Breast cancer, the most common malignancy in women, still holds many secrets. The causes for non-hereditary breast cancer are still unknown. To elucidate any role for circulating naturally secreted proteins, a screen of secreted proteins' influence of MCF10A cell anchorage independent growth was set up.
To systematically screen secreted proteins for their capacity to transform mammalian breast epithelial cells, a soft agar screen of MCF10A cells was performed using a library of ~ 470 secreted proteins. A high concentration of infecting viral particles was used to obtain multiple infections in individual cells to specifically study the combined effect of multiple secreted proteins.
Several known breast cancer factors, such as Wnt, FGF and IL were retained, as well as factors that were previously unknown to have a role in breast cancer, such as paraoxonase 1 and fibroblast growth factor binding protein 2. Additionally, a combinatory role of Interleukin 6 with other factors in MCF10A anchorage-independent growth is demonstrated.
The transforming effect of combinations of IL6 with other secreted proteins allows studying the transformation of mammary epithelial cells in vitro, and may also have implications in in vivo studies where secreted proteins are upregulated or overexpressed.
Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women, accounting for 1/3 of all cancers in women and the highest cancer-related mortality in women. While many breast cancer oncogenes have been identified, the causes for the majority of sporadic breast cancers are unknown.
Studies with Mouse Mammary tumor Virus (MMTV) in mice have indicated that enhanced expression of a number of secreted proteins, such as Wingless-type MMTV integration site family (Wnt), Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and R-spondin (RSPO), are associated with the development of breast cancer [1–7]. However, when overexpressed in mammary epithelial cells, these proteins do not transform cells. Also, mice transgenic for Wnt or FGF proteins develop breast cancer in a stochastic manner, indicating that a second event is necessary for breast cancer development [1, 8]. Taken together, these findings indicate that while these secreted factors are important contributing factors, individually, they are not sufficient for full transformation of breast epithelial cells.
It has also been shown that cytokines can have both a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on breast cancer cells, depending on their relative concentrations and the presence of other factors in the microenvironment . This indicates that the cooperative or antagonistic effects of multiple secreted factors may be more decisive than the individual factors in determining cellular behavior.
We have set out to investigate the co-operative action of secreted proteins in the transformation of breast epithelial cells. We have constructed an expression library of 470 secreted proteins in a retroviral vector, and used it to infect human breast epithelial cells at high multiplicity of infection (MOI), with the goal to achieve multiply infected cells, expressing combinations of secreted factors. These cells were selected by growth in soft agar, and the infecting cDNA's were recovered. Analysis of about 300 colonies revealed that it is indeed possible to obtain multiple infection of MCF10A cells through retroviral infection. The cDNA's recovered from the selected cells reveal a high recurrence of genes that have previously been implicated in breast cancer development, such as Wnt and FGF proteins, while at the same time revealing high recurrences of genes that had previously not been directly linked to breast cancer development, such as FGF-binding proteins and paraoxonases. Furthermore, the high incidence of multiple infections in the selected colonies indicate that multiple factors are needed for successful anchorage-independent growth of MCF10A cells. We demonstrate that particularly interleukin 6, when combined with other factors, but not alone, is effectively driving anchorage independent growth in MCF10A cells.
MCF10A cells were obtained from American Type Culture Collection and grown in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium supplemented with 5% horse serum, 20 ng/ml epidermal growth factor, 0.5 μg/ml hydrocortisone, 100 mg/ml cholera toxin, 10 μg/ml insulin and penicillin/streptomycin. The amphotropic Phoenix packaging cell line was obtained from the Nolan Laboratory, Stanford University and grown in DME medium, supplemented with 10% Fetal Calf Serum.
A total of 469 cDNA's were cloned into either pBABE-puro, or a slightly modified pBABE-puro, pBABE-I, retroviral vectors (see additional file 1: figure S1). pBABE-I was created by replacing the SV40 promoter in pBABE-puro with the PGK promoter by PCR from the pSIREN vector (Clontech). The PGK promoter fragment was amplified by PCR with primers forward: GAGGGATCC GAATTCCACCATGG CTGACAGATCT TAATGAGTCGAC AATTGTACCGGTAGGGGAGGC; and reverse: AGAGTTCTTGCAGCTCGGTGAC; and cloned into the BamHI-BsiWI cut pBABE-puro. The primers contain restriction enzyme recognition sites (underlined) for an altered MCS in pBABE-I. No difference in production of viral particles by either vector has been observed. About half of the clones were cloned in pBABE-puro, and about half in pBABE-I. Most cDNA's were cloned by PCR from the MegaMan Human Transcriptome Library (Stratagene), or were obtained by RT-PCR from tissue-specific mRNA (purchased from Clontech). Others were cloned by PCR from EST clones that were obtained via RZPD (Germany) or the IMAGE consortium (via ATCC). Before the ATG codon of the clones, a KOZAK sequence was inserted. All clones were verified by full-length sequencing.
The library was subdivided in 13 random groups of about 37 clones, and transfected in the AMPHO cell line using Effectene (Qiagen). Forty-eight hours later, virus-containing supernatants from all groups were combined (about 790 ml was recovered), filtered (0.45 μM filter; Millipore) and concentrated by spinning in SA600 rotor at 15000 RPM for 2 hours in a Sorvall centrifuge. The viral pellets were resuspended in a final volume of 90 ml. This medium was supplemented with 5 μg/ml polybrene (Sigma-Aldrich), and evenly distributed over 6 15-cm dishes of MCF10A cells that had been seeded at 3 × 106 cell/dish 24 hours before.
After 24 hours, the infected MCF10A cells were trypsinized, counted, and seeded in puromycin (1 μg/ml) containing soft agar (2 × 106 cell/15 cm dish). The dishes were maintained for four weeks, and 15 ml of medium with puromycin was added once per week. Many differently sized colonies could be observed. A total of 400 larger colonies were picked and plated in normal puromycin-containing medium and allowed to grow and expand. About 300 colonies were found to be viable. Total DNA was purified from 106 cells of each expanded colony using the FlexiGene DNA kit (Qiagen). Three different PCR reactions were performed with each genomic DNA samples, one with G3PDH primers to verify DNA quality, one with a set of pBABE-puro (Primers: For: ctaagcctccgcctcctcttcttcc; Rev: gcctcccctacccggtagaattgtc) and the last with pBABE-I (Primers: For: ctaagcctccgcctcctcttcttcc; Rev: ggactttccacacctggttgctgac) specific primers, respectively. All PCR products were purified from agarose gels and subjected to direct sequencing with primer gcctcctcttcttccatccg. Sequencing results were subjected to BLAST searches on the NCBI webservice to identify the inserts.
AMPHO cells were transfected using FuGene 6 (Roche) or Effectene (Qiagen) according to manufacturer recommendations. The obtained viral supernatant was filtered and used to infect 6-well of MCF10A cells. Three changes of the viral supernatant was used over a period 48 hours. When combinations of different protein interactions were required, individual retroviral constructs were transfected, and viral supernatants were combined at the time of infection. Infected cells underwent puromycin-selection and were grown for 3-5 days, trypsinized, counted and seeded in triplicates of soft agar base at 20,000 cells/well in 6-well dishes. Fresh Medium was added twice per week with the old medium being removed once during the week. After 4 weeks, colonies were stained with Thiazolyl Blue Tetrazolium Bromide for 4 hours at room temperature, destained multiple times with water, and then analyzed.
To construct the secretomics library, we selected candidate proteins on basis of reported secretion, predicted secretory domains or signals, or homology to known secreted proteins. Most of the proteins in our library are 500 or less amino acids in size, so as to allow for efficient infection and expression in a retroviral system. At the time of the experiments described in this report, our library contained 467 different proteins. Our library contained both individual proteins, and multiple members of protein families, such as 16 different Wnt proteins, 22 FGF proteins, 35 interleukins, and 15 kalikreins (see additional file 2: table S1). The library was constructed in the selectable retroviral vector pBABE to allow for wide application.
In order to study the combinatory effect of multiple secreted factors on a single cell, we infected the cells with a mixture of retroviral particles at a high concentration. A Flow-chart of the screen process is shown in figure 1. We subdivided the library in 13 subgroups, which were used to transfect the amphotropic packaging cell line. To ensure complete random infection, the retroviral particles obtained from the supernatant of the transfected subgroups were combined, concentrated by centrifugation, and applied to the MCF10A cells. The infected cells were seeded in soft agar, where wild type MCF10A cells are unable to grow, and selected for 4 weeks. About 400 of the formed colonies were extracted from the soft agar and grown in MCF10A medium with puromycin under normal growth conditions.
About 300 of these colonies grew successfully and were expanded, and genomic DNA was extracted. The incorporated clonal DNAs were amplified from the total genomic DNA by PCR with retroviral vector-specific primers, purified from the agarose gel, and then sequenced. The sequences were scanned for the recognizable vector-specific sequences and as well as subjected to BLAST analysis.
Analysis of the recombinant DNAs that were recovered from the selected soft agar colonies revealed that both single and multiple infections had occurred. As shown in figure 2, multiple infections (up to 11 inserts in one colony) of different DNA insertions were achieved in this screen. The majority of recovered colonies (about 70%; 206 out of 297 colonies) contained combinations of 2 to 4 DNA inserts. Only about 10% of colonies (32 out of 297) contained a single DNA insert, indicating that the over expression of a single insertion may be less efficient to promote anchorage independent growth in MCF10A.
Distribution of viral infections. The number of colonies from which the same number of cDNA inserts were recovered shows multiple infection took place in the screen.
The full list of recovered inserts is listed in the additional tables. Additional file 3: Table S2 gives a listing of all inserts recovered from the colonies while Additional file 4: Table S3 gives the same listing classified by the family of proteins. Additional file 5: Table S4 gives the actual inserts identified from each colony picked.
The top inserts are listed, by recurrence of individual insertions with the highest frequency in Table 1 and by recurrence of members of a protein family in Table 2.
The most recurrent DNA inserts recovered from screen colonies are listed, with indication of the protein family they belong to, and publications linking the proteins to breast cancer development.
Several of the highly recurring proteins in our screen were previously shown to be involved in breast cancer development.
Interleukins as a family of proteins are widely represented in this screen. With 97 inserts, spread over 83 colonies, interleukins are present in just under one third of the colonies. Interleukin 6 (16 inserts), IL21 (12 inserts), IL22 (11 inserts) and IL27 (9 inserts) are the most recurring interleukins. Serum levels of IL6 have been found to be elevated in breast cancer patients , and pretreatment IL6 serum levels can predict treatment outcome and prognosis [11, 12].
Furthermore, autocrine IL-6 expression causes multidrug resistance in breast cancer cells , and IL-6 enhances mammosphere formation and self-renewal . IL21-expressing breast adenocarcinoma cells did not have growth characteristics different from parental cells, but could not efficiently form tumors in mice , and protected the mice from subsequent challenges with the parental adenocarcinoma cells, indicating an immunological response. IL22 has been reported to inhibit proliferation of breast adenocarcinoma cells, both in vivo and in vitro. IL27 has not been implicated in breast cancer, but has a potential role in other tumor types [17, 18].
IL6 inhibition and IL21, among other interleukins, are currently being studied in clinical trials for different tumor types [19, 20].
Wnt3, with 31 recurrences in this screen, and its close homologue Wnt3a were also highly recurrent in a mouse study on breast cancer development by MMTV infection . Remarkable is that Wnt1, which was the first Wnt gene to be implicated in breast cancer  was only recovered in 1 colony in our screen.
Our study also reveals high recurrence of FGF14, FGF10 and FGF1. MMTV studies in mice have implicated FGF3, FGF4, FGF8 and FGF10 (reviewed in: [6, 21]) in mouse breast cancer development. Other FGF's have not been directly implicated in breast cancer, but the role of FGF receptor 2 (FGFR2) indirectly implicates FGF1, FGF2, FGF3, FGF4, FGF6, FGF7, FGF9, FGF10, FGF16, FGF20 and FGF22 . While several FGF proteins had been previously implicated in breast cancer development, we found FGF14, previously not implicated in breast cancer development, to be the highest recurring FGF in our screen. Equally remarkable is that, while FGF3, FGF4 and FGF8 had been implicated before, they did not feature high in our screen, with FGF14, FGF10 and FGF1 being high up in our screen.
Parathyroid hormone like hormone (PTHLH, also Parathyroid hormone related protein, PTHrP), recurring 14 times in our screen, is elevated in 60 to 90% of breast cancers, and is implicated in breast cancer metastasis to bone . Serum amyloid proteins (SAA1/2) are represented by SAA1 in our screen, and SAA1 present in 14 of our colonies. Serum levels of this acute-phase protein are increased in cancer patients, including breast cancer patients , with an indication that higher SAA levels in breast cancer patients represent more metastasis and poorer prognosis.
WAP Four-Disulfide Core Domain (WFDC) proteins have not been thoroughly studied. Many WFDC coding genes are clustered on 20q12-13.1, a region that is amplified in several cancers, including breast cancer [25, 26]. Four WFDC proteins have been indicated as candidate cancer biomarkers (WFDC14 (elafin), WFDC4 (SLPI), WFDC2 and WFDC1) . WFDC13, the most prevalent insert in our screen has not been studied before. Other prevalent WFDC proteins in our screen are WFDC14, WFDC4 and WFDC11.
The second-most prevalent protein in our screen is paraoxonase1 (PON1), a High density lipoprotein-associated enzyme, naturally secreted by the liver, that shows protective properties in cardiovascular disease and organophosphate poisoning . Few reports suggest a possible link between PON1 and breast cancer: the L55M single nucleotide polymorphism in PON1 has been associated with increased risk of breast cancer in post menopausal women , while another SNP (Q192R) had no effect in one study , but showed a decreased breast cancer risk in another study . The PON1 clone in our library has L on pos 55 and Q on pos 192. PON1 expression is reported to be upregulated by estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) , and independently by resveratrol, a substance believed to be the main active ingredient in the cardio-protective effects of red wine, and which is also activating the ER receptor .
Fibroblast growth factor binding protein 2 or FGFBP2 (also termed Ksp37, killer specific secretory protein of 37 kDa) is secreted by Th1-type CD4+ lymphocytes with cytotoxic potential . Increased FGFBP2 expression has been correlated with longer survival in glioblastoma . Other links to cancer have not been published. Family member FGF-BP1 however has been implicated in breast cancer.
Lynx1 is a member of the lymphocyte Antigen 6 (Ly-6) superfamily of cysteine-rich proteins that are mostly GPI anchored to the cell membrane. Only 3 proteins in the family are secreted, and Lynx-1 (or SLURP-2) has been described to be upregulated in Psoriasis vulgaris , while another non-secreted family member, Ly-6K, was identified as a biomarker for breast cancer .
The sulfatase modifying factor 1 (SUMF1) that is present in 10 of our colonies has previously never been described as involved in any types of tumors. It is essential for the post-translational modification of sulfatases, and deficiency results in an autosomal recessive disorder .
As had been previously reported for a number of the proteins tested in this screen, the infection of MCF10A cells with single viral vectors led to no or very weak growth in soft agar (data not shown).
In performing this screen, MCF10A cells were purposefully infected with concentrated viral particles, in order to achieve multiple infection of the cells. In this way, the importance of the combination of different factors on the growth of MCF10A cells in soft agar could be assessed. A schema of some combinations of factors is provided in figure 3, where the more prevalent recurring combinations are indicated in red. While we created viral particles by transfecting 13 distinct subgroups, the pooling and concentration of the viral particles rendered a random distribution in infection. This was observed by the fact that the factors found in the soft agar colonies did not return with a clear correlation to the distribution in the 13 subgroups.
Analysis of combinations recovered from the screen. The number of times proteins from the indicated protein families occur in a single colony. Yellow boxes indicate numbers from 2-4, orange indicate 5-7, and red indicate more than 7 colonies containing the indicated combination.
It had been previously observed in MMTV-mouse studies that FGF and Wnt genes may co-operate in breast cancer development. Mice that are transgenic for a Wnt protein predominantly overexpressed FGF genes in MMTV-induced breast tumors, and vice versa[1, 2, 37]. A total of 14 of the colonies in our screen contained combinations of Wnt and FGF family members, suggesting that FGF-Wnt co-operation in transformation of human mammalian cells may also occur. However, when any of the top 5 FGFs were co-infected with Wnt 3 or Wnt8a in MCF10A cells, we did not observe strong growth of these cells in soft agar (figure 4A), indicating that on a cellular level, the FGF-Wnt combination is not sufficient to drive efficient transformation. Wnt9a could not be tested in this assay, as infection of Wnt9a reduced the survival of the MCF10A cells, not allowing the soft agar assay.
Combinations of FGF, or FGF with Wnt do not induce growth in soft agar. MCF10A cells were infected with the indicated cDNA's, and seeded in soft agar conditions. After four weeks of growth, wells were stained with MTT and destained with water. One of three replicates is shown.
Six of the colonies in the present screen contained a combination of two FGF proteins. However, co-infection of two FGF proteins into MCF10A cells did not lead to significant growth in soft agar (figure 4B).
In 13 colonies, multiple interleukin family members were observed to be present. Infection of combinations of interleukins in MCF10A cells, lead to the observation that Interleukin 6 (IL6), when combined with IL9 or IL21 efficiently drives soft agar growth in MCF10A cells. Other combinations, such as IL6 with IL22, IL21 with IL27; or IL9 with IL27, did result in some soft agar growth, but to a much lesser extent than IL6-containing combinations (figure 5A).
Combinations of Interleukins, or interleukin 6 with FGF induce soft agar growth, while IL6 combined with Wnt does not. MCF10A cells were infected with the indicated cDNA's, and seeded in soft agar conditions. After four weeks of growth, wells were stained with MTT and destained with water. One of three replicates is shown.
Another prevalent combination in the screen was interleukins and FGF proteins (19 colonies). When these combinations were tested in MCF10A cells, IL6 in combination with FGF1, FGF10 or FGF14, proved to efficiently drive these cells to grow in soft agar, while the FGF alone, or IL6 alone, could not do so (Figure 5B). This is however in contrast to Wnt proteins, which do not show any increased growth in soft agar after co-infection with IL6 (Figure 5C).
Seeing how interleukins and fibroblast growth factors both show increased growth in soft agar after co-infection with IL6, other prevalent proteins from our screen were tested in combination with IL6, and grown in soft agar. As shown in figure 6, MCF10A cells infected with combinations of IL6 with many of the top inserts of the screen could grow in soft agar to some extent. While soft agar growth of the tested combinations was not really robust, it was significantly stronger than soft agar growth induced by the individual proteins.
Combinations of IL6 with other proteins results in soft agar growth. MCF10A cells were infected with the indicated cDNA's, and seeded in soft agar conditions. After four weeks of growth, wells were stained with MTT and destained with water. One of three replicates is shown.
With this screen, the combinatory effect of secreted factors on breast cancer development was assessed, through their action on anchorage-independent growth of MCF10A cells. While screens looking for individual proteins involved in tumor development have been described many times, this is the first screen looking for combinatory action of proteins. In the living organism, it is understood that every cell and tissue is constantly surrounded by a mix of hormones, secreted factors, as well as factors in the extracellular matrix. A different composition of this environment can seriously affect the signaling events within the cells or tissue, and influence the growth and other characteristics of the cells and tissue.
One of the benefits of this screen is also that it screened a large number of proteins that were categorized in familial clusters (e.g. 22 FGF proteins, 16 Wnt proteins, 35 interleukins). This brought more obscure protein family members in the spotlight than conventional research had done so far. Often, the more recently discovered members of protein families remain obscure for longer periods of time, as their functions are often extrapolated from more researched close family members.
Alternative screens have utilized expression profiles or 2D-gel electrophoresis combined with sequencing to directly identify proteins expressed or secreted in specific tissues. While these assays are definitely valid, they usually will have problems picking up subtle differences in expression, or proteins that are secreted at low levels. Furthermore, the validation of these proteins in in vitro assays may be hampered by the fact that alone, these proteins may not induce the phenotype they were screened for, and specific combinations of factors may not be recognized.
Proteins that had previously been implicated in breast cancer development, such as fibroblast growth factors and wnt proteins, were also highly recurrent in the present screen. As had been shown before in mouse studies, individual MMTV insertions appear to be sufficient for tumor formation in mouse, but in MCF10A cells, overexpression of the corresponding single protein cannot induce strong soft agar growth. While studies with MMTV in mouse indicated a potential combinatory role for Wnt and FGF [1, 2, 37] in breast cancer development, in the human cell line MCF10A, these two factors did not induce anchorage-independent growth. This apparent discrepancy could be due to the difference in species, but also to the in vivo nature of the mouse experiments, and the in vitro nature of the present screen. In mouse, natural secreted proteins present in the tissue could further influence the cancer development, while in the controlled environment of tissue culture, this is not the case.
A surprising combination of proteins that did induce anchorage independent growth in MCF10A cells were interleukins, which, when combined with other factors, often greatly enhanced soft agar growth. Interleukin 6, when co-expressed with other proteins prevalent in our screen, induced growth in soft agar, albeit to varying degrees, depending on the co-expressed protein. The most growth-inducing combination we detected were combinations between interleukins, such as IL6-IL21, or IL6-IL9. The combination between IL6 and FGF1, FGF10 or FGF14 also resulted in strong growth of MCF10A in soft agar. Only a few of the tested combinations with IL6 did not significantly induce soft agar growth of MCF10A. Among these was Wnt3, which, when expressed alone, already has a limited soft agar growth-inducing potential.
We have discussed above what combinations of highly expressing proteins promote anchorage independent growth in soft agar. However, some of the combinations found in the initial screen did not induce colony formation in the validation studies. For this we should consider other factors such as over-expression (both relative and absolute) and the influence of proteins secreted by surrounding cells during the screening process.
The findings in the present study can have important implications, even for seemingly unrelated research fields. For example, paraoxonase 1, overexpression of which had hitherto not been associated with breast cancer, has been mainly studied for its beneficial effect in organophosphate poisoning. Using this protein in prevention of poisoning (e.g. in chemical warfare) may have serious implications, such as breast tumor development, should at the time of high PON1 levels, IL6 levels also be raised.
The results of this screen show that it is possible to find combinatory effects of proteins in a cell-based screen, and that such combinatory effects can be very different from the individual proteins' effects. Further analysis will have to be done to examine which signal transduction pathways are involved in the stimulatory effect IL6 has with other proteins in anchorage-independent growth of mammary epithelial cells.
The authors wish to thank the Agency for Science, Technology and Research for the funding of this work.
ZXQ, LKP and OF participated in cloning of library constructs. IL did bioinformatics analysis for the library listing. HWJ conceived of the project, listed the library, participated in discussions, and helped draft the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.


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APCO News
Lessons from derecho lead to Appalachian Power text and email outage alerts
CHARLESTON, W.Va., June 29, 2015 – It was three years ago today that a massive derecho storm pummeled West Virginia, Virginia and Tennessee with heavy winds and pounding rain. In its wake, more than a half-million Appalachian Power customers were left without electric service. It took more than two weeks to get power back to everyone.
Second only to restoring power, information is what customers want most when their power is out. Since the derecho, customers have continually let Appalachian know of the need for real-time updates on outages.
Due to this high public demand, Appalachian introduced a new outage alerts system. It gives customers the option to be notified by text message or email when their home or business is affected by a power outage. Customers receive a notification when outages have been reported in their area. They continue to get updates as Appalachian crews determine the outage cause and predict when power will be restored.
"Outage alerts allow customers to receive real-time information updates whether they are home or away," said Jeri Matheney, Appalachian spokesperson. "It's a great tool for planning and making decisions about your family's comfort and safety."
Customers can enroll in the service by visiting www.AppalachianPower.com/Alerts and logging into their account. Once logged in, users can choose what alerts they want to receive and how to receive them.
Since it launched in March, more than 21,000 customers have enrolled in the service. Wireless communication has become the expected norm across the United States. Today, customers of all industries continue to demand improved service, quicker response times and real-time information — all through a mobile device.
"We aim to provide the most reliable electric service possible, at a reasonable price, and the best possible customer experience," Matheney said. "Text and email outage alerts are an important tool that will provide feedback to customers."
Appalachian Power has 1 million customers in Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee (as AEP Appalachian Power). It is a unit of American Electric Power, one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, delivering electricity to more than 5 million customers in 11 states. AEP ranks among the nation's largest generators of electricity, owning nearly 32,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S. AEP also owns the nation's largest electricity transmission system, a 40,000-mile network that includes more 765-kilovolt extra-high voltage transmission lines than all other U.S. transmission systems combined.
Teresa Hall (Tennessee and Virginia)
tahall@aep.com
Phil Moye (West Virginia)
pamoye@aep.com

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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See a Style Recap from the 2017 Miss Universe Competition
One of the globe's most glamorous affairs of the year happened live on television last night: the Miss Universe 2017 competition. Ninety-two stunning women from countries all around the world gathered in Las Vegas, Nevada to compete for this year's title. After an incredible evening, Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters of Sedgefield, South Africa was crowned the victor.
"You feel so empowered because you are on a stage with 91 other women that are strong, that are independent, that have worked really hard," the new Miss Universe shared about her experience. "They are all winners; they are winners of their own countries, and to me, that was so empowering. That just showed me that if women take hands and stand together, we are unbreakable and we can say no to the things that are wrong in the workplace, at home or wherever you might go."
"My dreams never stop growing and I never stop chasing them. I don't believe in waiting for an opportunity to rise, but rather in creating one." – Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, #MissUniverse 2017
A post shared by Miss Universe (@missuniverse) on Nov 26, 2017 at 7:27pm PST
The Top 10 contestants of this year's competition included Davina Bennett, Miss Universe Jamaica 2017 (second runner-up); Monalysa Alcântara, Miss Universe Brazil 2017; Sofia del Prado, Miss Universe Spain 2017; Lauren Howe, Miss Universe Canada 2017; Keysi Sayago, Miss Universe Venezuela 2017; Kára McCullough, Miss USA 2017; Rachel Peters, Miss Universe Philippines 2017; Maria Poonlertlarp, Miss Universe Thailand 2017; Laura González, Miss Universe Colombia 2017 (runner-up), and of course, this year's winner Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, Miss Universe South Africa 2017.
One of our favorite highlights of the competition was when these ten fabulous ladies showed off their dazzling evening gowns for the formalwear portion. The stage simply glittered!
Celebrity judges and performers involved in this year's event included Ashley Graham, Lele Pons, Fergie, Jay Manyel, Wendy Fitzwilliam, Rachel Platten, host Steve Harvey, and more. When these guests joined the Miss Universe 2017 competitions on the event's pre-show red carpet, they also made quite the style statement.
Check out the gallery below to see a stunning fashion recap of the Miss Universe 2017.
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Photos provided courtesy of Miss Universe Press Agency.
More fashion from the Miss Universe competition.
— Richard Editorial Staff
#Ashley Graham #contestant at Miss Universe 2017 #Miss Universe #Miss Universe 2017 #Miss Universe contestants
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One of the single essential ideas in service is the sales funnel. Sales funnels can enhance your revenue online by automating your company. They supply a course of the very least resistance to expanding and also scaling your organisation on autopilot. However after spending time with several of the globe's finest marketers, I can tell you with near certainty, not only just how sales funnels will permit you to make more cash online, but which specific funnels you must carry out.
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The Columbia House example supplies deep understanding into the psychology of a deal that's irresistible. By very first figuring out the life time value of a customer and their retention price, Columbia House identified that it can spend a specific quantity of loan obtaining consumers as well as still be very profitable. That's essentially what's done with sales funnels today. And what truly makes those sales funnels so effective are tripwires.
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Another effective example of this was via Sports Illustrated. As a matter of fact, Sports Illustrated was effectively on the decline at the time it presented its innovative tripwire. There's something about concrete items that individuals simply get in touch with. Also when you're providing an electronic info product on the back end, by sweetening the handle a tangible good, you can rather literally send your conversions with the roof.
In the example of Sports Illustrated, take on your own back to 1990 when publication registration rates were beginning to hand over. In that duration, Sports Illustrated suffered a 7% decline in their circulation in the first fifty percent of the year. Currently, no matter what they did, they were unable to get the registration prices up. Even by supplying deep discount rates on registrations, consumers weren't ordering it. Plus, if they marked down as well outstanding, it would impact their ability to get marketers paying premium rates without showing that consumers were paying near the complete cover cost of the publication.
Sports Illustrated, possessed by Time, Inc., wasn't the only publication that was experiencing under the firm's umbrella. People publication had actually also experienced a serious decline of 5%. Time, Inc., recognized that it required to do something quick. So it began to provide a tripwire that consisted of sports bloopers on VHS. However, the cost was expensive and there were just numerous mistakes it can provide. So, they turned to the football phone as the new tripwire.
Why the football phone? First, it attracted the target audience. And, it was one-of-a-kind and exciting. Far more amazing than a dull publication registration. The football-shaped phone principle was conceived by Sports Illustrated's supervisor of flow at the time, Michael Loeb. Back then, marketing on cable was likewise extremely cost-effective. Plus, the phone, which was sourced from China, only cost a few bucks "landed". So it all made sense.
Loeb worked on the logistics of this offer for lots of months. However, that had not been the only offer. They also created a deal that consisted of a tennis shoe phone. If you'll reflect to 1990-1991, it was both supplies that were running practically simultaneously. Talk about an early-on split-test, right?
So, what were the outcomes of all this? Over 1 million brand-new customers. That's right. And also those offers only ran for a minimal time. Yet it successfully conserved the company. That's the power of a tripwire offer. It's a substantial item that obtains individuals excited regarding whatever else the core deal is. In fact, some people will just buy what you're marketing entirely for the uniqueness of the tangible tripwire deal.
Sales funnels are one of the solitary most effective principles in organisation today for an extremely certain factor. It's not just the instance of the tripwire that's effective. It's the entire kitten cheat, so to speak. There are a lot of components as well as elements to what make a sales funnel work so well that I wanted to break it down as well as give some more instances to offer a deeper understanding to how you can use them to raise your revenue online.
Currently, if you're not utilizing a sales funnel now, or if you're simply finding what a sales funnel is, after that there are a couple of ways you can quickly leverage this powerful concept in your business to create eruptive results. First and foremost, if you don't have a ClickFunnels account, go below as well as register for the 14-day complimentary trial. As soon as you have actually arrangement your account, get hold of a custom-made domain and start developing your funnel. If you require help, enjoy a few of the on-boarding video clips included with ClickFunnels.
It does not matter if you have an existing business or you're functioning to setup a brand-new company, funnels are the trick to expanding and scaling no matter where you're beginning with. However, there are 5 certain methods you can utilize sales funnels to enhance your earnings right now. It does not matter what company you remain in or what you're selling, you can utilize these today, today, to produce eruptive results.
At the Inner Circle mastermind today, Russell Brunson explored the hook-story-offer technique that comes before developing the funnel. Can you build a sales funnel prior to you have a hook and a story? Yes. However you may have problem gaining traction, particularly if you're competing in a red sea. Red oceans are entrepreneur-infested waters completing for the exact same swimming pool of consumers, whereas blue seas are a place where couple of business owners are swimming in.
What does that inform you? Spend the time responsible as well as the tale. Yes, the deal is likewise crucial. Yet it's the hook and also the tale that's going to reel potential customers in. For instance, Brunson made use of the narrative of fit-to-fat-to-fat creator, Drew Manning. Manning, who was in fantastic shape, headed out there and got a number of weight over a 6 month duration to much better recognize what it seems like to be fat. Yet then he went out there as well as lost all the weight.
That right there is an incredible hook and story. It's unique. As well as, as a result of that, Manning has experienced a meteoric surge, despite the fact that his offer isn't that excellent. But when the hook as well as the tale is so excellent, the offer is almost inconsequential. Efficiently, you can sell nearly anything when the hook as well as the tale just squash it. One more example is the story of Robert Allen that would constantly say he can be dropped in any city in the nation and also acquire a house no money down within 60 days. And that's exactly what he did. His brand name has corrected a billion dollars in sales as a result of it.
Those are all great hooks and also stories. Without that, your deal will struggle. If you can develop a distinct means to develop your hook as well as story, the remainder will form. Because there is so much red sea available, this is probably among the most important points to make prior to you launch any type of sales funnel.
Tripwires are excellent low-barrier-of-entry products that make prospects use their charge card. Usually, these are too-good-to-pass-up items that are provided at an astonishing rate. Simply consider the tripwire used by Columbia House or Sports Illustrated, as an example. Tripwires aid make it less complicated to acquire brand-new customers, and after that to ascend them up your value ladder.
Anything that makes client acquisition harder, such as a pricey service or product out of the gate, is going to make expanding and scaling your business harder. The truth is that it sets you back 5 times as a lot to draw in a new consumer as it does to maintain an existing one. That's why tripwires are so powerful. They reduced the barrier-of-entry right into your business. And anything that can lower the obstacle of entrance is constantly perfect.
Another wonderful means to introduce a sales funnel and also quickly enhance your earnings whatever business you remain in is through a lead magnet. The lead magnet requires to add real value. But it can be in various formats such as a PDF e-book, checklist, rip off sheet and more. After the download, you can use an one-time deal. This indicates a three-step funnel. You can also produce an up-sell if they take the one-time offer or even a payment-plan down-sell if they reject it.
Why do a lead magnet with lots of worth? First, you're setting on your own up as a specialist. If that material is genuinely workable, as well as it includes a massive quantity of value to the possibility's life, then they're mosting likely to perceive you as the authority. Yet it does something far more than that. It's a matter of micro-commitments. The theory? Get a person to concur to do three little points for you and also the fourth one is instantly an of course.
Among the most effective sales funnels you can develop is based around the webinar. Actually, it was the webinar that saved Brunson's organisation from bankruptcy a number of times. It was a mix and also conclusion of understanding that result in the best webinar manuscript, which creates the basis for the supreme sales funnel. A few of it came from Jason Fladlien, while other pieces came from elsewhere in Brunson's journey.
Nonetheless, all that information incorporated right into the format of an excellent webinar and also funnel, has literally transformed the businesses of plenty of entrepreneurs who have actually taken their expertise as well as monetized it through the rapid pressure of webinars. Developing a webinar is among the surest courses to success with a sales funnel. In fact, the webinar funnel is fairly perhaps one of the most transformative funnel you could introduce for any kind of company, brand-new or old.
Another way to increase your revenue with a sales funnel is to construct a high-ticket mentoring funnel that goes from application to telephone call to shut.
The application allows you to remove those who aren't major. And also, on the telephone call, you can seal the deal. Now, this type of sales funnel works if you have actually already had outcomes with customers. If not, benefit complimentary till you obtain outcomes for people. Then, accumulate reviews and utilize those as part of the pitch for the mentoring.
Possibly among the biggest as well as most preferred sales funnels nowadays is the free-plus-shipping deal funnel. It makes a wonderful access point into any funnel by producing a single offer or up-sell after the deal, comparable to a tripwire funnel. Nonetheless, the difference right here is the power of the word totally free. Yes, tripwires, which are very inexpensive product and services, work well. Yet there is genuine power in the word complimentary.
Actually, individuals will certainly raise and also down for a free deal, even if they have to cover the delivery and handling, instead of taking an offer that they also need to pay a small amount of loan for.


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Q: PHP Myadmin exporting to tab separated .csv file I am trying to export my table in tab separated .csv file. I done with phpmyadmin. But it gives me some wrong values in my .csv file. For example in my database title is
Rocky Boot  Men's    8" Desert Tan S2V Boot Style: 101

In csv file it's stored as
Rocky Boot  Men's    8"" Desert Tan S2V Boot Style: 101

I want same values in .csv file as in database.
seetings I followed while exporting .css file from phpMyadmin:
Format:CSV
Columns separated with:\t
Columns enclosed with:"
Columns escaped with:"
Lines terminated with:AUTO
Replace NULL with:

Where I am missing?

A: The only difference is the escaped quote ("").  That's because you have "Columns enclosed with" and "Columns escaped with" set to ".  You could use a different character if you like, but a .csv file has to have some way to distinguish between characters in strings and those that are separators.  For example, the difference between:
foo    bar    test

(3 columns with tab separator) and
"foo    bar"    test

(2 columns with tab separator).

A: Since you asked that your columns be enclosed with a double-quote("), it's normal that phpMyAdmin doubles a double-quote found inside a column, producing "".

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Reconstruction of Rani Pokhari to further delay
15th Oct, 2018 | Tourism Mail Crew
KATHMANDU, Oct 15: The reconstruction of the historical Rani Pokhari damaged by the earthquake of April, 2015, three years ago, will further delay, thanks to various reasons.
The Kathmandu Metropolitan City, the authorised authority to undertake the reconstruction, had called the bidding for the project second time. But both the contracting companies who applied for the contract failed to meet required criteria for the project, thus causing further delay, said KMC Mayor Bidya Sundar Shakya. "The documentation submitted by both the companies is not enough to meet the criteria for the project. So another bidding is required, which takes time to happen," said Shakya.
Earlier, the reconstruction of the historical Rani Pokhari halted after the Department of Archeology had claimed that the reconstruction work was against the blueprint approved by it. The DoA had written to the KMC asking it to remove the food stall, pavilion and pump house from the blueprint.
The locals and conservationalists also protested against use of concrete and modern materials in the reconstruction. RSS


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Be a Grown-Up
Debbie Alsdorf & Joan Edwards Kay
Isn't it just weird that when we're with our moms, we can revert to being a twelve year old? What's that about? Read on and discover more!
By Debbie Alsdorf & Joan Edwards Kay, MA, LMFT
You are an adult. You can vote. You can legally marry. You can financially support yourself. But when you are with your mom, do you sometimes feel like you are twelve years old?
I (Joan) often hear that type of complaint in my therapy practice. Women say, "When it comes to Mom, things annoy me that wouldn't annoy me with someone else," or "I revert to tactics I used when I was little - pouting, snarkiness, arguing," or "I feel like a child, always trying to please her and longing for her love." Do you relate?
I (Debbie) can certainly relate. The day of my mother's open-heart surgery was emotionally draining. Sadly, I was worried that she would die without me ever knowing why things had been so hard between us. Thankfully, she came through a very dangerous surgery. She was a true walking miracle, but now we needed a relational miracle too.
A few months after her surgery I initiated the hard conversation. "Mom, I've always wanted to know what has been wrong between us. I have spent my whole life trying to get your attention, loving you the best I could. But you have been hard for me to reach. Can we talk about us?"
At that moment tears slowly began to trickle down her aged cheeks. "I have never wanted to tell you . . . I am so ashamed." She began to tell me the saddest story - her story, that of a woman who felt trapped in a marriage and faced with an unwanted pregnancy late in life. She never wanted me.
Stunned, I had a choice to make in that moment. Would I listen to her story and care about her life, or be preoccupied with my own? Would I receive her apologies, or would I wall her out like she had always done to me? I had initiated the conversation and desperately wanted healing with my mother. Now was my chance to be a grown-up and act out of my adult self rather than the hurt little girl who longed for her mother's approval.
That day changed everything. Through tears and understanding we began anew, two adult women accepting the pain and imperfections in each other. It could have gone much differently had I not decided to be a grown-up and listen with a caring and compassionate heart, much as I would with a woman who wasn't my own mother.
As hard as it might be, it is important to learn to be grown-ups with our mothers, rather than letting our little-girl needs take over. It just might be the beginning of the change and healing we long for.
Grown-ups keep their love on. As it says in 1 Corinthians 13, the greatest thing is love.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, NIV).
Debbie Alsdorf and Joan Edwards Kay have co-authored It's Momplicated: Hope and Healing for Imperfect Daughters of Imperfect Mothers.
Debbie Alsdorf has a mission - to help women live a better story. She does this by leading women to the heart of God's love for them and the truth of his word. She has been a women's ministry leader for over 25 years, working with women in all stages of life. She is an author, international speaker, mentor, certified life coach and the founder of Design4Living Ministries. Connect at www.debbiealsdorf.com.
Joan Edwards Kay is a licensed marriage and family therapist with a private practice in the East Bay of San Francisco. Her mission is to help individuals and couples find freedom from old, painful beliefs and patterns so they can experience joyful connection with themselves, others, and God. Joan has been an adjunct professor at Western Seminary and has taught classes on various counseling topics at churches in her area. Connect at www.joanedwardskay.net.
Please re


Sale of goods or services to car industry and transactions in riyal to attract penalities under new executive order.
The US has announced new sanctions against Iran, directly targeting the rial currency and the vital car industry, just days before presidential elections in the Middle Eastern country.
The new measures, which could lead to more economic deprivation inside Iran, were accompanied on Monday by warnings of additional "powerful" and "painful" measures if Iran refused concessions in inconclusive talks on its nuclear programme.
President Barack Obama signed an executive order authorising sanctions on foreign banks and financial institutions that make transactions in the rial currency or keep accounts denominated in the rial outside the country.
The ninth set of sanctions signed by Obama against Iran will also penalise anyone involved in the significant sale of goods and services to Iran's car industry - a move that could hit foreign car companies in Europe and Asia.
Also subject to penalties will be anyone who provides material support to Iranians and others who have been blacklisted under previous US sanctions.
An exception will be made for some activities related to a pipeline project to move natural gas from Azerbaijan to Europe and Turkey.
The executive order allows the Treasury to blacklist from the US financial system any institution that handles significant transactions or accounts in the rial outside Iran.
Additionally, the White House said, it was "taking aim at a major revenue generator for Iran" by authorising the Treasury to blacklist anyone involved in the sale, supply, or transfer to Iran of significant goods or services for the manufacture or assembly of cars, lorries, motorcycles or other vehicles.
"The steps taken today are part of President Obama's commitment to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, by raising the cost of Iran's defiance of the international community," Jay Carney, White House spokesman, said.
The strategy represents a significant escalation of the sanctions as, for the first time, the US is attacking the rial, which has lost two-thirds of its value over the last two years.
The appetite has been growing on Capitol Hill for even tougher measures against Iran, prompted in part by politicians' concerns about Israel, which considers a nuclear-armed Iran to be an existential threat.
Last month the House Foreign Affairs Committee approved legislation that would impose even tougher economic sanctions against Iran, while the Senate resolved the US should back Israel if it is forced to take military action against Iran.
Harsher steps to isolate Iran were on the agenda on Tuesday at a Senate Banking Committee hearing, where officials from the Treasury, Commerce and State departments were set to testify.
An amendment being pushed by two of the panel's members, Senator Joe Manchin, a Democrat, and Senator Mark Kirk, a Republican, would go even further than Monday's announcement by targeting all Iranian foreign assets overseas - such as euros Iran might be holding in Japan.
The US has already targeted other major sectors, most prominently Iranian oil exports, and last week targeted Iranian petrochemicals - the largest source of funding for Iran's nuclear programme after oil.
Analysts say the new move by Obama is a sign that the administration is committed to a strategy of ever increasing economic pressure on Iran as the showdown over its nuclear programme hits a critical point.
The announcement of new sanctions came as the campaign gathers pace in the run-up to elections on June 14 to succeed President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
While the campaign has featured debate on the economic pain exerted by US and international sanctions, the poll is unlikely to alter Iranian nuclear policy, which is controlled by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The US has said it will not rule out taking military action against Iran over its nuclear programme and that time is running out for diplomacy to succeed.
Talks between Iran and the five members of the UN Security Council plus Germany are on hold pending the election.
Iran denies that its nuclear enrichment activities are intended to produce a nuclear bomb and says the programme is purely intended for power generation.


How users for a specific identity provider are to mapped to roles. This is a String-to-RoleMapping object map. The string identifies the identity provider, for example, "graph.facebook.com" or "cognito-idp.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/us-east-1_abcdefghi:app_client_id".


The perfect setting for staging exciting, exceptional situations.
At BILSTER BERG, you can expect the challenging terrain to provide unique opportunities to highlight your automotive products. Whether you want dynamic driving videos or artful still images, the park-like surroundings provide you with an incomparable combination of spectacular race track and striking scenery.
The ideal conditions for photo shoots and filming – because you won't be interrupted on the set during production. No racing. No prying eyes. The self-contained area in the middle of the legendary natural setting of the Teutoburg Forest completely shields your production and its modern architecture offers unique motifs.
When it comes to photo shoots for advertising your products and vehicles, making commercials for big brands or filming racing and motor-sport scenes – there is only one focus at BILSTER BERG: Your promotion. The white label principle means that there won't be any distractions from your brand or your plan of action.
Other brands, logos, or sponsors will not appear anywhere, so all of the available advertising space will be unique to you and be designed in line with your imagination. Use BILSTER BERG as an emotional advertising space – for your staging. For your brand. For your photo shoots and filming.
Each location has modern facilities ready for you to hold meetings about the shoot, or to make preparations for your media productions and to follow up on them.
If your media productions are not dominated by asphalt but instead by the terrain, then the off-road course will be the ideal setting for you.
Surrounded by breathtaking nature in the middle of the Teutoburg Forest, BILSTER BERG has excellent access.


At least 40 people have died and more than 1,000 have tested positive for swine flu since the beginning of this year in a western Indian state popular with foreigners, authorities said Friday.
Last year around 1,100 people died and 15,000 were infected across India by the highly contagious A H1N1 virus that spreads from human-to-human.
Health officials have also launched an awareness campaign to sensitise people about symptoms, precautions and treatment, and have screened more than 5,100 people.
"Total deaths are 40 and positive cases are 1,036 as from January 1 to 17 in Rajasthan. One of the deaths occurred on Thursday," according to a statement by the Rajasthan health department.


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Q: Search everyone's Outlook Calender I've been asked if it's possible to write an application in C#, preferably ASP.net, that given a date and keyword can search through everyone's Outlook calendar on our Exchange server, and return a list of names.
Is this even possible?
If so, anyone point me in the right direction?
Thanks,
Mike


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Golden Kamuy – 14 »« Golden Kamuy – 12 (END)
Golden Kamuy – 13
Filed under First Impressions, Golden Kamuy by Passerby | 9 Comments
「江渡貝くん」 (Edogai-kun)
"Edogai-kun"
It hardly seems that we've gone, does it? After a short one season break Golden Kamuy returns, picking up basically where we left off, with Asirpa and gang, after 12 episodes of winter, freshly experiencing the Hokkaido spring. It's ironic that although spring is the season of new beginnings Golden Kamuy does not seem to be in a hurry to reinvent itself, even as it launches into a new chapter. Instead, the first thing Golden Kamuy does is remind us what it really is all about.
One may mistakenly get the general impression, from promotional materials and elsewhere, that Golden Kamuy was all about gritty violence. Super edgy, super bloody. And yeah, sure, Golden Kamuy is capable of some stomach-turning stuff from time to time, and I'm sure some of you watching it are here for hard-boiled action sequences, and that's all good. But that's not how the second season of Golden Kamuy has chosen to open. Instead, it's all sunshine, greenery, and Ainu culture, a stark contrast to the first season. There, we were greeted with war and Sugimoto stabbing some guy in the face. Golden Kamuy is a show of two halves, one about humans coexisting with nature while enjoying its bounties and one about humanity's internal conflict as we destroy each other, and while traditionally conflict is the fuel of all stories it's curious how Golden Kamuy keeps coming back to and even emphasises its more positive side. I'm glad for that; not only is cultural Ainu stuff simply interesting, Golden Kamuy would be a rather nihilistic show without it.
Violence and nihilism in anime is often associated with maturity. While there is certainly a correlation, in that they're the kind of things we keep away from the immature, nihilism is more an adolescent thing that most adults manage to grow out of. Indeed, while Golden Kamuy's outlook on humanity is hardly idealistic, it never descends into nihilism. Its violence, brutal though it can be, always has a greater purpose and it's never murder for the sake of a body count. In fact, in this episode nobody was killed at all (nobody who wasn't already dead, anyway). There is nuance here, an additional layer to the character of Lt Tsurumi, showing that he knows that he can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar (even though just tatooing random people and skinning them would be more expedient). He's not just a maniac, he has a charisma, and there is a reason why his men follow him. And in an obvious homage to Alfred Hitchcock it is a study in madness, in extreme obsession. And we are left wondering if Tsurumi is able to form a bond with Edogai because he is the voice of reason, or because he is, deep down, just as mad.
These are all things that we're accustomed with in Golden Kamuy. Again, it's not in a hurry to change its formula. But it does want to give a sense of progression, it seems, so rather than changing the script it settles for muddying the waters. The possibility of betrayal is raised, with all characters seeming to possess their own agenda. Honestly, the only characters I feel like I can 100% trust is Asirpa and Sugimoto — and maybe even that is naive on my part. But I'm glad to see that Golden Kamuy is keeping to its core while mixing things up, and as the plot thickens I'm excited to see where this second season is going to take us.
October 9, 2018 at 11:47 amZaiden
link | my site | registered
Golden Kamuy is back… hinna hinna! Edogai is a really entertaining psycho who Tsurumi has intelligently wrapped around his finger and Inkarmat should certainly not be trusted, though her predictions are rather ominous. Let's see where this new season will take us, and I'm certain it will be anything but boring :3
October 9, 2018 at 9:58 pmHaru
Why doesn't someone just blog about Ulysses:Jeanne d'Arc.
October 10, 2018 at 12:03 amBambi
Yay! Why should be talking about Edogai's avant garde kitty walk fashion show
I feel the story tries to show humanity as two sides of a coin as we often see it, the life and death of it. Kind of like how in Ainu culture, they will obviously hunt and utilise things to survive, but they don't forget to have gratitude for the power that nature is providing. Obviously the duo want answers to their quest (Asirpa regarding the Ainu gold heritage; Sugimoto with helping that woman whose name I can't remember), but in the midst of war hopefully Asirpa will show Sugimoto that they can obtain happiness through what's already theirs, rather than becoming consumed with greed and trying to achieve their desires through any means like one-sided slaughtering.
October 10, 2018 at 1:53 amcvb
But greed is not their motivation. Like you said Sugimoto needs money to support his best friend's wife and former first love and Asirpa flat out rejects using the gold because it's the river kamui's property, she wants to give it back to the village like it was before. Unlike the others, they are on a quest for what their own most imporant things.
October 10, 2018 at 12:39 amBROOKLYN otaku
im SORRY…but whenever i look at mask dudes eye area i get a SEVERE craving for FLANK steak.
October 10, 2018 at 10:35 amsnappy
Surely you mean skullplate dude? Because there is another dude with a mask, and I'll really be creeped out if you think those thing around his eyes makes you hungry…
https://randomc.net/image/Golden%20Kamuy/Golden%20Kamuy%20-%2013%20-%2014.jpg
October 10, 2018 at 10:13 pmLoliHat
link | my site
If you ever wondered what would happen if Norman Bates from "Psycho" and Jame Gumb from "Silence of the Lambs" were to raise a child together… wonder no more.
October 11, 2018 at 2:43 amdilutedwater
"boner" makes a comeback too.
October 11, 2018 at 12:10 pmewok40k
Yay! I loved the show's gallery of – mostly twisted – characters contrasted with amazing nature of Hokkaido…
And now more mysteries are added to the mix, from true identity of Asirpa's father to hidden (beyond being agent of lieutnant) agenda of the mysterious fortune telling woman…
Carole & Tuesday – 13 (4)
Worldwidedepp: Well Dann did know them both, he saw them on the...


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Rocket Software Introduces U2 Toolkit for .NET v1.2
Rocket Software has announced the general availability of the Rocket U2 Toolkit for .NET v1.2 (U2NETDK), which delivers Microsoft .NET interfaces for the UniVerse and UniData data servers. The new release allows .NET programmers to leverage the Microsoft .NET Framework and CLR (Common Language Runtime) with the U2 databases.
Three U2 Tools
U2 Toolkit for .NET includes three complementary tools in one kit: UniObjects for .NET, U2NETDK ADO.NET Provider, and U2 Database Add-Ins for Visual Studio; UniObjects for .NET (UO.NET), an interface used to build consoles, Windows, or ASP.NET web applications, as well as web services or smart client applications, using any of the .NET CLR languages; and U2NETDK ADO.NET Provider, which enables users' .NET applications to connect to the U2 databases, execute the commands of the application, and deliver result sets and datasets to the applications.
The U2 Database Add-Ins for Visual Studio are a collection of features that integrate seamlessly into users' Visual Studio development environments so that they can work with U2 objects such as tables, views, and subroutines. It also provides support for Microsoft's Entity Data Model (EDM).
Integration to SSIS and SSRS
"There are some pretty significant features that we are adding to help improve developer productivity," Jackie Burhans, director, U2 Partner Enablement at Rocket Software, tells DBTA. "The original version was basically a .NET provider that let you access U2, some APIs and a refresh of our UniObjects for .NET. With this new version, we now have some Visual Studio add-ins that make it a lot faster to do development as well as a lot of integration to SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) and SQL Server Report Services (SSRS) to make it easy to integrate with Microsoft SQL Server tooling."
The result, notes Susie Siegesmund, vice president and general manager for Rocket U2, is that U2 Toolkit for .NET v1.2 provides advantages such as drag and drop capabilities for users that want to use Visual Studio to develop their own applications that access their U2 data.
Interface to U2 Through .NET
"There is a certain percentage of our customer base that is very much into .NET and so they want a way to interface to U2 through .NET and then as soon as you give them that, they want a way to make it easier and faster and more plug-ins," says Burhans. "That is what we are continuing to develop."
For more information about Rocket U2, go to www.rocketsoftware.com/u2,
Rocket Software will host a webinar on Tuesday, March 26, to showcase the U2 Toolkit for .NET v1.2. The webinar will be offered at 8 am PT/11 am ET and at 3 pm PT/6 pm ET
Subscribe to Database Trends and Applications Magazine


Hi Upstart, the best librarian is Mr McCallum.
His favourite book is Inkheart.
Mr McCallum makes everything so much cooler in the library. I am not the only one who thinks this.
I think that he is amazing.
He gets us back into books and does competitions, like Star Wars Week and other things.


This LS-DYNA simulation shows a simple 3D ICFD problem. It features a flow through a cylindrical pipe. Since the Reynolds number is laminar, a parabolic profile is expected at the outlet. It makes use of the ICFD_CONTROL_SURFMESH keyword to remesh the original surface mesh. The purpose of the ICFD_CONTROL_MESH keyword is to have more elements through the cylinder's diameter. It is also a good example for the MESH_BL_SYM keyword. The user can comment that keyword to see its impact on the mesh close to the inlet or outlet.


Let us guess... you want to treat those kiddos in your life to some special entertainment, but you also want them to learn something valuable from it, too. Well, if this is the case, you've come to the perfect place! These educational entertainers know just how to spark your kids' interest with exciting entertainment along with creative, interactive, and valuable lessons taught in each performance. For your upcoming school event, birthday party, or any other special event, these educational entertainers will pack a punch with their seamless blend of fun and learning. Search for Educational Entertainment in Bay City, Michigan above.
Please note that these Educational Entertainment may also travel to Essexville, University Center, Kawkawlin, Auburn, Munger, Linwood, Carrollton, Freeland, Reese, Pinconning, Gilford, Bridgeport, Fairgrove, Richville, Akron, Frankenmuth, Hemlock, Bentley, Rhodes, Tuscola, and Vassar.


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Diarmaid Fitzgerald (born 18 February 1983) is an Irish sportsman. He is a former member of the Tipperary senior hurling team.

Dr. Diarmaid Fitzgerald was born in Roscrea, County Tipperary in 1983. He was educated in Roscrea and went on to study physiotherapy from which he became a phD graduate from University College Dublin. With UCD, FitzGerald has won a Freshers All-Ireland in 2002 and a Walsh Cup medal in 2004. He also has two Dublin Senior Hurling medals, won in 2004 and 2005. FitzGerald plays club hurling with his native Roscrea where he has won two North Tipperary Minor Hurling medals in 1999 and 2000, and a North Tipperary Senior medal in 2004. He captained the Tipperary minor hurlers to munster final glory in 2001 against a highly fancied Cork side on a blistering hot day in Pairc Ui Chaoimh. He then also captained the same bunch of players to more success in 2004 under 21 munster hurling championship. FitzGerald made his competitive debut at wing-back for Tipperary against Offaly in the 2004 National Hurling League. He made his championship debut against Waterford in 2004. Diarmaid won the RTE man of the match in Tipperary's extra time replay victory over Limerick in May 2005.

See also
Tipperary Player Profiles

1983 births
Living people
Tipperary inter-county hurlers
Roscrea hurlers
Munster inter-provincial hurlers

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The snow has finally almost melted. Now is the time to get a jump on those spring rains by installing quality 5 inch or 6 inch seamless gutters. Keep that water out of your basement and away from the foundation. Seamless Gutter Delivery will supply all material at reasonable prices. If you have any questions please contact us at 651-210-2432.


It's Georgina's Birthday Party and no ones has turned up yet, I have an argument with her, and think she has bought to much food. I Throws Georgina's drink over her then Pie her!
I cover her in crisps, drinks, trifle, ketchup, ice cream sauce, silly string, dips and mayonnaise. She gets very messy!


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West Bengal: An invigorated Left seeks to make a comeback
Published: May 9, 2016 - 15:51 Updated: May 13, 2016 - 15:09
A resurgent Left in West Bengal has managed to revive its grassroots base and regain the confidence of the voting public
Hardnews Bureau Delhi
Rupak Ghosh (name changed) was only 15 when he was picked up by the police for allegedly having links with Naxalite groups and detained with no formal charges pressed or any trial for 43 days in 1970. West Bengal was under President's Rule at that time after the fall of the second United Front government.
The police would come into any neighbourhood and randomly detain young men, who, they thought, could be Naxalites or sympathisers. Ghosh lived with his parents, three elder brothers and two younger sisters in Beliaghata in East Calcutta. It was in Beliaghata that Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi sat on a hunger strike towards the end of British rule.
The Beliaghata of the 1970s was known more as a hotbed of Naxal insurgency and fake encounters. Several young men were killed in those encounters and their bodies dumped in Subhas Sarovar, close to the area. Fortunately for Ghosh, his name was not added to the list of those killed but those 43 days in prison changed his life forever.
Since then, he has been actively involved with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) — CPI(M). He helped build up the party's fledgling organisation in the area that became its political bastion for many years, before its electoral defeat in the 2011 Assembly elections.
Fast forward five years to the Assembly elections of 2016. Rajib Biswas is the candidate for the Left-Congress alliance against Trinamool Congress (TMC) strongman Paresh Pal. Ghosh is back in familiar territory once again, organising electoral rallies and writing festoons and programmes. "I was moulded by that experience (of being put in jail). Whatever I do, I do it because of my love for the party," the former government employee said.
Just a few months after the 34-year-long rule of the Left Front collapsed in 2011, hundreds of thousands of mid-level party workers switched sides to join the ruling dispensation of the Trinamool. Even a former CPI(M) candidate from Mamata Banerjee's Bhowanipore constituency switched sides. Commenting on the trend, a senior member of the party said in a closed-door meeting in 2012: "When the foundation of a building weakens, it takes the whole building down with it, no matter how strong the upper levels are. The same thing happened to the CPI(M)'s organisation."
Ghosh echoed his comment. He said: "Over the last five years, the party cadres completely lost their fighting spirit — this spirit differentiates any regimented Communist organisation from a Rightwing force. But now we see party cadre and members actively creating barricades against the atrocities of the Trinamool, its syndicate and goonda raj once again."
At the time of writing this report, five of the six phases of polling have been completed in West Bengal and a glance through any newspaper bears testament to the CPI(M) and the Left Front's resistance and resurgence against the Trinamool's "vote loot and rigging" as party cadre call it —be it in Mangalkot in Burdwan district or among the tribal-dominated outskirts of Salt Lake near Kolkata. In most of these instances, women led the charge.
"At the risk of seeming ridiculous, let me say that the true revolutionary is guided by a great feeling of love," Che Guevara wrote in his diary. While it would be foolish to equate the CPI(M) with the revolutionary ideals of Cuba's favourite adopted son, most of the cadre that have remained in the party since 2011 are driven by a feeling of passion for the laal jhanda (red flag). Many of them don't understand the dialectic or classical Marxist theory, the intellectual debates in AK Gopalan Bhavan in New Delhi or Muzaffar Ahmed Bhavan in Kolkata. But the love for the party is ingrained in their psyche.
'Having rid itself of the excess lumpen flab and degenerate elements who had entrenched around the party during the three decades of incumbency, a leaner and ideologically motivated Left Front has been successful in reclaiming the grassroots connect and regaining the people's confidence'
Take Rajib Mistry, for example. According to a report in The Telegraph on April 26, "Noor Ali Mistry was keen to become the CPI(M)'s polling agent and had mobilised a crowd for several rallies in his village. Suspected TMC goons hacked him to death. Hours after he had finished the last rites, 22-year-old Rajib Mistry took his father's place at booth No. 56 in Mahishgodi High School in Haroa, North 24-Parganas. Determined not to allow any false votes or rigging, Rajib left the booth only once — to have his lunch of chapatti and jaggery..."
Another report in the same newspaper on April 22 goes like this: "Domkol is no stranger to violence but none in the Murshidabad subdivision could answer when a 15-year-old girl kept asking while running: 'Aamaar abba kothai? Aamaar abba kothai?' (Where is my father? Where is my father?) Tuhina Khatoon's father, Tahidul Islam, 40, lay lifeless, blood oozing from his mouth, the image of the first poll-day victim in the ongoing Assembly elections playing on television screens. Bombs were hurled at Tahidul, a CPI(M) worker, who lost his balance and fell. He was then hacked to death by alleged Trinamool activists."
Undeterred, people from the area and the district — a traditional bastion of the Left and Congress where the TMC is still a fledgling force — came out in large numbers to vote. This kind of fearlessness during the Naxal insurgency and Siddhartha Shankar Ray government's State-sponsored violence between 1972 and 1977 has entered folklore in West Bengal. The defiance would draw an aura around the CPI(M) and discussions in tea-stalls and office kiosks about the resurrection of the CPI(M) now harp on similar sentiments towards the party.
Said Ghosh: "The alliance with the Congress has paid dividends. It has made party cadres and activists realise that they are not alone in the battle to re-establish democracy in Bengal. People can vote for whoever they think will do that and our target is to mobilise the votes."
Once decimated in rural West Bengal, its traditional support belt, the CPI(M) has seen a huge resurgence in its fortunes since the turn of the year. Rallies and gatherings are choc-a-block full, graffiti bearing the hammer-sickle-star are being seen in areas where the Trinamool has established its dominance, polling agents are taking their places in the booths in the face of ruling party violence.
Moreover, the emergence of a strong youth base has also helped the CPI(M) gather much-needed momentum. Three former and present Students' Federation of India (SFI) leaders are contesting the elections — Shatarup Ghosh from Kasba (where he lost in 2011), Madhuja Sen Roy from Tollygunge and Kaustav Chatterjee from Behala (West). Their rallies and street-corner meetings are drawing a large number of young faces who had deserted the party once. These youngsters are taking charge of campaign rallies, social media campaigns and holding their own against more experienced politicians on television debates.
Former chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's rally in support of Madhuja, Shatarup and Sujan Chakraborty (candidate from Jadavpur and former SFI leader) drew thousands of youngsters. The 19-km-long route took three hours to traverse, such was the huge turnout.
CPI(M) leaders couldn't help but flash wide grins following the magnificent success of the rally. They feel that the tide is finally turning in their favour.
Debraya Mukhopadhyay, a CPI(M) activist, wrote on his post in Bodhi Commons: "More recently, the BPMO Jatha organised by the Left Front from a mass-organisation platform, which targeted having rallies and protest marches in each and every booth of the state, has been a tremendous success. The people, afraid of displaying dissent and earning the ire of the TMC government, rallied in unprecedented numbers when they saw the red-flag rallies in their localities. Having rid itself of the excess lumpen flab and degenerate elements who had entrenched around the party during the three decades of incumbency and stagnation (most opportunist elements have switched allegiance to TMC in the four years since 2011), a leaner and ideologically motivated Left Front has lately been tremendously successful in reclaiming the grassroots connect and regaining the people's confidence."
Soumya Chattopadhyay, former president of the SFI unit of Asutosh College, believes that a more flexible CPI(M) has scripted the turnaround for the party. "Pablo Picasso was once asked by reporters why he would choose communism over other ideologies. Picasso, as we know, was never into direct politics but he spontaneously replied that he preferred communism because he wanted to be a 'better human being'! The youth of Bengal, who were rigorously pushed to believe how badly the CPI(M) had done in 34 years (70 per cent were not born during this time) have witnessed the Trinamool's atrocities over the past five years. And it is very essential for them to believe what they actually see and not lament about what they haven't. The rigidity of the CPI(M) has shifted a bit, which is important to adjust with the time, if it has to survive. This was unheard of in the late 2000s in the party and they have learnt from their mistakes," said Chattopadhyay.
Much of the credit for the resurgence in West Bengal belongs to new CPI(M) state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra. Having come up from the ranks from the local committee and panchayat levels, he is well-versed on the nuances of cadre mobilisation. He has brought back the regimentation that separated the Left from other political entities in the country — much of which had broken down during Biman Basu's tenure as state secretary before and after the fall in 2011.
"Mishra has managed to instil a sense of belonging and fearlessness among the lower rung of the party. He has led every agitation — Nabanna abhiyan, Lalbazar abhiyan — from the front. He has visited village after village and gave party workers confidence in the leadership," said Rohan Dutta, a party worker from north Kolkata.
Debraya agrees with this evaluation. "Mishra has changed the attitude of the party and its activists — from playing the victim to taking more pro-active control. He has set a 'come what may, we are winning' tone," he said.
Much of the party's appeal to the youth also rests on Surjya Kanta Mishra. "Mishra's appointment was a generational shift for the party. From holding rallies to visiting terrorised villages, his presence acted as a morale booster. Places such as Birbhum where Trinamool strongman Anubrata Mondal has created a hostile atmosphere, suddenly saw the CPI(M) emerge from the shadows and hold rallies and meetings. The defeated CPI(M) had turned into an 'Opposition," said Bihan Sengupta, a DYFI member.
A strong Opposition is the need of the hour for West Bengal. A strong Left Front and Left movement led by its biggest mascot in West Bengal —the CPI(M) — is necessary in the face of constant attacks from the Hindutva brigade. Political observers are certain that the resurgence of the CPI(M) in its traditional stronghold can spell good news for the future of the country.
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West Bengal, TMC, Naxal, CPI(M), Congress, Buddhadeb Bhattacharya


Today at BAFTA 195 Piccadilly, the nominations for the prestigious EE Rising Star Award 2015 were revealed. The nominations represent five actors and actresses who have demonstrated exceptional talent, and are destined to be bright stars in the future of cinema. 2015 marks the tenth anniversary of the EE Rising Star Award.
GUGU MBATHA-RAW landed her first major feature film in 2011, with the release of Larry Crowne, directed by Tom Hanks and co-starring Julia Roberts, and later that year was included in BAFTA's Brits to Watch Initiative. In 2013, Mbatha-Raw starred alongside Willem Dafoe and Anton Yelchin in the Stephen Sommers directed film, Odd Thomas. In the same year, she went on to play the title role of Dido Belle, Britain's first mixed-race aristocrat, in the period drama film Belle alongside Tom Wilkinson and Emily Watson. The role was pivotal in her career earning her the Best Actress award and a nomination for Most Promising Newcomer at last year's British Independent Film Awards. Most recently, Mbatha-Raw took on a very different role for Gina Prince-Bythwood's Beyond The Lights as Noni, a present day pop singer torn between love, success and finding her authentic self in an exploitative industry, steered by her ambitious mother played by Minnie Driver. Mbatha-Raw has also enjoyed a prestigious television career which has so far included roles in Spooks, Dr Who, Marple – Ordeal by Innocence, Bonekickers and Fallout and has appeared on stage as Ophelia opposite Jude Law's Hamlet.
Gugu Mbatha-Raw, commenting on her nomination, said: "I am delighted to be nominated for the EE Rising Star Award. It is such an honour to be recognised for a growing body of work and I am proud and excited to be included.
JACK O'CONNELL became a household name when he played James Cook in popular TV series Skins which aired from 2007 and was made into a feature length episode Skins Rise in 2013. O'Connell also received critical acclaim for his punchy portrayal of Private Gary Hook in '71, for which he was nominated for a British Independent Film Award. The thriller, based on the troubles in Belfast, was first in competition at the Berlin Film Festival before being screened in Toronto. In 2013, O'Connell took the lead in British indie film Starred Up, where his portrayal of Eric, a violent reprobate prematurely transferred to an adult prison, earned him a nomination in the category of Best Actor at last year's British Academy Scotland Awards as well as another nomination for a British Independent Film Award. Most recently, O'Connell took the lead role in Angelina Jolie's film Unbroken, a chronicle of the life of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic runner who was taken prisoner by Japanese forces during World War II, which was released in December. O'Connell has also appeared in Private Peaceful (2012) and 300: Rise of an Empire (2014). Jack has recently been awarded 'Breakthrough Performance' by the National Board of Review for Starred Up and Unbroken and has been nominated by the London Critic's Circle as 'Best British Actor of the Year'. Critics and audiences eagerly await this year's performance in Tulip Fever alongside Christoph Waltz and Holliday Grainger.
Jack O'Connell, commenting on his nomination, said: "Thank you to BAFTA and the jury. I'm honoured to be considered for the EE Rising Star Award amongst such a talented field; especially for films which I feel incredibly fortunate to have been a part of."
MARGOT ROBBIE was first recognized for her role as Donna Freedman in soap opera, Neighbours. This role garnered her two Logie Award nominations for Most Popular New Female Talent and Most Popular Actress. Robbie earned her place among Hollywood's finest for her recent breakthrough role in Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street in which she stars as the female lead opposite Leonardo DiCaprio, and alongside other acting heavyweights including Matthew McConaughey, Jonah Hill and Rob Reiner. In February, Robbie will star as an up-and-coming con artist opposite Will Smith in Focus. The Warner Bros. film is directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa from a script they co-wrote.
MILES TELLER made his feature screen debut, following several short films, opposite Nicole Kidman in the film based on the Pulitzer Prize winning play, Rabbit Hole. Last year, Teller firmly established himself on the film scene with his roles in Whiplash and Divergent. Critically acclaimed American drama Whiplash received the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival and Teller's intense performance as a struggling drumming student landed him a Best Actor nomination for the 2014 Gotham Awards. Teller will play Mr. Fantastic in The Fantastic Four with Michael B. Jordan, Kate Mara and Jamie Bell which will be released later this year. His previous film credits are diverse and include Footloose, Project X, 21 & Over, The Spectacular Now and That Awkward Moment in which he starred alongside Zac Efron.
SHAILENE WOODLEY found breakthrough success for her performance opposite George Clooney in the BAFTA and Academy Award-nominated film The Descendants. Woodley firmly established herself as a rising Hollywood actress when she was cast as Beatrice, the leading heroine in action adventure film Divergent, which also featured EE Rising Star nominee Miles Teller. Woodley has received critical acclaim for her tragic portrayal of a young cancer patient in the witty yet heart breaking love story The Fault in our Stars. Woodley's TV credits include The Secret Life of the American Teenager, Felicity: An American Girl Adventure, and recurring roles on Crossing Jordan, The O.C. and Jack & Bobby. Among the many accolades she has received was a 2012 Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actress, a National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress, a Golden Globe nomination and a Critics Choice Award nomination. Shailene will soon be starring in both Insurgent and Allegient as the final two instalments of the Divergent trilogy, and will this year begin filming the lead female role opposite Joseph Gordon Levitt in Oliver Stone's next movie Snowden.
The EE Rising Star Award is the only award at the EE British Academy Film Awards to be voted for by the public. Voting is now open at ee.co.uk/BAFTA. The winner will be announced at the EE British Academy Film Awards on Sunday 8th February 2015.
2015 marks the 10th anniversary of the EE Rising Star Award, an award which has set a standard for identifying talent destined for future film stardom. Since being crowned the first Rising Star in 2006, James McAvoy has gone on to be nominated for two more BAFTAs and has starred in seven major award-winning films. Other previous winners include Eva Green in 2007, Shia LaBeouf in 2008, Noel Clarke in 2009, Kristen Stewart in 2010, Tom Hardy in 2011, Adam Deacon in 2012 and Juno Temple in 2013. Last year's nominees were Dane DeHaan, George MacKay, Lupita Nyong'o, Léa Seydoux and the eventual winner, Will Poulter.
The jury who selected the five nominees from the hundreds suggested by BAFTA members and industry experts included jury chair and Deputy Chair of BAFTA's Film Committee, Pippa Harris, , actress Alice Eve, film critic James King and director Dexter Fletcher, as well as leading film and entertainment journalists.


YANGON, Aug 27 (Reuters) - Facebook said on Monday it was removing several Myanmar military officials from the social media website and an Instagram account to prevent the spread of "hate and misinformation" after reviewing the content.
Facebook's Budhraja said the United Nations findings as well as media reports and advocacy groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch informed the company's decision. Facebook declined to make executives available for comment on the bans.
The UN report said Min Aung Hlaing, commander-in-chief of Myanmar's armed forces, and five generals should be prosecuted for orchestrating the gravest crimes under law.
Last week, Facebook, along with Twitter Inc and Google's Alphabet Inc, removed hundreds of accounts tied to an alleged Iranian propaganda operation. Facebook also said it had removed pages that the U.S. government had previously named as Russian military intelligence services.


Social media still can't get over the fact that President Donald Trump fed the championship football team the Clemson Tigers McDonald's for their victory. While there he also made mention that the fast food was good American food.
Many were disgusted at the fact that he fed the championship team that kind of food and believe the players deserved better. Following that visit to the White House, Quavo and others have mentioned that they want to show the players more respect and feed them a better meal.
According to Huffington Post, Football Hall of Famer, Michael Strahan announced on "Good Morning America," that he wants to buy the team a lobster dinner.
Strahan wants the team to make it to New York City and enjoy themselves and we hope they decide to.
Check out photos of Michael Strahan below!


A stylish men's watch from Kenneth Cole. This watch features a stainless steel case and bracelet, a simple silver-tone dial with luminous rose gold-tone hands, Arabic numeral hour markers to the 3, 6, 9 and 12 o'clock positions and a date indicator. It is also fitted with a scratch resistant mineral crystal lens and is powered with a reliable quartz movement.


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Q: How to ffill nan values in a numpy array using the last non-nan values repeating N times I would like to ffill nan values in a numpy array using the last non-nan values repeating N times. If the number of nan values > N, then fill the rest nan values with zero. How do I do it in pure numpy without iteration?
import numpy as np

n = 2
arr = np.array([np.nan, 0, 0, np.nan, 5, 4, 4, np.nan, np.nan, np.nan, 1, 5, 3, np.nan, 2, np.nan, np.nan])

def ffill(arr: np.array, n: int):
    pass
    return arr

result = np.array([0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 5.0, 4.0, 4.0, 4.0, 4.0, 0.0, 1.0, 5.0, 3.0, 3.0, 2.0, 2.0, 2.0])

Ffill 4 n times (=2) [... 4, np.nan, np.nan, np.nan ...] -> [... 4, 4, 4, 0 ...]
[Solution]
Thanks for @Homer512 's answer. I improved it when n is very large.
def ffill(arr: np.array, n: int):
    if np.isnan(arr[0]):
        arr[0] = 0

    isnan = np.isnan(arr)
    notnan = ~isnan
    valid = arr[notnan]
    indices = np.cumsum(notnan) - 1
    arr = valid[indices]

    overlimit = np.lib.stride_tricks.sliding_window_view(isnan[:-1][::-1], isnan.size-n)[:, ::-1].all(axis=0)
    overlimit &= isnan[n:]

    indices = np.flatnonzero(overlimit) + n
    arr[indices] = 0
    return arr

A: Here is a trick that works:

*

*Fix the start value

if math.isnan(arr[0]):
    arr[0] = 0

*Now we can keep track of the valid indices with np.cumsum

isnan = np.isnan(arr)
notnan = ~isnan
valid = arr[notnan]
indices = np.cumsum(notnan) - 1
arr = valid[indices]

*To support your requirement that NaNs are replaced with zeros after N steps, you could use np.convolve(isnan, (1,) * (n + 1), mode='same') > n to find the indices. But because convolve is centered, it's a bit complicated to find the correct index from the convolution. Let's do it manually instead. Yes, this will use an iteration, but only a fixed number for N

overlimit = np.copy(isnan[n:])
for i in range(1, n + 1):
    overlimit &= isnan[n-i:-i]
indices = np.flatnonzero(overlimit) + n
arr[indices] = 0


text:
Q: Draw filled circle with a certain color How to draw a filled circle in GNU Octave with a certain color? I managed to do it with DrawShape("circle", [center_x center_y radius], "fill") but I couldn't change the color of the circle.

A: Having a look at the implementation of drawShape, e.g. by using edit drawShape, we see, that a combination of

*

*circleAsPolygon,

*drawPolygon, and

*fillPolygon
is used, but unfortunately there's no passing of additional "plot parameters", like there's for drawCircle for example. Latter method doesn't support filling. So, I'm afraid, for custom color filled circles, we need some indiviual code, like so:
% Set up circle parameters
center_x = 0;
center_y = 0;
radius = 1;

% Calculate circle polygon coordinates
nVertices = 72;
coords = circleAsPolygon([center_x, center_y, radius]);

% Draw and fill circle polygon with desired color
drawPolygon(coords(:, 1), coords(:, 2), 'c');
fillPolygon(coords(:, 1), coords(:, 2), 'c');
xlim([-2 2]);
ylim([-2 2]);
axis equal;

This will produce such an output:

Hope that helps!


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Explaining the Friendship between Dog and Man
There is no question that dogs and humans go together like peanut butter and jelly. But have you ever wondered why? Recently, scientists started to utilize advances in genetic sequencing to explain this profound friendship. In two separate studies, researchers looked at the genomes of various dogs as a way of exploring two questions. First, which genetic characteristics may be responsible for an increase in sociability in dogs? Second, how have dogs evolved throughout history?
A genome is a set of genetic instructions that acts like a recipe for the development of an organism's mind and body. Genomes copy and paste to supply offspring with genetic instruction, and imperfections in these copies account for changes in behavior and appearance over generations. Since all these genomes are related, scientists can explain the behavior of dogs today by examining the similarities and differences in the genomes of different breeds of dogs.
In a study published in Scientific Reports, researchers aimed to identify the specific sequences of genetic code that might give dogs their characteristic sociability. In this study, scientists took group of dogs that ranked high in sociability and a group that ranked especially low in sociability, and compared their genomes. They were able to identify specific genetic similarities within each group, which suggests that there is some relationship between DNA and sociability in dogs. Still, the question remains: how did those genetic similarities come to be? A separate 2015 study might have answers to this question.
In a study published in the life science journal Cell Research, scientists compared the genomes of 58 dogs from various locations around the globe. By identifying which of these dogs had similar genomes, scientists were able to trace relationships and lineages between groups of dogs around the world. Based on their research, scientists found dogs originated in southern East Asia 33,000 years ago, long before civilization began to develop in the Fertile Crescent. When asking the question "Why are dogs and humans such great companions?" we can look to this research, which suggests it's because we spent thousands of years sharing experiences and working together with dogs.
At Walk! ATX, we do everything we can to ensure that dog and man stay best friends. To learn more about how our services can bolster the relationship between dog and owner, call us at (512) 655-9557.