GERMANY: Mercedes-Benz plans LED headlamp advances – Just Auto: In order to boost light quality and increase night visibility, Mercedes-Benz plans to increase the number of LEDs in each headlamp from 24 to 84. With as many as 1024 pixels per LED, this will enable optimum illumination of the road at every speed and in all traffic conditions. In the near future, Mercedes-Benz plans to also incorporate an additional high range LED high beam into its LED headlamps.
The end of Edison's light bulb– Tech Central: Unlike incandescent light bulbs, LEDs can do much more than simply light up a dark room. With the development of smart lighting technology, LEDs can now be programmed and controlled wirelessly through smartphone apps which can make them even more energy efficient. When they were first developed LEDs struggled to provide the same light output as incandescent bulbs, but recent advancements have allowed them to catch up. The energy savings and extended life of LEDs is spelling the end for Edison's light bulb.
Fujitsu tech enables LED-lit objects to transmit data to smartphones– gizmag: Fujitsu Laboratories has developed a system that enables RGB LED-lit objects to convey data to a mobile device. When running the proper software, the smartphone can detect the code in the light being rapidly displayed on the object and respond by displaying informational content, navigating to a website or doing whatever else is stipulated.
National Gallery goes green with lighting overhaul– edie.net: By combining the use of LED lighting with a system that automatically adjusts external roof blinds, the United Kingdom's National Gallery has become one of the first public buildings in the world to achieve 85% energy savings on lighting. In addition, to protect paintings from light damage, a control system has been integrated into the Gallery's building management system that augments natural light coming through the building's skylight by adjusting the output from LEDs.
BMW develops street lights with electric car-charging sockets – Reuters: German luxury car maker BMW has developed two prototype "Light and Charge" street lights equipped with sockets to charge electric cars. A pilot program to test out the street lights, which combine LEDs and BMW's ChargeNow recharging stations, is set to launch in Munich next year using existing local authority lighting networks. Drivers will be able to pay to charge their cars through a mobile phone app.
Christmas lights world record attempt taking shape in Canberra– The Canberra Times: Well-known for his extravagant light displays every Christmas, this year Australian David Richards seeks to break the Guinness world record for the largest LED light image display. Opening on November 28 at Petrie Plaza in Canberra, Australia, the massive light display will feature 110 kilometers of string lighting with an LED light every 10 centimeters. The current Guinness record is held by an Uzbekistan energy plant with 1,012,840 lights.
Guest Commentary: Sapphire Substrate Advances Lead To Bright LEDs at Lower Costs– Solid State Lighting Design: Akhtar Zaman, Senior VP of Quality SLM for Rubicon Technology, explains how the trends toward Patterned Sapphire Substrates (PSS) and larger-diameter sapphire wafers are facilitating greater light extraction efficiency and more efficient LED chip manufacturing.
Radar-Enabled Light Bulbs Automatically Detect When the Elderly Fall– Gizmodo: A Japanese company has developed a pair of LED light bulbs featuring built-in laser-based radar that has the ability to track the movements of someone within 26 feet of its vicinity. Invented to help keep a closer eye on the elderly, the light bulbs automatically send alerts when they detect a person has fallen or suddenly stopped moving. They can also intelligently process data to determine if someone has fallen or just simply fallen asleep.
Illuminating everything from the ceiling frescos in the Sistine Chapel to the iconic arch at Wembley Stadium in London, LEDs are bringing a fresh new style to interior and exterior design.
As LEDs have started to be implemented into homes and workspaces, they've proven that good indoor lighting can offer much more than just brightness. It can provide beauty, elegance, esthetic, comfort, ambience and character into any space when used appropriately.
The Leica Camera headquarters, for example, have a modern and sophisticated feel thanks to the tasteful mix of LED and fluorescent lighting.
The lighting in the Leica workspace blends seamlessly into the building's design, providing a beautifully clean look and an optimum work environment. The design incorporates a mix of color temperatures to provide the look and feel of natural light.
Natural light doesn't just enhance the look of the interior, however — it also has the ability to uplift people's spirits.
In addition to creating a more comfortable visual experience, LED lights have even proven to be able to change moods.
Thanks to modern technology, mood lighting can be controlled by connecting smartphones to LEDs or by using other high tech lighting systems. According to the Cooperative Research Network, adjusting the color of lighting can help people feel happier and not as tired at the end of the day.
Humans prefer daylight, and so any sort of lighting that more naturally resembles sunlight makes them more energetic. These mood-enhancing lighting systems can be programmed to shut off, however, when everyone has gone home for the night. In fact, the Leica facility has programmed its lighting system to dim when feasible to save energy and also to extinguish in areas whenever unoccupied.
While natural lighting may be preferable for indoor spaces, who doesn't love a good outdoor light display?
To attract and excite onlookers, the outside of buildings and major landmarks, such as Madison Square Garden and the Calgary Tower, are receiving LED upgrades to their appearance.
Whether used for indoor or outdoor applications, there's clearly a bright future for LED lighting.
LED bulb efficiency clearly pulling ahead of compact fluorescents – Ars Technica: A new generation of LEDs with the energy efficiency of nearly 100 lumens per Watt hit the market in 2014. Compared to the energy efficiencies of compact fluorescent, roughly 60 lumens per watt, and incandescent bulbs, 15 lumens per Watt, LEDs are clearly pulling ahead as the most economical lighting choice for most users.
Sydney Opera House lights up Concert Hall with new lamps after first major upgrade – ABC News, Australia: The Sydney Opera House received an award-winning lighting upgrade involving 355 custom-made LED lights, which are guaranteed to last 50,000 hours each. As one of the most high-profile performance venues in the world, the scale of LED coverage creates a unique performance environment. This is the first major upgrade to the theatre's lamps in the building's history and is predicted to cut the Concert Hall's power bills by 75 percent.
LEDs light up NYC for the Empire State Building Halloween light show – Mashable: The Empire State Building hosted its second annual Halloween light show the night of October 31, programming colorful lighting changes and animations to sync to songs such as "Monster Mash" and "Ghostbusters". The building's 1,200 LED lighting fixtures begin on the 72nd floor and continue up the mast. The LED fixtures were installed in late 2012 and the Halloween light show was designed by world-renowned lighting designer Marc Brickman, who also designed the building's Halloween show in 2013.
Global LED market 'could hit US $25.7bn in 2015' – Want China Times: Industry research center LEDinside predicts the value of the global lighting market will reach $82.1 billion in 2015, $25.7 billion of which will be made up of LED lighting. The LED market penetration rate will reach 31% next year. Europe is anticipated to have the largest market stake with 23 percent of worldwide LED lighting, followed by China at 21 percent and the United States at 19 percent.
An Imperial Honor – The UC Santa Barbara Current: After recently receiving the 2014 Nobel Prize for Physics for his invention of the blue LED, UC Santa Barbara professor Shuji Nakamura has now also been selected to receive the 2014 Order of Culture Award. One of Japan's highest honors, the Order of Culture Award is a significant acknowledgement of Nakamura's invention, which made white LEDs a reality and opened the door to affordable, energy-efficient lighting.
Glowy Zoey: the LED stickman costume that's lighting up the internet– The Telegraph: This time last year, 22-month old Zoey became an Internet sensation after her father, Royce Hutain, posted an irresistibly cute video of her in an LED stickman Halloween costume. This year, Hutain has launched an online business to sell the LED costumes, which have been manufactured into several different sizes and stick figure outlines. You can even purchase the same Minnie Mouse suit Zoey wore for a recent trip to Disney World.
Turtle-friendly lighting project set for Pensacola Beach– Santa Rosa's Press Gazette: After launching a project one year ago to brighten U.S. Highway 98 with efficient LED lighting, Gulf Power now aims to complete a turtle-friendly lighting project that will reduce light impacts on wildlife while also improving the lighting around Pensacola Beach, Florida. The project aims to reduce ambient light that can impact the sea turtles' ability to make their way to the Gulf of Mexico.
Everything you wanted to know about LEDs but were afraid to ask– Fortune: Since the energy crises of the 1970s, researchers have introduced many lighting options more efficient than the incandescent light bulb, however, none compare to the LED. LEDs have come to dominate the market at a pace which has surprised people inside and outside of the lighting profession. After Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano and Shuji Nakamura invented the blue LED, which led to the creation of white LEDs, the lights became ubiquitous and now appear everywhere from traffic signals to computer screens to table lamps.
Ornamental plant seedlings grown with LED lights at Purdue – Purdue University: Researchers from Purdue University have successfully grown ornamental plant seedlings indoors using red and blue LEDs as the sole light sources. The findings from their research have led them to test whether production time can be reduced by using more colors. The goal is to help the plants flower faster for sale to consumers.


text:
Real Life With Joni and Ken
By Joni Eareckson Tada
Facing Crisis
DanDavisPhotography.com
The Tada marriage is anything but conventional. My husband, Ken, is an athletic high-school coach and history teacher. I am a quadriplegic. After saying "I do" at the altar, my wheelchair nearly ran off the ramp when we started back up the aisle. Thankfully, Ken rescued me. Our wedding rings were barely on our fingers and it was obvious: Our marriage was going to have challenges. Many people wondered whether we had done the right thing, but Ken and I were in love. Plus, we loved Jesus. So we were convinced that with Christ at the center of our life together, we had all we needed to see us through the toughest times. We just didn't realize how tough times would get.
When I was 17 years old, I broke my neck in a diving accident. Recovery — physical, emotional and spiritual — was a long process. But by the time I met Ken in church 13 years later, I had a new normal and had recently launched the Joni and Friends ministry.
During the first few years of our marriage, even though I had friends to help with my disability needs, the day-to-day demands were beginning to take a toll on Ken: emptying leg bags that collect urine, charging the wheelchair batteries, lifting me in and out of bed, shopping for food and doing dishes. Ken was feeling tremendous pressure from the 24/7 routine, and it was leading to a deep, darkening depression.
One afternoon Ken was especially quiet. I had learned to give him space when I sensed things were getting hard, but his standoffish attitude lasted into the evening. "Please, Ken, tell me what's wrong," I begged.
Finally, right before we turned out the lights, he sat on the edge of the bed. "I can't do this," he quietly confessed, "I feel so … trapped." There was a long silence, and then my own frustrations took over. I exploded with, "Well, didn't you know it was going to be like this? Where was your head when you asked me to marry you?"
There was dead silence. I knew it was an awful thing to say, and I quickly apologized, "Oh, Ken, I'm so sorry; that wasn't like me … not at all like me to say that."
But in my heart I knew it was like me.
The big squeeze
I was quickly learning that the rigors of marriage will squeeze to the surface every bit of selfishness that lies hidden in the heart. That night, Ken and I went to bed without speaking. But the next morning I found myself praying with the psalmist, "Search me, O God, and know my heart! … See if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:23-24). I asked the Lord to show me how I could be a more supportive and understanding wife.
With the help of God and good friends, Ken found the strength to persevere in our marriage. Over the next few years, we did our best to participate in each other's worlds. I enthusiastically welcomed his students to backyard barbecues, and he happily traveled on ministry trips with me.
Even in the setbacks, Ken was beginning to see that God was using my wheelchair to reveal the not-so-pretty stuff of which he was made, too. He would say, "I was really rude this morning; forgive me for that" or "I'm sorry I ignored your advice." Confessing sin — not only to God but to each other, as well — was gradually becoming a habit for us.
As the years passed, I noticed some physical changes. I was experiencing more pain, which meant turning more often in the night, repositioning more frequently in my chair and canceling dinner engagements with friends.
One night after Ken had to turn me three extra times, he collapsed in exhaustion on the bed. And once again, I quietly gave him space. He sighed deeply and confessed, "Joni, I am so tired. I just don't feel like I can do this. I feel so trapped."
Like that night many years before, there was a long silence. Then I said softly, "Ken, I don't blame you one bit for feeling trapped, and if I were you, I'd feel exactly the same way. I just want you to know I understand, and I'm going to do everything in my power to support you and help you. I think you're amazing, and with God's help, we can do even this."
Suddenly, an invisible weight seemed to lift from Ken's shoulders. That moment was a turning point in our marriage. God was showing us that everlasting way talked about in Psalm 139. Somehow, we knew we'd make it — and we'd make it as best friends.
A transforming love
Ken and I have discovered a love that holds on — we've learned that the strongest relationships don't come easy. They're tested by pain and frustration, and sometimes, they're pushed to the breaking point — like when I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer.
We wondered, How will we handle all this? After I underwent a mastectomy, Ken and I were in my oncologist's office, along with our friend Judy, who had been helping for years with my personal care routines. The oncologist began listing every problem I would experience in my upcoming chemotherapy.
When he left the room, I erupted into a flood of tears. "I can't do this," I sobbed. "I can't do this!" Judy got up to hold me, but I felt Ken step in between us. He said tenderly, "I'll take over from here." Those words were not lost on me. Was this the same man who years earlier had grown so weary and felt so trapped? No, this was Ken Tada, transformed into Christ's image (2 Corinthians 3:18).
The countless prayers we prayed over two decades of quadriplegia and pain, and the hours Ken and I both spent memorizing Scripture, prepared us to face cancer with courage. Cancer not only squeezed us, but it also pressed us into a deeper reliance on Jesus. And the more we depended on Him for emotional strength, the more we experienced an intimacy with Him and with each other — a sweet and precious union that we only dreamed about on our wedding day.
Joni Eareckson Tada is CEO of Joni and Friends, an international ministry that takes the Gospel to people with disabilities.
For more about dealing with disability in marriage, buy the CD of the Focus on the Family Daily Broadcast with Joni and Ken.
This article first appeared in the January/February 2014 issue of Focus on the Family's Thriving Family magazine.
Copyright © 2013 by Joni Eareckson Tada. Used by permission. From the Focus on the Family website at FocusOnTheFamily.com.
Joni & Ken: An Untold Love Story
Ken Tada and Joni Eareckson Tada
Ken and Joni Eareckson Tada's story is not a love story you'll see at the movies, or read in a novel, but it's the truest kind, filled with commitment, sacrifice and faith that defy the odds.
Marriage Is a Battle . . . But Not Against Each Other
Greg Smalley
Every marriage has a mortal enemy, a mighty nemesis named selfishness. Dr. Greg Smalley offers insights on how to win the battle in your marriage without fighting each other.
Real Families, Real Needs
This resource is a compassionate guide for family members impacted a disability in the family, offering biblical truth, practical ideas, and hope.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Why Mintz
Meet Our Managing Member
International Law Firm Network
Insights Center
The Trademark Audit: A Necessary Legal Checkup
By Geri Haight, Christine M. Baker
Written by Christine Baker
A few weeks ago, we said goodbye to 2011, welcomed 2012 and made some New Year's resolutions – whether it be to shed a few extra pounds, to quit smoking or to complain less and laugh more. While it is great to make New Year's resolutions for your personal life, it's also a good time to make new business resolutions. So here is a good one: audit your company's trademark portfolio on a regular basis.
Why conduct a trademark audit?
A company's trademarks and service marks are the "face" of its business and, therefore, its most valuable assets. Just like a health check-up, business owners should thoroughly review their trademark portfolio on a yearly or even bi-annual basis because: 1.) it will identify new and existing marks and give the company a clear picture of its assets and 2.) it will help a company manage, protect and fully exploit the value of those assets. When companies fail to conduct audits on a regular basis, business nightmares may occur. For instance, when a company doesn't conduct an audit, it runs the risk of missing deadlines and having its registered marks cancelled, resulting in a loss of valuable trademark rights (not to mention the investments made through the registration process). This loss may in turn prevent a company from enforcing its rights against an infringer or exploiting the use of its marks domestically and in foreign countries.
A trademark audit enables a company to re-evaluate the direction it wishes to take with respect to the use and maintenance of its marks. For instance, after reviewing its portfolio, a company may decide that it does not need to maintain or register more marks given its current marketing strategy or it may realize that it is under-protected and needs to register more marks in the U.S. or in foreign jurisdictions or expand the scope of goods or services for its existing registrations. A trademark audit also may help a company identify new opportunities to license its marks to others, which will generate additional revenue for the company. Typically, the first question that a potential licensee will ask about a mark is if it is registered in the jurisdictions of interest. If so, this will put the potential licensee at ease and enable a smoother negotiation process.
What does a trademark audit entail?
Conducting a trademark audit is not a daunting task. It may be time consuming, though, and should be performed by someone who has a firm understanding of trademarks and service marks. The first step in the process is to thoroughly review a company's product line or services, web site and promotional and marketing literature and take an inventory of all new and existing marks – house marks (i.e., a company's core brand name), word marks, slogans, logos and non-traditional trademarks such as distinctive product packaging and design. Once the review is complete, a check should be done to determine that the marks are registered with or are the subject of pending applications before the United States Patent and Trademark Office and foreign trademark offices. At this point, companies may discover that they haven't filed applications to register certain marks in the countries that they are using them in or in geographic markets that they plan to use them in the future or, even worse, haven't conducted comprehensive searches on the marks to determine if they are available to use or register, or have expanded the use of certain marks for goods and services not covered in its initial application filings or registrations. The audit also may bring to light the fact that a company's marketing team is phasing out and replacing certain marks or that particular marks have been abandoned for a while and that it is no longer necessary to maintain or renew them in all or some jurisdictions. Thus, a trademark audit ensures that a company will obtain protection for marks it is currently using or will use in the near future, which will enable it to exploit and enforce its marks for all relevant good and services in the geographic areas of interest.
In addition to determining if marks are registered or the subject of pending trademark or service mark applications, the trademark auditor should take note of whether marks are being used properly and if the proper trademark notices, i.e., TM or SM for pending marks and ® for registered marks, have been affixed to the marks on product packaging/containers, web sites and signage, and in promotional and marketing literature. Using a mark properly and affixing the appropriate legal notice to the mark will prevent a mark from becoming generic and losing its value as a source indicator. Proper trademark use also will help a mark become distinctive and deter others from adopting a confusingly similar mark for competing or related goods and services.
In many countries, trademark rights can lapse and registrations can be cancelled if a mark hasn't been used for a period of 3 to 5 years. Thus, the trademark audit should focus on whether important trademarks are in use and have been renewed with appropriate trademark offices. By reviewing the use and status of trademark registrations, a trademark owner can take necessary steps to prevent a loss of trademark rights - whether it be advertising a mark in foreign publications or implementing a program to use marks on a seasonal or promotional basis.
In today's global economy, there is widespread pirating and counterfeiting of intellectual property, which can include the importation and exportation of goods either displaying a company's trademark or a confusingly similar mark. The trademark audit should include making a determination as to whether a company's federally registered marks have been recorded with the United States Customs and Border Protection ("CBP"). If the audit reveals that this important step was overlooked, consideration should be given to recording trademarks with CBP as soon as possible since the process is relatively simple and inexpensive. Once registered marks have been recorded, Customs officials will be able to detain, seize and forfeit shipments of trademarked goods that violate your company's federally registered trademark rights. This easy task will have long term benefits for trademark owners in that it will prevent a company's reputation from being tarnished and it will keep profits going into the right pockets – those of trademark owners.
Everyone knows that it's wise to have regular checkups to live a healthy life. Since it's the beginning of a New Year, why not make a new resolution to conduct a regular trademark audit, a legal checkup on your company's trademark portfolio? Conducting a trademark audit will not only ensure that a company protects and maintains its most valuable assets, but it will enable a company to explore new business opportunities and exploit its marks to their full potential – resulting in less business nightmares and an increase in revenue.
Subscribe To Viewpoints
Viewpoint Topics
Geri Haight
Christine Baker
Sign up for Mintz Insights
Get our latest thought leadership
ML Strategies
Mintz Employee Access
© 2020 Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. All Rights Reserved.


Location: The airport is situated six miles (10km) from Willemstad.
Time: Local time is GMT –4.
Car rental agencies are available on site at the airport.
The airport has a 24-hour automatic currency exchange machine, banks and ATMs. There is also duty-free shopping, bars and restaurants.
There is a parking facility with positioned outside the airport terminal. Parking fees vary and are dependent on the length of stay.


text:
Q: Distinguish union type with type parameter in Scala 3 In Scala 3, given such a type alias:
type Test[A] = A | Option[A]

val first: Test[String] = "gandalf"
val second: Test[String] = None
val third: Test[String] = Some("sam")

how can i distinguish which one of the two cases I have (A or Option[A])?
When trying to write code, I think the main problem is that for the compiler and type, including Either[String, B], matches A`. I don't even know if there is an idiomatic solution for my problem.
This is my best attemp, any one other failed:
def get[A](input: Test[A]): A =
  input match
    case Some(value) => value.asInstanceOf[A]
    case None        => throw new RuntimeException("Error!")
    case _           => input.asInstanceOf[A]

get(first) // "gandalf"
get(second) // Exception!!!
get(third) // sam"

as you can see value is not recognized to be the same type as the type parameter A and the A case at the bottom can't really be checked at runtime (trying case a: A => gives a compilation error) so I catch it by exclusion from the other two. This doesn't look like an optimal solution.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Ма́ртін Зу́тер ( 29 лютого 1948, Цюрих, Швейцарія) — швейцарський письменник, драматург, журналіст і сценарист. Лауреат національних і міжнародних премій.

Біографія
Мартін Зутер народився у 1948 році в Цюріху. Після закінчення навчання Мартін Зутер був креативним директором престижного рекламного агентства Basler Werbeagentur GGK . Був серед співзасновників рекламного агентства Werbeagentur Stalder & Suter і став президентом Клубу артдиректорів Швейцарії ( Водночас він писав статті для міжнародного науково-популярного журналу Geo .

З 1991 року займається виключно літературною діяльністю. З 1992 до початку 2004 року він редагував щотижневу колонку «Бізнес-клас» у Die Weltwoche, а до квітня 2007 року вів таку ж колонку в Tages-Anzeiger-Magazin. У щомісячному журналі Neue Zürcher Zeitung вів колонку під назвою «Richtig leben mit Geri Weibel».

Уже перший роман Мартіна Зутера, гостросюжетний психологічний трилер «Small World, або Я не забув» (1997), відразу ж став бестселером (російською мовою вийшов у серії «Ілюмінатор» у 2000 році). В основі роману лежить історія двох дітей, які виросли і втратили зв'язок один з одним. Герой страждає старечим недоумством і забуває події, намагаючись підібратися до якоїсь таємниці свого минулого. Він уже давно живе за рахунок коштів багатої сім'ї. Спочатку він вважався другом дитинства одного з них, потім охороняв їх будинок як охоронець. Спогади, які у нього спливають, не вписуються в офіційну історію цього сімейства. За «Small World» Зутер був нагороджений у 1997 році Почесною премією кантону Цюріх, а в 1998 році отримав французьку літературну премію Prix du premier roman étranger. За романом «Small World» у 2010 році було знято фільм французького режисера Брюно Шиша ( з Жераром Депардьє та Олександрою Марією Лара в головних ролях.

Другий роман — «Темна сторона Місяця». Сорокап'ятирічний адвокат випадково зустрічається на «блошиному ринку» з дівчиною, яка торгує дрібничками з Індії. Ця зустріч перевертає усе його життя, перетворюючи на іншу людину, здатну на невиважені вчинки і навіть на злочин. Роман був екранізований у 2015 році. У головній ролі знявся Юрген Прохнов .

Герой роману «Ідеальний друг» — журналіст, що зробив спробу викрити велику компанію, піддається нападу, отримує удар по голові, з його пам'яті стираються події останніх 50 днів життя. Намагаючись відновити їх, він виявився втягнутим у низку драматичних подій. За романом був знятий у 2005 році художній фільм режисера Франсіса Жіро за участю Кароль Буке і Клода Міллера . За цей роман письменник отримав Deutschen Krimipreis.

Зутер називає свої перші три романи « неврологічної трилогією», тому що головний герой повинен боротися кожен раз із кризою власної ідентичності.

Герой роману «Ліла, Ліла» скромний офіціант, захоплений письменством. Купивши задешево нічний столик, він виявляє в його ящику рукопис автобіографічного роману невідомого автора і вирішує залишити за собою її авторство.

Роман «Кулінар» звертається до теми іммігрантів у Європі. Тамілець змушений емігрувати до Швейцарії через громадянську війну на батьківщині. Їжа, яку він готує, пробуджує в людях сексуальність.

Роман «Міланський чорт» створений у 2006 році . Героїня роману намагається сховатися від своїх проблем після розлучення з чоловіком-банкіром у невеликому санаторії. Хтось грає з нею в небезпечну гру: підсовує книгу з легендою, а потім інсценує її сюжет. За роман письменник був удостоєний Friedrich-Glauser-Preis.

У 2008 році опублікував роман «Останній із Вейнфельдтів». Герой роману — нащадок давнього аристократичного роду не тільки вперше закохався, але й водночас поставив під удар свою репутацію експерта в області живопису. Зв'язок цих двох подій стає основою детективної інтриги.

Після 2010 року романи письменника набувають все більш розважального характеру, детективна інтрига стає самоціллю. Кілька подібних детективних романів письменника об'єднує загальний персонаж. І. Ф. фон Альмен — збіднілий аристократ, здатний на крадіжку і перепродаж антикваріату . У романі "Пригоди чарівного негідника. Альмен і бабки " він проводить ніч у малознайомої жінки і краде у неї одну з дорогих ваз, не уявляючи при цьому, до яких наслідків це призведе. У романі «Альмен і рожевий діамант» Альмен розслідує справу про рожевий діамант, викрадений загадковим росіянином на прізвище Соколов.

Творчість письменника не обмежується прозою, він складає тексти пісень і п'єси для Theater am Neumarkt Zürich («Über den Dingen», 2004, і «Mumien», 2006). У 1987 році швейцарський режисер Даніель Шмід, який став згодом постійним співробітником письменника, зняв за його сценарієм фільм-фентезі «Jenatsch», у 1992 році — фільм «Мертвий сезон», який отримав захоплені відгуки кінокритиків, а в 1999 році також він — фільм-антиутопію "Березіна, або Останні дні Швейцарії " . У 2009 році створив сценарій для фільму Крістофа Шауба «Julia's Disappearance» (у головній ролі — Бруно Ганц). Фільм був відзначений призом глядацьких симпатій на фестивалі в Локарно . Сам письменник був номінований на національному фестивалі на нагороду за кращий сценарій.

Більшість романів письменника перекладені на російську мову і неодноразово видавалися.

Особисте життя
Тривалий час Мартін Зутер жив зі своєю другою дружиною, модельєром і стилістом Margrith Nay Suter, її дочкою і сином, почергово на Ібіці (Балеарські острови, Іспанія) і в містечку Panajachel на озері Атітлан у Гватемалі . У 2009 році його прийомний син-підліток загинув у результаті нещасного випадку у Швейцарії . Наразі письменник повернувся до Швейцарії і постійно проживає в Цюріху.

Бібліографія

 Small World, або Я не забув. Роман (Перше видання: Diogenes, Zürich 1 997, ISBN 3-257-06146-3).
 Темна сторона Місяця. Роман (Die dunkle Seite des Mondes. Diogenes, Zürich 2000, ISBN 3-257-06231-1).
 Ідеальний друг. Роман (Ein perfekter Freund. Diogenes, Zürich 2002 ISBN 3-257-06306-7).
 Ліла, Ліла. Роман (Lila, Lila. Roman. Diogenes, Zürich 2004, ISBN 3-257-06386-5).
 Міланський чорт. Роман (Der Teufel von Mailand. Diogenes, Zürich 2006, ISBN 3-257-06534-5).
 Останній із Вейнфельдтів. Роман (Der letzte Weynfeldt. Diogenes, Zürich 2008, ISBN 978-3-257-06630-2).
 Кулінар. Роман (Der Koch. Diogenes, Zürich 2010 ISBN 978-3-257-06739-2).
 Пригоди чарівного негідника. Альмен і бабки. Роман (Allmen und die Libellen. Diogenes, Zürich 2011, ISBN 978-3-257-06777-4).
 Альмен і рожевий діамант. Роман (Allmen und der rosa Diamant. Diogenes, Zürich 2011, ISBN 978-3-257-06799-6).
 Die Zeit, die Zeit. Roman. Diogenes, Zürich 2012 ISBN 978-3-257-06830-6 .
 Allmen und die Dahlien. Roman. Diogenes, Zürich 2013, ISBN 978-3-257-06860-3 .
 Allmen und die verschwundene María. Roman. Diogenes, Zürich 2014 року, ISBN 978-3-257-06887-0 .
 Alles im Griff: Eine Business Soap. Diogenes, Zürich 2014 року, ISBN 978-3-257-30028-4 .
 Montecristo. Thriller. Diogenes, Zürich 2015 року, ISBN 978-3-257-06920-4 .

Нагороди за творчість у цілому

 2010 року. Swift-Preis für Wirtschaftssatire .
 2011 року. SwissAward від Schweizer Fernsehen — найуспішнішому швейцарському письменникові за внесок у культуру.

Примітки

Література

 Manfred Durzak. Literarische Röntgen-Aufnahmen der Wirklichkeit. Am Beispiel von drei aktuellen Kurzgeschichten von Martin Suter, Irene Bohrn-Prugger und Dieter Wellershoff. In: Studi germanici. 40 (2002), H. 3, S. 443—457.
 Miriam Seidler. Zwischen Demenz und Freiheit. Überlegungen zum Verhältnis von Alter und Geschlecht in der Gegenwartsliteratur . In: Graue Theorie. Die Kategorien Alter und Geschlecht im kulturellen Diskurs. Böhlau, Köln 2007. ISBN 978-3-412-03706-2, S. 195—212.
 Sara Tigges. Sich selbst verlieren …? Identitätsverlust und Alzheimer in Romanen von Bayley, Block, Moore und Suter. In: Corinna Schlicht (Hrsg.) Identität. Fragen zu Selbstbildern, körperlichen Dispositionen und gesellschaftlichen Überformungen in Literatur und Film . 2. Auflage, Laufen, Oberhausen 2012. S. 97-110. ISBN 978-3-87468-284-8 .

Посилання

  На сайті Internet Movie Database

Сценаристи XXI століття
Автори детективної прози
Швейцарські журналісти
Письменники XX століття
Письменники XXI століття
Швейцарські письменники
Уродженці Цюриха
Швейцарські сценаристи

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Tricky weekend for Frikadelli-Racing
On Saturday the 31st March was the long-awaited go-ahead for the first race of the VLN season 2012. Even before this, preparations were in full swing at the workshop of the Barweiler race team. With a brand new tank, the vehicle regulations of the car were technically entirely up to date and it was hoped that a tactical advantage over the strong competition from the sports car manufacturer from Stuttgart was given. To make that sure the team was still working in the last week up into the night to provide an absolutely perfect car.
For the qualifying difficult conditions were announced. Changeable weather and a wet track made the first quick lap into a dangerous poker game. Only at the end Christopher Brueck should go out again to have the best possible position. At this stage, only the ideal racing line on the Nordschleife was dry, which made a quick lap very dangerous. Chris therefore took no risk and put in a clean lap, which meant the 7th starting position. The expectations for the race were therefor very high.
The start of the race took place in time at twelve clock and was a true masterpiece. Chris Brueck was again behind the steering wheel and made it possible to get from his seventh starting position as 4th onto the Nordschleife. What then got offered by the leading quartet, was racing at its best. Flying in a formation the four Porsche raced through the forests of the Eifel and done lap after lap top times. For the rest of the field it was no longer possible to follow the unleashed convoy.
For the first scheduled pit stop, the start driver gave the car into the hands of Speedbee. Sabine Schmitz, the second of three drivers for this weekend, was looking forward to some hot fights for the best positions and to continue the hunt in tricky weather conditions.
The disillusionment followed, however, promptly, as the yellow-white-red Frikadelli Porsche, now lying on third place, was noted to the race control for the first stint. A sports punishment by violating a flag signal in the heat of the moment ruined any hope for a good result. By withdrawing a lap of the race, the team of Klaus Abbelen was now only an statist in the field.
Nevertheless, the decision to continue the race as it has begun was made quickly. Sabine showed the porsche the spurs and fought now no longer against the other teams on the track, but against the weather conditions and the constantly-increasing rain. Due to increasing number of accidents and dense the race got stopped via a red flag at 14:43. Just minutes after the race organizers decided to cancel the race to avoid injury.
But for Team boss Frank Lynn was the race still not a flop. "With the seventh on the grid in qualifying, we are already qualified for the top 40 of the 24h race. That takes us lots of wight from the shoulder".


We received a question about milling down curved whiskey barrel staves into 3/8-inch thick pieces.
It seems this Indiana shop has gotten a lot of requests for this kind of product, for flooring.
The shop is looking for equipment or a process that would allow them to mill these pieces so they can be used for flooring.


text:
static user_profile members_[128];

user_profile const * user_list(void)
{
    return members_;
} // user_list()

bool user_add(int fd_socket, char const * nick)
{
    bool entered = false;

    for (int i = 0; i < 128; ++ i)
    {
        if (members_[i].fd_socket == 0)
        {
            members_[i].fd_socket = fd_socket;

            strcpy(members_[i].nickname, nick);

            entered = true;

            break;
        } // fi
    } // od

    return entered;
} // user_add()

void user_init(void)
{
    memset(members_, 0, sizeof(user_profile) * 128);
} // user_init()

// user.c

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


In the video clip above, I talk about how, in the current state of the PMTA (Pre-Market Tobacco Application) regulations, a juice company would have to test its products in order to MAYBE pass FDA approval. It's an insane, almost impossible, and completely corrupt system meant to kill 99.9% of the vaping market, and years after its been drafted, still nothing has been changed about it. If you want to know more about vaping regulation and advocacy, follow and subscribe to DIYorDIE.


text:
Crude behavior
All members of Congress are expected to conform to the highest standards of conduct. Apparently Rep. Rashida Tlaib didn't get the note.
Crude behavior All members of Congress are expected to conform to the highest standards of conduct. Apparently Rep. Rashida Tlaib didn't get the note. Check out this story on vcstar.com: https://www.vcstar.com/story/opinion/readers/2019/01/07/crude-behavior/2509416002/
Ventura County Star Published 6:08 p.m. PT Jan. 7, 2019
US House Representative Rashida Tlaib participates in a ceremonial swearing-in at the start of the 116th Congress at the US Capitol in Washington, DC.(Photo: SAUL LOEB, AFP/Getty Images)
Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Michigan, was one of the first two Muslim women elected to the U.S. Congress. She was part of the tide of 36 newly elected female members of the House.
The 2018 election has resulted in female representation on Capitol Hill of 24 percent, up from 20 percent the previous session. I am not a fan of identity politics, but I welcome the growth of women in leadership roles in government.
All members of Congress, however, are expected to conform to the highest standards of conduct. Apparently Ms. Tlaib didn't get the note. Speaking at a MoveOn event in Washington, D.C., just hours after being sworn in, Tlaib said of President Donald Trump, "We're gonna go in there and we're going to impeach the mother-----r."
I guess this crude behavior is a natural extension of former Attorney General Eric Holder's dictum, "When they go low, we kick them. ... That's what this new Democratic Party is about." Ms. Tlaib is off to a good start.
John Hammerel, Ventura
Read or Share this story: https://www.vcstar.com/story/opinion/readers/2019/01/07/crude-behavior/2509416002/
Keep checking what Trump says


text:
|}
|}
De Sekundærrute 271 is een secundaire weg in Denemarken. De weg loopt van Stubbekøbing via Horreby naar Nykøbing Falster. De Sekundærrute 271 loopt over het eiland Falster en is ongeveer 18 kilometer lang.

271
Seeland (regio)


This Evaluation Highlight is the fourth in a series that presents descriptive and analytic findings from the national evaluation of the CHIPRA Quality Demonstration Grant Program. The CHIPRA quality demonstration grants have provided a unique opportunity not only to advance child health quality in the short term, but also to link child health quality issues to broader Federal and State health reforms. In this Highlight, we give examples of activities in five StatesMaine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Oregonand how they used their CHIPRA quality demonstration grants to elevate children's health care issues on their States' health policy agendas.


text:
Four students from Ashby School ready for Oxbridge after exceeding A-level results
Seventy six per cent of passes were at grades A* to C
Paige OldfieldTrainee Reporter
Student delighted with exam results spreads the word to family and friends. Illustrative picture (Image: Getty)
The percentage of top grade A-level passes went up at Ashby School this year with an impressive 51 per cent of passes at grades A* to B. Seventy six per cent of passes were at grades A* to C – up by two per cent compared to last year.
Four students managed to secure placed at either Oxford or Cambridge University and seven students achieved A* in three subjects.
For Ana Rodrigues, her three A*'s secured her a place to read biochemistry at Oxford University. The delighted youngster, who is the second person in her family to study at Oxford, said: "When it came to applying for Oxford, I just went for it.
Pingle Academy students celebrate high-flying students with best-ever A-level results
"I started my application process early because it is quite complicated and I wanted to make sure my personal statement was as good as it could be. After my degree, I'm thinking about doing research or working for NASA. I've got this far – so why not?"
Max Hart, who achieved A*A*A*, will study theoretical physics at Imperial College, while Adam Essex, who scored A*A*A*, plans to follow a degree course in sports science and maths at Loughborough University.
Mariella Nicholls-Sykes, who accomplished A*AA, travelled to Tanzania to gain work experience during her time at Ashby and will fulfil her dream to study medicine at Birmingham University.
Abbots Bromley School pupils celebrate A-level results with a 100 per cent pass rate
Head teacher Eddie Green said: "We are extremely proud of our students for achieving some excellent A level results. The percentage of students gaining top grades is up and students have exceeded their predicted grades in many subjects.
"Virtually every student applying to university has secured a place at their first or second choice university. Today's results are down to the hard work and commitment of both staff and students."
Looking for a job? There are thousands available at www.Fish4.co.uk
MarchingtonMan sick of 18 months of building work outside his house wants council tax refundHe says there has been issues with mud, flooding and access for 18 months as five new homes are built
House with swimming pool and stables on the market for £2 million
PropertyIt also comes with a games room, woodlands and a paddock


text:
Rhinos and Human Co-Existence
Protection of Great Apes
Conservation with Communities Program
Former Student Diaries
IG NOBEL PRIZE
The Hornless Rhinoceros
Chimpanzee Conservation with the Jane Goodall Institute
Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) are members of the Great Ape family and are our closest living relatives in the animal kingdom. They are native to equatorial Africa including the Republic of Congo. However, with fewer than 300,000 individuals left in the wild, they are in danger of becoming extinct due to poaching, the bushmeat industry, the illegal pet trade, habitat degradation and disease. An engaged learning experience at the Jane Goodall Institute's Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Center revealed the ins and outs of what it takes to help conserve the chimpanzees of the Congo, and efforts needed to save them.
Cornell University students at JGI's Tchimpounga Sanctuary 2019
(video by Fernando Turmo)
Chimpanzee Health & Welfare
Our project also provided us with an invaluable opportunity to assist in routine health checks of the chimpanzees with Dr. Rebeca Atencia. These checks included daily microscopic examination of fecal samples to check for parasites, regular monitoring of temperature in several locations of the body as an indicator of disease, running over a dozen blood tests per chimpanzee to get an overall view of an individual's health status, and providing birth control implants to reproductively active females.
○ On-Field Test: Blood Glucose, Hematocrit, Hemoglobin, and Triglycerides
○ Routine Complete Blood Count & Biochemistry Panel ○ C-Reactive Protein (CRP)
○ Blood Typing
○ Serology: Hepatitis & Helicobacter pylori
○ Microscopic Evaluation: Filarial parasites
Chimpanzee Body Condition and Triage
The longevity of a wild chimpanzee community relies on its inherent social harmony, as well as the ability of its members to obtain adequate nutrition. Prior to release, the creation of a sound community can be achieved through strategic integration practices with the anticipation that these bonds will be upheld in the wild.
After release, non-invasive monitoring of chimpanzee well-being can be achieved through systematic observation within a well-defined scaffold. The Jane Goodall Institute is committed to caregiver involvement in the development of an integration strategy and BCS monitoring as a means of incorporating the native Congolese population and safeguarding the sustainability of the proposed practices.
Though preliminary, the authors believe that the proposed strategies for social integration and nutritional monitoring can significantly contribute the success of the world's first rehabilitated and released chimpanzee community, opening the door for the re-establishment of wild populations across Africa.
Highlighted the intricacies and potential negative effects that zoonotic diseases have on chimpanzee reintroduction and the ecological health of domestic animals and local communities.
Provided additional context through a multi-disciplinary approach on measures that should be taken to improve chimpanzee conservation.
Emphasized the role that chimpanzee conservation has in maintaining ecosystem services that are closely linked to the biodiversity and livelihoods of local communities.
Together with the local caretakers we took measures to learn and improve wildlife management, animal husbandry, and water quality of the region in relation to the health of chimpanzees and caretakers alike.
Cornell University students at JGI's Tchimpounga in 2018
Past Research Projects
Click a logo below to visit our Partners!
©2019 by Partnership for the Planet


It's June--and you know what that means!? Pride Month!! I already made an introduction post, but to commemorate the beginning of Pride Month, I am going to tell you a little story about how it took me 25 years to understand my sexuality. Let's start with elementary school. I think I was about nine years… Continue reading Happy Pride Month!


Reeves EMS solutions come in a range of sizes and configurations to fit emergency response situations requiring facilities that are mobile/transportable and set up quickly and easily with only a few people.
Reeves EMS solutions utilize HDT's lines of rapidly deployable shelters including DRASH®, Base-X®, Base-Xpress®, and AirBeam® branded shelters. These shelter solutions are currently used and trusted by military forces around the world. Shelters can be set up by minimal personnel and they are built to withstand the harshest conditions – from strong winds to extreme temperatures – ensuring that responders can deploy their emergency response systems anywhere, anytime.
Whether configured as a life support area or casualty collection point, Reeves EMS solutions include all the necessary components to provide a total shelter solution during any incident. A full line of supporting accessories, including trailers, power generators, lights, heating, air conditioning, air purification systems, hard flooring and command center equipment, is available to fulfill a range of incident requirements.
Reeves EMS solutions are used for a number of applications, ranging from medical surge and incident command posts, to first response decontamination emergencies and fatality management.
Numerous federal, state and local agencies around the country use Reeves EMS solutions, including the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner (NYC OCME), as well as agencies in New Orleans, Louisiana, and San Bernardino County, California.
Large Capacity Medical Surge – for incidents requiring expandable shelter systems to accommodate the need for increasing beds Reeves EMS offers 10 bed and 25 bed medical surge facilities. Shelters range in size from 748 to 1,285 ft2 of useable space. HVAC and lighting as well as a full range of optional equipment is available to provide for custom configurations.
Fatality Management – available in small, medium, and large climate-controlled shelter configurations, Reeves EMS fatality management centers serve as a temporary field location for identifying, processing, storage, and viewing of casualties resulting from a disaster or emergency situation.
Patient Isolation – Reeves EMS patient isolation solutions pair rapidly deployable shelters with High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filtration systems and HVAC for an all-weather CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear) outbreak isolation station(s).
Command Post – when the situation calls for a remote point of central command, Reeves EMS solutions for command posts includes shelter, portable power generation, HVAC, flooring, command tables, high definition video monitors, display screens and walls and smart tables (with power and network connectivity) and chairs.
Decontamination Systems – available in 2-Lane, 2/3 Lane, and 3-Lane configurations, Reeves EMS decontamination solutions for first response and hospital decontamination applications are available with plumbing lines, showers, roller systems and other accessories to create custom-designed, multi-lane decontamination systems for any emergency situation.


text:
Crawford Memorial Hospital Selects Cerner CommunityWorks
Crawford Memorial Hospital (CMH) has selected Cerner to implement a new integrated electronic health record (EHR) across its acute and ambulatory facilities. This new collaboration provides the hospital with a sophisticated EHR and innovative system that will support CMH as it works to streamline and improve patient care.
"CMH has made a substantial commitment to invest in advanced health care technology and we have made good on that promise by selecting Cerner," said Doug Florkowski, CEO, CMH. "Cerner's EHR paired with our highly trained and caring staff will transform patient care in Crawford County. An integrated platform that houses everything in one place for our physicians, along with a strategic vision for community hospitals, made Cerner a clear choice in advancing the health care of our community."
CMH will transition to the Cerner Millennium® EHR, a health care IT platform designed to support an individual's health care journey across the continuum – from the doctor's office to the hospital and outpatient clinics – with consistent patient engagement. The Cerner Millennium system will provide CMH providers with a digital record of their patients' health history, including clinical and financial data. This will give providers a more complete, near real-time view of the patient. Through the new online patient portal, patients will be able to securely message physicians, schedule appointments, view and settle balances and access their health history.
"Cerner is excited to provide technology that supports CMH's vision to provide sophisticated, quality-oriented and family-centered health services that meet the needs of the community," said Zane Burke, president, Cerner. "Our integrated health record will help CMH continue to provide cost-effective, high-quality health care to the people of Crawford County."
The Cerner CommunityWorks℠ cloud-based deployment model will support CMH as it works to improve health services and care to the community. This deployment model tailors Cerner Millennium to support the unique needs of community health care organizations. The CommunityWorks model will support CMH's 25-bed critical access hospital with three rural health clinics providing long-term care, rehabilitation services and home health services.
"CMH is already a progressive critical access hospital in the state of Illinois and their potential for continued growth is tremendous with the support of Cerner's integrated EHR," said Michael Farrell, vice president, CommunityWorks, Cerner. "We look forward to a strong relationship with CMH in the years to come, powered by their excellent leadership and desire to provide outstanding care for their patients and community."
CMH will now be able to integrate clinical and financial information into one patient record with revenue cycle management solutions in Cerner Millennium. Cerner's Clinically Driven Revenue Cycle™ supports clinicians and staff with the resources to update the billing process throughout a patient's visit and enhance clinical documentation to help improve reimbursement and limit claims errors.
"Cerner has stood out for its commitment to values that line up with our mission here at CMH: To provide, and continuously improve, high quality, cost effective health care services," said Florkowski. "Cerner truly understands the needs of our community and will help us deliver exceptional health care services to the great people of Crawford County and beyond. Working together as a team, we will advance the health of the community we proudly serve."


text:
Madmind Studio to re-release Agony as Agony Unrated with deleted scenes and more
By Paul Younger June 7, 2018 0
Madmind Studios' horror Agony set in a gruesome looking hell released at the end of last month and it launched with all kinds of bugs and problems. The release also came on the back of news that they would have to remove some of the content so it could release on Steam. These deleted scenes were released as videos but were ditched in the release version
This morning the developer has announced that a new version of the game will be released called Agony Unrated which will come with additional content, fixes, and will also add back in the removed content. When it releases it will be offered as a huge discount, practically free if not free, to all existing owners.
This new release could be because of Valve's blog post where they stated they are not going to intervene when it comes to what appears on Steam unless it's from trolls or illegal. Madmind are now effectively able to release it as they would have liked. Without the bugs and other issues of course.
The full statement from Madmind is as follows:
It is with a great pleasure that we want to inform you we have found a way to publish the unrated version of Agony!
Agony Unrated will be a separate title produced and published by Madmind Studio and without the involvement of any publishers. It features additional content and changes suggested by you – our community – as nothing is more valuable to us than you.
We are doing our best to offer Agony Unrated to as many people as possible. Our goal is for each person that already owns Agony on Steam to be able to buy Agony Unrated with the biggest discount possible on that platform – 99% – or release it as a free DLC. We are currently talking with the Steam representatives to make sure it is doable.
Agony Unrated will be released about three months from now and it will include all the updates from the standard version of the game.
Agony Unrated also brings:
· Additional sounds in the game and the cutscenes.
· Additional erotic animations for characters in the backgrounds.
· High resolution textures and models – without any censorship.
· All the scenes that have been removed from the standard version of Agony.
· Agony Mode unlocked from the beginning.
· Additional content for Agony Mode (Setting – The Forest, Boss Fight – Baphomet).
· Succubus Mode unlocked from the beginning.
· Additional animations for Succubus Mode.
Additionally, we would like to take this opportunity to apologize for all the technical problems that were present at the launch of Agony.
The whole team is working on patches and fixes for the game and we are planning to be releasing them until the most of you (if not everyone!) in our beloved community is satisfied with our game.
Paul Younger
Founder and Editor of PC Invasion. Founder of the world's first gaming cafe and Veteran PC gamer of over 22 years.
The IncGamers 2009 Year in Review Part 1
By Paul Younger December 31, 2009 0
Fresh Firefall trailer has guns and gliders
By Paul Younger November 10, 2011 0
Assassin's Creed 2 Dated
By Paul Younger June 12, 2009 0
By Cameron Woolsey 8 hours ago 0
By Alex Johnson 11 hours ago 0
By Kyle Thompson 13 hours ago 0


During our recent trip to Cancun, Joseph and I stayed at Hyatt Zilara – an all-inclusive resort, where there really wasn't a reason to leave the hotel. And yet, we still wanted to take an excursion to explore Mexico just a little bit and chose to spend a day in Xcaret – an eco-archaeological park just 45 minutes away from Cancun.
I know what you're thinking – "what does that mean?". That was my thought too, and I came to the park with little expectation except to enjoy what lies ahead.
The price of regular admission is around the same price as Disneyland, which is about $100/person and includes general activities in the park as well as life vests and inner tubes, access to beaches and rest areas, and all the cultural shows throughout the day.
We opted for the Xcaret Plus for just $30 more per ticket and includes the following extras: buffet lunch with 1 beer, snorkeling equipment, water activities in the underground river, and access to the Plus facilities where you can get a locker (this was so useful to put away our wet swimwear).
The main attraction of Xcaret has to be the underground river that weaves around the park, and it was definitely first on our priority list. They provided us with life vests and flippers, and led us to the beginning of the river where people started to waddle into the cool river.
From start to finish, the underground river attraction lasted about 45 minutes. However, if you're not interested in finishing it through, there are various exit points along the path that makes it easy to leave.
If you feel like you're not a strong swimmer, don't worry, the river does most of the work. A lot of people just floated along as the river's current carried them on. And with their life vests on, hardly any work is needed to enjoy this attraction. The river is also fairly shallow. I was able to walk on the river floor for a good chunk of the time, and I am 5'3″!
I had never swam in an underground river and to be able to do so in such a safe environment was awesome. With every turn, there was something new to experience. Rocky, yet smoothed out, terrains. Cascading vines and roots. Going through tunnels so dark, you couldn't even see your own hand. Swimming against strong currents towards the end of the attraction, where your only option to finish is by pulling yourself forward with the long wicker rope floating in the river.
Aah, looking back it was an amazing and exhilarating experience that was very much a major highlight of my trip.
Like I had mentioned, one of the extra included in Xcaret Plus package is a buffet with 1 beer. There are three to choose from, and we chose La Cocina held in a large hut-style restaurant. There were so many Mexican food to choose from, I was very impressed with the selection. All the food was very good too. We did order this one alcoholic drink that wasn't included in the price (like, an extra $8) that they put in an a pineapple drink, and it was so good and so cute!
Although the park is not a zoo, they do feature a handful of animals. Some of the animals they exhibit include manatees, flamingos, huge marine turtles, a couple of jaguars, and my favorite, butterflies!
We entered the serene butterfly pavilion through the arched stone entrance (photo above) and was immediately greeted with an abundance of butterflies fluttering by. It was like stepping in a secret garden.
I wish I could have captured the butterflies more accurately (as in they were everywhere!) but some of them flew so fast, I couldn't photograph fast enough! I'm not even joking.
There are also some interactive attractions that costs extra, and those included swimming with stingrays, riding with dolphins, and swimming with sharks. We did opt out of these because we felt like there was enough to do around the park in one day without paying for extra attractions.
One thing that Xcaret does well is featuring various important Mexican culture to their park-goers. Throughout the day, there are cultural performances around the park like horse exhibits, voladores de papantla, and Mayan dances. Joseph and I, however, kept missing these performances because we didn't really plan out the day (more like, go with the flow) so we would be in one part of the park while the performance would be on the other side of the park. Yeah, we completely failed here.
BUT the good thing is (which I will be talking about more in-depth towards the end of the blog post), at the end of the night, Xcaret holds a massive show lasting about an hour and a half that features a lot, if not all, of the small various performances that happened throughout the day.
Aside from performances, there are also cultural sites scattered throughout such as real Mayan ruins (I walked by them, thinking they were fake – d'oh!) and villages and Mexican villages and cemeteries.
This is one of the villages with straw huts, each with a different vendor where artists were selling their crafts. You can even watch some of them working on their art pieces.
We wandered through a colorful Mexican ceremony, and we debated on whether if it was a real cemetery or a replica. Pretty sure it's not.
One of the shows we actually caught was about chocolate. Our host explained the history and importance of cocoa beans to the Mayans, and we spent some time learning the traditional way of turning cocoa beans into chocolate. Joseph had so much fun doing this, hehe.
Some of the activities that are included in the regular admission are access to the beaches, hammocks, and lounges. Well, this is the view that you get in those resting areas.
If you're planning on snorkeling (included in the PLUS package), here's the pretty spot you will be doing so!
The pièce de résistance of Xcaret is its night show that features over 300 hundred actors and dancers in original costumes performing various acts. Some say that it's worth the admission fee just to see this show, and I'm close to agreeing with them.
As we walked towards the stadium area, there were many performers already in costume standing by the path, patiently waiting for park-goers to pose a photo with them.
The show started off with a bang as we witnessed how Mayans would play a couple of their ballgames. One of them where they would bounce a rubber ball with their hips and try to score it inside those round hoops. With their hips!!!
The other game was a lot more intense. It was basically hockey but with a burning ball! No joke! The players were obviously not protected in any way, and yet they were just lobbing a ball on fire across the floor at full-on hockey speed, trying to make a score. And scored they did! A few times too!
So many acts and so many talented performers gave us a history lesson of the Mexican culture throughout the ages – from the times of the Mayans with pre-Mexican dances, all the way to present day, with mariachi performers. Absolutely stunning!
It's not hard to see why Xcaret is listed as one of the top things to do while visiting Cancun or the surrounding area. They combine culture with fun interactive activities very well, catering to such a wide demographic of visitors that are keen on absorbing some form of history without being lectured upon. Seriously though, what's a better way of experiencing their jungle than by swimming in the river itself?! (nearly a month ago and I still think about it).
If you're anybody (family, couples, solo-traveler) who's interested in a day full of adventure + culture, I highly recommend Xcaret.
Make your trip hassle-free by booking this and other excursions with us.
These photos look great!!!! And it looked like so much fun!!
mexico just looks so magical. i have to go.
That underground rivier looks fantastic!
Loving your photos, dear! Haven't been to Mexico but I think I need to add it on my list. Beautiful!


text:
Q: Monitoring real-time changes to results of a neo4j query? I have an incoming event stream of player interactions from an MMO. I want to construct a graph of the player's moment-to-moment interactions, continuously run queries on the activities of the past ~30-240 seconds, and update a graphical view, all in real-time.

Some more details about my particular case:

*

*I have ~100-500 incoming events every second. These look like:
(PlayerA)->[:TAKES_ACTION]->(Event)->[:RECIPIENT]->(PlayerB)
where every event is time-stamped. Timestamps are accurate to the second. I plan on attaching every event to a node representing a timestamp, so I can restrict queries to the events attached to a set of X most recent timestamps.

*

*I expect at any given time-frame for there to be ~1000-2000 active players.

*My queries will be to group players together based on mutual interactions, to figure out which groups are currently engaged in combat with which other groups.

My main questions are:

*

*Does Neo4j have any sort of "incremental update" functionality to efficiently update query results without re-running the entire query for every set of changes?

*Does Neo4j have any sort of ability to "push" any changes to the results of a query to a client? Or would a client have to continuously poll the database?

*Are there any optimisations or tricks to making a continuously repeated query as efficient as possible?

A: Answers
1) No. You can only execute query and get results.
2) No. Currently you can only make client -> server requests.
3) Yes.
Details
Let's get to the bottom of this one. Neo4j by default can offer you:

*

*REST API

*Transactional Cypher ednpoint

*Traversal endpoint

*Custom plugins

*Custom unmanaged extensions

In your case you should implement unmanaged extension. This is best option to get desired functionality - develop it by yourself.
More information on extensions:

*

*How to create unmanaged Neo4j extension?

*Unmanaged extension template

*Graphaware framework for extension development
In extension you can do everything you want:

*

*Use Core API to make efficient queries for latest data

*Create WebSocket endpoint for full-duplex communication channel between client and server

*Implement any additional logic to format/represent your data correctly

Queries and performance
Cypher queries are compiled and cached on first execution. After that - cached query version is used. And query execution by itself is quite fast.
Recommendations:

*

*Always use query parameters where it is possible. This allow Neo4j to efficiently reuse queries

*Be smart on writing queries. Try to lower cardinality where possible.

*Think about data model. Probably you can model your data in such way, when query always fetches only latest data. In you case probably relationship :LAST_EVENT, :PREVIOUS_EVENT and etc. can help.


[19:42] - Flight DAL2322 is ready to depart KMSP with a final destination of KMIA.
[00:20] - Landed at -227fpm. With 10175lbs of fuel onboard and a pitch angle of 6deg.
[00:24] - Arrived safely at KMIA. We hope you enjoyed your flight!


text:
Can Lost Diamonds Be Traced?
August 12, 2022 by Devin Hubbard
It's almost impossible to trace the diamonds that were taken. According to Harry Levy, president of London Diamond Bourse, the crooks are likely to get 20% to 30% of the true value for the diamonds.
Can a jeweler tell if a diamond is stolen?
Do diamonds have trackers?
What happens if you lose a diamond?
Is jewelry traceable if stolen?
How are stolen diamonds sold?
Can I sell my diamond without a certificate?
What is diamond tracing?
How much does a tiny diamond cost?
Do diamonds glow under a blacklight?
Is it common for diamonds to fall out of rings?
What happens if you find a diamond?
Will Tiffany replace a lost diamond?
What do thieves do with stolen Jewellery?
What do burglars do with stolen jewelry?
What do thieves do with stolen items?
Do diamonds have a serial number?
Where does stolen jewelry end up?
Are diamonds worth more now than 20 years ago?
What is a 1 carat diamond worth today?
How do you tell if a diamond is real with a flashlight?
How much does it cost to have diamond reset?
Can you trace a diamonds origin?
Are Tiffany diamonds traceable?
Why are diamonds so important?
Will a metal detector detect gold ring?
What happens if diamond falls out of ring?
What Stone is the closest to a diamond?
What does a diamond look like when it is first found?
Do fake diamonds shine rainbow?
What does it mean if a diamond turns blue under UV light?
How do you find a lost loose diamond?
How much does it cost to get a diamond back in a ring?
Are diamonds ever glued?
Will a metal detector find a diamond?
Can diamonds be detected at airports?
Is there a gem detector?
Can diamonds be found anywhere?
How do I know if I found a diamond?
Will a metal detector find a ring?
How much does a ring Finder charge?
These tests can show you if the diamond in your ring is the same as the one you took in. If your ring is stolen and found at a jewelry store, this certification will tell the police who the diamond is.
The name and contact information of the person who sent the diamond to be assessed is recorded in the records of the Gemological Institute of America. If a diamond's number is found, it can be looked up in order to find the rightful owner.
If you can't find the stone, you'll have to buy a new one. It can be expensive if the diamond is high quality and has good color and clarity. This paperwork should be consulted if you received an appraisal for your ring.
He said that police can't prove that property is stolen or that it was stolen from someone. He said that it is difficult to trace jewelry back to its owner if the owner has not taken pictures or videos of it.
Unscrupulous buyers turn around and sell the diamonds at a huge profit to retailers who don't know about them.
See also How Much Is The Queens Diamond Jubilee Coin Worth?
Is it possible for me to sell Diamonds without certificates? Maybe you lost your diamond's paperwork or you don't know what a diamond is. If you are in this situation, are you able to get diamonds without certificates? There is a short answer to that.
At the JCK Show in Las Vegas in June, the ability to trace a diamond from the mine all the way to the point at which it is sold as jewelry was a hot topic.
It's not very valuable if you have a diamond between 0 and 0.2 carats. The largest melee diamonds are less than half the weight, and the average price of a 0.50 carats diamond is more than a thousand dollars.
The property of natural diamonds is called florescence. When diamonds are exposed to black light, they glow in different colors. A blue glow can be produced by a pure and natural diamond.
Diamonds fall out of their mounts when people hit them accidentally. A stone can be knocked out of its mounting if the setting is not strong. There is a lot of fine rings with diamonds and gemstones.
Don't assume that you can keep a diamond ring when you find it. If you can locate the owner, try to turn the item in to the police. If the owner doesn't show up to claim the property, it will be kept by finders.
Tiffany will usually replace a lost diamond in a piece of jewelry, but there are conditions that need to be met. They will only work on items purchased from their stores if they have proof of purchase. You will most likely be charged for the lost diamond.
Any number of online or second hand stores, swap meets or private dealers can be used to sell stolen goods. Some thieves don't dispose of their ill-gotten gains because they want to use them for their own benefit.
The jewelers in the Jewelry District are believed to sell some of the jewelry that has been stolen. Sometimes they sell it to people on the street, who melt it in their garage.
Pawnbrokers, jewelers, and secondhand dealers are some of the places where stolen goods are sold. There are supplies for a fence. Thieves sell their stolen goods to the fence owners.
A diamond certificate is a diamond laser inscription that connects a diamond to a diamond grade report. The diamond's outer girdle is engraved with the report number from the GIA.
Many people will sell their stolen items to a middleman who will resell them to a pawn shop, even if they are not involved in the crime.
See also What Can We Do With One Diamond In Free Fire?
In 1960, the average price for a diamond was around 2,700 dollars. In 2015, the diamond price was 29, 650 U.S. dollars, a tenfold increase from the year before.
When you look at the average retail price of diamonds, it's clear that this is true. The average retail price for a diamond is between $2,000 and $16,000, and between $8,000 and $72,000 for two carats.
You can tell if a diamond is real by looking at it with a flashlight and seeing how it separates light into colors.
Resetting a diamond can cost as much as 500 dollars. The diamond's size and shape may affect the cost. Depending on the new setting and accompanying stones, there is a separate price for the finished product.
There is no way to determine a diamond's geographical origin with state-of-the-art gemological laboratories. Including, even the origin of the country.
Is Tiffany able to show the provenance of their diamonds? Tiffany & Co. is the first global luxury jeweler to offer diamond traceability by sharing the full craftsmanship journey of its newlysourced, individually registered diamonds, which includes revealing the countries or regions where these diamonds are crafted and set.
The religious significance of diamonds was attached by the Ancient Greeks. The tears of the gods were thought to be made of diamonds. Diamonds were called 'adamas' because of their invincible nature. It was thought to bring strength and courage to the person wearing it.
All of them do. Some people do it better than other people. Small gold pieces, which are most naturally occurring gold, can be found with the Minelab Gold Monster or GPZ 7000. Any metal detector can be used to find gold rings.
If your other stone falls out, most jewelry stores have loose gems that you can buy to fit in. A stone that fits into the piece is what your jeweler will need for other gems.
What are the similarities between stones and a diamond? White sapphires are just as good as a diamond. While there are visible differences, these gems are close to a diamond and offer a cheaper price.
They have not been altered after they were found. The diamonds look like they are transparent. Some of them are rare.
There are rainbow colors that can be seen in a fake diamond. Diamonds don't sparkle like a rainbow, but that's what people think. They do sparkle, but it's not as bright as it could be.
See also What Is An Oval Diamond Called?
UV rays from the sun and fluorescent lamps can cause diamond fluoresces. It can cause them to emit a bluish orangy light. The diamond stops fluorescing when the UV light source is taken out.
If you are looking for a diamond that has been lost, treat it like a friend. If you're in a room where you think you've lost your diamond, get a flashlight that's the most reliable and bright you can find. Wait for the night to come if you think you lost it outside. It is possible to make a diamond sparkle with the flashlight's rays.
There are different prices for rebuilding and resetting diamond rings based on metal, number of stones, and size of stones. The starting price for side or melee stones is $20, while the starting price for center stones is$40 and upwards.
Glue is not used in jewelry with real diamonds. If your stone falls out of its setting, you can glue it back on, but it won't last very long. Diamonds are too smooth for glue due to the small rough spots that need to be held on to.
Non metal items like gemstones, diamonds and pearls won't be detected by metal detectors. The indicator minerals are used by prospectors and can be found with a metal detector.
Body scans can help officials find diamonds hidden in clothing or luggage, or detect non-organic mass in the body. Anyone that appears suspicious is likely to be further investigated before being allowed to board a plane.
You can find indicator materials, even though you can't find gems with a metal detector. Common indicators can be used to find gemstones that are sought after.
35 countries have found a natural diamond. There are diamonds in the US. A few diamonds have been produced in Colorado. Australia, Brazil, China, Cuba, Russia, and South Africa are some of the countries that produce diamonds that are industrial grade.
A diamond can only be identified by scratching corundum. Corundum is 9 on the scale of the weather's ability to adapt. It's a good chance that you found a diamond if your suspected diamond crystal scratch corundum. There are no other hard tests that can identify a diamond.
There is a metal detector that can be used to pick up a lot of jewelry. People playing Frisbee, volleyball or frolicking on the beach don't realize when clasps break on necklaces and bracelets.
It turns a profit by charging metal detectorists a $65 annual membership fee, which they can use to lock up cities or regions. Chris Turner, the founder of the Ring Finders, interviews every finder before they join.
What Is Jewelry Wire Made Of?
What Kind Of Vinegar Do You Use To Clean Jewelry?
What Does The Diamond Fruit Do In One Piece?
What Rap Albums Are Certified Diamond?


text:
Q: What is NoOp in TensorFlow when Profiling? I'm profiling ops on a GPU. What is going on behind the long NoOp?
It seems like NoOp might represent the time between transferring data from GPU to CPU, since the final operation, TopKV2, executes on the CPU (does not have a GPU kernel) in TF 0.11.0.

A: I am not completely sure but it seems to be related to some initialization mechanism for the placeholder node in the graph.
No-op description from Tensorflow documentation


Anthem Technology commercial surveillance solutions are designed to address the surveillance and operational needs for business of any size in College Station, TX and empower you to grow as you go.
Fill out the form to receive a free, no obligation quote from a security expert in College Station, TX or call 888-463-8813.
Security is our passion, and we understand how important of an investment security is - for you. Anthem Technology in College Station, TX offers reliable, performance-drive security solutions that are designed to meet your unique location and security application needs.
Automate your lighting, entertainment, home security climate and more. Let Anthem Technology set the scene. Whether you want to start with one room or the entire house, we will help you realize the smart home vision.
Give us a call at 888-463-8813 to discuss which solution is right for your project and get a FREE no-obligation, quote!
A successful system starts with a site survey in College Station, TX and thorough needs assessment. We will customize a solution tailored for you.


text:
PASTRIX CHRISTINE CAINE "HONORED" TO SPEAK AT LAKEWOOD CHURCH YOUTH CONFERENCE
By Ken Silva pastor-teacher on Jun 22, 2012 in Current Issues, Features, Word Faith
By Christian Research Network Associate Editor Erin Benziger of Do Not Be Surprised…
This is a repost of an original article on Do Not Be Surprised…
Christine Caine, director of Equip & Empower Ministries, founder of the A21 Campaign, and a worship leader at Hillsong Church, led by pastor Brian and pastrix Bobbie Houston, is quickly growing in popularity. Ever since her appearance at Steven Furtick's Code Orange Revival, (which was followed by preaching a Sunday service at Furtick's Elevation Church), Caine has grown to become quite a recognizable name among the seeker-driven crowd. Her obvious bubbly personality and charismatic speaking style make it easy to see why she has become so popular.
Caine also is an ordained minister (as documented here), and is the author of such works as A Life Unleashed: Giving Birth to Your Dreams. The product description reads as follows:
Gifted communicator and Bible teacher Christine Caine reveals the steps to unleashing the potential in each of us. God has divinely created each of us with incredible potential–seeds that can grow into something significant. However, the past, current circumstances, or social conditions can cause us to forsake these seeds or allow them to lay dormant. During her 40-week pregnancy, Christine Caine discovered that conceiving, carrying, and giving birth to her daughter has much in common with actualizing our potential and realizing our dreams. In A LIFE UNLEASHED, she uses this metaphor of pregnancy to walk readers through the journey that will ultimately result in experiencing the fulfillment of our own God-given dreams. It*s a journey of both excitement and pain. In the same way women encounter nausea, restrictive dietary habits, and contractions during pregnancy, there will be challenges to overcome while giving birth to our dreams. But in due time we will see the fruit of that original seed of potential. Christine encourages readers that with continued trust in God–regardless of the obstacles–His plans and purposes will come to pass. (Source)
This language is typical Word Faith sentiment, teaching people to "give birth" to their dreams and "unleash the potential" inside. Unfortunately for these types of teachers, apart from Christ, the only potential anybody has is the potential to sin.
Nevertheless, the name of Christine Caine is becoming more common place. She even has become rather good friends with Southern Baptist preacher Jack Graham and fellow Southern Baptist Bible teacher Beth Moore.
She also says that she loves Word Faith preacher Joyce Meyer, and has declared that Sheryl Brady, pastrix of The Potter's House North Dallas (and a woman T.D. Jakes considers to be "one of my daughters"), is "flat out the best chick PREACHER of the word!"
From her own roots at Hillsong Church, to her preaching at the Code Orange Revival, to her exaltation of Joyce Meyer and Sheryl Brady, it seems evident that Christine Caine is quite comfortable in Word Faith circles. As demonstrated above, Caine herself is proficient in the teachings of Word Faith. In fact, as pastor-teacher Ken Silva points out, when Caine preached the Sunday service during Steven Furtick's Code Orange Revival, she
confesses "God is birthing out a revival" through Elevation Church and its great leader Steven Furtick who "sees what God sees." Unfortunately though, many of us Christians never in our whole Christian lives ever get to see such wonders because we have "weights" keeping us from "breakthrough." As pastrix Caine continues her narcigesis she does hold out hope though because Elevation Church brings revival when they show up.
O, we are so very blessed, indeed. For you see, as she shifts into Kingdom Now dominionism, pastrix Caine tells us we'll be okay because Elevation Church knows how "to go in and possess what [they've] already inherited," even if we mere mortals don't. That's because God has apparently given Elevation Church a "possession mentality" so they know how to grab hold of God's promises, which keeps them "moving into what God has."
In classic Word Faith-speak, for those "believing God for financial breakthrough," pastrix Caine also tells us how to get rid of the weight keeping us from it. Who'd a-thunk; give more, sow a bigger seed. You also watch her using narcigesis to allegorize Joshua and the Israelites at Jericho into God wanting us to look "beyond the natural into the supernatural."
The video below shares some of the lowlights of Caine's Sunday morning sermon during the Code Orange Revival at Elevation Church:
[mejsvideo src="https://www.apprising.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Pastrix-Christine-Caine.mp4″ width=640 height=360]
Perhaps it is this type of spirited Word Faith preaching that earned Caine an invitation to speak at Lakewood Church's Hope & Life Conference on 21 June 2012:
According to the Lakewood Church blog and website, the Hope & Life Conference is held each year for the youth of Lakewood. The Osteens explain further:
Caine will be joined at this event by Carl Lentz of Hillsong Church in New York,Robert Madu and John Gray. According to his website, Gray is a minister, actor, comedian, playwright, author and singer. Evangelist Robert Madu's work "is more than a ministry" but also is "a mandate from God."
Madu's biographical information indicates that he has a "powerful anointing" and a "sensitivity to the Holy Spirit" that makes him a "sought after communicator." It certainly seems, then, that the youth who attend the Hope & Life Conference will be inundated with dynamic speakers. In fact, Caine says that she has a "word seriously burning" for the event:
With Christine Caine becoming increasingly popular among mainstream evangelicals such as Beth Moore and Jack Graham, her apparent affinity for the Word Faith crowd ought to cause concern. Who knows, perhaps Elephant Room 3 will finally welcome women to the panel. If so, we would not be surprised to find Caine at the top of the list.
"Code Orange" Speaker Christine Caine
Word Faith Pastrix Christine Caine Preaches Sunday Morning Sermon for Steven Furtick
Vice-Prelate T.D. Jakes to Speak at 'Holy Convocation' of Oneness Pentecostal Organization
The original appears complete with a comments section for you to join the discussion right here.