text:
McGurked
Obama nominee for ambassador to Iraq withdraws nomination
Adam Kredo • June 18, 2012 3:18 pm
Sources on Capitol Hill praised the White House for "finally waking up" to the fact that former National Security Council member Brett McGurk was unfit to serve as the next ambassador to Iraq.
McGurk, who withdrew his name from consideration late Monday afternoon, was caught in a series of leaked emails engaging in an affair with a former Wall Street Journal reporter while the duo were stationed in Iraq and he was serving as a senior Bush administration official.
The emails raised questions about McGurk's judgment and led to concerns that he could have been trading sensitive information for sexual favors.
"This nomination has been in free fall since the emails became public," said one GOP aide close to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which was considering McGurk's nomination.
White House Press Secretary "Jay Carney's insistence just a few days ago that the President stood behind the nominee looks pretty silly now and makes him look out of the loop," added the source, who noted that even Democratic senators John Kerry (Mass.) and Barbara Boxer (Calif.) "were already backing away at that point."
Given the rising chorus of dismay over ongoing national security leaks from within the Obama White House, "the last thing senators wanted to do was vote for an Iraq ambassador that joked about trading classified information for sexual favors," said the aide. "The White House woke up to reality over the weekend, and they obviously pressured McGurk to step aside to end this embarrassment."
Another GOP aide close to the foreign relations committee praised the White House for coming to its senses regarding McGurk.
"It is probably best the White House find a nominee that doesn't start the position with questionable credibility," said the source. "As one of our most important embassies at a critical time for the country, we need someone with unimpeachable integrity and sound judgment at the table. The White House can do better."
McGurk explained his withdrawal in a letter addressed to Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
"It is with a heavy heart that I write to withdraw my nomination to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Iraq," McGurk wrote, according to a copy of the statement obtained by the New York Times. "I am grateful for the continuing confidence that you have placed in me. But after much thought over the past week, and having discussed the issue with my wife, Gina, I believe it is in the best interests of the country, and of our life together, to withdraw my nomination and serve in another capacity."
McGurk goes on to lament the involvement of Chon—who recently resigned from the Journal—in the growing scandal.
"The most difficult part of this process, however, was watching my wife become a part of it," he wrote. "She is the most precious thing in the world to me, and the depiction of our relationship has been both surreal and devastating. We have also witnessed real sacrifice and suffering in Iraq and know that nothing should be allowed to distract from the pressing work that must be done to build a better future there."
The leaked emails, which were first reported by the Free Beacon, reveal that McGurk and Chon engaged in a clandestine, months-long relationship in 2008. The missives are at times explicit, with McGurk referring on multiple occasions to his "blue balls."
Chon was forced to resign from the Journal for violating the paper's code of conduct.
"In 2008 Ms. Chon entered into a personal relationship with Mr. McGurk, which she failed to disclose to her editor," a statement from the paper said. "At this time the Journal has found no evidence that her coverage was tainted by her relationship with Mr. McGurk."
Chon later maintained in an email to friends that she was a victim of the ordeal.
"I've never felt so vulnerable, so targeted and so exposed as I have in the last two weeks," Chon wrote. "I feel like I have become collateral damage in this process. And, after witnessing all I have, I'm amazed that anyone would want to become a public official."
A spokesman for the National Security Council expressed confidence that McGurk would once again serve in the federal government.
"While we regret to see Brett withdraw his candidacy there is no doubt that he will be called on again to serve the country," said National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor, in a statement to ABC's Jake Tapper.
Published under: Brett McGurk, Obama Administration
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The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has released a set of proposed changes to spectrum regulations aimed at providing easier access to spectrum for machine-to-machine (M2M) operators utilising spectrum for the Internet of Things (IoT).
The changes would be made to the Radiocommunications (Low Potential Interference Devices) Class Licence 2015, which pre-approves usage of the radio-frequency spectrum for certain radio-communications devices that have a low potential to cause interference with other devices.
Included in this list already are garage door openers, Bluetooth devices, anti-theft devices, e-tag systems, wireless microphones, and WLAN devices. Should the ACMA's proposal go through, more IoT devices will be added to the list.
The ACMA is also looking at adding new frequency bands for in-ground ultra-wide bandwidth transmitters used in automated parking management systems; radio-determination transmitters used as industrial sensors; and analysis devices used for detecting objects in walls, ceilings, and floors.
The ACMA also wants to align the usage of the 22.25-123GHz and 244-246GHz spectrum bands for short-range devices with the European system.
"The changes should encourage innovations in the M2M and IoT spaces," said ACMA chairman Chris Chapman.
"The proposals are a part of our work in looking at Australia's state of readiness for IoT and identifying areas where the ACMA can further assist IoT developments."
Zagarella said Australia's current mobile networks "aren't necessarily ideal to meet some of these IoT challenges", as they have been set up with high average-revenue-per-user (ARPU) in mind, with significant costs and investments in spectrum.
Instead of cellular networks, narrowband low-power, long-range wide-area networks such as LoRa that use available, unlicensed radio spectrum should be rolled out, he said.
Last month, Telstra likewise announced a trial of LoRaWAN technology in Melbourne with unknown suppliers, scheduled to take place between November 28 and December 3.
The ACMA in September updated its five-year outlook on spectrum usage, releasing two reports that outline how the telecommunications sector can deal with the growth in mobile broadband usage and technologies.
The ACMA's Five-year spectrum outlook 2015-19 [PDF] (FYSO) report outlined strategies for how the industry could address the allocation, regulation, and licensing of spectrum within Australia in response to growing demand in the face of new wireless technologies.
The report described the ACMA's processes for making decisions on allocation and licensing, indicating what the ACMA predicts will occur over the next year, and outlined the ACMA's short- and long-term plans, including responding to 5G, M2M, and the rise of the IoT.
"The ACMA engaged the Centre for International Economics to examine the economic benefits of mobile broadband in 2013. It estimated that mobile broadband increased Australia's economic activity (its GDP) by AU$33.8 billion in 2013," the FYSO report said.
"With the continuing emergence of technologies that rely on the use of spectrum for purposes such as machine-to-machine communications, the Internet of Things, and digital communications, demand for spectrum continues to grow. Pressures on spectrum access will continue to be particularly intense in the 300MHz to 3GHz range, which is attractive to many current spectrum uses because of its propagation characteristics."
Meanwhile, Towards 2020: Future spectrum requirements for mobile broadband [PDF] presented the ACMA's mobile broadband spectrum plans.
"For over a decade, the need to accommodate growth in mobile broadband traffic has been the biggest driver of changes in the use of radio-frequency spectrum," Chapman said.
To deal with the growth in traffic and explosion of new technologies, the ACMA put forward strategies to re-farm and reallocate broadband spectrum.
The ACMA is accepting submissions on its proposed changes to IoT spectrum licensing, including suggestions on which devices to include in the pre-approved usage list, until February 26, 2016.


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The Five Year Engagement
Comedy this deep takes time & maturity & Jason Segel.
The new comedy, The Five-Year Engagement, goes a little deeper than one might think. Sure it has everything that you would expect from an R rated comedy written by Jason Segel and produced by Judd Apatow; but there are also a few hints of maturity in there too.
When you first read the title you conjure up thoughts of a guy dragging his feet when it comes to walking down the aisle. Or maybe a couple going through a perpetual on again off again relationship. But it is more about the strains of career vs. matrimony. Tom Solomon (Jason Segel) is a talented chef in San Francisco. He is one step away from head chef when his fiancé Violet Barnes (Emily Blunt) gets a chance to further her education and teaching credentials in Michigan. So Tom puts his career on hold for a few years and off they head up north. Both are willing to put off the vows until they get into a better situation. But soon 5 years have passed and they are both feeling the strains.
The scenario is different than most of this nature. We rarely see a film where a guy puts his career on hold and has to swallow his pride in a lowly role while his wife advances her situation. But it gives this one a much needed boost. Otherwise it would be the normal 120 minutes of sophomoric sex jokes and familiar dialogue. Before you get the idea that this is something enlightening or worth seeing, be aware that it is still mainly sophomoric sex jokes and familiar dialogue.
The cast work well together and Emily Blunt is as charming and loveable as always. You get what you expect from Segel but he is able to pull off the frustrated groom to be with conviction. Of course he shines the most in the slapstick scenes or when the joke needs a heavy punch. Chris Pratt and Alison Brie have some of the funniest moments and you look forward to seeing them on screen. I think this could have been a solid 90 minutes instead of 12o minutes with fluff and skit like moments.
The Five-Year Engagement is rated R for sexual content, and language throughout. This is certainly not a date night for anyone trying to avoid the awkward moments. The sex is frank and at times graphic; in that comedic sort of way. It is in the same vein as Bridesmaids when it comes to content but nowhere near that in terms of laugh out loud humor and gut busting situations. So you get the crudeness without the payoff in the end. Still, couples who like that crass style of humor will find it a decent outing. I give it 3 out of 5 bunny suits. But only barely. I would have been mad to have paid to see it, and would feel it better suited on the Blu-ray. Then you can stop it if you want and put it back in the slot.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
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State Boston Cape Cod & The Islands Central Mass. North of Boston South of Boston Western Mass.
State Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee Great North Woods Lakes Merrimack Valley Monadnock Seacoast White Mountains
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Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee
Find fun and interesting Great Things to Do in Merrimack Valley
New Hampshire > Merrimack Valley > Things to Do and See > 70 Great Things to Do in New Hampshire
200 Daniel Webster Highway Nashua, NH, 03060 Phone: 603-888-1940
A Day of Play for the Whole Family
Time to PLAY! Fun World resembles a castle outside, but inside it's a gigantic play space with tons of games and activities for kids from tots to the teens. More than 250 video and redemption games range in style from classic arcade favorites up to newer multiple-player games. Your kids are sure to end up happily tired after rumbling about in the three-story play space with lots of climbing structures and really long slides. Whew! Elsewhere, the Himalaya, roller coaster, and elegant Italian-built carousel will keep them fascinated and engaged. Games for older kids include Aliens, Terminator, Fast & Furious, Transformers, Ghost Squad, old-school air hockey tables and pinball games, and dance and sports games. The staff members are helpful; the cost is very reasonable.
Canterbury Shaker Village
288 Shaker Road Canterbury, NH, 03224 Phone: 603-783-9511
The simple life made extraordinary by the Shakers
The Shaker religious sect is considered by many historians to be the most successful communitarian society in American history. Throughout the 1800s some 300 members of the Shaker sect lived at the Canterbury Shaker Village site in Canterbury, NH growing their own food and supporting the community through their crafts and trades. Come see how the community thrived. Step inside 25 restored original Shaker buildings. Discover Shaker artifacts and photographs amidst 700 beautiful acres of forest, fields, gardens and mill ponds. The site offers workshops on woodworking, letterpress printing, broom making and more. Enjoy a simple lunch at the Horse Barn Cafe and shop for products made by local artisans at the Museum Store.
Chuckster's Family Fun Park - Hooksett
53 Hackett Hill Road Hooksett, NH, 03106 Phone: 603-210-1415
In the sun or under the lights, the mini golf courses at Chuckster's are great fun
There's a great day (and evening) waiting for you at Chuckster's in Hooksett, where you can choose one of two challenging and fun 18-hole miniature golf courses to test your skills. The Fire Tower Course features multiple levels and you tee off onto the country's longest mini-golf hole (tied with the course at Chuckster's in Chichester) from inside a New Hampshire-style fire tower. The Cave Course is ADA-accessible and includes creative, challenging obstacles. Head over to the ice cream barn for a double-scoop Bear Claw (dark chocolate ice cream filled with chocolate-coated cashews and caramel) or a thick milkshake. Sit outside at a table under a colorful umbrella and ponder how to improve that score.
85 North Policy Street Salem, NH, 03079 Phone: 603-893-3560
Great expectations are met at this historic family fun park
With a century's old history and an exciting approach to fun, Canobie Lake Park offers one of New England's best family values. 85 thrill rides, family rides, water rides, and kids rides, plus indoor-outdoor games and an arcade await just 30 miles north of Boston. There's live entertainment on two stages and the Dance Hall Theater, special events and attractions, and a dedicated Kiddieland area. More than 20 great places to eat will keep you well fed and there's tax free shopping for souvenirs, everyday items and keepsakes. You'll find discounts for school or company outings and summer lodging packages that include 2 tickets to the Park plus options for additional tickets at a discounted rate. Parking is always free. Canobie Lake Park was ranked as one of the 2018 top ten amusement parks in the U.S. by Time's Money Magazine.
Chuckster's Family Fun Park - Chichester
9 Bailey Road Chichester, NH, 03258 Phone: 603-798-3555
So much to choose from at this adventure park, mini golf course
You'll have a hard time choosing from the huge menu of fun activities at Chuckster's in Chichester. There's the gigantic 18-hole mini golf course, featuring the world's longest hole at 201 feet. There's TimberTrek Aerial Adventure Park, with a zipline (which you can do separately) as well as other unique ways to get from platform to platform 10 to 35 feet off the ground (including "skateboards," a horse saddle and a flying trapeze). There's Chuckster's Speedway with go-karts, Volley Battle (a huge soft volleyball inside an inflated enclosusre), a ride where you climb up webbing and go down a huge inflated slide, batting cages, and paddle boats for the little ones. Plus, 36 flavors of ice cream!
New Hampshire Campground Owners Association
Enjoy endless activities from New Hampshire's campgrounds
Get away from the everyday with a visit to a New Hampshire campground. Stay in a tent, RV, cabin, cottage, lodge – even a yurt! – and enjoy activities from horseshoes and fishing to snowmobiling and snowshoeing. Hike, bike or take a cog railroad up a pine-scented mountain or kayak a pristine pond, river or lake. From your camping site in the woods, near the ocean or in a meadow, check out the Granite State's historic sites, quintessential New England towns and acres upon acres of natural splendor. Visit our website for a handbook with all the details for individual parks, from whether they are pet-friendly to which ones have cottage rentals, pools, fireplaces, tennis courts, live music – or cable TV.
America's Stonehenge
105 Haverhill Road Salem, NH, 03079 Phone: 603-893-8300
Explore America's Oldest Known Structure
In fourteen hundred and ninety-two Columbus sailed the ocean blue. But was he really the first European to reach North America? At America's Stonehenge in Salem, New Hampshire, some say there's evidence others got here first, perhaps by a thousand years. The pine woods here are full of stone megaliths like those built throughout Great Britain by Druid priests. Were they the first arrivals? Or maybe some other group with knowledge of astronomy and stone construction? Wander our woodland trails with your family, and let your kids see for themselves. We're near the New Hampshire seacoast, which makes America's Stonehenge a great destination for days when clouds keep you off the beach. We're got a picnic area, a museum, and a herd of friendly alpacas to greet you.
History Along a River Trail
New Hampshire Heritage Trail is a 230-mile walking trail across New Hampshire from Massachusetts to Canada. Plymouth's portion of the Heritage Trail, a 5.6-mile loop with 16 points of interest, begins at the Railroad Depot, constructed in 1909 for the Boston and Maine Railroad. Other highlights are a cottage where Robert Frost lived while teaching at Plymouth Normal School and Silver Cultural Arts Center, once a stop on the underground railroad. Park at the Plymouth Regional Senior Center on Green Street. The trail begins north of the Senior Center, past the District Courthouse. Follow the brown Heritage Trail directional signs. 603- 536-1001.
Unique Beer & Mead Tastings Just Off the Highway
The towns of Derry and Londonderry off I-93 in southern New Hampshire are home to no fewer than four craft breweries and an internationally recognized meadery. Travelers driving between the state's beautiful lakes region and White Mountains can take a short hop off the highway for a tour or tasting at these small places of large expertise. Rack cards describing the Beer and Mead Tour at nearby welcome centers give locations and more details.
Currier Fills an Afternoon With Interesting and Varied Art
The Currier Museum of Art at 150 Ash Street in Manchester is an art museum and dynamic member of the community, hosting classes, events, and ways to welcome people into fine art. The museum has a permanent collection of European and American artists, decorative arts, photographs and sculpture by Wyeth, Monet, Picasso, and Georgia O'Keefe. The building itself was unique, interesting architecture and easy to navigate. There's a café for refreshment for browsers. From April through December, the museum offers tours of the nearby Zimmerman House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Many changing exhibits run throughout the year. 603-669-6144.
Behind the Scenes of High-Volume Beer Making
Whether or not you are a beer aficionado, a visit to the Anheuser-Busch Brewery at 221 Daniel Webster Highway in Merrimack is a fun and interesting behind-the-scenes exploration into the brewing industry at it best. At the Brew Hall, guests discover how the world's greatest beers are carefully crafted using the highest quality ingredients and packaged in a state-of-the-art facility. If you are 21 years of age or older, sample our products in the Hospitality Room. Choose from a variety of brews including seasonal brands and new products. Sorry, as of early 2019, the Clydesdale horses are no longer at this property. 603-595-1202.
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Cover Lover - A Clockwork Orange
Welcome to our first post from Cover Lover -- our book-collecting expert on covers from the past.
Every now and then, a filmed adaptation of a popular novel gets everything right. It's near impossible to read Harper Lee and not picture Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch, and—regardless of whether you give a damn—Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh literally burn down the house in Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind. Dustin Hoffman looked nothing like the blond, good-looking grad student Charles Webb wrote about, but Hoffman will forever be Benjamin Braddock. And when Stanley Kubrick made up his rassoodock and cast Malcolm McDowell as Alex in his real horrorshow version of Anthony Burgess' A Clockwork Orange, he crafted something malchicks and devotchkas are still keen on viddying almost 40 years later.
The hoodlums depicted on the first Ballantine paperback edition of Anthony Burgess' A Clockwork Orange look nothing like the cinematic incarnations of Alex and Pete and Georgie and Dim. There were four delinquents on the U.S. hardcover edition, but this paperback version is clearly one droog short—perhaps the publishers thought placing a female on the cover might sell the idea of the old "in-out-in-out" a bit better. The back of the book carries quotes from such admirers as William Burroughs and Roald Dahl, and positive reviews from Time and The New York Times. The cover promises a "terrifying shocker of a world dominated by teen-age gangs" but I bet more than one mid-1960's reader tried to recoup his sixty cents after sitting down with Burgess' book and—even with Stanley Edgar Hyman's helpful glossary—just scratched his greased head.
This psychedelic (cycle-delic?) artwork came along a few years later. Our Pop Art Alex—seen bursting out of the top of his own head—seems more interested in "turning on, tuning in, and dropping out" than "the old ultra-violence." The cover still promises a "terrifying shocker of teen-age gangs" but there's no question that this Alex—despite the relative innocence of his John Lennon glasses—is no stranger to the Korova Milkbar. Easy Rider has eclipsed any lingering images of The Wild One.
By 1971, director Stanley Kubrick had already sealed his popularity with the counter-culture by delivering the one-two punch of Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) and 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). He was no stranger to literary adaptations either, having licked Lolita (oh, grow up!) in 1962. So great was Kubrick's popularity that his name was mentioned above the book's title, alerting potential readers that this novel was "soon to be Stanley Kubrick's first motion picture since 2001: A Space Odyssey." Notice how the artwork from the previous cover has been toned down, to make room for Kubrick.
It's interesting to note that after debuting as a mass-market paperback in September 1965, sales didn't warrant a reprint until February of '68. The third printing appeared the following September, followed by a fourth printing in June, 1970. Let's see: that makes intervals of 29 months, 19 months, nine months, and 16 months. This particular printing of the Burgess book—the fifth—arrived in October, 1971. Within three months, more had to be printed—this time, carrying glowing reviews of the Kubrick film from both Time and The New York Times on the back cover.
This last cover illustration—from 1972—was designed by David Pelham for the Penguin UK paperback and remained in use for over a decade. Kubrick's take on the novel had become so firmly engrained in our consciousness that the book's title on the cover seems almost redundant.
Nobody thinks director Robert Mulligan "wrote" To Kill A Mockingbird and Victor Fleming could never take Tara from Margaret Mitchell. In the rare case of A Clockwork Orange, however, Stanley Kubrick didn't simply do justice to his source material. He brought Burgess' novel to life on the big screen and his powerful vision still lingers in our gullivers. He placed his grazhny rookers over every frame of his film, and in doing so, effectively rivals Burgess for co-authorship of the book.
Cover Lover is currently researching a book on the role of masculinity in the works of Mark Twain, tentatively titled In No Sense A Broad.
Beth Staples July 17, 2008 Cover Lover
Art Intermission Vol. 1
Adam July 17, 2008 Art Intermission, Art
Website of the Week - 20x200
Beth Staples July 16, 2008 Art, Contributor News, Issues 41-50, Website of the Week


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Cooking Academy Deluxe – Manage your own restaurant on Zylom!
Slice and dice your way to the top of the class in Cooking Academy. Learn how to prepare more than 50 delicious recipes including eggrolls, pancakes, ravioli, creme brulee, and more! Then, put your skills to the test in a challenging exam. Think you have what it takes to be a Master Chef? Enroll in Cooking Academy today!
Try for free - Play Cooking Academy right away!
nice addition to the c.a. series. i like how the sections are divided by ingredient instead of meal types or types of cuisine this time. the characters are a little weird but not alot to put you off.
good game. i like it very much.
This Game is so fun its making me relax. So 5 stars for the first time!
i think cooking academy is a very good cooking game and encourages people to cook i layed eyes on it becAUSE ITS A NICE GAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


text:
import {Stream} from 'xstream';
import {Observable} from 'rxjs/Observable';
import 'rxjs/add/observable/from';
import {setAdapt} from '@cycle/run/lib/adapt';
import {
  setup as coreSetup,
  DisposeFunction,
  Driver,
  FantasyObservable,
  Sources,
  Sinks,
  CycleProgram,
} from '@cycle/run';

export type Drivers<So extends Sources, Si extends Sinks> = {
  [P in keyof (So & Si)]: Driver<FantasyObservable, any>;
};

setAdapt(function adaptXstreamToRx(stream: Stream<any>): Observable<any> {
  return Observable.from(stream);
});

/**
 * Takes a `main` function and circularly connects it to the given collection
 * of driver functions.
 *
 * **Example:**
 * ```js
 * import run from '@cycle/rxjs-run';
 * const dispose = run(main, drivers);
 * // ...
 * dispose();
 * ```
 *
 * The `main` function expects a collection of "source" Observables (returned
 * from drivers) as input, and should return a collection of "sink" Observables
 * (to be given to drivers). A "collection of Observables" is a JavaScript
 * object where keys match the driver names registered by the `drivers` object,
 * and values are the Observables. Refer to the documentation of each driver to
 * see more details on what types of sources it outputs and sinks it receives.
 *
 * @param {Function} main a function that takes `sources` as input
 * and outputs a collection of `sinks` Observables.
 * @param {Object} drivers an object where keys are driver names and values
 * are driver functions.
 * @return {Function} a dispose function, used to terminate the execution of the
 * Cycle.js program, cleaning up resources used.
 * @function run
 */
export function run<So extends Sources, Si extends Sinks>(
                   main: (sources: So) => Si,
                   drivers: Drivers<So, Si>): DisposeFunction {
  const {run} = coreSetup(main, drivers);
  return run();
}

/**
 * A function that prepares the Cycle application to be executed. Takes a `main`
 * function and prepares to circularly connects it to the given collection of
 * driver functions. As an output, `setup()` returns an object with three
 * properties: `sources`, `sinks` and `run`. Only when `run()` is called will
 * the application actually execute. Refer to the documentation of `run()` for
 * more details.
 *
 * **Example:**
 * ```js
 * import {setup} from '@cycle/rxjs-run';
 * const {sources, sinks, run} = setup(main, drivers);
 * // ...
 * const dispose = run(); // Executes the application
 * // ...
 * dispose();
 * ```
 *
 * @param {Function} main a function that takes `sources` as input
 * and outputs a collection of `sinks` Observables.
 * @param {Object} drivers an object where keys are driver names and values
 * are driver functions.
 * @return {Object} an object with three properties: `sources`, `sinks` and
 * `run`. `sources` is the collection of driver sources, `sinks` is the
 * collection of driver sinks, these can be used for debugging or testing. `run`
 * is the function that once called will execute the application.
 * @function setup
 */
export function setup<So extends Sources, Si extends Sinks>(
                     main: (sources: So) => Si,
                     drivers: Drivers<So, Si>): CycleProgram<So, Si> {
  return coreSetup(main, drivers);
};

export default run;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: Differencing and trend in time series forecasting I understand that a time series is differenced to remove trend. But if trend can be modeled for forecasting purposes then why difference a time series at all?

A: If trend can be modeled, why difference a time series at all? That is a good question! The answer is, you do not difference the series in such instances.
You only difference series that contain stochastic time trends, i.e. series that are cumulative sums of stationary processes (I we restrict ourselves to processes with a single unit root). You do not difference a time series that does not have a unit root, e.g. a time series with a deterministic time trend. Such series are called trend stationary. Differencing such a series creates a unit-root MA(1) component which, if neglected, messes up estimates of the other parameters in the model. This problem is called over-differencing.

A: You difference the trend in pure time series models such as ARIMA. However, there are many approaches which take care of the non-constant trend without necessarily differencing. For instance, consider ARIMAX model:
$$y_t=c+\beta t^2+\phi_1 y_{t-1}+\varepsilon_t$$
Here, you have the nonlinear trend $t^2$ and as typical autoregressive term $y_{t-1}$. This is just one approach of many possible

A: It depends on what method you use if you difference. To cite an obvious example some methods such as exponential smoothing do not require (or use) this. It is an assumption (a requirement) of ARIMA that you difference non-stationarity, but not all time series methods.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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text:
Bo Li, The Moral Foundation of Liberalism
Republikanisme: teksten | bron en auteursrechten
"In examining social arrangements, they never lost sight of the ultimate question, cui bono?"
– Stephen Holmes
Liberalism is a collection of values and institutions. What are the moral underpinnings of these values and institutions? This is the focus of this essay.
Before we begin, a caveat is needed. When I say "liberalism" or "liberal" in this essay, I mean what most political scientists mean when they use these terms in academic writings concerning the history of political thought. In these writings, "liberalism" means the mainstream values and institutions that have dominated the Western world for over two hundred years, in which men and women are presumed free and equal, and in which individual rights are protected, governments are limited, and constitutionalism and the rule of law are indispensable institutions. Some people like to call this collection of values and institutions "classical liberalism." In this essay, I will use "liberalism" and "classical liberalism" interchangeably when these terms are used to describe the core propositions of liberalism, which have remained largely the same for more than two hundred years.
When one reads the works of classical liberals, two apparently conflicting themes would surface. First, there is a general postulate that rational self-interest underlies all human actions. I will call this postulate the "universal self-interest postulate" or simply the "self-interest postulate." Second, there is also a recognition that rational self-interest more often than not does not characterize human motivation; instead, people are often driven by passions, irrational emotions and non-calculating convictions. I will call this claim the "limited rationality postulate." These two behavioral postulates form the moral foundation of liberalism.
More specifically, the universal self-interest postulate and the limited rationality postulate underlie several important moral principles of liberalism. The first moral principle is that everyone should be a judge of his or her own interest and welfare. I will call this the "principle of autonomy." The second is that different persons' interests are morally equal (that is, no person, or no one class of persons, can claim its interest is nobler, or morally more superior, than any other persons or classes of persons). I will call this the "principle of equality." The principle of equality implies that everyone's interest should receive equal consideration from a social perspective, and that every human being has the same intrinsic worth. The third moral principle is that everyone should be free to pursue his or her own interest and choice, subject to John Stuart Mill's "harm principle" (i.e., in pursuit of his or her own interest, he or she cannot harm another person's legitimate interests). I will call this the "principle of freedom." The fourth and final principle is that everyone should bear the consequences resulting from his or her actions in pursuit of individual interests. I will call this the "principle of responsibility." The remarkable feature of liberal democracy is that all four principles are largely upheld while social order and economic efficiency are also achieved.
My focus in this essay, instead of being the four moral principles, will be the two behavioral postulates — the universal self-interest postulate and the limited rationality postulate — which form the foundation of the four moral principles. In what follows, I will discuss these two postulates in sequence. In so doing, I will borrow heavily from Stephen Holmes' excellent and unconventional exposition of the secret history of self-interest in his 1995 book Passions and Constraint: On the Theory of Liberal Democracy.
The first postulate, universal self-interest, has important implications for thinking about politics. First, if everyone is self-interested, it means that rulers are also self-interested. A natural corollary is that rulers, too, need to be ruled — otherwise the political system will be turned into a self-serving machine of the politicians. The pre-modern fable that certain religious, political or civic leaders were somehow driven by higher and nobler causes fell apart when faced with the fundamentally liberal claim of universal self-interest. This basic assumption laid the behavioral foundation for the liberal political theory of separation of power, checks and balances and limited government. Without separation of power and checks and balances, self-interested politicians will use their power for their own advantages, often at the expenses of the public good.
Second, universal self-interest has a strong moral implication, which is moral equality. Universal self-interest means, first and foremost, that morally no one is above anyone else. "he postulate of universal self-interest, although logically incompatible with insight into the rich variety of human motives, first rose to cultural prominence because of its unmistakably egalitarian and democratic implications" (Holmes, 1995, p. 44). Once we subscribe to moral equality, it is but a small step for us to endorse political equality and democracy. This is so for at least two reasons. First, moral equality implies that no one is better qualified, at least morally, to rule than any other members of the community. As Robert Dahl puts it, if people believe that "no single member, and no minority of members, is so definitely better qualified to rule that the one or the few should be permitted to rule over the entire association," then "the imperatives of logic and practical knowledge will strongly tend to lead them to the adoption of a more or less democratic process among themselves" (Dahl, 1989, p. 32). Second, as Holmes puts it, "o acknowledge the legitimacy of interests is to say that all citizens, no matter what their socially ascribed status, have concerns that are worthy of attention." For liberals, the best way to assure this attention is political equality.
The rise of the self-interest postulate represented an awakening, at least among an important group of intellectuals in 17th and 18th century Europe, to the idea that no one should be presumed morally superior to any other person. "riters in the Enlightenment tradition were ardent debunkers and unmaskers. In examining social arrangements, they never lost sight of the ultimate question, cui bono? Without wishing to imply that self-interest was the motive behind all human actions, they were naturally fond of exposing self-interested motives wrapped in rhetoric about heroic sacrifice and the common good" (Holmes, 1995, p. 66).
Historically, the postulate of universal self-interest became culturally dominant not only because of its clearly egalitarian and democratic implications, but also because a host of pre-liberal and liberal writers in the seventeenth and eighteenth century endorsed the rational pursuit of self-interest as a better alternative to "the violent passion for glory" and other irrational motivations championed by the European nobility, on the one hand, and the "self-abnegation" preached by the Catholic church of their time, on the other (Holmes, 1995, pp. 53-57, 60-62).
First, as Albert Hirschman and Stephen Holmes show convincingly in their respective work, rational self-interest was regarded by authors including Thomas Hobbes, Francis Bacon, David Hume and Adam Smith as a "relatively peaceful and harmless alternative" to the aristocratic pursuit of glory and other irrational motives, which often had disastrous consequences (see, Hirschman, 1997, pp. 9-63; Holmes, 1995, pp. 53-57). "Commerce is 'low,' but it is not the cruelest fate individuals and groups can inflict on each other. Interests are base, but they also raise the comfort level of social interaction" (Holmes, 1995, p. 54).
Second, for the same group of classical liberals, many of whom were Protestants, the Catholic dogma of original sin also helped cast self-interest in a more favorable light (Holmes, 1995, pp. 60-62). The Catholic doctrine of original sin, according to the progenitors and advocates of classical liberalism, tends to induce people to hate themselves and to hate the world. As such, authors like Hume, Voltaire, Tocqueville and Mill had a favorable view of self-interest. "Religion, [John Stuart Mill] believes, generally favors 'the inactive character, as being more in harmony with the submission due to the divine will.' If you can get a person interested in himself, by contrast, you need apply little more than a gentle nudge to get him interested in others as well. The large step is not from egoism to altruism, but from religiously induced 'absence of desire' to a willingness to bestir oneself in the world at all" (Holmes, 1995, p. 61).
We have discussed, very briefly, the history of the self-interest postulate. Several observations are in order. First, one problem with Stephen Holmes', and some of his pre-liberal and liberal predecessors', analysis is that it seems to equate self-interest with rationality. The reality is that people are more often self-interested than they are rational. People may not be rational when they demonstrate often self-contradictory tendencies to follow rules, to break rules, to hate changes, to love changes, to enjoy telling people what to do, to relish being told what to do, to embrace risk, or to be distressed by uncertainty. But they are often doing so with a basic concern about their own well-being. Although people have irrational goals rooted in animosity, enmity, hatred, envy, excessive pride or vanity, their goals are often still self-serving.
Of course, no serious observer can deny that there are still some human motivations that are selfless, and that affection, attachment, love and pity for underserved misfortune are all non-interested behaviors that many people practice. When it comes to modern politics, however, self-interest is probably more fundamental than selfless, non-interested behavior. This is so for several reasons: First, modern commercialism, the market economy and neoclassical economics have awakened and elevated rational self-interest. Second, in politics, self-interest is probably much more common than in other areas. As David Hume puts it, although followers of groups are often motivated by principles or passions, leaders of groups, including political leaders, are often driven by interest. "The heads of the factions are commonly most governed by ; the inferior members of them by " (Hume, 1987, p. 65). The bottom line, I think, is that in politics people may not always be rational, but they are basically self-interested. For liberals, universal self-interest is not only "better" than irrational motivations in the normative sense, it is also more accurate in the descriptive sense.
For liberals, the postulate of universal self-interest is not only politically sound and anthropologically accurate, it is also economically productive. One of the most remarkable achievements of Western economics since Adam Smith is its successful and convincing demonstration, through both empirical evidence and mathematical analysis, that a market economy based on self-interest, together with some minimal conditions, can always find prices to clear supplies and demands, and these prices are reached without any intervention from a central planner or an external force. And equally remarkably, these market-clearing prices are also proven to be economically efficient. Adam Smith's "invisible hand," as such, remains one of the most powerful vindications of self-interest ever written.
What would happen if each person were motivated, not by self-interest, but rather exclusively by altruistic concerns for the welfare of others? The result would be chaos. In economic terms, if each person cared only for the welfare of others, the market would never reach an equilibrium, because no market-clearing price would exist. This fact, in addition to fitting economic intuition, can be proven by rigorous economic model. Interestingly, Western economists were not alone in understanding this issue, a Chinese writer also realized this problem more than two hundred years ago. In his novel Flowers in the Mirror ("Jing Hua Yuan" in Chinese), Li Ruzhen described a country called the Land of Gentlemen. In this country, instead of being self-interested, each person cared only for the welfare of others. As a result, no transaction could take place without the intervention of an external force. The clever novelist told several stories where parties to transactions argued endlessly and fruitlessly about the appropriate price, quantity or quality of goods, each party trying to give the other side a better deal. The result would have been no deal at all but for the intervention by external parties.
The moral of Li Ruzhen's stories is that no market equilibrium would exist if each person cared only for the well-being of others. In addition, as Mao (1997) points out, some people incorrectly think that, if each person cared more about other people than about himself or herself, then there would be no disputes. Li Ruzhen's Land of Gentlemen tells us that the contrary is true. There would still be plenty of, if not more, quarrels in the imaginary world where everybody cared only for the welfare of others.
Self-interest may be politically accurate and economically efficient, but is it moral? Is the moral equality of universal self-interest an equality among immoral people? The answer is no. As Spinoza puts it, "the endeavour of preserving oneself is the first and only basis of virtue" (Spinoza, 1993, Part IV, Prop XXII, p. 155). The following quote from Holmes (1995) is illuminating:
"Self-love is nothing more shameful than a steady desire for well-being and a wholesome attachment to sweet life. A natural result of our physical makeup, the self-love with which human beings come into the world turns out, when examined more closely, to be morally neutral – neither good nor bad. A baby who suddenly stops crying to look at himself in a mirror deserves neither praise or blame. Depending on how it is reshaped through education, primitive self-love will become just or unjust, a virtue or a vice. In its primal state, however, it cannot be classified in either way." (Holmes, 1995, p. 62)
Furthermore, if one thinks that the postulate of universal self-interest is immoral, he or she must also denounce the four moral principles of liberalism, which many of the antiliberals probably do not want to do. The dilemma for antiliberals, however, is that to accept the principle of autonomy and the principle of freedom is to acknowledge the legitimacy of everyone's interest, and to endorse the principle of moral equality (based on interest) is to underwrite the universality and equality of such interest.
In addition to the claim of universal self-interest, there is another important liberal postulate about human behavior: there are limits to human rationality and people are often irrational (e.g., emotional, passionate, vengeful, and envious). The intellectual history of limited rationality and irrationality is well summarized by Holmes (1995). Here I want to focus on the work of David Hume, one of the major authors reviewed by Holmes (1995). Hume organized human motivations into a tripartite scheme: interest-driven, affection-driven, and principle-driven, or in the words of Stephen Holmes, interests, passions, and norms. The following quote from Holmes (1995) is illuminating:
"Several things should be said about this three-part scheme. First, although there is no insinuation whatsoever that interested behavior is always harmless, Hume obviously considers interests far less dangerous than a number of more violent and combustible passions. Second, he assumes that a person's motives are always mixed, that interests, passions, and norms conspire together to shape every human action. Nevertheless, sometimes one motive predominates and sometimes others. We can therefore speak meaningfully of largely principle-driven, largely interest-driven, and largely affection-driven behavior. Third, within a single group, such as a religious sect or movement, Hume tends to correlate different motives with different roles – so that leaders and elites are ordinarily motivated by calculating interest while followers are usually motivated by noncalculating principle or affect. Fourth, by distinguishing motives in this way, Hume makes it possible to analyze the causal interconnections between them. To use his example, a man may be a royalist from principle, but when he receives a sinecure from the king his ardor for his principles may suddenly redouble… Fifth, and still more strikingly, Hume explains how animosity among hostile factions is able to sustain itself even when it runs counter to every party's present interest." (Holmes, 1995, p. 50)
Hume then goes on to describe several forms of irrational tendencies, passions or affections that rational self-interest cannot easily explain, including psychological rigidity, inherited animosity, infatuation with a leader, religious zeal, compulsive impatience with being contradicted, and eagerness to imitate. The lesson is simple: many common forms of human behavior are irrational or limitedly rational. "For Hume, and his mainstream liberal followers such as Smith and Madison, 'interest' would be a useless category if it were not reserved for one motive contending with others. Each of them therefore rejects imperialistic attempts to explain all behavior by invoking the rational pursuit of personal advantage" (Holmes, 1995, p. 53).
Like the postulate of universal self-interest, limited rationality and irrationality have important implications for liberal political thinking. First, limited rationality means that one goal of political institutions should be enhance the cognitive intelligence of public decision-making. Second, limited rationality and irrationality imply that concentration of power can be very harmful or even disastrous. Separation of power as well as checks and balances are necessary, not only to prevent abuses of power due to the calculating self-interest of power holders, but also to make sure that the process of public decision-making is not seriously corrupted by decision makers' irrational passions and limited foresight.
In fact, if one reads the Federalist Papers, one finds that the Founding Fathers of the United States were keenly aware of the problems of irrational passions and human frailties when they wrote the United States Constitution in 1787. In his famous analysis of factionalism in Federalist No. 10, James Madison wrote:"The latent causes of faction are thus sown in the nature of man; and we see them everywhere brought into different degrees of activity, according to the different circumstances of civil society. A zeal for different opinions concerning religion, concerning government, and many other points, as well of speculation as of practice; an attachment of different leaders ambitiously contending for pre-eminence and power; or to persons of other descriptions whose fortunes have been interesting to the human passions, have, in turn, divided mankind into parties, inflamed them with mutual animosity, and rendered them much more disposed to vex and oppress each other than to co-operate for the common good. So strong is this propensity of mankind to fall into mutual animosities, that where no substantial occasion presents itself, the most frivolous and fanciful distinctions have been sufficient to kindle their unfriendly passions and excite their most violent conflicts." (Federalist No. 10)
The irony is that many neoclassical economists have forgotten the intellectual tradition of their classical predecessors. Modern economists have often been accused, sometimes rightfully, of being motivational reductionists, because neoclassical economists often assume human beings are always driven by a single motive: rational pursuit of personal advantages. In contrast, classical liberal economists including Adam Smith (cf. Smith, 2000) and John Stuart Mill (cf. Mill, 1978), like other classical liberals, were keenly aware of the irrational sides of human psychology, and their accounts of human motivations were much richer, more complex and more realistic than those of the neoclassical economists. These realistic accounts of human motivations, which take into important consideration the irrational and limitedly rational aspects of human behavior, are not only important for an accurate understanding of economic behavior (one of the major challenges to neoclassical economics today is how to develop a systematic theory of limited rationality), they are also instrumental for grasping the nature and tendencies of political behavior and for developing effective and responsible political theory and political institutions.
I now conclude this essay by making several observations. First, is it self-contradictory for liberals to assert universal self-interest, on the one hand, and widespread irrational and non-selfish motivations, on the other? Stephen Holmes thinks that they are contradictory, but they are so because early liberal thinkers tactically used self-interest as a two-edged sword: as a radically egalitarian and democratic attack on the traditional moral and political order, on the one hand, and as a contrast to a variety of irrational and destructive motivations, on the other.
Holmes might have grasped one important part of the story. As discussed above, however, the story has another part. The conflict between the postulate of universal self-interest and the existence of widespread irrational behavior is not as real as it appears. Self-interestedness and rationality have no necessary relationship. People can be self-interested and at the same time irrational. On the normative level, classical liberals advocated rational pursuit of self-interest. On the descriptive level, classical liberals understood that human beings, especially politicians, are self-interested but only limitedly rational.
Second, the self-interest postulate and the limited rationality postulate form a necessary behavioral foundation for liberalism, but they are not necessary assumptions of democracy (although they may be sufficient), so understood. Political and social equality (the core values of democracy), in theory, do not require that all members of the society be self-interested and limitedly rational. A society in which all members were equally selfless and fully rational might be just as likely (or even more likely) to champion political and social equality as a society under the opposite conditions (i.e., people being universally self-interested and limitedly rational).
Finally, the attitude of liberalism towards human nature is not one of pessimism, but of realism and cautious optimism. As discussed above, in its primal state, self-love is neither a virtue nor a vice. The same thing can be said about limited rationality. We should feel neither pessimistic nor blindly optimistic about human nature. What we should do, however, is to view human nature pragmatically, realistically and accurately. We should acknowledge the existence and moral neutrality of self-interest and limited rationality, understand their potentials and dangers, and try to assemble a system of social and political arrangements that prevents or limits the destructive sides of human nature while preserving and facilitating the virtues that we are capable of possessing and developing.
(The author Bo Li is an attorney with Davis Polk & Wardwell in New York.)
1. Dahl, Robert A. Democracy and Its Critiques. New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press, 1989.
2. Hamilton, Alexander, James Madison and John Jay. The Federalist Papers. London: Everyman, 1996.
3. Hirschman, Albert. The Passions and the Interests: Political Arguments for Capitalism before Its Triumph. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1997 (20th Anniversary Edition).
4. Holmes, Stephen. Passions and Constraint: On the Theory of Liberal Democracy. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1995.
5. Hume, David. Enquiries concerning the Human Understanding and concerning the Principles of Morals. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1975.
6. Hume, David. Essays: Moral, Political, and Literary. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1987.
7. Mao, Yushi. Zhongguoren de Daode Qianjing (The Moral Future of the Chinese People). Guangzhou: Jinan University Press, 1997.
8. Mill, John Stuart. On Liberty. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing, 1978.
9. Smith, Adam. The Theory of Moral Sentiments. Amherst, New York: Prometheus Books, 2000.
10. Spinoza, Benedict de. Ethics. Everyman Paperback Classics, 1993.


When you start a new Laravel project, error and exception handling is already configured. The App\Exceptions\Handler class is where all exceptions triggered by your application are logged and then rendered back to the user.
The debug option in config/app.php file determines how much information about an error is displayed to the user. This option is set to respect the value of the APP_DEBUG variable, which is stored in .env file.
- For local development, you should set the APP_DEBUG environment variable to true. In production environment, this value should be false.
For logging, Laravel utilizes the Monolog library. The log files are created in the storage/logs directory.
To generate HTTP error codes like 404, 500, etc. anywhere in Laravel application, you can use the abort() method.
Laravel makes it very easy to use custom error pages for each separate error codes. Just create an errors folder in resources/views/ directory, then crete a "Code_Error.blade.php" file for each HTTP Error you want to customize. Laravel framework will automatically detect the file in "views/errors/" folder and use it when that error occurs.
- Here is an example for http error code 404.
- It will display the content from the resources/views/errors/404.blade.php file.
Same way you can design error pages for http error codes 401, 403, 500.
Laravel supports writing log information to single files, daily files, the syslog, and the errorlog.
To configure which storage mechanism Laravel uses, modify the log option in config/app.php file.
In Laravel you can use the following severity levels - from least severe to most severe: debug, info, notice, warning, error, critical, alert, emergency.
Or the log_level option in "config/app.php" file.
Laravel will log all levels greater than or equal to the specified severity. For example, if you set the value error, it will log: error, critical, alert, emergency messages.
You may write information to the logs using the Log facade.


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text:
Jan 19, 2017 - Technology
Snapchat teaming with Oracle to finally get "creepy"
Snapchat will now provide advertisers the ability to use offline data to market to its 150 million daily active users.
How? The social media giant is teaming with the Oracle Data Cloud, formerly called Datalogix, to provide advertisers data about users' offline purchasing history to hyper-target ad campaigns. According to AdWeek, STX Entertainment, Kia, Honda, and The Honest Company will all be testing the new capability.
Why? In the past, Snapchat received backlash for giving advertisers minimal ability to custom-target its users, which hindered their ability to compete with the likes of Google and Facebook in winning advertising contracts. A 2015 eMarketer report cites a 'Social Advertising Effectiveness Scorecard' where industry executives rate leading platforms in their ability to market users through advertising. Snapchat received a C- for "ad targeting effectiveness" and D+ for "ad measurement and analytics effectiveness."
Under pressure: The Oracle partnership is newsy given that 18 months ago, Snapchat founder and CEO Evan Spiegel vowed not to be "creepy" in how the tech giant utilized users' offline data to retarget them. However, that was a year and a half ago, when the company was valued $6 billion less than what it is now and before it was exploring an IPO, forcing them to demonstrate advertising appeal to investors.
Our take: Spiegel's right that overlaying offline user-data affects user experience, but Snapchat can't compete with other platforms to win over high-end ad contracts, particularly for retail campaigns, without doing so. As we noted earlier this month Snapchat users are four times less likely to use the app for e-commerce than Instagram, which recently rolled out commerce-driven ad features for their stories feature that rivals Snapchat. According to AdWeek, STX Entertainment's test campaign with Snapchat using offline purchasing data is meant to drive ticket sales specifically.


And I, like so many other new riders used to ride in a 'big' gear when I first started riding a road bike. It seems that when we start out we expect it to be hard to turn over the pedals so we tend to use a gear that challenges our legs. What you actually do is fatigue your legs and make it harder to ride long distances. Over time you learn to 'spin' your legs more and increase your cadence (pedal revolutions per minute) saving energy while still keeping up with the pack.
The reason bikes have gears is so you can pedal (relatively) comfortably no matter what the terrain. Most bikes have two sets of gears – the front ones which are commonly called the chainrings, and the rear ones which are often called the cassette. For the purposes of this blog post I'm focusing on road bikes but many of the principals apply to other bike types. Current road bikes typically have two chainrings at the front and 11 cogs on the cassette at the rear.
In basic terms, use the small ring for climbs and easy spinning on the flat, and the big ring for fast riding on the flat and downhill. In reality, it's more intricate than that, but over time you'll begin to learn what gear is best for the terrain.
You will notice that moving the chain from the smallest rear cog to the largest eases your pedalling effort incrementally, sort of like fine tuning. While moving it between the chainrings in the front results in a much more noticeable change—pedalling feels easier in a smaller chainring and harder in a bigger one.
An important skill to master is changing gears effectively on a climb. Short steep rises in the road can sometimes be attacked without having to change gear, but if you see a big hill coming up, or a significant change in gradient, it's best to be prepared and get into a low gear early. This means looking up the road and changing gear in advance. This applies on the flat, too. For instance, when coming to a stop, click down a couple of gears so you can move away easily again, rather than having to heave the bike back up to speed. You'll move away quicker and your legs will thank you for it.
If you do need to change gear when climbing, ease off on the pedals to the point where you are almost freewheeling before you change gear. Derailleur gears work by forcing the chain to move across sprockets, so easing off the torque you're applying through the pedals before you shift helps to relieve the stresses involved. Changing gear while standing up out of the saddle and mashing the pedals will at best result in a terrible crunching noise, and worse still a snapped chain or derailleur damage.
You may have heard the word trim used in connection with shifting, or you may have even done it accidentally while shifting, but never knew the name for it. Trimming is an important skill to have when you access the gears in the extremes of your bike's range.
The trim function is essentially a 'microshift' or 'half-shift' because it moves the front derailleur ever so slightly without moving the chain off the chainring like a full or regular shift. Different shifters have slightly different trim functions but on a Shimano shifter you use the left shifter to control the front derailleur, and to trim the gears you simply click it a second time but softer that a whole change. Practice it next time you're riding your bike.
Cross-chaining occurs when you put your gears in either of the extremes – the biggest cog and big chainring or smallest cog and small chainring, and it's something you should avoid. Cross-chaining puts quite a lot of stress on your chain and gears, can lead to a noisy, squeaky drive-train (chain rubbing against the inside plate of the front derailleur, for example), and causes your chain to wear quicker. Quicker chain wear then leads to quicker cassette wear, and quicker chainring wear. It's not a big deal if you find yourself in this combination occasionally, but don't make a habit of it.
Like all other bike skills and just about anything you do practice is the key to mastering efficient gear changing on your road bike. Go out on your own and ride around changing gears more frequently than you need just to get a feel for the gears. Another way to practice is to set your bike up on an indoor trainer and change gear over and over.
And also like many other skills, mimic what other more experienced riders are doing around you. It's pretty easy to glance down at another rider's gears and see what gear they are using and you can also hear/see when they change.
What have you learnt about changing gears on your road bike? Share your experiences via comments or the Women Who Cycle Facebook page.


Film crews will soon be descending on the Castro once again.
Film SF, the city's film agency, has announced that "Lexi," a new feature film starring Adam Devine ("Pitch Perfect," "Workaholics"), will shoot on Sanchez Street between 16th and Market streets from January 23-25.
The three-day shoot will shut down that block of Sanchez, though residents will still be allowed access to their homes and garages.
Produced by CBS Films, "Lexi" is written and directed by the team of Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, who wrote the original "The Hangover" film and also directed 2016 comedy "Bad Moms." According to Variety, it stars Devine as a man who "falls in love with an A.I. who appears throughout his smart devices."
The film also stars Alexandra Shipp ("Love, Simon") as Devine's IRL love interest, and Michael Pena ("Ant-Man") in a supporting role.
Set in San Francisco, "Lexi" has already begun filming in parts of Potrero Hill, and may pop up in other neighborhoods as well.
SF Film's Manijeh Feta declined to share the name of the Sanchez Street business where filming for "Lexi" will take place, adding that it hasn't been confirmed yet. But according to the notice, the filming will "involve actors walking and talking outside a private business."
Feta also declined to provide exact times for the street closures, noting that the production "is still finalizing their street closure application."
Filming for "Lexi" is currently set to wrap on February 15. We'll let you know if it pops up elsewhere in the city.


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Q: node_load(): correct syntax for this use-case I'm using node_load to load a node based on the value of one of its fields. If the field I'm testing against were uid for example, I would do it like this:
$n1 = node_load(array('uid' => $val));

but this field sub1 is nested in an array field_val[0][sub1]. I tried putting quotes around the whole thing, but it didn't work. I tried other small variations, but none worked.
$n1 = node_load(array('field_val[0][sub1]' => $val));

I'm wondering what's the correct syntax for doing this, if it can be done.

A: The argument taken from node_load() is

*

*An array following the format <table field> => <value>.

*The node ID.

In the first case the array index is the name of a field found in the table node.
It's not possible to call node_load() as you reported.


All California cities are required to prepare and adopt a general plan to use as a guide in making land use decisions. It is essentially a blueprint for future development and focuses on big-picture and long-term goals. The Signal Hill General Plan includes the following six elements.
The Housing Element provides an assessment of the current and projected housing needs for all economic segments of the population. State law recognizes that local governments play a vital role in the supply and affordability of housing. The Housing Element is unique in that it is the only one reviewed by the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to determine its compliance with state law. The HCD pays particular attention to the required inventory of adequate sites. This inventory demonstrates how cities will accommodate their fair share of projected population growth on a parcel-specific level. The fair share is determined at a regional level by the Southern California Association of Governments and is called the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA).
The Housing Element was adopted at the February 4, 2014 City Council meeting and the HCD certified that the Element is in full compliance with the State Housing element law on March 18, 2014. The Element is available for public review in the Community Development Department and by accessing the Housing Element (PDF).
The Land Use Element (PDF) identifies the distribution and intensity of uses within the city. It identifies goals and policies and includes a land use map showing the location and intensity of types of uses, such as business, industry, housing, education, public buildings, and open space.
The Circulation Element (PDF) establishes guidelines and policy direction for the development and maintenance of a comprehensive transportation system for the city.
The Environmental Resources Element (PDF) combines the open space and conservation elements into one document to address the long-term and comprehensive preservation and conservation of open space. It also details the conservation, development, and use of natural resources such as water, forests, soils, rivers, and mineral deposits. In 1989, the City also adopted its Parks and Recreation Master Plan (PDF) and included it as an appendix to the Environmental Resources Element. The Master Plan documents the City's open space and recreation goals. It also discusses where parks may be site, how to fund park acquisitions and how parks are maintained.
The Safety Element (PDF) focuses on identifying natural or human-made hazards in the City and specifies policies and programs to mitigate hazards to the public. The local Hazard Mitigation Plan satisfies state and federal requirements and provides eligibility to receive federal funding for pre-disaster mitigation and post-disaster relief. The City's Hazard Mitigation Plan is integrated into the Safety Element as an appendix.
The Noise Element (PDF) identifies and assesses noise problems within the community and establishes guidelines to achieve noise-compatible land uses.


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Rondi (Lamfers-Hill) Escobar
Rondi Anne (Lamfers – Hill) Escobar, 48, of Laguna Vista, Texas, formerly Belmond, passed away unexpectedly Wednesday, January 6, 2021 at her home in Laguna Vista of a heart attack.
Funeral services for Rondi will be held on Friday, January 15, 2021 at 1:00 PM at Ewing Funeral Home, 111 Luick's Lane South in Belmond with Pastor Mark Pluff officiating. A private interment will take place.
Visitation for Rondi will be held on Thursday, January 14, 2021 from 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM at Ewing Funeral Home, 111 Luick's Lane South in Belmond, and will continue one hour prior to the funeral on Friday.
Rondi was born January 15th 1972 in Belmond, Iowa to Bonnie and Wayne Lamfers. She had attended school in Belmond, Clarion, and Webster City where she met and kept many life-long friends. Her parents later divorced. When Rondi was 10, her mother Bonnie was remarried to Walt Hill. He was her dad for 38 years and she looked to him for guidance and help with everything from showing her how to saddle her horse as a child to hanging every picture in her house. As a child growing up in Iowa, Rondi undoubtedly enjoyed life on the farm, riding horses and attending the Eagle Grove sale barn.
Rondi graduated from Webster City High School in 1990. She was united in marriage shortly after in 1991 to Scott Ralston. To this union one daughter was born, Eden Andrea Ralston. Later on the couple divorced. In 2000 her son Navi Andrew Hudson was born.
Rondi loved being a mother first and foremost, so much that she decided to take on her own girl scout troop. In just the first year of leading she and her 22 Brownie Girl Scouts sold over 5,000 boxes of cookies, reflecting her passion to bring people together.
She was a fan of keeping busy and would take any and every job to help support her family regardless of the work. Among her favorites was being the manager at the local pizza restaurant, Breadeaux Pizza, in Webster City, Iowa. She would often talk of the great memories made there.
Rondi loved to love people, and as her children grew up she knew she was destined to care for others. After her mother almost died she decided she wanted to go into nursing to help others. She attended Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri. In 2007 she became a Registered Nurse and received her Bachelors of Science degree.
After Eden's high school graduation in 2009, the family moved to San Antonio, Texas. Here is where Rondi's love of traveling flourished. She had set a quest for herself to visit every Hard Rock Cafe the world had to offer. With Navi by her side their travels led them to many breathtaking and exotic places, including, but not limited to, enjoying the Great Pyramids of Egypt by camelback, immersing in the culture of Beirut Lebanon, and with her last trip scaling the Great Wall of China with Navi and Eden in 2019.
When she wasn't traveling or nursing she continued her life-long love affair with reading romantic novels and watching her favorite TV show, Friends. She always saw herself as a Monica. She is remembered as always having a funny sense of humor. She had a compassionate soul and loved to make people laugh and feel good about themselves. Rondi had an unquestionable love for the holidays, especially Christmas, and would be caught frequently listening to Christmas carols even in the summer.
She was preceded in death by her grandparents: Walt & Beverly Boyd, Harley & Yvonne Hill and Phyllis & Harry Wenig; uncles Terry Boyd and Gary Lamfers; her partner and Navi's father, Ivan Hudson, Jr.
Those left to cherish Rondi's memory are her daughter Eden Ralston (Mike Mauriello) and daughter, Annabelle; son Navi, who will be living with his grandparents in Laguna Vista, TX; parents Bon & Walt Hill of Laguna Vista, TX; Wayne and Petra Lamfers, siblings Rob & Emily Lamfers-Hill and their children Andrew, Avery, & Alec, of Belmond; Ashley Hanson (Nicole) and Austin Hanson (Angie) and many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.


Newlands was delighted to be awarded Highly Commended in the Sustainable Business category at the Visit England Excellence Awards 2014. A Highly Commended Award is a considerable achievement and recognises Excellence in Tourism in England. Newlands Adventure Centre was presented with their Highly Commended Award at a glittering Awards Ceremony which was held on 12 May 2014 at The Jockey Club, Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham. Commenting on the Award James Berresford, Visit England's Chief Executive said "It is a great achievement to win a Highly Commended Award in a field of very high quality applications. The Award places Newlands Adventure Centre in the top five businesses for excellence in their category in England. I warmly congratulate them on this achievement". Speaking on behalf of Newlands Adventure Centre, Managing Director Rik Beament said "Being presented with the Highly Commended at the Visit England Excellence Awards, show just what a motivated team can achieve at a national level. Newlands staff work hard at maintaining the high standards we have set in our sustainable policies and this award recognises and celebrates that effort".


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Visit the picturesque resort of Forte dei Marmi. Perfect for sun worshippers and beach enthusiasts, the resort is home to a long stretch of white sandy beach and a mix of designer and family run shops. For the perfect place to stay, take a look at the Hotel Il Negresco and Villa Roma Imperiale.
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