According to a new report from BMI, the company has surpassed revenue records for the fiscal year ending on June 30.
The company distributed more than $1.118 billion in royalties to songwriters, publishers, and composers. That's an increase 9%, or $95 million, more than the previous year.
The report says that the $1.118 billion figure includes both domestic and international royalties, as well as direct deals that BMI brokers with publishers. Total distribution from these direct deals was $53 million this year, which is a $17 million increase compared to last year.
BMI says direct deals account for around 5% the company's total distribution.
Another contributing factor to this record-setting revenue growth is the drop in overhead costs. BMI's overhead is at its lowest in the company's history with 90 cents every dollar returned directly to publishers, songwriters, and composers.
The organization is also pointing to substantial growth in the digital sector the industry.
BMI says its digital revenue grew 32% compared to last year, raking in $215 million in royalties thanks to deals with companies like Amazon, Hulu, Netflix, Apple Music, YouTube, Spotify, and SoundCloud. BMI says digital revenue now accounts for 24% the company's total domestic revenue.
General licensing made a 5% gain compared to last year, posting $156 million. It accounts for around 18% BMI's total domestic revenue and comes from businesses like restaurants, bars, and hotels licensing music.
Total domestic revenue for the company grew 5% this year to a record $880 million. BMI's international revenue is up 9% compared to the previous year with $319 million in revenues generated.
One interesting final point is that the company processed over 1.7 trillion performances in the fiscal year, which is a 23% increase over the previous year. In total, 97.7% those tracked performance points were digital, which highlights the need for fair royalty distribution to songwriters and other pressionals.


text:
Programme Management Officer
United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment)
Org. Setting and Reporting
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. The overall objective of the UNEP's Economy Division is to encourage decision makers in government, local authorities and industry to develop and adopt policies, strategies and practices and technologies that promote sustainable patterns of consumption and production, make efficient use of natural resources, ensure safe management of chemicals and contribute to making trade and environment policies mutually supportive. It promotes the development, use and transfer of policies, technologies, economic instruments, managerial practices and other tools that assist in environmentally sound decision making and the building of corresponding activities. The position is located in the Economy Division, Resources and Markets Branch, Finance Initiative Unit, at the Geneva duty station. Under the direct supervision of the Head of the Finance Initiative Unit, the incumbent will be responsible for the following:
(1) Programme Management: Support the development, delivery and evaluation of programmed work on integrating ecosystems-related dependencies and impacts into finance sector analysis; raise awareness and develop expertise on ecosystems issues with members; Develop and fundraise for new innovations in ecosystems and the finance sector. Manage Ecosystems thematics budgets and administration.
(2) Member Relations: In close liaison with other relevant functions within UN Environment, provide updates, insight and training to Finance Initiative members and other stakeholders; Engage with members to ensure the continued relevance of the outputs to members.
(3) Partnerships: Contribute to building and maintaining strategic partnerships with key stakeholders such as government officials, policymakers and regulators, international and multilateral organisations, non-governmental organisations, industry initiatives and associations, academia and public and private financial institutions.
(4) Technical Expertise: Provide technical expertise on the design, development and implementation of technical tools for the finance sector, including but not limited to Excel-based tools that identify and integrate natural capital-related risks and opportunities for financial decision making across different asset classes; Contribute to the incubation, development and design of innovative methods to measure the effects of environmental resource variability on the value of financial assets.
(5) Administration: Perform reporting and administrative duties appropriate to the implementation of the activities considered in the thematic work programme of the Finance Initiative on ecosystems; Draft comments on technical reports prepared by other units or offices, as required.
(6) Perform other relevant duties as required.
PROFESSIONALISM: Proven technical skills in the area of Finance and Economics, including but not limited to, Financial Risk Management and Environmental Economic Theories. Proven skills in developing work programs for a variety of private and public stakeholders in the finance sector, including capital market players such as financial regulators, commercial and investment banks. Ability to identify and resolve a range of issues/problems and to work well with figures, undertake basic research and gather information from standard sources. Ability to apply judgment in the context of assignments given, plan own work and manage conflicting priorities, and remains calm in stressful situations
PLANNING & ORGANIZING: Identifies priority activities and assignments; Adjusts priorities as required; Allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; Uses time efficiently. Risks and allows for contingencies when planning monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; Uses time efficiently
TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others' ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position
Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in economics, finance, business or a related area. A relevant first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
A minimum of five years of professional work experience relating to finance and the environment is required.
Two of the five years' work experience at the international level is also required
Work experience in financial risk management is an advantage.
Prior working knowledge of the UN system is also an advantage.
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another UN language is desirable.
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.
This is a Project post. Initial appointment against this post is for a period of one year and may be subject to extension. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.
1. All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply on-line as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. On-line applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided.
2. If you do not receive an email acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. In such cases, please resubmit the application, if necessary. If the problem persists please seek technical assistance through the Inspira "Need Help?" link.
Pursuant to section 7.11 of ST/AI/2012/2/ Rev.1, candidates recruited through the young professionals programme who have not served for a minimum of two years in the position of their initial assignment are not eligible to apply to this position.
Internal Applicants – when completing the PHP, ensure ALL fields, ALL professional experience and contact information are completed and up to date. This information is the basis for the hiring manager to assess your eligibility and suitability for the position and to contact you.
Individual contractors and consultants who have worked within the UN Secretariat in the last six months, irrespective of the administering entity, are ineligible to apply for professional and higher temporary or fixed-term positions and their applications will not be considered.
United Nations Considerations
According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term "sexual exploitation" means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term "sexual abuse" means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term "sexual harassment" means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator's working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.
Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.
Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on "Manuals" hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.
The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.
Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: maven built dockerized project that runs a node application I have a project that is built via maven, its a dockerized project for a node application.
I want to be able to customize my CMD/EntryPoint based on the maven build arguments.
I know that when we do docker run and provide it the arguments it is accepted and that works fine.
but I want to do the same thing from maven commandline.
Is there a way to let docker run know the argument passed in the maven commandline?
or even better can I edit the dockerfile and read commandline args of maven and use in the dockerfile ENTRYPOINT?
Thanks in advance,
Minakshi

A: Based on this, you can either use maven-resources-plugin to replace instances of  ${...} with the values set in maven before you build the docker file.
Example:
<plugin>
<artifactId>maven-resources-plugin</artifactId>
<version>3.0.2</version>
<executions>
    <execution>
        <id>filter-dockerfile</id>
        <phase>generate-resources</phase>
        <goals>
            <goal>copy-resources</goal>
        </goals>
        <configuration>
            <outputDirectory>${project.build.directory}</outputDirectory>
            <resources>
                <resource>
                    <directory>src/main/docker</directory>
                    <filtering>true</filtering>
                </resource>
            </resources>
        </configuration>
    </execution>
</executions>

This assume your docker file is under src/main/docker/ path. The replaced docker file will be copied on ${project.build.directory} path.
Or based on this comment, you could pass arguments to docker file.
Example:
On your maven docker plugin
<configuration>
  <buildArgs>
    <artifactId>${project.artifactId}</artifactId>
    <groupId>${project.groupId}</groupId>
  </buildArgs>
</configuration>

Then access those properties as ARGs on docker file
ARG artifactId
ARG groupId
ENV ARTIFACT_ID=${artifactId} GROUP_ID=${groupId}

Hope this help answer you question.

A: Thank you for the responses
I used the resource filtering in maven to solve my problem:
<properties>
  <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
  <userdefvariable></userdefvariable> // variable that you want to pass along
</properties>
<build>
  <resources>
    <resource>
      <directory>src/main/resource</directory> // path to the file (can be anything)
      <filtering>true</filtering> // must be true this is what does replacement
    </resource>
  </resources>
</build>

add to maven commands: "resources:resources -Duserdefvariable=value"
//this setup generates a file in target folder after running the mvn commands, where the variable is injected with the value given by the user.
in Dockerfile now you can instead put in a command to run the file:
CMD ["sh", "path to the script in target folder"]
// in this script should be the commands that you want to use

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Cut out four rectangles in coloured card to the dimensions of the milk carton. Stick the card pieces onto the sides of the carton with double-sided tape.
Cut a rectangle out of brown paper and fold down the middle. Draw on tiles facing away from the fold and then stick onto the top of the carton with double-sided tape.


text:
C-130 REFERENCE
C-130 Units
C-130 Aircraft Database
C-130 Timeline
Aviation Glossary
C-130 Hot News
C-130 News Archive
PHOTOS & PATCHES
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Miscellaneous C-130 Photos
C-130 Photographs
Senior Airman Madrid, an MC-130P Combat Shadow, from the 67th Special Operations Squadron, conducts a pressure, regulator, inspection, connection, emergency check prior to engine startup at an a forward deployed Operation Iraqi Freedom location. [U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sergeant Jerry Morrison]
Warner Robins Air Logistics Center workers here consider the C-130 Hercules the SUV of airlift. The aircraft has been going strong for more than 50 years and with modernization efforts could last another 50 years. [Courtesy photo]
RAAF C-130J #A97-467 under construction with other C-130s in various stages of production by Lockheed. [Lockheed Martin Photo]
YC-130
YC-130 #53-3397
Winding roads and low-hanging limbs were a few of the obstacles crews overcame April 2, 2005 when they towed a C-130A #58-0727 to the 381st Training Squadron's medical readiness training site at Sheppard AFB, Texas. The aircraft became the newest piece of training equipment for medics scheduled to deploy an aeromedical evacuation assignment. [USAF photo by Sandy Wassenmiller]
Staff Sgt. Wayne Craft puts finishing touches on a C-130 Hercules aircraft model April 27, 2007 in the 145th Airlift Wing's aerospace ground equipment shop in Charlotte, North Carolina. The model will be used in parades and other events celebrating the Air Force's 60th anniversary. Craft is assigned to the North Carolina Air National Guard. [USAF photo by Tech. Sgt. Brian E. Christiansen]
This C130 was operated by NASA at the Wallops Island Facility, Goddard Space Flight Center in Virginia, NASA serial 161495, and is now part of the collection of the Kenosha Military Museum in Wisconsin. [NASA photo]
The 5th Air Force flagship transferred from F-16C block 50 #92-3895 from 13th FS (left) to the C-130 (right) during a ceremony at Yokota AB on February 25th, 2008. Lt. Gen. Edward Rice Jr. assumed command of the 5th AF from Lt. Gen. Bruce Wright in a separate ceremony that same day. [USAF photo by Col. Eric Schnaible]
Contractors load the remains of a C-130A (serial required) onto a truck for removal from the end of the flightline at Homestead ARB on April 1, 2009. What was left of the wings was sawed off, and the 56,000-pound hulk will be driven to recycling plant where the aluminium will be smelted down and reused. The C-130 remains have long been a fixture on base. It was damaged beyond repair during Hurricane Andrew in 1992, and was subsequently used for training by the 70th Aerial Port Squadron for many years. The aircraft was one of Lockheed Martin's original C-130 "A" models produced in 1956. [USAF photo by 2nd Lt. Erik Hofmeyer]
Guardsmen help push C-130A 56-0550 fuselage out of a C-5 at Stratton ANGB, New York. The training fuselage was transported from the Rhode Island Air National Guard. Loadmasters, aeromeds and aerial port personnel will now be able to train at any time. [USAF photo by Master Sgt. Christine Wood]
An Airman cleans fire retardant from a C-130 Hercules aircraft equipped with a Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) at McClellan Air Park in California June 28, 2008, after it returned from a firefighting mission. [DoD photo by Maj. Steven Burke]
Photos 1 - 12 of 301
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2007 was a landmark year for Pakistan, and the ramifications of events of the year will be felt for years to come. The year saw Islamic extremists emerge from the remote Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and challenge the writ of the government initially in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and finally in Islamabad.
The year also saw Nawaz Sharif returning to Pakistan, being deported to Saudi Arabia and returning again; Benazir Bhutto returning to Pakistan; declaration of emergency, its revocation; the shedding of uniform by General Pervez Musharraf, and his subsequent swearing in for a new term; appointment of a new army chief; declaration of elections; and political flip-flops by political parties.
Of all the events, the developments in the field of judiciary were the most significant. The year saw a pliant judiciary - which had assumed office after taking oath under the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) promulgated by Musharraf - start questioning the government authority - a definite novelty in Pakistan.
When the Supreme Court led by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry castigated security agencies for the disappearance of political activists and directed the intelligence agencies to produce them, it crossed the Rubicon. Musharraf, who draws his strength from the army, which is not used to being questioned by civilians, responded by suspending the chief justice.
What followed was unprecedented: civil society led by lawyers and actively supported by the independent media rose in unison to protest the government action.
This forced the government to backtrack and reinstate the chief justice. However, when the judiciary again started asserting its independence and challenging the legitimacy of the Musharraf government, it was sent packing. A handpicked judiciary with pliant judges was sworn in under a fresh PCO. Despite huge public protests, the coming elections have diverted public attention from this crucial issue.
After revoking the PCO Dec 15, the judges were given a fresh oath of office. But the judges who had refused to be sworn in under the PCO continue to languish in their homes under virtual house arrest.
On the security front, Balochistan continued to simmer but the developments in other parts of Pakistan and the government's strong-arm tactics against the media ensured that it remained away from the headlines.
Even a major incident like the killing of Nawabzada Ballach Marri, believed to be the commander of the Baloch Liberation Army, failed to bring the Baloch issue to the centre-stage.
Sardar Akhtar Jan Mengal, a former chief minister and a number of other Baloch political activists, continues to be incarcerated without proper judicial procedures. This has not stirred the media significantly.
It is not that the region has quietened during the year - Baloch insurgents continued targeting symbols of government authority, almost daily, but the region disappeared from the public gaze.
The real threat to Pakistan's security came from the radical Islamic militants who had been challenging the government and its Western allies in Afghanistan from their safe havens in FATA for some time. But in 2007 they came out of the mountainous region and targeted Pakistani security forces in the settled areas of NWFP.
The most significant development for Islamic militancy was the emergence of Lal Masjid as a citadel of the Pakistani Taliban, right in the heart of Islamabad. The mosque has hogged the headlines since January when burqa-clad students of Jamia Hafsa, a school attached to the mosque, occupied a state-run children's library to protest plans to demolish mosques illegally built on government land.
This was followed by Taliban style anti-vice patrols targeting brothels and music and video shops. They kidnapped women accused of running a brothel and also policemen, freeing them only after the government conceded their demands. They even issued a 'fatwa' against Nilofar Bakhtiar, Pakistan's tourism minister after she was shown in close physical contact with a para-jumping instructor.
The government finally acted only after they kidnapped Chinese citizens and China made a strong appeal for their protection. Hundreds died in the operation launched to flush out the militants from Lal Masjid. Many more lives including those of over 200 security personnel were lost subsequently in reprisal suicide attacks by the militants.
It was for the first time since the 'war on terror' started that the Pakistan Army as an institution was targeted rather than Musharraf and his top generals. What was even more alarming was that a large number of well-armed troops surrendered to the militants in different parts of FATA, suggesting some sort of an ideological support for the militant cause.
The militants subsequently expanded their area of operations and seized the idyllic Swat Valley. Maulana Fazlullah, who heads the Tehrik Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi (TNSM) in Swat Valley, closely allied with the Taliban, had been asking his followers through his FM radiosince the Lal Masjid operations to prepare for jehad .
The manner in which security forces surrendered their weapons to the militants and the region fell under the sway of the militants showed the gravity of the situation. Finally, the Pakistan Army supported by artillery and helicopter gunships won back Swat after a battle that lasted over two weeks and claimed over 300 lives. But Fazlullah joined the ranks of elusive Mulla Omar and Al Qaeda leadership -- by disappearing.
The growing Islamic militancy in Pakistan made the US to realise that its strategy of ushering in 'Enlightened Moderation' through Musharraf had not worked and the real reasons for the rising extremism in Islamic world in general and Pakistan in particular is the absence of pluralism and the right of democratic dissent.
While it could do nothing about pluralism in Pakistan, it tried to usher in democracy to tackle extremism. It realised that in the absence of Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto, the anti-regime opposition was getting channelled through the fundamentalist forces being represented by the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) , the only force capable of mobilising masses in their absence.
This appreciation forced the US to pressurise Bhutto and Musharraf to come together. Bhutto presented an ideal option for the ruler of a 'moderate' Islamic state from a Western perspective - a Western-educated woman with a mass support base.
However, by striking a deal with Musharraf, Bhutto did compromise her position and there was therefore erosion in her support base. The proclamation of emergency and its subsequent revocation helped Bhutto to distance herself from Musharraf and assume the mantle of an opposition leader.
The manner in which Benazir was allowed to come back after the proclamation of emergency and the way she was alternately allowed to move around and placed under house arrest clearly pointed towards some collusion with Musharraf. Her insistence on contesting the coming elections and reluctance to give primacy to reinstatement of sacked judges have divided the opposition and helped Musharraf's cause.
On the other hand, the doffing of uniform by Musharraf and the selection of General Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani, a former staff officer of Bhutto, as the army chief have ostensibly been done to bolster the stature of the Pakistan People's Party leader.
Nawaz Sharif, who returned to Pakistan after being booted out the first time he flew in from Saudi Arabia, was forced to follow Bhutto and has agreed to contest the elections. MMA has split.
If the elections in Pakistan are seen as credible, it would definitely help to stem the tide of rising extremism. The people by voting for secular parties like PPP, PML (N) or ANP would marginalise the MMA.
However, this is only possible if the people believe that the elections are free and fair and the elected government, not Musharraf, will wield real authority.
If it does not happen and the elections are viewed as just another farcical exercise to provide legitimacy to Musharraf, the party that would gain the most would be the Jamaat-e-Islami, which is the largest of all political parties boycotting elections.
This could greatly accentuate the religious extremism in Pakistan. It is therefore essential that Western governments must insist that Musharraf removes all curbs on media and makes some sort of a commitment for the reinstatement of the judges after the elections, so that the public sees in these elections a medium to express their dissent from the current regime.


In the morning, after a light breakfast of onigiri (rice balls) from Lawson, we took the last shuttle (10am) from Star Gate Hotel back to the airport to catch the train to Kyoto. (Note: You should book the shuttle bus the night before).
Travelling to Kyoto from Kansai Airport is very straightforward. The best deal we found was the Haruka + ICOCA. Simple explanation: the "Haruka" is the direct fast train to Kyoto on the JR line. The ICOCA card is like our EZ-link card - it's a stored value card that you can use on all JR lines and subway. (It doesn't give you discounted travel compared to buying tickets individually though, it's just more convenient.) The Haruka + ICOCA deal is a special package for tourists - Y3,600 (about S$45) each person which includes a discounted one-way ticket to Kyoto and an ICOCA card with Y1,500 value + Y500 deposit. You can book the package online and just use your confirmation email to pick up your tickets at the Kansai JR rail station.
Tip: Where it says to choose the design of your ICOCA cards, pick "other options" and get the Kansai One pass (the one with Astro Boy). The value is the same but it's only for foreigners and gives you discounts at many tourist attractions.
The Haruka train operates every half an hour. You enter via Gate B and go to Platform 4 or 5.
If you chose unreserved tickets like us, you can only board carriages 4,5 or 6. It's a smooth, 75-minute ride to Kyoto, with stops at Tennoji and Shin-Osaka in between. There's also free wifi on the train but we didn't need it because of our Changi wifi.
Kyoto Station is like the gateway to Kyoto. It is MASSIVE.
The reason we had a light breakfast was because we had lunch all planned out. We were going to eat at Sushi no Musashi, a conveyor belt sushi restaurant. Confession: This is primarily a food trip. I looked up on Trip Advisor all the recommended eating places wherever we were going. Sometimes, it seems like I planned our meals around the sights more than the other way around. That's right, we are oinkers.
Musashi is located near the Hachijo East exit, at the back of Kyoto station, street level. If you come out of this exit from the station, you should find it relatively easily but due to a small hiccup with our tickets, we came out of the Central exit and got completely lost in this maze called Kyoto station. After getting directions from the information counter, we finally made it but because it was then right smack during lunch time, we had to wait about half an hour for a table.
It's a small restaurant with just a row of seats around a conveyor belt. We had our two luggage bags with us and simply left them against the wall behind our seats (we were not the only patrons with luggage).
There are only two prices: Y146 for regular plates and Y346 for premium (fully coloured) plates.
The sushi was super fresh and delicious. The moment we sat down, we started grabbing plates off the belt - sea bream, tuna, scallops, crab, prawns, pike, shellfish, etc etc. The scallops were sublime - so juicy and sweet.
Before we knew it, we had wolfed down 42 plates in under 20 minutes. Such pigs we are.
After lunch, we headed for our hotel. When researching hotels, I explored those close to Kyoto station. This was for ease of transport. The one I settled on was RIHGA Royal Hotel. In general, I find that for a family of 4, you get a better class of hotel for a similar price if you can find a family room, rather than 2 twin rooms. RIHGA Royal Hotel offered an attractive rate for a family room ($298 a night before taxes) although you should probably know that I booked this way ahead of time, in February, so I enjoyed an early bird rate.
RIHGA is a 7-minute walk from Kyoto station but it offers a free shuttle bus to the hotel from Kyoto station and vice versa, every 15 minutes. The bus stop is at the Hachijo exit, near McDonald's.
Again, like with Star Gate Hotel, the bus ran like clockwork. Once, the bus arrived slightly late and the poor bus driver frantically loaded luggage at top speed, like a panicky elf, still smiling and nodding to passengers all the while. We felt stressed for him as he finally pulled away from the bus stop...1 minute late.
The RIHGA family room is a dream. Just look at it! Four beds with a living area in the centre. In a country where tiny hotel rooms are the norm, it's unreal to have the luxury of space, without breaking the bank, especially in such a convenient location. The kids were delighted.
The bathroom has TWO shower stalls and two sinks, and the toilet is in another separate room.
After a short rest, we made our way down to Gion, the traditional geisha district of Kyoto. So I had mapped out this great walking trail from Gion to Pontocho, with our two dinners (yes, two!) planned to flow seamlessly in this fantastic plan. But as usual, things seldom go according to plan and I managed to lead us in the wrong direction from the start.
Anyway, you don't need to know all how we fumbled our way through Gion - here's my original plan and if you like, you can try and do it right!
Take a train to Gion-Shijo station. Walk along Shijo Dori, You'll pass Kasagen, the oldest umbrella in Kyoto (from 1861). Walk to Hanamikoji Dori, where you will see in the corner, Ichiriki-tei - a famous teahouse in Japan where geisha and maiko (apprentice geisha) entertain clients.
Walk to Gion Corner, a sort of visitor centre where tourists can watch performances by local maiko as well as demonstrations of other traditional arts such as tea ceremony, bungaku puppet theatre and ikebana flower arranging. You can see exhibits of artefacts in Gion Corner.
Proceed to Yanagi Ochaya, built on the former site of the Willow Palace which was home of Emperor Sutoku's (1119-64) favourite concubine, Awa no Naishi. Walk along Yamato Oji-dori which has a row of shops selling traditional Japanese shoes and jewelry. Walk past Minami-za,the most prestigious kabuki theatre in Kyōto.
Cross the canal to Pontocho, whichis the second largest hanamachi (geisha district) in Kyōto. It's very pretty - you can see people picnicking and cycling along the river banks.
Each hanamachi has its own crest and Pontochō's is the plover, a bird which used to live in the waters nearby. The crest can be seen on red paper lanterns hanging outside ochaya and provides one way of spotting the teahouses among the other traditional buildings.
In the narrow streets, it's not uncommon to see geisha in evening going to engagements. We didn't see any, though we saw many people dressed up like geishas.
Remember I mentioned 2 dinners? Well, in the course of my research, I came across 2 restaurants that received a lot of good reviews. One was a specialty tofu restaurant, since Kyoto is known for tofu, and another was a 170-year-old restaurant specialising in Kyoto-style sushi. We couldn't decide which to go to, so we decided to go to both. Oink.
The tofu restaurant is Togaden in Pontocho.
We weren't too hungry after such a big lunch, so we only ordered a few snacks.
The yuba sashimi was lovely. It's like eating a very smooth and thick layer of tau huay. The soya bean milk is very thick and rich. I wasn't crazy about the croquette as it had a beany taste, like a chickpea patty, but Kenneth and Lesley-Anne liked it. The doughnuts tasted like...doughnuts. I would say that unless you're a huge tofu lover, you can probably give this place a miss.
Our second dinner venue was Izuju at the end of Shijo Dori in Gion (opposite the Yasaka Shrine). Many food bloggers have blogged about this restaurant. It's almost a historic landmark itself, specialising in Kyoto-style sushi, which is very different from the type of sushi we know. In the olden days when people were poorer, more rice was used compared to fish and the shape of the sushi was square instead of rounded, so more could fit into square boxes. The fish is also mostly cured instead of fresh.
It's a small restaurant with only a few tables. Very traditional decor and quaint interior.
What you need to know is that if you're going to eat in the restaurant, they expect you to order at least one dish per person. This meant that we ordered more than we intended to, even though we weren't that hungry. The presentation was lovely. They put all your orders in one large platter. We had the famous inari-zushi (beancurd skin), saba sushi, aji sushi and maki.
This is saba (mackerel) sushi. It's wrapped in a sliver of seaweed that you have to remove before eating.
After that, we took the subway back to Kyoto station. Here's an ethereal shot Lesley-Anne took of Andre in an underground train corridor. So Matrix-like.
Dessert before returning to the hotel - matcha ice cream from a specialty matcha shop near the shuttle bus stop. Because our food adventures never end.


text:
Computational Thinking and Expository Writing in the Middle School
Computational Thinking and Expository Writing in the Middle School Wolz, Ursula; Stone, Meredith; Pearson, Kim; Pulimood, Sarah Monisha; Switzer, Mary 2011-07-01 00:00:00 Computational Thinking and Expository Writing in the Middle School URSULA WOLZ, MEREDITH STONE, KIM PEARSON, SARAH MONISHA PULIMOOD, and MARY SWITZER, The College of New Jersey To broaden participation in computing we need to look beyond traditional domains of inquiry and expertise. We present results from a demonstration project in which interactive journalism was used to infuse computational thinking into the standard curriculum and regular classroom experience at a middle school with a diverse population. Outcomes indicate that we were able to develop positive attitudes about computational thinking and programming among students and teachers who did not necessarily view themselves as œmath types.  By partnering with language arts, technology and math teachers at Fisher Middle School, Ewing New Jersey, we introduced the isomorphism between the journalistic process and computational thinking to 7th and 8th graders. An intense summer institute, rst with the teachers and then with students recruited from the school, immersed them in the œnewsroom of the future  where they researched and wrote news stories, shot and edited video, and developed procedural animations in Scratch to support their storylines. An afterschool club sustained the experience. The teachers adapted interactive journalism and Scratch programming to enrich http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png ACM Transactions on Computing Education (TOCE) Association for Computing Machinery http://www.deepdyve.com/lp/association-for-computing-machinery/computational-thinking-and-expository-writing-in-the-middle-school-tIA0yXYnLf
Wolz, Ursula; Stone, Meredith; Pearson, Kim; Pulimood, Sarah Monisha; Switzer, Mary
ACM Transactions on Computing Education (TOCE)
, Volume 11 (2) – Jul 1, 2011
/lp/association-for-computing-machinery/computational-thinking-and-expository-writing-in-the-middle-school-tIA0yXYnLf
ACM Transactions on Computing Education (TOCE) /
Computational Thinking and Expository Writing in the Middle School URSULA WOLZ, MEREDITH STONE, KIM PEARSON, SARAH MONISHA PULIMOOD, and MARY SWITZER, The College of New Jersey To broaden participation in computing we need to look beyond traditional domains of inquiry and expertise. We present results from a demonstration project in which interactive journalism was used to infuse computational thinking into the standard curriculum and regular classroom experience at a middle school with a diverse population. Outcomes indicate that we were able to develop positive attitudes about computational thinking and programming among students and teachers who did not necessarily view themselves as œmath types.  By partnering with language arts, technology and math teachers at Fisher Middle School, Ewing New Jersey, we introduced the isomorphism between the journalistic process and computational thinking to 7th and 8th graders. An intense summer institute, rst with the teachers and then with students recruited from the school, immersed them in the œnewsroom of the future  where they researched and wrote news stories, shot and edited video, and developed procedural animations in Scratch to support their storylines. An afterschool club sustained the experience. The teachers adapted interactive journalism and Scratch programming to enrich
ACM Transactions on Computing Education (TOCE) – Association for Computing Machinery
Wolz, U., Stone, M., Pearson, K., Pulimood, S., & Switzer, M. (2011). Computational Thinking and Expository Writing in the Middle School. ACM Transactions on Computing Education (TOCE), 11(2),
Wolz, Ursula, Meredith Stone, Kim Pearson, Sarah Monisha Pulimood, and Mary Switzer. "Computational Thinking and Expository Writing in the Middle School." ACM Transactions on Computing Education (TOCE) 11.2 (2011).


text:
Q: Downvote, delete vote, upvote: confusion Tonight, I've run into several answers with score 0, no recorded up or down votes, but recorded delete votes. So they get no delete link. But when I downvote, the delete link shows the pre-existing delete votes.
Example where I ran into this:
How to subtract a query result from another query result in MYSQL

A: I believe this is a result of the new review system. Don't know if it's intentional or not.
When clicking "Delete-This is a link only answer" for a reviewed Low Quality Post it seems like that actually counts as a delete vote, even though I can normally only vote to delete answers with a negative score.

And even if it is a bug, 20k users can already downvote an answer to -1 and then immediately vote to delete it.


text:
const tsc = require('typescript');

module.exports = {
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      const result = tsc.transpileModule(src, {
        compilerOptions: {
          module: tsc.ModuleKind.CommonJS,
          sourceMap: true,
        },
        fileName: path,
      });
      return {
        code: result.outputText,
        map: JSON.parse(result.sourceMapText),
      };
    }
    return {code: src};
  },
};

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Do you change up your home decor seasonally? I know that as a home decor blogger who has lots of blogging friends who do what I do, I can sometimes forget that not everyone does what we do! But, I will say that changing up my decor seasonally is something I did do even before I had this blog. Bringing in lighter and brighter pieces for the spring season lifts my spirits just like the springtime sunshine!
The biggest change is a new bed!!! Can you believe that in our almost 34 years of marriage, Mark and I have never had a new bed – until now! We've had hand-me-downs and DIY's, but not a complete bed that was brand new! It was time! I've loved this vintage style iron bed look for some time and I'm so happy with this Copake Panel Bed from Wayfair. The quality is really good and I got it when it was an amazing sale! If you've never purchased anything from Wayfair, I will say that I've had good experience with the items I've ordered. The shipping is fast and I've never had something arrive damaged. If you find something you like on Wayfair, be sure to keep checking for sales.
My plan was to make a skirted coverlet out of drop cloth for this new bed. But, I saw this coverlet and the price was the same price or less than what I would have had to pay for the supplies to make my own! It was a no brainer to order it. It's lightweight, but I like that for the warmer weather that is to come! We also have a quilt at the foot of the bed that we can pull up if it's a cold night. My friend Anita at Cedar Hill Farmhouse has a tutorial to make your own coverlet in her book: French Accents.
Adding some spring flowers to your bedside table or nightstand is an easy seasonal update! These tulips are faux, but I'll switch them out for real if I find a pretty bouquet at the grocery store! The other update I did for spring was to switch out my darker gray lampshades for these white drum shades. Lampshades can be expensive, but I find some really great ones at Ross that are so reasonably priced. These two white drum shades were just $8.99 each! That's two shades for under $20! HomeGoods, Marshall's, and TJ Maxx also have shades for sale, but I seem to find the best prices at Ross.
The white ruffled shams can be found HERE. I have had them for a while. And I made the gray buffalo checked ruffled pillow cases. They were so easy to make! Let me know if you'd like me to create a tutorial. And, this raw edge flower pillow was another fun find from Ross! It was just $12! I decided to hang a spring painting over the bed instead of the signs that I've used in that space for years. Again, I was just ready for a change and I'm having so much fun painting these days!
You can catch a glimpse of the quilt at the foot of the bed here. Can you believe this was a wedding gift!!! It's been around for a long time! So, it goes to show that you don't always have to buy new to get the look you want!
I added a few spring season accessories to the one dresser in our small bedroom. The terrarium, faux mini orchid and fern are all from Ikea. I got them a few years ago, but I think they still sell them. The concrete bunny and glass mister are both from Target – again, I purchased these a few years ago, but they have similar styles for sale now. And, the one new item is the botanical sketch art from Hobby Lobby. It was around $12 (the week it was 50% off). Don't ever pay full price for anything at Hobby Lobby. They rotate their sales and if it's not on sale one week, it will likely be on sale the next!
The white crackled vase is from one of my favorite local shops, Cocalico Creek. It holds more fresh willow branches – this time, curly willow!
Its hard to get a good shot when the sun is shining through the window, but I wanted to show that Sadie's favorite spot is still the hanging basket perch that I made her! It's her bird watching spot! I'd love to hear what you think of my bedroom spring season refresh! And, I hope you are having a great week!
So pretty and fresh! I am inspired! I love shopping at the stores you mentioned as well.
So lovely. I love the cat window perch and would love one for my Mooshoo! Maybe I will get my honey to make one!
I love the cottage look of your bedroom and your new bed! I have an iron headboard that I painted oil rubbed bronze a few years ago and you've inspired me to paint it white. I kept trying to 'go modern' with my decorating but finally realized that I'm more comfortable with cottage-type surroundings and this fits better with my penchant for repurposing items and painting furniture. Thanks for all the inspiration!
I love this look !!! That bed is gorgeous!!!!
Sweet, and springy and romantic! I love it all!
Farmhouse, romantic, soft, and serene….a true sanctuary! I love all the soft colors. The throw pillow is gorgeous. Too bad the coverlet was sold out. Thanks for sharing.
I do change accessories and decor in my home for specific seasons!
I adore the freshness of your bedroom!
Using the quilt from one of your wedding gifts is amazing!
For years, I put things away, keeping them for a time for use.
Love the vignette on the dresser!
You're inspiring!! Every bedroom you've created is beautiful!! This looks very beautiful!! The bed looks like a true antique. What a pulled together look. I also like your curtains!! Just perfect.
Very pretty room. And my husband and I have been married 48 years.


This ear cuff is handmade from copper wire and natural, tiger eye stone beads. The colors of the 8 mm tiger eye beads are dark and bold with swirls of gold. It has just the right amount of earthy mixed with a little high fashion flair to be worn on your ears!
Tiger's eye is associated with the tiger, the king of beasts in Eastern myths. In Japan, the tiger was believed to live for a thousand years. The Ancient Egyptians used it for amulets to transmit the power of Ra, the sun god.


There have been lots of media reports recently (see Chicago Trip, New York TImes and yesterday in USA Today) about traditional padded bumpers being unsafe. COZYWEDGE is a safe alternative!! The industry task force trying to evaluate the safety of TRADITIONAL bumpers is looking at softness, thickness and padding, and tyring to figure out ways to measure what amount of padding is safe and how you measure it. But CozyWedge eliminates all that concern because it has a unique firm surface. Inside the 100% organic cotton slipcovers are sealed, molded inserts made of swimming noodle foam that cannot absorb and trap exhaled carbon dioxide and will not compress at all to smother a baby. Yet because they are swimming noodle foam, they are cozy and protective. The clean modern look is also super stylish. Our design is so unique and effective it is patented.It is hard to believe something so small can keep baby's arms and legs from getting stuck in the slats but that's what the unique wedge shape and firm consistency provide. CozyWedge does not prevent baby from putting arms THROUGH the slats, but it keeps baby's arms from getting STUCK in the slats. Baby will simply pull his arms and legs back into the crib on his own.
3. Greater visibility -- with CozyWedge you can actually SEE your baby. The best defense to keep baby safe is being able to see him!!
4. Short, risk-free ties that pose no strangulation hazard.
5. Convenient: Just untie one side and lift up to change the sheets.
I love,love,LOVE our cozy wedge bumper. I can't tell you how happy I am we got it. I wish they just sold extra covers. It's such a good and clean look and keeps the pacifiers in the crib while they sleep.