1.There -----------many mistakes in his paper.
3.Thousand rupees------------a large amount for me then.
4.The army ship had drowned.
5.We could do nothing than praying.
6.Please turn-----------the volume of the radio,so that it is not quite so loud.
8.I am sick of the urban worry and hurry,therefore,I have decided to move to my native village for a/an-------------existence.
13.This is the first time I have-----------Coconut Neerai.
14.Either the president or the secretary have an option to donate funds.
15.His wife and mother were standing beside him.
16.I don't want ----------of these books.
17.People in our office are so-------that the work never gets done on time.
20.Throw the ball-----------Vinu so that he can catch it.
21.In a certain code"RISE"is written as'8419',and "MEAL"is written as'5927'.How is "RAIL"written in that code?
22.There are five books A,B,C,D and E placed on a table.If A is placed below E,C is placed above D,B is placed below A and D is placed above E,then which of the following books touch the surface of the table?
24.The ratio of roses and lilies in a garden is 3:2 respectively.The average number of roses and lilies is 180.What is the number of lilies is 180.What is the number of lilies in the garden?
25.In a certain language THEN is coded as VFCL,how is WORD written in that code?
31.Joju starts from his home;He goes 6 km west.Then he turns left and goes 8 km.In which direction is he from the starting point?
32.A and B are young ones of C.If C is the father of A,but B is not the son of C,how are B and C related?
34.What would be the area of a circle whose circumference is 22 cms?
35.Pooja earned a profit of 40% on selling an article for Rs.8,750.What was the cost price of the article?
37.Rahul ranks 7th from the top and 28th from the bottom in a class.How many students are there in his class?
38.If in a language TABLE is called CHAIR,CHAIR is called COT,COT is called POT and POT is called TABLE.When does the person sit in that language?
39.Ajayan left home for office 15 minutes earlier than usual.It takes 10 minutes to reach office.He reached office at 8:40 am.What time does he usually leave home for office?
41.Who is the sole authority to issue currency in India?
42.The present number of states in the Indian Union.
45.Which country has the largest written constitution in the world?
50.Which of the following is not a term related to a WORD document in a computer?
51.Which district in Kerala is known as the "Venice of the East"?
54.Who is the author of the Malayalam novel,Aarachar?
55.Which of the following is not a computer operating system?
56.How many members are there in SAARC?
61.The registration of a Co-operative Society is done as per Section----------of KCS Act.
66.A Co-operative Society is defined in Section------------of KCS Act.
68.Arbitration in Co-operative Society is done as per Section -----------of KCS Act.
69.Special General Body Meeting is held as per Section----------of KCS Act.
70.Amalgamation and division of Co-Operative Societies is done by Section -------------of KCS Act.
72.In a Co-operative Society the audit fees levied by-------of KCS Act.
74.A tribunal is constituted Under Section----------of KCS Act.
86.Which of the following organizational structure is followed by Co-operatives in India?
89.The employee Co-operative Societies in Kerala are organized in ----------tier system.
96.Lead bank scheme was recommended by---------Committee.
97.'One man one vote'principle was recommended by-------Committee.
104.Production bonus is given by -------societies.
105.Rebate is related to -----------type of societies.
117.Quorum for the Managing Committee in Section -------------of KCS Act.
120.Reservation for women members is specified in Section------------of KCS Act.
126.Partners salary is---------to partners Capital Account.
127.Partner's Current Account is a ----------account.
129.Interest on Capital is a -------to the firm.
I have ever made any valuable discoveries,it has been owing more to patient attention,than to any other talent.-Issac Newton.


ITEC values for excellence, Innovation and exceptional customer service are at the heart of everything we do. Our consultants are highly skilled and have over 35 years' experience of working in the training and education sector. They hold a wide range of relevant qualifications the line with business needs.


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Dr. Bush welcomes your feedback. Thank you!


text:
Q: Have an ad space repeat every 10 posts I would like to put an adsense square (250x250) ad every ten posts in my posts list.
I tried adding this code to my index.php, inside of the posts div:
<?php if (have_posts()) : ?>
<?php $count = 0; ?>
<?php while (have_posts()) : the_post(); ?>
<?php $count++; ?>
  <?php if ($count == 11) : ?>
       Ad code is here

<a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><?php the_title(); ?>

          <?php the_excerpt(); ?>
   <?php else : ?>

<a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><?php the_title(); ?>

          <?php the_excerpt(); ?>
  <?php endif; ?>
<?php endwhile; ?>
<?php endif; ?>

It showed up correctly, but all the format of the posts changed for some reason.
Plus, this code only puts an ad after the tenth post, and it doesn't automatically repeat it after the twentieth, etc.
This is not actually really important, I could just repeat the numbers.

A:      <?php if (have_posts()) : ?>
    <?php $count = 0; ?>
    <?php while (have_posts()) : the_post(); ?>
    <?php $count++; ?>
    //////////////////////
   <?php  if($count%10==0){  echo "

"; }   ?>
    ///////////////////

      <?php if ($count == 11) : ?>
           Ad code is here

<a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><?php the_title(); ?>

              <?php the_excerpt(); ?>
       <?php else : ?>

<a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><?php the_title(); ?>

              <?php the_excerpt(); ?>
      <?php endif; ?>
    <?php endwhile; ?>
    <?php endif; ?>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Purdue announces plans to build new data science building
Stories of CS
Purdue University will build a new $40 million facility dedicated to Data Science, designed to help the university meet its goal to be a national and global leader in the field of data science research and education for all students.
The flagship four-story building will be 86,000 square feet, featuring classroom and teaching space for all of campus alongside collaborative workspace for College of Science graduate researchers and faculty who form the core of the university's strong and growing data science program. Purdue's Board of Trustees is expected to vote Friday (Dec. 6) to advance the project.
"By bringing together Purdue's research strengths in mathematics, statistics, and computer science within an innovative building design, we will further cement our leadership in a critical STEM area and fulfill our commitment to make Purdue the first school for which data science is a part of every student's education, no matter their field of study," said Patrick Wolfe, Frederick L. Hovde Dean of the College of Science. "Data science is the new language of life, cutting across all disciplines and fields of research, and so it's crucial that our students are prepared for this future."
In the next 10 years, it is projected that 1 trillion sensing devices worldwide will be connected to the internet. This explosive combination of ubiquitous sensors, rapid data transmission and low-cost storage, and the commoditization of on-demand computing has ushered in a revolution in data science. Announced in 2018, Purdue's Integrative Data Science Initiative demonstrates the institution's commitment to advancing data science research and fostering data literacy in its students, providing them the opportunity to learn about and participate in data science research across disciplines. A strategic institutional priority, Purdue's degree programs across the data and computational sciences are poised to grow significantly, illustrating the university's commitment to preparing its students for this emerging segment of the economy, both in research and industry.
"Data science and related fields will transform every sector of our economies and societies in the coming years and decades," said Purdue President Mitch Daniels. "This facility will ensure that Purdue's students and faculty alike remain at the forefront of this acutely important new field."
Construction is scheduled to begin in November 2020 with completion in June of 2022.
Writer: Tim Doty, 765-496-2571, doty2@purdue.edu
Source: Patrick Wolfe, patrick@purdue.edu
Originally appeared here.
Last Updated: Dec 5, 2019 8:45 AM

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Business For Sale France
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France is a country located in northwestern Europe. It has been the first tourist destination in the world for 25 years. It covers a land area of 640,679 square kilometers with a population of 66,998,000 French. The French language is what they use in communicating with one another. Most French are Christians and Euro is their official currency when buying goods and services. France has three climates: oceanic, continental, and Mediterranean.
The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in France is worth 2.845 trillion US dollars. And its GDP per capita is around $43,500. The Corporate Tax Rate stands at 31 percent, which is a little high. However, in spite of that, it still manifests how strong and developed their economy is.
The country is currently focusing on improving its economic growth and the working benefits of its citizens so doing business in France is not their priority now. Nationals who do not need to acquire a French visa or permit to visit, live, work or study are European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Swiss citizens. Some nationalities or Third Nationals need a visa, regardless of whether it's for a short stay (up to 90 days) or longer (more than 90 days). Just like the green card in America, there is an EU Blue Card given to highly skilled workers. That enables them to travel and work across the EU without the need for a work permit.
The challenges in France include high unemployment, lagging competitiveness, sluggish growth, and insufficiently skilled workers. Despite that, foreign companies are still attracted to doing business in the country and in 2017, foreign direct investment was the highest it has been in 10 years at 44 billion euros.
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Bajaj Majesty HC01 Horizontal Chopper.
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Why does it take me so long to write my books? Well, for one, I get lost down rabbit holes. Here's what happens: I come to a part in a chapter where I need to gather a bit more information on a particular aspect of a breed, region of the world, or of a particular period in history. So I open a book, or go online to see what I can find. But more often than not, despite my best efforts to spend no more than an hour or two looking for what I need, I end up going down some obscure rabbit hole that occupies me for the next week.
Case in point: wondering how and why the first Korthals Griffon registered in America was called a "Russian Setter". Instead of doing a quick online search and then a bit of creative cutting and pasting from an article I already wrote on the topic, I ended up spending the better part of a ten days neck deep in back-issues of newspapers published in the 1880s. And in the end, I never did find out exactly why the dog was registered as a Russian Setter. Instead, I found article after article about the early days of setters and Pointers in the US, including an extraordinary piece about hunting prairie chickens over Russian Setters in Nebraska in 1885. The article is far too long to include in my next book — I will probably only us a line or two from it— but the article is just too interesting to not share with others. So what is a writer prone to rabbit-holes to do with the excess of super cool stuff he digs up along the way? Post it to his blog!
So here it is. Part One of what I hope will become a long-running series of all the cool stuff that will never make it to the book, but that I can't resist sharing with other dog geeks like me. "Shots Among the Prairie Chickens" first appeared in the January 29, 1886 issue of Forest and Stream magazine. In it, the author mentions, almost in passing, that in the hotel where he was staying there was "a Parker gun behind the desk and two Russian setter dogs under the table". It is the earliest reference I have yet to find of Russian setters hunting in America and it is a fascinating look at a bygone era of upland hunting on the plains. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
English, Irish and Russian Setters. The Russian Setter is the one in the back.
SHOTS AMONG THE PRAIRIE CHICKENS.
Having little time and less money to spare last fall, but being—as usual—possessed of a very large desire to look at something over my gun barrels, fortune favored me one day late in September on meeting a friend who said: "I understand you have been out chicken shooting" I had been up north about eighty miles, where, I was told, I could find a few birds, and I found them few indeed—I tramped for three days—got up a flock of six and divided even with them, taking three for my part, and came home. "Yes," I said; I have been out, but found few birds and no sport." "Well," he answered, "now I want you should lay out a trip and go with me." I told him I could hardly stand another trip. "But," said he, "this is my trip. You will go with me, will you not?" You would be almost surprised to know how little urging it required to induce me to say yes. As my friend had recently been presented with a fine Irish setter but had no gun, he insisted I should go with him and select an outfit, which we at once proceeded to do and accomplished satisfactory.
After making what inquiries I could for several days I nearly satisfied myself that all localities within a few hundred miles had been shot over. As this was toward the last of the month and the law was off on the first, if we decided to hunt within a radius of four or five hundred miles we should be obliged to glean the fields where others had reaped the harvest; so we decided to start for Nebraska, hoping to get beyond the market hunters, especially those who had hunted for this market, for the woods are full of them all over the West, and they are wiping out the game of all kinds as effectually as a fire licks up the prairie grass.
We bought tickets to Omaha, with a privilege of a rebate if we decided to stop anywhere this side; but after diligent inquiry at every possible point and opportunity we traveled across the States of Illinois and Iowa from east to west, receiving but the one answer, "The birds have been about all shot off."
Now this looks a little sad, that in two States, where but a very few years ago chickens enough could be found almost anywhere to make excellent sport, one should be told that the first month of the shooting season is over, that "the birds have been about all shot off." It only reveals the truth that our game of all kinds is being rapidly and surely exterminated. I am aware that in the Great West everything is done on the "broad gauge" plan, and that a majority of sportsmen here think they must have a "pile" of game in order to get any sport out of it; but they will very soon have to moderate their desires and learn to get more sport out of less game.
We arrived at Omaha in the evening, and stopping overnight were told that a great many chickens had been shot about 100 miles west on the U. P. R. R. We told our informant that we were not after chickens that had been shot, in fact we were not in the second-hand business at all, but had started for some locality where we could "sit down at the first table."
The next morning we took cars and after riding about eighty miles in a northwest direction were landed at the little town of Bancroft on the edge of the Omaha Indian reservation. A few moments' conversation with the landlord, a Parker gun behind the desk and two Russian setter dogs under the table, satisfied me that we had made no mistake in our location. I being the commissary of the party, was ordered to make arrangements for our supplies during our stay, which I did by saying we should want a team at our disposal which would stand fire, enough to eat and a good bed to sleep on at night. "How long do you propose to stay?" asked the landlord. Our answer was: 'Until we get satisfied." The price was named and that settled it.
About this time we were called to dinner, where we were seated at a little round table with plates for four, two of which were already occupied by a middle-aged gentleman and a young lady. Do I bear someone ask, What has all this got to do with chicken shooting? Don't be in a hurry, young man; go slow and I will tell you all about it. After dinner my friend in looking at the hotel register, read the names immediately above ours: Mr. S—— and daughter. As the aforesaid daughter was standing near him while Mr. S had gone to order up his team preparatory to starting, my friend with all due apologies inquired of the young lady if Mr. S was a native of the town of M, State of Connecticut, and being answered affirmatively, my friend said: "Will you please tell him an old schoolmate would like to speak with him before he leaves?"
Such is life; here were two men, past the meridian of life, who had never met or even heard of each other since the old brown door of an obscure Connecticut schoolhouse had closed behind them. One had served his country as a soldier through the civil war and bore the scars of battle and both in mercantile pursuits had wandered west to meet here by the merest chance for the first time since they were boys together. It is sufficient for this narrative to say that Mr. S—— ordered his team returned to the stable, and he and his fair daughter did not leave us until we had finished our week's sport, adding very much to our enjoyment.
Prairie chicken shooting is par excellence the sport of the lazy man; it is the easiest of all land shooting—first, because the field is always open, and if one is too lazy to walk he can shoot from a horse or wagon; second, because early in the season, before the birds are quite matured, or have been too often disturbed, they will lie in the tall grass as close and long as one wishes; and thirdly, because they make a good big mark, flying true and not too rapidly, and there is so much of them that one need not fear of blowing them all to pieces, leaving nothing but feathers in the air. If they happen to get up too near for a shot, you can measure your distance, knowing there is no bush or tree for them to dodge behind. Thus in all respects, they make fine game for one not disposed to be in a hurry; and for these same reasons the gentle things are easy plunder for the unscrupulous market-hunter. Later in the season (or at the time we were out), during the last of September, the birds are fully matured, have become stronger flyers, and have been made a little more shy from an occasional shot among them, even in this far off locality, and will not always allow a dog to approach so near them; and if a bird gets up twenty-five or thirty yards away one has to wink his eye pretty quick in order to stop him, for being strong they will carry off quite a weight of shot unless winged or hit in a vital part.
We shot mostly on the Omaha Indian reservation, which here is quite rolling, but excellent land covered with a heavy growth of prairie grass, and there being no fences we could drive at will in almost any direction. The Indians had here a few fields of corn and other grains, but there were thousands of acres over which we could ride and shoot at pleasure. Our wagon was a comfortable two-seated spring wagon with a park top which would carry four or six persons and our dogs, and we had a couple or ponies somewhat larger than jack rabbits for a team which would walk or run all day, but manifested a most decided disinclination to trot. We had taken two dogs with us, an Irish and English setter and our landlord had two Russian setters which were at our service, so we were pretty well fixed for an enjoyable time.
Our mode of proceeding was about this: We would get an early breakfast, load up dogs, guns, ammunition, lunch, a big jug of water for ourselves and the dogs; thus equipped our party of four, as reorganized, would point the ponies (which my friend named Splinters and Shanks) for the Indian reservation, when a ride of a little more than a mile would bring us on to good shooting grounds. We always drove to the leeward of the field over which we designed to shoot. Then we would get out, leaving Miss S to manage the team, following slowly in our wake and occasionally marking birds for us, which services she rendered in an admirable manner, and with a new and delightful pleasure to herself.
With the four dogs, the three of us keeping about two hundred yards apart and moving in line as nearly as practicable, each would generally find birds enough for his individual shooting without disturbing the others or placing them in danger; and when one's pockets became too heavy for comfort or convenience, he would fall back to the wagon and deposit his load. Occasionally we would all meet at the wagon, when we would water the dogs, sample our lunch, a cigar, look over our birds, and when we had finished our chat and were thoroughly rested, start out for another tramp. Thus we would put in the time till about 11 o'clock, when it was time to bundle ourselves and dogs into the wagon and drive back to the hotel for dinner, after which came cigars and usually a game of cards till about 3 o'clock, when we would find ourselves again seated in the wagon and on our way for the evening shoot, which usually lasted far into the "twilight soft and grey."
To me there is a rare and indescribable delight in shooting on a still, quiet evening, watching the last rays of the setting sun, and the last faint glimmer of light as it quietly passes away under the gauzy curtain of night. (May the last days of all good sportsmen be as quiet and pleasant.) We always found supper awaiting us on our arrival home, when after caring for the dogs and shedding our hunting traps, and taking a good square tin pan bath, we, "us four and no more," would gather about the little round table aforesaid, doing ample justice to broiled chickens, flanked by vegetables, warm biscuit, pastry, etc.
After supper we would look to the comfort of the dogs, and then seat ourselves for a cheerful chat and game of cards till bedtime. Should you ask me now how many birds we bagged, I could not tell; I kept tally till we got past 100 and then quit. We did not forget our friends nor neglect ourselves, for we sent away a box each day, and kept a string hanging under the little porch of the hotel from which our table was supplied at each meal. Thus we passed the week, changing our route occasionally, always getting birds enough to make it enjoyable sport, never turning it into downright slaughter, and leaving birds "enough and to spare." And with it all we had a good time.
Forest and Stream, January 29, 1886.


text:
Q: Transformation from local projection to WGS84 I'd like to reproject point that is in local coordinate system to the WGS84, using gdal. But exception "No PROJ.4 translation for source SRS, coordinate transformation initialization has failed" appears. Unfortunately, I've no idea how to proceed with the issue. Here is my code on c#
            Gdal.AllRegister();
            Dataset dataset = Gdal.Open(@"D:\TifExample\raster.tif", Access.GA_ReadOnly);
            String WKTFromTif = dataset.GetProjectionRef();

            Double[] gt = new double[6];
            dataset.GetGeoTransform(gt);
            Int32 Rows = dataset.RasterYSize;
            Int32 Cols = dataset.RasterXSize;
            Double upperLeftX = gt[0];
            Double upperLeftY = gt[3];
            Double lowerRightX = gt[0] + Cols * gt[1] + Rows * gt[2];
            Double lowerRightY = gt[3] + Cols * gt[4] + Rows * gt[5];

            Double[] upperLeftPoint = { upperLeftX, upperLeftY };
            Double[] lowerRightPoint = { lowerRightX, lowerRightY };

            SpatialReference currentSpatialReference = new SpatialReference(WKTFromTif);

            String EPSG4326WKT = "GEOGCS[\"WGS84 datum, Latitude-Longitude; Degrees\", DATUM[\"WGS_1984\", SPHEROID[\"World Geodetic System of 1984, GEM 10C\",6378137,298.257223563, AUTHORITY[\"EPSG\",\"7030\"]], AUTHORITY[\"EPSG\",\"6326\"]], PRIMEM[\"Greenwich\",0], UNIT[\"degree\",0.0174532925199433], AUTHORITY[\"EPSG\",\"4326\"]]";
            SpatialReference newSpatialReference = new SpatialReference(EPSG4326WKT);

            CoordinateTransformation coordinateTransform = new CoordinateTransformation(currentSpatialReference, newSpatialReference);

            coordinateTransform.TransformPoint(upperLeftPoint);
            coordinateTransform.TransformPoint(lowerRightPoint);

P.S. WKTFromTif has next value for my raster :"LOCAL_CS[\"WGS 84 / Pseudo-Mercator\",GEOGCS[\"WGS 84\",DATUM[\"unknown\",SPHEROID[\"unretrievable - using WGS84\",6378137,298.257223563]],PRIMEM[\"Greenwich\",0],UNIT[\"degree\",0.0174532925199433]],AUTHORITY[\"EPSG\",\"3857\"],UNIT[\"metre\",1,AUTHORITY[\"EPSG\",\"9001\"]]]"
Does anyone knows how to solve the problem?
Here is the data from gdalinfo
PROJCS["WGS 84 / Pseudo-Mercator",
    GEOGCS["WGS 84",
        DATUM["WGS_1984",
            SPHEROID["WGS 84",6378137,298.257223563,
                AUTHORITY["EPSG","7030"]],
            AUTHORITY["EPSG","6326"]],
        PRIMEM["Greenwich",0],
        UNIT["degree",0.0174532925199433],
        AUTHORITY["EPSG","4326"]],
    PROJECTION["Mercator_1SP"],
    PARAMETER["central_meridian",0],
    PARAMETER["scale_factor",1],
    PARAMETER["false_easting",0],
    PARAMETER["false_northing",0],
    UNIT["metre",1,
        AUTHORITY["EPSG","9001"]],
    EXTENSION["PROJ4","+proj=merc +a=6378137 +b=6378137 +lat_ts=0.0 +lon_0=0.0 +
x_0=0.0 +y_0=0 +k=1.0 +units=m +nadgrids=@null +wktext  +no_defs"],
    AUTHORITY["EPSG","3857"]]
Origin = (4042799.739385183900000,6382762.252179093700000)


In this edition of Fast Forward on the World Transformed, Peter Evans, Senior Director for Big Data Solutions at Solix, talks with our hosts Phil Bowermaster and Stephen Gordon about the challenges and opportunities that organizations face as they move to data-driven business and operational models.
What lies behind all the current hype about "digital transformation?" And what are the process and infrastructure changes that an organization must be willing to address in order to become a true data-driven enterprise?
Peter Evans is the Senior Director for Big Data Solutions at Solix, specializing in Big Data, Data Virtualization, Business Intelligence and Advanced Analytics. He is a recognized expert in the design, implementation, and delivery of bespoke Business Intelligence and Analytics systems. Leveraging a broad variety of technologies, he has more than 16 years experience delivering such systems to some of the world's leading companies. Peter is a member of the British Computer Society and Institute of Analysts and Programmers, and he holds certifications from Microsoft, Novell and Targit. He regularly contributes to the Database Journal and online forums and social media discussions in the areas of Analytics and Business Intelligence and Data Virtualization.
Extra! Voyage of the Space Roadster!


Clint Eastwood is making a trend of turning heroic, true events into feature-length films, and The 15:17 to Paris is another example of such a tendency. But, in a surprise move, Eastwood and Warner Bros. hired the real heroes to act in the film, further blurring the lines between reality and cinema. The following review will be spoiler free.
On August 21, 2015, three young men boarded the Thalys train #9364 bound for Paris in the middle of their backpacking trip through Europe. On board, the men encountered and prevented an attempted terrorist attack by a single assailant, saving countless lives on the train.
Through their earlier years that included some background in the armed forces, we see what prepared these three individuals for this act of heroism, and how ordinary citizens can rise up and do the extraordinary in times of need.
Back in April of 2017, it was announced that Clint Eastwood would direct a screenplay from Dorothy Blyskal based on the book The 15:17 to Paris: The True Story. While reports initially pointed towards Kyle Gallner, Jeremie Harris, and Alexander Ludwig to star as the three heroes, word later came out that Eastwood had cast Alex Skarlatos, Anthony Sadler, and Spencer Stone to play themselves in the film. This move certainly put more eyes on The 15:17 to Paris as its release date drew closer (much to the pleasure of Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow).
As for the event itself, the assailant that the trio stopped had over 300 rounds of ammunition on his person. If not for these men, 500 lives aboard the Thalys train #9364 could have been lost. For their actions, the men received the Legion of Honour, France's highest decoration for military and civil merits.
However, the casting stunt caused people to have one thought on their minds: how well can these guys act?
At its core, The 15:17 to Paris is very well-intentioned. As the film attempts to pay its respects to the these three heroic men, there's a clear understanding of how courageous these men were during the attack.
While on the train, there's a very hectic nature to the film that is almost anxiety-inducing, putting the audience right in the middle of the fray. There's a strong visceral impact that, if viewed in vacuum (i.e. if you watched the clip of the train attack on YouTube), would be very affecting. Clint Eastwood knows how to direct gut-wrenching, true events given the rest of his filmography as a director, and he shows his skills in that small timeframe.
For everything surrounding the actual event, well, that's an entirely different story.
Alex Skarlatos, Anthony Sadler, and Spencer Stone are not actors, and The 15:17 to Paris exploits their deficiencies at every turn. The trio of heroes come off as amateur stage actors, doing their best to just get through each scene while remembering all of their lines. They're so focused with the basic elements of acting that they're very wooden, showing little charisma whatsoever.
However, no one should blame these three for their performances. Anyone that chastises these men is horribly misguided. After all, they've never acted before — what do you expect from first-time actors in a film with a wide release across the United States?
The main culprit behind this debacle is Clint Eastwood himself. The legendary film figure is well-known for his hands-off directing approach, moving production along as quickly as possible and filming each scene in as few takes as possible. He doesn't give many notes to his actors, either. When you have an experienced actor like Tom Hanks at your disposal, you can get away with this approach. But, when the film's stars are individuals that have never acted before, you're asking for disaster.
The poor performances even extend to the child actors that play younger versions of the three heroes, showing that Eastwood just didn't connect with anyone on set. Some of the child actors have given solid performances in other films, proving that they're much better than their performances in The 15:17 to Paris would indicate.
Eastwood set his actors up for failure, and it results in some painfully awkward scenes of dialogue between the cast members. With poor writing thrown into the mix as well, you can't help but feel bad for everyone involved.
The acting is a very noticeable problem with The 15:17 to Paris, even to the untrained eye. However, it's the script of the film that sinks the ship. In a 94-minute film, there is approximately sixty minutes of storytelling. In an attempt to offer a look into what kind of person each of these individuals were leading up to their acts on the train, The 15:17 to Paris resorts to showing these three strolling through Europe on an excursion with no consequences or additions to the story. They meet a random American that quickly leaves the picture, eat ice cream, and take selfies. The film forces Alex Skarlatos, Spencer Stone, and Anthony Sadler to fill in the gaps with banter, but (once again) you can't expect untrained actors to carry a movie in such a manner. Before the train sequence ever occurs, you're already checked out of the film.
The film bizarrely covers the lives of these three individuals in such a brief period of time that you never get a solid understanding of these men. In that regard, The 15:17 to Paris fails to achieve its main goal as a movie.
The 15:17 to Paris is one of those movies where it feels like a 50-year-old wrote dialogue for characters in their 20's, writing with a misguided and stereotypical view of how younger people behave. Filled with selfies and a pop song that stopped being popular months ago, you get the sense that these men are caricatures of their actual selves. With such a script, you feel a sense of apathy as these heroes reenact their brave actions — that's the worst possible emotion to attach to such an inspiring act of bravery.
The 15:17 to Paris deserves a lot of praise for its earnest intentions in portraying a heroic event that honors its real-life subjects (and actors) by culminating to the idea that ordinary individuals can rise up and achieve greatness. However, the story as presented is a mess. Clint Eastwood does nothing to help his first-time actors as the film exploits their weaknesses as untrained individuals, trapping them in a dialogue-heavy narrative that aimlessly moves from point A to point B with zero life.
The amazing true story of these three men is reduced to a borderline unwatchable backpacking trip — The 15:17 to Paris diminishes the heroic acts of Spencer Stone, Alex Skarlatos, and Anthony Sadler.
Thanks for reading! What are your thoughts on The 15:17 to Paris? Comment down below!
This movie was amateurish in many ways. So sad to see that in an Eastwood movie, and this story and these guys didn't deserve this lazy an effort.
"Amateurish" is definitely the correct word to use for this film. Personally it even diminished the courageous acts of the men involved.
Agreed. And it's too bad that people will now think of their performances in this terrible movie (which didn't do anything at all to help them look good) instead of just their heroic acts.
Couldn't have said it any better myself ??
Just saw. The good thing is it was about an hour and a half. If I was one of the heroes mothers I would have loved it. But; It was so bad. The scenes didn't flow. It was difficult to sit through. I actually felt embarrassed for the poor men. The scene on the train was bearable because you knew it happened.
You explained it perfectly! It's incredibly difficult to sit through. You feel so terribly that these heroes are basically on an island with no one there to help them. Cmon Clint Eastwood, you can do better than this!
I am surprised that Eastwood would noy have known that acting is a "profession" and a "craft" that must be learned and practiced. Taking someone in and putting them into a leading role in a film when they have no previous experience or natural talent and no training…… it just does not work. thanks for this review. I shall give this one a miss.
I saw this film and agree with the review. You aren't wrong. But I loved it on a simplistic basis, being that 3 American boys stepped in and saved lives and they were rightfully honored. It was a bold move to use the ACTUAL men but I wanted better script and better direction from Clint Eastwood. It would have been a B movie with any other director. Jenna Fischer was very much a disappointment her lines were delivered stiffly and without real emotion. Judy Greer came out as the best actress in the film due to the rest.
This film could have been a LOT better with a little patience. But in itself as a work of art, not comparing it to anyone or anything else, I loved it because the idea was unique and honoring. I left feeling proud of my generation and my country. Clint Eastwood will always inspire patriotism with me. Thanks for your review! Excellent work as always.
I'm glad you found enjoyment in it! There's definitely something to admire here about attempting such as audacious stunt, but Clint should have known better than to try this considering his directing style.
I totally agree. I wish they could get the movie they deserve. It's an amazing story that should be lauded as much as a typical Clint Eastwood movie.
The LA Times featured an article about this film a few weeks ago, and from the write-up, it sounded promising given the fact the real guys portrayed themselves. It's too bad it's a disappointment.
It's really a shame. I think with a hands-on director this concept could have worked. Eastwood just isn't a good match for inexperienced talent.
40 Years of 'The Warriors': How Well Does the Cult Classic Hold Up?


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Q: How to use generic method that accepts an ArrayList of any type and use the method in the specified type class? I have a system that has two class: Book and Member. I am trying to do a sort method that can accept an ArrayList of both classes, and sort them before returning to me. Here is how I write my code:
public static <T> ArrayList sortElements(Class c, ArrayList<T> elementList) {
        if (c == Book.class) {
            ArrayList<Book> bookList = new ArrayList<>();
            for (Object o: elementList) {
                Book book = (Book) o;
                bookList.add(book);
            }
            boolean isBookSorted = false;
            Book bookTemp = null;
            while (!isBookSorted) {
                isBookSorted = true;
                for (int i = 0; i < bookList.size() - 1; i++) {
                    if ((bookList.get(i).getBookTitle()).compareToIgnoreCase(bookList.get(i+1).getBookTitle())>0) {
                        bookTemp = bookList.get(i);
                        bookList.set(i, bookList.get(i+1));
                        bookList.set(i+1, bookTemp);
                        isBookSorted = false;
                    }
                }
            }
            return bookList;
        }

        if (c == Member.class) {
            ArrayList<Member> memberList = new ArrayList<>();
            for (Object o: elementList) {
                Member member = (Member) o;
                memberList.add(member);
            }
            boolean isMemberSorted = false;
            Member memberTemp = null;
            while (!isMemberSorted) {
                isMemberSorted = true;
                for (int i = 0; i < memberList.size() - 1; i++) {
                    if ((memberList.get(i).getMemberName()).compareToIgnoreCase(memberList.get(i+1).getMemberName())>0) {
                        memberTemp = memberList.get(i);
                        memberList.set(i, memberList.get(i+1));
                        memberList.set(i+1, memberTemp);
                        isMemberSorted = false;
                    }
                }
            }
            return memberList;
        }
        return elementList;
    }

When I am using this method, it shows me a warning: Unchecked assignment: 'java.util.ArrayList' to 'java.util.ArrayList'. Is there any better way to implement the sort method in a generic way but still able to use the method inside the class? Because I need to access to Book.getBookTitle(), and Member.getMemberTitle() respectively to sort.

A: Writing a single function that processes a union of two unrelated classes as parameter is awkward in Java and not how one would usually solve such a problem. In Java you can use method overloading to specify two different functions with the same name but different parameter types.
However for the specific way of sorting, the usual way to specify a sort order in Java is to implement the comparable interface. Then you can use the native Java sort methods, such as Arrays.sort() or java.util.Collections.sort().

A: The whole idea that you create one method for sorting lists of members and books is flawed.
Either the books and members have a clear property that allows them to be compared and thus sorted (using Collections.sort or using a SortedSet), or you need to have specific methods such as sortBooksOnTitle(List<Book> books). Or you could create your own separate comparator and use that in Collections.sort.
Imagine the next programmer, seeing a generic sort method, and finding out that it switches between sorting methods depending on the class input. That's definitely failing the principle of least surprise. Or imagine having 10 types of lists to compare, how large will your method become?

A: public static <T> List<T> sortElements(Class<T> c, List<T> elementList) {
        if (c == Book.class) {
            boolean isBookSorted = false;
            T bookTemp = null;
            while (!isBookSorted) {
                isBookSorted = true;
                for (int i = 0; i < elementList.size() - 1; i++) {
                    if((((Book)elementList.get(i))).getBookTitle().compareToIgnoreCase((((Book)elementList.get(i+1))).getBookTitle()) > 0) {
                        bookTemp = elementList.get(i);
                        elementList.set(i, elementList.get(i + 1));
                        elementList.set(i + 1, bookTemp);
                        isBookSorted = false;
                    }
                }
            }
            return elementList;
        }

        if (c == Member.class) {
            boolean isMemberSorted = false;
            T memberTemp = null;
            while (!isMemberSorted) {
                isMemberSorted = true;
                for (int i = 0; i < elementList.size() - 1; i++) {
                    if ((((Member)elementList.get(i)).getMemberName())
                        .compareToIgnoreCase(((Member)elementList.get(i + 1)).getMemberName()) > 0) {
                        memberTemp = elementList.get(i);
                        elementList.set(i, elementList.get(i + 1));
                        elementList.set(i + 1, memberTemp);
                        isMemberSorted = false;
                    }
                }
            }
            return elementList;
        }

        return elementList;
    }


Benebell Wen's Spirit Keeper's Tarot was an instant 'must have' deck for me when I learned about the fascinating process of creating this deck. Benebell shares her story about evoking the spirits of A.E. Waite and Aleister Crowley in this post. Even before I read about this evocation work, I had been drawn to the artwork, which is quite unusual since I tend to go for brightly coloured decks and this is currently the only black and white deck I own.
There is a lot going on in the artwork, without it getting too busy or feeling messy in any way. All the important symbols and details are clear and I also find the artwork very charming, in the sense that had I come across this type of art as a child, I would have wanted to read the story that came with it.
In the picture above, I have laid out all the little bits and bobs Benebell managed to fit into the box with her cards. The box itself is sturdy and the two halves fit well together. You don't have to strain a spleen to open the box or anything. As an extra bonus, there is even artwork inside the box.
Then there is the gilt edges, a really nice touch… We all love a bit of bling, right? And I, for one, is not one of those crafty so-and-sos who are constantly edging their decks. I know exactly what would happen if I tried: a big mess. So thank you, Benebell, for not even making that an option!
The Spirit Keeper's Tarot can accommodate those who are improvisational Tarot readers, a method often referred to as intuitive reading.
Did I just hear some of you draw a sigh of relief?
Like I said, some serious study has gone into the making of this deck and I'm very much looking forward to the video course for the Spirit Keeper's Tarot that is coming out in December, as well as receiving the companion Book of Maps which I have ordered over on Lulu.
Another interesting thing about this deck is that it has not one 'Fool' but three and they each have specific tasks to do, so depending on where you your journey you are, you will choose the right 0. for the operation at hand.
1. Show yourself – The Dark Horse (7 of Wands/Scepters): Wow! I think it is true both on a personal and on a more universal level that this deck is a 'dark horse.' This deck feels to me like a modern classic already and it may have started small but I have a feeling that this first edition of 1,000 decks, which sold out very quickly, is only the beginning. On a personal level,the Spirit Keeper's Tarot is turning into a dark horse based on my expectation to not be able to fall in love with a black and white deck… an assumption this deck is already turning on its head.
2. What is your mission in the world? – The Politic (3 of Wands/Scepters): My mission is to bring clarity by being entirely focused on the virtue of speaking the Truth.
3. What is your most deeply held dream? Archangel of Mysteries (King of Pentacles/Orbs): To be a truly useful tool in the process of establishing Heaven on Earth.
4. How can we work together? – The Angel (Temperance): I can help you stay connected with your Guardian Angel. We share the same goal to heal the disconnect that results in the illusion of separation from the Divine.
5. What do you need from me? – The Bread of Life (Ace of Pentacles/Orbs): I need you to seek to embody the wisdom of Spirit fully. You will need to descend into the depths of Earth… You will need to be broken… but you will emerge whole and bearing fruit that can feed many.
6. How do you inspire hope? – The Burdened One (10 of Wands/Scepters): I remind you that you do not have to carry the yoke by yourself.
7. What is your magick? – The Reaper (Death): I'm an all or nothing kind of deck when it comes to soul alchemy. It takes a bit of courage, sure… but you get more magick mileage out of a deck like me, once you dedicate yourself to the process. You will be changed by working with me. My magick is that I can act as a guide to anyone who is seriously interested in the Truth and in completing the Great Work.


I can create custom artwork for you. Please read information below and fill out contact form for more information. Thank you for your interest in my Art!
Please feel free to contact me! I am happy to discuss creating a portrait for you. I can design a variety of items personally for you, as well. I am happy to answer any questions you may have.
Please keep all correspondence positive. Thank you!!


text:
ASCO Reading Room 08.21.2019 Comment
Surveillance Scanning in Lymphoma Patients -- Yes or No?
Still controversial despite numerous studies of follow-up CT, PET, and MRI
Smoldering Multiple Myeloma: Recent Research Context
Models to Expedite Diagnosis of Lymphoma: Recent Research Context
Relapsed/Refractory Follicular Lymphoma: Update on Treatment Strategies
by Jeff Minerd
Contributing Writer, MedPage Today
Justin Taylor, MD Assistant Member, Leukemia Service Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center New York, NY
Routine surveillance imaging after treatment is used in many types of cancer where a recurrence would possibly not be detected by standard blood tests or physical exam (or endoscopy, etc.). However, the level of evidence for recommending this type of imaging in national guidelines is based on lower-level evidence or consensus. Some early-stage lymphoma (Stage I and II diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, for example) have changed the recommendation away from routine imaging and recommend getting a scan only if there is clinical suspicion of relapse. Stage I-III follicular lymphoma still remains controversial, though. A study published in 1999 found that of patients who achieved a complete remission, only 4% of the relapses were detected only on imaging. This study did not answer whether surveillance imaging affected survival outcomes, but a recent study presented at ASCO19 did assess survival. They found that routine surveillance imaging had no impact on survival outcomes in Stage I, II, or IIIa disease. This study has the limitations that come with a retrospective design, but it will be interesting to see how long the guidelines will continue to recommend routine imaging in this scenario. Whether routine imaging after treatment for patients who achieve complete remission is needed in other lymphomas is also continuing to be investigated. Given the increased sensitivity of cell-free or circulating tumor DNA tests to detect relapses, it's possible that in the near future patients could be spared imaging unless a potential relapse was detected by one of these tests.
Increasing evidence suggests that routine surveillance imaging of lymphoma patients in remission has no survival benefit, and may cause unnecessary anxiety for patients.
"Although the role of imaging in the management of most lymphomas is well established at baseline, during treatment, and following treatment, surveillance imaging after complete response remains controversial despite the numerous studies that have investigated follow-up computed tomography, positron emission tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging over the past 20 years," said Sarah Rutherford, MD, of Weil Cornell Medical College in New York City.
Despite the lack of evidence, follow-up scans are still included as monitoring options for Hodgkin lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in guidelines from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and the European Society for Medical Oncology, she noted, writing in a recent review in Clinical Advances in Hematology & Oncology.
"The impetus for these guidelines may be related to the potential curability of these two lymphoma subtypes, even in the relapsed setting," Rutherford said. "In theory at least, patients may be in better condition and able to tolerate second-line therapy if the relapsed disease is detected earlier."
But while frequent scanning may detect relapse earlier, most studies have not found a survival benefit, she continued. One exception is a retrospective study that included 258 patients who had relapsed after achieving complete remission with first-line therapy. Tarec El-Galaly, MD, of Aalborg University Hospital in Denmark, and colleagues reported that patients with imaging‐detected relapse had lower disease burden (P = 0.045) and a reduced risk of death following relapse (HR 0.62, 95% CI 0.41–0.92, P = 0.02 in multivariate analysis).
The team was cautious, however, in their conclusions: "Patient‐reported symptoms are still the most common factor for detecting lymphoma relapse, and the high number of scans per relapse calls for improved criteria for use of surveillance imaging. Restricting the use of surveillance imaging to patients at high risk of relapse and eligible for effective salvage therapies could tip the balance toward a better risk-benefit ratio."
"This study certainly does not encourage the use of more surveillance imaging in general, but strongly emphasizes the need for prospective randomized trials to clearly define the role of surveillance imaging in lymphoma," the researchers said.
Rutherford cautioned that such surveillance imaging studies can be subject to selection bias, since patients whose relapsed disease is discovered by imaging typically have less aggressive disease phenotypes than those in whom relapse is detected on clinical grounds. Therefore, the former patients are more likely to have better outcomes regardless of when their relapse is detected.
A retrospective study of 117 patients with follicular lymphoma (FL), presented at this year's ASCO annual meeting found no survival benefit for surveillance imaging after first remission. Patients in that study had grades 1,2, or 3a FL and all had a response after induction therapy but then relapsed, as is typical with FL, said Jimmy Mao, MD, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and colleagues.
The median age at diagnosis of participants was 60, and 61% were men. Median time to relapse was 26 months. The investigators reviewed medical records and classified relapse detection either by clinical suspicion (due to history, exam, or lab data) or by surveillance imaging in asymptomatic patients.
There were 63 relapses detected by clinical suspicion (56% of patients) and 50 detected by surveillance imaging (44%). Four relapses were indeterminate. Cox proportional hazard model analysis found no significant difference in overall survival for patients whose relapse was detected by imaging versus clinical suspicion (HR 0.98, 95% CI 0.45-2.12, P=0.96).
"Routine surveillance imaging does not appear to improve survival outcomes in FL after achieving first remission, and its common practice should be questioned," Mao and co-authors wrote. "Further investigation of prognostic markers to identify high-risk FL patients who may benefit from surveillance imaging is needed."
'Scanxiety'
Rutherford noted that several studies have explored the potential negative impacts of imaging scans during follow-up of patients in remission, and chief among these is patient anxiety.
For example, one observational study that assessed the psychological effects of surveillance scans in 70 long-term survivors of aggressive lymphomas reported that 37% met the criteria for clinically significant anxiety associated with concern about relapse. "The anxiety was not present at baseline and worsened around the time of planned imaging studies," Rutherford said. "These findings suggest that removing surveillance scans would lessen anxiety in lymphoma survivors."
Secondary cancers resulting from radiation exposure are another potential problem, she continued. One nationwide, population-based study of patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma undergoing computed tomography scans from 1997-2010 found that patients who had more than eight scans were at significantly higher risk for a second primary malignancy than those who had eight or fewer scans (HR 2.25, 95% CI 1.61-3.13, P <0.001); the researchers estimated that the risk increased by 3% per scan performed.
Finally, routine scanning is not cost-effective, Rutherford said. The El-Galaly, et al. study that found a survival advantage for surveillance imaging also brought up this issue, with the researchers reporting that the cost of a relapse detected by computed tomography ranged from $21,725 to $157,605.
"In an era of increased attention to cost savings in healthcare, as well as initiatives such as Choosing Wisely from the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation, these amounts are not well justified, particularly given the questionable lack of benefit of frequent scanning," Rutherford said.
"Novel monitoring strategies, such as minimal residual disease detection with circulating tumor DNA, are being examined in lymphoma and may provide a more accurate method by which to survey patients," she added. A recent Reading Room article explored the emerging role of minimal residual disease detection in non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Rutherford reported financial relationships with AstraZeneca, Celgene, Heron, Janssen Scientific Affairs, Juno Therapeutics, Karyopharm, Seattle Genetics, and Verastem.
Mao reported having no conflicts of interest; co-authors reported financial relationships with a variety of pharmaceutical companies, including AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Celgene, Denovo Biopharma, Gilead Sciences, Seattle Genetics, and Karyopharm.
Clinical Advances in Hematology & Oncology
Source Reference: Rutherford SC "Surveillance scanning in lymphoma" Clin Adv Hematol Oncol 2019; 17: 352-359.
Secondary Source
Source Reference: Mao J, et al "Impact on survival of surveillance imaging after first remission in follicular lymphoma" J Clin Oncol 2019; 37 (suppl; abstract 7536).


FISSION ENERGY CORP. ("Fission" or "the Company") (TSX VENTURE:FIS) announces a non-brokered private placement financing of up to C$5 Million in Units at a price of C$.80 per Unit. Each Unit will consist of one common share plus one-half of one common share purchase warrant, with each whole purchase warrant exercisable to purchase a common share at a price of C$1.00 for a period of 24 months from closing. If the closing price of the Company's common shares on the TSX Venture Exchange is greater than $1.60 per share for a period of 20 consecutive trading days at any time after the four month anniversary of the closing date, the Company may, within five trading days of such 20 day period, accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants by giving notice to the holders thereof whereupon the Warrants will expire on the 30th day after such notice.
In consideration of their efforts in locating investors for the Private Placement, the Company will issue Units to Finders equal to 6.0% of the number of Units sold to investors located by such Finders. The Finders will also be issued compensation warrants to purchase that number of common shares equal to 6.0% of the number of Units sold to such investors. Each compensation warrant is exercisable to purchase one common share of the Corporation for a period of 24 months from the Closing Date at a price of $1.00.
All securities issued will be subject to a four month restricted resale period. The offering is subject to a number of conditions, including, without limitation, receipt of all regulatory approvals including approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.
The net proceeds from the sale of the Common Share Units will be used to advance development of the Company's properties, for potential acquisitions and for general working capital.


text:
Bacon Bros. Ready to Grow Through Franchising
Bacon Bros. Public House is looking to "bring home the bacon" with its newly launched franchise opportunity.
With a flagship restaurant already serving throngs of customers in the Greenville, South Carolina area, the farm-to-table, southern-inspired concept is looking to add as many as 15 new restaurants nationwide over the next five years. The company's first franchise location is scheduled to open in Sugar Land, Texas, at the beginning of February.
"The farm-to-table trend is blowing up right now. Just as every trend, such as gluten free and vegetarian, this one is dominating the market and restaurants like Bacon Bros. Public House are drawing in new clientele and would-be franchisees," says co-founder Mike Porter.
Bacon Bros. Public House is the brainchild of serial entrepreneurs Eric Bergelson, Mike Porter, Jason Callaway and Chef Anthony Gray. In one of their early meetings, Callaway brought bacon he had fried that morning at home and transported it in a mason jar that he placed in the center of the table where they were gathered. The four men started snacking and talking about their love of bacon. As the pieces quickly disappeared, they realized they had a concept and name for their new restaurant.
Today, Bacon Bros. is bringing something entirely new and unique to the restaurant segment—a farm-to-table, southern-inspired restaurant concept with a focus on bacon and other meats. The menu is seasonal and locally sourced, with a minimum of four menu changes a year to correspond to the seasons. However, some items are available year-round, including the made-daily BBQ, Pimento Cheese with bacon jam, Bacon Caramel popcorn, and an extensive list of handhelds such as corned beef Reuben, pulled pork sandwich, burgers, and bratwursts.
The restaurant also features a cure room near the dining room so guests can see what Chef Anthony Gray is curing.
"A few years back, eating pork, in all its fatty glory, was a health risk. Today, pork is king, fried chicken is a menu must, collards and kale are the vegetables du jour, and, perhaps most shockingly of all, pimento cheese is served as an appetizer," says Porter. "Factor in the current BBQ blitz and you've got a Southern food frenzy, one that will influence dining trends well into 2017 and beyond."
With plans to open three new restaurants each year over the next several years, Bacon Bros. is currently seeking both single-unit and multi-unit franchisees. With a franchise fee of $50,000, the total investment to own and operate a Bacon Bros. franchise is approximately $739,000 to $1.5 million.
"Bacon is meant to be shared, so let us share ours with you," says Porter of the new franchise opportunity.


The crocodile was first spotted by residents of Garh ka Pura village, Pinahat in a local pond earlier this month.
A nearly four-feet-long crocodile was rescued by the Wildlife SOS and the Uttar Pradesh forest department officials and successfully relocated, officials said on Friday.
The reptile was first spotted by residents of Garh ka Pura village, Pinahat in a local pond earlier this month.
The sighting had created panic among villagers who alerted the forest department who in turn requested the assistance of Wildlife SOS in carrying out the rescue operation.
A three-member team of experts from Wildlife SOS along with forest officials set up a trap cage on the banks of the pond.
After almost 15 days, the crocodile eventually emerged on Thursday night and was successfully caught. The reptile was kept under observation for a few hours and was released in the Chambal River on Friday.
The Mugger crocodile (Crocodylus palustris) also called the Indian or marsh crocodile is listed as 'vulnerable' on the IUCN Reed List and is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.
This species is found in freshwater habitats including ponds, rivers, lakes and marshes and they can migrate considerable distances over land in search of a more suitable habitat.
Baiju Raj M V, Director Conservation Projects, Wildlife SOS, said "As we wanted to avoid capturing the crocodile by force and causing it any harm, we set up a trap cage with bait. We have released the reptile in Chambal River as it is home to large breeding populations of mugger crocodiles and gharials."
Amit Sisodiya, Range Forest Officer (Pinahat) said it was likely that the reptile had wandered into the village through a canal leading up to the river.
Shortly after the rescue mission, the Wildlife SOS team was alerted to another crocodile that had been reportedly sighted in a pond in Utsana village, Pinahat.
The team has set up a trap cage in the area and the situation was being closely monitored.


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IN INDIA THE BIGGEST VOTERS ARE THE POOR
By Jukka Jouhki
In February 2014 I visited the Centre for Women's Development and Research, an organization working to improve livelihoods in the slums of Chennai, India. For a few weeks, I accompanied the staff members on their daily rounds in the slums and, thanks to the welcoming residents, got plenty of chances to talk with the people about their everyday lives.
As I hadn't done research among the people of the Chennai slums before, I was eager to know, well, everything. So we talked about religion, marriage, gender, work, free time, money, and all other issues that are, I guess, text book ethnology. However, as the national elections were around the corner, people were very eager to talk politics. I found that every single adult I talked to had always voted whenever there was an election, and they were definitely going to vote in the next elections too. They said it was their duty.
The enthusiasm, however, didn't match their knowledge of democracy. Few people knew much about how the democratic system worked, and many had huge misconceptions about their rights and duties as citizens of the country. But what struck me as a unique aspect of democracy in India was that the poor were still the most active voters in the society. In other countries of the world, it's the other way around. The rich and the educated are the most active voters.
In India, however, the more disadvantaged and deprived one is by virtue of gender, wealth or education, the more likely s/he is to try to solve problems through negotiations with powerful figures in party politics. The middle and upper classes do not care as much about voting because feel themselves less involved in the practices of the democratic system. Their children do not go to government schools or colleges, they do not use the public transportation, nor are they dependent on public health care services. So what difference does it make to them who runs the show, since they are not watching?
A labor faction of a Tamil Nadu party marching for their rights. © Jukka Jouhki.
I returned to India in December of 2014 for a month to dig a bit deeper. I found out that in the 1970s, the upper castes and classes and educated citizens still voted more than the uneducated lower castes and classes in India. But by the 1990s, the underprivileged classes had surpassed the elite in voting activity. The poor have begun to organize, use middle-men to concentrate their power on particular politicians, and utilize the political spaces provided to them by the constitutional democracy. By increasing their participation in the political sphere and demanding their due rights, they have challenged the hegemony of the rich and powerful.
But there is a less political reason for the voting enthusiasm in the slums. The period of elections is full of celebration, posters, music, processions and parties, and it represents a rare time during which the poor feel they are equal to others in an otherwise stratified society. It is the time when the rich and the powerful come to them to beg—for votes. Also, while more wealthy Indians might vote out of a sense of civic duty, the poor vote because they wish to exercise one of the few rights they possess.
It is often implied that Indian democracy is a very short-sighted one, that the poor are ignorant and abused voters who do not understand which political choices really benefit them. Mukulika Banerjee however, rejects this idea, and suggests that Indian democracy is a unique and perhaps even a relatively efficient political system which increasingly attends to the poor. According to the people I talked to in Chennai, the politicians do provide for the poor but they do it before the elections. They pave roads in the slums, construct public community buildings, repair houses, arrange for water connections or electricity outlets, give feasts and bring gifts to every household. After the elections, they disappear back into the fog of eliteness only to reappear before the next elections.
What puzzled me the most was that the poor in Chennai had very little trust in politicians and thought that every politician is corrupt, but still they viewed voting as an important act. I found that it was partly because of the corruption that they felt they had to go and vote. Otherwise someone else might vote in their name for a different party. That is to say, a political candidate might bribe an election official to get access to the list of registered voters in order to see who has not voted yet, and have a supporter use a forged identity to vote in the name of one of these inactive voters. In the end, the slum residents might see politics as a necessary evil but voting is nevertheless a sacred egalitarian duty. It doesn't matter if you are powerful or not, you still have to stand in the same line to vote, and everyone has only one vote. Hence, at least on a voting day, even the poor are true citizens.
Ahuja, Amit & Pradeep Chhibber 2012: Why the poor vote in India: "If I don't vote, I am dead to the state." Studies in Comparative International Development 47: 389-410.
Banerjee, Mukulika 2007. Sacred Elections. Economic and Political Weekly 42 (17): 1556-1562. [Abstract]
Banerjee, Mukulika 2011. Elections as Communitas. Social Research 78 (1): 75-98.
Banerjee, Mukulika 2014. Why India Votes? New Delhi: Routledge. [On Amazon]
Carswell, Grace & Geert De Neve 2014. Why Indians Vote: Reflections on Rights, Citizenship, and Democracy from a Tamil Nadu Village. Antipode 46 (4): 1032-1053.
Harriss, John 2005. Political Participation, Representation and the Urban Poor. Findings from Research in Delhi. Economic and Political Weekly 40 (11): 1041-1054.
Piliavsky, Anastasia 2014. India's Demotic Democracy and its 'Depravities' in the Ethnographic Longue Durée. In Anastasia Piliavsky (ed.), Patronage as Politics in South Asia. New York: Cambridge University Press, 154-175.
Rana, Mahendra Sing 2006: India Votes: Lok Sabha & Vidhan Sabha Elections 2001-2005. New Delhi: Sarup & Sons.


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reviews May 6, 2020
Forged by Iron by Eric Schumacher
Forged by Iron (Olaf's Saga Book 1) by Eric Schumacher
From the bestselling author of Hakonís Saga comes Forged by Iron, the first in a series of thrilling tales about Olaf Tryggvason, one of the most legendary and enigmatic kings of the Viking Age.
Norway, AD 960. The fabric that has held the Northern realm together is tearing. The sons of Erik Bloodaxe have returned and are systematically killing all opposition to the High Seat. Through treachery, Harald Eriksson slays Jarl Trygvi, an heir to the throne, and then he comes for Trygviís wife, Astrid, and son, Olaf.
Astrid and Olaf flee their home with the help of Astridís foster father, Torolv Loose-beard, and his son, Torgil, who are oath-sworn to protect them. The group escapes east, through the dark, forested land of the Swedes and across the treacherous East Sea, all the while evading the clutches of Haraldís brutal henchmen.
But the gods are fickle and the group is torn apart, leaving them to fend for themselves in Forged by Iron, a must-read for all who enjoy action-packed historical fiction.
The book is told from Torgil's point of view and at the start of the book he is a 12-year old boy who is charged with looking after 8-year old prince Olaf who loves to get into trouble. Olaf's father King Trygvi is betrayed and killed so Olaf, his mother Astrid escape with few others first to Sweden and then to what is now Estonia.
I wasn't overly fond of Olaf who certainly knows he's a prince. He came off as an arrogant brat, but it will be interesting to see how he'll turn out as a grown-up. Torgil, who as a child was kinda shy, holds a bit of resentment and jealousy for Olaf but they grow closer during their ordeals. I'm looking forward to seeing how their relationship will turn out now that their both adults and back together. How far Torgil's sense of duty for looking after Olaf will take him?
I enjoyed reading the book and learning more about Olaf and of this time. Can't wait to read the next book in the series.
Published: Legionary – A Next Chapter Imprint (April 15, 2020)
Source: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours
Eric Schumacher (1968 – ) is an American historical novelist who currently resides in Santa Barbara, California, with his wife and two children. He was born and raised in Los Angeles and attended college at the University of San Diego.
At a very early age, Schumacher discovered his love for writing and medieval European history, as well as authors like J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. Those discoveries continue to fuel his imagination and influence the stories he tells. His first novel, God's Hammer, was published in 2005.
To date, Schumacher has published three novels, collectively known as Hakonís Saga, and one novella. More information about him and his books can be found on his website. You can also connect with Schumacher on Twitter,†Facebook,†Goodreads, and†AuthorsDB.
Blog Tour Schedule
Interview at Passages to the Past
Review at History + Fiction + Adirondack Spirit
Review at Gwendalyn's Books
Feature at Just One More Chapter
Feature at Reading is My Remedy
Interview at Jorie Loves a Story
Feature at I'm All About Books
Feature at Chicks, Rogues and Scandals
Guest Post at Historical Graffiti
Review at Hoover Book Reviews
Guest Post at Let Them Read Books
Review at Bookramblings
Review at Historical Fiction with Spirit
Interview at The Book Junkie Reads
Review at Journey in Bookland
reviews October 23, 2017
Raven's Feast by Eric Schumacher
Raven's Feast (Hakon's Saga 2) by Eric Schumacher
It is 935 A.D. and Hakon Haraldsson has just wrested the High Seat of the North from his ruthless brother, Erik Bloodaxe. Now, he must fight to keep it.
The land-hungry Danes are pressing from the south to test Hakon before he can solidify his rule. In the east, the Uplanders are making their own plans to seize the throne. It does not help that Hakon is committed to his dream of Christianizing his people – a dream his countrymen do not share and will fight to resist.
As his enemies move in and his realm begins to crumble, Hakon and his band of oath-sworn warriors must make a stand in Raven's Feast, the riveting sequel to God's Hammer. (Goodreads)
Hakon won the battle against his brother Erik Bloodaxe and the High Seat of the North. But now he has to find the way to keep his seat against rebellious and ambitious jarls with changing alliances. Of course, there are people who are not that thrilled with their king's religion, or his wish to convert his country to Christianity.
This was another action packed book, which was read rather quickly. Hakon is a likable character who undoubtedly makes mistakes, sometimes rather big and rash ones. He still seems at times little naïve and young but it will be interesting to see how he will turn like. Will he become more Viking like in his beliefs and make compromises? He seemed to become a bit more comfortable with killing and such. He is still a boy so it will be interesting to see what kind of man he will be.
3,5 stars
Published: Creativia (April 23, 2017)
reviews October 5, 2017
God's Hammer by Eric Schumacher
God's Hammer (Hakon's Saga 1) by Eric Schumacher
It is 935 A.D. and the North is in turmoil. King Harald Fairhair has died, leaving the High Seat of the realm to his murderous son, Erik Bloodaxe. To solidify his claim, Erik ruthlessly disposes of all claimants to his throne, save one: his youngest brother Hakon.
Erik's surviving enemies send a ship to Wessex, where the Christian court of King Athelstan is raising Hakon. Unable to avoid his fate, he returns to the Viking North to face his brother and claim his birthright, only to discover that victory will demand sacrifices beyond his wildest nightmares. (Goodreads)
When Hakon was a child he was sent to England into King Athelstan's court where he was raised as a Christian. When his father Harald Fairhair dies, Hakon is sent back to home to capture the throne from his bloodthirsty brother Eric Bloodaxe. Being a Christian amidst the pagans, he was viewed with suspicion. He was horrified by the Viking practice of human sacrifice but knew he needed allies if he wanted the crown so he couldn't protest too much.
There were battles, blood and action and the story moved quickly. At first, Hakon was young, naïve, arrogant and lost among the Vikings after living so long away. He needs to learn how to be a Viking again to get support. At times I got the feeling he would have wanted to stay in England.
It was very enjoyable to read and I can't wait to learn how he manages to hold on to the crown.
Published: Creativia (February 1, 2005)
reviews July 9, 2015
Odin's Child by Bruce Macbain
Odin's Child (Odd Tangle-Hair Saga 1) by Bruce Macbain
Driven from the flaming ruin of his Iceland farmhouse, young Odd Tangle-Hair, the only survivor of a feud in which his family is slaughtered, steals a ship, rounds up a rag-tag crew and embarks on the Viking life. He swears one day to return, rich and powerful enough to take vengeance on his enemies. But how far off that day seems!
His father, Black Thorvald, had once been a chieftain in Iceland. But in the year 1000, when the country adopted Christianity, Thorvald denounced the new faith and shut himself up in his hall, shunning the world and shunned by it. Odd fears that the worm of cowardice that unmanned his father has infected him too. He has inherited from Thorvald a shock of black hair, a gift for poetry, and an allegiance to Odin, god of battles and magic. But Odd is heir to darker traits as wellóa hint of madness and a temper which will sometimes cost him dearly.
Fate carries him and his men to a shamanistic healer in Lapland, to bloody religious strife in Norway, to the lair of a witch in Finland, and finally to the borders of Russia. Here Odd will leave his comrades behind to join the retinue of a Norwegian princeling who is fleeing to the court of Yaroslav, Grand Prince of Rus. New dangers wait for him in that faraway country.
Eager, curious, quick-wittedóand sometimes wrong-headedóOdd Tangle-Hair recounts his story with candor, insight, and always an ironic sense of humor.
Christianity has come to 11th century Iceland and old traditions are changing while dividing some families on the way. 16-year old Odd's father is holding to old pagan believes which is driving a wedge between his family and neighbors. After revenge killing becomes a political problem, Odd is sent to exile. He steals a ship and decides to go viking.
It did take me some time to really get into the story. At times it concentrates to describe things too much and while there is plundering, murder and blood, I guess I just expected there to be more of that. I liked Odd but I never understood why men would follow him and call him captain. He wasn't someone to inspire that kind of loyalty.
And yey there's Finland and Kalevala but I wasn't really into those chapters. Kalevala chapters just didn't work for me and I have to say that I've never read it so I can't comment on that. But for me Kalevala is this mythical thing and 11th century is just too close. I mean we're close to the Norman conquest! Too much is known about the period to be mythical.
It wasn't a bad book by any means but I guess I just expected more.
Published: Blank Slate Press (May 26, 2015)
From boyhood, Bruce Macbain spent his days in reading history and historical fiction. The Greeks and Romans have held a special fascination for him and this led to earning a masterís degree in Classical Studies and a doctorate in Ancient History. Along the way, he also taught English as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Borneo. Later, he taught courses in Greek and Roman civilization at Vanderbilt University and Boston University, and published a few dense scholarly monographs, read by very few. Recently, he has turned to writing fiction, a much more congenial pursuit. He has previously published two historical mysteries set in ancient Rome, Roman Games and its sequel, The Bull Slayer. Now, he has turned his attention to his other favorite folk, the Vikings. Odin's Child is the first novel of a trilogy, Odd Tangle-Hairís Saga, which follows our heroóa wanderer, poet and warriorófrom his tiny Iceland farm to the Great Palace in Constantinople. It will be published by Blank Slate Press in May, 2015.
Bruce spends his spare time in the kitchen, cooking spicy food.
For more information please visit Bruce Macbain's website. You can also follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Goodreads.
Odin's Child Blog Tour Schedule
Review at A Book Geek
Interview at Shelf Full of Books
Spotlight & Giveaway at Unshelfish
Interview at Brooke Blogs
Wednesday, July 1
Review at Book Nerd
Friday, July 3
Spotlight at Layered Pages
Spotlight & Giveaway at Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More
Interview at A Literary Vacation
Tuesday, July 7
Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past
Spotlight at CelticLady's Reviews
Friday, July 10
Review at Just One More Chapter
reviews June 23, 2015
Shadow of the Raven by Millie Thom
Shadow of the Raven (Sons of Kings 1) by Millie Thom
A tale of Viking raids, hapless thralls, noble kings and their sons and friendship and love. Above all else, a tale of unforgivable betrayal and the ever-present desire for revenge…
The life of Eadwulf, ten-year old son of the Mercian king, is changed forever when his family is betrayed to the Danes by his treacherous uncle. In a Danish raid, his father is killed and his mother is raped. And along with his tutor and childhood friend, Eadwulf is captured and taken to the Danish lands to be sold as a slave. As a thrall in Jarl Ragnar's village, Eadwulf's life is hard, his days unbearably long. But on the return of Bjorn, the jarl's jovial firstborn, from his summer raids, Eadwulf's life greatly improves. Under the protective wing of Bjorn and his crew, he spends the next few years sailing to places he'd never even dreamed of, trading and raiding. And though he's still a thrall, he becomes a well-respected member of Bjorn's closely knit crew. But through it all, the smouldering desire for revenge on those who destroyed his family refuses to abate. Eadwulf's tale plays out against the backdrop of events unfolding in Wessex in the face of escalating Danish raids. Alfred, the fifth son of the Wessex king, faces family tragedies from an early age, losing first his mother, then his beloved sister when she is married to the new Mercian king. At his father's court and the successive courts of his three elder brothers, he learns the weighty art of kingship. And, like Eadwulf, he learns the harshest lesson of all . . . that a trusted kinsman can so easily turn traitor.
This is the story of the early years of Alfred of Wessex and the fictional Eadwulf of Mercia, son of Beorhtwulf of Mercia. Eadwulf is 10 years when his home is attacked by Vikings, his father killed and Eadwulf taken as a slave. He learns the viking ways and in time earns the respect of his master Bjorn. Meanwhile Alfred is growing as the king's youngest child who is already showing piousness as a 4 year old. Mature for his years, his life is also turning upside down when his mother dies.
This started really slow but I'm glad I kept reading because after it started picking up it was good. Eadwulf goes from being king's son to a slave, thrall, and becoming one of them. But he never forgot who he is or where he came from and longs to avenge his family.
Alfred is so young that he doesn't really do anything in this book but I'll look forward seeing more about him.
There's lot of great minor characters like Bjorn and his sister Freydis and I hope we get to see some of them in the future.
Published: self published (2015)


Winnipeg is amazing, diverse, vital, colorful and bustling, but is not a city, in European terms. It is more like a small country.
At home, can't stop thinking of so many friends that don't drive. They say it is too difficult or dangerous or complicated.
On the first day, we had a chance to join a programme in MITT. Amazing! We received a tour of the facilities by Ginger, who showed us all the classrooms and explained the logic that MITT follows in order to prepare young people for the most popular trades.


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Cheryl Jensen, Editor
Cheryl Jensen has some unusual ways to spend a vacation—like driving from Paris to Beijing, mostly off-road, or motoring through dense Central American jungles. Whether reporting on her exotic journeys or offering insightful reviews, Jensen's work frequently can be found on The Car Connection, as well as in such national publications as Better Homes and Gardens, Car and Driver, AutoWeek, American Woman Motorscene, The New York Times, Ladies' Home Journal, Robb Report, Open Road, Wheels (in Australia), the Chicago Tribune, and The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer and its Newhouse News Service. Prior to establishing herself as an auto writer, she worked in marketing communications at the Cleveland Clinic, an academic medical center, for more than seven years and was manager of the Clinic's product line communications. Before that, Ms. Jensen wrote a nationally syndicated weekly column dealing with families and aging issues and co-authored the book, The Complete Guide to Health Insurance: How to Beat the High Cost of Being Sick, published in hardcover by Walker and Company and in paperback by Avon. Along with her husband, Chris — also a well-known auto writer —Jensen lives in Cleveland, Ohio.
The BMW X5, which the company calls a Sport-Activity Vehicle, seems to be in search of an identity. Even the route chosen for a recent press introduction showed multiple personalities. It included a little bit of everything: some twisty country roads, a barely challenging off-road course, and the...Read More»
11/29/1999 Cheryl Jensen comment now!
Making Child Seats Safer
When child safety seats are properly installed, they reduce the risk of death or serious injury to infants by 70 percent and cut the fatality and injury rate in half for children aged 1 to 4. Yet, more than 70 percent of all children riding in car seats are subject to the risk of death or serious...Read More»
11/15/1999 High Gear Media Staff comment now!
2000 Ford Excursion vs. 2000 Chevy Suburban
The 2000 Chevrolet Suburban: reigning champion and a top big-SUV seller. Now, the ones more likely to be striking it rich are automakers selling the world's two largest SUVs: the 2000 Ford Excursion and the new 2000 Chevrolet Suburban. The Suburban is a 65-year-old fixture in the world of American...Read More»
Because some manufacturers are adding head protection to the side airbags for front-seat passengers, there is a possible danger for children. While side-impact airbags protect adults, preliminary tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and its Canadian...Read More»
Head-Protection Airbags
Head injuries are a leading cause of death in side impacts, but until now, only the noggins of the wealthy got any extra protection. Although not required by law, automakers such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz have been developing airbags designed specifically to protect people's heads in side-impact...Read More»
Whizzing along the Washington, D.C., Beltway in our ultra-aerodynamic 2000 Honda Insight two-seater, we are surrounded by sport-utilities that guzzle fuel in 15-miles-per-gallon gulps. Meanwhile, we are smug in the knowledge that our Insight is easily covering almost 60 miles for each gallon of...Read More»
2000 Volvo S40 and V40
If you're in the targeted 25-to-35-year-old group, you may not have paid much attention to Volvos, figuring it would be years before you could afford one – or years before you were old enough to drive one. The S40 sedan is laden with standard equipment, including anti-lock brakes and a potent...Read More»
BMW X5 review
BMW's first sport-utility vehicle, the X5, goes on sale late in 1999. In the fall, the new M5 sports sedan arrives with a 5.0-liter V-8 engine rated at 400 horsepower (hp) and a six-speed manual transmission. And if that isn't enough for driving enthusiasts, BMW will build a new roadster based on...Read More»
2000 Buick LeSabre Review
Having completely redesigned the rest of its line in the last several years, Buick is gearing up to introduce the 2000 LeSabre. The next-generation LeSabre arrives in showrooms as a 2000-year model in the first quarter of this year. With a 1.4-inch-longer wheelbase and a stiffer body, it offers a...Read More»
05/10/1999 High Gear Media Staff 1 Comment
Acura TL review
The big news for Acura this year is its all-new TL performance luxury sedan. Having been completely redesigned, Acura engineers say the new TL offers new levels of performance, refinement, handling and comfort. It is now offered exclusively with a new 3.2-liter 24-valve VTEC V-6 engine and...Read More»
Mazda recalls 262K CX-5, Mazda 3, Mazda 6 cars for engine stall issues
Lyft, Aptiv will supply rides to blind or visually impaired people
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Bye-bye Beetle, Cadillac's committed to clutch pedals, and return of the Rocketman: What's New @ The Car Connection