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RTL Group
Revenue Breakdown
RTL Group saw a positive business development, further growing its revenues and earnings. Sales rose by 3.5 percent to a new record level of €6.2 billion (previous year: €6.0 billion). This growth was fueled primarily by the fast-growing digital businesses, Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland and Groupe M6. Operating EBITDA also reached a new high, rising by 3.7 percent to €1.4 billion (previous year: €1.4 billion), driven by Groupe M6 and Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland. The increase at Groupe M6 was mainly due to a positive effect from the gradual phase-out of the M6 Mobile contract. RTL Group's overall EBITDA margin was 22.5 percent (previous year: 22.5 percent). Most of the relevant European TV advertising markets developed positively.
Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland once again generated record revenues and operating EBITDA. Higher advertising income from the TV and digital businesses, the expansion of the online video marketing sector and higher platform revenues contributed to this growth. Although UEFA Euro 2016 and the Olympics were aired by public broadcasters, Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland's family of channels recorded a stable collective audience share of 28.4 percent (previous year: 28.4 percent) in the main target group, simultaneously increasing the company's lead over the largest commercial competitor to 3.1 percentage points (previous year: 1.7 percentage points).
In France, Groupe M6 increased its revenues primarily through higher income from TV advertising. The flagship channel M6 improved its average audience share to 16.0 percent (previous year: 15.4 percent), boosted among other things by the broadcast of 11 European Soccer Championship matches. RTL Nederland generated higher revenues, largely thanks to increased distribution revenues; operating EBITDA was down due to lower TV advertising revenues and higher costs.
Fremantle Media recorded a slight revenue decline due to negative currency effects, but increased its operating result thanks to higher earnings contributions from Asia and Fremantle Media International. The game show "Family Feud" was a big hit with audiences in the United States.
In 2016, RTL Group continued to invest in its three strategic pillars of broadcasting, content and digital. RTLplus became the most successful channel launch in recent years. In December 2016, the channel already had a market share of 0.9 percent in the target group of viewers aged 14 to 59. Fremantle Media acquired a majority holding in the production company Abot Hameiri and also bought stakes in Eureka Productions, Dr Pluto, Wild Blue Media and Dancing Ledge. The UFA Fiction series "Deutschland 83" continued its international success with audiences and critics, as did the Wildside production "The Young Pope," which became the most popular premiere for a new series on Sky in Italy and launched on Canal+ as its number-one new international drama of 2016 in France.
Thanks to strong organic and acquisitive growth, the digital businesses for the first time contributed more than 10 percent to RTL Group's total revenues, having grown their revenues by 32 percent to €670 million. This was primarily due to BroadbandTV, StyleHaul and SpotX – the businesses bundled in the RTL Digital Hub – all of which saw dynamic growth. Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland strengthened its position in the digital advertising sector by acquiring a majority stake in the online video marketer Smartclip.
Revenues by Region in percent (without intercompany revenues)
Revenues by Category in percent
Penguin Random House delivered a strong bestseller performance in 2016, led by the multimillion-selling Paula Hawkins thriller "The Girl on the Train" and the Jojo Moyes novels "Me Before You" and "After You." The group's business performance was impacted by the expected decline in e-book sales in the United States and the United Kingdom due mostly to new retail sales terms.
Including Verlagsgruppe Random House, the German publishing group wholly owned by Bertelsmann, Penguin Random House achieved a turnover of €3.4 billion in 2016 (previous year: €3.7 billion), reflecting a year-on-year decline of 9.6 percent. The revenue decline was mainly due to negative currency effects and portfolio changes, as well as lower sales of print and e-books. It was partly offset by fewer returns and positive developments in the audio formats. The book group's operating EBITDA fell by 3.6 percent to €537 million (previous year: €557 million); higher savings from the integration process and lower other costs had a positive effect on earnings. The EBITDA margin was increased again to 16.0 percent (previous year: 15.0 percent).
In the United States, Penguin Random House publishers had 585 print and e-book titles in the "New York Times" bestseller lists last year, including 101 at number one. In addition to the novels by Hawkins and Moyes, the year's biggest sellers across print, audio and digital formats included John Grisham's "The Whistler," Colson Whitehead's "The Underground Railroad" and Paul Kalanithi's "When Breath Becomes Air." Multititle Dr. Seuss classics sold more than 11 million copies.
In the United Kingdom, Penguin Random House published 40 percent of all top 10 titles on the "Sunday Times" weekly bestseller lists. Top sellers included Lee Child's "Night School," the classic children's books "The BFG" and "Matilda" by Roald Dahl, Jeff Kinney's "Wimpy Kid" series and Jamie Oliver's cookbooks, as well as the Hawkins and Moyes titles.
Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial benefited from rising e-book sales, a strong new-title list, and net savings from its merger integration. In Spain, the Group grew its market share; in Latin America, the business outperformed the market in a challenging macro-economic environment.
In Germany, Verlagsgruppe Random House maintained its market-leading position. The publishing group had 379 titles on the "Spiegel" bestseller lists, including 17 at number one. Its bestselling authors included Jonas Jonasson, Charlotte Link and Juli Zeh.
Numerous Penguin Random House authors won internationally renowned awards last year, including Pulitzer Prizes for General Nonfiction, History and Autobiography and the National Book Award for Fiction.
Bertelsmann owns 53 percent of shares in Penguin Random House; Pearson 47 percent.
Gruner + Jahr
Despite expenditure on the transformation to digital, Gruner + Jahr achieved an earnings turnaround by improving its operating profit year on year. Revenues dipped 1.9 percent to €1.6 billion (previous year: €1.6 billion), impacted both by the general trend in the print advertising and sales market and by changes to the portfolio, including in Austria and Spain. However, the growth in digital revenues nearly compensated for these organic and portfolio-driven effects. Overall, the digital share of total revenues in the core markets of Germany and France increased strongly. Operating EBITDA improved by 4.6 percent to €137 million (previous year: €131 million), driven mainly by the businesses in Germany. Against this backdrop, the EBITDA margin rose to 8.7 percent (previous year: 8.1 percent).
Thanks to further investments, G+J improved its revenues as well as its results in Germany. Print advertising sales were nearly stable, while sales revenues rose slightly. G+J Germany's digital revenues saw strong growth. This dynamic development was fueled by significantly higher ad sales for the brand websites, as well as the performance marketer Ligatus. Beyond this, there were in-house developments – such as the AppLike marketing platform – as well as purchases, including Ligatus's acquisition of the tech company LiquidM. The three largest G+J websites – "Stern," "Gala" and "Brigitte" – each achieved record reach. G+J Germany also launched the multichannel video network Club of Cooks and expanded its e-commerce activities with the "Schöner Wohnen" shop.
New titles launched during the last two years – including "Barbara" and "Stern Crime" – and the Deutsche Medien- Manufaktur offerings also contributed to the revenue growth. The subsidiary cofounded with the Landwirtschaftsverlag publishing company began its work and successfully launched two new magazines: "Essen & Trinken mit Thermomix" and "Wolf."
During the reporting period, G+J formed Germany's largest content communication service provider: Territory. Through investments into ventures such as the Webguerillas digital agency, Territory contributed to G+J Germany's revenue growth, as did Deutscher Pressevertrieb, which consolidated its market position by acquiring Axel Springer Vertriebsservice. The DDV Media Group also grew its revenues and results as it expanded its new businesses.
G+J EMS teamed up with the RTL subsidiary IP Deutschland to form the Ad Alliance. Under this umbrella, the marketing agents will develop cross-genre concepts, meaning that the two Bertelsmann subsidiaries now reach 99 percent of the German population in high-end journalistic environments with their portfolios.
In France, Prisma Media's revenues and earnings remained largely stable. Declines in the print division were nearly entirely offset by the digital business, which increased its revenues significantly. By acquiring Groupe Cerise, Prisma Media took over an international digital media company with high growth potential, while also securing the market leadership in terms of video reach among the country's publishing companies.
Bertelsmann's music subsidiary BMG saw sustained growth in the publishing and recorded music business and continued its internationalization. Revenues rose by 12.2 percent to €416 million (previous year: €371 million), both organic and acquisitive. This development was driven by the publishing business in the United Kingdom, Australia and continental Europe; a strong recorded music business in continental Europe, the United States and the United Kingdom; and the worldwide increase in revenue from streaming offerings. Operating EBITDA rose by 13.1 percent to €95 million (previous year: €84 million), thanks to the development in the United Kingdom and the United States. The EBITDA margin increased to 22.8 percent (previous year: 22.6 percent).
BMG strengthened its international presence, opening branches in Australia and Brazil. In all, BMG now has operations in countries that account for 75 percent of the global music market. Only a few months after its market entry in Australia, BMG concluded its takeover of the music operations of Alberts, one of the country's foremost music companies. In China, BMG expanded its collaboration with the Alibaba Music Group to make it easier for international artists to access to the country's digital music platforms.
Among the most important clients newly signed to BMG during the fiscal year was Pink Floyd founder and songwriter Roger Waters. BMG now represents Waters's publishing interests in the Pink Floyd catalog, which includes the titles "Money," "Another Brick in the Wall" and "Comfortably Numb." Artists including Pitbull, Jamiroquai and Robin Schulz also chose to have BMG represent their publishing rights going forward. In the recorded music business, BMG signed artists including Blink-182, Nickelback, Rick Astley, A Perfect Circle and Max Giesinger.
Furthermore, BMG strengthened its portfolio through a series of acquisitions and catalog acquisitions. In the United Kingdom, for example, the acquisition of a majority stake in the ARC Music publishing catalog secured the rights to songs by artists including Chuck Berry, the Beach Boys and John Lee Hooker. Here, the company also expanded its business with the acquisition of Blondie's catalog and acquired a publishing catalog from the BBC. BMG also largely completed the consolidation of its worldwide distribution of digital and physical recorded music.
Many BMG contract partners celebrated creative successes in 2016. In publishing, BMG songwriters helped international artists like Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Rihanna and David Guetta storm the charts. BMG also benefited from the success of its clients, including Frank Ocean, Robbie Williams, DJ Snake, Kings of Leon and Mick Jagger and Keith Richards from the Rolling Stones. The company's continued expansion of its recorded music business was accompanied by chart-topping releases – BMG went to the top of the UK charts with Rick Astley's album "50" and to number one in both the United States and Britain with the album "California" by Blink-182.
Arvato
Arvato recorded a very positive business performance in 2016, with nearly all Solution Groups growing their revenues and results. Arvato's revenues rose by 1.4 percent to €3.8 billion (previous year: €3.8 billion). Despite economic challenges in a few markets, operating EBITDA increased by 14.7 percent to €359 million (previous year: €313 million); all Solution Groups contributed to this. The EBITDA margin improved to 9.4 percent, after 8.3 percent in the previous year.
Effective January 1, 2016, the printing and replication businesses that were previously part of Arvato were transferred to the newly created Bertelsmann Printing Group. At the same time, the communications agency Medienfabrik was assigned to Gruner + Jahr. The reorganization served to strengthen the focus on services within the Arvato Solution Groups, which first showed an impact in the 2016 reporting year.
Arvato CRM Solutions significantly increased both its revenues and earnings in the 2016 financial year. This growth was fueled mainly by new customer acquisitions in the core business areas of IT/Internet and Tourism and the further internationalization of the business. A service center that can accommodate around 1,400 employees was opened in Gurgaon, India.
Arvato SCM Solutions massively expanded its European logistics network, reflecting its excellent order situation. Among other things, a new distribution center in Gennep, Netherlands, was put into operation, the cornerstone was laid for the building of a new site in Dorsten and the logistics site at the Gütersloh headquarters was expanded. Beyond this, the Solution Group expanded its services businesses in sectors such as e-commerce, fashion & beauty, and healthcare. Moreover, it significantly strengthened its North American business by taking over deliveries to the United States for a major high-tech client.
Arvato Financial Solutions, the financial services businesses arm, also reported positive revenues and earnings. This solid business performance was mainly due to the provision of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) services for international customers, the further rollout of the subsidiary AfterPay in Europe and a steadily growing business in the core market of Germany. To further consolidate its power to innovate, Arvato Financial Solutions opened an IT development and innovation center in Tallinn, Estonia, and set up a robotics lab in Dublin, Ireland.
Arvato Systems generated a consistently high demand for IT services and further accelerated its specialization in the core industries of Commerce, Media and Utilities by optimizing the portfolio while also investing in emerging fields such as cloud infrastructure.
Bertelsmann Printing Group
Since January 1, 2016, all of Bertelsmann's global offset and gravure printing activities, and several other service and production businesses, have been grouped in the Bertelsmann Printing Group (BPG). The newly created division enjoyed a successful year in an overall challenging market and made progress on key integration issues.
In the 2016 financial year, the Group saw revenues fall by 6.9 percent to €1,624 million (previous year: €1,744 million). This is mainly attributable to the sale of the Spanish printing operations in April 2015 and the closure of Sonopress USA in February 2016. Owing to a persistently declining print market and as a result of divestments, operating EBITDA declined by 4.8 percent to €118 million (previous year: €124 million). At 7.3 percent, the Group's EBITDA margin remained near the previous year's level (previous year: 7.1 percent).
BPG's offset printing business remained virtually stable in financial year 2016, at a good earnings level. Mohn Media renewed important customer contracts in the retail segment during the year. GGP Media, a company that specializes in print solutions for book publishers, maintained its position in a competitive market environment, and Vogel Druck, a BPG subsidiary specializing in magazines and catalogs with small to medium-size print runs, won new reference customers.
The gravure printing activities bundled in the Prinovis Group developed positively overall. Two major new customers were attracted in the United Kingdom. These new orders will contribute to the long-term capacity utilization of the Liverpool site. Despite persistent price pressure, the German Prinovis sites recorded a solid business performance.
BPG's US printers continued to face an intensely competitive situation in the book printing business. Declines in pocket book production were offset by the acquisition of a major customer in the publishing sector and by expanding the business to new sectors with innovative print products. The US printers' operating result was above the previous year's level.
Revenues at Sonopress declined as expected due to the closure of the US site in Weaverville, North Carolina. Meanwhile, at the Gütersloh headquarters, the company bucked the overall market trend by increasing its production volumes, revenues and earnings against the general market trend. In the spring, Sonopress became one of the first companies in the world to introduce fully automated production of UHD Blu-ray discs. By the end of 2016, it had produced more than two million copies of the high-resolution storage media.
Bertelsmann Education Group
Bertelsmann's education holdings, grouped into the Bertelsmann Education Group, continued their expansion last year. The fully consolidated companies in the Education Group, which has been an independent business division since January 1, 2016, delivered a positive performance, generating a revenue increase of 28.9 percent to €142 million (previous year: €110 million). Operating EBITDA fell to €-17 million (previous year: €-5 million), mainly due to scheduled start-up losses for the further business expansion of the Group's holdings in the online education services provider HotChalk and the online learning provider Udacity, both acquired in late 2015.
The e-learning provider Relias Learning, currently Bertelsmann's most profitable education business, recorded significant growth, both organically and through acquisitions. The Bertelsmann subsidiary expanded its customer base from around 4,500 to more than 5,500 institutions, advanced various innovations to improve its products and expanded its business activities to new markets, including the United Kingdom, Germany and China. In addition, Relias made six acquisitions during the reporting period, among other things entering the market for acute care training by fully acquiring the US training companies Swank HealthCare and AHC Media.
Udacity expanded the internationalization of its business and is now active in Brazil, India and Germany. The company introduced five new Nanodegrees during the reporting period, including its program for Self-Driving Car Engineers.
HotChalk continued its partnerships with universities in the United States, supporting them in offering their courses to the digital world. Several thousand students at seven universities are currently enrolled in programs supported by HotChalk.
Alliant International University, which specializes in psychology, recorded rising revenues in the 2016 financial year. The university continued its transformation and began building a range of digital courses.
Bertelsmann Investments
The Group's four strategic investment funds, forming the division Bertelsmann Investments since January 1, 2016, further expanded their shareholdings in international start-ups during the year. Bertelsmann Asia Investments (BAI), Bertelsmann Brazil Investments (BBI), Bertelsmann India Investments (BII) and Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments (BDMI) made a total of 43 new investments, so that Bertelsmann held shares in 138 companies through the funds at the end of the year.
Across all countries, the focus was on investments in start-ups with innovative business models, for example, in the Fintech sector. All funds contributed to identifying digital trends that are important for the Group, supporting the portfolio companies with the further development of innovative business models and further strengthening Bertelsmann's position as an attractive partner. Since 2012, the four investment funds have collectively invested more than €500 million in international start-ups.
The business performance of Bertelsmann Investments is largely measured by EBIT, which increased to €35 million (previous year: €-14 million) in 2016. Capital gains from divestments – above all at BAI – made a positive contribution to Group profit.
In China, BAI made 27 new investments during the reporting period and several follow-up investments in existing portfolio companies. Many of BAI's portfolio companies provide online services to the country's growing middle class, including the fitness app Keep, the dating platform Tantan, the bikesharing app Mobike and the Fintech company Yixin Capital. For the first time since the fund was established, the 2016 exit proceeds exceeded the investments during the year.
In India, Bertelsmann also further expanded its activities. BII invested in the fashion network Roposo, the Fintech company Lendingkart and Treebo, a technology-enabled branded budget hotel chain. In addition, BII participated in follow-up investments for existing portfolio companies such as the university services provider iNurture and Pepperfry, an online marketplace for furniture.
In Brazil, BBI further pursued the Group's entry into the education business with a focus on healthcare. Together with its strategic partner Bozano Investimentos, the fund purchased stakes in NRE Education Group, a network of medical universities, and in Medcel, a provider of online preparatory courses for aspiring residents.
In the financial year 2016, BDMI invested, among other things, in the online video network FloSports. The fund focused on the virtual reality sector, where it invested in US companies such as 8i and Visionary VR, and German start-up Splash.


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The New Politics of Pornography
Donald Alexander Downs
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Description - The New Politics of Pornography by Donald Alexander Downs
Fresh empirical evidence of pornography's negative effects and the resurgence of feminist and conservative critiques have caused local, state, and federal officials to reassess the pornography issue. In The New Politics of Pornography, Donald Alexander Downs explores the contemporary antipornography movement and addresses difficult questions about the limits of free speech. Drawing on official transcripts and extensive interviews, Downs recreates and analyzes landmark cases in Minneapolis and Indianapolis. He argues persuasively that both conservative and liberal camps are often characterized by extreme intolerance which hampers open policy debate and may ultimately threaten our modern doctrine of free speech. Downs concludes with a balanced and nuanced discussion of what First Amendment protections pornography should be afforded. This provocative and interdisciplinary work will interest students of political science, women's studies, civil liberties, and constitutional law.
Buy The New Politics of Pornography by Donald Alexander Downs from Australia's Online Independent Bookstore, Boomerang Books.
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Ethical issues: pornography & obscenity
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Imprint: University of Chicago Press
Publisher: The University of Chicago Press
Publish Date: 28-Dec-1992
Country of Publication: United States
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Author Biography - Donald Alexander Downs
Donald Alexander Downs is associate professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. He is the author of "Nazis in Skokie: Freedom, Community, and the First Amendment."
More Books By Donald Alexander Downs
Value and Limits of Academic Speech
Restoring Free Speech and Liberty on Campus
More Than Victims
Arms and the University
The Value and Limits of Academic Speech: Philosophical, Political, and Legal Perspectives

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Should cell phones get tuned up to tune in to FM?
Tom Kraeutler
When I was a kid, the phone sat at the end of a wire and it did two things: It made calls and received them. Today? Well, as the iPhone commercials say, "There's an app for that." But even with more than 200,000 available apps at last count, there's one thing that most cell phones can't do – tune into to FM radio the way you would on, say, a transistor radio.
That may change if broadcasters can convince Congress to require cell phone manufacturers to include an FM chip in new devices. As reported by USA Today, the issue may become a big bargaining chip in a larger conflict between broadcasters and recording rights groups who think radio stations should start paying performance royalties for the music they air.
All along, radio stations have paid to play music, and those fees go to song composers. But the recording artists and the record labels aren't compensated on the theory that the promotional value of radio airplay is at least a fair swap. If you're a recording artist of lesser fame than, say, Lady Gaga, you're not getting big advances or royalties from your record label. Your big money comes from performing on tour, and you gladly let your label keep some or a majority of the profit selling your music because they did two things you couldn't do without them: promotion and distribution.


text:
2 Players That Must Step Up Now That Hazard's Departure Is Confirmed
Posted By: VICTOR N June 9, 2019
Photo: AFP/Getty Images
The long debate about Eden Hazard's long-awaited move to Real Madrid is finally over as Chelsea and Real Madrid have reached an agreement for the 28-year-old Belgium star.
Hazard leaves Chelsea after seven years at the club, and the Belgian leaves Stamford Bridge as a fan favourite and will forever have a special place in the hearts of Chelsea fans. He played 352 games for the club, the 23rd highest total in our history, and scored 110 goals, the ninth most.
Hazard has been a big player for Chelsea and has achieved a lot in his 7 years at Stamford Bridge. In some games over the years, Hazard has singlehandedly carried the team on his back and dragged Chelsea to victories.
Hazard isn't shy of the big occasions as he is a big game player and has thrived even against the toughest of defenders. With Hazard, Chelsea have an easy tactic of giving him the ball and expect magic – and magic did he give us for the past 7 years.
Hazard's time at Chelsea is up, and the club must now look beyond this season and look past the Belgian. Chelsea have depended on Hazard for so long, and it's now time for Chelsea to move past the Eden Hazard era.
If we take a look at the Chelsea team in the past two seasons, you'll find that Chelsea depended so much on Hazard that other forward players started to struggle and not live up to expectations. For Chelsea to really step up and have a good campaign next season, the rest of the team must up their performances and put in good effort ahead of the new season.
We'd focus on two players that must step up next season
1. Pedro
Photo: Chelsea FC
Pedro has been a good signing since joining Chelsea in 2015. The 31-year-old has an impressive CV that even the greatest of players will envy.
Since joining Chelsea, the former Barcelona star has won the Premier League, the FA Cup and the Europa League. The Spaniard can boast of winning the Champions League, Premier League, Europa League, World Cup and the European Championship – a collection no other player in world football can match.
On paper, Pedro had his best season for Chelsea in the just concluded campaign. The Spaniard scored 13 goals in all competitions, with 8 coming in the Premier League and 5 in the Europa League.
Besides his first season when he struggled as a January signing under Jose Mourinho in 2015, Pedro has taken to the Premier League and fitted into Chelsea's football. He was one of the star players under Antonio Conte and played a key role as Chelsea went on to win the Premier in Conte's first season in charge of the Blues, playing a vibrant 3-4-3 formation.
There was a general feeling that this season wasn't Pedro's best for Chelsea despite his goals, as there was a sense of him not doing enough. Pedro was anonymous in a lot of games he played this season, as the team depended mostly on Hazard all season.
Pedro signed a contract extension to remain at the club in the course of the season, but he must now prove himself one more time and step up his game as Chelsea prepare for life without Eden Hazard.
Click 2 below to read about the second player
HAZARD: COSTA CAN WIN THE GOLDEN BOOT, WHILE I WIN THE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
HAZARD REVEALS HOW HE FEELS WHEN HE DOESN'T SCORE A GOAL
FORMER PREMIER LEAGUE REFEREE REVEALS WILLIAN'S YELLOW CARD AGAINST ARSENAL WAS WRONG
SARRI REVEALS THREE CHELSEA PLAYERS THAT ARE TIRED AFTER THE INTERNATIONAL BREAK
1 Comment on "2 Players That Must Step Up Now That Hazard's Departure Is Confirmed"
Chambuleni Felix | June 10, 2019 at 3:56 am |
Jersey 10 should be given to Willian and we should build the all time around Willian like we did to Hazard. I have confidence in the Brazilian.
For the CHO and LRC, the need time to mature to reach at the level of Jersey 10. Willian is more experienced….


Phil Mickelson was a long shot to play in this U.S. Open, and the odds got even longer with a forecast of no chance of rain Thursday.
He notified the USGA a little after 7 a.m. that he was withdrawing. Mickelson was replaced by Roberto Diaz of Mexico.
Lefty already had missed the U.S. Open in 1993 when he lost in playoff at sectional qualifying. He missed the Masters in 1994 while recovering from a broken leg suffered in a skiing accident. And he most recently missed the British Open in 2009 to be with his wife as she was starting treatment for breast cancer.
This also is the first major without Mickelson or Tiger Woods since the 1994 Masters.
Mickelson was out with a broken leg. Woods was in high school.


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There's a paid premium option that lets you to access notebooks offline, allows others to edit your notebooks and more.
Evernote Supports: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows Phone, Mac OS X, Windows & all major browsers except for IE.
If all you need is a simple cloud backup solution, look no further than Dropbox. This simple cloud storage service is one of the most popular on the mobile platform and for a good reason: It just works. Have you got great photos from your recent trip? Load them up on Dropbox and share the link with your friends back home. Store documents and edit them in your Dropbox. Access all your files from your computer or tablet. You can use this service to backup and share any file that matters to you. Dropbox is convenient, secure, cross platform and syncing works flawlessly.
Dropbox offers 2-18GB monthly storage for free (monthly storage is larger the more friends you refer to Dropbox). Paid upgrades with larger storage and more features are optional.
Dropbox supports: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Kindle fire, Mac OS X, Windows & Linux.
Although Box is not as robust and flawless as Dropbox, it offers larger free storage right from the get go – 5GB. From time to time the company runs promotional offers of 50GB for free, so it's worth getting on their mailing list. Box is easy to use and as part of the Box OneCloud ecosystem of apps it enables annotation, e-signing and getting more mileage from your favorite productivity apps. It offers most of the features you'd expect from a leading cloud storage service: Accessing, viewing, editing and sharing files right from your mobile, tablet or computer, file level encryption, built in search, and a lot more. Designed with team work in mind, Box makes it easy to share folders with team members and leave comments on files for them. You can also get real time updates on your account activity.
Box offers 5GB for free. Paid upgrades with larger storage and more features are optional.
Box supports: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows Phone, Mac OS X & Windows.
Google Drive is nowhere near Dropbox or Box when it comes to features or convenience. The reason we've included Google's cloud storage app is that so many of us rely on Google's ecosystem. Getting started with Google Drive is quick and easy. Google Drive mobile app enables you to upload photos videos and any other file. You can also create, edit and share Google documents and spreadsheets, view animated Google presentations, Office documents and PDFs. The main drawback of Google Drive is its lack of encrypted storage options but with each update the app gets better and better, so there's still hope. Google Drive offers 5GB for free. Paid upgrades with larger storage are optional.
Google Drive Supports: iOS, Android, Mac OS X & Windows.
Dolphin is one of the most popular mobile browsers on Android.
It offers a user friendly user interface alongside tabbed browsing, multiple add-ons, smooth animations and more. Browsing is snappy and the look & feel is professional. Dolphin combines gesture and sonar abilities, which make it a perfect much for touchscreen devices. Other features include: One tap share to social networks or cloud services and easy sync between the mobile and the desktop version. No wonder why more and more mobile users choose Dolphin over their phone's native browser… Dolphin Browser supports: iOS & Android.
While Opera Mobile is not the most advanced mobile browser, it definitely is one of the fastest. The browser has reaped users' acclaim for its user friendliness, responsiveness and smooth browsing experience. Opera Mobile offers sync with your computer or other mobile devices via Opera Link. Sharing is easy as Facebook and Twitter now have built in support in Opera Mobile. Other features include: Text wrapping, zoom, page size and orientation, giving you the best view on your favorite webpages. Although Opera Mobile has its flaws, it keeps improving from one update to another. Those of you on slower or limited data plan can try Opera Mini web browser instead.
Opera Mini & Opera Mobile support: iOS & Android. Opera (desktop version) supports Mac OS X, Windows & Linux.
UC Browser is another popular mobile browser. It's fast, slick, stable and user friendly. UC Browser's feature list includes: Easy push button social sharing of web pages, multi touch gesture commands, voice control, night mode, a powerful download manager and more. While it doesn't come without its flaws, UC Browser is constantly improving and reaps acclaim from users and web publications alike.
UC Browser supports: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows Phone, Windows Mobile & Symbian.
Speaktoit Assistant is free. You can upgrade to Premium for more functionality.
Speaktoit Assistant supports: iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Windows 8 & Windows RT.
This is how iTranslate developers describe their app.
Judging by the app's features, the above description may not be an overstatement. iTranslate combines voice recognition, machine translation and voice output to enhance your experience. More than 50 languages are supported, including English, Spanish, French, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese and many others. You can listen to high quality voices in most languages and easily share your translated text via email or social media. iTranslate is tablet ready and includes a landscape keyboard for faster typing.
iTranslate supports: iOS & Android.
Do you have a conference next month in London?
Are you planning a trip to Tasmania?
Although there are many mobile travel apps, Kayak is one of the few that let you plan a trip with multiple flights and destinations easily and with great savings. With Kayak you can conduct flight and car search, hotel search and booking, compare flight, hotel and car rental deals, track your flight status and view and manage your trip itinerary. The app is quick and easy to use.
Kayak supports: iOS, Android, Windows Phone & Kindle Fire.
TeamViewer app has been created for situations like that. With this effective tool you can remotely access computers from your mobile device. Be the IT guy and spontaneously support friends and family by accessing unattended computers, even during a phone call. Access your private home computer to edit documents or use a particular software while you're away. TeamViewer is tablet ready and meets the highest security standards. It can easily access computers behind firewalls and proxy servers. TeamViewer is fast and flawless. The connection to your computer is stable and file transfer works really well.
TeamViewer Free is intended for private use. Business licenses are available on TeamViewer.com.
TeamViewer supports: iOS, Android, Windows 8/RT, Mac OS X, Windows & Linux.
Introduced back in the early 1990s by Adobe, the PDF (Portable Document Format) file format has been playing an ever increasing role in our digital life ever since. We save PDF files instead of printing, to save paper, we read PDF ebooks, reports, white papers and a lot more. When it comes to mobile PDF readers, Adobe Reader app is a solid choice. With this app you can easily access, manage and share a wide variety of PDF types, including PDF Portfolios, password protected documents, fillable forms and Adobe LiveCycle rights managed PDF. Although Adobe Reader has its shortcomings, the app is handy and super useful, especially if you're a student or a professional interacting with documents on a regular basis. The app is feature rich and enables you to annotate and comment on PDF documents, organize your documents, share documents and a lot more. Several languages are supported, including English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese and more.
Adobe Reader supports: iOS, Android, Mac OS X, Windows & Linux.
Part of being productive is getting rid of clutter. Piles of receipts, letters and business cards mess up your workspace and you can't focus. This is where CamScanner shines. This super useful tool turns your phone into a scanner and a fax machine. With this nifty app you can digitize any paper documents by simply photo shooting. CamScanner can auto-crop your image, enhance its quality and create an industry standard PDF file. Now you can email it, fax it, upload it to the cloud and more. CamScanner will get the most out of your camera, and the documents it produces are readable and easy to share.
CamScanner free version is ad supported with some limitations (e.g. PDF files generated are embedded with watermark). There's an optional paid upgrade to CamScanner Full Version to remove advertisements and limitations.
CamScanner supports: iOS & Android.
Rated "5 out of 5 stars" by PCWorld and Android Magazine, QR Droid Zapper is a full-featured, multi language QR utility. With this app you can 'optically' share just about anything. Scan a QR code in a magazine and watch a video immediately or create a code from a contact or bookmark and share it with your friends. No typing needed! The app has many features: You can scan QR codes from your camera, browser, SD card or saved image. QR Droid Zapper saves a complete history of every QR code you create or decode. With QR Droid Zapper scanning is fast and effective, even in low light. The app design is great and the user interface makes it easy to use.
Update: For a limited time QR Droid Zapper is offered 100% free & 100% ad free!
Zapper Scanner supports iOS. QR Droid supports Android (these are two versions of the same product, only the platform is different).
With Flashlight on your mobile device, those worries become a thing of the past. This handy app turns your phone or tablet into the brightest illuminator ever. Start up Flashlight from your main screen and use the simple, clean interface to enter Strobe Mode and control light frequency. Flashlight is easy to use, fast and reliable. It supports all Android devices and most iOS devices. There are many flashlight apps out there, but Flashlight by Intellectual Flame Co., Ltd. gives the brightest light by combining the use of the cam light with elegant design. Just don't leave Flashlight on for too long or you'll drain your battery!
Flashlight supports: iOS & Android.


text:
Habronestes calamitosus is een spinnensoort in de taxonomische indeling van de mierenjagers (Zodariidae).

Het dier behoort tot het geslacht Habronestes. De wetenschappelijke naam van de soort werd voor het eerst geldig gepubliceerd in 1995 door Rudy Jocqué.

Mierenjagers

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The permanent team of the DK "GIScience" is complemented by a number of visiting professors and fellows.
At average every second semester a Visiting professor enriches the team of the DK GIScience.
The DK offers several temporary positions for research fellows. A fellow may either act as an independent investigator or under the supervision of a principal investigator. The position of research fellow requires a doctoral degree. A research fellow may also provide a specific class or course which is complementary to the existing program at the University of Salzburg. Fellow positions do typically not include a full salary but may come with individual packages concerning travel and living expenses. Fellows will typically have a salaried post either with their college or the university and may use a time period from several weeks up to a year to affiliate with one of the research clusters to increase international experience and to contribute their specific expertise.


For Europeans exploring the North American Frontier, heading into the unknown was a very daunting task. The smart ones, (i.e. those that survived), were exceptional planners. Planning is still very important to us modern-day explorers. Recently retired from 30 years in the military, I can confirm the axiom, "no time spent planning is ever wasted". Oh, and also the second axiom, "no plan survives first contact with the enemy".
Now, before you start donning combat boots and flak jackets, planning an RV trip is a wee bit easier than planning a major battle. Understand that the better prepared you are for your voyage, the better things will go. Dealing with snags is part of RV living, but you can minimize the effects.
After a full season (April to October) as Camp Hosts on Vancouver Island, it was time to take a major break and skip south for the winter. This would be a 5-month trek, covering several thousand kilometres. Our rig has performed exceptionally well as a home, but now it was time to prep for mobility.
Self-maintenance. This includes everything we can do ourselves, i.e. lubricating slides, clean and condition the rubber roof, checking lug nut torques, tire pressure, etc. One of the keys to doing your own maintenance is to make it a regular habit. The more regularly you clean/check your rig, the more likely you are to notice issues and look after them early. We assembled a complete, but compact toolkit when we bought the Outback, as well as stocking a good supply of cleaning gear. Among our gear – a torque wrench and appropriate sockets for truck and trailer lug nuts, plus a small compressor capable of topping up to 80 psi required for all tires.
Shop-maintenance. This covers the things above your skill level that should be absolutely required to be done by the pros. We scheduled our RV for that at the local dealership. They fixed some small warranty snags, checked axle alignment, repacked wheel bearings, and checked the brakes. These are critical components that must be in perfect working order before hitting the road on a long journey. They noted that while our trailer was very new, the factory grease in the wheel bearings was minimal and it was a good thing that we scheduled brought the RV in. New, doesn't necessarily mean your RV is in great road ready conditions.
Now, if you're an avid follower of the many RV Facebook pages, you'll no doubt have heard the many stories of tire blowouts. We're certainly not about to risk our home on four round pieces of rubber. Stock RV tires are legally rated for your rig, but they're not always top of the line. Some new tires may be brand new but have also been sitting in stock for a very long time.
It's very important to check on the tire for 4 numbers. For example, the new tires we put on, have 26/17. That means they were made the 26th week of 2017. We purchased a full set of heavy-duty E-rated tires that will easily handle the weight of our RV and highway towing speeds. They also have sidewalls stiff enough for any accidental curb abuse. If we can advise on one major thing to check out and possibly upgrade prior to your long voyage it's your RV's tires.
Planning An RV Trip Into The U.S.
Touring to the U.S. seems to be a bit of a concern for some Canadian RVers. To date, we haven't had any issues, but again, part of that is preparation. We arrived at the border prepared. This makes a big difference. Simple things, like rolling down all your windows as you arrive at customs. It indicates you've got nothing to hide and understand that they need to take a peek.
We also had an itinerary, the route marked on a map, and a complete inventory on what we were bringing in to the U.S. The inventory isn't a huge deal for entering the U.S., but it most certainly is when you return to Canada. We're keeping track of our purchases along the way, so when we get back, we'll present the list of everything we brought down with us, and another list of everything we bought, complete with totals, and receipts. Every time I've done that, it's been commented on just how prepared we are leaving us to be thanked and waved on without an issue.
Our trip planning is mostly focused on avoiding old man winter. We didn't want to tie ourselves to a very strict route and schedule, rather we had a rough outline. Our only hard and fast date were getting to Tampa, Florida for December 1st.
There is a risk to not booking well ahead during the winter months, but if you're avoiding the huge tourist traps & popular snowbird destinations you can always find something. We planned a mix of resorts, Corps of Engineer Parks, and some boondocking, with a plan to keep the monthly budget to around $800 a month.
We have our America the Beautiful pass, which is the equivalent of the Parks Canada pass. We also have Good Sam, and Passport America. Overall, after logging some 20,000 km's in two trips, the Passport America is definitely the winner for money savings. From end-October to mid-December, it netted us easily $400 plus in saved camping fees, for an $80 annual fee.
Good Sam hasn't netted us the big savings in sites, 10% sounds good, but a lot of the parks that take Good Sam, offer the same discount to just about anyone. We have saved enough in camping fees and gear purchases at Camping World stores to justify it, but just barely. The other caveat with Good Sam is that you absolutely must ignore the Good Sam Ratings and do your own online research for reviews. We've seen RV parks rated 9 or 10 by Good Sam that rate a 1 on Trip Advisor and Google and are full of warnings to stay away. Good Sam really needs to improve their system and give honest reviews and let the cards fall where they may.
Along with discount memberships, there are a few other tools we'd recommend.
Road Atlas. Planning a long-distance RV trip via a tablet, GPS, or laptop is a pain. Having a large road atlas to do the basic planning will really simplify the process. We have our tablets, a cell phone, and built-in GPS in our Chevrolet 1-ton Diesel.
OnStar. We also have the truck's OnStar with hands-free calling and built-in Wi-Fi. The Wi-Fi isn't cheap in Canada but when we renewed our 10GB monthly plan in the U.S. it was almost ¼ the price!
Credit Card. We have a BMO U.S. Dollar Mastercard and U.S. dollar savings account. It makes for very easy transactions in the U.S. and building up funds for next season's trip.
Guides/Apps. We have the Guide to U.S. National Parks and Monuments and Camping with Corps of Engineers, and Apps to locate Good Sam, Passport America, BLM (Bureau of Land Management), and COE (Corps of Engineer) parks. If you're planning budget consciously, you can get your monthly camping fees down to well under $20 a night for full hookups.
When you are travelling thousands of kilometres you have to be prepared for just about any kind of weather. Our trip from Vancouver Island along the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and northern California included a couple of very cool and rainy days. Good raingear and a fleece will mean the weather won't stop you from enjoying the outdoors. Even in central Florida though, you will get winter temperatures in the single digits, so plan accordingly.
Travelling long distances in the span of a day can mean that you could see many different types of weather which can lead to uncomfortable driving situations. Whether its rain, snow, or wind, it's a good idea to know what kind of weather you'll be coming across during your travels. The website get-there-dry.com is simple to use website that'll tell you the weather for certain locations between point A & B, helping to allow you to make better travel-related decisions.
As RCAF aircrew for decades, I know the value of a checklist. From inspecting our aircraft to dire emergencies, we had checklists for everything. You don't need to be quite so detailed but a few checklists are a great help.
Mail? Do you have a forwarding service or a good friend/relative that can help?
Bills – online bill payment, e-bills, and paperless banking really help keep the money going where it needs to while you're basking in the sun.
Communications – Unless you're staying at 5-star resorts with wi-fi, phone, etc, how will you stay in touch? Many options here, our Chev 3500 has built-in wi-fi, and phone, so we're our own mobile communications grid.
Cell Phone plan – Most providers offer roaming plans for the US. Do some comparison shopping, and check on the possibility of getting a US phone and service as it may be cheaper for long stays.
Home Insurance – If you're a home-dweller, most home policies won't cover you for absences longer than 30 days, so be sure to check on that and either get additional insurance or a house-sitter.
Health Care – Know your Provincial Health Care coverage and understand what you'll need in the way of additional coverage.
Vehicle(s) – Same applies to your truck & RV as many dealerships offer extended coverage, and companies such as Good Sam & CoachNet can offer roadside assistance and even additional medical coverage. The Canadian Snowbird Association is another place to get additional coverage and facts.
Customs/Immigration – This is a biggy. Know what the rules are for extended stays in the US. Many think it's a blanket 6 months a year when it's actually a lot more complicated and stays are based on a 3-year rolling period.
Crossing the Border – When we left Nova Scotia for BC, we went on a 3-week trek via the US with essentially everything we owned. Rather than a big hassle, we contacted Canada Customs and asked what was the best way to ensure that when we returned to Canada we could clearly show what we brought into the US and what we bought while travelling. We were told to prepare an inventory of all contents of our truck and travel trailer. Then simply stop at the Canada Customs Office at the border, present the inventory and Customs Officials would inspect and sign/stamp each page. Sure, it's a bit of work to do but when we arrived back in Canada we breezed through customs and were congratulated by the officers on how prepared we were. Know what you can and can't bring back and forth across the border, too.
With almost 2 months complete and 3 more to go, I have to say we haven't faced anything that's brought our plans into question. Our truck has been flawless only requiring a scheduled oil change and tire rotation.
Our Outback 328RL has had two issues. We had a slide cable start to fray badly and we were very concerned about it snapping. Fortunately, a call to Stone's netted a part replacement in 48 hours and a recommended dealer to take it to for warranty replacement. We scheduled the truck's oil/tire work same day so we lost very little vacation time.
If you've ever dreamed of taking the plunge and doing a months-long trek with your RV, I can certainly highly recommend it. A bit of pre-planning, a sense of adventure and you'll bring home lifelong memories and a burning desire to do it all over again.
What tips/tricks do you have when preparing for a long distance RV trip?
I'm Dave, newly retired from 30 years in the Canadian Armed Forces, over half of which as aircrew on Sea King Helicopters. The military afforded me many years of world travel, and now the chance to retire young (52), and see as much of North America as possible. Leeann, my spouse, has been in the medical field for 25 years, and I've gotten her hooked on travel as well. On the RV side, we currently own a 2017 Outback 328RL, towed by a 2017 Chev 1-ton Diesel. Since my retirement, we've racked up close to 20,000 kms in travel.
Dave Rowe – great article. Retired from the Canadian Army in 2016 and totally get your approach to planning! We travelled from New Brunswick to Tucson, AZ to snowbird at an RV park. We have a 34' motorhome towing a car. I prepare a "border binder" to encompass our planning – routes, reservations, proof of Canadian residence, health coverage, etc. The Customs folks love it! See you on the trail sometime!


text:
using namespace VertexAsylum;

vaASSAO::vaASSAO( )
{
    m_size = m_halfSize = m_quarterSize = vaVector2i( 0, 0 );
    m_prevQualityLevel              = -1;
    m_debugShowNormals              = false;
    m_debugShowEdges                = false;
    m_debugShowSampleHeatmap        = false;
    //m_debugOpaqueOutput             = false;
#ifdef SSAO_ALLOW_INTERNAL_SHADER_DEBUGGING
    m_debugShowSamplesAtCursor      = false;
    m_debugShowSamplesAtCursorPos   = vaVector2i( 0, 0 );
#endif
    m_debugRefSamplesDistribution   = 1.7f;
    m_debugExperimentalFullscreenReferencePath = false;
}

void vaASSAO::IHO_Draw( )
{
#ifdef VA_IMGUI_INTEGRATION_ENABLED

    // Keyboard input (but let the ImgUI controls have input priority)

    // extension for "Lowest"
    int qualityLevelUI = m_settings.QualityLevel+1;

    if( !ImGui::GetIO( ).WantCaptureKeyboard )
    {
        if( ( vaInputKeyboardBase::GetCurrent( ) != nullptr ) && vaInputKeyboardBase::GetCurrent( )->IsKeyClicked( KK_OEM_4 ) )
            qualityLevelUI--;
        if( ( vaInputKeyboardBase::GetCurrent( ) != nullptr ) && vaInputKeyboardBase::GetCurrent( )->IsKeyClicked( KK_OEM_6 ) )
            qualityLevelUI++;
        qualityLevelUI = vaMath::Clamp( qualityLevelUI, 0, 5 );
        if( ( vaInputKeyboardBase::GetCurrent( ) != nullptr ) && vaInputKeyboardBase::GetCurrent( )->IsKeyClicked( KK_OEM_1 ) )
            m_settings.AdaptiveQualityLimit -= 0.025f;
        if( ( vaInputKeyboardBase::GetCurrent( ) != nullptr ) && vaInputKeyboardBase::GetCurrent( )->IsKeyClicked( KK_OEM_7 ) )
            m_settings.AdaptiveQualityLimit += 0.025f;
        m_settings.AdaptiveQualityLimit = vaMath::Clamp( m_settings.AdaptiveQualityLimit, 0.0f, 1.0f );
    }

    ImGui::PushItemWidth( 120.0f );

    ImGui::Text( "Performance/quality settings:" );

    ImGui::PushStyleColor( ImGuiCol_Text, ImVec4( 1.0f, 0.8f, 0.8f, 1.0f ) );
    ImGui::Combo( "Quality level", &qualityLevelUI, "Lowest\0Low\0Medium\0High\0Highest (adaptive)\0Reference\0\0" );  // Combo using values packed in a single constant string (for really quick combo)

    m_settings.QualityLevel = vaMath::Clamp( qualityLevelUI-1, -1, 4 );

    if( ImGui::IsItemHovered( ) ) ImGui::SetTooltip( "Each quality level is roughly 2x more costly than the previous, except the Highest (adaptive) which is variable but, in general, above High" );
    ImGui::PopStyleColor( 1 );

    ImGui::PushStyleColor( ImGuiCol_Text, ImVec4( 0.75f, 0.75f, 0.75f, 1.0f ) );

    if( m_settings.QualityLevel == 3 )
    {
        ImGui::Indent( );
        ImGui::SliderFloat( "Adaptive quality target", &m_settings.AdaptiveQualityLimit, 0.0f, 1.0f, "%.3f" );
        m_settings.AdaptiveQualityLimit = vaMath::Clamp( m_settings.AdaptiveQualityLimit, 0.0f, 1.0f );
        ImGui::Unindent( );
    }
    if( m_settings.QualityLevel == 4 )
    {
        ImGui::InputFloat( "Reference Sample Distribution POW", &m_debugRefSamplesDistribution, 0.05f, 0.0f, 2 );
        m_debugRefSamplesDistribution = vaMath::Clamp( m_debugRefSamplesDistribution, 0.5f, 2.0f );
    }

    if( m_settings.QualityLevel <= 0 )
    {
        ImGui::InputInt( "Simple blur passes (0-1)", &m_settings.BlurPassCount );
        if( ImGui::IsItemHovered( ) ) ImGui::SetTooltip( "For Low quality, only one optional simple blur pass can be applied (recommended); settings above 1 are ignored" );
    }
    else
    {
        ImGui::InputInt( "Smart blur passes (0-6)", &m_settings.BlurPassCount );
        if( ImGui::IsItemHovered( ) ) ImGui::SetTooltip( "The amount of edge-aware smart blur; each additional pass increases blur effect but adds to the cost" );
    }
    m_settings.BlurPassCount = vaMath::Clamp( m_settings.BlurPassCount, 0, 6 );

    ImGui::Separator();
    ImGui::Text( "Visual settings:" );
    ImGui::InputFloat( "Effect radius",                     &m_settings.Radius                          , 0.05f, 0.0f, 2 );
    if( ImGui::IsItemHovered( ) ) ImGui::SetTooltip( "World (viewspace) effect radius" );
    ImGui::InputFloat( "Occlusion multiplier",              &m_settings.ShadowMultiplier                , 0.05f, 0.0f, 2 );
    if( ImGui::IsItemHovered( ) ) ImGui::SetTooltip( "Effect strength" );
    ImGui::InputFloat( "Occlusion power curve",             &m_settings.ShadowPower                     , 0.05f, 0.0f, 2 );
    if( ImGui::IsItemHovered( ) ) ImGui::SetTooltip( "occlusion = pow( occlusion, value ) - changes the occlusion curve" );
    ImGui::InputFloat( "Fadeout distance from",             &m_settings.FadeOutFrom                     , 1.0f , 0.0f, 1 );
    if( ImGui::IsItemHovered( ) ) ImGui::SetTooltip( "Distance at which to start fading out the effect" );
    ImGui::InputFloat( "Fadeout distance to",               &m_settings.FadeOutTo                       , 1.0f , 0.0f, 1 );
    if( ImGui::IsItemHovered( ) ) ImGui::SetTooltip( "Distance at which to completely fade out the effect" );
    ImGui::InputFloat( "Sharpness",                         &m_settings.Sharpness                       , 0.01f, 0.0f, 2 );
    if( ImGui::IsItemHovered( ) ) ImGui::SetTooltip( "How much to bleed over edges; 1: not at all, 0.5: half-half; 0.0: completely ignore edges" );

    ImGui::Separator( );
    ImGui::Text( "Advanced visual settings:" );
    ImGui::InputFloat( "Detail occlusion multiplier",       &m_settings.DetailShadowStrength            , 0.05f, 0.0f, 2 );
    if( ImGui::IsItemHovered( ) ) ImGui::SetTooltip( "Additional small radius / high detail occlusion; too much will create aliasing & temporal instability" );
    ImGui::InputFloat( "Horizon angle threshold",           &m_settings.HorizonAngleThreshold           , 0.01f, 0.0f, 2 );
    if( ImGui::IsItemHovered( ) ) ImGui::SetTooltip( "Reduces precision and tessellation related unwanted occlusion" );
    ImGui::InputFloat( "Occlusion max clamp",               &m_settings.ShadowClamp                     , 0.01f, 0.0f, 2 );
    if( ImGui::IsItemHovered( ) ) ImGui::SetTooltip( "occlusion = min( occlusion, value ) - limits the occlusion maximum" );
    //ImGui::InputFloat( "Radius distance-based modifier",    &m_settings.RadiusDistanceScalingFunction   , 0.05f, 0.0f, 2 );
    //if( ImGui::IsItemHovered( ) ) ImGui::SetTooltip( "Used to modify ""Effect radius"" based on distance from the camera; for 1.0, effect world radius is constant (default);\nfor values smaller than 1.0, the effect radius will grow the more distant from the camera it is; if changed, ""Effect Radius"" often needs to be rebalanced as well" );

    m_settings.Radius                           = vaMath::Clamp( m_settings.Radius                          , 0.0f, 100.0f      );
    m_settings.HorizonAngleThreshold            = vaMath::Clamp( m_settings.HorizonAngleThreshold           , 0.0f, 1.0f        );
    m_settings.ShadowMultiplier                 = vaMath::Clamp( m_settings.ShadowMultiplier                , 0.0f, 5.0f       );
    m_settings.ShadowPower                      = vaMath::Clamp( m_settings.ShadowPower                     , 0.5f, 5.0f        );
    m_settings.ShadowClamp                      = vaMath::Clamp( m_settings.ShadowClamp                     , 0.1f, 1.0f        );
    m_settings.FadeOutFrom                      = vaMath::Clamp( m_settings.FadeOutFrom                     , 0.0f, 1000000.0f  );
    m_settings.FadeOutTo                        = vaMath::Clamp( m_settings.FadeOutTo                       , 0.0f, 1000000.0f  );
    m_settings.Sharpness                        = vaMath::Clamp( m_settings.Sharpness                       , 0.0f, 1.0f        );
    m_settings.DetailShadowStrength             = vaMath::Clamp( m_settings.DetailShadowStrength            , 0.0f, 5.0f        );
    //m_settings.RadiusDistanceScalingFunction    = vaMath::Clamp( m_settings.RadiusDistanceScalingFunction   , 0.1f, 1.0f        );

    ImGui::Separator( );
    ImGui::Text( "Debugging and experimental switches:" );

    // ImGui::Checkbox( "Smoothen normals", &m_settings.SmoothenNormals );
    // if( ImGui::IsItemHovered( ) ) ImGui::SetTooltip( "Experimental - smoothens normals; fixes some aliasingartifacts, but makes some worse" );

    ImGui::Checkbox( "Debug: Show normals", &m_debugShowNormals );
    if( ImGui::IsItemHovered( ) ) ImGui::SetTooltip( "Show normals used forSSAO (either generated or provided, and after smoothing if selected)" );

    ImGui::Checkbox( "Debug: Show edges", &m_debugShowEdges );
    if( ImGui::IsItemHovered( ) ) ImGui::SetTooltip( "Show edges used for edge-aware smart blur" );

#ifdef SSAO_ALLOW_INTERNAL_SHADER_DEBUGGING
    ImGui::Checkbox( "Debug: Show samples at cursor", &m_debugShowSamplesAtCursor );
    if( ImGui::IsItemHovered( ) ) ImGui::SetTooltip( "Shows individual SSAO samples under the mouse cursor location" );
#endif
    ImGui::Checkbox( "Debug: Show sample heatmap", &m_debugShowSampleHeatmap );
    if( ImGui::IsItemHovered( ) ) ImGui::SetTooltip( "Number of samples per pixel; constant at Low/Medium/High, variable at Highest (Adaptable)" );

    // ImGui::Checkbox( "Debug: Experimental Fullscreen Reference Path ", &m_debugExperimentalFullscreenReferencePath );
    // if( ImGui::IsItemHovered( ) ) ImGui::SetTooltip( "No interleaved rendering, 64 samples, other setting like quality level High, no depth preparation, etc - just one pass." );
    // if( m_debugExperimentalFullscreenReferencePath )
    // {
    //     m_debugShowSampleHeatmap    = false;
    //     m_debugShowSamplesAtCursor  = false;
    //     m_debugShowEdges            = false;
    //     m_debugShowNormals          = false;
    //     //m_settings.SmoothenNormals  = false;
    // }

    ImGui::PopStyleColor( 1 );

    ImGui::Separator( );
    ImGui::Text( m_debugInfo.c_str( ) );

    ImGui::PopItemWidth( );

#endif
}

void vaASSAO::SetAutoPatternGenerateModeSettings( bool enabled, vaVector4 data[], int currentCount )
{
    m_autoPatternGenerateModeEnabled = enabled;
    if( enabled )
    {
        assert( currentCount <= SSAO_MAX_TAPS );
        memcpy( m_autoPatternGenerateModeData, data, sizeof(vaVector4) * currentCount );
        m_autoPatternGenerateModeCurrentCount = currentCount;
        m_specialShaderMacro = std::make_pair("AUTO_PATTERN_GENERATE_MODE", "");
    }
    else
    {
        m_specialShaderMacro = std::make_pair("", "");
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Technology Note on Technology Case Studies 3, created by emmajackson95 on 05/03/2013.
Positive environmental consequences: HEP produces no GHGs, dam replaces 50 million tonnes of coal in China's energy use, acid rain prevented, drought relief for areas downstream.
Negative environmental consequences: Landslides and bank collapses threaten water quality, species such as the Chinese river dolphin have become threatened, pollution occurs as the river can't 'flush' itself, earthquakes are more common.
Positive social consequences:HEP can be used as an energy supply for many homes and businesses, health standards improve as air quality improves, new jobs created, death by flooding reduced.
Negative social consequences:13 cities, 140 towns and 1,350 villages submerged as of 2010, 4 million displaced, loss of historical sites, many have lost their livelihoods from flooding of farmland.
Investment of $62 billion by the Chinese government to divert more than 45 billion cubic metres of water from the Yangtze River in the south to the Yellow River basin in the arid north.
Northern China has the most populous megacities, which have the greatest demands for water in order to continue their development.
The project is dependent on loans despite some central and local government funding already.
Positive environmental consequences:Domestic waste water will be recycled for agricultural use, soil erosion and land desertification will decrease in the north, water quality will greatly improve.
Negative environmental consequences:The promotion of industrial development will lead to increased pollution, biodiversity could reduce with the lowering levels of the Yangtze river, the Han river will lose its ability to 'flush' itself which causes pollution.
Positive social consequences:180,00 jobs will be created with phase 1 of the project, economic growth will occur in surrounding areas, farmers will benefit from the promotion of local rural economic development.
Negative social consequences:330,000 people have already been relocated, many farmers have been forced to give up their land, demand already outstrips supply and environmental groups say this should be lowered before the project goes ahead.
Designed to store rainwater for recycled use, such as irrigation.
Developed as part of a World Bank sponsored water and sanitation programme between 1995 and 1998.
Tanks are designed for individual households or for group household use.
Positive environmental consequences:Soil erosion is limited with tanks as opposed to dug holes to keep underground supplies.
Positive social consequences:Food security increases as crops can be irrigated and animals can be watered, water is also used for daily needs like cooking and washing, a first flush mechanism diverts the dirty first water.
Negative social consequences:Supplies can dry up in the dry season meaning families need to find alternative sources, families often have to pay for guttering which can't always be afforded.
Similarly to global dimming from a volcanic eruption, sulphur particles are scattered in the stratosphere by balloons or planes to block incoming solar radiation, cooling the planet.
Problems:Replenishment is needed which will cost $50billion every 2 years, sulphur could damage the ozone layer, acid rain is caused and rainfall patterns will be disrupted.
Launching giant mirrors into orbit to reflect solar radiation away from the Earth, creating a cooling effect.
Problems:An attempt was done in 1999 but failed, the technology for large lightweight mirrors hasn't been developed yet, costs could exceed $1 trillion and warmer high latitudes and cooler tropics would be created, causing ecosystem shifts.
Adding iron particles to the ocean to encourage plankton, which sequesters the carbon dioxide. When plankton dies, it sinks to the sea floor.
Problems:Trials have been abandoned after a year, 6 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide needs to be sequestered per year at $5 per tonne, oceans could become acidified as a result of adding iron, which can harm biodiversity.
'Trees' designed by Klaus Lackner are intended to sequester 90,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. The 'trees' would use sodium hydroxide to capture carbon directly.
Problems:Carbon once captured needs to be buried in deep sites, hundreds of thousand of trees are needed taking up large amounts of space, costs are around $30 per tonne of carbon dioxide, trees need to be powered.


No matter which Microsoft Dynamics ERP system you are running, Expensify can integrate with it.
All integration options with Microsoft Dynamics are included in the cost of the Control Group policy.
Expensify has partnered with Stoneridge Software who has created an integration between Expensify and Dynamics 365, NAV, and AX. Click here to learn more!
Most versions of Dynamics support integration through a flat file import. Different versions of Dynamics have different names for their file import mechanisms including Integration Manager and Transaction Import. The integration is simple: just follow the steps below and if you have any questions, reach out to concierge@expensify.com.
There are various formats you can use for your spreadsheet upload into Dynamics. The format that you use depends on what module in Dynamics you are uploading to (Payables, Journal Entry, etc) and what information you want to capture. You can create a template specifically for what you need to track, and can create as many templates as you need. Even after you initially build your templates, you can always go back and make edits.
In order to build the template, you will first need to identify the fields that your Microsoft Dynamics export requires and find where these fields can be found in Expensify. The full guide to building this is on our Accounting Export Help Page.
Then, your policy admin will need to begin to build the template. You can build a template specific to a policy or specific to your account. For a template in a policy, go to Settings > Policies > [Group Policy Name] > Export Formats. You can also build one for your own account by going to Settings > Your Account > Preferences > CSV Export Formats.
When you create a new export format, or edit an existing one, you will see the following screen which allows you to dictate the specific content (and order) of each column in the export file. You will enter your custom formulas here.
You can also have a basic Dynamics template added on a Control policy from the Settings > Policies > [Group Policy Name] > Connections > Accounting Integrations section.
NOTE: If you have a more complex template that you'd like to use, just reach out to concierge@expensify.com and we'll be able to help you!
To export a report out of Expensify, go to the Reports page, choose the report(s) you want to export, click Export To and choose your export format.
Alternatively, reach out to concierge@expensify.com to learn how you can access our API to have this information sent to your system automatically on a scheduled basis.
Once the file has been downloaded onto your system, you will be able to upload it directly into Dynamics. You will not need to manipulate the file in any way before uploading. We are happy to work with you or your Dynamics integrator to automate the upload of this file into your system.


Cubis Systems, an operating division of one of Europe's leading building materials companies, is the global leader in the manufacture of access chamber and ducting systems, used in the construction of infrastructure networks. Headquartered in County Armagh, Northern Ireland, the company has seven manufacturing sites across the UK and Ireland and exports to over 25 countries worldwide.
In 2018, Cubis chose a bespoke Rapid concrete batching plant solution for its County Armagh site, in order to support the future demands in both output and quality required by its customers.
Cubis operates across 7 sectors, including telecoms, highways, rail, light rail, water, power and energy and the Ministry of Defence. Its extensive product offering includes network access covers and chamber systems, cable protection products, conductive concrete and chamber accessories.
Cubis's enviable client list includes BT Openreach, EDF, Highways Agency, Eircom, Network Rail, SNCF, Tyco, Virgin Media and many more internationally recognisable companies.
Until 2019, Cubis's prior concrete production system involved the use of a volumetric truck mixer. This production method made the process of achieving desired outputs and tensile strength of the final product more difficult to control and time-consuming.
With a desire to continue targeting key global markets, Cubis required a new system which offered a greater degree of consistency, flexibility and increased outputs to keep pace with growth. With this in mind, a project team was established to identify the best available machinery.
The bespoke Rapid concrete batching plant, co-developed with Cubis, integrates a Rapid RP500 1 door Planetary mixer, positioned on a specifically designed platform, granting easy access for maintenance. The Rapid Planetary concrete mixer features outputs of 0.5m³ per batch, a pneumatically operated discharge door with heavy duty mechanisms, extra thick chill-cast wall and floor tiles and a 22kW 3-phase motor.
The mixer is ideal for precast applications, making it a perfect choice for Cubis. The mixer's star mixing action creates high turbulence resulting in a thoroughly consistent and homogenous mix. The mixer's motor and gearbox are positioned on top of the mixer allowing easy access for cleaning and maintenance, a key consideration for Cubis. Cubis also opted for an optional Rapid Jetwash to enable fast and powerful mixer cleaning.
The Rapid Jetwash is a fully galvanised, self-contained, high pressure mixer washout system used for fast and effective mixer clean out. Each wash cycle takes just four minutes and the 2,000psi unit can power up to four mixers simultaneously.
The bespoke plant also comprises of 2x 20T aggregate storage bins with pneumatic discharge doors (discharging onto the weighed belt below) and 300W electrical vibrators. The plant's integral 600mm weigh belt is capable of delivering up to 200TPH and has a weigh capacity of 0.75m³ per batch. The plant also features a 0.75m³ mixer filling skip.


text:
Q: "$request->ajax()" why is not working in laravel middleware? $request->ajax(); is not working in laravel 5.5 i want to hendel session redirection for ajax
namespace App\Http\Middleware;

use Illuminate\Http\Request;
use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Auth;
use Closure;
use Session;
//use Request;

class IsLogin
{
    public function handle(Request $request, Closure $next)
    {
        if($request->ajax())
        {
            return response()->json(['Session_error'=>'Session Expired'], 401);
            //throw new AuthenticationException('Unauthenticated');
        }

    }

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Lauren Collier Photography</title>
    <base href="/" />

    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">

    <!-- Import stylesheets -->
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://maxcdn.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/3.3.7/css/bootstrap.min.css" integrity="sha384-BVYiiSIFeK1dGmJRAkycuHAHRg32OmUcww7on3RYdg4Va+PmSTsz/K68vbdEjh4u" crossorigin="anonymous">
    <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="assets/font-awesome/css/font-awesome.min.css">
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="assets/stylesheets/styles.css">

    <!-- Polyfill(s) for older browsers -->
    <script src="node_modules/core-js/client/shim.min.js"></script>

    <script src="node_modules/zone.js/dist/zone.js"></script>
    <script src="node_modules/reflect-metadata/Reflect.js"></script>
    <script src="node_modules/systemjs/dist/system.src.js"></script>

    <script src="systemjs.config.js"></script>
    <script>
      System.import('app').catch(function(err){ console.error(err); });
    </script>
  </head>

  <body>
    <lauren-collier>Loading ...</lauren-collier>
  </body>
</html>


Naison has been my buddy, for about two years now. We worked together while we were in lugansk,Ukraine . I taught him the bit of photography that he knows and up until the time that the war broke out, he tried his best to keep up with the tutorials. The Man ,as I know him is hardworking and probably the most humble individual I've had to meet.
Naison took my advice on that fateful day. But here is the miracle of the whole event and why the picture used as thumbnail actually makes sense. a week after he thought about quitting, he signed up for a contest, to make a music video for a UK Band (The secret company), and when he sent me his video, I was not only impressed by it, i was astonished at what he could achieve with nothing.Anyways, Long story short, at the end of it all, He won a contest that even I would not have pulled through.
Naison was one step close to his gold and just one last hit won him his victory, take a moment to think through, what if he had quit? The words written on the blog post after he was selected were "Naison was able to pull off an amazing video considering the unfavorable conditions in the country Zimbabwe. The incessant power cuts and lack of man power".When I read those lines, It brought back the conversation we heard over the phone when he complained about the condition of his hometown , The truth is, those same conditions helped him win by putting the odds in the right channel , he was able to come out strong.
Naison, I can proudly say is an award winning film maker. He earned it and I couldn't be more proud of anyone. He is now very dedicated to his craft and if you doubt his fame google Naison Gumbo UK . At the end of it all, The people who never wanted to pay him and those clients that turned him down are now asking for his number, because at the end of it all..There is no defense against excellence that meets a pressing public need.
Naison u were one of the very gentle and humble client I had back then in Lugansk Ukraine, am so glad that u are making waves in this area. I cant forget in a hurry my wedding pictures u took and delivered in time courtesy of Studio 4. Wishing ya all the best.


Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday trips most often run every 30 minutes. Saturday trips most often run every 15 minutes.
Daily trips have at most 10 stops with a total travel time of about 22 minutes.
Weekdays travel includes, PORT AUTHORITY BUS TERMINAL, LIGHTING WAY AT MILL CREEK DR, and PARK & RIDE TERMINAL BLDG.
Weekdays travel to PORT AUTHORITY BUS TERMINAL starts at LIGHTING WAY AT MILL CREEK DR and PARK & RIDE TERMINAL BLDG. Weekdays travel to LIGHTING WAY AT MILL CREEK DR, PARK & RIDE TERMINAL BLDG starts at PORT AUTHORITY BUS TERMINAL.
Saturdays travel includes, PORT AUTHORITY BUS TERMINAL and LIGHTING WAY AT MILL CREEK DR.
Saturdays travel to PORT AUTHORITY BUS TERMINAL starts at LIGHTING WAY AT MILL CREEK DR and PLAZA DR AT HARMON MEADOW BLVD. Saturdays travel to LIGHTING WAY AT MILL CREEK DR starts at PORT AUTHORITY BUS TERMINAL.
Sundays travel includes, PORT AUTHORITY BUS TERMINAL and LIGHTING WAY AT MILL CREEK DR.
Sundays travel to PORT AUTHORITY BUS TERMINAL starts at LIGHTING WAY AT MILL CREEK DR. Sundays travel to LIGHTING WAY AT MILL CREEK DR starts at PORT AUTHORITY BUS TERMINAL.
Good Friday 2019 trips start at 5:05am with the last trip at 2:00am and most often run about every 6 minutes. Easter Sunday 2019 trips start at 7:00am with the last trip at 1:15am and most often run every 30 minutes. Memorial Day 2019, Independence Day 2019, and Labor Day 2019 trips start at 5:10am with the last trip at 2:00am and most often run every 30 minutes.


BMIET is located in Sonepat ( Delhi NCR ) , behind Fazilpur power sub-station, in picturesque surroundings at a distance of about 16 km from Delhi-Singhu Border, Sonepat (in the National Capital Region). Sonepat means in sanskrit language 'suvarna prastha' or golden place. One popular tradition avers that this is one of the five prasthas or patas viz. Indraprastha, Sonepat, Panipat, Baghpat, Talpat. Mentioned in "MAHABHARTA" FOR WHICH Yuddhishthira DEMANDED from Duryodhana. Another tradition ascribes its foundation to raja Soni (13th descendant from Arjuna, a brother of Yuddhishthira). The campus has been developed in an area of 11.15 acre in the scenic surroundings.
It has fully developed and well furnished computer labs, workshops, laboratories, lecture and tutorial rooms, library, separate hostels for boys, girls, teachers residences, captive power generators, administrative block, playgrounds, bank outlet within college, medical room, and STD/ISD/PCO facilities etc. All efforts are being made to keep the students in good health & comforting atmosphere congenial for studies, in a rural set up away from the din & bustle of city life.


Among the marketing methods that ensure success in busyness, SMS marketing is one that ensures the best results. It is a marketing method that delivers the message intended for some customers and ensures that the customers receive reliable information. Saying that SMS is among the best modes of marketing may make people wonder. SMS may not have been a common method for decades since phones weren't in the market but today, almost everybody owns a mobile phone and customers are accessible.
There are several important advantages of SMS marketing and they include.
Mobile devices are as many in the population of potential customers as the people are. Most people will always check their phones time after time more than they check their computers. Reliable researchers have shown that there is a higher growth in worldwide cell phone providers than there are other devices. This research has shown that about 2.4 billion people worldwide deal with SMS every time. This is a larger, more diverse customer base enough for your business. There is no phone that doesn't receive nor send SMS.
Most online marketers have realized that this is actually the best way to reach to billions. Potential business people should embrace the use of SMS and send them anytime. If you want expert help, go to an established company that will do the work for you.
SMS marketing sends bulk messages to prospective customers and hence promoting the best of your products. When doing the promotion using SMS marketing, all you need to know is to arrange the contacts of all the potential customers you can have. Most companies doing SMS marketing will get you the information that will help you to create template text message. With this program, you can personalize the message you are sending to each customer about the product.
Consider a case where one wants to market a new CD of the best artists out there. You will get an SMS marketer who will then buy as many numbers as possible from various group sites and make up a message promoting the song, embedding it in the text message and send it to all of them customized. Everybody will open such messages and possibly, click the link. They will then check the preview of the song and many of them will fall for it. With SMS marketing, therefore, one can send thousands of messages in seconds.
With the SMS marketing, your staff or you will not need to be trained technically on any skill and also that there will be faster means to deliver your messages. Bulk SMS software is the safest and you will use it with simplicity.


In my article earlier this month on why PPC Life allows you to wear many hats, I stated how I get to do things at work that I enjoy doing in my spare time. I used FanDuel as an example as to how some things I enjoy doing are similar to my everyday work life. Well – when coming up with my latest bid strategy ideas I came up with direct ideas from how player analyses' are done in an attempt to maximize points on daily fantasy sports sites.
Layering statistics from different time periods and leveraging recent statistics as the most valuable data when coming up with projections is how I typically set up player analysis. So, why not treat your keywords the same way in an attempt to maximize revenue? Combine long-term and short-term performance in order to come up with projections for the next two weeks.
This bidding strategy can be used on any account successfully, but it is highly recommended for situations where there are high valued products and low sales volume on a weekly basis. This type of bidding will allow you to utilize revenue numbers on more keywords rather than trying to project revenue for the next two weeks with the last two weeks worth of data – which may have revenue data on just a select number of keywords if you have lower sales volume per week.
The first thing you have to do is download keyword level data with all of the metrics you want to utilize in your bid strategies from each date range you want to use in your formula. Let's use the past six months and the past 2 weeks in this example. Once you download each – the last two weeks and the last 6 months worth of data – you then average out the past 6 months worth of data into 2-week averages, by dividing the statistic by 13 in this case. You can see what the data has looked like on average in the past 6 months in 2-week intervals.
Once this is done you can utilize VLookUps in order to get these averages in the same sheet as the past 2 weeks.
Then, the statistics we want to utilize overall would include the 6-month averages, but with emphasis on the last 2 weeks worth of performance. In this case we're just using 50% of our projection on the last 2 weeks worth of performance, and 50% of our projection on long-term performance – last 6-month average.
I know a lot of paid search experts teach users to typically utilize a 1:1 ratio when doing manual bid changes. Meaning if you do bids every week, go back one week. If you do bids bi-weekly, go back two weeks in terms of data that you'd pull. This method obviously does not follow this practice.
When users speak to doing bid changes with a 1:1 ratio, they are typically utilizing impression share, average position, ROAS and CPL metrics in order to determine a percentage they are willing to raise their bids.
The information we are gathering based off these weighted averages we pulled revolves around one thing: how much revenue are we likely to get per click. This is something that past bid changes do not impact as much, as it is not considering how much each click costs based on our bids. It is just telling us how much revenue we typically receive when that keyword is clicked. Since this is the case, we can go back deeper in time and use weighted averages without hesitation. From there we can utilize the JAF: (Revenue/Click)/ROAS Goal to come up with a suggested bid.
What About Keywords With No Revenue In The Past 6 Months?
This is where the last 6 months of data comes back into play. Typically when doing bi-weekly or weekly bid changes we can visualize performance from the past few weeks, and see that certain terms just have not received a lot of traffic to prove themselves. We can then decide on a bid change based on impression share or average position. However, in this case, we can go back 6 months if the term has no revenue assigned to it in order to see just how many clicks this keyword has been racking up over the weeks without ever converting. Below shows the complete formula of the suggested bid.
This formula is: IF(WeightedAvgRevenue>0,(WeightedAvgRevenue/Clicks)/ROASGoal,(AverageOrderValue/(WeightedAvgClicks*13)/ROAS Goal.
If there is revenue associated with the keyword use the regular (Revenue/Click)/ROAS Goal, but if there is no revenue associated with the keyword multiply the average amount of clicks by 13 to get the total amount of clicks in the past 6 months, then use the average order value to show IF we got one sale out of these clicks, how much revenue would we be getting per click. From there we divide by the ROAS Goal.
Woah – did anyone else notice that this guy writing this article is telling us to bid $200.48 on a keyword in this article? Does he work for Google? Why would we risk spending that much on one click?
Obviously, this would be crazy to implement a bid over $200 and I would not suggest that to anyone in any industry (as far as I know with the industries I've worked in thus far). Where this 'suggested bid' occurs often in the formula is if a keyword has just a couple clicks with the high Average Order Value within the account, the suggested bid will be extremely high as it estimates how much revenue we'd get per click if that keyword brought in one sale the past 6 months.
Using these formulas allows you to look deeper into the past without completely ignoring the recent past, and assuring leverage on recent keyword performance. It also allows you to see how terms are likely to perform in the coming weeks based on both recent past and long-term performance. When using the 1:1 ratio when setting the max and min modifiers in terms of impression share you are taking into consideration the last bid changes when making the new changes.


text:
Q: UiPath Cloud Studio version 21.10.5 automation developer service mode install unattended robot issue I have installed UiPath Cloud Studio version 21.10.5 with advanced settings in service mode on a Azure windows instance using a service account per the instructions in the link below:
https://docs.uipath.com/installation-and-upgrade/docs/installing-the-robot
We are using Cloud orchestrator. I see that the UiPath Robot service is correctly installed and running as the Local System account as it should.
When I configure and use a robot account on this instance (03) with a machine template key that works on another instance (02), the unattended robot job does not run. I specify the robot account, the machine, the hostname correctly in the process start page.  I have the non-production license applied to the machine and the job correctly. It just sits in the Pending status and does not run in Cloud Orchestrator tenant.
The same test job runs on another second instance(02) with the Studio Cloud 21.10.5 with the unattended robot option. The second host has the same machine key of the same machine template.
Is this a bug? Or is the Studio with service mode not supposed to work?
I am aware that there is the alternate option to use unattended robot install option with advanced settings and choose to install studio. I have not tried this yet. Has anyone else? Is this option supposed to work better with the unattended and attended robots and studio for development?
I'd like to know before we go too far down this path or try the alternate install.
Our setup works separately with studio on 1 instance (01) and automation developer with the user mode and unattended robot on the second instance (02) with the unattended robot setup.
We'd like to see if the Studio development and the unattended robot can work on the one instance. This is what I am trying on a third instance (03) to see if we can use 1 instance for both development setup and unattended robot with a service account.
Thanks for all the help.

A: The issue was that 1 non prod license can be used only on 1 host not 2 hosts for the same machine template. If using 2 hosts and 1 license, then whichever host connects to the machine first and acquires the license works and other does not.
To avoid this, we can go under tenant -> License -> see more -> disable the license on the host we are not running the unattended bot on and enable the license for the host we are running the unattended bot on. This worked.
2 robot accounts on the same host will work with 1 license. That is why I did not run into this on dev 02 with 2 robot accounts.
Per UiPath support separate studio and robot host and combined studio and unattended robot on 1 host work for development purpose. If combined, we may run into performance issue and need to keep an eye on memory.
Hope this helps someone.