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The McCain campaign held a press call this morning with senior policy advisers Douglas Holtz-Eakin and Nancy Pfotenhauer on the candidate's energy plan. The subjects of yesterday's tanker spill near New Orleans and McCain's canceled trip to an offshore rig because of Hurricane Dolly came up during discussion of McCain's call for more drilling.
"This [offshore drilling] is the right thing for the economy, it is the right thing for national security. And, as [McCain] is always committed to pursuing these endeavors in an environmentally friendly way, it's the right thing for the environment in the long run as well," said Holtz-Eakin.
"It is a reality if you talk to any kind of environmental community, everything has to be on the table. You have to have coal, you have to have natural gas, you have to have oil, you have to have nuclear power, you have to have every power source as part of the portfolio if the United States is going to achieve its environmental goals and achieve its national security goals," Holtz-Eakin continued. "John McCain has laid out a common-sense course and allowed himself to solve the problems as opposed to being trapped by ideology."
The idea that offshore drilling is "the right thing for the environment" will be a tough point for the McCain campaign to prove. McCain has also maintained that offshore drilling is "safe enough these days that not even Hurricanes Katrina and Rita could cause significant spillage from the battered rigs off the coasts of New Orleans and Houston." But according to government figures, the storms in 2005 caused 146 small spills in federal waters. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita completely destroyed 113 oil rigs and damaged 457 pipelines, and Katrina alone spilled millions of gallons of oil into the Mississippi River.
Pfotenhauer argued that yesterday's spill wasn't at all related to drilling — even though one would assume the 420,000 gallons of fuel oil that were dumped into the river had to come out of the ground somehow.
"I believe it was a traffic jam, or a water-traffic accident, and didn't have anything to do with drilling. It had to do with transportation. And oil is transported on barges, and so you have the potential for those accidents regardless. No matter where it was drilled, you have the potential for those accidents in transportation," said Pfotenhauer. "Obviously everybody takes every step they can to try to minimize those. And the record for offshore drilling has been remarkably safe over time."
Holtz-Eakin followed by arguing that the real threat to the environment isn't the potential for oil spills, but terrorism. "I just want to point out that, with regard to spillage and other environmental threats that come from energy sources, let's remember that our reliance on imported oil makes the whole supply chain a target for terrorists. And in addition to that being a national security issue, it's a big environmental threat to have terrorists looking for an opportunity to damage the supply chain for oil into the United States, and weaning ourselves of that dependence would be a great thing.
Holtz-Eakin was also asked about where the candidate stands on oil-shale development, the energy topic of the week:
The senator believes that we should take advantage of the most opportune ways to meet our oil needs in the near-term. Obviously the OCS [Outer Continental Shelf] is the most promising, readily developable oil available. Past that, he believes that the other efforts he will undertake will make it unnecessary to use large amounts of different kinds of sources. We're not going to use them now, but if we need to use those, we're going to use the same formula we're going to apply to the OCS. Let's have the local stakeholders have their say, let's make sure we do this in an environmentally friendly way, and let's make sure that the leases and royalties are shared in a way that's appropriate."


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New research warns of liver risk from daily soda consumption
A newly published study indicates that consuming just one soda a day could be detrimental to liver health. Conducted by researchers from the Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital, the study spanned over 20.9 years and involved 98,786 women. The research was recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
The study reveals that women who consumed one or more servings of sugar-sweetened beverages per day had significantly higher rates of liver-related deaths compared to those who consumed less than three servings per month. "To our knowledge, this is the first study to report an association between sugar-sweetened beverage intake and chronic liver disease mortality," said lead author Longgang Zhao.
While the study presents alarming findings, the authors caution that additional research is necessary. "Further studies are needed to validate these observations linking sugary drinks to liver health risks," said Longgang Zhao.
Given the worrying results, health experts recommend adopting healthier beverage choices. Options include grape juice, green tea, and coffee, all known for their potential liver health benefits. In light of the long-term implications laid bare by this study, a reassessment of daily beverage choices appears crucial. Health experts advise opting for drinks with potential liver benefits as a precautionary measure.

subset: commoncrawl


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When it comes to decorating for Christmas, there are many individuals who automatically think about their Christmas tree. While decorating your Christmas tree is a big part of the Christmas holiday, it is not the only thing in your home that you could or should be decorating. What many individuals do not realize is that, if you wanted, you could easily go about decorating your whole home for Christmas, including your kitchen.
As previously mentioned, a number of individuals do not realize that they can effective decorate their whole home for Christmas, especially the kitchen. If you would like to showcase your Christmas spirit in a room other than the one that your Christmas tree is in, you should start with your kitchen. One of the reasons for this is because there are, literally, an unlimited number of Christmas decorations that are designed for the kitchen.
One of the most popular ways to decorate your kitchen for Christmas is by purchasing and using Christmas themed potholders. You don't even necessarily have to use them. Just having a potholder with a picture of Santa, snowflakes, or reindeers should be enough to bring the Christmas spirit into your kitchen. In addition to potholders, you can easily find oven mitts, as well as kitchen towels that come with a Christmas theme. Hang these items in your kitchen and they can easily be considered Christmas decorations.
In addition to potholders and kitchen towels, you can also bring a touch of Christmas spirit into your kitchen with some kitchen magnets. A large number of retail stores, both on and offline, carry a fairly large selection of Christmas magnets. What is nice about these Christmas magnets is that they come in a number of different forms. You could easily purchase some cheap plastic magnets, the ones that look like they were made for kids, or you also purchase more elegant magnets, often handcrafted ones. In fact, it is even possible to purchase Christmas magnets that double as Christmas frames. What better way to bring the Christmas spirit into your kitchen than combining your Christmas decorations with pictures of your family?
You can also decorate your kitchen for Christmas by using Christmas kitchenware. Christmas kitchenware tends to encompass a number of different things. For the most part, Christmas kitchenware includes the items that you use in your kitchen, often on a regular basis. It is possible to find kitchen eating utensils that have a touch of Christmas in them. It is also possible to find plates, bowls, and cups that come pre-designed with Christmas pictures or symbols. If you have a number of these items showcased, out in the open, they could easily be considered Christmas decorations.
The above mentioned Christmas decorations and items are just a few of the many that you can use to decorate your home for Christmas. If you are looking for additional ideas, you are advised to perform a standard internet search. Online, you should be able to find a number of tips on decorating for Christmas, including your kitchen. It may also be a good idea to start shopping for Christmas decorations, whether you shop online or at one of your local retail stores. Once you are able to see all of the Christmas decorations that are available, you may be able to determine which decorations would look great in your kitchen.


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I'm not one for moral wins (I overdosed on them during the 80s rooting for the Mariners), but last night's loss to the Blazers might qualify.
Jeff Green's wonderful 32 point, 13 rebound night was almost matched by Kevin Durant's 28 point effort in a 84-78 loss to Portland in Las Vegas that left the Sonics 0-for-Las Vegas in the Summer League.
All I'll say about former first rounders Johan Petro and Mo Sene is this:
11 fouls, 2 points, combined.
Now it's off to Salt Lake City, as the NBA continues in its quest to find the most morally opposite communities in which to hold its summer league festitivites. Rumor has it that next year's twin billing will be Riyadh and Sao Paolo.


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- News and events
News and events
Booking.com Award 2018
We are so happy to receive this award and acknowledgement from Booking.com which reflects our dedication and passion. . Huge thank you to all our wonderful guest who made it possible. We strive for more in upcoming future. Here's to a wonderful 2019 filled with even more success!
Gold Circle Award 2018
Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel and Spa winner of the Gold Circle Award 2018 by Agoda.com. We feel lucky to achieve this award within 5 hotels of Nepal. We were presented such prestigious awards based on the Guest ranking, reviews and bookings. We thank all our valued guests for their generous reviews and our wonderful staff for their dedication in making Continue Reading
New travel company in Pokhara
Let us introduce our new travel company at Lakeside, Pokhara. Remember us for all kinds of your bookings & queries. More details are on the way!
New award from Tripadvisor
We have done it again with all of your support! It is our privilege to be honored by Tripadvisor "Certificate of Excellence-2018". Thank you all our valued guests, agents and well-wishers for your continued support, feedback, loyalty and guidance throughout the journey. Congratulations to the entire Royal Penguin Team who strives to fulfill the commitment to exceeding our guests' expectation. Continue Reading
PATA Adventure Sports Expo 2018 in Delhi
Trade fair in Delhi. PATA Adventure Sports Expo 2018 in Delhi.
Sponsoring on Education & Clothing for Kids
Our Social Activities Sponsoring on Education & Clothing for : 1 blind kid 1 disable kid 6 other kids
Certificate of Apprecation from Tri-Netra Foundation
Certificate of Apprecation from founder & executive member of Tri-Netra Foundation for our contribution on sponsoring education & medical treatment for disable kids on 25th Jan. 2018 at Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel & Spa
Our contribution for medical treatment against blood cancer
Our contribution for medical treatment against blood cancer to Ms. Kristina Sunuwar (4 years old kid) by General Manager – Bishal Tamang. God bless her & we wish for her quick recovery. On 28th Jan. 2018 at Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel & Spa
Royal Penguin won Agoda Gold Circle Award 2017
We feel lucky to earn this award among 8 hotels in Nepal. 2017 Gold Circle Awards are given by Agoda to top-performing accommodation partners around the world that exemplify the best qualities of the online booking travel experience. The Gold Circle Award recognizes hotels that meet the following standards: – Standing amongst the top 1% of agoda's properties – Consistently Continue Reading
New Award from Expedia
We are proud to announce that our hotel has received the Guest Rated Award from Expedia.com. We are grateful to our guests thanks to whom we have scored 4.7 out of 5, which classifies us as Excellent. Huge thanks to all of you, who made it possible. We strive for more in upcoming future. Here's to a wonderful 2018 filled Continue Reading
New Year - New Award
We are so happy to receive this award and acknowledgement from Booking.com, which reflects our dedication, passion and all the hard work we've given. Huge "thank you" to all our wonderful guests, who made it possible. Here's to a wonderful 2018 filled with even more success!
A new exciting adventure coming
Fire yourself up with excitement and anticipation by joining our 64-km Ultramarathon event! Running a marathon is a challenge that requires commitment and perseverance. Every time you step out of your comfort zone and accomplish something new, you grow stronger and become more confident. We look forward to welcoming all runners to the 3rd edition of Royal Penguin Marathon this Continue Reading
Royal Penguin Ultra Marathon - "Grow Trees - Go Green"
We wont have a society if we destroy the environment, so start taking care: "Grow Trees – Go Green". On the photo: Royal Penguin Ultra Marathon 2016 runners planting trees in the Marathon area.
One person can make a difference, and everyone should try
"I wish for the day when all children will be protected, when all children can feel safe, when all children will be valued equally" says Tashi Gurung Manang. We make a living by what we get but we make a life by what we give. Today's children become tomorrow's citizens. Encourage them to build a better future.
Gai Jatra Festival
The festival of "Gai Jatra", the procession of cows, is generally celebrated in the Nepalese month of Bhadra (July-August). The festival of cows is one of the most popular festivals of Nepal. The whole complex of Gai Jatra festival has its roots in the ancient age when people feared and worshipped Yamaraj,"the god of death". Hence, the present form of Continue Reading
House with Heart
Talk with children, you will hear their voice. Walk with them through life and you will feel their heart. Each and every child is special says Mr Tashi Gurung.
24-hour breakfast, room service for in-house guests
We are the only hotel, which serves 24-hours breakfast. We serve breakfast to our in-house guests anytime whenever and wherever they would like to have it. So, our guests do not have to wake up from their sweet dreams in the morning with a thought of missing their breakfast. That's how we care and provide extraordinary service. For our guests, Continue Reading
Happy moments of journey
From the moments of Hello and Hi till the moments of Bye, our journey together has been an incredible one. Thank you for being a special part of "Aria Boutique Hotel & Spa". We feel glad to organize your each day trip starting from Mountain Flight, Sightseeing, Hiking, Cooking classes, staying in Monastery learning Spiritual things. We anticipate your stay Continue Reading
House with Heart
One person can make a difference and everyone should try. Let's start trying to make a difference from today. We are happy to be a part of "Ghar Sita Mutu – House with Heart" and make a difference in someone's life.
Tri-Netra Foundation
Tri-Netra Foundation is an organization whose mission is to awaken the third eye of the Nepalese blind community. This foundation helps the children who are visually impaired and physically disabled but still have the dream to pursue their studies and career as a normal healthy child. The Managing Director of "HIMALATRIX HOLDING COMPANY" & "Kailash Group Investment Company" Mr. Tashi Continue Reading
Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel & Spa video presentation
We are pleased to offer to your attention this promotional video for Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel. "It was really surprise, because I've been many times in Nepal, and it sometimes hard to find a good hotel, but this hotel looks like it's up to high standards… it has very nice and helpful personnel… it's a really amazing hotel" – our Continue Reading
3rd anniversary of Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel & Spa
Celebrating the 3rd year of success and achievement with all our passionate and efficient team, without whom our dreams would have been far away. Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel & Spa will continue to explore and advance the hospitality industry with the enthusiasm to do our best in service so that all our guests will have their best in pleasure.   Continue Reading
An overall development of a country is determined by strong economic and financial position of it. And for the country like ours, that position is pursued and pushed forward majorly by tourism and hospitality industry. HIMALATRIX is a flagship company that runs six major companies under its wings. We are a group of thoughtful and committed people strongly bonded with Continue Reading
Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel & Spa - Guest Pictures
On the upper photo: Tan Song Meng and Friends We hope you enjoyed staying at the Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel & Spa. We hope we fulfilled our commitment in providing you best services and comfort. If you have anything to say: any ideas, suggestions, information or messages, please feel free to mail us. We hope to see you again. Continue Reading
Jurassic Resort and Villas - our new project
We are proud to announce our next project starting 2017. Jurassic Resort and Villas are among the most luxurious villas in Sarangkot, Pokhara. It's all about luxury. Maybe paradise like this is what you need, right? Stay tuned for more updates.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2017!
We wish Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2017 to all our beloved Guests, Partners and Employees. May this festive season spread cheer in everyone's life. To all those we love we want to offer our Christmas and New Year Best Deal, just grab it.
Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel & Spa in social work
Our work is going to fill a large part of our life, and the only way to be truly satisfied with what we are doing is to believe it's a great work. We Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel & Spa believe not only in doing the commercial business deals but also involved with the social works of our community to integrate Continue Reading
Enjoy airport transfer in Toyota RAV4
Enjoy our high level, convenient and efficient "TRANSFER SERVICE" without having to wait at airport and which can be arranged anytime as per your demand prior to your arrival after reserving your stay at Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel & Spa. Let us simplify your arrival with a greeting service and transfer from the airport. With the assistance of our expert Continue Reading
Our new awards
We are excited to announce our new awards in the list. Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel & Spa has been awarded the Certificate of Excellence 2016 by Tripadvisor. Also we have been listed in Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). We were presented such a prestigious Awards based on Guest Ranking, Reviews & Bookings. We heartily thank all our Continue Reading
Exclusive offer for our cherished guests
We know how much you love our Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel & Spa so here's a chance for YOU to experience our service and facilities. Enjoy an "EXCLUSIVE OFFER" in any of our 2 hotels. -Stay 5 plus 1 night = 6th night complimentary -Stay 3 plus 1 night = 4th night 50% complimentary -Minimum 3 night stay = 2 Continue Reading
Our recent awards
We are delighted to announce that Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel&Spa has been awarded a few certificates from travel and booking website companies. The Certificate of Excellence from Tripadvisor – the most known travel site in the world – honors hospitality businesses that consistently achieve outstanding reviews on TripAdvisor. This award is only given to the top 10 percent of accommodations, attractions, restaurants, Continue Reading
New photos of our guests
We thank our dear guests for their kind feedback and high appreciation of our hotel. Our focus is always on making our guests feel at home and provide them with quality service. "Great location, wonderful staff" We stayed for six nights in the spotted leopard room. All room have fun names. Staff was warm and helpful, massage on site Continue Reading
Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel & Spa welcomes guests (February)
Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel & Spa thanks all our valued guests for their kind reviews about our hotel. We are proud that our efforts to make your stay with us as enjoyable as possible received your appreciation. "Was a decent hotel with decent services. Staff were very polite and friendly, spa used was also appreciable." "I would recommend staying in Continue Reading
Stepping into third year in service
These days Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel & Spa is celebrating its second anniversary. We created Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel & Spa out of the pure desire to establish the most beautiful and comfortable hotel in Thamel—popularly known as tourists' paradise of Nepal. The hotel is an outcome of our extensive 'creative experimentation' in establishing a uniquely beautiful hotel that people Continue Reading
Royal Penguin welcomes guests (January)
From reviews of Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel & Spa written of our wonderful guests on travel sites: "I came to Kathmandu first time in 2013 and stayed in Royal Penguin 1 and I immediately fell in love with this hotel. So my 2nd time here, I decided to try Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel & Spa. And again nothing disappoints me. Continue Reading
Delegates from Air Arabia totally impressed with Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel & Spa
The philosophy of Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel & Spa is founded upon our dedication to making our guests completely satisfied by instilling the faith that they are the most important people for us. By offering the European standard facilities, blended with Nepalese hospitality, we make sure that our guests make most out of their staying with us by taking care Continue Reading
Royal Penguin won awards from booking.com and agoda.com
We have exciting news to share. After winning awards from the Tripadvisor, our hotels and restaurants have been awarded by agoda.com and booking.com. We were presented such prestigious awards based on the guest ranking, reviews and bookings. Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel and Spa (P2) was declared winner by the booking.com with 8.7 points while Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel (P1) came Continue Reading
Royal Penguin welcomes guests (December)
Now that we are celebrating the third anniversary of Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel we would like to thank all our dear guests, well-wishers, partners and supporters, without whom Royal Penguin would not have gained its reputation of one of the best hotels in Nepal. Your words of appreciation will go a long way to motivate our team to continue to Continue Reading
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
We wish all our lovely customers and guests a very Merry Christmas from us all at Royal Penguin Boutique Hotels. Thank you for all your continued support and custom over the last year and we look forward to seeing you in 2016. We have decorated a Christmas tree and welcome you to hold a New Year party at our Continue Reading
Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel & Spa welcomes guests (November)
It's good time to visit Nepal! November is high season for trekking in Himalayas since the weather is relatively stable, temperatures are mild, and the clear air makes for superb mountain views. Autumn is also good time to make cultural tours and see traditional Hindu and Buddhist festivals. We welcome tourists and trekkers to stay in Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel Continue Reading
Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel & Spa welcomes guests (October)
Dear friends! We hope you enjoyed staying at the Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel & Spa. We hope we fulfilled our commitment in providing you best services and comfort. If you have anything to say: any ideas, suggestions, information or messages, please feel free to mail us. We hope to see you again. We wish you all the best. Thank you. Continue Reading
Royal Penguin welcomes guests (September)
Happy guests are our source of inspiration! At Royal Penguin, we make sure every need and desire of our guests are fulfilled. We ensure that every member of our staff exactly understands the requirements of our guests and serve them efficiently. And when they say goodbye cheerfully and thank us for our wonderful service, we are inspired to do better Continue Reading
Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel & Spa welcomes guests (August-September)
UPDATED Welcome to travel Nepal – a land of scenic grandeur and cultural diversity! It's good time to stay in Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel & Spa to enjoy its unique design and helpful staff because the prices are very friendly these days. We welcome both tourists and volunteers and appreciate every coming guest. Below are the photos of our precious Continue Reading
Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel & Spa welcomes guests (August)
"Travel… it changes you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind." Welcome to travel Nepal! Royal Penguin is in full operation and safe to stay. Updated photos of our precious guests: (On the upper photo: Mr Deayoung Jung) Stella Continue Reading
Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel & Spa welcomes guests (updated)
Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel family would like to share our happiness in intensively assisting and making our beloved guests comfortable. Now we receive many valuable guests – distinguished journalists, aid workers, volunteers, data handlers, relief workers, social workers and others – who helped Nepal like our family members. We would like to heartily thank our dearest guests who stayed and Continue Reading
New free services for Junior Suite and President Suite
We are pleased to inform of adding new complimentary services for the guests staying in brand-new Junior Suite and President Suite. In addition to fruit basket our precious customers can now get pleasure from 60-minute massage for free. Also, we have placed a cross-trainer in the President Suite to help our guests stay fit and enjoy workouts right in their Continue Reading
Junior Suite and President Suite are in operation!
We are happy to share pleasant news with you – Junior Suite and President Suite are ready and available for booking since 21st of August. Both suites are spacious apartments of 47 and 66 square meters located on the third floor. Having separate bedroom and living room as well as extra TV-set they will provide more comfort for our precious Continue Reading
Media conference on Royal Penguin Ultramarathon 60km event
"Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up". It is the slogan of our Royal Penguin Ultramarathon 60km, which just took the first step by inviting media for the interaction. The press-conference was held by our Royal Penguin Adventure travel agency in one of our Restaurant halls on 5th August, two Continue Reading
Opening party
Opening party in Penguin lasted 4 days and attracted lots of people. Our partners, customers, crew, friends, suppliers, assistants of all kinds and some honored guests from Nepal and other countries. We celebrated the opening, the warmth, the friendship, the expanding of our hotel concept, the great amount of our customers and our staff crew. Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel & Continue Reading
Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel & Spa is open
Finally! Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel & Spa is wide open for our dear guests now. Our guests stay in the rooms, the chef is making meals, and everything is working and looking beautiful, friendly and exquisite. We are waiting for you every single moment) Our team has learned a lot and now they are doing their best to arrange everything Continue Reading
First booking of Penguin-2
We have very important news: the first booking of Royal Penguin Boutique Hotel&Spa! Our First Guests will get a complimentary fruit basket in the room, along with all the facilities of the hotel. We are planing the opening on 15th March, and the photos and all information will be updated on the website shortly.
Our Awards
Special offer
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Random tour
Glimpse of Bhutan with Tiger Nest
Duration: 11 days
Max elevation: 3000 m
Best time: Mar-Jun/Sep-Dec
Price: CZK 70,614


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Nothing 'The Great Dismal'
'The Great Dismal', Nothing's new full-length album explores existentialist themes of isolation, extinction, and human behavior in the face of 2020's vast wasteland. Closing in on the band's ten-year mark, frontman Domenic Palermo finds himself stringing together songs of misanthropic tales of Philadelphia with a refined and refreshed take on Nothing's classic sound.
"The Great Dismal refers to a swamp, a brilliant natural trap where survival is custom fit to its inhabitants," Palermo states. "The nature of its beautiful, but taxing environment and harsh conditions can't ever really be shaken or forgotten too easily." The ever-progressive Nothing keep true to their chaotic outlook on life, keeping a keen eye to avoid repetition.
With a radical cast of talented contributors such as harpist Mary Lattimore, classical musician Shelley Weiss, and singer/songwriter/producer Alex G., 'The Great Dismal' showcases yet another essential side of the band's trademark American Post-Shoegaze.


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Welcome to Steve Whitney (Stephen A. Whitney) and Eleanor Mendoza Whitney's website! We finally axed the old site that exemplified the finest of 1990's web design :-) For the moment, most of our content lies elsewhere.
Visit Our Business Sites
WhitneyApps - Apps for Android devices that "Empower, Encourage, and Engage": website, Facebook, Twitter
Looking Upward Apps - Christian phone and tablet apps: website, Facebook page, Twitter
Personal sites:
Eleanor Mendoza Whitney's personal site - www.EleanorWhitney.com, read her bio
Visit Steve's personal site - www.steve-whitney.com, find him on LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/sawhitney
Find Steve on Twitter, read his "Undercover Pastor" blog, watch his "WhitneyCast" youtube channel
Bible Content Exam site
This is home of Steve's Presbyterian Bible Content Exam study tool.


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Things To Do To Reduce Abusive Behaviour In The S/M World
Before moving on to my list of suggestions on what we can do about abuse in the SM community, I do think it's worth mentioning that I've never seen anything that indicates a higher rate of abuse among kinksters than in the general population. I don't have any statistics on this, but I've been around for a number of years now and if anecdotal evidence is worth anything, I'd say people in the SM world are either just as likely (or unlikely) as anyone else to be abusive, or perhaps less so – given that participation in the SM community makes us even more sensitized to power dynamics than the average joe, and given the community's near-obsessive focus on the ideas of consent, SSC (Safe, Sane and Consensual), RACK (Risk-Aware Consensual Kink), safewords, good play technique and so forth. I did think this warranted saying, given how a lot of people seem to think that SM is by its nature abusive and by extension assume the SM community is chock full of leering wife-batterers.
That being said, a couple of other points are also worth bringing up.
One: Just because someone has a pair of leather restraints and a flogger in their bedroom doesn't mean they've been exposed to SM community mores. There's a ton of kinky behaviour taking place in people's bedrooms all over the world between folks who've never set foot in a dungeon. So I don't think it's accurate to presume the safety-obsessed standards of the public SM scene are adhered to by every person who likes to spank their honey before sex. In other words, there is simply no substitute for common sense and self-protection. Just because someone can pepper the conversation with "blah blah safeword" and "yada yada consent" does not mean they're a safe player with good morals and pleasantly unwholesome intentions. Watch your back. Don't go home with a stranger and let them tie you up, or if you do, arrange for a friend to check in on you by phone (a safecall). Look before you leap. And if you don't do any of these things and someone ends up raping or assaulting you, don't waste your time getting mad at yourself; they're still a fucking rapist, and it's not your fault.
Two: I actually disagree with the community's massive focus on safewords and consent. I personally don't play with safewords; they have always felt like an awkward and artificial way of going into a scene, and my only experience with them has been negative (someone used their safeword inappropriately once and it really jarred me). If a person doesn't trust me enough to stop when I read their body language, or at worst, if they say "ouch that hurts too much, can you tone it down," they shouldn't be playing with me at all – and the existence of a word like "red" or "mercy" should make no difference to that willingness one way or the other. I also don't like the SM world's obsession with the idea of consent. Sure, consent in the legal sense – i.e. no use of force or coercion – is a necessary prerequisite, in my mind, to any kind of satisfying interpersonal exchange, SM or otherwise. But if I'm going to strip someone down and torture them, I want way more than their consent. I want their active desire at every step of the process. The mere fact of someone saying "OK" is simply not enough for me to enjoy myself or feel like I'm doing something that's right and positive. I mention these things in particular because I'm linking to an article, below, that does a fantastic job of explaining the differences between SM and abuse, but it focuses a little overmuch on the safeword thing without explaining there are other ways to communicate within a scene.
En tout cas. Here is my list of…
10 Things to DO to Reduce Abusive Behaviour in the S/M World
1. My big #1 suggestion is to go read the information provided here. It's a full page entitled "Is It S/M or Abuse?" and it is the most well-written, accessible and complete short resource I've ever seen on the topic. Then – and here's the key part – send the link to every SM-oriented website you can find and encourage them to post a link on their home page. If you have your own SM site, post a link there. Make a quest of it in your local community. Hell, develop a reputation for being "that guy who wants everyone to post a link to an anti-abuse page."
The page – which can also be ordered in brochure format – was developed by the New England Leather Association (NELA) in conjunction with The Network/La Red, an organization in Boston which is committed to "ending abuse in lesbian, bisexual women's and transgender communities."
2. Order "Is It S/M or Abuse?" in brochure format, or simply copy and paste the info into a Word document and print out a few copies. Bring copies to every SM event you attend and ask organizers to post it or have it available at the door. Bring it to munches and give it to the newbies (thanks for that suggestion, Pepper). In short – let's make this information so ubiquitous in the SM world that it's nearly impossible for someone to stumble across our community (especially online) without also coming across information that will help them differentiate WIITWD (What It Is That We Do, another common acronym in public-scene kink) from abuse.
3. If you see someone in a situation that you feel might be abusive, go talk to them. Aahh! Scary thought, isn't it? Much easier to talk behind their back or post a nasty comment about the bad guy on a website, isn't it? First, take off your shining armour and put your badass attitude in your pocket. Then go see the person you think might be on the receiving end of the abuse, and ask them how they're doing. This might actually involve making friends with them first, and gaining their trust in at least some marginal way. Or it might not. Then ask them in a really non-preachy, non-challenging way how they feel about their relationship. Do not accuse their partner of being an abuser; say very clearly that you are not trying to make a judgment about their partner – and mean it! – but that you just wanted to put some information out there because something you saw made you feel it might be wise, just in case. If you have to, make something up about how your cousin was once abused and now you're really sensitive to anything that might look like abuse. Find a way, however clumsy, to tell them there are resources for them, and then hand 'em a copy of the sheet and tell them they can come and talk to you anytime, or never talk to you again but talk to someone else if they need to.
4. Even scarier: Go talk to the person you feel might be on the giving end of the abuse. First, take off your shining armour and put your badass attitude in your pocket. Muster all the open-mindedness and diplomacy you can, and approach this person from a place of humility. Keep in mind you really don't know what's going on, unless you've watched absolutely undebatably clear situation of concrete non-consensual physical or extreme emotional harm being done, in which case emergency measures might be more appropriate than conversation. Keep in mind that leveraging an accusation of abuse is a really fucking serious thing. Keep in mind that if you were on the receiving end of such an approach, and you weren't being an abuser, you would probably be very upset unless the person was extremely tactful and empathetic and left lots of room for errors in their own judgment. Feel free to say something like "I'm sure you're not a bad guy, but sometimes the way you speak to/play with Person X makes people wonder if everything you do is really consensual. I just figured you might not know that, and maybe if I told you, you'd be able to do things a bit differently so people don't get the wrong impression of you."
5. Wear a t-shirt to S/M events that says "ask me what the difference is between S/M and abuse." Have an answer ready, and make it better than just "consent" (which in my opinion is an over-used cop-out answer that we rely on way too heavily, see paragraph above).
6. Find out where the women's shelters are in your area. Then find out what shelters accept trans women, trans men and/or bio-men. If none of them do, find out what you can do about that. Start volunteering there, and tell people in the S/M world about what you learn.
7. Find out if there are any resources in your area for anger management, abuser recovery, etc. Then find out which ones accept trans women, trans men and/or bio-men. If none of them do, find out what you can do about that. Start volunteering there, and tell people in the S/M world about what you learn.
8. Find out if the shelters and anger management groups in your area know anything about S/M. If they don't, figure out how to educate them. Then actually do it – perhaps with the help of a community group, a committee, a kink-positive therapist, etc.
9. Find out who the kink-positive therapists are in your area. If there are none, figure out how to get a bunch of them together and educate them. Then actually do it – perhaps with the help of a community group, a committee, a guest speaker, etc.
10. If you are an abuser, go get help. If you are being abused, go get help.
P.S. Just in case anyone reading this is considering #1 on the list of 10 things to do, I figured I'd post this little addition if you're feeling twitchy about the safeword question. (Note that I have updated this from its original posting, with slightly different document links.)
I checked through the works cited at the bottom of the Network/La Red document I linked to, and found a couple from the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom (NCSF), a US-based legal support group for kinksters and other alternative-sexuality folks.
Interestingly, and happily, the NCSF documents do not always insist on safewords… and they were adopted in 1998 (after that year's Leather Leadership Conference), so clearly even then some people must have seen the problem with an excessive focus on safewords.
In the document "Consensual SM Activities: A Field Guide for Law Enforcement," there is a general explanation about the distinctions that discusses safewords without much nuance. But in the document "S/M vs Abuse Policy Statement," the only time the word "safeword" is mentioned is in the following paragraph about SSC (Safe, Sane and Consensual): "Consensual is respecting the limits imposed by each participant at all times. One of the recognized ways to maintain limits is through a "safeword" which ensures that each participant can end his/her participation with a word or gesture." (The "one of" part of course being key.)
However, it must be said that while both of these documents do a great job of explaining the difference between SM and abuse, they are for the most part not intended for potential abuse victims. In their wording it seems pretty clear to me that they're intended for the general public, lawyers, other people in law enforcement, etc. – i.e. not people who do WIITWD, but people outside it who misunderstand its nature. The exception would be the two series of questions in the "Guidelines" section of the "S/M vs Abuse" document – but even those are a lot more theoretical and heady than practical and concrete, compared to the explanations of abuse situations given by The Network/La Red.
Of course, for all you curious people looking into this for more academic reasons, these links are excellent. But with all that in mind, I still think the Network/La Red document is more appropriate to link to withthe aim of giving newbies a tool to help them assess whether what's going on in their relationship is OK. It's way more concrete in its SM-specific examples of actual abuse situations.
Of course, if you're thinking of putting an anti-abuse link on your SM- or sexuality-oriented website and the safeword thing in the Network/La Red document bugs you a whole lot, I still certainly think it's better to post the NCSF link(s) than nothing at all.
Andrea Zanin, a.k.a. Sex Geek, pretty much writes and talks about sex all the time unless she's eating, sleeping or having it. She lives in Toronto and is an organizer, educator and writer within the queer, polyamory and BDSM/leather communities, as well as being an active trans ally. She frequently speaks about alternative sexuality for universities, colleges, sex shops, community groups and conferences in Canada, the States and internationally. Andrea also writes alternative-sexuality news and commentary for the Montreal Mirror, Capital Xtra! (Ottawa) and Xtra! (Toronto), as well as blogging at http://sexgeek.wordpress.com. She has a background in women's studies and sexuality studies from Concordia University, and is pursuing an MA in those same fields at York University with a focus on Canadian leatherdyke history. Andrea has judged a number of leather title contests, including GLLA Bootblack 2008, International Ms. Leather 2009 and Mr. Leather Toronto 2010. She co-organizes the annual Canadian leatherdyke weekend An Unholy Harvest, enjoys spending as much time as possible with her two partners, and occasionally writes erotic fiction on the side.


text:
Put these four tasks on your to-do list for a quick and painless sale.
Selling a home doesn't happen overnight. To maximize your sale price, stand out from the competition and sell quickly, your home needs to go on the market in tip-top condition.
Prepping the home rarely happens in one weekend. It takes time and thoughtful planning. If you intend to sell your home this spring, here are a few steps you need to take now.
Have your home inspected
It may seem counterintuitive to spend money on a property inspection, but you need to know about your home's condition. If there are issues — big or small — you need to address, it is better to know about them early so you can either remedy them prior to going to market or account for them with a lower listing price.
The last thing you want is for the buyer to uncover flaws once they are under contract. You will get stuck paying more under those circumstances than it would cost you to address the issues now.
Stash your stuff
As you prepare to sell, think of your home as an investment and start to see it through the eyes of potential buyers and the market. When you're trying to sell your home, the less-is-more approach applies.
Put away big furniture and personal items. Store or put away all the things you won't be using until you move into your new home. In the kitchen, make space in the cabinets for items you will need to use daily, but will want to put away for showings.
Paint, clean and make small improvements
It's common for sellers to make cosmetic improvements before they list. Kitchens and bathrooms sell your home. Plan to have the bathroom grout cleaned and have some parts of the house painted to give it a fresh look.
Consider cleaning rugs, refinishing hardwood floors or painting kitchen cabinets. If you plan to list in the spring, you likely have a good local real estate agent on your side by now. Get their advice and ask for referrals to do the work. There are lots of inexpensive contractors who can help spruce up your home quickly.
Research like a buyer
Today's buyers have research in their DNA and will investigate all they can. Check with your local building department and ensure there are no outstanding issues with your home.
Verify that property records reflect your home accurately, and prepare to remedy any discrepancy. Make sure your title report is clean, and talk about potential disclosure items with your agent. Banks won't lend if there are outstanding issues, and you don't want to jump through hoops at the eleventh hour. Researching now will keep you one step ahead of the buyers.
The sale of your home is likely one of your biggest financial transactions. Get a real estate agent on your team early, and make a list of all the tasks you need to complete before listing this spring. Now is the time to have those discussions. Smart planning and a good strategy will ensure a quick, painless and profitable home sale.


text:
- Collection
- 1952 - 1995
Photographic slides of various archaeological digs from around the world and in Northwestern Ontario. Slides of various forestry field studies in several regions from 1952-1995. Includes images of trees, equipment, erosion, fire damage, forest management audits, land use, geology, and genetics and tree improvement.
Armson, Ken


text:
Nikki Sixx Seeking Childhood Friend on Social Media
Social media has been responsible for reuniting many a childhood friend over the years, and if Nikki Sixx has his way, he may be among those with a cool reunion story.
Sixx recently posted a photo from his youth with another young boy and the caption, "My best friend Jaun (sic) when I lived in El Paso … Wish I could find him!!!" Have a look at the screenshot from El Paso station KLAQ above.
Sixx was born Frank Carlton Serafino Feranna Jr. before adopting his stage name and rising to fame with Motley Crue. He briefly spent part of his childhood in the El Paso area. It's been well documented that he relocated multiple times growing up, eventually making the move to Los Angeles where his music career began to blossom.
The bassist's professional career, filled with highs and lows, has been covered in the Motley Crue book The Dirt as well as his own autobiography The Heroin Diaries. The latter book spawned his band Sixx: A.M. and Sixx has been working on turning the story into a stage production.
66 Most Important Moments in Metal History


text:
July 2024 M T W T F S S « Jan 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 -
DARPA awards Phase 2 SBIR contract for HEV motorcycle prototype
January 20, 2015 By Neville -
Report: Hyundai to cut price of FCV in Korea to compete with Toyota
January 20, 2015 By Neville -
Nissan LEAF is best-selling EV in Europe for fourth year in a row
January 20, 2015 By Neville -
Ford of Europe designer Stefan Lamm joins VW's Seat brand
January 20, 2015 By Sean -
Ford's German production to raise as demand rebounds
January 20, 2015 By Sean
Tesla Motors and Fisker Automotive: a tale of two electric cars
Albert Einstein once said: "Make everything as simple as possible, but no simpler." Pundits always pursue the former, but often fail to uphold the latter.
Such has been the case recently in regards to the prospects for electric vehicles. Will electric vehicles be commercially successful or won't they? As often happens, there is superficial evidence supporting both sides of the argument.
On one hand, you have Tesla Motors. Tesla recently announced that it had achieved its first quarterly profit, on the back of better-than-forecasted sales of its new Model S sedan.
On the other hand, you have Fisker Automotive. At the same time that Tesla was releasing good news, Fisker was making waves with its drastic downsizing, laying off 75% of its workforce. Fisker's main model, the Karma, is probably unfortunately named, as the company is certainly beset with misfortune these days.
Fisker's bad news made more headlines than Tesla's good news, in part because Fisker has received financial support from the U.S. government, and was thus being lambasted by some as the "next Solyndra", (In part, also, because bad news seems to get more attention than good news.)
So, why is Tesla doing fairly well while Fisker is definitely not?
This comparison between the two makes a strong case that Tesla simply has a better all-around product at a more attractive price than Fisker.
Moreover, it is said by many observers that Tesla has pursued a different fundamental approach to business than Fisker. Fisker started by designing a wholly-new electric vehicle that looks cool — and the Karma is by all accounts beautiful — but only much later turned to considering how to actually manufacture it. As a result, the costs and complexity of the car ballooned. It's a big challenge to source and manage thousands of parts from many vendors. (It didn't help Fisker when their main battery supplier, A123 Systems, had performance issues with their products and then went belly-up.)
In contrast, Tesla focused solely on developing an electric vehicle drivetrain, including the battery packs, and then outsourcing design as much as possible to other companies expert in the car business, and then focusing on making the integration/assembly of all the relevant systems as low-cost as possible. (However, it's an been documented to be an oversimplification to say, as some have, that Tesla's initial model, the Roadster, is simply a Lotus Elise with an electric drivetrain.)
Time will tell if Tesla will be a long-term survivor. No question: succeeding as a start-up car company is very difficult. However, Tesla may have turned the corner.
Clearly, though, there's a long way to go and plenty of opportunities for critics to pile on. In the wake of some bad press in February, when a New York Times reporter wrote a famously negative review of the Model S, Tesla still must fight the headwinds of skepticism about electric vehicles as a major automotive force.
Fisker's woes don't help. For the too-populous segment of oversimplifiers out there, it's easy to extrapolate Fisker's plight to other electric vehicle companies, particularly if they have a reason to want to make the sector look bad. To illustrate, Sarah Palin piled on by lumping Tesla with Fisker and calling them both as "losers".
Tesla will do well to distance itself from Fisker as much and as quickly as possible, as they really do have a different tale to tell.
By Richard T. Stuebi, Guest blogger / April 15, 2013, The Christian Science Monitor Cleantech Blog


text:
rpcgen provides programmers a direct way to write distributed applications. Server procedures can be written in any language that observes procedure-calling conventions. These procedures are linked with the server stub produced by rpcgen to form an executable server program. Client procedures are written and linked in the same way.
This section presents some basic rpcgen programming examples. Refer also to the rpcgen(1) man page.
Assume that an application runs on a single computer and you want to convert it to run in a "distributed" manner on a network. This example shows the stepwise conversion of this program that writes a message to the system console. The following code example shows the original program.
/* printmsg.c: print a message on the console */ #include <stdio.h> main(argc, argv) int argc; char *argv[]; { char *message; if (argc != 2) { fprintf(stderr, "usage: %s <message>\n", argv[0]); exit(1); } message = argv[1]; if (!printmessage(message)) { fprintf(stderr,"%s: couldn't print your message\n",argv[0]); exit(1); } printf("Message Delivered!\n"); exit(0); } /* Print a message to the console. * Return a boolean indicating whether * the message was actually printed. */ printmessage(msg) char *msg; { FILE *f; f = fopen("/dev/console", "w"); if (f == (FILE *)NULL) { return (0); } fprintf(f, "%s\n", msg); fclose(f); return(1);}
For local use on a single machine, this program could be compiled and executed as follows:
$ cc printmsg.c -o printmsg $ printmsg "Hello, there." Message delivered! $
If the printmessage() function is turned into a remote procedure, the function can be called from anywhere in the network.
First, determine the data types of all procedure-calling arguments and the resulting argument. The calling argument of printmessage() is a string, and the result is an integer. You can write a protocol specification in the RPC language that describes the remote version of printmessage(). The RPC language source code for such a specification is:
/* msg.x: Remote msg printing protocol */ program MESSAGEPROG { version PRINTMESSAGEVERS { int PRINTMESSAGE(string) = 1; } = 1; } = 0x20000001;
Remote procedures are always declared as part of remote programs. The previous code declares an entire remote program that contains the single procedure PRINTMESSAGE. In this example, the PRINTMESSAGE procedure is declared to be procedure 1, in version 1 of the remote program MESSAGEPROG, with the program number 0x20000001. See Appendix B, RPC Protocol and Language Specification for guidance on choosing program numbers.
Version numbers are incremented when functionality is changed in the remote program. Existing procedures can be changed or new ones can be added. More than one version of a remote program can be defined and a version can have more than one procedure defined.
Note that the program and procedure names are declared with all capital letters.
Note also that the argument type is string
and not char *
as it would be in C. This is because a char *
C is ambiguous. char
usually means an array of characters, but
it could also represent a pointer to a single character. In the RPC language,
a null-terminated array of char
is called a string
You have just two more programs to write:
The remote procedure itself
The main client program that calls it
Example 3–2 is a remote procedure that implements the PRINTMESSAGE procedure in Example 3–1.
/* * msg_proc.c: implementation of the * remote procedure "printmessage" */ #include <stdio.h> #include "msg.h" /* msg.h generated by rpcgen */ int * printmessage_1(msg, req) char **msg; struct svc_req *req; /* details of call */ { static int result; /* must be static! */ FILE *f; f = fopen("/dev/console", "w"); if (f == (FILE *)NULL) { result = 0; return (&result); } fprintf(f, "%s\n", *msg); fclose(f); result = 1; return (&result);}
The declaration of the remote procedure printmessage_1() differs from that of the local procedure printmessage() in four ways:
printmessage_1() takes a pointer to the
character array instead of the pointer itself. This principle is true of all
remote procedures when the -N option is not used. These procedures
always take pointers to their arguments rather than the arguments themselves.
Without the -N option, remote procedures are always called
with a single argument. If more than one argument is required the arguments
must be passed in a struct
printmessage_1() is called with two arguments. The second argument contains information on the context of an invocation: the program, version, and procedure numbers; raw and canonical credentials; and an SVCXPRT structure pointer. The SVCXPRT structure contains transport information. All of the information is made available in case the invoked procedure requires it to perform the request.
printmessage_1() returns a pointer to an
integer instead of the integer itself. This principle is also true of remote
procedures when the -N option is not used. These procedures
return pointers to the result. The result should be declared static
unless the -M (multithread) or -A
(Auto mode) options are used. Ordinarily, if the result is declared local
to the remote procedure, references to the result by the server stub are invalid
after the remote procedure returns. In the case of -M and -A options, a pointer to the result is passed as a third argument
to the procedure, so the result is not declared in the procedure.
An _1 is appended to the printmessage_1() name. In general, all remote procedures calls generated by rpcgen are named as follows: the procedure name in the program definition (here PRINTMESSAGE) is converted to all lowercase letters, an underbar (_) is appended to it, and the version number (here 1) is appended. This naming scheme enables you to have multiple versions of the same procedure.
The following code example shows the main client program that calls the remote procedure.
/* * rprintmsg.c: remote version * of "printmsg.c" */ #include <stdio.h> #include "msg.h" /* msg.h generated by rpcgen */ main(argc, argv) int argc; char *argv[]; { CLIENT *clnt; int *result; char *server; char *message; if (argc != 3) { fprintf(stderr, "usage: %s host message\n", argv[0]); exit(1); } server = argv[1]; message = argv[2]; /* * Create client "handle" used for * calling MESSAGEPROG on the server * designated on the command line. */ clnt = clnt_create(server, MESSAGEPROG, PRINTMESSAGEVERS, "visible"); if (clnt == (CLIENT *)NULL) { /* * Couldn't establish connection * with server. * Print error message and die. */ clnt_pcreateerror(server); exit(1); } /* * Call the remote procedure * "printmessage" on the server */ result = printmessage_1(&message, clnt); if (result == (int *)NULL) { /* * An error occurred while calling * the server. * Print error message and die. */ clnt_perror(clnt, server); exit(1); } /* Okay, we successfully called * the remote procedure. */ if (*result == 0) { /* * Server was unable to print * our message. * Print error message and die. */ fprintf(stderr, "%s: could not print your message\n",argv[0]); exit(1); } /* The message got printed on the * server's console */ printf("Message delivered to %s\n", server); clnt_destroy( clnt ); exit(0);}
In the example code, a client handle is created by the RPC library routine clnt_create(). This client handle is passed to the stub routine that calls the remote procedure. See Chapter 4, Programmer's Interface to RPC for details on how the client handle can be created in other ways. If no more calls are to be made using the client handle, destroy it with a call to clnt_destroy() to conserve system resources.
The last parameter to clnt_create() is visible, which specifies that any transport noted as visible in /etc/netconfig can be used. For further information on transports, see the /etc/netconfig file and its description in Programming Interfaces Guide.
The remote procedure printmessage_1() is called exactly the same way as it is declared in msg_proc.c, except for the inserted client handle as the second argument. The remote procedure also returns a pointer to the result instead of the result.
The remote procedure call can fail in two ways. The RPC mechanism can fail or an error can occur in the execution of the remote procedure. In the former case, the remote procedure printmessage_1() returns a NULL. In the latter case, the error reporting is application dependent. Here, the error is returned through *result.
The compile commands for the printmsg example are:
$ rpcgen msg.x $ cc rprintmsg.c msg_clnt.c -o rprintmsg -lnsl $ cc msg_proc.c msg_svc.c -o msg_server -lnsl
rpcgen is used to generate the header files (msg.h), client stub (msg_clnt.c), and server stub (msg_svc.c). Then, two programs are compiled: the client program rprintmsg and the server program msg_server. The C object files must be linked with the library libnsl, which contains all of the networking functions, including those for RPC and XDR.
In this example, no XDR routines were generated because the application uses only the basic types that are included in libnsl.
rpcgen received the input file msg.x and created:
A header file called msg.h that contained #define statements for MESSAGEPROG, MESSAGEVERS, and PRINTMESSAGE for use in the other modules. This file must be included by both the client and server modules.
The client stub routines in the msg_clnt.c file. Only one routine, the printmessage_1() routine, was called from the rprintmsg client program. If the name of an rpcgen input file is FOO.x, the client stub's output file is called FOO_clnt.c.
The server program in msg_svc.c that calls printmessage_1() from msg_proc.c. The rule for naming the server output file is similar to that of the client: for an input file called FOO.x, the output server file is named FOO_svc.c.
After the server program is created, it is installed on a remote machine and run. If the machines are homogeneous, the server binary can just be copied. If they are not homogeneous, the server source files must be copied to and compiled on the remote machine. For this example, the remote machine is called remote and the local machine is called local. The server is started from the shell on the remote system:
remote$ msg_server
Server processes generated with rpcgen always run in the background. You do not have to follow the server's invocation with an ampersand (&). Servers generated by rpcgen can also be invoked by port monitors like listen() and inetd(), instead of from the command line.
Thereafter, a user on local can print a message on the console of machine remote as follows:
local$ rprintmsg remote "Hello, there."
Using rprintmsg, a user can print a message on any system console, including the local console, when the server msg_server is running on the target system.
Converting Local Procedures to Remote Procedures shows how to generate client and server RPC code. rpcgen can also be used to generate XDR routines, which are the routines that convert local data structures into XDR format and the reverse.
The following code example presents a complete RPC service: a remote directory listing service, built using rpcgen to generate both stub routines and the XDR routines.
/* * dir.x: Remote directory listing protocol * * This example demonstrates the functions of rpcgen. */ const MAXNAMELEN = 255; /* max length of directory entry */ typedef string nametype<MAXNAMELEN>; /* director entry */ typedef struct namenode *namelist; /* link in the listing */ /* A node in the directory listing */ struct namenode { nametype name; /* name of directory entry */ namelist next; /* next entry */ }; /* * The result of a READDIR operation * * a truly portable application would use * an agreed upon list of error codes * rather than (as this sample program * does) rely upon passing UNIX errno's * back. * * In this example: The union is used * here to discriminate between successful * and unsuccessful remote calls. */ union readdir_res switch (int errno) { case 0: namelist list; /* no error: return directory listing */ default: void; /* error occurred: nothing else to return */ }; /* The directory program definition */ program DIRPROG { version DIRVERS { readdir_res READDIR(nametype) = 1; } = 1;} = 0x20000076;
You can redefine types (like readdir_res in the previous
example) using the struct
, union
, and enum
RPC language keywords. These keywords are not used in later declarations
of variables of those types. For example, if you define a union, foo, you declare using only foo, and
not union foo.
rpcgen compiles RPC unions into C structures. Do
not declare C unions using the union
Running rpcgen on dir.x generates four output files:
Header file
Client stub
Server skeleton
XDR routines in the file dir_xdr.c.
For each RPC data type used in the.x file, rpcgen assumes that libnsl contains a routine with a name that is the name of the data type, prepended by the XDR routine header xdr_ (for example, xdr_int). If a data type is defined in the.x file, rpcgen generates the required xdr_ routine. If there is no data type definition in the .x source file (for example, msg.x), then no _xdr.c file is generated.
You can write a.x source file that uses a data type not supported by libnsl, and deliberately omit defining the type in the.x file. In doing so, you must provide the xdr_ routine. This is a way to provide your own customized xdr_ routines. See Chapter 4, Programmer's Interface to RPC for more details on passing arbitrary data types. The server-side of the READDIR procedure is shown in the following example.
/* * dir_proc.c: remote readdir * implementation */ #include <dirent.h> #include "dir.h" /* Created by rpcgen */ extern int errno; extern char *malloc(); extern char *strdup(); readdir_res * readdir_1(dirname, req) nametype *dirname; struct svc_req *req; { DIR *dirp; struct dirent *d; namelist nl; namelist *nlp; static readdir_res res; /* must be static! */ /* Open directory */ dirp = opendir(*dirname); if (dirp == (DIR *)NULL) { res.errno = errno; return (&res); } /* Free previous result */ xdr_free(xdr_readdir_res, &res); /* * Collect directory entries. * Memory allocated here is free by * xdr_free the next time readdir_1 * is called */ nlp = &res.readdir_res_u.list; while (d = readdir(dirp)) { nl = *nlp = (namenode *) malloc(sizeof(namenode)); if (nl == (namenode *) NULL) { res.errno = EAGAIN; closedir(dirp); return(&res); } nl->name = strdup(d->d_name); nlp = &nl->next; } *nlp = (namelist)NULL; /* Return the result */ res.errno = 0; closedir(dirp); return (&res); }
The following code example shows the client-side implementation of the READDIR procedure.
/* * rls.c: Remote directory listing client */ #include <stdio.h> #include "dir.h" /* generated by rpcgen */ extern int errno; main(argc, argv) int argc; char *argv[]; { CLIENT *clnt; char *server; char *dir; readdir_res *result; namelist nl; if (argc != 3) { fprintf(stderr, "usage: %s host directory\n",argv[0]); exit(1); } server = argv[1]; dir = argv[2]; /* * Create client "handle" used for * calling MESSAGEPROG on the server * designated on the command line. */ cl = clnt_create(server, DIRPROG, DIRVERS, "tcp"); if (clnt == (CLIENT *)NULL) { clnt_pcreateerror(server); exit(1); } result = readdir_1(&dir, clnt); if (result == (readdir_res *)NULL) { clnt_perror(clnt, server); exit(1); } /* Okay, we successfully called * the remote procedure. */ if (result->errno != 0) { /* Remote system error. Print * error message and die. */ errno = result->errno; perror(dir); exit(1); } /* Successfully got a directory listing. * Print it. */ for (nl = result->readdir_res_u.list; nl != NULL; nl = nl->next) { printf("%s\n", nl->name); } xdr_free(xdr_readdir_res, result); clnt_destroy(cl); exit(0);}
As in other examples, execution is on systems named local and remote. The files are compiled and run as follows:
remote$ rpcgen dir.x remote$ cc -c dir_xdr.c remote$ cc rls.c dir_clnt.c dir_xdr.o -o rls -lnsl remote$ cc dir_svc.c dir_proc.c dir_xdr.o -o dir_svc -lnsl remote$ dir_svc
When you install rls() on system local, you can list the contents of /usr/share/lib on system remote as follows:
local$ rls remote /usr/share/lib ascii eqnchar greek kbd marg8 tabclr tabs tabs4 local $
Client code generated by rpcgen does not release the memory allocated for the results of the RPC call. Call xdr_free() to release the memory when you are finished with it. Calling xdr_free() is similar to calling the free() routine, except that you pass the XDR routine for the result. In this example, after printing the list, xdr_free(xdr_readdir_res, result); was called.
Use xdr_free() to release memory allocated by malloc(). Failure to use xdr_free() to release memory results in memory leaks.
rpcgen supports C and other preprocessing features. C preprocessing is performed on rpcgen input files before they are compiled. All standard C preprocessing directives are allowed in the.x source files. Depending on the type of output file being generated, five symbols are defined by rpcgen.
rpcgen provides an additional preprocessing feature: any line that begins with a percent sign (%) is passed directly to the output file, with no action on the line's content. Use caution because rpcgen does not always place the lines where you intend. Check the output source file and, if needed, edit it.
rpcgen uses the preprocessing directives listed in the following table.
Table 3–1 rpcgen Preprocessing Directives
Symbol |
Use |
Header file output |
XDR routine output |
Server stub output |
Client stub output |
Index table output |
The following code example is a simple rpcgen example. Note the use of rpcgen`s pre-processing features.
/* * time.x: Remote time protocol */ program TIMEPROG { version TIMEVERS { unsigned int TIMEGET() = 1; } = 1; } = 0x20000044; #ifdef RPC_SVC %int * %timeget_1() %{ % static int thetime; % % thetime = time(0); % return (&thetime); %} #endif
rpcgen supports C preprocessing features. rpcgen defaults to use /usr/ccs/lib/cpp as the C preprocessor. If that fails, rpcgen tries to use /lib/cpp. You can specify a library containing a different cpp to rpcgen with the -Y flag.
For example, if /usr/local/bin/cpp exists, you can specify it to rpcgen as follows:
rpcgen -Y /usr/local/bin test.x


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Electric Car Servicing.
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Check when your BMW needs a service with the BMW Icons Guide.
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The oil and oil filter in your BMW's engine should be replaced to ensure optimum performance and help maintain efficiency. The microfilter(s) should also be replaced.
The microfilter/pollen filter should be replaced with every engine oil service. This icon may not be displayed in your BMW.
The spark plugs in your petrol engine should be replaced at every second oil service along with the air filter. This icon may not be displayed in your BMW.
The brake fluid in your BMW should be replaced to maintain optimum performance.
The diesel particulate filter in your BMW may be blocked or need replacing. Visit your nearest BMW Authorised Centre.
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Your BMW is due the annual statutory inspection for vehicles 3 years and older. Vehicle check.
The rear brake pads on your BMW are close to their wear limit and need replacing. Your brake discs should also be checked.


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Applying the GST to online purchases under $1,000 isn't fair for people who cannot afford to travel outside the country to buy cheaper goods, an eBay executive has said.
While in Sydney for a meeting with the G20 taskforce that is looking at ways to reduce trade barriers — including taxes imposed on online sales — head of eBay's government relations, Tod Cohen, said enacting the GST on purchases below $1,000 would turn sites like eBay and Amazon into tax collectors.
NSW Treasurer Mike Baird has pushed hard for lowering the GST threshold for online purchases and has talked about taxing global online sales above $20.
"Any time you get down to that type of threshold, you're discriminating against Australians who can travel and those who can't travel," Cohen says.
"We try to maintain an opportunity for people to participate in the global marketplace and one of quickest ways to shut that down is by imposing taxes. There's no way they'll drop the threshold for international travellers. We're not going to see duty-free shut down."
Cohen says $1000 was a reasonable threshold, given the threshold in the United States was $800 and Europe was about the same.
To read the full story, click here.


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Why Renters Insurance Is Important
Why Renters Insurance Is Important
Many choose to rent the place where they live because it is more convenient or less expensive, or perhaps they just need more time to save to purchase a home. In many cases, renting is a lifestyle choice. In others situations, renters just don't want the responsibility of ownership. Some older Americans rent to downsize when retiring.
Whatever the reason you have chosen to rent, you should know that you are still at risk of some of the same unfortunate circumstances that homeowners are. You could have property stolen or lose your belongings in a fire. A delivery person or friend could injure themselves while at your home making you potentially liable for a liability claim.
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The bottom line is pretty simple. If you rent, you should look into renters insurance. If you think your landlord's insurance will cover your expenses in a loss, you may be making a big mistake. Sure, your landlord likely has insurance, but only to cover his property and interests, not yours. In fact, many landlords now require their tenants to have renters insurance.
Look, if you rent because it is easier, less expensive, or you don't want the hassles of homeownership, we get it. But at least take a few minutes to learn how renters insurance can help protect you.
Contact one of our independent insurance today for a no obligation price quote. We think you'll be pleased with how affordable renters' insurance can be.


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There are several items that need to be worked on to make a complete Smalltalk for .NET implementation. Here's an incomplete list of items. If you would like to work on an item, please send us email.
- Add ability to subclass .NET classes. Currently, all classes must be subclasses of a special root class so we can implement doesNotUnderstand: properly. Instead of making a special root class, we can implement a special root interface with all of the appropriate methods.
- Add ability to define methods that don't have #Smalltalk types and #Smalltalk names. For example, suppose you with to export the #at:put: method in Array. Currently, that method is compiled as #at:put:, but that isn't a valid name for languages like C#. Furthermore, that method takes two Smalltalk objects, not an integer and an object.
- Use type inferencing to eliminate some SmallInteger objects. For example, if we have the following code, "1 to: 1000 do: [:i | self foo]", that creates 1000 SmallInteger objects. However, we don't need the full blown objects and can use int32 instead. This will speed up some integer calculations. In addition to eliminating some SmallInteger objects, we can also eliminate float objects, compile time type checks, etc.
- Build a bigger class library. The current class library does not have support for much more than the ANSI standard. To be a proper Smalltalk, we need support for databases, GUI's, etc. Many of these items are in the .NET class library so we can use their implementations, but we may want to make wrappers around their functionality.
- Build development tools. If you think vi or emacs is the best development environment, then you'll like the current suite of development tools. However, there are some of us that want refactoring support for our development tools.
- Optimize the code. Currently, there hasn't been any optimization on the #Smalltalk code. The compiler takes too much time and memory to compile a simple program. Some of the memory appears to be outside the compiler's control, but there should be some optimizations to make it run faster.
- Improve the compiler's error messages. Some errors give the user no clue of what failed or how to fix it. This is not good. We need to add more specific error messages.
- Fix bugs (isn't this on every one's list).


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