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How did Joe do? Analysis of Biden's MAGA Speech
by Liberal Leadership League
An excerpt from President Biden's speech in Philadelphia.
By Bryan Watson
The speech is a lesson in the tactics, large and small, that hold a message together and burn your ideas into your audience's consciousness. Repetition. Litanies. Framing. Promoting your Values, naming the Villain, holding out a Vision.
I didn't watch Biden deliver his speech in Philadelphia, didn't see the stagecraft, didn't hear the pundits preview the speech or dissect it when he was done. Instead, on the following morning, I pulled the transcript from the New York Times, printed it out, and read it, pen in hand. I wanted to study his speech before I heard it or heard about it.
I liked what I read … a lot. Structure. Rhythm. Content. Values + Villains + Vision. It was built the way we teach people to build their messaging.
Here's what I particularly noted on the first read:
Biden named names, naming the villain. He didn't use euphemisms, he didn't say "my predecessor" or "the former president". He named Trump. And he never said "President Trump" — just "Donald Trump", reducing him to a citizen without position or rank.
Biden gave national attention to "MAGA Republican", which should now be repeated by every campaign, especially to mark Republican candidates who are Trumpists. Biden again drilled it into the public by repeating it again and again. This is a hashtag.
Biden separated MAGA Republicans from the rest of America saying that they are taking us back to the past, while we have a vision of the future.
Biden reclaimed the language: the right keeps using "We, the People" (the faulty grammar is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me!), even though they are decidedly a minority. But because they say it so often, we shy away from using the language. Biden reclaimed it — and he should, we are the people, the majority of the people. So "We, the People" appeared again and again in the speech — repetition for emphasis to drive it home. Great!
Biden did something we must always do — he linked values to actions by a litany of "I believe … so we passed …". This is so crucially important. We need to talk about our values, what we believe in, as WHY we do stuff. But we can't just talk about our values — we have to talk about how we practice those beliefs. Rep. Haley Stevens did this at a recent fundraising event… she talked about all the good that Congress and Biden delivered, then she said "And WHY did we do this? Because we are for the people." Biden's use of "I believe … so we passed …" in a litany of deliveries was perfection! (Sidenote: I'm a big fan of litanies in speeches.)
Biden went BIG. "We're going to end cancer as we know it, mark my words." Yes! I wrote about this two years ago, and Aaron Sorkin said it 20 years ago. "I think ambition is good. I think overreaching is good. I think giving people a vision of government that is more than Social Security checks and debt reduction is good. I think government should be optimistic."
Biden closed his speech unconventionally … and beautifully. Every recent president (perhaps even Trump) ends a speech with something like this: "God bless you. God bless the United States of America." Biden typically adds something like "And may God protect our troops." But Biden replaced all that with the much more pointed: "And may God protect our nation, and may God protect all those who stand watch over our democracy." It is always important to sandwich a long message by closing with the idea you began with, the idea which is threaded throughout the message. He opened with "equality and democracy" and closed with "democracy". He even added it, like punctuation, in his final, off-script words: "God bless you all. Democracy. Thank you."
Overall, the speech was masterful in these respects — this was a speech to say that the soul of our nation was being attacked. That was imbued throughout, by identifying what we stand for, identifying where the attacks are coming from, identifying what will remain if the attack succeeds, and identifying what we can achieve if we defend America.
But the speech is also a lesson in the tactics, large and small, that hold a message together and burn your ideas into your audience's consciousness. Repetition. Litanies. Framing. Promoting your Values, naming the Villain, holding out a Vision.
I recommend reading this speech and looking for techniques that you can use in your own message-making. It's the best way to learn these much-needed skills.
Originally published in "Ruminations" as "Message-Making: The Biden Speech", reposted with permission.
Liberal Leadership League
Partner with Liberal Leadership League, Inc. Michigan based not for profit www.liberalleadershipleague.org @liberal_leaders and @LiberalLeadershipLeague. Project and change manager, leadership and team development coach.
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May 7, 2018 Literary fiction 6 Comments BetrothalColonialfamilyIndiaKolkataPovertyRailwayRuralSealdah
City Life – Part 2
A few weeks ago in 'Friday Fictioneers', I posted "City Life", a story about a young girl who has grown up in rural India, and comes to Kolkata to live with her Aunt. As I wrote, I realised that the material from which I was drawing had huge potential. So when several people commented that they would like to read more, I was only too pleased to promise a fuller version. I posted the first part on April 17th – you can read it here if you wish.
Here is Part 2. It's 3,300 words long, and will probably take about fifteen minutes to read
City life – long version Part 2
The goat bleated noisily, disturbed by the unusual activity before dawn. Makshirani stirred as her mother, Joti, shook her vigorously.
"I never knew anybody so hard to wake up," she grumbled.
Makshirani opened her eyes. Today was the day! She rose quickly, splashed water on her face and dressed. She could hardly see her mother in the shadows. She could hear her father, Binoba, moving about outside.
"Here – eat this. You might not have any more before you reach Aunt Abhilasha."
She handed Makshirani a beaker of milk and a piece of roti bread. Makshirani found it hard to swallow the bread. She was still half asleep, and not hungry at all. But mami was right; she would be travelling all day and needed to eat.
"Thank you, Mami. Is there some left for little brother Sahadar?"
Joti smiled to herself.
"Yes, there's some for Sahadar. Quickly now – your papa's waiting for you."
Makshirani embraced her mother. She wept quietly as the moment of parting came close. When would she see her mami again? Joti hugged her tight, then pushed her away.
"Here's your case. Go on now, little honey bee. I'm so proud of you!"
Clutching her small case, Makshirani slipped outside.
"Remember. Stay silent until we're well outside the village," said Binoba.
It was very dark. There was no moon, but a great scattering of stars sparkled above them. Makshirani stepped lightly on the dusty track. She could hear rustling from the trees at the side of the path as the leaves blew in the wind. She could smell the rice paddies beyond. Soon they had reached the main street of the village. Somewhere a hen clucked gently. Makshirani heard an ox mutter and grumble as it chewed and chewed on its cud. The world was awakening.
By the time they reached the end of the village, the sky in the east was pale. A cockerel crowed triumphantly.
"Hurry, now, these are Pralay's fields," said Binoba. Even as he spoke, Makshirani heard the distant racket of a diesel engine starting; only Pralay had a tractor. She walked more quickly until they were past his fields. The road curved round, and they were hidden by the scrubby trees at the roadside.
It was a long walk, several miles to the metalled highway, and then twice as many again. The day was hot, the air heavy. By now, the road was busy with cars, buses belching dark exhaust, and, everywhere, small motorcycles. In the distance Makshirani could see a hill, abrupt and conical in the otherwise gentle landscape.
"Isn't that where Aunt Abhilasha took us for holiday when she came to visit?" asked Makshirani.
"You have a good memory, girl. That was many years ago. Yes, that is Joychandi Pahar. We walked up to the temple right at the top."
"I remember the taxi ride," said Makshirani. "What luxury!"
"It would be nice to be rich, true," admitted Binoba. "But you enjoy many blessings, girl."
"I know, and I am grateful for them, Father. I am very grateful that you should walk all this way to make sure that I am safe."
"And I must walk home, too. I hope there is no storm today." He looked uneasily at the sky.
"Oh, look at that palace," exclaimed Makshirani. "Who lives there, Papa?"
"That is the station, my dear. Joychandi Pahar. And we are in time for your train." He dug into his small pack and drew out an envelope. "Here are the tickets Aunt Abhilasha sent."
"Do you know which I use?" asked Makshirani.
Her father nodded.
"No. I have travelled by train only twice, and your mother dealt with the tickets. You will have to read them or ask the woman at the counter." He looked doubtfully at his daughter.
Makshirani looked at the tickets. She was pleased to find that she understood them easily and said a silent prayer of thanks for her mother's generosity in arranging reading lessons.
The station was filling up. Traffic noise reverberated through the concourse whenever the automatic door slid open. There was the sound of a tractor. Makshirani wondered who would come to a train station by tractor.
Binoba shuffled his feet.
"I must be going," he said. "I do not wish to be caught out on the highway in a storm."
"But I don't know where I catch the train, or…or anything!"
"You see the man over there?" Binoba pointed to a man in the uniform of the West Bengal Railway. "Without doubt he can help you. Ask him."
A large man next to them cleared his throat.
"Good morning," he said.
Makshirani jumped. It was the voice she loathed.
"Pralay!" she exclaimed.
"Yes, my dear."
Makshirani dropped her gaze.
"And where is our little honey bee travelling today?" purred Pralay.
"She's going to Kolkata. A visit to her Aunt." Binoba muttered, his manner a curious mixture of defiance and deference.
"And you didn't think to tell me, her steadfast suitor? I hope she will not be gone long? There is the betrothal to celebrate after all."
"Well, there is nothing formal yet."
"Nothing formal, no, but we have an understanding, neighbour, do we not? We agree that this union could bring great benefits to both our families, don't we?"
Pralay looked from one to the other.
"Perhaps you have had a better offer through her Aunt? Hmm, hmm…yes, I can see that might be tempting. Well, I must wait and see whether my neighbour's word is his bond. And you…" he jabbed his middle finger viciously towards Binoba, "might wish to reflect on the consequences to a man who breaks his word in so serious a matter."
He took Makshirani's tickets and glanced at them.
"Second class. Your Aunt is hardly generous. You will be hot. I, myself, always travel in an air-conditioned compartment. Now, come with me. I will show you where to wait. When the train arrives, climb aboard as quickly as you can, otherwise you'll be standing all the way."
Binoba fidgeted. Pralay made a gesture of dismissal.
"You can go. I will take good care of our Makshirani, and she will produce the sweetest honey for me."
Makshirani shuddered.
But Pralay was as good as his word. He told Makshirani how many stations she had to count before changing at Asansol, and then how many stops the express would make before her journey's end.
"Now remember," he said, "The city of Kolkata has several train stations. The station where you will arrive is not called Kolkata, it is called Sealdah."
He pulled out his mobile phone with a flourish. "The only one in the village," he said, with obvious satisfaction. He smiled at Makshirani. "When you are my wife, I will buy you an iPhone."
"You are very generous," she murmured.
"10:53" proclaimed Pralay, looking at his phone rather than the station clock. "Your train will be here very soon. Let us go out onto the platform."
Makshirani followed meekly.
The train rumbled slowly into the station, squeaking and groaning as it slowly halted.
The instant it was stationary, Pralay was by the door holding it open.
"In! In! Quickly!"
Makshirani was just in time to squeeze onto a bench seat. True, there were five of them perched on a bench for three; true, the plump lady on Makshirani's left had no compunction about pushing her when she wanted more space, and the skinny old farmer on her right was all elbows and knees; but she had a seat, and as the express rolled noisily from station to station and more and more people climbed aboard, Makshirani was grateful for the crumbs of comfort it afforded.
She had never seen so many people. The corridor between the seats was crammed with standing passengers. Many packed themselves into the spaces by the doors, where the windows were wide open and the breeze from the train's motion provided a little coolness to ameliorate the stifling heat. Makshirani's head swam.
And the noise! The bench opposite was occupied by a family. The mother had a harsh voice, and to judge by her remonstrances her children were the naughtiest in the world. The smallest child, about three years old, glanced shyly at Makshirani, who smiled encouragingly at him. The little boy reached across and stroked the fabric of Makshirani's sari.
"Pretty lady," he said.
His mother pulled him away roughly. What must Makshirani think of them, how could he be so rude, what would his papa say when she told him? The little boy's face puckered, and he added his wails to the cacophony.
"I don't mind, honestly," said Makshirani. "My name is Makshirani. What are your children's names? You must be very proud of them all!"
"I am Mishti," she replied and introduced her children, then sighed. "What a handful they are! If my mother hadn't summoned us to Kolkata I would never have brought them on the train. But they are beautiful, aren't they?"
"They are lovely. You are going to Kolkata? Have you been before?"
"Oh, yes. I was born there, but my father grew up near Joychandi Pahar and I was married to a man whose family lives there. Such is life. Not that I'm complaining."
"Perhaps I could hold your little boy, your little Jayaketan?"
Of course, now that he was allowed to go to the pretty lady, Jayaketan only wanted his mother. She smiled and cuddled him. He put his thumb in his mouth, and his eyelids drooped.
"You are also going to Kolkata?" asked Mishti.
"Yes. I am going to stay with my aunt."
"Would you like to sit with us on the express to Kolkata?"
Makshirani beamed.
"That would be most kind. Now I won't get lost and miss my train."
The express was less crowded, and Mishti encouraged her children to lie quietly.
Makshirani settled back in her seat. She hoped city life wasn't like this, cramped, crowded, and stiflingly hot. Despite the novelty of the journey her eyelids closed and she slept.
She dreamed.
She and her best friend Shama were standing by the well in the village. She was trying to read a letter, but it was written in English and was too difficult for her to understand. She could see from the signature that it was from Shama's brother, Abhoy, but that was all. She could feel Shama's desperation to know what it said.
She made out a word here, and a word there, and suddenly Abhoy himself was with them reading from his letter. He looked taller than she remembered, and even more handsome. His smile delighted her. He reached out and took her hand, and she shivered with the exquisite pleasure.
'And so I have come back from Kolkata to claim my bride,' he read.
But there was a noise, a loud noise, the noise of a tractor.
The three friends turned to see Pralay driving full tilt towards Abhoy.
"No!" screamed Makshirani but it was too late…
She jolted awake.
It was even hotter. The carriage was quiet; the heat left people no energy for talking. Mishti fanned herself constantly. Her children were asleep, piled in a heap like a litter of puppies.
White clouds were forming, racing skywards, boiling outwards, darkening, darkening. The light was fading fast. A few heavy raindrops fell and then it was dry again. Makshirani listened to the noise of the carriage on the railway track. Rackety-clack, rackety-clack. Suddenly the daylight faded almost completely and the rain started in earnest.
It came down in torrents. Swirling winds drove it in through the open windows of the carriage, drenching those close to them. A small group of young men took off their tee shirts and luxuriated in the cool water showering them. They hooted and cackled, showing off. Makshirani shrank back in her seat as far as she could.
The rain poured like a waterfall off the roof of the train. Makshirani could see nothing outside except for the flashes of lightning. The noise of the train was drowned by the battering of the rain and the explosions of thunder. Despite the noise, in the dimness and feeling the relief of the cooler air, Makshirani dozed again.
It was the pushing that woke her. She found herself snuggled up to the woman next to her, her head on the woman's ample shoulder.
"Wake up, girl. What are you doing? You're not a child to rest yourself against a stranger."
Yawning, Makshirani apologised.
"Besides, we are nearly at my stop. I need to get ready." The woman gathered up her things, shoving them into a jute bag. As soon as she moved away from her seat, Makshirani slid across and sat next to the window. She stretched her cramped muscles; the relief was delightful.
As the train jolted away, she tried to catch sight of a sign that would tell her which station it was, but the crowds jostling on the platform were too thick. She looked at the woman opposite who was cuddling Jayaketan, trying to persuade him to go back to sleep. Perhaps she could ask her which station it was? No, it would disturb the little boy.
Rackety-clack, rackety-clack.
The sound was louder, and Makshirani glanced out of the window. The train was on a bridge over a wide, muddy brown-grey river. As she gazed at the structure, eyes wide with astonishment, a young man came over to her.
"It's the new Jubilee Bridge, the Sampreeti Setu," he said. "It's a magnificent construction, isn't it?"
Mishti glared at the youth.
"Leave her alone. Her family will be meeting her at Sealdah; they won't want you in tow."
She confronted him ferociously. He gestured with his head.
"If you say so."
He walked away.
"You must take care in the city," said Mishti. "There are men who will attack women, especially at night. It is not safe to go unescorted after about seven o'clock."
"But he seemed a nice young man. He was telling me about the bridge."
"Ah! You never can tell with men. Some of them are devils." She patted Makshirani's arm. "You are a lovely girl. It would be a tragedy if you were hurt." Her face was thoughtful, pained. "Still we are nearly there now. I must pack my stuff and wake up my tribe of children!"
Suddenly Makshirani opened her eyes wide. "There are people on the tracks!" she exclaimed.
"Yes, of course. They are poor. They have nowhere else to live."
Mishti looked at Makshirani with concern.
"Here," she said, "if you have any trouble you can come and find me. I will write down my address." She pulled out a scruffy fragment of paper, and a much-chewed pencil and wrote slowly and painstakingly in English.
Makshirani looked at the paper, and back to Mishti.
"Thank you," she said
"Take care of yourself," said Mishti, "we're pulling into Sealdah now. Farewell!"
Makshirani hung back as the crowds jostled to be quickly off the train. She didn't want to miss seeing cousin Dayasara in the crush. She walked slowly along the platform, looking out carefully all the way. No sign of him. She hoped she hadn't missed him; she was near the end of the platform.
She stopped, looked all around. What would he look like now? She hadn't seen him for nearly nine years. 'He must be very different,' she mused.
There was a sound of running footsteps, and shouting voices, and a young man sprinted across the concourse towards her. He held up a piece of white card with her name on it. There was a huge grin on his face.
Makshirani peered at him. His complexion was dark, and he sported a short, neatly trimmed black beard. But under the beard – yes, it was the same Dayasara; she'd forgotten that mischievous smile, but it came to mind immediately she saw him. He was altogether a nice looking young man, she decided.
"Cousin Makshirani," he said. "Namaste! Aunt Abhilasha has sent me to collect you."
Makshirani placed her hands together before her and bowed. "Namaste, Cousin Dayasara."
"Come, I have a motorbike. Have you ever been on one?"
Makshirani nodded.
"No, never. What do I have to do?"
Dayasara laughed.
"Nothing at all. Just sit still and I will do it all."
He took her case. "Why, how light it is!" He strapped it onto the pannier of a small motorbike.
"Sit behind me and hold tight. Oh, and pull your sari up to your knees so it doesn't touch the exhaust pipe and scorch!"
He kicked the starter. The engine fired and died. He kicked again, and with a gust of blue smoke and several loud reports like gunfire, the engine started. It was noisy. The whole bike shook as though with a fever.
"Dayasara, I want to get off," gasped Makshirani in a panic. "I don't want to be blown up!"
"Ah, it's fine, you'll be fine. Hold on!" And they were off.
The little bike buzzed and banged its way slowly across the car park, gradually accelerating and becoming smoother as the engine warmed up.
"You see?" yelled Dayasara. "It's better already! By the time we get home it'll be purring like a sewing machine." He swung out into the main traffic stream. Makshirani shrieked.
Dayasara zigzagged along the road past cyclists and one or two very slow lorries. Gradually they gained on a bus.
"Whee, let's go!" Dayasara gunned the throttle and started to overtake. The bus driver shrugged, cynically. The little bike crept up beside the bus. Now it had reached the rear wheel. Now the middle of the vehicle. A large articulated lorry approached from the opposite direction. Dayasara twisted the throttle to its maximum and they gained another one mile per hour.
Makshirani closed her eyes. "I shall die here," she thought, "and I haven't been in the city an hour yet." Tears of fright trickled down her cheeks. She heard the lorry's klaxon, very near, and then the bike swerved left. The bus driver sounded his horn behind her, and she almost jumped off with surprise. The bike's engine whined like a hornet.
Dayasara went left, off the main highway, then right, then left again. Each time the road became narrower. Shops, hardly more than stalls really, encroached into the carriageway, and people wandered across heedless of the traffic. There were flies everywhere, and the streets stank of rotting vegetables.
Makshirani clung on. She felt as though she was vibrating in every part. Her legs felt as if they were roasting, and she suddenly remembered the exhaust pipe, and tried to edge her ankles a little further away from it.
Dayasar turned left one last time, into a tree-lined street of old buildings from the colonial period, drove about a hundred yards down it and pulled up in the small front garden.
"Here we are!" he announced grandly. "Home! I'll take you in to mother."
Makshirani climbed off the bike. Her legs felt wobbly.
"Thank you for the lovely ride, Dayasara. It was…it was…" She couldn't think of an appropriate ending for her sentence, so she just smiled which seemed to satisfy Dayasara.
"Perhaps you would let me show you some of Kolkata when you've spoken to mother?"
Makshirani looked down modestly. Dayasara was a nice boy, but Aunt Abhilasha might well have other plans for her – and, indeed, for him. Her whole future was now in her Aunt's hands, and her only priority now must be to please her.
"Only if Aunt says we may," she murmured.
Dayasara made a gesture of approval.
"You are wise. I will take you up to her room now."
Makshirani took a deep breath and followed him into the house.
April 11, 2018 Friday Fictioneers 72 Comments CityColonialFriday FictioneersIndiaLifePovertyRoomshareSlumUrban
Friday Fictioneers – City Life
Every week, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (thank you, Rochelle!) hosts a flash fiction challenge, to write a complete story, based on a photoprompt, with a beginning, middle and end, in 100 words or less. Post it on your blog, and include the Photoprompt and Inlinkz (the blue frog) on your page. Link your story URL. Then the fun starts as you read other peoples' stories and comment on them!
Last week I was very busy, and I'm afraid I didn't manage to read all the stories. If I missed yours, I'm sorry – I shall try to do better this week!
PHOTO PROMPT © Yarnspinnerr
Makshirani disembarked from the train. Crowds jostled. The city was very different from home. What would her new life be like?
A young man approached.
"Namaste! I'm Dayasara. Aunt Abhilasha sent me to collect you."
"Namaste." Makshirani made the gesture of pranamasana.
"Come. I have a moped."
Makshirani clung on as Dayasara zigzagged between the heavy traffic. The streets grew narrower, stinking and full of flies.
Dayasara stopped by a dilapidated colonial residence.
"You're sharing with four girls; I'll introduce you. Can we meet when you've settled in?"
Makshirani looked down modestly.
"Only if Aunt says I may," she murmured.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Will Mason '10
Socialist leanings aside, I think money's pretty neat. I like having it, and I like exchanging it for goods and services. Al Capone, that most storied entrepreneur and businessman, once said that capitalism "gives each and every one of us a great opportunity if we only seize it with both hands and make the most of it." He seized with more than just both hands, but hey, it's a nice rhetorical flourish. When I arrived here freshman year my very first priority was to find a job; I anticipated something relatively unappealing, like working the dish room. What I learned was that, first, working in the dish room earns a higher wage than most other jobs and is thus not unappealing at all, and second, that there are innumerable campus jobs which are interesting, fun, and--perhaps most important--beneficial from a pre-professional standpoint. I have been extremely fortunate to find three jobs which fit into that latter category; they keep me busy, they fill my refrigerator with food, and, depending on the application, I can place them at the top of my resume.
I came across these jobs in different ways, which I think will help illustrate the manifold methods of finding employment on campus. The first job I got here was as a dance accompanist; my advisor for my first two years here was a dance professor, and when I mentioned that I played drums and piano he set me up with a job. Pure happenstance, and not a job I would have sought out on my own, but it's proven to be a complete joy. I get paid to play music for 3-4 hours a week for dancers of all levels. As a drummer, playing for dancers is especially beneficial, since you get immediate visual feedback as to whether you're playing a part well. Do people look lost? That's probably my fault. Is someone completely immersed in the dance combination they're working on? That might be my doing, too. As an art form, I must confess that I have never been particularly interested in or enraptured by dance, but through my time spent working for the dance department I feel like I've come to better understand and, consequently, appreciate it.
My second job, which I also acquired freshmen year, is working for The Grape, Oberlin's alternative newspaper. I saw a flyer for a general interest meeting, and showed up expecting to contribute as a writer; I had worked as the editor-in-chief of my high school newspaper for two years, and considered journalism as a possible career. They had an open editor position, and so I filled out my application and was hired to edit a section of the paper.
I'm now working as editor-in-chief, which is time-consuming but rewarding work. And these editor positions, like the ones at The Review and some (but not all) other campus publications, are paid positions. I can't speak for our colleagues across the hall, but Grape staff most certainly put in more hours of work than they get paid for, so I wouldn't offer up a newspaper position as a particularly lucrative job. (From what I gather, this regrettably holds true in the real world as well.) Nevertheless, this is a strong resume item to have and, of greater import, has been a near-constant pleasure and a defining part of my college experience.
Lastly, this blog constitutes a student job. I don't think I need to explain how cool it is to get paid to write about my life here at Oberlin. I found out about the blog job through Blackboard, which is Oberlin's internal website for students, faculty, and community members. There's an extensive classifieds section on Blackboard; job listings are plentiful, as are advertisements for textbooks, transportation, and so on. A sampling of the 63 job listings currently on Blackboard: freelance photographer for the Communications department; French tutor; editorial assistants for the Oberlin Alumni Magazine; Campus Dining Services; math tutor; Audio/Visual technician; overnight host for prospective student visits; and, my personal favorite, teaching my friend Josiah how to drive a car.
Despite what I recall as a particularly terrible job interview with Jesse ("Err, uhm, Oberlin is, like, pretty neat, so, uhhhh..." Really articulate! Great blog candidate!), I was one of the first wave of bloggers hired on and have been doing this for about 18 months now. Like The Grape, it's a great resume item for anyone interested in journalism, communications, et cetera. And I can't begin to describe how rewarding it is to meet freshmen who at the very least have read these blogs and, at the very most, considered them an influencing factor in their decision to come to Oberlin. All in a day's work, I suppose, but what a day.
Tag: Student Employment
The Student Employment Spectacular
A (not completely) comprehensive list of the student jobs I've had on campus.
Getting Paid To Do My Homework...Kinda?
Why you should work at an Oberlin library.
Allen Memorial Art Museum Pt.2: From an Intern's Perspective
Biba Duffy-Boscagli
More about my work at the museum.


MemTest86 test versus Ryzen 2700X base and boost clocks.
I have been testing Corsair Vengeance Pro RGB Ram on a Ryzen 2700X build.
I need to verify that the installed memory passes MemTest86 with any given BIOS settings and memory clock timings before booting into a Windows 10 OS drive.
I have already discovered the danger of just setting predefined XMP profile and booting into Windows OS without running MemTest86 and ensuring it passes with Ryzen 2700x and X470 motherboard.
It results in a totally corrupted OS and required reinstall of Windows 10.
This leads to the following question.
Which frequency multiplier should I set to test Memtest86 assuming single BCLK of 100MHz?
Should I run MemTest86 at 4.3 GHz i.e multiplier in BIOS = 43 to ensure that MemTest86 passes at Max Boost Clock 4.3GHz ?
Should MemTest86 be able to pass at both conditions?
Has anyone on this forum tested these conditions?
I understand that MemTest86, running with 8core/16thread on supported tests only tells me if I should be able to boot into Windows 10 Pro safely.
Once in Windows 10 Pro though additional operations such as running a GPU benchmark or other applications could cause more power supply noise which could cause memory errors.
It looks like Ryzen 2700X will run mostly at the at the Base Clock 3.7GHz. with all 8 cores and 16 threads running.
So I should probably tune to be as stable as possible with most margin to fail at 3.7GHz for normal operation and still pass MemTest86 at Max Boost Clock 4.3GHz condition, but have less margin to fail at that condition.
Precision Boost 2 when enabled in BIOS should only boost to higher clock speeds in conditions where fewer CPU threads are running.
It looks like even running Ryzen with Precision Boost 2 enabled in BIOS will barely hit 4.3GHz on a single Thread anyhow.
Apart from Precision Boost there is also the option to turn on SenseMI in BIOS.
That might increase the core frequency the CPU runs at but I will go with the assumption that SenseMI was on by default when AMD produced the above slide.
Did you use a particular program to test Memory Stability once in Windows 10?
Do you mean Windows itself or is there something you want to block from running at startup?
I usually just go to Task Manager -> Start-up Tab and disable everything I can there.
If there are other programs still running at start up they usually have an option to prevent launch at start up somewhere in settings.
Anything else then likely a virus or sometimes a Windows 10 process just decides to hog the CPU doing something I cannot control.
Everything seems to be spyware, use a packet sniffer and you will see.
Most loaded items like MSI Afterburner check for updates. Other programs check license servers.
Some other system tray items are for audio and networking, the MSI Live Update checks weekly or as desired.
Skype does a lot of crap given its free, so I have to wonder what is up.
I have a license for Avid and it has some very extreme DRM attached mostly due to the high cost for the tools.


* Anodized according to DIN 17611. All anodized ALUCOBOND® composite panels have contact lines (about 25 mm width) on their short sides. For panel lengths of more than 3500 mm, the composite panels have contact lines (about 2 – 3 mm width) on their long sides. Maximum panel length 6500 mm. Please take this into consideration when dimensioning the panels.


Exclusive invites for an exclusive event; unique store names bring business; more.
If you've got a high-end store and are planning an exclusive event, check out what the 16-year-old son of music executive L.A. Reid did for his birthday party. He sent all of his friends free MP3 players with invitations recorded on them. Could you do the same? While each invitation might cost you a hundred dollars or more, it's a hip, high-visibility way to make sure your million-dollar event is noted by your biggest-spending customers.
Want a funny, memorable voice-mail message? Hire a local opera singer to sing yours. Have him or her record a bunch of different variations to keep things fresh. It should be funny, while at the same time associating your store with the finer things in life. Don't over-extend the joke, keep your message short — for many people, a little opera goes a long way.
Been to Whole Foods Market? The hot supermarket chain is brilliant at creating stories around the products they sell — e.g. the story of the farmer who grew a product or the history of a particular wine variety. Check them out and see how you could apply their story-telling approach to the different designers, gemstones, or metal-working techniques you offer.
Entrepreneur.com suggests logo projection as an attention-getting (and, even better, potentially inexpensive) advertising method to consider. To do it, find a windowless building at least three stories tall in an area with reasonably heavy foot traffic. Then contact the owner of the building opposite and get permission to install a logo projector in their store. When night comes, it's time to start the show — for example, you could have a silhouette of a man on bended knee slipping a ring on a woman's finger along with your store's name and slogan. Warning: before dropping $1,500 on a projector, check your local zoning laws.
Add a little extra touch of specialness to a custom-design project by taking a picture of the customer with a drawing or rendering of the design before it is manufactured — showing how they were involved in the creative process. Include this photo (or photos, if you go further and take pictures at several stages of the project) when delivering the design.
Cute name for a business: New York's hip clothes store Itsasickness. Could you brainstorm a name that similarly expresses that overpowering urge women have to buy jewelry? Ideas: Aintneverenough, Justcant helpit, or Moremoremore.


Cache configuration stack Keeps the permanent/default settings for each cache engine. These settings are used to reset the engines after temporary modification.
Write the session when session data is persisted with cache.
Finds and builds the instance of the required engine class.
Delete all keys from the cache.
Set the cache configuration to use. config() can both create new configurations, return the settings for already configured configurations. It also sets the 'default' configuration to use for subsequent operations.
Returns an array containing the currently configured Cache settings.
Decrement a number under the key and return decremented value.
Drops a cache engine. Deletes the cache configuration information If the deleted configuration is the last configuration using an certain engine, the Engine instance is also unset.
Increment a number under the key and return incremented value.
Check if Cache has initialized a working config for the given name.
duration Specify how long items in this cache configuration last.
prefix Prefix appended to all entries. Good for when you need to share a keyspace with either another cache config or annother application.
probability Probability of hitting a cache gc cleanup. Setting to 0 will disable cache::gc from ever being called automatically.
`servers' Used by memcache. Give the address of the memcached servers to use.
compress Used by memcache. Enables memcache's compressed format.
serialize Used by FileCache. Should cache objects be serialized first.
path Used by FileCache. Path to where cachefiles should be saved.
lock Used by FileCache. Should files be locked before writing to them?
Array of configured Cache config names.
Optional string configuration name, if not specified the current default config will be used.
Deleting from the active cache configuration.
Deleting from a specific cache configuration.
A currently configured cache config you wish to remove.
Optional string configuration name. If not specified the current default config will be used.
new value, or false if the data doesn't exist, is not integer, or if there was an error fetching it.
Whether or not the config name has been initialized.
Reading from the active cache configuration.
Reading from a specific cache configuration.
optional name of the configuration to use.
$engine Name of the configuration to get settings for.
Optional string configuration name to write to.


text:
Justia › US Law › Case Law › Federal Courts › Courts of Appeals › Court of Customs and Patent Appeals › 1958 › Application of David W. Rau
Application of David W. Rau, 253 F.2d 437 (C.C.P.A. 1958)
U.S. Court of Customs and Patent Appeals (1909-1982) - 253 F.2d 437 (C.C.P.A. 1958) March 21, 1958
Ralph L. Tweedale, Washington, D. C., for appellant.
Clarence W. Moore, Washington, D. C. (George C. Roeming, Washington, D. C., of counsel), for the Commissioner of Patents.
Before JOHNSON, Chief Judge, and O'CONNELL, WORLEY, RICH, and JACKSON (retired), Judges.
WORLEY, Judge.
This is an appeal from the decision of the Board of Appeals of the United States Patent Office affirming the rejection by the Primary Examiner of all the claims in appellant's application for a patent on a power transmission device.
Claims 3 and 6 are representative of the appealed claims and read:
"3. Means for causing mechanical force to be imparted from one to the other of a pair of spaced relatively movable coupling members, said means comprising dry ferromagnetic stainless steel particles disposed in the space between the coupling members, and means for magnetically exciting the stainless steel particles to form a force-transmitting connection between said members.
"6. Means for causing mechanical force to be imparted from one to the other of a pair of spaced relatively rotatable coupling members, said means comprising dry ferromagnetic stainless steel particles disposed in the space between the coupling members, and means for magnetically exciting the stainless steel particles to form a force-transmitting connection between said members."
The references relied on are:
Technical Report 1213, National Bureau of Standards, Washington, D. C.
Rabinow 2,622,713 December 23, 1952.
Appellant's application discloses an electromagnetic clutch comprising two spaced clutch members, the space between which is filled with dry ferromagnetic stainless steel particles. One of the clutch members contains a magnetizing coil which, when energized, establishes a magnetic field between adjacent surfaces of the clutch members, thus causing the particles to become magnetized and to bind the members together by a force dependent upon the strength of the magnetic field. The specific structure of the clutch is not set forth in the claims and need not be considered here.
Both the Rabinow patent and the Bureau of Standards publication, which relates largely to work done by Rabinow, disclose magnetic clutches comprising spaced members, one of which may be electrically magnetized by a coil, the space between the members containing ferromagnetic particles mixed with oil. The energization of the coil creates a magnetic field and couples the clutch members together in the same manner as in appellant's device.
The appealed claims are all quite similar and have not been considered individually either in the decisions below or in the briefs here. The sole feature relied on as distinguishing each of them from the prior art is found in the statement that the material between the clutch members comprises dry or unlubricated ferromagnetic stainless steel particles. If that feature involves patentable novelty, all of the appealed claims are allowable; if not, all of them were properly rejected.
The Bureau of Standards publication relates primarily to the use of mixtures of oil and magnetic metal particles between the opposing members of a clutch. One such mixture proposed comprises "stainless steel flakes" with "light machine oil." That mixture is listed in a table with a number of others and, with respect to the torque, it appears to be better than some, but not as good as others, of the listed mixtures. However, the listing definitely shows that stainless steel flakes may be used for transmitting torque in a magnetic clutch. We think the board correctly held that the so-called flakes are fully equivalent to the particles recited in the appealed claims.
As a basis for disclosing that such flakes may be used dry or unlubricated, the board relied principally on the following statement which appears in the publication following a description of the use of oil and "carbonyl E Iron" between the plates of a clutch:
"When dry powder is used in the clutch, the torques are of the same order of magnitude as when mixed with oil and eccentricity or misalignment of plates results in erratic operation."
Appellant argues that the quoted statement points away from the use of dry powder, but we agree with the board that the "erratic operation" described is limited to the particular form of clutch referred to, and is found in that clutch only when eccentricity or misalignment is present. In our opinion, that statement would not discourage the use of dry powder in other clutches or under proper conditions of adjustment.
Moreover, the use of dry, unlubricated ferromagnetic particles in magnetic clutches is clearly disclosed in the Rabinow patent which contains the following statements with respect to such clutches:
"This mixture will be referred to hereinafter as iron-oil for convenience, but it will be understood that any paramagnetic powder is contemplated, and any suitable fluid may be used. It will be further understood that the paramagnetic material may be used without the fluid. (Italics ours.)
"Dry paramagnetic particles alone have been successfully used.
"The mixture is so proportioned that only enough powder 15 to fill the cylin crical gap or minimum peripheral space between member 10 and cup 4 is used, the rest of the space including the radially extending gap joining into the cylindrical gap being occupied by light oil 16, or the oil may be omitted in its entirety. (Italics ours.)
"When dry paramagnetic particles alone are used the oil leakage problem does not arise."
From the foregoing it is clear the prior art definitely contemplates the use of dry paramagnetic particles alone and that any paramagnetic powder may be used. In view of that fact, and since stainless steel flakes or particles, being magnetic, are known to be suitable for use in magnetic clutches when mixed with oil, we are of the opinion no invention would be involved in using such stainless steel particles in dry form in the manner set forth in the appealed claims.
It is true there is an affidavit of record indicating that exceptionally good results are obtained by the use of dry stainless steel particles, and that the references do not suggest that such results would be attained. However, the references do fairly suggest trying such particles, and it is well settled that a patent cannot be granted for an applicant's discovery of a result, even though it may be unexpectedly good, which would flow logically from the teaching of the prior art. In re Inman, 228 F.2d 226, 43 C.C.P.A., Patents, 706; In re Kelley, 230 F.2d 435, 43 C.C.P.A., Patents, 816; In re Eisenhut, 245 F.2d 481, 44 C.C.P.A., Patents, 974, and cases there cited.
We have given full consideration to the contentions advanced by appellant and to the cases cited in support thereof. However, since we find no error in the decision appealed from, it is hereby affirmed.
JACKSON, J., retired, recalled to participate.


Most of us are not accomplished graphic designers - or photographers for that matter. But our clients still expect that we will produce easy-to-follow reports that can help them to communicate with other stakeholders how your laboratory is performing. One of the best ways to ensure that your reports have the information and look you want is to utilize the features inherent with report templates within a LIMS. You should have the choice to customize the look and feel that meet your needs and answer any questions your customers have.
At the ACMG Annual Clinical Genetics meeting this week, Strand Life Sciences announced the release of the Avadis-NGS Server Edition, an enterprise solution to their widely adopted Next-Generation Sequencing analytics platform.
Matrix Gemini LIMS On Show At Lab Indonesia 2014 Lab Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia, May 7th - 9th 2014Autoscribe will be demonstrating the flexibility and scalability offered by its flagship Matrix Gemini LIMS (Laboratory Information Management System) at the Lab Indonesia 2014 exhibition. Autoscribe will be exhibiting on the booth of its local distributor, PT Agriya Analitika. Matrix Gemini has applications in a wide range of laboratories including, food, pharmaceutical, chemicals, oil, petrochemicals, veterinary, healthcare, materials, metals, hospitals and environmental information management systems.
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science, today introduced new instruments, equipment, consumables and software at Analytica , the international trade fair for laboratory technology, analysis and biotechnology. Attendees will learn about the company's offerings under its Thermo Scientific and Unity Lab Services brands in hallB1, booth 101 and its Life Technologies brand in hall A3, booth 418 at Messe München from April 1 - 4.
According to a latest market research report published by Transparency Market Research, a U.S-based market intelligence firm, a continuous rise in research activities in the field of biomedical sciences, rendered by the rising global demand for new medicines and medicinal therapies, will be one of the major factors leading to the growth of the global biopreservation market. The rising need for automation by storage facilities will allow growth in the sector of LIMS.
Simulations Plus, Inc., a leading provider of consulting services and software for pharmaceutical discovery and development, today announced that it has released version 7.0 of its best-in-class ADMET Predictor™ molecular property prediction software.
03/26/2014 - Blaze Systems Releases New Version of BlazeStability Shelf Life Study Product Available as a SasS Offering.
Blaze Systems announced a new release of its BlazeStability shelf life management software now available as a SaaS (Software as a Service) offering including end-to-end management of the entire study process, including storage and analytical functions. This development makes automation of the complete organization and execution of shelf life studies available to labs of all sizes, with a sea-change reduction in the entry barrier to getting on-line.
03/26/2014 - A New Concept In Screen Saving From Matrix Gemini LIMS!
The versatile 'OneTime configuration tools' provided with the Matrix Gemini Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) from Autoscribe, not only allow the system to be configured without the use of custom programming, but also uniquely provide an audit trail each time a display screen for the system is updated or modified. If a screen is being altered, no one else can modify it until it goes live again. Each version is saved with a version number so the audit trail allows the possibility of returning to an earlier version if required.
Furnish all required services to install Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS Support for Pine Bluff Arsenal.


CLEARWATER, FL – I am thrilled to report I was able to start 2016 with a somewhat quick trip from Ohio down to Florida. While I have fished saltwater a handful of times, it has always been off the coast of New Hampshire or Massachusetts, and a single trip out of Atlantic City, NJ. Needless to say, I was excited to make the trip as fishing saltwater is always a rare treat and this far south would be an altogether new experience. Even though the trip would be short (flying out of Akron on Thursday evening & returning Sunday afternoon), I would try to pack as much fishing into the time as I could. Each day of fishing will be posted on separately as "Part 1" and "Part 2".
The first evening would not provide any time for fishing, but I had a great time catching up with my friend Michael who moved to Clearwater around five years ago. Although he isn't into fishing (crazy, right?!), he was gracious to host me. I guess you could say my accommodations were the most upscale of fishing home bases a fisherman has ever experienced. After settling in, we hit the Palm Pavilion Beachside Grill & Bar for food and drinks.
The next morning was day one of what I hoped would be two days of action packed fishing. The first day's plan came together via a post I did on the RoughFish Forums. I had simply requested any information that anyone might be willing to share about the Clearwater, Florida, area. A person or two was kind enough to respond and one individual (Ryan), who was local, sent a private message offering to take me fishing around the area. It was a generous offer that I couldn't refuse. It turned out that Ryan and I are 'kindred spirits' when it comes to fishing. We both are fishing bloggers (Ryan's blog here) that enjoy multi species fishing and maintaining a life list of caught species. We also both appreciate the species that are often overlooked.
Rather than wait for Ryan at the condo, I decided to walk over to the shoreline. As you can see from the above photo, it was a short walk. I did bring a 6'6″ travel rod and a very small assortment of lures and figured I might as well see if I could luck into a fish. On my very first cast, I hooked up with a small fish that came off within a few feet from being landed. I was disappointed but it would only get worse when my next hookup was stolen by a Pelican as I brought it in. Welcome to fishing in Florida, I would learn that birds of all types are quite troublesome to anglers. My disappointment was short lived as I became enthralled with what I was observing just below the water's surface. I had no idea what they were, but there were literally hundreds of 18-24″ fish schooling right in front of me. I tried catching them with everything I had, without even the slightest nudge from a fish. I would later learn these fish were Mullet, who feed on plants, algae, and plankton. My next trip I will bring an assortment of flies to try, they would be fun to target. I'm curious if others are intrigued to do this too.
After all of the mornings miscues- the multiple fish coming off, the bird thief, and targeting fish that don't eat what I was throwing… I finally caught something. The timing couldn't have been better that Ryan had just pulled in to pick me up when the fish hit. I not only was able to have him get a photo, he was able to tell me what it was, a Pinfish. To people up north, let's just consider this species the 'Bluegill of saltwater'. Non noteworthy to locals, but a new species for me.
After a quick stop at a bait shop, Ryan hustled me to our first destination in Dunedin. While Ryan contented himself in targeting larger more interesting fish, I was happy catching a host of hand sized fish to add to my life list. I encountered 9 new species to go with my Pinfish earlier, bringing the total to 10 new species caught in a half day of fishing. I doubt I will ever be able to duplicate that many new species over such a short amount of time again. The species in the photo are; (L to R, top to bottom) Lane Snapper, Planehead Filefish, Black Seabass, Mangrove Snapper, Spottail Pinfish, White Grunt, Pigfish, Southern Puffer, and Bandtail Puffer.
Ryan made the mid day decision to head to a new location, which was an excellent idea to get me to see some more fishing venues and an opportunity at more species. It was pretty safe to say I had successfully caught about anything hanging out on the shoreline at the first stop. The next fishing would take place in Pass-a-Grille after eating lunch at Sea Horse (no website). Both of us would catch more fish at the second stop, but nothing extraordinary. My highlight, was finding another new species under a dock, a Scrawled Cowfish. The new species total was now up to 11.
Our third and final stop would be a short distance from where we had been fishing. Although only a short distance, fishing was significantly different with the species people were catching and the overall bite. It also was interesting in that as the afternoon went on the crowd of fisherman got smaller and the fishing continued to improve. Ryan and I watched a Blacktip Shark get caught, which was exceptionally entertaining for someone from Ohio. We also witnessed a big heavy hook up which turned out to be a large Atlantic Stingray. I was front and center for that as I got to net it, which was very fun. Seeing different things get caught motivated Ryan and I to get busy looking for action of our own, which we were able to do. Ryan caught a cool looking Lizardfish and followed up with two nice keeper Bluefish. I landed two keeper Gulf Flounder, which was another species for my life list.
As the afternoon turned to evening, it was closing in on time for the fishing to end. I was hoping to catch one last fish when I got an odd strike. Everything about this hit felt different and half the time I was fighting it I thought it was off. As I looked out at the beautiful Gulf sunset, my hooked fish was jumping and dancing all over the horizon. Whatever it was, I wanted to land it. The fish also would swim towards me giving my line slack and with all the jumps I was amazed it stayed on. Ryan expertly netted it, telling me it was a Ladyfish. The unique way it looked, the way it fought, the scenery, and even the size of it compared to what I had caught throughout the day – all contributed to making it my favorite fish of my personal catches. It was a great fish to end the day on, especially memorable on a day that was already perfect.
I had hoped for a fun day of fishing and I owe a huge thank you to Ryan for delivering that big time! I certainly had no expectation that I would catch 13 new species or that it would be so much fun doing it. He is a great guy and I highly recommend you follow his blog (click here). Some might be wondering if I did anything for Ryan in return and you would be right for asking. I bought the day's bait, lunch, contributed money towards gas, and gave him a small item of fish themed jewelry. As someone who promotes 'trade a trip' or similar types of experiences, I strongly urge people to be thoughtful when someone is generous to you!
When I returned to the condo, Michael and I had a fantastic dinner at Kelly's Chic a Boom Room – Blur. I loved the vibe of Dunedin, FL, and can't wait to get back.
To read "Florida fishing trip to start the year! (Part 2), click here.


text:
The Exchange Street Historic District is an industrial and civic historic district roughly along Exchange, Front and Fountain Streets in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.  The  area is located just north of Pawtucket's downtown, and includes seven buildings and the Exchange Street Bridge, which spans the Blackstone River.  The seven buildings are sandwiched between the river to the west, Broadway to the east, Blackstone Avenue to the north, and Front and Exchange Streets on the south.  The most prominent buildings in the district are the 1926 William E. Tolman High School, sited high above the river just north of Exchange Street, and the Pawtucket Armory, built in 1895 and featuring crenellated towers.  South of Exchange Street stand several mill buildings dating as far back as 1874.

The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.

See also
National Register of Historic Places listings in Pawtucket, Rhode Island

References

Historic districts in Providence County, Rhode Island
Pawtucket, Rhode Island
National Register of Historic Places in Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Rhode Island

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Judy Darlene Baacke is presumed innocent, until proven guilty in a court of law. Not all of outcomes are known or final.
Is Judy Darlene Baacke a criminal?
Judy Baacke is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
When was Judy Baacke arrested?
How old was Judy Baacke at the time of the arrest?
Where was Judy Baacke arrested?
What race is Judy Darlene Baacke?
Judy Darlene Baacke was 56 years old at the time of the arrest. was arrested on 2018-03-21 07:36:25. The arrest number on file is BCSO18JBN001797. The address information we have on record is: 19027 CO RD 33 Apt 12 FAIRHOPE, AL 36532.
Below you can find more information about the charges of Judy Darlene Baacke (if available).
This official record of Judy Darlene Baacke is redistributed by FindMugshots.com and is protected by publishing, constitutional and other legal rights. The official record was collected from local law enforcement agencies of Alabama. Not all of outcomes of this arrest report are known or final.
Not the Judy Darlene Baacke you were searching for? Use the search bar above to find the correct record or view all results for Judy Baacke in All States.


This weekend, Amazon's Mobile Masters esports tournament is taking place in Seattle, with $100,000 on the line across a number of games.
There's $20,000 up for grabs in the Power Rangers: Legacy Wars tournament, but there will also be an exhibition match to bring in the crowds.
A team consisting of Street Fighter V players Justin Wong, Ryan 'Filipino Champ' Ramirez, and Martin 'MaRN' Phan will take on a team of Legacy Wars players, plus a real life Power Ranger.
Peter Sudarso is a current Power Rangers HyperForce cast member, but he also happens to be pretty good at the game, finishing in the top 20 at the Legacy Wars Anniversary Tournament.
Sudarso is teaming up with Jonathan Snow, Hyper RPG Tournament Champion and runner-up at the Mobile Masters 2017 event. He'll also be joined by Aaron 'DTPNIGHT7' Zollicoffer, who got top 8 at the same tournament.
The Power Rangers: Legacy Wars Mobile Masters tournament takes place on June 23, running from 2:30pm to 5:30pm PDT. The exhibition match will take place just before the final tournament match.
The exhibition will be a three vs three in a best of seven format.
The edge will be given to the veteran Legacy Wars players, but they face stiff competition. Justin Wong is the most successful participant at EVO of all time, Filipino Champ was a 2012 EVO World Champion, and MaRN is a Tatsunoko vs. Capcom EVO Champion.
They're all well versed in games other than Street Fighter too, so it could be an interesting match.
You can watch on the AmazonGameOn Twitch Channel, or on the nWay Twitch Channel.


text:
Contemporary Fiction (1990)
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Transworld Digital (130)
1066 Frank McLynn
One of our best popular historian tells the remarkable story of the events that took place in 1066, probably the most famous date in English history.
1415: Henry V's Year of Glory Ian Mortimer
An epic account of King Henry V and the legendary Battle of Agincourt, from the author of the bestselling Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England.
142 Strand Rosemary Ashton
A fascinating 'microhistory' not just of an address, but of a whole social circle and creative period.
A remarkable new book on a crucial moment in British and world history.
18 Folgate Street
Dennis Severs
18 Folgate Street Dennis Severs
'Every bit as brilliantly quirky and entertaining as its author used to be ... In Severs's hands, history becomes something with internal contradictions and anomalies, something alive' Independent on Sunday
Gregor Dallas
1815 Gregor Dallas
A splendid tour de force in every sense.diplomatic history de luxe.'Elizabeth Longford
1913 Charles Emmerson
A portrait of a world on the precipice of war – and the brink of globalisation.
1968 Mark Kurlansky
From the bestselling author of COD, SALT, and THE BASQUE HISTORY OF THE WORLD comes his most ambitious work to date - a singular and definitive look at this pivotal year in history.
21 Lessons for the 21st Century Yuval Noah Harari
The bestselling phenomenon returns with 21 bite-sized lessons to help us understand our troubled times.
70s Dinner Party Anna Pallai
Spaghetti in aspic, anyone? Revel in astonishing dishes from yesteryear: Stuffed Cocktail Grapes, Savoury Sausage Salad, a spunky Shrimp-Salmon Mould and so much more, from the cult Twitter account
A Bright Shining Lie Neil Sheehan
'Superb. If you ever read just one history of the Vietnam war, read and admire and celebrate this one. ' John le Carre
A Broken World
Edited by the bestselling author of Birdsong and Dr Hope Wolf, this is an original and illuminating non-fiction anthology of writing on the First World War.
A Dancer in Wartime Gillian Lynne
A unique memoir about ballet, the second world war and a peerless group of dancers; an irresistible read for all ballet lovers
A Dirty War Anna Politkovskaya
A Double Thread John Gross
Full of striking characters and odd encounters, this is an evocative picture of a lost London and a vanished culture, but it is also the story of a bookish boy discovering his own path - away from Mile End into the new freedoms of the literary life. Amusing, touching and thoughtful, A Double Thread is a fascinating and unusual memoir of growing up in London's East End and a profound reflection on living with two separate yet entwined legacies, Jewish and English.
A Fool And His Money Ann Wroe
'Popular history at the highest level' Independent
A Hero for High Times Ian Marchant
A new history of counterculture in the UK, from the release of Heartbreak Hotel in 1956 to the passing of the Criminal Justice Act in 1994
A History of Britain - Volume 1 Simon Schama
The first book in Simon Schama's acclaimed three-volume journey into Britain's past.
The second book in Simon Schama's acclaimed three-volume journey into Britain's past.
The third book in Simon Schama's acclaimed three-volume journey into Britain's past.
A History Of God Karen Armstrong
The bestselling and seminal work from one of our foremost commentators on religion.
A History Of Warfare
John Keegan
A History Of Warfare John Keegan
'John Keegan is at once the most readable and the most original of living military historians-His book is a work of massive sweep-the most remarkable study of warfare that has yet been written.' Michael Howard, New York Times Review of Books
A House Full of Daughters Juliet Nicolson
One woman's investigation into the nature of memory, the past, and above all, love
A Less Boring History of the World Dave Rear
A history book like no other - an irreverent, rollicking, romp through everything interesting that ever happened on planet earth from 15million years BC to today.


Someone likes to cuddle with Grandma.
Made @amandacypert's amazing Protein Pumpkin French Toast for breakfast on this cool crisp Sunday morning.
The sun finally came out to shine on some fall color start to come out.


Territory War is one of the mid- to end-game features of Perfect World International. The Kingdom Map can be accessed through the World Map. The land is made of 44 territories, with divided into three grades. Archosaur and Thousand Streams make up the two level 1 territories. The four other cities, Ethersword, Plume, Lost, and Dreamweaver, make up the four level 2 territories. The remaining thirty eight territories are level 3.
Level 3 Territories provide 10,000,000 per week occupied, level 2 Territories 20,000,000 per week occupied, and level 1 Territories 30,000,000 per week occupied. Payment is sent by in-game mail to the guildmaster every Friday at noon, server time.
Members of the ruling guild pay no fee to teleport to the territory they occupy. Teleport by selecting the territory from the Kingdom Map accessed though the World Map. Free teleport uses the Town Portal skill, which has a 1 hour cooldown time.
Declaration of War time is fixed every week.
The Guildmaster can declare war at the "Battle Coordinator NPC" in any of the six cities.
It is possible for any eligible guild member to enter territory war at the "Battle Coordinator NPC" or any one of the 45 teleporter NPCs on the map.
Each week, a guild can only attack one territory.
*A guild with no territory can only attack a level 3 territory.
*A guild with territory, can only attack neighboring territories.
*To take a level 2 territory, a guild needs to control two territories, with at least one bordering the level 2 territory.
*To take a level 1 territory, a guild needs to control three territories, with at least one bordering the level 1 territory.
Only players who have been in the guild for 100 hours are eligible by the Perfect World battle system to enter the Territory War battlefield. The cut off date is Monday at 4:00PM (20:00) server time.
Starting bids for a level 3 territory is 500,000, a level 2 territory is 1 million, and a level 1 territory is 2 million. A minimum of 100,000 is required to outbid another guild for the right to battle. Bidding will be extended by 20 minutes from each bid past the Territory War declaration period, up to two hours.
After winning a Territory War battle, a maximum of 90% of the bid up to to a limit of the 180,000 gold return cap for the territory will be refunded. Refund amount by the Perfect World system is dependent on the number and average level of guild members that have been in the guild for over 100 hours and logged in at least once per week.
There are 7 scheduled times of 3 hours duration for Territory War, and 7 slots for each time. The Territory War system can schedule 3 battle declarations against one guild owning 3 or more territories at the same time. We are only allowed to defend 3 times in all for 9 battles per week.
A maximum of 80 guild members can participate in a Territory War battle.
Perfect World will send a global server notice that Territory War is about to start. Players will be able to freely enter and leave any initiated battle that is still taking place. Enter the battlefield at any of the "Battle Coordinator NPCs" or teleport NPCs.
The objective in an unoccupied territory is to defeat all the monsters in the map including a boss, under the three hour time limit. Difficulty progresses from level 3 unoccupied territories being easiest, to level 1 territories being the hardest.
1. Upon entering the battlefield, chi is set to zero. Embrace is not enabled.
2. It is possible to jump, but not to fly. It's possible and suggested to use mounts for scouting.
3. Death on the battlefield will not cause experience loss. Resurrection, revival or re-spawn at the entry point, are all available on the battlefield.
4. If a client is disconnected, it's possible to reenter the battlefield by talking to a "Battle Coordinator NPC" or teleporter NPC.
Defeat all monster on battlefield map within three hours.
In Territory War between guilds, both sides will have a base with a Central Building that looks like a crystal on a platform. The attacker's base on the map and play names will be red, and the defenders will be blue. Destroying the Central Building of the opposing base will lead to instant victory. At the end of three hours, the defenders will keep their territory if no bases have been destroyed. Bases have high health and are defended by powerful turrets, but enemy catapults have high damage against defensive structures. The ordinary strategic goal then, is to send catapults into the enemy base, while defending against against enemy catapults.
The battlefield is 1 km square with the bases diagonally placed, and has 3 paths leading to the 3 gates on each base. Catapults are only able to travel along the paths, to reach the opposing base.
*One central crystal building, which if destroyed, will result in the immediate victory of the one who destroyed the crystal.
*Two powerful guard towers protecting the respawn point.
*4 Arrow Tower construction points. There are 14 Construction points for each side, where one of three types of towers can be built. Four are inside the stronghold, two each are outside each gate, and two are on the central path out, and one each on the side paths. After a tower is destroyed, it cannot be rebuilt.
*Territory war merchant, who sells catapult control scrolls and can repair and has potions. One is needed each time in order to take control of a catapult.
*Four Catapults that can be taken into the enemy base with a catapult control scroll.
3. Death on the battlefield will not cause experience loss. Resurrection, revival or res-pawn at the entry point, are all available on the battlefield. Revival or re-spawn will cause a 30 second seal state where it is not possible to attack or use skills.
5. It is unnecessary to press CTRL or change PK status in order to attack opposing players in Territory War.
6. Friendly players and catapults will display on the mini-map. Enemy players and catapults are hidden from the mini-map.
If the offensive guild's Central Building is destroyed, then the defender wins.
If the defender's Central Building is destroyed, then the attacked wins.
If three hours pass, with no Central Building being destroyed, then the defender will win.
1. The price for the Arrow Tower construction is 100,000. They cannot be reconstructed if they are destroyed.
2. Click on an Arrow Tower foundation site to construct an Arrow Tower. After payment is deducted, Arrow Tower construction begins. The arrow towers have 30 seconds of the construction time. During construction, Arrow Towers are vulnerable, with their durability being 250,000, and their defense being 0. Please be wary of constructing an Arrow Tower, when enemies are nearby.
3. Health of a constructed Arrow Tower is 5 million HP. Health is regenerate in full after 20 minutes. Physical defense and magic defense are both 100,000. They have an attack range of 30 meters, and an agresssion range of 35 meters.
a) Rapid-fire Tower: Damage is Character Level times 10. Attack frequency of 1.5 seconds. Single target.
b) Stun Tower: Damage is Character Level times 10. Attack frequency of 6 seconds. Area of effect is 5 meters. Stun duration is 4 seconds.
c) Explosive Tower: Damage is Character Level times 10. Attack frequency of 3 seconds. Area of effect is 5 meters.
1. "Catapult Scrolls" are 20,000 a piece, and are purchasable in the Territory Way battle map from the merchant near the spawn point. To use the catapult, click on the catapult to select it as the target. Use the catapult scroll, either from the inventory by right clicking (for right hand mouse users) or by hot-keying the scroll. It takes five seconds to activate the catapult. The catapult will follow the player automatically. Each player can only control one catapult. Each side can only have have a maximum of four catapults. Catapults which are destroyed will respawn at the base to which it belongs. Catapults will only attack enemy buildings.
2. The catapult will follow the player at a speed of 6 m/sec. If the catapult falls too far being the player, the catapult will go out of control of the player, and stop moving. Another catapult scroll will then be needed to reactivate the catapult. When a player stops moving, the catapult will automatically start attacking any enemy building within range. (Default attack priority is first Arrow Towers, Teleport Columns, and then the Central Building. Players can not take the initiative to select targets, but they can choose the appropriate location to bring the catapults to attack specific targets to achieve the objective).
3. The catapult, deals a single target damage of 100,000 HP, and attacks every three seconds.
The health of the Central Building is 12 million HP, and physical and magic defense is 100,000. Health regenerates completely every two hours.
damage is 60 percent of the players health. Attack frequency is once every three seconds.
There are four Teleport Columns on the battlefield at Arrow Tower locations 1,5,6,10 along the three paths between the bases. Target them, and choose the dialogue to bind their location. Only one Teleport Column can be bound at a time. To bind a new one, manually delete the Transfer Column binding quest from the quest list.
The binded Teleport Column is linked to the Teleport Portal inside the home base. The Teleport Portal can only send the player who bound it. It cannot send catapults. After transporting, the Transport Column binding quest is completed. Retarget and bind the Teleport Column to rebind its location.
The Teleport Column can be destroyed by the enemy. If the Teleport Column is destroyed, it will automatically renew itself after five minutes.
Mobs: 60-70 elite mobs per path lv 75-77. 10-20 patrols inside the castle. 1 boss lvl 79.
Mobs: Agro Range: 100.00m. Agro Time: 100.00sec.
Boss: Agro Range: 152.25m. Agro Time: 47.00sec.
Note: Agro Range is much larger than normal mobs which is only around 36m. Players who are not careful will risk getting aggro of multiple mobs which can result in multiple deaths in the team.
Basically, everything you need to know as stated above, is in these two videos I've posted below here. It explains in pretty good detail of what to expect and how TW looks like.
Every TW map will have the basic look and layout.
If we'll be attacking another faction here is most of the things you will need to know a bit more as well.
Disclaimer: Information taken from Perfect World China International.
1) Only catapult can destroy turrets and crystals. Players either kill other players on opposing faction to slow down the other team and/or pulling cata.
2) Cata puller is usually someone with high base HP, can take multi hit from both turrets and players (this assigned but not limited to: Barbarian, Blademaster, Seeker, HA Veno).
3) Once cata puller dies, cata will quickly losing HP and get destroyed. Even faster if the cata is near opponent's turret.
4) Cata puller must be able to control where the cata is. If the cata is too far, then cata puller needs to slow down or he/she loses the cata. Kinda like how follow button works. If the follower is too far or hit a wall, then the follower stops following.
5) Turrets and Crystals can regenerate HP by themselves. Use soul degeneration/diminished vigor to slow down the hp recovery.
6) Turrets have various debuffs depending on which kind of turret. Some turrets cause freeze, seal debuffs. All turrets cause debuff that lets you take more damage overtime, the longer you have this debuff. Turrets will attack anyone that are close by (but not everytime). I'm not exactly sure how someone can get aggroed by turrets. I healed cata puller on one of TWs I attend. Sometimes, I do get hit eventhough cata puller is closer to the turret than I do. Absolute Domain/Ironguard Powder/Tranquilizing Orb/Pan Gu Essence/Sutra Power Orb will protect you from getting hit continously by turrets.
7) Turrets have long range, enough to hit a sage archer spamming BoA from max range.
mostly consists of barbs/BMs/seekers (or cata puller in general) and clerics. There is usually more than 1 cleric in this squad, just in case 1 cleric dies, the other revives and purify the seal afterwards. They are accompanied by strong crowd controller/AoE DDs such as BM, psychic, mystic, veno. Basically, their job is going on A or C lane and destroy the side turrets. They can also go on B lane if they think that they are strong enough and can faceroll opponents quick.
mostly consist of strong AoE DDs such as archer, wizzy, seeker. 1 or 2 clerics or 1 cleric, 1 mystic is good enough for this squad. Their job is to kill opponents and slow down opponent's attack on turrets (basically surpress opponent's attack) or keeping pressure on opponents (if on attacking mode). Usually, stay on B lane most of the time. Can go on A or C lanes if opponents decide to switch attack to the sides or if TW leader decides to switch strategy.
mostly consist of assassins and undergeared/lowbie members. Their job is to patrol the usually empty A or C lane and tell the squad if opponent's cata coming out of A or C lane. This job is perfect for assassins since they can hide in stealth without being revealed by opponents. Work with defense squad to tell whether those AoE DDs need to move lane or not. A strong sin can sneak in and kill the cata clerics to slow down the cata.


text:
Big Fat Gypsy Weddings 'has increased bullying of Gypsies and Travellers'
Education expert says Channel 4 series has led to 'physical and sexual assault, racist abuse' and harmed children's self-esteem
Big Fat Gypsy Weddings has caused 'real, measurable and long-term harm', said educational consultant Brian Foster. Photograph: Victor De Jesus
John Plunkett
@johnplunkett149
Tue 16 Oct 2012 11.51 EDT
Channel 4's Big Fat Gypsy Weddings series has been blamed for an increase in bullying and negative stereotyping of the Gypsy and Traveller communities.
Educational consultant Brian Foster said there was "no question" in his mind that the Channel 4 series and its controversial poster campaign – featuring the strapline "Bigger. Fatter. Gypsier" – had caused "real, measurable and long-term harm".
Foster, who chairs the advisory council for the education of Romanies and other Travellers, is also a trustee of the Irish Traveller Movement in Britain (ITMB).
He was commissioned by law firm Howe and Co, which represented the ITMB's complaint against the Channel 4 ad campaign, to consider the impact of the show in its evidence to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
Foster said in his report: "That harm is on a number of levels, including physical and sexual assault, racist abuse and bullying, misinformation and hostile questioning, resulting in damage to the self-esteem of children and withdrawal from school.
"Evidence drawn from practitioners across the country presents a consistent picture that the Big Fat Gypsy Weddings programmes have significantly contributed to racist bullying and abuse of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children in schools."
Arthur Ivatts, an expert in the education of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities who worked as a senior policy adviser to the Department for Education for more than 30 years, was also commissioned by Howe and Co to provide evidence to the ASA.
"There is no doubt in my professional opinion that this advertising campaign has seriously damaged and harmed Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities and caused harm (physical, mental and emotional) to very many GR&T children," he said in his report.
"Supposing the posters had said, 'Bigger, Fatter, Blacker'? Hopefully this example illustrates the point being made here in this report."
The Channel 4 ad campaign was criticised by the ASA earlier this month. The watchdog ruled that it depicted a 15-year-old child in a sexualised way, reinforced negative stereotypes and said Channel 4 had acted "irresponsibly".
The broadcaster has apologised for any offence it caused. It has said the big-rating show will not return for a third series but a number of specials are expected to air next year. To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email editor@mediatheguardian.com or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".
To get the latest media news to your desktop or mobile, follow MediaGuardian on Twitter and Facebook.
Roma, Gypsies and Travellers


text:
Q: Does Azure Search store term frequencies for searchable fields? The problem
I understand that an Azure Search index for a searchable field creates an inverted index for each analyzed term, but cannot find within the documentation whether or not the term frequency for each term is stored.
The Question
Does Azure Search store the term frequencies for searchable fields somewhere? It seems as if it would be inefficient to calculate it for every search query when it would only need be computed once.
If so, is it possible to extract/download the term frequencies for the entire data set for separate processing steps?

A: We do maintain term frequencies to compute things like TF/IDF quickly. Unfortunately there's no way currently to get that from Azure Search though.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


LED holiday lights – once difficult to find and expensive to purchase — are showing up in more and more stores at affordable prices. At the same time manufacturers have improved the selection, producing bigger and brighter bulbs and new color options.
Long life span – up to 100,000 hours or more used indoors, half that outdoors, and some manufacturers provide a limited lifetime warranty.
Safety – no chance of combustion since the bulbs are cool to the touch, regardless of how long they are left on.
Sturdy bulbs – the epoxy lenses are virtually indestructible.
Check out our brochure on LED holiday lighting, and happy holidays!
A sampling of LED bulbs.
The latest in energy-efficient lighting — LED bulbs — are now part of Chelan PUD's retailer discounts. Save on LEDs, CFLs and low-flow showerheads at your local retailer.
Look for the Simple Steps Smart Savings signs at local stores. Customers will find prices already marked down on LED (light-emitting diode) and CFL (compact fluorescent) light bulbs, indoor hard-wired fixtures and low-flow showerheads. Markdowns range from about 50 cents below suggested retail for general purpose bulbs to up to $7 on energy-saving showerheads. LEDs are marked down by about $3 per bulb.
Quality LED products can last 25 times longer than an incandescent bulb and use 75 percent less energy. Although they're more expensive than CFLs, there is no mercury in LED bulbs so there's no concern about hazards in your home or the environment. Learn more about LEDs.
Find a list of local retailers on our website.
Students moving across Ninth Street to a remodeled WestSide High School this fall will be treated to state-of-the-art concepts in lighting and energy efficiency not available at any other buildings in the Wenatchee School District.
It's a little gift to students and staff at the alternative school. They'll enjoy the very best after being housed in what has been the worst of student facilities in the district.
It's not much to look at yet, but a remodeled WestSide High School will feature open rooms, skylights, LED lighting on daylight sensors and other energy-efficient equipment. The recessed area in the concrete floor used to hold the Eagles Lodge dance floor.
A swap with Wenatchee Valley College provided the 18,000-square-foot building, which is the former Eagles Lodge. The school district's WestSide property – originally built 50 years ago as dormitories for the college – is now in WVC's hands.
The school district is using reserves of more than $4 million to fund the move: $1 million for the property exchange (the Eagles building had higher value in the swap) and $3 million to remodel it into the new WestSide High School. An $810,000 state grant is paying for energy measures that will make the high school super-efficient.
The building has been gutted in preparation for construction work that will begin in mid-February. But Bryan Visscher, director of Facilities and Risk Management, has no trouble picturing what's to come.
"Architects developed an open concept for common areas," he said, pointing to the high ceiling. The building will feature "team rooms," he said, gesturing toward the center of the vast open building, which will use movable, convertible walls as space for working on team projects. Classrooms, offices and counseling rooms will dot the perimeter. Students will get a real kitchen for the first time, along with a classroom kitchen for instruction in cooking and life skills. The new WestSide also will include art rooms and a resource center with computers and electronic library.
The entire building will be outfitted with light-emitting diode (LED) lighting on daylight sensors. As daylight increases, lights dim. As sunlight wanes, lights grow brighter.
The building will get plenty of natural light, Visscher said, through new windows and skylights.
"We've taken an already cool design and just put it over the top," Visscher said.
He's planning an energy dashboard near the main entrance to display energy savings to visitors.
On a scale of 1 to 100 used by the Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star Portfolio Manager program, the old building scored a 6, Visscher said. He's hoping to take that to a 75 or higher, which would give the school district one more Energy Star award to add to its collection of six awards received under Visscher's supervision. The awards recognize outstanding improvements in the energy efficiency of schools, churches, hospitals and other public and commercial buildings.
WestSide Principal Kory Kalahar said a new school has been planned for many years. Forte Architects visited with WestSide staff several times, he said, to get ideas and feedback. "They really wanted the new building to help students maintain the atmosphere and culture they're used to," Kalahar said, noting that WestSide does not use bells or lights to let students know when periods end and begin. "It's a more relaxed atmosphere. We have standards, and they're high standards, but the atmosphere is different" than a traditional high school.
Staff should be able to move into the remodeled building in mid-August, with students following on Sept. 1.


Portfolio Gallery is a modern, stylish and user-friendly theme for websites. It focuses on the images as a primary content. It has a list of customizable features allowing you to make different kind of changes in layout, style, colors and fonts with minimum coding knowledge. The theme is easy to use. It has fully responsive design layout. Your photo portfolio, paintings or travel blog will have an amazing look!


I'm in India right now doing blog. Can you please comment on my blog? Luftansa is the best plane ever. I watched The Hunger Games three times. Ramadan had too spicy food for me. And there was a lot of people there. Today I'm going to visit my new school.
You watched the Hunger Games three times? They didn't have any other movies?
I thought the same thing about watching the hunger games three times. there were other movies.
ohai there! We miss you so much! Can't wait for a year to be over, but you seem to be having a great time there! Keep informing us!
Nice slideshow and pictures! it's very neat!


I've read a few posts lately about the idea of a Netflix or TV series based on the SCP Foundation, so I decided to start working on a concept. Essentially, it follows the misadventures of Outpost-22, initially built to contain a single object but expanded out of necessity and understaffed due to the mostly harmless nature of most skips they acquire. The story starts with a newly graduated Foundation recruit, convinced everything's done by-the-book and shocked by the casual attitude at Outpost-22. He quickly becomes a part of the crew - a hard-drinking Texan engineer and his computer-genius sidekick, the med-school dropout solely responsible for amnestics, and a frat boy turned MTF-worthy agent - and takes on all manner of SCPs with a bit of personality. I figured some of us could use a more light-hearted break from the depressing and world-ending side of the website.
I'm not familiar with this, so that background admittedly doesn't give me too much context to get invested in.
This might be a little on the silly/unrealistic side for some people (I mean… the Foundation can probably have their pick of the medical field to recruit employees. Why would they hire a med school dropout to be in charge of something important like amnestics?) but if you develop the characters well, it's doable.
and takes on all manner of SCPs with a bit of personality.
Are you planning on writing tales? What's the plotline you've got in mind? Linear progression, standalone slice-of-life, a mix of both?
I figured some of us could use a more light-hearted break from the depressing and world-ending side of the website.
Incidentally, have you ever encountered the Kiryu Labs Hub?


text:
Photo: Vanodaya
Chandni Gurusrikar
Chandni Gurusrikar, Karnataka
Community conservation and wildlife protection of Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary
A software engineer by qualification, Chandni Gurusrikar began her career in wildlife conservation in 2008, when she started volunteering for conservation projects across the landscapes of Bandipur, Nagarahole and Bhadra Tiger Reserves. She is currently a trustee and volunteer at Vanodaya Wildlife Trust, a voluntary organisation that is active in and around Karnataka's largest Protected Area - the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary.
Chandni, her husband Ashwin, who is a Sanctuary Mud on Boots Project Leader, and their team of able volunteers, focuses on community conservation through intensive awareness workshops, multi-level stakeholder engagements, wildlife research, conservation training for youths and initiatives to mitigate Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) in the region. Under their leadership, Vanodaya's volunteers have also been assisting the Forest Department with waterhole mapping, anti-snare drives, and patrolling during major festivals when poaching activities peak. Chandni has been instrumental in providing more than 16 credible, actionable inputs on real time hunting to the department which have led to the arrest of poachers. She has also filed several RTIs and petitions to implement road closures at night in Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary.
Aside from preserving the landscape and wildlife of the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, Chandni is a fierce protector of the others who put their lives on the line for the sake of our collective ecological security. She is closely bonded with all the ground level staff including forest watchers and village volunteers, and believes they are the key to understanding and addressing conservation realities. In 2017, she spearheaded a campaign to support forest department staff that had been illegally framed in a shootout against poachers inside the forest. She was also instrumental in raising funds for a forest watcher, Mahadev, who lost his life during an elephant driving operation.
Professionaly, an Academic Coordinator of the Post-Graduate program in Wildlife Biology and Conservation, a collaborative program between the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) and Centre for Wildlife Studies (CWS), soft-spoken, steely-willed Chandni quietly inspires young minds to look beyond wildlife science, to wildlife conservation and community engagement.
"Is Realism Helpful?"
A Glimpse Into The Amphibian World
A Thousand Voices From the Field
Kids for Tigers
In 1999, Sanctuary began to tell Indian children stories of how saving the tiger saved entire ecosystems, and in return the forests now filter and feed over 600 rivers with pure water and stabilise our wobbly climate in the process.
Manglu Baiga: Kanha's Legendary Moving Spirit
Bittu Sahgal writes an ode to the legendary tracker of Kanha.
Mugger Man in Disguise
Sitaram Das, 'Baba', protects "his" mugger crocodiles in an earthly brand of conservation.


From time to time, we all need to get a fresh perspective on familiar old faces.
Everyone needs a break. Children get summer breaks from the rigors of school, which might be one of the reasons parents need an occasional break from the kids. A day or two might be enough to clear the mind and nourish the soul. It's part of the "take care of yourself" advice many family experts advocate.
This same advice applies to grandparents who are actively engaged in caring for grandchildren. My husband and I recently took a road trip – just the two of us. It gave us time to talk about ideas that were getting pushed to the background of life. It gave us a chance to refocus our goals, see our lives with a new perspective. We had those "what if…" and "would you ever…" conversations in the uninterrupted quiet of our vehicle.
During our travels, I saw endless varieties of cars towing pop-up campers, trucks hauling fifth wheel campers, and self-contained Class A RVs. I have friends who look forward to traveling around and parking theirs in campgrounds throughout the country. My husband and I carried on animated discussions about what it would be like to take road trips in them. It's good to know your preferences, but fun to consider other options.
Along the way, I reminded myself that some retreats happen right at home. Staying put eliminates the stresses of planning, preparing, and packing. It just takes some undisturbed time to engage in a favorite hobby, start or finish a project, or take a nap.
However you do it, spend some time apart from the grandkids. You'll gain a fresh perspective on the priorities in your life. You might find yourself anxious to give big hugs to the most wonderful grandchildren on earth: yours, of course.
Share what you do to gain a fresh perspective by leaving a message at barbhowe.org.
Some of life's best experiences are eternally engraved into our consciousness. Summer days spent lakeside come to mind. Nothing quite compares to the chattering sounds of kids playing at a beach or splashing in the water.
This year, my husband and I took one of those "first" kind of vacations with our grandson at a Christian camp in central Wisconsin: Northern Pines. Their advertisements promoting the week long experience as a "vacation with a purpose" was spot on.
Midway through the week I found myself sitting in the dining hall marveling at the way families interacted with old and new friends. It brought home the reality that heaven is not about floating around on clouds playing harps. Heaven is described in Revelation 21 as a place of fellowship for those who put their trust in Jesus. Now that is one endless experience I look forward to having.
Share your thoughts about heaven at barbhowe.org.
Many of my friends have shared stories of vacations they took with a grandchild, one-on-one excursions to destinations of shared interest. I'm looking forward to the time when my grandson and I can do that. I'm even starting to consider options; the Grand Canyon, Yosemite National Park, and London, England are some of my preferences.
Right now, his vacation dreams lean in the direction of adventure parks and fast action entertainment. Hopefully, his ideas and mine will fall more closely in line by the time we are ready to travel together.
Travels such as these allow sufficient time away from daily life to bond more deeply with a grandchild. There is something spiritual about stepping aside to engage with the heart of another person. Changing the scenery and schedule also affords a natural setting to share innermost ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
Of course, it may not be necessary to leave home at all. Grandparents who don't live near their grandchildren are stepping out of the routine simply by welcoming them to come for a visit. I know a few grandmothers who periodically arrange visits with out-of-state grandchildren. Sometimes their visits are a springboard to travel with one grandchild at a time to places of shared interest.
For me, the most important incentive for spending time alone with my grandson is to speak intentionally about my faith. If there is only one memory about me that he can carry throughout life, I hope it is that I was a devoted follower of Christ. If you knew your grandchild could only carry one memory of you through life, what would you want that memory to be? I encourage you to share that word with them.
Share your grandparent-grandchild vacation ideas at: SpiritualLegacyMemoir.com.