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Political plays: the radical potential of video games
Siobhán McGuirk introduces our series on the politics of video games ahead of our April 30 live debate: 'Can Video Games Change the World?'
April 26, 2020 · 4 min read
Capitalist labour relations are a core focus of Obsidian Entertainment's The Outer Worlds (Credit: IGDB.com)
In the popular imaginary, video games are often considered to be a base form of popular entertainment – a niche activity enjoyed mainly by teens. It's a dangerous underestimation: as Jamal Stone explains, video games are for everyone – one in three people globally, to be precise. This £2.87 billion industry (in the UK alone) demands our attention.
Our series on video games, first published in Issue 227 and guest edited by Marzena Zukowska, is an overdue course correction: Red Pepper has never before covered video games in depth. And yet they are perhaps the most ubiquitous – if not the most powerful – form of modern entertainment. We carry around computers with inbuilt games in our pockets, in our backpacks and briefcases. Our living rooms and offices are equipped with machines designed to facilitate play. As contributors detail on our website, such play has potential to inform ideas, establish ideals, build community – through empathy and collaboration – even save the world (we've moved beyond rescuing the princess).
As much as TV, film, theatre, music and the arts more broadly, video games are already shaping our politics. This shouldn't be much of a surprise. After all, throughout history people have used play and games to communicate particular ways of understanding the world and acting in it. Pictionary and charades are forums for establishing shared perspectives and reference points, potent tools for socialisation. Versions of those games exist the world over, though the content varies from place to place. They are tests of in-group belonging as much as fun ways to pass the time.
As much as TV, film, theatre, music and the arts more broadly, video games are already shaping our politics
In terms of 20th century board games, the massive popularity of Monopoly, Battleship, Risk or The Game of Life was not incidental to the deep entrenchment of social norms, of militarism, empire-building, capitalism or heteronormativity. They were – and still are – wrapped up in it, winners rewarded for ideological compliance as much as in paper money or plastic warships. Table-top games are experiencing something of a renaissance, with specialist shops and cafes popping up around the UK to colonise an island (Settlers of Catan), cooperate to stop the spread of a virus (Pandemic), or negotiate alliances and backstab 'allies' at the outbreak of war (Diplomacy).
All people play. Video game developers certainly have all people in their sights. They're making games for the young and the old, products that provide 'entertainment' as well as hardware and software for loftier purposes – to help hone memory and motor skills, or provide therapeutic experiences. Game makers are chasing markets, too, of course, selling in-app purchases in 'free' mobile games based on your browsing history – or simply selling your browsing history (be careful what permissions you grant when playing Facebook games with friends).
Games – whether physical or digital – are forums for experimentation and interaction with different worlds, different worldviews. It stands to reason that some of those can be subversive; that games can offer exciting avenues towards radical ways of thinking. We should take them seriously, as integral cultural and political features. So get ready, player one.
Siobhán McGuirk is a Red Pepper editor. Follow her on Twitter @s_mcguirk
Join the series' authors on April 30, 6pm, for a Lockdown Live debate: 'Can Video Games Change the World?' Streaming on Facebook and YouTube
Review – Abolish Silicon Valley by Wendy Liu
Suchandrika Chakrabarti reviews Wendy Liu's proposals to reclaim technology's potential for the public good
Hidden labours: how capitalism shapes gaming culture
Paolo Ruffino looks beyond the myths of the video game industry to its contemporary neoliberal realities
Lockdown live: 'Can video games change the world?'
Globally, 2.5 billion people play video games. Is the left in danger of overlooking their immense power and influence? Join the debate live on April 30, 6pm
The spoils of playing war
Video games play a key role in sustaining the global military-industrial complex, writes Marzena Zukowska
Making gaming great again
With pop culture increasingly a political battlefield, Marzena Zukowska asks Carolyn Petit of Feminist Frequency how the left can leverage the momentum of video gaming


Oregon Inlet Boat Ramp - Located just off of NC Highway 12, behind the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center.
Washington Baum Bridge - Located adjacent to the western side of the Washington Baum Bridge, in between Nags Head and Roanoke Island.
Wanchese Boat Ramp - Located next to Moon Tillett's Fish Company and Fisherman's Wharf Restaurant, about a mile past the US 64 intersection.
Kill Devil Hills Boat Ramp - Located on the soundside, next to the intersection of Bay Drive and Dock Street.
Manteo Bowerstown Road Boat Ramp - Located at the end of Bowerstown Road, which is on the edge of Manteo, next to the US 64 intersection.
Manteo Downtown Boat Ramp - Located just off of Budleigh Street, close to the historic Elizabeth II, which is docked in the downtown harbor.
Kitty Hawk Boat Ramp - Located at the end of Bob Perry Road.
Though Nags Head doesn't have any marinas within its town limits, it is within 10-30 minutes of some of the OBX's most popular regional marinas. Popular area marinas include the following.
Oregon Inlet Fishing Center - This marina is the largest along the barrier island beaches, and features 45 fishing charter businesses, five public boat ramps, fuel, an extensive marina store, slips for rent, and easy access to the neighboring National Park Service campground. It's also the closest OBX marina to Oregon Inlet.
Pirate's Cove Yacht Club - Located next to the extensive Pirate's Cove condo, duplex and home community, this marina features charter businesses, regular tournaments, dockage and slip rentals, fuel, and a marine store and on-site restaurant.
Broad Creek Fishing Center - Found along the borders of the Wanchese Seafood Industrial Park in Wanchese, Broad Creek features a ship's store, marine supplies, charter businesses, fish cleaning services, fuel, and an extensive dry-stack storage facility.
Thicket Lump Marina - This smaller Wanchese marina at the end of Thicket Lump Road boasts a number of charters, fish cleaning services, fuel, and a popular bait and tackle shop which features custom built rods.
Manteo Waterfront Marina - This smaller marina features a nearby public boat ramp, as well as walking-distance access to downtown Manteo's acclaimed shopping and restaurants.
Nags Head visitors will be close to two of the biggest hubs for fishing charter businesses on the Outer Banks - the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center and the marinas in the longstanding fishing town of Wanchese on Roanoke Island.
Between the two regions, there are more than 100 charter businesses to choose from, which can offer both inshore fishing trips and offshore trips to the Gulf Stream. Both regions are minutes away from Oregon Inlet, which connects the sound with the Atlantic Ocean, and which is roughly 15 miles away from the Gulf Stream.
Most charter trips are available in half-day or full-day increments, depending on the targeted Outer Banks fishing region, and offshore trips leave early at 6:00, 5:00, or even 4:00 in the morning.
Fishing charters generally cost between $250 - $1200 per trip, depending on the length and destination of the fishing trip, and the party size. Parties of 1-6 anglers are welcome, though some vessels can accommodate larger groups.
The open waters off of Nags Head, including the Albemarle Sound, Roanoke Sound, and the Atlantic Ocean are patrolled by the US Coast Guard as well as the Marine Patrol of the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries.
Boaters who need assistance can also contact SEATOW / Boat U.S. service, which serves the Outer Banks area.
All children under the age of 13 are required to wear an approved personal floatation device when a vessel is moving, according to North Carolina state law.
Personal watercrafts must be operated by mariners who are 14 and older, according to North Carolina state law.
Personal watercrafts can be operated within 300 feet of the shoreline or fishing pier in the town of Nags Head.
When launching from a public or private boat ramp, mariners must go straight in and straight out, and not exceed 5 miles per hour until well outside the town limits.
Motorized vessels cannot be launched from the Jockey's Ridge State Park or the Danube Street Albemarle Sound access.
Boaters and personalized watercraft operators close to Oregon Inlet must heed all area closures administered by the National Park Service, which may include the waters adjacent to the beaches. Signs will be posted when these waters are closed to the public.
For a complete overview of the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commissions' regulations, which includes regulations for vessels, operators, and local waters, review their online handbook at http://www.ncwildlife.org/Portals/0/Boating/documents/VOG.pdf.


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Account Settings Newsletter Subscriptions Log Out
California CCPA Notice
White House Won't Rule Out Tapping Strategic Oil Reserve...Again
A Supreme Disappointment
The Showdown Over the RNC Chair Is Over
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Matt Gaetz Introduces 'PENCIL Act' Targeting Adam Schiff's Ability to See Classified Info
The New American al-Qaeda Terrorist
Armstrong Williams | Mar 04, 2013
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Townhall.com.
Top Columns
A Supreme Disappointment Katie Pavlich
RNC's Election Day Kurt Schlichter
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Here's How Cotton Plans to See Seized Classified Docs Leah Barkoukis
New reports are released every single day in Washington, but one that could prove to be of life or death importance was unveiled this week by The Henry Jackson Society, a bipartisan think tank headquartered in London. Al-Qaeda in the United States: A Complete Analysis of Terrorism Offenses holds up a mirror to America and provides us with a clear but terrifying image.
The report itself is more than 700 pages, and is a painstaking and meticulous review of all 171 al-Qaeda or al-Qaeda inspired terrorists who were either killed during their attacks or convicted in court here in the United States. Authored by Research Fellow Robin Simcox, the value of the data as a means of protecting Americans is underscored by the fact that the foreword was penned by General Michael Hayden, who previously led both the CIA and the NSA.
The excellent report challenges the post September11 conventional wisdom of who we thought al-Qaeda terrorists were—and are. It reveals that the bulk of the terrorists here are not highly trained foreign nationals infiltrating our borders to attack us, but our neighbors next door.
More than half of the terrorists were American citizens. A shocking 82% of the terrorists killed or convicted were U.S. residents. Ninety-five percent were men and they lived in states from coast to coast and all across the heartland. The highest numbers came from New York, Florida, New Jersey, Virginia, Minnesota and California.
Another remarkable data point is that 52% of the attackers were college educated and nearly 60% were either pursing their education or employed at the time of their arrest. These facts punch gaping holes in the false and self-defeating assertion that those who hate America are driven to do so because they are ignorant or downtrodden. As Robin Simcox explained when I interviewed him recently, these people were not failed by our society; they were a part of it.
An inordinate number of the al-Qaeda terrorists were not born into radical Islam, but decided to embrace it later in life with the fervor of converts. Religious converts have made up 24% of all the terrorists and 95% of those converts were American citizens such as John Walker Lindh who pleaded guilty to assisting the Taliban.
One of the most striking things about this thorough study is how rigorously it steers clear of making policy recommendations. It provides the facts, and it is now up to those charged with developing our counter-terrorism and homeland security strategies to decide how best to use this information.
After all, safeguarding our citizens is not a Democrat or a Republican issue. It's not a left-wing or right-wing issue. It needs to be an American priority.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member
The Police Bodycam Footage of the Pelosi Home Invasion Is Out. Here's What It Shows. Matt Vespa
CA Dems Have Found a New Way to Punish Its Residents Matt Vespa
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text:
British Columbia, History, Regional Interest, Vancouver Island, Vancouver Island,
Inside Chinatown
Ancient Culture in a New World
By (author): Robert Amos, Kileasa Wong
Hardcover | Publication Date: August 18, 2009
Book Dimensions: 10.125 in x 9.375 in
Buy Buy
Amazon.ca Chapters Indigo
Victoria's Chinatown is Canada's oldest Chinese neighbourhood and has a lineage unbroken since 1858. With large-format colour photos and photocollages, Robert Amos and Kileasa Wong take you behind the doors of the 29 private clubs that make up the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, where you'll see the gilded altars, antique art and ornate furniture that grace the meeting halls. Through stunning pictures and text in both Chinese and English, you will meet the club members and take an inside look at the culture of this complex community. Inside Chinatown is sure to become a landmark publication chronicling the vibrant heritage of Chinese Canadians.
Inside Chinatown was voted Monday Magazine's Non-Fiction Book of the Year, and authors Robert Amos and Kileasa Wong were presented with a 2010 Outstanding Achievement Award from BC Heritage for their work on Inside Chinatown.
Robert Amos has published eight books on art, including E. J. Hughes Paints Vancouver Island, and was the arts columnist for Victoria's Times Colonist newspaper for more than thirty years. He was elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in 1995 and is an Honorary Citizen of Victoria. He now lives in Oak Bay with his wife, artist and author Sarah Amos. For more information visit, robertamos.com.
"A highly readable history of the Chinese community in Victoria. Its beautiful, respectful pages make an important contribution to our understanding." —Times Colonist
City in Colour
May Q. Wong
Anny Scoones
EJ Hughes Paints Vancouver Island
Robert Amos
Harold Mortimer-Lamb
Artists in their Studios
Ordering & Distribution
We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund (CBF), a part of the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Canada Council for the Arts and the BC Arts Council.
© Copyright 2019, Touchwood Editions | Privacy Policy | Website by Leap XD


text:
Europe Airports - Belavia
Submit a Vote or Review for Belavia
Belavia is reported to have the following aircraft fleet:
5 Bombardier CRJ 200ER
3 Embraer E 175LR
Belavia is the national airline Belarus and was officially founded in 1964 though had been operating under the name of Belarusian civil aviation group since 1940.
The present airline however dates from 1996, after which the route to London was opened along with other European destinations, and is based at Minsk International airport.
2003 saw the introduction of the first non Soviet aircraft with the additon of a Boeing 737 to the fleet, a process which has been continuing with further Boeings and the Bombardier CRJ. The last Tupolev was retired in 2015
Belavia carried 3 million passengers in 2018, an increase from the previous year of 15%.
UK and Ireland Departure airport for Belavia
London Gatwick(LGW), flying to: Belarus
Manchester(MAN), flying to: Belarus


"We all like to get lost in a book - but when Danielle, an American visitor to Belfast, stumbles upon a mysterious handwritten note in a secondhand copy of Ciaran Carson's novel The Star Factory - she finds herself on a labyrinthine journey through his prose and through the hidden side-roads and alleyways of the city. As she searches for the elusive Irish author and poet, it soon becomes clear that there's much more to Belfast than meets the eye. This is a city that regenerates itself through layers of history and memory where the main protagonists are want to disappear at any time. Between the adjuncts and intervening avenues of Belfast and Carson's narrative, Danielle realises she can't read the city like a book as it will always exceed the confines of the pages..."
In 2011, Alan Hook and I developed and co-produced a multiplatform, digital-live game played over 6 weeks in the city of Belfast, based on the novels of Belfast writer Ciaran Carson. In 2016, BBC Radio 4 adapted the concept to a radio documentary format, remediating our remediation.


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The Last of Us Part I [PlayStation 5] | REVIEW
Posted by Rob | Sep 5, 2022 | PlayStation 5 Reviews, PlayStation Reviews, Review
There has been a bit of a furore leading up to the launch of The Last of Us Part I as to whether or not the game needed to be remade and if it justified a $70 price tag because of it. In some ways, it's easy to agree – the game is less than ten years old after all, whilst this isn't a full-blown remake akin to the likes of Resident Evil 2 or Final Fantasy VII.
After finally playing and beating the game (for the seventh time across this and the original release), it's clear that Naughty Dog have done something special here. Yes, this is the same game you would've played before as far as the blueprint is concerned, but the revamped visuals, improved enemy AI, and excellent range of accessibility options make this an even better version of what was already a perfect game.
Check out some screenshots down below:
The Last of Us Part I puts players in the role of Joel and Ellie as they look to survive through a post-apocalyptic world that has been ruined by the Cordyceps virus, which essentially turns humans into mutated and savage creatures known as Clickers (named after the ominous noise they make). Humanity has had to live with this crisis for the last twenty years, but there's the possibility of a cure when it turns out that Ellie is immune to the virus. It's up to you to travel across the United States and get her to a group known as the Fireflies in order for their doctors to study her.
What follows is one of the most gripping narratives seen in any video game. Not only do the characters of the game feel believable thanks to some brilliant voice performances and writing, but the plot itself is full of twists-and-turns that'll constantly keep players on the edge of their seat. Whilst it doesn't quite hit the gut-punching heights of its sequel, I forgot how dark The Last of Us Part I could be with its storytelling.
Of course, this is the same plotline you would have possibly played through a ton of times already, so there's not a lot to say about it – Naughty Dog hit the ball out of the park in 2013 and it feels just as impactful now. It is just the same though, with no big additions included to flesh out the storytelling or reveal more about the world. It's definitely worth keeping your expectations in check if you expected The Last of Us Part I to reinvent the narrative in any way.
"You can see every detail in a character's face, every emotion they convey, and every swift change as they turn from pain to anger to sadness."
That doesn't mean that the storytelling isn't significantly improved upon though, which is something owed to the outstanding facial animations in the game. Whilst Naughty Dog really showed off their graphical prowess in The Last of Us Part II, everything is ramped up tenfold here. You can see every detail in a character's face, every emotion they convey, and every swift change as they turn from pain to anger to sadness. It's ridiculous how good it looks in-game and it goes a long way in helping The Last of Us Part I achieve a realistic cinematic presentation. Be warned though: it makes the game's heart-breaking scenes ever harder to bear, which is something players will find out swiftly in one early scene… never have I seen such pure emotion more tragically displayed in a video game.
It's not just the facial animations that have been improved upon though, with just about every facet of The Last of Us Part I getting a fresh lick of paint powered by the PlayStation 5's capabilities. The environments have been rebuilt with more life-like visuals and richer levels of detail, slick lighting effects and reflections add to the immersion, whilst extra levels of detail found in the destruction you cause along the way make each set piece all the more believable. Naughty Dog haven't just given the game some fresh new textures; they've re-invented what existed and made the world look a hell of a lot better than it ever did before. If you're someone who only cared about the visual improvements made in this new release, you will NOT be disappointed.
The enhancements to the gameplay aren't quite as significant as the facelift, but they still help make The Last of Us Part I feel better to play. Both enemy and ally is AI is significantly improved upon to make each showdown with foes feel more intense and challenging, animations are more fluid and life-like than before, whilst the DualSense functions and 3D audio make the whole experience more immersive. It's possible to play the game at a dynamic 4K resolution at 60fps too, which makes everything feel smoother in motion.
Additional game modes such as Speedrun and Permadeath will give players extra challenges to strive towards, whilst it's also possible to fully customise the difficulty to make the game play exactly how you want. Photo mode is also there for creative sorts who want to showcase the game's beauty, with plenty of fancy options available for those who like to be artistic. The best new inclusion though are the accessibility options, which go above and beyond in making The Last of Us Part I available for just about anyone to play. It's fantastic to see developers putting more effort into accessibility for games and Naughty Dog have proven in their last few releases that they take the issue very seriously. Visual, audio, and even controller options are in place to help players out, with the game covering all bases to ensure EVERYONE can play.
It's clear then that whilst The Last of Us Part I doesn't necessarily go to the extremes that similar remakes have in re-defining the experience, a lot has been done to ensure this is the definitive edition of the game that matches the highest standards set by modern releases. Sure, there'll be a sense of familiarity for players, but it isn't just a prettier game – it's been revamped to make it not only play better, but also be more accessible for a wider range of players. There's bound to be complaints that it doesn't implement some of the newer features found in The Last of Us Part II or that it plays out in exactly the same way as the original game did, but the quality found across the board here proves that it didn't need to implement these changes. The Last of Us Part I hits the highest standard with all of the improvements it already has, and whilst it might not always feel like a fresh experience for players, it will feel like a vastly superior one to what came before it.
That being said, there was one disappointment I had: the lack of the Factions multiplayer, especially since I loved the mode back in the day. It would have been cool to be able re-visit the mode and compete with others online, especially since it was a genuinely engaging multiplayer experience that often felt as intense as the single player mode. I'll be honest, it does leave the package feeling a little incomplete with its omission, and whilst it's understandable that it's not included given that Naughty Dog are already actively working on a multiplayer experience based around The Last of Us, it would have been nice to give it another go.
The Last of Us Part I takes what was already a masterpiece and improves upon it in every way, with the visuals in particular standing out as a highlight. This is one gorgeous game, with the revamped look not only making the world and action more engrossing than ever, but also making the storytelling more believable and emotional. Add to that the improved AI, expanded accessibility options, and additional game modes, and it'll quickly become very clear that this release is a lot more than just a fresh lick of paint.
Some will complain that it doesn't change enough and even I will admit that the lack of Factions multiplayer is disappointing, but these issues don't stop The Last of Us Part I from being another outstanding release from the team at Naughty Dog. The high price tag might put some folk off, but this is an unmissable title for both fans of the series as well as those that didn't experience Joel and Ellie's emotional journey the first time around.
Developer: Naughty Dog
Publisher: PlayStation Studios
Platform(s): PlayStation 5 (Reviewed)
Website: https://www.playstation.com/en-gb/games/the-last-of-us-part-i/
PreviousInscryption [PlayStation 5] | REVIEW
NextDestroy All Humans 2 – Reprobed [PlayStation 5] | REVIEW


Knik River Valley and Glacier Tours – Your Next Adventure!
Stay the night in one of our cozy Alaska cabins, or come to Knik River Lodge Tours for the day from Anchorage.
Overnight lodge guests can step out of their private cabin and walk over to the main lodge for a briefing on their tour, then take off on a trip of a lifetime! All of Knik River Lodge Tours depart directly from the lodge. The Knik Glacier Tours departing from the heli-base almost immediately have a bird's eye view of the Knik Glacier, and the glacial landscapes and ancient ice fields flowing out of the beautiful Chugach Mountains are amazing.
Knik Glacier Tours available from the lodge range from helicopter flightseeing with a glacier landing, to guided dog sledding, to heli-hiking adventures. All of the tours are great Alaska glacier experiences that offer impressive scenery and should not be missed!
Tours of the Knik River Valley include an ATV adventure that crosses the mountain valley floor, travels along streams, and past waterfalls to Knik Glacier. A wonderful opportunity to acquaint yourself with riding ATV's while viewing the Knik Valley area from a different angle.
A local Palmer farm tour that highlights the impressive Matanuska-Sustina Valley agriculture history including challenges and successes departs daily. The tours provides a wonderful option to get to know the 'Mat-Su' area. An 'Alaska Grown' lunch is of course included!
If you do not have a vehicle, Knik River Lodge Tours offers a shuttle service from Anchorage. Shuttle service operates twice daily during the summer months from downtown Anchorage hotels and the Egan Center. Just let us know your desired hotel pickup location when you make your tour reservation. If you need help with choosing a tour or a suitable departure time to fit with the rest of your travels, please call or email us, we're always happy to help!
Helicopter tour with landing on the Knik Glacier. Fly over ice towers and see gigantic icebergs roll over in a glacial lake.
35 minute helicopter flight seeing tour with 1 hour dogsled adventure on Colony Glacier. Suitable for the whole family.
35 min round trip helicopter flightseeing with 3 hour 30 min landing near Colony Glacier with hiking guide. 4 hours total.
Explore Alaska's unique agricultural heritage and industry with the locals that produce some of the world's best produce.


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Q: Firebase deploy functions Error with Koa in TypeScript I've been trying to deploy firebase functions using Koa in TypeScript.
But I cannot figure out what the problem is. Could anybody help me?
File structure looks like this:
├── functions/
│    ├── lib/
│    ├── node_modules/
│    └── src/
│         ├── index.ts
│         ├── .eslintrc.js
│         ├── package.json
│         ├── package-lock.json
│         ├── tsconfig.dev.json
│         └── tsconfig.json
│
├── .firebaserc
└── firebase.json

If I just deploy sameple helloWorld() in index.ts file, then I could deploy function. But for some reason I've tried to deploy Koa server to firebase functions, it keeps failing saying:
Functions deploy had errors with the following functions:
    app(asia-northeast3)

To try redeploying those functions, run:
    firebase deploy --only "functions:app"

To continue deploying other features (such as database), run:
    firebase deploy --except functions

Error: Functions did not deploy properly.
npm ERR! code 1
npm ERR! path /workspace/myproj/functions
npm ERR! command failed
npm ERR! command sh -c firebase deploy --only functions

npm ERR! A complete log of this run can be found in:
npm ERR!     /Users/me/.npm/_logs/2021-07-27T15_44_39_569Z-debug.log

$ firebase serve --only functions works fine. But $ firebase deploy --only functions doesn't work. And here's my code.
// functions/src/index.ts

import * as functions from "firebase-functions"
import Router from "koa-router"
import Koa from "koa"

export const app = new Koa()
const router = new Router()

router.get("/", (ctx) => {
    ctx.body = "Okay"
})

app.use(router.routes()).use(router.allowedMethods())

exports.app = functions
    .region("asia-northeast3")
    .https.onRequest(app.callback())

// functions/package.json

{
  "name": "functions",
  "scripts": {
    "lint": "eslint --ext .js,.ts .",
    "build": "tsc",
    "serve": "npm run build && firebase emulators:start --only functions",
    "shell": "npm run build && firebase functions:shell",
    "start": "npm run shell",
    "deploy": "firebase deploy --only functions",
    "logs": "firebase functions:log"
  },
  "engines": {
    "node": "14"
  },
  "main": "lib/index.js",
  "dependencies": {
    "firebase-admin": "^9.8.0",
    "firebase-functions": "^3.14.1",
    "koa-router": "^10.0.0"
  },
  "devDependencies": {
    "@types/koa": "^2.13.4",
    "@types/koa-router": "^7.4.4",
    "@typescript-eslint/eslint-plugin": "^3.9.1",
    "@typescript-eslint/parser": "^3.8.0",
    "eslint": "^7.6.0",
    "eslint-config-google": "^0.14.0",
    "eslint-plugin-import": "^2.22.0",
    "firebase-functions-test": "^0.2.0",
    "koa": "^2.13.1",
    "prettier": "^2.3.2",
    "typescript": "^3.8.0"
  },
  "private": true
}

// functions/tsconfig.json

{
  "compilerOptions": {
    "module": "commonjs",
    "noImplicitReturns": true,
    "noUnusedLocals": true,
    "outDir": "lib",
    "sourceMap": true,
    "strict": true,
    "target": "es2017",
    "esModuleInterop": true
  },
  "compileOnSave": true,
  "include": [
    "src"
  ]
}

// firebase.json

{
  "functions": {
    "predeploy": [
      "npm --prefix \"$RESOURCE_DIR\" run lint",
      "npm --prefix \"$RESOURCE_DIR\" run build"
    ]
  }
}

Thank you in advance guys!!!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: suppress page footer in crystal report I want to display the address(6 lines) in first page only. i am applying suppress formula in page footer. The problem is the 6 line space are repeated in remaining pages.
thank u,

A: There is no way around this limitation. Page headers and footers always take up a fixed amount of space. Without knowing any details about your report, the best suggestion I can make is to try putting your fields in a group footer or detail section that is set to print at the bottom of the page.

A: You have an option called Suppress blank section in the Section Expert screen. If you select that then the section will be automatically suppressed if nothing is there, anyway you are conditionally suppressing it and I assume that you are suppressing it if the pagenumber is not equal to 1. So from page 2 the section will come as empty and enabling this flag will the suppress this space


This is definitely one of the best things you'll see this year! John Yull broke so much ground in this incredible, inspirational video part for Same Thing Daily Three!
He says: "One year ago today I was awoken with a phone call from my mum. She had just been diagnosed with kidney cancer. It had spread to her lung and she was told it was terminal. Our family went into shock. We had no idea how long she had to live. I traveled home to England in May to give her as many hugs as she wanted. We did as many fun things as we could squeeze in. I traveled back again in October. She had just been admitted into hospice when I got there. I spent a week with her and left on a Wednesday morning. By far the most devastating thing I've ever done - walking away, saying goodbye, knowing I would never see her again. She passed away on that Friday. During this time I was trying to film this part for SameThingDaily3. Sometimes my heart just wasn't really in it but I was trying to use it as a distraction. Once mum had passed I made the decision to dedicate it to her. With that decision I knew I had to make it something I, and hopefully she, would be proud of. She had seen 90% of it in October and she loved it. I pulled the last trick on 12/14/14 the day before the DVD was going to production. I had spent many hours and sessions trying it. I had pretty much given up. I went for one last session and 15 minutes in I hit it! I still have a feeling I got pushed over on that last decade. Thank you, Dane for giving me this opportunity to pay tribute to my mum. I feel it's a good way to make something good out of a sad day."


text:
import express from 'express';
import validate from 'express-validation';
import paramValidation from '../../config/param-validation';
import holidayCtrl from '../controllers/holiday.controller';
import expressAuth from '../helpers/expressAuth';
import permit from './permission';
import { USER_TYPES } from '../helpers/constants';

const { ADMIN } = USER_TYPES;

const router = express.Router();
const { authorize } = expressAuth;

router.use(authorize());

router.route('/')
    .get(permit(), holidayCtrl.list)
    .post(permit(ADMIN), validate(paramValidation.createHoliday), holidayCtrl.create);

router.route('/aggregate')
    .get(permit(ADMIN), holidayCtrl.aggregate);

router.route('/:holidayId')
    .get(permit(), holidayCtrl.get)
    .put(permit(ADMIN), validate(paramValidation.updateHoliday), holidayCtrl.update)
    .delete(permit(ADMIN), holidayCtrl.remove);

router.param('holidayId', holidayCtrl.load);

export default router;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The operator of the weighbridge will be required to hold a public weighbridge licence to conduct public weighings. Public weighings are required to be recorded on a measurement ticket. Examples of the measurement tickets used for public weighings can be under Licensing Directive PW 12/05.
You need to submit a change of partnership form and a pay $125 fee if your business partnership arrangements change.
Q1. Can you confirm the requirements for conducting end-and-end measurements on weighbridges?
A. End-and-end measurements are only permitted on weighbridges approved for such measurements prior to 1 July 2010, and when the approaches to the platforms are level to within ±0.25º of horizontal. Further information on these requirements and possible exemptions are detailed in PW 12/01 Changes to Weighbridge Requirements.
Q2. Does a public weighbridge have to be used to determine the tare mass of a vehicle (including trailers) for registration purposes?
A. No. Weighing a vehicle for registration purposes is not considered to be a public weighing and can be completed on any weighbridge in use for trade. However, the tare weight can also be recorded as a public weighing on a measurement ticket completed by a holder of a public weighbridge licence. For registration purposes only, any measurement tickets issued using a non-public weighbridge to record the tare mass of a vehicle or trailer, will need a statement that the ticket is for the purpose of registration. Please keep in mind that in some jurisdictions, the tare weight of the vehicle for registration purposes, will only be accepted by the local transport authority if the weighing is conducted on a public weighbridge.
Q3. Can a public weighbridge licensee use more than one booklet or pad of measurement tickets at the same time?
Q4. Can a public weighbridge licensee have an electronic ticketing system and keep a hard copy booklet of measurement tickets (or pad of tickets) for backup?
A. Yes. However, only in the instance that the measurement ticket printer fails to produce a ticket. If you are using a backup booklet or pad of pre-printed measurement tickets, they must be compliant with the approved format, and issued in compliance with the national trade measurement legislation.
Q5. The approaches to my weighbridge are made from bitumen not concrete. Since I received approval from the previous State trade measurement authority to use non-concrete approaches, do I still need to seek approval from NMI for the same concessions?
A. Yes. As of 1 July 2011 any prior approvals granted under an earlier corresponding law are no longer valid. Owners of trade weighbridges with an approach surface that is not concrete can seek approval to use an alternative material. Further information on this application process is available in directive PW 12/03 Trade Weighbridge Approach Requirements.
Q6. I am currently using an old National Standard Commission (NSC) publication, Leaflet No 29 Guidelines for Automated Weighbridge Systems when constructing a weighbridge. Is this document still valid?
Q7. I have two weighbridges on my site (an 'in' weighbridge and an 'out' weighbridge). Can I conduct a public weighing by determining a tare weighing on the 'in' weighbridge, and a gross weighing on the 'out' weighbridge?


text:
Cold War 2008: The Madness Continues
by Matt Reichel / August 22nd, 2008
With the ongoing diplomatic crises between the U.S. and Russia, many people have come off a bit confused, largely because they were under the impression that the Cold War had ended the better part of two decades ago.
Even those in charge of the international political system seem a bit confused.
John McCain was most certainly perplexed when he said "In the 21st century, nations don't invade other nations." Huh?
Obama, meanwhile, was also a bit confused. His reaction was this: "No matter how this conflict started, Russia has escalated it well beyond the dispute over South Ossetia and invaded another country. Russia has escalated its military campaign through strategic bombing and the movement of its ground forces into the heart of Georgia. There is no possible justification for these attacks." This is more elegant than his opponent's reaction, but no great departure from the still prevalent foreign policy philosophy of "American Exceptionalism." In the 21st century, just like the 20th, Americans and their mercenaries can drop bombs everywhere they want, and no one else has the right to defend themselves and their citizenry.
This is all pretty confusing to those people who thought the Cold War was over.
Many Americans are just as confused as me. They wonder "If the Cold War is really over, what ever happened to the peace dividend?"
In fact, matters seem to have gotten worse for Americans pushing for a social democratic state. The coffers of the military industrial complex continue to be fed at increasingly record rates, as public infrastructure programs from dams and levees to schools and community centers continue their savage decline.
On the other issue currently widening the diplomatic cleavage between the Americans and Russia, there are all sorts of confusing facts for anyone who believed the Cold War was over. This issue has to do with Missile Defense, or the Missile Shield, or however you'd like to call it. In this article, I am going to avoid any confusion by calling it Star Wars II. This way we are thinking about Ronald Reagan, the beloved 80's, and the fictional capacity of humans to shoot down missiles in space. I believe it is important for journalists to strive for the truth, and, as such, calling this program a "missile shield" would lower me to the level of the New York Times et al.
If this system was actually meant to be used for defense, then now might be a good time to mention that it was never proven to work as such. The currently deployed mechanism over the Pacific Ocean passed its second test this June, but this only serves to counter against an overall failure rate of roughly 70% going back to Reagan's Star Wars. Furthermore, these are unrealistic scenarios wherein the missile launch isn't hidden behind a decoy system. The chances are basically zero that the system could ever successfully shoot down an incoming missile accompanied by the dozens of decoys that are common to any launch. This is what top scientists have been warning since the beginning days of Star Wars II, which saw it's birth during Clinton's final year (though Clinton did pretend to leave the decision to the next administration, his failure to cut funding for continual testing essentially left the system open for Bush Jr.). As recently as 2003, the Union of Concerned Scientists released the following statement with regards to the scientific feasibility of the Star Wars system: it has "no demonstrated defensive capability and will be ineffective against a real attack by long-range ballistic missiles"
Meanwhile, neither of the two major presidential candidates offers any hope of dismantling the project. McCain, predictably, wants full throttle ahead, while Obama's position is: "If we can responsibly deploy missile defenses that would protect us and our allies we should – but only when the system works. We need to make sure any missile defense system would be effective before deployment." As I already mentioned, the military has succeeded in a rigged test as recently as June, and will gladly oblige an Obama administration with further passed tests, as long as the purse strings are opened for their mercenaries at Boeing and Lockheed Martin.
As I've already foreshadowed, the system isn't even meant to work for the reason given: defense against missiles. In fact, calling it "missile defense" is a lot like calling the U.S. military's prime organ the "Department of Defense" or saying "In the 21st Century, no nation invades another nation."
The Orwellian Doublespeak is so common these days that nobody believes what they are told. The foundations of the international diplomatic system are resting on shaky ground as the empty and insipid rhetoric escalates out of control.
The Bush administration claims that the missiles in Poland are there to protect the U.S. and it's European allies from attacks by "Rogue States," such as Iran. So are you going to expect the Russians to believe this? The Americans are spending all of this money to deploy a system that no one believes will ever work for the advertised purpose to protect against missiles that don't exist and are unlikely to ever exist!? When Russia claims that the recently brokered Star Wars deal with Poland has more to do with stationing military hardware near its borders so as to obtain a strategic advantage, this is because it's the only explanation that makes any scientific and political sense! And yet we are supposed to get whipped into a patriotic fervor against the Russians because their government is capable of seeing through this thin cloud of smoke!? And people say that the Cold War ended nearly two decades ago!?
Meanwhile, it's worth mentioning that there are still thousands of nuclear weapons lying around: the vast majority in the United States and Russia.
In the early days of Bush 2, the American President met with then-President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, for the purpose of reaching a handshake agreement on nuclear warhead reduction. Rather than formalizing nuclear disarmament commitments in line with their obligation under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, they agreed to an un-formalized reduction in their respective nuclear arsenals by two-thirds. With no enforcement mechanism put into place, the treaty was merely a means of squelching perceived dissent from the grassroots, which has traditionally been very hostile towards nuclear weapons.
The United States and Russia maintain roughly 10,000 of these city-destroying bombs each, with enough firepower in either country to easily destroy all life on Earth. As such, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists currently has the Doomsday Clock at 5 minutes to Midnight, which is its closest point since the mid 80's. For those unfamiliar with this mechanism, Midnight means annihilation of humankind. If relations between the two primary nuclear powers continue to corrode any further, we should expect to see the clock slide a minute or two closer. The longer these relics of the 20th century remain, hundreds of them on hair trigger alert, the closer we come to the reality of Mutually Assured Destruction.
The madness of the Cold War continues! What was, after all, the defining characteristic of the Cold War? It was the extensive use of visceral propaganda in order to justify the exorbitant funding of a military industrial complex and police state paid for by your tax dollar with absolutely no corners cut.
And one thing is clear: no government is going to ever voluntarily put an end to this arrangement since almost everyone holding national elected office are buddies with the war profiteers.
However, Dwight Eisenhower, the same man that warned Americans of the impending rise of the military industrial complex, also left us with a little wisdom on how we can finally put an end to this insanity. He was once quoted as saying: "I like to believe that people in the long run are going to do more to promote peace than our governments. Indeed, I think that people want peace so much that one of these days governments had better get out of the way and let them have it."
One of these days, the grassroots will have to finally put an end to all manifestations of the Cold War: be it an ongoing propaganda war against Communists or Terrorists or Russians or Grenadians or the French or what have you.
It is time we stop treating our leaders like great statesmen, and start realizing them as the truly disgusting people that they are. The late, great Kurt Vonnegut once wrote in the Nation that world leaders were addicted to war preparations in the same way that alcoholics are addicted to alcohol. He recommended: "From now on, when a national leader, or even just a neighbor, starts talking about some new weapons system which is going to cost us a mere $29 billion, we should speak up. We should say something on the order of, 'Honest to God, I couldn't be sorrier for you if I'd seen you wash down a fistful of black, beauties with a pint of Southern Comfort.'"
He wrote that piece back during the height of the Reagan Cold War in 1983. The advice remains just as prevalent today.
Matt Reichel is a freelance writer and PhD student at Rutgers University. He can be reached at: mereichel@gmail.com. Read other articles by Matt, or visit Matt's website.
This article was posted on Friday, August 22nd, 2008 at 6:00am and is filed under Militarism.
Michael Kenny said on August 22nd, 2008 at 6:28am #
Mr Reichel is right to say that the missiles in Poland are directed against Russia but I don't think that is to Russia's disadvantage. Naturally, Russia has made the usual ritualistic negative noises but that is just part of the European political minuet, as are the missiles themselves from the Polish viewpoint. The "European street" will not support a war with anyone, whether Afghans, Iraqis, Iranians, Russians or anyone else, and don't forget, of course, that the Russians are Europeans too!
The advantage of all this is that the economically and militarily overstretched US now has to divert resources to a wild goose chase in the Baltic, pouring huge amounts of money into a bottomless pit as only the Poles know how to dig them for a missile system that everybody knows (most of all the Russians!) will never be operational. No wonder the Ukranians want a slice of the cake! On the one hand, this is money that the EU does not have to find for regional aid to Poland and, on the other, it is money that is not available to fund the killing of Palestinain children. If that isn't win-win, I don't know what is!
bozhidar balkas said on August 22nd, 2008 at 8:38am #
will i be the only person on DV who affirms that it is not just amer plutos who want russia to cry uncle but also world plutos.
in my opininon, EU/US/Japanese plutos are united in their quest to destroy all socialism.
to get to china, russia must be brought to heel. at this time putin/medvedev don't want to be subjugated by nato countries. russia still has a communist party while in US it is banned.
once and if russian plutos take over russia to the degree that amer superrich have taken over 'rica, russia wld willingly join nato in destructionof socialism/china.
china is also an evil empire. this fact alone weakens it.
and one can count on cia to begin at a propitious time to destabilize china.
if my guess is correct, iran in this scheme is a minor problem. russia is right now. thank u
Giorgio said on August 22nd, 2008 at 12:52pm #
Putin, meanwhile, was also a bit confused. His reaction was this: "No matter how this conflict started, the USA has escalated it well beyond the dispute over WMD and invaded another country. The USA has escalated its military campaign through strategic bombing and the movement of its ground forces into the heart of Iraq. There is no possible justification for these attacks."
This could be Putin using precisely the same words some years ago.
What's good for the gander is just as good for the goose….
DanE said on August 22nd, 2008 at 5:35pm #
I'm going to fwd to my listserves this interesting-for-the-most-part, long as the author sticks to reminding us of important facts, before he starts indulging his imagination, talking in terms of some mythical "we", as though the USian general public had some input into US military/foreign policy Imperial Decisionmaking.
But first I'm going to delete the comments appended by the Usual Weirdos. What is it about this particular online Zine that attracts so many vacillating denizens of the ideological Intermediate Strata, and where is the voice or voices of The Modern Prince?
I will look within myself, for there the answer undoubtedly lies. Maybe I'd do better not to open this page every day? If I didn't I wouldn't see Petras' articles for another day or two: could I survive anyway? Would have missed Jas Keye on Private Property, that wd have been a real loss. Dunno bout his take on the "Li" but the concept of Private Property is certainly fundamental to what's gone wrong with/for this Species.
When I think of all the brilliant minds dedicating their lives to parsing The Law of Contracts. Wonder what the Talmud says about Private Property? Is it any part of what those weirdos jerking back/forth front of a Wall are muttering?
Shut up, Dan, yr bad as the rest of them, blah blah, strings of words, where Nao is the Dao, Mr Berbally Gipted?
Aot;)


text:
Q: Run ngrx/effect outside of Angular's zone to prevent timeout in Protractor I just started  to write e2e tests for my app and am running into timeout problems with Protractor and ngrx/effects.
I have the following effect dispatching an action every couple of minutes:
@Effect() setSessionTimer$ = this.actions$
        .ofType(Auth.ActionTypes.SET_SECONDS_LEFT)
        .map(toPayload)
        .switchMap(secondsLeft => Observable.concat(
            Observable.timer((secondsLeft - 60) * 1000).map(_ => new Auth.SessionExpiringAction(60)),
            Observable.timer(60 * 1000).map(_ => new Auth.SessionExpiredAction())
        ));

Trying to run a Protractor test causes the test to timeout with the following error, since Angular is not stable.

Failed: Timed out waiting for asynchronous Angular tasks to finish
  after 11 seconds. This may be because the current page is not an
  Angular application. Please see the FAQ for more details:
  https://github.com/angular/protractor/blob/master/docs/timeouts.md#waiting-for-angular
  While waiting for element with locator - Locator: By(css selector,
  .toolbar-title)

According to this issue (https://github.com/angular/protractor/issues/3349) I need to use NgZone to run an interval Observable outside of Angular. I have tried different combinations of this.ngZone.runOutsideAngular() but nothing worked and the tests keep on timing out.
For example this does not work:
@Effect() setSessionTimer$ = this.actions$
        .ofType(Auth.ActionTypes.SET_SECONDS_LEFT)
        .map(toPayload)
        .switchMap(secondsLeft => this.ngZone.runOutsideAngular(() => Observable.concat(
            Observable.timer((secondsLeft - 60) * 1000).map(_ => new Auth.SessionExpiringAction(60)),
            Observable.timer(60 * 1000).map(_ => new Auth.SessionExpiredAction())
        )));

I have no idea how to run the effect outside Angular.
Has anybody successfully e2e tested their ngrx app?

A: The solution is to schedule the timer observable to run outside of NgZone and then re-enter the zone when something interesting occurs.
First you are going to need two utility functions that wrap any scheduler and cause the effect to enter or leave the zone:
import { Subscription } from 'rxjs/Subscription';
import { Scheduler } from 'rxjs/Scheduler';
import { NgZone } from '@angular/core';

class LeaveZoneSchduler {
  constructor(private zone: NgZone, private scheduler: Scheduler) { }

  schedule(...args: any[]): Subscription {
    return this.zone.runOutsideAngular(() =>
        this.scheduler.schedule.apply(this.scheduler, args)
    );
  }
}

class EnterZoneScheduler {
  constructor(private zone: NgZone, private scheduler: Scheduler) { }

  schedule(...args: any[]): Subscription {
    return this.zone.run(() =>
        this.scheduler.schedule.apply(this.scheduler, args)
    );
  }
}

export function leaveZone(zone: NgZone, scheduler: Scheduler): Scheduler {
  return new LeaveZoneSchduler(zone, scheduler) as any;
}

export function enterZone(zone: NgZone, scheduler: Scheduler): Scheduler {
  return new EnterZoneScheduler(zone, scheduler) as any;
}

Then using a scheduler (like asap or async) you can cause a stream to enter or leave the zone:
import { async } from 'rxjs/scheduler/async';
import { enterZone, leaveZone } from './util';

actions$.ofType('[Light] Turn On')
    .bufferTime(300, leaveZone(this.ngZone, async))
    .filter(messages => messages.length > 0)
    .observeOn(enterZone(this.ngZone, async))

Note that most of the time-based operators (like bufferTime, debounceTime, Observable.timer, etc) already accept an alternative scheduler. You only need observeOn to re-enter the zone when something interesting happens.

A: For Angular 6 and RxJS 6 use the following code:
import { SchedulerLike, Subscription } from 'rxjs'
import { NgZone } from '@angular/core'

class LeaveZoneScheduler implements SchedulerLike {
  constructor(private zone: NgZone, private scheduler: SchedulerLike) { }

  schedule(...args: any[]): Subscription {
    return this.zone.runOutsideAngular(() =>
      this.scheduler.schedule.apply(this.scheduler, args)
    )
  }

  now (): number {
    return this.scheduler.now()
  }
}

class EnterZoneScheduler implements SchedulerLike {
  constructor(private zone: NgZone, private scheduler: SchedulerLike) { }

  schedule(...args: any[]): Subscription {
    return this.zone.run(() =>
      this.scheduler.schedule.apply(this.scheduler, args)
    )
  }

  now (): number {
    return this.scheduler.now()
  }
}

export function leaveZone(zone: NgZone, scheduler: SchedulerLike): SchedulerLike {
  return new LeaveZoneScheduler(zone, scheduler)
}

export function enterZone(zone: NgZone, scheduler: SchedulerLike): SchedulerLike {
  return new EnterZoneScheduler(zone, scheduler)
}

The effect should look like:
import { asyncScheduler, queueScheduler } from 'rxjs'
import { filter, observeOn, bufferTime } from 'rxjs/operators'
import { enterZone, leaveZone } from './util';

actions$.ofType('[Light] Turn On')
  .pipe(
    bufferTime(300, leaveZone(this.ngZone, asyncScheduler)),
    filter(messages => messages.length > 0),
    observeOn(enterZone(this.ngZone, queueScheduler)),
  )


text:
Home » TV & Movies » 'Days of Our Lives': Victoria Konefal, Trevor Donovan News
'Days of Our Lives': Victoria Konefal, Trevor Donovan News
This week's Days of Our Lives news roundup spells great news for Cin shippers. In a recent interview, she spilled all the tea on what fans can expect from this new "super couple" pairing in the coming episodes. Plus, fan-favorite Trevor Donovan — who played Jeremy — just wrapped up shooting a new Christmas movie!
'Days of Our Lives' star Victoria Konefal recently spilled some tea
Victoria Konefal started out as a young actor on Days of Our Lives. She's since gone on to make a legacy of her own. Not only is she playing a legacy character in Ciara — the product of "super couple" Bo and Hope — but she's also become one-half of a beloved super couple in "Cin" (Ben and Ciara).
In a recent interview with Soap Opera Digest, she explained that for a time, The Powers That Be wanted to kill off her character. She said she knew that they could have easily replaced her. And she was glad that they chose not to do so. Today, she credits this move with her "freedom" on the show. And in so doing, she helped create the character that Ciara is today.
"They wanted to lock me down on contract because they didn't want to lose me," she said. "Because God forbid I book something else. But ultimately, they wanted to keep me as much as they could."
What can we expect from the 'Cin' ship in upcoming episodes?
Despite her recurring role on Days of Our Lives, Konefal said that she's still taking the gig very seriously. She said that she's thrilled with the storylines that have been presented to her, and she can't wait to take them to the next level. What's more, she said she was a fan of the "Mar-Devil" storylines. And she was "thrilled" that they were not only revisiting such an iconic storyline but that they were making her a part of it in upcoming episodes of Days of Our Lives.
To that end, too, Konefal opened up about what fans can expect from the 'Cin' ship in the upcoming episodes. "The devil is after me," she said. "The devil is keeping me safe because it wants my baby."
This is providing a perfect opportunity for Ben Weston to swoop in and be the hero of the day. "I'm so excited about the storyline," she said. "I can't wait for the fans to see what happens because we're filming so far ahead, and it gets really unpredictable and crazy."
Meanwhile, Trevor Donovan got a new gig
Meanwhile, in other Days of Our Lives news, Trevor Donovan — who is best known as Jeremy from the show — just finished filming a Christmas film. The made-for-TV film, called Jingle Bell Princess, will air on the GAC Network, according to SoapHub.
Additionally, if you'd like to meet Donovan in person, he'll be appearing at the RomaDrama! Live fan convention, which will take place on January 7th in Palm Beach, FL. The convention will also feature General Hospital stars Ryan Paevey and Gregory Harrison.
'General Hospital' Weekly Recap: A Lot of Awkward Crying
CNN fires Chris Cuomo for helping brother deal with scandal


Description of "Money management Issues and Practices of the Ultra-poor Populations in West Bengal"
The book is written based on the extensive field research experience of the authors. it deals with the money management issues and practices of different ultra poor people in West Bengal , their coping strategies with the vulnerabilities faced in their daily life- importance of social capital in their life.
Susmita Mukhopadhay, Assistant Professor, VGSOM, IIT Kharagpur.
Awards: A gold medalist in M.Sc. from the Applied Psychology Department of Calcutta university, she is the recipient of the Young Scientist Award and Search of Excellence Award. She was selected for the Microfinance Researchers Alliance Fellow Program Centre for microfinance, Institute of Financial Management and Research, Chennai, in 2009.
Shashwati Banerjee is presently a research fellow in Humanities and Social Science Department of IIT Kharagpur. She worked as project fellow in the project on Money management Practices of Ultrapoor people under Dr Susmita Mukhopadhyay and completed her MS by research under Dr Mukhopadhyay's guidance. Shahshwati got Vidya Bhavana Merit Scholarship from Visva-Bharati for being first class third in both B.A. and M.A. from the year 2006 to 2010. The author got Best Paper Award in 2012 for the research and presenting the seminar on SHG and Women Empowerment in the International Conference at Vidyasagar University.
Reviews of "Money management Issues and Practices of the Ultra-poor Populations in West Bengal"


Samangan (Persian: سمنگان) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan, located north of the Hindu Kush mountains in the central part of the country. The province covers 11,218 square kilometres (4,331 sq mi) and is surrounded by Sar-e Pol Province in the west, Balkh in the north, Baghlan in the east, and Bamyan in the south. The majority of the population here is Uzbek, but there also significant numbers of Pashto and Persian speakers in the province.
The Governor of the province is Khairullah Anush, who came to office after Enayatullah Enayat was replaced in 2010. There is a provincial Police Chief who is responsible for all law enforcement activities within the province. The Police Chief represents the Ministry of the Interior in Kabul.
The total population of Samangan province is about 468,800, which is predominately rural with only 7% living in urban centres. "Samangan like most of Afghanistan is ethnically diverse with Tajiks, Uzbeks, Pashtuns, Hazara, Tatars, Turkomen and even a minority population of Arabs living throughout the province." Roughly 72.5% people of the province speak Persian with ethnic Tajiks comprising 70% of the province´s population and 22.1% people speak Uzbeki as their native language. Pashto is the mother toung of the Pashtuns. Many people throughout the country are bilingual or multi-lingual. All inhabitants follow Islam, with majority being Sunni while the Shi'as make up the minority.
The population of Samangan province is about 368,800 settled people the ethnic groups of the province are as follows: Hazara, Uzbek, some tajiks Tatar, Arabs, and Pashtuns. "Hazaras make up almost 35 percent of the total population and districts such as dare suf are predominantly Hazaras.


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Catholic Health Association of Minnesota
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HHS Final Rule Still Requires Action in Congress, By Courts, Says Cardinal Dolan
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' final rule on its mandate that requires employee health insurance for contraceptives, including abortion-causing drugs, and female sterilization does not appear, on first analysis, to eliminate "the need to continue defending our rights in Congress and the courts," Cardinal Timothy Dolan ofNew York said July 3.
Cardinal Dolan issued the statement, after reviewing the ruling HHS made public June 28.
Cardinal Dolan, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, listed three areas of concern based on the March 2012 statement of the Administrative Committee, United for Religious Freedom: (1) the narrow definition of "religious employers" that are exempted, (2) the "accommodation" of religious ministries excluded from that definition, and (3) the treatment of businesses run by people who seek to operate their companies according to their religious principles.
"We are concerned as pastors with the freedom of the Church as a whole—not just for the full range of its institutional forms, but also for the faithful in their daily lives—to carry out the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ," Cardinal Dolan said.
A first concern with the definition of "religious employer," and the third concern with faithful business owners and other individuals, still have not been addressed at all.The second area of concern—the "accommodation" for religious charities, schools, hospitals, and other ministries of service—appears mostly the same, except for three relatively small changes that will require more time and analysis to evaluate.
The statement notes that the Conference "will have more to say when this aspect of our analysis is completed."
Cardinal Dolan also repeated the gratitude he expressed June 28 for HHS's five-month extension before implementation of the ruling, which threatens huge fines from the IRS.
The full statement follows.
Statement of Cardinal Timothy Dolan
Responding to June 28 Final Rule on HHS Mandate
Last Friday, the Administration issued its final rule regarding the HHS mandate, which requires healthcare coverage for sterilization, contraception, and drugs and devices that may cause abortions.That same day, I issued a brief statement indicating that the Conference would take the time necessary to analyze the 110-page regulation carefully and offer a fuller statement in due course.As I noted then, we appreciate the five month delay in enforcement, in part because it affords us the time for that necessary analysis and response.
Although the Conference has not completed its analysis of the final rule, some basic elements of the final rule have already come into focus.It is useful to report promptly on what we do know, and also to identify where further study is needed.
Once again, the statement United for Religious Freedom—issued by the U.S. bishops' Administrative Committee in March 2012, and affirmed by the entire body of bishops in June 2012—provides the framework for examining the final form of the HHS mandate.
That document identified three categories of religious freedom problems in the mandate—in short, problems with the "religious employer" exemption; problems with the "accommodation" for employers deemed not "religious enough" for the exemption; and problems with the lack of any exemption or "accommodation" for individuals and for-profit businesses.That is, we are concerned as pastors with the freedom of the Church as a whole—not just for the full range of its institutional forms, but also for the faithful in their daily lives—to carry out the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ.
We can already tell how the final rule fares in the first and third categories, because there have been no changes in those areas since the proposed rule of February.At that time, we made clear that all but one of the problems we originally identified with the definition of "religious employer" remained in place, and that the proposed rule actually made matters more troubling by preventing dioceses and other exempt employers from extending their coverage to the employees of service ministries that are not exempt.We also made clear in February that the proposed rule, like earlier versions, made no provision at all for individuals and for-profit businesses.Because the final rule remains the same in these areas, so do our concerns.
In the second category—the "accommodation" for religious charities, schools, and hospitals—the overall structure remains the same as under the proposed rule.There are, however, some relatively small changes to the "accommodation" that will take more time to evaluate.But even now, it is clear that the final rule does at least three things differently from the proposed rule.
Two developments related to insured plans, and one to self-insured plans:
″For insured plans, the proposed rule would have established separate insurance policies for coverage of sterilization, contraception, and abortifacients; but the final rule does not.Now, there is only one policy, and it is the one sponsored by the Catholic employer.The objectionable items will still be paid for by virtue of the fact that an employee belongs to the Catholic employer's plan, but these amounts are described as "payments" rather than "coverage."
″Also regarding insured plans, the final rule proposes to segregate funds in a way not specified in the proposed rule.This seems intended to strengthen the claim that objectionable items will not ultimately be paid by the employer's premium dollars.But it is unclear whether the proposal succeeds in identifying a source of funds that is genuinely separate from the objecting employer, and if so, whether it is workable to draw from that separate source.
″Regarding self-insured plans, the proposed rule described three alternative roles for the third-party administrator in securing coverage of sterilization, contraception, and abortifacients.The final rule selects the alternative that treats the employer's very act of objecting to coverage of sterilization, contraception, and abortifacients as the legal authorization for a third-party administrator to secure the objectionable coverage.In our comments to HHS on the proposed rule, we identified this alternative as the most objectionable of the three.
Following United for Religious Freedom, we will continue to examine the extent to which these changes tend to "force[ these religious ministries of service] to violate their own teachings within their very own institutions," in turn "undermin[ing] the effective proclamation of those teachings to the faithful and to the world."We will have more to say when this aspect of our analysis is completed.At this point, however, our study has not discovered any new change that eliminates the need to continue defending our rights in Congress and the courts.
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The Sr. Mary Heinen Award
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Internet technologies are changing the ways businesses distribute information. Making key corporate information available to everybody's desktop pays dividends, wasting less paper, providing more up-to-date information and making better use of the existing desktop PC and network infrastructure. Workgroup productivity benefits and business efficiency improves. Less time is wasted and information is more accurate.
An Intranet is an Internet implemented within your organisation. It makes use of exactly the same technologies that are used by the public Internet, allowing you to make use of widely available, well-tested low-cost software to implement your business information systems.
Intranets are often implemented based on existing PC and network infrastructures, leading to modest start-up costs and relatively low risks of introduction. The availability of the key software on all of the important hardware families makes it possible (often for the first time) to integrate otherwise isolated islands of computing in the organisation.
Intranets are based on a publishing model - departments, workgroups or divisions choose to publish the information they find to be useful to those who need it. The decentralised model scales well and needs only limited corporate intervention. A valuable corporate library gradually comes into existence, representing wisdom and knowledge accumulated over time.
Intranets are typically based around the widely-used TCP/IP networking protocols, electronic mail (email), WorldWideWeb browsers and servers and Internet News. These are identical to the versions in use outside the organisation on the Internet itself. The fact that they are the same and are easy to use means that training costs are reduced. If an organisation is already using a proprietary mail solution such as those from Novell, Microsoft or Lotus, some integration work will need to be done, but the difficulty is usually moderate.
Existing PCs and servers can often be pressed into use as part of an Intranet, particularly if they are Unix or NT based. Software for both is widely available and is not generally expensive nor are licensing conditions likely to pose a problem. Some technical skill is needed to set up the systems, but they do not usually require extensive management once they are running.
Internet software is widely available to allow for storage of documents, searching and retrieval, and related tasks. Most software vendors are now scrambling to put Internet interfaces (known as front-ends) on their existing applications. The database vendors are strongly represented amongst these. Making data available to Internet browsers is seen as a crucial success factor now for all of them.
Access to the Internet is becoming a crucial tool for researchers, purchasers and marketing departments. Corporate Intranets can easily be connected to the public Internet via a security interface commonly known as a firewall . The job of the firewall is to stop sensitive data from leaking out or being accessed from outside, whilst allowing the business users to see out.
Firewalls are often given undue prominence as a solution to the problem of data security. True, they can be made arbitrarily secure at the cost of rendering access increasingly less convenient. In reality, the design of the firewall should only be undertaken after a proper review of security needs and a realistic assessment of the likely level of interest from undesirables. Most security breaches are to do with human, not technical issues. It pointless barring the windows if the door is routinely left unlocked. More problems are human in nature than technical.
We have been involved in the application of Internet technologies to business communications since the early eighties and have a wide range of skills and expertise in this area. If you would like to discuss the options available, please call us for a free consultation and a chance to air the issues that interest you.
GBdirect provides a range of services for those interested in planning or implementing Intranets, from training and seminars through to the installation of systems and software.


In a few weeks, the entire world will focus on the Sochi Winter Olympics. One of my favorite parts of the Olympic games is the opportunity to hear the stories of dedication, hard work, training, and sacrifice. The winter games also provide the opportunity to celebrate diversity as we watch countries around the world compete in the same sports.
1. Discuss which winter Olympic sports you would love to try and why. Take a moment and consider how God created each of these athletes specifically for these sports.
Each one of us was created for a purpose by the workmanship of God. Created with a specific purpose. Each athlete has discovered their unique gift and talent and refined it. What do you think God created you specifically to do?
2. What have you observed about how the Olympic athletes react to winning and losing? Do you think you could keep winning and losing in perspective if you were one of the athletes?
We all compete in something. We compete in school and at work. Have you ever felt like you lost in some form of competition? Take heart, our training and competing is for a much greater purpose. How can you remember to strive for the "crown that will last forever"?
3. If you were an Olympic athlete, what would you do to glorify Christ with the platform you were given?
If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.
Sports figures often receive fame and attention. Some use the spotlight and forum they are given to thank God for the talent He gave them. They may use their fame to speak to large groups about their faith and share the message of salvation. We have that opportunity, too. No matter where you compete, work, or spend a majority of your day, you have a platform. How can you take each opportunity to glorify Christ within your circle of influence?
4. How would you respond if you missed a medal by only a fraction of seconds?
Have you ever come up just short of a goal? When we barely miss our goal, it can be very defeating. Let me encourage you to look back at the training and journey it took to get to that moment. So often in life the "win" isn't where the real lessons are learned. The journey and the training are where character is built. How can we always remember that our "inheritance is from the Lord" and that our lessons are learned in the journey?
5. What inspires you most about the Olympic games?
From celebrating different cultures to stories of hard work and sacrifice, there is so much to be inspired by when it comes to the Olympic games. When it comes to the 2014 Winter Olympics, what draws you in most?
I hope this guide is useful as you look at the Olympic games through the lens of glorifying God. We are each given gifts and talents for the distinct purpose of glorifying our Creator in Heaven. We may not all be Olympic athletes, but we will experience wins and losses throughout life. We will experience opportunities to bring glory to the name of Jesus. May we always go for the gold and upon achieving it, bring glory to His name.
Iike this even things on small scale!
We are watching and look forward to answering the questions as a family. PS we love WITB!!!
No, we don't. These games were created to honor and worship a pagan Roman goddess. It is wrong for a Christian to be involved .
@RyanJaimzKnight Go watch "The War On Christmas" by Bodie Hodge.
@LylaR @RyanJaimzKnightI'm a former Conservative and Fundamentalist, I am aware. I am also grateful to God for delivering me from those two vices of the faith since they are demonic and untrue - much like that film. All I can tell you, is you're looking for The Enemy in the wrong place. Good day, and God bless.
Was a little bothered to see the church of scientology is one of the major sponsors of the Olympics...thanks for all you do!


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2016 Landrover Defender 90 Heritage Edition 2.2 TDi Hard-Top
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Model Defender 90 Heritage Edition 2.2 TDi Hard-Top
Body Style 3DR Hard-Top
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SkillanNaylor are very pleased to offer this 2016 Landrover Defender 90 Heritage Edition 2.2 TDI Hard-Top. Finished in beautiful Grasmere Green Metallic with matching Sand cloth upholstery.
Icon, legend? What word best describes the Landrover Defender? First introduced in 1948 and for the most part remaining unchanged for over 60 years. The Defender has gone from carrying sheep off a remote hillside to king of cool driving down the trendiest roads in the country.
To make the end of production of the Defender, Landrover produced a small number of special editions referred to as Heritage Editions. These were mostly offered in 90 4-Seat 110 6-Seat variants. There were also a small number of 90 2-Seat Hard-Tops built with this car being one of those.
Painted in Grasmere Green Metallic which is inspired by the post WW11 RAF surplus green colour first used on the Defender when launched in 1948. This is complimented colour coded heavy duty steel wheels and by the Sand cloth upholstery.
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This whole vision of a personal computer just popped into my head. [In March 1975], I started to sketch out on paper what would later become known as the Apple I.
My vision was to create the first fully packaged computer. We were no longer aiming for the handful of hobbyists who liked to assemble their own computers, who knew how to buy transformers and keyboards. For every one of them there were a thousand people who would want the machine to be ready to run.
I discovered that the best innovation is sometimes the company, the way you organize a company. The whole notion of how you build a company is fascinating.
My model for business is the Beatles. They were four guys that kept each others' negative tendencies in check; they balanced each other. And the total was greater than the sum of the parts. That's how I see business: great things in business are never done by one person, they're done by a team of people.
What we do at Apple is very simple: we invent stuff… We make stuff, put it out there, and people use it.
The rewarding thing isn't merely to start a company or to take it public. It's like when you're a parent. Although the birth experience is a miracle, what's truly rewarding is living with your child and helping him grow up.
The only purpose for me in building a company is so that it can make products. Of course, building a very strong company and a foundation of talent and culture is essential over the long run to keep making great products. On the other hand, to me, the company is one of humanity's most amazing inventions. It's totally abstract. Sure, you have to build something with bricks and mortar to put the people in, but basically a company is this abstract construct we've invented, and it's incredibly powerful.
We don't know where it will lead. We just know there's something much bigger than any of us here.
Now when we see new things or opportunities, we can seize them… A creative period like this lasts only maybe a decade, but it can be a golden decade if we manage it properly.
Each year has been so robust with problems and successes and learning experiences and human experiences that a year is a lifetime at Apple. So this has been ten lifetimes.
So if Apple just becomes a place where computers are a commodity item and where the romance is gone, and where people forget that computers are the most incredible invention that man has ever invented, then I'll feel I have lost Apple. But if I'm a million miles away and all those people still feel those things and they're still working to make the next great personal computer, then I will feel that my genes are still in there.


Moderate Amt of Coffee Doesn't Dehydrate!
My teacher Edward Obaidey Sensei.
Branch of Ministry of Health–regulatory body that regulates acupuncturists and protects the public.
The professional association of TCM/Acupuncture in BC.


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Home » Stay Shut Down or Be Sued? The Risk to Your Business from COVID-19 Premises-Liability Claims
Stay Shut Down or Be Sued? The Risk to Your Business from COVID-19 Premises-Liability Claims
By Bill Drabble on July 31, 2020
Posted in COVID-19, Legal Risk Management, Property Issues
Reeling from months of governmental orders that required all restaurants to close their doors, Chez Quis was elated to re-open and welcome back its diners, even at a reduced capacity. But elation quickly turned to despair when Chez Quis learned that one of its longtime customers, Abe Froman, had sued the restaurant for allegedly contracting the coronavirus (COVID-19) while dining there. Has Chez Quis jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire?
This scenario has been weighing on the minds of companies that are eager to resume their businesses but wary of the potential liability if their customers, guests, employees or vendors contract COVID-19 while on their property. This post addresses the proposed federal legislation to limit companies' liability, the risks under current Texas law and the practical steps that businesses can take to protect themselves.
Proposed Federal Liability Shield
On July 27, Senators McConnell and Cornyn unveiled the "SAFE TO WORK Act," which would limit liability for "coronavirus exposure actions." A "coronavirus exposure action" is defined as any lawsuit brought by a plaintiff alleging that an actual, alleged, feared, or potential for exposure to COVID-19 caused either personal injury or a risk of personal injury. Under the proposed legislation, the plaintiff must prove, by clear and convincing evidence, that:
The defendant "was not making reasonable efforts in light of all the circumstances to comply with the applicable governmental standards and guidance in effect at the time of the actual, alleged, feared, or potential for exposure to coronavirus;"
The defendant engaged in gross negligence or willful misconduct that caused the accidental exposure to COVID-19; and
Actual exposure to COVID-19 caused the plaintiff's personal injuries.
The proposed legislation would also limit the plaintiff's recovery to his economic damages, unless the defendant engaged in willful misconduct.
Risks Under Existing Texas Law
While the SAFE TO WORK Act would provide significant protection to businesses, passage of the Act (at least in its current form) is uncertain. It has received a mixed reaction from Senate Republicans and drawn criticism from Congressional Democrats. So what are risks under existing Texas law?
As discussed in my recent article, the claim that companies are most likely to face is one for premises liability. Premises liability applies when a person's injury is due to a dangerous condition on the property, as opposed to contemporaneous negligent activity. Think of a customer slipping and falling on a wet floor. Under Texas law, companies owe a duty of ca
re to all visitors on their property; the extent of that duty depends on the visitor's status. But even when the duty of care is at its highest, visitors who were infected with COVID-19 face several obstacles to recovery.
First, whether companies even owe a duty to reduce or eliminate their risk of catching COVID-19 is an open question. As a general rule, a person has no duty to aid or protect another from harm caused by a third party. While the Texas Supreme Court has recognized a few exceptions, none apply to person who inadvertently spreads a disease.
Texas courts may also decide not to impose a duty, because the risk of contracting COVID-19 is open and obvious at all. "When [visitors] are aware of dangerous premises conditions—whether because the danger is obvious or because the landowner provided an adequate warning—the condition will, in most cases, no longer pose an unreasonable risk because the law presumes that [visitors] will take reasonable measures to protect themselves against known risks, which may include a decision not to accept the invitation to enter the landowner's premises." For example, Texas courts have held that property owners owed no duty to warn about the risks of slipping on a patch of ice or sitting on a cliff's edge.
Second, even if property owners owe a duty, visitors will likely have difficulty proving that the breach of that duty proximately caused their injuries. There is a lengthy incubation period (up to 14 days) between exposure to the virus and the development of symptoms. Even if the visitor had been scrupulously following the shelter-in-place orders, it will be difficult for him to pinpoint exactly when and where he was exposed to the virus and, thus, who is responsible.
Third, the company can assert that the visitor's own choices caused or contributed to causing the COVID-19 infection. Although the common law defense of assumption of the risk no longer exists in Texas, the same concept remain relevant under Texas's Proportionate-Responsibility Statute. The visitor's recovery may be reduced by demonstrating that he bore some portion of the responsibility for catching COVID-19. The visitor may be precluded from recovering at all if the jury finds that he bore more than 50% of the responsibility. The company will have a strong argument that the visitor is at fault if he did not comply with the governmental regulations and public-health guidelines (including not wearing a facemask).
Titling the Scales in Your Favor
Although persons asserting premises-liability claims based on COVID-19 infections face considerable challenges, companies can take steps to further reduce their risk of liability. First and foremost, they should adhere to any regulations by the state or local government, as well as the guidance published by the Centers for Disease Control. If the courts do impose a duty on property owners to reduce or eliminate the risk of catching COVID-19, they may find that violating the applicable regulations and guidelines was negligence per se, that is, conclusive proof that the owner did not exercise reasonable care. Among other measures, companies should consider:
Performing temperature screenings on any persons entering the premises and denying access to those running a fever;
Sending home any employees who have symptoms, reside with a person showing symptoms, or have recently travelled to areas with outbreaks;
Requiring all persons entering the premises to wear face coverings;
Requiring and facilitating social distancing by all persons present on the premises;
Promoting good hygiene and sanitation practices; and
Posting displays emphasizing the risk of contracting COVID-19 and stating the required and recommended safety measures.
Companies should also adopt a compliance policy that will allow them to verify and document that they are complying with those regulations and guidelines. Those regulations and guidelines are periodically updated, so companies should designate a point persons to monitor any revisions and ensure that they are promptly implemented.
Additionally, companies should consider having all visitors (if feasible) sign a release in exchange for permission to access the premises. So long as certain criteria are satisfied, releases that relieve a party in advance of liability for its own negligence are enforceable under Texas law, and an effective release is "an absolute bar to any right of action on the released matter." Consult with an attorney to ensure that the release for your business complies with Texas law.
Tags: COVID-19, Personal Injury, Torts
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