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Q: calculate distance of multi type data points I want to classify a data set via KNN method in Matlab but I have problem in calculating the distance of data points which have different data types.
Each point in my data set has various features with numeric and string types something like X{Size,Lenght,Age,Coating,PipeType,Location}
The first three features have numeric and second three have string (one or two words) values.
If I map string features to the binary codes for example for Coating values include {Concrete encased,Gunite,Tar Coating,Poliken Coating} if I consider two bits {00,01,10,11}
Is it logical if I calculate the distance of X and Y like this:
X:{Size,Lenght,Age,Coating,PipeType,Location}
Y:{Size,Lenght,Age,Coating,PipeType,Location}

Distance= Euclidean Distance (X,Y) on {Size,Lenght,Age}
            + Hamming Distance (X,Y) on {Coating}
            + Hamming Distance (X,Y) on {PipeType}
            + Hamming Distance (X,Y) on {Location}

or
Distance= Euclidean Distance (X,Y) on {Size,Lenght,Age}
          + {1 if a x and y have similar coating values and 0 otherwise}
          + ...

I really appreciate your suggestions.
Suggested articles and documents in this area would be useful as well.
Thanks
Mahsa

A: For binary vectors, the Hamming distance and the Euclidean distance are actually the same.
So, you can convert 'Coating' feature into a binary vector of length 4:
coating_vec( ii ) == 1 iff instance_coating == Coating_type{ii}

That is, for an instance with coating value "Tar" (the third possible Coating value) the binary feature vector for coating would be [0 0 1 0].
Doing the same for PipeType and Location, you'll endup with a feature vector of length 3 + 4 + numPossible(PipeType) + numPossible(Location). Taking the Euslidean distance between these combined feature vectors should do the trick for you.


text:
Lou Costello
Ben Chapman
E E Clive
Peter Cushing
Peter Cushing, OBE, was born Peter Wilton Cushing on the 26th May 1913, in Kenley, Surrey, England.
Finding fame on both sides of the Atlantic, Cushing is best known for his prodigious career in Hammer films and, outside of the genre, playing Doctor Who in Dr Who and the Daleks (1965) and Daleks' Invasion Earth: 2150 AD (1966) and as Gran Moff Tarkin in George Lucas's Star Wars (1977), a role which he played wearing his slippers due to ill-fitting riding boots; the camera only ever filmed him from the knees up.
Cushing made the character of Baron Frankenstein the continuing thread in the Hammer series, rather than the Monster as it had been in the Universal days. He was cast in the role some half dozen times, making it his own, as well as breathing new life into Professor Van Helsing in the Dracula movies, and delighting audiences with superb performances in classics like The Mummy (1959) and Captain Clegg (1962). He frequently starred opposite Christopher Lee, and the two became lasting and lifelong friends.
Suave Science: Peter Cushing in the role that began his horror film career, that of Baron Victor Frankenstein in The Curse of Frankenstein (Hammer 1957)
The actor withdrew from filming Blood from the Mummy's Tomb in 1971 following the death of his wife, the Russian born actress Violet Helene Beck. The two had lived a fairy-tale love affair since meeting in a production of Noel Coward's Private Lives, of which Beck recalled: "From the stage door stepped a vision, and my heart skipped a beat. I had never met him, yet I knew, deep in my deepest heart, we had been together before. Tall and lean, a pale, almost haggard face, with astonishing large, blue eyes: on his head an old grey velvet hat, with a hole between the dents of its crown, a jacket beyond description and repair, spotless white shirt badly frayed at the cuffs and collar, a pair of once dark blue corduroy trousers, most of the nap long since worn away through constant wear, down-at heel shoes of grey suede. Later, I was to discover the soles were as worn down as the heels, and had holes as large as half crowns in their centres, also woollen stockings that have never known the comfort of a darning needle.
Vampire hunter: Cushing as Professor Van Helsing in Dracula / Horror of Dracula (Hammer 1958)
"He walked with a slight limp, using an ash walking-stick, the ferrule now a mere useless ring of metal around its tip, on his back a huge and obviously heavy kit-bag, such as sailors use. There was an aura about this 'beloved vagabond'. His hands told me he was either a musician or an artist – they reminded me of those drawn by Albrecht Durer – and when he bent over one of mine to kiss it, a faint and quite delightful waft of tobacco and lavender-water hung upon the air. I knew I would love him for the rest of my days – and beyond."
The devotion was mutual, and his wife's death left Cushing a broken man. In a Radio Times interview a year later, he said: "Since Helen passed on I can't find anything; the heart, quite simply, has gone out of everything. Time is interminable, the loneliness is almost unbearable and the only thing that keeps me going is the knowledge that my dear Helen and I will be reunited again some day. To join Helen is my only ambition. You have my permission to publish that… really, you know, dear boy, it's all just killing time. Please say that."
Belt and braces: Cushing reprised his Van Helsing role, but this time as the original adversary's descendant, in The Satanic Rites of Dracula (Hammer 1973)
In his autobiography, Cushing implies that he attempted suicide on the night of his wife's death by running up and down stairs in the vain hope that it would induce a heart attack.
Classic Monsters of the Movies issue #9 contains a biography of Peter Cushing
He later clarified that this had simply been a hysterical response borne out of grief, and that he had not purposely attempted to end his life; Helen had left him a poem imploring him not to die until he had lived a full life, and he had decided that to commit suicide would have meant "letting her down". Cushing was not conventionally religious, but maintained a strong belief in both God and an afterlife.
Helen's death took a huge physical as well as mental toll on the grieving actor; in Dracula AD 1972 (1972) he had originally been cast as Stephanie Beacham's character's father, but he had aged so considerably and lost so much weight, the part was hastily rewritten as her grandfather.
Diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1982, Cushing survived for a further 12 years without the intervention of surgery, although his health remained fragile. In 1989, he was made an OBE, although Lee was critical, publicly opining that the honour was "too little, too late". Cushing repaired to Whitstable, on the Kent coast, where he had bought a seafront home in 1959, and continued his hobbies of birdwatching, painting and writing two autobiographies.
He left a legacy of love in the sleepy town, and is affectionately remembered to this day with a pub named in his honour, and a bench at his favourite seaside spot, named – appropriately – "Cushing's View".
Splitting headache: By the time of his final appearance as the Baron in Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (Hammer 1974), Cushing's grief over the loss of his beloved wife was impossible to hide. In this final entry in the studio's Frankenstein series, Shane Briant was his sidekick, helping him to create new creature David Prowse.
Of his friend's passing, Christopher Lee said: "I don't want to sound gloomy, but, at some point of your lives, every one of you will notice that you have in your life one person, one friend whom you love and care for very much. That person is so close to you that you are able to share some things only with him. For example, you can call that friend, and from the very first maniacal laugh, or some other joke, you will know who is at the other end of that line. We used to do that with him so often. And then when that person is gone, there will be nothing like that in your life ever again."
Peter Cushing died on the 11th of August 1994, aged 81.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Description: LI5 is an inhibitor of auxin response identified in chemical genetics screen for lateral root emergence inhibitors. Chemicals identified in this screen blocked the auxin induction of LAX3 in the outer tissues (Swarup et al, Nat Cell Biol, 2008). We observed that LI5 affected many other auxin responsive genes (unpublished data, November 2008). Our aim is to identified the overall effects on auxin response using the Arabidopsis thaliana chip Ath1. 3 days old Col-0 Arabidopsis seedlings, germinated on NPA 10uM, were treated for 6 hours with [DMSO, LI5 (5uM), NAA (10uM) or LI5 (5uM) + NAA (10uM)], the shoot and root tip removed and RNA was extracted from the mature part of the root.
Treatment: 5 days after sowing, seedlings were transferred for 6 hours to agar plates containing 1/2 strength MS (Murashige and Skoog) salts (pH 5.7), with 1% sucrose, 10uM NAA (Sigma, UK) and 5uM LI5 (made in house, diluted in DMSO). NAA was diluted in DMSO. DMSO final concentration was 0.035%. NAA and LI5 were added to the medium after autoclaving.
Treatment: 5 days after sowing, seedlings were transferred for 6 hours to agar plates containing 1/2 strength MS (Murashige and Skoog) salts (pH 5.7), with 1% sucrose and 10uM NAA (Sigma, UK). NAA was diluted in DMSO. DMSO final concentration was 0.035%. NAA and DMSO were added to the medium after autoclaving.


ALAN is an independent global network of patient organizations, dedicated to changing outcomes of patients with acute leukemia. ALAN aims to connect patient organizations, share best practice between members and strengthen patient advocacy in the area.
If you're interested in joining, please complete the form on our 'Join Us' page to apply for membership.


Geography/Internet: Ethereal Alternate Dimensions of Cyberspace or Grounded Augmented Realities?
The internet has fundamentally transformed everyday life for over two billion people around the world. Geographers have had much to say about these changes, and there have been many productive debates about the relationships between geography and the internet. However, it remains that geographers have had relatively little influence on broader debates about the internet in academia, government, and the private sector.
In this commentary, I argue that many of the ways in which we discuss, imagine, and envision the internet rely on inaccurate and unhelpful spatial metaphors. In particular, the paper focuses on the usage of the 'cyberspace' metaphor and outlines why the reliance by contemporary policy makers on this inherently geographic metaphor matters. The metaphor constrains, enables, and structures very distinct ways of imagining the interactions between people, information, code, and machines through digital networks. These distinct imaginations, in turn, have real effects on how we enact politics and bring places into being.
The commentary traces the history of 'cyberspace,' explores the scope of its current usage, and highlights the discursive power of its distinct way of shaping our spatial imagination of the internet. It then concludes by arguing that Geographers should take the lead in employing alternate, nuanced, and spatially grounded ways of envisioning the myriad ways in which the internet mediates social, economic and political experiences.


Fond of photography since he was a young boy, in 1969 Saro started dedicating more and more attention to it and began to transform an inclination into a profession.
He and his son Luca collaborate with tour operators and with advertising, graphic-art, and marketing studios. Their interest towards history, art and the world's different civilizations has led them to visit many foreign countries, where they have taken a considerable amount of pictures. Saro & Luca have created audiovisuals for the travel trade ("The United States", "Turkey", "Ravenna and its Art") and for industry. Their articles and photographs have appeared on various pubblications.
"The cosmos rolling around us is a steady and endless mixing of curves and lines which stand side by side, run parallel together, split, go crazy, cross over each other, run away and then come back together.
While doing so they give birth to matchings and melodies, shadows and colour contrasts.
One must stop, stand still and wait, often with extreme and endless patience, and then catch them, exactly in the right spot and exactly at the right moment, neither a single second too soon nor one too late.
That's how I try to "paint" a line or two of poetry on film".


ASUS Malaysia today announced RT-AC5300, an ultra-high-performance AC5300-class tri-band wireless router, with Broadcom® NitroQAMâ"¢ technology that delivers the world's fastest combined Wi-Fi data rates of up to 5334Mbit/s1. Along with the RT-AC5300 is the RT-AC88U, an ultra-fast AC3100-class dual-band 802.11ac wireless router with a four-transmit, four-receive (4×4) antenna configuration.
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Intro to SchoolTool Parent Portal
Quick-Start Guide to Parent Portal
Parent Portal Access Form
33 Oxford Road, New Hartford, NY 13413
CJ Amarosa – MIS Director – cjamarosa@nhart.org
To: Parents and Guardians of New Hartford Central School Jr. / Sr. High School Students
Re: Introduction to the new SchoolTool Parent Portal
Dear Parents and Guardians:
Welcome to the new school year. To increase our communications with you, we have implementing the new Parent/Student Portal Schooltool.
There are many enhancements to this system including a mobile app which is available in the Apple app store and the Google play store. Please just search for SchoolTool
The schooltool Parent Portal will include student grades, schedules, attendance, progress and demographic information in a friendly easy to use format. We hope that the access to this information will increase communication between school and home.
The Portal will be accessible through the District Website, the Jr. or Sr. High Homepages, or the Mobile App. Presently, students have access to the portal with their normal school username and password and will be able to retrieve schedules and information when they become available.
As with any system, we would like to ensure all data is correct and up to date. Pleaes be aware that all parents must register to receive an account and be connected to his/her student(s).
Please complete and sign the Parent Portal Access Form and return to the Jr. or Sr. High School Main Office. The form is available for download in the menu to the left.
Thank you in advance for completing the form and returning it to the school. Additionally, thank you for your continued interest and communication regarding the success of your student's academic progress.
If you have questions please contact us at: parentportal@nhart.org
Mark Benson
Senior High School Principal
Andre Paradis
Junior High Principal


Alexey MarkovThe voice of Alexey Markov – a strong and velvet baritone – can be heard today at the best opera houses all over the world. With equal admiration he is applauded by the audiences of the Metropolitan Opera, AlteOper Frankfurt, Bavarian State Opera, Carnegie Hall, Semper Opera, Zurich Opera, Teatro Real Madrid and many others. He also became one of the most awaited guests of the world's most significant festivals, such as Salzburg Festival of opera. It has become trendy to go to the Mariinsky Theatre just to hear Markov (if you are lucky enough to see him singing in Russia).
With one voice musical critics not only mention Alexey's outstanding vocal makings, but also his versatile drama talent, that so many opera singers do not possess.
Nevertheless, Alexey hasn't come to the world of opera art at once. He was born in 1977 in Vyborg, and nobody in his family was connected to the professional singing. Alexey graduated from the Vyborg Aviation Technical School,and while Russian aviation would have got a high quality expert, Alexey had a childhood dream that involved reaching for music.
He graduated from the musical school as a guitar player, later was a trumpet player at the orchestra. Alexey was 22 years old when his strong desire to sing led him to the Vyborg choir. He realized that his voice should be developed, and at 24 years old went to St. Petersburg to take private vocal classes.
Alexey's first teacher, Alexander Dedik led the beginner baritone to the Academy of Young Singers of the Mariinsky Theatre. Alexey became a student of George Zastavny, a known baritone of the Kirov Opera. Alexey made his opera debut when he was 29 years old. He performed the part of Eugene Onegin opera in the Mariinsky Theater's production of Eugene Onegin.
Alexey's persistent work did not go unnoticed. Since 2003, he annually receives the first place awards at the main Russian and International competitions of opera singers. In 2008 he became a permanent soloist of the Mariinsky Opera, and performances with his participation became an integral part of the Theater's repertoire. Since his debut at the Metropolitan Opera, American critics saw him as a promising and charismatic baritone.
Markov has proved that a baritone can also be deservedly loved by the audience.
In everyday life, Alexey is simple, nice, and easy-going. He is a devoted family man but does not get to see enough of them due to his busy touring schedule. Alexey Markov's life is a wonderful example of a man, who has managed to find his calling in time and understood who he really is. "I just live my life - he says - I like singing. I thank God that it can easily come to me.
For the moment Alexey has already appeared in such great spectacles as La Boheme and famous Tosca by Puccini, Un Ballo in Maschera opera and Il Trovatore Count di Luna by Verdi, Lucia de Lammermoor by Gaetano Donizetti, and in La Forza del Destino as Don Carlos.
The most significant classical arias performed by Markov are probably aria of Bolkonsky in War and peace and Don Carlos. We also must mention his singing and acting in Otello opera as Iago, sentimental performance in Traviata as Germont and sarcastic Robert in Iolanta. He's also capable to play very controversial roles – he appeared in Faust as Valentin and in Tsar's Bride as Gryaznoy. Approaching to Russian classics, Markov contributed a lot to the modern staging of the Queen of Spades as Tomsky and moreover, again in Queen of Spades, as Yeletsky.
There's no doubt, that this wonderful career must be continued by many other, even more exciting performances by a brilliant Russian opera star – Alexey Markov.
Recipient of the Russian National Theater Award Golden Mask for the role of Ivan Karamazov in The Brothers Karamazov (nominated for the "Best Male Role in Opera", 2009) / Vasily Barkhatov's production, musical director- Valery Gergiev. Mariinsky Theater (Moscow, Russia 2009).
Recipient of the St.Petersburg Theater Award "Zolotoy Sophit" /Golden Floodlight/ for the role of Robert in Iolanta (nominated for the "Best Male Role in Music Performance". M. Trelinsky production, musical director and conductor – Valery Gergiev. Mariinsky Theater (Moscow, Russia, 2009).
La Coruña Mozart Festival), Spain, Baden-Baden Festival, Germany, Moscow Easter Festival, Russia, Music Festival "Stars of White Nights, Saint-Petersburg, Russia, and many others.
In 2006-2008: performed as a guest soloist with the Frankfurt Opera as Tomsky in the Queen of Spades, Scarpia in Tosca; at the SemperOper in Dresden as Iago in Otello; at the Graz Opera in Austria as Renato in Un Ballo in Maschera.
In December 2007: made a successful debut at the Metropolitan opera as Andrei in War and Peace.
In 2008: recorded a CD of the 8th Mahler Symphony with the London Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Valery Gergiev.
In 2008-2009: sung a role of Eugene Onegin in Eugene Onegin at La Coruna Festival in Spain, and Gryaznoy at the Tsar's Bride at the Carnegie Hall with the New York Symphony Orchestra.
In 2009-2010: debuted as Onegin in Eugene Onegin at the Zurich Opera Theater, and also performed at the Opéra national de Lyon as Yeletsky in the Queen of Spades and Onegin in Onegin.
In 2010-2011: made his debut at the Salzburg Festival as Robert in Iolanta, at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo in Monaco as Onegin in Eugene Onegin; at the Opéra National de Bordeaux as Count di Luna in Trovatore; at the Metropolitan Opera as Shchelkalov in Boris Godunov, and Tomsky in the Queen of Spades.
Robert in Iolanta at Teatro Real Madrid, various productions at the Zurich Opera Theater (2012-2014), new production of the opera the Legend of the Invisible city of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevroniya at the Amsterdam Opera, new production of Trovatore in Munich, as well as La Boheme, Faust, Trovatore at the Metropolitan Opera in 2011-2013.


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Fantasy Basketball: 14 Bounce-Back candidates to consider in drafts
Yahoo Sports Fantasy Staff
By Alex Barutha, RotoWire
Whether it's due to injury, lack of chemistry, or some other unpredictable factor, each season there are always players who underperform relative to expectations. But one bad year isn't always a slippery slope that leads to progressively worse seasons.
Some players bounce back.
By identifying bounce-back candidates, you may be able to get some steals in fantasy drafts in which other gamers are too hesitant to pull the trigger.
[Join or create a 2019 Yahoo Fantasy Basketball league for free today]
Here are some players who underwhelmed a year ago but are poised for a bounce-back:
Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors
Best career 8-cat rank: 13
Last season's 8-cat rank: 49
Green was a top-20 fantasy player back in 2015-16, which was, of course, the season before Kevin Durant arrived. Since then, his fantasy rank has declined each season, bottoming out at 49 last year. That's mostly been due to a decline in usage, as Green hit four-year lows in points (7.4), rebounds (7.3) and assists (6.9) per game. With Durant moving on, Green has an opportunity to take back a significant portion of the offense. The addition of D'Angelo Russell complicates things, but with Klay Thompson out until the 2020 portion of the season — possibly February or March — the Warriors will need to involve Green if they have any hope of remaining competitive in the Western Conference.
Without Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson, Draymond Green could have a resurgent season. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
Chris Paul, Oklahoma City Thunder
Best career 8-cat rank: 1
Formerly the best player in fantasy basketball, Paul's value has slipped due to age, injuries, and changes in role. He was ranked 10th during his final year with the Clippers (age-31), and he ranked 13th and 19th, respectively, in two years with the Rockets. Now the point guard of the Thunder, Paul moves away from a high-usage backcourt partner in James Harden. That could allow the veteran to thrive, especially in the assists department. Health remains a massive concern, but there's potential for a big payoff if Paul takes control of OKC's offense, as expected.
Kristaps Porzingis, Dallas Mavericks
Last season's 8-cat rank: N/A
Recovering from a torn ACL, Porzingis didn't play last season, but he was the 22nd-ranked player in 2017-18. Paired up with Luka Doncic, Porzingis is part of one of the best young duos in the league. Doncic will be the best playmaker Porzingis has ever played with, and the latter should often be put in a position for easy looks. Porzingis was a force as a scorer (22.7 PPG) and shot-blocker (2.4 BLK) the last time we saw him, though that was 19 months ago. Playing on a better team will hopefully lead to higher efficiency (43.9 FG%) and potentially some assists (1.2 APG) — both areas in which he underwhelmed in New York. There may be some rest days for the injury-prone big man, but he heads into the 2019-20 season with plenty of upside.
Otto Porter, Chicago Bulls
A rare injury-filled season caused Porter to play just 56 games in 2018-19. Normally, he's one of the healthier players in the NBA, having played between 74 and 80 games across the prior four campaigns. Perhaps as a result of the injuries and/or team chemistry issues in Washington, Porter's field-goal percentage (40.6%) and rebounding (5.6 RPG) took significant dips compared to 2017-18, which dropped his per-game fantasy ranking by about two rounds relative to his career production.
Once he was dealt to Chicago, Porter played arguably the best basketball of his career, averaging 17.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and a combined 1.8 STL/BLK across 32.8 minutes. He'll need to continue having a significant role on the wing for the Bulls in 2019-20, as the team's depth at small forward is incredibly thin. As a result, we should expect Porter's production to jump back up to its usual levels.
Jeff Teague, Minnesota Timberwolves
While we shouldn't expect Teague to crack the top-20 again, his 2018-19 campaign isn't indicative of his potential for this season. He appeared in just 42 games due to injury after playing at least 70 games in every season since 2012-13 — and even when he was on the court, Teague wasn't 100 percent healthy. He struggled with his shooting, dipping below 44.0 FG% for the first time since 2013-14, but Teague's passing numbers were excellent, as he averaged a career-high 8.2 assists per game.
As the Timberwolves' main source of playmaking, that should carry over to 2019-20. During his first season in Minnesota, he ranked as the 50th-best fantasy player, which seems to be a mark he could realistically reach again.
Gordon Hayward, Boston Celtics
[ Fantasy Basketball Draft Rankings: PG | SG | SF | PF | C ]
Last season's 8-cat rank: 133
Hayward is now two full years removed from his devastating leg injury, and it's reasonable to expect a bounce back. From 2013-14 to 2016-17, Hayward was a top-45 player, and he made his first All-Star team in the loaded West the year before leaving for Boston. Given the offensive options around him (Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum, Enes Kanter), we shouldn't expect Hayward to get back to 20-plus points per game. But it's within grasp for him to trend near his career highs in rebounds (5.4) and assists (5.2) per game, assuming he can play minutes in the low-to-mid 30s. Hayward is unquestionably a risky pick, but he's obviously a talented, well-rounded player when at full strength.
Derrick Favors, New Orleans Pelicans
Favors has always been a very productive fantasy player when given the minutes. From the 2013-14 season through the 2015-16 season, he had an average fantasy rank of 47.6 while seeing 31.0 minutes per game. However, he's failed to crack the top-90 since, and he saw just 23.2 minutes per game for the Jazz in 2018-19.
Now, Favors takes his talents to New Orleans. There, he projects as the Pelicans' starting center, and his competition for minutes is relatively thin. Zion Williamson will play some small-ball five, but he should play mostly at power forward. Rookie Jaxson Hayes is very much unpolished, and Jahlil Okafor is, at the end of the day, Jahlil Okafor. As a result, Favors should be set to return to the expanded minutes-load he saw during his peak years in Utah.
Ricky Rubio, Phoenix Suns
Trapped in Utah's slow-paced offense and arguably misused, Rubio should have an opportunity to revert to his former self in Phoenix. The presence of Devin Booker means Rubio may still spend more time off-ball than is ideal for a subpar floor-spacer, but the latter was brought in to help facilitate open looks for the rest of the team. As a member of the Timberwolves, Rubio held an average fantasy rank of 45.0. While that would be quite the jump from last season's mark of 86, it's within the realm of possibility if he's properly utilized.
Nicolas Batum, Charlotte Hornets
Batum was a top-55 fantasy player for six of seven seasons between 2011-12 and 2016-17, but his production has fallen off over the past two years while Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lamb saw their roles increase. But Walker and Lamb are both gone, and new starting point guard Terry Rozier won't make up all of that usage on his own. The Hornets have a troubling lack of reliable playmakers, which is why Batum could have a bounce-back season. Historically, he's provided fantasy value as a three-point shooter and passer who rebounds at a decent rate. While Batum is a veteran and the Hornets are a rebuilding team, he's not exactly old — this is his age-31 season — and the roster is mostly devoid of other quality options on the wing.
Dejounte Murray, San Antonio Spurs
Best career 8-cat rank: 178
Our sample size for Murray is small. He tore his ACL and missed all of 2018-19, and he only became a true rotation player in his sophomore season. With that said, Murray was the 74th-ranked player during his final 34 games after taking the starting point guard role from Tony Parker. He only needed 26.5 minutes per game to accomplish that, meaning we shouldn't be too concerned that Derrick White emerged as a backcourt weapon last season.
As a point guard whose primary fantasy value lies in his rebounds and steals, Murray is a unique fantasy asset. He's also not much of a three-point threat. But if he can expand his range and become even a marginally better shooter, we could see Murray crack the top-70, if not higher.
Lonzo Ball, New Orleans Pelicans
Putting aside the fact that Ball has played just 99 games in two seasons, he's had an unusual start to his NBA career. He was asked to be the point guard of a rebuilding team during his rookie year, then was tasked with finding a suitable role next to LeBron James last season. It's difficult to imagine most young players succeeding in those scenarios. Ball will get a fresh start in New Orleans during the 2019-20 season, where he is expected to start next to Jrue Holiday. On the back of excellent passing and defensive numbers, Ball managed to be a top-60 player during his rookie year. If he can make any improvements as a shooter, his entire game could open up.
Kent Bazemore, Portland Trail Blazers
Bazemore's fantasy value has been up-and-down, but he hit a new four-year low last season. He struggled with his efficiency, posting the third-worst true shooting percentage (50.7) of his seven-year career. He also saw his workload (24.5 MPG) drop to its lowest mark since 2014-15. But the Trail Blazers are desperately thin on the wing, and his presence will be needed. Whether that translates into significantly improved fantasy value is up for debate, but he'll likely be given every opportunity to establish himself as a reliable two-way option at small forward.
Hassan Whiteside, Portland Trail Blazers
Whiteside's fantasy rank has decreased every year since 2015-16, reaching a new low last season when he was eventually benched for Bam Adebayo. But with Jusuf Nurkic likely to be sidelined until February or March, Portland has opted to take a chance on the mercurial big man. The theoretical makings of a bounce-back year are there: Whiteside is in a contract year and the Blazers need him to be a legitimate, high-minute option every night. If he trends close to 30 minutes per game, the statistical impact could be huge. He provides elite production in rebounds, blocks and field-goal percentage, which helped fuel back-to-back top-30 seasons during his second- and- third years in Miami.
Goran Dragic, Miami Heat
Dragic fought through injury to appear in 36 games last season, but he never really looked healthy. There are some factors working against Dragic this upcoming season, the primary two being his age (33) and the Heat's acquisition of Jimmy Butler. Justise Winslow and Dion Waiters also figure to handle the ball a fair amount. Still, Dragic might be able to make some noise as a bench-leading playmaker. He even posted a top-80 season when seeing just 26.5 minutes per game in 2011-12. There's probably not much upside to taking Dragic inside the top-100 this season, but it wouldn't be a surprise if he sneaks into the double-digit ranks by the time we get to April.
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Music lovers from across the globe will enjoy a weekend of ethnic and traditional music.
KUCHING: The 18th edition of the Rainforest World Music Festival will be celebrated at the Sarawak Cultural Village in Damai near here this weekend.
The much-awaited world-class music celebration will feature entrancing world music, songs and stage performances, presenting world music celebrities which will resonate the foothill of the rainforest of Mount Santubong.
This international Malaysian home-grown event, organised by the Sarawak Tourism Board (STB), is considered to be one of its kind in the region with its uniqueness that brings together on the same stage renowned international musicians and indigenous musicians from the interiors of the mythical island of Borneo.
The strong kinship and brotherhood among music makers, enthusiast and lovers alike in celebration together with Mother Nature and in the midst of the intricate ecosystem that celebrates the diversity of life.
This year, the festival will kick off at 2pm with concurrent musical workshops featuring various ethnic and near-extinct musical instruments, followed by the two tree stages being set alive by 7pm where festival goers interact with the musicians to experience the music and dance presentation till past midnight.
Apart from the music, there will also be a delectable delights at the Food and Village Mart which include arts and craft outlets set against the setting of the Borneon's native Orang Ulu and Iban longhouses.
Festival tickets and updates are now available online or from the ticketing agents listed at www.rwmf.net.
Established in 1998 with an audience of only 300 people, it is now a major annual event in the state's music calendar, eagerly anticipated by a crowd of over 20,000 people who flock from overseas, interstate as well as locals.
It is a family-friendly event with an accent on participation especially at the afternoon workshops. It has a record of environmental awareness as evidenced by its tree planting campaigns, its attention to recycling and the use of shuttle buses to reduce carbon emission.
For STB, the festival's objective is to be the most visible, most international cultural event in Sarawak's calendar of tourism activities.
The name, the venue and the theme of the festival are very much in line with STB's promotional messages of positioning Sarawak as a culture rich destination with caring attitude towards its major natural attraction – the rainforest.
The theme rainforest will encompass music, arts, crafts and food. Rainforest species and processes provide an invaluable source of ideas in music, arts, crafts and food. For those who live within or near them, they are source of a deep sense of belonging, cultural heri-tage, religious and spiritual significance.
Last year, the festival drew more than 22,000 music lovers to Santubong.


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Geraldine Spiteri
Representative Actions Directive – the deadline is coming soon!
The Representative Actions Directive comes into force half way through 2023 and the deadline for implementation by EU Member States is at the end of this year.
Malta has just launched a public consultation – which ends on the 25th November – and it is hardly likely that the law will be adopted be on time.
Not new to Maltese Law!
There already is a Collective Procedures Act – Chapter 520 of the Laws of Malta – which contemplates a number of collective actions. The Bill seeks to limit the actions under that law to competition claims, while the new bill itself will deal with collective actions tackling consumer redress. The adequacy or otherwise of this proposal, in terms of compliance with EU law, will remain to be seen.
The Directive (RAD) empowers qualified entities to file actions on behalf of individuals entitled to claim. This is in contrast with (and intending to move away from) the US model where a head plaintiff files a case on behalf of several other plaintiff.
The EU is seeking to move away from 'class actions' as certain features of the US legal system have given rise to negative connotations around this. Examples would include: punitive damages, pre-trail discoveries and blackmail. The EU seeks to control abusive litigation by certain safeguards being placed in the RAD.
Qualified Entities
Qualified entities will have to choose whether they will deal with purely domestic actions or those with an international aspect (i.e. where they file claims in States other than where they are based). In the latter case they will have to meet the checklist established by the Commission to qualify as an entity that can bring actions of this type. Those entities limiting themselves to domestic claims may still need to meet criteria that are in line with those in the Directive.
The financing of the claim remains a bone of contention. Some consumer organisations may find this a daunting process even without the money aspect. The Bill seeks to exonerate the entities from paying registry fees upon filing, while reducing heavily those fees if the claim is lost.
Many of the Malta organisations may well find themselves struggling in the event of a consumer claim. Examples could be: lack of funding for lawyers (prior to the claim), small membership, lack of young members who might be willing to take on very large cases.
Malta chose to use the opt-in method. A consumer must select to be included as part of the Claim. We still need to see how pro-active consumers will be in joining claims where the benefit is not very significant.
Reactions to the Public Consultation?
The open consultation is worth reading – collective redress is not new to the Maltese legal system and there have been court cases that welcomed it and even interpreted the powers of the court, within those claims, in a rather wide fashion.
Seminar / Workshop on the RAD
I will be giving training on the directive and its implementation – with reference to the Malta situation – over this week. It will be an intensive three mornings of discussions, contributions and learning for all and sundry!
This post was written by Geraldine Spiteri.
Published November 13, 2022 .
Tagged: legal
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