text:
Introduction: Smart Holster: Hall Sensor and GPS Sensor for Geo Location
The following instructable describes how to connect your Intel Edison using the Grove GPS sensor, Hall sensor, LED, button, and the Base Shield. The data is then captured an uploaded to the could using Firebase.
Please note that the Grove GPS does not come standard in the Gove Starter Kit Plus.
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Step 1: Hardware Needed:
- Intel Edison chip (Included in Grover Starter Kit Plus)
- Arduino Expansion board (Included in Grover Starter Kit Plus)
- Base Shield (Included in Grover Starter Kit Plus)
- Grove GPS sensor
Step 2: Software Requirements
-Eclipse C++ (https://software.intel.com/en-us/articles/install-eclipse-ide-on-intel-iot-platforms)
- Drivers (list for various OS https://software.intel.com/en-us/installing-drive...
-Tool Lite (view installation for OS https://software.intel.com/en-us/using-flash-tool...
-Intel XDK
By now you should be familiar with your Arduino Expansion board parts.
To refresh your memory please visit http://www.intel.com/support/edison/breakout-bd/sb/CS-035653.htm
Step 3: Assemble of Board
If this is your first using your Arduino Expansion board and Intel Edison please follow the 'Assembling the Intel® Edison board with the Arduino expansion board' tutorial to get your board assembled and ready for use. -Assembling the Intel® Edison board with the Arduino expansion board https://software.intel.com/en-us/assembling-intel...
-Driver installation and updating firmware (enter link https://software.intel.com/en-us/installing-drive... -Updating firmware with ToolLite https://software.intel.com/en-us/installing-drive...
-Flashing for mac https://software.intel.com/en-us/installing-drive... Once you successfully updated your firmware in a terminal follow the next steps:
~# screen /dev/tty.usbserial 115200 -L
~# root (no password) ~# configure_edison --setup
You will now be prompted to name your Edison. Please ensure that your name is unique as there might be a conflict if the name given to the board is the same as that of another user.Make sure that both the machine you are using to connect to your Edison is using the same network (wifi) as your Edison. If you run into any issues with your wifi and need to re configure it please follow the next steps:
~# configure_edison --wifi
o verify that wifi connectivity is working try pinging a familiar web page such as google.com Also, from another terminal outside your Edison terminal try pinging your the Edison IP. The IP can be found by running ifconfig from within your Edison terminal.
~# ping <ip>
Step 4: Creating Your Project in Eclipse C++
1. Launch your Eclipse C++ and Navigate to "File > New > Intel IoT C/C++ project"
2. Enter a name for your project (note no spaces are allowed).
Step 5: Getting the Code Ready
Below is a snipet of the code used.Please note that there is also an LED and button being used in the code along with integration with FireBase.
Full code for the GPS, Hall sensor and LEDs its at https://github.com/tsmilesagain/safety_holster
#include "mraa.hpp"
#include "UdpClient.hpp"
#include <grove.h>
#include <signal.h>
#include <ublox6.h>
#include <a110x.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <curl/curl.h>
#include <iostream>
#include <sstream>
using namespace upm; using namespace std;
const size_t bufferLength = 256;
define NODE "localhost"
#define SERVICE "41234"
#define COMP_NAME "temperature"
int main() {
// Create the Grove LED object using GPIO pin 4
upm::GroveLed* ledRed = new upm::GroveLed(4);
upm::GroveLed* ledGreen = new upm::GroveLed(3);
// create an analog input object from MRAA using pin A0
mraa::Aio* a_pin = new mraa::Aio(0);
// Create the button object using GPIO pin 8
upm::GroveButton* button = new upm::GroveButton(8);
// Instantiate a Ublox6 GPS device on uart 0.
upm::Ublox6* nmea = new upm::Ublox6(0);
int gunDrawn = 100;
int magFieldAvg = 0;
int magFieldCurrent = 0;
int magField[10];
int tempIndex = 0;
int numSamples = 2;
string tempData;
// check that we are running on Galileo or Edison
mraa_platform_t platform = mraa_get_platform_type();
if ((platform != MRAA_INTEL_GALILEO_GEN1) && (platform != MRAA_INTEL_GALILEO_GEN2) && (platform != MRAA_INTEL_EDISON_FAB_C))
{ std::cerr << "Unsupported platform, exiting" << std::endl;
return MRAA_ERROR_INVALID_PLATFORM; }
// Read in hall sensor data
if (a_pin == NULL)
{ std::cerr << "Can't create mraa::Aio object, exiting" << std::endl;
return MRAA_ERROR_UNSPECIFIED; }
// GPS Setup
// make sure port is initialized properly. 9600 baud is the default.
if (!nmea->setupTty(B9600))
{ cerr << "Failed to setup tty port parameters" << endl;
return 1; }
// Curl setup
//followed this curl example: http://curl.haxx.se/libcurl/c/http-post.html
CURL *curl;
CURLcode res;
// In windows, this will init the winsock stuff
// get a curl handle
curl = curl_easy_init();
// First set the URL that is about to receive our POST. This URL can
// just as well be a http://curl.haxx.se/libcurl/c/http-post.html if that is what should receive the
// data.
curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_URL, "https://flickering-inferno-5440.firebaseio.com/data.json");
//this is only intended to collect NMEA data and not process it
// should see output on console
char nmeaBuffer[bufferLength];
{ uint16_t pin_value = a_pin->read();
magFieldAvg = 0;
magField[magFieldCurrent++] = pin_value;
if (magFieldCurrent >= numSamples)
{ magFieldCurrent = 0; }
for (int i = 0;i < numSamples; i++
{magFieldAvg += magField[i]; }
magFieldAvg /= numSamples;
if(magFieldAvg < gunDrawn)
{ ledRed->off();
ledGreen->on(); }
else {
if (nmea->dataAvailable()) {
int rv = nmea->readData(nmeaBuffer, bufferLength);
if (rv > 0) {
write(1, nmeaBuffer, rv);
std::cout << nmeaBuffer << std::endl; }
else {
// some sort of read error occurred
cerr << "Port read error." << endl;
curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, "{\"gunDrawn\":\"true\"}");
// Perform the request, res will get the return code
res = curl_easy_perform(curl);
// Check for errors
if(res != CURLE_OK)
fprintf(stderr, "curl_easy_perform() failed: %s\n", curl_easy_strerror(res));
// add some LEDs
ledGreen->off(); }
if (button->value() == 1)
{ break; }
// Delete the Grove LED object
delete ledGreen;
delete ledRed;
delete a_pin;
delete button;
delete nmea;
return MRAA_SUCCESS; }
Step 6: Getting the Hardware and Sensors Connected
The GPS sensor:
The GPS sensor is linked to the UART input of the Base Shield (included in the Grove Starter Kit Plus). Once connected you should see the green light on the sensor turned on, this indicates its properly connected and receiving power.
The Hall sensor:
The Hall sensor is connected to A0 input of the Base Shield.
Take it a step further:
In addition, if you are feeling ambitious the LED sensor is connected to D4 and D3 (one for red and one for green) and the button sensor is connected to D8.
Step 7: Seeing the GPS Data in Action
Note that the GPS data is in NMEA format.
Once you have your the sensors connected to the board you are ready to build and deploy the code. Once you deploy the code you should see the following in your console in Eclipse.
Step 8: Getting Intel IOT C++ to CURL JSON to Firebase
While Intel Edison provides instructions for having the Intel IOT Edison perform REST API calls with the python and javascript library, the documentation for C++ is lacking. This example code (http://curl.haxx.se/libcurl/c/http-post.html) along with the instructions below describes how to get the Intel IOT Edison board's C++ environment to perform CURL calls.
1. Include the .h files at the top of your cpp file:
#include <stdio.h>
#include <curl/curl.h>
2. Ensure curl is linked in the project properties setup.
In order to function, the cURL library must be linked. If you get complier errors, do the following to add the cURL library: Right click on the project and select properties. Then navigate to
C/C++ Build -->Settings --> Cross G++ Linker --> Libraries --> Click the green plus button,and add the "curl" library
3. Set up the code. This will be in your main() cpp code. Note that the highlighted yellow dummy link needs to be replaced with your own Firebase URL.
//CURL Setup
CURL *curl;
CURLcode res;
// In windows, this will init the winsock stuff
// get a curl handle
curl = curl_easy_init();
// First set the URL that is about to receive our POST. This URL can
// just as well be a https:// URL if that is what should receive the
// data.
curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_URL, "https://.firebaseio.com/data.json");
4. cURL Call. In the infinite loop portion of the code, perform the CURL
call when the appreciate trigger occurs. You will need to replace the JSON data highlighted in yellow with your own data.
if (button->value()==1){
std::cout << button->name() << " value is " << button->value() << std::endl;
// Now specify the POST data
curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, "{\"lat\":23.343,\"long\":234.45345}");
// Perform the request, res will get the return code
res = curl_easy_perform(curl);
// Check for errors
std::cout << "curl output: " << res << std::endl;
if(res != CURLE_OK)
fprintf(stderr, "curl_easy_perform() failed: %s\n", curl_easy_strerror(res)); }
Step 9: Getting All the Parts Together in a Prototype
We used the hall sensor, GPS sensor, LED and button to protoype a smart safety holster. The idea was to trigger when an object its removed and start capturing the GPS location of where the object was removed. The data would then be uploaded to the could.
Once the object its placed back and the hall sensor detects the object is back in position the GPS data will stopped to be collected. This can be applied to any objects to which the hall effect aplies. The GPS and LED functionality can be re used for other projects.
Participated in the
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Participated in the
Intel® IoT Invitational
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6 Discussions
Great one
Thank you IPv1! I will most likely do all my code in C++ even though Ive been playing with python too. I like the Intel Eclipse integration and since I am mostly familiar with C++ seemed like a good option.
Hi Tamara,
Nice to see some C++ being used. Will have to check out firebase. Thanks.
Thank you Seamster!
Neat idea, thank you for sharing!


text:
1. Advent of our God (All Glory)
© 2013 Ben Grace & Michael Coia.
Based on the hymn by Charles Coffin.
Featuring Lindsey Luff on vocals
2. Herald, in the Wilderness
© 2013 Ben Grace & Nicholas Zork
Based on the hymn by Henry Alford.
Featuring Nicholas Zork on vocals
3. Lift Up Your Heads, Rejoice
© 2013 Ben Grace & Jeremiah Creiglow
Based on the hymn by Thomas T. Lynch
Featuring Ben Grace on vocals
4. Hope for Soon
© 2013 Lancelot Schaubert & Jeremiah Creiglow
Featuring Jeremiah Creiglow on vocals

subset: commoncrawl


text:
With over 40 years' experience in the health sector, NMC is one of the medical groups with the strongest international presence
NMC Healthcare attends to more than two million patients every year at its 12 centres in the UAE. It is made up of a team of more than 600 physicians who provide their services in 30 medical specialities.
Eugin, who are at the forefront of assisted reproduction in Europe, are contributing through their experience of over 15 years as well as their 230 professionals specialised in helping thousands of women from all over the world achieve their dream of becoming mothers.
In the words of the founder of NMC, Dr. BR Shetty, "This agreement gives us the opportunity to lead the integration of the different aspects of women's health, from paediatrics and fertility to obstetrics".
Dr. Valerie Vernaeve, Eugin's Medical Director says: "This incorporation opens up new opportunities that benefit our patients. Our research capacity continues to grow, and builds on our tireless efforts to provide the best care and the greatest opportunities to more and more women and couples from all over the world."


text:
A short documentary about bike messengers in Brussels, the most congested city in Europe with only 4% cycling traffic. The film tells the story of how Brussels became dominated by the automobile and calls for space to be taken back in order to improve the quality of the city.
Starring: Karl-Heinz Pohl & Karel Rowies (PedalBxl), Klaus Bondam (Former Major of Kopenhagen), Danny Smagghe (Touring), Jonathan Borms (Fixerati Brussels), Roel De Cleen (Association of Cyclists), Jean-Philippe Gerkens (Bicycle Point – Central Station)
Streets.mn is a non-profit and is volunteer run. We rely on your support to keep the servers running. If you value what you read, please consider becoming a member.


text:
The FUJIFILM X-E1 Premium interchangeable-lens camera
With its convenient portable size and fast autofocus speed, the X-E1 promises to be an exciting addition to the X series range. Due to hit the market in autumn this year, and available in two variations Silver and Black, the attractive classical design of the X-E1 interchangeable lens camera will have wide appeal.
Classical design for intuitive operationMade in Japan, the X-E1 exudes class and high quality, as can be seen from each of its components. The top and front covers are made from die-cast magnesium for a rigid, yet delicate design. At roughly the same size as the FUJIFILM X100, the X-E1 is refreshingly compact and lightweight (only 350g*), in spite of its advanced feature set. Featuring a rubber grip for additional hold, it is a well balanced camera with the X lens mount positioned centrally on the camera so that the weight of the body and the lens is distributed evenly.
Its ease of use was paramount in the minds of Fujifilm's engineers when designing the X-E1. As on other X series models, the sides of the dials on the top panel feature a textured pattern for smooth adjustment. Users can turn the aperture ring on the lens with their left hand, and operate the dials for shutter speed and exposure compensation on the top panel with their right hand for quick setting changes without having to take their eye off the viewfinder. Functions frequently used during shooting can be assigned to the Fn (Function) button for a smooth photo shoot.
The X-E1 will be available as a silver version, perfect for those who want a cool, retro look to emphasize their own style, and as a black version for photographers who would prefer to blend in to their surroundings without drawing the attention of their subjects.
Despite a host of convenient features and lightweight design, the X-E1 can take approx. 350 shots per charge**, allowing users to concentrate on their photography without having to worry about the remaining battery power. Additionally, the camera features a high-precision built-in flash equivalent to guide number of 7***. The use of the proprietary TTL metering system enables indoor shooting of close-up shots with an appropriate amount of light.
High-definition and high-luminance 2.36 million dot "OLED electronic viewfinder"Unlike the X-Pro1 with its hybrid multi viewfinder, the X-E1 camera boasts an OLED electronic viewfinder with a resolution of 2.36 million dots, making it one of the highest resolutions available on digital cameras with EVFs*4. The viewfinder on the X-E1 has a unique lens structure consisting of two glass elements and one double aspherical element, which in conjunction with the OLED offers an incredibly high quality display.
The OLED panel offers a high resolution of 2.36 million dots, with a high contrast ratio of 1:5000*5 resulting in rich gradation and faithful reproduction of focus, exposure, white balance and film simulation effects in the viewfinder.
The two glass elements and one double aspheric element used in the viewfinder construction offers an experience similar to an optical viewfinder, with a clear, distortion and aberration free view to all corners of the image.
A wide 25 degree horizontal field of view allows the user to scan the entire scene quickly and easily. The inclusion of a soft resin on the eyepiece allows eyeglass wearers to comfortably use the viewfinder, whilst the diopter dial allows you to adjust the distance between your eye and the EVF, to a position suited to your viewing preference.
Featuring Fujifilm's proprietary APS-C X-Trans CMOS Sensor offering exceptional color rendition and image resolutionThe FUJIFILM X-E1 features the same 16.3 megapixel APS-C X-Trans CMOS Sensor as the FUJIFILM X-Pro1. Its unique color filter array can effectively minimise moiré and false colors without the need for an optical low pass filter. This makes it possible for the camera to maximise its advanced resolution capture, and to record each photograph brightly and clearly across the whole image.
Conventional color filters use a repeated arrangement of 2x2 pixel sets, which is prone to the manifestation of moiré and false colors. These are controlled with an optical low pass filter, inserted between the filter and the lens. However, the low pass filter itself causes degradation in image resolution. In contrast, the X-Trans CMOS sensor, inspired by the random arrangement of fine silver halide grains seen in photographic film, adopts a more complex, random arrangement of 6x6 pixel sets to reduce moiré and false colors. This innovative array of pixels eliminates the need for an optical low pass filter, and lets the X-Trans CMOS sensor capture unfiltered light from the lens avoiding any of the resolution reduction this causes, ensuring you get extra high resolution images that can withstand enlargement to a 2,700mm x 1,800mm size.
This unique color filter arrangement is also incredibly effective in noise separation in high sensitivity photography producing low-noise images even at high ISOs. In addition, one advantage of the use of the large APS-C sensor is the ability to create a large beautiful bokeh background effect — the out of focus effect when shooting with a shallow depth of field.
The X-E1 features the fast, high-precision "EXR Processor Pro" for quick responses whatever you're shooting. The EXR Processor Pro receives image signals from the complex X-Trans CMOS Sensor and processes the information swiftly ensuring you can move on to your next shot without delay.
Pair the X-E1 with the new FUJINON XF18-55mmF2.8-4 R LM OIS lens for maximum performance with high-speed autofocus of 0.1 secThe highly agile linear motor in the newly announced XF18-55mm lens combines with the high-speed signal readout of the CMOS sensor and the newly developed EXR Processor Pro, to achieve a huge leap in AF speed and precision performance. Contrast Detection in the X-E1 brings your subject into sharp focus in as little as 0.1seconds.
A masterpiece in optical technology, the high quality all-glass lens structure consists of 14 elements in 10 groups, including 3 aspherical lenses and 1 extra low dispersion element, and a seven-blade rounded diaphragm. This zoom lens covers a broad range of frequently-used focal lengths from 18mm in wide angle to 55mm mid telephoto*6 to cater for a variety of scenes including landscape and snap shots.
At F2.8-4.0 wide open, this fast lens is perfect for low-light photography or scenes with a beautiful bokeh effect. The compact design of this lens, made possible by optimising its component layout, enhances its portability. Advanced optical and mechanical designs are optimised to keep the lens compact, measuring 65.0mm x 70.4mm (wide), despite offering maximum aperture of F2.8. The lens features an aperture ring so that users can adjust the aperture in a natural movement while holding the camera up to the eye, just as on other XF lenses. The lens includes an OIS (Optical Image Stabilizer) to provide image stabilization equivalent to 4 stops, controlling the effect of camera shake and allowing users to seize perfect photo opportunities.
Original X Mount designed for maximum performanceFujifilm's X mount system has a short flange back distance of just 17.7mm to maximize the advantage of the camera's mirrorless design, which eliminates the mirror box mechanism.
The wide opening allows the lens to be mounted approx. 7.5mm into the body from the mount surface. The back focus distance has been reduced as much as possible to achieve the compact and lightweight lens design for easy portability. The short back focus distance also prevents vignetting to maintain high resolution to all edges of an image.
The mount features ten contact pins to facilitate high-speed communication between the body and lenses. Autofocus, aperture and other lens movements are conveyed to the body at high speed.
When fitted with a FUJIFILM M Mount Adapter, the X-E1 can use a wide variety of M lenses to broaden the scope of your photography.
Diverse shooting modes that faithfully reproduce conventional photographic film's distinctive texturesThe X-E1 offers Fujifilm's creative "Film Simulation Modes" to simulate the distinctive textures of conventional photo film. Use the high saturation "Velvia" for landscape shots with stunning primary colors, "ASTIA" for faithful smooth skin tone reproduction and the more versatile "PROVIA" for its natural look, as well as two additional settings based on professional color negative films. Soft tonal PRO Neg.Std and the sharper PRO Neg.Hi are both suitable for indoor portrait photography. Three types of filter simulation are also available for monochrome and sepia looks. The Film Simulation Bracketing function uses a single exposure to produce three images with Film Simulation effects applied.
Advanced digital processing enables "multiple exposure", in which two exposures are superimposed to create a single image. After selecting the Multiple Exposure mode, take the first shot, and display the image on either the EVF or LCD monitor as reference when taking the second shot. This system facilitates more accurate positioning and focusing. The ability to take two shots while visually checking the finished image allows users to produce unique photographic expressions.
Full HD Movie recordingShoot Full HD movies (1920 x 1080) at 24fps. In addition you can now use Monochrome or Film Simulation modes when video recording, and even take advantage of the X-E1's large sensor and bright XF lenses to capture movies with beautiful defocused bokeh effect.
Connect a microphone (commercially available), with Ø2.5mm jack to the Microphone/remote release connector and record audio with enhanced clarity and presence. The X-E1 allows you to take videos without having to worry about the camera body's operation noise or lenses' motor sound being captured.
I ordered one today. I am looking forward to its arrival.


text:
A 17-year-old girl is missing from Limerick.
Lauren Larrissey Brennan was last seen on November 12 in Avoca, Co Wicklow.
Gardaí are seeking the public's assistance in locating Lauren.
She is described as being 5'7 in height with long, light brown hair and blue eyes.
When last seen, Lauren was wearing a navy tracksuit with a white stripe and pink runners.
Anyone who has seen Lauren or who can assist in locating her is asked to contact Roxboro Road Garda Station on 061-214340, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.


text:
When Forbes has a headline like, "Why Cleveland Is America's Hottest City Right Now," you know it's been a big year. From the Cavalier's NBA Championship win to hosting the Republican National Convention, it is safe to say that Cleveland has made it to the big leagues.
Gotta Catch 'Em All
How the World of Pokémon Mirrors the World of Marketing
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Unlocking the Simplicity of Marketing Automation
10 Best Practices for Marketing Automation Technologists
Planning and implementing marketing automation programs can be complex – sometimes overwhelming. It's hard to know everything you need to be doing; and it's easy to question if what you are doing, you're doing right. It's not uncommon to end up with more questions than answers. But it's important to remember that the power of […]
Visual Storytelling Trends in 2016
What's New or the Same?
The New Year brings resolutions, predictions and a desire to explore everything new. Visual storytelling remains new and old in the marketing and communications mix, claiming center stage as the "next big thing" in every communication-related field, from content marketing and graphic design to data journalism and digital media. Visual storytelling dates back to the […]
Analytics in 2016
Moving to the Head of the Class
This is part three of our digital marketing predictions for 2016 series. As we expect to see with content marketing and automation, 2016 will be the year that the field of analytics truly grows up and earns a seat at more than one proverbial table. Analytics and business intelligence will mesh with everything from marketing and […]
Marketing Automation in 2016
Usability and Integration Unlock Value
This is part two of our digital marketing predictions for 2016 series. As marketing automation continues to mature, the fast-growing industry is starting to stabilize. While 2016 may not be a wildly transformative year, we expect to see incremental rather than radical change. These incremental changes will have a significant impact as they allow more users […]
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Pivoting Toward Maturity and Effectiveness
This is part one of our digital marketing predictions for 2016 series. Is content marketing finally ready to grow up? After years of steady growth in the number of content pieces created, the discipline itself has felt at times like a long-limbed teenager trying to get used to their body after a growth spurt: awkward and […]
Unexpected Uses for Marketing Automation
It's Not Just for B2B Lead Generation Anymore
Marketing automation technology is quickly becoming ubiquitous among B2B companies working to coax the most from their lead generation efforts. And it's not hard to see why. Marketing automation is a proven method of capturing more and better leads, nurturing them with personalized and customized content, helping sales teams close more deals faster and establishing […]
Win the Attention of Today's Connected Teen
Social Media Tips for Higher Education Marketers
Today's teens are immersed in the digital space using mobile devices and laptops to access information, conduct research and find entertainment. Smartphones are extensions of their arms and they use them to manage every aspect of their lives. It's probably no surprise to anyone that Twitter, Facebook and Instagram are their preferred channels. So how […]
Social Media Roundup: Part Two
Changes You Need to Know
By Kellie Harrington and Ashleigh Mavros In our previous post, we shared some of the latest changes to Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. Part Two focuses on updates to Pinterest, Twitter, Meerkat and Periscope.


text:
December is one of the most interesting months of the year. For one, it seems to fly by (especially compared to February), because of all the holiday activity, and the anticipation of some family time and an extra day or two away from work. The fact that there always seems to be an extra cookie or piece of candy around only makes it pass by even quicker.
For many, December is also a month of a bit more reflection than usual. People are reminded of loved ones who are no longer around, and how important family truly is. And they recap what they accomplished throughout the year, as well as where they fell short. They ponder work highlights and low spots; personal life celebrations and shortcomings. And after that, a number move forward, with renewed conviction, on those inevitable lists of New Year's resolutions.
There is something rather ironic about these December reflections. Many with whom I have worked over the years have harped about how totally inefficient the annual performance review process is at their places of business. They go on to say how the reviews feel a lot like some ancient ritual, which has to be done. There is little emphasis on whether they are done well and produce more capable employees. It is more about ensuring the documentation is all in place to deal with the expected grumblings about the next round of disappointing pay raises.
If people claim that the annual review process is not so hot, then why is it that so many of them (including many of us) have only one reasonable appraisal of themselves and their lives each year, usually as the year is coming to a close?
There are several, rational explanations as to why. However, my intuition tells me it is likely habit more than anything else. As the final month of the calendar year, when many parts of life are temporarily winding down, December is the perfect time to reflect and ponder. Let me suggest that you now ponder whether that one time per year is enough.
The expression, "you learn from experience," is only partially correct. More accurately, you learn from reflecting on experience. People have all kinds of experiences every day which immediately evaporate from their memory. How much learning can occur from an experience that leaves no trace of impact? Yet the simple act of reflecting on an experience does ensure it will stick, at least to some degree. That is why taking time to take stock on an experience is so important.
For you to be your best as a leader, you must continue to be a lifelong learner. This will require you to frequently take some time and reflect on yourself, your actions, your "good sides" and "not so good sides," and the changes you know you need to make in order to be better.
Perhaps on your upcoming New Year's resolutions, you can commit to some "Me Time" maybe three or four times throughout the year, to help yourself continue to learn and grow. And hopefully, this will be one resolution you do not toss by the first of February.
Enjoy the holidays and Reflect on!


text:
Holiday Inn Club Vacations Holiday Hills Resort
Holiday Inn Club Vacations Holiday Hills Resort
Branson vacation rentals are best at Holiday Inn Club Vacations® Holiday Hills Resort! The resort features many activities and is less than 3 miles to the downtown Branson, MO shows, activities, and more.
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- Complimentary Self-parking Available
- Smoke-Free Facility
- Number of Floors: 4
- Total Number of Rooms: 514
- Number of Suites: 514
- Number of Non-Smoking Rooms: 514
- Number of Accessible Rooms: 5
- Please note there will be construction on property for your future enjoyment.
We want to make sure that our hotels meet all of your needs. This page provides information about the accessibility of this hotel's common areas as well as other accessibility features at this hotel.
To find more details about the accessibility features of individual guest rooms, enter your travel dates into the Book this Hotel module and select "View Rates" to proceed to the Rooms and Rates page.
- Public Entrance
- Guest Rooms
- Elevators
- Public Restrooms
- Registration Desk
- Exercise Facility
- Business Center
- Pool
Accessible Hotel Areas
- Registration Area
- Accessible Guest Rooms
- Business Center
- Meeting Rooms
- Exercise Facility
- Pool
Hotel Areas with Accessible Routes from Accessible Public Entrance
- Accessible Self-Parking
- Van Accessible Self Parking
- Ramp Access
- Portable Bathtub Seats
- Closed Caption TVs
- Telephone with TDD
- Visual Alarm/Alert in Guest Rooms
- Visual Alarm/Alert in Public Spaces
- Communication Kits with Visual Alarms
Provided by Hotel
Pet Policy
- Pets Not Allowed
- Service Animals Allowed
- This resort does not permit pets on property. Guests found with pets will be asked to remove them immediately and will be charged a reasonable fee of 250.00 USD for cleaning and sanitizing the entire unit and any damage caused by the pet.
Credit Cards
- MasterCard
- American Express
- Visa
- Discover
Your home away from home is waiting for you at Holiday Inn Club Vacations! Call (844) HCV-STAY to rent now and get a taste of comfort, relaxation and fun.


text:
Darkwood Beta 1.0
Hear ye, hear ye!
The time has come for us to unleash the beta unto you! This update features a huge amount of little changes and bugfixes.
The Epilogue is finally finished! It took us a long time, but we can say it's really badass. Too bad you will have to wait for the final release to play it, as it won't be available during beta! 😀
What comes next? During the beta phase, we will focus on polishing the existing content, bug fixes, balancing and filling in new content where needed. The main storyline is pretty much done, and won't be changed much.
We don't expect to sit long in beta, so if you haven't played Darkwood yet, we urge you to wait a bit more until the final release!
I won't be posting a changelog this time, as it would take way too much time, and most of the changes are pretty small. The most notable changes are:
– We're dropping 32-bit Linux support. I'm not sure if there is anyone out there affected by this change, as the Steam hardware survey does not even mention any 32-bit users out there. I'd like to support as much hardware as possible, unfortunately fighting memory issues on OSX and Linux has been a nightmare before each new version and has taken a considerable chunk of development time, which could have been used on adding cool new features instead. OSX and Linux builds will now be 64-bit, which will make for a more stable and better performing experience.
– The journal has been cleaned up, and we've removed some of the unused tabs. We originally planned for the protagonist to keep track of the notable enemies, locations etc. he encounters, but we've decided that it would be best if these things would be interpreted by the player only.
Happy playing,
The Acid Wizard


text:
Address Organizer is a complete program that allows individuals, small businesses, and corporations to organize and manage all kinds of contacts and addresses. Organizer is intuitive and easy to use for the beginner, at the same moment feature-rich and powerful enough to satisfy the most advanced users. Benefits: Master your contacts / addresses with user-friendly features. Arrange information any way you want to view it. Find and retrieve information quickly with flexible search, powerful filter, and multilevel sort functions. Report Wizard, Label Wizard, HTML Generator Wizard let you create quality, professionally looking documents, Web pages, inventory reports, labels, envelopes with color and graphics.
Other features: Custom data fields. Integrated with browser and email program. Support for the direct entries from TWAIN compliant devices (scanners, digital cameras, and other image capturing devices). Browser Page. You can display record (text and graphic) in the form of the WEB page. New Handy Email function: you can create and send quickly e-mail messages to anyone on the Internet directly from the Organizer.
COPYRIGHT (C) 2005 - 2015 , Gdosoft Associates . ALL RIGHT RESERVED


text:
Mondo has followed up its popular release of the Twin Peaks original score on vinyl with the release of the original motion picture soundtrack for Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me on vinyl!!! As Mondo explains, "Fire Walk With Me is an altogether more brooding affair than the Twin Peaks series soundtrack. Angelo Badalamenti won a Grammy for the title track of this LP and it's not hard to see why; it's dangerous, dark and bristling with smoky jazz so thick you can barely breathe. We went back to the master tapes in the Warner Archives and had this recut to fit across two LPs as the score clocks in at 51 minutes. It sounds incredible and punchy, but super nuanced, too."
The Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me Original Motion Picture Soundtrack 2xLP comes housed inside a 425gsm gatefold sleeve housed inside a bespoke black die cut outer jacket with black spot varnish finish, complete with obi strip featuring sleeve notes by film critic Mark Kermode (approved by David Lynch and Angelo Badalamenti). The artwork for this release was designed by Sam Smith, while the layout and design was by Jay Shaw. The soundtrack is pressed on two 180g "Cherry Pie" colored vinyl records.
Twin peaks fans can purchase Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me Original Motion Picture Soundtrack 2xLP now at the Mondo online store for $33.


text:
These innovative TeraFlex SpeedBump Bump Stops meet the demand of high-performance driving. Composite construction combined with a progressive nature reduces suspension compression impacts and harshness when bottoming out whether driving off-road or on poorly maintained highways. Reducing this impact increases driver ability to maintain vehicle control as well as reduces the risk of bending an axle housing tube. Other features include performance-tuned closed-cell nitrogen charged microcellular polyurethane technology that will not fade or dissipate under extended heavy use to maintain its progressive nature. This material is unaffected by temperature extremes and retains its flexibility under thermal or sub-zero temperatures. SpeedBump Bump Stops also feature a self-lubricating Delrin acetal resin polymer shaft to withstand 1,000s of continuous cycles without wear or abrasion. The external shaft seal also prolongs shaft life by wiping and cleaning the shaft to prevent contaminants from entering the SpeedBump housing. The front bump stops feature a simple bolt-on installation simply requires removal of the factory bump stop bell with no welding required. Additionally, these maintenance-free SpeedBump Bump Stops don't require any adjustment or tuning.
What is TeraFlex? A suspension company? Sure, but not just any suspension company. TeraFlex is a Jeep Wrangler suspension company. TeraFlex engineers enjoy coming up with products for one of the most engineered vehicles on the market. Interchangeable, dependable and durable - that is where TeraFlex comes in. TeraFlex picks up where Jeep left off to make Wranglers even better. Teraflex prides itself on striving for perfection in every aspect of product manufacturing and design. TeraFlex delivers the quality that hardcore off-road enthusiasts demand. Shop TeraFlex Now


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Manohar Parrikar Recalls Bhasmasur While Speaking On Blast In Balochistan's Police College in Quetta
Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar regrets loss of life in the blast that took place in Balochistan's Police College in Quetta, Pakistan today morning. Reminding the story of Bhasmasur, an asura or demon mentioned in Hindu Mythology as someone who got power to turn anyone into ashes whose head he would touch with his hand, Raksha Mantri Parrikar said, "terrorism anywhere in any form cannot be justified". However, without referring Pakistan as Bhasmasur, Parrikar added, Non State Actors involved in terrorism should not be supported by any country. Parrikar responded to media reporters' question on Pakistan blaming India for the latest blast in Pakistan's Balochistan province. (BUY BEST AMAZON PRODUCTS FOR YOU & FAMILY)
Manohar Parrikar, who was speaking after reviewing Naval Commanders'Conference in New Delhi also commented on Ae Dil Hai Mushkil Army fund row created by MNS Supremo Raj Thakre. "Army Casualty Fund is voluntary donation. Any once can donate. Many a times, some events happen, people want to give cheque to concern jawan". "We thought that those want to donate can do so as we will formulate a scheme it will benefit every shaheed equally out of it". It is ongoing exercise like Chief minister drought relief find or flood relief fund. It's a scheme managed by Ministry of Defence with the help of Military's AG Bench. What I saw, its not mention Battle Casualty Fund, it says Army Welfare Fund, that is different fund. We are not concern of someone demanding donation. He said the concept is voluntary donation and no catching of neck of anyone. He clarified that Army Battle Casualty Fund is separate.
Manohar Parrikar says American laws are different than Indian laws. In America criminal laws can be componded while India it is not. As far as platforms are concerned, national requirement is top priority. In next Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) meeting, we will finalise the proposal or guidelines of blacklisting of firms. The basic concept is in normal criminal activities of kickbacks, normally we put the ban but while doing that to what extend the ban is, will be decided on the requirements of the national security. He requested not to make any inference out of his statement while he responded a reporter's question on corruption and CBI investigations in Embraer aircraft deal.
Responding to questions on the cease fire violation by Pakistan, Defence Minister Parrikar termed CFV as Pak reaction post surgical operation and he assured that India is giving adequate reply.
Responding to questions on the cease fire violation by Pakistan, Defence Minister Parrikar termed CFV as Pak reaction post surgical operation and he assured that India is giving adequate reply.
Parrikar, on the sidelines of Naval Commanders' Conference, also said that if there is any discrepancy in the grading of military ranks in comparison to their civilian counterparts, it will be corrected in seven days when pointed out about 18 October 2016 letter.
Beginning his address to media Parrikar talked about the strength of Indian Navy and praised for its 'Make In India' prgram. However, he said, "there are some lacunas too in the Navy, which we (Indian Government) are taking care of. Experts believe that he was perhaps referring to Heavy Weight Torpedos and Helicopter's issue. Refusing to comment on the commissioning of India's Indigenous Nuclear Submarine INS Arihant, Parrikar also confirmed that the submarine Kalavari would be commissioned around January next year.
Kamov is joint venture to be between HAL and Russia. Kamov shareholders MoU is being signed. Some will be delivered in fly away condition and rest will be manufactured in India by HAL, Parrikar informed.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar claried delay in delivery of Stealth frigates from Russia attributed to the Russia and Ukrain tussel. Ukrain construct the power plant of the Stealth Frigate which India buying from Russia. Three of them will be delivered by them while 4th and and 5th will be constructed. To resolve the issue, India has completed an agreement with Ukraine under which India will buy power plant for these stealth frigates from Ukrain.
Read the article on: www.nationaldefence.in
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Shailesh Kumar is an independent journalist with over 17 years of experience in crime, political and defence reporting for leading media brands including Star News, India TV and NewsX. He is the founder editor of defence and security news portal, National Defence.


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This past Memorial Day Weekend was an absolute wet one. In the Omaha area we received 3+ inches of rain between Friday and Monday. As a result, an onslaught of mushrooms has appeared.
I am really not that annoyed by these little fungi. In fact, the presence of mushrooms indicates a few things about the lawn. I talked about the progress of my lawn last week.
- The lawn has very good organic matter. Mushrooms love high organic matter.
- The lawn has a high moisture content because of the rain. Ideal conditions for mushrooms.
- The lawn is also tall and thick. Again, ideal growing conditions for mushrooms.
I am trying a few options with respect to getting rid of the mushrooms.
- Fertilizing – I am hoping a higher nitrogen-level fertilizer will help ward off the mushrooms.
- Smashing them with my feet as I mow. Where colonies have developed, I am trying to see if breaking them apart in the wet lawn makes a difference.
- Nothing – Yes, almost everything I read says drier conditions are needed to help get rid of the mushrooms.
I'll take a strong, thick lawn with mushrooms over a lawn filled with weeds and crabgrass any day. Eventually the summer temperatures will arise and the mushrooms will go away with the warmer temperatures and drier conditions. If I still see mushrooms, it could signal that I am watering too much. In this case I can control the moisture in the grass.
Again, it is more of a nuisance at this time and the mushrooms are only temporarily residing in the lawn. I will let you know if the fertilizer and smashing options work, but my guess is if they work, it will be more about drier and warmer conditions, then either of these options.


text:
Broadcasting Legislation Amendment Bill (No.2)
This Digest was prepared for debate. It reflects the legislation as
introduced and does not canvass subsequent amendments. This Digest
does not have any official legal status. Other sources should be
consulted to determine the subsequent official status of the
Passage History
Main Provisions
Contact Officer & Copyright Details
Legislation Amendment Bill (No.2) 2002
Date Introduced:
23 October 2002
House: House of Representatives
Portfolio: Communications, Information
Technology and the Arts
The substantive
provisions (Schedules 1 and 2) commence on the 28th day
after the day on which the Act receives the Royal Assent
To provide a new
regulatory framework for community television (CTV) services.
In October 1991 Federal Cabinet decided to refer
the use of the last free-to-air television channel available in
most parts of Australia that could be used to provide a high power
service (the so-called sixth channel) to the House of
Representatives Standing Committee on Transport, Communications and
Infrastructure. The Committee recommended that the sixth channel be
used for community television until a decision was made on its
permanent use. In December 1992 the Government accepted this
recommendation and directed the Australian Broadcasting Authority
(ABA) to undertake a trial of community television. As there was no
provision in the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 (the BSA)
to licence community television services on the sixth channel on a
temporary basis, the ABA used the class licensing regime for open
narrowcasters(1) to facilitate the community television
trial. The apparatus licences were issued to community groups on a
temporary basis with a special condition attached that the services
be provided for community and educational non-profit purposes.
The Minister advised in July 1998 that the sixth
channel could continue to be used by the community broadcasting
sector until the introduction of digital transmission on 1 January
On 31 May 1999, the Minister unreserved the
sixth channel spectrum in all areas except where licences had been
issued for trial community television services, that is, in the
Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Lismore, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart and
Bendigo areas. This was in recognition of the need to make
available as much vacant spectrum as possible to assist in the
planning of digital television services.
Currently licences are held in the Sydney,
Melbourne, Brisbane, Lismore, Perth and Adelaide areas. The
community group in Hobart withdrew its interest in providing a
trial community television service and the ABA has not renewed the
licence in Bendigo. The current CTV services are listed in the
table below.
Internet Site
Community Television Sydney Inc.
Ch 31
LINC TV Inc.
Ch 68
Briz 31 Inc.
ACE TV Inc
Melbourne Community Television Consortium Inc.
West Australian Community Broadcasting Association (WACBA)
Under clause 60C of Schedule 4 of the BSA, the
Minister was required before 1 January 2002 to cause a review to be
conducted into the regulatory arrangements that should apply to the
digital transmission of CTV using spectrum in the broadcasting
services bands and how access to spectrum should be provided free
of charge.
To assist the review process the Minister
directed the ABA to conduct an investigation into the trial of CTV
that has been conducted since 1992. The ABA submitted its report to
the Minister on 31 July 2001. The ABA evaluation concluded
Most CTV operators are financially vulnerable
due to high capital and operating costs. Some are overly reliant on
a limited range of revenue sources, thus increasing their financial
risks. The sale of large amounts of airtime or reliance on
benefactors/creditors may lead to circumstances where the
commercial entity or benefactor involved may, in practical terms,
be taken to control the licence, and who may influence editorial
and access policies. Such circumstances may also lead to a breach
of the licence condition of operation for community and educational
non-profit purposes.
Significant governance and accountability
concerns have been raised about some members of the sector. These
concerns centre on the extent to which operators, using free
spectrum, offer open access to community groups wishing to make
The temporary nature of the trial and licensing
regime has added to the difficulty CTV operators have had in
obtaining sponsorship and savings from longer term contracting
arrangements--for example, in relation to transmission. The lack of
certainty has made it significantly harder to achieve financial
stability and to generate surpluses for reinvestment in
CTV audiences are small. Research commissioned
by the ABA indicates that on average only one in four Australians
in CTV transmission areas watch CTV and close to one third of
survey respondents had never heard of CTV services.
The nature and quality of services provided by
operators is highly variable.
The ability to sustain regular transmissions has
been difficult for some operators and is hampered by high
transmission, equipment and maintenance costs.
Poor transmission quality has been a major
problem throughout the trial period. Picture quality has been
hampered by low power transmissions, high maintenance costs, lack
of funding for equipment upgrades, seasonal variations and the
absence of back-up equipment.
CTV original programming fills a niche not met
by other services. However, no operator was able to fill its
airtime with programming produced or provided by community groups,
resulting in a significant amount of 'filler' or retransmitted
The Government also released a discussion paper
on the digital transmission of CTV on 5 June 2001, and invited
submissions from all interested parties.(3)
The final report was tabled in June
2002.(4) It concluded that:
In August 2002 the Department released a
discussion paper on proposed legislative changes to the licensing
arrangements for community television and called for
submissions.(5) This Bill is the outcome of that
Item 1 of Schedule 1 inserts
the definition of a new type of community broadcasting licence CTV
licences in subsection 6(1) of the BSA. These are licences to
provide television services that are not targeted to one or more
remote Indigenous communities. According to the EM, this exclusion
is because licensees providing services to remote Indigenous
communities do not have the resources to meet the higher governance
and accountability requirements placed on CTV licensees.
Item 3 inserts a new section 8B in the BSA which
allows the ABA to determine which communities are remote Indigenous
communities for the purposes of the Act. Such determinations are
disallowable instruments.
Item 4 of Schedule 1
substitutes subsection 81(1) with new provisions ensuring that a
CTV licensee must be a company limited by guarantee within the
meaning of the Corporations Act 2001.
Item 8 of Schedule 1 inserts a
new section 87A in the BSA which contains
additional conditions on CTV licences which are intended to ensure
that CTV licences do not operate in the same way as commercial
television broadcasting services, namely:
Access to air-time is defined as the right to
select or provide programs during that time (new subsection
New subsections 87A(7)
to (10) will enable the ABA to
determine other conditions for CTV licences. The ABA is required to
seek public comment before making such determinations, which will
be disallowable instruments.
Item 12 of Schedule 1 replaces
subclause 9(3) of Schedule 2 of the BSA with new provisions which
increase the time available for CTV sponsorship announcements from
5 to 7 minutes in any hour.
Item 15 of Schedule 1 amends
the Radiocommunications Act 1992 to insert a new
subsection 103(4A) which provides that transmitter
licences for CTV licensees will be effective for analog
transmission until 31 December 2006, or any other date determined
by the Minister. Such a determination is a disallowable
Note: 31 December 2006 is the end date for the
moratorium for the allocation of new commercial television
licences, as provided by section 28 of the BSA.
In assessing the suitability of an applicant for
a community broadcasting licence currently the ABA is only entitled
to take into account:
Item 1 of Part 1 of
Schedule 2 amends subsection 83(3) of the BSA to broaden
the range of factors that the ABA may take into account when
deciding if an applicant is suitable beyond the items listed in the
Items 4 and 5 amend section 91
of the BSA to enable the ABA to refuse to renew a community
broadcasting licence if the licensee does not meet the criteria for
the allocation of a new licence. Items 6 and 7
amend subsection 123(1) so that community broadcasters serving
Indigenous communities can develop their own codes of practice.
Item 10 amends subclause 9(2) of Schedule 2 of the
BSA to add two new conditions to the standard conditions for
community broadcasting licences. These new conditions state that
the licensee must provide the service for community purposes and
must not operate the service for profit.
Note: the amendments in Part 1 of
Schedule 2 of the Bill relate to all community
broadcasting licences, not just CTV licences (ie. they also apply
to community radio licences).
Schedule 3 amends the
Broadcasting Services (Transitional Provisions and
Consequential Amendments) Act 1992 to reflect the decision of
the High Court in Australian Capital Television v
Commonwealth (1992) 177 CLR 106. This decision found that
sections of the Broadcasting Act 1942 which prohibited
political advertisements in election periods were invalid.
This paper has been prepared for general distribution to
Senators and Members of the Australian Parliament. While great care
is taken to ensure that the paper is accurate and balanced, the
paper is written using information publicly available at the time
of production. The views expressed are those of the author and
should not be attributed to the Information and Research Services
(IRS). Advice on legislation or legal policy issues contained in
this paper is provided for use in parliamentary debate and for
related parliamentary purposes. This paper is not professional
legal opinion. Readers are reminded that the paper is not an
official parliamentary or Australian government document.
© Commonwealth of Australia 2002
Except to the extent of the uses permitted under the
Copyright Act 1968, no part of this publication may be
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including
information storage and retrieval systems, without the prior
written consent of the Parliamentary Library, other than by Members
of the Australian Parliament in the course of their official
Published by the Department of the Parliamentary Library,
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text:
When I stopped at the Tokyu Foodshow in Shibuya last week, I spotted Kaiun's crown jewel bottles, to-bin dori daiginjo that hold Toji's name, Hase Shokichi label, wrapped in a thin white paper and carefully stocked in the refrigerator. Whenever I see this bottle in a shop, I can't help myself but pause for a moment with respect that is more like with reverence with a big sigh, "Ahhhh, I wish I could get this bottle". So, I did the usual thing; stood in front of the refrigerator at Tokyu for a few seconds in awe when I noticed a hand-written tag on the bottle, hardly noticeable since it is wrapped in a thin semi-opaque paper. At the May kikizake kai at Ichibe where Kaiun was the featured kura, the kanpai was to-bin dori Hase Shokichi daiginjo nama, my favorite of all sake. Just like as the bottles I was looking at in Tokyu last week, that had a blue hand-written label with three letters that read "Kubi 5 Ro". Until I heard the explanation, the label was like a mysterious code to be decyphered.
This rather unusual coded tag shows the pressing method "kubi", tank number "5" and the order the sake was pressed, "ro" is often used to show second, so on the label, it meant 2nd to-bin, right after arabashiri.
Short for kubitsuri, which is a pressing method to let the big bags of moromi or mash hang from the edge of the tank so that gravity is the "press". Also called fukuro zuri or literally, hung bags. I guess the term kubitsuri came from the way the bags look, but when I heard it for the first time, I thought I was missing something because in a normal context, the term means hanging oneself. It does not sound too good.
If you are wondering how this kubitsuri pressing process looks, Amanoto has nice pictures in this blog post.
i, ro, ha, ni, ho, he, to… This is as far as I can go with Iroha, which comes from an old poem, but is commonly used today in Japan more like a simple alphabet. Instead of saying ABC, people often use i-ro-ha in documents, or at least that's mostly where people will see this.
At the May kikizake-kai, I forgot to ask when Kaiun started to market by specifying the pressing method, tank number, and to-bin number. Or, maybe this is just seasonal–I don't know. Maybe Rober-Gilles would know? Just like any Hase Shokichi I tried in the past, though, this bottle at the kikizake-kai was so well balanced with a light fruity aroma that never stands out by itself. The first sip is like elegant chamber music with velvety layers of flavor changing their tones as it touches different parts of the palette: deep, yet light, then finishes quietly letting the nice remnants to linger. It's so special that I can go on forever about this nihonshu. Actually, Hase Shokichi is what got me hooked on sake-it all started from that one bottle. When I finally met Hase Toji in person and asked for his autograph, I felt like a teenager meeting a rock star. Well, in the sake world, he is just that kind of legendary figure.
I will write more about that memorable first bottle and Hase Toji later in a separate post, but if you spot this special tag in a shop, you will know what it means.
Buy it.


text: When we were very broke, those first years in New York, Hammett got a modest advance from Knopf and began to write The Thin Man. He moved to what was jokingly called the Diplomat's Suite in a hotel run by our friend Nathanael West. It was a new hotel but Pep West and the depression had managed to run it down immediately and certainly Hammett's suite had never seen a diplomat because even the smallest Oriental could not have functioned well in the space. But the rent was cheap, the awful food could be charged, and some part of my idle time could be spent with Pep snooping around the lives of the other rather strange guests. I had known Dash when he was writing short stories, but I had never been around for a long piece of work. Life changed: the drinking stopped, the parties were over. The locking-in time had come and nothing was allowed to disturb it until the book was finished. I had never seen anybody work that way: the care for every word, the pride in the neatness of the typed page itself, the refusal for ten days or two weeks to go out even for a walk for fear something would be lost. It was a good year for me and I learned from it and was; perhaps, a little frightened by a man who now did not need me. It was thus a happy day when I was given half the manuscript to read and was told that I was Nora, It was nice to be Nora, married to Nice Charles: maybe one of the few marriages in modern literature where the man and woman like each other and have a fine time together. But I was soon put back in place—Hammett said I was also the silly girl in the book and the villainess. I don't know now if he was joking, but in those days it worried me: I was very anxious that he think well of me. Most people wanted that from him.


text:
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text:
As more and more travel bookings are made online, this fuels significant profits for leading online booking agents and intermediaries, whilst placing strain on hotels to control their distribution costs.
When Google entered the meta-search arena in 2011, this signalled an increased focus on the consumer search layer of the sales and marketing funnel.
Meta-search is described by some as a "battle for eyeballs," so both large hotel chains and independents now have an opportunity to shift more bookings direct, rather than online search being dominated by big budget online travel agents.
In an attempt to understand the opportunities, dynamics and complexities of meta-search we sat down with Mike Ford, Co-founder and CEO of SiteMinder and Erik Munoz, Executive Director Strategic Sales and Global Partnerships.
What is hotel meta-search and how does SiteMinder help hoteliers take advantage of the increasing number of options?
MF: A meta-search engine is a search tool that sends user requests to several other search engines and aggregates the results into a single list. SiteMinder has invested in a robust platform to provide connectivity to the leading meta-search channels to help to drive down the overall cost of distribution.
EM: Hotel meta-search is both a huge opportunity and a challenge for hotel sales & marketing teams. Most hotel organisations have very segregated online marketing and online distribution teams, however hotel meta-search essentially merges the digital marketing and distribution functions of an organisation, forcing these teams to work in harmony. SiteMinder provides a single platform to manage the connectivity from PMS or CRS, and the booking fulfilment piece at the direct hotel website.
How will meta-search change the travel industry?
MF: No one really knows exactly what the ROI will be for one meta-search channel versus another and whether the ROI can be applied (or sustained) across global hotel markets and for all types of hotel businesses. From a strategic perspective, SiteMinder offers a best-in-class platform to manage hotel online distribution in a cost-effective manner, so we approach meta-search in the same spirit. We enable more independent hotels and groups to connect and profit from meta-search than anyone else, based on user-friendly design, robust technology and a market-leading commercial model.
EM: The travel industry is booming and there will always be a first-mover advantage for early adopters who recognise an opportunity and capitalise on it. Meta-search isn't really a new opportunity, big chains have always had the opportunity to participate (and profit) by investing in meta-search ad spend to drive bookings direct to their brand.com website. But now independent hotels have the opportunity to "join the party" and this is a game changer. Essentially, SiteMinder opens up a world of meta-search opportunities for regional hotel groups and independents, without the huge cost of a "big chain" CRS or a cost-prohibitive commercial model to limit participation.
What do you believe will happen to online travel agencies (OTAs) with the growth of meta-search sites?
MF: OTAs are a vital part of the supply chain and have been largely responsible for the huge growth in online travel bookings across both mature and emerging markets. We maintain outstanding relationships with our OTA partners as our technology enables them to sell more inventory than anyone else through our dynamic pooled inventory distribution design. That said, we have already seen Priceline and Expedia invest in meta-search channels; Trivago and Kayak respectively. Kayak was a pioneer in the meta-search space and have a loyal brand following. We expect some consolidation in the OTA space, however we continue to be impressed with niche OTA suppliers servicing "the long tail" in distribution and SiteMinder is a great enabler of success for those suppliers.
EM: Meta-search is not only an opportunity for hotels, but also for OTAs. There are different meta-search ad-spend models in play, but both hotels and OTAs can invest in a cost-per-click to drive bookings to their respective websites. The profitability of any CPC ad spend campaign will simply come down to conversion. Whoever has the best ability to convert clicks to bookings will have greater capacity to outperform the other, whether that is hotel versus hotel, or hotel versus OTA.
How will meta-search affect hotel revenue?
MF: Again, we believe it's too early to make any predictions on the relative impact on revenue or profits of one meta-search supplier versus the entire field of meta-search options. From a technology perspective, we have built a successful business based on service and lowering the cost of distribution, so we expect SiteMinder hotel clients to be in a stronger position than most to tap into meta-search channel opportunities.
EM: In isolation, I don't believe there is a correlation between meta-search participation and increased hotel revenue, however there is a strong opportunity to lower the cost of distribution. From a total revenue management perspective, driving increased profits will be a derivative of driving better revenue and keeping operating costs low. With the right mix of integrated technology, a cost-effective commercial model and a consistent ability to convert more direct business, hotels around the world will have a huge opportunity to lower their cost of acquiring direct business.
Where do you see the industry in the next 5 years?
MF: Ask me about the industry in the next 5 months is an easier question than 5 years. SiteMinder is only 7 years old, so if you consider what we have achieved in that short space of time, we expect continued growth in the total value of online booking transactions. We expect to bring our popular technology and commercial offering to more and more hotels around the world in the next 12-18 months. More online business for our hotels, at the best commercial offering, life doesn't need to get more complicated than that, right?
EM: I will have a stab at a 5-year prediction for the online travel industry, as foolhardy as that is. Within 5 years, we will see a more complete hotel search and booking experience from major OTAs, meta-search suppliers, Google, Apple, TripAdvisor and Facebook. The move towards greater personalisation in the digital world, means those businesses who have the ability to harness their loyal brand users (the community), will be able to use analytics and insights from the way their users interact in those "walled communities", to make it easier than ever before to search and book online. It's a bit Orwellian however, if "Big Brother" knows what I want and when I want it and how I want to transact, then that will be both scary and a huge step forward in the evolution of our offline and digital lives.


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|Original review author:
|The Luigiian
|Webcomic name:
|Dave Cheung
|Start Date
|September 7, 2009
|End Date
|Currently in limbo, might come back if Dave-Man finally finds something to make actual profit with and has enough spare time
|Defining Flaw
|From the outset, it looks as if this comic will be similar to Boss Noodle and the original Chugworth Academy. That means breasts and smack talk.
Ratings summary:
Table of Contents
Whuddap, peeplets? Yo yo yo, I just got finished slappin' mah bitchez' roun' and now I's gon' go back to the mean ass streets of Glasgow, United Kingdom, where I's can join mah peeplets again and start drawing som' mah guro and girls getting raped and ripped apart by pedophilic men. Ah, you know how it iz, bro, theyz all bitchez n' hos! Fuck m' all. Hey, if you 'specially good peeplets, I'll give y' some sexy pictyahs of my art bitchez wearin' nothin' but skin, n' maybe a katana or swimmin' gear, because fuck yeah!
Picture this from the mouth of a skinny pasty-ass Scottish-Asian 27-year-old and you have Dave Cheung. I'm not basing that on his current Chugworth!, I'm figuring that based on what he's said on DeviantArt, the original Chugworth, and of course Boss Noodle, which is a silly sort of fusion of ninja and American-style urban style. Now, I'm not here to criticize him for being yet another poor, pathetic person who believes he is the next Snoop Dogg; rather, I'm here to laugh at him. But seriously, this is his comic, in a nutshell.
Chugworth Academy. 'Nuff said.
Story and Plot
Since it's the continuation of Chugworth Academy, expect not only the girls to behave and dress like 3-Dollar-Hookers as well as stumbling into LOLwacky situations with the other cardboard cut-outs, but also a fair share of racism and female degradation disguised as satire.
In case it should eventually come back, that is.
Art review
Even compared to later CA articles, the new Chugworth! is improved. Artistically, this comic is amateur-average. There are mistakes in the design and the style is typical anime.
Writing review
Will probably be typical Chugworth writing, with similar style, although it has probably matured a bit beyond the original, if only the same amount that the art has.
Author biography
Guro, porno, lolicon, doujinshi.
Connect the dots.
If you know Chugworth, you already know how its update will turn out. Don't expect miracles from Chugworth!


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Sunday, August 19, 2012
Solar Power International 2012 (Event)
Clean Power Finance - See them at Booth #3849 Balance of Systems, Megawatt Sponsor
Clean Power Finance is building an online business-to-business marketplace to drive the mass-market adoption of solar. They connect providers of capital with qualified solar marketers, installers and distributors, who need residential solar finance products to grow their businesses.
Advanced Energy - See them at Booth #3301 Manufacturer - Inverter
AE's solar energy business delivers highly reliable inverters, complementary Balance of System (BoS) products, and robust Operations and Maintenance (O&M) services that allow our customers to secure more solar projects and grow their business.
RenewableEnergyWorld.com See them at Booth #3187 News Publisher
World's #1 Source for Solar News and Information - with more than 400,000 monthly site visitors and 850,000 monthly page views, our readers are ready to interact with your marketing communications. Grow your business with the largest, most trusted renewable energy network in the world.
You can also expect to see fresh faces as the SPI heads to Orlando for the first time. International attendance grows every year; and Orlando is sure to attract more people than ever from overseas. Make SPI—the industry's best-attended annual event—your launch pad for new products and ones you want to showcase.
For more information click here.
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US Regains Lead from China as Clean Energy Leader
US Solar Energy Review and 2012 Forecasts
Renewable Energy in 2012: The Global Economic and Environmental Climate
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Renewable Energy Is Our Only Hope
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Conventional steering systems use a constant steering ratio. As the name implies, progressive steering is based on a progressive steering ratio. This significantly reduces the effort required for low-speed maneuvering and parking. On twisting roads and at junctions, the driver will notice a more dynamic response as a result of the more direct steering. In addition, the need to change hands is significantly reduced. In technical terms, progressive steering features variable tooth spacing on the rack and pinion and a more powerful electric motor than the standard electromechanical steering.
Progressive steering
Press releases
Ready to Roc! – World premiere of the new T-RocAs part of the biggest model offensive in its history, Volkswagen is extending its model range by adding a compact-class crossover: the T-Roc. The new crossover from Volkswagen brings fresh impetus to the compact SUV class. It offers maximum personalisation, innovative digitalisation, perfect connectivity, leading-edge driver assistance systems, dynamic engines and above all modern, expressive design. A car that is just as much at home in the city as it is on rough terrain.
New Golf GTE and Golf GTD now available to orderWith the update of the new Golf in model year 2017, three further sporty, fuel-efficient models can now be ordered: the plug-in hybrid Golf GTE and the dynamic Golf GTD and Golf GTD Variant diesel models.
The new Passat: interview with the project leaderPresales for the new Passat have started. A young team has taken the task of perfecting the successful mid-range model. The outcome is something to be proud of.
Basic infos
International Driving Presentation - The new Golf GTI Clubsport SThe Golf GTI Clubsport S breaks the lap record for front-wheel-drive cars on the Nürburgring Nordschleife, with a time of 07:49:21 This exclusive GTI is a two-seater with a 310 PS engine and newly configured chassis


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Secure online shopping at Wickes
When you shop online at Wickes.co.uk your browser will automatically go into secure mode.
To check if you are in secure mode, look for a padlock icon on the top left-hand side of the address bar in your browser. You should see the word "Secure" in green next to the padlock in Chrome. In Safari you will see a grey padlock. Either of these occurrences indicates that the webpage is considered secure, and all information sent via that page is encrypted.
In 'secure mode', all your details are encrypted. This creates a secret with billions upon billions of combinations to protect each action sent and received on our site, so your personal information cannot be viewed by anyone else using the Internet. Our site supports 128 bit encryption, only the secure cipher suites, we have an Extended Verification (EV) certificate, and we support Forward Secrecy, thereby keeping your details as safe as possible. Our SSL connection receives an A rating from www.ssllabs.com.
The Wickes.co.uk website only accepts information sent using Secure Socket Layer (SSL). This technology prevents you from inadvertently revealing personal information using an insecure connection. In addition, we are rolling out HSTS (HTTP Strict Transport Security) to protect our customers from SSL Stripping and other security downgrade attacks.
The Wickes.co.uk website will never see or process your card details. All card details are sent directly from your browser to our trusted payment processor over a secure, encrypted communication channel. This is done using the same methods described above. This ensures that your payment information is inaccessible to anyone from Wickes.
If you make a payment by PayPal, this payment will be subject to PayPal's User Agreement and Privacy Policy. PayPal uses the latest in data encryption and anti-fraud technology to help keep your information secure, reducing the risk of online fraud.


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Sero! supports the entire assessment process, from authoring to taking to scoring to displaying results. Here's a high-level look under the hood:
An Assessor is anyone who wants to assess someone else's knowledge. A Taker is someone who "takes" a Sero! assessment.
Concept maps assess Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS). Bartlett's list is still one of the best for explaining HOTS:
- – interpolation : filling in information that is missing from a logical sequence
- – extrapolation : extending an incomplete argument or statement
- – reinterpretation : rearrangement of information to effect a new interpretation
These are the same skills that Sero! helps to assess – regardless of the topic or domain.
Start with this question:
Language-based assessments – like multiple choice, fill-in, or essays – have long suffered from challenges. MC essentially assesses recognition, fill-ins assess recall, and essays require writing skills. MC and fill-in present questions in a sequence – treating each as though they are unrelated. MC are difficult to write well, while essays are difficult and time-consuming to grade.
Sero! provides a holistic assessment of HOTS and domain knowledge. Emphasis is placed on assessing concepts and how they relate. Answers become dependent on other answers, so Takers have to think through an entire segment of the domain rather than recognizing or recalling bits. They can express the depth of their knowledge regardless of their writing capabilities.
Sero! compares a Taker's map to a MasterMap, which represents the knowledge and reasoning that is standard, common and/or commonly agreed to, or perhaps known only by the experts, for any given domain.
For those who want details… The score for a Taker's map is calculated by adding one point to the total score for each answer the Taker provided that matched the MasterMap. The total is then divided by the total number of items in the entire assessment. If an item requires multiple answers (for example, ConnectTo that connects to multiple concepts), the score is added equal to the number of correct answers divided by the total number of answers required. If additional or missing answers are provided, the Taker is demerited half the credit of a correct answer for that item.
To quote education researcher Steffen Schaal, "the validity and reliability of Concept Mapping assessment has been properly explored." Almost 50 years of empirical research support this claim. The U.S. Department of Education's Science Framework for the National Assessment of Educational Progress calls for the sort of assessment Sero! provides – check it out on page 107 of the Framework.
We're satisfied.
In some ways, yes. They are new to most Takers, so Sero! provides instructions and help. Sero! assessments can also vary in difficulty depending on the domain content, number of items in an assessment, and the types of assessment items. This flexibility gives Assessors lots of options to use in their specific assessment context.
Sero! can be used whenever someone's understanding of a domain or topic needs to be assessed. For learners, this might be at the beginning of a course or module to gauge how and what they understand, so that they can be taught from that point. Or throughout the module, to gauge how they are doing. Or at the end, to gauge whether they got it and to figure out where they should go next.
In professional use, job candidates can take Sero! assessments to determine whether they really know their stuff. Or shortly after hire to determine what onboarding activities will be necessary and where to start on the training pathway.
Sero! was designed through a series of user-experience reviews. We've embedded lots of helpful instructions for Takers of any age. All Takers go through a brief instructional page, with quick videos, to learn how to take an assessment.
Great idea! Building from scratch is a valuable exercise, for Taker and Assessor alike. Paper and computerized versions have their own advantages.
But making good maps requires some instruction and a fair bit of practice. We believe working with Sero! maps will help build skill in creating good maps.
For Assessors, reviewing lots of maps can be very challenging. Doing so takes a lot of time. Marking them is also hard. Rubrics can be confusing, and assessors need something to compare to, even it's just the 'map' in their own head. But perhaps most importantly, gleaning trends across a group of Takers is, at the very least, cumbersome.
Sero! helps solve many of these challenges. Being cloud based, it can scale to many Taker and Assessors – to clearly show trends and enable sharing.
Assessors can author their own maps using Sero! or other concept mapping programs (we recommend CmapToolsTM). When assessors create their own map, they can organize maps as they see fit and to reflect the knowledge they want to assess, and they can pinpoint particular conceptual knowledge.
Sero! Learning Assessments offers maps authoring services – email us at email@example.com for details.
Authoring assessments in Sero! is very easy. We have made sure of that by working with lots of assessors to help guide our design of Sero!.
That said, we want all Assessors to be get the most out of Sero!. So we also offer Professional Development Workshops – tailored to your organization's needs.
We know there are lots of tools that enable drawing, sharing, and linking concept maps. However, none provide the end-to-end support for knowledge assessment. You can use those tools to draw concept maps, but you'll have a lot of manual work to do if you want to conduct an assessment.
One way to think about it: If other concept mapping tools are like WordTM and PowerPointTM – Sero! is like ExcelTM.
Sero! imports proposition sets from .csv and .txt files, and concept maps from CmapToolsTM using the .cxl format.
xAPI is an e-learning software specification that allows learning content and learning systems to share data with each other that records and tracks all types of learning experiences. We have developed Sero! to be xAPI from the get-go. You can read about it here.
Contact us at email@example.com if you are looking for more information on Sero!'s xAPI vocabulary.
Sero! pricing models are based on an Individual Assessor account, which provides 50 Taker accounts, and on the type and size of the Organization that Assessors and Takers belong to.
Pricing and new account registration will be available in Summer 2020.
Contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com for research pricing or if special circumstances may warrant a discount.
Yes – for a month. Anyone can register as an Individual Assessor and get 50 Taker accounts to try out Sero! for one month. To register, visit the Registration Page.
Takers cannot register for an account – at least not yet. Assessors and Organizational account administrators create Taker accounts.
In 2017, Sero! was awarded Highly Commended for Innovation by the eAssessment Association – check it out!
In 2018, Sero! was selected for the prestigious Innovation Lab at the Association of Testing Publishers' Innovations in Testing conference – which is pretty sweet!
Also in 2018, Sero! was selected for inclusion in the Startup Pavilion at the International Society for Technology in Education conference – here it is!
And the hits keep coming for 2018… Sero! was shortlisted in the Learning Assessment category in the Reimagine Education competition!
Sero! Learning Assessments offers Professional Development Workshops to introduce Assessors to Sero!, its features, and its applications.
We also offer MasterMap and AssessmentMap authoring services – contact us at email@example.com when your organization is ready to generate content.
Sero! is applicable in education, training, talent management, and more. We plan to launch Sero! in early 2018. To date, we have conducted extensive usability testing with prototype versions with several Department of Defense learning and training organizations and at private companies. Our colleague, education researcher Paulo Correia, has also been conducting research with his students at the Universidade de São Paulo (USP) in Brazil – the pictures on our homepage are from tests in their computer lab.
Check back to this FAQ in a little while… no doubt we'll have more to say.
Indeed! We have published several papers about Sero!, its prototype versions, and the values of concept mapping.
- The Benefits of Granularity (PDF)
- A Case for the Superiority of Concept Mapping-Based Assessments for Assessing Mental Models (PDF)
- Sero!: A Learning Assessment Platform for Adult Learning Environments (PDF)
- Eliciting, Representing, and Evaluating Adult Knowledge: A Model for Organizational Use of Concept Mapping and Concept Maps (PDF)
- Concept Map-Based Assessment for Adult Learners (PDF)
- Sero!: Evaluating a Concept Mapping Game for Its Potential to Improve Cognitive Capabilities (PDF)
- Comment on "Retrieval Practice Produces More Learning than Elaborative Studying with Concept Mapping" (external)
In Latin, sero means "to join together." You see it in words like serotonin, which "joins together" neurons. In concept maps, the relations join together the concepts to form propositions, basic units of knowledge.
Sero! Learning Assessments, Inc., is the world's leading provider of concept map-based learning assessments, through its Sero! platform, professional development and content services. Our founder, Brian Moon, has been involved in the concept mapping community for nearly 20 years, including editing Applied Concept Mapping: Creating, Organizing and Using Knowledge (CRC Press, 2011) with the originator of concept maps, Joseph Novak.
We are also honored to be advised by these distinguished members of the concept mapping, e-assessment, and business communities:
Margaret Jacks Professor of Education, Stanford University
Center for Next Gen Learning and Assessment, Pearson
Professor of Education, Stanford University
Universidade de São Paulo
First Citizens Bank
Bartlett, F.C. (1958). Thinking: An experimental and social study.
Schaal, S. (2008). Cmapping In Science Education Assessment: An Approach to Computer-Supported Achievement Tests in an Interdisciplinary Hypermedia Learning Environment. Proc. of the 3rd Int Conf on CMapping. Tallinn & Helsinki.


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University of Oregon Scientist, Dr. Shoukhrat Mitalipov explains, "It's been 15 years since we invented the embryonic stem cell, and no one has been able to figure out how to use it." The procedure inserts adult human DNA into an unfertilised human egg, so that the growing stem cells can be used to treat serious disease and ageing.
"The way in which these stem cell lines were derived is from embryos that were created in the process of In Vitro Fertlisation (IVF), and, in fact, there are hundreds of thousands of these embryos that are simply being discarded," said Dr. Francis Collins, Director of the US National Institute of health.
After lengthy international travels, Mr. Nygard settled in the Bahamas for good reason many years ago. Recognised by its popularity among A-class celebrities and the rich and famous, the Bahamas is a celebrated holiday destination with beautiful weather, a welcoming economy and an ever-friendly culture. He believes that his new home would be perfect for both his business and the Bahamian people.
Mr Nygard needed the Bahamian government to willingly adopt supportive legislation for his stem cell studies. This was a critical step in the progression of his extensive plans for research. He says that Bahama's current Prime Minister Perry Christie "showed tremendous courage and political savviness to guide this through the legislature".
PM Christie states in the video above that:"Two years ago Peter Nygård called me to say that if your country is prepared to pass legislation, I will find a way to bring scientists who I have retained. I am prepared to have them come into the Bahamas."
The stem cell bill was passed in January of 2014 and was the first time the Bahamas' 'Medical Act' had been revised in over 12 years.
The construction of a multi-million dollar facility which develops both genomic sequencing and embryonic stem-cell technology would be the first of its kind anywhere in the world.
While importing the most advanced stem cell technologies available, the aim is to also expand research into commercial genome sequencing (GS). This is described as the mapping of an organism's entire DNA sequence, potentially used to predict one's risk of developing a range of genetically inherited pathologies.