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State Attorney General's Office LOS ANGELES - Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today subpoenaed hundreds of employment, salary, and contract records from the City of Bell and its top officials as part of an investigation to determine whether civil or criminal action should be taken against city leaders whose secretive salaries in one case rose to almost $800,000 a year.
Brown told a news conference at his downtown Los Angeles state office today that he was making public the issuance of the subpoenas both to assure the residents of Bell and the people of California that state government is taking fast, effective action to crack down on any possible wrongdoing, and also to warn officials in other California cities that no public officials will be allowed to carry out similar schemes.
"These outrageous pay practices are an insult to the hard-working people of Bell and have provoked righteous indignation in California and even across the country," Brown said. "I'm determined to get to the bottom of these exorbitant payouts and protect the state's pension system against such abuses, and today's subpoenas are an important step in that process."
Brown gave city officials an expedited schedule to turn over documents to state investigators, demanding within 48 hours production of the critically important employment contracts.
Brown said his department's investigation is looking at all possible violations of law by Bell officials, including civil and criminal sanctions.
Brown launched his state probe after The Los Angeles Times revealed the $787,637 salary of City Manager Robert Rizzo and found that the Bell police chief was making 50 percent more than the police chief of Los Angeles. The newspaper reported that Rizzo's salary made him possibly the highest-paid city manager in the country. Police Chief Randy Adams was paid $457,000 a year, and Assistant City Manager Angela Spaccia was paid $376,288. The three resigned on Friday.
Four Bell city council members, including the mayor, are paid nearly $100,000 for their part-time jobs. In 2005, a state law limited salaries for city council members in general law cities. The newspaper reported that in the same year, Bell engineered a special election to convert to a charter city, the only item on the ballot that year. Since then, council members' salaries have increased dramatically.
Bell, in southeast Los Angeles County, according to the 2000 census, has a population of 36,624 that includes a high percentage of low-income residents. Hundreds of citizens marched through city streets yesterday to demand the resignation of the mayor and other council members.
Brown's probe will examine whether any illegality, self-dealing, or other improper activity occurred in Bell, and whether any changes in California law are necessary to prevent similar abuses in the future.
"We will conduct a prompt and thorough investigation into how these unprecedented salaries were awarded to public servants," Brown said. Brown said his office will also review salaries in other local jurisdictions around the state to determine whether similar abuses might be occurring.
The overall investigation is being conducted jointly with CalPERS, the state public employee pension fund, which has responsibility for administering the state pension system.


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text:
Hard News: The Big Day Out, Auckland, 2009
73 Responses
First ←Older Page 1 2 3 Newer→ Last
My first youtube upllode(sp ;-)
I heard the news today o boy...it was gushing :)
My first youtube upllode(sp ;-)
6:15 mins of Neil Young gloriousness, A day in the life/ Enjoy :-)That's a great clip!
Especially pleased that you got the very end. I loved the shot of him raising his fist then turning and walking off the stage.
(And I took the liberty of embedding the clip. To do that here you only need to paste in the URL, not any embed code or formatting.)
(And I took the liberty of embedding the clip. To do that here you only need to paste in the URL, not any embed code or formatting.)
Thanx Russ.
I did just paste the url but I use Opera and that has a few little foibles that manage to evade the most simple of tasks.
Cheers, I'm glad you enjoyed it. -
Wow. As recently as 2001 there were large numbers of arrests. 89 that year. Then a huge drop, to 28 in 2002.
Looking at the lineups, 2002 was the year of New Order -- another less frantic closing act for the main stages.
2001 is the one that freaks me out. Coldplay played? I don't even remember ...
2001 was an ugly BDO, from memory. Limp Bizkit headlining on the main stage and a surly crowd. It would be an interesting (if methodologically shonky) exercise to compare annual arrest numbers with headlining acts...
Two things to note:
a) Neil Young was awesome
b) His compositions would be Canadian -
My first youtube upllode(sp ;-)
Thanks for this, Steve. Much appreciated.
yep, cheers Steve.
'Frickin dog'... heh
Pendulum primarily covered their first album material, which is a shame as I find their second album, 'In Silico', which is closer to Muse-esque arena rock than D&B, a lot more interesting. It's worth checking out.
all Aussie cops are armed, all the time (even off-duty)
Isn't that rather awkward when they're playing rugby, or having intergenerational sex, or whatever other leisure activities the Australian boys in blue enjoy?
all Aussie cops are armed, all the time (even off-duty)
Well that's not correct.
In WA at least, cops only carry their weapons when on active duty. The ones that I interacted with at the state headquarters weren't armed at all.
Perhaps some of them take their weapons home with them, but by no means all of them do.
Thanks to Russell for linking to Tony's Neil Young set list (and to Tony for producing it!) - that tells me I only missed two of his songs in order to catch 9½ from Headless Chickens. They were well worth it - "Choppers" was my song of the day :)
Did anyone else find a lot of this year's sets were too loud? I had proper music earplugs, but they only worked during Neil Young (best sound EVER at a BDO I've been to), and I had to get some of those foam ones that turn you deaf to conversation. Wished I'd got them earlier in the day.
It's a young peoples' game, largely, isn't it? Loud music, and mashing and stuff.
we went with a friend's 70 year old mother who had a wonderful time.
Well, that settles it. Now I have to go to one. I am officially in awe.Please do! I predict that you won't feel out of place at a BDO. Sure there are plenty of young people, but there are also plenty my age and older (I'm 38) and everyone always seems to be having a good time. Moshing is definitely not compulsory - or mashing for that matter :) It's a pretty easy place to be for the most part. Sometimes it can get a bit squashy - I was glad this year's headliners failed to appeal to quite so many people as a band like Metallica might, since that meant it was easier to move around. But there's always something else interesting that you can wander off to see when there are too many people in your way.
Oh and I recommend not waiting till an act you love is playing BDO - often the experience is not what you'd hope for, under the constraints of the festival setting. It's sometimes better to miss your fave band than to see them perform a disappointing show. I'd pick an indoor headline gig over a BDO slot any time, but we don't always get that choice... Anyway, in my experience of BDO it's better just to show up and enjoy what the day throws at you, than to pin your hopes on one or two acts.
As raving about shows is the order of the day, Leonard Cohen this evening was simply awesome! Best lightshow I have encountered (not flashy but perfect for the show, subtle and suitable), fantastic musicians and singers (the Webb sisters! ZOMG!) an, of course, the man himself. All of 75 and not looking a day over 60. Just magic!
Loud music, and mashing and stuff
I thought mashing might mean standing between two performances at once..
Not BDO but Leonard Cohen. I agree with Mark.
I apologise to all those who couldn't afford or missed out on tickets to Leonard Cohen. But his Wellington Concert was amazing. His great voice and poetry, his nine superb musicians (with backing singers who also turn cartwheels) provided an exceptionally enjoyable and memorable concert. Coming on stage soon after 8 pm they were still doing encores at 11.15pm with only a short break. And at the end the 75 year old - who joked about his age, and stature, and Te Papa's giant squid - skipped off stage.
We had to wait for about the 4th encore but at 11 pm he got to the highlight for me (only a few hours before Obama's inauguration) 'Democracy' (is coming to the USA). The twirly harmonical bits were almost drowned out by the cheering.
"Sail on, sail on
O mighty ship of state!
To the Shores of Need
Past the Reefs of Greed
Through the Squalls of Hate
Sail on, sail on, sail on, sail on."The concert covered a large proportion of his extensive repertoire mixing the old favourites and less known with some innovative treatments. Reciting 'Thousand Kisses Deep' rather than singing it was particularly powerful. The Webb sisters (sort of a female Everley Brothers) harmonised beatifully on 'If It Be Your Will'. Another highlight was his political ballad 'Partisan'.
We could see, we could hear the words, and the sound and lighting were just right. A raised platform for wheelchairs gave a great view.
My only gripe. Why do so many people not get seated on time? The first 35 minutes was Sam Hunt's – and what we could hear and see was great. Yet for the whole time people traipsed in front of us in the dark, some chatting, some calling to their friends, stumbling to their seats. Ggrrh.
But forgotten as the older crowd dispersed happy and humming at 11.30. -
For all you people going to Leonard Cohen on Thursday, you are in for something special if last night's Wellington performance is anything to go by and yes it was well worth the price of the ticket. To many high lights to list, indeed the whole performance is just one super highlight.
It's the first concert I have been to where all the "roadies" are onstage providing vocals for the final encore. It was that kind of night. -
As a reference, Simon Sweetman raves
As we left last night, I said to my wife "If Sweetman doesn't like this one, I'm going to kill him", so I'm glad I don't have to ;-)
I wonder if Kim Hill managed to get an interview with him. Her listeners were helping with the lobbying at the end of last year. Would be great to hear if she did. On the other hand the concert revealed quite a lot about about him and his life.
No, he even turned Kim down. But she can still play his music on Saturday mornings.
Not least that this kind of be-very-afraid tactic runs a serious risk of nasty unintended consequences. How many kids necked their entire supply before going in? Or decided to risk buying drugs on-site?
It took only two weeks before Mr Brown premonition resulted in a death. A very tragic set of circumstances.
It took only two weeks before Mr Brown premonition resulted in a death. A very tragic set of circumstances.
How awful, and how awfully predictable.
That Green MP sounds like she's on the case though.
The Green MP on ABC radio
Post your response…
This topic is closed.


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3 Jan 2012
A glimpse of what is to come
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
For 3 January 2012, The Most Holy Name of Jesus, based on 1 John 2:29-3:6
If you know that God is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who does right has been born of him. See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
 Everyone who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him.
Scripture passage from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright 1989, 1993, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.


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Welcome to Tahatai Coast School
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Most of the time, the voices in Keris Myrick's head don't bother her. They stay in the background or say nice things. But sometimes they get loud and mean – like when a deadly pandemic descended on the world and shut down society as we know it.
"It's when things go really, really fast and they seem overwhelmingly disastrous. That's when it happens," says Myrick, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia 25 years ago. "The attacking voices were calling me stupid ... I literally had a meltdown right here in my house. Just lost it."
She was able to calm herself down and quiet the voices, and as the pandemic wore on, she kept them at bay by keeping busy: She works for a foundation, hosts a podcast and wrote a children's book. She was able to manage, but she worried about others like her.
"People with schizophrenia were not actually deemed as 'the priority vulnerable population' to be served or to be addressed in the same way as people who had other chronic health conditions and who were over a certain age," Myrick says. "So we kind of got left out."
This omission occurred even as new data published in JAMA Psychiatry showed that people with schizophrenia arenearly three times more likely to die from COVID-19 than the general population. Their risk of death from the virus is greater than for people with diabetes, heart disease or any other condition aside from age.
"People's initial reaction to this was one of disbelief," says Katlyn Nemani, a New York University School of Medicine neuropsychiatrist and the study's lead author.
Some researchers initially questioned whether the disparate death rates could be explained by the often poor physical health of people with schizophrenia, or because they have trouble accessing health care. But Nemani's study controlled for those factors: All the patients in the study were tested and treated, and they got care from the same doctors in the same health care system.
Then the other studies started rolling in from countries with universal health care systems – the UK, Denmark, Israel, South Korea –all showing the same findings: a nearly 3 times higher risk of death for people with schizophrenia. Amore recent study from the UK, published in December 2021, found the risk was five times greater.
"You have to wonder, is there something inherent to the disorder itself that's contributing to this?" Nemani asks.
The same immune dysfunction that's causing severe COVID in people with schizophrenia could also be what's driving their psychotic symptoms, Nemani says. This suggests schizophrenia is not just a disorder of the brain, but a disease of the whole body, she says.
Although researchers have been studying this theory already, the data from the pandemic sheds light on it in a whole new way, opening doors for new discoveries.
"This is a really rare opportunity to study the potential relationship between the immune system and psychiatric illness, by looking at the effects of a single virus at a single point in time," Nemani says. "It could potentially lead to interventions that improve medical conditions that are associated with the disease, but also our understanding of the illness itself and what we should be doing to treat it."
In the long term, it could lead to new immunological treatments that might work better than current antipsychotic drugs.
For now, advocates want the data about risk to be shared more widely, and taken more seriously. They want people with schizophrenia and their caretakers to know they should take extra precautions. Earlier in the pandemic, they had hoped to get vaccine priority for the population.
"It's been a challenge," says Brandon Staglin, who has schizophrenia and is the president of One Mind, a mental health advocacy group based in Napa Valley.
When he and other advocates first saw Nemani's data in early 2021, they started lobbying public health officials for priority access to the vaccines. They wanted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to add schizophrenia to its list of high-risk conditions for COVID, the same as it had done for cancer and diabetes.
But they heard crickets.
"It doesn't make any sense," Staglin says. "Clearly schizophrenia is a higher risk."
In several other countries, including England and Germany,people with serious mental illness were prioritized for vaccines from the very beginning of the rollout last February. In the U.S., though, it wasn't until people were gettingboosters in October of 2021 that the CDC finally added schizophrenia to the priority list.
"We were happy when that happened, but we wish there had been faster action," Staglin says.
It's always like this with mental illness, says Myrick.
"It's like we have to remind people," she says. "It's just sort of, 'Oh yeah, oh right, I forgot about that.' "
As scientists learn more about the link between COVID and schizophrenia, and as the potential for pandemic-related research grows, Myrick and Staglin both say mental health must be more than an afterthought.
This story comes from NPR's reporting partnership with KQED and Kaiser Health News (KHN).
Copyright 2022 KQED


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The Real Housewives of Miami return tonight with an all new episode at 10/9c.
On the 3rd episode this season titled "Optical Delusion," following her successful charity gala, Lea decides it's time for Cristy to pay up. Meanwhile, art-house owner Adriana hosts a gallery opening, but the event begins to fizzle when the artist doesn't complete his paintings in time and her backup entertainment fails to impress.
Watch What Happens Live – The guest tonight will be none other than Bethenny Frankel!
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The Infertility Partnering 2009-2014 report provides understanding and access to the infertility partnering deals and agreements entered into by the worlds leading healthcare companies.
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You may also be interested in these related reports:
- Gynecology Partnering Terms and Agreements
- Trends in Therapeutic Partnering
- Partnering Deals and Alliances with Big Biotech
- Partnering Deals and Alliances with Big Pharma
- Women Infertility - Pipeline Review, H1 2014
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Contact Phone: 1-413-485-7001
Contact Name: Bill Thompson
Contact Email: email@example.com
Contact Phone: 1-413-485-7001


text:
The odds of preterm birth for women exposed to a commonly used class of chemicals known as phthalates are increased significantly, according to a new study from the University of Michigan School of Public Health and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.
Depending on the individual phthalate, women with the highest levels of exposure during pregnancy had two-to-five times the odds of preterm birth, compared to women with the lowest exposure.
Before interventions can be implemented, however, more must be known about how phthalates interact with pregnancy, their potential association with women delivering early, and where exposures are coming from, the researchers caution
"Preterm birth is a major public health challenge. Rates are significantly higher than they were 20 years ago and we don't know why. Other interventions have had limited effectiveness, and this helps shed light on a potential for environmental influences," said John Meeker, associate professor of environmental health sciences and associate dean for research at the U-M School of Public Health, who is the principal investigator of the study. "Next, we need to look at how pregnant women are exposed, and at what stage of pregnancy, to help inform exposure and risk prevention strategies."
Phthalates are used to make plastic materials more flexible and as solvents in personal care products such as perfumes, deodorants and lotions. They are found in food, adhesives, vinyl flooring, plastic shower curtains, some medications and more.
Meeker and colleagues studied 482 individuals selected from a larger population of pregnant women who delivered at the Brigham and Women's Hospital from 2006-08. For each woman, phthalate levels were measured in urine samples taken from up to three time points during pregnancy. The 130 mothers who delivered prior to 37 weeks showed significantly higher concentrations of four of nine phthalate metabolites that were measured in the study.
Dr. Thomas McElrath, a physician-scientist and key co-investigator on the study, developed and leads the original cohort study upon which this work is based in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Brigham and Women's Hospital.
"This is by no means the cause of premature birth, but it is a possible contributor — which is important because it is potentially modifiable," McElrath said. "This finding may be dramatic but women should not be alarmed. This is only the first step in a long research process that will be needed to clarify and confirm these results. It is simply too early to suggest making changes in prenatal care based on this study."
Kelly Ferguson, doctoral student at SPH and first author of the paper, says the team's research provides the largest study of this relationship to date, and further improves on other studies by using multiple exposure measurements per subject.
"We have some ideas on how phthalates could cause preterm birth, although the exact mechanism is still unknown," she said. "One possibility we are considering is that phthalates are causing changes in oxidative stress or inflammation in the mother, and that these changes are leading to early labor."
The researchers say current studies remain inconclusive in assessing whether avoiding perfume, deodorant and other personal care products, and eating more fresh foods that undergo less processing and packaging, could lower women's phthalate exposure levels.
"Once we know more about pathways of exposure and mechanisms that cause this to happen, then it will be the time for interventions and policy action at the individual, clinical and federal levels," Meeker said. "These are things we are actively researching."
The research is funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and reported Nov. 18 in the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics.


text:
AC/DC: 25 Essential Songs
The Aussie legends' rude and raucous best, from "Big Balls" to "Back in Black"
Bulldozing rock-hard riffs, more double entendres than you can shake a stick at, and one comically snug schoolboy uniform: These are just a few of the ingredients that have made AC/DC one of the most iconic rock & roll bands of the past 45 years. Songs like "Highway to Hell" and "You Shook Me All Night Long" are classic-rock radio staples, and their 1980 LP, Back in Black, would be the bestselling album of all time if Thriller didn't exist.
The secret to their success has always been their authenticity. When they exploded out of Sydney in the mid-Seventies, AC/DC's scrappy original frontman Bon Scott sang about the group's personal holy trinity — sex, drinking, and rock & roll — and ever since gravelly voiced Brian Johnson took the reins after Scott's death, they've kept right on worshipping at the same altar. "We've been accused of making the same album over and over 12 times," guitarist Angus Young once said. "The truth is, we've made the same album over and over 15 times."
The best AC/DC songs overdose on crude, raucous riffs and offensive turns of phrase, whether its Scott bragging about his "Big Balls" or Young speeding down the "Highway to Hell" spewing out bluesy, high-voltage solos. As a band, they're unrelenting and freewheeling; nobody has ever had to wonder if AC/DC were having a good time. So in recognition of Back in Black's 40th anniversary, we look back at 25 of their greatest songs. For those about to rock, we salute you.
From Rolling Stone US


text:
Career Opportunities at The Lodging Company
The Lodging Company offers so much more than employment. Every staff member has access to the lunchroom arcade games, complimentary snacks and beverages, and on-site shower (for those who cycle or workout on their breaks!). There are office events such as monthly staff lunches, pizza days, Halloween costume contests, unique winter holiday parties, and other awesome and seasonal events.
The Lodging Company specializes in arranging custom ski vacations for people from all over the world. We work with the best resorts and property management companies, which allows us to remain at the top of our industry. Our agents need to be driven, organized, and have great interpersonal skills. Our bookings are done over the phone, but we don't do any cold calling; our customers come to us through either our online presence or word-of-mouth – which means that we have a large number of repeat clients. TLC gives you all the tools you need to sell, from in-office training to familiarization trip opportunities.
Ready to start a rewarding job as a vacation expert? You'll find our official job requirements here.
Sales Agent
Reporting to the Reservations Manager, this position is responsible for providing exceptional customer service to all inbound phone calls and website generated leads by actively listening and quickly identifying customer's needs. Since much of the work is done over the phone, agents need to have a pleasant phone voice and a professional but friendly attitude. Agents must be aware of all company policies, rates, events and promotions.
Responsibilities and Accountability:
- Act as a representative of the Company and upsell and promote all extra services that TLC offers from time to time. ex. Lift tickets, Travel Insurance, Shuttles, etc.
- Respond to calls and emails while maintaining standards provided and with an appropriate level of efficiency and sales technique.
- Effectively listen to clients and understand their needs.
- Provide appropriate reservations and/or booking solutions with a friendly and personalized approach. Process payments where required.
- Proper logging of information on calls received and maintenance of detailed and accurate internal records.
- Be able to transform telephone and email inquiries about accommodations into bookings and future business where available.
- Process reservations and accurately enter them into the reservation system provided.
- Resolve issues for customers even if they are not their clients.
- Councel clients on terms and conditions of travel e.g. cancellation policies.
- Perform other related duties assigned by the Management team.
Position Requirements:
- Must have strong interpersonal, communication and listening skills.
- Must have a passion for sales. Experience in sales is a definite asset.
- Must be able to learn and adapt quickly in a fast paced environment.
- Able to multi-task with exceptional attention to detail.
- Must have excellent time management skills.
- Previous experience in customer service is required, preferably in hotel reservations or front desk environment.
- Must have an excellent command of the English language.
- A second language is an asset.
- Above average computer skills are required.
- Be flexible with work schedule and shifts which will include weekends and holidays and varying work hours.
- Well organized and have strong decision making abilities.
- Patience and Empathy: Reservation agents might have to deal with confused or irate customers.
Education Requirements:
- Must have high school diploma or equivalent.
- Some college or university training is an asset.
- Courses in computers, languages and communications are an asset.
- Certified Travel Asociate (CTA) or Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) designation is a definite asset.
Content is very important in the online sales industry. Customers like to see the property they will be staying at and view resort features and amenities. Our Content Coordinators are responsible for updating and maintaining property photos and descriptions, as well as staying on top of renovations, changes, and new buildings. They assist with website maintenance, and help out with various tasks around the office when needed. Applicants must also be confident in solo and group projects as there are many projects that require different departments to work together. The team projects and solo projects will be happening at the same time, so good time management and great organizational skills are crucial. Other qualities you'll want to have are strong computer and communication skills, photo editing software experience, and the ability to have your ideas/work critiqued in a group setting.
To see the official requirements, click here.
Content Coordinator
Job Requirements:
- Must be self-motivated and able to work with minimal supervision.
- You need to be a self-starter.
- Strong team player as well as steady in individual projects.
- You will be an important part of many projects.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- You will be communicating through email and phone calls.
- Strong and current computer experience.
- Proficient with editing software such as Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.
- Minimum education: high school diploma.
- Post-secondary education an asset.
- Flexible to work various shifts depending on the company's needs.
- We are open 364 days a year.
- Be able to help out with IT and other office related tasks.
- Greeting visitors and answering company calls.
Your Qualifications:
- Have the ability to multi-task in a fast paced environment.
- You must be able to see projects through to completion.
- Have great time management skills to balance a varied workload.
- There are any number of projects being worked on at the same time; you must be able to adjust focus.
- Have powerful and accurate attention to detail.
- You must have a strong commitment to developing quality content for our website, internal systems, and customer communications.
What we offer you:
- Group benefits & health plan.
- Travel industry perks and incentives.
The Accounting team plays an integral role in driving the success of our company. This position requires formal education within the accounting field. You'll want to have ACCPAC experience with knowledge of accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll, and bank reconciliations. The majority of your time will be spent working with fellow coworkers or alone. TLC asks that our Accounting team is flexible to work various shifts depending on the company's needs, however, the majority of shifts are scheduled during normal business hours.
To see our complete list of requirements, click here.
Job Requirements:
- Minimum grade 12 education plus post-secondary education in a related field of study.
- Training in courses certified by the Certified General Accountants Association of Canada, Canadian Securities Institute, or the Canadian Bookkeepers Association would be an asset.
- Experience in Sage programs with knowledge of accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, and bank reconciliations.
- Flexible to work various shifts depending on the company's needs.
- We're open 364 days a year.
- Able to multi-task in a fast paced environment.
- Have excellent time-management skills.
- Excel in speed and accuracy.
Your Qualifications:
- Extremely organized and able to handle repetitive work.
- You take the initiative to tackle challenges and deliver results.
- You have a "can-do" attitude.
- You have a team-oriented work approach with the ability to work independently.
- Can organize and prioritize your projects to be highly productive.
- Have excellent interpersonal skills.
What we offer you:
- Group benefits & health plan.
- Travel industry perks and incentives.
Here at The Lodging Company we know that a great website is crucial to maintain a strong online presence. If you have training in programming and the computer sciences, you will appreciate the freedom offered in our IT Department. Our developers are constantly working to improve the user's experience, so there will always be the opportunity to enhance our systems. Applicants must have programming experience in Perl or similar language, and have strong knowledge of Linux servers and desktops.
To see the complete list of official job requirements, click here.
IT Department — Developer
Job Requirements:
- Must have post-secondary education in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Programming, or other comparable program.
- Equivalent experience will be considered.
- Must have programming experience in Perl or similar language.
- Be able to test and debug all systems and applications.
- Be able to develop web-based applications using MySQL, PostgreSQL, etc.
- Must have knowledge of Linux in server and desktop contexts.
- Be able to collect and document requirements from users and management.
- Be able to design efficient relational databases.
- Be able to employ revision control systems.
- Be able to optimize architectures for performance and reliability.
- Have strong communication skills.
Your Qualifications:
- You have a strong understanding of the software development cycle.
- You understand the benefits of industry best practices.
- You want to seek out opportunities to improve the user experience.
- You will want to start new projects and take the initiative to do so.
- Have a minimum 2 years programming experience in web-based languages or a 4 year degree.
What we offer you:
- Group benefits & health plan.
- Travel industry perks and incentives.
- Flexible scheduling.
Got what it takes? Send your resume and cover letter to us here. Please send files in either Word or PDF format.


text:
When a MacBook fails at my workplace, we, in the IT department*, swap the computer for another one and migrate the user's account over (using the Migration Assistant).
I have found lately that we are having problems migrating users from Mac OS X 10.5 systems (which is what we have licenses for) to other 10.5 systems, and haven't been able to figure out why.
Here's what I've determined:
Migration works perfectly when:
- I migrate from 10.4 to 10.5
- I migrate from 10.5 to 10.6
When I migrate from 10.5 to 10.5, I get:
- occasionally, the migration assistant refuses to recognize that I've plugged in another Mac in target disk mode.
- often, I can see the machine, and accounts that should reside on it, but they all show up as being 0 KB in size, and the migration assistant refuses to transfer a sum total of 0 KB.
- Distressingly, I've seen some accounts show up at what seems to be the right size, but other accounts, that only reside on the destination computer and aren't on the source computer at all, also show up!
- I have not been able to migrate using a network cable at all; even with the airports turned off and an ethernet cable between two MacBooks, after I type in the verification numbers shown on the destination onto the source, the two computers do not see each other.
I've wondered if our 10.5 image is messed up. For a time, I though that perhaps the older image, on the machines we were migrating from, is to blame. However, I see these sorts of issues using a freshly installed version of Leopard on both machines, either 10.5.0, or 10.5.8.
If I use the Setup Assistant (which occurs at first boot) to try to migrate files, it will claim that the other computer does not have Mac OS X installed. (Sorry, I don't have the exact wording handy).
[Incidentally, if no one has an answer, have other people managed to migrate users from Leopard to Leopard successfully? I could swear we've done it in the past, but I haven't been able to reproduce it!]
*: I am assuming this question fits here better than at serverfault, because it is a procedure regular users can perform.


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It sounds like something out of, well, a detective novel: the U.K.'s Sunday Times broke the news yesterday that Robert Galbraith, the "first time" writer behind the critically acclaimed crime novel The Cuckoo's Calling, was, in fact, the nom de plume of Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling. Galbraith was described as a former military police investigator with a surprising knack for language — that is, before "he" was unmasked as the megafamous author, who told the Times that writing under a fake name was "liberating."
As explained by the New York Times, a writer for the British paper received an anonymous tip via Twitter, in which a now deleted user claimed that Rowling was the real author of The Cuckoo's Calling. (Is it possible that the anonymous user was the book's publisher? As the New York Times notes, there's no way to rule it out.) Sunday Times editor Richard Brooks eventually confronted the publisher, but not before he investigated the similarities between Galbraith and Rowling.
One person involved in that process was Patrick Juola, a professor of computer science at Pittsburgh's Duquesne University, who was called in by the Times to analyze the Calling text.
(MORE: Lev Grossman Reviews The Casual Vacancy)
"The idea of looking at people's language to know who they are goes back to the Book of Judges," Juola says, referring to the history of the word shibboleth, the pronunciation of which was used to identify an enemy tribe in the biblical story of the Ephraimites. For his part, Juola has been researching the subject — now called forensic linguistics, with a focus on authorship attribution — for about a decade. He uses a computer program to analyze and compare word usage in different texts, with the goal of determining whether they were written by the same person. The science is more frequently applied in legal cases, such as with wills of questionable origin, but it works with literature too. (Another school of forensic linguistics puts an emphasis on impressions and style, but Juola says he's always worried that people using that approach will just find whatever they're looking for.)
But couldn't an author trying to disguise herself just use different words? It's not so easy, Juola explains. Word length, for example, is something the author might think to change — sure, some people are more prone to "utilize sesquipedalian lexical items," he jokes, but that can change with their audiences. What the author won't think to change are the short words, the articles and prepositions. Juola asked me where a fork goes relative to a plate; I answered "on the left" and wouldn't ever think to change that, but another person might say "to the left" or "on the left side."
As one part of his work, Juola uses a program — Java Graphical Authorship Attribution Program, which is a free download available for anyone to play around with — to pull out the hundred most frequent words across an author's vocabulary. This step eliminates rare words, character names and plot points, leaving him with words like of and but, ranked by usage. Those words might seem inconsequential, but they leave an authorial fingerprint on any word.
"Prepositions and articles and similar little function words are actually very individual," Juola says. "It's actually very, very hard to change them because they're so subconscious."
(MORE: Lev Grossman Talks to J.K. Rowling)
Such clues, Juola is careful to point out, do not necessarily constitute incontrovertible evidence. "It doesn't prove that [the Cuckoo author] was Rowling, but it's a starting point," he says. "In this particular case, I wasn't that certain at all." That's because Juola was provided with relatively few texts to compare against The Cuckoo's Calling: Rowling's The Casual Vacancy, Ruth Rendell's The St. Zita Society, P.D. James' The Private Patient and Val McDermid's The Wire in the Blood. Of those four, Cuckoo showed the highest similarity to Rowling's work, but that only means the author was more likely to be Rowling than to be one of three other writers.
"It's like DNA," Juola says. "If I find your DNA at the scene of a crime, I may be able to say that the chances are billions to one that it couldn't have been any other random person — but that doesn't prove it was you. It's just very strong evidence that the jury has to consider. And one of the things that they have to consider is the possibility that you have a twin that you don't know about."
But as limited as the evidence was, it apparently helped the Times reporters take their findings to Rowling's publisher, where they received confirmation of their hunch.
And, though the beginnings of forensic linguistics may be ancient, Juola says this kind of sleuthing may be on the rise. He traces the beginnings of statistical analysis of text back to the 19th century, but the limiting factors have always been time and energy. Even when computers became available to count words, running such a study involved manual entry of every word from the book. Running a study of The Cuckoo's Calling against four other novels would probably have taken a whole team of researchers days or weeks of tedious labor. With e-books readily available, almost any book can be quickly analyzed. Rowling only got a few months of anonymity, but even that period of secrecy may not long be possible for an author of her fame.
Which is too bad for authors looking for the liberation brought by a pseudonym — or maybe not so much. Since the Times unmasked Robert Galbraith, Amazon is reporting an increase of more than 500,000% in sales for The Cuckoo's Calling.


text:
If there are larger-than-life Life Is Better With Parrots Around Breeds shirt . chandeliers and shapeshifting. four-in-one dresses slowly making their way up the Met stairs, what's one to wear to all of the afterparties? Some doubled down on the theme last night at the gala, like Katy Perry who transformed into a hamburger (what else!). Solange and New York singer Princess Nokia set a more subtle standard for others to follow with their post-gala party looks from a few days earlier.Following Performance Space's Spring 2019 Gala, which Solange hosted, the two posed sweetly side-by-side in similarly skin-baring looks that conveyed a joyful, campy spirit.
Life Is Better With Parrots Around Breeds shirt, hoodie, sweater, longsleeve and ladies t-shirt
Solange attended the Met in a thigh-grazing custom snakeskin Ferragamo romper—she even handled a little python for a brief moment on the red carpet—and her party look was just as playful, with a strappy fishnet skirt that revealed her black underpinnings Life Is Better With Parrots Around Breeds shirt .Nokia on the other hand, went full mermaid in a semi-sheer, sequin Discount Universe gown that had "Not For Sale" in big red lettering spelled out across the midriff. The cowrie shells braided into her hair were a nice touch, too. In a sea of meme-worthy ensembles, Solange and Nokia were unsuspecting fashion sirens in their own right.When it came to dreaming up a look for this year's Camp-themed Met Gala, style innovator Sofia Sanchez de Betak didn't have to look far for inspiration while asking Spanish High-Street brand, Mango, to design her a showstopping dress. "Stylist Mimi Cuttrell who helped us develop the dress and concept proposed that we do the joke of dressing as a mango," recalls de Betak, the acclaimed fashion consultant, art director and, notably, Mango ambassador. "Obviously, I was a bit skeptical at first, but the challenge sounded fun, and we went for it."The result? An extravagant, multi-layered confection, which relies on a medley of orange hues, and takes the brand's tradition of Mediterranean style to an exaggerated, almost theatrical level. "I wanted to create a mango-inspired dress because I think it plays up the cheekiness and irony of camp," explains Cuttrell, who went so far as to have the frock's silk fabric hand-dyed to resemble the skin of the fruit.
You Can See More Product: https://stylet-shirts.com/product-category/trending/


text:
For those of you not following me on Facebook, as of the Summer of 2019 I've moved to Central WA, to a tiny mountain town of less than 1,000 people.
I will be covering my exploits here in the Cascades, as I try to further reduce my impact on the environment. With the same attitude, just at a higher altitude!
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Urban homesteading giveaway week!
To begin, I have an announcement. Last month this blog reached 2 million page views after going live almost four years ago. I can't believe that many people have stopped by (granted, many of them were looking for "goat porn") and I'm pleased to have a new crop of readers as well.
Starting tomorrow, in honor of preserving the freedom of urban homesteading, I'll be doing reviews and giveaways of a number of books and few something-somethings related to urban homesteading. (And, no, it won't be live chickens.)
Stay tuned for the fun and action!
24 comments:
Well you've really arrived although I thought you did that with the television show.
It is good to having you guiding all of our fledgling urban homesteaders down the path to freedom from commercial interests. - February 18, 2011 at 8:50 PM
- Crunchy Domestic Goddess said...
congrats on 2 mil! :)
and why aren't you giving away chickens? how about eggs? :) - February 18, 2011 at 8:58 PM
Darn there's no goat porn here?
- February 18, 2011 at 8:59 PM
- Green Bean said...
Congratulations!! I'll be back tomorrow to see what you are giving away - interested as long as it is not the goat porn!
- February 18, 2011 at 9:19 PM
- Darcy@SomewhatMuddledMusings. said...
But I specifically subscribed for goat porn and live chickens. Well, poo.
- February 18, 2011 at 9:47 PM
- ruchi said...
Even though this post is sadly lacking in porn, goat or otherwise, it made me smile. Congrats on being a 2 millionaire!
- February 18, 2011 at 10:29 PM
- Jenn said...
Congrats! Awesome news! I think I am up to 20 page views on my blog, in 4 years. :)
- February 18, 2011 at 10:46 PM
Hey, you can't say "goat porn" I've trademarked that! You have to say goat porn TM an initiative of the overblown ego institute.
- February 18, 2011 at 11:59 PM
Wow- congratulations!!
Sounds like a fun week. I'll be back! - February 19, 2011 at 5:26 AM
- petoskystone said...
congratulations on 2 million! shouldn't you get a gold record or something? ;)
- February 19, 2011 at 5:40 AM
- Chile said...
Way to go, Crunchikins! I am disappointed about the lack of chicken give-aways, though. Just yesterday, my sweetie and I talked about where we could maybe fit in a couple of chickens in the yard.
- February 19, 2011 at 5:43 AM
- Rivenfae said...
I think it's really cool you're going to be doing a give away.. it'll "get information out there" to people might not be able to otherwise get it!
- February 19, 2011 at 5:50 AM
- Sheryl Dutton-Ramos said...
Well, I'm glad to visit your site after reading your activity on the take back urban home-stead page. I love your dedication and sense of humor!
Check out my blog.
http://urban-farming-fl.blogspot.com - February 19, 2011 at 5:55 AM
- LynnieBee said...
WAHOOO!!! I just want you to know that even though I don't always comment, I am a faithful reader of your blog and I LOVE it :)
- February 19, 2011 at 6:59 AM
- El Gaucho said...
Found you on the FB Take Back Urban Homesteading page. Love the blog, and congrats on 2 million views.
- February 19, 2011 at 7:27 AM
- Jamie said...
Grats on 2 million! That's awesome. I've been following you for a few months now and you deserve a bit pat on the back!
- February 19, 2011 at 8:02 AM
- Laura Kaeding said...
Congrats, that is a huge accomplishment! Looking forward to the reviews to come, they are always extremely helpful and informative.
Also, goat porn? Still? You'd think the search engines would have realized... ah well. - February 19, 2011 at 8:36 AM
- Rev. Peter Doodes said...
As someone who has been following you before Bush was even a small shrub; well done!
2 million, WOW. Now, if we all contributed $1 each........ - February 19, 2011 at 9:40 AM
- Hippy Goodwife said...
I think you should reconsider the goat porn. Might be a nice side biz for you.
- February 19, 2011 at 10:59 AM
- Dmarie said...
*chuckle* love it that we stand to benefit while you dis the trademark debacle. well deserved on the milestone!
- February 19, 2011 at 11:08 AM
- Leslie Richman said...
Yay! Congrats on your blog growth.
- February 19, 2011 at 1:01 PM
- Crunchy Chicken said...
Ok, fine. You want goat porn. I'll give you goat porn. Jeesh.
- February 19, 2011 at 4:41 PM
- Nicole @ Some Call It Natural said...
What a great giveaway! Thank you.
- February 21, 2011 at 1:29 PM
- Justine said...
Congrats on your success! I've been following your blog for over a year and am really digging the redesign. Nice work!
- February 24, 2011 at 8:42 PM


text:
Red Sox Trainer Allegedly Gave Painkiller Injections Possibly In Violation Of State Laws
A former trainer for the Boston Red Sox administered frequent injections of a painkilling drug, a practice in violation of Massachusetts' law, Yahoo! Sports reported. Former Red Sox star Curt Schilling and other sources claim Mike Reinold, a trainer and physical therapist for the Red Sox who was fired after the 2012 season, injected players with the powerful painkiller Toradol. Massachusetts law prohibits such treatment.
"It is the board's position that athletic trainers are prohibited from using injectables," said Amie Breton, director of communications for the Massachusetts' Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulations.
Schilling and other sources claimed that trainers' use of Toradol is widespread in Major League Baseball. Schilling said he once couldn't move his head while with the Arizona Diamondbacks, but he went on to throw a one-hitter with 17 strikeouts after receiving an injection.
"I had a Toradol shot almost every single game for the last 10 years of my career," Schilling told Yahoo! Sports. "It was never administered by a doctor at home or on the road. I didn't think it was wrong."
Reinold told Yahoo! Sports: "Every medical treatment I provided was under the direction, authority and knowledge of a team physician and appropriately documented. Any suggestion to the contrary would be false."
Massachusetts officials have yet to investigate Reinold. The board could do so if it receives a formal complaint.


text:
A system that can recognize human gestures could provide a new way for people with physical disabilities to interact with computers.
Manolya Kavakli of the Virtual and Interactive Simulations of Reality Research Group, at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, says standard input devices—keyboard and computer mouse—do not closely mimic natural hand motions such as drawing and sketching, nor were they developed for ergonomic use or for those with disabilities.
She and her colleagues have developed a computer system architecture that carries out gesture recognition. In the system, the person wears DataGloves with illuminated LEDs that are tracked by two pairs of computer Web cams working to produce an all-round binocular view, which allows the computer to monitor the person's hand or shoulder movements. The input can then be fed to a program, a game, or simulator, or to control a character, an avatar, in a 3-D virtual environment.
"We developed two gesture recognition systems: DESigning In virtual Reality (DesIRe) and DRiving for disabled (DRive)," Kavakli says. "DesIRe allows any user to control dynamically in real-time, simulators or other programs. DRive allows a quadriplegic person to control a car interface using input from just two LEDs on an over-shoulder garment." For more precise gestures, DataGlove users can make gestures with their fingers.
The system architecture includes these components:
- Vizard Virtual Reality Toolkit, an immersive projection system
- VISOR, an optical tracking system—specifically the Precision Position Tracker (PPT) system
- And a data input system
Kavakli says the DataGlove input is simplistic at present, but future work will lead to an increase in sensitivity to specific gestures, such as grasping, strumming, stroking, and other hand movements.
The system is described in detail in a forthcoming issue of the International Journal of Arts and Technology.
"Gesture recognition in virtual reality" by Manolya Kavakli in Int J Arts and Technology, 2008, 1, 215-229.
Source: Manolya Kavakli
Inderscience Publishers
[Source: Medical News Today]


text:
Misdirection. What the eyes see and the ears hear, the mind believes. © Swordfish
Every face I see is cold as ice,
Everything I touch is pale,
Ever since I lost imagination.
Like a stream that flows into the sea,
I am lost for all eternity,
Ever since you took your love away from me.
Sometimes the sound of goodbye,
Is louder than any drumbeat.


text:
1999 Buick Regal Safety Features
Anti-lock brakes
ABS brakes automatically sense when a tire has stopped rotating under extreme braking, and will modulate the brake pressure to allow the tire to rotate. This increases the vehicles ability to turn while braking.
Front-impact airbags
Front-impact airbags for the driver and passenger have been designed to protect the head during a frontal crash.
Security system
The vehicle is equipped with an ignition disable device that will prevent the engine from starting if the correct original manufacturer key is not used.


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Preparing for your practical driving test in Stirling? Understanding the driving test routes can be a game-changer. In this blog post, we'll explore what driving test routes are, why they're important, where to find them, how to use them effectively, their frequency of use in the test, and the passing rate in Stirling.
What Are Practical Driving Test Routes?
Practical driving test routes are specific paths that examiners take candidates through during the driving test. These routes are designed to cover various road types and traffic situations, allowing the examiner to assess the candidate's ability to drive safely and competently.
Why Are Practical Driving Test Routes Important?
Knowing the test routes is crucial because it helps you prepare for the types of roads and traffic conditions you'll encounter during your test. Familiarity with the routes can reduce anxiety and increase your chances of passing the test.
Passing Rate of Driving Test in Stirling
The passing rate for the driving test in Stirling typically aligns with the national average of around 48.5%. Consistent practice and familiarity with the test routes can improve your chances of success.
Where to Get Practical Driving Test Routes in Stirling
Here are some reliable sources to find driving test routes for Stirling :
1. DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency): The DVSA sometimes publishes official test routes on their website.
2. Local Driving Schools: Many driving schools offer packages with detailed maps and test route instructions.
3. Online Platforms: Websites and applications like "RouteBuddy" provide up-to-date test routes for Stirling.
How to Use Driving Test Routes
To make the most of the test routes:
Practice Regularly: Drive the routes multiple times to become familiar with them.
Focus on Difficult Areas: Pay extra attention to complex intersections and challenging road conditions.
Simulate Test Conditions: Practice at times and under similar conditions to your scheduled test.
Frequency of Driving Test Routes Used in the Test
The DVSA does not use a fixed set of routes, but the routes are designed to cover a wide range of driving scenarios. Preparing for various roads and conditions is essential rather than relying solely on memorised routes.
Ready to master your driving test routes in Stirling?
Unlock your path to success with RouteBuddy – your ultimate guide to conquering the practical driving test. Gain access to up-to-date, detailed test routes tailored specifically to Stirling. Don't leave your success to chance – equip yourself with the knowledge and confidence you need to ace your test.
Buy RouteBuddy today and drive your way to success!
Understanding and practising the driving test routes in Stirling can significantly increase your confidence and likelihood of passing the test. Utilise available resources, practice thoroughly and approach your test positively. Best of luck on your journey to becoming a licensed driver in Stirling!


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An Anthology of Strange Tales
Selected by David Tibet
Sewn, clothbound HB 472pp,
210mm x 148mm,
£30 +p&p
500 signed copies, including an illustrated chapbook edition of Montague Summers' The Grimoire, and a surprise, available only via Strange Attractor Press
A paperback edition is available now from our webshop and from all good booksellers priced at £15.99
This edition is now sold out, but you can still buy the paperback at all good book shops.
We will be posting copies out from 18 April.
An anthology of strange fiction and hallucinatory tales, The Moons At Your Door collects chilling stories by many innovators of the weird whilst drawing attention to little-known and shamefully underrepresented or forgotten scribes of the macabre.
The Moons At Your Door collects over 30 tales, both familiar and unknown from:
Robert Aickman, Algernon Blackwood, DK Broster, AM Burrage, RW Chambers, Aleister Crowley, Elizabeth Gaskell, WW Jacobs, MR James, LA Lewis, Thomas Ligotti, Arthur Machen, Guy de Maupassant, Perrault, Thomas De Quincey, Saki, Count Stenbock and HR Wakefield. The volume also includes extracts and translations by the author from Babylonian, Coptic and Biblical texts alongside poems and fairy tales.
The book's cover features artwork by David and design by Ania Goszczyńska; the frontispiece also reproduces a painting by David.
About the editor
As founder of the Ultimate Hallucinatory SuperGroup Current 93, David Tibet's work as an artist and songwriter is widely known. His song cycles present a rich vein of ethereal imagery, arcane reference and the supernatural, creating their own sound-worlds of heart-felt and mysterious poignancy. The Moons At Your Door presents both a skeleton key to these domains and a gateway to the world of supernatural fiction.
David Tibet says about the book:
I fell in Love with The Moons whom I had heard and seen at my door when I was a young boy in Malaysia. I have brought together, in this work, many of the short stories and texts that have made me what I am and what I will be, and it gives an insight into my Spheres for those who wish to read what formed me. I have never tired of these works, which still move me profoundly, and I never will.


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A quick look at the stats for the still-in-beta PC game Minecraft reveals a very healthy business indeed. At the time of writing the game has 4,880,757 registered users of which 1,469,513 (30.1%) have bought the game. In the last 24 hours alone, 36,618 people registered for Minecraft.
But while virtually all other game developers would be complaining about a near 70% of their market being eaten away by parasites who could not care less about the gaming industry or the fate of those who work so hard for their entertainment, Minecraft creator Markus "Notch" Persson sees the situation rather more optimistically.
Speaking during the closing session yesterday at the Independent Games Summit, Notch dismissed the notion that piracy is the same as stealing, or 'looting' as incoming MPAA chief Chris Dodd framed it this week.
"Piracy is not theft," he said to those gathered in San Francisco. "If you steal a car, the original is lost. If you copy a game, there are simply more of them in the world."
With this kind of reasoning one could be forgiven for thinking that Notch has pirate sympathies but since he's a self-confessed member of the Pirate Party, that stance comes as no surprise.
"There is no such thing as a 'lost sale'," he added with a philosophy so Pirate-aligned it could be happily transcribed directly into any of their press releases. "Is a bad review a lost sale? What about a missed ship date?"
Notch was expected to talk about piracy for 5 minutes at GDC but in the event only managed about 3 minutes, describing the experience as "the scariest thing in a long time." But while he may have only utilized 60% of his available time, he appears to have packed in value and left people wanting more, which coincidentally is his game developers philosophy too.
"If you just make your game and keep adding to it, the people who copyright infringed would buy it the next week," he told those in attendance.
While anti-piracy zealots would insist that Minecraft has a 70% piracy or "lost sale" rate, Notch steadfastly sees his cup as rather more full than the raw percentages of his sales data may suggest, particularly by those viewing them from the perspective of an outdated business model. Indeed, despite this 'pro-piracy' stance, Minecraft's position continues to improve.
Back in September last year the game had 658,429 registered players, that's an increase of 4,222,328 in less than 5 months.
Currently 1,469,513 (30.1%) people have handed over money – in September that was 155,521 (23.62%) so its clear things are headed in the right direction. In the 24 hour period we examined in 2010, 4,910 people had bought Minecraft. Yesterday 10,381 did so.
"Piracy will win in the long run. It has to," said Notch last year. "The alternative is too scary."
If making truckloads of money is scary to Notch, he must be terrified right now.


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I like crowdfunding. Especially Kickstarter.
I love the idea of it. It's hard to make something interesting and cool these days - it costs serious money to make something, even something that's not meant to be pernament, so why not come up with a way to let a lot of folks who are interested put in a little money to help make it happen? If you can't find 1000 fans to put in $10, then maybe you should try something else, and if you can find those thousand people - or two thousand, or five, then something really cool can happen.
Here's a link to the article: https://www.newmediadenver.com/blog/using-haversine-formula-drupal7
I'm lucky enough to have started come across a recommendation of this book in another blog, and was up until about 12:30 last night finishing the damn thing, because I just had to stay on and see how it ended. So, I think it's pretty damn good. Plus, I'll warn you that this book won an Edgar award in 2013 for "Best Original Paperback", so apparently a bunch of other folks also liked it.
So, that's 2014.
Not a great year for the US in general, or for the world, but personally it went pretty well. My daughter started Preschool and daycare, which she's doing well at, which allowed my wife to look for a job which - as expected - mostly helps pay for the preschool. (Although preschool will get a little cheaper once we're done with toilet training.)
Also, Rose is continuing to grow and become more of a person, which is fantastic. She's now partially toilet trained, which is a great relief, and is really getting her alphabet and counting down. And she recognizes her name.
Well, it's been a very nice Christmas, although it looked a little touch-and-go for a bit.
Two weeks ago Rose started getting sick with a cold, a cold that then attacked Tammy and me with a vengeance. Where Rose was sick for a day or so, both I and my wife were stuck at home for two days, with me only returning to work at the tail end of the week by working from home.
(If you missed it, my previous post on this topic was Using Doctrine Migrations Without the ORM.)
So my previous blog post laid down a good start on how to use Doctrine to move changes to the database, but soon I ran into a new problem - what about when you have data to change in addition to changing the structure of the database? For instance, my first try at this was putting a default row of data into a new table, or maybe putting initial data into a new column?
My first try was simple, but unfortunately not quite right, I used the addSql() command:
class Version20140828145153 extends AbstractMigration
public function up(Schema $schema) {
<code that creates a new table>
$this->addSql("INSERT INTO <table> (this, that, theother) VALUES (...)");
Recently I was handed a PHP project at work which already existed but the owner wanted a variety of tweaks and improvements added to it. The project wasn't built with any framework I could name, and although it has a sort of MVC feel to it, is not strictly an MVC project.
It's been a while since I've remembered to blog... oh, well. Parenting is distracting.
This weekend's been fun. Yesterday we went out to see things - first we went by the Cherry Creek Farmer's Market, where we picked up some interesting pie and ravioli, and also found a really cute dress for Rose. We also got some neat snacks, nibbling on some Pirogi and Chinese dumplings.
Once we were done with that, we wandered off to the Valverde Bazaar, which was near enough to where we lived. Lots of interesting antiques, scrap, and various bits of art - my wife got a garden decoration made from sticking together various sunny plates and glass dishes, and I picked up four dark red scrabble tiles that spell out R-O-S-E... as well as looked over some really nifty typewriters. For some reason, I really like the idea of getting a nice looking typewriter.
An interesting weekend for gaming. This weekend is Tacticon/Railcon, the big train gaming event, so my wife went off to play and left me with Rose for two days. Which has been fun, but I'm already worn out. (The first day was Friday, so today she's spending time at home.)
With Rose both tired and a handful, I wasn't really able to visit the dealer's room at the convention when we dropped by yesterday, but I did pause momentarily at the table that Black & Read had to pick up the latest expansion for Netrunner. (I've been picking up the expansions, but haven't really had a chance to play. I probably should try playing online, but haven't been motivated to yet.)
My mother's in from out of town visiting, and we've been having a lot of fun. One of the most satisfactory things we've done together is what we did on Thursday, going to the first full day of the "Just Between Friends" consignment sale here in Denver. (If you're a parent, these things are magic - cheap used items (or cheap unused items) all in one place.)


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The Samsung Series 9 NP900X3D is an extremely portable 13-inch laptop that goes right up against the likes of the Asus Zenbook and Acer's Aspire S7.
This is the latest version of the Series 9, though the name has been around for a while now. As you'd expect, it includes Windows 8, an Intel Core i5 processor and a now standard 4GB of memory.
You'll be amazed at how thin the NP900X3D actually is when you hold it - just 13.2mm at its thickest point. It looks every bit as stylish as rivals such as the MacBook A ir, and competes favourably on price.
The Series 9 isn't a cheap laptop though, and has the specs you'd expect from a premium machine. It used to be the case that ultraportable laptops were somewhat underpowered, but thanks to processors that use less power but offer higher performance, this is no longer an issue.
Full HD screen
One area where Ultrabook laptops still lag behind larger machines is storage capacity - mainly because they use SSDs rather than hard disks for faster boot times and data retrieval. The Series 9 is equipped with a 128GB SSD, which is sufficient for most people's files and photos, but won't be enough if you need space for a lot of videos. The solution here is to add an external hard drive for use at home.
The screen on this model is delightfully bright for something so thin, although the 1,600 x 900 resolution is nothing special. We're starting to see more and more laptops coming onto the market with Full HD resolutions, but they tend to cost a good deal more than this.
The laptop's slim profile means that you'll need an external dongle to connect it to a wired network. There are only two USB ports (one of which is USB 3.0), a headphone jack, a memory card reader (hidden underneath the laptop) and a micro HDMI port for connecting the Series 9 to a desktop monitor.
In terms of battery life, we saw about six hours in normal use, compared to the seven and a half hours cited by the manufacturer.
Aesthetically pleasing
The only bum note in the Series 9's specification is in the choice of the processor. The NP900X3D features the Core i5-2537M, which is a powerful dual-core chip, but has been overtaken by later models.
It's also crucial to note that the HD 3000 graphics card has been replaced by the HD 4000. This won't cause an issue in use, but it's worth remembering when comparing it to models with newer Core i5 or Core i7 processors - the cheaper Toshiba Satellite Z930 is lighter and features the newer Core i5-3317UM chip.
You're definitely paying a premium for the design, but the Series 9 is really very aesthetically pleasing, making it a joy to use and carry. The keyboard and trackpad are very comfortable and you'll hardly notice it in a bag or case.
A 256GB black version, the NP900X3E, is also available, as is a 15-inch silver version, the NP900X4D.
Despite some issues, we believe the NP900X4D is a good buy, if not a truly excellent one. You won't walk out of the shop feeling like you've been ripped off, but you certainly won't feel like you've got the steal of the century, either.
We'd advise you to consider carefully whether you really need a highly portable and deliberately design-led laptop such as this. While we don't think you'll be disappointed in terms of quality, you may decide you're better off spending a lower price on a heavier laptop with more processor power, more storage and more memory.


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Iron Maiden Bust Brew Records With New 'Trooper' Ale
Iron Maiden's new foray into alcoholic beverages seems to be yet another smashing success for the legendary band. After unleashing news of their coveted 'Trooper' ale on the world, the response has been so positive that the brewery is having a hard time keeping up with the orders, and that's just keeping up with advanced requests before the beer is even on sale.
According to Classic Rock Magazine, Robinsons brewery boss David Bremner reports that in the demand for the 'Trooper' ale is "history in the making for brewing." Bremner has had to increase staffing to six days a week making three batches a day just to keep up with the advance orders that have been pouring in from over 100 countries.
With Bruce Dickinson and Iron Maiden involved in every step along the way from the recipe to selecting the brewery, they wanted to make sure they weren't just having their name thrown on a product he couldn't stand behind. "We were really keen to get stuck into the brewing process and not just have our name plonked on the bottle," explains Dickinson about the process for finding the right brewery. "I was impressed with Robinsons because they didn't instantly jump all over the idea. In fact, we ended up having to audition for them."
It's probably the first thing Bruce Dickinson has had to audition for in some time but he described the encounter as a very positive one. "We got together and did a blind tasting of about ten beers," he explained. "We impressed them with our beer knowledge and we proceeded from there."
From there they've managed to make brewing history with a signature, first-class ale named after one of their most powerful tunes. For more on Maiden's new brew, visit the official website, the ale is set to be made available worldwide in May.


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Hot fix L9L015 addresses the issue(s) in SAS/STAT 15.3 on Linux for x64 as documented
in the Issue(s) Addressed section of the hot fix download page:
The hot fix downloaded, L9L015la.zip, contains the updated files required to address
the documented issues.
Do NOT extract the contents of L9L015la.zip. The hot fix installation process will extract
the contents as needed.
After downloading L9L015la.zip, follow the instructions for applying hot fixes in the SAS Deployment Wizard and SAS Deployment Manager 9.4: User's Guide.
Please review the CONFIGURATION Important Note above concerning proper selection of the "Configure SAS Hot Fix" option in the SAS Deployment Manager.
The content of this hot fix is listed in the hot fix manifest.
This completes the installation of hot fix L9L015 on Linux for x64.
Copyright SAS Institute Inc. All Rights Reserved.


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This week in videogame blogging we cruise through some videogame music, take a look back at an overlooked classic, pick up a couple of excellent pieces we missed from last week and a Chick gets stood up by Sony. Onwards and upwards!
I suppose I shouldn't be surprised any more when videogame publishers do something like this but I had thought that after last years Gerstmann-gate saga that the industry had learnt a thing or two. I stand thoroughly corrected this week after hearing that Tom Chick was given the cold shoulder by Sony after publishing some "unfavourable" press about Sony's upcoming inFamous game. He turned up for an interview with a developer only to be told "Sorry, we don't want to talk to you anymore" after he published a list of "10 stupid things about inFamous" alongside a list of "10 cool things about inFamous". Apparently "fair and balanced" is not enough for the big ol' Sony. That or they're still smarting over his panning of Killzone 2.
Technically from last week, but good enough to warrant inclusion this week is Justin Keverne's 'Playing the Sex Card', in which he discusses playing as the racist, sexist, misogynistic protagonist in The Witcher. He makes a great point about how, if we are expecting games to evolve and mature, then we are going to have to get used to [edit: mature content] in them, much like in other media. He says,
If we want mature games in the truest sense of the word then at some point they will need to engage with themes of prejudice and intolerance. It stands to reason that such games will need to feature characters who are sexist, racist or otherwise prejudiced and offensive.
Also technically from last week is this piece by Nick Dinicola about 'Why you should care about Dom's wife'. Nick suggests that, in Gears of War 2, we are not playing the main character in the story. He says that,
If the story of Gears of War 2 was told in any other medium, Dom would be the main character because he's the only one with an emotional arc, an arc driven by his lost wife. We only think of Marcus as the main character because he's our avatar, but he's a static character with no development over the course of the game.
The idea that we don't have to play "the main character" in a game is one that I find extremely interesting and a great area for future exploration in games. Come to think of it, it actually reminds me of Tom Armitage's assertion that in Far Cry 2 the player's nemesis and target throughout the game, The Jackal, is actually the main character.
This week, Michael Abbott of The Brainy Gamer is at the 'Games for Change' conference, but before he left he introduced the metaphor of 'driving your first car through your old neighbourhood' for the playing through of old, vintage videogames. There is something immediately familiar about the experience of replaying an old game, but it's also not the same as it used to be – maybe the clutch sticks a bit more, maybe the windscreen is a bit dirty. It's a theme that John Walker mentioned as well in the latest Rock, Paper, Shotgun podcast, with his example being the early Ultima Underworld games and how one in particular has become "practically unplayable" in the intervening years.
Leigh Alexander still writes the oddest pieces for the Big K, this week interviewing Brooklyn based 'Anamanaguchi' in 'The chiptunes band that just might break through'.
While we're on the subject of music, Dan Bruno makes a triumphant return to blogging this week at Cruise Elroy with his latest entry in the 'Irregular Meter' series of posts. This time he looks at the use of irregular meter in music of the Warcraft series. Previous entries in the series covered irregular meter in Jet Force Gemini, Road Rash 3 and the Penny Arcade game and in Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VIII and IX. A great series for anyone interested in music and games.
This week the pre-eminent game satirists at Hard-Casual invent a situation in Counter-Strike wherein a mysterious player graffities some Dylan Thomas poetry onto a wall near a spawn point, leading to the debilitation of all players as they invariably stop to ponder its meaning.
"I just wish whoever's tag this is will tell us what the hell is going on," said Babyduck211. "I would really like to get back to not thinking."
It reminds me very much of the C-S art-project 'Velvet-Strike' which you should definitely check out if you've never heard of it. From the website description, Velvet-Strike is
A collection of spray paints to use as graffiti on the walls, ceiling, and floor of the popular network shooter terrorism game "Counter-Strike". Velvet-Strike was conceptualized during the beginning of Bush's "War on Terrorism." We invite others to submit their own "spray-paints" relating to this theme.
It's slightly hard for me to recommend this next entry – primarily because I haven't read it all, but you'll understand why when I say that it's apparently 14,000 words long. In the blog post-cum-short-story "Over and Under", Duncan Fyfe of Hit Self-Destruct writes about… well… it kind of defies encapsulation in 100 words, so you'll just have to try and wade through it yourself. I certainly plan to as soon as I work up the courage. You can take that as a recommendation of sorts.
This week's must read piece, and the last one on our list, is an essay on Final Fantasy VIII – the one that most people don't like. As the piece reveals, however, despite an awkward magic system and questionable English translation, it remains one of the most personal and affecting games of the series. It also suggests that the game presents one of the most convincing, lived in and explorable worlds and cemented Final Fantasy's visual and architectural style.
Balamb Garden is the epitome of the game's unique style: a massive, colorful building shaped like a mountain, with an illuminated halo-like structure hovering above it. It's a marvel of futuristic design that apes neither the bland sterility of Star Trek or Minority Report, nor the towering, baroque architecture of Blade Runner or Metropolis. The Garden looks almost organic, something both man-made and a part of the natural environment.
The real take-away, however, is that the game "starts off as an epic adventure and slowly reveals itself to be a character study" and the story is, for the main characters, that
the experience of warfare stole their childhood innocence and is slowly turning them into soldiers who have no purpose except the next battle. More than that, it's a commentary on how the responsibilities and pressures of adulthood can cause us to forget who we once were.
An absolute must read, even for those that aren't fans of the series in general or that entry in particular. I know it opened my eyes to why I personally found it so resonant, all those many years ago.
As always, if you have read a blog post or article that you found particularly excellent and would like to see it included in TWIVGB, feel free to leave a link in the comments or email us at editors@this-website.


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Powered by Powerkit
You need to install and activate our free plugin Powerkit to make this feature work.
You may install Powerkit from the list of recommended plugins in Appearance → Install Plugins or from the common plugins page in Plugins → Install Plugins.
Enhance your content presentation with a few nice extra content formatting features: numbered headings, styled lists, badges, drop-caps, and content blocks.
How to Use
The additional content formatting features are seamlessly integrated in the WordPress editor.
Do the following to apply them:
- Navigate to your post edit screen and click the Toolbar Toggle icon in the toolbar. It will expand the toolbar.
- In the second row click on the Formats button and then apply one of the content formatting options.
See this screenshot for details:
To cancel formatting, select the same option again.
In a written or published work, an initial or drop cap is a letter at the beginning of a word, a chapter, or a paragraph that is larger than the rest of the text.
There're a few Drop-Cap styles in the dropdown menu.
Call-Outs are used to highlight important and eye-catching text in your post content.
Enabling this style will make the text larger. You may also combine Call-Outs with the Block styles.
The Block styles enable highlighting a part of your page or post content by placing it in a container with specific styles.
There're a few options: borders, shadow, alignment or background of a block.
Numbered Headings
To place numbers inside your headings, simply click on the Formats button and select Numbered Headings, then select the heading level.
In the new block editor simply add the pk-heading-numbered
class to the Additional CSS Class field in the Advanced tab.
Styled Lists
You may add green check marks to your lists by applying the Positive List format, red cross marks by applying the Negative List format or neutral styles by applying the Styled List format.
These format options can be applied to lists only. If you select a different element in the WordPress editor, the options will be grayed-out. Make sure you create a normal list first and only then apply the format.
Badges are small labels that can be added anywhere in the text. To add a badge, wrap your text in a span element with two classes. See the example:
Hot
There're the following available variants: pk-badge-primary
, pk-badge-secondary
, pk-badge-success
, pk-badge-danger
, pk-badge-warning
, pk-badge-info
, pk-badge-dark
, pk-badge-light
WordPress 5.x.x Compatibility
Currently this feature is supported within the Classic block only. To add this feature in the newer WordPress block editor first insert a Classic block: