11, 2013, 04:29:30 PM »
Hey guys, thanks for the reply.
@jztemple - Multiplayer co-op is a big aspect of the game if it manages to reach the stretch goal on Kickstarter. But for now the core game will focus on SP dungeon crawling.
@EngineNo9 - I'm the only programmer on this project! The other 3 guys work on the 3D art, concept art and music. But mainly it's just me, the game is my vision and my idea. I'm managing everything myself, and I work late hours every night on the game. It's an indie as it gets - there's no big team I'm afraid! But I'm confident I'll completely finish developing the release - I've been very strict with time/cost estimation and deadlines, most features are planned out meticulously, and those that I've not I've given myself extra time. I've been working in software for 6 years, so I'm applying a lot of professional principles to my workflow.
Anyway - regarding the gameplay, yes I do agree that the video is a bit lacking. You might be interested to know that I'll be releasing an interactive AI technical demo soon, which showcases the potential of the monster intelligence. It's the game's main selling point after all. It won't have the fancy graphics of the video, as it's mainly a tool I use for playtesting and debugging.
I hope that goes someway to convincing you to have a look at the project again!
Last Edit: May 11, 2013, 06:38:39 PM by phi6
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Re: TinyKeep - A 3D Multiplayer Dungeon Crawler with focus on AI (Kickstarting!)
Reply #5 on:
May 14, 2013, 09:16:43 PM »
This is the first of the multi-part series of updates about TinyKeep's AI! Over the next few days I will be posting a series of videos about the monster intelligence system that we've developed for the game. Today I'm going to talk about simple roaming and chasing behaviours for a single monster. For the later parts, I'll progress to more sophisticated concepts such as Group Tactics and Rivalry.
I've already written at length about the plans we have for the AI on our main Kickstarter page, so I won't bore you anymore here. Instead, I feel that the AI is best explained visually and interactively so here's a playable AI demo for Part 1:
Note that I'm not using the 3D graphics you've seen on the video and screenshots. For testing and debugging purposes it is often best to use simple 2D graphics so I can easily annotate and visualize what is going on.
Here's the accompanying video explaining the major aspects of roaming and chasing!
For the next update I'll talk about Retreating and Defense. Unlike the Skeleton shown here some monsters are less aggressive and will flee at the sight of you. Stay tuned...
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Posts: 13
Re: TinyKeep - A 3D Multiplayer Dungeon Crawler with focus on AI (Kickstarting!)
Reply #6 on:
May 16, 2013, 07:24:52 AM »
Hi again everyone! Hope I'm not bugging you guys too much with these regular updates Today I thought I'd take a respite from all the AI business and talk about something that's been requested a lot by our current and potential backers.
There are 3 distinct features which characterise many hardcore RPG games. These are stats (in the form of attributes, experience and levelling), inventory management, and a wide range of active and passive skills. Many players love the number crunching aspects, and the sheer amount of depth of customization that these types of games offer. Others love the opportunities for loot - powerful weapons and the interesting game mechanics that come with them. Mastering these games requires not only hard work as you progress to more and more difficult levels, but also learning how to efficiently customize your stats so that you are able to create the kind of heroes you love to play.
The Pocket Inventory System
For TinyKeep, our goal is to condense all of these features into one tidy package. We want the game to be as accessible as possible for players new to the genre, but also retain the level of depth and customization that RPG gamers love.
We've spent a lot of time designing a system that hopefully will do just that! TinyKeep combines player stats & customization, inventory & equipment and skills into a single game mechanic. We call this, The Pocket Inventory.
At its simplest, the Pocket Inventory is a 3x3 grid representing the layout of the keyboard's numpad. Slots 4 and 6 will be left and right handed items (such as sword and shield), and slots 2, 5 & 8 are for other equipment. The remaining 4 corners contain unequipped items - this is your storage/bag space. So in total, you can only carry 9 items around with you at one time - yes, that's right, so choose your items wisely!
When you start a new dungeon instance, you are given the option to take and equip some of your items from The Stash. This Stash is a persistent area that contains of all your items retrieved from previous games. You could fill up the entire grid with equipment if you wanted to, but it might be a good idea to leave a couple free for items you might find in the dungeon to take home with you.
Activating Slots
The Pocket Inventory will remain on the corner of your screen at all times, as a visual reminder for what you are currently carrying. Hitting the numkeys on your keyboard, or clicking the left/right mouse buttons (representing left and right hand items) will activate their respective items in their slots. Activating a storage slot (the 4 corners) equips the item, moving it to one of the other non-storage slots.
So for the example above, hitting 4 (or clicking the left mouse button) will cause your player to attack with his sword, and hitting 6 (or clicking the right mouse button) will block an attack. Hitting the 8, 5 and 2 keys will respectively activate the rune, spell book and fireball. In the storage slots are a magic staff and short sword, which may be equipped at any time replacing one of the other items.
Passive Effects
We've done away with character stats and attributes completely, all customization of your hero will take place in the Pocket Inventory. Each item you equip may have a corresponding attribute or passive effect. For example, the rune may inbue the user with incredible strength and thus enable powerful melee attacks, the spell book granting intelligence to increase the effectiveness of your spell casting.
Bonus Effects and Further Customization
In addition to activating skills and equipping passive effects, the combination of items that you equip in the Pocket Inventory will also affect the player. Having all slots equipped with flaming items for example will give you elemental fire resistance and damage, but with the caveat that you also become extremely vulnerable to water attacks. Or perhaps carrying a complete set of certain named items, for example equipping all of Maca's (a randomly generated name) weapons and equipment could grant you Assassin status, an increased stealth effect.
In conclusion, we hope that the Pocket Inventory will offer the level of customization and depth that you guys crave, while keeping the game accessible and intuitive to play.
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Posts: 13
Re: TinyKeep - A 3D Multiplayer Dungeon Crawler with focus on AI (Kickstarting!)
Reply #7 on:
May 19, 2013, 03:06:38 PM »
Before I crack on to Part 2 (Retreat and defense) I would like to quickly cover the minor improvements we made since Part 1 of this AI series. Thanks to community feedback we've added a few more features, removed others and hopefully will have created more realistic behaviour.
Part 1.1 AI (Improvements) - YouTube Demo:
In short, the changes are:
1. If the Skeleton loses sight (raycasting towards hero) and smell (raycasting towards dropped breadcrumbs), he will still continue to head towards the location where the hero was last detected and investigate further.
2. If the Skeleton still cannot find the hero, it will make a best guess where it thinks he has gone and will set a patrol route to the nearest waypoint. Given these changes, we've removed the alert level as we've found this feature has become redundant and offers no extra intelligence. The "smell trails" have been reduced to balance the extra added behaviour - this also seems to help limit cheating in the AI.
Ok, let's bring on the fun stuff!
AI Explained - Part 2 of 5: Retreating and Defense, featuring TinyKeep's Fire Imp Monster!
Fire Imps (and other monsters marked with the "Shy" personality flag) will run away from the player if he gets too close. Put him in this level of distress for too long, and he'll breathe fire on you.
Part 2 AI - YouTube Demo:
The interactive demo is here on the TinyKeep website along with all of the previous demos:
As with all of these AI behaviours, what you see on the video and demo are the default settings for each of the personality flags (Aggressive, Cautious, Shy, Lumbering etc...). However we've designed our AI editor to be a lot more flexible than that - so our game designer Ben can choose from a multitude of variables to customize his monsters:
Enable/disable line of sight (blind monsters)
Smell/sound sensitivity (monsters with amazing sense of smell)
Roaming speed, chasing speed, fleeing speed
Enable/disable wall avoidance (in case some monsters can walk through walls!)
Distance threshold before alerted
Require line of sight before alerted
...and many more!
We know that this will give us the ability to create really unique and varied monsters, and part of the fun of the game is figuring out the behaviours of each one.
Hope you enjoyed the post, and let us know if you have any questions about the AI!
Last Edit: May 19, 2013, 03:16:06 PM by phi6
Gaming Trend Senior Member
Posts: 3645
Re: TinyKeep - A 3D Multiplayer Dungeon Crawler with focus on AI (Kickstarting!)
Reply #8 on:
May 19, 2013, 03:15:05 PM »
Your AI Part 2 link is brokey... but easy enough to figure out what it should be.
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Gaming Trend Reader
Posts: 13
Re: TinyKeep - A 3D Multiplayer Dungeon Crawler with focus on AI (Kickstarting!)
Reply #9 on:
May 19, 2013, 03:16:29 PM »
Fixed! Thanks for the heads up!
Gaming Trend Reader
Posts: 13
Re: TinyKeep - A 3D Multiplayer Dungeon Crawler with focus on AI (Kickstarting!)
Reply #10 on:
May 21, 2013, 06:00:17 AM »
Just a quick update from me today whilst I sort out Part #3 of the AI! Indie blogger
has recently posted about TinyKeep's Kickstarter campaign on his YouTube channel. In his video, he talks about seeds and how he is looking forward to this feature in our game.
So what are seeds exactly? As our response, I thought I'd best get Ben to explain, and also talk about how they affect the level's difficulty.
We are pretty excited about using seeds - we think it will open up the game to the community and allow you guys to discuss and share the game's secrets.
AngelikMayhem is currently running his blog
XBOX Minecraft Seeds
, where he regularly shares reviews and videos of seeded Minecraft worlds. He has kindly offered to do the same for TinyKeep when it is released, so we look forward to the many interesting dungeons he will discover!
Gaming Trend Reader
Posts: 13
Re: TinyKeep - A 3D Multiplayer Dungeon Crawler with focus on AI (Kickstarting!)
Reply #11 on:
May 22, 2013, 07:03:09 AM »
Yesterday we reached our first £10K of pledges! Here's a quick video from me to say thanks. I especially want to thank everyone here at Gaming Trend, several of our backers came from this thread.
We still have 8 days to go before we reach the full amount! Fingers crossed....
Last Edit: May 22, 2013, 07:08:43 AM by phi6
Gaming Trend Reader
Posts: 13
Re: TinyKeep - A 3D Multiplayer Dungeon Crawler with focus on AI (Kickstarting!)
Reply #12 on:
May 23, 2013, 03:27:45 PM »
Hey guys and welcome to the 3rd update about TinyKeep's AI. Today's video and interactive demo showcases a couple of new features.
- Click to attack! This is by no means a complete combat system, instead it's here to allow you to create some nice corpses for testing today's new behaviour.
- Orcs! Like Skeletons, these monsters are Aggressive and will chase and seek you out. Similar to the Fire Imps, they employ a group system that notifies each other of threats once a single Orc can spot you in his line of sight. Attack Orcs with your sword enough times and he will die, leaving a movable corpse in his place.
- If a Skeleton comes across a corpse while not alert (not currently chasing a character) it will attempt to eat it. Skeletons regain health while eating, and if you let it eat for long enough the corpse will turn into another undead Skeleton! While eating, the Skeleton has a reduced field of view which allows the player to sneak up on it more.
As always, interactive demos of all of the AI updates so far can be found here:
Further ideas for eating AI
There's a lot we can do with this concept to bring some really interesting gameplay opportunities. Skeletons crowd around corpses with reduced FOV so it might be beneficial for the player to kill an Orc, drag it to a room and wait for a group of Skeletons to get distracted. Perhaps corpses naturally turn into Skeletons if they are left too long. How about other hungry monsters? We've mentioned in an earlier update about "flytrap-like" plants that hug the corridors of the dungeon, waiting for their next meal to walk past. Maybe we could have a hungry glutton pet that routinely eats up corpses you leave behind to prevent the Skeletons from getting there first. There are a lot of possibilities to explore!
The Next Few Days
As some of you may already know - my game TinyKeep is on Kickstarter and there are currently only 7 days left of funding to go! If you have enjoyed the updates on TinyKeep so far, please consider pledging so I can continue active development of the game. Currently I have accrued almost half the amount I need, but as Kickstarter is all or nothing I need to make the full £22k or I lose all my pledges so far.
Thanks very much!
Gaming Trend Reader
Posts: 13
Re: TinyKeep - A 3D Multiplayer Dungeon Crawler with focus on AI (Kickstarting!)
Reply #13 on:
May 28, 2013, 11:27:56 PM »
We're getting there on Kickstarter! But not quite fast enough! It's going to be a close call
But in the meantime, welcome to Part 4 of our AI series of updates:
In Part 2 (Retreating) we briefly touched on how Fire Imps in each other's line of sight were connected as a group, and they would share alert levels. Today, I'm going to explain a little bit more about how group movement works - and also introduce a new monster to the pack: The Skeleton Archer, with its Ranged Attacks! Combine Archers and Skeletons together and you have quite a challenging group of foes to deal with.
Try the interactive demo:
Or take a look at our previous demos at the usual place:
Apart from the new Archer behaviours, there's no special code to formulate groups here. It just so happens that a combination of melee type Skeletons (who are extremely aggressive and will chase you down as much as possible) and ranged Archers (who are cautious and will try to maintain a certain distance from you) results in quite effective emergent behaviour - it almost looks like they are working together.
More Ideas for Group AI
The above shows very basic, fundamental rules for group interaction. It's a work in progress - but we plan on bringing you more complex manoeuvres in regards to group tactics. Depending on the monster type, critters will be able to do the following:
- Monsters won't attack if they are alone, and will flee instead. Some intelligent ones will flee towards a known group of other monsters. This results in luring, pulling the character towards a more dangerous area and then attacking again.
- Wounded skeletons prefer to escape while their friends are locked in battle - to go and find corpses, heal, and return to the fray later.
- Leaders - if a Skeleton King is in the area, his minions will tend to follow and do what he does.
- Flanking - if the player is currently engaged in battle, other monsters will attempt to flank you from either side or behind.
There are more ambitious plans for bosses/leaders and how their monsters interact with them - but we can't give too much away, part of the fun is discovering them for yourself!
Gaming Trend Reader
Posts: 13
Re: TinyKeep - A 3D Multiplayer Dungeon Crawler with focus on AI (Kickstarting!)
Reply #14 on:
June 03, 2013, 05:08:47 AM »
So on Friday 31 May 5:44am UTC the TinyKeep Kickstarter funding amount closed off at a handsome £25,675, plus £142 in PayPal donations to give a
grand total of £25,817!
This means we have exceeded our target by £3655! Thank you so much guys, the last few hours were extremely tense but ultimately ensured that we reached the funding amount we wanted and more
Thanks to everyone, we've managed to successfully fund 3 stretch goals! And just for fun - we decided to throw in the 4th stretch goal as well
Alas, the Kickstarter funding period has ended, but we can still accept PayPal donations. To do so simply click on the "Donate now with PayPal" button on the Kickstarter home page. All money pledged this way will go towards fulfilment of the
online co-operative multiplayer
stretch goal which clearly everyone is very excited about!
As promised, here is the last AI video:
This will be my last post for the time being - while the team sorts out their personal and financial affairs. We'll be back!
Last Edit: June 03, 2013, 05:11:26 AM by phi6
Gaming Trend Senior Member
Posts: 10287
Re: TinyKeep - A 3D Multiplayer Dungeon Crawler with focus on AI (FUNDED!)
Reply #15 on:
June 03, 2013, 07:01:46 AM »
grats, was really hoping for multiplayer though
Gaming Trend Reader
Posts: 13
Re: TinyKeep - A 3D Multiplayer Dungeon Crawler with focus on AI (FUNDED!)
Reply #16 on:
June 03, 2013, 07:07:58 AM »
We still have a while to develop the core game - by the time we reach that point we hope to look at multiplayer - funded/donated or otherwise
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While we cannot administer medical advice, our Customer Service Team members are available to assist you with the ordering of your medical supplies. Our toll-free number is 1-866-774-9513 - Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm CST (7:00 am to 3:00 PST / 10:00 am to 6:00 pm EST). If you prefer to correspond by email, our address is email@example.com.


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Dear Friend,
As a rental property owner aren't the above three questions your major source of aggravation and lost income?
Typically, it takes us 2 to 4 weeks to rent your house or condo to a fully qualified tenant.
If a property does not rent in one month there is a problem that must
be fixed, and I have never found an exception. Greenlee Realty Group (GRG) Property Management answers all 3 questions in a surprising manner just below...
Would you believe that most property management companies charge $250-$500 simply to set up your rental property in their system? I don't care what kind of property management software a company is using, it only takes 5 minutes to put your property in the computer. We are not going to charge you for this.
This one isn't as common but I know half a dozen management companies that actually charge you money when the house is not rented. We get paid when the property is rented and you are making money and not before.
There are all kinds of reasons why a property remains vacant. If the property doesn't rent in 1 month, there is at least one thing wrong that must be fixed. I have never found an exception.
Perhaps the rent is a bit too high or the property wasn't as clean as we were led to believe. Sometimes, something goes wrong in or outside the rental after we turn it. One month, there was a dead cat in the driveway of
a house. Sure enough, once we removed the dearly departed, the house rented within 2 weeks.
At the two week mark of the rental process, GRG Property Management starts interviewing prospective tenants to find out why they didn't like the rental property. This feedback is immensely valuable. If we constantly hear the rent is too high than we can talk with you and make an adjustment. Or perhaps, we are not getting any calls whatsoever which often means the same thing.
Sometimes, the house just needs to be re-cleaned and perhaps one or two things
need to be fixed. For instance, we had a house that sat vacant for several weeks and we drove out to look at it again. It turned out that because of a hard rain, the roof started leaking and there was a very large wet spot in the ceiling.
We understand that the buck stops with us. Creative solutions and flexibility are essential to get your place rented. Therefore
in regards to Pasco Property Management, we have created dozens of ways to develop prospects for your rental property that have been tried and tested on our own rental properties.
For example, did you know that your best referral sources for a new tenant are people who live in a 10 block radius of your house? The typical rental sign by another property management company states, "For Rent" and a phone number.
We have learned that by including the number of bedrooms and baths, rent amount, deposit amount, and highlights about what is great about the house that 4 times as many people call on the sign in the yard.
Now, people in the neighborhood know exactly what type of rental you have available and at what price. This makes it very easy for them to pick-up the phone and call their friend who happens to be looking for this type of 3 bed/2 bath or 2 bed/1 bath home. It makes sense when you think about, doesn't it?
We have found dozens of these types of techniques that greatly increase how fast we rent a home or greatly decrease the cost of maintenance.
Therefore we have a vested interest to get off our butts and negotiate the best rates for you for electricians, AC Repair, plumbers, roofers, etc.
This is a total win/win. We get better rates because these repairmen work not only on our rental properties but other properties owned by clients like you. This means volume discounts.
Sure other Pasco property management companies can negotiate low rates with vendors as well. What incentive do they have to make sure those rates stay low? We have got to meet our mortgage payments on our rental properties just like you. Believe me, we pay extremely close attention to costs.
For example, we have an outstanding electrician that charges $30 an hour and no mark-up on parts. Typical electrician charge $85-$130 an hour and have at least a 300% mark-up in parts. We buy the parts on our own account and save you that money. This type of relationship and pricing exists for all of our outside vendors.
One of the most important things we do regarding Pasco Property Management is placing the proper tenant into your unit. This is accomplished by a thorough background check which includes, but is not limited to the following:
Once we approve a tenant, we move swiftly to get the lease signed and a security deposit collected. I have learned the hard way
in Pasco property management that a prospective tenant could find another rental the same day they are approved in my rental. Therefore, we meet a new tenant at the property or our office the same day we approve them if at all possible.
We are competing against a host of other property managers and must move
extremely quickly. Most of our competitors have no sense of urgency for getting
the lease signed today. This can cost you a great deal of money by having your
place sit vacant longer because no one got the deal closed when the prospect was hot.
We make it very easy for your tenants to pay us the rent. Also, the rent is due on the 1st and late on the 5th at 5:00pm. Depending on the owner's preference and type of rental, we may require all tenants to pay by money order. If a tenant bounces a check, they pay by money order for the remainder of their stay.
We move very quickly at GRG Property Management to deal with maintenance requests. Your days of answering a frantic call from a tenant with a broken AC are over. Our maintenance vendors are extremely capable and fairly priced. Because we give them so much business and pay them quickly, you receive fast service and low prices.
Most of our vendors really appreciate the steady business from our company so when we need them to move quickly and fix an AC, toilet, or leaking pipe they are usually on the ball. However, we always have at least 2 back-up vendors to call in case our primary source is sick, out of town, or booked solid.
As you know, maintenance requests or emergencies are a huge headache for your normal landlord. By using
an expert in Pasco County property management, you unload those late night calls to us and we take care of it. We also require all of our vendors to submit an inspection sheet of the rental. Therefore, we make darn sure the tenant is taking care of your house or condo as agreed.
Pasco County: Holiday, New Port Richey, Hudson, Port Richey, Trinity, Land O Lakes
Pinellas County: Tarpon Springs, East Lake, Odessa
Mailing Address:
Greenlee Realty Group
9119 Ridge Rd. Suite 17
New Port Richey, FL 34654
Office Address:
Greenlee Realty Group
3104 Town Ave. Suite 108
New Port Richey, FL 34655
Hours: Mon-Fri 10am-4pm
Office: 727-859-4373
Fax: 727-388-0101
Email: Click Here


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By Sarah Robinson/NEMS Daily Journal
STARKVILLE – Manufacturers gathered in Starkville on Wednesday to discuss issues faced by the state's manufacturers.
"I love economic development," Gov. Phil Bryant told the group, adding that he wakes up every day thinking of how to bring more industry and more jobs to Mississippi.
The summit focused primarily on furniture manufacturing, which employs more than 18,000 people statewide. Bryant reminded the crowd that is the equivalent of nine Toyota plants operating in the state.
Bryant said he met recently with Bill Simon, the chief executive officer of Wal-Mart Stores. While he would not discuss any specific projects at this time, the governnor did say that there is "no reason why we couldn't make the furniture they sell right here in Mississippi."
Bryant said workforce development is critical to the state's ability to attract industry.
"If you can't find an educated workforce … you're not going to be able to stay open very long," he warned.
Other speakers echoed the governor's call for better workforce development.
"Education, education, education," Hassell Franklin, CEO of the Franklin Corp., said was necessary to keep manufacturing strong in the state.
Bryant and Franklin said they believe reshoring – jobs being brought back to the U.S. from overseas – will be important to the state's future economic development.
The Obama administration was represented by officials from the departments of commerce and agriculture, the Delta Regional Authority and the Appalachian Regional Commission. Matt Erskine, acting assistant secretary for economic development at the U.S. Department of Commerce, said the president is committed to helping rural areas struggling to grow economically.
"Communities must look for new ways to drive economic development and create growth" as private capital remains highly risk averse, he said.
However, Skipper Holliman, president of HomeStretch Furniture, said regulations still inhibit the ability of the private sector to grow.
"We'll commit to jobs, we'll pay the money," he said, adding that he needs help getting over hurdles created by government.
The day-long summit was held at the Franklin Furniture Institute at Mississippi State University.


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By Johanna Bennett
Inventors who are bullish on Mexican consumers should read the note today from Credit Suisse initiating an Outperform rating on Grupo Sanborns (GSANBOR.MX), the retail firm taken public last month by Mexican billionaire Carlos Slims.
Analyst Antonio Gonzolez sees the stock rising 41% on the Mexican Stock Exchange to 37 pesos in the next year, calling the company "among the best vehicles for investors to play the consumer story in Mexico." And he bases that opinion on an assortment of factors.
First, Grupo's portfolio of store formats, which includes department stores, specialty stores, music stores and iShops that sell Apple (AAPL) computers, reaches a potential revenue pool bigger than that WalMex (MX:WALMEXV), Mexico's biggest retailer. Also, Gonzalez sees enormous potential for department stores to benefit from increasing consumer sophistication and low penetration of consumer credit in Mexico.
At 27.55 pesos, the shares were down 0.5% in late morning trading. Grupo Sanborns went public on Feb. 8 when Slim's Grupo Carso sold an 18% stake in the retailer. Grupo Sanborns plans to invest roughly $1.3 billion in its operations over the next five years, using proceeds from the IPO and cash flow generated by its stores.
Credit Suisse's Gonzalez sees return on invested capital of 16.6%, well above the 10.3% average for Latin American retailers. He also sees 13.6% average annual EBITDA growth over the next few years.


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Family: Phalangodidae, Phalangodid Harvestman view all from this family
Description 1/16" (1.4-2.7). A tiny, blind spiderlike creature, related to the daddy-long-legs. Gold to pale orange. Legs long, second pair longest.
Habitat Damp caves.
Range Travis and Williamson Counties, Texas.
Endangered Status The Bone Cave Harvestman is on the U.S. Endangered Species List. It is classified as endangered in Texas. Found in below-ground caves in Travis and Williamson Counties, this spiderlike invertebrate and its fellow cave-dwellers has been easy to overlook. Indeed, the caves that these creatures live in have been systematically destroyed throughout much of Texas to make way for development. Pollutants and changes to temperature and moisture levels threaten the survival of the species in the caves that remain.


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- Additional Information
Additional Information
Recognition & Awards Wister Suggested Uses Borders, Cut Flowers, Deer Resistant, Fragrant, Good Naturalizer Planting Zones Zone: 4, Zone: 5, Zone: 6, Zone: 7, Zone: 8 Grower P. Pennings Bulb Co. Bulb Classification N.Div.2: Large Cup Bulb Size 14/16 cm Bloom Time Mid to Late Sunlight Full Sun to Part Shade Fragrant? Yes Apart 6" Apart Depth 6" Deep Height Standard - 12.8 to 26.6 in
- Shipping Information
Shipping Schedule For This Product
When your order is received...
Active Shipping Days are business days Monday - Friday.
Orders received before 8 AM (ET) Monday-Friday ship same day
Orders received after 8 AM (ET) Friday through the weekend ship the next business shipping day
Shipping Questions? We are here to help! See our shipping policy page or contact our customer service.
*We reserve the right to ship as weather permits in order to preserve bulb quality during shipment.
- Care Information
Caring For Your BulbsAll Fall Planting Bulbs are shipped with a care instruction card that can be previewed or printed at our Information Center along with more detailed information on daffodil bulb planting and care.
The Living Gardens Information Center is your starting point for answers to planting questions, background on our growers, planting ideas, our company blog, and so much more.


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by VMware
Nov 12, 2013
Download Today, end-user computing comes in many varieties and forms, including desktops, laptops, smartphones, tablets, netbooks, and thin clients. Employee roles and responsibilities are equally varied. While task workers often access their applications and data from a single device in the workplace, many knowledge workers today are finding themselves becoming increasingly mobile and often carrying more than one device to access their work and applications on-demand-from work, over the VPN, in the airport, or from a coffee shop.


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|Stripers and Coastal Gamefish Stripers, Blues, Inshore tuna!
|Topic Review (Newest First)
RE:Weekend waterings
They're coming Bob, hang in there a little bit longer. Warmer weather this week should translate to rising water tempratures.
|Bob Pink
Weekend waterings
Saturday was boat maintenance and shakedown cruise for 'Double Happiness' and outide of some minor electrical repairs she's ready to rock for the season. Decided that it would be a shame to only launch for one purpose so I headed off Green Harbor with my cod gear. The run to Farnhams Rock was just enough to defog the engine and remind me how cold it can be when the water temps are still only 44*. Although there were decent fish being marked, none decided to interrupt my morning. Back to the barn and home to finsh planting perenials and checking off the honeydo's.
Sunday I hit Back River in Pocasset and upper Little Buttermilk for some lovely wading but still no fight on the end of my flyline.... Might take the Mid-cape to break me out of my slump...
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Major international stock markets were mixed in the week from August, 27 to August, 31 2012 (Milano +1.5%, Francoforte sulla parità, Parigi -0.6% , Londra -1.1%, Madrid +1.5%). Stocks were affected by concerns on Euro area and Moody's cut on global economic growth estimates. Markets, however, limited losses in the last trading day after the words of the Chairman of the Fed on Friday. Mr Bernanke opened to the possibility of intervention with unconventional stimulus measures if necessary.
Auto & Parts sector was down 2.9% following fears of a deterioration in the second semester results for German OEMs.
Pirelli ended the week at € 8.75 (-2.4%) in line with the reference sector. The stock still remains among the top 5 Italian Blue Chips with a YTD performance of 34.5%. Average daily number of traded shares was approximately 2.2 million.
Natixis has initiated coverage on Pirelli with a BUY recommendation and a target price of 11€. According to the broker, the driver of the outperformance of the stock in the last two years (premium strategy and improvement of profitability) are still at the basis of the investment case. The consensus Target Price stood at 10.4 € with 75% of the coverage with a "Buy" rating.
Categories: Peers & Markets Pirelli


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What do you do when you have Scouts that do want to advance in rank? What about not wanting to go to Summer camp? What do you do when they just show up and hang out?
These are age old questions that I hear over and over again at Round table and in discussions with other Scoutmasters. And the answers are about as clear as the questions.
First you need to ask yourself what is it about the Scout that makes him feel this way about advancement and camp. I am certain that you are perfectly fine with the idea that he likes hanging out with his friends.
Is the Scout being disruptive? If not, then what is it that bothers you as a Scoutmaster about his lack of "want to"?
Boys join Scouting for many reasons. Maybe it's because they enjoyed Cub Scouts and they are moving up with their buddies. Maybe it is because their Dads were Scouts, way back when. Maybe it's because they are looking for something to do, an adventure, a place to belong and feel a part of a team. There are as many reasons as there are Scouts and the answers will tell a lot about his motivation once he becomes a part of the Troop. A lot of the time it has more to do with friends than it has to do with badges, rank, and camping. Those three things drive the program for us in many ways. They are a measurement of activity, achievement, and a healthy program in most cases. But what about that Scout that could really care less? A Scoutmaster once told me that they were going to drop a kid if he did not advance or go to camp that summer. I asked him why he would do that? His explanation got my head spinning. He said that it was because that kid and kids like him bring down the numbers for the unit. They hurt the Troop in the long run when it comes to Top Troop or Troop of the Year.
What about the boy? I asked. Is he having fun? Is he learning something? Is he hanging out with his friends? Is he showing signs of good character, fitness, and citizenship? Well?
Citizenship, Character, Fitness. You can have all of that without a single badge, right? YES, BUT.
I have a Scout in my Troop that has been in the unit for almost three years. He attends meetings regularly, goes on a camp out here and there, and likes hanging out with his friends. He still wears the last rank he earned on his shirt.. Scout. Ask him if he enjoys Scouting and he will tell you yeah, but he likes it because of the friendships. He helps with service projects and generally is a good boy, as good as most. He gets good grades, has a friendly demeanor, and enjoys the company of his patrol. So should I throw him out because he has not advanced? Heck no! He is getting out of Scouting what he wants.
Now it is a fact that Scouts that attend Summer camp typically stay in Scouting longer and work their way through the ranks. And it is a fact that those that make it to First Class in the first year have a better chance at earning their Eagle award. BUT IF we look at the boy and not the score card I think that we can effectively save them all and in the end achieve our goals of creating men that can make ethical decisions throughout their life times. Men of character that are good citizens. Men that know how and keep themselves Physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.
So what do you do that Scout? Teach him, coach him, and mentor him to meet the aims of Scouting. Take him for who and what he is and do your best to encourage him.
That simple.
Have a Great Scouting Day!


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Latest Headlines
Hats Off Cincinnati
Posted on 19 Aug 2011 by Derrick Blyberg.
The Cincinnati Reds head into Pittsburgh for a weekend series after dropping two-out-of-three to the Washington Nationals in typical 2011 Reds fashion. The consistent failure to produce timely hitting has been a thorn the size of a California Redwood stuck in the club's side. "That's been the story of the year," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "Get one guy hot one day. Get ano...


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Hey guys, I'm starting to get things organized for our 2nd T&TH Hunt. We are hunting the same areas, but we are looking at moving the hunt up in the seasons. Last year we did the 5th season and with the early spring we had, made it a tough hunt. Next year we want to move the hunt up to the 3rd or 4th season. The 4th season would probably be the easiest to do it, because of all the OTC tags that are available for hunters to get. The 3rd season would be better hunting, but that season is mostly a draw season, there are a few OTC tags left for the 3rd season, last year there was about 350 left over tags, so drawing a tag shouldn't be that hard.
The 3rd season would be 4/24 to 4/28
The 4th season would be 5/1 to 5/5
That is running the hunt from Weds. through Sun.
Give me any input about the hunt?


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Iran's foreign policy is often portrayed in sensationalistic terms: mad mullahs, apocalyptic delusions, untamable nuclear ambitions. But Iran's ruling ayatollahs are following a clear strategic logic: ensuring the survival of the Islamic Republic against what they think is an existential threat posed by the United States. The main goals of Iran's U.S. policy are to deter Washington from attacking Iran, counter Washington's containment strategy, and expand Tehran's influence in the Middle East.
Subscribe to Foreign Affairs—the world's leading authority on foreign policy.


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Universal Fit
Detachable Cable application Rich and solid BASE regeneration Delicate and high-resolution vocal sound playback Picked reproducible of the entire frequency band with pristine natural sound regeneration Large, Middle, Small, and X-Small of 4 size of silicone ear tips and a double tip and memory foam tip provide Luxurious leather case offers Picked as reproducible in all of the band field rock,...
MaxLife Easy Wrap Around Earphones
EarHugger ear phones are great for use while you are active; working, exercising, etc. The molded ear bands keep the ear phones in place so you can enjoy your music. Specifications: *Frequency response: 20-20,000 hz *Sensitivity: 112dB *Impedance: 32 ohm *Drivers: 15 mm
Earhugger Action A-1000 Headphone
Earhuggers stay put while you stay moving. The wrap around the ear design helps keep the earbud in place while you exercise or just do household chores. Comfortable for extended listening sessions. 1.2 meter cord and a limited lifetime warranty.


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The Right Side of History
Dear Alibi,
I attended my first State Democratic Party Convention on Saturday, March 10. I could see I was the only one carrying a GLBT Flag—this was my first step in the political realm of party politics. I walked into a room full of familiar faces, many I met while trying to get domestic partnership and anti-bullying laws passed. I am a GLBT activist oftentimes calling out Republicans or churches for their negative stance on the GLBT community. I have traveled to small cities in New Mexico like Las Vegas, Clovis, Gallup and others to bring a message of love, hope and acceptance. I'm not always the most popular, and to be completely honest, at times I fear for my own life.
Former Albuquerque Mayor Marty Chavez invited the GLBT community to stand with him. Without hesitation I said YES. After all, he was one of the first lawmakers in New Mexico to give an executive order for sexual orientation anti-discrimination rights. As a Rio Grande High School student his policies made it easier for me as a teen to be gay. He attended Pride parades, donated to the New Mexico AIDS Walk and enacted a hate crimes ordinance that included sexual orientation language. When it comes to equality issues, what I can say is that Marty has always been on the right side of history. When he spoke I raised my rainbow flag behind him and would do so for any champion of GLBT rights. Now don't get me wrong: I am not a single issue voter. Marty brought jobs to New Mexico, created a better Downtown, focused on the needs of the citizens and saw a bright future for the state.
After I stood, holding my rainbow flag behind Marty, I looked around the room and realized the Democratic Party has to embrace the GLBT community much more. For example, Democrat state Sen. Bernadette Sanchez will not support marriage equality, much less a domestic partnership bill. Unfortunately for her, she is on the wrong side of history. If the GLBT community could get legally married in New Mexico the economy would receive a boost. Why? We would pay for marriage licenses, flowers, cakes, dresses, tuxedos, caterers, photography studios, convention halls, limos, print, and the list literally goes on.
The gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender community has a strong voice. Its time we hold all of our elected officials accountable, including our own. I am a Democrat, but now the time has come to ask my fellow Democrats: Are you on the right side of history? Or when history looks at your vote, will it be the wrong side?
Jesse A. Lopez
President emeritus, Albuquerque Pride Inc.
Member, GetEQUAL New Mexico
Population Control
Dear Alibi,
Resource scarcity necessitates contraception, family planning and population stabilization. Earth is now home to more than 7 billion people (2011), with current projections reaching 8 billion in the 2020s.
America's population breached the 300 million mark in 2006, with projections of 100 million more by 2050, and some end of the century estimates encroaching upon 1 billion!
For the past 60 years, America has added 2 million to 3 million persons each year to its ranks, and today holds the undesirable distinction as one of the world's fastest growing populations among industrialized nations. The United States is the world's third most-populous nation, trailing only China and India. With 5 percent of the world's population, America uses nearly 25 percent of global energy reserves.
This matters because America (and the world) is running out of conventional sources of energy, fresh water, clean air, raw materials, uncongested freeways and healthy agricultural land.
The list goes on, but the picture is clear. Essentially, we are in the age of "peak everything," in which most of the resources we use in our daily lives are either at or near peak production, and will wane as the years progress. This all translates to fewer resources (necessities and luxuries) spread among continually more people, leaving less for future generations. Certainly efficiency, conservation and recycling are paramount to slowing resource depletion, but increases in population will offset and ultimately, overwhelm these efforts.
Providing contraception will help put the brakes on population growth—growth that is no longer sustainable—both within our own borders, and globally. Contraception provides for protection against unplanned pregnancies, many of which lead to abortions; it thus allows for planning for and having smaller families.
Efforts to stabilize America's population will likely have to include reduced immigration as well, as it accounts for roughly one-third of domestic population growth.
"Economic growth," as the term is traditionally used, cannot continue indefinitely, because resources are not indefinite. Breeding ourselves into "prosperity" cannot be the answer. Economic growth, even in times of a difficult economy, will need to be replaced with "personal growth," and a realignment of "happiness" that coincides with the realities of resource scarcity and high prices that will undoubtedly be exacerbated should "business as usual" population growth and mass consumerism continue.
Rhett Zyla
Face Value
Dear Alibi ,
I would not argue the validity of what John Bear is saying in his article about fleeing Facebook [Opinion, "Facebook Never Got Me Laid," March 1-7]. Much of it is vapid and rather pointless. However, as an Englishwoman living far from family and many of my friends, Facebook has been a good thing.
I am blessed with a great many friends who are politically informed and active. The links they post are always welcome. Yes, I am not too interested in what people are having for breakfast, but I do care about what's happening in the world and Facebook does give immediacy.
When the Iran uprising happened in 2007, Facebook was the gateway to the outside world. Libyan and Syrian activists also used the site as a main point of contact. At a recent march in Moscow one of the banners included Facebook—obviously opponents of Putin use it to express views and give updates.
For me, Facebook has brought me back in touch with many people I care about. Hearing from friends in London who were right in the thick of the London riots gave much more detail than newscasts or periodical articles. Friends all over America help clarify issues that are local for them and friends in Europe give other valuable perspectives as to how the world works. Even the extreme right wing views that I come across help me understand those who think in vastly opposing ways.
I still of course have a face-to-face social life and Facebook in no way serves as a substitution. I don't play the games, I avoid picking up people that have no connections with those I already have onsite, and I am now reasonably careful with what information I share. Facebook has also helped improve my writing, expanded my musical and literary tastes, and has allowed me to see real humor and goodness in a great many people. So, in my opinion, Facebook is really not all bad and definitely good for some things.
Rowan Wymark
Put It!
Dear Alibi,
[Re: Blog, "Lynette's Albuquerque with a famous person guest appearance," March 6] I moved to Melbourne, Australia, last month, but I am an Albuquerque native—John Adams Middle School, Valley High School, the whole bit. I introduced "Lynette" to my Aussie house mate and now we walk around the house saying "eeeee" and, "Sandraaaa, scary clown it!!!" (P.S. she does a pretty good moch!) We love you, Lynette!
Comment from alibi.com
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ARSC T3D Users' Newsletter 2, September 1, 1994
Interactive Use of the T3D at ARSC
The limits for using the T3D are set in the user database. You can interrogate your entry in the user database with the command:
udbsee your_login_nameHere for example, are the results of:
udbsee ess create :ess: uid :736: comment :Michael Ess: passwd :*: gids :100, 108: acids :206: dir :/u1/uaf/ess: shell :/bin/csh: root :/: logline :/dev/ttyp003: loghost :indy6.arsc.edu: logtime :778380556: # Wed Aug 31 16:49:16 1994 batchhost :denali: batchtime :778381413: # Wed Aug 31 17:03:33 1994 resgrp :206: # User name: STAFF cpuquotaused :416817.9: jproclim[b] :100: jtapelim[b][0] :2: jtapelim[b][1] :2: jpelimit[b] :32: jmpptime[b] :86400: pmpptime[b] :86400: jproclim[i] :100: jtapelim[i][0] :2: jtapelim[i][1] :2: jpelimit[i] :8: jmpptime[i] :3600: pmpptime[i] :3600: shares :100: shusage :0.000000: shcharge :2210064059.000000: shextime :778290084: # Tue Aug 30 15:41:24 1994The lines of interest for the interactive use of the T3D are:
jpelimit[i] :8: jmpptime[i] :3600: pmpptime[i] :3600:The first says the maximum number of PEs that an interactive job may use is 8 PEs. The second two say you have 1 hour of connect time. That is 1 hour of time using 1 to 8 CPUs. It is not weighted by the number of CPUs actually used. If you exceed this 1 hour of connect time your application aborts with the message:
Cpu limit exceededThen if you try to execute another T3D program, you will get the cryptic message:
mppexec: Could not allocate 2 PE partition Agent internal perror: ioctl: Unknown errorBecause you have exceeded your limit, you no longer can execute on the T3D. You must log out and log back in and then you will have another 1 hour of connect time.
Request for User InputIn a effort to generate more interaction with T3D users, I'd like to solicit user's ideas about how the batch queues for T3D should be set up. You can not say that everyone should be able to run anything. Keep in mind, any plan for the queue structure should at least include the following considerations:
- Interactive users should have a good chance of running at any time of the day.
- The sum of all PEs in the batch queue should still allow interactive users some PEs.
- The current batch queues are:
QUEUE NAME RUN QUEUE-PE'S R-PE'S R-TIME P-TIME LIM/CNT LIM/CNT LIMIT LIMIT LIMIT ------------- ------- ------- ----- ----- ----- m_8pe_24hr 4/1 32/2 8 86400 86400 m_16pe_24hr 2/0 32/0 16 86400 86400 m_32pe_24hr 1/0 32/0 32 86400 86400
MPP UtilitiesIf you are regular T3D user, you might want to add /mpp/bin to the end of your environmental variable PATH. With this addition you have easy access to some utilities that make running on the T3D easier. For example
/mpp/bin/mppsize - this utility gives much more information than the Unix size command. It's invaluable for managing the 2MW of memory of each PE. /mpp/bin/mppstat - this utility give a snap shot look of the T3D. /mpp/bin/mppmon - this utility provides a continuously updated display of T3D activity.Both mppsize and mppstat have manpages. For now, you'll just have to try mppmon.
Calling Fortran (and Assembly Language) from CA problem came up a few weeks ago at ARSC consulting from a user who wanted to call a Fortran routine from a C program. It's always possible but the details are sometimes hidden and each vendor has implemented their own naming and argument passing conventions. In the CRAY world where the C compiler came after the Fortran environment was established, the naming convention is a little different than on the typical Unix workstation. The are two points to key in mind:
- Pass the arguments by address in the C program.
- The Fortran subroutine is known to the loader in uppercase, so the C routine should call it using uppercase. (Of course, Fortran is still case insensitive.)
makefile: all: /mpp/bin/cft77 -eM -X1 fsub.f cc -c -Tcray-t3d main.c /mpp/bin/mppldr main.o fsub.o main.c: main() { double a; a = 10.0; printf( " %f\n", a ); FSUB( &a ); printf( " %f\n", a ); } fsub.f subroutine fsub( a ) real a a = a + a end results of a.out on one PE: 10.000000 20.000000In coming newsletters I will provide examples of more useful functions.
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Ed Kornkven ARSC HPC Specialist ph: 907-450-8669 Kate Hedstrom ARSC Oceanographic Specialist ph: 907-450-8678 Arctic Region Supercomputing Center University of Alaska Fairbanks PO Box 756020 Fairbanks AK 99775-6020
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