text:
Jason Segel Paid $4.23 Million for a 100-Year-Old Pasadena House
Jason Segel is adding to his home portfolio, as the former How I Met Your Mother and Freaks and Geeks actor just picked up a 5,635-square-foot home in Pasadena.
Segel paid $4.23 million for the five-room, five-bathroom abode, dates back to 1919. The 100-year-old Los Angeles home sits on almost half an acre of land, with a cheerful red front door that leads into a foyer.
The living room is finished with white radiated roofs and paneled walls, as well as wood floors and a chimney.
The eat-in kitchen is furnished with stainless steel Miele appliances and a marble-topped center island and breakfast bar. That's in addition to the corner dinner banquette niche and formal lounge area, per the listing held by Compass agent Thomas Atamian, who declined to comment.
The kitchen opens up to an extra family room, which in turn has direct access to the terrace.
The majority of the rooms are on the second floor, including the master suite, which has a private relaxing lounge, a walk in closet and an enormous restroom with marble ledges, twofold sinks and a glass-enclosed walk in shower, notwithstanding a different tub. There's also an at-home rec center, however the listing notes this could be changed into one more room or maybe an "writer's space."
Outside, there's a newly installed custom pool and spa, with an al fresco dining zone underneath a trellis, in addition to a lounge zone and a fire pit.
Segel has kept himself occupied on the real estate front in the course of the last several years, and he as of now possesses one home in Los Angeles—he paid artist Shepard Fairey $2.25 million for his Los Feliz house back in 2016.
Located on the east bank of the Arroyo Seco, this meticulously renovated 1919 estate sits in a bed of mature oaks on a nearly one-half acre lot. Step inside & you're greeted by an entrance foyer, which leads to the light filled living room with its large windows looking west toward the Arroyo. Beyond the oversized formal dining room is the designer kitchen with state-of-the-art Miele appliances, a center island, breakfast bar, dining banquette & dual wine fridges.
The eat-in kitchen is adjacent to the family room, which overlooks & provides direct access to the backyard that features a newly installed, custom pool & spa with a newly constructed outdoor living space including an al fresco dining & lounge area complete with a fire pit. Upstairs you will find four bedrooms, including a master suite with a lounge/changing area as well as a walk-in closet. A separate set of stairs lead up to the private gym, which could also be utilized as a writer's loft or 6th bedroom. This property, highlighted by mature trees, natural light, & high ceilings, is a refreshingly livable home. There is also an additional guest room & bath which can be accessed through a private entrance. The two car garage could be converted to a pool house, game room or ADU(check with city).


text:
Q: Mysql - Get count of unique distinct ip for each hour, each day An updated question to ask:
I have a table with date and ip. I want to pull the count of new non-repetitive distinct ips for each hour, instead of the count of distinct ip aggregated hour
My table looks like
Date          Time              IP
07-01-2018  08:00:00           1.1.1
07-02-2018  09:00:00           1.1.1
07-02-2018  10:00:00           2.2.2
07-03-2018  11:00:00           1.1.1
07-03-2018  12:00:00           2.2.2
07-03-2018  13:00:00           3.3.3

Then on
07-01-2018 08:00:00, distinct count of ip should be 1 (1.1.1)
07-02-2018 09:00:00, new distinct count of ip should be 0
07-02-2018 10:00:00, new distinct count of ip should be 1 (2.2.2)
07-03-2018 11:00:00, new distinct count of ip should be 0
07-03-2018 12:00:00, new distinct count of ip should be 0
07-03-2018 13:00:00, new distinct count of ip should be 1 (3.3.3)

The result I expect to be:
Date         Hour     Counts
07-01-2018 08:00:00   1
07-02-2018 09:00:00   0
07-02-2018 10:00:00   1
07-03-2018 11:00:00   0
07-03-2018 12:00:00   0
07-03-2018 13:00:00   1
Vlam's query works for unique counts by each day,
    SELECT aa.date, count(distinct aa.ip) as count_ips FROM table1 aa
where not exists
(select bb.ip from table1 bb where bb.ip = aa.ip and bb.date < aa.date)
group by aa.date order by aa.date asc;
Now I would like to break down to each hour. Any advice?
Thanks in advance!

A: I have modified the original SQL and just added a filtering to remove any IP addresses that have appeared before the date in the row since only NEW IP addresses should be counted.
SELECT aa.date, count(distinct aa.ip) as count_ips FROM table1 aa
where not exists
(select bb.ip from table1 bb where bb.ip = aa.ip and bb.date < aa.date)
group by aa.date order by aa.date asc;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
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A Box of Influence: Game of Thrones, Social Media, and the Uncertain Quest for Cultural Capital
A Box of Influence: Game of Thrones and Cultural Capital
Two years ago, HBO shipped a collection of critics, celebrities, and cultural observers a box designed to introduce them to the world of Westeros. The box, which I wrote about in detail here, served as a sensory journey into what was at that point a new televisual universe, one HBO hoped would become a centerpiece of their brand identity. By sending the box out to "opinion leaders," the hope was that they would share their experiences with the intricately crafted artifact with their readers or followers, setting the tone for a series sold in part on its lavish production design and attention to detail.
This month, HBO shipped a collection of celebrities a box designed to initiate them into the world of Westeros. However, the Westeros of 2013 is different than the Westeros of 2011. If the "Scent Box" of 2011 was designed as an artifact of the fictional Westeros, the various personalized "Influencer" boxes being sent to people like Mindy Kaling, Anna Kendrick, Bruno Mars, Jaime King, Patton Oswalt, Stephen Colbert, and Conan O'Brien are artifacts of the pop cultural Westeros. If the 2011 campaign was designed to establish the authenticity of Game of Thrones' fictional world, the 2013 campaign seeks to reaffirm Game of Thrones' status as a cultural phenomenon as its third season premiere beckons.
While the first campaign was largely heralded as a sign of HBO's commitment to the series' mythology and helped associate the show with quality discourses valuable to a premium cable channel, the latter campaign has been met with some criticism (although not by the celebrities themselves, most of whom have not been shy about performing their fannish [and NSFW] response to the delivery). To paraphrase sections of my Twitter feed in the past few weeks, HBO is effectively spending thousands of dollars to send rich celebrities personalized gifts to promote a show that is already wildly successful and likely to run for many seasons, all while smaller shows like Enlightened are canceled due to a lack of viewers (and, tied to this concern, a lack of promotional support). In addition, picking up on a discourse that was not uncommon during the initial campaign, some fans simply wonder why "celebrity" fandom is more valued than their own: one fan at WinterIsComing.net wrote "This is really unfair. Why do celebs get this sent to them? We're the fans. The real fans."
However, the "Influencer Box" reflects broader shifts in how television success is measured: even since 2011, the perceived value of Twitter and other forms of social media has dramatically increased, even if the industry as a whole remains uncertain as to how to monetize that value. HBO's decision to turn Game of Thrones loose into the world of celebrity self-disclosure reflects their belief that the best strategy to draw new subscribers is not just to promote the show itself (which they continue to do), but rather the idea of the show as a social media event. While the Influencer Box features the first two seasons on Blu-Ray, ostensibly encouraging those who receive or read about the box to watch the series, it also includes "exclusive extras which the owner can use on their social media sites to show off their fandom," which HBO is now extending out to the "real fans" through a collection of site-specific giveaways on sites like WinterIsComing.net or Slashfilm. While reminding viewers about the third season premiere is the stated goal of the box— as demonstrated by the "scroll" that accompanies the box urging celebrities to promote the March 31st return date—the larger goal is informing the world that Game of Thrones is bigger than just a television show.
While one could argue that the show is already successful enough that this gesture to celebrities is unnecessary, I would argue it fits with the television industry's general approach to social media, which is driven by the aforementioned sense of uncertainty. HBO and every other television channel or network continue to pump resources into this area because they don't yet understand how sustainable social media can be for long-term growth. HBO knows Game of Thrones has a huge presence in social media, and knows this has value, but the perceived ephemerality of social media chatter—which changes minute to minute—means that another show could replace it at a moment's notice. If HBO sees its social media presence as a lucrative space for drawing new subscribers, it also probably doesn't have enough data to know at what point that presence can become self-sustaining, which results in campaigns that register as unnecessary but could theoretically be what keeps Game of Thrones on the "throne," so to speak.
To this point, I've suggested that this marketing effort is speaking less to the text itself and more to the fandom surrounding it, which BBC News recently outlined as the most powerful evidence of the show's wide-ranging success. However, in watching the first four episodes of the third season (which I'll "review" closer to their airdate, and hope to cover week-to-week time permitting), I'm wondering if it's not so much that there is no relationship between HBO's promotional strategy and the show itself, and more that the promotional strategy reflects an inherent challenge of any serialized drama. The fact of the matter is that Game of Thrones is not a show where "big" things happen on a consistent basis: much of the early part of each season is spent putting pieces into place, introducing (more) new characters, and telling bits and pieces of stories that may eventually reach a thrilling climax but will take a while to get there. This is true of any serialized drama (including AMC's The Walking Dead, another show built around social media engagement), but it's especially true with Game of Thrones' highly fragmented narrative. Sometimes episodes feature only a single scene based in one location; in other episodes, entire locations are ignored and yet the attention of the episode is still split roughly seven different ways.
It's an arrangement that demands a degree of devotion from its viewers, in that more casual audiences might not have the patience to sit through a season premiere in which their favorite character doesn't even appear, or wait for a resolution to a storyline they care about as it's dragged out over the course of four episodes. Game of Thrones' cultural appeal has been in its execution—pun unintended but not unwelcome—of big moments in its narrative, but its ongoing appeal depends on people being willing to wait for those moments, which will not appear in each and every episode. "Blackwater" may have been the second season's greatest triumph, but it was also an episode that in its tight focus on a single location diverged from how every other episode of the show was structured. By encouraging intense engagement with the text on social media, it allows for shows like Game of Thrones to sustain a strong presence within those spaces even for episodes that fail to deliver the watercooler moments that would otherwise activate that discussion.
To be clear, I am not arguing that the first episodes of the third season are unexciting, because the show remains one of the most compelling on television. However, I find it compelling because I am decidedly devoted: having read the books, and written thousands of words about the first two seasons, and accidentally popularized an increasingly ubiquitous phrase, I have committed myself to the world of Westeros in ways that more casual viewers have not. It's a commitment that many will make not through writing long reviews but rather through tweeting, whether with friends or with cast members or with critics, and one that could make each week's episode—regardless of its number of beheadings—an event.
The Influencer Box was not simply designed to promote the process of watching Game of Thrones, but rather to promote the idea of engaging with Game of Thrones as though it were a part of your life. The customization of the boxes allowed celebrities like Anna Kendrick to place themselves into the series' lineages—Kendrick's sigil is a slanket—and gave them access to a level of fandom that HBO wants fans to emulate (even if they can't get a customized box of their own, although see the edit below for how HBO hopes this will be facilitated). The fictional war that broke out between Kendrick and Patton Oswalt is the kind of performative fandom HBO wants to encourage. A recent online campaign, "My Watch Begins," saw HBO urging viewers to record their own version of the Night's Watch Oath, which would then be collected together as a united voice professing their devotion less to the cause of the Night's Watch—I presume many of them intend to break at least a few parts of that Oath—and more to Game of Thrones as a cultural entity.
Edit: As with the Scent Box campaign, HBO has gone and added an additional element that speaks to part of my analysis in the days following my writing about it. The "Join the Realm" website allows fans to create their own sigils, which mirrors the sigil creation that Kendrick's social media chatter inspired, allowing viewers to place themselves within the show more readily (you can see mine to the right). It still doesn't exactly match up with the customized boxes and the "influencer" logic, but it gives fans the tools to act on their creative impulses within a branded space, which is what the Influencer Boxes were designed to do within a specific celebrity niche.
Of course, there's no way of clearly measuring Game of Thrones as a cultural entity. Although Wired somewhat satirically outlined a number of ways we could measure television success in an age when the Nielsen ratings are proving more and more at odds with how people experience television, the fact is that even HBO won't have a clear sense of how much a collection of personalized wooden boxes impacted their viewership or subscription numbers, and they likely won't reveal such information even if they obtain it. But as companies like Trendrr begin to quantify social media use surrounding specific shows, and as actors throw out "Most Tweeted About Show" as a sign of success, the pressure to at least appear to be responding to those metrics is evident. And while Game of Thrones has had a strong Twitter presence since before the show premiered, and communities like WinterIsComing.net have helped cultivate Twitter as a productive space for fan activity (which the show's creators commented on during a recent Q&A), the standards for what constitutes engagement are increasing as social media becomes less an added value and more an institutional requirement. The Influencer Box is HBO's way of reflecting this change in how television shows use social media, going above basic interaction by using celebrity fandom to broadcast the popularity of their show to millions of potential subscribers.
It also reflects how Twitter has become reconceptualized as a mass audience space. Between 2011 and 2013, the cultural impression of Twitter has shifted from a space where niche Internet users—and thus niche television audiences—congregated to a space where millions of casual viewers can be theoretically transformed into devoted fans. Whether or not this is actually true is a different question entirely (although see recent reports regarding the correlation between Twitter discussion and actual viewership), but the different messages of the two "Box" campaigns discussed here suggests two different conceptions of social media. Whereas the "Scent Box"—and the food trucks and other elements tied to it—distinguished Game of Thrones through a close attention to detail, the Influencer Box distinguishes through the bombast of celebrity; while we could simply say that HBO is looking to escalate its campaigns to continue momentum, the escalation could also reflect the fact that Twitter is—in the eyes of television networks, at least— no longer perceived as a space where nuanced distinction can be as easily or effectively communicated.
As with most considerations of social media, we're left with more questions than answers. I'd be interested to know if any celebrities who received the boxes chose not to tweet about them (which I know happened with the Scent Box). I'd also be interested to know if any boxes were sent to celebrities who hadn't expressed their appreciation for the show, in an attempt to get them hooked. But above all else, I'm simply curious how HBO and other channels/networks will continue to evolve their social media strategies as the target of "engagement" continues to move. Although the Maester's Path campaign reflected a desire to create a distinctive transmedia experience, the Influencer Box has introduced a mass media aesthetic to the principles of social media engagement; whether it has the desired effect will be something to watch, even if we still aren't exactly sure where we're supposed to be looking.
Filed under Game of Thrones
Tagged as Analysis, Box, Celebrity, HBO, Influencers, Marketing, Season Three, Social Media, TV, Twitter
11 responses to "A Box of Influence: Game of Thrones, Social Media, and the Uncertain Quest for Cultural Capital"
yearingcat
Great post Myles. I wonder whether this kind of effort could be considered transmedia in the way it prompts viewers to implant Game of Thrones into their daily lives, as you mentioned. While it's possible to see this as an attempted promotion for the brand image, it seems the potential this kind of promotion has to increase the story world for the viewer leads me to consider it as a deliberate effort from the creators to blur the line between their world and ours, Westeros and ontological that is, to extend the story across a variety of platforms, realities and spaces. As a result, I wonder what kind of impact this may have on approaches to transmedia storytelling if it is succesful.
The reality is that I wouldn't consider this transmedia storytelling. I mean, sure, it foregrounds the ability to "put yourself in the story," but in a distinctly passive, entirely unguided way. It's transmedial (which isn't a word but should be) without being transmedia, if that makes any sense, in that it really is just actualizing something the viewer themselves could do. I forgot to link to it within the piece, but Mike Schur's "fake" box (https://twitter.com/KenTremendous/status/312813321898299393) calls attention to the fact that anyone could put "House Last Name" on a t-shirt and get ostensibly the same feeling.
What it does suggest, though, is that the logics of transmedia storytelling (the blurring of lines, the variety of platforms) are now being adopted within more traditional marketing spaces, albeit in what I'd consider a mass audience variation in which the actual experience of engagement has been simplified. The Influencer Box is a way to articulate fandom with an air of celebrity and engagement; real transmedia campaigns seek to create entirely new spaces for fans to explore and discover new parts of the story.
fracucci
great post, i wonder what do you think about Game of Thrones Ascent, the recent Facebook game
here's my opinion about that and a comparison with The Walking Dead social game http://bit.ly/WQgUmg
Karl Burns
This is great! Lets give celebrities with millions of dollars expensive limited edition gear for FREE! Its not like they could afford the gear so HBO decided to help them save some money because they are so low on funds and couldn't purchase the boxes themselves.
Elio Miguel Garcia Jr
It's entirely missing the point whether they can afford it or not. Miles' article makes that abundantly clear. These objects have no intrinsic value to any of these celebrities (well, except perhaps Adrianne Curry — she seemed ridiculously happy!). Most of them would never buy them if they had the option of buying them, because they are meaningless to them if they paid for them.
But _given_ to them, they're a mark of "Hey, HBO thinks I'm influential enough," and that certainly would be pleasing to many celebrities.
And then they share this wonderful news with all their followers. Who have yet another reason to think Game of Thrones is cool or perhaps something worth watching if their favorite celebrity loves the show so much.
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^ Introduction Of RCSC. Red Cross Society of China. 2001. (原始内容存档于2011-07-06).
^ History of Chinese Red Cross: Part II. The China Beat. 2008-05-20.
^ 3.0 3.1 中国红十字会领导人. 中国红十字会. 2018-06-29.
^ 中国红十字会简介. 中国红十字会. 2009. (原始内容存档于2011-01-04).
^ 6.0 6.1 中国红十字基金会2008年累计捐赠款物达7.32亿元. 中国政府网. [2009-01-29].
^ 7.0 7.1 中国红十字会组织发展概况. 中国红十字会. (原始内容存档于2009-01-06).
^ 9.0 9.1 中国红十字会简介 互联网档案馆的存檔,存档日期2011-01-04.
^ 11.0 11.1 11.2 History of Chinese Red Cross: Part II. The China Beat. 2008-05-20.
^ 中華民國紅十字會. 中華民國紅十字會 (Red Cross Society of the Republic of China). 2008-05-20.
^ 吴佩华、池子庆:《中国红十字会代表团在第18届国际红十字大会上》,《中国红十字报》2009年6月19日. Hszyj.net. 2009-06-19 [2017-06-08].
^ 星島日報:官民齊監察 嚴懲挪用救災物資. News.sina.com.hk. 2017-05-31 [2017-06-08].
^ 專家視點:慈善捐款應給民眾交出一份明白賬. News.xinhuanet.com. 2010-08-25 [2017-06-08].
^ 中國經濟網 李連杰承認壹基金"面臨中斷". Ce.cn. 2010-09-15 [2017-06-08]. (原始内容存档于2016-08-14).
^ 福建"大肚女孩"辞世一个月 红会仍未将捐款送到. 凤凰网 来源:东南网. 2011-08-16.


This is a portrait of Dante and Domino on the back deck in September of 2011. I used a watercolour effect to, hopefully, great effect.
I think it's one of the cutest pictures of the two of them together. Dante looked quite majestic and seems to overpower the shot, yet your attention is drawn to this little black and white head peeping out from under the deck.
This picture also emphasizes the massive difference in the size between the two. Why Dante's tail virtually dwarfs little Domino! Nevertheless, as in life, she dominated him. Domino was and is a tiny tyrant.
That Domino's a SWAT team all on her own!
That really is a most amazing picture!
This picture is amazing!!!! I love it. Thanks for sharing!!!


text:
Traveling the Chain of Lakes: When Trains and Water Taxis Ruled
Grace Shackman
Ann Arbor Observer Company
Community Observer, Spring 2013
At rush hour the railroad underpass in Dexter turns into a bottleneck, as people who live north of the village come and go on their daily commute. Many of them live in lake homes, either converted cottages or new houses, on the Huron River's Chain of Lakes. In contrast to today's solo road warriors, a century ago families took a slower but more leisurely trip by train and water taxi to reach lakeside cottages and hotels.
The six lakes in the chain—starting at Zukey, through Strawberry, Gallagher, Whitewood, Base Line, and ending at Portage—are all fed by the Huron River. The Huron starts north of Milford, flowing west until it reaches Portage Lake, where it turns east and south and eventually spills into Lake Erie. The Chain of Lakes is at the end of the western-flowing stretch and comprises larger bodies of water connected by narrower ones. "The change of scenery from lake to river and river to lake was beautiful beyond description to a lover of nature," wrote Eli Moore in 1907, recalling an 1877 rowboat trip he took from Portage, where he was camping, to Zukey.
The lakes at each end of the chain, Zukey and Portage, are off to the north side of the river, but are connected to it—by Devil's Basin at Zukey and by a canal at Portage that was deepened and widened in 1928. Scott Strane, who's at work on a book tentatively titled What Is a Zukey?, thinks that the name comes from the Chinese words for the crescent moon, though he admits uncertainty about how a Chinese name would have arrived in nineteenth-century Michigan. Rick Glazer, co-owner of the Zukey Lake Tavern, believes that the name is of Native American origin.
Early French explorers gave Portage its name. It was here that they left the eastward-flowing Huron River watershed, carrying their canoes overland to connect to the westward-flowing Grand River. "An English explorer named Hugh Heward did the trip in the early eighteenth century that some folks re-created a couple of years ago, eventually traveling all the way to Chicago along the [Lake] Michigan shoreline," explains land protection consultant Barry Lonik.
The river connections spurred the lakes' development as a recreation area, giving people vacationing on any one of them a wider choice of places to explore and enjoy than if they were limited to a single lake. As early as 1836, an actor named Gardner Lillibridge dreamed of developing a "Saratoga of the West" on Portage Lake, modeled on New York's Saratoga Springs resort. Key to his plan was a steamboat for pleasure parties that would make a round trip from Portage, Base Line, and Strawberry lakes through what the 1881 History of Washtenaw County described as "the most romantic and delightful scenery ever seen in this or any other country." Lillibridge's ambitious plan included a lookout on what is today known as Peach Mountain (site of the U-M's radio telescope), so visitors could see the grand view of the lakes below. He platted a quarter section of land into 125 lots, giving his streets names such as Dryden, Byron, Shakespeare, Haydn, and Mozart. If none of those streets is familiar, it's because Lillibridge managed to sell only half of one lot.
Unlike Lillibridge, most of the area's early settlers did not consider having a lake on their properties an advantage. They were farmers, and neither the lakes nor their marshy shores could be planted.
The pioneers who did end up with lakefront acreage made the best of the situation, sometimes cutting wild marsh hay for feed before they had time to put in a better crop, and in winter cutting and storing lake ice. Occasionally passersby would pay them for permission to take a swim or to camp on the lakeshore, but at that time roads were just Indian trails or at best wagon trails, so access was difficult. "Very few, if any, cottages, were to be seen along the banks as I remember, but now and then a 'tent,'" wrote Moore of what he saw on his 1877 boat trip.
This changed after 1878, when the Ann Arbor Railroad reached Whitmore Lake and Lakeland (the village on the north end of Zukey Lake), opening up these two communities for vacationers from the Ann Arbor and Toledo areas and beyond. Train passengers could stay at hotels or cottages or come just for the day. Daily traffic got so busy that during the interurban railroad bubble at the turn of the twentieth century, there was talk of laying interurban tracks from Lakeland to Ann Arbor—a competitive threat the Ann Arbor Railroad blocked by running a gasoline-powered McKeen motor car on its own tracks. Nicknamed "the ping-pong," it ran back and forth between Ann Arbor and Lakeland eight times a day from 1911 until 1924.
Once people got to Zukey Lake, they could access the rest of the chain by boat. Steam-powered passenger boats began running in 1897. The first steamer was named the Prudence Potts, after the daughter of its owner, J. W. Potts. In the 1920s Potts advertised that he also had camping sites available on three of the lakes.
Once internal combustion engines became reliable enough, people quickly switched to them, because they didn't blow up like steam boilers could. For instance, Karl Guthe, U-M professor of physics, and his wife, Belle, used a "motor launch" to bring visitors to their cottage on Strawberry Lake; a 1917 photo shows one such guest, their niece Dora Ware (mother of Ann Arbor physician and historian Mark Hildebrandt). They also used the boat to pick up groceries at the store at Lakeland.
If motor launches were the lakes' equivalent of limousines, then rowboats were the taxis and rental cars. Rowboat owners met all the trains and could take people directly to their cottages. Some of those arriving would be met by friends who had their own boats, while others rented them for the duration of their vacations. A 1922 promotional book, Valley of a Thousand Lakes, is full of boat ads—for sale and for rent. The Waters' Pavilion resort in Lakeland promised "Motor boats, row boats and canoes for all," while Fred Imus, also of Lakeland, offered motor boat livery service as well as boats for sale, explaining that "with twenty miles of navigable waterways open to you a motor boat is a constant source of enjoyment."
Families who bought lake lots in that era didn't always build a cottage right away, but often first camped out. Later, after their savings recovered, they built a modest structure, and later a more substantial one. Most cottagers, even if they didn't own boats, had docks facing the lake so people could come and go on the water.
Base Line Lake also was named for its location—the east-west base line surveyors established for laying out the state runs through it. What is believed to have been the first cottage on its south side was built in the early 1880s by George Wahr, who owned two bookstores in Ann Arbor, and his brother-in-law, Charles Staebler, another Ann Arbor merchant.
The original cottage was one big room, which made staying there not much different from camping—though it did have a pump in the kitchen and a privy out back. The brothers-in-law enjoyed getting away with a group of friends, also Ann Arbor businessmen—the Haarers owned a pharmacy, the Arnolds a jewelry store, and Heinzman had an ice business—to play poker and fish. They later divided the cottage into two rooms so two families could stay together in semi-privacy.
Serious development at Portage Lake started in 1902, when a group of Ypsilanti businessmen formed the Portage Lake Land Company and set up a subdivision on former farmland on the lake's eastern shore. The next year Pinckney resident Clarence Baugh created Baugh's Bluff on the other side of the lake. Most of the buyers came from Pinckney, only three miles away. In those days, though, moving out for a summer season was quite a trip by horse and buggy.
As automobiles made travel easier, buyers began to come from farther away. In the 1920s the Chain of Lakes experienced its biggest real estate boom. Valley of a Thousand Lakes is filled with ads for lots, cottages, and resorts that painted lake living in glowing terms. An ad for lots on the eastern shore of Strawberry—"the Queen of Lakes"—assured prospective buyers that a "broad ribbon of hard white beach flanked by a forest of spreading elms and maples, a hard bathing beach suited for the kiddies, the novice and the expert swimmer washed clean by the incoming current of the Huron, all fanned by cool lake breezes, lend charm to this location."
People who owned cottages often remained all summer—at least the mother and children did, with the father commuting evenings or weekends. During the 1950s, Charlotte Sallade and her four children enjoyed summers at Base Line Lake while her husband, George Wahr Sallade (grandson of George Wahr), continued his law practice in town but drove up every evening. Families who didn't own a cottage could rent one and follow the same pattern for part of the summer.
Commercial developments, such as hotels and grocery stores, were found at each end of the chain—Portage and Zukey lakes. In 1931 Newkirk Birkett, owner of land on Portage Lake where Lillibridge had once dreamed of a resort, brought in 1,500 tons of sand to develop the Newport Beach Club.
Owned by Tom Ehman since 1966, and now called the Portage Yacht Club, it offers its members a wide variety of activities, including boating, swimming, and dining. When Ehman took over, sailing was the big activity, but today he notes that about two-thirds of the club's members prefer pontoons or motorboats. Also at Portage Lake is Klave's Marina, the only place on the Chain of Lakes to buy gasoline. It has been there since the end of World War II and is still run by the same family.
Lakeland's biggest attraction was, and still is, the Zukey Lake Tavern, which opened when Prohibition ended. The original owners, the Girald brothers, used to take their motorboat down the Chain of Lakes, picking up passengers to bring them back to the tavern. Many customers still come by boat, and it's a wonderful start or stop on any trip on the Chain of Lakes.
After World War II, construction of I-94 and US-23 made it easier to live on the lakes while commuting to work in Ann Arbor or beyond. Owners began winterizing their summer cottages or totally replacing them. Another big step toward year-round living came in the 1980s, when sewage systems began to be installed. In 2000 the Sallade cottage was totally rebuilt, so that Charlotte Sallade and her children and grandchildren can now enjoy it in any season.
Today almost all the rustic cottages on the Chain of Lakes have been improved or replaced. About half the residents commute to work—Ann Arbor is just a half-hour away, Lansing or Southfield an hour. Scott Strane, a thirty-year resident of Strawberry Lake, used to commute to a sports medicine job in Birmingham; he says he never minded, because "when we drive home every day, we are driving to heaven." The people who don't commute are mostly retirees who often spend the winters in warmer climates.
For people who want to relive the early days of the Chain of Lakes, Strane offers a three-hour tour on his pontoon boat. "Captain Scotty" models his itinerary on the original steam launch routes and narrates the history and natural wonders of the Chain of Lakes. He's also willing to develop tours for special occasions. One cruise took members of a bachelorette party through the lakes, ending the tour, of course, with a meal at Zukey Lake Tavern.
(Left) Dora Ware and other guests cruise the lakes in the Guthes' motor launch, 1917. (Below) visitors got to Lakeland on Zukey Lake via the Ann Arbor Railroad, then took to the water.
Ann Arbor businessmen and their families played poker and fished at the cottage built by brothers-in-law George Wahr and Charles Staebler on Base Line Lake.
AA Observer
Social Life & Clubs


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Naperville natives pitch business on 'Shark Tank'
Naperville natives Anthony and Nick Pucci, right, pitch their Cubicall business to the Sharks on the popular ABC show "Shark Tank." Photo courtesy of ABC/Eric McCandless
"Shark Tank" panel members Robert Herjavec, left and Lori Greiner test out a Cubicall portable office phone booth with Cubicall Co-founder Anthony Pucci.
Carolyn Grieves
Richard Klicki
Follow @DHLedger_richk
Updated 5/17/2019 11:07 AM
Two Naperville natives recently took a dive into the "Shark Tank" and came out with a big bite.
Brothers Anthony and Nick Pucci took their product, Cubicall, to the popular ABC-TV program, where budding entrepreneurs pitch their business to a panel of celebrity executives, with the hope of getting one of the panel members to invest in their business.
Cubicall is a custom phone booth that the brothers created out of necessity a couple of years ago, Anthony Pucci said in a news release. The booth has a simple and efficient design that fits into an office space, providing a quiet, private space for workers to make calls or hold private conversations.
"We started this company when we created our own solution to the problems we experienced when working in an open office," said Nick Pucci. "After selling two phone booths the very first weekend we put our phone booths online, we knew we weren't alone with our frustrations."
The Puccis sought a $350,000 investment for a 10% stake in the company.
While they were initially met with skepticism from the panel, they got offers from panelists Kevin O'Leary and Barbara Corcoran. Both offered $350,000 for a 25% stake in the company, but O'Leary also sought a $100 royalty for each product sold to a certain point, then a $50 per item royalty afterward.
The duo chose to accept Corcoran's offer.
"We knew going into this that Barbara Corcoran was the best Shark for Cubicall," Anthony said. "Her expertise and experience in commercial real estate and contract furniture dealers makes her the perfect partner for Cubicall. We couldn't be more thrilled with the outcome."
Nick said appearing on the show was a great experience.
"Going on Shark Tank was surreal. We've been watching the show since the first season," he said. "We thought we had a pretty good chance at striking a deal.
"We were thrilled to get two offers," he added. "While Mr. Wonderful's (O'Leary) may have been tempting, we knew Barbara was the perfect partner for Cubicall."
The brothers, who now live in Los Angeles, launched Cubicall in 2017. They realized their potential when they began selling the booths to companies like IBM, SAP, Lyft and Cisco and educational institutions like the University of Wisconsin Madison.
The phone booths have been featured on Fox Business Channel, The New York Times, Interior Design, Fast Company Inc. and was called "an efficient privacy solution to open-plan distractions" by Forbes, according to the Puccis.
While the brothers' business is fairly new, entrepreneurship runs in the family.
Their great grandfather opened Cicero Macaroni, a pasta factory in Cicero, in 1922. Their grandfather eventually sold the business to Riviana Foods Inc., the maker of No Yolks and Wacky Mac noodles.
Good fellow
Congratulations to Cozen O'Connor attorney Danielle Harris for being selected as a fellow to the 2019 National Employment Law Council Academy.
An associate in the firm's Labor and Employment practice in Chicago, Harris is one of 31 fellows chosen nationwide to participate in this year's NELC Academy. It is the second consecutive year she has been selected for the academy.
Harris' practice primarily consists of litigating single plaintiff employment cases and counseling clients with non-litigation employment matters.
The Gurnee native graduated magna cum laude with her undergraduate degree from Northern Illinois University and received her law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law.
Tapping a new role
Kudos also go out to Baxter & Woodman's Carolyn Grieves, who was recently elected chair of the board of directors for the Illinois Section of the American Water Works Association.
ISAWWA provides resources for the management and advocacy of safe and sustainable water. Grieves will represent the section at national events and board meetings, provide input to the executive director and appoint committee chairs.
She's been an active member of ISAWWA since 1994, serving on the Safety and Emergency Management, Water Efficiency, and Water for People committees.
She was named as the organization's Water Professional of the Year in 2017.
Staying satisfied
Rosemont-based Wintrust Financial Corp. received top rankings in the J.D. Power 2019 U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction Study for the Midwest region.
Wintrust Community Banks had a top score of "among the best" in five of the six factors in the Powers study, including overall satisfaction, account opening, communication and advice, convenience, products and fees, and channel activities, which measures customer experience with transaction channels like in-person, websites and mobile.
The company received "better than most" in the sixth category, problem resolution. On the study's 1,000-point scale, Wintrust scored 845.
Wintrust has received recognition from J.D. Powers in two out of the last three years.
The J.D. Power Award comes on the heels of other recognitions, including the Chicago Tribune Top Workplaces Award, three Greenwich Excellence Awards from Greenwich Associates in the Middle Market Banking in the Midwest category; and the 2019 Forbes Best Banks in America list.
Klicki, Richard
Business Ledger
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Will Penn State Men's Basketball Ever Change?
Penn State Men's Basketball is well into the Big Ten schedule and things seem to be the same as they have always been. We have a losing record, we get absolutely dominated in the Big Ten and best case we make the NIT Tournament (and that will be close). Will things ever change in Happy Valley when it comes to Penn State Men's Basketball?
I have been a passionate Nittany Lion fan for over 20 years, and I don't really think I have seen much progress in Men's Basketball over that period. If anything I have seen the further decline of a program, no matter who the coach is or where they play (in fact I think we had a better chance when we played at Rec Hall vs. BJC).
Of course there have been a few exceptions, a Sweet 16 appearance back in 2001 and an NIT title in 2009, but our inability to even maintain a .500 record and consistent apperances in the NCAA tournament is just down right pathtic for a school the size of Penn State.
So why is this, why can't a school like Penn State establish a winning tradition. Is it the coaching, is it the lack of recruiting, is it the strength and conditioning program?
Heading into the Wisconsin game, my mind wanders and for some reason I am pulled to think about this season on the whole, a late season recap so to speak.
It has been too long, my blogging frequency has been pathetic, but I am back. Time to talk a little Penn State football and there is no bigger game for me than this week vs. Nebraska.
There is no doubt that over the last three weeks we have seen a Penn State team which has continued to improve in all facets of the game (well except for one but we will save that mess for another blog). But this week's game vs. Northwestern will be a much better predictor of the type of season the Nittany Lions will have in 2012.
Beating teams like Navy, Temple and Illinois is always a good thing. But all three of these teams are average at best and ultimately none will end up with very good records at the end of the year. In fact none might end up with winning records.
Penn State finally got some good news last week, winning soundly against a pretty bad Navy team. But for the team, the school, alumni and fans, a win is a win. And we will take any sign of hope we can get.
Up until last week, the offense struggled to score (which is all too familiar) and the defense had trouble 'getting off the field'. But against Navy, things came together and Penn State put together a complete game and solid win.
With the extremely disappointing Ohio game behind Penn State, it is time to move onto Charlottesville, to face the Hoos.
Last weeks game was a complete shocker for most of us Nittany Lions fans, the offense was average at best, but most suprisingly, the defense was horrid.
This week, the Lions will have to better in all facets of the game, but there are a few key areas to winning.
Is It Too Early to Talk Nittany Lion Football?
Can Penn State Three-Peat in Wrestling?
With two consecutive National Championships in wrestling and what seems to be a dominating team coming back next year, can Penn State Three-Peat?
A special thank you to our Las Vegas SEO agency Coronation Internet Marketing, for all of their services. They are one of the top companies in Nevada.


As soon as a bicycle accident occurs the cyclist should do everything that would be expected in an auto accident. The police should be contacted immediate and statements from any witness should be documented. Take a moment to assess your physical condition for any trauma or injuries. It is also imperative to document any injuries and all aspects of the accident by taking photos and visiting a doctor immediately.
Anyone involved in an accident as a cyclist should consult with an attorney that has experience and offers a free consultation. If you or someone you care about has been injured in a car accident, our firm will completely manage your case and to keep pressure on the defendant throughout the course of your claim. Throughout the entire process, we will work to ensure that your legal rights are protected, and that you receive the best possible representation and the possible recovery.
If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident in Florida, whether as a pedestrian, driver, bicyclist, or passenger in a motor vehicle, please call The Law Offices of Christopher DeBari right away and begin the process of protecting your legal rights.


This gorgeous and fun pair of eco friendly white lotus earrings was handcrafted by the art of paper quilling. A unique gift for a loved one or yourself! They would be perfect for a bride or even as bridesmaid gifts. I can give a discount for a bulk order. They can also be made in any color combination you'd like! This pair is made with white and pale gold papers.
*NOTE* This listing is for a MADE TO ORDER pair of earrings. Please allow a few days for me to make your special pair(s). The design and colors will be the same (unless you request different colors) but there may be very small variances as these are individually handmade by me.
I carefully varnish them with non-toxic water-based sealants for a sturdy and water resistant finish. The ones in the photos are finished with sterling silver findings. Yours will be finished with silver color high quality niobium findings. Why niobium? It is a metal that is non tarnish and is as hypoallergenic as pure gold. I use them for all of my jewelry and I know you will love them!


When it comes to the global smartphone market, everybody knows about Samsung and Apple. But do you know who number three is?
Xiaomi, an upstart Chinese company you've probably never heard of, has taken the smartphone bronze, based on sales this summer. It edged past players like LG on the way.
"So far, Samsung still remains number one. Number two is Apple. But now Xiaomi is number three," says Linda Sui with the research and consulting firm Strategy Analytics.
Analysts say this growth is incredible, given that Xiaomi only sold its first phone three years ago. The Chinese company has passed Samsung and Apple in China, and sold between 17 and 18 million phones in Asia last quarter.
"Because it's only within Asia, that's a huge number," says Ramon Llamas with IDC.
Xiaomi is expanding in India, with an eye on Brazil, Mexico and more countries in Southeast Asia. But not the U.S. — yet.
"You cannot jump from the Chinese market straight to the U.S. markets," says Boris Metodiev, a research manager with 451 Research.
Customers in emerging markets prioritize cost and value, he says, while customers in the U.S. tend to stay loyal to brands like Apple.
So Xiaomi has to keep growing.
Even if Xiaomi continues to expand, it might not hold onto the number three spot. That's because its competition just grew. Lenovo announced today it has completed its acquisition of Motorola Mobility.


Last year, 620 people filled in their tax returns on Christmas Day (BBC: Christmas Day tax returns trend), so it is not a surprise that a neighbour may be doing some DIY. Well, there has been a constant banging against the wall, so I've surmised. Perhaps the family dinner didn't go well, and the poor wall is taking a hammering.


In the morning, the President will depart the White House en route Jacksonville, Florida. The departure from the South Lawn and arrival at Jacksonville International Airport are open press.
In Jacksonville, the President will deliver remarks at a campaign event and attend a campaign event at the Prime Osborn Convention Center. The first event is open to pre-credentialed media and the second event is closed press.
The President will then depart Jacksonville, Florida en route West Palm Beach, Florida. The departure from Jacksonville International Airport and the arrival at West Palm Beach International Airport are open press.
In West Palm Beach, the President will deliver remarks at a campaign event and attend a campaign event at the Century Village. The first event is open to pre-credentialed media and the second event is closed press.
The President will spend the night in Manalapan, Florida.


Vegan or paleo? Gluten-free or whole grain? Whole food or fat-free? What you should eat gets a lot of press. Wanting to eat healthily is a great first step, but when it comes to aligning with a particular eating style, there are many factors to consider.
People are often confused about which dietary approach to choose in order to obtain optimal health and vitality. Each of the approaches below comes with specific health benefits and characteristics that may help you navigate what to put on your plate.
The whole food diet is the most basic and simple way of eating. It means eating food in its whole form with minimal processing. In 2011, the Harvard School of Public Health created one formula for a whole food diet: The Healthy Eating Plate, a simple and thorough guide to creating healthy whole-food meals.
With this version of a whole food diet, the following simple guidelines are recommended.
Fill one-quarter of your plate with whole grains.
Fill one-quarter of your plate with proteins (plant or animal).
Use healthy natural oils in moderation.
Drink lots of water (avoid sugary drinks).
Gluten-free diets are popular. Research shows that approximately 1 percent of the population worldwide has celiac disease (gluten intolerance), and 10 percent of people in the U.S. are gluten sensitive.
While you may not be technically gluten intolerant or gluten sensitive (or are undiagnosed), eating less gluten can be beneficial for reasons such as decreasing inflammation, healing leaky gut (increased intestinal permeability), and reducing migraines. But don't be fooled, eating gluten free does not guarantee good health. Beware of the ingredients in many gluten-free substitutions as they are often processed and high in sugar, GMOs, or preservatives.
The term "traditional diet" was coined by dentist Dr. Weston Price, and it's exactly what it sounds like: eating the traditional and local foods that are part of one's culture. In the early 1900s, Dr. Price traveled around the globe, making the world his laboratory. He observed many cultures far and wide–from Eskimos to Swiss and African tribes to Polynesian Sea islanders. His research is based on the dental structure and health of these varying populations and how their traditional diets affected physical degeneration related to nutritional deficiencies.
The traditional diet recommends a whole food-based regimen based on nutrient-dense local foods from plants and animals, with a special focus on nutrient-dense foods such as local cultured butter, local raw milk, farm fresh egg yolks, and bone broth as well as various traditional sourdough breads and organ meats where available.
The paleo regimen is fairly simple: if the pre-agricultural, hunter-gatherer ancestors did not eat it, then neither should you. The paleo diet is based on the premise that genetically, you are almost identical to your ancestors. While this premise may not be true, this hunter-gatherer type of eating has many fans.
While some followers find it meat heavy, studies have found that the paleo diet can have a positive impact on glucose intolerance, weight loss, and cardiovascular health. The paleo diet is an anti-inflammatory, pure, and clean option to check out.
Researchers have discovered that the ketogenic diet has various associated health benefits beyond managing childhood epilepsy. One study showed a significant decrease in the growth of malignant brain tumors by 35 percent to 65 percent. Another study performed with normal-weight men may decrease cardiovascular disease.
And while the ketogenic diet requires more than a little diligence and commitment with limitations on eating many carbohydrates, one study of obese patients showed that the extended use of the ketogenic diet can have a positive impact on weight loss, body mass index, cholesterol levels (raising HDL and lowering LDL), and blood glucose levels, with no observed long-term safety issues.
With digestive issues on the rise, the low FODMAP (an acronym that stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols) diet addresses some common digestive issues and is often recommended because many people have trouble digesting short-chain carbohydrates (tiny carbohydrates containing up to 10 sugars found in foods such as legumes, wheat, and stone fruits, varying in their ease of digestibility).
The result of eating high FODMAP foods can be that these partially digested carbohydrates reach the large intestine and create a fermentation effect. Also, in the gut the "bad bacteria" uses these partially digested carbohydrates for fuel, exacerbating digestive issues, leading to more gas, bloating, and stomach pain. While the low FODMAP diet can feel a bit restrictive and challenging at first, studies show this diet to be a healing option for many who struggle with irritable bowel syndrome.
You can find a complete list of the low and high FODMAP foods to enjoy and avoid, respectively, here.
Whole30 was created by sports nutritionist Melissa Hartwig and her former husband, physical therapist Dallas Hartwig, in 2009. Their motto: Eat. Real. Food. This 30-day program is a whole-food short-term nutritional reset, governed by a few do's and don'ts.
While there is no recommended calorie counting or weighing during the program (in fact, it is forbidden), the company claims weight loss is a primary benefit (no independent studies confirm this). Whole30 is considered more of a diet than an eating style with its short-term 30-day focus on structure, support, and regulation.
Author Michael Pollan said it well: "Eat food, mostly plants." This is the foundation of the plant-based diet. Plant-based is not as strict as it may sound. It includes a wide range of plant-based foods—vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and legumes—and can even include small amounts of animal protein. Often confused with vegan or vegetarian diets, plant-based eating has a foundation of plant-based foods without the strict guidelines.
However, as the Harvard School of Health points out, it's important to be aware that "All plants are not created equal." Technically, fruit juice, potato chips, and white bread are plant-based foods but can wreak havoc on your blood sugar and bodily inflammation, while a diet high in leafy greens and whole food-based plants can do wonders for health and vitality. If you choose to eat plant-based, be sure to choose your plant-based foods wisely.
Veganism is known as a diet and lifestyle that excludes (often for ethical and environmental reasons) all forms of animal products, including all dairy, honey, and eggs. When done well, the vegan diet can be sustainable and satiating, and create an array of health benefits, including lowering body weight, lowering blood pressure, and decreasing the rate of cardiovascular disease.
However, not all vegan diets are healthy. Eating vegan requires attentiveness and an understanding that certain nutrients (such as omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, zinc, iodine, calcium, and iron) are harder to come by in the vegan world. When eating vegan, it is important to stay away from processed, nutrient-weak foods that lack proteins and fats, instead choosing whole-food proteins (in the form of nuts, seeds, and legumes) and naturally fat-rich foods that provide a stronger base for nutrition, while in some cases supplementing with nutrients such as vitamin B12.
This witty marriage of the two words flexible and vegetarian, the flexitarian diet was named the third-best diet of 2018 by U.S. News. The diet was originally described in the book The Flexitarian Diet, by registered dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner. Flexitarian eating emphasizes a diet high in vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and plant-based proteins, with occasional animal protein options.
The flexitarian regimen comes with a supportive menu plan, lots of resources on cooking tofu and other plant-based proteins, and many supportive intentions including pleasure, satiety, and convenience. The flexitarian diet is just like it sounds—flexible. Most flexitarians will eat more fruits and vegetables, learn to listen to their bodies for when more animal protein is needed, and enjoy the flexibility of eating out or with friends without the restrictions of a vegan or vegetarian diet. While this approach works well for some, others may prefer a bit more structure. There are many versions of eating flexibly and finding the best one for you is important.
Finding an eating style that works for you can take a little patience, education, and mind-body awareness. In general, when filling your plate with nutrient-dense whole foods, you can be confident that you are getting a high-quality nutritious diet. Many of these eating styles are strong and healthy options that, over time, you can customize to align with your health and wellness needs.
Discover new ways from Deepak Chopra to detox and create health and happiness every day with our self-paced online course, Secrets to Vibrant Health. Learn More.


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Juice WRLD's mother says rapper was planning to seek professional help for drug addiction
"We had that moment where I just knew he was going to overcome [his addiction]"
By Matt Doria
Juice WRLD. CREDIT: Johnny Nunez/WireImage
Juice WRLD's mother Carmela Wallace has opened up about the late rapper's struggles with substance dependency, saying she "just felt like his best interest wasn't being looked out for".
READ MORE: "He laid out his life for people to connect": why Juice WRLD's legacy lives on
The emo rapper (real name Jarad Higgins) died in 2019 from a drug-induced seizure at Chicago's Midway airport. He was 21.
Wallace appeared on The Tamron Hall Show on Tuesday (January 11), reminiscing on Higgins' legacy and pondering the heights to which his career would've grown had he not passed away. Alluding to Higgins' close inner-circle of peers, she said: "I think people had their own agendas and they liked the lifestyle.
"And they were young too, so I have to give them that. They're young, so they don't see things the way we would see it. But I think that he just didn't have the people in place to tell him to stop or to know [what was wrong]. He just didn't have that support system in place."
Wallace noted that Higgins had begun using drugs before his rap career took off, telling Hall that he was self-medicating with "the lean" (a mixture of codeine syrup and soft drink) and prescription pills. She said her son couldn't hide his drug use from her "because it was in his music", but the pair "were at a point where we could talk about it".
Juice WRLD. CREDIT: Erika Goldring/WireImage
"Y'know, he was an adult," she continued, "he wasn't living at home, but we still had that relationship where he felt comfortable talking about it."
Wallace went on to say that she feared Higgins would inevitably overdose on drugs, and encouraged him to seek help with a psychologist. "But he was 19 and he knew everything," she continued. "He figured he had it [under control], and the people around him… Some of them would reach out to me, but not the inner, inner-circle."
When Hall broached the topic of rehab, Wallace said Higgins "sounded like" he was considering it after expressing an interest in seeking professional help. She recalled meeting up with Higgins several months before his passing, saying she "could tell there was a difference in him, that he wasn't doing the lean".
"I think he was still doing pills," she continued, "but he told me he was ready to get help. It was just a special moment, y'know, we had that moment where I just knew he was going to overcome [his addiction]."
You can watch Wallace's full interview on The Tamron Hall Show below:
The new interview comes just weeks after Wallace opened up about Live Free 999, a foundation she started in Juice WRLD's honour. She explained then that the charity's aim is "really to just normalise the conversation around mental health", and "take the stigma away from" seeking help for mental illness.
Wallace noted that Live Free 999 contributes to various other organisations that follow the same goal, as well as those focussed on helping people through struggles with drug use. "Then we have another part of us that provides opportunities," she continued, pointing to the charity's merchandise as an avenue to give up-and-coming artists a chance to "showcase their talent".
In that same interview, Wallace hit out at fans that leak unreleased Juice WRLD material, saying she "understand[s] they loved [Higgins]" and his music but that "there's a proper way to do it" and "it's a bit disrespectful to him to leak his music like that".
Last month, HBO released a documentary covering Higgins' rise as Juice WRLD, titled Into The Abyss. In addition to his trailblazing rap career, the film touched on Higgins' struggles with mental illness, and how during his short time in the spotlight, he became "a therapist for millions of kids" and "a voice of that generation".
Preceding the film's release was the rapper's second posthumous album as Juice WRLD (and fourth overall), 'Fighting Demons'. In a four-star review of it, NME's Kyann-Sian Williams praised it for being "much more sombre" than previous efforts, calling it "evidence of a nuanced, complex artist whose legacy is stunning in its richness".
Last week, an animated music video was released for the track 'Already Dead'.
For help and advice on mental health:
'Am I depressed?' – Help and advice on mental health and what to do next
Help Musicians UK – Around the clock mental health support and advice for musicians
Music Support Org – Help and support for musicians struggling with alcoholism, addiction, or mental health issues
YOUNG MINDS – The voice for young people's health and wellbeing
CALM – The Campaign Against Living Miserably for young men
Time To Change – Let's end mental health discrimination
The Samaritans – Confidential support 24 hours a day


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debbi-c
About debbi-c
8/1/17 Lecture Note Discussion: Remakes, Homages, and Films Inspired by Hitchcock
debbi-c replied to Dr. Rich Edwards's topic in The Master of Suspense: 50 Years of Hitchcock
This list is great! Thanks for posting it. Some of the films listed I've seen, but many I haven't. I'll have to find opportunities to see at least some of them. I was glad to see some of the films listed: Charade Dark Passage Niagra [last night on TCM] Witness for the Prosecution Gaslight [love, love, love it!] The Spiral Staircase Leave Her To Heaven The Uninvited [i just watched this again today] The Stranger I'd add to the list: Beware My Lovely (1952) - Ida Lupino & Robert Ryan. Widow hires handyman who turns out to be schizophrenic who decompensates into psychotic episode, & widow is unable to escape from her home. The ordinary person put in an extrodinary situation, & having to rely on her wits to get through it alive. Limited set to film in [like Lifeboat & Rear Window]. Crisis (1950) - Cary Grant is a neurosurgeon in a South or Central American county in the midst of a revolution, forced into operating on the dictator. Trains, some great POV shots, the ordinary person put in an extrodinary situation, & having to rely on his wits to get through it alive. This course has been great! Thank you to Dr. Edwards & Dr. Gehring for bring all this info together for us. And, thank you to everyone here in the TCM Message Board for your insights. And, special thanks to TCM for offering this course to the public. TCM is very unique to the world of TV. May they continue to evolve over the upcoming years in the fan interactive fashion that we see today!
Daily Dose #19: Real Identities (Opening Scene of Marnie)
We can tell in these opening scenes that Marnie is a thief, she's good at it, done it before (multiple SS cards), she's cold, calculating, with a plan that has worked in the past. You just have to wonder, what is up with that? What makes her this person? She's cool & calm as she places her new items of clothing in the new suitcase, & tosses the old clothes into the old suitcase. She further sheds her old skin/identity when she rinses the dark hair dye out of her hair. I hadn't thought of the Psycho connection, but when Dr. Edwards mentioned it, it definitely clicked for me. Bernard Hermann's score is very moody, flowing back & forth in almost a hypnotic affect. It draws you into the film & makes you want to know more about Marnie's character. Hitchcock's cameos are often easy to miss. He's usually in the background, though not always. Here, he walks right out toward the camera. He wants you to see him.
Daily Dose #18: Love Birds (Opening Scene of The Birds)
I think most people have responded better than I can, or at least have said everything I was thinking, so, instead, here's something for some comedic relief....all of Hitchcocks cameos: (I hope the youtube link works!)
Daily Dose #17: What Do I Do With My Free Afternoon? (Title Sequence and Opening Scene of Psycho)
The title design with all the lines reminds me of looking (peeping?) through blinds in a window on the one hand. On the other hand, it also seems like the credits are being sliced up. Add the music to that, & you know that something scary is about to happen. The use of the exact date & time reminded me of a police report (a la Dragnet....just the facts, ma'am). You're being given information that can help you understand the context of what is about to happen in the film. Marion Crane is the person doing most of the talking. She's giving you information about her & Sam's relationship, including the fact that she's not happy with the relationship's current state. She has control of the focus of the opening scene, much more than Sam. She is the obvious main character.
Daily Dose #13: Criss Cross (Opening Scene of Strangers on a Train)
Pretty much everyone has discussed most of the criss-cross imagery: the shoes of the two men exiting their respective taxis, crossing the train station, & finally almost coming together as they prepare to enter the train; the maze of train tracks at the station, crossing, separating, re-crossing; the shoes of the two men again crossing in the train, & eventually accidentally touching, which finally brings them together. I found Bruno's handshake very interesting, too. Bruno crosses to Guy, grabs Guy's hand with both of his hands, almost as if pulling him into his web. Very manipulative move. Bruno has "moved in" on Guy, & has no intention of leaving him alone. The contrast between the Bruno & Guy is very obvious: Bruno's shoes are "flashy"; Guy's are conservative/utilitarian. Bruno talkative. He wants to strike up a conversation, & seems to have no intention of leaving Guy alone; Guy seems to want to be left alone (just politely responding to Bruno's questions).
Daily Dose #11: Thought I'd Left (Opening Scene of Mr. and Mrs. Smith)
The opening scene of Mr. & Mrs. Smith shows the couple in a bedroom suite that has not been tidied up for quite some time....dirty dishes all over the place, blankets on the sofa showing someone was sleeping there...makes you think that this is a couple in the midst of a quarrel. Yet the music is soft, kind of pastoral....you can almost hear the birds chirping....What's going on here?? We soon see the maid bringing the breakfast tray, not being let into the room, & trying to assess if she'll be able to remove some of the previous meals' dishes this time, or will she have to wait, again. Eventually, they make up after Mr. S. tricks Mrs. S. into thinking he's left the room, & we get a clearer picture of what's going on. This opening is not like most of the "Hitchcock openings" that we've seen so far, but it does have the humor & muted slapstick that Hitchcock likes to use. Most of Hitchcock's openings are in more public places. The Smiths are alone together in their bedroom, although, many people are trying to get in, or trying to figure out when they're going to exit the room. I think Carole Lombard & Robert Montgomery are well cast for this type of movie. There is much good chemistry between them; their faces light up when they're in that scene when they make up.
Daily Dose #10: Nothing on Me (Opening Scene of Shadow of a Doubt)
After first seeing a bit of his surroundings, we see Uncle Charlie (Joseph Cotton) lying on a bed in a rooming house. He seems to be calmly contemplating what to do, but you can sense the tension just below the surface. He has left large amounts of cash out on his side table much of which has fallen on to the floor. Maybe he feels that his fate can't be helped by money any longer. His landlady enters the room. She tells him about his "visitors". He remains seemingly calm, controlled, but with that underlying tension. He loses control once she leaves the room (throws glass at the wall). We know that Uncle Charlie has done something wrong, & is now running from either the law or the "un-law". On the surface, Charlie seems in control & ready to force a confrontation, so he leaves the boarding house. He walks directly toward the 2 men waiting for him, even bumping into one of them in a show of defiance. He's forcing their hand, testing them to find out what they do/don't know about him. Obviously they do know what he looks like because they follow him. But he still manages to elude them. The implication is that this isn't the first time he's been in a situation like this. The same kind of tension & foreboding is apparent in the opening of the Killers. Burt Lancaster in the shadows, waiting for someone, something. The music is muted/gloomy/foreboding when we first see Charlie lying in his bed smoking the cigar. The landlady pulling the shade, & the shadow that it produces coming down on Charlie's face, lets you know that something is about to happen. At that time the music gets louder & more intense. It becomes increasingly fast till we see the shot of the door to the boarding house (#13, unlucky?). As he opens the door & walks out, the intensity of the music continues till he walks past the men at the corner. The music plays a big part in setting the emotional tone of the opening of the film. As an aside, is it Philly or NJ that this scene is taking place in?
Daily Dose #9: Last Night I Dreamt (Opening Scene of Rebecca)
Rebecca opens not in a crowded public place with lots of activity, which previous Hitchcock films usually did, but in a dream. The dream is being narrated by a woman speaking in a slow, soothing voice, with little emotion, almost as if she's in the state of hypnosis. Eerie soft music is playing in the background. It's very visual. You feel like you're floating. You want to know the story of Manderley. You know it's something tragic - "...we can never go back to Manderley again..." Hitchcock expertly draws the audience into the film. Very interesting that we never know the name of the 2nd Mrs DeWinter (Joan Fontaine). I guess in part that's because she's the narrator, but you'd think that someone would call her name at some point in the film. It seems to emphasize the difference between her & the larger than life (& death) Rebecca.
Daily Dose #8: Cooling Our Heels (Opening Scene from The Lady Vanishes)
Opening scene seems very light, no one seems to have any major concerns. Caldicott & Charters seem to be the only ones, at first, to show any minor annoyance over the delayed train. It appeared like a scene out of a doctor's office waiting room. People reading, & just glancing up when someone new enters the room. Caldicott & Charters are very funny in that droll "British" sort of way. (What is it with English speakers & privilege?? Oh, well....another conversation, another time...) They seem to be oblivious to the politics of the day beyond the cricket scores. In fact, when one of them seems to have injected a political topic into their conversation, we quickly see that he's really only referring to cricket. Iris & her friends' entrance in many ways like Caldicott & Charters, but more so. The innkeeper stops what he's doing to cater to them, (overlooking C&C, much to their surprise). Iris & friends obviously feel very entitled to "the best", oblivious to what is going on around them, except in the most superficial sort of way. I love Miss Froy's entrance. We don't even hear her speak. She seems very happy, lighthearted. Kind of the sweet old aunt who always has a candy treat ready in her handbag for one of her nieces or nephews. Definitely not someone who you would think anyone was interested in kidnapping! The opening was great; the best is yet to come! A later scene, when Gilbert is in the room above Iris' room is almost exactly a scene out of Top Hat. Look for it.
Daily Dose #7: Mr. Memory (Opening Scene from The 39 Steps)
The 39 Steps, & The Lady Vanishes are my favorite Hitchcock films from his British sound era. I'm not sure I can add anything to the conversation at this point. Everyone has already brought up great points. Hitchcock is great at drawing you in to his films by making you care about his characters; you want to know more about them; you're interested in their fates. He does this to perfection in The 39 Steps. Robert Donat's character is introduced anonymously, but then his character is slowly revealed just by observing him in the music hall. He's an "every man"; good natured, pleasant, wants to join in with those around him. He's obviously an innocent man. In Hitchcock's earlier films, the openings were a bit darker, even the opening of The Pleasure Garden where the darker side of human nature is revealed by the learing "gentlemen" in the audience.
Daily Dose #6: Knocking 'Em Cold (Opening Scene from The Man Who Knew Too Much)
I've seen both the versions of this film. I like this version best. The characters are definitely more important than the plot in the film. The plot is really just a way of further defining the characters....you can say that the plot is the MacGuffin. Peter Lorre at first appears to be a happy, laid back guy....until he sees the face of the high-jumper. That startles him, & we briefly see a more sinister side to his personality. He quickly jumps back into the persona he wants to show this group, with only the ski-jumper noticing the change.
Daily Dose #5: Heard About the Murder? (Scene from Blackmail)
Hitchcock's use of sound, & silence, is great. First, when Alice is obviously upset & preoccupied & she enters the phone booth. In the background you hear the gossip going on & on about the murder, but she's silent as soon as Alice closes the booth's door. The silence then transports the audience into Alice's mind. You can feel the tension, & anxiety by the expressions on her face & the rest of her body language. Next, when she's at the breakfast table & the gossip is still going on & on about the murder, Alice's anxiety is intensified by the only word that she, & the audience, are hearing the gossip say: "...blah, blah, blah, KNIFE, blah, blah, blah, KNIFE, blah, blah, blah..." After a while, it's almost as if Alice is lulled by the sound until the gossip says "KNIFE" a bit louder than before which startles Alice so much that the knife she's holding flies out of her hand. Alice is obviously anxious & tense about something, & having a difficult time holding her emotions together.
Daily Dose #5
Daily Dose #4: Depends on Your Point of View (Scene from Downhill)
The POV tracking shots draw the audience into the movie, to become part of the story, to feel what the character is feeling. The audience can feel the confusion & fear that the boys are feeling even before they have any idea of why the schoolmaster is obviously upset with them. You can feel Mabel's anger when she looks at the boys, & feel their fear as she walks towards them, to identify the "perpetrator". From her point of view, she's been used before by men, but never been "caught". Now that she's "copped it", she's decided to go for the boy who can do her the most good financially. The montage when Mabel is reporting how it happened, over the reproachful face of the schoolmaster, reflects her own anger over her situation. The montage in The Ring was more complex than this, but Mabel's story is very clearly communicated, even if not truly what occurred with the boy. Can't wait to see this one on TCM 7/5 @ 9:45pm EST!
#Hitchcock50 #POV
Daily Dose #3: Fighting For Her (Scene from The Ring)
I found the use of the mirrors by the boxer & his wife very interesting. The reflections each sees seems to be distorted. What each seems to be seeing is distorted by their own insecurities & fears. The wife doesn't seem very comfortable with all of the frantic action in the room she's in, & her interaction with the "champ" seems forced, not sincere. It's almost as if she's forcing herself to show interest in him, even though it's doubtful that's what she's feeling. Maybe she's trying to force some kind of emotion or action from her husband? Maybe she's afraid that with his continued success, she's going to lose her husband? And her husband, observing his wife, he misinterprets her behavior because of his own fears of losing her. He thinks that she's truly interested in the champ.
Daily Dose #2: To-night Golden Curls (Opening Scene of The Lodger)
You definitely see horror in Martin Balsam's eyes in the stabbing scene on the stairs in Psycho! (There was horror in my eyes the first time I saw this scene, too.) It's that horror in her eyes that to me seems missing in the the victim in the beginning of The Lodger. I just don't see the fear in her eyes.
GermanExpressionism
RussianMontage
BritishFilm
GermanFilm


I try very hard to live in the moment with Callie but often find myself occupied with other thoughts. But then I wlll have moments where she and I will be cuddling on the couch, sitting across from each other on the ground or having a rolling race across the living room floor, where everything catches up with me and I realize how truly blessed I am to have such an amazing family! Callie has been such a wonderful blessing that always seems to catch me by surprise.


text:
Q: node ffi Rect type I want to get a specific window's size in node, using the node-ffi and user32 libraries. Can't make the Rect pointer work at all, I'm either getting NULL as output, or fatal errors.
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms633503(v=vs.85).aspx
Out LPRECT lpRect should contain the top left, and bottom right corner's coordinates.
var ffi = require('ffi');
var ref = require('ref');
var Struct = require('ref-struct');

var lpctstr = {
    name: 'lpctstr',
    indirection: 1,
    size: ref.sizeof.pointer,
    get: function(buffer, offset) {
        var _buf = buffer.readPointer(offset);
        if(_buf.isNull()) {
            return null;
        }
        return _buf.readCString(0);
    },
    set: function(buffer, offset, value) {
        var _buf = ref.allocCString(value, 'ucs2');

        return buffer.writePointer(_buf, offset);
    },
    ffi_type: ffi.types.CString.ffi_type
};

var lpdwordPtr = ref.refType(ref.types.ulong);

var pointStruct = new Struct({
  'x': 'long',
  'y': 'long'
});

var rectStruct = new Struct({
  left        : pointStruct,
  top         : pointStruct,
  right       : pointStruct,
  bottom      : pointStruct
});

var rectPtr = ref.refType(rectStruct);

var user32 = ffi.Library('user32', {
    FindWindowW: ['int', [lpctstr, lpctstr]],
    GetWindowThreadProcessId: ['int', ['int', lpdwordPtr]],
    SetForegroundWindow: ['bool', ['int']],
    GetWindowRect: [rectPtr, ['int']]
});

var hwnd = user32.FindWindowW(null, 'Calculator');
user32.SetForegroundWindow(hwnd);
var Rect = user32.GetWindowRect(hwnd);
console.log(JSON.stringify(Rect));

A: I couldn't get your example working using the ref-struct approach, but I figured out a way to do it using a simple "pointer" type:
var user32 = new ffi.Library("user32", {
    GetWindowRect: ["bool", ["int32", "pointer"]],
});

export function GetWindowPosition(handle: number) {
    var rectPointer = Buffer.alloc(4 * 4);
    var success = user32.GetWindowRect(handle, rectPointer);
    if (!success) return null;

    let rect = RectPointerToRect(rectPointer);
    console.log("Rect: " + JSON.stringify(rect));
    return rect;
}

function RectPointerToRect(rectPointer: Buffer) {
    let rect = {} as any;
    rect.left = rectPointer.readUInt32LE(0);
    rect.top = rectPointer.readUInt32LE(4);
    rect.right = rectPointer.readUInt32LE(8);
    rect.bottom = rectPointer.readUInt32LE(12);
    return rect;
}

A: I'm a bit late, but I think I finally figured out how GetWindowRect() works.
at first you need to define Rect Struct according to the Documentation:
const rect = Struct({
  left : 'long',
  top : 'long',
  right : 'long',
  bottom : 'long',
});

then you need to define your user32 library:
//I think This is something like (struct rect *)
//because you need to path pointer of struct rect to this function
const rectPtr = ref.refType(rect);

var user32 = ffi.Library('user32.dll', {
                        GetForegroundWindow : ['long',[]],
                        GetWindowRect : ['bool',['long',rectPtr]]
});

before calling GetWindowRect it's necessary to acquire handle of the window you want to know the size of. Lets just take currently active window for simplicity by calling GetForegroundWindow function:
const wind_handle = user32.GetForegroundWindow();

We have a window handle and now we need do create actual rect struct for GetWindowRect() to store result in:
const rec_struct = new rect;

if you log this object in console you'll see something like this:

{ left: 0,
    top: 0,
    right: 0,
    bottom: 0,
  'ref.buffer':
           Buffer@0x000001C387A81E80 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 }

as I mentioned GetWindowRect accepts buffer as it's second parameter and sets it's contents with the contents of actual C rectangle structure. so to get window information in our rec_struct object we need to path rec_struct['ref.buffer'] to the GetWindowRect :
user32.GetWindowRect(fhwnd,rec['ref.buffer']);

now if you log rec_struct in the console, you'll get it filled with the the coordinates of window's upper-left and lower-right corners:

{ left: 560,
    top: 220,
    right: 1360,
    bottom: 820,
    'ref.buffer':
     Buffer@0x0000012F3751F270 30 02 00 00 dc 00 00 00 50 05 00 00 34 03 00 00 }

Now calculation of the window size will be trivial.

A: Try this. I believe, you have made four POINTs for RECT, but it needs only LONG.
var ffi = require('ffi');
var ref = require('ref');
var Struct = require('ref-struct');

var lpctstr = {
    name: 'lpctstr',
    indirection: 1,
    size: ref.sizeof.pointer,
    get: function(buffer, offset) {
        var _buf = buffer.readPointer(offset);
        if(_buf.isNull()) {
            return null;
        }
        return _buf.readCString(0);
    },
    set: function(buffer, offset, value) {
        var _buf = ref.allocCString(value, 'ucs2');

        return buffer.writePointer(_buf, offset);
    },
    ffi_type: ffi.types.CString.ffi_type
};

var lpdwordPtr = ref.refType(ref.types.ulong);

var pointStruct =  Struct({
  'x': ffi.types.ulong,
  'y': ffi.types.ulong
});

var rectStruct =  Struct({
  left        : ffi.types.ulong,
  top         : ffi.types.ulong,
  right       : ffi.types.ulong,
  bottom      : ffi.types.ulong
});

var rectPtr = ref.refType(rectStruct);

var user32 = ffi.Library('user32', {
    FindWindowW: ['int', [lpctstr, lpctstr]],
    GetWindowThreadProcessId: ['int', ['int', lpdwordPtr]],
    SetForegroundWindow: ['bool', ['int']],
    GetWindowRect: ['bool', ['int',rectStruct]]
});

var hwnd = user32.FindWindowW(null, 'E');
user32.SetForegroundWindow(hwnd);
var Rect = new rectStruct;
var bool = user32.GetWindowRect(hwnd, Rect);
console.log(JSON.stringify(Rect), Rect);


A new ad for lamb has been released online and in it, it takes humourous jabs at Aussie prime ministers, the stuff the Aussies stole from us Kiwis and cheating in sports.
In the ad, the Aussies see all of their faults and decide it is time to unite with NZ, a country doing a lot better than them. They call for unity with us, their neighbours across the ditch, and call a meeting in the middle of the Tasman with a few bits of yummy lamb.


James Retty, the North American sales manager for Arc'Teryx, since January 2000, is leaving the company for family and personal reasons.
James Retty, the North American sales manager for Arc'Teryx, since January 2000, is leaving the company for family and personal reasons. SNEWS® has been privy to the Retty-family challenges following the premature birth of twins last year. Our hat is off to company founder Jeremy Guard for the way he handled the situation by making it easy for Retty to be with his family during that difficult period. Retty told us that leaving the Arc'Teryx family was a very, very difficult decision for him, but being near his home of Whistler and with his own family more proved the deciding factor in swaying his mind. "I have two children, 6 and 4, and now the twins," Retty told us. "I have quite a bit going on right now at home and I want and need to be there." Retty won't be straying far from the industry though. Once an employee of the Whistler-based specialty mountaineering and telemark store, The Escape Route, Retty is now the owner. "Owning the store is exciting and a bit frightening for me," Retty said of his new business responsibility. No replacement for Retty has yet been announced by Arc'Teryx. SNEWS® View: Hard move, right move, smart move. Family always comes first, and Retty and Arc'Teryx realize that, thank goodness. Retty will have a leg up on many new store owners as he knows -- perhaps too well in some cases -- many of the major vendors he'll now be buying from. He also knows very well, to his advantage, what a vendor wants and needs from a retailer and, what a retailer needs and requires from a vendor. We wish Retty nothing but the best. He's a class act and example to us all.


NO ONE can ever accuse me of lacking determination when it comes to climbing mountains but sometimes even my best efforts are not enough.
The past seven days have proved to be the most frustrating spell I've had since I started this magnificent madness back in the mists of time.
Yet it had all looked so promising when I set off last Friday. I was heading for a few days in Northumberland with friends and hoped to sample some of the delights of the Donalds on the way there and the way back. In between, I had planned to climb Windy Gyle, the peak which straddles the border.
The first spoke in the wheel came on the trip south with mini-monsoons unleashing their fury with alarming regularity.
The following day we had to abandon any plans for the high places and instead enjoyed a 14km beach walk. It was glorious on the way out, but the return saw us soaked to the skin as a line of snipers using heavy cloud cover fired ferocious volleys of hail that left us nursing sore faces.
Early snow and treacherous road conditions the next day saw my hopes of reaching Windy Gyle dashed so I had to be satisfied with a short, invigorating stroll across a lower plateau.
The weather for the Monday looked glorious however, and I drove back across the border ready to salvage some new peaks from the trip. But as soon as I started heading down a series of minor roads the problems began.
The first B road I was planning to use was closed. No real problem, I'll just take the next turning a few miles along. It was also closed. Now I did have a problem. The diversion would mean another 30-mile drive. I hastily assembled a Plan B, heading off in a different direction to try to reach Gladstone Reservoir and the Moorfoot hills.
After about an hour in a maze of new minor roads, complete with diversions, of course, I turned off for the final few miles' run to the reservoir. Only, I suddenly found myself facing back the way I had just come. The car had spun right round. This section of road through a snow-laden forest was covered in sheet ice. Any progress would run the risk up wrapping the car round a tree or two. I decided today was just not to be and headed home.
Still, the weather was now more settled, so I consoled myself with the thought that I could head out on Wednesday.
I needed a relatively leisurely hill with a later start, so chose to head for the Munro, Meall Ghaordaidh, near Killin. I made to it within 15 minutes of the start point when I found the road closed. There had been signs earlier, but not early enough, and they were confusing. A bigger diversion warning should have been placed more prominently. And why not say exactly where the road was shut?
I decided to try to head over on the high road to Glen Lyon. This can be closed in winter conditions but it was fine all the way to the dam. A few hundred yards further on and I came to a grinding halt. There was a muddy bulwark blocking access. I waved the white flag. Fate had decided I wasn't doing any hills this week.
I paid a visit to the Fortingall Yew on the way home. So there was me and Yew and there was a dog wandering around but I don't know if it was called Boo. My mind was in a strange pace at this point.
I have never had a satnav and maybe one would have helped, but I suspect a superior electronic voice telling me where I was going wrong would merely have resulted in it being punched repeatedly in the face.
Five days out, four road closures, two roads impassable, zero mountains. Roll on the weekend.


text:
#Region "Microsoft.VisualBasic::d594a29fe27c44a5564365b1714b7757, src\assembly\assembly\ASCII\MSN\MsnList.vb"

    ' Author:
    '
    '       xieguigang (gg.xie@bionovogene.com, BioNovoGene Co., LTD.)
    '
    ' Copyright (c) 2018 gg.xie@bionovogene.com, BioNovoGene Co., LTD.
    '
    '
    ' MIT License
    '
    '
    ' Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
    ' of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
    ' in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
    ' to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
    ' copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
    ' furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
    '
    ' The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
    ' copies or substantial portions of the Software.
    '
    ' THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
    ' IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
    ' FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
    ' AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
    ' LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
    ' OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
    ' SOFTWARE.

    ' /********************************************************************************/

    ' Summaries:

    '     Class MsnList
    '
    '         Properties: activation, c, id, instrument, ionMode
    '                     ms2, msn, mz_range, type
    '
    '         Function: GetMsnList, MsnList, ToString
    '
    '
    ' /********************************************************************************/

#End Region

Imports BioNovoGene.Analytical.MassSpectrometry.Math.Spectra
Imports Microsoft.VisualBasic.ComponentModel.Ranges.Model
Imports Microsoft.VisualBasic.Emit.Marshal
Imports ANSI = Microsoft.VisualBasic.Text.ASCII

Namespace ASCII.MSN

    Public Class MsnList

        Public Property id As String
        Public Property msn As String
        Public Property type As String
        Public Property ionMode As String
        Public Property c As String
        Public Property instrument As String
        Public Property activation As String
        Public Property mz_range As DoubleRange
        Public Property ms2 As ms2()

        Public Overrides Function ToString() As String
            Return id
        End Function

        Friend Shared Function GetMsnList(file As String) As MsnList()
            Dim ions As MsnList() = file _
                .IterateAllLines _
                .SkipWhile(Function(l) l.First = "#"c) _
                .Split(Function(line) line.First = ">"c, DelimiterLocation.NextFirst) _
                .Where(Function(b) Not b.IsNullOrEmpty) _
                .Select(AddressOf MsnList) _
                .ToArray

            Return ions
        End Function

        Private Shared Function MsnList(block As String()) As MsnList
            Dim i As Pointer(Of String) = block(Scan0).Split(ANSI.TAB)
            Dim ms2 As ms2() = block _
                .Skip(1) _
                .Select(Function(l)
                            Dim mzInto As Double() = l _
                                .Split(ANSI.TAB) _
                                .Select(Function(c) Val(c)) _
                                .ToArray
                            Dim fragment As New ms2 With {
                                .mz = mzInto(Scan0),
                                .intensity = mzInto(1),
                                .quantity = .intensity
                            }

                            Return fragment
                        End Function) _
                .ToArray

            Return New MsnList With {
                .id = ++i,
                .msn = ++i,
                .type = ++i,
                .ionMode = ++i,
                .c = ++i,
                .instrument = ++i,
                .activation = ++i,
                .mz_range = (++i) _
                    .Split("-"c) _
                    .Select(AddressOf Val) _
                    .ToArray,
                .ms2 = ms2
            }
        End Function

    End Class
End Namespace

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub