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A Blockbuster trade went down on Day 2 of the 2017 NFL Free Agency Period which includes the New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints.
A Blockbuster trade went down on Day 2 of the 2017 NFL Free Agency Period which includes the New England Patriots trading for wide receiver Brandin Cooks, former New Orleans Saint.
"The Patriots trade their 1st round pick (#32) & 3rd round pick (#103) to the Saints for wide receiver Brandin Cooks & their 4th round pick (#118) per sources" via ESPN reporter Dianna Russini.
Also, another trade that could go down with both teams in the coming days during NFL Free Agency is the trade for cornerback Malcolm Butler, a 1st round tendered player. A high pick or additional picks will most likely be needed for the Saints to pull off the trade for Butler.
The New England Patriots are well-known for trading. But this offseason they have been very active in free agency and the trade market. The Patriots trading for Cooks and giving up a 1st round pick shows they are all in for 2017. Their offense just got better with a consistent target. Cooks has home-run threat ability as a burner in his game. Cooks can be the speed option to Edelman and Mitchell in the slot and can complement bigger receivers like Hogan. Surpassing over 1,000 yards in 2015 and 2016, Cooks was a productive receiver in the Saints offense. Cooks can be the same or even better with Tom Brady and the Patriots offense. Here are the following scenarios I could see on the Draft Day for the Saints.
Cleveland Browns: Moneyball, The Process... and Sashi Ball? | {'timestamp': '2019-04-22T13:07:06Z', 'url': 'https://theinscribermag.com/brandin-cooks-affects-2017-nfl-draft/', 'language': 'en', 'source': 'c4'} |
Q:
Prolog - Finding object with shortest inner List in a List
I have a large list BIGLIST that consists solely of any number of smaller lists SMALLLIST, which themselves contain another list INNERLIST in their first index. I need to design a predicate that can find the SMALLLIST with the shortest INNERLIST. No INNERLIST has a length greater than 9. For example:
BIGLIST = [
[[1,2,3],3824],
[[4,5],89],
[[6],283],
[[2],14],
]
The SMALLLIST with the shortest INNERLIST here is [[6],283], despite the existence of [[2],14] (they are the same length). I've written a predicate shortest/2 like the following, but the desired SMALLLIST never gets bound to Shortest:
shortest(BIGLIST,Shortest) :-
Num = 10,
get_shortest(BIGLIST,Shortest,Num).
get_shortest([],_,_). %list is empty, stop
get_shortest([SMALLLIST|Tail],Shortest,ShortLen) :- %better SMALLLIST found
nth0(0,SMALLLIST,INNERLIST), %get INNERLIST
length(INNERLIST,Len),
Len < ShortLen,
NShortest = SMALLLIST,
NShortLen = Len,
get_shortest(Tail,NShortest,NShortLen),
Shortest = NShortest.
get_shortest([_|T],Shortest,ShortLen) :- %skip head if it is not a better value
get_shortest(T,Shortest,ShortLen).
Thanks for the help.
A:
In such cases keysort/2 comes in handy. For example:
biglist_smallest(Bs, E) :-
maplist(element_with_length, Bs, LEs),
keysort(LEs, [_-E|_]).
element_with_length(Elem, L-Elem) :-
Elem = [Inner|_],
length(Inner, L).
With your data:
biglist([[[1,2,3],3824],
[[4,5],89],
[[6],283],
[[2],14]
]).
we get:
?- biglist(Ls), biglist_smallest(Ls, E).
Ls = [[[1, 2, 3], 3824], [[4, 5], 89], [[6], 283], [[2], 14]],
E = [[6], 283]. | {'pile_set_name': 'StackExchange'} |
or get found by them?
Having new customers come to you with interest in your business's products and services is key. Inbound Marketing brings customers to you, through the blended technique of effective website Conversion Optimization, Email Marketing, and Content Creation. When these tactics are combined and effectively synchronized, the result for businesses is reduced acquisition costs, increased sales, and improved ROI.
By maximizing results via the use of Web Development, Website Experiments, and A/B Testing; we are able to provide the best user experience on your website. We test your website performance and optimize pages for better conversion, thus increasing the opportunity for more sales. Your customers are then navigating your improved website and staying on it longer, leading to a more informed purchase decision.
Email marketing and planning starts with understanding your customer demographic and needs. We develop a custom strategy to effectively reach your end consumer through targeted email blasts and newsletters. Your customers are interacting with your brand through special offers, opt-ins for free downloads, or upcoming events information. In turn, email marketing helps to increase your brand visibility and retention.
The core focus of Inbound Marketing is content creation. With strategic copy, we attract customers through blog writing, offers, and whitepapers created on your website. The content that we create is targeted to your ideal customer, with offers that they would be most interested in redeeming. This brings new leads to your business and more potential for sales.
Inbound Marketing is included in our Integrated Marketing Packages or it can be quoted individually. | {'timestamp': '2019-04-24T04:03:08Z', 'url': 'http://www.alcantaramedia.com/inbound-marketing/', 'language': 'en', 'source': 'c4'} |
The starting point guard of the Pitt women's basketball team, who currently ranks fifth on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,893 points, has rarely had this issue of draining baskets over her past four seasons leading the Panthers. But these circumstances were different.
During the mid-1990s, Kiesel's father, Steve, her older sister, Ona, and she would play at Addison Miller Park in their hometown of Utica, N.Y. They'd run and shoot around together after their father had played pickup there.
Steve can't remember exactly when his youngest child started turning those misses into makes, but when she did so just a year or two later, he wasn't surprised.
"She always kept trying to get better and better. She kept working and working at it," he said.
That drive, first displayed on an outdoor court back home, has stayed with the 5-foot-7 senior and contributed to her exploits as much as any physical skill, which she possess in spades.
Since arriving in Oakland, the small but lightning-quick guard only missed one game of a possible 121, starting all the rest.
Her infectious attitude has also motivated her mostly young teammates to follow her lead, according to senior teammate Cora McManus. Together, Kiesel and company have brought Pitt (19-11, 9-7 ACC) to the verge of its first postseason appearance in five years and first NCAA berth in six.
Keith Danzy didn't need very long to see just how high a caliber player Kiesel was.
The director of the girls' program for Albany, N.Y.-based Amateur Athletic Union organization City Rocks, Danzy first met Kiesel when he went to scout her at a varsity game during her freshman year of high school. He'd stay for just a few minutes of the actual game and knew she'd fit into his program, which draws from all over the state of New York.
Danzy had seen enough and, before leaving, let Steve know that Brianna had a spot on his team.
Similarly powerful first impressions continued. McManus first met her when they came on their official visit to campus together in October 2010. Playing pickup with varsity players while in town, McManus was struck by her peer's energy.
"You could tell her work ethic from the jump," she said.
The first two seasons featured little success, with the team unable to win a conference game in either. Ashlee Anderson, who played three seasons with Kiesel, said the losing took its toll on her ultra-competitive backcourt mate.
After the team showed little progress from the first to second losing campaign, the University firedhead coach Agnus Berenato April 1, 2013.
"My mind was all over the place definitely between struggling and not knowing what was going to happen," Kiesel said.
Pitt hired Suzie McConnell-Serio a week and a half later. In the following months, McConnell-Serio and her staff worked hard to keep Kiesel around, having seen what the rising junior was capable of from coaching against her with Duquesne the previous two seasons.
Both happened. Kiesel received her bachelor's degree in the administration of justice last spring and is now working to complete a second BA in legal studies with a communications certificate. The team made noticeable progress with her that year, finishing the season with three conference victories.
Kiesel has the highest scoring average of her career, 16.8, and continues to lead the team in minutes, just as she has each of her four years. The rest of the country has taken notice. Kiesel was named one of 15 finalists for the Nancy Lieberman Award, given annually to the nation's top point guard, and to First-Team All-ACC and the conference's All-Defensive team.
Time and again in the last part of the regular season, as she continued to move up the all-time scoring chart to her current position, Kiesel has deflected any questions about what that or any other individual achievements mean to her. | {'timestamp': '2019-04-22T10:04:20Z', 'url': 'https://pittnews.com/article/1437/sports/kiesel-fuel-senior-guards-four-year-career-culminates-in-ncaa-berth/', 'language': 'en', 'source': 'c4'} |
With Radi, publishing moving images using modern web standards is suddenly incredibly easy.
Designed for HTML5
Heard about HTML5 yet? It's the new standard for the web.
Apple loves it. Microsoft fully supports it. Google says it rocks. And Radi lets you enjoy it without learning to code. Radi is designed from the ground up to help you create content that will take full advantage of HTML5 features.
Easy vector graphics
Smartphones and tablets have ushered an era where web content needs to scale from the tiniest screen all the way to 30" desktop monitors.
Resolution-independent vector graphics are a great solution to this problem. They are scalable and can be rendered at any size.
Radi works great with scalable graphics. It supports the <canvas> web graphics standard directly. Any content can be rendered into a canvas, so you can freely mix vector graphics with bitmaps as needed.
Effortless web video
Publishing video in HTML5 is difficult because browsers don't support the same video formats. You effectively need to create separate video files
to support Firefox and Safari, for example. For someone not versed in esoteric video formats and conversion tools, this has been a daunting task.
Radi has automatic multi-format support for all the common browsers. Upon publishing, your video content is automatically converted into as many formats as needed. You don't need to know anything about the details. (All the latest video formats are supported: H.264, WebM / VP8 and Ogg Theora.)
Smooth animations
It's easy to animate a layer: just click a frame on the timeline and change the layer's properties such as position or opacity. Keyframes are automatically created.
For more precise control over animation timing, Radi has a floating Curve Editor window where any animated parameter's values can be tweaked over time with extremely precise control.
Visual effects: batteries included
There is an entire professional-quality visual effects system in Radi, just one click away. Radi includes the Conduit effect system that's also available in Lacquer's other products, Conduit Live and the Conduit Suite plugins. It's directly compatible with these professional applications.
Fun graphics programming
The Canvas API in HTML5 is a fun way to create interactive graphics. JavaScript is easy to learn and surprisingly flexible. It's also the world's most popular programming language. With all these new features available on the web, there's never been a better time to learn JavaScript.
Get the free beta
Radi is available for free as a beta version. Take part in shaping the future of HTML5 content creation and send your feedback!
You can download the free beta at the dedicated Radi website: RadiApp.com | {'pile_set_name': 'Pile-CC'} |
The Timelessness of Margaret's Fine Consignments
Nov 18, 2019 | Past Sponsored
Margaret Schneider, owner of Louisville consignment shop Margaret's Fine Consignments, doesn't let fear have the final say. For 25 years, she worked as a barber but yearned to have her own business in the fashion retail industry. At age 50 and newly divorced, Margaret didn't have the financial resources to open a business, but she took the risk. "Sometimes, the scariest thing you ever do in your life is the best thing to do. I love clothes, I love to decorate, and I love people so it just came natural to me," she says.
For the first five years, she moonlighted at the barber shop and her store to support herself. "I stayed focused, because I knew I had to make it. I never had any doubts. I knew I was going to do it." Now, 29 years later, Margaret's Fine Consignments has become a fixture in Louisville's Clifton Heights neighborhood. The store sells a wide range of gently used clothing including vintage pieces from Armani, St. John, and Chanel.
Margaret and co-owner Cara Aldridge are working together to ensure that their boutique maintains its solid reputation, which has been the driving force behind its success. Its popularity in the community, Margaret says, comes from the personable atmosphere she and Cara have created. "We have established a very good, dependable, honest name, and most people who know me, know how much my heart is in it and what it means to me. We get to know our clients and they are more like friends and family," Margaret says.
Adding an air of sophistication and class to a customer's shopping experience is an important part of the boutique's image. They are discriminating about the merchandise they accept and sticklers for keeping their space clean and organized. Staying one step ahead of their competition is about anticipating and exceeding the needs of their customers. "We try to go that extra mile," Margaret says.
Margaret and Cara are also known for their philanthropic efforts in the community. They have provided clothing for multiple fashion shows to benefit the American Stroke Association and Dress for Success, and they donate clothing to United Metro Ministries. "Charity work is my hobby," Margaret says.
Nancy Hayes on November 18, 2019 at 3:17 pm
Cara, so proud of you!
Kathy Travis on November 19, 2019 at 10:30 pm
I love your store
Tiffany White
"I want women to know that their worth is not ti
"Life is about balance and effort, and life moves
🚫GIVEAWAY CLOSED🚫 🎉 GIVEAWAY 🎉 @shred4 | {'pred_label': '__label__cc', 'pred_label_prob': 0.6362914443016052, 'wiki_prob': 0.3637085556983948, 'source': 'cc/2021-04/en_head_0053.json.gz/line563484'} |
12.3MP Nikon D3 challenges Canon EOS 1DS
By Magazine Team (Digital Camera ) 2007-09-25T23:00:00.267Z
Nikon's first full-frame DSLR has plenty going for it
There's been a rumour going round for a year or two now that Nikon would make a full-frame DSLR. And here it is... finally.
A DSLR with a full-frame - or FX - sensor means the imaging area is roughly the same size as a frame of 35mm film. This means there's no crop so, for example, a 28mm lens will act like a 28mm lens instead of having its centre cropped and angle of view reduced.
The Nikon D3 can shoot at 9 frames per second in Burst mode and up to 11 frames per second when shooting the reduced resolution of 5MP when working with DX-type lenses.
Nikon CMOS
The Nikon-designed CMOS sensor at the heart of the D3 is a 12.3MP model. And although this is a lower resolution than the 21MP offered by Canon's EOS 1Ds Mark III, it's probably enough for most pro photographers' needs.
A benefit of having fewer megapixels is the increase in space available for each pixel on the sensor. Each light well can collect much more light which should translate into much better low-light performance.
To counter Canon's DiGIC processing chip, Nikon has created a brand new high-speed image processing chip, which it calls Expeed. In addition to this new processor, the D3 boasts no fewer than 51 autofocus points.
The D3 is PS2,600 less than Canon's 1Ds Mark III and will appeal to many pro Nikon users who may have been thinking of switching to Canon. The D3 will be available in late November at the earliest. Nikon still has to ramp up production and finalise the firmware. We'll bring you an in-depth test of this beast just as soon as it's ready.
Those buying the D3 will be pleased to note that Nikon will be selling an AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED and a AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED. Prices to be announced soon.
1,005 RGB sensor: Autofocus and exposure are controlled by Nikon's 1,005-pixel RGB sensor that sits in the D3's pentaprism. The chip has been completely overhauled and provides interpretation of scenes.
CMOS 12.1MP: Nikon has designed its own CMOS FX sensor for the D3. By restricting the resolution to 12.1MP, it's enabled an increase in the chip's pixel pitch which should provide low noise levels across the ISO range of 200 - 6400.
Price: PS3,399
Sensor: CMOS 12.1MP
Focal length conversion: 1 no crop factor
Lens mount: Nikon F mount
Continuous shooting: 9 frames per second
Shutter speeds: 30 to 1/8000 + Bulb
Storage: Dual Compact Flash slots
Image processor: Nikon Expeed
Dimensions: 60 x 157 x 88mm
Weight: 1240g (excl battery)
Contact : Nikon 0871 2001964, <URL>
See more Cameras news
Movie Maker Online review
Fujifilm X-T200 fully leaks along with its XC35mm f/2 sidekick lens
The best 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray players you can buy right now
Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 7 now has an official release date and a trailer
HP Elite Dragonfly review | {'pred_label': '__label__wiki', 'pred_label_prob': 0.7715509533882141, 'wiki_prob': 0.7715509533882141, 'source': 'cc/2020-05/en_middle_0120.json.gz/line491817'} |
package client
import (
"strings"
"github.com/pkg/errors"
"gopkg.in/yaml.v2"
)
func splitMutlidocYAMLIntoCRDsAndOthers(multidoc []byte) ([]byte, []byte, error) {
crds := []string{}
other := []string{}
docs := strings.Split(string(multidoc), "
---
")
for _, doc := range docs {
if IsCRD([]byte(doc)) {
crds = append(crds, doc)
} else {
other = append(other, doc)
}
}
// if there were no crds, don't return the touched docs, keep the original
if len(crds) == 0 {
return nil, multidoc, nil
}
return []byte(strings.Join(crds, "
---
")), []byte(strings.Join(other, "
---
")), nil
}
func docsByNamespace(multidoc []byte, defaultNamespace string) (map[string][]byte, error) {
byNamespace := map[string][]string{}
docs := strings.Split(string(multidoc), "
---
")
for _, doc := range docs {
o := OverlySimpleGVKWithName{}
if err := yaml.Unmarshal([]byte(doc), &o); err != nil {
return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "failed to unmarshal doc to look for namespace")
}
namespace := o.Metadata.Namespace
if namespace == "" {
namespace = defaultNamespace
}
_, ok := byNamespace[namespace]
if ok {
byNamespace[namespace] = append(byNamespace[namespace], doc)
} else {
byNamespace[namespace] = []string{doc}
}
}
result := map[string][]byte{}
for k, v := range byNamespace {
result[k] = []byte(strings.Join(v, "
---
"))
}
return result, nil
} | {'pile_set_name': 'Github'} |
There are various panels and frames that Hart Seed has offered over the years but due to cost, design problems, or supply issues, many have been retired. Some of our customers still have these displays, preferring them to the newer models (often due to the antique look). Listed here are the ones that we still have records of offering in the past.
3R having 3 rows. 21 pockets total.
3B having 3 rows like the 3R but with hooks on the front meant to hold plastic bags of peas, beans and corn. 21 pockets total.
2R having 2 rows. 14 pockets total.
AR being the regular version.
AS having slanted pockets that are slightly shallower to hold fewer packets.
R7 having one row of 7 pockets and one of 6 pockets. 52 pockets total.
R6 having one row of 6 pockets and one of 5 pockets. 44 pockets total.
C4R: A spinning display specially built to hold 4, 1/2 C Panels, it came stock with a stationary base but could be utilized with our more modern R frame base to give it casters.
H3: A set of legs that holds 3 H Baskets. Some displays had 2R Baskets in place of some or all of the H Baskets. Some legs had casters for added mobility.
H4: A set of legs that holds 4 H Baskets. Some displays had 2R Baskets in place of some or all of the H Baskets. Some legs had casters for added mobility.
SM: Same as an H4 except with a bottom shelf that was designed to display a box of bulk seed.
A2: A set of legs that holds 2 A Baskets and a bottom shelf that was designed to display 2 boxes of bulk seed. Some legs had casters for added mobility.
A3: A set of legs that holds 3 A Baskets and a bottom shelf that was designed to display 2 boxes of bulk seed. Some legs had casters for added mobility.
A4: A set of legs that holds 4 A Baskets. Some legs had casters for added mobility.
LM: Same as an A4 except with a bottom shelf that was designed to display 2 boxes of bulk seed.
R4: A base with casters and pole that held 4 R Baskets. These displays often had a mix of R7 and R6 Baskets, occasionally having a small ring at the top to display bulk seed packages.
Wood Panel: 8 rows of 5 pockets, folded in half for storage and shipping, had an empty row down at the bottom that could be used as a 9th row or for placing bulk seed. Very old with the newest having been made in the 1950's.
Wood Counter-top: 6 rows of 9 pockets, collapsible down to a small size for storage and shipping, this "counter-top" was quite large when on display. Very old with the newest having been made in the 1950's. | {'timestamp': '2019-04-21T02:26:33Z', 'url': 'http://hartseed.com/retired-displays/', 'language': 'en', 'source': 'c4'} |
Q:
MvvmCross Bindable MonoTouch.Dialog RadioElement
I am attempting to create a bindable RadioElement to use in a MonoTouch.Dialog implementation in MvvmCross, and following the pattern in <URL> (as suggested in MvvmCross Monotouch.Dialog binding data to a table), I created the following class:
public class MvxBindableRadioElement : RadioElement, IBindableElement
{
public IMvxBindingContext BindingContext { get; set; }
public MvxBindableRadioElement ()
{
this.CreateBindingContext();
this.DelayBind(() => {
var set = this.CreateBindingSet<MvxBindableRadioElement, PropertyCategory>();
set.Bind().For(me => me.Caption).To(p => p.Id);
set.Bind().For(me => me.Value).To(p => p.Value);
set.Apply();
});
}
protected override void Dispose(bool disposing)
{
if (disposing) {
BindingContext.ClearAllBindings();
}
base.Dispose(disposing);
}
public virtual object DataContext
{
get { return BindingContext.DataContext; }
set { BindingContext.DataContext = value; }
}
}
PropertyCategory is a basic Model:
public class PropertyCategory
{
public int Id { get; set; }
public string Value { get; set; }
}
This is used as follows:
new Section {
new RootElement ("Category", new RadioGroup ()) {
new BindableSection<MvxBindableRadioElement> ().Bind(bindings, e => e.ItemsSource, vm => vm.PropertyCategories)
}.Bind (bindings, e => e.RadioSelected, vm => vm.PropertyCategory) as Element
}
where BindableSection is taken from the MvvmCross repo mentioned above.
Debugging I am able to verify that the newElements variable of MvxBindableSection is correctly populated with MvxBindableRadioElements, but the following error occurs when the TableView.ReloadData() line is executed: MvxBind:Error: 12.12 Problem seen during binding execution for binding ItemsSource for PropertyCategories - problem TargetInvocationException: Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation.
at System.Reflection.MonoMethod.Invoke (System.Object obj, BindingFlags invokeAttr, System.Reflection.Binder binder, System.Object[] parameters, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture) [0x0005c] in /Developer/MonoTouch/Source/mono/mcs/class/corlib/System.Reflection/MonoMethod.cs:238 at System.Reflection.MethodBase.Invoke (System.Object obj, System.Object[] parameters) [0x00000] in /Developer/MonoTouch/Source/mono/mcs/class/corlib/System.Reflection/MethodBase.cs:114 at Cirrious.MvvmCross.Binding.Bindings.Target.MvxPropertyInfoTargetBinding.SetValueImpl (System.Object target, System.Object value) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 at Cirrious.MvvmCross.Binding.Bindings.Target.MvxConvertingTargetBinding.SetValue (System.Object value) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 at Cirrious.MvvmCross.Binding.Bindings.MvxFullBinding.UpdateTargetFromSource (System.Object value) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 InnerException was NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object
at <redacted>.iOS.Views.MvxBindableSection'1[<redacted>.Views.MvxBindableRadioElement].NotifyDataSetChanged () [0x000b9] in <redacted>/MonoTouch.Dialog/MvxBindableSection.cs:87 at <redacted>.iOS.Views.MvxBindableSection'1[<redacted>.Views.MvxBindableRadioElement].SetItemsSource (IEnumerable value) [0x00094] in <redacted>/MonoTouch.Dialog/MvxBindableSection.cs:56 at <redacted>.iOS.Views.MvxBindableSection'1[<redacted>.Views.MvxBindableRadioElement].set_ItemsSource (IEnumerable value) [0x00003] in <redacted>/MonoTouch.Dialog/MvxBindableSection.cs:30 at (wrapper managed-to-native) System.Reflection.MonoMethod:InternalInvoke (System.Reflection.MonoMethod,object,object[],System.Exception&)
at System.Reflection.MonoMethod.Invoke (System.Object obj, BindingFlags invokeAttr, System.Reflection.Binder binder, System.Object[] parameters, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture) [0x00044] in /Developer/MonoTouch/Source/mono/mcs/class/corlib/System.Reflection/MonoMethod.cs:230
Troubleshooting this, I replaced the MvxBindableRadioElement with CustomStringElement from the MvvmCross repo mentioned above:
new MvxBindableSection<CustomStringElement>().Bind(bindings, element => element.ItemsSource, vm => vm.PropertyCategories)
This works like a charm. Why does the CustomStringElement work, but not theMvxBindableRadioElement? Do I have to create a bindable RadioGroup that wraps the MvxBindableRadioElements?
EDIT:
Here is the Inner Exception (NullReferenceException):
at CrossUI.Touch.Dialog.Elements.RadioElement.SubscribeToRoot () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 at CrossUI.Touch.Dialog.Elements.RadioElement.GetCellImpl (MonoTouch.UIKit.UITableView tv) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 at CrossUI.Touch.Dialog.Elements.Element.GetCell (MonoTouch.UIKit.UITableView tv) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 at CrossUI.Touch.Dialog.DialogViewController+Source.GetCell (MonoTouch.UIKit.UITableView tableView, MonoTouch.Foundation.NSIndexPath indexPath) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 at (wrapper managed-to-native) MonoTouch.UIKit.UIApplication:UIApplicationMain (int,string[],intptr,intptr)
at MonoTouch.UIKit.UIApplication.Main (System.String[] args, System.String principalClassName, System.String delegateClassName) [0x0004c] in /Developer/MonoTouch/Source/monotouch/src/UIKit/UIApplication.cs:38 at PGPCapture.iOS.Application.Main (System.String[] args) [0x00008] in <redacted>/Main.cs:21 A:
OK so the issue was with the implementation of BindableSection (taken from MvvmCross-Tutorials / DialogExamples):
the Section element's Parent is not set (i.e. is null) unless you add the elements using AddAll(). This issue actually occurs in the bowels of MT.Dialog itself.
The updated MvxBindableSection is available here. | {'pile_set_name': 'StackExchange'} |
In Pester 4.5.0 a new detailed code coverage analysis file can be created which unlocks some nice features both for CI and development. In this post we are going to look at using coverage gutters to get insight in to which lines of code are covered by pester tests.
Being able to have coverage gutters for PowerShell in VSCode has been an issue in the vscode-powershell repo back since February 2017. Thanks to the coverage gutters extension and the new detailed coverage analysis report, this is now possible.
Setting up your environment
To be able to use coverage gutters, you first need to install the Coverage Gutters extension and make sure you are have at least Pester 4.5.0 installed.
code --install-extension ryanluker.vscode-coverage-gutters Install-Module pester -SkipPublisherCheck -Scope CurrentUser -Force -MinimumVersion 4.5.0
Creating the coverage report
Before we proceed, a caveat to using the coverage markers is that files that you want to get coverage markers for need to exists in a subdirectory to the root of your workspace. This is due to how the coverage xml files are built and how paths to coverage files are derived. I.e having a workspace that looks like this won't work:
+---workspaceroot script.ps1
However, this would work:
+---workspaceroot +---source script.ps1
Hopefully this will be fixed in a future version of Coverage Gutters.
Now to generate your coverage report, you need to create an array of file paths that you want to be included in your coverage report, then run Invoke-Pester specifying cov.xml as the name of the code coverage report.
From your workspace root:
$coverageFiles = Get-ChildItem -path .\Source\ * .ps1 | Select-Object -ExpandProperty FullName Invoke-Pester -CodeCoverage $coverageFiles -CodeCoverageOutputFile cov.xml
Once the tests have run, and the report is generated, click the "Watch" button in the VSCode status bar:
Now, you should have markers next to each line of code in your source files, with green showing lines which have been hit by tests and red showing lines which have been missed.
Automating report creation with VSCode tasks
I have put all the following code, along with dummy module, into a github repo here. Go ahead and clone it to get a live demonstation.
When writing code, manually running testing tasks everytime you make a change is cumbersome. But thankfully using tasks in vscode in combination with a build script makes it simple. When I develop modules I have seperate folders under the workspace root for the source code and the pester tests. Each function then get's its own ps1 file along with a test file, so it looks like this:
workspaceroot +---source | | MyModule.psd1 | | MyModule.psm1 | | | +---private | | _doInternalThing.ps1 | | | +---public | New-Thing.ps1 | +---tests New-Thing.tests.ps1 _doInternalThing.tests.ps1
In this example, for simplification, I'm running a vanilla PowerShell script to generate the coverage report, however, it's recommended to make this a task of your build script using something like Invoke-Build or PSake.
Create a file in your workspace root named "Test-SingleFile.ps1" with the following contents:
param ( [ Parameter ( Mandatory = $true )] [ string ] $FileToTest ) $FileToTest = Resolve-Path $FileToTest $fileName = Split-Path $FileToTest -leaf if ( $FileName -like "*.tests.ps1" ) { $filename = $fileName -replace "tests\.ps1$" , "ps1" $sourceDir = Join-Path $PSScriptRoot "Source" $functionFile = Get-ChildItem $sourceDir -Filter $fileName -Recurse | Select-Object -First 1 -ExpandProperty FullName $testFile = $FileToTest } else { $fileName = $fileName -replace ".ps1$" , ".tests.ps1" $testFile = ( Join-Path $PSScriptRoot "/Tests/ $fileName " ) $functionFile = $FileToTest } Invoke-Pester -Script $testFile -CodeCoverage $functionFile -CodeCoverageOutputFile " $PSScriptRoot \cov.xml"
Now, create a file called .vscode asks.json with the following contents:
{ // See <URL> // for the documentation about the tasks.json format "version" : "2.0.0" , "windows" : { "options" : { "shell" : { "executable" : "C: \ Program Files \ PowerShell \ 6 \ pwsh.exe" , "args" : [ "-NoProfile" , "-ExecutionPolicy" , "Bypass" , "-Command" ] } } }, "linux" : { "options" : { "shell" : { "executable" : "/usr/bin/pwsh" , "args" : [ "-NoProfile" , "-Command" ] } } }, "osx" : { "options" : { "shell" : { "executable" : "/usr/local/bin/pwsh" , "args" : [ "-NoProfile" , "-Command" ] } } }, "tasks" : [ { "label" : "Test" , "type" : "shell" , "command" : "./Test-SingleFile.ps1 -FileToTest ${file}" , "group" : { "kind" : "test" , "isDefault" : true }, "problemMatcher" : [ "$pester" ] }, ] }
Now when you run the test task in VSCode, it will only run the tests for the active file. This makes it much easier for quick feedback during development.
The coverage report created will only contain the coverage for the active file, so if you switch to a different file/function, you will need to re-run the test task to generate the coverage gutters.
Happy testing! | {'pile_set_name': 'OpenWebText2'} |
Gigabyte and Biostar Also Announce Overclocking on H87 and B85 Motherboards
By Niels Broekhuijsen published 12 July 13
Gigabyte and Biostar have announced overclocking features on non-Z series motherboards.
Earlier we reported that both ASRock and ECS had announced the possibility to overclock Intel K-series CPUs on non-Z series motherboards, and now, unsurprisingly, it appears that more manufacturers are also announcing the feature. Both Gigabyte and Biostar have announced the possibility of overclocking 4th Generation Intel Core K-series processors on H87 and B85 motherboards.
Previously, in order to overclock Intel CPUs through using the multiplier, there were two core requirements (beyond cooling and power). The two requirements were that you needed an Intel K-series CPU, as well as a Z-series motherboard. Now, while the former is still required, it is no longer necessary to have a Z-series motherboard in order to overclock your K-series CPU through using the multiplier.
Gigabyte users will have to download a new BIOS, which is still in the beta phase. Biostar hasn't announced how to get the feature beyond saying that users simply need to adjust the CPU ratio in the BIOS settings, though it is very possible that previously bought H87, B85 and H81 motherboards might need a BIOS update.
Niels Broekhuijsen
Niels Broekhuijsen is a Contributing Writer for Tom's Hardware US. He reviews cases, water cooling and pc builds.
Intel CEO Gelsinger Says AMD Is "In the Rear-View Mirror" After Alder Lake
Ryzen 7 5800X3D Surfaces In MilkyWay@Home Database
Raspberry Pi Detects Shockwave From Tonga Volcano Eruption
MSI RTX 3090 Ti Allegedly Has 480W TDP, Needs 1000W Power Supply
Intel Alder Lake Celeron G6900 Easily Achieves 57% Overclock | {'pred_label': '__label__wiki', 'pred_label_prob': 0.7481078505516052, 'wiki_prob': 0.7481078505516052, 'source': 'cc/2022-05/en_middle_0029.json.gz/line758412'} |
Dewa listing set to revive IPOs market
Salik and Tecom seen as possible next candidates to launch IPOs in coming months
Dewa supports the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050 and is well-aligned to the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, which aims to provide 100 per cent of Dubai's energy production capacity from clean energy sources by 2050. -- Supplied photo
Muzaffar Rizvi
Published: Tue 15 Mar 2022, 5:09 PM
Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (Dewa) on Tuesday announced plans to launch initial public offering (IPO) and list the company's shares at Dubai Financial Market as part of the government plan to boost the emirate's stock market to Dh3 trillion.
In a statement, Dewa said it would offer 3.25 billion shares on the stock market, which it put as equivalent to 6.5 per cent of its overall worth. It did not provide an initial price for the shares.
The power utility, which is expected to start trading on the DFM by April 12, said it will aim to pay an annual dividend of Dh6.2 billion for the next five years.
Addressing a press conference in Dubai, managing director and CEO of Dewa Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer said demand for water and electricity in Dubai will sustain an upward trend as the population is expected to grow from around 3.5 million people today to 5.8 million people by 2040.
"Energy demand increased by 11 per cent in 2021, almost triple Dewa's expectation," he said.
The power utility senior officials such as Waleed bin Salman, executive vice-president (EVP) for business development and excellence; Khawla Al Mehairi, EVP for strategy and government communication; and Yousef Jebril, EVP for power and water planning; and Thomas Varghese, chief financial officer, were also present on the occasion.
Dewa leads IPO series
The power utility's decision to go public comes as Dubai seeks to revive interest in its capital markets by listing as many as 10 state-owned entities this year.
Analysts and market experts said road toll system Salik and business park operator Tecom earmarked as possible next candidates to launch IPOs in coming months. They also hinted that businesses within Emirates Group, including dnata and loyalty program Skywards, as well as Dubai airport's Duty Free, are among the potential brands being considered for public offer.
Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, announced in November that the government will list 10 state-owned companies on the DFM to increase the size of the stock market in the Emirate to Dh3 trillion, raise the competitiveness of bourses and encourage IPOs.
"Today represents a significant moment in the history of Dewa and is an important step towards achieving our vision for capital markets in Dubai. As a central component of the Dubai economy, Dewa has a critical role to play in supporting the future growth of the Emirate and its transition to a net zero economy by 2050," Sheikh Maktoum said.
Reshaping Dubai's future
Devesh Mamtani, chief market strategist at Century Financial, said the Dewa listing will be the first of the upcoming 10 big listings on the DFM.
"Dewa has a proactive role in shaping the future of Dubai with a keen focus on energy and climate change. The listing of the leading giant will be a trailblazing event for the trading activity on DFM and is likely to receive an overwhelming response on the IPO day," Mamtani said.
He said the listing plan aims to help the Dubai stock market compete more effectively with bigger exchanges in the region, such as those in Saudi Arabia and neighbouring Abu Dhabi.
"The growth of DFM is long due and the listing of Dewa will open doors to a flurry of IPO on the exchange, such as the road toll operator Salik, to enhance trading volumes and improve retail interaction. The emirate has strategized the revival of the local stock exchange with stellar offerings in the pipeline and is inaugurating the trail with a dominating behemoth," he said.
Historical moment
Al Tayer said Dewa has a very attractive financial profile and high visibility over cash flow generation and shareholder returns.
While describing IPO plan a historical moment for Dewa as the first government entity in Dubai to go public, he said Dubai's fast paced development has resulted in a rapid increase in the demand for electricity and water.
"We have recorded 11 per cent growth in power demand last year despite the pandemic and slowdown in global economy. The utility has a firm future plans to sustain this growth and it will be playing a key role in Dubai's green energy transition process," Al Tayer said.
He said the company won't need to raise debt over the next five years and capital expenditure for this year will be ranging between Dh8 billion to Dh9 billion.
Citigroup, Emirates NBD Bank and HSBC Holdings are managing the share sale while First Abu Dhabi Bank and Goldman Sachs Group involved as bookrunners.
Strong balance sheet
Dewa and its subsidiaries, which caters to the emirate's 3.4 million people, has assets worth up to Dh190 billion ($52 billion). It recorded Dh23.8 billion revenues in 2021, reflecting a compound annual growth rate of two per cent during the period of 2019-21.
The power utility reported Dh12.1 billion adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation in 2021 while net income stood firm at Dh6.6 billion. It has a strong balance sheet with low net debt of just Dh17.6 billion last year.
The utility company, which serves over one million customers in Dubai, has a generation capacity of 13.4 gigawatts of electricity as well as 490 million imperial gallons of desalinated water each day. It has a 70 per cent stake in Empower, the world's largest district cooling services provider by connected capacity, with a total contracted capacity of approximately 1.6 million refrigeration tonnes.
"We've seen a very enthusiastic response from all over the world. There are some misevents in Europe but by and large we don't see it affecting adversely our program," Thomas Varghese told journalists at the event.
Clean energy top priority
"Dewa has a world-class governance system and continuous record of good governance across all its operations. It is ready to meet the increasing demand for electricity and water in the emirate, as the population is expected to grow from around 3.5 million people today to 5.8 million people by 2040," Al Tayer said.
He said Dewa supports the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050 and is well-aligned to the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, which aims to provide 100 per cent of Dubai's energy production capacity from clean energy sources by 2050.
"Looking ahead, Dewa will support the UAE's strategic growth ambitions by providing Dubai's millions of residents and visitors with world-class services and innovative energy solutions. And that in turn will enrich lives while ensuring the happiness and wellbeing of all our stakeholders," he said.
-- <EMAIL>
<EMAIL> | {'pred_label': '__label__wiki', 'pred_label_prob': 0.945598304271698, 'wiki_prob': 0.945598304271698, 'source': 'cc/2023-06/en_head_0001.json.gz/line1401248'} |
Via Rail's business case for a multibillion-dollar high-frequency-rail project between Toronto and Quebec City would receive a boost if it ditched the stretch from Montreal to Quebec City, internal federal documents say.
The document, labelled "secret,'' was obtained by The Canadian Press under access-to-information law.
The memo's release comes as Via looks for financial support to build dedicated rail lines that will increase the frequency of trips, cut travel times and ensure its trains will no longer have to work around freight schedules on borrowed tracks.
An assessment conducted for Transport Canada warned the inclusion of the Montreal-Quebec City section of the proposed rail service would eat into the plan's profitability, according to a briefing document prepared earlier this year for Canada's deputy minister of finance, Paul Rochon.
The study, delivered last fall by the firm EY, recommended the Quebec route undergo further review "given its high capital costs and poor performance on an operational basis,'' the federal document said.
A key to the project's eventual realization is finding a way to make the plan attractive to private-sector investors, whose support would build on public dollars.
The document explained how Via put forward an optimistic business argument for the high-frequency proposal.
"Via predicts that the project will recover the capital costs and generate a net surplus along Via's (Toronto-Quebec City) network due to a substantial increase in ridership and revenues,'' said the January briefing note to Rochon.
It estimated the capital costs of the project to total $4.4 billion, a tally that includes $1.14 billion for the leg between Montreal and Quebec City. Via might seek private investment to pull it off -- and will need to show potential investors that they'll make their money back and then some.
Asked about the contents of the briefing note, a spokeswoman for Via said in an email that the studies cited in the memo seem to refer to the original high-frequency proposal that it submitted to the government in 2016.
Marie-Anna Murat added that the research was not conducted on behalf of Via.
Covering billions of dollars' worth of construction costs and turning a profit besides would be a significant financial turnaround for Via, which is a Crown corporation.
For example, Via's 2018 annual report said its Montreal-Ottawa-Toronto service lost nearly $93 million after moving, on average, about 49,000 passengers a week.
The Quebec City-Montreal-Ottawa service ran a deficit of nearly $24 million last year after an average of about 17,000 people rode its trains along that route each week.
Extensive academic research has shown high-frequency and high-speed rail lines around the world rarely, if ever, recover their capital and operating costs, said Matti Siemiatycki, a transportation policy expert at the University of Toronto.
"If you look at the annual reports for Via, all of those lines are losing money and are heavily subsidized.... These are huge numbers to make up,'' Siemiatycki said in an interview.
"In general, that is a highly optimistic business case.''
He added that Via is in a "tough spot'' and he credited the Crown corporation for trying to find a way to make the project work.
Siemiatycki said there are likely good arguments to be made for the project on environmental or social-connectivity grounds, but framing it as a good revenue-generating opportunity is harder.
"It will be interesting to see if they can find investors to come to the table who are really going to risk their own private capital on what seems like a fairly high-risk proposal,'' he said.
The federal briefing document also cited a separate, earlier analysis that found the high-frequency project could reduce Via's dependency on government funding in the corridor, especially if only the Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal portion were completed.
In recent months, efforts have been made to make the high-frequency project more enticing for private investors.
A few weeks ago, the government announced it would give Via $71 million in federal cash to help make a better business case for the proposal. Some of the funding will come from a financing agency known as the Canada Infrastructure Bank, which provides public money as a way to attract funding from private sources.
The money from Ottawa will support planning work to ensure Via trains would be able to seamlessly move between any new dedicated tracks and local transit systems in Montreal and Toronto.
At the time, Pierre Lavallee, chief executive of the infrastructure bank, insisted the project had attracted "strong interest'' from private investors.
Murat said the joint project between Via and the Canada Infrastructure Bank is being created "to further explore the possibility of high-frequency rail in the Quebec City-Toronto corridor.'' | {'pile_set_name': 'OpenWebText2'} |
Application of CRISPR/Cas9 technologies combined with iPSCs in the study and treatment of retinal degenerative diseases.
Retinal degeneration diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa, affect millions of people worldwide and are major causes of irreversible blindness. Effective treatments for retinal degeneration, including drug therapy, gene augmentation or transplantation approaches, have been widely investigated. Nevertheless, more research should be dedicated to therapeutic methods to improve future clinical treatments. Recently, with the rapid development of genome-editing technology, gene therapy has become a potentially effective treatment for retinal degeneration diseases. A clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) system has been developed as a powerful genome-editing tool in ophthalmic studies. The CRISPR/Cas9 system has been widely applied in basic research to develop animal models and gene therapies in vivo. With the ability to self-renew and the potential to differentiate into different types of cells, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have already been used as a promising tool for understanding disease pathophysiology and evaluating the effect of drug and gene therapeutics. iPSCs are also a cell source for autologous transplantation. In this review, we compared genome-editing strategies and highlighted the advantages and concerns of the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Moreover, the latest progress and applications of the CRISPR/Cas9 system and its combination with iPSCs for the treatment of retinal degenerative diseases are summarized. | {'pile_set_name': 'PubMed Abstracts'} |
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) has prepared 120 amendments to Senate Republicans' health care bill to force the GOP to take wildly unpopular votes if they want to advance their plan to repeal Obamacare.
Merkley's office shared the amendments with Vox before their release; they can be read in full below.
On their own, Senate Democrats don't have the votes to stop or even slow down the GOP bill. Their amendments are sure to be rejected by the Republican caucus. Still, Democrats will use that opportunity to get Republicans on record as opposing popular health care provisions.
Merkley's list of amendments to the bill include:
A proposal to prevent the Republican health bill's Medicaid cuts from hurting veterans of the Vietnam War
A proposal to prevent the Republican health bill's Medicaid cuts from hurting children with cancer
A proposal to prevent the Republican health bill from increasing premium costs for people with ovarian cancer
A proposal to prevent the Republican health bill's Medicaid cuts from hurting pregnant women
These amendments call for the bill to be sent back to the Finance Committee, which would then be tasked with aligning the amendment with the new bill. This won't happen because, again, Republicans aren't going to accept any of these amendments -- but it will allow Merkley and other Senate Democrats to get Republicans on the record.
Read Merkley's amendments in full here:
Merkley Health Care Amendments 3 by Jeffrey Stein on Scribd
Merkley Health Care Amendments 2 by Jeffrey Stein on Scribd
Merkley Health Care Amendments 2 by Jeffrey Stein on Scribd
Merkley 3 by Jeffrey Stein on Scribd | {'pile_set_name': 'OpenWebText2'} |
The Tradition Continues
Written By Pat Covert
Photos By R. Jones/The ImageSmith, LLC
Ontario Knife Company Forges Onward For A New Generation!
Dozier Strike (top) and Carter Trinity (bottom) Folders
Acutlery company doesn't get to be over 125 years old by sitting on its laurels unless they make a great product, and even then they must change with the times. The early years of the Ontario Knife Company are somewhat murky, but we do know it dates back to three gentlemen -- William B. Ensworth, Charles Albert Brace and William Maudsley. These three formed a cutlery concern in Naples, New York, in 1889. The Ontario Knife Company name is derived from Ontario County where the Naples factory was located.
Ontario's very first knives were handmade on a water-powered grindstone and sold off of pushcarts throughout the area. Business was good and the founders soon relocated production to a sawmill in nearby Cadiz on Ischua Creek. By 1902 the company had moved to an even bigger location in Franklinville, New York and around 10 years later built a new factory there, which remains the headquarters of the company to this day.
Cerberus Fixed Blade
Forged By Fire
The Ontario Knife Company's star took off in World War II, supplying American military forces with edged steel, and they have continued to do so since. Beginning in 1942, the company was awarded government contracts for military knives including the U.S. Air Force Survival Knife, the M1942 Machete and the Navy MK3 MOD 0 diving/survival knife. Ontario has also supplied a host of bayonets to the U.S. Military including the M7, M9 and most recently the U.S. Marine Corps OKC-3S. All are proudly manufactured here in the United States at the Franklinville facility. The manufacturer's more recent Spec Plus Series is the new generation of Ontario military knives, blending the past with new designs for today's warrior.
"We are best known among active and former military members who like to use our knives, with their experience making them confident in how rugged and useful the knife is," Andrew Yates, Ontario's vice president of sales and marketing, informs American Handgunner. "Our knives are also favored by heavy knife users and other working people as they are purpose driven and overbuilt. The purpose of carrying an Ontario knife is to make you more likely to get your job done and get home safely."
"Our most popular knife remains the 499 Pilot's Survival Knife," Andrew adds. "The knife is well known for its leather sheath and handle and versatile, utilitarian design. Ontario is also well known for the Spec Plus line of military knives and has recently won multiple awards for Bushcraft knives," he continued.
The manufacturing of all of Ontario's military knives has followed a tried-and-true formula using 1074 or 1095 high carbon tool steel with a black coating. High carbon steel is widely used in military, tactical and sporting knives because, unlike many of its modern stainless brethren, it can be easily sharpened in the field -- even with a rock if no whet stone is available.
SPEC PLUS Alpha Combat Fixed Blade
Experts' Choice
The Ontario Knife Company struck gold again in 2002 when it introduced the RAT Series of outdoor knives. Developed in conjunction with outdoor expert Jeff Randall and Mike Perrin of Randall Adventure Training (hence RAT), these knives are a group of fixed-blades hellbent for hard duty. They range in size from the 7.9" RAT 3 with a 3" blade to the giant killer RTAK II, which stretches out to a whopping 16.6" -- 10.3" of that in the blade. The RAT 5 and 7 fall in between and there are three folders in the series: the RAT 1, RAT 1A Assisted Opener and RAT II. All of the fixed-blade knives are U.S.-made with high carbon steel with Micarta scales. The folders have AUS-8 stainless steel blades and are produced offshore.
The RAT fixed-blade knives have become legendary as tough and affordable outdoor knives. As luck would have it, this series entered the market just a couple of years before the modern Bushcraft movement that revolves around the fixed-blade knife as its central base. Ontario's sturdy RAT fixers stood at the ready and are currently widely used by Bushcrafters and survivalist users alike.
A note on blade steels is in order here. "While Ontario Knife Company is able to produce knives in a wide array of steels, the most common ones are high carbon spring steels as well as a variety of stainless steels," Andrew states. "Most importantly, Ontario Knife Company tailors the knife to fit a purpose or variety of purposes, and the steel is selected to best meet that purpose. Ontario Knife Company is best known for fixed blade knives but also has many popular folders, mostly featuring frame-locks or liner-locks."
RAT-3 Fixed Blade
Tomorrow Is Today
In the past two years the Ontario Knife Company has been making a ruckus with their new generation of fixed-blades and folders. "We have worked with several custom knifemakers and well-known knife designers, such as Robert Carter, Joe Pardue and Bob Dozier," Yates informs. "Their design expertise brings great value, and the added variety of interests and opinions helps us keep our line varied and versatile."
The big noise is coming from the company's collaborations with Robert Carter, grandson of Blade Hall of Fame custom knifemaker Mel Pardue and son of Joe Pardue, a well-known custom maker in his own right. Robert's customs are in hot demand and Ontario bet more affordable factory versions of his folders would be as well. It was a "bingo" of mammoth proportions. When the first entree, the Carter Prime, was served up it was an instant hit. A second course, the 2quared, soon followed. The newest is the Carter Trinity, pictured on page 56. All three folders feature Robert's trademark aggressive styling and beefy, overbuilt construction.
Collaborations with popular Arkansas custom knifemaker Bob Dozier have also spiced up the line. First out of the chute was Dozier's dagger-esque Arrow folder. The newest is the Strike model, a send-up of Bob's best-selling Folding Hunter in a lockback design. Dozier has a waiting list of several years for his custom folders, but the Ontario Knife Company has sweet factory versions available now at an affordable price.
Ontario hasn't forgotten to dance with what brung 'em. Modern fixed-blades are also part of the new generation of knives. The sleek-yet-dutiful Cerberus clip point is 10.2" of stealthy, all-black heaven. Sculpted G10 handle scales and black oxide coated D2 steel bring the Ceberus up to modern tactical standards. For the outdoorsman, the Hunt Plus Series will fill the bill. Available in both drop point and skinner styles, these 9.19" fixers feature deep grinds -- just like hunters like them -- and grippy rubberized hidden tang handles for excellent comfort and purchase. In addition to these new entrees, Ontario has a host of other fixed blades for any need imaginable.
Hunt Plus Camp Knife Fixed Blade
There aren't a lot of century-old cutlery companies left in our country. Most have fallen by the wayside or shuttered their doors and licensed their names to companies who specialize in offshore manufacturing. The Ontario Knife Company proudly makes the overwhelming majority of their knives right here in the U.S., just as they have for generations. Considering Ontario Knife Company's successful history, they'll be doing it for generations to come.
OKC Ph:
For more info: <URL>
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Rim 26" 100mm Alloy Silver
Ideal to let your dog make artistic jumps and sometimes people even use it to build wheels for their bikes. These double walled 26" rims with 100mm width are the finest quality you can find. The matte silver finish is ideal to colour them in any new fashion style you feel at the moment. As we deliver them without spokes, you can get them spoked with any kinds of spokes in any colour. | {'pile_set_name': 'Pile-CC'} |
This is Plate 14 of the 1896 Main Line Atlas. The map has been quartered
and enlarged. To view the map at four times this size, click on any part
of the map (each corner links you to a different quarter)
[Note: All images of the 1896 Main Line Atlas were obtained from Bryn Mawr College, Canaday Library.] | {'pile_set_name': 'Pile-CC'} |
Stewie on Family Guy may be the gayest character on television, which is particularly interesting given the fact that he's one year old.
For more than 300 episodes of the Fox animated series, the youngest Griffin has been not-so-subtly "coded gay," a phrase used to describe characters who exhibit traits that hint at being homosexual, without explicitly acknowledging it.
"Explicitly acknowledging" is relative in the case of Stewie and Family Guy, however. This is a show that has had the smarmy toddler leering at men showering through a peephole, speaking at least once an episode in homoerotic innuendo, crushing on male celebrities, fangirling over musical theatre, and even self-referencing being "possibly homosexual."
Here's a compilation video of just some of those moments, for reference:
But on Sunday night, in a landmark episode airing without a commercial break (and guest starring Sir Ian McKellen, to boot), Stewie's sexuality is finally "explicitly acknowledged." Does he come out? Well, sort of. The result of the episode, ambiguous as it may be, is nonetheless fascinating. It's not only one of the best episodes of Family Guy in a very long time, but also one of the most nuanced and edgy coming out episodes of a TV show we've seen.
Again, all centering around a 1-year-old.
Of course, Stewie's age is part of the whole joke, and why his sexuality has been one of the riskier--and in payoff, funnier--running gags of the show. Here's this toddler from a New England family who speaks in a British accent, with a heightened intelligence and bon vivant's understanding of the world and culture, but who is, you know, still a toddler: petulant, vulnerable, and emotionally unevolved.
The episode, titled "Send in Stewie, Please," takes place almost entirely in a therapy session necessitated after Stewie pushes a boy at school, Tyler, down the stairs. McKellen plays the therapist, Dr. Cecil Pritchfield, both the perfect foil for Stewie but also a catalyst for projection: the older gay British doctor with a younger boyfriend might just be who Stewie, if not necessarily aspires to be, eventually settles for becoming when he's older.
Tuning into the episode knowing it is the Big One that addresses Stewie's sexuality makes it all the more enjoyable. A ticker-tape of gay references and stereotypes fly by, and you're more likely to catch them all.
Stewie breezes into the session, wishing the secretary, Barbara, luck on trying to secure Adele tickets: "You deserve them." He channels his nerves through idle chit-chat about the office decor: "This is charming. It reminds of the therapist office Bethenny Frankel goes to on the Real Housewives of New York City. I hate her. She looks like a wooden doll you'd find in an Eastern European toy shop. [Hands on hips] Oh don't act like you don't know who she is. That doesn't impress me. We live in the world. We all know who Bethenny Frankel is, like it or not."
The conceit is telegraphed quickly: We're about to hear a lot of super gay stuff from Stewie, before the big question is discussed. I mean, who has Stewie been all these years if not a bitchy queen?
This manifests itself especially when, after spotting a photo of Dr. Pritchfield and his younger partner, Stewie dissects every single detail about their relationship dynamic. He analyzes the pressure and insecurities thrust on them by gay elitism and shaming culture, and reduces them to every stereotype in a way that would be offensive if it weren't all so painstakingly true and recognizable (at least to this gay viewer), down to the Ralph Lauren Purple Label dress shirts they bought at the outlet store to feign wealth while at a gay vacation destination.
It's eviscerating, and revealing of the kind of judgment that can only come from within the gay community. Each new hyper-specific detail is a harsher truth than the one before. To keep up with this piece's hyperbole, it is one of the gayest monologues we've seen on television--and thus one of the most satisfying. (Will any of what Stewie says in it mean anything to those outside the community?) Seth MacFarlane, it must be said, delivers a bravura voice acting performance.
" If anything I'm less gay than I used to be...But do I think that Grant Gustin and I would make the most adorable Instagram couple? Yes, I do. "
But this is barely half the episode. We're only on the verge of a breakthrough.
"You seem like a very lonely little boy," Dr. Pritchfield says in response to the dressing down.
"Oh my god I am!" Stewie wails. "I'm so lonely!" For all the comedy derived from Stewie's thinly veiled homosexuality over the years, it's easy to forget him for what he is: ultimately, a tragic character.
Dr. Pritchfield attempts to get at the heart of the incident that brought Stewie to his office in the first place. Why did he push Tyler down the stairs? "It was an accident. Haven't you ever seen Showgirls?" Stewie (fabulously) deflects. He did it, he explains, because he likes him.
And then, the doth-protest-too-much defensiveness: "And not like him, like him. I'm not gay. This whole thing isn't because I'm gay. So calm down. I can already see you licking your chomps...If anything I'm less gay than I used to be...But do I think that Grant Gustin and I would make the most adorable Instagram couple? Yes, I do."
He mentions fluidity. He says he's confident in his heterosexuality. He mentions the anxiety he feels every day trying to fit in with other kids who don't share his interests. He begins rapping from Hamilton, a musical he characterizes as "like Gilbert, but for Hispanics." It's a lot of rambling, leading to one major revelation.
Stewie comes out, yes. But not in the way you would expect.
At first, he feels freed. Then, exposed. "I want to remain what I've always been. Superior. Brilliant. Special...Nobody will ever know the real me."
There's a dance between child angst and the torture that comes from being afraid, not only of others knowing the real you, but of knowing yourself. It's honestly more progressive than if Stewie had just come out.
The tragedy continues, sort of: Stewie goes back to a life of repression, still closeted, still performing a version of himself that he feels others will more readily accept than who he really is. But also...he's a child! And this is a journey. The monumental moment here isn't that Family Guy made a definitive statement about Stewie's sexuality (it didn't), but that it acknowledged that journey. And this is Family Guy! Who would have predicted this nuance, this meaningfulness?
Way back in 2009, MacFarlane revealed that the show had considered an episode in which Stewie comes out, essentially confirming that Stewie is indeed gay. "But we decided it's better to keep it vague, which makes more sense because he's a 1-year-old," he told Playboy. "Ultimately, Stewie will be gay or a very unhappy repressed heterosexual. It also explains why he's so hellbent on killing [his mother, Lois] and taking over the world: He has a lot of aggression, which comes from confusion and uncertainty about his orientation."
The episode's last image of Stewie hints at less confusion, and a little bit of pain and fear. It's not played for laughs, either. Stewie, it gets better.
"Send in Stewie, Please" airs March 18 at 9 pm ET/PT on FOX. | {'pile_set_name': 'OpenWebText2'} |
Q:
Proving or disproving uniform continuity of various real functions
Okay before anyone does anything, I don't want any of you guys to just write out proofs for all of these, that's asking a bit much :P
Maybe just do one, and make it detailed because I really need to see how a problem like this is done. I need a lot of exposure and practice to how to write a proof like this..
also, if anyone can clarify this for me, i'd really appreciate it: I fail to see how $\epsilon$ and $\delta$ relate in the definition of uniform continuity. How does the $\delta$ (unique if the function actually is uniform continuous) actually impose anything on $\epsilon$? this is actually even less clear in "regular" continuity.
A:
We say that $a_n$ and $b_n$ are equivalent if $a_n-b_n o 0$. If $f$ is uniformly continuous then maps equivalent sequences to equivalent sequences.
1) Consider the sequences $a_n =(1/n)$ and $b_n=(1/2n)$ both are equivalent in $(0,1]$. But $f(a_n)$, $f(b_n)$ are not equivalent. So $f$ is not uniformly continuous in $(0,1]$. [Alternatively you can show that if $f$ is uniformly continuous then maps Cauchy sequences to Cauchy sequences, and in particular for this case, $(1/n)$ is a Cauchy sequence in $(0,1]$, but $f(1/n)$ is not a Cauchy sequence].
2) You can show that uniformly continuous using $arepsilon$-$\delta$ definition is logically equivalent to say that $f$ maps equivalent sequences to equivalent sequences, i.e., $f(a_n)-f(b_n) o 0$ whenever $a_n -b_n o 0$. Using this second definition: Given $(a_n), (b_n) \subset [1, \infty)$ and $a_n-b_n o 0$. We shall show that $f(a_n)-f(b_n) o 0$. Let $arepsilon>0$ be arbitrary and choose $n_0>0$ such that $|a_n-b_n|<arepsilon$ for all $n\ge n_0$. Thus
$$|f(a_n)-f(b_n)|= igg| rac{1}{a_n}- rac{1}{b_n} igg|= rac{|a_n-b_n|}{a_n b_n}\le |a_n-b_n|< arepsilon$$
This is possible since $1\le a_n, b_n$. Hence $f(a_n)-f(b_n) o 0$.
3) Consider the sequences $a_n = n$ and $b_n = n+1/n$ both are equivalent sequences in $[0,\infty)$. But $f(b_n)=n^2+2+1/n^2=f(a_n)+2+1/n^2$, so $f(b_n)-f(a_n)\ge2$. Thus we can conclude that is not uniformly continuous. 4) Since $f$ is continuous on $[0,1]$ then must be uniformly continuous (why?). Let $(0,1) \hookrightarrow [0,1]$. We claim that is uniformly continuous, let $x_n-y_n o 0$ and $(x_n),(y_n) \subset (0,1)$, so $i(x_n)-i(y_n) = x_n -y_n o 0$, since the sequences are arbitrary it holds for all equivalent sequences and so $i$ is uniformly continuous. We claim that $f\circ i$ is uniformly continuous. We shall show that maps equivalent sequences to equivalent sequences. Since $i(x_n)-i(y_n) o 0$ and $f$ is uniformly continuous then $ f(i(x_n))-f(i(y_n))=(f\circ i)(x_n)-(f \circ i)(y_n) o 0$. Hence $f\circ i$ is uniformly continuous. But $f\circ i=f estriction _{(0,1)} $ which is just the square root function define on $(0,1)$.
5) Suppose that $(a_n),(b_n) \subset [1,\infty)$ and $a_n-b_n o 0$. We shall show that $a_n^{1/2}-b_n^{1/2} o 0$. Given $arepsilon>0$, choose $n_0$ such that $|a_n-b_n|< arepsilon$ for all $n\ge n_0$. Thus $$|f(a_n)-f(b_n)|=|\sqrt{a_n}-\sqrt{b_n}|= igg| rac{a_n-b_n}{\sqrt{a_n}+\sqrt{b_n}} igg|= rac{|a_n-b_n|}{\sqrt{a_n}+\sqrt{b_n}}\le rac{|a_n-b_n|}{2}< arepsilon$$
Since $1\le a_n, b_n$. | {'pile_set_name': 'StackExchange'} |
Sunday, February 28, 2010
I'm a liberal. I support liberal candidates and ideals. I think this nation (and this world) are far better off because of the influence of liberals.
That does not mean, however, that I blindly support all liberal causes. Because I don't. Specifically, I do not support the excessive restrictions on private gun ownership. Yes, I agree that there is a need for appropriate checks and balances. For example, I don't think a felon convicted of weapons-related charges should ever be able to own a gun again. And I believe that people considered mentally unstable should not be able to own firearms, either.
But those people are exceptions. When it comes to Mister and Missus America, I believe that we all have the right to own weapons. And we should have the right to carry those weapons on our persons in a safe manner.
The big arguments right now are about people bringing weapons into national parks and onto college campuses. Arguments are being made that allowing these weapons will put everyone present in danger. Respectfully, I say bullshit. The only people who obey these gun bans are law-abiding citizens, the very people who should be allowed to carry a weapon. The people that disregard the laws banning weapons are the same criminals already carrying illegal weapons.
If I'm camping in a remote area of Yosemite, and someone who means to do me harm approaches my campsite with a gun, it isn't going to be enough for me to say "stop, you aren't allowed to have that gun in here." And there isn't going to be a ranger or other law enforcement agent close enough to help me. It's going to be me against the bad guy. And quite candidly, I would prefer to be armed in that situation. Likewise for a campus scenario. A crazy person determined to kill fellow students will not care one bit about the law that forbids concealed carry on campus. They will bring their gun, anyway, and they will use it to murder as many people as they can. Personally, if I am on campus and a bad guy begins shooting, I would rather have my own handgun to take him out.
Look, it's not some street vigilante scenario run amok. It's just that no matter what the law says about weapons, the bad guys are going to continue to buy, sell and trade them. They are also going to continue to use them in the commission of crimes against the rest of us. As a law-abiding citizen, I feel I should be able to have a chance to defend myself against such attacks. And, let us not forget, the Second Amendment specifically gives me that right.
Yes, I'm a liberal. But I'm also a gun owner. And I should not have my right to own and carry a weapon infringed upon because others cannot distinguish between criminal and legal weapon related activity.
I've long been a fan of Eric Himan, both as a solo artist and now as a member of the trio, Eric and The Adams. And next January, I'll be sailing along the Mexican Riviera on a cruise with the band and a hundred or more of my closest friends. Check out the event page on Facebook for more information.
And if you need a little encouragement, I give you a few clips to enjoy.
Eric Himan - Little Boy Blue
Eric Himan - There's Gotta Be Something
Eric and The Adams - Every Move
Eric and The Adams - Have Me (live)
and finally, a crazy mash-up of Use Somebody and Poker Face. What's not to love?
My Sunday mornings always start with a visit to the PostSecret site. And from time to time, I read a submission that could have come from me. This is one of those times.
[caption id="attachment_1327" width="531" caption="The one thing that saved my life is keeping me from the one thing I want to do with it."][/caption]
I honestly believe that the Marine Corps saved my life. Before I joined, I was just going through the motions, checking days off of a mental calendar. A part of me knew that I was not long for this world and that, inevitably, I would take myself out of it. Then along came SSgt Rick Blevins and a chance to join the Corps. And finally, I found an opportunity to shine. And I did. But it was also the Marine Corps that prevented me from doing the one thing that I really wanted to do with my life, which was to find the man that I was meant to be with. I desperately wanted to find a partner and live my life as it was meant to be lived, with love and passion. But the Marine Corps was not the place for a gay man to love another man openly and honestly.
As we all know, ultimately, I did find what I was looking for. But it came nearly a decade after leaving the Corps. I wouldn't change my past, because I love who I am and the life I have. But my buttons are still pushed when I see a Post Secret like this one.
A discussion on Facebook today has inspired this blog post. (And in true circle-of-life fashion, when it posts, a copy will be automatically sent back to Facebook and further discussion will likely take place.)
My long-time friend, in response to an ongoing thread, posted this:
I concur about John--I've always thought he was much more thoughtful than almost anyone our age--even when we were all way younger. Not afraid to stand for himself and others when most other people would not have done so. Not afraid to care about others. Way more caring than most people our age. John is a person people remember no matter how much time has passed. He will definitely leave this world a better place than he found it. And we're all better for having known him.
What an amazing thing to read about myself. It isn't often that we get such direct and heartfelt praise from others. And even when we do, we either dismiss it or (too quickly) forget all about it. I suppose it is our nature to hang on to insults and criticism, their caustic words clinging to us like barnacles on a ship. But the good stuff? It's too soon gone. But it doesn't have to be that way. Because of that thread, I posted this:
John Hulsey is inspired by my friends Cj McKercher Fillmore and Jeremy Ward, so I'm passing this idea along. Whatever the format, create a "when I feel down" file and fill it with the compliments and kind words of others. In dark moments, it will remind you of your own worth and value.
Obviously, CJ's words are going in my file. And there are many others, like this message sent to me last month by another friend.
Today I am thankful for you. I think you are wonderful. And I am lucky to have you as a friend. Not just in the FB world or even just online. I really value you, John, and I hope we will have the chance to actually meet - and hug like crazy - in real life one day. I know this is a random message, but it is from the heart. Just saw you online tonight and wanted to send you some love. You deserve it!
I've edited out only the identifying information, since it was a message sent privately. But it was such an unexpected kindness that it made me feel good for days. And yet, a month later, I had almost forgotten about it. Now, as a second entry in my "When I'm Down" file, I won't ever forget it again. And when I'm feeling like the world is kicking me in the teeth, and my all-too-human nature is seeing only the bad, I'll have my ready-made mood enhancer set to go.
And one last thing. As I'm writing this, I wonder if it will come across as boastful or even arrogant. I mean, I am posting the words of two people praising me. But then I realize, so what if it sounds like I'm bragging? I am. And I have every reason to. Two friends believe that I am worthy of their compliments and kind words, and who am I to disagree with them?
It is no coincidence that good people are surrounded by good people. It's how we all survive a world that is, too often, not good at all.
(Edited to add: And thanks to a bit of feedback from my friend Charish, I'm amending the name of this entry and the file. Instead of a "when I'm down" file, it will be my "happy" file. A slight change, perhaps, but words have meaning and power. So why start by presuming a negative?)
Speaker Nancy Pelosi - Rep. Charlie Rangel's most prominent defender - backed the troubled Democrat again on Friday morning, the day after news broke that the House ethics committee was planning to admonish Rangel.
"I think that every member is entitled to have his day before the ethics committee," she said. "They have said he did not knowingly violate the rules. And, again, if this were the end of it, that would be one thing. But there's obviously more to come and we'll see what happens with that. But every member has that right."
Pelosi said, "All I saw was the press release where it said he didn't violate the rules of the House." She noted that the report said Rangel didn't know he was violating rules that applied to a lobbyist-funded trip to the Caribbean.
Pelosi also pointed out that the ethics committee found that Rangel's staffers knew corporate money was paying for trips -- even though Rangel didn't.
"I think it's quite a statement to hold members accountable for what their staffs knew," she said. "I'll be interested to see how that reverberates."
Pelosi didn't say one way or another whether Rangel should stay on as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee.
"Obviously they have other issues to deal with," she said. "We'll just see what happens next and what comes out of the ethics committee."
There are details on the Rangel story here at Politifact, and none of it looks good. And if Rangel had an ounce of shame or decency, he would resign and slither away. But my focus here is on Pelosi's stupidity. She sounds incredulous that a member of Congress can be held accountable for something that his staff members know. She acts as if Rangel has no responsibility here at all.
Bullshit. Rangel took vacations and now pretends he didn't know that corporations paid for them. First, his staff members sent him two emails and one letter telling him that taking the vacations would be a violation of House ethics. So they did what they needed to do and he failed to respond. Second, even if they didn't advise him of such, Rangel had a responsibility of his own to learn where the money was coming from. Did he do anything at all to identify the source of the funding? No, he didn't. So it's his own fault that his actions violated House rules.
Finally, and my big issue, is that Pelosi seems shocked that Rangel can be held accountable. Well, no kidding. Welcome to the real world, where CEO's and company officers are held directly responsible for the actions of their staff members. If my bookkeeper knows that we have not made a required tax payment but fails to share that information with me as the Corporate Controller, our company is still liable for fees and penalties for non-payment. And if my salesman misrepresents our services, my company can be held liable for damages.
Yes, Madame Speaker, it's called accountability and responsibility. If you are in charge of a team, you are the one called on the carpet when any team member fails to perform as required. It's what being a leader means. And Pelosi's inability to understand that explains much about her own failures.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
I realize that times are tough. And I understand that even celebrities fall on tough times. But how desperate has Tom Selleck become that he would agree to take part in an Anthony Robbins' infomercial? I was at the bank today (shout-out to Torrey Pines!) and they were airing some awful extended commercial for The Ultimate Edge. And there on screen, looking handsome as ever, was Tom Selleck. Granted, he also looked a bit stoic, as if he didn't trust himself to show a single true emotion lest he break down in shame right there in front of Robbins.
Here is a better (bitter?) review from infomercial-hell.com:
Probably no personality dominated TV infomercials in the 1990's more than Anthony Robbins. But his once-ubiquitous infomercials abruptly disappeared from the air, probably because of market saturation.
Now Tony Robbins has returned to the airwaves with an infomercial for his Ultimate Edge program. This latest Tony Robbins infomercial sells a "coaching" package of his usual rah-rah motivational bullcrap. And as in his infomercials of olde, lots of Hollywood celebrities and sports stars appear to declare that Anthony Robbins caused all their success and their own talent and hard work had nothing to do with it.
This infomercial declares that Robbins "has become famous for his big smile and larger than life energy"--which is a nice way of saying he has the physique of Lurch and the hyperactivity of Matthew Lesko.
With his Ceaser haircut and wispy goatee, Robbins looks like a haggard middle-aged man desperately trying to appear hip and youthful.
Oh, Tom. Why would you do this? What's next, the Tom Selleck Make Your Own Aloha Shirt Machine? The Magnum PI Mustache Manager? This just makes my 80's heart hurt.
HBO's show HUNG has now made its New Zealand debut on TVNZ's Channel One.
Auckland-based ad agency Colenso BBDO was retained to promote the show and to generate some buzz. They have definitely created a buzz with their risque billboard, recently erected on Victoria Street in central Auckland. Whether you like the billboard or not, and whether it draws you to watch the show or not, you must admit that the old, tried-and-true subjects - well-endowed female and male bodies - never seem to fail to draw attention.
Established in 1969, Colenso BBDO is consistently one of New Zealand's highest-ranked ad agencies. Campaign Brief has also named Colenso BBDO Agency of the Decade. - Bill Tikos
On Thursday, Virginia State Delegate Bob Marshall (R) spoke at a press conference against state funding for Planned Parenthood. He blasted the organization for supporting a women's right to choose, saying that God punishes women who have had abortions by giving them disabled children:
"The number of children who are born subsequent to a first abortion with handicaps has increased dramatically.Why? Because when you abort the first born of any, nature takes its vengeance on the subsequent children," said Marshall, a Republican.
"In the Old Testament, the first born of every being, animal and man, was dedicated to the Lord. There's a special punishment Christians would suggest."
I'm curious, Mr. Marshall. Were you born an asshole or have you worked hard at it all your life?
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Eight uninterrupted minutes of news reporting on the Marines in Marjah. That's what I heard this morning on the way to the office. Obviously, I wasn't listening to any of the local news shows. And I wasn't listening to CNN or Fox. I was listening to National Public Radio's Morning Edition. And I heard detailed reporting about the situation faced by our Marines. I learned that they are extremely concerned about their impact on the civilians in the town, to the point of allowing Taliban fighters to flee to the surrounding hills rather than risk killing civilians. I learned that they are struggling with extremely restrictive fire orders. I heard that our Marines from India Company discovered more than twenty IEDs in the first moments of the battle, some hidden just on the other side of a wall next to where our Marines had bunked down for the night.
I learned all of this and more, because NPR still produces news. Real news. And they give it to me in large enough segments that I can understand not only the top stories but also the smaller, less reported information that provides the context.
I just caught up on all three of these movies on Blu-Ray, and I'm still impressed. The action is non-stop, the chase scenes are breathtaking, and the storyline holds together through all three films. If you haven't seen them, you should. If you have, you should see them again. The trilogy is worth a second (or third) look.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Reign of Fire? Reign of Hotties is more like it. What's not to love about a movie with Christian Bale, Matthew McConaughey, and Gerard Butler? It's all action, all testosterone, and all shirt-torn-fighting-sweating-rolling-about goodness. Yeah, it's the perfect combination of guy movie (all action, no one dies of natural causes) and gay movie (hot, sweaty beefcake). And yes, it looks even better in Blu-Ray.
Oh, yeah. There's also something about dragons and fighting and end-of-mankind stuff. But really, does the plot matter?
Yes, sure, I realize that the Olympics are the last pure sporting event on the planet. I respect that these sports stars train all their lives for their moment on the world stage. And I agree that the competition is amazing to watch.
But honestly, how can I watch the Olympics and not think "Guy Candy"? Come on, these athletes are unbelievably sexy. So, here's a shout-out to the hotties of the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games. Bonne chance, gentilshommes.
As the major NATO offensive entered its seventh day, about two dozen Marines were inserted before dawn into an area where skilled Taliban marksmen are known to operate, an officer said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of security concerns.
Other squads of Marines and Afghans, marching south in a bid to link up with Marine outposts there and expand their territory, came under sniper fire and rocket attacks by midday. The rattle of machine-gun fire and the thud of mortars echoed nearby.
The Marjah offensive is the biggest since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan and a test of President Barack Obama's strategy for reversing the rise of the Taliban while protecting civilians.
A NATO statement said troops were still meeting "some resistance" from insurgents who engage them in firefights, but homemade bombs remain the key threat to allied and Afghan forces.
At a London briefing, Maj. Gen. Gordon Messenger said the militant holdouts don't threaten the overall offensive but will take time to clear out."The levels of resistance in these areas has increased but not beyond expectation. We expected after the enemy had time to catch its breath, they would up the level of resistance, and that's happened," he said.
Marine spokesman Lt. Josh Diddams reported that overall resistance was lighter Friday, but a few companies still engaged in firefights that lasted a few hours.
NATO said one service member died Friday in a small-arms fire attack. Six coalition troops were killed Thursday, NATO said, making it the deadliest day since the offensive began. The death toll so far is 12 NATO troops and one Afghan soldier. Britain's Defense Ministry said two British soldiers were among those killed Thursday.
No precise figures on Taliban deaths have been released, but senior Marine officers say intelligence reports suggest more than 120 have died.The officers spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information.
So let's take a closer look. First, this piece:
As the major NATO offensive entered its seventh day, about two dozen Marines were inserted before dawn into an area where skilled Taliban marksmen are known to operate, an officer said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of security concerns.
Security concerns? Bullshit. It doesn't matter at all if this officer is Joe Smith or Jack Brown. Revealing his identity does not jeopardize security. What jeopardizes security is releasing this information at all. So if this officer was truly concerned with security, he would shut his mouth and not release information unless specifically authorized and instructed to do so.
No precise figures on Taliban deaths have been released, but senior Marine officers say intelligence reports suggest more than 120 have died. The officers spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information.
Not authorized to release the information? Then shut up. I expect senior Marine officers to know better than to discuss intelligence reports with the media just because they feel like it. They acknowledge they are not authorized to release that information, yet do it anyway. What the hell is their problem?
So again, I share my opinion that these folks need to shut their fucking mouths and stop chattering like magpies. Is it too much to ask that those entrusted with national security demonstrate a simple respect for it?
Saturday, February 13, 2010
I woke up on time, and my gym bag was packed and ready to go. But I weighed my need for a morning workout against my desire to stay in bed just a bit longer. It's Saturday, I told myself, and another bit of sleep is my reward for another great week.
So I slept in. Not too long, as I had to be here at the office by 7am. But it still felt good to lounge and relax.
Now, though, I'm done at the office and heading home... after my stop at the gym. I can't use sleeping in as an excuse all day, right?
Friday, February 12, 2010
Me, Christmas 2009. Sitting there, weighing as much as I ever have in my life, I felt completely uncomfortable. I didn't want to take pictures, I didn't want to dress up and go out, I didn't want to do anything but hide out. And that is no way to live.
So, here I am almost two months later, feeling like a whole new person. And this? Oh, yes. THIS is a way to live.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
My friend posted this recently as his Facebook status, and it really resonated with me. I think many of us wander through life with this ridiculous notion that someone, or some thing, is going to save us. We play the "if only" game until it paralyzes us.
If only I was 50 pounds lighter, I would like my body.
If only I didn't have a mortgage, I could afford what I wanted.
If only I had a better job, I'd enjoy working.
If only I could meet the right person, I'd be happy.
And on and on it goes. But the truth is, I could work harder to lose that 50 pounds. I could pay more towards my mortgage. I could learn new skills and fight for a better job. And years ago, I could have worked more on making myself a better person instead of wishing for someone to come along and make me happy. But it's easier to wait for someone or something else to make it happen for me.
Ultimately, there is no one else coming to save me. If I am to enjoy this life, to truly live and love and accomplish and create and every other wonderful thing I hope to do, I need to hold myself responsible for making it happen. Sure, I'll likely find others along the way that will help me, but I cannot hold them accountable for what happens to me. My life is about my choices and my actions, and the sooner I accept and embrace that, the sooner I can truly get to living.
My friend, Jeremy, posted this recently as his Facebook status, and it really resonated with me. I think many of us wander through life with this ridiculous notion that someone, or some thing, is going to save us. We play the "if only" game until it paralyzes us.
* If only I was 50 pounds lighter, I would like my body. * If only I didn't have a mortgage, I could afford what I wanted. * If only I had a better job, I'd enjoy working. * If only I could meet the right person, I'd be happy.
And on and on it goes. But the truth is, I could work harder to lose that 50 pounds. I could pay more towards my mortgage. I could learn new skills and fight for a better job. And years ago, I could have worked more on making myself a better person instead of wishing for someone to come along and make me happy. But it's easier to wait for someone or something else to make it happen for me.
Ultimately, there is no one else coming to save me. If I am to enjoy this life, to truly live and love and accomplish and create and every other wonderful thing I hope to do, I need to hold myself responsible for making it happen. Sure, I'll likely find others along the way that will help me, but I cannot hold them accountable for what happens to me. My life is about my choices and my actions, and the sooner I accept and embrace that, the sooner I can truly get to living.
Monday, February 8, 2010
That's me today. I went to bed at 10pm and was still wide awake at 4am. By 5am, I was at the gym and all business. I did 2 minute intervals on the treadmill, alternating between 3.6 mph walking and 6.0 mph jogging. I managed to do that for a full hour, logging 4.65 miles.
After that and since I was already at the gym and feeling great, I hopped on the recumbent bike. I rode for another hour, logging 21.65 miles.
I'm feeling all kinds of fabulous today.
Okay, maybe not quite THAT fabulous, but I'm still feeling pretty darn good. So, how is everyone else today?
Sunday, February 7, 2010
I just wrote on Thursday that I was happy with my progress, despite the fact that I had not lost a single pound over the entire last week. I told myself to have faith that making better eating choices, sticking with my workouts, and getting and giving support here at Spark People would work. Turns out, I was right.
Yes, I know I said I was only going to weigh myself once a week, but I woke up this morning and decided to take a quick peek. Hello, success. I weighed in at 209.5 pounds this morning, which means I dropped 3.5 pounds since Thursday.
What does that tell me? It tells me that the numbers on the scale are going to do tricky things. They are going to sit stubbornly for days, even weeks at a time, despite all my best efforts. And then, almost inexplicably, they are going to drop in dramatic fashion.
So, today I'll celebrate the big drop. I'm doing the work and I deserve to enjoy the rewards. But I will do so with the knowledge that every weigh-in will not be like this, and even when the numbers flatline, I'm still confident I am doing the right things for longterm health and fitness.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
I weigh in every Thursday morning. This week, like last week, I weighed 213 pounds. And that should bother me, right? Wrong.
I'm not unhappy right now. In fact, I'm feeling pretty good. And I'll tell you why.
One, I know that my eating habits last week were not that great. Sure, I ate relatively healthy breakfasts and lunches. But my dinners included quite a few indulgence items. And those calories add up. And portion control? Forget it. I wasn't all that concerned with that. So, I made unhealthy eating decisions and ate too much. Both of those things are fully within my power to change in this upcoming week. So I'm happy.
Two, my overall goal is to lose (in a healthy and sensible manner) one pound per week. I have already lost seven in three weeks, so I am double my plan. And if my body slows down a bit for a week or two, no problem. I'm still moving in the right direction. So I'm happy.
Three, scale be damned, I feel better. I have worn my polo shirts tucked in each day this week, and I haven't done that in quite a while. My jeans fit a bit looser, my belt has to be pulled a bit tighter, and people tell me I look like I am losing weight. So I'm happy.
And four, I made a conscious decision to not let the weigh-in bother me. Instead, I chose to seek out message threads on the "Panic! Button for Immediate Help" forum. I decided to focus my energy today on cheering people up and encouraging others rather than wallow in some faux-problem of my own. And as it turns out, writing messages of support to other people can't help but impact my own mood. So I'm happy.
I don't know who all might read this blog entry. And I don't know where any of you may be on your own journeys. But I can tell you that just being here is enough to motivate and inspire me to do more, to be more. I read our stories and connect with different pieces of each of them. I am glad to be a part of this group and proud to be on this path with so many of you.
I'm copying this from a political website. It was my response to a question about gays being allowed to serve in the military.
I've wasted the last bit of energy I intend to discussing this issue with those who oppose it. It's always the same circular reasoning (it's different because it isn't the same!), the same prejudices (I don't want to be with those people!), and the same denial and ignorance (gays flaunt it, but straight people don't).
Attempting any more dialog is a futile endeavor, and ultimately, a pointless one. Laws and policies that deny equal treatment to all Americans will one day be tossed into the rubbish bins of history, and those who support such discrimination will scratch their heads and wonder what on earth happened. Meanwhile, the rest of us will go on with our lives and never look back.
I'm posting it here because it really is my last argument on the subject. If you agree with me, good. If you don't, that's okay, too. But understand that I don't care to hear any more discussion about it. More specifically, I will not be engaging in any further discussions about it. There is nothing new to be said, no just-discovered truth that will somehow sway opinions. The arguments are what they are, and people either support it, oppose it, or don't care about it. No matter which of those you feel, there is no point in me challenging your views.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
I go to the gym each morning. I get on the treadmill, or the bike, or the elliptical, and I exercise for an hour. I can't help but see myself in the mirror, and I see a fat guy that is breathing heavy and sweating like crazy. I see a man in terrible shape, short and chubby and a big blob. And I think, "what on earth are these other people thinking when they see me?"
Here's the answer. They don't see me. Oh, sure, they see that I am a guy on a treadmill. Beyond that, though, I'm invisible. I could be anyone and it wouldn't matter. Why? Because they don't care about me. They are too busy thinking about their own bodies, their own routines, their own struggles and successes and to-do lists, etc, to spend any time bothering with me. They are not worrying about me or thinking that my legs are short or my belly is big or whatever crazy self-criticism I have at the moment.
So no one is criticizing me. No one is judging me. No one is expending energy to attack me. In fact, no one cares. And that's a good thing.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
My long-term goal is to lose 60 pounds. And that sounds like a lot. How can I possibly manage 60 pounds?
And then I realized something. I am already managing 60 pounds. Each day, when I walk up the steps to the office, I am managing to carry an extra 60 pounds. When I mow the lawn, or walk the aisles of the grocery store, or stand in line at the theater, I am managing to carry an extra 60 pounds. Every moment of every day, every place I go and everything I do, I'm weighed down with this extra 60 pounds.
And what I am taking away from this newfound realization? If I can manage to carry 60 pounds for so many years, I can surely manage to carry it to the gym and on to the bike and for long walks and jogs and runs. I can carry it through my workouts until, pound by pound, it goes away.
I know that working out makes me feel better. So I make the time. I get up early and work out before I head into the office. That way, nothing distracts me and I can enjoy the day with that "post-workout smugness."
But there are other ways that I need to take care of myself, and they are just as important. I need to make the time to be alone, to relax and unwind, to transition from busy, busy, busy workday to calm, comfortable at-home time.
I need to make the time. There will always be things that need to get done, and work that can't wait, and a million other demands. But ultimately, the only way I can be the person I need to be for everyone else is to make sure that I am doing what I need to do for myself.
So you're in a bad mood. You know, the sort of mood where everything makes you mad. When it seems as if everyone in the world is going out of their way to make sure your day is as bad as it can possibly be. And yes, you are in such a funk that you feel as if a dark cloud is following you and the sun may never shine again.
When I hit that sort of funk, there is one thing I can always do to snap me right out of it. I take a few minutes to sit down and write something positive and encouraging to someone in my life that I know is struggling. Maybe it's something serious, like an illness, or maybe it's something minor, like a quarrel with another friend or a bad day at work. Whatever they are going through, I find that my writing a note to help lift them up helps me put my own problems into perspective.
There is no shortage of sorrow and struggle out there. So many people I know are going through a rough time of one kind or another. And if my little note is a bright spot in their day, and writing it helps me adjust my own attitude, then we both come out winners.
So go ahead, let that bad mood find you. And you can even wallow in it for a bit if you think that's what you need to do. But before you let it swallow you up, take a look around you. Odds are, you have friends or family that are struggling just as much, if not more. And it's completely within your power to give them a bright spot in their otherwise painful day.
So, what's going to be? Burn another hour of your day with a pity party or make a difference for someone else? It's your decision. | {'pile_set_name': 'Pile-CC'} |
Vegetables Color Measurement Testing Instruments by Testronix Inc.
Vegetables are the source of our every meal. It's not only healthy but also enhances the taste of our food. Most of all the colors it exhibits give our cuisines the look we desire. The colors of vegetables is a result of pigments in their cells and signify a lot more information then taste. The pigment sources contain healthy nutrients and therefore the extent of the color and its intensity defines the quality of that particular veggie. Since a long time, scientists have been using vegetable color measurement to determine the quality of the product. More, the red the tomato is, more it will be healthy and juicy and will be purchased at its maximum extent.
Why are the color of vegetables so important?
The visual aspect of vegetables plays a huge role in shaping our perception of it. If it doesn't appeal to vision, we are less likely to try it. This poses a challenge for food producers. For instance, a tomato sauce manufacturer will buy the best tomatoes for its production and how he is going to choose them, based on the taste, smell and of cores its bright, shiny red skin. When it comes to appearance, color plays a key role in a food's appeal. After that he would want all of the tomatoes he purchased must be of the same quality, now how will be checking the consistency. Well, one of the easiest procedure would be color measurement techniques. Measuring color with a color assessment tool at each step of a vegetable's journey from harvest to the retailer can help a food producer maintain the quality consistency. Doesn't matter which vegetable or from which continent you buy it from, a good quality vegetable will exhibit the same standard color measurements. For this purpose, one can use highly advanced and technical devices to assure accuracy in the results. | {'timestamp': '2019-04-26T00:44:05Z', 'url': 'http://www.testronixinstruments.com/application/vegetables-color-measurement/', 'language': 'en', 'source': 'c4'} |
my last blog I talked about my hope that a couple or three people may want to buy our surplus eggs rather than them going to waste. On Wednesday I put a small item on our local community page on Facebook asking whether anyone would be interested in buying some of our eggs. InI talked about my hope that a couple or three people may want to buy our surplus eggs rather than them going to waste.
Well a few minutes after I posed my question on the community page something amazing started to happen. Someone responded and then someone else and then quite a few more and then it became a rapid stream of people saying that they'd be interested in buying our eggs.
As I type there are in excess of 230 responses! It seems that I won't need to do a delivery service, folks are more than happy to travel to collect them from us.
I spent Wednesday evening feeling more than a little overwhelmed, the positive response was a delight and they have kept on coming steadily ever since.
As a way to communicate with quite so many potential egg purchasers at once, I set up a Facebook page for the smallholding. And
I've amended the original post to say that I've set up a farm page, but still the comments from people interested keep appearing.
plain egg boxes from eBay (this is an affiliate link) and will spend a while designing a suitable label that I can stick on top of the box. Anyway, I ordered some(this is an affiliate link) and will spend a while designing a suitable label that I can stick on top of the box.
Thursday the first of the local residents arrived to buy some eggs. It was very nice to know that the girls' eggs were going to be appreciated by someone else and not assigned to the food recycling bin. Since then several more boxes of eggs have been sold and although I will never become rich (or even make a profit) from farmgate egg sales, the few pounds each week will help towards the cost of the chicken and duck feed for at least part of the year.
The response was so good, that I feel it would be worth having some more chickens, but only if they are good layers and are dual purpose birds that can be used for the table when either they stop laying in the winter or slow down with age. Having additional birds here that cost us money to feed throughout the winter, purely so I can sell their eggs in spring and summer would be pointless. Even I know that it wouldn't make economic sense to do that!
I spotted an advert in our local farmer's store for a trio of Light Sussex birds for PS20 and when I texted to see if they were still available, I was told that there were only two left but that they were free to a good home. Well, I consider us to be a good home and so delightfully, we will be picking up the new birds this evening.
There's another positive to this, one that is less obvious, but in some ways more important. And this is that I have met almost more local people in seventy-two hours than I have in the sixteen months since we moved here! It's not that folks here are unfriendly, just like everywhere, they are mostly lovely, it's just that I don't really go anywhere to meet anyone. I am more than happy pottering around on our smallholding and most of the time don't feel the need to venture further afield. I don't go to cafes, pubs or other places that I might bump into people and start chatting and I don't go to the local shop regularly as Mr J does the local shopping. So the lack of socialising is entirely of my own doing and while I am very happy in my own company, it has been jolly nice to meet some new people.
met up for a barbecue at the home of one smallholder. We had planned to have another meet up in November, but the Avian Flu Prevention Zone meant that it was unwise for smallholders, all of whom are poultry keepers, to go trekking across the country to meet up, so we delayed the gathering. I have however made lots of friends via social media. A group of smallholders chat to each other regularly and at the end of summer last year some of usat the home of one smallholder. We had planned to have another meet up in November, but the Avian Flu Prevention Zone meant that it was unwise for smallholders, all of whom are poultry keepers, to go trekking across the country to meet up, so we delayed the gathering.
Now that the Prevention Zone measures are relaxed a little, we decided that the next week or two was a good moment to meet up. We can't wait too much longer as lambing will begin for many of the smallholders, so next weekend a few friends are coming to our smallholding for a bite to eat and a bit of socialising. Not only is it nice to be able to see other's smallholdings, but it's great to be able to pick a few brains about ideas for our smallholding. It certainly won't take people very long to walk around it, but the compact size of our land means that we have to make every inch count and work well for us.
As spring has arrived, Mr J and I have started to tidy up after the cold winter months prevented us from tackling too many tasks outside. Of all the maintenance jobs that there are, picking the weeds out of the gravel in the yard is one of our least favourites. So on Saturday, I grabbed a padded kneeler (block of foam) and got down on my hands and knees to work on a particularly weedy and grassy corner. It doesn't take too long to clear a patch, it's just rough on the hands and knees!
And as another growing season is starting my thoughts have turned to the greenhouse and planting seeds. I spent one morning a week or so ago planting seeds into module trays and am pleased to see that some of them have already germinated. Next week I hope to continue with sowing seeds to fill the greenhouse with small plants that are strong and healthy before the end of May when it is safe to plant out the more tender of the plants.
Back to today, before we collect the new birds this evening, we need to clean and prepare the isolation house for the new birds so that they can have a few days in there before joining the rest of the flock. We do this to give the birds a little time to acclimatise to their new surroundings and get used to us and for us to be sure that they don't have any illnesses that they could then pass on to the rest of our birds.
But before I prepare the isolation house, I think there's just time for a cuppa!
- - - - -
YouTube channel here. I also post vlogs daily (almost). You can find my
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Ask HN: Location Poll - jbrun
I remember that we did a "where are you living?" poll a while back, but I cannot find. Trying to meet-up with Paris based hackers. Can someone point me in the right direction please.
======
epi0Bauqu
Valley Forge, PA. Our Philly meetup group:
<<URL>
~~~
wmblaettler
Lancaster here. I just did. Thanks!
------
niyazpk
<<URL>
~~~
jbrun
Thanks!
------
vorador
By the way, I'm parisian. Maybe we should create a meet-up thread ?
------
shrnky
About an hour and half outside of New Orleans, LA. | {'pile_set_name': 'HackerNews'} |
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For Search feature please
to enable JavaScript or to put this site in Trusted Sites zone
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protect your kids from accessing porn by simply using your browser's
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All models appearing on this site are 18 years or older.
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We do not produce pornographic content ourselves. Reproduction of
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Etomidate has no effect on hypoxia reoxygenation and hypoxic preconditioning in isolated human right atrial myocardium.
We examined the effects of etomidate on recovery of contractile function after hypoxia reoxygenation and hypoxic preconditioning in vitro using isolated human myocardium. Human right atrial myocardium were obtained at the time of cardiac surgery from 38 adults patients. We recorded isometric force of contraction (FoC) of atrial trabeculae suspended in an oxygenated Tyrode's solution (34 degrees C, stimulation frequency 1 Hz). In all groups, a 30-min hypoxic period was followed by 60 min of reoxygenation (HR). In separate groups, muscles were exposed to etomidate (10(-7), 10(-6), 10(-5) M) 10 min before and throughout the HR periods. Hypoxic preconditioning was induced by 4-min hypoxia followed by 7-min reoxygenation applied before HR periods. Etomidate 10(-5) M was administered before, throughout, and after the hypoxic preconditioning stimulus. Recovery of FoC (expressed as % of baseline value) at the end of HR was compared among groups. Compared with the control group (FoC: 52%+/-10%), etomidate 10(-7) M (FoC: 57%+/-9%; P=0.24), 10(-6) M (FoC: 61%+/-11%; P=0.10), and 10(-5) M (FoC: 54%+/-9%; P=0.29) did not modify the recovery of FoC after HR. Hypoxic preconditioning-induced increase in the recovery of FoC (87%+/-5%; P<0.001 vs control group) was not modified in the presence of etomidate 10(-5) M (FoC: 86%+/-7%; P=0.74 vs hypoxic preconditioning group). Etomidate did not modify the in vitro FoC of human myocardium exposed to HR. Furthermore, etomidate did not modify the protective effect of hypoxic preconditioning. | {'pile_set_name': 'PubMed Abstracts'} |
Asko Antero Autio (ur. 21 kwietnia 1952 w Ylivieska) - finski biegacz narciarski, zawodnik klubu Turun Urheiluliitto.
Kariera W Pucharze Swiata zadebiutowal 27 lutego 1982 roku w Holmenkollen, zajmujac piate miejsce w biegu na 50 km. Tym samym juz w swoim debiucie zdobyl pierwsze pucharowe punkty. Na podium zawodow tego cyklu pierwszy raz stanal 4 marca 1983 roku w Lahti, konczac rywalizacje w biegu na 15 km stylem dowolnym na trzeciej pozycji. W zawodach tych wyprzedzili go jedynie Aleksandr Zawjalow z ZSRR oraz Norweg Pal Gunnar Mikkelsplass. W kolejnych startach jeszcze jeden raz uplasowal sie w czolowej trojce: 12 marca 1983 roku w Holmenkollen byl najlepszy w biegu na 15 km. W klasyfikacji generalnej sezonu 1982/1983 zajal ostatecznie dwunaste miejsce.
W 1980 roku wzial udzial w igrzyskach olimpijskich w Lake Placid, gdzie byl dziewiaty na dystansie 50 km. Podczas rozgrywanych dwa lata pozniej mistrzostwach swiata w Oslo w tej samej konkurencji byl piaty.
Osiagniecia
Igrzyska olimpijskie
Mistrzostwa swiata
Puchar Swiata
Miejsca w klasyfikacji generalnej sezon 1981/1982: 27.
sezon 1982/1983: 12.
sezon 1983/1984: 62.
Miejsca na podium
Linki zewnetrzne Profil na stronie FIS Finscy biegacze narciarscy
Finscy olimpijczycy
Uczestnicy Zimowych Igrzysk Olimpijskich 1980
Urodzeni w 1952 | {'title': 'Asko Autio', 'url': 'https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asko%20Autio', 'language': 'pl', 'timestamp': '20230320'} |
Are you a Teacher? A Student? A Tourist? A Birdwatcher? A Scientist? A Professional? A Photographer? It doesn't matter. We want you to come and see the Priolo and to learn about the work that has been done in the context of the LIFE Priolo Project. Contact us, we are waiting for you and it will be a pleasure for us to guide you! | {'timestamp': '2019-04-18T12:56:06Z', 'url': 'http://life-priolo.spea.pt/en/the-project/visiting-priolo/', 'language': 'en', 'source': 'c4'} |
President's Advisor: Stepashin To View Tatarstan As An Ally
Rafail Khakimov, the state advisor to Tatar President Mintimer Shaimiev, said Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Stepashin will not attempt to downgrade the status of Russia's ethnic republics. Khakimov made his comments in an interview with Tatar-inform on 28 April after Stepashin's appointment as first deputy prime minister in charge of nationalities' policy, particularly the north Caucasus as well as on relations between Russia's regions and CIS countries. In Khakimov's opinion, Stepashin will see Tatarstan as an ally, not an adversary. Khakimov said Stepashin, who used to work in the North Caucasus and is well acquainted with the situation there, is well suited to pursue a reasonable and balanced policy in the region. Khakimov said that there will not be order in Russia until the Chechen problem is solved. Khakimov said that Stepahsin will not suggest a solution involving the use of force in Chechnya because he "went through Chechnya" and would never use methods that haven't worked.
Tatar Parliament Holds Session
Tatarstan's permanent parliament held a session on 28 April, Tatar radio reported. A package of draft laws was included in the agenda of the next plenary session of the State Council -- to be held on 26 May -- among them draft laws on charitable activities, on the Kama Alany off-shore zone, on freedom of conscience, and religious associations. The deputies passed laws on Tatarstan's international treaties, on administrative responsibility for infringements in production and trade of alcohol, on state support for young families in gaining housing, on a water code, ecological matters, on the Alabuga off-shore zone, and on a referendum to be held in the Republic of Tatarstan.
UNESCO Conference Held In Kazan
A scientific conference called "Russia on the Border of Centuries: From Confrontation to a Culture of Peace" was held in Kazan on 26-28 April under the aegis of UNESCO, Tatar radio and television reported. The program the Culture of Peace that UNESCO has developed is aimed at preventing ethnic and religious conflicts. A national Russian project within the framework of the Culture of Peace program was considered at the conference. Valerii Sakharov, the national coordinator of the Russian project, said in an interview with Tatar radio that Tatarstan can be an effective and objective model for Russia's Culture of Peace project. He said UNESCO, as well as Russia, promote solutions used in Tatarstan in avoiding ethnic and religious strife.
Otechestvo Interested In Chistai Watches
More than 1,000 watches were bought from the Chistai watch plant in Vostok for delegates to the second Otechestvo congress held in Yaroslavl, Tatar-inform reported. Otechestvo leader and Moscow Mayor Yurii Luzhkov met on 28 April with the general director of the Chistai plant, Vladislav Tsivilin, and the prospect of setting up an association of Russian watchmakers was discussed. The Vostok factory currently cooperates with the First Moscow watch factory. | {'pred_label': '__label__wiki', 'pred_label_prob': 0.8772662878036499, 'wiki_prob': 0.8772662878036499, 'source': 'cc/2021-04/en_middle_0046.json.gz/line945596'} |
Q:
Problema s funktsiei, oshibka "string is not function"
Problema v tom, chto esli stroka mass_child[j].style.display = option_display
nakhoditsia vyshe (function(i){
setTimeout(function(){
mass_child[i].style.opacity = option_opacity
},100)
}(j))
to togda poiavliaetsia oshibka string is not function. Pochemu?
for(var j = 0; j < mass_child.length; ++j){
name = mass_child[j].className
if(name == undefined) {
continue
}else{
if(name == mass_class_name[0] || name == mass_class_name[1] || name == mass_class_name[2]){ (function(i){
setTimeout(function(){
mass_child[i].style.opacity = option_opacity
},100)
}(j)) mass_child[j].style.display = option_display
}
}
}
A:
Blin, skol'ko raz govorit': vsegda stav'te tochku s zapiatoi posle vyrazheniia!
U vas poluchaetsia:
mass_child[j].style.display = option_display (function(i){.... | {'pile_set_name': 'StackExchange'} |
Q:
Implement licensing in SpFx?
I have created 4 web parts using SPFX. Now I want implement licensing.
If the user has purchase license then can access web part else user is redirected to license.
What is the best approach to fulfilling this requirement? Should I create license component in each web part?
Thanks
A:
I won't recommend you to keep your license on the client side. Since the SPFx is completely client side module, anyone can easily go through the code and find all the details, how you are using licensing in you web part.
To your problem, I can recommend using Azure Functions. They are very powerful when it's come to serverless computing (as quoted my Microsoft). Follow the URL to know more about them. <URL> | {'pile_set_name': 'StackExchange'} |
Well, the festival opened on Thursday with another controversial choice. I love Berlin and I love the festival but I find the programming somewhat baffling and, for a journalist, it's a pretty difficult event to turn a profit on it, quite frankly. When Dieter Kosslick took over, I really thought it would make the festival much younger and more exciting than it had been under Moritz De Hadeln, but it seems more excitement spills out from the market and the Talent Campus than the festival itself. Many people don't understand why I enjoy Sundance so much, but, even when the films are bad (and they often are) there's a genuine sense of enthusiasm; most of the people you meet (even the LA types) are usually either coming from a movie or heading to (at least) one, and there's a lot of curiosity about the films you have and haven't seen. With Berlin, though, there's often a sense of dread that pervades the journalistic contingent, and this year's choice of Tom Tykwer's The International (above), starring Clive Owen and Naomi Watts, as the opening film does not bode well. I haven't seen it myself, but the reviews have been scathing. Ian Nathan gave it two stars in this month's Empire, and you can see from Shane Danielsen's review from IndieWire, Mark Rabinowitz's review from The Rabbi Repor, Stephen Dalton'sreviewin The Times, and Finn Halligan's review in Screen International that the press are not impressed...
In the meantime, the wheels are still turning on Quentin Tarantino's film Inglourious Basterds, which is shooting in and around Berlin. Sebastian Haselbeck from Tarantino Archives has written a nice account here of his set visit. It should keep you entertained until I finally write mine!
punchdrunkPosted on Saturday February 21, 2009, 20:58
I saw a trailer for "the International" today, I have to say I haven't laughed so much at a trailer for age's not since 'The Skulls' "When you kill people they die" line. They could redo it a bit and make it a spoof saying it was meant to be a cheesy cliche ridden flick :P | {'pile_set_name': 'Pile-CC'} |
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Q:
Ajax vs. Web sockets vs. Web Workers
What is the difference between all three? They seem to do the exact same thing. Why and when would you choose to use one method over the other?
A:
AJAX and websockets do similar tasks -- they both establish a communication channel to a server. Web workers have nothing to do with either of them, they are just separate threads of JS execution.
AJAX is more mature than websockets -- it has been around much longer and has a much wider browser support. AJAX is request-oriented -- you make a request to the server, the server responds, and the connection is closed. Websockets on the other hand establish a persistent connection to the server, over which you exchange multiple messages in both directions.
Webworkers are useful if you want to perform a processor intensive task without blocking the browser interface.
A:
They are not same. But one can use them together to build advanced application.
Ajax: As abbrevation States is asynchronous javascript and xml.. is used to load the content dynamically from the server upon called.
Websockets : Websockets is the feature defined in HTML5 . As wikipedia states "WebSocket is a protocol providing full-duplex communications channels over a single TCP connection." so this is mainly used for real time communication such as video call, live chat etc..
WebWorkers : this feature is also defined in HTML5. This is basically used to make bring multi threading feature in Javascript. Since javascript is a single threaded programming language , it breaks or pause whenever i.e heavy calculation tasks are done using it. to overcome this breakage , Webworkers are added to javascript.
You can perform Ajax and Websockets inside Webworkers . however you cannot manipulate DOM using webworkers due to security reasons.
A:
They are not the same.
Ajax: It is a way of interacting with a web server asynchronously from a UI renderer
Web Sockets: An HTML5 feature using which you can interact with any Socket server extending the reach of the browser
Web Workers : Another HTML5 feature that helps you do multi-threaded programming from a web browser using Java Script | {'pile_set_name': 'StackExchange'} |
"Okay, you ready for this?" "As ever." "Let's do it." "Let's play Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" "Who wrote the phrase "No man is an island"?" "John Donne?" "John Milton?" "John F. Kennedy?" "Jon Bon Jovi?" "Jon Bon Jovi." "Too easy." "And, if I may say so, a complete load of bollocks." "In my opinion, all men are islands." "And what's more, now's the time to be one." "This is an island age." "A hundred years ago, you had to depend on other people." "No one had TV or CDs or DVDs or videos or home espresso makers." "Actually, they didn't have anything cool." "Whereas now, you see you can make yourself a little island paradise." "With the right supplies and the right attitude you can be sun-drenched, tropical, a magnet for young Swedish tourists." "Hi, it's Kristina." "I haven't heard from you." "I had a great time last weekend." "So give me a call, okay?" "'Bye." "And I like to think that perhaps I am that kind of island." "I like to think I'm pretty cool." "I like to think I'm Ibiza." "There were people who had a good time in life." "I was beginning to realize I wasn't one of them." "I just didn't fit." "I didn't fit at my old school." "I definitely didn't fit at my new one." "I heard that some kids got taught by their parents at home." "Mum couldn't do that, unless I paid her to teach me." "Because it was just her and me." "And she went to work." "She made 400 pounds a week." "Where was I gonna get that kind of money from?" "Maybe if I was like that movie kid, Haley Joel Osment I could pay her that much." "But if that meant being good at drama, forget it." "I was crap at drama." "'Cause I hated standing up in front of people." "So, basically, I had to go to school." "The sad fact is that, like any island dweller from time to time I had to visit the mainland." "This is Imogene." "You can hold her if you like." "That's..." "Well, okay." "Yeah." "Got her." "Lovely." "Yeah, she's delightful, isn't she?" "I know." "Isn't she?" "To tell the truth, I'm being crap with her." "You better take her back." "She could've been yours if you got your act together." "Just think of that, yeah." "So, the place is looking really nice." "Barney, Barney, Barney." "Say hello to Will, Barney." "Here we go." "It's the Antichrist." "Hello, Barney." "How are you?" " He's lovely." " Yeah." "And what about you, Will?" "Any desire for a family of your own yet?" "I'd rather eat Barney's nappies." "Not really." "I'm sort of all right as I am." "Please, Will." "What does that mean? "Please" what?" "Look at yourself." "You're 38 and you've never had a job or a relationship that lasted longer than two months." "I wouldn't exactly say you were okay." "I mean, I would say you were a disaster." "I mean, what is the point of your life?" "Bloody hell." "You're right." "There's probably no point to my life but thank you for bringing it up." "The reason we wanted you to come here today was we wanted to ask you how would you like to be Imogene's godfather?" "Seriously?" "Seriously." "Listen, I'm really, really touched." "But you must be joking." "I couldn't possibly think of a worse godfather for Imogene." "You know me." "I'll drop her at her christening." "I'll forget her birthdays until her 18th, when I'll take her out and get her drunk and possibly, let's face it, you know, try and shag her." "I mean, seriously, it's a very, very bad choice." "We know, I just thought you had hidden depths." "No." "No." "You've always had that wrong." "I really am this shallow." "Here we are." "You know you don't have to walk me to school anymore now, Mum." "I know the way now." "But what if I like walking you to school?" "Right." "Who are you?" "I'm me." "And what are you not?" "A sheep." "Right." "And what does a sheep go?" "Marcus?" "I love you." "Look." "I love you, too." ""I love you, Marcus!"" ""Love you!"" "Look at him!" "While I couldn't accept the offer to become their child's godfather I did allow them to set me up with Angie, a rather beautiful coworker of Christine's." "They had, however, being them, neglected to tell me one thing." "There's something you don't know about me." "Yeah?" "Something exciting?" "I think so, yes." "I have a 3-year-old boy." "I wanted to throw the napkin on the floor, push over the table and run." "Brilliant." "I love kids." "Yeah." "I like messing about with them." "Doing kid things." "I'd have been disappointed if you didn't have a child." "Why do you say that?" "God knows." "Mainly because it sounded smooth and winning." "Because I love kids so much." "They're so lovely." "What in God's name are you saying, you idiot?" "She can't be buying this rubbish." "But she did buy my rubbish." "And for the next few weeks I was suddenly Will the Good Guy." "Her kid took to me, mainly because on our first meeting I took him to the zoo and held him upside down by his ankles." "I wish relationships with proper humans were that easy." "You know, you are brilliant." "I came to realize that with single mums particularly ones who'd been badly treated and eventually abandoned by the father of their children, you became by comparison..." "You are a wonderful person." "No, I'm not." "But it was hard to be wonderful all the time." "Eventually I began to wonder whether Angie was exactly what I was looking for." "For instance, she was late for the new IMAX movie because the babysitter hadn't turned up." "I'm so sorry." "It's all right." "That pissed me off." " You okay?" " Yes." "And there were deeper problems." "She couldn't stay at my place, and she didn't have a DVD, or satellite or cable." "So we were always stuck watching some crap made-for-TV movie about a kid with leukemia." "I'm afraid there's nothing we can do." "God!" "No!" "Please, please, no!" "I was going to have to end it." "But having been Will the Good Guy I didn't relish going back to my role of Will the Unreliable, Emotionally-stunted Asshole." "I'm sorry?" "You're breaking up with me?" "You self-centered bastard." "I can't believe I've wasted all this time with you!" "You useless, superficial loser." "Will..." "Then something magical happened." "I'm sorry." "I'm not sure this is working out." "It's not you." "You've been great." "It's me." "Well, my situation with Louie and his dad." "I'm not ready to launch into a relationship with anybody new." "Yeah." "I'm so sorry." "I think I understand." "You're a wonderful man, Will." "I'd never watched a woman cry without feeling responsible before." "She even wanted me to forgive her." "It felt amazing." "Listen, you don't have anything to feel sorry about." "Really." "So that was the end of Angie, but the beginning of a whole new thing." "Single mums." "Why hadn't anyone told me about them before?" "Passionate sex, a lot of ego massage and a guilt-free parting." "There must be thousands, just waiting for a nice guy to sleep with and break up with." "Fabulous, sexy, gorgeous single mums." "Can I have Cocoa Puffs?" "No, it's not Sunday." "The crying had started again." "And it scared me 'cause now it was in the mornings." "She'd never done that before." "I couldn't figure it out." "Nobody was dead." "She had a job as a music therapist, which is kind of a teacher for sick kids." "So there was enough money for food and everything." "Should I get my own breakfast?" "No, I'm doing it." "So, you looking forward to school today?" "Today, you'll need to effect the decimal point when you multiply it by 10 100 and 1000." ""Nothing to do but frown" ""Rainy days and Mondays always get me down"" "Thank you very much, Marcus." "Hi, Nicky." "Hi, Mark." " Are you going to Computer Club later?" " I don't know." "Marcus..." "Madonna!" "Go on, give us a song!" "You'd like that, wouldn't you?" "Spice Girls or something." "Three of them." "Yeah." "Hey, Spice Girls." "You made me lose my football." "Marcus, we don't really want you hanging around with us anymore." " Why not?" " Well, it's because of them." " They've got nothing to do with me." " Yes, they do." "We never had trouble with them before we started hanging out with you." "Now we get it every single day." "Besides, everyone thinks you're weird." "Only a bit, though." "Okay." "'Bye." "There you have it." "I was having a shit time at home and a shit time at school." "It was fine deciding single mums were the future but the frustrating truth was I didn't have their numbers." " Hi, Dad." " Hey." "Where did they hang out?" "I'm a single father, I have a 2-year-old boy." "I'm a single father, I have a 2-year-old boy." "I'm a single father, I have a 2-year-old boy." "SPAT." "This was exciting." "A potential gold mine of single mums." "I could see the beautiful creatures now, getting roaring drunk forgetting their troubles, ready to rock and roll." "That was when I was 7 months pregnant." "By the time I had the baby, he was in Majorca with another woman." "Not even the one he cheated on me with the first time." "Well, with me, it was the week before the birth." "He said I'd got too fat." "Mine was shagging his secretary." "Such a cliche." "I'll tell you one thing:" "Men are bastards." "After about 10 minutes I wanted to cut my own penis off with a kitchen knife." "Me." "Yes." "I have a 2-year-old." "Ned." "He's got blue eyes and sort of sandy-colored hair and he's about 2'3"." "And his mum left." " Really?" " Yeah." "Yeah, I mean, obviously it was a very big shock because we were so happy, you know?" "Sandra's neurology practice was just up and running and then one day her bags were packed, and my best friend was waiting outside in his Ferrari." "Yeah." "You know, the Modena?" "The one with the supercharged engine, where you can see it through the back window?" " You got dumped then?" " Yeah." "May I ask, does your ex see Ned at all?" "Sorry, I didn't catch your name." "Suzie." "Suzie." "She doesn't see much of him, no." "How does he cope with that?" "He's a very good little boy." "Very, very brave." "They've got amazing resources, don't they?" "Just the other day I was thinking about my ex." "He came crawling up, put his little pudgy arms around my neck, and he said:" ""You hang in there, Dad. "" "God, that's amazing for a 2-year-old!" "Is it?" "Yeah, he's very special." "Very, very special." "Sometimes I think, you know, he's the one taking care of me." "Teaching me the ways of the world." "Sorry." "Thank you." "My God, what a performancel I was even fooling myself." "There you go." "You okay?" "Yeah." "Perfect, thanks." " Trust me?" " Of course." "By the end of the evening, I had a date lined up." "Single parents alone together!" "Single parents alone togetherl All for one and one for alll" "The problem was I also had an imaginary 2-year-old son." "The date was a SPAT picnic in Regent's Park, with everyone bringing their kids." "Sadly, Ned couldn't be there." "His mum had come and picked him up at the last second." " What a shame." " Yeah." "I'm sorry." " Got it." " This is Megan, by the way." "Hello, Megan." "Yeah." "A friend of mine from SPAT isn't feeling so great so I said that we'd take her kid to the picnic, too." " Is that all right?" " Yeah." "The more the merrier." "Right." "Come on, slowcoach!" "I hated that SPAT-lot." "Mum's friend Suzie was fine, but now there was that wally who wanted to get off with her." "Marcus, Will." "Will, Marcus." "Hi there." "Right." "Pile in, everyone." "Look what a mess Ned made of the car seat." "What a shame he can't come." "So, what do you do?" "Me?" "There were too many lies to keep track of so I told the truth." " Nothing." " Well, before then." " What do you mean, before I did nothing?" " Yeah." "I did nothing." "You've never worked?" "I've done the odd day here and there, but, no." "Crazy, isn't it?" "It's..." "Brilliant." "My God, I was going to have to tell her." "What happened, in fact, was that my dad wrote a song in 1958, and it's quite a famous song and I basically live off the royalties of that." "You know Michael Jackson?" "He makes a PS1,000,000 a minute." "That's PS60,000,000 an hour." "I don't make a PS1,000,000 a minute." " Nothing like, sadly." " How much then?" "Marcus!" "I was beginning to wonder if we'd be stuck with this weird kid all day." "So, what's this song then?" "If you can live off it, we must've heard of it." "It's Santa's Super Sleigh." "God, please don't sing it." ""Look who's coming round the bend It's Santa and his reindeer friends" ""With a ho, ho, ho and a hey, hey, hey, It's Santa's super sleigh"" "I expect people do that all the time." "No, I think you two are the first." "Sorry." "I don't understand." "How does that make you money?" "Do carol singers have to pay you 10 percent?" "They should, but you can't always catch the little bastards." "So, how often do you look after him?" "Marcus." "Every once in a while." "His mum's a little off-color sometimes." "You call it off-color, I call it nuts." "She's not nuts, Marcus." "She just needs a weekend taking it easy." "We'll have a nice picnic, and when you get home, she'll be all rested up." "My God!" "What the hell is that?" "My mum's homemade bread." "It looks pretty good." "No, it isn't." "It's healthy." "You miss him, don't you?" "Who?" "Ned!" "Yeah." "Yeah, very much." "He'd have loved this." "I think I killed a duck." "I was only trying to feed it." "What's that floating in the water next to it?" "Is that your mum's bread?" "You didn't have to throw the whole loaf." "That would've killed me." "You the one who was throwing bloody great loaves at the ducks?" "Yeah, he was, but I've stopped him now." "You know, boys will be boys, and all that." "So he killed it." "No." "Sorry, I misunderstood you." "The duck was dead already." "He was throwing bread to try and sink the body because Megan here was getting upset." "Marcus wouldn't kill a duck." "Would you, Marcus?" "No." "I love ducks." "They're my second favorite animal after dolphins." "They can kill sharks with their noses." "I'll have to wade in and get it." "Listen, I hope it's not some sort of epidemic." "I think we beat the rap there, mate." "Yeah." "Well." "Marcus?" "Mum." "That day, the Dead Duck Day, was when it all began." "That bloke Will just followed us in and I didn't tell him not to." "Afterwards, I realized that there was no way I could have been nervous just then because just then I didn't know there was anything to be nervous about." "But then I put the key in the lock, opened the door..." "Are you decent?" "And a new part of my life started." "Bangl" "Jesus Christ." "Oh, my God." " Will, call an ambulance." " Marcus, where's the phone?" "Where's the phone, mate?" "It was horrible." "Horrible." "But driving fast behind the ambulance was fantastic." "She's conscious." "She was okay in the ambulance." "She was asking after you, Marcus." "That's nice of her." "Listen, you know this has nothing to do with you, don't you?" "I mean, you're not the reason that she..." "You're not the reason that she's here." "Isn't that right, Will?" "Yeah, that's right." "I'll go get you some water." " I can get that." " No, it's okay." "Your mum's going to be okay." "Yeah, I suppose." "That's not the point, though, is it?" "Right, you mean you're afraid she might try again?" "Just shut up, all right?" "There you go, warm and flat." "Are you with Fiona Brewer?" "Yes, I'm her friend Suzie." "This is Marcus and Will." "She's recovering well, but we'll keep her overnight." "I'm going to get a consent form for Ms. Brewer so the boy can stay with you two tonight." "Right." "So, my place or yours?" "Sorry." "Okay." " I should get back to Ned, I think." " I'll take that." "All right." "All in all, this was very interesting." "So I'll call." "But I wouldn't want to do it every night." "See you soon." "The thing is, a person's life is like a TV show." "I was the star of The Will Show." "And The Will Show wasn't an ensemble drama." "Guests came and went, but I was the regular." "It came down to me, and me alone." "If Marcus' mum couldn't manage her own show if her ratings were falling, it was sad, but that was her problem." "Ultimately, the whole single-mum plot line was a bit complicated for me." "I got the letter." "Thanks." "Oh, my God." "I'd forgotten." "You forgot?" "You forgot a suicide letter?" "I didn't think I'd have to remember it, did I?" "Did you read the part where I said I'd always love you?" "It's a bit hard for you to love me when you're dead, isn't it?" "I'm sorry." "I can understand why you're angry, Marcus." "I don't feel the same as I did yesterday, if that's any help." "What?" "It's all just gone away?" "All that?" "No, but at the moment, I feel better." ""At the moment" is no good to me." "I can see you feel better at the moment." "You just put the kettle on." "But what happens when you finish your tea?" "What happens when I go back to school?" " I can't be here to watch you all the time." " I know." "We have to look after each other." "The two of us." "Suddenly I realized two people isn't enough." "You need a backup." "If you're only two people, and someone drops off the edge then you're on your own." "Two isn't a large enough number." "You need three, at least." " Three what?" " Nothing." "But I'd had a great idea." "The important thing in island living is to be your own activities director." "I find the key is to think of a day as units of time each unit consisting of no more than 30 minutes." "Full hours can be a little bit intimidating and most activities take about half an hour." "Taking a bath:" "One unit." "Watching Countdown:" "Okay..." "One unit." "Web-based research:" "Two units." "Exercising:" "Three units." "Having my hair carefully disheveled:" "Four units." "It's amazing how the day fills up." "I often wonder, to be absolutely honest if I'd ever really have time for a job." "How do people cram them in?" "Yeah, Will here." "It's Marcus." "Pardon?" "It's Marcus." "Marcus?" "Marcus." "Hi." "How'd you get my number?" "From Suzie." "I thought you'd like to take me out for the day on Saturday." "And why did you think that, Marcus?" "Suzie said we hit it off." "Did she?" "Yeah." " And you said, "See you soon. "" " I said what?" ""See you soon."" "The night you dropped us off." "Remember?" "You said, "See you soon. "" "This is soon, all right, Marcus." "The thing is, mate, my life is kind of hectic at the moment." "Why?" "I thought you did nothing." "I've got Ned and stuff to look after." "Matter of fact, I should be on the way to preschool right now." "What's that noise?" "That's a lawn mower." "So, you know, just time-wise it's not..." "Tell you what, just hold the line one sec." "Hold on, one sec." "Thanks." "But then I thought, "Why not?"" "Why shouldn't I take the poor little sod out for a meal?" "I could be Uncle Will." "Cool Uncle Will, King of the Kids." "Okay, Marcus." "You're on." "I'll come if you take my mum, too." "She has no money, so we'll have to go somewhere cheap or you'll have to treat us." "Listen, don't beat about the bush, Marcus." "Why should I?" "We're poor." "You're rich." "You pay." "Bring your little boy, I don't mind." "That's really big of you." "Fine." "Come round at 12:30 or something." "Remember where we live?" "Flat 2, 31 Craysfield Road, Islington, London, N12SF." "England, the world, the universe." "Yeah." "Marcus?" "So, Fiona, how are you?" " I mean, how are you feeling?" " My stomach's fine." "Great." "I must still be a bit barmy, though." "This kind of thing doesn't go away overnight, does it?" "No." "If Mum was going to get Will to marry her, she'd have to quit making jokes." "At least she looked good." "I had her put on that nice hairy jumper and the earrings she got from her friend that went to Zimbabwe." "The kid seemed to think this was a date." "As for his mum, she was clearly insane and appeared to be wearing some kind of Yeti costume." "This had better be quick." "We were definitely not ordering starters." "I'll start with the artichoke, please." "Then I'll have a mushroom omelet with fries and a Coke." " I'll have the vegetable platter." " We're vegetarians." "I'd never have guessed." "Steak sandwich, please, mate." "Thanks." "This was going really well." "I wondered if we were going to move into Will's place or move into someplace new." ""I heard he sang a good song" ""I heard he had a style"" "I knew, of course, the song couldn't last forever that I'd soon be at home, tucked up in bed." "I knew it, but I couldn't feel it." ""And there he was, this young boy"" "I must've been insane." "All I'd wanted was a date with Suzie." "This was my punishment." ""Strumming my pain with his fingers"" "The worst part was when they closed their eyes." ""Killing me softly with his song" ""Killing me softly"" "Come sing with us, Will." "I should really get going." "Thanks." "That's the problem with charity." "You must mean it." "You have to mean things to help people." "Like the time I volunteered to help out at a soup kitchen and very nearly made it." "Or the time at Amnesty International." "Did you know in Burma you get seven years in prison for telling jokes?" "Next time you laugh, think of Pa Pa Lay, the Burmese standup comedian." "We're at a crucial stage in our struggle for human rights which have been grossly abused by the ruling junta." "We need your support more than ever." "Together we can make a difference..." "You're kidding." "And what's your boyfriend say about that?" "Wait a minute." "You say you haven't got a boyfriend?" "Talk about human rights violations." "Is that right?" "You're in the bath now?" "You have to mean things to help people." "Fiona meant Killing Me Softly." "Killing Me Softly meant something to her and look where she ended up." "Me, I didn't mean anything, about anything, to anyone." "I knew that guaranteed me a long, depression-free life." "Yet over the next few days, I did have a strange feeling." "Like a presence lurking at the back of my mind." "And I didn't like it." "You don't have a kid, do you?" "What?" "You don't have a kid, do you?" "Of course I do!" "What are you on about?" "No, you don't." "I've been watching you, and you don't have a kid." "What is it to you, anyway?" "Nothing." "Except you've been lying to me, my mum and my mum's friend." " Can I come in?" " No." "Why?" "'Cause I'm busy." " What are you doing?" " I'm watching TV." "I could watch it with you, if you like." "That's very nice of you but I usually manage on my own, thanks." "Don't you have homework to do, or something?" " Want to help?" " No, that's not what I meant." "I meant, why don't you go home and do your homework?" "I'll do you a deal." "I won't tell anyone you don't have a kid if you go out with my mum." "You'd want your mum to go out with someone like me?" "You're not too bad." "I mean, you told lies, but apart from that you seem okay." "And she's sad." "I think she'd like a boyfriend." "I can't just go out with someone because you want me to." "I'd have to like the person, as well." " What's wrong with her?" " Nothing's wrong with her, it's just the system." "That's how it..." "I'm not talking about this with you." "Just go." "Okay." "But I'll be back." "I'm really scared!" "That's the best I could come up with, "I'm scared."" "But as a matter of fact, I was." "Okay, that's it." "Tim, goodbye." " Jill, goodbye." "Carol, goodbye." " Goodbye." "And from me, arrivederci." "Bye-bye." "Thanks." "See you." "Hello, everybody." "Welcome to the game of Countdown." "You remember yesterday, Carol, I revealed to a grateful nation that our guest, Tom O'Connell" "Yes." "He, like all of us, changes for each show." "But he is such a" "Is that right?" "Yeah." "Another term for Hosta, I think." "Yes, well." "Named after Heinrich Christian Funck, who also invented disco dancing." "Yes." "I've got all his audios." "Mum, did you always know I was going to be a vegetarian?" "Yeah, of course I did." "I didn't decide on the spur of the moment 'cause we ran out of sausages." "Did you ask me if I wanted to be a vegetarian?" "What, when you were born?" "I do the cooking and I don't want to cook meat." "You have to eat what I eat." "But you don't let me go to McDonald's, either." "Is this premature teenage rebellion?" "I can't stop you from going to McDonald's." "I'd just be disappointed if you did." "Don't worry, Mum." "I won't go to McDonald's." "After a few visits, Will seemed to think he had to ask me serious questions." "But I knew he really wanted to watch Warrior Princess." "So, how's it going at home then?" " You mean my mum?" " Yeah." "She's all right, thanks." "I mean, you know, she's..." "Yeah, I know." "No, nothing like that." "Does it still bother you, then?" "Does it bother me?" "Are you decent?" "Every single day." "That's why I come here, instead of going home." "A bit." "When I think about it." "Fucking hell." "I don't know why he swore like that, but it made me feel better." "It made me feel like I wasn't being pathetic to get so scared." "I wouldn't make the mistake of asking about Fiona again." "Marcus was clearly screwed up about it and unfortunately I couldn't think of anything to say that'd be of any value." "Next time he could talk to Suzie, or a counselor or anybody capable of something more than an obscenity." "Shit!" "It can't be." "November-the-sodding-19." "Six weeks before Christmas and already they were playing the bloody thing." "Dad?" "What was your dad like?" "A bit sad, really." "You know, he wrote one crap song that turned out to be a massive hit and then spent the rest of his life trying to write a better one." "Do you ever want to write songs like him?" "Is that what the guitar's for?" "No." "So, that's just there to look cool." "Yeah." "I like Santa's Super Sleigh." "Madonna!" "Come here!" "We've got something." "He's getting away, look!" "Hurry up!" "On Pet Rescue today, the clever stoat keeps everyone on their toes in Somerset." "Hey!" "What are you doing?" "Who are you?" "Who am I?" "Bugger off, that's who I am!" "Go on, piss off!" "Who were they, then?" "Who?" "What do you mean, "Who?"" "The ones trying to embed sweets into your skull." "Oh, them." "They're just a couple of older kids." "They started following me after school." "Does this happen often?" "They never chucked sweets before, they just thought of that." "I'm not talking about the sweets." "The kids trying to kill you." "Yeah, they give me a hard time." "You know, about my hair, and my clothes and singing and stuff." "And what?" "And singing?" "Sometimes I sing out loud without noticing." "That's not a brilliant idea, is it?" "I said I did it without noticing, didn't I?" "It just happens!" "I'm not going to do it on purpose, am I?" "I'm not stupid, you know." "My advice is to keep out of people's way." "Try to make yourself invisible." "How can I be invisible?" "One machine in your kitchen is an invisible machine?" "I don't think so." "I just try not to think of it, that's all." "It happens, and I wish it didn't, but that's life, isn't it?" "There's nothing I can do about it." "No." "There is something we can do about it, Marcus." "You're coming with me." "I was worried he was going to take me to the headmistress' office." "But instead he took me shopping." "I don't get it." "We're starting with your feet." "I can't make you invisible, but I can make you blend in with the crowd." "I don't know how to tie them." "They've got these funny strappy things." "It's called Velcro." "It's a revolutionary new technology." "For Christ's sake." "It's not hard." "All right, wait a minute, it is a bit hard." " Everything all right?" " Yeah, thanks." "Pretty trendy, your old man, isn't he?" "There." "You think you look cool, don't you?" "Don't know." " Do you think I look cool?" " Yeah, Marcus." " I think you look cool." " Yeah." "That's it, you got the walk." "That's really cool." "Brilliant." "High five." "Yeah." "I was suddenly hit by an extraordinary rush of well-being." "So this is what people meant by a natural high." "And it only cost PS60." "I had made an unhappy boy temporarily happy." "And there wasn't anything in it for me at all." "I didn't even want to shag his mum." "Marcus!" "What happened to your shoes?" "They stole them." "Why would anyone want to steal your shoes?" "I could see I had to tell the truth." "The problem was, the truth would lead to a lot more questions." "They were nice ones." "They were just ordinary brown lace-ups." "No, they weren't." "They were cool new trainers." "Where did you get cool new trainers?" "She had loads more questions." "Will bought them for me." "Will?" " The guy who took us to lunch?" " Yeah." "He's sort of become my friend." "He's sort of become your friend?" "She kept repeating the last thing I said." "Except she shouted it." "I go round to his place after school." "You go round to his place after school!" " You see, he doesn't really have a kid." " He doesn't really have a kid?" "Can I play computer games now?" "Where does he live?" "He's not there at the moment." "He's out to dinner." "Christine had asked me to dinner for a pep talk." "You will end up childless and alone." "Both fingers crossed, yeah." "You must have a lot of courage." "Why is that, Christine?" "Most people need something in their lives to keep them afloat and you have absolutely nothing." "Doesn't that scare you?" "Do you know what you want?" "Yes, I do." "I'll have the steak" "What the hell are these little after-school tea parties about?" "Hi." "Sorry?" "What did you say?" "I was just wondering why a single, childless man would want to hang out with a 12-year-old boy every day?" "You didn't tell your mum that you've been coming round?" " I think I forgot." " Tell me what?" "What are you doing with my son?" "Wait a minute." "What are you suggesting here?" " I'm not suggesting anything." " I think you are." "You were suggesting that I've been interfering with your son." "I'm simply asking you why you entertain 12-year-olds in your flat." " My God!" " Oh, my God!" "What do you have to say for yourself?" "Well?" "Don't "well" me!" "Don't "well" me about this!" "He comes over uninvited every night!" "Do you know why?" "He's having the shit bullied out of him at school!" "And you haven't got a clue." "You send him out like a lamb to the slaughter!" "He's been taken to pieces every day of the week, you daft, fucking hippie!" "I think you're being a bit melodramatic." "Marcus is fine." "Strange." "Will had it right, Mum didn't." "It should be the other way around." "You haven't had much contact with kids." "I used to be a bloody kid!" "I went to a bloody school." "I know when kids can't settle down and when kids are miserable!" "Look at him, for Christ's sake!" "Don't accuse me of being melodramatic." " This coming from a woman who tried to" " Cowabunga!" " What's the matter with you?" " Nothing." "I just felt like a shout." "Jesus, what a family." "Will, you're disturbing the other customers." "It's fine." "I'm sorry." "I'm done." " Okay, so, you're not..." " What?" "No, I'm not!" "No, I'm not." "Listen, don't worry about it." "I won't open the door to Marcus again, okay?" "I'll be glad to be rid of the pair of you, frankly." "Go on." "Bugger off." "Sorry." "So that's it, is it?" "You're just out of his life, like that." "Excuse me?" "Let's say you're right and I'm wrong." "Let's say there's this whole world that I don't understand, and somehow, miraculously, you do." "What are you going to do about it?" "I'm not going to do anything." "He's none of my business." " You're a selfish bastard." " That's what I tell him." " He always puts himself first." " But I'm on my own." "It's just me." "I'm not putting myself first." "There's nobody else." "Yes, there is!" "There's Marcus." "You're involved now." "He keeps coming around your bloody house." "You've come into his life for a reason." "You can't just shut him out." "You can't shut life out. "No man is an island. "" " She's right, you know." " Yeah, she is." "No, she's not!" "She's wrong!" "Some men are islands." "I'm a bloody island!" "I'm bloody Ibiza!" "What are you talking about?" "Do you want to come over for Christmas?" "No, Marcus, I do not want to come over for bloody Christmas." "I do not want to spend Christmas with Miss Granola Suicide and her spawn." "I'd always thought what you did with Christmas was sort of a statement about where you stood in life." "I was going to spend this Christmas the way I usually did." "Watching videos and getting drunk and stoned." "Before you came, I was all alone." "It is bad to be alone." "Alone, bad." "Friend, good." "Friend, goodl" "Now come here." "The good news was it wasn't just me and Fiona and Marcus." "The bad news was, well..." "So, you're Marcus' dad." "Yeah, I guess so." "And this is my girlfriend, Lindsey." "And Lindsey's mum." "Hi there." " Thanks, Dad." " That's okay." "I had to hand it to the kid." "He could be enthusiastic about some truly crap present." "Wow, a tambourine!" "Thanks, Mum." "Isn't that cool, Will?" "Yeah, that'll come in handy." "I saw it and I thought, "This'll be perfect. "" "Maybe you can perform at that school concert." "Get a pop group together." "Make some friends." "Maybe, Mum." "When you sing, it brings sunshine and happiness into my heart." "Thanks, Mum." "This one's from me." "Brilliant!" "What is it?" "It's a CD, Marcus." "By Mystikal." "They're cool." "You'll like them." "And what kind of music is Mystikal?" "It's sort of world music." ""Shake Ya Ass."" "Slash rap type thing." "Shake Ya Ass?" "Is he Moroccan?" "I'm afraid we haven't got a CD player." "It's great anyway." "I know you haven't got a CD player, so, I got you one of them as well." "What a lucky boy." "Look, Mum." " Open yours, Will." " All right." "Thanks a lot." " Marcus, is this a joke?" " Yeah." "It's not bad." "Hi." "Sorry, I'm dead late!" " Have I missed anything?" " No, come on in." " Merry Christmas." " Merry Christmas!" "Hey!" "Long time no see." "Where's Megan?" "At her dad's." "Where's Ned?" "At his mum's for Christmas?" "Yeah." "No." "I should probably go, shouldn't I?" "You could go pose as Santa, try and shag some carol singers." "Are you a professional Santa?" "How lovely!" "Right." "That's it." "I'm off." "Thank you very much." "It was great." "Suzie has every right to express her anger." "Yes, and she's expressed it." "Now I have a right to bugger off." "Thanks a lot. 'Bye." "Wait!" "He's my friend." "I invited him." "I should be able to tell him when to go home." "I haven't told Will to go, Marcus." "Suzie's angry and has every right to be, and she's telling him so." "She's right, Marcus." "Just leave it, okay?" "All he did was make up a kid for a couple weeks." "God, that's nothing." "So what?" "Who cares?" "Kids at school do worse than that every day!" "The point is, Marcus, Will left school a long time ago." "He should've grown out of making people up by now." " That's for sure." " It's not fair to gang up on him." "He's been better behaved since then." "He bought me trainers, he lets me go round to his house and he knows what kids need." "What?" "Expensive footwear and obscene music?" "If there's something you really need then we can talk about it." "No, we can't." "It's not a discussion, it's an argument, and you always win." " Why not just tell me what to do?" " I want you to think for yourself!" "I'm thinking for myself!" "And I want Will to stay!" "He's not the only one who ever did anything wrong!" "Remember how we met?" "Remember why?" "Because you" "Because you threw a loaf of bread at a duck's head and killed it, basically." "Excuse me?" "What's this about a duck?" "Are we having duck?" "Delicious!" "Of course we were not having duck." "Instead we had nut loaf with parsnip gravy." "As I sat there, I had a strange feeling." "I was enjoying myself." "I'd never really enjoyed Christmas before." "My mother used to make me sing Santa's Super Sleigh in front of my inebriated uncles and aunts just to get at my dad, I think." "But Christmas at Marcus', I'm ashamed to say it, gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling." "I held that feeling responsible for the strange events that followed." "First of all, Marcus got a crush on a girl." "Hello." "Piss off." "And then, even stranger, so did I." "It was all Marcus' fault, really because once you open your door to one person, anyone can come in." "On New Year's Eve, I met Rachel." "She was interesting, smart and attractive." "And for about five minutes, I had her convinced that I was, too." "...things like political events." "Okay." "You in television?" "Am I in television?" "No." " Everyone else is in television." " Yeah." "I watch television." "Right, right." "So you're more in front of it than in it." " In it, yeah." " Yes, I get it, yeah." "It was torture." "For five minutes I realized what life would be like if I were, in any way, interesting." "If I had anything to say for myself, if I did anything." "But I didn't do anything." "And in about 30 seconds she'd know and she'd be gone like a shot." "So what do you do?" "I'm sort of taking a bit of time off at the moment." " Sounds good, yeah." " Yeah." "Time off from what?" "To be absolutely honest, time off from time off, in fact." "The interesting thing about me is I don't actually do anything." " You don't do anything?" " Actually, no." " Nothing." " Nope." "Wow." "That's..." "Now, Rachel, darling." "East Coast or West Coast rap?" "I have absolutely no..." "There." "She was gone." "There was no more to say." "All rap music sounds exactly the same to me." "Or was there?" "I tell you what." "I know a 12-year-old who'd kill you for saying that." " Really?" " Yes." " So do I, come to that." " Yeah?" " Yeah." "What's yours called?" " Mine?" "He's called Marcus." "Mine's Ali." "Alistair." "And there it was." "It wasn't a lie." "It was 100 percent her assumption." "Well, 50 percent, at the very least." "I was in fantasyland again." "But this time it was different." "SPAT was for fun." "This was serious." "I acted in self-defense." "We arranged to get our lads together." "Which means we arranged for us to get together." "Single parents, alone together." "Happy New Year!" "I was in deep trouble." "And there was only one person who could help me out." ""Shake ya ass, but watch ya self Shake ya ass, show me what you workin' with" ""Shake ya ass, watch ya self" " "Show me what you workin' with"" " What did you just say to me?" "You heard me, squitty little shitty snot-nosed bastard!" "Sorry." "I was singing along to this song by Mystikal." "It's a rap." "You like rap?" "A little." "It's by black people, mostly." "They're angry most of the time." "But sometimes they just want to have sex." "You taking a piss?" "'Cause if you are, you'll get a slap." "I'm not taking a piss." "I don't even know how to take a piss." " What's your name?" " Marcus." "I'm Ellie." "Hi, Ellie." "Nice to meet you." "Not so fast." "I'm not ready for physical contact." "Next thing you know, we'll be having sex." "And where will that get us?" "And stop telling strangers to shake their ass." "Okay, Ellie." "See you!" "Hello, mate." "Listen, I need your help." "Why did you tell this lady I was your son?" "No, I didn't tell her." "I told you, she just got the wrong end of the stick." "So just tell her." " No." "Can't do that." " Why not?" "We're really going around in circles here." "Just accept the facts, okay?" "You're my son." "I'll tell her, if you like." "I don't mind." "That's very kind of you, Marcus, but no." " Why not?" " For Christ's sake!" "She's got a rare disease and if she believes something that's not right then hears the truth, her brain will boil in her head and she'll die, okay?" "That's a load of shit." "I'm really interested in this woman." "What do you mean, interested?" "What's so interesting about her?" "Okay, Marcus, here." "Here's my last scrap of dignity." "Enjoy it." "I want to go out with her." "Okay?" "I'd like her to be my girlfriend." "There, I said it." "Brilliant!" "Why didn't you just say that?" "I don't know." "I was embarrassed or something, 'cause this is a bit new for me." "I just met her, her name's Rachel." "She's sort of" "There's this girl at school." "Ellie." "I kind of want her to be my girlfriend." "I'm not exactly sure." "I've been meaning to ask you." "What's the difference between a girl who's your friend and a girlfriend?" "Well, I don't know." "Do you want to touch her?" "Is that so important?" "Yeah, you've heard about sex, right?" "It is kind of a big deal." "I know." "I'm not stupid." "I just can't believe there's nothing more to it." "I mean, like, I want to be with her more." "I want to be with her all the time." "And I want to tell her things I don't even tell you or Mum." "And I don't want her to have another boyfriend." "If I could have all those things I wouldn't really mind if I touched her or not." "Well, you'll learn, Marcus." "You won't feel like that forever." "Okay, how do I look?" "Good." "How do I look?" "Just be as normal as you can, okay?" "Good advice for Marcus." "I wish I could have followed it." "I'm sorry it's such a mess." "That's where I work." "My mouth was dry and my palms sweating." "I didn't know what the hell was happening to me." "...manage to tidy up." "Ali?" "All I could do was stand there, grinning like an idiot." " Should we just go upstairs?" " Sure." "Okay." "Ali." "Marcus." "Marcus." "Ali." "You're in my year at school." "Really?" "Yeah, I think I've seen you around." "Great!" "Then you guys'll have a lot to talk about." "Will, this is Ali." "Ali, this is Will." " All right." " All right." "Do you guys want to hang up here for a while?" " Yeah, sounds good, right?" " Yeah." "Okay." "For a moment, I loved him." "Really loved him." "You can show him your new computer games." "Good." "Okay, catch you later." "Let's leave them to it." "If your dad goes out with my mum, then you're dead." "Really dead." " Don't worry." "He's all right." " I don't care if he's all right!" "I don't want him going out with my mum!" "I don't want to see him or you around here ever again, okay?" "I'm not really sure it's up to me." "Well, it better be!" "Or you're going to die." "I was getting the feeling that maybe this kid Ali was a serial killer." "Can I have a go on your computer?" "What games you got?" "Are you listening to me?" "Yeah, it's just that I can't really do much at the moment, can I?" "I mean, Will, that's my dad he likes your mum, and I think she's keen on him." "She's not keen on him!" "She's only keen on me!" "One amazing thing about Rachel was that I wanted to kiss her every time she said something interesting." "Which was all the time." "It was sexy." "It was weird." "I use Bristol boards, India ink and..." "Am I boring you?" "No, no." "No." " Why?" " Nothing." "It's just you looked like Marcus just then." "Did I?" "I think it's sweet how much he seems to take after you and the way he dresses like you, as well." "I don't think I dress like Marcus, really." "Marcus?" "Wait!" "Hang on." "Hang on." "Come on, we're going back." " He's off his head." " No, he's not." "He said he'd cut me up into little pieces and hide me under the floorboards." " He did?" " No." "But I'm sure he's capable of it." "It'll be different." "You'll like it, I promise." "Marcus, Ali has something to say to you." "Doesn't he?" "Sorry, Marcus." "I didn't mean to say those things." "It's okay, Ali." "Ali finds all this very difficult." "Yeah, so does Marcus." "Don't you, mate?" "You know, I mean, divorced parents and not knowing how to feel about new people." "Yes." "Absolutely." "Absolutely the way I feel." "Ali didn't get along with the last bloke I went out with." " He was a liar!" " All right, darling." "He wasn't 100 percent good news." " I'm not saying that you and I are." " That's okay." "He fancies you." "He told me." " Thanks a lot, mate." " Oh, dear." "Cheers, mate." "Don't look so worried, sweetheart." "Ellie!" " Marcus?" "What, are you stalking me?" " No." "Too bad." "Made me feel like a celebrity." "Yeah, but I didn't know that then, did I, sexy?" "All I'm saying is, you know, watch out." "It just looks a bit more like owner and pet than boyfriend and girlfriend." "At least I'm honest." "What does that mean?" "It's just that you and Rachel..." "What?" "What does that mean?" "I don't know, I think there's a problem with you and Rachel." "I mean, like, you want to be with her but she thinks you have a son." "And you don't." "If you're going to be with someone shouldn't you tell them things like that?" "No." "I mean, you know, like the truth." "What's wrong with you?" "But later that night, when I was on my own I remembered the deal Marcus was prepared to strike." "Yes, I wanted to touch Rachel." "But at this moment, if I had the choice I'd settle for the less and the more that Marcus wanted." "Jesus, was I turning into Marcus?" "Would he be buying me shoes soon?" "I took his advice and told Rachel the truth." "Or very nearly the truth." "That I wasn't Marcus' natural father." "And that is not natural seaweed." "The problem was, once I told the truth, I knew there'd be more questions." "I don't get it." "If you're not his natural father and you don't live with him, then how is he your son?" "Yeah, I see." "It must look very confusing from the outside." "Tell me how it is on the inside." "It's just one of those long, boring stories." "Look, do you want to move on to wine?" "You want some Chinese rice wine, miss?" "You would like to try, I suspect, the Panang Paneng." "Yeah?" "No." "Tell me about your relationship with Ali." " Is that as complicated as mine and Marcus'?" " No." "I slept with his father, and then nine months later I gave birth." "Pretty straight forward." "Yeah." "I envy you that." "I'm really sorry to harp on about this but I haven't got it all worked out yet." "You are Marcus' stepfather, but you don't live with him or with his mother." "No, you see, wait." "I never said he was my son." "Did I?" "The words "I have a son called Marcus," never escaped my lips." "It's what you chose to believe." "Yeah." "Right." "It's me that's the fantasist." "I wanted to believe that you had a son, so I let my imagination run riot." "Obviously I played a part, I can see that." "No!" "Not at all." "I met you and I thought, "Cute guy." ""God, if only he had a son." "A geeky, teenage kid, if possible. "" "Then you turned up at my house with Marcus, and bingo!" "Now I made this crazy link 'cause of some deep psychological need in me." "You shouldn't beat yourself up about it." "It could have happened to anyone." "The first time I met you I thought you were a bit blank." "But then you changed my mind." "Maybe I was right." " Rachel, listen." " Yes?" "I'm sorry, you're right." "I am a blank." "I'm really nothing." "I don't know what the hell I was thinking of, I'm sorry." "'Bye, Ellie." "Marcus!" "My man!" "Bye, Marcus!" "See you, Marcus!" "Mum?" "So, if z = 17, does x 2?" "Marcus?" "I didn't know what the answer was." "I didn't know what "x" equaled." "And I didn't know how to help my mum." "And then I realized." "There was something she said I could do for her." " I'm thinking of singing at the school concert." " You?" "At the rock concert?" "I don't think that would be a very good idea, Marcus." "Will you accompany me?" "All I've got is a tambourine." "No, I'm sorry." "It's suicide." "I mean, they'll crucify you." "Mum's at it again." " At what?" "Sorry." " What do you mean, what?" "The crying." "She sits in the house all day, crying." "She does it in the mornings, too." "It's as bad now as it was before the Dead Duck Day." "Marcus, I'm sorry, mate I'm a bit busy at the moment." "You're busy?" "Doing what?" " Didn't you hear me?" " I heard you." " What do you want me to do about it?" " I don't know." " You could talk to her." " Yeah?" "And what would I say?" " I don't know!" " Why would she listen to me?" "Who am I to her?" " I'm nobody." " You're not nobody." " You're" " Who?" "Who do you think I am?" "Who do you think you are?" "You come here uninvited, you disrupt my life, you screw things up." "What do you want from me?" "This isn't my problem." "I'm not your family, mate." "I'm not." "I'm not your uncle." "I'm not your big brother." "We've established pretty firmly that I'm not your father, either, am I?" "But..." "I'll tell you what I am." "I'm the guy who's really good at choosing trainers or records, okay?" "That's it." "I can't help you with real things." "I can't help you with anything that means anything." "You could try." "You're right." "You can't help me." "How could you?" "You're a stupid person who watches TV all day and buys things." "You don't give a shit about anybody, and nobody gives a shit about you!" "Mum said my singing brought sunshine and happiness into her life." "So I'd do it, even if it meant mine was over." "Look, Mum." "My life is made up of units of time." "Buying CDs:" "Two units." "Eating lunch:" "Three units." "Exercising:" "Two units." "All in all, I had a very full life." "It's just that it didn't mean anything." ""Look who's coming round the bend"" "The fact was there was only one thing that meant something to me:" "Marcus." "He was the only thing that meant something to me." "And Fiona was the only thing that meant something to him." "And she was about to fall off the edge." "Single parents alone together!" "Single parents alone together!" "All for one and one for all!" " Fiona!" " Will, we haven't seen you for a while." "How's Ned?" "Who?" "He's a load of crap." "He doesn't exist." "Yeah, I made him up." " You made him up?" " Yeah." " To meet women." " You're sick." " Fiona, I've got to talk to you." " Go ahead." "No, you know, properly talk to you, privately." "No, this is a circle of truth." "Whatever you have to say, you can say it in front of everybody." "Okay." "Please don't try and commit suicide again." "I can't believe you just said that." "That is my private experience." "Yeah, well, that's the thing, isn't it?" "It's not." "Marcus is worried about you." "I'm worried because he's worried about you." "Will, I don't have plans to commit suicide." "You don't?" "Not at the moment, no." "Great." "Great!" "Good." "You know I'm not attracted to you, right?" "What are you on about?" "No." "What are you, nuts?" "Right." "Wrong word completely." "But that's something that we should, you know, talk about a bit." "The crying in the morning thing, the depression." "Let's get that fixed." "That's what men think, isn't it?" "What?" "That unless you've got the answer, unless you can say:" ""I know a bloke in the Essex Road who can fix that," then there's no point bothering." "No." "Well, yeah, okay." "I would." "I'd love to know the name of the bloke in the Essex Road because I've got a feeling I'd be useless." "Will, you're not useless." "You're here." "And that matters." "Right." " Now, can we..." "Do you mind?" " What?" " Marcus is singing at the school concert." " Marcus is singing?" " Yeah, singing." " At school?" "It's a pop concert." "He's so excited." " I want to get there on time." " Wait, wait." "What's he singing?" ""Killing me softly with his song" ""Telling my whole life"" " What time does this thing start?" " What have you got against Marcus singing?" "You know the dream where you're at school without your trousers on and everyone laughs?" " What's the connection?" " That will be Marcus, but for real." "If he sings that song in front of those kids you can just write him off until university." "If he reaches university, 'cause he's going to get torn to shreds." "You cannot stop someone from expressing themselves." "He's not expressing himself!" "He's expressing you, okay?" "Oh, God." "What?" "Jesus Christ." "You're right." "Will, am I a bad mother?" "No, you're not a bad mother." "You're just a barking lunatic." "No, I am." "I am a bad mother." "I've let things slide and I haven't been noticing properly." "He's a special, very special boy." "And he's got a special soul, and I've wounded it!" "Please, just shut up." "You're wounding my soul." "Okay, you park it." "What?" "Hi." "What are you doing here?" "That's Ali up there." "He's talented." "Now that was the Def Penalty Kru with Murder Fo' Life." "Our next big act is Marcus Brewer singing Roberta Flack's beloved Killing Me Softly." "He'll be accompanied by Simon Cosgrove on the recorder." "Marcus, I can't do this." " That lot's going to shit all over us." " But you said..." "I'm sorry." "Here's your 5 back." "Any moment now." "Come on, Marcus, you wally!" "Wait!" "Wait!" "Excuse me." "What is going on here?" "Nothing." "Everything's under control." "I'm just his voice coach." "What are you doing here?" "I heard you were about to commit social suicide, so I dropped by." " My accompanist left!" " Brilliant." " You don't have to do it." " I can't do that." "Yeah, you can." "Just tell them:" "Artistic differences." "You can't work without him." "He had a drug problem." "My mum wants me to sing it." "It'll make her happy." "Look, mate, nothing you do can make your mum happy, all right?" "Not in the long term." "She has to do that for herself." " Get over here right now!" " Just bugger off, will you!" "What I'm saying is, the important thing is to make yourself feel happy." "I've tried just making myself happy." "She's tried making herself happy." "It doesn't work." "You need other people to make you happy." "But that's just it." "If other people can make you happy then they can also make you unhappy." "What, you think those people out there are going to make you happy?" "Hang on." "Wait." "Marcus, don't." "Marcus!" "Bollocks." "Come on, Britney!" "Yeah, give us a song, then." "This is for my mum." ""I heard he sang a good song" ""I heard he had a style" ""And so I came to see him" ""to listen for a while" ""And there he was this young boy" ""a stranger to my eyes"" "You're rubbish, mate!" ""Strumming my pain with his fingers" ""Singing my life with his words" ""Killing me softly with his song" ""Killing me softly"" "Who the hell is that?" ""Telling my whole life with his words" ""Killing me softly with his song" ""I felt all flushed with fever" ""embarrassed by the crowd" ""I felt he found my letters and read each one out loud" ""I prayed that he would finish" ""but he just kept right on" ""Strumming my pain with his fingers" ""Singing my life with his words" ""Killing me softly"" "Give it a rest." ""Killing me softly with his song" ""Telling my whole life with his words Killing me softly" ""With his song" ""He sang as if he knew me"" "Will." ""In all my dark despair"" "We're finished." ""And then he looked right through me as if I wasn't there"" "Will, come on." "Will, we're finished." "So there I was, killing them softly with my song." "Or rather, being killed." "And not that softly, either." "I was singing with my eyes closed." "Was I frightened?" "I was petrified." "This was definitely not island living." ""Killing me softly" ""With his song"" "Thank you, Finsbury." "I'd like to introduce one or two members of the band." "Marcus Brewer on vocals and tambourine." "And that's about it." "Let's get off quick." "Get off." "Marcus, thank you." "For the song." "You were terrific." " You think so?" " Yeah." "As a matter of fact, I think we should celebrate." "Okay." "How about McDonald's?" " McDonald's?" " Yeah." "Thanks, Mum, but it's okay." "No, really." "I want to go to McDonald's." "You know, I'm not really hungry." "Come on." "Are you telling me you couldn't murder a Big Mac?" "Mum!" "Okay, another time." "Any time." "I'll be around a while, you know." "By the following Christmas things were back to normal." "Before you came" "Every man is an island." "And I stand by that." "But clearly, some men are part of island chains." "Below the surface of the ocean they're actually connected." "So you're going to marry my mum, then?" "Don't know." "Why?" "You think she's up for it?" " I used to want him to marry my mum." " You serious?" "Yeah." "But that was when she was depressed and I was desperate." "Thanks, mate." "Cheers." "How do you use this blender-thing?" "You don't." "I used to think two wasn't enough." "Christ." "Now there were loads of people." "And that was great." "Mostly." "Are you two lazy bastards gonna get up and help, or what?" "So how do you know Will?" "We volunteered together at Amnesty International a couple years ago." "Yeah, that's right." "How is the Burmese situation, Tom?" "Better?" "I mean good?" "Yeah, and he called me up out of the blue for Christmas lunch." "So, here I am." "Really?" "So, listen, what's the deal with you and Ellie now?" "Is she your girlfriend?" "Are you insane?" "Where did you get those trainers?" " Why?" "What's wrong with them?" " Nothing." "What?" "By the way, I do think you and Rachel have a shot." " I mean, if you don't screw it up." " Thank you." "I'd created a monster." "Or maybe he created me." "I don't know what Will was so upset about." "All I meant was I don't think couples are the future." "You need more than that." "You need backup." "The way I saw it, Will and I both had backup now." "It's like that thing he told me Jon Bon Jovi said:" ""No man is an island."" | {'pile_set_name': 'OpenSubtitles'} |
I just love the clever title of this romantic comedy by Lois Winston, Talk Gertie To Me. And you will never guess who Gertie is! Read on....
On the worst day of Nori Stedworth's life, she first discovers her BFF naked in the Jacuzzi with her two-timing louse of a boyfriend. Then she finds her mother, along with several suitcases, camped on her doorstep. Finally, she learns she's lost her job. With her imaginary friend Gertie in tow, Nori escapes to a neighborhood coffeehouse to lick her wounds over a cup of latte she can no longer afford.
I yanked open the door of Bean Around the Block and headed for my favorite table. It was taken. By a young couple making goo-goo eyes at each other over steaming cups of cappuccino. "Figures," I muttered, searching the room for another seat and finding not an empty table in the place. The normally quiet cafe was filled with chattering strangers who nearly drowned out the Wynton Marsalis piece playing in the background.
But I headed for the hunk's table and planted myself in front of him. Okay, so Gertie knew cute. I couldn't fault her on that. But then again, under the circumstances, wouldn't Gertie define cute in the same terms I did? "Do you mind?" I asked Cute Guy, AKA Tall-and-Lanky-with-a-Shaggy-Crop-of-Chestnut-Hair-that-Fell-Over-One-Eye-Guy.
"Hmm." He dropped his gaze back to his computer screen. End of conversation.
I sat down and deposited my laptop on the table opposite his, flipped it open, and powered it up. "Cute but uninterested," I told Gertie.
I signaled Amber, one of the two regular evening waitresses.
She paused for effect but didn't stop hopping up and down on the balls of her purple Nike-clad feet or flapping her arms like some deranged canary. She held her breath, waiting for me to respond.
"There goes the neighborhood," muttered my table mate.
He grunted his lack of enthusiasm over the idea and went back to typing.
"Clever," muttered the Cute Guy, AKA Mr. Randolph, although I was beginning to think of him as Grouchy Cute Guy.
"With a C, not a K," he added in deadpan, not bothering to look up.
"Right." Grouchy Cute Guy shook his head and chuckled as Amber stuck her tongue out once more before heading toward the coffee bar.
I started typing out my frustrations, listing all the wrongs that had been visited upon me over the past eight hours and trying my damnedest to put a positive spin on the events. Wallowing in self-pity wasn't going to get me anywhere.
How will Nori and Gertie get Grouchy Cute Guy's attention? Visit Lois Winston's websites and click on her buy links below to learn more about her and her characters. | {'timestamp': '2019-04-22T10:30:16Z', 'url': 'http://www.jillhughey.com/2013/01', 'language': 'en', 'source': 'c4'} |
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Dataset Card for "Long-Data-Col-rp_pile_pretrain"
This dataset is a subset of togethercomputer/Long-Data-Collections, namely the rp_sub.jsonl.zst and pile_sub.jsonl.zst files from the pretrain split.
Like the source dataset, we do not attempt to modify/change licenses of underlying data. Refer to the source dataset (and its source datasets) for details.
changes
- as this is supposed to be a "long text dataset", we drop all rows where
textcontains <= 250 characters. This drops approx 100k rows from the raw data. Resulting stats are below.
| text_len | |
|---|---|
| count | 2.75956e+06 |
| mean | 6195.11 |
| std | 56364.9 |
| min | 251 |
| 25% | 1102 |
| 50% | 2147 |
| 75% | 4762 |
| max | 4.66452e+07 |
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