text:
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Skullgirls Story Mode! »
The Opposite of Epic
By Mr Wolfe | January 29, 2012 - 2:41 AM | September 12, 2013 Commentary, Feature, Games
Upcoming God of War installment original game Asura's Wrath combines exotic Asian mythologies with over-the-top gameplay in an attempt to cash in on what I've come to refer to as "epicness pornography". Will the game industry ever escape this downward spiral of bombastic bullshit? Apparently not.
I've tackled this subject twice before, but I feel the need to do it again, because, like the mysterious Bruce Wayne, I simply cannot ignore the Bat Signal in the sky:
Cleavage text reads "Go Big or Go Home". Clever, or the opposite of clever?
Hiyah! Take that — oh wait… wrong one.
Yikes! Thank goodness she doesn't have junk in the trunk, or somebody's mother would faint.
Whoosh! Be gone, evildoer! Err, wait…
There we go. Sorry about that, it's just that it's hard to tell those three apart.
"Epicness pornography" and regular pornography are pretty much the same thing. Namco's slutty advertisements for Soul Calibur V, which zoom in on Ivy's disproportionate polygons, tread the same ground as Capcom's pantheocide. [Note to self: copyright "Pantheocide" if it hasn't been already.] Like X-rated pornography, it's obsessed with exaggeration, brutality, and gratuitousness. Indeed, it must be obsessed with these things because it must try to overcome the desensitization threshold in society. Whenever a new level of depravity is reached, people become calloused to it. If you can't find a way to shock them again, they'll laugh at your (relative) meekness and innocence. (See: Saints Row: The Third.) Of course, Asura's Wrath isn't trying to be sleazy and controversial, but it's certainly aiming for "over-the-top" in typical, unoriginal fashion.
It would sell a million copies for sure
I'm tired of this competition to be the most "epic". There's nothing epic about tapping the circle button, okay? Tapping it in order to blow up a deity who's bigger than the entire world isn't epic, it's the opposite of epic. Can you think of a more underwhelming way to defeat a living god?
Maybe this?
Who would have guessed that accomplishing such "epic feats" could be as simple as pressing X and Triangle when the large, shiny prompts show up on the screen? What is this supposed to be, a fight to the death, or a Heavy Rain sequel? If you screw up, you don't feel like it was deserved, because the game itself is to blame: it does a piss-poor job of informing you what you're supposed to be doing, and then it punishes you for failing to follow its arbitrary demands. This is also why most Quick Time Events are so generous with their timing (slowing down action to give you plenty of time), forgiving when you screw up (go back two spaces), and obvious in their presentation (a huge button prompt taking up 1/4 of the screen, flashing wildly for your attention). Challenge-wise, beating a boss fight with Quick Time Events is the equivalent of riding a motorized scooter beside a cross country cyclist. The heavy metal soundtrack and earth-shattering visuals are just overcompensation.
Don't get me wrong, I love when game designers try to create epic situations; however, the challenge should be proportionate to the action on the screen. I point to FromSoftware's Dark Souls as a perfect example. Facing a huge demon in Dark Souls fills the player with dread. It requires all the skill, focus, and determination that you've got, and at any moment you could lose hours of hard work all. Strategy, execution, and bravery are all necessary, and the game doesn't have to hold your hand to make you realize this. So, when I see YouTube comments on Asura's Wrath like…
"(Dbz+God of War) x Chuck Norris = this game."
–Mr408scorpion
I agree completely: it's shitty, plus shitty, multiplied by boring. Thanks for summarizing it so well for me!
Stepping Up Your Game
I was talking with a friend about this topic, and he said games like Asura's Wrath, the newest Castlevania, Darksiders, the God of War series, and Bayonetta (ie. epicness pornography) need to utilize Quick Time Events in order to let developers come up with crazy ideas for action, while still involving the player in what would otherwise be a cutscene. I've said something almost identical in my Rising Wish List. Scripted events and Quick Time are a way of circumventing the work of creating an actual, functional simulation of some crazy event that players will only experience once. But that doesn't give developers permission to reduce the whole experience down to a few measly inputs.
Essentially, scripted events are best when they act as fully-fledged mini-games: simpler, but not stupid. The original Metal Gear Solid did this with the rappelling section, evading the helicopter and (for some reason) blasts of hot steam while descending the side of the tower. Nowadays this sequence would be reduced to series of prompts, and skip the whole mini-game feeling. Some would like this better, I'm sure. Personally I never got the hang of it, but I appreciated the effort and wouldn't want to replace it. On the other hand, the torture sequence did require tapping a button quickly, but it was optional: you could give up and sacrifice the "good ending" if you weren't good at tapping. If you died, you had to load an old game file and sit through another big section of gameplay; plus they created multiple endings to accommodate either outcome. In other words, it was an example of careful game design and a lot of hard work, not tossing in a half-assed Quick Time Event like we see today.
Somehow, this isn't as much torture as Quick Time Events
If you prefer timed button presses, however, there's a way to make that epic too:
LOOK EVERYBODY, I'M KILLING A WORLD-DESTROYING GIANT — THROUGH THE POWER OF DANCE!
In all seriousness, watch that video and imagine he's beating a boss in Asura's Wrath. Now that would be epic. Each movement could correspond to an action on the screen, like dodging or jumping, attacking or resisting. Slap a PlayStation Move controller in his hand, and you've got a Full Body Epic Action Game Experience™. People would go nuts for it, I guarantee. There are plenty of options to make something epic feel epic. It takes work and creativity though, which is why nobody does it.
The Bro-verload Continues
I wouldn't be bothered by Asura's Wrath if I felt it was just another God of War clone. I wouldn't pay attention to the ads of Ivy's tits and ass if I thought they were just stray marketing gimmicks either. The fact is that gaming culture is being sabotaged, and all of this is the natural result:
Remember how threats to the Master Plan are dealt with? They take the worst of something and make it the center of attention until it can be discredited or outlawed. This method is being used to sabotage gaming. The culture around gaming is being flooded with stupidity, chauvinism, and frat-boy attitude in order to repurpose it into juvenile and offensive toys for morons, rather than a serious medium with built-in intelligence. …. Women, children, and decent family people are all vital pillars of the gaming world, but they have been totally neglected by the testosterone-fueled circus surrounding it.
Being shamelessly crass, juvenile, and anti-intelligence is not a simple trend. Game developers are afraid to explore good ideas and put hard work into their creations because feel the need to cater to the (artificially generated, entirely unnatural) frat-boy community that has come to represent gamers thanks to the propaganda of IGN, and its copycats.
This is why I'm so proud of Firaxis for developing a strategic, cerebral X-COM game. We're not as depraved and horny as our testosterone-fueled representatives would have us believe. As the gaming population increases and gets older, I hope it will become increasingly obvious that, while there will always be percentage of players who fit the idiotic stereotype of a horny dumbass who would rather be patted on the back and flashed some cleavage than given a real challenge and treated like a person with a brain, there's an even bigger population of decent, smart people who recognize this pandering bullshit for what it is. It's sad that making a smart, clean, sleaze-free game is somehow considered a risky proposition by the producers of gaming today. Producers see the artificial culture, witness the general trend away from intelligence, and decide to follow the herd — all the way to its embarrassing dead end, right alongside Soul Calibur's ads and Asura's Wrath.
Sometimes it seems like it's up to indie developers to make titles without aggressive, continuous, mindless action. I know there are exceptions, and that pop culture has always been flooded with stupidity, but why should it be surprising to anybody that there's a huge market for innocent, clever, and nuanced gaming experiences? When will they learn that being "epic" does not mean being lazy in your design and absurd in your premise? Collecting the materials for, designing the layout of, and ultimately constructing an intricate castle in Minecraft is "epic"; planning and executing a brilliant tactical strategy in X-COM is "epic". Even beating an extremely complex Dance Dance Revolution routine is "epic". Tapping circle when the prompt is on the screen, is the opposite of epic.
Tagged ass, asura's wrath, boss, destroy, epic, epicness pornography, god, opposite, planet, porn, press triangle to defeat god, tits, trailer. Bookmark the permalink.


Oh my Goooo... I hope he will not wear stuff like this.
You won't go DBZ with him, right Seven? Right??
@JoKeRcologne: DBZ is a heavy inspiration for me, but there won't be weighted gear for the lil' guys in this comic, haha. There'll be a few training curveballs in the future, both near and distant, but no weighted clothes.


text:
News Cruise
Back to Cruise Articles
Here's what adults can look forward to on the Disney Wish, coming summer 2022
CELEBRATION, FL — Kids won't be the only ones having fun onboard the Disney Wish. As Disney Cruise Line's newest ship, scheduled to sail in summer 2022, the Wish will debut a variety of brand new venues for adults aged 18 and older.
In addition to a previously announced Star Wars-themed lounge and fine dining experiences inspired by 'Beauty and the Beast,' the Disney Wish will boast the fleet's first outdoor spa retreat, unique salon and barbershop experiences and a collection of upscale bars and lounges.
"With the Disney Wish we wanted to design an experience that allows our grown-up guests to relax, recharge and reconnect in unique ways that only Disney Cruise Line can create," said Laura Cabo, portfolio creative executive, Walt Disney Imagineering. "This ship has truly been designed with adults' vacation needs in mind and I know our guests are going to return home feeling refreshed after their Disney Wish vacation."
The Disney Wish will sail its maiden voyage on June 9, 2022, followed by a season of three- and four-night cruises to Nassau, Bahamas and Disney's private island, Castaway Cay, from Port Canaveral, Florida.
Here are some onboard highlights:
Outdoor oasis at Senses Spa
For the first time aboard a Disney ship, Senses Spa will feature a dedicated outdoor relaxation space where guests can unwind in whirlpool spas, rest on plush loungers and participate in yoga sessions. The open-air oasis is a brand new extension to Disney Cruise Line's signature Rainforest experience, which has been reimagined for the Disney Wish to include the fleet's first ice lounge. It will also include heated ergonomic loungers, sensory spa showers, and sauna, steam and dry chambers.
Other highlights of Senses Spa include private treatment rooms, spa villas for couples, and a full menu of specialized treatments. Adjacent to the spa is the reimagined Senses Fitness featuring a main room with exercise equipment, a dedicated cycle studio and an aerobics room.
Untangled Salon
Inspired by Rapunzel, Untangled Salon will be adorned in shares of purple and gold and decorated with floating lantern light fixtures. In addition to haircuts and styling, the menu of services will also include manicures, pedicures, teeth whitening and skin treatments.
Hook's Barbery
Hook's Barbery will be a unique twist on a traditional European men's salon, offering cuts, shaves and nail and skin care. Inspired by its namesake, Captain Hook, the unique space will feature an inlaid wooden map of Never Land, handsome leather chairs and ornate golden mirrors. In addition to salon and barber services, Hook's Barbery will offer a hidden bar stocked with pre-Prohibition bourbons, vintage whisky and port, aged rum and premium spirits.
Enchanting Nightlife
Like every Disney Cruise Line vessel, Disney Wish will offer a collection of bars and lounges reserved exclusively for adults. But for the first time, these venues will be spread out among the ship's other core gathering places for a more free-flowing experience that will allow guests – particularly parents – more opportunities to enjoy 'me' time throughout their cruise. Venues include: Keg & Compass pub, designed in the rustic architectural style of a late 1800s Norwegian sailor's map room; Nightingale's, a refined piano bar inspired by Cinderella's lyrical rendition of 'Sing Sweet Nightingale' in the 1950 film; and The Bayou, a New Orleans-inspired space themed to 'The Princess and the Frog' that will offer creative cocktails, specialty coffees and signature beignets, as well as live entertainment and musical performances.
More fun for adults
For the first time on a Disney ship, guests will embark on a space-jumping tour of the Star Wars galaxy at Star Wars: Hyperspace Lounge, a high-end bar styled as a luxurious yacht-class spaceship. Adults will also savour gourmet meals at a number of exceptional dining venues including Palo Steakhouse, Enchanté by Chef Arnaud Lallement, and The Rose. And at Quiet Cove, guests aged 18 and older will find a secluded adults-only district featuring panoramic views of the ocean, an infinity pool, a whirlpool spa, an open-air bar and a poolside café.
Summer & fall looking good for cruising, says NCLH's SailSAFE Chairman
Carnival Cruise Line resumes service from Charleston
SUPPLIER COVID-19 UPDATES: Airlines, cruise, hotels & tour ops

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Each of us want to own a house of their dream, especially when it's the first, personal place. To do that, we are purchasing costly furniture and gadgets, choosing nicest colors of walls, having sophisticated carpets.
but sometimes, when we want to change anything in our interior, finest concept will be to paste wall papers. Mainly, since it's coming back in style again.
According of the interior we wish to arrange, another pattern will be the best. If you want to have at your kitchen some photo wallpapers animals more about photo wallpapers animals ornaments will be proper. Pride of lions or wolves, or some innocent puppies? Anything is affordable. Next nice idea are wall murals Wall useful content in here don't have to be any special, just in one tone. You're choosing any pattern you like, pasting template onto the wall, and paint whole. It's very simple, you wouldn't have any issue with that. At the nursery, you may play with plenty of colors, having finest effect.
You are interested in concept this kind? Go online and search for your favorite pattern! There are plenty available photo wallpapers animals, nature and plenty of more. Beside, you will find in there layouts for wall murals with no problem. There are couple thousands images to select, so your one barrier is your fantasy. First open an account, type down surname, address, telephone number and more. Choose pattern, measure every walls, pay your bill and wait for delivery. Entire process of pasting wallpapers is very easy, you just have to wash surface of the interior, dry it and after taking off protecting layer from the wallpaper, glue it gently.
Owning interesting wallpapers or murals is very good concept for all of you, who like to modify entire interior a lot. It's option in really reasonable cost, and we have thousands of various patters to choose.


The Low Country morning has dawned under blue skies, and the rising Sun is shooting morning streaks through the lingering ground fog haunting the tops of the Live Oak trees.
While the coffee is perking we leave the RV on our morning foray for the newspaper, a 300-yard stroll through the winter-dried grass to the park office. Clumps of hanging Spanish moss brush my face as we make our way through the spreading trees of this former plantation; the cool temperature this morning insuring brisk movement.
Dude, my Yellow Lab, is getting his own doggy news via a red nose glued to the ground, and a briskly wagging tail lets me know it's all good news this morning. He gives his usual greeting to the ladies at the office by putting his front paws on the counter and giving them his best smile, and for this effort collects his morning allotment of pats and assurances that he is indeed 'a good boy'.
This year we've fled the vagaries of a West Virginia winter to settle in an RV park just south of Charleston, SC. A cell phone, a laptop with a wireless connection and Federal Express have made such a temporary relocation possible, something that was unthinkable a few years ago. Our 37' fifth wheel has every comfort of home, while having few of the chores, and it seems to suit us perfectly.
The days go by easily here on the coastal South. I'm spending about the same hours in the office as I do in the West Virginia office, but the temperate climate invites evening runs and exploration along the tidal flats. On weekends we drift into town and take in the markets on the town square, and pummel our senses with the beautiful and seemingly endless antebellum architecture. Folks here are laid back and friendly and the pace of life seems to match almost exactly the pace of my inner clock these days.
Last weekend we hiked, then ran the greenbelt. This is an old railroad bed that the city of Charleston has converted to a hiking/biking/running trail, and it runs the eight miles from near our park to the edge of Charleston. We found it early in our stay here, and I've run on it and hiked it often, until it's become one of my favorite places here.
The greenbelt shoots straight as an arrow through the marsh, away from other roads and in fact, away from anything man-made. at low tide the mud flats surrounding it are exposed, and the air smells ancient and mysterious, and the flats look as if they hold many wonderful secrets. Millions of crabs do a sort of hokey pokey in the pluff mud and the air is filled with the sound of birds. Heron, geese, ducks, hawks and many other costal birds call this area home, and this narrow path provides the only access to this wonderland except by boat.
Today in the office, I'm looking for a Cherokee Six for a customer who has commissioned me to find him a suitable airplane. With his budget and wish list in hand, I spend several hours on the computer and on the phone, gathering information and compiling lists of 'finalists'. By afternoon I have it narrowed down to about three airplanes, which I will further pare down to the one that I go to inspect.
A friend and fellow aircraft salesman made the observation many years ago, that 'when you buy a used airplane you don't buy the airplane alone, you also buy its history'. That seemed to me a good thought at the time and it's even truer now, these many years later when we're still selling many of the same airplanes.
The task then of selecting a used airplane, becomes the chore of choosing the airplane that was treated kindest by happenstance. Since all airplanes left the factory new, what happened after that is of utmost interest. Did it have a series of good owners, who tucked it away from the corrosive elements and the wind and hail storms? Was if fortunate enough to miss being flown by the careless or inexperienced pilot who would allow damage to occur to its airframe or engine? Was it lucky enough to have owners who gave it the maintenance it needed, without cutting corners?
I see airplanes frequently that remind me of a story that my friend Bill told me about his favorite truck, a dependable but badly battered 1 ton International. One Saturday as Bill, his daughter and her six-year-old friend were bumping their way to the feed store, the friend asked, "Mr. Mason, was this truck ever new?"
The logbooks tell a story, albeit a coded one. Sometimes the message is in the advertisement itself, enough to eliminate or pique interest.
And so the day passes as I sit at my desk and look for a special airplane.


text:
Tag Archive for: Justice System
Global Poverty, Guinea-Bissau, Human Rights
Justice System Violates Human Rights in Guinea-Bissau
While the nation does possess legitimate political rights, including free and fair elections, lack of human rights in Guinea-Bissau continues to make victims out of its citizens. As of 2016, these included abuses such as corruption of government officials as well as violence and discrimination of women and children.
The list continues on, according to the U.S. Department of State. Other abuses included unfair and abusive treatment of detainees, lack of due process and human trafficking. No effective action was taken against the perpetrators of human rights in these situations.
In particular, prisoner detention stands out as one of the most grotesque human rights abuses. The conditions of detention facilities are life-threatening, according to the state departments.
"Cells lack running water, adequate heating, ventilation, lighting and sanitation. Detainees' diets were poor and medical care was virtually non-existent," stated the human rights report in 2016. The means by which detainees arrive in these deplorable conditions often violates another human right, lack of due process, as authorities often "arbitrarily" arrest and detain people.
Police are, for the most part, ineffective and corrupt, which might result be a result of their lack of regular payment by the state. Lack of funding results in insufficient of training as well as scarce resources for police to carry out their duties properly. Unfortunately, almost all levels of law enforcement are susceptible to coercion, threats and bribes, including the attorney general's office.
Consequently, unlawful arrests continue to be made, violating human rights in Guinea-Bissau. These include arrests without warrants and the holding of detainees for longer than the permitted period of time. Additionally, military detainees were often not informed of charges against them.
To add to the human rights abuses conducted throughout the justice system, the independent courts, including judges, were "poorly trained, inadequately and irregularly paid and subject to corruption."
It appears that those accused of suspected of crime in the state have very little security, as human rights in Guinea-Bissau are not enforced. Furthermore, there continues to be no administrative means of addressing human rights violations.
Little progress had been made in improving these conditions, and the justice system remains extremely weak to this day. One of the only few actions of accountability undertaken by the state was in July 2015 in the Oio region, where three officers were sentenced to imprisonment for human rights abuses.
Investigations continue to be made by human rights organizations, such as Amnesty International. The citizens of Guinea-Bissau are desperately in need of intervention from the international community.
– Melanie Snyder
https://borgenproject.org/wp-content/uploads/The_Borgen_Project_Logo_small.jpg 0 0 Borgen Project https://borgenproject.org/wp-content/uploads/The_Borgen_Project_Logo_small.jpg Borgen Project2017-09-29 01:30:312019-05-22 14:56:30Justice System Violates Human Rights in Guinea-Bissau


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Police to seize phones of all drivers in crashes in clampdown on illegal texting and phoning at the wheel
Road safety charities welcome move to stop drivers using phones on the road
by Sarah Barth
Sun, Jul 27, 2014 10:00
The mobile phones of all drivers involved in crashes will be seized and examined under new police guidelines aimed at discouraging drivers from texting and calling at the wheel.
It is already illegal to use a mobile phone at the wheel but the law is widely flouted.
Police will now check whether drivers were using their phone prior to the crash as a matter of course, and will be able to use the mobile records as evidence in court.
Gloucestershire Chief Constable Suzette Davenport, who is responsible for roads policing at the Association of Chief Police Officers, brought in the guidelines.
Previously they were used only in accidents where people were killed or seriously injured.
Earlier this month we reported how the government is considering doubling the number of penalty points motorists receive when they are caught using a handheld mobile phone at the wheel, following a recommendation from the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.
Under the proposal put forward by Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, drivers committing the offence would receive six penalty points, meaning that anyone caught on two occasions in a three-year period would lose their licence, reports The Guardian.
Secretary of State for Transport Patrick McLoughlin said he was taking the suggestion seriously since the "amounts of casualties there have been are absolutely appalling".
He continued: "The person using their phone doesn't realise the damage or the danger they can be in. It ends up ruining different people's lives – those who are driving as well as those who are injured.
"It is one that I want to look at. There could be some difficulties about it but I think we've got to get that message across to people about safety.
"We have been very lucky in this country in seeing, year on year, the number of road deaths and casualties actually falling. But one death is one too many and we need to look at those and see where we are going."
In 2012, more than 10,000 drivers caught using their phone at the wheel opted to take a road safety course instead of the points.
But Professor Stephen Glaister from the RAC Foundation told the Daily Mail: "More systematic checking of drivers' phone records after a crash would... send out a message that police are taking this matter seriously and people who flout the law will be caught."
AA president Edmund King also welcomed the move, saying: "The current deterrent just isn't working.
"Many drivers seem addicted to their phones and just can't resist looking at a text or tweet at the wheel. We need a concerted effort to crack this addiction with harsher penalties linked to an information and enforcement campaign."
Hugh Bladon, of the Alliance of British Drivers, said: "I am 100 per cent against anyone texting while driving, and those caught deserve everything they get.
"But I'm worried police could overdo it, just because someone is involved in a minor shunt, surely it shouldn't mean they should lose their phone."
Ed Morrow, of road safety charity Brake, said: "We are fully supportive of the efforts by the police to clamp down on mobile phone use at the wheel
"Offenders need to know they will be caught, they will be prosecuted, and there will be serious consequences."
phones at the wheel
Bernard Hogan-Howe
After an unpromising start, having to be bribed by her parents to learn to ride without stabilisers, Sarah became rather keener on cycling in her university years, and was eventually persuaded to upgrade to proper road cycling by the prospect of a shiny red Italian bike, which she promptly destroyed by trapping a pair of knickers in the rear derailleur. Sarah writes about about cycling every weekend on road.cc.
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text:
Huawei Confirms Foldable 'Mate X' Launch in September
"Mate X" was introduced to the world in February this year.
Published: June 22, 2019 2:31 PM IST
By IANS Email
Picture for representational purpose only. Photo Courtesy: Getty Images
Beijing: After delaying the June launch of its much-anticipated foldable smartphone "Mate X", Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei has now confirmed its arrival in September.
"The company has used the last few months to improve the P-OLED screen on the device to prevent it from getting caught up with the same problems that Samsung had with its foldable smartphone. The device is coming in September," Vincent Pang, President of Huawei's Western European Region, told CNET on Friday.
"Mate X" was introduced to the world in February this year.
Later, the Chinese tech giant said it was taking a "cautious" approach with the shipments, following the failed launch of Samsung's foldable smartphone "Galaxy Fold" in April owning to foldable display issue.
After extensive tests, "Mate X" has passed Chinese 3C certification mark, a mandatory product certification system with the aim of protecting consumer security, under model number TAH-AN00.
It is likely to include a new power adapter with a maximum output of 65W with an HW-200200CP1 charger. The smartphone when unfolded, measures in at 8-inches while the Galaxy Fold's display is 7.3-inches. When folded, the displays are 6.6-inches and 4.6-inches, respectively.
The 8GB RAM device is powered by a 1.8GHz octa-core Huawei HiSilicon Kirin 980 processor. The phone runs Android 9.0 and is powered by a 4,500mAh battery and supports proprietary fast charging.


text:
Q: Observable custom prototype function, is "not a function" We created an operator function to unsubscribe from any subscriptions when components get destroyed. We are using the ng-take-until-destroy library to help with this.
This worked perfectly fine before upgrading to Angular 6 / 7
import { Subscription } from "rxjs";
import { Observable } from "rxjs/internal/Observable";
import { untilDestroyed } from "ngx-take-until-destroy";

declare module "rxjs/internal/Observable" {
    interface Observable<T> {
        subscribeUntilDestroy: (target, action?, error?, complete?) => Subscription;
    }
}

Observable.prototype.subscribeUntilDestroy = function(target, action?, error?, complete?): Subscription {
    return this.pipe(untilDestroyed(target)).subscribe(action, error, complete);
};

It should work just as if we were using "subscribe", but the browser javascript console errors saying that "subscribeUntilDestroy" is not a function.
Any thoughts?
Here's how we are trying to use it:
let interval = observableInterval(SessionService.MAX_IDLE_TIME).pipe(delay(5000));
        interval.subscribeUntilDestroy(
            this,
            value => this.monitor()
        );

This seems to be an issue with our environment

A: I figured it out. The import for the Observable had to be just "rxjs" instead of the internal one.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
package com.thaiopensource.relaxng.output.xsd;

import com.thaiopensource.relaxng.edit.AbstractPatternVisitor;
import com.thaiopensource.relaxng.edit.AttributePattern;
import com.thaiopensource.relaxng.edit.ChoicePattern;
import com.thaiopensource.relaxng.edit.Combine;
import com.thaiopensource.relaxng.edit.ComponentVisitor;
import com.thaiopensource.relaxng.edit.CompositePattern;
import com.thaiopensource.relaxng.edit.DataPattern;
import com.thaiopensource.relaxng.edit.DefineComponent;
import com.thaiopensource.relaxng.edit.DivComponent;
import com.thaiopensource.relaxng.edit.ElementPattern;
import com.thaiopensource.relaxng.edit.EmptyPattern;
import com.thaiopensource.relaxng.edit.GrammarPattern;
import com.thaiopensource.relaxng.edit.GroupPattern;
import com.thaiopensource.relaxng.edit.IncludeComponent;
import com.thaiopensource.relaxng.edit.InterleavePattern;
import com.thaiopensource.relaxng.edit.ListPattern;
import com.thaiopensource.relaxng.edit.MixedPattern;
import com.thaiopensource.relaxng.edit.NotAllowedPattern;
import com.thaiopensource.relaxng.edit.OneOrMorePattern;
import com.thaiopensource.relaxng.edit.OptionalPattern;
import com.thaiopensource.relaxng.edit.Pattern;
import com.thaiopensource.relaxng.edit.PatternVisitor;
import com.thaiopensource.relaxng.edit.RefPattern;
import com.thaiopensource.relaxng.edit.SchemaCollection;
import com.thaiopensource.relaxng.edit.SchemaDocument;
import com.thaiopensource.relaxng.edit.TextPattern;
import com.thaiopensource.relaxng.edit.ValuePattern;
import com.thaiopensource.util.VoidValue;
import com.thaiopensource.relaxng.edit.ZeroOrMorePattern;
import com.thaiopensource.relaxng.output.common.ErrorReporter;

import java.util.HashMap;
import java.util.HashSet;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.Map;
import java.util.Set;
import java.util.Vector;

class SchemaInfo {
  private final SchemaCollection sc;
  private final GrammarPattern grammar;
  private final ErrorReporter er;
  private final Map<Pattern, ChildType> childTypeMap = new HashMap<Pattern, ChildType>();
  private final Map<String, Define> defineMap = new HashMap<String, Define>();
  private final Set<DefineComponent> ignoredDefines = new HashSet<DefineComponent>();
  private final PatternVisitor<ChildType> childTypeVisitor = new ChildTypeVisitor();

  private static final int DEFINE_KEEP = 0;
  private static final int DEFINE_IGNORE = 1;
  private static final int DEFINE_REQUIRE = 2;

  static private class Define {
    int status = DEFINE_KEEP;
    boolean hadImplicit;
    Combine combine;
    Pattern pattern;
    CompositePattern wrapper;
    DefineComponent head;
  }

  abstract class PatternAnalysisVisitor<T> extends AbstractPatternVisitor<T> {
    abstract T get(Pattern p);
    abstract T choice(T o1, T o2);
    abstract T group(T o1, T o2);
    T interleave(T o1, T o2) {
      return group(o1, o2);
    }
    T ref(T obj) {
      return obj;
    }
    T oneOrMore(T obj) {
      return group(obj, obj);
    }
    abstract T empty();
    abstract T text();
    abstract T data();
    abstract T notAllowed();
    T list(T obj) {
      return data();
    }

    public T visitChoice(ChoicePattern p) {
      List<Pattern> list = p.getChildren();
      T obj = get(list.get(0));
      for (int i = 1, length = list.size(); i < length; i++)
        obj = choice(obj, get(list.get(i)));
      return obj;
    }

    public T visitGroup(GroupPattern p) {
      List<Pattern> list = p.getChildren();
      T obj = get(list.get(0));
      for (int i = 1, length = list.size(); i < length; i++)
        obj = group(obj, get(list.get(i)));
      return obj;
    }

    public T visitInterleave(InterleavePattern p) {
      List<Pattern> list = p.getChildren();
      T obj = get(list.get(0));
      for (int i = 1, length = list.size(); i < length; i++)
        obj = interleave(obj, get(list.get(i)));
      return obj;
    }

    public T visitZeroOrMore(ZeroOrMorePattern p) {
      return choice(empty(), oneOrMore(get(p.getChild())));
    }

    public T visitOneOrMore(OneOrMorePattern p) {
      return oneOrMore(get(p.getChild()));
    }

    public T visitOptional(OptionalPattern p) {
      return choice(empty(), get(p.getChild()));
    }

    public T visitEmpty(EmptyPattern p) {
      return empty();
    }

    public T visitRef(RefPattern p) {
      return ref(get(getBody(p)));
    }

    public T visitMixed(MixedPattern p) {
      return interleave(text(), get(p.getChild()));
    }

    public T visitText(TextPattern p) {
      return text();
    }

    public T visitData(DataPattern p) {
      return data();
    }

    public T visitValue(ValuePattern p) {
      return data();
    }

    public T visitList(ListPattern p) {
      return list(get(p.getChild()));
    }

    public T visitNotAllowed(NotAllowedPattern p) {
      return notAllowed();
    }

    public T visitPattern(Pattern p) {
      return null;
    }
  }

  class ChildTypeVisitor extends PatternAnalysisVisitor<ChildType> {
    ChildType get(Pattern p) {
      return getChildType(p);
    }

    ChildType empty() {
      return ChildType.EMPTY;
    }

    ChildType text() {
      return ChildType.choice(ChildType.TEXT, ChildType.EMPTY);
    }

    ChildType data() {
      return ChildType.DATA;
    }

    ChildType notAllowed() {
      return ChildType.NOT_ALLOWED;
    }

    ChildType list(ChildType t) {
      if (t == ChildType.NOT_ALLOWED)
        return t;
      return data();
    }

    ChildType choice(ChildType t1, ChildType t2) {
      return ChildType.choice(t1, t2);
    }

    ChildType group(ChildType t1, ChildType t2) {
      return ChildType.group(t1, t2);
    }

    public ChildType visitElement(ElementPattern p) {
      return ChildType.ELEMENT;
    }

    public ChildType visitAttribute(AttributePattern p) {
      if (getChildType(p.getChild()) == ChildType.NOT_ALLOWED)
        return ChildType.NOT_ALLOWED;
      return ChildType.choice(ChildType.ATTRIBUTE, ChildType.EMPTY);
    }
  }

  static class Override {
    int status;
    final Define define;
    final String name;

    Override(Define define, String name) {
      this.define = define;
      this.name = name;
    }
  }

  class GrammarVisitor implements ComponentVisitor<VoidValue> {
    private final Set<String> openIncludes = new HashSet<String>();
    private final Set<String> allIncludes = new HashSet<String>();
    private List<Override> overrides = null;

    public VoidValue visitDefine(DefineComponent c) {
      Define define = lookupDefine(c.getName());
      if (overrides != null)
        overrides.add(new Override(define, c.getName()));
      if (define.status != DEFINE_KEEP) {
        ignoredDefines.add(c);
        define.status = DEFINE_IGNORE;
        return VoidValue.VOID;
      }
      if (c.getCombine() == null) {
        if (define.hadImplicit) {
          er.error("multiple_define", c.getName(), c.getSourceLocation());
          return VoidValue.VOID;
        }
        define.hadImplicit = true;
      }
      else if (define.combine == null) {
        define.combine = c.getCombine();
        if (define.combine == Combine.CHOICE)
          define.wrapper = new ChoicePattern();
        else
          define.wrapper = new InterleavePattern();
        define.wrapper.setSourceLocation(c.getSourceLocation());
      }
      else if (define.combine != c.getCombine()) {
        er.error("inconsistent_combine", c.getName(), c.getSourceLocation());
        return VoidValue.VOID;
      }
      if (define.pattern == null) {
        define.pattern = c.getBody();
        define.head = c;
      }
      else {
        if (define.pattern != define.wrapper)
          define.wrapper.getChildren().add(define.pattern);
        define.wrapper.getChildren().add(c.getBody());
        define.pattern = define.wrapper;
      }
      return VoidValue.VOID;
    }

    public VoidValue visitDiv(DivComponent c) {
      c.componentsAccept(this);
      return VoidValue.VOID;
    }

    public VoidValue visitInclude(IncludeComponent c) {
      List<Override> overrides = new Vector<Override>();
      List<Override> savedOverrides = this.overrides;
      this.overrides = overrides;
      c.componentsAccept(this);
      this.overrides = savedOverrides;
      String uri = c.getUri();
      if (openIncludes.contains(uri))
        er.error("include_loop", uri, c.getSourceLocation());
      else if (allIncludes.contains(uri))
        er.error("multiple_include", uri, c.getSourceLocation());
      else {
        for (Override or : overrides) {
          or.status = or.define.status;
          or.define.status = DEFINE_REQUIRE;
        }
        allIncludes.add(uri);
        openIncludes.add(uri);
        getSchema(uri).componentsAccept(this);
        openIncludes.remove(uri);
        for (Override or : overrides) {
          if (or.define.status == DEFINE_REQUIRE) {
            if (or.name == DefineComponent.START)
              er.error("missing_start_replacement", c.getSourceLocation());
            else
              er.error("missing_define_replacement", or.name, c.getSourceLocation());
          }
          or.define.status = or.status;
        }
      }
      return VoidValue.VOID;
    }
  }

  SchemaInfo(SchemaCollection sc, ErrorReporter er) {
    this.sc = sc;
    this.er = er;
    forceGrammar();
    grammar = getSchema(sc.getMainUri());
    grammar.componentsAccept(new GrammarVisitor());
  }

  private void forceGrammar() {
    SchemaDocument sd = sc.getSchemaDocumentMap().get(sc.getMainUri());
    sd.setPattern(convertToGrammar(sd.getPattern()));
    // TODO convert other schemas
  }

  private static GrammarPattern convertToGrammar(Pattern p) {
    if (p instanceof GrammarPattern)
      return (GrammarPattern)p;
    GrammarPattern g = new GrammarPattern();
    g.setSourceLocation(p.getSourceLocation());
    g.setContext(p.getContext());
    DefineComponent dc = new DefineComponent(DefineComponent.START, p);
    dc.setSourceLocation(p.getSourceLocation());
    g.getComponents().add(dc);
    return g;
  }

  GrammarPattern getGrammar() {
    return grammar;
  }

  String getMainUri() {
    return sc.getMainUri();
  }

  GrammarPattern getSchema(String sourceUri) {
    return (GrammarPattern)(sc.getSchemaDocumentMap().get(sourceUri)).getPattern();
  }

  String getEncoding(String sourceUri) {
    return (sc.getSchemaDocumentMap().get(sourceUri)).getEncoding();
  }

  ChildType getChildType(Pattern p) {
    ChildType ct = childTypeMap.get(p);
    if (ct == null) {
      ct = p.accept(childTypeVisitor);
      childTypeMap.put(p, ct);
    }
    return ct;
  }

  Pattern getStart() {
    return lookupDefine(DefineComponent.START).pattern;
  }

  Pattern getBody(RefPattern p) {
    return lookupDefine(p.getName()).pattern;
  }

  Pattern getBody(DefineComponent c) {
    Define def = lookupDefine(c.getName());
    if (def == null || def.head != c)
      return null;
    return def.pattern;
  }

  boolean isIgnored(DefineComponent c) {
    return ignoredDefines.contains(c);
  }

  private Define lookupDefine(String name) {
    Define define = defineMap.get(name);
    if (define == null) {
      define = new Define();
      defineMap.put(name, define);
    }
    return define;
  }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


A body massage involves working on the body, like the skin, muscles, tendons, and ligaments with suitable and appropriate pressure. The main purpose or benefit of a holistic body massage is to decrease body pain and stress and to relax and calm the mind. A body massage helps to increase blood circulation, boosts oxygen levels and eliminates unwanted toxins from the body.
It is very beneficial for people, who work in a high-stress environment as stress can increase tension in the muscles, people who have a sedentary lifestyle or long seated hours in office which can wreak havoc on your lower back, sportsperson or people who do heavy workouts or physical activity.
A body massage which also involves the use of aromatic oils helps soothe and calm your mind and senses and gives you a refreshed and energized feel.
Aroma body massage is performed with light pressure which helps your body relax, balance and harmonize. Our professional therapists ensure that the massage is soothing and relaxing to the body and mind.
The technique used in Swedish body massage involves rubbing the tensed muscles with long gliding strokes, which directs the blood flow towards the heart. This increases the oxygen level in the blood, decreases toxins and thus improving blood circulation and flexibility.
Our trained professional therapists ensure that the massage is not only relaxing but also helps improve your overall wellbeing.
As the name suggests Deep tissue body massage works on the deepest layers of the muscles, tendons, and fascia (the protective layer surrounding muscles, bones and joints). This technique involves deep pressure which helps release chronic muscle tension caused by stress, anxiety, long sitting hours, intense physical workouts etc.
A combination of dry massage and oil massage, the Balinese body massage along with gentle stretches and acupressure stimulates blood and oxygen flow within the body. Our trained therapists ensure this treatment is performed accurately to help relieve strained or knotted muscles. The Balinese Body massage is also believed to boost immunity as it helps flush out toxins from the body due to increased oxygen flow.
For all those who do not like the idea of having a lot of oil on your body can opt in for a Dry body massage. As the name suggests this service is performed without the use of any oils. However, it can be quite intense as it involves a lot of stretching and use of pressure points to help eliminate stress from the body. It is performed by experienced and trained therapists to ensure there is no discomfort or adverse effects.
This is an exfoliating and nourishing full body spa treatment which will leave your skin feeling refreshed, renewed and moisturized.
The body scrub when rubbed and massaged into the skin will exfoliate the dead skin and bring out the new layer of skin which is supple, clean and fresh.
Facials are essential to take care of the delicate skin on the face and is recommended to be done at least once a month at a Spa. A combination of great quality products along with experienced and professional therapists will give you that essential glow through a fabulous facial treatment.
- Steaming opens the skin pores which is essential for the skin to breathe easy.
- Scrubbing removes the dead cells from your skin.
-Removal of white-heads and black heads ensures removal of blockage in skin pores.
-Facial massage enhances blood circulation and relaxes you.
-Face mask are essential for making the face skin bright, firm, soft.
-Facials also help in rejuvenating the eyes.
- It de-stresses you and brings back the natural skin glow.


text:
19 out-of-this-world hiking trails in Indonesia with probably the most incredible views
Essentials corresponding to backpacks, footwear and climbing apparel, are key necessities for a good hiking expertise. Explore a complete vary of our climbing merchandise, conceived and designed for the mountains. Galtür's Alpine Club Galtür is your good partner for eventful summer holidays. From mid of June to mid of September, skilled mountain guides provide a varied weekly programme for passionate hikers, together with two hikes, one by way of ferrata tour and more.
We protect trails by facilitating path upkeep, shield natural spaces by advocating, and promote hiking by inspiring and equipping folks to get out on the path. The eleven-day Armenia and the Silk Road trip takes in a few of its finest routes, connecting the UNESCO protected monasteries of Sanahin and Haghpat, passing over limestone peaks and thru verdant forests, with the opportunity to hike in the wild Geghama Mountains and climb to the highest of Aragats, the nation's tallest mountain. Hong Kong could also be recognized for its towering skyscrapers and slim streets, but the mainland and islands are dotted with myriad mountaineering trails, probably the most famous of which is the Dragon's Back. After overnighting here, hikers strap on crampons and set off up the snowfield to the summit, the place the Atlas Mountains open out and the views are relentless.
Mount Mitake is one other popular mountaineering destination close by Tokyo. Located within the mountains of Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park, it takes simply two hours to succeed in from the town. Visitors can hike the trails through just about unspoiled nature, stopping at a wide range of waterfalls, small shrines, and peaks along the way in which.
Popular locations include the village of Taturi, Doyo Lama the place locals create rock portray artwork, and the monument for General MacArthur on Mount Ifar.
Outside of that point, it's harmful to ascend the mountain. A few shorter, casual hikes are additionally out there, such because the walks to Kofuji and Hoeizan. Stop by our Tourism Office & Visitor Center for info on St. George, Zion National Park, and different points of interest. It's the perfect first cease for visitors to the world to discover one thing new, ask questions and decide up supplies.
In autumn the stream transforms a popular fall shade spots. An easy to walk nature trail follows the stream for over ten kilometers. Noboribetsu is Hokkaido's most well-known scorching spring resort. A community of hiking trails leads around the hills that surround the native Hell Valley above the resort town to sulfurous mud ponds and a river the place you possibly can dip you feet into the naturally scorching water. Afterwards, head right down to the hot springs for a properly deserved bath.
Check out the video on this path web page. Don't miss this diverse path system that welcomes hikers and bikers.
Hiking data
Vasquez Rocks takes its title from the outlaw Tiburcio Vásquez, who used the world as considered one of his many hideouts. A portion of the famed Pacific Crest Trail, which stretches 2,663 miles from Canada to the Mexico border, passes through Vasquez Rocks.
Mount Unzen is a considered one of Japan's deadliest volcanoes. It most just lately erupted within the early Nineteen Nineties with devastating results as the superheated volcanic gases and mudslides killed a number of individuals and destroyed properties alongside the best way. The mountain is also acknowledged for its pure beauty. Visitors can take a ropeway part method up the slope, from the place a community of mountaineering trails leads to the summit. Mount Aso is a big, lively volcano in the center of Kyushu.


The brand new laugh-out-loud romantic comedy from bestseller Portia Macintosh. Perfect for fans of Jo Watson and Tilly Tennant. Readers love Portia Macintosh!
'Portia's books just get better and better!' Got Books, Babe?


text:
typedef double Real;
#else
typedef float Real;
#endif
// type of word indices
typedef unsigned WordIndex;

#endif  // FASTER_RNNLM_SETTINGS_H_


text:
package es.tid.cosmos.tests.e2e

import java.io.File.createTempFile

class PersistentHdfsAccessIT extends E2ETestBase {
  val source = {
    val file = createTempFile("test", "txt")
    file.deleteOnExit()
    file.getAbsolutePath
  }
  val target = "testInHdfs.txt"
  val localCopy = {
    val file = createTempFile("localcopy", "txt")
    file.delete()
    file.getAbsolutePath
  }

  withNewUser { user =>
    lazy val infinity = new PersistentHdfs(user)

    feature("Users can use Infinity to persist important data") {
      scenario("Initially, the user's directory must be empty") {
        infinity.ls() must be ('empty)
      }

      scenario("The user can upload a file to Infinity through the CLI") {
        infinity.put(source, target)
        infinity.ls().map(_.name) must be (Seq(target))
      }

      scenario("The user can change a file's permissions thorugh the CLI") {
        infinity.chmod("720", target)
        infinity.ls().map(_.permissions) must be (Seq("-rwx-w----"))
      }

      scenario("The user can get the file that was uploaded") {
        infinity.get(target, localCopy).exists must be (true)
      }

      scenario("The user can remove the file from Infinity") {
        infinity.rm(target)
        infinity.ls() must be ('empty)
      }
    }
  }
}


These handmade genuine leather bracelets with unique wood inserts feature a Swarovski crystal snowflake design. Wear your love of winter on your sleeve! Select from 5 leather colour options, please specify wrist size (leather will stretch out over time – bracelets are adjustable by re knotting the leather).


text:
/*
 * $PostgreSQL: pgsql/contrib/btree_gist/btree_inet.c,v 1.10 2009/06/11 14:48:50 momjian Exp $
 */
#include "btree_gist.h"
#include "btree_utils_num.h"
#include "utils/builtins.h"
#include "utils/inet.h"
#include "catalog/pg_type.h"

typedef struct inetkey
{
	double		lower;
	double		upper;
} inetKEY;

/*
** inet ops
*/
PG_FUNCTION_INFO_V1(gbt_inet_compress);
PG_FUNCTION_INFO_V1(gbt_inet_union);
PG_FUNCTION_INFO_V1(gbt_inet_picksplit);
PG_FUNCTION_INFO_V1(gbt_inet_consistent);
PG_FUNCTION_INFO_V1(gbt_inet_penalty);
PG_FUNCTION_INFO_V1(gbt_inet_same);

Datum		gbt_inet_compress(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS);
Datum		gbt_inet_union(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS);
Datum		gbt_inet_picksplit(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS);
Datum		gbt_inet_consistent(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS);
Datum		gbt_inet_penalty(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS);
Datum		gbt_inet_same(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS);

static bool
gbt_inetgt(const void *a, const void *b)
{
	return (*((double *) a) > *((double *) b));
}
static bool
gbt_inetge(const void *a, const void *b)
{
	return (*((double *) a) >= *((double *) b));
}
static bool
gbt_ineteq(const void *a, const void *b)
{
	return (*((double *) a) == *((double *) b));
}
static bool
gbt_inetle(const void *a, const void *b)
{
	return (*((double *) a) <= *((double *) b));
}
static bool
gbt_inetlt(const void *a, const void *b)
{
	return (*((double *) a) < *((double *) b));
}

static int
gbt_inetkey_cmp(const void *a, const void *b)
{

	if (*(double *) (&((Nsrt *) a)->t[0]) > *(double *) (&((Nsrt *) b)->t[0]))
		return 1;
	else if (*(double *) (&((Nsrt *) a)->t[0]) < *(double *) (&((Nsrt *) b)->t[0]))
		return -1;
	return 0;

}

static const gbtree_ninfo tinfo =
{
	gbt_t_inet,
	sizeof(double),
	gbt_inetgt,
	gbt_inetge,
	gbt_ineteq,
	gbt_inetle,
	gbt_inetlt,
	gbt_inetkey_cmp
};

/**************************************************
 * inet ops
 **************************************************/

Datum
gbt_inet_compress(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
{
	GISTENTRY  *entry = (GISTENTRY *) PG_GETARG_POINTER(0);
	GISTENTRY  *retval;

	if (entry->leafkey)
	{
		inetKEY    *r = (inetKEY *) palloc(sizeof(inetKEY));

		retval = palloc(sizeof(GISTENTRY));
		r->lower = convert_network_to_scalar(entry->key, INETOID);
		r->upper = r->lower;
		gistentryinit(*retval, PointerGetDatum(r),
					  entry->rel, entry->page,
					  entry->offset, FALSE);
	}
	else
		retval = entry;

	PG_RETURN_POINTER(retval);
}

Datum
gbt_inet_consistent(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
{
	GISTENTRY  *entry = (GISTENTRY *) PG_GETARG_POINTER(0);
	double		query = convert_network_to_scalar(PG_GETARG_DATUM(1), INETOID);
	StrategyNumber strategy = (StrategyNumber) PG_GETARG_UINT16(2);

	/* Oid		subtype = PG_GETARG_OID(3); */
	bool	   *recheck = (bool *) PG_GETARG_POINTER(4);
	inetKEY    *kkk = (inetKEY *) DatumGetPointer(entry->key);
	GBT_NUMKEY_R key;

	/* All cases served by this function are inexact */
	*recheck = true;

	key.lower = (GBT_NUMKEY *) &kkk->lower;
	key.upper = (GBT_NUMKEY *) &kkk->upper;

	PG_RETURN_BOOL(gbt_num_consistent(&key, (void *) &query,
									  &strategy, GIST_LEAF(entry), &tinfo));
}

Datum
gbt_inet_union(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
{
	GistEntryVector *entryvec = (GistEntryVector *) PG_GETARG_POINTER(0);
	void	   *out = palloc(sizeof(inetKEY));

	*(int *) PG_GETARG_POINTER(1) = sizeof(inetKEY);
	PG_RETURN_POINTER(gbt_num_union((void *) out, entryvec, &tinfo));
}

Datum
gbt_inet_penalty(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
{
	inetKEY    *origentry = (inetKEY *) DatumGetPointer(((GISTENTRY *) PG_GETARG_POINTER(0))->key);
	inetKEY    *newentry = (inetKEY *) DatumGetPointer(((GISTENTRY *) PG_GETARG_POINTER(1))->key);
	float	   *result = (float *) PG_GETARG_POINTER(2);

	penalty_num(result, origentry->lower, origentry->upper, newentry->lower, newentry->upper);

	PG_RETURN_POINTER(result);

}

Datum
gbt_inet_picksplit(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
{
	PG_RETURN_POINTER(gbt_num_picksplit(
									(GistEntryVector *) PG_GETARG_POINTER(0),
									  (GIST_SPLITVEC *) PG_GETARG_POINTER(1),
										&tinfo
										));
}

Datum
gbt_inet_same(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
{
	inetKEY    *b1 = (inetKEY *) PG_GETARG_POINTER(0);
	inetKEY    *b2 = (inetKEY *) PG_GETARG_POINTER(1);
	bool	   *result = (bool *) PG_GETARG_POINTER(2);

	*result = gbt_num_same((void *) b1, (void *) b2, &tinfo);
	PG_RETURN_POINTER(result);
}


Bitcoin price failed to break the $3,750 resistance and declined sharply against the US Dollar.
There was a break below a crucial bullish trend line with support at $3,620 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair (data feed from Kraken).
The price is currently recovery, but it likely to face a strong selling interest near $3,560 and $3,600.
Bitcoin price fell significantly below the $3,600 support against the US Dollar. BTC is currently trading in a downtrend and it could resume its decline if it fails to surpass $3,600.
This past week, there was a slow and steady rise above the $3,600 level in bitcoin price against the US Dollar. The BTC/USD pair even broke the $3,700 resistance level. However, it seems like buyers failed to gain strength above the $3,750 level. As a result, there was a strong downward move and the price declined below $3,700 and $3,600. The decline was such that the price settled below the $3,600 support and the 100 hourly simple moving average.
More importantly, there was a break below a crucial bullish trend line with support at $3,620 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair. Sellers pushed the price below the key $3,550 support, opening the doors for more losses. A low was formed at $3,470 and the price is currently correcting higher. It moved above the $3,520 level and the 23.6% Fib retracement level of the recent decline from the $3,729 high to $3,470 low. However, the previous support at $3,550 is now acting as a strong resistance. If there is a break above $3,550, the price could face sellers near $3,600. It represents the 50% Fib retracement level of the recent decline from the $3,729 high to $3,470 low.
Looking at the chart, bitcoin price has moved into a bearish zone below $3,600. As long as sellers remain in control below $3,600 and $3,550, there is a risk of more losses below $3,500 and $3,400.
Hourly MACD – The MACD for BTC/USD is slightly placed in the bullish zone.
Hourly RSI (Relative Strength Index) – The RSI for BTC/USD is currently recovering toward the 40 level, with a positive angle.
The post Bitcoin Price Watch: BTC's Trend Overwhelmingly Bearish Below $3,600 appeared first on NewsBTC.
The total crypto market cap made a sharp U-turn and declined below the $115.00 support.
EOS price is down around 5% and it broke the $2.45 and $2.40 support levels.
Bitcoin cash price is under pressure and it recently broke the $125 support level.
Tron (TRX) price failed to stay above the $0.0250 support and it could revisit $0.0220.
Cardano (ADA) price declined more than 6% below the $0.0450 support level.
Bitcoin and the whole crypto market fell sharply in the past few hours. BTC, Ethereum, ripple, EOS, BCH, ADA and altcoins are currently under a lot of selling pressure.
Bitcoin cash price failed to stay above the $130 support level and recently started a sharp decline against the US Dollar. BCH/USD declined below the $126 and $125 support levels to move into a bearish zone. The price is down around 5.5% and it may continue to move lower towards the $120 or $118 support levels.
If there is an upside correction, the previous supports near the $125 and $126 levels may now act as barriers for buyers in the near term.
EOS price is down around 5% after it failed to gain pace above the $2.65 resistance. The price declined below the $2.50 and $2.40 support levels. The next key support is at $2.30 where buyers are likely to emerge.
Tron price trimmed most of its recent gains and declined below the $0.0260 and $0.0250 support levels. TRX price is down 3.5% and it seems like it may continue to decline towards the $0.0220 support.
Cardano price fell more than 6% after it broke the $0.0460 support. ADA price is now trading near the $0.0430 level, with an immediate support at $0.0420. The next major support is at $0.0412, followed by $0.0405.
Looking at the total cryptocurrency market cap hourly chart, there was a sharp downside reaction from well above the $122.00B level. The market cap dipped sharply below the $120.00B support and a major bullish trend line on the same chart. It opened the doors for more losses and the market cap reached the $112.00B support level. There may be a short term correction, but upsides in BTC, ETH, tron, litecoin, EOS, ripple, XLM, IOTA and other altcoins remain capped.
The post Crypto Market Tumbles: EOS, Tron (TRX), Bitcoin Cash, ADA Price Analysis appeared first on NewsBTC.
Ripple price is currently under pressure below the $0.3200 and $0.3180 support levels against the US dollar.
There is a crucial bearish trend line formed with resistance at $0.3185 on the hourly chart of the XRP/USD pair (data source from Kraken).
The pair is likely to extend the current decline and it may even break the $0.3000 support area.
Ripple price declined sharply below key supports against the US Dollar and Bitcoin. XRP/USD remains at a risk of more losses below the $0.3050 and $0.3000 support levels.
This past week, we saw a decent recovery above $0.3300 in ripple price against the US Dollar. However, the XRP/USD pair failed on many occasions to clear the $0.3380 and $0.3400 resistance levels. As a result, there was a bearish reaction and the price declined below the $0.3200 support level. The decline was such that the even broke the key $0.3180 support level and moved into a bearish zone. Finally, there was a close below the $0.3200 support level and the 100 hourly simple moving average.
A low was formed at $0.3102 and later the price started a short term upside correction. It recovered above the $0.3120 and $0.3130 levels. There was a break above the 23.6% Fib retracement level of the last decline from the $0.3352 high to $0.3102 low. However, the previous important support near $0.3180 is now acting as a strong barrier for buyers. Moreover, there is a crucial bearish trend line formed with resistance at $0.3185 on the hourly chart of the XRP/USD pair. Above the trend line, the 50% Fib retracement level of the last decline from the $0.3352 high to $0.3102 low is at $0.3227. Therefore, there are many hurdles formed near $0.3180, $0.3200 and $0.3220.
Looking at the chart, ripple price might continue to struggle near the $0.3200 resistance level. Therefore, there is a risk of more losses and it may even break the $0.3000 support area.
Hourly MACD – The MACD for XRP/USD is slightly placed in the bearish zone.
Hourly RSI (Relative Strength Index) – The RSI for XRP/USD is now well below the 50 level, with many bearish signs.
The post Ripple Price Analysis: XRP Poised To Break $0.3000 Support appeared first on NewsBTC.
ETH price failed to gain strength and declined heavily below the $118 support against the US Dollar.
There is a major bearish trend line formed with resistance at $121 on the hourly chart of ETH/USD (data feed via Kraken).
The pair remains at a risk of more losses as long as it is trading below the $119 and $121 resistances.
Ethereum price declined heavily in the past few hours against the US Dollar and bitcoin. ETH/USD settled below $120 and it may continue to decline towards $110 or $106.
After a decent recovery, ETH price faced a strong selling interest above the $125 level against the US Dollar. The ETH/USD pair formed a top near the $126 level and later started a sharp decline. It broke the $122 support and the 100 hourly simple moving average. The decline was crucial since the price broke the $120 and $118 support levels to move into a bearish zone. Sellers even pushed the price below the $115 level and a new weekly low was formed near the $113 level.
Later, the price started consolidating losses above $113 and corrected a few points higher. It moved above the 23.6% Fib retracement level of the recent decline from the $124 high to $113 swing low. However, the previous support near the $118 level is acting as a strong resistance. Moreover, the 50% Fib retracement level of the recent decline from the $124 high to $113 swing low is positioned near $118. More importantly, there is a major bearish trend line formed with resistance at $121 on the hourly chart of ETH/USD.
Looking at the chart, ETH price clearly moved into a bearish zone below $120 and the 100 hourly simple moving average. As long as it is trading below $118 and $120, there is a risk of more losses. The next supports are at $110 and $106.
Hourly MACD – The MACD for ETH/USD is slowly moving in the bullish zone, but with a bearish bias.
Hourly RSI – The RSI for ETH/USD is currently recovering above the 25 level, with a positive angle.
The post Ethereum Price Analysis: ETH Sinks Below Key Support, Could Extend Losses appeared first on NewsBTC.
When Bitcoin was first launched in 2009, barely any knew about the project, created by pseudonymous programmer Satoshi Nakamoto. The few that did know of the cryptocurrency either hated it with a burning passion or loved it for its long-term potential. And while the former group picked up steam, with mainstream media bashing cryptocurrencies via FUD-ridden articles, simple data shows that BTC, along with the underlying network has continued to outperform, even amid a number of broader downturns.
Related Reading: Why Does Mainstream Media Spread So Much Crypto FUD?
Per data gathered and conveyed by Rhythm Trader, a pseudonymous crypto enthusiast, trader, and researcher that touts insightful tweets, Bitcoin's yearly lows are up (nearly) consistently year-over-year. Save for the slight hiccup during 2014's bear season, which was accentuated by Mt. Gox debacle, the asset's yearly low has swelled exponentially as every 12 months have passed.
In fact, in 2012, Bitcoin's yearly low was at a mere $4. Now, the same figure is at $3,200 — a jaw-dropping 80,000% gain over the course of seven years.
With this in mind, while also considering anecdotal evidence, Rhythm concluded that Bitcoin has effectively undergone a whole decade of sustained growth. But BTC's value isn't the only crypto-related statistic to have boomed within the same time period. Per data from Blockchain.com, hashrate has swelled from ten terahashes per second in 2012 to 38 million terahashes today. The number of Bitcoin transactions has also swelled, with there now being approximately 250,000 processes on the blockchain each and every day.
Per previous reports from NewsBTC, even amid last year's rout, which saw cryptocurrencies tumble by upwards of 80%, industry fundamentals continued to outperform.
In an extensive report, Jameson Lopp, the chief of technology at crypto solutions provider Casa, explained that "by any metric [other than price], the [Bitcoin] system is improving and growing." Among a number of other bullish statistics, the long-time industry participant revealed that the number of BTC-supported ATMs rose by 100% in 2018, while the network's hashrate doubled. This all came as the cryptocurrency's community swelled on Reddit, sparking discussion regarding the propagation of scaling protocols, namely SegWit and the Lightning Network.
Crypto also saw a strong 2018 from institutions. Bakkt was unveiled, while similar ventures were announced by Fidelity Investments and ErisX's backers. Over-the-counter desks also became an industry trend, as exchanges and other industry service providers tried to capitalize on an influx of institutionally-sourced greenbacks. In recent months, Coinbase, Binance, and BitGo have all made forays into the OTC/dark pool sector.
And many believe that this underlying thematic development will continue into 2019. Jeff Berwick, the so-called Dollar Vigilante, recently told BlockTV that he expects for 2019 to hail in Wall Street greenbacks, which will "change the game completely." Berwick stated that as institutional capital floods in, crypto valuations will "explode" en bloc, as there are presumed trillions waiting on the sidelines.
The post Don't Fret! Bitcoin Has Undergone A Decade Of Sustained Growth appeared first on NewsBTC.
In October of 2018, as Bitcoin found itself above $6,000, Soulja "Drako" Boy, the American rapper of "Crank That" fame, released a banger simply titled "Bitcoin." In the piece of music, a track in Soulja's Young Drako album, the Chicago-based artist spat fire, so to speak, about the world's first cryptocurrency.
While many first assumed that Soulja was going to lambast the crypto asset, the rapper didn't. Instead, Drako went on to reference crypto's "Lambo culture," quipping that foreign (cars) sit in his driveway. He even made a mention of Litecoin, while hinting at his addiction to checking Blockfolio incessantly. It is likely that Soulja's lyrics were fantastical, made in an attempt to garner some semblance of clout. Yet, the fact that he did much more than name-drop Bitcoin was optimistic nonetheless.
Yet, just months later, he has seemingly turned his back towards cryptocurrencies.
In an interview with Cheddar, an up-and-coming Business Outlet, the tided-up Soulja, now the proud showrunner of a semi-business, talked about Tesla, flying cars, other technological advancements, and Bitcoin. Drako, who recently came under fire from Nintendo, claimed that cryptocurrency's glory days are now in the rearview mirror.
The American artist noted that "it's a gamble," before adding that the potential returns are lackluster, as too many individuals know of Bitcoin now.
Weird how Soulja is enamored with futuristic concepts, like Tesla's innovations, flying cars, esports, and recreational marijuana, but against a paradigm-shifting fintech innovation.
Interestingly, the teenage investor added that he sees potential in Ethereum and ZCash, touting their innovative offerings, namely smart contracts and privacy. But, he did fire a shot at Litecoin, noting that the Charlie Lee-backed project is about to disappear, just like the Sun setting on the horizon. Finman made it clear that Litecoin won't rise tomorrow morning.
The post Soulja Boy: Bitcoin & Crypto's Glory Days Now In The Rearview Mirror appeared first on NewsBTC.
By CCN.com: With well over 200 million users across the globe, few video games have as large a following as Fortnite. The freemium game is so popular that its developer, Epic Games, banked $3 billion in 2018. However, according to a report on the Independent, Epic Games isn't the only entity getting rich off Fortnite.


The dividend to be paid on 3 December 2018 is is another large fully franked dividend of $32 per share. It is part of the ongoing return of funds to shareholders. It is not expected that further large dividends of this nature will be paid. Further returns of funds will be by return of capital on shares if this is approved by Shareholders at the forthcoming AGM.


What's the best Disability Insurance policy for you?
Determining the right policy means understanding the language of disability insurance so you can evaluate how the differences might affect you. Here are some terms you need to know.
The Total Disability definition is one of the key components and differentiators of policies today. This definition is commonly, though not accurately, referred to as the "own occupation" clause and is an extremely important clause for physicians, attorneys, and other professionals. The most comprehensive definition, called "true" (or "regular") own occupation in the market, will define disability as the inability to perform the substantial and material duties of your occupation.
Policies with this definition of total disability will continue to pay benefits if you are disabled in your occupation and working in another job or occupation. Make sure that this definition applies to your policy "to age 65" or longer.
A modified own occupation policy definition is less comprehensive and will define disability as the inability to perform the material and substantial duties of your occupation and you are not engaged in any occupation for wage or profit.
Policies with this definition will reduce benefit payments in proportion to the income earned from another job or occupation.
Elimination Period refers to the number of days of total or partial disability that must pass before benefits are payable. Most policies today are issued with a 90-day elimination period. If you have substantial savings accumulated, a 180-day or 365-day elimination period should be considered.
Benefit Period is the maximum amount of time that you can receive benefits. Typical benefit periods are "to age 65" or "to age 67".
Guaranteed Renewable means the insurance company guarantees to renew the policy each year, regardless of changes in health. In addition, it cannot add any restrictions or change any policy provisions. But it does reserve the right to raise premiums for all policies in a given class with the approval of the insurance department in a given state.
Non-Cancelable prevents the insurance company from raising the premium unless the benefits are changed by the policyowner. It does not mean that the policyowner cannot cancel the policy.
Non-Cancelable and Guaranteed Renewable clauses are very important risk management features.
Residual Benefits allow you to receive benefits even though you are still earning income and performing some of the substantial and material duties of your own occupation. Some people refer to it as the partial disability clause. Almost every policy sold to professionals contains a residual benefit. Some policies have this feature built in to the base policy while others offer it as an option.
The Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) rider is a post-disability benefit that increases the amount you will receive after every 12 months of disability. Yearly increases are either a fixed percentage or tied to the Consumer Price Index. This option is highly recommended for people under the age of 45.
Future Increase Option (FIO) goes by several names including Guaranteed Insurability Option, Future Purchase Option, Benefit Update, and Guarantee of Physical Insurability Rider. It allows you to purchase additional insurance at specified times without any health considerations or medical tests.
This option is frequently included on policies insuring younger people whose income is expected to increase. The differences between polices involve the amount of additional insurance that can be purchased at each option date and the frequency of those option dates. Some policies offer option dates each year, some every other year, one company every third year, and one every five years.
Catastrophic Disability Benefit is one of the newest riders and pays an additional amount of insurance, above and beyond the base benefit, when an insured is deemed to be catastrophically disabled by virtue of their inability to perform 2 out of 6 Activities of Daily Living.
Policy Exclusions represent claims that most companies will not cover, such as disabilities caused by war or an act of war, self-inflicted injuries, disabilities arising from participation in or commission of a crime, or occurring in a penal institution. In addition, pre-existing conditions may not be covered unless they were fully disclosed on the application.
Underwriting Offers with Exclusion may occur after a review of medical records and tests, resulting in policies that exclude certain disabling conditions.
Benefit Limitations may arise from Mental and/or Nervous conditions and Drug or Alcohol abuse (MNDA).
We monitor a wide spectrum of policies and insurance companies and will help you navigate decisions about the right policy for your income risk management goals and circumstances. Once we help you determine the features and benefits you want to consider, we address how much you can purchase.
How much disability insurance can you purchase?
The amount depends on two variables—the amount of earned income and the amount of other disability insurance already in place.
Contributions you make to your retirement plan(s) count as earned income, but unearned income such as dividends, capital gains, interest, and rent do not count.
Having verified earned income and all other disability coverage, each company publishes an Issue & Participation (I&P) chart specifying the maximum amount of insurance that they will "issue" to you, and the amount they will "participate" with other companies' policies.
The answer to the question how much can you purchase begins with how much of your current income is needed to cover your monthly expenses.
*Guarantees and benefits provided by life insurance products are subject to the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company.


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Q: PHP: web socket connections I was wondering if I can serve an app chat using PHP socket. My question is: how many socket connections can PHP handle? I'm using Amazon AWS instance, currently my chat uses HTTP GET requests to retrieve updates, but it is slow and uses unnecessary resources.
Thanks!


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Journalism legend reflects on the power of the media spotlight
Walter "Robbie" Robinson led The Boston Globe's celebrated Spotlight investigative team to uncover one of the most seismic news stories of our times. En route to Australia – and the University of Melbourne – to speak about journalism and the continuing crisis of clerical abuse, he talks to Charlotte Grieve.
Words by Charlotte Grieve
Walter "Robbie" Robinson, right, with the actor who portrayed him in 'Spotlight', Michael Keaton. "I was always drawn to knowing what was happening before everybody else." Picture: Spotlight/Open Road Films
The last time Walter Robinson visited Australia it was 1970. He was serving as an intelligence officer with the US Army in Vietnam and chose Sydney for his precious "R & R" leave.
He fondly recalls that week – the rugby, the good food, the beer, the hospitality. He very nearly found himself adopted by a local family. "I had a wonderful time," he recalls down the line from home in Boston.
Almost half a century later, the 72-year-old editor-at-large of The Boston Globe returns next week to Melbourne and Sydney to headline a series of discussions around the role and future of investigative journalism in today's ever-shifting media landscape.
Robinson's journalism career spans four decades at the Globe, reporting from 48 states and 34 countries. He's covered four presidential elections, two presidencies and one-and-a-half wars. But his most important legacy, now seared into popular culture courtesy of the Academy Award winning movie Spotlight, was running the epic 2001-02 investigation that blew the lid on widespread child sexual abuse by Catholic clergymen across Massachusetts.
In the years since, entrenched patterns of clerical abuse and cover-up by the church have been exposed worldwide, including prompting a Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Australia. The Globe's investigation is credited for giving crucial momentum to the global rush of revelations.
In the movie, Robinson is portrayed by Michael Keaton as the tough-talking, soft-souled "player coach" of the Spotlight team. By all accounts it's an honest rendering of the man, the team, and the moment. Robinson says he was impressed by the efforts of cast and crew to ensure an authentic retelling of the story.
Born and raised a Catholic in famously faithful Boston, Robinson had deep connections – a blessing and a curse when it comes to digging the dirt as a hometown journalist. His father was a Republican state politician and his mother a part-time book-keeper. Robinson describes his early life as one of "lively discussions" between his parents, himself and three sisters around the dining room table.
It was an era where "newspapers were king", Robinson's first job was delivering the city's newspapers. He recalls collecting stacks of late editions in the dark mornings, and the thrill of being the first person to read the headlines.
"I was always drawn to knowing what was happening before everybody else."
Robinson was educated by the Boston College High School, a Jesuit-run boys' school, which happens to neighbour the Globe's offices. His tertiary studies at Northeastern University were interrupted by a four-year stint in the US Army. Robinson was "draft-induced" – meaning he enlisted when he learned he would be drafted, giving him the opportunity of officer training in Hawaii. In 1969, he was due to be discharged but extended his service to go to the war in Vietnam. "Mostly so I could find out for myself why we were there."
In some ways he resents those years, in part for delaying the start of his journalism career. But in others, he says that time made him more mature, improved his judgement and made him a "better thinker".
"I was in the intelligence business … the business of finding out things," he says. "The methods are obviously somewhat different [to journalism] but you're gathering information and trying to make sense of it. And it's information that matters to people, in some cases, lives depends on it."
After the military, he completed his studies and started at the Globe working a range of beats. He climbed the ladders of news reporting – metro, state, federal and then international as the Middle Eastern bureau chief. In all those roles, the one constant was exposing wrongdoings of those in power.
"At the time, nobody called it investigative reporting," he says. "We were just reporters who tried to dig out the truth."
From the innumerable stories of Robinson's career, the Spotlight investigation into clerical abuse, and the efforts of church hierarchy to cover it up, is unparalleled.
"There is no story that The Boston Globe has published since it began operations in 1872 that is anywhere nearly as important as that was," he says. "And a second place isn't even close."
Under Robinson's leadership, the Spotlight team of four fought for the release of thousands of documents that had been sealed by the Catholic Church. These documents, combined with victim testimonies, formed the basis of substantial evidence that there was not only a history of abuse but also concealment.
In 2002, they published close to 600 stories in which they accused 249 priests and brothers of sexual abuse within the Boston Archdiocese.
The investigation resulted in the 2002 resignation of Cardinal Bernard Law, head of the Boston Archdiocese. It also prompted the passing of legislation in many American states to ensure clergy members became "mandated reporters" of abuse. This made it a criminal offence to withhold knowledge of abuse, a requirement from which the church was previously exempt.
At the time, it was a high-stakes campaign for the Globe to pursue, risking upsetting the Boston establishment and readership just as print media was starting to feel the pinch of competition from online media. "We expected lots of protesters because the Cardinal disliked the Globe and conservative Catholics didn't like us either," he says. "But we had documents, so they [Catholics] didn't blame the messenger, they blamed the church."
Hundreds of survivors came forward to share their accounts of abuse. The team received phone calls and emails from across the nation and the world, including Australia. "The shame and guilt that kept people in the dark for so long diminished," says Robinson.
The exposé won the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. It sparked a cascade of investigations globally where journalists began looking in their own backyards to expose paedophile priests and give voice to survivors.
But Robinson remains dissatisfied with the responses to date from the Catholic Church. "I really hold that institution in such low regard."
He says the reforms were made "at the point of a gun", and he's fearful for congregations in developing countries where authorities shy away from taking action against clerical abuse.
His concerns are validated by a recent report by RMIT's Centre for Global Research that trawled through a litany of official reports from across the world since 1985 – royal commissions, police reports, judicial inquiries and more. It concluded that children most in danger of abuse are now in 9000 Catholic-run orphanages in India and Italy.
As for the underlying drivers of abuse, the veteran journalist blames Catholicism's requirement of clerical celibacy as a "major factor". Australia's Royal Commission recognised this and recommended celibacy be voluntary late last year.
"To say that it [celibacy] is unnatural is an understatement," Robinson says. "That they will never have a loving relationship with another person of either sex, and that you have to live alone in a drafty old rectory. The question you get is what kind of applicant pool do you get when those are your requirements?"
Reflecting on the changes and challenges in journalism today, Robinson points out that the Spotlight investigation was kickstarted by a story written by the one of the Globe's court reporters. "The fact is, we no longer cover that courthouse," he says.
He's witnessed the scaling back of editorial resources, a universal story in print media. Where the Globe once had seven foreign bureaux, now there are none. Newsroom numbers have halved.
"Valuable links in the [news] chain have gone missing. And because of that, there are extraordinarily important stories that we just don't know about," he says.
"The loser is the public and when the public loses, democracy is diminished."
He blames the decline in quality reporting for creating a "woefully ill-informed" public and political climate. But he remains hopeful. "I think that's changing to an extent."
He channels that optimism into his advisory role at the Globe and shaping the next generation of journalists as an educator in Arizona and Northeastern University. "You can't spend a lot of time around students and not be optimistic."
Emerging journalists are more forward thinking than his generation, he says. Their task now is to persuade the public to pay for news. "They will figure that out. Because information is power, it's valuable and ultimately, people are going to be willing to pay for that."
His passion for journalism is plainly undiminished, answering questions late into the Boston night. And he has some questions of his own about recent turns in the clerical abuse story in Australia. He's critical of Australia's court suppression laws. "How can justice be rendered in private?" he asks. "Justice is rendered in private in totalitarian countries. Not in free countries."
The interview ends with a question – his advice for young journalists?
This story is co-published by SBS News.
Walter Robinson's Australian speaking tour dates:
May 30, 6.30pm: University of Melbourne
May 31, 2pm: DART Centre for Journalism and Trauma
June 4, 6pm: United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney
Categories Journalism
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Tag Archives: individual scientific knowledge
Posted on October 19, 2015 by carlosdev
Matt Damon takes a break.
(2015) Science Fiction (20th Century Fox) Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Peňa, Sean Bean, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan, Aksel Hennie, Benedict Wong, Mackenzie Davis, Donald Glover, Nick Mohammed, Chen Shu, Eddy Ko, Enzo Cilenti, Jonathan Aris, Gruffudd Glyn, Naomi Scott. Directed by Ridley Scott
The exploration of other planets is a dangerous undertaking, maybe the most dangerous thing that humankind can do. So many things can go wrong. When compounded with human error, life or death can rest on a single decision made not always by ourselves but by others as well.
The Ares III manned mission to Mars is going well into its 18th day but then mission control in Houston detects an oncoming storm, a massive one that will force the crew to end their mission early and blast off into space. Already the escape vehicle is tipping over dangerously in the Martian sand. As the crew struggles to prepare for an emergency liftoff, the storm hits with brutal wind force. A piece of debris slams into astronaut Mark Watney (Damon) who is blown into the storm. His beacon and life signs indicator both are off. After a brief search in the storm fails to turn up Mark or his body, expedition leader Melissa Lewis (Chastain) is forced to leave Mars without him.
Except Mark isn't quite dead yet, to quote Monty Python. Yes, he's injured and his suit electronics non-functional but he's alive. He gets back to the habitat and assesses his situation. He has food rations and water for a further 30 days but it will be four years before NASA can mount a rescue mission, assuming they realize that he's still alive. As Mark says in his video logs that are to chronicle his struggle to survive, he'll have to science the shit out of things in order to create drinkable water out of rocket fuel, grow potatoes from some vacuum packed spuds in an environment where nothing grows (let's just say that he utilizes both the shit and the science), and manage to keep the atmosphere breathable in the habitat. It's a daunting task.
Mark has a doctorate in botany so he's a pretty smart guy. However, he knows that any one of a million things can go wrong. He has to contact NASA and once they realize that he's alive, he has to stay that way until they can get there. However, it isn't going to be just Mark on the line; when his crew discovers he's still alive, they will put their own lives on the line to get their colleague and teammate back and what could be more heroic than that?
Ridley Scott is a prolific director who has a history of making screen worlds come to life, from ancient Rome to rural Provence to a doomed spaceship. Here the Red Planet – desolate and arid, although a mere four days before this movie opened NASA announced that water flowed on Mars – becomes a living creature, deadly as a cobra and majestic as a moose. Shot in Tunisia on red desert sands, The vistas are bleak and alien but realistic.
He got NASA's cooperation on the movie which while it doesn't come off as a two hour advertisement for the space agency, does portray it in a heroic light in much the same way Apollo 13 did. NASA doesn't do movies that don't have the right science; here they made something like 50 pages of notes in order for the solutions to the various problems that Mark Watney come up with are grounded in real science and are the lot of them quite ingenious.
Scott also had the good sense to put a stellar cast in place. While this is Damon's movie without a doubt (more on that in a minute), he gets plenty of support including Daniels as a beleaguered NASA chief, Wiig as a press officer trying to spin the story the right way, Bean as a project manager whose first and only loyalty is to the crew who have placed their lives in his hands, Ejiofor as a NASA manager tasked with getting Watney home and Peňa as Watney's closest friend on the crew. All of them do memorable work in parts that have in many cases much less screen time than they are used to.
But as I mentioned, this is Damon's movie from start to finish and he responds by turning in maybe the best performance of his career. Certainly come Oscar nomination time he will have a very good shot at making the short list. He gives us exactly the heroic astronaut we're looking for; one who is lonely and vulnerable but who faces his issues with intelligence and aplomb. He is a man who absolutely refuses to lie down and quit where many would have. Dying 145 million miles away from home is simply unacceptable.
The science in the film has been vetted by no less a personage than Neil deGrasse Tyson (who also recorded a trailer for the film) who proclaimed it accurate for the most part other than some minor details; for example, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena doesn't work on manned missions, but the one element that doesn't pass the science test is the storm that scrubs the mission; because the atmosphere on Mars holds 1% of the air pressure than the atmosphere on Earth, the dust storms there (and there are dust storms on Mars) are much less violent and only pick up the lightest of dust. Having a wind storm on Mars that has the capability of picking up debris and slamming it into the body of an unsuspecting atmosphere doesn't work but of course it is necessary to the plot that the crew believe that one of their number is dead, otherwise they would never leave without him. Like our military, NASA leaves nobody behind.
But what we have here is a rare movie that promotes intelligence and individual scientific knowledge. Granted, we are unlikely to ever be put in a situation in which our science IQ is all that stands between us and oblivion, but it is a reminder of how important science is not just into making new cell phones for us to use but to our own survival as well. The kind of problem solving Watney exhibits is the kind of problem solving we need for our own future as our global climate changes, which may lead to famine and starvation. We'll need a lot of Mark Watneys to get us out of that one. Nonetheless any movie that gives us this kind of portrayal of science and scientists and does it in a story that is this compelling gets the highest praise I can offer.
REASONS TO GO: Damon is brilliant. Gripping story with real life science. Maintains tension throughout. Realistic-looking Mars (other than the storms).
REASONS TO STAY: Not everyone likes science fiction..
FAMILY VALUES: Some foul language, images of injuries and brief male posterior nudity.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT: Ridley Scott delayed filming on his Prometheus sequel to make this film.
CRITICAL MASS: As of 10/18/15: Rotten Tomatoes: 93% positive reviews. Metacritic: 81/100.
COMPARISON SHOPPING: Gravity
FINAL RATING: 10/10
NEXT: Pan
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