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Ministry of Sound.
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Theme Updates
Theme Information
- Current Version Number
- 7.2
- Current Version Release Date
- 11 April 2019
- Umbraco Versions Tested
- 7.7.2 to 7.15.4
- Browser support
- IE9, IE10, IE11, Microsoft Edge, Firefox, Safari (latest), Chrome (latest), Opera (latest)
|Update to ~/bin/USNStarterKit.dll. Fix issue which occurred when additional Reusable Pods Folder added, pods couldn't be selected. Update to dashboard logic to allow database queries to execute when using a MySQL database. New selection options added to USN.Options datatype.
|Update to ~/bin/Mailchimp.dll. Version updated from 22.214.171.124 to 126.96.36.199
|Update to ~/App_Plugins/USN.BackgroundOptions/. Improved visual indication of background position picker.
|Update to ~/App_Plugins/USN.Options/. Added new icon shape options.
|Update to ~/App_Plugins/USN.Dashboard/ . Minor update to close loading indicator if error occurs pulling back data.
|Update to ~/App_Code/USNControllers/USNContactFormSurfaceController.cs, ~/App_Code/USNModels/USNContactFormViewModel.cs, ~/Views/Partials/USNForms/USN_ContactForm.cshtml, ~/Views/Partials/USNStandardComponents/USN_SC_Form.cshtml. Display compact reCaptcha if contact form used within a reusable pod.
|Update to ~/Views/Partials/USNWebsiteHeadSection/USN_SEOPageHead.cshtml, removal of GoogleBusinessLink field from Global Settings Document Type. Google Business pages no longer supported by Google.
|Update to ~/Views/Partials/USNForms/USN_ContactForm.cshtml, ~/Views/Partials/USNForms/USN_NewsletterSignup.cshtml. Fix issue where content sections not displayed if only secondary header present.
|Update to ~/Views/Partials/USNMiscPageElements/USN_SearchResults.cshtml. Update search term clean up to remove invalid search characters.
|Significant update to Navigation and Blog Author Document Type to use Nested Content for managing social icons. Files, Document Types and Data Type updates:
Changed fields within Navigation Document Type
Changed fields within Blog Author Document Type
New Document Type Social Links
New Data Type USN Icon Shape
New Data Type USN Nested SocialLinks
New Icon crop size added to USN Image Cropper Data Type.
|Update to ~/Views/Partials/Forms/Themes/uSkinned/. Updated uSkinned theme folder to use latest default theme changes. Umbraco Forms version 7.1.1.
|Update to ~/Views/Partials/USNStandardPageComponents/USN_SC_Form.cshtml. Add default scripts when Umbraco Form selected. Fixes issue with Date Picker not being displayed.
|Update to ~/Views/Partials/USNStandardPageComponents/USN_SC_Resources.cshtml. Fix issue if internal resource file added to component and then deleted via Media section.
|All custom Data Types provided with uSkinned theme now organised into USN Data Types folder.
|Update to ~/css/usn-global.css, ~/css/usn-global.min.css, ~/scss/usn-modules/_usn-base.scss. Fix filter image issue on iOS.
|Update to ~/views/partials/usnmiscpageelements/usn_componentintro.cshtml,
Fix issue where content sections not displayed if only secondary header present.
|Update to ~/views/partials/usnforms/usn_contactform.cshtml. Fix Last name field placeholder text.
|Update to ~/app_code/usnbusinesslogic/usnregisterevents.cs, ~/bin/usnstarterkit.dll. Examine events moved out of usnstarterkit.dll.
|Update to ~/views/usnsitemapxml.cshtml. Include blog category pages in sitemap.xml.
|Update to ~/App_Plugins/USN.Dashboard/views/dashboard.html. Fix all recent activity to bring back correct list.
|Update to ~/bin/USNStarterKit.dll. Fix blog listing issue to bring back correctly paged posts.
|Update to USN_MainImage.cshtml. Fix caption layout.
|Update to usn-global.css, usn-global.min.css, _usn-palette.scss, _usn-layout.scss. Fix minor layout issues.
|Update to USN_SWP_ImagePod.cshtml. Disable link if lightwindow disabled and no link added in CMS.
|Update to USN_SearchResults.cshtml. Hide page if page hidden from navigation and content is found on a page component.
|Update to USN_AC_Window.cshtml. Fix error if no windows added.
|Update to USN_AC_Banner.cshtml. Fix video fill issue for all video dimensions.
|The performance update!! This update includes a heap of code optimisations aimed at improving site performance especially in the blog. The changes we have made will also allow us to roll out updates across all themes faster.
|Update to usn-global.css, usn-global.min.css, _usn-nav.scss. Fix main navigation issue with sub navigation not working on IE and Edge browsers.
|Update to USN_ComponentIntro.cshtml, USN_ComponentOutro.cshtml, USN_SC_Links.cshtml, USN_SC_SubpageListing.cshtml. Fix null link issue if an internal page is selected then deleted.
|Update to USN_AC_Window.cshtml. Color of secondary heading set by component color instead of window color.
|Update to USN_SC_FeaturedBlogPosts.cshtml. Post heading taken from component rather than post item.
|Update to USN_SC_FeaturedBlogPosts.cshtml, usn-global.css, usn-global.min.css, _usn-spc.scss. Fix layout issue at certain responsive break points.
|Major rebuild of Source theme containing new features and code improvements.
|Update to USNContactFormSurfaceController.cs and USNNewsletterSignupSurfaceController.cs. HttpUtility.JavascriptStringEncode used to output all dynamic JavaScript. Solves issues of error message not being displayed if message contains JavaScript escape characters.
|Update to USNAdvancedPageBlogPost.cshtml. Added missing FooterScripts section containing Disqus comment count script.
|Update to USN_AC_BannerSection.cshtml, USN_AC_CarouselSection.cshtml, USN_AC_PodSection.cshtml, USN_AC_TabbedListingSection.cshtml, USN_AC_TextVideoOrImageSection.cshtml, USN_AC_WindowSection.cshtml, USN_BlogAuthorship.cshtml, USN_BlogListing.cshtml, USN_BlogListItem.cshtml, USN_MainImage.cshtml, USN_StandardPageHeaderSection.cshtml, USN_SWP_ImagePod.cshtml, USN_SWP_VideoPod.cshtml, USN_SC_GallerySection.cshtml, USN_SC_SlideshowSection.cshtml. Image crops now using new crop alias to give maximum control over image crops.
|New Data Type USN Image Cropper. This replaces the default Image Cropper used for umbracoFile on Image Media Types. Provides maximum control over how images of each size used across the site are cropped.
|Update to USN_SubPageListing.cshtml. Fixed issue where pages that have been hidden from navigation are still displayed in the sub page listing.
|New Data Type USN Rotate Speed. Used for autoRotateSpeed property on Document Types 'Banner Section', 'Carousel Section' and 'Slideshow Section'. Update to USN_AC_BannerSection.cshtml, USN_AC_CarouselSection.cshtml and USN_SC_SlideshowSection.cshtml to recognise new property. Provides nicer editor experience on these Document Types.
|New option 'Hide from search engines' added to the 'Properties' tab of all pages. If selected a 'noindex' meta tag is added to the page.
|All page components with repeating elements updated to use the new Umbraco List View feature.
|New option 'Image order' added to the 'Window Section' component allowing you to decide if larger or smaller images should appear first.
|Update to Newsletter Signup Sitewide Pod to fix issue with signups not working.
|Update to layout.css and application.js to fix issue with navigation staying open on touch devices.
|Update to USN_AC_BannerSection.cshtml. Changed position of scroll prompt. Solved issue with scroll prompt being hidden if no text or buttons added to banner.
|Update to USN_TabbedListingSection.cshtml. Only show tabs when more than one listing page selected
|Update to USNAdvancedPage.cshtml, USNAdvancedPageBlogPost.cshtml, USNBlogLandingPage.cshtml, USNLoginPage.cshtml, USNSearchResultsPage.cshtml, USNSitemapPage.cshtml, USNStandardPage.cshtml, USNStandardPageBlogPost.cshtml. Include logic to add custom classes to body tag if entered in CMS.
|Update to USN_AC_ThumbnailSlider.cshtml, USN_SC_GallerySection.cshtml. Change functionality to disable link to image if no link has been entered and lightwindow has been disabled.
|USN_TopNavigation.cshtml renamed to USN_SecondaryNavigation.cshtml
|Update to USN_BlogMeta.cshtml. Remove link from author name if no link entered in CMS.
|Update to USNMaster.cshtml. Tilda added before all references to local stylesheets and javascript files.
|Update to USNInstaller.dll. Added logic to create Template hierarchy when package installed.
|Update to USNStarterKit.dll. Change logic that displays Vimeo video in liqhtwindow so that this works when website is served via https.
Issue with header rendering. Following files updated:
|Major rebuild. See our blog post for further details.
|Package installation actions no longer supported on Umbraco Cloud. Installation process moved to ensure that uSkinned Themes are now fully compatible with Umbraco Cloud.
|Update to USN_BlogDisqusCommentCountScript.cshtml to reference Disqus using protocol relative URL.
|Update to USN_SearchResults.cshtml to remove unnecessary sort.
|Package installation actions moved to App_Code folder. Resolves issue with package installation not completing on Umbraco Cloud.
|USNStarterKitDataResolvers.dll added to package. Required for syncing data created by uSkinned Data Types with Umbraco Cloud deployments.
|Introduction of Domain Licensing
|Update to USN_SC_AccordionTabSection.cshtml. Fix issue with IE9 which resulted in accordion not opening.
|Update to USN_AC_PodSection.cshtml. Changed logic around the display of the introduction heading so that outer div is not displayed if content is empty.
|Update to USN_HeaderImageSection.cshtml. Changed logic around the display of this section so that outer div is not displayed if section not used.
|Update to USN_AC_TextVideoOrImageSection.cshtml and Document Type Text/Video or Image Section. New property added for displaying 'Light window footer' text.
|Update to USN_BlogAuthorship.cshtml, layout.css and Document Type Blog Author. New property added for displaying 'Author image'.
|Update to USN_LoginForm.cshtml, USNLoginPage.cshtml, USNLoginFormSurfaceController.cs, USNLoginFormViewModel.cs. This update improves functionality around membership login so that if a user is browsing a page inside a password protected area and their session times out, they will be redirected to the correct page on logging back in.
|Update to USNDataService.cs. Removed unused methods.
|Update to USN_AC_SignupSubpageListingSection.cshtml. Wrong property used for page summary text.
|Update to USN_ContentColumnStyle.cshtml, USN_PodAndNavColumn.cshtml to fix issue with responsive layout for some scenarios.
|Update to USN_Breadcrumb.cshtml. Add active class to month name when viewing month listing. Fixes small styling issue.
|Update to USN_HeaderImageSection.cshtml. Fix error when no banner style selected.
|Update to USN_AC_BannerSection.cshtml. Fix error when no banner style selected.
|Update to USN_SC_AccordionTabSection.cshtml, USN_SC_Alert.cshtml, USN_SC_Blockquote.cshtml, USN_SC_CodeSection.cshtml, USN_SC_GallerySection.cshtml, USN_SC_LinksSection.cshtml, USN_SC_SlideshowSection.cshtml, USN_SC_TextSection.cshtml. This update fixes a minor layout issue when Standard Components are added to Standard Blog Post pages.
|Update to Document Type USNGlobalSettings and USN_FooterSocialLinks.cshtml to add link options for Behance and SoundCloud.
|Update to Document Type USNBlogAuthor and USN_BlogAuthorship.cshtml to add social links option.
|Update to layout.css and /images/icons/social.png to include new social icons.
|Update to /App_Code/USNBusinessLogic/USNRegisterEvents.cs. Fix error when attempting to delete an unpublished node.
|Update to /scripts/application.js. Fix minor issue when using scroll prompt on standard pages header section. Scroll position not correct.
|Update to /css/layout.css. Minimum height added to banners for better readability across screen sizes.
|Update to USNMaster.cshtml. Missing reference to /css/ie.css
Using IE9 browser, animated elements will not display without this fix.
|Major rebuild. For further details read our blog post.
|Update to USN_BlogAuthorship.cshtml to fix issue with author name getting displayed incorrectly on blog post page.
|Update to USN_Breadcrumb.cshtml to remove category folder from being included in link structure when viewing a category listing and remove post folder being included in link structure when viewing a blog post.
|Update to USN_BlogMeta.cshtml to fix category alignment if Disqus username not entered.
|Update to USN_BlogCategoryNavigation.cshtml so that icon only displayed on subcategories.
|Update to DataService.cs and PostService.cs. Fix list caching bug if more than one blog is present on website.
|Blog Category and Blog Author moved from Website Configuration folder to below the blog landing page. This update allows for multiple Blog sections to be added to your website if required. This update required changes to USN_BlogListing.cshtml, USN_BlogCategoryNavigation.cshtml, USN_SEOPageHead.cshtml
|Way in which Global Settings node is referenced changed in following files: USN_FooterQuickLinks.cshtml, USN_MainNavigation.cshtml, USN_TopNavigation.cshtml, USN_SitewidePods.cshtml, USN_SC_ListSection.cshtml, USN_FooterContactInformation.cshtml, USN_FooterScripts.cshtml, USN_FooterSocialLinks.cshtml, USN_HeaderScripts.cshtml, USN_Icons.cshtml, USN_InternalStyles.cshtml, USN_SEOPageHead.cshtml, USN_WebsiteLogo.cshtml
|Update to rteditor.css. With Umbraco 7.3.0 stylesheets are no longer stored in the database. Custom styles require specific comment format in order to work when using Formats dropdown in Rich Text Editor Data Type.
|Updated package installer and App_Code/USNBusinessLogic/RegisterEvent.cs. ContentService now called using ApplicationContext.Current.Services.ContentService rather than new ContentService() which no longer exists in 7.3.0
|Update to USN_SC_GallerySection.cshtml to fix bug when thumbnail image selected for video.
|Update to USN_SWP_VideoPod.cshtml to fix bug when thumbnail image selected for video.
|Updated all partial views to inherit from UmbracoTemplatePage.
|Partial views now organised into logical folders.
|Document types organised into logical parent structure.
|All images now controlled via the media library rather than cropped directly on node.
|All non content managed text that appears on this theme is now controlled via Umbracos Dictionary. This means that it is now very easy to change the language of the theme and provide multi-lingual support if required.
|Instructions label added to Document types with child elements or no properties.
|Removed the need for installation of third party package MultiUrlPicker.
|New custom Data type created to handle links.
|Added carriage returns to property descriptions.
|IsNullString() check on properties replaced with Umbraco.HasValue().
|Tidied code across various partial views,
|New tab added to several document types called 'Component Settings'.
|Updated package installer to work with Umbraco version 7.2.7
|Update to USN_Icons.cshtml. Favicon updated to use Image from CMS.
|Update to USN_APC_SubpageSignupSection.cshtml. Updated to list Advanced Pages if present.
|Package updated to remove images no longer used.
|Frontend reworked and integrated with Bootstrap 3.
|New Advanced Page type.
|New component utilising the new Umbraco Grid Editor control.
|Update to USN_Breadcrumb.cshtml. Breadcrumb enhancement with improvements to rich snippets.
|Update to USN_FooterSocialLinks.cshtml. Fixed incorrect Flickr footer social link.
|Property 'Thumbnail image' on 'Video Pod' Document Type updated to use Image Cropper. Updated USN_SWP_VideoPod.cshtml to recognise new image location.
|Update to USN_PC_GallerySection.cshtml. Lightwindow not active if thumbnail image uploaded for video.
|Update to USN_NewsletterSignup.cshtml and NewsletterSignupSurfaceController.cs. Signup error was targeting wrong div.
|Update to USN_SearchResults.cshtml. Updated to ignore special characters in search term.
|Website logo, favicon and touch icons now controlled via CMS.
|Update to USN_SEOPageHead.cshtml. URL of Open Graph image when applied directly to a page incorrect.
|Update to USN_Sitemap.cshtml to search for pages to be displayed by including specified Document Types rather than excluding specified Document Types.
|Update to Homepage Document Type. Number validation changed to allow blank entries.
|Update to USN_MainNavigation.cshtml to add IsVisible check.
|Update to Document Type Icons that are used for page elements or settings. Orange icon now used to make Umbraco Content tree more visually intuative.
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|Update to USN_PC_GallerySection.cshtml to fix error when lightwindow is disabled.
|Update base.css so that the style "Introduction paragraph" works when applied to spans via the Rich Text Editor.
|Update to USN_FooterSocialLinks.cshtml to fix bug for Instagram link.
|Update to USN_PC_LinkSection.cshtml to fix bug for external links.
|Default content blog categories now assigned correctly
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|Updated package installer to work with Umbraco version 7.2.
|Initial release.
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'Chetan Bhagat opened the doors to commercial fiction...'
Says who? Ashwin Sanghi, the author who has been hailed as India's Dan Brown and called the master of historical noir.
His three bestselling novels -- The Rozabal Line, Chanakya's Chant and Krishna Key -- mythological thrillers set in India were absolute page-turners.
Riding high on the success of his past endeavours, comes Private India, his first collaborative novel co-written with renowned American novelist James Patterson.
The eighth installment of Patterson's Private series in which ace sleuth Jack Morgan collaborates with local detectives from various nations, Private India is a first for Sanghi on more than one count -- unlike his past novels, it is based in a more contemporary setting and has no mythological undertones whatsoever.
In this interview, Ashwin Sanghi discusses his new book, his life-altering decision of turning a writer at 35 and why he has NEVER experienced writers' block.
How did this new book come about?
James Patterson's publisher in London had read my previous books.
So when he told them that his next thriller had to be set in India, they asked me if I was interested in collaborating on a book.
My previous books had been thrillers but with theological/mythological twists to them; this was an out-and-out, contemporary crime thriller.
When James learnt of my reservations, he told his publishers to convey to me that I could come up with my own storyline, which was great because I was getting a chance to use everything that had excited me, into the book.
What was James Patterson's contribution to the book?
I wrote the plotline but it underwent substantial edits from him.
There develops a certain method to the madness that is thriller-writing, so we were constantly throwing ideas around like, 'hey, should we throw in this clue here, let's amplify this character trait a bit, can this particular crime be here or can it occur later?'
So a lot of ideas went back and forth between us and then I proceeded to write the first draft, which was followed by a second draft written by him and so on.
It was a very collaborative effort in that sense.
What's collaborating with another author on a book like?
People tell me, 'Oh, you two are such different writers. Here you are -- delving into ancient mysteries, complex supernatural phenomena, and here is someone who deals in crime manuals and police procedures…'
So how does east meet west?
I've always maintained that if you're singing in a choir, and if everyone has the same voice, resonance/frequency, then it won't be a harmony.
It's only when the voices and frequencies are different, that you get a harmony. The critical element there, however, is that they have to coordinate.
So what we did in order to coordinate is, we spent a lot more time on plot-lining than we did on the writing because that's when most of the decisions about the story are taken.
If the plotline has been made, writing becomes effortless.
However, when you're writing on your own, you're allowed to make deviations from said plotline. You can't do that on a collaborative project.
Please click NEXT to continue reading
Image: Ashwing Sanghi, author of Private India
'Our publishing industry was interested in finding the next Arundhati Roy, the next Amitav Ghosh, the next Salman Rushdie...'
We have had a number of engineering grads and MBAs (such as you) who have turned to writing and churning out bestsellers in India.
And from what we can tell, the trend is here to stay. What, according to you, has triggered it?
I wish there was an easy answer to this but I'll tell you what I think.
For a long time in the Indian publishing scene, there was a certain amount of intellectual arrogance, a literary punditry, as it were.
So after Satyajit Ray created a terrific character in the form of sleuth Feluda, then there was nothing.
Oddly enough, since India has had a rich tradition of storytelling, we didn't have anything else of that sort since then, through the 1970s, 80s and the 90s.
I mean, we could have had our own Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, Nancy Drew and Miss Marple…
But we didn't because our publishing industry was interested in finding the next Arundhati Roy, the next Amitav Ghosh, the next Salman Rushdie…
However, all of that changed with the arrival of Chetan Bhagat. It's not always about the writing; it's also about stories that appeal to people.
Storytelling, in that sense, is more important than writing. Personally, I've always seen myself as a storyteller, not a writer.
If I am to narrate a story to you, I don't have to use fancy words or impeccable artistry of language.
The storytelling tradition is now coming back, rather than the wizardry of literary excellence.
You don't read an Ashwin Sanghi book for literary excellence; you read it for a great story, a page turner.
Coming back to a certain kind of writers now venturing in the commercial space -- they aren't just good writers but they are also people who know how to market themselves.
That's the reason why you notice people like Chetan, Amish (Tripathi, writer of the bestselling Meluha series), among others.
Speaking of Chetan Bhagat, what is your opinion of him, considering the polarising effect he has on Indian readers?
I have the greatest respect for CB. I say that because if it wasn't for him, we wouldn't have had popular fiction among us at present.
We'd have continued with a few books that come out quietly, win some awards but no one reads them.
So Chetan Bhagat opened the doors to commercial fiction for many more people. It created an alternative.
In my growing up years as a voracious reader, I would read Tolstoy and Charles Dickens, and when I was tired in the evenings, I'd pick up a James Headley Chase.
Why can't the two coexist? That makes the literary landscape a lot more interesting, no?
If we can have an Umraao Jaan and a Humshakals coexist in the entertainment industry, why not the same sort of balance in the literary world?
Where did you pick up your knack for storytelling from?
It started with my Nanaji (maternal grandfather). He was from Kanpur (in Uttar Pradesh).
Now people in UP have a way of exaggerating when they are narrating stories. They will take an obscure thing and spice it up -- there may be a kernel of truth in there somewhere, but it's mostly fiction, all made up.
Also, I was a very convincing liar. I could lie through my teeth as a kid without ever being caught and what better qualification does a fiction writer need?
My nanaji used to tell me stories of levitating sadhus, of strange happenings on the banks of the Yamuna river, magic potions that could do things.
I would be captivated for hours with his stories. It was like a page-turner, where you are so captivated by the goings-on in the story, you don't realise when you turned a new page.
Please click NEXT to continue reading
Image: Cover of Ashwin Sanghi's Private India
'Today, I'm sitting on about 10-20 pending story ideas which have come from readers'
What kind of page-turners do you read?
My initiation was very eclectic.
My grand uncle, who owned a huge library, would send me a book every week and I'd respond with a letter the following week, telling him about everything I'd read. It was a ritual that went on for a good 10-15 years of my life.
So he gave me books like Autobiography of a Yogi, then a smattering of classics like War and Peace, also, stuff that was way ahead of my years but probably the old man thought I needed to read.
I read Lolita at 15, which was scandalous. I also received the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam from him. So it really was a wide spectrum of books.
Then, my mother would read bestsellers like Sidney Sheldon, Jeffrey Archer, Robert Ludlam, and passed on the books to me when she was done.
That's where I developed an appetite for page-turners, I think.
You have a very prominent social media presence. What are your plans for your blog, considering no one blogs anymore?
I maintain a blog in order to keep my readers updated about upcoming events around my books but I tweet actively myself, unlike other authors who have outsourced that job to social media consultants.
In fact, some of my best story ideas have come from Twitter, where after I have come out with a book, readers have told me, by way of tweets, emails, 'Your book's nice, have you considered this (presumably an offshoot from the last book's premise).
When was the last time that happened?
When The Rozabal Line came out, someone got back to me and said, "Hey this is great; you've explored mythologies and religions that might have been influenced by Hinduism but, could you also relate Hinduism to history?
In the sense that how did Hinduism came into being? Of which the genesis was my next book The Krishna Key.
Today, I'm sitting on about 10-20 pending story ideas which have come from readers.
I also get a lot of feedback that helps me improve my writing.
When I'm told a certain book could have been more tightly edited, or that a certain reader was let down by the ending of a story, it helps me do a better job with my next book.
While we are on the topic of popular fiction and how reader feedback improves your writing, do you think writers of this genre feel the pressure to come up with stuff that her/his target reader will approve of/accept, besides realising their own artistic sensibilities?
I don't think so.
It'll become a pressure if you choose it to be so. My personal view is that marketing and targeting should not factor in your plans when you are developing your story.
When you're writing the story, it should purely be about that, nothing more.
You'll rarely come up with something creative if you let marketing considerations creep in early on in your story.
See what happened to Bollywood. Marketing has become a part of their screenplay.
What would your advice to aspiring writers be who want to make it in this particular genre?
I believe that breaking through into the world of writing is a trial by fire. For someone who is starting out, getting noticed is difficult, it's a pain.
Publishing houses and literary agents are swamped with new, 'original' manuscripts.
So you're basically setting yourself up for rejection and subsequent dejection. Some of the great writers give up very quickly.
So to my mind, the bestselling authors of our times aren't necessarily the best writers.
They were the thick-skinned ones who persisted to get their work published.
All the initial no's just bounced off their thick skins.
While you dedicate a large part of your days to writing, you're still involved in your family business in a significant way. How do you plan your days, considering the kind of unwavering discipline writing demands?
I wrote my first book when I was 35; I'm 45 now.
Another change that has happened in the last ten years is that I was fundamentally a businessman who also wrote. Now it's the other way round.
Unlike before, my weekends are now sacred. I have a Monday to Friday work schedule. Weekends are dedicated to my creative process which involves reading, writing or researching.
My 12-hour work days have now shrunk to six hours. My day begins at 5 in the morning. I get up and write till 9. When I'm back from work in the evening, I spend some time with my family and retire to my room to read at 8.
I also take writing sabbaticals of 2-3 weeks every year when I go to a place on my own. It normally happens at the time when I'm nearing the end of a project.
Please click NEXT to continue reading
Image: Author James Patterson with whom Sanghi has collaborated on Private India
'I always have a clear plot outline before I set out to actually write'
Have you ever encountered writers' block?
I'll tell you why.
Most writers start out with a blank page of paper, hoping that things will take their own course.
I always have a clear plot outline before I set out to actually write. The block really happens while framing the plot.
Very little is known about your days at Yale…
I started working for my dad from the age of 15. There'd be nothing to do during summer vacations so he suggested that I learn at the job instead of wasting time.
So one summer I was out under the guidance of an accountant who taught me everything about debit, credit, trial account, among other things; another summer, I was sent off to one of our automobile units where I was told to dismantle a scooter and put it all back together with the help of a curly-haired mechanic.
I did college from (St) Xaviers, and they are famously strict about attendance.
I would attend college in the morning and then head to work. I used to beg the principal to let me go through to the next year because my attendance would be abysmal.
So my life path was sort of pre-determined in that sense. Go to school, graduate in Economics.
Then came the MBA. I was only 19-20. But all the colleges I wrote to said that our average age is 26-27, come back to us after three years, and so on.
Only Yale gave me a deferred admission and said that I could join the next year. So I wrote to the Yale admissions director, telling him that I couldn't wait for a year because if I did, I'd be too involved in what I'd be doing to get back to studying.
So I got a deferred admission the same year. I was the youngest person to have gotten through and graduate from Yale at 22.
I returned to India after that, got married in 7-8 years, had a son. So my life has been ordinary in that sense.
But Yale was very exciting. The school of organising and management, was a very diverse community. There were people from all sorts of professional fields and communities.
If you had an opinion you could be certain that there'd be at least two people with an opposing view. I think that was very important.
Just the ability to stand up and debate, to argue logically was a Yale thing.
So was the habit of paying proper attention to detail.
The level of preparation was immense in the sense that you would prepare a presentation for your class and also pre-empt answers to questions that may have been asked.
Besides that, the whole Yale ecosystem was great. There was the drama society, and famous personalities would visit.
I remember watching one of the first screenings of Silence of the Lambs when Jodie Foster paid us a visit.
I would also go for classes in places that were completely unrelated to business management.
I could go for a play, sit in a class of philosophy and so on.
That's the unique charm of being in such places -- you don't have to just limit yourself to an academic life.
Image: Ashwing Sanghi, author of Private India

subset: commoncrawl


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im always looking for exciting new ways to freshen up breakfast and lunch. sometimes you are in a hurry and don't have time to fix an appropriate meal. frozen waffles are easy, something to grab on the go. thanks to realsimple.com, here's some ways to dress them up:
They're not just for breakfast anymore. Try these delicious ideas for waffle sandwiches.
by Kate Merker
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat. Heat the sandwich, pressing occasionally and flipping once with a spatula, until the waffles turn crisp.
Frozen waffles can be more than just a vehicle for butter and maple syrup. When used to make grilled cheese or panini-style sandwiches, they really are the greatest invention since sliced bread. Using your choice of fillings or any of those below, assemble a sandwich, then follow the directions.
- Bacon, avocado, and Cheddar
- Peanut butter and jelly
- Red onion, black olives, and Feta
- Egg, spinach, and Swiss cheese
- Smoked turkey, watercress, and Brie
- Butter, banana, brown sugar, and cinnamon
- Chocolate bars and marshmallows or Marshmallow Fluff
<3 kt


text:
You are here:
New name check safeguard for payments revealed (October 2018)
- Rules and standards for 'Confirmation of Payee' service released to the market
- New service can help combat Authorised Push Payment fraud
- Research report sets out how users have influenced the design of the service
The workings of a new 'Confirmation of Payee' service which can reduce the risk of payments being sent to the wrong account have been revealed today (Thursday 18 October 2018), by Pay.UK (formerly the New Payment System Operator), the UK's leading retail payment authority.
Currently, the account name is not checked when sending an electronic payment - and fraudsters have become increasingly sophisticated in using this to trick people into sending money to the wrong account.
Confirmation of Payee can help prevent many fraudulent payments from being made in the first place, by introducing another hurdle for fraudsters and giving effective warnings to customers about the risks of sending to an account where the name did not match.
Under a new 'Contingent Reimbursement Model'1 industry code also being introduced in 2019, it is anticipated that any customer who has taken due care and received a positive name match will get greater protection from financial loss, if they are a victim of Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud.
How Confirmation of Payee will work When setting up a new payment, banks will be able to check the name on the account of the person or organisation you are paying. There are three possible outcomes:
If you used the correct account name, you will receive confirmation that the details match, and can proceed with the payment.
No, please check
If you used a similar name to the account holder, you will be provided with the actual name of the account holder to check. You can update the details and try again, or contact the intended recipient to check the details.
No, the name is wrong
If you have entered the wrong name for the account holder you will be told the details do not match and advised to contact the person or organisation you are trying to pay.
The matching decision is made by the intended recipient's bank, as they have the best knowledge about the name of the person or business that is being checked. No matter what the outcome of the name check, the decision on whether to proceed with a payment will always rest with the sending customer - with the risks made clear if they choose to go ahead after receiving a non-match.
Banks, building societies, and other payment providers will be able to roll out Confirmation of Payee during 2019 as a way for their customers to check the name of who they are paying. This will reduce the risk of errors and certain types of fraud, such as 'malicious redirection' invoice scams where, by posing as a legitimate business known to customer, payers are convinced to redirect a payment to an account controlled by the fraudster.
There will still be some types of 'malicious payee' fraud that Confirmation of Payee cannot address – for example, so called 'purchase scams' where someone is tricked into paying in advance for goods that do not exist.
Paul Horlock, Chief Executive of Pay.UK, said:
"Sending a payment with an incorrect sort code or account number is like addressing a letter with the wrong post code. Even if you have used the correct name it won't reach the intended destination – and fraudsters have become increasingly sophisticated in using this to trick people into sending money to the wrong account. "Confirmation of Payee will let you check you have the correct name for the person or business you're paying, giving better protection against certain types of fraud, and helping to stop accidental mistakes too."
As the organisation that runs the UK's retail payment schemes, Pay.UK is responsible for setting the rules and standards that define how providers can implement the Confirmation of Payee service. These rules and standards will sit alongside guidelines that offer insights into how to meet users' needs, in terms of language and customer experience.
The specifications and guidelines for Confirmation of Payee were refined and tested during recent stakeholder and consumer research carried out by an independent research agency on behalf of Pay.UK. The research report, Confirmation of Payee: Understanding consumer and stakeholder perspectives, found the service proposition was generally well received, with emphasis placed on the need for instant verification of results, consistency in messaging and functionality, clarity about liability and extra considerations for vulnerable groups.
Further engagement regarding the guidelines will be undertaken with potential participants during the rest of 2018 to support their implementation plans. The Payment Systems Regulator recently announced it will consult on requiring Payment Service Providers (PSPs) to implement Confirmation of Payee in the first half of 2019.


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The Institute publishes the journal "Literaturna misal" (Literary Thought), founded in 1957, the series "Starobulgarska literatura" (Old Bulgarian Literature), founded in 1971 and "Scripta & e-Scripta": The journal of interdisciplinary mediaeval studies, started in 2003.
Literaturna misal journal has been published by the Institute for Literature since 1957. It is one of the most respectable literary periodicals and is the only Academic journal of literary theory, criticism. history and comparative studies in Bulgaria. Its main priority is the history of Bulgarian literature, but an emphases has been put as well on the achievements of Bulgarian and foreign theoreticians and specialists in the field of comparative studies
The journal is open to different methods and approaches and has provided a platform for reception aesthetics, psychoanalysis, feminism, cognitive science, literary anthropology, cultural studies, an so on. Speaking about this interdisciplinarity one should mark the interest in regional problems of culture, and especially the interest in the multicultural characteristics of the Balkan countries. The journal pays special attention to the literary attainments in the countries of Eastern Europe and seeks to present them thoroughly. There are several special issues devoted to Czech, Polish and Hungarian literary studies.
Literaturna Misal keeps a close watch on the topical debates which are going on in literary studies, trying to promote fresh, controversial ides, very often on the edge and even beyond the leading paradigm. It has initiated several national debates acting as a moderator and balancing among different contradictory positions. The journal invariably maintains a high criterion of scholarly level and innovativity of contributions. It can be said that the journal has been upholding the ground of non-dogmatic thinking even under unfavorable political circumstances.
The editorial board shares the opinion that the journal should always try to challenge the traditional literary conceptions and generalizations of all kinds. This is the general principle of many articles, focused both on traditional and modern literary problems which scrutinize the processes in the field of humanitarian knowledge and the motives of different methodological positions. In this way, the journal enriches the Bulgarian humanitarian studies and opens up broad vistas to new methodological researches.
Editorial board: as. prof. Radosvet Kolarov (editor-in-chief), prof. Nikolai Aretov, as. prof. Penka Vatova(since 2008 the third member is additionally elected). Advisory board: prof. Alexander Shurbanov, prof. Nikola Georgiev, prof. Ognian Saparev, as. prof. Petur Velchev, as. prof. Yordan Vasilev, as. prof. Liliana Grasheva. (Among the members there are representatives of various universities throughout the country). Members of the editorial and advisory boards are elected on the principle that they be prestigious scholars with expertise in various fields, so that they could competently assess the submitted manuscripts. The editorial and the advisory boards are chosen by the Scientific Council.
Each submitted article is read by one editorial board member and when it is disputable, it is read and discussed by the entire editorial board. Members of the advisory board are invited for consultation who orally or in written form express their view points on individual manuscripts.
Through the channels of the Department of international exchanges of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences the 'Literaturna Misal' journal is distributed to major centers of scholarship (libraries, universities and academies) in Europe (Great Britain, France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Croatia, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, Estonia, Finland) and in the USA. It runs a web-page, an electronic version of it is presented in the based in Germany online library CEEOL (http://www.ceeol.com)
The journal has received an Erih-index. It comes out in two volumes per year. The journal has an on-line version at the address: http://ilit.bas.bg/litmis
The series "Starobalgarska literatura" begins with two miscellanies under this name (1971, 1977) which provoked great interest, so since 1978 the edition has become periodical. It publishes research papers in the field of medieval Slavic literature and culture (in the context of the Byzantine and Latin civilizations), editions of unpublished medieval Slavonic literary works and their newly-discovered transcripts, critical reviews, surveys, information on national and international scholarly events on the Middle Ages, current bibliography.
The journal maintains several rubrics (three of them permanent - Research papers, Critical reviews, and Bibliography). The most important published materials belong to the field of literary and cultural history and theory, source studies, textual criticism and source edition. Their authors are leading experts from all Bulgarian scholarly institutions dealing with the medieval period, as well as young scholars. In compliance with the international interest towards the classical period of the history of the Slavic literature and culture, prominent foreign scholars regularly participate in the edition.
Until now are published 34 issues (three of them are double in size and comprise two numbers - 23-24, 25-26, 35-36, 37-38). Volume 39-40 for 2008 is in press.
Members of the editorial board:
Liljana Grasheva (editor-in-chief), Assoc. Research Fellow, PhD, Institute of literature
Main field of research: literary history (medieval Bulgarian literature; Cyryllo-Methodian studies)
Heinz Miklas, Prof., Institute for Slavic Studies, University of Vienna
Main field of research: palaeoslavistics (manuscript study; Old Bulgarian graphic systems; medieval Slavic literature; textual criticism)
Anatolij A. Turilov, Assoc. Research Fellow, PhD, Institute of Slavic and Balkan Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow
Main field of research: literary history (medieval Russian literature and culture; relations among the Slavic literatures in the Middle Ages; Byzantino-Slavic literary contacts)
Ivan Dobrev, corresponding member of the BAS, Prof., DSc, Sofia University
Main field of research: linguistics (Old Bulgarian language; palaeography; textual criticism)
Klimentina Ivanova, Prof., PhD, Cyryllo-Methodian Research Centre
Main field of research: literary history (medieval Orthodox literature and culture ? Bulgarian, Serbian, Russian, Byzantine; textual criticism; archaeography; source study and source edition)
Ana Stoykova, Assoc. Research Fellow, PhD, Institute of literature
Main field of research: literary history (medieval Bulgarian literature; Cyryllo-Methodian studies; Greek and Slavic hagiography; relations between medieval literature and folklore)
Maya Petrova, Research Fellow, PhD, Institute of literature
Main field of research: medieval history (medieval history and culture; medieval Bulgarian literature; Greek and Latin souse study).
"Starobalgarska literatura" publishes articles in Bulgarian and in several international languages - English, German, French and Russian. Since 2005 they are equipped with detailed summaries in English or in Bulgarian.
The articles submitted for publication are distributed between the members of the editorial board and sent for comments to external readers who are experts in the particular field. They are evaluated according to the following principles:
- importance of the research problem;
- importance of the proposed solutions and author's original contributions for medieval research in the field of palaeoslavic studies and in European medieval studies in general;
- presentation or edition of unknown or little-known souse material;
- the degree to which the materials are in step with new developments.
The journal is well-known to the specialists in medieval Slavic studies. It is distributed to more then 60 foreign scholarly institutions and libraries (via subscription and book exchange) in Europe and in the United States. "Starobalgarska literatura" is included in international reference lists, such as ULRICH's Periodicals Directory (http://www.ulrichsweb.com), INION, section "Literary sciences" (http://www.inion.ru/product/eksi_S-c.html) and in the Central and Eastern European Online Library (http://www.ceeol.com). Since 2003 all the articles included in the edition are annotated in the International Medieval Bibliography (IMB), Leeds, Brepols Publishers.
The journal applied to be enrolled in the ERIH (European Reference Index for the Humanities) and waits for the results of the application.
Scripta & e-Scripta. The journal of Interdisciplinary Medieval Studies. Boyan Penev Publishing Centre. Sofia.
№ 1. 2003, 244 p.
№ 2. 2004, 454 p.
№ 3-4. 2006, 422 p.
№ 5. 2007, 296 p.
№ 6. 2008, 434 p.
Scripta & e-Scripta is a new journal dedicated to publishing reports of innovative approaches to the investigation of interdisciplinary issues in medieval studies from a wide range of fields: history, literature, language, information science, art, culturology, anthropology, etc. The journal promotes the analysis of medieval cultural phenomena at multiple levels: the medieval manuscript tradition, textual transmission, sources and their history, text structure, style, etc. The intended audience includes students, teachers, and specialists in all disciplines in medieval studies.
The medieval period is still unquestionably a fundamental component of our cultural heritage. In the present day, technological innovations have revolutionized the practical aspects of medieval studies, creating opportunities for new strategies of interpretation, presentation, publication, and distribution. Scripta & e-Scripta seeks to complement existing academic publications in both medieval studies and humanities computing by providing a forum that is particularly receptive to discussions of the implementation of computer applications in the field of Slavic and Byzantine studies.
The new generation of experts in Slavic, Byzantine, and comparative European medieval studies, who are starting their careers at the beginning of the twenty-first century, enter the field under newly favorable conditions. The corpus of known medieval manuscripts has been enriched significantly in recent decades and the tools of theoretical inquiry have been extended, enabling much more precise analysis. Although scholars sometimes lament a crisis in Slavic and Byzantine studies, and in medieval studies in general, it is nonetheless clear that a considerable number of problems and issues that were debated actively by our predecessors have recently found new and, in many cases, persuasive solutions.
Attitudes toward medieval studies have changed substantially since the early 1990s. New methods of description and publication based on computer-supported processing of manuscripts and texts have recently been tested in many projects in European, Central European, and Byzantine-Slavic studies. An international working team based in the Institute of Literature of BAS has taken a leading role in this process, implementing a series of projects involving the application of computer technologies to medieval Slavic literature and letters (many of the results are visible in www). The idea of designing of digital Repertory of medieval Slavic literature and letters which includes Byzantine sources and applies a generalized standard that makes the materials easily accessible for both scientific and educational purposes, has already been initiated and realized. One of the more important tasks for specialists in humanities in 21 century is to set up databases for bibliography and for archival sources, to develop electronic editions, etc. in order to support rapid and effective access to the information they contain. With this goal editorial board of Scripta is committed to published articles about computer applications in humanities, and these have a permanent place in the journal.
Journal content: Scripta & e-Scripta contains articles, book reviews, and news about the projects and activities of the Commission for Computer Processing of Medieval Slavic Manuscripts and Early Printed Books of the International Commitee of Slavists (established in 1998). Articles will include surveys of research (Forschungsberichte), discussion of theoretical and practical approaches to medieval studies, and descriptions of new projects and resources. The editorial board hopes to stimulate and encourage professional research on the written heritage of the Middle Ages, from late Antiquity to the beginning of the eighteenth century. Archeological reports are not accepted, but papers that use archeological evidence, as well as articles based on all kinds of historical sources and methods of research, are welcome. A regular section titled "Debuts" will include first publications by graduate students and young specialists. Reviews and annotations of new books in the field of medieval studies are included.
Regularity: Scripta & e-Scripta appears once a year.
Acceptance of materials: Scripta & e-Scripta accepts submissions in English, German, French, and Russian, and requires one-paragraph abstracts in Bulgarian. Authors should also submit brief biographical statements to be published alongside articles. Texts are printed only after peer review (anonymous) of two specialist, outside the editorial board, and one of the editorial board.
Editorial board:
Slavia Barlieva (Classic Philology, Cyril and Methodius Research Center, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Bulgaria), David J. Birnbaum (Computer Humanities, Slavic Philology, Pittsburgh University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA), Ralph Cleminson (Slavic Philology, University of Portsmouth, United Kingdom), Sergej Ivanov (History, Byzantine Studies, Institute of Slavic Studies, Moscow, Russian Federation), Gabor Klaniczay (Medieval Studies, Central European University, Budapest, Hungary), Sebastian Kempgen (Slavic Studies, Bamberg University, Germany), Anissava Miltenova (Slavic Studies, Institute of Literature, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria), Elissaveta Mussakova (Art Studies, Archeography and Palaeography, National Library SS Cyril and Methodius, Sofia, Bulgaria), Tatjana Slavova (Linguistics, Slavic Studies, St. Clement of Ohrid University, Sofia, Bulgaria), Margaret Dimitrova (Linguistics, Slavic Studies, St. Clement of Ohrid University, Sofia, Bulgaria).
Dissemination: in the Institute of Literature, in the bookstore of BAS, after subscription and on line: http://www.ceeol.com/
The Institute publishes also a Bibliographical bulletin Publications of the Institute for Literature.
№ 1. 2003, 71 p.
№ 2. 2004, 103 p.
№ 3. 2005, 96 p.
№ 4. 2006, 79 p.
№ 5. 2007, 90 p.
№ 6. 2008, 79 p.
The Bulletin for bibliography contains publications of the Institute of Literature, and an exhaustive classified bibliography of the Institute members, in printed and electronic editions. The items are sorted according to the following sources hierarchy: monographies, reference books, bibliographies, miscellanies, series, periodicals, and newspapers. It also contains sources and authors indexes.
Compilers and editors: Yonka Naydenova, PhD, Diana Raleva, Nelma Valcheva.
Regularity: The bulletin appears once a year.
Dissemination: in the Institute for Literature, through St. St. Cyril and Methodius National Library and also on line - on the site of the Institute: http://www.ilit.bas.bg/.
In the past, the Institute published the following periodicals:
- Izvestija na Instituta za literatura (News from the Institute of Literature) (1948-1972).
- Literaturna istorija (Literary History). 17 volumes appeared between 1977 and 1988.
- Sravnitelno literaturoznanie (Comparative Literary Studies). 9 volumes appeared between 1982 and 1989.


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Madrid Hotel Mapper Deals
Hotels in Madrid, Spain
Madrid Hotel Guide & Local Info
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The city is a tourists dream with one of the most packed calendars of concerts, museums, festivals, shows, sports events and exhibitions in the world. Must see sites include the Plaza Mayor and the Royal Palace which are in the center. Madrid has a plethora of historic structures that served as some of the city´s last vestiges of medieval times including the Plaza de la Paja, Plaza de San Andrés, Costanilla de San Pedro and Calle del Cordón, and the Plaza de la Villa. There is so much to see and do in the city, that one could easily spend weeks or months visiting all of what this enchanting city has to offer, and don't forget to grab some tapas (appetizers); Some restaurants even bring them without even asking!


text: What's on Events listing Cancelled Archaeology of Bradgate Guided Walk Because the land at Bradgate has never been subject to modern farming methods, traces of its 15,000 year history of human occupation still remain and are now yielding up their secrets to archaeologists. Join a Bradgate Park Ranger for a journey through the Park's extensive and varied archaeology – from the Stone Age to the Second World War.A highlight of the walk will be the Late Upper Paleolithic site at Little Matlock, one of only two of its type ever discovered in the UK. Meet at 1pm at the main Park Entrance at Newtown Linford Car Park LE6 0HB Duration of Walk – approx. 1 ½ - 2 hours. Pre-booking is essential for this event as places are limited. Tickets are £7.50 and can also be booked from the Visitor Centre or by calling 0116 236 2713 extension 25 between 11.00 and 15.30 This walk will involve walking over uneven and potentially weather affected ground, it will take place irrespective of weather conditions. Appropriate clothing and footwear are therefore recommended. Car Parking charges apply at £4 and are not included in ticket price. Dogs are allowed but must be held on leads at all times during this walk. Please be aware, we have volunteer photographers who record events on behalf of the Park, the images may be used for Park Archives and for future marketing purposes for example via our website and social media. See our Terms and Conditions See our Privacy Policy The Tickets for this event have now all been SOLD OUT. Contact the Visitor Centre on 0116 236 2713 extension 25 between 11.00 and 15.30pm to see if there are any cancellations or check the website for other opportunities of a similar nature.


text:
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text:
Underground movement
The devastating tsunami of 2004 focused international attention on the shifting of major landmasses—a subject for which Professor Chris Scotese is known worldwide
The sequence of maps from a computer simulation by Professor Chris Scotese illustrates plate motions and sea level changes during the last 400 million years.
Chris Scotese calls himself an Earth historian, a maker of maps that illustrate how geography and climate have changed the planet over millions of years.
"It's the scientific equivalent of inventing a time machine," says Dr. Scotese, a professor in The University of Texas at Arlington's Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences.
His mapmaking interest traces to a childhood fascination with dinosaurs. As an undergraduate in the 1970s, his focus turned to biogeography, the study of how animal life has been distributed on Earth throughout its history. But he couldn't find maps that showed how plate movements affected this distribution.
So he created his own.
"My generation was the first to be taught about plate tectonics as undergraduates," he says. "This theory had only been around for about six years at the time I became interested in making maps showing the movements of the continents."
According to plate tectonics, Earth's outermost layer, the lithosphere, divides into seven large crustal blocks and several minor crustal blocks called plates. Scientists recognized that these plates existed from information gathered during the 1960s and '70s about the nature of the ocean floor, Earth's magnetic forces, the location and distribution of volcanoes and the heat flow from Earth's interior core, and the distribution of fossils worldwide.
The plates are in constant flux, moving in different directions and at various speeds. The distance they move ranges from two centimeters to 10 centimeters annually—about the speed that human hair or nails grow.
Although they travel slowly, the plates move with great force, at times crashing into and scraping past each other, much like cars in a demolition derby. Where the plates collide and one moves beneath the other is called a subduction zone. Result: earthquakes.
When this happens, land is raised up. The Himalayas, for example, resulted from the collision of India with Asia. Earthquakes like those that recently occurred in Indonesia are the result of the subduction of the Indian Ocean beneath the islands of Sumatra and Java.
Volcanic action under the ocean adds newly molten lava to the seafloor at the places where plates meet, causing the oceans to widen where the new material erupts. When landmasses drift apart, the separating plates carry them away. The Atlantic Ocean was created this way.
As a result of the ongoing plate movement, Earth's geography is constantly, slowly changing. Viewed over millions of years, the changes are considerable, affecting the distribution of plant and animal life.
Tsunamis, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions
Scotese is reconstructing the tectonic history of the Pacific plate. He and Professor Michelle Kominz of Western Michigan University have received a $250,000 National Science Foundation grant for the study.
"The Pacific Ocean, which is the largest ocean, lies above one of the largest and oldest plates, the Pacific plate," Scotese explains. "Because the Pacific plate is so large and so old, it has had a tremendous impact on Earth history. It played a role in the formation of both the Rocky Mountains and Andes Mountains, and changes in how fast it moves have caused sea level fluctuations that sometimes exceeded 200 meters."
His maps show how plate tectonic movements have formed and broken apart continents, created mountains and oceans, and been responsible for earthquakes, volcanic activity—and tsunamis.
Numerous media outlets sought out Scotese following the tsunami that struck Dec. 26, 2004, in the Indian Ocean. The undersea earthquake was among the deadliest disasters in modern history, killing more than 200,000 people.
"The process that triggers a tsunami is the same subduction process that forms mountains and volcanoes," he says. "My maps show how subduction has been going on in that area for hundreds of millions of years—earthquakes are not unusual there."
Geologists know that earthquakes occur along subduction zones but can't predict the conditions that will cause a tsunami. Warning systems that alert to a potential tsunami following an earthquake have been implemented in the Pacific Ocean region, where most of the plate tectonic/earthquake activity occurs. But funding hasn't been available for such a system for the Indian Ocean countries. Scotese says that since the 2004 tsunami, the United Nations is considering funding a system for the region.
Unlike major earthquakes or tsunamis, scientists are better able to predict volcanic eruptions because the movement of magma beneath the volcano triggers swarms of small earthquakes that have a distinctive seismic pattern.
"Mount St. Helen's has gotten a lot of attention during the past 20 years, but there's a larger volcano under Yellowstone National Park," Scotese says. "The hot springs are warmed by molten material below the surface."
Although the volcanic activity beneath Yellowstone is large, there's apparently no danger of an eruption any time soon.
"According to scientific research, the volcano below Yellowstone National Park has erupted three times during the past two million years. That's about once every 600,000 years."
Though the last major eruption was about 600,000 years ago and another is due, Scotese says not to worry. "The error margins on these calculations are thousands of years."
High-tech maps teach millions
Scotese's undergraduate research coincided with the early use of mainframe computers. The first software he developed to make plate tectonic maps, or "paleomaps," utilized Fortran programs on punch cards. His lifetime of research evolved into the Paleomap Project, which is recognized worldwide as a resource for students and teachers of Earth history.
Today, at www.scotese.com, full-color 3-D interactive computer animations depict Earth's history. Rotating globes show the ancient mountain ranges and shorelines, active plate boundaries and the extent of paleoclimatic belts. Each era can be viewed separately, and the science behind the maps and animations is explained.
The globes can be manipulated, rotated and seen from different angles. For two years, Scientific American has selected the Web site as one of the Fifty Best Science Education sites in the world. In the past six years, it has welcomed more than 30 million visitors.
"Dr. Scotese's work is known everywhere in the world. Everybody who examines these kinds of problems uses his maps," said Robert Stern, professor and head of the Department of Geosciences at UT Dallas. "He's interested in showing the planet the way it would look to a time traveler who came back and looked at Earth's surface. He shows what the surface really looked like."
Dozens of museums feature Scotese's maps, including the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., the American Museum of Natural History in New York, the Field Museum in Chicago and museums in Europe and Asia, as well as the Dallas Museum of Natural History and Fort Worth Museum of Nature & Science. His work has been featured on PBS, BBC and National Geographic Television specials and in the most recent version of the National Geographic Atlas of the World.
He has written or co-written more than 100 scientific papers and is working on a book, The Atlas of Earth History. Educators, students, fellow researchers and geologists consult Scotese for advice about paleogeographic reconstructions. He has helped several universities, including The University of Texas at Austin (Institute for Geophysics), the University of Chicago and the University of Sydney in Australia, establish similar paleomap programs.
His most recent research concerns global climate change and paleoclimate. The maps at his Web site clearly show how Earth has alternately been in an "Ice House," like today's world where there's ice at the poles and a "Hot House," like the time of the dinosaurs when tropical plants grew in the Arctic Circle.
Recent climate simulations, done in collaboration with the Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois, compare and contrast the Ice House climate that prevailed 300 million years ago with the Hot House climate of 90 million years ago.
"These studies have a lot to tell us about our current climatic predicament," Scotese says. "All the scientific evidence points to the fact that manmade changes may be quickly shifting Earth from its Ice House state to a Hot House state, similar to the climate that existed when the dinosaurs were around."
— Kim Pewitt-Jones
Phyllis Richmond contributed to this article.


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Did you get new tech for the holidays and now your old tech is laying around? What other options are available besides reselling? There are plenty of ways to get rid of old tech besides shipping it somewhere.
1) Regift it - One thing Gazelle does have correct is that if the item is sitting in a drawer gathering dust, it's not doing any good. Younger people often don't have tech or the money to upgrade what they already have. Why not give it to a local kid (after you get parental permission, of course) or younger relative to use?
2) Craigslist it - Price compare with other people selling the same item(s) and list your own competitively. Sure, your email will blow up with people wanting to give you $5 for that old iPhone 4S but somewhere in the madness you might make a decent dollar once you filter the cheap-o emails out. 3) Donate it for the tax write-off - Goodwill or Salvation Army will issue you a receipt for your donation. It's a little late to get the 2013 write-off, but if you hold onto the ticket, you'll be able to get the write-off for this year when you file your taxes next year.
4) Recycle it - Both Staples and Best Buy accepts old tech, both large and small, for recycling at no charge. If you don't want to give it to Best Buy for whatever reason, e-Stewards can help you find a responsible e-recycler in the area.
5) Trade it for something else - Best Buy will check your item to see if it has trade-in value and if not, will recycle it for free. You can exchange for store credit to get something else if it does have value. Another option is to trade with someone you know. True story: I know a guy who bought a VW bus for cash plus an old iPhone 3G. With this option it takes a bit of creativity, but you get the idea.
6) Give it away - Area 15's Free Store is my recommendation on where to just give something away to people who need it.
7) Resell it - Of course, there's nothing wrong with Gazelle or any other reselling service. Here are a few more: , SellMyOldTech, or my favorite, the ecoATM. This thing takes your old phone and spits out cash. Charlotte has eight of these around town.
Whatever you do, don't throw it away. There are so many other ways to positively exfoliate tech out of your life, there's no reason to junk up the landfill with it. Technology piling up and sitting around is annoying! Get rid of it! You'll be happy you did.
For more commentary, follow me on Twitter @dbirdy, for more photos peep my Flickr, if you're into the travel philosophy thing read my website, and to see a bunch of random and fun travel videos, subscribe to my YouTube channel!
Zero, zilch, none and no part of this post is sponsored by any of the above mentioned company or companies, nor would I ever present such a thing.


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By Brennan Lagasse | March 5th, 2012
By now you've probably heard about how much it snows in Japan. The edits keep coming in continuing to show off deep powder shots time and time again; but does it really snow that much? The answer is yes, yes it does.
Read the rest here


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For those who have seen Star Wars: The Last Jedi, you are aware of the brief controversy that beleaguered theaters. At 1 hour and 52
Month: February 2018
Running Out of Gas
Last Friday I ran out of gas while driving. I hate to admit, but it was not the first time this has happened. On Thursday


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(Reuters) – Celebrity chef Mario Batali, who already faces sexual harassment accusations from four women, is under criminal investigation by the New York Police Department for sexual misconduct, police said on Monday, confirming a 60 Minutes television report.
Batali "vehemently" denied the new allegations in a statement to CBS, which airs the program.
An NYPD public information officer said in an email on Monday the department was investigating the allegations. The officer did not respond to a question about whether the 2005 incident was too old to face prosecution.
Reuters was unable to immediately reach a representative of Batali for comment.
The chef, who owns numerous restaurants, is accused of drugging and sexually assaulting an employee at one of his restaurants in 2005 in the new criminal investigation, according to the report.
The woman, who was not named on 60 Minutes, told CBS she was invited by Batali to a party at the Spotted Pig, a trendy restaurant in New York's West Village owned by a friend of Batali.
CBS concealed her face during the interview with shaded lighting. The woman said she was afraid the revelation of her identity would hurt her future job prospects in the industry.
"Who wants to be defined by their worst day in their life?" she asked.
Other restaurant workers told the program on the record that they had witnessed Batali inappropriately touching other women.
The new accusations are the latest in the era of the #MeToo movement against sexual assault and harassment, which has ensnared media moguls and celebrities.
Actor Bill Cosby, 80, who is best known for his 1980s comedy TV program "The Cosby Show," was convicted in April of three counts of sexual assault for an incident in 2004. He faces up to 30 years in prison.
Batali was fired in December 2017 by ABC as co-host of The Chew, a daytime food and talk show, and also stepped away from his restaurant company after the accusations by the four women first surfaced.
Writing by Rich McKay in Atlanta, additional reporting by Peter Szekely in New York; Editing by Scott Malone and Bernadette Baum
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Sophie Valentine Full version TO ORDER
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This novel obliterates the stereotypical character of a sexually frustrated woman, waiting for a charismatic, handsome man to sweep into their lives and improve things. We follow Sophie Valentine as she takes control. Starting with improving her sex life, she experiments with desires, fantasies, and taboo's. Sex becomes more fun and interesting than she could ever have imagined.
you can pledge your support to get part two and see what happens to Sophie next here
you can pledge your support to get part two and see what happens to Sophie next here
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Receive an A2 Signed poster of the book cover. I will add a personalised note to the signature as a thank you for your help. Let me know what wording you require. It will make a great present or just a treat for yourself.


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|{{'fund.detail.performance.period.sinceInception' | labelize:[ fundDate(fund.fundPerformances.sinceStart.startDate,'MM-YYYY') ]}}
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|5 years
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|5 years
|Months outperformance
|Hit ratio (%)
|Months Bull market
|Months outperformance Bull
|Hit ratio Bull (%)
|Months Bear market
|Months outperformance Bear
|Hit ratio Bear (%)
|Reference index
|Option Adjusted Modified Duration (years)
|Maturity (years)
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|Green Bonds (%)
The global high yield market came under some pressure in September, resulting in a negative total return of around -1% for the month. Election jitters, decreasing chances of a second round of federal stimulus, increasing global economic concerns, the uncertainty relating to a pickup in virus cases especially in Europe and heavy supply in the first two weeks resulted in wider spreads across high yields. Issuers are locking in 'low' coupons and stacking up liquidity for any near-term virus uncertainty. Gross monthly high yield issuance reached the fifth highest total on record with close to EUR 50 billion being printed. On the other hand, flows were negative during the month, which followed five consecutive months of inflows totaling a combined figure of close to USD 60 bln. The market demonstrated wide dispersion in performance as lower-rated market segments and sectors that were heavily impacted by Covid-19 outperformed higher-rated sectors. As oil prices fell over the course of the month, energy-related sectors remained under pressure. Spreads finished the month 36 bps wider at a level of 510 bps. The average yield to worst of the global high yield index ended the month at 5.47%.
|ESG integration
|Sustainability Themed Fund
All currency risks are hedged.
RobecoSAM SDG High Yield Bonds make use of derivatives for hedging purposes as well as for investment purposes. These derivatives are liquid.
The fund does not distribute dividend. The income earned by the fund is reflected in its share price. The fund's entire result is thus reflected in its share price development.
In this fund we look for investments with a positive societal impact, whilst generating healthy financial returns. We define impact as an alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We identify and evaluate the impact that specific credits have on the SDGs, and score all the issuers under coverage of the analysts' team. These scores categorize credits as having either a Positive, Neutral, or Negative impact on the SDGs. The scores are then used in a screening process, to define the investable universe that exclude credits with a Negative impact on the SDGs. In addition to the universe screening, our credit analysts integrate ESG factors in their analysis of the company's fundamental credit quality to strengthen our ability to assess the downside risk of our credit investments. Engagement and RobecoSAM's exclusion policy are also form part of the ESG integration policy.
RobecoSAM SDG High Yield Bonds invests in a diversified portfolio of global corporate bonds with a sub-investment grade rating, with a structural bias to the higher rated part in high yield. The selection of these bonds is based on fundamental analysis. The fund applies a screening process, using RobecoSAM's SDG framework, to select issuers that contribute to realizing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The fund excludes companies that contribute negatively to these goals. RobecoSAM's SDG framework scores companies based on the magnitude and quality of their contributions to the SDGs through their products, services and operations. Engagement, ESG integration and RobecoSAM's exclusion policy also form part of the investment policy. The fund aims to outperform the Bloomberg Barclays Global High Yield Corporate Index over a full credit cycle. The investment process is based on a top-down analysis of credit markets, combined with thorough bottom-up issuer selection. The investment philosophy is based on contribution to the SDGs but also deliver attractive financial returns for our investors. RobecoSAM SDG High Yield Bonds is managed within our credit team which consists of ten portfolio managers and twenty-two credit analysts. Within the team, Sander Bus, Roeland Moraal and Christiaan Lever are responsible for high yield. Sander has been involved in the mainstream fund since inception in 1998, Roeland joined in 2003. The portfolio managers are responsible for the construction and management of the credit portfolios, whereas the analysts cover the team's fundamental research. The duration of the portfolio is managed in line with the index and currency exposure is hedged. A proprietary in-house developed risk management approach avoids high risk concentration in the portfolio. Holdings in equities can only appear in the portfolio as a result of corporate actions and/or debt restructuring. It is not the intention of the portfolio manager to use options or swaptions. As the investment process is well-structured and proven over time, it contributes to repeatable performance delivery.
Risk management is fully embedded in the investment process to ensure that positions always meet predefined guidelines.
We are still in the midst of the largest global health crisis seen in a century. The world awaits a vaccine that will enable us to return to our normal lives. The market has already received its shot, though, in the form of unprecedented monetary and fiscal support for the private sector. Do fundamentals still matter in an environment where the central bank 'put' has overwhelmed everything else? Longer term, we have no doubt that fundamentals still matter. After the initial shock, macro data in Q3 surprised to the upside compared to very downbeat expectations. This has helped risk markets. But the momentum of the recovery is clearly fading now and positive surprises have ceased. Spread levels are at or below the long-term average for all segments of the market. Systemic risk is suppressed by central banks, idiosyncratic risk certainly is not! At the moment our beta is already below one – and we keep it there. We are convinced that there will be opportunities to add or reduce risk in the coming months, not only from a top-down perspective but also in individual issuers or sectors. There is still a lot of volatility in Covid-sensitive sectors, which from time to time offer good value.
Mr. Bus is Head of the Credit team and manages our high yield portfolios. Prior to joining Robeco in 1998, Mr. Bus worked for Rabobank as a fixed income analyst for two years. Mr. Bus holds a Master's degree in Financial Economics from Erasmus University, Rotterdam. He became a CFA charter holder in 2003 and is registered with the Dutch Securities Institute. Mr. Bus has been active in the industry since 1996. Christiaan Lever is Portfolio Manager High Yield in the Credit team. Before assuming this role in 2016, he was Financial Risk Manager at Robeco, focusing on market risk, counterparty risk and liquidity risk within fixed Income markets. Christiaan has been active in the industry since 2010. He holds a Master's in Quantitative Finance and in Econometrics from Erasmus University Rotterdam.
RobecoSAM SDG High Yield Bonds is managed within Robeco's credit team, which consists of nine portfolio managers and twenty-three credit analysts. The portfolio managers are responsible for the construction and management of the credit portfolios, whereas the analysts cover the team's fundamental research. Our analysts have long term experience in their respective sectors which they cover globally. Each analyst covers both investment grade and high yield, providing them an information advantage and benefiting from inefficiencies that traditionally exist between the two segmented markets. Furthermore, the credit team is supported by three dedicated quantitative researchers and four fixed income traders. On average, the members of the credit team have an experience in the asset management industry of seventeen years, of which eight years with Robeco.
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Netlink is relatively new IPC mechanism in Linux, usually considered as replacement for ioctl(2). Wikipedia article gives a nice explanation about the subject. Communications using Nelink are very similar to usual sockets. So if you transfer data between user-space program and the Linux kernel, then typically you do data copying.
Linux 3.10 introduced Netlink mmap interface from Patrick McHardy. The patch set shares mapped memory region between user-space program and the kernel in circular buffer manner, so you can do huge zero-copy data transfers between user- and kernel-spaces. Patrick's presentation motivates the interface by: "Performance doesn't matter much in many cases since most netlink subsystems have very low bandwidth demands. Notable exceptions are nfnetlink_queue, ctnetlink and possibly nfnetlink_log". The patches were merged into the kernel in 2012, but it seems no one kernel subsystem uses the interface as well as libnl (Netlink Protocol Library Suite) still doesn't implement any API for the feature. Probably, this is just because nobody needs to load tons on firewall rules, packets or statistics to/from the kernel...
Meantime, this is known fact, that embedded databases deliver the best performance for simple workloads due to lower overhead in comparison with client-server databases. However, what if you need perfect performance for many user-space processes (not threads)? Usually embedded databases serialize access to shared data using file locks. And file operations surely are slow. To solve the problem process oriented server software like PostgreSQL, Nginx or Apache allocates shared memory region and introduces spinlocks in the area.
What happens if a process holding the spinlock dies? All others just spin on the lock in vain. So you need to introduce some lock control mechanism which manages releasing of locks acquired by dead processes. Ok, you control the locks now, but what's the state of the shared memory region if a process dies holding the lock and updating some data? We can use something like write ahead log (WAL) for safe updates. Who will be responsible for undo and/or redo the log? Some designated management process? Maybe so. However, this is a good task for operating system - it can do, and in fact usually does, all cleaning operations if application process dies abnormally. I/O operations for the database persistency are also good to move from user-space database process to OS. By the way, there was an old LKML discussion on O_DIRECT which is used by database developers and which is considered as braindamaged by OS developers.
Furthermore, in our case most of the logic is done in kernel space, but we need to transfer tons of filtering rules, network analytics, logging and other data between user- and kernel-spaces. So we have started to develop Tempesta DB, a database shared by the kernel and many user-space processes, but still very fast and reliable. This is were Netlink mmap shines for data transfers.
Patrick wrote nice examples how to use the interface in user-space. Kevin Kaichuan He in his Linux Journal article described generic Netlink kernel interfaces, but unfortunately the article is outdated after 10 years. During these years Linux significantly developed Netlink interfaces and amazing thing about Netlink mmap is that the whole zero-copy magic is happen in linux/net/netlink/af_netlink.c and you don't need to bother about skbs with mmaped buffers. You just need to switch on CONFIG_NETLINK_MMAP kernel configuration option and do almost common Netlink kernel calls. So lets have a look at an example how to use the new Netlink kernel interface. I hope the example will be useful in addition to Patrick's and Kevin's articles.
Firstly, we need to define NETLINK_TEMPESTA in linux/include/uapi/linux/netlink.h, so the small kernel patch is required. Next, we should register our Netlink hooks:
netlink_kernel_create(&init_net, NETLINK_TEMPESTA, &tdb_if_nlcfg);
We register the input hook only:
static struct netlink_kernel_cfg tdb_if_nlcfg = {
.input = tdb_if_rcv,
The hook just calls standard netlink_rcv_skb, which executes our other hook in a loop over all skb data fragments:
static void
tdb_if_rcv(struct sk_buff *skb)
netlink_rcv_skb(skb, &tdb_if_proc_msg);
Now we can start to process our own data structure TdbMsg describing messages passed over Netlink (we still must pass small message descriptors over standard Linux system call interface, but the message bodies are transfered in zero-copy fashion):
static int
tdb_if_proc_msg(struct sk_buff *skb, struct nlmsghdr *nlh)
TdbMsg *m;
if (nlh->nlmsg_len < sizeof(*nlh) + sizeof(TdbMsg)) {
TDB_ERR("too short netlink msg\n");
return -EINVAL;
m = nlmsg_data(nlh);
struct netlink_dump_control c = {
.dump = tdb_if_call_tbl[m->type].dump,
.data = m,
.min_dump_alloc = NL_FR_SZ / 2,
return netlink_dump_start(nls, skb, nlh, &c);
Here we call standard Linux routine again, netlink_dump_start, which does helping stuff for the message processing and prepares skb for the kernel answer. netlink_dump_control describes the message processing handler. min_dump_alloc specifies number of bytes to allocate for the response skb. We use half of Netlink mmap frame size which we defined as 16KB. data is just a pointer to the skb received from user-space. And dump is the callback to process the message. We get the callback by the message type used as a callback table index. And the table is defined as:
static const struct {
int (*dump)(struct sk_buff *, struct netlink_callback *);
} tdb_if_call_tbl[__TDB_MSG_TYPE_MAX] = {
[TDB_MSG_INFO] = { .dump = tdb_if_info },
/* .... */
And finally define dump callbacks as:
static int
tdb_if_info(struct sk_buff *skb, struct netlink_callback *cb)
TdbMsg *m;
struct nlmsghdr *nlh;
/* Allocate space at response skb. */
nlh = nlmsg_put(skb, NETLINK_CB(cb->skb).portid,
cb->nlh->nlmsg_seq, cb->nlh->nlmsg_type,
m = nlmsg_data(nlh);
/* Fill in response... */
return 0; /* end transfer,
return skb->len if you have more data to send */
You can find real life example of user-space Netlink mmap usage in libtdb. And the kernel side implementation in Tempesta DB core interface.
High Performance Linux
> Try Tempesta FW, a high performance open source application delivery controller for the Linux/x86-64 platform.
> Or check custom high-performance solutions from Tempesta Technologies, INC.
> Careers: if you love low-level C/C++ hacking and Linux, we'll be happy to hear from you.
Monday, March 9, 2015
Linux Netlink Mmap: Bulk Data Transfer for Kernel Database
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2022 - 8 Day Luxury Mekong: Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap aboard Scenic Spirit (Cruise)
2022 - 8 Day Luxury Mekong: Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap aboard Scenic Spirit (Cruise)
Call (386) 615-6283 for more information or to book today! Mention code 15167555
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- Scenic USA
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- Scenic Spirit
Click for more information on this ship.
|Day 1
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** Flight Offers (including taxes): Conditions Apply. Flight must be booked by Scenic with an applicable airline. Contact your Agent for details
*** Savings per couple: Conditions Apply. Contact your Agent for details