text:
Q: Is it possible to have a mysql table refer to a table in a foreign database? Is it possible to use a mysql table transparently though the table is an alias for a table in a foreign database?

A: The standard doesn't support it, neither implementation of mysql db.


On Sunday 21st April 2019 the sun will rise at 06:07 and will set at 20:20. It's going to be quite a warm day, with temperatures reaching 24.1°C. Today is expected to be a dry day, with a very low chance of rain. There will be a gentle breeze in the air today, with a maximum expected wind speed of 15mph.
On Monday 22nd April 2019 the sun will rise at 06:05 and will set at 20:22. It's going to be quite a warm day, with temperatures reaching 23°C. Today is expected to be a dry day, with a very low chance of rain. It will be quite a breezy day, with a maximum expected wind speed of 25mph.
On Tuesday 23rd April 2019 the sun will rise at 06:03 and will set at 20:23. It will be a mild day, with temperatures reaching around 16.3°C. A few showers are expected, 4mm of rainfall is possible today. It will be quite a breezy day, with a maximum expected wind speed of 29mph.
On Wednesday 24th April 2019 the sun will rise at 06:01 and will set at 20:25. It will be a mild day, with temperatures reaching around 9°C. Heavy rain which could cause some standing water is expected, 10mm of rainfall is possible today. Some quite strong winds are possible today, with a maximum expected wind speed of 53mph.
On Thursday 25th April 2019 the sun will rise at 05:59 and will set at 20:26. It will be a mild day, with temperatures reaching around 6.9°C. Heavy rain which could cause some standing water is expected, 13mm of rainfall is possible today. It could be quite a gusty day today, with a maximum expected wind speed of 49mph.
On Friday 26th April 2019 the sun will rise at 05:57 and will set at 20:28. It will be a mild day, with temperatures reaching around 6.9°C. Some moderate to heavy rain is expected, 7mm of rainfall is possible today. Some quite strong winds are possible today, with a maximum expected wind speed of 68mph.
On Saturday 27th April 2019 the sun will rise at 05:55 and will set at 20:30. It will be a mild day, with temperatures reaching around 8.2°C. Some moderate to heavy rain is expected, 5mm of rainfall is possible today. Some quite strong winds are possible today, with a maximum expected wind speed of 60mph.


In addition, you'll find a link to the TripAdvisor Forum for KeyserIf you have a question about your travel plans, post it on their Forum and see if others can give you an answer.
All of this can be found on the TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Keyser.
Below is a list of those communities which have a TripAdvisor Tourism page and are relatively close to Keyser - within 50 miles [80.5 km]<1>.
Unfortunately, we don't know of an official website for Keyser. If you can help, please contact us through our Feedback Page.
<1> Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Keyser) to Point B.
Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Keyser. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 39.4397, Longitude: -78.9823 [Map]. In this case, the coordinates for Keyser have been provided by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).


Sekiro Shadows Die Twice contains Combat Styles (Skill Sets). You can also get individual Combat Arts (combat skills) from merchants. Acquiring all Skills unlocks the Height of Technique trophy or achievement. For it you only need the purchasable skills (the skills that cost points), not the ones that are dropped from bosses.
Combat Styles: Are awarded to you from general game progression and side quest rewards. These unlock skill trees. You earn XP by killing enemies (XP gauge in top right corner). Fill up the gauge to get a skill point. Then you can spend the skill points at any idol statue. There are 3 types of skills. Red skills are "Combat Arts" (unique attack moves, only one can be equipped at a time), Orange skills are "Latent Skills" (passive boosts and buffs that are always active), Blue skills are "Martial Arts" (new moves that don't need to be equipped). Each Combat Style introduces new skills.
Individual Skills: Are bought from some merchants in the game or dropped by certain bosses. They often add a new Combat Art that can be equipped in the inventory.
We'll start with the Combat Styles and then go through the purchasable Skills.
These are the main skill sets in the game that have lots of sub-skills.
Requirement: Fill up your XP gauge once (blue bar top right corner) to earn 1 skill point. Then return to the Sculptor at the Dilapidated Temple to get the Shinobi Esoteric Text, which unlocks this combat style.
Requirement: Find 3 Prosthetic Tools and bring them to the Sculptor at the Dilapidated Temple. Let him fit them to your arm and he'll give you the Prosthetic Esoteric Text after the 3rd tool. See Sekiro Shadows Die Twice All Prosthetic Tool Locations.
Warning: This is missable, the NPC that gives this combat art disappears later in the game.
Requirement: After defeating the first main boss "Gyoubu Oniwa" (guy on horse), you will reach the Ashina Castle Gate idol. From where the boss fight happened, run across the battleground and up some stairs (not the stairs by the idol, the ones on the other side of the battleground). There you'll find a friendly samurai inside a building. He's called Tengu and gives you the "Rats" side quest (Screenshot 1 below). You must kill 3 small enemies that have big bamboo hats. Backtrack to the Ashina Castle Gate idol. This time, go through the gate by the idol. Pass by the single rifleman here and jump up to the area on the right side. There you find 3 of those "rat" enemies (Screenshot 2 below, they are midgets, not actual rat animals). Stealth kill 1 or 2 of them and return to the quest giver to get the Ashina Esoteric Text.
Requirement: From the 4th idol in Senpou Temple region, called "Main Hall", leave the hall the way you came and then go through the dark tunnel section. In the tunnel you must drop down and then crouch under some rocks. After the tunnel you get back outside and reach a dead-end. There's only one temple there and two poison geckos. Open the temple door, inside you find the Senpou Esoteric Text.
Requirement: This is missable if you go for the Shura Ending (betraying Kuro)! Instead, you must stay loyal to Kuro. After having defeated Corrupted Monk (Ashina Depths) & Guardian Ape (Sunken Valley) all idols in Ashina Castle will become unavailable. You then need to get back there through the Abandoned Dungeon and head back to Kuro's Room. Here on the tower roof you are given two dialogue choices: Betray Kuro or Stay Loyal to Kuro. You must pick the 2nd option to stay loyal to him. Only then you can reach the next area "Fountainhead Palace", where you must defeat the Divine Dragon main boss. After defeating Divine Dragon you automatically get teleported back to Kuro's Room. There Isshin Ashina will be dead on the floor with Emma sitting next to him. Talk to Emma and she'll pass on Isshin's Mushin Esoteric Text, which unlocks all Ultimate Combat Arts.
These are individual skills bought from merchants and dropped by certain bosses. These are NOT needed for the "Height of Technique" trophy and achievement (acquired all Skills).
Anti-Air Deathblow: Found in Region "Ashina Castle", Idol "Old Grave". From this idol jump down the left side to a building with a broken roof below you. Inside sits a merchant that sells this skill for 1200 coins, the item is called Anti-air Deathblow Text.
Floating Passage Combat Art: Found in Region "Hirata Estate", Idol "Dragonspring". From this idol, jump down the hill. You'll see a bridge on the left and a lake on the right. Go to the lake. There's a guy in a barrel calling for treasure carp scales. He sells this skill for 5 scales. You can kill the fish in this lake and more are found later in the Hirata Estate region and other regions. See Sekiro Shadows Die Twice – All Treasure Carp Scale Locations.
Shinobi Medicine Rank 1: Dropped by Chained Ogre miniboss in Ashina Outskirts.
Shinobi Medicine Rank 2: Dropped by Blazing Bull miniboss in Ashina Castle.
Breath of Nature Shadow: Dropped by Armored Warrior miniboss in Senpou Temple, Mt. Kongo.
Breath of Life Shadow: Dropped by O'rin of the Water miniboss in Ashina Depths.
Mibu Breathing Technique: Dropped by Corrupted Monk main boss in Ashina Depths.
One Mind: Dropped by the endboss in the Shura Ending (not needed for Height of Technique trophy and achievement).
A Beast's Karma: Dropped by Sakura Bull of the Palace miniboss in Fountainhead Palace.
Shinobi Medicine Rank 3: Dropped by Chained Ogre miniboss in Ashina Castle. Only spawns after the idols there get locked near end of story.
Dragon Flash: Dropped by the endboss in the Purification / Return / Mortal Severance Endings (Isshin the Sword Saint).
That's all of the Sekiro Shadows Die Twice Skills!
Senpou Arts are named Temple Arts in-game.
Indeed, I changed that. The Esoteric Text was just called Senpou but in skill tree it's named Temple Arts.
I think I'm missing something. I bought the Anti-air Deathblow Text but don't have the Mortal Draw.
Have you unlocked the Mortal Blade yet? (finished Senpou Temple region). That MIGHT be needed as well. Please let me know if that unlocks it then.
I mean the latent skill you got on headless and shichimen are required to unlock this trophy? Or just the one in the skill tree to learn plus the skill of the final boss of shura ending?
I recently bought a prosthetic tool from the merchant in Old Grave, and left the area. When I heard about Mortal Draw, I went back to buy it, but the merchant wasn't there anymore! Where did he go?
He goes to the Senpou Temple and then to Sunken Valley Cavern, then he says he'll go back to the castle but i couldnt find him. Although i was a able to buy the skill from the box next to the undying tutorial guy at the Dilapidated Templ.
He says it, but he hasn't returned yet in my game. He still stays in front of his child's grave.
Firstly, great guide, finished almost whole game with it, thanks alot, you made it alot easier.
I just have a problem, I forgot to pick up Ashina Arts earlier in the game, so now I am at final boss (Return ending) and I can reach Ashina Castle Gate, tried it by foot but door is on fire and all other ways are blocked. Is there any other way to get there? I even tried from temple but bridge is broken and I cant go anywhere else.
The guy who gives you the quest is actually Isshin in disguise, so if you haven't done it yet you should probably try and find Isshin and he will give it to you. Granted you are at the very end, I don't know if that's possible. I myself just got it from him and I've just killed Owl so he was still hanging at his room.
Probably not, but when you get it in NG+ don't forget to master it, cuz he will move to the serpent shrine and will give you a new skill tree after mastering the 1st one he gave you.
If you acquire a special technique at the end of any of the texts (e.g. Shadow rush), you can talk to Isshin at the Great Serpent Shrine and he'll give you a text called Mushin Arts.
This allows you to upgrade your special techniques, for example Shadow Rush can be upgraded into Shadowfall or Spiral Cloud Passage.
We should learn all of the skills in 5 tree we have?
If someone else has not already commented the final skill for Temple Arts is called High Monk.
Don't you unlock a skill for the Shura ending? Does that count towards the trophy?
you do get a skill, I think it is called one mind. I have no idea if it counts though. I just made a save with the ng+ shura/immortal ending on a flash drive and plan on doing all skills from that after I get the lapis for upgrades.
would like to know that too… if you find out please let us know.
FYI, you can get the Mushin text by talking to Issin in his room before heading into Fountainhead.
I'd done pretty much everything I could do up to that point, except head into Ashina Estate to kill Owl Father.
When you said "Acquiring all Skills unlocks the Height of Technique trophy or achievement," does this mean that I have to BUY every single skill? It would take me 54 individual levels. Or do you mean that the abilities have to be visible but not necessarily purchased? (some of the final chart abilities still has a lock on them).
Must BUY all of them. And yes, it takes a ton of XP.
Can we please get some clarificaiton about whether the skill that you get from the Shura ending counts as a skill needed for the trophy? The guide should then say 3 playthroughs not 2. Or at least warn players that before they reload the save file before talking to Owl that they grind out all skills…..
That skill isn't needed. Just the purchasable skills are required (the ones that cost level points).
I've added a note to the guide, thanks for your good question!
On a different note, I know some skills still show as "???" and I haven't added the skill points required for each skill yet. I'll update that after I'm done with the ending video guides and my last remaining bosses.
The Ashina Arts is missible if you are at the end of the game. There should be a warning or if it's not, an explanation of what to do.
You're right, that guy who gives Ashina Arts actually disappears. I'll add a warning.
You can quickly get to him in New Game+ at least.
You can get the mushin texts earlier I think.
When I bought Iron Fortress the merchant disappeared so where can I find him now to buy Anti-Air Deathblow?
Check the chest where the fighting trainer is.
It should be in there.
Hey,there are some skills that i can also buy but i got them from bosses,do i need to buy them too to get the trophy?
One note on the Ashina Arts Scroll you can get it fairly early in the game, presumedly after the first major boss fight on top of Ashina Castle. The Tengu NPC (who give you the rat quest) will move on to the Great Serpent Shrine and will ask if you have learned any ultimate skill, if you have he will give you the Art Scroll on the spot. I think he still be there before the first ending major choice.
But technically it still missable for that new game cycle if you go for Shura ending .
You're right, thank you for pointing that out and helping to make the guide better. It has been updated now.
I found a half decent place to farm XP.
After you have defeated Lone Shadow Vilehand and then rest at the idol outside the room, the purple shinobi guy keeps resetting and you can easily sneak kill him, then rest and repeat. I got about 4 skill points in roughly half an hour and about 1500 sen.


text:
package config

import (
	"fmt"
	"io/ioutil"
	"os"

	parser "github.com/hashicorp/hcl"
	"github.com/hashicorp/hcl/hcl"
)

const RTRRC = "rtrrc"
const DEFALULT_CONFIG = "/etc/rds-testrunner.conf"

type AWSCredential struct {
	Key    string
	Secret string
}

type Resource struct {
	InstanceIdentifier string
	InstanceRegion     string
	User               string
	Password           string
	Warmup             string
}

type NotifyConfig struct {
	Type  string
	Token string
	Name  string
	Room  string
}

func configFile() (file string, err error) {
	if home := os.Getenv("HOME"); home != "" {
		file = fmt.Sprintf("%s/.%s", home, RTRRC)

		if _, err = os.Stat(file); os.IsNotExist(err) {
			file = DEFALULT_CONFIG

			if _, err = os.Stat(file); os.IsNotExist(err) {
				err = fmt.Errorf("Config File does not exist.")
				return
			}
		}
	}

	err = nil
	return
}

func LoadConfig() (config *hcl.Object, err error) {
	file, err := configFile()
	if err != nil {
		return
	}

	data, err := ioutil.ReadFile(file)
	if err != nil {
		return
	}

	config, err = parser.Parse(string(data))

	return
}

func GetAwsCredential() (auth AWSCredential, err error) {
	config, err := LoadConfig()
	if err != nil {
		return
	}

	aws := config.Get("aws", false)
	if aws == nil {
		return
	}

	if aws.Get("key", false) != nil {
		auth.Key = aws.Get("key", false).Value.(string)
	} else {
		err = fmt.Errorf("key is require in aws config")
	}

	if aws.Get("secret", false) != nil {
		auth.Secret = aws.Get("secret", false).Value.(string)
	} else {
		err = fmt.Errorf("secret is require in aws config")
	}

	return
}

func GetResource(name string) (resourceData Resource, err error) {
	config, err := LoadConfig()
	if err != nil {
		return
	}

	priv := config.Get("resource", false)
	if priv == nil {
		err = fmt.Errorf("resource not defined.")
		return
	}

	for {
		resource := priv.Get(name, false)

		if resource != nil {
			// require
			if resource.Get("instance", false) != nil {
				resourceData.InstanceIdentifier = resource.Get("instance", false).Value.(string)
			} else {
				err = fmt.Errorf("instance is required in resource '%s'", name)
				break
			}

			if resource.Get("region", false) != nil {
				resourceData.InstanceRegion = resource.Get("region", false).Value.(string)
			} else {
				err = fmt.Errorf("region is require in resource '%s'", name)
			}

			if resource.Get("user", false) != nil {
				resourceData.User = resource.Get("user", false).Value.(string)
			}
			if resource.Get("password", false) != nil {
				resourceData.Password = resource.Get("password", false).Value.(string)
			}

			if resource.Get("warmup", false) != nil {
				resourceData.Warmup = resource.Get("warmup", false).Value.(string)
			}

			break
		}

		if priv.Next == nil {
			err = fmt.Errorf("no resource found '%s'", name)
			break
		}
		priv = priv.Next
	}

	return
}

// Now, hipchat only. TODO: other platform notifier
func GetNotifyConfig() (notifyConfig NotifyConfig, err error) {
	config, err := LoadConfig()
	if err != nil {
		return
	}

	notify := config.Get("notify", false)
	if notify == nil {
		return // notify not used.
	}

	if notify.Get("type", false) != nil {
		notifyConfig.Type = notify.Get("type", false).Value.(string)
	} else {
		err = fmt.Errorf("notify 'type' is required.")
		return
	}

	if notify.Get("token", false) != nil {
		notifyConfig.Token = notify.Get("token", false).Value.(string)
	} else {
		err = fmt.Errorf("notify 'token' is required.")
		return
	}

	if notify.Get("room", false) != nil {
		notifyConfig.Room = notify.Get("room", false).Value.(string)
	} else {
		err = fmt.Errorf("notify 'room' is required.")
		return
	}

	if notify.Get("name", false) != nil {
		notifyConfig.Name = notify.Get("name", false).Value.(string)
	} else {
		notifyConfig.Name = "RDS TestRunner"
	}

	return
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


We're all loving the sunshine in Ireland at the moment - apologies if you're reading from somewhere less warm right now but equally do let us bask in this briefest of summers....you can be sure we'll be whinging about the rain in a month or so.
I have a specific problem with good weather though....and it's one I'm sure (I hope) I'm not alone in - problem skin on the lower décolletage and back. It's something I've lived with for years. I still gaze enviously at friends who pull off their tops and bare their backs in summer-time. Who wear stunning backless dresses and v-necked tops. Even those who can throw on a strappy vest - just like that! It's not that my skin is troublesome all the time but it's not reliable enough that I could ever buy something like that and trust I'll be ok on the day I want to wear it.
But of course, it's not that big an issue for me 90% of the time because living in this part of the world, there's a fair chance I'll not have to bare my skin anyway thanks to the weather. However, on occasion, my skin flares up at the same time that the weather warms up and I find myself longing to wear something lovely and summery.
I'm guessing this time round it's not just hormonal - I have had two skin break-outs in recent months (on my décolletage only) after using Cocoa Brown mousse tan. I find CB amazing on my legs and use it weekly but the two times I've put it on my arms and swept it up over my shoulders and chest, have resulted in break-outs.
It's like an extra-wide boat-neck more than off the shoulder and made from a lovely soft but substantial jersey...a material that will hold its shape nicely but isn't clingy. I also liked the length of them - not cropped but not too long-line. I didn't have time to try on so I chanced my arm with a black and a striped one in a size M.
The verdict on the top? LOVE! They show off the shoulders nicely but they're high necked enough to cover where I need to cover. They've a small sleeve, which is great if you're conscious of your upper arm and they are a perfect fit around the waist and hips. I can't wait to wear them with looser trousers and shorts.
So fingers crossed the skin will clear up soon and won't spread any further upwards or I'll be investing in a few sleeveless roll-necks next! The irony of it all is that the sun really helps to clear it up so it's a bit of a catch 22. But meantime, do share any strategies you have if you suffer also.
Your top is cute. The weather is so shine!! Lucky you..
Love the top, I too prefer when they aren't a full on off the shoulder number. I always loved Cocoa Brown but recently its being doing some odd things to my skin. I've given Su-do a go and have been really impressed - recommendation by a make up artist friend of mine.


text:
/* Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
 * You may obtain a copy of the License at
 *
 *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
 *
 * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
 * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
 * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 * limitations under the License.
 */
package org.camunda.bpm.engine.impl.migration.instance;

import java.util.HashMap;
import java.util.Map;

import org.camunda.bpm.engine.impl.persistence.entity.ExecutionEntity;
import org.camunda.bpm.engine.impl.pvm.process.ScopeImpl;

/**
 * Keeps track of activity instances created in a branch of the activity instance tree from the process instance downwards
 *
 * @author Thorben Lindhauer
 */
public class MigratingActivityInstanceBranch {
  protected Map<ScopeImpl, MigratingActivityInstance> scopeInstances;

  public MigratingActivityInstanceBranch() {
    this(new HashMap<ScopeImpl, MigratingActivityInstance>());
  }

  protected MigratingActivityInstanceBranch(Map<ScopeImpl, MigratingActivityInstance> scopeInstances) {
    this.scopeInstances = scopeInstances;
  }

  public MigratingActivityInstanceBranch copy() {
    return new MigratingActivityInstanceBranch(new HashMap<ScopeImpl, MigratingActivityInstance>(scopeInstances));
  }

  public MigratingActivityInstance getInstance(ScopeImpl scope) {
    return scopeInstances.get(scope);
  }

  public boolean hasInstance(ScopeImpl scope) {
    return scopeInstances.containsKey(scope);
  }

  public void visited(MigratingActivityInstance activityInstance) {
    ScopeImpl targetScope = activityInstance.getTargetScope();
    if (targetScope.isScope()) {
      scopeInstances.put(targetScope, activityInstance);
    }
  }
}


Göttingen's rise to mathematical primacy occurred over generations, but its fall took less than a decade when its stars were pushed abroad by the advent of National Socialism, the ideology of the Nazi Party. The university's best minds left Germany in the early 1930s, transferring its substantial mathematical legacy to Princeton, New York University, and other British and American universities. By 1943, 16 former Göttingen faculty members were in the US.
Hilbert's famous 23 problems, presented at the International Congress of Mathematicians in 1900, guided mathematical research for the entire 20th century. During his career as professor and head of the math department at Göttingen, he mentored an astounding 76 PhD students, many of whom went on to make seminal discoveries of their own.
Emmy Noether, who had been the first female professor of mathematics at Göttingen and was described by Einstein as the most important woman in the history of mathematics, left in 1933 to teach at Bryn Mawr College. Richard Courant left in 1933 to help found the top US applied mathematics institute at New York University. Hermann Weyl, who had been appointed Hilbert's successor as chair of mathematics in Göttingen, moved to Princeton, where he helped to transform the Institute for Advanced Studies into a research powerhouse.
The centre of mathematics shifted quickly during the Nazi era and in the wake of World War II. Courant, Weyl and others helped move it to the UK and the US, where most of the top-ranked mathematics programs are located today.
David Gunderman, PhD student in Applied Mathematics, University of Colorado.


Glass bead expansion bracelets, Gothic charm bracelets, stretchy black lace ruffles and antiqued silver Victorian filigree links with crystal rhinestones. Hand made in Canada. Bracelets can be resized upon request (inquire before purchase).


If you are looking ahead to find oil rig jobs, you should know how to live in such extreme conditions. Life on the oil rig is totally different; you have to work all day with other crew members. If you want to work on an oil rig you must prepare yourself mentally and physically, its matter of lots of hard work as well as the money.
Finding a Cargo Ship jobs are not that hard. In fact, The Cargo ship offers a wide range of jobs from ordinary seamen to the captain. Job positions in this department include Captain, Chief Officer, 2nd & 3rd Officers, Boatswain and Seaman.


The U.S. Ski & Snowboard Western Region is responsible for the regulation of the sport of Alpine Ski Competition within the geographical area of the Western United States.
Western Region Governance and management.


While the entire focus of the media is on "Chinnathambi" the tusker who is poised to return to his natural habitat the news pouring from Thailand is about an other tusker" Rajabheema".
"Raja Bheema" is a animal adventurous emotional film starring Arav and a tusker in a principal roles.Directed by a debutant director Naresh, it is a film that speaks in volume about the relationship between an elephant and a young man. Certain portions of the film were shot in Pollachi and now the unit is camping in Thailand for the most important segment of the film. For the past 7 days, the entire unit are camping in the Kanchanpuri a thick forest with the blanket of jungle shrubs and huge trees.A trained elephant by the name Peter is said to be playing the tusker. An important segment involving Arav, the tusker and some stunt men were shot in the forest recently. During the shoot, Arav was thrown from the elephant during an action sequence. The tall and strongly built, Hero Arav was out of his elements for few minutes. The production unit summoned the paramedical forces Immediately. But even before, the medical forces could arrive the hero was into his normal self and was ready to shoot too."This shows the commitment and passion of our hero. Though I'm worried about his well being, I'm glad he had the heart and thoughts for the producer. The shooting is happening on a rapid pace, we will complete the Thai schedule in 15 Days. Back to India, we have one final schedule to shoot and we are aiming for summer release", declared Producer S.Mohan of Surabi Films.


Researchers made this device with a bundt pan and marbles to capture dust.
Dust from as far away as the Gobi Desert in Asia is providing more nutrients than previously thought for plants, including giant sequoias, in California's Sierra Nevada mountains, a team of scientists, including several from the University of California, Riverside, have found.
The dust collectors on polls in the forest.


text:
layout: post
status: publish
published: true
title: Random but Evenly Distributed Sets of Numbers
author:
  display_name: Geoff Lane
  login: admin
  email: geoff@zorched.net
  url: http://www.zorched.net
author_login: admin
author_email: geoff@zorched.net
author_url: http://www.zorched.net

date: '2010-04-17 16:18:27 -0400'
date_gmt: '2010-04-17 22:18:27 -0400'
categories:
- Code
- Python
tags: []
comments:
- id: 18067
  author: Cara
  author_email: cara13xxi@yahoo.com
  author_url: ''
  date: '2012-07-23 11:48:14 -0400'
  date_gmt: '2012-07-23 17:48:14 -0400'
  content: "I am curious if this would be a solution for my problem; would this work
    for me?\r\nI have X number of groups to make (X changes based on the number of
    participants I have vs the number allowed per group - in my case 10 are allowed
    per group with an unknown number of participants.) I have it set up to take the
    number of participants divided by the number allowed per group to give me the
    number of groups that I have. (Let's say that number is 5) - So now I have (let's
    say) 50 participants and 5 groups - I need these participants to be split evenly
    and randomly among the 5 groups.\r\nWould this work for me and could you help
    me to set this up? I am new at Excel and doing this project for free for our local
    soccer association.\r\nThank you!"
- id: 18068
  author: Geoff Lane
  author_email: geoff@zorched.net
  author_url: http://www.zorched.net
  date: '2012-07-23 12:12:08 -0400'
  date_gmt: '2012-07-23 18:12:08 -0400'
  content: "Cara,\r\nYour problem is actually easier than this I think. If you have
    50 participants (1-50) you just need to randomly order that set of 50. You then
    take the first 10 and assign them to group 1, the next 10 to group 2, etc. \r\n\r\nFor
    a completely non-technical way to do it, you can put 50 numbered pieces of paper
    in a hat and draw them out. First 10 go into group 1, etc.\r\n\r\nHope that helps."
---

Let's say one is a computer programmer and let's say one's wife (or roommate; or significant other) does social science research (a totally hypothetical scenario of course). When doing social science research one needs to create randomized groups of participants.

So in a group you might be testing a variable X and you need to divide the group in half to test that variable with a number of control subjects. In this scenario, one needs to create groups A and B (or 1 and 2) such that there are the same number of A and B in a given set.

Now normally when generating random numbers you can just generate an arbitrary set of random numbers. But if you need a set of 10 numbers with 5 1's and 5 2's then that's a different problem. You could of course generate a set and test to make sure it's evenly distributed and then throw it away if it doesn't meet this constraint. That of course is an inefficient way of generating your sets because you would likely have to throw a lot of them away.

The solution to this conundrum is to use random numbers not to create your set, but to shuffle it. Luckily other smart people have proven ways to do this already. The Fisher-Yates shuffle is the technique that I used.

{% highlight python %}
from random import randrange
items = [1,1,1,1,1,2,2,2,2,2]

# Fisher-Yates shuffle, Durstenfeld in-place implementation
n = len(items)
while n > 1:
    k = randrange(n)  # 0..n-1
    n = n - 1
    items[k], items[n] = items[n], items[k]

print items    # e.g. [2, 1, 2, 1, 1, 2, 1, 2, 2, 1]
{% endhighlight %}

Basically the Fisher-Yates shuffle shuffle picks a random item and puts it at the end of the list by swapping the end with the randomly selected item. It then continues with the 'unpicked' numbers and puts them at the end of the unpicked set until it reaches the beginning of the list. Once it's traveled through, you have a randomly sorted set.

That's fine if you're a programmer and want to run python from the command line and change your items set if you need a different size, etc. But if you want an end-user who's not a programmer to use it, you better come up with something a bit configurable. So I need to allow for some variation to the sets that will be generated and shuffled.

Based on this information I created a simple class that would allow you to specify 3 properties that would define the random sets to generate: blocks, the number of individual sets; size, the number of numbers in each block; and groups, the number of variants within each block. So now you could generate a set of 10 blocks, with 12 numbers in each containing 1, 2, and 3 evenly distributed (i.e. 4 of each number).

{% highlight python %}
from random import randrange

class Shuffler(object):
    def __init__(self, blocks, blockSize, groups):
        self.blocks = blocks
        self._groups = groups
        self._blockSize = blockSize
        self.deck = self.make_deck()

    @property
    def blockSize(self):
        return self._blockSize

    # BlockSize setter also initializes deck
    @blockSize.setter
    def blockSize(self, value):
        self._blockSize = value
        self.deck = self.make_deck()

    @property
    def groups(self):
        return self._groups

    # Groups setter also initializes deck
    @groups.setter
    def groups(self, value):
        self._groups = value
        self.deck = self.make_deck()

    def is_valid_group_size(self):
        return self.blockSize % self.groups == 0

    # Fisher-Yates shuffle, Durstenfeld in-place implementation
    def shuffle(self):
        items = self.deck[:]    # copy deck for in-place shuffle
        n = len(items)
        while n > 1:
            k = randrange(n)  # 0..n-1
            n = n - 1
            items[k], items[n] = items[n], items[k]
        return items

    def make_deck(self):
        result = []
        for i in range(self.blockSize):
            result.append(i % self.groups + 1)
        return result
{% endhighlight %}

Finally to wrap the shuffler in a nice command-line interface I created a simple specialization of the Shuffler class that would take command line arguments to generate blocks of specific properties.

{% highlight python %}
#!/usr/bin/env python
"""
Usage: %(program)s [options] ... [-b <number>] [-s <number>] [-g <number>]
Options:
  -h, --help    This help message
  -b, --blocks  The number of blocks (default: 20)
  -s, --size    The number of participants in each group (default: 10)
  -g, --groups  The number of groups in each block (default: 2)
"""

import random, sys, getopt
import shuffle

program = sys.argv[0]

class CliShuffler(shuffle.Shuffler):
    def __init__(self):
        shuffle.Shuffler.__init__(self, 20, 10, 2)

    def print_results(self):
        for i in  range(self.blocks):
            print ' '.join([str(i) for i in self.shuffle()])

    def usage(self):
        print >> sys.stderr, __doc__ % globals()
        sys.exit()

    def run(self, argv):
        try:
            opts, args = getopt.getopt(sys.argv[1:], "hg:s:b:", ["help", "groups=", "size=", "blocks="])
        except getopt.GetoptError, err:
            # print help information and exit:
            print str(err) # will print something like "option -a not recognized"
            self.usage()
            sys.exit(2)

        for opt, arg in opts:
            if opt in ("-b", "--blocks"):
                try:
                    self.blocks = int(arg)
                except ValueError:
                    self.usage()
            elif opt in ("-s", "--size"):
                try:
                    self.blockSize = int(arg)
                except ValueError:
                    self.usage()
            elif opt in ("-g", "--groups"):
                try:
                    self.groups = int(arg)
                except ValueError:
                    self.usage()
            elif opt in ("-h", "--help"):
                self.usage()
            else:
                assert False, "unhandled option"

        if not self.is_valid_group_size():
            print("Block Size must be evenly divisible by groups to get an even grouping.")
            self.usage()
            sys.exit()

        self.print_results()

if __name__ == "__main__":
    shuffler = CliShuffler()
    shuffler.run(sys.argv[1:])
{% endhighlight %}

Happy shuffling...


Don Hancock is an Emmy Award winner with 30 years of corporate communication experience. Don makes "performance communication" a business practice. Communication is Don's career. Whether using his in-person training skills, electronic media events, written presentations, or creating message strategy behind the scenes, Don focuses on communication skills that can be replicated.
Don has helped hundreds of organizations in various industries "communicate with corporate clarity." His interactive training style utilizes adult learning principals to maximize performance improvement.
Utilizing his communication skills, NLP and motivation techniques, Don has worked with organizations nation-wide to develop high impact marketing programs that get results. Don's understanding of competitive analysis, relationship selling, and negotiation skills has made him a popular speaker for sales training and sales conventions.
One of Don's most popular topics for keynote speeches and convention breakout sessions is called "How to Tell a Story." Not only does the audience hear some great stories, they leave with new skills. Whether you are making a sales presentation, presenting information to your staff or your boss, or at a party, everyone needs to know how to tell a story better.
Because of his diverse communication expertise, Don has developed web-based products for companies like Accenture and directed the first live webcast of the Las Vegas New Year's Eve celebration (12/31/98).
Don is a phenomenal speaker and trainer you will want for your next communication or sales training event.
View our Communication Skills courses.


As mobile website strategy plays a crucial role in web design and development we find minimal design can not only be visually pleasing, but important to ensure a fast loading experience for site visitors.
Beautiful design is nothing if visitors don't stick around long enough to engage. It's 2016, and your site visitors want to have a blazingly fast site experience. If you don't deliver, they'll Google their way elsewhere.
The consensus is seems to be faster is better since it greatly improves the user experience. Here are some ideas on making your site faster!
It stands to reason that, when you create a bare-bones design, your site simply has fewer elements to load. When there are fewer elements to load, you can meaningfully increase the speed of your site. This is especially helpful with mobile website layouts.
It all depends on the philosophy of how the approach site is designed. A lot of trouble can be avoided from the very beginning by designing smartly to avoid harmful practices that affect the site's loading speed.
Fewer external assets being loaded (ie. Fonts, Scripts, etc).
Google wants your site to be faster. That would help its overall mission of making the Internet faster. So why not use the amazing tools that Google offers?
The best place to start is Google Developer's own Make the Web Faster page. Here, you'll get a stellar assortment of tools and info to speed up your site design.
Another excellent tool Google offers is PageSpeed Insights, where you get detailed insights into what's causing your current site to run slowly. The best part is that you can get detailed reports and recommendations for both mobile and desktop versions of your site. This gives you a great starting point to make refinements to your site!
An important aspect of making your site super-fast is how you handle your servers. In particular, tackling your server response time which is key. Your server response time is how long it takes for your server to respond to a browser request.
These of course are just a few of the steps we normally take with all website projects. Questions, comments, suggestions? Feel free to reach out or comment below!


"Those who approach the sacrament of Penance obtain pardon from God's mercy for the offense committed against him, and are, at the same time, reconciled with the Church which they have wounded by their sins and which by charity, by example, and by prayer labors for their conversion." (CCC 1422) The spiritual effects of the sacrament of Penance are Reconciliation with God by which the penitent recovers grace; Reconciliation with the Church' Remission of the eternal punishment incurred by mortal sins; Remission, at least in part, of temporal punishments resulting from sin; Peace and serenity of conscience, and spiritual consolation; An increase of spiritual strength for the Christian battle. (CCC 1496) The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available on Saturdays in the church Reconciliation Room from 3:30pm to 4:30pm. Additionally, anyone can schedule a Reconciliation time with a priest of the parish.
Penance Services PAX CHRISTI holds two penance services annually, one during Advent and the other during Lent. The Advent Penance service is usually on the Tuesday of the third week of Advent at 7pm in the church. The Lenten Penance is usually on the Tuesday of the fifth week of Lent at 7pm in the church.
The Penance service begins with the Liturgy of the Word, after which individuals are invited to confess their sins individually to a confessor. PAX CHRISTI usually has five confessors available for you.
First Reconciliation for children Children are prepared for their first Reconciliation during the Fall Semester of the Faith Walk program from 9:45am to 10:45am between the Sunday masses. Classes are held in the church hall, under the church. In addition, parents are expected to participate in two class sessions with their children. The children are invited to make their first reconciliation during the Advent Penance Service.
Children are not admitted into the sacramental year in which they will receive their First Reconciliation or First Holy Communion, unless they have completed a pre- sacramental year, usually in first grade. During this pre-sacramental year, parents and children are expected to participate in two Wednesday evening sessions.


What we have here is quite possibly the greatest Portland Trail Blazers jersey collection ever assembled. This comes from Eric Rickets aka @PartyOnBro.
1st row: Marcus Camby. There's something about Marcus Camby that is very appealing. For me it starts with his days at UMass where he was a stud (shout out to Carmelo Travieso & Edgar Padilla). From there his NBA career took him just about everywhere (which kept him in the news cycle). Despite some injuries, dude cleaned up the glass and defensively made his mark. Sure his career didn't end up as a Hall of Famer, but I'm still down with the Cambyman.
2nd row: Arvydas Sabonis. Not my Vydas, Not your Vydas. Ar-vydas.
3rd row: Nick Van Exel. This was a tough one as I'm also a big fan of the Kenny Anderson jersey. The deciding factor was that Van Exel only played one season with the Trail Blazers, which makes his jersey more obscure. I'm always a sucker for left-handed shooting guards with handles.
4th row: Detlef Schrempf. I wish someone would come out with a Detlef Schrempf line of everything. Plates, napkins, kitchen aprons, you name it. I just can't get enough. Shout out to the Sebastian Telfair jersey by the way.
5th row: Gary Trent aka The Shaq of the MAC. I own this jersey as well as to my knowledge I don't know of anyone else that has it. What's the eskimo brothers version of having the same jersey? We need to create that. Hit me up on Twitter @BaconSports and let me know what you think.
Bravo Eric. You've set the bar high, just like the way the Jail Blazers would want you to. Smoke em' if you got em'.
Make sure to sign up for the Bacon Sports newsletter where we'll be featuring the best random jerseys sent in plus dropping exclusive sports comedy content.


Arts, culture and recreation do not account for a significant proportion of jobs, and employment income in the sector is notoriously low. But its full economic impact goes well beyond direct employment and income. A strong cultural scene helps attract, retain and fuel a creative workforce. It also stimulates other elements of the economy, in particular the hospitality sector.
In 2016, 1% of residents in Ottawa worked in artist occupations. Artist has been defined using the Department of Canadian Heritage's approach and includes producers, directors, choreographers, musicians, dancers, actors, comedians and visual artists. Percentages do not include employment in supporting activities such as event and venue management, fundraising, etc.
In Ottawa, artists make up a smaller percentage of employed residents than in Vancouver, Toronto and Montréal. On the other hand, the 2016 average income of Ottawa artists, at about $57,000, was higher than in the other five large Canadian cities.
It is important to note that these values are for individuals who selected artist occupation as their primary form of employment. Individuals who work as artists as a secondary occupation are not included in this calculation.
Ottawa Culture Research Group. Counting on Culture: Impacts and Indicators in Ottawa. 2018.
In 2016, the average income for those employed in arts, entertainment and recreation in Ottawa-Gatineau was $29,000. This category includes performing arts, heritage institutions, spectator sports, and amusement, gambling and recreation industries. Unlike employees in artist occupations, it is important to understand that industries includes individuals whose jobs may not be artists or athletes, but anyone working in that industry – such as a box office agent at a stadium.
In 2016, close to 30,700 residents were employed in these areas. This is about 5% of Ottawa's working population.
Industries have been selected using the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) 2007 – Industries selected are codes, 23, 61, 62, 71, 72 and 91. It is worth noting that the presence of national institutions may bump up median income in this sector in Ottawa-Gatineau.
Ottawa's culture GDP was estimated to be $3.4 billion in 2016. Culture GDP includes the value of the production of cultural goods and services only, not associated activities. When the sports sector is included, the number grows to nearly $4 billion.
With respect to Ottawa's arts, culture and recreation jobs, it is interesting to note the relatively high proportion -- almost one quarter -- that are located in the rural areas of the city. In fact, this sector accounts for over 10% of rural jobs.
With respect to revenues of artists and arts organizations funded by the City of Ottawa, actual numbers tracked between 2006 and 2010 range from $6.28 to $11.70 per dollar from the City. Examples of other revenue sources include ticket sales, sponsorship dollars and funding from various levels of government.
Statistics Canada. Economic importance of culture and sport across Canada. Accessed December 1, 2016.


If you happen to already know which scent your bestie, your lover, your Mom or even your brother-in-law likes to wear, you can always stock them up with a repeat fave this season. But let's be honest, that's kind of boring, no? More intimate and impressive: helping them discover the new scent they're suddenly going to live for. "The trick is knowing what they're bound to like, because what you love, they may hate—and vice versa," says Marian Bendeth, global fragrance expert for Sixth Sense. Here, the pro doles out her top tips for finding a hit fragrance sure to give 'em all the right feels.
1. Check out their wardrobe.
2. Look a little deeper.
If the giftee is a shy person—say, they're the quintessential wallflower in a group setting—you may want to choose subtler versions of fresh, citrus, green or woody scents, says Bendeth. On the other hand, if the person is strong and opinionated (you know who they are), louder, floral/orientals might be a better match.
The Ariana Grande-loving Gen Z niece on your list will probably go for punchy, fruity notes like green apple, watermelon, pink passion fruit or cherry, says Bendeth. Look for edible notes of caramel or toffee as well. Popular among millennials? Fruity floral combinations that fuse leading notes of raspberry, blackberry, peach or lychee with middle notes of peony, jasmine or rose.
4. Don't forget the guy on your list.
5. Bet on a winner.
When in doubt, rose is the magic note most often topping best-seller lists today. And according to Bendeth, that single sweet-smelling ingredient can be spun in many directions, from fruity to green and warm to spicy, to suit many different personalities.
6. Pull the safety card.
If you really want to be sure your gift hits it out of the park, you can always go in for a Fragrance Mini Coffret & Certificate For Her (also available for him), which includes 1.5 mL minis of Versace Bright Crystal, Giorgio Armani Emporio Because It's You, Ralph Lauren Women, Lancôme La Vie Est Belle, Chloé Chloé, Narciso Rodriguez For Her Fleur Musc and Thierry Mugler Angel Muse. Plus, the grouping of adorable bottles comes with a certificate that can be redeemed for a full-sized fave once your VIP person decides what they like. Seriously, you got this.
To receive push notifications, make sure you opt-in during your initial App launch. Or, if you already have downloaded the App, you can opt-in to receive push notifications from the App Home Screen by clicking "More" > ��Settings" and then sliding the dot to the right.


text:
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Ricky Joe Cartmell
12/8/2022 11:50 AM
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Ricky Joe Cartmell, 63, of Huntsville; passed away Monday, Nov. 28, 2022, at Northwest Medical Center, Springdale.
He was born Wednesday, Jan. 14, 1959, in Huntsville; to Gerald Frederick and Marlene Cline Cartmell.
Rick married Jamie Lynne Bolinger on Thursday, March 14, 1991, in Berryville, AR.; and together they were parents to three sons.
He was a cowboy, a team roper, and a rodeo clown in his younger days. He was also a cattle rancher and served as a field man for Cattleman's Livestock in Harrison. He also owned and operated a heavy equipment business and water pump service.
Rick was also well known for being the life of the party. He enjoyed cooking and entertaining friends in his shop. He also enjoyed traveling, riding his Harley Davidson and side-by-side, and hunting elk in Colorado. He was a member of the NWA Corvette Club, and spent several years as Trail Boss on the Booger County Cattle Drive. Most importantly, Rick enjoyed time spent with his wife, sons, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren.
Rick was preceded in death by his parents, Gerald and Marlene Cartmell; and his brother, Dale Cartmell.
He is survived by his wife, Jamie Cartmell; three sons and daughters-in-law, Colton and Brittany Cartmell, Cooper and Haley Cartmell, and Caden and Sierra Cartmell; one granddaughter, Wren Nicole Cartmell; one grandson, Rowdy Chase Cartmell; several nieces and nephews, a loving extended family, and countless friends.
Funeral services were held Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022, at Brashears Funeral Home Larry Montgomery officiated.
Pallbearers were Tony Reynolds, Jimmy Reynolds, Mike Grigg, Roger Case, Greg Smith, and Danny Johnson.
Honorary pallbearers were Rick Gurley, David Cline, Richard "Tiny" McVey, Rickey Fox, Paul "Buckshot" Sheridan, and the many friends he has made over the years.
Interment followed services at Alabam Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Rick's name may be made to Paws and Claws Pet Shelter, 2075 Madison 6555, Huntsville, AR 72740; or Cowboy for Tyler, P.O. Box 702 Huntsville, AR 72740.
Services were entrusted to Brashears Funeral Home and Crematory of Huntsville.
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I'm currently mid-trip on the road in Vietnam. I haven't had the wifi or opportunity to write much, but for every person out there thinking about taking a chance, this read is for you.
7 days ago I bought a motorcycle in Vietnam, learned to ride it (ha I definitely have never ridden before), then headed north through the mountains rather than take a bus. And I did it solo. I didn't hop on this motorcycle expecting that I would be able to do this all alone… Multiple times I considered just stopping in Hanoi and selling it.I thought often of a quote I am fond of, "I will walk by faith even when I cannot see" and kept trucking on. It was terrifying, exhilarating, dirty, exhausting, and inspiring over these past few days. The roundabout ways of getting to the random places and the little villages I stayed in made me the ONLY tourist I saw for three straight days. It was unlike anything I have ever experienced. It was quiet at times, singing to myself at the top of my lungs to pass time at others, and perhaps one of the most inspiring points in my life.
My bike broke down in a rice paddy field, leaving only me to fix it. I did a wheelie on hill, I slid out on a dusty corner cliffside road, and even burned my leg to a sizzle at one point. It hasn't been easy, but it's exactly where I am supposed to be, and what I am supposed to be doing.
What I got out of it was this: ANYONE CAN DO THIS. Too many people on this planet don't believe in their ability to chase after whatever they want to do! The doubts and complications and shadows loom so much higher than they actually are. I want people to be as inspired as I am right now. I want someone, somewhere, to take that leap, whether it's a solo camping trip, a one-way ticket, a summit they have been eye-balling, or skinny-dipping in bioluminescent water. Don't listen to the doubts, the fears, the shadows.


Gardening is one of the great pastimes. There's something calming about tending to a garden, watching it grow, and reveling in its beauty. This time of year, the spring, gardening is something that many do because of the ideal weather.
But, there are also types of gardening that can be done indoors that can bring the same joy, if not more as gardening outside. One of the most popular this year and last is the succulent garden.
The definition of succulent plants is: plants that store water in leaves, stems, or both. There are many different types, species, and cultivars, all with a fascinating assortment of shapes, sizes, colors, and unique features that can range from frills to spines and beautiful flowers.
Succulent plants are extremely hardy and require little attention. They can grow fast and reproduce to staggering sizes in no time.
The makings of a succulent garden is quite easy. You'll need a large dish, pot, bowl, or similar. This will actually house the succulents. You'll then need some potting soil and some small rocks, like gravel, volcanic rocks, or the like. Then, of course, you'll need succulents.
Because of their many variations, choosing can be the most difficult task of making a succulent garden. The key to creating a beautiful succulent garden is quite similar to creating a beautiful flower garden: variations in size, shape, and color.
Begin with something tall, like aloe vera. Not only is this hardy plant low-maintenance, it can also provide a natural medicine. If you have a burn, superficial cut or abrasion, simply break off one the aloe vera leaves and use the sticky goop on the wound. It has a cooling effect that's perfect for burns, as well as an antibacterial property to help reduce infection.
Second in your garden, try something that sprawls out and covers a lot of surface. The succulent, Hen and Chicks, is perfect for this. One of the cool things about Hen and Chicks is their ability to spread. You can plant a single Hen and Chick and within a couple months it may cover your entire dish, with proper care, of course.
Thirdly, go for something with color. Try the spindly succulent, Euphorbia Guentheri, also known as the Sausage Spurge. This towering plant will grow in numerous directions, filling in empty space in your bowl. It will also flower beautiful white flowers on the tips of the plant. You can also plant a succulent that's known as the zebra plant. These long leaves are striped, much like a zebra.
Now that you've got all your succulents in your bowl, give them some water and place them in a spot in your home that gets some sunlight. These plants can actually survive massive temperature shifts. After all, they are native to deserts, which get hot in the day and extremely cold at night. All that's required is a once a month watering, give or take, and sunlight. Before you know it everyone in your senior living community will want to know how you created such a beautiful garden. When it comes to plants like the Hen and Chicks, you can literally pull up a single Hen and Chick and gift it to someone, who can then plant it with great success.
We hope that you can find some solace in your new succulent garden and that it brings you years of joy.


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Classic Western Movie Hero John Wayne for Beginners
By Shalee Rae
For beginner movie buffs out there, it is likely that they have stumbled upon a list of classic films that they "must" add to their repertoire.
Some examples of such works may be 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) or Gone with the Wind (1939).
Others may suggest that film enthusiasts should dive into a director's whole collection of work such as everything by Quentin Tarantino.
The truth is, while it is nice to watch recommended films, each person's experience and tastes are unique and so it is usually best just to go with one's instinct and to watch films they think they may enjoy or will learn from.
For many movie lovers, their passion for film was ignited by early childhood experiences, which is why so many people have a certain soft spot for Disney.
As for me, I grew up on John Wayne films.
Being indoctrinated in the world of cowboys, sheriffs, and Indian chiefs meant that I developed a certain taste for what I think makes a great film (and for what doesn't).
Furthermore, I believe that many film buffs out there will get a great education by diving into some of Wayne's works and will likely have a good time too.
But with over 70 movies to choose from, I have made things a little easier by shortlisting some options that are not only my favourites but that are also classics that others may enjoy.
McLintock! (1963)
McLintock! is an easy place to start for those who are wanting to dive into the world that is John Wayne.
This romantic/adventure comedy sees Wayne team up with actress Maureen O'Hara (the pair appeared in many films together) to provide us with a look at what married life could be like for a couple living on a ranch.
The two separate for a while as O'Hara's character suspects adultery and so takes off to the city.
When she returns to the ranch, what we see is a whole lot of fun and a complete riot.
A little fun fact, the movie is loosely based on 'The Taming of the Shrew'.
RELATED: 'Flux Gourmet' Review - Culinary Style with a Pinch of Substance
Rio Bravo (1959)
Rio Bravo is commonly quoted to be one of director Quentin Tarantino's favourite movies and for good reason.
Starring John Wayne and Dean Martin, this comedy adventure sees two sheriffs trying to protect a prisoner from getting busted out by his brother.
This film has a great ensemble who work together to ensure that they do everything in their power to not only protect their prisoner but to also keep themselves alive.
For those who love a good shoot-out scene (and a certain side character yelling out great lines like "how do ya like them apples"), this is the movie for them.
The War Wagon (1967)
In this comedy-action film, we get to see Wayne co-star with Kirk Douglas and what transpires is nothing less than a good time.
Douglas's character Lomax is a money hungry, pretty boy who reluctantly teams up with Taw (Wayne) to rob a wagon full of gold.
This flick has one of the best bar fight scenes in history and even gives us a little glimpse at a young Bruce Dern.
All in all, this movie will keep viewers on their toes and will leave them wanting more of this dynamic duo.
The Searchers (1956)
This classic piece of cinema gives us one of the grittiest roles that John Wayne has ever played.
We see his character Ethan Edwards return home after 8-years away, some of which he fought in the Civil War.
We are clearly shown that Ethan has a strong distaste for American Indians which doesn't soften any when his brother's home is pillaged and his two nieces are taken.
What follows is the long search for his nieces and perhaps even the softening of his hatred for Indians.
Some viewers believe that Ethan's character was in love with his brother's wife and that one of his nieces may even be his daughter.
Fun fact, The Searchers inspired the final episode of Breaking Bad.
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Shalee Rae
Shalee Rae is a Melbourne blogger who has a passion for food, wellness, and all things film. Deserted Island Movie Collection: Since I would have a lot of time to kill, I would bring all of John Ford's movies (there are over 140 after all). Best Movie Snack: Love a good cheese platter.
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How do you know when it's time to unfriend?
Recently as I was scrolling through Facebook before bed, I came across a video shared by a friend. It had an inflammatory title, and was quite evidently, taken of a group of people committing a crime. It had been shared from a site I'd never heard of, but when I clicked on it to see exactly what kind of site it was, I was distracted by the hateful, hate-filled, hostile comments from the video. They were so disturbing that I immediately had to click off and away.
It unnerved me, but I clicked off FB and went back to watching the news.
As I laid there, the video began to gnaw at me. Why was it shared? What was the point? Why would you contribute to that kind of vitriolic message??
Worst of all…how could someone I am "friends" with so openly perpetuate that kind of message?
Typically, I would have just ignored it. Maybe I would have unfollowed this friend and felt content in doing so. Even commenting is more than I would have done in the past. I felt like I should just stay out of situations I didn't know how to articulately involve myself in…but this time, I just couldn't.
We're at a time where when left unchallenged, hate persists and grows.
The next day, when I checked to see if maybe, just maybe, this friend had embarrassingly apologized for the share, or deleted it. Much to my sadness, that wasn't the case. It had been defended..and predictably, there were already heated comments left on the "share" as well.
I deleted the friend. Regardless of our past, of our history, or of whatever originated a connection worthy of facebook…I no longer want to be apathetic to situations where silence could equal acceptance.
It still feels insignificantly inadequate, to merely delete someone. But maybe it's a starting point in openly drawing a line…and knowing that I need to, against even those I thought were friends.
Silence makes us all complicit.
I don't want to be silent any longer. Deleting was the first step, writing this was another.
Yes. Yes to this. Thank you.
Not knowing the content of the video, please allow me to ask a question that has been on my mind as I've also scrolled through Facebook and have seen less than desirable "stuff". Is there danger in deleting "friends" who post things that you don't agree with? In doing so, are we attempting to only surround ourselves with people whose views are similar to ours and if so, is that a good thing?
Hi Ben!! In 95% of situations, yes I'd agree with you… This was blatantly sharing & targeting racist sentiments. Comments using the word "noose" and "shoot them all" were shared and applauded.
If we like different sports teams or restaurants, or even regular ol'political candidates… we can agree to disagree, and have a relationship.In good conscience I just can't remain psyudeo friends with someone who is ok with openly sharing that kind of message. If when I commented, they'd had a response that allowed for discourse…even that may have made me feel differently. A "shrug and an oh well, it's what they get." didn't make me feel any better about their convictions. Hate is not ok.
Wow, how timely. I just finished reading The Hate You Give. The main character is encouraged to use her voice and don't just stand by. Ii am inspired by the book and I truly hope i can speak up when the time presents itself. Our voices are the most powerful way we can make sure our opinions, viewpoints, and wishes are heard. I also thin it's ok to unfriend someone whose views may be so polar opposite to you own. Stay strong.
Thanks for some great thoughts!
When we fail to speak up to the injustice around us, we really ARE complicit in what our communities and our country are becoming.
Teachers in particular avoid these situations because they make us feel uncomfortable.
It's time to toughen up and speak out.


C hicago's lakefront shoreline is a 28-mile, man-made attraction that travelers enjoy all summer long, and even well into the other seasons. All of the beaches in Chicago are overflowing with history and beauty, and while some are undoubtedly more popular than others, they are all top attractions for both travelers and locals. All of the beaches in Chicago are free and open to the public, so the only question is, which is the right beach for you?
The most popular and beach-like of them all is the North Ave Beach. You can easily rent a bike and take a stroll down the paths that run parallel to the water. There are also plenty of restaurants, bars, volleyball courts and places to take a load of and relax in the sand. You're sure to see people of all kinds here to soak up some sun, so keep your eyes peeled and you'll undoubtedly see some strange happenings. This is also the best spot if you're here for the Chicago Air & Water Show – one of the biggest shows of its kind in the world.
The Oak Street Beach is one of the most popular Chicago attractions. It's right at the end of Michigan Avenue, so after a long morning of shopping for the perfect bikini and hat, it's convenient to head out and start sunbathing before heading back to Michigan Avenue for some happy hour margaritas. Parking is easy for those traveling by car, but it's just as easy to walk to after sightseeing in Chicago all day, or just to take a break from the city streets. The beach is about 1.5 miles long and it's one of the best places you can swim – most waters in Chicago beaches are much more shallow than this. It's often a little less crowded than the North Ave Beach.
The Susan Kimmelman Off-Leash dog beach at Montrose Beach is one of Chicago's only off-leash dog-friendly beaches. Located at the north end of Montrose Beach, and there's a fenced in area where you enter and let your four-legged friends run free in the sand and water. While the beach is clean, the air is always a bit damp with the scent of wet-dog and it's wise to watch where you're stepping (and laying) just in case. Even dog-lovers who don't have a pooch of their own hang out on the surrounding banks and watch everyone play – it's a beautiful sight for all!
Foster Avenue Beach is the best beach in Chicago when you're dragging your kids along with you. Parking is easy and there's handicap ramp access to help with bikes, buggies and strollers as needed. The atmosphere along this beach is filled with families enjoying a vacation or beach day together, and there are outdoor showers that allow everyone to easily rinse off before enjoying all of the other great things to do in Chicago for the rest of their vacation. The beach isn't too far from many other kid-friendly attractions, making it easy to make room for on a day trip.
Finding a beach in Chicago should be on your list of things to do while you're here in the summer. Many of the best attractions and hotels in Chicago provide easy access to the water along the 28 miles of lakefront property, so whether you're traveling alone, with kids or with your dog, you're sure to find a beach for you!


Christian Bannes works as Lead Developer at ip.labs GmbH and has been working in the professional Java Enterprise environment for over ten years. In recent years, he has been working with AWS Cloud and especially with serverless applications. He is particularly interested in distributed architectures, domain-driven design, and functional programming.


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Survey: Most Students Say Online Learning Is as Good or Better Than Face-to-Face
In a survey of 1,500 students who are seriously considering, currently enrolled in or recently graduated from a fully online program, most (86 percent) considered the value of their degree equal to or greater than the cost they paid to take it. Among those who have attended face-to-face and online courses, the majority (85 percent) said that online learning is as good as or better than attending courses on campus. In fact, two-thirds of online college students (67 percent) reported that they'd achieved the original goal that motivated them to enroll in their program; graduate students were more likely than undergraduates to feel that way (76 percent vs. 62 percent).
The survey was conducted by Learning House, a company that manages online programs for colleges and universities, and Aslanian Market Research, a research arm of EducationDynamics, which performs student prospecting and enrollment management.
The most important factor for students choosing a school for their online program continues to be tuition and fees, specified by 34 percent of respondents. That has been the top-ranked choice for the past four years, according to the researchers. Far below, chosen by 13 percent, was reputation of the program, followed by reputation of the school and home location of the school (both selected by 11 percent).
Scholarships are a "strong draw" for online students and prospects, the survey found. When asked which would be the "most attractive way" a school could influence a student to choose it over another school, 25 percent of respondents said offering scholarships would make a difference. Those wouldn't have to be "large," the report added; a $500 annual scholarship would "sway" nearly four in 10 students. A tuition discount would persuade 23 percent of students; and a tuition payment plan would affect the decision of 21 percent of respondents. "Freebies" — a free course, free textbooks or free technology equipment, such as a computer — would play a factor in 31 percent of decisions.
The report offered a "common" price tag per credit for online programs. "At the undergraduate level, students rarely pay more than $800 per credit (10 percent)," the authors wrote. "The most common tuition rate is between $300 and $600 per credit." At the graduate level, a price of around $800 to $1,000 "appears to be the most common in the market."
At the undergraduate level, while business dominated as the field of study in 2014, chosen by 28 percent of students, by 2018 its share had shrunk to 23 percent. However, that was sufficient to keep it at the top of the list, followed by health and medicine (indicated by 18 percent of respondents in 2018), computers and IT (designated by 13 percent) and social sciences, criminal justice and law (11 percent). On the graduate side, business's domination, which stood at 28 percent in 2014, dropped to 21 percent in 2018. Runners-up included health and medicine (16 percent in 2018), computers and IT (15 percent) and education and training (14 percent).
The survey found that 59 percent of all online students reached out to two or three schools for information about an online program before deciding where to apply. Among graduate students, the average was 2.7 schools, vs. 2.4 schools for undergrads. Most people (57 percent) said they'd "probably" or "definitely" attend a traditional classroom program for their studies if what they wanted wasn't available in an online format.
A majority of undergrads said they had transfer credits to move into their next program. Almost a quarter (23 percent) had earned 60 or more credits. Interestingly, the share of students who would expect to find out how much of their previously earned credits would transfer to their new program before applying dropped from 44 percent in 2016 to 29 percent in 2018. However, among the remainder, 54 percent would expect to get a response on that within the first month after submitting their application.
The report noted that while 15 percent of respondents said they had no credits to transfer into their next program, they might have "some type of life experience or training that could translate into experiential credits." However, only about a third (32 percent) were awarded this type of credit during the application process; the others either didn't receive credit (36 percent) or were unsure (32 percent). The researchers' advice to institutions: Make sure that general transfer credit guidelines are clear on the website, including information about how the process works, how many credits the school can accept and what articulation agreements are in place.
"It's encouraging to see that a majority of students who are studying fully online are reporting great value and satisfaction with their online programs which are largely tied to ambitious career goals," said Todd Zipper, president and CEO of Learning House, in a prepared statement. "With an increasing population of savvier consumers with high expectations, institutions need to do better at offering more quality, diverse programs that are sensitive to cost in order to keep up with the growing demands of online college students."
The report is available with registration through the Learning House website.


Molly Judd (b. 1991) is an Irish Representational painter who began her studies at the Florence Academy of Art in Italy. In 2011, Judd began an apprenticeship with world renowned painter Odd Nerdrum, studying at his Atelier in Norway and Paris (2011-2013). Judd's work has been exhibited extensively both nationally and internationally. She has received multiple awards for her work including: first place in the Mod Portrait Competition, Spain; the Hennessy Craig Scholarship and the Ireland-US council/Irish Arts Review Portrait Award at the RHA's Annual Exhibition. In 2018, Judd received an Honourable mention in the figurative category of the ARC salons 13th International Competition also winning first place in the graphite section of the Artist's Magazine All Media competition in the US.


Palmdale, CA is a great place to live – and in order to get the best out of your life there you'll be wanting to eat delicious vegetables and fruits plucked straight from the farmers' fields.
But fresh produce is a time-consuming option, and although we know it's the healthiest we often go for the easy way out instead. With Fresh n' Lean's vegan meal delivery service operating throughout Palmdale, you don't need to sacrifice your healthy eating plan or your time.
Our professional chefs have taken years developing a wide variety of tantalising dishes to put on our menus. Pick your favourites from our a la carte option, or let us choose which to bring to wherever you are in Palmdale, CA via our vegan meal delivery service. From just $27.99 a day for breakfast, lunch and dinner to appear on your doorstep in any corner of Palmdale, using Fresh n' Lean isn't breaking the bank either. If you love home-cooking but don't have the time to prepare lunches every day, opt for our $14.99 dish of the day to be delivered to your office instead.
We're confident you'll love our Mediterranean based dishes in Palmdale, CA. And you can also use our vegan meal delivery service to bring Asian, Continental and South American inspired dishes to your doorstep in Palmdale. Everything has been balanced to ensure you're getting all your fiber, protein and carbohydrate needs each day, giving you the energy you need to get fit, lose weight, or just maintain your healthy lifestyle.
Brains move up a gear when they're being given all the nutrients they need: taste, feel, and see the difference when you adopt a fully vegan lifestyle.


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Will YOU find grace in the sight of ADONAI?
In Genesis 6: 5 ADONAI saw that the people on earth were very wicked, that all the imaginings of their hearts were always of evil only. 6 ADONAI regretted that he had made humankind on the earth; it grieved his heart. 7 ADONAI said, "I will wipe out humankind, whom I have created, from the whole earth; and not only human beings, but animals, creeping things and birds in the air; for I regret that I ever made them." 8 But Noach found grace in the sight of ADONAI. (CJB)
Will you be able to "endure to the end?"(Matthew 24:13.) Are you ready to face whatever lies ahead in these end times, and stand in the face of adversity? Whether you are, or not, these prophesied times are HERE, and only those who are securely grounded in their faith – in the Word of ADONAI - will be able to understand what's happening, and cope….
Matthew 24:10 At that time many will be trapped into betraying and hating each other, 11 many false prophets will appear and fool many people; 12 and many people's love will grow cold because of increased distance from Torah. 13 But whoever holds out till the end will be delivered. (CJB)
2 Peter 2:1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. (CJB)
2 Timothy 4:3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, (CJB)
Acts 20: 29. For I know, that after I am gone, fierce wolves will come in among you, and will have no mercy on the flock. 30. And also, from among yourselves, there will rise up men speaking perverse things, that they may turn away the disciples to go after them. 31. Therefore be vigilant; (AENT)
1 Peter 5: 10 You will have to suffer only a little while; after that, God, who is full of grace, the one who called you to his eternal glory in union with the Messiah, will himself restore, establish and strengthen you and make you firm. 11 To him be the power forever and ever. Amen. (CJB)
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Imperial war is a way of life. Social democracies are being eliminated. Freedom is on the chopping block to be crushed. Elections are meaningless and farcical. America's are the worst. They mock legitimacy. Money power controls them. It runs the country and most societies. People have no say. They're ill-served and stomped on by governments in bed with corporatist rogues.
The Media serve wealth and power interests. Managed news misinformation is featured. Former Wall Street Journal writer Greg Jaffe now writes on military issues for the Washington Post.
He credits massive military spending. He advocates "peace through strength." He wants more of the same at a time America spends more than the rest of the world combined.
Unprincipled amounts devoted to foreign and domestic militarism make everyone less safe. Humanity may be destroyed to save it. Nuclear war is possible.
The Middle East cauldron could erupt in mushroom-shaped cloud destruction. Nuclear winter could follow. When America and other nuclear powers consider these type weapons king-sized hand grenades, the worst of all outcomes is possible.
When war is a way of life, bad endings happen. Priority one is preventing it. Militarists are power hungry rogues. They're amoral, unethical, deceitful, and manipulative. They breach social and legal standards.
They never say they're sorry. They're callously unconcerned about others. They're indifferent to human suffering. They're sociopaths. They're clinically insane. They threaten humanity.
Bertram Russell once explained two options. Either we renounce war and live in peace or end the human race. There's no in between. Survival depends on ending global militarism and belligerence before it's too late.
Occupy Wall Street is right saying "the only solution is world revolution." The alternative is what no one should tolerate. Indifference and/or acquiescence aren't options. Rebel or perish. There's no in between.
A previous article said vote independent or stay home. Another option is voting with your feet and opting out.
Replacing one rogue with another assures permanent rogue governance. Money and power triumph every time. So do institutionalized imperialism, global wars and homeland repression. Ordinary people always lose.
Moral degeneracy defines America. Human lives and welfare don't matter. Post-election, nothing will change. Ahead expect worse. Bipartisan complicity assures it.
Might over right is policy. So is prioritizing America's 1% over all others. They want it all. They intend to get it. They're well on their way. How much poverty, homelessness, hunger, and human misery are tolerable?
How long will people accept global wars over peace? Who'll volunteer to sacrifice personal welfare so America can run the world?
Who'll put up with duopoly power in place of societies fit to live in? Who's willing to accept a global holocaust? Who'll watch while nations are consumed in war, mass destruction, and elimination of freedom? Who'll make the ultimate sacrifice for the wrong reason?
Who's foolish enough to think elections matter? In Venezuela they do. It's the exception that proves the rule. In America and other Western societies, they perpetuate what no one should tolerate.
Obama proved it by governing to the right of George Bush. He wages war on humanity, looted the nation's wealth, wrecked the economy, sacrificed people needs, institutionalized tyranny, and presides over a bogus democracy under a repressive police state apparatus. Imagine what he'll do if reelected.
Prior to his 2008 election, James Petras called him "the greatest con man in recent history." After nearly four years of globally destructive policies, he still has half the country's support. Adherents will have to explain.
In his latest article, Petras said Obama surpassed the worst of George Bush. If reelected, expect hugely regressive policies causing greater harm.
People who should know better support him. "(L)iberals have crossed the line," said Petras. In the process, they "surrender(ed) their integrity" and good sense.
So-called liberal publications lost their credibility long ago. Nation magazine is one of the worst. Editor/publisher Katrina vanden Heuvel masquerades as a progressive. She's an establishment figure.
She's a Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) member. She's welcomed on corporate TV. The Washington Post features her articles.
Her maternal grandfather founded the entertainment conglomerate MCA. Her father was executive assistant to former Thailand ambassador William Donovan. He was involved in the CIA's creation.
Her father also held other government posts and served as a Farfield Foundation board member. During the Cold War, it was a CIA front group. It's now defunct.
Vanden Heuvel and other Nation magazine writers unabashedly support Obama. They pretend Democrats differ from Republicans. Their blind idolatry and contempt for truth betray their readers.
After Obama's 2008 nomination, van den Heuvel said his "election will open a new era of reform." His Senate voting record proved otherwise. It was hardline Republican. As president, he exceeded it. Nation magazine still supports him. It misstates, twists and avoids hard truths doing so. It endorses what it should condemn.
Popular social movements under Obama were marginalized. Peace advocacy "virtually disappeared," said Petras. Obama rewarded adherents with "escalat(ed) military spending" and permanent wars.
Homeland repression escalated. Obama's kill list threatens everyone everywhere. Legislation he demanded gave him diktat power.
On his say alone, anyone can be imprisoned indefinitely uncharged and untried. Constitutional rights no longer exist. Imagine choosing four more years sure to get worse.
Supporting Obama over Romney is like choosing cyanide over strychnine. Both assure permanent wars, corporate empowerment, greater poverty, unemployment, homelessness, and hunger, as well as harsh crackdowns on resisters.
Neither gives a damn about people needs, rule of law principles or other democratic values. Expect the worst ahead. Living standards will keep eroding. Social benefits will disappear. People most in need won't be helped.
Change depends on ending duopoly power. Ordinary people must do it. No one else will. There's no other way. Consider the options. Rebel or perish!


Because Valentine's Day is a little extra lovey dovey, it's a great time to also be a little cheesy. Midwest Dairy created an Undeniably Dairy collection of valentines to help you succeed at both! Save and send a valentine(s) to your heart's content. And when you share and tag your cheesy friend or sweetie, use #UndeniablyDairy – Midwest Dairy and I want to see the dairy love!
If your sweetie doesn't use Instagram, Twitter or Facebook, not to worry! Print a valentine and tag it to the cheese stick or yogurt waiting to be packed for tomorrow's snack break. Or leave it in the car, taped to the bathroom mirror or at the coffee pot… you get the idea.
Have you already scoured Pinterest for creative valentine ideas? Well, I propose these valentines would make your table display udderly adorable. They're cheesy and fun for any party you host in February. Midwest Dairy registered dietitian Alyson Fendrick shares more ideas on Pinterest.
This blog is called Dairy Makes Sense, so it just makes sense dairy foods are one last cheesy idea for Valentine's Day. Go the traditional cheesy route, like a hot and sweet grilled cheese or go fancy with brie topped with apricot chutney. Personally, I'll defer to the chocolate berry smoothie. It looks like love (and only 3 ingredients) … which I think is perfectly cheesy.
If you're not already, follow along for more cheesiness! You can find Midwest Dairy on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube – just a few spots for Midwest farmers' stories, recipes, nutrition tips, farm photos and more.
"Let's go, baseball practice starts in 15 minutes. We're going to miss dinner, so grab something to eat in the car on the way there!" Does this sound like your house, always running out the door to the next event, leaving no time for a traditional dinner?
Join us for the #DairyTraditions social media contest December 11-15 and you could win free cheesecake for a year!
The new school year is upon us, and my son, Topher, and I are on a mission to make it the best one yet. He's a 6th grader, which means he's now in middle school (sniff, sniff). And with middle school comes greater responsibility. While I will let his teachers define what this means in the classroom, I am going to work with him on what this means at home.


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Does Instagram harm me psychologically?
1 March 2019 General willingness
According to recent research, most of us check our phones every 15 minutes or less and many of us check into social media apps more than 50 times per day. We spend more time on social media than we do eating, socializing, doing house chores, grooming, and other daily activities. While social media platforms can have their benefits, using them too frequently can make us feel increasingly unhappy and isolated in the long run. The unhappiness and isolation may stem from the comparison of ourselves to others. We compare our looks, our relationships, our social activities and even our number of likes. We compare ourselves to hundreds of people that we follow on social media every day. We may sometimes feel like we are not as good as others and might come to believe that we are falling behind in life.
Different surveys have deduced that Instagram is the number one social media network that is most likely to affect our mental health in a negative way. This photo-based platform is praised by many who feel that they can express themselves and their identities through such a platform. However, it has also been heavily criticized because many users report having higher levels of anxiety, depression, bullying, and a higher level of FOMO (fear of missing out) when using Instagram. In fact, studies have been showing that people who quit Instagram and other social media platforms for a while or who reduced the time spent on these apps reported feeling a higher increase of happiness and peace of mind.
Unlike twitter or other social platforms, Instagram is not text-based. Pictures are generally more impactful than words, and browsing through seemingly looking perfect photos every single day might give us the impression that some people actually have a perfect life and that this is easily achievable. Since there are usually only short captions or hashtags attached to the photos and not much of a description, these 'insta moments' can be interpreted very loosely. This means that we might not be able to bring to our awareness the fact that a great photo posted by an influencer is generally planned, staged and edited. It might take hours to get the right picture and thus, does not reflect the person's true experience of that particular moment. We might then find ourselves comparing our days and lives to others' and wishing that we are leading a different, and fancier life.
While you don't necessarily have to quit using Instagram and other social media platforms for good, allocating some social media-free time during the day (especially when you feel bogged down by it) might allow you the time to put things into perspective and to give yourself a pep talk when you find yourself having unrealistic goals. Time away from social media also means that you'll have more free time which you can invest in different activities that are good for your mental health and wellbeing.
Claire Borg is a gestalt psychotherapist at Willingness. She works with adolescents and adults. She has a special interest in mental health. She can be contacted on claire@willingness.com.mt or call us on 79291817.
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