By: Lucas Mirabella | Jan. 18, 2018, 4:37 p.m.
Following the September 11th attacks, twelve elite soldiers from the U.S. Army's Special Forces are chosen to lead the fight against the Taliban and their Al Qaeda allies in the mountains of Northern Afghanistan in "12 Strong," a conventional, action-oriented war film that stars Chris Hemsworth, Michael Shannon, Michael Pena and Trevante Rhodes ("Moonlight").
From prolific producer Jerry Bruckheimer, this emotionally intense and proudly patriotic actioner, helmed by first-timer Nicolai Fuglsig, is a slightly above average dramatization of a secret military mission only recently declassified. Chronicling the exploits of the U.S. Army's very first soldiers to step foot into the Taliban stronghold just days after 9/11, screenwriters Ted Tally ("Silence of the Lambs") and Peter Craig ("The Town") capably adapt Doug Stanton's non-fiction account of the brave and unsung heroes at the story's center, clearly relating the soldiers' messy mission as well as Afghanistan's chaotic politics. However, while the narrative's particulars are sufficiently elucidated, this being a Bruckheimer production, the emphasis is on massive explosions and adrenaline-pumping firefights, with little by way of character development. Still, for audiences partial to rousing true tales with no shortage of military action, "12 Strong" definitely fits the bill.
After a brief history of Al Qaeda attacks against America, "12 Strong" begins on September 11th, 2001, when Captain Mitch Nelson (Chris Hemsworth) sees the World Trade Center attacks on television. A family man transitioning to a desk job at his Kentucky home base of Fort Campbell, upon witnessing the atrocities, Nelson's sense of duty kicks in, and he approaches his superior to volunteer to fight the enemy overseas. After some initial pushback from his colonel (Rob Riggle) due to his lack of battle experience, Captain Nelson and his eleven-member team of Green Berets – including hard-edged Chief Warrant Officer Cal Spencer (Michael Shannon) and sergeants Sam Diller and Ben Milo (Michael Peña and Travonte Rhodes), among others – ship off to Northern Afghanistan as Task Force Dagger, with an objective to dismantle the Taliban by any means necessary.
After being dropped off by chopper in Northern Afghanistan's rugged, mountainous terrain, Nelson and his men go about overcoming their first obstacle: convincing General Abdul Rashid Dostum (Navid Negahban, "Homeland"), a proud and distrustful warlord, to join forces in fighting their common enemy. Together, with General Dostum, Task Force Dagger sets in motion a plan to decimate the Taliban, territory by territory, and help the Northern Alliance regain control of the unstable country. But given the degree to which the soldiers are outnumbered, not to mention the unforgiving landscape, which they're forced to traverse by horseback, the odds are stacked against them.
Utilizing his background as a photojournalist during the Kosovo War, Danish director Nicolai Fuglsig makes an impressive feature debut, not only crafting a sturdy war film but effectively tapping into the many emotions – sadness, rage, resilience, patriotism – Americans felt in the aftermath of 9/11. Although the film eventually becomes overwhelmed by overblown action set pieces, the screenplay by Ted Tally and Peter Craig at least takes pains to make sense of the mayhem, enabling audiences to understand the mission at hand and the unlikelihood of their success. Working with Danish cinematographer Rasmus Videbæk ("The Dark Tower"), Fuglsig crafts a relentlessly explosive cinematic landscape, placing the chaos and disorientation of war front and center right alongside the familiar beats of soldier solidarity and the bridging of cultural gaps.
"12 Strong" deploys a muscular ensemble cast who fit well into their respective roles and, in some cases, transcend the limitations of their characters. Granted, given the size of the ensemble, it's hard to fault the writers, let alone the cast, for simplistic representations, as the setup doesn't lend itself well to nuanced portrayals, but the characters here are all fairly stereotypical. Chris Hemsworth is a likable and convincing lead as the untested captain ready to prove his mettle on the battlefield; Michael Shannon brings gravitas and self-assurance to the role of Chief Warrant Officer Cal Spencer; Michael Peña puts his dramatic and comedic background ("Fury," "Observe and Report") to good use as a sarcastic sergeant; and Trevante Rhodes exhibits humor, vulnerability and toughness in equal measure as another sergeant in Task Force Dagger.
Despite covering familiar terrain, "12 Strong" is a solid war film that injects some action into a relatively sleepy January movie slate.


This job contributes to the clients success by managing brand related projects and analyzing data to help lead strategic and tactical plan elements designed to deliver against the strategic growth plans. Models and acts in accordance with Starbucks guiding principles.
•	Prepares background analysis to support brand manager in reviewing sales/consumption trends, consumer insights, and program payback.
•	Assists brand team in building annual operating plan through data gathering and analysis.
•	Analyzes key issues relating to products (including cost, pricing, quality or consumer acceptance) and makes recommendations.
•	Performs financial and marketing analysis; assesses brand products and competitor performance.
•	May analyze information to support the development of a 12/18 month sales & operations planning product forecast.
•	Assists the brand team in building annual operating plan and marketing/brand plan through data gathering and analysis.
•	Build strong relationships within a matrix structure to ensure needs are addressed and information sharing is timely.
•	Applies analysis to identify new marketing/packaging/product opportunities.
•	May manage the A&P budget in partnership with the senior brand manager. Specifically tracks marketing spend, processes invoices and reconciles spending versus the budget.
•	In partnership with manager, may lead the execution of a specific marketing program.
•	Supports implementation of new marketing programs and products.
•	Supports category and consumer research by helping develop research materials and product samples.
•	Supports development of multi-year financial, regulatory or supply chain global views.
•	Contributes to product innovation development.


text:
Q: Barplot with ggplot and custom colors I have this table

I would like to do a barplot with ggplot and have a custom color for each of the bar. To do this I started with this code:
    ggplot(GoalsAndFouls, aes(x = name, y = goals)) +
      labs(x = "Leagues", y = "Goals") +
      geom_bar(stat = "identity")

I tried to add colors with the code addition as shown below. The colors do not change though.
    ggplot(GoalsAndFouls, aes(x = name, y = goals)) +
      labs(x = "Leagues", y = "Goals") +
      geom_bar(stat = "identity") +
      scale_fill_manual(values = c("red", "green", "blue", "grey", "orange")) +
      theme(legend.position="none")

And could I at the fouls variable as an additional bar to each league?

A: Since you've already specified the colors and the order of the colors, you just need to add fill = name to aes().
library(tidyverse)
name <- c("Serie A", "Premier League", "La Liga", "Ligue 1", "Bundesliga")
goals <- c(7476, 7213, 7072, 6656, 6324)
fouls <- c(74232, 57506, 73053, 67042, 56720)
GoalsAndFouls <- data.frame(name, goals, fouls)

ggplot(GoalsAndFouls, aes(x = name, y = goals, fill = name)) +
  labs(x = "Leagues", y = "Goals") +
  geom_bar(stat = "identity") +
  scale_fill_manual(values = c("red", "green", "blue", "grey", "orange")) +
  theme(legend.position="none")

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
/**
 * @author dmarcos / https://github.com/dmarcos
 * @author mrdoob / http://mrdoob.com
 */

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				vrInput = devices[ i ];
				return; // We keep the first we encounter

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		if ( callback !== undefined ) {

			callback( 'HMD not available' );

		}

	};

	if ( navigator.getVRDevices !== undefined ) {

		navigator.getVRDevices().then( onVRDevices );

	} else if ( callback !== undefined ) {

		callback( 'Your browser is not VR Ready' );

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			object.quaternion.set( orientation.x, orientation.y, orientation.z, orientation.w );

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	this.zeroSensor = function () {

		if ( vrInput === undefined ) return;

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	};

};

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


WHEREAS the rapidly growing population South of the Fraser River of over one million, receives poor infrastructure funding and currently suffers from serious traffic congestion and air pollution funneled up the Fraser Valley, resulting in increased health care, road maintenance and capital costs to widen the freeway.
WHEREAS the existing Interurban Rail Line ran a very popular passenger service four times a day Vancouver to Chilliwack from 1910 to 1950 and is currently used only for freight by the Southern Railway, including 12.5 km. shared with Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Railways.
WHEREAS the West Coast Express passenger service at significant contract cost, uses the Canadian Pacific tracks, successfully removing over 7000 cars a day from Hwy # 11, north of the Fraser River.
WHEREAS the Government of British Columbia through B.C. Hydro owns the Interurban rail right of way and has retained the right to run a passenger service at no cost from Surrey to Chilliwack.
WHEREAS the Leewood Projects Proposal was recently updated at approximately $750 million for hourly service, which includes crossing upgrades, selected track refurbishments, simple stations, signaling and selected passing loops and vehicles.
Therefore we the undersigned call on the Government of British Columbia to restore passenger rail service to Fraser Valley communities using DMU (Diesel Multiple Units) on the Interurban line from Surrey to Chilliwack, since they are compatible with both mainline and Tram Track service.
Please share my name and email address with Rail for the Valley, so that I can receive updates on this campaign and others.


Times are tough in Foxborough right now, and internal conflicts appear to be brewing.
After a brutal two-game stretch offensively, the New England Patriots are looking for answers. The brother of star tight end Rob Gronkowski thinks he has some.
Chris Gronkowski, a former NFL fullback himself, told a Boston sports radio network WEEI Tuesday that Gronk is becoming "super frustrated" with the double-teams he's facing on a daily basis.
"I can just tell by his emotions, his facial features, that he's super frustrated with it. You can see at the end of the game, how they ended the game double-covering him, pressing him off the line," Chris told the radio station.
Chris went on to point out that defenses have been devoting two members of their secondary to covering Gronkowski, rather than using a linebacker. That leaves receivers with winnable matchups on the outside, which they aren't winning, he said.
Gronkowski has only managed a meager six catches for 66 yards in the two losses combined. In New England's Week 1 win over the Houston Texans, he reeled in seven catches for 123 yards.
Chris certainly makes a decent point, as the Patriots certainly aren't bursting at the seams with receiver talent right now. The most decorated receiver the Pats ran out there the first three weeks was a college lacrosse player.
But was it wise to share all of Gronk's thoughts at a time when New England is searching for stability? Their have been reports of tension throughout the organization ever since ESPN's Brady-Belichick story broke over the summer. The Patriots certainly don't need anything else to strain the locker room as the NFL world once again breaks into "Is the Patriots dynasty ending?" mode.
Luckily for the Patriots, help is on the way in the form of established pass-catchers Julian Edelman and Josh Gordon.
Edelman was suspended for the first four games of the season for violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy. Tom Brady's safety blanket is set to return for the team's Week 5 matchup with the Colts. Gordon, the oft-troubled but mega-talented former Brown, was just acquired from the Browns last week.
If those guys can't create separation on the outside and give Gronk some breathing room, no one can.


text:
VN is bridge to ASEAN: Spanish official
Spanish Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Ignacio Ybanez Rubio. — VNS Photo Thu Hà
Visiting Spanish Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Ignacio Ybanez Rubio tells Việt Nam News reporter Thu Hà that the two countries have enjoyed excellent political relations, but should make more efforts to boost economic co-operation and people-to-people exchanges.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of bilateral relations. Can you give us an overview of the relations between the two countries?
I would like to start with political relationship which has seen excellent co-operation between the two countries. Until now, we have had no major issues of concern. We have been very supportive of each other. Spain is very proud to be the first EU country to establish a strategic partnership with Việt Nam. We have also been very supportive of each other in international organisations. For example, when Spain was a candidate for the United Nations Security Council, we received Việt Nam's support. Spain supported Việt Nam when your country vied to become a member of the Human Rights Council. We have conducted frequent high-level visits and have established a political consultation mechanism at a vice ministerial level. The last one was held in 2015 in Madrid and now I am in Hà Nội for another one.
As for economic relations, I think this is an area in which we need to make more efforts because there is room for further co-operation. First of all, on trade, I think the figures are very positive for Việt Nam which is exporting a lot of products to Europe and Spain, in particular. However, we are trying to balance commercial relations by exporting more products to Việt Nam. On investment, there also remain many opportunities for Spanish companies to invest in Việt Nam and we are determined to develop this area.
We also need to do more to promote people to people contact. There is a growing interest in Spain and Europe in Asia. We have seen an increase in the number of visits between people of the two countries, but it is still at a modest pace. As you know, Spain is famous for tourism. We want to receive more Vietnamese tourists. We will also try to have more Spanish tourists come to Việt Nam. Last year, you adopted a very open visa policy for some European countries, including Spain. Next week we are holding a tourism fair in Madrid and your Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism will come to seek opportunities to expand the tourism market from Europe and Spain.
What is the position of Việt Nam in Spain's foreign policy towards the Southeast Asian region?
We are following with great interest the integration process that ASEAN is moving and we regard Việt Nam as one of the leaders in this regional organisation. We want very much to count on Việt Nam in our relations with the region. Last year, Spain adopted a new foreign policy strategy. We have defined some priority countries and Việt Nam is among our three priority countries in ASEAN, besides the Philippines and Indonesia. It is a clear sign of our interest in Việt Nam in our foreign policy in the region.
What will be high on the agenda of the bilateral relations?
The 40th anniversary of our bilateral relations is a good opportunity to look back on what we have done together, as well as looking ahead. We have seen fruitful results in terms of development co-operation. But important programmes in this area are coming to an end, not because there is lack of interest from our side but because of the new reality in Việt Nam. Việt Nam has become a middle-income country so our co-operation mechanism needs to change a little bit to adapt. There will not be as much development co-operation as before. It will be more about relations between companies that we want to develop. The role will be more for companies than for governments.
So what we need is to create more interest for Spanish companies to come to Việt Nam. To that end, it is important to have conditions conducive for investment. This is something that I will discuss with my Vietnamese colleagues. In the infrastructure sector there is also great interest from Spanish companies. Our country is very developed in infrastructure development. Spanish companies have built high-speed railways in Saudi Arabia, roads in the United States and so on. I think we will have a lot of opportunities in this field in Việt Nam.
We also intend to provide more soft loans [loans with very favourable terms for borrowers] to Việt Nam. We have already reached an agreement with Việt Nam on soft loans for construction of Line 5 of the metro in HCM City, some of them from Spain. We are also working on other important areas, for example, promoting women's roles and promoting solar energy. On cultural relations, more Vietnamese are interested in learning Spanish while there is also growing demand for Vietnamese language and culture in Spain. And of course, we must maintain the excellent political relations that we have had. — VNS

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Home » Archaeology » A bizarre new flying dinosaur, with bat-like wings and feathers
A bizarre new flying dinosaur, with bat-like wings and feathers
When it comes to big fossil finds, China is full of surprises. The latest dinosaur discovery, announced today in Nature, is a bizarre chicken-sized animal with a delightfully short scientific name, Yi qi, Mandarin for "strange wing" (pronounced "yee chee").
Yi is a new type of scansoriopterygid, a family of small feathered dinosaurs with unusually long fingers, including forms like Epidexipteryx.
The extensively feathered fossil of Yi hails from the Middle-Late Jurassic (160-165 million years old) of Hebei Province, in northern China. It preserves a rod-like prop extending from the wrist along with patches of bare, featherless tissue around the hands.
The most likely explanation is that the digits and bony rod supported membranous wing like in modern bats or mythical dragons. It is unclear if Yi was capable of powered flight or simply glided.
The first palaeontologists to hear about the discovery were taken back by the oddness of the bony rod or styliform element. Dr Thomas R Holtz Jr, a palaeontologist at the University of Maryland, unconnected with the study, told us via email that:
I [and others] were suspicious that it wasn't really part of the animal, but instead maybe a plant branch or other object that coincidentally was right under the wrist. But chemical analysis of it shows it really is derived from bone.
Pterosaurs, extinct flying reptiles with a wing membrane supported by a single elongated finger, are not dinosaurs although they lived at the same time. Yi is definitely not a pterosaur due to its skull structure and forelimb anatomy. It is a true dinosaur that seems to have evolved its own unique kind of wing. Holtz adds:
[…] in case anyone thinks otherwise, this [discovery] has zero to do with the origin of pterosaurs!
Feathers emerge when?
The first feathered dinosaur known to science was the famous Archaeopteryx, described in 1861 from the Jurassic of Germany although for over a century it was, by convention, called a bird simply because it had feathers.
This view was challenged by the discovery of feathered dinosaurs from Liaoning, China, beginning in 1996 with the announcement of Sinosauropteryx from the Early Cretaceous, about 125 million years old.
Numerous fossils from China, Canada, Germany and Russia prove that many groups of dinosaurs sported feathers or feather-like structures. These ranged from simple hair-like filaments to the complex pennaceous true feathers of modern birds, the latter used primarily for flight.
We found out about this new dinosaur when were both visiting the Institute of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Palaeoanthropology (IVPP) in Beijing. We paid a courtesy call to our colleague Professor Xu Xing.
Excitedly, he showed us his remarkable new find on his computer, as the original specimen was recently returned to the Shandong Tianyu Nature Museum. I asked him why it represents such an important discovery to which he replied:
This is the most unexpected discovery I have ever made, even though I have found a few really bizarre dinosaurs in my career.
Xu has contributed to some of the most spectacular Chinese dinosaur discoveries, from the four-winged Microraptor to the giant feathered tyrannosaur Yutyrannus. Xu continued:
I know the complexity of the dino-bird transition but this new find shocks me. It demonstrates some of the extreme early experimentation as dinosaurs began to take to the air.
When dinosaurs took flight
Yi illustrates that the transition from dinosaur to bird wasn't as straight forward as previously thought. A great deal of innovation took place in animals close to the origin of birds, ranging from the membranous wings of Yi to the four feathery wings of Microraptor.
Flight evolved multiple times within the dinosaurs. The configuration in modern birds, with a single pair of feathered wings, would ultimately prove to be the winning formula.
The fossil of Yi is part of an extraordinary assemblage called the Daohugou Biota from Hebei, Liaoning and Inner Mongolia. These Jurassic sites display the same superb preservation as the better-known Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota of Liaoning Province. Both these assemblages have produced the vast majority of feathered dinosaur and early bird specimens.
One objection against the dinosaurian origin of birds was the supposed absence of feathered dinosaurs in rocks older than Archaeopteryx (the 150 million year old "first bird"). The Daohugou removes this paradox, revealing a community of feathered creatures that lived over 10 million years before Archaeopteryx.
Corwin Sullivan is a Canadian scientist based at IVPP who was involved in the study. He told us:
One of the most exciting things about this animal is the way it seems to have independently hit on a type of flight apparatus, consisting of an aerodynamic membrane supported partly by a rod of bone or cartilage, that is also seen in pterosaurs, bats and many gliding mammals. In that respect Yi really showcases the power of evolutionary convergence.
Convergence appears repeatedly in evolution when functional constraints produce similar body forms in unrelated lineages. It explains why marsupial thylacines and placental wolves and dogs look alike although they evolved independently over tens of millions of years on different continents.
The unexpected discovery of Yi once again highlights the stunning diversity of fossils that have been unearthed in China.
From the oldest well-preserved enigmatic jawed fishes like Entelognathus to the world's most complete series of feathered dinosaurs, early mammals and first birds, Chinese palaeontology is full of unique treasures.


Best White Christmas Movie Quotes Dialogue. It's not just the one-liners, it's the conversation between the characters that adds so much depth to each scene. How can the answer be improved? Watch the great one do the splits and then check out our list of the 10 Best Christmas Movies One-Liners. On behalf of our team at We Are Movie Geeks, we wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday season! Christmas one liners I asked my wife what she wanted for Christmas.
She told me" Nothing would make her happier than a diamond necklace" So I bought her nothing. Christmas One Liners Group 6. FYI: By the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas song, your home is crammed with 23 flying Birds and 50 hyperactive Humans.
- Neil deGrasse Tyson @neiltyson. In my experience, clever food is not appreciated at Christmas. It makes the little ones cry and the old ones nervous. - Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. 22 Christmas One Liners by · Published December 18, 2014 · Updated December 18, 2014 These Christmas one liners will make you laugh. Funny Christmas movie quotes include the absolute most hilarious lines from holiday comedy movies. What are quotes from funny Christmas movies?
From modern Christmas movie classics like A Christmas Story and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation to the newest holiday movie releases like Arthur Christmas, these movies keep us laughing long after Santa arrives, gifts are opened and. Christmas One Liners quotes - 1. Through a frosty winter night. In a sleigh with reindeer flight.
Bringing joy to large and small. Merry Christmas one and all. Read. This page contains quotes from the movie National Lampoons Christmas Vacation.
For the list of movies go to the movie homepage. If any of you are looking for any last-minute gift ideas for me, I have one. I'd like Frank Shirley, my boss, right here tonight.
The most enduring traditions of the season are best enjoyed in the warm embrace. It's time to take a walk in RT's winter wonderland of cinema our Best Christmas Movies countdown! The list uses a weighted formula factoring a movie's Tomatometer score. 55 of Film's Best One-Liners. June 26, 2014 By mindopenerz. Movies can produce great stories, enduring ideas, and catchy soundbites.
The following list has some of film's most memorable and famous one-lines, the movies they come from, and the year they were produced. 30 great Christmas quotes. Scrooge, The Grinch, Shakespeare, The Simpsons. . and Jose Mourinho. They've all had their say about Christmas. Martin Chilton Many thanks to the many celebrated and unheralded screenwriters who have provided generations of movie-goers with such memorable movie quotes and lines of dialogue, from film speeches, one-liners, quips, punchlines, statements, insults, and even mis-quotes.
Their words are remembered through popular use, critical acclaim, shock value and. Dec 25, 2013. Ready to celebrate the holidays – Chuck Norris style?
Watch the great one do the splits and then check out our list of the 10 Best Christmas. The best Christmas movie quotes stick with you long after the film's credits roll. What's the. Bet I'm not the only one who can quote it from memory! Besides, it's. Dec 17, 2016. There is no shortage of quotable Christmas movies, but we're going to. of the greatest one-liners of all time and even his more recent movies.
Dec 19, 2014. Christmas movies tend to be quotable. the greatest moments from some great Christmas movies (and one TV Best christmas movie one liners are featured on this list. Dec 14, 2015. Even better, we've covered the whole scope of Christmas movie possibilities. After all, one person's cry fodder is another person's comic relief. Dec 22, 2014. 13 of the Best Christmas Movie Lines All Together!. holiday season, but the one thing we insist on making time for is watching Holiday movies.
Oct 2, 2015. We've talked before about the Best Christmas Movies but now we want. . off one -by-one with a combination of bullets and salty one-liners that.


roma Squad is a tactical RPG about five stunt actors who decide to quit their jobs and start their own Power Rangers-inspired TV show! Cast actors, purchase equipment and upgrades for your studio, craft weapons and giant Mechas out of cardboard and duct tape. Once the cameras are rolling, you will control your cast of five colored-jumpsuit-clad warriors in dramatic, turn-based battles!
Download Chroma Squad CD-Key Generator and open it.


At the WinHEC Workshop delivered last week, we hosted a number of partner engineers from the Windows hardware community. The audience included: OEMs, ODMs, IDHs, IHVs, peripheral manufacturers, and driver developers. During these sessions we delivered the latest documentation and demonstrated the tools available to enable Cortana on Windows 10 partner devices.
Cortana and Speech Platform Overview: Provides an overview of Cortana, the Microsoft Speech Platform, the Windows Audio Pipeline and details the hardware specification and test guidance to deliver a high quality customer experience.
Cortana Audio System Design Guide: Provides details on the Cortana audio framework, the audio driver requirements, Windows enhancement pipeline, the policy of how Cortana chooses the appropriate audio pipeline, and acoustic recommendations for the device microphone array design.
Cortana Validation Spec Introduction: Provides details on the Cortana validation spec that covers test guidance and scenarios; how to setup the Cortana test environment and calibration; testing steps and how to analyze the results.
Realtek Audio Codec Introduction: Details the Realtek codec based audio system design for Cortana and its noise suppression algorithm.
Conexant Audio Solution Introduction: Details the Conexant noise suppression algorithm for use with Cortana.


The Brecon Beacons has some of the very best terrain in Wales for mountain biking. Whatever type of riding you're looking for – fast descents, skills sessions or gentle off-road trails – you'll find a location to suit. Just don't forget to take in the breathtaking scenery.
For mountain bike training, instruction or to join a group ride or event, get in touch with the activity companies in the Park.
If you're new to mountain biking, then hiring a qualified instructor lets you try things out in safest, the most hassle-free way possible. You can dodge the strain of map reading by allowing an expert with local knowledge to show you the way. An activity provider can also impart some top tips on how to ride a mountain bike correctly over different terrain, working the gears to match the hills and using the brakes to control your descents.
Perhaps you're still leaarning, or you're an experienced rider visiting the park for the first time. Why not take your riding to the next level and hire a mountain bike guide to lead you on some of the UK's most exciting mountain bike routes. Guides can offer specialist coaching, fitness training, maintenance and knowledge of local routes.
If you just want a bike for the day to explore, you can hire one from the mountain bike hire providers in the park. They can also help you choose a suitable starting point for your journey. If you've brought your own bike and equipment, take your pick from our graded mountain bike routes. Just remember – the hills are big in the park and the mountains can be a wild place to be during adverse weather. If you are unsure or need further information then visit a local bike shop for some up to date information.
A little planning and common sense will help ensure that your mountain biking experience is trouble-free. For important advice on good practice and safety, see our Stay safe page.


Does your mind go blank when you begin writing a sales letter? Do you have good ideas that somehow don't come together on paper? If so, you're not alone. These are common obstacles many business owners face.
1. Be the customer as you write. This is the most important aspect of a good sales letter, but it's often overlooked. Imagine yourself as the reader of your letter, and write what the customer wants to know--not what you want to say.
You have one page to attract a customer; you'll lose the opportunity if your sole emphasis is on your business. Remember, your customer's main concern is fulfilling his or her needs and desires, not increasing the balance in your bank account.
2. Organize your letter. Sales letters, just like high school term papers, need an introduction, a body and a conclusion. In the introduction, tell why you're sending the letter. The body is your "sales pitch," where you'll explain why your offer is irresistible. The conclusion wraps it up by briefly bringing your points together and asking the customer to take advantage of the offer.
Write in a conversational style, just as you would normally speak; formal tones are usually unnecessary in sales letters.
Use short sentences. Once you start writing more informally, you'll notice your sentences will get shorter.
Compose short paragraphs. People like to have breaks in their reading. If it doesn't flow smoothly and sound natural, rewrite it.
4. Capture your reader's attention. Headlines are not limited to ads. They can also be used in letters to tell readers something they want to know in a bold way that grabs their attention.
You can also use longer headlines--up to three or four sentences--to present important information. In either case, always make the headline compelling so customers want to read the rest of the story.
5. Get your readers interested. Involve the reader in the letter by bringing it to life with a steady flow of interesting information. Write in an active voice.
June Van Klaveren, owner of Compelling Communications, a copywriting firm in St. Louis, recommends including a handwritten note or an arrow in a different color ink to highlight an important fact and retain your reader's interest. "I also include a `P.S.' at the bottom of the letter," says Van Klaveren. "You can count on this and your headline being read because you've piqued the reader's curiosity."
6. Make your readers want your product or service. This is best done by answering the reader's question, What's in it for me? People are bombarded daily with billboards, commercials and direct mail--all trying to sell something. Your letter can stand out by not selling, but offering benefits.
People don't buy products or services, they buy the benefits derived from their purchases. Remember, you're not selling dining room tables; you're selling a joyous haven where families bond and friendships flourish. There's a big distinction between the two approaches.
7. Ask your readers to take action. Potential customers won't know what you want unless you tell them what to do next. If you want them to call you, say that in your letter and provide your phone number. If you want them to visit your facility, invite them to stop by and give them clear directions and specific office hours.
It's also important to urge your readers to take action right away. The longer it takes them to respond, the less likely it is you'll hear from them. If you're running a promotion, offer the special for a limited time. If you only have a few units available, be sure to state that quantities are limited. This generates urgency to follow up on your letter.
Cynthia Perun is a freelance writer and marketing consultant in Algonac, Michigan.
How to Say It: Choice Words, Phrases, Sentences & Paragraphs for Every Situation, by Rosalie Maggio (Prentice Hall, $29.95, 800-947-7700). Just as the title implies, Maggio provides plenty of words, phrases, sentences and paragraphs you can incorporate into your sales letters. Besides information on sales letters, she discusses letters about collections, complaints, follow-ups, orders and many other topics.
Elements of Style, by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White (Allyn & Bacon, $5.95, 800-947-7700). This is a small but powerful reference book. It contains five short chapters on rules and reminders of grammar and style.
The Building Blocks of Business Writing, by Jack Swenson (Crisp Publications, $10.95, 800-442-7477). Swenson shows a simple, common-sense way to improve your writing skills. It's a workbook, so have a pencil handy and get ready to have some fun writing.
People often start a business with a good idea but never achieve their goals because they lack a vital element of success: organizational skills. Meet three successful entrepreneurs who manage to keep their lives and their workplaces organized, and find out just how they do it.
Andrea Gold is president of Gold Stars Speakers Bureau in Tucson, Arizona, a company that provides speakers, celebrities, seminar leaders and consultants to corporations and associations around the world.
Gold has favorite high-tech and low-tech methods of keeping organized. She uses ACT!, a database and contact-management software program from Symantec Corp. that works like a calendar, and she uses a spiral-bound notebook.
"I schedule all my calls, meetings and to-dos on the computer," Gold says. "But business owners must have the discipline to follow through with scheduled calls and actions. If you don't connect with the customer, you don't have a business."
To eliminate the clutter of those paper scraps that plague busy entrepreneurs, Gold suggests recording phone messages, thoughts and other reminders in an ordinary spiral notebook. "It's the most inexpensive, simple and dramatic way I've found to stay organized," Gold says. "If you're looking for something from weeks ago, it's still there. "
Ellen Wessel is co-owner of Moving Comfort, a manufacturer of women's high-performance athleticwear in Chantilly, Virginia.
Wessel uses three basic methods to stay organized. "My life is basically on Pilot," says Wessel, referring to a handheld, computerized organizer from U.S. Robotics she says is many generations beyond the Day-Timer.
According to Wessel, prioritizing is vital to organization. "You may have to micromanage the little tasks, but you need to have a very clear view of your long-term objectives," she says.
Wessel's most difficult organizational challenge is keeping her desktop piles in order. Her remedy? "I throw things out," she says. "I've decided that I don't have to know everything. If it's really important, I'll hear about it. I had to get over the guilt of feeling like I have to read everything that comes to me."
Linda Field is the owner of Field & Associates, a homebased marketing and public relations firm in Houston with two employees.
"I'm more productive if I don't have to witness my backlog in the form of stacked paper," Field admits. "To do my best work, I hide everything in file cabinets except the project at hand. When necessary, I buy more file cabinets."
Field and her employees work from homes she says, for greater productivity. "Our biggest challenge is knowing what the others are doing, and our best organizational tool is ACT!--a contact management program we can synchronize by modem so everyone in the organization has access to the same updated information."
The ability to plan ahead is important for any business owner. It's impossible to predict whether your business will be hit with a lawsuit, an earthquake or a robbery, but preparing for the worst may be the best thing you can do for your business.
Risk management--preparing a plan to handle potential losses--can save your business time and money by reducing the recovery period after a disaster. To help you evaluate your particular business's risks and formulate a plan to manage them, the Chubb Group of Insurance Managers in Warren, New Jersey, offers a free, 86-page booklet called The Rewards of Managing Risk: A Guide for Entrepreneurs and Managers.
Risk management involves three basic steps: identifying your exposure to risk, developing a plan to prevent and minimize losses, and purchasing insurance to offset your losses and help your company recover. "Quick recovery is important in today's highly competitive environment where closing your doors for repairs can erode your customer base--and your competitive edge," say the guide's editors. To help you prepare for a quick recovery, the guide helps you identify many risks, including customer and employee accidents, professional-error and product-malfunction lawsuits, and property damage from natural disasters, theft and equipment breakdowns.
After you've assessed your risk exposure using the guide's checklists, you can make repairs and take actions to minimize possible risks. To help you, The Rewards of Managing Risks guides you through many hazardous areas, step by step. If the floor of your business is slippery when wet, invest in a doormat and safety runners so customers won't fall. Is your business in an area prone to earthquakes, floods or brush fires? Make sure your important documents are stored in fireproof, waterproof containers, and keep backup copies at a second location. If a risk becomes a reality, do you know who to call after 911? Keep your insurance company's phone number handy, and invest in a camera to take pictures of the accident site immediately.
Finally, make sure you have the correct insurance for the types of risk your business faces. The Rewards of Managing Risk offers advice on which insurance policies you'll need to purchase and what to look for when shopping for a policy.


Each team needs a Manager, a Writer, a Researcher and one or more Technicians.
The Manager is responsible for ensuring that all the tasks are completed correctly and on time, by delegating tasks to the other team members, monitoring their progress, and reallocating resources as neeed.
The Writer records the important actions performed by the team and prepares a Report for the client.
The Researcher searches the Web to find out information about the target and any other information the team needs.
The Technicians scan and attack the target, keeping notes of what they have done.
This virtual appliance contains two virtual machines, labelled Ub16A and Ub16B. Start them both, as shown below.
Open the IP of the public server. You see the Public web page, as shown below.
Open the IP of the private server. You cannot see the Private web page, as shown below.
Your goal is to access the private Web server. One way is to use an SSH tunnel, as shown below.
Here are some references to good techniques to get you started.
Write up a brief report describing what you did, and present it at the end of class. Add the best ones to your Red Team Guide for competitions.


text:
September 17, 2015 | The Canadian Jewish News
Does Banning Anti-Muslim Remarks Prevent Radicalization?
Sheryl Saperia
The Quebec government has introduced Bill 59, which sets out to combat publicly disseminated hate speech and speech inciting violence.
While noble in intention, the bill contains many of the problems associated with Section 13 of the Canadian Human Rights Act. Parliament repealed that contentious provision two years ago to protect free speech from the reaches of a zealous bureaucracy that struggled to distinguish between hateful and offensive speech. Moreover, defendants lacked basic rights to due process, a speedy trial, access to an attorney and even truth as a defence. Critics of Section 13 pointed out then, as do opponents of Bill 59, that the Criminal Code already covers hate speech and ensures those protections under the law.
The context in which Bill 59 has come about is also essential to understanding the full extent of its danger. Jacques Frémont, director of the Quebec Human Rights Commission and driver of these legislative changes, explained in a 2014 speech that he intended to use his new powers against people critical of Islam. No other religion was referenced. Meanwhile, Quebec Premier Phillipe Couillard brought the bill forward as part of his counter-radicalization program, implying in his remarks that one cause of Islamist radicalization is the existence of hateful speech against Islam.
Would prohibiting hate speech against Islam help to prevent radicalization?
The bill's proponents might answer in the affirmative. First, otherwise disenfranchised Muslims could feel a stronger sense of belonging and loyalty to their home. Second, the Muslim community might feel more accepted in society and, therefore, more willing to report concerns to the police. Third, individuals angry about remarks critical of Islam would have recourse through a non-violent, legal process.
Perhaps unwittingly, this approach is premised on a doctrine about the dynamics of radicalization that benefits the radicalizers. Moreover, the arguments against Bill 59 are far more compelling.
First, Canada already welcomes people of every background and proscribes discrimination under numerous legal instruments. Banning "hate speech" – an undefined term in the bill – and entrusting the enforcement of this vague prohibition to an activist human rights commission would disproportionately infringe on Canadians' right to freedom of speech, one of the fundamental cornerstones of a liberal democracy.
Second, Bill 59 would suppress legitimate viewpoints and concomitantly empower and embolden those sympathetic to an extremist Islamist narrative. Some very prominent moderate Muslim voices in this country have published articles in which they plead with policymakers not to allow their voices to be silenced by the bill. They note that those who speak out against honour killings or the death sentence for apostates and adulterers as problematic aspects of a radical Islamist worldview could be brought before a tribunal, charged an exorbitant fine and publicly shamed as hate speech offenders.
Third, we might assess Bill 59 within the framework of a recent article in the Atlantic titled "The coddling of the American mind." The authors of that piece examine the growing movement on college campuses to censor ideas and language that might adversely affect students' emotional well-being. They find that a "culture devoted to policing speech and punishing speakers," with an institutionalized fixation on micro-aggressions and trigger warnings, and the belief in having a right not to be offended, actually has the opposite intended effect on students' mental health. (Micro-aggressions are seemingly innocuous actions or words that are nonetheless considered violent. Trigger warnings are to be issued by professors if course materials might generate strong emotion.)
Bill 59 could run the risk of similar problems across the province, fostering a culture of victimhood, divisiveness and acrimony, and rendering our society unable to engage issues critically.
In the face of public outcry, Couillard has conceded the bill may excessively chill free speech. Quebecers and Canadians must continue to speak out for their right to speak freely. The frenzy of a federal election cannot distract us from contesting legislation whose impact will be felt far beyond provincial borders.
Sheryl Saperia is director of policy for Canada at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Follow her on twitter @sherlysap
Read in The Canadian Jewish News


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TEACHERS ROCK Presented by Walmart & "Won't Back Down"
July 31, 2012 • Gertie & Mary • Articles - Events
Live on August 14th at 7:30 p.m. from Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE, Ken Ehrlich Productions, Anschutz Film Group/Walden Media, and AEG present TEACHERS ROCK presented by Walmart and Walden Media's upcoming feature film "Won't Back Down," a special tribute concert celebrating teachers and education and benefitting several non-profit organizations, featuring some of the biggest names in music, film and sports.
The benefit concert will showcase live performances by Dierks Bentley, Fun. and Josh Groban and special appearances by Viola Davis from "Won't Back Down," Josh Hutcherson, Miranda Cosgrove, Pauley Perrette, Roshon Fegan and many more. Proceeds from TEACHERS ROCK will benefit three non-profit organizations: DonorsChoose.org, Feeding America and Teach for America.
Tickets for this special benefit, starting at just $40, will go on sale this Friday, July 27th at 10 a.m. at all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster.com, plus via Charge-By-Phone (800.745.3000). A limited number of VIP packages will also be offered for TEACHERS ROCK, which include tickets to a post-concert party at L.A. LIVE.
The TEACHERS ROCK concert will feature scenes from Walden Media's upcoming motion picture "Won't Back Down," released by 20th Century Fox. The film stars Maggie Gyllenhaal and Viola Davis, who play two determined mothers, one a teacher, who will stop at nothing to transform their children's failing inner city school. Facing a powerful and entrenched bureaucracy, they risk everything to make a difference in the education and future of their children. This powerful story of parenthood, friendship and courage mirrors events that are making headlines daily.
"AEG and Walden are very excited to join efforts with Walmart in celebrating teachers. Honoring teachers and recognizing the importance of education have been bedrock values since the founding of our companies," said Anschutz Film Group & Walden Media CEO, David Weil. "We believe that TEACHERS ROCK and our upcoming movie, WON'T BACK DOWN, will both inspire parents to believe that they can make a real difference in the lives of students and teachers."
TEACHERS ROCK will be taped for a special one hour CBS television event broadcast Saturday, August 18th from 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET/PT, that will also feature taped performance and appearances from Carrie Underwood, Meryl Streep, Jennifer Garner, Matthew Morrison, Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl, Usher, Maroon 5's Adam Levine and James Valentine, and more.
Source: MarketWatch.com


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FDA approves Aleor's adapalene gel for acne vulgaris
Morgan Petronelli, Associate Editor
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the Abbreviated New Drug Application for topical retinoid adapalene gel USP, 0.3% from Alembic Pharmaceuticals and its joint venture Aleor Dermaceuticals for treatment of acne vulgaris.
Alembic Pharmaceuticals and its joint venture Aleor Dermaceuticals announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for adapalene gel USP, 0.3%.
MORE: Better safety profile for new retinoid in development
The ANDA for the topical retinoid is now approved to be therapeutically equivalent to the reference listed drug product (RLD), Differin Gel 0.3% (Galderma).
Adapalene gel USP, 0.3% is intended to treat acne vulgaris in patients ages 12 years and older.
RELATED: Optimal topical retinoid use for acne
The projected market size for the drug is $34 million over 12 months, according to a press release.
This ANDA joins Alembic's list of over 100 ANDA approvals (110 final approvals and 13 tentative approvals) from the FDA.
Drug Watch | News | Acne


Private walking tours of Bath and Cotswold villages tailored just for you!
I provide a personal guide service of the architecture and history of the UNESCO World Heritage City of Bath and The Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Because of my architectural background I naturally focus on the beautiful honey coloured old stone buildings and landscape that define this region.
Trevor Jones is a guide for locations contained in Go Swift and Far, a novel set in Bath.


1. Allowing your accounts to go to collection. This means that your bills are seriously delinquent.
2. Allowing motor vehicles and other personal property to be repossessed.
3. Having your home foreclosed.
4. Using too much of your credit. For example, maxing out multiple credit cards can lower your credit score substantially.
5. If you open new credit cards and an inquiry is placed on your credit report.
A good credit score is something to aspire to, and does not occur by accident. Like everything, a good credit score takes work, discipline and vigilance. It is something to be valued and protected.


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Buehrle earned his contract, but Peavy hasn't come close
By Jim Margalus Updated Oct 5, 2011, 6:02am CDT
Share All sharing options for: Buehrle earned his contract, but Peavy hasn't come close
Don Cooper congratulates Mark Buehrle on a job well done in his final start, and over the last four years.
This is a signing that simply cannot be justified. Buehrle's reputation for handling large workloads is essentially worthless, and his expected decline is sharp.
My gut instinct in this case was wrong, but I'm still glad that I took the time to investigate. Both mainstream analysts and sabermetrically-inclined commentators attempted to apply universal truths to a very specific situation which deserved individual treatment. Yes, Buehrle signed a below-market deal, both in terms of dollars and years. And yes, pitchers get injured at incredibly high rates as they age. For us to pretend that we know which of these facts is more important would just be foolhardy.
This time, however, the stock sabermetric principle won out.
-- David Gassko, The Hardball Times, July 12, 2007.
Mark Buehrle has a way of taking the air out of "stock sabermetric principles." For FIP, he used to be Public Enemy No. 1 before Matt Cain seized the title. Still, after completing his four-year, $56 million contract, it looks like he found another way to get in one more dig.
I didn't intend to look for Buehrle projections from 2007 -- I found this one on an unrelated search -- because baseball has a way of making everybody look foolish at one point or another. But I feel compelled to highlight it because it's a great example of what Colin talked about on Tuesday.
Gassko didn't make that conclusion on a whim. He explained his process, and he consulted MGL of The Book Blog, who also detailed his own reasons for determining that the signing was "at best a tad poor, and at worst, terrible."
They had their case -- chiefly, pitchers with Buehrle's peripherals and workload tend to break down as they cross over to the wrong side of 30. It's grounded in reality, but Gassko was perhaps guiltiest for deciding to phrase his conclusion with absolute phrases when most of his evidence suggested mild skepticism.
The problem (heh) is, Buehrle busted the comparable projections by not really aging. The percentages Gassko applied to Buehrle's numbers over the four years of the contract never factored in:
Projected | Actual
Year IP ERA WAR | IP ERA fWAR rWAR
2008 177 3.96 2.99 | 219 3.79 4.6 4.4
Buehrle exceeded the inning projections by a whopping 44 percent, which allowed him to throw six additional wins on the pile. By FanGraphs' simple WAR-to-dollars conversion, Buehrle was worth $66 million over the course of the last four years.
Not everybody of sabermetric orientation was that pessimistic about Buehrle's chances, though. Baseball Think Factory's Dan Szymborski and Chris Dial gave it two thumbs up.
Szymborski:
What's there not to like about this? Buehrle's not a true 3.03 ERA pitcher, but the Pale Hose don't need him to be and they're not paying him like they expect him to pay. Given the market, $14 million a year for a healthy pitcher who's a good bet to put up an ERA+ of 120 every year is an excellent deal. No snark needed in a world in which Barry Zito, an inferior pitcher, gets twice the dough for twice the time.
And Dial:
Pitchers like Mark Buehrle do not come along very often. He's already demonstrated durability beyond the arm damage that "should have" happened. The odds that Buehrle will be very good over the next four seasons are very, very good. He's easily going to be very good for four more seasons, and very likely five. Heck, he's likely to be good for another ten. He's the next generation's best bet to win 300 games, and the key to being a successful GM is identifying the true stars that will decline atypically, and signing them relatively cheaply and enjoying the ride. Okay, the purer economics may not make it a great deal, but it's going to get them a discount after four years if Buehrle continues on like his peers.
They were a lot closer, mostly because they didn't overthink it. They put a lot of thought into it, but they basically said, "He's been very good and extremely durable. He should continue to be good and durable." Buehrle's career has generated so few truly comparable pitchers that maybe we should expect him to most resemble himself.
This is where Don Cooper and Herm Schneider factor in, with help from Ozzie Guillen. I said this before on Sox Machine, but the White Sox staff is great at working on cars while they're running. Buehrle basically contends with rumors about an aching shoulder every spring -- what else is there to talk about? -- but they disappear when the season starts. Likewise, they were great about getting Jon Garland to exceed expectations on an annual basis even with a dead arm that surfaced around June, and they also pushed and pulled Freddy Garcia perfectly before and after his arm surgery. When they know a pitcher, they know a pitcher. They knew Buehrle well enough to give him a big four-year contract, and they got their money back.
Their history of excellent judgment makes their relationship with Jake Peavy all the more curious. It became clear that Peavy couldn't resist pushing himself too hard well before he admitted he had a problem. Still, the Sox have never found a way to establish a system of checks and balances with The Glass Bulldog, mainly because they give him veto power for everything. Hell, they came up with a six-man rotation with the sole purpose of easing Peavy back into a regular starting job, and they caved in after just one challenge.
Maybe it's inevitable that Peavy will get injured, but had the Sox stuck to their guns instead of letting Peavy overrule them a half-dozen times, at least they would know they were powerless against the aging process.
It's really bizarre. Jerry Reinsdorf hated giving pitchers contracts longer than three years, and really, the Sox did a nice job of working around that constraint. So it was a huge moment when the Sox not only gave Buehrle a fourth year, but threw in a little bit of no-trade protection. It was a commitment that reflected their special bond.
Or at least it was supposed to be special. But then the Sox gave four years to Scott Linebrink when all other bidders stopped at three. With Peavy, Williams went out of his way to trade for a four-year deal that cost more than Buehrle's, and watched as his on-field staff made little effort to actually protect the investment.
We don't know if Buehrle will be around 2011, and it would suck if unrelated recklessness made him a budgetary impossibility. We do know the Sox are stuck with Peavy for one more year, and hopefully the Sox will decide to apply their Mark Smarts to Peavy whether or not Buehrle is back.
More From South Side Sox
2022 South Side Sox Hall of Fame Vote
Saving Major League Baseball From Itself
South Side Sox Top Prospect No. 80: Kade Mechals
Today in White Sox History: January 15
Saving Major League Baseball From Itself A competitive balancing act.
2022 South Side Sox Hall of Fame Vote Newcomer David Ortiz headlines a stacked ballot.
2022 South Side Sox Prospect Vote: Round 13 Bryan Ramos is voted the overall No. 12 prospect. Who is the 13th-best player in the White Sox system?
South Side Sox Top Prospect No. 80: Kade Mechals Grit and determination will see this righty making his pro debut in 2022.
Today in White Sox History: January 15 Two stellar starters cross in the night ...


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Q: Django: is there a way to know if a url is valid in the application? Here's my goal:

*

*the user wants to login

*I make a button on each page with the urlback as a parameter, for example if we are on the page http://olivier.life/today, the button to login will have an url like http://olivier.life/login?back=today

*the user logs in

*once the user is logged in, i check if there's a "back" in the "GET" request. if so then I make a redirect to the url in the GET
My problem is a security problem: I just want to know if the URL in the GET is part of my application (is valid for one of the URLs in the urls.py file).
How to do this?

A: You can use the urlresolver's resolve method, the method throws an exception if it can't resolve an URL, you can read more about urlresolver here:
from django.core.urlresolvers import resolve, Resolver404

def yourView(request):
  try:
    if hasattr(request.GET, 'back'):
      resolve(request.GET['back'])
      return HttpResponseRedirect(request.GET['back'])
  except Resolver404:
      return Response('some other thing')

A: Use resolve. There's an example that's very close to this use case in the docs. I think for your case you want something like:
def some_view(request):
    redirect_target = request.GET.get('back')
    if redirect_target:
        try:
            resolve_match = django.core.urlresolvers.resolve(redirect_target)
        except django.core.urlresolvers.Resolver404:
            # do something on bad input
        else:
            return django.shortcuts.redirect(redirect_target)
    else:
        # empty string redirect target, or not provided at all
        # do something else


text:
Q: how do I find/select image height from an img I created within a jQuery function inside that function? $("img").click(function () {
    $("#galleryImg").html("");
    var imgHeight = $("#galleryImg img").height();
}

The method I'm using right now is not working and I can't use $(this) because the image that I want the height from is different from the image I am clicking on. And to complicate it a little bit more, the image I want the height from is having its html img tag being created within the function.
The whole piece of code of the relevant area is as below
$("img").click(function () {
    $("div#blackOut").fadeTo(550, 0.8);
    $("div#whiteBox").fadeTo(550, 1);

    var browserHeight = $(window).height();
    var browserWidth = $(window).width();

    var imgName = $(this).attr("src");

    var imgArray = $(this).attr('src').split('\/');
    var selectedImg = imgArray[imgArray.length-1];

    $("#galleryImg").html("");

    $("#galleryImg img").load(function() {
        var thatHeight = $("#galleryImg img").height();

        alert(thatHeight);
    });

    var top = (browserHeight - (imgHeight + 50)) / 2;
    var width = imgHeight + 50;
    var marginLeft = -(width / 2);

    var top = top + "px";
    var width = width + "px";
    var marginLeft = marginLeft + "px";

    $("#whiteBox").css("top", top);
    $("#whiteBox").css("width", "width");
    $("#whiteBox").css("margin-left", "marginLeft");
});

A: You'll need to wait for the image to load before getting its height:
$("#galleryImg").html("");
$("#galleryImg img").load(function() {
    var imgHeight = $(this).height();
});


text:
Hollywood outshone at box office :: Homegrown movies dominated China's box office in 2013, as annual takings totaled $3.6 billion, up almost a third on 2012, official figures released on Wednesday showed.
url: http://edition.cnn.com/2014/01/09/world/asia/china-box-office-2013/index.html?eref�ition
China to ban indoor public smoking :: China, the world's largest tobacco consumer, is aiming to ban indoor smoking in public areas by the end of the year.
url: http://edition.cnn.com/2014/01/09/world/asia/china-smoking-ban/index.html?eref�ition
Fined $1.2M for having 3 kids :: Oscar-nominated Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou has been fined 7.48 million yuan ($1.2 million) for breaching China's one-child policy, authorities say.
url: http://edition.cnn.com/2014/01/09/world/asia/filmmaker-one-child-policy-fine/index.html?eref�ition
VIDEO: Has the Sun gone to sleep? :: Scientists are saying that the Sun is in a phase of "solar lull" - meaning that the Sun has fallen asleep - and it is baffling them. Rebecca Morelle reports.
Can you wake comet-chasing probe? :: Scientists are inviting you to take part in "waking up" Rosetta, the comet-chasing probe that has been in hibernation in space for nearly three years.
url: http://edition.cnn.com/2014/01/17/tech/rosetta-comet-chaser/index.html?eref�ition
Day in pictures: 17 January 2014 :: 24 hours of news photos: 17 January
VIDEO: Is this your future living room? :: Click's Dan Simmons explores Sony's Life Space UX which includes an ultra-high definition home projector and touchscreen mirror.
Does Hollywood have Latino problem? :: The headlines for the new season of ABC's hit show "The Bachelor" read, "Expect 'lots of Latino' fun." While it may seem harmless to portray Latinos as sexy, these typecasts limit the roles for actors in Hollywood, says actor Esai Morales.
url: http://edition.cnn.com/2014/01/17/showbiz/latino-stereotypes/index.html?eref�ition
So how much does Davos cost? :: The great Davos talking shop is now up and running, with delegates of all levels of importance, shapes and nationalities zeroing in on this quaint, alpine town to put the world to rights.
url: http://edition.cnn.com/2014/01/15/business/davos-wef-delegate-guide/index.html?eref�ition
Discover Davos in 60 seconds :: Central bankers and snowmen make their appearance at the World Economic Forum. Here are the highlights in 60 seconds.
url: http://edition.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/world/2013/01/25/natpkg-best-of-davos-day-four.cnn.html?eref�ition
A most exclusive gathering :: Business leaders, heads of government, entrepreneurs and even the odd celebrity will be rubbing fur and down-quilted shoulders at Europe's highest altitude town, Davos, for the World Economic Forum's annual meeting next week.
url: http://edition.cnn.com/2014/01/17/business/davos-the-worlds-most-exclusive-gathering/index.html?eref�ition
'Scratch-and-sniff' jeans launched :: A designer adds "scratch-and-sniff" technology to jeans, in an experiment designed to make people "smile".
Can Obama really fix NSA mess? :: Marc Rotenberg says give the president credit in signaling a new direction in the debate over civil liberties.
url: http://edition.cnn.com/2014/01/17/opinion/rotenberg-obama-nsa/index.html?eref�ition
Dozen killed in stampede :: A stampede at a religious gathering in northwestern China left 14 dead and 10 others injured on Sunday, China's state-run news agency Xinhua has reported, citing local government.
url: http://edition.cnn.com/2014/01/05/world/asia/china-stampede-deaths/index.html?eref�ition
Protesters clash with police at large Ukraine rally :: url: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/MostRead/~3/qhn2D5AAOg8/story01.htm
VIDEO: Meet Britain's energy thieves :: As energy prices increase, a growing number of people across the UK are choosing to steal their gas and electricity.
Analysis: After Target hack, Verifone smart card readers could shine :: url: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/MostRead/~3/HTtOXV776og/story01.htm
Interest rates 'should stay' at 0.5% :: Interest rates should be held at their current level, says economic forecaster the EY Item Club - despite the possibility of rapid improvements in the labour market.
VIDEO: Collector's cars are movie stars :: Gino Lucci has supplied cars for TV shows and movies for four decades. He spoke to the BBC about helping directors matching the star with the right on-screen car.
10 myths about WW1 debunked :: 10 biggest myths about World War One debunked
The Minnesota starvation experiment :: Why conscientious objectors volunteered to be starved for six months during World War Two.
Many adults have 'no-one to turn to' :: A third of UK adults have nobody to turn to in a crisis, a survey for the British Red Cross suggests.
De Niro casts spotlight on works of his artist father at Sundance :: url: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/INtopNews/~3/f-WiNpG3TsM/story01.htm
Robotic probe to awaken for comet rendezvous, landing :: url: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/INtopNews/~3/mVlgCNiYw38/story01.htm
U.S. studying rescue plans in case of crisis at Sochi Olympics :: url: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/INtopNews/~3/Es0ZSm8S23Q/story01.htm
Malaysia's God problem erupts, tarnishing moderate image :: url: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/INtopNews/~3/Dbe8WkiQOV8/story01.htm
Sharapova falls to Cibulkova at Melbourne Park :: url: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/INtopNews/~3/sAyLw5vzGjE/story01.htm
U.S. lawmaker investigates whether Russia behind Snowden's leaks :: url: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/INtopNews/~3/Oc9nPHSavUg/story01.htm
Gay Nigerians live in fear of new law :: Homosexuals now live in fear of Nigeria's strict new anti-gay laws. CNN's Vladimir Duthiers reports.
url: http://edition.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/world/2014/01/19/duthiers-nigeria-gay-fear.cnn.html?eref�ition
Dollar holds firm vs. euro; Aussie off lows after China GDP :: url: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/MostRead/~3/iQoiJXItTVk/story01.htm
20-Jan-2014 23:59 10
Ryan Budget Plan Draws GOP Flak :: House Republican leaders are drawing opposition from party members to the idea of revamping Medicare for more Americans than previously suggested.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324539404578342741269490544.html?mod=rss_Today's_Most_Popular
TSA to Allow Small Knives on Planes :: The Transportation Security Administration said it would soon allow fliers to carry certain smaller knives onto airplanes, one of the biggest moves to scale back airport-security measures since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.
Venezuela Leader Chávez Dies at 58 :: Hugo Chávez, a former tank commander turned populist politician who used Venezuela's oil riches to pursue his vision of socialism and challenge the U.S., died Tuesday from complications related to cancer.
Cardinals Raise Questions Over Report :: When cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel to elect a new pope, the chapel will become a fortress of the Holy See's most carefully guarded secrets. But there is one secret many of the cardinals themselves are trying to divine.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324178904578342552773070858.html?mod=rss_most_viewed_day_europe
Five Stocks Handled the Heavy Lifting :: Five blue-chip stocks have accounted for about one-third of the rally in the Dow since the financial crisis.
Beijing, U.S. Unveil New Korean Sanctions :: The U.S. and China introduced a new round of sanctions against North Korea at the United Nations that the U.S. said would significantly impede the development of Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs, in response to its test last month of an atomic bomb.
Venezuela Consults Cuban Playbook :: Hours before announcing Chávez's death, the government resorted to a ploy to try to unite his supporters: Talk of an alleged conspiracy by the U.S. to destabilize the country.
The Power of Negative Thinking :: Both ancient philosophy and modern psychology suggest that darker thoughts can make us happier, writes Oliver Burkeman.
Best of the Web Today: Not a Dictator :: President Obama's declaration of ineffectuality.
Technology Shapes Kenyan Elections :: The Internet and social media in Kenya, which played a central role in this year's elections by allowing Kenyans to question candidates, took on a new function Tuesday—spreading messages of peace to avert new bloodshed.
Apps Are Creating New Jobs :: Mobile apps have spawned new sets of jobs that people are performing without having to have a computer-science degree.
EU Fines Microsoft $732 Million :: Microsoft has been hit with a $732.2 million fine by European Union regulators after it broke its promise to offer millions of users of its Windows system a choice of rival Web browsers.
#SequesterThis :: Meat inspectors have to go, but fine wines are still on the USDA menu.
In defence of multivitamins - The Globe and Mail :: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/in-defence-of-multivitamins/article16386104/
Howard Marks On Luck and Market Efficiency - Barron's :: http://online.barrons.com/article/SB50001424053111904681004579326532181934464.html
Comet-chasing probe Rosetta woken up - Sky News Australia :: http://www.skynews.com.au/tech/article.aspx?id%3D943635%26vId%3D4310860%26cId%3DTech
Wendy Davis hits back at questions about bio - Politico :: http://www.politico.com/story/2014/01/wendy-davis-texas-governor-race-2014-102402.html?hp%3Df1
World's 85 richest have same wealth as 3.5 billion poorest - Ninemsn :: http://finance.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id%3D8786910
Birmingham mugging: Police release street attack CCTV - BBC News :: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25810333
With capitalism under threat, business must relearn a simple principle - Telegraph.co.uk :: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/jeremy-warner/10585344/With-capitalism-under-threat-business-must-relearn-a-simple-principle.html
Labour plan to pay more dole if you have worked for five years - Telegraph.co.uk :: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/10584248/Labour-plan-to-pay-more-dole-if-you-have-worked-for-five-years.html
Kelly Clarkson Reveals the Gender of Her Baby :: http://feeds.abcnews.com/c/35229/f/654843/s/3624fd60/sc/17/l/0Labcnews0Bgo0N0Cblogs0Centertainment0C20A140C0A10Ckelly0Eclarkson0Eannounces0Eshes0Ehaving0Ea0Ebaby0Egirl0C/story01.htm
'Shipping Wars' Star Roy Garber Dies at 49 :: http://feeds.abcnews.com/c/35229/f/654843/s/362482d5/sc/17/l/0Labcnews0Bgo0N0Cblogs0Centertainment0C20A140C0A10Cshipping0Ewars0Estar0Eroy0Egarber0Edies0Eat0E490C/story01.htm
5 Best Moments at Screen Actors Guild Awards :: http://feeds.abcnews.com/c/35229/f/654843/s/3624f742/sc/14/l/0Labcnews0Bgo0N0Cblogs0Centertainment0C20A140C0A10C50Ebest0Emoments0Eat0Escreen0Eactors0Eguild0Eawards0C/story01.htm
Who Is Richard Sherman? Seahawk Cornerback More Than Just an Angry Rant :: http://feeds.abcnews.com/c/35229/f/654843/s/362344bf/sc/13/l/0Labcnews0Bgo0N0Cblogs0Cheadlines0C20A140C0A10Cwho0Eis0Erichard0Esherman0Eseahawk0Ecornerback0Emore0Ethan0Ejust0Ean0Eangry0Erant0C/story01.htm
Khloe Kardashian Says 'I'm a Shattered Person' :: http://feeds.abcnews.com/c/35229/f/654843/s/362344c2/sc/38/l/0Labcnews0Bgo0N0Cblogs0Centertainment0C20A140C0A10Ckhloe0Ekardashian0Esays0Eim0Ea0Eshattered0Eperson0Eon0Ekeeping0Eup0Ewith0Ethe0Ekardashians0C/story01.htm
Juveniles Facing Lifelong Terms Despite Rulings :: The Supreme Court acted in 2010 and 2012 to curtail the use of mandatory life sentences for juveniles, but experts say most states have taken half-measures to carry out the rulings.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/20/us/juveniles-facing-lifelong-terms-despite-rulings.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
Say Goodbye to the 4% Rule for Retirement :: If markets don't cooperate, the conventional wisdom on how much you can withdraw from your nest egg each year can fall short. What are the alternatives? Here are three of them.
VIDEO: House of Commons :: MPs are taking part in a backbench business debate on payday loan companies.
Death of official's wife grips India :: Indian Minister Shashi Tharoor's wife is found dead in a luxury hotel after accusing him of being unfaithful.
url: http://edition.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/world/2014/01/20/pkg-udas-india-death.cnn-ap.html?eref�ition
'Smart' fridge among over 100000 devices hacked to send out spam - NDTV :: http://gadgets.ndtv.com/internet/news/smart-fridge-among-over-100000-devices-hacked-to-send-out-spam-473460
1st Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover Model, 50 Years Later :: http://feeds.abcnews.com/c/35229/f/654843/s/36209f51/sc/4/l/0Labcnews0Bgo0N0Cblogs0Centertainment0C20A140C0A10Cthe0Efirst0Esports0Eillustrated0Eswimsuit0Ecover0Emodel0E50A0Eyears0Elater0C/story01.htm
Sex and the French :: Press reports about the French president's complicated love life highlight the difference between Anglo-Saxon and Gallic attitudes towards adultery, but above all appetite, writes Adam Gopnik.
Car boss who swapped Ford for speed :: The car boss who gave up a top job at Ford to lead tiny McLaren
The Minnesota starvation experiment :: The men who lost a quarter of their weight for a wartime experiment
Turn back the clock for Roger Federer - ESPN :: http://espn.go.com/tennis/aus14/story/_/id/10321769/australian-open-turn-back-clock-roger-federer-jo-wilfried-tsonga
French football stars Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema's underage prostitution ... - ABC Online :: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-01-21/french-football-stars-commence-underage-prostitution-trial/5210050
Manchester United's summer tour plans to USA on hold as they risk having to ... - Telegraph.co.uk :: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/10584059/Manchester-Uniteds-summer-tour-plans-to-USA-on-hold-as-they-risk-having-to-tackle-Europa-League-qualification.html
Putin: Gays safe but leave kids alone :: Russia's Vladimir Putin says gay visitors to the Sochi Olympics will not be targeted but then he added: "You can feel safe and free here, but please leave our children in peace."
url: http://edition.cnn.com/2014/01/17/world/europe/russia-putin-sochi/index.html?eref�ition
VIDEO: House of Commons :: MPs are debating the Intellectual Property Bill at second reading.
20-Jan-2014 19:55 Op-Ed
Contributing Op-Ed Writer: Sex and the Single Senior :: Older people, with little interest in protection, have more S.T.D's.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/19/opinion/sunday/emanuel-sex-and-the-single-senior.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
Op-Ed Columnist: Obama's Homework Assignment :: As he prepares his State of the Union address, he might get some inspiration from his secretary of education.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/19/opinion/sunday/friedman-obamas-homework-assignment.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
Op-Ed Columnist: An Unsung Hero of Civil Rights :: Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. and lift a glass to Bill McCulloch. (Who?)
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/20/opinion/keller-an-unsung-hero-of-civil-rights.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
Op-Ed Columnist: The Undeserving Rich :: Why you can't lump the plutocrats in with the upper middle class.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/20/opinion/krugman-the-undeserving-rich.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
Op-Ed Contributor: The 'How Are You?' Culture Clash :: Americans are "fine." Ask a Russian, and you'll get much more: the truth.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/20/opinion/the-how-are-you-culture-clash.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
Op-Ed Contributor: Fixing Disability Courts :: In my courtroom, it is far too easy for claimants to cheat.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/20/opinion/fixing-disability-courts.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
Op-Ed Contributor: Life as a Female Journalist: Hot or Not? :: Men are also attacked, but their bodies aren't the target.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/20/opinion/life-as-a-female-journalist-hot-or-not.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
Study doubts quantum computer speed :: A new academic study has raised doubts about the performance of a commercial quantum computer in certain circumstances.
How clever Chelsea saw off Man Utd threat :: Chelsea dealt with Manchester United's pace then punished their poor defending, says Robbie Savage
url: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25802415


A modern take on the traditional Nativity set interpreted as kokeshi dolls. This Christmas, the Nativity set is complete when adding the Wisemen to the range of kokeshi dolls. The three colorful characters have a minimalistic touch which makes them ideal as Christmas decoration for the contemporary home with a twist of humor combined with classic traditions.
A modern take on the traditional Nativity set interpreted as kokeshi dolls. The Nativity set is complete when adding the Wisemen to the range of kokeshi dolls. The three colorful characters have a minimalistic touch which makes them ideal as Christmas decoration for the contemporary home with a twist of humor combined with classic traditions.
Combining geometric expression, Japanese illustration and Nordic aesthetics, it'll make a lovely addition to any home.
Ships signed and in his own drawstring bag.


"Your message sounds like you are in genuinely in great distress. Then channel that d…"
"It is not good to give charity to an unworthy person. If you give money to a drunkar…"
Yajnavalkya dasa (ACBSP) replied Feb 5 to does curses (from street begger or like enunches) have any impact on our life???
"Please read the book "In Vaikuntha, Not Even the Leaves Fall" by Satyanarayana dasa…"
"Your statement that "if we can still take eggs because we can get Vitamin B12" impli…"
Yajnavalkya dasa (ACBSP) replied Nov 14, 2018 to Help! How do I stay healthy being on a Krishnatarian diet?
"It is absolutely offensive to take a "selfie" with the Deity in the background. You…"


Playmates Toys is presenting the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Training Event on Saturday, October 25th at Wal-Mart stores across the country, giving kids the opportunity to role-play one of their favorite green heroes. During the event, kids will be able to train with motion-activated toys that resemble Leonardo's Sword, Michelangelo's Nunchaku, Donatello's Bo Staff or Raphael's Sai.
Young martial arts students can master ninja moves while maintaining the mutual respect and safety of their opponents (Their motion-activated "ninja devices" are plastic, and designed with safe fun in mind). Upon completing their training, students will be declared an "official" Ninja Warrior. The first 250 participants at each store will receive a certificate proclaiming them a member of Team Green -- Cowabunga!
An exclusive Wal-Mart program developed by Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles brand licensing agent 4Kids Entertainment, this event offers kids an array of in-store fun celebrating the popular Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles role-play toys from Playmates Toys.
"We are delighted to join Wal-Mart and 4Kids Entertainment to launch this exciting one-day promotional event supporting our Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles line," said Jill Will, senior vice president of Marketing for Playmates Toys. "This event is certain to be a big hit with kids."
Playmates Toys Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles toy line and accessories are based on the all-new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series airing Saturday mornings on Fox Box (Sundays in certain markets). Now in its second season on Fox Box, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is among the most-watched animated programs in Saturday morning kids television.
"Playmates action figures and accessories reflect the new look of the Turtles, their friends and foes -- and the coolest vehicles to ever hit the streets of New York," added Will.
Playmates Toys manufactures and distributes a range of girls' and boys' toys, activity and novelty electronic products based upon character-rich licensed entertainment properties.
Headquartered in New York City with international offices in London, 4Kids Entertainment is a global provider of children's entertainment and merchandise licensing.


text:
package main

import (
	"context"
	"flag"
	"fmt"
	"log"
	"sync"

	"cloud.google.com/go/pubsub"
	"cloud.google.com/go/pubsublite/pscompat"
	"golang.org/x/sync/errgroup"
)

func main() {
	// NOTE: Set these flags for an existing Pub/Sub Lite topic when running this
	// sample.
	projectID := flag.String("project_id", "", "Cloud Project ID")
	zone := flag.String("zone", "", "Cloud Zone where the topic resides, e.g. us-central1-a")
	topicID := flag.String("topic_id", "", "Existing Pub/Sub Lite topic")
	messageCount := flag.Int("message_count", 100, "The number of messages to send")
	flag.Parse()

	ctx := context.Background()
	topicPath := fmt.Sprintf("projects/%s/locations/%s/topics/%s", *projectID, *zone, *topicID)

	// Create the publisher client.
	publisher, err := pscompat.NewPublisherClient(ctx, topicPath)
	if err != nil {
		log.Fatalf("pscompat.NewPublisherClient error: %v", err)
	}

	// Ensure the publisher will be shut down.
	defer publisher.Stop()

	// Collect any messages that need to be republished with a new publisher
	// client.
	var toRepublish []*pubsub.Message
	var toRepublishMu sync.Mutex

	// Publish messages. Messages are automatically batched.
	g := new(errgroup.Group)
	for i := 0; i < *messageCount; i++ {
		msg := &pubsub.Message{
			Data: []byte(fmt.Sprintf("message-%d", i)),
		}
		result := publisher.Publish(ctx, msg)

		g.Go(func() error {
			// Get blocks until the result is ready.
			id, err := result.Get(ctx)
			if err != nil {
				// NOTE: A failed PublishResult indicates that the publisher client
				// encountered a fatal error and has permanently terminated. After the
				// fatal error has been resolved, a new publisher client instance must
				// be created to republish failed messages.
				fmt.Printf("Publish error: %v\n", err)
				toRepublishMu.Lock()
				toRepublish = append(toRepublish, msg)
				toRepublishMu.Unlock()
				return err
			}

			// Metadata decoded from the id contains the partition and offset.
			metadata, err := pscompat.ParseMessageMetadata(id)
			if err != nil {
				fmt.Printf("Failed to parse message metadata %q: %v\n", id, err)
				return err
			}
			fmt.Printf("Published: partition=%d, offset=%d\n", metadata.Partition, metadata.Offset)
			return nil
		})
	}
	if err := g.Wait(); err != nil {
		fmt.Printf("Publishing finished with error: %v\n", err)
	}
	fmt.Printf("Published %d messages\n", *messageCount-len(toRepublish))

	// Print the error that caused the publisher client to terminate (if any),
	// which may contain more context than PublishResults.
	if err := publisher.Error(); err != nil {
		fmt.Printf("Publisher client terminated due to error: %v\n", publisher.Error())
	}
}

// [END pubsublite_quickstart_publisher]


The Council's Clean Streets (Enforcement) Team is continuing to work hard at combating environmental crime within Lewisham Borough. There is constant proactive enforcement activity taking place around all parts of the borough with a recent weekend waste operation being very successful in catching offenders in Catford, Deptford, Forest Hill, Lewisham & Sydenham.
Since 1st August 2015 over 100 individuals (including business owners) have been fined for waste offences committed borough wide. Officers have also issued more than 20 fines for fly-posting offences committed at various locations. Last week a major serial fly-tipper who had been blighting the Brockley Environment with his criminal activity was found guilty of fly-tipping at Bexley Magistrates Court and sentenced to a fine & costs just short of £3500.
Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: don't flytip in Lewisham, Flytippers beware, Flytippers in Lewisham WILL be prosecuted, flytipping, flytipping in Lewisham, Lewisham fine flytippers, Lewisham flytipping | Permalink.


text:
Jan and Cora Gordon in pre-WW1 Munich
I have written before (October 2014, March 2015) on the pre-WW1 stay of the Gordons at 57 Belgradstrasse, Munich and the diverse and creative company at the Fürmanns' Munich boarding house.
Cora Gordon (1950) had written, "The Pension Fürmann was then famous as the abode of the liveliest and most impoverished students, sub-editors, teachers and cranks of the city [Dering 1998]. Fürmann, a fatherly man with a kind eye and a formidable chin, had in his youth emigrated to America. On returning he inherited a small farm situated in the bohemian and formerly outlying part of the town. He added to the building and for three marks (2s. 6d.) a day you got a room and excellent board with high jinks and dancing on Saturday evenings. Once a month we paid two marks each towards the fee of a little peasant dance orchestra and also enjoyed a barrel of beer in the kitchen." "Those monthly balls were treated by us as great occasions for which we designed fancy dresses and made quite elaborate decorations."
Here, I want to share some similar observations by René Prévot (1880-1955), an Alsatian writer and journalist who stayed in Munich between 1902 and 1955. The following is my approximate translation from Prévot (1954):
"What could be better than to be a boarder with Father Fürmann? One can no longer find the magic of that environment today. The modern boarding house provides insulation from others. At Pension Fürmann there were only individualists - but without insulation. You could not be a lone wolf; you had to have an inclination to connect with your fellow human beings. The two prime rooms before me had been occupied by none other than Ricarda Huch [I wonder if this was 1912 or later]. As "Pension swank number I", I looked through five windows on three sides. This view plus an intoxicating scent of lilac on May nights, plus three meals per day, plus countless dance festivals including punch, plus Saturday afternoons dances with coffee and cake, to which you also could invite acquaintances, cost ... well, what was the cost of this fortunate Fürmann experience? Ninety marks a month. You could pay even less for something more limited. The lanky cartoonist Engert [I think this must be Ernst Moritz Engert], who lived in a tiny asbestos shack in which he could, at best, stretch out on the diagonal, paid only fifty-five marks, all inclusive. Fürmann did not employ craftsmen and if he wanted one he requisitioned a suitable boarding guest. In this respect, he commanded us like a tribal chief. And so one day saw me sitting on the ridge of the house as a roofer."
57 Belgradstrasse in1912 (Monacensia München)
57 Belgradstrasse today
Prévot's account adds two new names to the cast of characters previously deciphered; "Art students, decorators, poets, philosophers, doctors of law and science, even a rapscallion Dalmatian priest ..... Great men, such as Rhoda Rhoda the columnist, Michel the poet, Pascin.."
Ernst Moritz Engert. Ernst Moritz Engert (1892-1986) was a silhouette artist, born in Japan, who lived in Munich from 1908 to 1911.
Bertram Hartman (1882-1960) studied at the Royal Academy in Munich before returning to New York where he became known for still-lifes, landscapes and scenes of New York City. A number of paintings by Hartman are signed "C Bertram Hartman München" and dated 1912 or 1913.
Ricarda Huch. Ricarda Huch (1864-1947) was an authoress, philosopher and historian. She used the pseudonym Richard Hugo.
Albert Michel. "Michel the poet" was the Expressionist writer and poet Albert Michel (1877-1915) who was killed on the Western Front in June 1915.
Jules Pascin. "Pascin" was the Bulgarian Julius Mordecai Pincas (1885-1930). When the Gordons knew him in Munich he was an illustrator for Jugend. He moved from Germany to Paris in 1905, where he was part of the group that used to meet at the Café du Dome. Depressed by critical reaction to his work he committed suicide in Paris in 1930. He was compared to his friend Modigliani as standing in "the great tradition of the romantic, bohemian artist."
- Dering, Florian: Die Pension Fürmann, in: Bauer, Helmut u. Elisabeth Tworek (Hrsg.): Schwabing. Kunst und Leben um 1900. München 1998, S.85-91
- Gordon, G.J. and C.J. 1929. On Wandering Wheels. John Lane the Bodley Head Ltd.
- Gordon, C.J. 1950. The Artist as a Traveller. In: Michael, M.A. Ed, Traveller's Quest, pp. 127-147. William Hodge and Company, London.
- Prévot, René. 1954. Kleiner Schwärm für Schwabylon. München.
- Smith, R.D.A. 2014 (October 3). Jan and Cora Gordon: Coney Island and a German Bohemia.
- Smith, R.D.A. 2015 (March 15). Jan and Cora Gordon with Luise and Heinrich Fürmann in pre-WW1 Munich.


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The Deep Sea Conservation Coalition today slammed a decision by the London-based Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) to certify the New Zealand deep-water bottom trawl fishery for orange roughy as "sustainable" and "well managed". MSC describes its certified fish as "responsibly caught".
A controversial and damning report showing that the New Zealand fishing industry were dumping fish was excluded from consideration during the certification process. The paper includes details of under-reporting, dumping of fish and misreporting of orange roughy. The report showed that the real catch was 2.7 times the reported catch. Also excluded from consideration was a New Zealand government report stating that the New Zealand government had known about fish dumping and discarding issues for many years.
"It is unfortunate that the key New Zealand government report revealing massive under-reporting of catch, and a slew of scientific reports, were ruled inadmissible by MSC," said DSCC lawyer Duncan Currie.


text:
Watch Joe Biden's DNC Speech Highlights
Watch the Highlights From Joe Biden's Speech at the 2020 Democratic National Convention
By Madison Feller Published: Aug 21, 2020
On the final night of the virtual Democratic National Convention, Joe Biden formally accepted the nomination for president, more than three decades after he first ran for the office. Biden was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1972 and stayed until 2009, when he joined President Barack Obama's office as vice president for eight years. Now, Biden is finally leading the ticket, and another historic one at that, with vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris at his side.
After a week-long slate of political heavyweights, Biden finished out the convention with a speech of his own, talking to the nation about the crises we are all facing: the pandemic, the recession, the calls for racial justice, and the threats of climate change. He conveyed his vision for the future of America, one of light and hope.
Below, some of the highlights from Biden's speech:
Joe Biden says President Trump "has cloaked America in darkness for much too long. ... Here and now, I give you my word: If you entrust me with the presidency, I will draw on the best of us, not the worst. I will be an ally of the light, not the darkness." https://t.co/Jp3G0FxFDT pic.twitter.com/PE0mtwHWgb
— CNN (@CNN) August 21, 2020
"The current president has cloaked America in darkness for much too long. Too much anger, too much fear, too much division. Here and now, I give you my word: If you entrust me with the presidency, I will draw on the best of us, not the worst. I will be an ally of the light, not the darkness. It's time for us, for we the people, to come together. And make no mistake, united we can and will overcome this season of darkness in America."
Joe Biden says November's presidential election could be life-changing. "Character is on the ballot. Compassion is on the ballot. Decency, science, democracy. They're all on the ballot. Who we are as a nation. ... And the choice could not be more clear." https://t.co/9q3jjLVDk3 pic.twitter.com/D5qo1T23KE
"All elections are important, but we know in our bones, this one is more consequential. As many have said, America is at an inflection point, a time of real peril, but also extraordinary possibilities. We can choose a path of becoming angrier, less hopeful, more divided, a path of shadow and suspicion, or we can choose a different path and together, take this chance to heal, to reform, to unite, a path of hope and light. This is a life-changing election. This will determine what America's going to look life for a long, long time. Character is on the ballot. Compassion is on the ballot. Decency, science, democracy—they're all on the ballot. Who we are as a nation. What we stand for, and most importantly, who we want to be. That's all on the ballot. And the choice could not be more clear."
"I understand how hard it is to have any hope right now. On this summer night let me take a moment to speak to those of you who have lost the most. "
Few people can relate to the collective grief of a nation like @JoeBiden. pic.twitter.com/hutWULnpVm
— Pod Save America (@PodSaveAmerica) August 21, 2020
"I understand how hard it is to have any hope right now. On this summer night, let me take a moment to speak to those of you who have lost the most. I have some idea how it feels to lose someone you love. I know that deep black hole that opens up in the middle of your chest, and you feel like you're being sucked into it. I know how mean, cruel, and unfair life can be sometimes. But I've learned two things: First, your loved one may have left this earth, but they'll never leave your heart. They'll always be with you, you'll always hear them. And second, I've found the best way through pain and loss and grief is to find purpose."
"It's with great honor and humility, I accept this nomination for President of the United States of America," Joe Biden says, adding, "this is not a partisan moment. This must be an American moment" https://t.co/Y28PYli2r6 pic.twitter.com/JFErcifj8V
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) August 21, 2020
"While I'll be a Democratic candidate, I'll be an American president. I'll work hard for those who didn't support me, as hard for them as I did for those who did vote for me. That's the job of a president, to represent all of us, not just our base or our party. This is not a partisan moment. This must be an American moment."
As @JoeBiden reminds us, character, compassion, decency—they're all on the ballot in November. Who we are and who we want to be are on the line. pic.twitter.com/Vo2lJuSzWn
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) August 21, 2020
"This campaign isn't just about winning votes. It's about winning the heart, and yes, the soul, of America. Winning it for the generous among us, not the selfish. Winning it for workers who keep this country going, not just the privileged few at the top. Winning it for those communities who've known the injustice of a knee on the neck. For all the young people who've known only America being of rising inequity and shrinking opportunity. They deserve the experience of America's promise."
Joe Biden: "Let us begin you and I together, one nation under God. United in our love for America. United in our love for each other, for love is more powerful than hate, hope is more powerful than fear and light is more powerful than dark." https://t.co/6DLWHOY082 #DemConvention pic.twitter.com/aFx4EKk6qw
— ABC News (@ABC) August 21, 2020
"This is our moment to make hope and history rhyme, with passion and purpose. Let us begin, you and I together, one nation under God. United in our love for America. United in our love for each other. For love is more powerful than hate. Hope is more powerful than fear, and light is more powerful than dark. This is our moment. This is our mission. May history be able to say that the end of this chapter of American darkness began here tonight."
"I will be a President who will stand with our allies, and friends, and make it clear to our adversaries, that the days of cozying up to dictators is over."
Joe Biden calls out President Trump over his foreign policies and his role as commander-in-chief. #DemConvention pic.twitter.com/Guaanr5Und
— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) August 21, 2020
"I'll always stand for our values of human rights and dignity. I'll work in common purpose for a more secure, peaceful, and prosperous world. History has thrust one more urgent task on us. Will we be the generation that finally wipes out the stain on racism from our national character? I believe we're up to it. I believe we're ready. Just a week ago yesterday was the third anniversary of the events in Charlottesville. Close your eyes. Remember what you saw on television. Remember seeing those neo-Nazis and Klansmen and white supremacists coming out of fields with lighted torches, veins bulging, spewing the same Antisemitic bile heard across Europe in the '30s. Remember the violent clash that ensued between those spreading hate and those with the courage to stand against it. And remember what the President said when asked? He said there were 'very fine people on both sides.' It was a wake-up call for us as a country and, for me, a call to action. At that moment, I knew I'd have to run."
From: ELLE US
Madison Feller
Madison is a senior writer/editor at ELLE.com, covering news, politics, and culture. When she's not on the internet, you can most likely find her taking a nap or eating banana bread.