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I'm not given to searching the calendar for milestones, but it recently occurred that this month marks 25 years that I've been writing film reviews for Triangle readers. My stint began shortly after Spectator magazine–for which I was both a fledgling critic and neophyte arts editor–began publishing on November 15, 1978. The first movie I reviewed was Alan Parker's Midnight Express, scripted by a then-unknown screenwriter, Oliver Stone.
Speaking of milestones, the current month also marks five years of happy association with the Independent, as well as the 35th anniversary of my very first plunge into film criticism, a decade before my Spectator debut. That inaugural review–who knew where it would lead?–was written in November of 1968, when I was a high-school senior, and published in the school paper, for which I wrote a column on the conveniently broad and fashionably McLuhanesque topic of "media."
For years I gave out the story that my first review was of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Kubrick's masterpiece seems such a grand place to have started, and hazy memory helped me believe the tale myself. But a cache of recently discovered high-school papers revealed the truth: 2001 was the second movie I reviewed. Prior to that came a consideration of two now almost-forgotten films, Robert Ellis Miller's The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter and Richard Fleischer's The Boston Strangler. I preferred the latter, which seemed more fluent and dynamic due to being less constrained by its literary source material. Here's how my 17-year-old self began that first film review:
It is a safe bet that a good portion of the books on this week's best seller list will sooner or later be made into movies, because popular literature has long been a prime source of scripts for Hollywood. Directors and producers are constantly scanning the literary horizon, and every year the various film companies pay huge sums of money to acquire the film rights to certain books.
Nothing too profound there, admittedly, but my linking two otherwise very disparate films because they came from well-known books was not just a handy device learned early on. What interested me about these films was the ways their directors had been able, or failed, to transform their written sources into experiences that were persuasively cinematic.
Pondering that first critique, and the fact that that I've now been writing reviews for nearly half the history of sound movies (gulp!), about all I can say is "plus ca change." Because the two movies up for consideration this week, Peter Weir's Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World and Robert Benton's The Human Stain, in some ways remind me of that pair I first scrutinized: I walked out of both musing on their problematic ties to novelistic sources.
Renowned fiction, as opposed to pliable pulp, is a double-edged sword for filmmakers. While it may contain strong story elements, it's often neither as dramatic nor as visual as movies require, yet moviemakers can't reshape it too much for fear of outraging its admirers. This dilemma ends up hamstringing the makers not only of Master and Commander but of The Human Stain as well. The latter film, however, only cost Miramax $24 million to make.
Master and Commander represents a much larger set of worries for 20th Century-Fox, for the same reason that the studio was obliged to mount the movie in partnership with Universal and Miramax: It cost $135 million to produce. Even in an era of ridiculously inflated budgets, that's still a staggering amount for any movie not based on a comic book and aimed at "post-literate" 12-year-olds from Boston to Borneo.
I wish I could say I thought Fox's chances looked better, because Master and Commander has all the earmarks of a great, intelligent high-seas adventure for grownups, and it is beautifully made. Derived from two of the 20 acclaimed Patrick O'Brian novels centered on the friendship of two Napoleonic-era British seamen, Captain "Lucky" Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe) and ship's-doctor/naturalist Stephen Maturin (Paul Bettany), the film opens as the duo's vessel, H.M.S. Surprise, is sent to the coast of Brazil to intercept a French warship, the Acheron, which is faster, more modern and carries double the crew.
When the Acheron emerges suddenly from a cloud bank and launches a devastating surprise attack on the Surprise, we're off to the kind of cracking good start that wouldn't be out of place in any Star Wars or Star Trek sequel. This being 1805 rather than the future, though, our equivalents of Kirk and Spock are not able to shift into warp speed or beam aboard, say, an attractive female Klingon for advice. What follows, instead, is a long and circuitous chase-odyssey that takes us around Cape Horn and past the Galapagos Islands (where Maturin attempts to become a proto-Darwin) until the two ships at last have their final face-off. During all this time the only female we see is a woman glimpsed by Aubrey for approximately three seconds (you can bet her image is in all of the film's trailers and TV ads).
I would guess that admirers of O'Brian's books (which I haven't read) will be captivated by the aura of fidelity, the lavish realism and sumptuous production values of Master and Commander. From The Last Wave through The Truman Show, Peter Weir has proved himself a master at integrating human predicaments into unusual physical environments. By any measure, his efforts at bringing to life seaborne warfare of two centuries ago could hardly be more handsomely realized; besides all the zeal for accuracy that characterizes its design, and the subtle splendor of Russell Boyd's photography, the movie sets a new standard for meshing virtually undetectable special effects into its spectacular battles and storms. In addition, Weir gets topnotch performances out of Crowe and the rest of his cast.
Yet all those virtues together are so far from adding up to a great movie that one must wonder of this film's studio sponsors: What were they thinking? In recent years Hollywood has determined that most audiences don't like historical movies, and thus "costumers" are seldom made unless they contain such tried-and-true elements as a strong love interest or a great villain. Scoff if you like, but those staples tend to assure that a film will have, above and beyond the kind of period accuracy that only geeks care about, an undercurrent of passion that gives the story a compelling "through-line. "
Master and Commander has no such passion, no such through-line, no real wit nor particular dramatic cleverness or historical resonance. Though it meanders from the Atlantic to the Pacific, it leaves an audience's emotions becalmed. Why, then, does it exist, beyond the fact that certain producers loved O'Brian's fiction and were able to sign up the star of Gladiator? Good question.
This quietly damning anecdote comes from Newsweek: "When Weir first met with screenwriter John Collee, Collee suggested that he and Weir spell out what the movie was really about, "a kind of mission statement,' Weir says. "I said, "It's about these two men and they're on this journey." And he said, "Yes, but beyond that. What's it saying?' And I said, "Well, I'd hate to think of that. I haven't the faintest idea.'"
After 35 years writing about Hollywood's missteps, I've evolved a few simple rules for the moguls, which I offer them free of charge. Here's one: No studio should spend $135 million on a movie whose director hasn't "the faintest idea" what it's about. Brilliant, no?
One thing that's changed since I began reviewing is that everyone now knows too much about the commercial side of moviemaking. As a consequence, the new Miramax release The Human Stain arrives with a tainted reputation due to its tepid reception at September's Toronto Film Festival, which was widely noted. As a result of the bad buzz, The New York Times reported last week, the studio is hustling the movie into theaters double-time while shifting its Oscar hopes to another Kidman vehicle, Anthony Minghella's adaptation of Raleigh author Charles Frazier's Cold Mountain.
Robert Benton's adaptation of the Phillip Roth novel hinges on a secret that is revealed almost an hour into the film. Most reviews tell you this secret up front, but I think that's a shame and I'll avoid the tip-off while urging interested filmgoers to see the movie before reading or hearing too much about it.
Suffice it to say that The Human Stain opens as a Jewish liberal-arts professor at a Northeastern college, played by Anthony Hopkins, is drummed out of his position by craven faculty enforcers of political correctness. Because two of his students never showed up for class, the prof referred to them as "spooks," which is interpreted as a racial slur although he sensibly claims that, having never seen them, he had no way of knowing the students were black. Hearing of his shame, the prof's wife collapses and shortly dies.
Sometime later, he begins an improbable but invigorating affair with a local woman, played by Nicole Kidman, who is well-born but white-trash bred and burdened with the psychotic attentions of her ex (Ed Harris). Due to this volatile situation, which the prof relates to a writer friend (Gary Sinise), our protagonist is propelled into pondering his long-guarded secret by thinking back on his younger days as an aspiring scholar and boxer (here he is played by Wentworth Miller, a young actor who gives an excellent, career-launching performance).
With a recurring emphasis on the issue of race, this is provocative, richly human material of the sort that American movies now give us too infrequently. So why did critics sniff at the film in Toronto? Many reviews complained that Hopkins and Kidman were miscast and unbelievable in their roles. I disagree. I thought both stars were fine, understanding that the roles needed to be cast with stars for financial reasons. In fact, my hunch is that people who complained about the movie's leads simply chose an obvious target when the real problem was so subtle as to be almost subliminal, and came from the film's adherence to its literary source.
Put simply (and without revealing details) The Human Stain resolves itself not through its two main characters but through the secondary characters played by Sinise and Harris. You can do that and have it "play" in a book, but, movie-wise, it is still a non-starter–or non-finisher, to be more accurate. Granted, there are other aspects of the film that make it seem creakily "novelistic" in the negative sense, but the filmmakers' most crucial problem, in my view, lay in not imagining the story's climax and conclusion in a way that satisfies the demands of both cinema and drama. That's a tricky task, and it may require more liberty-taking than most authors will countenance. But it's better than having moviegoers walk out of the theater suspecting that the book must have been better.


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War Merit Cross 2nd Class with Swords replica,made with copper.War merit cross(Kriegsverdienstkreuz) was created by Adolf Hitler in October 1939,it was awarded to german military personnel and civilians for meritorious service at the front or behind the lines.It has three classes:War Merit Cross 2nd Class, War Merit Cross 1st Class, and Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross.War Merit Cross with swords was given to soldiers for exceptional service "not in direct connection with combat".Soldiers who earned the War Merit Cross 2nd Class with Swords wore a small crossed-swords device on the ribbon.
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PİCK UP (BETWEN ) : 08:30 – 08:50 am
DEPARTURE TİME : 09:00 am
RETURN TİME (BETWEEN ) : 18:00 – 19:00 pm
The tour including visiting ( Istanbul Aquarium , Tourium Mall , Aqua Marine )
In this tour you will visit the most intertaiment palces in İstanbul for the children and adult olso.
İstanbul Aquarium : Istanbul Akvaryum holds a leading position among worldwide aquariums thanks to its volume, variety of fish species, and the activities on travel routes. It is a project which makes "firsts" and "mosts" in its field. The visitors, by following a geographical route, travel on a route that hosts 16 themes and 1 rainforest going from the Black Sea towards the Pacific.In thematization of the spaces, there appear cultural, geographical, historical and architectural properties of each space with suitable decorative elements, interactive games, movies, and visual graphics by which details about the region are provided. Sound and lighting systems of each space have been arranged in conformity with this thematization.
Aqua Marine : The biggest Water Games Entertainment Center in İstanbul , 3500 m3 and 2500 m2 olympic swimming pool and swim freely in a semi Olympic swimming pool , enjoy the boating in the river you can enjoy rafting along th 90 m .
Torium mall : Turkey has opened the largest indoorentertainment center . Shopping centers, theme parks which is the first company to integrate Starpark, in this mall we will visiting Snowpark and enjoy four seasons winter sports and snow tol ive entertainment .
Not : In winter visiting shopping mall instead the Aqua marina.


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Allgemeine Angaben
Job Kategorien
• Evaluation of many different task types including Music & Video judgements across media domains
• Evaluation of App Store Content search results
• Research using online tools to determine and judge the intent and accuracy of queries
• Applying market knowledge with provided guidelines to judge the relevance and intent of task information for your market
• Familiarity with current Music & Video trends
• Strong attention to detail and excellent communication are essential
• Ability to work independently and flexibility to new techniques/processes
• Preferred level of education/certification - High School degree or higher
• Further opportunities may arise to contribute to other tasks on a freelance basis
What are the main requirements for the job?
• Fluency in English and Cantonese is essential
• You must be living in China for a minimum of 1 year
• Preferable candidates will have a keen interest in Music & Video
• You must have familiarity with the App Store
• Pass online evaluations to demonstrate capability of reading and applying the guidelines
• Experience/know-how of Apple products mandatory
• Your email address must have an associated Apple ID
• A keen interest in Internet research
• Access to and use of a broadband internet connection and associated computer and software to perform the work, all provided at your own expense
Zusätzliche Stellenbeschreibung
The position will allow you to work from home on a flexible schedule completing tasks in a web-based evaluation tool.
EEO Statement
Explore the possibilities at TELUS International. We love to see you grow and develop both personally and professionally. Find jobs that match your skills to build a career that excites you. Join our Talent Community to receive Newsletters and jobs alerts based on your profile and interests. Come learn how!


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Cambridge International Examinations prepares school students for life, helping them develop an informed curiosity and a lasting passion for learning. It is part of Cambridge Assessment, a department of the University of Cambridge.
Vocab Express includes most of the vocabulary from the Defined Content Minimum Core Vocabulary lists from the Cambridge IGCSE® syllabuses listed below. Note that the English translations of the core vocabulary have been provided by Vocab Express.
® IGCSE is the registered trademark of Cambridge International Examinations.
The courses from Cambridge in the panel on the right are included on Vocab Express.


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I've been playing this game on and off again ever since it came out on March 20th, and I'm very impressed with the scope and depth of its gameplay. Having played and enjoyed its predecessor, Morrowind, I had high expectations for Oblivion, and wasn't disappointed at all with Oblivion. Like Morrowind, (and most serious single-player RPGs), Oblivion requires a lot of time to get into and enjoy – it's not really that type of game that lends itself to short 20-minute gaming sessions.
However, those of you who invested a lot of time in Morrowind and have gotten used to its style of play will be rewarded, since Oblivion doesn't fundamentally change this. Pretty much the same types of races are available, as well as the same system for class creation. (You can either use a predefined class or make your own, which I suspect most people will do.) Most of the same skills are present, and the attributes are identical – for the most part, the major changes are the improved graphics and the changed interface for managing your character's journal, quests and inventory. For the most part, these UI changes are for the better, except for the large default font-size used in the screens.
From this, it's clear to see that the oversized fonts were designed with the XBOX 360 and consoles in mind, where typically you have to worry about someone playing the game on a TV that doesn't have the best resolution. PC gamers don't have this worry since typically even the lowest PC resolution is better than a standard TV's. This resulted in screens that don't display enough information; for example, you have to scroll once you have more than 4-5 items listed in your inventory.
Thankfully, Oblivion is mod-friendly, perhaps even more so than Morrowind. This is evidenced by the appearance of over 1000 mods since the game debuted – no small feat! One of the quickest mods to come out was BTMod, which changes the UI screens to use a smaller font so more information can be shown at once to make the game more PC-friendly. Since then, other UI mods have come out to further tweak the display of screens.
Other mods have also come out, even major ones that change the fundamental gameplay and levelling of Oblivion. You see, Oblivion has a distinct levelling system where NPCs also increase in level as you do – so monsters you fight at level 24 are tougher than those you face at a beginning level. The idea is to keep the game challenging, but it does decrease the sense of accomplishment – after all, everyone wants to level up and become a demi-god that can toss around guards like sandbox toys, right? Oblivion's default levelling system makes this much more harder, and may diminish the sense of accomplishment. Again, modders have come to the rescue, and Oscuro's Oblivion Overhaul fixes many of these problems.
This isn't the end of it though, as with the many Oblivion mod sites (Oblivion Mod Wiki, TESSource File Database), you're sure to find something that adds to, or changes Oblivion to your liking. Personally, I'm having enough fun with the original game that I doubt I'll have time to fully try out every good mod out there! If you're enjoying this game, don't forget to check out OblivioWiki for help or information about the game or quests that are troubling you.


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Introduction (00-00)
Renaissance Pictures (00-00)
Composition (00-00)
Lighting (00-00)
The Small Picture (00-00)
The Big Picture (00-00)
Camera as Viewer (00-00)
Camera as Observer (00-00)
Camera as Painter (00-00)
The Language of the Gaze (00-00)
Appendix (00-00)
Jo was mesmerized. She couldn't tear her eyes away. [Note 01]
Gabrielle under "Obsession", looking at her reflection and creating the legend of Narcissus
[01] This is what I see when I look at Xena: Warrior Princess:As an amateur photographer, the quality of lenses used is impressive. The sharpness of focus and the depth of field are superb. In a lot of cases the lighting is good; in some cases it is spectacular. With the proper equipment, á la Bladerunner (Scott, 1981), it might even be possible to magnify a reflection in a smooth surface in a scene, a surface such as the cornea of an eye or the jewel of an earring, apply the appropriate anamorphic transformation, and see what the camera operator's face or hat looks like.
[02] As the episodes paraded across the television screen over the years, an inkling slowly began to form about what was happening photographically. The first clue noticed was in THE BITTER SUITE (058/312) when Xena spun the Illusia-Callisto off into a corner. It looked like a painting.
(Click on graphic for a larger picture (128K))
[03] The second clue noticed was on a third or fourth re-viewing of BEEN THERE, DONE THAT (048/302), at the Argo funeral-pyre scene. Joxer moving on the horizon; Gabrielle motionless and almost invisible in the darkness beyond the firelight; and Xena seated. It was composed like a picture in an art gallery. Some memories from art classes began to flicker into life.
[04] But two times is coincidence, I thought.
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[05] Three times and there is definitely something going on.
[06] The penny eventually dropped with the opening title of A TALE OF TWO MUSES (074/406). With the composition, lighting, perspective, subject matter, even the range in the brightness spectrum from the brightest light to the deepest dark, the conclusion is unmistakable: we are looking at a Renaissance painting.
[07] Renaissance artistic rules (there are such things) are being followed. Also, an iconic visual language is being used to tell a story.
[08] In the center, attracting the viewer's attention first according to this visual language, there is a small group - three figures standing quietly, watching and waiting patiently, confident yet polite: Xena, Gabrielle, and Argo. They are neither out in the full harshness of the desert visible in the distance; nor have they been welcomed fully into the sheltering shade of the city. They are in limine, on the threshold. They are visitors waiting to be invited in.
[09] The place is ancient - it has ruins. It is also a cared-for habitation - the paving stones have been swept of sand. The strong contrast between the inhospitable "outside" and the relatively comfortable "inside" implies that survival will depend on cooperatively following a set of rules, more or less accepted by the denizens as a whole. Contemplating the fountainhead of such rules caused much philosophical discussion in the real Renaissance. Here in this episode, that fountainhead turns out to be a Muse, Calliope ("beautiful voice").
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[10] Closer to the viewer, and so having larger figures in perspective, is another small group: Tara and two males. Their posture hints at a fairly serious conversation, with some hesitancy, especially on Tara's part. Tara is standing on the outer, as if she too were recently arrived, but not as recently as our three girls. The episode will deal with her position in the city literally and metaphorically.
[11] Closer still, there is a more relaxed group: citizens of the city going about their everyday business, having just encountered each other in the street, probably discussing the value of grain or suchlike, comfortable in each other's presence.
[12] By the closeness of their members and the distance between groups, the groups are implied to be family units, if not by blood, then by a shared bonding. This episode is going to be a story about family values.
[13] There is a post-modernist twist present as well. On the one hand, keep in mind that a real Renaissance painting would have taken a large investment of effort to bring to completion. On the other hand, remember the images of the Zen monk patiently raking contemplative patterns in the sand garden of his temple. Now consider the set-dresser holding the broom on this episode.
[14] Creating the frames that form the title shot would have taken a Renaissance amount of investment and the patience of a Zen monk: all to produce something more ephemeral than a sand garden raking.
Renaissance Pictures
[15] Even three times could be a coincidence.
[16] A quick random sample reveals that there really is an intention at work: RenPics has Renaissance pictures all over the place. Someone who has been trained in the arts has a guiding hand in things. There is a skill at work. In fact, there are many skills.
[17] The best place to look for pictures is what I will call the "settle frame", the pause at the end of a camera track or pan.
[18] Composition, lighting, subject matter, perspective, angle of view and other things combine together in a harmonious way to form a composition.
[19] Composing, that is placing and positioning of the subject matter, is one of the foundations of a painting.
[20] For example, the opening title from VANISHING ACT (066/320) contrasts Xena's stillness, balanced poise, and attitude of patronage (to coin a phrase) against Autolycus' defensiveness, movement and shifting of his weight. Meanwhile, a triangle of bystanders draws the eye upward to the top of the ship's ramp. Autolycus is caught between the viewer and those on the ship, as well as by Xena and the people on the wharf.
(click on the graphic for a larger picture (137K))
[21] In the example from FINS, FEMMES AND GEMS (064/318) (see graphic below), Gabrielle is decoratively applying crushed worms/berries to her lips while using Xena's sword as a mirror. Xena is fishing. (Don't ask: it is a nice long and complicated story involving the North Star and the Goddess of Love. Check out the episode guide.)
[22] Note the yin-yang position of Xena and Gabrielle with respect to the edges of the picture, that is with respect to the camera's own "frame".
[23] Note also the detail of the bark container, a coolamon, beside Gabrielle on one side, and the chakram, staff and sword scabbard dropped, temporarily forgotten, in the sand on the other side. Plants provide a background for Xena, and sand a background for Gabrielle. Gabrielle is seated, Xena is standing.
[24] The implied direction of movement is also composed. In fact, it is a curve from Gabrielle's lips to the object of Xena's gaze. Imagine if either Xena or Gabrielle were facing the other way, to our right, instead of the way they are. The resulting direction of movement would not be a harmonious one.
[25] Also, Xena's fishing kite's control rods, from their carvings and handgrips, imply they have their own story to tell, adding a layer of iconic depth.
(click on the graphic for a larger picture (126K))
[26] The following image, from DESTINY (036/212), is balanced foreground to background, and left to right, and top to bottom. Caesar's right arm joins the two sides together visually as well as framing the background soldiers. The waves intersect the line-of-sight between Xena and Caesar at the center of the picture. There is a Celtic intricacy melded in several dimensions with a Roman architectural simplicity in this picture. Trying to take a photo like this in real life is an achievement.
[27] Lighting and illumination were important topics for Renaissance painters. Perspective was being re-discovered at the time, and the behavior of light and light beams were being explored. A single candle could illuminate the subjects of a painting, or the reflections in a mirror would reveal the artist and their easel.
[28] Xena has numerous examples of moonlit or campfire-lit scenes. The most extreme example in terms of light is the "It was a dark and stormy night" scene from TAKES ONE TO KNOW ONE (087/419) as Xena is riding home to Amphipolis.
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[29] Xena is quite adept as using light. Almost any scene illustrates this, for example, Gabrielle contemplating the raven lock in THE RHEINGOLD (119/607).
[30] Note the range in brightness from the white of the candle flames to the black of the background. This picture is also composed along the lines of the Golden Mean as well. The choice of a golden ambient light is also deliberate.
The Small Picture
[31] The camera can be more intimate than a painter would ever think of, for example this picture below from PARADISE FOUND (081/413), with a flower on one side and flowers on the other.
[32] Again, the positioning, lighting, color scheme and visual textures creates a composition where the elements are in harmony with each other and the frame.
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[33] Candid photos, where the photographer does not position subjects or otherwise actively compose the shot, are an easy by-product of modern cameras. For example, look at the photo below of Joan of Arc and Pocahontas playing cards in Mattie's waiting room in DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN (090/422). It is a nice touch story wise, because neither of them would have been able to read originally, or at least read waiting room magazines.
[34] Of course, this is not a real candid photo: it was composed, set up, lit, and directed (by the subject of the last photo).
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The Big Picture
[35] A characteristic of Renaissance pictures, not often realized today, is that they were intended to be big, to cover an entire wall or ceiling, to be literally a "big picture", one that was too big to take in at one glance, even from the other side of the room. Cameras can emulate this with long-distance shots and wide-angle, for example, like this establishing shot of Najara beginning her ride downhill in CRUSADER (076/408).
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[36] A painting that covered a wall would have a lot of detail in it that would keep the eye occupied for a good while. Here is a Xena equivalent, in this "Where's Xena?" shot with Gabrielle showing off a potential new hat to Xena in a crowded marketplace in THE LAST OF THE CENTAURS (129/617).
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[37] Another big picture type in the Renaissance was the one that documented the city as the artist found it, or was paid by a patron to see it. A Xena example is the city of Rome as seen in WHEN FATES COLLIDE (130/618) in this computer impression after the design department received their payment.
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[38] Simplicity as well as sophistication was chronicled by painters. A Xena equivalent is this night scene of camping out in the desert in LEGACY (117/605).
Camera as Viewer
[39] Besides presenting a view in general, where the camera location has no significant meaning in itself, the camera can present the view of a scene as a character or other participant in the scene would see it.
[40] Here are some examples of Xena's viewpoint.
[41] Of Gabrielle after getting off on the wrong foot in ONE AGAINST AN ARMY (059/313).
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[42] Of Gabrielle the fishing assistant in FINS, FEMMES AND GEMS (064/318). Note the rippling wavelet generated in reaction to Gabrielle's act of reaching higher.
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[43] Of Gabrielle as targeted prey and Xena as the predator in THE BITTER SUITE (058/312). Note the looking direct into the camera. The camera is explicitly standing in for Xena here.
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[44] The camera also shows us what Gabrielle sees too, for example, the treetop-cam of FINS FEMMES AND GEMS (064/318).
(click on the graphic for a larger picture)
[45] Usually the camera is in Unspoken-Friend mode, as a non-speaking participant in the action, as if it were another actor on the scene, like this spring-side scene in ONE AGAINST AN ARMY (059/313) as the women listen to someone with important news about an invading army.
(click on the graphic for a larger picture)
[46] Or this fireside scene later in the same episode. The camera's position is the same as the one that a pet dog or a child or travel companion would occupy if Xena and Gabrielle had one.
(click on the graphic for a larger picture)
[47] Almost the same composition as the previous image, but with small crucial differences, conveys distance instead of closeness. It is a scene from DEVI (082/414).
[48] The camera takes a view from the ceiling, like a bat, in PARADISE FOUND (081/413).
[49] The camera is the rabbit or tortoise earlier in the same episode:
[50] The camera is the fifth wheel in MANY HAPPY RETURNS (131/619).
[51] And there is a cheeky playfulness in where the camera comes to rest when tracking through Aphrodite's temple in THE QUILL IS MIGHTIER...(056/310).
Kevin Smith was a well-rounded actor who had a good sense of humor.
Camera as Observer
[52] The camera is more than just a viewpoint. Sometimes it is the viewpoint of a non-speaking participant at the scene who is within touching distance of the main characters.
Example 1
[53] When Xena and Gabrielle first encounter Najara in CRUSADER (076/408), the hillside they meet on is bathed in light. Najara is facing into the sun, and Xena and Gabrielle are in shadow. The camera looks from one side of the conversation to the other, like a bystander.
(click on the graphics for a larger picture)
[54] The conversation continues for several beats with the camera following the words. Then in a piece of subtle choreography the participants swap sides as Najara begins to ride off. Xena and Gabrielle end up facing the light. Najara pauses, turns back, and invites Xena and Gabrielle to accompany her. As she does so, she is looking down on them and it is her turn to be in shadow, in the darkness. Perhaps serendipitously, perhaps deliberately, this sets up a visual version of the motif of the episode. Najara's theme is about sending people "into the light"; Xena and Gabrielle are already there, because of her.
[55] There is also a practical reason for the camera's starting position here. If Najara was on the camera's left, on this hillside the crew's shadows would fall across the scene and break the spell.
Example 2
[56] In ONE AGAINST AN ARMY (059/313), in the ruins of a settlement, Xena finds a phial that contained the remedy for the poisoned dart that hit Gabrielle. The phial is broken.
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[57] There are no words spoken in that moment. Both Xena and Gabrielle realize that time has run out.
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Example 3
[58] Sometimes the camera can speak - not verbally, but in how it frames the shots. In one scene in MANY HAPPY RETURNS (131/619), Xena is talking to Aphrodite. Meanwhile, Argo II is waiting patiently in the background, swishing her tail.
[59] The camera then shifts to Aphrodite as she responds to Xena's suggestion. Meanwhile, in the background Gabrielle is waiting patiently, scratching her head with the point of one of her sais.
[60] There is an equation to be made here, perhaps something about Aphrodite's heifers or steeds, and it would be a brave person who would utter a phrase with the words "riding Gabrielle" in it. Best leave it unsaid and just smile. A little bit of visual innuendo is enough. A nod is as good as a wink to a blind horse, as the proverb says.
[61] The camera moves on to paint another picture.
Camera as Painter
[62] The camera can also paint. In a surprisingly large number of these outputs, the resulting still is good enough to frame or put in a gallery.
[63] Here are some examples chosen at random.
[64] In KING CON (061/315), Xena and Gabrielle encounter the consequences of ruffians and determine to do something about it:
(click on the graphic for a larger picture)
[65] In CRUSADER (076/408), Najara and Gabrielle talk by the lake:
(click on the graphic for a larger picture)
[66] In LEGACY (117/605), the guests for the night:
[67] In THE RHEINGOLD (119/607), the lonely Valkyrie by the campfire:
The Language of the Gaze
[68] The camera can do more than paint a picture. The camera can invite the viewer into a scene.
[69] Consider its placement during the banter at the start of MANY HAPPY RETURNS (131/619). The camera is at a distance from Gabrielle that a close family member or friend would be. It is also at an eye-level that a close family member or friend would have. There is a comfortableness in its placement, looking up to Gabrielle and across to Xena, rather than looking from an arbitrary position like the camera operator's shoulder.
[70] The banter continues across a series of images, paralleling the conversation, which happens to be about no practical jokes for Gabrielle's birthday; and Xena promises.
[71] A sequence of images can go one stage further, to beyond a mere sequence. It can allow a dynamic to develop as one image creates itself in response to another image. From that dynamic, in turn, a more involved story can emerge than from just one picture alone.
[72] For example, in MANY HAPPY RETURNS (131/619), Gabrielle's curiosity is piqued by Gennaia's slightly anomalous facial expressions. They are not entirely consistent with what Gennaia is talking about. Note Xena's location and the camera's height and position.
[73] Finally, Gennaia cannot help herself and she blurts out a remark about Gabrielle's eye.
[74] Gabrielle is surprised and there is the beginning of a look of retribution on her face. She is on her own here. Visually, Xena has stepped out of the picture (for good reason).
[75] And so that next thing that happens is ...? We are able to anticipate what kind of action Gabrielle's next action is going to be. And so the story goes on.
[76] A story is a concept or idea that teaches us the language that it requires to become an idea that can be thought, and that would never have been thought in the first place had the story not existed. Like a magnetic field creates the electric field that creates the magnetic field, the one would not exist without the other.
[77] In the pivotal scene in WHEN FATES COLLIDE (130/618), when Gabrielle the playwright of Poteidaia for the first time ever catches sight of Xena the Empress of Rome, there is a mutual gaze that speaks volumes.
(click on the graphics for a larger picture)
[78] The language of that gaze stops time, and there is a moment of Eternity when all the histories and possibilities of all the episodes of Xena are crystallized into one heartbeat. The viewer knows what it is that these two individuals have just now unknowingly sensed the presence of. And the viewer would not have been able to entertain that knowledge in mind without having learned it by going through those previous episodes.
[79] When I see Renaissance Pictures pictures, I see Renaissance pictures. Almost any scene of Xena could be a picture that came out of the Renaissance.
[80] Every picture tells a story.
This is what I see when I look at Xena: Warrior Princess.
[81] To test the hypothesis that any Xena scene is frameable, I chose an episode at random and looked.
[82] In MORTAL BELOVED (016/116), I got 28 candidates before stopping at the point where Xena and Marcus debate about whether they should return to Hades' realm.
[83] Reducing the candidates down to 10 was difficult: the fight in the flower-field; Xena and Marcus entering Hades' hideaway; Xena, Gabrielle and Marcus talking to the bride's father; Xena and Gabrielle's departure scene on the lake shore: all these made good pictures.
[84] Here are the four that got the "frame" treatment. Incidentally, all of them use the Golden Mean as well.
[85] Two women in a bar hear a ghost story (dramatic moment):
[86] Gabrielle on the shore of the lake (landscape example):
[87] The return of Gabrielle to consciousness and of Xena to the land of the living (close moment):
[88] Handmaiden Gabrielle tucks in the bride-to-be (chiaroscuro example):
[89] There is much to contemplate in things ostensibly not designed for contemplation, like sand in a garden, or scenes from a television show.
Note 01:
Gerri Hill, One Summer Night (2000) c1, Rising Tide Press, Tucson, 2001, p11.
Return to article
Edward Mazzeri, "Chakram Levels" Whoosh! #41 (February 2000)
Edward Mazzeri, "The Mirror of Virtue" Whoosh! #43 (April 2000)
Edward Mazzeri, "Word Count and Meaning in Xena: Warrior Princess" Whoosh! #47 (August 2000)
Mazzeri, Edward. "How Has Xena: Warrior Princess Changed the World?" Whoosh! #50 (November 2000)
Mazzeri, Edward. "Word Count and Meaning in Xena: Warrior Princess: Season Two" Whoosh! #51 (December 2000)
Mazzeri, Edward. "Serendipity and Meta-Subtext: Contemplation From Under the Lake" Whoosh! #63 (December 2001)
Mazzeri, Edward. "On Watching The Director's Cut Of The Series Finale" Whoosh! #70 (July 2002)
Mazzeri, Edward. "On Sappho" Whoosh! #72 (September 2002)
Mazzeri, Edward. "Of Garters and Kings" Whoosh! #75 (January/February 2003)
BiographyEdward Mazzeri
Nothing much can be said that already has not been said. Office worker. Great South Land. Xena-watcher. Chose art at school instead of geography, and French instead of commerce. Thought it was a wise choice then. Still think it was a wise choice, n'est-ce pas?
Favorite episode: A DAY IN THE LIFE
Episode with the most initial impact visually: DESTINY
Episode with the initial impact subtextually: GIANT KILLER
Episode most distant from the franchise: TE KING OF ASSASSINS; BACK IN THE BOTTLE


text:
Essen 2013 - Czech Games Editon
Release Date: Nov. 1, 2013
Running Time: 16 min.
Listen Now:
Subscribe via iTunes:
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Lenka Holubova introduces us to Tash Kalar, a fantasy battle game where players form patterns of tokens to summon monsters to the arena. We also discuss three expansions to existing titles: Galaxy Trucker, Tzolk'in and Last Will.
Links and show notes continue after the break.
Czech Games Edition
Tash Kalar BGG
Galaxy Trucker: Latest Models BGG
Tzolk'in: Tribes & Prophecies BGG
Last Will: Getting Sacked BGG


text:
The Reds announced that David Bell would be their 63rd manager. Bell signed a three-year deal with a club option for a fourth season.
Bell was the Vice President of Player Development for the San Francisco Giants last season. He was on the St. Louis Cardinals' staff for four years before that. Bell also spent one season in Chicago as their third base coach. He managed in the Reds' farm system in Double-A (2009-2011) and in Triple-A Louisville (2012).
Bell is a Cincinnati-native. He went to Moeller High School and helped lead the Crusaders to a State Championship in 1989.
The Reds will introduce Bell on Monday morning at 11.
Bell, 46, posted a .257 batting average and hit 123 home runs in his 12-year career. He played for Cleveland, St. Louis, Seattle, San Francisco, Philadelphia and Milwaukee.
He hit for the cycle in 2004. Watch the video below.
Subscribe to the Locked on Bengals podcast here.
Subscribe to the Locked on Reds podcast here.
Subscribe to my iHeartRadio channel that includes every episode of Cincy 3:60, interviews with Bengals, my hottest takes of the week & more here.
Email Me: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Washington D.C.-based digital health startup Babyscripts, the first mobile, clinical tool to allow OB/GYNs to remotely monitor their pregnant patients' progress and health, has launched the Care Navigator module to extend its offering to underserved expecting moms. The new module adds additional features to cater to women who have poor access to care, and/or deal with external challenges, which threaten their ability to access care.
The new module is a slight departure from Babyscripts' other product offerings in that it is not only available to healthcare providers as a tool for their pregnant patients, but also to those organizations who provide support to underserved, expecting and new moms.
Care Naviagor Module Overview
The Care Navigator is driven by a HIPAA compliant, bi-directional messaging platform that resides within the Babyscripts App. Patients will receive automated daily tips, education, and supportive messages via text from their pregnancy coach. Additionally, the expectant mom has the ability to communicate through this messenger with her assigned social worker. The social worker has access to a web-based messaging platform to communicate with each assigned patient.
"50% of pregnancies in the United States are covered by Medicaid, which means each year, 2 million expecting moms are dealing with socio-economic challenges" said Juan Pablo Segura, Co-Founder and President, Babyscripts. "By employing our Care Navigator solution, these women have better access to prenatal care, educational resources, as well as social support during this important time in their lives."


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I LOVE this juice combination!!! I'm adding it to the BB menu;-) Try it for yourself and let me know what you think. If you can get your hands on an Omega 8006, go for it! It's the best juicer that I have ever purchased. The Norwalk is my next purchase;-)
3 organic collard leaves
2 Fuji apples
1 peeled lime
1-2 sprigs of rosemary
1 English cucumber-Your best choice until cucumber season returns;-)


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On June 19, 2009, Christopher P. West, a U.S. Army Major, and Patrick W. Boyd, a U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant pled guilty to various bribery, fraud, and conspiracy charges related to Department of Defense contracts in Afghanistan.
Charles Patton, a U.S. Army Sergeant pled guilty for receiving stolen property connected to the bribery conspiracy. Assad John Ramin and Tahir Ramin, both U.S. citizens, and their companies AZ Corporation and Top's Construction, Noor Alam, an Afghan citizen, and his company Northern Reconstruction Organization, and Abdul Qudoos Bakhshi, an Afghan citizen, and his company Naweed Bakhshi Company were all indicted for bribing military officials and defrauding the U.S. Department of Defense ("DOD").
Mr. West and Mr. Boyd pled guilty to three counts of bribery and three counts of conspiracy. He accepted $90,000 cash from contractors for the steering contracts to those contractors at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. Mr. West also received payments for inflating the number of bunkers and barriers at Bagram Airfield. As such the DOD paid for goods that were invoiced but which were never received. Mr. Boyd also received an additional cash payment of $25,000 for steering a contract for telecommunication infrastructure at Bagram Airfield to a contractor. Mr. Patton, who was not deployed in Afghanistan, received the cash payments from Mr. West. Mr. Patton hid the money in his home in Chicago at the request of Mr. West, before he transferred $100,000 into a safe deposit box in his own name.
Mr. West and Mr. Boyd, along with Alam and Tahir Rahim, Noor Alam and his company and Naweed Bakhshi and his company, were originally indicted in August 2008. The superseding indictment now also includes AZ Corporation and Top's construction. These individuals and their companies paid bribes to Mr. West and Mr. Boyd to obtain DOD contracts for supplying concrete bunkers and barriers and asphalt paving. They also conspired with Mr. West and Mr. Boyd to inflate the number of bunkers and barriers in the contracts so that the DOD was invoiced for goods that it never received.
Mr. West, Mr. Boyd, and Mr. Patton have agreed to pay the DOD $500,000, $130,000, $100,000 respectively in restitution and agreed to forfeit any fraud related assets. They also have agreed to cooperate with the Department of Justice's ongoing investigation.
Andre Barlow
(202) 589-1834


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text:
Viewing one post | View all recent posts
Day 195 - A Memoire of the Mrs.
WHAT: For Clients, Project 365 (2009), Useful Stuff | WHEN: July 16, 2009
|I've really enjoyed the new WHCC coffee table books. Here's a few images of a 10x10 hinged custom image hard cover book I designed for Kylie's bridal images. I think they look great. Then again, having Kylie in the book certainly dresses it up.


text:
Alright, time to have some fun exploring efficient negative sampling implementations in NumPy…
Negative sampling is a technique used to train machine learning models that generally have several order of magnitudes more negative observations compared to positive ones. And in most cases, these negative observations are not given to us explicitly and instead, must be generated somehow. Today, I think the most prevalent usages of negative sampling is in training Word2Vec (or similar) and in training implicit recommendation systems (BPR). In this post, I'm going to frame the problem under the recommendation system setting — sorry NLP fans.
For a given user, we have the indices of positive items corresponding to that user. These are items that the user has consumed in the past. We also know the fixed size of the entire item catalog. Oh, we will also assume that the given positive indices are ordered. This is quite a reasonable assumption because positive items are often stored in CSR interaction matrices (err… at least in the world of recommender systems).
And from this information, we would like to sample from the other (non-positive) items with equal probability.
n_items = 10
pos_inds = [3, 7]
Bad Ideas
We could enumerate all the possible choices of negative items and then use
np.random.choice (or similar). However, as there are usually orders of magnitude more negative items than positive items, this is not memory friendly.
Incremental Guess and Check
As a trivial (but feasible) solution, we are going to continually sample a random item from our catalog, and keep items if they are not positive. This will continue until we have enough negative samples.
def negsamp_incr(pos_check, pos_inds, n_items, n_samp=32):
""" Guess and check with arbitrary positivity check
neg_inds = []
while len(neg_inds) < n_samp:
raw_samp = np.random.randint(0, n_items)
if not pos_check(raw_samp, pos_inds):
return neg_inds
A major downside here is that we are sampling a single value many times — rather than sampling many values once. And although it will be infrequent, we have to re-sample if we get unlucky and randomly choose a positive item.
This family of strategies will pretty much only differ by how item positivity is checked. We will go through a couple of ways to tinker with the complexity of the positivity check, but keep in mind that the number of positive items is generally small, so these modifications are actually not super-duper important.
in operator on the raw list:
With a
list, the item positivity check is O(n) as it checks every element of the list.
def negsamp_incr_naive(pos_inds, n_items, n_samp=32):
""" Guess and check with list membership
pos_check = lambda raw_samp, pos_inds: raw_samp in pos_inds
return negsamp_incr(pos_check, pos_inds, n_items, n_samp)
in operator on a set created from the list:
Here, we're going to first convert our
list into a python
set which is implemented as a hashtable. Insertion is O(1), so the conversion itself is O(n). However, once the set is created, our item positivity check (set membership) will be O(1) thereon after. So we can expect this to be a nicer strategy if
n_samp is large.
def negsamp_incr_set(pos_inds, n_items, n_samp=32):
""" Guess and check with hashtable membership
pos_inds = set(pos_inds)
pos_check = lambda raw_samp, pos_inds: raw_samp in pos_inds
return negsamp_incr(pos_check, pos_inds, n_items, n_samp)
Using a binary search on the list (assuming it's sorted):
One of best things you can do exploit the sortedness of a list is to use binary search. All this does is change our item positivity check to O(log(n)).
from bisect import bisect_left
def bsearch_in(search_val, val_arr):
i = bisect_left(val_arr, search_val)
return i != len(val_arr) and val_arr[i] == search_val
def negsamp_incr_bsearch(pos_inds, n_items, n_samp=32):
""" Guess and check with binary search
`pos_inds` is assumed to be ordered
pos_check = bsearch_in
return negsamp_incr(pos_check, pos_inds, n_items, n_samp)
(Aside: LightFM, a popular recommendation system implements this in Cython. They also have a good reason to implement this in a sequential fashion — but we won't go into that.)
Vectorized Binary Search
Here we are going to address the issue of incremental generation. All random samples will now be generated and verified in vectorized manners. The upside here is that we will reap the benefits of NumPy's underlying optimized vector processing. Any positives found during this check will then be masked off. A new problem arises in that if we hit any positives, we will end up returning less samples than prescribed by the
n_samp parameter. Yeah, we could fill in the holes with the previously discussed strategies, but let's just leave it at that.
def negsamp_vectorized_bsearch(pos_inds, n_items, n_samp=32):
""" Guess and check vectorized
Assumes that we are allowed to potentially
return less than n_samp samples
raw_samps = np.random.randint(0, n_items, size=n_samp)
ss = np.searchsorted(pos_inds, raw_samps)
pos_mask = raw_samps == np.take(pos_inds, ss, mode='clip')
neg_inds = raw_samps[~pos_mask]
return neg_inds
Vectorized Pre-verified Binary Search
Finally, we are going to address both main pitfalls of the guess-and-check strategies.
Vectorize: generate all our random samples at once
Pre-verify: no need for an item positivity check
We know how many negative items are available to be sampled since we have the size of our item catalog, and the number of positive items (
len(pos_inds) is just O(1) ) to subtract off. So let's sample uniformly over a range of imaginary negative indices with 1–1 correspondence with our negative items. This gives us the correct distribution since we have the correct number of negative item slots to sample from; however, the indices now need to be adjusted.
To fix our imaginary index, we must add the number of positive items that precede each position. Assuming our positive indices are sorted, this is just a binary search (compliments of np.searchsorted). But keep in mind that in our search, for each positive index, we also need to subtract the number of positive items that precede each position.
def negsamp_vectorized_bsearch(pos_inds, n_items, n_samp=32):
""" Pre-verified with binary search
`pos_inds` is assumed to be ordered
raw_samp = np.random.randint(0, n_items - len(pos_inds), size=n_samp)
pos_inds_adj = pos_inds - np.arange(len(pos_inds))
ss = np.searchsorted(pos_inds_adj, raw_samp, side='right')
neg_inds = raw_samp + ss
return neg_inds
Briefly, let's look at how this works for all possible raw sampled values.
n_items = 10
pos_inds = [3, 7]
# raw_samp = np.random.randint(0, n_items - len(pos_inds), size=n_samp)
# Instead of sampling, see what happens to each possible sampled value
raw_samp = np.arange(0, n_items - len(pos_inds))
raw_samp: array([0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7])
# Subtract the number of positive items preceding
pos_inds_adj = pos_inds - np.arange(len(pos_inds))
pos_inds_adj: array([3, 6])
# Find where each raw sample fits in our adjusted positive indices
ss = np.searchsorted(pos_inds_adj, raw_samp, side='right')
ss: array([0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2])
# Adjust our raw samples
neg_inds = raw_samp + ss
neg_inds: array([0, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9])
As desired, each of our sampled values has a 1–1 mapping to a negative item.
Summary Notebook with Results
The notebook linked below compares the implementations discussed in this post in some example scenarios. The previously discussed "Vectorized Pre-verified Binary Search" strategy seems to be the most performant except in the edge case where
n_samp=1 where vectorization no longer pays off (in that case, all strategies are very close).
Concluding Remarks
In models that require negative sample, the sample stage is often a bottleneck in the training process. So even little optimizations like this are pretty helpful.
Some further thinking:
- how to efficiently sample for many users at a time (variable length number of positive items)
- at what point (sparsity of our interaction matrix) does our assumption that
n_neg_items >> n_pos_itemswreck each implementation
- how easy is it to modify each implementation to accommodate for custom probability distributions — if we wanted to take item frequency or expose into account


text:
Monday, October 17, 2016
Square And Opal
8 comments:
Malin, this is the kind of thing I mean when I say that your earrings always surprise me. This chain is great used in earrings. . . . and couldn't likely be done if it weren't aluminum, right? Awesome!! And you nailed the description, the contrast between the most beautiful Pink Peruvian Opals and the rather industrial chain, creates wonderful interest with only those elements. That, to me, is pure talent. I love them, and you and your work! ;) Happy Days to you. I am so glad to hear you are adding items to your shop!ReplyDeleteReplies
All has been said! This is a gorgeous combination and your work is always so creative.ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you Karin :-)Delete
What a very interesting combination. And boy does this design talk! They sing!! Absolutely gorgeous.ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you Janine :-)Delete
I always love your work, Miss Malin. There is a quite determination in every piece. These feel at once powerful and soft. I like the dichotomy. Enjoy the day! ErinReplyDelete


text:
"I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts—to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship." – Exodus 31:3-5
This passage in Exodus is God's instruction to Moses regarding co-laborers Bezalel and Oholiab, Bezalel's helper. Have you ever heard of Bezalel or Oholiab? I hadn't until I read this in Scripture today. Most of us recognize the names of Moses and Aaron (spokesman for Moses and first High Priest). Yet, if I read further that God gave skill to all the craftsmen to make everything He commanded them to make. (31:6) These guys were special—special enough to be mentioned in God's recording of history.
These workers were hand-picked, chosen by God, for a special task of building a tabernacle for a center of worship for the Israelites after they escaped Egypt and the wicked King Pharaoh. When God calls, He equips—that goes for you and for me too. Whatever your talent…maybe you work with stones or wood. Some sew quilts or knit soft baby sweaters. Your skills may fall in the numbers category or words. In my case, I write. I write so others can read my words and hopefully be strengthened and blessed. This creative spirit is part of our heritage and dare not be wasted or taken for granted.
"Nurturing our creativity is part of our responsibility as stewards of God's good gifts." (Emilie Barnes) Let's go out today and find ways to nurture that God-given creativity!


text:
- This event has passed.
6 June 2021 - 8 June 2021
2021 SA National Championships
6-8 June 2021
SCHEDULE: https://www.safsa.org.za/2021-sa-national-championships-official-schedule/
Due to COVID-19 and the unpredictability, this date is subject to change or the event cancelled. Every effort will be made to hold this event and updates will be advertised as and when they occur. SAFSA or any of its affiliates, officials, service providers will not be held responsible for any losses incurred due to the cancellation of this event or any changes made.
As per current regulations, there will be no spectators allowed inside the venue. SAFSA will confirm this and all other restrictions closer to the time so as to make informed and compliant decisions. Your understanding and support is appreciated. The health and welfare of our athletes, coaches, officials and volunteers is our priority, as well as being a compliant event in terms of any and all regulations and restrictions under which we fall.
- Start:
- 6 June 2021
- End:
- 8 June 2021
- Event Category:
- National Events
- Website:
- https://cgfigureskating.co.za/


text:
Business look beyond cost for moving to the cloud
Businesses look to increase agility and mobility with cloud
The number of cloud-ready devices is growing exponentially and it's the ability to access the cloud from wherever you are worldwide, that's driving a move to the cloud, not cost, according to YouGov research.
Lower cost is no longer the major reason for adopting the cloud for businesses, with them instead focusing on improving business outcomes and bringing strategic value, says the research.
Two-thirds (67 percent) of the businesses surveyed had either already implemented cloud services or anticipated they would do so in the future, with 30 percent looking to do so within the next two years.
The increased ability for employees to work with greater mobility and flexibility was identified as the most popular reason to implement cloud services (39 percent), with cost efficiencies named as the second most popular reason (33 percent).
Of those who had not yet moved towards the cloud, the main reason given for the delay was "lack of time" (38 percent). With smaller businesses respondents felt unable to devote sufficient time to fully investigate the technical and business implications of moving to a cloud-based work model.
One trillion cloud-ready devices by 2015
The survey was sponsored by IBM, which predicted last year that by 2015 there will be one trillion cloud-ready devices globally. Simon Porter, vice president for mid-market sales at IBM, said: "Businesses are beginning to realise that the full potential of cloud goes far beyond a cost-focused ROI model.
"They are also increasingly looking at how the cloud can help expedite the move to a more mobile way of working for their employees, using smartphone and tablets to access key applications while creating a more flexible work/life balance."
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By Darren Allan


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I ask him to tell her that perhaps we can meet at Brown University in late summer. Weeks after my trip to Myanmar, fiction writer Robert Coover, who oversees the fellowship at Brown, tells me that Dr. Ma Thida appears to be suffering from "a certain amount of electronic surveillance and harassment during her present stay in Myanmar." His impression is based on the fact that the doctor's e-mail accounts keep getting deleted, and he apologizes for not being able to offer me a working e-mail address to contact her. She has been given permission to go south into the Irrawaddy Delta, he tells me, and she has been working long hours treating the cyclone victims.
I think back to something an English-speaking Burmese told me as I walked back from the City Star Hotel the day Dr. Ma Thida canceled our appointment. As we watched a handful of men work at the trees with machetes, the stranger turned to me. "In a country where there is no help from the government, we help ourselves," he said, then quickly slipped back into the crowd.
On the plane ride from Yangon back to Beijing, I sit next to a German salesman dressed in black slacks and a black short-sleeved button-down with a black Rolex on his wrist. His name is Peter, and he is sixty. His wife is Burmese and from a powerful political family, and Peter maintains profitable relationships with the ruling junta. He makes a good living supplying several small factories scattered throughout the country with spare parts. He tells me that his wife oversees a small medical clinic that he funds in a town north of Yangon. This fact makes me want to overlook his social and business connections with the ruling junta—until he begins to generalize about both the regime and the Burmese people.
"They're lazy," Peter says, then explains that without the military junta in charge, the people's indolence would cause them to starve to death. He's certain that the dictatorship will do everything necessary to care for the victims of the cyclone in the south. It's Peter's contention that a regime that routinely tortures its political opponents, that represses its artists and censors its writers, a regime that held a free election in 1990 then locked many of the victors in jail, is necessary to keep a country that is among the poorest in the world from slipping further into poverty and despair.
Although I've changed the names and descriptions of several people I met while writing this article, sadly, Peter has not been fictionalized in any way.
Postscript: As I write this, more than eight weeks have passed since my trip, and an estimated two million rice farmers are still suffering from the effects of the cyclone. The military junta continues to restrict access to the area and appears more intent on suppressing the efforts of Burmese citizens to spread videos and firsthand accounts of the devastation than they are in assisting efforts to distribute food and medical care to the victims.
Robert Coover recently wrote me a second note stating that Ma Thida would be happy to correspond with me by e-mail, and I have exchanged several messages with her. In them, she describes her work at a free Muslim clinic in Yangon working with cyclone victims. "They, the delta people, have been ignored by both the government and international NGOs in terms of health care for so long," she writes. "So we sadly found the medical needs of the delta to be huge. Health care facilities and infrastructure are so weak there. On top of that, most medical teams just focused on clinical treatment and they didn't provide any follow-up activities and health educational activities. So we fulfilled that blank."
I ask her how her work as a doctor is related to her writing. "I love to be with and work with people," she writes. "That is what made me become a medical doctor and writer. Listening to people's feelings, thoughts, and suffering inspired me to treat or help them and write about them. My area of specialization is general surgery. I love surgery a lot. Beneath the skin, everything is awesome, wonderful and different. To correct, repair and remake weakness and abnormality of body parts is such an interesting work for me. While I do surgery, I am feeling I am doing an art."
She reports that her first and only novel was allowed to be published by "the scrutiny board" in 1993, but several months later she was arrested for "endangering the public peace, having contact with illegal organizations, and distributing unlawful literature," and it was banned. After her release in 1999 (international pressure from organizations like Amnesty International and foreign governments succeeded in commuting her sentence), editors were reluctant to print her work, and the censors rejected her short stories. It wasn't until "late 2000," when she wrote some nonfiction articles, that she was permitted to publish again.
"Finally, I can write now, but still under thorough scrutiny. But I love writing. I can't help it. I can't stop sharing my feelings, thoughts, knowledge, empathy, concerns and blessings with people and readers. So I continue writing."
Stephen Morison Jr. teaches literature and writing at School Year Abroad China in Beijing. His article "Chinese Characters: Report From Literary Beijing" appeared in the May/June 2008 issue of Poets & Writers Magazine.


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Big Data, Data Sharing
The fifth MeriTalk Big Data Exchange meeting was colocated with the GAO Data Sharing Community of Practice and addressed data sharing best practices and challenges. The meeting featured a panel discussion moderated by Naba Barkakati, Chief Technologist, GAO. Panelists included Eric Hagopian, Senior Solutions Engineer, Novetta Solutions, Marcus Louie, Data Solutions Architect, Socrata, and Marcel Jemio, Acting Director, Division of Enterprise Architecture, Bureau of the Fiscal Service and Chair, Fiscal Service Data Stewards.


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Substance Use at Live Music Events
If you're gearing up for a music festival, there are some things you probably want to ensure you have with you. Most veterans will recommend not leaving the house without comfortable shoes, sunscreen, and a bottle of water.
Unfortunately, something else can make its way into the crowd. In fact, alcohol and drug use have become so prevalent among music festivalgoers that third-party companies now sneak in testing kits to ensure that what attendees consume isn't contaminated with deadly and unknown additives.
So just how common are drugs and alcohol at live music events? To find out, we surveyed over 970 people about their substance use, their average age when first consuming alcohol or drugs at music events, and why they chose to use these substances at live music events. Continue reading to see what we learned.
Intoxication and Music
Fifty-seven percent of people attending live music events admitted to using alcohol or drugs, with more than 93 percent consuming alcoholic beverages. However, drinking alcohol could do more than just cause inebriation. For most festivalgoers, staying hydrated is often a primary concern due to exposure to the elements and alcohol can exacerbate this problem. In fact, alcohol can cause the body to lose fluid and electrolytes through urine, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Additionally, nearly 40 percent of people used marijuana at live music events, followed by 8 percent who each used hallucinogens or MDMA (commonly referred to as Molly or ecstasy).
More Than Music
Sixty percent or more of people attending heavy metal, alternative, indie, and reggae festivals said they'd also consumed either drugs or alcohol. In contrast, less than 40 percent of people going to pop or classical music shows said the same.
Consumption at Concerts
No drug was more connected with various music genres than marijuana, however. While there are negative short- and long-term side effects associated with cannabis – such as affected brain development in young people and impaired body movement – one in three people attending reggae festivals admitted to using marijuana, followed by nearly 30 percent of people at hip-hop or EDM shows.
Roughly one in four people linked their EDM festival experiences to MDMA. Ecstasy, while considered a party drug, has been linked to heart disease, depression, and sleep disturbances. EDM shows were also popular places for cocaine use (nearly 9 percent) and hallucinogens (almost 10 percent).
More Than Just a Number
Respondents using drugs or alcohol at jazz, blues, or classical music events were just a few years older when they first tried drugs or alcohol at these concerts – around 24 for jazz and blues and 25 for people attending classical music shows, respectively.
Reasons for Using
In some cases, particularly among R&B/soul and country music festivals, the primary goal was simply to relax. Two in five people attending heavy metal and indie rock shows admitted they used drugs or drank alcohol to reduce feelings of social anxiety, and 77 percent of people going to jazz or EDM shows did it to enhance their enjoyment. Three in ten EDM festivalgoers also reported using drugs or alcohol in order to connect more with the artist they went to see. In many cases, anxiety and feelings of depression become co-occurring disorders when linked with substance abuse and addiction. While the consumption of drugs or alcohol may appear to abate the symptoms at first, long-term use requires a higher dose to help recreate those effects, leading to unhealthy tendencies.
Staying Sober Throughout the Show
People may think using drugs or alcohol will enhance the enjoyment of their live music experience, but substance abuse can lead to some devastating consequences. In 2017, the number of deaths involving all drugs increased from 63,632 in 2016 to 72,306. It's OK to want to let your hair down at live music events – but one can still enjoy live music experiences sober.
If you or someone you know is currently dealing with substance misuse issues, there are tools and resources available to provide information and assistance – from knowing the signs and symptoms of drug use to seeking professional help with treatment. To learn more, visit us at DrugAbuse.com.
We surveyed 976 people about their drug and alcohol usage at live music events. Fifty-one percent of respondents were female, and 49 percent were male. Respondents ranged in age from 18 to 82 with an average age of 37 and standard deviation of 12. Hypotheses were not statistically tested. The study is purely exploratory and relies on self-reported data, which is subject to many factors that could potentially reduce accuracy, including but not limited to the following: selective memory, telescoping, attribution, and exaggeration.
Fair Use Statement
Live music events are best enjoyed without the interference of drugs or alcohol. If you think your readers will agree, please share this project for non-commercial purposes. We only ask that you ensure a link back to this page so that our authors receive proper credit for their work.


text: This post is also available in: SpanishOn Saturday the 27th of June Marocha Steak, house in the Casa de Campo Marina, was transported back in time to the 70's in celebration of the birthdays of Nicola Fini and Sixto Inchaustegui. And boy was it groov-a-licious! This surprisingly well attended event saw more people attend than one could have imagined fitting into Marocha Steak. Once you counted the afros, platform shoes and circulating bottles of champagne, it was hard to imagine there was still room to shake you groove thang. All of Casa de Campo's coolest cats were out on the prowl, decked out in FULL seventies costume – so much so that it was difficult to recognise even the most well-know of faces! There was a fascinating array of wigs; black afros, blonde afros, pink, purple, blue and even orange hair was seen bobbing around to the funky music and swigging back champagne. It was a funky ride baby! The ladies were in tiny, shagadelic mini-dresses and platform boots, whilst there were men sporting flares, and even a daring few in jean hot pants – ooohhhh be-haaaaave!!! The highlight of the night was the entertainer – a camp man right out of Miami, "Divine", who did a brilliant job at entertaining the crowd with jokes, songs and totally inappropriate gyrating! Yeah, baby yeah! While the party boogied, jived and got funky all night long, we'll keep this quick and let the cool cats jump on out from the funky photos. Peace dudes!


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Email is single handedly the best form of communication ever invented… said absolutely no one ever. This relic of days gone by has been virtually impossible to remove from our far-advanced-beyond-email-technical lives. 1972, a year that saw Sammy Davis Jr. topping the charts singing about The Candy Man, also gave birth to the invention of email, let that sink in a minute. Nearly half a decade later… It is still universally accepted, it is the defacto means of uniquely identifying people online, and its versatility to send just about anything to anyone is unrivaled. Like it or not email is the current KING of all business communications tools. No, not one of those white knight kings, but more like one of those old, crazy kings whose own people plot his demise from the shadows.
Do not be troubled fellow townspeople. Although our king seeks to maintain his throne for sometime longer, your friends here at Tranztec have created a way to make you say "We love the King" once again. How? We have taken email and heavily integrated it into our flagship product offering, VIA. What does this even mean? I am glad you asked. It means that email is no longer confined to the boundaries of your chosen email client. Your Inbox is now alive on the web with the power to do a limitless number of activities including…
- Update your TMS Directly
- Collaborate with internal and external resources


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Combine sugar and water in a heavy saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer until sugar has completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
Mix the cocoa with a little of the vodka to dissolve the powder. Gradually add a little more vodka, mixing as you add. Combine dissolved cocoa, remaining vodka, sugar syrup, and vanilla extract in a large jar or bottle. Cover tightly and shake well to mix. Let steep for 2 weeks, shaking container daily. Then let steep undistrubed for 1 month.
When steeping period is complete, most of the chocolate will have settled to the bottom. Slowly pour off the liquid being careful not to disturb the chocolate which has settled. Discard the chocolate on bottom.
Pour into bottles and cap tightly. Let age at least 1 week before serving. The liqueur should be shaken slightly before using.
Liqueur & Cocktail Recipe Index
© 2023 Homemade Liquor & Liqueurs


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MIAMI — Since switching to a strategy of simpler innovation last year, Burger King Worldwide Inc. has reported its third-consecutive quarter of same-store sales growth in the United States. Focusing on fewer, bigger launches has helped the fast-food chain reduce operational complexity and improve profitability for its franchisees. Burger King launched five menu items during its most recent quarter but added only one new stock-keeping unit.
|Offerings such as the Chicken Big King sandwich strengthened the Burger King's position in the large sandwich category.
"We believe that these types of operationally simple products are the key to increasing franchisee margins," said Daniel Schwartz, CEO, during an Aug. 1 call with analysts to discuss second-quarter earnings.
During the quarter, Burger King introduced the Chicken Big King, building on its position in fried chicken, which historically has been less of a focus for the burger chain. The sandwich, modeled after the Big King, features two crispy chicken patties topped with American cheese, lettuce, onions, pickles and a thousand island style dressing on a three-part sesame seed bun. Another new item, the Extra Long BBQ Cheeseburger, includes a pair of beef patties side by side on a hoagie bun.
"Both of these helped to drive traffic while solidifying our strength in the large sandwich category," said Alex Macedo, president, Burger King North America. "Finally, we introduced the Bacon Cheeseburger Deluxe into our King Deals value menu, a value menu that we launched just last quarter, but is quickly becoming a guest favorite. Although these four sandwiches were introduced at different layers in our menu, they all deliver on the strategy — They are great tasting, operationally simple, and offer compelling value to our guests."
Another strategic priority benefitting Burger King is accelerated unit development, with 131 new restaurants opened in the second quarter and 682 in the trailing 12-month period.
"This annual pace makes us one of the fastest growing QSRs in the world," Schwartz said.
Remodels also represent a key initiative for Burger King, which is on track to reach its target of 40 percent reimaged restaurants in the US system by the end of 2015. The company said it continues to see good traction in its more than 2,200 remodeled restaurants to date.
For the second quarter ended June 30, net income increased 19 percent to $75.1 million, equal to 21 cents per share on the common stock, up from $62.9 million, or 18 cents per share, in the prior-year period.
Revenues for the quarter totaled $261.2 million, down 6.1 percent from $278.3 million the year before.
System-wide sales advanced 5.4 percent in constant currency, driven by comparable sales growth across all four regions and new unit growth.
"First of all, you know how tough the QSR industry has been the last several months, so we are actually very happy to be able to deliver three consecutive quarters not positive but ahead of the industry, which leads us to believe we are gaining market share," Macedo said. "The other is that July actually turned out to be the best comp month of the year. We are actually comping a couple of points better than what we delivered in Q2. It makes us excited that we are going in the right direction. So our strategy will remain consistent, and looking forward we are pretty optimistic."


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The Goroka General Hospital in the Eastern Highlands Province (EHP) will soon manage its own funding direct from the National Government to address the drug shortages and other medical issues.
Prime Minister Peter O'Neill announced this yesterday in Goroka, while visiting the almost-complete new women and children's wing, built at a cost of more than K88 million from the Government.
He said the hospital will soon become a self-accounting hospital, just like the Port Moresby General Hospital.
"The National Government will directly fund them to cater for their medical needs to provide consistent quality medical care to the people," Mr O'Neill said.
He said he will be present during the official opening of the new women and children's wing later this year, and stressed that the Government's aim is to provide quality health care to the people. Mr O'Neill said the hospital's location enables patients from all over the Highlands region to come and seek medical care. He added that the state-of-the-art development was of utmost importance.
Eastern Highlands Governor Peter Numu, who accompanied the Prime Minister during his visit, acknowledged the government for funding Goroka Hospital's development, including other projects like the Goroka Airport Terminal building and the Goroka market project.
Governor Numu assured the Prime Minister that his government will make sure that all projects and funds approved by the government will benefit the people of EHP, and not a single toea will be wasted.
Mr O'Neill was welcomed by the chairman of the Eastern Highlands Provincial Health authority chairman Malcolm Smith, and staff of Goroka General Hospital.
The Prime Minister presented K73, 000, raised from a fundraising event, to the children's ward as well.
The delegation also visited the new Goroka Airport Terminal before retiring to the Pacific Gardens Hotel.
Earlier in the day after arriving in Goroka around 10am, the PM went to the West Goroka Lutheran Church and paid tribute to the late Terry Shelley, a citizen and long-time resident and businessman in Goroka, before visiting the hospital.
The Prime Minister also mentioned during his visit that he is looking at funding the construction of a national stadium in the EHP.
The delegation flew to Lae from Goroka yesterday afternoon. Post Courier
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The Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic held each year is one of my favorite events at Walt Disney World. I'm thrilled they have already announced the dates and packages available for the 2018 classic since they usually sell out quickly. Why not give the gift of a special weekend to the foodie lover in your life!
Dates Announced, Tickets Now on Sale for the 9th Annual
Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic
The Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic will return in 2018 for its ninth year Friday, October 26, Saturday, October 27 and the Sunday Bubbles Brunch on Sunday, October 28. Fans can now visit www.SwanDolphinFoodandWineClassic.com to book overnight packages and purchase tickets.
The Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic offers guests unlimited tastings at more than 60 stations featuring culinary selections from the hotel's award-winning restaurants and wine from around the world against a festive backdrop of live entertainment on the hotel's scenic causeway. Upgraded ticket options allow guests everything from access to a festive beer garden featuring a wide selection of craft beers and Oktoberfest-inspired cuisine to hands-on seminars with the hotel's chefs and certified beverage experts.
Overnight and multiple-night package options are available for the ninth-annual Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic and can be booked by phone at 1-888-828-8850:
- One-night packages start at $445, and include room accommodations and two tickets to the outdoor festival
- Two-night packages start at $865, and include room accommodations and two tickets to the outdoor festival for both nights
Seminar and beer garden tickets may be added to packages for an additional fee.
Individual ticket options are also available for the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic and can be purchased at www.SwanDolphinFoodandWineClassic.com (pricing is inclusive of tax and service fees):
- Advance-purchase, event-only tickets to enjoy unlimited tastings on the causeway are $127 per person
- Upgraded tickets, including unlimited tastings on the causeway and access to the beer garden, are $155 per person
With 18 restaurants and lounges and a distinguished culinary and beverage team, the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort continually earns national recognition for its food and beverage program. The hotel features more than 70 certified wine sommeliers and 1,400 wine selections.
For the latest information about the event, guests can visit www.SwanDolphinFoodandWineClassic.com, like www.facebook.com/swananddolphin or call 1-800-227-1500.
About the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort
In the heart of the Walt Disney World Resort, the award-winning Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort resides amongst the greatest theme parks and attractions in Central Florida. The resort recently completed a $140 million transformation, the largest in its history. It is located between Epcot and Disney's Hollywood Studios, and nearby Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park and Magic Kingdom Park. Guests can discover 18 world-class restaurants and lounges, sophisticated guest rooms with Westin Heavenly Beds and the luxurious Mandara Spa. The resort features five pools, two health clubs, tennis, nearby golf, complimentary transportation throughout the Walt Disney World Resort, Extra Magic Hours, where each day, one of the four Walt Disney World Theme Parks is open extra time for guests to enjoy select attractions (Valid Theme Park admission and Resort ID required) and Disney FastPass+ service, where guests can reserve up to 3 select theme park experiences up to 60 days in advance of their visit. The resort can be reached at 800-227-1500. For more information, visitwww.swandolphin.com and connect with the resort via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.


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Carrot Kheer
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 3
1 cup grated carrot
2 slices of bread
1 cup sugar
2 cups milk
Cardamom powder and pistachio for garnishing
Take microwave safe bowl and add carrot, bread slices, sugar and milk. Bowl should be of the double size as the milk will come out when boiled. Put it in the oven for 7 minutes. Take it out and mix it well with a blender. Again put it for 2 minutes.
Let it cool. Garnish it with cardamom powder and pistachio. You can serve it hot or cold.
Mithai Mantra >


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October 20, 2018
Team Race
This appears to be a three team race for the one state qualifying spot available. York Catholic, Fairfield, and Kutztown have been leading our rankings throughout the season and will compete to move on to Hershey next Saturday (Oct 27th). Fairfield narrowly edged out York Catholic on the Big Spring course at Ben Bloser on September 15th, 62-65. Fairfield has the best depth and has progressed well as a team throughout the season. The better battle may be between York Catholic and Kutztown for 2nd.
Race Projections:
District III A Champion – Fairfield
District III A Runner-up – York Catholic
3rd – Kutztown
4th – Trinity
5th – Camp Hill
Individual Race
The 2018 Boys Championship in A will be a changing of the guard at the top. Brenden Miller (Upper Dauphin) won the previous two championships. He won by 1 minute last year, running 16:21. He would end up 2nd in the state. Miller is now an integral part of the Saint Francis University cross country team and will be competing at the Northeast Conference Championship as opposed to a District title on October 27th.
Miller was the only senior in the top 10 last year, so expect many of last year's top talent to do battle again in 2018. Fairfield's John Whitcomb (jr) finished runner-up in 2017 and will be looking to capture his first district title. The junior ran a PR of 17:12 last weekend at the YAIAA championships. Last year's 3rd place finisher, Alex Rosenberry (sr, West Shore Christian), ran well at the Big Spring course earlier this year when he finished 3rd in the A division at the Ben Bloser Invitational. In fact, he was the top District III A finisher in the event, beating Whitcomb who was 8th. Trinity senior Sam Predmore may have made the biggest improvement from 2017 to 2018. He currently has run the fastest 5k time in A this year when he ran 16:59 last weekend at the Mid-Penn Championships. Predmore's teammate, Will Bucher, ran a 17:18 at PTXC10, however, he did not run at Mid-Penn's and his availability for Districts is unknown. Another athlete to keep an eye out for is Kutztown soph Mitchell Brett. Brett was 9th last year as a freshman and has a season best time of 17:17 from the Carlisle Invitational. He is coming off an 11th place finish at the BCIAA. The top 5 individuals not on the state qualifying team will compete at Hershey next weekend.
Other Top Individuals Season Best Time
Christian Gervasi (sr, York Catholic) – 17:16 at YAIAA (Gettysburg)
Gabe Hall (sr, Delone Catholic) – 17:21 at YAIAA (Gettysburg)
Joseph Rizzuto (soph, York Catholic) – 17:44 at YAIAA (Gettysburg)
Matt Gurgiolo (jr, Camp Hill) – 17:48 at Ben Bloser (Big Spring)
Eric Shelton (soph, Christian School of York) – 17:53 at Ben Bloser (Big Spring)