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About Paula J Riley
Steve's eulogy for Paula
Paula's Bio
The PPA Guide
In Memorium/Testimonials
Pictures/Acting Reel
Intro to Stories >
The Mary Martin Story
The Cary Grant Story
The Day NYC Stood Still
Amazin' Grace
What Paula and Trouper taught me
Goggles, Mel
Singing/Voice Over
About The Spiral Theatre
The Spiral lives on
Salt & Pepper Series >
Stories My Grandmother Told Me
Christmas Guest
Devil Dog Six
No Moves Back
Spiral Picture Galleries
The Spiral History
The Art of the Spiral Marketing/Promotions
Indiegogo Video
My sister Paula and Me by Debby Davies
From the minute I was born, Paula always loved me and wanted to show me that there was a bigger world outside of Queens, NYC (aka the uncivilized world). She was 12 years older than me, and as she was our PAULA — she had a lot to show me!
One time she took me to The Russian Tea Room next to Carnegie Hall when I was still quite young. I'm sure it cost her everything she had for rent that month, but she had her priorities! And I was definitely one of them.
We had escargot which I actually liked, and soaked in the old world, opulent atmosphere along with what I am sure of was lots of laughs.
We always could have a good laugh together, even through our tears over the years.
I know for sure that she is sitting here in the chair next to me as I write this, being my champion and supporter as always —a true friend and sister, even from the other side."
My short time with Paula by Gloria Johnson
I became acquainted with Paula J Riley through Steve Hill who I met in the hallways of Mary Manning Walsh nursing home. I took a fall after a stroke and was receiving rehabilitation for my arm, shoulder and leg. At the home I was having problems with a very disagreeable roommate so I spent a lot of my time away from her in my wheelchair in the hallways.
So I got to know Steve over the two months I was there. I told him about my past lives as an opera singer and entertainer before I became a New York real estate agent. He asked if I would like to visit his wife, Paula in the next room. He thought we would have a lot in common.
However, Steve said Paula was entering a period where she was losing the ability to speak. But when I caught sight of Paula something came over me that I can't explain. Everything that had been recently bad was bright and shiny, and my world took on a new perspective. I was the old "Gloria" again, the old "optimistic and happy Gloria." At that moment I fell in love with Paula.
Steve said I could visit Paula anytime. But the nurse's aids would often wheel me out me if I stayed longer than a half hour.
Because of my past stroke my emotions are very heightened. I would often cry when they would make me leave Paula's room.
I've never had a conversation with Paula but I felt I knew her all my life. I would just sit by her bed and hold her hand while she slept. And when I would sleep I dreamed of her and she was with me.
When it was time for me to return to my apartment in Gramercy Park, I was torn. I was so happy to be able to go home and sleep in my own bed but I knew I would miss Paula. Steve said he would keep me posted on her progress and asked me if I would like to write something about my time
with her.
My fingers don't work like they used to so I have a hard time typing. Paula touched something inside me and made this time in my life memorable and very special.
Thank you Paula by Stuart Aion
Few people have impacted my life the way Paula has—my love for Paula has no bounds. Paula managed to open up a part of my heart that had been closed for so very long. Her contagious positive personality and energy sweeps you away to a better place where imagination runs wild and love is honored and embraced.
I have performed with Paula and was directed by her many times. I have been a part of Paula's Spiral Theatre creation from the inception. Paula has always managed to find places within my soul that others cannot even approach. She does that in such an unassuming and compassionate way; she helps me to become a more layered, intimate and spontaneous actor, as well as, a better person.
On a personal note, Paula has become an integral part of my life and a sanctuary for me on many levels. I always feel "safe" when I am near her and within her calming aura. I visit Paula every week and my heart aches just watching her. It is truly a cruel injustice to have a woman with such a spark for life to be trapped within a body that has "gone the distance". This raises questions about a "loving and forgiving God". Who would want a woman who has soothed, cultivated and encouraged countless people, to suffer so? Ya got me on that one!
I want to thank Paula for being the type of person the world needs more of, and for adding such happiness, encouragement and love to my life. I could never find a way to thank her enough. Paula will live on in my mind and heart forever.
Destiny by Denise B. Flemming
I'm an actress and playwright, and I'm always looking for connections. In early December of 2014, I emailed Paula J Riley about my one-woman show and that I was looking for a theater and director. On December 12, 2014 she responded, "Very powerful writing and performing of terrible facts. I am a believer in the use of theater as a means of imperative communication about the world we live in. We are like-minded. Please stay in touch."
In 2016 I was applying for membership in the League of Professional Theater Woman. I had to have two sponsors (members) to have my name put into possible membership. I attended a mixer where I was told I had to network in search of a second sponsor.
As I made my way into the crowded room, I noticed a woman walking towards me with a beautiful smile. I extended my hand and introduced myself. She extended her hand and said "I'm Paula J Riley."
We shared wonderful conversations. I asked if she would be my sponsor. She flashed that beautiful smile and agreed.
Working with Paula as dramaturg and director on my one-woman show was an experience I will always treasure. Her knowledge and demands forced me into several re-writes. Very powerful!
We were destined to meet and share as artists. I will keep that beautiful smile in my heart … forever.
Here Again with Paula by Jacqueline C. Chester
In February of 2016, on a rainy day in New York City in Times Square, I met Paula. As we walked towards each other, she smiled and I smiled and we stopped right there on 42nd Street to talk. We were strangers to each other but here I was talking to this petite lady and she was telling me how she enjoyed living in New York and her involvement with theater. I was impressed with her passion and enthusiasm. We exchanged phone numbers and parted. I had no reason to believe we'd ever talk again for I was leaving for home in Atlanta the next day.
Months later, in April, I submitted the script of my play Here Again to a New York summer festival and was accepted with a stipulation that the actor's had to be New Yorkers. I almost backed out because I knew of no New York actors, and where would we rehearse, and how could I afford to live in the city until the play opened that September?
But this is where Paula J Riley came in. I gave her a call. She remembered our meeting in February and after explaining my situation she said those magic words, "I'd love to be your director!"
Paula put heart and soul into Here Again. When I called her and on those occasions when I flew to New York she was always in rehearsal with Here Again. She amassed amazing actors for the various roles. I couldn't have been more pleased when I saw it on-stage on opening night!
Unfortunately six months later Paula called to tell me she had been diagnosed with lung cancer. I was devastated because she had become a treasured friend. Paula said no funerals and flowers—only that we might extend a smile to each other. I think I can do that.
Ah, that sounds so much like Paula! RIP, my friend!
Friends, we don't realize how fragile and temporary all of this is when we've got our nose to the grind. We're always in a rush and working hard. That's fine but please do take the time to stop the mental noise and just relax... and enjoy the company of your family and friends. LOVE THEM LIKE THERE'S NO TOMORROW!
On July 1st we lost a very dear friend in the business. We are truly heartbroken. Some of you may have known her. I'm talking about a sweet soul who had a true passion for life and who was a huge supporter of actors at her theater. Her name, Paula J Riley. Bernie Furshpan
Paula was an amazing woman with an incredible spirit, and I owe her a great deal for the short time I got to know her. She instilled great confidence in me at a tough time—though she was not really aware (though I'm sure she sensed it!). She came into my life at just the right time, and made me believe that you should never give up--new projects, new adventures, keep creating!--and my life has improved from knowing her. She was kind and giving and an absolute inspiration.
My wife and I are making a donation to the Statera organization on behalf of Paula. If you are not familiar with Statera, it is an organization dedicated to the positive advancement for women in the arts. It's a perfect way to honor Paula, we think. Several friends of mine started it. www.staterafoundation.org Chris Mixon
I was saddened and shocked to hear of Paula's passing. She was such a vibrant soul and indomitable spirit. I loved her too.
I must have meet her around 2004 or so and she directed one of my plays in the Bad Plays Festival. Then she did that wonderful production The Fiascoes at Baruch College.
She truly was a force, never gave up on her vision and helped many including me express their vision. We were all privileged to know her. I still can't believe that someone as vibrant as Paula is gone ... well, not truly gone. I was just in Greece at an ancient healing temple in Epidaurus with an adjacent theater, a butterfly kept circling around me and someone said that someone I knew had reincarnated as a butterfly and was giving me a message. I wouldn't doubt that it was Paula. The message was to live at a higher level than the average—and that's what Paula did.
Frederick Timm
I ran into Paula about a year ago and learned about what she was going through. She was truly an immensely spirited and passionate woman with determination! Years and years ago I remember her telling me about this idea that she had for a theatre company….and look how much she accomplished since then.
My heart is broken to learn of her passing. She will be sorely missed by all the many, many people in her life whose hearts she touched.
With much sympathy. Shery Acker
I'm so sorry to hear of Paula's passing. Thanks for the links/stories.
Steve's eulogy was moving, and definitely tissue inducing.
The differences between designers and actors ring true—so much more comfortable (and controlling) to stand behind our creative work than be the creative work!
I remember when Steve first met Paula. They moved in together kinda quickly. He knew a good thing.
And yeah, Paula was all Smiles 'n Sweetheart 'n Honey.
David Feinberg
Paula J Riley coaching testimonials
There are far too many acting coaches out there looking to take your money and run. Paula J Riley thankfully does not fall in that category. She is unbelievably kind, honest and nurturing. Paula is a skilled actress and a gifted teacher. I've been studying with Paula for nearly two years. I decided to take her scene study class (two separate classes for beginners and advanced students). I walked away with a ton of information about myself, the craft and the commitment it takes to reach your goals. I've been studying privately with Paula for a year. She has helped me get a few monologues under my belt. Her PPA process (Primary Principles of Acting) and her emphasis on improvisation has made a huge difference on how I approach any character. Working with her brings a tremendous amount of clarity to my work. I can go on and
on and on for days about her incredible work ethic and dedication, but
you get my drift. If you're looking for an AMAZING acting coach,
look no further! Lenna Parisyan, Actor
To me, Paula is unforgettable. It was the first time I worked with someone where the time was actually taken to allow the full development of a character, making it one of the richest roles I've ever played. She allows the actor to work to his/her potential and not "type". For that, I will always be grateful. Camille Delgado, Actress
Paula has really helped sharpen my skills through her unique blend of acting techniques. She has challenged me to keep the stakes high while working from moment to moment. Training with Paula has improved my confidence, and encouraged me to make stronger acting choices.
Sherri Robinson, Actress
To all that cross this path —take advantage!
Paula J. Riley has been a great force in my auditions and performances. She directed me in both theatre and cabaret for which I received critical acclaim. She has given me tools, and moreover made me aware of the "business" of theatre. Her insight into the art as well as into the individual is a gift worth giving yourself. Marshall Simon, Actor/Model/Cabaret Performer
On a recent visit to New York from London I was looking to take some acting classes and after email contact with various coaches, Paula fitted the criteria; i.e. honest, professional, experienced and reasonably priced! My expectations were far exceeded; it was clear from the beginning that Paula was not only a very skilled and intuitive acting teacher but someone that cares deeply about nurturing each individual actor so that they may set off, or indeed continue, on the path to realizing their true potential. Paula is interested in a long-term investment with the actor, this is something that was new to me and very welcome —there isn't really such an emphasis on the individual in the UK! My only regret is not being able to stay longer in NYC for more sessions with Paula —they were truly inspiring, helping to cement a self-belief that I am in the right profession with a renewed focus and direction. Many thanks Paula and I very much look forward to working with you again soon. Archie Whyld, Actor
Paula is a wonderful coach. I had a great time working with her. She taught me more than I've learned since I graduated from conservatory. And as well as teaching me new and valuable craft, She also made me feel cared for. Chance Parker, Actress
I have always adored Paula as an actress for her creativity and courage, and was delighted to see that she brings that same energy to the stage, as a director. Linda S. Nelson, Actor, Producer/Shotgun Productions
How does one possibly find adequate words to describe a dynamo like Paula J Riley? She took a vision and the love of a very unique stage and made them into a thriving reality in NYC —The Spiral Theatre Studio —where she directs and puts on plays and musicals that are relevant, tackling difficult issues we all face or will struggle with, that will inspire and lift you up. And she's created all of this on the back of sheer determination and resourcefulness. Especially gutsy about Paula is that she has not been afraid to give new works and new playwrights a shot and it's paid off. All one has to do is look at the success of her Salt & Pepper Series. Ah, Paula, such a privilege and joy to know you and be touched by your contagious enthusiasm, talent, and undaunted spirit!
Judge Billie Colombaro (Ret.)
The Spiral Theatre presented a fantastic New York premiere of my play, Stories My Grandmother told Me under the direction of the talented Paula J Riley. The quality of the production was excellent and the commitment and dedication of Ms. Riley and the actors were sensational. I believe strongly in the vision of the The Spiral Theatre Studio and think that it is an extremely valuable cultural asset to the city's (and the American theatre's) cultural scene. Ted Swindley, Playwright
It has been such a pleasure working with Paula J Riley and the The Spiral Theatre Studio. I am especially excited about the Salt & Pepper Series and playwright Robert Benjamin. This series looks closely at senior issues, with humor and insight and targets a demographic largely ignored in American theatre today. Wendy Merritt, Actor/Director
The Spiral Theatre Studio has done an immense service by providing a venue for the voice of the older playwright in NewYork City. Their Salt & Pepper Series is, I believe, unique in the city.
Alyce Mott, Playwright/Producer/Director
Dear Paula J Riley, thank you for your fearlessness and enthusiasm and mentorship and ambition; for paying me one of the greatest compliments I've ever heard; for inspiring in others so many of the beautiful qualities you lived. Thank you for being my teacher at a time when I needed one and the happy accident that brought me into your fold. It'll be a human thing I do if I miss you for the moment, but it won't be long before I remember you and get back to work being and doing and loving and sharing like you always did with me. Thank you for the light on my path. Jesse May
I had the incredible pleasure of getting to work with Paul J Riley in my college years. She was a wonderful gifted soul who was full of life. She lived and breathed for her love of animals, and spent her entire life up until the day she no longer could, fueling her passion for the theatre and the arts. She taught my peers and me how to live fearlessly, be vulnerable, and never give a shit what anyone thought. Her loving partner Steve's eulogy is a testament to who Paula truly was.
May she Rest In Peace and her soul be elevated to a beautiful place. If I had to make a guess, I would suspect she is entertaining everyone over at the white pearly gates and working on her next script. Shari Brittany
Although I knew her only briefly, she made a big difference in my life. Her work lives on with us at Thrown Stone.
The Spiral Stage's donated equipment is an essential part of our theater as we present our second season, and the wonderful modular stage system is slated for loan to the other brand new Equity theater here in Ridgefield, for their summer theater camp—to introduce a new generation to the art we all love so much.
I think of her and your generosity to us every day. Cyrus Newitt
I've just learned that Paula J Riley has passed away. When I was in NYC, I had a group of performance artists called The Thespian Collective and we would meet every Tuesday and rehearse together and go over techniques. Paula came by when we were at the Theatre for The New City and shared her expertise with us, free of charge. She was kind, patient and caring. R.I.P." Tegan Flanders
Paula was full of wonderful spirit and inspiration and endless creativity. Without her kindness I wouldn't have had the encouragement to persevere. She was more than an acting coach. She nurtured and believed, and gave me opportunities at a point when I was really down. Thank you, Paula J Riley (PJ). I'll always be grateful for your guidance, positivity, and having known you. Shannon Van Esley
Ohhhhh, how my heart breaks for our beloved Paula. I thought back to our times together with Devil Dog Six, and what a great spirit she had and how we finally brought it all together in such a terrific production thanks to her faith, talent, energy and perseverance.
Paula and the Spiral Theatre were such a great, inspired concept, and I'll pray to my angels she's ascended a great spiral staircase to the Gates of Paradise Theatre where she is looking down from the balcony on the rest of us plodding on without her.
Oh, how she will be missed!! Fengar Gael
I've had the honor of being part of The Spiral Theatre Studio since the beginning. I am so impressed with the passion, dedication and inspiration that Paula J. Riley has created in this theatre. Her high standard of excellence permeates every facet of the The Spiral Theatre Studio performances, exude the heart and soul Paula instills in her work. I am so looking forward to watching The Spiral Theatre Studio grow for the good of the community and for its highest good!
Dede Lyons, Founder, Feel Good Express/Mind Body Spirit Lifestyle
I've had the extraordinary pleasure of working with Paula J. Riley and her vision, The Spiral Theatre Studio. Before her grand opening, Metropolitan Room hosted several of her events and shows. My wife and I had the opportunity to see a show at The Spiral Theatre Studio in its permanent location in the last year and we were very impressed with how Paula had made a reality of her vision. The Spiral Theatre Studio offers opportunities to playwrights and producers who wouldn't ordinarily have an opportunity to share their work with an audience. Paula's work is truly a calling and I honor and support her.
Bernie Furshpan, Managing Partner/Metropolitan Room
When I saw Paula's picture on her website I felt that there was something very special and nurturing about her. And everything I've experienced with her continues to affirm my first impression. Even in the short time I worked with her I feel such a difference in how I view and approach the entire process, knowing I was before just exploring the tip of the process. That is why I referred other actors to her. I felt confident that they too would see and feel the possibilities with Paula at the helm of our development. Paula is truly a soothing voice amidst a sometimes chaotic world. Ed Smith, Actor, "Primary Principals of Acting" student
I've had the pleasure of working with Paula J Riley as an actor at The Spiral Theatre Studio and enjoyed the experience totally. I admire her particular attention to a much needed demographic, our seniors, and her focusing particular attention on the Salt & Pepper Series which sheds some much needed light on the theatrical experience and lives of seniors. Looking forward to her new home.
Judy Stadt, Actor, Radio Host, "Lunch and Judy Show"
Paula just gives you the confidence to believe in your craft and most importantly yourself. She teaches with patience, love and a graceful passion. I met Paula at ActorsFest two years ago and knew right away that she was the one. I was fortunate enough to have made one of the best decisions of my life."
Rene Lopez, Actor, "From Scratch To Script" student
Paula is a teacher and mentor. She has an amazing technique that grounds you in your work and makes you feel like anything is possible. Since I have been working with Paula I have increased confidence when approaching monologues, a better grasp of character development and a better understanding of who I am as an actor.
Ami Martino, Actor working with Bobby Holder
During the fast paced pilot season, Paula really helped me find a way to connect to the material that was thrown at me at a moments notice. In addition, Paula's improv experience is invaluable.
Elaine Marco, Actress, Dancer, "A Chorus Line"
Paula is wonderful to work with and has helped me a great deal with my Acting work in the US. She is a natural Director and brings out the best performances in her Actors. The Spiral Studio is an exciting and innovative space to work. Fiona Aldridge, Actor
The idea that good things come in small packages has never been more true then when it is applied to Paula Riley's Spiral Theatre Studio. I had the pleasure of working with Paula this summer on Martin Halpern's play No Moves Back and so enjoyed the whole undertaking. She is a knowledgeable professional committed to providing a meaningful theatrical experience for both artist and audience. And, with limited resources she was nonetheless able to achieve remarkable results. Her goal of serving the too often neglected "seasoned citizens" audience is important and she does it with style and grace. William Shuman, Actor/Playwright
Cheers for The Spiral Theatre Studio —dedicated to plays featuring the Salt & Pepper and beyond generations. Cheers for The Spiral Theatre Studio —for its minimal sets, costumes and props that enhance the play, the actor and the audience's experience. Looking forward to acting once again with the company in future productions.
Vivian Meisner, Actor
I am well acquainted with Paula J. Riley and her work with The Spiral Theater Studio. Over the last two years, I have enjoyed her work and am always pleasantly surprised by the professional productions, the caliber of the actors and the focus on senior citizen topics. There is clearly a need for these kinds of productions for an audience deserving to be served.
Earl Wilson, Jr., Songwriter/Playwright
The Spiral Theatre Studio • Office at 160 Madison Ave. 11D, NYC • 212-689-4362 • Email: spiraltheatrestudio@gmail.com


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Xbox Games Database
About Yakuza: Like A Dragon
In 2001, Ichiban Kasuga, a junior member of the Tojo Clan's Arakawa Family, is asked by the family's patriarch Masumi Arakawa to go to prison for a murder that he didn't commit to protect the real killer, a senior officer Arakawa considers indispensible. Ichiban agrees, hoping that this will make him a hero in the Tojo Clan and eager to honor an unspecified "debt" he owes his patriarch. Eighteen years later, Kasuga is released from prison only to find that nobody remembers him and no one from his family is even waiting to meet him when he gets out; he goes to confront Arakawa, who shoots him in the chest. Several days later, Kasuga wakes up half-naked under a pile of trash and eventually finds out that he is in the Yokohama district of Isezaki Ijincho. Realizing that his patriarch left him for dead, he sets out to learn why and uncover the real reason for his prison sentence, a journey that sees him face off against yakuza, triad, and Korean gangsters and criminals with help from the many allies he meets along the way.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Vinification: Cabernet 100% de-stemmed, Merlot 100% whole cluster. Gently punched down over the course of fermentation followed by basket-pressed in to barrel.
My second go around with Cabernet! After the wild, run-away, success of the first vintage I went in to the 2017 vintage enlivened, but I also had in my mind the question: How can I improve on what I've previously done? The answer presented itself in glorious fashion when by friend Bryan got some Merlot in to his winery.
As you may, or may not, know: the winery that I produce at is owned by Bryan Harrington where he makes his own stellar wines in tandem. It's a tight knit group who all helps one another in the production during the chaotic harvest season.
I had fallen in love with the Merlot while seeing it progress through the vintage before bottling. It had a woody quality from the whole cluster, matched with a bright cherry note and fresh acidity. The perfect match for the big berry pie-filling and vanilla qualities that the Cabernet brings to the table. I still wanted the final blend to ring true to the heart, and nature, of the Cabernet and found that the delicate touch of just 7% Merlot was enough to lift the wine and bring a really satisfying Bordeaux driven experience.


Premium car brand Audi is to invest $79.5 billion dollars over the next five years in self-driving electric cars.
Audi has announced they are investing $15.9 billion per year into electric self-driving cars until 2023.
The premium car brand - which is owned by Volkswagen - plans to drop a huge sum of cash, totalling $79.5 billon dollars, over the next five years to ensure they are ahead of competitors when it comes to creating advanced automobiles suitable for the future.
Audi's interim management board chairman Bram Schot said in a statement: "This planning round bears a clear signature: We are taking a very systematic approach to electric mobility and will be much more focused in the future.
"We are consistently prioritising our resources for future-oriented products and services that are highly attractive and relevant to the market."
The announcement comes after London taxi firm Addison Lee announced they are planning to launch self-driving taxis in the British capital by 2021.
The company joined forces with self-driving software specialist Oxbotica for the purpose of rolling out self-driving options to customers in the UK capital in three years' time.


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Arkon Energy Completes $28M Funding and Hydrokraft Acquisition for Green Bitcoin Mining
Arkon Energy, an infrastructure provider for data centers powered entirely by renewable resources, has announced that it has successfully raised $28 million. The company, which is based in Australia, has also successfully completed the acquisition of Hydrokraft AS, which is a leading data center in Norway that is based on renewable energy.
The acquisition of Hydrokraft is one step toward the ambitious goal of developing a platform for green Bitcoin mining that is vertically integrated, possesses electricity sovereignty, reaps the benefits of regional diversification, and has a strong bank sheet. Because of this, Arkon will be able to steer clear of the traps that have prevented other top actors in the field from reaching their full potential.
Commenting on the acquisition, Arkon CEO Josh Payne said: "The current market climate, with low prices for bitcoin and mining equipment, offers a compelling opportunity to take advantage of our unique profitability and access to growth capital. We are excited to have completed this transaction and we look forward to executing several additional growth opportunities in the near future."
Enhancing Bitcoin Mining With Renewable Power
Bitcoin is mined with electricity derived from renewable sources by Arkon Energy. Its environmentally responsible data centers make use of surplus renewable power in electricity markets that are in short supply, which helps to maintain one of the industry's most competitively low average production costs. In addition, the business makes use of cutting-edge immersion cooling technology to ensure that its many pieces of machinery operate at peak performance.
CEO Josh Payne and COO Nathan Townsend, both of whom have substantial experience in the operation of Bitcoin, capital markets, and energy infrastructure, respectively, are guiding the company as its leaders. They are supported by a team of seasoned executives that have substantial experience across a variety of industries, including Bitcoin mining and the building of energy infrastructure.
With a present working capacity of 30 MW and a maximum capacity of 60 MW, Hydrokraft is one of the most powerful data centers in all of Europe. The facility was finished in 2021 and uses electricity that is generated from hydropower which is both sustainable and cost-effective. In order to make full use of the capacity of the facility, Arkon intends to launch an immediate construction project to build out incremental infrastructure.
Barry Kupferberg, the Managing Partner of Barkers Point Capital Advisors which helped finance the deal, added: "In a period in which the largest bitcoin miners in the world are struggling with high costs and over-leveraged balance sheets, the ability of Arkon Energy to attract capital highlights its unique value proposition. Distressed cycles produce winners and losers and Arkon is well positioned to be a winner."
Arkon Energy was able to successfully complete the acquisition thanks to the utilization of both senior debt and equity financing. Blue Sky Capital acted as the leader of the equity investors, which also included Kestrel 0x1 (the lead investors from the previous round), Shima Capital, and a number of other organizations. Partners from Blue Sky, Kestrel 0x1, and Barkers Point Capital Advisors will be joining the main board as a result of this transaction.
Offering Optimal Solutions Amid The Market Downturn
The present market slump has had a negative impact on mining businesses that did not construct enough runway prior to the market downturn. Their predicament has become even more difficult as a result of their incurring an exorbitant amount of debt by borrowing against future profits. As a direct consequence of this, a great number of mining businesses have been compelled to either completely cease operations or significantly reduce their workforce.
Because it has always placed a high priority on maintaining a financial model with a modest amount of debt, Arkon Energy is in an excellent position to capitalize on the economic outlook, which has caused its rivals to struggle to maintain their positions in the market. Arkon is able to increase its market share by purchasing foreclosed properties and businesses due to the strength of its balance sheet, its low level of debt, and its low-cost base for power.
Arkon Energy was established in 2019 and seeks to fundamentally improve the commercial viability of businesses that are involved in the development or ownership of renewable power assets. Bitcoin mining is how it is accomplished, and it does this by enhancing the economics of electricity-producing projects. Renewable power assets are frequently situated in energy grids that have limited capacity, and as a result, they earn low returns.
This is especially true during specific times of the day when there is an abundance of power available. Arkon Energy is able to provide these customers with lucrative revenue opportunities while also improving the reliability of the grid's sustainable generation by building mining activities that are extremely efficient and directly utilize excess electricity.
Tags: BitcoinBitcoinMiningBTCCryptocurrencyMining
The Bitcoin Association Unveils a New Series of Executives
The Bitcoin Association recently named a series of executives. The positions named were the CFO, DFO, and executive committee positions.
South Korean Prosecutors Detain Owner of Bithumb on Supposed Embezzlement
Kang Jong-Hyun, who is known as Bithumb's real owner, has been arrested by South Korean prosecutors for his alleged involvement in fraud.
Exploring BTCC's Tokenized Futures: A New Way to Trade Stocks and Commodities
Learn about the benefits of trading BTCC's tokenized futures. Discover how to trade stocks and commodities with USDT and low funding rates on BTCC.
FTX Suing Voyager Digital for $446M
In a recent court filing, FTX, on behalf of Alameda has filed a complaint against Voyager's filing to recover loans owed to FTX.
Bet on Qatar 2022: Take Part in Ticket Rush from 1xBit


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Where in the World Is the Appalachian Trail?
August 28, 2015 / jecolorfulheart / 1 Comment
The Appalachian Trail (AT) is a footpath that wanders up and down the mountains of the Eastern United States from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Mt. Katahdin, Maine.
FACTS: (From the Appalachian Trail Conservancy)
The AT is approximately 2,180 miles long. (Relocations alter the distance every year, making exact figures difficult.) We will cover 10-15% of the trail in the two months we hike.
It is among the longest, continuously marked footpaths in the world! It takes approximately 5 million steps to complete the trail from one end to the other.
The AT passes through 14 states. During our two month adventure, we are starting in Maryland, will cross the state with the least amount of trail in just one day (WV with 4 miles), and spend most of our time in the state with the most miles of trail (VA with 550 miles).
There are more than 250 three-sided shelters along the trail—used by hikers in addition to or in place of tent-camping. Shelters and the trail itself are maintained by volunteers (who contribute 220,000 hours of work each year). We are carrying a tent with us to use most of the time.
About 2000 hikers attempt to "thru-hike" each year, with about 25% of them completing the challenge. Hikers include folks of all ages, ability levels, and fitness levels. Whew! We, too, can do this activity!
The total elevation gain for someone hiking the entire AT is equivalent to climbing Mt. Everest 16 times! (And "thru-hikers" average just 5+ months to hike the entire trail from end to end…) Okay, I admit it, this fact is both crazy and scary!
Almost 3 million visitors walk at least a short distance on the AT each year. But most of the year for most of its length a hiker sees few other people on the trail itself.
"The Appalachian Trail derives much of its strength and appeal from its uninterrupted and practically endless character. This is an attribute which must be preserved. I view the existence of this pathway and the opportunity to travel it, day after day without interruption, as a distinct aspect of our American life." –Benton MacKaye
HISTORY: The AT is the same age as my mom! It was proposed in 1921. The initial path was completed in 1937 with continual relocations and improvements since then. In 1968, the AT became a National Scenic Trail and was placed under federal protection. In 1970 the first person completed a "thru-hike." I started reading about and dreaming of hiking the AT in the late 1970s.
"Remote for detachment, narrow for chosen company, winding for leisure, lonely for contemplation, the Trail leads not merely north and south but upward to the body, mind and soul of man." –Harold Allen
(Read about the many different faces of the trail HERE and HERE.)
Appalachian TrailBackpackingPreparations
Why Spend Two Months in the Woods?
Nitty Gritty Details
David Forth
Dear Trippin' Friend,
Can't wait to see YOUR photos of the AT!
Our fun today is painting the south side of the house! WooHoo!
Love, Your looking for my paint brush friend!


Discussion in 'General Questions' started by Brian Guenther, Oct 25, 2018.
So, I've been doing a lot of testing and prinitng on my C2 over the last couple months and have been learning how to solve problems myself and make small adjustments to setting via research and trial-by-fire.
Recently I have been trying to print miniatures on the C2 with very little success. I have been getting slightly better results as I have been slowly, monotonously changing settings to make sure I keep a close eye on what works and what doesn't.
Anyone else have any luck printing miniatures on the C2? I'f so what kind of settings are you using. I want to post my settings but I dont have my computer in front of me. I'll addendum later with them.
Also, as I have been researching, I keep coming across this "Magic Layer Height" that people are talking about when printing. They explain it as: The natural height that your printer steps during printing, usually a random looking number like 0.4235. People mention that it can make a big difference in the final quality of the miniature.
how mini is mini? Typically for say a 15mm tall mini you'll want to print with a .25 or smaller nozzle. It will expand the printing time and slow you down but the end result is very worth it.
I dont really do the "magic layer height" because i see no need. the imperfections in the process are still visible so I just stil with a good ole fashioned .05 to .75 layer height whenever I print minis.
Now that said- mini printing is much better on a resin printer. They are able to more easily capture detail- just resin printing is expensive, messy and well yea. expensive and messy.
So I'm looking at more 28mm height minis. Tabletop gaming and painting type stuff.
The magic layer height is just something that kept coming up, glad to know someone is having success without worrying about it.
I actually ordered a few nozzles of different sizes to try that out.
So also one of the big issues I had with the minis was the supports that printed. On the couple of successful prints(made it to the end and vaguely resembled the original model) the supports were insanely hard to remove. To the point that I either had to leave the support or risk breaking the mini. And recommendations for the support settings?
However they can be 'decent' on a C2.
No magic layer height, they thing to remember is to scale print speed with 'quality'/resolution. If you decrease the layer height, decrease the print speed proportionately.
And recommendations for the support settings?
There is a mechanical limit that should be considered with respect to layer height. Most people just ignore it because of microsteps. Steppers are built with a certain number of steps per full rotation, Robo uses steppers that have 1.8° movement per full step. They are designed so that each full step is precise and repeatable. Now 3D print controllers and for that matter CNC too, have this thing called microsteps. Microsteps uses electricity to limit the movement of a stepper to a fraction of a step. The Robo controller, as with most based on Marlin Firmware, have the ability and are set to 16 microsteps per full step. The great thing about microsteps is that you can virtually dial in any amount of linear movement in any axis. The problem is that microsteps are not always a 1:1 linear relationship to the amount of voltage applied.
All of this is to say, that you will get more consistent and precise prints using full steps and not microsteps. What this means for the C2 is that full steps in the Z axis moves that axis 0.02 mm linearly. So if you can keep your layer heights divisible by 0.02 mm you will likely have all of them on full steps and not microsteps.
In practical terms it probably does not make all that much difference, but if you must be as precise as possible then at the very least file this information in your mind somewhere you can recall it when you want it.


Why does the action potential travel in one direction down the axon? Why doesn't it go in reverse? Are there features about the axon that makes that happen?
Watch the video and find out.
Hello and welcome to Interactive Biology TV, where we're making biology fun! My name is Leslie Samuel. In this episode, Episode 14, we're going to be looking at the journey down the axon. In other words, we're going to look at how the action potential actually travels down the axon so that it reaches the axon terminals.
To illustrate this, I'm going to attempt to draw a neuron, and I'm going to start with the soma, which is the cell body. Then I'm going to draw the axon. I'm not going to draw the axon terminals, but I'll just write here "AT" for axon terminals. Over here, we have the soma, and of course, this will be the axon. Now right here where the soma meets the axon, as we've seen in earlier videos, this is called the axon hillock, and this is the first place we see voltage-gated channels.
So, when a stimulus comes and causes the membrane potential to reach threshold, what we said happens is voltage-gates sodium channels open, and sodium rushes in. I'm going to write here "Na+", so that's sodium ions, and I'm going to just put a few of those outside the axon. So there we have it, sodium ions concentrated outside the axon.
A stimulus comes along, voltage-gated sodium channels open, and then sodium, because of its driving force, rushes into the cell. When it rushes into the cell, it just doesn't go into the cell and stay in one place. Of course, it's going to travel along the axon and it's free to travel in both directions. When that comes in and it moves down the axon, that's going to make the membrane potential more positive since sodium has a positive charge.
As it goes down here, it's going to open more channels, and more sodium ions are going to rush in, and of course those are free to travel in either direction. The same process will continue: membrane potential goes up, sodium rushes in, travels in either direction. That's going to continue over and over until it reaches the terminals.
Now, one of the questions you might be asking at this point is, "If the sodium ions can travel in either direction, why is it that we have an action potential that just travels in one direction?" That's a very important concept for you to understand. We spoke about the refractory period. When the channels over here open and the sodium ions travel down, that causes these channels to open and sodium comes in and goes in either direction.
However, the voltage-gated sodium channels that are on this side are in their refractory period. If you remember what we said in the episode about refractory periods, when it's in the absolute refractory period, you cannot stimulate the voltage-gated channels to open again. You have to wait for it to be reset to closed before you can re-stimulate it.
So all those sodium is rushing in and travelling in both directions, the signal is only going to travel down the axon because of the fact that the previous voltage-gated sodium channels, the ones that are closer to the soma in that direction, those are going to be either open or inactive. And it needs to wait for them to be reset to closed before they can be re-stimulated to fire. This is why the action potential will only travel in one direction.
That's the entire concept for this video. As usual, if you have any questions, feel free to leave it in the comments below, and I'll be happy to answer your question, and maybe even make a video to answer your specific question. That's it for this episode, and I'll see you in the next one.


text:
The Links of Spring (She-Hulk, Samus Aran on Gay Marriage, and More!)
Again, I have no idea who the artist is. If you do, let me know!
Happy Linksday, everyone! I've been traveling a lot back and forth this week, so I feel like it's my turn to enjoy a well-earned rest. While I chill out and snooze, enjoy some fun links from around the webernets.
1. In gosh-I-wish-I'd-said-it-this-well news, Jason Richards over at The Atlantic wrote a fantastic piece on Smurfette and the maiden/crone dichotomy last year, right when the movie was coming out. Check it out here (and try not to think unkindly of my version, which is a touch less scholarly!).
2. In hey-that-ties-in-nicely news, it turns out that actress Angie Harmon of Rizzoli and Isles really, really wants to play She-Hulk. And I have to say, I can see it. Plus, She-Hulk is coming up in my series on female characters who should totally have their own movies, so it's nice to see that there could be some traction here! Check out the interview here.
3. In the-internet-is-hilarious news, the fabulous tumblr page "Is This Feminist" is my new favorite thing. It shows pictures of women in stock photos, then asks the all-important question "is this feminist?", coming up with wonderfully ridiculous answers. Check it out here. You're welcome.
4. In important-work news, there's a new safehouse for victims of human-trafficking opening up in the Boston area. Amirah, the organization, is committed to ending human-trafficking, and giving the women involved a safe place to stay and recover, as well as to raising the profile of modern slavery and making it an issue we can no longer ignore. Check them out and support them here.
5. In yeah-yeah-shut-up-about-the-Avengers-already news, the sequel has been officially announced, and Entertainment Weekly did a short piece about whether or not another woman might join the squad, and if so, who. Check it out here.
6. And in well-that's-certainly-a-way-to-raise-the-issue news, Timothy McSweeney has written a fantastic piece from the perspective of Metroid's Samus Aran, about the importance and value of gay marriage. Check it out here, it's well worth the read.
7. Finally, sex educator Laci Greene talks about the silliness of masculinizing traditionally feminine products like loofahs and irons. It's hilarious, and she's lovely.
<p>That;s all for this week, folks, but tune in next week for More Make </p>
That's all for this week, but tune in on Monday to catch a continuation of Make It a Movie May, bromances versus romances, and more!
Labels: char: samus aran, char: she-hulk, char: smurfette, other: laci greene, title: avengers, topic: gay stuff, topic: make it a movie, type: linksgiving
Make It a Movie May: Storm
The Thing About Genderswapping (Why I'm Iffy on El...
The Gaying of Peter Guillam (In Tinker Tailor Sold...
Memorial Day (A Salute to the Military Women of th...
Memorial Links (Gay Superheroes Getting Married an...
The Power of the Triangle (in YA Fiction)
Booklist Rundown
So, About that Glee Finale... (But Mostly About Qu...
Make It a Movie May: Batwoman
Anne McCaffrey's Women (Dragons and Harpers and Ho...
The Links of Spring (She-Hulk, Samus Aran on Gay M...
Make It a Movie May: Wonder Woman
Calvin and Hobbes and Susie (The Little Nemesis Wh...
Make It a Movie May: Jenny Sparks
Once Upon a Time, End of Season Checkup
Make It a Movie May: Oracle and the Birds of Prey
The Motherlinks (Salute to Moms, Suffragettes Sing...
Marvel's Long Game (Whose Side Are You On?)
Cross-Dressing Comedies (They're More Complicated ...
The Smurfette Principle (aka, Women Should Be in M...
Clawing Towards Friendship with Don't Trust the B*...
Lord of the Rings Has Three Women (This Is Bad)
Linksgiving 2 (Gay Batman, Free Comic Book Day, Af...
6 Reasons Female Supersuits Suck (And 1 Reason The...
Who's Gonna Die in Whedon's Avengers?
The WAGs of Marvel (Are Way Cooler Than Their Boyf...


Earnest Flemmel's Journal (1) is a note found in Parsons State Asylum, under the bed, on top of a suitcase, in one of the cells. Around the room are the words ITH A QUA, HELP ME, and a series of ? written in chalk.
"They left me. I told him... I told him it was Parson's. He didn't listen. Richard.. Why didn't you listen?"


text:
Eduardo Corrêa Riedel, né le  à Rio de Janeiro, est un homme d'affaires et homme politique brésilien, affilié au Parti social-démocrate brésilien, et occupe actuellement le poste de gouverneur du Mato Grosso do Sul depuis le  janvier 2023.

Occupait déjà le poste de secrétaire d'État aux Infrastructures du Mato Grosso do Sul entre le 22 février et le 2 avril 2022.

Carrière
Riedel est né à Rio de Janeiro le 5 juillet 1969, fils de Seila Garcia Côrrea et de Nelson Riedel.

En 1995, il a repris la gestion de la propriété rurale familiale à Maracaju, acquérant une expérience de gestion. Depuis, il a occupé des postes liés à la gestion.

En 2015, Riedel a démissionné du poste de président directeur de Famasul (2012-2014), prenant la tête du Secrétariat d'État au gouvernement et à la gestion stratégique du Mato Grosso do Sul, dans le gouvernement de Reinaldo Azambuja, poste dans lequel il resté jusqu'en 2021.

Pendant la pandémie de Covid-19, en 2020, le gouvernement du Mato Grosso do Sul, avec le soutien de l'Organisation panaméricaine de la santé, a créé le programme Santé et sécurité dans l'économie, qui visait à informer les données et les indicateurs à la société, ainsi comme développer des actions plus efficaces face aux impacts de Covid-19 dans l'état du Mato Grosso do Sul.

Pour coordonner et gérer ce projet, le gouverneur Reinaldo Azambuja a nommé en juillet 2021, Riedel président du comité directeur du programme de santé et de sécurité pour l'économie.

Candidat au gouvernement du Mato Grosso do Sul
En 2022, il s'est présenté aux élections d'État du Mato Grosso do Sul comme gouverneur avec Barbosinha comme vice-gouverneur.

Le 2 octobre 2022, il recueille  (25,16 %) et passe au second tour avec le candidat Renan Contar.

Vie privée
En 1994, il épouse Mônica Morais avec qui il a deux enfants: Marcela et Rafael.

Notes et références

Personnalité brésilienne du monde des affaires
Personnalité politique brésilienne
Personnalité du Parti de la social-démocratie brésilienne
Naissance en 1969
Pages avec des traductions non relues

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Q: Override VCL class/component protected method - How to code and use? I am rewriting old existing code and I'm giving the icons an overhaul.  I used to have bitmaps assigned to TMenuItems but I'm changing that in favor of ImageIndex and a TImageList with colordepth 32bit, containing icons with an alpha channel.  The ImageList is created and populated with icons at design time.  The ImageIndex are assigned during program startup and changed if/when appropriate.
I noticed that when a MenuItem is disabled (enabled = false), the resulting image doesn't look great (at all) and I read that this is due to VCL.  Mentioned link also links to Delphi code that can convert an icon to its greyscale values.
I'm not fluent in Delphi nor changing VCL components, subclassing them, inheriting from them etc. I normally simply use what is available without changing it.  so I'm starting with some basic questions:
Here's a very simple attempt to inherit from TImage and override DoDraw(), to make it never disable the icon in the first place (decipering the Delphi code to greyscale can be done in a second step)
class MyTImageList : public TImageList
    {
    public:

    __fastcall MyTImageList(Classes::TComponent* AOwner)
        : TImageList(AOwner) {} ;

    virtual __fastcall DoDraw(int Index, TCanvas *Canvas, int X, int Y, unsigned int Style, bool Enabled = true)
        {
        return TImageList::DoDraw(Index, Canvas, X, Y, Style) ;
        }
    };

FYI: I use C++ Builder 2009
It does not compile, error: [BCC32 Error] Main.h(1018): E2113 Virtual function '_fastcall TMainForm::MyTImageList::DoDraw(int,TCanvas *,int,int,unsigned int,bool)' conflicts with base class 'TCustomImageList'
Since I'm very insecure about inheriting from VCL component classes I'm not sure if I'm dealing with a typo or something very constructively wrong ?  Kindly enlighten me.
Assuming this compiles I'm actually not sure how to proceed further either.
Because the ImageList is created at design time, and used throughout the code.  For this change to work I have to work with 'MyTimageList'.
So, do I create MyTimageList during Form construction and Assign() the content of the design-time-ImageList, or is there a more efficient way to avoid copying over everything ?
Actually, thinking about the latter question more, I could simply use the internal ImageList of the design time Imagelist instance.

A: Here is a C++ translation of the Delphi code:
class MyTImageList : public TImageList
{
protected:
    virtual void __fastcall DoDraw(int Index, Graphics::TCanvas *Canvas, int X, int Y, unsigned Style, bool Enabled = true);

public:
    __fastcall MyTImageList(Classes::TComponent* AOwner, TImageList *DesignImageList);
};

__fastcall MyTImageList::MyTImageList(Classes::TComponent* AOwner, TImageList *DesignImageList)
    : TImageList(AOwner)
{
    ColorDepth = DesignImageList->ColorDepth;
    Handle = DesignImageList->Handle; // Use the internally kept List of the design time ImageList
    ShareImages = true;
}

unsigned __fastcall GetRGBColor(TColor Value)
{
    unsigned Result = ColorToRGB(Value);
    switch (Result)
    {
        case clNone: Result = CLR_NONE; break;
        case clDefault: Result = CLR_DEFAULT; break;
    }
    return Result;
}

void __fastcall MyTImageList::DoDraw(int Index, TCanvas *Canvas, int X, int Y, unsigned Style, bool Enabled)
{
    if ((Enabled) || (ColorDepth != cd32Bit))
    {
        TImageList::DoDraw(Index, Canvas, X, Y, Style, Enabled);
    }
    else if (HandleAllocated())
    {
        IMAGELISTDRAWPARAMS Options = {0};
        Options.cbSize = sizeof(Options);
        Options.himl = (HIMAGELIST) Handle;
        Options.i = Index;
        Options.hdcDst = Canvas->Handle;
        Options.x = X;
        Options.y = Y;
        Options.cx = 0;
        Options.cy = 0;
        Options.xBitmap = 0;
        Options.yBitmap = 0;
        Options.rgbBk = GetRGBColor(BkColor);
        Options.rgbFg = GetRGBColor(BlendColor);
        Options.fStyle = Style;
        Options.fState = ILS_SATURATE; // Grayscale for 32bit images

        ImageList_DrawIndirect(&Options);
    }
}

A: OK, the answer is simple, and it needed some trial and error to get there, because the documentation I had access to was not clear about that. (E.g. also wrong about the TCanvas pointer).
The function/method returns void.  THAT's what was missing in the originally posted code and what caused the error.  I got following code to work nicely.
class MyTImageList : public TImageList
    {
    public:
    __fastcall MyTImageList(Classes::TComponent* AOwner, TImageList *DesignImageList)
        : TImageList(AOwner)
        {
        Handle = DesignImageList->Handle ; // Use the internally kept List of the design time ImageList
        ShareImages = true;
        }

    protected:
    virtual __fastcall void DoDraw(int Index, TCanvas *Canvas, int X, int Y, unsigned int Style, bool Enabled = true)
        {
        return TImageList::DoDraw(Index, Canvas, X, Y, Style, true /*Enabled*/) ; // Always draw enabled
        }
    };

This issue is closed.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Latest agency work and news, The Fight for Christmas 2019
Book of Dreams
Celebrating the iconic and long-standing tradition of circling your most-wanted gifts in the Argos catalogue.
The&Partnership
Argos // The Book of Dreams: The much-loved Argos catalogue takes centre stage for this campaign. Celebrating the iconic and long-standing tradition of circling your most-wanted gifts, the catalogue has been a firm fixture with families for the last 46 years, but has been absent from the Christmas TV advertisement for the past decade. In 2019, the Christmas edition of the catalogue plays a starring role in the festive campaign; renamed 'The Book of Dreams', the advert delivers on this promise as a Dad's childhood dreams are awoken when he seems a drumkit circled by his daughter in the Argos catalogue. Shot by Traktor, Simple Minds' 80s classic Don't You Forget About Me provides the perfect soundtrack to this upbeat narrative which tells the tale of a Father and Daughter realising their dreams together. The launch of the TV advert followed a social campaign that saw celebrities, influencers and members of the public discussing their own 'Book of Dreams' from when they were young; the campaign includes the creation of Argos's first ever digital repository of vintage catalogues from the last four decades, which attracted over 1.8 million visits in the first 48 hours. The full 360 campaign encompasses online, television, cinema, brand response, bumpers, out-of-home, social and influencer outreach.
The&Partnership London is a future-focused creative agency whose mission is to bring together creativity, technology and data in new, exciting and effective ways. Originally founded in 2001 as CHI, the agency rebranded in 2018 as The&Partnership London, underlining its position as the beating creative and strategic heart of The&Partnership's cross-discipline network of agencies. The&Partnership London believes the future of the creative industries lies in big, bold and bionic ideas which blend world-class creativity with smart data, progressive technology and artificial intelligence. The agency was in 2016 named the UK's most awarded independent creative agency at Cannes Lions, as well as Digital Agency of the Year at the Campaign BIG Awards. The&Partnership London is the creative centre of The&Partnership, which is both the UK's largest and Europe's fastest-growing independent agency network, increasingly known for its innovative in-sourced model. Backed by WPP and spanning four continents, with 1,500 staff, the multi-disciplined network last year saw a year of record growth, expanding across 17 new European markets and doubling in size against a challenging industry backdrop. It attributes this rapid expansion to the success of its in-sourced '&Model' agencies, with multi-disciplined, on-site teams working alongside clients' marketing departments in new, nimble ways, to a single bottom line; delivering data-driven work to fit new marketing agendas. The&Partnership has 22 offices across North America and Europe.
Almond Board of California | Do You Almond?
agenda21 shortlisted in the Travel Marketing Awards 2020
What's your digital ecosystem vision?
Latest agency work and news, Thinking
Rufus Leonard


The external roller shutters fitted to properties are a great way to increase both the level of security and privacy, ensuring the safety of a buildings occupants as well as their possessions. But as with anything mechanical, the key to longevity and reliable operation is regular maintenance.
In between the scheduled maintenance periods, there are also several things that you can do to ensure that your new roller shutters work as efficiently and as safely for as long as possible.
Due to roller shutters being installed on the external face of windows and doors, they are likely to attract dirt and grime throughout the course of the year. And whilst this dirt isn't dangerous and is unlikely to significantly hamper the operation of your roller shutters in the short term, leaving it in situ to build up over a period of time could end up jamming the mechanism.
Simply fill a bucket with warm soapy water every month and wipe your roller shutters down to remove all visible dirt.
All moving parts, whether as part of your roller shutter system or any other mechanical object need to be lubricated on a regular basis. The gears which operate your shutters will have been lubricated from the factory and shouldn't need touching outside of the scheduled maintenance intervals, but it is always a good idea to lubricate the tracks to prevent sticking.
The key is to choose a lubricant that is not sticky, otherwise you will find that it attracts dirt and other grime which will cause a build-up of sticky residue which could cause your shutters to jam or not operate as smoothly.
Most roller shutter systems are hardwearing, designed to stand up to everyday wear and tear. Regardless of this fact, you should ensure that you never leave objects sitting on your external window sills or on the ground underneath your roller shutters.
If you do, and you operate your shutters without removing these items, you might find that you have damaged the mechanism which controls the position of your shutters which may prevent them from opening properly in the future.
The shutters installed to your home or business require regular use, as this will keep the mechanisms well lubricated and prevent the build-up of rust. Rather than leave your security roller shutters in the up or down position for months on end, consider operating them at least once a week to keep everything working as it should. Regular use should prevent the need for maintenance outside of the scheduled maintenance period.
If you do find that your roller shutters have become damaged or are no longer working as they should, we would recommend getting in touch with the company that installed them on your behalf. If this isn't possible, simply contact a suitable roller shutter installation company in your area who should be able to provide you with the assistance you require.


text:
Home / News / Construction & Development / Lofts planned for historic building in Lowertown
Mike Sowers of Commercial Investors Group is redeveloping a historic former club with retail, restaurants and apartments. The Green Line light rail Union Depot station can be seen on the right. (Submitted photo: CoStar Group)
Lofts planned for historic building in Lowertown
By: William Morris	April 5, 2019 3:21 pm
Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated the name of developer Mike Sowers in a photo caption. A vacant historic building within spitting distance of a light rail station is slated for a new life with apartments, retailers and restaurants in downtown St. Paul. The former industrial building at 201 Fourth St. E. in Lowertown was ...
070319-3 Lowertown 3:21 pm Fri, April 5, 2019 Finance & Commerce


For a variety of reasons (the holidays, family obligations, etc.) the 50 Years of 007 write-up on Skyfall has been postponed until after the film's home video release in a couple months. In the meantime, here's Cody's opening weekend reaction: (Inter)National Hero.
The film series' 50th anniversary year may be coming to an end, but James Bond Will Return.
Planes and trains take Cody out of 2012.
Cody Hamman celebrates the holiday by showing Film Appreciation for the 1985 sci-fi actioner Trancers.
Cody watches the world end, Canada style.
Cody takes a look at a maligned favorite.
Part III covers the first three films... and hints at a new Halloween treat.
Cody turned another year older this week and celebrated by watching an '80s slasher.
Cody rambles on about Daniel Craig's Bond debut.


text:
Home » TalkZone Talk Channel » The Conspiracy Show » Ebola Terrorism
Ebola Terrorism
Richard welcomes a nationally recognized expert on radical Islam to discuss the possibility that a virulent outbreak of the Ebola virus and Islamist radicalism could converge into one single threat. Then, author and filmmaker Rob Skiba discusses a number of mysteries in the Bible that relate to the UFO/ET phenomenon.
Episode Segments:
The Conspiracy Show: Ebola Terrorism
Unlike smallpox, which is hard to come by, the Ebola infection is raging right now in parts of Africa where Islamist extremists could have easy access. Ebola has up to a 21-day incubation period — more than enough time for terrorists to infect themselves and then come here with the virus. In a nightmare scenario, suicide bombers infected with Ebola could blow themselves up in a crowded place — say, shopping malls in Oklahoma City, Philadelphia and Atlanta — spreading infected tissue and bodily fluids. We ask the question: How in the world can we stop this from happening? Our guest is Dan Perkins, author of The Brotherhood of the Red Nile Trilogy.
The Conspiracy Show: Aliens in the Bible
Richard welcomes author and filmmaker Rob Skiba to discuss a number of mysteries in the Bible that relate to the UFO/ET phenomenon. What is the connection between Mount Hermon, located between Syria and Lebanon, and the Roswell UFO crash in 1947? Who or what are Archons? Why did Jesus say that in the End Times it would be as it was in the times of Noah?
Guest(s) Appearing on this Episode
Dan Perkins
Dan Perkins is a master storyteller and author of The Brotherhood of the Red Nile Trilogy, which centers around Islamic nuclear terrorism against the USA. He is a nationally recognized expert on radical Islam.
Rob Skiba
Rob Skiba is an award winning documentary filmmaker and the best-selling author of several books including: Babylon Rising: And The First Shall Be Last and Archon Invasion: The Rise, Fall and Return of the Nephilim. As an "ancient Nephilim theorist," Rob brings a unique and often unheard perspective to the UFO/alien discussion. He is now an internationally recognized public speaker on these subjects, often appearing on paranormal and prophecy talk shows and as a featured, keynote speaker at conferences all around the world.
As a graduate of the Hollywood Film Institute, his life‐long dream has been to produce powerful television and motion picture productions. He is currently working full‐time on the development and production of SEED the series.
Order Rob's Books
The Conspiracy Show
Richard Syrett
Don't Box Me In
Everything Old Is New Again
Heaven Sent And Bent
Here's Theresa!
IANDS Presents NDE Radio
InfoTrak
Let's Talk With Emma
Mayo Clinic Radio
Percival's Place
Relationship Straight Talk
The Dave Baum Show
The Hydn Rousseau Show
The Jolyn Thomas Show
The Pain-Free Zone
The Path To A Better Future
The Staying Young Radio Show
The Urban Connection
Tiff's Logic
Truth And Logic


Here at Thornhill Baptist Church we hold many regular events which you can get involved with. Feel free to attend and you will be given a warm welcome. There are various events throughout the week which are listed in our pages on the left hand side, but if you would like to see all the events happening throughout the month then visit our Calendar for more details.


text:
Resources

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Generated Serverspec

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


I'm piecing together a wireless notebook computer for my wife (her first!), and so far it comprises an iBook from Cort with a crashed hard drive, a Toshiba drive from Jeremy, and a refurbished Airport Extreme card from Apple. Silly eBayers take note: You can get the card straight from Apple for only $29 plus shipping; and the shipping from Apple is only $4, not $9.99.
Cort had cannibalized the Airport card out of the iBook to trade for a dead card in another machine, so the iBook came without any wireless. Jeremy had a dead Airport card that he offered me, and I figured I'd at least see whether I could revive it. It didn't even show up in System Profiler, so I didn't expect much likelihood of success, but it was worth a quick look for loose connections.
It turns out I was extremely unlikely to have been able to find anything that I could fix, and indeed I didn't, so I ordered the refurb card tonight. But since I can't find any pictures online of the inside of an Airport Extreme card, I thought I might as well post what I took.
The top and bottom plates of the card are spot-welded together along the edges, so the first step was filing out the welds with a rat-tail file. After that, there were still some tabs to pry out before it could be opened, but they were fairly easy.
And that's what there is. Nothing in there really subject to stress from normal use or jostling. I looked it over with a magnifying glass anyway, but nothing leaped out at me. I'm guessing the Broadcom chip bit the dust, for no reason I'll ever know.
I'm fascinated by the tiny capacitors. I measured them at about 20 x 40 mils, which makes them 0402 packages.
The caps on the back side are even smaller (and harder to measure accurately). I came up with about 10 x about 20 mils, which is 0201. Good lands, those are small.
Now I want an excuse to try to solder one.
You are currently browsing the Keith's Electronics Blog blog archives for March, 2008.


text:
All articles in 'Development'
Africa 2022 – A Somali Perspective
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Russian Policy Failing Africa's Sustainable Develo...
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The Value of Diagnostics
Prompt and accurate diagnosis ensures the best possible care, in time to potentially prevent or slow...
Building a China-Africa Community With a Shared Fu...
This year marks the 65th anniversary of the start of diplomatic relations between China and African...
COP-26 - $2 Trillion for Africa, 'Gbet'!!
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How Global Developments are Affecting Africa
Africa is, of course, part and parcel of the wider global system
B3W versus BRI: What Are the Prospects for Africa?
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Building a Centre of Gravity for Africa
We must, where we can, build a centre of gravity for the African race.
The Tripartite Alliance Destabilising the Horn of...
The common political vision of the leaders of Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia threatens to throw the r...
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Showing page 1 of 28 (828 articles found)


text:
Nationwide Actions for Nov. 25 — Solidarity with the Refugee Caravan!
The Migrant and Refugee Solidarity Coalition in the San Diego area has formed and put out an International Call to Action for the Refugee Caravan and Central American Exodus for Sunday, Nov. 25, to coincide with a march to the border that day.
The Party for Socialism and Liberation endorses this call to action and is mobilizing its branches and supporters nationwide to take part in this Call to Action. Above is a map and listing of all the cities where we are participating. (To add your action to the map, use this form.)
Thousands of refugees, mostly from Honduras, have made their way over 2,600 miles to Tijuana on the U.S.- Mexico border to apply for refugee status in the United States. They have joined as individuals and whole families to overcome incredible odds on the journey, walking many miles each day before the sun rises, often eating while walking because there was no time to stop.
Trump has continued to play to the most racist and right-wing elements in his electoral base hyping up a frenzy against the struggling refugees as "invaders " and "criminals". By sending troops, Trump and the White House is dangerously militarizing the border against all people. Against this bigotry is the growing tide of international public support for the caravan, including in the U.S., where more and more people are seeing through the scapegoating tactics.
Immigrants and refugees are not the enemy. Multinational corporations and government policies are responsible for outsourcing, stretched social services and stagnant wages in the United States—not immigrants. The caravanistas are fleeing unlivable conditions and chaos largely caused by the same U.S. ruling class, which pushed coups, interventions and free trade agreements in their countries. The U.S.- supported coup of President Mel Zelaya in Honduras, June 2009, has created enormous repression and poverty there.
The demands put out by the Migrant and Refugee Solidarity Coalition are:
Respect for the right of asylum for all members of the Central American Exodus. Stop the profiling and criminalization of refugees; lift the executive order limiting access to asylum.
Process all asylum claims made at Ports of Entry with expediency. We reject Custom and Border Protection's claim that Port of Entries lack capacity to let in refugees. We also reject the shift away from decades of international asylum agreements that allow for requests to be made anywhere on the border.
The US government must publicly acknowledge a) its role in Honduran Coup in 2009, b) that the Honduran government is a US supported dictatorship, and c) recognize the political and social crises throughout Central America as caused by US foreign policy.
Call for international solidarity beyond the US and Mexico. The United Nations and Red Cross must also recognize the Humanitarian crisis at the US/Mexico Border.
We demand freedom for incarcerated migrants now and free movement for asylum seekers. No incarceration of migrants in shelters or for-profit detention centers.
No impunity for governments that violate international asylum agreements and processes. Prosecute officials who violate the human right to seek asylum in any country of their preference.
For the full statement from the San Diego Migrant and Refugee Solidarity Coalition, and to see an updated list of endorsing organizations, click here.


text:
Q: How to Perform Segue With Delay In my storyboard, I have a view as a splash screen. In this view, I already have a button like "Open Application" that is opening the menu view with a modal segue. But I also want screen to perform segue automatically, like after 2 seconds view appears.
Some code here:
- (void)viewDidAppear:(BOOL)animated
{
    [self performSegueWithIdentifier:@"splashScreenSegue" sender:self];
}

As you can see, I already use performSegueWithIdentifier but it performs immediately. Is there a method to make it delay?
Thanks in advance.

A: I think there is a better approach which lets the controller itself to handle dispatching issues. You can achieve it like this:
first create a method like this which later you will use its selector
- (void)showAnotherViewController{
    [self performSegueWithIdentifier:@"yourSegueToAnotherViewController" sender:self];
}

Then when you want to show another view controller after delay use this line of code inside your current view controller:
[self performSelector:@selector(showAnotherViewController) withObject:nil afterDelay:yourDelayInSeconds];

A: You can achieve that by calling:
let delayInSeconds = 0.8
let segueIdentifier = "your segue id"
DispatchQueue.main.asyncAfter(deadline: .now() + delayInSeconds) { [unowned self] in
    self.performSegue(withIdentifier: segueIdentifier, sender: nil)
}

A: You can use GCD's dispatch_after to execute your segue code 2 seconds after the view appears, e.x:
- (void)viewDidAppear:(BOOL)animated
{
    [super viewDidAppear:animated];

    double delayInSeconds = 2.0;
    dispatch_time_t popTime = dispatch_time(DISPATCH_TIME_NOW, (int64_t)(delayInSeconds * NSEC_PER_SEC));
    dispatch_after(popTime, dispatch_get_main_queue(), ^(void){
        [self performSegueWithIdentifier:@"splashScreenSegue" sender:self];
    });
}

Additionally, please make sure that you remember to call the super implementation when overriding UIViewController's life cycle methods.


text:
Q: Slow inference times for Tensorflow Object Detection API I've been working with the Tensorflow Object Detection API - In my case, I'm attempting to detect vehicles in still images using the kitti-trained model (faster_rcnn_resnet101_kitti_2018_01_28) from the model zoo and I am using code modified from the object_detection_tutorial jupyter notebook included in the github repository .
I have included my modified code below but am finding the same results with the original notebook from github.
When running on a jupyter notebook server on an Amazon AWS g3x4large (GPU) instance with the deep learning AMI, it takes just shy of 4 seconds to process a single image.  The time for the inference function is 1.3-1.5 seconds (see code below) - which seems ABNORMALLY high for the reported inference times for the model (20ms).  While I don't expect to hit the reported mark, my times seem out of line and are impractical for my needs.  I'm looking at processing 1-million+ images at a time and can't afford 46 days of processing time.  Given that the model is used on video frame captures....I would think it should be possible to cut time per image to under 1 second, at least.
My questions are:
1) What explanations/solutions exist to reduce inference time?
2) Is 1.5 seconds to convert an image to a numpy (prior to processing) out-of-line?
3) If this is the best performance I can expect, how much increase in time could I hope to gain from reworking the model to batch process images?
Thanks for any help!
Code from python notebook:
import numpy as np
import os
import six.moves.urllib as urllib
import sys
import tarfile
import tensorflow as tf
import zipfile
import json
import collections
import os.path
import datetime

from collections import defaultdict
from io import StringIO
from matplotlib import pyplot as plt
from PIL import Image

# This is needed since the notebook is stored in the object_detection folder.
sys.path.append("..")

# This is needed to display the images.
get_ipython().magic('matplotlib inline')

#Setup variables
PATH_TO_TEST_IMAGES_DIR = 'test_images'

MODEL_NAME = 'faster_rcnn_resnet101_kitti_2018_01_28'

# Path to frozen detection graph. This is the actual model that is used for the object detection.
PATH_TO_CKPT = MODEL_NAME + '/frozen_inference_graph.pb'

# List of the strings that is used to add correct label for each box.
PATH_TO_LABELS = os.path.join('data', 'kitti_label_map.pbtxt')

NUM_CLASSES = 2

from utils import label_map_util
from utils import visualization_utils as vis_util

def get_scores(
    boxes,
    classes,
    scores,
    category_index,
    min_score_thresh=.5
):

  import collections
  # Create a display string (and color) for every box location, group any boxes
  # that correspond to the same location.
  box_to_display_str_map = collections.defaultdict(list)

  for i in range(boxes.shape[0]):
    if scores is None or scores[i] > min_score_thresh:
      box = tuple(boxes[i].tolist())
      if scores is None:
        box_to_color_map[box] = groundtruth_box_visualization_color
      else:
        display_str = ''
        if classes[i] in category_index.keys():
          class_name = category_index[classes[i]]['name']
        else:
          class_name = 'N/A'
        display_str = str(class_name)
        if not display_str:
          display_str = '{}%'.format(int(100*scores[i]))
        else:
          display_str = '{}: {}%'.format(display_str, int(100*scores[i]))
        box_to_display_str_map[i].append(display_str)

  return box_to_display_str_map

def load_image_into_numpy_array(image):
  (im_width, im_height) = image.size
  return np.array(image.getdata()).reshape(
      (im_height, im_width, 3)).astype(np.uint8)

def run_inference_for_single_image(image, graph):
  with graph.as_default():
    with tf.Session() as sess:
      # Get handles to input and output tensors
      ops = tf.get_default_graph().get_operations()
      all_tensor_names = {output.name for op in ops for output in op.outputs}
      tensor_dict = {}
      for key in [
          'num_detections', 'detection_boxes', 'detection_scores',
          'detection_classes', 'detection_masks'
      ]:
        tensor_name = key + ':0'
        if tensor_name in all_tensor_names:
          tensor_dict[key] = tf.get_default_graph().get_tensor_by_name(
              tensor_name)
      if 'detection_masks' in tensor_dict:
        # The following processing is only for single image
        detection_boxes = tf.squeeze(tensor_dict['detection_boxes'], [0])
        detection_masks = tf.squeeze(tensor_dict['detection_masks'], [0])
        # Reframe is required to translate mask from box coordinates to image coordinates and fit the image size.
        real_num_detection = tf.cast(tensor_dict['num_detections'][0], tf.int32)
        detection_boxes = tf.slice(detection_boxes, [0, 0], [real_num_detection, -1])
        detection_masks = tf.slice(detection_masks, [0, 0, 0], [real_num_detection, -1, -1])
        detection_masks_reframed = utils_ops.reframe_box_masks_to_image_masks(
            detection_masks, detection_boxes, image.shape[0], image.shape[1])
        detection_masks_reframed = tf.cast(
            tf.greater(detection_masks_reframed, 0.5), tf.uint8)
        # Follow the convention by adding back the batch dimension
        tensor_dict['detection_masks'] = tf.expand_dims(
            detection_masks_reframed, 0)
      image_tensor = tf.get_default_graph().get_tensor_by_name('image_tensor:0')

      # Run inference
      output_dict = sess.run(tensor_dict,
                             feed_dict={image_tensor: np.expand_dims(image, 0)})

      # all outputs are float32 numpy arrays, so convert types as appropriate
      output_dict['num_detections'] = int(output_dict['num_detections'][0])
      output_dict['detection_classes'] = output_dict[
          'detection_classes'][0].astype(np.uint8)
      output_dict['detection_boxes'] = output_dict['detection_boxes'][0]
      output_dict['detection_scores'] = output_dict['detection_scores'][0]
      if 'detection_masks' in output_dict:
        output_dict['detection_masks'] = output_dict['detection_masks'][0]
  return output_dict

#get list of paths
exten='.jpg'
TEST_IMAGE_PATHS=[]

for dirpath, dirnames, files in os.walk(PATH_TO_TEST_IMAGES_DIR):
    for name in files:
        if name.lower().endswith(exten):
            #print(os.path.join(dirpath,name))
            TEST_IMAGE_PATHS.append(os.path.join(dirpath,name))
print((len(TEST_IMAGE_PATHS), 'Images To Process'))

#load model graph for inference
detection_graph = tf.Graph()
with detection_graph.as_default():
  od_graph_def = tf.GraphDef()
  with tf.gfile.GFile(PATH_TO_CKPT, 'rb') as fid:
    serialized_graph = fid.read()
    od_graph_def.ParseFromString(serialized_graph)
    tf.import_graph_def(od_graph_def, name='')

#setup class labeling parameters
label_map = label_map_util.load_labelmap(PATH_TO_LABELS)
categories = label_map_util.convert_label_map_to_categories(label_map, max_num_classes=NUM_CLASSES, use_display_name=True)
category_index = label_map_util.create_category_index(categories)

#placeholder for timings
myTimings=[]

myX = 1
myResults = collections.defaultdict(list)
for image_path in TEST_IMAGE_PATHS:
  if os.path.exists(image_path):
    print(myX,"--------------------------------------",datetime.datetime.time(datetime.datetime.now()))
    print(myX,"Image:", image_path)
    myTimings.append((myX,"Image", image_path))
    print(myX,"Open:",datetime.datetime.time(datetime.datetime.now()))
    myTimings.append((myX,"Open",datetime.datetime.time(datetime.datetime.now()).__str__()))
    image = Image.open(image_path)
    # the array based representation of the image will be used later in order to prepare the
    # result image with boxes and labels on it.
    print(myX,"Numpy:",datetime.datetime.time(datetime.datetime.now()))
    myTimings.append((myX,"Numpy",datetime.datetime.time(datetime.datetime.now()).__str__()))
    image_np = load_image_into_numpy_array(image)
    # Expand dimensions since the model expects images to have shape: [1, None, None, 3]
    print(myX,"Expand:",datetime.datetime.time(datetime.datetime.now()))
    myTimings.append((myX,"Expand",datetime.datetime.time(datetime.datetime.now()).__str__()))
    image_np_expanded = np.expand_dims(image_np, axis=0)
    # Actual detection.
    print(myX,"Detect:",datetime.datetime.time(datetime.datetime.now()))
    myTimings.append((myX,"Detect",datetime.datetime.time(datetime.datetime.now()).__str__()))
    output_dict = run_inference_for_single_image(image_np, detection_graph)
    # Visualization of the results of a detection.
    print(myX,"Export:",datetime.datetime.time(datetime.datetime.now()))
    myTimings.append((myX,"Export",datetime.datetime.time(datetime.datetime.now()).__str__()))
    op=get_scores(
      output_dict['detection_boxes'],
      output_dict['detection_classes'],
      output_dict['detection_scores'],
      category_index,
      min_score_thresh=.2)
    myResults[image_path].append(op)
    print(myX,"Done:", datetime.datetime.time(datetime.datetime.now()))
    myTimings.append((myX,"Done", datetime.datetime.time(datetime.datetime.now()).__str__()))
    myX= myX + 1

#save results
with open((OUTPUTS_BASENAME+'_Results.json'), 'w') as fout:
    json.dump(myResults, fout)
with open((OUTPUTS_BASENAME+'_Timings.json'), 'w') as fout:
    json.dump(myTimings, fout)

Example Of Timings:
[1, "Image", "test_images/DE4T_11Jan2018/MFDC4612.JPG"]
[1, "Open", "19:20:08.029423"]
[1, "Numpy", "19:20:08.052679"]
[1, "Expand", "19:20:09.977166"]
[1, "Detect", "19:20:09.977250"]
[1, "Export", "19:23:13.902443"]
[1, "Done", "19:23:13.903012"]
[2, "Image", "test_images/DE4T_11Jan2018/MFDC4616.JPG"]
[2, "Open", "19:23:13.903885"]
[2, "Numpy", "19:23:13.906320"]
[2, "Expand", "19:23:15.756308"]
[2, "Detect", "19:23:15.756597"]
[2, "Export", "19:23:17.153233"]
[2, "Done", "19:23:17.153699"]
[3, "Image", "test_images/DE4T_11Jan2018/MFDC4681.JPG"]
[3, "Open", "19:23:17.154510"]
[3, "Numpy", "19:23:17.156576"]
[3, "Expand", "19:23:19.012935"]
[3, "Detect", "19:23:19.013013"]
[3, "Export", "19:23:20.323839"]
[3, "Done", "19:23:20.324307"]
[4, "Image", "test_images/DE4T_11Jan2018/MFDC4697.JPG"]
[4, "Open", "19:23:20.324791"]
[4, "Numpy", "19:23:20.327136"]
[4, "Expand", "19:23:22.175578"]
[4, "Detect", "19:23:22.175658"]
[4, "Export", "19:23:23.472040"]
[4, "Done", "19:23:23.472297"]

A: 1) What you can do is load the video directly instead of images, then change "run_inference_for_single_image()" to create the session once and load the images/video in it (re-creating the graph is very slow). Furthermore, you can edit the pipeline config file to reduce the number of proposals, which will directly speedup inference. Note you have to re-export the graph afterwards (https://github.com/tensorflow/models/blob/master/research/object_detection/g3doc/exporting_models.md). Batch also helps (though I am sorry, I forgot by how much) and finally, you can employ multiprocessing to offload CPU specific operations (drawing bounding boxes, loading data) to utilize the GPU better.
2) Is 1.5 seconds to convert an image to a numpy (prior to processing) out-of-line <- yes, that is insanely slow and there is plenty of room for improvement.
3) While I don't know the exact gpu at AWS (k80?), you should be able to get over 10fps on a geforce 1080TI with all fixes, which is in line with the 79ms time they reported (where did you get 20ms for faster-rcnn_resnet_101?? )

A: You could also try OpenVINO for better performance of the inference. It optimizes the inference time by e.g. graph pruning and fusing some operations. OpenVINO is optimized for Intel hardware but it should work with any CPU (even with Cloud).
Here are some performance benchmarks for the Faster RCNN Resnet model and various  CPUs.
It's rather straightforward to convert the Tensorflow model to OpenVINO unless you have fancy custom layers. The full tutorial on how to do it can be found here. Some snippets below.
Install OpenVINO
The easiest way to do it is using PIP. Alternatively, you can use this tool to find the best way in your case.
pip install openvino-dev[tensorflow2]

Use Model Optimizer to convert SavedModel model
The Model Optimizer is a command-line tool that comes from OpenVINO Development Package. It converts the Tensorflow model to IR, which is a default format for OpenVINO. You can also try the precision of FP16, which should give you better performance without a significant accuracy drop (just change data_type). Run in the command line:
mo --saved_model_dir "model" --input_shape "[1, 3, 224, 224]" --data_type FP32 --output_dir "model_ir"

Run the inference
The converted model can be loaded by the runtime and compiled for a specific device e.g. CPU or GPU (integrated into your CPU like Intel HD Graphics). If you don't know what is the best choice for you, just use AUTO.
# Load the network
ie = Core()
model_ir = ie.read_model(model="model_ir/model.xml")
compiled_model_ir = ie.compile_model(model=model_ir, device_name="CPU")

# Get output layer
output_layer_ir = compiled_model_ir.output(0)

# Run inference on the input image
result = compiled_model_ir([input_image])[output_layer_ir]

There is even [OpenVINO Model Server][5] which is very similar to Tensorflow Serving.
Disclaimer: I work on OpenVINO.


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Now, we can make our documents look like printing. It's great, especially when we use a good typeface (Georgia, Palatino) and good spacing and design. We can move text around effortlessly and duplicate clauses in repetitive documents. But new technology brings new pitfalls.
The ability to cut and paste allows us to easily move paragraphs around. But we need to watch out. I've seen them obviously out of order.
Even worse, some lawyers start their briefs the same way each time. With one lawyer's briefs, I know that "In this case…" starts in the middle of page six. Everything before that is boilerplate about the standard of review in a criminal case.
And have you ever been caught by Spellcheck? Of course – we all have. Spellcheck is a great tool. But it has its limitations.
You might mean constitution, but if you type it wrong, Spellcheck might think you mean constipation. And don't even think about the penal system.
For years, the Ohio Judicial College used envelopes with the return address Judicial Collage. Collage was spelled correctly and was alphabetically before college, so in it went.
I read in a brief that "the law is defiantly clear…" Puzzled, I made a few entries and discovered the genesis: if you mistype definitely as definantly – a common enough error – Spellcheck will suggest defiantly.
Just make sure to (1) do the final edit, and (2) keep your cursor over skip, not replace. And have someone else proof your text. Spellcheck is a great tool for catching typos and misspellings – but there is no substitute for old-fashioned proofreading.
Earlier this year, California lawyer Arthur Dudley failed to check his final draft of an appellate brief after it had been Spellchecked by someone. He had used sua sponte a half-dozen times. Sua was changed to sea and sponte was changed to sponge. As in, "it is well settled that a trial court must instruct sea sponge on any defense." Good thing his first name isn't Bob.
And talk about proofreading – twelve pairs of eyes (at least) missed the marshal for martial in May's column. But at least a dozen alert readers caught it.
Paralegal Carolyn Lindsley of Cincinnati asked me to comment about everyday. Too often we see everyday used incorrectly. "This is an everyday occurrence" is correct. "This occurs everyday" is wrong. Lawyers improve our lives every day, not everyday.
Mark Painter has served as a judge on the Ohio First District Court of Appeals for 11 years, after 13 years on the Hamilton County Municipal Court. He has taught as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Law since 1990. Judge Painter has given dozens of seminars on legal writing. Contact him through his website, www.judgepainter.org.


Cheap Chinese 5G technology isn't all that cheap when you factor in the government time and resources needed to make it safe — or at least safer — to use, a new NATO Center of Excellencereport says.
That's the warning from a new report by the NATO's Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence, or CCDCOE, which notes the considerable risks of importing next-generation telecom equipment from Chinese hardware and software maker Huawei. Acknowledging that alliance governments are unlikely to issue the "blanket bans" sought by U.S. officials, the report recommends instead a lot more government supervision of what companies like Huawei are building.
The CCDCOE paper surmises that this kind of careful and consistent government attention, rather than a blanket ban, is the only way to address the risks posed by Huawei. "The head of NCSC recently recognized that this detailed, formal oversight, building on a decade of formally agreed mitigation strategy and detailed provision of information, means that the UK regime is arguably the toughest and most rigorous oversight regime in the world for Huawei, and that it is proving its worth," it says.


The same company discussed on LA Indy Media's main web page today "History Is Repeating Itself Regarding Deceptions For War" -- the Hill & Knowlton PR firm -- is the same PR firm that the notorious Scientology company uses.
I've been reading web sites covering some of the more blatant lies this Bush administration has been shoving down America's throat and when I came to LA Indy Media's web page, what should I find but a mention that Bush and his regime had to use an equally notorious PR firm to help them sell their lies to the ignorant, gullible sheep.
Is there _zero_ irony in the fact that Bush has to use the same PR firm? It means that Bush and his regime at leat knows their lying is so incompetent that they had to bring in professional liars for hire.