text:
▶ PLAY TRAILER
With: Jon Favreau, John Leguizamo, Emjay Anthony, Sofia Vergara, Bobby Cannavale, Scarlett Johansson, Dustin Hoffman, Oliver Platt, Amy Sedaris, Robert Downey Jr.
Written by: Jon Favreau
Directed by: Jon Favreau
MPAA Rating: R for language, including some suggestive references
The Art of the Sandwich
Those of us who love food movies have been waiting a while for something as great as Babette's Feast and Big Night to come along. Oh, there have been good things here and there, some documentaries, especially Jiro Dreams of Sushi, and Adrienne Shelly's funny, dark Waitress has some great pie-baking scenes. But Jon Favreau's Chef feels like it could be the first movie that deserves their company.
Written and directed by Favreau, Chef is a sweet, lumbering movie, perhaps a little overweight and graceless, but filled with charm and laughs and a heart as big as a food truck.
Favreau stars as Chef Carl Casper, who has a good job at a popular Los Angeles restaurant, but who butts heads with the owner, Riva (Dustin Hoffman), when it comes to experimenting with new dishes. Carl wants to change up the menu when a major food blogger, Ramsey Michel (Oliver Platt), drops by. "Play your hits," Riva says. "How would you like it if you went to see the Stones and they didn't play 'Satisfaction'?"
After eating the same old thing, Michel writes a vicious review, slamming both Carl's food and Carl himself. The men get into a social media battle, Carl quits in a huff, and then has a public face-off with Michel, which is shot on several phones and goes viral.
Now, Carl is also a single dad, unable to lavish much attention on his adoring son, Percy (Emjay Anthony). Out of work, Carl's astoundingly beautiful ex-wife, Inez (Sofia Vergara), plans a trip to Florida and offers to let Carl come along to look after Percy. At the same time, she knows a guy -- her first ex-husband (Robert Downey Jr.) -- who can hook him up with a food truck.
After sampling some of the culinary delights in Little Havana (and also listening to some hot salsa music performed by Inez's father), Carl decides to make Cubanos (Cuban sandwiches) and sell them from the truck. This leads to a long, summertime cross-country road trip sequence with Carl, Percy, and Carl's sous chef Martin (John Leguizamo), resulting in many smiles and in much drool-inducing tasting of food as they shop in local markets all across the U.S. for ingredients. Percy, meanwhile, becomes a social media butterfly, using Twitter and other platforms to summon hungry customers wherever they go. And everyone learns a little bit about family, life, and love.
Looking at this film and looking back over Favreau's career, it's possible to deduce that he's a good guy with a good heart. (I have also interviewed him.) He wrote the screenplay for Swingers (1996), but did not direct it; perhaps he did not have the confidence back then? Next he wrote and directed Made (2001), a good little gangster film that did not get much attention. Elf (2003) was a huge hit, and catapulted him to the A-list, where he made sturdy, clean, solid entertainments Zathura (2005), Iron Man (2008) and Iron Man 2 (2010).
A turning point must have been Cowboys & Aliens (2011), a movie that, to me, seems to have been made -- and ruined -- by committee. Favreau must have found that a soul-sucking experience, found himself too big and surrounded by too many executives and too much money. On Chef, it feels like he scaled back, rounded up a group of friends -- including both Robert Downey Jr. and Scarlett Johansson from the Iron Man films -- and set off to find himself, and whatever drew him to making movies, again.
This is, essentially, what the movie is about as well. Carl has the choice to cook and get paid at the big restaurant, or to make less money but find his passion again. The movie is filled with hokey ideas, but presented in an honest, straightforward way. In one scene, Percy is about to serve a burnt sandwich, but Carl takes him aside and explains his passion, and his entire purpose for cooking, and hopes that he can teach at least that much to his son. In another touching moment, he buys the boy his own chef's knife... an odd gesture, but the best one that Carl could possibly make.
During the closing credits, Favreau shows himself working with chef Roy Choi, learning how to make a deluxe grilled cheese sandwich (loaded with butter and with several layers of different cheeses). It's a look behind the curtain that indicates just how much Favreau put in here and how much he learned. The use of social media, too, is savvy, perhaps demonstrating the tools that any fledgling artist or business has at their disposal.
The attention to food preparation, meats, pasta, desserts, vegetables, fruit, etc., as well as the colorful, aesthetic presentation of it, is as good as any food movie ever made. You may leave feeling you could actually smell and taste it. You may leave feeling you've learned something about cooking, eager to get back to your kitchen. You will definitely leave hungry.
Universal released a two-disc DVD/Blu-ray set with an optional Ultraviolet digital copy of the movie. The Blu-ray quality is fine, and only makes those delicious dishes look even more delectable. It comes with a commentary track by director Favreau and chef Roy Choi, as well as 10 minutes of deleted scenes, and trailers for other features.


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Government Shutdown Hits Families, not Politicians
Written by MBU Timeline on January 23, 2019 . Posted in Opinion
Democrats in the House plan to offer President Donald Trump $5 billion for border security, with hopes of reopening the federal government, but it will not include any new structures like the border wall Trump has made a cornerstone of any compromised budget proposal. Meanwhile, as the shutdown lingers on, entering its second month of the longest shutdown in history, we see families being affected by the furloughs. Today our student journalists are blogging on their thoughts about the historic government shutdown.
Photo by Madison Sullivan
As the U.S. government shutdown enters its second month, compromise might finally be in sight, but for now parks like St. Louis' Gateway Arch continue to be closed to tourists, negatively affecting the economy of the city and state.
By SAVANNA CANTRELL
We are now into the second month of the U.S. government shutdown, marking the longest government shutdown in history while also affecting approximately 800,000 federal employees who are not receiving paychecks.
This is affecting the U.S. population in a negative way as President Donald Trump promised more job opportunities during his presidency, but is now withholding pay for federal employees.
The government shutdown began in the early morning on Saturday, Dec. 22, due to the inability of President Trump and Congress to reach a compromise regarding Trump's demand for a $5.7 billion border wall.
This is making it increasingly difficult to get employees of the federal government to show up for their shifts since they are not receiving pay for being there until after the government reopens.
The Environmental Protection Agency ran out of funds Dec. 28, 2108, and laid off around 95 percent of its staff, not to mention closures of state parks, the Smithsonian museums, National Gallery of Art and hundreds of Transportation Security Agency workers calling in sick instead of working without pay.
If the shutdown continues another week, members of the U.S. Coast Guard will be without pay, federal district courts will run out of funds and federal workers will miss another paycheck.
Employees of the federal government are still expected to go to work without receiving pay until after the government opens again, making it extremely difficult for people living paycheck to paycheck or on limited savings.
By ANIKA CONLEY
The government shutdown is one of many tactics President Donald Trump is using to force Congress and the Democratic Party to fund his border wall.
Many disagree with this tactic because instead of "making America great again," it is setting the American people back by omitting their pay to keep up their livelihood.
The government shutdown occurred because of a spending bill, which, according to a BBC article, had to be passed by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump by midnight on Friday, Dec. 19, 2018, which did not happen, effectively closing the government's doors.
For the public, this means government workers will not be paid, so many of them are not going to work.
This is affecting government workers who have families by causing them financial instability.
It is also causing customer service at certain public government establishments to be non-existent.
Both the U.S. Congress and the president should work to reach an agreement and allow the government to reopen.
In the future, government workers should not be punished by losing their pay as a result of disagreement between Congress and the president.
By TREVOR CHANEY
I think it's a childish game being played with over 800,000 working Americans being used as weapons against Congress.
With federal workers going unpaid and unused, the nation's morale is hindered alongside the economy, and this has inhibited our country's growth.
It is thanks, in part, to the immoral behavior of our president. He is blind to the fact that half the country does not feel the same way, but instead of changing course, he shut down the government.
In a phone interview with "Fox and Friends" in 2013 during a previous government shutdown, Trump said, "When they talk about the government shutdown, they're going to be talking about the president of the United States, who the president was at that time. They're not going to be talking about who was the head of the House, the head the Senate, who's running things in Washington. So I really think the pressure is on the president."
Congress declined to increase funding for border security (the wall) and the president then stated the government would remain shut down until his border security received funding.
"The government remains shut down for one reason and one reason only. Because Democrats will not fund border security," Trump said while addressing the nation. Here is a video link to that address.
In that same address he went on to say, "Some say that a barrier is immoral. But those same politicians have fences and walls around their homes, not because they hate the people outside, but because they love the people inside."
I think the message President Trump wants to portray is shadowed by his arrogance and carelessness.
This is simply another reason to hate Trump. But supporters of Trump seem to be careless in their own nature.
If you care about a president that's one thing, but to blindly go along without carrying any of their own knowledge is only hurting their side of the argument. Supporter or not, be informed about what you stand for. And if you stand for nothing then sit down because there is no winning unless there is a team behind you. That's just politics.
The government shutdown should end immediately, and instead of threatening so many jobs, be the person you say you are.
Trump has called himself the "best job-creating president ever," the same man who said he would build a wall "and make them pay for it."
Illegal Immigrants are going to find ways into America. The best we can do is slow them down. You can't dam the sea Mr. President.
By MOLLY MUNOZ
A government shutdown is dangerous for the national security of the United States.
I understand there may be times when it is necessary, but the nation has survived this long without a border wall, so it's clearly not vital for our safety.
The shutdown was caused by a disagreement between Congress and President Trump regarding the 2019 budget with the inclusion of a $5.7 billion spending bill for President Trump's desired border wall.
The safety and health of the public across the country have been threatened since the first day of the government shutdown.
The Food and Drug Administration cut off all cycles of inspections on Dec. 22, 2018, which was the first day of the partial government shutdown.
I am reminded of the E. coli outbreaks the U.S. suffered in 2018, which was traced back to romaine lettuce from California.
The public cannot be protected from potential risks such as the E. coli incident without the FDA's provision.
This is just a glimpse of how the public has, can and will continue to be affected by the government shutdown.
The reoccurring thought in my head is that our nation was originally populated mostly by immigrants and foreigners, starting in the 1600s with the Pilgrims.
I don't believe a wall will benefit us, but simply cost us billions of dollars. I also think it is unnecessary to shut down the government, especially since government employees have already missed paychecks.
Tags: Anika Conley, Congress, Government, House, MBU Timeline, Molly Munoz, opinion, Savanna Cantrell, shutdown, St. Louis, Trevor Chaney, Trump

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
package com.heroku.controller;
import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest;
import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletResponse;

import org.apache.hadoop.mapred.gethistory_jsp;
import org.springframework.stereotype.Controller;
import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RequestMapping;
import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RequestMethod;

import com.heroku.session.SessionManager;
import com.heroku.session.UserSession;
@Controller
public class ViewsController {

	@RequestMapping(value="/",method = RequestMethod.GET)
	public String welcome(HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response) {
		return "main_page";
	}
	@RequestMapping(value="/post",method = RequestMethod.GET)
	public String postAds() {
		return "post_control_001_view";
	}
	@RequestMapping(value="/preview",method = RequestMethod.GET)
	public String previewPage() {
		return "preview_page";
	}
	@RequestMapping(value="/admin",method = RequestMethod.GET)
	public String admin() {
		return "admin";
	}
	@RequestMapping(value="/cfeedback",method = RequestMethod.GET)
	public String feedback() {
		return "feedback_control_001_view";
	}
	@RequestMapping(value="/cuser",method = RequestMethod.GET)
	public String User() {
		return "user_control_001_view";
	}
	@RequestMapping(value="/cmenu",method = RequestMethod.GET)
	public String menuControl() {
		return "menu_control_001_view";
	}
	@RequestMapping(value="/cmessage",method = RequestMethod.GET)
	public String messageControl() {
		return "message_control_001_view";
	}

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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By Patrick Centeno	 On Jan 4, 2022
BOSTON & NEW YORK – (COMMERCIAL THREAD) – Wolf Greenfield is pleased to announce the promotion of two lawyers to shareholder and four lawyers to advisory, effective January 1, 2022. The firm's new shareholders are Libbie A. DiMarco and Jonathan B . Roses. The firm's most recent attorneys are Michael J. Attisha PhD, Anant K. Saraswat, Turhan F. Sarwar and William Wei Zhang PhD. Their legal and technical know-how covers a wide range of practice areas and industries, including litigation, post-grant procedures, pharmaceutical, electrical and computer technologies.
"After another solid year for the company, it is exciting to announce these well-deserved promotions," said Ed Gates, President and Managing Partner of Wolf Greenfield. "Each of these attorneys embodies the culture and values of Wolf Greenfield, and they exude a passion for their work and the clients they serve."
Libbie DiMarco represents clients in complex intellectual property disputes before a Federal District Court and the International Trade Commission (ITC) and manages intellectual property enforcement proceedings before the U.S. Customs and Protection Agency. borders. Libbie's testing experience covers a wide range of technologies, including computer hardware and software, data storage devices, small electronics, medical devices, and chemical products and processes. Libbie is the Chair of the AIPLA ITC Committee and writes frequently on ITC related topics and trends. In 2021, Libbie was recognized by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly as an "Up & Coming Lawyer" and was named to the Massachusetts Rising Stars List by Super Lawyers.
Jonathan B. Roses advises a wide range of clients, including life science companies focused on the fields of small molecule pharmaceuticals, pharmaceutical formulations, medical devices and surgical methods. Jonathan is highly skilled in the conduct and management of domestic and foreign patent prosecutions and pre-litigation investigations, including worldwide freedom to operate, patentability and exclusivity analyzes. He is also experienced in representing clients in litigation before federal district courts and in post-grant proceedings before the United States Patent and Trademark Office and its foreign counterparts. Jonathan has also provided regulatory advice and representation to clients regarding patent term extension and Orange Book listings under the Hatch-Waxman Act. Jonathan is appointed to Boston magazine the inaugural list of top lawyers as well as the list of Massachusetts super lawyers.
Mike Attisha advises clients in a wide range of technological fields including additive manufacturing (3D printing), quantum computing, nuclear fusion energy, electronic music, artificial intelligence, software, semiconductors , optics and medical devices. Mike has an extremely broad technical knowledge drawn from his experience working in experimental physics, as a software consultant, and his love of fabrication and construction.
Anant Saraswat represents companies before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), the Federal Court and the International Trade Commission in intellectual property cases involving technologies such as computer architecture, communications wireless, semiconductor manufacturing, light emitting diodes, medical devices and automotive components. . In addition, Anant maintains an active pro bono practice. He was named Board Member of the Year by the South Asian Bar Association of Greater Boston in 2021. Anant is also named to Boston magazine inaugural list of top lawyers and list of Massachusetts Rising Stars by Super Lawyers.
Turhan Sarwar is an experienced intellectual property attorney, whose practice focuses on litigation and post-grant proceedings at the trial and appeal levels, and advises clients on the development and management of patent portfolios, trademarks and copyrights. Turhan has extensive experience in litigation strategy and procedure before federal and state courts, proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, and investigations before the United States International Trade Commission. He is recognized on the first list of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch by America's best avocados © and was named to the Massachusetts Rising Stars List by Super Lawyers.
William Wei Zhang focuses his practice on the pursuit of patents in the fields of pharmaceuticals and polymer chemistry. Trained as a medicinal chemist, William applies his technical experience to his legal work. He performs patentability, freedom to operate, validity and infringement analyzes, works with inventors and in-house legal advisers to review invention disclosures, prepares and prosecutes patent applications, and participates in due diligence involving between the parties Comments. William is the co-inventor of two US patents dealing with the treatment of diabetes and hepatitis C. He was named to the Massachusetts Rising Stars list by Super Lawyers.
About Wolf Greenfield
Wolf Greenfield is one of the 10 largest law firms in the country dedicated exclusively to intellectual property law. For nearly a century, the firm has helped clients protect their most valuable intellectual property. With more than 150 legal professionals based in Boston and New York, the firm offers a full range of IP services in all technologies. Over 90% of the firm's practitioners have degrees in science or engineering, and over two-thirds have graduate degrees (MS, PhD or MD). For more information on Wolf Greenfield, please visit wolfgreenfield.com.
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Lenovo predicts how technology could change in 2022 / Digital Information World


text:
Q: Hot to put a background color in the angular material md-tab selected First of all, even if i dont like to edit this, the client must be followed.
I just want to have an output like this(edited in paint):

The default is there is no background color orange, just the line.

A: Somehow how I found a way using
.md-tab.md-active{background-color: color}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Marymount School of New York is one of the city's most prestigious private schools for girls. TWG was retained as campaign consultant to assist the board in raising $20 million to acquire, renovate, and furnish a townhouse on Manhattan's Upper East Side to house Marymount's Middle School program. Providing oversight for the work of the Campaign Committee, TWG managed all elements of this multiyear campaign and worked closely with the school's president and campaign chair to attract major gifts to the campaign and to elevate the performance of the school's annual giving program. TWG also strategized with campaign committee members around the best approach to negotiating individual major gifts from a wide variety of sources. Among TWG's major accomplishments, the firm helped to successfully convert part of a loan—that was used to acquire the townhouse—to a major charitable gift to the campaign.


Ron & Jamie McManis with Son Justin and Daughter-in-law Stefanie, Grand Son Lincoln, Daughter Tanya, Son-in-law Dirk, Grand Daughter Kaci and Grand Son Kody.
Ron McManis graduated from Modesto High School in 1979 and joined the McManis family business, becoming the fourth generation to farm in California's northern interior. His father, Paul W. McManis Jr., a successful Stanislaus County farmer, grew almonds, peaches, and wine grapes, and sold the grapes to many of the wineries in the region. Ron first learned about growing grapes working with his father in the late 1970s and early 80's; he fell in love with grape growing and determined to learn all he could about producing premium wine grapes.
He married Jamie Self in 1986 and the two worked together in the McManis farming business, sharpening their business and marketing skills. In 1990, Ron and Jamie formed a corporation, RJM Enterprises, Inc. and purchased their first vineyard, known as River Junction Vineyards. In 1994, they created another new company, McManis Family Vineyards, Inc. In 1995, the new company began custom crushing grapes from family-owned and managed vineyards, selling the bulk wine to several North Coast wineries.
Ron McManis is President and Co-Owner of McManis Family Vineyards and believes the most important goal of the company is to produce a great bottle of wine at a fair price, offering consumers a consistently well-made product vintage to vintage. He takes pride in the accomplishments of his family and employees and appreciates their achievements.
Ron is a graduate of the California Ag Leadership Program Class of XXI, and in 1997 he was selected by the California Jaycees as an Outstanding Young Farmer. He is a current member and past Board Member of the California Association of Winegrape Growers, a member of the California Wine Institute, the Wine Market Council, and the California Farm Bureau.
Ron and Jamie have two children, Justin (Stefanie) McManis and Tanya, and son-in-law, Dirk Heuvel. All three currently work full time at McManis Family Vineyards.
Jamie Self met Ron McManis in 1985. Jamie's mother introduced her to Ron while working in the family office, and they were married in 1986. Following their marriage, Jamie began working with Ron in the McManis farming business, growing almonds, peaches and grapes; in 1994 they formed McManis Family Vineyards, Inc.
Jamie is Vice-President and Co-Owner of McManis Family Vineyards, and supports the goal of the company to produce great wines. She is responsible for all winery administration and oversees the development of the McManis Family Vineyards case goods program. She also takes time out and enjoys talking to their many fans on the MFV Facebook page.
Jamie is a past member of the Ripon Chamber of Commerce and the Soroptimist Club of Ripon. She has helped with fundraising for many charitable organizations in the area and served on several committees in the past. A dedicated animal lover, Jamie's busy household includes two dogs and a cat.


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Jared Lindquist
MoonSpider's Harold
Project: Sphere
Fake fur in Maya
IK-FK Matching Theory
Mary Skin Tutorial
Stretchy eyes in Maya
Dreamworks' Turbo
November 20, 2013 Film ReviewsDreamworks, reviewJared
Some movies, you know exactly what to expect before it even starts. This was one of them. Story-wise, it wasn't too bad, it's just that most people over the age of 10 have seen it several times before. It's derivative. Plus, from start to finish, I just didn't care about the characters, or anything that was happening. I'm fairly easy to please when it comes to animation, but ultimately this film failed to be interesting.
One major knock against the film – the gags weren't that funny. Part of this may be due to overexposure – all of the "good" jokes had already been used in the trailers, leaving little for the film itself. In fact, it felt as though the rest of the film was little more than filler – connective tissue between all the bits previously shown in the trailers.
Here's one example of narrative failure: From the start, the film paints the top Indy 500 racer – Guy Gagne – as a good sport and an inspirational figure. And then – surprise – he ends up becoming the film's villian. That is not a spoiler – nearly every trailer and tv ad had already spelled out very clearly that he's the bad guy. The film goes through the trouble of setting up the switch, but it just doesn't work because the entire audience already knows he's a dick.
That really is my biggest complaint about the film – anything that might have been worth seeing had already been spoiled, thanks to the advertising. There really isn't much more to see that can't be predicted. From the trailers you already know Turbo dreams of being fast, gets his wish granted, gets found by some guy and introduced to a crew of racing snails, races in the Indy 500… And if you've seen any 5 average animated films from the last decade or so, you also know Turbo's super-speed will eventually fail on him, but he'll somehow manage to win the race without it, and maybe some sort of life-lesson will be learned along the way.
If anything, this film – or at least its epilogue – felt like it was paving the way for a tv show. Perhaps they should have skipped the high-budget feature, and produced a tv pilot instead. At least then its failure might not have been as much of a nut-punch to the studio.
As much as I didn't care for the film, I felt it could have some redeeming value on video – I certainly have far worse films on my shelf as reference (looking at you, Ice Age series and Hotel Transylvania). After reading the short list of bonus features, I reconsidered this notion. Like the Croods before it, Turbo doesn't appear to have any meaningful bonus features – no behind-the-scenes featurette (that doesn't focus primarily on the voice talent); no "Animators' Corner", no audio commentary… Since Turbo and The Croods are the first Dreamworks films distributed by 20th Century Fox, I'm worried that this could be a pattern. On the other hand, this lack of extras has saved me from wasting money on an otherwise lackluster film.
Hands-on with the Surface Pro 2
November 16, 2013 Hardware Reviewshardware, MS, Surface Pro, tabletJared
If I could sum up the Surface Pro 2 in one word, it would have to be "disappointing".
After purchasing the Surface and getting my software set up, I started to miss the simplicity of Sketchbook Pro on my Galaxy Note 10.1. One thing quickly became clear – the software I want to use isn't designed for tablets. Maya and Zbrush weren't so bad with screen scaling left at the default 150%. Photoshop, however, literally hurt my eyes – its UI looked absolutely tiny at 150%, smaller than Maya and Zbrush looked at 125%. A quick Google search revealed that Adobe's software ignores Windows' scaling.
At 10.6″, screen space is a commodity that cannot be wasted. As small as the UI elements seemed, they still took up too much valuable screen space. On a Cintiq, where you have a few programmable buttons, you could at least set up a hotkey to hide and unhide Photoshop's UI, but the Surface only has one available hotkey – the pen's side switch.
Pen accuracy was another issue – even after several attempts at calibration, the cursor always seemed to be slightly off from the tip of the pen, at least toward the center of the screen. It was slightly less accurate at the edges, but far worse at the corners. Even Wacom's driver couldn't fix this. The tiny UI elements didn't help either.
And then there was a nasty bug when holding the tablet in portrait mode… seemingly at random, the cursor movement would be 90 degress off – moving the pen up would move the cursor right, right would move it down, and so on. I narrowed the problem down to the keyboard – the bug only seemed to happen if I was folding it behind the tablet. If the keyboard was forward or detached, the cursor moved properly.
I only had the Surface for a day before returning it. That's how disappointed I was. The Cintiq Companion might be closer to what I'm looking for – larger screen, programmable buttons… But it's also got a heftier price tag, and I worry that the screen may still be too small to work on comfortably. I've been waiting for years for a "perfect" artists' tablet, I'll just have to keep waiting.
Problems with Expressions
October 9, 2013 Art Updates, RiggingJared
Rose's face is proving to be a bit more trouble than I originally expected…
Some of her expressions require just a hair more know-how than I currently have, or have the patience for. For example, I have it so her smile can be cranked up to 200% for a nice, Joker-like grin. This requires another shape to move the nose up, but I hav no idea how this will mix with other nose shapes. Her teeth and gums will also need to move, though I'm starting to think it'll be better if I just don't push her that far.
One annoying problem comes from her "mouth corner in" shapes – on their own, each of these will move the mouth to either side, along with the nose. Combined – with the aid of a corrective shape – they form the "pucker" shape. But when I move the sliders from 0 – 1, her nose shrinks and moves up at 0.5, only to return to normal at 1. I tried to add another correction to compensate for this, but it only made things worse – now her nose shakes te 0.25 and 0.75.
But by far the biggest headache might be Maya's expressions. I've never used them much, and definitely not for faces – I've always preferrred to use utility nodes. But I like the idea of only having a few expression nodes, rather than dozens or hundreds of utilities. Figuring out the code to do the jobs of the utilities is a challenge, but not too difficult. The real headache comes from Maya inexplicably mixing up my code – expressions that were working find before, and that I haven't even touched recently, may suddenly drive the wrong shapes, or a control in an expression will be swapped out for another. This could be a big problem, and I have no idea why it's even happening.
Why the long face?
September 19, 2013 UncategorizedJared
Taking a small break from modeling Rose's facial expressions, I decided to get started on her & Daisy's aunt Mercy –
…who looks weird to me without her usual scowl.
Those final baby-steps
September 13, 2013 Art Updates, ModelingJared
Aside from shading, Rose is close to being complete – all that's really left are her eyebrow blendshapes. I'm not very motivated to model them, though, because I've lost my kinda taste for pushing and pulling points. Fortunately Zbrush can be much faster, even if I'm not quite used to its interface yet.
Something else I ended up doing out of boredom, was using Rose as a starting point for a new Daisy model. Unlike her old model, this time I made sure to use proper reference drawings –
It's still rough, but it's a start.
Hello, karma?
September 3, 2013 ScriptingJared
And here I was feeling so good about my bindPose tool. I had added some functionality that Maya's dagPose command doesn't seem to have. I pat myself on the back, job well done. Except it turns out the dagPose command is a little more complicated than I originally thought. It still doesn't do what I need want it to do, but what it does do can be a bit… odd, depending on how you're interacting with it.
One of the procedures I wrote over the weekend is meant to save out the member, parent, and worldMatrix values from a dagPose node to a mel file, so the node can be recreated in another file. But while testing it on Rose's bindPose, I noticed that the values didn't match up – some of the members would have no worldMatrix values, for example. Looking into this, things got weirder and more frustrating.
If I used `getAttr -size bindPose.members`, I would get a value of 302. Using `dagPose -q -members bindPose` would return a value of 246. A more brute-force method returned a value of 217. But if I loaded the node in the connection editor, there were 305 member slots, and they all appeared to have incoming connections. Even more confusing was that, while the getAttr command said there were only 302 members and parents, it said their were 305 worldMatrix entries.
What I've found out, is that even if you tell the dagPose command to store only specific objects, it appears to also store any objects above those, as well as their parents and worldMatrix values. But when queried via the dagPose command, these extra members are not returned. If at some point you reparent an object, and then delete the groups that were once above it, those objects' connection to the dagPose node will obviously be removed, but their worldMatrix values remain.
For now, what appears to work is to use the `getAttr -size` command on all three attributes, then using the highest value to limit the loop that processes the objects. It's a hack solution that I have a feeling will cause problems later, but for now it appears to work.
Hello, Necessity
I was hoping I'd be done with scripting for a while, but then necessity reared its head – After running into the old "skin was bound at a different pose" error, and the "Go To BindPose" screwing up character's rig, I decided to write my own bindPose tool. There's no reason "restoring" a bindPose should shoot a character's jaw up through their head…
When the UI is loaded/refreshed, every dagPose node in the scene is selectable from a drop-down menu. If a skinned object is selected with the UI is loaded, its bindPose node is automatically selected.
Selections between the member and parent lists are synced up – select a member object will also highlight the stored parent. The pose can be restored for all nodes, or just those that are selected (something the dagPose command doesn't appear to do). Poses can be restored globally or locally. And just to be extra careful, the current pose can be saved to a new node, so it can be restored later.
With the ability to copy and paste poses, this script could be a useful animation tool… but that's not its intended purpose. Instead, I've started to write a separate script, modeled after 3DSMax's copy/paste tool for Biped –
For now it's just a UI, but getting it to work should only be a matter of time… preferably after I finish Rose.
One From The Archives
August 12, 2013 Art UpdatesJared
Back in 2007, I was trying to figure out what to do as a follow-up to my Mary-Anne model. I was only just starting to develop stories for Mary, and I hadn't yet run into any problems with the character, but I needed something to switch off to in the meantime.
At some point, my coworkers convinced me that I should create a video tutorial on creating 3D pinup girls, and maybe sell it to Digital Tutors. At the time, DT didn't have anything like that, and what they did have used models that lacked appeal. That settled it – I was going to make a tutorial series!
…I was also hilariously in over my head, but I wouldn't realize that until later.
I don't remember spending much time on planning or design. What would the character be? French maid? Sexy nurse? Naughty Librarian? No, it should be something different… How about a hula-girl? Sure, why not, voice in my head!
I quickly settled on a design inspired by Chris Sanders' work, drew up a model sheet, and started modeling, making sure to record video of the entire process. I had to be careful though – often I'll zone out while I'm working, so for this project I had to stay alert and remind myself to at least mutter some vocal notes into the microphone. The actual instruction would be dubbed in later.
…or it would have, if my microphone had been working more than half the time. Once I was done modeling, I decided to review and attempt to edit the footage. Only half of it had any of my mumbled notes. The rest was dead-silent, and I know longer remembered what thought process was, or what points I intended to make. Unfortunately, this would not be the only time this happened.
Rigging is where the whole thing started to fall apart. I didn't know nearly as much about rigging as I do now. I barely knew anything. What I did know was learned from other tutorial DVDs, which I was now regurgitating. A tutorial video doesn't exactly work if half-way through you need to refer your viewers to someone else's video. The only technique I could truly say was mine, was the character's breast rig.
Also fairly late in the project, I realized I had no idea what to do about the character's hair. Realistic hair wasn't much of an option – Maya's nHair either didn't exist yet, or I didn't have access to it; Shave And A Haircut is a plugin that not everyone would have, and isn't/wasn't good at long hair, so why waste time covering it? Solid, sculpted hair didn't appeal to me. Textured strips are still a technique I haven't figured out.
So, between the rigging and the hair, I ended up abandoning the project. honestly, if I wasn't yet at a point where I could figure those things out on my own, then who the hell was I to teach anything to anyone else?
Looking at the character now, I'm thinking it might be time for me to clean her up and finally finish her, if only so I have a new portfolio piece. Maybe I could even turn around and sell the model online, since I don't have any other plans for her. I also think it'd be funny to make another attempt at a tutorial video, but only for the breast rig. People would buy it. Or maybe one would buy it, and everyone else would pirate it. :p
limbTools Update
August 10, 2013 ScriptingJared
For years now, I've been trying to automate as much of the rigging process as possible, particularly the limbs. Two problem that's dogged me the whole time was a lack of customization, and code that was needlessly complex and difficult to maintain. My latest tool at least comes closer to solving both issues – rather than attempting to set up a full rig with single click, I've opted to set up each portion of the rig separately, while also including a one-click option.
For a quick, basic rig, the all I need to do is enter in the start, middle, and end joints, check 'Use Default Settings', and hit the Auto-Rig button. For a more customized rig, 'Use Default Settings' can be left unchecked… though I've yet to document which options can be set.
In the FK section, either a new chain can be created based on the input joints, or an existing chain can be specified. By default these joints will be parented to controls, but there's an option to apply control shapes directly to the joints instead. Gimbal controls can also be created, for an extra layer of rotation. The results are then output to the their respective lists, making it easier to select and keep track of each component.
Like with FK, the IK section can also prepare a new chain, but has the added option of an orient control. This is mostly useful if, say, I want the IK chain to have a different default pose than the FK. Without any other options checked, the "Apply IK" button will build a no-frills IK setup – an IK handle, a pole vector, and nothing else. Stretching can be set up with either an expression or utilities, and as a bonus, can also be applied to the FK joints. "Apply Stretching to Selection" will do just that – if an IK handle is selected, stretching will be added to its joints.
Blending is fairly straight-forward – enter a control, specify a blending attribute (either a new name or an existing one), then hit the setup button. If there are no twist joints, the original input joints will be used. Otherwise, a new chain will be created.
The twisting section – if there are twist joints – is where the rig really comes together. Hitting the detect button will fill out the upper and lower joint lists. Three types of twisting are offered – simple, spline, and ribbon – although only simple and spline are currently implemented. Simple and spline both use spline-IK, the only difference is that simple uses 2-point linear curves.
Since spline uses cubic curves, it allows for rubber-hose effects even with the minimum amount of controls.
One thing I haven't quite figured out yet, is how to easily rename all the nodes. Currently generic names are used, which is hardly ideal. Reverse-foot rigging is also something I need to implement, but for now the script is at least functional.
IK/FK Matching Demo
June 10, 2013 Scriptingik-fk matching, mel scriptingJared
I've been a tad busy the past few days, figuring out how to write a script for testing and installing an IK/FK Matcher onto a rig.
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Tag: Human Rights Violations
Eritrea: Permanent Mission of the State of Eritrea to the United Nations – Eritrea's Re-Election to the United Nations Human Rights Council (14.10.2021)
Author nilspeacePosted on October 15, 2021 October 15, 2021 Categories Africa, Army, Development, Diplomacy, Governance, Government, Law, Leadership, PoliticsTags Abdelsalam Babike, EPP, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Government of Eritrea, HRC, Human Rights, Human Rights Violations, Isaias Afewerki, People's Front for Democracy and Justice, PFDJ, PP, President Afewerki, Prime Minster Abiy, Prosperity Party, Tigray, Tigray Region, UN, UN Human Rights Council, United NationsLeave a comment on Eritrea: Permanent Mission of the State of Eritrea to the United Nations – Eritrea's Re-Election to the United Nations Human Rights Council (14.10.2021)
A look into the newest UN Special Rapporteur Report (47-HRC) on Eritrea and the Shabait Rebuttal
What I will do is to take things side-by-side just to show how ridiculous things can become. Because, this is just showing how things are finessed and done. This is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Shabait) and how the United Nations operate. The lack of coordination and the lack of mutual consent. Which is the reason for this.
We know its getting hectic, when the Shabait response to the whole report has this headline: "Rumors Cannot be Presented as Facts". That's how they pop-it off. It sets the parameter and shows their ways. There is no middle-ground, but just throwing everything at it.
We know the Special Rapporteur Mohamed Abdelsalam Babike doesn't have a nice job either. As he states early this: "given the lack of cooperation of the Government with the Special Rapporteur, who was denied access to the country, he collated the necessary information through alternative means". Because of that he was forced to: "The Special Rapporteur conducted remote monitoring and held meetings with a broad range of actors, such as diplomats, human rights defenders, civil society representatives and academics. In addition, the Special Rapporteur collected first-hand information from Eritrean refugees residing in other countries, with a view to informing his assessment of the situation of human rights in Eritrea".
In this regard, the Eritrean government gave him no choice but do things remotely. Still, they are saying this in their rebuttal about the method: "As with previous SR reports on Eritrea, the lack of reliable data, heavy dependence on biased sources, non-verifiable approach, and ignorance of Eritrea's ground realities renders the methodology and the essence of the allegations tenuous and unacceptable".
What is funny about this… the government says they want a reliable and another methodology, but dismiss and doesn't make it possible for the Special Rapporteur to investigate in the first place. So, if you close the borders and doesn't cooperate. How is he supposed to get the information in the first place? You cannot close the doors and also claim whatever information he collects as wrong. With this sort of look into it. It seems like the objective of Eritrea is to call everything bogus and lies, while not allowing people to look into their works. This is the United Nations and not just a random organization having a mission of some sorts. Therefore, this is just making things more suspicious in the end of Eritrea. That they don't want information out in the first place…
When things gets really tricky, is when the Special Rapporteur says this: "The Special Rapporteur highlights that, as a member of the Human Rights Council, Eritrea should strengthen its cooperation with all human rights mechanisms. In particular, the Special Rapporteur encourages the Government to strengthen its cooperation with his mandate and engage constructively, and to enhance its engagement and technical cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, which remains ready to assist Eritrea in the three priority human rights areas identified by the authorities, as well as in the implementation of the recommendations from human rights mechanisms, including those emanating from the universal periodic review".
While Shabait says this: "Like every other country in the world, Eritrea faces challenges. However, the GoSE continuously works to address these challenges and improve human rights standards in the country. Accordingly, there is no "crisis" that warrants the targeting of the nation through HRC agendas and mandates". When Eritrea answers the UN Special Rapporteur like this. You know the whole thing is bound to fail. The UN Special Rapporteur is there, because the UN appointed him. Not because his job is to undermine Eritrea. That's just a fact and the government in Asmara clearly don't want that. However, their hostility and lack of cooperation. Only opens up the questions… why are they hiding and not just giving way, if they have a perfect Human Rights record? Why are they not inviting and showing the greatness of the Republic?
Well… you go figure… right?
Then, you have this one, which is on the origin of the Tigray conflict. The Special Rapporteur says this: "On 4 November 2020, tensions escalated in the region and an armed conflict erupted in Tigray when the Ethiopian National Defence Forces launched a military offensive against the Tigray People's Liberation Front in response to reported attacks against the Ethiopian National Defence Forces' military bases in Tigray by Tigrayan forces. The Ethiopian National Defence Forces were allegedly supported by Amhara regional forces and the Amhara Fano militia in western Tigray, and in particular by the Eritrean Defence Forces in northern and central Tigray". While Shabait answers with this: "Emboldened by some governments, the Western media, and NGOs, the TPLF, by its own admission, unleashed an insurrectionist war in November 2020 after it was ousted from power in 2018 after 27 years of despotic rule in Ethiopia. The objective of this massive, premeditated and unprovoked attack that the TPLF launched on all the contingents of the Ethiopian army in the north was to totally neutralize the Northern Command which possessed around 80% of the EDF's total arsenal. The TPLF killed several hundred non-Tigrayan soldiers within the Northern Command and its overall plan was to topple the central government once it had pacified the Northern Command". As Shabait continues: "Subsequent plans included military action against Eritrea to advance its avowed "regime change" agenda as well as incorporation of Eritrean sovereign territories for its long-term, multi-layered, aims and aspirations".
Here you see that Eritrea isn't looking into their own actions or as a part of the tripartite alliance in Tigray region. No, they are shifting everything at the TPLF. That is an deliberate act. While the Special Rapporteur is looking at it objectively. That's why the wording is so careful. The Shabait is going after the TPLF and their actions, but not stating anything about their own. Also, giving a history lesson of the misdeeds of the TPLF. While it is not saying it is currently involved any of it itself. Implying it is all justified and there is no reason to doubt that… While all three parties was preparing and launching the attacks on Tigray. So, they could easily blame the TPLF no matter what it did… and the rest is history and a conflict living on to this day.
What is further striking is this one, where the Special Rapporteur says this: "The Special Rapporteur welcomes the decision adopted on 22 March 2021 by the Council of the European Union, under the European Union's global human rights sanctions regime, imposing sanctions on Eritrea for serious violations of human rights, including acts of torture, extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and killings in Eritrea. The Council imposed restrictive measures on eleven individuals and four entities responsible for serious human rights violations and abuses in China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Eritrea, Libya, the Russian Federation and South Sudan". When Shabait retorts with this: "Mention has also been made regarding EU sanctions on Eritrea amid the ongoing discussion to withhold development support in particular in the pretext of the unwarranted and worn-out allegations surrounding National Service and forced labor (paragraph 24) as well as other baseless human rights allegations. Any such pre-condition on development cooperation is unacceptable. Eritrea remains committed to the effective mobilization, higher organization, and creation of national capacity in the implementation of its development programmes. It is, however, equally committed to cooperation predicated on partnership, involving mutual respect and understanding. Thus, it rejects any attempts at intimidation, coercion, or harassment under the veil of human rights and development cooperation".
Here we are seeing a stark contrast again. What is really significant. That Eritrea is against the sanctions. That's to be expected, because who wants to be sanctioned and getting retribution. However, instead of letting people in and see that these things doesn't happen. The Eritrean state is just retaliating. The UN Special Rapporteur only verifies the reports and the surrounding misgivings of the Eritrean state. Something the Eritrean doesn't prove to be wrong. They just call it baseless, but doesn't prove anything or say anything in significant in consideration with the alleged human rights violations. Which is the reason of the sanctions in the first place. The EU will have mechanisms where there is a need for burden of proof and evidence before sanctioning a nation. Which in effect has been enacted. Eritrea furthers the victimhood by calling it harassment and intimidation. That just shows they have no intent in changing its behaviour or try to prove their innocence.
The UN Special Rapporteur says: "The Special Rapporteur is concerned that the indefinite duration of military and civil service reportedly remains one of the main causes for the departure of Eritreans from their country. With the end of the state of war with Ethiopia, the Special Rapporteur encourages the Government to outline a timetable for reforms to its national service". The Shabait answers with: "The causality inference (paragraph 40) suggested in the present report between national service and migration from Eritrea is unjustified and unacceptable. In line with the new development drive, as well as the emerging prospects of viable peace and cooperation in the Horn of Africa, efforts will gradually be made to return National Service to its original duration. Moreover, a significant number of national service members have been integrated into the new remuneration system which improved the salary scale of the civil service".
This here shows the trouble with it here. As the Special Rapporteur states an issue with the military and civil service in Eritrea. While the Shabait tries to dismiss that. However, there is no way this is explaining the Eritreans fleeing from these state programs, which is causing this. The Eritrean government is downplaying it. This just shows how things are… and therefore, we just know the ideals will not be answered. That was a proof of the beginning.
They are both ending with this, which is interesting. The Special Rapporteur states this: "The Special Rapporteur calls upon the Government to acknowledge the persistence of human rights violations and abuses in Eritrea, and to allow him and other human rights mandate holders effective access to visit all areas of the country and meet with relevant stakeholders, with a view to addressing the human rights challenges that it faces". While Shabait says this: "It is time for the HRC to break with its 8-years long unproductive approach by terminating the mandate imposed on Eritrea. On its part, Eritrea will continue to expand and consolidate dignified engagement and international cooperation based on partnership and will continue its modest contribution to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Council, while working together with other members to depoliticize the Council and its agendas".
This is how two worlds are colliding. A nation and a sovereign like Eritrea who is saying everything is baseless. While Eritrea isn't opening up for the UN Special Rapporteur. Therefore, the allegations and the reported breaches of human rights violations aren't investigated directly, but only proven by eyewitnesses in the diaspora.
The Eritrean state should consider another path, because this sort of retort isn't safeguarding it. It is just opening up a plethora of questions. As it is not willing to open up. Shabait is just throwing shade. This sort of answer isn't making any good grounds, but make you further questions the actions of Eritrea.
The UN Special Rapporteur is appointed and gotten a mandate from someone else. Shabait is only defending its state, but its not doing a good job. It is a hit-job, but not hitting the target. Unless, it was to make headlines in local news. Where they can look like they did something, which isn't true. It did nothing… Peace.
Author nilspeacePosted on June 22, 2021 Categories Africa, Army, Development, Governance, Government, Law, Leadership, PoliticsTags Abdelsalam Babike, EPP, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Government of Eritrea, HRC, Human Rights, Human Rights Violations, Isaias Afewerki, People's Front for Democracy and Justice, PFDJ, PP, President Afewerki, Prime Minster Abiy, Prosperity Party, Tigray, Tigray Region, UN, UN Human Rights Council, United NationsLeave a comment on A look into the newest UN Special Rapporteur Report (47-HRC) on Eritrea and the Shabait Rebuttal
Opinion: The NRM proves again that the IPOD is worthless…
"The NRM has boycotted the meeting of IPOD scheduled for the handover of IPOD seat from Democratic Party to FDC. This as FDC insists the discussion should focus more on the meaningful dialogue and smooth transfer of power in Uganda" (NBS Television 27.11.2019).
Not to long ago, actually for two IPOD Summits the FDC boycotted these, as they did boycott the first IPOD Summit, as an reaction to the police brutality and harassment from the authorities. The second one was because they didn't want just a photo-op and a friendly greeting with the President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
The IPOD Summits haven't resolved anything or made any amends with the electoral reform or dialogue between the NRM and the opposition. The IPOD is just a paid journey from the Dutch, to preoccupy the parties on the way to yet another General Election in 20201.
Just a friendly reminder of what NRM said when the FDC boycotted it:
"Kasule Lumumba: NRM is the minority in IPOD. FDC is the leading opposition party. FDC shouldn't run away from responsibility. NRM remains committed. Come and offer leadership and we work together, Come and show Ugandans that you can lead" (NBS Television, 17.10.2019).
"I have always said FDC is a radical extremist party behaving like a millenarian cult & hostile to dialogue. This was on display yesterday when they boycotted the first IPOD meet. They used to say they would only attend IPOD MEETINGS if Museveni attends. What is their excuse now?" (Andrew Mwenda, 18.12.2018).
"I don't know why anybody [FDC] who says they are democrats would not like dialogue. I always welcome opportunities for dialogue because when you don't dialogue, you miss an opportunity to be understood clearly" – President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at the 12th December 2018 at the Speke Resort Munyonyo
Therefore, I wonder what will be the excuses of the NRM in the upcoming days. One that has already come out, which is unbelievable is that they wasn't invited. That one is just a lie, I don't believe that Norbert Mao forgot to send the invitation to the NRM Secretariat. The DP head wouldn't miss that one out.
It is weird that FDC comes now after boycotting for so long. It seemingly a play for them. It is insincere to take the helm. That it is, after calling out the other parties for being involved in the months ahead of this. The FDC knows this. Yes, this is politics, but the perception of this isn't brilliant. It is insincere at best.
The FDC should have pulled out, unless it seems they are just in it for the party-funding and possible billions promised after the second summit in May 2019. The environment for the FDC isn't better. Their party offices has been raided both in Kampala and in the up-country. Not like the FDC leadership is secure and safe for police brutality. Neither is their ability to conduct party activity in general.
What is weird is the NRM who has harassed and diminished the FDC for boycotting from before Christmas last year until the present IPOD takeover. That is very rich of them to not sit in the yellow chairs. Because, its not like the NRM will end up behind bars or get detained for participating. Neither house-arrested nor awaiting court-cases because of their loyalty elsewhere, than the President himself. Since all of them are loyal to him.
I never have believed in IPOD. Just like the Apple IPOD, I believe the relevance is gone and not vital for the changes in the Republic. It is just a tool for the NRM to keep the others in check. The NRM will only use this to settle the score and use the platform to ensure they are following guidelines and supposed protocol. The IPOD will not challenge or have any significant power, as the NRM and the government haven't given it that.
The IPOD and IPOD Summits are PR stunts and play for the facade. It is weird that the FDC wants to play now. They should have dropped out and been righteous. Instead, they wanted a little spotlight and look decent now. That's a bit late, but the NRM are totally in the wrong. When they have called the FDC out, but bails out themselves. That proves again the real value of it.
The real value of the IPOD is none, except for the Dutch donors who pays for the "dialogue". Peace.
Author nilspeacePosted on November 27, 2019 November 27, 2019 Categories Africa, Development, Election, Ethics, Governance, Government, Law, Leadership, PoliticsTags Asuman Basalirwa, Bobi Wine, Chapter Four, Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye, Conservative Party, Democratic Party, DP, Dr. Kizza Besigye, Farmers Party, FDC, Forum for Democratic Change, Free Speech, Freedom, Freedom of Expression, H. E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Hon. Ofwono Opondo, Human Rights, Human Rights Violations, IGP Okoth-Ochola, J.M. Okoth-Ochola, James Akena, JEEMA Forum, Kizza Besigye, Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni., M7, Mzee, National Resistance Movement, Norbert Mao, NRM, Ofwono Opondo, People Power, People's Development Party, People's Progressive Party, POMA, President Museveni, Public Order Management Act, Robert Kyagulanyi, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, Uganda, Uganda Federal Alliance, Uganda People Defence Force, Uganda Peoples Congress, Uganda Police Force, UPC, UPDF, UPF, Yoweri Kaguta MuseveniLeave a comment on Opinion: The NRM proves again that the IPOD is worthless…
The Second Summit of Leaders of the Inter Party Organization for Dialogue (IPOD) – Monday 20th May 2019 – Joint Communique (20.05.2019)
Author nilspeacePosted on May 22, 2019 May 22, 2019 Categories Africa, Development, Election, Ethics, Governance, Government, Law, Leadership, PoliticsTags Asuman Basalirwa, Bobi Wine, Chapter Four, Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye, Conservative Party, Democratic Party, DP, Dr. Kizza Besigye, Farmers Party, FDC, Forum for Democratic Change, Free Speech, Freedom, Freedom of Expression, H. E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Hon. Ofwono Opondo, Human Rights, Human Rights Violations, IGP Okoth-Ochola, J.M. Okoth-Ochola, James Akena, JEEMA Forum, Kizza Besigye, Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni., M7, Mzee, National Resistance Movement, Norbert Mao, NRM, Ofwono Opondo, People Power, People's Development Party, People's Progressive Party, POMA, President Museveni, Public Order Management Act, Robert Kyagulanyi, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, Uganda, Uganda Federal Alliance, Uganda People Defence Force, Uganda Peoples Congress, Uganda Police Force, UPC, UPDF, UPF, Yoweri Kaguta MuseveniLeave a comment on The Second Summit of Leaders of the Inter Party Organization for Dialogue (IPOD) – Monday 20th May 2019 – Joint Communique (20.05.2019)
UPC: Press Statement – UPC Hands Over IPOD Summit/Council/Chair To DP (27.03.2019)
Author nilspeacePosted on March 27, 2019 March 27, 2019 Categories Africa, Development, Election, Ethics, Governance, Government, Law, Leadership, Politics, TransparencyTags Asuman Basalirwa, Bobi Wine, Chapter Four, Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye, Conservative Party, Democratic Party, DP, Dr. Kizza Besigye, Farmers Party, FDC, Forum for Democratic Change, Free Speech, Freedom, Freedom of Expression, H. E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Hon. Ofwono Opondo, Human Rights, Human Rights Violations, IGP Okoth-Ochola, J.M. Okoth-Ochola, James Akena, JEEMA Forum, Kizza Besigye, Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni., M7, Mzee, National Resistance Movement, Norbert Mao, NRM, Ofwono Opondo, People Power, People's Development Party, People's Progressive Party, POMA, President Museveni, Public Order Management Act, Robert Kyagulanyi, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, Uganda, Uganda Federal Alliance, Uganda People Defence Force, Uganda Peoples Congress, Uganda Police Force, UPC, UPDF, UPF, Yoweri Kaguta MuseveniLeave a comment on UPC: Press Statement – UPC Hands Over IPOD Summit/Council/Chair To DP (27.03.2019)
Jajja's eight time the charm: 2021 and beyond!
This upcoming election isn't about reforms, isn't about progress or about the ability to go forward. This up-coming election isn't about the legacy nor the options or selections of candidates. That sort of ship has sailed, as the Age Limit bill enacted into law. Fixing the 1995 Constitution into the image, which the President needed.
We can all fool say, that Robert Kyagulanyi or Dr. Kizza Besigye have a shot this time. We can all joke around and think that the Forum for Democratic Change, Uganda People's Congress, Justice Forum or the Democratic Party have a possible outreach to challenge the Movement. We can all mock ourselves, thinking that Norbert Mao, Asuman Basalirwa and James Akena will push the boundaries for this up-coming election. However, we all know that is a lie.
It is not that I am again change, not that I am against any of the opposition parties. I am not, but the cynical and free thinking spirit in me is saying, that this election is already pre-rigged, prepared and settled. There are no bounds for victory elsewhere. That is false-hope, which is fiction. It is political suicide to think that you can conquer or even beat Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in 2021.
The only thing that can conquer him at this point is either that the military, the generals and the ones closest to the army are turning against him. If not its his age and his health that will go into default stages because of his advanced age. Therefore, when concerning ballots, campaigning and all the rest is a farce for the façade.
The façade of a democracy and an election of some sense. That the public are in-line awaiting their turn to throw their ballot into the boxes. Where the party and candidates hold rallies and come with manifestoes and pledges. They all can promise new and fresh days, all new roses and chapattis, not to talk about working out the bottlenecks and getting the country into a middle-income nation. However, how much of a mirage that is at this point.
We know they will do this, will come out, guns blazing and fuming with fire. They all will come as statesmen and nobles, stand up tall and smile, glace at the crowds and mysteriously be gone in the next hot-minute after the polls. Because, that is just what they do. They came all in, but forgotten the next moment.
As that is happening, as the 2021 elections are getting prepared. Let us not fool ourselves. We already knows who wins, who will have the margin in the Parliament and who will have the elective officials behind him. Not because he is the best candidate, neither the second best either, but he is the only alternative, because he cannot lose. Since the system is built on his image and his vision. It is all him and everyone else is supposed to bow down to his majesty, the royal king and this is his domain. The Republic and its citizens are his servants and they should be humble and oblige him for another term. Even if that means his eight shot to strike Royal Flush.
Clearly, the Movement, the President and the whole state apparatus will act like it is a fair game, when its not. It's rigged and settled before even the ballots are procured. This game isn't changing anything. This election could have been similar in 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 or 2015. Even in 1980, but then there was another master who rigged that election. Now, it's his time, yet again. Peace.
Author nilspeacePosted on March 8, 2019 March 8, 2019 Categories Africa, Development, Election, Ethics, Governance, Government, Law, Leadership, Politics, TransparencyTags Asuman Basalirwa, Bobi Wine, Chapter Four, Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye, Conservative Party, Democratic Party, DP, Dr. Kizza Besigye, Farmers Party, FDC, Forum for Democratic Change, Free Speech, Freedom, Freedom of Expression, H. E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Hon. Ofwono Opondo, Human Rights, Human Rights Violations, IGP Okoth-Ochola, J.M. Okoth-Ochola, James Akena, JEEMA Forum, Kizza Besigye, Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni., M7, Mzee, National Resistance Movement, Norbert Mao, NRM, Ofwono Opondo, People Power, People's Development Party, People's Progressive Party, POMA, President Museveni, Public Order Management Act, Robert Kyagulanyi, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, Uganda, Uganda Federal Alliance, Uganda People Defence Force, Uganda Peoples Congress, Uganda Police Force, UPC, UPDF, UPF, Yoweri Kaguta MuseveniLeave a comment on Jajja's eight time the charm: 2021 and beyond!
Opinion: The State House launch another busy body called the National Dialogue Committee!
"Talk sense to a fool and he calls you foolish." – Euripides
Today, was the day where the extension of the IPOD Summit 2018 was launched with brazen words from the President and the other partners around the table. Where the glowing lights and media houses was welcomed for the new initiative and the new committee, which is placed under the wings of the State House. As most things this day, another parastatal closely connected with the President.
The Republic has already the aforementioned Inter Party Organization for Dialogue or the IPOD. Which will by next year, been there and going in whatever pace it is since 2009. That is decade and the first summit was this year. So, when Mr. President says he is all about Dialogue, he is lying, but that is tradition in his blurred vision.
That the President proclaims dialogue and talks now, is that he see that his figure abroad is distorted and that his allies is starting to question him. Not only that he is a weapon-brother, but that he keeps shady friends. The President is scheming with Sudan, North Korea and anyone coming his way. As long as he gets the cash, even Equatorial Guinea is a friendly haven.
That is why the dialogue is so important, because when he was opposition himself. It wasn't vital or important. It was even needed, the other parties was criminals and looters. Now he is the one who has eaten and ate for so long, he forgotten the time he even was freed by soldiers in prison in 1980. However, at this point, that is water under the bridge.
That the President is starting a National Dialogue Committee at the State House in 2019. Is a bit late, is very late in the time of the Presidency, it is too late to be serious from someone who never retires. Never gives way or even surrender to his own narratives and going against his vision. The President has always to get on top and win. The others has to be his minions, if not they have to be useful tools in the box. That fix his issues and get it done. So he can bask in the glory. This would certainly be wish of this committee.
That I have little faith is that the IPOD has done little or anything. The coalitions of the opposition has done nothing to overcome the hardships of political landscape. None of their actions, none of their partnership into the elections has made significant progress. Not that their partnership or coalitions would matter, when you have an Electoral Commission and ruling regime rigging the results for their benefit.
If the President had cared about the IPOD, which has been there since 2009, than he would have looked into the The Democratic Alliance (TDA) in 2015/2016 or the Inter-Party Cooperation (IPC) in 2010/2011, also the Group of Six (G6) from about 2004 to 2006. That is three Opposition Coalition, who haven't feared well, as the NRM has done it their way.
The Forum for Democratic Change has done more dialogue and talks, than the NRM has. As they haven't been interested in that, they we're never interested in Multi-Party Democracy in the first place. Therefore, Museveni is lying saying he has done talks since back-when. That was to solidify his position and strengthen the Movement System. He didn't want anything else. Because he couldn't control the outer bodies. That is why he has made laws he gets notified of other parties activity and public meetings. So, that they have to get verified and allowed to do so. If not they are breaking the law of the Republic, if they are crossing his laws.That is the initial act of the Public Order Management Act of 2010. That was a year after the 2009 launch of IPOD.
Now in 2018, he launches a National Dialogue Committee at the State House, like it will make a difference. As the IPOD never has achieved that, neither has the G6, IPC and the TDA. None of them have made enough progress or had the ability to make anything fruitful. Even if their initial idea or message was good. That because Museveni never been honest about elections or dialogue, as it has to only benefit him. If it doesn't he will tarnish and destroy you. Don't expect the new committee makes significant steps, they are a front and the wold should know it. Peace.
Author nilspeacePosted on December 18, 2018 December 18, 2018 Categories Africa, Development, Election, Ethics, Governance, Government, Law, Leadership, Politics, TransparencyTags Asuman Basalirwa, Bobi Wine, Chapter Four, Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye, Conservative Party, Democratic Party, DP, Dr. Kizza Besigye, Farmers Party, FDC, Forum for Democratic Change, Free Speech, Freedom, Freedom of Expression, H. E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Hon. Ofwono Opondo, Human Rights, Human Rights Violations, IGP Okoth-Ochola, J.M. Okoth-Ochola, James Akena, JEEMA Forum, Kizza Besigye, Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni., M7, Mzee, National Resistance Movement, Norbert Mao, NRM, Ofwono Opondo, People Power, People's Development Party, People's Progressive Party, POMA, President Museveni, Public Order Management Act, Robert Kyagulanyi, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, Uganda, Uganda Federal Alliance, Uganda People Defence Force, Uganda Peoples Congress, Uganda Police Force, UPC, UPDF, UPF, Yoweri Kaguta MuseveniLeave a comment on Opinion: The State House launch another busy body called the National Dialogue Committee!
Opinion: IPOD Summit 2018, what gives?
Sometimes, you wonder if the big-men think they are fooling themselves, with grandeur, with splendid facilities, with amazing statements, but however, there are no fruitful declaration or anything significant to prove of the gathering. Other than a few photo-ops and smiles from the attendees.
The IPOD Summit on the 12th December 2018 seems like that today. As there are no concessions, no proof of any movement, the Movement is at a standstill and the Opposition Parties that did show up. Was seemingly there for leverage and not for any political gains. As there are none to prove after mere hours of attending.
That James Akena of the Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) hailed the process, is fine in itself, but what use has process, when there is no outcome? Why was Norbert Mao blazing at the FDC, when his Democratic Party (DP) is split between the "Good DP" and "Bad DP". Who knows what Asuman Basalirwa (Justice Forum) was up to really, other than switching sides from People Power to align himself with the NRM.
The only one earing on this affair is the National Resistance Movement and the President himself. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who got them on a string. He got most of the opposition at his bay and playing by his rules, without giving away anything. That is the reality of yesterday. There was nothing given by the NRM.
He held a meeting, hold a Presser and spoke about his vision as he usually does without an proper outcome. That is how empty the affair was, that is why the NRM and his minions are attacking the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) for not attending. What was it to attend? To show loyalty to Bosco? To show that he matters and rules supreme. Because he has no plan of stopping to rule.
I find it amusing that the talk of the town is that FDC didn't show up. Since that shows the weakness of the process, of the delivery and of the platform created by this Summit. If the summit had mattered, if it had any consequences or any sort of result. They would have shown that, that would have been manifested. Instead, they doing the opposite. Blaming the fella that stood them up. Because he knew this was fake dialogue and knew there was nothing real to talk about. As proven with the insults and statements thrown that way.
Why was there none about the Farmers Party, People's Progressive Party, Conservative Party, Uganda Federal Alliance or the People's Development Party, because none of them was attending or said to show up with delegates? Is it because they are irrelevant at this point? One Man shows with no standing?
Because they bitch about the FDC, but doesn't comment about the five parties also missing at the Summit. They gathered the big-shots, but the biggest opposition didn't show. As there was no reasons to be there and that is now proven.
Time for the Movement to reconnect and digress their deceptions. It is time for the public to open their minds and asks questions. Because they have been, spoon-feed by the NRM. They continue to that, but the Movement are not proving anything. Especially, this IPOD Summit is a proof of that. Since they cannot even show a Joint Declaration or a MoU of some kind. Because there were none in the first place. Peace.
Author nilspeacePosted on December 13, 2018 December 13, 2018 Categories Africa, Development, Election, Ethics, Governance, Government, Law, Leadership, Politics, TransparencyTags Asuman Basalirwa, Bobi Wine, Chapter Four, Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye, Conservative Party, Democratic Party, DP, Dr. Kizza Besigye, Farmers Party, FDC, Forum for Democratic Change, Free Speech, Freedom, Freedom of Expression, H. E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Hon. Ofwono Opondo, Human Rights, Human Rights Violations, IGP Okoth-Ochola, J.M. Okoth-Ochola, James Akena, JEEMA Forum, Kizza Besigye, Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni., M7, Mzee, National Resistance Movement, Norbert Mao, NRM, Ofwono Opondo, People Power, People's Development Party, People's Progressive Party, POMA, President Museveni, Public Order Management Act, Robert Kyagulanyi, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, Uganda, Uganda Federal Alliance, Uganda People Defence Force, Uganda Peoples Congress, Uganda Police Force, UPC, UPDF, UPF, Yoweri Kaguta MuseveniLeave a comment on Opinion: IPOD Summit 2018, what gives?
Uganda Peoples Congress: IPOD First Summit, 2018 (05.12.2018)
Author nilspeacePosted on December 5, 2018 December 5, 2018 Format ImageCategories Africa, Development, Ethics, Governance, Government, Law, Leadership, Politics, TransparencyTags Asuman Basalirwa, Bobi Wine, Chapter Four, Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye, Democratic Party, DP, Dr. Kizza Besigye, FDC, Forum for Democratic Change, Free Speech, Freedom, Freedom of Expression, H. E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Hon. Ofwono Opondo, Human Rights, Human Rights Violations, IGP Okoth-Ochola, J.M. Okoth-Ochola, James Akena, JEEMA Forum, Kizza Besigye, Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni., M7, Mzee, National Resistance Movement, Norbert Mao, NRM, Ofwono Opondo, People Power, POMA, President Museveni, Public Order Management Act, Robert Kyagulanyi, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, Uganda, Uganda People Defence Force, Uganda Peoples Congress, Uganda Police Force, UPC, UPDF, UPF, Yoweri Kaguta MuseveniLeave a comment on Uganda Peoples Congress: IPOD First Summit, 2018 (05.12.2018)
Uganda Peoples Congress – Press Statement (14.11.2018)
Author nilspeacePosted on November 14, 2018 November 14, 2018 Categories Africa, Development, Ethics, Governance, Government, Law, Leadership, Politics, TransparencyTags Asuman Basalirwa, Bobi Wine, Chapter Four, Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye, Democratic Party, DP, Dr. Kizza Besigye, FDC, Forum for Democratic Change, Free Speech, Freedom, Freedom of Expression, H. E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Hon. Ofwono Opondo, Human Rights, Human Rights Violations, IGP Okoth-Ochola, J.M. Okoth-Ochola, James Akena, JEEMA Forum, Kizza Besigye, Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni., M7, Mzee, National Resistance Movement, Norbert Mao, NRM, Ofwono Opondo, People Power, POMA, President Museveni, Public Order Management Act, Robert Kyagulanyi, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, Uganda, Uganda People Defence Force, Uganda Peoples Congress, Uganda Police Force, UPC, UPDF, UPF, Yoweri Kaguta MuseveniLeave a comment on Uganda Peoples Congress – Press Statement (14.11.2018)


Thinking in the abstract – Yesterday, as most of you know, was my initial evaluation for my dissertation. Obviously, I am still alive. In a nutshell, things didn't go as well as they could have, but they didn't really go badly, either. Let's just say the next few weeks are going to be busy.
The rainy (monsoon) season began here on Wednesday, as fate would have it, so yesterday morning it was raining as I walked to the subway station. It rained for most of the day, except for a brief period of about a half hour, when I made the journey from the Seoul National subway station to the school itself (five minutes after arriving at school, it started pouring). I arrived early, because I wasn't sure exactly how things were going to go. I did go through a similar process with my MA thesis, but that was nine years ago, so I didn't really remember the details.
As I waited for the appointed time, I sat down with two abstracts I had written for the dissertation. The abstract (essentially a summary of the main points of the dissertation) is not due until I submit my final copy, but my advisor recommended that I write one anyway before the evaluation—apparently one of the professors used to ask every candidate to summarize their dissertation in three minutes or less, and if they couldn't do it he would immediately send them back to the drawing board for a rewrite. The idea is that if you can't summarize your arguments in a concise fashion, your arguments probably aren't very well organized.
So, in the time after I submitted the evaluation copies and before the evaluation, I took a stab at writing an abstract. My advisor suggested that I limit it to two pages at the most, so I wrote a two-page abstract. Despite the length, I was not happy with it. It did not feel like I had captured the essence of the dissertation. So I decided to slim down and go for one page. But how do you summarize a 170+ page dissertation in just one page? The answer, of course, is that you don't. The best you can do is present the core element(s) of your dissertation in brief.
So I sat down and distilled my dissertation into its core idea: that the trickster is a liminal figure, and everything he does is defined by this liminality. And I ended up with something just slightly over a page, but which had captured the essence of the dissertation. There was just one problem. I looked back at my dissertation and realized that the distilled ideas I presented in the abstract were not always evident in the dissertation itself.
After the first attempt at an abstract, I thought that perhaps I was just burned out. Maybe I needed a break. Maybe I was too deep into the dissertation to get the proper perspective. I was not entirely wrong on that last count, but the problem was not with my state of mind. When I wrote the second abstract I realized that the problem was with the dissertation—somewhere along the way, I had lost focus. After all the categorizing and organizing and putting round pegs in round holes, the main point that was supposed to hold everything together had gotten buried.
In other words, I had an idea of what was going to happen during the evaluation. This did not make it any easier, of course. After thirty minutes of closed-door deliberations, my committee called me in and began to tear apart my dissertation, piece by piece. Now that the dust has settled and my head has cleared, I have a much better picture of the task that is before me, and I can see that things aren't quite as bad as I first feared. At the time, though, it just felt like I was getting pummeled. I weathered the first hour pretty well, but after an hour, with about a half hour to go, my brain must have hit its limit and things started to get fuzzy.
I think I may have mentioned the test I took to get my brown belt in karate when I was younger. I hate to bring it up again, but I honestly cannot think of any experience that I have had that is more similar to what I felt at the one-hour mark. The brown belt test involved facing off against five black belts in a row—that is, one round each with five-different black belts. It was quite a while ago now, so I don't remember the exact sequence of events, but I know that at some point I went into a state of shock. Things around me weren't as sharp, and it felt like I was moving in slow motion. I was just acting on instinct. This is very much what it felt like for a short period during the evaluation—fuzzy, slow, white. I must have also had a somewhat stunned look on my face, because at one point the head of my committee laughed and said, "You're getting all of this, right?" And then I nodded and snapped back. I just think for a moment there it was a bit too much.
He was completely right. That paper had focus, and is probably the best thing I have written on the trickster to date. What happened? Well, as the head of my committee pointed out, just about everyone gets sloppy when they have to write at length on something. I had a point when I started out, a very clear point. But as time went on and I got deeper and deeper into the subject and the materials, I lost sight of that point. I never lost sight of it completely, of course. That is, I always knew that this was the core of my dissertation, but it got buried at times, leaving me with a dissertation that had no clear focus.
The bottom line is that I am on the right track and the reaction has been positive, but I have a lot of work to do to get this thing into shape. It is definitely daunting, and I'm honestly not looking forward to the next three-and-a-half weeks, but it's certainly not a bad outcome. Could it have gone better? Yeah, definitely. But it didn't, and if I want to produce the best dissertation that I can I have a lot of work ahead of me. In the end, I am grateful that my committee did such a thorough job, as it has given me a clear road map.
My final evaluation is scheduled for 21 July. I believe in the last entry I had originally said the final deadline was 20 July, but apparently I had misheard the date—it's actually 22 July. What this means is that I will be submitting my final copy to the committee on the 18th, and they will have three days to look it over. If they deem that I have brought the dissertation up to their standards, I will get their stamps (both figuratively and literally) and be able to complete the paperwork that needs to be submitted to the department office. I will have some time (a couple of weeks) after this to make final corrections, but these are of the editing/proofreading nature. The dissertation must be submitted to the school library by the 5th of August, and after that... well, that will be pretty much it.
Of course, if I don't bring the dissertation up to standards by the 18th of next month, the committee may postpone my evaluation until next semester. This would obviously be the worst case scenario, and I'm hoping that it doesn't happen. The ball is in my court now, though. I hold my own fate in my hands. I know what I have to do, and now it's just a matter of hunkering back down and getting it done. So, I'm going to go hunker a bit. I'll see you on the 18th.


Although my "making stuff with wood" journey began at the end of 2017, it really became a passion in 2018. I thought it would be fun to do a recap of what Tim and I made in the past year. He helped a ton in the beginning, and any time I asked for assistance/guidance after that. I did more and more on my own as the year went on. I linked to the posts where I talked more in depth about each.
Finished up with nightstands, also to match the bed, for which I was chosen as a Weatherwash Ambassador (I submitted a project proposal and it was accepted). It was super freaking exciting as I have used Weatherwash on almost everything here.
I can't wait to tell you all about the upcoming furniture/house/woodcraft projects and to take you along on my learning journey…once the shop (garage) is done.
Hi all. Been keeping super busy here. I'm building nightstands, painting the basement, trying to be a little creative on my own by using scrap wood to make decorative, rustic trays and centerpiece boxes. I have been so inspired by the makers/woodworkers I follow on Instagram. Although I have a mile long list of things I want to make, I'm feeling pretty good about the productivity level, and I'm never without something to work on.
I have one nightstand assembled, thanks to help from Tim. I think Fargo approves.
We used the same tongue and groove for the top that we used for the headboard. We thought that would tie it all together nicely.
Not too shabby, eh? SQUEEEEEE!!!!!
The other challenging part was building that drawer. It was a first drawer build for Tim too, but we figured it out together. I know it's repetitive, but I was ridiculously excited when the drawer fit well.
I'm working on the second nightstand now. I've done all of the assembly work so far on the second one SOLO! I'm really proud of this, it's a huge step. I employed the use of clamps along the way.
Lots of pocket holes in this build, so I'm loving the Kreg Jig! You can see the Weatherwash in the background, which I also love. This morning I used PINED on the first nightstand in order to match the bed. It's way too windy to move the miter saw into the driveway and finish building the second one, so I figured I'd stain the first. I'll have an updated post with the rest of the nightstand pictures soon. I'll also have a post with the assorted other items I've been putting together.
I'll leave you with Fargo The Terrible, keeping me company while I build. Good thing I make sure he has a comfy place to rest.


text:
False aneurysm of cavernous carotid artery and carotid cavernous fistula: Complications following transsphenoidal surgery
Kachhara R, Menon G, Bhattacharya R N, Nair S, Gupta A K, Gadhinglajkar S, Rathod R C
Year : 2003| Volume: 51| Issue : 1 | Page no: 81-83
1 Iatrogenic pseudoaneurysm: A rare complication of sinonasal surgery
Mathews, S.S. and Kumar, R.M. and Rupa, V.
American Journal of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Medicine and Surgery. 2011; 32(6): 607-610
2 CT angiography diagnosis on the rupture of traumatic pseudoaneurysms of the cavernous of the internal carotid artery into the sphenoid sinus
Li, S.-L. and Wang, Z.-C. and Xian, J.-F.
Chinese Journal of Radiology. 2011; 45(6): 552-554
3 ICA occlusion by an ACTH- secreting pituitary adenoma post-TSS and irradiation
El-Zammar, D. and Akagami, R.
McGill Journal of Medicine. 2010; 13(1): 31-37
4 Management of patients with iatrogenic pseudoaneurysm of carotid and vertebral artery
Zhou, J.-Y. and Yu, J. and Chen, S. and Wu, Q. and Xu, J. and Zhang, J.-M.
National Medical Journal of China. 2010; 90(33): 2338-2341
5 Fatal hemorrhage following trans-sphenoidal resection of a pituitary adenoma: A case report and review of the literature
Kepron, C. and Cusimano, M. and Pollanen, M.S.
Forensic Science, Medicine, and Pathology. 2010; 6(4): 282-287
6 The use of a covered stent graft for obliteration of high-flow carotid cavernous fistula presenting with life-threatening epistaxis
Kalia, J.S. and Niu, T. and Zaidat, O.O.
Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery. 2009; 1(2): 142-145
7 An anatomical study of inter carotid distances in the sellar region with a surgical perspective
Gupta, T.
Brazilian Journal for Morphological Sciences. 2009; 26(1): 23-26
8 Carotid-cavernous fistula after functional endoscopic sinus surgery
Karaman, E., Isildak, H., Haciyev, Y., Kaytaz, A., Enver, O.
Journal of Craniofacial Surgery. 2009; 20(2): 1-2
9 Endovascular treatment of a direct post-traumatic carotid-cavernous fistula with electrolytically detachable coils
Šeruga, T.
Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift, Supplement. 2006; 118(2): 80-84
10 Iatrogenic carotid artery injury in neurosurgery
Inamasu, J., Guiot, B.H.
Neurosurgical Review. 2005; 28(4): 239-247


text:
Q: Predicate function as argument I have a function that will take another function and if the function I pass as an argument is true then it does something and if it is false then it does something else, but how do I specify it so that the function that is passed as an argument is a function that returns a bool?
def a_function(function,value):
    if function(value) == True:
       do this
    else:
       do this

but if "function" is not a function that returns a bool then my code doesn't work

A: A simple solution using isinstance would work. Run the code here
http://codebunk.com/b/-JJzQlUmKV10CO5Lps_k
def fn(function,value):
    retval = function(value)
    if not isinstance(retval,bool):
       print("function did not return a bool")
       return None
    if retval:
        print "True"
    else:
        print "False"

fn(sum, [1,2,3])
fn(lambda x:True, [1,2,3])

A while ago I wrote a post discussing Guido's multimethods and using them to do pattern matching on function arguments. You can read the post here http://speak.codebunk.com/post/77084204957/pattern-matching-in-python


text:
Al Ahly to Face Auckland City on February 1
Wed 25 Jan 2023 | 09:07 AM
Rana Atef
Al Ahly's football team will start their journey in FIFA Club World Cup 2023 in Morocco by facing New Zealand's Auckland City on February 1.
This match will be the kicking-off contest of the tournament that will take place in Morocco.
Al Ahly are working on passing this match to continue their journey in the tournament.
The winner of this match will face CONCACAF CL champions Seattle Sounders on February 4.
The upcoming participation will be Al Ahly's 8th time, and the third one in a row.
Al Ahly managed to get three bronze medals in Japan 2006, Qatar 2020, and UAE 2021.