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Here's a scene that plays out in my house several times each school year: it's crunch time for my family's chaotic morning rush to get the kids to school and the adults to work. One of my kids has a runny nose that no amount of blowing seems to clear. The carpool leaves in 5 minutes.
My wife and I need to make a quick decision about whether or not to send our kid to school. Keeping her at home could set off a chain reaction of scheduling complications, not the least of which is one parent staying home from work. Sending her to school could mean infecting other kids, her runny nose developing into a full-blown cold, or worse.
If you're also a parent of school-age kids, then you probably can relate to this struggle.
And, so does the University of Michigan's C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, who released a national poll in January, where parents were asked about how they make the decision to give their child a sick day.
Parents differ on decision factors
According to the national poll, the top reasons parents decide to keep a child home from school are concern about their kids getting sicker (60%) and not wanting to spread the illness to classmates (47%). These reasons were cited more often by parents children 6-9 years.
Parents also took into consideration what their kids may miss by taking a sick day. Nearly 40 percent of parents worried about their kids missing important lessons or tests at school, particularly parents of high schoolers.
A smaller poll
Out of curiosity, I decided to pose the same poll questions to seven of my colleagues who are parents. The results followed along similar lines as the national poll, but what was more interesting was the additional insight I gathered.
One parent had a protocol in place for monitoring her kids' symptoms throughout the day via phone, but she said she errs on the side of caution since her kid's school does not have a full-time nurse to depend on.
A parent of two younger children noted the struggle of not having enough vacation days to take off for every day her kids were sick. That meant enlisting her husband to stay home on some days.
What all of this data points to is a complicated calculus of deciding whether a child should stay home or not. It's not easy, and it's not the same for each parent.
So, what's a parent to do?
Some Guidelines
"There are some symptoms that make a parent's decision to keep a kid at home easy," said Ken Kooser, M.D., a family practice physician with Providence Medical Group's Multi-Service Clinic in Lacey, Wash. "And there are some that are more subjective."
As a rule, Dr. Kooser recommends keeping kids home until 24 hours after the last episode of diarrhea, vomiting or a fever (without fever-reducing medication). Kids are likely contagious at that stage, and they are probably feeling pretty lousy. He also noted that fevers generally appear at the beginning of a viral illness, and it can get worse, so it's best to keep feverish kids at home and monitor them, especially younger kids.
Dr. Kooser also recommends not sending kids to school who are experiencing severe ear or head pain.
Trickier Symptoms
When it comes to runny noses and coughing, Dr. Kooser said that deciding whether to keep a kid home from school is a little more difficult. If a child's cough is uncontrollable, even if it's dry, a kid should stay home until it starts improving. This is to help limit the spread of diseases like whooping cough.
For kids with runny noses, he recommends assessing the severity—noting that if it's the first couple days of a running nose, and there is a lot of discharge, then they are probably contagious and should stay home.
With mild runny noses, sore throats or mild coughs, rather than looking at a single symptom, it's best to look at the child's overall behavior: Are they fatigued? Do they have a headache? Have their symptoms interfered with getting a good night's sleep? Would they benefit from resting? If a kid is too uncomfortable to benefit from school, then they may be better off resting and recovering more quickly.
Do your best with what you know
When deciding whether to send your child to school, Dr. Kooser says that there is not always a right answer. He advises to "do the best you can with the knowledge you have." The first two to three days of a virus is when it is most likely to be contagious. It is important to evaluate your kid's condition during those days. Parents of younger kids may have a harder time since younger children are less precise about describing their symptoms.
It's a judgment call and not an exact science. If a child gets sicker after having sent them to school, don't be too hard on yourself. It can be difficult to know exactly how symptoms may progress or go away.
A handy tip
One way to help keep colds from spreading in your home and to your kids' classmates is by practicing good hand hygiene. Hand washing can help prevent the spread of viruses from hands to objects like doorknobs, food and countertops.
Faking it?
Another concern that some parents have is that their child may be faking illness. Tummy aches and headaches are two symptoms that Dr. Kooser said are common complaints of children who are pretending to be ill. These two symptoms can be hard to measure. However, they can also potentially be symptoms of more serious illnesses. If you suspect your child is pretending to be sick, look for patterns such as feeling sick after weekends, not showing any other signs of illness, or if there is something your child is wanting to avoid at school.
Prepared for next time
Speaking with Dr. Kooser and gaining insight from his measured, informed approach has made me feel a little better prepared for the next time one of my kids is feeling sick. Even though there is no surefire way to always make the right decision on whether to send a sick kid to school, hopefully the guidelines and other information here will also be helpful to the readers of this blog.
When in doubt
One important message from Dr. Kooser is that if you are concerned about your child's symptoms you should bring him or her to a doctor for evaluation.
So, what factors do you use to decide whether to send your kids to school when they're not feeling 100 percent? Let us know in the comments section below.


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Defense bill (along with DADT repeal) in danger if GOP takes House this November.
More photos from the first large-scale Gay Pride parade in Nepal.
Brian Williams is hung.
Will the Justice Dept. weigh in on the Prop 8 case? "It is possible that the 9th Circuit panel could request the Justice Department's views on the case, but Carter Phillips, managing partner of Sidley Austin's Washington office, said it would be unusual for a panel to do so."
Minnesota gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton "disappointed" by Target donation to MN Forward.
The first gay soldier in the Spanish military to get married says he has been subject to harassment by his superiors.
Nathaniel Rogers celebrates the 10th anniversary of Bring It On! "The movie was so high spirited and well executed that it was as bracing and life-affirming as jumping back into the ocean again."
California passes bill protecting clergy opposed to same-sex marriage: "Sen. Mark Leno's bill, approved 22-11 Wednesday, could become necessary if a federal appeals court upholds a judge's ruling this month striking down Proposition 8, the state's voter-approved gay marriage ban. The bill says religious institutions from faiths that object to same-sex unions could not be stripped of their tax-exempt status if their clergy refuse to perform weddings for gay couples."
Inside rehearsals for the Angels in America revival.
Robbie Williams Twitterview.
UK refugee activist group Refugee Action launches campaign in support of LGBT asylum seekers.
400 Anglican bishops speak out against gays in Uganda.
FrankenSalmon nearly ready for public consumption.
Longtime SF Tenderloin gay bathhouse to become doggie day care center: "A doggy day care center with space for up to 60 canines is scheduled to open early next year at 130 Turk St., which is on a rundown corridor between Taylor and Jones streets. The facility, which could aid city-led efforts to rejuvenate the rough-and-tumble area, will provide only daytime accommodations for dogs, proprietor David Nale said. Customers could include Tenderloin residents and workers who park in surrounding garages who will pay up to $40 a day for the service, according to Nale. The charming three-story building has been vacant since The City cracked down on gay bathhouses amid the 1980s AIDS epidemic."
Adam Lambert and Katy Perry hit the Scissor Sisters concert in NYC.
Allen Ginsberg's NYC apartment for rent.
Publicly funded gay and lesbian center evicted in Glasgow, Scotland.
Male model fix: It's an underwear fashion show.
Meth use among gay men in Seattle remains a "pervasive problem."
Netherlands to include same-sex couples in school textbooks: "Two fathers go out to buy a guinea pig that costs 17.95 euros in the pet shop. The shop owner gives them a discount of 20 per cent. How much must Jan's fathers pay?"
March to be held tomorrow in SF for MUNI hate crime victim.
Detroit gay youth center destroyed by fire.
New York State Senator Shirley Huntley mailer links death threats to gay marriage supporters: "The threat came in the form of a bouquet with a note attached that said, 'Rest In Peace.' At the time, Huntley said she had no idea who might be making the threats. But some blame seems to be assigned in this latest mailer (which is marked "Shirley Huntley for New York State Senate")."

subset: commoncrawl


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How can one type of crystal adopt so many beautiful forms? Some of the world's greatest scientific minds have puzzled over this question.
Geophysicists have a love-hate relationship with "the Ice Age."
Analyses and numerical simulations were conducted on three recent nor'easters which formed on the East Coast of the United States to explore the effects of warmer-than-normal sea-surface temperatures.PDF Download
Two tropical cyclones were simulated with the NCAR WRF model to determine if warm sea-surface temperatures would cause them to intensify into hypercanes and follow similar storm tracks as the originPDF Download
The Flood caused radical changes in the land, seas, and atmosphere. The weather would never be the same.PDF Download
A hypercyclone was simulated over the Arabian Sea to test enhanced precipitation over the Middle East and explain evidence for greater vegetation in the past.PDF Download
Because of the enormous explanatory and predictive success of the plate tectonics model, we feel that at least some portion of plate tectonics theory should be incorporated into the creation model.PDF Download
Based on the likely four-fold increase in precipitation rate and doubling of the frequency of storms following the Genesis Flood, glaciers over a kilometer thick would have developed in a few hundredPDF Download
Precipitation from two cold, winter orographic storms in Yosemite National Park and the Sierra Nevada was simulated with the NCAR mesoscale weather model called WRF.PDF Download
Based on the likely increase in precipitation rate and frequency of storms following the Genesis Flood, glaciers thousands of feet thick would have developed in a few hundred years.PDF Download
I reject the theory of evolution because it is based on several faulty premises which are clearly contradicted by observation.
Oxygen isotopes in ice cores extracted from polar regions exhibit a decreasing trend in the ratio of the heavy to light isotopes from the beginning of the Ice Age to its end.
No results found in .
Answers in Genesis is an apologetics ministry, dedicated to helping Christians defend their faith and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.


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69 Old Sunbury Rd, Hinesville, GA 31313
Toll Free: 800-806-9094 24hr: 912-368-3343 Local: 912-368-3343Email Us
- 69 Old Sunbury Rd, Hinesville, GA 31313
Arrangement of PlantsIntercat-3817
This arrangement includes a mix of green and blooming plants. Orchids have limited availability and may be substituted with another orchid type.
All items featured on this site represent the types of arrangements we offer and may vary depending upon availability in certain regions. Substitution Policy


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Andrew Wheating Signs Endorsement Deal With Nike
Former University of Oregon Standout will Remain in Eugene, Oregon
By Global Athletics
July 28, 2010
Boston (July 28, 2010) Former University of Oregon star Andrew
Wheating will continue his track and field career as a professional in
Eugene, OR and will proudly compete for Nike, his management company
announced today.
With a successful string of races in June and July that began with a double victory at 800m and 1500m at the NCAA Championships, then followed by personal best performances at 800m (1:44.62), the mile (3:51.74), and 1500m (3:30.90), Wheating punctuated an already stellar career at the University of Oregon. Wheating, originally from Norwich, VT, won five NCAA Championships, three PAC 10 titles, was an 8-time NCAA All American, qualified for the 2008 Olympic Games at 800m and is a finalist for the prestigious Bowerman Award, which recognizes the top male and female collegiate mens and womens track-and-field athlete of the scholastic year. He holds school records at the tradition-laden program of Oregon in the indoor 800m, outdoor mile and as part of the Distance Medley Relay.
The last time the Mens NCAA 800m/1500m double had been accomplished was in 1984 by Joaquim Cruz, also from the University of Oregon. As for his run of eye-opening performances this spring and summer, Wheating is the fastest American Miler of the 2010 season, is the fourth fastest 1500m runner in US history and is the fastest 1500m runner ever from the University of Oregon.
"I cant even explain how excited I am about staying in Track Town, USA, and about the chance to continue working with my coach at the same school that supported me as an undergraduate. Hayward Field has been a special place for me, said Wheating. Nike is a great partner in all the cool things happening in Track Town and I look forward to being part of its team as I continue to train and develop. I want to be a contributing member of the Oregon Track Club and chase my dreams in front of the fans who cheered for me while I was a Duck.
Details of his agreement were not disclosed.
Note: Global Athletics is the management company that represents Andrew Wheating.
Wheating has a new facebook fan page here: www.facebook.com/andrew.wheating
On the LetsRun.com Forums: Wheating Signs With..... Nike
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On Friday, The Next Web reported that a group of iOS developers were experiencing rapid-fire texts over iMessage, causing bothersome and repetitious messages and notifications. The prank wasn't serious on the level of, say, a full-scale DDoS of a bank website, and concern over spam via iMessage is not new either. But the unwanted messages were fresh proof of some problems with the iMessage app—specifically the lack of good spam-detection or a way for users to block a message sender.
One of the recipients of the spam, an iOS jailbreak tool and app developer who goes by the moniker iH8sn0w, informed The Next Web of the prank when it happened. iH8sn0w told Ars over Twitter that he simply disabled the handle that was getting flooded. "It's just a bunch of kids bored playing with AppleScript," he said.
Another app and extension developer for iOS devices, Grant Paul, revealed on Twitter that he was getting spammed with very large messages causing his iMessage app to crash. "The iMessage spammer has now completely locked me out of my iOS Messages app, by sending long strings of Unicode chars. Definitely a DoS," Paul wrote on his Twitter account. Ars reached out to Paul but has not yet heard back from him.
The Next Web was able to verify that the prank was happening to at least six iOS developers.
After being inundated with messages, iH8sn0w developed a proof-of-concept AppleScript that sends recurring messages via the OS X Messages app, forcing the recipient to constantly delete or hide messages that are from unwanted senders. Apple does not appear to limit the number of messages that can be sent in an amount of time, nor does iMessage allow users to block specific senders. There is a chance, however, that Apple may block obviously egregious uses of the iMessage app if it notices them.
The Next Web points out that because iOS 6 unifies users' phone numbers and e-mail addresses, it seems relatively trivial to spam someone in this fashion if his or her e-mail address can be found online.


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IIT Bombay Website has the following types of content, and its approval hierarchy for publication in the web.
Who can Submit Info?
Who Approves ?
Basic Page, Article
A static information page about the general activities of the Institute, organised within the Site Map
Deputy Registrars, HoDs, Deans
Registrar, Deputy Directors, Director as appropriate.
Breaking News
A short article or a press release of immediate relevance
Content Creators
Content Publishers
Upcoming Academic/Social event
Content Creators
Content Publishers
A detailed account of a recent News or Event
Content Creators
Content Publishers
Honorary Awards given to Faculty, Staff, and Students
Content Creators
Content Publishers
Job Vacancy
Faculty and Staff job advertisements
Admin-1, Admin-2 Staff
Pre-approved advertisement
Purchase tenders
Admin-2, MM Staff, Estate Office Staff
Pre-approved advertisement
Gallery Picture
Beautiful and representative photographs of IITB and related activities
Content Creators
Content Publishers
Annual Report
PDF copy of the Institute Annual Report
PRO office
Pre-approved Report
RTI Query
Soft copies of replies to RTI queries
Legal Cell
Pre-approved document
Hindi Content
Translation of the above content where applicable
Hindi Cell Staff
Hindi Officer
For generic variable content three categories (roles) of people will be identified, who will create and moderate the information that is published. The persons identified to act in each role need to be approved by the respective heads of department/division/section. The webmaster will then assign the roles against their LDAP ID. The following chart summarises the flow of the document through various states and who is authorised to change the states.
Who are they ?
What information can they Moderate ?
Content Creator
Students or staff identified by the respective heads of department, section, or division. They need to have a reasonable command over the English language, and can express in it clearly. They lookout for information related to a News worthy item, Event, or photographs. and upload it.
They cannot moderate, but only create fresh information either in a 'Draft' state or submit it for 'Review'.
Content Editor
Permanent senior staff or faculty identified by the respective heads of department, section, or division. They will need an excellent command in English and need to have a broad perspective of the appropriateness of the information being put up.
They have to 'Review' the contents, carry out minor edits if required and keep it in 'Copy Edited' state ready for publication. They can also send it back to 'Draft' state if it requires major changes from the 'Content Creator'
Content Publisher
PRO or the Webmaster or the Design Expert (as appropriate for the type of content)
They usually accept all 'Copy Edited' content, after ensuring general guidelines of publication and branding are followed. On rare occasions, the articles can be sent back to the 'Review' stage for the 'Content Editor' to have a relook.
An Editor can view the contents created by all Creators, not necessarily in their own department. Therefore the creators are requested to send a link by email to the Editor of their division requesting them to approve the 'Review'.
Similarly if at all an article is sent back to 'Review' by the Publisher, they need to send an email informing them of the requirement of a change.


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Lucille Kring was re-elected to the Anaheim City Council in November 2016, representing District 4 in central-south Anaheim.
She previously served as an Anaheim City Council Member from 1998 to 2002 and 2006 to 2010.
Kring has served as Anaheim's mayor pro tem three times.
A graduate of Western State University College of Law with a law degree, Kring practices in the fields of labor, employment and real estate law.
Kring also holds a current California real estate broker license and a bachelor's in chemistry.
Kring was an Anaheim Chamber of Commerce Ambassador and was named Ambassador of the Year after amassing 500 hours of volunteer service to the community. In 1996, Kring was elected to the chamber's board of directors and served in that capacity until 2011.
Kring is active in many organizations including as a board member of Anaheim Beautiful, Anaheim Regional Medical Center, Anaheim Family YMCA, Cops 4 Kids and Orange County Vector Control District.
Kring also serves on the Orange County Fire Training Joint Powers Authority.
She has been active in many community organizations in Anaheim, including the Canyon Hills Community Council July 4th celebration, and she is a past president of the Anaheim Rotary Club. A 20-year cancer survivor, she also served on the North Orange Unit for the America Cancer Society for several years.
Kring and her husband Ron are active in their church, have a rescue dog and cat, and have lived in Anaheim since 1989. In their free time they enjoy travel, golf, gardening, reading and cooking.


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nZEBRA is a solution provider for all nZEB (nearly zero energy building) needs. The team behind this new training consultancy has been operating in this space for over a decade and has the right balance of science and real-world application.
Passive House Academy (PHA) is proud to be one of the leading training providers globally in Passive House (Passivhaus), offering a wide range of internationally accredited Passive House Courses on both sides of the Atlantic. Their team of highly experienced educators has been delivering informed and stimulating training since 2002 to audiences around the world who want to get to grips with the most challenging of energy efficiency standards


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Lecture rooms and students group rooms
DSV's premises for tuition
You find information about your current class in your schedule in Daisy.
All schedules are also available on this page. Courses and timetables
Info screens with the current schedule are posted outside each room.
When there are lectures with large groups of students, the rooms can be linked. When this is the case, it appears in the schedule that the lecture has more than one room listed. The lecturer is in one of the rooms and the other rooms on the list are connected through link. Students may go to any room.
Eating and drinking in the rooms is not allowed.
Arrive on time
Respect students and lecturers, and arrive before scheduled start time. If you are late, enter as quietly as possible through the rear entrance.
Do you have ideas for improvements of the booking system e.g., please contact the student union DISK or Director of Studies, firstname.lastname@example.com
All different types of premises are listed below:
Please note: If a teaching room is not bookable, it is "first come, first served" that applies.
Orientation map of Student floor 2
Lecture halls
Aula NOD
Lilla Hörsalen
L70, L50, L30 and DL40.
The classrooms are named according to how many students the room has capacity for.
L70 - can be paired with the lecture halls through link.
DL40 - is equipped with 20 computers and used for special lectures.
Seminar rooms
Rooms for seminars in small groups.
When a seminar room is not booked for teaching (shown in the information display outside each room) it may be used by students for group work. Students may not book Seminar rooms.
Study hall
The study hall is for studies with the student's own computers, group work, etc. The students can rearrange the room furniture if they need to. Students can not book the study hall.
Group rooms with IT support
G5:1 - G5:21 - group rooms for groups of maximum five people
G10:1 - G10:8 - group rooms for groups of maximum ten people
These rooms are equipped with a desktop computer, big screen, white board, tables and chairs. You can connect your computer to the monitor.
These rooms are primarily for group work.
Book group rooms through Daisy.
G5:18-21 and G10:8 are not bookable.
Computer rooms
These rooms are equipped with 15 computers in each room. Computer rooms are for individual work or work in groups of two people. You can not book the Computer rooms.
Student labs
There are four student labs on the 2nd floor. These labs are specially equipped. Access to these labs depends on the program and courses you attend. Information is provided to the students concerned. The labs are ID-lab, Media-lab, SÄK-lab and Game-Lab
Study areas
Sofas, tables, chairs, etc. are located at the student floor in the appropriate spaces. These study areas are meant for personal study and group work. Can not be booked.
Last updated:
October 29, 2015
Source: Department of Public Relations


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|Product Information
$302.99 Save $119.00
As Low as with Affirm.
Average Rating:
|Fits Models
Please make sure this item fits your vehicle.In order to reduce errors in orders, please make sure the product you are ordering fits your vehicle model.
Planning to add a bike rack to your Jeep Renegade or interested in towing a small, lightweight trailer?
This CURT class 2 trailer hitch with ball mount is made for light-duty towing, having a gross trailer weight capacity up to 3,500 lbs. and a tongue weight capacity of 350 lbs. This makes it an excellent choice for most smaller size trailers such as single-axle utility trailers, small boat trailers, popup campers and some recreational vehicle trailers. It is also perfect for adding cargo space with a hitch-mounted cargo carrier or bike rack (NOTE: Never exceed the lowest weight capacity of any towing component; i.e. the vehicle, hitch, trailer, etc).
CURT class 2 trailer hitches are generally used on full-size cars, crossover SUVs, compact SUVs, minivans and even some smaller pickup trucks. This particular hitch and ball mount combination is designed to be a custom-fit trailer hitch for certain years of the Jeep Renegade (to verify your vehicle compatibility, see the CURT application guide at curtmfg.com). It features a square tube frame and comes with a hitch pin and clip and all hardware necessary for a complete installation. This class 2 hitch kit also comes with a Euro Mount ball mount, with a 2" diameter ball, to be a complete towing package.
CURT class 2 hitches are made with innovative engineering that takes shape in quality materials. Our engineers work with real vehicles and advanced programs to design each hitch to succeed. CURT trailer hitches are constructed with American steel by state-of-the-art machinery and our skilled fabricators, welders and technicians. We coat each hitch in a liquid Bonderite coating that provides long-lasting corrosion, chip and UV resistance, and then finish them in a high-gloss black powder coat. Our quality processes and construction give us the confidence to include a limited lifetime warranty and a one-year finish warranty on all of our class 2 hitches. Best of all, we are proud to say that every CURT hitch is manufactured in the USA.
This listing is for a Trailer Hitch Receiver with Drawbar - Custom Fit - Class II - 1-1/4" that is designed specifically for your Jeep Renegade.
Perfect for light-duty towing or a bike rack, this custom, Jeep Renegade Trailer Hitch receiver features fully welded, gloss powder coated steel construction.
Pictures may vary from actual product
Optional Upon Checkout:
Note: All non-trailer loads - bike racks, cargo carriers and so forth - should be supported with stabilizing straps. Failure to properly support these loads will void your hitch warranty from the trailer hitch manufacturer.


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Job Description:
Location: 5 West 63rd Street – 6th Floor
The YMCA of Greater New York is here for all New Yorkers — to empower youth, improve health, and strengthen community. Founded in 1852, today the Y serves a diverse population of more than half a million New Yorkers who learn, grow, and thrive through programs and services at our 24 branches. Community is the cornerstone of the Y. Together, we connect active, engaged New Yorkers to build stronger communities.
The Prospect Park YMCA is seeking qualified individuals who will be responsible for the health and safety of patrons using the facility.
- Must be Instructor Ready: uniform, pocket face mask/gloves, whistle and rescue tube.
- Continuous and active scanning of the pool.
- Ensure instructional equipment remains in good condition; have all equipment ready prior to classes and put away after.
- Know and understand the Emergency Action Plan and Emergency Evacuation Routes.
- Enforce aquatics safety rules consistently and fairly.
- Perform second duties, as requested, only when not lifeguarding.
- Maintain positive relationships with members and staff.
- Follow the directions of the YMCA of Greater New York aquatic supervisors, in accordance with the YMCA aquatic standards.
- Must attain the YMCA Lifeguard certification within 90 days of hire.
- Maintain certification level of physical and mental readiness. Responsible for recertification before expiration.
- Actively participate in training sessions, designated meetings and special events.
- Must be 17 years of age or older.
- High School diploma or equivalent, desired.
- Current YMCA Lifeguard certification or equivalent.
- Current Basic Life Support, First Aid and Emergency Oxygen certifications.
- Demonstrate swim strokes, lifeguard rescues and BLS/BFA/EO skills.
- Must be willing to work flexible hours, including weekends and holidays.
- Excellent hospitality skills.
How to Apply
We offer an exciting and innovative work environment with a culture committed to serving all members of our community. As a leading not-for-profit, community service organization, our Association relies heavily on fundraising to support the wide range of programs we proudly provide the communities we serve. Our expectation is that all staff promotes participation of their branch fundraising efforts in some capacity. If you would like to be a member of our dynamic team, please forward your cover letter and resume with subject line "Lifeguard" to [email protected] or to:
Prospect Park YMCA
Attn.: Max Guscott
357 Ninth Street
Brooklyn, NY 11215
Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities
New York City's YMCA | WHERE THERE'S A Y, THERE'S A WAY
Contact Information
Prospect Park YMCA
Attn.: Max Guscott
357 Ninth Street
Brooklyn, NY 11215
phone: 2126309723


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VMware's Cloud Foundry and Microsoft Azure are two of the leading platform as a service (PaaS) offerings from two cloud heavyweights, but one consultant says both companies are largely ignoring the private cloud market, creating a glaring hole for customers.
John Treadway, a VP at Boston-area consultancy Cloud Technology Partners, says VMware and Microsoft are holding back the entire PaaS industry by not offering commercial support for on-premise installations of the their platforms.
"I spend a lot of time with large enterprises, and we're very big proponents of the PaaS opportunity," he says, but many customers are not willing to put resources in a public cloud, off their own premise, he says. Businesses and IT shops want to control these deployments behind their own firewall. "They want to run their own internal clouds," and VMware and Microsoft don't have the tools to do that for Cloud Foundry and Azure, he says.
AMAZON AND OBAMA: Amazon: Our cloud powered Obama's re-election campaign
GARTNER'S STATE OF CLOUD SECURITY: Outages are bigger risk than breaches
Part of this could be the immaturity of the overall PaaS market: Garnter recently reported that the $1.2 billion PaaS market is 8% the size of the $14.4 billion software as a service (SaaS) market in terms of IT spending. But Treadway says more customers would be open to using PaaS if companies like VMware and Microsoft offered private, on-premise versions of these services.
Cloud Foundry (CF) is VMware's open source PaaS environment, which has been used by a variety of service providers to build a PaaS deployment. VMware offers a hosted version of Cloud Foundry, but the company does not have a supported version that can be deployed on the customer's premise.
VMware says PaaS is on the roadmap. Company officials announced at VMworld earlier this year plans to implement the service, and in an emailed response to Treadway's claims, VMware officials said their plan is to roll out a private version of CF next year that's "optimized for vSphere and vCloud," the company's major cloud software systems. "We have had significant interest from customers since we launched Cloud Foundry as an open source project for a private cloud, product version of Cloud Foundry," VMware officials wrote.
Treadway is eager to see VMware's private CF, but he's worried the company is "dragging its feet." VMware insiders he's spoken to say they haven't seen the effort behind the keynote announcement. "I haven't seen any evidence of them really moving the ball on this," Treadway says. The company has released updated versions of its vSphere and GemFire Fusion applications, and has made some announcements around extending support for CF, but it has not yet released a private cloud version.
Microsoft is a slightly more complicated story. Its Azure cloud was one of the first and most robust major PaaS offerings in the market. Microsoft doesn't have a private or on-premise version of Azure available, but it does have what Microsoft officials claim is an equivalent in Windows Server 2012 and Systems Center 2012. "Our goal with what we call the Cloud OS is to continue providing comprehensive capabilities across our private, hosted and public clouds, helping our partners and customers capitalize on the transition to cloud computing on their terms," Microsoft officials wrote in emailed responses to questions.
Powered by Microsoft's Hyper-V virtualization tool, Microsoft made a significant upgrade in IT management when it released Windows Server 2012, increasing VM management capacity from four virtual processors and 64GB of memory to now being able to handle 64 virtual processors and 1TB of memory for guests.
Still, Treadway isn't buying it. "There may be a set of capabilities in Systems Center and Windows Server, but it's not really a private Azure," he says. "It's not really a truly fully automated cloud stack."
Why aren't Microsoft and VMware rolling out more private cloud offerings? Treadway is perplexed. VMware has plans to do so, but Treadway just isn't sure what's taken them so long. Microsoft, he says, built Azure as a public cloud service from the start. "It's a simple matter of not prioritizing Azure Private Cloud at the beginning and now it's just terribly difficult," he says.
The issue of neither VMware nor Microsoft providing these services is holding back PaaS adoption overall, he says. For customers to adopt PaaS, they need to have private cloud options, he says, and two of the biggest vendors in the market just aren't supplying it.
Network World staff writer Brandon Butler covers cloud computing and social collaboration. He can be reached at email@example.com and found on Twitter at @BButlerNWW.


text:
A former neighborhood housing employee in Worcester yesterday received the highest sentence recommended under a federal guideline range after a U.S. District Court judge said that his solicitation of bribes "strikes at the heart of government processes."
Gabriel Cortes, 51, was given 27 months in prison on three charges of soliciting and accepting $3,400 in bribes and one charge of witness tampering. He solicited the bribes last year between April 15 and Dec. 13 — one of the them while he was employed by the Oak Hill Community Development Corp. in Worcester and two while he worked for South Worcester Neighborhood Improvement Corp. He took bribes to steer contracts to certain contractors.
Mr. Cortes' sentencing comes as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development brings increased focus on allegations of mishandling of housing funds in Worcester and elsewhere.
Because of Mr. Cortes' lengthy criminal record and violations of the conditions of his release on the most recent charges, Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV was about to order Mr. Cortes to be taken into custody immediately rather than be given a month to self-report to prison. Framingham lawyer John H. LaChance said that Mr. Cortes, who lives in Lowell, had driven a car to court yesterday and had outstanding issues at work and with his apartment after the lawyer advised him it was unlikely he'd be taken into custody yesterday.
So the judge gave Mr. Cortes until 2 p.m. today to report to the U.S. marshal at the courthouse to be taken into custody.
Judge Saylor said he was tempted to agree to the recommendation of Assistant U.S. Attorney David H. Hennessy to exceed sentencing guidelines of 21 to 27 months and imprison Mr. Cortes for 3 years, but decided that 27 months was necessary and sufficient.
The sentencing guideline increased because Judge Saylor disagreed with the Probation Department and Mr. LaChance and agreed with Mr. Hennessy that Mr. Cortes is considered a public official because he administered federal funds even though he is not an elected or appointed government official. Judge Saylor also fined Mr. Cortes $3,000.
Based on an unrelated earlier conviction, the judge ordered Mr. Cortes to comply with laws on registering as a sex offender, and he recommended that the prison system provide the defendant with alcohol and drug counseling and anger management.
Judge Saylor said that Mr. Cortes, the son of a heroin addict who abandoned him, has a lengthy criminal record. He enumerated that it includes indecent assault and battery on a child, assault and battery on his girlfriend, and victimizing HUD, other contractors who did not get a fair shot at contracts, and low- and moderate-income tenants.
And he noted the government's reports that Mr. Cortes violated conditions of release on the current charges by violating his curfew three times and engaging in cocaine use once.
As an employee of the CDCs, Mr. Cortes prepared specifications for federally funded residential rehabilitations projects, solicited bids for them and inspected the work.
Mr. Hennessy said even though there is no evidence that shoddy work was performed or inflated prices were charged for the work on the rigged contracts, a serious sentence should be imposed as a deterrent for others in Mr. Cortes' position who may be tempted to profit instead of giving a fair shot to contractors whose livelihoods depend on an honest process.
Mr. Cortes said, "I have made some terrible choices in life. I have regrets." But he said he does not victimize people and asked for a chance to continue to contribute to society.
Mr. LaChance urged the judge to sentence Mr. Cortes to home confinement or some other probation so he can continue his work as a car salesman. That would enable him to support his children, two of whom need his guidance and support to avoid violating the law.
Mr. Cortes had a relationship and owned a time share with Jacqueline Vachon-Jackson, Worcester's former city housing director. The duties of Ms. Vachon-Jackson, who was fired by the city in March, included overseeing the housing renovation funds that went to the community development corporations for which Mr. Cortes worked.
HUD has frozen funding to the city while looking into allegations that federal housing funds are not properly overseen by the city.
Mr. Cortes' case was investigated by the FBI and HUD's Office of Inspector General.


text:
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Found 9 results[ Title]
Filters: Author is Kassam-Adams, Nancy [Clear All Filters]
What Do Clinicians Caring for Children Need to Know about Pediatric Medical Traumatic Stress and the Ethics of Trauma-Informed Approaches?" AMA J Ethics. 2017;19(8):793-801."
Using a web-based game to prevent posttraumatic stress in children following medical events: design of a randomized controlled trial." Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2013;4."
Understanding recovery in children following traffic-related injuries: Exploring acute traumatic stress reactions, child coping, and coping assistance." Clin Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2013."
Trauma-informed care for children in the ambulance: international survey among pre-hospital providers." Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2017;8(1):1273587."
Trauma Providers' Knowledge, Views, and Practice of Trauma-Informed Care." J Trauma Nurs. 2018;25(2):131-138."
Posttraumatic Stress Following Pediatric Injury: Update on Diagnosis, Risk Factors, and Intervention." JAMA Pediatr. 2013."
Perspectives of hospital emergency department staff on trauma-informed care for injured children: An Australian and New Zealand analysis." J Paediatr Child Health. 2017;53(9):862-869."
Implementing a Trauma-Informed Approach in Pediatric Health Care Networks." JAMA Pediatr. 2016;170(1):70-7."


text:
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text:
Aku and I recently returned from a trip out East for Installment Two of the Spring Break College Tour. I'm happy to report that she's been accepted by a number of renowned institutions - the problem now is to figure out how to pay for the school she finally decides on!
Landing in New York of course we had to make a beeline for Little Senegal, for Thiebou Yaap, Diiby, Mafé, and pirated CDs by the armful! To hear some of the music we picked up, scroll down.
After a tour of Fordham University (we checked out NYU & Columbia last year) it was off to Boston, where we had dinner with Uchenna of With Comb & Razor fame at Asmara, an excellent Eritrean restaurant in Cambridge, and toured Boston University the next morning. Suitably impressed, we departed for Montréal and world-renowned McGill University.
Never having been there, my impressions of Québéc have all been second-hand: following the traumatic events of 1970, when martial law was declared in the province; reading Pierre Vallières' White Niggers of America; the subsequent election of the separatist Parti Québécois and the ensuing "language wars." So, I didn't know what to expect. Unfortunately, Aku's French-language skills weren't put to the test - everybody we met was enthusiastically bilingual, and often multi-lingual.
I should have asked the crew at Masala for some travel advice before the trip. I'm sure they could have steered us to the (so I'm told) happenin' Afro/Latin/Caribbean scene in Montréal, but as time was at a premium, we had to content ourselves with wandering the streets around our hotel, mainly in the Vieux Montréal area. Rapidly gentrifying, it still retains a scruffy charm and thankfully hasn't yet been turned into a French-Canadian theme park. Towering cathedrals, funky old architecture and restaurants abound.
You may know that I love good food almost as much as I love good music, and it's apparent that Montréal is a serious food town. French food stars, of course, but just about any cuisine can be found easily. Unfortunately, we didn't get to sample poutine, and we missed out on the legendary Au Pied de Cochon restaurant, but we did follow our guidebook's advice and had a lovely meal at Boris Bistro on rue McGill. I had the Duck Magret with cardamom espresso sauce, and Aku had Duck Risotto, both truly delightful, and reasonably priced as well. Finished off with Tarte Tatin and espresso, it was truly a meal for the ages. The staff couldn't have been nicer, and the manager came over and had a friendly chat with us.
Anybody have any suggestions about what to see, do, eat or hear in Montréal? I definitely want to go back again!
Now to the music we obtained in Little Senegal. I'd wanted to showcase selections from a number of musicians, but one stood out: multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Ousmane Diallo, better known as Ouza, is a "musician's musician" who has achieved cult status in Senegal, not only for his fine music but for his socially-conscious lyrics and his run-ins with the authorities. Over the years he has associated with a series of female backup groups - Les Brancheés, Les Ouzettes and Les 4 Femmes dans le Vent, as well as the Ballet Nationale and the Orchestre Nationale du Senegal. He remained mostly unknown outside of Senegal until 2001 & 2002, when two compilation CDs, Ouza & ses Ouzettes 1975-1990 (Popular African Music PAM OA 208) and Best of Ouza (Africa Productions 01028-2) were released.
The tunes I've chosen here well display his unique blend of mbalax, funk, r&b and jazz.
Here are two tracks from 1975-1990. "Guajira," of course, is an old Cuban song, while "Diriyankee," which originally appeared on the cassette Nakhe M'Baye (GDL 001, 1982) addresses the exploitation of African resources by the Western world:
Ouza et ses Ouzettes - Guajira
Ouza et le Nobel - Diriyankee
Best of Ouza features music from the latter part of the maestro's career. "La Sante" originally appeared on the 2000 cassette Le Vote (Origines), while "Tamboulaye" is from Sen Sougnou Sama (Talla Digne), which was issued in 1997:
Ouza - La Sante
Ouza ack Ndiaguamarees - Tamboulaye
Diapason Ouza (Keur Serigne Fall) is a live recording released in 1996:
Ouza - Gouye Gui
Ouza - Xadimo
20 Ans?, about which I've been unable to find any recording information, is also apparently a live recording:
Ouza - SIDA Retro
Ouza - Boul Teury
The picture at the top of this post is taken from Ouza & ses Ouzettes 1975-1990. More Senegal swag in a future post. More non-Senegal music too!
Friday, April 10, 2009
More Senegal Swag
Posted by John B. at 10:00 AM 9 comments
Labels: African Restaurants, Food, Mbalax, Ouza, Senegal
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Culinary Adventures, Senegalese Pirates
I've recently returned from something that's become a ritual for many parents of high school juniors: The Spring Break College Tour! My daughter Aku and I visited a number of esteemed institutions out East this past week, and were suitably impressed. It's going to take us a while to process everything and decide on a place where she can best pursue her studies in the years to come.
Enough of that, though. Some of you may be familiar with Chris Meserve from his frequent auctions of African vinyl on Ebay. Chris gave us some excellent advice on where to stay in New York City (just a couple of blocks from his house in Woodside, Queens), and Aku and I spent an hour or so with him and his delightful two-year-old daughter Koko at Sri Pra Phai, a wonderful Thai restaurant in the neighborhood.
I was first introduced to Thai food 35 years ago when I lived in Los Angeles. The cuisine then was almost completely unknown to the general public and L.A.'s Thai restaurants were patronized pretty much exclusively by immigrants. The food was fresh, uncompromising and usually fiery hot. Over the years as Thai food has become more popular in the US the inevitable bastardization has occurred. Every one-horse town now has its Thai joint dishing out mountains of sickly-sweet Pad Thai and "Volcano Chicken." There are a few standouts, notably Sticky Rice and Spoon Thai in Chicago, but I've generally despaired of finding the Thai food that I came to know and love in California. I'm happy to report that Sri Pra Phai is the real deal, and it's been acclaimed as such by just about every restaurant critic in New York City. So, check it out the next time you're there.
Unfortunately there wasn't time to explore Chris's legendary African music collection. But no matter - Monday, after visiting NYU and Columbia, Aku and I paid a visit to Manhattan's Little Senegal along 116th St., and just steps from the subway discovered Africa Kiné, the most impressive of the neighborhood's many Senegalese restaurants. Here we enjoyed a repast of Thiebou Yapp and Dibi, washed down with homemade ginger beer, and while I don't think Africa Kiné reaches the exalted heights of San Francisco's Bissap Baobab, it's certainly highly recommended. I regret that we weren't able to visit more of New York City's African restaurants, which cover a wide swath of territory: Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Nigeria, Guinea and Ethiopia, as well as Senegal. Another day, perhaps!
The most serendipitous discovery in Little Senegal, though, was a storefront offering hundreds of pirated Senegalese CDs at $3 a pop. All of the big names were represented, and lots of the little ones, too. In the back room we could see people busily copying CDs and stuffing them into slim-line cases along with crudely-copied liner notes. My reservations about contributing to this dubious enterprise were offset by the chance to obtain hard-to-find music at hard-to-beat prices. How could I resist? To hear some of the music I copped scroll down to the bottom of this post.
Having heard much of Caffe Adulis, a legendary "Eritrean/Mediterranean" restaurant in New Haven, I was looking forward to a visit. The chef here has aspirations to broaden the parameters of Eritrean cuisine by incorporating influences from the Middle East and the Mediterranean, certainly a noble endeavor. Aku and I both enjoyed the "Adulis Appetizer," described as "seared shrimp sauteed with tomato, scallions, cabbage and garlic, served in a spicy, light cream, parmesan, basmati rice sauce." Perhaps to get a better feel for what Adulis is all about, we should have ordered a couple of the more adventurous entrees, but we wanted to sample the "Traditional Eritrean Dishes," lamb and chicken Tsebhe. What a disappointment! Both featured bland chunks of meat in an insipid, watery sauce, like Eritrean food from a can, if such a thing exists. I certainly can't claim to have tried every Ethiopian or Eritrean restaurant in the US (the two cuisines are almost identical), but judged by its execution of the standards, Adulis doesn't even make the top ten. For what it's worth, my favorite Ethiopian restaurant of all time continues to be Chicago's Ras Dashen.
Here's some of the music I picked up from the aforementioned pirate shack. I also obtained an almost-complete collection of the recordings of Viviane N'dour, who will be the subject of a future Dakar Divas.
I confesss that I tuned Youssou N'dour (Viviane's former brother-in-law) out about twenty years ago, but he continues to make good music, if you're willing to explore beyond the World Music™ ghetto at the local Best Buy. Here's a track from his live release Bercy 2004 Vol. 2 (Jololi, 2004):
Youssou N'dour & le Super Etoile - 4.4.44
Here's another tune by Youssou taken from a bootleg compilation, Mbalax Supreme 13 by DJ Zacharia:
Youssou N'dour & le Super Etoile - Boolo Leen
I think most people in the know would agree that the three top male vocalists in Senegal are Youssou N'dour, Thione Seck and Omar Pene. To say one of these is "the greatest" is to miss the point; that's like comparing apples, oranges and kiwis. Still, I've always had a soft spot for Thione Seck, veteran of Orchestre Baobab, whose soulful voice thrills me like no other. From another bootleg release, Best of Thione Seck, here are a few representative tunes:
Thione Seck & le Raam Daan - Mane Mi Gnoul
Thione Seck & le Raam Daan - Yaye Boye
Thione Seck & le Raam Daan - Yeen
Didier Awadi was a founder of Senegalese hip-hop group Positive Black Soul and has been a solo artist since 2002. Here's a selection from his second CD, Sunugaal (Studio Sankara, 2006):
Awadi - Djow Sa Gaal
If you've been around here long you know I'm just crazy about Kiné Lam. Unfortunately I'm not aware of anything she's put out since 2003's Cey Geer (Jololi) but I'm happy to report that I've obtained a CD rip of that cassette, from which the following two songs are taken:
Kiné Lam - Jullig Geejgi
Kiné Lam - Nafissatou
Finally, here's a tune from one of Senegal's new crop of female vocalists, the lovely and talented Ami Collé. This is from her CD Defar Ba Mou Baax. Click here for a video:
Ami Collé - Dieng Salla
Posted by John B. at 3:06 PM 3 comments
Labels: African Restaurants, Ami Collé, Awadi, Food, Kiné Lam, Mbalax, Senegal, Thione Seck, Wolof, Youssou Ndour


text:
I definitely agree. The fact that Nexus doesn't produce good units or choose good research choices means that it's essentially unplayable for decent players but newbies don't realize that. I fixed this by statically populating the template and research arrays. This is an example of what I mean when I say fix something and be done with it. Now that the template and research arrays are ordered from the beginning of the tech tree to the end using each weapon path, this AI essentially cannot be out-researched or produced. The arrays can be adjusted a little bit for specific game/map settings but generally speaking it makes the best units and researches the best things at all times for its chosen profile and the profiles are chosen based on map/game settings so it's not really possible to achieve anything better in regards to droid designs and research objectives, there's nothing left to do, it's fixed and done with.NoQ wrote: To me, some of the biggest flaws of Nexus included inability to counter spam (tank spam, cyborg spam, tower spam, machinegun spam, rocket spam) by countering them with tech and production choices
Nexus pursues research objectives regardless of power and I set power management checks on droid production; cyborgs, tanks and VTOLS only produce with minimum of 25, 50 and 700 power I think. Those numbers can be adjusted but the arrays themselves are pretty much finalized.
Profiles are chosen based on 40/40/20 chance of choosing rocket, cannon, flamer for no allies or no shared research. If shared research then flamer if map size < 130, cannons 130 – 170 and rockets 170+. Likelihood of artillery branch uses the linear function with map size 90 = 0
Code: Select all
Code for selecting research profiles
_ally = 0;
_count = 0;
while(_ally < MAX_PLAYERS)
if(allianceExistsBetween(me, _ally)){
if(_count > 0 and multiPlayerAlliancesType == ALLIANCES_TEAMS)
if(_mapSize < 130.0)
curTech = branchFlameVtolLaser;
dbg("going rockets (" & _y & "/" & _rnd & ")", me);
else if(_mapSize < 170.0)
curTech = branchCannonMGMortar;
dbg("going cannons (" & _y & "/" & _rnd & ")", me);
curTech = branchRocketMGMortar;
dbg("going Mortar (" & _y & "/" & _rnd & ")", me);
//probability to choose artillery branch for map size 90 = 0; probability for map size 200 = 55
//build a linear function: y = ((y2 - y1) / (x2 - x1)) * x + a depending on two values given (short: y = mx+a)
_x1 = 90.0; _y1 = 0.0;
_x2 = 200.0; _y2 = 55.0;
_m = ((_y2 - _y1) / (_x2 - _x1));
_a = -(_m * _x1);
//calculate probability for the current map
_y = _m * _mapSize + _a;
dbg("_m = " & _m & ", a = " & _a, me);
_rnd = (float)random(100);
if(_rnd < _y)
curTech = branchArtillery;
dbg("going air (" & _y & "/" & _rnd & ")", me);
__rnd = random(10);
if(__rnd < 4)
curTech = branchRocket;
dbg("going rockets (" & _y & "/" & _rnd & ")", me);
else if(__rnd > 6)
curTech = branchCannon;
dbg("going cannons (" & _y & "/" & _rnd & ")", me);
curTech = branchFlamer;
dbg("going flamer (" & _y & "/" & _rnd & ")", me);
The same goes for the base building. I set base build sequence to factory, research, power, derrick and then the base building triggers for each structure are called every < 7 - 10 seconds. Structure modules are upgraded from nearest to furthest as soon as modules are available. You can attempt to make a bot that builds a better base but programmatically I don't see how it can be improved much.
There are 4 things I can think of that still need fixing with base building before I would declare that it's close to perfection. The first is building base structures in the closest spot location instead of elsewhere in the base, the second is to check if there is a cliff between the truck and proposed building location, the third is to set a 3 truck minimum when upgrading structures and the 4th is to create multiple build groups. If I fix those 4 things then base building behavior is essentially done with, it's not really possible to build a faster base but even without these 4 items the base building performance is still optimized and better than all other bots. Base building is another one of those things that once it's fixed it's done with.
It doesn't have anything to do with the stats but rather 3 of the 4 components of a WZ game are near flawless, base building, research objectives and droid designs are all near optimal performance. It's really just a matter of not being able to make a better AI outside of droid behaviors. Although my bot does take advantage of the fact that I made mortar arrive earlier (after sensor tower instead of factory).Berserk Cyborg wrote:Naturally. How can you expect other AI, which are only 'balanced' in regards to the base game, to be anywhere near as good as your bot when introduced to all of your changes? It is totally unfair to make that judgement unless the other bots are tweaked for your balance. Anyway, the modified Nexus AI you included is amazing none the less.MIH-XTC wrote:This bot will smash all other current and foreseeable bots most of the time with the exception of certain small map, low oil rush games.
The only remaining and subjective component of a WZ game is droid handling and that's where things get complicated. I haven't done much with unit orders as that is the hardest part of making an AI.
NoQ wrote: , and also inability to group up units before engaging in combat. Most of NullBot's complexity is about these features.
I haven't touched anything with droid behaviors besides changing most of the DORDER_MOVE's to SCOUT because too many times I seen Nexus droids suicide into other armies because they don't know to stop on enemy contact. Actually bonecrusher does a really good job of grouping units and then attacking, bonecrusher's rally points are very observable prior to attacking. Not sure if Nullbot does the same. Bonecrusher also does a really good job of 1v2'ing.
There is a small bug I created in an attempt to get VTOL's to attack relentlessly in which the VTOL's remain idle over their target. Instead of attacking targets I made the VTOL's patrol to their target coordinates meaning they attack anything in sight on their way to their target. The problem is that the secondary patrol order needs to be set after every new DORDER and once the VTOL's are done attacking an object in route to their target, they proceed to their target without any attack order. One alternative is to set secondary patrol orders on vtols every time they arrive at their destination but then this overrides the rearming orders and the VTOL's are stuck flying around without ammo. The solution to that is to check vtol ammo levels but there aren't any functions available in mp for that. Right now I have the VTOL's set to attack anything in route to their target but after they kill one object the patrol orders come off and then they're stuck idling around their target until they die.
NoQ wrote: Note that the former is quite useless in AI vs AI matches, because AIs already avoid spam strategies, but newbie humans don't, and the primary sense of having good AIs is to teach humans to play better.
AI vs AI games essentially end up being a spam fast. Testing AI vs AI is almost like creating a droid collider similar to a particle collider. The weapons with longer ranges usually win in AI vs AI, especially grenadier although Nullbot did a really good job of using flamers and mg's to overcome that. In larger games no AI will be able to stop the spam of this Nexus AI because it's guaranteed to have superior droid upgrades and designs.
I also agree that the purpose of an AI is not to win but rather to prepare players for mp because mp and base are two totally different games and Nexus does not prepare players for playing in mp. I prioritized variation over winning in terms of droid designs, some of the research choices, some of the strategy choices and decision to build defensive structures. If I wanted to make a bot that would win all of the time then I would just do flamer + truck rush but the default AI should showcase how all of the different strategies are intended to be used.
I think not because the only thing that's possible to do better is droid handling. The research objectives, droid designs and base building are already optimized to near perfection so the longer the game goes on, the harder it will be to beat this AI. The only time this Nexus AI is vulnerable is in the early base building phase because it takes the gamble of building a base instead of rushing. Other than that, once this bot gets going it will always win in AI vs AI because like I said, the research arrays, template arrays and base building are optimized to the point where you won't be able to develop a better AI. It's not really possible unless you have the same or very similar arrays. It's fixed and done with…NoQ wrote: At the same time, winning AI vs AI matches is a good achievement, but i suspect i could easily provide a NullBot personality (~100 lines of code) that would be better than your AI on your test cases (given the test cases);
Once I improve the droid behaviors and defend against early rush then this bot will be unbeatable. Actually, the only time it loses now is because some of the droids stand around in the base while it's being attacked and they don't do anything. Once that's fixed, there's really no chance for this bot to lose vs another bot…
NoQ wrote: Note also that NullBot, with all these features and many other human-oriented tweaks (eg. varied gameplay, and also chat support) has less lines of code than the current Nexus AI, and you are already adding 2000 more lines of code with your patch. From just that i'd conclude that my language choice was correct, and it is a consistent observation that javascript code is generally ~4 times shorter for the same amount of features (we notice it in the campaign as well).
Yea but that stuff is transparent to the end users/players, I don't mind to use any programming language, I didn't use .js only because I don't understand how the Nullbot triggers work (where are they?) and I'm very desperate to be finished with this project and move on. I'm under the impression that once I get this stuff "fixed" it's done with and I'll never have to return to it. Since I'm already familiar with the .vlo and .slo files I just want to keep going. Someday I will go back and look at the .js for the sake of learning .js but I have too much WZ and IRL stuff to do. I just don't want to invest the time to learn .js right now. I'm actually impressed that you could even pursue something like that. Rewriting the Nexus files in .js sounds like an insane task. Like you said in your dear programmers thread in "other talk" people work on whatever makes them happy.
That's unfortunate you don't like the stats, I bet it's about 45% you want to preserve originality in the code and 45% I changed so much stuff that you don't have any way of verifying the changes, 10% lost credibility of things I might have said in this thread prior to knowing what I know now. The problem with the current stats is that the game is too deterministic in terms of strategy. Everyone thinks that because there are hundreds of research items and thousands of droid designs that WZ offers complex strategy but it's actually the opposite, you can just straight up calculate the best strategy for any given map/game settings to guarantee victory 100% of the time unless the same exact strategy is employed. That's not obvious to other people but I'm sure I can beat any player in mp. In fact, if you provide me the game and map settings then I can tell you down to the keystroke exactly what I would do before the game begins and still win. The game consists of the 4 components I mentioned above with droid handling being the only subjective one. Here's an example of the best strategy on Arid map consisting of build order, truck order and research order https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8irDuPU7Sk exact instructions are in the description. That's why I want to change the stats because I already know exactly what to do for all maps and there is no counter strategy. That strategy in the video cannot be countered by flamers or rockets, there's nothing you can do besides the same thing. I hope you reconsider on the stats. Sorry for coming off as dogmatic but I know WZ very well.NoQ wrote: That said, i appreciate your work and i'd approve adding your AI to the game (as long as it's using the base game's data and works without your data mods), probably as an extra AI alongside Nexus if we want to keep Nexus available as a nostalgic "like the old times" option (i personally don't enjoy having Nexus around, so i'd approve replacement as well).


text:
Author [ Title] Type Year
Filters: Author is Adiga, Satish Kumar [Clear All Filters]
Nayak G, Honguntikar SD, Kalthur SGuruprasad, D'Souza ASylvan, Mutalik S, Setty MM, Kalyankumar R, Krishnamurthy H, Kalthur G, Adiga SKumar. 2016. Ethanolic extract of Moringa oleifera Lam. leaves protect the pre-pubertal spermatogonial cells from cyclophosphamide-induced damage.. J Ethnopharmacol. 182:101-9.
D'Souza F, Pudakalakatti SM, Uppangala S, Honguntikar S, Salian SRaj, Kalthur G, Pasricha R, Appajigowda D, Atreya HS, Adiga SKumar. 2016. Unraveling the association between genetic integrity and metabolic activity in pre-implantation stage embryos.. Sci Rep. 6:37291.


text:
Britain on Friday barred radical Muslim cleric Omar Bakri from returning to the country that was his home for the past 20 years, saying his presence was no longer "conducive to the public good." The decision came as the country's top legal official defended plans to deport another radical Muslim cleric and nine other foreigners suspected of posing a threat to national security.
The moves are an indication of the dramatic impact of last month's transit bombings in a country until recently regarded as something of a safe haven for radicals.
Jordan said Friday it would ask Britain next week to extradite one of those detained, cleric Omar Mahmoud Othman Abu Omar, also known as Abu Qatada. Spanish officials have described him as Osama bin Laden's "spiritual ambassador in Europe."
Bakri, 45, left Britain on Saturday, one day after Prime Minister Tony Blair proposed tough new anti-terrorism measures including the deportation of extremist Islamic clerics who preach hate. Bakri was arrested in Lebanon on Thursday.
Bakri, who has dual Syrian and Lebanese citizenship, had come under increasing pressure from the British government for his hard-line rhetoric after last month's bombings. He had insisted that he planned to return to north London, where his wife and children live.
Home Secretary Charles Clarke had written to Bakri to inform him he would not be allowed back into Britain. The cleric has 14 days to appeal.
"The Home Secretary has issued an order revoking Omar Bakri Mohammed's indefinite leave to remain and to exclude him from the U.K. and the grounds that his presence is not conducive to the public good," the Home Office said in a statement.
Bakri founded the now-disbanded radical Islamic group al-Muhajiroun, which came under scrutiny in Britain, particularly after some of its members praised the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.
A spokesman for Britain's Crown Prosecution Service said Thursday prosecutors were looking at Bakri's recent remarks to assess whether he could be charged with solicitation of murder or incitement to withhold information known to be of use to police.
Fears for deportees safety
Meanwhile Britain's plans to deport the 10 foreigners have sparked fears for their safety in their destination countries.
The Home Office did not identify the detainees. But a government official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, confirmed that Abu Qatada, the Palestinian cleric who carries a Jordanian passport, was among them.
A statement from Abu Qatada's lawyer said the detainees were "primarily Algerians."
Lord Chancellor Charles Falconer said it was necessary to balance the risk of a deportee being mistreated against the threat they pose to Britain. He added that the government may seek new human rights legislation to make the deportations easier. The measure would be among a raft of tough new anti-terrorism laws announced in the wake of the July bombings.
"The deportee has got rights, but so have the people of this country," Falconer told British Broadcasting Corp. radio. "If they are threatened in terms of national security, that is something that the government has got to protect them against as much as possible."
As a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights, Britain is not allowed to deport people to countries where they may face torture of mistreatment. The government has been trying to sign agreements guaranteeing humane treatment of deportees with 10 countries, including Algeria, Lebanon, Egypt and Tunisia. The first such memorandum of understanding was signed with Jordan on Wednesday.
"The circumstances of our national security have changed, it is vital that we act against those who threaten it," Home Secretary Clarke said.
Abu Qatada was granted political asylum in Britain in 1993. He has been in jail or under close supervision here since 2002, but now faces deportation to Jordan where authorities convicted him in absentia in 1998 and again in 2000 for involvement in a series of explosions and terror plots.
British authorities believe Abu Qatada inspired the lead Sept. 11 hijacker Mohamed Atta and he is suspected of having links with radical groups across Europe.
Jordanian Interior Minister Awni Yirfas said his country would request Abu Qatada's extradition next week. A spokesman for Britain's Home Office had no immediate reaction.
The cleric's lawyer, Gareth Peirce, condemned the detentions. Her firm said in a statement that the detainees had not been allowed to see their lawyers.
Not their first detentions
Like Abu Qatada, some of the foreigners detained Thursday had spent up to three years in jail without trial under sweeping anti-terror legislation until their release in March after Britain's highest court ruled the detentions unlawful. Since then, they have been supervised under so-called control orders, such as curfew or house arrest, and banned from using the telephone or Internet.
The Home Office said the detainees had five working days to appeal deportation — a process that could drag on for months. A spokeswoman insisted they would not be deported until the British government gained assurances from the destination countries that they will not be treated inhumanely.
Civil rights campaigners and the U.N. special envoy on torture, Manfred Nowak, have warned, however, that such assurances carry no weight in international law and would not sufficiently protect the deportees.
"The assurances of known torturers, many of whom deny the use of torture even when it is widely documented, are not worth the paper they are written on," said Mike Blakemore, a spokesman for Amnesty International.


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My dad and I ran into this nice couple way up around the 4600 foot elevation on Mauna Loa. I didn't get their names. But I told them to Google "love" and they will find their photo I took with Halema'uma'u fuming in the distant background. They will find their photo. Eventually. How many Internet entries can there be for "love" anyway?
Monday, May 31, 2010
Posted by Ka`iana at 9:38 PM
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text:
'Ngarla Songs is a unique bilingual presentation of sixty-eight anecdotal songs composed by Ngarla people. They describe the thrill of the hunt, the wonder of whales and other events and life experiences as seen through Ngarla eyes.
...These cameos of everyday life in the Pilbara have been written down, translated and recorded in English. Alexander Brown and Brian Geytenbeek have worked together for ten years to capture the wit, wisdom and vibrancy expressed in these songs.' (Source: Fremantle Press website)


text:
December 12, 2008
we are best known for our audacious, colorful actions, CODEPINK
is proud of the quieter work we do supporting women and mothers
worldwide. Thanks to you, we saved a grieving mother's home from
foreclosure in New York. Thanks to you, we assisted Iraqi refugees
in Jordan and Syria. And this holiday season, we are asking you
to help us assist Iraqi women who have remained inside Iraq, but
have seen their homes, livelihoods and families destroyed as a result
of our occupation and the violence it unleashed.
year, we sent $10,000 to the Women
& Knowledge Society in Iraq. Our dear sister Rashad sent us
a report on the projects they had undertaken with our support, helping
over 30 dispossessed widows set up small businesses in their homes.
Whether it was by providing a sewing machine, fabric and thread
that allowed a woman to become a seamstress, or a bread oven and
a gas cylinder that created a home bakery, our donations gave these
women, all of them the heads of their households, a way to feed
themselves and their children (see
full account here).
Rashad wrote, "The Women & Knowledge
Society is grateful to CODEPINK Women for Peace and its members
for raising the funds that made these projects possible. We are
only saddened by our inability to help the hundreds of thousands
of impoverished Iraqi women who need assistance." This
year, with your assistance, we
will help more women financially as we work to end the
occupation that has so devastated their lives.
you give to CODEPINK, 25% of
your donation will go to the Women & Knowledge Society in Iraq
so they can continue their vital work. Click
here to send your tax-deductible donation today.
Another way to spread the CODEPINK
word is by sending our vibrant
Hope cards or by donating
to CODEPINK in friends' and loved ones' names.
This weekend you can also carry the peace agenda to an Obama party
in your community. These "Change is Coming"
parties, held 12/12-12/14, make it possible to reach out beyond
your own circle and to make sure ending the occupation of Iraq is
high on the list, as we push Obama to fulfill his campaign promises.
here to find or create an event in your area.
Thank you for promoting peace and supporting women around the globe.
With gratitude, Audrey, Dana, Deidra, Desiree, Farida, Gael,
Gayle, Jean, Jodie, Liz, Lori, Medea, Nancy, Paris, and Rae
to help CODEPINK and Iraqi women
an Obama party this weekend
for your inaugural ticket on our E-Bay auction!
us for the inauguration
No To War Toys this Holiday Season
out the CODEPINK Store &
get your holiday gift packages!
from this list
CODEPINK is a women-initiated grassroots peace and social justice movement working to end U.S. funded wars and occupations, to challenge militarism globally, and to redirect our resources into health care, education, green jobs and other life-affirming activities. The name CODEPINK satirized the Bush Administration's color-coded, fear-mongering "security" alert system that has since been phased out. CODEPINK is a lively call for the people of the world to "wage peace." More...


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Big Elephant Head Wall Hook - coral - Sample piece 2
€19.50 €39.00
This Elephant Wall Hook maintains a perfect shape. Its imperfect due to some discolourations on the wood, which are natural.
Can be used as a wall decor or as a hook from which to hang items.
Free shipping in Europe on orders over €55. Ships within 2 working days and shipment takes 3-5 working days.
Check whether we ship to your country
- material: natural wood painted
- dimensions: 20cm long x 15cm tall
Each animal head hook is a whimsical, functional take on the traditional wood carving found across Africa. Every animal head is individually hand-crafted by Bangwe Carvers out of wood, making it 100% unique. Imperfections should be expected and simply add to the charm of your handmade wall hook.


text:
Kiev 4 is a well known
Russian (Ukrainian to be politically correct) Contax III copy. It was
the third Kiev model equipped with a light meter. This was a long running
production model - with some slight changes Arsenal factory in Kiev produced
it from 1957 to 1980. Kiev-4 is very similar to its predecessor - Kiev
IIIa, but it adopted some features of the postwar Contax IIIa - a more
compact light meter housing and a simplified meter dials / rewind knob.
The lens was also modernized - the aperture dial was engraved on both
sides of the lens, so the setting is visible regardless of the lens position.
The aperture was set in the fixed (with stop-clicks) position. And, of
course, the name was changed to Jupiter-8M. All these changes made a proven
Contax design more convenient to use.
There were two major Kiev-4 variations
- the original Kiev-4 (1957-1974) and the Kiev-4 type 2 (1974-1980). In
the Kiev-4 type 2 the Arsenal engineers finally admitted that the top
speed of the shutter was seldom as fast as 1/1250, and a more realistic
1/1000 was engraved as a top speed.
This Kiev-4 was made in 1963,
it is a type 1 model.
The camera comes with a clean
leather case.
As well as any Soviet Contax copy,
the Kiev-4 is a rugged and precision camera, equipped with a great lens.
It is capable of taking advantage of modern films, and is simply a
great fun to use.
? 2001
Text and photograph
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